highlandernews.org
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
BLOCK PARTY 2012 ON PAGE 12
Highlander University
Established 1954
of
C a l i f o r n i a , R ive r s i d e
ASUCR ends operations for the Exchange store S a n dy V a n
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On Sept. 22, ASUCR voted to close the student-owned Exchange store due to budget concerns, specifically citing its projected overhead cost of nearly $120,000 and a deficit of almost $60,000. The reallocation of funds away from the student store has resulted in the loss of six student employees and furloughed its business manager of 14 years. Known for its postal system, celebratory merchandise and discounted tickets, the Exchange was established as a student service store in 1994. Concerns from UCR faculty members and students have been raised over ASUCR’s ability to make personnel decisions, especially in regards to long-term staff positions. “The decision to close the exchange was based off the financial aspect and an unfortunate consequence of that decision was a loss of jobs,” stated ASUCR Vice President of Internal Affairs Kevin Jo. The release of 2011-2012 annual fiscal report in July revealed that the Exchange continued to suffer from high net losses, especially from costly staff and employee wages. “There were a lot of factors that were very unexpected and out of our control such as the UCOP tax and the fact that tuition is rising for students here on campus,” which made the Exchange less appealing to students, stated Senator Jo.
W e s l e y N g /HIGHLANDER Opened in 1994, the Exchange store once sold greek merchandise and celebratory concessions.
Enacted at the beginning of 20112012, the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) assessment tax enforces a 1.6 percent fee on all campus expenditures throughout the UC system. Under this policy, student-funded programs and services were controversially included as new revenue sources,
but does not apply to referenda-funded programs and organizations. As a result, the Exchange store faced the hardship of paying both sales tax and an additional UCOP tax, especially when purchasing bulk tickets from local movie theaters and amusement parks. At the same time, EXCHANGE CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
C-Center feasibility report details plans for new arena STAFF WRITER
On Sept. 25, a feasibility report was released and determined that the estimated costs of the C-Center fall between $70 and $90 million.The site’s feasibility plan outlined three different ways the CCenter could be built based on how much the university is able to raise. Overall financial support will not come from student or state funding, but rather private sources and cooperative scholarships. UCR athletic director Brian Wickstrom said that the naming rights for the UCR C-Center will be based on the biggest contribution. The C-Center was thusly named for its many potential uses and representations: commencement, concerts, convocations, court sports, conferences, civic engagement and as well as for the “C” on Box Springs Mountains. In order for the C-Center to make financial sense, it must have multi-
UCR to undergo diversity review Colin Markovich
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Cristina Granados
One Free Copy
functional purposes for hosting different events. According to Wickstrom, seasonal games, such as volleyball and basketball games, leave the center empty for most of the year. “The student rec center is more set up for classes than it is for concerts. Hopefully the C-Center becomes a place that attracts top concerts for the students,” said Wickstrom. “I talked to Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), one of the top concert promoters in Southern California and the nation. They said that if we build the C-Center they would love to bring their shows here.” As a venue meant for large crowds, the C-Center would have the high chance of attracting popular artists who needed the space to perform concerts. Possible touring days can be scheduled between other stadiums and these ventures will likely draw more businesses towards the Inland Empire. With an expected class of C- CENTER CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
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A rendering of the proposed C-Center.
The University of California, Riverside has been selected by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) to receive a mandatory diversity compliance review. In an e-mail sent out to campus students, staff and faculty on Sept. 13, UCR Chancellor Timothy White announced that the campus is expected to undergo the review. “As the campus with the most diverse undergraduate student body among UCs and one of the most diverse in the nation, UCR is eager to ensure that a similar trend toward diversity is apparent in faculty and staff outreach, hiring, promotion and separations,” stated Chancellor White. The audit will occur in two parts. First, rep resentatives from the OFCCP will review data that pertains to UCR’s affirmative action efforts. Then they will meet with key members of the UCR administration, staff and faculty to assess individual areas of concern and provide help in meeting any needed requirements. The evaluation will take place over the course of several months. The OFCCP is a divi sion of the United States Department of Labor. According to the department’s website, the purpose of the office “is to enforce, for the benefit of job seekers and wage earners, the contractual promise of affirmative action and equal employment opportunity required of those who do business with the Federal government.” Organizations that receive money from, or are engaged in a contract with, the federal government in an amount REVIEW CONT’D ON PAGE 5
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Volume 61
Issue 02
2
CALENDAR
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
HIGHLANDER
October
UPCOMING EVENTS Sunday
Monday
30
1
Work Study Orientation 11 a.m. - noon INTN 120
ASUCR Meeting 6:30 p.m. Senate Chambers
7
14
Think Pink Display Wall 6 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. HUB Display Wall
8
Work Study Orientation 11 a.m. - noon HUB 268
15
ASUCR Meeting 6:30 p.m. Senate Chambers
Tuesday
2
Pink Tuesdays 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. The Well ESPN Info. Session: Main Event 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. HUB 302
9
Pink Tuesdays 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. The Well Seniors: Your Career Game Plan 11 a.m. - noon HUB 268
16
Pink Tuesdays 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. The Well Tuesday Talks: Coming Out Stories 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Costo Hall 245
Wednesday
Thursday
3
Career Station 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. HUB Mall On-Campus Interview Workshop 11 a.m. - noon HUB 269
10
Meditation and Relaxation Class 12:15 p.m. - 1 p.m. Student Rec Center
17
Entangling Sexual Violence, US Nationalism, and Anti-Immigration 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. HUB 355
Friday
4 The Mowgli’s 7:30 p.m. The Barn Long Night of Arts & Innovation 6 p.m. - midnight Downtown Riverside
11
ASUCR Meeting 5:00 p.m. Senate Chambers
18
5 Highlander Welcome: Scotty’s Spirit Fest noon - 1 p.m. Belltower
12
‘R Safety Campaign: Bike Repair 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Bell Tower Fall Bike Registration 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Bell Tower
Medieval Mellon Event Professor Yuri Zaretskiy 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. HMNSS 1303
19
Saturday
6 Volleyball vs Cal State Fullerton 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. SRC Arena
13
Chancellor’s Dinner 6 p.m. - 9p.m. HUB Third Floor Ballroom Volleyball vs UC Irvine 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. SRC Arena
20
Scan this QR code and visit us at www.highlandernews.org
HIGHLIGHTS
3
4
5
Congressional Candidate Forum 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. UCR Extension Center
Long Night of Arts & Innovation 6:00 p.m. - midnight Downtown Riverside
Highlander Welcome: Scotty’s Spirit Fest noon - 1:00 p.m. Bell Tower
Last summer’s decision by the redistricting commission will finally send a Riverside resident to Washington to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. The representation in the U.S. House of Representatives will be the first by a Riverside resident since the early 1990s. Candidates will exchange views and discuss topics, ideas and issues affecting our community. Meet your Congressional Candidates for California’s 41st District: Mark Takano and John Tavaglione.
The City of Riverside’s Long Night of Arts and Innovation will showcase the best of what makes Riverside so exceptional with individual exhibits, presentations, demonstrations and artistic performances in downtown venues. As one of the city’s signature events, there will be participation from local universities, businesses and performing and visual arts community. All are designed to entertain, inform and attract participants to the arts and sciences. Free shuttles will be provided for UCR students to and from the event.
Foster your inner UCR Highlander spirit with a rally around the Bell Tower, featuring appearances by the Cheer Team, Pep Band, and special guest, Scotty! UCR’s very own spirit team, Hylander Hype, will be on hand to demonstrate face paint techniques. There will also be an opportunity to “build your own Scotty” bears!
Highlander
2012 Elections Poll
Make your voice heard. Participate in the Highlander’s Elections Poll and learn where UCR students stand on the important issues. Visit www.highlandernews.org from October 2-27, 2012 to vote.
Bearack Obama
Mitt Romnavel
ployee confidentiality and UCR HR policy has restricted student senators from speaking on this matter. During a closed session, ASUCR voted to close the Exchange before the beginning of the academic year. A concerned faculty member found it troubling that an executive decision on a student service was made in the summer with no community input, yet recognized that these practices were common during times of financial difficulties. “A closed session may be called during regular meetings for the purpose of discussion of an ASUCR representative, personnel or employee grievance matters,” stated the ASUCR Constitution and Bylaws. The sensitive nature of the discussion in regards to employment was a major factor that attributed ASUCR’s decision to have a closed session. “It was not our intention to get rid of jobs on campus. Our intent was to look at the numbers and see that the service we provide is justifiable to the
costs we have to incur,” stated Senator Jo, in referring to the arduous months of discussion among senators which led to ASUCR’s decision. With rising costs over the years, two Student Advisory Committees were formed by ASUCR in 20082009 with the purpose of improving the Exchange. Tasked with conducting surveys, hosting marketing events, and advertising during Wednesday’s Highlander Nooners, committee members met twice a week throughout the school year. Former employees, such as fourth-year UCR student Darlene Lopez, questioned the effectiveness of these committees, which did not implement any suggestions to physically improve the store. After one year of employment at the Exchange, Lopez was initially promoted to Student Manager this year. Prior to the closing, pre-ordered merchandise was in the process of shipping, yet these operations were immediately halted once news of the Exchange’s closing came out. The inability to finish
HIGHLANDER
B rya n T u t t l e /HIGHLANDER Popular sales items included discounted movie and amusment park tickets.
orders and lack of prior notification on the part of the associated students, led her to contact the Highlander. “[ASUCR] shouldn’t be in that position of power because they’re students; why should you guys, as students, have the power to decide whether a person gets fired or not?” stated Lopez. ASUCR has established an internal team, which will determine what will replace the vacated Exchange. An initial ASUCR budget designated
certain funds to the Exchange, yet the closing of the store will result in a surplus in reserves. These funds will be dedicated to other student-funded programs over the course of the year and discussions are currently underway. The services, once provided by the Exchange, will be absorbed by other on-campus departments. ASUCR will conduct their first public meeting of the 20122013 academic year on Oct. 1 at 6:30 p.m. in the Senate Chambers next to HUB 202. ■H
WEDNESDAYS @ 9AM
EXCHANGE FROM PAGE 1
the UCOP tax applied separately to ASUCR, as seen in an estimated ASUCR budget for the 2012-2013 school years. In an interview with the former Exchange business manager, Mickey De Leon expressed that her release was overly abrupt because no prior notification was ever given. With costs rising over the last few years, she was informed that the Exchange may possibly close by the end of the year, not the beginning of fall. “The whole idea of the Exchange store, since I have been there for 14 years, was not for the store to make money. It was there for the services, discounted services for the students,” said Leon. UC policy guarantees a former employee preferential treatment in terms of an interview, but does not guarantee that they will be rehired. The ability for ASUCR to fund particular programs has led to the unintentional consequence of enacting personnel decisions in terms of employment. Em-
NEWS
KUCR RADIO 88.3
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
HIGHLANDER NEWSROOM
4
NEWS
HIGHLANDER
NEWS IN BRIEF COMPILED BY SANDY VAN,
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
senior staff writer
& CRISTINA GRANADOS, staff writer
FORMER UC DAVIS LT. PIKE FOUND NOT GUILTY Based on the findings of a report compiled by the independent Kroll consulting firm, Lt. John Pike will not be criminally charged for pepper spraying students in the UC Davis quad last November. The report found a lack of evidence as well as claimed reasonable doubt that the use of pepper spray against protesters was unlawful. Based on this conclusion, Yolo County will not press
charges against the former UC Davis Police Lt. Pike. Pike was released from duty at UC Davis after the incident occurred. The report suggests that this punishment was too harsh and he should not have been fired, but demoted or suspended instead. The report stated that the police officers were trapped within the protesters locked-arm circle and thought they were facing a
hostile mob. It also concludes that student protesters were warned several times to move or be pepper-sprayed. So far, this incident has cost UC Davis more than $1 million in settlements to the 21 students who were pepper sprayed. For the Kroll report alone, over $230,000 was paid to investigate Pike’s actions, which later resulted in the termination of his position.
UCR RESEARCHERS NAMED NATIONAL ACADEMIES EDUCATION FELLOWS IN THE LIFE SCIENCES UCR professors and researchers recently traveled to Olympia, Washington, to participate in the July 2012 National Academies Regional Summer Institute on Undergraduate Education in Biology. Three professors who attended were named by the National Academy of Sciences as a National Education Fellow in the Life Science for the 2012-2013 academic year, partly for their par-
ticipation in the intense summer institute. The three professors named include Rick Redak a professor of entomology and the chair of the department of entomology, William Walton a professor of entomology and the department’s vice chair, and James Burnette III an academic coordinator and professional researcher at the Neil A. Campbell Science
Learning Laboratory. At the convention, professors and researchers from more 16 research universities in the US participated in five days of discussion on how to enhance the undergraduate learning experience. The professors will implement new teaching methods in their classrooms and later assessment will determine overall improvement.
UC RIVERSIDE PAIR WITH CA TO DEVELOP MORE RENEWABLE DIESEL FUELS In 2006, Governor Schwarzenegger signed the Global Warming Solutions Act, or AB 32, which focuses on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2020. On Jan. 1 of this year, the emission laws set forth by this bill are now enforceable through the Dec. 31, 2020 deadline. UCR Bourns College of Engineering has received the opportunity to work with the state of California to help reduce emis-
sions and are collaborating on ways to make diesel fuels more sustainable by increasing levels of renewable bio-fuels. But this solution has a minor set back. Increasing levels of nitrogen oxide, a known contributor to smog, are found in bio-diesel. A Center for Environmental Research and Technology study has found that additives and an advanced blend of the renewable fuels and diesel can help reduce these emissions. The initiatives
are one of the most comprehensive at predicting the impact of blending California diesel which is one of the cleanest in the nation according to the CE-CERT report Statistics from the National Bio-diesel Board states that in the past decade, bio-diesel consumption has significantly increased to 1.1 billion gallons in 2011 from 2 million gallons, the same year that the emissions law came into effect.
ZOCALO PUBLIC SQUARE FORUM: “IS DIVERSITY BAD FOR DEMOCRACY?” Based in Los Angeles and Phoenix, the Zocalo Public Square is a project for the Center of Social Cohesion and part of the Cal Humanities Searching for Democracy initiative. The organization made its fifth stop on its tour of California at the Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts, Riverside on Sept. 25. The live discussion revolved around the role of self-identity in the areas of diversity and democracy. Moderated by California author Joe Matthews, the event welcomed appearances by three prominent figures: Michael Barone, Richard Alba and Jennifer Lee. As a senior advisor of the Washington Examiner, Barone traveled to 50 countries to study the concept of democracy. Beginning remarks included the history of Riverside county, cultural integration, and diminishing political activism over the years. Barone sought to conceptualize the idea that democracy is tension in a society, due to limited government involvement and the lessening of free, individual association. Other viewpoints were conveyed by sociology professor at the City University of New York, Richard Alba, who emphasized how cultural influences from continual immigration can alter a politically-charged environment. Alba mentioned the co-existence of diversity and democracy as reaching an outer limit in terms of global integration. Jennifer Lee, a UCI sociology professor, spoke of the diversity paradox between a voter’s perception in a post-racial society and how racial boundaries decline as diversity increases. Lee noted there were increased trends of polarization around more “hot-button” issues for Americans, but political viewpoints have not changed much in the last 40 years. The series has made previous stops to Sacramento, San Francisco, Fresno and Bakersfield before arriving to Riverside. The Zocalo Public Square forum traveled to San Diego on Oct. 1 and covered the topic, “What Does Vigilance Mean After Newspapers?”
REVIEW FROM PAGE 1
greater than $10,000 annually are subject to the audits. Although protections against employee discrimination existed prior t o Wo r l d Wa r I I , t h e e q u a l opportunity laws in their current form took shape between 1965 and 1974. The strides made in ameliorating blatant racial discrimination following the successes of the Civil Rights Movement and the turmoil surrounding the Vi e t n a m Wa r s e r v e d a s t h e catalysts for the passage of three pieces of equal opportunity legislation. These provide guarantees that employee discrimination “on the basis of race, c o l o r, r e l i g i o n , s e x o r n a tional origin,” as well as against veterans and the disabled, is not permitted f o r o rg a n i z a t i o n s t h a t e n gage in monetary transactions with the federal government. UCR embodies a diverse student body and atmosphere that distinguishes it from other university c a m p u s e s . I n t h e f a l l q u a rt e r o f 2 0 11 , 8 3 p e r c e n t o f U C R ’s u n d e rg r a d u a t e population was non-white, according to the UCR de-
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C-CENTER FROM PAGE 1
A r c h i v e /HIGHLANDER The U.S. News and World Report ranked UCR eighth in the nation for ethnic diversity in 2012.
partment of d i v e r s i t y. Greater emphasis on diverse resources on campus has resulted in the development of the LGBT Resource Center and Chicano Student Programs. H o w e v e r, i n d a t a f r o m O c t . 3 1 , 2 0 11 , a s s e e n i n t h e 2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 3 A ff i r m a t i v e A c t i o n P l a n , t h e s t a ff a n d academic personnel were not as diverse as the stud e n t b o d y. O f t h e 1 , 2 7 8 a c ademic personnel, slightly more than a third are wom-
en or members of minority groups. Hispanics, despite m a k i n g u p a l m o s t 3 0 p e rc e n t o f t h e u n d e rg r a d u a t e population, occupy less than 10 percent of toplevel administrative, technical and research jobs. The diversity of the UCR s t a ff f a r e s s l i g h t l y b e t t e r than its academic personnel, with women holding 58.2 percent and minorities holding 49.8 percent o f s t a ff p o s i t i o n s . Still, UCR has made im-
provements. At the time when data was collected, there were no women serving as academic d e a n s ; M a r y l y n n Ya t e s now heads the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences as dean. Assoc i a t e Vi c e C h a n c e l l o r o f D i v e r s i t y, E x c e l l e n c e a n d Equity Gladys Brown has also headed a task force to innovate new methods of i n c r e a s i n g s t a ff d i v e r s i t y, including implementing new recruiting tools. ■H
3,500 undergraduates in the UCR residence halls and vibrant Riverside community, the C-Center still has the opportunity to make revenue during non-sporting periods, according to Wickstrom. Potentially, the arena could seat 5,000 to 6.500 people. It would be a four level structure with street-level retail and offices as well as onsite parking with up to 400 spaces. The Arena General Parking would be four levels, with a capacity of about 1,100 vehicles, including streetlevel retail and possible offices. The location of the C-Center would replace Bannockburn Village and the large parking structure would replace Lot 24. According to the report summary, “It is too early in the planning process for determination of the mix or nature of the retail offerings. There will be an opportunity for a variety vendors to occupy the street-level retail spaces provided,” in accordance with university standards and procedures. The site feasibility still has to work out the possible future traffic issues with the city of Riverside and other parties, in terms of scheduling. Bannockburn Village was built over 40 years ago and has been part of the university’s long-term renovation plans. The current 400 student beds of the complex have slowly been replaced and maximized to accompany UCR’s growing rate of enrollment. ■H
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
NEWS
HIGHLANDER
UCR announces new efforts to establish school of public policy Michael Turcios CONTRIBUTING WRITER
UCR Chancellor Timothy White recently announced the establishment of the UCR School of Public Policy (SPP) in an open letter to the UCR community. The new school will focus on policy issues concerning the Inland Empire and other communities in Southern California. “The school’s research will build on existing strengths at UCR as virtually every existing school and college at UCR has assets that will interact with and help to strengthen the school. These synergies include such interests as higher education policy; air, water, and soil quality; biodiversity; sustainable suburban development; crime and justice; economics; political science; anthropology; and the School of Medicine,” stated Chancellor White. The vision to launch the SPP dates back to 2004, where the efforts of the UCR faculty garnered support from the California Postsecondary Education Commission. In 2008, the UC Board of Regents approved the SPP project, but it was delayed due to the economic crisis and drastic budget cuts, which affected all UC campuses. Thanks to revived support, Chancellor White is taking the opportunity to launch the project immediately, rather than postponing it. By further delaying the establishment of SPP, Chancellor White indicates that the project would undergo a “la-
UCR’s School of Public Policy will place an emphasis on state and local policy, particularly in the Inland Empire.
borious approval process again without any assurance of a positive outcome.” A search process has already begun to appoint a founding Dean for the School of Public Policy by Provost and Vice Chancellor Dallas Rabenstein. The school aims to work with the community and provide students with more educational opportunities in this field and beyond. Once launched and fully established, the school will house 120 master and 30 doctoral degree candidates. Additionally, a Ph.D minor for public policy
will also be one of the degrees offered. There will be some focus on the surrounding UCR regions, in which population growth, rising social and economic disparities, stress on the natural environment and urban sprawl will be among the many subjects studied at the School of Public Policy. The four main tracks of specialization for graduate students include: environmental and sustainable development policy, immigration and population policy, health policy (focusing on access and diversity) and higher educa-
tion policy. SPP aims to train individuals who are interested in the rigors of policy analysis, while allowing them to seek employment in the governmental and organizational sectors. Once completed, candidates should be able to maintain a dialogue stressing the policies of the region by conducting research in multidisciplinary areas. By focusing on regional policies, the SPP believes the outcomes of the school will lead to more effective analysis of the problems occurring at the local levels—since all policies ulti-
C o u rt e s y
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UCR T o day
mately filter through cities, counties and states. Research with various faculty members will also be available to those who pursue a teaching degree in the area of public policy. In order to strengthen the mission of the school, research will be conducted alongside Center for Sustainable Suburban Development, One Health Center of the UC Global Health Institute, Center for Disease Vector Research, Water Science and Policy Center, UC Institute for Mexico and the United States, as stated by UCR Today. ■H
UC system to conduct nation’s largest campus climate survey Dean Mayorga CONTRIBUTING WRITER
From October 2012 to February 2013, the UC system will partake in a climate survey that is aimed at assessing the level of tolerance and respect for campus diversity. Students, faculty and staff will all participate in what is “believed to be the largest survey of its kind ever conducted,” according to Harry Mok, principal editor in the UC Office of the President’s Integrated Communications group. The UC has been making plans for the assessment since 2010, after President Mark Yudof named an Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture and Inclusion. As a developing partnership throughout many UC campuses, the council consisted of members ranging from the NAACP to the National Center of Lesbian Rights, along with the inclusion of campus figures and student representatives from each respective campus. With the exception of students, each member agreed to serve for three years until 2013. The survey aims to capture the campus life experience beyond undergraduate and graduate students, as well as the living and working conditions on campus. The plans to conduct a campus-wide survey were first announced in the UC Annual Accountability Sub-Report on Diversity of 2010. As part of a 2007 diversity policy goal, President Yudof submits a yearly report to the
UC Regents on campus climate. “In July 2011, President Yudof announced that UC will conduct a system-wide study to gather data related to institutional climate, inclusion and work-life issues across UC’s ten campuses and the Office of the President. Based on the study’s findings, UC will develop strategic initiatives and action plans to address institutional climate challenges and promote institutional change throughout the UC system,” stated the January 2012 Sub-Report on Diversity. The UC system was the first of its kind in the country to undergo such a comprehensive evaluation, which sought to improve the ambiance within each campus. Campus climate has become an emerging issue over the past few years. Co-founder of the AMCHA Initiative, Tammi Rossman Benjamin recently sent a letter to the Advisory Council to create awareness towards the insurmountable cases of intolerance and bigotry that Jewish students have often experienced. The AMCHA or “Your People” Initiative, is dedicated to protecting the rights of Jewish college students and has voiced concerns about the need for greater cultural and religious acceptance on UC campuses. Throughout the years, the UC system experienced graffiti of swastikas, disruption of Jewish studentsponsored events, along with verbal and physical aggression towards Semitic beliefs. UCR has typically and statisti-
C o u rt e s y o f U n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a . e d u During the last few years, the UC system has experienced increased cases of anti-Semitism.
cally exhibited a deep sense of tolerance and diversity when compared to any other UC campus. Prior to the survey on campus climate, the UC Undergraduate Experience Survey was the most comprehensive diversity report and is still conducted on a biennial basis. Based on the 2008 and 2010 Experience data, UCR had some of the most exceptional scores in regards to how individuals felt about their overall treatment on
each respective campuses. The findings revealed that most undergraduates generally felt their ethnic background and race were respected at all 10 UC campuses. African Americans, however, reported that their level of respect was the lower on a system-wide scale, while UCR had the best score among African Americans in the UC system. UCR has also been known for admitting larger propor-
tions of low-income and workingclass students compared to the other UC campuses. The first location scheduled for assessment will be located at the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Berkeley on Oct. 29. It has yet to be determined when UCR will undergo the assessment, but the results for the entire survey is scheduled for released in ■H the spring of 2013.
NEWS
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
7
Chancellor’s convocation welcomes incoming Highlanders S a n dy V a n
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The 2012-2013 New Student Convocation commenced on Sept. 24, with the arrival of over 3,000 attendees consisting of incoming undergraduates, faculty members, administrators and representatives from student organizations. Taking place as part of UCR’s Highlander Welcome week, the thrilling procession was located at the Student Recreation Center (SRC) followed by an R’rally and a series of HUB events. In his Sept. 28 Friday Letter, Chancellor White referred to his impressions of welcome week and the efforts of those who prepared for the convocation, “All of this combines to create a vibrancy that infuses renewed life and energy to the campus as we set about our day and year ahead. This vibrancy inspires and gives hope to all through knowledge – its creation and discovery, transmission, application and preservation – so that we can solve the large issues that confront society.” Orchestrated by Matt Zebley, the Highlander Band welcomed the crowds of eager faces who filled the SRC. The event was soon followed by the National Anthem and Alma Mater, which were sung by 4th year theatre major, Alexandra Franke. Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Jim Sandoval intro-
duced prominent UCR leaders such Chair of the Alumni Association President Mary Schuler, Chair of the Academic Senate Jose Wudka and ASUCR ASUCR President Liam Dow. Speeches of personal responsibility, open curiosity and political activism echoed among the many speakers. As a shared tradition throughout the ten UC campuses, the ceremony continued with the symbolic lighting of one candle to another by ASUCR President Dow. The motto of “Fiat Lux” or “Let there be light,” represents the arrival of light and knowledge throughout the world. “The lit candle represents the University and its mission of scholarship, teaching, and service. The unlit candle represents the new students, the newest members of our campus community. When this candle is lit it represents wel-
coming the new students to the campus and at that time all join in to recite the statement of commitment,” stated Assistant Vice Chancellor Andy Plumley in an interview with the Highlander. Ending remarks included an enlightening speech by Chancellor White of the “top ten list of things to do at UCR.” Recommendations included voter registration, meeting academic faculty members, trekking to the “C” at the Box Springs Mountain and simply pursuing new ventures in college. Topping Chancellor White’s list was the “Long Nights of Arts and Innovation” event, which will take place on Oct. 4 in downtown Riverside. Shuttles will be provided at the flagpole between 6 p.m. and midnight. Lastly, the R’side rally focused on the performing athletes who encouraged incoming students to participate in
B rya n T u t t l e /HIGHLANDER Left: incoming freshmen and transfer students cheer during the R’rally; Right: Chancellor White presents his “Top Ten Things to Do at UCR” list.
one of the 400 organizations and programs that are offered at UCR. Known for having a diverse and service-oriented campus, Chancellor White reminded the incoming class to take pride in present-day accomplishments to future ones that they want to achieve and work towards. The procession was soon followed by festivities surrounding the HUB and Bell Tower, which included dinner and rock climbing. The Bell Tower illuminated with blue and yellow colors, which
matched the surrounded jumpers and decorations. With glimmers of glow-in-the-dark headbands spread throughout the crowd, KUCR hosted performances by local bands such as Max and the Moon, which closed out the night. “Initially you feel like a small fish in a big ocean....but the Chancellor’s speech really encourages you to try new things and become a new person,” stated incoming first-year math major, Erick Castaneda, as he reflected upon his first day as a Highlander. ■H
National survey of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders tracks voting habits Sireena Sy CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On Sept. 25, the results of the 2012 National Survey of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders were released at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, DC. The survey was coordinated by UCR associate professor of political science Karthick Ramakrishnan and UC Berkeley professor of political science Taeku Lee. The purpose of this year ’s survey was to collect and document the voting stances of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the areas of public policy. The National Asian American Survey (NAAS) collected data from 3,376 telephone interviews, which were conducted from July 31 to Sept.19, 2012. In regards to the upcoming election, the survey showed that the AAPI supported Obama over Romney, 43 percent to 24 percent. However, the undecided 32 percent of AAPI voters will play an important role in battleground states. “AAPIs are already an important political constituency in various states, like California, Hawaii,
New York, New Jersey, Illinois and in many large cities. They could also easily swing the election in states like Nevada, North Carolina and Virginia--especially because nearly a third of Asian American voters were still undecided on the presidential race after the party conventions,” Ramakrishnan said. On public policy issues, the national survey showed overwhelming Asian American support for affirmative action. AAPIs also stated that the economy, unemployment and health care, respectively, were the most important problems in the United States. While poverty/inequality, race/racism and immigration were stated as some of the least important problems. Ramakrishnan continued, “Thinking more about the long term, Asian Americans represent the future of the U.S. electorate. Usually, people’s voting patterns when they enter the political system tend to remain in place years and even decades later, so political parties that invest in these communities stand to reap rewards in the long term.” There are over 18 million Asian Americans and
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of newswise.com
Pictured above is the logo for the 2012 National AAPI survey, which depicts voter preferences on key issues.
Pacific Islanders living in the United States. Between 2000 and 2010, the AAPI population increased by nearly 46 percent. According to Ramakrishnan, AAPIs currently comprise about 6 percent of the US population, which is much smaller than the 12 percent for African Americans and the 16 percent for Latinos. However, they are the fastest growing racial group and are increasingly becoming an influential part
of the electorate. In the live webcast, Yul Kwon, the PBS television host and former deputy chief in the FCC, stated, “This year, a record number of AAPIs are running for office and these numbers show that we are an important and a rapidly growing electorate. But until now, very little about the needs, concerns, and opinions about AAPIs has been documented,” Kwon continued. A similar national sur-
vey was conducted in 2008, which was notable for being the first nationally representative political survey of Asian Americans. The 2012 survey has since expanded to include several other Asian ethnic groups, such as Hmong and Cambodian, as well as Pacific Islander groups such as Samoans and Native Hawaiians. An in-depth report of the survey’s results can be found at www.naasurvey. com. ■H
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. OPINIONS .
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
HIGHLANDER
On June 6th, the Supreme Court refused to strike down a California law that offers state residents reduced tuition rates at California colleges. The law’s opponents argue that the bill, which does not distinguish between lawful residents and illegal immigrants, violates a federal law that prohibits states from giving college benefits to illegal aliens on the basis of residence within a state. Unfortunately for the law’s detractors, the Supreme Court wouldn’t even hear their challenge. Lawyers for a conservative immigration-law group that backed the appeal claim that the law is patently unfair to the thousands of full-bred American high school graduates who apply to California colleges from other states each year. These students will have to pay as much as $20,00 more for college tuition than the illegal immigrants (and many other California residents) that the bill aids. Others have argued that the bill gives preferential treatment to illegal immigrants - it is just one more derivative of affirmative action, bent on taking positions away from the hard working, middle-class Caucasians who really deserve http://ulife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/rick-santorum660x320.jpg
HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL
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FRUSTRATION SHOULD NOT LEAD TO APATHY, BUT TO THE VOTING BOOTH We’ve all heard it. “I care, but my vote really doesn’t matter.” We’ve heard it in Rivera library, in Starbucks, in class, at the HUB. In a time of uncertain job prospects, disastrous cuts to higher education and massive student debt, not many students have faith in the power of the vote to produce any lasting change. Shortly before the November 2010 election, in a Rock the Vote survey, 59 percent of students said they were more cynical than two years before, and 63 percent of those who doubted they’d vote justified their likely disavowal by agreeing that “no matter who wins, corporate interests will still have too much power and prevent real change.” Roughly four million fewer students participated in the November 2010 election than just two years before, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) youth research center, and in a Harvard survey this spring, just 36 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds believed it was honorable to run for public office. In these tough times, students have been asking themselves, “Why even bother?” But voting matters. It empowers the voices of the American people, and it is one of the hallmarks of our republic. Yet voting is much more than a symbolic gesture. It is an opportunity to make a change, and student involvement is absolutely paramount. To the student that believes his vote will do nothing, imagine if every single college student voted. If you convinced all the students who don’t vote to vote, then suddenly your quiet voice becomes much louder. Suddenly, students represent a colossal group of educated individuals that no politician can ignore. The youth HIGHLANDER STAFF
of America make up 24 percent of the voting population, according to CIRCLE. That’s roughly 46 million eligible voters between the ages of 18-29, compared to the 39 million voters over the age of 65. That is a large margin that cannot be ignored. Remember, in 2000 George W. Bush won the presidency by only a 537 votes in Florida. The more students that vote, the greater influence students will have in the political realm. Your vote matters. Of course, students are not simply the cells of some enormous mucousy hivemind; every individual is different. But it’s not about who or what students vote for. What’s important is that the American youth have a say in the direction of our country. Yet many students say that they don’t know enough or that the issues are too complicated, and some even feel helpless to change things. This self-perpetuating feeling of paralysis does nothing but impede real progress. So how can this be overcome? It all begins with education. By researching candidates’ positions and sifting through cheap political attack ads and phony journalism, America’s youth can take the first step in making a difference. But even some students who are informed of the issues and stances might say that no matter what they do, true dominance will remain in the hands of the wealthy, and that their voices will ultimately be tuned out. To curb this feeling of powerlessness and to achieve real social change, it is vital for students to stay involved in the political process beyond the voting booth. Political organizing and protest, accompanied by voting, are excellent tools for students to engage in the issues they care about.
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Recently, free speech was on the chopping block at UC campuses across the state. At the direction of President Mark Yudof, the President’s Council on Campus Climate, Culture and Inclusion investigated anti-Semitic hate speech at UC Berkeley. The council recommended that cultural competency training be required at all UC campuses and current provisions of harassment and nondiscrimination clearly define hate speech and seek to prohibit it on campus. But President Yudof, a law professor and First Amendment scholar, could not bring himself to endorse recommendations prohibiting hate speech and compromising fundamental free speech rights. It is a matter of civil rights, acts of discrimination versus civil liberties and free speech. Jewish students, expressing opposition to the report’s recommendations, applauded Yudof when he responded in a letter, “I believe our current policies may go as far as they can, given constitutional limitations.” He added, “I am a vigorous defender of free speech rights. While hurtful speech may make that goal difficult to achieve at times, the answer is not to restrict speech, but rather to see that all our community members feel supported.” Over 2,200 Jewish, Arab, Muslim and Palestinian students, faculty and alumni expressed opposition to the council’s recommendations. Our country has paid dearly for our fundamental right to speak freely, as hate speech increases, creating hostile environments on university campuses across this nation. In 1990, 75 U.S. colleges and universities instituted bans on hate speech and by 1991 that number grew to over 300. However, our courts have prohibited public colleges and universities from instituting bans on free speech based on content; a prohibition that does not apply to private universities. At UC Riverside, in March of this year, the word “terrorists” was written on an Israeli flag belonging to a Jewish student organization. According to a campus spokesman, someone scribbled the word “terrorists” in the white field at the center of the Star of CIVIL RIGHTS CONT’D ON PAGE 9
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Volunteer in campaigns, get out there and start a discussion. Listen to your peers through thoughtful debate and reflect on what you’ve heard. Even if the candidate or proposition you voted for fails, change is a work in progress. Persistence in the face of adversity and striving for a cause you believe in are not just Disney clichés, but are fundamental building blocks for advancement. Students can challenge the status quo not by abandoning the process or holding candidates to an impossibly perfect standard, but by working hard. Students who feel their vote won’t matter won’t change a thing if they don’t mobilize. For UC students, the importance of the upcoming November ballot cannot be overstated. For instance, Governor Jerry Brown’s tax initiative, or proposition 30, can impact the UC significantly. On Nov. 6, voters will decide to approve a sales tax increase by one-quarter of a cent for four years and set higher income taxes on those who make $250,000 or higher for seven years. If the tax initiative fails, a $250 million mid-year “trigger cut,” leading to an expected rise of nearly $2,400 in annual tuition—a 20.3 percent increase, will result. Students have a voice, they just need to use it. Register to vote online at http://registertovote.ca.gov. ■H
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OPINIONS
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
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Letting fires die: understanding religious extremism J o s h ua W a g o n b l a s t CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Flags flew at half mast recently for the latest American deaths in Libya. The inevitable and most simple question is, “Why murder?” Naturally, most reporters and newscasters were quick to blame al-Qaida, but the involvement of certain terrorist groups, whether they admit to the violence or not, is merely a cause for speculation. Fingers can easily be pointed in a familiar direction, but here in the Western world it is mainly being used as a ploy for news stations to gain attention and subtly promote our certain foreign policy actions—specifically, endorsing American intervention in other countries. I have never been a fan of such tactics and choose to believe that our involvement as a country should be at home, not abroad. As for the reason behind the deaths, there seem to be many ideas being spread and it has even been said that the cause for the attacks could be a message to our government, or a support for another assail such as 9/11. The most likely and attention grabbing reason is a low-budget independent film that is being used as the main excuse for the recent turmoil and violent outbursts. Sam Bacile has been stirring up the public for some time. But his current contribution to the world is his film, “Innocence of Muslims,” which really is a horrible piece of work in terms of quality. How this movie has been received by the angered religious groups is another matter. My original reaction to the unfortunate Libyan circumstance was a feeling of aghast. Thoughts of listening to the old saying, “Put yourself in their shoes,” spun around in my head like a slide show projector. My religious affiliation is of no matter, but I made my own comparisons to the outburst of a group who were disgusted seeing their prophet exposed in a negative light—a prophet who was practically a supporter of pacifism. Now, if Christians, Catholics and especially Jews for that matter got offended at every negative comment and/or stereotype, we would have many more problems on our plate. But violence is certainly a rare answer for them, and it shouldn’t be for a community of people choosing to CIVIL RIGHTS FROM PAGE 8
David on the flag. Chancellor Tim White said, “Such an action is antithetical to all we stand for at UCR. We are a campus that expects among its members a proper respect for others across national, gender, ethnic, faith and political boundaries, among others.” He added, “Such behavior diminishes us all, and we have zero tolerance for it.” Destruction of property and physical threats are crimes and not protected under free speech laws. During Black History Month in 2010, UC San Diego students used racial slurs and misogynistic stereotypes of black people while participating in what was deemed
C o u rt s e y o f T h e W a s h i n g t o n P o s t Egyptian protesters tear down the US flag at the US embassy in Cairo on Sept. 11, 2012 during a demonstration against Bacile’s film.
put their faith in something that is supposed to try and bring a world together. As a result, more people will choose to look down on their religion and the people who support it. Is this really the route that should be taken when dealing with these matters? All religions have had their own prophets, saviors and gods made fun of in every way modernly possible. If all Christians overreacted to a poorly funded independent film, it certainly would not be in a way that would spark another crusade. Take for example the Tony award-winning play, “The Book of Mormon.” Since the play has been released and “South Park” creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker held nothing back, I have witnessed no riots or violent attacks by the Mormon populace. And, while mentioning the two writers, I have seen neither persecuted for their sense of humor and their right to their freedom of speech. Yet, on that note, they were criticized during their 200th “South Park” episode where they never actually depicted Muhammad, but inserted satirical comments at the entirety of the situation. The episode was said to have “outright insulted” the prophet. They were even warned about ending up like the Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh, who was murdered by an Islamic extremist in 2004 on the streets of Amsterdam due to a film he made discussing the abuse of Muslim women in
Islamic societies. Well, I’m sure if this were another country, such as Libya, they would have been hung years ago. But, our society is run differently. While we do live in a culture full of liberties, we must remember that other people are not granted the same privileges. Politicians seem to forget this. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, among other elected officials, spoke about the recent attacks. Although they have apologized and expressed how saddening the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and the others were tragic, they have all pretended to be unaware of how such a film can be spread so effortlessly. Most seem to deny the fact that dictatorships still exist. We would all like to pretend that people everywhere should have knowledge of all political systems, laws and tastes (even though some can be bitter), but this is just not the case. The people of Libya and in most other Middle Eastern countries have been living in a society with strict censorship ideals and rules that put a constraint on the people. Because of this, ignorance is not bliss this time. In Layman’s terms, there is an idea of the citizens that comes from these restrictions and leads them to be appalled at the thought that a leader would let such a film out in the first place. We simply do not live by these standards, and even though we have these free-
doms, when something filthy, offensive or otherwise is created and made public there is flexibility involved. When “Innocence of Muslims” was broadcasted openly on Youtube, and can still be found there, the majority of Americans hardly knew it even existed, which is why the violence comes as such a surprise to our nation. Freedom of speech is simply a special privilege that’s developed in our country and been granted to us by a congregation of people who wanted to live a world with open ideas and expressionism. Sam Bacile’s film has already been condemned by politicians around the nation. Of course, the uproar was a tragic incident and no one had intended for the mayhem to take place. Whether or not Bacile had his own intentions is unknown, yet “The White House has denounced the film, but has also defended American laws governing freedom of expression,” the Huffington Post writes. Without these inalienable rights, America would not be the country it is today—full of minds debating healthily and challenging various aspects and beliefs. I understand that a glorified prophet is respected by a large majority of people, but this violence is unacceptable. How would Mohammad himself react to such instability? A change in government is a must, and policies should be changed. Is this America’s job? No, this
is for the country’s people to decide. It’s within their rights, or at least should be. There should be a tolerance amongst the people. If they were so angered by the movie then why resort to violence so quickly? They themselves should feel free to make their own films within their terms. I know the solution is not this easy, but slandering an entire country based on one man’s possibly satirical project seems over excessive. A council of religious leaders discussing the issues troubling the followers of the religion would be a start. To let a riot flood the streets is no way to promote one’s religion. I, personally, do not want to scorn the entire Islamic people because of their actions, but the acts of these extremists puts their religion in a bad light. Furthering the violence is fostering the stereotype already in place. Without change, there will otherwise be a continual cycle of prejudicial opinions that can spark protests similar to the topical “attacks across parts of the Middle East, Africa and Asia, in which more than 28 people have died,” BBC reported. Ron Paul would most likely agree, and so should other politicians who shrug it off with typical orations and ignorance. The allegedly peaceful people need a change and detach from our government. Both cultures require knowledge in different areas and acceptance of dissimilar ideas, policies, religions, actions ■H and divergence all around.
a “Compton Cookout.” During that same year, a noose found its way into the Geisel Library at UCSD, a swastika was carved into a student’s dorm room door at UC Davis and several of the symbols started appearing in a number of locations on campus and at UC Berkeley. At UC Merced, students posted a cartoon video ridiculing students requesting Chicano Studies as a minor. Also at Davis, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center was defaced with derogatory terms. Yudof, in response to the council’s report, said the incidents are quite simply the worst acts of racism and intolerance he’s seen on college cam-
puses in 20 years and has vowed to deal with the underlining causes. President Yudof’s words acknowledge that free speech cannot be carved from opinions that shape what is acceptable in this country, despite how hurtful. It is also why public education must provide a forum where views and opinions can be heard, explored, supported or refuted. If we do not learn to engage each other and our differences in a setting that promotes diversity, how then are we to achieve tolerance in the world beyond university confines? UC Berkeley freshman Katherine Orr encountered five students in military fatigues carrying
what appeared to be rifles. They stopped students and asked if they were Jewish mimicking Israeli soldiers interrogating Palestinians along the West Bank. The Israeli flag flew overhead with the Star of David paired with a Nazi swastika. Orr went on to say, “as much as I hate ‘hate speech,’ we should not suppress it. It’s a public university, and we should protect our free speech.” She described the antiIsrael protest as “politically correct anti-Semitism.” To suggest that hate speech does not hurt denies reality; it is emotional and deeply felt, but it provides an alternative to violence and offers an opportunity to grow, to learn and become
a better neighbor and citizen by engaging in meaningful dialogue. Those wishing to limit free speech because it hinders a student’s education fail to recognize that a student’s ability to contend with hate speech, in a peaceful manner is a critical component of a student’s education. Respect and tolerance are the cornerstones of a free society and students must be exposed to free speech if they are to learn to engage and respect the differences. Our public colleges and universities must serve as a model if a peaceful and diverse society is to flourish. Speech must be free to respond to intractable ideologues and religious zealots. ■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.
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
. FEATURES .
HIGHLANDER
by Rebecca Paredes, Contributing Writer photos courtesy of UCR Active Minds To put it bluntly, the life of a college student is hard. In between exams, reading assignments, study groups and club events, students rarely have a moment to catch a breath—and when problems at work or at home are added on top of it all, things can get stressful, emotional and even overwhelming. Mental health programs relate to stress, depression, suicide and other mental illnesses, but also “the way in which we as students live and function,” said Reissa Decena, a fourthyear creative writing major and president of Active Minds at UCR. Even if the name isn’t familiar, Active Minds’ events are well known on campus. The organization hosts one of UCR’s most beloved quarterly events: Therapy Fluffies, a day during finals week when trained therapy dogs are brought to campus as a source of stress relief for students. Active Minds at UCR is one of over 350 chapters nationwide. Founded in 2001 by Alison Malmon following the suicide of her older brother, Active Minds is a non-profit national organization. The organization aims to “remove the stigma that surrounds mental health issues,” its website states. The UCR chapter of Active Minds discusses topics “including mental health, mental illness, college adjustment, relationships and body image,” said Parinita Shinde, a fourth-year public policy major and program presenter of Active Minds. When asked about the stigma surrounding mental health issues, Parinita said, “According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in four has a diagnosable mental illness, and yet less than 10 percent of UCR’s student body utilize their free sessions at the Counseling Center.” Despite the resources available for struggling students at UCR, factors like embarrassment, fear and skepticism keep students from reaching out for help. That’s where Active Minds comes in. “When people are presented with a challenge, they are more likely to turn to a peer for advice, and people are more likely to listen to a person who is similar to them,” Parinita said. Reissa agrees. She said, “There is an unfounded belief that associates weakness with mental illness. This creates problems for students who are truly suffering; they resist seeking professional help because they fear being judged…If you break a
Top: Mental Health Shirts Bottom: Send Silence Packing
bone, you are expected to go to a doctor to seek help in fixing the wound. The same goes for mental health. The only difference is that a broken bone can be seen, whereas a mental illness is not necessarily as obvious at first glance.” The silent nature of mental illness is especially deadly when it comes to topics like suicide. According to Mental Health America of Illinois, suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. In response to this harrowing figure and other mental illnesses like it, Reissa seeks to use her position as president to “promote a campus environment in which students feel both empowered and capable of utilizing mental health resources if they ever feel the need, and discussing mental health without reverting to stereotypes.” Active Minds’ events certainly accomplish their goal of empowerment and outreach. Notable events include a fashion show which features a diverse group of UCR students discussing body image, and a Student Speaking Panel, in which UCR students volunteer to speak to an audience about their personal experiences with mental health. “We feel that by opening communication about these experiences, we can help to end the stigma associated with mental health,” said Parinita. Last year, the organization hosted Send Silence Packing, which brought 1,100 backpacks to the Bell Tower. The backpacks represented the 1,100 students who commit suicide annually, and many of the backpacks carried photos or messages from loved ones. As Reissa said, the event “challenged many students to analyze their views on suicide, and increased their awareness of mental health as a whole.” Stacey Grady, a mental health educator whom Parinita described as “kind, patient, and comforting,” advises Active Minds. A board of student officers and various student volunteers run the organization, and as Reissa pointed out, “Active Minds is like a family. Many of our members make solid, lasting friendships when they facilitate programs or volunteer at events together.” If you are interested in being a part of Active Minds, or if you simply want a place to feel welcome, feel free to email activeminds@ucr.edu or connect with them on Facebook H at facebook.com/UCRActiveMinds. ■
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
R adar ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
B rya n
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
B L O C K STRFKR COLD WAR KIDS
P A R T Y
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DOM KENNEDY NELLY
Dean Mayorga, Contributing Writer
Lauren Penna, Senior Staff Writer Bryan Tuttle, Photographer The gates opened for ASPB’s Block Party at 5:30 p.m. and thousands of UCR students flooded the grounds. Donned in what seemed to be their most attractive festival wear, indie music fans ran first for the main stage where Portland band, Starfucker (often stylized as STRFKR), would soon perform. Concert Directors Jenny Guzman and Nneoma Akubuilo hosted the evening and passed out t-shirts displaying“I <3 ASPB,”which the crowd seemed to go wild for. Though Guzman wasn’t allowed to say the first band’s name, the crowd screamed in anticipation as she left and four boys out of an Urban Outfitters catalog walked on stage. Joshua Hodges (vocals, keyboards, guitar, drums), Shawn Glassford (bass, keyboards, drums), Keil Corcoran (drums, keyboards, vocals) and Patrick Morris (guitar keyboard, vocals) hardly said anything to the crowd except to introduce themselves and mention that the weather was nice. They seemed to
be detached from the audience, but it was refreshing to see that they were there to do one thing: play music. Shawn Glassford danced in the small space in front of the drums and occasionally gave a smile to the cameras in the press pit. After the first few songs, it became apparent that every member would, at some point, play the drums. Drum sticks scattered the floor of the stage for any member to pick up and beat the extra tom drum savagely. However, it wasn’t until the band played, “Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second” that the crowd really began to get into it. Afterward, the heavily electronic, party music made the crowd move a little more and by the end, the last song’s gigantic crescendo of madness had the crowd in awe. As soon as Starfucker left the stage, a swarm of people with even cooler clothes came out of nowhere and rushed to the front. As I entered the press pit, I heard a girl say, “Oh
my God. Kill me now. Like seriously, I could die.” Cold War Kids took their place and began to play “Mexican Dogs.” They were a little more interactive with the audience, asking them to say hello to Dom Kennedy and Nelly, who would perform soon after, but they mostly just stuck to playing their music and maintaining their “cool guy” vibe. The crowd moved and bobbed just as Cold War Kids did on stage, especially when they played their most popular hit, “Hang Me Out To Dry.” Even with their recent changes, losing guitarist Jonnie Russell and gaining Dann Gallucci (Modest Mouse), Cold War Kids seemed as tight as ever. Frontman Nathan Willett said in an interview after their performance that their new album, the title of which remains a secret, had just been finished that day and will be released in February of next year. “This record was a lot of me writing the melody and some chords and the rest of the band kind of
working and filling it in together in the studio,” Willett said. He said it was a new take on what they had been used to in recording their previous albums. Though he is excited to play their new music, Willett said they refrain from debuting the songs before they feel they’re ready and instead stick with classics such as “Louder Than Ever.” With artistic influences such as The Clash, Nina Simone and Cat Power, Cold War Kids did not fail to give a fantastic show to UCR students Friday night. As they finished their last song, even more students rushed to wait for Dom Kennedy and Nelly to storm the stage. I will certainly be looking forward to the release of the new Cold War Kids album come February. Lastly, an interesting fact: during their Europe tour, Nathan Willett was stuck in the bottom of a ferry because he fell asleep in the tour bus. ■H
Anyone who is familiar with Dom Kennedy’s music knows that Dom has a very particular style—one characterized by his unique voice, smooth demeanor and good-living-California raps. When he took to the stage on Friday at Block Party, his performance reflected that perfectly. The Cold War Kids had successfully brought a sizeable crowd towards the stage and Kennedy took advantage. His opening song, “When I Come Around,” was an unconventional choice but one that would set the mood. He gave a high-energy rendition of the song, which is off of his mixtape “From the Westside, With Love II.” Covered in Stussy from his blue hat to his long sleeve shirt and sweatpants, Kennedy wasted no time in offering the crowd his biggest record to date, “My Type of Party.”The reaction from the crowd showed their amusement and their familiarity with the record. After that, Dom continued to perform songs from his latest release“The Yellow Album,”and took time to introduce members of his Other People’s Money (OPM) crew such as Niko G4 who delivered his verse from “PG Click.” Given a chance to catch his breath, he took to the crowd with a rejuvenated attitude. He instructed all “the single fellas to say ‘what up Dom?’” and all “single ladies to say ‘oww.’” With his focus on bringing together the opposite
sexes, the claps from “The Ways” kicked in. This commenced a specific part of his performance that showcased his many female-dedicated songs.“I Love Dom”and“Bet You Want Me Now” slowed things down for a bit, allowing many to savor the Block Party atmosphere. He brought the energy back with “CDC” and once again brought out one of his partners, Casey Veggies, to bless UCR with his verse from the song. Reaching the latter part of his performance, Dom decided to do some of his more classic material. “1997” and “Watermelon Sundae” were done back to back, allowing everyone a deeper glimpse into his repertoire. Perhaps a newer classic for the artist, “Gold Alpinas,” was introduced as one of his favorite songs off his new album, and he a gave soulful rendition of it. Lastly, he chose to keep his composure with “125” after encouraging the crowd to follow their dreams and goals. With a strong set, the California native managed to bring Leimert Park to Riverside. Much love from the Westside indeed. Soon after, UCR was taken on a trip to the Midwest countryside, not to mention a trip down memory lane. The whole area reached another decibel level when Nelly appeared, equipped with every hit that brought seniors back to elementary school. He struck first with “Party People,”clearly communicating his inten-
tions for the night. After only one verse from the song, he moved on to “E.I” and it became evident that people are still fans of “Country Grammar.” Nelly continued to run through his many classics, giving only one verse of the song at times or even just the hooks. “Shake Ya Tailfeather,”“Where The Party At” and “Batter Up,” were simply warm ups for others such as “Air Force Ones.” In a sea of skinny jean wearing college students, “give me two purrrrs” was the mantra. Nelly kept the shoe theme going with“Stepped On My J’z”and then began talking to the crowd. In an attempt to “weed out the fakers” who did not know his older material, he returned to “Country Grammar” and performed the title track. Without any discretion to the audience, he stopped rapping and watched to see how many actually knew the lyrics. It was his way of authenticating the performance. This feeling was further enhanced with members of the St. Lunatics such as City Spud on stage with him. City Spud gave an a capella verse from “Ride With Me” to introduce the song which once again generated a huge response from everyone. After that, the performance began taking a different direction. “Grillz,” “Move That Body,” and his latest single “Marry Go Round,” played like a timeline for the artist whose career blos-
somed alongside the experiences of those looking on. He continued with various covers and remixes to songs such as T-Pain’s “All I Do Is Win,” Waka Flocka Flame’s “No Hands,” and Drake’s “The Motto,” which efficiently showed his influence on the newer generation of artists. Then, Nelly allowed for an intermission of his performance for the sake of playing to his female fans. He requested that three women from the crowd be brought up on stage for a simple contest. Once the ladies were brought up, he instructed each one to walk across the stage or as he put it, “from hurr to there,” with confidence. The moment allowed for some humor and interaction from everybody and allowed Nelly to brilliantly segue into “Over and Over” and “Flap Your Wings,” which he performed to the ladies who participated. As if making every boyfriend a little uneasy wasn’t enough, Nelly took his shirt off to fully convey “Hot In Herre” and drive it home. Soon after, he turned all the screaming and hysteria into harmony when he asked the ladies to sing Kelly Rowland’s hook from “The Dilemma.” It was a charismatic moment, watching the performer connect with the audience. It allowed everyone to return from the partying and energy softly, to the last song, “Just a Dream.” With that, Nelly crooned his goodbye and Block Party came to a gentle close. ■H
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INTERVIEW WITH NELLY by Dean Mayorga , CONTRIBUTING WRITER // Bryan Tuttle, PHOTOGRAPHER
Nelly is one of the biggest names to have performed at UCR for any event. After his energetic performance on Friday, he still had enough “pimp juice” in his blood to give an interview. He spoke with Highlander about his career in music and other businesses, and he shared his secret to longevity. Highlander: So it’s been about 12 years since you introduced “Country Grammar,” where do you see yourself in your career right now? Nelly: Basically at a point of trying to continue the type of success that [I’ve] had but also mixing it with reinventing [myself ]; also trying to find new and creative ways of writing music to people. Since 12 years, a lot of stuff
done changed since then. So it’s basically just trying to find that medium between continuously giving your true fans and your loyal fans that’s been riding with you what they want but also trying to reinvent yourself to capture new people. HL: If you can tell yourself anything back then, that you know now, what would it be? Nelly: Keep doing what you doing, stay versatile [and] never be afraid of change. I think so many artists get caught up and they’re afraid of change. And [change is] what kind of allows an artist to veer off. Everything will and must change. Music does too, especially hip-hop because hip-hop is mainly controlled by the youth. Ob-
viously if I’m a 10-year-old, I get to be 17 and 18. I want to choose what I like, myself. I don’t want nobody that’s a little older to tell me “this” is what I should like. As an artist it’s up to you to continuously create music that’s going to generate new hope. HL: Aside from music, you have a lot of other things on your plate: a show and you started your own music
school. How involved are you with each business venture you embark on? Nelly: I try to be involved as much as possible. It’s almost impossible sometimes to give as much attention as you would like to, to everything ‘cause you’re only one person. That’s why having good people on your staff, people that you trust to bring forth your vision on things, is always
helpful and it’s a must in what it is that you do. Especially when you’re trying to expand and be entrepreneurial. It’s hard to find good people. That saying is so true: “good people are hard to find.” But when you can find good people that share your vision and that you trust and [are] hungry as you are…that’s the thing. But the school is unbelievable. I partnered with someone who shared a vision: a young lady by the name of Pam Bell. We came together and created an affordable way to teach students how to be producers, engineers, learn how to record handson and things of that nature. The “Real House Husbands” thing on BET, coming up real soon with Kevin Hart is hilarious. The show on the CW, “The Next,” that we’ve been doing is great. We’re just continuously branding out. The new album, seventh album, is coming out later on at the end of this year. HL: That seems like a lot to juggle. Are you a natural multi-tasker or is that a skill you had to acquire? Nelly: I’m a natural multitasker; Scorpio [laughs]. HL: So you’ve been doing that since you were young. Nelly: Yea, since I was young man, mainly in sports. I tried my hand in almost every sport when I was younger: football, basketball and soccer...I try to do as many things as possible. HL: Amongst all these other projects, how important is music now to you? Nelly: Music is always special. I would be doing music whether I was in here or not ‘cause even before I was in here I was still doing music. Music, I will forever in life be doing. HL: Is it still number one? Nelly: It will always be number one. Well, besides my kids. That’s what allows me to do everything else. Now, I don’t know if I will forever be in the music business but in some capacity, you know, I love it. INTERVIEW CONT’D ON PAGE 18
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MOVIE REVIEWS ALSO THIS WEEK: ARGO HERE COMES THE BOOM SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS SINISTER
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA RATING: ★☆☆☆☆
Director Genndy Tartakovsky (creator of Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack) introduces audiences to the latest and rather unfortunate spin on the classic exemplar of vampire legends, Dracula. Instead of stalking the night for warmblooded victims and beautiful young women, this modernday Count Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler) is presented in a kid friendly package along with a menagerie of monster movie icons. A grieving widower and doting yet overprotective father, Dracula, launches plans for the realization of Hotel Transylvania in the year 1895. The opening scene paints the legendary vampire’s historically menacing character into the heartwarming picture of a single dad who decides to devote his time and energy into raising his only remaining family member in what is essentially a humanproof Moses basket. In addition to overseeing the construction of this fortress, Dracula spends
BY: GRACE KANG, CONTRIBUTING WRITER Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
his nights practicing the enviable skill of diaper-changing magic, as well as composing lullabies on the ukulele. As the years pass, little Mavis Dracula (Selena Gomez) proves to be a headstrong, curious child with a knack for walking on walls and turning into a bat. Her early attempts at exploring the outside world are cut short by her father with the warning, “We never go out there...ever.” Once the castle is safely tucked away behind four hundred acres of haunted forest and a graveyard chock full of undead, the story jumps forward to present day, just in time for Mavis’s 118th birthday. Dracula’s home now doubles as a luxury resort for vacationing monsters, all of which are invited from various corners of the human-infested world for the celebration. Contrary to Mavis’s initial misgivings, daddy dearest appears to be at peace and even enthusiastic about his daughter’s imminent independence; in fact, he sug-
gests a nearby human village for her first foray into the new world. It’s no secret that fathers about to lose their daughters to the world of adulthood are either shouting hallelujah for the sweet taste of freedom, or immobilized with fear for said daughter’s innocence. Dracula proves to take the latter route, though he’s far from immobilized. He masterminds a setup involving a staged village, an angry mob of hotel staff disguised as humans, and waving pitchforks and fiery torches (and garlic bread). Shockingly enough, Dracula’s desperate scheme is a success, and upon returning home, Mavis vows never to leave again. Because, of course, that will last. Predictably, Dracula’s jubilation is short-lived. An unexpected breach in security comes in the form of 21-year-old human backpacker Jonathan, and quickly sends Dracula into a mad scramble to conceal the young man from his monstrous HOTEL CONT’D ON PAGE 16
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT HOTEL FROM PAGE 15
guests. Complicating matters are overzealous chef-inresidence Quasimodo, who would love nothing more than to prepare a gourmet dish of roasted human, and a distressing (for Dracula) wave of amorous attention from the birthday girl herself. What potentially makes this an appealing movie for children is the strong emphasis on the importance of family, as well as the utter lack of “fear factor.” Of the handful of recent, monsterthemed children’s movies, “Hotel Transylvania” is the only one that dismisses the
more macabre touches favored in this genre. Parents may consider this the shallow end of the kids’ horror pool. The humor relies heavily on visual gags revolving mainly around excrement and body parts, which can be expected to send younger viewers into giggles, but older audiences would be hard-pressed to glean any solid wit from the weak dialogue. My main issue with “Hotel Transylvania” is how the cast of much-publicized monsters—among them being Wayne and Wanda (Steve Buscemi and Molly Shannon) the happily married werewolves with a wagon-load of pups, Murray the mummy (Cee Lo Green), the Invisible Man (David Spade), Frankenstein’s monster (Kevin James), erroneously referred to as “Frankenstein” or “Frank,” his bride Eunice (Fran Drescher), and a slapdash train of aimless plot devices attempt to cover up underdeveloped characters and flimsy conflict. A ny tension derived from Dracula’s fear of losing his daughter and guests is lost in what feels like a neverending shuffle of scenes that involve the vampire and Jonathan running through the castle for no good reason. You would think that after a century, Dracula would
HIGHLANDER know every nook and cranny of his own home that he meticulously designed with the intent of cloistering his precious daughter. The poorly executed plot of “Hotel Transylvania” cheapens the more somber scenes, including those that reveal Dracula’s tragic past. Barring the storytelling itself, the soundtrack for this movie is a real treat, composed of cringe worthy techno-pop numbers with words that would sound ridiculous even coming from a child’s mouth. It saddens me that we live in a generation where it’s cute for little kids to sing along to, “I just do what I does” or “Baby chillin’ in my cockpit, my spaceship got exotic, women trippin’ ‘cause my whip hypnotic.” You can thank Becky G and Will.I.Am for those inspiring lyrics. On a final note, I found it ironic for Dracula to mourn the modern-day representation of vampires in pop culture when he himself is a sad caricature of the legend. “Hotel Transylvania” (while decidedly kid friendly) will likely make for a painful hour-and-half in theaters if you’re above the age of ten. That aside, it will probably make a popular DVD rental for parents and babysitters who are looking for a temporary solution to the noisy kid problem at home. ■H
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MUSIC REVIEWS ¡UNO! // GREEN DAY RATING: ★★★☆☆
BY: JACOB RICH, CONTRIBUTING WRITER Courtesy of Reprise
“Shut your mouth / cause you talk too much / and I don’t give a fuck anyway,” snarls lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day during the song, “Let Yourself Go,” off Green Day’s latest album, “¡Uno!” The band’s ninth studio album is the first in their upcoming trilogy of albums to be released within four months. “¡Dos!” comes out on Nov. 13 and “¡Tre!” on Jan. 15, 2013. Though it doesn’t hold the same weight as classic Green Day releases, “¡Uno!” certainly manages to give you a good time over its relatively short 42 minutes. The disc opens in a flurry with the urgent, 60s tinged “Nuclear Family.” Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong threatens continually over Mike Dirnt’s wobbly bass that “Like a nuclear bomb it won’t be long ‘til I detonate.” The song ends with an ominous countdown from 10 to the consumption of all of us. Alternatively, the line “Drinking angel’s piss / gonna crash and burn,” marks it as the party starter for the album. Needless to say, it kicks off the album with a bang. The songs “Stay the Night,” and “Carpe Diem” continue the amped up atmosphere. Armstrong cries out in the latter, “I haven’t got much time so I’ll get to the point / Do you want to share a ride and get the fuck out of this joint?” while proclaiming in the next, “Carpe Diem a battle cry / aren’t we all too young to die?” “Let Yourself Go,” as the aforementioned lyric indicates, is the album’s most energetic
track, blistering through nearly three minutes, seemingly in a charge to rid the world of those who talk but say nothing. Following in a similar frame of mind but completely different style is “Kill the DJ.” The song invokes a funk sound not heard from the band before, with the intention to shut up political gridlock and get something done. The song is a bit too repetitive for complete effectiveness, but is certainly an interesting style change. The album drops off a bit here, for however catchy “Fell for You” is, the lyrics are a bit sophomoric. “Loss of Control” is a bit better, but while its verses have the signature bitter lyrics such as “I’m hangin out all by myself/ at least I’m good company,” the song really is a bit out of control with its repetitiveness and lack of imagination. The album picks back up with the clapalong, dancy and clever “Troublemaker,” which is also a notable style difference for the band, and the fast paced “Angel Blue” that gives sympathy to teenage love troubles (coming from a 40-year-old man, no less). “Sweet 16” echoes that sentiment, but in tribute form for Armstrong as he recalls his teenage love with a solid vocal performance. The album’s highlight comes with “Rusty James,” a bitter farewell to Green Day’s old peers who resented them for “selling out” to a major label yet never achieved success themselves or died off quickly. Armstrong acrimoniously calls out this hypocrisy with the lines
“So long/didn’t even say goodnight/So long/ there’s nowhere to go when you’re hiding in plain sight,” while bassist Dirnt wails a longing cry for the past in the background. The album, in reflection, stands only partially well as a whole, lacking some edge Green Day is known for—though it’s refreshing in its lack of blatant political agenda and has some of the most “fun” Green Day songs since the 90s. It doesn’t mean it’s not a solid
set of songs—just not great. The last song “Oh Love,” while lacking much might as a lead single, bitterly resents the album’s end, with Armstrong seemingly prophesying the next album as a step up beyond more simplistic tunes, as he yearns “Oh lights and action/I just can’t be satisfied.” Knowing the ambitiousness of Green Day, fans should be excited for “¡Dos!”—but for now at least more satisfied than Armstrong. ■H
SYNTHETICA // METRIC RATING: ★★★★☆
BY: DIANA S. HUANG, SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Prior to the release of t h e b a n d ’s f i f t h s t u d i o album, frontwoman Emily Haines declared to her fans that “Synthetica” is about “forcing yourself to confront what you see in the mirror when you finally stand still long enough to catch a reflection… about being able to identify the original in a long l i n e o f r e p r o d u c t i o n s . I t ’s about what is real vs. what i s a r t i f i c i a l . ” Wi t h t h i s i n mind, the Canadian indie rock band brings forth a set of songs that explores how to be alive outside a world dominated by false senses. Metric has always been controlled and precise when it comes to their sound, from guitarist James Shaw to drummer J o u l e s S c o t t - K e y, M e t r i c has distinguished itself from other bands of its genre by creating melodies that are bold and rebellious, yet incredibly raw and dark. Though a little less versatile than their 2008 predecessor “Fantasies,” “Synthetica” in no way lacks the lyrical intensity that has defined Metric and Emily Haines. The album opens with “Artificial Nocturne” where Haines sings in her signature contralto, “I’m just as fucked u p a s t h e y s a y / I c a n ’t f a k e the daytime / I’ve found an
entrance to escape into the dark,” setting the tone for the rest of the tracks as dealing with escaping from a false world and dealing w i t h r e a l i t y. L o u R e e d i s featured on the track “The Wa n d e r l u s t , ” w h e r e t h e duo croons, “Where I’ve been I’m bound to leave behind / All device and all disease was mine…I never w a n t e d t o g o h o m e / Wa n derlust will carry us on.” While Metric suc-
ceeds in carrying a common theme through the album, certain songs such as “Clone” and “Breathing Underwater” seem a bit too p o l i s h e d a n d e ff o r t l e s s , b e c o m i n g f o rg e t t a b l e . A f ter the success of “Fant a s i e s , ” i t ’s o n l y n a t u r a l that the band return with a bigger and sexier sound. Metric is no less addicting t o l i s t e n t o , y e t t h e o v e ra l l e ff e c t o f “ S y n t h e t i c a ” i s n ’t a s m i n d - b l o w i n g n o r
as edgy as “Fantasies.” It certainly is a pleasure to hear Metric again, espec i a l l y t h e s i n g l e , “ Yo u t h Wi t h o u t Yo u t h ” b e i n g p a rt i c u l a r l y c a t c h y. I t ’s a l ways a breath of relief to k n o w t h a t t h e b a n d h a s n ’t lost its touch when it comes to goading a wide multitude of emotions from their listeners. Metric sets high standards for themselves, and they have so far been
able to reach all of them – reaching, though not exceeding. “Synthetica” truly shines as one of the best albums released so far this y e a r. E m i l y H a i n e s ’ l o n g admired ability to shift her tone from rebellious to sweet sex kitten and back to angst-driven coupled with catchy rhythmic guitars and choppy drums has once again propelled Metric into the center stage of indie rock. ■H
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 INTERVIEW FROM PAGE 14
HL: You released “O.E.M.O.” and you kind of took it back to the streets on that one. What made you want to do a mixtape instead of just dropping an album? Nelly: Again, it’s about playing the rules to the game. It’s the rules of the game. You can either play the game or go home. But you got to learn how to play it your way so it’s not like you’re adjusting or lowering your standards. It’s just about, “Yo, that’s what it is. They say if you stay in the lane for three seconds now it’s illegal” [laughs]. They used to let us stay in there but the game has changed. Now I got to adapt. I just think it’s just more about adapting. A lot of people have been trying to get me to do a mixtape for a long time though. It was just about how to do it; a way to bring it out. I just felt like, it was a Nelly mixtape but “How does Nelly do a mixtape?” That was the hardest thing to do ‘cause I’m not from that. So how do I do it my own way? I thought “O.E.M.O.” was that. HL: What are your thoughts about the rap game right now—new artists and how it functions? Nelly: I’m not here to say if it’s good or bad, that’s not my thing. Hip-Hop is created by the youth, for the youth. We have to understand that and we have to understand that when we were 17, 18, [and] 19, we didn’t like people that was 30, 31, [and] 32 telling us what we should listen to and what we shouldn’t. It’s a rebellious type of music. So it’s almost a rebellious action to it. But what I think is, the game is so open right now with social media, that you really have to be special to be a star. You have to be over-the-top special to be a star now. Because there’s so many people who got hit records but if they walked in the room you probably wouldn’t be able to place which hit record with which star. You probably have never seen them. You’ve heard these people before you’ve seen them. And then when you finally see them it’s just like, “Oh, shit, he could have been the guy next door.” [laughs]. I’m not saying it’s bad or good. I’m just saying it’s the way that it is. HL: 12 plus years in the game. It’s safe to say that you’re a veteran. What’s the key to longevity? Nelly: Versatility. Hands down. If you don’t just say, “Fuck it, this is the game. I’m going to learn how to play it but my way then you will get left behind. LL Cool J was very good at versatility. Jay-Z is very good at versatility. He makes himself relevant with what’s going on but he does it his way. You look at the veterans that’s been able to last like that and doing it. I mean, Fabolous, he’s good at being versatile. You H know, what I’m saying? That’s it. ■
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BABEL // MUMFORD & SONS RATING: ★★★★★
BY: TONI LOUIE, STAFF WRITER
Following their first album, “Sigh No More” re leased in 2009, is Mumford and Son’s latest and highly anticipated album, “Babel,” which was released on Sept. 21, 2012. I n the ver y first track , “Babel” delivers the same sound audiences love, which is urgent, fe rocious strumming, combined with a driving confidence reminiscent of folk pride. Lead singer Marcus Mumford’s voice never fails to be power ful, raw, honest and unconventional. Fortunately, there is a reassuring consistenc y between the first album and second. The band managed to remain true to their signature sound—a mix of loud, chaotic noise followed by a sudden decrescendo of sof ter, spoken lyrics, as well as experimenting with new musical choices. The four th track , titled “Holland Road,” is especially sof t, slow and melodramatic, almost evocative of Dashboard Confessional’s sound. The phrase “calloused mind” is an incredibly refreshing way for a successful ar tist to de scribe someone impor tant to them—ver y real, unconditional and understanding. And of course, the third track and radio hit “I Will Wait ” delivers a beautiful, catchy melody com-
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bined with lyrics that trigger emotions straight from the hear t. Mumford sings of being in love, being faithful and being willing to do anything for his lover. The album as a whole is generally more romantic, although the first one did have its moments. Their music has the ability to make audiences stop and not only listen and pay attention to ever y single word, but also savor and relate to it. Many songs
in “Babel” seem to center upon promises to just be better, to seek self reflection and to inspire happiness. Fans would probably be happy to receive these messages as ones devoted to them. The ver y last track “Not with Haste” promises, “ We will be who we are, / they will heal our scars and sadness will be far away,” which wraps up the album appropriately and universally. Fans will definitely not be disappointed. ■H
Own room in house for $550 12 month lease - all utilities included - cable, internet, laundry, alarm system included. Call 562-274-5165 ---------------EGG DONORS NEEDED Seeking healthy and intelligent women of all ethnicities between the ages of 18-29. Compensation $5,000. If interested in helping to create families contact Reproductive Solutions (818) 832-1494 or donor. eggreproductive.com Reproductive Solutions abides by all Federal and State guidelines regarding egg donation as well as all ASRM guidelines. ---------------Thursday Lunch with Bill Noon - 1 p.m. Discussion St. Andrews Newman Center 105 Big Springs Road, 92507 ---------------AA Information: www.inlandempireaa.org 909-825-4700 ---------------Tuesday Big Book Study Noon-1 p.m. St. Andrews Newman Center 105 Big Springs Road, 92507 ---------------CHILD CARE Preschool and Day Care Center in a school setting. Very close to UCR, next door to Oban and Plaza student apartments. Licensed by State of California since 1994; care provided by two full time certified teachers. Full Time/Part Time openings to accommodate student and staff schedules. Discounted rates for UCR students and staff. Free parking available. Call 951/682-1202 or 307/721-3056
HOUSING Own room in house for $550 12 month lease - all utilities included - cable, internet, laundry, alarm system included. Call 562-274-5165 ---------------2700 sqf, 5 Bd 3 Ba House for rent, $2200. It is In a gated community with 24 hours security, close to UCR, community college, & elementary school, also shopping areas, hospital. Downstairs bedroom, and large living, dining, family room, breakfast nook, refrigerator, washer/dryer. Call for Maryam 949-735 -9005, or Ali 949-293-7919.
. SPORTS .
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2011
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Dubose’s lifetime best leads UCR women’s cross country to a fourth place finish P r a n av B h a k ta CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The UC Riverside women’s cross country team returned to action on Saturday, Sept. 29 at the Bill Dellinger Invitational hosted by the University of Oregon at Springfield Country Club. The women’s 5,000 m race was scheduled at 10:30 a.m. The Highlanders, Seattle, Idaho, Sacramento State, Washington, South ern Utah, Gonzaga, Nevada, BYU and Massachusetts participated in the event. Last year the UC Riverside women’s team finished eighth. The UC Riverside women’s cross country team finished fourth overall out of se ven teams at the at this year ’s Dellinger Invitational in Oregon. The 5k course at Springfield Country Club was good to Highlander Damajeria DuBose, who finished ninth overall with a lifetime best time of 17:08. Dubose improve d almost by a minute from last year ’s time at the Dellinger Invitational. Oregon, the host team, won the invitational, totaling 18 points and having seven runne rs finish in the top 10. South ern Utah finished in second with 73, Gonzaga in third with 87 and the Highlanders placed in fourth with 98 points. Alexi Pappas of Oregon took home the in dividual title winning the race with a extremely quick time of 16:2 3. The Highlanders had five runners who finished within seconds of each other to place from the 25th to 33rd places. Raquel Heflin finished in 25th place with a time of 17:40. Three seconds later Alisha Brown finished in 27th place with a time of 17:43. Katy Daly finished
in 30th place with a time of 17:47, Brianna Simmons placed in 32nd place with a time of 17:53, with Jzsanette Lindstrom pacing right behind Simmons with a time of 17:55. The seventh and last Highlander to score was Jaasmin Pina, who placed in 52nd place with a time of 18:38. Rounding out the team was M a r y a n n H o l l i d a y, w h o came in 65th place with a time of 19:43. The Highlanders will host the 14th annual Highlander Invitational on Satu r d a y, O c t . 1 3 a t 8 : 0 0 a . m . at the UCR Ag/Ops Course. A t l a s t y e a r ’s H i g h l a n d e r Invitational, Katy Daly finished in seventh place with a time of 20:56.5 and Jaasmin Pina finished in 11 t h p l a c e w i t h a t i m e o f 2 1 : 0 4 . 8 . D a l y a n d P i n a ’s position helped the lady Highlanders secure the fourth place overall out of 20 teams. The Highlanders w i l l l o o k f o r f a m i l i a r p e rformances from the team to better or match last y e a r ’s r e s u l t s . ■H
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Men’s cross country places ninth at Dellinger Invitational P r a n av B h a k ta
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The UC Riverside men’s cross country team returned to action on Saturday, Sept. 29 at the Bill Dellinger Invitational hosted by the University of Oregon at Springfield Country Club. Washington, Southern Utah, Idaho, Sacramento State, Seattle, Gonzaga, Nevada, BYU, Massachusetts and the Highlanders participated in the event. Last year in this event the men’s team placed in fifth. The UC Riverside men’s cross country team placed ninth out of 10 teams at this year ’s Dellinger Invitational in Eugene, Oregon. The men’s team was led by Seth Totten who finished 17 overall with a time of 24:10. Totten’s time was a personal best, as he improved by 17 seconds from his time last year at the Dellinger Invitational. The battle for first place was a close one, as BYU edged out host Oregon by 17 points to take home the team title. Southern Utah rounded out the top three placing third. The Highlanders placed in ninth place with 233 points, 10 points shy of eighth-place UMass Amherst and seven points ahead of
10th place finisher Idaho. The contest for the individual title was close as well, as Trevor Dunbar of Oregon edged out BYU’s Jared Ward by two seconds with a time of 23:38 to take home first place. Michael Gauger was the second Highlander to finish, placing 61st with a time of 25:19. Right behind Gauger, Cody Jordan finished a second later in 62nd place with a time of 25:20. Nic Beechan placed 75th with a time of 25:43. Rounding out the squad was Sebastian Puraci and Benjamin Heck. Puraci placed 100th place with a time of 27:41 and Heck was the last runner to cross the finish line, placing 101st with a time of 27:48 The men’s team will next compete at the Highlander Invitational on Oct. 13 at 8:45 a.m, which they will be hosting for the 14th consecutive year at the UCR Ag/ Orgs Course. Last year the men’s team finished in an outstanding second place. However, again they will not have Chad Hall, who finished in fifth place last year at the Highlander Invitational. Seth Totten will look to have a big race and improve on last year’s performance where he placed in 22nd place with a time of 24:37.6. ■H
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
SPORTS
HIGHLANDER
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The UC Riverside men’s Golf team opened its 201213 season last Monday and Tuesday morning at the 2nd Annual California State Intercollegiate. The event was hosted by La Verne in conjunction with the Southern California PGA Section at Diamond Valley Golf Club. The teams that participated at the event were Holy Names, Cal State University San Marcos, The Master ’s College, Pt. Loma Nazarene, La Verne, Biola, EmbryRiddle, Arizona Christian and the University of California, Riverside. The Highlanders started off the first round of Intercollegiate play with a slight lead against their opponents. After the first two rounds on Monday, Riverside shot its way to a 592 score (296-296)
for a first place lead, ahead of Holy Names who shot 593 (285-308) for second place and CSU San Marcos with a score of 595 (295-300) for third place. Headed into Tuesday’s final round of competition, the Highlanders led Holy Names by one stroke, CSU San Marcos by three, and The Master ’s College by four. The slim lead for the Highlanders would not be sufficient for Riverside. UC Riverside would go on to shoot 299 in the final round as they dropped back into third place to conclude the CA Intercollegiate tournament Tuesday with a total three-round score of 891(296-296-299). Riverside was led by Matt Fitzgerald with a third place finish out of 51 individuals with a combined score of 220 (74-72-74). Fitzgerald
shot four-over-par total and finished behind Holy Names Shane Favinger 217 (68-7376) and Biola player Joshua Mathis 218 (72-75-71). The Highlanders were just a stroke back of second-place The Master ’s College (890), and eight shots behind the winner, Cal State San Marcos (883). David Gazzolo shot a one-under-par 71 in the final round to move up into a tie for eighth place overall with a 222 (76-75-71), while BJ Doucett also tied for eighth with scores of 7573-74 (222). Jason Semthiti tied for 15th with a 224 (74-72-78) while Ryan Smith shot 230 (72-76-82) to tie for 25th. Bradley Fox was one stroke behind him, as he fired a 231 (73-78-80) to tie for 28th place, while Robbie Mamo and Roy Kim tied for 33rd
and 35th respectively with scores of 235 and 236. Coach Eric Riehle was asked about their finish at the CA State Intercollegiate and how they can prepare for the next tournament, “At the CA State we played well in the second round shooting 296 which was 14 shots lower than the team average due to very windy afternoon conditions. I wouldn’t say that we played worse in the last round, just San Marcos put together a good team round to pass us.” Coach Riehle continued, “As a team we putted poorly for the entire event, and this will be our main focus in preparing for the Firestone Grill Invitational in two weeks. Next up for the Highlanders is the Firestone Grill Invitational on Oct. 8-9 in ■H Nipomo, CA.
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Men’s golf finishes third at CA Intercollegiate
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
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Women’s volleyball loses fourth in a row K e n da l l P e t e r s o n SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Sept. 28, 2012 Aggies 3 - Highlanders 2 The UC Riverside women’s volleyball team went against UC Davis on Friday, Sept. 28 with the hopes of finally getting a conference win. The Highlanders fell behind, 0-2 (18-25, 15-25), and tried to make a comeback, winning the next two sets (25-17, 25-23), however the team was unable to pull off the comeback as they lost set five, 11-15, and went on to lose the match, 2-3. Ashley Cox led all players with 24 kills while Amanda Vialpando added a doubledouble of 18 kills and 14 digs The Highlanders fell to an early 7-4 deficit in set one and rallied by scoring four of the next five points to tie the set at 8-8. The Aggies turned the tables at that point, as they scored five consecutive points to go back up, 13-8. UCD pushed its lead out to 18-12 and went on to win the set, 25-18. The score was tied 2-2 in the third set before the Highlanders took a 5-2 advantage, and from there they used their momentum to open a six-point lead, 12-6, eventually winning the set, 25-17. The Highlanders opened a 10-6 margin and ended up tied when the teams traded points with 10 tied scores. A service ace by Emily Borges and an attack error from the Aggies led Riverside to victory, 2523. In the fifth and final set, both teams went back and for as no one led the match no more than two points until UC Davis went up, 12-9. The Highlanders closed the match with two, 12-10, but was unable to complete their comeback as they fell 15-11 for the 3-2 loss.
Sept. 29, 2012 Tigers 3 - Highlanders 0 The UC Riverside volleyball team (5-12, 0-4) continued its road trip on Saturday, Sept. 29 with a 25-23, 25-18 and 25-20 loss at Pacific (14-2, 2-1) in Big West Conference action. The Highlanders have struggled this year and the team has a record of 4-8 when matches are played up to three sets a game, and a record of 1-4 when the play four or more. The top performers for UC Riverside were Amanda Vialpando and Ashley Cox. They both recorded double-doubles for the Highlanders, tallying 15 kills and 10 digs, and 12 kills and 10 digs respectively. The first set was a battle against the two teams as they combined for 10 tied scores throughout the set. The last tie was at 21-21 before the Tigers got two straight kills, and UCR made an error which put Pacific up at set-point, 24-21. The Highlanders came close to one, 24-23, but after a Tigers timeout UCR was not able to keep up their rally as they lost the first set, 25-23. Set two was a close one as well with seven tied scores and four lead changes. The game was tied at 16-16 before the Tigers rallied for three consecutive points for a 19-16 lead. Pacific then closed out the set on a 6-1 run to earn the 25-18 victory. In the third set, UCR had an early 5-3 lead, but the two teams battled as they compiled eight more tied scores to 12-12. Pacific then scored the next two points to go up, 14-12, and it would be a lead they never relinquished as they went on to finish the set 25-20. Next up for UC Riverside is a match against Cal State Fullerton at the SRC Arena in H Riverside, Saturday, Oct. 6. ■
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
SPORTS
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UCR men’s soccer falls to UCSB, beats Cal Poly Pomona in overtime 3-2
KENDALL PETERSON
KENDALL’S FASTBALL
Po i sed for success R i c h a r d L i n /HIGHLANDER
Ulises Mosqueda fires a shot on goal.
K e n da l l P e t e r s o n SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Sept. 28, 2012 Gauchos 3 - Highlanders 1 The UC Riverside men’s soccer team faced off against the # 3 ranked UC Santa Barbara for their first Big West opponent Friday, Sept. 28 at the UC Riverside soccer stadium. Their last meeting was at UCSB Oct. 22, 2011, where Riverside went on to beat the Gauchos, 3-2. UCR was looking to beat the Gauchos for the second time at home but they ended up losing the game, 1-3. UC Riverside played a wonderful first half of the match with two corner kicks by the 28 minute mark and three total at the end of the first period. UCSB had more shots in the period, and their aggressiveness paid off as they scored
first goal of the game. The Highlanders kept up an aggressive offense, bringing them back into the match when Riverside scored at the 21:13 mark. Ruben Valencia received a pass from Hayden Leslie in the box from 11 yards out as he headed the ball in for his fourth goal of the season. Towards the end of the first period things got heated between UCR’s Jose Diaz and UCSB’s Daniel Welsh, as they were pushing and elbowing each other. The first period was tough for the Highlanders but it got even tougher in the second when they played with a man down. UCSB player Nic Ryan scored for the Gauchos at the 69:41 mark. 10 minutes later, Highlander Ivan Garcia received a red card and was ejected. The Gauchos capitalized on the ejection as they scored once
more to put the game away. Sept. 30, 2012 Highlanders 2 - Mustangs 1 The men’s soccer team continued their weekend play in what turned out to be a showdown. On Sunday, Riverside went against their second Big West opponent, Cal Poly. The Highlanders found themselves down, 1-2, at the end of the first period, but fought their way back to win in overtime, 3-2. Cal Poly scored the first goal of the match but a minute later Highlander Eric Gonzalez found Leslie Hayden for his second goal of the season. On a corner kick, Gonzalez found teammate Hayden, who jumped up in the air and headed the ball in the goal from six yards out. Riverside started off the second period down, 1-2, but only minutes into the second the
Highlanders equalized bounced back to a 2-2 tie. No goal was scored and the match was forced into overtime. UCR started with the ball in overtime and didn’t hesitate as they drove down to score the game winning goal. Highlander Juan Mendoza passed it to Earle Otis, who was one-on-one, and kicked the ball five yards out for his second goal of the season. Coach Junior Gonzalez was asked about the game and finally beating Cal Poly after a six game losing streak to the Mustangs. “All of the Big West conference teams are solid, but it felt good. We showed how we are able to equalize.” Highlander Otis was asked about the game winning goal, “I thought I hadn’t played much throughout the game but it was a good challenge for me to be there for the team.” ■H
Women’s soccer drops games to Long Beach State, UC Irvine over weekend K e n da l l P e t e r s o n SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Sept. 28, 2012 49ers 5 - Highlanders 1 The women’s UC Riverside soccer team squared off against their first Big West opponent, #21 ranked Long Beach State, Friday, Sept. 28 at the UC Riverside soccer stadium. Riverside’s last match was at the 49ers’ George Allen Field on Oct. 21, 2011. UCR went on to lose that match, 0-1. They looked to break their losing streak against LB State, but the Highlanders were outmatched and they went on to lose, 1-5. Even though Long Beach drove down to Riverside’s field quite often, the Highlanders’ defense held the 49ers to zero points in the first period for a 0-0 tie. At the end of the first period, Long Beach State had three shots on goal compared to Riverside’s zero. Riverside’s great defense was unable to completely hold off Long Beach’s strong attack in the second period when 49er Kristyn Benavidez scored an unassisted goal at the 49:44 mark. Seconds later, the Highlanders found themselves down, 0-2, as they allowed another goal at the 50:52 mark. The Highlanders, 10 minutes later, finally scored their only goal when Andrea Luttio found Tyler Cunningham. Cunningham received a wonderful pass on the right side of the field from
Goal keeper Jessica White dives to block a UCI shot on goal.
Luttio that led her straight to the 49er’s goalkeeper. Cunningham was tripped but was able to get the shot off and pass the goalkeeper for her first goal of the season. After Riverside scored, Long Beach went on to tear through Riverside’s defense, scoring three more goals, beating the Highlanders, 5-1. Sept. 30, 2012 Anteaters 2 - Highlanders 1 The women’s soccer team finished their weekend play Sunday night against Big West opponent UC Irvine. They looked to break their five game losing streak against the Anteaters but
fell short in a heartbreaking 1-2 overtime loss. The Anteaters’ first goal was off a penalty kick. Highlander goalkeeper Jessica White dove to her right and barely glazed her hands on the ball as it flew into the net. Finally, the Highlanders received their first shot on goal of the match at the 13:23 mark, which resulted in their only goal of the game to tie it, 1-1. The goal by Riverside was first credited to Nicole Cheers when she headed the ball into the net after Andrea Luttio kicked it and the ball bounced off the crossbar. Later, the goal was credited to Luttio after the refs said the ball crossed the goal line. The goal by Luttio was her
B rya n T u t t l e /HIGHLANDER
second of the season. Riverside goalkeeper White played an outstanding game, only allowing one goal in the two periods of play before she allowed the losing goal in overtime. White ended up with six shots saved. The Riverside women’s head coach, Nate Gonzalez, was asked about the tough loss, “Well compared from friday, we played 100 percent better. More confident and we had our chances to score. But against good teams you can’t give a lot of free kicks, but we are playing better.” The women’s soccer team is headed on a three game road trip with their first H matchup against Hawai’i Friday, Oct. 5. ■
Last week I acknowledged our men’s and women’s cross country teams for their success and what they are capable this year and beyond. In this issue I feel it is important that we recognize our men’s and women’s soccer teams as they are on a great start to their seasons. It is important as Highlanders that we come out to cheer on and support our teams. Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams have overcome adversity in recent years. In the 2009 season the men’s soccer team finished 1-16-1, including an 0-91 record in the Big West, and the team has been on an uphill climb since. In the 2009 season, Coach Junior Gonzalez anticipated a great season but four of his athletes were academically ineligible. This year, with a 7-1-0 mark in non-conference matches to start the 2012 season, the Highlanders have set the program record for non-conference wins in a season which was established a year ago. The women’s soccer team had an overall record 8-9-2 and a Big West record of 3-4-1 last year and are three wins away from reaching that. Their record is currently 5-6-2 through 13 games, which is one win away from their 6-6-1 record at that point of the year. The women’s team has also been moving up. The 2010 season saw them winning only one game 1-14-3 and zero Big West Conference wins 0-7-1. Their last winning record was during 2006 season when the squad went 107-1. The sky’s the limit for these two Highlander teams, so come down to the soccer stadium and support our soccer teams as they push for the Big West Conference playoffs. ■H