Chico State’s Independent Student News Source since 1975 FEATURES:
NEWS: »Measles: An increase in measle cases has hit California. A3 OPINION: »Gender Identity: Why it’s time for Chico State to recognize third gender. A6
»E-cigarettes: A tool to kick nicotine addiction may be more of a hobby than a coping mechanism. B5
SPORTS: »Bumper Ball: WREC intramural sport combines soccer and bubble suits. B3 Trevor Ryan/The Orion
ARTS: »Rent Party: Students mark Black History Month in Harlen Adams Theatre. B7
Theorion.com | Wednesday, February 18, 2015 | Vol. 74, Issue 5 | First copy free, additional copies 50¢
Union protests alleged bullying
MENTAL HEALTH
STUDENTS
Labor group fights for fair treatment, wages in demonstration
STRUGGLE STARTING OVER
Brianne Mcevoy
Staff Writer
The California State University Employees Union took a stand on Friday in Trinity Commons to protest bullying from the administration and then marched to Kendall Hall shouting “no justice, no peace.” Many employees were afraid to participate in the rally and feared that they would be retaliated against or lose their jobs for showing up, said Jessica Verardi, president of the union’s Chico chapter. “Employees should never be made to feel that way,” Verardi said. “And if they JESSICA want to be an activist VERARDI and come out here President of CSU and support fair Employee Union’s wages or bullying or Chico chapter lack of transparency, they should have the right to do that.” Eight years ago, the university budget was more meager, which didn’t allow increases in salary. During that time, employees were asked to do much more than what their jobs required of them and were not compensated with overtime. During this time period, employees saw a 1 percent wage increase while management’s salary continued to rise, Verardi said. “It’s really hard when the managers are making six figures, and we most certainly aren’t,” she said. “We’re not being compensated, and they’re being rewarded for all of the work that we’ve been doing.” The six prominent issues that the union wanted to focus on are fair wages, bullying, lack of transparency, punctual information, support for employees and parking. The current policy regarding employee complaints doesn’t have a time limit or protect victims from bullying during the investigation, which can keep them in the same situation many months later with no resolution, Verardi said. Specific instances of bullying include belligerent behavior from managers, demeaning someone’s work and fingers being shoved in employees faces. In one
» please see RALLY | A3
Trevor Ryan/The Orion
Alberto Armienta, a sophmore computer science major, studies for an exam in the Meriam Library.
Freshmen depression rates on the upswing Michael McClurg
Staff Writer
Depression rates among college freshmen are at a record high and research shows that course loads and social media could be a factor. According to a study titled “The American Freshman,” researchers at UCLA found that 14,250 students said they felt depressed — a jump from 9,150 students five years ago. The number of freshmen that feel overwhelmed by schoolwork and other commitments has also risen from 27.1 percent to 34.6 percent. Depression comes in two forms — biological and situational. While biological depression often calls for the use of drugs to fix an imbalance in the brain, therapy is used in both forms to treat the mental illness. Starting out at a new school can be tough for students and can be a cause for depression. “It is very easy for freshmen to
1 3
develop depression,” said Ryan Leong, “There should be a nice balance bea Chico State first-year student. “They tween school and social life.” have to move out of the house and If students aren’t hanging out with live on their own in a short friends, they’re often on amount of time. In some social media — which can cases, freshmen leave their contribute just as much to very close friends and have feelings of loneliness and to start over again in a new depression, according to a environment. For me, the 2013 study titled “Envy on transition was very tough, Facebook: A Hidden Threat and it was overwhelming.” to Users’ Life Satisfaction?” The study found that The study showed a link bethe amount of time freshtween Facebook use and feelmen spend with friends is ings of envy and frustration. ANITA ZAMORA decreasing dramatically, an The longer participants spent Senior impact of the workload and browsing the site, the more demands that students face. these feelings increased. In 1987, 37.9 percent of “People spend so much time incoming college students socialized nowadays on the Internet, especially on at least 16 hours per week. By 2014, 18 social media, that they see all these picpercent of students reported spending tures or posts of others which makes at least 16 hours per week socializing the other person’s life seem all perfect with friends, an all-time low. and fun,” said Adriana Jimenez, a “I would not recommend a freshman Chico State sophomore. to study all the time and not have a social life or vice versa,” Leong said. » please see DEPRESSION | A3
18%
IN FRESHMEN
of students socialize at least 16 hours per week as compared to 37.9 percent in 1987.
feel overwhelmed by schoolwork and other commitments Source: The American Freshman
Monica Fitch/The Orion
Source: American College Health Association
Staff Writer
Chico State computer science students finished in top placements at the National Cyber League in fall of 2014. Students placed second and seventh in the silver bracket and seventh in the bronze bracket for the post-season competition. “This competition was a fantastic opportunity, which allowed us to learn common tools and techniques hackers use every day for breaking into systems and networks worldwide,” said Chris Witthans, participant. Students involved in the lower division, Beta team, placed second in the league. The higher-ranked division Alpha team trailed the Beta team by about 10,000 points. The challenge included a series of security puzzles, which involved cracking mixed-up passwords and computer file analyzing. There were three individual pre-competition challenges paired with
online labs that students used to prepare for the competition. “Security professionals must remain open and flexible at learning how system vulnerabilities or weaknesses can be leveraged in a remote attack, and this competition did just that,” Witthans said. Some students were required to be involved in the challenge for the “Advanced Security” class. “I am very proud of how well the students did in their first cyber challenge,” David Zeichick, computer science lecturer, said. “Out of 145 colleges, our students scored extremely well.” Zeichick believes the contest is important because it teaches students relevant skills for a potential future career in cybersecurity. “Companies are really starting to understand that (computer security) is an important department to have, and therefore there’s a big need for these skills,” Zeichick said. “This competition improves the interest level and the skills of our stu-
dents and makes the work fun.” Last fall, student Matt Bourn placed 28th, while student Ryan Nelson placed in 37th in the silver bracket. This placed them in fourth and 11th place in the Cyber League’s Western region. Chico’s computer information systems program achieved accreditation in 2008 and was the first such program in the western United States to do so. “As a security professional, and for anyone who aspires to dedicate a career to information security, the knowledge and skills gained were paramount,” Witthans said. “I personally enjoyed the high amount of engagement and cooperation given by my peers in this course. Everyone had new knowledge to contribute for the class as a whole, which definitely made this experience quite memorable.” Elaine Knudsen can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or
@theorion_news on Twitter.
Index
App
Corrections
A2
Opinion
A6
Features
B5
Weather
A2
Sports
B1
Sex Column A+E
B7
Police Blotter
A4
Directory
B3
B6
Our brand new app is available on the App Store and Google Play.
30 times per division
Elaine Knudsen
NATIONAL CYBER LEAGUE
Students earn accolades in cybersecurity competition SILVER DIVISION 33 TEAMS
2nd Place: Chico State Beta Team 7th Place: Chico State Alpha Team
BRONZE DIVISION 35 TEAMS
7th Place: Chico State Epsilon Team 21st Place: Chico State Gamma Team 25th Place: Chico State Delta Team
TOP PARTICIPANTS: CSU Chico Rochester Institute of Technology Jacksonville University Sacramento City College University of Maine CSU Monterey Bay US Air Force Academy Capitol College Source: nationalcyberleague.com Monica Fitch/The Orion
Weather Precipitation: 40% Humidity: 73% Wind: 7 mph
65 50
A2 |
news all week @ theorion.com
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18, 2015
Weather Today | Sunny
See the latest weather updates 72 on theorion.com 44
Thursday | Sunny
72 47
Friday | Sunny
Saturday | Sunny
Monday | Sunny
70 47
71 52
73 47
Sunday | Sunny
Tuesday : Sunny
68 50
MUSIC
71 50 TheOrion.com
Nick Bragg/The Orion
Soul id will be putting together Chico’s first Rail Jam. Go online for a preview of the event. theorion.com/features
Miles Huffman/The Orion
Trevor Ryan/The Orion
During a break, Chico State student Ira Salamon plays a small travel guitar outside Selvester’s Cafe-by-the-Creek .
NEWS BRIEFS
Man allegedly sends explicit material to minor Reginald Ealy Jr., a Chico resident, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly sending sexually explicit photos and messages to an 11-year-old girl via Facebook. The messages and photos were discovered by the girl’s older sister, who called the police to report the situation. Police discovered Ealy did not know the victim but followed her on Facebook and began communicating with her through messages. Most of the message content was sexual, according to police. “Once the girl was removed from the situation, detectives took over the girl’s social media account and began REGINALD talking to Ealy while EALY JR. posing as the girl,” said a Chico Police Department officer. While detectives messaged back and forth with Ealy, it became clear that the man wanted to meet with the victim with the intent of sexually molesting her, according to a press release from the Chico Police Department. He was taken into custody about 7:15 p.m. the same day. Ealy was arrested for allegedly sending sexually explicit material to a minor and intending to seduce her, and intending to commit a sexual offense with a minor. Ealy was booked at Butte County Jail with a bail of $30,000. -Hannah Suzuki
Man at Enloe claims that Xbox is explosive device The Chico Police Department received a call from Enloe Medical Center after a man reported he was carrying a bomb on Feb. 10. Officers responded when the call was placed at 3:30 a.m. The man was being escorted outside by Enloe Medical Center security. Upon arrival police realized the man was carrying an Xbox, not an explosive device. According to a press release from the Chico Police Department, the man was possibly under the influence of illegal drugs and was determined to be having a mental breakdown. He had been in the emergency room when he began claiming to have a bomb. “It’s not typical for Enloe to give out information on patients,” said Christina Chavira, main media contact for Enloe Medical Center. The case is still under investigation. The subject’s
CORRECTIONS
name was also withheld from Chico Police Department’s press release. Chico police detained the subject before returning him to Enloe Medical Center for treatment. -William Rein
Enloe purchases new $3.5 million helicopter Enloe Medical Center recently purchased a $3.5 million helicopter for its FlightCare Program, which is an emergency responder program. The helicopter is a top-of-the line EC130 T2 EcoStar with advanced safety technology, plenty of room, low level noise and an array of new medical equipment. Andrea Lynne, a Chico resident, is thrilled about the new aircraft. “It sounds like a great investment for Enloe, but also for community members,” she said. “Knowing that there is a piece of equipment that is capable of coming to the rescue when you may need help is so reassuring.” After fundraising efforts by the Chico community and with the sale of the old FlightCare helicopter, patients will not see any increase in cost after flying in the EcoStar.
Relay For Life promotes cancer research The Chico State Relay For Life team held a fundraiser, Feb. 11 to raise money for the charity. All the proceeds went to help cancer research. Peggy Armocido, team captain, recently celebrated her 10th year being cancer-free. Erin Wilson said she was inspired after participating in an event last year for Relay For Life and when she heard that her team captain was cancer-free she wanted to do more to help. “It started out doing something for her,” Wilson said, “but as I got more involved it was something I was interested in.” They had many cupcakes and cookies that were bought through donations. They also had baggies of candy with valentines attached that were $3 each. The plain valentine itself was only $1. The team will also be hosting an event on Feb. 25 at Chili’s on E. 20th Street from 4 to 9 p.m. If you present the Chico State Relay For Life team flyer they will donate 15 percent of the profits to the organization. -Brittany McClintock
Candygrams stolen from student organization
-Courtney Weaver
Play raises awareness on violence toward women The A.S. Gender and Sexuality Equity Center held a performance of “The Vagina Monologues” on Friday and Saturday with the focus being against violence toward women. The monologues told true stories of women’s experiences, whether it was happy, angry, or sad. “The Vagina Monologues” is part of an organization called “V-Day.” “V-Day is a day. We proclaim Valentines Day as V-Day, to celebrate women and end violence,” V-Day’s pamphlet said. They used this day to call attention to a more serious subject, ending violence against women and girls. They raise awareness through benefit productions from Eve Ensler’s, playwright and founder, award winning play, The Vagina Monologues. V-Day is a global movement that has raised $100 million and has educated millions of women and men about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it. To learn more about the V-Day Organization visit their webpage at vday.org.
Six to eight candygrams as well as the recipient list were stolen from a campus parking lot. The purpose of the candygrams was to raise money for the Student Association of Social Work. The association tabled outside of Plumas Hall last Monday through Thursday, selling the candygrams for Valentine’s Day. Students could either purchase candygrams at the table or order them to be delivered on Friday. However, Jeff Lester, junior representative for the School of Social Work, experienced a disappointing situation on Thursday when candygrams were stolen from him. He had left a bag containing the items to be delivered and the recipient list by his car in the parking lot while he walked back on campus to look for his missing car keys. When he retrieved his keys and walked back to his car, the bag was gone. Besides the stolen grams, the association did end up selling 40 candy grams by tabling on campus. “Of course, we are reimbursing those who had bought a candygram that was stolen on Thursday,” Lester said. “It’s just an unfortunate situation. A lot of time and planning went into it.” -Hannah Suzuki
-Katherine Feaster
John Domogma/The Orion
Go online to check out how the Wildcat softball and baseball teams did in their first weekend back in action. theorion.com/sports
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
The Orion reviews the latest action film from the directors of “The Matrix.” Does “Jupiter Ascending” live up to the hype? theorion.com/arts
Connect with us at : facebook.com/theorion twitter.com/theorion_news @theorion on Instagram
| College of Communication & Education | California State University, Chico | Chico, Ca 95929-0600 CONTACT | EDITORIAL Phone: 530.898.3138 Email: editorinchief@theorion.com
The Orion staff strives for accuracy in all its publishes. We recognize that mistakes will sometimes occur, but we treat every error very seriously. If you feel a correction needs to be made, please email the editor-in-chief at editorinchief@ theorion.com
Opinion columnist Miles Inserra wants us to stop talking about other people and start talking about things that actually matter. theorion.com/opinion
Editor-in-Chief Lindsay Pincus Managing Editor Ashiah Scharaga Art Director Monica Fitch Chief Copy Editor Bill Hall News Editors Joe Silva Whitney Urmann
Opinion Editor Madison Holmes Sports Editor Jose Olivar Features Editor Stephanie Schmieding A+E Editor Jake Hutchison Photo Editor John Domogma
Advisers Mark Plenke, Lewis Brockus
CONTACT | BUSINESS Phone: 530.898.4237 Email: advertising@theorion.com
Video Editor Salahadin Albutti Web Editor Saiyo Xiong
Copy Editors Elizabeth Ernster Ruby Larson Haley Rodriguez Sara Pimentel Lana Goddu
Advertising Manager Jimmy Guillen jimmy.theorion@gmail.com Account Executive Chris Estrada CEstrada.orion@gmail.com
Public Relations Director Kristen Moran
Designers Arturo Cabrera Dariush Azmoudeh Zak Magno Website
www.theorion.com
Fax
530.898.4799
NEWS
news all week @ theorion.com
| A3
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18, 2015
Chancellor focuses on tuition in speech CSU system’s head official holds online press conference Elaine Knudsen
Staff Writer
While tuition costs are not expected to increase next year, the California State University system is still struggling with funding and graduation rates. Chancellor Timothy White fielded questions about tuition, the CSU budget and graduation rates in an online conference Friday. “$100 million is short to take care of current students, not to mention qualified students for next year who won’t have room in classrooms,” White said. After his opening speech, phone lines were opened to the public for questions. White said that while tuition rates are holding steady, but the system is lacking funds for students. The rate is currently being held flat, which is less than the rate of inflation. Transfer students were another concern that was addressed during the speech. They now make up about half of the university population. The new associate of arts for transfer program is now being implemented into community colleges to create a clearer pathway for students when transferring to universities. Challenges that students face post-graduation were discussed, with the concern surrounding post-college employment. White heavily stressed the importance of students engaging in internships to prepare them for the professional world. He also noted that there is a one million student graduation drought where students are enrolled in schools but never graduate. “If California is unable to beat the degree drought, then high paying jobs will leave California,” White said. Although students not graduating has created a statewide problem, new education plans will not compromise the quality of the courses. Redesigning difficult courses, adding more discussion sections, more technology and receiving innovation from faculty are all ways to help improve these issues, he said. “It takes a village, a community, to be successful in today’s world,” White said. Elaine Knudsen can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or
@theorion_news on Twitter.
Lindsay Pincus/The Orion
Measles outbreak prompts health care readiness plans There are no current cases in Butte County. However, students should be Staff Writer aware of measles and their current vacciFollowing a spike in the number of meanation status, Cannaday said. sles cases across the country, Chico State The MMR vaccine is 93 percent effective and Butte County health care officials with one dose and about 97 percent effechave prepared for the possibility that the tive with two doses, according to the Ceninfection may become a problem here. ters for Disease Control and Prevention. California is currently experiencing “Personally I’m not worried,” said a large outbreak of the contagious viral Jason Morgan, a junior at Chico State. disease. It started in December at Dis“I’m vaccinated. As a whole I think the neyland when at whole vaccinaleast 40 people who tion situation is When people stopped worked at or visited kind of selfish of (getting vaccinated), it had the park contracted people. Especially a chance to come back. I measles, according when people have think it could be something kids and are just to the California Department of choosing not to that comes to any college Public Health. vaccinate them.” campus — us included. Measles had The drop in previously been vaccination rates Jill Cannaday, Student Health largely eradicated because of claims Center nursing supervisor that the injections in the U.S. because of the measles, can cause autism mumps and rubella has become a vaccine. major concern for “This is a top priority for public health health care specialists, Cannaday said. and is completely preventable,” said Jill “When people stopped (getting vacciCannaday, nursing supervisor at the Stunated), it had a chance to come back,” dent Health Center. she said. “I think it could be something Kristina Martinez
that comes to any college campus — us included.” The Student Health Center does have plans in place in case measles were to become a problem at Chico State. Butte County Public Health has worked with the the center to make plans for any kind of emergency, Cannaday said. If students feel that they might have measles, the center urges students to call in and not come to campus. Measles is a respiratory disease that is highly contagious and caused by a virus. The infection can be spread through airborne methods, such as coughing and sneezing. It begins with a fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes and sore throat and is followed by a rash that spreads all over the body. College students who do not have evidence of immunity against measles are recommended to get two doses of the MMR vaccine. For more information regarding measles, visit the Butte County Public Health or Student Health Center websites. Kristina Martinez can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or
@theorion_news on Twitter.
Rally: Union members demonstrate for fair treatment » continued from A1 case, an employee was taken into a van and instructed to drive around campus, said Teri Randolph, chief steward and bargaining unit representative for the union. “That’s like kidnapping,” Randolph said. The most common issues come from administration bullying. The campus is currently working on a trial dispute resolution, where people can go and discuss their issues. Although the problem will be discussed in the new process, it is not in a report, so employees have to keep a timeline of potential grievance situations in mind and report it within 30 days to an alterGeorge Johnston/The Orion nate office. California State University Employees Union President Pat Gantt leads Friday’s rally. Robin McCrea, an administration analyst in the agriculture department, is worried because it’s worse now “It used to be competitive,” McCrea environment is harmful to both the unifor staff on campus, and the university said. “Morale was great.” versity and the employees, Verardi said. considers employees expendable, she said. The continuous stress of the negative “We need to be able to offer qualified
people that we want to come here and work pay that is what they’re worth,” Verardi said. “And our employees aren’t being paid what they’re worth.” The protest is a wake-up call to the university to stop bullying behavior from managers, said Tom Dimitre, the union’s labor representative. The people who stand behind the faculty and campus are ultimately the staff, and without them the campus would not be able to function as efficiently, McCrea said. This is why it is important to be able to hire experienced people with the career background to fill a position to be a part of the campus community. Brianne Mcevoy can be reached at
newseditor@theorion.com or @theorion_news on Twitter.
Depression: Study shows freshmen struggle with transition to college » continued from A1 “And then it makes you compare how your life is compared to others.” But not all the findings are bad. Self-reported drug and alcohol use among those entering college for the first time is the lowest its been in the past 30 years and school-organized activities are gaining popularity with students. Last year, 44.2 percent of students reported that an institution’s reputation for its social activities was an important part of their decision-making process. Chico State senior Anita Zamora, a member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority, feels like school organizations such as clubs or Greek life can be a big help for some students looking for guidance or to meet new friends, she said. “It has made the transition into college less stressful and easier to manage,” she said. “When you are constantly around so many sisters who want to be the best that they can, it is hard to not want to want the same for yourself.”
The Student Health Center and the Counseling and Wellness Center both have staff that can assist students who feel they may be suffering from depression. “Situational depression can be helped through psychotherapy that focuses on disputing negative self-talk and encourages the development of skill sets that enable students to cope better with whatever struggles they may be dealing with,” said Cindy Selby, a professor in the psychology department. “Individuals who are situationally depressed are often encouraged to become ‘other-focused’ by getting involved in prosocial activities, such as volunteering to help others.” Some students have their own solutions. “I kept myself busy,” Leong said. Michael McClurg can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com or
@MichaelMcClurg on Twitter.
Trevor Ryan/The Orion
Social media and the Internet bombard students with distractions from their studies and actual social lives.
A4 |
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18, 2015
RED news all week @ theorion.com
BLUE and
Call Type: Welfare Check Monday, 10:10 a.m., Student Services Center “Subject entered Student Learning Center and wrote ‘Get away Stalker’ instead of his name on the sign-in sheet. Individual is worried he is being stalked by the government and that the agencies spying on him have infiltrated Chico State. Wrote ‘Get away Stalker’ believing his tutor was spying on him and believed the message would deter his tutor.” Call Type: Burglary Monday, 4:22 p.m., Cherry Street “White Dodge Charger with driver rear window broken, laptop and backpack taken. Kia Sol also broken into two stalls down. Occurred at Parking Structure one on Cherry Street.” Call Type: Graffiti Tuesday, 10:43 a.m., West Sacramento Avenue “Outside the soccer stadium on West Sacramento Avenue, officer found white spray paint on the lamp post saying ‘deuob.’” Call Type: Drunk In Public Tuesday, 9:41 p.m. “Drunk person was found on the tennis courts. Just sitting there. Person arrested and booked.” Call Type: Citizen assist Thursday, 8:51 p.m., Warner Street “The driver of a Prius flagged officers passing the tennis courts to inform them that she had been given a ticket.” Call Type: Suspicious Circumstance Saturday, 10:27 p.m., Ivy St. “Suspicious activity at O’Connell Technology Center. Officers intervened.” Call Type: Directed Patrol Saturday, 7:00 p.m., Legion Ave. “Occurred at the bike racks. Bike parts were being stolen.” Call Type: Evaluation Requested Saturday, 2:52 a.m., Mechoopda Hall. “Officer evaluated student who had been drinking by the smoking benches in between Esken and Mechoopda Hall.”
Chico Police
University Police
The police blotter is a selection of information cited directly from Chico Police Department and University Police Department. Call Type: Drunk In Public Tuesday, 7:10 a.m., East 20th Street “Two males are stumbling down the street. At one point, one laid in the middle of the street while the other tried to get him to stand up.” Call Type: Suspended License Tuesday, 4:27 p.m., Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Parkway “A pregnant woman was involved in a hit and run. She went to the hospital scared she was going to lose her baby. Woman went into labor and was taken to the delivery section of Enloe Medical Center.”
! w e n s y a w l a d n a
THE BLOTTER JUST GOT BETTER.
Call Type: Threats Tuesday, 9:51 p.m., East Avenue “Caller swears he has no gang affiliation but a member of the Norteno gang keeps calling him and harassing him saying he’s a Sureno.” Call Type: Commercial burglary Thursday, 8:03 a.m., Business Lane “Overnight a transient had gone into the sales office of the Oxford Suites and stole cash and a laptop. A pillow and blanket was found in the hallway and there had been no sign of forced entry.” Call Type: Suspicious Subject Friday, 4:48 p.m., North One Mile “Ongoing issue with a male subject who is walking up to young females and harassing them while juggling balls and pulling on his underwear. Subject is currently near the bathrooms.” Call Type: Threats Friday, 2:39 a.m., Crazy Horse Saloon “Former disgruntled employee has been told on several occasions that he is not allowed on the premises. Tonight he made entry because there was a new employee at the door. Reporting party told subject to leave. Subject stated that he is going to find the reporting party and kill him. Reporting party took this as a terrorist threat. Reporting party is now at the business.”
daily police blotter THEORION.COM
ADVERTISEMENTS
news all week @ theorion.com
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18, 2015
The Orion HAS A NEW APP
AND FINALLY,
it’s in your hands.
SERVICE DIRECTORY
Celebrating
10 years!
Daily Specials $5.99
$5 OFF ANY PURCHASE OF $35 OR MORE! 240 Broadway Street online ordering @ pitapitusa.com (530) 899-2847
Have Us Cater Your Greek Events!
One coupon per purchase. Can not be combined with any other coupon offer or promo. Expires 1/31/15
| A5
SPEAK UP: The Orion welcomes letters to the editor at opinioneditor@theorion.com.
A6
theorion.com/opinion
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
EDITORIAL
Social media: Mixed bag of envy, connection Social media could be the best or worst thing to ever happen to this generation. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are all platforms that were made to connect people together. Which is pretty fantastic. Two people living in different countries can keep in contact on a daily basis, and it’s free. Grandmas can stalk their grandchildren to their heart’s content without having to wait for a phone call. Social media is also largely to thank for the Arab Spring revolution. In 2011, Mohamed Bouazizi, a Tunisian, set himself on fire to protest police corruption. His death was recorded with cell phones and spread on social media sites, kick-starting the rebellion in other countries. Who would’ve thought social media would be the platform for rebellion? It is a truly amazing invention. However, social media induces something that isn’t so great: envy. It’s become a competition between who has the most followers and who gets the most likes. Less than 100 likes on a photo? Unacceptable. A study called “Envy on Facebook: A Hidden Threat to Users’ Life Satisfaction?” found a link between Facebook use and feelings of envy and frustration. The longer someone spent time browsing the site, the more these feelings increased. These findings are not incredibly surprising. If a person’s friends are doing cool things and going to cool places, they want to be a part of that social group and participate as well. People just want to feel like they belong. With Valentine’s Day came dozens of social media posts from couples enjoying the day with each other. Want to know who wasn’t posting? Single people. No posts with the caption “Spent the day eating ice cream and watching ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ while wallowing in self-pity.” Or “Rearranged all of the furniture in my apartment to avoid feeling depressed.” Or “Drank myself into a stupor and ordered $52.75 worth of takeout Chinese food for one #valentinesday.” That’s because people only post highlights from their lives. Remember, Instagram and Facebook posts are not full or true representations of someone’s life. No one posts photos from bad days. The unsigned Orion editorial is the collaborative opinion of the editorial board.
Miles Huffman/The Orion
Chico State should lead on gender neutrality Dylan de Wit
Opinion Columnist Despite consistent social activism and progress, the binary of gender identity proves to be one of America’s most inappropriately ingrained conventions. We simply cannot break away from the limitations of male and female. Let’s say students are registering for classes at Chico State. They are asked for their name. Pretty straightforward. Their address. Easy enough. Age. Got it. Ethnicity. There are always plenty of options to choose from. But if those don’t work, they can check the box next to “other.” Problem solved. Which brings them to registering their gender. There are two boxes: male and female. But what if they don’t identify with either? Gender is not a strict dichotomy but a lengthy spectrum that encapsulates countless identities, all overlapping and unique to each individual. So why are transgender students expected to force themselves into choosing one side or the other on official documentation? This kind of institutionalized gender identification can lead to discomfort in the classroom, especially after students have to go through the embarrassing process of informing instructors of their preferred name and signifying pronouns in front of all their peers. In addition to day-to-day anxiety, transgender individuals are 41 percent more likely to attempt suicide, and even more likely when experiencing mistreatment or assault. Transgender students go through enough as it is. So why doesn’t their university offer methods to help avoid the troubles that come with gender registration and make the process more comfortable for them?
Policies and practices can be easily adjusted to make the campus more accommodating for these students struggling with the binary of gender identity. Recently, the University of Vermont began offering “neutral” as a third option for students whose gender identity is something other than the outdated male or female dichotomy. These students also have the option of choosing a preferred name and pronoun that is added to the role sheet in all their classes so instructors do not make the mistake of inaccurate identification. Establishing a preferred name can also prevent confusion from other students during group activities, projects or simple social interaction. Chico State can do the same, and it absolutely should. It is a small gesture to provide specific registration options to transgender students, but it would go a long way. To begin, allow students the “neutral” option for gender and their preferred name and pronoun (they, sir, etc.). This kind of change is a necessary starting point for colleges to expand resources such as transgender bathrooms and even housing options. Ensuring that students feel safe and welcomed should be Chico State’s primary goal, and these adjustments to how transgender students are registered could be an effective first step. Chico State and other universities have the opportunity to make significant strides in improving how transgender students are accommodated within our institutions. It’s time to begin creating a comfortable and welcoming environment for transgender students in our community by adopting these registration options for students that fall anywhere on the gender spectrum. Dylan de Wit can be reached at
opinioneditor@theorion.com or @DylanTdeWit on Twitter.
ILLUSTRATION: FRACKING SUPERVISORS
Miles Huffman/The Orion
THUMBS Thumbs up to Chico State’s Sexual Responsibility Week. Students had the opportunity to get educated on safe sex and alcohol. Nothing like a gonorrhea epidemic to scare students into learning.
Thumbs down to Chico State health care officials having to prepare for the possibility that the measles infection may become a problem here. If you connect the dots on a measles patient it spells, “My parents are idiots.”
Thumbs up to making the WREC more inclusive. It’s a good step to ensuring that transgendered students feel comfortable, accepted and wanted on campus.
Thumbs down to the Chico State administration’s alleged bullying of faculty and staff members. It’s time to take these allegations seriously and investigate the claims.
theorion.com/opinion | Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 | A7
COMIC STRIP
Life skills left out of course curriculum Allison Galbreath
Opinion Columnist
I feel like I’m standing on a ledge. Behind me is the realm of school, and in front of me is the real world. There’s no parachute or gear — just the deep, terrifying abyss in front of me. I feel completely unprepared for what’s to come. I've been in school for 17 years now. That means for about 80 percent of my life I've been a student. This doesn't include the first four years of my life which, of course, also had a lot of learning involved. Even though I’m tired of tests, papers and hundred-page readings, I've actually enjoyed school and learning new things. From the basics of math — although this can be argued — to gender roles in society to how to analyze classic texts, I've learned a lot through my years in school. But of all the education I've received, it seems I've gained nothing in the category of practical knowledge. No real-life education about being an adult and living in the real world. It seems some of the only real-world skills I've gained include how to bullshit my way through assignments and expertise in navigating the Internet. There are so many things I should know but am still clueless about. For instance: •Taxes — pretty much everything and anything about taxes •Buying cars •Dealing with and managing credit •Having and starting a savings account •When to start seeing “adult” doctors •Balancing finances and expenses •Best places for certain careers •Applying for jobs, including resumes, cover letters, etc. I’m sure there is more. But without practical knowledge, I’m not even sure I know what I’m missing. I guess parents are supposed to teach kids all of this, but I feel like they never do. I wish there was some class in college that would prepare students for the basic necessities of life. Students would come in every week and learn a new life skill.
This week: How to cook simple, healthy meals that even a child couldn't mess up. But then I think, would this really be helpful? Would anyone actually learn anything by sitting in a class, theorizing? Would anyone actually want to have a test on something like this or write a paper about the seven steps involved in changing a tire? Probably not. I guess, like anything, the only way to learn how to do any of this stuff is to just do it. Take a leap of faith off that cliff and into the dark unknown. Allison Galbreath can be reached at
opinioneditor@theorion.com or @agalbreath19 on Twitter.
Darian Maroney/The Orion
LETTER TO THE EDITOR This letter to the editor is in response to the editorial “Students should be aware of hazing past in Greek community”. This article is being written not in a response to the students right to know about hazing allegations, but rather with the intention to address the misprinted, and disrespectful details around Mason Sumnicht’s passing. Sigma Pi is an organization that not only strives to constantly improve, but one that learned from mistakes. We feel that it is tremendously important for students to have a well-informed knowledge of the history of hazing incidents and more importantly, any injuries that resulted from them. This is why it is important to address the insinuations made. Mason was not only an extremely smart and responsible man but was a loving individual and beyond his years; his story deserves to be told with respect and fact, not based on rumors. Mason was in fact rushing Sigma Pi while in his junior year, when on his 21st birthday,
he drank too much at a local bar. Like most, he became also as an example and opportunity to teach future students too intoxicated at the celebration and was then taken on the responsibility that comes with drinking. from the bar to be put under the This article was a gross misprint, ever-watching eyes of his brothlacking in professional journalistic ers. With his brothers watching, integrity, seeing as so many facts in some twisted fate, his body reWith his brothers watching, in were either avoided, or not imporfused to vomit and subsequently some twisted fate, his body refused tant enough to look into. This is a the alcohol penetrated his brain to vomit and subsequently the al- classic case of libel per se defamadeep enough, eventually shutcohol penetrated his brain deep tion, using rumors and allegations ting off his autonomic nervous enough, eventually shutting off that were proven wrong, in a vain system; with his fight or flight his autonomic nervous system . . . attempt to create a story. Although response instincts dulled, Mason Sigma Pi was dropped of all its stopped breathing. Proper Emercharges, we have learned from this gency Medical Services were called immediately, and heinous incident, and will continue to encourage discusafter a medically induced coma, eventually he was taken sion, remembrance, and knowledge that should be passed off life support two weeks later. Mason was never left down for generations; in hopes that families, friends, and alone by his brothers to “pass out in his vomit”. As an loved ones will never feel this pain. organization, we believe it is with upmost importance -Tanner Lyon, Sigma Pi Fraternity, Chico State that his story is told properly, not only in his memory, but
COMMENTS OF THE WEEK
TALKING POINT
Trevor Ryan/ The Orion
Chico State celebrated Black History Month last Thursday at the 10th annual Harlem Renaissance Rent Party. Attendees donned flapper constumes while listening to jazz music from the roaring ’20s. Donations from the party went to Chapman Elementary School’s library.
In response to the blog “Press Pause: Eminem’s Grammy tells us one thing, hip-hop will not evolve” by Dylan de Wit: “If he kept the smooth, playful and slower flow that he always had he’d be more successful now but he’s opted to do what he feels like doing instead which is to change so much that a lot of people are disappointed.” -Phil Page on theorion.com
In response to the blog “Constant ‘Crack!’ of explosives has students on edge” by Miles Inserra: “Guns have a much sharper report than firecrackers do - think “crack” versus “boom”. If the sound dies away quickly, it was most likely a gunshot and not a firework.” -Helmight on theorion.com
A8 | Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 | advertisements
FIFTY SHADES OF GREY 1:00 4:00 7:00 10:00 XD 10:45 1:40 4:35 7:35 10:30 KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE 11:45 1:15 2:45
4:15
5:45
MET OPERA: IOLANTA/DUKE BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE ENCORE THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER 3D 11:00 1:25 AMERICAN SNIPER 10:55 12:00 7:20 9:50
11:50
7:15
8:45
10:15
7:20
9:50
6:30
2:15
4:45
JUPITER ASCENDING 2:00 5:00 3D 12:55 3:55 7:05 BLACK OR WHITE 4:45 PROJECT ALMANAC 11:05
1:55
7:35
10:20
SEVENTH SON 1:20 3:50 6:25 9:05 3D 12:10 2:40 5:10 7:40 10:10 THE IMITATION GAME 7:25 10:25 PADDINGTON 12:05
2:35
5:00
THE WEDDING RINGER 11:55
Specializing in Hybrid Vehicle Service & Repair
2:25
4:55
7:30
10:05
NO. FREE LOCAL SHUTTLE SERVICE SINCE 1982 - NEAR CSUC
Auto-Metrics
It is a complete sentence.
Your Factory Trained Independent Auto Repair Experts
MAZDA - HONDA - NISSAN SUBARU - TOYOTA - ACURA CHRYSLER - G.M. - FORD
Over 25 Years Same Location
895-0266
703 Cedar Chico (W. 7th Street & Tracks)
www.auto-metrics.com
TOWING AVAILABLE MON-FRI 7:30-5:30
HYBRID SERVICE
Even if it isn’t verbal.
(530) 342-RAPE
$
(collect calls accepted)
Rape Crisis Intervention & Prevention Serving Butte/Glenn/Tehama since 1974
This Saturday, Feb. 21st at Lost on Main:
From the Kitchen
Nik West
$2 burgers, hot dogs chicken nuggets, salad, onion rings, corn dogs and french fries
You’ve never heard of her BUT YOU WILL. She has worked with Prince, Aerosmith, and Lenny Kravitz to name a few. A meteoric star on the rise..DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW!
From the Bar
$2 Rolling Rock, Olympia and single wells
Nik West ~ bassist, singer, accomplished model, straight A student, track and field record holder.
$2.50 Miller High Life, PBR Coors and double wells!
$2 Tuesdays Every Tuesday 6-9 pm Bar hours extended til 11 pm!
344 W. Eighth (530) 343-2790 www.thegraduatechico.com
Lost on Main 319 Main St., Downtown Chico February 21st Doors @ 9pm GravyBrain @ 10 Nik West @ 11:30 $10
Downtown Chico’s
Best Live Music Venue
530.895.0878 995 NORD AVE. SUITE 100, CHICO, CA
B1
ONLINE: Full recap of the weekend’s games for both Chico State basketball teams.
theorion.com/sports
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
SOFTBALL & BASEBALL
Pitch Perfect
Aces for the baseball, softball teams share mound mentalities for maximum success
Alex Mistuloff
senior right-handed pitcher Favorite pitch: curveball “That is my favorite pitch because just when you throw it right, and you get the batter’s knee to buckle, it’s just the best feeling.”
Dylan Wakefield
Staff Writer
Pitchers have endless combinations, hundreds of distinctive styles, but one common goal in mind: strikeouts. Every batter is a different fight, and a pitcher on the mound has to decide whether to take a risk and throw a weaker pitch or set the tone and throw mastered ones.
Least Favorite pitch: Change-up Photo courtesy Chico Wildcats
Brooke Langeloh
For pitchers, their decisions depend heavily on three things: • The type of batter guarding the plate to protect the strike zone. • Whether batters are ahead or behind in the count. • What pitchers feel confident enough to throw from their arsenal.
junior right-handed pitcher Favorite pitch: Rise ball or Change-up
“I love my rise ball just because it basically comes in, and it looks like it is going to be a strike and then (batters) end up splitting under it and popping up. But I also like my change-up because I can do that for a strike, and it is also like an offbeat pitch, so it catches them off guard.”
Four pitchers from Chico State’s baseball and softball teams discussed their perspectives of what goes through their minds as they stand on the mound against opposing batters. Dylan Wakefield can be reached at sportseditor@theorion.com or
@dylan_wakefield on Twitter.
“My least favorite pitch to throw is a change-up because I don’t really have one.”
Least Favorite pitch: drop ball Photo courtesy Chico Wildcats
“Sometimes it doesn’t always break and comes looking like a fastball and will be flat like a fastball, which is one of the easiest pitches to hit.”
Haley Gilham First-year Right-handed pitcher
Favorite pitch: screwball "My favorite pitch to throw right now is probably my screwball because, when it is working, it either jams the batter or makes them breathe because they think it's going to hit them. But it ends up coming in as a strike."
Least Favorite pitch: Curveball "My favorite pitch to throw right now is probably my screwball because, when it is working, it either jams the batter or makes them breathe because they think it's going to hit them. But it ends up coming in as a strike."
John Domogma/The Orion
Luke Barker graduate student Right-handed pitcher Favorite pitch: fastball "I like the feeling of throwing it by somebody."
Least Favorite pitch: knuckleball "I can’t throw a knuckleball at all."
Favorite batters: left-handed power hitters “I like throwing to those guys because it is kind of like the fine line between you make the mistake, then those guys are going to get it but it is kind of like catching the big prize fish. If you get them then it is going to feel extra good.”
Least Favorite batters: little slap hitters “My least favorite guys are little guys that crowd the plate and are like little slap hitters. They’ll take you a 15-pitch at bat, and they won’t strike out, and then go on to get a little bloop hit over the shortstop.” File Photo/The Orion
B2 | Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 | theorion.com/sports
Wildcat Week of the Robert Duncan
Duncan, who has been a pivotal part of the team’s success in the second half of the season. He is fresh off consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Association’s Athlete of the Week awards. He is currently on a hot streak in the ’Cats’ last five games, averaging 20.2 points a game.
ROBERT DUNCAN
Class: Sophomore Major: Project Management
Sport: Basketball Position: Guard
Gustavo Ornelas/ The Orion
Robert Duncan looks to pass the ball during a game against Cal Poly Pomona.
STAT ’CAT
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
4
Softball WEEKEND PERFORMANCE
1-1
(Women’s Basketball) Annie Ward went 4-for-4 on the 3-point line against Humboldt State.
7 (Men’s Baseball) In the team’s season opener, Luke Barker pitched in seven of 10 innings, posting five strike outs and giving up four hits.
The Chico State softball team split its two-game series against Hawaii-Hilo to kick off its season. After canceling the first four games of the year due to a rain out, the ‘Cats finally got on the field last Thursday to take on the Vulcans. Chico State struggled in its season opener, as the Vulcans held the team scoreless in the first nine innings of the season. The ‘Cats finally found their offense in the second game, bouncing back to beat Hawaii-Hilo with a final score of 4-1. Sophomore Tori Zimmerman was one of two players from Chico State to get a multi-hit day. The ‘Cats will face Cal State East Bay next weekend in two doubleheader games on Friday and Saturday.
Men’s Basketball
Women’s Basketball
Baseball
WEEKEND PERFORMANCE
1-1
WEEKEND PERFORMANCE
0-2
WEEKEND PERFORMANCE
The Chico State men’s basketball team split a pair of games this past week. After being down 14 points on Thursday night, the ‘Cats’ rallied back to win a one-point game against Cal State San Bernardino. Senior Mike Rosaroso sunk in a 3-point shot with one tenth of a second left to win the game for the ‘Cats. The team’s winning streak is finally over at ten, after losing against Humboldt State on Saturday. With the lost, the ‘Cats are back in a tie for first place with Cal Poly Pomona. The team will look to close out its four game road trip this upcoming weekend against Sonoma State and San Francisco State.
The Chico State women’s basketball team lost both of its games this past week, and is currently riding a 3-game losing streak. The ‘Cats kicked off their road trip with a lost against Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday. Senior Hannah Womack was the only player on the team to score double figures in the game with 14 points. The ‘Cats fell against Humboldt State by 20 points on Saturday, with a final score of 85-65. The Lumberjacks handed the ‘Cats their fifth defeat in six games. The team will look to get back in the win section against Sonoma State on Friday.
The Chico State baseball team went 1-2 in its season opener against Fresno Pacific this past weekend. The ‘Cats failed to come away with a victory after 10 innings of action against the Sunbirds on Friday. Fresno Pacific continued to find success against the ‘Cats’ in their first of two games on Saturday, beating Chico State with a final score of 2-3. The ‘Cats closed out their double header on a high note with a 6-5 victory over the Sunbirds. Senior Peter Miller contributed 2 RBIs in his five on-plate appearances. The ‘Cats will get back into action on the road, against Cal State Stanislaus in a four-game series that kicks off next Friday.
8 (Softball) Brooke Langeloh achieved a careerhigh by striking out eight players against Hawaii-Hilo on Thursday.
10 (Men’s Basketball) The ‘Cats’ 10-game winning streak was finally snapped by Humboldt State on Saturday night.
John Domogma/The Orion
Junior Wildcat Amanda Cordeiro hits the ball toward left field during a match against the University of Hawaii. The Wildcats split the series against the Vulcans.
1-2
-Compiled by Jose Olivar
MORE ON THEORION.COM/SPORTS For live updates, follow along on Twitter @theorion_sports.
STANDINGS
MEN’S BASKETBALL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Cal Poly Pomona CHICO STATE Humboldt State Cal State Sanislaus UC San Diego Cal State San Bernardino Cal State Monterey Bay Sonoma State Cal State L.A. San Francisco State Cal State East Bay Cal State Dominguez Hills
CCAA 14-4 14-4 11-7 11-7 11-7 11-7 8-10 8-10 7-11 7-11 4-14 2-16
Overall 18-5 17-6 17-7 14-9 13-9 11-10 12-12 11-11 9-13 9-13 6-18 6-18
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Humboldt State Cal State Dominguez Hills Cal Poly Pomona Cal State San Bernardino UC San Diego Cal State East Bay Cal State L.A. CHICO STATE Cal State Monterey Bay Cal State Sanislaus Sonoma State San Francisco State
CCAA 16-2 16-2 15-3 13-5 12-6 10-8 8-10 5-13 5-13 4-14 4-14 0-18
Overall 20-3 21-5 17-5 17-5 14-9 15-9 9-13 8-14 7-16 6-16 6-16 0-22
UPCOMING GAMES
MEN’S BASKETBALL WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Friday, Feb. 20 Sonoma State
7:30 P.M. in Rohnert Park
Saturday, Feb. 21 San Francisco State 7:30 P.M. in San Francisco
Friday, Feb. 27
Friday, Feb. 20 Sonoma State
5:30 P.M. in Rohnert Park
Saturday, Feb. 21 San Francisco State 5:30 P.M. in San Francisco
Friday, Feb. 27
Cal State Montery Bay
Cal State Montery Bay
7:30 P.M.in Acker Gym
5:30 P.M. in Acker Gym
BASEBALL Friday, Feb. 20
Cal State Stanislaus 6 P.M. in Turlock
Saturday, Feb. 21 Cal State Stanislaus Noon & 3 P.M. in Turlock
Sunday, Feb. 22 Cal State Stanislaus Noon in Turlock
SOFTBALL Friday, Feb. 20
Cal State East Bay Noon & 2 P.M. in Acker Gym
Saturday, Feb. 21 Cal State East Bay
Noon & 2 P.M. in Acker Gym
Friday, Feb. 27 San Francisco State Noon & 2 P.M. in Acker Gym
Saturday, Feb. 28 San Francisco State 12 P.M. & 2 P.M. in Acker Gym
theorion.com/sports | Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015| B3
Women’s basketball wastes no time, recruits talent for upcoming season Wildcats sign high school standout to join team for next season Julie Ortega
Staff Writer
Nevada Union
Sammy DeHart
HIGH SCHOOL STATS
high school
Current 2014-15 stats Senior Year averAGES
The Chico State women’s basketball team is already gearing up for next season by recruiting high school standout Sammy DeHart. DeHart completed two years starting junior Year AVERAGES for Nevada Union High School’s varsity team in Grass Valley as one of its two team captains. In 2013, DeHart was awarded First Team All-Conference and helped her squad become conference champions. That same year, DeHart was the third leading scorer on the team. “I’m looking forward to playing with girls that want to be out on the court and love the game,” DeHart said. Standing at 5 feet 11 inches, DeHart is currently averaging: • 12.8 points per game Sophomore Year AVERAGES • 1.8 assists per game • 5.5 rebounds per game “Sammy plays extremely hard,” said Brian Fogel, the women’s basketball With DeHart coming from a respected team’s head coach. “She’s very program like Nevada Union motivated, very dedicated, High School, Fogel has set high wants to be successful and will expectations for her, and he value the opportunity here at anticipates that she will step (Chico State).” in and contribute to the team, DeHart’s competitive nature he said. stood out the most, Fogel said. Nevada Union currently “I think coach Fogel reranks 335th in California. cruited me because I can do “They historically have been a little bit of everything,” very successful. The kids that DeHart said. “I have good come out of that program are SAMMY DEHART work ethic. I love to learn new very well coached, and it makes High school recruit things and new ways of doing for an easier transition,” Fogel something and am always said. open to people’s opinions on how I can do Before the season begins next fall, something better.” DeHart will receive a package with a
2013-14 stats
12.8 points 5.5 rebounds 1.8 ASSISTS
13.5 points 7.7 rebounds 2.4 ASSISTS 1.8 BLOCKS
First team All-Sierra Foothill League
Led team to League championship and sac-Joaquin Division I playoff 40 3-pointers with 50 percent shooting
2012-13 stats
8 points
5.8 rebounds Infographic by Dariush Azmoudeh
program that will define the standards and expectations she has to meet. It will also include a list of guidelines and ways to effectively accomplish them. Dehart is expected to arrive next fall in good shape because she will fall behind if she does not, Fogel said. “You don’t want to be that person that holds the group back,” he said. The transition from playing in high school to playing in college is challenging —courts are longer, people are stronger and the speed of the game is faster, said first-year point guard Whitney Branham. “These are like women,” she said. “You’re not playing against girls anymore. Training in the summer before
arriving to college is up to yourself.” This summer, DeHart plans on working on her basketball skills and hitting the weight room so that she becomes stronger for her first season at Chico State, she said. Junior forward Brooke Bowen also thinks that DeHart will be a good addition to the team, she said. “It’ll be good to have someone who’s versatile that can play guard and forward,” Bowen said. Julie Ortega can be reached at sportseditor@theorion.com or
@julieOrtega_ on Twitter.
Bay Area teams drop ball during offseason efforts to bolster rosters Nick Martinez-Esquibel
Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Jay Ferrick
Chico State students try out the large plastic suits used to play bubble soccer at the Wildcat Recreation Center. The European sports trend is now avaliable to students at the gym.
Bubble soccer bursts onto scene in intramural sports at WREC Gutierrez was one of the first people to play bubble soccer at the WREC this year. The collisions are the most fun part of bubble soccer, Gutierrez said. “It’s fun going after one another,” he said. “You always have to be on the look out. I think all the participants enjoyed hitting more than actually playing soccer. It’s exciting hitting the opposite team.” The plastic ball suit comes equipped with inner backpack straps and handles to keep the player Lars Gustafson inside the protective ball during the game. Health Staff Writer risks are moderately low in bubble soccer, Rueger What does a mix of contact sports, said. soccer and giant, inflatable plastic-ball “I was worried about people getting laid suits look like? out into the wall, but they just bounce It looks like bubble soccer, which is right off,” Rueger said. essentially soccer with the addition of The only times players experienced any giant plastic protective suits and physidiscomfort was from skinning their knees cal contact. or ankles on the indoor soccer field, he Two teams of six players compete, and said. their objective is to score more goals Other aspects of bubble soccer that take than the opposing team by the end of a toll on the players are heat and dehyfour, five minute quarters. dration, said Steve Riccomini, director of STEVE The game begins with both teams on intramural sports. RICCOMINI opposite sides of the soccer field with “It’s so hot (in the suits), their bodies are Intermural Sports the ball placed in the middle. Once the sweating,” he said. “It would be hard to do Director whistle is blown, the two teams sprint an hour or half-hour game. We would have towards the ball, resulting in collisions to do three-minute quarters or something with players flying in every direction. like that.” Two referees on the field help the players who The WREC plans on having its first bubble soccer fall and have a hard time getting up. They also help game in the next month or so, Riccomini said. players get the inflatable suits on and off. For anyone interested, the best way to find Bubble soccer originated in Europe, but it is now information on upcoming bubble ball events is to spreading globally. follow the official intramural sports Instagram, @ Chico State’s Wildcat Recreation Center recently Chico_imsports or its Facebook page, Chico State got a hold of a few bubble suits that will be available Intramurals. for students to use in intramural games. Strategy is not a huge part of the game, said DanLars Gustafson can be reached at sportseditor@theorion.com or iel Rueger, a junior intramural sports intern. “There’s pretty much no rules,” Rueger said. “It’s @larsonsports on Twitter. soccer, but it turns into a demolition derby.” Senior intramural sports supervisor Vicente
Players bounce around in new sports trend now available at Chico State
Both the Giants and A’s swung and missed this offseason. When the San Francisco Giants lost a key part of their World Series squad with the exit of third baseman Pablo Sandoval, they did little to nothing to bolster their roster in free agency. It is hard to doubt the moves of Giants’ General Manager Brian Sabean, as he has helped bring three World Series titles to the team. But this offseason was puzzling. The Giants traded for veteran third baseman Casey McGehee — who was the National League’s comeback player last season — to try fill the void that Sandoval left. McGehee has made 22 home runs in the last four years, but that does not compare to Sandoval’s 30 in the last two seasons. In the outfield, Sabean signed left fielder Nori Aoki to replace last season’s playoff hero, Michael Morse. Aoki is an upgrade on offense but a downgrade on defense compared to current outfielder Gregor Blanco. The Giants settled for Aoki as they were pretty much out of options by the time they signed him. After the team failed to bring in big-name pitcher Jon Lester, more questions arose about the Giants’ pitching rotation. Will Tim Hudson and Matt Cain be healthy coming off injuries? Can Tim Lincecum be trusted as a starter? Will age catch up to Jake Peavy and Ryan Vogelsong? Will Madison Bumgarner become the best pitcher on earth? Among these questions, the only one that is encouraging about the team’s rotation is the last one. Just across the Bay Bridge, the Oakland A’s went in a different direction with their offseason. The A’s, who lost to the Kansas City Royals in the 2014 American League wild-card game, decided to completely revamp the team and parted with five of their seven all-stars from last year. Third baseman Josh Donaldson and catcher Derrick Norris were both shipped off for prospect players, signaling the obliteration of the team that General Manager Billy Beane was going for. Oakland lost pitcher Jon Lester in free agency as expected. The team also traded its No. 2 starter, Jeff Samardzija, leaving its rotation in shambles. While Sonny Gray will be projected to be the No. 1 pitcher in the team’s rotation, there are questions as to who will be behind him. 2015 looks more and more like a rebuilding year for Oakland. The team traded for second baseman Ben Zobrist and shortstop Yunel Escobar to help an offense that struggled mightily in the second half of the season last year. Who knows what Beane has up his sleeve. But by the looks of it, it could be a couple more years until the A’s will compete again. The Giants on the other hand, given the team’s recent history, should only have to wait for a year. Either way, fans of these teams should gear up for a baseballfree October because if both teams play like their general managers did in the offseason, neither team will make the playoffs. Nick Martinez-Esquibel can be reached at sportseditor@theorion.com or
@THENickMartinez on Twitter.
B4 | Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 | theorion.com/sports
’Cat golfers swing back into action Men’s team returns to green after secondplace finish last season Kevin Lucena
Staff Writer
Tim Tierney West Region Preview - March 30-31 Vallejo
Cal State East Bay plays host to the second new tournament on the schedule, playing three rounds at the famed Hiddenbrooke Golf Club.
Hanny Stanislaus Invitational - April 13-14 Turlock
Led by All-American golfers Alistair Docherty, Justin Wiles and Lee Gearhart, the This was another tournament where GearChico State men’s golf team is eager to get hart won individual titles. The Wildcats also back on the green. took second place as a team, while Docherty Last semester, the team competed in five finished seventh. tournaments, picking up a pair of individual and team titles along the way. CCAA Championships - April 20-22 The ‘Cats finished the semester ranked secStockton ond in the nation by Golfstat and Last year the Wildcats took fourth in the coaches rankings. fourth as a team at the conference “Our goal is to defend the championships, led by Gearhart tournaments we won,” said T.L. in second and Docherty, who Brown, the team’s head coach. finished in tenth place. “We’re really going to focus on the This year, the California players and what to do to get better Collegiate Athletic Association as a team and as individuals.” has switched up the conference This week, The Orion takes a championships, adding a team look at the team’s upcoming schedmatch play round to the format. ALISTAIR ule for the spring semester and “I’m really looking forward to DOCHERTY how the Wildcats performed in the the conference championships beMen’s golf same tournaments last year. cause they switched it to be more like nationals,” Wiles said. “We Coyote Classic - Feb. 23-24 start with eight schools before San Bernardino going on to match play.” To kick off the season the Wildcats will visit Arrowhead Country Club in a tournaNCAA Championship Super Regional - May ment where Gearhart had previously went 4-6 home as a medalist and the team claimed first Vallejo place. The Wildcats return to Vallejo at the However, Gearhart’s status as the season beginning of May as one of 27 schools in begins is still up in the air. He is set to visit the tournament. Last year Chico State took his doctor Monday to see if he is fully recovsecond place, led by Docherty’s seventh-place ered from a shoulder injury that finish. required surgery.
Sacramento State Intercollegiate Cup March 9-10 Elk Grove
NCAA Championships - May 18-22 Conover, North Carolina
Following last year’s third-place finish as a team and losing to eventual match play champions Barry University in the semifinals in Michigan, the Wildcats return to North Carolina for the second LEE time this year. GEARHART Men’s golf The biggest challenges will be Monterey Bay and Nova SouthCalifornia Baptist Invitational eastern, Docherty said. March “I’d love to play Nova in the 23-24 finals because if we want to win it all we Corona have to beat the best,” Docherty said. “And One of two new tournaments on the team’s right now they are the best and have the top schedule takes it further south to the Menifee Division II golfer in the country.” Lakes Country Club. Last year the tournament was won by 12th-ranked Western New Kevin Lucena can be reached at sportseditor@theorion.com or Mexico State. @klucena824 on Twitter. Wiles was the team’s top finisher at Valley Hi Country Club last year, coming in sixth place, followed by Gearhart in 12th. The ‘Cats took second as a team. They finished seven strokes behind the winner, Northern Colorado.
Women’s golf aims to keep momentum alive as new season arrives Matthew Vislosky
Staff Writer
Cal State Monterey Bay Otter Invitational - March 23-24 Seaside
The Wildcats will be heading back to Black Horse Golf Course for the Otter Invitational. Last year, Chico State finished in a tie for fifth with Sonoma State. O’Keefe shot a score of 86 and 83 throughout the two days, placing her in a tie for 48th. “I didn’t play well there last year, but I know that I can this year,” she said.
The Chico State women’s golf team will be getting back into the swing of things on Feb. 23 in Austin, Texas. After coming off their best finish in the fall at third place, Western New Mexico keeping that momentum up can Mustang Intercollegiate be a struggle. But this time it April 3-4 is a little different, said Nick Goodyear, Arizona Green, the team’s head coach. The Wildcats will travel “Luckily this semester, as back to Palm Valley Golf opposed to last, we were able Club, where last year they finABBEY MCGREW to start as soon as everyone got ished in second place behind Women’s golf back,” Green said. St. Edwards University. LeadThe team will have about five ing the ‘Cats was O’Keefe, who weeks worth of practice before shot a total of 149 through two its first tournament, compared rounds. to last fall when they only had eight days to prepare. West Regional Preview - April 6-7 Green hopes that the five weeks they Rohnert Park have will keep the momentum on the It will be a quick turnaround for the upswing, he said. Wildcats as they head to Foxtail Golf Club with one day of rest. They ended the St. Edward’s Invitational - Feb. 23-24 fall season at this course and took home Austin, Texas with a third-place finish. The ‘Cats first tournament This tournament is going to of the spring season will be at be the toughest for the team, Grey Rock Golf Club in Texas, said Abbey McGrew, a sophowhere they have never played more golfer. before. However, senior Dani “We have a tournament two O’Keefe said that adjusting to days before this in Arizona,” the new course will not be hard McGrew said. “I think it will for her. be a good challenge to play “I’ve been doing it a lot since four tournament rounds in six being in Chico,” she said. “The days.” DANI practice rounds are very imporO’KEEFE tant to get a feel for the course.” Interwest Wildcat Invitational Women’s golf - April
Cal State East Bay Tim Tierney Shootout - March 2-3 Vallejo
The Tim Tierney Shootout will be returning to Hiddenbrooke Golf Course this spring. Last year, the Wildcats finished second in the tournament as a team. The course will be tricky and they have to stay focused the whole time, O’Keefe said. “This golf course is very tight on tee shots, approaches and the greens can be quite tricky,” she said.
20-21 Chico
The last tournament before the NCAA Championship West Regional is the Wildcat Invitational, which will be played at the Butte Creek Country Club. O’Keefe and McGrew feel like playing at home will be an advantage for them, they said. “I believe by the time our tournament comes around we will be prepared and know the golf course like the back of our hand,” O’Keefe said. Matthew Vislosky can be reached at sportseditor@theorion.com or
@MattVislosky on Twitter.
The Orion The Orion
Sports Sports Get instant play-by-play
tweets for Chico State games Get instant play-by-play tweets for Chico State games
FOLLOW US Follow us @theorion_sports @theorion_sports
ONLINE: A step-by-step recipe on how to make your own nut milk from our food columnist.
B5
theorion.com/features
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
HEALTH
Trevor Ryan/The Orion
An anonymous Chico State student exhales smoke after using a hookah pen. The use of electronic cigarettes has been the subject of increasing controversy.
The vaping debate — helpful tool or harmful trend? personalized vaping experience. According to Toavs, different types of vaporizers like cloud chasers wrap coils in the Staff Writer pen that help to produce the most vapor smoke. A thick white cloud of vapor rolled off of Timothy Toavs’ Toavs went from quitting cigarettes to becoming a hobbylips as he discussed the hobby that helped him quit smoking. ist after he discovered the amount of personalization that Studies have shown that electronic cigarettes, also known vaping provides, he said. as advanced personal vaporizers, can help individuals “It’s got a lot of attraction to hobbyists because you work reduce the urge to smoke. However, the coping mechanism with your hands the whole time when wrapping coils or may be turning into a popular hobby rather than an effective wicking cotton,” Toavs said. way to kick a nicotine addiction. While it may be a hobby for many individuals, large vapor The vape industry has introduced multiple terms such clouds may scare others and the vapors themselves can as vaping, the act of puffing cause harmful health effects. on a vaporizer, and e-juice, When walking around campus, I’m not going to sit here and say that the liquid you put in your some students see others blowvaping is 100 percent safe. ... But I vaporizer to inhale. ing these huge clouds of vapor would say that it is 100 times safter Toavs, owner of Chico Vaand find it intimidating. por Lounge, began using an Sean McFadden, senior comthan a cigarette. advanced personal vaporizer munications major, thinks that as a way to quit smoking Timothy Toavs, owner of Chico Vapor Lounge “vapers” should be restricted cigarettes. to the same areas as smokers, “I started vaping in Alaska he said. when I was in the military to “I think that vape users quit smoking two packs a day,” Toavs said. should have to be designated to smoking-only areas,” McFadAt the Chico Vapor Lounge, a basic starter kit costs about den said. “That way it doesn’t affect people that are actually $50 to $70. Packs of cigarettes in the U.S cost an average of offended by the idea of them vaping and blowing these huge $6.36 a pack, which can add up every month for frequent clouds of vapor smoke.” smokers. The high price of the starter kits doesn’t seem that In addition to the intimidation aspect, using vaporizers is bad compared to pack prices, Toavs said. not as safe as it may seem. The shift to vaping, in some cases, can highlight one of There is an unregulated aspect to vaping that can be worthe less obvious differences between cigarettes and vapor risome, Toavs said. E-juice contains two main ingredients, smoking — personalization. propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, along with flavorAdvanced personal vaporizers can be adjusted and reconings and nicotine. figured with kanthal wire that enable the user to produce a While these ingredients are considered nontoxic organic Nick Bragg
compounds, some minor health risks include: Propylene glycol can cause dryness of the mouth and throat. Users have also reported allergic reactions that can be anywhere from a tingling sensation to serious irritations in different parts of the body. Vegetable glycerin has been reported to cause a buildup of phlegm in the throat. The FDA does not regulate the e-juices that are sold in stores and online, which means that China and backyard brewers can mass produce e-juice cheaply by cutting all corners necessary to make the biggest profit margin, Toavs said. “Most all juice that comes from China has been tested to contain formaldehyde and arsenic because they have even less strict rules in China,” he said. Some companies are funneling millions of dollars into getting vaping banned. These include tobacco companies, heart and lung associations, and big pharmacies, Toavs said. “They all want this banned because we are no longer having such a high risk of heart attack, no longer getting emphysema and we are not using the patches, gums or lozenges from the pharmacy companies,” he said. While the activity has health risks and controversy surrounding it, vaping can still be used as an effective way to transfer the addiction from nicotine to a less harmful smoking device, Toavs said. “I’m not gonna sit here and say that vaping is 100 percent safe,” he said. “Because honestly, anything you put in your body that’s not meant to be there is not safe. But I would say that it is 100 times safer than a cigarette.” Nick Bragg can be reached at
featureseditor@theorion.com or @Nick981 on Twitter.
VAPING: INHALING AND EXHALING THE VAPOR PRODUCED BY AN ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE OR SIMILAR DEVICE.
E-JUICE: THE LIQUID USED IN VAPORIZERS/ ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES WHICH PRODUCES A SMOKE-LIKE VAPOR. Trevor Ryan/The Orion
Chico resident Dan Ryan uses a personal vaporizer to cut back on cigarettes.
B6 | Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 | Theorion.com/features
Student dedicates herself to local kids
Alisa Thorsen
Staff Writer
Teaching how to tell time and tie shoes may be involved in teaching children with special needs, but Andee Wunno finds that building meaningful friendships with children is just as important. Wunno, a senior communication sciences and disorders major, has been a part of CAVE since her first year at Chico State. “Supporting the community and broadening your experiences is what we stand for,” Wunno said. Throughout high school and college, Wunno dedicated her time to helping children with special needs. Wunno became interested in volunteering during her first-year orientation because she was told it was a great opportunity to build her resume. But she soon realized that her work held a much more important purpose: helping students who were struggling in school. “You get paired with ANDEE one student to work WUNNO with, but you end up Communication helping everyone in the sciences and disorders major class,” she said. Wunno made an impact on many people she worked with, especially one little girl in the Special Pals Program, she said. “She didn’t know how to tie her shoes or tell time, so I would help her out during recess and eventually she learned to do both,” Wunno said. “Sometimes she would wait for me before school so I could do her hair and help her get ready for the school day.” Wunno has not only volunteered through Chico State, but also worked throughout high school in different volunteer programs. “I was part of a program called HBIC in high school, which is Help for Brain Injured Children,” Wunno said. “So I have always worked with the special needs population.” If Wunno’s plans to attend graduate school fall through, she hopes to return to the program and work alongside her family to make a difference with disabled children, she said. Although Wunno is graduating in the spring, she plans on devoting herself to philanthropic efforts for the rest of her life, she said. “CAVE has made my college experience.” Wunno said. “Anyone can go to class, but to make the best out of your college experience you should broaden your horizons and help someone who isn’t as lucky as you are.” Alisa Thorsen can be reached at featureseditor@theorion.com or
Photos courtesy of Jeanette Adame
Jeanette Adame, junior history major, taught English to natives of Zanzibar during her three-week trip to Africa.
Future teacher embarks upon African adventure Blaine Ball
Staff Writer
Jeanette Adame taught English to students and climbed one of the highest mountains in the world during a three-week trip to Africa. With the goal of becoming a teacher, she experienced the ups and downs that many of the locals frequently encounter in and out of the classroom. As part of the volunteer organization Growth International Volunteer Excursions, she and other group members had opportunities to travel to countries that are in need of assistance in areas such as education and construction. Adame, a junior history major, had always wanted to visit Africa and her involvement in the organization gave her the opportunity she needed, she said. She spent two weeks volunteering at a school in Zanzibar, Africa, a semi-autonomous island region located off the coast of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean. “We flew into Tanzania and took a 12-hour bus ride to the capital, Dodoma,” Adame said, “and eventually took a ferry to Zanzibar.” Adame spent her two weeks in a school teaching English to students ages 5 to 18. The volunteer-constructed school lacked resources such as textbooks and notebooks but still managed to provide students with English-learning classes. Residents of Zanzibar speak Kiswahili, and Adame’s experience teaching there was difficult at times, she said. “It was interesting to me that we were not taught some Kiswahili before teaching the students English, and that made things
Jeanette Adame hikes with fellow volunteers to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. frustrating at times,” Adame said. “Overall though, the experience solidified my goal of becoming a teacher in the future.” The third and final week of her trip, she and 24 others hiked one of the tallest mountains in the world, Mount Kilimanjaro. “It took us five days to hike the entire mountain, and on the fifth night at midnight we reached the summit, following with a two-day trip back down,” she said. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro was one of many memories made by Adame and her group. On weekends, she and the others participated in various nautical and cultural activities. “We went swimming with dolphins in the warm Indian Ocean water and expected to go to a historic town there called Stone Town,” Adame said. “Unfortunately, the day of the trip we received a call that a bomb had been set off in Stone Town the previous night, so we found something else to do.”
Instead of the trip to the historic town, they had a bonfire on the beach with the natives of Zanzibar and danced with locals under the full moon. Aside from her volunteer work, Adame is also part of one of Chico State’s choirs. The 60-member group performs in multiple forms, such as a capella and instrument-accompanied music. Dedicated to choir and her goals of teaching, Adame is continuously working towards the future. However, when she occasionally looks at her past, she always thinks about her amazing experiences abroad, she said. “The trip to Africa was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced,” Adame said. Blaine Ball can be reached at
featureseditor@theorion.com or @BlaineHBall on Twitter.
@alisathorsen on Twitter.
THE O-FACE: SEX WITH AN EX USUALLY A HOPEFUL DISASTER Sophia Xepoleas
Sex Columnist
It takes a special kind of person to have sex with an ex and come out unscathed. But that doesn’t stop us from doing it anyway. To clarify, by ex, I don’t mean that person you texted every day for a month only for it to fizzle out in an unnecessarily melodramatic scene. I’m referring to the best friend, I can’t go a day without you, I’m in love with you, but my parents hate you type of ex. That person you’ll always have an unexplained connection with, but you know it isn’t right. If humans were consistently logical by nature we would stray far from an ex after parting ways, but some of us like to play with fire — myself included — and it’s no surprise that we sometimes stumble our way back. Sure, it’s exciting to partake in such a seductive activity with someone who once knew you so intimately. But I’m guessing that the sex was never the problem in your relationship to begin with. As levelheaded as you may think you are
while bent over the kitchen table, there is one factor that could influence the potentially dreadful outcome of this passionate spontaneity. Hope. That sparkling glint of hope is in fact the devil on your shoulder convincing you that there is always a chance you two were meant to be together. If you find yourself naked on top of an ex thinking that things are “just like they used to be,” this is your cue to abort mission. Finish, of course, then kiss your ex on the cheek and get out of there. Take this as a chance to reflect on why exactly you and your ex didn’t work out in the first place. They’re part of your past for a reason and reminding yourself why is the best way to avoid emotional upsets. On the other hand, if both you and your ex have been apart long enough to master the art of emotional detachment, then sex away. Explore those ever-so-familiar bodily curves of your once significant other and enjoy the activity you both can agree you were always
NEBULA
Crossword
STUMPED?
good at. I do understand that these emotionally detached folk are a rare breed. Those mere mortals that sometimes allow for physical intimacy to carry over into their mental stance on the matter aren’t exactly as fortunate. Some people just don’t have the emotional capacity to share something so affectionate and subsequently accept that it was just physical business. If your loins are just burning for the sexual presence of another human being, there’s nothing wrong with taking the cliche route. To get over someone, get under someone else. Ultimately it comes down to knowing yourself and how you may or may not react to having sex with a former lover. If you’re able to accomplish this with no feelings attached, then by all means go for it. But if not, it’s best to excuse yourself from any further sexual relations with your past love. Sophia Xepoleas can be reached at sexcolumnist@theorion.com or
@soph_mxx on Twitter.
ANSWERS FOR THE SUDOKU AND CROSSWORD CAN BE FOUND ON
theorion.com
J.Q. Hammer/The Orion
Sudoku
ONLINE:
Arts & Entertainment
The Blue Room Theatre performs its rendition of Sam Shepard’s “True West.”
theorion.com/arts
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
THU
CALENDAR
19
B7
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
MUSIC
Photo courtesy of 1078 Gallery
1078 Gallery is hosting a live music event featuring Pageant Dads, Human Ottoman and Playboy Smooth. WHERE: 1078 Gallery WHEN: 8 p.m. PRICE: $5 - $10 Photos byTrevor Ryan/ The Orion
FRI
English professor and event organizer Tracy Butts, above, and other students and faculty don period duds for the costume contest at the Harlem Rent Party on Thursday.
MUSIC
Photo courtesy of JMax Productions
At the Senator Theatre, hip-hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony will be performing its entire album, “E. 1999 Eternal,” for the first time. WHERE: 1078 Gallery WHEN: 8 p.m.
SAT
PRICE: $5 - $10
21
PERFORMANCE
Photo Courtesy of SOTA productions
The North State Symphony Orchestra will be playing at Laxson Auditorium under conductor Scott Seaton with special guest soloist, violinist Lindsay Deutsch. WHERE: Laxson Auditorium WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
SUN
PRICE: $22
22
PERFORMANCE
Photo Courtesy of Chico Performances
Four-time Grammy winner Lyle Lovett is bringing his acoustic group to Laxson Auditorium. Known for his vibrant storytelling, the Texas-based musician combines country, jazz, swing, gospel and blues to create a unique sound. WHERE: Laxson Auditorium WHEN: 7:30 p.m. PRICE: $10
10th annual Rent Party revives Harlem Renaissance Amanda Rhine Staff Writer
J
azz music filled the air while people donning costumes of dapper gentlemen and fringed flappers entered the Performing Arts Center. The set designs elevated the room’s golden-age feel. Students, faculty, staff and people of all ages took a trip back in time to celebrate the Harlem Renaissance on Thursday night. In honor of Black History Month, Chico State's Black Faculty and Staff Association, the Cross-Cultural Leadership Center, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the School of the Arts presented the 10th Harlem Renaissance Rent Party. Beginning in the 1910s, rent parties were thrown in efforts to counteract the continuing rise of rent. Hosts would charge entry fees and attendees could dance to hired musicians and eat Southern food all night long. These parties became so popular that they played a
large role in the African American cultural movement between the ’20s and ’30s. The movement also produced many mainstream African American musicians and writers. It also had a significant influence on the development of theater, art and politics. “The party lends itself as a way of sort of celebrating as well as educating about the Harlem Renaissance time period,” said Tracy Butts, English professor and the event’s coordinator. “It also lends itself to having people come dressed in costumes which people love. We also get to do a fundraiser for it. So it allows you to actually meet a couple objectives all in one party.” While the party is always free to attend, donations are happily accepted and typically people are more than inclined to support the charitable cause each event is designated for.
“This year we’re raising money for Chapman Elementary School and for their library,” Butts said. This was the second year in a row that the Harlem Rent Party was thrown to benefit the elementary school. Last year, the event raised about $500. “We found out that their library budget had been slashed significantly, so the $500 helped them to purchase books,” Butts said. A raffle for a music-inspired painting by student Mazi Noble was also part of the effort to raise funds and proved to be fruitful for lots of raffle tickets were sold at the door. Noble was also selling custom prints inside the party for the cause. In addition to the art raffle and jazz music, the entertainment included some students reciting poetry and a costume contest, won by Natalie Windt. People also enjoyed hot food, cold drinks and mingling with one another throughout the night. Amanda Rhine can be reached at
artseditor@theorion.com or @am_rhine on Twitter.
MUSIC
Local band slays its way into music scene Erin Vierra
Staff Writer
Last summer, five guys from Chico decided to come together to create a rock and pop punk band called Slay it Forward. Today, they are still playing strong. Weston Ruiz, Matt Manfredi, Remington Holcomb, Brett Growell and Matt Savage have previously been in numerous musical groups before and played some part in the music scene. But when they formed Slay it Forward in August, something clicked. Because they all loved the same kind of music and knew the ins and outs of being in a band, everything seemed to fall in place. The name, like everything else, is part of what makes the band unique. Slay it Forward was guitarist Manfredi’s idea after months of throwing ideas around. To the band, the finished product was a something of a statement name, something to remember by the end of the day. And they were right. “You obviously know what pay it forward means," Manfredi said. "It's the polar opposite of that." The name isn't the only thing that makes the band stand out. There is something to be said about the way Slay it Forward promotes itself that truly makes the band unique.
The members all do their own promotion via Facebook with the help of friends and family. Word of mouth is the key ingredient to getting fans out to their gigs. “Friends or family or whoever is supporting you (is needed) to spread the word," Manfredi said. "And backing it up with technology with the way of social media.” Chico is a hotspot for most of the band’s live performances, since the members are locally based. Slay it Forward likes to play in Chico as much as it can, Manfredi said. "(To) play to people that want to be there to have fun and get involved and be passionate about it as we are (is what matters)," he said. Moving forward, all that matters is touring and getting music out to as many fans as they can. Savage said there is a big record company interested in the band, so hopefully something huge will come out of that, like making more CDs. The band is currently in the process of recording an album at a studio in Sacramento. But Slay it Forward's sudden success hasn’t changed the band. They are still the same down to earth guys they were before, even though this is the biggest they've gotten out of the bands they've been a part of. Guitarist Savage said the band's increased performance opportunities and
busyness "gives life new meaning." To understand Slay it Forward, all people have to do is listen to the band's song, “Don’t Be a Do Over," Manfredi said. It really sums up what the musicians are about. Erin Vierra can be reached at artseditor@theorion.com or
@gingersmurf85 on Twitter.
Photo courtesy of Matt Savage
Guitarist Matt Savage and vocalist Weston Ruiz performing live.
B8 | Wednesday, feb. 18, 2015 | Arts & Entertainment