Volume 67 Issue 01 by The Highlander- UCR

THE HIGHLANDER

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

est. 1954

FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 , 2018

VOL. 67, ISSUE 01

UCR welcomes Nobel prize winner Barry C. Barish

KARLA URIOSTEGUI Contributing Writer

39 SPOTS

124

In an “America’s Best Colleges Report” by the U.S. News and World Report (USNWR), UC Riverside made larger gains than any other university in the United States. The report factors in graduates’ successful outcomes, social mobility and diversity to rank institutions across the United States.

UC Riverside has signalled its ambition in expanding its awardwinning faculty by hiring the 2017 Physics Nobel Prize winner, Barry C. Barish. On Sept. 1, Barish joined the UCR College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) faculty for the 2018 fall quarter. Barish earned the Prize alongside Rainer Weiss, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Kip Thorne, a professor at Caltech University, for their groundbreaking work in enabling the first observation of gravitational waves. Barish and his peers made great contributions in the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory, otherwise known as LIGO. On September 14, 2015, LIGO was able to detect a gravitational wave for the first time ever. The detection of gravitational waves confirms predictions made by Albert Einstein in his general theory of relativity. The LIGO lab contains a total of 1000 researchers from more than 20 countries and enables the detection of gravitational waves caused by different universal phenomena. The first gravitational wave detected was generated by the collision of two black holes and took about 1.3 billion years to arrive at the LIGO detector labs. LIGO allows the detection of gravitational waves by splitting a laser beam with a mirror into two and sends each beam in different directions with a precise time and equal distance through long vacuum tubes. Mirrors located at the end of each tube reflect the lasers back at the same time. When no disturbance is detected, the laser reflections meet and cancel each other out, preventing light from reaching the detecting instruments. ► SEE BARISH PAGE 4

► SEE RANKING PAGE 4

Our favorite summer sports moments ► SEE MOMENTS PAGE15

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HUMANS OF UCR

UPCOMING EVENTS: WEEK 0

LAUREN DAGAN, CHEMISTRY, THIRD-YEAR

Tuesday

COMPILED BY MARTIN LOPEZ

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“I thought I would grow out of playing imaginary games when I was a kid, of running across fields pretending to be a dragon. Instead of that interest fading, it simply matured. Now I do creative writing and role play with close friends. I still love developing characters and drawing fantasy and science fiction creatures.”

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National Voter Registration Day 11:00am to 12:00pm Pentland Hills BearCave and Bannockburn

Work-Study Orientation 11:00am to 12:00pm Life Sciences Building, 1500

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

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UCR makes largest gains in college rankings AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer

39-position increase reflects graduates’ success

► FROM RANKING

In an “America’s Best Colleges Report” by the U.S. News and World Report (USNWR), UC Riverside made larger gains than any other university in the United States. According to the 2019 rankings, UCR jumped 39 positions from No. 124 in 2018 to No. 85 in 2019. It is also ranked the No. 35 public university in the nation for 2019. The USNWR has published these college ranking reports annually since 1987. In order to rank colleges, US News places each school into a category based on its mission, gathers data about each school in up to 16 areas of academic excellence and ultimately ranks the university based on their overall score. Measured factors include faculty resources, student achievement and outcomes, the last of which examines a university’s success at retaining and graduating students within six years. The addition of a social mobility category contributed largely to UCR’s

gains. This category analyzes the degree to which a university advances its graduates from the lowest to the highest income brackets. UCR graduates more low-income and Pell Grant students than any other university in the United States. US News eliminated acceptance rate as a factor in order to increase the influence of outcome factors. They also reduced the weight of expert opinions and test scores such as the SAT and ACT. In an interview with the Highlander, Chancellor Kim Wilcox wrote, “I’m heartened that more university ranking systems are beginning to recognize diversity, social mobility, and student success as hallmarks of a what make a great university -- as opposed to exclusivity and wealth as primary measures.” UCR’s rise in the ranks reflects the changing national conversation about higher education, “but by no means is the conversation over,” wrote Wilcox. USNWR publishes its rankings every September for colleges, encompassing all accredited public and private higher education institutions in the U.S. as well as international schools. ■H

JIMMY LAI / HIGHLANDER

UCR welcomes Nobel prize winner Barry C. Barish ► FROM BARISH

The discovery of gravitational waves came due to a distortion in the lab, resulting in the laser beams losing their synchronization. This led the beams to be unable to line up and cancel each other out, which sent signals to the light detector. In order to record more accurate measurements, two identical LIGO labs were built on opposite sides of the United States, at Livingston, Louisiana and Hanford, Washington. Both are synchronized to each other so that the signals can be validated. Barish has earned many achievements worldwide throughout his career such as the Chinese Fudan-Zhongzhi Science Award, the Spanish Princess of Asturias Prize for Science and Technology, the Giuseppe and Vanna Cocconi Prize and the Klopsteg Memorial Award from the American Association of Physics Teachers. He was also elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a fellow and President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the American Physical Society. Barish earned his bachelor’s degree in physics in 1957 and his doctorate in 1962 from UC Berkeley in experimental particle physics. In 1991, he was appointed the Linde Professor of Physics, Emeritus, at CalTech where he began to lead the LIGO project through its final design stages. Later, in 1997, he helped

create the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, which enabled worldwide participation in the project.

programs and orientation toward student success ... I hope to bring some new research perspectives, and especially to help educate the very special UCR

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In an interview with the Highlander, Barish stated that he “very much look[s] forward to joining the UCR physics faculty with its exciting research

student body.” This quarter, Professor Barish will be joining his son Professor Kenneth Barish, chairman of the Department of

Physics and Astronomy at UCR as a fellow faculty member. His father’s work has inspired him and made him proud. In an interview with The Press-Enterprise Kenneth Barish stated that “when he (his father) started this, he was 58.” Now 81, Professor Barry C. Barish’s hard work has paid off. On the importance of detecting gravitational waves, Nobel officials said, “(they) are an entirely new way of observing the most violent events in space and testing the limits of our knowledge.” Professor Kenneth Barish believes that LIGO’s finding “is one of the most important discoveries in the last 100 years,” because it measures the difference in “the actual space it is changing and being warped or compressed so when you get a gravitational wave, you get a compression in one direction and an expansion in the other direction.” In an interview with UCR Today, Kathryn Uhrich, the dean of CNAS, stated that “we are truly grateful for Professor Barish’s willingness to share his wealth of groundbreaking research and knowledge with UCR students and faculty, who also work every day to follow his example and push the boundaries of science.” Professor Barry Barish will be the second Nobel Prize winner in the UCR faculty, following Richard Schrock, a Nobel prize winning chemist and UCR alumni. Professor Richard Schrock joined the UCR faculty a month before Professor Barry Barish. ■H

Distinguished UCR African-American history professor passes away

VIVIAN LEE Staff Writer

Dr. Sterling Stuckey, historian, professor emeritus in the Department of History and author of numerous African American historical research articles, passed away on Aug. 15. As a notable academic, Stuckey held the position of UC Presidential Chair in 1989 where he was selected to endow scholarly research and support campus activities at UC Riverside. After his retirement in 2004, Stuckey went to complete the manuscript for his book “The Chambers of the Soul: Frederick Douglass, Herman Melville and the Blues”, in which he compares the significant characters and motifs of Melville’s works to the legacy of Frederick Douglass. One of his most prominent publications was his groundbreaking article “Through the Prism of Folklore: The Black Ethos in Slavery”, which he wrote during his graduate studies in 1968. His article was celebrated by scholars for incorporating the history of slavery in North America and the West Indies into the overall studies of Africa and African culture. Stuckey’s work allowed researchers to change their approach to field studies of black anthropology and slavery by emphasizing the importance of incorporating black folklore, art and music into the African American culture that exists today.

Stuckey’s studies can be traced to his years of activism and involvement with the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Stuckey worked alongside notable activists such as Sterling Brown and Malcolm X in the Amistad Society, a committee he co-founded and chaired in order to give more recognition to African American history and culture programs. Stuckey’s involvement with the civil rights movement in Chicago while he was concurrently studying his bacherlor’s degree, medical degree and doctorate at Northwestern University propelled his lifelong academic pursuit towards humanitarianism and black civil rights. Scholars and professors nationwide praised Stuckey for his pioneering work in creating an interdisciplinary study of African American history, specifically his expertise on black nationalism. His most acclaimed novel, “Slave Culture: Nationalist Theory and the Foundations of Black America”, was recognized for providing a voice to authors like John Blassingame and Albert Raboteau who were civil rights activists in the 1960s and tried to analyze the slave experience from the perspectives of slaves themselves. Stuckey’s impact on African American history through his scholastic work has paved the way for new studies of African slavery and its cultural roots in Africa. His ideas about black nationalism earned him many accolades and numerous awards including the Distinguished Humanist Achievement award given

by the UCR Center for Ideas and Society and the prestigious title of Senior Fellow at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Arrangements for Stuckey’s funeral in Lawndale are currently pending. ■H

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NEWS

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

STEM high school to be built on campus AIDAN RUTTEN Senior Staff Writer

UCR plans on constructing a new STEM-focused magnet high school on its campus in conjunction with the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) which will allow about 800 high school students to utilize UC facilities and resources during their education. The project, still in its early planning phase, will be built using money obtained from Measure O. A 2015 agreement between UCR, RCC and RUSD paved the way for new ideas to expand STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education in Riverside County. The Riverside STEM Academy (RSA), which as a magnet school focuses on a STEM curriculum, must adhere to state requirements and is a part of the school district, proposed building an extension campus on UCR’s grounds, and since 2016 the project has been in development.

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Construction is set to begin, according to planning documents, December 2019 and will be completed by March 2022. RSA will use approximately $55 million obtained from state Measure O to complete the design

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and construction of the project. This measure allows the Pacifica School District to issue bonds of no more than $55 million to facilitate projects benefiting elementary and high schools in a broad capacity, which RUSD will use for planning and construction while RSA leases the land from UCR. According to UCR Professor of Paleobiology Mary Droser, also a member of the design team on this project, neither the school nor its students will be responsible for any costs. The location of the new building will be on the northeast part of campus off of Watkins Drive and Valencia Hill Drive, and students of the school would have access to resources such as the HUB and other on-campus stores and facilities. Planning and design of the facility are still under way, and various regulatory requirements will need to be met, such as official traffic analysis and permitting. Droser highlighted how the new school will be beneficial for UCR. “This … provides a close opportunity for service learning projects for undergraduate students,” she said, “as well as facilitating classroom observation,

mentorship and participation in research.” Droser also wrote about the advantage that this new school will provide certain funding opportunities for UCR. “The presence of the school on the UCR campus will facilitate certain types of grants and funding opportunities which benefits the campus as a whole,” she said. Some are concerned about the project, such as Kevin Dawson, a UCR alumnus and area resident. “RUSD students graduating from this school would have a huge advantage when applying for admission to collage (sic),” said Dawson, “They’d be able to list that they attended and graduated from an elite high school on a UC campus.” However, Droser feels differently about the project. “There are loads of magnet schools and schools of choice and other opportunities for kids in other districts across the country,” she said. “Additionally, there are examples of schools on other campuses. So yes, this is an advantage for RUSD kids but I don’t think that I would consider it as unfair to others.” Potential issues also stem from

these new high school students competing for the same resources as their collegiate cohabitants, as well as the new school’s impact on its surroundings, such as parking. “It’s taking Intramural facilities paid for by almost $2 m (sic) of student fee money,” said Dawson. “It’s bringing 800-1200 high school students to the campus to have access to UCR faculty and facilities, potentially competing with UCR Students for campus resources.” However, Droser wrote that these concerns are unfounded. “ ... things like parking, etc. are being worked out. RUSD students will not impact our dining services or classes.” This project is not the first of its kind, since two other UC campuses already have on-campus high schools. The Preuss School at UC San Diego and the Geffen Academy at UCLA both offer high school curriculums to local students. The RSA project at UCR is unique by way of its focus on STEM education. A website dedicated to providing information about the planning and building of this new school is currently being developed. ■H

UCR projected to enroll 1,950 new transfer students this year

MARK BERTUMEN Senior Staff Writer

UC Riverside Undergraduate Admissions carried out numerous action plans in an effort to raise UCR’s transfer student population this year. This is in response to last year ’s student ratio of about three incoming freshmen to one new transfer at UCR. If the excessive ratio was left unaddressed, the campus would have faced budget cuts threatened by state legislators and the governor. The UC system aims for a ratio of two new freshmen to each new transfer in each college. This is in accordance with the California Master Plan for Higher Education, established in 1960 to standardize California’s postsecondary education system and promote the academic growth of its students. Emily Engelschall, the director of Undergraduate Admissions, elaborated on the estimations of new transfers in an email to the Highlander. “I anticipate that we will enroll approximately 1700 CA resident transfer students (out of 7070 (state-resident) admits) this fall,” Engelschall explained, “and another 250 (of those type) this winter,” for a total of 1,950 new transfers from 8,225 total admits. This is up from around 1,400 enrolled transfers in 2017, which was only up from 1,234 students in 2016. UCR freshman-to-transfer ratio is the highest among the UC colleges. While UC Merced has a ratio of 11.9 the school is too new for officials to consider budget cuts, since it would stifle all general growth the college still has the potential to make. Engelschall attributes the increase in transfer students to the collaboration of Undergraduate Admissions with several other groups on and off campus. These groups include Financial Aid, the

Career Center, the Academic Senate, the Academic Resource Center ’s Transfer Zone, UCR’s current and prospective transfer student body, Student Affairs Marketing and Communications, the Provost, the Vice Provost of U n d e rg r a d u a t e Education, the Honors Program, and various groups at the community colleges. The partnerships surmounted to “nineteen different specific action plans that guided (their) work for the academic year,” Engelschall said. She added that specific actions taken by the collaboration included “visiting all 114 California Community Colleges to make connections with potential students, building stronger relationships with Community College counselors,” and “rethinking the messages we deliver to transfer students surrounding important topics like financial aid, time to degree, and career opportunities after graduation.” Engelschall noted that the increase in transfers will add diversity to the campus, since the “depth of life experiences” those students possess will be a “huge benefit” to the undergraduate population. She later added that transfer-specific support services are in place to ensure their success, such as the

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ARC’s Transfer Zone, which was created last year to provide students with “academic, professional, and personal” advice and assistance and attributed by Engelschall as “an important piece of the puzzle.” These transfer support services are what Engelschall has heard from transfers themselves as the main reason they chose to attend UCR. Engelschall also traces their enrollment to the “multiple opportunities” UCR offers for transfers, such as in-person visits and a transfer studenttailored experience of the campus. Jessica Verazas, the assistant director of transfer recruitment and evaluation at Undergraduate Admissions, was unavailable for comment on these matters. Nina Cerna, the manager of the Transfer Zone, was also unavailable for comment. ■H

Opinions

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

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Unfair competition with the Sun? Trump’s folly and the danger of tariffs HUGO ARCOS Contributing Writer

On Monday, Sept. 17, Donald Trump imposed 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion worth of products imported from China, including goods like toilet paper and seafood. Although sizeable, these tariffs are merely the tip of the iceberg, as President Trump has threatened China with tariffs on an additional $267 billion worth of imported goods. The president has claimed these tariffs are necessary to protect the interest of domestic producers. Although president Trump’s reasoning to support these tariffs may seem wellintentioned, closer inspection exposes his ignorance of economic realities. What exactly is Trump’s reasoning and logic behind these tariffs? The president stated that these tariffs are in response to China’s “unfair trade practices” and views them as an essential move toward providing fair treatment to American companies. Furthermore (and not surprisingly), Trump has pulled the classic excuse of using tariffs to protect American consumers and workers. In this case, China is framed as a predatory competitor by President Trump; a country actively damaging American consumers and workers by flooding our markets with cheaply produced and mediocre goods. His proposed antidote is to tax these goods, therefore supporting domestic industry. The sole beneficiaries of

trade barriers, however, are actually just specific sectors that produce the same goods that have the tariffs imposed on them; the elimination of foreign competition will reduce their pressure to keep prices as low as they might otherwise be. As select businesses benefit from this reduced competition, the burden of increased prices will inevitably be passed on to consumers. As a result, tariff policies actually hurt the consumer more since they raise the prices of imported goods and consequently limit consumers’ choices. Economist Frederic Bastiat once noted in his essay, “Unfair Competition with the Sun” that tariffs are preposterous and often a mere excuse for companies to get richer, instead of benefiting their workers. Bastiat argued that foreign competition actually offers cheap and plentiful goods by eliminating inefficient domestic competitors and allocating resources to the most effective producer. He expressed this idea by claiming that if candlemakers were afraid of foreign competition, they might as well block out the sun. To make matters worse, the imposition of tariffs often leads to a trade war. After all, China has already retaliated against Trump’s recent tariffs with 5 to 10 percent import taxes on $60 billion worth of American goods. We can confidently expect a superpower like China not to back down easily, especially when considering that China’s Ministry of

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Commerce has declared an “economic emergency” in response to the tariffs. This is an even more important point to consider when realizing that China provides a whopping $506 billion worth of goods to the United States annually. Trade wars are often indicators of strenuous and hostile situations between nations, resulting from barriers such as tariffs. For example, consider the relationship between North Korea and the United States: two nations which have established considerable trade barriers and maintain hostile relations. On the other hand, note the cooperation between the United States and the

NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) countries of Mexico and Canada: the three countries often hold economic summits and allow their countries to exchange goods freely. Peace between nations, in other words, is often marked by free or mutually beneficial trade. Considering the vast amount of our debt held by China and the size and aggression of their military, would it be a smart idea to engage in a trade war? Absolutely not. What Trump is selling as logically and economically sound tariffs against China are actually reflections of either his ignorance of or

disregard for the realities of the international economy. Trump should recognize that imposing these policies on China is not the wisest choice. If he cares about the American consumers and workers, he should really reconsider his approach with other countries when it comes to trade. China will not give up easily, and it is a superpower that one should be approach carefully. As Garnet Joseph Wolseley (a recognized British army officer which served in China during the Opium Wars), once stated, “Once awakened, China will become a Frankenstein monster … once woken it will fight tooth and claw.” ■H

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

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OPINION POLL Compiled by Jimmy Lai, Senior Staff Photographer

“What’s your favorite summer memory?”

Catherine Yong Business Marketing Third-year

Aidan Rutten Political Science Fourth-year

Marcelo Garcia TFDP Fourth-year

Mark Bertumen Chemistry Second-year

“Climbing up one of Taiwan’s most scenic lookout points while it was pouring rain.”

“My best friend’s son wanted to give a speech at their wedding, but he got embarrassed, so the audience turned around to make him feel more comfortable.”

“Waking up on the first Sunday of break and realizing I wouldn’t have to go to production for three months.”

“Saw my brother graduate from his Air Force training in Alabama.”

Jonathan Fernandez

Joseph Ismail Campus Visitor

“Going to Six Flags and watching my 15-year-old cousin freak out before getting on Goliath.”

“My favorite part of summer was visiting my big brother in Washington, D.C. ”

Media and Culture Third-year

Marxist elements show in American society

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Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has been the U.S. Senate Majority Leader since 2015. SHYAM RAJAN Contributing Writer

In 1848, German philosopher Karl Marx delineated in his Communist Manifesto that society, at the time phasing through a period of industrialization and capitalism, would become continuously split into two distinct economic classes known as the bourgeoisie, or the holders of wealth, and the proletariat, or the working class. Although Marxist thought has European origins, no European nation has split into a twoparty system that mirrors Marxist thought quite like the U.S. The U.S. has always been a stout opponent of communism: the Cold War, the “Red Scare” and the Marshall Plan were all aimed at squashing sympathy to communist thought around the globe. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, America’s primary communist rival vanished, leaving the People’s Republic of China and a handful of others as the remnants of a bygone era. Despite the fact that America is commonly thought of as having triumphed over communism, American democracy closely represents a Marxist dichotomy. The unique two-party system in the U.S. has persisted since its founding, where the debate between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists has, over the centuries, transformed into the modern partisanship of Republicans and Democrats. This design has created a state marked by its majority versus minority dichotomy. Few countries in Europe are thus split, for their parliaments are divided amongst many leftist, centrist and rightist parties with coalition-building a common feature. Although

Communist and socialist parties are represented in many of these nations’ governments, this multilateral political competition is not indicative of the future Marx envisioned. Only in the U.S. has the citizenry so passionately split into two fundamental and exclusive camps. Although fringe groups like the Green Party have become minimally popular, most American third parties have failed to gain representation in government in any form. Many European parties that are represented in their parliaments are fringe groups in the U.S., and must eventually blend into one of the two dominant parties in order to gain legislative representation. A closer look at the Republican and Democratic parties reveals how close to a Communist class struggle the U.S. really is, especially when considering Marx’s predicted division of society into two distinct classes. Predicted to sprout from this dichotomy is the Communist Revolution, or the creation of a classless society after a dictatorship by the proletariat. In Marx’s writings an initially economic division, it seems as if the proletariat and the bourgeoisie have become the implicit labels for, respectively, the Democratic and Republican parties, whose constituencies have transformed Marx’s predicted economic class solidarity into one overtly political in nature. The Republican Party bears uncoincidental similarities to the bourgeoisie, or the economic class consisting of the owners of capital — in other words, the wealthy. The Democrats, by way of their platform,

resemble the proletariat, or the party of the non-owners, specifically the wage workers who sell their labor on the free market to the bourgeoisie. This dichotomy is unmatched in Europe, where similar constituencies are represented by a vast number of political parties which survive in the U.S. as ideological factions within the two dominant parties. Although the European Communist parties claim the legacy of Marx’s philosophy, no European state, even those labeled socialist, are as close as the U.S. to the pre-revolutionary conditions Marx predicted. The Democratic Party in the U.S. has been labeled socialist by its Republican adversaries, who are in turn called bourgeois reactionaries. Similar Republican insults intend to splinter the Democratic Party, one who for so long has supported the proletariat through measures like unionization and minimum wage hikes. Marx predicted that reactions to alienation amongst wage laborers would create a class solidarity strong enough to oppose the bourgeoisie. Such reactions in the U.S. arise in response to perceptions of extreme economic inequality. For example, tax cuts for the rich (as espoused by Republicans) have

been criticized for benefiting the wealthy at the expense of the poor. The resulting exponential growth of CEO income and bonuses, intended to stimulate economic growth for all by incentivizing the bourgeoisie’s investment, has been criticized as pseudo-economic, ignoring the status of the middle and lower classes. As the wealthy one-percent of Americans grew at the expense of the ninety-nine percent, Americans rallied with the Occupy Wall Street movement to show their commitment to fighting this moneyed class, creating solidarity amongst the proletariat exactly in the way Marx envisioned. At all levels of politics, the U.S. is firmly entrenched in a two-party system. Republican benefactors have generally benefited the rich at the expense of the poor, whose interests are ideologically supported by the Democratic Party. Democratic leaders have and will continue to emerge to represent the voices ignored by bourgeois policy. Despite the historical U.S. opposition to communism, the country now mirrors Marx’s prediction of a divided society split along stark economic and political lines. ■H

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Features HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

Veterans Resource Center By: Martha Delagado, Senior Staff Writer

Campus spotlight

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“Veterans of what?” was a phrase Tami Thacker, the Veteran Services Coordinator at the Veterans Resource Center (VRC), would often hear from young people on campus when mentioning U.S. Military veteran students. After being hired in July 2017, Thacker has worked on increasing the presence of veteran students on campus. One of the ways by which Thacker bridged the gap between veterans and regular students was through November 2017’s “No One Left Behind with Shane Ortega” program. The program, which was co-sponsored by ASPB and the LGBTQ Resource Center changed the perception of veterans on campus. “A lot of people felt more comfortable around our group now,” Thacker explained. “I think because of all the stuff that goes on in the military with ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ and the ban of transgender people in the military gave us all the bad name that we’re all prejudiced.” Additionally, veteran students were seen as disgruntled during their fight for a space on campus that could successfully accommodate their 100 student population. The center was successfully moved from the small one-couch room of Costo Hall to the much larger Bannockburn H-108. Transitioning from military to civilian life is a challenge for veterans. For those that go to college, one of the challenges they face is the age gap between them and the majority of the student population. Fredy Dominguez, a third-year transfer mechanical engineering major, is one of the veteran students who felt like an outsider because of the age difference between him and the student population. “I’m always

hesitant (to meet new people). I think that feeling like an outsider kind of prohibits you from going and trying to find all the resources and getting involved right away,” he stated. The VRC had given Dominguez a way to connect with other veterans. Thacker, a veteran herself, had also gone through similar experiences. “We’re trying to blend back in,” she commented. Back when she was an undergraduate, Thacker would get

Sayre transition into civilian life by providing her with a routine. With 218 veterans attending UCR just this fall alone, the VRC saw a 22 percent increase in attendance from the past year. Sayre, who is now a student assistant at the VRC, hopes to mentor and calm the fears of incoming veteran students, a task that she deems important not just for the veterans but for herself as well. “When I was in the military, my career meant something. I felt

“WHEN I WAS IN THE MILITARY, MY CAREER MEANT SOMETHING. I FELT LIKE I WAS DOING SOMETHING FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND IT’S IMPORTANT IN MY MIND TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT” anxious during class from observing the other students not showing respect to the professor, an authority figure. “It’s tough because you’re used to being in an environment where you are quiet, told what to do and listen. Here it’s not the same,” she explained. “Veterans have a different mindset than the civilian student,” began Jennifer Sayre, a third-year history major. Sayre was 20 years old and working at Home Depot when she enlisted in the military. After finishing her service six years later, Sayre’s discipline and time management skills aided her when she began college. Attending college has helped

like I was doing something for the community, and it’s important in my mind to continue to do that,” Sayre said. Sayre’s original aspiration was to become a veterinarian. However that changed after hearing a history professor at her last community college speak about his experience in law school. The professor dropped out of law school after realizing that he would not have enough time to spend with his family and became a professor. Since then, Sayre reflected on the long and hard work she would encounter as a veterinarian. This prompted her to switch to history, a subject she enjoys, and plans to go

into education to become a college professor. The VRC offers veteran students benefits and information regarding financial aid, classes and counselors. In order to use their benefits, veterans need to create an education plan and are aided by an advisor. In addition, the VRC offers veterans a financial advisor to help them process their paperwork. While Bannockburn offers a larger space for the VRC, Thacker is working on getting them a place that is on campus so they will not be forgotten in important conversations. “Being in Costo Hall was ideal,” elaborated Thacker. “Since we’ve been put out here, we’ve sort of fallen off the map. We are not in anybody’s radar. If I go to events and I hear them talking about the cultural groups or Costo Hall, we are never included in that conversation.” Thacker also seeks to debunk the stigmas about veterans, such as being warmongers, Republicans or having a mental illness. “I can say that none of that is true,” stated Thacker. “You hear on campus that every veteran is a Republican and it’s just not true. We have a huge amount of diversity within our one group. We have every cultural group. Not everybody has a mental illness. Pretty much all the stigma that you hear about veterans is not true.” “You’ve got to come meet us,” Sayre commented regarding the stigmas. “I’m not a white male Republican that most people associate with veterans. I am a Democrat who’s married to a woman who has Hispanic children.” The Veteran’s Resource Center will be holding an open house on Tuesday, Nov. 6 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. ■H

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FEATURES

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

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Campus Cope What I wish I knew as an incoming first-year By: Martha Delgado, Senior Staff Writer

Yes, you made it into college and you may have just moved into your dorm room or gotten your schedule of college courses for the fall. It is easy to get overwhelmed by the excitement of dorming and being called a college student. However, the struggle begins after those major moments such as actually living in the dorm and trying to pass classes. If you’ve lived in the residence halls, then you know of the honeymoon phase where everyone in the hall gets along and there are no issues.

afternoon. You might also not want to take that 8 a.m. but it’s the only class that’s open. In that case, make sure you go to bed early in order to make it on time to class. Don’t forget that you are in charge of your sleep schedule now because no one is really going to make sure that you wake up for class.

College is not like high school

Quarter Semester

This seems obvious, but when it comes to procrastination and study habits you’ll find that it’ll be almost impossible to pass a test that you only studied for the night before. You will most likely have gaps in between your classes and those gaps should be used for studying. You will most likely not be in classes all day like in high school. Hence, you won’t have to wait until after 4 p.m. to start working on your homework. Take advantage of that time. You will learn as the year goes on that time management is important in college and could make the difference between passing and failing a class.

vs.

The quarter system moves fast. Before you know it you will take your first midterm and then your first final. On top of this, the information you learn in your classes might be hard to retain in time for exams. That’s why it is important to take time out of class to study and review the work covered so far.

Responsibilities

8 a.m. It’s a mystery how we used to wake up early Monday through Friday and attend class at 8 in the morning, because as many of you may discover it’s much harder to do so when you get to college. You might find that you are not a morning person and will struggle to get to an 8 a.m. class. You could also find that you like to wake up and start your day that early. The important part is to be honest and ask yourself if you will be able to wake up around 7 a.m. to get to your class at 8. There is no shame in taking classes in the

It is scary to talk to professors, especially one who has control over your grade. But the rest of your college and professional career will be defined by how well you can talk to other adults. You will also find that in order to get a letter of recommendation from a professor, they need to know who you are. So, start small. Go to office hours with a small question or comment, tell them your name, and they will begin to remember you. Doing that will help you practice for the next couple of years.

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Go to office hours

You will look silly if you just show up to your professor or T.A.’s office hours without having something to talk about. Even if it’s just a small question about the class, that small question can help you break the ice and start a conversation with them.

Unless you are a commuter student, you will find yourself doing your own laundry, many of you for the first time. You will also be in charge of your nutrition either by cooking or by eating food from the dining hall. Although this seems small compared to classes, these things can add up. Not doing laundry for a month will leave you with no clothes unless you packed A LOT of clothes to last you that long. So, make sure to find time in your schedule to do laundry and to ask your parents or peers for help on doing laundry. Also make sure to fit nutritious foods into your meals. This could be accomplished by using a MyPlate plan or another similar food guide. Your first year is an important moment in your life. You will learn how to essentially become an adult. While it may be easy to get carried away by the excite-H

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New Academic Year: New You By: Mark Bertumen, Senior Staff Writer

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And we’re back. Back to coffee-powered cram sessions, naps in your 8 o’clock lecture, mortifying call-outs by your professor for said naps, narcoleptic body jolts and the contemplation of a night out with your dorm mates or a late night at your desk, alongside every other difficulty college students have grown to collectively embrace as the “college struggle.” Of course, that’s only if things are left the way they are. Use every resource. Take it from a sophomore who went to office hours three times last year and the Career Center once — take all the help you can get. Professors have office hours for you to get answers you can’t figure out yourself, so go to them. More often than not, the things you learn in there are exactly what you need to know for the midterms and the finals ahead.

If you’re needing a little more of an edge in your classes, the Academic Resource Center offers walk-in and appointment tutoring on a wide variety of subjects. Head on over there if you need a little more help. For anyone seeking help beyond prereq and breadth courses, your academic advisors can tell you what classes you need to take next and what to do once you graduate; go talk to them if you’re feeling lost. Prepare yourself for the road further ahead. Whether you’ve never worked a day in your life before or you’ve swum in the pool of job applicants for years, the Career Center is the go-to place for all your career-related needs, entry-level or professional. They can show you the countless places you can work at now or later and provide tips on becoming the perfect job applicant.

For the one instance I went into the center last year, it was to review a mock resume as a class assignment. The employees were nice and no one seemed cranky from overwork, which was a definite plus. When I got someone to look over my resume, he was thorough; he showed me “action words” to put in my job descriptions, asked me for anything I might have left out, judged the organization and neatness of the resume, and even told me the order I ought to put my experiences in. I’d go more in depth, but I misplaced his copy. So a sub-tip: don’t forget where your resources are. The class stipulated that I had to plan an appointment with the center, but I held it off for so long that I could only do a walk-in. If you need to plan an appointment for any of these resources, plan them as early as weeks, even a month, in advance; time slots fill up fast. Appointments are for any matters that are more “in-depth” than what a walk-in could be used for, like a four year plan or a major change. Schedule everything and stick to it. Every smartphone has a memo-book, a clock, and a calendar. Use them. If your professor has office hours, write down the room that they’re having them in. If you keep forgetting what classes you have this quarter and when you have them, set an alarm for each so that you don’t have to remember. If you know when your midterm is, devote a week of time to studying without distraction. Time is the one thing we can’t get back and it’s invaluable to know just how much we’ve got on our hands. Your circadian rhythm will thank you for every spare second you give to it, especially if you

learn how to not procrastinate. It’s much better to make a physical schedule and stick to it than to only tell yourself that you’ll get around to work. If the only scheduling you have is that you’ll do it “soon,” personal experience tells me that you’re going to shove everything you’ve got to do into the last minute. It’s best to take up your responsibilities piece by piece throughout the week, the month, and the year, rather than all at once. Don’t be vague either; be as clear and exact with your plans as you can so that you can’t make an excuse for yourself to hold things off even longer. Figure out why you’re here. Every student in college in some way or another is trying to find that out for themselves, no exceptions. Some can do it without trying, and others need more than a little help, but regardless the reasons that we function are the greatest motivators ever. Our motivations drive us forward, and we’ll stumble if we lose sight of them or realize we don’t believe in what got us started. Make it a priority to resolve those problems, otherwise you’re not going to put your best into anything you do. To those that have forgotten their motivations, take some time away from work to relax, recuperate and remember. To those that haven’t a clue what their motivation really is, it’s undeniable that the true reasons for you are out there somewhere: take a chance and look for them. We’re back, and if we make the right choices and give every task the best we can, we can make this year better than ever. ■H

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

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The Fast Lane Chiraag Dave Senior Staff Writer

The 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage G4: Appropriately Named

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Powertrain & Chassis (5) Acceleration 1 Transmission 1.5 Fuel Economy 3 Steering Feel & Handling 2 Brake Feel 2.5 Ride 2 Value 3 COURTESY OF MITSUBISHI

The youth of the 1990s and early 2000s will fondly remember Mitsubishi as an automotive powerhouse producing cars that made frequent appearances in The Fast and the Furious franchise. Cars like the 3000GT, Eclipse, and Lancer Evolution were some of what the era’s youth aspired to own someday, cars that were not only bulletproof in their reliability, but loads of fun to drive and highly tunable. Such is no longer the case. Mitsubishi has realized that consumer interest exists mostly in crossover utility vehicles and after a nearly decadelong period of leaving their lineup relatively unchanged, Mitsubishi killed off the Lancer and Galant sedans and brought the Mirage hatchback and subsequent sedan versions. At $14,395, the Mirage G4 is one of the cheapest sedans you can buy in the U.S. For that money you get seating for five, goodies such as a standard backup camera and bluetooth connectivity, a 10year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty, and over 40 miles to the gallon on the highway thanks to the paltry 1.2 liter 3 cylinder engine producing 78 horsepower. If you decide to splurge and pay the extra $2,700 for the higher-trim SE model, you’ll get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, push-button start, heated seats and an armrest for the driver’s seat (yes, just the driver’s seat). While that may sound like plenty of desirable features at a relatively low price the Mirage leaves much to be desired. I found it felt reminiscent of the economy cars I encountered during my last visit to India, which was nearly 15 years ago. The loaded SE model I tested comes with features such as power windows, cruise control, push-button ignition, bluetooth, and a backup camera all of which are relatively absent from cheap commuter cars on this end of the spectrum. That being said, the interior of the Mirage is a very dreary place to be. The cloth seats, while heated and six-way adjustable for the driver, feel very uncomfortable and unsupportive. Although the Mirage comes with standard AC, it has the blowing power equivalent to that of a broken desk fan. The Mirage also has standard bluetooth and optional CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity but is hampered by a sound system not powerful enough to overcome the road and wind noise that penetrates through the cabin. The slew of convenience features won’t distract you from the

Interior/Exterior (5) Front Seat Comfort/Space 2.5 Rear Seat Comfort/Space 2.5 Cargo Space 3 Fit and Finish 2 Features 3 Interior Styling 2 Exterior Styling 1.5

overall: 2/5

overall build quality and components, which are absolutely abysmal, but expected for a car built with cost in mind. While interior content and quality may be subpar, the real weak spot for the Mirage lies with its atrocious driving dynamics. Mitsubishi claims the Mirage can reach 37 miles per gallon between mixed city and highway driving; a claim that lies far from the 27 miles per gallon I averaged in 500 miles of mixed driving. The tiny, 1.2 liter threecylinder took nearly 13 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour and needed to be floored in order to keep up on the freeway. I found the handling capable at lower speeds but don’t expect this to be a blast to toss around in corners like the Mitsubishi compacts of decades ago. The small stature of the Mirage makes for a small turning circle and very easy to park and navigate around tight city streets. And while the Mirage generally rides smoothly around town, once it’s at freeway speeds, small bumps and potholes become an ordeal. At just over $18,000 fully loaded, the Mirage really fails to impress. There are some redeeming qualities such as the generous warranty, the roomy interior and available convenience features such as smartphone integration but poor interior quality, a lukewarm powertrain and subpar driving dynamics make the car feel nearly a decade outdated. In my opinion, consumers would be better off purchasing a certified pre-owned compact sedan

Engine DOHC 12-valve inline-3, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection Transmission continuously variable automatic; 5-speed Manual Horsepower 78 hp @ 6000 rpm Torque 74 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm 0-60 12.8 sec 0-100 N/A Top Speed 100 mph(est.) Fuel Economy 35/41 mpg Base Price $14,395 price as tested $18,085

such as the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla or Mazda 3 which can be had for around the same price or less. While new cars come with the added benefit and peace of mind of a warranty, the aforementioned vehicles have proven to be very dependable and often come with warranties when certified preowned, leaving little incentive in purchasing a brand new Mirage. The Mirage exists as a cheap, no-frills set of wheels that isn’t all that good at its intended purpose: transporting. Even within its own class of subcompact cars, the Mirage really underperforms. Competitors like the Honda Fit, Toyota iA and Hyundai Accent are leagues better in terms of value and performance, and come reasonably well equipped at very similar price points. Mitsubishi had an opportunity to rejuvenate their storied sport compact line but instead gave us a car in the form of an appliance. Savvy shoppers will see through the Mirage and pick anything else from the list below. Chief Competitors: Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris iA, Chevrolet Spark, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Nissan Versa, Chevrolet Sonic The car used in this review was provided courtesy of Mitsubishi Motors USA. Are you in the market for a new or used car but don’t know where to start? Reach out to me at thefastlane.highlander@gmail.com and I’ll help you with the search. ■H

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

Radar MARCELO GARCIA SENIOR STAFF WRITER

“SPIDER-MAN” IS THE MOST QUINTESSENTIAL SUPERHERO GAME SINCE “A R K H A M C I T Y ” COURTESY OF INSOMNIAC GAMES

In this day and age, comic books, and the countless media franchises that have spawned from them, are nothing short of iconic. Some of the most well known figures in pop culture, characters such as Superman and Batman (who need no introduction), started in comic books. For years the number one show on television was an adaptation of Robert Kirkman’s comic series “The Walking Dead.” Along with the countless films being pushed out by Marvel and DC Comics, the majority of which have both received positive reception and big box office profits, one could easily argue that this is the greatest era for comic book fans since the medium’s inception. I thoroughly enjoyed the Sam Raimi “SpiderMan” films on release, and even now can rewatch them to laugh at how cheesy and dated they feel; while “The Dark Knight” is a movie I can always go back to and appreciate as a truly great film. But despite these, along with many other film and television adaptations of comics I’ve come to enjoy, there was always something missing, something that separated these forms of visual media from their print counterparts. The “book is always better than the movie” argument is pretty widely accepted (a 400-page book can obviously tell a much better and detailed story then a two hour movie), but with comics, it’s a bit different. Most comics and their respective arcs tend to have more easily simplifiable storylines, and while a few films have done a solid job at presenting their source material’s basic plot, they lack the unique feeling and atmosphere that was found in that same source material. “Infinity War” is an amazing film, and Josh Brolin’s portrayal of Thanos is phenomenal. But the Thanos I saw on screen wasn’t the Mad Titan, obsessed with marrying Lady Death, he was Marvel Studios’ own creation. In many ways, this Thanos was a completely different character, and I can’t help but feel like (as enjoyable as this Thanos may be to watch,) losing that over the top persona takes something away from the experience. Enter “Spider-Man,” the newest installment in a long running series of disjointed and relatively unrelated video games (whose overly simple title makes discussing the game and character far harder than it should be). It’s the latest example of a solution to the aforementioned problem. Alongside the “Batman: Arkham” series (it borrows a lot from these games, so expect more than a few comparisons), “Spider-Man” is one of the few superhero video games to fully capture the essence of the lore and characters it’s bringing to life. The buzz-phrase surrounding coverage and reviews of this game is something along the lines of how gameplay “makes you feel like Spider-Man.” But quite frankly, that’s a rather broad statement that doesn’t really explain what makes “SpiderMan” so good. From a gameplay standpoint, it’s leagues above most other Spider-Man installments. Navigating the game’s open world feels better than ever, with very satisfying web swinging that’s based on momentum and timing (along with some world physics) to ensure that you’re not just holding the R2 button the entire time. The combat is very Arkham inspired, although it does diverge enough to feel fresh and new, so to call it an Arkham clone would be a stretch. But despite some differences, the fights still do feel inferior to Arkham combat: while throwing items and shooting web bombs is fun, it doesn’t feel as fluid and crisp as some of the combat

innovations Arkham Knight brought to the table. Switching gadgets in combat, for example, is super clunky and removes any flow or immersion you feel during combat; at times I found myself disorientated because the gadget wheel just doesn’t feel intuitive. But shaky combat aside, where this game really shines is in its side quests. This iteration of New York is nowhere near the biggest open world in existence – in fact, “Spider-Man”’s world is quite small, taking about 10 minutes to circumnavigate. However, the entire city is sprawling with content to explore, which is where the “feeling like SpiderMan” sentiment really comes from. You can be swinging across the city, heading to one of the main story missions (which revolve around Peter Parker balancing his life as a hero and an ordinary scientist) when you suddenly become alerted to a store break-in or a police shootout that needs stopping. Not only does the game compensate you for stopping these crimes across the city, but it always places them in arm’s reach of your current location. Add in backpack collectibles and landmarks that give you tokens to build extra suits, as well as police towers which,

much like the towers in Assassin’s Creed, reveal that area of the map’s collectibles and side quests, and you have an incredibly fun and addictive gameplay loop. Once you progress far enough into the story, it becomes truly clear why this game is already so well received. As you get more involved in story, fighting crime and resolving side quests along the way, it truly starts to feel like this could easily be added to the preexisting canon. Unlike most superhero films, where the wackier and more nonsensical aspects of these stories get pushed out in favor of a more modern take rooted in reality, this game feels like the full Spider-Man (the character, not the game) experience. As mentioned previously, the superhero movie business is booming. With each new film breaking records and netting hundreds of millions of dollars every year, I don’t expect the Marvel cinematic universe to change its course anytime soon (because they really can be enjoyable films). I simply hope that in the future, we get more alternatives like “Spider-Man,” experiences that don’t pull any punches and show you the full breadth of comics and their expanded universes, more franchises that embody the good and bad aspects that make these characters and their worlds so memorable and beloved. ■H

““SPIDER-MAN” IS ONE OF THE FEW VIDEO GAMES TO FULLY CAPTURE THE ESSENCE OF THE LORE AND CHARACTERS IT’S BRINGING TO LIFE.”

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

MOVIE REVIEW

UNHOLY, UGLY AND UNBEARABLE

With cheap jump scares and bad CGI “The Nun” fails to deliver on its interesting premise and “too scary for Youtube” ad campaign MARCELO GARCIA Senior Staff Writer

One of the most inconsistent yet intere sting modern movie franchises has to be that of J ames Wan’s “The Conjuring,” and its respe ctive sequel and spin off titles. The first film, which was r eleased more than five years ago, received critical acclaim and to this day remains one of the few movies to genuinely scare me. So when I first saw a trailer for “The Nun” and was subsequently spammed by its Youtube ad campaign (the one that shows a still painting that shifts into something straight out of r/cursedimages at the last second), I was slightly in trigued. The premise seemed interesting enough, and despite “Annabelle” being a supposed dumpster fire of a film (I never bothered to see it) , I had faith that a story which at least had creative input from Wan would be worth the watch. Unfortunately, I was proven wrong multiple times during just one sitting of this film. And while there are a multitude of things wrong with the film, the production quality is nothing to scoff at. The soundtrack is amazing, and honestly does a better job than the original “Conjuring” at creating a genuinely creepy atmosphere. Not to mention that the various scenes and setpieces that this series has always handled quite well are no different here, even though shots of crosses slowly turning upside down have admittedly lost some of their initial shock factor since the first film. The acting is fine (it’s nothing spectacular but it at least never breaks your immersion, like some horror films) with the film’s first act being equally serviceable. Where the film really starts to fall apart is when things kick into gear, which is the point at which the titular “nun” stops lurking in the background and becomes an actual threat to our main characters. This is also the point in the film where the actual horror starts (although calling an hour long jump scare fest genuine horror is a bit of a stretch). The practice of using space and lighting to build tension is virtually lost in this f ilm. That’s not to say “The Nun” has any shortage of long, dark hallways – the film just never lets you take any of it in. Whenever I found myself getting slightly nervous at what was happening on screen, I was greeted with a jump scare (it became such a pattern that I got to the point where I was able to predict exactly when said scares would happen). While on the topic of scares it’s also interesting to note that the nun itself isn’t even particularly scary appearance-wise. Sure, it’s creepy, but a CGI face can only be so convincing. Ironically enough, the painting from the beginning of the film is infinitely more unsettling and terrifying than the actual specter later on. As for the plot, I was rather underwhelmed. Half the enjoyme nt of a horror experience is discovering the cause of the events unfolding before the main characters. But rather than revealing this naturally, the film just drops an exposition dump rather early on that really sucks the life out of the side story that was slowly uncovering the mystery. To add insult to injury, a few things are also never made abundantly clear, as I’m still not entirely sure exactly what the nun was, other than some kind of spirit. Take this, along with a few plot inconsistencies, and you have a story that despite its simplicity, still ends up becoming confusing. At the end of the film, we get a few (less than subtle) nods at the original that tie this film into the expanded universe. And while I can appreciate the sentiment of these spin-offs being connected but not entirely essential to the main franchise, I can’t help but feel that this particular ending only served the purpose of making “The Nun” an even bigger waste of time. Verdict: “The Nun” isn’t the worst pos sible horror experience. However, with a less than complete storyline and lack of real suspense, audiences would be better off just skipping it entirely. ■H

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

Our favorite summer sports moments JARYD BONGCARAS Senior Staff Writer

DOMINIC PETRIC Contributing Writer

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1. LeBron James’ I Promise School One of the first events that comes to mind should be LeBron James’ I Promise School. LeBron opened the school in his home city of Akron, Ohio in late July, accommodating 240 third and fourth graders. James vows for the school to host grades one through eight by the year 2022. The I Promise School is part of the Akron Public School District, and, according to James, is designed to be a “groundbreaking school that will be a nationally recognized model for urban and public school excellence.” LeBron designed the school to cater to underprivileged youth, and randomly selected students with lower academic performance than their peers within the Akron Public School District to attend. The I Promise School will provide breakfast, lunch and a snack for its students among many other resources. This is an important step forward and an example for other professional athletes to use their talent and resources to serve underprivileged communities and their hometowns. LeBron is paving the way for future generations and hopefully other professional athletes will use their power to do the same.

2. Milwaukee Bucks interviewing head coach candidate Becky Hammon Another groundbreaking and historical moment for the NBA and sports this past summer was the Milwaukee Bucks interviewing head coach candidate Becky Hammon. This wasn’t just any interview, it was the first head coach interview held for a woman in NBA history. Hammon has broken the glass ceiling like this multiple times as she was the first full-time female coach in any of the big four sports associations ever. She was an assistant under Greg Popovich and even led the Spurs’ summer league team to its respective championship title back in 2015. While Hammon did not make it as one of the Bucks’ finalists for the position, it was a groundbreaking moment for the NBA and a huge step forward for women in professional sports.

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3. Nike’s “Just Do It” advertisement campaign starring Colin Kaepernick

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Finally, one of the biggest moments in both sports and news, not just for the summer but perhaps the whole year, was Nike’s “Just Do It” advertisement campaign starring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The campaign’s slogan this year, “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything,” has struck a chord with and inspired many people. While it has faced some backlash, the campaign has resulted in over $40 million worth of media exposure for Nike. The campaign features other athletes that have faced adversity throughout their lives, including Shaquem Griffin, a one-handed NFL linebacker, and Lacey Baker, the first openly queer woman to join the Nike Skateboarding team. Among them, Serena Williams, LeBron James, and Odell Beckham Jr. are some other athletes included in the campaign. This campaign is inspiring for young athletes who have faced challenges throughout their lives, and is a reminder to persevere through their tribulations in order to succeed.

4. Naomi Osaka winning the U.S. Open over Serena Williams The preceding narrative of whether or not Williams can tie the 24 Grand Slam singles record was all that anyone was talking about. Osaka, who idolized and replicated Williams’ play style, was a rising star on the women’s tour, but was appearing in her first major final. This match may be more well-known for Williams’ outburst during the second set, which occurred at the expense of yet another chair umpire. The point and game violation completely shifted the momentum of the second set, resulting in a straight set victory for Osaka. The controversy overlooked the fact that Osaka was the first player of Japanese descent to win a slam. It also came at a time where Asian-Americans were gaining more of a spotlight in the media, with movies like Crazy Rich Asians and Searching casting lead roles to Asians. And due to her first slam victory, Osaka inked a Nissan sponsorship and the largest Adidas deal for a female athlete, making her millions in the process.

5. Ben Simmons practicing at UCR In case you didn’t already know, our men’s basketball team hired David Patrick as the new head coach back in March. Patrick is actually the godfather of NBA point guard Ben Simmons and even hinted at the idea of bringing the Rookie of the Year winner out to UCR to practice alongside the men’s team. This ended up happening back in June, and although Simmons may not be foregoing his second consecutive rookie season to suit up for the Highlanders, it’s worth mentioning that an NBA player visited our campus. COURTESY OF NBA

6. LeBron signing with the Lakers I don’t even like this team and I’m just as excited as the next Lakers fan. The Lakers not being competitive just doesn’t feel right as an NBA fan, especially when their sub .500 teams keep getting national television coverage. LA’s signing of the league’s best player doesn’t necessarily make them title favorites over Golden State, but it sure does make the Lake Show fun to watch again. ■H

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

Sports

UCR women’s soccer proves plenty of people wrong on their way to best start since 2004 JONATHAN FERNANDEZ Senior Staff Writer

UCR’s women’s soccer team has kicked off its 2018-19 season in historical fashion. Through 10 games the team is yet to lose and still stands tall with a 9-0-1 record, the program’s best start to a season since 2004. After only winning eight games throughout the entirety of last season it seems only natural to ask how a start this good is even possible. According to Head Coach Nat Gonzalez and senior midfielder Maddie Feist, it all started during the first day of the offseason. “The day after season ended last year we refocused and started recharging and everyone on the team committed to winning and what we want to do this season,” Feist said. “Everyone buying in has been big.” Coach Gonzalez added to the idea of the team uniting and having a similar motivation. Gonzalez said his team is “tired of being called underdogs. We’ve been trying to get rid of that mentality ... and a lot of that starts with training right.” Feist was able to explain her motivation in simpler terms saying, “Personally, that’s my biggest motivation. I want to prove people wrong and we’re definitely capable of that.” It’s safe to say the Highlanders have been proving plenty of people wrong with a winning streak this large and Feist has been a huge part of what has made them successful. On Friday, Sept. 21, Feist was able to notch her sixth goal of the season by kicking in a rocket from distance to give her team a 1-0 lead, and their ninth win of the season. Gonzalez also cited an increased intensity during practice and excellent leadership from his seniors as reasons why the team has been able to start the season this well. “The practice intensity does not need to be coached,” the sixth-year head coach said. “The leaders are leading in that department and the new players are coming in and understanding and the learning curve has been a lot shorter.” Gonzalez’s goal is still the same as it is every

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season: He wants to qualify for the NCAA tournament and believes these pre-conference victories can help them make the cut, “I’m hoping with our RPI and with getting the wins we’ve gotten, obviously winning our conference will be a huge part of that, but hopefully we can do that this year.” The Highlanders haven’t qualified for the NCAA tournament since 2005. Making the NCAA tournament is an extremely tall task for any team, but perhaps even more so from a team who only won eight games last year. However, if this team has shown anything through these first 10 games, it’s that they’re not the same team they were a year ago and they’re tired of being overlooked. They are also extremely motivated and not satisfied with just these nine wins as Feist explained, “It’s exciting, but we try to brush it off. Every game is a new day.” The Highlanders will look to carry the momentum from this historic start into their conference opener H against Cal State Fullerton on Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. ■

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Men’s soccer stumbles out of the gate to start the season JONATHAN FERNANDEZ Senior Staff Writer

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UCR’s men’s soccer team has struggled to start the season, and went into the week with a 0-7-1 record. The Highlanders did open the year with a win in an exhibition match against Cal Poly Pomona (2-4-0), but after that Riverside has struggled to put together a winning effort. Riverside started the season on a five game losing streak before tying UC Berkeley (4-1-2) on Sunday, Sept. 9. The Highlanders followed up that match with two losses going into their cross-town showdown with Cal Baptist University (5-3-1). The main problem for the team to start the season has been the team’s performance defensively. In all seven of their losses the opposing team has scored at least three goals while Riverside has only found the net three times in a match on a single occasion. The team’s lack of firepower offensively and the poor defense they’ve showcased so far has been the combination that has led to their bad start. However, the Highlanders went into the week only

having played two home games compared to the six they’ve played on the road. In the past, UCR coaches have been on the record saying playing at home does make a difference for teams, so being on the road so much could also be a contributing factor in the team’s start. On Saturday, Sept. 22 the Highlanders were finally able to get the win that had been eluding them all season against cross-town rival Cal Baptist University. CBU took the lead in the second half as sophomore forward Preston Judd scored his first goal of the season in the 70th minute of play. Riverside was quick to respond, scoring a goal only three minutes later courtesy of a 20-yard shot from freshman forward Daniel Castaneda to even the score at 1-1. The two teams ended regulation time tied so they went into overtime, where the Highlanders were able to secure their first victory of the season. Senior defender Dusa Kecan scored the game-winning goal via a penalty in the 100th minute to put Riverside ahead for good. The Highlanders last non-conference game is on Friday, Sept. 28 at the University of San Diego. ■H

Volleyball remains winless in Big West play JARYD BONGCARAS Senior Staff Writer

UC Riverside women’s volleyball fell to 9-7, 0-2 after losing both home games to UC Santa Barbara (10-5, 2-1) and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (13-1, 3-0) this week. The first set against UCSB was tight back and forth, with the score knotted at 21 apiece. But the visiting team found separation, scoring 4 straight points to take a 1-0 set lead. UCR responded with a strong start to the second set, in part to seven kills split by freshman Nailah Jones and junior Reilly Bosworth. With the score tied at 11-11, Riverside scored five straight, and soon sealed a 25-19 lead to tie the match. The third set didn’t go as well for the Highlanders, as they dug themselves a 20-9 hole before roaring back to take 12 of the last 16 points. However, their comeback came up short as UCSB came out on top 25-21. The Gauchos ran away in the fourth set with a score of 25-16. This marks the 7th straight match that Jones had a double-digit amount of kills, with the freshman recording 20 for the night, marking a career high.

Both Bosworth and second-year Yuliya Ushakova would add seven kills themselves. Senior Chelsea Doyle had a team-high of 36 assists and sophomore Nicole Rodriguez recorded 21 digs. The same theme occurred in the first set against Cal Poly, where the Highlanders started the first set off well, but couldn’t close out the final five points. After trading a couple of runs in the first, the score was tied up at 20-20, as Cal Poly went on to win five of the last eight points of the opening set. From here, the Highlanders kept finding themselves in large deficits, as a 4-0 lead quickly became a 14-4 lead for the Mustangs. UCR would go on to lose 25-11 in the second. The first 20 points of the third set were played pretty closely, until a 4-0 Cal Poly run gave the visitors a 16-9 lead and they went on to ultimately ice the game. The final set score was 25-14. After a stellar start to her season, Jones struggled to find a rhythm all night, with a gamehigh of 12 errors for the night while recording 7 kills. Ushakova led the Highlanders with 9 kills. The Highlanders begin a four-game road trip on Sep. 29 against the University of Hawaii. ■H

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