FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
Highlander University
Volume 61
of
C a l i f o r n i a , R ive r s i d e
Issue 24
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ASUCR holds small debate ahead of elections Dean Mayorga
ASUCR ELECTIONS
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
HIGHLANDER ENDORSMENTS AND EXPANDED EDITORIAL Opinions, Pages 8-9
J o h n n y M a /HIGHLANDER A S U C R s e n a t o r s l i s t e n a t t e n t i v e l y a s a s t u d e n t a d d re s s e s t h e s e n a t e d u r i n g t h e p u b l i c f o r u m .
Courtney Parker STAFF WRITER
The ASUCR candidate debates were held at the HUB Lower Plaza on Thursday, April 11 at 1:30 p.m. Elections Director Harmony Chai played host, pressing questions to both the candidates for senate positions as well as those seeking the position of Outreach Director. Due to a limited time allotment not every director position could be addressed in the debates. Questions that were asked ranged from taxes to transparency within ASUCR. Addressing the modest-sized crowd outside the HUB, representing the party [YOU]CR were incumbent senator Aaron Johnson, Abraham Galvan Sanchez, Mina Kato and Fernando Echeverria. Representing the party OUR’Side were Michael Ervin and Ravin Rathoud. Those running as independent were Kanika Jain, Christine Shi, Benjamin Roden and Tanya Singh. The first group of students to discuss their platforms were those running for senate. The outreach director debate proceeded soon after and there are no candidates running for elections director. Each candidate had 30 seconds
The vaginas are monologuing R e b e cc a P a r e d e s SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Vagina, vagina, vagina. Last Wednesday night, I said, heard and appreciated the word vagina more than ever before. Presented by the Women’s Resource Center, UCR’s student production of Eve Ensler ’s play, “The Vagina Monologues,” explored the female experience and spoke out against violence against women. “Stories will make you laugh, cry, scream and shout, so feel them completely,” explained fourth-year public policy major Evangeline Elder at the start of the show, and it was difficult not to feel the complex power of “The Vagina Monologues,” even in a room as stuffy and as formal as HUB 302. “We need to feel comfortable saying the word vagina,” Elder said. “It’s a very awkward word and a lot of people think that it’s offensive, but it’s the real name for a vagina. A vagina is a vagina. So, can I have the audience say the word vagina real quick?” A cacophony of “Vagina!” resounded. Elder ’s welcome immediately set the tone for the evening by forcing the audience out of its comfort zone––a sentiment that was echoed in “We Were Worried,” presented by Genesis Castellanos, Caitlin Harrington and Martha Pineda. “We Were Worried” took the audience by the hand and discussed the interviews that led to the Ensler ’s writing
of the monologues, which spanned stories from business women to sex workers and from Bosnia to America. The speakers focused on the general sentiment that women are reluctant to talk about their vaginas or sexuality because of its taboo nature––but under the surface, women really love to talk about their sexualities, their womanhood and all of the different elements of the female experience. One of the highlights of their performance focused on the names women use to refer to their vaginas. “There’s powderbox, a poochie, a pepe, a pootanie, a peach ... cooter, va, mango, mookie, a mimi in Miami,” the speakers contributed, which inspired plenty of laughter from the audience because, really, what’s a “mookie?” “The Flood,” performed by fourth-year history major Kyrsten Watt, told the story of a 71-year-old woman who had never had an orgasm. “No, no. It’s a cellar down there. You don’t want to go down there. Trust me,” the monologue began, reinforcing the woman’s stance that no, she does not want to talk about her vagina, thank you very much. But as the monologue progressed, Watt brought a reluctantly nostalgic slant to her retelling of the woman’s first time becoming aroused by a boy in the passenger seat of his Chevy Bel Air––and staining his car seat with her “flood.” The crux of the monologue MONOLOGUES CONT’D ON PAGE 20
to responds to each question they were asked. Candidates could also opt not to respond. Some issues brought out more division within the candidates than others. For example, the issue of the UCOP tax—a 1.69 percent assessment free on all UC campus expenditures—inspired candidates to propose putting pressure upon UCOP, just in different ways. The UCOP tax was implemented back in 2011, in order to ensure greater financial transparency throughout the system, yet did not previously include revenue collected from student referenda items. “How does the UCOP assessment tax affect student services and what will you do to make sure that student services [is] not negatively affected from this assessment?” Chai asked. Independent Benjamin Roden responded, “The UCOP tax affects students because it takes away funds that should be available for student clubs and organizations. What senators should do is very publicly admonish the administration for levying this tax on us, work with the news media, pass resolutions and really embarrass the administration...just [so] they feel ASUCR DEBATES CONT’D ON PAGE 5
INSIDE: New technology that would grade papers won’t help students or professors.
OPINIONS
PAGE 7
Eaton Science Fiction Conference draws huge crowd in Dowtown Riverside. PAGE 11
FEATURES
Music legend Ian MacKaye rocks the Blood Orange Infoshop with his band The Evens. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 24
UCR baseball extends home winning streak to 11 games. PAGE 25
SPORTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
PAGE 2
STAFF
PAGE 7
PLEASE RECYCLE AFTER READING
2
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
NEWS
HIGHLANDER
UC SHIP: To opt out or not to opt out? Sandy Van
SE N IOR STA F F W R I T E R
Winnie Jeng
C ON T R I BU T I NG W R I T E R
Facing the possibility of burdening an unwanted deficit, the undergraduate and graduate student body must decide whether or not to stay with the UC student health insurance plan (UC SHIP). According to Sandeep Dhall, the UCR representative on the UC SHIP advisory committee, undergraduates may face nearly a $200 increase in fees by either staying with UC SHIP or opting out. Graduate students may incur slightly higher premiums by resorting to an outside provider. By staying with UC SHIP, undergraduates may pay a slightly lower student premium, yet face the possibility of incurring a future deficit under the University’s selffunded health insurance plan. On the other hand, if UCR seeks a fullyfunded outside health care provider, students will not be liable for future deficits that may be incurred in the following years. Thus, the campus will be given more control over the health insurance plan, since it will be in-house rather than under the UC umbrella explained Dhall. UC SHIP, self-funded by the UC Office of President, is currently facing a projected financial deficit of $60 million due to financial miscal-
culations made by a consultant subsidiary. Yet, UCOP has temporarily tabled all discussion for filling the deficit. “The student health insurance plan was intended to be self-supporting through premium, so no other funding sources are readily available. Options for funding the program will be discussed at the UC SHIP leadership meetings,” according to UCOP Media Specialist Brooke Converse. UC President Mark Yudof assured the campuses that the financial burden would not fall upon students as of this year. Nevertheless, UCR is now making the decision regarding whether to stay within the systemwide insurance plan or to seek outside insurance brokers in the coming years. Other UC campuses are also considering the possibility of pulling out of UC SHIP. In a SHIP Advisory Board meeting March 22, UCLA presented a proposal which would require all the UC campuses to pay a portion of 17 percent of the deficit while remaining under the SHIP coverage plan. The remaining deficit would then be paid off by UCOP. Although many campuses showed support of the UCLA plan, UCOP declined. “Ultimately, the choice is up to the students. And from my understanding, most students want to move to an outside, fully funded plan, even if it is costlier in the short
Undergraduate
$200 Graduate
At least 2x more than undergraduate
Graphic
Quotebook
“Let’s stop kicking the dead horse.” - ASUCR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
Upcoming Events
Junior Kyle Boudreau hits the ball and quickly makes it to first base in a game last Saturday against Pacific. The opposing outfielder misses the catch and Boudreau takes another base.
APRIL
16
The Vagina Monologues HUB 302 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Music as Medicine concert series School of Medicine Education Blg Patio Noon - 1 p.m.
Men’s Tennis: UC Irvine Andulka Park Noon - 4:00 p.m.
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Health Professions School Info Day HUB 302 2:00 p.m. -6:00 p.m.
Traditional Native American Storytelling UC Riverside Extension Center 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday
Thursday
19 Friday
IIGB Seminars Native American Rock Art Field Experience Genomics Auditorium RM 1102A Noon - 1:00 p.m. UC Riverside Extension Center 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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Introduction to Close-Up Photography UC Riverside Extension Center 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Softball: UC Davis Amy S. Harrison Field Noon - 2:00 p.m.
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Men’s Tennis: Pacific Andulka Park Noon - 4:00 p.m.
Self Defense-Be Aware! Be Prepared! Student Recreation Center 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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1-Hour Sleep Sessions: Nap Like A Kid HUB 260 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Online Peer Chats Login from any computer! 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
ARMANDO SALDANA
ON THE DIVESTMENT RESOLUTION
Scan this QR code and visit us
T r av i s H o n g
Now Hiring Interns HUB 355 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Cameron Yong
by
According to Sandeep Dhall, the UCR representative on the UC SHIP advisory committee, most students will want move to an outside insurance plan even if it is costlier in the short run. run,” said Dhall. “So right now is a increase due to the removal of both lift,” said Felix. good time for students to start think- coverage caps. The UC SHIP Advisory Board is ing what insurance benefits they Students such as second-year still evaluating the rates of outside are willing to opt out to keep their biochemistry Raziel Felix support- health care providers, to determine premium low once the new plan is ed the removal of the lifetime caps whether or not to leave. The final enacted.” in order to maintain the sense of decision will be made by April 17 On March 22, the advisory community within the student body. and the recommendations will be board voted to remove the $10,000 “I do support this in spite of sent to the Executive Council for annual coverage caps on prescrip- the rise in UC SHIP premium dur- further considerations. The final detion drugs, with most campuses ing the 2013-2014 school year. Al- cisions must be made by the Counsupporting the elimination of life- though the rise in premium is incon- cil of the Chancellors prior to May time coverage caps of $400,000. venient for everyone, from a moral 1. Converse also stated that student angle, we as a diverse community More information can be found ■H premiums will experience a slight should support those who need this at highlandernews.org.
Photo of the Week
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
By fall 2013, short term health premiums will likely increase for students whether or not they decide to opt out of UC SHIP.
at highlandernews.org
NEWS
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
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Finding funding for the UC Riverside School of Medicine A r o o b a C h a u d h ry STAFF WRITER
California Senator Richard Roth and Assemblymember Jose Medina have both made progress in their effort to acquire $15 million in state funding for the UC Riverside School of Medicine. The two presented in front of the Senate Education Budget subcommittee three weeks ago and delivered a joint letter with the request for the funds. Medina also presented in front of the Assembly Higher Education Committee on March 19, where the request passed with bipartisan support. Both Roth and Medina have introduced a separate bill in each of their respective parts of government, with Roth introducing Senate Bill 21 (SB 21) and Medina proposing Assembly Bill 27 (AB 27). The bills are both identical when it comes to providing funding for the School of Medicine, yet only one bill will eventually move on to obtain the governor’s signature. The need for physicians in the growing population of Riverside County is one of the many reasons the lawmakers are striving to push the bill through. Another concern is the future implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) which “contains numerous provisions that will expand health coverage to 30 million Americans, increase benefits and lower costs for consumers, [and] provide new funding for public health and prevention.” according to the American Public Health Association. Riverside County will be responsible for accommodating the federal regulations under the new law. Assemblymember Medina has said the proposed budget deadline is in June but can stretch as far as the end of September. The bill still has to pass many important steps but it has sailed through its initial stages. “It’s been a long process but I’m very hopeful by the end of the budget process we’ll obtain the $15 million that UCR needs to run the UCR School of Medicine,” said Medina. The funding will help out the physician shortage and ultimately act as an economic catalyst for the Riverside County, according to Medina. Dean of the School of Medicine G. Richard Olds mentioned that some of the money will go toward the pipeline programs within the medical school and future graduate programs. The pipeline programs help keep medical students on track and prepare for what’s ahead. The School of Medicine’s two pipeline programs are the Medical Scholars Program and FastStart, both focusing on undergraduate success in the medical field. When asked about the bill and its impact on Riverside
County, Dean Olds said, “It’s not just that we need more doctors in a kind of abstract thought, [but] it’s not possible to deliver high quality, low cost care if you have such a severe shortage of physicians.” Currently, the primary care doctors in Riverside are less than half of what the county needs. As such, doctors have to deal with an abundance of patients and cannot perform primary care. They are forced to focus more on urgent care and our county loses the benefit of prevention. The UC Riverside School of Medicine has been strongly supported by its community since it opened. Out of the $100 million needed to open the SOM, $80 million came from Riverside County. Back in March, Chancellor Jane Close Conoley visited Sacramento and met with Governor Jerry Brown to talk about UCR ■H and its medical school.
Inland Empire Medical Statistics
60 - 80 80 - 105
Primary Care Doctors per 100,000 Residents.
40
70
Specialists per 100,000 Residents.
Government Council Recommended
Inland Empire
Graphic by Oscar Ho A s s e m b l y m e m b e r J o s e M e d i n a h o p e s t o s e c u re f u n d i n g t h a t w i l l h e l p o u t R i v e r s i d e ’s p h y s i c i a n s h o r t a g e a n d a c t a s a n e c o n o m i c c a t a l y s t f o r t h e R i v e r s i d e C o u n t y.
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NEWS
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
HIGHLANDER
THE LAB
RESEARCH NEWS FROM UCR AND THE UC SYSTEM by Matthew Ward, Contributing Writer & Lauren Green, Contributing Writer
UCR sociologist ties suicide rates to gun ownership, political convervatism UC Riverside Professor of Sociology Augustine J. Kposowa’s study entitled “Association of suicide rates, gun ownership, conservatism and individual suicide risk” finds that residents of states with high gun ownership and political conservatism have a greater risk of suicide. In his research, Kposowa analyzed mortality data from the U.S. Multiple Cause of Death Files from 2000 through 2004 and combined individual-level data with state-level information. After two decades of collecting data on gun ownership and conservatism, Kposowa compared this data to individual suicides. “Many studies show that of all suicide methods, firearms have the highest case of fatality, implying that an individual who selects this technique has a very low chance of survival,” expressed Kposowa. In respect to conservatism, Kposowa also noticed a correlation. Kposowa measured “conservatism” for each state by looking at those who voted for former President George W.
Bush in the 2000 election. Although some argue that this is a general method of measuring true political conservatism, Alaska, the state with the highest suicide rate, showed that 57.8 percent of household’s own guns and 58.6 percent voted for Bush in the 2000 election. Kposowa’s study doesn’t necessarily claim that political conservatives or Republicans, specifically Bush supporters, are more likely to commit suicide than non-Republicans. Rather Republicans who have guns in their home are more likely to commit suicide primarily because they have a gun in their home, not because of their general political views. Despite the contentious findings of Kposowa’s research, it is the first to use a nationally representative sample to examine the effect of firearm availability on suicide odds. Kposowa hopes for less pro-gun lobbying in congress and fears that without change, “the United States is poised to remain a very armed and potentially dangerous nation for its inhabitants for years to come.” ■H
C o u rt e s y
of kristinarandle.com
A study conducted by UC Riverside Professor Augustine J. Kposowa shows a strong correlation between a state’s suicide rates and gun ownership.
UCSC’s Ronan the sea lion can keep a beat to music
C o u rt e s y
of
Peter Cook
Challenging the lack of possession of vocal mimicry in animals, UC Santa Cruz scientists have successfully trained a sea lion named Ronan to bob her head to rhythmic beats.
Scientists at Long Marine Laboratory at the University of California, Santa Cruz have successfully trained a sea lion named Ronan to bob her head in time with rhythmic sounds. What makes Ronan’s rhythmic ability noteworthy is that she is the first non-human mammal shown to be able to keep beat. Until Ronan, it has been thought that in order to have rhythmic ability, an animal must possess vocal mimicry. Vocal mimicry is only an attribute seen in humans and some parrots. “The idea was that beat keeping is a fortuitous side effect of adaptations for vocal mimicry, which requires matching incoming auditory signals with outgoing vocal behavior,” said UCSC
psychology grad student Peter Cook, who conducted the study of Ronan’s rhythmic ability. “It’s understandable why that theory was attractive,” said Cook. “But the fact is our sea lion has gotten really good at keeping the beat. Our finding represents a cautionary note for an idea that was really starting to take hold in the field of comparative psychology.” “Ronan challenges [vocal mimicry as a prerequisite to rhythmic ability]” and Cook believes that “rhythmic ability is much more widespread in the animal kingdom than originally thought.” The public can watch Ronan the Californian sea lion rock out to “Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind & Fire on YouTube. ■H
Global Food Systems Forums discussed worldwide food production On Tuesday, April 9, the University of California hosted a live webcast called the UC Global Food Systems Forum. Held in Ontario, Calif., the forum included leading researchers, economists, farmers, politicians, journalists, directors and affiliates from across the UC system and 31 countries. It addressed the question: How do we sustainably feed eight billion people by 2025? The diversity of the forum provided many questions and perspectives that address issues of the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO’s), sustainability of farming and farming practices, as well as funding and infrastructure for feeding the masses. The forum also discussed the role of the University of California to provide for the state, the nation and the world. Moderator and
journalist Mark Arax asserted that the UC has a special responsibility to solve these issues, since “we [California] have always been on the leading edge of innovation.” “How do we solve these problems? We have to lead the way in our universities and our research there as we have led the way in the past,” said Arax. UC Riverside specifically was represented by Ted Batkin, president of the California Citrus Research Board, and UCR alumnus and bee specialist Joe Traynor. Together with the rest of the panel, they agreed that, “we won’t have enough food to feed the world, so instead we’re going to have to export our ideas to the world,” and set the standard for sustainable and healthy food production for all. ■H
C o u rt e s y
of
UC H e a lt h
Among the topics discussed at the UC Global Food Systems Forum are sustainability of farming, the use of genetically modified organisms and the role of the UC system in helping solve these issues.
NEWS
HIGHLANDER ASUCR DEBATES FROM PAGE 1
they have to rescind this tax just to save face.” Fernando Echeverria answered, “With the UCOP tax, there is one thing that is essential to do and that’s build student advocacy behind [it’s opposition]; form student coalitions and actually get people behind it to actually put pressure on the administrators—to put pressure upon the UCOP office. Something that student body [doesn’t] know is that some of the measures under the UCOP [tax] are illegal and we can be saving students’ money. No student funds are allowed to be used for renovation on campus.” An issue such as support for undocumented students, however, garnered more similar responses. [YOU]CR party candidate Abraham Galvan, as well as OUR’Side candidate Ravin Rathod, both agreed on offering financial support for those students who do not receive the funds to attend the university. “For me, it’s a matter of increasing the opportunities that undocumented students have because as an undocumented student you don’t have access to [federal] funds,” Galvan said. “It’s even more important for UCR to offer its own support to be there as a back-up ... as a senator I would encourage perhaps more scholarships on behalf of UCR so that these students can continue to attend UCR ...” “As a community we should strive to make sure that there’s open access, that there’s existing services on campus that we can utilize for these students, these students are made more aware and that they turn into a more integral part on this campus.” Rathod said. “There should be some financial assistance done by the campus as a whole ... As students we should lobby for our fellow students to get access and have the same rights as we share.” The issue of online classes
V i n c e n t T a /HIGHLANDER As the debates and questionings come to an end, the candidates all line up for one final assembly. Debates this time around touched on important topics such as strengthening UCR’s outreach program by collaborating with the two other colleges in Riverside.
also came up. Chai asked the senators about how they felt online education should be implemented at the UC. Independent Christine She said, “I think online education is a really good alternative but we students should go to our lecture and talk to our professors. And we need communication [between] faculty and students. So I think we can use online education as an [implementation] but not as a replacement.” According to Chai, most of the questions asked were “directed at maintaining transparency,” which was a main theme of the debate. OUR’Side candidate Michael Ervin answered, “As senator I will make sure that any decision that is made will welcome debate—encouragement from all student opinion by holding extensive office hours and by encouraging different student organizations that have a different opinion ...” “To increase transparency I will oppose closed-door meetings, closed ballots to make sure that whatever we do as ASUCR senators, you guys will be able to know what it is,” Roden stated. Independent Kanika Jain answered, “Something I will do is make sure there is information out there for everyone so that they can understand the whole picture. Also, if it affects certain organizations, I would go
to those organizations and ask them for their opinions.” After the senator debates were over, Mina Kato and Tanya Singh were directed to take a seat on the row of chairs set up in order to carry out the the question and answer session for the position of outreach director. The first thing that the candidates were asked about was their experience in outreach and planning programs for students from seventh to 12th grade. Kato spoke about her involvement in various leadership roles such as her positions as High-
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013 lander Orientation Leader and Resident Advisor for housing. She spoke about how through these roles she was able to help establish programs for elementary students for literacy, “to get them pumped and excited to read and to come to a university for higher education.” Singh spoke about her involvement in UECC Americorps and how she visits an elementary school everyday to work with the children there. “I see their struggles and I see how much the Eastside needs improvement ... They need more preventative programs to help them fight off the problems like gang violence.” Both candidates agreed on making the public more aware about the available outreach funds, which will allow school groups and organizations to gain financial support for projects around the community. Kato proposed her idea for outreach not only to schools closest to UCR, but also classes in the greater Inland Empire. As she explained, it could be a part of a spirit day where children are given “UCR memorabilia—tshirts, school supplies...that way
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there getting hyped up about education.” Singh emphasized the fact that Riverside has three large colleges and said she felt it was important for members of higher education to visit the schools so that, “[the students] see there are role models out there.” After the debate for outreach director concluded, the candidates were asked to come back and take questions from the audience, which lasted only briefly. The issue of the rather small turnout was expressed by several of the candidates when asked about what they thought of the event and its impact. Current senator Aaron Johnson stated the debate turned out well, yet felt that improvements could be made for future debates. “Obviously being at the Bell Tower was a lot better last year because you can catch the attention of the people walking by— you’re a little more in the center of things. The turnout could’ve been better. I think it’s all about the day because if you look at our school, nobody is out all day except for Wednesday,” said Johnson. ■H
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TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
NEWS
HIGHLANDER
Senators discuss possibility of delaying elections S a n dy V a n SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Members of the public called for a change to the elections code, which involved lowering the minimum number of candidates required to form a political party during last Wednesday’s ASUCR senate meeting. The senate passed resolutions to add political parties next to the name of a running candidate, which bred concerns of further delaying the elections process. Another resolution passed seeks to allow student organization to rent out the Exchange Store for conferences and meetings. There were approximately eight members of the audience who spoke during the public forum period, one of whom included Ben Roden, a former member of R’Voice. Due to the loss of numerous candidates, R’Voice was disbanded as a party this month. According to the Elections Code, a minimum of seven members is needed in order to form a political party. “I’m here to ask ASUCR officers to maybe reconsider [changes to the] elections code in the first place. My first point is that requiring members to form a party makes it difficult for newer members to form a party,” said Roden. He feels that the criterias to form a party creates a barrier to entry for students, therefore placing them at a disadvantage. Other speakers, such as [YOU]CR candidate Kareem Aref, shared similar sentiments about the party system and critiqued the structure of the ballot itself. “The ballot does not reflect the party affiliations,” said Aref. “The debate itself is structured so it’s based on party. A party representative can speak. It’s not the individual who can speak. That fact alone hurts all the students who are running.”
G a l l e y m e m b e r s a n d A S U C R s e n a t o r s g e t re a d y f o r t h e s e o c n d s e n a t e m e e t i n g o f t h e s p r i n g q u a r t e r.
Another running candidate of [YOU]CR, Fernando Echeverria stated “It’s not just a single-party issue, but it’s a multi-party issue. The way the ballot is set up, you have to click on the name to learn about the person.” Echeverria explains as a burdensome process. As the party signatory of R’Voice, Christine Shi expressed her frustration over Roden’s misrepresentation of their party. Shi felt that Roden spoke in the interests of his candidacy, but spoke offhandedly about his leadership role in R’Voice. Roden could not reestablish the party because he did not have the legal right to impede on her authority, according to Shi. President Liam Dow supported the idea of variation
J o h n n y M a /HIGHLANDER S a n d e e p D h a l l a d d re s s e s t h e s e n a t e a b o u t t h e f u t u re o f t h e U C S H I P i n s u r a n c e p ro g r a m .
and competition but said, “I don’t think restricting R’Voice from running is appropriate.” Vice President of External Affairs Lazaro Cardenas questioned how that minimum was determined and what purpose the existence of political parties served. Elections Director Harmony Chai responded that the the previous system gave independents an unfair advantage based on a popularity system. The purpose of the party system was to “increase voter turnout” and “efficiency” during the elections process, according to Chai. “I was actually unaware ... when I came into [the elections committee]. Who’s to say that two can’t make a party? So I feel like that is something I can definitely discuss with the elections party,” said Senator and Assistant Elections Director Kristina Morelos. But Dow felt the values instilled in a party’s platform also paralleled the “values to a student government.” Campaigning would be almost meaningless if there was no party system, explained Dow. Senator Sai Patadia asked if Chai could contact IT professionals to add the candidates’ party to the election’s ballot. Chai elaborated that the elections ballot “took weeks” and she “wants to make sure the elections run on time.” Deputy Director Laurie Sinclair reiterated that, “[The elections] need to move forward. It’s really late in the game and we can’t really postpone the elections.” According to the ASUCR Constitution, changes to the election date must be made six weeks prior. Chai said the party system allowed students to be more “reflective” and make connections with the candidates through “face and name recognition.” She says the candidates should be encouraged
to set own personal senatorial goals not just those of the entire party. Morelos advocated a similar gesture, but felt that independent candidates may not have the option of forming a party because they may not know anyone. Senators such as Aaron Johnson felt Chai did not accomplish her goals of “so-called leveling the playing field.” In response to Johnson’s comment, Cardenas stated, “If you’re an incumbent, check your privilege. Incumbents have a lot of power.” He asked that senators re-running find out more information for themselves. To wrap up the discussion, Senator Johnny Ta motioned to “add party names next to the candidate name contingent on the fact that it does not hinder or delay the elections.” The motion passed within the senate by a vote of 11-0-1. Final pieces of legislation included the passage of the Bear Den resolution, which will allow the former Exchange Store to be used by student organizations to rent out through the Highlander Union Building system. Authored by Jo, the resolution also passed with the same vote. Highlights -Ex-officio reports were given by Tim Grove, a representative from ASPB. The theme for Spring Splash on May 4 is “Water Conservation,” where students are encouraged to bring their own water bottles (BYOB). -Vice President and External Relations Director Jane Kim of the Student Alumni Association advertised the Business Career Conference. Taking place on April 13, students were given the opportunity to network with UCR alumni in the business field. -Senator Emmanuel Alloh is working with SoBA senators to add alternative concentration classes. He is also meeting with Police Chief Mike Lane
J o h n n y M a /HIGHLANDER
about participating in the next Chancellor Town Hall on Campus Safety, due to increasing concerns from the AfricanAmerican population over racial profiling. -Senator Spencer Castrellon is working with Senator Niela Darmani, in order to add more student-donated murals around campus, which is intended to “add campus spirit.” He is also meeting with Associate Dean of Student Academic Affairs Peter Graham in order to create a teacher-student program, which will allow students to have a more hands-on approach. -Senator Aaron Johnson is attempting to establish “Meet the Senate II,” which is purposed with highlighting the newlyelected senate for the next academic year in 2013-2014. -Senators Megan Crail and Sean Famian are attempting to set up the “Big Buddy” program as a way to “keep students in engineering.” -Senator Johnny Ta will take Crail’s position as an ASUCR representative on the Task Force on campus safety. The task force was created by Chancellor Jane Conoley, in response to the upsurge in criminal activity during the months of January to March. -During the finals’ week of spring quarter, Senator Famian will continue the snack wagon initiative, where senators will be passing out snack packs for students studying in the Tomas Rivera and Orbach Library. -Vice President of Internal Affairs Kevin Jo delivered his Green Committee Action Plan report and revealed a new initiative entitled “Save the C,” which will take place from April 22-26 during Earth Week. Based on its current state, the “C” monument is anticipated to crumble within five years, as reported the Physical Plant ■H Department.
HIGHLANDER
. OPINIONS .
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
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Writing cannot be graded by technology B r a n dy C oa t s CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“You are smarter than a calculator,” elementary school teachers often tell their students. “The human mind is a wonderful tool.” But as academic technology improves over the years, the first statement might not remain true. Recently, the New York Times announced that Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are developing software that would allow a computer to evaluate students’ written shortanswer and essay responses. EdX, the company working on this technology, hopes to make grading more efficient for both professors and university students. Unlike other answer-detection systems such as the Scantron, which has been used since 1972, this software goes to the extent of analyzing arguments and forming interpretations. Although impressive-sounding at first, the importance of meaning over mechanics and the emotion embedded in reading is too much to sacrifice for grading efficiency. This software can also make it easier for students to cheat. The first plausible error that EdX entails is the failure of a computer to comprehend the meaning of an essay that contains spelling and grammatical errors. Even in the most recent version of Microsoft Office, a large amount of words are missing from the “dictionary.” This is because Microsoft Office does not detect proper nouns, slang, or words recently added to real English dictionaries. For example, “lol” is considered incorrect by SpellCheck even though it was added to the Oxford English Dictionary two years ago. Although words like this are not common in academia, they can be used to address a current event or prove a point in writing. Most professors would agree that spelling and grammar errors are minute when compared to the overall meaning of a written work. If the technology would issue an automatic failure due to misunderstanding, it is unfair to the writer. Only real people can decipher those technical errors made in the haste of a 40-minute writing period and popular culture references that are so commonly used in writing. Another downfall to EdX is the inability of the professor to contribute genuine reaction and response that have always been used in essay-based subjects. EdX so far only promises to create responses that state if an essay is “on topic or not.” Must we forget the wonderful feeling our grade-school teachers gave us with comments like “Well done!” or “Great understanding!”? Sure, a computer can shuffle through and spit out random responses, but surely no student wants to read fake enthusiasm. Students also need constructive criticism. In order to develop one’s writing skills, we must know where we can improve or expand our writing. EdX has also failed to acknowledge that technology can easily be tampered with. Students have accessed Scantron answer keys in the past, used illegal notecards, showing willingness to cheat on tests. Who is to say that EdX software cannot be hacked by students more
proficient at using technology than taking a test? Even if one can determine the cues that the software detects, they can already be on their way to a passing paper. There is no way to “hack” a professor ’s mind, aside from the information one is willing to share.
An algorithm cannot be applied to an English paper. Supporters of this technology are quick to say that professors deserve a break from their busy lives. However, there are other ways to resolve this issue. Teaching assistants already grade many essays throughout college courses. This is not to suggest instead that they should do more work, but
perhaps department leaders can decrease the overly high student to TA ratio that currently exists. It goes without questioning if professors and assistants of essaybased courses are even asking for this type of help. It is typically up to the professor to decide how to distribute coursework, so they have the authority to decrease the amount of essays assigned in the first place. When it comes to composition, technology is not a suitable tool to evaluate students’ success. An algorithm cannot be applied to an English paper. Although there may be a theoretical “formula” to writing a paper, each individual student is entitled to his or her own voice and perspective, which only a human reader can truly comprehend. Examples used by writers cannot be understood by a computer with no context or capability of reasoning. And students deserve to know exactly what their professor or teaching assistant thinks about their writing. This technology only enables students to write essays mechanically. Essay-grading software would only make it easier for students to write like robots, teachers to grade like robots, and university to be turned into one large factory. ■H
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OPINIONS
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
HIGHLANDER
HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL BEHIND THE VEIL OF ASUCR
V i n c e n t T a /HIGHLANDER
The ASUCR senate chambers were so packed during a meeting at the beginning of April that, for a while, students were sitting inside the senate alcove. During the meeting, ASUCR moved the meeting to a larger room and rescinded the controversial divestment resolution.
This week students get to have their say over who represents them on the ASUCR Senate. The decisions we make can have huge implications over the way our student fees are allocated, how we’re reflected as a student body on and off campus, and what changes are made to general student life. For these reasons, the decision of who to elect to the senate cannot be made lightly. In customary newspaper fashion, the Highlander dedicates this week’s editorial to the subject of ASUCR with the goal of best educating voters. For the past year the Highlander has followed ASUCR closely, reporting on its meetings, often in painstaking detail. Along the way we have made note of many grave concerns in regards to several facets of the student government. In recent months, issues that were of minor preoccupation grew to major institutional problems that have threatened its integrity. Things have
gotten so bad that the Highlander has lost its confidence in the efficacy of ASUCR. As further explained below, the Highlander is unable to endorse any candidate for ASUCR senate, but particularly does not support the reelection of any incumbent. In order for the senate to recover, it needs an entirely new membership which will take the following problems to heart and commit to fixing them. To be clear, the Highlander wishes the absolute best for UCR’s student government. This editorial is constructive criticism derived entirely from our objective reporting and observations. After all, the Editorial Board is made up of students, and when ASUCR succeeds, we all succeed. With that said, it has become painfully evident that changes need to be made if ASUCR is to reemerge as a positive force on campus, and those changes are outlined here.
Purpose and Accomplishments What do ASUCR senators say they’ll do during their term? They say they’ll do a lot of things when you catch one in the hall or during the “debates,” but never anything specific. So what can ASUCR senators really do to help students? On their website, senators say they “advocate” for students, “represent them on campus-wide issues” and “participate in current events.” That’s a little vague. ASUCR should present students with a clear list of their duties. If you were to ask a random student sitting next to you in class what he or she thinks ASUCR does, they won’t have a clue—or they’ll say, “Don’t they organize Block Party or something?” To be fair, ASUCR has made some accomplishments. They increased the printing quota from 40 pages to 200 in the Watkins Computer Lab. How-
ever, Senator Johnny Ta’s report in fall quarter said it is a three-year project. After three years, ASUCR will look at it again and decide if it will continue receiving funds. Last year they advocated for Proposition 30, a ballot initiative by Gov. Jerry Brown to increase taxes and avoid further cuts to the UC Budget. Senators painted recycle bins as part of GCAP, experimented with convenient cubbie storage for commuters and advocated for the installation of solar panels in Lot 30. But the keyword here is “some.” They also voted on controversial resolutions such as the “Divestment from Companies that Profit from Apartheid,” which was mired in ham-handed political debates that filled the ASUCR Senate Chambers with even more rhetoric. Did ASUCR senators announce their political views before or after they were elected? They never did.
Political Decisions The senate’s vote on the divestment resolution and its subsequent rescission marked a significant turning point in the culture of UCR’s student government away from campus-centered problems and toward national and international issues. ASUCR should and needs to participate in wide-reaching issues important to the student body, including decisions like divestment. However, the senate’s move to divest marked a moment when UCR’s student government made a political decision––but our ASUCR senators were not voted into office with political labels, preventing the student body from voting for senators who adequately represent their beliefs. It is important for ASUCR to vote on political matters to show UC students’ voices in a changing political world. If ASUCR continues along this route, a solution would be to state the political leanings of each candidate on the ballot during election season. Identifying labels like conservative, liberal or moderate and stances on hot-button topics would give the student body a general idea about how a senator might vote in political issues,
and how that senator would represent the students of UCR. We are not asking for ASUCR to detail the life histories of candidates, but UCR students should be informed about the political leanings of their representatives. Without adequate knowledge of the basic political backgrounds or feelings of the candidates, it is not possible for the students of UCR to make an informed decision on who they wish to represent them, especially with ASUCR beginning to make overtly political decisions. UCR’s student body is an extremely diverse one, and we take great pride in this. Everyone deserves representation, but without knowledge of the basic political feelings of their candidates, students are truly left in the dark as to whether their concerns are being accurately represented by their senators. This can lead to not only unwanted, but inaccurate representations of the student body at UCR. Without proper representation, how can ASUCR accurately capture the voice of UCR’s students? And if it cannot accurately represent us, what is the point of electing senators in the first place?
Ethics and Transparency Transparency is one of the defining qualities of an honest student government. After all, transparency reassures the voters that their representatives are doing their duties assiduously. For the past few weeks, however, the actions of ASUCR have been nothing but covert. Never in recent memory has the lack of transparency from the student government been as evident as it has been in the last month. During a senate meeting on March 6, 2013, senators decided to vote on five pieces of legislation, including the controversial divestment resolution and an ASUCR stipend increase, through a closed ballot. After the votes were cast,
they were seen and counted solely by Executive Vice President Armando Saldana. The votes were then shredded and never revealed to the public. ASUCR’s reason behind the secrecy was to ensure the safety of the senators. According to Saldana, no senators have received threats to their personal safety since. Similar actions were taken during another senate meeting on April 2, 2013. This time, the senate voted to rescind the same controversial resolution they had passed a month earlier. Just like in the preASUCR CONT’D ON PAGE 9
OPINIONS
HIGHLANDER ASUCR FROM PAGE 8
vious meeting, the votes were cast secretly. This time around, however, Saldana and two other members of ASUCR were present to count the votes in another room. Admittedly, having more members counting the ballots is a bit more reassuring than having only one person counting them. But that’s not enough. ASUCR is a
public body that represents students, and all votes should be released to the public. Failure to do so is not only troublesome for students, but a violation of ASUCR’s transparency act, which requires secret ballot votes be made public within 48 hours of being cast. For the students of UCR to truly trust their elected representatives, every vote must be made public, especially when a decision as substantial as this one is made. It is the students’ right to know whom they voted for and what
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
their actions are. It’s simple ethics. The ASUCR Constitution is clearly a work in progress. As a new crop of senators take their seats, the Highlander recommends that changes are made to the Constitution that voluntarily abide by California’s cornerstone law on government transparency, the Brown Act. Local governments, homeowners’ associations and even CCC and CSU student governments fall under the jurisdiction of the law—all except ASUCs. Incorporating
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the guidelines and best practices outlined by the Brown Act would not only open up ASUCR to the public, but also position it as a leader in the UC system on issues of transparency and accountability. ASUCR is supposed to be a representative body of elected officials, who represent the interests of the student body. Student fees have been funneled into ASUCR but have resulted in only minimal improvements to campus life and climate, leaving the government as opaque as ever.
The Judicial Branch During the 2012-2013 elections, the undergraduate student body approved the passage of a constitutional amendment that changed the ASUCR senate from a parliamentary system to a three-branch government, with judicial, executive and legislative branches. The separation of powers among the three branches was meant to create a system of checks and balances within the student government, especially after a crossfire of controversy near the end of last year proved a lack of accountability and integrity. Yet the senate continues to operate with little to no internal accountability over their legislative processes. The judicial branch consists of six members, appointed by the executive branch and confirmed by the senate. During fall 2012, a justice often attended all senate meetings. Due to fears of undue influence on an impartial judiciary, the judicial branch determined that their presence was no longer needed during the senate meeting. ASUCR Vice Chief Justice Mark Orland argues that the branches have limited interaction when discussing
legislative matters and there is a level of confidentiality that is balanced within the student government. Arguably, the separation of powers is limited by the fact that all branches are located in the same office, increasing the chance for one branch to influence another. The judicial branch’s lack of transparency became most apparent during the March 6 meeting, where ASUCR conducted five closed ballot votes because of one controversial resolution. The Highlander attempted to contact the judicial branch in regards to the vote, yet no contact information was available at the time. ASUCR Parliamentarian Chris Sanchez, who serves as an oversight for legal proceedings, and who we contacted for comment, could not reach any of the justices either. A recently-updated webpage for the judicial branch has been posted with the main contact information. Orland explained that the branch has attempted to become an “established” institution over the current academic year, due to the recent changes to the ASUCR Constitution. He stated that investigative cases are often filed by both senators and members of the
proach in their responsibilities. At the
W e s l e y N g /HIGHLANDER
The Judicial Branch of ASUCR is nowhere to be found in light of recent controversies.
audience on pieces of legislation or even legal proceedings that do not abide by the Constitution. With such a strong reliance on the Constitution, we are left to wonder whether the justices should take a more proactive ap-
Elections and Campaigning ASUCR needs to be competent in one of the few areas it has near-complete control over: elections to its own body. But this is far from true. Let’s face it: ASUCR elections are a farce. It is true that coordinating an election for a student body of over 10,000 is difficult. But that is not an excuse for problems that have appeared with alarming regularity. Elections last year were mired in controversy after candidates exploited a loophole in the elections bylaws, allowing them to campaign with laptops at University Village. Despite the uproar, the elections results were allowed to stand. ASUCR managed to botch this year’s elections before they even started. Four candidates were initially disqualified from running for office because they failed to turn in a list of 50 student identification numbers (SIDs), alongside students’ names and signatures. However, neither the petition on which the candidate was supposed to collect the SIDs, nor the ASUCR elections bylaws, make mention of an SID requirement. ASUCR later voted to allow the candidates to participate in the election. But there’s something disconcerting about an elected body of representatives selecting the candidates to next serve as student body representatives. There is an inherent conflict of interest at play in ASUCR’s decision to allow the candidates to run. All of the candidates were to be members of the YOU[CR] party, the same party the senatorial incumbents are members of.
One of those candidates initially disqualified is current ASUCR Senator Niela Darmani, who essentially voted to include herself on the ballot. In light of the senate’s decision to allow the YOU[CR] candidates to run, a candidate in the rival R’Voice party was disqualified for having not fulfilled an election requirement. His disqualification also resulted in the disbandment of the party because it no longer met the member quota enforced by the elections. This time, the candidate was not allowed to rectify the situation and run. Given the incompetence with which elections are managed, it is no wonder that students are reluctant to vote and ASUCR is essentially forced to incentivize students into voting with free giveaways at the voting booth. UCR students can’t even make informed voting decisions because ASUCR does not provide sufficient information to students. Brief biographies are required of all candidates, but they leave hardly enough room for students to learn anything significant about the candidates’ goals, plans, backgrounds and experience. ASUCR should require lengthier statements so candidates would have to prove they bring solutions to the table. Candidate debates produce only more vague assurances of maintaining autonomy from the UCR administration, a product of time constraints. The solution is to hold more debates so that students are able to make informed decisions at the polling place.
same time, the absence of the judicial branch during senate meetings leaves students with a limited understanding of each branch’s role and overall effectiveness within government.
Endorsements KUCR Referendum
The KUCR radio station has been an integral part of the campus community for nearly a half century, providing news and entertainment to students and the larger Riverside area. Implementing a student fee would enable KUCR to repair and replace aging infrastructure and provide contribute “to a building fund which would at some point relocate the station to a modern facility,” according to the referendum. In so doing, it would improve the quality of broadcasts and further encourage student participation in radio and student media. For these reasons, the Highlander endorses the KUCR referendum.
Constitutional Amendment 1
The ASUCR senate’s current composition of 16 senators is not able to accurately reflect the diversity of an expanding UCR campus. As UCR grows, it is vital that its students have a representative body able to respond to its needs and desires. By expanding the number of senators from 16 to 20, ASUCR would better mirror the campus as a whole, giving students accurate representation and enabling our elected representatives to live up to the true meaning of representation. Therefore, the Highlander supports increasing the number of Senators from 16 to 20.
Constitutional Amendment 2
The second constitutional amendment imposes a number of changes, including giving the president the authority to select the controller (who will be renamed the vice president of finance) and limiting the use of executive vetoes, among other alterations. Although some of these changes are made with good intentions in mind, they do not significantly address the problems of transparency and accountability that have hobbled ASUCR throughout the year. This constitutional amendment is little more than a bandaid on top of a larger festering problem. Until ASUCR has shown a willingness to fix its most pressing issues, the Highlander cannot endorse these changes to the Constitution.
Candidate Endorsements
The Highlander would like to provide endorsements for candidates, but we are unable to do so because of the lack of information provided by ASUCR and the candidates themselves. Without adequate information, the Highlander cannot make any evaluation as to the competency of any candidate. Therefore, the Highlander refrains from making
Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.
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, APRIL 16, 2013
OPINIONS
HIGHLANDER
Turning towards online voter registration proves beneficial Alexandria Camarella CONTRIBUTING WRITER
With many legislators looking for ways to register more voters for upcoming elections, there has been a recent push for different tactics that could potentially draw in more voters. This action has proved beneficial for both states, particularly in Arizona where the participation of young adults aged 18 to 24 in registering online spiked from 28 percent to 53 percent—which then led to a greater overall voter turnout rate. By President Barack Obama’s reelection in 2012, thirteen states also began to partake in creating legislation to implement online voter registration. As of April 2, 2013, fifteen additional states have sent for or are drawing up legislation regarding online voting registration. With online registration in tow, this new technology brings in countless benefits that could greatly affect future voting participation turnout. A study done by the University of California, Davis suggests that citizens who sign up to vote online are more likely to show up on Election Day and cast their ballots. The study shows that 78 percent of online registrants turned out for elections as opposed to the 70.2 percent of non-online registrants. This is significant because it would mean that if more states focused on adding online voter registration, the American population that would be more likely to take part in elections. Online voter registration is not only a more effective choice in generating a higher turnout, but it is also more practical. With more services, including college courses and the FAFSA application, running on the Internet, it was only a matter of time before something as simple yet important as voter registration made its mark on the Web. This easy
C a l i f o r n i a S t a t e S e n a t o r L e l a n d Ye e i n t ro d u c e s l e g i s l a t i o n t h a t w o u l d e x p a n d o n l i n e v o t e r re g i s t r a t i o n .
access to the right to vote gives people the ability to actually sit down and register any time of day without having to worry about getting ahold of complicated paperwork and it getting lost in the mail. Eventually, using the Internet for registration would save on both money and labor costs—and both Republicans and Democrats agree that expanding online registration is the way to go. While online voter registration proves to be both beneficial and effective in terms of accessing the greatest amount of people by using up the smallest amount of resources, some opponents raise the potentiality of
cyber attacks through these government-protected websites. For example, Maryland had planned to originally send registrants an
...citizens who sign up to vote online are more likely to show up on Election Day and cast their ballots. e-mail with a password, which would then be used to fill out the
O n l i n e v o t e r re g i s t r a t i o n w o u l d e n a b l e m o re c i t i z e n s t o e n g a g e i n t h e d e m o c r a t i c p ro c e s s .
form before sending it in. Some critics point out that all a hacker would have to do is find his way into the delivering system or falsify information to gain access to these emails. Since there is no way for the participant to verify his identity with his signature, the hacker can easily take this password and use it for his own intent and purposes. This would not be the first time that a cyber attack has been posed on a government Internet site. It leaves room for concern, because the United States government and private corporations have had several attempted and some successful attacks on its systems in the past.
C o u rt e s y
of sfcitizen.com
C o u rt e s y
of sfcitizen.com
But just because the process is online doesn’t mean it’s less safe, and many say that online registration may be more secure. David Becker, director of election projects for Pew Charitable Trusts points out, “If you can create a tool that harnesses electronics to allow voters greater convenience and creates greater security for an election and saves the voters of thousands of dollars in the process, why wouldn’t you?” Another criticism that has been brought up regarding online voter registration is that if some states require a mix of a Social Security Number, driver’s license and birth date, then people who do not own a license or state-issued I.D. would be essentially unable to participate online. Yet if this isn’t a requirement on paper registration forms, the online varieties can be easily altered to match their paper counterparts. Overall, though, beyond the alleged security risks, online voter registration would continue to bring benefits to the United States. Because of the rise of the Internet as a necessary tool for the American population, adding online voter registration still proves to be an appropriate plan of action. While there are always going to be cyber threats regarding the safety of the systems, the United States government and individual state governments work around the clock to verify its network security. While there is still room for concern, the benefits of shifting towards online voter registration will eventually lead to a higher voter turnout rate. This stronger participation of the American public would thetn be better able to elect officials that accurately represent it and its desires. ■H
The opinions expressed in the Opinions section belong solely to their authors and do not represent the Highlander Editorial Board or the University of California, Riverside.
. FEATURES .
HIGHLANDER
EATON
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
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CONFERENCE
thursday / introductions by michael rios, senior staff writer
t
he first day of the 2013 Eaton Science Fiction Conference at the Marriott hotel in Riverside was a who’s who of science fiction. Writers from shows like “Battlestar Galactica,” “Star Trek” and even “Tron: Uprising” were all invited to the event, which began on April 11. From breakout sessions to public displays of science fiction works, the three-day conference featured it all. According to some of the event coordinators, that was exactly the intent. As Sarah Allison, the director of the Eaton Conference Planning Committee, put it, the three-day event was essentially a way for UC Riverside to leave a memorable mark in the
world of science fiction. “We wanted to create a recognizable brand,” she stated in an interview with the Highlander. I attended a few of breakout sessions in my time there. One of the lectures, entitled “Superhero Controversies in Comics and Television,” featured a heated discussion about some of the themes of shows like “Dr. Who” and “The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” For instance, Kimberly McMahon-Coleman of the University of Wollongong argued that the themes portrayed in the modern “Dr. Who” are misogynistic. According to her, the show does a poor job creating strong role models for the young
women who watch the show. This was met by fierce criticism by some of the male audience members, who questioned the opinion of the presenter and argued that some of the female characters of the show were indeed strong female role models. Other presenters included Toby Braden Johnson, a graduate student at UC Riverside. He gave a presentation that outlined a potentially racist representation of the prophet Muhammad in a “Ninja Turtles” comic. According to him, this was a controversy that went unnoticed and his intent was to let readers of the comic know. But the conference wasn’t a solely lecture-
filled event; it also featured a treasure trove of science fiction literary works including material from UCR’s Eaton Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Other notable features included cinema memorabilia and even a working 3D printer. Essentially, the entire conference presented the many ways science fiction has been portrayed in the many forms of media. The goal was to to bring together hundreds of science fiction aficionados from all over the globe in hopes of making UCR’s collection a more recognizable brand. Evidently it worked. As Allison put it, the first day was “successful.”
V i n c e n t T a /HIGHLANDER The reception for this year’s Eaton Science Fiction Conference was held in Mission Inn’s Spanish Art Gallery. The beautiful room fit just enough people.
narrative identities and breaking bad / friday
by rebecca paredes, senior staff writer
t
V i n c e n t T a /HIGHLANDER Many tables were present at the Eaton Science Fiction Conference’s exhibition room. Big names in sci-fi included Tachyon Publications and Cinefex, to name a few.
he Eaton Science Fiction Conference continued last Friday at the Marriott hotel in Riverside. I attended an early-morning presentation titled, “Mirror, Mirror: Intertextual Narratives of Power and Identity in Science Fiction Television,” which is a mouthful of a title but ended up being reasonably fascinating. Stanley Orr, an english professor at the University of Hawai’i, West O’ahu began the session with a sonorous reading from “The Night of the
Burning Scripts,” an essay that covered the postcolonial aesthetics of John Kneubuhl in “The Wild, Wild West.” The lectures were presented in an essayistic format. Orr and the following speaker, Craig Svonkin, from the Metropolitan State University of Denver, maintained a lively conversation during the freeform Q&A sessions following their lectures. Cheryl Edelson, an english professor from Chaminade University, made an enthralling presentation on
Heisenberg’s identity in the hit TV series “Breaking Bad.” I wasn’t interested in watching the show until Edelson discussed the parallels between Walter White’s evolution into an iconic, beakerbursting, science fiction baddie. A few tech troubles prevented Edelson from showing us specific clips, but her description of Heisenberg as a villain in the same vein (aesthetically and thematically) as Lex Luthor and Doctor Doom made up for the Marriott’s impossibly
slow web connection. My evening concluded at the Culver Center in Downtown Riverside, where experimental filmmaker Craig Baldwin presented his 1999 archived footage extravaganza, “Spectres of the Spectrum.” The film featured an avant-garde use of flashes, distorted images and highpitched sounds (boops and beeps, naturally). It included satirical slant and explored the timeline of media’s evolution––which was one of the themes of the entire conference.
saturday / a goodbye tribute by michael rios, senior staff writer
t
he third and final day of the conference served as a sort of tribute to some of the biggest pioneers in science fiction. It was a proper sendoff to what proved to be a successful event. One of the most memorable lectures was an hour-long tribute to James Gunn, the notable science fiction author. Gunn himself was present at the lecture. After a presentation
by some of his friends and colleagues, Gunn spoke a little about his life and interest in science fiction literature. As he put it, his love for science fiction developed after accidentally stumbling into a collection of Tarzan novels his grandmother’s closet. He went on to address the crowd, inspiring them to find their own passions in life. “Things come along and you need to take advantage of them,” he
advised. The conference concluded with a special awards ceremony to honor some of the biggest names in science fiction. Stan Lee, co-creator of Marvel Comics was invited to the conference to receive the J. Lloyd Eaton Lifetime Achievement award. However, much to the dismay for the attendees, lecturers and even coordinators, Lee was unable to attend the event.
The other recipients of the same award were science fiction novelist Ursula K. Le Guin and Ray Harryhausen, creator of a type of stop-motion animation known as Dynamation. His work has been featured in films such as “Jason and the Argonauts” and “Mighty Joe Young.” Sarah Allison reflected on the success of the Eaton Science Fiction Conference. “[It was] the best one ■H yet,” she said.
V i n c e n t T a /HIGHLANDER Istvan Csicsery-Ronay Jr. narrates “The Day the Earth Stood Still” for his speech. Csicsery-Ronay Jr. focuses on the Eye of Gort and what it symbolizes in the movie.
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FEATURES
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
HIGHLANDER
The Deutschland Diaries: Excerpts of the experiences and misadventures of a UCR student studying abroad.
By Alex Suffolk, Staff Writer
Fail Better April 6-7
The pub was filled with the steady booming of oldschool Schlager music—dwarfed in sound only by the clinking of Astra bottles and the consistent cheering of a good time. My six fellow Californians and I had been taken to Hamburg for the weekend, and had spent the day touring the lovely city and enjoying the first clear sky we had seen since we arrived in Germany. Apparently this winter was one of the longest in over a century. But now the sun had set and we had the night to explore Hamburg’s notorious red light district and club scene. “You just took these kids to the scariest part of Germany,” a friend of one of our tutors had said earlier. “You should implant GPS chips in them or something and by tomorrow, you’ll be asking ‘Why are two of them in Hannover?’” We left the pub and began walking the streets, which were filled with neon signs promising beer and gentlemen’s clubs promising the best girls in the city. I know I’ve used the term “Drunken Disneyland” to describe a variety of places in the past, but I think I’m going to use it no longer, because that title clearly belongs to the Reeperbahn: A mighty river of people happy and loud, flowing from one end of the street to the other, with canals branching off to even more bars hidden in corners as well as a few alleys with ladies of the night waiting for suitors. Eventually we settled on one club featuring a live band. After shuffling through the morass of flesh and sweat that was the dance floor, we found our own little niche to enjoy the ambiance and even more drinks. However, I soon spotted a lady in the corner, alone and positively glowing in the dim red lights of the club. She was sporting a leather jacket just as I was, and thanks to a cocktail of Jäger and hopeless romanticism, I felt like there was some kind of connection in that. I sat down next to her and managed to get through the first few lines in fluent German, much to my own surprise and delight. After switching to English, we spent the next five to 10 minutes discussing our mutual love of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Tool. That’s all I needed to gather enough courage to ask her to dance with me. Then when she said she hated the music, I asked her to kiss me. She declined, giving the reason that she had feelings for someone else that wasn’t in the bar. And then she asked me a question I thought wouldn’t hinder me after high school, “How old are you, anyway?” “Twenty,” I answered, quite taken aback, “Why? How old are you?” “I’m 35.” “Wait, what?” “You’re a child!” Scheisse. And here I thought
you could love Eddie Vedder at any age. We left that venue and soon found another to hold up in. However, Jules, Yoshi and I, the males of the group, decided to leave the rest of them behind to “check out the casinos.” We soon found ourselves in front of one of the many gentlemen’s clubs. Seeing that the price was only five euro for going in and buying a beer, we eagerly walked inside. It didn’t take long for us to realize how much of a mistake we made walking in there. A look around the corner revealed one man who apparently paid for a room with all of the ladies for himself— leaving only two or three to laze about the club. One perched herself in Jules’ lap and was vehemently pushing for him to buy a dance or buy her a drink. “I don’t have any money,” he told her. “Of course you have money. How else did you buy the beer to get in?” she replied. “Well, they knew we were students and poor, so they let us in for free,” he said. I’m not sure if his goal was to irritate or confuse her, but either way, that last comment made her leave. Jules and I quickly chugged our beers to give an excuse to get the hell out of there. We dragged Yoshi with us before he could even finish his, leaving him still with his bottle in hand. We were walking down the street when a lone bouncer flagged down Yoshi, poking fun of the beer in his hand. “There’s only one club in all of Hamburg that sells beer that bad and it’s the worst one in the entire city,” he said. “You came from Club 66,” he continued, “where the beer is shit and the girls are 66.” Naturally, after hearing a joke like that, we had to enter his fine establishment. But unfortunately, we had spent the last of our lower euro bills on previous drinks. We decided to sit in the back and watch like the cheapest bastards in the joint. For a while, it was complete bliss. The dancer on the stage had a tattoo of black petals that started on her left wrist, went up her arm, diagonally down her back, across her right leg and ended at her ankle. And when she twirled up and down toward the ceiling and back, the ink flowers twirled within her creamed skin. I was mesmerized.
Then she came down and asked if we wanted a table dance. It broke my heart to whip out Jules’ tried and true “broke student” excuse. I told her that she was beautiful and that I was sorry. Then she just looked me in the eyes and said that she was sorry. This filled me instantly with regret and sexual frustration. Then I looked at the other table, and was met with the image of a man getting his groin thrashed by his own belt. If that’s what the dances there entailed, maybe I made the right call after all. We had to relocate to the front of the stage, and not a minute went by before the next dancer went over to Yoshi, whose immediate response was to throw me forward instead. And before I could even ask what he was doing, the dancer had placed the strap of her top in my mouth. I knew it was expected of me to tip for that kind of thing, but alas, I had nothing to tip with. With her top in my mouth, I turned to Yoshi to ask for a five euro bill, but the joker was too busy laughing his ass off. Then I turned to Jules to see him literally running away in the opposite direction. Thanks, guys. So I turned back, drunk and utterly helpless. And in that moment, I could think of nothing better to do than shrug and say, “I don’t know,” which when filtered through the string, must have come out as a whimpered “EhhEyyEhh…” She promptly tugged it back out of my mouth and pushed me back into my seat. Yoshi just kept laughing. When Benedict Jules Arnold came back, I made sure that we left before we embarrassed ourselves even further. We stumbled out into the night howling with laughter at our own mistakes and general idiocy. As we shuffled on back to our youth hostel, we made vow to come back when we could handle Hamburg’s nightlife a little more responsibly and when we could actually spend money. The next morning, our group went to Hamburg Kunsthalle, the city’s great art gallery. In it, I found a variety of works ranging from classic paintings like “The Wanderer on the Sea of Fog” to a room with seven projectors all displaying the same spinning, screaming head. But actually, my favorite thing in that whole museum was a quote that inspired one of the pieces. On one wall, Samuel Beckett’s “Worstward Ho,” read, “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” And it really struck me as being a perfect description of the night before. And the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to be a perfect mantra for living in a new environment. I spend a lot of each day feeling like a bit of an idiot, but I think that’s the first step in learning anything new. I’ve failed quite a bit already over here, and I’m bound to fail even more. But as long as I keep failing better, eventually, I’ll be able to consider my ■H experiences as successes.
FEATURES
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
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Left to right: Nick Lowe strikes a pose next to his work; spectators at the opening reception of the MFA Thesis Exhibition; Carter Seddon by his work in the gallery.
Abstract Instinct:
M FA T h e s i s E x h i b i t i o n 2 0 1 3
By Susan Chavira, Contributing Writer
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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 Own room in house for $550
UCR ARTSblock’s Sweeney Art Gallery & Culver Center of the Arts presented the annual MFA Thesis Exhibition, showcasing works by five graduating Master of Fine Arts students in UCR’s Department of Art. Located in Downtown Riverside, the gallery featured stop-motion animation, digital projections, photography and elements of abstraction. As an attendee of the opening reception on Saturday, April 13, 2013, I was able to mingle with the artists and gain insight on the creative process. Ordinarily, highlighter fluid is used in clerical and study settings, but artist Gabriel Arroyo created visually stimulating pieces with the office desk utensil. Arroyo’s brightly pigmented canvases are alluring and head tilting. Once I learned of the techniques and supplies involved, I was fascinated. He modestly shared the process behind the final product, which literally in-
Photos By Susan Chavira volved highlighters and a brush to distribute the ink. At first glance, a painting of that nature poses as something a lot more complex. However, abstractions in his paintings are thought provoking and allow the audience to experience the experimental realm of the artistic mind. The dimly lit exhibition is definitely illuminated by his work. Rachel Bank, one of the artists, was moved by the flashing signal of a train road sign and from there developed the idea for her video projections. The installations of Bank’s pieces are a hybrid form of art. Her sculptural designs are accompanied by abstract images and unique geometric-like patterns. “Black and White, Leaners” was my personal favorite. There was fluid energy in the piece and it reminded me of the cutouts that are accomplished with artsy-edged scissors. Nick Lowe, enthusiast of
Gumby, the green clay humanoid character, applied stop-motion animation to explore form, line and color in his two videos “What the Clockmaster Gave to the Timekeeper” and “Stack Variation/Void Expansion” that are showing at the gallery. These projects were under construction since November of 2012 and it is evident in the display that meticulous craft was exercised to bring about something so unique. The animations are captivating; there are bricks that appear to be moving on their own but then a ghostly figure is present momentarily. Stop-motion animation is a technique used to manipulate inanimate objects where they are moved in small increments between individual photographs that are played at a continuous sequence to create the illusion. I shared a couple of laughs with Justin Lubliner as he expressed preference for black and white
photography and his plans after graduation. With a large grin he said, “Money, fame and power.” The charisma of all the artists was truly invigorating. Some of his objects of focus in the series “Orange Prince, Oranve Queen” were actually photographed locally on Iowa Avenue. Perhaps you’ll recognize the lonesome oranges from one of the groves. Carter Seddon shared an interest for black and white photography as well. In the frames you’ll find a variety of sizes and objects ranging from the light reflection of a CD to a photograph of Seddon’s own spit. Attendance is highly encouraged for those that would like to get their feet in an artsy ambiance. The MFA Thesis Exhibition 2013 will be at the Sweeney Art Gallery until May 4. Admission is free with a student I.D. and hours of operation are Tuesdays through Saturdays ■H from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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Left to right: “Smooth Salmon” by Rachel Bank. Wood, latex paint and video projection; Justin Lubliner before a photograph of his choice; “Black and White, Leaners” by Rachel Bank.
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FEATURES
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
RESTAURANT REVIEW:
HIGHLANDER
Boba Fiend Tea House RATING: ★★★☆☆
BY: JESSICA MARTINEZ, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Sandy Van/HIGHLANDER Clockwise from left: Milk tea (top) and coffee latte tea (bottom); large TVs and couches for patrons to enjoy inside; the front counter; artwork on display next to the front counter. If you want to attract a crowd on a Monday night, boba would do the trick. But even better, what about free boba? That is exactly what attracted a large crowd Monday, April 8, for the grand opening of Boba Fiend Tea House on Iowa Avenue. Riverside is no stranger to boba tea houses and the grand opening was indeed a busy night for this tea house. I showed up around 8 p.m. and the line was out the door. Lil’ Wayne was blasting loudly. The music was mixed with the chatter of people inside and outside in line. When I finally made it through the door I was greeted by orange walls and bright lights. Three LCD TVs were mounted on different walls. There were also red couches and a few tables. It looked like a teenager’s dream room; very modern and laid back. It took about 10 minutes to get to the cash register and order. It wasn’t bad considering how busy they were. The options being offered at the grand opening were milk tea, flavored tea, yogurt tea and coffee tea with many different flavors including almond, chocolate, mango, strawberry, honeydew and many more. I decided to try the milk tea, honeydew yogurt tea and coffee latte tea. I walked over to the side where I could see the drinks being made as fast as possible with looks of anxiety on both the workers and the customers waiting. I managed to find a table in the corner and also discovered that they offered free Wi-Fi with a password posted on the counter. Waiting for my order, Kendrick Lamar’s voice could be heard playing along with Drake and other artists of the same genre. The music quickly made me forget I was at a restaurant and not at a
party or club. The cashiers had to shout out the number of the customers’ order to give them their drinks. But amongst the loud music blasting, people talking and whiz of the blenders, it was very hard to hear the numbers being called out. My drinks took about 20 minutes to make and when I went up to grab them, I was told they had run out of boba. This was really puzzling because after all, I was at a boba tea house where boba is the specialty. Not only had I paid for two drinks after my complimentary one, but I had also paid extra for boba which I was not given. Instead of trying to compensate what I paid for or offering me something else, I was given one extra stamp on my punch card. I argued against this because I felt I was getting ripped off. The girl looked shocked when I said this but went to talk to another worker and came back to stamp out my whole card for a free drink. After this frustrating debacle, I went back to my table and told myself to not let what had just happened influence my opinion of the drinks.
The first drink I tried was the milk tea. The first sip was very rich with the tea flavor more than the milk flavor. The taste of the tea was so strong it lingered long after I was done with my first sip. The crunchy ice made the drink feel more like a slushy. This milk tea was definitely stronger and richer than other milk teas I have tried. The next drink I tried was the coffee latte tea. Be forewarned, the coffee is strong. It also had a rich chocolate taste which made it a more of a very strong mocha latte. Perfect for late-night study sessions. The third and last drink I tried was the honeydew yogurt drink. All the yogurt drinks are not made with milk, but with water instead. This green concoction was sweet and rich with the taste of honeydew. It was amazingly refreshing and reminded me of summertime on the beach. Full of rejuvenating flavor, it’s the perfect drink for a humid Riverside day. Although there was nothing particularly different or special about Boba Fiend, it’s good to know that there is now another option when in need of boba. Aside from drinks, Boba Fiend
Tea House will also offer snacks which were not available at the grand opening. The drink prices range from $3 and over. Boba
Fiend Tea House is a place where you can socialize, relax and even study. Hopefully not all nights are H as hectic as the grand opening. ■
HIGHLANDER
R adar
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT @ h i g h l a nde r r a d a r
Events this week Tuesday | 4/16 Open Mic @ Back to the Grind, 7:00 p.m. Wednesday | 4/17
Evidence @ The Barn, 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday | 4/17-4/21 Riverside International Film Festival @ Regal Cinema Riverside, 1:00 p.m. Friday | 4/19 RCC Stay Classy Performance/ Open Mic @ Blood Orange Infoshop, 5:30 p.m.
I a n M a c K ay e a nd A m y F a r i n a o f T h e E v en s O r a nge I nf o S h o p o n T h u r s d ay .
p e r f o r m at t h e
Blood C h r i s L o C a s c i o /HIGHLANDER
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TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
Top to bottom: Yasmin Madadi performs “The Vagina Workshop;” Elle Griszelda performs “My Angry Vagina;” Kyrsten Watt plays the role of an old lady in “The Flood.”
The Vaginas Are Monologuing
Rebecca Paredes, Senior Staff Writer Photos by Tsung Su
MONOLOGUES FROM PAGE 1
was that the woman’s experience was so embarrassing, so ugly, that she “closed the whole store. Locked it. Never open for business again ... The idea of flooding made me too nervous,” and although the monologue’s content was presumably exaggerated for dramatic effect, its central idea rang true as a comment on the general perception that the normal, anatomical inner workings of women’s vaginas is “gross” and “unkempt.” In past productions, “The Vagina Monologues” has garnered criticism for being anti-male. While only one monologue discussed a healthy relationship with a male (Bob in “Because He Liked to Look at it,” performed wonderfully by Latisha Plance), I did not feel like the performance was anti-male; it was pro-female empowerment, and did not need to emphasize males because the monologues as a whole were about appreciating what it means to be a woman, with a vagina, and not being
afraid to talk about it. Notably, the performance’s tone shifted after Plance’s monologue from a discussion of womanhood into a hard look at the very real and frightening issues women face around the world. After a short intermission, Bola Adeniran and Allison Molnaa performed “My Vagina Was My Village,” which honestly made me cry. The monologue alternated between Molnaa’s poetically peaceful memories and Adeniran’s hauntingly emotional retellings of torture and abuse. The contrast between Adeniran’s lines, which were based on the experiences of victims from rape camps in Bosnia and Kosovo, against Molnaa’s bright-eyed optimism was incredibly powerful. If anyone wanted to complain about the ticket prices for the event, this monologue alone was worth the $15, which helps fund the Women’s Resource Center, the Riverside Rape Crisis Center and the Women and Girls of Haiti Rescue Fund. After such an emotionally exhausting performance, creative
writing graduate student Vivii Louise was a refreshing burst of energy and passion. Her monologue, “The Woman Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy,” felt like the climax of the play because of Louise’s larger-than-life voice and presence; she rocked the stage as she spoke from the perspective of a sex worker for women who loved providing women with toe-curling, hair-twisting pleasure. Louise also demonstrated different types of moans without reservations, and I was partial to her Beyoncé moan, which arrived in song. Every performer at UCR’s production of “The Vagina Monologues” was beautiful, powerful and made the event a worthwhile experience. It made me feel introspective, empowered, excited and occasionally horrified, which is exactly what Ensler strived to do when she first performed the monologues in 1996. The Women’s Resource Center will present “The Vagina Monologues” again on Tuesday, April 16, and whether or not you have a vagina, you should absolutely attend. Bring a friend. ■H
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
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MOVIE REVIEWS COMING OUT SOON:
OBLIVION
FILLY BROWN
THE BIG WEDDING
PAIN AND GAIN
SCARY MOVIE V RATING: ☆☆☆☆☆
BY: PHILLIP CARROLL-JOHNSON, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Courtesy of Dimension Films
I
n the last decade, the Scary Movie series grossed over a billion dollars, revitalizing the genre of film parodies. “Scary Movie V,” the latest entry, is the most inept and unintelligible thus far. The foundation of “Scary Movie V” is the sleeper hit, “Mama,” released earlier this year and “Evil Dead,” which was released last week––talk about a rough cut. This film breaks the continuity of earlier installments with the departure of the last remaining original cast members, Anna Faris and Regina Hall. Their absence makes this forgettable entry into the franchise that much more unbearable. Ashley Tisdale of Disney Channel fame replaces Faris in the lead female role. Tisdale has no comedic presence and is uninvolved and boorish as Jody, a young woman convinced that there are supernatural entities in her home. Faris and Hall aren’t the only things missing in this dismal effort from series newcomer director Malcolm D. Lee, who seems creatively absent throughout. The film mistakes spoofing current films with real relevance and immediacy. What made the first two films such a cultural phenomenon was the Wayans brothers (who wrote, directed and starred in the pictures) and their innate ability to comment and critique trends in popular zeitgeist. Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan star as themselves in an uninspired sendup of the Paranormal Activity series. Not only is this opening sequence (which infers a sexual relationship between the two troubled celebrities) devoid of laughs, but it gives the rest of the film’s short run time (thank God) a feeling that what we’re
seeing is as stale and as timely as a 2-year-old episode of the Wendy Williams show. The film’s use of now-iconic imagery from the Paranormal Activity series lacks insight and is a chore for anyone that is familiar with the found footage series. As the film continues, it becomes obvious that the narrative is virtually nonexistent because it only serves to loosely tie “Saturday Night Live”-esque sketches together. Note: “Saturday Night Live” is much better. In one of the film’s few illuminating moments, the always charismatic Snoop Dogg finds Sheen’s “Mama”-inspired children in a cabin located (of course) in Humboldt County.
However, his presence further serves to indict the filmmakers’ inability to say anything new. What makes “Scary Movie V” so infuriating is its stern resistance to saying anything fresh about the horror genre or popular culture. We all know Snoop Dogg loves his chronic medication, we are aware of both Sheen and Lohan’s past legal troubles and we have noted the unintentional comedic elements of Paranormal Activity and its many sequels. All these jokes have been made and are better executed in the form of memes in our Instagram timelines. Too many years have passed for pictures like “Black Swan,” “Inception” and “Planet of the
Apes” to be included in a current parody film, and with the exception of superstar R&B artist Usher, all the rest of the film’s “celebrity” cameos will leave audience members under 25 scratching their heads. So why continue to tread water? This flaccid attempt at rebooting the Scary Movie franchise (the last film was released seven years ago) may ironically be the last in the series. David Zucker (“Airplane,” “The Naked Gun”), who directed the last two films and wrote “Scary Movie V,” is seemingly responsible for the series’ increasingly goofy and surface-level sensibilities. At 65, is Zucker too old to be relevant? It is certainly a
possibility when one looks at the relative age of the Wayans when they were involved in the franchise. The film’s PG-13 rating also stifles comedic opportunities by never raising its bar above adolescent male humor. There were many moments that included both Sheen and Snoop Dogg which lacked the crude, drug-induced presence that rendered both men iconic pop culture figures. Most of the charm of prior installments came from the unadulterated depictions of sex, drugs and racial tension resulting in moments of hilarity. Comedy is about risk-taking and honesty. “Scary Movie V” is guilty of H denying its audience both. ■
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42 RATING:
B
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
★★★☆☆
efore I start this review, I think it’s necessary to state that I’m an unabashedly big fan of baseball, and especially its history. That’s not to say I wasn’t able to look at “42” from a critical perspective. While one can admittedly say that “42” turns up the cheese-dial in quite a few moments of the film, great–– if sometimes melodramatic–– performances by Chadwick Boseman (Jackie Robinson) and Harrison Ford (Branch Rickey) help portray the inspirational true story of the first black player in Major League Baseball. The movie starts out a bit overly dramatic with Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey. He declares that he wants to sign a black player, not just because he believes one of the Negro League players deserves a shot in the big leagues, but because he also believes it would earn the Dodgers more money. After mentioning a few other future big leaguers (Roy Campanella, Satchel Paige), he eventually decides on Robinson because of his toughness. Boseman brings Robinson’s toughness to the screen in one of the early dramatic parts of the film, when Rickey first pulls Robinson into his office to discuss coming to spring training. At one point, after Robinson has repeatedly questioned why Rickey was giving him this chance, Rickey starts berating him with possible insults and racial slurs that opponents and fans might start throwing at
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
BY: JAKE RICH, SENIOR STAFF WRITER him to the point of nearly being confrontational. Harrison’s performance as the shrewd old G.M. brought another level of tension to the scene, as it did throughout the film, alongside Boseman showing the fiery-yetrestrained side of Robinson. One of the best points of tension comes in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Manager Ben Chapman (Alan Tudyk) badgers Robinson with the n-word over and over, and Robinson has to keep ignoring it. During one at-bat, Robinson is visibly shaken, and after getting out, grabs a bat and angrily stares at Chapman before quickly going into the locker room tunnel to avoid confrontation. The tunnel is shown in darkness with the sun shining brightly in the doorway to the field. This shot suggests that the only way Robinson can make it is to just keep playing. Robinson breaks his bat on the wall in frustration, but is eventually comforted by Rickey and returns to the field to keep playing in spite of prejudice. If I had one major criticism of the “42,” it would be that, while inspirational, it bashes you over the head with sentimentality. The score is often overwhelming at points where the dialogue of the characters could do just fine for drama, and some of that dialogue is very predictable if you’ve ever watched an “inspirational” sports movie. Also, the fact that Robinson got a hit every time and made every play for the first half of the movie caused a bit of eye-rolling. The often-used
HIGHLANDER
Courtesy of Legendary Pictures
slow pans and close-ups were occasionally good for dramatic effect, but often felt like the film was trying too hard to be serious. What director and script writer Brian Helgeland (“Robin Hood,” “A Knight’s Tale”) could have done was push the envelope a little more, possibly delving deeper into who Jackie Robinson really was. For what it was, “42” was satisfiable and an apt tribute to a legend of American sports. Boseman as the young, fiery Robinson and Ford as the oldbut-wise Rickey truly helped provided just enough for the film to be good. I was just hoping for spectacular. ■H
A Column
Fashion Instinct Trend Alert: Confessions of an Online Shopper by Thelma Annan, Staff Writer
There are three things in life I am thankful for: my family, my health and online shopping. You know how some people get an adrenaline rush from driving really fast or jumping out of a plane? I get that same feeling pressing “confirm” whenever I purchase something online. Same effect, different result. But just like everything in life, shopping should be taken with care. Here are some tips to always remember: When to shop: The best times to shop online are during monthly holidays and seasonal in-betweens. Stores will be looking to get rid of their old stuff, giving you the chance to stock up on cable knit sweaters or summer dresses months in advance at a lower price.
Discounts: Signing up for newsletters can prove beneficial, as a lot of stores will send random discounts for the days in between holidays. We all know how annoying junk mail can be, so make sure not to overwhelm yourself with too many newsletters—otherwise, you could miss a grand spending opportunity. I suggest only signing up for the sites where you do frequent shopping both online and in person, as well as one or two of those expensive sites for those spontaneous “I deserve to treat myself” situations. Check out websites like Plndr, ASOS and my personal favorite, HauteLook, which sells high-end brands at discounted prices.
Beginner Tips: New to the shopping game? Let an old pro share some words of wisdom. We’ve all heard horror stories about dealing with online transactions. These are all true, but can be avoided by shopping safely. When buying from generic websites such as eBay or Amazon, be wary of foreign purchases. You can definitely get some great things abroad, but don’t forget to do your research first. If you find yourself purchasing from individual buyers, it is an absolute must to read their ratings, reviews and other comments. If you ever feel that something is not right, DON’T buy it. I also strongly suggest signing up for PayPal. Instead of entering your personal card number each time, money is taken out of your PayPal account—and only from the amount of money you deposit. It’s free and will save you a lot of trouble in the long run. Additional Tips: To ensure secure payment and personal information, two things should appear in the window of your browser: 1) A padlock icon H 2) “https://” (the “s” means “secure”) ■
C lockwise from top : C ourtesy of usdailyreview . com , courtesy com , courtesy of plndr . com , courtesy of forever 21. com
of hautelook .
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
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MUSIC REVIEWS PARAMORE // PARAMORE RATING:
A
★★★★☆ BY: MATTHEW GUERRERO, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
fter Paramore’s fast rise to stardom thanks to Hayley Williams’ electric voice, a swarm of criticism and lackluster music seemingly tore the band apart. Coinciding with the release of their third album, “Brand New Eyes,” Paramore lost its cohesiveness when the Farro brothers departed from the band. But out of celebrity scandal and band breakup rumors, Hayley Williams and her band of misfits have given their fans a treasure to behold: their fourth album titled, “Paramore.” This album breaks the traditional Paramore sound that originally made the band famous. Sounds from prior songs like “Misery Business” and “My Heart” are nowhere to be found. Instead, a blend of hypnotizing and sweet melodies dictates the flow of the album. The album begins with “Fast In My Car,” and the listener is immediately made aware that this is not the average rock or pop album with predictable instrumentation and lyrics; it is a transition from pop rock to an indie sound. The song starts with heavy emphasis on electronica and sets the tone for an album which no longer relies exclusively on Hayley Williams and her outstanding voice, but instead leans on bassist Jeremy Davis and guitarist Taylor York. As the album continues, songs like “Now” and “Interlude: Moving On” focus heavily on the departure of the Farro brothers and the survival and reinvention of the band. Later songs like “Daydreaming” and “Hate to See Your Heart Break” provide a more organic form of an indie love song, different from the forced and sometimes emotionless songs on their previous albums. Not only is the sound different in terms of genre, from pop rock to indie, but Williams herself has reinvented her voice. She becomes more passionate and emotional, as her long breaths make the listener feel her pain and sometimes joy throughout the album. The fabricated screaming pop sound is gone, as Paramore has truly arrived. The intro sequences of the album show that Paramore has become a band capable of producing both meaningful music and high quality sound, and are no longer just a collection of musicians who produce high-selling music. Perhaps the most publicized song on the album is “Still Into You.” Interestingly enough, this seems to be the weakest song on the album, largely because its lyrics
aren’t exactly exciting and the melodies aren’t as barrierbreaking as the rest of the album. But even the weakest song features a sound which is far different from bands who have “sold out.” Paramore has taken a lot from their strongest pieces in previous albums and reinvented them in “Still Into You” with a new, softer voice that rings authentic to listeners. The album draws to a close with traditionally powerful and emotional songs like “Hate to See Your Heart Break,” which has been a staple of Paramore’s albums, beginning with “All We Know is Falling.” This piece in particular features some of the best writing by the band, as Williams truly stresses the new sounds of both
her voice and the instruments with fantastic lyrics that capture the mind and heart of the listener. Lines like “For all the air that’s in your lungs / For all the joy that is to come / For all the things that you’re alive to feel,” combined with beautiful guitar play, creates a mood simply not felt on any previous album. It’s truly a pleasant experience when listening for the first time. Some fans may call these new sounds and songs too different from the original Paramore. But this new album features a band that has without a doubt evolved from a pop rock band with little future to a band that recognizes what real music is truly about: fantastic writing and cohesiveness. ■H
Courtesy of Fueled by Ramen
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER
Away from the Sprawl:
The Evens BLAST THE
BLOOD ORANGE by Jake Rich, Senior Staff Writer “When is Fugazi getting back together?” shouted an audience member. “What?” said Ian MacKaye. “When is Fugazi getting back together?” “What the f—k are you talking about? Do you know how many thousands of people got to see Fugazi? You’re getting to see The Evens. Not many people can say that.” And so started the brilliant set from hardcore legend Ian MacKaye’s current band, The Evens, at Blood Orange Infoshop in downtown Riverside last Thursday evening. The Evens, consisting of MacKaye (formerly of Fugazi and Minor Threat) on guitar and vocals, and longtime partner Amy Farina on drums and vocals, put out their first album in 2005. They came out with their most recent album in 2012, entitled ... well, “The Odds.” The show, attended by about 200 people, was located on the second floor of Blood Orange Infoshop. It’s probably the simplest setup you could ask for—just MacKaye and his guitar and Farina on her drum set, with a couple amps that they controlled beside them. The brick walls made for great acoustics as MacKaye and Farina rocked their unique blend of acoustic and aggressive music. Before the show even started, MacKaye asked everyone in the audience to sit on the floor not only so everyone could see, but so that he could connect with many more audience members. The crowd, diverse in age and style — there was a baby wearing sound-blocking headphones sitting with her father in the front row — was seemingly put into a trance as they rocked out simply by bobbing their heads throughout the songs. The intensity on MacKaye’s face was incredible as he jammed sitting in his chair, and on more than one occasion nearly knocked his microphone over just from playing so hard. Farina also looked passionate as she sung her heart out while performing complex drum rhythms. MacKaye continually
interacted with the crowd by answering questions, explaining the thought process behind his songs and encouraging the crowd to sing along loudly. Before playing the song “Mt. Pleasant Isn’t,” he taught the crowd the lyrics, “The police will
not be excused, the police will not behave.” When the part came in the song, he pointed at the crowd to sing, to which the crowd responded enthusiastically. After the show, MacKaye stayed for at least a half hour taking pictures and signing
autographs for anyone who wanted one. He was also selling copies of all three of The Evens’ albums in record form and CD for $10. Over the course of his musical career with Minor Threat and Fugazi, MacKaye has been known to staunchly defend to keep his
ticket and albums prices low. Their next show will be at the Vex Arts in Los Angeles on April 17, and during the second weekend of Coachella on the 19. If you have the slightest chance to go and see them, I highly recommend it. It’s not H a show you’ll want to miss. ■
SPORTS
HIGHLANDER
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013
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Softball team beats San Diego State Aztecs Matthew Guerrero CONTRIBUTING WRITER
April 13, 2013 Highlanders 6 - Aztecs 5
The Highlanders took on the San Diego State Aztecs April 13 at the Amy S. Harrison Field and came away with a 6-5 home victory in come-from-behind fashion. The Highlanders finally won a game after losing 10 tough matches in a row with inconsistent pitching and offense. UCR improved its record to 16-24 while the Aztecs fell to 24-16. The game provided edgeof-your-seat action as each team notched runs from dramatic homers and battled against each other’s gutty pitching. Ashley Ercolano took the mound for the Highlanders, looking to log some quality innings. Ercolano was matched up against Aztec pitcher Danielle O’Toole, who has dominated opponents with an ERA under two this season. Both pitchers showed maturity as they escaped jams in the first inning to come out scoreless. Alexis Pickett reached on a bunt to lead off the bottom of the second inning and was moved up to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Marissa Escalante. Brittanie Akey
came up with the first clutch hit of the day and knocked Pickett in on a single just out of the reach of the Aztec middle infielders. The Aztecs would come right back in the third and tie the game, as Monica Downey reached on an error and moved to third base after two groundouts. Tiffany Corder reached base on an infield single which scored Downey to tie the game. Rebecca Arbino was brought in to face the Highlander bats in the third inning. A few errors allowed a seemingly harmless single by Nicolette Lujan to turn into a run. However, the Aztecs would come back the very next inning to tie the game at 2-2 as Kayla Bufardeci singled in a run with a shot down the left field line. The Aztecs would again score in the fifth inning and take a 5-2 lead on three runs, all on a monster shot over the center field fence by Patrice Jackson, who continued her fantastic year. Sophie Slagle would come in to pitch for the Highlanders and retire three straight batters with her great changeup. Highlander Ercolano hit a big two-run home run to left field in the fifth inning to cut the lead to just one run.
DARREN BUENO
BUENO’S BUZZ Mamba Down
C a m e r o n Y o n g /HIGHLANDER F re s h m a n B r i t t a n i e A k e y t h ro w s t h e b a l l f ro m t h i rd b a s e b a c k t o f i r s t to get a runner out.
Natalie Sanchez would tie the game at 5-5 with her very own home run in the sixth inning. Ariel Shore knocked in the winning run in the sixth on a single that scored Lujan on a close play at the plate, as the Highlanders escaped with a win. The Highlander caught up with Head Coach Linda Garza after the game. She was asked
about the tough conference play and what this win meant. “It’s great go get back in the win column.,” she said. “SDSU is a quality team and that’s a big win as we head into a busy conference week.” UCR looks for its first conference win on Wednesday at 1 p.m. versus Cal State Fullerton at Amy S. Harrison Field. ■H
Baseball sweeps Pacific in a three-game series
final run for UCR came in the bottom of the eighth as Highlander Chavez drilled a double to bring home Bolasky. UCR won by five, 11-6.
Jayvee Valencia STAFF WRITER
April 9, 2013 Lions 10 - Highlanders 3
The UC Riverside baseball team was defeated 10-3 at Loyola Marymount University. Donovan Gonzalez was the starting pitcher for the Highlanders. Gonzalez allowed four batters to walk and a double in the first inning, helping Loyola Marymount gain a 2-0 advantage. In the second inning, Gonzalez got the first two batters out, but struggled the rest of the inning as he gave up a single, a triple and then a walk. Moments later Highlander Kevin Sprague came in to replace Gonzalez on the mound. UCR cut the deficit to 5-1 in the third inning when David Andriese drove in Joe Chavez with a RBI single to center field. The Highlanders were able to score two more runs at the top of the ninth inning but it wasn’t enough to pull a comeback. April 12, 2013 Highlanders 6 - Tigers 5
The baseball team bounced back with a 6-5 victory at home against the University of Pacific. With this win, the Highlanders extended their home winning streak to nine games. Through four innings the Highlanders were scoreless, but only gave up four runs through
April 14, 2013 Highlanders 6 - Tigers 4
C a m e r o n Y o n g /HIGHLANDER A f t e r s o p h o m o re J o e C h a v e z h i t s a h o m e r u n , t h e e n t i re t e a m c o m e s t o congratulate him.
six innings. UCR was down 3-1 before Pacific responded in the fifth inning with a run to increase the lead, 4-1. UCR scored one run in the seventh inning when Chavez singled to third base to drive in Francisco Tellez to cut Pacific’s lead, 4-2. Holinsworth’s single in the eighth helped Bolasky score and then a Pacific error allowed Andriese to dart home to score for a two-run inning. The game was tied at four runs apiece after eight innings. In the ninth inning Pacific’s Jason Taasaas scored on an unearned run to regain the lead at 5-4. The Highlanders tied the game on a Andriese single to second base, driving home Tellez. Then Holinsworth’s single drove home Chavez for the game-winning run. April 13, 2013 Highlanders 11 - Tigers 6
In game two of the series against Pacific, the Highlanders extended their home winning streak to 10 games with an 11-6 win. Joe Chavez hit a home run in the bottom of the first inning to start the Highlanders off, 1-0. The next inning, Francisco Tellez got himself a home run, giving UCR a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Pacific scored in the third on a Dustin Torchio single to center field bringing home Jacob Goulder. Highlander Chavez smacked a double to drive home Devyn Bolasky. Doubles by David Andreiese and Kyle Boudreau then made it a 5-1 lead for the Highlanders at the end of the third inning. The Highlanders were on fire, scoring three more runs in the fourth inning for a 9-2 lead and they never looked back. UCR added two more runs with Clayton Prestridge’s double driving home Chavez in the sixth inning. The
In the final game of the threegame home series with Pacific, the UC Riverside men’s baseball team won at home, 6-4 to complete the sweep. The Highlanders now have an 11-game home winning streak. Pitcher Mark Garcia pitched five innings, gave up four hits with three runs and two strikeouts. After being down one run, Phil Holinsworth lined to center field, bringing in Devyn Bolansky to score. The game was tied 1-1 after the first inning. Pacific scored two runs in the sixth inning to give them a 3-2 advantage. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Alex Rubanowitz’s fly out to left field allowed Kevin Davidson to tag home from third base to tie the game at 3-3. Clayton Prestridge’s sacrifice fly in the seventh drove home Joe Chavez for a one-run lead of 4-3. Trevor Frank replaced Kevin Sprague to close the game for the Highlanders. Riverside was able to score two more runs in the eighth inning for a 6-3 advantage. Pacific tried to rally for a comeback, but only mustered up one run. The Highlanders are now 17-14 overall and 6-3 in the Big West. ■H
It was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Kobe Bryant drove left and suddenly stumbled to the ground. To the average fan, it didn’t look serious. Bryant, grimacing in pain, walked to the bench, returned to sink two freethrows then headed to the locker room. After the team pulled out a stirring victory over the Golden State Warriors without him, the Lakers announced that Bryant had suffered a probable torn Achilles. In the blink of an eye, everything changed for the NBA’s most coveted franchise. The next day Bryant went into surgery and the organization announced a six- to nine-month recovery time for its star player. Bryant’s injury is the final note in a long list of things to go wrong for the Lakers this season. It all started in the second game of the season with Steve Nash bowing out for months with a broken leg. It will now symbolically end with the ultimate competitor exiting with two games left before the playoffs. So what does this mean for Bryant and the Lakers organization? In the short term, the Lakers are no longer a serious threat to upset the top tier teams in the playoffs. The Black Mamba has been the team’s most consistent and durable player. This season Bryant has averaged a team-high 27.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1.36 steals, and 38.6 minutes in 78 games. The next highest scoring player is Dwight Howard, who averages 16.9 points per game. Outside of statistics, Bryant has single handedly carried an injury-plagued team to the cusp of the playoffs. With Nash, Howard and Pau Gasol all missing an ample amount of time due to injury, Bryant defied his age and put together one of the best shooting seasons of his illustrious career. Gasol and Howard will undoubtedly step up their production in his absence, but without Kobe’s killer instinct and ability to close games, the Lakers have no chance to beat the top seeds in the Western conference. In the long term, Bryant will be back and I believe better than most expect. When it comes to Bryant, you can count him out at your own peril. While it’s true that many players struggle to come back from an Achilles tear, Bryant is not many players. In his mind, he can conquer anything and judging by his career, it seems to be true. While many people wonder whether at age 34 Bryant will be back, I say remember the old adage: age ain’t nothing but a number. ■H
SPORTS
HIGHLANDER
UCR finished as the top team from the Big West Conference in the 2013 Wyoming Cowboy Classic, placing higher than UC Santa Barbara, Hawai’i and Cal State Northridge. The top performer was Highlander David Gazzolo, finishing in 14th place.
A r c h i v e /HIGHLANDER
Senior Taylor Raney returns University of Hawaii’s serve after they won the previous round.
The women’s tennis team continued to struggle against Big West opponents, falling to Cal Poly. Highlander Natalie McKay and Kate Bergeson received the only two points in the game. McKay took three sets to defeat her opponent Kathryn Webb, winning the third set 4-3. Kate Bergeson defeated Haley Kepler in three sets, winning the last two 6-4, 6-4.
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A r c h i v e /HIGHLANDER
Tennis partners Calvin Ngo and Julian Ruffin celebrate their win over UC San Diego.
Battling against the best team in the Big West conference, the UCR women’s tennis team were cleanly swept 7-0 by #31 UC Irvine. Highlander Jamie Raney took the nationally-ranked Kristina Smith to three sets before falling 10-6 in the tiebreaker.
A r c h i v e /HIGHLANDER
Senior Kevin Griffith engages in a rally against Riverside Community College’s player.
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HIGHLANDER
Senior Spotlight:
Tre’Shonti Nottingham Darren Bueno SENIOR STAFF WRITER
When you think about college athletes, a number of thoughts run through every crevice of your mind. “Pretty damn cool” is probably not at the top of the list, but UCR women’s basketball player Tre’Shonti Nottingham fits that bill. From her affable personality to her tenacity on the court, Nottingham is a warm presence within UC Riverside athletics. When I interviewed the senior point guard, it was quite easy to forget that I was conversing with one of the most talented athletes to suit up for the Highlanders. What wasn’t easy to forget was the player’s internal drive to see not only herself but others succeed. Nottingham began her UCR career on a high note as she helped the women’s basketball team win the Big West Conference championship in her freshman campaign. The 5-foot-4-inch guard— channeling her idol Chris Paul—knocked down four clutch free throws to help the university advance to its third NCAA tournament appearance. Since that year, Nottingham has continued to exemplify a winner amid personal and professional hurdles. Her senior year proved to be the most demystifying. The Moreno Valley native was enjoying her best statistical year, averaging over 18 points per game. She led the entire NCAA in scoring at one juncture and carried her team to a solid record for the season. The year took an unfortunate turn when she sustained a seasonending thumb injury. “My senior year was a bittersweet moment because I believe it was one of the best years I have had since I’ve been here,” Nottingham explained in an interview with the Highlander. “I enjoyed the beginning and got closer than I’ve ever been with the team. The bittersweet moment came when I had to get surgery done.” While practicing in a rebound-
A r c h i v e /HIGHLANDER Tre’ Shonti Nottingham (#14) guards UC Davis guard Molly Greubel (#23). Both wait for each other to make the first move.
ing drill, Nottingham felt pain in her thumb after colliding with another player. MRI results showed she had suffered a stener lesion and after three weeks, would not play another game her senior year. Nottingham explained that when she received the news, she pulled her car over and started to cry. “I was emotional because it was the end of my career.” The team had difficulty adjusting without their point guard as well as other injuries and wound up finishing last in the Big West standings. Nottingham, however, concluded her UCR career as the highest career free throw shooter in school history and ranked top 10 in nearly every important statistical category in program history including points, steals, three-point percentage, assists and minutes. Despite the sour end to her senior outing, Nottingham is still optimistic about the future of the women’s basketball team. With Brittany Crain and Natasha Hadley at the helm, the Highlanders will look to march on with one ultimate goal in mind. “They all want
to make the tournament. I think you will see progress in them,” said Nottingham. “They just need to stay together. If you have chemistry off the court, you will definitely have it on the court.” As a starter for the majority of her career, Nottingham has noticed the crowds for women’s basketball games dwindle at the Student Recreation Center. Oftentimes there is a substantial difference in the amount of spectators for the two basketball programs. “The guys can have a five-year losing streak, but their attendance level will be amazing. But with the girls, they don’t show up. It’s mandatory for the girls to go to the boys game. And you see so many people and it’s like: Why can’t we get this?” Nottingham said. “Having a big crowd pumps us up because everybody is screaming and yelling... When there is seven people in the crowd, you’re like: Is this a scrimmage? And with the cheerleaders—we only have like five cheerleaders. And the guys have the whole dance team. They have the orange. They have Scotty.”
When asked about improvements she would like to see within the program, Nottingham responded: “Try to keep it equal even though it’s hard. You have to remember there is girl’s basketball, too, doing a little bit better.” The Moreno Valley, Calif. product shares a special bond with two of the basketball team members: coach John Margaritis and fellow player Brittany Crain. Her relationship with “Coach Marg” has seen its highs and lows. They have wrestled for control since the day she stepped foot on the court, but the pair never lost sight of their dedication to winning. Nottingham shared stories of the duo calling each other in the middle of the night to discuss personal issues or Coach Margaritis bringing her snacks before games. “From my freshman year to now, he’s always helped me outside of basketball,” she said. “With my problems— with me going to his office and just crying ... To this day, we are really close. I still call him ‘dad’ and he still checks up on me every week.”
Nottingham’s friendship with freshman Crain has also developed into a tight-knit bond that sees the pair celebrate their friendship anniversary on the eleventh of every month. UCR’s two highest scoring guards even wait for each other to return from a quick shower break. “It’s going to be hard leaving her behind because I always wanted a little sister in basketball and she fulfilled that spot,” Nottingham explained. “She is always bubbly and full of fresh air... No matter where we go; we are at the hip. We’re family. We spend every single day, twenty-four-seven together.” So what’s next for Tre’Shonti Nottingham? The sociology major sets her sights on a professional career overseas before reaching her ultimate goal of becoming a firefighter. After joining in on a firefighting training session, Nottingham fell in love with the idea of helping save lives. She carried strenuous equipment with ease and impressed every firefighter at the presentation. “I fell in love with the atmosphere and them being a hero,” she said. “I told my mom ‘I think God wanted me to help others because I want to do this.’ I know that’s going to be my next passion after basketball.” Nottingham will leave UCR as one of the greatest basketball players to play at the university. She stated that her speed and quickness are defining characteristics of her career, but her legacy would be centered on her ability to win despite her height. “The shortest people are the ones with the biggest heart. Height doesn’t matter when you want to play the game you love,” she stated. “I want to be remembered as the guard that wasn’t scared to go out there and battle regardless of her height.” The next time you ponder about what a college athlete is, remember Tre’Shonti Nottingham, a diminutive, feisty basketball player that had a massive, caring heart. ■H
Track and field earns six top 10 finishes in Pomona-Pitzer Invitational C o dy N g u y e n STAFF WRITER
After a one-week break, the track and field team took a short road trip to Pomona for the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational. A total of 29 Highlanders competed in Saturday’s meet, six of which were able to finish in the top 10. In the women’s high jump, Jazmine Lewis was able to tie with eight others for seventh with a 1.60-meter leap in the finals. Lewis also earned herself a seventh-place finish in the javelin throw, heaving an impressive 37.96 meters in the final round. Highlander Michael Hern gave his team yet another seventh-place finish with a time of 10.72 seconds in the men’s 100-meter dash. However, Hern was unable to keep the
momentum going into the 200-meter dash, posting a 22.32-second time, good for a 32nd-place finish. Two Highlanders were able to sneak into the top 10 in the men’s 400-meter dash. BJ Smith took eighth place with a time of 48.77 seconds and Dylan Gates was not far behind, clocking in at the finish line with 49.02 seconds. Michael Pare also competed for the Highlanders in the 400-meter dash, finishing in 20th place with a 50.12-second time. Eric Evans continued top 10 performances for UC Riverside in the meet, finishing ninth in the 400-meter hurdles, clocking in with a 55.42-second finish. Shane Rowan capped off the Highlanders’ top 10 finishes in the men’s triple jump, posting a 10th-
place finish with a 14.03-meter total in the final. Assistant track and field coach Nate Browne made it a point that the team is “looking to make progress every week. We don’t need giant leaps forward. We need small steps of progression every time we get the opportunity to compete.” Coach Browne also cited the progress of players such as Damajeria Dubose, Seth Totten and Michael Koger, stating that “[they have] been especially impressive. It’s [Dubose’s] senior year and she is making it count. [Totten and Koger] have made the biggest jumps in their sophomore seasons.” The Highlanders will take a five-day break before going to Walnut, Calif. for the two-day long Mt. ■H SAC Relays on April 18.
V i n c e n t T a /HIGHLANDER Junior Eric Evans launches the javelin into the field ahead. Evans is a hurdler but also does the javelin event.