04-06-2016

weekly PRINT EDITION

wednesDAY, APRIL 6 – tuesDAY, APRIL 12, 2016 volume 102, Issue 29

SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1913

W W W . T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M

THE HOUSING ISSUE

ON THE INSIDE... cfa strike P2 • softball P6 • bernie P9 • mundo P10 • housing apps P23 PHOTO BY KAYLEE ANDREWS, DESIGN BY HANNAH LINGLE-VEALE

2 NEWS

APR. 6 - 12 , 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: JAMIE BALLARD • NEWS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#CFASTRIKE

How the strike could affect students WILL FRITZ STAFF WRITER _____________________________ With a faculty strike still scheduled for Wednesday, April 13 through Tuesday, April 19, California State University officials have said there is a possibility that many faculty members will not participate in the strike.

“We anticipate that many classes will continue to meet as not all faculty will strike,” CSU spokeswoman Toni Molle said.

However, Pam Fox, a San Diego State department of religious studies lecturer, said of the 80 percent of faculty who participated in an up-ordown vote on the strike, 94 percent of those approved.

These numbers indicate many faculty will likely be participating in the strike.

Although some students have expressed concern that the strike may impact their progress toward graduation, Fox said the strike will have zero effect on that.

“All students will receive a grade in their class. Period,” she said. “That’s the contract

faculty signed for each three-unit course, or for the semester.”

Progress toward graduation was similarly unaffected when faculty took furlough days during the recession.

“That’s the idea. It varies class by class what instructors want to do.”

Fox did say she will have to skip a small amount of material over time in her classes.

before the strike.

“The five strike days will happen,” Fox said.

While Mattingly said the union does not “have any formal information we’re going to let go” about exactly

“ ALL STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE A GRADE IN THEIR CLASS. PERIOD. THAT’S THE CONTRACT FACULTY SIGNED FOR EACH THREE-UNIT COURSE, OR FOR THE SEMESTER.”

- Pam Fox, religious studies lecturer

Doreen Mattingly, a professor in the women’s studies department and a member of the Campus Strike Coordinating Committee, agreed.

“I think that the needs of students are built into what we’re trying to do, to have a strategy that won’t impede students’ progress toward graduation from the very structure of it,” she said.

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SAN DIEGO

“I give out the syllabus on day one then take it week-byweek,” she said. “Hopefully all faculty will be creative and integrate lessons into the strike. Same objective, but different format. Faculty always act at their discretion regarding what is best for students. We’re experts in our field.”

Instructors have little hope for a deal being reached

who will be participating in the strike, she did say “I think we’re going to have a very strong strike, but we’ll see on the 13th.”

The strike is being organized by the California Faculty Association, the union representing CSU teaching faculty.

The strike is part of the CFA’s “Fight for Five” campaign; the union has asked for a 5

percent increase in faculty pay following years of stagnant wages due to the recession.

Faculty took a pay cut during the recession in the form of furlough days, which are days on which no classes are held and thus, no faculty are paid for their time. Faculty have received modest pay increases since the recession, but pay has actually fallen at SDSU when adjusted for inflation.

The results of the factfinding report released on March 28 validate the strike and give faculty the legal right to hold a strike. Fact-finding is the final step in the collective bargaining process.

Along with a recommendation to increase faculty pay by 5 percent, the report also recommended providing Service Step Increases to eligible faculty, continuing to study the faculty salary issue and developing a joint strategy to seek state funding. The report suggests that in order to implement these recommendations, funds should be reallocated from other projects and put toward resolving these issues.

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NEWS 3

APR. 6 - 12 , 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: JAMIE BALLARD • NEWS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#RESEARCH

Religious practices declining in U.S. EMELY NAVARRO SENIOR STAFF WRITER ____________________________ A recent study by San Diego State researchers found that religious practices among Americans are on the decline.

Psychology professor Jean Twenge and three other SDSU researchers, Ryne Sherman, Julie Exline and Joshua Grubbs, found that a majority of Americans remained religious, but three times as many people in 2014 had no religious affiliation compared to 1972.

Five times as many Americans in 2014 reported that they had never prayed before, compared to reports in the late 1980s.

Twenty-two percent of Americans in 2014 expressed having doubts in God in comparison to the 1980s, when only 13 percent reported having doubts.

Stephanie Proctor, a criminal justice graduate student, agreed with the study findings and said the decline in religion can be due to people being more independent and not

following the same beliefs as their parents.

But Proctor remains religious and is a member of the Intervarsity club on campus.

“Most of the people that I know that pray and me, myself, see it as a more personal relationship with God more than just something you do,” Proctor said. “In my experience, it’s more about the personal connective side of it, but as people are given more freedom to choose they feel more free not to if they rather not.”

Twenge had been reading many books in relation to the decline of religious affiliations but did not see a lot of studies done on religious practices.

Some of the books she read suggested there had not been a change in these practices, so she decided to research this to see if there had been any change.

The research took two years to complete. Researchers gathered data from the General Social Survey from 1972 until the present.

The research article points out how the rise of

Intervarsity is one of the religion-based clubs at San Diego State.

COURTESY OF STEPHANIE PROCTOR

individualism in this country has affected religion. For the past several years, there has been an increase in emphasizing more on oneself and less on social rules.

The study discusses religion implies a level of commitment to a larger group or organization, and Western societies have are more free and not into commitment groups.

Twenge said one of the most challenging parts of the survey was to see whether

these changes over time were because everyone was changing and evolving or if it was a generational effect.

Separating these changes was difficult because they correlate with each other.

In the end, the researchers found that there was a time period effect.

Business sophomore Kristin Elena said she believes in religion but doesn’t attend church or pray every day.

She said she does not feel like she has to go to church

every Sunday or pray every day to be religious and have God with her.

“I think the reason why religion has faced such a decline is because it is so regulating and everyone feels judged by it,” Elena said.

“I think that extremely orthodox believers, in whatever faith they may be of, have really tainted millennials’ views of religion.

I believe that (God) is there to support my spirit, not to judge it.”

Thank you San Diego State for your warm welcome. I was honored to meet the students, faculty, staff and alumni of this outstanding campus. You are an important part of our vital university system.

I learned a great deal about the innovative learning environment and the transformative experiences that are the foundation of our mission of student success. It is clear that San Diego State’s students, faculty, staff and alumni are making a difference in the community, in the state, and beyond. What you do every day matters.

Our successes will continue to grow in the work we do together. I look forward to continuing to see and hear about your remarkable achievements.

Warm regards, Timothy P. White, Chancellor

THANK YOU SAN DIEGO STATE

4 NEWS

APR. 6 - 12 , 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: JAMIE BALLARD • NEWS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

Who’sWho?

#CROSSINGBORDERS

Uber goes international ADRIANA MILLAR SENIOR STAFF WRITER ______________________________________ San Diego State students will now be able to use Uber to cross the Mexican border thanks to a new ride service announced on March 16.

The new ride service, called UberPASSPORT, will give riders in San Diego the option of traveling to Tijuana and all surrounding areas.

However, the service is only available traveling from the U.S. to Mexico.

To use the service, users are charged a $20 border crossing fee. Automobile insurance for trips to Mexico is provided by a private Mexican insurance company, according to Uber’s website.

Uber reminds users to have proper documentation to return to the U.S. Although UberPASSPORT is oneway to Mexico, riders can use Uber in Tijuana to reach the San Ysidro International Border Crossing.

Once users have crossed the border, they can request a new trip in San Diego.

Mechanical engineering senior Shelby Pfeifer said the one-way dropoff wasn’t a deal-breaker.

“It’s useful that you get to go in one way, but obviously it would be more ideal if you could go back out, as well,” she said.

Pfeifer said crossing the border inevitably came with its own set of safety concerns.

“I think the safety concerns that would arise for me would mostly just be surrounded by going over the border, not so much taking an Uber there,” she said.

“I might be worried that I would get over there and wouldn’t have a way to get back, or wouldn’t find a safe way back.”

ASST. NEWS EDITOR Jacob Sisneros SPORTS EDITOR Ryan Posner ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Anthony Reclusado OPINION EDITOR Joseph Ciolino MUNDO AZTECA/ASST. OPINION EDITOR Jose Guzman ARTS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR Ryo Miyauchi ASST. ARTS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR Olivia Litsey PHOTO EDITOR Cristian Rangel ASST. PHOTO EDITOR Sarah Smith A new Uber service would offer passengers the chance to cross the border into Tijuana and surrounding areas.

THINKSTOCK

Paola Avila, Vice President of International Business Affairs for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, said on Uber’s website that travel between San Diego and Tijuana is a daily occurrence for more than 300,000 individuals.

Public Health senior Geo Cabrera travels to Tijuana once a week for his culture and society of Tijuana class.

“From my understanding, from what I’ve actually learned in this class, the Mexican economy and the U.S. economy heavily rely on each other,” Cabrera said. “That’s why there’s a lot of foot traffic at that international border, it’s actually one of the most active ones in the world.”

Although the new service is convenient, the price is not exactly college-student friendly. In addition to the border crossing fee, the base fare for a ride is $4, with each mile costing

$2.35, according to Uber’s website.

The estimated cost of a ride from downtown San Diego to the Tijuana airport is $100.

Cabrera said he would be more likely to use Uber to cross the border if the cost was cheaper.

“Honestly that sounds a bit expensive compared to other things that you can do, but it does lower the risk of problems occurring with your own car in Mexico,” he said.

Latin American studies professor Victor Clark-Alfaro, who teaches Culture and Society of Tijuana, predicted the majority of users would be tourists. The tourist industry is one of the main sources of income in the city, he said.

“I think that systems like this, or this kind of transportation, will improve and probably invite more tourists to come more safely to Tijuana,” he said.

DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR Annalise Dewhurst VIDEO PRODUCER Daniel Galuppo PRODUCTION DESIGNERS Kaylee Andrews Hannah Lingle-Veale VOLUNTEER WRITERS Sydney Olmstead Zachary Engberg Lilly Glenister Nicole Menges Alek Sanchez Nicole Sazegar Damir Cato Cami Buckman Lanie Fraser Julianna Ress Alissa Kasawdish Christine Whitman Hannah Willis Sydney Sweeney Cassie Kaawaloa Zoe Kaye Hanna Moon Julianna McDowell Adriana Millar Emely Navarro Will Fritz VOLUNTEER PHOTOGRAPHERS Katelyn Mulcahy _____________________________________ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Radbeh Rabaz

New stadium proposal unveiled With the Chargers looking to move downtown, there has been much

MANAGING EDITOR Matthew Bain NEWS EDITOR Jamie Ballard

#CAMPUSUPDATE

JAMIE BALLARD NEWS EDITOR _____________________________________

EDITOR IN CHIEF Kelly Hillock

discussion about what would happen to Qualcomm Stadium.

One proposal, discussed in a meeting in Montezuma Hall on Tuesday, April 5, aims to turn the property into a satellite campus for San Diego State.

The proposal presented by JMI Realty and Cisterra Development offers a plan that would transform the current stadium into a “West Campus” for SDSU. The West Campus plan includes ideas for both educational facilities and a smaller stadium.

Despite hosting the event on campus, SDSU has not endorsed any particular development company or plan for the property, nor have officials confirmed any plans to move forward in developing.

However, in a blog post published during the meeting, President Elliot Hirshman wrote, “We see a future in Mission Valley with community parks and recreational opportunities, low- to mediumdensity housing, a small number of research/technology transfer facilities and, possibly, a stadium — one on a significantly smaller scale than Qualcomm Stadium — that could be shared by San Diego State, a Major League Soccer franchise and other community partners.”

Expanding the campus could potentially lead to higher enrollment numbers, which in turn could provide more money to the school.

Some students are skeptical about the idea of a campus in Mission Valley.

“That’s not too far, but it’s still far enough away that I would have to drive,” child and family development junior Katrina Skjonsby said. “I live close to campus, so I would probably drive. I guess it’s good for people who take the trolley though.”

“I really think we have plenty of room on this campus, and we don’t need to spend money on building a new one,” Spanish junior Nick Baxter said.

There is no public information on how much the potential rennovation would cost or when it might be completed.

This meeting, hosted by the Corky McMillin Center for Real Estate, took place a week after the San Diego Chargers announced a $1.8 billion proposal to leave Mission Valley and pursue a stadium in downtown San Diego.

Development on the Qualcomm property is contingent on whether the Chargers’ plan is approved. The NFL has also offered the team the option of pairing with the Rams for a stadium in Inglewood.

SALES MANAGER Matthew Volk ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Alexis Evans-Bendel Alex Gamboa Christopher Garcia Kamisha McKnight Keon Siavoshani Kelsey Silver John Weil ACCOUNTING & CONTRACTS Alfonso Barajas Kalie Christensen _____________________________________ GENERAL MANAGER Jay Harn GRAPHICS SPECIALIST Chris Blakemore _____________________________________ ADVERTISING 619.594.6977 advertising@thedailyaztec.com EDITORIAL 619.594.4190 editor@thedailyaztec.com PRINT The Daily Aztec publishes 5,000 copies of its weekly print edition on Wednesdays.

WEB Daily content is available at www.thedailyaztec.com MOBILE The Aztec App (available for iPhone and Android)

SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/dailyaztec twitter.com/thedailyaztec instagram.com/thedailyaztec _____________________________________ Weekly in print, daily online.

SPORTS 5

APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYAN POSNER • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#AZTECMBB

The San Diego State men’s basketball team celebrates during its win over University of Washington in the NIT. KATELYN MULCAHY, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

2015-16 was rollercoaster for SDSU RYAN POSNER SPORTS EDITOR ____________________________________

in El Cajon, commits to UCLA over Oregon and SDSU.

All clichés aside, the 2015-16 season was truly a rollercoaster affair for the San Diego State men’s basketball team.

The season started out with enough hype or “sauce” to excite the already rambunctious and loyal Aztec fan base.

Sophomore forward Malik Pope was gearing up for his first full season with SDSU alongside his partner in crime, redshirt-freshman forward Zylan Cheatham, while two of the school’s most iconic players, Winston Shepard and Skylar Spencer, were preparing for their last.

Not to mention, the JAM Center had officially opened and the team was in the mix for some of the top recruits in the nation.

The twists and turns that SDSU would go through in the coming months, though, were enough to rival any Magic Mountain coaster.

The season’s end also had an upand-down feel, with the team reaching the NIT semifinals for just the second time in school history, but at the expense of not making the NCAA tournament for the first time in seven years.

Here are some of the key moments from this season:

NOV. 13, 2015

SEPT. 15, 2015 A CBS report claims the Aztecs are under NCAA investigation because of a rules violation stemming from giving impermissible benefits to prospects. The rules violation would have theoretically been a “Level 1” violation, a very serious offense. At this time, the Aztecs were finalists for two of the top recruits in the country, T.J. Leaf and Michael Cage Jr. SEPT. 26, 2015 Michael Cage Jr. commits to University of Oregon. SDSU was a finalist to land the four-star recruit.

NOV. 12, 2015 Leaf, who plays at Foothills Christian

Aztecs get a win in their home and season opener, 71-60, over Illinois State. Freshman guard Jeremy Hemsley scores 20 points with six rebounds and five assists in his debut.

His combined 31 points, rebounds and assists were the most in an Aztec freshman debut in the Steve Fisher era, passing Kawhi Leonard (19).

NOV. 21, 2015 In one of the team’s ugliest offensive performances in Viejas Arena history, the Aztecs were defeated by Arkansas Little Rock, 49-43. The loss moved the team to 2-2 after losing to then-No. 16 University of Utah on Nov. 16. Little Rock ended up having a pretty decent season (30-5), though, that included a win over No. 5-seed Purdue University in the NCAA tournament.

cut the deficit to two points midway through the second half. It was the Aztecs’ last nonconference game of the season, and the team finished that portion of the schedule 7-6. The loss snapped SDSU’s 23-game winning streak when coming off a loss (the team lost to Grand Canyon University the game before).

JAN. 6, 2015 SDSU announces that the NCAA had “concluded its inquiry” of possible rules violations by SDSU and closed the matter, saying there was “no proof of allegations.”

FEB. 5, 2016 Pope hits what may go down in SDSU history as “The Shot” as his 3-pointer as time expired forced overtime against University of New Mexico. The Aztecs would go on to win the game, 78-71, and extend their winning streak to open up Mountain West play to 11, a school record.

NOV. 26, 2015 SDSU gets, looking back on it, its best win of the season, beating thenNo. 14 UC Berkeley on a neutral floor at the Continental Tires Las Vegas Invitational. It would serve as the team’s only win over a top-25 opponent all year. The big win would be overshadowed, however, the next day when the team suffered its worst margin of defeat all year to then-No. 22 West Virginia University, 72-50.

DEC. 6, 2015 Ten days after the team got its best win of the year, it suffers what may go down as one of the worst losses in Fisher’s tenure, losing to University of San Diego at Petco Park, 53-48. USD had an RPI of over 300 coming into the game and the defeat was considered to be one of several reasons the Aztecs weren’t granted an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament.

FEB. 10, 2016 The Aztecs’ 11-game winning streak is snapped by Fresno State, 58-57, in Fresno. Dating back to last season SDSU was one win shy of breaking the 2010 New Mexico team’s record of 14 consecutive MW wins.

FEB. 24, 2016 Aztecs clinch the outright MW regular-season title in a 73-61 win at University of Wyoming. The team clinched the title with three games to play (a MW record). It was the 10th title (tournament and regular-season) in Fisher’s tenure.

FEB. 27, 2016 SDSU closes out a game against Boise State with seven missed free throws en route to blowing a nine-point lead to lose the game, 66-63.

DEC. 22, 2015

MARCH 1, 2016

Then-No. 2 Kansas University comes into Viejas Arena and thumps the Aztecs, 70-57, even though SDSU

Shepard and Spencer become the winningest players in MW history in a 83-56 win at New Mexico.

MARCH 5, 2016 Aztecs record largest margin of victory over UNLV in school history with 9256 win.

MARCH 11, 2016 Spencer becomes winningest player in school history with 106 wins, passing former point guard D.J. Gay in 67-55 win over University of Nevada in MW Tournament semifinals.

MARCH 12, 2016 Fresno State defeats the Aztecs for the second time of the season, 68-63, in the MW Tournament final, forcing the Aztecs to have to get an at-large bid to make the NCAA tournament. It was the third straight season the Aztecs made the MW Tournament final and did not win.

MARCH 13, 2016 NCAA tournament selection committee does not select SDSU as one of 36 at-large teams. The Aztecs receive a No. 2 seed in the NIT, matched up against Indiana Purdue University at Fort Wayne.

MARCH 21, 2016 In what are usually sparsely attended games, Viejas Arena is sold out as the Aztecs score their highest point total of the season, and Division I postseason history, in 93-78 win over University of Washington.

MARCH 23, 2016 In front of another sold-out Viejas Arena crowd, SDSU defeats Georgia Tech, 72-56, to advance to the NIT semifinals in New York for the second time in school history.

MARCH 29, 2016 George Washington University defeats SDSU, 65-46, in the Aztecs’ second-ever trip to the NIT semifinals, officially ending the season. The offense struggles in the loss as junior guard Dakari Allen led the team with 13 points.

6 SPORTS

APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYAN POSNER • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#SPORTSHISTORY

This week in SDSU sports history ANTHONY RECLUSADO ASST. SPORTS EDITOR ____________________________ APRIL 9, 2009 In 2009 the collegiate baseball world revolved around San Diego State and its junior ace, Stephen Strasburg.

It was Strasburg’s world and everyone else was simply living in it and the teams he faced could attest to that, especially some Rebels from the desert.

On April 9 he added another gem to his impressive collegiate resume by walloping an overmatched UNLV squad, 15-4, in Las Vegas.

The Rebels, and the 1,000plus fans in attendance, could only stand in awe of Strasburg’s dominance on the mound.

“I’d say my fastball command was pretty good,” Strasburg said following the

game.

Despite allowing seven hits and walking another, that “pretty good” command led to 13 strikeouts in just six innings of work and only one earned run, improving Strasburg to 7-0 on the season.

While Strasburg may have been sold as the main attraction, it was the SDSU offense that provided the fireworks. Catcher Erik Castro, shortstop Ryan O’Sullivan and third baseman Easton Gust went a combined 8-for14, scoring eight of the team’s season-high 15 runs.

The Aztecs used three unearned runs in the fourth inning to double their score to 6-1, then sent 10 men to the plate in the fifth and scored five runs.

SDSU continued to dominate the Rebels’ pitching staff a frame later as they sent 10 men to the plate again and took a 15-1 lead.

As the offense caught fire

in the middle innings, it was Strasburg who tempered any flames of an upset, striking out two hitters in each of the first three innings and retiring the side in his final inning of work.

This game was just a snapshot of the junior’s historic season, as he would finish his junior campaign with a 13-1 record, a 1.32 ERA and 195 strikeouts, all SDSU single-season records.

He was showered with hardware after the season, being named National Pitcher of the Year by Baseball America and winning the Golden Spikes Award, bestowed to the best amateur baseball player in the country, and the Dick Howser Trophy, awarded to the best collegiate player in the nation.

Strasburg’s 2009 campaign would propel him to being selected No. 1 overall in the MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals.

Former SDSU right-hander Stephen Strasburg was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 MLB Draft.

FILE PHOTO

#AZTECSOFTBALL

Softball looking to pick it up in MW play SYDNEY OLMSTEAD STAFF WRITER ____________________________ San Diego State softball opened up its Mountain West season on March 24 at UNLV, continued at home against Univerity of Nevada and then wrapped up spring break at No. 25 Fresno State.

SDSU has gotten of to lackluster 3-6 start in MW play, though the team went 18-10 in nonconference games.

KICKING THINGS OFF ON THE ROAD: UNLV In their first MW game of the season, the Aztecs took a 6-2 win over UNLV and improved their overall record to 19-10.

Despite an early struggle against UNLV junior pitcher Kwyn Cooper, SDSU evened things up in the fifth inning when redshirt-freshman Katie Byrd singled to right-center field to drive in the first run.

Junior Jaylene Ignacio then drilled her fourth homer of the year, making the score 2-1. SDSU took advantage of six Rebel errors and timely hitting to earn the win.

The Aztecs suffered a 4-2 loss in the second game of the series.

The team was just 4-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

Even though SDSU outhit UNLV, 11-7, it didn’t make up for the season-high 14 runners left on base. The win pushed the Rebels to 17-14 and 1-1 in conference.

SDSU lost to UNLV, 7-2, in the series finale, dropping the Aztecs to 1-2 in MW play.

The team outhit UNLV again, but made three errors

and left eight runners on base throughout the game. It marked the first time the Aztecs lost a conference-opening series since 2007.

THE HOME OPENER: NEVADA SDSU lost its first home conference game of the season to Nevada, 10-4, but earned a much-needed win in the second matchup.

The Aztecs scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning, one in the fourth and three in the fifth before the Wolf Pack finally got on the board in the sixth.

With a 7-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth, senior Leia Ruiz

The SDSU softball team went 18-10 in nonconference play, but are 3-6 so far in MW contests.

KATELYN MULCAHY, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

reached on her third hit of the game and freshman Molly Sturdivant drove her home with a two-run homer to clinch the run-ruled, 9-1 win.

It was the second time this season that Nevada was runruled.

In their third game against Nevada, the Aztecs leaned on excellent pitching from sophomore right-hander Alex Formby, who struck out a careerhigh eight batters to complete the 1-0 shutout win.

Redshirt-junior Sam Vlot drove in the only run of the game with an RBI single in the second inning.

CONFERENCE RIVALS: FRESNO STATE SDSU struggled in its road series against No. 25 Fresno State, losing all three games.

In the opening game Friday night, the Aztecs issued a season-high eight walks and a season-high three wild pitches and were unable to deliver offensively with runners in scoring position, losing 9-2.

The second game against the Bulldogs was a closer battle, thanks to a three-run homer from Sturdivant in the top of the third. However, the Aztecs were outhit, 12-7, in the game and

suffered a 6-3 loss.

In the third game SDSU rallied back from a 7-2 deficit, but was not able to take back the lead and lost the game, 8-5.

The loss dropped the Aztecs’ MW record to 3-6 and improved the undefeated Bulldogs to 6-0.

UP NEXT The Aztecs will continue conference play when they host Colorado State at home this weekend. The Rams are 16-16 overall and 2-4 in conference play.

Game one of the three-game series series begins 6 p.m. Friday at the SDSU Softball Stadium.

APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYAN POSNER • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

SPORTS 7

#AZTECBASEBALL

Baseball feels spring break blues ZACHARY ENGBERG STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ San Diego State baseball did not have the happy, cheerful kind of spring break road trip many of its peers were having, suffering through two one-run losses to the University of Nevada after splitting a two-game set with No. 7 Oregon State.

The Aztecs (6-19, 2-7 Mountain West) continue to experience gradual improvement, even in a stretch of losses.

“They are still an inexperienced group,” head coach Mark Martinez said, “but they’re growing with each opportunity they get. It’s really neat to watch.”

The three losses during the week came in three consecutive contests, marking the fourth time this year the Aztecs have lost three or more games in a row.

In 2015, the Aztecs had only one such streak in the regular season — a streak that included a series sweep at the hands of Nevada.

SDSU opened its spring break with a big 6-5 win on the road over Oregon State, propelled by a ninth-inning home run from sophomore shortstop Alan Trejo.

The first loss of the break would come the next day, when the Beavers

topped the Aztecs, 9-6, to split the twogame set.

SDSU opened the series against Nevada last Friday with a 6-5 loss in 10 innings.

That loss dropped SDSU to 0-3 in extra-inning games in 2016.

The team would not fare much better in game two.

In that game, the Aztecs took an early lead, scoring two runs in the the top of the second inning.

With two outs, sophomore right fielder Tyler Adkison — who has been the two-out hero of late — singled and scored on a double from freshman first baseman Jordan Verdon, his second of the series.

Verdon later scored on a single by sophomore second baseman Andrew Brown, giving SDSU a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom frame, the Wolf Pack responded with two runs, tying the game, 2-2.

They would take the lead in the bottom of the third, scoring what would ultimately be the winning run on a one-out single from sophomore designated hitter Cole Krzmarzick, who leads the Wolf Pack with a batting average of .408 this season.

Outside of the second inning, the Aztecs’ offense recorded no runs and only two hits, and failed to support junior left-hander Brett Seeburger (0-1), who gave them 5 1/3 innings of

San Diego State baseball has gone on four losing streaks of at least three games this season.

KATELYN MULCAHY, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

three-run ball.

SDSU fell to 2-5 in one-run games on the year.

Game three against Nevada, the second game in the series that extended into extra innings, was suspended in the middle of the 10th so that SDSU could make its flight back home to enjoy the rest of its spring break.

The score was tied, 6-6, after two ninth-inning runs by the Wolf Pack, and the game will conclude when Nevada visits Tony Gwynn Stadium on April 29.

Game one against Nevada followed a similar storyline as the unfinished finale.

Facing a 5-3 deficit in the top of the ninth inning, Verdon led off with a double, and was replaced by sophomore pinch-runner Denz’l Chapman.

Chapman scored on a sacrifice fly from sophomore catcher Hunter Stratton, his first run scored this season.

Sophomore third baseman Justin Wylie reached base with a two-out single, and later scored on an RBI single by shortstop Alan Trejo, tying the contest 5-5.

Including that game, the Aztecs scored nine runs in the last two innings of their previous four games, outscoring opponents 9-3 in the final

frames.

SDSU has yet to complete a threegame series on the road, and have played only seven true road games in 2016, compared to 17 games at Tony Gwynn Stadium.

Of those seven away games, three have been in conference play, where the Aztecs are winless with an 0-3 record.

That does not include the two suspended games (the other one coming on March 20 at Air Force Academy) that SDSU will complete later this season.

Even in the losses, the Aztecs are seeing growth.

Earlier in the season, their losses were largely blowouts.

During the Tony Gwynn Classic in early February, SDSU was outscored 23-5 in its three games, all at home.

SDSU has not lost a game by three or more runs since a 17-13 loss on March 20 to Air Force.

The fact that the Aztecs are competing in games is a “step in the right direction,” head coach Mark Martinez said, but it does not mean that they are ready for the stretch run of the season.

“We have a long ways to go to get where we want to be,” Martinez said, “which is playing in the postseason and playing beyond the conference tournament.”

8

OPINION

APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: JOSEPH CIOLINO • OPINION@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#CFASTRIKE

Strike is for the benefit of students HANNAH WILLIS STAFF COLUMNIST _____________________________ Starting on Wednesday, April 13, the faculty members of the 23 California State University campuses will hold their first system-wide strike.

The faculty association, which represents about 23,000 professors, lecturers, librarians, counselors and coaches, is fighting for a 5 percent raise for the current school year, as well as a 2.65 percent Service Salary Increase for all eligible faculty.

The California Faculty Association believes the reasons behind the strike are reasonable and fair. On March 28, an independent fact-finder reviewed both sides and concluded the CSU system should give its faculty a raise.

This is because faculty

members’ salaries are failing to keep up with inflation. Faculty went five years without a raise from 2008 to 2013. From 2013 to 2014, instructors received a general increase of 1.3 percent on their salary.

The faculty members have been victims to stagnant salaries and have lost over $7,000 in purchasing power since 2004, according to the CFA on the San Diego State website. Additionally, the salaries of faculty members at University of California campuses and community colleges have increased. This pay discrepancy makes it difficult to afford the expenses of everyday life and also has the ability to affect a person’s quality of life.

The CFA argues that “faculty working conditions are student learning conditions.” By being

able to support themselves and their families better financially, they will be more capable to give students more attention and a better quality education.

According to the CFA, “many professors have been forced to leave the CSU altogether because of low pay, which can impact the classes offered to students.”

“CSU has shifted money away from its core educational mission to other priorities,” Alexei Koseff wrote in The Sacramento Bee. “(Such as) hiring more administrators and turning to cheaper part-time lecturers rather than tenuretrack professors.”

Rather than trying to save money or cut corners, the CSU administrators should favor the professors with more experience and should show appreciation for their

dedication to the student body.

Opponents of the salary increase argue that a 5 percent pay hike, as well as the 2.65 percent SSI, “would cost the system as much as $108 million and would mean shortchanging other priorities such as enrollment, student services, technology and building upgrades,” CSU spokeswoman Toni Molle said.

The CSU has countered by offering a 2 percent raise.

However, union members believe 2 percent to be an unjust offer and claim a 5 percent pay hike is welldeserved, after going years with little or no raises.

One of the biggest concerns for students regarding this “fight for five” is whether or not their tuition fees will be affected by increasing faculty wages. The short answer is no.

According to the Student FAQs on the CFA website, “the CSU has enough money to pay faculty a 5 (percent) raise without increasing student fees; it is a matter of priorities.”

It also notes that over the past 10 years student fees have gone up drastically and faculty pay has stayed flat, emphasizing the disconnect between tuition costs and faculty salaries.

As a CSU student, I hope the CSU administration and board realize the actual worth of their faculty.

Without our mentors, students wouldn’t be able to flourish and get the education they deserve.

I support the faculty’s fight and I encourage my fellow SDSU students to stand behind their educators, as well. Together, we can make a difference.

#STUPIDCANCER

Small campus club, greater aspirations SYDNEY SWEENEY CONTRIBUTOR _____________________________ Being perpetually overwhelmed by college life is a given, and adding another serving of stress to an alreadyfull plate would be difficult.

Especially if that stress disguises itself as cancer, a disease that nearly a million young adults in the U.S. have overcome. With one in 100 college students doubling as cancer survivors, the numbers reveal that many students here at San Diego State have probably come across some of these brave victors without even knowing it. After all, these young adult survivors are dealing with the same stuff that everyone else is — boring lectures, messy roommates and the irritatingly inadequate number of parking spaces on campus. Working in conjunction with the standard frustrations of student and

adult life, the aftermath of cancer brings its own suitcase of dilemmas.

This is where Stupid Cancer is here to help.

The national charity and nonprofit organization uniquely addresses young adult cancer through its mission of building community and improving quality of life for those affected.

Young adults are a large population of the cancer society, but they’re also the most neglected one in terms of services, diagnosis, prevention and aftermath, said Sarah Roldan, graduate student and Stupid Cancer SDSU President.

As a survivor herself, Roldan co-founded the club in 2014, making SDSU the only college in the nation to have its own on-campus Stupid Cancer community.

“We want to create a community that not only supports cancer survivors, but also lets others know that we are

OK,” Roldan said. “We want to feel normal like everybody else.”

Such a statement could be skewered as egotistical, but the club’s means of accomplishing its goals are purely altruistic.

Stupid Cancer supports survivors — or their friends and family — along with anyone else who’s passionate about the vision of “no survivor alone,” and looking to find solace in their own hectic lives.

On a mission to create a community of knowledge and acceptance, Stupid Cancer SDSU is eager to help with the tough school stuff, like getting around campus or dropping a class. “(Survivors) can do everything that anyone can,” Roldan said.

“But at the same time, we educate and want people to know that, ‘What happened to me can happen to you. You just need to be more aware about it.’”

This one-on-one, “you and I” interaction is a quality that

distinguishes Stupid Cancer SDSU from other cancer awareness societies, and the club takes pride in getting personal. The connection between the club and its members will continue to expand next month, as four survivors will be sent to Stupid Cancer’s CancerCon, which is the leading oncology conference and social networking event for the young adult cancer movement. The conference, held in Denver, Colorado, brings together hundreds of people affected by cancer, promising that they’re not alone.

Despite Stupid Cancer SDSU’s distinction amongst other organizations, it still strives to support other groups that advocate a bright, positive future for those affected by cancer, like Camp Kesem at UC San Diego, a program that enables college students to support children whose lives have been impacted by their parent’s cancer.

Stupid Cancer’s focus emphasizes the recovery of life after cancer, but its members appreciate the fundraising and research efforts of other clubs at SDSU, like Colleges Against Cancer or Relay For Life of San Diego State, both overseen by the American Cancer Society.

“We hope that in two more years, our organization will be as established as other clubs on campus,” Roldan said.

Her positive predictions are warranted — since Stupid Cancer SDSU’s establishment, the club has already found 15 survivors. That number will surely continue to grow as the organization intends to shake the stigma of being a young adult survivor and help those victors “get busy living” again.

For more information about Stupid Cancer SDSU, visit the club’s Facebook page, “Stupid Cancer SDSU” or follow the Twitter account @StupidCancerSD.

#STUDYABROAD

Before you graduate, go study abroad CASSIE KAAWALOA CONTRIBUTOR _____________________________ One of the many opportunities San Diego State offers its students is the chance to study abroad. SDSU is nationally ranked 15th in the number of students sent abroad, which is not a surprise considering the university’s resources for students to live, study, volunteer, teach, research and intern abroad are endless. Some majors and programs even require it to graduate.

Mandatory or not, you should go.

Some believe life starts at the end of one’s comfort zone. Any student at SDSU can relate, as moving out of the home and into dorms in a new city or even just attending a university at all is a big change. With this change came new friends, experiences and opportunities one wouldn’t have received otherwise. So why not take that same experience and maximize it?

Moving from home all the way to a new state is difficult, even moving from one city in California to a different one

is hard. Leaving your country to one that potentially has a different language, climate and even social norms is huge.

Learning what comes with a new country and a different kind of lifestyle changes a person and allows them to grow.

By moving abroad and understanding another country’s education system, government policy and general ways of life, we open ourselves to a new perspective and a more openminded attitude. We learn to understand differences in people and appreciate other cultures.

We meet new people and learn new stories, some of which might resonate within us so deeply that we reconsider our ways of thinking and behaving.

Perhaps we enjoy the country so much we stay, or contrarily miss our own beautiful country so dearly we learn to appreciate it and all of its glory — and its flaws.

The financial burden of studying abroad is not to be debated; it’s expensive.

Airfare alone can be painful, but thanks to SDSU there are numerous ways to get around it.

Financial aid and scholarships are always available. There are even paid internships abroad that students can apply for, giving them working experience and the means to travel and see the world.

Bottom line: Change is good.

Try the local Costa Rican cuisine and fall in love with Italian gelato and Port wine. Did you know the Portuguese figure of speech for describing someone as attractive is, “as good as corn”?

Spend a few days getting lost somewhere new and find yourself along the way.

OPINION

APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: JOSEPH CIOLINO • OPINION@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

9

#BRUSSELSATTACKS

Time to strengthen global security ZOE KAYE CONTRIBUTOR _____________________________ In recent history, terrorism has become a growing worldwide threat.

Many of the recent devastating acts of terror have been committed by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, which claims to be enforcing its strict interpretation of Sharia law.

The group’s most recent attack took place the morning of March 22 in Brussels, Belgium, where three bombs were detonated in the city — two in the Brussels airport and one in a metro station.

ISIS attacks are becoming more frequent and more severe, which is why global security

must be upgraded to prevent terrorism rather than to simply respond to it.

The terrorist group called its attack on Paris last November “the first of the storm.”

The bombing in a nightclub and elsewhere in the city killed 130 people and injured 368 others. This threat should have been a direct cue for security enhancements across the globe, especially within the open borders of the European Union.

Belgium is France’s direct northbound-neighbor, yet few internal precautions were taken after the Paris attacks. Why? According to news reports, Belgium’s government admitted it could have done more to prevent the suicide bombing.

Last year, two high-ranking Belgium ministers offered to

resign over law enforcement’s failure to act on a warning from Turkey that it had arrested one of the would-be bombers.

Thorough security is crucial during this time of threat; confident law enforcement is a good place to start.

In response to the bombings in Brussels, many countries have announced their efforts to enhance security. France, Germany, The Netherlands, the U.K. and others are going to be strengthening security in airports and train stations.

These changes could greatly prevent or reduce the damage of future attacks.

Before 9/11, security screeners in U.S. airports missed possible threats (such as cutting devices, guns, bombs and airborne pathogens)

found on passengers and their luggage. Furthermore, the actual security access into certain areas of the airport was identified as insecure.

For example, in May 2000, Department of Transportation Inspector General agents used fictitious law enforcement badges and credentials to gain access to secure areas, bypassing security checkpoints and walking unescorted into aircraft departure gates.

After 9/11, U.S. security systems made extreme upgrades. The airline industry was one of the quickest to augment security. President George W. Bush secured $20 billion for “the enhancement of intelligence and security” within airports. Changes involved stricter background

checks and tougher security requirements on baggage.

These extensive efforts bolstered safety and comfort for employees and travelers.

Upgrading security in places of public transportation is a major step in global safety, and change must happen now.

The tragedy in Brussels caused immense global pain. Jan Jambon, a deputy prime minister and the interior minister of Belgium, announced the entire country to be in a state of mourning during the three days following the attack.

In spite of the devastation, at least the bombings in Brussels have put some urgency on the need for enhanced global security and emphasized unity among people of the world.

#GOODBYESOCIALMEDIA

Social media: You don’t really need it HANNA MOON STAFF COLUMNIST _____________________________ As I have in the past years, I decided to set a goal for myself at the start of a new year.

This year, my resolution was something that’s been on my mind for several years — something I’ve always wanted to eliminate from my life but was too scared to let go of. In 2016, I have decided to withdraw myself from the so-called world of social media.

As a psychology major, the concept of social media and how it has come to dictate the life of so many people in this generation has always fascinated me. Of course, the negative consequences of being a social media user is well-known to many, though no one seems to care.

We are more connected than ever, but the relationships are growing weaker.

For me, the most fatal casualty was my confidence. Whether I was at school, home or work, my hand constantly reached for my phone. Facebook gave me speedy updates on my friends’ relationship status (I must say, this was quite entertaining), Instagram let me know what they ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and Snapchat reminded me of how fun other people’s weekends were, unlike mine.

This habit became poisonous to my self-esteem, and I started comparing myself and my life to others. I seemed to have fewer friends, less fun, less money and less talent than anyone I knew.

So I started this project with high hopes and big dreams. And I must say, initially, I wasn’t as

happy as I thought I would be.

Not being able to keep track of my old high school friends was hard; I wanted to see who my friends’ new best friends were, how they’re coping in college and whether they still care about me — whether I still matter to them. However, the temptation of the blue app store phased out and the “install” button seemed less desirable over time.

Unfortunately, there were serious side effects. With all this uncontainable free time on my hands, I started a bad addiction of online shopping.

It relieved me of my boredom while eating away at my wallet.

Then, I turned to a new way to tackle this problem: Though I didn’t have social media, I still had my phone — and with this incredible device, I could text, call and FaceTime all I wanted.

If you followed the trend, this

didn’t end well either. I realized that no one really liked to text or call anymore. Social media allowed you to be connected with whomever whenever you wanted to, but calling and texting required effort on both sides — which, I realized, is extremely difficult with conflicting schedules and time zones.

Then came my last resort: I tried new hobbies and habits. I had more time for schoolwork and new experiences at college.

I started to read the news more and became more interested in politics. I constantly tried to retain a variety of information through books and newspapers, and even started writing for the school newspaper (if you’ve noticed). Though faced with an infinite amount of distractions and challenges, I turned to a healthier lifestyle by focusing on

investing in myself rather than others.

Looking at the calendar, I become well aware of the fact that I have a long journey ahead of me. However, I am proud to say that this is the most happy I have been about myself in a long time. Now I give myself credit for my accomplishments and compliment myself for who I have become rather than criticize myself for things I couldn’t be.

So if you are like me, I encourage you to go Facebookfree, Snapchat-free and Instagram-free.

There will be so many moments you will capture with your eyes rather than your camera lens and conversations you can engage in rather than comment on. And most of all, your phone battery will last for a lifetime.

#BERNIERALLY

The Sanders rally: A hyped experience JULIANNA MCDOWELL CONTRIBUTOR ____________________________ When I got the email from Bernie Sanders’ campaign, I nearly fell out of my chair. I was hyped. I was more than hyped.

Dare I say, I was hella hyped (admittedly, I had to look that phrase up on Urban Dictionary to make sure it was real).

I RSVP’d to the event for my friends and myself moments after I received the email.

Though no physical tickets were issued, RSVPs were “strongly encouraged.”

Several hours later, upon checking the same link, I was led to a message from the campaign saying the event

was sold out, and to try again at a different location. I was relieved I had already RSVP’d, but anxious because I had a midterm an hour before the event was set to begin.

Luckily, my women’s studies professor decided that after the midterm, we should all go to the Bernie Sanders rally.

“You’re making history, go change the world,” she said.

After arriving, we began to trek down the sidewalk to the back of the line literal miles away.

A girl pulled us into line with her toward the front, telling us we had good vibes and to have a good night.

No questions asked and again, hella hyped by the

stroke of luck, we proceeded.

Fast forward to standing at the front of the stage (close enough to see Sanders that I didn’t even have to stand on my toes), being pushed and shoved by various patrons, and hit by multicolored and often hilariously clever signs and posters, to the part where Rosario Dawson, actress from “Rent and Daredevils”, opened for Sanders.

“You’re here because you’re talking to each other,” Dawson said. “We need you now more than ever. Youth has been on the right side of history on every issue.”

After a roar of applause and chants of “Bernie!” echoing throughout the more

than 12,000 person-packed convention center, Sanders, accompanied by his wife, Jane, appeared.

The 74-year-old senator stood on stage for about an hour, carefully presenting his policies with a passion I’ve never seen in a human before.

I knew I was witnessing something special. I knew, as Dawson had claimed earlier, I was on the right side of history.

Being a part of the San Diego Sanders rally was lifechanging.

Coming so close to a man with such fervor and drive to make real, quality change in a country that is desperate for bold leadership and radical ideas was electrifying, and

the collective enthusiasm and energy for both this candidate and this cause I felt in the room was overwhelming.

It didn’t seem that anyone minded being pressed together tightly — sweaty and aching from standing all day long.

Once Sanders began speaking, the crowd did not waver to participate fully in his presence.

The Sanders rally, and my experience at it, was something bigger than myself, bigger than even the rally itself.

The movement is something that, given a chance, can encompass this nation and drive it toward positive change.

As Bernie says, this was, and is, something “yuge.”

10 MUNDO AZTECA

APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: JOSÉ GUZMÁN-QUIRINO • MUNDO@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#MUNDO

Los graduados latinos en aumento Mas de 300 estudiantes de 30 escuelas asistieron a la conferencia anual de Encuentros Leadership este año.

ROBERTO REYES, ESCRITOR

ROBERTO REYES ESCRITOR ______________________________________ Más latinos se están graduando de la escuela secundaria en el norte del condado de San Diego que hace 10 años.

En Carlsbad, Escondido, Oceanside, San Marcos, Vista y Valley Center 49 por ciento de los estudiantes que se gradúan son latinos, comparado con un 34 por ciento en 2004, de acuerdo con la Oficina del Censo de los EE. UU. En las ciudades donde hay más latinos, como en Escondido, Oceanside, Vista y San Marcos, hay más hispanos graduándose de la escuela secundaria si se compara con el porcentaje de latinos que viven en estas ciudades.

Por ejemplo, en Oceanside un 36 por ciento de la población es latina, pero el 54 por ciento de los estudiantes que se gradúan son latinos.

Los mismo ocurre en Vista, en donde los latinos representan el 48 por ciento de la población y 53 por cientos de ellos se gradúan de la escuela secundaria.

Aunque en la actualidad hay más latinos de los que había hace diez años en el condado de San Diego, los hispanos representan un porcentaje mucho más grande de estudiantes que se gradúan de la escuela secundaria, de acuerdo con el Departamento de Educación de California.

AYUDA PARA LAS MINORÍAS Un estudio hecho por la Asociación Educativa Nación sostiene que el aumento de programas para ciertos grupos étnicos en las escuelas ayuda a los estudiantes de varias maneras. Participando de estos programas los estudiantes se conectan intelectualmente y les va mejor en la escuela.

En septiembre, la Casa Blanca reconoció a 230 programas de educación hispana. Uno de los programas que reconocieron por su excelencia en educación hispana fue Encuentros Leadership, un programa que ayuda a prepararse para ir a la universidad a los niños latinos del

norte del condado de San Diego.

La Casa Blanca reconoce a Encuentros Leadership por los resultados efectivos entre los estudiantes enrolados en el programa. Los reconocieron por las oportunidades que han ofrecido a los niños latinos durante los últimos ocho años.

UN PLAN PARA LLEGAR A LA UNIVERSIDAD Encuentros Leadership ofrece tres programas principales durante el año.

En uno de ellos es una clase donde utilizan el libro llamado “Encuentro: Hombre a Hombre” y les enseñan a los niños que tienen que hacer para llegar a la universidad.

De acuerdo con estudios hechos por Encuentros Leadership en los últimos ocho años, los estudiantes que participan en este programa tienen mejor calificaciones, mejor asistencia y

Rivas. “También es para que se acostumbren a las actividad diarias de la universidad”.

Juan Gaytan se enroló en la academia en 2008 y dijo que le dio la confianza para seguir sus estudios después de la escuela secundaria.

“En la academia encontré a gente como yo, gente que estaba en clases avanzadas, que planeaba ir a la (universidad)”, dijo Gaytan. “Pienso que eso es lo que me hizo sentir que (me) iba a (ir) bien yendo a la (universidad)”.

Gaytan dijo que antes de ir a la academia pesaba que no había muchos latinos que querían ir a la universidad, pero ese año abrió los ojos.

En 2015, Gaytan se graduó de la San Diego State University con una maestría en terapia de familia y matrimonio.

Rivas dijo que lo considera una historia exitosa.

“YO HICE LA ACADEMIA PARA QUE MIREN NIÑOS LATINOS COMO VERDADERAMENTE ES VIVIR EN LA UNIVERSIDAD.”

- Roberto Rivas, fundador de el programa

menos problemas disciplinarios.

“Yo no se de ningún director de (escuela) secundaria que no quiera una escuela donde niños latinos tengan mejor calificaciones, que nunca faltan la escuela y que no tengan problemas disciplinarios”, dijo Roberto Rivas, el fundador de el programa.

El otro, que se hace durante el verano, ofrece una academia para niños de escuela secundaria, que consiste en que pasen una semana en una universidad.

Noventa por ciento de los niños que participan de la academia terminan la universidad.

“Yo hice la academia para que miren niños latinos como verdaderamente es vivir en la universidad”, dijo

El último programa que ofrecen es una conferencia de exploración que se lleva a cabo una vez al año y en la que hablan varios latinos exitosos y los introducen al área de ciencia, tecnología, ingeniería y matemática.

El propósito de este programa es que los niños tengan un ejemplo que puedan seguir, dijo Rivas.

Randolph Philipp, profesor de matemática de la San Diego State University, dijo que generalmente las minorías no están interesadas en esa área de estudios.

Philipp dijo que eso es así porque no hay muchos ejemplos entre las minorías con carreras en esas áreas.

“Es importante la gente con quien te identifiques estén engranados en ese

tipo de estudio, pero si no tienen gente que hacen eso se pone mas difícil”.

Zachary López, un ingeniero de diseño y orador en la conferencia de este año, dijo que era el único estudiante de ingeniería latino en Rodchestor Institute of Technology, y que su meta es aumentar el número de latinos interesados en su área de estudio.

“Mi meta es que como latinos sigamos adelante y progresemos”, dijo López. “No solamente los latinos, pero todo el mundo”.

EL FUTURO DE ENCUENTROS Encuentros Leadership fue fundado por Rivas en 2003 porque se dio cuenta que solamente la mitad de los niños latinos en California se graduaba de la escuela secundaria.

De acuerdo con el Centro de Investigación Pew es más probable que un hispano deje la escuela sin graduarse que cualquier estudiante de cualquier otra raza.

“Nos tiran a estas clases como si fuéramos como cualquier otro estudiante”, dijo Rivas. “Lo que pasa es que no somos cualquier otro estudiante, sucede que somos la población desertora escolar más grande”.

Rivas dijo que empezó el programa porque vio que los niños latinos no se sentían incluidos en las escuelas del norte del condado de San Diego.

El propósito de Encuentros Leadership es que los niños no sigan este patrón y que sean exitosos por medio de su educación.

“Decidimos que necesitábamos hacer algo para promover el entendimiento y traer a luz las batallas que enfrentan niños latinos”, dijo Rivas.

La meta final de Rivas es que crezca el programa hacia otras ciudades. En este momento el programa tiene dos sucursales, el norte del condado de San Diego y en el condado Orange, pero Rivas dijo que puede extender el programa más.

Rivas dijo que en seis años habrá cinco o seis sucursales del programa por todo el sur de California.

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APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYO MIYAUCHI • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

ARTS & LIFESTYLE 13

#STUDENTBAND

Student band readies new project

Theatre senior Dakota Ringer started the band in 2013.

COURTESY OF THE NAKED I

LILLY GLENISTER SENIOR STAFF WRITER ______________________________________ The music industry is known to be a cutthroat business. Musicians change their image to meet industry standards, use Auto-Tune to cover up perceived flaws and sing songs they don’t believe in. Despite this, there are still some out there that pour their souls into their music, including local band The Naked I. “When we perform on stage and we’re performing our own personal and original songs — lyrics that we wrote about events in our lives … we feel like

we’re opening ourselves (up) to our (listeners),” lead singer and keyboardist Dakota Ringer said.

Honesty is one of the keys to produce meaningful music and it’s something that this up-and-coming band doesn’t lack. The San Diego band puts its heart on its sleeve for its first extended play, “Chance Encounters,” out in early April, and is working toward making music its full-time gig.

Ringer, a theatre senior graduating from San Diego State this May, started The Naked I in 2013 along with four of his friends. The ensemble includes lead

guitarist TJ Fucella, bassist Sean Collins, drummer Alexander Grant and rhythm guitarist Gunnar Dahlstom, who is a social science sophomore at SDSU. Although the band technically has five members, it mostly plays as a foursome, with Dahlstrom filling in on bass for Collins, who is out of town most of the year studying at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Fucella, the producer of The Naked I’s EP, said the band’s goal since its inception has been to create authentic music.

“We all come from different backgrounds, musical and otherwise, and we want our music to be an expression of ourselves, individually and collectively,” Fucella said.

The band’s name, a quote from the book “Siddhartha” by Hermann Hesse, also exemplifies this goal.

“Essentially, the ‘Naked I’ is an ideal and is kind of like the naked self … when you’re at your most vulnerable and stripped away of social constructs,” Ringer said.

The band’s chief songwriter, Ringer categorizes The Naked I’s music under the blanket genre of alternative, but says the band largely has old-fashioned influences, which it mixes with contemporary blues, funk and rock.

Ringer also said The Naked I exists to make a connection with its listeners.

One track off of the band’s EP, “The

Letdown,” translates the universal feeling of disappointment and is a testament to the band’s desire to provide relatable music to its fanbase.

The band’s single, “Power Outage,” demonstrates the band’s versatility, with a more upbeat sound than “The Letdown.” Ringer’s boyish voice on the track is reminiscent of a slightly more gruff version of Matt Johnson’s from the indie band Matt and Kim, but is backed by the clear instrumental talent of his bandmates.

The EP is comprised of seven tracks and has been in the works since early February, with the band constantly in the studio perfecting its sound despite busy schedules.

“We all have day jobs, we all have school,” Ringer said. “Even in the past three months, the level that we have gone to has been intense … I feel like we are all on the same page where we want music to be our life.”

“Chance Encounters” will be available online, as well as at shows where The Naked I is playing. Ringer said if sales go well, the band has a ton of original material in the works that would go toward making an album.

“We’re probably going to ride this EP for the rest of the year, but we’re hopefully going to be going on tour this May,” Ringer said. “If we sell enough EPs, we’ll start putting together an album. We want to see what the response is.”

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APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYO MIYAUCHI • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

ARTS & LIFESTYLE 15

#WOMENSSTUDIES

Alumna supports female-led film

Carstens started studying at SDSU when women’s studies classes were first offered.

COURTESY OF DEBORAH CARSTENS

NICOLE MENGES STAFF WRITER ______________________________________ San Diego State alumna Deborah Carstens began her studies at San Diego State the same year the school began offering classes in women’s studies. Since then, her passion has revolved around supporting gender studies and feminist causes. Recently, that passion has led her to become an investor in the film “Equity,” a female-led film about women on Wall

Street.

Carstens began her college career at the height of second-wave feminism, when women such as Gloria Steinem and Bella Abzug were making news. Like most freshmen, Carstens did not know what she wanted to major in, but signed up for women’s studies classes the first semester they were offered. She began to meet people from around the country who felt the way she did about this new academic sect. Carstens was even invited to Steinem’s 60th birthday party at her

home in New York.

“For me to be able to take classes and learn the fundamentals of gender and culture and history, and also have it be topical in America’s news stream, it was fabulous for me,” Carstens said. “I just couldn’t get enough of it.”

In her lifetime, Carstens has pursued many interests and passions. She has traveled to all seven continents, is engaged in multiple philanthropies in her community and is a self-described “political junkie.” Her main passion, however, continues to lie with feminist causes and gender studies.

“As one becomes more affluent, and can spend money where (one chooses), one can see the power in that,” Carstens said.

Carstens chooses to use her money to enable and empower other women, which is something she learned to do through SDSU’s women’s studies classes.

Essentially, this is how Carstens became an investor in “Equity.”

According to SDSU’s recent yearly Celluloid Ceiling report, women comprise 19 percent of all directors, writers, executive producers, producers, editors and cinematographers working the top 250 domestic-grossing films of 2015. “Equity” is working to change this discrepancy. A female-led film at all levels, the production team is headed by female writers, directors, producers and actors. Carstens received a call from a close friend asking if she would be

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interested in investing in the film.

“I said, ‘I know nothing about motion pictures, but if it’s a total women-driven film, yes, I’m interested,’” Carstens said.

Doreen Mattingly, SDSU women’s studies department chair, has worked closely with Carstens in the past.

“We’ve all heard of sexism and racism in Hollywood, and I’m proud to be associated with a donor who understands that one way to change it is by investing in movies that give women a chance,” Mattingly said.

Mattingly also noted just because a film includes a lot of women doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re being depicted in a way that is empowering toward women. However, Mattingly believes Carstens investment in the film speaks positively for the way it will depict women.

“The fact that Deborah’s involved in the film makes me want to go see it, because I know her values,” Mattingly said.

Carstens is one of SDSU’s many successful alumni. In 2004, she was recognized by the College of Arts and Letters and received their Distinguished Alumni award.

“I think that part of my secret to success is meeting a wide array of people around the world in different cultures and countries,” Carstens said. “It’s helped me understand how the world works, what’s important to people and how to apply that to myself.”

16 ARTS & LIFESTYLE

APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYO MIYAUCHI • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#TASTY

Sushi bar offers new spin to dining ALEK SANCHEZ STAFF WRITER ______________________________________ It’s no secret Convoy Street is the integral hub for Asian food in San Diego.

Enter Kula, the revolving sushi bar. The conveyor belt may seem a bit gimmicky at first glance, but Kula is the real deal when it comes to sushi.

First things first, make sure to arrive early. Though Convoy has the largest Kula branch with seating for up to 98 diners, wait times grow to an hour and beyond. Reservations are not accepted.

Once inside, diners are free to dive right into eating, and that’s one of the beauties of dining at Kula. Once seated, diners grab any of the plates coming their way. Plates feature two to four pieces of sushi — two for nigiri (thinly sliced pieces of raw sushi over rice) or three to four slices per roll.

Patrons can also select and order specific items from the tablet at their table to have it delivered straight to them. The made-to-order sushi is custom-ordered and shipped out on the secondary conveyor belt, which provides a nice convenience for ordering.

The order tablet allows patrons to browse the menu and see what is available that night. They may run low on ingredients at times, so it’s helpful to have a clear and present view of the menu with easy navigation.

Kula, the revolving sushi bar, is a new Asian dining hub in Convoy Street.

RYO MIYAUCHI, ARTS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Each visit to Kula offers something new. One day it might be a spider roll (fried soft-shell crab with avocado and spicy mayo) or its seared beef with yakiniku sauce (Japanese-style barbecue on rice).

“The experience is unlike any other (sushi spot) in San Diego,” economics senior Karen Rai said.

The expansive menu features more than 100 types of sushi and sides, and each plate of sushi is $2.25.

Kula serves a wide range of sushi.

From the traditional nigiri to special San Diego rolls to hand rolls, there’s a plate for everyone. Take a simple piece of salmon for example. Kula offers a regular

salmon plate, a salmon belly plate, a soysake-marinated salmon plate, a seared salmon plate with Japanese mayo, a garlic ponzu salmon plate and an umami oil salmon plate — as well as the handful of rolls that feature salmon.

“I liked the wide selection of rolls, and the portion sizes are perfect for those who like to try a bunch of different rolls without the price of all-you-can-eat (sushi),” Rai said.

Sides can start at $2, such as the miso soup and they can be expensive as $4.99, such as the shrimp tempura udon. Kula also has a delectable dessert menu, offering traditional Japanese desserts such as green tea mochi ice cream and

its must-have Japanese-style soy milk donuts.

“The dessert (at Kula) is unbeatable,” Rai said. “They offer so many more options than other sushi restaurants I’ve been to.”

Kula even has its own spin on cleaning up. Diners are treated to prizes and animations for plates they discard down a chute at each table. For every five plates deposited, the touch screen congratulates diners and beckons for more plates, encouraging them to eat more. It also dispenses a prize every 15 plates for lucky winners.

Eating at Kula is exciting, delicious and well worth the wait.

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APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYO MIYAUCHI • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

ARTS & LIFESTYLE 17

#QUEERSTUDENTUNION

Leader finds place in Pride Center NICOLE SAZEGAR SENIOR STAFF WRITER ______________________________________ While applied mathematics sophomore Shane James was on San Diego State’s campus on Explore SDSU Open House day, he noticed a gay pride flag waving from one of the booths.

When he entered the booth for a queer fraternity, he met someone who took him to the Pride Center.

Once he entered the Pride Center building, he never wanted to leave.

As president of the Queer Student Union, James has an established presence in the queer community on campus.

As president, he delegates tasks and overseeing activities, meetings and events. Through his position in the Queer Student Union, James attempts to create a safe environment for members and allies.

“The goal of the Queer Student Union is to provide a safe and inclusive space for those who identify as part of the queer community and allies because not always do you get to have those kinds of spaces in your regular life that you gravitate towards,” James said.

James hopes his involvement with the Pride Center and QSU will make the queer community more visible to

the SDSU community.

“I know that I very much stand out within a crowd, and I know that it might raise a few eyebrows or a few ears, and people might think ‘Oh I wonder what his life story is,’” James said. “Maybe they’ll see me come to the Pride Center all the time, and they’ll probably want to come here.”

The Pride Center has allowed him to question his own being.

I probably would not have searched up those kinds of things or have been as eager to do an in depth look at myself to find those labels had I not gone to the different events done by the Pride Center,” James said.

James had difficulty finding and understanding his identity until the Pride Center gave him the courage and support that allowed him to express himself.

“ (THE PRIDE CENTER) IS THE REASON WHY I AM WHO I AM, AND WHY I’VE

ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE WHO I AM AND COME TO THIS CONFIDENT PLACE WHERE I CAN BE ME, UNAPOLOGETICALLY”

- Shane James, Queer Student Union

The process ultimately helped him label his identity. While scrolling through Instagram one day, James came upon #tomgirl, the opposite of a tomboy, and this finding was a huge revelation for him.

“Finding that hashtag, I was like ‘This is me, this is a label for who I am,’ and

Through the center, he gained the courage to wear heels on campus.

Although he felt hesitant about it all day, he found safety and comfort at the Pride Center.

“I came here, and I got so many compliments,” James said. “I felt so safe that I was like ‘this is where I

belong, these are the people that I can trust, people I know who won’t judge me. I think being around people like that, that work here is part of why I am so confident because a lot of people tell me ‘I love your confidence and how you can just be you and not even care.”

By finding comfort and acceptance at The Pride Center, James has found his second home on campus.

“If there hadn’t been a Pride Center, I wouldn’t have been as this happy, golucky person I am now,” James said.

James’ vibrant and cheerful personality fits the profile of the perfect president for QSU. “I know that he is very talkative, outgoing and friendly, so that always helps when you need someone to talk to,” film junior Emmanuel Istom said.

Before coming to SDSU, James dealt with his own inner dialogue dealing with his femininity.

Now, the Pride Center has allowed him to choose his own happiness over the opinions of others.

“I may not be as masculine as other guys or I like to wear heels and very feminine, colorful things, but going to (different events held by The Pride Center) helped me realize who I was,” James said. “It’s the reason why I am who I am, and why I’ve allowed myself to be who I am and come to this confident place where I can be me, unapologetically.”

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APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYO MIYAUCHI • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

THE HOUSING ISSUE 19

#HOUSING

SDSU students move into campus RYO MIYAUCHI ARTS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR ____________________________________

College life for some incoming freshmen means finally living on their own. San Diego State offers lot of housing choices for students to live on campus. The Arts & Lifestyle section decided to focus on the residential learning community to cover for this Housing Issue.

RLC groups students by theme based on areas of study or common interests (pg. 20). Twenty communities are currently available, a new option debuts in the next school year (pg. 22). Read through the pages for a more in-depth look.

Some tips for finding housing off campus (pg. 21) and getting along with a roommate (pg. 23) is also included. Moving in or out of campus? A guide is available in this issue.

#PAINTING

Painting points grad student to success

Fenderson is currently in her second year of San Diego State’s Master of Fine Arts program for painting.

COURTESY OF ASHLEY FENDERSON

NICOLE SAZEGAR SENIOR STAFF WRITER ______________________________________ Ashley Fenderson sat on the phone in frustration venting to her violin teacher.

It came down to three majors to choose from — linguistics, music and art —

and she was already in her junior year of college. As she continued to rant about how difficult it was to choose just one, her teacher stopped her and said, “Ashley, pick one and run with it.”

At this moment, Fenderson decided that art-making would be her career choice.

Fenderson is currently in her second year of San Diego State’s Master of Fine Arts program for painting.

When Fenderson was younger, her mom saved up for watercolor classes for her, and because she took those seriously, she added art as another one of her passions.

Fenderson was finally driven to choose art as her career choice when she realized she could dedicate a vast amount of time to just drawing and painting.

“What really pushed me over the edge for art was that I couldn’t practice (anything else) for more than an hour at a time, but I could stay up all night drawing and painting,” Fenderson said.

While Fenderson chose to attend SDSU because her husband was offered a job in San Diego, she is grateful for all of the opportunities she has received here.

“I think the biggest opportunities that have come because of SDSU is this willingness between the administration and faculty to work with the students to raise the visibility of the arts on campus, which I think is really cool,” Fenderson said.

Fenderson was part of the team that painted the new mural in the Love Library.

She also worked on a mural for “Rethink Downtown: Behind San Diego’s Skyline,” an architectural and design exhibition downtown.

She also did an interactive mural for TED Talks.

Despite these achievements, Fenderson hopes to utilize the entrepreneurial center on campus to help achieve her goals and plans.

“Being an artist is kind of like being an entrepreneur in a lot of different ways

— being self-motivated, having specific goals and plans,” Fenderson said. “Even when you partner with non-profits or begin school, there is always that part of your practice that stays independent, so it’s good to know how to manage that.”

Fenderson also chose SDSU because its graduate art program focuses more on creating art than just learning about art, like her undergraduate program at UC Irvine.

Fenderson is grateful to learn from professors who have really honed in on their craft.

“Being around people who take so much pride in their ability to create something and manipulate all of these raw materials to make something that is not only functional, but also incredibly beautiful, has inspired my work,” Fenderson said.

Fenderson hopes to utilize all of the experience and knowledge she gains at SDSU to start a non-profit that facilitates art residencies at churches.

She plans on reintroducing contemporary art back into a religious context.

Fenderson believes part of being human is being creative, whether it is in painting or even cooking.

She believes art gives a place personality, and thus, her involvement in art has shaped her personality and has made her more self-reflective.

“Nothing in the art world is certain,” Fenderson said. “You really have to think about what you like, what you’re doing, what you’re trying to say, who you’re trying to say it to and whether or not it’s true — sometimes it’s not and that’s OK. (Art) pushes you to think about every single decision you’re making sometimes, or at least what to put on the wall and what to put in the trash.”

20 THE HOUSING ISSUE

APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYO MIYAUCHI • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#DISCOVERSDSU

Housing bonds friends new to city

Discover San Diego State helps students become familiar with San Diego.

SARAH SMITH, ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

ALEK SANCHEZ STAFF WRITER ______________________________________ Moving out of the house for the first time is one of the first life-changing moments college brings. Some Aztecs travel far to come to school in San Diego. They pick up everything they know to start anew for their college experience.

For incoming freshman, the Discover San Diego State residential learning community serves as a stepping

stone for introducing students to the university and its surrounding area.

Discover San Diego State is one of the RLCs provided at SDSU. Many of the RLCs focus on grouping people with similar interests.

Discover San Diego State focuses, but is not limited to, students not from the San Diego area.

Students in the program may come from areas as close as Oceanside or Orange County or as far away as Seattle or New Jersey.

The program offers students the opportunity to become familiar with the surrounding area. Students accepted into the Discover San Diego State program are pre-enrolled into a one-credit university seminar course.

The seminar is led by a member of the residential program, and allows students time to gather and focus on new activities for exploring.

Hospitality and tourism management junior Hannah Gray-Chambers is the current resident advisor overseeing the Discover San Diego State RLC. “It’s a good way for all the students to get together and learn the area,” she said. “The (freshmen) get a chance to learn about new places and bond at the same time, so it’s a really cool opportunity for them.”

One of the big perks of joining Discover San Diego State are the field trips offered by the program. In past years, students have kayaked in Mission Bay and visited Balboa Park.

In the final portion of the university seminar, students were asked to go to a San Diego neighborhood and share what they had learned with the class. For those still getting acquainted with the area, it was a great chance to explore the city.

Students in the program visited locales far from campus to get to know the far reaches of San Diego. From shopping in the hip, chic boutiques

of Hillcrest to soaking up some sun at Ocean Beach, students got a first-hand experience in what it means to live in San Diego.

Marketing senior Tyra Ippongi, public relations senior Kelsey Moss and economics senior Karen Rai were all a part of Discover San Diego State during their freshman year and remain close friends today as graduation looms ahead.

Tyra Ippongi, originally from Aiea, Hawaii, remembered how excited she was to get to know San Diego.

“It was so cool being paired up with other students who didn’t know the area too,” Ippongi said. “We were all ‘stuck in the same boat’ and learning our way around.”

Sonoma County resident Kelsey Moss said she had a lot of fun during her time with Discover San Diego.

“We all got the chance to explore and have fun at the same time, and I think it really shaped how (our) college years have turned out,” Moss said.

Los Angeles native Karen Rai may have originally lived closest to San Diego, but she still noted the impact Discover San Diego State had on her college career.

“Looking back, I’m so glad we decided to join Discover San Diego (State),” Rai said. “I wouldn’t have been able to have made such wonderful friends here at college.”

#JOURNALISM

Journalism community unites freshmen DAMIR CATO CONTRIBUTOR ____________________________________ The transition from high school to a university can be tough for any student, but for freshman Katelyn Throckmorton it came with an added challenge — making friends.

Throckmorton, a transfer student

These students live on the same floor section and are also expected to take one or two classes together — typically a university seminar and one from their emphasis area.

According to the program’s website, the goal is to create a network of “study buddies” who can live and learn together.

While each RLC has a unique

“ WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE RLCS, I SIGNED UP FOR IT IMMEDIATELY ... ”

from Sacramento, said she didn’t know if she would have the time to meet new people.

“Moving in, I was really concerned I wouldn’t make friends, but everybody was concerned with the same thing, and so everybody was really social from the beginning,” Throckmorton said.

In order to make new connections, Throckmorton decided to live in one of the 20 residential learning communities offered at San Diego State.

Open to all first-year freshmen living on campus, RLCs help students develop friendships by placing them in a community of students with similar interests.

- Vivian Vy Lam, public relations freshman emphasis, students interested in media can enroll in the Journalism and Mass Media RLC. This community is focused on mass media and communication studies, but, as Residential Education Office assistant director Jenna Hazelton points out, students living in the Journalism and Mass Media RLC are not all aspiring reporters.

“For journalism and media studies, it’s not necessarily limited to majors,” Hazelton said. “We’ve got a lot of marketing folks, public relations folks, I would say there’s some business folks as well.”

The program is an open one. It is left up to the student to decide which focus best suits them on their housing

The Olmeca dorm houses the residents in the Journalism and Media Studies community SARAH SMITH, ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

license agreement.

“When I found out that there were RLCs, I signed up for it immediately because I thought it would be very helpful and beneficial for my major specifically,” public relations freshman Vivian Vy Lam said.

Lam’s priority was interacting with her peers prior to working with them in later classes.

She says after living in her RLC and meeting her peers, she was given the confidence to meet others outside of her immediate circle of friends.

She likens her floor mates to those of a big family who are there to support her with whatever she may need.

If problems between students do occur, resident advisors try to mediate the situation, but if the problems continue students can be transferred to a roommate that may be a better match.

“I do recommend it,” Lam said. “It’s just much nicer to meet people with similar interests as you, so it’s easier to understand them and connect with them.”

APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYO MIYAUCHI • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

THE HOUSING ISSUE 21

#ROOMMATES

Few rooming rules for all to follow CAMI BUCKMAN STAFF WRITER ______________________________________ Roommates are like mayonnaise: you either love them or you hate them. It’s no surprise that college students are often subject to having roommates, and students at San Diego State are no exception. Whether it’s three students together in a dorm room, four best friends in an apartment or 50 in a fraternity house, there are certain rules all roommates must follow.

In order to find, or keep, a roommate, there are a few do’s and dont’s to keep in mind.

DO BE HONEST Honesty is key in any relationship, even in a relationship between roommates.

No matter how big or small an issue may be, it’s important to stay honest with your roommates. Whether that means admitting to “accidentally” eating a roommate’s leftover pizza or shattering your roomie’s favorite coffee mug, honesty is important in all circumstances.

DON’T LIE The only time lying may be acceptable is when you lie to yourself about how much time you really have on your research paper, but even that usually ends badly.

Accounting sophomore and residential advisor Conner McIntosh recalled an incident in which a resident of his found out that their roommate had stolen money from them.

When confronted about the issue, the accused roommate lied and ended up later stealing more items from their roommates.

This year alone, McIntosh recalled multiple occasions in which his residents had issues revolved around lying.

“Don’t be afraid to confront your roommates, even when it is uncomfortable,” McIntosh said.

DO SET BOUNDARIES Everyone needs their own personal space, so when dealing with roommates, it’s important to set boundaries.

“A big thing with roommates is setting boundaries, and when they’re broken, confronting your roommates about them,” McIntosh said.

It’s important for roommates to recognize when others need their privacy. Certain boundaries include respecting a roommate’s personally purchased groceries, workspace and closet. There is a mutual respect needed between roommates, and that respect is largely needed when creating boundaries.

DON’T OVERSTAY YOUR WELCOME Some college households are fine with allowing a roommate to have guests over. However, when those guests begin to overstay their welcome, problems may occur. When a roommate’s guest eats, sleeps and basically lives out of the home without paying rent, tension is sure to erupt between roommates.

A few tips for rooming are communication and respecting one’s space.

THINKSTOCK

Communication is key between roommates, said Gerardo Cabral, residence hall coordinator and residential judicial officer for Chapultepec. It’s fine to have guests over, just make sure those guests don’t turn into unwanted roommates.

DON’T INVITE GUESTS OVER WITHOUT ASKING A shared space can become a tad crowded when a roommate has guests over.

Be sure to communicate with your roommates when inviting guests over so everyone can be on the same page.

Freshman living on campus are required to complete an official roommate agreement at the beginning of the school year.

Cabral said he frequently has upperclassman returning to the freshman dorms for a copy of these contracts.

“Create your own apartment agreement so everyone can be on the same page and visually see what you agree to,” Cabral said.

These agreements can outline certain rules such as when guests can and can’t come over, when the home should be quiet or when privacy is needed.

Sometimes it’s great to have new people over, but be sure to let your roommates know in advance.

Over 30 tastes from around the world

DO YOUR PART Roommates occupy a shared space, so it is only fair each individual contributes their equal share to the home.

This includes cleaning the shared areas, such as the kitchen and living room, and equally splitting shared costs.

When trying to find or keep a roommate, the little things matter, so be mindful of your personal habits that may be bothersome to roommates.

This means washing the dishes you dirty, cleaning the cooking area and taking out the trash.

Doing your part can also include actions such as monitoring how much noise you make when others are asleep.

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22

THE HOUSING ISSUE

APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYO MIYAUCHI • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#GENDEREQUALITY

New house centers gender issues NICOLE SAZEGAR SENIOR STAFF WRITER _____________________________ Residential learning communities can inspire a tight-knit community of likeminded individuals all reaching for the same goal.

The new Women and Gender Equity house on San Diego State’s campus, debuting fall 2016, will give incoming freshmen the opportunity to connect with other students who are interested in feminism, women’s issues and social justice.

“We really wanted to make a (living and learning community) that was really centered on women’s experiences to kind of supplement things they’re learning in the classroom and opportunities for women on campus to connect with one another once they start at SDSU,” Women’s Resource Center coordinator Jessica Nare said.

The Women and Gender Equity house will be divided into two communities, residential and commuter.

Students part of the residential community will live on a themed dorm floor and will also be enrolled in the Women: Images and Ideas class and a university seminar course.

The commuter students will

additionally be enrolled in a discussion and analysis class to supplement the women’s studies class. These classes all fulfill the university’s general education requirement. “(The discussion and analysis) will give a lot of opportunities for mentoring with faculty and graduate students and really getting connected with the women’s issues programming that’s happening on campus,” Nare said.

As opposed to other RLCs on campus, the Women and Gender Equity House will focus on gender and feminist issues. “(The WAGE house) gives greater awareness of gender equity issues and creates another venue for folks to be involved in social change on campus,” Nare said. “It gives more visibility to some of the inequalities that women still face and other marginalized groups still face.”

The goal of this house is to give incoming students an opportunity to receive extra support during their transition phase.

“Incoming students face a really big transition and any way that we can help connect them to receive more support in their academics and their social lives is a really good thing,” Nare said.

Student Life and Leadership associate director Erica Aros

SDSU housing administration partnered with the Women’s Resource Center for the new learning community.

JAMIE BALLARD, NEWS EDITOR

said studies show incoming freshmen who are commuter students typically don’t do as well with their GPAs or engaging on campus as the residence hall students that come in. Ultimately, the commuter communities will help students maintain a high GPA and be more involved on campus as well as increase retention.

There is a lot of programming built into the resident halls, so students living on campus

are exposed to weekly programming by the residential assistants and the buildingwide programs on campus.

This allows students to perform better in their academic and social lives.

“A lot of universities don’t have a really robust commuter program, that’s what we’re doing here,” Nare said. “It’s been identified as an issue that we want to target as a part of a strategic plan.”

This particular community

will offer incoming students an opportunity to excel in their first year, and Nare also hopes it will encourage more students to engage with social change the minute they step onto campus.

“Sometimes it takes a while to explore and find those (justice and social change pockets) of a community,” Nare said.

“We’re kind of creating that from their very first day at SDSU.”

#ROTC

Learning community welcomes military LAINIE FRASER STAFF WRITER _____________________________ The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program, or the ROTC, at San Diego State has been named one of the best leadership courses in the country by the U.S. Army.

It also serves the greater San Diego area by providing training and education for future officers of the U.S. armed forces.

At SDSU, the ROTC allows students to earn a degree while preparing for their future in the various branches of the armed forces.

SDSU offers scholarships for students interested in committing service to the Air Force, Army and Navy.

“I joined the Aztec Battalion at SDSU because the benefits were too good to pass up,” engineering junior Eric Buenwell said.

“I get to earn a degree, be a normal college student and prep for the navy. How can you

say no to that?”

Many students like Buenwell are drawn to the program because of the opportunities it provides.

Buenwell said he was nervous when he first arrived, but the residential learning community at SDSU made him feel at home.

At SDSU, the ROTC RLC welcomes students of all majors who are also receiving military training. The community provides them with a network of fellow students and mentors to keep them on track and involved.

“The learning community at San Diego State has made my time here as great as it is,” engineering sophomore John Woodson said.

“It was amazing being surrounded by such motivated and inspired people who are in the exact same position as me. I found a family on this massive campus.”

The ROTC program at SDSU

has made efforts to make being part of the Aztec Battalion as easy as possible for interested students.

According to the Army ROTC website, courses can be taken at any of SDSU’s partner schools and applied to the SDSU program.

This allows students in San Diego, San Marcos, Miramar and Point Loma to be Aztecs even if they can’t make it to the

“ I FOUND A FAMILY ON

THIS MASSIVE CAMPUS.”

- John Woodson, engineering sophomore

San Diego State campus.

The SDSU ROTC program is committed to helping students in all aspects of life.

The learning community offers

SDSU Reserve Officer’s Training Corps program offers meny benefits for students..

SARAH SMITH, ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

academic advising, career services as well as counseling and psychological services for current ROTC students and veterans.

Members of the Student Veterans Organization who are also enrolled in classes at SDSU are encouraged to apply to live at the Veterans House on campus.

The SDSU Veterans House opened in 2009 as the first one

of its kind in the U.S. and has continued to assist military veterans in the transition from combat to civilian life and college.

Through a tightly knit oncampus community, the ROTC program has committed itself to fulfilling the SDSU motto “leadership starts here” by creating the model citizens for the city of San Diego.

THE HOUSING ISSUE 23

APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYO MIYAUCHI • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#RESIDENTADVISOR

The resident advisor manages as well as mentors the freshmen living in the hall.

JULIANNA RESS, STAFF WRITER

Floor advisors lead by example JULIANNA RESS STAFF WRITER _____________________________ Everyone comes into contact with resident advisors at San Diego State, but many students are unaware of what the job actually entails and how fulfilling it can be.

Journalism senior Juwan Armstrong said students tend to make assumptions about RAs. “RAs are not the police, but just student leaders who care and want to make an impact on first-year students,” he said.

Armstrong is currently completing his sixth semester as an RA and notes how gratifying the position has been throughout his college

experience.

“It is super rewarding being able to watch, and occasionally guide, a whole floor of first-year residents (finding) their way in a new environment and (creating) their new lives as college students,” he said.

The process of becoming an RA begins at the end of the fall semester when students begin to apply for the position. Applicants are screened and interviewed individually and in groups, during which they are presented with situations they may face as an RA. “This allows us to see firsthand how candidates may handle situations that may occur while on the job and better informs them of

what they may experience when building a community in the residence halls,” Maya and Olmeca residence hall coordinator Adam Sibenaller said.

Sibenaller was once an RA himself and now has a hand in the selection process.

“What I look for (in a potential RA) is someone who has a strong sense of humility, is honest, values team work, values inclusion and diversity in a community and is able to be adaptable,” he said. “Good communities need strong leaders who can address a multitude of needs at any and all times.”

The job itself involves managing a floor of 60 to 80 students and being a constant role model.

Armstrong said that being an RA means maintaining a balance between order and fun. Sibenaller said the job also requires creating a safe environment for people of all identities.

Additionally, the position provides opportunities for students to build up their leadership skills.

“Not only do we get formal leadership training during RA training, we also get to live the role of a leader every day,” Armstrong said. “We may not be actively leading a meeting or team in a formal sense, but we live as leaders by being role models 24/7.”

RAs are held to high expectations, but Armstrong has found ways to perform the duties of the position as

best as possible despite the pressure.

“Time management for RAs is key to having a great and stress-free year,” he said.

Sibenaller has found in his experiences both as a past RA and current residence hall coordinator that being an RA is testing but rewarding.

“It challenges your confidence, self-efficacy and leadership skills in such a way that it truly brings out the best in a person,” he said.

Armstrong urges future RAs to come into the position with positivity and an open mind.

“You will meet many different personalities and perspectives,” he said.

“Take every experience as a learning experience.”

#MOBILEAPP

Three mobile apps ease housing search To find a roommate in the same way, simply create a listing for a pad and RadPad will take it from there. Another interesting feature on the app is that it conveniently allows users to pay rent with a credit or debit card to any landlord.

With RadPad, there are no more awkward Craigslist encounters but rather a more social way to find the right apartment and roommate.

ALISSA KASAWDISH STAFF WRITER _____________________________ Housing no longer has to be an issue for college students with all of the social media resources available. With thousands of listings on each app, no opportunity will be missed. This makes it easy, fast and safe to find a roommate and apartment hunt without the worry. Here are a few mobile apps that will change the game for any college student when it comes to finding the right roommate and house.

COMFY - COLLEGE HOUSING AND APARTMENTS FOR STUDENTS The app is targeted toward college students across nearly 1,754 campuses. San Diego State students can simply click the SDSU icon in the app to search for the most popular SDSU housing in all areas.

For example, the app pulls up 51st Street Apartments, an option students can navigate through to find available housing which fits their

ROOMI

COURTESY OF COMFY..

needs.

Whether a student is looking for one bedroom and one bath or two bedroom and one bath accomodations, Comfy has the key to all of their answers. It also provides reviews from past residents for potential buyers to get the inside scoop.

A unique feature on Comfy is a map of specific locations in the community regarding exercise, food, fun, partying,

COURTESY OF RADPAD

COURTESY OF ROOMI

shopping and studying. It also has another easy way to search for available living spaces by separating SDSU housing into six categories: popular, social, five star, walkable, bargain and luxury.

With Comfy, students will get the feel of their future home through the app so they are settled and comfortable from moving day.

will be with RadPad, an apartment- and roommatefinder app.

One of Apple’s top 10 best apps, RadPad provides college students with thousands of apartment listings for rent in the city. Each listing includes location, price, size, pets, photos and videos of the space and other features like fridge, top-floor unit and parking spot. The app allows users to apply instantly in an easy, safe and social manner.

RADPAD Search where your new home

Searching for the perfect roommate hosts no challenge with the Roomi app. With a profile on Roomi, people can create a listing providing information about roommate preferences, their location, pricing and availability, amenities and rules, photos and an additional description.

Users can also share other lifestyle preferences and living habits such as interests or occupation. Users can also connect safely and easily with others by messaging through the app.

Have fun looking for a new room and the right roommate to share it with while having peace of mind.

#rentbystate

compiled by: christine whitman senior staff writer

apartment pricing There are several aspects to consider when searching for a new place to call home. With so many options, and differing opinions from students, choosing a new

place to live can be an overwhelming experience.

We at The Daily Aztec have compiled all of the necessary information to know your options for local living.

Design by: kate leonard

Suites on paseo Distance: 0.1 mile Price: $605-$1,140 Rooms: 1-3 Baths: 1-1.5 Amenities: Fully furnished, personal bath, flat-screen HDTV, Wi-Fi, cable, personal fridge, microwave, housekeeping services Utilities included: All

aztec corner

aztec campus

college campanile

hardy ave.

Distance: 0.1 mile Price: $1,558-$2,896 Rooms: 1-2 Baths: 1-2 Amenities: 40-inch LED TV, dishwasher, electric oven, entertainment center, fullsized fridge, garbage disposal, microwave, private balconies Utilities included: Cable TV, gas, Internet, sewer, trash, water

Distance: 0.1 mile Price: $2,345-$2,420 Rooms: 3 Baths: 2 Amenities: Broadband Internet, dishwasher, garbage disposal, window coverings, carpet, ceiling fan, private bathrooms Utilities included: Water, sewer, trash

Distance: 0.1 mile Price: $1,305-$2,845 Rooms: 1-3 Baths: 1-2 Amenities: Broadband Internet access, carpet, dishwasher, ceiling fans, garbage disposal, large bedrooms, private bathrooms, tile floors Utilities included: Water, sewer, trash

Distance: 0.1 mile Price: $2,320–$2,445 Rooms: 3 Baths: 2 Amenities: Broadband Internet access, carpet, dishwasher, ceiling fans, garbage disposal, large bedrooms, private bathrooms, tile floors Utilities included: Cable, water, sewer, trash

albert’s college apartments

paseo place

fifty twenty-five

campus village

Distance: 0.1 mile Price: $3,240-$7,320 Rooms: 2-6 Baths: 2-6 Amenities: Patio/balcony, 42-inch flat-screen TV, ceiling fans, 9-ft. ceilings, fully furnished, private bathrooms, central heat & air Utilities included: Internet, cable, water, sewer, trash

Distance: 0.9 mile Price: $1,300-$3,160 Rooms: 1-4 Baths: 1-4 Amenities: 42-inch flatscreen TV, individual leases, locking bedroom, attached bathroom, modern furniture available, ceiling fans, washer/ dryer, central air, heating Utilities included: Internet, water, sewer, gas, electricity

Distance: 0.4 mile Price: $1,147-$2,945 Rooms: Studio-3 Baths: 1-2 Amenities: Garbage disposal, ceiling fans, oversized closets, patio/balcony, city views available, air conditioning Utilities included: Water

blvd 63

the penthouse

the diplomat

Distance: 0.8 mile Price: $1,554-$4,700 Rooms: 1-4 Baths: 1-4 Amenities: Modern kitchens, quartz countertops, natural wood-style flooring, private balcony or patio, washer and dryer, fully furnished, 46” flatscreen TV, ceiling fans Utilities included: High speed Internet, HD cable

Distance: 0.6 mile Price: $1,150-$1,835 Rooms: 1-2 Baths: 1-2 Amenities: Broadband Internet, dishwasher, balcony/ patio, cable, garbage disposal, private bathroom, carpet, walk-in closets, ceiling fans, large bedrooms, window coverings Utilities Included: n/a

Distance: 0.6 mile Price: $1,210-$1,655 Rooms: 1-2 Baths: 1-2 Amenities: Air conditioning, dishwasher, large bedrooms, washer/dryer hookup, broadband Internet, fireplace, microwave, carpet, patio/ balcony, ceiling fan, private balcony Utilities included: n/a

Distance: 1.1 mile Price: $1,230-$1,250 Rooms: 2-3 Baths: 1-2 Amenities: Air conditioning, all-electric kitchen, cableready, carpeted floors, dishwasher, microwave, private balconies and patios, refrigerator, spacious walk-in closets, vertical blinds Utilities included: n/a

Sterling alvarado Distance: 1.1 mile Price: $1,107-$4,872 Rooms: Studio-4 Baths: 1-4 Amenities: 42-inch Flat Screen TV, wood style flooring, contemporary furniture, walk-in closets, washer/dryer, ceiling fans, stainless-steel sink, private patio/balcony, 9 ft. ceilings Utilities included: n/a

where do students live? how long does it take to commute to campus?

16% on campus Source: U.S. News and World Report

84% off campus

PB: 30 min downtown: 21 min la mesa: 13 min north park: 20 min

G? IN US HO

LO O KI N G

R FO www.thedailyaztec.com/classifieds

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26 THE HOUSING ISSUE

APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYO MIYAUCHI • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#LEARNINGCOMMUNITY

Themed houses connect freshmen RYO MIYAUCHI ARTS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR ______________________________________ For incoming freshmen who may find it difficult to find a place at San Diego State even while living in on-campus dorms, there’s the option to live in one of the university’s residential learning communities.

RLCs help freshmen ease their transition from high school to college life on campus by connecting them with others with similar interests.

“When you walk into a 300-person lecture hall, it can be really intimidating,” residential education office assistant director Jenna Hazelton said. “So knowing the 30 students on your floor, day after day, seeing them in the dining hall helps break it down and makes it more manageable for students.”

Incoming freshmen can choose out of 20 different communities based on diverse themes. Some are based on majors, such as the business floor and the nursing community. Others focus on student interests beyond a specific study, such as the Women in Science and Engineering

Community or the physical fitness floor.

For those who don’t necessarily have a particular focus picked out, the housing administration also offers the Toltec House for undeclared majors.

When students get accepted into a residential learning community, they are enrolled in a class fitting the theme of the community. Community residents get to explore their own interests and do so with the company of their floor mates.

“As part of the learning community, the students live together and they also take classes together,” Hazelton said. “So we have to work with each of the academic departments and colleges to make sure we have the right numbers of seats and the right classes for each year.”

The housing administration and residential education department organizes programs and events to help students further explore their field outside of the classroom.

Here are some of the 20 residential learning communities available for housing. The sizes of each community varies with each theme, ranging from 20 to 60 residents, depending on floor capacity and classes needed.

PRIDE HOUSE

ADVENTURES IN SURFING AND SUSTAINABILITY

The Pride House was introduced as one of the two new residential communities this 2015-2016 school year.

The administration created the community to provide a safer, more inclusive living environment on campus for incoming freshmen of the LGBTQ community and allies.

The community partners with the Pride Resource Center on campus to bring educational programs and leadership development activities to its residents.

Adventures in Surfing and Sustainability is the other new community introduced this school year, which coincided with the renovation of Zura Hall. For the community, the administration found ways to incorporate the reasons why people move to San Diego, such as the weather and the outdoors, for the new residents looking to live in the revamped living hall. During their first year, students went on a field trip to the surfboard workshop Shapers Studios, as well as the Center for Surf Research’s Sustainable Stoke Conference.

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THE HOUSING ISSUE 27

APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: RYO MIYAUCHI • ENTERTAINMENT@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

THINKSTOCK

BUSINESS The business floor provides a venue where business students can explore what’s needed to succeed in the field, as well as find a place to connect with likeminded people to get ahead.

Students in the community are preenrolled in two courses, Exploration of Business and Principles of Economics, to start their tracks as business majors.

The community also partners with the College of Business to hold panels with business leaders for students to attend and interact with professionals in the field.

SOCIAL ACTIVISM AND GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTS This activism-led community, SAGE for short, promotes student efforts to bring social awareness and leadership to campus. Residents in the SAGE hall participated in the Week of Care event on campus in 2014 by creating art pieces for a gallery and collaborating on a mural to raise awareness of human trafficking in the Tijuana region. The art was auctioned off and the profits were donated to Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition, a local non-profit dedicated to preventing slavery and trafficking.

CROSSWORDS

ACROSS 1 Fabric mimicked by jeggings 6 Dallas NBA team 10 Indian mausoleum city 14 In the company of 15 __ bargain 16 Fountain contribution 17 Midler’s “Divine” nickname 18 Burn unit procedure 20 Allow to enter 22 Big name in auto racing 23 Kerfuffles 25 Advanced degs.

26 “Rogue Lawyer” novelist 31 Whiskas eater 34 Pulitzer winner Walker 35 Actor McGregor 36 Dance in a pit

37 Hull fastener 38 Group 39 Mazda MX-5, familiarly 40 Big nights 41 How-to component 42 Follow, as a hunch 43 __ Plaines 44 Rockefeller Center centerpiece 46 Farm enclosure 47 Bit of naughtiness 48 Doze 53 Disney character with a white tail 56 Quartet of Wagnerian operas, and a hint to the progression in this puzzle’s circled letters 58 Regal headpiece

VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS Visual and Performing Arts welcomes students interested in creatively expressing themselves through music, film, theater and other arts.

The residents attend one or two theater productions throughout the school year.

They also had the opportunity this past year to put together their own productions and presentations as a capstone project for their university seminar class.

More communities are available through the Housing Administration and Residential Education.

FUTURE EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS The Future Education Professionals group is open to all majors looking to be involved in the career of education, such as teachers, counselors, family therapists and more.

The academic plan for the community follows the liberal studies course, with freshmen pre-enrolled in Introductory Psychology. The assistant dean to the College of Education heads the university seminar for the RLC, and she makes sure the students get the training to be CPR certified.

CLASSIFIEDS

60 Bordeaux brainstorm 61 Down-to-earth 62 2001 scandal subject 63 Boilermaker component 64 Prohibitionists 65 City near Florence DOWN 1 Reservoir creator 2 German actor Jannings 3 Sommelier’s asset 4 Examples 5 Classic British two-seater 6 Base cops, briefly 7 __-Seltzer 8 Corpuscle conduit 9 Dreamy guy?

10 Lots of plots

11 Butter in a farmyard?

12 Africa’s Great __ Valley 13 Naysayer 19 Light weight 21 Hide-hair link 24 Afternoon break 26 Actor/singer Leto 27 Green hue 28 Homes with buzzers 29 “Ni-i-ice!”

30 Quaint headpiece accessory 31 Raccoon kin 32 __ Martin: 007’s car 33 Acknowledge in an Oscar speech, say 36 Barely-there dress 39 Powerful people 41 Rock band Lynyrd __ 44 Legato’s opp., in music 45 San Francisco’s __ Hill 46 “Like a Rock” rocker 48 Chicago paper, for short 49 __-de-camp 50 Bermuda shorts endpoint 51 One with an untouchable service 52 Word with fair or foul 54 Unadorned 55 Fairway choice 57 PGA star from South Africa 59 Santa __ Mountains

Help Wanted PREFERRED VALET PARKING HIRING PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME VALET’S & MANAGERS. COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION, FLEXIBLE HOURS. APPLY ONLINE AT WWW. PREFERREDVALETPARKING.COM ________________________________

PLEASE NOTE: The Daily Aztec does not endorse or support and has no affiliation with the products or services offered in the Classifieds section. To place an ad in the Classifieds section, please visit thedailyaztec.com/classifieds ______________________________ The views expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Aztec. Comments? Email us at letters@thedailyaztec.com

Save a tree. Recycle your paper.

28 THE BACK PAGE

APR. 6 - 12, 2016 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: RYO MIYAUCHI • FEATURES@thedailyaztec.com

#paramore

Make room for Paramore in rock RYO MIYAUCHI A&L EDITOR ____________________________________

M

y favorite band of all time is Paramore, but I’ve had the toughest time admitting it.

A person shouldn’t be ashamed to declare any band his or her all-time favorite. Everyone has their reasons for why a certain group is important in their lives, and no one has the right to tell them they’re wrong.

For a young aspiring music critic such as me as a teen, it was easy to get discouraged to have full confidence in my taste for rock music.

Just search up Rolling Stone’s “Greatest Albums of All Time” list, and take a look at the results. Here are some rock bands you’d likely see: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and The Jimi Hendrix Experience. It’s a commonly understood fact that these bands are the best in the history of rock music.

Or is it?

I didn’t grow up with rock music as a kid. I tried my best to catch up when I was a high school senior because I thought I ought to if I wanted to be an avid music nerd.

Most of the classics were incredible, but listening to them felt more like a music history assignment. Rarely did I feel an emotional attachment to what I heard, and I couldn’t relate too much to the so-called legends. The experience instead seemed like I was eavesdropping on a conversation had a couple generations before my time.

Meanwhile, no other band won me over during my high school years like Paramore. The pop-punk band’s second

album, “Riot,” released in 2007, was all I listened to that year. Beyond falling head over heels for the music, I formed a loyal relationship with the group’s members — sort of like the teen fanatics during Beatlemania.

No matter how much I loved “Riot,” though, for a while it felt disingenuous to call it my choice for best punk album ever made.

Sure, I knew such a claim was an exaggeration, but that’s how the record genuinely felt to me. Despite how much the album meant personally, I couldn’t imagine a critic agreeing with me about “Riot” in comparison to, say, The Clash.

I was still young, so I wanted to show off a more quote-unquote legitimate taste, one the shot-callers could agree on. While I supported Paramore, I tried to get acquainted with more esteemed favorites — hence, my self-assigned homework on the classics.

But the more I gained appreciation for music, the list of so-called greatest rock albums of all time started to represent less of what I thought was actually great.

There’s Fleetwood Mac, but where are Stevie Nicks’ solo albums? There’s Pixies’ “Doolittle,” but what about “Last Splash”

by The Breeders? And why can’t Fiona Apple’s second album be considered a rock album?

The current list also doesn’t provide much room for newly released records to enter the roster either.

To this day, I’m worried my contenders won’t receive the praise they deserve.

Despite winning dozens of awards, how high will Taylor Swift’s albums truly rank? And back to the subject at hand, will Paramore’s “Riot” be mentioned at all?

The thing is, the answer to these

#DASNAPSHOTS

questions don’t necessarily need to come from the gatekeepers. The fans have a say in what matters too, and the decision whether or not a band or an album is worth a place in the music dialog should not solely depend on the critics.

More importantly, just because your favorite band or album is not accepted by the music culture at large doesn’t mean it has less value than the ones praised.

An album is a classic to somebody, critic or not.

It also might mean the culture hasn’t fully understood the music yet. While the emo subgenre was ignored by professional publications a decade ago, Rolling Stone published a list titled “40 Greatest Emo Albums of All Time” in March.

And which album made it into the number 28 spot on the list? Paramore’s “Riot.”

It was a small victory, but still an important one.

SUDOKU HOW TO PLAY: Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box contains every digit 1 to 9.

Difficulty Level:

3/4

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view from the top

News Editor Jamie Ballard snapped this picture at the top of Piestewa Peak in the Phoenix mountains during spring break.