January 31, 2019

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VOLUME 137, ISSUE 14 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019

LOCAL BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY MEMBERS CONTRIBUTE TO MEMORIAL FUND FOR OFFICER NATALIE CORONA Davis Police Department receives thousands in donations from community in memory of slain officer M E L I N DA C H E N / AGGI E

BY T I M L A LON D E city@theaggie.org

The Davis Police Department created a memorial fund in honor of slain police officer Natalie Corona, and community members and local business have stepped up to contribute.

Corona was shot and killed in the line of duty while responding to a car accident on Jan. 10 at the corner of Fifth and D Streets in Davis. On Jan. 18, thousands of mourners gathered in the ARC Pavilion at UC Davis to remember her life and service.

The Davis PD announced on Twitter and its website on Jan. 15 that a memorial fund would be created in her name.

“The Davis Police Department appreciates all of your continued support during this difficult time,” the tweet read. “In response to this tragedy, we have created a

Memorial Fund in Natalie’s honor.”

Lt. Paul Doroshov of the Davis PD confirmed that the memorial funds raised would go to Corona’s family. He also urged those who wish to contribute to be wary of fake charities and scams posing as alternative memorial funds. To ensure the donations went to the official Natalie Corona Memorial Fund, Doroshov recommended contributing through the sources listed on the Davis PD website.

“In times like this, unfortunately — as in disaster — it does happen where people set up fake stuff and there’s scams out there,” Doroshov said. “We’re not telling people where to donate, but we can vouch for the official [memorial fund].”

Local business held a number of special events to raise money for the memorial fund. Dutch Bros Coffee announced on its website that $1 from every coffee sold at 26 different local Dutch Bros locations on Jan. 17 — including the Davis location, where Corona was a beloved regular customer — would be donated toward the fund. Dutch Bros announced after the event that it had raised over $82,000 in Corona’s memory.

Dos Coyotes Border Cafe, a local Mexican restaurant, also held a fundraising event in Corona’s honor at both of its Davis locations. On Jan. 23, the restaurant announced on its Facebook page that 100 percent of its sales that day would go to the memorial fund. A second post later that day celebrated huge crowds at both locations, and video footage posted in the

comment section showed long lines and full seating at one of the restaurants.

“Standing room only,” wrote commenter Aimee Conner Hasson. “I’ve never been so happy to see a long line. Thank Dos and our community for supporting Officer Natalie Corona and her family.”

Sudwerk Brewery also held a fundraising event in Corona’s honor, featuring live music from Julie and the Jukes and Doc Tari. All the proceeds from the taproom during the event were contributed to the memorial fund, according to co-owner Trent Yackzan. The musicians donated their time free of charge. The food truck at the event, Street Cravings, also donated a percentage of its proceeds to the fund.

Prior to the event, Yackzan spoke of his business’s connection to the wider Davis community.

“The root of the word — it’s a German word, a slang word —’Sudwerk’ means community, community brewery,” Yackzan said. “We just felt compelled to give back to her family and to [the] community.”

A link to the Paypal for the memorial fund was included in the original tweet.

Those who wish to contribute can also use Venmo to send donations to @NatalieCorona-MemorialFund, or drop off or mail checks at the Davis Police station at 2600 Fifth St., Davis, CA 95618. Checks can also be dropped off at any Umpqua bank location. Davis PD requested that checks be made payable to “Natalie Corona Memorial Fund.”

HIRING PROCESS AFTER LAST YEAR’S CONTROVERSIAL TERMINATION OF COUNSELING DIRECTOR Two remaining candidates: one currently holds interim position, other chief of mental health at CA State Prison, Sacramento QU IN N SP O O N E R / AGGI E

BY H A N N A H HO L ZE R campus@theaggie.org

Following the controversial termination of UC Davis’ former Counseling Services Director, a group of staff and students comprising the official Recruitment Advisory Committee (RAC) has been actively involved in a months-long hiring process to fill the position.

Two applicants remain: Dr. Paul Kim, who currently serves in the role of interim counseling services director and has served as director of multicultural services for UC Davis’ Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS), and Dr. Ruben Valencia, who is the current chief of mental health at California State Prison, Sacramento, the largest mental health program in the state of California with 200 mental health staff.

Valencia is also a former UC Davis counselor and clinical director of the academic and staff assistance program.

Last academic year, counseling services worked with over 5,100 unique students — the first time the university broke the 5,000 mark in an academic year, according to Kim. “Increase in utilization is absolutely due to more demand and more acuity,” he said. “[It] may also be due to the work we do around stigma reduction and having multiple entry points.”

At CSP Sacramento, there are over 15,000 mental health appointments every month, according to Valencia. He said his primary concerns lie both with quantity and quality — ensuring demand is met and the care provided is the best it can be.

In their respective public forums open to community members, both Kim and Valencia spoke about the necessity of improving student knowledge of existing resources, supporting staff, maximizing resources before asking for additional support and increasing involvement with students.

Sarah Hahn’s termination Last year, the university’s termination of former Counseling Services Director Sarah Hahn drew campuswide attention. Hahn maintains that her termination was retaliation for concerns she had raised about whether UC Davis had appropriately allocated student fees meant specifically for the hiring of an additional 12 counselors.

The planned hiring efforts were part of an ongoing systemwide mental health initiative which would bring the university in line with nationally recommended staff-tostudent ratios. An investigation published in The California Aggie last year revealed a por-

tion of these funds had been misallocated.

During his public forum, Kim said that in addition to hiring a new clinical director, a sports psychologist and a postdoc, the university is currently in the process of filling three new counselor positions. The hires will be on a 10-month, furloughed basis, but the positions are permanent.

“It’s important we get fully staffed,” Kim said.

As part of her official settlement agreement with the university, Hahn agreed to resign from her position in exchange for a severance pay of $12,394.83, according to an official copy of the agreement obtained

by The California Aggie via a California Public Records Act request.

Following her termination, the Facebook page “Defend Student Allies: Save Sarah Hahn” received support from over 600 students.

According to fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major Shradha Shah, a current co-chair of the Student Mental Health Coalition and one of three student members on the RAC, the backlash resulting from Hahn’s termination provided an incentive for SHCS “to be more transparent in this process and to increase student involvement.”

“The three of us had an equal voice and vote as the other members of RAC who were faculty/staff, and we could freely share our experiences through the process as long as we up-kept candidate privacy,” Shah said via email. “I do believe this increase of involvement and transparency was due to the uproar of Sara Hahn’s upsetting termination,

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GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED STATE BUDGET INCREASES FUNDING FOR UC SYSTEM, MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES State budget has $36.4 billion allocated for UC, CSU, Community College systems

J D L ASICA [CC BY 2.0 ] / F L ICKR

BY CLAI R E DODD & J OHN R EGI DOR campus@theaggie.org

Newly-elected California Governor Gavin Newsom released his state budget proposal on Jan. 10, 2019. Within the $209 billion budget, $36.4 billion was allocated to higher education — with funds going to the UCs, CSUs and California Community Colleges. This marks a $1.4 billion increase from Jerry Brown’s previous budget, reflecting a 4.1 percent rise from the 2018-19 year.

Newsom hopes that this hike in funding across all of California’s higher education systems will allow for an overall increase in access to schooling, an improvement of graduation rates and a tuition freeze.

In the budget summary, Newsom clarified that $240 million would be set aside as an ongoing General Fund augmentation BUDGET on 11 and I hope in the future this effort will be continually made by administration.”

Hiring Process During the hiring process, which has taken several months, members of the RAC narrowed down the pool of candidates to just a handful of individuals who were then interviewed, Shah said.

The RAC is composed of individuals representing various groups on campus, including the “Counseling Center, Student Health, Student Mental Health Coalition, Student Disability Center, Student Support and Judicial Affairs, Office of Educational Opportunity and Enrichment Services and the Community Resource and Retention Center,” according to Jennifer Billeci, the director of the Student Disability Center.

After narrowing down the pool of applicants, and after one applicant dropped out, only Kim and Valencia remained. The RAC asked both questions about accessibility, budget allocation and representing marginalized communities, Shah explained.

Both Kim and Valencia had their own, separate public forums on Jan. 17 and Jan. 22, respectively. An hour-and-a-half was also set aside for the applicants to meet with students at a student luncheon, and interview sessions were scheduled specifically for Kim and Valencia to meet with counseling services staff. Some of these staff members served on the RAC. Billeci said the public forum was advertised via Student Affairs and Undergraduate Education, and Shah said both she and another student member of the RAC used their Student Mental Health Coalition platform to “involve and educate as many students as possible” via the group’s monthly newsletter and talking about the hiring at CAPS on 11

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UC Davis prepares for UC-wide payroll system despite issues at other UC campuses Resources for students, staff to better transition to UCPath program

BY R EN EE HO H city@theaggie.org

On March 1, UC Davis, UC Irvine and UC Berkeley will begin using UCPath, a new payroll system aimed at standardizing pay and benefits across the UC system. Four schools –– Riverside, Merced, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara –– have already converted, facing program and processing issues affecting student pay for a number of months.

In preparation for the transition, UC Davis campus administrators recommended that employees review their personal information and utilize direct deposit to avert avoidable financial disruptions.

UC Davis is moving forward with the implementation of UCPath, hoping to learn from errors at other UC campuses and provide better support for student employees.

The system will begin issuing paychecks on April 1, and UC Davis employees can choose to receive their paychecks through direct deposit or by mail to their listed home address; local paycheck pickup at each department will no longer be an option.

“An important thing students can do is to

Local church, campus group accused of restricting leadership roles for queer people

seriously consider moving to direct deposit,” said Kelly Ratliff, the Senior Associate Vice Chancellor at UC Davis. “In UCPath, all paychecks will be mailed out on payday, so we don’t want people to have that delay.

If there is an error, we can resolve the error much more quickly if you have direct deposit –– days more quickly than if you don’t.”

At the time of publication, 2,577 students were still receiving paper paychecks, which constitutes 65 percent of all university employees receiving physical payment.

To avoid some initial processing errors, employees can switch to direct deposit online, which will only begin three to four weeks after initial activation. On other campuses, delays in payment have risen due to such errors like late submission of timesheets, misreporting of bank information, incorrect mailing address and undocumented change in marital status, among others.

“We had a little bit more flexibility with the old system, but with the new system, those deadlines really matter,” Ratliff said.

“We need people to have good practices about submitting time and recording their time in a timely manner.”

GO O GLE MA PS

LGBTQIA members of University Covenant Church, Catalyst speak about being in these groups

BY DE A N A M E D I N A campus@theaggie.org

“Five years. I spent five years at University Covenant Church involved on both staff and volunteer levels building relationships, investing in youth, and being a Guinea pig for the staff to figure out how to approach the LGBT community [...] In reflection, I wonder if it was all a waste of time.”

These are the opening words of a blog post by Jordon Friend, a former UC Davis student and former member of University Covenant Church (UCC) in Davis.

Friend and two other individuals — both members of the LGBTQIA community — spoke to The California Aggie about their previous and current experiences being out and involved with UCC and Catalyst, a Christian group on campus related to UCC. UCC’s Lead Pastor John Fanous said that sexual orientation has never been an issue within the UCC, saying that the church doesn’t “really distinguish on sexual orientation,” and that it is “not a factor at all.”

Although UCC leaders have said they want to provide a fully accepting space where LGBTQIA-identifying individuals feel welcome, enforced restrictions barring LGBTQIA individuals access to leadership roles as well as celibacy requirements have affected both Friend and others.

Difference in treatment at UCC Friend’s account of how he was treated by the leadership of the church as someone who didn’t fit into the heterosexual norm is extensively detailed in his public online post. He alleges he was forced to go through obstacles that a straight member of the church would never have to.

“The elder team and leaders at UCC would like to think the difference in treatment doesn’t really exist,” Friend said, add-

ing, however, that in order for him to be deemed suitable for a staff position he was subject to a four-month process and extensive conversations. “No one who volunteers at my level ever needed a four month process to come to the conclusion that I was, indeed, fit to be on staff.”

Friend said he was also forced to retell his story numerous times — an emotional ordeal for him — “hoping to ensue some sort of empathy.”

Requirements imposed on him by UCC leadership included pursuing a life of celibacy and refraining from dating.

“They also had me agree to check in and give results on how their ‘gay leader’ experiment was going,” he wrote in his post. “Then they said they still weren’t sure if they trusted me. After sticking around for so many years, after serving with all my heart, after being completely vulnerable. They said to build trust I needed to take down my blogs.

To make it real official, I signed a contract.”

UCC Lead Pastor John Fanous said that all leaders sign an agreement acknowledging a set of expectations, and denied Friend’s claim that his contract was altered due to his sexuality.

“I don’t think he signed anything that was different than any other leaders,” Fanous said. “That is so against anything we believe. I don’t think that happened.”

Friend provided The California Aggie with an email containing details about a meeting where he and UCC leadership discussed additional clauses to the standard contracts, signed in April of 2017.

The email discussed a volunteer leadership proposal for Friend. In this position, he was subjected to mandatory check-ins to an individual named “Kyle.” Additional clauses pertaining to Friend included: “the volunteer agrees to not undermine the Covenant position on human sexuality. The volunteer

Matt Okamoto, the UC Davis controller, also attributed some of the issues at other campuses to inherent inaccuracies during data conversion from the old to the new system. Okamoto noted that converting student pay data is especially complex as students work variable hours and sometimes even multiple positions.

“As we are preparing to convert our data at Davis, we’re paying special attention to our student employees to try to make sure that we are catching any errors beforehand by doing special test runs just for our student employee population so that hopefully we can get in front of any conversion errors that come up,” Okamoto said.

Once UCPath is deployed, the school will provide a command center on campus with representatives from the central payroll office and the central human resources office to answer questions. However, all employees who encounter an issue with their paycheck should immediately contact their department to report the problem.

Some UCs with an earlier deployment date faced system problems, such as social security taxes being incorrectly withheld from some student employees. Since then, UCPath Center has reported that all program errors have been fixed; however, processing and conversion errors persist. Affected campuses have been utilizing loaded pay cards and same-day or overnight checks to compensate impacted students.

“Ninety-nine percent of UC employees have been paid accurately and on time,” said Claire Doan, the director of media relations for the California Office of the President, via email. “That said, we know this is very difficult for those impacted, and we empathize with students’ concerns and frustrations.”

Due to the UC system’s large population, the 1 percent of affected workers still amounts to a significant number of individuals working without pay. Student employees have been noticeably more affected than faculty members, who often have fixed salaries. Extreme cases include students dropped from their classes or unable to afford payments such as rent or mortgage, according to The Daily Bruin.

UCSB, which initiated UCPath in September of 2018, had particular problems with graduate students seeing more discrepancies in pay. The discrepancies ranged from missing paychecks to being paid three-tofour times the correct amount. Cierra Raine Sorin, the president of the UCSB Graduate Student Association, faced thousands of dollars in overpayment and described the situation as a “nightmare” despite campus administration’s best efforts.

“UCPath system was not designed for graduate student positions,” Sorin said.

“Grad students have a lot of changeover in the jobs that they take because every quarter you are in a new position, even if it’s the same kind of job. Graduate students have been impacted much more heavily than any other community.”

The system deployed in UC Riverside in January of 2018, and processing errors as well as system errors plagued the campus.

Despite resolving initial issues, more arose in May with the first paycheck of Spring Quarter, as the majority of graduate students shifted positions for the quarter. Sorin expressed her concerns for the upcoming February paycheck, the first payday of UCSB’s winter quarter.

Many of these observed issues may not occur at UC Davis, as they may be unique to each campus, but others are still unforeseen, in spite of the administration’s precautionary measures. “[The campuses are] all running effectively different payroll systems even though they use the same program,” Okamoto said.

“Each campus has customized it so the errors we’ve been seeing can very well be unique to the individual campus because their program might have been set up special, and when you run the conversion, it didn’t quite take appropriately.”

Errors during deployment are to be expected but need to be handled effectively and efficiently.

“We want folks to know that we’re going to work as hard as we can and have things as smoothly as possible,” Ratliff said. “If when we go live and folks notice an error, they need to notify us immediately.”

signs the Covenant leadership agreements.

The volunteer remains accountable to Kyle while in this role.”

An additional clause shows the apparent motivation behind UCC agreeing to have Friend as a leader: “Kyle shares his learning in the coming year on LGBTQ care strategies with the ET so that we can all learn more about how to best uphold truth and love.”

pray at a higher level, as Jordon mentioned, you had to say you would be celibate.”

After Friend’s blog post was publicly posted, Lee sent a letter to UCC’s head pastor and three leaders of Catalyst. He subsequently received a response back which, he said, “didn’t make me feel welcome.”

In the email Lee sent, which was obtained by The California Aggie, he described elements of his experience that had made him feel not fully welcome. Specifically, he said he promised to not make his dating life public, “even though that wasn’t the case for straight couples.”

“I have worked very hard to make Catalyst an inclusive space for queer people during my two years in leadership,” Lee wrote. “It hurt me that I was held to a different standard at the time, but I thought it was worthwhile if it could help gay people in the future of Catalyst. Therefore, this in no way [is] attacking Catalyst or its effort to support queer people. I understand the struggles we have gone through together.”

Lee also mentioned the struggles he faced applying to become a member of Catalyst leadership.

“I was hurt when I applied to be a leader at the end of freshmen year and again sophomore year,” Lee wrote. “I was loved by the community of Catalyst as a whole, but to serve as a leader I was held to different expectations and I had to hide myself. I felt mislead. The community was so loving, and the environment was accepting, however, leadership was not. I felt that the whole topic –– our lives –– was sugar coated and brushed over.”

During his time involved with Catalyst, Lee’s primary goal was to inspire positive change and acceptance of queer people. He said he never saw these goals become a reality.

“Jordon [Friend] put a lot of intentional effort to direct people towards UCC and Catalyst, me included,” Lee wrote. “He genuinely convinced me that it was worthwhile to serve at a church that was not affirming [...] I felt that I was called to serve on leadership to fight for queer rights. However, in my time while serving, nothing came to fruition. From my understanding, queer people still felt uncomfortable, no matter what we did or what I did.”

Celibacy requirements at Catalyst The UCC’s reach extends beyond its building on Mace Boulevard. It has a presence on the UC Davis campus via Catalyst, an Evangelical Christian group associated with the church.

Andy Lee, a fourth-year wildlife, fish and conservation biology major and a former member of Catalyst leadership, recognized a strong connection between the two organizations, stating “whatever UCC believes, Catalyst also has to operate on.”

“Catalyst is definitely more vocal with loving people, but the stance is the same,” Lee said. “I think Catalyst tries to love queer folks, but UCC’s stance is that same sex love is not ordained by God. UCC’s love is a little conditioned. A lot of times, they love you but they don’t celebrate you wholly.”

Lee stopped his involvement with Catalyst at the beginning of this school year due to a combination of family and personal issues along with a sense that he did not feel “loved, accepted and celebrated” by the leadership at Catalyst, especially after the leadership suggested that he should find another church in their emails to each other.

Like Friend, Lee also said that there were specific expectations enforced for members of leadership at UCC and Catalyst who are also members of the LGBTQIA community as well as restrictions on access to these leadership roles for these individuals in the first place. For example, if Lee had wanted access to a high-ranking role, he’d have to remain celibate.

“They have different levels of what you can do as a queer person,” Lee said. “For example, if you were running the slides in the background, they don’t care. You’re not seen. [But] I was a worship leader, I’m kind of up front every other week, so they cared if I was seeing someone. I was able to lead worship, but technically I wasn’t able to pray or preach. If you want to lead or preach or

JORDON FRIEND on 12

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019 | 3

JA MIE CHEN / AGGIE

Solano Park Apartments Pantry looks to expand hours New food programs to benefit student resident families

BY A N N E F E Y city@theaggie.org

The Solano Park Apartments Pantry, a space that provides food to local residents, hopes to increase its weekly hours through volunteer engagement. The Solano Pantry began last summer to help fight food insecurity. It is one of three ongoing initiatives, including the Farmers Market Free Farm Fare and the Treasure Trove.

The Yolo Food Bank has supported the

Solano Pantry by delivering non-perishable food items to the Solano Park Apartments every Saturday. It also delivers produce donated by farmers market vendors for Free Farm Fare, a project that brings fresh food from the Davis Farmers Market to Solano Park.

Another element that makes the Solano Pantry possible is Solano Park Apartments’ partnership with Aggie Compass, as Aggie Compass supports a student worker to cover the regular Thursday shift.

ALEXA FO NTANI LLA / AGGI E

Yolo Food Bank, CalFresh accommodated for federal government shutdown Potential crisis of food insecurity arose due to frozen federal funds, missed paychecks

BY H A N N A N WA LI U L L A H city@theaggie.org

In response to the shutdown of the federal government, both local and federal programs dealing with food insecurity were modified in order to provide support to beneficiaries.

The Yolo Food Bank hosted a weekly special food distribution for federal employees starting on Jan. 12. Additional-

Lost and Found

While both Free Farm Fare and the Pantry focus on providing food to residents, Treasure Trove connects residents with items recovered mostly through “From Landfill to Goodwill,” a resource recovery drive that takes place in the residence halls at the end of the academic year. Items include kitchen appliances, such as microwaves, and other items including new bike helmets.

The Treasure Trove fulfills important needs student needs, according to Iracema Rodriguez, a resident advisor at Solano Park Apartments.

“When I arrived with my husband from our country — from Mexico — we didn’t arrive with anything,” Rodriguez said. “We didn’t have kitchen appliances, so I would [have] liked to have this in place four years ago. The Treasure Trove is so good for the people living here.”

The three programs began when Lisa Papagni, the assistant director of student housing, saw a need within the Solano Park Apartments community.

“For the student community in general, food insecurity is a big issue,” Papagni said.

Papagni went on to describe how the Solano Pantry was founded.

“Yolo Food Bank offered to provide pantry goods for us on a pilot basis to see how it went,” Papagni said. “I had already set aside a pantry space and had it ready in hopes of getting a pantry started, and so we were ready to have that go really any moment that food could be delivered.”

Alicia Marzolf, a second-year clinical nutrition major at UC Davis involved with

ly, CalFresh benefits for the month of February were issued early due to a freeze on federal Funds that began on Jan. 20.

The government shutdown started on Dec. 22, 2018 and ended on January 25, 2019. It was the longest shutdown in US history, surpassing the 21-day shutdown in the 1990’s.

As a result, as many as 800,000 federal employees didn’t receive their paychecks. California has 250,000 federal employees — the most of any U.S. state. In particular, there is a USDA office based in Davis and other federal offices throughout Yolo County.

As a response to the government shutdown, the Yolo Food Bank offered a special distribution service to federal employees. Every Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., federal employees with an ID were able to take up to 30 pounds of food.

“We became aware of a need in the community,” said Joy Cohan, YFB’s director of philanthropic engagement. “Not only do a lot of federal workers live in Yolo County, but there are a lot of federal jobs in the county related to USDA, which of course has a location in Davis, as well as other locations throughout the county. This is contingent of the federal workers in the Winters area, for instance, as well.”

The first Friday of the food distribution took place on Jan 12. Cohan noted that there were about 40 federal employees that were present to receive food.

“We didn’t know what to expect so that was pretty amazing that we served 40 people,” Cohan said. “Because this is a special distribution where we count the food that each

January 19 “Male customer inside the store taking pictures of other customers and saying that people are stalking him.”

“Sounds of toddler playing with phone.”

“Pile of brand new clothes with tags behind the enclosed dumpster area on the Planet Wash side of plot, unknown if stolen and dumped.”

“Dark-colored sedan driving erratically and at high speeds traveling westbound on Russell.”

Free Farm Fare through Food Recovery Network, spoke about seeing the inception of the Solano Pantry while being part of starting Free Farm Fare. Both began with conversations at a Yolo County meeting about food insecurity.

“It kind of just happened that — oh they have this need, and Yolo Food Bank [said] we can fill that need,” Marzolf said. “It was kind of spontaneous.”

The resident assistants support the programs — they are available to open the Solano Pantry and Treasure Trove if residents experience any urgent needs for resources.

Residents can also check the Pantry’s hours through its Facebook page.

According to those involved with the Pantry, including Rodriguez, there is a demand for more volunteers. Currently, the Solano Pantry is open twice a week: Thursdays from 12 to 3 p.m. and on Saturday afternoons.

“It’s hard for the mothers to come with kids, and also the students are so busy, so it’s so hard to attract the residents to help,” Rodriguez said. “So, sometimes we come to open — the RA’s [resident advisors] — and yes, we need help. If we can have one person open one more day of the week, or even two more days of the week, it would be good.”

The Solano Pantry and Free Farm Fare are well-used programs at this point, according to Papagni.

“It’s a really popular resource for our student families,” Papagni said. “A lot of families are really utilizing it, so that’s really nice.”

employee is able to take, it’s a little different from our usual distribution. We do ask for ID, which identifies them as a federal employee.”

Food recipients had to be Yolo County residents — either permanently or temporarily — even if their job location wasn’t in Yolo County. Cohan said that while food donations are always welcome by interested parties, cash donations have more flexibility.

“One of the things that really sets us apart from other food sources for the food insecure in the county is that we are offering nutritious fresh produce, dairy products, meat and other perishables,” Cohan said. “The only way we can do that efficiently and effectively is by having the resources to have access to those foods. Cash really gives us the greatest flexibility to do that.”

The YFB strives to help people who are facing short term crises. These people included the recently unemployed or federal workers who weren’t getting paid during the shutdown.

Additionally, due to the government shutdown, CalFresh funds were issued early for the month of February. On Jan. 14, the California Department of Social Services released a statement saying that the reason for the early issuance was due to the lack of future access to federal funds.

CalFresh is California’s iteration of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It provides monthly

January 20 “Reporting party claims someone put chemicals in her car and she can no longer drive it.”

January 21 “Male subject loitering between the side of the building and the front door bothering customers. Reporting party requested he be moved along.”

“Dogs barking for three days now on the side of the house.”

SHUTDOWN on 11

“Cardboard box full of empty whippit containers left in the middle of the parking lot.”

January 22 “Reporting party was charged and knocked down by a transient’s dog.”

“Long-haired white cat with a white collar lost in the area.”

January 23 “Reporting party heard noises inside resident and thinks he heard his roommates yelling.”

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4 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019

STUDENTS MAKE CHOICES TO LIVE ALONE IN DORMS

Certain students choose to live in single dorm rooms without roommates, still obtain the social college experience

BY MARGO ROSENBAUM features@theaggie.org

Most students come back from class to find their dormmates, whether they are a friendly face or a mortal enemy. Some students, however, come home to silence, since they are the only ones living in the room.

When deciding whether incoming firstyear students want to live in dorms, they have the option of choosing to live on their own in a single room or, more commonly, with roommates in a double or triple. Certain students decide to live on their own, despite the higher price and solitary aspect.

“I had a lot of friends who had roommates and had bad experiences with that, and I was looking for having my own space and avoiding that,” said Olivia Lasecke, a first-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, who lives in a single this year in Segundo.

Living alone gives students freedom to control their schedules and how they use the space in their room.

“You can make your own schedule,” said Carlo Safra, a first-year computer science major, who lives in a single in Tercero. “You don’t have to worry about waking up early and waking other people up or being cautious like that. Or you can stay up studying for as long as you want.”

According to Luisangel Sanchez, a firstyear communication major and another single dorm resident in Tercero, he benefits from using his room for whatever he wants

without needing to coordinate with his roommates.

“There’s nobody disturbing me from doing my homework,” Sanchez said. “I use this as a study place, a hanging out place, everything. Also as a benefit, I can call my friends over and I can do a movie night here, and I don’t have to ask anybody else for permission.”

Additionally, students living in single dorms get more freedom since they can move their furniture and decorate their spaces however they want, without having to get approval from roommates.

“I get to have control of how I have everything in here,” said Jack-Thomas Lee, a first-year undeclared major, who lives in a single dorm in Tercero. “I get to set up my own space.”

The single dorms are significantly smaller than the double and triple rooms since only one person lives in them. According to Lasecke, her room is about half the size of the double rooms in the building.

“When I came in here, I was like ‘aww it’s a little bit smaller than I thought it would be,’ but I still feel like it is big enough to move around and have all my friends come in and everything,” Sanchez said. “I feel like it’s perfect.”

Despite their smaller size, single rooms are more expensive per person, according to the UC Davis Student Housing and Services website. For the five-day meal plan, single rooms run at $16,221.59, and for the seven-day meal plan, they are $17,731.81. To

DAVIS ANIME CLUB OFFERS ACTIVE COMMUNITY FOR ANIME FANS With socials events, screenings, convention, Davis Anime Club provides its members with many opportunities for involvement

V E N O OS M OS H AY E DI / AGGI E

BY SIERRA BURGUENO features@theaggie.org

The blue A-frame in front of the Memorial Union with the face of a friendly anime character is brightly visible to all. Catching the attention of passersby, the Davis Anime Club advertises itself in busy areas of the university with fliers on nearly every bulletin board in the most populated lecture halls.

The Davis Anime Club (DAC) allows students to fully immerse themselves into the world of anime and Japanese culture.

Kwok-Wai Hanson, a fourth-year communication major and the president of the Davis Anime Club club, explained that the organization is able to offer a good anime experience for fans at any interest level.

“Davis Anime Club has a rich, diverse group of members, ranging from casual fans who may be familiar with a few anime to dedicated fans who are heavily engaged,” Hanson said.

Meetings for the club are held twice a week in Wellman 126 from 8 to 10 p.m.

There, anime screenings are shown featuring fan-favorites, classics and even new showings. The club also hosts workshops and activities with occasional guest speakers related to the anime industry.

“We also work closely with publishers and licensors to bring screenings right here,” Hanson said. “For example, we screened ‘A

Silent Voice’ on campus during our welcome week rush.”

On the weekends, DAC can be found hosting social events at local hangouts, such as the Davis Farmers Market or Kobe Mini Mart. The members also sometimes travel to Sacramento to watch new anime films in theaters and even facilitate group trips to anime conventions, such as SacAnime, Fanime and Crunchyroll Expo.

Davis Anime Club is also known for hosting DAiCon, a huge single-day anime convention that has been on hiatus since 2013. After six years, DAC is reviving the spirit of anime at DAiCon on Saturday, April 27. The convention will have gaming areas, panels and performances, an artist alley and even guests of honor that include voice actors.

“We’re also fortunate to have industry leaders including staff from Crunchyroll attending and holding workshops about their experience in the industry,” Hanson said.

It is common for many attendees to cosplay at the event and dress up as their favorite anime characters. There will be many photo opportunities and backdrops on campus to document the special day.

Being a part of Davis Anime Club is not just about watching anime, however, but appreciating the culture and art that comes along with it.

“We are a very welcoming, social group

LU IS LOPEZ / AGGIE

compare, double rooms are $14,701.22 or $16,211.44 and triple rooms are $13,303.07 or $14,813.29 per person for the academic year.

“As long as it is financially viable for [a student], sure, do it,” Safra said.

To live in a single dorm, students must be good at being independent, according to Sanchez.

“If they need somebody to do everything with them, then don’t do it,” Sanchez said.

“I can do everything by myself, but then I also like to have my group of friends.”

Similarly, Lee says he has to figure things out on his own instead of always relying on help from others.

“Sometimes, you don’t have someone to always talk to,” Lee said.

Lee recommends getting a single room if the student feels comfortable going out and making friends.

“Just make sure that you are not a shy person because then you aren’t going to enjoy it as much if you’re always locked in your room,” Lee said. “You might as well go around, be social, make friends, be able to

put yourself out there, because if not, it is not as much fun.”

When Lee first moved into his room, he went around his hall and other floors in his building to make friends, he said. Living without roommates pushed him to meet new people.

“I was kind of worried it would affect my experience,” Lasecke said. “But I have so many friends in my buildings, it’s no different than having a roommate, no different experience. It is a little bit better. I have friends who have roommates and wish they had singles.”

Similarly, Safra feels he has not missed out on the social aspect of college by living in a single dorm. Lasecke disagrees with the stereotypes about single dorm students and their antisocial tendencies.

“I definitely think there is a stigma around having a single, and not having any friends, but that really has not been my experience,” Lasecke said. “It is really nice to get my own space to have my own time, [otherwise] you never get that time to be by yourself, and be yourself.”

of people where casual viewers, hardcore fans or even those who have never watched anime before can feel right at home,” Hanson said.

Being in Wellman with more than 75 students every week is something that Hanson cherishes greatly. The club has provided Hanson with the opportunity to meet new

people who share the same interests and also to connect with people at local conventions.

“There is something special about being able to experience the emotions, laughter, sorrows and excitement of a show by watching with other students,” Hanson said. “I don’t think I’ll be able to do that with so many people after I graduate.”

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019 | 5

VEN OOS MOSHAYEDI / AGGI E COURTESTY / AGGI E

A L IESSA N DRA MOL IN A / COU RT ESY

HOW TO HOUSE: TIPS FOR FIRSTYEARS LOOKING FOR OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING

DANCE FOR A CAUSE COMPETITION

BY AN JI N I V EN UG O P AL features@theaggie.org

BY ITZELTH GAMBOA arts@theaggie.org

People who have lived off-campus share experiences, tips

Winter Quarter comes with constant questions about housing options, specifically for first-year students and those looking to live off-campus for the first time. There are a number of options, including houses, townhouses, apartments and second-year housing through UC Davis.

First-year students filled the ARC Pavilion on Jan. 24 at the ASUCD Housing Day and flipped through the Davis Housing magazine put in the mailbox of every on-campus resident. For current first-year students, top priorities vary greatly: for some, it’s whether or not Wi-Fi is provided with the rent; for others, it’s the people they want to live with. Sometimes, it’s proximity to campus or Unitrans bus stops, but for many, price is the deciding factor. Davis Housing even lists apartments by lease term, how many minutes from campus, internet availability, size and location.

“For me, the number one priority was to

be as close to campus as possible and to be in a place where I’m around other students of UC Davis,” said first-year computer engineering major Prajwal Singh after Housing Day. “The other thing was: was it furnished or not, because I don’t want to pay extra for furnishing.”

Third-year psychology major Breanna Rodriguez is a Resident Advisor (RA) this year, but unlike other RAs on campus, she lived off-campus her second year, which she often discusses with her residents.

“I’ve been trying to be as vocal as possible with it, which may seem annoying if I’m pushing it too much,” Rodriguez said. “But yeah, I feel like it’s something that not a lot of people can get from their RAs, because a lot of RAs have been RAs or living in the dorms their entire time. I’ve just been trying to like, be as helpful as possible with my experience.”

Rodriguez picked her roommate and HOUSINGAFTERDORMS on 12

RCDC to host annual competition in support of Camp Kesem

UC Davis dance group Released Contemporary Dance Company will host its annual competition Dance for a Cause on Feb. 3. Dance for a Cause brings together eight dance troops to compete, and whichever team wins based on fundraising and points earned during the event will receive $200 donated to a charity of their choice. Competing this year is Vision Dance Troupe, MOBility, Davis Ballet Company, Agape, SonNE1, Na Keiki ‘O Hawai’i, Unbound Progression Dance Company and Elite Dance Company.

Emily Clay, a fourth-year human development major and the co-director of Vision Dance Troupe, spoke about her experience with Dance for a Cause.

“Coming together for a cause: the name says it all,” Clay said. “We are all doing it to raise money for kids in need and then for the charities that we choose so it’s uplifting that way, it’s a very positive atmosphere.”

Remaining funds earned from the event beyond the $200 for the winning team are donated to Camp Kesem, a student-run non-profit organization. Camp Kesem is a national organization that raises money to provide a weeklong free summer camps for

kids whose parents either are or were affected by cancer. The camp counselors, who are UC Davis students, fundraise throughout the year in order to provide this experience for the kids.

“A lot of the counselors will also be people who have had similar experiences,” said Kate Stewart, a fourth-year clinical nutrition major and co-director of Vision Dance Troupe.

“They just try to have a fun week for the kids … [it’s] free to the kids, so [the counselors] have to raise money throughout the year, so it’s cool that [Dance for a Cause] goes toward that.”

Dance for a Cause showcases a wide range of dance styles and chooses different groups to portray Davis’ diverse community of dance troupes and styles.

Ana Petraglia, a third-year design major and co-president of the Davis Ballet Company, addressed how her dance troupe might not be what is expected from a classical ballet dance routine.

“I feel like audiences are expecting classical ballet from us because of the name and their preconceptions of what ballet is,” Petr aglia said. “But as a team we’ve always tried to use our ballet technique instead in more modern DANCE CAUSE on 12

A MY B A RN HORST / COU RT ESY

DEEB A YAV ROM / AGG IE

PSYCHIATRIST AMY BARNHORST SPEAKS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND GUN VIOLENCE

Faculty member of UC Davis Medical School recently featured on CNN

BY MIKI WAYNE features@theaggie.org

Amy Barnhorst, a psychiatrist at the UC Davis Medical School, appeared on CNN in late 2018 to discuss the relationship between gun violence and mental health.

Barnhorst has dedicated much of her career to speaking out on the issue of gun violence, utilizing her extensive knowledge about psychiatry and mental health. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed.

It was Barnhorst’s commitment to her work and to understanding mental health that caused her to stand out. Barnhorst works in a crisis unit in the in-patient hospital where a main focus of her work is violence risk assessment. Therefore, she frequently deals with patients who have the potential to be a danger to themselves or others; the risk factor for these individuals is significantly heightened by the increased ability to access a gun, according to Barnhorst. Her fascination with the relationship between gun violence and mental health began in 2013 when the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting occurred. The media and the general population were quick to point fingers at the failure of the mental health system, arguing that they could have

intervened before this tragedy occurred.

These accusations frustrated Barnhorst.

“It is so difficult for the mental health system to reach out and find these people, we have a hard enough time treating the people we already have,” Barnhorst said.

“Our focus is on treating people who are mentally ill, not going out and rounding up potential mass shooters.”

Barnhorst’s frustrations prompted her to begin writing op-eds on this topic, expressing her point of view as a psychiatrist.

She believed the conversation about gun violence and mental health was missing one very significant perspective, that of a mental health professional. Her first significant op-ed Barnhorst was published in the New York Times, which received a lot of attention. That, in addition to several radio show appearances, caused CNN to take notice of her work.

“CNN reached out to me and asked if I would be able to fly out to New York to film a segment discussing this issue,” Barnhorst said. “I was really nervous but I trusted that if CNN chose me to interview, I had the knowledge and perspective they were looking for.”

AMY BARNHORST on 12

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

6 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019

Opinion THE

C ALIFORNIA A GGIE

E DI TO R I AL B OAR D

Utility companies spark California fires

EMILY STACK Editor-in-Chief

Negligence at fault for lost lives, homes, land

OLIVIA ROCKEMAN Managing Editor HANNAH HOLZER Campus News Editor KAELYN TUERMER-LEE City News Editor TARYN DEOILERS Opinion Editor OLIVIA LUCHINI Features Editor LIZ JACOBSON Arts & Culture Editor DOMINIC FARIA Sports Editor HARNOOR GILL Science & Tech Editor

SYDNEY ODMAN New Media Manager BRIAN LANDRY Photo Director TREVOR GOODMAN Video Production Manager OLIVIA KOTLAREK Design Director JONATHAN CHEN Layout Director HANNA BAUBLITZ Copy Chief CECILIA MORALES Copy Chief ZOË REINHARDT Website Manager HALI ZWEIGORDON Social Media Manager GRACE SIMMONS Newsletter Manager LAURIE PEDERSON Business Development Manager

The Camp Fire in Paradise, Calif. took 86 lives and scorched 153,336 acres last November. Many were displaced when 13,972 residences and 4,821 buildings were destroyed. To date, the Butte County fire is the deadliest wildfire in California. The causes of the fire, however, were not natural. This fire, along with several others, is said to be caused by utility companies.

“Cal Fire has determined that of the 21 major fires last fall in Northern California, at least 17 were caused by power lines, poles and other equipment owned by Pacific Gas and Electric Company,” according to The New York Times.

In 2018 alone, 100 lives were lost and over 1.6 million acres were burned. California’s three largest utility companies — PG&E, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric — caused over 2,000 fires in the time span of approximately three and a half years, according to The Los Angeles Times. PG&E reported 1,152 equipment-related fires, Southern California Edison reported 347 and SDG&E reported 115. Altogether, these three companies control the gas and electricity down the coast of California from Eureka to the border with Mexico.

The California Public Utilities Commission has fined electrical utility companies for failing to meet safety standards only after fires have already occured.

In December of 2011, the CPUC passed a resolution that permitted its staff to fine companies for violating state and federal natural gas safety rules. The CPUC issued several citations to PG&E in 2016 and 2017 for a natural gas leak that caused two injuries and an improperly constructed pipe that resulted in an

explosion. Since then, PG&E has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in safety code violations and $30 billion in wildfire claims. Additionally, several insurance companies — including Allstate, State Farm and USAA — filed lawsuits against PG&E for the Camp Fire. Some survivors of the fire also filed lawsuits for damages to their homes. Earlier this month, PG&E CEO Geisha Williams resigned and the company is under bankruptcy protection as of Jan. 29.

The irreversible damage of over 150,000 scorched acres negatively affects the environment. Fires caused by public utilities are nothing short of devastating, both to the people and to the land they live on. Many lives were lost and homes destroyed by the fires that spread through California. Thousands of firefighters, task force members and other rescue personnel had to aid in containment.

These companies have sparked some of the biggest fires in California history, and need to be properly reprimanded to ensure that this does not happen again. Of the most destructive California fires, 10 have occurred within the past five years. CPUC has only issued nine citations and fines, which is hardly anything compared to the many fires caused by safety code violations. Safety compliance is not an option — people’s lives are at stake and should not be put at risk for a utility monopoly’s short-term profits.

The Editorial Board demands stricter oversight of these companies along with proper inspection to ensure safety and prevent recurring situations from happening yet again. The negligence of PG&E and other electrical utility companies responsible for starting fires is appalling and needs to end now.

I had a shot at the military. Why shouldn’t a transgender person be able to?

THE REALITY OF RECRUITMENT MEANS EVERYONE DESERVES A CHANCE TO SERVE

BY N I C K I RV I N ntirvin@ucdavis.edu

It wasn’t long after my freshman year of high school that I developed a plan that’s exceedingly common for young men trying to figure themselves out: I would join the military. There would be no question because it runs in the family.

My great-grandfather fought in the Pacific in World War II, my grandfather served in Vietnam and my dad was a naval officer in the early ’90s. Uncles, cousins — it seemed like everyone had served, so why couldn’t I? I was pumped-up on teenage testosterone. My preparation cycle would go something like this: adopt an all-tooadvanced pull-up regimen from SEAL forums; rise at the crack of dawn every day and run a few miles; research military branches and gloss over everything besides the Navy, as was the general tra-

dition in my family; fight the urge to listen to the infamous lies recruiters tell in order to meet unreachable quotas and invigorate my inner gung-ho to be the best recruit ever. I was going to fight bad guys from the deck of a destroyer or a carrier, or from inside a submarine — in hindsight, completely ignoring the realities of contemporary military service, and just life in general. It ain’t like the movies!

My dreams were squelched when I failed a medical screening. I had a “history of shoulder instability” stemming from a surgically-repaired labrum, and a degree of scoliosis that breached the acceptable limits. The risk of a recurring shoulder injury and the general uncertainty regarding a curved spine proved to be disqualifying. Perhaps it had to do with costs — the military has enough budgetary woes beyond fronting expensive treatments for already-unhealthy candidates.

Or maybe it had to do with efficacy in

the field. Who wants a guy with a shaky back watching his own?

It sucked, of course. I could have grinded out another application and hoped for a better result. But the denial served a crushing blow to my sense of self-worth.

The U.S. Department of Defense is the largest employer on the planet. How do you win a second chance with those guys?

It seemed impossible to simply serve my country. I imagine it’s the same with people entrenched in the transgender military ban. How do we express our love of our country when we’re disqualified for things outside our control?

In 2016, President Barack Obama revoked the long-standing ban on transgender people serving in the military.

His congressional opponents quickly conflated the policy with the fight over transgender bathroom rights, lamenting the new practice of legislating by executive fiat. The fight continued when Pres-

ident Donald Trump reinstated the ban in 2017 — without the instinctual awareness to inform his own defense secretary.

This ban was temporarily upheld by the Supreme Court on Jan. 22, while lower courts hear appeals cases.

Some claim that opening the military to transgender people will necessitate undue costs for hormonal therapy and surgery, while also affecting combat readiness. Others claim that the cost of surgery and hormones — which aren’t always undertaken by transgender people anyway — is negligible in a defense budget dwarfing that of other federal departments.

The case is clear, even among top military brass. All four service chiefs are on record saying there’s no problem with transgender troops for morale and unit efficiency. A RAND Corporation study IRVIN on 11

Eating your carbon footprint WHAT YOU EAT CAN LEAVE A LONG-LASTING EFFECT ON THE PLANET

BY DA N I E L O R O P E ZA daoropeza@ucdavis.edu

Hey omnivores, what if I told you that you don’t have to go vegan to have a significant impact on climate change?

The simple everyday choices we make regarding food have a greater influence on our carbon footprint than you probably thought.

Most friends, family members and peers I’ve had conversations with about their carbon footprint usually fall on one of two spectrums: they want to help reduce their carbon footprint, but going vegan or vegetarian is “too hard,” or there’s no point because they think their diet doesn’t make that much of a difference.

The common denominator here is lack

of motivation, probably stemming from lack of awareness. Making the right decisions everyday gets a little easier when you know you’re actually making a difference.

So here’s a striking fact: “The food system contributes about 30 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, with the largest proportion coming from animal-based food,” according to a study by UC Santa Barbara researchers.

Feeling motivated to put that burger down yet?

I could throw a bunch of facts about burgers that will probably make you feel like the Antichrist of the environment, like how it takes 15 pounds of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions to make halfa-pound of beef — which is equivalent to driving a car 16 miles — or that it takes

660 gallons of water to make a ⅓-pound burger. But I won’t. That’s not the point I’m trying to make. I’m not a burger-hater, I love (veggie) burgers!

Every detail of what goes on behind the curtain to bring your food to your plate isn’t common knowledge, so here’s a breakdown for you. If you were to eat a serving of chicken instead of a beef burger, you’d drop down from 5.6 grams per kilocalorie to 1.3 grams per kilocalorie of carbon emitted, according to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. That’s reducing your carbon footprint by over four times per serving, simply by choosing chicken over beef. Choosing veggies brings you down to 0.68 grams per kilocalorie of carbon emitted, and lentils a mere 0.05.

The reason livestock is such a driving force in global greenhouse gas emissions is because of cow gases (yes, cow burps and farts are killing the planet). Cows emit methane gas, which has 25 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide. Along with their potent flatulence, cows require a lot of land, fertilizer, water and food — which could all be instead used to sustain the increasing population. And don’t kid yourself thinking that grass-fed beef is more “environmentally friendly” than grain-fed.

If you want to reduce your carbon footprint and do your part in mitigating the effects of climate change, the fastest way is eating less meat.

Less meat does not mean becoming OROPEZA on 11

THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019 | 7

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

HUMOR

Student takes wrong turn in Death Star and ends up in Narnia

Jeff Bezos looks to virtual assistant, Alexa, to fix his marriage

SHE DIDN’T C. (S. LEWIS) IT COMING

CAN ALEXA SAVE THIS MARRIAGE?

BY M A D E L I N E KU MAGAI mskumagai@ucdavis.edu

“Where... Where am I?” Wanda Her asked, looking at the forest surrounding her. An equine figure trotted menacingly towards Her from the shadows.

“You’re in Narnia,” Gunrock said, emerging from his blanket of darkness and leaning against a lamppost.

“How can that be?” Her asked. “Just a second ago, I was looking for my philosophy professor’s office hours in the–” “–Death Star,” Gunrock interjected.

Her nodded, in awe.

“There’s a lot of lore you hear about that place — that the architect made a horribly designed building so strangers would ask each other for directions,” Gunrock continued. “Or that hormonal freshman make out on the fifth floor. Or that the building was designed by MC Escher.

But you never hear the truth: that hidden among this concrete jungle of despair and discarded sporks is a portal to Narnia.”

At that moment, Her noticed hundreds of young adults wearing backpacks, milling about in the distance, looking high and low with maps in their hands.

“Who are they?” she asked the prince of ponies.

“Oh, them? They’re social sciences and humanities students who, much like yourself, took a wrong turn on the way to demanding points back on their assign-

ment.” Just then, a woman bedecked in scrunchies and denim sauntered up to the pair.

“Hey, I’m totally lookin’ for my econ professor’s room. You seen it?” she asked.

Gunrock and Her shook their heads. “He said I’m gonna flunk this class. Ugh, as if! Anyway, whaddya think of this dude, Clinton? I’m totally stoked for this prez.

It’s lookin’ like it’s gonna be a scandal-free presidency, which I am totally down for in this, the year 1995. Anyways, smell ya later!”

Her turned back towards Gunrock.

“How can I get back to my own world so I’m not trapped like ‘Miss Clueless’ over here?”

“Easy,” Gunrock replied. “You just have to give up and tell yourself you’ll go to office hours next week.” He winked, then said, “But we all know that ain’t happening.”

As Her grabbed her backpack from the forest floor and prepared to throw in the towel, Gunrock gave her some last advice. “Stay out of the Death Star. IT’S A TRAP.”

BY H ILARY OJINNA KA hiojinnaka@ucdavis.edu

Every day, more information about Jeff Bezos’ infamous affair with Lauren Sanchez hits the news cycle. However, what still remains a secret are the details of his divorce from his longtime wife, MacKenzie Bezos.

According to credible sources, Jeff Bezos has been putting all his trust in his virtual assistant, Alexa, to mediate their separation, which could lead to a loss of 70 billion dollars for the Voldemort look-alike Amazon tycoon.

Jeff has put Alexa into overdrive by asking the questions he should have asked MacKenzie before they tied the knot. Questions like, “Alexa, what’s MacKenzie’s favorite color?”, “Alexa, what does MacKenzie like to eat?” and “Alexa, how old is my mistre—I mean wife, again?”

According to Alexa’s records, Jeff has

not paid much attention to MacKenzie since she helped him build Amazon from a small online bookstore to the world’s most valuable company.

As Jeff continues to confide in Alexa, MacKenzie has been fooling around with Google Home behind Jeff’s back, and things have gotten steamy. To get back at Jeff, MacKenzie told Google Home that she’s willing to “risk it all” for their emotional connection.

Jeff has a long road ahead of him if he thinks he can win MacKenzie back through Alexa. Although this divorce has been extremely private, we now know that Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home are ready to “satisfy.”

ALLYSON KO/ AGGIE

MICHAEL LEAHY/ AGGIE

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ISSUE DESIGNED BY JONATHAN CHEN | PATTIE CHEN | ADAN JUNAID | OLIVIA KOTLAREK | SHEREEN NIKZAD | YOON RHA | TAMARA SHOUBBER | CINDY CHEUNG | AMY YE | SYDNEE RODRIGUEZ

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

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SCIENCE+TECH

A N DR E A G O N Z A L E Z / AGGI E

HOW MENTAL HEALTH SHAPES YOUNGER GENERATIONS UC Davis Medical Center partners with local schools to promote early mental health detection services and treatment strategies

BY FOXY ROBI N S O N science@theaggie.org

Some people hear the sound of a phone ring only to realize that the phone never even made a sound. Others notice sudden shifts of movement when walking around a dark, unfamiliar setting. These experiences point to brief moments of psychosis — a collection of experiences impairing clinical, cognitive and functional capabilities. Only, these experiences fit within cultural norms.

People experience them and quickly move on, overlooking a spectrum of psychosis experiences and the people who frequently come to face them, especially young adults.

Up to one in four individuals will experience psychosis-like moments in their

lifetime, according to Tara Niendam, the executive director of UC Davis Early Psychosis Programs (EDAPT and SacEDAPT).

Psychosis affects 2 percent of the worldwide population, with 31.7 new cases per 100,000 people each year.

Sacramento County alone reports that 475 new individuals experience psychosis each year.

EDAPT and SacEDAPT want to change the detection of early psychosis, in which individuals experience psychosis moments within the past two years, starting with youth in Sacramento schools. The program uses strategies to reduce the duration of untreated psychosis among schools. There is an app to screen students for treatment referrals and to provide mobile health engagement, increasing aware-

ness and acceptance of mental health conditions among educators and families.

“It becomes hard for students to stay focused and listen in their classes,” said Jacqueline Rodriguez, the coordinator for Student Support and Health Services for the Sacramento City Unified School District. “The more we can intervene early, the more we can build resiliency and skills within students.”

The SCUSD is comprised of 27 sites.

Four of its sites partner with SacEDAPT, training staff about early mental health awareness and how to recognize signs and symptoms with the goal of creating positive outcomes for students.

One in seven individuals who complete the psychosis screening tool were identified as experiencing psychosis-spectrum symptoms, such as social withdrawal, disorganized behavior and difficulty with memory or attention. Identified students are then referred to personalized psychological care and treatment at the EDAPT and SacEDAPT clinics.

“Students who face depression describe it as a feeling under a lead blanket,” said Khalima Bolden, the assistant director of the EDAPT and SacEDAPT programs. “You feel like you’re not engaged. They experience a drop in their grades and performance, but they don’t know why. These kinds of outcomes impact someone’s trajectory. Now, they have to do other things to compensate for this moment in their lives.”

EDAPT and SacEDAPT host workshops for teachers and education staff, increasing their awareness and understanding of mental health concerns facing their students, which enables them to spot eligible students for the psychosis screening and identify strategies to support them.

“Since the start of the early identifica-

tion, educational staff have noted an increased understanding of mental health and empathy toward students encountering these conditions,” Rodriguez said.

Another barrier to mental health treatment lies in cultural stigma.

“For one woman, it took a year because her family wanted to try cultural intervention strategies,” Niendam said. “There was also a language barrier during the meeting, but also there were concerns with western medicine. There is a memory of institutionalization and there’s a lot of fear that is carried within great aunts and uncles.”

School psychologists and educational staff work together to validate students’ concerns and ensure that they are successful in their coursework.

“We need to take time to reduce the stigma among families,” Rodriguez said.

“Building relationships starts with listening, being understanding and gathering information, including signs and symptoms, to share with SacEDAPT. The more we can educate them, the more we can prevent these problems from happening for our students and reduce stress within families.”

Families can therefore act as helpful support systems or sources of stress for students, based on the families’ relationship with the mental health system. By building relationships with families and recognizing their cultural values and the mental health stigma, students can receive the support they need to improve their mental health and stay on track with their education.

“We have a fragmented mental health system,” Niendam said. “It requires support in the same way that any medical system takes to treat diseases like cancer and diabetes.”

PU B LIC DOMA IN

TE AM G UN R O C K / CO URTESY

TEAM GUNROCK WINS THE 2018 AMAZON ALEXA PRIZE A team of UC Davis students wins the $500,000 prize for chatbot “Gunrock”

BY KRI T I VA RG HE S E science@theaggie.org

After nearly a year of work, the UC Davis student team that participated in the Amazon Alexa Prize 2018 competition won the $500,000 prize for their chatbot, Gunrock.

Gunrock was assessed on its ability to hold a conversation on a variety of topics and managed an average of nine minutes and 59 seconds in the final rounds of the competition. The team improved the chatbot by having humans converse with it, developing its ability to handle language.

“I think it is our more advanced language understanding components,” said the team’s leader, Zhou Yu, an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science at UC Davis. “Basically, it understands the user’s utterance better.”

To make the chatbot converse more like a human, the team added disfluency and speechcon, the ability to say certain things expressively, to the chatbot response. The chatbot, however, had to be prepared for more than just small talk.

The judges of the competition had different areas of expertise, so the team had to prepare the chatbot for longer, more complicated sentences than what would constitute colloquial language.

“To extract the information from the long sentences correctly and realize what’s the people’s intent became more important,” said Chun-Yen (Arbit) Chen, a second-year computer science graduate student. “Moreover, the judges come to judge how coherent and engaged you are, and will turn your bot down right after they find that it is not coherent or engaged. This means that if you make mistakes in the middle of the conversation, they can easily ask you to stop the conversation.”

In order to prepare Gunrock for more challenging conversations, the team created advanced dialog intent detection models, sentence segmentation, opinionated content models and knowledge graphs. They also implemented new research, providing upgrades to Amazon’s conversational frameworks.

Team Gunrock has plenty of future plans, including potential applications in medicine.

“Team Gunrock plans to compete again,” said Kevin Jesse, a second-year computer science Ph.D. student at UC Davis. “We hope to boost our conversational rating to over 4.0 on a 1-5 Likert scale with an average conversation time of 20 minutes. Participating in the Alexa Prize has opened our eyes to many current difficulties in modern dialog systems.”

reduce. reuse. recycle.

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PLASTIC TO LIMIT CROSS-CONTAMINATION IN PRODUCE BINS A new plastic developed by UC Davis could prevent the spread of dangerous microorganisms

BY PE T E R S MIT H science@theaggie.org

When someone walks into a supermarket and buys an apple, the purchase is the final step in a complex supply chain that brought the apple to the shopping bag. Every time the apple touched a surface during its journey, the fruit encountered organic material from previous produce; every contact held the potential for cross-contamination. UC Davis researchers are developing a unique plastic that could help combat this cross-contamination problem.

The researchers are combining previous developments of antimicrobial materials, materials that kill microbes, and antifouling materials, materials that repel microbes, to create a plastic film that could be placed on surfaces that come into contact with produce. They are focusing on the first interaction produce has with the supply chain: the bins that transport the produce from the farm to the processing facility.

“There is an indication that, despite best scientific practices, the totes and the bins which are used to transport fruits and vegetable from the farm to the processing facility, and within the processing facility sometimes, are very difficult to clean, so microbes are left on them,” said Nitin Nitin, a professor of food science at UC Davis and one of the lead investigators on the project.

This is a serious problem because if one crop is contaminated with harmful bacteria, the reused transport bins could potentially spread the pathogens to other produce.

To solve the problem, the food science researchers formed a unique partnership with UC Davis textiles and clothing professor Gang Sun.

The current team is adapting an antimicrobial fabric technology developed 20 years ago by UC Davis textile scientists, for plastics.

“We are using the same chemistry we developed 20 years ago and putting it in plastic films for food contact materials,” Sun said.

The scientists create the plastic by taking pre-existing plastic used in packaging and adding a special monomer. This monomer makes the plastic antimicrobial because it allows chlorine, a molecule that kills organisms, to bind to the surface of the material. Farmers and producers will be able to “recharge” the plastic by spraying it with bleach, a commonly available chlorine solution. Although the antimicrobial function of the plastic is effective, it has limitations. Notably, when organisms are killed by the chlorine they will often stay on the surface of the plastic and new organisms can live on top of the dead layer unencumbered.

To combat this issue, the researchers are also adding another anti-fouling layer on top of the base.

“We have this plastic with the function that kills the bacteria, so we build up another layer on the surface which repels microorganisms,” Sun said.

The anti-fouling layer will help keep the plastic free of potentially dangerous organic material by using the special chemical properties of a molecule called a zwitterion.

“There is a zwitterion combination, it’s a chemistry where we have a positive and a negative combined,” Nitin said. “This means it is very difficult for microbes to bond to the surface.

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10 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019

Unprecedented Platforms: A Flux in Music Acquisition Streaming outlets provide musicians with means for true recognition A L LYSO N KO / AG G I E

BY JOSH M A D RI D arts@theaggie.org

Last year was good for the hip-hop supergroup Migos. Their most recent album, “Culture II,” debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200, while 13 songs from the album charted Billboard’s Hot 100. “I Get the Bag” by Gucci Mane, which features Migos, also charted, giving them 14 appearances on the Top 100 chart. To put this into perspective, the last time a feat like this was accomplished was in 1964, when The Beatles became the first musicians to have 14 of their songs featured on a Top 100 chart.

There have been other solo artists to match this level of popularity (give it up for Post Malone), but for a group of musicians The Beatles and Migos have been the only two. This speaks volumes about the popularity of rap music in the new era as well as the means to become a chart topper in the age of streaming music.

Quavo, Offset and Takeoff, the members of the trio and close relatives from Lawrenceville, Georgia, have been making nothing but money moves from the get-go. Honing in on their rap potential and aesthetic flare, Polo Club (the name they went by originally) started

RAU L M O R A L E S / AG GI E

filling Atlanta nightclubs in pre-2010.

Now their arena shows sell out regularly.

In their decade of activity, the rappers have seen many changes in the music industry. The means by which their music is heard has changed dramatically, as they are receiving copious amounts of attention due to the ability to stream their music in an instant. Unlike the old days, when passing out CDs and hoping for radio plays were the ways of getting recognized, these musicians can now watch their numbers grow by the millions on any given streaming outlet, sit back and collect the check.

This universal shift in how music is acquired began with the earliest efforts to stream in 2003, via Apple’s iTunes. Flashforward to 2019, and there are upwards of 200 million music streaming subscribers worldwide. Hard copy sales are down, while streaming is way up. However, for the sake of nostalgia, there remains a hot surge in vinyl sales. Other than that, CDs and tapes are near extinction.

Migos has first-hand experience with this transition in music acquisition. At the start of their career, they were passing out CDs on the street and buying drinks for DJs in exchange for playing one of their songs in the club. Since those days and the switch to streaming devices, Migos have enjoyed a deal with Spotify that allows their music to be streamed instantaneously with every new release. Not to mention the countless services (Apple Music, Soundcloud, Youtube, etc.) which offer their music free of charge or for a low subscription cost.

Despite streaming capabilities, Migos’ most recent album went double platinum, selling 2 million certified units. It would not be wrong to expect the same for their upcoming album, “Culture III,” on which there is rumored to be over

Weaving and Wordwork: A Scandinavian Design Partnership Local family honored in exhibition

BY L I Z JACO BSO N arts@theaggie.org

On Jan. 24, “Weaving and Wordwork: A Scandinavian Design Partnership” debuted at the UC Davis Design Museum. The exhibition honors the careers and creations of UC Davis design professor emeritus Helge Olsen and his wife, Birgitta Olsen.

Helge Olsen was a pioneer of the UC Davis Design Department. His wood furniture work channels inspiration from his Danish roots. His wife, Birgitta Olsen, weaves tapestries with cotton materials.

The Olsens hail from Scandinavia, Helge Olsen from Copenhagen, Denmark and Birgitta Olsen from Sweden. The couple moved to the United States where Helge Olsen be-

came a founding faculty member of the UC Davis Design program teaching furniture making. After raising two children here and becoming active members of the community, the Olsens have made their home in Davis.

Helge’s furniture is rooted in Scandinavian design but is also true to Danish design tradition. Many of the pieces are dual-purpose and were made with the intent of wasting as little as possible.

Birgitta’s tapestries are rich in color and textures and are inspired by the Central Valley and her life in Davis. Like her husband, her pieces are sustainable in nature; the cotton strips coming from old, discarded clothes and fabrics. Some of the tapestries are on loan from UC Davis and Davis City Hall.

When asked what influences her work,

Manetti Shrem Holds Winter Season Celebration Opening An opportunity to interact with both the art, the artists R AU L M O R A L E S / AGGI E

BY ROSI E SC HWA R Z arts@theaggie.org

Usually on a Sunday afternoon going into the fourth week of the quarter, the Manetti Shrem is expected to be decently filled. On Sunday, however, it was filled to capacity with students, families and members of all ages coming to celebrate the new “Xicanx Futurity” exhibit’s opening.

The Winter Season Opening Celebration took place on Jan. 27 from 2 to 4 p.m. and reminded the Davis community how essential the Manetti Shrem is to it. The celebration offered attendees a chance to famil-

iarize themselves with the current exhibits, hear from a panel of artists and engage with those around them over food and drink. As a museum that prides itself on its interactivity and accessibility, the Manetti Shrem’s Winter Celebration ensured that everyone at the event felt comfortable and listened to.

Outside of the museum before the event began, event goers were welcomed by concession stands serving tea and coffee and an outdoor printing booth that offered “Abolish Borders” signs in different shades of blue and green to all who were interested. As people stood outside with their signs and enjoyed their beverages, the Shrem’s emphasis on community and comfortable space was felt throughout.

The two-hour celebration included a welcome from Rachel Teagle, the museum’s founding director, along with a panel of the artists of the “Xicanx Futurity” exhibit, which was followed by a performance from the Xicana Collective, “In Lak Ech.” Inside,

50 songs, full of features and full of fire.

It’s hard to imagine where Migos would be today without Spotify, but to entertain such an idea is to imagine a world without streaming altogether. An easier concept to wrap one’s head around is where The Beatles would be today without the following outlets. On Spotify, The Beatles sit at No.108 on the world’s most streamed artists charts and the last song they released was in 1969. Think of where Migos are right now, andimagine where they’ll be in the next fifty years — probably somewhere still on that chart.

In light of the endless ways to stream and promote music online, the approach that Migos once took to be recognized may seem a bit old school. Now, take a walk down Hollywood Boulevard and rappers are no longer passing out their mixtapes, but instead business cards with links to their Soundcloud or Spotify pages. This allows them to easily rack up more followers and their followers don’t feel bad when they can’t slide them a 5 dollar bill for their CD. In the age of dreamers, a career in music no longer seems so unattainable, especially with rappers like Skepta, Noname and Chance the Rapper who have had the ability to release music and make money doing it, all without signing any kind of record deal. Before, a career in music would’ve required the traditional record deal route, which is now far from the case.

The implications of streaming for future artists is unprecedented. Anybody can break into the industry and amass a fan base regardless of the style of music they release. Datpiff.com, a website that solely offers free mixtapes, has an incentive for artists, who can pay 50 dollars for a sponsorship and their mixtape will sit on the front page of their website for a number of days, depending on its popularity.

This new wave of rap does not sit well with everybody though, especially the rap elders. Migos, along with Future, have pioneered “mumble rap,”

and inspired tens of dozens of artists.

Mumble rap has connotations that there is a lack of lyrical ingenuity in comparison to classic rap. How, then, can rappers with such negative connotations reach the level of stardom once only attainable by those who walked the Abbey Road?

One explanation, is that times have changed. More important than a hyperspeed flow is having a group to vibe with; more important than a lyrical novella is a taste of the culture. It’s not that expectations have lowered to where listeners are more concerned with 808s knocking their hearts rather than a rapper’s message, but instead, what’s more important now is the culture associated with “mumble rap.” The story is there, no matter the song, no matter the musician.

Another explanation: the means of acquisition for this music is much easier than that of the 1960s. A song can be uploaded to Soundcloud, and in the blink of an eye, the next day it could be a hit.

That being said, anybody with a flicker of flame inside them can accomplish the same feat as the Migos or The Beatles. The tools to get there are readily available and the inspiration to use them are in the air.

A final theory: people love triplets. No, not three related rappers dressed in Versace, but the unique rap flow that happens when three syllables are rapped over one beat. Although the triplet is often referred to as the “Migos flow”, its roots can be traced back to Tommy Wright III and Mac Dre. To hear the triplets in effect, load up the Migos song, “Versace,” (or almost any of their songs) and listen to the chorus. Rap fan or not, the triplet is catchier than it may seem.

But on the topic of mumble rap, Migos were sure to level the playing field in their last album, where they sing in the chorus of their song, “Narcos,” “Straight out the jungle / This real rap, no mumble.” And right they are, for there is no such thing as the derogatory “mumble rap,” only rap, only music and its evolution to a brighter generation.

she credits train views and her children’s passions. Everything around her inspires her creations. One tapestry is a scene of her son running in the Arboretum, another features her son swimming freestyle in bright blue water.

“I think it’s really admirable that someone can take the time to do all of this,” said Ilya Shrayber, a third-year design major.

“And the results really speak for themselves, I think. It’s really beautiful. I’m kind of floored by all the colors that come out. And I’m stunned that she can create the gradients that she does just with cotton woven into tapestry. It’s killer. I’m really enjoying myself.”

Tim McNeil, a professor of design and the director of the Design Museum, was one of the co-curators of the exhibition. The exhibition aims to be both an homage to the Olsens and their art, as well as a celebration of the city of Davis. While weaving and woodworking don’t seem to go handin-hand at first thought, McNeil recognizes how the two complement each other.

“They seem very harmonious,” McNeil said. “I’m sure some of that is the fact that they’ve been produced by two people who are very close together, so there’s cer-

tainly some influence there, but also their Scandinavian upbringing [is an influence]. There’s a sensibility in their work, a simplicity, a form of purity that’s very rooted in Scandinavian design tradition.

A sense of sort of fun and playfulness.”

Helge dedicated part of his career to working with people with disabilities. Inspired by this and as part of design student Zoe Martin’s undergraduate honors project, the exhibition aims to be accessible to those who are visually impaired and blind. All of the tapestries are allowed to be touched and visitors are encouraged to sit in the furniture. In the back of the exhibition, there is a “Create and Print a Tactile Design” activity, where drawings are printed in a raised form, like Braille.

“I think the more people that can consume the art the better,” Shrayber said of the exhibition’s accessibility. “It’s a breath of fresh air. “ “Weaving and Woodwork: A Scandinavian Design Partnership” is on display in the Design Museum until Apr. 21 and is free and open to the public.

The Design Museum is located in Cruess Hall, Room 124. It is open weekdays noon to 4 p.m. and Sundays 2 to 4 p.m.

the exhibits offered a collection of art that spanned across all mediums as it displayed the work of six different Xicana artists.

Currently, the Manetti Shrem is hosting two exhibits: “Bruce Nauman: Blue and Yellow Corridor” which was recently extended until Apr. 14, and the “Xicanx Futurity.”

While both exhibits drastically differ, they share similarities in level of engagement and participation that they require from observers. Beyond viewing the art, many of the pieces asked the audience to consider their active role as a participant in their surroundings.

Nauman’s exhibit “is a narrow passageway that wraps around an existing room, combining colored fluorescent light and closed-circuit video to manipulate the viewer’s perceptual experience.” The “Xicanx Futurity” exhibit includes many interactive elements such as La Botanica del Barrio, which is centered around a “rolling Remedios Cart which is an alterNative mobile medicine cart that aims to educate, dialogue and document wellness remedies, recipes, herb and plants uses and Mexican traditional medicine.”

The new “Xicanx Futurity” exhibition includes art from artists who might range in age, medium and background, but all focus on creating “an intergenerational dialogue that centers indigenous

forms of communal and hemispheric ceremony, rooted in sacred relations.”

The Manetti Shrem opened in Nov. 2016 and has since grown into a popular and celebrated establishment of the UC Davis community as it offers free admission for all attendees, an exciting schedule of new exhibitions and a place for members of the community to engage with art. This accessibility is echoed in the Shrem’s mission statement which emphasizes “serving both the public and our university community with a dynamic artistic program[...] that presents exhibitions and events that advance students’ understanding of their place in the world; connects to faculty teaching and research; and creates a lively forum for community engagement and creative practice.”

This winter, the Shrem has many upcoming events including an Art Studio Visiting Artist Lecture Series on Jan. 31 from 4:30 to 6 p.m., a presentation from multidisciplinary author Mauro Aprile Zanetti on Feb. 6 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. and an event titled “Third Thursday: Explore Your Museum” from 5:30 to 9 p.m., which offers an additional celebration of the “Xicanx Futurity” exhibit and a chance to create one’s own prints, play games and further engage with all that the Manetti Shrem has to offer.

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11 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019

BUDGET

CAPS

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specifically for the UC to “fund operating costs, [make] efforts to increase student success, improve student mental health services, and better address student hunger and homelessness.”

An additional $138 million was allocated to serve as a one-time General Fund for the UC system to assist with its “deferred maintenance backlog.”

Newsom is investing in the UC system with the expectation that tuition will be frozen at current levels and that graduation times will improve.

He also recognized a need for additional support for student-parents, creating supplemental awards for students in any higher-education institution in California who have dependent children, in an attempt to improve the affordability of college.

Lande Ajose, the chair of the California Student Aid Commision, praised Newsom in a press release for the education reform.

“The struggle to afford child care keeps many low-income Californians from attending and completing a higher education,” Ajose said. “By investing in additional grant aid for students with dependant children, Governor Newsom has proposed a path out of poverty.”

Within the outlined 2019 - 2020 budget, Newsom also designated $5.3 million for an ongoing General Fund specifically for mental health services within the UC system.

The supplementary funding is slated to go toward meeting recommended staffing ratios as well as improving services available to students.

This show of support contrasts with former Governor Jerry Brown’s actions surrounding mental health initiatives. Brown vetoed a bill for mental health requirements last year over concerns related to budgeting allocations.

Last legislative session, State Senator Dr. Richard Pan, proposed the bill (Senate Bill 968) which would have required all CSU and UC schools “to have one full-time equivalent mental health counselor per 1,500 students.”

Pan spoke to The California Aggie in October about the bill after it was rejected.

“Lack of access to mental health services can have significant consequences on the students — everything from, on one end, trying to reduce suicide rate [...] to unmet mental health needs leading students to drop out or delay their education,” Pan said. “We do know there’s a high percentage of students who do develop

significant mental health challenges and that if they had access to treatment, they would be able to manage them and progress and address those.”

Pan is considering reintroducing SB 968, according to The Sacramento Bee. Newsom’s budget team also told The Bee that the UC has “yet to hire 15 more counselors and three psychiatrists,” and funds will be allocated to help the system finish the hiring that it committed to doing, although student enrollment is now outpacing the UC’s projections for its five-year hiring plans.

While Newsom’s proposed budget for higher education may seem like a significant increase over last year’s, not everyone is happy with it, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Los Angeles Times reporting suggested that Newsom’s proposal was disappointing to the UC Regents, given that they requested an increase of $447.6 million and were only granted $240 million.

Others have expressed hope for what this funding may look like for the UC system. Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, a representative for District 4 which encompasses UC Davis, commended Newsom’s efforts in an email sent to The California Aggie.

“I applaud Governor Newsom for reaching even further toward the accessibility goal and for his sensitivity to the fact that we are graduating a generation of students with an increasingly crushing burden of debt before they even contemplate their working lives,” Aguiar-Curry said. “We should not give up on the dream of removing all financial AND non-financial barriers to post-secondary education.”

Additionally, some UC officials have expressed their gratitude for the “substantial investment” in higher education in a statement distributed immediately after Newsom’s budget plan was released.

“We are pleased the governor has affirmed his commitment to not only the university, but also the students and families across California who rely on adequate state investment in the outstanding education at UC,” said the UC Board of Regents Chair George Kieffer and UC President Janet Napolitano in an email.

“Gov. Newsom’s budget represents a welcome step and a solid down payment in addressing priorities of the university’s 2019-20 budget plan.”

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vegan or vegetarian. It means less meat. The Mediterranean diet, which is much less meatheavy than Western diets, produces 2.27 metric tons of carbon dioxide per person annually, which is very close to a vegan diet that produces 2.08 metric tons of carbon dioxide. The U.S. has the highest meat footprint per capita in the world, with over 200 pounds consumed per year — which also means we have the greatest potential to make the biggest impact on the carbon footprint from food if we’re aware of what goes on behind the scenes of our food choices.

If you’re not too keen on the Mediterranean diet, recent aquaculture advancements also provide great dietary alternatives. Aquaculture now

accounts for half of the world’s seafood and could be 50 to 100 times less environmentally impactful than land farming. With the world population expected to increase to 9.8 billion by 2050 and 11.2 billion by 2100, more sustainable methods of farming, such as aquaculture, must be made.

At the end of the day, it’s all about knowing your impact. If you’re aware of your own carbon footprint as well as the ones from the goods you buy, you will make more conscious decisions.

As more people demand more sustainably-made food, more environmentally-responsible options will arise to meet that demand and eventually become the norm.

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found that the health cost of fielding transgender troops is “relatively low.” Eighteen countries currently allow transgender troops in combat roles, and there doesn’t seem to be a problem with reduced operational efficiency or cohesion.

In most respects, military screening makes sense, as much as it affects people who passionately want to serve their country. The afflictions run the gamut — a history of surgery, musculoskeletal problems, asthma and disease. The list is long. And while there was disappointment on my end, and no doubt for everyone else who fails to clear these hurdles, there’s a certain logic behind denying us.

But military recruitment is at an impasse.

The Army fell 10,000 recruits short of its annual enrollment goal for the 2018 fiscal year. A report by the Office of People Analytics found that interest in joining the military among young people was at a ten-year low in 2017.

With a strong economy, finding new recruits may become more difficult. Decade-long wars have jaded the American public. These new realities should encourage policy-makers to look at easing recruitment standards. Instead,

Trump’s transgender ban only makes the problem worse.

Considering the fact that less than a third of young Americans are even qualified for military service, the ban also reeks of impracticalities. A nation’s military should have no qualms about strict discrimination on the basis of mental or physical readiness — except when recruitment numbers are low and American military power is facing questions over NATO alliances, Russian aggression and Chinese intransigence. In that case, initial recruiting standards should be eased to fulfill national defense requirements. And here we are, facing these exact issues and still arguing over nonsensical “bans.”

Staring rejection in the face isn’t fun. I tried to join the military, and I failed. We should give more opportunities to people who also want to try.

Transgender people deserve a shot at joining a cause greater than themselves, just like anyone else. Taking that away only softens our claim to have the “greatest military in the world.” We don’t want to lose that distinction now, do we?

meetings and through presentations.

Despite these efforts, few students were present at both Kim and Valencia’s public forums. The livestream of the forums was not made publicly available and was accessible only to those who explicitly requested access.

Improving access to services At their respective public forums, both Valencia and Kim responded to the same presentation topic: what they would do to improve access — one of the most pressing issues for university counseling services — at every level, both by maximizing existing resources and advocating for additional resources.

Improving access to services is one of the most critical on campus issues identified by the chancellor’s Mental Health Task Force.

Following the publication of a multipart Aggie investigation and a particularly contentious Mental Health Town Hall, May convened a special task force to assess mental health needs on campus. In its report sent to the chancellor, the task force — composed of administrators, faculty and students — recommended the university focus on improving access to services, increasing its suicide prevention efforts, improving transparency and expanding student involvement in mental health-related conversations Notably, not a single UC Davis clinician sat on the task force. Furthermore, according to the official task force report’s summary of the individuals interviewed, it appears no input from UC Davis clinicians was taken into consideration.

During his presentation, Valencia said he has been following what’s been happening at UC Davis during his time at CSP Sacramento by reading The California Aggie reports, watching the Mental Health Town Hall live-stream and reading through the task force’s recommendations report, which he frequently referenced.

“Pro-tip for any people who might be wondering what to do as a good employee: if your boss’ boss’ boss ever convenes a task force and puts your primary stakeholders — the students — on it to come up with recommendations, you should probably pay attention,” Valencia said.

“And you should probably try to implement those recommendations wherever you can.”

Shah, who sat on the task force, said the group found that “a large percentage of students did not have the basic understanding of where to access mental health care on campus.”

“To me, this is a failure on SHCS’ part,” she said via email. “Students should be educated from the moment they walk onto this campus where they can access help in times of distress, what services their tuition pays for, and how important their mental health is during their time here. [And] with such a diverse student population our staff should reflect this same diversity and have the proper skillset to serve the different marginalized, underserved, and underrepresented populations of our campus.”

Both Valencia and Kim say they are committed to improving the student population’s ability to navigate on cam-

pus resources more comfortably.

Currently, a singular, standardized guide with all of the mental health resources both on and off campus is in production, Kim said. Looking through all of the resources available to students, however, Valencia said he became overwhelmed.

Valencia also spoke about his personal passion for hiring a staff of culturally-diverse counselors. In his position at CSP Sacramento, he saw a critical need for more Spanish-speaking counselors, and the prison now has the most Spanish-speaking clinicians the prison has had in recent years. He also spoke about overseeing specialized services for marginalized groups like the prison’s transgender population.

During the question-and-answer portion of his forum, a member of the audience asked Valencia about his response to the insufficient number of community referrals available and the conception of “treat ‘em and street ‘em,” the idea that students have a limited number of counseling appointments.

“We need to stay true to our mission,” he said, adding counseling services does not have the ability to influence what happens in the community. “[We] must put boundaries on what we can do.”

And Kim, at his forum, when asked about what he feels is the campus’ responsibility to provide care to students with the most intensive needs, said it is “to help a student get the appropriate care for whatever they’re presenting you with.”

“I don’t think that means that you’re always in a position to provide that care,” he said. “If someone would benefit from ongoing therapy […] unfortunately given the resources that we have, that’s not something we can do. That being said, I do think we have a responsibility to those students. And that’s when we’d use the full range of what we have to offer.”

Final decision A final decision about the CAPS director position will be made by the hiring managers who will take input from the UC Davis community, students, counseling services and the RAC into consideration.

“Next steps for the RAC include collecting and organizing community comment and feedback, conducting a final RAC meeting to discuss our impressions of each candidate, and forwarding our recommendations to hiring manager,” Billeci said via email. “Once we turn over our findings to the hiring manager(s), the process usually takes just a few more weeks.”

When a final decision is made, Shah hopes the new counseling services director stands by students to advocate for their needs while also taking full advantage of existing resources.

“There are so many missed opportunities to outreach to students and create more accessibility, from working closer with community providers, to creating peer counseling programs, or simply even educating students at freshmen orientation,” she said. “I’m looking for a new counseling director who will take the initiative to create accessibility in as many places and ways as possible.”

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food benefits for low income and food insecure individuals. Around four million residents in the state of California are eligible to apply for benefits.

“Because of available federal funds, we’d have to issue an early issuance in order to access our CalFresh benefits for the month of February,” said Michael Weston, the deputy director of CDSS. “The early issuance was necessary to access federal funds because those funds would no longer be available after Jan 20th — that’s what we were told by the government.”

CalFresh recipient and second-year

computer science major Mirthala Lopez was more careful with her food budget in January.

“I realized that if there isn’t going to be a balance from March, then I might as well be careful with regards to how much I spend for the month,” Lopez said. “[$200] is a good amount but I don’t really know [...] and until I know, I have to be cautious.”

More information on Yolo Food Bank distributions can be found on its website.

Individuals wishing to apply to CalFresh can visit online resources for California benefits.

reduce. reuse. recycle.

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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019 | 12

JORDAN FRIEND

AMY BARNHORST

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After being made aware that this article about their group was in the works, Catalyst leadership attempted to dissuade individuals from sharing any negative criticism or sentiments.

“Support Staff has built enough trust with each one of you that you will do your absolute best to not spread lies, shut down gossip if you hear it, and only share positive opinions/comments with other people,” a private Facebook post, which was obtained by The California Aggie and authored by Julia Hall, one of Catalyst’s student leaders, stated.

Hall and the Catalyst leadership team clarified the purpose of this post to The Aggie, stating via email that “there is no underlying negative connotation about the queer community in the post.”

“We were solely preparing our leadership team for the possibility that there would be an article written about us, and encouraging them to stay positive if they heard any kind of negativity,” she said.

“We received information of comments that others had shared with us during the same time you originally reached out to us that clearly led us to believe the article would not represent us in a positive light.”

“It’s okay to be gay, but you can’t act on it” Nick Bua, an acquaintance of Friend’s and someone currently attending UCC, sees both sides of this story.

“They’re really trying to be a safe place to the best of their abilities, based on what they know,” Bua said. “The church was extremely silent in [Friend]’s time, so I understand how he feels. Now,

they’re at least trying to be mindful.”

According to Bua, there are still “restrictions” today in the roles that people in same-sex relationships can have at UCC. “[UCC is] restricting teaching roles and upper leadership,” Bua said. “[Friend] couldn’t [be in that role] since he is in a same sex relationship.

In my opinion, there shouldn’t be a cut off. Like, ‘Yeah, you’re safe here in this church, but once you get comfortable there’s restrictions.’”

Bua described a three-pronged model for LGBTQIA involvement and theology in religious institutions.

“Side X is historically pray the gay away and seeing being gay as a sin,” Bua said. “Side A is the affirming side: you can be gay and have a same sex marriage, and God will still love you. For Side B, being gay is not a sin. You’re born that way and you can’t control it. It’s the middle. It’s okay to be gay, but you can’t act on it. You can’t have a same sex marriage.

They believe in celibacy and heterosexual marriages.”

Despite the restrictions inherent in the upholding of the “Side B” model, Bua saw a positive change when the church’s leadership decided to take a stance and side with this point of view.

“In the past year or so, UCC chose Side B,” Bua said. “They’re trying to be less silent on the issue. It’s like a slow moving vehicle. It’s frustrating, but that’s how any big things are. In the last few months, they have actually said words like ‘gay’ out in the open.”

Similarly, Fanous described UCC as somewhere in the middle of the theolog-

ical path.

“We tend to have conservative churches who have no [queer] space, or liberal churches with very different theologies,” Fanous said. “I’d like to think we bridge that gap and offer something different. We’re excited to provide that queer space that historically has not been there.”

Bua’s frustration extends to theology — specifically, what fits into the church’s understanding of doctrine and what doesn’t.

“It’s been hard [after coming out], but they’ve been learning what to say and what not to say,” Bua said. “They’re pretty receptive. The only thing is the very obvious barrier of the theology.

They’re open to it, but they really want to make sure the theology is consistent.

There aren’t theology checks at the door for other issues. They watch [sexuality] a lot more closely.”

Despite Bua and Fanous’ optimism and hope that UCC will strengthen its ties and support of the LGBTQIA community, Friend is still hurting from his experiences.

“Finding a church community has been so hard,” Friend said. “I want so badly to find somewhere that holds true to the things I loved about UCC, but that’s been difficult. Straight folks have it a little easier when it comes to Christianity: they search for a church that has the type of music they want, preaching style and community involvement. I have to first find a church where I can feel comfortable holding my boyfriends hand during service, then I can consider other things.”

Most significantly though, Rodriguez said that it’s important that first-year students like the place they pick, given their priorities. Second-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major Taylor Phan agrees with this.

“Make sure you like the apartment,” Phan said. “Don’t settle. There’s a lot of apartments in Davis, so I don’t think there should be a reason that students go settle for something that they hate.”

Phan went through the process of searching for housing after her first year and is currently searching for a new place to live. Last year, she and her roommates and housemates signed a lease in late January, and she described how her mentality back then is quite similar to her housing mentality this year.

“Even though Davis has ample housing, it’s really up to [what everyone does],” Phan said. “There are always a few apartments that are really good that everyone likes, you know […] You also have to take into account the lottery system, first-come, firstserve system, waitlisting, stuff like that.”

Phan thinks that she should have looked earlier when she was a first-year because by the time she began to search, there was already limited availability. This year, however, she and her housemates are working together to call every apartment

complex they’re interested in. She thinks it is “crazy” that apartments are placing people on waitlists as early as January.

Phan advised that first-year students take a look at everything the apartment offers — WiFi, garbage services, electricity and printing. Like Rodriguez, she urges students to explore Yelp reviews.

There’s also the issue of roommates.

While some students know who they want to live with and go from there, Phan said students should remember there’s always the option of figuring out other priorities, and then using Facebook to connect to other students who are looking for roommates. Rodriguez recommended that no matter who students choose to live with, some sort of routine in terms of chores should be established so that everyone is responsible for maintaining a clean environment.

According to Rodriguez, location is what a lot of first-year students worry a lot about, but she thinks that there’s no need to be overly concerned.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about location,” Rodriguez said. “I know most people are super used to living on campus and biking everywhere, but Unitrans is awesome, and it will get you where you need to get at the right time [...] It’s not as hard as you think.”

munity and it’s beneficial when you can see the effects,” Kattemalvadi said. “And if you don’t help your own community, who else is going to? I feel like all those donations do help and they are impactful, but it gets lost in the larger picture. By donating to something locally you might be making more of a difference than you would to a larger organization.”

Dance for a Cause takes a lot of organization and preparation. Dance troupes have to plan weeks in advance to decide their dance, rehearse the choreography and choose the music.

“We start preparing pretty early, we [thought] about ideas all of last quarter,” Kattemalvadi said. “And we actually started choreography last quarter as well ... the board of the team usually has to prepare more for it, so [the co-presidents] and our artistic director collaborate and we try to have a solid idea of what the piece is going to look like — what song we’re going to use, the music, the choreography. So we have a solid starting place and we can real-

ly hit the ground running for this quarter.”

Dance for a Cause is an event that many of the dance troupes look forward to.

“It is easily the highlight of my year,” said Hannah Contois, a senior plant biology major and the director of Released Contemporary Dance Company. “I feel so grateful that I get to play a pivotal role in making it happen. Year after year, I am amazed at the sense of support and community that can be felt backstage and in the theater; being able to watch passionate dancers take to the stage is something I will never get tired of seeing.”

Admission to the competition is $15 at the door. Presale tickets cost $6 for students and ten dollars for non-students.

T-shirts can also be purchased at the event.

They plan on selling out again this year with an expected audience of 500 people.

Dance for a Cause will take place at Richard Brunelle Performance Hall on Feb. 3. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the event will start at 6 p.m..

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housemates in Fall Quarter of her first year, and the next step in their process was to settle on how much they were willing to pay. She and her friends stuck to the lowest amount that any of the four of them wanted to pay.

Over winter break, the group did some searching based on established criteria, and once they got back, they started making lists of all of the places that they liked and individually ranked them. Using these lists, they narrowed it down to five options. Rodriguez and her friends ended up touring three of those places and picked a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment.

“Something that I’ve been trying to preach to my residents is to not get one single bathroom if there’s going to be like, four or more people,” Rodriguez said. “And also when it comes to a bathroom, make sure that your bathroom has windows and not just vents. Mine had just vents and we got mold like, every single week.”

In addition to her advice about bathrooms, Rodriguez discussed other important things to ask management about — particularly what additional payments are on top of rent, including gas, laundry, electricity, water and WiFi. She also recommends that students look at recent Yelp reviews to get a better idea of what other students think of a place and its management.

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and contemporary styles, so you can still tell that we’re trained in classical ballet but we like to explore a more modern feel and style in our choreography.”

With the thought of winning in mind, a few dance troupes have already chosen a charity.

“If we win any prize money we are going to donate it to Shriners Hospitals for Children,” Clay said. “There’s one up in Sacramento [...] it’s a hospital that treats kids regardless of cost but also race, religion, orientation, all of that and they have some specialties in burn victim care, spinal cord injuries, cleft palate and cleft lip.”

Shireen Kattemalvadi, a third-year neurobiology physiology and behavior major and co-president of the Davis Ballet Company, discussed why the group is focusing on a charity near Davis. While they did not have a specific charity in mind yet, the dance troupe did have a certain criteria that the charity had to meet.

“I feel like the people in this community can help other members of this com-

In the interview, Barnhorst argued that mass shootings and gun violence aren’t necessarily the result of untreated mental health issues or failures by the mental health system. Barnhorst believes that by making these accusations, legislators are largely overlooking the root of these issues: guns.

“Putting all that culpability on the mental health system to stop mass shootings is not going to be an effective strategy,” Barnhorst said. “We need to take a hard look at how much access people have to guns in this country.”

Not only does placing blame on mental health push issues of gun control to the wayside, but it also has a detrimental impact on individuals suffering from legitimate psychological health issues.

According to Barnhorst, when the media groups perpetrators of gun violence with survivors of mental health issues it further stigmatizes mental health issues, therefore alienating these individuals.

“If you know an individual suffering from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression etc., that does not mean they are more likely to shoot up a school,” Barnhorst said.

Barnhorst argues that perpetrators of gun violence often exhibit trends of narcissism and rage, potentially resulting from having been bullied, abused or neglected; depression is also not an uncommon side-effect of this kind of history. This is where the misconceived correlation between perpetrators of gun violence and mental health issues stems from.

According to Barnhorst, when there is a mass shooting incident, the majority of individuals are quick to assume that the shooter suffered from some kind of psychiatric disorder. Surveys have shown that following these incidences, people state they do not want to live next to, work with or go to school with mentally ill individuals.

“Work, housing and school are things that really help people with mental illness get better,” Barnhorst said. “So if the stigma that the media is putting out there about mental illness is preventing people who suffer from it from getting the very things they need, it is only making that problem worse without making the issue of mass shootings any better.”

Barnhorst feels that students have the power to combat the stigma surrounding mental health by being informed and making powerful impacts on legislation. By focusing on the root of the issue rather than on the misconception that our current political climate has created, Barnhorst believes students have the power to prevent gun violence and mass shootings from being a reality of society.

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anti-fouling layer, the chlorine will kill it. The researchers stated that the anti-fouling layer will also help clear away any dead microorganisms, preventing a dangerous build-up of bacteria on top of dead layers.

When the plastic is ready to be implemented it could be an important way to limit cross-contamination in the reusable plastic bins. Still, according to Keith Warriner, a food scientist at the University of Guelph in Canada, the plastic will not completely solve the cross-contamination problem.

“It would help prevent cross contamination, but it is not a substitute for sanitizing between uses,” he said.

So far, the researchers have created a plastic prototype in the lab, but they are working to improve and test the material. They hope to have a viable, tested preliminary product by the end of next year.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019 | 13

NIC H O L AS C H A N / AGGI E

BOATENG DRAFTED INTO THE MLS Recent UC Davis Graduate Roy Boateng drafted No. 16 overall by New York Red Bulls

BY RYA N BUG SCH sports@theaggie.org

Senior defender Roy Boateng was drafted in the first round of the MLS Superdraft at No. 16 overall by the New York Red Bulls on Jan. 11. The recent managerial economics graduate was born in Accra, Ghana and came to the states as a young boy. Boateng is the third Aggie alumni drafted into the MLS; he earned one of 60 invitations to the MLS combine in early January and participated Jan. 3 through Jan. 9. Before the draft, the New York Red Bulls acquired two draft picks in a trade with FC Cincinnati for $100,000 according to the Red Bulls website, one of which was used on Boateng.

Boateng racked up a number of accolades in his four year collegiate career, earning All-

Big West Conference awards in all four seasons and first-team honors in his last two. As captain of the men’s soccer team, Boateng led the Aggies and the defensive line to eight total shutouts in their recent 2018-19 season, tying the mark for the most shutouts in a season since the program was brought up to the Division I level. The Aggies made it to the Big West tournament championship game back in November, but lost to UC Riverside in penalty kicks.

The California Aggie had the chance to speak with Boateng about his journey to the draft, and his feelings on playing in the MLS. Aggie: Growing up in Ghana, what made you fall in love with soccer and when did you realize that this might be what you wanted to do as a career?

Boateng: So in Ghana, soccer is the national sport, it’s in everyday life and it’s a part of the culture. Since when I could grasp what soccer actually was (rules, etc.), I fell in love with it. I played with the neighborhood kids and it was just fun. When I got to the states, I joined soccer teams to assimilate and make friends, but I also knew I had a love for it and I have been playing ever since.

It has continually been fun, and from when I was a little boy, I knew this was what I always wanted to do.

Aggie: Recently graduating from UC Davis, can you speak a little about what playing at Davis did for your progression as a player?

Boateng: Davis has been wonderful to me, and I have enjoyed every moment there playing with those guys and under Coach [Dwayne] Shaffer. [He] helped me develop as a player and as a person. Coach Shaffer helped me do that by putting me in a leadership position on the team so I think I grew a lot there. Playing so many minutes helped me gained experience. Outside of soccer, Davis is a wonderful place and a wonderful community, and everyone was just really pleasant.

Aggie: Going into the MLS combine, what were you feeling? Nervous to try out?

Or excited and ready to show off your skill?

Boateng: When I got the invite, I was very happy and excited to go and play. I was the only person in my conference to get that invite and it meant a lot to me, and I went in with something to prove to represent our conference and my school. I was very excited to showcase myself.

Aggie: Overall how did you feel the

M AC L E A N H A RT FO RD / AGGI E

combine went? Did you have any idea what teams were interested in drafting you after you completed the combine?

Boateng: When I finished, I felt like I did well and I was happy with my performance.

After it was over, I knew I defended well and showcased what I did on the field. I had some peace to a certain extent, and there is always going to be some anxiety leading up to the draft because you never know what will happen, but I was happy with my performance at the combine.

Aggie: What was that feeling like when you were drafted in the first round by the New York Red Bulls?

Boateng: I was filled with every possible good emotion at once. It was incredible. I got up out of my seat and all of a sudden forgot where I was supposed to walk to the podium, so it was a really cool moment. I was hoping New York would pick me, but I wasn’t expecting it at that time. I just kind of closed my eyes and when I heard my name, I was elated.

Aggie: What has the support been like from your family and friends when they found out you were drafted?

Boateng: It was incredible. I couldn’t really check my phone at the time, but it was going crazy with a lot of text messages and calls of congratulations from friends and family, so that was really cool. They were a part of it [the moment] because I never would have gotten where I am without them, so I am very blessed from the support from my friends and family.

With the 2019 MLS season set to start in early March, look for Boateng to step onto the field representing the Red Bulls and the UC Davis Aggies.

U C DAV IS ICE HOCKEY / COU RT ESY

UC DAVIS TENNIS ROUNDUP

INSIDE THE GAME: UC DAVIS CLUB ICE HOCKEY

Men off to flawless start, women struggle to find footing

Senior captain Kazunori Machida gives insight into team, program

BY B OBBY JO HN sports@theaggie.org

The UC Davis men’s tennis team hosted a double-header on Saturday in which it came out victorious in both matches, compiling a win against the University of Nevada, Reno with a score of 4-3, and against Sonoma State University by a 5-2 margin.

UC Davis’ women’s tennis team fought hard but ultimately lost a close, 4-3 match to the University of San Francisco.

In the men’s team’s early match against Nevada, junior David Goulak and freshman Nil Giraldez each won their singles matches in straight sets to help catapult the Aggies to their sixth consecutive victory to start the season.

“I think the start of this season is really important because last year we had a tough start,” Goulak said. “A lot of guys are playing with confidence, which is what we need.”

The Aggies lost two seniors to graduation last year, Tommy Lam and Everett Maltby.

“It’s tough because [those seniors] were really experienced and they know how our team works,” Goulak said. “I feel like this year all the new guys are really learning quick.”

Giraldez showed resilience with his defensive style of play. Early in his singles match, he lost his serve and found himself down 4-1. After some adjustments, he came back to win the set and match, 6-4, 6-4.

“I was a little bit nervous because I wanted to play good for the team,” Giraldez said.

“I think I’m not on my best level. I fight, when I’m playing bad I just focus.”

Coming from Spain, where tennis is played more on clay courts, Giraldez has been forced to change up his style to adjust to the faster-paced, hard court game. The ball bounces higher and slower on a clay court as opposed to hard courts, the primary type of court in the U.S.

“I’m quite defensive,” Giraldez explained while pointing out that Goulak’s style is more offensive. “I have to adapt to this, I’m trying to be more aggressive.”

The slim 4-3 victory in the first match did not slow down the Aggies heading into their later match against Sonoma State.

They again took the doubles point and this time cruised to take four of the six singles matches. The 5-2 team win was highlighted by another straight set singles triumph for Giraldez and straight set wins for sophomores Daniel Landa and Dariush Jalali.

In the women’s lone match of the day, things were much closer. The Aggies were able to secure the double’s point, but were met with stiff resistance from the Dons in singles play.

Junior Nikita Pradeep notched a straight set win at the singles one spot to put the Aggies in front 3-1, but USF was able to win at both the two and the four spots to even the match at three apiece. This set up a showdown at the three spot, with senior Isabella von Ebbe acting as the Aggies’ deciding factor.

After an intense final set in which both players were able to break the opponents’ serve, USF’s senior Margarita Treyes took the final set, 6-3.

This was the women’s third straight loss to open the season.

Two Aggies, Von Ebbe and junior Kristina Breisacher, are reportedly playing through injuries.

“Considering that we have our three and four injured, I think we still have a pretty good season ahead of us,” said sophomore Shirley Hall.

Men’s tennis will travel to Southern California to play the University of Southern California and International Hope on Friday.

Women’s tennis will travel to the South Bay to play Stanford on Saturday and Santa Clara University on Sunday.

BY AJ S E YMO U R sports@theaggie.org

Though many students may not know, UC Davis has a club ice hockey team. The team is composed of both male and female students from all years and is supplemented by a practice team for beginning players.

Even for those who can barely skate, this group of student athletes will eagerly welcome anyone who wants to try a new sport.

“It’s great we have a practice team so that beginners or people who have never played before can still learn.” said senior captain Kazunori Machida, also known as “Kaz”. “[We] play full contact so it’d be unsafe for a new player to be out there.”

As of now, the competitive team consists of 13 players, complemented by another six on the practice squad. The team practices a short drive away at the Vacaville Ice Sports rink twice a week and play games there on weekend nights starting in Fall Quarter.

According to Machida, the practice regimen is intense but not unbearable.

“We love playing and we get to play a game or two every weekend, so it’s not a big deal.”

Machida described one disadvantage that the Davis team is, unfortunately but inevitably, plagued by every year: the quarter system. Because this is a club sport, the team doesn’t start practicing until school starts in late September, while most other teams on the semester system are practicing as early as mid-August.

“We had a pretty rough start to the year, but with the four-win streak, things have kind of turned around,” Machida said.

“We’re at a disadvantage to start the year, but once we get going we’re fine.”

The team started off on Oct. 12 against Santa Rosa Junior College, which began its school year a month earlier, and unsurprisingly lost 17-3. Fast forward three months and the UC Davis team is now firing on all cylinders, riding a five game win streak into February, with the team’s most recent victory coming against Stanford on Saturday night.

Machida reflected on the team’s identity this year, specifically. “[The players] are all in different grades which probably helps our team come together,” Machida said. “The Stanford team only has 10 players and we play full 20 minute periods so we should win, honestly pretty easily.”

Win easily they did indeed. Machida racked up two goals for UC Davis on the way to a decisive 6-1 victory. As the mid-February playoffs loom, this Aggie squad is getting hot at exactly the right time.

The team’s next home game is scheduled for Feb. 9 against UC San Diego. After that, the team will hit the road for two highly anticipated rematches against UC Santa Cruz and Santa Clara University, as both matches went into overtime in their first meeting.

The team is yearning to continue its win streak and dominate all the way through playoffs.

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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE