9-11-2019

Wednesday, Sept. 11 - Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019 Weekly Print Edition

Vol. 106, Issue 5 www.thedailyaztec.com

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

Aztecs defeat UCLA in historic win

by Aaron Tolentino SPORTS EDITOR

San Diego State football’s first drive started with a 3-yard run by sophomore running back Jordan Byrd, a sack on senior quarterback Ryan Agnew and a 2-yard run by Byrd to quietly end in a Brandon Heicklen punt.

“Oh no, here we go again.”

That thought could’ve been running through Aztec fans’ heads, considering the “ugly” – as head coach Rocky Long said – offensive performance it put up in last week’s 6-0 win over Weber State, when the Scarlet and Black put up 108 passing and 130 rushing yards.

Saturday was a different story.

The Aztecs – thanks to a much-improved passing game – pulled away with a 23-14 victory against UCLA at the Rose Bowl, marking the first win against the Bruins in SDSU history.

Head coach Rocky Long said the win is a historic feat for Aztec football.

“If it had been two or three times, it would have been something not unusual,” Long said. “Since it was the 23rd meeting and to finally win one, that kind of makes it a special day.”

SDSU’s offense finally came alive after eight straight quarters without scoring a touchdown (dating back to the 27-0 loss to Ohio in last year’s Frisco Bowl).

After the struggles on offense last week, Agnew said he came into the UCLA matchup with a positive attitude.

“This week I went in with

Three frats placed on interim suspension

by Kaitlyn Little NEWS EDITOR

pressure of being in the Rose Bowl and playing in front of his hometown crowd get to him.

“That’s what stopped me last year,” he said. “I let this moment get to me a little bit too much.”

Another Los Angeles native, senior linebacker Kyahva Tezino, also did not let the big stage get the best of him – despite expecting between 60 and 70 of his family members and friends to watch him play.

“It’s really good to have all my family and friends, high

Sigma Phi Epsilon, Delta Upsilon and Phi Kappa Psi were placed on interim suspension in late August for alcoholrelated incidents.

All three suspensions were issued during the first week of school, Director of Student Life & Leadership Caryl Montero-Adams said in an email response. Sigma Phi Epsilon and Delta Upsilon were placed on interim suspension on Tuesday, Aug. 27 and Phi Kappa Psi was disciplined on Thursday, Aug. 29.

The incidents are alleged to have happened at social events that resulted in students needing to be transported to the hospital. Montero-Adams said the interim suspensions are a result of alcohol-related events.

Limited details were released because all three cases are currently under investigation, but the issues are currently being addressed within the organizations. None of the fraternities were immediately available for comment.

Sigma Phi Epsilon was placed on interim suspension less than a year ago during the Fall 2018 term after an incident on Halloween that put a student at

SEE UCLA RECAP PAGE 6

SEE FRATS, PAGE 2

Photo by Kareem Jones

Senior linebacker Kyahva Tezino celebrates a tackle for loss during the Aztecs’ 23-14 victory over UCLA on Sept. 7 at the Rose Bowl.

the message that I’m in the best situation possible,” Agnew said.

“I get to play football for San Diego State, a Division I school, a top-notch program. I was like, ‘You know what, I’m going to enjoy this and have the best performance of my life.’”

He might have done exactly that.

Agnew threw for 294 yards, completed 23 passes and 74% (23-for-31) of his passes.

All those are new career highs for the Texas native.

The 294 yards were the most by an Aztec quarterback since Quinn Kaehler threw for 326 yards against Air Force in 2014.

Thirty-four of the yards came on a touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Kobe Smith, who had a big role in Agnew’s success: seven catches, 131 yards and a touchdown.

Smith said this was a comingout party for him considering he previously had 10 career catches for 121 yards.

“I feel like this is a breakout game,” he said. “This was a game I needed to have. I was very well-prepared and prepare the same way next week and hope to continue to have games like this.”

The Compton native added he wasn’t going to let the

SDSU apartment complex hit with seven car burglaries

by Daniel Guerrero STAFF WRITER

New security measures are being taken at the M@College student apartments near San Diego State after seven vehicles were burglarized on Aug. 11.

In response to the multiple vehicle burglaries, a communitywide email was sent to residents of the complex by Community Manager Sarah Harris. She said the suspected burglar gained access into the parking structure after a door was propped open.

“After much research into the incidents that occurred early this morning, which involved vehicle break ins, it was discovered that the man who did this was able to gain access through a propped door,” Harris said in the email.

Harris advised residents to be more vigilant around the apartment complex in an effort to prevent

similar incidents from occurring in the future.

“Although M@College has cameras and other deterrents, there have been a few vehicles that were broken into,” she said. “We are working closely with police on this issue and we encourage everyone to take extra precautions.”

Some precautions Harris stated in the email include immediate activation of security fobs that allows people to scan into buildings to access and to use the elevators.

“We are going to activate the elevator fobs that were just installed immediately,” Harris said. “This will require you to have your fob scanned to select a floor. If you do not use your fob, you will not be able to move the elevator.”

Biology junior Russell Bik has lived in the complex for two years.

He was among the residents whose vehicles were burglarized.

Bik said his vehicle was broken into by shattering passenger side

window. His RayBan glasses stolen and the incident amounted to $400 in damages, despite his personal items not being visible from outside his vehicle.

“I was very surprised to hear my car was robbed considering nothing was showing,” Bik said. “I had some belongings in the trunk that weren’t visible from the outside, but the thief just wanted the sunglasses or just didn’t bother to look in the rest of my car.”

The burglaries occurred between 8:44 a.m. and 2:22 p.m. on Aug. 11, according to the SDSU Police Department bulletin. Bik said the communication from property was rapid and resourceful. “(Property management) has been very helpful with the whole situation,” Bik said. “I woke up the morning after the break-in with a call from the M@College staff telling me what had happened and that there was also a police officer present downstairs wanting to ask

Photo by Alexa Oslowski

New security measures are being taken by residents of M@College student apartments.

some questions.”

Bik said an email was later sent to the residents with a photo of the suspect.

The new additions to security measures, like the newly activated elevator fobs, have been welcomed

by Bik. The changes have been seen as an improvement compared to his first year living at the apartments.

“I’m glad they’re starting to add

more (security measures) because there was barely any security prevention last year when it was first built,” Bik said. “But overall, I feel safe in my apartment.”

Anyone with information on the suspect is encouraged to contact university police at (619) 594-1991.

M@College Community Manager Sarah Harris declined to comment for this story.

2

News

The Daily Aztec

Frats:

continued from page 1 risk.

Montero-Adams said Sigma Phi Epsilon was found to be in violation of university policy after the ensuing investigation and was suspended until December 2019.

In March 2018, the Interfraternity Council placed a social moratorium, or party ban, on all of its chapters. The goal was to force fraternities to reflect on their behavior in light of the removal of Greek life altogether on other college campuses.

As part of the social moratorium, events oriented around topics such as toxic masculinity, alcohol and drugs, hazing prevention and being a good neighbor were implemented to deal with the issues associated with fraternities on campus. The ban was lifted in October 2018.

Sept. 11 - 17, 2019 EDITOR: Kaitlyn Little • news@thedailyaztec.com

ENS field gets turf, LED lighting

by Michael Cline ASST. NEWS EDITOR

San Diego State recently completed a multi-million dollar renovation to the ENS field, which will increase recreational opportunities for students.

The renovations at ENS 700, completed just in time for the fall semester, added “unique, modern LED sports lighting” to enable activities after the sun sets and replaced the old natural grass surface with new turf, according to the Aztec Recreation website.

The project’s total cost was $5 million.

Plans were reviewed by the Recreation and Wellness Commission in the spring of 2019, with renovations beginning over summer, A.S. Vice President of University Affairs George Scott said.

Scott said the renovations to the field

prioritized student health and sustainability.

“One of A.S.’s values is sustainability, so all major AS projects are built to be sustainable,” he said.

The LED lighting was specifically placed to reduce both “light spill and power consumption,” and by replacing the old natural grass, the turf will provide “lowered field temperatures and maximize shock reduction for participants,” according to Aztec Recreation.

In addition to the LED lighting, the new turf technology will expand recreation times for students. “(The project) will allow for around 1,000 additional hours of usage per year because of the new turf,” Scott said.

The renovated field has been marked for soccer, flag football and lacrosse. ENS 700 previously had a softball cage and infield, but Scott said the existing fence in the southwest corner of the field would still

support softball play.

While ENS 700 will host intramural sports and other campus events, students can utilize the field for personal use throughout the day.

Expanding recreation time and space remains a priority for SDSU. The university will soon begin construction to expand the Aztec Recreation Center, with the first phase set to begin this semester and full expansion slated for completion by fall 2021. The ENS 700 renovations and ARC expansion are part of the university’s efforts to provide additional recreation space for SDSU students.

“For institutions of 20,000 (or more) students, the industry guidelines are to have .9 acres of rec space for every 1,000 students,” Scott said. “SDSU has .2 acres per thousand, so expanding recreation opportunities for students is very important.”

Admission of out-of-state, international students increases

by Aretha Matsushima STAFF WRITER

In recent years, data shows San Diego State has increased the admission rates of out-of-state and international freshmen students, a trend dating back to fall 2012.

According to an article by USA TODAY, data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System revealed the enrollment of in-state freshmen students declined by 11.4% between fall 2012 to fall 2017.

The University of California system also faces this issue with a 20% increase in out-of-state students. As a result, a cap was established for the amount of non-California resident admissions at 18%, according to USA TODAY. Senior Director of Enrollment Services Sandra Temores-Valdez said in recent years there has been an increase in the number of applications received by nonresident students for various reasons.

“Given the institution’s reputation as a national leader, there has been an increase in the number of students from (out-of-state) choosing to attend SDSU,” Temores-Valdez said. “In addition, San Diego State University has developed relationships with various targeted states to continue in enhancing the diversity of our incoming class.”

Data from SDSU’s Analytic Studies and Institutional Research webpage shows 644 out-of-state and international freshmen students were admitted in fall 2012 out of an overall total of 4,985 freshmen. In fall 2017, the amount of non-California residents admitted increased to 1,465 out of 6,209 freshmen. The data shows the amount of

San Diego State has increased the admission rates of out-of-state and international freshmen students.

out-of-state and international freshmen had increased from fall 2012 to fall 2017 about 10.7%.

To accommodate the increasing number of out-of-state freshmen, the university has started to tailor some campus resources specifically to this population’s needs, Temores-Valdez added. “(Out-of-state) students are able to connect with outstanding faculty, handson learning experiences, high-impact practices and many other networking and internship opportunities,” TemoresValdez said.

Athletic training and kinesiology

File photo

sophomore Alondra Magallon said she believes money is a big factor in the increase of the amount of freshman outof-state and international students being admitted.

“I feel like the main reason they bring in more out-of-state and international students is because they bring in more money, since they have higher tuition costs,” Magallon said.

With enrollment management goals each year, a target for the amount of out-of-state students is established, Temores-Valdez said.

“This past year, the incoming (outof-state) group will be around 900

freshman students,” Temores-Valdez said. “For international, the incoming group will be a little under 200 freshman students. Final data will not be available until after census.”

Temores-Valdez said the target for the amount of out-of-state student admissions is determined annually around September or October and that this number varies from year to year.

“As far as our non-resident target, it’s basically based on a consultation with faculty, administrators and various academic personnel,” Temores-Valdez said. “Last year, the target was about 1,000 students and for this upcoming this year, it will probably be about 1,100 students.”

California resident targets are determined differently, usually based on funding that is allocated for enrollment growth, Temores-Valdez said.

“Normally, for our California residents, it would be based on state funding,” Temores-Valdez said. “We are given an enrollment funding allocation by the chancellor’s office that we use to determine how many new students we can bring as far as residents.”

Public health sophomore Hailey Zhu said a cap should be established for the number of out-of-state and international students the UC and CSU systems accept, out of fairness for California state residents.

“I’m glad that they’re giving outof-state and international students a chance, but I feel like they should cap it at a certain percentage such as maybe 20 to 25%, mainly because the UC and CSU systems were originally created to give opportunities to students from California,” Zhu said.

New virutal parking permit system depends on license plate readers

by Brenden Tuccinardi ENGAGEMENT EDITOR

In early August, San Diego State fully transitioned to a virtual parking permit system, eliminating the need for the sticker permits many students had become accustomed to using over the years.

The change was prompted by a desire to prioritize sustainability, improve the user’s experience and eliminate the administrative costs associated with

obtaining and mailing the decals used in the past, SDSU Parking & Transportation Services Director Deborah Richeson said in an email.

But SDSU is not the first university to do this, and the removal of physical decals could be considered part of a larger trend.

The use of virtual parking permits is becoming the new normal across other California State University campuses, SEE LICENSE PLATE READERS, PAGE 3

File photo

San Diego State’s new policy on physical permits will be enforced by license plate readers.

Sept. 11 - 17, 2019 EDITOR: Kaitlyn Little • news@thedailyaztec.com

License Plate Readers:

continued from page 2 including CSU San Marcos, CSU Long Beach, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and San Francisco State University — all of which currently use virtual parking passes or are in the process of switching to them.

However, the implementation of the new system at SDSU has raised concerns among students, faculty and staff, many of whom are still unaware how the parking rules will be enforced without physical permits.

“I feel like I’m forgetting something

News every time I park without the sticker on my windshield,” accounting junior Alexander Stanescu said. “I know I won’t get a citation because I have a permit, but it still feels weird.”

The new virtual permits will be enforced by parking officers driving two trucks equipped with license plate readers, according to Richeson. The trucks drive up and down the aisles of SDSU’s parking structures and lots, verifying each parked vehicle has a valid permit.

“Software will inform the parking officer if one of the vehicles just scanned does not have any permit associated to it,” Richeson said. “This works for permits purchased in the portal, the pay stations and PayByPhone.”

Each parking officer is also equipped with an “enforcement device,” with which they can manually enter a license plate number to verify the vehicle has a current permit.

However, not all permits use the new virtual system.

Many faculty and staff permits will continue to require a physical tag — due to ongoing union negotiations — while others will rely on the virtual system, Richeson said. This has been a cause for concern among faculty and staff that fear students, who don’t believe they will get caught, will park in non-student spots.

In addition, some campus departments still issue physical guest permits.

Nevertheless, the parking officer can verify the validity of both physical and

The Daily Aztec

3

virtual permits using their enforcement devices.

The transition to the virtual permit system is one of many changes Parking & Transportation Services has made over the past several months.

In April, the university announced a new policy barring freshmen from bringing cars to campus, and on Aug. 19 the university announced a sweeping ban on electric scooters, bikes and skateboards. Both announcements were met with criticism. However, the rollout of the virtual permit system went smoothly, Richeson said.

“The roll-out of virtual in the parking portal delivered the results we anticipated and showed us all the nuances we need to fine-tune going forward,” Richeson said.

Gilman Scholarship gives students ability to study abroad

by Katelynn CONTRIBUTOR

Robinson

Seven San Diego State students were awarded the Gilman International Scholarship, enabling them to pursue their ambitions of studying abroad during the 2019-20 academic year.

SDSU students Andrea Michelle Flores, Tasha Irianto, Alondra Moreno, Perla Echeverria, Martha Cortez, Richard Amaechi and Kris Ashley Gallardo are currently studying abroad with the support of the Gilman International Scholarship.

The scholarship is dedicated to helping students who qualify for financial aid, specifically recipients of the Pell Grant. “It is a heavy weight national scholarship in the United States because it is so widely targeted across the country,” Study Abroad Administrator and Campus Gilman Scholarship Coordinator Ryan McLemore said.

The Gilman Program specifically focuses on students who intend to travel to underrepresented countries and study critical-need languages in order to promote national security in the United States, encourage economic competitiveness and spread cultural awareness.

The program’s website shows 47% of Gilman Scholars are first generation students. Of these students, 44% study in Europe, 26% in Asia, 14% in Latin America and 4% in Africa.

McLemore said this is a beneficial opportunity that heavily impacts students.

“This is a valuable opportunity that will differentiate them from the wider student body, so when they graduate they’re able to point to one experience that really gave them additional skills, experiences, cross-cultural knowledge, cross-cultural communication

and abilities that are going to assist them in the marketplace, in their profession and in their academic endeavors,” McLemore said.

The Gilman scholarship has already eased the financial burden of studying abroad for some SDSU students.

One previous Gilman awardee, psychology graduate student Maria A. Acevedo said she didn’t know how she would be able to afford her study abroad internship in Spain after being rejected from several scholarships.

When Acevedo received notice of her Gilman Scholarship award, she alerted her family immediately through her family group chat. Acedvedo said her mother was incredibly overjoyed for her accomplishment.

“It was really really empowering in a way like I felt really grateful about just getting the scholarship and emotional as well,” Acedevo said.

Spanish fifth-year and previous Gilman scholarship awardee David Melendrez said he had to leave the room when he found out he received the scholarship.

“I read the email maybe ten times,” Melendrez said. “The first thing I did was called my parents.”

During his presentation at the Gilman Scholarship informational meeting, Melendrez said his experience studying in Mexico was life changing even though he was forced to step outside his comfort zone.

The Gilman Program has been dedicated to spreading awareness about studying abroad and providing financial benefits to those interested in exploring the world since 2001. SDSU is currently ranked fifth in the nation for its study abroad programs, according to the Institute of International Education.

“Whether it is a short program or a longer

FIle photo

Seven SDSU students were awarded the Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad.

program, there is the support here in the financial aid office and I think that’s a big reason why San Diego State is such a leader in international programs and in Study Abroad, number five now in the country in the number of students who have sought out,” McLemore said.

McLemore encourages students interested in applying for the Gilman International Scholarship to take action now and begin their journey to study abroad. Applications are open for students who are hoping to study abroad between December 2019 and October 2020.

Opinion It’s time to rethink what progress looks like 4

Sept. 11 - 17, 2019 EDITOR: Catherine Van Weele • opinion@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

by Charlie Vargas STAFF WRITER

Too often the idea of progress is equated to linearity. As a result, statements like, “It is 2019. How is it that we are still (fill in the blank)?” become frequent occurrences.

Comments like these diminish the acknowledgment and the effort it takes for humanity to become, learn and grow.

Alternatively, we should view progress as a fluid cycle and not something fixed.

Progress is not merely a checklist, a finish line or an accomplishment that we disregard after hanging it up on our fridge. It is an ongoing effort that requires hard work to uplift and sustain. When progress is not persistent, it becomes digressive and puts us through a revolving door.

Something we must also remember when reframing progress is to process our mistakes. Without this, we cannot move forward.

Race in America is a prime example of this, as it is one of many issues in our nation that was never handled thoroughly.

The “end” of racism in the U.S. was first associated with the end of slavery. Fast forward almost 100 years later to the success of the civil rights movement, and it was once again “ending” racism.

Then let us look back only 11 years to the election of the first black president Barack Obama.

His election was also associated with the pivotal moment that racism was, indeed, over.

Although these steps were significant, they are not a finish line for the end of racism.

History shows that in these three examples, racist actions became more emboldened.

In 1865 after slaves were freed, the Klu Klux Klan was established and it again became prominent in terrorizing black communities and activists

can change. We can start by listening and doing the work internally, and recognizing where we can grow individually and as a society.

When we find ourselves in a state of reoccurrence, it is essential to stop and reflect on why we are there again. This reflection can be challenging to accept, and with the need for constant effort, it may be offputting, but we must persist.

Part of the problem is that we

“To change the preconveived notions of progress, we must begin with ourselves while acknowledging the impact of a consistent effort.” during the civil rights era in the ‘60s. During the election of Obama – the supposed last step to ending racism – resulted in a racist backlash by the Tea Party, which paved the way for Donald Trump’s base.

The many people who believed racism was over dismissed those who raised the issue of its existence. It also shows that if we are not having these conversations and fighting these issues head-on, they will only persist. If not today, then tomorrow. In the future this

often throw in the towel once we feel good about the result.

Although the accomplishment may feel good, the chances are that when we slip back into a state of digression, it will unleash a feeling of despair within ourselves and perhaps those around us. These feelings may derive from a misunderstanding of what led to that moment.

To change the preconceived notions of progress, we must begin with ourselves while acknowledging the impact of a consistent effort. It is crucial

to remember this on the days where we feel we cannot put our foot forward because we feel drained, and while it’s okay to feel that way, we must persist for change to occur.

We should also beware of control disguised as progress.

The progress that seeks to install a dynamic of power that rules instead of coexisting with the established is not progress — it is a reassurance of those in power to dominate. Progress in the form of a bulldozer that deforests, colonizes and destroys is not progression. It is a process that throughout history has erased whole societies and removed coexistence. Progress would be to learn from each other and work toward a shared vision of a greater society.

Progress stimulates society when individuals come forward collectively to inspire change.

If we individually applied that same energy inward – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually – we would be radically transforming society one person at a time.

Our skills, ideas, social norms, discourse and politics would all grow with a culture that is regularly advancing.

It is time for everyone that has not been putting in the long-overdue work to start, and above all else, keep going.

Charlie Vargas is a senior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @CharlieVargas19.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Bella Ross MANAGING EDITOR Dana Tsuri-Etzioni NEWS EDITOR Kaitlyn Little ASST. NEWS EDITOR Michael Cline OPINION EDITOR Catherine Van Weele MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Alejandra Luna ASST. MUNDO AZTECA EDITOR Diane Lopez ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Ceighlee Fennel SPORTS EDITOR Aaron Tolentino ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Kyle Betz ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Brenden Tuccinardi PHOTO EDITOR Alexa Oslowski MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Amal Younis ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Jack Molmud GRAPHIC DESIGNER Emily Burgess

STAFF WRITERS Daniel Farr Daniel Guerrero Breven Honda Aretha Matsushima Charlie Vargas CONTRIBUTORS Peyton Antil Katelynn Robinson ________________________________ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Evan Baumbach

Trump’s gag rule is unethical and should be overturned

SALES MANAGER Bryan Diamond ________________________________ GENERAL MANAGER/ADVISER Jay Harn

by Catherine OPINON EDITOR

Van Weele

Earlier this year, the Trump administration made changes to Title X, prohibiting medical clinics from referring patients to abortion services. Health care centers that are part of Title X are additionally required to be financially and physically separate from any clinic that refers or provides abortion services.

It’s a move that has been criticized by many within the medical community and reproductive rights activists.

It is becoming known as the domestic gag rule.

The actions of the current administration undermine the ruling made by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade in 1973 which affirmed women are able to have abortions under the constitutional right to privacy.

Inhibiting access to information on abortion and abortion services threatens a woman’s right to choose.

Even if a woman were to inquire about abortion, clinics are forbidden from telling her where to find abortion services which makes it an issue of free speech as well. It is unconstitutional for the federal government to regulate what can and cannot be said, and it should be especially concerning when the speech limitations are

pertaining to an individual’s health and well-being.

This infringes on the doctorpatient relationship. It is difficult to build trust when your doctor does not share relevant information and fails to discuss all your medical options.

Women deserve complete transparency when it comes to any matter relating to reproductive health.

Some health care centers have

“... it should be especially concerncing when the speech limitations are pertaining to an individual’s health and well-being.” boldly decided to withdraw from Title X so they won’t have to comply with this gag rule.

Doing so allows them to refer and offer abortion services, however, they will no longer receive federal funds through Title X. Most notable among these providers is Planned Parenthood — which received the majority of Title X funds — will lose $60 million in federal funds from

opting out of the program just a few weeks ago. While it was already illegal to use federal money to provide abortion services, this loss of funding will take from other vital services including pregnancy care, contraceptive care, STD testing and cancer screenings.

Planned Parenthood provides family planning health services to over 40% of Title X patients, many of whom come from lowincome households or live in rural areas where these types of medical services are less accessible.

The extent to which Planned Parenthood will be impacted will depend on a state-by-state basis.

While Planned Parenthood intends on continuing all of its services, patients should expect longer wait times to secure an appointment. This could be detrimental when it comes to matters that require immediate attention.

The gag rule is set to be reviewed by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at the end of this month.

The courts will have to reflect upon the abortion debate.

Although that matter has already been settled in Roe v. Wade and should remain upheld, this is not just a pro-choice versus pro-life matter. The issue of free speech being threatened should be deliberated with vigilance.

Additionally, the ramifications of limited family planning

services and health care access must be taken into account.

Allowing for this gag rule to

“It is imperative that reproductive health care is accessible to all women regardless of their financial situation or where they live.” continue to go into effect would be a devastating blow for women across the nation. It is a restraint on safe abortions and other essential reproductive health care services that otherwise would not be available for millions of people across the nation.

It is imperative that reproductive health care is accessible to all women regardless of their financial situation or where they live.

Women deserve to be provided with a health care system that fully informs and looks after the best interest of the patient.

Catherine Van Weele is a sophomore studying political science and economics. Follow her on Twitter @catiemei_.

GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST Luis Valenzuela ________________________________

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Sept. 11 - 17, 2019 EDITOR: Catherine Van Weele • opinion@thedailyaztec.com

Opinion

The Daily Aztec

5

Wealth inequality must be addressed

by Catherine OPINON EDITOR

Van Weele

America is no stranger to wealth disparity. In recent years, the gap between the rich and the poor has escalated to levels similar to those seen before the Great Depression. Wealth is increasingly being concentrated into the hands of a few. In 2016, the top 1% owned nearly 40% of wealth, while the bottom 90% owned just 21%.

Consolidated wealth tends to gets sat on, serving to produce even more wealth rather than recycling it back into the economy. Although GDP is still increasing, the wealthiest Americans are reaping most of the benefits while lower- and middle-class citizens continue to struggle.

It’s the result of many contributing factors including stagnating wages, declining union power, advancements in technology, outsourcing labor, globalization and the tax code, all with an emphasis on satisfying shareholders.

Extreme wealth inequality hurts everyone, even the rich.

When wages rise at a rate lower than the rate of inflation, the purchasing power of the consumer diminishes. This leads to fewer goods and services being bought which harms businesses.

But most importantly, it gives the wealthy power over policy decisions by paying off

politicians through lobbying.

This is damaging to democracy.

The response to wealth inequality could result in economic turmoil possibly due to an economic crash or a political uprising.

We can already see the growing frustration with the droves of voters from the working class that elected President Donald Trump who promised job creation and protection from “thieving” immigrants. On the left, there is a strong demand for socialist government programs including universal healthcare and affordable higher education.

Throughout the country there seems to a consensus that America’s growing GDP doesn’t fully reflect the full picture of its economic conditions, yet there is no agreement as to how to improve economic prospects for all Americans.

Addressing this issue is at the forefront of the 2020 presidential election and candidates have shared an array of potential solutions.

Most candidates support raising the minimum wage to $15 and reversing President Trump’s tax reforms, but some candidates have more aggressive proposals.

Sen. Cory Booker seeks to create $1,000 opportunity bonds to all newborns in the U.S. Entrepreneur Andrew Yang hopes to establish a universal basic income system. Sen. Bernie Sanders wants to guarantee

federal jobs. Sen. Elizabeth Warren suggests an UltraMillionaire Tax on the top 1%.

Significant tax reforms would need to be made for any of these proposals become policy which would face major push back from conservatives arguing the usual arguments. The response tends to be rooted in the idea of taxation as theft, with trust in the concept of trickle-down economics.

Taxation is not theft. Rather, it’s the dues we owe the government which functions as the protector of private property. It is part of the social contract.

On paper, trickle-down economics seems to be relatively straight forward, but the evidence shows this is not a sufficient method. Nearly all of the money saved from Trump’s tax breaks to big corporations went into the hands of shareholders rather than creating new jobs or raising wages. In fact, the 1,000 largest public companies who reaped the benefits tax breaks actually cut back thousands of jobs.

Reform is long overdue.

The top 10% should be taxed on their total wealth which would include assets and capital gains. The rate should be high enough to slow down the speed at which their wealth grows which tends to grow at a higher rate than the bottom 90% since most of their assets are tied up in capital investments.

Large corporations— like Amazon that rakes in billions of

Graphic by Emily Burgess

dollars in profit yet paid no federal taxes last year — don’t need to receive such enormous tax credits, reductions and refunds.

The tax code must change to prevent big corporations from finding loopholes that get them out of millions of dollars in taxes.

A portion of the mass amounts of money these companies generate needs to be recycled back into the economy for public use.

The revenue from these tax reforms could be used for so many other purposes that would bring prosperity to the whole country. It could be used towards infrastructure, affordable housing options, the public education system, veterans care, the opioid crisis, climate change

or reducing unemployment.

The economy is bound to lapse if it continues to be rigged in favor of the wealthy and the demand for reform is intensifying. Our government has an obligation to look after the interests of the worker. As the race for presidency ramps up over the next few months with anticipation of primary season, fully consider what candidates are offering to resolve the issue of wealth inequality because we need a solution soon — not in another four years.

Catherine Van Weele is a sophomore studying political science and economics. Follow her on Twitter @catiemei_.

The Electoral College doesn’t represent the will of the people

by Peyton Antil CONTRIBUTOR

Our Founding Fathers believed the general public lacked the capacity to efficiently and effectively elect the president of the U.S., which is why they established the Electoral College as the mode of electing the president.

The fear of “the mob” or “the tyranny of the majority” is evident in Alexander Hamilton’s Federalist Paper 68 where he writes “The immediate election should be made by men most capable of analyzing the qualities adapted to the station … A small number of persons, selected by their fellow-citizens from the general mass, will be most likely to possess the information and discernment requisite to such complicated investigations.”

However, in 2019, this is no longer a valid argument in favor of the Electoral College. With access to a multitude of news and media platforms as well as access to education for all Americans, it is safe to say that citizens are very capable of possessing “the information and discernment requisite to such complicated investigations,” which is what Hamilton was most concerned about.

The Electoral College has failed to represent the American public five times throughout

United States history. In the elections of 1824, 1876, 1888, 2000 and 2016, a presidential candidate has won the election, despite losing the popular vote.

In 2000, Al Gore won the popular vote by 540,520, yet lost the electoral college by five votes. George W. Bush was sworn in as President.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton received 2,868,686 more votes than Donald Trump, but lost the electoral college vote 227 to 304.

This is not democracy.

Electors are supposed to represent the citizens of America, but this isn’t always the case in reality. If Americans can directly elect their governors, senators

and representatives, why should the presidential election be any different?

The Electoral College was introduced to protect small states from the bigger, more populous states having too much influence in an election. However, the tables have turned. The smallest, least populous states are guaranteed a minimum of three electoral votes, far exceeding their population. This unequally distributes the votes among the states, making some votes more “valuable” depending on where you live.

The least populated state is Wyoming, with a population of 577,737 in 2018, and it gets three

Graphic by Emily Burgess

electoral votes. In comparison, there are over 200,000 more people living in California’s 53rd Congressional District, home to San Diego State, than in Wyoming. The entire state of California had a population of 39,557,045 in 2018.

Wyoming’s three electors represent 192,579 people each. For California, each elector represents 719,219 people, meaning each elector in California is representing more people in a district alone than the entire state of Wyoming. A vote cast in Wyoming is worth about 3.7 times as much as a vote cast in California.

This is not equal representation.

At a time of increased voter suppression efforts, the flawed electoral college further diminishes American’s belief in the democratic process. This in turn has led a vast number of Americans, especially young people, to believe that their vote doesn’t matter. America prides itself on being the democratic leader of the free world, yet our Constitution has created a system in which voting power is unequal.

It is about time America abolished the Electoral College and rely on the popular vote instead.

This would require a Constitutional Amendment, so for those who think that’s too

much work and could never happen, I propose this: The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.

The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact website claims, “The National Popular Vote Interstate compact would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.”

Once a state signs the National Popular Vote bill, they would give all of their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote, not their state’s popular vote. Once enough states ratify the bill to equal a sum of 270 electoral votes, the popular vote would technically be the determinant of who is elected as president.

It is, in effect, a loophole, and a way of overriding the flawed electoral college system. So far, it has been enacted in 12 states equaling 172 electoral votes.

The bill is currently being passed through several chambers in 23 states, meaning that we are one step closer to getting rid of the Electoral College for good.

With a major general election coming up in 2020, we can not let the defective and outdated Electoral College interfere with democracy once more.

Peyton Antil is a freshman studying journalism and political science.

6

Sports

The Daily Aztec

Sept. 11 - 17, 2019 EDITOR: Aaron Tolentino • sports@thedailyaztec.com

UCLA recap:

continued from page 1 school teammates here, college teammates,” said the graduate from Salesian High, which hails 11 miles from the Rose Bowl. “It’s a great deal. I just wanted to come out here and show out for them.”

Tezino recorded nine tackles, one sack and one forced fumble, which was made on UCLA’s first drive of the second half.

The fumble was recovered by sophomore linebacker Caden McDonald. Two plays later, Smith scored on the 34-yard pass from Agnew to give SDSU the early second half lead of 177.

That wasn’t the only Aztec turnover to led to points.

Junior safety Dwayne Johnson Jr. knocked the ball out of UCLA junior tight end Matt Lynch’s hands around the midway point of the first quarter. Junior safety Tariq Thompson recovered the ball, and the Aztecs capitalized with three points on a field goal by redshirt freshman kicker Matt Araiza.

The Aztecs ended up scoring 10 points off of two UCLA turnovers.

“If they (didn’t) turn the ball over today, the outcome would’ve been completely different,” Long said. “Now, that’s one side of it. The other side is our kids caused the

Photo by Kareem Jones

Senior defensive lineman Myles Cheatum attempts to pump up the SDSU crowd during the Aztecs’ 23-14 victory over UCLA on Sept. 7 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

turnovers, so you’ve got to be happy that our guys caused the turnovers and gave us the chance to win.”

The win marked SDSU’s fifth win against a Pac-12 school since 2016 – that’s more than

Oregon State, who has four during that span.

Power Five or non-Power Five, Long said the Aztecs should not be overlooked simply based on the conference they play in.

“We can play,” Long said. “If everybody would investigate the Mountain West Conference, you’d realize what a great conference it is. The first weekend of college football, teams in our league beat four

Power Five teams. So it’s not unusual, it’s not unexpected.

That’s what we do.”

Aaron Tolentino is a senior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @atolent2.

Good until September 30, 2019.

Sept. 11 - 17, 2019 EDITOR: Aaron Tolentino • sports@thedailyaztec.com

Sports

The Daily Aztec

7

Aztecs seek 3-0 start at New Mexico State

by Kyle Betz ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

San Diego State football hopes to build upon its two-game winning streak on Sept. 14 against New Mexico State in Las Cruces, N.M. The Aggies (0-2), an independent FBS school, are coming off consecutive losses to No. 20 Washington State and No. 2 Alabama.

Head coach Rocky Long said the matchup will be tough for the Aztecs (2-0) in terms of location and crowd environment.

“It’s a very difficult place to get to and it’s a very difficult place to play,” Long said. “Them being at home and them not playing a top25 team, I’ll bet you they’re really excited about the possibility of getting a win at their first home game.”

Like SDSU, New Mexico State has two touchdowns in as many games.

Aggies sophomore quarterback Josh Adkins has thrown for 366 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions so far this season, adding a rushing touchdown against the Cougars on Aug. 31.

New Mexico State seniors Christian Gibson and Jason Huntley have split touches in the ground game, but the Aggies have only been able to muster

Photo by Kareem Jones

Senior running back Juwan Washington carries the ball during the Aztecs’ 23-14 victory over UCLA on Sept. 7 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

3.4 yards per carry through two games.

Considering the level of potential NFL talent on a storied program like Alabama, Long said New Mexico State was unable to keep up with the Crimson Tide.

“Alabama did dominate on both sides of the ball, and when you watch Alabama on film, you understand why,” Long said. “It’s like a AAA team. They start 22 guys, and all 22 are going to be

playing in the NFL someday, so they’re kind of special.”

Long, however, said Washington State’s defense struggled against the Aggies – posing a challenge for his own defense this weekend.

“Washington State’s defense did not stop New Mexico State,” Long said. “They fumbled twice going into the end zone. They probably should have scored 28 points against Washington State.”

Despite the Aggies losing their first two games by 51 and 52 points, respectively, senior defensive back Kyree Woods said it’s not necessarily hard to prepare for an opponent that has already been blown out by two top-25 programs.

“It’s not really difficult, we just have to prepare the right way,” Woods said. “They have athletes just like we do, and we can’t take them lightly because (Long)

always preaches that any team can be beat any Saturday.”

In order for the Scarlet and Black to have success, they must emulate their performance against UCLA when the Aztecs bolstered 373 yards on offense – improving upon the 238 total yards they recorded against Weber State.

Long said SDSU had its best showing through the air in at least three years.

“We were throwing it and catching it much better than we did at anytime last year or anytime the year before or anytime the year before that (against UCLA),” Long said. “We spent all our time running the ball, and last year we ran the ball okay but we didn’t score enough points. That was why we changed the formations in the offense.”

Coming into week three, senior quarterback Ryan Agnew is hoping the Aztecs ride momentum from their win against the Bruins.

“We improved on everything (against UCLA),” Agnew said.

“Watching the film yesterday, we saw there’s a lot more room for improvement. Just because we had a big win doesn’t mean we’re gonna stop there.”

Kyle Betz is junior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @KyleBBetz.

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8

Sports

The Daily Aztec

Sept. 11 - 17, 2019 EDITOR: Aaron Tolentino • sports@thedailyaztec.com

SDSU takes two of three in SDSU/USD invite

by Daniel Farr STAFF WRITER

Photo by Sam Mayo

Senior outside hitter Hannah Turnlund spikes the ball during the Aztecs’ 3-0 loss against Arizona on Sept. 7 at Peterson Gym.

San Diego State women’s volleyball lost 3-0 against Arizona to close out the SDSU/USD Invitational on Sept. 7 at Peterson Gym. SDSU now sits at an overall record of 4-2.

The Aztecs stormed back from two sets down to stun West Virginia on Sept. 6 before defeating Arkansas the next morning, ending their weekend with two wins and a loss.

The Aztecs could have easily used the “out of gas” excuse entering their matchup against the Wildcats, but players and coaches alike refused that angle.

SDSU senior middle blocker Tamia Reeves finished the night with eight kills and one block.

The Texas native said her team prepared well for the physical toll the team took during the weekend.

“It’s definitely hard to recover from having a late game, then a morning game, then going into another late game,” Reeves said.

“I don’t think we were gassed; it was just a long day, but that’s not what our play showed. I think we still played hard.”

Head coach Deitre CollinsParker credited her team’s

preparation for being able to compete with a team like Arizona.

“We are prepared physically to handle this type of load, but we don’t see (Arizona) everyday,” Collins-Parker said. “We feel like we could’ve played better, and I thought at times we did a good job of hanging with a team, but we’re hanging with a team that’s playing at a higher level on a daily basis than us.”

Sophomore outside hitter Victoria O’Sullivan finished with a combined 29 kills on Saturday.

O’Sullivan said the team’s mental toughness was a reason for their success.

“We find strength in each other, so coming together in huddles, huddling together in timeouts, and looking at each and everyone and remembering why we play,” O’Sullivan said.

Collins-Parker was proud of her team’s fight and praised them after the match concluded. “(Playing) neck-and-neck with them for as many points as we did are huge strides for us and the program,” Collins-Parker said.

The Aztecs will battle UC Riverside in Phoenix on Sept.

13 in the team’s first game of the GCU Invitational.

Daniel Farr is a senior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @DFSportsWriter.

Swim & Dive splashes into 2019 campaign against USD

by Breven Honda STAFF WRITER

San Diego State women’s swimming and diving is ready to kick off the 2019-20 season.

Coming off a Mountain West Championship, head coach Mike Shrader – the 2018-19 Mountain West Swimming Coach of the Year – said the team’s goal is to focus on being the best each athlete can be.

“I want each student-athlete, each swimmer and each diver to do their absolute best,” he said.

“We are a practice-driven team.

Each opportunity they have throughout the season, (I want them) being very supportive, like a family.”

During the offseason, the team continued to put their work in as they continue to train for this year.

“It was really great summer,” Shrader said. “It was highlighted by (senior) Courney Vincent in the 100 butterfly and (sophomore) Kristina Murphy in the 200 breatstroke qualifying for the Olympic trials.”

Shrader said the training this summer has helped the team elevate their game this season and they can not wait to get going.

“I think all of the girls are very experienced this summer about their training and I think they took it to a new level, as far as getting ready for the school season,” Shrader said. “They are excited about this year and ready to go and see if we can’t have another special season ” Shrader said his seniors have

Courtesy of San Diego State Athletics

The SDSU Swim & Dive team gathers in a huddle amidst competition during the 2018-19 season at the Aztec Aquaplex.

been named to conference teams in the past, so he hopes to coach one of the best classes in program history this year. “(This) is one of the best senior classes in the history of San Diego State and we won’t know until after the year, but it could be the best class in the history of San Diego State,” Schrader said.

“It is very close to that now.”

Another underclassman that stood out last year was 2019 Mountain West Diver of the Year, sophomore Ximena Leuchega

Gonzalez, who was the first freshman to win the award in conference history.

Shrader said he wants her, along with others, to get better as the season goes along. “(Gonzalez) had a nice summer,” he said. “She was very mature and handled everything very well. We want her to do her very best. We want them all to get better from where we were last year. Some of them are going to improve a little, some are going to improve a lot and

that’s the fun part about it.”

Shrader wants the team to be at ease as much as they can to work hard.

“We don’t put any pressure on them like last season to this season because last year’s team is different than this season,” he said. “We want them to be happy, fun-loving and relaxed at competitions. But, we are going to work hard.”

The Aztecs take a short trip to USD as they face the Toreros and UCLA for their first match of the

season on Sept. 13 at 2 p.m.

Shrader said he can not wait for the season to start.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Shrader said. “This happens to be a swimming-only meet against USD and UCLA and it will be a great early season test to see where we are and how we step up against good competition.”

Breven Honda is a junior studying journalism. Follow him on Twitter @BrevenHonda.

Sept. 11 - 17, 2019 EDITOR: Alejandra Luna • mundoazteca@thedailyaztec.com

Mundo Azteca

The Daily Aztec

9

E l Centro de Brasil de SDSU festeja la apertura de la exposición de arte por Noé ESCRITOR

Sandoval

Nuevas demostraciones de culturas diversas ha llegado a la Universidad Estatal de San Diego, sirviendo como enseñanzas para estudiantes.

En la tarde del viernes 6 de septiembre, El Centro Benher Stiefel de Estudios Brasileños organizó una recepción privada en la galería de arte de la universidad para celebrar el estreno de la exposición de arte,“Bandidos y Héroes, Poetas y Santos: Arte Popular del Noreste de Brasil”.

La exposición contiene varios artefactos, esculturas y pinturas de la región del noreste de Brasil donde se cuenta la historia del país que no es muy conocida.

La región es enriquecida con diversas tradiciones de África, Europa y la gente indígena de Brasil.

Erika Robb Larkins, directora del centro y Cassia De Abreu, coordinadora del centro, organizaron esta recepción para destacar la importancia de esta exposición y agradecer a ellos que dieron su apoyo para la exposición.

Muchos asistieron como invitados, incluyendo a la embajadora del Consulado Brasileño de Los Ángeles, Marcia Loureiro, el decano del colegio de artes y letras, Glen Mclish,

El Centro Benher de Estudios Brasileños presenta exposición de arte tradicional en la universidad.

así como también la facultad, empleados y estudiantes del Centro de Brasil.

“La exposición, Bandidos y Héroes, se enfoca en la experiencia y obras de arte de afrobrasileños”, dijo Glen Mclish. “Es una alianza para trabajar en equidad, diversidad e inclusión”.

La recepción también fue celebrada con música y baile brasileño tradicional, traído

por la Escuela de Samba Super Sonic, organización ubicada en San Diego. Esta organización se dedica al desempeño y educación de las artes brasileñas.

El grupo de samba trajo alegría y gozo, poniendo a los invitados a bailar con sus tambores, cantos y bailes en donde mostraron los diferentes bailes tradicionales de Brasil y su importancia para ellos.

Foto por Noé Sandoval

“Esta celebración representa mi energía, mi alegría y mi gente; es quien yo soy”, mencionó Claudia, oradora del baile del buey de la escuela de samba.

Hay una importancia de aprendizaje en esta exposición ya que da luz a historias nunca contadas de Brasil.

Adriana Albuquerque, erudita y profesora de portugués en Brasil, enfatizó

que es importante tener más publicidad sobre estos trabajos.

Albuquerque está contenta de la exposición y por la representación de su país.

Esta exposición estará abierta sin costo a partir del 9 de septiembre al 17 de octubre del 2019 y estará disponible al público en general de lunes a viernes de 11 a.m a 3 p.m en la galería de arte universitaria.

El Centro de Brasil invita a todo los estudiante, sin importar su especialización, que vengan a conocer y aprender más sobre la región noreste de Brasil a través de sus obras de arte.

Alexandria Almeida, estudiante del Programa de Doctorado en Investigación Interdisciplinaria sobre el uso de Sustancias, expresó satisfacción sobre la exposición de arte por su buena organización. Almeida es estudiante extranjera de Brasil y fue invitada a la recepción.

El departamento espera que esta exposición atraiga a muchos alumnos y a la comunidad.

Profesores podrán solicitar una visita a la exposición para aprender más sobre las historias de Brasil y aplicar estas enseñanzas a diferentes tipos de estudios como política, sociología y hasta musicología.

“Queremos que el mayor número posible de personas puedan visitar mientras que [la exposición] esté aquí en el campus”, dijo Robb Larkins.

SDSU invita a oficiales del distrito fiscal para informar sobre los peligros que tiene el fentanilo y sus excesos por Noé ESCRITOR

Sandoval

El jueves 5 de septiembre la Universidad Estatal de San Diego tuvo un foro sobre la prevención y peligros de narcóticos debido a la crisis de fentanilo que ha causado varias muertes en la ciudad.

El foro fue organizado por el grupo de Bienestar y Promoción de Salud de SDSU dirigido por Stephanie Waits Gala. Los invitados incluyen Fiscal del Distrito Judicial, Summer Stephan, Diputado del Fiscal del Distrito, Jeff Lazar y Proboste de SDSU, Salvador Ochoa.

Los oficiales dieron discursos y presentaciones para informar al público sobre lo que es fentanilo y cuáles son sus efectos. Además, ellos hablaron sobre sus planes de una campaña para traer conocimiento de los peligros de fentanilo a los alumnos universitarios.

El fentanilo es un opioide fuerte y sintético. Puede ser mortal en cantidades tan pequeñas como unos pocos granos de sal de mesa. Según la Administración de Control de

Drogas, el fentanilo es 50 veces más potente que la heroína y 100 veces más fuerte que la morfina. El fentanilo también puede ser atado a otras drogas como cocaína y metanfetamina siendo más peligroso.

“Solo una píldora puede matar”, señaló Stephan durante el foro.

Según Stephan, las autoridades siguen investigando las muertes de fentanilo y procesando narcotraficantes relacionados con sobredosis.

Han habido más de 50 muertes debido al fentanilo solo en los condados de San Diego e Imperial, según los oficiales.

En mayo del 2018, un hombre de Poway que vendía píldoras de oxicodona mezcladas con fentanilo se declaró culpable de homicidio voluntario porque un amigo quien también fue su cliente había sufrido una sobredosis y murió. El hombre fue sentenciado a 15 años de prisión.

Los narcotraficantes han sido acusado de crímenes más graves más allá de traficar drogas tales como homicidio y asesinato.

“Hemos cambiado nuestros enfoque [a estos casos] debido a las muertes”, añadió Diputado

Stephan habla en el foro de SDSU sobre los riesgos que provoca el fentanilo.

Lazar. “Y deberia ser asi”.

Los oficiales indicaron que eventos como el foro sirven para prevenir estas muertes y esperan continuar con tener más pláticas con la comunidad.

La universidad también está tomando sus pasos para prevenir los peligros de esta droga. Con la ayuda del grupo

de Bienestar y Promoción de Salud, SDSU organizará más eventos con información de esta crisis en las próximas semanas.

El departamento de Servicios de Salud Estudiantiles tendrá un tratamiento en forma de un aerosol nasal para las sobredosis de opioides llamada Narcon. La policía universitaria también

Foto por Noé Sandoval

tendrá este tratamiento a la mano en casos de emergencia.

“Creemos asegurar que estamos trayendo la cantidad apropiada de atención y conocimiento a los estudiantes [de la universidad]”, dijo Waits Gala. “Estamos tratando de traer conocimiento porque esto es un riesgo real para la universidad”.

Arts & Culture Student-made app promoted at off-campus event

10

Sept. 11 - 17, 2019 EDITOR: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com

The Daily Aztec

by Ceighlee Fennel ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Photo by Ceighlee Fennel

Musicians had special passes they wore all night at the promotional event held by Tap In.

Some of San Diego State’s clubs and students showed their support for a student-made app called Tap In last Saturday at a promotional event in an event space in Kearny Mesa.

The application, Tap In, was originally created for SDSU artists and entrepreneurs.

Biochemistry senior Harlem Atwood-Fitzgerald is the mind behind the app.

He said he saw a need for a platform for creative students to network, grow and promote their businesses.

“I noticed there was a huge growth in the creative class,” Atwood-Fitzgerald said. “I want to help young people who are starting their own businesses who haven’t jumped into it far enough yet. There are creative collectives that can’t network or are exclusive, so with Tap In I wanted to create a virtual community of people who are trying to collaborate and network with each other.”

At the event, there were

Photos by Ceighlee Fennel

(Right) DJs, rappers and designers were spotlighted during the event. (Left) Computer science major Haki Saliim made his own jacket himself.

students who represented different creative mediums from programming and fashion, to music and photography and more. The crowd ebbed and flowed throughout the night.

The app’s promotional event featured SDSU musicians, artists and brands including student organizations such as Creative State and the SDSU Digital Arts Club.

Artbrandco, a clothing line started by other local San Diego college students, was just one of the lesser known brands that was able to benefit from the event.

“We come to these events because we want to uplift underrated artists by giving them a community to fall back on,” said Cal State San Marcos student and clothing creator Lorenz Christopher.

“We want them to be able to express their artwork without judgement. We also do events like this because we want to be able to put our brand’s name and purpose out there and get direct face-to-face connections with our consumers.”

While the event got off to a rough start with some electrical issues and fighting between attendees, things smoothed out once the music got started.

Two of the headliners, NateyZ and Quiet Child, mingled after their performances.

They both enjoyed the event and thought it was a great way to bring different forms of art from campus together.

“The event went well, everyone performed and had a good time,” said alumus Nate Zaslove, or NateyZ. “All of the rappers and EDM artists are coming together to make an inclusive culture. It’s beautiful to see.”

The event was held in a smaller space with lights, fog machines, lasers and digital displays. The performances

were a mix of rap and electronic dance music with a set list packed with campus talent.

Quiet Child and NateyZ opened for Daniel Caesar last year in the Cal Coast Credit Union Amphitheater at the campus’s annual Greenfest concert. They came back to San Diego to perform at Tap In. Thulani Kachingwe, also known as Quiet Child, said he felt positivly about the event.

“State is in a really good place right now with the music culture,” said alumus Kachingwe. “The fact that people are coming out to live events is really cool. I always love performing, it’s always fun and a good time. Our performance was for Mac Miller because he passed one year ago that day.”

If people needed a breath of fresh air from the small dance room, there was a patio section where people mingled around tables. Alcohol was provided for people ages 21 and older.

This promotional event was mostly about drawing attention to the new app and the creative communities on campus, Atwood-Fitzgerald said. He is inspired by his background and wanted to bring people together with his app.

“Through the power of collaboration and teamwork, even though we are young, we can do anything,” AtwoodFitzgerald said. “I’m from a background where I spent time in a homeless shelter and everything I’m doing right now and have made is because of the people I was able to team up with. They empowered me and pushed me up to be where I am now.”

Tap In is set to launch in February 2020.

Ceighlee Fennel is a senior studying journalism.

Recognized author returns to classroom as professor

by Devin Whatley STAFF WRITER

This fall, alumnus Matt de la Peña, author and winner of the John Newbery Medal in 2016 for his book “Last Stop on Market Street,” returned to his alma mater, San Diego State.

De la Peña returned not as a student, but as a professor for the English department.

He wants to return the favor for all SDSU has done for him in providing him the opportunity to develop and improve as a writer and author.

“I went to SDSU for graduate school,” de la Peña said. “When I was a student, I used to dream of publishing a book. But first I had so much to learn.”

De la Peña said he credits his success as a writer is in part to his teachers and the knowledge they instilled in him as a graduate student.

“The faculty at SDSU taught me everything I know,” he said.

“I’m so thankful for my time at state.”

De la Peña is teaching three courses for the English & Comparative Literature Department this fall semester where he said he hopes to help students chase their dreams and highest aspirations.

He is teaching a course on contemporary literature, creative writing and writing protagonists.

“I believe SDSU attracts the exact type of student I want to work with,” he said. “There is no sense of entitlement, just raw talent and passion. I want to let students tell stories and help them avoid the mistakes I made along the way.”

After leaving SDSU in 2000 with his Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing, he went to the east coast to pursue his writing career.

“I’ve always felt this need to create,” he said. “I have all these stories in my head, and I wanted to share them.”

His need to create led to the release of seven young adult novels and five children’s books.

De la Peña saw his award as a life-changing experience.

“It was beyond any expectation I had for myself as a writer,” de la Peña said. “At that point I had published ten books or so, and they were doing really well, but the Newbery is the highest honor in the field.”

It was quite the moment for de la Peña when he found out.

“They call you in the middle of the night, by the way, to make sure the information isn’t leaked,” he said. “I was asleep when I took that call. So I wasn’t totally sure it was real until they announced it nationally the following morning.”

He said the best part about winning the medal is the exposure his story was able to get with young readers.

“I have to say, the best part of the Newbery is that my book has made it into the hands of millions of young readers,” de la

Peña said.

As he looks back at his career now and his time as a student, de la Peña said he feels a sense of humility with what he has done and what he has in store for the future.

“When I was an MFA student, my dream was to publish a single novel, to see it on the shelves of a bookstore,” he said.

“I figured I’d be bussing tables at a seafood restaurant to help support myself while I tried to write my novels. I had no idea that I would go on to publish 17 books, support my family as a writer and return to SDSU as a professor. I feel very fortunate.”

As the fall semester kicks in, de la Peña is excited to be back – but on the other side of the classroom.

“It’s a thrill to come back to campus on the other side of the equation,” he said. “As a professor, I hope to help students achieve their own writing dreams.”

English & Comparative

Literature Department chair Phillip Serrato said he is excited to have de la Peña back on campus as a faculty member this fall.

“It goes without saying that our department is thrilled to have Matt with us,” Serrato said.

‘To have him teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in children’s literature and creative writing helps to strengthen two areas of excellence in our department.”

Serrato also said not only does de la Peña bring a feeling of passion as a writer, but also as a professor.

“Matt brings an enthusiasm not only for writing, but also for teaching,” he said. “Such positive energy is always welcome in the classroom and in our department, which prides itself as a place where inspired and ambitious faculty, staff and students produce innovative and meaningful work.”

Devin Whatley is a sophomore studying journalism.

Sept. 11 - 17, 2019 EDITOR: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Arts & Culture

The Daily Aztec

11

International students open up about why they chose to leave their countries and attend SDSU

by Flower Smith CONTRIBUTOR

International students are intrigued with San Diego State’s reputation, something that’s reflected in the amount of overseas

Graphics by Emily Burgess

students that attend the campus.

In total, there are approximately 2,800 international students out of the overall 35,000 students attending the

u n i v e r s i t y, according to SDSU. This makes up about 8% of the campus population.

There was also a collective analysis of the student population to see how many countries were represented on campus.

In 2017, College Factual reported at least 49 countries are represented at SDSU. Some of the popular countries include China, India and Kuwait.

SDSU is popular with international students for a variety of reasons, not all of

which are dissimilar from students who attend the school from within the U.S. San Diego’s weather influenced some international students to attend.

According to USA Today in their “Top must-sees in San Diego” article, San Diego is known for its mild weather all year and sandy, white beaches.

These factors are seen as a way for international

students to experience the California dream.

“I liked the idea and vibe of living in San Diego,” mechanical Engineering freshman Mutale Kulilishika said. Kulilishika is from Harare, Zimbabwe With SDSU having an acceptance rate of 34.6%, it is difficult and competitive to get into the school.

This, along with the “California dream,” attracted Kulilishika.

“It seemed like a very competitive school to get into,” Kulilishika said. “I liked the quality of the courses offered.”

Because he is studying mechanical engineering, he was captivated by the grand plan of SDSU’s course work involving his major.

There are many other majors that international students are interested in,

some more popular ones being business administration and management and economics.

The university offers guidance to make sure students know which courses to enroll in to graduate on time through the Personal MAP on students’ webportal.

According to “Overall Best Value U.S. Colleges & Universities” for International Students, SDSU is ranked 69th out of 1,204 universitys nationwide.

“I heard that it had a good business school,” business

administration major Derin Turken said.

Turken is originally from Istanbul, Turkey, but wanted to attend SDSU to focus on the marketing aspect of business.

“I really wanted to be in California (because) I had a lot of people telling me that San Diego was one of the nicest cities in the U.S.,” Turken said. “So I came and I like it a lot.”

Originally from Jordan, international economics major Karim Arafah said, “Other than it being a great school, I chose San Diego State for my major, as it is well known for it.”

Flower Smith is a freshman studying journalism.

SDSU students shift social media into platform for social change

by Ceighlee Fennel ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Social media has grown out of the box of confined life updates with friends and family and has become an agent of social change.

The fire in the Amazon is an example of how social media is adding to the traditional news sphere.

There was outcry over the fact that traditional news outlets such as TV, radio and print weren’t bringing attention to the fire.

So, the public used social media to raise awareness about the issue.

San Diego State students got involved in the international issue by posting updates, facts, pictures and news about the fire to Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and other platforms.

“By the time I had heard about it, it had already been burning for two days and it was already hundreds of acres and when you heard about Notre Dame burning they got how many hundreds of millions of dollars in a day or two,” sustainability senior Abigail Sarda said. “I posted right away because I hadn’t even heard about it, and I needed other people to know.”

SDSU alumni contributed to the movement as well. Recently graduated alum Keely Parker posted to her Instagram story calling for action.

“I posted because I wanted to raise awareness about the state of our planet,” Parker said. “The Amazon and Great Barrier Reef have been harmed greatly because of humans, but not enough people are taking a stance. By visually seeing the pictures of the Amazon, I

thought it’d make all the climate issues happening more real for people.”

There are other examples of students posting about national and international news to help spread awareness on campus such as the fall of Notre Dame, recent school shootings, black women’s equal pay day and more.

“I was talking with my friend and we were stressing ‘What are we going to do?

We are in American and the Amazon is burning and nobody cares,’” Sarda said. “I was telling her that the only thing I know right now that can get the biggest impact as far as I can tell for our generation is social media. You have a bigger rate of reach than you would ever think.”

Sarda also talked about the current social media shift to be more centered around activism. She said students aren’t worrying so much about what their followers will think of them, and that they are shifting towards posting information because it needs to be vocalized.

Posting about social change or social justice doesn’t have as much of a stigma anymore, and SDSU students are definitely taking advantage of it, Sarda said. A current trending example is Hurricane Dorian. The massive hurricane commanded all types of news from traditional to social media.

This instance differs from the Amazon fire because it automatically got coverage when the Amazon burning down wasn’t widely covered at first. However, social media was used to raise funding for the Amazon and the same is possible for the victims of Hurricane Dorian. Social media can be an agent for this aide.

People were posting about cruise ships sending their fleets to help house victims.

The cruise ship Celebrity Equinox came to victims’ aid by delivering over 10,000 meals.

Although, it is hard to determine social media’s role in this assistance. Students can wield social media in a variety of ways. They grew up with the different social media platforms and have shaped them into platforms with more of a purpose than only posting pictures.

Social media can be used for creating communities, keeping in touch with family or also social change, education, raising money and more.

“SDSU students can connect with others who have similar interests, find volunteer opportunities or nonprofits and educate themselves by seeing w h a t friends are posting,” Parker said.

“When having a ‘following’ too, reposting a story can allow thousands more to see it which might spark change in some of them.”

Sarda also thought reaching more people is important.

She mentioned environmental groups on campus and how they utilize social media too.

“In a climate of feeling pretty hopeless,

it’s just getting the word out and telling people,” Sarda said. “I think for E3 or Greenlove, the eco groups on campus, one of the first they do is reach out on social media. That’s where they dissipate a lot of their information. If you are going to try to get your information out there, you’re probably going to try to go to social media first.”

Ceighlee Fennel is a senior studying journalism.

Graphic by Emily Burgess

12

The Daily Aztec

The Back Page

Sept. 11 = 17, 2019 Editor: Ceighlee Fennel • arts@thedailyaztec.com

Farmers’ markets are for students too

Photo by Emily Burgess

Some tents offer plants such as houseplants, spider plants, peace lilies and dracaenas to consumers at the market.

by Juniper Perkins STAFF WRITER

Rain or shine, Little Italy’s Mercato farmers’ market kicks off every Saturday by hosting more than 200 local vendors on the streets of downtown San Diego.

The Mercato, or “market” in Italian, extends five blocks and features everything from fresh produce to house plants, olive oil, grape soda, jewelry and tablecloths. There is truly something for everyone.

Farmers’ markets give students an opportunity to get off campus while exploring San Diego and stocking up on cheap, healthy food.

“Sometimes you can find great discounts,” public health sophomore Adelle Gutierrez said. “And not only that, but there’s always a chance that your fellow students can have their own booths, since some students are entrepreneurs.”

Gutierrez said farmers’ markets also allow students to diversify their horizons because the events showcase different cultures’ cuisines, crafts and more.

“I like how farmers’ markets feel more genuine than going to your typical corporate store,” she said. “People made it themselves, and it’s nice to know that you’re helping out your fellow community members and investing in a product that has real work out into it. You feel more gratitude towards the objects you buy because you know they weren’t developed by automation or

factories. They were made by people who love to do what they do.”

Students who enjoy SDSU’s weekly farmers’ market can enjoy even more in the surrounding area.

Local restaurants open their doors early, giving shoppers a chance to relax in the air conditioning.

Foodies can taste test an array of treats including California Cheesecake in a Cup, Jackie’s Jams, Majestic Garlic and Peace Pies.

Those with refined palates can enjoy Farmer Daughter’s Olive Oil and Honey or SD Ginger Beer Co. “It can get hectic with the amount of people there,” Gutierrez said. “But you’re more likely to encounter a rude person at WalMart than a farmers market.”

The farmers’ market features a myriad of small family farms and local entrepreneurs.

“I think it’s important to support smaller businesses and farmers’ markets are the perfect place to do so,” Amberley Tee, an early childhood and family studies sophomore at the University of Washington, said. She’s in San Diego visiting her boyfriend who goes to San Diego State.

Tee said she enjoys visiting farmers’ markets with friends because they always find cute, unique goods that are unavailable in everyday grocery stores.

The Little Italy Mercato was founded in 2009 by Catt White, known locally as “the Maestro of the Mercato.”

Little Italy is accessible by the Metropolitan Transit System’s Trolley on

Photo by Emily Burgess

Some vendors offer plants such as spider plants, peace lilies and dracaenas to consumers at the market.

the Sycuan Green Line.

One-way passes are $2.50 and an allday pass is $6.

The farmers’ market accepts cash as well as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards and CalFresh benefits.

Some vendors accept credit and debit cards too.

The farmer’s market is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on west Date street between Kettner Blvd. and Front street.

A complete list of vendors is available on the Mercato’s website.

Juniper Perkins (they/them/their) is a sophomore studying journalism with an emphasis in media studies.

Live Well Late Night

Photo by Emily Burgess

Flower bouquets are easily found down the market way.

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ENTER TO WIN AN & BOOKSTORE AND NIKE GIFTCARDS VALUED UP TO $50 AZTEC RECREATION CENTER

Photo by Emily Burgess

Multiple varieties of grapes are displayed and can be found at a vendor’s booth that attends the Saturday market.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 7-11pm