September 26, 2019

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SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, BULLYING, RETALIATION, HAZING REVEALED IN BAND-UH! INVESTIGATION Documents released after Band-Uh! investigation shine light on the former organization’s practices, environment JU ST I N H A N / AG G I E

BY R EBE CC A BIHN-WA L L AC E campus@theaggie.org Details included as part of a climate survey report into the organization formerly known as the Cal Aggie Marching Band authored by the independent law firm, Van Dermyden Maddux, have now publicly emerged, bringing to light student concerns about certain behaviors, traditions and activities that had a negative impact on their experiences in the campus organization.

The announcement of the university’s decision to discontinue the student-led Cal Aggie Marching Band,

also known as Band-Uh!, on Sept.

3 followed a tumultuous spring for Band-Uh!, when allegations of hazing, sexual harassment and sexual assault first came to light in The California Aggie this past April.

While 85% of respondents to the climate survey report published by Van Dermyden Maddux report that they were either “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their overall experience in the band, survey results also echoed the same student concerns regarding worrisome traditions and behaviors in the band previously reported upon.

Individual interviews, which students volunteered to partake in, were also conducted. These interviews plus the results of the survey were taken

into account in the university’s decision to disband Band-Uh!.

Overall, the survey found that the “most complaints and least satisfaction” came from members who had participated in Band-Uh! during the 2016-17 school year. Female respondents tended to be more concerned about “hazing, bullying, and alcohol off-campus,” while male respondents tended to be concerned about “sexual misconduct and alumni interactions.” Of the female respondents, 82.75% were satisfied or very satisfied with their band experience, while 90.37% of the male respondents were satisfied or very satisfied.

BANDUH on 11

Keep an eye out for these on-campus improvements made over summer

U C DAV I S P H OTO / COURTE SY

The UC Davis campus has undergone several major changes while students have been away on summer break, including the construction of new buildings, the hiring of new faculty and updated rules and policies.

All these innovations are considered essential to maintain UC Davis’s widely regarded ranking as a top university — including by the Wall Street Journal.

STUDENT HOUSING Both Pine Hall and Currant Hall in Tercero have undergone construction and now feature updated windows to protect against water intrusion and leakage. Tercero will be opening a second dining commons named Latitude as soon as the Fall Quarter begins. Latitude will be located right behind Pine and Currant and will feature both indoor and outdoor dining areas.

What used to be Webster Hall in Cuarto has been replaced with a brand-new dorm building named Yosemite Hall. This area has been under

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VOLUME 138, ISSUE 1 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

SECOND INCIDENT OF ANTI-SEMITIC FLIERS FOUND ON CAMPUS IN LESS THAN A YEAR

Chancellor, Jewish fraternity respond to anti-Semitic incident JU ST IN HA N / AGG IE

UC DAVIS UNRAVELS NEW CHANGES TO ON-CAMPUS FACETS, INCLUDING NEW BUILDINGS, NEW PAYROLL SYSTEM

BY LI N H N G UYE N features@theaggie.org

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construction since the spring of 2017.

Thoreau Hall in Cuarto has been renamed Tahoe Hall.

Finally, Emerson Hall in Cuarto will be closed for construction starting this fall and lasting until fall 2021 for a redevelopment project. Once reopened, Emerson Hall will be renamed Shasta Hall.

Director of the Office of Student Development Branden Petitt explained that changing times required the university to make some adjustments to the names of buildings.

“We took the opportunity to change the names [of the Cuarto residence halls] since these are new complexes and we wanted to be more reflective of the California region,” Petitt said via email.

BUILDINGS Walker Hall will open in Jan. 2020 after a long period of seismic upgrade construction that began in 2011 finally wraps up. As of Aug. 2019, this project is still on track for completion sometime later this year. This hall will serve as the graduate and professional student center, complete with profes-

sional development workshop spaces, a commons area for graduate and professional students and general assignment classrooms.

According to the project updates on the UC Davis graduate website, the university will be “scheduling onsite tours with some of [their] leaders, donors and staff members.”

In other news, The Gunrock will be closed for renovations until early 2020. The restaurant closed at the end of Spring Quarter of 2019. Until its reopening, The Gunrock will not be accepting any reservations. During this time, all other services at the Silo will still be available, including Peet’s Coffee, various on-site food trucks and the Silo Market.

RULES/POLICIES For all employees at UC Davis, there will be a new payroll and personnel system as of Friday, Sept. 27 called UCPath. With the implementation of this new system, the university is also making changes to the accounting system. Paper paychecks will no longer be distributed on campus and will instead be mailed to an individual’s home address. Employees are encouraged to attend a ‘town hall’ meeting to learn more about UCPath.

Those who are not interested in direct deposit but would like to receive pay on payroll dates have another option: pay cards.

“Pay cards [are] available to nonrepresented employees, and represented employees whose unions have approved,” states the UC Davis update on the new accounting system.

“Each payday the university will load your earnings onto your pay card (to be used as a debit card).”

Additionally, the campus police department will be retrofitting the AggieAccess system so that the police department’s dispatchers will be able to remotely monitor the systems and control access quickly in more than 160 campus buildings.

BY REBECCA B IH N-WALLACE campus@theaggie.org Anti-Semitic, neo-Nazi fliers were recently found distributed throughout campus, according to a message from UC Davis Chancellor Gary May posted on the university’s website on Sept. 23. This incident comes less than a year after anti-Semitic fliers credited to the neo-Nazi organization The Daily Stormer were found posted throughout campus last October.

“Campus police have been notified and are investigating,” May’s message states, adding his condemnation of the fliers and saying that the university is “sickened that any person or group would invest any time in such cowardly acts of hate and intimidation.”

The fliers were found posted around 4 p.m. in Mrak Hall and the Mathematical Sciences building, campus spokesman Andy Fell told The Sacramento Bee. Asa Jungreis, the president of the Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi at UC Davis and a third-year community and regional development and sustainable agriculture and food systems double major, responded to the anti-Semitic incident in an email statement sent on behalf of AEPi. “As members of the Jewish community at UC Davis, we are deeply saddened and angered that neo-Nazi and white supremacy flyers were found on campus on September 23rd,” AEPi’s statement reads. “We fully condemn this cowardly act of hiding hateful rhetoric and intolerance behind anonymous flyers left around campus. No community at our university should have to contend with this form of virulent bigotry, particularly as many Aggies are beginning their college careers this month.”

Last October, fliers posted throughout campus and credited to a local division of the neo-Nazi site The Daily Stormer depicted then recently-confirmed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh surrounded by politicians and individuals — including a likeness of California Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senate Democratic

Leader Chuck Schumer, who are both Jewish — with Stars of David on their foreheads. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her, is depicted with the words “Good Goy” written on her forehead.

“Every time some anti-white, anti-American, anti-freedom event takes place, you look at it, and it’s Jews behind it,” the flier states in large, bold type.

In 2017, a sermon “calling for the annihilation of Jews” was given at the Islamic Center of Davis; in 2016, campus printers received anti-Semitic fliers from The Daily Stormer; also in 2016, UC Davis received a ranking in a list of universities with higher incidents of anti-Semitism and in 2015, swastikas were spray painted on the AEPi house in Davis.

Following the posting of the anti-Semitic fliers last October, a group of Jewish student leaders met with Chancellor May to discuss ways in which the university could proactively address the issue of anti-Semitism on campus. This meeting resulted in an agreement on the university’s part that it would host a town hall allowing students to voice concerns as well as a series of workshops for students and staff led by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

Two workshops focused on combating anti-Semitism on campus were held in November and February, but both were expressly unaffiliated with the UC Davis administration.

To date, university officials, including the chancellor, have not hosted a town hall nor any workshops targeting anti-Semitism.

“Acts of vandalism against any ethnic or religious communities on campus have no place at our university,” AEPi’s statement reads. “In the coming year, we hope that student groups across campus will find ways to come together and demonstrate a united front against antisemitism, racism and all forms of hate and bigotry on the UC Davis campus.”

May’s statement listed support services for students and faculty, including Student Health and Counseling Services and the Academic and Staff Assistance Program.

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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

2 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

Animal rights activists urge sanctions after deaths of seven baby primates garner media attention UC Davis Primate Center faces scrutiny this summer ASHLEY LUGO / AGGIE

BY ANDRE A E S Q U E TI NI campus@theaggie.org The California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC) at UC Davis came under fire again this summer after it was reported that seven baby monkeys had died under its care in April of 2018. The center reported the deaths when they happened, but the incidents were subjected to a more extensive investigation by local media this summer.

Animal rights activist groups subsequently called for the university to be fined — Stop Animal Exploitation Now! (SAEN) went as far as to say the university was engaging in a “cover up.”

SAEN, whose website is sponsored by a religious foundation, has a history of filing federal complaints about universities around the country for conducting animal research and aims to stop the practice.

According to UC Davis spokesperson Andy Fell, SAEN finds out about incidents by doing a public information search.

“They ‘announce’ them as if they were new,” Fell said. “These are things we’ve already reported to the USDA or the NIH and taken steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) establish the regulations and guidelines that must be followed by the CNPRC. The center at UC Davis is one of seven National Primate Research Centers (NPRC) around

the country. Some of these centers, like those located in the University of Washington and the University of Wisconsin have also received attention from the same animal rights group. The University of Wisconsin declined to comment on the “activities” of the animal rights group, saying instead that the university “considers animal research an indispensable tool for understanding complex living organisms.” The University of Washington did not respond to requests for comment at the time of this article’s publication.

One of the claims animal rights groups often make is that animal experimentation is unnecessary. Research with monkeys is only conducted when “questions cannot be answered in other ways,” according to the NPRC website. Scientists use monkeys to study complicated issues such as chronic lung disease, Alzheimer’s disease or reproductive problems because of the genetic closeness of monkeys to humans.

Fell echoed this idea, explaining that a principle of animal research is to only use it if there is no alternative.

“If you don’t have to use an animal for the experiment, don’t use an animal, if you can use a cell culture, use a cell culture, if you can use a mouse instead of a monkey, use a mouse, if you can use fewer animals use fewer animals,” Fell said.

Animal research is conducted on rats and mice 95% of the time, according to the Foundation for Biomedical Research. For an experiment

PRIMATECONTROVERSY on 11

UC President Janet Napolitano to step down next year

COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

Napolitano served seven years as UC President, during which she survived a cancer diagnosis

BY K E N TON G O L DS BY campus@theaggie.org UC President Janet Napolitano announced to the UC Regents at their meeting today, Sept. 18, that she is stepping down from her role after a seven-year stint as the UC’s executive.

Napolitano, the UC’s 20th president, has led

the UC since 2013 and will end her term on Aug. 1, 2020. Before coming to the UC, she was the head of the Department of Homeland Security from 2009 to 2013, served as the governor of Arizona from 2003 to 2009 and was Arizona’s attorney general from 1998 to 2003.

“My time at UC has been deeply gratifying and rewarding,” Napolitano said, according to a statement. “I have been honored and inspired

every day to serve this institution alongside incredibly dedicated, passionate people. The decision was tough — and this moment, bittersweet — but the time is right.”

The statement the UC released highlighted some of Napolitano’s efforts during her tenure as UC President. These included increasing enrollment, stabilizing tuition and shaping the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, as well as expanding access to the UC for community college transfer students and addressing the basic needs crisis for students.

DACA was created under her leadership when she was the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. She has thus been one of the key leaders in attempts to stymie President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the program.

“Under Napolitano’s leadership, UC became the first university in September 2017 to sue the Department of Homeland Security for its rescission of DACA, a program that protects from deportation young undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children,” the statement said. “The resulting preliminary injunctions by the courts have enabled many of UC’s undocumented students, along with Dreamers across the nation, to renew their DACA status and live and work in the United States; since January 2018 more than 500,000 DACA recipients have extended their authorizations.”

During her time at the UC, Napolitano also survived a cancer diagnosis, for which she was briefly hospitalized before returning to her duties. She stated that since her treatment for the disease in 2016 and 2017, her health has improved and her tests are clear. She added that her health was not a factor in her decision to step down and that the average tenure of a university president is around six years.

ASUCD rebands for 2019–20 school year ANDREA GONZALEZ / AGGIE

Association aims to increase student engagement across student life

BY A L LY RUSSE L L campus@theaggie.org With the new school year beginning, ASUCD plans to launch an expansive rebranding effort as well as organize other events and activities to help better engage the student community.

ASUCD, the student government of the entire undergraduate population at UC Davis, supports over 20 units and employs upwards of 1,500 students.

“What I would really like students to understand is that ASUCD is an umbrella organization, under which almost every single student-driven organization is a member,” said ASUCD Senator Maya Barack, a fourth-year international relations

major. “So many more organizations on campus that are run for students, by students fall under the ASUCD category.”

Popular services utilized by students like the Coffee House (CoHo), the Bike Barn and Unitrans are all funded by ASUCD. The association is also responsible for hosting favorite community events including Whole Earth Festival and Picnic Day. Part of ASUCD’s rebranding strategy aims to increase student awareness about the services they utilize everyday that they may not know are supported by ASUCD, Barack said.

In addition to regular ASUCD Senate meetings scheduled every Thursday night, a special session is set to take place on Sept. 26 and several

town halls are expected to take place throughout the quarter. Dates for town halls have yet to be confirmed.

ASUCD Vice-President Shreya Deshpande commented on upcoming legislative changes students can look out for as the school year progresses.

“There will be a lot of restructuring of legislation this year,” Deshpande said. “We plan to change elections from winter to spring, regulation of the slates, reforming Judicial Council and restructuring committees and commissions.”

The ASUCD executive office is also in the final stages of a 10-year plan for ASUCD, called “Going Forward.” Plans include transitioning student wages to minimum wage.

“This encompasses transitioning student wages to minimum wage, increasing funding for current services and expansion into new services in the future,” Deshpande said.

ASUCD President Justin Hurst has also been working with different student centers on campus in order to increase collaboration and partnerships.

“New student voter registration will also be happening on campus, throughout dorm areas this weekend as new students move in,” Hurst said, adding that for many incoming freshmen, the 2020 presidential election will be the first they are able to participate in.

With a new class of freshmen and transfer students settling into life at UC Davis, members of ASUCD’s executive office have been tabling throughout Welcome Week and orientation.

In response to the $545,000 deficit the association has accumulated, Senator Shrondreya Landrum has been spearheading plans for an ASUCD gala, scheduled to take place in the beginning of Winter Quarter 2020.

“The Gala is to raise funds as a response to this previous year’s deficit and will be marketed to ASUCD alumnis,” Hurst said.

Former UC Board of Regents Chair George Kieffer praised Napolitano for her work over the past six years, saying that “the university is better off today than when Janet became president.”

During a press teleconference regarding her announcement, Napolitano was asked about her efforts to hold UC tuition flat.

“We were very grateful for the governor’s budget for the university this year,” Napolitano said. “His budget which was basically the budget adopted by the legislature, and increased funding for the university by almost 7%.”

She noted that over the previous six years, tuition has remained flat across the system for instate undergraduates, except for one year that saw a roughly 2% increase.

In her final year as UC President, Napolitano has promised to continue working hard on the issues set out before her, which Kieffer called “an ambitious agenda.” This includes increasing degrees awarded by the university; closing education gaps, including those affecting low income families; continuing to support research; strengthening policies around sexual harrassment and sexual violence for students, faculty and staff; moving forward on making the UC carbon neutral and 100% reliant on renewable energy by 2025; improving student’s access to housing and, finally, improving access to basic needs, especially food security.

After leaving her role as UC President, Napolitano will take a sabbatical from the UC. She will then begin teaching at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, where she is a tenured professor, in Fall of 2021. She has not yet decided on the topics her classes will focus on, noting her breadth of available expertise.

NAPOLITANO on 11 SHEREEN LEE / AGGIE

Abandoned suitcases, lost pine tree September 12 “Male walking around talking on [the] phone about ‘how many drugs he has sold tonight.’”

“Male inside building, appeared to be hiding behind a mailbox.”

September 15 “Pine tree fell and now in the street.”

September 16 “Sorority having party in [the] backyard.”

September 17 “Sounds of someone rifling through recycling coming from reporting party’s backyard.”

“Large suitcase next to trash can.”

September 18 “Subject briefly inside business and grabbed a handful of magazines before being asked to leave. Reporting party believes subject has been drinking or under the influence due to his behavior.”

“Suitcase left at bus stop.”

September 19 “Occured on E 8th Street. Loud Chickens.”

September 20 “Subjects in middle of street and two in backyard.”

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 | 3

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

Upcoming Natalie Corona documentary in the works

ANDREA GONZALEZ / AGGIE

Trailer gives first look at fallen police officer’s life

BY TAYLO R M A RT I NE Z city@theaggie.org An upcoming documentary about the life of Police Officer Natalie Corona, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Jan. 10, is in the works. A trailer, published on Aug. 14, introduced a glimpse into the film and includes segments of interviews with Corona’s family and friends. The documentary is planned to be an hour in length, expected to be released by the end of 2019.

Gloria Partida, the mayor pro tempore of the City of Davis, noted that she is aware of the upcoming documentary, and recalled the night of the incident when Corona passed.

“On the night it happened, a notice was received about an officer-involved shooting,” Partida said. “I was invited to go to the operations center at the Police Department, where I received the news of her death. The name stuck out to me because I had actually been at Natalie’s pinning ceremony, which was shortly after I had been elected. I had a lot of hope for her.”

Larry Cappetto, the documentary’s Colorado-based director, has made a number of films concerning the military and first responders. After the news broke on Corona’s death, Cappetto

started work on making the documentary, meeting with Corona’s family in the process.

“I have an app on my phone which sends out an alert whenever a police officer is killed in the line of duty,” Cappetto said. “I got an alert the day Natalie was killed and when reading more about what happened, I knew I had to do something.”

Cappetto wanted to capture Corona’s life and her time at the Davis Police Department.

“Through her family, I have been able to get to know Natalie,” Cappetto said. “They are remarkable and are humble people. They welcomed me into their lives, and they are an extremely closeknit family. Natalie’s dad even took me around to places that were special to Natalie.”

The film will feature interviews with Corona’s family, friends and coworkers. For the documentary, Cappetto came to Davis to talk to those who knew Corona. The trailer encapsulated Corona’s passions about law enforcement — Christina Giannone, a Davis Police Officer, indicated that Corona made a valiant first impression on the job.

“She took this job very seriously,” Giannone said according to the trailer. “She made an impression — I went home later that day and told my mom about her.”

Corona’s passion for law enforcement is further shown through her family members’ remi-

niscences in the trailer. Lupe Corona, Natalie Corona’s mother, remembered how the fallen officer knew that she wanted to become a police officer as a child.

“It was always law enforcement,” Lupe Corona said, according to the trailer. “I mean whether it was dressing up for Halloween or for career day — it was always law enforcement.”

In addition, Natalie Corona’s sister, Kathy Corona, added that the fallen officer’s passion reached for as long as her sister could even recollect.

“She has always loved law enforcement,” Kathy Corona said, according to the trailer. “She

knew, for as long as I remember, that she wanted to be a part of the brotherhood.”

The trailer ends with a photo of the Davis Police Department in June 2018 that shows Natalie Corona as an integral part of the department.

“The documentary is a reflective look on her life,” Cappetto said. “It covers her early life, her time in the academy, her time as a Davis police officer and the night of her death. There are some surprises for her family at the end. I want viewers to come away with a respect for those who serve our country. Remember, freedom is not doing whatever you like but doing what you ought to do.”

Officials warn of West Nile Virus activity in Yolo, Sacramento County Mosquitoes, dead birds from both counties have tested positive for the virus

BY TI M L A LO N D E city@theaggie.org Public health officials overseeing Yolo and Sacramento County have confirmed the presence of mosquitoes infected with the West Nile virus in both counties. Officials are advising residents to take steps to prevent infection during mosquito season, which began in early August and is set to end in mid-to-late October.

Two dead birds and 102 mosquitos have tested positive for the virus in Yolo County, according to the most recent data from the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District. In Sacramento County, 71 mosquito samples and 38 dead birds tested positive for West Nile virus.

While there are no cases of humans being infected with the virus in either Sacramento or Yolo County, there are 89 confirmed human infection cases in California, with two related deaths, according to the state government’s West Nile website.

According to Luz Marie Robles, the public information officer at the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District, there are more positive samples of the virus this year compared to last year in Yolo County. These numbers don’t necessarily indicate a spike in West Nile virus activity in the area. Compared to state and regional averages, this season has been “slow” for West Nile

virus, Robles said.

Moreover, Robles said it’s fairly typical for the number of positive samples of West Nile virus in the region to fluctuate from year to year.

“I’ve been [at] the agency for 12 years now, and usually we have one year where the activity seems to be very high, [and other] years where the activity appears to be a little bit slower,” Robles said.

Nevertheless, county officials are taking steps to mitigate the risk of infection during mosquito season. Robles says public health officials conduct ground sprays in residential areas, where positive samples of West Nile virus have been identified.

“If we have mosquitoes that test positive in Davis, for example, we would respond by conducting ground treatments, either with a truck sprayer [or] a backpack sprayer,” Robles said.

“We would treat parks, grasslands, open areas [or] maybe in neighborhoods where the West Nile Virus has been detected. The overall goal is to suppress mosquito populations quickly before they pose a threat to residents.”

Those who are interested in learning more about these mosquito sprays, including where and when they will occur next, can find more information on the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control Spraying Updates page.

Humans and animals are primarily exposed to the West Nile virus from mosquito bites, which spreads by blood transmission, according to the

CAITLYN SAMPLEY / AGGIE

Center for Disease Control.

Most humans infected with the virus — roughly eight in 10 — don’t develop any symptoms. A minority of those infected experience flu-like symptoms, often followed by an extended period of fatigue, according to the CDC’s information page on the virus.

“About one in five people who are infected develop a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash,” the department reports. “Most people with this type of West Nile virus disease recover completely, but fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months.”

A much smaller minority of those infected — about one in 150 — develop serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses, such as meningitis

or encephalitis that can affect the central nervous system. Last year, there were 11 deaths in California related to the virus, according to the state’s West Nile page.

To combat the spread of West Nile virus, the City of Davis website advises residents to practice what they call the “District D’s of Mosquito Prevention.”

“DRAIN any standing water that may produce mosquitoes,” the site reads. “DAWN and DUSK are times to avoid being outdoors. DRESS appropriately by wearing long sleeves and pants when outside. DEFEND yourself by using an effective mosquito repellent… DOOR and window screens should be in good working condition.

DISTRICT personnel are also available to address any mosquito problems.”

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

4 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

SEPTEMBER DEDICATED TO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY

California Office of Traffic Safety shares statistics, top tips for safety

QU IN N SPOON ER / AGGIE

BY ISABELLA BERISTAIN features@theaggie.org Second-year cognitive science major James Spargo recalled a particularly upsetting bicycle

accident on the streets of Davis: “I saw a car anticipate a green light and clip the back of a bicycle,” Spargo said. “Luckily both parties were unharmed, but it could have been much worse.”

For UC Davis students, September often

marks the end of summer vacation and either the dreaded or long-awaited start of the school year, yet this month has another, equally important significance for students: Pedestrian Safety Month in the state of California.

In an attempt to bring awareness to the rising rates of pedestrian deaths, a legislative measure passed in 2015 designates September as the official month for pedestrian safety. The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) partners with several different law enforcement and transportation agencies to promote this month. “[Pedestrian deaths are] a big issue that has affected a lot of people, numbers are trending the wrong way [and] as other types of traffic deaths have gone down pedestrian deaths have climbed dramatically over the last decade,” explained Timothy Weisberg, a public information officer at the California OTS, explained the dangers of driving carelessly.

Davis is a high foot-traffic community, with thousands of individuals walking on campus or downtown each day. This month’s theme is essential to keep in mind in order to ensure safety within the Davis community.

Numbers indicate that 6,000 deaths occurred on a national basis in 2018 — a record number.

Similarly, in California in 2017, approximately 858 pedestrians were killed, accounting for a quarter of all traffic-related deaths.

Several campaigns have been launched to raise awareness in an attempt to curb these numbers, such as “Go Safely California,” an information campaign consisting of social media posts, public service announcements and billboard messages that encourage safety as a top priority for people

on the go.

The OTS started another campaign, “Pedestrians Don’t Have Armor,” in 2016 to educate drivers on being more aware of their surroundings inside and outside their vehicles.

These educational campaigns encourage people to take a stand against deadly behaviors while driving, such as texting and driving under the influence.

Edita Astaguna, a second-year economics major, commented on the importance of pedestrian safety in September.

“Traffic-related accidents are something that people need to understand because they can be completely preventable,” Astaguna said.

Bikes, the preferred mode of transportation for a large percentage of the UC Davis student body, can be equally dangerous. Bicyclists must watch out not only for cars on the road, but also for pedestrians.

“As far as bicyclist collision numbers, 138 bicyclists were killed on California roads in 2016, a nearly 25 percent increase since 2011,” Weisberg said.

Collision rankings provided by a researcher at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona demonstrate that in Davis, 69 bicyclists were injured and killed in 2016, the second-highest ranking out of 104 cities of similar size (50,000 to 100,000 people).

The OTS recommends that pedestrians make eye contact with drivers, wear bright clothing and use a flashlight at night for maximum safety.

They also discourage the use of cell phones and earbuds while walking.

Pedestrian safety is not a matter to be taken lightly, especially when accidents are easily preventable. To read more about tips and the matter at hand, visit the OTS’s website at https://www. ots.ca.gov/media-and-research/campaigns/pedestrian-safety/.

STUDENTS REACT TO NEWS OF BAND-UH! DISBANDING, INCLUDING IN THE FORM OF A PETITION SIGNED BY 2,600 Following petition, university allows band to play at sporting events under supervision of Campus Rec leadership

JU ST I N H A N / AG G I E

BY SNEHA RAMACHANDARAN & REBECCA BIHN-WALLACE features@theaggie.org In the wake of UC Davis’ decision to eliminate the long-standing Cal Aggie Marching Band, also known as Band-Uh!, many of the former organization’s hundreds of members voiced their reactions. While some band members were shocked to find out about the allegations against the band first published in The Aggie last April, an investigation conducted by the independent law firm, Van Dermyden Maddux, showed that the large organization had a diverse range of opinions and attitudes.

The university’s decision to replace the BandUh! with a new, “university-supervised” band follows the publication of accusations of hazing, sexual assault and other misconduct and misbehavior against members of the band in an article published by The California Aggie this past April.

The organization was placed on suspension while an external law firm hired by the university investigated these allegations. A climate report survey conducted by the law firm, which has since been publicly released, reports 85% of respondents indicated that they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their overall experience in the band. At the same time, the survey results echoed the same student concerns regarding worrisome traditions and behaviors in the band pre-

viously reported upon.

As the new “UC Davis Marching Band” is now under development, former members of the Band-Uh! have begun to voice their opinions publicly. An online petition authored by a member of the former organization has circulated, asking that the new marching band be permitted to perform at Fall 2019 sporting events before a new faculty advisor has been hired. The petition has received over 2,600 signatures at the time of the publication of this article.

The petition, which is still active as of the publication of this article, was created by fourthyear student Rachel Crane who played drums in the Band-Uh!.

“After the formation of the new UC Davis marching band, the UC Davis administration has suddenly decided that the members of the new band may not perform in public until there is a faculty director hired,” the petition states. “The administration is now saying that we will not be allowed to support our football team during their 2019-2020 season. Our student directors and drum majors have been trained for two or more years for these performances.”

Crane previously expressed surprise about the severity of the sexual assault allegations within the Band-Uh!, but added that she did believe them, according to an article in The Davis Enterprise. She also noted the student backlash against band members on campus, recalling being yelled

at during the annual Picnic Day Parade as someone allegedly yelled expletives at her and said she “deserved to die.” Crane did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.

The petition signaled that students didn’t object to having a “career Campus Recreation representative.” Rather, they resented being prevented from publicly performing until the arrival of a faculty director.

The university initially released its decision to discontinue the Band-Uh! in a statement released on Sept. 3. Information contained in the Sept. 3 announcement, authored by Interim Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Emily Galindo, has since been updated in a second statement, released on Sept. 18 and also authored by Galindo.

Galindo’s Sept. 18 statement noted a shift on the university’s end. The newly formed marching band will now be able to have a “coordinated presence in the stands [...] under the supervision of Campus Recreation leadership.” Galindo’s office declined to comment regarding this new update or provide further details regarding this decision, referring The Aggie to the online statement.

Not all students are satisfied with the university’s updated decision, however. Crane issued a status update on her petition reacting to the news, arguing that this move from the university was nothing more than a public relations move.

“Last week, at the first home football game of the season, a group of band members went to the game together to cheer on and support our team,” Crane wrote. “The administration noticed this and has decided that we may make a ‘coordinated appearance’ at the next game as the UCDMB. BUT we cannot take instruments, and cannot play any music. The administration is simply using this as a PR stunt to make it look like they have done something to help the situation.”

Crane signed her update with “Far and wide, many have tried, but none have done it better,” a well-known, traditional slogan used by the former Band-Uh!.

Other members of the former Band-Uh! spoke to The Aggie about their reactions to the university’s recent decision to disband the marching band.

Celia Amezcua, a second-year electrical engineering student, began her college career as a proud member of the Cal Aggie Marching Band (CAMB).

“I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with CAMB,” Amezcua said. “I honestly cannot say if the accusations are justified or not, as I don’t want to assume or invalidate someone’s experience they had in the band.”

Amezcua did, however, say she was surprised to hear about the published allegations, adding that the misbehavior reported upon did not align with her personal journey within BandUh!.

“During my first year, I never saw, experienced or even heard of any events of the sort happening,” Amezcua said. “It’s a huge organization and, unfortunately, bad things can happen, but I personally haven’t felt uncomfortable or unsafe on or off band time.”

Amezcua also described her relationship with the alumni band in a positive light, going so far as to say that she was upset over the university’s decision to discontinue its relationship with the alumni band.

The alumni band was previously suspended by the university in Winter Quarter of 2018 over allegations of misconduct by a member.

In The Aggie’s article covering the allegations, band members recounted band alumni sexually harassing or intimidating current band members at parties.

Hali Schwasnick, a second-year undeclared student, played the tenor saxophone for the Band-Uh! for a year. Schwasnick described her experiences in the band as exhilarating and uplifting and commented on her expectations regarding returning members.

“I personally think that most of the people that were part of the Band-Uh! will continue to play for the new band, or at least I hope they do,” Schwasnick said. “As long as we have good music to play, people will be there to play it. Moving forward, I hope that we can continue to play the music that was in our folder before and we can continue to play it with the same energy and fun atmosphere that the Band-Uh! had.”

Amezcua also said she was anxious yet excited to re-join the new university marching band.

She expressed hope for increased transparency and the creation of a welcoming, safe environment.

“Maybe this will allow the new band to establish itself by itself, without any outside pressure of having to be like the old band because it’s not going to be the Band-Uh! anymore,” Amezcua said. “The Band-Uh! I was in last year wasn’t even the same Band-Uh! — my uppers were in their first years. It constantly changed, and this time I think that this [change] will allow the band to just be. Figure itself out, adjust to the times [and] be a good home for the current and future members.”

To those who may be discouraged about joining the band due to recent allegations or the new university-headed changes, BAND R EACTI ON on 11

SUNSET FEST TO KICK OFF FALL QUARTER

Here’s what Entertainmen Council has in store for students ARIA N A G R E E N / AGGI E

BY GABRIELA HERNANDEZ arts@theaggie.org The ASUCD Entertainment Council will be hosting their second annual Sunset Fest, a welcoming concert event for all students.

Sunset Fest will be held at the UC Davis Health Stadium on Sept. 27. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the event is free for all students.

“We decided to have the show at the Health Stadium this year because the venue has yet to be used for anything besides sporting events,” said Entertainment Council Director Kimya Khayat via email. “We wanted students to feel more connected to the campus that they pay for by hosting a free show at one of the largest venues on campus.”

Sunset Fest will be headlined by EDM DJ Party Favor.

“He has a very versatile and edgy style that has helped pioneer the festival trap and twerk genre, exhilarating audiences and turning heads across the globe,” Khayat said.

Party Favor has collaborated with popular artists like Diplo, A$AP Ferg and Lil Baby.

There will also be a variety of student acts performing. Student DJ Mello Mase will

perform first, followed by dance groups AX, Agape, MK Modern, Na Keiki O Hawai’I and SONE1. San Diego-based DJ Arshdeep will then open for Party Favor.

Students will have the chance to learn about different ASUCD units at the event and they will also have the opportunity to win free merchandise and enjoy food.

“Sunset Fest isn’t just a concert,” said Christopher Montes, the Entertainment Council Recruitment Manager and Interim Promotions Director via email. “Students come to Sunset Fest to take scenic pictures, win free merch, and learn about other organizations on campus, especially about EC!” Montes said Party Favor was chosen after polls sent to students revealed a preference for EDM music.

“We want to cater to as many students who’d like to hear a certain genre of music or a particular artist on stage,” Montes said.

Khayat planned Sunset Fest to kick off the school year in a celebratory way and get all students excited for what’s to come.

“I think that Party Favor’s style does exactly that,” Khayat said. “His song choices and mix are sure to get people bouncing, and I can’t wait to see it all come together.”

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QUINN_SPOONER / AGGIE

Prize named after UC Davis professor emeritus awarded to student with autism for her Star Trek essay Prize was created as a surprise for professor emeritus Peter Hays by wife Myrna Hays ANJI N I V EN UG OPA L features@theaggie.org Each June, the UC Davis English Depart-

ment hosts an annual year-end celebration and awards ceremony. The Peter Hays Writing Prize was awarded for the first time to fourth-year biotechnology major Lisa Malins this past June.

AGGIE ARCHIVES

Fall quarter signals the start of school — and rush week Panhellenic members open up about the process, give tips for incoming participants ISABEL L A BERI STAIN features@theaggie.org The beginning of a new school year means that formal Panhellenic recruitment is right

around the corner. Though the percentage of UC Davis undergraduates involved in Greek life is small — only about 3,000 students participate out of 30,000 — many consider it to be a meaningful opportunity to take advantage that of in college.

The prize was created by Myrna Hays, wife of UC Davis professor emeritus Peter Hays, as a surprise. After hearing from a friend who honored her husband by creating a prize in his name, Myrna was inspired to do the same for Peter.

“My husband has been teaching since 1966 in Davis, and although he certainly has published a great deal of research articles and books and enjoys that very much, his passion has always been teaching, and the focus of his teaching has always been to teach students how to read carefully and to write well,” Myrna said. “As he approached his 80th birthday and the potential of retiring sometime, who knows when, I decided that [creating the prize] would be something I would like to do.”

Myrna was further encouraged when she covered her husband’s class one day and met fourthyear Michael Montgomery, a student in one of Peter’s seminars. Montgomery helped make sure she got to class and was thanked afterwards.

Later, Myrna learned that Montgomery had come up with an original idea in one of Peter’s seminars. Peter met with him and guided him to do research, which eventually led Montgomery to write an article that was published in “The Hemingway Review.” He later presented the article at the International Hemingway Conference in Paris and won a $500 prize from the Hemingway Society.

The first week of school is action-packed, especially for girls looking to join a sorority in Davis. This year, recruitment begins on Sept. 27.

Panhellenic has also extended the recruitment process to two weekends instead of one. “Rush” will conclude on Oct. 6 and, hopefully, with a bid from the house of one’s choice.

Erin Love, president of recruitment for the UC Davis Panhellenic Association, gave a few pointers for any girls hoping to go Greek.

“Recruitment will begin with an orientation evening and then each day will be centered around different discussion points that are important to our chapters, such as philanthropy and sisterhood,” Love said. “Each woman who signs up for the recruitment will be given a recruitment counselor who will help them through the process, facilitate new friendships and make the transition to college easier.”

Formal Panhellenic recruitment is described as a “mutual selection process,” with each girl picking her top houses and each house picking their top prospective members. All chapters try their best to make recruitment a values-based process.

Conversations become more serious as the days inch toward the final step of the rush process: preference evening. Interactions will be-

“I thought that was really wonderful,” Myrna said. “Let’s see if we can encourage other students to take that same kind of initiative, so I set upon the idea of having the prize.”

With the help of English Department Chair John Marx, Undergraduate Counselor Lynda Morlan Jones and Administrative Assistant to the Chair Mary White, Myrna decided that the best venue for the prize would be in the setting of a First Year Seminar. Because these seminars are limited to 19 students, Myrna said they enable students to have a “small section and get more attention from the faculty members.” “[Another] reason we selected the First Year Seminar program to be the vehicle for awarding the prize [was] because Peter has always felt that it is important across all disciplines to read carefully and write well,” Myrna said. “And in order to encourage instructors to focus on their students in that particular area, we also included a prize for the instructor in the form of research funding.”

The surprise was revealed when Montgomery brought Peter to campus, where Dean of the College of Letters and Science Elizabeth Spiller and Marx announced the prize to him.

“Well, the video shows my jaw dropping,” Peter said. “I walked into the room with Michael, and there was everybody gathered — the dean, the chair, friends. It came as quite a surprise.”

WRITINGPRIZE on 11 come longer with the goal of establishing a genuine connection between potential new members and chapter members.

Second-year mechanical engineering major Ananya Tyagi is excited for the upcoming process and explained why she is rushing.

“I want to be a part of a group of women who are working towards philanthropy while overall having fun,” said Tyagi.

There are 10 sororities at Davis. Nine participate in rush week and one, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi, UC Davis’ resident associative sorority, conducts a separate informal rush week for prospective candidates.

Janina Larsen, a fourth-year clinical nutrition major and Panhellenic recruitment counselor — also known as a Pi Rho Chi — gave her thoughts on the extensive process.

“Coming to college can be a really stressful time, especially for freshmen and junior transfers,” Larsen said. “Joining the Greek community here at UC Davis is a great way to make a really big campus feel smaller and more like home. By going through recruitment, you’re joining a community that values academics, social responsibility and genuine friendship.”

Interested students should visit www.davispanhellenic.org for additional information, including a detailed schedule and outfit recom-

WRITINGPRIZE on 11

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6 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

Featured THE

C ALIFORNIA A GGIE

E DI TOR I AL B OAR D

Letter from the Editor

KAELYN TUERMER-LEE Editor-in-Chief

From the 2019-2020 Editor-in-Chief

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

Welcome back returning students, and for incoming students, welcome to UC Davis — you’re an Aggie now! My name is Kaelyn Tuermer-Lee and I am a fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major. I am very excited to be the editor-in-chief for The Aggie for the 2019–2020 academic year. Some of you may wonder how being an NPB major relates to journalism — while the curriculum and course load is vastly different, I find that both have the same underlying concept. Both attempt to investigate the How’s and Why’s, whether that be through quantitative polymerase chain reactions or through attending press conferences at the police station. I try to relate things I do to everyday life, and continue to ask questions and investigate rather than simply accepting things as facts.

I started at The California Aggie as a city news reporter fall quarter of my freshman year, and became assistant city news editor a quarter later before being city news editor for the following two years. Before college, I was the news editor for my high school newspaper and then became editor-in-chief the year after that, so it’s nice to come full cycle and see how some things remain constant over the years.

ARIANA GREEN Layout Director SABRINA HABCHI Copy Chief ISABELLA BLOOM Copy Chief ZOË REINHARDT Website Manager

As the former city news editor, I am very news-oriented — I love investigative journalism and the satisfaction of being the first one to break hard-hitting news. I know that articles we publish this year will inevitably spark considerable debate and controversy, but we, as the staff of a newspaper organization, wouldn’t be doing our duty if we didn’t report on what’s going on at our university and in our community.

The purpose of journalism is to report factual, timely news in an effort to not only engage with and educate readers but also to hold people and organizations accountable. The purpose is to get people to think critically and to evoke change.

The California Aggie gives a voice to the student body and the greater community of Davis, and I can ensure that we are dedicated to upholding our journalistic integrity. I know that we will never stop asking questions, and neither should you.

Sincerely, Kaelyn Tuermer-Lee Editor-in-Chief

SYDNEY ODMAN Social Media Manager LAURIE PEDERSON Business Development Manager

An end to life tenure for Supreme Court Justices? A UCD law professor argues it’s possible EXPERT IN LEGAL HISTORY, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW DISCUSSES PLAUSIBILITY OF A LIFE TENURE OVERHAUL

BY HA N N A H H O L ZE R features@theaggie.org Imagine if a seat on the Supreme Court opened up every other year — meaning each president serving a four-year term would have the opportunity to appoint two justices in their career and each Supreme Court justice would serve an 18-year term instead of being granted life tenure.

Might instituting staggered 18-year terms insulate the justices from politics, encourage the selection of older, more experienced candidates and lessen the stakes associated with selecting a new justice? UC Davis Law Professor Carlton F.W. Larson thinks so, saying this hypothetical scenario could become a reality within our lifetime.

“I do think the current situation is not sustainable,” Larson said. “Tinkering with the Supreme Court is always tricky [...] if it looks like a partisan thing, I don’t think there’s any way that it happens. But if you could get bipartisan buy-in, and one way you might do it is say, ‘This plan will take effect starting 20 years from now,’ and that way nobody really knows what particular justices it will affect or who the president will be, you would be able to deliberate about it more in a less partisan manner.”

Larson, who has been a constitutional law and legal history professor at the UC Davis School of Law for the past 15 years, is one of 63 professors from universities across the country who signed a petition released this past July that calls for an end to life tenure on the Supreme Court. Other signatories include professors from other UC law schools, but Larson is the only law professor from UC Davis

to sign on.

The petition doesn’t propose an alternative solution to life-tenure — that scenario is Larson’s own hypothetical proposal — but it does take a strong stance against life tenure, stating that “continuing to concentrate power in the hands of a few individuals, who sit for many decades with almost no oversight and little incentive to compromise, is no longer good public policy, if it ever was. A court seen by most Americans as a political actor, whose very legitimacy is routinely questioned, and whose appointment process has devolved into farce, is in need of fixing.”

In more concrete and relevant terms, Larson related this discussion to the recent confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

“Given how few seats there are [...] and the fact that people can be expected to live a lot longer now, it allows the composition of the court to turn either on pure serendipity when someone happens to die or it allows the justices to, in essence, pick their own successors by strategically timing their retirement,” Larson said. “Justice Kennedy chose to retire when there’s a Republican president and Republican Senate and that essentially guaranteed that he’d be replaced by someone like Kavanaugh. Now, if he had been settled for an 18-year term, then he would have had no ability to time the end of that.”

The debate over life tenure isn’t a new discussion, Larson said, but it has cropped up again given recent developments.

“It was certainly exacerbated by the Scalia vacancy, […] Democrats were very frustrated with the failure to give a hearing to Merrick Garland and then the appointment of Gorsuch

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and Kavanaugh,” Larson said. “That’s coupled with a sense among many people that Trump is not legitimately the president and therefore his appointments don’t have legitimacy either.

But I think even setting that aside, there’s been a general sense — probably starting way back with the Robert Bork hearing in ‘87 and to some extent with Clarence Thomas — that judicial confirmation nominations have become intensely polarized and it’s hard to imagine now a justice who would be a president of one party and confirmed by a senate of another party.”

There’s a dispute among law experts over whether an overhaul of life tenure would require a Constitutional Amendment, which would severely complicate the plausibility of instituting a new precedent. Ultimately, this topic is a discussion Larson said is worthwhile — it’s a discussion he has with his law school students and it is an issue toward which he feels strongly.

“The general idea that life tenure has become something where the benefits are significantly outweighed by the costs is something I’ve felt for a long time,” he said.

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MEET OUR 2019–20 MANAGING STAFF

Cecilia Morales Science Editor

Zoë Reinhardt Website Manager

Claire Dodd Features Editor

Kenton Goldsby Campus News Editor

Hannan Waliullah New Media Manager

Kaelyn Tuermer-Lee Editor-in-Chief

Hannah Holzer Managing Editor Liz Jacobson Arts & Culture Editor

Stella Tran City News Editor

Justin Han Photo Director

Isabella Bloom Copy Chief

Laurie Pederson Business Development Manager Hanadi Jordan Opinion Editor

Ariana Green Layout Director

Sydney Odman Social Media Manager

Dominic Faria Sports Editor

Sabrina Habchi Copy Chief

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8 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

SCIENCE+TECH MON OA R R A H M A N R O NY / P I XABAY

NEW FIELD OF SOCIOVIROLOGY HEADED BY UCD PROFESSOR STUDIES IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN VIRUSES Assistant professor makes novel discoveries about necessity of social interactions between viruses for reproduction, evolution

BY M A RG O ROSE N B AU M science@theaggie.org Viruses are more codependent and social than one may think. Samuel Díaz-Muñoz, a UC Davis assistant professor of microbiology and molecular genetics, studies these interactions and their relation to virus evolution. Through this research, Díaz-Muñoz hopes to learn more about how to better fight infections with treatments that revolve around viruses’ tendencies to socially interact.

“I tend to call … my work the ‘social lives of viruses,’ which is basically how viruses interact with each other, change their genetic makeup or evolution and, ultimately, how they interact with their host,” Díaz-Muñoz said. “We look at viruses as organisms, not as disease agents, which they are, but we are more interested in what the viruses are doing and why.”

In his lab, which is entering its third year, Díaz-Muñoz uses the social evolution theory to understand the behavior between bacterial and viral groups. It has been known for some time now that viruses live in groups, but little has been studied about how they coordinate and interact, according to Díaz-Muñoz.

In 2010, a paper coined the term “sociomicrobiology,” which first explored the interactions between microbes, and illustrated how the field was changing. In 2017, Díaz-Muñoz collaborated

with two other professors — Rafael Sanjuán of the University of Valencia and Stuart West of the University of Oxford — to write a paper coining the term “sociovirology,” which encompasses the interactions that occur between viruses for survival.

As the principal investigator in the lab, Díaz-Muñoz leads the research program, which is comprised of three post doctorates, one graduate student and an associate specialist, through various studies and projects. He is in charge of obtaining funding, ensuring projects are executed correctly and safely, as well as mentoring the students and other researchers to reach their goals.

“It’s the search for knowledge, academia, and research that is exciting,” Díaz-Muñoz said. “We have just started studying viruses in this way.”

In the labs, researchers conduct experiments in which they create infections with many different types of viruses. Their goal is to see how much genetic exchange occurs between two viruses and what their offspring look like, Díaz-Muñoz said. Sequencing is required to determine how many genes each offspring virus gets from each parent virus.

“Most studies in virology by necessity are just with one virus because researchers want to control all your variables,” DíazMuñoz said. “In reality, out there, there’s hundreds of different strains of viruses interacting, and they go far beyond one or

two, so in our lab we find patterns for all variables with multiple types of viruses.”

In Díaz-Muñoz’s lab, he said that because scientific tools are becoming more sophisticated, researchers can perform novel experiments like infecting and isolating single cells.

“We can look at treatment strategies in a very different way,” Díaz-Muñoz said. “Instead of creating a particular drug that targets a particular part of the virus, we can actually use viral competition to help.”

Díaz-Muñoz clarified that viruses are not actually consciously thinking or aware of their actions. When researchers refer to them as being selfish or cheating, they are describing a reproduction strategy viruses use to best pass on their traits. For virologists, acting “socially” means that one virus affects another’s reproduction, as stated in an article by UC Davis. Successful social interactions aid in survival, while unsuccessful attempts could result in poor outcomes like death.

Many of Díaz-Muñoz’s findings from his research were documented in the paper published in 2017 with West and Sanjuán.

“That collaboration was mostly an intellectual collaboration,” Díaz-Muñoz said. “With [West] at Oxford, he’s very interested in social evolution theory, and he had been thinking about its implications for viruses. [Sanjuán] has been studying viruses for a long time. He’s a proper virologist and he’s the only other person devoting his lab to sociovirology.”

Their collaboration included getting together to study the social interactions occurring among viruses, Díaz-Muñoz said.

This paper explains their new understanding of the social relationships of viruses in relation with the social evolution theory.

“That paper was applying concepts that we usually apply to animals, to look at things like cooperation and altruism, and examining how they apply to viruses,” West said. “This allows us to better understand the success and dynamics of viruses.”

With the help of West and Sanjuán’s virus studies, DíazMuñoz was able to legitimize many of his findings. “[The social evolution theory] is a mathematical, legitimate theory with decades of work put into it,” Díaz-Muñoz said.

“We think this is an exciting field and people should pay attention to it. Our understanding about viruses may be changed.”

Díaz-Muñoz said that while only him and Sanjuán have labs dedicated to studying sociovirology, other scientists may be doing similar research without using the same name.

“I did not invent this,” Díaz-Muñoz said. “People have been talking about it since 1999 at least, but it has always been this niche area and now it is becoming more mainstream and incorporated. Nobody thinks about viruses without other viruses, and not many think about viruses without their hosts, and I want it to be more like that.”

Both West and Díaz-Muñoz said they hope their work will open up this area of research for other scientists to investigate.

Díaz-Muñoz said their studies can help create new vaccines that beneficially take into account the social interactions between viruses, providing alternate treatment options for human use.

“Very few people had previously thought about viruses as cooperative social organisms,” West said. “[Díaz-Muñoz] is doing something really novel and different. It was very exciting to get involved in that.”

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Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row, column and 3x3 square must contain one of each digit. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.

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SUMMER READS: AGGIE ARTS WRITERS DISCUSS SUMMER PICKS

From Didion to Atwood, a peek into what Aggie Arts Writers spent their summers reading

BY ARTS DESK arts@theaggie.org Liz Jacobson, Arts and Culture Editor: “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates I bought “Between the World and Me” at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. this summer because I’m a fan of Coates’ pragmatic Atlantic essay “A Case for Reparations.” On par with Gayl Jones and Toni Morrison, Coates’ letter to his teenage son eloquently speaks to the black experience in America. His memories of his youth in Baltimore, Md., his intellectual awakening at Howard University — which he calls the Mecca

— and his experiences as a black father, who is filled with so much love, and fear, for his young, black son are pure poetry. “Between the World and Me” forced an introspection of my own privileges and, in agreement with Toni Morrison, it should be required reading.

Caroline Rutten: “The Year of Magical Thinking” by Joan Didion Joan Didion grants the reader a personal account of her greatest life tragedy: the sudden death of her husband and the long-term sickness of her only daughter (side note: her daughter died shortly after the release of the book). The book reads as a diary, a longform thought process that grapples with mourning and grief of the

most intense form. The opportunity to dive into the mind and masterful syntax of a great American novelist is only one reason to pick up this book; the opportunity to witness Didion come to some form of closure is another.

Andrew Williams: “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance The true story of “Hillbilly Elegy” recounts the trials and tribulations of author J.D. Vance as he comes to terms with life in poverty-stricken Middletown, Ohio. Vance details life as a hillbilly, confronting drugs, domestic abuse and a seemingly unconquerable feeling of malaise seeping into his community. The main antidote to his hard-pressed environment comes in the form of

a hotheaded, no punch-pulling grandma who he affectionately calls “Mamaw.” “Hillbilly Elegy,” written in straightforward prose, is a rags-to-riches tale packed with unlikely role-models, a whole lot of hard work and a little bit of luck. This book is well-suited for anyone who wants to glimpse Appalachian values and the cultural obstacles that face one of America’s most despondent populations.

Alyssa Ilsley: “The Goldfinch” by Donna Tart Donna Tart’s “The Goldfinch” ambitiously spans 700 pages and details nearly 20 years in the life of Theodore Decker. While the novel can be described as both a coming-of-age story and a crime drama, it is ultimately about one’s recovery from trauma and loss. Tart introduces this theme in the beginning of the novel, when Theo survives a terrorist attack in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. His mother dies in the bombing and Theo lives his entire life obsessed with maintaining a connection to the moment it happened. Tart’s prose is impressive; the novel feels sophisticated, but not pretentious. There is a perfect balance between artistic language and traditional storytelling devices that keeps the plot moving forward. Finishing this novel is quite an undertaking considering the page count, but it’s worth the investment.

Itzelth Gamboa: “The Naturals” by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Barnes’ series “The Naturals” is the perfect poolside read. Barnes focuses on Cassie, the daughter of a sort of fortune teller. Instead of telling fortunes, Cassie’s mother reads people: their nervous ticks, the way they dress and how they speak. Her natural ability to read others is passed on to her daughter. Cassie is soon forced to cope with her mother’s sudden murder but then gets the opportunity to work with the FBI on cold cases. Fans of true crime murder television shows will be glued to the books as Cassie solves crimes and searches for the truth.

Gabriela Hernandez: “Oryx and Crake” by Margaret Atwood Margaret Atwood is mostly known for her work “Handmaid’s Tale,” but this dystopian novel, the first in a three-part series, draws on our fears of the direction in which our world might be heading. The story is told through the eyes of Snowman, who, before the world changed into a genetically modified society, was known as Jimmy. We follow his past and present narration, as he reminisces about the time he spent with his friend Crake, who’s responsible for creating the genetically modified society. Snowman also longs for Oryx, a woman both men loved. Atwood leaves readers to uneasily contemplate what our future holds.

AUTOMATING ART: CAN AI TRULY MAKE ART?

A new horizon, or the end of the road?

BY ANDREW WILLIAMS arts@theaggie.org In October of last year, a painting titled “Portrait of Edward Bellamy” sold for $432,500 at Christie’s Auction House in New York, N.Y. In ordinary circumstances, such a price tag in the exorbitant New York art world might not fetch any noticeable attention. “Portrait of Edward Bellamy,” however, is no ordinary work of art.

The painting by Obvious, a French art collective, was created with GANs, or generative neural networks. In layman’s terms, GANs are machine-learning systems that synthesize data sets containing thousands of data points and repackage that information into a new product.

The art world took notice of this landmark sale, as AI technology has been frightening markets with its autonomous capabilities. Artificial Intelligence has made its presence known in the creative realm of art long before the sale of “Edward Bellamy.” Its capabilities and potential may be limitless as it operates more efficiently than any human artist ever could.

As scientists and artists explore the possibilities of AI technology and its works, poignant questions arise over the purposes of art and its relation to human expression. Self expression has been inextricably linked to the art we create. So can AI truly make art as we imagine it, and if so, should we allow it to?

Since the “Portrait of Edward Bellamy,” AI has progressed to offer more human-like and diverse pieces of art. The GANs used by Obvious is limited to the art in the dataset that it uses and it cannot add any original artistic flair to the paintings it creates. It picks up patterns from previous works and reshapes them into something differ-

ent, but not entirely original. Dr. Ahmed Elgammal, a professor of Computer Science at Rutgers, sees GANs as a nascent and rudimentary stage of what artificial intelligence is capable.

Elgammal described his vision for the future of AI art with AICAN, his Creative Adversarial Network in The Atlantic. AICAN is GANs with a major twist. Instead of drawing from art solely based on its neural network, it also adds a completely new touch or style distinct from what it has learned from the neural network. This added dimension shifts the artwork slightly more into the realm of novel creation. Painting isn’t the only genre of art in which AI is making headwaves. It’s making leaps and bounds of progress in music as well.

AI has become an increasingly important part of music since its introduction in 1963 when 17-year-old computer scientist Ray Kurzweil displayed a computer program and machine-learning system on the TV program “I’ve Got a Secret” that recognized patterns in classical works and created new original works.

Since then, AI has developed to instantaneously create instrumentals based off the neural networks and datasets of music. It swaps art data sets for instrumental datasets and analyzes the patterns of these instrumentals to interpret musical patterns with music theory, forming entirely new beats.

Currently, the state of musical AI isn’t to the point of creating Grammy-worthy work, but it is capable of creating catchy and soothing beats, suitable for lounging or as background music.

AI’s improvements in this field have startled some who are worried that its abilities will eventually surpass and supplant human artists. Other AI optimists have taken its qualities in full stride, using

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it to complement their work, making the creative process more efficient.

AI allows artists to explore different pathways and ideas in their instrumentals at a faster rate than engineering them manually. Holly Hendron, an artist and a pioneer in the AI music world summed up the aspirations of AI music in an article with Spin magazine.

“I’m more interested in not how we can write ourselves out of the creative process, but rather expand the creative process by augmenting what we’re doing with this technology,” Hendron said.

Many artists like Hendron believe that AI holds the key to unlocking new musical possibilities. But others are cautious of allowing AI too much traction in music. One of the disconcerting elements of AI in music is its ability to replicate human musician’s voices and styles creating original works that play off already established artists. This can open the door to many legal

REVIEW: “ONCE UPON A TIME …

IN HOLLYWOOD”

Tarantino mixes reality, fiction in final film Q U I N N SP O O N E R / AGGI E

BY CAROLINE RUTTEN arts@theaggie.org Fans of Hollywood icon Quentin Tarantino waited in anticipation this summer for the director’s (supposed) final movie of his career, “Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood.” Set in 1969 Los

Angeles, the movie follows a few days in the life of Rick Dalton (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) and Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), an actor and his stunt man duo, respectively. As Dalton’s career as a cowboy television star begins to diminish to one-time appearances as television villains, Dalton and Booth’s dynamic transforms into one of

stewardship and oddly endearing friendship.

Booth — muscular and cool with a potentially criminal background — begins acting as Dalton’s chauffeur and handyman as Dalton emotionally grapples with the potential end of his once-shining career. His professional decline becomes all the more humiliating as up-and-coming starlet and covergirl Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and director Roman Polankski (Rafał Zawierucha) move in next door, renting the gated home that sits above his.

The introduction of Tate and Polanski is where the movie takes a historical-fiction turn (emphasis on the fiction), and makes Tarantino an omnipotent director of the past. Tarantino is not a newcomer to revisionist history and storytelling, as his characters Dalton and Booth become embedded in — and alter — the infamous events of the Manson Family’s brutal murder of Tate, Polankski and visiting friend Jay Sebring (Emile Hirsch). For those unaware of the Manson Family and their star-studded killing spree, a Wikipedia read is recommended in order to grasp the film in its entirety.

DiCaprio delivers comical, emotionally dramatic scenes of Dalton stressing over forgetting lines in his trailer, another example of DiCaprio’s sheer talent as an actor. Meanwhile, Booth picks up a flirting teenage hitchhiker named Pussycat (Margaret Qualley), who is, coincidentally, a member of the Mason Family.

battles, as the copyright world tries to discern whether a replication of style that doesn’t use an original “sample” holds the same consequences as intellectual property theft.

“There’s nothing legally requiring you to give her any profits from it unless you’re directly sampling,” said Meredith Rose, policy counsel at Public Knowledge, for an article in Verge.

These issues are still being mulled over as AI is in its infancy with no true formidable rules or regulations to govern its domain.

There is no telling how far the AI artistic capacity will grow in the coming years. It remains to be seen whether it will end up being an incredible tool for human artists, drastically elevating their abilities or an autonomous steamroller, demolishing everything in its path. This question may boil down to whether we determine the artist’s emotional and creative struggle as a vital component of art.

While returning Pussycat to her home, Dalton visits Spahn Ranch, where the psychedelic-consuming, sex-having, apocalypse-preparing and murder-doing Mason Family is currently residing. After becoming acquainted with the family by serving a member a knuckle sandwhich or two, by coincidence and by Tarantino’s doing, Booth later violently interferes in the Manson Family’s attempted murder at the Tate residence — cue the quintessential, gruesome violence expected in a Tarantino film.

“Once Upon A Time … In Hollywood” is ultimately charming. It holds the same choppiness of scenes, distortion and quirkiness essential to a Tarantino film. The cast was picked to perfection, and each delivery is masterful. While it does not equate to the same level of talent held in films like “Pulp Fiction,” Tarantino did not end his film career at a low point.

And Tarantino’s alteration of history is not vapid or meaningless. The Tate Murders of 1969 are often quoted as the end of the Golden Age of Hollywood — Dalton’s quivering career serves as a testament. With the starlet saved and becoming a new neighborly acquaintance of Dalton, the Golden Age may live on in Tarantino’s reality. He may be commenting on what the movie industry could have been, or should be in his mind. Or it may be Tarantino’s attempt to say goodbye to the end of his era as a director.

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When asked what they liked about the band, respondents stressed the sense of camaraderie, family and community it provided. Their greatest challenges, meanwhile, were “overwhelmingly” related to time management and interpersonal conflict.

Some of the most potent allegations implicated the Cal Aggie Marching Band Alumni Association. Indeed, when asked about their concerns regarding Band-Uh! in the climate survey report, 41.92% of the 167 respondents cited alumni conduct as their greatest concern. The alumni band was suspended in December 2018 and the university has now severed its relationship with it due to longstanding concerns about the behavior of certain alumni at band-related events.

“While we recognize that the concerns regarding the alumni band are not reflective of the entire membership, we feel this step is necessary to provide the greatest opportunity for the student band to rebuild as a new and independent program,” the university’s statement said.

According to the law firm’s report, three individuals filed sexual harassment complaints against members of the alumni band following Homecoming 2018. The university’s Harassment and Discrimination Prevention Program (HDAPP) soon

learned that one alumnus was responsible for two of the three reported incidents and permanently banned the individual from participating in alumni band activities.

“Alumni were almost always present at band parties, and it was common [for] male alumni [to] make advances on female freshman [Band-Uh!] members who were inebriated,” one respondent said. “I don’t know if [there were] instances where there was assault, but it did make me feel uncomfortable.”

Other responses echoed this feeling of unease around older alumni, who allegedly made inappropriate sexual comments and criticized the way that Band-Uh! was functioning in comparison to the past.

Further student concerns included ineffective leadership, incivility and interpersonal conflict, sexual misconduct, bullying and retaliation, alcohol consumption and hazing.

The report noted that Band-Uh! was entering “its fifth consecutive year of staff turnover in the position of Director and Coordinator, its only staff positions,” which could potentially have created a “leadership vacuum” that contributed to complaints of ineffective leadership. Students in leadership roles sometimes had other coveted positions in the band, per unique traditions, and played a part in pursuing controversial

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Napolitano did not rule out a future role in government.

“I have no intentions in those regards, but you never say never and I won’t say never,” Napolitano said. “But I think my intentions going forward are pretty clear.”

The search for a new UC President will begin soon under an appointed search committee. The composition of this search committee will be announced by the end of this week by UC Board of Regents Chair John Pérez.

The search committee will be influenced by various advisory committees.

These advisors will represent the broad swath of the UC, with committees focused around students, faculty, staff and alumni. Each advisory committee will include members of the 10 UC campuses.

“Per policy, the search committee will include student, faculty and alumni representatives who will seek and incorporate input from the UC community and the public at large,” the statement said.

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be approved by the center’s Research Advisory Committee and the UC Davis Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, which includes “public non-affiliated members.”

When asked about why the center’s scientists are hard to reach, Fell explained that “there have been occasions in the past where people have been targeted by harassing emails or worse.”

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The team’s captains highlight that communication is the team’s best asset.

“Communication is key,” Somple explained. “We really take pride in the way we treat each other, so you know it’s the way you treat each other in the pool. [Such as] the passes you’re giving each other, just working for each other if you see someone is off their block and always covering for each other. Always having your teammates back.”

This season, the Aggies strive to get to their end goal of winning the WWPA. With a few big wins so far, the team has a strong mentality of always reaching toward that goal. But it doesn’t mean that the Aggies won’t be tested. Over this past weekend, UC Davis split a four-game tilt in the

2019 Aggie Roundup, beating Cal Baptist and Ottawa University but falling to the #1-ranked Stanford in a rematch with the Golden Bears.

“It all comes down to that last game in November,” Somple said. “And that’s the one you want to win, and that’s our main focus, […] as well as just building connections with your teammates and really caring for each other.”

The team believes it has big things in store for this season, filled with a lot of good play, hard work, resilience and teamwork. According to Somple, the men of UC Davis water polo are aiming toward their end goal by “just playing our game” and always playing “at a high level.”

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know that the Bison won’t simply waltz through the FCS and be handed their eighth National Championship in ten years. Although North Dakota State extended their historic winning streak to 25 games, they were given a test unlike one they’ve faced in quite some time.

At the end of the day, this is a loss that will only help the Aggies in the FCS playoff conversation come late November, and potentially aid their chances of receiving a higher seed in the 24-team tournament should they qualify. Over the years, very few teams have been able to accomplish what UC Davis did on Saturday — go into the FargoDome, force the Bison to be on their “A” game, and position themselves to win the football game in the closing minutes.

UC Davis has only strengthened its resume with this type of showing and while

the team will ultimately have to navigate a grueling Big Sky schedule over the next two months, Saturday’s performance was another huge step in the right direction for a group with legitimate National Championship aspirations.

The first test of conference play awaits this upcoming Saturday when UC Davis hosts the Montana Grizzlies for a 1 p.m. kickoff at UC Davis Health Stadium.

Most fans will remember the epic slugfest these two teams participated in last October in front of a raucous environment in Missoula. The Aggies overcame an 18-point deficit and rattled off 46 unanswered points in the second half to stun the home crowd and put the rest of the Big Sky on notice.

If Saturday’s game is anywhere close to as entertaining as last year’s matchup, we should be in for a real treat.

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for Chan to fill once Lapslie graduates after this year.

After the three game slide, UC Davis was finally able to regain the form it had found in its first four matches on Saturday with a 3-1 victory over San Jose State. The Aggies trailed 1-0 early in the second half, but responded with back-to-back goals from sophomore forward Jye Citizen and senior forward Adam Mickelson. A San Jose State own goal later in the contest would cement the UC Davis victory and giving the Aggies a 4-3-1 record entering

the second half of the road trip.

After matches at Saint Mary’s, Oregon State and Sacramento State, the team will conclude the long road journey by opening up Big West conference play at Cal Poly. The Aggies look to improve from last year’s conference record of 3-3-1, and this year’s team has proven they have the depth and experience to compete with the nation’s best. Perhaps these last few away games will allow the team to do some fine-tuning before a deep end of the year run.

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UC DAVIS MEN’S SOCCER BATTLE THROUGH AN UP-AND-DOWN START TO SEASON Aggies still seeking first conference title in program history

BY A J SE YM O UR sports@theaggie.org Although the past few seasons have not ended exactly how the program would have preferred, the UC Davis men’s soccer team has displayed that it’s certainly capable of competing for a Big West conference title.

In each of the past two seasons, the Aggies fell just short of capturing a conference title and advancing to the NCAA national tournament. In 2017, the Aggies battled Cal State Fullerton in a scoreless match until they were defeated by the Titans in penalties on UC Davis’ home turf.

Last year ended in similar heartbreak, as the Aggies were again forced into a penalty shootout after both teams failed to score. This time, it was UC Riverside who slipped by UC Davis to claim the Big Sky conference crown.

Nevertheless, these two seasons have given the program a tremendous amount of confidence, even if it wasn’t the preferred way to go out. The strong postseason runs have been fueled in large part by younger players, namely junior defensive midfielder Nabi Kibunguchy, sophomore forward Robert Mejia, sophomore defender Max Glasser and junior defender Jake Haupt. These players were integral in the Aggies’ hot start to the 2019 season, going undefeated at 3-0-1 in the initial four games.

The official regular season kicked off in the upper midwest, playing against University of Wisconsin and Marquette. Wisconsin had received a handful of national preseason ranking J U STI N H A N / AG G I E

AGGIES FALL SHORT IN FARGO, LOOK AHEAD TO BIG SKY PLAY UC Davis nearly upsets NDSU, faces Montana on Saturday

BY BREN DA N O GB U R N sports@theaggie.org Saturday’s UC Davis football game against North Dakota State was undoubtedly one of the biggest showdowns in the last couple of decades — perhaps even over the program’s entire history. A match-up of the No. 4 Aggies, per Hero Sports, and the top-seeded Bison seemed sure to supply a wealth of entertainment and provide some insight into UC Davis’ ability to step up to the table and prove itself as one of the top powers in FCS football.

Despite the disappointing 27-16 loss, the Aggies came away from this game with a renewed sense of positivity and optimism after the team came so close to shocking the world.

It was a sheer dogfight for four quarters inside the vaunted FargoDome on Saturday afternoon. After weathering an early storm, the Aggies settled down and went blow for blow with the defending national champions for the remainder of the contest.

Trailing 20-16 midway through the fourth quarter, the Aggies had three offensive plays from inside the Bison four-yard line, but a pair of stuffed runs followed by a costly interception from quarterback Jake Maier appeared to seal the visitors’ fate.

Thanks to a quick stop from the Aggie defense, Maier and the offense got the ball back for one more shot at redemption with just under four minutes left.

Just before North Dakota State’s punt, UC Davis sophomore cornerback Devon King, possibly the best Aggie defender through the first four games, had a chance to intercept a pass on third down, but the ball narrowly slipped out of his hands. King, playing one-on-one coverage close to the sideline, would’ve had a clear path to run the ball back for a pick-six, but it just wasn’t meant to be.

Nevertheless, UC Davis still had more than

votes, making for what appeared to be a tough test to start the season for UC Davis. But it was the Aggies that looked like a nationally-merited team, upending the Badgers 2-0 with goals from Mejia and sophomore midfielder Any Velasquez. After a day of rest, the Aggies then tied Marquette after two scoreless overtime periods in a grueling, defensive standoff.

The Aggies were thrilled to then return home from their first away stint of many this year undefeated, and turned to their first home match of the season against Cal State Bakersfield.

The game against Bakersfield featured redshirt freshman forward Wumi Aladetimi scoring the game-winning goal in his first-ever regular season cap. The Toronto native scored just as the second half began in the 47th minute, setting up the defense to close the game. Anchored by Kibunguchy and senior goalkeeper Wallis Lapsley, the defense executed to perfection, securing the Aggies’ first home victory of the season.

After a day of rest came a game against the Air Force Academy, at the time ranked 25th nationally. This was the second and final game of the Aggies’ “Copa de Causeway” miniseries. This game’s importance increased because of the Air Force’s ranking and because the Aggies’ next eight games would all be away.

Winning one before the long away streak would give the team momentum heading into what could be, and what has turned out to be, a brutal month.

The Aggies were able to take care of business quite handily, dominating the Air Force from start to finish. The nationally ranked side was only able to get off eight shots in the entire game, compared to the Aggies 24, two of which found the back

enough time on the clock to take time and put together a game-winning touchdown drive. Unfortunately, the very first play of the drive resulted in another Bison interception when Maier’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage and picked off.

North Dakota State made quick work of the very short field ahead of them and punched in a game-sealing touchdown three plays later, putting the hopes of a UC Davis to bed.

UC Davis actually outgained their opponents by a tally of 422-354, but a handful of untimely penalties, including a few favorable home calls for the Bison, and a stiff North Dakota State defense forced the Aggies to end their drives with three points instead of seven.

Maier handled the pressures of this enormous clash in an extremely calm and confident manner, drawing rave reviews from many people associated with the North Dakota State program who were getting an up-close look at him for the first time.

“Their quarterback is a special young man,” said Bison head coach Matt Entz. “We tried to hit him as much and pressure him and he still hung in there and did a great job. I have all the respect in the world for [UC Davis] and how they go about their business. They’re good.”

Maier completed 29-of-48 pass attempts for 312 yards, connecting with junior wide receiver Jared Harrell a dozen times for 102 yards. UC Davis was able to get the running game going at certain times on Saturday, as tailbacks Ulonzo Gilliam Jr. and Tehran Thomas broke off a few long runs and averaged 3.75 yards per carry between them. Gilliam was very active in a pass-catching role out of the backfield, bringing in seven completions for 47 yards.

The UC Davis defense gave an exceptional all-around effort, allowing a season-low 156 yards through the air and holding a relentless Bison rushing attack to a respectable 4.5 yards per rush. The scoreboard doesn’t exactly tell the whole story of the unit’s performance on Saturday, as two of the three Bison touchdowns came on drives that started inside the Aggie 35-yard line.

Head Coach Dan Hawkins and the rest of the Aggies always stress the importance of winning the turnover battle as the main key to winning every football game. The Davis defense managed to create one of those game-changing plays they always talk about when King forced a fumble at the start of the third quarter, and junior linebacker Connor Airey was there to swoop up the loose football.

The Aggies showed a certain fearlessness on Saturday, refusing to back down from one of the biggest challenges they may face all season. In typical fashion, Hawkins placed great trust in the offense on five separate fourth down situations, and his players responded by converting three of those.

For many outsiders watching the game, it was a feeling of relief, more than anything else, to

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of the net from Velasquez and redshirt freshman defensive midfielder Whalen Shinn. Lapsley turned in a clean sheet yet again, and was named to his third career Big West Defensive Player of the Week honors for his stellar goalkeeping throughout the two Copa de Causeway games. The 2-0 victory was also the first time UC Davis had defeated a nationally ranked team at home since 2015.

But since starting undefeated through the first quarter of their season, the Aggies have struggled on the road.

Over the course of the last two weeks, UC Davis played out half of its eight game road stint, first travelling down to Southern California to play against the University of San Diego and Loyola Marymount University, barely dropping both games by a score of 1-0. In the first game against San Diego, both teams entered the game lossless and also receiving votes for the national poll. In the end, it was San Diego that was able to squeeze in a goal in the 74th minute, edging out the Aggies under the national spotlight. Davis fell under a similar fate to LMU just two days later.

On Sept. 19, the Aggies rolled into Stockton for a tough game against the University of the Pacific. UC Davis was never truly able to get anything going, eventually dropping the game 2-0. A bright spot in the afternoon, however, was the debut for sophomore goalkeeper Derrek Chan, who entered the match in the 75th minute. Much of the success of this current group can be attributed to excellent goalkeeper play, carving out a big role

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DIVING INTO THE NEW SEASON: UC DAVIS MEN’S WATER POLO Aggies’ 2019 campaign starts strong

BY FRANK IE VE VER KA sports@theaggie.org Coming off a tough 2018 season, the UC Davis men’s water polo team is starting its 2019 season off strong, as the Aggies picked up a number of quality wins in September.

Last season, UC Davis ultimately fell short in the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) title game to long-time rival and competitor UC San Diego. Despite that being the end of the 2018 season, the year consisted of many significant accomplishments, victories and a few tough losses that all ignited the start of the 2019 season.

This year, the Aggies look to build off of an 18-8 overall record and an impressive 6-1 conference record from 2018. The team graduated six seniors last year, but it also welcomed six freshmen this Fall. Seniors Yurii Hanley, Holden Tamblyn and Max Somple now captain the 2019 squad and have all been significant forces in the pool offensively and defensively for the Aggies throughout their Davis careers.

The 2019 team also consists of active upperclassmen players like juniors George Kuesis, Jack Stafford, Keenan Anderson and Jonah Addington in addition to senior Eric Martel who contribute in the team’s successes.

“Every year we are really close, and that is no different this year,” Hanley explained about the team. “We are a tight-knit group who all love working hard and working for each other.

We all have the same goal.”

The Aggies are firing into this upcoming season with full force in their September schedule, with wins against Loyola Marymount University, Chapman University and UC Berkeley.

The Aggies have tallied 72 goals in their first

five matches.

The overtime thriller win against Cal at Berkeley’s home pool has set the tone so far for the 2019 season. Entering the game, UC Davis ranked #11 nationally, while the Golden Bears, ranked #5, have been a perennial powerhouse.

“Our mindset was basically just keep on grinding,” Hanley said. “That we knew we could hang with them, that we knew if we got down a little bit not to freak out because we just knew we put the work in and we can hang with them — and we could win if we kept grinding.”

This UC match-up ended with back-toback goals by Kuesis and Somple in the final 30 seconds of regulation, tying the match 1212 and taking it to overtime. While the first overtime period ended in 13-13 after sophomore Nir Gross fired one to the back of the net, Kuesis, Tamblyn and Anderson sealed the deal in the second overtime period, each scoring and cementing the Aggie upset with a 16-13 score.

“We were all excited,” Somple recalled.

“We were confident, we look forward to playing those guys every year. We have, the past few years, had some close games with [UC Berkeley], so it was nice to get over the hump and get a win against them.”

Hanley also explained that the team plans to build off this win by “maintaining the mindset that we are only as good as our last win, so you just gotta keep on building you can’t rest on your laurels.”

The victory in Berkeley was certainly a highlight for the program and a large reason why the Aggies’ 2019 season is looking strong.

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