The Orion Vol. 72, Issue 2 by The Orion

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compacted COMMENCEMENT Due to safety concerns, Chico State will limit the number of graduation attendees allowed to enter Nettleton Stadium.

Wills said he is not aware of past medical emergencies being the cause for this new rule. The recommendation for the change came from the Public Safety Committee Christine Lee late in the spring 2013 semester, which was Asst. News Editor too late to change last year’s ceremony, said President Paul Zingg via email. It was then This year, only five guests per one graduating student will be allowed to enter Net- decided the new limitation would take effect this year. tleton Stadium for the Chico Those who don’t have tickets State commencement in May. can watch the commencement Every year, about 10,000 at Laxson Auditorium, Harlen guests fill the stadium each day Adams Theatre or at an outon Saturday and Sunday, said door venue, according to a camChico State spokesperson Joe pus-wide email. Wills. This year, the university “I understand that there’s will be ticketing guests in order safety concerns, but having peoto cut attendance down to about ple watch from a TV outside is 8,000 people. not the same,” said Carla Mo“There are 8,000 seats in the Paul Zingg ran, senior political science stadium — when they fill up, President, Chico major. people will stand or sit outState “When your family actually side where the graduates are sees you walk, you can hear seated,” Wills said. “According them yelling for you,” she said. “The vibe to experts who know about emergency response and safety, not having people and the noise that people make when you’re in those locations will allow us to handle crossing that stage is more special than watching it from a TV screen.” emergencies effectively.” Moran is a first generation college stuAccessibility for the disabled and those dent. Her family is traveling from Las Vewho need special seating face other issues. gas, Pasadena and the Bay Area. Over the years that Chico State has held Because of the new rule, she said she the ceremonies, there have been guests who doesn’t know if most of her family will still needed medical aid at the event. One year, a guest suffered a heat stroke, Wills said. » please see commencement | A4

LaST YEaR: 1,500 – 1,800 gRaduaTES

10,0 00 EaCH guESTS daY

6 guESTS PER gRaduaTE

SOUrce ∤ Chico State

Crash kills two, one in critical condition Mozes Zarate

News Editor

Two Chico State students are dead and one student is in critical condition following a car crash early Sunday morning. Austin Silver, 20, who was a passenger in the car, was pronounced dead at the scene from severe head trauma, according to California Highway Patrol. Bryant Mata-Adams, 19, the other passenger, died Monday night at Enloe Medical Center. As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, Diego Arriaga-Rodriguez, 18, is in critical condition. At approximately 12:45 a.m. Sunday, Arriaga-Rodriguez was driving westbound on Bidwell Avenue Austin Silver in Chico. The vehi1993-2014 cle, a 1998 BMW, approached a curve on the roadway at an unknown speed. The car was unable to negotiate the curve and flew off the side of the roadway. The car overturned into a creek bed three to five feet from the water, resting on its roof. Arriaga-Rodriguez and Mata-Adams had to be extricated from the car. Both were transported to Enloe Medical Center with major injuries. Mata-Adams was pronounced dead 10 p.m. Monday, acBryant Matacording to the Butte adams County coroner’s of1994-2014 fice. “They and their families all need our prayers,” wrote President Paul Zingg in an email to The Orion. “And that’s what we must do now. Keep them in our thoughts and remind their families of the friendships these young men have developed here.” Arriaga-Rodriguez was found to be under the influence and was arrested. Due to his injuries, he was released to Enloe Medical Center for treatment, along with Mata-Adams. First-year students Arriaga-Rodriguez, a mechanical engineering major,

» please see CRASH | A3

photograph COURTESY OF Chico State

No citations given for transient ‘Sit and Lie’ ordinance Madison Holms

Staff Writer

The Chico Police Department has not given out any citations to those violating the Sit and Lie ordinance since it took effect in December. The ordinance prohibits people from sitting or lying on Chico sidewalks next to commercial property between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.Those who are cited under the ordinance would be given a fine that increases with every violation the individual receives. It has been over 30 days since the Sit and Lie ordinance was enacted. It was adopted on Nov. 19 and initiated on Dec. 20. Following its initiation, the department has responded to an average of three calls a day for transient-related incidents, according to Chico Police records. The majority of those calls come from business owners and apartment residents. Surprisingly, the police department has not given a citation to anyone for violating the ordinance. However, that does not mean the ordinance has not had an impact on the city, said Chico Police Capt. Lori MacPhail. Most incidents ended with the subject being told to move along, according to police

records. The long term impact will be revealed within the next few years, said Brad Montgomery, director of the Chico Community Shelter Partnership. As of now, it’s too soon to tell whether the ordinance has had a significant impact on the city and the homeless population. When things happen, they never happen in a vacuum, especially when you’re dealing with human beings,” Montgomery said. “So you can run into false cause and effect situations.” Throughout the past year, the ordinance has sparked controversy over its effectiveness and objectivity. “I really didn’t think it was going to end up having that much of an impact, one way or another,” Montgomery said. “I didn’t think it was the most horrible abridgment of civil rights in history and I didn’t think that it was going to completely eliminate the problems that are real and that downtown businesses are dealing with.” The key to changing the circumstances of the homeless in Chico is building relationships on trust and communication, Montgomery said. “You want to build up trust and frankly, for

Index

The Orion ∤ Photograph by Jamie Stryker

Sit and Lie A homeless man sleeps near his belongings on a grassy area at the City Plaza downtown facing the city council chambers, where many transients and homeless individuals often reside. people who live on the streets, it’s only a matter of time before they have a really horrible day or something happens that’s really bad,” Montgomery said. “If you built up trust, and honest communication with somebody, at that point, the chances that they might

make a different decision that day are much greater.” Madison Holmes can be reached at

newseditor@theorion.com or @theorion_news on Twitter.

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