FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
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Volume 62
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UCR students propose gender studies requirement MICHAEL RIOS Senior Staff Writer
Much like UCR’s current ethnic studies requirement, a new proposal by some members of the UCR community would require UCR students to take a gender studies class before they graduate. According to representatives, the proposal “is meant to raise awareness of conflicts related to gender and sexuality.” The idea began in a gender studies course that associate professor of women’s studies Jane Ward taught in winter quarter after a series of controversial events occurred on campus. One of the incidents was a display of an inflatable fun house that featured what appeared to be women’s legs hovering over a bed. To Ward, this “demonstrated that some students did not have the critical skills needed to … help create a campus climate of respect for women and people of all genders.” The gender studies proposal has since garnered additional support from students taking Ward’s feminist theory class this quarter. Evanny Escobar is one of the students currently working on the campaign. According to her, despite the the proposal’s intent to make the course a requirement, it does not intend to delay students’ graduation. “We understand that many students have a very tight schedule as it is,” she said in a statement, “and right now we’re looking at
ways to incorporate this requirement without it negatively impacting graduation times.” The proposal would require UCR students to take one of the estimated 200 courses on campus that emphasize gender. Instead of adding units, one of the gender-related breadth courses in the humanities and social sciences that students already need to take would fulfill the proposed requirement. If the proposal is approved, then all undergraduate students at UCR, regardless of their major or college, would have to fulfill the gender studies requirement. The idea has already received some support. A Facebook page was created in support of the proposal and has generated hundreds of likes and positive feedback so far. According to Escobar, there has been some negative feedback from members of the community, however. “(People) think it’s going to be purely from a feminist’s perspective (and) that we’re men haters and we’re trying to rule everything, which is not what we’re going for,” explained Escobar. Despite this, the students have already brought the idea to ASUCR’s attention and a resolution about the subject is expected to be voted on during an upcoming senate meeting. For the proposal to take effect, however, it would need to be sponsored by the women’s studies department before it is presented to the ■H academic senate for approval.
COURTESY OF UC STUDENTS FOR GENDER STUDIES Demand for an undergraduate gender studies class requirement has risen due to controversial campus events, such as the display of what looked like inflatable female legs at the Adult Swim Fun House just months ago.
MCS Film Festival
INSIDE: Editorial: We’ve had record turnout for ASUCR elections. Now what? Read our open letter to ASUCR.
OPINIONS
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FEATURES
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The ultimate race against time, Relay for Life, passes baton of hope amongst cancer survivors and the warriors in the battle against it.
Spike and Mike’s Festival of Animation celebrates the art, upand-coming animators and a hefty donation to UCR’s media reserves. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Editor-in-chief Michael Rios gives his thoughts on UCR adding a long-sought football program. The second annual Media and Cultural Studies Film Festival provides an amazing opportunity for aspiring filmmakers to showcase their work.
A&E, PAGE 20
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SPORTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
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STAFF
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NEWS
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
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Using computer science courses to meet college admissions requirements ESTEFANIA ZAVALA Staff Writer
California senators passed a bill on May 5 which may allow high school students to use computer science to meet the general A-G requirements needed to gain admissions into a CSU or UC. If approved by the State Assembly, the computer science courses could be substituted for math courses to meet general college admissions mandates. The bill, SB 1200, was proposed by state senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) and passed unanimously on a bipartisan vote of 37-0. This bill would allow high schools to place greater emphasis on computer literacy classes, which are often seen as electives — extra classes that tend to be dwindled down during periods of budget cuts, especially in poorer school districts. “More high school students will take advanced computer science courses if the classes qualify as meeting a core math requirement for undergraduate admission. These courses should be recognized as fundamental in the 21st century economy,” said Padilla in a press release. Computer science and computerrelated jobs are one of the fastestgrowing job fields in California. According to Padilla, California will need to fill half a million computingrelated jobs by the year 2018. At UCR, the department of computer science
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS SB 1200 is a bill that may allow high school computer science classes to count toward UC and CSU math admission requirements.
and engineering brought in over $10 million in research grants in 2013. “I think (this bill) is great. The youth need to be more computer literate. Computers are not magic,” said Gustavo Blanco, computer engineering major and president of the UCR Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. He added that he never had any kind of computer literacy courses in his own high school. Marek Chrobak, a UCR computer science and engineering professor said there are many high school students with an interest in pursuing computing
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as a career, but may find the topic itself “intimidating.” “(Computer literacy) courses will help such students familiarize with this field and make informed decisions as to whether they should pursue careers in information technology,” he said in an email interview. Chrobak also noted that computer science has now become a fully developed academic field of study, and that computational thinking now permeates all areas of science and engineering. Participation in the computer science course electives
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Laura Nguyen STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Spike and Mike’s Festival of Animation last week at the University Theatre attracted animation fans from all ages and all backgrounds.
Quotebook “I’m an alum. And I’m proud.” -Bagpiper Mike Terry on the UCR community’s participation in the Relay for Life
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in high school decreased in the last 20 years, from 25 percent to 19 percent, according to the federally based National Center for Education Statistics. “I would not blame the students for the lack of interest in the computer science electives,” Chrobak concluded. “Not many kids at this age think long-term. A course in computer science could be challenging, and if it does not meet any requirements, why (should they) take it? This new law will motivate more students to take this course.” ■H
MAY Regina Schaffer, New Music Queer Performance : Art Legend Pianist Concert Dynasty Handbag 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. 3 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. Culver Center for the Arts INTS 1128
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Side by Side Concert Featuring Kina Grannis 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Bell Tower
Graduate Student Social 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. HUB Grad Lounge
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The Spoken Word with David Romero 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. HUB 269
Physics and Astronomy Collquia 3:40 p.m. - 4:40 p.m. UCR Extension Center
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33rd Annual UCR Pow Wow 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. UCR Sports Complex
MaryLu Clayton Rosenthal New Play Festival 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. ARTS 113
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33rd Annual UCR Pow Wow 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. UCR Sports Complex
MaryLu Clayton Rosenthal New Play Festival 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. ARTS 113
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TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
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Senators want to save the Riverside School of the Arts SANDY VAN Senior Staff Writer
After months of discussion over the Riverside School of the Arts (RSOTA), a youth development program that provides low-cost classes in dance, music and art, members of ASUCR are planning a day of action on Tuesday, May 27 at Riverside City Hall. Launching the ARTS (ACT to RESCUE and TRANSFORM the SCHOOL) campaign, senators hope to shore up support from the Riverside City Council to further fund the art school, which currently faces the risk of closing due to budget cuts. “(The) school has been a crucial part of our community in terms of serving the youth, particularly the youth who don’t have the ability to have educational and self-esteem programs,” exiting president Sai Patadia said in a previous ASUCR meeting. “The school needs $70,000 to stay open.” Riverside Parks and Recreation Director Ralph Nunez said the arts school — which opened back in 2012 — has survived from the existing city parks budget, outside donations and cutbacks in both staffing and equipment. Nunez also told other news sources that the school unexpectedly mushroomed from 50 to 400 students within the last two years, giving Riverside officials limited time to prepare for longterm funding and planning. In hopes of preserving the arts school, Collette Lee, a Riverside agent with Windermere Real Estate, contacted Patadia back in late March about a charity contest being held by her affiliated foundation. RSOTA had become a finalist for a $25,000 grant for the Windermere contest, but their hopes were quickly dashed after the organization failed to garner enough support by the April 4 contest deadline. Despite the funding setback, Lee told press officials that her real estate office, the Latino Network, The Group and the Junior League of Riverside already raised more than $38,000 to help keep the school afloat. “Now that we didn’t get the scholarship from the foundation, we’re going to (ask) city hall to continue to fund the arts program especially since so many students … actually go through that school and because it provides a lot of opportunities,” said Senator Fernando Echeverria. Hoping to take on more of an assertive role, senators launched the ARTS campaign in midMay. Patadia plans to mobilize about 50 students during the upcoming city council meeting, yet he noted current roadblocks that may affect the campaign by saying, “(The city council) is supposed to have a meeting on (May) 27, but because of Memorial Day, they’re actually
canceling the meeting so we’ll have to give you an update.” Echeverria and Outreach Director Mina Kato are collaborating with Patadia by spreading awareness about the arts school through means of social media and campus outreach. Kato encouraged all members of senate to attend and support the initiative by making posters for the May event. To local resident and Riverside Police Chief Sergio Diaz, the arts school has the potential to make a greater impact on the surrounding community. “Young people who are involved in positive activities, whether they be sports, arts or crafts, that’s a good way of keeping kids out of gangs and out of trouble. I urge you to support the Riverside School of the Arts,” he said in a YouTube video. Other notable ASUCR agenda items: Wednesday’s senate meeting witnessed the passage of three resolutions: one to encourage the UC endowment fund to divest from fossil fuel companies; one to recognize April 24 as the official day of remembrance for the Armenian Genocide; and another to create awareness about sexual assault on college campuses. During a previous ASUCR meeting, senators passed the same fossil fuel divestment resolution that contained edits which changed the resolution’s meaning. According to Senator Nayeli Figueroa, the edits essentially “changed the meaning” of the original resolution, which made the Legislative Review Committee decide to bring back the resolution for a successful revote last week. Some changes to the resolution narrowed the focus from all to the top 200 fossil fuel corporations. Senators also passed the Armenian Genocide Commemoration Resolution, which recognizes the genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire back from 1915-1923, leading to the torture and starvation of over 1.5 million Armenians. Currently, 48 out of 50 U.S. state governments acknowledge the occurrence, yet the federal government does not due to conflicting military interests. This is the second consecutive year that the ASUCR senate has recognized the Armenian resolution. Through the sexual assault education requirement resolution, senators plan to advocate to the UCR administration to support the continuation of self-defense classes, campus safety escort services and safety information sessions. The resolution also encourages the senate to take steps to require all fraternities and sororities undergo mandatory sexual assault education to continue as a registered organization on ■H campus.
VINCENT TA / HIGHLANDER ASUCR President Sai Patadia (pictured top) spoke about his plans to help the Riverside School of the Arts gain more funding to keep it running. Senator Nayeli Figueroa (pictured bottom) listens to students’ presentations on legislation up for a vote.
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UC regents seek to improve community college transfers systemwide ANTHONY VICTORIA Staff Writer
Last week’s UC regents meeting in Sacramento featured the presentation of a report examining improvements to the California community college-UC transfer pathway and the introduction of a focus group that will address issues of sexual harassment on all 10 campuses. Over 60 students, alumni and professors also protested at the regents meeting, demanding that the regents sell off the investments in fossil fuel companies from the UC’s $7.7 billion endowment fund. Half of all UC transfer students came from about 22 community colleges In a report released on Wednesday May 14, the UC Office of the President proposed improving counseling services and programs at the community college level to make the transfer application process easier and reduce confusion that students face in determining which courses are required for admission. One-third of the students — about 15,000 students per year — transfer into the UC system. However, half of all transfer students come from less than 20 percent of the 112 community colleges across the state. Officials said they are aiming to pay special attention to 30 community colleges that send the fewest students to the UC. They will try to garner admission from schools in the far northern regions of California, the Central Valley and in the Inland Empire. “Transfer students are an important part of UC’s strength as an engine of social mobility for our state,” said UC President Janet Napolitano. “Put simply, if we are serving transfers well, then we are serving the state well.” 5,330 out of the 8,188 transfer students who applied to UCR in fall 2013 were admitted — a rate of 65 percent — with an overwhelming majority of 95 percent who came from California com-
munity colleges. Some of the recommendations highlighted in the report are: developing a targeted system of reaching out to prospective transfer students to let them know that the UC is attainable and affordable; establishing a “CCC to UC Pipeline Initiative” in partnership with 30 community colleges that do not send large numbers of students to UC; providing each new transfer student with a “Transfer Success Kit,” to include such elements as guaranteed housing, earlier transfer credit evaluations, orientation and mentoring; and developing transfer-oriented curriculum pathways that clearly map courses students need to be eligible to transfer into their desired major. UC regents focus on systemwide sexual harassment UC Regent Bonnie Reiss made a request during last week’s regents meeting to create a new focus group which will aim to address sexual assault cases around the UC system. Reiss questioned whether there is enough being done at the 10 UC campuses to communicate to the student body that there is a zerotolerance policy when it comes to crimes of sexual assault. The U.S. Department of Education released a list earlier this month of higher education institutions containing open sexual violence investigations that potentially failed to meet Title IX. This is a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in campuses that receive federal funding. UC Berkeley, along with 54 other college campuses across the nation, landed on the list and is facing an ongoing state audit of its sexual assault policies. “I want every chancellor, on every campus — I want to see their action plan,” Reiss told San Jose Mercury News. According to a recent report from a White House task force, about one in five college women are victims of attempted or completed sexual assault. Napolitano informed the regents that she will
CAMERON YONG / HIGHLANDER UC President Janet Napolitano headed this month’s UC regents meeting, which discussed topics such as on-campus sexual assault cases and community college-to-UC transfer rates.
make it a priority to provide better training to victims advocates and make sure offenders are held responsible for their actions.
Additional information about community college transfer rates • 25 percent of CCC transfers come from 7 CCCs • 50 percent of CCC transfers come from 19 CCCs • 75 percent of CCC transfers come from 41 CCCs “I think students are playing a key role to educate us and each other on this issue,” said Napolitano. Protesters rally at regents meeting for a call to action on fossil fuel divestment Since January, Fossil Free UC, a group that compiles members of
organizations from eight UC campuses, has met with regents to discuss the implementation of a task force that will investigate the feasibility of fossil fuel divestment. Last week’s announcement from Stanford University declaring they would sell off their investments in coal-mining companies (with the exception of natural gas and oil) prompted Fossil Free UC members to demand more from the UC. During the meeting, Fossil Free UC members were granted 10 minutes to speak during public comment but seemed unsatisfied with the time appropriated and disrupted the meeting several times by chanting slogans such as “invest in education, not climate change.” “It’s important to bring forth why we are doing this,” said
Ophir Bruck, a student organizer with Fossil Free UC. “It’s about our future. Climate change is the most serious issue that our generation has to deal with. It makes no sense that our university is invested in the destruction of our future, rather they should be investing in fulfilling our future.” Aligning with the fossil fuel initiative, the ASUCR senate also passed a resolution urging the UCOP endowment fund to divest from the top 200 fossil fuel companies in the same week. The students of Fossil Free UC have secured a meeting with Chief Investment Officer Jagdeep Singh Bachher and Executive Vice President of Business Operations Nathan Brostrom at the UC Office of the President on May 21 to discuss the formation of a UC Task Force on Sustainable Investing. ■H
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MELA MAGAT,
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
contributing writer
UCR researcher discovers new species of orchid
COURTESY OF UCR TODAY Lophiaris silverarum is a new species of orchid named after UCR postdoctoral researcher Katia Silvera, who stumbled upon it eight years ago in central Panama.
A new species of orchid was discovered by UCR postdoctoral scholar Katia Silvera while she was on a field trip with her father, Gaspara Silvera, in the mountainous regions of central Panama back in 2006. “My family has always worked with orchids, which is where my love for botany was rooted from,” Silvera explained. “It was very exciting when (me and my father) stumbled upon an orchid we had never seen before.” The species was named Lophiaris silverarum by German Carnevali, a known Orchidaceae specialist and director of the Natural Resources Department at the Scientific Center of Yucatan in Mexico. Lophiaris is the genus name of about 40 other worldwide species of orchids known today, while silverarum, the Latin plural conjugation of Silvera, is an ode to the duo that discovered the orchid themselves. Before the orchid was officially recognized within the international community, the plant had to undergo an extensive and intricate process to determine whether or not it was considered a new species, according
to Silvera. “Although the orchid was somewhat similar to two other species (the Lophiaris crispiflora and Lophiaris carthagenensis) it did not have an exact match,” explained Silvera. Silvera explained further that through DNA comparison and comparative morphology with other orchids, it was determined that the orchid was, in fact, a new discovery. The orchid’s unique features include larger butter-yellow flowers with many loosely arranged, reddishbrown spots. The orchid family, or Orchidaceae, is known to contain one the largest number of plant species in the world. Orchids have one other interesting characteristic about them: The male stamen and female pistil reproductive parts are fused together through crossreproduction and hybridization, creating a vast amount of new hybrid species. Since the orchid family is extremely diverse, new species are being discovered every year. The United States holds around 200 species and Panama around
1,100 known species. Altogether worldwide the number of orchid species has reached up to about 30,000 and counting. UCR’s very own botanical gardens is home to some of these species as well, such as the Epidendrum hybrid, or Reedstemmed Epidendrum, and the Phalaenopsis hybrid, also known as the Moth Orchid. “I didn’t even know that there were so many different species of orchids,” said Aizel Cabanatan, a fourth-year anthropology undergraduate at UCR. “It’s good to know though that our flowering plant population is constantly growing. Flowers make our world a more colorful place to live in.” Another UCR student, thirdyear biochemistry major Lorraine Horwitz expressed, “Discovering a new species of plant in general is already an incredible accomplishment, but having the actual founder in our very own university is pretty amazing.” The Lophiaris silverarum species is currently believed to be native to central Panama and blooms only once a year around November. Many
orchid (and plant species) only bloom once a year and that pattern can be quite common. Silvera says that a number of pollinators around that particular month may contribute to the blooming of the orchid. The Silvera family also owns an orchid farm in Panama where different orchid species are bred. In order to propagate, or spread the orchid species to other areas, specifically for commercial purposes, Silvera and her father have started an in vitro breeding process, in which a small amount of the plant’s tissue is extracted and then fertilized artificially. “It takes many years to breed any plant species, but I’m happy that people are aware of the orchid species in general,” said Silvera. Silvera attended the University of Panama for her undergraduate education, specializing in botany and researched with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama (STRI). Currently still collaborating with the STRI, Silvera continues to work within the UCR labs, specifically by studying the genetics of the photosynthetic ■H process of orchids.
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HIGHLANDER HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL EDITORIAL HIGHLANDER STAFF
AN OPEN LETTER TO ASUCR
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Dear ASUCR, We at the Highlander would like to give our congratulations to our newly elected ASUCR representatives on their hard-earned victories this year. The campaign was long and sometimes negative, but each of you soldiered through the slime and debris to earn the trust of the student body and represent us to UCR, the UC and the Riverside community. If their support is any indication, you are the best choice to truly better our campus and the conditions of UCR students. Most praiseworthy is the fact that student turnout was the highest on record, both in percentage and in sheer numbers. Over 6,500 undergraduate students took the time to cast a ballot this year, or 38 percent of the total undergraduate population. This is leaps and bounds ahead of our prior elections — especially last year’s, which motivated only a puny 17 percent of students to vote. The candidates running for our elected positions gave students a reason to take part in the democratic process. Students are frequently criticized for not paying attention to local issues or not taking part in elections, but this year UCR students paid attention and took part. ASUCR itself has largely been responsible for generating so much interest in campus issues. Without the debates, students would not have had the opportunity to see the candidates’ positions on issues. Without actively talking with voters, students would not have known the candidates cared about them and the issues important to them. Without campaigning so actively, the students would not have been so active with their votes. ASUCR has succeeded in turning more eyes than ever toward student activism broadly and ASUCR itself more specifically. Now more than ever, it is important for ASUCR to prove that it is a place students can come to for help with the issues important to them. The incoming senate has drawn student interest, but it cannot rest on its laurels and must now undertake the hard work to maintain that student interest. Although there are a number of things that can be done, there is no substitute for basic student outreach. Right now, it is too difficult for
students to contact their elected representatives. Senate meetings are held late at night and can alienate commuters or students who work part-time. Holding office hours is one way to enable students with a variety of different schedules to talk to ASUCR representatives. Senators cannot shut down this vital method of communication by ditching their office hours. But office hours by themselves aren’t enough. ASUCR should also hold regular outreach events to the student population so students don’t have to come to the senate chambers to have their voices heard. This idea has been promised many times on the campaign trail; now ASUCR can fulfill it by tabling at nooners or organizing outreach events in the HUB for students to attend. ASUCR doesn’t have to limit itself to events explicitly labelled “outreach,” either. They can make their presence known by having senators attend athletic events, Barn shows and other campus events. The Food Truck Festival was such a great success because it provided starving students with dynamic food opportunities frequently unavailable on campus. But it also gave ASUCR an opportunity to show what it can do and prove to students that their student body truly is listening to them. Having more events in this vein will raise the profile of ASUCR and show students that their university representatives can have an impact on their college lives. Another impediment to student involvement is the legal and procedural jargon that surrounds the senate meetings and bylaws. Procedure is of course important to ensure that all voices are given a fair hearing, but some students may not understand why it’s important or how a senate meeting works. Holding workshops to describe the purpose of ASUCR and how it functions would immensely benefit students. Students can learn how to craft legislation of their own, how to get involved in ASUCR and discover the resources available to them on campus. At the end of the day, students would become more engaged in the decision-making process at the university level, something that can only be beneficial. But even if ASUCR holds outreach events and legislative workshops, it can’t expect students to maintain interest if we don’t see
results. This is why it is so worrisome to see that the first official act of the incoming senate is to select a president pro tempore and elections director via secret ballot. This isn’t the first time either. Each and every ASUCR vote on divestment was held secretly, with senators refusing to trust the students enough to show their votes — even though students trusted their senators enough to elect them. We understand that there are multiple factors at play, but the democratic contract is one of mutual trust and respect. Students trust their representatives to listen to them and be honest with them. In turn, representatives trust the students to be engaged and make informed decisions. Students have upheld our end of the bargain. ASUCR needs to do the same. If not, students have no reason to invest their time, energy, or trust into an elected body that is unresponsive and opaque. One of the most interesting results of the election was the rejection of the ASUCR fee referendum, despite the massive turnout largely generated by parties spurring students to get involved in the ASUCR elections. Perhaps students felt as if they could not trust ASUCR with their student fees, even as they voted in record numbers. It is up to ASUCR to change that dynamic by bringing true transparency to our student government. As we wind down to the end of the quarter and the end of the year, we must remember that every ending is also a new beginning. ASUCR has the opportunity to turn the page on this year and open a new chapter — one in which students take a more active role and ASUCR is seen as the bringer of change it has the potential to be. ASUCR can take what it’s learned from this year and add in a pinch of new ideas to create a better, more representative student government. With so many eyes on ASUCR right now, it is important that ASUCR not squander that chance. Sincerely, The Highlander Editorial Board
■H
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
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: In response to the May 13 article entitled, “ASUCR actions on divestment hurt student democracy”
F rom ASUCR S en . S hadi M atar
DANIEL GARCIA / HIGHLANDER
Plans for a high-speed rail system in California face stark criticism as its success can’t be accurately measured until the rail is actually built.
The future of transportation delayed in California BRIAN LIN Contributing Writer
A report from the Beijing Times claims that Chinese officials are interested in a crosscontinental railway through the countries of China, Russia, Canada and the United States. Even if the technological challenges can be overcome, it is a safe assumption that the current political climate in the United States would shelve this plan before a single Yuan is budgeted for it. However, this is part of a larger trend of Chinese high-speed rail (HSR) exports that compete with European and Japanese corporations in emerging markets. For example, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, to promote a HSR network that would connect every African capital for the sake of Pan-African development — an audacious plan but not unimaginable with the scale of infrastructure projects being built in Africa by Chinese engineers. Meanwhile, California finally approved a line between Fresno and Bakersfield that should be completed in the 2020s. The completed network between San Francisco and Los Angeles will probably cost double or triple what the California High Speed Rail Authority predicted and face more delays in the later stages. That is assuming we even finish the project, as voters are now in a 52 percent majority against the HSR line, a reversal of the 52 percent majority that passed the proposition in 2008. At the current juncture, it would be better to revise the plan and to put it up to second vote rather than pushing ahead against popular opinion. The defining problem with HSR is that its success can’t be measured before the first passenger boards the train and it’s difficult to predict its logistical importance in the coming decades. It’s understandable that the existence of highways and local airports lends little desire to expedite the construction of HSR across California — but if we plan to do something, we should at least show some degree of competency. The bureaucratic nightmare surrounding the process is only encouraging the narrative that government is inefficient and that HSR will not work in America. If we want the project to be completed, we will need to take drastic steps to proceed forward. The lack of direction and clarity is irresponsible, regardless of the usual
cacophony that accompanies any major public work. The administration must delineate the entire process or forfeit the entire project as a crippling failure. Since it is unlikely Gov. Jerry Brown will stop HSR partway, he needs to take initiative no matter how politically dangerous. Unlike China, whose government can solve legal headaches by throwing stimulus money around and seizing property, we’re forced to navigate around homeowners, politicians, budgets and the eternal problem of earthquakes. Furthermore, there are a litany of other pressing matters such as education and healthcare which this money can be allotted to. As the projected costs inflate yearly, voters do not want to sacrifice funds for what appears to be a budget black hole. Since we are not part of an authoritarian system that can force government objectives onto the populace, the solution can only be more democracy. Voters needs to have more faith in the government — but the government must have more faith in voters. Contrary to the opinion of cynics, voters are not too short-sighted to support long-term goals. If proponents can make an honest and compelling case for HSR, then the public will be willing to give HSR a second chance. After creating a concrete schedule with realistic costs, HSR should be put up to another vote by proposition. If they continue presenting a quixotic plan that is constantly set back by every obstacle, the project will be bled dry by public opinion before the first leg has finished construction. It is only a matter of time before Democrats begin savaging the project, and once HSR loses its political allies, there is no chance for its survival. The reason private funds and federal funds are not materializing in the first place is because those behind the project are sabotaging their own prospects and creating worrying amounts of uncertainty. We are already so far behind schedule that it’s worth it to renegotiate the project from the start; this time with cues coming from the voting public and opening the possibility to foreign expertise on every step of planning and construction. Once voters are compensated with a solid plan and transparency, they will return the favor by voting yes on a new proposition. If we choose to continue without any changes, it will be two decades before we realize whether or not we have made one the biggest mistakes in our state’s history. The legacy of HSR can either be more or less confidence in the government. Right now, I am not so confident. ■H
Dear Nathan Swift, I am writing this letter to the editor because I read your opinions article in the Highlander called “ASUCR actions on divestment hurt student democracy.” The main reason I am responding to the article written is because I want to address some of the points you make in your article and clear up the many misconceptions you wrote about. The first misconception you wrote is that “Our student government … (keeps) flip-flopping on something so important.” The first vote on the divestment resolution, that was presented earlier this year, was 6-7-1 and the second vote on divestment later on in the year was 8-7 in favor. If you look at the numbers you can see that the number of people who voted against the resolution remained the same. This is because the ASUCR had two senators absent for the first vote who later attended the second vote with one being absent the second vote. In regards to the one abstention, an abstention is used when someone needs more information about an issue to vote on it or has a conflict of interest. It is not counted in the final vote. No senator flipped their vote, they just showed up and voted in the second vote or received more information to make an informed decision. Also, as an ASUCR senator I find it very ridiculous that we, as senators, are supposed to keep our opinions the same for all issues and not learn and grow. For example, had Congress had the same views on flip-flopping as you in 1964, the Civil Rights Act would be nonexistent. Second, in your article you state that “It (divestment) doesn’t really affect UC policy” and that the UC Regents will only divest when the federal government divests. This is a very close-minded and dangerous way of thinking that has kept UC students and students across the country in an apathetic coma for years. If we accept the status quo, take our classes, and remain complicit with the crimes against humanity that the world is facing nothing will change. Just because an action does not have an immediate payoff does not mean it is not worth doing. By your logic, we should not recycle or drive fuel-efficient cars because it will not stop global warming right now. This is an extreme example but the message remains the same, we are students and we are powerful. Students, specifically UC students, have been the catalysts to change from conflicts such as the Vietnam War to ending South African apartheid. Your argument shifts the burden of responsibility from us as students and individuals, blithely accepting human rights violations because only top-down solutions are valid. Third, you make extremely narrow-minded claims about the resolution stating that the resolution “only represents half of the equation” in regards to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I have many qualms about this assertion because the resolution is not meant to target Israel. The resolution is targeting American companies that participate in human rights violations toward the Palestinian people. In your article you try to create this idea that the divestment resolution is an extension of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is not. The resolution is intended to create more transparency between the the UC and its students and to allow students to decide where their tuition goes to fund. This constant framing of divestment as an Israel versus Palestine issue is what slows down any real progress toward increasing transparency in the UC system. You mention that the resolution “not once, (called out) any actions taken by Palestinians. You then go on to talk about rockets being launched into Israel as your prime example for “actions taken by Palestinians.” This is a very dangerous example because it portrays all the Palestinian people as militant groups and makes a dichotomy that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a conflict between the Israeli state and Palestinians, who are terrorists. This is the biggest frustration I had when reading this article. The fact that you equate the call for divestment, which is a nonviolent form of protest called upon by the Palestinian Civil Society, and militant groups is like equating Martin Luther King’s call for civil rights to the Black Panthers. Lastly, the notion that the divestment issue has stifled “dialogue” or made it harder to reach is ridiculous. If anything, people are more aware of the issue of divestment and Israeli human rights violations after the divestment vote than before. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an emotional topic for many people but divestment is not emotional. It is purely a financial argument with a logical end to a means. The status quo has not changed the situation for the Palestinian people and will not make any change unless student governments are willing to fight for human rights on all levels, then people will want to dialogue about human rights. As students we need to stop having this apathetic attitude toward change and a self doubting nature. We are students and we are powerful. The Highlander accepts letters from the campus community. They must be 600-800 words at length and include the author’s name and contact information. Topics should be UCR-centric and/or pertain to our generation of students. Contact Opinions Editor Colin Markovich at opinions@highlandernews.org by Wednesday if interested in writing a letter and submit completed letter by Saturday at noon. Letter can and will be rejected if it does not meet requirements.
OPINIONS
HIGHLANDER
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: In response to the April 15 editorial entitled, “Affirmative action not needed to improve UC’s diversity.”
F rom F rances H uynh Is diversity important in higher education? And, if so, what programs and measures foster diversity? For some time now, the idea of affirmative action in higher education has garnered much debate. Comments on the matter have ranged from calling it an effort to establish “racial quotas” to one that “accepts students based solely on their race, not merit.” Debates have been divisive, with misinformation and fear fueling the arguments of those who oppose it. Affirmative action has been illegal in California since the passing of Proposition 209 in 1996, which prohibited institutions of public employment, public contracting and public education in California from considering race, sex, or ethnicity. But since then, efforts have been made to repeal the ban that prohibits the state from considering any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, or ethnicity in public college and university admissions. What misinformation and fears surround affirmative action? When some hear the words “affirmative action” or “race-conscious admissions,” they initially assume these measures are synonymous with racial quota systems and discriminatory or preferential treatment. However, the use of racial quotas have been outlawed from the policies of public university admissions since 1978. Rather than giving preferential treatment to individuals based solely on their racial or ethnic identity, affirmative action looks at historically disadvantaged groups and considers their experiences of obstacles and barriers specific to minorities. Race would simply be another factor to consider in admissions, alongside GPA and SAT scores. Students admitted through affirmative action would be qualified and well-deserving. Why does affirmative action aim for inclusion and equal opportunity? Because historically, legal policies and measures have excluded minorities from institutions. Affirmative action allows underrepresented minorities a chance at a level playing field, something they do not currently have given that the education system was not built for people of color to readily have access to. Prior to applying, students do not all have the same resources geared toward higher education. Thinking about educational equity requires critically looking at the realities of race in our society. Programs that already exist to ensure diversity include the UC’s Early Academic Outreach Program and the Eligibility in the Local Context Program, which admits the top 9 percent of students in their class from most California high schools. Although these programs have been great in outreaching and retaining students in higher education, they prove to be insufficient, as seen in the dropping enrollment percentages of underrepresented minorities across the UCs. Affirmative action should be considered to ensure increased accessibility to higher education for all students. Looking at how minorities have fared in states where affirmative action has been banned reflects the significance this measure has on diversity. Public universities, such as UCLA and UC Berkeley, have tended to enroll less African Americans and Latinos following the ban on affirmative action in 1996. Although the Latino population has
grown in California to be the second largest ethnic group, the gap disparity between this number and the Latino population in these UCs has also grown. As of 2011, Latinos make up 49 percent of California’s college-aged residents. However, they make up only 11 percent at UC Berkeley and 17 percent at UCLA. As of 2011, African Americans make up 9 percent of California’s college-aged residents. However, they make up only 2 percent at UC Berkeley and 3 percent at UCLA. The number of Latino and African American students in these UCs fails to reflect California’s demographics. Instead, these gap disparities reflect the impact that the ban of affirmative action has had on the representation of minority communities. The end of race-conscious admissions also corresponds to the decreasing admission rates of Asian Pacific Islanders (API), as seen in the significant decrease of API admissions for UC campuses from 1998 to 2009 (with the exception of UCR). Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders are underrepresented ethnic groups within the API community with significantly lower rates of higher education attainment and accessibility who would benefit greatly from affirmative action. There needs to be an encompassing conversation that addresses the importance of having racial diversity within higher education, whether that be from affirmative action or other programs. Students had this conversation on April 15, 2014 at The Importance of Unity: Students Discuss Racial Diversity and Racial Justice, a community dialogue organized by UCR’s ethnic and gender programs. In this space, students voiced the different perspectives they heard about affirmative action, while learning to deconstruct its misconceptions and history. Race isn’t necessarily the problem. It becomes a problem when race is attached to disadvantages and advantages. There is a continuous need for programs that address the racial inequality that exists in the United States. The idea of the U.S. being a postracial society is a myth that ignores the obstacles and barriers that people of color have to experience on a daily basis. Conversations about race can be difficult. However, speaking openly and candidly about race is the most obvious way to stop discrimination. The efforts of students who persist on having conversations addressing the realities of race embody a movement toward educational equity, racial equality and social justice. Be critical and be conscious of the realities of race and racism in society and education. Alongside deconstructing its misconceptions, reframing affirmative action into something that is relevant for our generation today is imperative to having principled conversations about the ways that we can achieve equal opportunity of education for everyone. The Highlander accepts letters from the campus community. They must be 600800 words at length and include the author’s name and contact information. Topics should be UCR-centric and/or pertain to our generation of students. Contact Opinions Editor Colin Markovich at opinions@highlandernews.org by Wednesday if interested in writing a letter and submit completed letter by Saturday at noon. Letter can and will be rejected if it does not meet requirements.
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
11
New Scotty’s is beneficial if it gets off the ground
LAURA NGUYEN / HIGHLANDER If the new Scotty’s continues to succeed and attract a sizeable amount of customers, it could pave the path for even more unique food options at other bustling but not HUB-centric campus locations. JAMESON ADAME Staff Writer
When considering whether the new stores opened by Dining Services are worth the money spent to build them, students need to ask whether these new stores really meet any sort of demand. Do we really want these stores, and if not, what do we want instead? The new Scotty’s store by UCR’s medical school is a nice enough building, touting an outdoor venue, a fairly eclectic collection of healthy and organic foods and most of all, high prices. Though it’s fortunate that the first two points are under the control of the UCR administration, the latter is lamentably subject to consistently steep prices for organic food production that will always roll over onto the consumer. While it’s great that Dining Services has chosen to open a store focusing on health food, price does act as a significant deterrent to younger consumers like those present on a college campus. A 2012 study showed that while 46 percent of food expenditures for those under 25 occurred away from home, they spent an average of $1,900 less than other age groups. Though this age group ate out more than others, this lower average would suggest that college-age students are more likely to eat out at places with less expensive food and service. The placement of the new Scotty’s on campus is also somewhat questionable, pushed somewhat far into the science buildings. While it makes some sense that the store dedicated to healthier eating options would be located in close proximity to the School of Medicine, this limits the amount of people who regularly cross the path of the store to primarily science majors and possibly some dorm residents. It could therefore limit the sales that the store would receive from those of other majors who are willing to spend their income on a healthier dining option. Even though the new Scotty’s store
faces these problems, it is apparent that UCR Dining Services is taking steps to ensure students can be provided with more beneficial food options than what is available on the rest of campus. If this store manages to turn the profit that is hoped, it would provide a nice change of pace to see these on campus with greater frequency. For instance, though it isn’t near the School of Medicine, the area around Olmsted Hall and the Psychology Building is lacking in food presence and could greatly benefit from a place to eat closer than the Barn. Working like a fruit stand, the new version of Scotty’s could be a cheaper alternative to having to create all-new restaurants in the parts of campus that have thus far been neglected. Hoping that this slightly more expensive but nutritious store succeeds, it would also be nice to see a new and health-oriented restaurant on campus not organized around the grab-and-go mentality that most of the eateries in the HUB are designed for. While these restaurants serve a significant purpose — supplying people in a hurry to class or on their way back to the dorms a quick and portable meal — many students just want a place to sit and enjoy a nutritious meal with friends. It’s unfortunate, however, that this style of dining would be limited to the dining halls in the dorms and whatever healthy eating options are available at the Barn. Assuming that the health-oriented Scotty’s succeeds, there will at the very least be evidence that people are willing to pay more for more nutritious food. All that remains would be to create the restaurantstyle atmosphere that our campus dining options tend to lack. While it has its issues, the new Scotty’s is a nice step toward expanding the food options on campus. Hopefully when it succeeds these options will become available to more students than those attending classes by the science buildings — as well as opening the way for non-retail health food options separate from the hustle ■H and bustle of dining at the HUB.
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OPINIONS
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
HIGHLANDER
Opinion Poll If you could be any animal what would you be and why?
C ompiled
by
R ichard L in
James Gan Political Science Fourth-year
Ashley Elias Undeclared CHASS First-year
Lazaro Cardenas Psychology Fourth-year
Katelyn Chooey Business Economics First-year
Briana Givens Political Science Fourth-year
Tim Espiritu Physics Second-year
“I guess I’d like to be a roadrunner so I can just run really fast through the desert.”
“I would be a koala because koalas are cute and cuddly.”
“I’d be a duck mostly because of the weather right now. I feel it’d be really cool to fly to ponds and rivers.”
“I would be a shark because they always swim and they never sleep.”
“I would be a lion because I like to think of myself as queen of the jungle. Actually just because I have a lot of goals that I would like to meet.”
“I would love to be an elephant bird, because I’ll be able to run fast and lay giant eggs.”
The fault of science illiteracy is in ourselves MICHAEL RIOS SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Sen. Marco Rubio recently doubled down on his denial that climate change is caused by man. “I do not believe that human activity is causing these dramatic changes to our climate the way these scientists are portraying it,” Sen. Rubio said in an interview with ABC, flat-out ignoring decades of research and undeniable proof that climate change is now a man-made effect. The senator’s remarks about science, while ignorant and incredibly misinformed, are nothing new. For the past few years, American citizens have watched in disbelief as their elected leaders publicly ridicule themselves, showing off their scientific illiteracy. For instance, former Congressman Todd Akin once stated that a woman who isn’t “legitimately” raped can’t get pregnant since her body “has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” Others, like Representative Michele Bachmann mentor Allen Quist, asserted their misinformed beliefs that humans and dinosaurs coexisted at the same time, completely ignoring the most basic understanding of carbon dating. Astonishing, isn’t it? Scientific literacy in Congress is an inexcusable offense to our republic that too
often impedes the passage of sensible and fact-based laws which could benefit our country. It’s obviously a problem that needs changing and the solution is a lot simpler than people think. Instead of wasting our time blaming our representatives for their misinformed opinions, a more direct solution would be to tackle the real root of the problem: voting for misinformed politicians in the first place. Our Congress is only as sensible and as pragmatic as those who elect them; they’re there to serve and reflect the interests of the public. And from the looks of it, the interests of the public don’t always include science, technology, engineering or math (STEM). According to data, only about 2 percent of adults (25 and over) have advanced backgrounds in the STEM fields after high school. This is an incredibly low number, and that low number is reflected in the number of representatives who have advanced knowledge of the STEM fields. Currently, only 54 out of 535 representatives in Congress have either engineering, accounting, medical or physical science degrees. This suggests that we put a very low emphasis on the fields that essentially drive the future of our nation. Now, let’s look a little closer to home and consider the
BRANDY COATS / HIGHLANDER The rate of STEM degree holders or pursuers in ASUCR is nearly four times that in our nation’s Congress.
current setup of our university’s student government. UC Riverside’s 16-member legislative branch is composed of six representatives from the STEM fields, or 37.5 percent of the branch. That’s an incredibly high number compared to the current state of the U.S. Congress. But why is that so? The answer: UC Riverside actually puts an emphasis on science, technology and math. We are a school that identifies a research institution. Currently there are 4,782 undergraduates in the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and 2,378 in the Bourns College of Engineering. Both of those figures represent 38 percent of the student body, which is reflected in the amount of senators that we have on our
legislative branch. So what would happen if the nation as a whole decided to identify itself as a country of scientific drive and technological advances? What if more of the country had STEM degrees? What if more of those folks represented us in the Senate and the House? How advantageous would that be to the future of our nation? The fact of the matter is that our U.S. representatives do as much as their citizens tell them to do. And therein lies the problem: We’re not a nation that sends men to the moon anymore. We’re not a nation that builds large particle colliders that find the secrets of the universe. We’re not a nation that thrives as much as we could scientifically.
So how do we change the problem? Let’s start by changing ourselves and learn more about science and take classes or declare another major in the STEM field. We have it within ourselves to change to direction of our nation and that doesn’t start with Congress. It starts with us. To echo the words of the great late Edward R. Murrow quoting Shakespeare: “Cassius was right. ‘The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.’ Good night and good luck.” As college students, as American citizens, we have the opportunity to change things. We need elected representatives who understand the workings of science. But for that to occur, we must make the right choices in the first place. ■H
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.
. FEATURES .
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
13
PHOTOS COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Although porn isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it is portraying a very unrealistic view or sex for our generation. Pictured top right is Sasha Gray, a former porn star turned model, writer and actress.
How Porn is Faking It and Making It
D
Brenna Dilger, Staff Writer id you know that every second, 28,258 Internet viewers are watching porn? And, not surprisingly, about 72 percent of those viewers are men. These statistics may bother many spouses or conservative individuals, but it’s not fair to say that watching porn is wrong — in fact, it’s pretty normal. However, it has become so normalized that it may be influencing our generation’s sex lives. Because the Internet has made it so easy for our generation to access porn at early ages, it has affected the way men and women today anticipate what real-life sex should be. One example of porn’s influence is the revolution of waxed pubic hair. In case you ladies were wondering, in modern times, about 78 percent of female students shave or wax either some or all of their pubic hair. The reason women all over the world now allow hot wax to be dripped on their privates is because they know men expect to see little to no hair when the pants come off. It’s debatable whether or not this is a bad thing. Some say that certainly puts pressure on women and it is demeaning because it makes the natural female body seem undesirable, but others think it’s wonderful that women are keeping it less hairy nowadays. Either way, this trend has become the new “normal” because porn stars are shown hairless and that’s what viewers learn to expect during sex. However, everyone has their own preference, so it’s better to just ask your partner what he or she likes — but don’t be surprised if he or she wants it bare. Though shaving pubic hair probably isn’t causing much of a problem, there are some expectations that porn creates that can be damaging. For instance, most women who are new to being sexually
active may feel that they are supposed to have a mind-blowing orgasm from penetration alone, and when they (inevitably) do not have it, they feel they must fake it by screaming and yelling with porn-star drama. After all, porn star ladies always have very loud climaxes from very unrealistic circumstances. But, realistically, 71 percent of women do not orgasm from penetration alone, ever. So nothing is wrong with you if you need some time and other methods to enjoy yourself. We all know that real-life sex doesn’t happen with a cheesy elevator music soundtrack and that we are usually not one
have a similar look, but vaginas can be an assortment of different shapes and sizes, and they are all perfectly normal. As for oral sex, it is obviously quite popular nowadays. Surveys show that about 75 percent of women and 55 percent of men in the young-age range report giving oral in the past year. Though there are many conflicting statistics out there about oral behavior, the numbers are usually pretty high, and they have been increasing as oral is becoming more of a norm. However, only 30 percent of women report that they will swallow, unlike the 100 percent of porn stars that do. But, of course, if you are uncomfortable with oral or swallowing, you should feel no pressure to perform it, and should talk to your partner about it. In the realm of “how many women have done this,” about 40 percent of women have tried anal, 11.5 percent of proclaimed straight women have has a same-sex experience, less than 20 percent of women have been in a threesome and 40 percent of women have tried light bondage. These numbers may have fluctuated in the past year or may be different among college students, but they are a more realistic look at the average person’s sex life as opposed to porn, where all of those numbers are significantly higher. So if you have let porn shape your expectations, try not to take those fake orgasms and boobs too seriously — real men and women are not porn stars, nor should they be expected to be. It is important to talk to your sexual partner about what you are comfortable with and what you like, so you can avoid turning your real-life sex into a feigned mimic of a pornographic scene. ■H
We all know that real-life sex doesn’t happen with a cheesy elevator music soundtrack and that we are usually not one bad cut away from having a threesome. bad cut away from having a threesome. But what else should we be expecting from nonporn sex? Well, we should be expecting to spend about 10 to 12 minutes of making out and foreplay before most people are really revved up for sex, unlike porn stars who are ready to go at a moment’s notice. We should also not be expecting sex itself to last for half an hour — the average a male lasts is between three and 14 minutes. Porn stars are also not what your typical sex partner will look like. The average porn star penis is six to nine inches, while the average non-porn-star penis is around five to seven inches. Porn star lady bits also seem to always
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FEATURES
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
HIGHLANDER
ByMichaelRios,SeniorStaffWriter
The Mind, Body and Heart of
UCR’s School of Medicine
E
very human body is made up of hundreds of individual parts that work in unison to help it breathe, speak and move. The heart, for instance, pumps blood throughout the body. The brain is what directs the body to act. And the corresponding central nervous system sends signals to the body from the brain, helping make those actions possible. The UC Riverside School of Medicine (SOM) — which will wrap up its first full year in session this June — works in a similar manner. It needs a figurehead (the dean) to lead and organize it, a central nervous system (the staff) to carry out the directions of the head and a heart (the students) to pump life into the body (the school).
TheBrain
The part of the body that makes the actions possible; it’s the decision maker. At the School of Medicine, this is Dean Richard Olds. When he was hired as the founding dean four years ago, he was given a nearly impossible task: Help start the first public medical school in the state of California in over four decades. “Four years ago … the challenge was to go from a two-year school to a four-year school,” he reminisced, referring to the fact that UCR was formerly a part of the Thomas Haider program, a program where students would receive their first two years of medical training at UCR before moving to and ultimately graduating from UCLA’s School of Medicine.
Through Olds’ leadership, UCR’s SOM managed to collect the $100 million needed to bring the four-year program to life. With the help of the state, the district supervisors and even former Chancellor Tim White, Olds recalls that the school accumulated the sufficient funding just three days before the deadline they were given to do so. Not too long after, the school received accreditation, and in the summer of 2013, the school welcomed its inaugural class of 50 medical students. And now, Olds says he not only acts as the students’ dean, but as one of their professors. “One of the advantages of (the school) being so small is I’m also their faculty member. I actually teach them!” he said enthusiastically.
The CNS
Without the nervous system, the brain wouldn’t be able to communicate with the body. At the School of Medicine, the same is true for the functioning relationship between the dean and the school’s staff and faculty. Standardized Patient Program Director Amanda Lockhart, for one, helps train the future physicians at the patient examination rooms. There, the students train with standardized patients, which are everyday people
TheBody
The school’s education building, its research building and Webber Hall are the bodies that make up the School of Medicine. From the outside, they look like any regular old college buildings, complete with bricks, concrete, metal and glass. But the inside of the buildings, however, contains a treasure trove of biomedical goodies. Inside the education building,
“I, as the dean, should teach them professionalism,” he went on. According to him, professionalism is a life skill that should be taught from the top figure of the school. And alongside that, he says he acts as the unofficial counselor for students, recommending what decisions to make as they begin their careers in the field of medicine. Because after all, the body does what the mind says. who are hired to replicate different illnesses or maladies. Others, such as Programmer Analyst Ariel C. DeGuzman Jr. and Chris Miller help students in the simulation laboratories, assisting them in their ongoing patient diagnostic training. And alongside them are dozens of other specialists working together as one to help the school function. Professors, researchers and former doctors with medical experience from all over the world all contribute to the school’s mission to train some of the best health professionals in the Inland Empire.
TheHeart
The organ that pumps life to the body. And like a human heart, the SOM’s inaugural class of 2017 is what truly animates the school. Just 10 months ago, the school welcomed its inaugural class in front of a cheering crowd of 700 attendees at the first-ever White Coat Ceremony. During the celebration, the inaugural class walked up to a stage in the Student Recreation Center, shook hands with the dean and ultimately slipped into their white physician coats. “For me it was the whole path: Everything from being an undergrad and doing everything to get into medical school and then finally
receiving the white coat, it was one of those things that — it was just — you made it,” said medical student Luis Contreras. And now, nearly a year later, the students are wrapping up their first year at the school. For the past 10 months, their education has been composed of lectures, training and research. And the kicker: They often have to do this about seven hours a day, five days a week. But according to the students, it’s absolutely worth it. “You know, you put so much time and effort to apply to med school, to take your pre-reqs, to take o-chem … you’re stuck in those labs and you’re like, ‘Why am I doing this?’ But … now I know,” concluded student Trina Mansour.
for instance, are simulation laboratories and patient examinations rooms where aspiring doctors can train to perform diagnostics. The labs come with simulation mannequins which aid in the training process. The mannequins, which cost as much as “a small house,” according to the staff, can simulate breathing, sweating and even coughing. A student in training can even check the life-sized dummy’s pulse and eye lenses to check for any signs of ailments. Two lecture halls and a few
discussion rooms also reside inside the education building. And just across campus is the school’s research building, where stateof-the-art facilities are used to help contribute to biomedical and health-related research. And lastly, Webber Hall is the structure that houses the labs and offices of some of the current faculty of the school. The body of the School of Medicine has just celebrated first year of existence. And like a child, it will only continue to ■H mature, healthy and strong.
FEATURES
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
15
Laura Ling Beats Her Wings Against the Cage By Maxine Arellano, Senior Staff Writer Photos By Aaron Lai
Journalist Laura Ling beams as she enthusiastically describes her findings from her time in North Korea and work in other less-developed countries.
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any, if not all, of the guests who filled the University Theatre last Thursday have the aspirations to fulfill their dreams post-graduation. Students and others may not all share the same goals, but what if the chance of conquering said goals was soon dissipated, along with their chance to live? That each breath was just a reminder of how precious life really is? Laura Ling, renowned American journalist and writer who had the same goals as the audience throughout her academic career, came to UCR to share how those dreams were quickly swept away when she was taken captive by North Korea in 2009. In honor of Asian Heritage Month, the Asian Pacific Student Programs’ event “Trapped in North Korea” illustrated the life of Laura Ling and how she went from journalist to captive to the woman that former President Bill Clinton saved from North Korea. Upon entering the theatre, the campus club Liberty in North Korea greeted guests at the door. The public event welcomed not only students but the public as well. Edward Chang, ethnic studies professor at UCR and founding director of the Young Oak Kim Center for Korean American Studies, was the opening speaker. He gave the audience a brief history of the division of North and South Korea in 1945 and how prominent it is today. Dean of Students Ryan Alcantara introduced Ling with her background and accomplishments of dipping into television, constant humanitarianism and prestigious journalist. With her first big break of working for
Current TV, Ling traveled all over the world to explore the prisons of Myanmar, the war in narco-trafficking, slave labor in Haiti and much more. A video was shown of a few clips of some of her prior work and displayed her travels to Mexico to research the narcotics war of the drug cartels. The gruesome footage showed her firsthand encounter with a car littered with 50 or more bullet holes; her short distance from the two bodies, whose blood dripped out of the garbage bags that tried to conceal their mutilation; her experience with the one of the men’s mothers, who was dragged away from the crime scene screaming and cursing the murders. It also played the footage from her trip to northeastern China, in February 2009. Here, she reported on the population who either fled for their lives or was sexually trafficked to stay alive. The population in China of 40 million more men than women has forced these women in this country into prostitution, sold into marriages or thrown around as livestock. On March 17, 2009, Laura Ling’s camera crew and guide took a break from the humanitarianism to film the frozen river that runs past North Korea. Ling painted the picture for the audience of the group’s hired guide walking onto the ice, and the crew following suit. They saw their guide continue his journey across the ice, closer to North Korea. At some point in Ling’s walk across, she found her foot on North Korean soil. With that, she turned to walk back. But suddenly, muffled yells grew louder as she whirled around to see Korean soldiers sprint toward them, rifles pointed into the air. They ran.
They ran as fast as they could, the ice almost stretching out further with each step. Her foot broke through the ice and she fell into the water. She could see that most of her crew, guide included, crossed over the border. Ling pulled herself out and picked up her pace, alongside her colleague. But they were pulled to the ground. Fingernails clutching onto Chinese land, they tried to claw their way back to what they knew was safe, but instead came eye-to-eye with the barrel of a rifle. The soldiers kicked the two women in the head, torso and back, crushing the rifle into their necks and faces. As the two women were physically dragged along the ice into North Korea, Ling felt her microphone still attached to her shirt. “Mitch,” she spoke into the speaker trying to reach her cameraman, “I think I am going to die.” North Korea is one of the poorest countries in the world and is known for having the darkest satellite picture taken at night. “It literally looks like a black hole compared to South Korea,” Ling said. When she and her partner got deeper into this black hole, the two women found themselves in a “five-by-six” jail cell in an army base. She finally looked at herself in the mirror and pondered how it was really her behind the black eyes, busted nose and purple flesh. She remembered the notebook carried among the film crew that contained possible propaganda against the country. She swallowed those notebook pages whole. Both spent two days in the jail cell until they were both separated into their own rooms. When Ling went to trial, she was sentenced 12 years of hard labor. She sat on the floor of her room, counting the seconds that felt like hours. She tried to find hope in any positive sightings. “I would be thankful for seeing a butterfly outside my window, even though I could not breathe the fresh air.” It wasn’t until the guard — a guard who previously berated her a few weeks prior — told her “always have hope.” Ling felt as if she created new relationships with these guards as they gave her more amenities than others. She received letters from her family and husband, each giving “the breaths that kept (her) alive.” She received some of these letters with coffee stains, evidence that they were the guards’ morning read. She then earned
phone calls to her sister and she tried to decipher the puzzle of what the North Koreans really wanted in exchange for her to go home. Ling’s sister contacted the former head of Current TV, former Vice President Al Gore. Al Gore then contacted Bill Clinton, who spearheaded the mission to save them. One morning, Ling and her colleague were reunited as there was a “powerful envoy on North Korean land.” She had no idea who this was, but when she looked down the long hallway to see a bald man in a suit, earpiece peeking out from the back, and black sunglasses covering his stone face, she knew she was in the presence of America. The man stood at the end of the long hallway outside of a closed door. Not shortly after, Clinton exited the room. He explained there was still some work to do, but he was sure they could go home. Not many hours later, she was flying back to the United States. She had no idea that the sole reason she had the chance to go home was Bill Clinton. In fact, the president of North Korea at the time, Kim Jong-il, simply wanted to meet Clinton. Apparently, 20 years ago, when Jong-il’s father passed, Clinton was the first to call and pay his respects. The smallest of deeds made 20 years prior saved two lives. “Literally the littlest things count,” Ling put it. Laura Ling left the audience with an excerpt from the poem “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou — a poem that embodied her entire experience. She suffers from panic attacks and nightmares from time to time, but nothing could be as blissful as her life here at home. She now works for E! Network, using “E! Investigates” to engage with young Americans with issues such as teen suicide and depression. Her life thus far is far from what one could fathom their life could be. But nevertheless, the wound on her head is a constant reminder of how precious life is. Besides the sniffle from holding back tears, the audience was completely silent. Ling mentioned how it took almost losing her life to get back in touch with her friends from college. “The friends you make here will always be there … don’t take them for granted.” Keep that in mind, Highlanders — H don’t wait until it’s too late to live your life.■
“Mitch,” she spoke into the speaker trying to reach her cameraman, “I think I am going to die.”
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TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
FEATURES
HIGHLANDER
club spotlight:
ACCOUNTING SOCIETY
Matthew Ward, Contributing Writer Photos courtesy of Richmond Reyes
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n an evening of elegance and networking, the Accounting Society at UC Riverside wrapped up its 201314 academic year with a sense of purpose and humor, pulling over 90 people into HUB 302 for its spring banquet last Tuesday, May 13. Former president of the Accounting Society and graduating senior Jasmine Sima welcomed the crowd of students, members of the business school and accounting professionals from large firms like KPMG and local ones like Squar Milner. Sima, who will graduate this June with a concentration in accounting was, however, not always an accounting student. “I originally wanted to be a dentist,” admitted Sima. But in her second year, she took an accounting course and she discovered a new passion. “I loved every aspect of the accounting field, from learning about industries and building strong relationships with others.” Sima noted that this was something she “didn’t get to do as a biology major.” Realizing that accounting provided her with the aspects in life she valued, “such as building relationships and continuous learning,” Sima traded in her lab coat for a professional blazer and joined the business school with an accounting concentration. Later, she would become the president of the Accounting Society and secure a position with the prestigious accounting firm Ernst and Young upon graduation. Established in 1985, the Accounting Society at UC Riverside prides itself on assisting its members to prepare for the real world in the accounting profes-
sion and is one of the university’s oldest organizations on campus. As newly appointed Marketing Director Caleb Man put it, the Accounting Society strives to give “students the opportunity and tools to network with professionals in public accounting,” and “develop their leadership skills through career-building workshops,” according to Vice President of Finance Brian Soars. While working with these professionals and peers, members are surrounded by “people that you can enjoy being around and having fun with.” After being introduced as the new president for the 2014-15 academic year, Michael Stankovich noted that, unlike his predecessor, “I knew from the very beginning I would sell my soul to debits and credits.” Along with sharing his excitement and future plans for the Accounting Society, (“to provide its members with the best possible experience”) Stankovich also shared his first memory of the organization he’s now the president of. Stankovich accounts that he decided to go to his first Accounting Society meeting after reading that free food would be provided at the meeting and thinking, “What is the worst thing that can happen?” Stankovich now credits the society for helping him land his internship and believes it to “provide the perfect extension from work and school.” The other opportunities available through the club are rather broad for members. “Most students decide to pursue either tax or audit. Fields in accounting that are continuing to see more and more growth is assurance and advisory,” said Technology Director Luke Hatch. Hatch also
“Over the last 30 years, the Accounting Society at UC Riverside has proved to be one of campus’ most active and successful professional clubs.”
Students beamed with excitement as they reacquainted themselves with new and old members of the Accounting Society at their annual spring banquet.
broke down the Big Four firms at the top of accounting business: PwC, Deloitte, Ernst and Young and KPMG. “Small and midtier firms along with the Big 4 can offer a lucrative and safe job that often lures many business students in. Within the next 15 years, over 75 percent of CPAs are supposed to retire and this will create a huge demand within the accounting field.” Over a three course meal and humorous keynote speech on the importance of relationships in accounting from Professor Richard Savich, the Accounting Society also made official its new executive team for the 2014-15 academic year. I got the chance to speak with them as I better learned about the society on both
a professional and personal level. They aren’t all work and no play as I got to see their humorous side during the banquet. “Why did the accountant jump off the building and kill himself?” Executive Vice President Brandon Junus began. “Because it’s accrual world.” For those of you with a less dry sense of humor or lack of accounting knowledge unlike Ben Wyatt of NBC’s “Parks and Rec,” accrual accounting is a standard accounting practice widely used by most companies. Hatch joined in with, “What does the accountant say to the other accountant? I’m an accountant.” As the banquet wrapped up, many students went home with new business contacts, visions
on the accounting profession and, depending on their sense of humor, a few laughs. Dora Chang, newly appointed Vice President of Internal Affairs, sees the spring banquet as “a great way for students to get their foot in the door.” She pointed out that “since the student-to-professional ratio is about 10:2, students are able to leave an impression and build a stronger connection.” Over the last 30 years, the Accounting Society at UC Riverside has proved to be one of campus’ most active and successful professional clubs. And with its current leadership made up of ambitious individuals, our campus can only expect the society to continue its tradition of ■H excellence.
FEATURES
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
Hope for a cure:
UCR shows strength at Relay for Life
Colin Markovich, Senior staff writeR / Photos by Vincent Ta
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ow do you talk about cancer? How do you talk about the disease that caused 8.2 million deaths in 2012, that causes the second-highest number of deaths in the United States, that will cause 75 people to die in the five minutes it takes to read this article? How? You don’t dwell on death. You celebrate life. That is how the Relay for Life at UCR talks about cancer. From Friday to Saturday, the UCR community transforms a patch of decaying grass into a fountain of color, hope and life. At the event, attendees from each of the 42 teams, from Circle K to Beta Phi Delta, are a torrent of movement, pledging to carry a baton for 24 straight hours in a symbol of the never-ending battle against cancer and in honor of those who came before. Runners jog, sprint, gallop forward — gripping the baton of hope and keeping it alight. As time passes, the pace slackens. The breaths grow more ragged. The baton-carriers stoop low and pant, exhausted, their inner flame dwindling to a pale glow. Then a teammate’s hand reaches out. And the torch is passed to the next runner, who carries the hope of defeating cancer ever onward. “It’s not you yourself. It’s a community,” says Tim Willette, who works at UCR in business and administrative services. “It’s not just about one person, it’s about all of us. We’re drawn together for a common goal.” He’s walking on behalf of the UCR Staff Assembly with his relay partner Robert Wolfer. Both were at the relay last year, and Tim walked all 24 hours. That’s 71 more miles on the road to defeating cancer. It truly is a community event. A couple jogs the track together, laughing at each other’s jokes. A small group of people in Circle K T-shirts are engaged in a frenzied conversation, their hands gesticulating furiously as they trot around the track. Even Tim and Robert are not alone — Robert’s parents, Peggy and Jim, walk a handful of laps alongside their son. And as mothers are wont to do, Peggy made sure her son had plenty to eat, handing him a sandwich before the steadfast duo continue on their way. The relay was nearly a year in the making. Jacqueline Nazarian, a fourth-year neuroscience major who is also the team recruitment chair for UCR’s Relay for Life, confesses that “it wasn’t easy.” People who had helmed the project previously had graduated; committee members needed to find new business partners to supply donations. At one point, only 10 people were even working on making the event a reality. It was hard to tell that from the sea of people and E-Z Ups. If you took an aerial picture of the event, you might confuse it for the top of an open box of crayons. Over 300 people signed up to participate, even though it was a Friday so close to the end of the year, when students are more inclined to hole up in their rooms than go outside and volunteer. As the Bell Tower chimed six in the distance, a trickle of purple-shirted cancer survivors led a march around the
field. Onlookers clapped and cheered as the entourage passed by, before they joined the group too, swelling it to the size of a mighty river. The thermometer soared above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and the harsh sun beat down, threatening to pound the relayers into submission. But the survivors weren’t fazed. The community of supporters was all the air conditioning they needed. They had beaten cancer — let the sun try. At first, the whole event seemed somewhat quixotic. In the face of something so deadly, how could supporters be so energetic? So hopeful? So happy? “You want to do what you can to help, even if it’s just a little bit,” said Gabriel Macario, a fifth-year computational mathematics major who attended with Katipunan. “It’s really easy to get discouraged and I wanted to help.” Leanne Santos, his running partner, agreed. “Any little bit can change,” she affirmed. It’s this overwhelming desire to make change, and firm belief that a cure can be found that drives the participants to run for 24 hours. It’s why there is so much hope. But as in any fight, there are losses. With the sun setting behind the cityscape and the cheers of UCR baseball fans fading into the night, a somber atmosphere envelops the field as the relayers drew together to remember those who lost their battles with cancer. In the jet black night, volunteers flit through the crowd, handing out glowsticks to people, as cancer survivor Cori Knight calls for people to light their glowsticks if they lost someone to cancer. There is an eruption of cracking and popping, and the glow of remembrance illuminates the solemn faces as bright as day. The forlorn sound of a bagpipe emerges. Mike Terry is the one playing, and the dirge is an ode to the fallen — and his wife. The notes hang in the air, and as they slowly fade, the crowd is given the opportunity to speak of their own experiences. Turn by turn, speakers ascend the stage. A promise: “To see her fall in front of me crying — killed me from the inside. It’s about trying to fight for a cure. It’s about making sure that nobody’s glowstick is lit.” A lament: “There’s nothing I can do to help her. To make her hair come back. To cure this horrible disease. So I relay for her. And for anybody who’s currently fighting it.” An affirmation: “Every day I pick school over treatment, I’m taking a risk. My education is important to me. I never want someone else to feel alone.” As the lights came on, it is clear the tumorous hand of cancer has touched the face of everyone in attendance. And yet, there is strength in their sadness. The lyrics of “Long Live the Queen” by Frank Turner float through the air. “You’ll live to dance another day,” as students grip each other’s shoulders. “It’s just now you’ll have to dance for the two of us,” and eyes fill with tears as people share a group hug. “So stop looking damned depressed,” and a person presents another with a single rose. “Sing with all your heart” — and the baton is passed. ■H
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FEATURES
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
HIGHLANDER
A final thrashing of the trends, tropes, and traditions of the silly little world we live in.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS OF WISDOM by Alexander Suffolk, Senior Staff Writer
Well, call up Iron Maiden and Ernest Hemingway because the clock is two minutes to midnight and the bell is about to toll for me. I’m about to leave you, UCR. I’ve had a great crusade despite every reeking tree and Gambino-less winter, and as I leave, I hope to touch the hearts of my fellow Highlanders. To the underclassmen, I share with you the three main things I did to complete college the fun way so that maybe you will make your own experience a better one. To my fellow seniors, I guess you can read this and weep to yourselves about how I did things better than you. Don’t let this happen to you.
It’s ok, Don. We can’t all be winners.
1. Prevent a mid-life crisis You need to pick a major that brings you more fun to your daily routine than Bailey’s in your morning coffee. Now I know people bash this into your heads from the moment you know what a college is, but said head-bashing must have caved your ears in, because some of you apparently haven’t listened. You picked something because you thought somebody would just give you a desk with your name on it the second after you grab your diploma. Or you picked something because your mom and dad are holding their affection hostage until you prove yourself as worthwhile progeny. Either way, you did it out of the idea that your future will be more comfortable that way. Well, you know what? Comfort is for your butt, not your life. Comfort in your life is working your way up in a steady-paying job that’s too crappy to enjoy but too secure to leave, finding a spouse who you aren’t really into but will get the job done, popping out a few kids so you can shovel them the same stuff your parents shovelled you and then realizing one fateful pencilpushing day that you let 40 years slip through your fingers and none of it gave you any satisfaction or meaning beyond reaching the next arbitrary checkpoint.
Instead, do what really gives you a reason to punch the world in the face every day for keeping your dreams back. You like physics? Work at it until you can take on Neil DeGrasse Tyson Rocky-style. Entomology your thing? Study the minds of cockroaches until you can learn to control them and take over the world. Is history really your passion? Learn everything you can about your favorite cultures — learn until you discover their hidden tombs and get up in there like you’re Indiana Jones. And speaking of Harrison Ford, that leads me to my next point.
delete them. But more importantly, you have to schmooze with your professors. Visit them and give them love, and they will be much more encouraging (or at least forgiving) when you try to think outside the box. After all, most of them spend their time outside of class dealing with hungover and jaded grad students, so they’ll most likely relish a young mind that actually appreciates their weekly sermons. So once you’ve put yourself in an environment that encourages exploration and have gotten into a good place with the overseers of said environment, you can run wild, man. Now is your time to shine, get weird and kick your mental Millenium Falcon into hyperspace. Creativity and charisma can allow you to turn three-hour assignments into 10-minute bits of fun. You’ll be able to write your essay about three lines of dialogue rather than an entire book or even turn in just one profane sentence for your final and call it a poem.
I mean really, how do most people complete their two last quarters of language? Toiling away at memorization and conjugation exercises only to take finals that always seemingly prioritize the single thing you didn’t study as much? My classmates abroad and I made a short film in the Tolkien-esque forest in front of our dorms; we wrote the script on a bus ride back from a long weekend in Prague just hours before it was due. Twenty weeks of everyday morning classes averted thanks to the production of “Jagd nach dem Grossman.” More importantly, it changes you as a person. Ever read a negative “UCR Around the Globe?” Didn’t think so. Because it’s always fantastic and enlightening. It’s like high-fiving Buddha. I entered Europe a frightened boy oppressed by breadth requirements, and I left a confident man that needn’t focus on anything but my major. On top of that, I left with enough trinkets to make me look pretentious, moderate skills in parkour, tons of stories to endlessly annoy my friends and coworkers, a firm grasp on a foreign language and glorious facial hair. And after all, what else in life is worth pursuing other than glorious facial hair?
2. Become Han Solo There’s a very typical mode of going about your college education that we all first think is just what we have to do. You just have to sit in these lectures taking notes from a powerpoint so later on you can cram mere hours before you need to bubble in some junk, bullshit your way through a bluebook or turn in an essay that starts off with something like, “In today’s society …” If you think that’s just what the academic world of college is, then you are a robot. You are just beep-boopin’ your way to a barely bearable B-minus-average Bachelor’s. You, my friend, are C-3PO. Instead, you can and should be Han Solo — surging through asteroid fields and blasting away Greedos like you couldn’t give an ewok’s furry bottom about it. For you degenerates who don’t understand “Star Wars” jargon, I’m saying that you should put yourselves in a position to take risks. One thing you can do is take more classes where the goal is to enrich your mind with openended musings — not crush your soul into a hard drive that saves facts you’ll only store until you can spew them onto a midterm or final and then promptly
I’m not even joking here. I got an A+ for this. But maybe you’ve done this and like Mick Jagger, you still can’t get no satisfaction with your college experience. Well, there’s one last thing you should do.
3. Flee the country Let me get straight to the point here: There is probably no other time in your life when you’ll be able to go on an adventure and have it move you forward professionally. Studying abroad is going on vacation and getting college credit for it. If you find the right program, you’ll be able to explore a whole new corner on this great blue marble, have classes so small and tailor-fit to you that it feels like some innovative mentorship and then knock out up to five course requirements — all for possibly the same price as a quarter’s tuition plus summer sessions.
Nothing. So there they are, my brothers and sisters — my last tips and tricks to make university awesome. I’ll be the first to admit that just because it worked for me, it won’t work just as well for all of you. However, I like to think these bits of wisdom from a weary soon-to-be-alumnus can be adopted to some degree by anybody. I hope for all of you to be able to pave your own way and end saying the same last words as myself: “It’s been an honor and hell of a lot of fun. Cheers.” ■H
HIGHLANDER
@highlanderradar
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
R adar ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Events this week Monday | 5/19
Wednesday | 5/21
Class Dismissed: Malala’s Story @ HUB 302S, 6:30 p.m. Comedy Apocalypse 11 @ The Barn, 8 p.m.
Friday | 5/23
33rd Annual UCR Pow Wow @ Student Recreation Center, 5 p.m.
Friday | 5/23
MaryLu Clayton Rosenthal New Play Festival @ ARTS 113, 8 p.m.
The White Arrows ended the night with a great performance of “Get Gone” that pumped up the Barn one last time.
LAURA NGUYEN / HIGHLANDER
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TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
MCS Film Festival showcases the best of student film Yasmin Kleinbart, Senior Staff Writer // Photos by Jason Lin
n Wednesday night, the University Village theater was rumbling, but not because of the anxiety of seeing the new “Godzilla” movie. It was because of the second annual Media and Cultural Studies (MCS) Film Festival. Situated in a single theater, it was almost a full house of aspiring directors, actors and filmmakers waiting for their work to get on the big screen, and viewers anxious to see what their peers have been working on. With a 10-minute intermission between two sets of films, the festival was well organized without people getting too bored or restless. Even though one film was unfortunately cut off, the rest of the movies played fine without any technical difficulties. For only its second year in existence, the MCS Film Festival was an exciting time for all who put in the dedicated work, and for all the viewers who got to experience it. The night started off with MCS student Shelley Brumbaugh and professor Derek Burrill saying a few words about how excited they were to showcase incredible talent. They were followed by the co-directors of the event, Jose Gonzalez and Genevieve Newman. “We just want to get our names out there in an industry that’s already crowded,” Gonzalez said to the room. This introduction led into a short video, made to the song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. However, instead of the usual lyric, “Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth,”
the word happiness was substituted with MCS — a fun way to show the passion of the aspiring filmmakers. It featured clips of students and professors all over campus, dancing and laughing into the camera, a representation of students truly being happy. Out of the 32 films that were submitted to be considered, only 18 were chosen to showcase. The genres were extremely diverse, featuring documentaries, mockumentaries, horror and even animation in the running. Each crew left their mark in their films, with no submission looking exactly the same. And even though most were on average about five minutes long, they still were able to capture beautiful moments. Some were incredibly artistic, focusing on cinematography rather than dialogue. Others were emotional and focused on getting a response out of the audience, or making them aware of things around them. One of the films that took the spotlight was Jeffrey Chang’s “Hide and Seek.” Based off a creepy story written on a Reddit forum, Chang used animation to illustrate a sense of horror in the eyes of children. When a young child plays hide-and-seek with his cousins, they come across a house with a murderous history. When he decides to hide in the house, he comes across vengeful spirits and different sorts of noises. This film was composed as a flashback with the young boy narrating it years later. With his voice sounding low and raspy, the narrator evoked a terrifying setting when he
described everything from the noises he heard to his own horrified feelings. Because everything is in his own point of view, we never see any entities. Instead, we are entirely in the narrator’s eyes, and it’s nerve wracking that we don’t get a whole story until the very end. Besides “Hide and Seek,” there was only one other film in the horror genre. “Open House,” directed by Richard Rodriguez, tackles the same issue of haunted houses, but instead of coming from a child, it is told through the eyes of a couple trying to find a new house for their growing family. Led to the house by a mysterious realtor, the home gives off a possessed vibe like “The Conjuring” or “Amityville Horror.” Even without the use of special effects or makeup, it still was utterly tense; Rodriguez managed to disturb the audience with occasional jumpscares and an unsettling music score. Even though the ending was slightly confusing, it didn’t take away from the technicals of the film. I’m not sure if Rodriguez plans to do more horror in the future, but if he does, I’ll be the first to watch it in theaters. A documentary that especially stood out for me was “Aftershock.” Directed by Allison Moore, “Aftershock” talked about Islamophobia in the United States after 9/11. The first thing to notice in the documentary is the sound of a woman calling her husband from the plane just as it’s about to crash; just as she finishes saying “I love you,” the plane crashes into the Twin Towers, right in sync
with the call. The haunting feeling just from having to connect that call with the crash stayed with me throughout the entire nine minutes of the documentary. Using just news footage and interviews from other students, Moore created a compelling piece that illustrates hatred throughout this country. When asked why she and her group chose such a sensitive topic, she said, “We wanted to do something fresh and something you don’t see a lot of films about. Our main goal was to shine some light on a fairly sensitive issue. Going to such a diverse school as UCR has taught me that intolerance is unacceptable, so we used that as our driving force when deciding on a topic and while making the film.” Moore’s piece was so moving that it won her the award for best documentary at the awards ceremony on the Friday after. When asked how it felt to be able to submit a piece in a festival for everyone to see, she enthusiastically said, “It feels like a proud parent hanging my gold star up on the refrigerator. It’s awesome that UCR has a film festival now. We have crazy-talented artists and storytellers here and their work deserves to be seen.” Moore could not be any more correct. These talented students’ work deserves to be seen, and this up-and-coming festival gave them a chance. UCR is just a start, but by the look of these films, expect some of these filmmakers to be seen at Cannes or Sundance sometime soon. ■H
MCS professor Derek Burrill, Shelley Brumbaugh (top left) and professor Andrea Smith (bottom right) introduce the second annual MCS Film Festival. Many gleaming awards were laid out for the winning student filmmakers.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
HIT THE BULL'S EYE AT THE BARN
By Joseph Ramos, Staff Writer // Photos by Laura Nguyen
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hite Arrows is no stranger to touring and performing in front of live audiences. Ever since their formation in 2011, the LA-based band has played all over the United States and the world, ranging from Australia and Amsterdam to massive music festivals such as Coachella. Now, with their brand new album finished, White Arrows is about to embark on “El Tour Blanco,” an extensive tour featuring the likes of the Neighbourhood, Travis Scott and Danny Brown. Before doing so, the psychedelic rock band graced UCR’s very own Barn stage Wednesday night, creating a memorable night filled with upbeat dance songs, impromptu jam sessions and great vibes. As one of the biggest acts on the Barn’s spring lineup, I expected the intimate venue to be filled to capacity on Wednesday. Sadly, this wasn’t the case. When I walked through the Barn’s front doors, only a few people stood in front of the stage, with a small number of people sitting outside enjoying their food. Even as the opening act, Say Say, took the stage to play, the crowd was still few in number — but the band started the night off on a high note, bringing high level synth-pop to the Barn stage. At the beginning of their performance, the handful of people in attendance were shot with a blast of energy as soon as the
performance started. Lead singer Adam Reiter grabbed ahold of the audience’s attention from the moment he opened his mouth, letting out powerful vocals filled with emotion and passion. The band’s use of analog synth and dance-friendly drum patterns were infectious, spreading through the crowd and the venue like fire. By the time the band reached its final song, “Like An Animal,” more people migrated toward the stage, with every head in the crowd bobbing along to the beat. Not a single person was still, as even the people sitting down tapped their feet along to the melody. To most bands, playing for such a small crowd would pose a problem, but White Arrows saw the intimate audience and venue in a different perspective. When talking to lead singer and frontman Mickey Church, he shared that after continuously touring, the size of the audience doesn’t have an effect on how well a show turns out. “I like people to be close,” he said. “You feed off people’s energy. It doesn’t matter the size of the venue, just the energy.” Even though the crowd was small, the fresh-faced college kids in attendance were gleaming with excitement and ready for an amazing experience — and once White Arrows took the stage, that’s exactly what they got. By the time it was White Arrows’ turn to perform, everyone gathered around the stage, filled to the brim with excite-
ment. From the moment they started playing, the crowd knew they were in for a great show and White Arrows delivered. The band seemed as ready as they’d ever been, cruising through songs off of their first album, “Dry Land Is Not A Myth,” to get the crowd warmed up. Once they reached the fan favorite “Coming or Go,” the audience was fully connected to the show and responded to the music, dancing and moving around like it was the only thing they could do. As a result of the crowd’s dancing, the rest of the band members began to loosen up as well, moving around the stage and playing with more passion. Not only did White Arrows feed off of the crowd, but also off of each other. Before becoming a band, the members of the group were close friends who wanted to play music together, and after an album and multiple tours, the group seemed closer than ever. It felt as if it wasn’t a concert, but rather a group of friends just jamming together. At one point during one of their songs, “Church,” drummer Henry Church and bassist Steven Vernet entered an all-out jam session, unleashing a fury of chords and drum solos onto the crowd, headbanging and rocking out with high energy on the stage. As soon as the song seemed like it was over, the trio picked right up again, increasing the volume and intensity. The amps were on over-
Mickey Church, donning a new purple wig, rocks out with one of his old green wigs that he used to perform with.
load, but the audience bobbed in amazement of the band’s playing power. White Arrows didn’t leave before treating the audience to two never-before-heard songs off their new LP, which will be released in the fall. The first song matched the new sound featured on the album, described as “darker and more matured, with more guitar-driven songs.” Right off the bat, the audience was hit with a compelling and catchy lead guitar riff much different from their previous albums, which feature more synth-heavy production. Backed by hard-hitting drums, the track held the same groove and rhythm as many of the band’s previous songs, making it easy for the audience to move around. By the time the performance ended, all fans in the audience were chanting “encore” at the top of their lungs, and the band made a point to let everyone know about their upcoming tour dates. White Arrows left their imprint on the Barn, playing one of this year’s best shows. The band left fans in attendance yearning for more music, and despite its small turnout, the Barn was filled with as many good vibes and energy as any other show at packed capacity — possibly even more. Fans got more than their money’s worth from the show, and all those that weren’t fans before definitely left the show newfound fans of the LA psych-rock band. ■H
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
SPIKE AND MIKE’S
FESTIVAL OF ANIMATION celebrates the art of animation
By Stasean Washington, Staff Writer // Photos by Laura Nguyen
Craig “Spike” Decker (top left) stepped onstage to begin the journey into the festival of animation collected by Spike and Mike. The crowd at Spike and Mike’s Festival of Animation was filled with attendees of all ages at the University Theatre.
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artoon Network, Nickelodeon and Disney Channel are all names that spark a wave of nostalgia in me. As a kid growing up in the ‘90s, I had my fair share of sitting in front of a television watching cartoons for hours on end. For me, animation was a form of entertainment, and being able to see it as an artistic expression for the first time was a real eye-opener. Last Tuesday, UCR hosted Craig “Spike” Deckers as part of Spike and Mike’s Festival of Animation. The festival, a collection of short animated films, annually tours across the country and is best known as being one of the premiere outlets for independent, experimental and foreign animation. The festival has also helped launch the careers of up-and-coming animators. Popular contributors include the likes of Danny Antonucci (“Ed, Edd n Eddy”), John R. Dilworth (“Courage the Cowardly Dog”) and even Matt Stone and Trey Parker, creators of “South Park” — also known as my childhood. The show was, at its very core, a celebration of UCR’s recent acquisition of Deckers’ and Mike Gribble’s lifetime collection of 35-millimeter prints, “negs” and soundtracks. The archive includes hundreds of animated films that Deckers considers to be artistic masterpieces among the animation community. With all of this, Deckers hopes to “get things brewing again in Riverside.” According to associate professor of media and cultural studies, Derek Burrill, acquiring this collection sets UCR apart because it puts the university on the level of schools like UCLA and USC who have major media archives. With UCR in sole possession of Spike and Mike’s
awesome collection, students will now be allowed to conduct studies on animation and how it has affected American culture. Decker stated that “all ages identify with animation,” and when I arrived at the event, I instantly saw what he meant. A long line stretched from the University Theatre to Olmsted, packed with people I could only describe as an older generation of cartoon fans. Many of them were parents with their children. The event seemed to be a bonding experience between two generations of cartoon lovers. As I settled into my seat, I noticed that everyone seemed to know someone, and whether it was a reunion of old friends or a family get-together, I got the sense that the audience was a tightly knit community woven over the years. Among the audience were some popular friends of Deckers and Gribble, like Libby Simon, producer of the first season of the “Ren and Stimpy Show.” The show started with Burrill taking the stage and having the crowd chant “Spike and Mike” to summon the man himself: Craig “Spike” Decker. When Decker took the stage, the crowd erupted in cheers and praise. He briefly talked about his time at Riverside City College, starting the festival at the Riverside Landis Auditorium and touring around the world for nearly 37 years before ending up on our campus. Without further ado, Decker bestowed upon us the night’s festivities. Alan Becker’s “Animator vs. Animation” kicked things off. The first film showcased the events that follow when an animator’s creation becomes sentient and tries to escape the deadly fate of being erased. One of the highlights of the
film’s comedy was the use of actual MS Paint tools as weapons. Immediately following was Trevor Jimenez’s noirinspired animation, “Key Lime Pie.” The animation was a drastic change in style and pace as it tells the tale of how a man’s obsession with key lime pie brings him to the brink of insanity, and a chance encounter with the grim reaper, in a very Tim Burton-esque fashion. Many of the shorts were lighthearted and kept laughs rolling constantly throughout the show. Alexey Alexeev’s “Log Jam” followed three “professional” musicians — the Bear, the Rabbit and the Wolf — as they tried to rehearse in the forest, but were constantly interrupted. Bill Plympton’s “Guard Dog” told the tale of a dog who is overprotective, seeing simple things like birds, grasshoppers and little girls as dangerous threats that must be barked at, while Christopher Confronti’s short “Frog” told the misadventures of a frog on a very sunny day. Bernardo Britto’s “Yearbook” was the first of many deep and experimental films sprinkled throughout the show. It completely captivated the audience with its powerful and gripping message, telling the story of a man who is hired to compile the definitive history of human existence before the planet blows up. The short begs the question of who is in charge of keeping memories alive, or whether we are destined to be forgotten. My personal favorite was Benjamin Kousholt’s “The Saga of Bjorn.” The film told the tale of Bjorn, an old Viking who wants to enter the gates of Valhalla, but in order to do so he must die in battle. Bjorn goes on a quest to find a warrior strong enough to kill him. On the way, Bjorn meets countless warriors
who all die in silly and misfortunate ways. When Bjorn finally does meet his match as he saves nuns from a gigantic monster, he comes face to face with Valhalla, only to have it ripped from his palms because the nuns put a cross over his grave, sending him to boring old heaven. The film teaches the important lesson that one man’s heaven is another man’s hell. The audience showed an appreciation for animation as an artistic expression like none other, taking the time to carefully acknowledge the work of the animators. After each short, there was a roar of cheers. Even the most macabre or silly animation was not left without applause. It was easy to tell that the audience appreciated what each animator had to offer, and because of this, it made the event seem all the more welcoming to up-and-coming animation. Deckers took the stage again for the conclusion of the show, and was greeted by an applause of appreciation. He expressed the idea of hopefully having more events such as this on campus, as well as “more theatrical shows and guest animators.” By doing so, he hopes to garner more appreciation of animation as an art form — something that, due to growing up watching cartoons on television as a form of entertainment, ‘90s kids such as myself tend to overlook. With this, the crowd agreed by giving another round of applause. Unfortunately, the night did not end with the promised Q-and-A segment, and instead ended with Deckers signing autographs in the University Theatre lobby. Although the audience did not get the chance to pick Deckers’ brain, they got a chance to bond with the man who created such a wonderful event. ■H
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
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MUSIC REVIEWS GHOST STORIES // COLD PLAY
RATING: ★★★☆☆ BY: MICHAEL RIOS, SENIOR STAFF WRITER
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ver since their release of “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends,” Coldplay has steered away from their more traditional alternative and indie rock sounds of acoustic guitars, piano riffs and anthemic choruses. Those sounds have been replaced with more experimental electronic melodies that sometimes work, and other times fall flat. Some love this change, while others complain that the band has sold out in an attempt to “appeal to the masses” instead of sticking to their traditional roots. “Ghost Stories” will surely continue to drive that debate further as the band’s new fascination with poporiented music continues. “Ghost Stories” is a concept album that deals with the themes of loss and heartbreak, presumably influenced by lead singer Chris Martin’s recent “conscious uncoupling” with wife Gwyneth Paltrow. It’s an interesting album in that it tells its heartbreaking stories through some of the most unconventional styles of music: EDM, ambient and pop. Weird, but you know what? It ends up working — at least, most of the time. “Midnight,” for instance, is arguably the album’s most distinct-sounding track. The vocals of the song were recorded using a vocoder, giving Martin’s voice an echoing sound. Couple that with the synth-heavy backgrounds and you get a moody, almost eerie tune that perfectly captures the
album’s themes of loss and despair. And somewhere in that ambient tone lies the band’s signature poetic songwriting as Martin croons, “In the darkness before the dawn / In the swirling of this storm / When I’m rolling with the punches / And hope is gone.” The album also features more pop-sounding tracks like the Avicii-produced “Sky Full of Stars,” which captures the band’s experimentation with the EDM genre. And it’s not an unwelcomed change. It actually works. The song manages to fuse the danceable beats of the genre with Coldplay’s signature driving keyboard riff that fans know, love and long for. The end result is an upbeat tune that mixes the best of Coldplay with the best of EDM. And for those die-hard fans who miss some of the band’s more acoustic-sounding songs, the album does try to cater to them as well. “Oceans” and “Always in My Head” give the nostalgic Coldplay lovers bits and pieces of the good ol’ days, when the band’s music was driven solely by the instruments and vocals the members had at their disposal, which gave their previous albums more simplicity. Quite frankly, it’s a nice change of pace in an album that almost overwhelms listeners with electronic music. Speaking of which, the real shame of the album is its awkward pacing. At times the album switches abruptly from soft, relaxing acoustic guitar riffs to
Courtesy of Parlophone
blaring electronic melodies. The most obvious of these unwelcomed transitions occurs in the shift from “Oceans” to “Sky Full of Stars.” And given that this is a concept album that’s driven by the single theme of heartbreak, some
of the subject matter in the songs does get repetitive. Basically, it’s a 12-track album that talks mostly about Chris Martin’s failed relationship and his longing to get things back to the way they were. To be frank, it gets a little overbearing at times listening to
the same moody tracks over and over again. For all its intents and purposes, Coldplay’s “Ghost Stories” does what it sets out to do: It tells a familiar story using unfamiliar sounds. While it may not always H work, it sure is worth a listen. ■
TURN BLUE // BLACK KEYS
RATING: ★★★★☆ BY: HANA KONG, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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s a band with Grammywinning fame, the Black Keys have produced music that has become familiar to audiences of all different genres, ranging from ‘60s blues to modern alternative. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have worked together in this duo since 2001, cultivating a distinct garage rock sound with an authentic blues influence. With tracks like “Tighten Up” and “Lonely Boy” from previous albums, this distinct sound has gathered a following large enough to support the production of what is now their eighth studio album, “Turn Blue.” However, with great fame comes great expectations for an album full of glorious, I’ve-damaged-thereplay-button songs. Lucky for fans, the Black Keys once again succeed in doing just that. With the early release of their first single, “Fever,” many fans were justifiably concerned about whether or not this album would gratify their high expectations. “Fever” starts off with an undeniably catchy beat, but the great uncertainty comes with the combination of Auerbach’s falsetto vocals and the intrusively highpitched synthesizers. Together, these layers of near-white noise sound as if they may fit better as the title track for a start-up electro-pop EP. Even still, it is worth lingering until the
bridge, where a bit of those layers is removed, until the reverie is eventually interrupted by the dramatic revenge of the synth until the end of the track. Regardless, we can still rely on the Black Keys to produce some amazing tracks that really do stick with you for a long time. The title track, “Turn Blue,” does well in carrying on with the feel-good melody tradition that is found in nearly all of their songs. It incorporates a slightly psychedelic sound, while maintaining the most intimate aspects of blues. “10 Lovers” is another sentimental piece that aligns well with the album title in its slower, more bluesy qualities. The track begins with a really solid bass line, and the synth returns for yet another appearance. However, the synth has a different effect here than it does in “Fever,” as it follows the melody in lyrical rhythm to emphasize the anguish that suddenly becomes very real with each repeated chorus. It almost sounds like a wailing in the background as Auerbach cries, “Don’t leave us not in love again / ‘Cause we might break instead of bend.” “Gotta Get Away” provides a sense of closure to what really seems, lyrically, to be a very personal collection of letters. Auerbach and Carney sign off with their everfamiliar sound, created by electric
Courtesy of Nonesuch Records
guitar and drums. Whether as a goodbye to a broken relationship, or to the ever-nearing end of this academic year, this track serves as a reminder that while it is acceptable (and even necessary) to indulge in the most bleak
points in life, it is just as important to change the pace and move on. Even if that requires some Jack Kerouac soul searching, this album can easily take you through the entire, emotional ride H “from San Berdoo to Kalamazoo.” ■
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TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
VIDEO GAME REVIEW “CHILD OF LIGHT” VIDEO GAME REVIEW
RATING: ★★★★☆ BY: EDWIN GARCIA, STAFF WRITER
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“
hild of Light” is the newest RPG from developer Ubisoft Montreal that uses the UbiArt Framework, the same game engine used to create “Rayman Legends.” It is a 2D, side-scrolling RPG that adds in some minor platforming and puzzle solving to its stellar turnbased combat system, and the gameplay instantly grabs your attention with its storybook-like art style, which makes everything look like a moving painting. And coming in a modest $15 package, how great is this download-only game? You assume the role of Aurora, a young girl who gets taken away from her castle, only to wake up alone in a foreign land. She quickly figures out that this is not a normal world; it is filled with unfriendly creatures and monsters. Aurora must find her way home to her dying father, and on her way she finds new friends who help her on her journey, the first of which is a firefly who acts not only as a friend, but also a provider of light — which becomes a necessity later on. The journey takes you to some rather quirky
places, with equally as eccentric characters that make the whole experience truly feel epic. The experience is actually a nice marriage between story and art style, which accentuates the gameplay. The colors are vibrant, and nothing on the screen ever looks boring because of the attention to detail. The creativity in the world is fantastic — you will go into a city that is perched on a giant’s back, fight smiling rocks and even join forces with a traveling jester. All of these unique ideas make it an adventure worth seeing and experiencing. All of Ubisoft’s hard work would have been for nothing if the gameplay was no good, but surprisingly, even after all the gushing over the top presentation, it is the best part. There are three parts to the gameplay: platforming, puzzle solving and combat. It does not overwhelmingly excel in any one area, but all three aspects are good when put together to create a fun game. Aurora quickly gains wings that allow you to float around without limitations, and there are also some limited moments of platforming where
you will get from one platform to another with obstacles like spikes in your way. While not very difficult, it is much more engaging than going from point A to point B with nothing to do in between. Your firefly friend comes in handy because light is utilized to solve different puzzles, and by controlling the firefly, you can use your light to create shadows that are used to
You assume the role of Aurora, a young girl who gets taken away from her castle, only to wake up alone in a foreign land. solve puzzles and unlock doors, or open up chests in the far distance. The holy grail in “Child of Light” is the combat. For the most part, it is very simple: You go into battle with two characters of your liking, and take turns between your team and the opponents. Each turn consists
of choosing between attacking, defending or using potions. The magic really happens with the introduction of the combat timeline. Every time you go into battle, there is a timeline placed below the whole fight. On this timeline there are two sections: wait and cast. Every character in the battle, whether they are an ally or an enemy, is on this timeline, and once the battle starts everyone moves toward cast. This is how turns are decided — whoever gets to the end of the timeline gets to attack. Get hit by an opponent during your casting time and you get interrupted, making you essentially lose that attack — and the same goes when you attack someone while they are in their “casting” time. Each different character has a different speed on the timeline, so it becomes very important to use allies that will work best with how you plan on attacking. As Aurora, you do have an advantage, though. Remember that friendly firefly? Well, he is with you during battle as well, but not as someone who can attack. Instead, you can shine light on an enemy (only one at
a time) to slow them down on the battle timeline, or on allies to heal them. This gives you an advantage because you can manipulate enemy speed to try and accommodate whatever you are trying to do. To keep this from being too overpowered, there is a light bar which you must let recharge if overused. The only real downside to the adventure is the length. If played just to finish the game, you can easily finish it within six hours, which is not too bad considering the price tag. It is also fairly easy, and for RPG veterans I would recommend playing on a higher difficulty the first time through. There is also very little replay value because there is not much to do other than collect new stones, but there is no incentive in that. It is odd to see a big publisher put out a smaller game like this, but do not let the pint-size game fool you; this is one of the best games of the year. It is simple, fun and beautiful. The battle system is its highlight, but you will never be bored when looking at this game, and its incredibly reasonable price makes this a must-buy for everyone. ■H
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
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MOVIE REVIEW COMING OUT SOON:
MALEFICENT
COLD IN JULY
THE IMMIGRANT
X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
GODZILLA
RATING: ★★★★☆
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BY: JAMESON ADAME, STAFF WRITER
was nervous for weeks on the lead-up to this movie — the memory of Roland Emmerich’s last abominable attempt to make an American “Godzilla” movie is still a fresh wound on my brain. Therefore, I hope it will give more credence when I say that this movie is different from what some people may expect, but still entirely worth your money. It only took 10 minutes for this movie to reduce me to a squealing fanboy, hanging onto my seat, forcing my eyes ever more open to see what happens next. “Godzilla” comes to us from Gareth Edwards, a director found desirable by Legendary Pictures for his other giant monster movie, “Monsters.” While anybody who knows the “Godzilla” franchise or has seen the trailer knows the movie is about — big surprise — Godzilla being a kaiju (a giant monster), specializing in wrecking cities, there is also a greater plot to the film. “Godzilla” begins with background about the existence of kaijus on Earth and their history with mankind, right before rapidly shifting gears, introducing us to Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston) and his family. One thing you’ll notice about the movie is that right from the beginning, it hits the gas pedal with a lead foot. As soon as characters are given motivations, the movie flashes forward 15 years, and the audience meets Brody’s now mature son, Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), who must go to Japan to retrieve his father from jail.
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In an attempt to avoid spoilers, I will say that the movie’s character development and exposition happen primarily in the first 40 minutes or so of the film, and the rest is spent following Ford through a repeated series of events as he attempts to save his family with the help of the military and Dr. Ichiro Serizawa (Ken Watanabe). Though this is mostly to the movie’s benefit (because plot in a Godzilla movie should never overshadow a giant lizard punching stuff), it also puts the amazing talents of Bryan Cranston and Ken Watanabe to waste. In this aspect, the trailers leading up to this movie are potentially harmful to any audience looking for a fix from Bryan Cranston after the ending of “Breaking Bad.” It’s also important to note that anybody going into this movie to see a deep story is buying a ticket for the wrong reason. Character motivations and pivotal moments of plot are somewhat cliched, and few will shock the audience. However, this is not entirely bad, as the story seems intentionally contrived at times, fulfilling cliches that only became that way because the “Godzilla” franchise made them popular. Keeping this in mind, don’t think too hard about where the narrative is headed at any given moment, because you might not only ruin the movie for yourself, but the person sitting next to you (who is now also convinced that you’re psychic). The special effects in this movie are
Courtesy of Warner Bros.
outrageously good, and there are noticeable influences in the kaiju fights from Legendary’s previous foray into awesome, “Pacific Rim.” While the action doesn’t feel like the original Toho films’ men-in-rubbersuits, the movement of the monsters still welcomes the eye of the viewer. Godzilla and anything comparable to him move slowly, and effect a weight in every step and punch that convinces the audience of their size, and lets you revel in every glorious detail of the kaiju combat. The attention to detail in the monster effects is also heartbreakingly good, to the point that, if you chose, you could count every scale and skin-flap on Godzilla’s body. While the movie is determined to wow the audience with eye candy, it’s also very aware of its roots, and the things that
made “Godzilla” a lasting success for over half a century. Little jokes are sprinkled throughout the movie (such as references to Mothra and old Toho movie posters) that are intended as little winks and nods to old fans of the franchise. Additionally, the movie acknowledges Godzilla’s origins as a message about the dangers of nuclear weaponry, though it chooses to do so in a scene with all the subtlety of Godzilla himself … doing jumping jacks … on your face. “Godzilla” is definitely a movie worth seeing in theaters. Despite its flaws, as long as you go into the theater knowing what you’re getting into, you’ll walk out far from disappointed. This movie was made by fans of Godzilla, for fans of Godzilla. Now it’s possible for us to forget that Matthew ■H Broderick abomination ever existed.
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
the weight of words
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here’s a quote by writer Gary Provost about the musicality of writing, and the way lines can bunch or fall or meld together to create many wonderful, panicked things. Short sentences? They suggest immediacy. Or jolts. Or monotony, if they’re used too often. Longer, flowing sentences can carry you like a riptide, twisting and curling into deep fathoms and forcing you to hold your breath until the pause, or full stop. But even then, writing can’t have too much of either; it needs to strike a balance, somewhere between abrupt and flowing, so that every single line matters in a way that feels incontestable.
We use so many words. We use them to greet each other for the first time, sometimes haltingly, sometimes like we’re already falling into a rhythm as old friends. We use them to say goodbye to those chapters of our lives that have carried our hearts into reverie. Sometimes we forget to use them, sitting around desks and laughing too loudly, reaching the point where our cheeks ache and friendship feels like forever. But all of these words carry a weight of their own — a weight that feels as intangible as the lyricism of the perfect line. When you strike gold, you know it. When a string of words feels like nothing could be more beautiful and true, when it sings
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT or murmurs or echoes in the back of your skull, you know it — and everything about it matters tenfold. I like to think we can hear that musicality beyond the page. Lyrical weight exists in our life experiences, and in the things that form and shape us as burgeoning individuals, shifting between quick moments and drawnout adventures. When you’re in a good place in your life, you know it. Relationships flow. Words are pleasantly weighted. And even though all things in life must move on — by virtue of time, changing places or both — the music of those experiences can never be lost. Not after you’ve felt them in your bones. On the repetition of short sentences, Provost said, “It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music.” I have heard that music throughout my college career. I heard it as I walked through campus lawns for the first time and felt my feet sink into mud. I heard it when my friends and I tried to scale the Bell Tower during a power outage. And I hear it now — moving forward, letting the tide carry me into Provost’s crescendo, happy and grateful and relieved to have felt, now and ever, the ■H weight of those words.
HIGHLANDER
Awayfrom
Sprawl:
the
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by Jake Rich, Senior Staff Writer
Sweet melodies and time machines “All the very best of us / String ourselves up for love.” — The National, “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks” It was some day in midMarch of this year that my grandpa passed. I don’t even remember the date off the top of my head — I’m not sure if that’s bad. Within all the madness of out-of-state family flying in for the memorial and the stress of having to deal with all the logistical problems that come with the death of a loved one, there was one thing I could do to escape the craziness: go to my room, put on some headphones and turn the volume up. And that’s where I found my most moving way to say goodbye — by letting every emotion I had, expected or unexpected, out through the music. It’s really odd how unexpectedly important a song can become to you in certain situations. In the aftermath of death I poured myself entirely into the National’s 2010 record, “High Violet,” as the lyrics mentioned above rang in my head. As it turned
out, I had tickets to see the National the night after the memorial in the morning. As the band decided to close with “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks,” lead singer Matt Berninger dropped his microphone and sang in unison with the crowd, arms outstretched on the edge of the stage, almost in the audience. After everything I had been through in the past week, it was a cathartic moment I couldn’t have imagined and won’t soon forget. To speak more directly relevant to our situation as students, even a popular song on the radio that you may be completely tired of right now can flash you back to the best times in an instant. Seriously, when you hear “Pompeii” in 20 years, tell me it won’t remind you of college. Any songs shared with friends, or that you listened to while cramming or writing that paper at 3 a.m., will likely take you back. And though the end of college isn’t goodbye forever, it is a moment of temporary finality — if that makes any sense — and hav-
ing a song to associate with whatever struggles or joys you had at the time can bring a sense of closure, and nostalgia that otherwise only a time machine may bring back. So don’t wait for that time machine — let your tunes be your time machine to bring you back when you need to. Don’t be afraid to blast your stereo and look like a fool with your friends, or to listen to your guilty pleasure to get you through your ridiculous amount of schoolwork. Don’t be afraid to string yourself up for the love of what’s in front of you — grasp it while you still can, and hold on until the time is over. As Frank Turner says in “The Ballad of Me and My Friends,” “If you’re all about the destination, then take a f----n’ flight.” And to Grandpa Bob — the last words you told me were to write an article “about how great this hospital was.” To whoever is reading this, Riverside Kaiser is truly a great hospital — and their comforting voices were music to our ears as we ■H watched him go.
2014
H ighlander Editorial Board moves on MICHAEL RIOS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ten years from now, when someone asks me what I remember most about college, without hesitation, I’ll say the Highlander. I’ve been working at this organization since the first week of my freshman year! In other words, the Highlander has been a part of me all throughout my college life. It’s going to be weird now picking up a copy of the newspaper without having worked on it. And I honestly cannot wait to do so. The staff we have here is capable of amazing things and I’m so proud and thankful I got to work with such a wonderful group of professionals whom I’m glad to call friends. It’s been a hell of a ride. And despite the long, sleepless nights that often came with the job, I honestly do not regret a single second of my time here. I loved it.
MICHele gartzke VIDEO EDITOR
REBECCA PAReDES A&E EDITOR Everything I wanted to get out of college, I found at the Highlander newspaper. My caffeine addiction, primarily, but also a group of friends and experiences that I will carry with me always. Thanks for the nicknames.
YASMIN KLEINBART ASST. A&E EDITOR When my roommate found out that I’m a writer, she put an advertisement on my door from the Highlander newspaper asking for more writers. I wasn’t expecting much out of it except writing a movie review here and there but it turned out to be so much more than that. As I got promoted to contributing writer to staff writer and then finally Assistant Editor of Arts & Entertainment, I met these amazing people who were just as weird as I was. When I first came to this school, I didn’t believe in the “true college experience” but after spending a whole year with these weirdos, I can finally leave college remembering the wonderful memories I had with them. As I go on to pursue a career in journalism, I will always remember the great times I had with them and always remember to never use an oxford comma ever again. I’m going to miss you guys.
This year I was fortunate enough to be the first Video Editor in Highlander existence. At the start of the year I was so nervous, it was not like I had big shoes to fill, I had no shoes to fill! There has been tremendous growth in the area of video and The Highlander channel and it is literally a visual product of teamwork and dedication. This year has been unforgettable and without the team to support me, the video department would not have flourished as it did. I look forward to further growth and improvement for this young department and hope to see more videos and content for all to enjoy. As I grow and pursue a career, when I think back to college I will think of my Highlander co-workers and the bonds we have as well as all of the things they have taught me. So, now I go, into the world ready to learn and experience new things and I leave you with two words: STAY GOLD.
ALEX suffolk FEATURES EDITOR Some time in winter 2012, a girl in one of my discussions told me I should write for the Highlander because I’m a writer, and they’re always welcoming new people. I thought she was pretty cute, so I decided to drop by the next writers meeting to see if I could make anything happen with that. I never did. But two years later, I ended up managing her section. Life’s funny like that. And when I think about my “college experience,” it will be impossible to not think about my time at the Highlander. From the long hours editing to the solid friendships. From the headaches to the simple glee at seeing people walking around reading the latest issue. There was a fair share of stressful times at this office, but every hour of stress was worth it for every second of joy. So I’m thankful for my time, and I’m happy to see the paper continue on without me. And as the most handsome, charming, modest, awesome and mustachioed editor to leave this year, I think it only fitting I leave with the great Errol Flynn’s last words: “I’ve had a hell of a lot of fun and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.
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TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
Highway California: A Look at MLB Baseball ALEXANDER MANZO Contributing Writer
DARREN BUENO
BUENO’S BUZZ One more time There comes a point in almost every championship dynasty when the team starts to disintegrate. From the inside out, the shots begin to miss, personalities begin to clash and players begin to leave. The early 2000s Lakers endured the constant bickering between stars Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal before the big man was traded to Miami and the franchise slipped into temporary dormancy. The 2008 championship Celtics squad battled expectations and age before Ray Allen left for Miami and Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett soon followed suit to Brooklyn. So where does this point of separation come with the San Antonio Spurs? Historically speaking, that split should have been in 2011. The squad finished the season 61-21. They were the No. 1 seeded team in the west. Instead, the Spurs became only the fourth No. 1 seed in history to be upset by an eighth seed. Most teams hit the panic button. Following the Lakers’ 2011 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher, two staples of the championship team, were traded and Lakers fans know the rest of the downward-spiraling story. But the Spurs are different. Instead of possibly trading an ailing Manu Ginobili, the franchise stayed composed. Under Gregg Popovich, they stuck to their system: team play, the right way. The following season, they picked up Riverside native Kawhi Leonard, revived Boris Diaw’s career and continued to chug forward. By the time 2013 rolled around, the Spurs were in prime form. Never mind Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Ginobili were a combined 103 years old — the franchise stuck to their guns and returned to the NBA Finals to face the Miami Heat. And in game six, the team was up five points with 28 seconds remaining. The championship trophy was being wheeled to center court. And you know the rest. Ray Allen nailed a lastsecond jumper and the Spurs went on to lose the game and series, 4-3. So the band is broken up, right? Wrong. Just like the Rolling Stones, Duncan and company never seem to stop even if the wrinkles start to emerge. The squad is the No. 1 seed once again and faces a depleted Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals before possibly squaring off against the strong but untested Miami Heat from the east. There comes a point in almost every championship dynasty where the wheels start to come apart, but for the San Antonio Spurs, I predict the team celebrates its fifth championship while never having to worry about a reunion tour. The NBA community will be reminded once more of the band that, despite their struggles, were ■H never dismembered.
Oakland Athletics Despite centerfielder Coco Crisp being out with an injury for the last week, the A’s have not suffered. Oakland has quietly been holding the top slot for the American League with the help of fellow outfielders Josh Reddick, Brandon Moss and home run derby winner Yoenis Cespedes. The A’s have a 28-16 record after the first month and a half of the season. Moss has been smashing balls out of the park since moving from first base to outfield with Crisp out. In his last 10 games he’s hit four home runs, two of which were in a game against division rivals, the Mariners. Right fielder Josh Reddick, who was struggling in the first couple weeks, has found his momentum with his new walk-up song “Careless Whisper,” which fueled him to slap the team’s first grand slam of the
SPORTS season against the Cleveland Indians. San Francisco Giants There must be something in the water in the Bay Area because San Francisco is leading the pack in the NL West with a current record of 2817. The Giants have vastly improved since last year with a pair of good pickups in the off-season. Veteran pitcher Tim Hudson, the former Athletic, is pitching with a 2.09 ERA and a record of 4-2 while left fielder Michael Morse has also shown that he’s able to contribute by slugging out homers during crucial moments, such as the slugfest between the Giants and the Colorado Rockies for a 12-10 victory in late April. First baseman Brandon Belt is also standing a little taller knowing that he has homered in every away game series. A team that has usually relied on its pitchers is now showing it can slug ‘em out the park with the rest of the league. San Diego Padres Unfortunately, much like the placement of San Diego in the state of California, the Padres are close to the bottom of their division with a 21-24 record. The Padres currently hold this season’s record of being
HIGHLANDER the most-shutout team. After a recent brutal outing against Johnny Cueto from the Cincinnati Reds, the Padres have been shut out a total of seven times. San Diego is staying afloat with its new veteran pitcher, Joaquin Benoit, who was formerly with the Detroit Tigers. The switch from National League to American is one that Benoit is still getting used to hitting-wise. The pitcher definitely still has the same arm, however, with a 2.18 ERA on the year. Los Angeles Dodgers Only games behind San Francisco, the Dodgers are still competing admirably despite a few hurdles. Clayton Kershaw made his second outing against the Washington Nationals with an impressive seveninning performance by striking out nine batters and not allowing a single run. Zack Greinke is a leader in wins with an extraordinary 7-1 record and 2.03 ERA. Dan Haren is only one win behind his teammate with a 5-2 record. Josh Beckett has also gotten back into the groove of things and has shown vast improvement with a 2.38 ERA after his 5.30 ERA season last year. Yasiel Puig leads the team batting average at .322 but second
baseman Dee Gordon is right on his tail with a .304 average, and leads the team with 52 hits to Puig’s 49. Los Angeles Angels Three games behind Oakland in the AL West, the Angels are just trailing the two-time west champs. It’s been nearly a month since first baseman Albert Pujols hit his 500th career home run and he hasn’t quite had the same fire. With a batting average of .264 for the season and going 8-40 in his last 10 games, Pujols seems to be battling Father Time as the 34-year-old has yet to regain his St. Louis Cardinals form from days past. Despite his walk-off home run against the Tampa Bay Rays, fan-favorite Mike Trout has been in a slump during the month of May, most notably in his last couple games against his hometown team, the Phillies, with a 2-9 batting record during their two-game series. Starting pitcher Garrett Richards improved his ERA to 2.42 and record to 4-0 with Wednesday’s game. Richards also struck out eight players while not walking a single batter for ■H the first time this year. All statistics are correct as of press time.
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Senior Dionne Anderson
sprints to the history books Dionne Anderson will be missed by the UCR softball team but plans to be an assistant next year. JASON AHN Contributing Writer
Softball Head Coach Linda Garza knows talent when she sees it. She has coached hundreds of student athletes during her coaching career that has seen stops at UNLV, Purdue and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The experienced veteran knows that there is something special in senior outfielder Dionne Anderson. “I have been around speed a heck of a lot. And Dionne Anderson ranks among my top two, if not my top runner and I’ve been around some great athletes who have stolen some bases,” Garza stated. At the start of the season, Anderson may have had no idea that she’d break both the UCR and Big West Conference record for steals in a single season, but her coach did. “All of a sudden, Dionne got to around 25 early on, and she didn’t know but in my mind I said, ‘This kid can get it.’” On April 19, Anderson broke a longstanding conference record for stolen bases and now looks to continue shattering expectations. Having a record-breaking season isn’t achieved overnight. Anderson owes it to having a full off-season to train. “I was injured … for sophomore and junior year, so I was kind of taking the off-season easy. But I knew I was going into my last season so I definitely lifted more and did more workouts on the bike before my team started in the fall.” An experienced athlete knows their body’s limits as Anderson did during her practices. “I made sure I did everything at 75 to 80 percent, so when I did do it in the game, it wasn’t like trying for the first time. It was a lot of just like keeping myself mentally focused, even if I couldn’t work as hard on the field, that I still had it, that it wasn’t going to hold me back from what I wanted to accomplish.” Another factor that contributed to her successful senior year was her coach. Garza came to UCR during Anderson’s second year, picking up where the previous coach left off. This may have led to some trust issues within the team. Garza recalled, “I still remember, the first day of our meeting, (Dionne) rolling her eyes and being skeptical about it. I had to prove to her that I had the path or at least the knowledge that we were gonna go somewhere, ‘cause I think in her mind that she had lost trust that the program was going anywhere.” Their relationship has grown now into a mutual respect and bond. “It’s cool now because she’ll be staring down there in the third base box, and kind of saying, ‘What do you want me do now?’” Anderson didn’t know it then, but after working with Garza for three years, she realized her full potential and spent her last year helping her teammates find theirs. “This is a kid that I didn’t think would be able to do some of the things that she’s been able to do, from even a personal standpoint. She used to get caught in the wrong crowd, not making the best decisions. Then all of a sudden in senior year she’s telling people, ‘Don’t make the same mistakes I made, I wish I had two more years of this. Had I made
better decisions maybe I could’ve broke more records or helped this team win more.’” Garza knew that Anderson could use some assistance in managing school, softball and a social life. “I just think sometimes all of us need structure, even the ones that don’t want it. I still allowed her to have wiggle room to be Dionne, but enough boundaries to move her in the direction we wanted, and you know what? She’s been fun. Anderson has shown that she has matured since she got here,” Garza explained. “She’s an example of what happens when one takes the faith of other people and a dedicated work ethic.” Being the only senior on the team could be a struggle for some, but not for Anderson. “I got close enough to (my teammates) so if I had to get back in shape, they had no problem telling me and stuff, kind of behind closed doors so they wouldn’t really say it in front of everyone. I wanted to leave a legacy, I wanted my teammates to want something next year.” She had started the season knowing that it’d be her last. That being said, she wanted to accomplish three things: have a .350 batting average, a .450 on-base percentage and leave a lasting legacy on the way there. She checked off all of them. Anderson was also featured in the May 12 issue of Sports Illustrated, “Faces in the Crowd.” This is rare for any athlete to be featured in a national sports magazine, especially someone from a struggling program. It not only brings the softball program success but adds to the campus as a whole. Garza knows what this means for the school. “It gives UCR a name. We have someone who’s nationally ranked.” Anderson returns next year as a student and an assistant for the team, providing a fresh perspective to the girls. “I’m going to be around and definitely want to help the younger girls. I can say, ‘Hey you guys can do it!’ I know what it feels like and motivate them through it.” She is, in a way, passing the wisdom she gained from Garza onto them. Anderson was a standout player on the field and a focused student off the field as well. “I really do like physics because I’m kind of a nerd,” the senior explained. Declaring as a physics major with a minor in mathematics may be intimidating for some, but not for Anderson. “I was definitely interested in it, which made it easy to go to class or go to the labs and stuff and I was eager to learn. It wasn’t a burden at any point so it was worth it.” It may be impossible to replace the swift-footed Anderson for the years to come, but Anderson leaves the team with more than a single-season record. She leaves priceless inspiration for the UCR softball players of today and tomorrow. “I wanted to leave a legacy, I wanted my teammates to want something next year,” Anderson said. Garza is aware of what this could potentially do for the program. “What you hope is what they have witnessed as underclassmen, somebody goes, ‘I wanna be Dionne ■H Anderson this year.”
JASPERY GOH / HIGHLANDER
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TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
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HIGHLANDER
Men’s basketball rides rocky offseason MELISA BIVIAN Staff Writer
He shoots, he scores! Guard Sam Finley was a building block for Riverside’s basketball team’s success this season, but his UCR career has come to an abrupt end. Searching for a system more uptempo and suited to his playing style, freshman Finley has decided to pursue his basketball career elsewhere. Although Finley will be leaving the Highlanders, Riverside gave Finley the opportunity to shine. He was named the Big West’s Sixth Man of the Year by College Hoops and led Riverside to victory on several occasions. Free throw after free throw, Finley connected 79 percent of the time. With basketball season coming to an end, Finley finished second on the team in scoring, second in made three-pointers, and third in free-throw percentage. Not to mention his quick ability to steal the ball, off the bench Finley was a reliable penetrator who got to the foul line during crucial moments of the game. “I was disappointed because I do think he could have had a bright future here. As I’ve said, I thought we did a lot of good things for him, showed some growth on and off the court,” stated Head Coach Dennis Cutts. “He was going to have a big piece of the future here, but he decided he needed something different. As I’ve said, we move forward.” It’s always disappointing to lose a player, but the men’s basketball team knows that’s just a natural part of the game. Teammate Nick Gruninger stated, “As far as replacing Sam,
basketball is a team sport, and in college you are always having to replace players whether they graduate or transfer. We will move forward with the pieces we have, and add pieces to it from this year’s recruiting class. I don’t know that you just plug somebody into Sam’s spot and expect them to match his scoring numbers. It may be that we spread the scoring load around a little more.” Looking to move forward, Cutts sees a bright future for the men’s basketball team. Riverside has already made some decisions in the off-season, signing two international players and another community college player for the 2014-2015 season. Coming all the way from China, 6-foot-4-inch guard, Chris Tang signed a national letter of intent in April. Tang ended his season at Canarias Basketball Academy with a bang, averaging a team-high 15.5 points per game. “We are very excited! He fits everything we are about. I think it’s a unique kind of resource. I’m really excited,” explained Cutts. 6-foot-7-inch forward Robert Boezeman will also be joining the Riverside family. Coming from the Netherlands, Boezeman attracted Riverside by having the length and athleticism the Highlanders need with the future absence of Chris Patton and Lucas Devenny. On May 16, the university announced the latest addition to the team, TJ Tisdell Jr. Tisdell was named a First-Team Junior College All-American after his season playing with John Wood Junior College. “We are excited about what TJ brings to our program and we feel he is a great
CODY NGUYEN
NGUYEN-ER’S CIRCLE Don’t count out fate
ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER Sam Finley, named the Big West’s Sixth Man of the Year, will be leaving UCR after this year to pursue basketball elsewhere.
fit both on and off the court,” said Cutts in an official statement. “He has been a very productive player and is coming out of a very good program in John Wood. TJ’s work ethic and winning mentality, combined with his ability to score the ball and rebound at a high level, fills a big need for our program.” Three new additions have been signed, but there are more moves to come. Expressing his thoughts about the new additions to the team, Gruninger stated, “I’ve read a little bit about both of them, but obviously Chris Tang comes with a backstory that a lot of people are aware of. They both come from a good international program, and I’m excited to see what they can do. It sounds like they will both be able to step in and contribute right away.”
With international students and other students yet to be signed, Cutts has faith that Riverside will do great things. “This team is going to be very competitive next year.” With the approval of everyone on the team, Cutts, who was announced as the official head coach in April, will start off his new position smoothly. “I was excited for him and his family,” stated Gruninger. “Coach Cutts is a players’ coach. He can talk to us openly, and he cares about us as players and students. He wants to put us in positions to succeed on and off the court.” As seniors Patton, Devenny and Chris Harriel move on to bigger and better things, the Highlanders will hold their heads up high and continue to push ■H forward.
The news couldn’t have come at a worse time for Martin St. Louis. With his New York Rangers facing a 3-1 series hole against the star-studded Pittsburgh Penguins, the realizations went from bad to worse as St. Louis received the tragic news of his mother’s death on May 8, just three days before Mother’s Day and one day before a win-or-go-home match in hostile territory. Despite the news, St. Louis did the unthinkable and joined his team for game five. Subsequently, the New York Rangers did what all great teams have the tendency to do: rally around and embrace adversity. As fate would have it, the Rangers emerged victorious in the game and in the series, winning three straight to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Winning in any professional sport is a difficult task, and only one team in every league gets the desired end result each year. As much as the pundits and critics don’t want you to believe, sometimes it’s the intangibles that make the biggest difference. After falling short in the AFC championship game and barely missing the Super Bowl in 2004, former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis was ready to call it quits after over a decade searching for the one thing that every NFL player longs for: a Super Bowl ring. At the start of the NFL season in the 2005, Bettis told his teammates and coaches that after the season, he would be hanging up the cleats for good regardless of how things played out. The Steelers managed to barely sneak into the playoffs that year as the sixth seed, won three games on the road and ended up hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Bettis’ hometown of Detroit. A story that not even Hollywood could have written better, it just seemed like pure fate. Sometimes a bit of adversity is all it takes to spark something great. The beauty in the sports world lies not only in the teams we root for or the players we’ve grown to love, but the inspiration we draw from them and the ability for the unthinkable to happen, as if by fate. In game one of the Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Rangers continued their hot streak, defeating the Montreal Canadiens 7-2, led by Martin St. Louis’ two points (one goal, one assist) that earned him the honor of first star. Since St. Louis received the tragic news, his team has failed to lose a single game. Is there something special in the making this year with Martin St. Louis and the New York Rangers? ■H Let’s leave that up to fate.
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NCAA postseason berth in doubt as UCR falls to Long Beach MICHAEL RIOS Senior Staff Writer
MICHAEL RIOS
MAY 13, 2014
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RIO-SIDE Invest in football already! Many of us have heard the infamous phrase that has been echoed throughout our campus countless times: “UCR football — undefeated since 1975.” A self-referential phrase that is meant as nothing more than a simple joke, this quote makes fun of the fact that we haven’t had a football team in four decades — therefore we haven’t lost a game in that timespan. I get it. It’s clever and funny, but quite honestly, there exists a sort of conformity in this quote. The joke essentially emphasizes that for the past 40 years, our campus has stood idly by and watched other universities grow and expand their respective athletic programs with the help of their football teams. We, on the other hand, have struggled to become a nationally recognized sports program despite being a Division I school. This is an image that needs to change, and the solution is to do the hard (but right) thing and invest in a college football team. Now, we’ve all heard the excuses: “UCR’s not really a ‘sports school’ — so why bother?” “Football is too expensive — quit dreaming, kid.” And my personal favorite: “We’re UCR, not UC Berkeley or UCLA.” Come on! At what point did we as a university — which prides itself in its commitment to growth and expansion — become so complacent? Yes, the truth of the matter is that building a football program would be one hell of an expensive project. In fact, some top-ranked football schools spend an average of over $30 million a year on their programs. But others, such as the nationally ranked and former Big West Conference program Boise State, spend as little as $8 million per year. Yes, it can be quite expensive, but the money that’s made in return also happens to be huge. On average, Division I football programs earn a revenue of $15 million a year — that’s $5 million more than what a college basketball program makes. So while a project like this would require money and may take years for the university to turn a profit, it could also become an extremely lucrative investment. But since UCR competes in a conference that doesn’t feature football, how would we be able to house a football team? Thankfully, there’s a solution to that, too. Our sister university, UC Davis, also
plays in the Big West Conference, but they have a fully operational football team that competes against other programs around the nation. How does that work out? Their solution is simple: While most of their programs compete in the Big West, its football team is autonomous in a sense and competes in the Big Sky Conference, a conference that features football. They’re free to play the sport without worrying about that roadblock. If they can do it, why not us? Lastly, there is also controversy over what some call the Title IX “limitations.” Title IX is a part of a law that states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Title IX is a regulation that has been blamed by some for limiting our investment in a football team, given that universities’ programs and activities are not allowed to discriminate on the basis of sex. The argument here is that investing in football would mean that UCR would be investing more in male sports than in female sports. This is a ridiculous argument! Title IX does not directly mandate schools to spend an equal amount of money on both male and female sports. In fact, according to reports, about 80 percent of college sports funds go to men’s basketball and football. Likewise, the law doesn’t require a university to have the same amount of male and female sports. After all, UCR currently has nine female sports and eight male sports. This interpretation of the law is not only inaccurate, it’s also detrimental to the growth of some sports programs like UCR’s. Title IX was implemented to treat all genders equally, not to prevent the implementation of sports played by a certain gender. So while it’s true that there would be a lot of hurdles to jump through in order to get this program up and running, it’s not impossible. Here’s a challenge I’m proposing to UCR: Let’s start investing in our future. Let’s start investing in our student-athletes. Let’s start investing in a football team. The next time someone says that UCR football has been undefeated since (insert date here), it sure as hell would be nice to actually mean it for once. ■H
Here’s a challenge I’m proposing to UCR: Let’s start investing in our future.
Highlanders 9 - Lions 6
The Highlanders looked to keep their postseason hopes alive this past week as they took on Loyola Marymount on Tuesday and Long Beach State in a threegame weekend series. Things started off perfectly for the Highlanders on Tuesday as the baseball squad recorded a total of 12 hits to earn a 9-6 win against Loyola. Thomas Walker and Francisco Tellez propelled the Highlanders to victory as both combined for five of the Highlanders’ RBIs. Cody Rogina earned the victory after recording four strikeouts in three innings. MAY 16, 2014
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Highlanders 8 - Dirtbags 2
UCR came out swinging right out of the gates against Long Beach in their first game of the series. The Highlanders used a three-run first inning to take
a commanding lead and never looked back. They went on to score five more times in the game en route to an 8-2 win. Thanks to Jacob Smigelski’s superb pitching, the Highlanders managed to secure their first victory over the Dirtbags in the last six games.
UCR only recorded a single run after eight hits and went on to lose 6-1. “Smigelski went out (and) really pitched good,” said Highlander coach Doug Smith. “We continued to add on runs so (it was) a good day. Devyn Bolasky had an equally impressive game with three hits and four runs. At the bottom of the eighth, he went on to hit his first solo home run at UCR. MAY 17, 2014
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Dirtbags 6 - Highlanders 1
The Highlanders’ bats fell asleep during most of the second game versus the Dirtbags. UCR only recorded a single run after eight hits and went on to lose 6-1. Long Beach did most of their damage in the fourth as they drove in four runs to take a 4-1 lead. They went on to score two more on the Highlanders to earn the win. Long Beach’s Josh Frye earned his seventh win of the year and now has a season record of 7-0. MAY 18, 2014
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Dirtbags 12 - Highlanders 2
UCR could not prevent Long Beach from scoring in the final game of the series. After three runs in the fourth and sixth innings, the Dirtbags completely put the game out of reach for the Highlanders to earn a 12-2 win. The Highlanders have four games remaining this season. They will take on Grand Canyon on Tuesday before heading to Hawaii for their final games of the season in hopes of earning a play■H off berth.
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: g in l e v a r t o t r e n No foreig
UCR’s Chris Patton to play abroad Steven Cahill, Staff Writer / PHOTOS BY CAMERON YONG Traveling around the world to play the sport you’re passionate about is a dream for many kids around the world, and it’s a dream that UCR men’s basketball center and native Australian Chris Patton has been living for a while now. Now that he’s graduating from Riverside this June, he has the opportunity to keep the dream alive. The Australian looks to travel to Europe to do so. With that comes leaving the comfort zone he has developed here at UCR, but Patton is no stranger to life on the move. Growing up, Patton played a lot of sports, but the sport where he had the best chance to go professional was Australian football — comparable to rugby rather than American football. However, the Aussie didn’t have the passion for Australian football like his younger brother Jonathon, who was the first pick in the 2011 Australian Football League draft. The two were very close growing up, and still are today. The pair even got matching tattoos with the word brotherhood showing their close bond. And that same passion that Jonathon had for Australian football, Chris developed for basketball. By the end of his high school years, he started to gain notoriety, but the 6-foot-10-inch center wasn’t always the best on court. “When I was young I wasn’t very good at basketball,” he said. “I sat on a lot of benches. It honestly wasn’t that long ago that I was sitting on benches, even in my area where the level of competition isn’t as high. And it wasn’t until I was about 17 or 18 that I was one of the better players on the team.” His early teams were comprised of the best players from the area he grew up in, but despite his individual success, Patton was not heavily recruited. “I was being recruited by a few junior colleges, but the College of Southern Idaho was really the only college that was calling me a lot. They were the most active and made me feel like they really wanted me and they offered me a
full scholarship, so in the end it wasn’t a real difficult decision,” Patton explained. His sophomore year he had changed schools again, moving to Neosho Community College in Chanute, Kan. In that small town of 5,000 people, Patton started to get in better condition. “I lost a lot of weight, which is one of the reasons I went from having a decent freshman year to a pretty good sophomore year,” he stated. After that season, and even during it, Patton started to receive letters from Division I schools interested in him — one of which being UCR. “UCR had been recruiting me for the longest and probably the most consistently. I had been talking to (former) Coach Wooldridge, who came to Kansas twice. So I saw them the most out of any school, and then I was really interested in going somewhere where there was good weather and a conference I could compete in. In the end thought it came down to how comfortable I was with the coaches. I had been speaking to them for so long it almost felt like a personal investment, not just a basketball business investment.” And with that, Patton came to the campus that he has called home for two years now, during which he has been the focal point of the men’s basketball team. His first season here he led the team in scoring (13.5) and was second on the team in rebounds (5.4). That season also saw him score a careerhigh 36 points (sixth-most in in Highlander history), and he was rewarded after the season by being placed on the All-Big West Honorable Mention team. It was a game this season, though, that Patton considers the most memorable moment of his career at UCR. The game was a battle against Cal State Northridge on March 1, where Patton exploded for 30 points in a 106-105 double-overtime victory that was a pivotal moment for the team’s chance to secure the eighth and last Big West playoff spot.
“Finally we had one of those games where it could have gone either way and it went ours. Also it was double-overtime and I had never played in a doubleovertime game and I had never been that tired after a game before. I played really well but I had two stupid fouls that could have won them the game easily.” Those weren’t the only basketball moments that will be forever written into his memory from his time here. As if traveling from Australia to Idaho to Kansas to California wasn’t enough, he feels that “road trips in general are always a lot of fun.” In fact, traveling for games has become so routine, coming to terms with it being over has been difficult to deal with. “It was just surreal. I just didn’t know how to feel. Normally I was just always looking forward t o the next game. Also there was a sense of uncertainty. I remember thinking, ‘What am I going to do now?’ Because I wanted to keep playing,” Patton said. But if his current plans come to fruition, he will continue to play basketball and travel, only this time in Europe. “I’m talking to a lot of player agencies about representation, and I’m aiming to be playing in Europe,” he said. “Obviously nothing is guaranteed, but it looks like either way I should be playing somewhere next year, which is really good to know.” Patton’s absence down low for the Highlanders will be widely felt, especially by his teammates. “As a teammate, Chris wanted to win first and foremost, and he did everything he
could to put us in a position to do that,” junior guard Nick Gruninger explained. “He was a hard worker, one of our leading scorers, and our top scorer in the post, so we are going to have to replace his scoring and rebounding as best we can … that will mean our returners stepping up their games, and the recruits contributing when they get here over the summer.” With his overseas plans in mind, Patton only has a few more weeks at UCR, and he has realized what he is going to miss most already. “I’m going to miss the atmosphere here of college basketball and the camaraderie that a college team has. When after practice I leave and go home and I live close to campus so I get home and talk to my roommates and we joke around, and I have all my friends within a two to three minute walk of me. It’s turned into such a comfort zone and something that’s so easy to do. I’m just going to miss everything being so comfortable,” Patton said. But knowing Patton’s past, there’s no doubt that he’ll adjust and gain a new comfort with wherever he moves to. And no matter where he goes, he will always ■H be a Highlander at heart.
Basketball might not have been where he started, but it’s where UCR center Chris Patton hopes to keep moving. Patton, a native Australian, has found comfort at UCR but hopes to keep moving forward as he travels to Europe to pursue his travels and his basketball career.