Volume 62 Issue 09 by The Highlander- UCR

FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

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Volume 62

C a l i f o r n i a , R ive r s i d e

Issue 09

Serving the UCR community since 1954

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Napolitano freezes undergraduate tuition Crime Watch :

Winnie Jeng

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

UC President Janet Napolitano announced her intent to freeze tuition for the 2014-15 academic year, as part of a long-term strategy she presented during her first UC Board of Regents meeting, from Nov. 12-14. This would be the third consecutive year of tuition freezes in nearly a decade of state divestment from the 10 UC campuses during poor economic conditions. In an effort to increase accessibility and affordability, Napolitano also plans to streamline the flow of community college transfer students to the UC, speed the circulation of research ideas and findings throughout the UC system, and reduce the university’s energy consumption to net-zero. Tuition Freeze Napolitano urged the California legislature to cooperate with the UC to create an affordable and unvarying tuition policy for students. “This is not a mere timeout, or a onetime holiday. The purpose is to allow the time needed to get (the policy) right,” she said. With the passage of Proposition 30 and a state buyout of $125 million that prevented

Barn thief on the loose S a n dy V a n SENIOR STAFF WRITER

V i n c e n t T a /HIGHLANDER After visiting all 10 UC campuses, UC President Napolitano attended her first UC Regents meeting at UCSF.

tuition increases last year, undergraduates are currently paying the same tuition levels as they were in 2011-2012. UCR undergraduates pay an approximate amount of $14,000 this year in tuition and fees, while undergraduates systemwide pay approximately $13,000. This number varies across UC campuses because it takes into account different student fees unique to each campus, while excluding extraneous fees such as room and board. Napolitano offered a possible model called cohort tuition, which allows the en-

tering class to have the same tuition for four years, but subsequently increases tuition for the following class of undergraduates. “Tuition goes right to the heart of accessibility and affordability — two of the university’s guiding stars,” Napolitano said. “We need to figure out, in the real world in which we live, how to bring clarity to and reduce volatility in the tuition-setting process. It’s time for the university to collaboratively come up with another way.” Half of UC students’ tu-

ition costs are fully covered by financial aid and another 20 percent receive a partial financial aid package from the UC, which amounts to an annual average of $6,500 — slightly more than half of annual UC tuition per student. Napolitano plans to explore and develop creative strategies for expanding the university’s revenues. This would allow the university more time to come up with a decisive strategy that quells the unpredictable spikes in student fees. TUITION CONT’D ON PAGE 4

LGBT anti-discrimination bill passes US Senate Joseph Avila CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The U.S. Senate voted in favor of a bill entitled Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) on Nov. 7, which prohibits employers from making employment decisions, such as hiring, firing, promoting or compensating an employee, based on an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. This bill extends workplace protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees. In a televised speech, President Barack Obama supported the passage of the bill in the Senate, but called for further action. “Now is the time to end this kind of discrimination in

the workplace, not enable it,” he said. “I urge the House Republican leadership to bring this bill to the floor for a vote and send it to my desk so I can sign it into law. On that day, our nation will take another historic step toward fulfilling the founding ideals that define us as Americans.” The legislation passed the Senate chamber with a 64-32 vote and garnered mild bipartisan support. A total of 52 Democrats, 10 Republicans and two independents — who caucus with the Democrats — voted in support of the bill. But the bill may not be brought up on the House floor until next year. LGBT CONT’D ON PAGE 6

OPINIONS

C o u rt e s y o f W i k i m e d i a C o m m o n s ENDA prohibits employers from making workplace decisions such as hiring and firing based on sexual orientation.

FEATURES

The era of racially insensitive sports mascots needs to come to an end, including one in Riverside’s own backyard. PAGE 8

Chef-Chancellor Wilcox cooks a mean pancake breakfast for UCR students. PAGE 9

RADAR

A “college-aged” woman was robbed of her backpack and cell phone on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 6:15 p.m., according to a mass campus email sent by the UC Police Department (UCPD). The victim was walking by the west side of the Barn when a female suspect tugged at her backpack. After a brief confrontation between the two, the suspect fled the scene of the crime with the woman’s belongings. No weapons were used and the victim did not suffer any injuries. The suspect was described as a 20-year-old black female, wearing a tight black V-neck shirt, black pants and a blue beanie with a white stripe, with her hair lifted in a ponytail. In response to the incident, UC Police Chief Mike Lane said UCPD is taking greater efforts to catch the suspect. “We have a few leads that we’re working on (and) we’ve increased the area patrol that we’ve had there,” Lane reported. Lane also explained that the case is still part of an active investigation and the police department seeks to follow up on the incident. “The biggest thing that we did was let the community know (about the crime and) hopefully we can get some good results as the investigation proceeds,” he said. UCPD encourages individuals to use safety services such as the Point-to-Point shuttle, which operates from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and is stationed in front of the campus bookstore. The Campus Safety Escort Service (CSES) also operates from 5:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday and is stationed at ■H the HUB information desk.

SPORTS

If you’ve been listening to the same music for ages — stop it. Stop it now. PAGE 16

Men’s soccer closes season with a first round exit in the Big West tournament. PAGE 19

NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

HIGHLANDER

Opposition group attempts to repeal state transgender act Amy Zahn

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Opponents of AB 1266 are gearing up to repeal the state law regarding transgender students, — planned for implementation in Jan. 2014 — which will allow K-12 students to participate in athletic programs and use facilities such as locker rooms and restrooms of another gender. The law sparked both outrage and support throughout the nation, particularly from church organizations and parents with school-age children, who are concerned about the law’s impact on non-transgender students. The main group spearheading the movement is the Privacy for all Students Coalition, which hopes to overturn the law. Many parents worry that the lack of guidelines may lead students to abuse the law. According to Gina Gleason, Privacy for Students member, her concerns lie with the safety issues that may result from the passed law. “The problem,” she says, “is that (supporters of the bill are) trying to protect the transgender student, but any student will be able to use this law to gain access to (facilities of the opposite sex).” The law does not specify any requirement to determine if a student actually identifies with the opposite gender before using their facilities.

In response, Jesse Melgar of Equality California, a group sponsoring the law, said, “If someone abuses the law in the way our opponents are using as a scare tactic, that’s a behavioral issue, something that each school would handle accordingly. To assume that because there might be a few behavioral issues we should exclude an entire population, I think that’s a little misguided.” Opponents of the law had from Sep. 6 to Nov. 6 of this year to gather 505,000 signatures, in order to place a referendum on the November 2014 ballot and delay the implementation of the law. They exceeded the minimum required signatures and obtained a total of 620,000 by November. But, according to USA Today, the total signatures from California’s 58 counties must still be checked for accuracy; random signatures will be selected from each county, in order to determine that they are valid within each county. Gleason, however, isn’t worried. “I’m positive that we will be successful,” she says. “I think that people that collected signatures did a good job … they did their best to make sure people signed the petition correctly. I think that we’re in a very good position.”

C o u rt e s y o f W i k i m e d i a C o m m o n s Many groups, such as the Privacy for all Students Coalition, hope to overturn AB 1266 in fear that students will abuse the law.

In the meantime, groups like Equality California are working to make sure the law stays. “This (law) is our top priority this year and we’re going to do everything we can. At the end of the day what the (law) does is ensure that transgender students have the opportunities every other student has,” says Melgar. Back in August, the UC Academic Student Workers Union released an online petition to rally support for genderneutral bathrooms throughout the 10 UC campuses. The petition

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wouldn’t be a big deal for younger students, but once students are older, it becomes more complicated for everyone involved,” said Santa. “Maybe a better solution would be having single occupancy unisex restrooms for the students uncomfortable using the facilities of a certain gender.” With the passage of the state law regarding transgender students, California voters will ultimately decide whether or not to repeal AB 1266 come Nov. ■H 2014.

NOVEMBER Now Hiring Interns: Employer Panel 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. HUB 355

Revision Process Writing Workshop 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Academic Resource Center

Career Station 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. HUB Mall

Wellness Wednesday: Cookin’ for College 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. HUB 269

Great American Smokeout 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Bell Tower

Hiring Part-Time On-Campus Jobs: Employer Panel 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. HUB 355

The Rover, a play by Aphra Behn 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. ARTS 113

Million Dollar Quartet 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. Fox Performing Arts Center

Tuesday

Vincent Ta

reads, “All people have the right to be respected and affirmed in their gender identities and expressions. Nobody should experience disability- or genderrelated harassment when using the restroom, a basic health need.” In reaction to the recent news, fifth-year psychology major John Santa said he understood why people might have an issue with the new law, especially in regard to middle school and high school students. “Sharing facilities probably

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

The Rover, a play by Aphra Behn 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. ARTS 113

UCR Concert Band and Orchestra at Immanuel Lutheran Church 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Immanuel Lutheran Church

Saturday

Sunday

StairWell Challenge Wrap-Up 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. HUB 265

Weekday Carillon Recitals 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Bell Tower

Monday

at highlandernews.org

NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

Streamlining the flow of transfer students and research technologies to the UC Napolitano also addressed the UC’s need to streamline the transfer process for community college students, which would aid in diversifying campus populations while increasing access to potential UC students. The main challenge, Napolitano identified, would be to accommodate the increasing number of transfer students within limited university capacities and facilities. Regardless of the challenge, Napolitano recognized that “many California students begin their higher education at a community college, yet yearn for the opportunity to get a four-year degree.” Thus, there is the need to “make that opportunity more available to all,” she said. The UC president also called for UC Provost Amy Dorr to start a “strike team,” to offer recommendations for ways to increase UC transfer rates. California Community Colleges Chancellor Brice Harris applauded Napolitano’s initiative on working with community colleges to enhance transfer rates. “Our state stands to benefit from increasing numbers of students completing the bachelor’s degree and helping to keep California globally competitive,” said Harris in a press release. Napolitano emphasized the importance of finding new ways to increase the productivity of research and technology in order to address world issues, such as the scarcity of food, energy sustainability and disease prevention. “It means removing the barriers that can slow the pace of tech transfer,” she said. “And it means thinking about how we can invest in all elements of technology com-

mercialization: patents, proof-of-concept and early-stage investment in UC startups — everything that can help move our research into the market and into the world.” Energy efficiency Finally, the president announced the goal of making the University of California a net-zero energy consumer by 2025. The idea is to produce as much clean energy to replace the energy the university has consumed. Citing Gov. Jerry Brown’s recent clean energy pact — an agreement between the states of California, Oregon and Washington, in addition to the Canadian province of British Columbia, to reduce greenhouse gases — Napolitano will seek to engage support from students and researchers from an array of professional fields who are committed to sustainability efforts. Her plans on how to proceed with her initiatives are still unclear. Napolitano recognized that her dynamic policy agenda is not easy to achieve as UC president, drawing parallels between hitting its goals and climbing steep mountains. Nevertheless, she was optimistic with her vision and expressed good faith in the university’s commitment to research and innovation. “The good news is that research universities like UC are in the business of breaking through barriers,” she said. “That’s why we call them breakthroughs. It is the essence of what research universities do.” As a concluding remark, she reiterated her commitment to the four goals that she set to better the UC, taking full accountability for the list of items that she introduced. “If we get tuition right, if we get access for transfers right, if we invest in our own research and change the game on energy consumption, then UC will demonstrate to the nation, and beyond, the fundamental and unique value of a world-class public research ■H university,” Napolitano concluded.

NEWS IN BRIEF

COMPILED BY JAKE RICH, senior staff writer

TUITION CONT’D FROM PAGE 1

HIGHLANDER

Napolitano takes inspiration from Gov Brown’s recent clean energy pact.

C o u rt e s y

Flickr

MARVEL’S NEWEST SUPERHERO IS A MUSLIM AMERICAN TEEN

AMAZON WILL BEGIN SUNDAY DELIVERIES Amazon founder Jeff Bezos seeks to cement ties with the U.S. Postal Service by launching Sunday deliveries for Amazon, one of the largest online retail stores in the country. “As online shopping continues to increase, the Postal Service is very happy to offer shippers like Amazon the option of having packages delivered on Sunday,” said Patrick R. Donahoe, Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer in a press release. “With this new service, the Postal Service is now delivering packages seven days a week in select cities. Customers can expect the same reliable and valued service that the Postal Service currently provides.” The service started this weekend in the Los Angeles and New York metropolitan areas and it is expected to expand to other U.S. cities such as Dallas, Houston, New Orleans and Phoenix by 2014.

“We’re excited that now every day is an Amazon delivery day,” said Dave Clark, Amazon’s vice president of worldwide operations and customer service in the release. Amazon currently offers a prime membership program, specifically geared toward college students, which provides free two-day shipping on prime purchases for six months upon registration. After that, college students may purchase the membership for $39 per year — half its original sticker price. UCR students, such as fourthyear computer engineering major Daniel Quach, were pleased about the recent news. “As a student, it is great,” he said. “(The service) allows me to get my packages earlier. It hasn’t affected me much though, because I haven’t purchased anything recently. I will be thankful soon because a new quarter is coming soon and I will need to buy books!”

Kamala Khan, a fictional Muslim American teen, will make her debut as the first Muslim American superhero in Marvel’s monthly comic book series come Jan. 2014. According to UCR’s Eaton Collections Cataloger and Selector Julia Ree, “There are two major items to hook in one. One, Marvel is making an effort to show diversity —

it’s about time. Also, they are having more female characters — it’s about time.” UC Riverside holds the largest publicly accessible collection of science-fiction, fantasy, horror and utopian literature ever produced. The Eaton Collection is located on the fourth floor of the Tomas Rivera Library under the Special Collections and

Archives. Ree, a 40-year collector of comic books, expressed her joy for seeing greater ethnic and gender diversity in comic books. “It’s important that youth today is seeing themselves in the comics. Otherwise, there’s a disconnect. It brought comics closer, knowing their was someone like me (in them),” said Ree.

RIVERSIDE RANKS THIRD IN DIGITAL EFFECTIVENESS SURVEY The city of Riverside recently placed third among cities with populations of 250,000 or more in the Center for Digital Government’s Digital Cities Survey, which measures how well a city is using digital resources to help its population effectively. The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute focused on information technology policies, according to its website.

“These are the cities that invest in engaging with their constituencies and that continuously improve their municipal services to be models of excellence nationally,” Marie Lopez-Rogers, National League of Cities president said in a press release. She said the honored cities reflect the ability of city officials to serve its public interests by expanding new technologies.

“The Center for Digital Government deserves immense credit for its work facilitating community success through technology for many years,” said Lopez-Rogers. City and UC Riverside officials did not respond for comment on the rankings by press time. The award marks the eighth straight year that the city of Riverside has placed in the top 10 H of its category for the recognition.■

HIGHLANDER

NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

Sociologist collaborates with Indio police to reduce crime

C o u rt e s y UCR sociologist Dr. Robert Nash Parker has teamed up with Indio police to create a program that predicts where potential crimes might occur based on previous crime hotspots.

Anthony Victoria CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A new computer model created by UCR Sociologist Robert Nash Parker and Indio Police Chief Richard P. Twiss will allow law enforcement agencies to better predict where a crime is likely to occur by analyzing data of hotspot crime locations. The Indio Police Department (IPD) has addressed burglary and other crime-related activities within the city, based on the data found. As a result, the city has experienced an 8 percent drop in thefts since the beginning of the fiscal year in February. Twiss believes that this type of collaboration with researchers is critical in shaping the future of law enforcement. “I personally think it’s the wave of the future in policing,” Twiss said. “By partnering with researchers, we are finding non-traditional ways of reducing burglary rates.” Parker began working with the police department in 2010 to decide if a computer model could anticipate criminal activities by identifying where burglaries were most likely to occur in a census block group — a geographic block composed of 600 to 3,000 people. He was able to identify patterns of crime over time and space through the use of crime data and truancy

records. “It’s a little early to claim success,” Parker said. “We have to be more careful and evaluate the outcome during a long period of time to make sure what we’re seeing happening is due to the program and not due to something else. But it’s encouraging that we’re already seeing a drop.” Parker and the IPD analyzed 10 years of data which, according to the sociologist, links daytime burglaries to truancy. The data revealed that truancy arrests within a certain geographic region correlate to the number of burglaries that emerged a few years later. Back in 2010, their project was funded through a four-year, $210,617 grant from the Federal Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Smart Policing Initiative, which supports innovative efforts by police agencies to reduce criminal activity within their communities. The IPD has successfully implemented several outreach programs by creating a burglary and truancy prevention task force, community safety fairs and meetings, media campaigns, and stronger partnerships with local business owners and other community organizations. When asked if other cities would be interested in

UCR T o d ay

implementing a similar computer program, Parker explained it would be up to the individual cities to decide. “It requires a lot of work on their part,” he explained. “We’re hoping to write up reports from the project and have the justice department disseminate those reports to other police departments so they can implement them within their cities. We’re also looking to publish some academic articles that can be out there for other people to look at if they want to replicate it.” Although students did not assist Parker in this particular study, he stated that he does encourage student involvement in his upcoming projects. “There’s a neighborhood in San Bernardino that has been the target of interventions for the last 40 years,” explained Parker. “It’s a poor, distressed neighborhood with bad schools, bad housing, lots of drug activity and alcohol outlets. It’s one of those chronically poor places in the city that never seems to change. We’re trying to take a more fundamental approach and work with community organizations in improving the nature of the community.” Parker elaborated that the project is still underway and is currently in need of an additional number of undergraduate students to assist with it. ■H

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013 LGBT CONT’D FROM PAGE 1

WEDNESDAYS @ 9AM

KUCR RADIO 88.3

HIGHLANDER NEWSROOM

As a vocal opponent of the bill, Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) said the bill “raises serious concerns” by infringing on religious freedoms of business owners. “The so-called protections from religious liberty in this bill are vaguely defined and do not extend to all organizations that wish to adhere to their moral or religious beliefs in their hiring practices,” he stated. The bill currently does not apply to churches, along with businesses or institutions with religious affiliations, such as universities and hospitals. There are still 29 states where employers may take into account an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity as part of workplace practices. ENDA first appeared on the House floor in 1994, but never achieved successful passage through both chambers due to conflicting religious beliefs on the rights of LGBT individuals. According to a national pro-LGBT group, the Human Rights Campaign, ENDA will affect over 16 million Americans in today’s workforce, if passed into law. In a press conference, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said, “Lis-

NEWS ten, I am opposed to discrimination of any kind — in the workplace and anyplace else.” Boehner added, “But I think this legislation … is unnecessary and would provide a basis for frivolous lawsuits. People are already protected in the workplace. I am opposed to continuing this.” Some UC Riverside students, such as third-year creative writing major Armando Cardenas, are supportive of the bill and also believe in an individual’s right to exercise religious freedom. “Some people might feel like they have to compromise religious beliefs or values in order to comply with the law. That itself can turn into a problem as well,” Cardenas said. Third-year business major Elena Thomas says an individual’s private affairs should remain separate from how they behave in the workplace. “It’s a basic human right to love who you want,” she said. “No one should be discriminated against because of what they do in their private lives. Who you love doesn’t affect how you operate in a work setting.” She hopes that the bill will one day see a swift passage through the U.S. House of Representatives. ■H

HIGHLANDER

C o u rt e s y

Wikimedia Commons

Equality California has been a big supporter of AB 1266, hoping that it will help to bridge gender inequality gaps.

. OPINIONS . OPINIONS

HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

MORE TESTS ARE NOT THE ANSWER TO AN EXPENSIVE EDUCATION

HIGHLANDER STAFF Editor-in-Chief

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Michael Rios

Colin Markovich

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Kevin Dinh, Richard Lin, Will Huynh G r a p h i c b y B r a n d y C o at s Although AP test participation has risen every year, the percent of students who recieve a failing score of one has not decreased, suggesting a lack of a proportional passing scores.

e’ve all taken that one class. The one that’s so utterly boring that you can’t help but sleep through. The one that you can’t imagine would ever be helpful to you after you graduate. The one that, despite the professor’s best efforts (or perhaps because of them), is a waste of the 11 weeks you could be spending partying or taking a class that’s actually interesting. Now imagine you could just take a test and get it over with in a week or two. That promise is precisely what some colleges are thinking about providing their students. Instead of offering courses for a set period of time, like a quarter or a semester, students go through courses at their own pace, taking however many weeks they need to gain knowledge of the material, whether that’s three weeks or, if the material is more difficult to understand, 13. Whenever they feel ready, they take a test. If they pass, they receive course credit, and are free to enroll in another. Instead of being limited to four or five courses a quarter, a dedicated, knowledgeable and hard-working student could conceivably take double that amount — and halve the education costs in the process. It’s certainly an innovative idea, and has drawn the attention of the Department of Education, which is promising federal dollars to some colleges looking to implement these new policies. It’s generating interest at colleges, too, who face ever-increasing costs and an ever-increasing student population. This fundamental shift in the way colleges provide their students with an education is hopeful and worth looking into, but may ultimately be much more trouble than it’s worth. Right now, students have access to a professor every time they go to lecture, where they are free to ask questions about the material, the course, research and potential career opportunities. Although students in this alternative system would still be able to contact a professor, the lectures wouldn’t be live and inperson, instead occurring mostly online. This inclusion of online classes in the formula inevitably produces the same questions that have plagued Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs). Students will be physically more distant from campus, making it difficult to contact classmates and professors, and severing

some of the most important bonds formed during one’s college career. Even if students’ questions about the course are answered, there is never that one-on-one interaction that builds relationships and begins careers. Instead of experiencing life on their own, students can stay put in their own familiar sphere, never emerging to experience and learn about the outside world. The spiderweb of potential problems sticking to this test-oriented approach extends beyond the unknowns entangling MOOCs. In fact, the very foundation of this new method rests on two assumptions that, if accepted, are incredibly dangerous to our educational system. The first assumption is that passing a test equates to mastery of the material. This assumption is hugely faulty. Certainly, tests play a role in determining how well a student knows the subject. But it is not the only metric — and should not be the main metric that judges student success. Students should be able to demonstrate their knowledge through dialogue with peers and create projects that rely on understanding key concepts, and not just be able to correctly bubble in a multiple-choice question. Some variants of this test-centric plan are already in effect, but their results do not bode well for the future of this program. Students around the country are familiar with the AP test, a test that can be taken to prove college competency. Students do not have to take an AP course to take an AP test (although such courses are frequently offered at high schools), and the federal government has aggressively pushed the AP system, handing out vouchers like “work wanted” flyers in a crowded student parking lot. Unfortunately, AP tests do not live up to the hype. Even as the number of students taking AP tests taken has risen from 1.2 million in 2002 to 2.9 million in 2012, the number of students receiving the lowest score possible, a one, has stagnated around 20 percent. More students are being shoved into classes that schools say will save them money in college, while paying more than $80 per test, many of which students are not passing. The program works great for some students. But the vast majority are left in the dust. The promise the shiny new program makes is that students would save money and time. If past is any prologue, an unacceptable margin of students taking these tests would fail, with

students’ dollars and hours lost in the quicksand. The second, more heinous assumption is that some classes simply aren’t worth the same amount of time and money as others. It is important to first note that this belief isn’t necessarily inherently detrimental. Some students simply find some classes less interesting than others, or see less applicability in them. This act is okay, and it should be expected of a diverse student body with a diverse array of interests. But if the purpose of college is to expose students to a variety of ideas, what are we doing if we tie those ideas down to a scantron? The key hallmarks of engaging in a learning dialogue — conversation with peers, discussion with the professor and a fundamental engagement with ideas — are absent in a test-centered environment. School administrators may think they’re advancing students through the system faster, but in reality, they are leaving them behind with incomplete understanding of the way the world works. Diversity of academic pursuit is another type of diversity, and students should be exposed to the different fields of study that exist in this world. Instituting a test-based system extends the preference system to dangerous extremes by preventing students from engaging with material they did not know existed and may even come to love. Exposure to a variety of different subjects allows students to weave a tightly knit tapestry of ideas, connecting what they know with what they’re learning. A system centered on passing tests would undoubtedly work for a select few scantronwhisperers. But the majority of students would become ensnared in the sticky threads of the spider web, preventing us from obtaining the education promised to us and leaving us for the spider to eagerly devour. And if the system hasn’t achieved success at the high school level, how will it be different at the college level? The desire to reduce tuition for students is a sound motive for implementing a new system. Unquestionably, tuition is too high now. Centering our college system on more ■H test-taking is not the way to do it. Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

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OPINIONS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

HIGHLANDER

Racially insensitive mascots reinforce negative stereotypes

Graphic

Sports teams throughout the country need to stop using the names of ethnic groups as their mascots.

Michael Rios SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Coachella Valley High School made national headlines this past month after the high school was asked by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) to change the name of its current mascot — the Arab. In a letter addressed to Coachella Valley Superintendent Darryl S. Adams, the ADC called the mascot an example of “gross stereotyping,” and asked for a “swift and amicable solution” to the issue. After this story broke, the high school attempted to explain the history behind its mascot. According to Coachella Valley High School Alumni Association President Rich Ramirez, the name was coined by a sportswriter who thought that the term “Arab” was a good description for the tough and “brave” play the football team

displayed during a huge victory in 1931. Since then, Ramirez and members of the Coachella community have publicly resisted the name change, stating that the mascot isn’t meant to offend. According to them, this is all supposed to be fun and games. Granted, that’s a fair enough point. The name of the mascot wasn’t chosen to offend; it was chosen based on good intentions. There is no crime in that. But the school fails to realize that despite the good intentions of the past, the fact still remains: It’s not 1931 anymore. Presently, the name of the mascot isn’t being celebrated by all; the stereotypes that it enforces are offending a number of people all across the nation. Just take a look at how the name has irked folks in this country. “ADC strongly believes that use of the word and such imagery perpetuates demeaning

stereotypes of Arabs and Arab Americans,” stated the ADC. “Coachella High Arab mascot (is a) sad reflection of our worldview,” said Reza Gostar of the Desert Sun, about the crassness of the mascot. Examples like these show just how negatively the mascot has affected people. And it’s not like they don’t have good reason to be offended. Just think about what’s being done: A racial term is being used to describe a mascot — a mascot! It’s like saying that races and ethnicities are comparable to puppy dogs that people can call upon when they need entertainment. That’s just demeaning and inconsiderate. And consider the way that the mascot is portrayed: It’s given a heavy beard, a hooked nose and a kaffiyeh to wear. This kind of description reinforces ignorant stereotypes that say that all

C o u rt e s y The Washington Redskins are one example of a sports team whose name is representative of a bygone, racist era.

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members of a certain group look, act or dress the same way. Ideas like these are just absolutely close-minded. But the outrage is not just limited to this one high school mascot. It’s an epidemic that’s hurting the U.S. on a national level. Take the racially charged hellstorm that the Washington Redskins have caused, for instance. There are a handful of Native Americans who have long been fighting to change the name of the NFL team, and this push has recently intensified. According to some, the “R-word,” as national Native American rights activist Suzan Shown Harjo called it, is as offensive as the N-word and should be dropped. Whether or not one agrees with the comparison, Harjo brings up an interesting point. Those kinds of terms are derogatory and have no business in sports programs. Speaking as a Mexican American, I would feel absolutely enraged if a sports program decided to nickname its team the “Wetbacks” — even if the name was meant as a joke, not an insult. It’s demeaning to categorize a certain race as a mascot and no ethnicity deserves that kind of treatment. And it’s not like a name change is an impossible task. Some schools have started to adapt to the tolerant ways of 21st-century America. In 2010, Wisconsin became the first state in the nation to legally ban racially offensive mascot names. Following the ban, high schools in the state obliged. Menomonie School District, for example, changed its mascot from the Indians to the Mustangs. In addition to that, there are a number of high schools all across the nation that have also changed their racially offensive mascots. In Texas, Frisco High School’s mascots changed their names from the Fighting Coons to the Racoons. Just up north, the Wahpeton Wops, who

Vincent Ta

previously offended numerous folks of Italian descent in North Dakota, changed their names to the Huskies. And in the Midwest, the Pekin Chinks also angered members of the Asian American community before being renamed the Dragons. Admittedly, the name changes did come at a hefty price. In one case, a school in Wisconsin reported that the pricetag for the renaming of the mascot cost a total of $50,000. Most of the expenses came from ordering new uniforms with different logos and repainting parts of the school that featured the former mascot. We get it. It’s costly and it would eliminate a huge part of a sports program’s history. But this is a small price to pay for the total number of people angered by the stereotypical mascots. Nicknames such as these irk a significant amount of people who believe that these kinds of names are reflecting poorly on the nation’s narrow view of the world. A simple name change would not only stop the complaints, it would also show a little class from the sports teams. If other schools are willing to make the change, what’s stopping higher profile teams from doing it, too? This is a change that must be welcomed by all and it’s a win-win situation. If the names of offensive mascots are altered, the programs will no longer live with the scrutiny of having angered a group of people who are offended by the name, the programs will show class and acceptance to all ethnic groups and the affected community will no longer be offended by such insensitive logos. The tradeoffs simply seem well worth it. Coachella Valley High, for the sake of decency, it’s time to let go of the past and change the name of your mascot. There are certain things in this world that are not worth clinging to. Offending ethnic ■H groups is one of them.

The opinions expressed in the Opinions section belong solely to their authors and do not represent the Highlander Editorial Board or the University of California, Riverside.

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HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

CHEF chancellor

e k a c lls his promise for pan

il W

co xf u lf i

by Maxine Arellano, Contributing Writer

A quilt of clouds rested above UC Riverside Friday morning. Students dragged their feet across campus, including those snuggled in sweats and the occasional blanket-wrapped person walking to Coffee Bean. But instead of the usual large cup of coffee for the end of the week pick-me-up, UC Riverside offered a change for breakfast. Stoves were used to keep the hands of dining hall students and UC administrators warm, flipping pancakes and pan-frying sausages for students. Chancellor Kim Wilcox served up the pancakes as he lived up to his end of the deal of the “Chancellor’s Breakfast” for the Promise for Education. In the wake of budget cuts within the educational system, the UC system worked together to create the Promise for Education campaign to raise money to fund more scholarships and grants and make them more available to students in need. Wilcox made his promise to raise $10,000 for scholarships for students, and in return, serve a pancake breakfast to all of UC Riverside. Six weeks later, Promise for Education raised over a million dollars from about 4,000 donations for scholarships for UC students in need of financial aid. A man of his word, garbed in chef’s coat and all, Wilcox handed over the goods. Banquet tables dressed in tartan-colored cloth lined the

lawn in front of the Bell Tower. Students filtered through the quad to join a line that wrapped around Coffee Bean and receive their breakfast. UC Riverside officials, such as Dean of Students Susan Allen Ortega — who sported a tartan kilt herself — guided students into the holy land of warm, free meals. The line moved like a military march: silent and fast, while the dining staff worked as well as a greased pan. Tents were set up for stations to pick up a plate of a pancake, sausage and syrup along with a cup of orange juice. The sweet scents lured the students closer to the food as the meal was cooked right before them. Even though the students resembled zombies from “The Walking Dead,” all of the workers, including Wilcox, practically cooked the meal with their high energy and simmering spirit. Smiles beamed across the staff who poked fun at Chef Chancellor. Whether it was the energy emitted by the staff or a breakfast with more substance than purely caffeine, students soon woke up to enjoy the morning and company. Once the Bell Tower struck 9 a.m., classes poured out with hungry students, and then pancakes were really flipping. But as the line finally died down, Wilcox made his way over to the tables. Greeting him with picture requests and shaky handshakes, students treated him like a bona fide

Photos by Aaron Lai celebrity. The chancellor went around to each table to make sure all students felt that he upheld his end of the bargain. Sandra Alami and Deanne Elliot, third-year psychology and history majors, posed for pictures and were honored to meet him, stating, “It’s nice to meet the person who makes your education possible.” The dining staff felt the same, especially working with the chancellor in their own territory of a kitchen. When asked how he felt about the huge success, Wilcox responded with a crinkle-eyed smile, “Oh, it’s great!” The exceeded expectation of over $10,000 was overwhelming for him, but he was encouraged to push even further, gaining even more contributors among students, alumni, celebrities and even concerned citizens. “Serving (the students) was so exciting,” he said. “You know, I worked in the cafeteria at my college,” the Michigan State graduate added. “So when you work in the cafeteria, you can become the chancellor!” The sun made a guest appearance just as students went back to their regularly scheduled Friday morning and just in time for the panoramic picture of the staff. Marking the memory of the first-ever “Chancellor’s Breakfast” for UC Riverside, Wilcox wrapped up with a thank you and a promise to make this happen again, summed up in one word — “definitely.” ■H

Chancellor Kim Wilcox flipped dozens of pancakes for students to honor the $10,000 he raised for the UC’s Promise for Education. Chancellor Wilcox was all smiles as he served pancakes to eager students early Friday morning.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

HIGHLANDER

Moving

Bodies with Eiko Otake

by Sandy Van, Senior Staff Writer // Photos by Johnny Ma and Vincent Ta Upon entering Arts 100, students laid onto the floors to participate in the Delicious Movement Workshop held by Eiko Otake. Otake, who was part of Japanese dance duo Eiko & Koma, has 40 years of experience as a New York-based movement artist and choreographer. With exercises ranging from “How to Sleep” to “Kindergarten,” Otake portrayed her modern dance style through slow movements across a sea of stillness and sounds. A veil of dim light blanketed the room as a student-encircled Otake gradually twisted and turned her torso for the first exercise. “The first thing that I want you to try is move … not exercise … just move to rest,” she murmured. “To make yourself sleep, you can make it inviting, by not being busy, by not being stressed.” Bodies after bodies laid strewn across the hardwood floors, as Otake made space for participants by moving them across the room. Evoking feelings of a slight surrender and vulnerability, Otake emphasized accepting and understanding the mistakes made in a dance, “because when you correct your movements, you always know that you corrected your movements and you always have to try to hide it in a way,” she explained. It took a split second for students to indulge in the exercises, which left many in a state of lulled relaxation, even a meditative one, perhaps. Otake, however, does not claim to be the zen master of meditation, but rather one to appreciate every movement and feeling within each body part. “They don’t necessarily move together, but they can,” she said. This workshop was a part of a yearlong series of events held by the UCR department of dance, which is celebrating the 20th anniversary ■H of its doctoral program.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

calibasil

restaurant review: RATING: ★★★☆☆

by neill chua, contributing writer // photos by aaron lai

Weeks after its soft opening, Calibasil proudly displays its openand-ready status to the UCR community. Calibasil offers customizable bowls of the Vietnamese noodle soup, pho.

fter years of being the only Vietnamese restaurant in the University Village, Pho Vinam has finally met a formidable rival: Calibasil. Situated next door to Lollicup and connected to its sister restaurant, Oven 450, Calibasil is easy to find and access for all UCR students as an alternative fast food restaurant. Calibasil is the first of its kind (or that I’ve seen); a Chipotle-style Vietnamese eatery. The hosts ask their customers to choose an entree of their choice, which varies between four Vietnamese classics: pho noodle soup, bahn mi sandwiches, egg rolls and spring rolls. After choosing an entree, customers travel through a conveyor belt operation, where they can pick what goes into their meal, such as the type of meat, broth and various garnishes. When I arrived at Calibasil, I was greeted with a wave of Vietnamese pho aromas that enticed me to order a bowl of soup. The restaurant was bright and clean, with an interesting light fixture made out of vermicelli noodles. At the counter, I was overwhelmed by the amount of customization the entrees offered. I ordered the House Special Pho, which included sliced beef tenderloin, sliced brisket and Vietnamese meatballs. As soon as I ordered, the employee hastily began to prepare my soup by grabbing a handful of noodles and boiling them in a pool of water. I moved along the countertop of condiments, adding in lime, bean sprouts and a handful of garnishes that usually accompany pho. Also intriguing was the option of what broth you wanted, of which you had the choice of beef, chicken or vegetarian. Additionally, I ordered some chicken egg rolls and a cup of Vietnamese iced coffee. My friend who tagged along decided to order the house bahn mi sandwich and spring rolls. At first glance, the wide bowl of soup looked like a lot of food, until I noticed that the bowl was shallow, and thus only gave the illusion that it was full. The moment I sat down I sipped a spoonful of the glistening beef broth. It was savory with hints of beef and a mildly sweet aftertaste. I was also surprised at how well the noodles were made. They were cooked perfectly al dente — not overcooked to the point that they dissolved in your mouth and not undercooked to the point that they were tough to eat. After consuming half of my pho, I tried the egg rolls. What I found different about them was that in addition to being wrapped in traditional egg roll wrappers, Calibasil went a step further by also wrapping them in a layer of vermicelli, which gave it an extra crispy shell without feeling like you are biting into a block of oil. The filling was a tasty mixture of ground chicken, spices and vegetables. An added plus was the house fish

sauce, which was sweet with a small kick of spiciness not usually found in fish sauce. It went delightfully with the crunch and flavors of the egg rolls. I periodically took sips of my Vietnamese iced coffee throughout my meal, which was made strong — something I actually enjoyed. And, to my pleasure, it was not mostly filled with ice like some restaurants do with their iced coffee. However, despite the strong coffee flavor, there was a tad too much condensed milk put into the drink, resulting in an overly sweet beverage that I actually had to dilute with water. I tried some of my friend’s meal and was thoroughly disappointed in both the bahn mi sandwiches and the spring rolls. The House Special Bahn Mi comes with a pork pate (a type of meatloaf), barbecue pork and condiments such as cilantro, pickled vegetables and a garlic mayo sauce, all “served on a fresh baguette.” While the sandwich looked appetizing, my first bite of it was disenchanting. The “fresh baguette” was tough and cut into the top of my mouth. The pate and barbeque pork tasted bland and the condiments added to the sandwich were too few to actually give additional flavor. In other established bahn mi restaurants, the sandwiches are given a fresh taste thanks to the tangy pickled vegetables. This is all overpowered by the heaps of garlic mayo sauce used to compensate for the lacking flavor of the other ingredients. Finally, their “individually handmade” spring rolls were the most disappointing item on their menu. When they say that their spring rolls are handmade, it truly shows in the sloppy presentation of the rolls. They were flimsy and fell apart easily, instead of tightly wrapped vehicles for the fillings to easily travel from the plate to your mouth. The spring roll loses half of its fillings when you dip them in the laughable hoisin peanut sauce, which only contained peanut in the name, not color or flavor. While the ingredients in the spring roll were pretty tasty on their own, the slipshod presentation of the rolls really turned me off. I can see this place becoming popular due to its streamlined approach to Vietnamese food, and such streamlining is always welcome to any studentdominated area where people are too busy to sit down for long periods of time waiting for their food. Although it is worth noting that despite such streamlining, I noticed it took quite some time to order a bowl of noodles, watch them boil it and slowly put the condiments in the soup. This could cause huge hold-ups when there are lines of people during meal rush times. However, despite the hiccups in their service and weaker items on the menu, Calibasil serves quality noodles and egg rolls and provides students a convenient and innovative way ■H to enjoy Vietnamese food.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

FEATURES

HIGHLANDER

THE FRESHMAN FIFTEEN 15 BITS OF INTEREST FOR NEWCOMERS TO UCR

did you know?

Did you know that all of the campus housing options are named after regions of Scotland?

Did you know that our original mascot was a cute little dog?

Did you know your R’Card doubles as a free RTA pass?

Did you know a UCR alumnus went on to win a Nobel Prize?

Did you know our UCR sports programs have won national titles?

Aberdeen, Bannockburn, Oban, Pentland Hills and the rest were all the stomping ground of the original kilt-wearers.

Buttons the Scottish Terrier attended almost every sporting event between the years of 1955 and 1959.

Don’t have a car and want to go downtown? Don’t walk there. Use your card and hop on the bus.

It’s true. Richard Schrock, who graduated UCR in 1967, went on to win the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Before we made the jump to a Division I program, UCR won two Division II titles in baseball and two in volleyball.

Did you know UCR has been on TV?

Did you know that TV personality and CEO of West Coast Choppers Jesse James went to UCR?

Did you know UCR has the largest collection of science fiction, fantasy, and horror?

Did you know that you can print for free at Watkins?

Did you know we’re the only UC that offers a creative writing major? And it’s currently the fastest growing major here.

Did you know we have one of the 25 largest insect collections in North America? Roughly 3,000 specimens are housed there. Now just imagine all of them crawling on your skin.

In 2011, former Chancellor Timothy White, along with students and staff from UCR, were featured on “Undercover Boss.”

Who says we don’t have famous graduates?

Did you know that a UCR professor wrote the “Land Before Time?”

Did you know UCR started as a citrus experiment station?

Stu Krieger is the head of the theatre department on top of tugging your childhood’s heartstrings.

The navel orange wouldn’t be what it is today without us.

The Eaton Collection in the fourth floor of the Rivera Library has over 300,000 items, all publicly accessible.

Did you know Highlanders played in the NFL?

Former Green Bay Packer Michael Basinger and two-time Super Bowl champ Butch Johnson played here before the football team was discontinued in 1975.

Exactly 200 pages of freshly printed goodness are at your disposal every quarter.

Did you know that the Highlander has been around since the school’s creation? We’ve been cataloguing the events and life of this campus ever since 1954.■H

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TUESDAY, NOVEMEMBER 19, 2013

R adar ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Events this week Tuesday | 11/19

Wednesday | 11/20

Thursday | 11/21

Friday | 11/22

Stay Tooned @ HUB 302, 7 p.m.

Comedy Apocalypse @ the Barn, 7:30 p.m.

The Rover @ ARTS 113, 8 p.m.

Million Dollar Quartet @ Fox Theater, 8 p.m.

Chuck Inglish of The Cool Kids flips the bird for the Barn crowd.

V i n c e n t T a /HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

HIGHLANDER

CHUCK INGLISH rolls through the Barn

JOSHUA RAMOS, CONTRIBUTING WRITER // PHOTOS BY VINCENT TA

ednesday night at the Barn was looking to be a great one, as it marked the first stop on Chuck Inglish’s Wax & Roll Tour. As a fan of his solo work and The Cool Kids, Inglish’s former duo with rapper Sir Michael Rocks, you can probably guess that I was pretty ecstatic to see the rapper and producer in the flesh. It was just an added bonus that I didn’t have to drive all the way to Los Angeles just to see the show. When I think of the Barn, I think of two things. The first is great food, and the second is a small and intimate venue for concerts of the indie or alt-rock persuasion. While I’ve been to plenty of Barn shows, I have never been to one of the rap concerts held at the venue, so I was interested in seeing the differences between the two genres and performances. Even though the Barn is a college venue, the shows usually attract more of an older audience. But that night, for the first time since I’ve been at UCR, the audience felt like it was built of predominantly college students. The only things set up on stage were two microphones, two turntables and a mixer. There was no band or live instrumentation, just the DJ, the performers and the crowd. While the quality of a band’s performance is built from elements ranging from technical effects to instrumentation, the quality of a rap show is based on the artist’s lyricism, delivery and stage presence. The Kings Dead, Inglish’s tour opener, lacked some of these qualities and started the show on a rough note. Comprised of DJ and producer Alex Mendoza and rapper

Sonny Shotz, the group formerly known as The Dean’s List had a hard time getting the crowd alive and moving. The duo performed over prerecorded tracks, which took away from the show’s liveliness and made it difficult to connect with the performance. In some cases, the track was louder than Sonny’s rapping, making it almost impossible to hear the talented MC. As a consequence, the crowd was unresponsive at times; as Sonny and Mendoza asked the crowd to put their hands up and clap along, only a few followed, and the others just bobbed their heads to the beat until the end of the performance. Even though the crowd’s energy dwindled, the atmosphere quickly reignited when Inglish took to the stage. Dressed in a Tigers jersey, beanie and jeans, the rapper’s presence was certainly felt as the crowd’s excitement overflowed when he walked onto the stage — but he wasn’t alone. Inglish introduced a friend he brought along with him to the crowd, a rapper known by the name of Buddy. As members of the audience turned to their friends to ask if they knew who the LAbased rapper was, those who were already fans were plainly ready for a great show. Inglish and Buddy completely turned the night around once they delved into their performance. Buddy got the crowd up and on its feet as he flew through his set. As he performed “One of Us,” he moved all around the stage, executing his verses and dancing during the chorus. Buddy was having a great time on stage and in return, so was the audience. The crowd ate up the

rapper’s outgoing personality, chanting along to the chorus of “Next Time,” as he held the microphone out to the audience. As soon as Inglish stepped up to the microphone, the crowd’s energy was at an all-time high. Starting his performance off with “TanGerine,” a fan favorite from his debut solo EP, Inglish’s smooth delivery and old-school instrumentals had the crowd nodding their heads to the beat. Buddy played the role of hype man, moving around and trying to get the crowd excited. After a couple of songs, the crowd was dancing and reciting the lines to Inglish’s song “Keith Sweat.” Inglish and Buddy treated the fans in attendance by performing “Contact” live for the first time. As Buddy began to sing the chorus, the track was met with technical difficulties, as an unfinished version of the beat was played. Inglish turned the situation into a positive one and used the time to get to know the crowd, as he asked what Riverside was like and used the information to lead into his next song. The second time around, the two nailed it. I’ve seen my fair share of shows at the Barn, but Inglish transformed the venue into something much different from the usual. Whether it was Inglish’s laid-back delivery, Buddy’s energetic stage presence or the crowd’s youthful excitement, the night offered students and fans alike an unique escape from the regular. ■H

Chuck Inglish of The Cool Kids, along with opener The Kings Dead, brought hip-hop to the usually folk- and alternative-dominated Barn.

HIGHLANDER

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PLAY REVIEW:

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

The Rover

By Oscar Ho, Contributing Writer Photos by Oscar Ho RATING: ★★★

he UCR theatre department’s attempt to modernize “The Rover,” a 1677 play written by Aphra Behn, fell short of capturing the attention of its audience. While the play was not terribly dull or uninteresting, the language barrier between this traditional old-English piece was quite the stumper due to the diction with which this play was written. “The Rover” is about a group of men trying to find their pick of women in the streets of Italy during Carnival, showing the confinement of women at this time and a blaring realization of the societal norms that still follow our daily lives. The play explored the relationships between characters, the desire of women to be free and the desire for male characters to find the right woman. The ultimate message explores the role that women played in society at the time –– but this was not obvious to the audience from the get-go. The play was much more fast-paced than I would expect from a play in that time period. With prostitution, love and sword fighting, it was unexpectedly entertaining. However, while it did succeed in keeping me awake, I felt as if I was watching without context — seeing ornate colors and set pieces, but not knowing what they meant. The play’s language was too old and difficult to understand, with a simplistic plot and theme that was not readily known. Part of the confusion was due to the inability to see the true intent behind all the action, which the playwright disguised amidst the dawdling of the male characters. The scenery, designed by Haibo Yu, was remarkable and clearly conveyed the locations. The set felt distinctly rustic and seemed like the old streets of that time period. However, much of the set was reused as different locations, proving confusing at times to actually know where the characters really were. For instance, many times they were out and about on the streets, where they encounter a courtesan’s house, but in a later scene, the same area was used as another character ’s home. The costumes, while elegant, were not entirely true to the era in which the play was set. Many of the costumes worn by the female cast had shortcomings, with

seemingly half-finished dresses that didn’t wrap around their waists completely and awkward-looking hoop skirt outlines that were probably supposed to represent full, flowing dresses. The costumes as a whole were quite extravagant and colorful, but the loss of the full effect for every actress brought me away from the historical context that was being portrayed. The lighting and sounds were good, but many times the sounds and music came in too early or went out too late, occasionally covering the dialogue that was occurring in the scene. While much of the scenic lighting was done very well, the portrayal of some of the scenes was a stretch. When the play was supposed to be set at night, the lights portrayed an illuminated darkness. The darkness and the inability to see each other was occasionally used in the source material, but it was not nearly dark enough on the stage to sell the realism of that occurrence. The actors were overall varied in acting ability and mostly good, but some seemed to be stiff and awkward, delivering their lines and actions with much less gusto than other cast members. There were many great actors that portrayed their characters well with the drama and seriousness of what the play tried to convey, such as Ned Blunt (Fernando Echeverria). His character was believable due to his well-portrayed debaucherous behavior and many powerful scenes conveying his hopeless romantic personality. “The Rover” was a good attempt, but ultimately failed to provide much context of what was being said. After thinking hard about what the play was about, watching it again and then finally understanding the message, I realized the source material of the play was the cause of this misperception. The play was just not a good choice for a college audience, and although it is not terrible, it is quite difficult for anyone to understand it. I highly recommend this play for those who desire a blast from the wayold past, but if you have never understood works by the likes of Shakespeare and others of his era, then I cannot be certain that this is worth your time. ■H

... I felt as if I was watching without context — seeing ornate colors and set pieces, but not knowing what they meant.

“The Rover” combined classic and modern themes that, in the end, left the viewer confused and disassociated from the actors and story.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

HIGHLANDER

The death spiral of taste Listening to different types of music isn’t just good for your playlist — it’s good for your broader cultural understanding.

am an unabashed indie rock fan. I can hardly help it. My favorite bands range from Arcade Fire (whose lyrics gave this column its name) to Vampire Weekend to the New Pornographers. Stereotypical? Sure. But you can’t help what you like, right? I grew up hearing 80s alternative music around the house, so it seems natural that I would lean toward the indie music of today. It is only in recent years that I have learned to branch out from listening in my comfort zone. In breaking free of this rut of similar music, I’ve realized that it is truly an enriching learning experience. Recently, I was at folk-punk singer-songwriter Frank Turner’s concert in San Diego, and he said something during the show that really piqued my interest: Those who listen to hardcore punk don’t just start listening to it right off the bat. First, a band like Green Day or The Offspring catches their attention before they move on to the edgier stuff. Taking this idea further, our taste in music and most arts in general is shaped by our upbringing and what we grew up hearing. From an early age, we latch on to the most accessible and relatable versions of songs. For example, Green Day was my entry band into alternative music because — as an angst-ridden high-schooler — their music spoke to me in a

DESIGN

WRITE

Meetings on Mondays at 5:15 p.m. at HUB 101

way I could understand. In a different vein, the “Oh, Brother Where Art Thou” soundtrack playing on car rides to school subconsciously started my appreciation for folk, which I didn’t get into until my senior year. Though I may not have understood all the subtleties in the instrumentation or lyrics, it was the aesthetics, general mindset and ethos of the music that appealed to and stuck with me. After first finding music that speaks to us, we are more likely to seek out other bands that sound similar to the music we like. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Accessibility is key in the early development of music appreciation — and honestly, an appreciation of almost any kind of art. What so many people do is unintentionally limit themselves to their initial interests. All too often, an indie rock fan will think that most rap or hip-hop they hear is crap — and the same goes for rap or hip-hop fans listening to indie rock. However, the genres that may seem mindless or boring to you are very popular for a reason. Not to say all popular music genres or songs are high art, but most of what influenced them comes from a long tradition of experimentation and innovation within their genres. So if you’re an indie rock fan that hates hip-hop — except

SHOOT

for the Highlander

Graphic

T r av i s H o n g

and

Oscar Ho

for that one guilty pleasure Kanye West song (admit it, you don’t change the station when “Gold Digger” comes on the radio) — try finding a hip-hop song with instrumentation or lyrics that remind you of indie rock. After figuring out what you like from that song, look for related artists — things like last.fm, Spotify and Wikipedia make for great jumping-off points to find performers with similar sounds. And in most cases, the further back you go, the better. Finding out who influenced the artists you like can give you context for their sounds and ideas — which is a huge step in appreciating, and eventually liking, something new. It won’t be easy at first. Coming to like a new sound takes time. But finding and exploring new art isn’t just rewarding; understanding why artists in a certain time and place used specific words and sounds to effectively communicate a message to their audience contributes to your greater cultural knowledge. Paul McCartney recently said in a Q-and-A that the last four albums he bought were by Kanye West, The National, The Civil Wars and Jay-Z. If a music legend still thinks it’s worth it to understand music genres across a wide spectrum, then it should be certainly be worth it to you and me. So get listening. And I’ll see you at the show. ■H

ALFA

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

a conve rsation

with

HIGHLANDER

W i ll H u y n h /HIGHLANDER Singer and songwriter Alfa Garcia visited UCR’s campus to perform for the Nooner, showing her skills by playing a host of instruments and singing.

SUSAN CHAVIRA, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ast week’s Nooner was my first time listening to Alfa Garcia, and I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve been the unwilling spectator at bizarre and ambitious indie shows where the discomfort is almost tangible. But without a doubt, watching Garcia was time well spent. She poured her sunshine onto the crowd and her sincerity canceled out the awkward anticipation that generally settles among first-time listeners. The Highlander crowd enjoyed themselves, and filled the afternoon with applause. Garcia, an independent folk-pop artist from New Jersey, moved to Los Angeles two and a half years ago to pursue her music endeavors. An independent artist must have an unyielding devotion to get her name out there, become known and eventually sign with a record label. Entirely passionate about music, Garcia made most of her connections on her own, leading to her recent successes, with music from her latest album, “World Go Blue,” featured on E!’s “Keeping up with the Kardashians” and the Top 100 College Radio Chart. But it’s challenging to be caught on the music radar, and those who do manage to get noticed may only be relevant for a limited amount of time. In a soulful music talk I recently shared with Garcia, she explained, “I have always treasured music. I would rather have a hard copy of an album. The beauty of music is that it is timeless and that’s what I want my music to be like.” Her performance was perfect for fans of acoustic artists like Sara Bareilles and Feist. For her sound check, Garcia warmed up to Death Cab for Cutie’s “I Will Follow You into the Dark.” The familiar melody traveled across the quad and turned the heads of shuffling students on campus. Garcia’s voice intrigued bystanders, and the chatter I heard from the audience revolved around the “chick on stage,” trying to recall what class someone had seen her in. Garcia’s melodies were sensible and sweet; she

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

accurately summed up her on-stage vibes by saying, “I’m the basic girl-next-door type.” Between songs, she provided bubbly commentary and college small talk. Garcia shared that she was a student at New York University, where she studied international relations. A college alumna who plays the guitar, piano, violin, ukulele and sings like a bird’s song — it’s safe to say this is what constitutes being wellrounded. Garcia has been writing songs for 14 years and has studied with an orchestra for seven years. Her background in classical music and Filipino folk also influences her songwriting approach, and her lyrics borrow from 90s artists such as Jewel and Fiona Apple to create something distinctly unique. “I don’t need to put on any pretenses,” Garcia said. “I march to my own drum.” With five albums released, Garcia’s goal is to continue writing in the years to come. Aside from her singing career, she is a music instructor and teaches throughout the Los Angeles metro area. The set continued with an acoustic compilation of pop hits that were woven together unexpectedly. She started with Alex Clare’s “Too Close,” then dove into Britney Spears’ “Toxic” and concluded with Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River.” It’s always intriguing to listen to covers as they reflect the performer’s personal feel for the song; this musical concoction animated the audience, filling the air with the hum of lyrics to these well-known numbers. After all, it’s not hard to fall into body-swaying to Britney’s music. Off her latest album, “World Go Blue,” Garcia sang “War” and revisited a nerdy song from 2010 titled “Pi Song,” which literally celebrates the algebraic symbol. She assured any math majors it would be a treat, but that enjoyment wasn’t limited to a single circle of listeners; everyone from the audience to the technician was very entertained. “My lyrics are very personal and confessional,” Garcia explained. “There’s going to be someone out there that feels the same way that I do. I want more people to hear what I’m doing.” And based on the size of the H crowd at the Bell Tower, she was definitely heard. ■

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

HIGHLANDER

MUSIC REVIEWS DAMAGE CONTROL // MAT ZO

RATING: ★★★★★ BY: CODY NGUYEN, SENIOR STAFF WRITER

hen the thought of a music album crosses one’s mind, it is usually defined by a potpourri of an artist’s recent works thrown together in a 10 to 15 track conglomerate. But with his debut album “Damage Control,” EDM standout Mat Zo takes the listener on a 60-minute journey through a meticulously designed track list whose elements transcend the dance genre. From the moment the play button is pressed, it is evident that “Damage Control” is anything but your typical EDM record. The first track, “Superman Lost,” serves as a microcosm of the entire album. Its breathtaking melody is led by a guitar riff and Bhangra-style vocals to set the tone, which can best be summarized in one word: diverse. Meshing together elements of genres that range from the groove of 70s disco to the funk of retro hip-hop, Mat Zo presents “Damage Control” as a work that refuses to be tied down to a single genre. The album is served up like a fancy 14-course meal, giving listeners a little bit of everything. The soulful vocal loop of “Easy” recites “Loving you is easy” against an uplifting melody; “Pyramid Scheme” features a heavy, oldschool hip-hop influence thanks to vocal samples from Chuck D; “Caller ID” is a drum-and-bass, trap-influenced head-bobber. It’s not hard to find something that piques your interest; Zo creates a record that will have you jumping around the room during one song, and singing along to a lullaby the next. In between every few tracks are interludes that seamlessly transition between styles. “Little Damage” begins with a flute melody, then adds a snare, kick drum and synths to slide into “Pyramid Scheme’s” hip-hop beat. With its mellow vocals and soothing lyrics, “Fall Into Dreams” sidles

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into the final track of the album, “Time Dilation,” a calming but epic fanfare that brings “Damage Control” to a sound finish. These interludes give the album a majestic flow, making it more than just a set of 14 staggered tracks; listeners embark on an orchestrated 60-minute journey through Zo’s eclectic musical palate. Released as a single about a month before the release of the album, “Lucid Dreams” proves itself as the creme de la creme of “Damage Control.” Starting with a heavy intro that pounds low notes and bass into your ears, the song transitions into a verse with beautiful counter-melodies produced by a bubbly uplifting synth, which crescendos to a wonderfully executed climactic drop. Whether it’s reminiscing on the good times past, or just

daydreaming, “Lucid Dreams” is just one of those songs that accentuates feelings of nostalgia and giddiness in the listener. To consider “Damage Control” in the conversation for the best dance record of the year alongside titles by marquee names like Daft Punk, Avicii and Kaskade might sound ludicrous, but it’s the truth. In a dance subculture where the focus has been on producing festival “bangers” that are all about the drop, Zo goes against the grain with a work that is teeming with variety. No song sounds the same on “Damage Control;” it is a revolutionary and intricate work that has the makings of a classic. First impressions count, and Zo certainly makes a great one with a debut title that puts his immense talent on grand display. Loving it is easy. ■H

Courtesy of Anjunabeats

HIGHLANDER

SPORTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

One and done: Men’s soccer falls to UCD in first round of playoffs C o dy N g u y e n

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Nov. 12, 2013 Aggies 3 - Highlanders 1

After an uplifting come-from-behind win against the Cal State Fullerton Titans a week ago, the UCR men’s soccer team seemed to regain the swagger and momentum they had been searching for during their slump in conference play. It came at an opportune time, with the postseason just around the corner. However, the UC Davis Aggies brought that momentum to a screeching halt on Tuesday night, closing the book on the team’s 2013 season and sending the Highlanders packing from the tournament just as soon as they got there with a 3-1 victory. Aggie Matt Sheldon connected with Kevin Schulte for the first goal of the match, just three minutes and 30 seconds after the opening whistle. The Highlanders were able to get the score back, though, when Romario Lomeli’s cross set up a Jonathan Tovar goal in the ninth minute, tying the score at 1-1.

Just as it had all season, the UC Riverside offense struggled throughout, as UC Davis outshot them 8-3 in the first half. UCR’s defense held for much of the period, until Ian Palmer’s rebound off the left post found Dashiell MacNamara, who slid the ball into an open net to give the Aggies a 2-1 lead going into the half. It didn’t take long for the Aggies to get on the scoreboard again. Three minutes after the break, Palmer found Nick Grigoriev to put UCR in a deja vu-situation, with a twogoal deficit in the second half. There would be no comeback victory this time, however, as the Highlanders couldn’t get on the board in the second half, sending UC Davis to the second round in a 3-1 decision. UCR’s men’s soccer team finishes with a winning record for the third straight year, posting a 9-8-3 record under the direction of Interim Head Coach Tim Cupello. This year’s appearance also marks the second time in three years that the team has made the Big West tournament, though they exited winless on both occasions. ■H

C o u rt e s y o f UCR A h t l e t i c s UCR men’s soccer loses to UC Davis 3-1 and finishes the 2013 season with a winning record of 9-8-3.

Women’s volleyball shows improvement despite loss to Long Beach

C a m e r o n Y o n g /HIGHLANDER Annishia McKoy (No. 8) leaps high for the kill against two UCI blockers. UCR fell to UCI 3-0 after having struggling to balance their offensive and defensive sets.

Jason Ahn CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Nov. 14, 2013 Anteaters 3 - Highlanders 0

The half-filled stands eagerly watched as the UC Riverside women’s volleyball team entered a Thursday night showdown against Big West rival UC Irvine. Though the Highlanders competed valiantly, they eventually fell in three sets (25-19, 25-18, 25-10). In the first set, UC Riverside tied the score five times with the help of sophomore Ashley Cox’s seven kills and freshman Nae Bender’s 14 assists. An all-out effort by the Highlanders was stopped short toward the latter end of the period. Following a Cox error at 24-19, UCI converted on a set point with a deceiving tip over the net, which gave the Anteaters the first set 25-19. UCR’s eight errors hurt them compared to UCI’s two in the first set. The following set saw the Highlanders jump out to a 9-7 lead, but the Anteaters surged in the following possessions, pushing their lead to 1912. At the net, the Highlanders were

challenged by the taller Anteaters and lost the second set, 25-18. UC Irvine powered through the third set (25-10) to win the game and pick their fourth win in conference (13-13, 4-8). “Offensively, we played more consistent. But defensively we weren’t on all of our assignments,” said UC Riverside Head Coach Michelle Patton. Coach Patton pinpoints success on both sides of the ball as a key ingredient to putting wins on the board. “We either have good defensive games or we have good offensive games,” she stated. “Putting those two together … is one of the things we’ve been working on.” Cox led the Highlanders with 14 kills while Bender had 25 assists. Maddie Hubbell tallied 12 digs. Despite losing all but one game this season, the Highlanders possess an intangible asset of team comradery. During timeouts, the Highlanders huddled tightly around the coach, arms over one another’s shoulders. Supportive student fans had one-way arguments with the referee each time a call went against UCR. The crowd

went wild during exciting rallies. Looking into their next game, the players have plenty to study for besides school. “(Long Beach State) is much different … It’s a little more complex. So we really have to be studying … and be ready to slow down balls faster,” Patton explained. Nov. 15, 2013 49ers 3 - Highlanders 1

Despite not having the same rowdy crowd of Thursday night’s game, the Highlanders seemed to have improved their play overnight. They pushed the 49ers to four sets, but failed to secure the victory as they lost 25-17, 23-25, 25-17, 26-24. In the opening set, the team blocked the larger CSULB hitters and used a combination of spikes and tips to open a 16-15 advantage. UC Riverside lost crucial points at 16-16 and 16-17, which spurred a 49ers run to the first set, 25-17. The versatile Ashley Cox had five kills and three digs in the set. Maddie Hubbell tallied five digs while Bender Nae recorded 11 assists.

In the second set, the determined UCR team bounced back to a 15-11 lead. Long Beach’s six errors cost them as the Highlanders capitalized on their mistakes. Exciting Riverside rallies usually ended with an error by Long Beach. Riverside’s fierce concentration in the period was clearly evident. They finished the set with a kill from Annishia McKoy, giving them the second set, 25-23. The third set had a similar result to the first, ending with Long Beach on top, 25-17. However, the fourth set was different as the Highlanders jumped out to a 15-10 advantage. UCR scored a string of points with blocks from Lindsay Hornsby and Tyler Dorsey as well as strong serving from Cox. The 49ers responded, however, as the squads battled to a 22-22 tie. A kill from McKoy gave UCR their first set point, but a serve out of bounds followed by a pair of Long Beach State kills cost the Highlanders the final set, 26-24. The Highlanders next compete on Friday, Nov. 22 against Cal Poly San ■H Luis Obispo.

. SPORTS .

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013

HIGHLANDER

The 30Point Club

Career highs from Taylor Johns and Brittany Crain lead UCR basketball to a victorious weekend

C a m e r o n Y o n g /HIGHLANDER Taylor Johns (No. 5) skies high to make a dunk on Montana State during the Homecoming game.

Men’s Basketball Steven Cahill CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Nov. 13, 2013 Waves 69 - Highlanders 66

This week saw the UC Riverside men’s basketball team play its first two home games of the season. The Highlanders lost their home opener against Pepperdine on Nov. 13 as the team went down to the wire, falling 69-66 in the final possessions. The following game, UCR, backed by the roars of a near-capacity crowd, secured its first season victory, 72-67, on Homecoming game behind a career-high 31 points from Taylor Johns. Wednesday’s game found Riverside down early due to a lack of aggression on their side and lights-out perimeter shooting from Pepperdine. UCR shot only three free throws in the first half, making two. They only made two of 11 threes in the half as well. Meanwhile, the Pepperdine Waves made eight of 11 free throws and six of 8 three-pointers in the first 20 minutes. Despite this and outrebounding Riverside by eight, the lead was only eight going into halftime, 40-32, due to otherwise tight defensive play that led to seven Wave turnovers. The second half was when the Highlanders and the rowdy crowd started to raise their level. Riverside cut the lead to two points at the 10:30 mark as the Waves cooled off and UCR went on a run. The game remained extremely close, with UCR guard Steven Jones making a shot and a free throw to bring the lead to two once again, 59-61. During the final minute, no one was in their seats as Steven Thornton made a basket with 54 seconds left to tie the game, 63-63. However, Pepperdine made all six of their free throws from that time on, and the Highlanders wound up coming a tad short, losing 66-69. Chris Harriel was the high man for Riverside, scoring 15 points, including a couple of impressive dunks scattered throughout the game.

Nov. 16, 2013

Highlanders 72 - Bobcats 67

Saturday night, the men’s basketball team played their Homecoming game against Montana State, and it did not disappoint the packed Student Recreation Center crowd of over 2,000 fans. In the first half, a hot Montana State team connected on 14 of 26 shots, but Johns’ 12 points on six-for-eight shooting helped the Highlanders end the half tied at 30 apiece. During halftime, basketball alumni were honored, from coaches to players, going back as far as 1950, and they all watched Taylor Johns put on a show in the second half. Johns scored a career-high 31 points on an incredibly efficient 13 of 16 field goals. “I had a good night,” he said after the game. “I felt it early. My teammates saw that I had it going and that kept feeding me, so it was a team thing. A few of my teammates hit jumpers and that freed me up.” Despite his heroics, the game was a close one to the very end, with UCR clinging to a four-point lead, 67-63, with just under two minutes remaining. But this time, Riverside made the clutch free throws and tough rebounds to hold on to the lead, winning 72-67. The win was the first of the season for the Highlanders, and the first ever for Dennis Cutts as the team’s interim head coach. Afterward, he said, “It’s great. But I’m more happy for these guys. They earned that.” He also discussed Johns’ progress so far in this young season, saying, “Taylor Johns has been unbelievable. I couldn’t be happier for him. He’s really worked at it. These first two games he’s played really well. He was in the gym early Friday morning working and his confidence is starting to grow. He played like a man tonight and it was great to see.” Rookie guard Sam Finley also stressed the importance of the UCR big men getting involved: “We have three dominant bigs (Taylor Johns, Chris Patton, Lucas Devenny), so if we get them going early, it leads to easier shots for us.” Riverside continues its season Saturday, ■H Nov. 23 at Southern Utah.

C o u rt e s y o f UCR A t hl e t i c s Brittany Crain (No. 23) has accepted the mantle of UCR’s best player since the depature of Tre’Shonti Nottingham.

Women’s Basketball Melisa Bivian CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Nov. 15, 2013

Highlanders 105 - Spartans 74

After starting the season with two losses, the UC Riverside women’s basketball team was determined to put a win on the season’s calendar. On Friday evening, the Highlanders faced San Jose State University and dominated with a 105-74 win, scoring the most points in the school’s Division I history. The Highlanders started the first three minutes with 11 straight points. San Jose State didn’t have the same luck as they missed four shots from the field and a pair of free throws before Spartan Riana Byrd scored three minutes in. Throughout the first half, the Highlanders continued to push forward and reached a 20-point lead at the 8:40 mark, 3716. The half came to an end with a layup from Highlander Taylor Wallace and a three-pointer from Annelise Ito. Coming into the second half with a 50-30 deficit, the Spartans were determined to change the scoreboard around. The Highlanders, however, kept increasing the lead as it grew to 27 at the 14:46 mark, 66-39. The Spartans were able to make it a 19-point game with 6:32 to go. As both teams continued to fight for the lead, the Highlanders just kept running the ball in their favor and closed the game with a 31-point win, 105-74. The Highlanders were able to shoot 54.5 percent from the field, unlike the Spartans who only shot 36.8 percent. Four players scored in the double digits: Brittany Crain once again showed her ability to come out on top by scoring 23 points and grabbing four rebounds. Natasha Hadley followed with 21 points and 10 rebounds while Ito scored 20 points. Kiara Harewood contributed by scoring 12 points and securing eight rebounds. Nov. 17, 2013

Highlanders 90 - Broncos 80

Looking to win their second game of the season, the UC Riverside women’s basketball team played Santa Clara on Sunday afternoon.

Facing a sizable halftime deficit and foul trouble, the Highlanders battled behind a career-high 37 points from Brittany Crain to come away with a 90-80 overtime victory. As the game began, the Highlanders took an early lead, but it wasn’t long until the Broncos caught up. The Broncos were successful in shooting 51.9 percent from the floor while the Highlanders only shot 32.0 percent. Scoring the last five points of the period, the Broncos closed the half with a lead of 42-34. The Highlanders’ forwards all were in foul trouble as Natasha Hadley, Jamila Williams and Kiara Harewood racked up three fouls apiece. Crain scored 17 of the team’s 34 points in the period. Entering the second half, the Highlanders were able to turn the game around. Minutes into the half, freshman Simone DeCoud reeled off seven consecutive points to give UCR a 52-48 lead. As the second half continued, the Highlanders led the game by 10 on several occasions. With three minutes remaining, the battle continued, but the Broncos were successful in chipping away at the lead. With UCR ahead 74-72 and the pressure mounting, the Highlanders fouled Santa Clara’s Vanessa Leo. The Broncos sank both free throws to tie the game, 74-74. UC Riverside attempted two shots, but both went awry as the game went into a five-minute overtime. The first three minutes of overtime clearly showed that it was Riverside’s game. With nine straight points, the Highlanders took the lead, 83-74. UCR’s defense held the Broncos to one-for-12 shooting in overtime en route to a 90-80 win. Crain did a phenomenal job by scoring a career-high 37 points with nine-for-13 shooting from the field. The North High School product also shot 16-for-20 from the foul line and grabbed seven rebounds. Freshman Decoud added a career-high of 20 points and five rebounds. Hadley tallied 14 points and eight rebounds in a foul-shortened game. Marie Bertholdt led Santa Clara with 18 points. Hoping to gain more wins, the Highlanders are preparing for the Great Alaska Shootout on Nov. ■H 26 and 27 in Anchorage, Alaska.