Volume 70 Issue 14 by The Highlander- UCR

The Highlander

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

For the week of Tuesday, February 1, 2022

VOL. 70, ISSUE 14

est. 1954

NEWS

UCR officially mandates COVID booster for students and staff BOOSTERS ARE NEEDED FOR IN-PERSON CLASSES. HARU CHANG Contributing Writer

COURTESY OF PEXELS

OPINIONS

Omicron shows further proof that teachers are overworked and underpaid EVEN THOUGH THE OMICRON VARIANT IS STARTING TO DROP FROM ITS PEAK, THE DAMAGE THAT IT HAS DONE TO SCHOOLS IN CALIFORNIA AND ABROAD IS DONE.

The national teacher shortage in the United States has been getting sharper and sharper in recent years. As COVID variants continue to make working and learning environments unstable at every level, teachers are continually left out in the cold in terms of benefits, and working with a stressed bunch of kids is no help. Teachers are leaving the profession in droves because of burnout from the pandemic and from parents who aren’t able to parent their children regularly under the circumstances. The result has been an even greater increase in teachers leaving the classroom for good, and those who still remain face meager payment in addition to students who might not even be there half the time because of COVID. The U.S. education system has unfortunately always been hostile for teachers, especially nowadays where 20% of the country’s teachers need to work a second job just to make ends meet. The pandemic has only shed even more light on these problems, showing the glaring discrepancies that teachers face in all levels of schooling. If America wants to prevent the educational future of its children from being in jeopardy, the country needs to wise up to the needs of teachers, and fast. Though not guilty like the UCs of a blatant lecturer churn that creates immense job instability for lecturers, the public school system does not make conditions easy for teachers ► SEE EDITORIAL PAGE 5

Provost Elizabeth Watkins announced a return to in-person classes on Jan. 31 corresponding with decisions made by other University of California campuses. UCR has reiterated the necessity of compliance with the booster mandate based on UC requirements. Students are asked to upload proof of a booster on their patient portal by Jan. 31. Students are also able to receive vaccinations through Student Health Services at UCR. In the past, failure to meet vaccine requirements resulted in holds on class registration. UCR has made a technical transition

into a new secure employee health record system called “MyChart.” Employees who have received any of their COVID-19 vaccines from UCR Health or the School of Medicine already have MyChart accounts and can upload their booster information there in order to meet the requirement. Others will receive an email in their UCR inbox that will help navigate their transition to MyChart. In tandem to the technical switch, the compliance mandate for employees has been extended to Feb. 25. Since Jan. 26, both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines and boosters have been offered in the Student Health Services. There has also been some confusion amongst students about the booster. Only those who are eligible to receive their

booster must update their vaccination status by this deadline. Being eligible means it has been six months since your last shot and you have not recently contracted COVID-19. The CDC recommends people who have recently contracted the virus should wait three months to be boosted. Students who are not eligible should consult Student Health Services at 951827-303. When on campus, the Daily Wellness Survey should also be completed to ensure proper safety protocols are being followed. In the United States, three COVID-19 vaccines are authorized for use to prevent COVID-19. According to the CDC, ► SEE BOOSTER PAGE 3

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NEWS

A PRESENTATION WAS GIVEN BY THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

Students upset over in-person instruction discuss concerns during ASUCR’s 12th meeting AMARAY ALVAREZ Assistant News Editor

On Wednesday, Jan. 26, the 12th Associated Students of UCR meeting took place remotely through Zoom. All senators were present, excluding CNASS senator Catelin La and SPP senator Arleth Flores-Aparicio who were excused. Motions to approve the current meeting’s agenda were called for by Executive Vice President Mufida Assaf with the addition of finance hearing minutes six and the addition of ECAB to the Executive Office reports. The previous meeting minutes were then opened and approved with a count of

15-0-0. Public forum followed with several students and community members speaking regarding in-person instruction that is set to begin on Jan. 31. UCR student Bryce Hills spoke first, stating that he has organized a group of over 200 students on Discord who are upset with the campus deciding to resume classes on campus. Hills stated that there has been a lack of communication from administration to students as well as a lack of accomodation for those who are, or live with individuals who are, immunocompromised. Many students have also told Hills that they do not ► SEE ASUCR PAGE 4

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RADAR 9

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

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Upcoming Events:

Sixth Annual Smartphone Film Festival 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. CHASS Interdisciplinary South, 1128

Men’s Basketball vs. UC Davis 7 p.m. SRC Arena

Leading at the Speed of Trust 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Virtual Event

Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Majors Panel & Networking 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Virtual Event

Barre Fusion 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. SRC, MPR A

Wild Coachella: The Status of Three Horned Lizard Species 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Virtual Event

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

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Sunday

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Highlander accepts letters from the campus community. They must be 600-800 words at length and include the author’s name and contact information. Topics should be UCR-centric and/or pertain to our generation of students. Contact Opinions Editor Samuel Harrison at opinions@highlandernews.org by Wednesday if interested in writing a letter and submit the completed letter by Saturday at noon. Letters can and will be rejected if it does not meet requirements. LEGAL The Highlander is published and copyrighted by the Highlander for the students, faculty and staff of UCR. All rights are reserved. Reprinting of any material in this publication without the written permission of the Highlander is strictly prohibited. Readers are allowed one free copy of the newspaper. For additional copies or for subscription information, please contact the Highlander. The Highlander fully supports the University of California’s policy on non-discrimination. The student media reserve the right to reject or modify advertising whose content discriminates on the basis of ancestry, color, national origin, race, religion, disability, age, sex or sexual orientation. The Highlander has a media grievance procedure for resolving complaints against it. All inserts that are printed in the Highlander are independently paid publications and do not reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the staff or The University of California or the Associated Students of UCR.

Monday

CEPCEB Seminar: Venkatesan Sundaresan 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Genomics Building, Genomics Auditorium 1102A

Career Exploration Conference: Health & Medicine 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Virtual Event

Sankofa (screening & discussion) 7 p.m. Virtual Event

Explore the Farmers Market and Downtown Parks 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. OE Shop off of Linden Street

Closing Discussion for Brandon Lattu: Empirical, Textual, Contextual 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. UCR ARTS

Growing Up Latinx: Coming of Age in a Time of Contested Citizenship 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Virtual Event

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Growing Up Latinx: Coming of Age in a Time of Contested Citizenship 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. HUB, 269

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News

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NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

Eligible students can receive financial awards through the California Dream Act Service Incentive Grant CALIFORNIA DREAM ACT APPLICANTS CAN PERFORM COMMUNITY OR VOLUNTEER SERVICE FOR UP TO $3,000 PER ACADEMIC YEAR.

ABHIJIT REGE News Editor

The California Dream Act Service Incentive Grant Program has established a valuable opportunity for Dream Act students. The California Student Aid Commission will award 2,500 eligible students up to $3,000 per academic year, equivalent to up to $1,500 per semester or up to $1,000 per quarter. Eligible students with a Cal Grant B award must apply annually, attend a qualifying institution, have a significant financial need and complete voluntary community service hours in that academic year. Undocumented Student Programs at UCR held an informational meeting through Instagram live on Wednesday, Jan. 26 from 2-3 p.m. Program coordinator, Eric Yang, went into detail on the DSIG and answered numerous questions including the qualifications and benefits of the program. To be an eligible student, one must

complete and submit their California Dream Act Application for that academic year. Students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress and complete any necessary verification for their Cal Grant B award. A student must also demonstrate enough financial need and be enrolled in a qualifying institution. A list of qualifying institutions can be found on the CSAC website. Students who are not enrolled full-time at a qualifying institution can still be eligible, but the grant amount will be reduced based on enrollment. Students who qualify for the program are tasked with performing at least 150 hours per semester or 100 hours per quarter and can serve as a variety of community or volunteer service organizations. These include nonprofits as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, any federal, state or local government entity and qualifying schools. Community service can relate to a student’s field of study or simply benefit a community’s needs.

However, a participant of the program cannot volunteer for an organization that engages exclusively in political, social or religious advocacy. Students are paid after performing at least 150 hours per semester or 100 hours per quarter of community or volunteer service, in which the student and a financial aid officer are notified of approval to be paid via email. Applications for the program will be available on the CSAC website beginning July 1 and will be accepted through the end of the academic year by June 30, unless all awards have been granted and exhausted. The grant will be available for up to eight semesters or 12 quarters while students have an active Cal Grant B award. To learn more information about the CA Dream Act Service Incentive Grant Program, you can visit their website. You can also read their one page brochure or H their tri-fold brochure. ■

COURTESY OF UCR

COURTESY OF PEXELS ► FROM BOOSTER

“In most situations, PfizerBioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are preferred over the Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/ Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine due to the risk of serious adverse events.” Everyone 12 years and older that has received PfizerBioNTech should get their booster at least six months after completing their primary COVID-19 vaccination series. Adults 18 years and older that received Moderna should get their booster in

the same timeframe as the former. However, adults 18 years and older that received J&J/Janssen should get their booster at least 2 months after receiving their J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccination. The CDC highly recommends receiving the Pfizer or Moderna boosters in most situations. Those who are timmunocompromised can receive a third full dose instead of a booster dose. On-campus testing is limited to the Bear Cave Meeting Room in the Pentland Hills residential facility. Athome testing kits are available

as an alternative for those that are uncomfortable with the testing regulations in Pentland testing facilities. Students and faculty are eligible to order four free at-home COVID-19 tests. These tests are provided by the U.S. government and are available for everyone in the U.S. The tests are rapid antigen at-home tests and are not PCR. Lab drop-off is not required and should give results within 30 minutes. More information about the at-home testing kit and other testing resources are available in the official site https:// H www.covidtests.gov/. ■

4 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

NEWS

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/news

ASUCR ► FROM ASUCR

hanging around the tracks. If a car happens to become stalled on the tracks, the people in the car should get out and move away. They should then look for the emergency medical service signs around that area and call for assistance. After the presentation by Paderagna, two more students spoke out in opposition of the decision to resume inperson classes. UCR student Matthew stated that it is unreasonable to go back in person when he cannot even visit his grandparents or family members in hospitals due to the COVID-19 virus. Matthew also stated that he is a biology major and fears the large class sizes that he will now have to attend pose a greater risk of exposure. Jennisa Jearvoachai, a UCR transfer student, also spoke, stating that she has not attended any classes on campus yet due to the pandemic and explained that the last minute transition to being in person will be difficult for students who are not yet familiar with the campus. Jearvoachai also mentioned that COVID-19 cases are still high and that new variants are being introduced. Senator Rachel Paredes spoke next,

promoting to the public that they have a petition on change.org to mandate remote learning options for the 20212022 academic year. Ex-Officio Reports then took place with Ethnic and Gender Program Liaison Jeanine Nassar stating they are planning a non-traditional and transfer student week with senator Alba. Nassar also has a meeting set with the Women’s Resource Center. During ECAB reports, VP of External Affairs Elysha Castillo spoke about the town hall that recently took place. Castillo then ratified four external officers into the senate: Federal Relations Director Stephanie Loyola, Local and University Relations Director Abinaya Perumal, Labor Relations Director Tia Patel and Civic Engagement Director Jose Teano. Senator Christopher Kent ratified the new officers first with senator Dorothy Dornella motioning second. The ratifications passed with a count of 15-0-0. Next were committee reports starting with the Finance Committee presented by Finance senator Christian Martinez. Martinez read hearing minutes five, stating that the Hylander Financial Group

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meeting was rescheduled. The Germanic Culture and Language clubs at UCR were allocated $750 and the Association of Latino Professionals for America was allocated $2,140. Hearing minutes six were then read, stating that $50,000 was moved from reserves into organization contingency, the Autoimmune Diseases Union was allocated $750, Spotlight on Hope Film Camp was allocated $1,098, R’Brains and Behavior was allocated $908, the Salsa Club at UCR was allocated $2,140 and Mujeres Unidas de UCR was allocated $500. Both hearing minutes passed with a count of 15-0-0. During public comment, Lizzie Martinez, a representative from CALPIRG who meant to speak during public forum, discussed the work CALPIRG is doing to reduce plastic use at UCR. They would like to create a resolution with the senate to help the campus be more sustainable. Senator Reports followed with senator Amy Do speaking first about working on non-traditional and transfer student week and the town hall that occurred. Senator Ridwan Syed stated that he has met with his committees and is working on legislation to bring

awareness toward the hate crime that occured last quarter. Senator Aalani Richardson spoke next that they have met with some committees and set meetings for others. Senator Hoang Vu concluded by stating they are working on legislation to amend the bylaws for CHASS senators and the town halls. Roundtable and Announcements started with senator Rachel Paredes promoting their parking survey and addressed the student concerns about going back in person. Senator Lauren Garcia then gave an update on their meeting with the academic senate. They are also meeting with senators and senate interns to get their core requirements adjusted. Garcia then announced that the COVID Committee with senator Aparacio has begun distributing personal protective equipment and will be giving away N95 masks during Wednesday’s tabling. The meeting was adjourned at 7:23 H p.m. ■

Opinions

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OPINIONS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

THE HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

Omicron shows further proof that teachers are overworked and underpaid

EVEN THOUGH THE OMICRON VARIANT IS STARTING TO DROP FROM ITS PEAK, THE DAMAGE THAT IT HAS INFLICTED UPON SCHOOLS IN CALIFORNIA AND ABROAD IS DONE. at younger levels. Money has been tight for many these last two years, something felt disproportionately by teachers. Across the nation, 94% have to buy the supplies, books and resources that their classrooms need to function, a cost that gets difficult to justify when considering the fact that many teachers don’t even make a living wage. Although California is in second place for paying teachers for their work, only behind New York, expenses for classrooms still add up quickly in addition to the bills teachers must pay to keep themselves afloat. When the math is done, teachers are still getting the shaft in the best-paid states for them to work in. The risk of COVID only makes things worse. Teachers are around children of all ages every day, and depending on the age and capabilities of these students and how their parents feel about the pandemic, they may or may not be following safety precautions. This results in spreading COVID to their peers and their instructors. And although students can stay home and work on their homework until they feel better, teachers in California only get 10 to 14 days of personal leave, and they can’t even rest well if they need to set up plans for a substitute, take care of their own children or catch up on things they couldn’t do

while they were at work. Teaching is a thankless job in so many ways, and the pandemic has only blown open the doors to a slew of more exhausting problems that are driving even the most loyal teachers away from jobs they love. If California and indeed the country at large don’t do something to help the people teaching America’s future, it is not far-fetched to suggest that things will look bleak very quickly. If teachers are spread too thin with no benefit, they will quit. Quitting leads to closed schools, and students whose families can’t afford private schools will find themselves without access to a quality, free education. Any number of horrific, dystopian concepts can be conjured up from there. And the solution to preventing this from happening is both quite simple and quite hard — reform the system. To reform the education system of America, it would be smart to pay teachers a living wage and then some. Their wages have not been adjusted in 20 years, and given the work they do for children all over, they deserve to see money that compensates them for what they do. Allocating money away from military spending and investing it in up-to-date technology for all schools, the fixing of buildings and the purchasing of classroom necessities isn’t even a question at this point but a requirement. A

special emphasis should be put on communities of color and inner-city schools where students and teachers are so often ignored in favor of wealthier communities. And this isn’t even to mention the fixing of the curriculum so that students can be taught skills that interest them and are necessary for today’s world, like coding, robotics and teamwork. Although money won’t solve all problems, at least making teaching a position that is sustainable for those who work in the profession will go a long way to ensuring the teaching shortage becomes less severe across the country. Offering teachers paid time off and having paid counselors, social workers and other supportive roles on staff so teachers don’t have to spread themselves too thin could make a world of difference in this new world we’re still navigating. Building new classrooms and allowing teachers to do what they do best will ensure that America’s future leaders will continue to be H educated freely. ■

The 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.

“

If California and indeed the country at large don’t do something to help the people teaching America’s future, it is not far-fetched to suggest that things will look bleak very quickly.

“

► FROM EDITORIAL

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6 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

OPINIONS

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS MADE MANY WORKERS REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR LABOR AND GIVEN THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE IT FOR BETTER CONDITIONS.

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The pandemic has given power back to workers HARRY STOLTZ Contributing Writer

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Over the course of the pandemic, workers have been resigning from their jobs en masse. According to data gathered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics , a record number of people quit their jobs in November 2021, hitting 4.5 million. The previous record was just a month earlier, with 4.4 million resigning in September 2021. At the same time, there has been a growing unionization effort throughout the country, with workers demanding more for their labor. The pandemic has spurred an unprecedented movement for workers’ rights, which has been largely absent from contemporary discourse for decades. According to a recent survey, 1 in 5 executives agree that “no one wants to work.” These same execs name a “lack of response to job posts” as their top challenge when hiring. Right-wing outlets like Fox News have echoed these points and promoted the idea that workers are simply too lazy to work. Fox News host Laura Ingraham posed as a solution: “What if we just cut off the unemployment? Hunger is a pretty powerful thing.” This type of rhetoric does not fix any problem at the root and ignores the many systemic issues that minimum wage workers must face. According to analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, workers’ compensation roughly tracked alongside worker productivity up until 1979,

with their analysis starting in 1948. However, past approximately 1979, there was a sharp break between the two. Since then, this gap has only grown, and productivity is up 159.7% since 1948 while workers’ compensation is only up 113.7%. In other words, wages have been stagnant for decades when compared to worker productivity. This can be linked in part to decreased worker power in the last couple decades and lower union rates, which have nearly halved since the early ’80s. The last year has seen a noticeable rise in unionization efforts across the country. In March, Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama rallied for a vote to unionize their warehouse – which would have been a first for Amazon. They ultimately lost the unionization vote, in part due to interference from Amazon. However, workers will be allowed a second vote on Feb. 4, only the first of many highprofile efforts in the coming months. In Buffalo, New York, two Starbucks stores won their fight to unionize, even though the company tried to squash it. Inspired by the possibility of unionization, 17 more stores currently have votes filed with the National Labor Relations Board. The great resignation of minimum wage workers should not come as a surprise. Working conditions are currently abysmal, and the results speak for themselves. More must be done to attack this problem at the root instead of blaming the H unemployed. ■

First year flops are very telling of Biden’s presidency RECENTLY LOW APPROVAL RATINGS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAVE LED MANY MEDIA OUTLETS TO DECLARE JOE BIDEN’S PRESIDENCY A FAILURE ONLY A YEAR IN.

YSABEL NAKASONE Contributing Writer

With a presidential approval rating of 40% and a vice presidential approval rating of 39%, Joe Biden’s presidency is being labeled a failure. It’s been a year since his inauguration, and Biden has had only one significant success with his infrastructure bill. Unfortunately, the president can’t seem to shake the impression that his administration has no energy or focus. That idea is a hard sell for voters who questioned his fitness prior to now. Voters united behind Biden in 2020 with the focus of kicking former President Trump out of the White House, not because they strongly supported him. There are a number of events which have made members on both sides of the aisle question Biden’s competency. Many voters believed that President Biden’s skills included bridging the Democrats together within Congress, yet his inability to do so is part of what is holding up the Build Back Better bill. Biden’s further embarrassment with voting rights legislation frustrated both parties, as voter suppression runs rampant. However, with a majority of Democrats in the Senate, Congress is all too easily held hostage by the filibuster which makes any president’s job that much harder. Additionally, his approval rating first dipped significantly to 50% from 59% in September 2021 after the violence that was attached to the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. Inflation increased at an incredible

rate, faster than it has in about 40 years, with a 7% spike. These growing costs are eating at wage gains and making it harder for families and individuals to make ends meet. Problems with the supply chain and increased spending as a result of the pandemic-induced lockdowns has worsened these issues. All this has put a burden on Biden’s handling of the economy, and his approval rating for this aspect of his presidency is at a low 37% as a result. However, it is the handling of the pandemic that has Americans concerned about Biden’s presidency most of all. The administration’s strong encouragement of vaccination was well-intentioned, but it did not, of course, completely protect against the spread of the disease. Frankly, the lack of a strong vaccine mandate and the lack of widespread testing has been disappointing. Furthermore, there is growing mistrust of public health officials due to mixed messaging. Different organizations, from the CDC to the president’s own COVID-19 task force, have made differing statements on a number of issues. Unfortunately, two out of every three Americans agree with the statement that the COVID-19 response is going badly. Biden’s COVID-19 response, specifically the higher vaccination rates, has put the country in a better position to fight and survive the virus, though it might not be enough. In terms of Biden’s Build Back Better bill, it’s becoming clear that the president can only expect to do so much with such a slim majority in Congress. It has

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been a hard year for Biden, and his current record certainly isn’t encouraging. Building the country back up will be a difficult exercise in patience that Americans must be H prepared for. ■

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OPINIONS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

OP-ED

WILLIAM OTA IS A PH.D. CANDIDATE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EVOLUTION, ECOLOGY, AND ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE. HE IS AN URBAN ECOLOGIST WHO SPECIALIZES IN EXPLORING THE IMPACTS OF URBANIZATION AND INVASIVE SPECIES ON FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS. WILLIAM IS INTERESTED IN ENGAGING MINORITY STUDENTS IN THE SCIENCES, PROVIDING THEM WITH THE TOOLS AND SUPPORT NEEDED TO ENGAGE IN FIELDWORK. HE CAN BE REACHED AT WOTA001@UCR.EDU.

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The UCs and the Asian Expectation of Success

WILLIAM OTA

Two new students arrive on UC Riverside’s campus and are excited to attend an Asian American and Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) and Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). They know that UCR should support minority students and help them develop the social and educational skills needed to overcome racial discrimination and limited economic opportunities. The Hispanic student looks up “HSI mentoring” on UCR’s website and gets 155 results. The first five would be different HSI programs they qualify for on UCR’s campus. The second student is “Asian.” They look up “AANAPISI mentoring.” This search would turn up only four results, none of which are a mentoring or support program. This is especially strange because programs for AANAPI students at UCR exist! If an AANAPI student was aware of UCR’s designation and tried to find programs using the AANAPISI designation, they may not find one. Why, at a university that receives special recognition from the Department of Education, would their experiences be so different? This trend occurs across the six UC AANAPISI campuses and the UC Office of the President website. Information about HSIs has approximately 36 times more indexed results than AANAPISIs on these sites. The UC system appears to lack interest in engaging with its AANAPISI designation. We can examine the history of “Asian” students, their identity as a minority population, and the AANAPISI designation to better understand the lack of engagement in the AANAPISI status. We can begin with the model minority myth (MMM), which is both false and harmful. This idea has received much recent attention because of the Supreme Court case that could end affirmative action. One of the most damaging components of the model minority myth is the assumption of educational success for “Asians.” “Asian” students do not need to work less than others to succeed, and when they implicitly or explicitly have these stereotypes placed on them,

it can be harmful to their long-term success and mental health. This myth may be most damaging to Southeast Asian communities. For example, Burmese communities experience a 29.7 high school dropout rate. This expectation of success and pitting minority students against one another motivated the current challenge to Harvard’s admission practices. The MMM is especially problematic in university settings when “Asian” students with different ethnic or cultural backgrounds are compared for admittance or awards. Like the assumption that some students are less likely to succeed, the expectation of success for “Asian” students can negatively impact their educational success and mental health. The second problem to discuss is the concept of being “Asian” or “Asian American.” The systemization of an “Asian” or “Asian American” monoculture minimizes the diverse experiences and backgrounds of the many groups subsumed by these titles. One example of this harm is the conscious, unconscious or institutional assumption that all “Asians” or “Asian Americans” are as successful in education and society as average Taiwanese, Chinese, Korean or Japanese individuals. The history of exclusionary immigration policies for “Asians” has led to unique groups of individuals immigrating to America from different countries under different requirements and scenarios. Due to limitations on Asian immigration into the United States, immigrants have arrived from different Asian countries under vastly different circumstances. This could mean they are a 1st generation Chinese exchange student, a 2nd generation Hmong woman whose parents came to the United States as a refugee, or a 3rd generation Indian American whose parents immigrated on an H1-B visa. These varied circumstances have led these immigrants and their descendants to have vastly different experiences in the United States. Therefore, I have made the conscious and grammatically incorrect choice to place these titles within quotations. The experiences, opportunities and challenges subsumed within

the title of “Asian,” and their treatment in society do not conform to a single “Asian” experience. So, what is going on in the UC system? Why are there approximately 36 times more results about the HSI efforts on UC campuses than AANAPI efforts? Only UC Irvine submitted grants or received funding to support these students in 2020 or 2021. The first problem, clearly identified in a UC Davis update about its attempts to become an HSI, is that “opportunities for AANAPISI funding are fewer and yield fewer resources than some of the other MSI funding opportunities.” This could be due to the age of the AANAPISI designation or a byproduct of society’s belief that “Asians” will succeed due to the model minority myth. AANAPISIs must have opportunities similar to other MSI programs if they are going to meet the needs of “Asian” students. The second reason could be the UC system, due to the aggregation of “Asian”-ness or institutional belief in the model minority myth assumes that these students will succeed without help. Criticism of “Asian” overrepresentation at top UC’s does not help either. The results of an expectation of success for all Asian students, and actual success of some Asian ethnicities within the UC system, have and will continue to mask the fact that many “Asian” students are struggling. They need support just like their Hispanic and Black peers within the UC system. The UCs should continue to expand the support of all minority students in the UC system and recognize they are failing to live up to the title of Minority Serving Institutions if they ignore their “Asian” students. Six UC campuses claim a title that means they are uniquely able to serve their AANAPI students, but many of them do not appear to be living up to the title. I believe that these campuses need to demonstrate how they utilize the resources that come from their AANAPISI designation or they no longer deserve the title of Asian American and Native American Pacific H Islander Serving Institution. ■

8 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

Features

FEATURES

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/ae

The one and only cookie recipe you need that will fulfill your craving

MATCHA MOCHI COOKIES YOU NEVER KNEW YOU NEEDED THAT WILL MEET YOUR STANDARDS OF “THE PERFECT COOKIE.”

BY: ASHLEY CHEN, FEATURES EDITOR

fter coming home from a long day of school or work, I always like to end my day with a warm and soft chocolate chip cookie. Not only do you get chocolate goodness through every bite, but you also have a soft dough texture that balances with the crunch of the chocolate chips. However, eating a plain chocolate chip cookie can sometimes be a bit boring. After doing much research and experimenting, I have finally found the cookie recipe that is a surprise in every bite you take.

To make the cookie ingredients:

¾ cup of olive oil spread ¾ cup of light brown sugar 1 2/5 cup of all purpose flour 1 ½ tablespoon of matcha 1 cup of roughly chopped dark chocolate 1 teaspoon of baking soda 1 egg Stir the olive oil spread in a separate bowl, and add in the brown sugar and baking soda. Sift in flour and matcha powder, mixing until it is evenly combined. Then, add in the egg and mix well until the mixture is evenly combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 F and line the baking sheets with parchment paper. After 30 minutes, take out the mochi and cookie mixture from the fridge. Roll out the mochi mixture to make 20 small balls about half the size of your thumb. It’ll be helpful to wear plastic gloves to help roll the balls out easier. Next, roll out 20 slightly larger balls of the cookie batter. Flatten each of the cookie batter balls and place the mochi ball inside. Bring the edges over until the mochi is completely covered by the cookie batter. Press in chocolate chips into the cookies. Bake for 12 minutes and let it cool for 5-8 minutes before enjoying!

CAMPUS COPE: Broke your New Year’s resolution? Now what?

BY: SENNA OMAR, ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR January is over, and with that comes the end of the “new year, new me” mantras and many broken resolutions. Fortunately, just because you failed does not mean your New Year’s resolution has come to an end. Here are a few tips to get you back on track and achieving your New Year’s resolutions:

PREPARATION TIME: 1 HOUR SERVINGS: 20 To make the mochi ingredients: 1 cup glutinous rice flour 1 tablespoon of cornstarch 1/2 tablespoon of sugar 1 cup of milk of your choice 1 tablespoon of olive oil spread In order to make the mochi filling, mix the glutinous rice flour, cornstarch, sugar and milk together in a bowl. Seal it with a plastic wrap. Make sure to poke holes on top of the wrap for ventilation. Microwave the mochi mix for 2 minutes and 45 seconds. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil spread into the mochi mix and fold in with a spatula. Then, wrap the mochi spread with a new plastic wrap and place it in H the bowl. Place the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill. ■

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS ARE HARD TO KEEP; HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO GET YOU BACK ON TRACK TO ACHIEVING YOUR GOALS.

FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS

THINK IN TERMS OF LONG-TERM SUCCESS

Most of the time, people make New Year’s resolutions without considering the backing and support they need to fulfill these goals properly. They also forget to consider just how hectic their lives tend to be outside of these goals. The first step to remedying this is to pinpoint the areas you fell short. Did you underestimate just how much time your course load would take this quarter? Did you skip essential steps in learning the knowledge necessary to fulfill these resolutions properly? Was your goal too vague, preventing you from tentatively knowing precisely what you needed to do? Understanding where you went wrong with your New Year’s resolutions is essential to correcting this behavior and getting back on track.

Stop beating yourself up and feeling guilty for misstepping on your path to a better you. Remember: baby steps. You do not have to wait till next year to retry success on your goals; you can try again tomorrow. Instead of admitting defeat, pick yourself up and try again until, eventually, your resolutions become second nature to you. These goals should be things you plan to implement into everyday life; by thinking about the long term, it will be much easier for them to coincide seamlessly with your new routine.

GET BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK

Just because you missed your daily workout this week or never finished your reading goal this month does not mean you failed; all you have to do is start again. Your goal should be consistency. Try your best to fulfill your New Year’s resolutions every day, and if you miss a day, the first instinct should be to try again tomorrow instead of immediately giving up. By aiming for consistency instead of perfection, you are more likely to keep your New Year’s resolutions in the long term.

TURN YOUR BIG RESOLUTIONS INTO LITTLE GOALS New Year’s resolutions can be daunting; starting at this seemingly impossible monstrosity of a goal can also feel discouraging. Instead of looking at your resolution as a daunting task, break it up into smaller, more manageable steps. If your goal for 2022 is to get organized, plan out exactly how you will achieve it. Start by organizing your desk, then your bedroom, then your house, paperwork, appointments, buy a planner and so on. By changing organization into these small remedial tasks that you probably see as super simple, your resolution will become much easier to achieve, and eventually, organization, or whatever your resolution may be, will become a part H of your everyday life.■

Radar

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/ae

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

FOLLOWING THE “MUGEN TRAIN ARC,” THE “ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT ARC” CONTINUES THE CLASH BETWEEN DEMON SLAYERS AND RANKED DEMONS.

New episodes of ‘Demon Slayer’ are delving deeper into grief and power FATEMA SHALABI Managing Editor

Since its premiere in 2019, “Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba,” based on the manga by Koyoharu Gotouge, has become one of the most-discussed anime series in recent years. In an attempt to reach a larger audience for its first film, “Mugen Train Arc,” the anime series began by reairing the movie into individual episodes weekly, finally leading into a new plot in the “Entertainment District Arc.” The “Mugen Train Arc” places the protagonists: Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, Inosuke and a member of the Hashira, Rengoku, on a train to find and eliminate the demon responsible for numerous missing passengers. In many ways, this arc dives deeper into the world of blood demon art, showcasing the appearingly limitless powers that demons can possess as they practice blood art. In an attempt to seize total control over the demon slayers before they could even face him, Enmu, a lower rank demon, places them into a dream-like trance, where the characters live out their most desired fantasies. Though humor is a large aspect of Zenitsu and Inosuke’s dreams, Tanjiro’s trance forces him into directly confronting his grief. After the slaughter of his family, Tanjiro has never had a proper moment to address his grief as

VERDICT:

he has mainly focused on protecting his sister-turned-demon, Nezuko. In this dream, Tanjiro returns to living his normal life with his family. Attempting to escape his dream becomes a struggle of letting go of his family and accepting his grief. Tanjiro and the others ultimately prevail and kill Enmu only to face their first upper rank demon, Akaza. In the conclusion of the “Mugen Train Arc,” audiences witness an intense battle between Rengoku and Akaza through beautiful animation that showcases Rengoku’s flame breathing technique and aura. Throughout the battle, the two seem to be equal in strength, yet Rengoku sadly succumbs to the injuries inflicted upon him. Though Rengoku dies, he doesn’t necessarily lose the battle, considering it was more so a clash of two ideals. Akaza attempts to persuade Rengoku into becoming a demon, yet Rengoku holds steady and fulfills his duty of saving all those aboard the Mugen Train while being at a disadvantage. Akaza is only able to flee due to his inhuman ability to detach and regenerate his arms, showcasing the advantage demons have over the demon slayers. The moral weight of this battle and Rengoku’s death feeds into a stronger sense of anger within Tanjiro toward the demons and pushes him into an even deeper state of grief, as he is frustrated by his inexperience and

inability to fight alongside his comrade to prevent his death. Leading into the “Entertainment District Arc,” Tanjiro and his fellow demon slayers lay undercover to scout out the situation and to uncover the identity of the demon wreaking havoc on civilians within the district. During a battle between the belt demon and Tanjiro, Nezuko awakens from her healing slumber to aid her brother, and she transforms into a stronger state and battles the belt demon on equal footing. Throughout the series, it’s been unclear the depth to which Nezuko’s humanity has remained intact. Battling the belt demon feeds into her demon instincts, gets a hold of her innate bloodlust and awakens all that she has fought to forbid herself

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from becoming. This extreme situation allows her demon self to prevail over the human emotions she still retains, and she nearly attacks a human. Tanjiro stops her by singing a lullaby that their mother once did, and Nezuko regresses from her transformation and begins to sob. This is one of the main moments where Nezuko actually displays her grief, as it was previously unclear whether she has ever actually processed the loss of her family. The inward struggle that Nezuko has gone through in the anime so far blurs the lines of the distinction between humanity and demons. In doing so, it foreshadows a possible return to her past self, which is H Tanjiro’s ultimate goal for his sister. ■

The new story arcs of “Demon Slayer” are delivering intense fight scenes while also pushing the boundaries of how grief is represented. These episodes alone highlight the difficult journeys that Tanjiro and Nezuko will each experience as they seek to prevail in the dark world of blood and death.

WITH WEEKLY EPISODES BEING AIRED, FANS SHOULD BE EXCITED TO TUNE INTO HULU’S LATEST ORIGINAL RELEASE.

Hulu takes a spin at a classic with “How I Met Your Father”

SAMUEL LAO Radar Editor

On March 31, 2014, many fans had to say goodbye to the beloved show “How I Met Your Mother,” with many not ready to lose the gang they had grown to love over nine seasons. As streaming services are becoming a staple in the world of entertainment, many services are now beginning to come out with originals like “How I Met Your Father,” in an attempt to solidify their viewership. With “How I Met Your Mother” having such a large fanbase, along with the new show being a Hulu exclusive, fans must decide whether the show is worth a monthly subscription to this service. Though the show seems to be a sort of spin-off of the original, it is, in fact, completely separated with a different group of friends being followed as they navigate through the turmoils of life in New York City. The show begins with Sophie, played by Hillary Duff, getting into an Uber on the way to yet another Tinder date, hoping she can finally find “the one.” Her Uber driver Jesse, played by Chris Lowell, brings along his best friend Sid, played by Suraj Sharma, and this is how fans are first introduced to the gang that will be followed throughout the season. After a swapped phone mishap, COURTESY OF HULU Sophie is forced to go to Sid’s bar where he

is proposing to his long-distance girlfriend, and by chance, Sophie is involved in this monumental moment. Throughout the first episode, we meet other characters such as Sophie’s roommate Valentina, played by Francia Raisa, her boyfriend Charlie, played by Tom Ainsley, and Jesse’s adoptive sister Ellen, played by Tien Tran. With only three episodes currently out, fans cannot be too sure what direction the show is heading, but so far, it does seem like the show is eerily similar to its predecessor. The series starts off with a future Sophie video chatting her son, wanting to tell him the story of how she met his father. In similar fashion, the show quickly dives into the current day New York City, and everything begins. In the first three episodes, there are already plenty of parallels being drawn as it is obvious that Jesse has feelings for Sophie, while Sid and his girlfriend seem to play the roles of Lily and Marshall (the married couple of the former show). Sophie, just like former main character Ted Mosby, is a love-seeking single in New York City trying to find her future husband. On top of all of this, Jesse and Sid have also taken the old apartment of Marshall and Lily, making the set of many scenes the exact same place as before. Though the show definitely has many

similarities (including the title), fans must go into this with a completely fresh mindset to truly enjoy the show. So far, the reviews for the show have been very mixed as some feel as if the show is enjoyable just like before while others feel like the reboot is a complete rip-off of the old show. Personally, I feel as if the show deserves an honest chance, but as a stand-alone project. Comparing both will only have fans trying to find problems within the new show, but true fans should simply try to enjoy the show for what it is. Also, with the show bringing in a whole new plot, if you are looking for something new to look forward to every week, this show would be the perfect way to end a Tuesday night, and it should be easy to follow as it starts with a H completely new story. ■

VERDICT: This is a great show to get into whether you are an old fan or a new fan looking for something to watch. With weekly releases, it gives fans something to look forward to each week, and as season one develops, fans should be excited to see where the main character, Sophie, ends up.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/ae

COURTESY OF 88 RISING OFFICIAL YOUTUBE

Is Rich Brian still cashing in on the past in his newest work? ELIAS ALMAREZ-HERRERA Contributing Writer

When Rich Brian dropped the cinematic music video for his single “New Tooth” (2021), fans speculated on what was to come from the 21-yearold rapper-producer. The song opens with a menacing piano keys loop, emphasized by trap hi-hats. He effortlessly hops on beat with a cool confidence: “It’s a simple question, do you got it or not?” On Jan. 20, an orange-haired Brian graced the cover of his four-track extended play “Brightside” (2022) with “New Tooth” as the opening number. Pop culture references to Hermoine from the Harry Potter series and 2000s rapper Bow Wow, among others, are interwoven into the lyrical bars on his first track. Embedded underneath Brian’s rap flow is a familiar west coast synth whistle, largely associated with gangsta funk music of the late-1980s and ‘90s. What follows is a lyrically repetitive and underwhelming chorus. The high-pitched whistle frequency sonically escorts “New Tooth” into its second half. Revitalizing its pace, the beat-switch features prominent synth and bass. Lush piano chords and pizzicato plucked strings loosely evoking the dominant sound on Tyler, the Creator’s 2017 album “Flower Boy” serve as the song’s outro. The second track, “Lagoon,” was teased at the end of the “New Tooth” visual. A thumping 808 drum machine introduces the tune as rear view mirror shots capture iconic Downtown Los Angeles structures in the distance of Rich Brian’s two-door luxury car. “It’s a coupe, his name is Lucas” raps Brian, referring to his set of wheels. While he

VERDICT:

COURTESY OF THE COME UP SHO VIA FLICKR UNDER CC BY-ND 2.0

COURTESY OF GEORGES BIARD VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMS UNDER CC-BY SA 4.0

COURTESY OF 88 RISING OFFICIAL YOUTUBBE

keeps his delivery interesting by manipulating the trajectory of his flows, “Lagoon” is lyrically quite similar to the previous track. Rich Brian continues to reference pop culture: “If he want smoke, he could get it like Bella Hadid.” He pokes fun at the model for her infamous 2017 interview with Complex. Although this approach gives rise to fond memories of internet banter, it heavily relies on listeners understanding each hyper-specific citation. At the 40-second mark of this song, another beat-switch occurs, accentuating the talents of producer Diamond Pistols. A distinct acoustic guitar and electronically produced chords slow the pace down for the second part of “Lagoon.” 88 Rising labelmate Warren Hue joins Rich Brian on the Powers Pleasant produced “Getcho Mans.” The indisputable rasp in

Hue’s voice and his commanding cadence are refreshing additions to the project, both of which blend perfectly to the high-energy track. Rich Brian’s experimental vocal inflections surely pay off. The back and forth between the two rappers makes for an interesting dynamic. Hue pays homage to Indonesia and claims he makes waves like the X-Men superhero, Storm, in his verse. Rich Brian remains true to his name with the line “Just woke up, I’m getting commas.” While it can seem impressive to some rap listeners to hear an artist continuously rap at the speed Warren Hue and Rich Brian exhibit in this effort, the lyrical content fails to substantiate the flows on “Getcho Mans,” creating a tiresome listening experience. Articulated best by hiphop heavyweight Nicki Minaj in a 2019 interview, “Rapping fast does not mean you can rap.” It is jarring to hear Warren Hue compare himself to Michael “Jumpman” Jordan and Mariah Carey — established legends in their respective crafts — as he rushes through his verses. His attempt to sound “braggadocious” has the opposite effect and is indicative of an amateur pen lacking the finesse of a veteran act. In typical Rich Brian fashion, the introspective final track takes form in “Sunny,” a track carried by soft piano keys, prominent live percussion and a subtle bassline. He gives a shout-out to the Philippines based fast-food chain Jollibee and compares battles with his inner demons to the fight sequences in popular Japanese anime. His flow on the bridge directly mirrors a

Kendrick Lamar flow on the track “XXX.” (2017). The concepts on this EP are slightly undercooked, a surprising development in the artist’s evolution since immersing himself into Black American rap culture under the racial slur-stagename “Rich Chigga” with the viral track “Dat $tick” (2016). Just like his name, his sound has progressed, delving into melodic rap and singing over the course of his first three studio albums from “Amen” (2018) to “The Sailor” (2019) and “1999” (2020). It is worth noting that “Brightside” is not a full-length album and should not be held to the standard of Rich Brian’s catalogue of fully realized projects. There is, however, a full circle moment to the opening line of the project. Is Brian a brand, budgeted with stunning visuals and a flawless rollout, or is he concerned with sustaining his place as a rapper? H Does Rich Brian “got it” or not? ■

COURTESY OF JOERUNDFP VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS UNDER CC BY-SA 3.0

Crisp production and dated references take center stage on “Brightside” as Rich Brian struggles to diversify his lyrical content beyond basic metaphors and similes. Rather than illuminating listeners with a glimpse into the future of his style and sound, “Brightside” houses recycled flows from his sophomore effort.

Sports

SPORTS

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

UC Riverside Men’s Basketball emerges victorious in their battle against the Cal State Fullerton Titans KEVIN CONTRERAS Sports Editor

AN EARLY CHARGE IN THE FIRST HALF CREATES A COMFORTABLE LEAD FOR THE HIGHLANDERS.

After a tough loss on the road on Thursday, Jan. 27 against Long Beach State, the Highlanders returned to the SRC arena to face off the conference leader, Cal State Fullerton. UCR’s men’s basketball team geared up to challenge the Titans and knock them off the top of the hill. After a comfortable lead generated in the first half, the Highlanders were able to emerge victorious from the bout and add another tally to their wins column. The Titans opened up the scoreboard, quickly gathering 4 points for themselves in the couple minutes of the game. Graduate student and guard Dominick Pickett sank a 3-pointer with an assist from junior guard, Zyon Pulin, to break the opponent’s momentum. Fullerton sank a 3-pointer of their own, putting them ahead 7-3 in the opening scene. A layup from Pullin triggered the Highlanders to go on an 11-0 run, the score now 14-7. The Titans were awarded two free throws, made good by redshirt sophomore forward,

Vincent Lee. UCR responded with a jumper from inside the paint scored by redshirt junior guard Flynn Cameron. The score was now 16-9 with 13:26 left in the first half. After over three minutes of drought, redshirt junior center Callum Mcrae made it rain again with a layup. This prompted the Highlanders to go on a quick run, bringing their total up to 20. Jalen Harris then broke UCR’s momentum with a layup off of a fastbreak, to bring the score to 11-20 in favor of the Highlanders. With over 8 minutes left in the half, both teams were drawn into a steady back and forth, trading point for point. The score was now 32-20, with a little over 3 minutes left. UCR found the energy to press on and further cement their lead, going on an impressive 6-2 run to end the half. The Highlanders went into halftime ahead 37-22. The second half was quickly underway, with the scoreboard being opened up by the Titans with two free throws. The Highlanders responded with a 5-0 run, putting them ahead 42-24 within the 2 minutes of the game. A layup from Pickett added

another 2 points to the tally to which Fullerton responded with a layup of their own. The game then began to even out, with both teams trading points. Fullerton was eager to make up for the deficit created in the first half, while the Highlanders kept pressing forward to further extend their lead. A 3-pointer from senior guard Dragan Elkaz left the Highlanders ahead 49-28 with over 13 minutes left in the game. After the 10 minute mark, UCR continued to score points — but from the free-throw line, as they were awarded and made good of 11 free throws. This left the score 62-46 with 3:12 left on the clock. The Titans managed to score a 3-pointer to add to their tally, to which UCR responded with a 3-pointer of their own, courtesy of sophomore guard Will Tattersal and resulting in a score of 6549. Fullerton then went on a 5-2 run but to no avail as time ran out, leaving the final score 67-54 in favor of the Highlanders. The Highlanders now sit comfortably in fourth H place with plenty more games yet to come. ■

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

UC Riverside men’s basketball team’s 3-game win streak snapped by Long Beach State HANSEL CHU Assistant Sports Editor

The UC Riverside men’s basketball team lost a tightly contested battle against Long Beach State on Thursday night. Going into this game, the Highlanders were on a threegame winning streak and placed 3rd in the Big West Conference standings. However, the rebounding margin and poor outside shooting cost UCR the game despite junior point guard Zyon Pullin’s career high night on the court. Long Beach State jumped out to an early 11-6 lead led by two early triples from senior guard Colin Slater. A pair of made free throws from junior guard Flynn Cameron brought the score to 11-8. However, the Elbees went on a quick 8-0 run to extend their lead into the double digits, 19-8, with just under 12 minutes left in the first half. During that run, the Highlanders had three straight turnovers that led to their run. Throughout the first half, UC Riverside trailed Long Beach State and struggled to hit perimeter 3-pointers. Near the end of the first half, UCR started to make a little run of their own to close the deficit. A 3-pointer from graduate student Dominick Pickett cut the deficit to 36-29, and a layup

by Pullin with two seconds left on the clock brought the score to 38-31 at halftime. Pullin led the Highlanders with 8 points in the first half. However, UC Riverside shot an ice cold 2-11 from the 3-point land and committed nine turnovers, which led to their early deficit at halftime. In the second half, Long Beach State got back into their double-digit lead as they led 43-31 within the first three minutes. Both teams continued to trade baskets, and the Highlanders were unable to put together a string of stops on the defensive side of the ball. At around the halfway point of the second half, UCR found themselves down 54-43. However, they started to mount a little run of their own to climb back into the ball game. A 3-pointer from Pullin brought the deficit to 8, and a jumper from Cameron cut the Elbee lead to 6 points. A couple of possessions later, a 4-point play opportunity for Cameron brought the Highlander deficit to just 4 points, 57-53, with 8:31 left to play. However, personal fouls became a huge problem for UC Riverside, as Long Beach State continued to get to the free-throw line, in which they were able to convert from the charity stripe and maintain their lead.

With two minutes left in the ball game, the Highlanders found themselves down 64-58. A layup on their next possession from their 7-foot center Callum McRae brought the deficit to 4 points once again. After a Long Beach State turnover, Pullin was fouled and went to the free-throw line, in which he sank both free throws to cut the lead to 2 points, 64-62 with just under one minute to play. However, a fadeaway jumper from Slater touched nothing but net and extended the Elbee lead back to 4 points. UCR had a chance to make it a one possession game, but back-to-back 3-point misses from Cameron and Pickett ultimately sealed the game as UC Riverside fell to Long Beach State, 68-62. Pullin led the Highlanders with a careerhigh of 23 points along with six rebounds and five assists. Cameron put up 13 points with four rebounds, and McRae had a doubledouble with 12 points and 11 rebounds. UC Riverside shot an abysmal 18.5% from 3-point range and were outrebounded 44-36, which is something that rarely happens to this great rebounding team. The Highlanders drop to 10-6 (3-2) on the season and will take on UC Davis at home on H Tuesday, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. ■

ZYON PULLIN’S CAREER HIGH NOT ENOUGH AS HIGHLANDERS DROP A CLOSE ONE AGAINST THE ELBEE

12 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022

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