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WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013
WWW.THEDAILYAZTEC.COM
VOLUME 99, ISSUE 110
NIKA entrepreneur inspires students
campus Hannah Beausang
may 1, 2013
wednesday
CSU to offer engineering classes online campus Nikki Sachman
Senior Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Nika Water company co-founder Jeff Church visited San Diego State to speak about social entrepreneurship on Monday. Church spoke at SDSU for the 14th annual L. Robert Payne Distinguished Entrepreneur Lecture Series. Church was welcomed by SDSU President Elliot Hirshman. The event was an opportunity for students, faculty and community members to meet Church and listen to an informative lecture about social entrepreneurship. Nika Water is an eco-friendly brand of bottled water sold nationwide. All the profits are donated to help provide vital resources such as clean water, education and sanitation efforts. The company has already donated $400,000 to implement various water sanitation devices, promote education and plant trees in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Brazil, Sri Lanka and Nicaragua. According to Church, the company has been able to provide clean water to 26,000 people in Ethiopia. Church said he and his family were inspired to make a lasting difference by providing resources in impoverished communities after a trip to Africa. He said he wanted his children to understand the difference between relative and absolute poverty—a message that motivated one of his greatest innovations. “We wanted to create a sustainable donation model,” Church said. “It’s one thing to write a check every year … but it’s another thing to make it sustainable.” Nika Water is packaged in recycled bottles to further contribute to sustainability efforts. The company is also carbon-neutral, and Church at-
NIKA co-founder Jeff Church speaks to the audience during the 14th annual L. Robert Payne Distinguished Entrepreneurship Lecture Series. Church spoke of being innovative and being persistant.
tempts to offset the effects of plastic products by planting a tree for every 98 bottles produced. Church has also established school recycling programs in non-bottle bill states to encourage students to recycle by reimbursing the schools a few cents per bottle. Church cited companies such as Newman’s Own, Tom’s, Feed and Jedidah as successful models for social entrepreneurship. Church stressed the importance of innovative thinking and said millennials have the ability to make a lasting impact to benefit our society as well as future generations. “This age group can be part of this coming wave of social entrepreneurship that has the ability to solve some of the world’s most challenging problems,” Church said. “I think young people are at the right stage to really make a difference … Take the entrepreneurial plunge—try to put your-
self outside of your comfort zone.” Director of Lavin Entrepreneurship Center Programs Bernhard Schroeder said bringing guest speakers to SDSU helps students define their goals and learn important lessons from working professionals. “These people have a set of life experiences that are valuable,” Schroeder said. “They’ve been there and they’ve done it, so when students aren’t quite sure what they should chase or what they should do, it’s nice hearing from people who’ve have experience.” Dean of College of Business Administration Michael Cunningham said SDSU’s entrepreneurship program helps foster creativity and the guest speakers contribute relevant perspectives that provide students a well-rounded view of the professional world. “San Diego is an entrepreneurial city and our students are really ex-
SDSU campaigns for Bradley Cooper campus Shaghajegh Fatheyan
monica linzmeier , assistant photo editor
cited about creating,” Cunningham said. “It goes much farther than creating a business; it goes to the notion of entrepreneurial thinking.” Psychology and integrated marketing communications senior Elaine Farinas said the event was powerful and inspired her career. “I thought it was very insightful— it got me pumped up a lot more,” Farinas said. “I want to be a social entrepreneur, so being able to see those people who have started from the bottom and established themselves as social entrepreneurs in the community is great.” The lecture series was founded in 1996 with funding provided by SDSU alumnus and entrepreneur L. Robert Payne and has featured speakers such as chairman and CEO of Qualcomm Inc. Irwin Jacobs, co-founder and CEO of Costco Jim Sinegal and former chairman and CEO of Jack in the Box Robert J. Nugent.
Starting next fall semester, 11 California State Universities will offer online electrical engineering courses, after an increased passing rate compared to a traditional class. San Diego State, will not be offering the online class for the upcoming fall semester, however. According to U-T San Diego, San Jose State University was the first CSU to offer the “flipped” engineering class. Officials from SJSU say its online Introduction to Circuit Analysis course had a passing rate of 91 percent, while the traditional class had a 59 percent passing rate. Because of the improvement in student performance, the online class will expand to other CSUs. Engineering sophomore Cameron Candalla says the flipped classroom is a good idea, as long as student-teacher interaction is still prominent. “It would encourage students to be proactive in their learning,” Candalla said. “Flipped classes would also save a lot of time because they force you to study your material as you go. According to MIT News, the course was created as collaboration between SJSU and edX, a nonprofit online enterprise founded by Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Los Angeles Times ONLINE continued on page 2
Crime Beat
Staff Writer
San Diego State Counseling & Psychological Services peer educators are inviting actor Bradley Cooper to SDSU to help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. The peer educators created a YouTube video titled “Get BRADLEY COOPER to San Diego State University!” in an effort to call attention to the symptoms and struggles of mentally ill students and invite Cooper to address the issue further. Since the release of his movie, “Silver Linings Playbook,” Cooper has been a key advocate for raising awareness about mental illness. Psychology junior and C&PS peer educator at Aerial Cetnar is featured in the YouTube video and understands the demands of college. Stress and excessive responsabilities are common issues many college students face. “Stress is a common theme in college,” Cetnar said. Almost every student has experienced some of these feelings at some point during their college careers. According to Cetnar, current statis-
Counseling & Psychological Services peer educators created a YouTube video inviting Bradley Cooper to San Diego State.
tics show that around 25 percent of college students have been diagnosed with, or treated for, a mental illness within the past year. She also said nearly 80 percent of college students have felt overwhelmed by assignments and deadlines. According to a recent SDSU study in 2012, more than 37 percent of SDSU students thought they needed help for mental or emotional problems. While an astonishing 17 percent of students
tom gralish /philadelphia inquirer /mct
were diagnosed with depression, even more alarming is that a staggering 7 percent of them had thought about committing suicide. Cetnar said certain factors contributing to student depression and feelings of isolation include anxiety from academics, relationships and living away from home in a new environment with unfamiliar people. COOPER continued on page 2
Man blocks woman from leaving The San Diego State Police Department responded to calls regarding suspicious activity at Alberts’ College Apartments on 55th Street Sunday evening. A woman said a middle-aged man approached her while she was in her vehicle. She said he stood behind her car to block her in and became aggressive when she attempted to leave. According to the report, the man tried to force his phone into her car and take pictures of her as she drove away. The man is described as a Caucasian male in his 50s with short gray and white hair. He has a medium build and is approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall. He was described as wearing a light-colored T-shirt and jeans. Man asks to search backpacks SDSUPD responded to calls regarding a suspicious person at Hepner Hall Monday afternoon.
Reports describe the suspect as a tall, white male, approximately 30 years old with dark hair. He was wearing a black T-shirt with an image of a creature and was carrying a clipboard. The suspect approached several students and asked if he could go through their backpacks and attempted to do so several times, even after students refused. Burglar breaks into car An unknown suspect broke into a vehicle parked in Parking Structure 5 on 55th Street between 5 and 7 p.m. Monday evening. According to reports, the burglar entered the vehicle through a broken lock in the backseat. A wallet containing a debit card, various IDs and $25 were stolen. — Compiled by Staff Writer Michelle Puss
2 | news
Volume 99, issue 110 | Wednesday, may 1, 2013
letter from the editor in chief
letter from the opinion editor
Fellow Aztecs,
San Diego State student body,
As editor-in-chief of your newspaper, I am ultimately responsible for any and all content that flows on our printed copy or streams through our Web pages. Although I do not read every single article we run on a daily basis, I understand that the responsibility of our message rests on my shoulders.
A column my section ran this week has generated an unprecedented amount of feedback. In light of this, it is my responsability to clarify what I believe the intent of this column was. The column focused on how mob mentality, which can develop in any situation when groups of individuals live and work closely together for extended periods of time, can be manipulated by the few to the detriment of all.
I want to take this opportunity to tell you, our valued readers and fellow Aztecs, my writers and editors work to provide the best possible content. This is the profession we chose for ourselves and we are proud of the successes we have achieved this year.
Nazi Germany is the most heinous example of the horrible consequences of widespread mob mentality. Nothing we witness in the U.S. today even comes close to what happened in Europe during that time, and the writer did not claim this was the case. However, that does not mean we should cease being attentive to the potential perils of groupthink around us.
Many students from within the SDSU Greek community and associated with it were offended by the article titled “Mob mentality enables substandard values,” which ran on Monday, April 29. Comments were made regarding mob mentalities in Nazi Germany and how easily mob mentalities can occur in other groups, including fraternities and sororities. Having read the article, I understand how a reader could misunderstand that comparison and draw a more crude reference from the passage. One of the most important aspects of our democracy is freedom of speech. It is the cornerstone of our society and is paramount to meaningful journalism. Although we cannot be held responsible for individual or group reactions to opinion columns or articles published by this paper, I, as well as the rest of my team, hold ourselves responsible for the message delivered to our readers. If we write something that isn’t directly attributed to a source and subsequently leave an article too open for interpretation, we, as a news organization, are solely responsible. We greatly value and respect consistent feedback and always welcome a healthy dialogue with our readers. We strive to embrace criticism in order to produce a newspaper with integrity worthy of this university.
The writer therefore addressed the incident of a young lady attempting to use her position within her sorority to pressure fellow members into attitudes and actions not in accordance with the standards and expectations Greek organizations have for themselves. The column considered how such an incident, which has garnered nationwide attention, could have ever come to pass, and what led the young lady to believe her email was appropriate. As the writer said, Greek organizations present many positive opportunities for their members to grow as individuals, but there is statistical evidence that the actions of Greek members are again, not in keeping with their own standards. This does not mean this situation is developing at SDSU. In fact, we can prevent the likelihood of it happening by having honest conversations about it. I have talked to one member from the Delta Gamma chapter at SDSU regarding this issue and how important dialogue is. Again, just because this isn’t happening here doesn’t mean we shouldn’t acknowledge it. We always strive to have varying perspectives in our opinion pages, and the writer in question attempted to contact the Interfraternity Council but was unsuccessful by deadline.
Most Sincerely Yours,
Greek organizations have a huge impact on college students’ lives, and as national organizations, their reach is unparalleled. Therefore, when one of the organizations makes national news in such a negative way, it’s important to ask why it happened and what can be done to prevent it. In the same way we believe feedback from readers and students outside the newspaper makes us better and holds us accountable, we believe external commentary on Greek life makes everyone better and more accountable.
Antonio Zaragoza Editor in Chief
Leonardo Castaneda Opinion Editor
from ONLINE page 1
reported that the class includes online labs and videotaped lectures. During each virtual class meeting, students take individual and group quizzes to pinpoint areas where students need more help. Engineering freshman Kelly Reid said she thinks it would also save a lot of time. “Then again, you end up having to teach yourself most of the concepts,” Reid said. “So, I would prefer to take a regular class.” SJSU and edX will enlarge their collaboration to include three to five more online courses for the fall. U-T San Diego reported that SDSU will not offer the class because administrators are still weighing the benefits. SDSU Director of Media Relations Greg Block told U-T San Diego, “We are exploring the advantages and disadvantages of these types of courses in our engineering program and we will be watching what (SJSU) does very closely.”
from COOPER page 1
“Mental health issues are a leading impediment to academic success,” Cetnar said. The team of peer educators aims to spread awareness and help students realize they are not alone in the battle because mental illness is more common than they might think. “We want to encourage students to get the help they need at the counseling center on campus,” Cetnar said. “We just want to reduce the stigma so that people struggling are not afraid or ashamed to talk about their mental illness.” The hooded, dark sweatshirts worn by the actors in the video symbolize feelings of isolation many mentally ill students experience every day. But suffering students can find solace if they reach out to others and seek help, as represented when the actors disrobe their hoodies. “While it may be a long shot, the amount of support and views of the video we have gotten have been phenomenal, and the stigma reduction is occurring right now, which is the goal, whether or not (Cooper) comes,” Cetnar said.
2013 STAFF MEMBERS
The Daily Aztec is an independent, student-run newspaper published regularly Monday through Thursday, when classes are in session, and distributed on the campus of San Diego State.
Antonio Zaragoza......................Editor-in-Chief Email: editor@thedailyaztec.com
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ENTERTAIMENT | 3
WEDNESday, MAY 1, 2013 | Volume 99, issue 110
Expansion pack of “Dead Island” is only for fans aztec gaming
Jordan Pollock Staff Writer
“Dead Island” shambled its way into our homes back in September 2011 and left a confusing, yet somehow satisfying mark on all our lives. Players took on the role as one of four survivors immune to a zombie plague which decimated the population on the resort island of Banoi. After a very underwhelming tutorial section, players were treated to an open-world zombie apocalypse paradise. Sounds like the stuff of dreams, right? Well, it was, for about the first 10 hours. After a certain point, the combat felt very repetitive and exploration wasn’t exactly futile. Ultimately, all of that was forgivable because the game delivered exactly what it set out to do and gave gamers a chance to fight zombies in a lush open-world environment (with friends too, if you have them). By any standard, “Dead Island” was a fun game despite all of its flaws—and the fun-factor is always important. This brings me to “Dead Island: Riptide,” the newest game in the “Dead Island” franchise. Sorry, did I say “newest game?” I meant expansion pack. Yes, “Dead Island: Riptide” is not a new game at all and is essentially the original “Dead Island,” but on a new island with new weapons and enemies, as well as a new
Despite impressive visuals, “Dead Island: Riptide” doesn’t have enough new material to make it a worthy addition to the deeply flawed, but fun, original zombie video game.
character. “But wait,” you say to yourself. “This sounds like stuff that would make it a new game, right?” Well in most cases you would be right. Unfortunately, this is not the case for “Riptide.” Usually, in new iterations of games, developers tend to look at what they did wrong in the first game and improve their mistakes in the
next game. Developer Techland looked at what it had created in “Dead Island” and said, “Well, we can’t make this any worse, so let’s not make it any better, either.” Granted, some things in the user interface are cleaner and the new island looks rather stunning. When it comes down to it, though, this is all overshadowed by the
courtesy of techland and deep silver
simple fact that the game doesn’t feel new anymore. After spending more than 50 hours playing the original “Dead Island,” “Riptide” lacks the necessary components to garner renewed interest in the franchise. Frankly, “Riptide” feels like a waste of money. However, if you really enjoyed the original “Dead Island,” then “Riptide” will
give you more of everything you enjoyed while adding just enough to make you not constantly experience deja vu. Make your decision wisely, though, for at a console price of $50 ($40 for PC), this is one zombie-filled tropical vacation you may end up regretting.
HEY! LISTEN!
Preparing for success and
the CPA exam. courtesy of megadeth super collider
It’s like “St. Anger” all over again. Thrash metal legend Megadeth has released the title track from its upcoming album “Super Collider,” and hoo boy, it’s a rough one. It’s no secret singer and guitarist Dave Mustaine has caught some flak for his radical theories regarding President Barack Obama, and now critics can additionally target a really awful single. All political opinions aside, the track sounds like an unfortunate blend of Nickelback and Aerosmith. Megadeth’s trash spirit has been replaced by a holy one, as Mustaine’s recent religious conversion finds its way into the lyrics. Religion in music isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though, when seeking music from the group that brought us thrash classics such as “Killing Is My Business… and Business is Good!” “Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?” and “Rust In Peace ... Polaris,” spirituality isn’t exactly on the mind. This wouldn’t be a noteworthy element if the track was good, which it most definitely is not. Check out the single out now if you need a reminder that bands can fall pretty far (see the aforementioned “St. Anger”) and if you’re a real glutton for punishment, pick up the full ablum out June 4.
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4 | SPORTS
Volume 99, issue 110 | Wednesday, MAY 1, 2013
Aztecs climb back into second place in MWC baseball
Alex Riggins Staff Writer
The San Diego State baseball team climbed back into second place in the Mountain West Conference with a series victory against Fresno State University during the weekend. The Aztecs (22-22, 12-10) are still five games behind the University of New Mexico, which swept University of Nevada, Las Vegas during the weekend. SDSU is one game ahead of UNLV in the MWC standings. On Friday, the Aztecs fell behind the Bulldogs 7-1 before scoring four runs in the bottom of the eighth in-
ning to pull to 7-5. The Aztecs loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth before junior second baseman Tim Zier and senior catcher Jake Romanski each struck out to end the game, as SDSU lost the opener 7-5. The Aztecs evened the series at 1-1 with a 10-8 victory in the Saturday game, which was a back-and-forth battle with big rallies by each team in multiple innings. SDSU scored three runs in the third, then Fresno scored twice in the fourth. The Aztecs scored twice in the fifth and the Bulldogs responded with five runs in the seventh. Finally, SDSU scored four in the seventh to put the game away. On Sunday afternoon, the SDSU
pitching staff combined to shut down the Bulldogs in a 4-2 win as the Aztecs claimed another series victory. Junior starting pitcher Philip Walby threw into the seventh inning, allowing just two runs to earn the win and improve to 2-3 on the year. Freshmen pitchers Tyler Sapp and Bubba Derby and sophomore pitcher Mike RoBards combined to finish the game, allowing just one hit and hitting one batter during the last 2 2/3 innings. Derby earned his ninth save of the season in the victory. SDSU followed the series victory with a rare Monday afternoon game against University of San Francisco. SDSU senior starting pitcher Travis
Pitcher lasted just 2 1/3 innings, giving up three runs in the 8-2 loss. In his first appearance of the season for the Aztecs, freshman pitcher Collin Orellana gave up four runs in less than an inning of work. Player of the week Sophomore first baseman Ryan Muno had a monster week, driving in three runs in each of the first three games. Throughout the last five games, he hit 6 for 19 with four walks, two doubles, four runs scored and nine runs batted in. Mountain West leaders Throughout Sunday’s game, SDSU’s pitching staff allowed just 3.85
earned runs per game, the only team allowing fewer than four earned runs per game. The Aztecs’ defense leads the conference with a .975 fielding percentage. SDSU committed just 44 errors, while Nevada, the next best fielding team, has committed 54. Sophomore center fielder Greg Allen leads the conference in stolen bases with 18 through Sunday’s games. He is the only Aztec to lead in an offensive category. Sophomore starting pitcher Michael Cederoth leads the conference in strikeouts with 85. He also leads the conference with a .207 opposing batting average, while Derby is tied for the conference lead with nine saves.
all photos credited to dustin michelson , senior staff photographer
SPORTS | 5
wednesday, MAY 1, 2013 | Volume 99, issue 110
Aztecs steal two SDSU’s title dreams drown wins from Fresno water polo
Courtney Muller
softball
Browning Stubbs Staff Writer
After losing its last Mountain West Conference series against Boise State University, the San Diego State softball team responded by taking two out of three games against Fresno State. Game 1: SDSU 5, Fresno State 3 What a way for the Aztecs to start the series. SDSU, which is currently in first place in the MW standings, continued its dominance by defeating the Bulldogs 5-3. Junior outfielder Patrice Jackson was 3 for 3 with two home runs. She leads the MW with 15 home runs on the year. Senior pitcher Rebecca Arbino struck out eight batters, but also gave up nine hits. Despite the win, the Aztecs were outhit 9-5 by the Bulldogs. Game 2: SDSU 3, Fresno State 2 Once again, the Aztecs battled for another victory. Things got chippy early on for SDSU, when Bulldog junior infielder Vonnie Martin singled in sophomore outfielder Brenna Moss. The Aztecs responded when second baseman Tiffany Corder hit a sacrifice fly to bring in fresh-
Staff Writer
man shortstop Monica Downey. Senior utility Lorena Bauer, the MW leader in batting average, came up big for the Aztecs after she smacked a ground-rule double to score sophomore outfielder Kayla Jordan and Corder to extend the lead to 3-1. It was Bauer’s 34th double of the season. After Jackson’s unbelievable game the day before, Fresno State walked Jackson three times (two intentional) to avoid any trouble from her. Sophomore pitcher Danielle O’Toole went all seven innings, allowing five hits and one earned run. Even more impressive, O’Toole tied an NCAA record with a three-pitch inning. Game 3: Fresno State 4, SDSU 0 The game remained scoreless until the fifth inning when Bulldogs outfielder Kapri Angotti hit an RBI-single to give Fresno the lead 1-0. Things got even worse for the Aztecs, who committed two errors in the sixth inning, contributing to the three runs scored by the Bulldogs. Jordan contributed to the effort, adding two hits to the Aztecs’ five hits. Arbino took the loss, allowing four runs on eight hits. Seven of the eight hits she allowed were singles. This was the first time since March 9 SDSU was shutout in a game.
Junior outfielder Patrice Jackson leads the Mountain West Conference with 15 home runs this season.
jordan owen , staff photographer
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The San Diego State water polo team had its heart crushed last weekend when it placed fourth in the Big West Conference Tournament. The Aztecs got off to what seemed like a promising start Friday night as they drowned University of California, Santa Barbara 11-2. SDSU advanced to the semi-final game, crossing paths with host team and conference rival UC Irvine on Saturday. To earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Aztecs had to beat the Anteaters and win the final game of the tournament Sunday afternoon. The Anteaters took advantage of playing in their home pool, going up
on the Aztecs 2-1 in the first period of play. The Aztecs looked to senior utility Emily Whalen to convert an outside shot to get within reach of the Anteaters. UCI answered back one minute and 16 seconds later to go up by one as junior attacker Hannah Croghan fired a goal past SDSU freshman goalkeeper Rachel Mitchell. Going into the third period of play, SDSU was down 4-2 and held the Anteaters scoreless until two minutes left to play in the third period. Freshman center McKenna Mitchell scored a crucial goal for UCI, securing the Anteaters’ lead going into the last period of play. Playing in front of a sea of fans in gold and blue, the Aztecs dropped a 7-5 decision to UCI. The Aztecs matched up with a familiar foe Sunday afternoon for the third place game. SDSU faced fourth-
ranked California State University, Long Beach for the third time this season. Entering the third place game, both teams sported fresh wounds from having their NCAA dreams crushed the previous day. The 49ers put salt in SDSU’s fresh cuts as they upset the third-seeded Aztecs with a score of 8-6. Whalen left everything she had in the pool, scoring the final two goals of her Aztec career. Whalen was the only senior to score in the loss against Long Beach. UCI fell to top-seeded University of Hawai’i in the tournament’s championship game. The Rainbow Wahine will represent the Big West Conference in the NCAA Championship Tournament in two weeks at Harvard University. This was the first season the University of Hawai’i competed in the Big West.
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6 | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Volume 99, issue 110 | WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013
letter to the editor
letter to the editor
Sir:
The InterFraternity Council would like to offer this formal response to the article written in today’s Daily Aztec.
I am writing in response to the article posted by Ms. Hopkins on 28 April 2013 entitled “Mob mentality enables substandard values.” I found her style of argument and presentation to be deeply flawed and; therefore, troubling. Her stated facts and statistics are at best questionable and I would strongly urge your readers to visit the North- American Interfraternity Conference website at nicindy.org for balanced, factual information. Experience has proven to me that when one writes, speaks, or acts solely from emotion that no matter the volume of information that can be provided to debate the other side of a situation it will not make any difference. Ms. Hopkins clearly demonstrated such inflammatory emotion and provided a very jaundiced opinion.
Greek Life is founded upon the basic values of service and leadership. We take pride in contributing to the success of organizations outside of our own chapters, and to developing ourselves to better serve others. While we may stray from this path from time to time, the positive work we do—in providing hours for the benefit of the community, fundraising for philanthropic organizations, and in developing leaders—cannot and should not be ignored.
Your newspaper wrongly published a photograph of my Fraternity’s letters and residence and I am compelled to object strongly and provide some basic information regarding my Fraternity. Every organization has a core purpose with a mission. Phi Kappa Theta’s is to actively develop men to be effective leaders who passionately serve society, Fraternity, and God. My organization has gone from a single annual conference to six national leadership conferences. These weekend events strictly focus on servant leadership. Every new member is provided the Associate Member handbook and a copy of The Case for Servant Leadership by Kent M. Keith which is used by our national partner The Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. This servant leadership training of our collegiate men has increased by 300% over the last three years alone. At time of writing, our staff are in the field working with chapters that have requested weekend sessions on spirituality—I underscore that the chapters made this request. All the men and women I know in the Greek Community bear no resemblance to Ms. Hopkins pseudepigrapha. T. Steven Mathieson Clark Phi Kappa Theta Foundation, Treasurer
Today’s article in the Daily Aztec represents the ignorance of one individual, and an inability to see more than what one “journalist” wants. It is very easy to point to our social events and say “all Greeks do is party”, while ignoring the 1,500+ hours of community service, over 50,000+ dollars in charitable contributions, and significant presence in all facets of campus life. The fact that someone could be so insensitive as to liken our Greek Community to the Regime of Nazi Germany (A Greek Community that has 2 Jewish Chapters and 1 Jewish-founded Chapter) speaks to the negligent character of the individual responsible for this article. To imply that there is conformity and a lack of individuals is to again be woefully unaware of the 1,000s of individuals within Greek Life. It is to ignore members of all chapters from different countries, representing different religions, and practicing different lifestyle choices, and to focus only on what this “writer” wants to see. Facts like “allegedly perpetuate 70-90 percent of rape on campus” is an incredibly offensive and inaccurate statement, one which once again ignores the good-that men in the Greek Community actively serve as peer health educators AGAINST such behavior through the FRATMANERS (Fraternity Men Against Negative Environments and Rape Situations) program (a program this article does not acknowledge and was likely written without knowledge of). As Greek students, we strive to provide for the overall success of SDSU. As an IFC, we have adopted the motto “Leadership and Community” to emphasize this point. It is our hope in the Greek Community that such a foolish and ill-informed article is seen for what it is by students: an ignorant individual’s attack on something she does not understand. We ask that the Daily Aztec’s staff realize this mistake, and take necessary action to rectify the situation, beginning first with the removal of such a poor writer. Sincerely, Sean Guardian, IFC President, 2013-2014 PROUD Brother of Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity
This column (referenced above and on page 2) appeared in the The Daily Aztec on Monday, April 29.
Mob mentality enables substandard values
F
or Nazis to participate in the senseless murder of millions of Jews, they needed to conform. It is very unlikely that every individual who acted in the Holocaust was a bloodthirsty sociopath. More likely, they were a part of a larger group, and simply conformed to the mob mentality of hyper-racism encompassing their lives and culture. Fear of rejection by the men in charge led to the creation of millions of citizens with one mind. On a smaller (and relatively less anti-Semitic ) scale, we have collegiate Greek life. For many, moving away from home to earn a degree in a strange new place is frightening. Sororities and fraternities hold the allure of comfort in numbers. Potential new members, or “rushees,” think, “Things can’t be that bad if we’re all in this together, right?” That may be the case for many Greek life mem-
ECON
bers, but probably not for the Delta Gamma sorority at the University of Maryland. Unfortunately, these ladies have not had a semester worthy of snaps from Elle Woods. The sorority was recently paired with a fraternity for a weeklong event known as Greek Week. I am not in a sorority, so I can’t tell you exactly what constitutes such an occasion. From research, I have learned that it involves several parties, sports games and other activities between the two groups. I assume it is meant to be fun. However, according to a colorfully composed email by one of the executive members of the sorority, things weren’t going as planned. The email, which was sent to all the “sisters”, begins with, “If you just opened this like I told you to, tie yourself down to whatever chair you’re sitting in, because this email is going to be a rough f-----g ride.” And a rough ride it was. Apparently, many of the young women were not socially active enough with the young men at the events, thus embarrassing the chapter and risking rejection from future events with fraternities. To emphasize her point, the author
questioned the ladies’ mental health and utilized vulgar language and the classic tactic of all caps. Not to mention the horrible display of improper grammar and punctuation, but that may be beside the point. Despite the impersonal method used to share the message, the real issue is how she saw this as a serious enough reason to get verbally abusive. For this woman to view the matter as worthy of heated mass communication, she must have thought others would respond to her words. She must have believed everyone else would sympathize with her point. And she probably wasn’t wrong. If such a message was considered absurd within the sorority, chances are she wouldn’t have thought it was appropriate to share. Something about their group mentality validated these warped priorities and predicated her response. She is not an anomaly in this group, but merely the regulator of standards these girls agree upon. Belonging to a group can become a way of life. It is said one acquires attributes from the five people he or she spends the most time with. Well, what about the top 100? Greek life
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members often live, breathe, eat, party, sleep and study together. They become a family of young adults during a transitional stage in their lives. To stray away from this adoptive family is scary, so most don’t. Rushees endure the recruitment process to find organizations they are comfortable with and accepted by. To guarantee continued acceptance, members do what they know works and act in ways they know are accepted. Others follow suit, and a group culture becomes normalized. This isn’t necessarily a problem. It only becomes one when the corruption of a few dominates the group mentality. If one group member’s beliefs are widely accepted by other members, it usually isn’t long before they are adopted as standards. To reject the norm is to risk rejection of oneself. It’s this idea that allows a group to deteriorate into a sham of its public intent. It’s the principle behind the rationalization of rape culture within fraternities, and why fraternity men allegedly perpetrate 70 to 90 percent of college gang rapes. It’s why 62 percent of sorority members engage
in binge drinking, compared to 41 percent of non-Greek women. It’s monkey see, monkey do with drastic consequences. Despite negative possibilities, the desire to be a part of a group is not necessarily a bad thing, and it’s arguably an inherent aspect of human life. Groups foster interpersonal communication and conflict resolution skills in addition to lasting friendships. Greek life is sometimes responsible for outlandish incidents, such as the Delta Gamma email. But it also shaped almost all U.S. presidents and 85 percent of Fortune 500 executives into the people they became. Navigating the way the moral compass sways for institutions is dependent on the circumstances. If influential members promote certain values and respect differences of opinion, tolerance will eventually become the norm. It may be difficult to stand up to peers, but it’s necessary to retain some semblance of individuality. — Assistant Opinion Editor Madison Hopkins is a journalism and media studies junior
FEATURES | 7
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2013 | Volume 99, issue 110
Aztecs get cash back from eateries with MOGL food & drink Caitlin Johnson Staff Writer
The campus bells toll as the sun reaches its highest point in the afternoon sky—it’s lunchtime. Your stomach growls as you make your way across the plaza. Heavenly aromas of holy sustenance drift from nearby restaurants as the thought of delectable delights draws you to the counter to order. You slap down your credit card, ready to pay any amount to satiate the sudden, inexplicable craving for a thick slice of tantalizing pizza. The cashier complies with your rampant demands and, after a few torturous minutes of waiting, the warm cheesy goodness finally fills the gaping hole in your soul. Perhaps mealtime isn’t always quite this dramatic, but it can be just as rewarding. If you’ve ever wished to get more from a meal, now is the perfect time to join MOGL and start earning cash back on the restaurants you frequent most. The concept is simple: After signing up for free on the company’s website, diners register their credit or debit cards and start earning cash back. Purchases at MOGL’s affiliated restaurants will earn users a 10 percent rebate on the total bill. The accumulated earnings are tallied at the end of every month, and the reward is automatically loaded back onto the card of choice. “It’s the most no-brainer program out there,” MOGL cofounder Jeff Federman said. “We would encourage everyone to use
jimmy thibault, staff photographer
it.” Using MOGL almost feels like being a member of a secret club for the most elite restaurant-goers. Because credit or debit cards are already registered, there’s no need to remind servers or cashiers about rebates. Just swipe the card and you’re good to go. You could still try to give a discreet wink or go in for a special handshake, but that isn’t necessarily recommended. The concept of the loyalty program began as a collaboration between Federman, MOGL CEO Jon Carder and vice president of engineering Jarrod Cuzens. Federman said after finding success with the establishment of business rating website MojoPages, the trio focused on the idea of working closely with businesses and customers. They considered check-in websites such as Foursquare, and decided more could be done to reward both owners and diners.
“We thought we could take that (idea) a step further,” Federman said. “We figured if we went after (the restaurant) industry, we could really own something and we could do something that’s meaningful.” Since its launch in April 2011, MOGL has established a strong symbiotic relationship with its associated restaurants. In exchange for 15 percent of each transaction, business owners receive enthusiastic exposure and returning customers. The MOGL Jackpot is an additional incentive for patrons to frequent a location multiple times. The Jackpot builds from one percent of sales generated by MOGL members and is awarded to the top three earners at each restaurant every month. MOGL customers aren’t the only ones benefitting from the program. For each bill that costs more than $20, MOGL donates
courtesy of mogl
a meal to Feeding America. The founders are very proud of this partnership and more than 340,000 meals have been provided to those in need. Federman said the meals are given directly to local markets, something he feels resonates with both business owners and customers. “We’re really a part of the Feeding America program,” Federman said. “It’s really important to us.” Federman added the MOGL staff frequently volunteers at Feeding America’s San Diego facility, assisting with packaging and transporting meals. With more than 2,000 restaurants participating across California, MOGL’s future looks bright. The company partnered with Virgin America to become the airline’s first dining rewards partner, allowing consumers to trade cash back earned for flight miles. Federman said a similar
initiative is in the works with Hawaiian Airlines. MOGL officials hope to expand nationwide and continue to provide customers with fantastic incentives. With the right attitude, a cool mascot and plenty of bling to share, it’s easy to see why MOGL has become the fastestgrowing loyalty program on the West Coast. As a special deal for San Diego students, new customers who sign up by May 30 at gosdsu.mogl. com can automoatically receive $10 cash. Existing customers can also earn $10 by inviting a friend to join. Chances are, you’ve already stopped by one of MOGL’s eight SDSU locations, so why not get paid for it? A list of every rewarding restaurant is available online or through the MOGL app. It’s time to put your money where your mouth is and start earning some cash.
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8 | BACKPAGE
Volume 99, issue 110 | WEDNESday, MAY 1, 2013
Certain death by dialogue fiction Max Saucedo Staff Writer
“Laird dies at the end.” “Wait! Why do I have to die at the end?” “Because that’s how I wrote it. There has to be a sacrifice for the story to go on. My readers need to be satisfied with all of the time and effort they spent reading. Audiences these days want specific endings.” “Well, what are my other options? I want to live.” “Are you a vampire?” “No.” “Are you a teenage sex idol?” “Definitely not.” “Are you a spiritual manifestation of a dead character that proves the main character’s insanity?” “I’m not the main character?” “I’ll take that as a no, Laird.” “Wait wait wait! That can’t be my only option.” “All right, Laird, but I really need to finish this story. I have a deadline to meet.” “Can we not use the D-word?” “Let me ask you something, Laird. What do you, as a character, contribute to the plot of this story? How are you influencing the main protagonist? What do I and my readers have to gain from reading about your everyday life at this point in the story?” “I can pay cash.” Sigh. “Now you’re just stalling.” “I’m a funny guy. I’ve been friends with the guy for years.” “Right. You also sold him out to a Chinese triad, you faked having a spasm to avoid going to a budget meeting and now when I ask you to accept your fate, you stall while you—What are you doing?” “Nothing, just uh, on the computer typing out stuff …” “Let me see.” “No. It’s just a final note to my wife and kids before I meet my untimely demise.” “You don’t have a wife or kids,
Laird.” “Not with that attitude. Laird the minor character can have kids, too. And a lovely wife named Tina. See, there’s more story to develop here, pages and pages of good stuff! Your readers deserve to know the real Laird … uh Cole.” “You’re on Wikipedia, aren’t you?” “Having a little technical difficulty trying to find myself.” Sigh. “I didn’t write you a last name, Laird. Does that strike you as odd? It means I didn’t foresee you going past this point in the story. Your friend, on the other hand, is going on to bigger and better things, hopefully.” “See! I like sequel talk. I could be like Gandalf, you know? Pretend to kill me off in the first story and then bring me back in the follow up. George Martin, look out.” “George Martin didn’t write ‘Lord of the Rings,’ Laird. He wrote ‘Game of Thrones.’ You’re only proving my point that you don’t add anything because you don’t actually know anything. A character without some type of insider knowledge can be important in some cases to the advancement of the plot. Think about it. Haley Osment saw dead people when he talked to Bruce Willis in ‘The Sixth Sense,’ right? That was insider knowledge. Samuel L. Jackson knew what to do when he took those hostages in ‘The Negotiator.’ Do you know what I mean, Laird?” “If I kill Jackson and Osment or steal Martin’s next novel, I can live.” “No, Laird. That’s not what I meant at all.” “Wait, I have insider information! I have it right here in my pocket.” “You’re wearing sweats, Laird. And a T-shirt. You don’t have any pockets. You’re just drawing this out.” “I have so much to offer. I can double-cross people. I can be the strong, silent type. In fact, I’ve been
going to the gym recently.” “You only went to the gym so you could check out the women. I wrote that in.” “But this isn’t fair!” “Life is not fair, Laird. Life is a cruel miser, constantly counting how much it has on you, as well as how much time you’ve got left. It cannot be bargained with and it can’t be bought. All you can do is roll the dice and hope you don’t come up with snake eyes.” “Why did you create me if you were going to kill me anyway? What’s the point of living? To be your slave? I did all those things because you told me to! I betrayed my best friend, I faked a seizure, all because you wanted me to. I never complained and I never questioned your judgment. So, why now do I have to die?” “It’s difficult.” “I think I deserve a straight answer if you’re going to kill me off.” “Laird, someone has to die. If you can just take ownership of it, then this all goes by a little faster.” “If I wanted to die, I would have owned it by now. It’s being forced upon me. So why should I make your life any easier? Why should you get off lightly while I push up daisies, huh?” “I … never thought of it that way, Laird.” “Yeah, I bet you didn’t. But you thought enough to write me in with a conscience. Because deep down, I want redemption for all the things I’ve done. At least you succeeded in that much. But get something straight: If I die, I own that, but you need to own up to the decisions you make, like deciding what’s wrong and what’s right.” “I—I didn’t … It’s been a pleasure, Laird.” “You’re welcome. Now, if you’ll be so kind?” Laird dies.
LOOKING THROUGH OUR LENS
HOROSCOPE
by Nancy Black, Tribune Media Services
Today’s Birthday (5/1/13) - Take advantage of a lucky financial cycle and save. After summer, the pace quickens with home and community activities. Resolve old issues and partnerships blossom, including new ones. Enjoy alone time, exercise and hobbies. Participate with inspiring colleagues. What you learn now serves for a long time. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21 - April 19) - Today is an 8 - Mercury enters Taurus, and for about two weeks, get practical and profitable. Avoid snap judgments and assumptions; all isn’t as it appears. Postpone meetings for a few days to formulate the message and plan. Taurus (April 20 - May 20) - Today is a 9 - Don’t bother to argue. Stay respectful. Postpone travel for a few days. You’re even more practical for the next few weeks, although prioritizing a big opportunity over mundane chores makes sense. Spread enthusiasm. Gemini (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 9 - Hold your horses and study the situation. Stick to your budget. Check the exact wording. Clear up old messes these next few weeks. Assert leadership, and don’t get rattled by disagreement. It brings freedom. Cancer (June 22 - July 22) - Today is an 8 - You work effectively with groups. Accept a challenge. Financial planning scores today and tomorrow. Upgrade equipment without spending a lot; get creative and barter, or join forces to get funding. Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 9 - Take on more responsibility. Don’t get intimidated. Praise everyone’s results; favor negotiations and compromise. Go slowly to avoid mistakes. Talk about love more than money.
Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is a 9 - Reschedule a meeting so you can be home with the kids. Improve your living conditions. Change doesn’t happen all at once. The details are important, so get involved. Double-check data, and stay cool. Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is an 8 - Stay objective about a hot topic and avoid gossip. Lay low, get into your work, and make an amazing discovery, which can remain private. You have great emotional support. Call the bank. Discard junk. Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is a 7 - Listen carefully. Stay out of someone else’s argument, but remember who says what. Enforce household rules. Settle up. There’s an unexpected bonus. Haste makes waste. Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is an 8 - Work requires more of your attention. Accept constructive criticism; if you can’t be nice, be quiet. There’s a good suggestion in there somewhere. Keep harmony alive, and it could even get romantic. Add flowers. Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a 9 - Consider an interesting suggestion. Costs are higher than expected, and tempers short. You’re entering a two-day business phase. Play that ace you’ve been holding. For two weeks, it’s easier to express your love. Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is an 8 - Keep faith and ask questions later. Travel is complicated; adjust your schedule. Decide what role to play. Take leadership. Resolve a family issue. It’s easy at home. Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 9 Get obsessed with details, and minimize risks. Finish work privately today and tomorrow. Concentration is easier, so advance in your studies. There’s more money flowing. Stay patient. Smell the blossoms. ©2013, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.
SUDOKU
by The Mepham Group, Tribune Media Services
Difficulty Level: 3 out of 4 Instructions: Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com ©2013, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.
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Across 1 Aveeno’s parent co. 6 Hebrides native 10 Madcap 14 Olds’s last compact 15 Biblical prophet 16 “En garde” weapon 17 Louis of MGM 18 Taps 20 *General outline components 22 Actor Aykroyd 23 SFO hrs. 24 They may grade univ. papers 27 __-di-dah 30 Shell-shocked 33 Ad time 35 Steamed 37 *16th/17th-century dramatic nickname 39 Scrawny sort 41 First person in France? 42 “Shrek” ogress 43 *2009-’10 Lady Gaga hit 46 Distance measures 47 2003 self-titled folk album 48 Lawless TV role 50 Dr. with Grammys 51 Composer Rorem 52 Windy City rail and bus org. 54 “Community” network 56 Cruise ship game ... or how to start each of the answers to starred clues? 62 Go motoring 65 Studio sign 66 Operating system developed at Bell Labs 67 Sandusky’s lake 68 Short and probably not sweet 69 Like the Nissan Cube 70 Swabbing site 71 Pounded the keyboard Down 1 Door part 2 Banned orchard spray 3 “Miss Independent” R&B singer 4 Can’t contemplate 5 “Michael, Row the Boat Ashore” river
by Rich Norris & Joyce Lewis, Tribune Media Services
Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com 6 Schism group 7 Peter or Paul, but not Mary 8 Ship’s lowest 70-Across 9 Consults 10 Son of Cronus and Rhea 11 “Angry Birds,” e.g. 12 New beginning? 13 Japanese dough 19 Hit the road 21 Intentionally fail to invite 24 Recorded, nowadays 25 Sorry sort 26 Obama left it in November, 2008 27 Capital WSW of Madrid 28 Game sanctuary? 29 Kept together, as sheep 31 Doll’s cry 32 Place with a cheer named for it 34 Inexperienced one
36 Zip 38 Yahtzee need 40 “Tricked you!” 44 Turned from green to red, perhaps 45 Kin of -trix 49 Costello’s partner 53 Blazing 55 Brooklyn’s __ Island 56 Quite the fox 57 Abbr. in a bank ad 58 Onionlike veggie 59 “To serve, not to be served” group 60 Ascent 61 Stowe antislavery novel 62 Place to unwind 63 Year in Madrid 64 Puffed cereal with a Berry Berry variety