February 27 2020

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VOLUME 138, ISSUE 18 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020

UC DAVIS GRADUATE STUDENTS TAKE UP FIGHT FOR COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS COLA movement, which began and continues at UCSC, spreads UC-wide, makes national headlines Davis for Bernie is one of many political groups can be found tabling in the Quad at UC Davis. (Photo by Quinn Spooner / Aggie)

ACROSS THE AISLE: CLUB LEADERS DISCUSS ELECTIONS, PREDICTIONS FOR PRIMARIES On-campus voting for state

primaries will take place March 3

in the Garrison Room, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

BY SOP HI E DEWEES features@theaggie.org

recent tragic unintentional shooting in Davis last week of one of our high schoolers,” Ault said. “Our hearts go out to the family, friends and school community of the victim, to the first responders on the case and our community at large.”

Moms Demand Action member Jill Crowley explained the mission of their group, which was established in Yolo County in September 2018.

“We are a grassroots movement of Americans fighting to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people and create a culture of responsible gun ownership,” Crowley said.

Dixon, which is nine miles from Davis, held a firearm show on Feb. 15 and 16.

At the firearm show, Solano County Deputy Sheriff Joseph Pinder ran a booth explaining the application process for a concealed carry permit.

Pinder described his view on civilians carrying firearms.

“It gives you the option to protect yourself, because law enforcement isn’t always available,” Pinder said.

John Arabia, a Vacaville resident and owner of the Dixon Gun Show, echoed similar sentiments about the protection that firearms can offer.

“While I grew up, my parents owned firearms,” Arabia said. “I was in law enforcement.

I like firearms and in law enforcement, I think they’re a tool.”

Davis Mayor Brett Lee called for increased education on firearm safety at the Feb. 11 council meeting.

With the escalating race for the Democratic nomination and the upcoming Democratic primaries in California, students who registered Democratic face the task of sorting through campaign advertisements and biased and unbiased news sources to make an informed decision when voting.

This is no easy task, according to Brooke Pritchard, a third-year political science major and president of Davis College Democrats (DCD).

“I just think the most important thing in voting is making sure [of ] the information you get,” Pritchard said. “Every news [source], no matter how factual you think it is, everything has a bias. I just want people to crosscut those ideologies, [...] things that have historically been a binary and try to deconstruct that.”

Even if students do not vote in the primaries, the fluctuating popularity of the Democratic candidates and the states of the two major political parties is of interest to many Davis students. This includes Noah Dickman, a fourth-year economics and political science double major and president of Davis College Republicans (DCR).

“I have never seen a political party try so hard to lose an election,” Dickman said, referring to the Democrats.

Politics as usual?

A large portion of politically-inclined individuals feel that the two major political parties are becoming more polarized, each moving further away from a moderate agenda. DCD and its members reflect the changing views of the Democratic party, according to Pritchard.

“This has been an organization that’s lasted over a decade,” Pritchard said. “Definitely at the start, they were more moderate, and now we’re transitioning to leaning further left. I feel like Bernie Sanders has really changed the scope of that and exciting more of the electorate. Not only have we [become] less moderate and more progressive, but also more diversified.”

In regards to the primaries, Pritchard said her ideal candidate would solve past problems for the party, such as changing DNC requirements.

“I’m definitely happy that there [have] been long-term ailments of the Democratic party that [are] finally being seen and brought to light,” Pritchard said. “I’m hoping that whoever gets elected is going to be able to cure that.”

To Dickman, not just the Democratic party but American politics in general seem to be changing as a whole.

“I think that we’re kind of in a stage [of ] celebrity politics,” Dickman said. “I think we’re going to see a lot more people running as personalities [and] policies are not going to matter so much in the future.”

With all due respect...

On a liberal-leaning college campus, Dickman said it can be difficult to feel comfortable discussing his political views. “[A] college campus is supposed to be about learning how to confront different ideas, especially how to process things you disagree with,” Dickman said. “To me, the worst thing you can do is try to make the thing you disagree with disappear. Throughout history, [...] all of the worst ideas have come from [...] someone trying to suppress a message.”

According to Dickman, DCR tries to encourage differing opinions among Republican students at Davis.

GUNSIMPLICATIONS on 11

POLITICS on 11

Supporters of UCD 4 COLA rally inside the SCC, where UC regents were touring the centers. (Photo by Janelle Salanga / Aggie)

BY JA N EL L E M A R I E SAL ANGA campus@theaggie.org UC Davis graduate students have joined the now UC system-wide fight for a cost of living adjustment (COLA). The movement that initially started during Fall Quarter 2019 at UC Santa Cruz has now expanded to include graduate students from UC Merced, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, UC Riverside and UC Irvine — all of whom have organized their own COLA movements.

The COLA movement aims to secure higher wages for graduate students in the face of increasing housing costs. At least 85 UC Santa Cruz graduate students are withholding over 12,000 Fall Quarter grades and refusing to teach or research. Several publications have covered the movement, including NPR, Teen Vogue, The Guardian and The New York Times.

Thousands of supporters rallied across the nine UCs on Feb. 21. At UC Davis, hundreds gathered by the MU flagpole at noon to march to Mrak Hall, following actions on Feb. 9, Feb. 11 and Feb. 20. After the main march, a smaller group went to the Student Community Center

(SRRC) where UC regents were visiting.

Their march was motivated by a Feb. 14 letter from UC President Janet Napolitano asking teaching assistants at UCSC to submit grades by 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 21 or face “consequences, up to and including the termination of existing employment at the university.”

Doctoral student Beshara Kehdi called the Feb. 21 rally “momentous” and “historic.”

“Today is the day that UCSC told their graduate students that this is a retaliation day for them going on strike,” Kehdi said. “If you continue, the threats about losing your position — today is the day that would happen. No. The UC has no right to terrorize its graduate students.”

One demand presented on Feb. 21 was a cost of living adjustment for Davis graduate students, who — like all other UC graduate students — make $2,400 a month under their current contract, negotiated by United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2865 and the UC Office of the President (UCOP).

The statement said a report from UAW Local 2865 states that UC Davis academic student employees (ASEs) need a COLA of $1,553.20 per month to be relieved of rent burden. A person is

considered rent-burdened if they spend over 30% of their monthly salary on rent.

The median rent in Davis is $1,003, according to a 2019 UC Davis vacancy survey, an almost $50 increase from 2018. According to PayScale, Davis’s cost of living is 46% higher than the national average. To live sustainably in Davis, one needs to earn $50,000 a year.

Those statistics motivated Davis graduate students to start their own COLA movement — beyond simply acting in solidarity with Santa Cruz.

UC Davis actions began on Dec. 10, with a rally held in front of the MU flagpole in solidarity with UCSC. Several other UCs held rallies for the same purpose that day.

In an interview with the Daily Nexus, Emily Rich, an English doctoral student, said the UC Davis COLA movement began when graduate students wanted to support the UCSC students.

“We pretty quickly [...] were realizing that we have a lot of similar problems that Santa Cruz is having,” she said. “So we used that first event as a jumping off point.”

A statement provided to The California Aggie

COLA on 11

AFTER SHOOTING OF DAVIS TEENAGER, CITY CONFRONTS GUN CONTROL CLIMATE

In the two weeks after unintentional shooting death, Moms Demand Action presents in Davis, Dixon hosts gun show

A firearm show was held in nearby Dixon 10 days after a 19-year-old Davis High School student was shot and killed.

(Photo by Eden Winniford / Aggie)

BY E D EN W I N N I FO R D city@theaggie.org On Feb. 6, 19-year-old Jerred Vargas was shot and killed, presumably in an unintentional shooting by his older brother. Davis Police Lieutenant Paul Doroshov provided details of the case.

“Based on the initial comments, it was suspected to be an accident,” Doroshov said. “But we would investigate something like that just as seriously as anybody else who lost their lives to a gun-

shot, so the overall investigation is still ongoing.”

The weapon was a semi-automatic handgun, according to Doroshov. At this time, it is unknown if the brother, who is in his 20s, owned the weapon.

Less than a week after this tragedy, gun safety advocacy group Moms Demand Action gave a pre-planned presentation to the Davis City Council at the Feb. 11 meeting. Co-lead Emily Ault referenced Vargas’ death.

“I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the

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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

2 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020

BALLOT INTIATIVES PLACED ON WINTER RECORD NUMBER OF GREEK QUARTER ELECTIONS BALLOT AT FEB. 13 ORGANIZATIONS HAVE RECOGNITION ASUCD SENATE MEETING REVOKED AFTER HAZING INCIDENTS Crystal Juarez sworn in as interim senator

Pending investigations underway, call for culture shift from CSI, OSFL

AGGIE FILES

BY H A N N A H BLO ME campus@theaggie.org ASUCD Vice President Shreya Deshpande called the Feb. 13 ASUCD Senate meeting to order at 7:08 p.m. The meeting began with presentations from Student Health and Wellness and the Club Finance Council.

During elected officer reports, each senator focused on spreading the word about the upcoming elections, which took place from Feb. 18-21 before the publication of this article. Senator Shondreya Landrum emphasized her efforts to inform Panhellenic organizations and Senator Mahan Carduny suggested reaching out to Camp Kesem, efforts that were intended to reach a large swath of students.

Senator Khalil Malik reported his upcoming efforts to increase support for ASUCD Refrigerator Services. Currently, first-year students can rent miniature refrigerators and microwaves for $60. Malik noted that the revenue generated by ASUCD Refrigerator Services provides funding for a variety of student services, yet does not receive appropriate resources nor support.

Fourth-year student Crystal Juarez was sworn in as an interim senator. Following her confirmation, she sat on the board for the remainder of the meeting and will contribute to ASUCD decisions for the upcoming month.

Senate Bill #25, which redefines the External Affairs Commission, was passed by the board. SB #27, which was authored by ASUCD President Justin Hurst, was also passed. SB #37 allows for a more flexible interviewing process in ASUCD hirings. The previous ASUCD Constitution re-

quired rigidly specific interviewing requirements, and Hurst’s SB #37 would amend the constitution to require fewer members to be present, which has previously been problematic due to conflicting schedules. In response to the bill, Controller Kevin Rotenkolber emphasized the importance of releasing ASUCD vacancies before the quarter begins in order to avoid interviewing fiascos.

The apex of the night, however, was the consideration of SB #31, the Basic Needs and Services Referendum. The senate passed the bill, allowing for the referendum to be placed on the Winter Quarter ASUCD Elections ballot. Senator Juan Velasco requested a roll call vote. Nine senators voted in favor and three abstained. The abstentions came from two absent senators and the abstention of Senator JB Martinez. The passage of SB #31 prompted applause on the senate floor.

Lastly, the board extensively debated Constitutional Amendment #67. Hurst intended the amendment to be a “backup plan” in case the fee referendum did not meet the 20% minimum participation threshold for its results to be considered valid. Hurst explained that it would allow for the future ASUCD Senate to create two budgets, including a 10-year plan for ASUCD budget reconstruction and a complete dismantling of ASUCD. However, CA #67 generated disagreement among senators over the 10-year plan wording. Kyle Krueger, chair of the Environmental Policy and Planning Commission, suggested changing the wording to “long-term plans” instead.

S E NAT E on 11

Pictured is the former chapter house of Zeta Psi, Iota Delta Chapter. The fraternity was recently placed on Revocation of Registration for at least five years after incidents involving hazing. (Photo by Justin Han / Aggie)

BY G RAS CH E LLE FARI ÑAS H IPO LITO campus@theaggie.org Since November 2019, three Greek organizations on the UC Davis campus lost their recognition with the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life (OSFL) and their Registered Student Organization status after incidents involving hazing — a record number since 2005. Sigma Mu Delta, Delta Sigma Pi and Zeta Psi were placed on the Revocation of Registration for at least five years.

Aside from these three organizations, three other organizations – Theta Tau, Alpha Epsilon Pi and Sigma Lambda Beta – are pending an investigation with the Office of Student Support and Judicial Affairs (OSSJA) due to misconduct.

None of the Greek organizations mentioned above responded to a request for comment before this article went to press.

“My pledge process was mentally and physically draining as well as time consuming,” a recent pledge of one of the revoked organizations said. “If we didn’t follow conduct, we would get some sort of physical punishment — push-ups, sit-ups, planks, squats. We also had to memorize a load of information and recite or else we would get yelled at along with some sort of physical punishment.”

This pledge also explained that although they were given time for academics, they were usually kept out past midnight while pledging.

“The entire process was basically rigged so that the pledges would have to endure a lot of physical and mental strain,” the pledge said.

Another pledge from a different revoked organization recounted coming home with scrapes on their knuckles from push-ups and ingesting an unknown concoction of mixed drinks for not following conduct.

OSFL hosts mandatory prevention education sessions for members of Greek life — such as alcohol risk and reduction, social justice essentials, hazing and sexual violence and assault — in an effort to prevent these kinds of issues.

Director of the Center of Student Involvement Kristin Dees and OSFL Assistant Director Valerie Lamarre-Laurent maintain that they reiterate university expectations during prevention education for new and current Greek life members, at quarterly meetings with each chapter president and at community meetings.

“Prevention education introduces new members to the culture that we would hope and expect the chapters on this campus to adhere to and follow,” Dees said. “If you don’t see that [expectation] followed, the bystander and upstander intervention really speaks to different ways on how to share information.”

Over the course of the year, the groups are required to have a total of 80% of their members attend prevention education sessions and misconduct training. If a chapter does not meet the requirement, a warning is issued and the group has a short period during Fall Quarter to fulfill the requirement or face registration revocation.

So far, all fraternities and sororities have fulfilled the requirement.

In regards to hazing reports, Dees and Lamarre-Laurent explained that their roles focus on prevention efforts, while OSSJA oversees disciplinary action. Students are able to report incidents of hazing that will be reviewed and investigated by OSSJA, according to the OSFL website.

“The university provides organizations, in-

cluding Greek letter organizations, with written notice about alleged violations and an opportunity to respond,” said Donald Dudley, the director of OSSJA. “The length of the process prior to making a decision can depend on the information that OSSJA gathers and reviews. I won’t comment on any particular cases, however, since this is the first year in which OSSJA has reassumed responsibility for RSO conduct. We are determining how to best manage these investigations into our caseload.”

Nathan Kushner, president of the Interfraternity Council (IFC) at UC Davis, said that the IFC follows policies against hazing.

“IFC here at UC Davis has a very strict policy against hazing adhering to UC Davis student organization policies and the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) guidelines,” Kushner said via email. “Any reports of hazing I have received or will receive are sent directly to Student Judicial Affairs. My board does not personally handle any hazing conduct, we simply respect and enforce all sanctions handed out by [OSSJA].

Members of some Greek organizations that are currently under investigation mentioned the lack of transparency and communication from OSFL and OSSJA during investigations.

“There has been practically no communication on OSFL’s end as well as [OS]SJA’s end, so we’re kind of in the dark,” said an executive board member of one of the Greek organizations about the investigation process. “Some of the allegations are baseless and sort of unjustified. I can understand why they’re not making everything transparent to protect those who have made allegations, but I feel like it’s a ‘guilty until proven innocent’ kind of thing which is really frustrating.”

In the midst of the misconduct investigations, some members expressed that their pledging process taught them time management and helped them to bond with other pledges.

“I would not consider anything I did a form of misconduct, because we were allowed to drop out of the process at any time without question,” a recent pledge said. “We all knew what we signed up for and we were all prepared to go through with that process.”

Dees noted, however, that the Greek community nationwide needs a culture shift.

“I think Davis is a piece of that larger community and anytime you are trying to shift and change a culture that has embedded traditions that need to be changed, everyone would love it to go faster than what is reality,” Dees said. “It’s going to take time and we wish it would go much faster, but we are doing the proactive and preventive education that we have set in place and we are excited to see some of the results of those as time goes on.”

Dees also highlighted that the prevention education program was introduced three-and-ahalf years ago by OSFL as a requirement process for the Greek community.

“I think the recent suspensions are part of the problem, but I also think part of it is that folks are aware of the policies that are being violated which is why things are coming up as opposed to not realizing that there are issues,” Lamarre-Laurent said. “The more that we do education, the more folks are aware of what should and should not be happening.That’s pretty on target with what happens when you are doing increased education around high-risk behavior.”

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020 | 3

UC DAVIS WORKING WITH CITY, COUNTY TO MANAGE STUDENT HOUSING CHALLENGES BY INCREASING AVAILABLE HOUSING

Survey shows increase in vacancy rates of apartments, average rent J OE LL E TA H TA / AGGI E

BY MADELEINE PAYNE city@theaggie.org Apartments in the City of Davis were more vacant in 2019 than the year before, according to an Apartment Vacancy and Rental Rate Survey commissioned by UC Davis Student Housing and Dining Services. The survey, which was published on Feb. 5, found a slight increase in the combined vacancy of apartments leased by unit and apartments leased by bed, from 0.5% in 2018 to 1% in 2019.

Although both types of apartments experienced an increase in the vacancy rate, the vacancy rate for apartments leased by unit only increased

from 0.4% in 2018 to 0.6% in 2019. The vacancy rate for apartments leased by room, however, increased much more dramatically — from 0.7% in 2018 to 3.4 % in 2019.

The Apartment Vacancy and Rental Rate Survey is conducted annually by Student Housing and Dining Services in partnership with BAE Urban Economics, a private real estate consulting firm located in Downtown Davis. Michael Sheehan, the associate vice chancellor for Student Housing, Dining and Divisional Operations, explained that the survey is intended to help UC Davis officials make informed decisions about housing.

“The objective of the survey is to provide

information that will help inform planning decisions on campus and throughout the broader Davis area,” Sheehan said via email. “For example, survey results help campus officials assess the current housing market conditions faced by UC Davis students, faculty, and staff. The survey results also help the university to assess the likely feasibility of proposed campus housing projects.”

UC Davis is currently working on several projects aimed at expanding housing options for students. Recent on-campus housing developments include the opening of Yosemite Hall last fall and the addition of the Latitude dining hall in the Tercero Residence area. The university is also working on expanding housing options for continuing students with the development of The Green at West Village, which is on track to have 3,300 beds by fall 2021, according to Sheehan.

These projects are a part of a housing plan established in a 2018 memorandum of understanding between UC Davis, the City of Davis and Yolo County. In fall 2019, a Joint Annual Housing Report issued by UC Davis, the City of Davis and Yolo County outlined the progress made in adhering to the memorandum of understanding through the construction of housing on campus and within the city. The report also explained why low vacancy rates are a reason for these endeavors.

“Policy responses to the low vacancy rates have included new City of Davis rental registration requirements adopted by the City of Davis and approval of new housing construction by both the City of Davis and UC Davis,” the report reads.

Sheehan specified the upcoming goals emphasized in the memorandum of understanding (MOU).

VACANCY on 1 1

SHEREEN LEE / AGGIE

Stop chasing squirrels!

February 12 “Dogs off leash running the entire area of the park chasing squirrels.”

“Loud banging, vacuuming, cursing, loud video games.”

February 14 “Noise complaint. Weights being dropped.”

“Found dog — female collie wearing bandana.”

February 15 “Lent ID to friend. ID was confiscated by bouncers. Requested police department to assist.”

February 16 “Subject walking with a hatchet. Subject was threatening people with the hatchet and just hit a sign.”

February 17 “Male […] egged reporting party’s house. She chased after him before he drove away in a gray sportscar. Believes she is being targeted as this has occured 10 previous times before recently.”

February 18 “Male subject was seen pushing his bike pedals against the side of parked cars.”

DAVIS COMMUNITY CONCERNED ABOUT AIRBNB’S IMPACT ON QUALITY OF LIFE the entire home.” bers of the community who live in the same cul-

City considers new regulations for short-term rental services KA IT LY N PA N G / AGGI E

BY RACHEL HELEVA city@theaggie.org The City of Davis is currently reevaluating the state of short-term rentals in light of the impact that it has had on the community. On Feb.10, the Davis City Council revisited the issue of short-term residential rentals.

Recent outcry in the community induced

Ashley Feeney, the assistant city manager, and Kelly Stachowicz, a fellow assistant city manager, to present this topic once more before the council. Feeney provided clarification about what a short-term residential rental entails.

“Short-term rentals are, by definition, temporary in nature — occupied for less than 30 days,” Feeney said. “Oftentimes, they’re in private residences whether they are just part of a home or

The short-term rentals that Feeney and Stachowiz brought into question in their presentation are available for rental through services such as Air Bed and Breakfast (Airbnb) or Vacation Rentals by Owner (Vrbo).

These services have been functioning well in the city’s economy as of late, according to Feeney.

“The last time city council heard about shortterm rentals was back in 2015,” Feeney said.

“There was some city council discussion in and around the item. There was a desire to let the market mature and see how things go.”

The City Council met in 2015 to draft an ordinance that would ensure the ability to collect a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) from shortterm rental services, specifically from Airbnb, according to Davis Enterprise.

It wasn’t until Nov. 1, 2017, however, that the City of Davis was able to start gathering TOT from Airbnb, according to The Aggie.

“Since that time, we have entered into an agreement with Airbnb on the collection of Transient Occupancy Tax,” Feeney said. “About $185,000 was collected in 2019.”

Despite the boost in revenue from these short-term rentals, there are people in the city who are dissatisfied with the presence of Airbnb in their neighborhoods.

“We haven’t had a lot of complaints — we’ve just had some sporadic complaints,” Feeney said.

“But recently, we have had some complaints surrounding one specific rental that is being rented where there is more than one party in the home.”

In attendance at the meeting were three mem-

de-sac where the problematic rental is located.

One community member, Jack Clarke, addressed the impact of short-term rentals on his community.

“Our neighborhood gets an almost daily infusion of noise-producing strangers, with their automobiles and dogs arriving at all hours of the night,” Clarke said.

Another member of the community, Adrienne Shelton, addressed the council to voice her frustrations.

“A neighborhood is a vital part of a community,” Shelton said. “Transients are not part of a neighborhood.”

Upon hearing these perspectives from members of the community, Davis Mayor Brett Lee brought the discussion back to the effort to regulate these rentals on a larger scale.

“What we’re talking about tonight is a citywide regulation of this activity — it’s not specific to one street,” Lee said. “I appreciate the example of what’s going on on one street […] but what we’re talking about is the possibility of city-wide restrictions.”

The council stated that they are going to look into potential regulations and look to other cities for an example of how to better integrate Airbnb into the community of Davis.

Lee confirmed that he wants to do what is best for the residents of the community.

“The concerns expressed by the neighbors in this location are quite reasonable and reflective of what’s going on throughout the community,” Lee said.

DAVIS CITY COUNCIL TO DISCOURAGE TOBACCO ADDICTION AMONG MINORS, BANNING FLAVORED TOBACCO Flavored tobacco bans to also be implemented in Woodland, West Sacramento JO E L L E TA H TA / AGGI E

BY SHRADDHA JHINGAN campus@theaggie.org The City of Davis recently announced that a flavored tobacco ban is under discussion following Yolo County’s Tobacco Retail Permit program that was implemented in 2007, according to a city staff report. The “Tobacco Retail License ordinance” was created to monitor and regulate the sale of tobacco to minors and, now, a flavored tobacco ban is being discussed as an extension of the ordinance.

Woodland and West Sacramento will also be implementing similar bans on April 1 and April 15, respectively.

According to The California Department of Public Health, 80.8% of young people between the ages of 12 and 17 who have used tobacco began by using flavored tobacco products. Thus, “banning the sale of flavored tobacco and fla-

vored tobacco products within city limits is a start in addressing the concern that flavored tobacco products are primarily marketed to youth,” according to the staff report.

Dan Carson, a Davis City Councilmember and a previous director of health policy analysis for the nonpartisan California Legislative Analyst’s Office, explained the role of the council in the discussion of the flavored tobacco ban.

“Basically, what we did was give instruction to our city staff to begin working on an update to our existing restrictions on tobacco licenses to add a ban on flavored tobacco products to that list,” Carson said. “The city has tied in, for many years, to a Yolo County program by which businesses that wish to sell tobacco products get a retail permit under certain conditions.”

The ban has not yet been implemented and is still being finalized, according to Carson.

“It’s not been implemented yet in the City of

Davis,” Carson said. “In our case, we’ve directed city staff to begin work on a new city ordinance that would make these changes and so there’s a regular process by which that is done — [it] requires a certain amount of public notice once the appropriate legal language comes before us for approval.”

One of the aims of the flavored tobacco ban is to reduce flavored tobacco consumption among minors. Kelly Stachowicz, the assistant city manager for Davis, explained the impact that the flavored tobacco ban would have on the Davis community.

“The proposed ban is really aimed at making it more difficult for underage individuals to purchase flavored tobacco or flavored tobacco products,” Stachowicz said. “A lot of the products have been geared towards enticing a younger crowd of people to purchase them — they look like candy or something like sweets, things like that. So this is an effort to try to curb the ability for young people to purchase [such] products.”

Studies have shown that people who develop addictions to tobacco or nicotine products often start using these products from a young age, such as at 14 or 15 years old, according to Stachowicz.

Eighty percent of young people who have used tobacco products at least once in their lives started by using flavored products, according to the staff report.

Elisa Tong, an associate professor of internal medicine, physician and researcher in tobacco policy and cessation, provided more details about the impact that the proposed ban would have on young people.

“A ban on the sales of flavored tobacco products is an important first step to help youth and young adult initiation of tobacco and encourage current tobacco users to quit,” Tong said via email. “From the California Student Tobacco Survey (2017-18), one in eight California high school students use a tobacco product (e.g. electronic smoking devices, little cigars or cigarillos, hookah), and 85% of those have flavors.”

Carson noted that the number of young peo-

ple using tobacco products has been on the rise in recent years, which contrasts with the decline that occurred before the introduction of products such as e-cigarettes and flavored tobacco.

“There has been a trend across the state where the number of youths who were smoking in other ways had been in dramatic decline partly because of public education happenings then as it had run for many years,” Carson said. “But then the advent of flavored tobacco and e-cigarettes and the like — suddenly we’ve seen a trend across the state, and here in Davis as well, of a huge rebound in use of these products.”

The use of products such as e-cigarettes and flavored tobacco has possible implications for young people.

TOBACCOBAN on 1 1

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

4 | THURSDAY, FEBUARY 27, 2020

AFSCME LOCAL 3299 SERVICE, PATIENT CARE WORKERS RATIFY CONTRACTS WITH UC

UC DAVIS STUDENT-MADE WINES COULD SOON BE ON THE MARKET THANKS TO THIS CALIFORNIA SENATE BILL

Workers protected by a contract after three years out of 20,000 bottles of student-made wine could enter market contract KIYOMI WATSON / AGGIE

The UC Davis Viticulture and Enology Department located on campus. (Photo by Quinn Spooner / Aggie)

BY ALLY RU SS E LL features@theaggie.org

BY JA N E L L E M A R IE SAL ANGA features@theaggie.org Service and patient care workers affiliated with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299 union ratified their contracts from UC on Jan. 31 and Feb. 7, respectively. The two classes of employees work under separate contracts.

On their Twitter, the union announced that 99% of service workers and 99% of patient care workers voted to ratify the contracts, reached on Jan. 22 and Jan. 28.

The ratification is “an important step forward for workers [and] an important step forward for this university,” according to a statement from AFSCME spokesperson Todd Stenhouse published in the Daily Bruin.

AFSCME Local 3299 workers represented by the union, along with union supporters, have led strikes six times in the past two years, as the negotiations for new contracts have been ongoing since 2017. The most recent strike, on Nov. 13, protested alleged job outsourcing and unfair labor practices.

Osiris Hal, a second-year psychology major interning for the union, said that the contract came out of students’ love and dedication for the workers.

“The next step for Davis looks like telling the rest of the campus our story and the collective work that was done by workers and students in order to continue fighting for others,” Hal said.

AFSCME Local 3299 workers at UC Hastings are still in negotiations for a contract.

State Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) introduced legislation that would amend existing laws to allow UC Davis to sell wine produced by viticulture students. A similar bill, Senate Bill 683, passed in 2016, aimed to grant licenses to university-associated nonprofit mutual benefit corporations to allow for the sale of wine, but that bill has yet to be implemented due to technicalities of the language. This most recently introduced bill would correct these technicalities.

Currently, UC Davis viticulture and enology students participating in VEN 124L, a winemaking laboratory class, have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience making wine. Samantha Sanchez, a fourth-year viticulture and enology major, explained more about how winemaking factors into students’ curriculum.

“We all get to make our own red and white wine batches over the course of the quarter,” Sanchez said. “We are given a ‘budget’ and can only spend as much as our budget allows in terms of changing protocol or running lab analyses.”

Students in VEN 124L have the opportunity to simulate tests done in the wine industry, choosing between running lab analyses or making different changes to their batches of wine.

Part of the class helps students understand the financial components that go into winemaking.

Students in VEN 124L make thousands of gallons of wine over the year.

“The wine is disposed of or saved in storage for research, depending on the head winemaker,” Sanchez said.

This bill would allow the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to grant a special nonprofit sales license to a UC Davis nonprofit to sell up to 20,000 gallons of wine to corporations. From here, corporations would sell wine to winemakers who would be responsible for packaging and selling the wine to consumers.

The State of California produced 248 million cases of wine in 2018, according to Discover

California Wines. The 20,000 gallons UC Davis would hypothetically be able to sell translates to about 8,500 cases of wine per year.

Opposition groups, including Alcohol Justice, have spoken out about the bill, claiming it perpetuates binge-drinking culture. Carson Benowitz-Fredericks, the research manager for Alcohol Justice, commented further on the organization’s issues with the bill.

“We have always opposed colleges and universities from promoting alcohol consumption,” Benowitz-Fredericks said. “A significant number of people studying and living there are under the legal drinking age and therefore exceptionally vulnerable to harm from alcohol overconsumption. SB 918 strengthens an already questionable policy that undermines UC Davis’ mission to create a safe and healthy environment for its students. Sending the message that selling alcohol is an appropriate way to fund the university sends the message that alcohol is essential to a higher education.”

The UC Davis Viticulture and Enology Department will derive profits from the sale of student-made wines, all of which would subsequently benefit students.

Dodd sees the department’s ability to make money from student-made wines as a positive, rather than a drawback of the bill.

“It’s a win-win situation that ensures students get to see their efforts come to fruition while supporting the program for future generations,” Dodd wrote via email.

Other universities, including Fresno State and Cal Poly, have organized similar arrangements and already sell student-made wine. Senate Bill 683 would apply solely to UC Davis.

A large part of students’ learning experiences involves making mistakes and learning along the way — and winemaking is no exception.

“We’re all amateur winemakers, so the class isn’t graded on how good the wine is, but how well you understand the winemaking process and why your wine went right or wrong,” Sanchez said.

WINE on 1 1

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Opinion THE

C ALIFORNIA A GGIE

E DI TO R I AL B OAR D KAELYN TUERMER-LEE Editor-in-Chief

Conviction of Harvey Weinstein is not end of holding serial abusers accountable

HANNAH HOLZER Managing Editor KENTON GOLDSBY Campus News Editor STELLA TRAN City News Editor

Weinstein’s conviction is a victory, but systems of gender-based violence must be dismantled entirely

HANADI JORDAN Opinion Editor CLAIRE DODD Features Editor LIZ JACOBSON Arts & Culture Editor DOMINIC FARIA Sports Editor CECILIA MORALES Science & Tech Editor

HANNAN WALIULLAH New Media Manager JUSTIN HAN Photo Director SYDNEE RODRIGUEZ Design Director ARIANA GREEN Layout Director SABRINA HABCHI Copy Chief ISABELLA BLOOM Copy Chief ZOË REINHARDT Website Manager SYDNEY ODMAN Social Media Manager

Earlier this week, beleagured Hollywood producer and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of felony sex crime and rape, but was acquitted of the two most serious charges of predatory sexual assault, according to The New York Times. It is suggested that these decisions were made because the “jurors did not believe the testimony of Annabella Sciorra.”

These accusations against the now infamous Weinstein launched what is now a pivotal moment in the #MeToo movement: One of the most powerful men in Hollywood is being held (somewhat) accountable for his actions. Dozens of brave women stepped forward to bring attention to decades of sexual abuse and assualt allegations, and detailed how Weinstein used his power to ruin the careers of those who dared to speak up.

This verdict, while hard-won, shows how far we, as a society, still have to go in order to hold abusers of power accountable. This culture of suppressing allegations and voices extends far beyond Hollywood — it permeates everyday workplace culture, academia and homelife.

Recently, three brave women came forward to The California Aggie to share their stories of sexual assault. Unfortunately, students at UC Davis are not spared from the same gendered and situational privilege that emboldens men like Weinstein. It was only last year that former members of the now-disbanded Band-Uh! shared accounts of hazing, assault and a generally “toxic” culture.

The New York Times Editorial Board wrote: “It shows how difficult it can be to bring abusers to justice, particularly when they are wealthy and powerful. It shows how much the #MeToo movement has changed American life. And it shows

how far society still has to go.”

The Editorial Board couldn’t agree more. This has also taught us that it is important to believe women and survivors, and that coming together can enact change. Too often, we are told that hashtags and marches won’t accomplish anything, but as we’ve seen this week, they can. We are powerful when we unite to call out abuses of power.

In the Weinstein case, and in cases like those against Bill Cosby and Larry Nassar of USA Gymnastics, it literally took dozens and dozens of survivors to come forward for serious investigations to begin. It took persistence in the face of adversity by survivors and journalists.

In these cases, one voice should have been enough. The systematic silencing of women allows for people like Weinstein to serially abuse their power and privilege. It is especially important to support and empower people of color and members of the LGBTQIA community, as they are at a greater risk for experiencing sexual violence. It is time for lawmakers, institutions of power and law enforcement to better support and empower survivors. It is time for voters to extend this movement to the ballot box. Alleged rapists sit in the Oval Office and on the Supreme Court bench. Mike Bloomberg, a Democratic candidate for president, has been under pressure to release women from nondisclosure agreements that are preventing them from taking action against comments made by Bloomberg.

The Board supports all survivors of rape, sexual assault, harrassment or gender-based violence of any kind — whether or not they have come forward or reported. We believe you and we will always believe you, and we hope that this decision will serve as a catalyst to hold abusers accountable.

LAURIE PEDERSON Business Development Manager

Oscars 2020: A telling and historic night WITH ALL ODDS UP AGAINST IT, THE 92ND ACADEMY AWARDS DID NOT ENTIRELY FALL FLAT

BY JUL I E T TA B IS H A RYA N jsbisharyan@ucdavis.edu

KIYOMI WATSON / AGG IE

At its worst, the Oscars can be a pretentious, stodgy ceremony that fails to capture the true essence of film and the arts. People harp every year at its lack of diversity while still refusing to adapt. But at its best, the Oscars can write history –– or at least properly commemorate those who do.

As expected, the 92nd Academy Awards was far from perfect. Janelle Monáe’s opening performance, which celebrated the snubbed films and female directors of the year, perfectly encapsulated the ongoing war between the actual Oscar attendees (including viewers at home) and the members of the Academy.

Year after year, the Oscars find a reason to apologize for its shortcomings. If it isn’t “#OscarsSoWhite,” it’s “congratulations to those men,” that best abbreviates Oscar controversies. And every year, this critique becomes the focus of the evening, which invokes awareness, if anything, for future ceremonies.

Although it is important to challenge what we see lacking at the Oscars, we should recognize that these issues do not start and end at the ceremony.

In response to the overbearing “whiteness” of Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land,” film scholar Desiree Garcia made a point to say that the casting of white leads “says more about what it takes to get a movie made in Hollywood than the intentions of the director.” But if the film industry wishes to solve the “#OscarsSoWhite” issue, people of color should be cast in pivotal movie roles.

As long as producers continue to enable Eurocentrism in film, the Oscars will always be “so white.”

Perhaps the biggest letdown of this year’s Oscars was the lack of female best director nominees. In its 92-year history, only five women have been in this category, with one winner, Kathryn Bigelow, back in 2010. Although director Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women” received six nominations, Gerwig herself didn’t receive any for her phenomenal adaptation.

There were, however, some redeemable qualities of the night.

Eminem’s performance, though unexpected, was a nice reminder that the Academy has given credit where it was due in the past. “Lose Yourself ” is timeless, not only as the first rap song to win an Academy Award, but also as an accurate reflection of the interests and demographics of filmgoers during its time.

Idina Menzel’s performance of “Into the Unknown,” featuring the dubbed voice actress of Elsa, was a nice gesture toward the effort of representation and inclusivity.

Even James Corden and Rebel Wilson’s nod to the monstrosity that is “Cats” was amusing and showed that Hollywood can make fun of itself at times. We don’t have to pretend it was a decent movie when the cast doesn’t even bother.

But of all the victories and losses that night, the multiple wins that “Parasite”

received –– especially as the first non-English speaking best picture –– was the most astounding. It was clear from Jane Fonda’s pause and subtle smile before announcing the final winner that she was about to read cinematic history.

And as amazing as “Parasite” is, it didn’t stand uncontested. Films like “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and “1917” definitely checked off the boxes for quintessential winners. Knowing the Academy, it seemed unlikely that an international film would be awarded anything outside its own category.

Seeing Bong Joon Ho win four major awards in one night, which hasn’t happened since Walt Disney, was astonishing. To commemorate a South Korean film as the best of 2019 shows that cinematic greatness does not exist solely inside Hollywood. “Parasite” is more than just a foreign film –– it’s a fantastic film.

It goes without saying that the Oscars aren’t a testament of brilliance. Plenty of amazing films or actors get brushed under the rug each year. In shedding light on the lack of diversity and inclusivity, hopefully, the Academy and producers will reconsider future decisions.

The Oscars will never please everyone. But what they do succeed at is making people disappointed and outspoken –– and maybe that’s enough to help mold the future.

reduce. reuse. recycle.

The aggie

6 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

DAVE CHAPELLE DOESN’T NEED SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT EVERYONE ELSE DOES Social media has transformed comedy by elevating it

KATHER IN E FR A NKS / AGG IE

BY CA LV I N COF FE E cscoffee@ucdavis.edu

What makes you laugh the most? Is it your friends, family or favorite comedian?

Probably not. For most of us, our laughs are now ignited by the stuff inside the little boxes we scroll through everyday on our social media feeds: Tiktok videos, Twitter zingers and the like. Much of social media is designed around the interactions that comedy provides.

All of my favorite comedians are all on social media. They make me laugh more in a week than a Dave Chapelle special that I only get to see once every few years. Once you find your people on these platforms,

they become better mediums. Narrowing down your sense of humor and aligning it with your cultural interests would have been next to impossible before these platforms — certain voices just weren’t heard before. But now, Mike Drucker gives me all of the video game jokes I need, Jon Lovett supplies all the political wit and Jason Concepcion deals all the NBA spice.

The immediacy of social media is what makes it so great. Current events and television shows garner the wittiest reactions in real time that can be shared within seconds.

The accessibility of social media overcomes the physical and economic hurdles of seeing a live comedy show. Individual tickets for Chapelle’s last two shows were no less than

$190. And most comedy venues are not built with disabilities in mind — the act can be hard to see even for non-disabled individuals.

Social media is now the crux of countless comedians’ careers. It has become the most important tool for rising comics to elevate their comedy. Just look at your favorite YouTubers: Joe Rogan owes much of his present success to the platform he built and the community he’s grown on social media. Social media gives Rogan the kind of exposure and opportunity that was unheard of before.The growing ties between the necessity of social media and comedy is emblematic of the growing role social media plays as a tool in any profession.

A vital aspect of comedy is the feedback that comedians get from interacting with a live, vulnerable crowd, which is absolutely missing on social media platforms where comments are often filled with excessive hate. Instead, social media offers interactive feedback in the form of likes, retweets, shares, mentions and views. Something that is quantifiable, yet not qualitative at all.

This doesn’t mean that comedy as a whole is pulling its punches. Each new Chapelle special (and many other Netflix specials) addresses progressive events in our culture, but these are rarely ongoing. Social media, on the other hand, currates topical comedy for you immediately. It takes the effort out of giving you a laugh (or a muffled chuckle).

You don’t have to witness the stand-up struggle if you don’t want to, and you don’t have to suffer through a three drink minimum or un-godly admission prices.

Social media doesn’t have to replace traditional comedy — it can elevate it. Hasan Minhaj’s Netflix special “Homecoming King” –– filmed at the one and only Mondavi Center — intertwines social media with massive screens and tells a modern story that requires social media to move forward.

Chapelle, the greatest comic of our time, is hardly on social media at all. His comedy exists in a realm of context that isn’t possible on social media. Take most of his punchlines out of context and people would be calling for his head (some still are). Yet Chapelle is so good that he straddles the line between the new comedy world and the old. He commands your attention on your screens and when he comes to town because he has gravity. But he’s the only person big enough to do that.

Some claim that Chapelle is a comedy bygone who hasn’t progressed with the rest of us. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Comedy is about pushing limits and crossing lines. You should hate that you laugh at some of the jokes comics say, and that’s exactly what social media boils comedy down to.

The overwhelming majority of jokes, memes and videos online are not funny at all. But the best stuff surfaces to the top with the help of interactive feedback through algorithms. Once you find comics that fit your sense of humor it just works. And you can go support those comics in real life if they ever come your way — or just support them online like a normal person.

HUMOR

#NEWS

It’s what’s happening KA ITLYN PA N G / AGGIE

BY B E N JA M I N P O RT E R bbporter@ucdavis.edu

It’s here: Your first self-reported #news article, 100% free of journalistic bias. When we make promises, We Deliver, just like the US Postal Service. So from now on, the journalists will be cut out of the equation, and their inherent bias toward wanting to actually inform you will be forever stymied, like a rugged American individual charging noggin first into a wicked web of bureaucratic red tape. We know we said the tweets wouldn’t be organized in any particular way, but we ran the thousands of tweets through a neural network computer program to pair related posts together in sequence. Baby steps. But don’t worry, real journalists had nothing to do with this. At least we incorporated some Insta stories into this #news report for variety! We’ll be expanding to all social media platforms soon. Now, as an influential social media influencer once said, just moments before millions of people spontaneously became measurably dumber, “Social media makes you smarter.” #news Headline: Local germaphobe/health guru dies grisly, unsanitary death after contracting infection from soap dispenser at vegan cooking retreat

By THE NEWSMAKERS — Probably deserved it haha plus the new vegan thrift shop already closed and theirs liberla tears #news#macklemore. I pre-ferd animal crackers anyway! #news. But what about the sugar in the wrap? If that’s a wrap then it’s a wrap! Game over #news#esports.

THat’s not sports. It tis a game. Wear you sacrifice ur life to spend it in front of a tv.

Just like jesus at the coho #news. But Judas

betrayed him by not voting YES on the fee referendum #news#judaspriest #easybiblical. And one of the two was communist, like Bernie LOL #news#maga.

George Zimmerman is suing Mayor Pete and Pochahontas for defamation to get money #news that’s actually #news and he’s such a races but at least he likes guns! #news #theblues. He’s from a man from Florida man, but guilty. Enter Florida man and your birthday and you’ll get funny Florida man stories haha like a news article in the news #news #stainformed.

Mine says “88-year-old Florida man sets raccoon on fire for eating his mangoes” #news. Was the racoon using a spoon at least? #news.

Wow. My yung son Don just asked if he can eat his apple with a spoon cuz the forks flew away. He’s so cute! #news#insta#nofilter #noforks#breakfastday4of45#45Prez.

Wait are there actually a foods u can’t eat with a spoon no matter what like ever? #news#spoon. Yeah no try eating the apply with a spoon dumbass! #news#spoonchallenge. I tried to apply the apple with a spoon and it didn’t work.#news #spoonchallenge. No if you slam the apple on the spoon at the perfect angle, it will break #spoonchallenge #applechallenge #news.

Waddup, I’m ridin’ shotgun in the Subaru with my bruh Tucker here whose driving with apples glued to both his hands for the #applechallenge and we’re tryna get our video on the local new tonight so once we hit 69 he’s gonna turn upside down, put his feet on wheel and try to break all the spoons that are jammed underneath the brake so we don’t crash LOL #applechallenge #spoonchalenge#instajam#news.

UCAL.US/VOTE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020 | 7

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

AN ANOMALY: JYE CITIZEN OWNS HIS INDIVIDUALITY, LAUNCHES LIFESTYLE AND CLOTHING BRAND More than just T-shirts, Anomaly SCF is a creative space that empowers community

BY ITZ E LT H G AMBOA arts@theaggie.org

TV Show: “Dirty John” Based on the real life story of Debra Newell, this Netflix true-crime series came from the podcast of the same name.

Debra Newell is a successful woman in her 50s. She has it all: a lasting career, a home in Newport and the kind of money that everyone hopes to make one day. The only thing missing from her life is a loving husband, so when John Newman miraculously pops up in her life, it’s a dream come true. He seems perfect: He is loving, caring and handsome. But as red flags pop up, it’s hard to distinguish between his different fronts.

This short crime series was the most interesting show I watched last summer, which means a lot because all I did last summer was watch Netflix.

Movie: “Life Itself ” dir. by Dan Fogelman Students model Citizen and Carey’s designs. (Photo by Anomaly SCF / Courtesy)

BY L I Z JACO BSO N arts@theaggie.org “I found myself always being an anomaly, I guess you could say just being the only African American or one of the few… that’s kind of where the idea of Anomaly came from, being my own individual, creating my own lane.”

Anomaly SCF is not just a clothing brand, but a lifestyle for third-year managerial economics major and Jye Citizen. Last year, Citizen met with his mentor, Markell Johnson — founder of the fashion brand Rare — and together, they laid out ideas of what Citizen wanted his brand to be: a creative space.

“Anomaly is a brand that I hope will spark creativity and individuality through whoever comes in contact with it,” Citizen said.

Anomaly began as a space for Citizen’s writing, inspiring the creation of a blog, podcast and clothing line. The brand’s full name, Anomaly SCF, stands for Anomaly Stone Cold Fool, after a phrase Citizen’s grandmother used during his childhood.

Citizen hosts the podcast “Forever Loading” with his UC Davis men’s soccer teammate Kameron Carey. The podcast is focused on hiphop and pop culture. The blog covers sports, music, fashion and poetry, as well as how to balance being a student, business owner, athlete and creator.

“I just try to let my creative juices flow,” Citizen said. “This is where I get to release my ideas.”

Carey, a third-year design major, brings Citi-

zen’s ideas to life using the Anomaly platform to test out different designs. Both are influenced by their own senses of fashion — Citizen’s personal style being a mix between a “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” Will Smith and Chance, the Rapper.

The two recently launched their Black History Month long sleeve t-shirt.

“I remember exactly when the idea came to me,” Citizen said. “I was watching an episode of ‘That’s So Raven.’ It was a Black History Month episode. They were trying to teach us about important [historical] figures that may have gone under the rug a little bit.”

Citizen had also recently watched — and was inspired by — “Hair Love,” the animated short film that won an Academy Award this month.

After collaborating with Carey, the pair settled on the idea to combine the power of words with the power and symbolism of Black hair.

“I wanted to put the important people in history in the hair,” Citizen said. “And the tagline is “know your roots,” which is the roots of being important to Black history, as well as the power of Black hair.”

The tee features Black and African American icons Muhammad Ali, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Harriet Tubman, Madam CJ Walker, Robert Abbott, Langston Hughes, Katherine Johnson, President Barack Obama, Colin Kaepernick, Jesse Owens, Maya Angelou and Malcom X. Within the afro on the tee, there are what looks like quilting squares and stitching — meant to represent the movement toward freedom and equality.

ANOMALY on 11

COUCH CONCERT: NEGRETE A band with a spirit full of feeling and fun

Negrete performing at The California Aggie’s Couch Concert series on Friday, Feb. 7 in Lower Freeborn. (Photo by Justin Han / Aggie)

BY S I ERRA JI M E NE Z & C AR O L I N E RUT T E N arts@theaggie.org Lyricist, lead singer and guitarist Nick Negrete wants to get out of college — so much so that he wrote a song about it. Written as an expressional anecdote to illustrate Negrete loathing his college experience, “Another year, another year. Another year. Let me go” starts off the song “GREENE” from the band Negrete’s EP “ST. GEORGE.” “That was just me being pissed off,” said Negrete, a third-year student at American River College. Thomas Greene, the president of the school, is the muse of the song’s lyrical intent.

Negrete explained that when he writes lyrics, it’s a combination of when he’s “pissed off,” complaining about someone or stringing words together that sound good and flow.

“Our lyrics are purely aesthetic to a certain degree,” said Alejandro Magallan, the band’s guitarist and a third-year music major. He explained that their lyrics are analogous to Thom Yorke of Radiohead in the way that “you don’t know what the f--k he’s saying” and that “it’s the tone of his voice [and] the tambor” that drives the lyrics and makes them so compelling.

Behind closed doors, their conversations emanate the free-spirit of the group. Their playful energy is evident in their music and in their performances. Talking about their lyrics, Negrete explains that, “if you don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s hard to be like, damn those suck or to say [I’m] talking about something stupid.”

“That’s genius,” responded Niko Chapman, a second-year student at Sacramento City College and the drummer of the band, as they all laughed at the remark.

As a band, they agreed that their musical aura is best represented as “beach-rat grunge.” But at the end of the day, they all enjoy being musically

creative and just playing what makes them feel good. The motive of their music is to “make you feel something,” according to Magallan.

He further explained that their content is “bare,” “essential” and “raw.” Really, it all comes down to one thing: losing yourself in the music.

“We just kind of play because we love it,” said Taylor Clark, a bassist and a third-year student at American River College. “And it’s fun. You can really get lost in [the music].”

The band officially formed in April 2019, though they have known each other since high school. Negrete and Clark joined their highschool jazz band together — the genesis of the band today. While the duo was playing in a band for a peer’s senior project, Magallan found his niche on the electric guitar. Chapman picked up the drums on a whim and has been with the band since. Negrete, Nick’s last name, became the band’s name.

Negrete called the energy of the band their “selling point.” They enjoy playing basement or house shows — or The California Aggie’s office in Lower Freeborn — because those are the shows with the most receptive and energetic crowds.

Rather than exploitive ticket sales and distractions to the music, the crowd has the chance to indulge in a music-focused experience. After all, such a venue aligns with the morals of the band: music for fun’s sake.

It’s not that they don’t want to broaden their horizons — the band has played twice at Holy Diver, a popular venue in Sacramento, so they don’t lack talent — but they simply would rather play in a more intimate setting where they can feel the crowd’s energy being moved by the music.

“In a basement or a house, just like these enclosed spaces, the energy gets stuck in there,” Magallan said. “You’re just right there.”

NEGRETE on 11

I watched “Life Itself ” late at night over Winter Break at my mom’s request. She promised it was going to be the best movie I have ever watched and she has never been more right. The movie begins with college sweethearts Will and Abby (played by Oscar Isaac and Olivia Wilde) starting their life together, but as their story progresses, their life intertwines with a couple from Spain, a wealthy landowner and a troubled young boy with a tragic life story.

The movie is beautiful,heartbreaking and strangely fulfilling. Fogelman bases the plot on the classic butterfly effect, how one person’s impact comes full circle. I’ll admit that the first 20 minutes or so are too slow for my liking, but when it picks up, the plot itself grows legs and starts running.

Book: “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” by Ned Vizzini Ned Vizzini writes his life story between the lines of this book where we meet Craig, a boy who studied all night, got into the school of his dreams and checks himself into a mental health clinic in the hopes of washing his depression away. But when the youth wing closes and the hospital has to put young and old together, Craig meets Bobby. Bobby shows him a new way to look at life, to go through it day by day and make it all a little better — and funny enough, Bobby is also a patient. Through the halls of the clinic, Craig gains a sense of who he wants to be and comes to terms with his life.

What’s best about this book is when people ask, “What book are you reading?” the answer is “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” and whoever asked the question waits in anticipation for the funny story.

Album: “Bank on the Funeral” by Matt Maeson Any Matt Maeson album will do, but for the sake of this article, let’s go with his newest album. “Bank on the Funeral ‘’ was released early last year, but Spotify just recently blessed me with this alternative, indie music a few weeks ago in my Discover Weekly. Maeson’s music brings me down to earth and adds a dramatic flair to my walk to class.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

8 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020

FEBRUARY HONORS HEART HEALTH, BRINGS AWARENESS TO NATION’S LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH

Three heart scientists speak on importance of this month

BUMBLEBEES CHANGE FLIGHT MODES TO CARRY HEAVY LOADS OF NECTAR Energy-saving method of flying allows bees to forage for food more efficiently

MA R IO R ODR IGU EZ / AGGIE

BY A L M A M EC KLE R - PAC H E CO science@theaggie.org As February comes to a close, so does American Heart Month. American Heart Month spans the entirety of February, giving doctors, friends and families the perfect opportunity to continue or start the conversation of heart health and what it entails. President Johnson first proclaimed the month in 1964, inspired by his personal experience with heart disease. Since then every president has annually declared February as Heart Month to bring awareness to the nation’s leading cause of death and a major public health issue in the United States.

Heart disease is a catch-all phrase for a mix of conditions that can affect the heart’s structure and function. Someone dies every 37 seconds in the U.S. from heart disease, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Often heart disease can be “silent” with no symptoms, which can result in someone not being diagnosed until they experience clearer symptoms like a heart attack, heart failure, or an arrhythmia. These symptoms are far more severe, highlighting the importance of knowing your risk factors.

“It is my hope that everyone, regardless of age, will take time in February to learn their risk factors and talk with family members about if and how heart disease has affected them,” said Javier Lopez, a cardiologist, via email.

The main factors to monitor are blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and weight, along with eating and physical activity habits. Maintaining healthy levels of all of these are known to be vital in preventing the development of heart disease. If everyone starts analyzing their own lifestyle habits and speaks with their doctors about their risk of heart disease, earlier prevention can occur. Understanding your own risk for heart disease is crucial to improving your heart health and is an important first step to addressing this illness.

“I also hope everyone discusses their risk factors with their doctors, who are their partners in monitoring and reducing their risks of heart disease,” Lopez said. “Those conversations can truly promote long and healthy living without chronic diseases.”

Additionally, advances in medicine and diagnostic methods have improved cardiologist’s abil-

ity to detect and treat heart disease. At one point the best treatment method was surgery and now there are many other treatment options which can be catered to each patient’s specific needs.

Improvements in medications that prevent hypertension and high cholesterol are reducing symptoms and decreasing the risk of heart attacks or strokes.

Basic science research that studies the functions and structure of the heart has tremendously increased the understanding of heart disease. Luis Fernando Santana, a professor and chair of the department of physiology and membrane biology, is studying calcium channels in the cells of heart arteries. The amount of calcium that passes through the calcium channels can affect the constricting of the arteries. When arteries are constricting more often this can increase hypertension which results in high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease.

Santana’s research focuses on a very basic mechanism of the heart and from his research he has discovered that there are key differences in how the calcium channels function in men and women. By better understanding these differences, medicine can be catered to men and women.

“We want to learn about general biological concepts by studying male and female and by the process provide better treatment,” Santana said.

“We learn something very fundamental but then can apply that to medicine.”

Scott Simon, a professor of biomedical engineering, strives to understand the early stages of atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in the arteries. The Scott Lab conducts research on the ways lipids in the bloodstream enhance inflammation. They have found that high levels of lipids trigger an inflammatory response which sends out innate immune cells to repair damage. The lab wants to know the ways that monocytes, a type of innate immune cell, effect plaque buildup in the arteries and in turn increase the chance of atherosclerosis. Simon hopes to ultimately develop more effective medicine.

“It would be great to develop therapeutics,” Simon said. “We try to understand things at the most basic molecular level and through using the mechanism we have learned we want to design better drugs.”

Santana and Simon’s research is helping advance medicine and the tools available to doctors.

HEARTMONTH on 11

A study at UC Davis explores how bumblebees can carry heavy loads, almost up to their body weight and measures the amount of energy they expend while in flight. (Photo by Andrew Mountcastle / Courtesy)

BY LAU RE N G LE VAN I K science@theaggie.org Bumblebees are the ultimate champions of carrying all their groceries home in a single trip.

As UC Davis researchers discovered, bumblebees change their flight patterns to be efficient when carrying heavy loads of pollen and nectar.

Bumblebees exhibit a behavior called foraging as they travel from flower to flower finding food.

Flowers provide all the food groups bees need: pollen and nectar. Pollen is high in protein and fat to help bee larvae grow in the hive, and nectar fuels adult bees as a source of sugar. Foraging is a necessary behavior for the survival of the hive, and bumblebees are surprisingly efficient at this task for their size.

“Bumblebees are like fuel tankers,” said Susie Gagliardi, a researcher in the Combes lab at UC Davis. “They carry much more than other insects, often because they’re bringing things back for the hive all the time. At the upper limit, they’re carrying about 80% of their own body weight. Flying with a full belly should be a huge cost for the bees.”

To measure how much energy each bee was using, researchers used tiny flight chambers made of modified snow globes. They pumped pure air without carbon dioxide into the chamber and encouraged the bee to fly for a few minutes with an overhead light simulating the sun. As bees burn energy while flying, they generate tiny amounts of carbon dioxide. The researchers used carbon dioxide measurements to determine how much energy each bee used when flying with light loads and heavy loads.

“If you imagine a person with this setup, they’d be running on a treadmill with a mask,” Gagliardi said. “You can’t put a mask on a bee, so we made an all-enveloping mask for them with the snowglobes.”

Researchers expected bees with heavy loads to burn significantly more energy than bees with light loads, but they found a surprising result:

bees with the heaviest loads actually changed their flight pattern to fly more efficiently.

Bees carrying heavy loads burned more energy overall than bees with light loads, which was expected. But bees with heavier loads were actually more energy-efficient for the amount of weight they were carrying.

“Think about buying something at Costco,” explained Stacey Combes, an assistant professor of neurobiology, physiology and behavior. “It’s always going to be a little more expensive to buy that pack of 12 jars of spaghetti sauce, but per unit, it’s cheaper to buy in bulk. We’re finding something similar in bees. They are actually doing something to fly more efficiently when they’re carrying these heavy loads.”

This unexpected result raised more questions, including how bees could choose to fly in this new efficient method. Bee flight is typically measured using two factors: Frequency, which is how fast bees flap their wings, and stroke amplitude, which is how far their wings travel with each beat.

Bumblebees deviated from the expected pattern and switched over to this “economy mode” to save energy when they carried the heaviest loads.

Understanding foraging behavior in bees is important to design beneficial habitats for them in agricultural areas. Bumblebees collect huge amounts of nectar and pollen for their hives and, in the process, they provide valuable pollination services to farmers.

“For example, [bumblebees] are one of the few wild bees capable of pollinating tomatoes,” wrote Jeremy Hemberger, a postdoctoral researcher in the department of entomology and nematology, via email. “Their ability to ‘buzz pollinate’ (vibrate at just the right frequency) is essential for releasing pollen from the anthers of the tomato flower.”

Many farmers rely on honey bees to pollinate crops — sometimes even transporting them cross-country for pollination season — but bumblebees provide equally important services.

HEAVYBEES on 11

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020 | 9

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10 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020 | 11

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POLITICS

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“It’d be super boring if we just had a room full of people agreeing with each other,” Dickman said. “Maybe once or twice a quarter we have debates within our club about different things Republicans disagree on. On basically every issue you can think of, we have a few people who disagree.”

DCD has a similar respect for dissenting views within the Democratic party, according to Cece Garofoli, a second-year international relations major and director of political affairs for DCD. “In a Democratic club, you’re definitely going to get more left-leaning [members], but that doesn’t mean everyone’s for Bernie,” Garofoli said. “I’d say we get a variety of viewpoints. We try to ensure that everyone’s viewpoint is accepted and able to be heard.”

During the primaries, given the variety of views present among members in the club, DCD does not hold debates.

“Everyone has their own views, and that’s why we’ve made it a policy not to talk about the primary elections [...] because we want to stay unified,” Pritchard said.

Despite different candidate preferences, for Garofoli, there is a clear sense of unity within the party.

“At the end of the day, we’re all Democrats,” Garofoli said. “We all [...] share similar values.”

Understanding biases Reading multiple news sources provides a more holistic view of current events and politics and can help students be fully informed, according to Dickman.

“Most people tend to read the news that they already agree with,” Dickman said. “I

read maybe 10 news sources a day. I like to see what the other side has to say. Usually, the truth is, if every different story says the same thing, it’s probably true and then everything else is kind of editorialized.”

Most news sources come with slight to significant biases apparent in their presentation and selection of facts — or lack thereof.

“If you read only Fox News, you’d think that there is absolutely nothing to Ukraine that just happened,” Dickman said. “If you read only MSNBC, you’d think it’s the end of the world. The truth is somewhere in between.”

The approaching elections According to Garofoli, the student voting turnout on campus for the 2018 midterms was significantly low — only 4%. For this election, Garofoli hopes to see an increase.

“For the amount of students eligible to register on campus, I just really hope that for this primary, at the very least, we can increase turnout exponentially on campus,” Garofoli said.

Pritchard hopes students will inform themselves about the issues and people they choose to support.

“If people were more informed, they would feel more trusting of the government,” Pritchard said. “It’s all about making that information accessible in language and bringing it to everyone’s attention.”

Registered voters can cast their ballot on campus for the California state primary election on March 3 in the Garrison Room on the second floor of the MU from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“Even without the very tragic incident of this past week, I think there is a good understanding that by having people be knowledgeable about some very simple steps they can take in terms of storage — that the community as a whole will be much safer,” Lee said.

Moms Demand Action provides this educational opportunity with its Be SMART program.

“The Be SMART campaign promotes responsible gun ownership to reduce gun deaths,” Crowley said. “It focuses on education and awareness about child gun deaths and responsible gun storage.”

In the case of Vargas, it is currently undetermined if his brother received firearm training.

Doroshov, however, still underscored the need for proper training of firearm owners.

“In general, I would always urge people to take

graduate students during the strike” while working with strikers through the bargaining process.

Graduate students in the UCSC History of Consciousness, Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology and Environmental Science departments pledged to refuse TA and graduate student instructor (GSI) positions in Spring Quarter should any UCSC graduate worker from their department be terminated.

The wildcat strikers have not yet submitted grades.

The movement’s support, spread and future More than just graduate students have supported UCSC at the picket lines. Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders expressed his support on Feb. 19.

Sijun Lou said undergraduate students have also been “putting their bodies on the line.”

“The undergraduate students are a good backbone of this movement,” she said. “It’s been so beautiful to see the way they organize themselves in solidarity and coalition with us.”

As of Feb. 23, over 2,300 non-UCSC faculty have pledged their support of the COLA movement, including 50 UC Davis faculty.

Other pledges of support are circulating, including a petition from postdoctoral and academic researchers, represented by UAW Local 5810, a petition started by UAW Local 2865 and a pledge of support from the international academic community.

UCLA, UCSB and UC Davis all have non-retaliation pledges signed by faculty who “will not retaliate against grad student workers who choose to participate in COLA-related actions.”

The Aggie Editorial Board published an editorial on Feb. 21 urging dialogue between UCOP, UCSC and graduate student workers and announced its solidarity with UCSC strikers.

UCSC is the only UC on a full strike, but will be joined by UCSB as of Feb. 27. UCLA and UC Davis have pledged to hold a grading strike and withhold all Winter Quarter grades should any UCSC graduate students be terminated for their actions.

Later, on Feb. 21, Napolitano released an offer for leaders of the UC Graduate and Professional Council (UCGPC) to meet to talk about issues faced by graduate students.

Both the UCGPC and the UCSC COLA movement rejected the offer on Feb. 22.

Cierra Raine Sorin, president of the UCSC GSA, noted on Twitter that UCSC did not have a representative on the UCGPC board.

“The GPC board is run by folks that have been and continue to be incredibly anti-COLA,” Sorin wrote. “Yesterday’s statement from Napolitano is a [...] farce and anyone telling you otherwise doesn’t know how the system works politically or is lying to you.

Any and all conversations we have with UCOP need to be led by UCSC grads.”

Striking graduate students at UCSC published a statement on Feb. 23 that said they now considered themselves officially terminated from their jobs until they received notice about spring appointment. UCSC External Vice Chancellor Lori Kletzer said on Feb. 24 that the cut-off for submitting Fall Quarter grades was changed to Feb. 27.

TOBACCOBAN

COLA

some kind of gun safety class if they decide to purchase a gun,” Doroshov said.

Despite the varying views on firearm ownership in the Davis area, Crowley reminded the city council that everyone can agree on some aspects.

“We all want our kids to grow up happy and healthy,” Crowley said. “We each have the right to make responsible decisions about how to protect our home, [and] if we can prevent even one child [from] gun death or injury, it’s our responsibility to do so.”

The shooting has prompted calls for firearm education, and Doroshov emphasized its devastating nature.

“It’s just a tragic event for the family involved,” Doroshov said. “Our hearts really go out to them, because it’s unimaginable.”

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“Within the MOU there are targets to house more students on-campus,” Sheehan said via email.

“We have met the 2019 target of 10,500 beds and we are on track to meet the 2021 target of 12,500 beds and 2023 target of 15,000 beds.”

The efforts to increase available housing is aimed at controlling the blended rental rate for units and bed leases, which experienced an overall increase of 5.5% since 2018. As mentioned in the Joint Annual Housing Report, low vacancy rates can cause, “property owners to sell properties at higher than regional averages and to charge yearly rental rate increases that could exceed typical inflation rates.”

Sheehan addressed the steps UC Davis is taking toward reducing rental rate prices.

“The rent increases in the market are a concern,” Sheehan wrote. “It is an intended outcome that rent increases will be better controlled once greater on-campus inventory has an impact on the overall

vacancy rate.”

UC Davis is also developing more resources for students who live off-campus, according to Sheehan.

“Additionally, UC Davis is in the process of creating a basic needs advocate position to liaise with property managers and help resolve student-landlord issues, and support housing and food security efforts on campus,” Sheehan said via email.

Overall, the MOU and the Joint Annual Housing Report are important examples of campus, city and county collaboration on student issues. Matt Dulcich, the Local Government Relations Manager at UC Davis, mentioned the potential of future collaboration between UC Davis and local government.

“The recent collaborative efforts for student housing will hopefully be a model for future projects such as transportation, homelessness services, and many others,” Dulcich said via email.

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from the UCOP expressed sympathy for the graduate student struggle.

“The University is sympathetic to the rising cost of living [...] throughout California and the pressure this puts on teaching assistants and all our other employees,” the statement said.

Origins of the COLA movement The COLA movement emerged in UC Santa Cruz in November of last year, though, according to the timeline provided by the website for the UCSC movement, efforts to discuss cost of living have been ongoing since 2014.

Almost 30% of California renters spend over half their income on housing. According to UCSC, one-bedroom rentals are, on average, less than $2,000, though that figure is contested.

Graduate students supporting COLA submitted a letter to UCSC Chancellor Cynthia Larive on Nov. 7 asking for a COLA of $1,412 per month.

In December, the UCSC COLA movement discussed further actions and attempted to negotiate with administrators, but said negotiations were unfruitful. They decided to withhold Winter Quarter grades, launching a “wildcat” grading strike, which is unsanctioned by the UAW Local 2865.

Larive announced two housing-based initiatives on Jan. 27, beginning in Fall 2020, intended to support graduate students: five years of a $2,434 salary per month for three quarters per year and an annual needs-based housing supplement of $2,500.

The aforementioned UCOP statement reiterated an earlier UCSC statement: “The University does not plan to reopen the signed contract with UAW. A wildcat strike is a violation of contract, which thousands of ASEs ratified systemwide; those actions by a small group of ASEs negatively impacts undergraduates whose hard-earned grades [...] are being withheld.”

The TAs, however, made provisions to release grades in certain circumstances.

In response to administration, the wildcat strike expanded: All who wanted to participate stopped all teaching, research and grading operations. Police presence also increased on campus, with reports that UCSC was spending $300,000 a day on policing costs.

“That figure makes me angry,” said Angie Sijun Lou, a third-year UCSC graduate student studying literature. “It shows me that the money exists and the way that this money is being distributed and reallocated is totally irresponsible.”

On Feb. 10 — the first day of full striking — a UCSC undergraduate was arrested.

Seventeen students were arrested on Feb. 13, including one UC Davis student.

UCSC issued a statement that said police had a critical role in protecting “everyone’s ability to exercise the constitutionally protected rights of free expression speech, and assembly [but] these rights do not extend, however, to disrupting regular and essential operations of the university by occupying offices, blocking roads, or infringing on the rights of others.”

The UCSC Academic Council released a statement on both police presence and the wildcat strike on Feb. 19, calling for UC and UCSC administrations to roll back and demilitarize police presence and for the university to “refrain from punitive action against

NEGRETE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

The band named their performance at Turtle House in Davis as one of their favorite performances. By the first song, people were crowd surfing and swinging by the rafters. It was a bucket list moment for the band.

The soul of the band is feeling and fun, and their music is best received when the spirit lives in the crowd. The band feeds off of that energy to create a compelling environment not only for the audience, but also for themselves.

In regards to keeping that enthusiasm alive, the band touched on their latest EP, “St. George,” available on Spotify. They explained a need to get something out for recognition as a

legitimate band. “[It is] important for us to have some amount of image or some amount of memorability,” Negrete said.

“To record [music] and have a finished product — that no matter where you’re at in your life to look back and [say] this is what I was doing when I was 21, this is my project that I was a part of — I think it’s a really special thing,” Chapman said.

Negrete will be featured in an upcoming video as part of The California Aggie Couch Concert series.

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The use of products such as e-cigarettes and flavored tobacco has possible implications for young people. In a 2016 survey, it was found that 84% of the 85 surveyed “tobacco retail stores” in Yolo County sold little cigars in flavors that are suitable for children, such as strawberry and grape. Eighty percent of the time, they were sold for less than $1, according to the city staff report.

“The CDC has noted that the combination of flavors, nicotine (especially with the new nicotine salts), and marketing tactics have all contributed towards what the Surgeon General has deemed a youth epidemic in vaping,” Tong wrote.

Although tobacco products cannot be sold to those under 21 in California, “most young people get their products from informal sources and online purchasing is easy to circumvent,” according to Tong.

Carson noted that the use of such products could lead to a cycle of addiction.

“So, we’re very concerned that this will lead to another generation being hooked on nicotine, with potentially terrible health effects,” Carson said.

“Our intention is to try to make these products unavailable in our community and therefore prevent this from continuing.”

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For this reason, UC Davis would ensure student-wine meets a certain quality before selling it.

Other wines below this quality level would be sold as wine vinegar.

Students are working with high-quality grapes sourced from Napa Valley, on-campus vineyards and UC Davis’ Oakville Station Vineyard.

David E. Block, the chair of the Department of Viticulture and Enology, commented on other factors motivating efforts behind this bill.

“As the most sustainable winery in the world, it doesn’t make sense for us to be pouring our wine

down the drain year after year,” Block said. “This will give us a much more sustainable means of disposing of our wine, and any income from the sales will be re-invested into our teaching, research and extension programs to help us help the California grape and wine industry.”

The UC Davis viticulture department is already actively involved in the wine industry, boasting a 40-acre research vineyard located in Napa. The Oakville Station Vineyard is also home to multiple research facilities, including the Harry E. Jacob Research Facility and the Robert J. Barone Laboratory.

ANOMALY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

“It reminded me of a quilt and how each historical Black leader has built on the other, coming together as one, building onto [progress], like a quilt,” Carey said.

To promote the new design, Citizen held a photoshoot with different UC Davis students, all of whom are Black and African American, wearing the shirt in its four available colors: maroon, green, yellow and white.

“There’s kind of like a feeling of fulfillment in my idea coming to fruition,” Citizen said. “And I have a lot of friends saying Black is beautiful. So it was a feeling of fulfillment [and] joy, knowing that I’m gonna be able to put [my message] out and teach people that they are beautiful and that they should be happy in their own skin.”

Both Citizen and Carey commented on the misconception that products from a Black-owned business aren’t for everyone. Anomaly’s mission and message are for anyone who identifies with being an anomaly. Carey noted that his involvement in the organization taught him the power of inclusivity

around a common theme.

“If you’re confident enough to purchase a Black History Month shirt, that’s more power to you,” Citizen added. “We appreciate any and all support we can get. My brand is for everybody.”

Citizen’s focus is on building his business to a point his ancestors would have considered successful, which is why he has focused his business’ purpose beyond turning a profit — giving back to his community. Ten percent of Anomaly’s proceeds go toward underfunded schools. Beyond this, Anomaly hopes to inspire youth, promoting the message that their differences make them unique and should be celebrated.

“Being the anomaly reminds us that it is more than okay to be ourselves,” said Kaleb Schirmacher, a third-year neurology physiology and behavior major who has purchased clothing from Anomaly.

Citizen is currently in the process of designing his spring and summer collection, which will be available on www.anomalyscf.com/shop. More content can be found on Instagram (@anomalyscf_).

HEARTMONTH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

It is especially important, according to Santana, to have basic science research focused on better understanding the differences in sexes as that will allow for more effective treatment methods.

The deaths due to heart disease are declining, but Lopez, Santana and Simon all agree that increasing awareness is vital to reducing heart disease.

While only a month is dedicated to this issue, it is

important to take what is learned in this month and continue the conversation throughout the whole year.

“Awareness of where you are with your own risk factors is a prerequisite to mapping your personal goals for maintaining or improving your heart health,” Lopez said.

HEAVYBEES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

Crops, including squash, cranberries, blueberries and eggplants, are also buzz pollinated only by bumblebees.

Farmers can take advantage of bumblebee-provided pollination if they plant flower mixes in or around their fields. Providing this foraging source allows bumblebees to establish colonies nearby and

bring back as much nectar to the hive as possible.

“Their services help to provide food for wild animals and humans — all free of charge,” Hemberger said. “While they’re not the only pollinating insect, they are among the most efficient for a number of economically important crops.”

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Senators Andre Spioglio and Camille Randolph, Rotenkolber and Deshpande agreed that CA #67 is inappropriate considering that the fate of Basic Needs and Referendum was still unknown at the time. Rotenkolber said the idea of presenting anything contrary to the referendum on the ballot is concerning.

ASUCD External Affairs Vice President Adam Hatefi responded in defense of the 10-year plan.

Hatefi insisted that the 10-year plan is a solid pre-

ventative measure, and that ASUCD “should not give anyone from administration any ground to affect ASUCD.” In an initial roll call vote, CA #67 failed to pass. The table decided to amend the wording, and CA #67 passed.

Since this meeting took place, both the Basic Needs and Services Referendum and CA #67 were approved and passed by voters.

The meeting was called into a closed session at 11:17 p.m.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

12 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: SARA TSUKAMOTO

UC Davis Women's Tennis’ top singles player gives insight into athletic career

Sara Tsukamoto of the UC Davis Women's Tennis team. (Photo by Lani-Rae Green / Courtesy)

BY P RI YA RE D DY sports@theaggie.org Third-year design major Sara Tsukamoto is a force on the UC Davis women’s tennis team in both doubles and singles. The Kailua, Hawai‘i native began playing tennis at the age of three, following in the footsteps of her mother and her siblings. But it wasn’t until the age of nine that Tsukamoto began getting serious about playing.

A four-star recruit, Tsukamoto was ranked No. 113 in the nation and No. 3 in the state of Hawai‘i when she was recruited out of high school. As a freshman at UC Davis, she ended her first season with an undefeated 4-0 record at the number three doubles spot with her partner,

senior Nikita Pradeep and a 11-0 record as the number five singles player. By her sophomore year, she posted a 13-11 overall singles record, playing mostly at the number two spot and was awarded a Big West Conference Honorable Mention for Singles.

The California Aggie sat down with Tsukamoto to discuss her start in tennis, how she manages her time at UC Davis and her collegiate career so far.

The California Aggie: Was tennis a family sport for you?

Sara Tsukamoto: Yeah — my mom played. My dad likes to say he played, and I don't think he did that much. And then my sister actually played all throughout her years up until high school. She

AGGIE BASEBALL STAYS HOT WITH SECOND SERIES WIN Arenado’s walk off propels UC Davis to 5-3 start

UC Davis infielder Jonah Henrickson (15) slides into first base during a game against North Dakota State on Saturday, Feb. 22 at Dobbins Stadium in Davis. (Photo by Quinn Spooner / Aggie)

BY B REN DA N O GB U R N sports@theaggie.org The UC Davis baseball team is off to a hot start and hastily building confidence two weeks into the 2020 season.

The Aggies are getting contributions from up and down the roster, regardless of age or experience and have played themselves into an early winning run at Dobbins Stadium.

UC Davis took three out of four games against North Dakota State over the weekend, culminating in a doubleheader sweep on Saturday afternoon and a dramatic 3-2 comeback win in the nightcap.

Trailing 2-1 for the majority of the game, the Aggies found themselves five outs away from defeat when junior shortstop Tanner Murray stepped up to the plate, representing the game’s tying run. Murray promptly drilled an 0-1 pitch nearly 400 feet and over the fence in straightaway left field, sending the home dugout into a frenzy.

It was a huge sigh of relief for UC Davis, which had failed to reach base in its previous 10 at-bats, starting all the way back in the fifth inning.

“We were struggling in that second game to put a good offensive approach together,” said UC Davis Head Coach Matt Vaughn. “Tanner gets the big swing, and it kind of wakes our guys up a little bit, and then we started having some quality at-bats and luckily it wasn’t too late.”

In the bottom of the ninth, the Aggies put runners on the corners after a walk and throwing error. Redshirt-sophomore third baseman Kyler Arenado lined a walk off RBI single to right-center field, sending everyone home happy. The entire Aggie bench bolted out of the dugout to mob Arenado, as a big celebration commenced in shallow center field.

The Aggies stand at 5-3 after two weeks of play, grabbing series wins over Utah and North Dakota State and falling to USF in between.

The biggest question heading into the season was the Aggie pitching staff and its ability to give the team a chance to win every time out. So far, a quartet of freshman hurlers — Kaden Riccomini, Zach Carrell, Nate Freeman and Kai Janowicz — has given the team a big boost and provided quality innings, especially in middle relief.

“It’s exciting when those freshmen can build a little confidence and start figuring out ‘Hey I belong here,’ and now you can start doing some really good things,” Vaughn said.

In Thursday’s series opener — a 6-2 victory for the Aggies — Freeman came out of the bullpen and finished off the victory with three-and-athird no-hit innings and three strikeouts.

Riccomini got the start on Friday and was roughed up in a seven-run first inning, giving up four earned runs. But the young right hander battled out of it and went another three scoreless frames before exiting. This was a critical performance for the Aggies, who needed to conserve their arms in advance of the doubleheader the next day.

Carrell was a key contributor in the final game of the series, throwing three-and-a-third scoreless frames in the middle innings to keep the Aggies within striking distance before their late comeback. Janowicz pitched a scoreless top of the ninth, setting the stage for the dramatic finish in the bottom half.

“Carrell was awesome,” Vaughn said. “He was pounding the zone and only got behind one guy in that whole time.”

Overall, sophomore Jake Spillane has emerged as the ace of the staff so far, allowing just 10 hits in 13 innings of work and winning both of his starts. He cruised through seven strong innings in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, striking out seven and giving up two runs.

Defensively, UC Davis has been sturdy at every position, committing just one error in eight games. Although that one mistake led to three unearned runs in Friday’s 7-4 defeat, UC Davis has been as dependable as expected in the field.

“We’re a solid defensive team and if we just throw strikes we’re always going to have a chance to win games,” Vaughn said.

At the plate, the Aggies have a half dozen players hitting above .300 and the top of the lineup has picked up right where it left off last season. Redshirt-junior designated hitter Spencer Gedestad has been a mainstay in the heart of the lineup with 11 hits and a .407 average. Elsewhere, players such as sophomore Jalen Smith, redshirt-junior Alejandro Lara, redshirt-senior Logan Denholm and Murray are consistent threats every time they step into the box.

The Aggies will continue their non-conference schedule with three more home series over the next four weekends, starting with Loyola Marymount University on Friday. The team is already making strides on the diamond and hopes to keep the momentum rolling before Big West play begins at the end of March.

was really good in high school, but she just didn't play in college. And then my brother also played.

So yeah, it was definitely a family sport.

TCA: What made you decide to continue playing tennis in college?

ST: I just love playing tennis every day. And I definitely wanted to keep playing once I graduated high school. So I wanted to choose a school that was good at tennis and academically, and UC Davis was just like the perfect fit for both.

TCA: How do you manage your busy schedule as both a tennis player and a design major?

ST: For me, what works is I just like to use my planner and just schedule things out. So for example, I don't have class on Monday. So I'm like, “Okay, Monday morning I'll practice [individually] all morning and then also do practice with the team. And then after practice, I'll go home and just study.” So I just make plans like that to find a balance between both.

TCA: Can you talk about your experiences as a design major and how you've liked the program?

ST: I've recently just switched into the design major. It's been difficult at times because design has a lot of studio time, which is like a threehour class period. So it's either from 1-4 p.m. or 9-11:50 a.m. So that sometimes interferes with practice. But other than that, it's been a lot of fun. Right now I'm taking classes towards textile design. So we do screen printing and a lot of stuff on Adobe, which is really fun. It's fun to see what you can make.

TCA: How did you get into design?

ST: Funny thing, my dad was actually a product design major, I think, so he was telling me about it, and I just liked creating stuff and the creative side of design. So I took Design 1 in the fall my sophomore year, and I really liked it. I just started taking more design classes, and I just got really into it. So I was like, “Might as well just be a design major.”

TCA: Looking forward, what do you hope to do after graduating college?

ST: What I hope to do is work for an athletic company to work on textiles and stuff like that.

Kind of related to fashion, but also, including textile design and patterns. Like [working for] Lululemon or Nike — that would be really cool.

TCA: You've been playing pretty well recently.

Overall, how have you been feeling this season?

ST: I'd say I'm definitely doing a lot better than my previous years. I know I've been starting off rocky — definitely my freshman year and my sophomore year. But I think playing number one this year, I have to be solid in order to win. So I think I'm just focusing on staying relaxed and playing my best because you are playing the best players from each school, so you can't really expect to win every match. But as long as you just try your best you'll get good results.

TCA: How do you think you’ve changed athletically over your three seasons with the team?

ST: I would just say I think I just realized, "Okay, I need to buckle down during the season.” Instead of focusing on so many other things, I just need to focus on school and tennis and some extracurricular activities in order to do well in both school and tennis.

TCA: What are you looking forward to for the rest of the season? What are your goals both individually and for the team for this season?

ST: I think our team goal is definitely to win all of our conference matches and hopefully win conference. I know some of the girls are injured or we have girls sitting out, so definitely when everyone can get back on the court, I know that we'll definitely do a lot better and we'll be a really good team. I think [Lauren Ko] and I — my doubles partner — we're a really good team.

So I'm hoping that we could definitely get ranked this year. So that's one of my goals for doubles. And then for singles, hopefully get ranked or just have an overall good winning record after season.

Tsukamoto and the rest of the UC Davis women’s tennis team will be back in action at home this weekend when they take on CSUN on Saturday at 11 a.m. and UC Irvine on Sunday at 10 a.m.