Volume 67 Issue 23 by The Highlander- UCR

THE HIGHLANDER

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

est. 1954

FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

VOL. 67, ISSUE 23

ASUCR separation of powers tested by debate over constitutional amendments

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R O E ! M

FEATURES: beyond r’ margins, PG.10 RADAR: “dumbo” review, PG.12 SPORTS: WOMEN’S tennis, PG. 16 f

UCR Highlander Newspaper @ucrhighlander HighlanderTV

NEWS 4

OPINIONS 7

FEATURES 9

RADAR 12

SPORTS 15

KUCR 88.3 FM

TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

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HUMANS OF UCR

UPCOMING EVENTS: WEEK 2

PREETI JUTURU | PUBLIC POLICY | FIRST-YEAR

The 50th Hays Press-Enterprise Lecture: Journalist Maria Hinojosa 11:00am University Theatre

Spring Job Fair: Career Nights 4:00pm to 7:30pm HUB 302

Wednesday

2019 Community Partner Fair 10:30am to 1:30pm HUB 302

SAAM Nooner 11:30am to 1:00pm UCR Bell Tower

Chancellor’s Spring Town Hall 12:00pm to 1:00am HUB 302

R’Career Job Search Series: Ace the Interview Co-Hosted with School of Business 2:00pm to 3:30pm HUB 269

R’Pantry Creations 12:00pm to 2:00pm Student Recreation Center (SRC), Classroom Kitchen

UCR Dance: An Honoring of Thyself, Imani Ma’at AnkhmenRa Amen, Choreographer and Director 8:00pm to 9:30pm Arts Building, Performance Lab, ARTS 166

Saturday

UCR Botanic Gardens Spring Bird Walk & Breakfast 6:30am to 10:00am UCR Botanic Gardens, Meeting Room

20th Annual Radio Aztlan 6:00pm University Theatre

Floating Egg Hunt 11:00am to 1:30pm Student Recreation Center (SRC), Pool

UCR Orchestra Family Concert: Princess Ten Ten and the Dark Skies 3:00pm to 4:00pm University Theatre, Humanities 400

APSP Womxn’s Program Presents: Blooming in Action 12:00pm to 1:00pm Costo Hall, 244

MESC Speaker Series: A History of U.S. Involvement in Jihad 5:00pm to 6:00pm HUB 355

Tuesday

COMPILED BY JIMMY LAI

Thursday

“I really like martial arts and I’ve done it for a large portion of my life.

12 Friday

It teaches you balance, both mentally and also physically. You have to be concentrated but not excessively. If an opponent tries to attack you and you just focus on their fists or legs, it can cost you the match. Similarly, in college, you have to be able to maintain all facets of your life or it can cost you opportunities to succeed.”

13 Sunday

HIGHLANDER STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

Evan Ismail

Andreas Rauch

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editorinchief @highlandernews.org NEWS EDITOR

ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Aidan Rutten

Amani Mahmoud Mark Bertumen

news@highlandernews.org

ASST. OPINIONS EDITOR

Aidan Rutten

opinions@highlandernews.org FEATURES EDITOR

Martha Delgado

features@ highlandernews.org

Marcelo Garcia

radar@highlandernews.org

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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 Michael Beeli 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

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News 4

TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

LUKAS MASSEY Contributing Writer

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ASUCR

ASUCR engages in heated debate over potential constitutional amendments

ASUCR held its first meeting of the Spring quarter on Wednesday, April 3 at 6:30 pm. After roll call and approval of the previous meeting’s minutes, the meeting started with the Chief Justice of the ASUCR Judicial Council Rume Diamreyan proposing to table an amendment change made by ASUCR late last quarter until further notice on the grounds that the Judicial Council was never consulted on the change. Shortly after, during public forum, Justice Peter Haddad spoke at the podium to further explain the request to table the amendment change. He said, “We feel that the constitutional amendment is stripping us of certain powers necessary for Judicial to do a proper job.” The proposed constitutional amendment would add a caveat to the finality clause in the constitution that states that “All decisions from the Judicial Council shall be final unless reversed by subsequent Judicial Council action.” Under this new change, the senate would be able to, with a two-thirds vote, allow for an arbitrator (an outside attorney) to be hired to make a decision that can either override or confirm the judiciary’s decision on the case in question, and the arbitrator would have true finality. Haddad also argues that this would prevent the judicial branch from making decisions independently from the senate, as the senate would hold the power to potentially nullify any decision the judicial branch makes with an arbitrator. Vice President of External Affairs Jose Cortez Hernandez followed this by claiming that the finality clause was never ratified by the senate, “It was never presented to the senate at the time nor any senators after. What makes it just to have a justice write governing bylaws and then never have it ratified by the senate?” He then went on to argue that this change would give the judicial branch a much needed check on their power, “This amendment more or less ensures that every branch in ASUCR has a check because right now only two branches have accountability, the senate and the executive.” Cortez also believes that this amendment would only be utilized “during very extreme measures” and therefore does not limit the judicial branch’s powers significantly. Haddad countered these points by claiming that, “When you are

appointed, you then confirmed a good faith body to do its mission.” What this means is that the ASUCR president nominates the justices and then those nominees are confirmed by a vote from the senate. Haddad claimed that this is where the check on the judicial branch occurs in that both of the other branches have the responsibility of selecting justices who will make correct decisions. This argument in particular received multiple snaps of agreement from the audience. After Haddad thanked the senate and sat down, the candidates involved in the upcoming ASUCR elections were announced. After the announcement of the candidates, debate centered around the proposed amendment continued as CHASS Senator Chelsea Davenport argued that the judicial branch should have been consulted about the change, and this complaint was echoed by CHASS Senator Mehvish Ali. “I think if we’re changing rules for a whole different branch then they should most definitely be included in the conversation. I find no harm in tabling this resolution, at least for a week,” stated Ali. From this point, the conversation devolved into a heated argument between Senator Davenport and CNAS Senator Andy G. Veliz about being properly alerted in advance about legislation being voted on. Veliz then stated, “We’re not children. We don’t need to have this in our hands. It’s literally in our Google Drive. If you guys aren’t going in and looking at this legislation, that’s all on you guys. You guys aren’t doing your jobs.” As Senator Davenport prepared to respond, Executive Vice President (EVP) Andrea Cuevas stated “This conversation is out of order” and had them return to the topic at hand and pounded her gavel at Senator Davenport as she attempted to continue the previous conversation, and she pounded it again as Senator Veliz attempted to speak again. They both fell silent, and then a motion to table amendment four indefinitely was denied. After that, a motion to table the amendment for one week, until April 10, passed, which was followed by a brief recess. After the recess, amendment five was discussed. The current legislation in the ASUCR constitution states “A fortyeight (48) hour public notice must be given before an official meeting may be held; (b) Public notice shall include: posting on the door of the Association, written notice to all Senators, posted on the ASUCR Website, or notice to all campus media.”

The new item “(b)” would instead state, “Public notice of meeting shall be placed by the senate chambers, email (sic) to all senators, posted on the ASUCR website and provided to all campus media that has requested it.” Senator Davenport explained the importance of this new legislation, “As it stands right now, students don’t have an opportunity to hear ahead of time what’s going to be discussed in these chambers. Everyone agrees that it’s necessary for students to know what their elected officials are talking about.” Veliz then made the argument that this would cost too much paper. Vice President of External Affairs Hernandez then reminded the senate that this same proposed amendment was already voted on as a part of the bylaws and he then questioned why it is necessary to now make it a constitutional amendment. President Semi Cole then chimed in stating, “Last year we were actually able to send out the agenda via email to every single student, but that ability was removed this summer.” He then explained that sending out a weekly email on Monday would be sufficient to let students know about what will be on the agenda for the meetings.

“It doesn’t need to be a constitutional amendment. That’s the whole issue at play.” Several times it was repeated that this legislation being a bylaw is sufficient. BCOE Senator Sarah Al-Khalili argued that, “It doesn’t even state how the EVP should be able to publicize the meetings or anything within those meetings, so this definitely needs to be amended within the constitution itself.” After continued arguments about whether or not this issue deserves a constitutional change, a motion to table amendment five indefinitely was passed. After amendment five was tabled, the five referenda that will be on the ballot in the upcoming elections were discussed. The only major change announced to any of the referenda was a decrease in the amount being asked for in the Highlander News Referendum from $2 to $1.50. After this announcement, all five referenda were voted on and passed, and as a result, they will all be on the ballot for the student body to vote on in the Spring elections from April 23-27. After the referendum passed, a new parliamentarian was confirmed. Following roundtable announcements from senators about various events, the meeting was adjourned at 8:32 p.m. ■H

ALEJANDRO AGUILAR / HIGHLANDER

R’Garden makes plans to expand their current space AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer

DEREK LAI / HIGHLANDER

R’Garden, a space for UCR students, faculty and staff to grow fresh produce, has made plans to expand their current space. R’Garden is currently located northwest of Parking Lot 30. It sums up to a total of three acres and includes community garden plots, a greenhouse and a Valencia orange grove. The new expansion gives R’Garden an additional four more acres. In an interview with the Highlander, Superintendent of Agricultural Row Crop Richard Zapien stated that R’Garden is located at Agricultural Operations in field 7G and that they have plans to expand on their current space. Zapien stated that R’Garden plans to make this expansion because they “have a goal to grow, produce and supply the dining department.” In an interview with the Highlander, Peggy Mauk, the cooperative

extension specialist for subtropical crops and agricultural operations director, stated that some of the produce will be provided to R’Pantry. She said that the additional space was originally made available because we were awarded state funding from SB 85 to provide produce for students or staff that are in need. She claimed, “It continues to be important because UCR can buy local produce, provide fresh high quality produce for dining halls and support the local economy.” Zapien hopes that this expansion can educate students, staff and the Riverside community as well as “show sustainability within UCR.” Mauk also added that the row crop section of R’Garden will continue to focus on producing organic vegetables for R’Pantry. “R’Garden will continue to be space for the community to garden, to teach and train students, provide a space for students to gather and learn about food systems, sustainability and how to produce fruits and vegetables,” stated Mauk. ■H

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NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

Senate candidates present their vision for UCR’s future at ASUCR senator debates

ANDY LI Contributing Writer

On Wednesday, April 3, ASUCR Senate candidates came together to discuss their policy objectives if they are elected by the student body. Moderated by Highlander Editor-in-Chief Andreas Rauch, the forum lasted approximately three hours and focused on providing overviews of their priorities and answered audience questions. Several dozen students attended the event and submitted questions to the candidates. One issue that was repeatedly brought up during the debates was the rising cost of course materials. Many candidates promised to push for a complete ban of access codes, which many of them felt was an impediment to educational success. “Access codes and exorbitant textbook fees create systemic inequality by preventing students who are financially strained from being able to do well in the classroom,” said Shayan Sayeed, who is running for CHASS senator. CHASS Senate candidate Preeti Juturu agreed, adding

that “the evidence shows that the rising costs of class materials has indirectly affected food insecurity on campus as well, which now impacts more than 62 percent of the entire student population here at UCR.” Food insecurity was an issue that came up repeatedly in the debates and also drew questions from the audience. Candidates shared a consensus on the pressing need to reform and improve upon the R’Pantry and ensure that there is more awareness of the resources that are available to students suffering from hunger. “The dining plans from Housing is another problem that has to be addressed, because the meal swipes and Dining Dollars are nowhere near enough for students to be able to afford all of their meals each quarter,” said Juturu. CHASS Senate Candidate Kyle Stafford wants to increase community engagement, school spirit and proposed hosting more social and school spirit events. He also argued that the almost 300 different clubs and organizations on campus required more funding and

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

support, and promised that as a senator, he would fight for better support for student-led activities. “One of the realities that we face here at UCR is the fact that over 70 percent of the population are commuter students,” said Stafford. “That makes it harder for newer students to connect with one another, which is something I want to fix. We have to do more to create effective outreach methods to ensure that people who are new to the campus feel like they are actually integrated into the community.” Many candidates agreed that UCR has one of the most diverse student bodies in the entire country. “It is very important that we continue to preserve our unique campus diversity,” said Luv Amin, who is running for CNAS senator. “I will do everything I can in my power to protect the rights of immigrants and

undocumented students on campus and ensure they have equal access to the same resources as everyone else.” Many candidates also agreed on the importance of preserving UCR’s Ethnic and Gender Programs. “We should definitely plan more cultural events on campus to allow students to experience the true diversity we have to offer at UCR,” said Evelyn Castaneda, a CHASS senate candidate. “We have to make sure we take full advantage of our strengths as a community.” Elections will be held from April 2327. Senators will be chosen to represent the various colleges on campus, including CHASS, BCOE and CNAS. A second debate session between executive branch candidates will be held Wednesday, April 10, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the lower HUB plaza. ■H

Student Lobby Conference encourages community and advocacy

SILVIA FERRER Contributing Writer

The annual Student Lobby Conference (SLC) served as a weekendlong opportunity for University of California students from across the state to gather at the California State Capitol to lobby officials on several issues and connect with other student advocates. The event was hosted by the UC Student Association (UCSA) and held from March 22-25. Approximately 300 UC students were in attendance with UCR’s 60-student delegation boasted to be the largest at the conference. Students spent the first day of the conference discussing the rising unaffordability of a college education, food insecurity on campus, police accountability and other prominent issues during workshop sessions, all of which affect each UC campus uniquely. A study from the UC Global Food Initiative found that 62.5 percent of UCR undergraduates suffer from food insecurity compared to 42 percent systemwide. Vincent Rasso, a UCR sophomore and Governmental Relations Assistant Director for ASUCR’s Office of External Affairs, highlighted how important UCR’s presence was during

COURTESY OF UCI AGS

these discussions. “I believe that having UCR students present at an advocacy conference like SLC is so important, especially in ensuring that our campus community remains present in and educated or aware of the issues that greatly impact our students at disproportionately

higher rates than other UC campuses,” said Rasso. During the second day of the SLC, students had the chance to converse with other student advocates during caucus sessions and meal times. “It’s not just taking a group. It’s building a sense of community at the SLC, it’s an

opportunity to build a coalition and meet others who contribute to the university atmosphere. All the work pays off at the end,” Lennin Kuri, a political science and public policy major and ASUCR’s Governmental Relations Director said. The last day of the conference was spent in the rain at the State Capitol in meetings with legislators and ended with a press conference. Emilia Martinez, UCR junior and UCSA Government Relations Chair, gave a speech during the press conference, saying, “I get to meet so many of you and so many of you are so willing to be so vulnerable while we are at the capital where you share your stories.” One student, Patricia MorenoGonzalez, a UCR sophomore, political science major and first-time delegate to the conference, felt empowered by the experience. “I never thought the student body could be so powerful to have the opportunity to talk to the people in charge,” she said. The conference concluded after UC students met with Assembly and Senate members to discuss the legislative and budget priorities of the UCSA. Students who missed the opportunity to attend the annual Student Lobby Conference are able to apply during Winter quarter of the 2019-2020 academic year. ■H

TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

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KUCR feared over rumored plans to build over their current location

COURTESY OF UCR HOUSING PROJECT

AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer

On March 22, KUCR published a now-deleted Instagram post detailing an ongoing situation that the station has claimed that they have faced since 2016. KUCR said in the post that the university allegedly made plans to build over their current buildings without giving the station any plans for a relocation. In an interview with the Highlander, Elliot Fong, the associate director at KUCR, stated that their initial claims that the university was going to build over their current building was a mistake based on a misperception

by students that surveyor’s marks in the parking lot and lawn meant there was going to be some immediate construction on the premises. The Instagram post claimed that the university announced campus development plans three years ago yet KUCR never received any official relocation in a legally binding contract. The post claimed that recent activities arose that further increased the “uneasy tensions between UC administration and KUCR.” The post also stated that on Wed. March 20, campus construction unofficially announced plans to remove the station’s dedicated parking lot which they claimed is a violation

of the American Disabilities Act. KUCR believed that the administration planned to convert the lawn between their two buildings into a paved road for construction vehicles to drive in and out of. Fong stated that multiple mistakes were made in their presumptions that the administration planned to build over their current buildings. Fong also noted that KUCR failed to contact Louis Vandenberg to verify what the truth was due to his absence on a family matter. When Vandenberg was informed of the situation, Fong stated that he convened a meeting with students and

administrators who explained that the true intentions of the surveyors’ markings had nothing to do with immediate plans to deprive the station of anything or hamper their operations. Fong stated that the construction and disruption in the vicinity of the station have been unsettling and contributed to the students’ paranoia. Regular meetings and information protocols have been set up to prevent misperceptions and misunderstandings in the future. KUCR is located on Linden St. behind the Aberdeen-Inverness residence hall. The station can be heard at 88.3 FM. ■H

Simulation helps train faculty to better recognize psychological distress in students

AIDAN RUTTEN Senior Staff Writer

For the past three years, UCR faculty and staff have utilized an online training simulation designed to help people identify and respond to students who may be experiencing psychological distress. The software, called “At-Risk University and College Students,” was developed by Kognito, a machine learning software company based in New York. The software simulates conversations, giving the user options on what to say or do when presented with a simulated scenario, such as a depressed or agitated student seeking guidance. The data gathered by interactions with the machine is processed and analyzed, after which it aids the learning algorithms in understanding human behavior a little better. The goal of this software is not to diagnose problems, but instead to help people — in this case authority figures like faculty and staff — understand mental health issues better and provide

them with the confidence necessary to handle a situation and refer people to useful resources like the WELL or Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). The company website states that they “have pioneered and studied a new approach to build and assess the capacity of people to lead real-life conversations that result in measurable changes in social, emotional and physical health.” To better understand this process, the Highlander spoke with co-founder and director of research at Kognito, Dr. Glenn Albright. “Preparedness, likelihood and efficacy are measured in baseline right after the survey then three months later. Then you analyze it statistically and you see rather significant changes in all these variables … You’re changing the way people feel about being gatekeepers,” said Dr. Albright. He went on to say that some of the advantages to using this software is that people are more inclined to act and speak confidently when they know

ADRIAN CRUZ / HIGHLANDER

they are engaging with a simulation, and not an actual person. “To have this practice in a simulated environment … in a safe environment, that’s pretty cool. That’s going to enable you to do it in real life … They’re more likely to open up.” According to the WELL’s Mental Health Educator Connie Marmolejo, “Each version, depending on what you take, is different. So for instance the staff version will give you different scenarios of a student who might be going through a tough time, and then the simulation aspect would be an online coach.” This ‘coach’ then guides the participant to make choices to better help them understand how to approach someone who is distressed. The data is collected and used to improve the software. Both Dr. Albright and Marmolejo

hope that this technology will help reduce stigmas concerning mental health, which would ideally create an environment where people can feel more comfortable both with dealing with mental health issues, as well as asking for help. Marmolejo said that students who took the software felt it was beneficial: “What I’ve heard from students that have taken it … is that they really like it because it provides them a step-by-step process. And they can always refer back to it in case they have more questions.” Implementation of the software was made possible through a grant from Samsung. Marmolejo hopes that there will be some way to continue using the simulation training, as she has reported a largely positive response from faculty and staff who have received the online training. ■H

Opinions

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OPINIONS

TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

You can’t rule the world without friends: withdrawing aid damages US foreign interests

here are perhaps no better examples of the benefits of American foreign aid than Japan, South Korea and Germany. These are countries that once languished in poverty, often falling beholden to imperial powers in their respective modern histories. But in the post-WWII era of liberal globalization, American aid laid the foundation upon which those countries would grow and thrive. As with most things regarding wealth, the benefits of post-war American investment were not spread equally, however, and many of the countries considered developing today were largely untouched by investment and liberal ideology. The African continent remembers European colonization all too well, and it was a much darker picture for people in colonized countries like Algeria or Rwanda. What made American aid so beneficial was the oversight and establishment of liberal economic policies targeted at creating democratic civil infrastructure. While the

COURTESY OF U.S. SOUTHERN COMMAND

conditions in countries which the U.S. supplies aid vary, discrepancies in the effectiveness of aid are often measured out of context or without regard for the multitude of factors at play. According to Fox News, President Trump is cutting foreign aid to the Northern Triangle of South America, a triad consisting of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. These countries face internal political and economic hardships such as corruption, conflict and poor governance, and these in turn foster large numbers of migrants seeking asylum from those conditions. The fact that civil life has not entirely collapsed in these places — save for areas of El Salvador — speaks to the weak yet important effect of American aid. It is likely that without aid, the conditions in those countries will only get worse, in turn forcing those countries to choose new allies like China or Russia. China in particular has been voraciously expanding its horizons with heavy investment in developing countries all over the globe,

including South America. A large part of America’s dominance on the global stage is due to their strong foreign ties and ability to bolster those who cannot as readily do so. This dynamic has, for several decades, kept authoritarian superpowers like China and Russia from spreading their ideologies and gaining political footholds in the international community. This is the true danger of isolationism: if America is perceived as unable to fend for others as they claim to be able to, countries that need assistance and powers who can provide will most likely look to each other to meet those needs and desires. It is clear that the money America sends to these countries is not always being properly utilized, as it seems that whatever system of oversight is being employed is not effective. Aid needs to be used for strengthening existing and building new infrastructure, creating jobs and paying for things like healthcare and education. The reforms are few and far between, which, while

“THIS IS THE TRUE DANGER OF ISOLATIONISM: IF AMERICA IS PERCEIVED AS UNABLE TO FEND FOR OTHERS AS THEY CLAIM TO BE ABLE TO, COUNTRIES THAT NEED ASSISTANCE AND POWERS WHO CAN PROVIDE WILL MOST LIKELY LOOK TO EACH OTHER TO MEET THOSE NEEDS AND DESIRES.”

frustrating, is understandable given the poor social conditions of these places. Gangs control significant parts of El Salvador and civil strife, poverty and rampant crime plagues all of the countries. This is clearly fueling the migration of people into America. However, the few semblances of civil life in these countries is bolstered largely by American aid, and removing it will only serve to exacerbate their domestic problems. This will likely catalyze greater levels of migration, the very problem the president complained about in the first place. Critics of this move to cut foreign aid sometimes point to wealthier countries who receive American aid like China, who receives much less than it used to, and Israel, who many claim should not be receiving as much American aid as they do based on their own capacity to be selfsufficient. This situation both reflects disparity in American practices as well as points to a need for drastic reforms with regard to foreign policy. The situation is undeniably complicated, and no solution will appease everyone. However, reforms like stricter oversight of more targeted funding could provide answers to difficult policy implementations. A more expansionary approach to foreign relations would likely be the best way forward for America, partly because they are the de facto superpower in the world already and maintaining that status requires strong diplomatic ties and ideally

strong appeal abroad through partnership and investment, but also partly because the interconnectedness of our world would mean that socioeconomic instability anywhere in the world could have serious ripple effects elsewhere. This impetus to maintain global economic order is lost on our president, whose view of foreign affairs consists of little more than the slogan “America First.” To fulfill such a simplistic promise requires only that the president’s words and actions reflect disdain for foreign countries, even allies, showing this budget cut to be no more than a political move to appeal to his supporters especially with the 2020 campaign around the corner. This move is reckless and counterproductive, as it will fuel the very problems Trump is attempting to address. Isolationism in an increasingly globalized world is a mistake, and experts from all walks of the political spectrum can see that. Foreign aid is not just a fruitless void, it is an investment in this country’s future. If America wants to remain the “greatest country on earth,” it has to back that up by being willing to spend more on those in need, not just for the positive international optics but also to show the world that the American way is the right way. ■H Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

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OPINION POLL Compiled by Lydia Tsou Staff Photographer

“Should the U.S. cut foreign aid or expand it?”

Valeria Garibaldi Computer Science Third-year

Mikael Godisan Psychology Third-year

Feleke Takele Bioengineering Third-year

Natalie Sampo Comparative Literature Second-year

Alejandro Ramirez Biology Second-year

Renata Haro Biochemistry Third-year

“I’m in the middle, because we should help other people, and it’s important to keep relations with other countries, but at the same time, we have a lot of unresolved issues here.”

“I think the US should expand foreign aid because there’s so much hositiity regarding immigration.The US is constantly pushing its allies away instead of being the leader of democracy it claimstobe.”

“Yea, the US should expand foreign aid.”

“I think they should expand it because we’re considered a large power.”

“That’s hard. I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it and I don’t want to give an uninformed opinion.”

“I feel like the US gets themselves into a lot of stuff; I feel like they should mind their own business and not get into other’s shit.”

Mainstream media reaction has become biased, petty and dishonest in the Trump era

ANDY LI Contributing Writer

In the wake of Attorney General William Barr’s determination that Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report exonerated President Trump from allegations of foreign collusion and obstruction of justice, the leftleaning mainstream media in the United States has had a total and complete meltdown over what they see as an unfair conclusion to a series of events that had them utterly convinced that the president would be impeached and imprisoned. The various overreactions of mainstream media talking heads have been somewhat amusing to witness, ranging from Stephen Colbert’s rant about how Trump is still a “terrible president for 500 other reasons” even though collusion was finally not a crime anymore, to Rachel Maddow now attempting to discredit Mueller himself, despite investing over two years’ worth of time glorifying him. Chelsea Handler, another outspoken actress who has a history of demonizing the president, went on a Twitter rant during which she professed having a “sexual attraction” to Robert Mueller. Saturday Night Live has released dozens of comedy shorts with Robert De Niro impersonating Mueller, always hovering around the two terrified-looking Trump sons, and promising eventual retribution and justice. According to a detailed report, CNN has spent on average approximately three minutes every single day for an entire two years pushing the narrative of Russian collusion. And so, in the ridiculously anti-climactic conclusion that the president of the United States is obviously not a foreign puppet, it is easy to imagine why most of the media would be having a particularly difficult time accepting reality. Donald Trump’s son, Don Jr., is certainly not an unbiased figure. He has a history of spreading right-wing memes mocking Democrats on his social media pages. He has made a plethora of controversial statements against the president’s enemies, including once comparing Muslim immigrants to a bag of potentially poisonous Skittles. However, if there is one thing he is right about, it is the sorry state of the mainstream media today, and the massive bias that journalists exude against the president and Republicans by extension. A survey found that approximately 75 percent of all journalists in America today are Democrats and liberalleaning. It found that only 9 percent of all journalists are Republicans and sympathize with conservative causes. When Trump supporters at his rallies chant “CNN sucks,” they are responding to the negative attitude the mainstream media has against Republicans. They’re expressing their legitimate frustration with the obvious bias against literally 50 percent of America in the media.

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The survey also found that over 90 percent of the total media coverage of President Trump has been extremely hostile. There is not another single president in American history who has faced such uneven coverage from the media. It is therefore entirely fair for the Trump family to criticize the media for the manner in which they have treated him. Media bias against Trump does not end at the White House. This pattern has been extremely pronounced against conservatives in America today. One example is how the media covered the temper tantrums Democrats Stacey Abrams and Andrew Gillum threw after they lost their races for Governor in Georgia and Florida, respectively. Both made totally evidence-free claims of voter suppression and blatant racism. Both refused to concede their elections, and to this day, continue to claim that the governorship was stolen from them. The media continues to fawn over and defend both individuals, and has published endless articles fantasizing about Abrams potentially running for president. And yet, when Republicans even bring up the possibility of voter fraud in suspiciously close races in California, the same media figures viciously attack Republicans as being “racist” and “hating democracy.” In other words, when Democrats lose, they are free to never accept defeat, but when Republicans lose, they need to shut up and go home. As a constitutional republic with almost 250 years of history, the United

States of America prides itself in protecting the freedom of the press in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. In order to ensure that our public officials are held fully accountable, this Amendment is vital to the success and continued vibrancy of our democracy. We have checks and balances with the three branches of government for a simple reason — so that no individual or political entity gains too much power. That should be the same case for the media in America today, which, unfortunately, currently suffers from the lowest confidence levels from the American public in a very long time. Just because the media has the freedom to publish does not mean it shouldn’t be held to basic standards. Lying, cherrypicking, clickbaiting and misleading the audience doesn’t just damage the reputations of journalists — it cheapens political rhetoric and actually inspires political extremism. When Americans can no longer trust the news, there aren’t alternative sources to discern reality from fiction. That is the real danger that actually feeds the seeds of authoritarianism because the one of the most common tactics dictators use to maintain power is to discredit and destroy the free press. For all the talk about how Trump is a threat to the media, perhaps we should take a step back and think again. As hostile as Trump is to the media, his anger isn’t completely unwarranted. The bias against conservatives and right-of-center viewpoints isn’t anything new. And quite frankly, the biggest enemy of the media

isn’t Trump — it’s themselves. They are the only people capable of rewriting their own reputation. It is ultimately entirely in their hands to change their behavior — otherwise, their credibility in the eyes of 50 percent of Americans will be permanently tarred. It is a common saying that the media is the Fourth Estate. It is important for journalists to remember the heavy responsibility that they carry with them. The New York Times and the Washington Post published false intelligence about supposed WMDs in Iraq, which cost over 5,000 American lives and millions of dead Iraqi civilians. During the 1950s, mainstream news outlets engaged in brazen Red Scare McCarthyist tactics, causing an American Cultural Revolution in which thousands of innocent citizens were falsely smeared as being communist sympathizers. Even earlier, during the first decades of the 1900s, media magnate William Randolph Hearst used his political influence to engage in yellow journalism, falsely blaming Spain for attacking and sinking a US warship in Cuba. This was the precursor of the Spanish-American war, which again cost thousands of lives on both sides. Words have power. Those who speak and write have great responsibility. While the government is kept in check by voters and the media, journalists must also abide by a code of ethics, the most important quality of which is honesty. Until that changes, there isn’t a bright future for American journalism in the 21st century. ■H

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2019 Cool Campus Challenge

TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

ICONS COURTESY OF WWW.FLATICON.COM

seeks to promote sustainability and reduce UCR’s carbon foot print ANTONIO VELAOCHAGA Contributing Writer

The Cool Campus Challenge is a four week competition organized by the ten UC campuses and the UC Office of the President to motivate students, staff and faculty to reduce their carbon footprint. This challenge has all UC campuses competing to lower their carbon emissions through an online point system and the UC campus that wins the challenge will be crowned the “Coolest UC Campus” and their office of sustainability will receive a $2,000 reward in funding. The challenge began on April 1 and will last until April 26. The UC’s reason for creating this challenge is to eventually make all UC campuses carbon neutral by 2025. This Carbon Neutrality Initiative began in 2013 and the goal was to make UCs emit net zero greenhouse gases from its buildings and vehicles. This would require UC campuses to expand their efforts in energy efficiency and greatly increase their use of energy from renewable sources. UC Riverside’s Office of Sustainability is the department

leading Riverside in this competition and are marketing to increase student, staff and faculty participation. The relatively small Office of Sustainability was revamped last year and is trying to promote the Cool Campus Challenge through social media, e-mails and posters around campus. This office gives guidance and collaborates with other departments for campus operations, academic endeavors and service activities to maintain social and environmental stability. The Highlander spoke with Sustainability Program Coordinator Francis Milato to gain a better understanding of the Cool Campus Challenge. He said, “This challenge is meant to have people lower the amount of carbon that they emit to the world.” Milato stated that the challenge is meant to educate and motivate people from UC campuses in an attempt to lower our carbon footprint. Milato explained, “People will think that it is an inconvenience, but it will just change the way they do things every day.” Other members from the Office of Sustainability gave their opinions on the Cool Campus Challenge. Third-

year student Ivette Torres said that the competition is good because “it teaches us to grow”. She said that it has given her the chance to personally challenge herself. Firstyear student Byron Brooks said that participating in the challenge asked for minimal changes and that it’s not as difficult as he previously thought. However, Torres has found the challenge difficult due to being a commuter and trying to find better ways to come to school that are more energy-saving. These students have learned of the many unknown ways to lower their carbon footprint such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator and if you take direct plane flights to lower the carbon being released. To join the Cool Campus Challenge, students can visit the Cool Campus Challenge website, create an account with their university email and begin participating. The contest is point-based, and awards the campus point based on actions completed by students on the website, such as registering, uploading photos or creating teams to promote sustainability. All the points are added together to make up

Solar panels reduce carbon emissions through creating renewable energy from the sun and are part of the plan for UCs to become carbon neutral by 2025.

the total amount of points that UC Riverside has in the challenge, with UCR currently ranking in 9th place. To give more incentive, the Office of Sustainability will give awards to the participants and groups with the most points. These prizes include reusable water bottles, Cool Campus Challenge t-shirts, reusable grocery bags and portable solar-powered chargers. UC Riverside is currently secondto-last in the number of participants with 289 students involved. UC Berkeley is first with 1,104. The Office of Sustainability is also hoping that the students, staff and faculty of UC Riverside augment these environmentally friendly habits into their daily lives. Milato stated, “We do not just want to do this for the challenge, but I hope that we can continue with these habits.” With the effects of environmental issues such as climate change and pollution, greater awareness and education of the impact humans have on the environment is important. The Cool Campus Challenge provides an opportunity to be more mindful of the habits that students could change to help sustain the environment. ■H

NICHOLAS ROH / HIGHLANDER

TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

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4th annual Beyond R’ Margins emphasizes representation, creativity and spontaneity in promoting social justice

THOMAS HOLGUIN / HIGHLANDER

MARTHA DELGADO Senior Staff Writer

When the first Beyond R’ Margins conference was created in 2015 by then-CHASS Senator Dalshawn Boson, ASUCR Vice President of Internal Affairs, Jose Cortez-Hernandez, explained that it was meant to “bring awareness to the issues marginalized communities face on and off campus.” Since then, ASUCR has made the conference into an annual event. On Friday, April 5, ASUCR hosted the fourth annual Beyond R’ Margins conference at 11 a.m. in HUB 302 South. The first keynote speaker at the conference was California Assemblywoman for the 60th District Sabrina Cervantes who spoke about her background and her motivation for making sure marginalized groups are represented in state

politics. “This last election showed us that people are ready for a change, that voters are ready. They are okay seeing millennials come up into office and take these positions of power. That politics is for women as it is for men,” Cervantes stated as she referenced to the latest California election in November 2018. Cervantes was chosen as one of the keynote speakers for being a UCR alum and advocating for Latino and LGBT communities in politics. Riverside City Councilman Andy Melendrez was the second keynote speaker of the day. Melendrez was asked to speak at the conference for his work in securing funding for the UCR School of Medicine and for leading the improvements on University Ave. In his address to the conference, Melendrez spoke about the challenges he faced while advocating for marginalized communities

““This last election showed us that people are ready for a change, that voters are ready..”

within City Council. In an interview with the Highlander, Melendrez discussed how it is important for students to acknowledge the impact made by elected officials and to vote for people who can represent their voice. “I’m 65 years old and when I look back, we did not have that kind of representation. To me, when I see a lot of youth that will carry values that will carry on to the council, (they will) represent not only themselves but also understand the importance of engaging community,” Melendrez commented. The last keynote speaker was photographer Noah Dillon, who along with Luka Sabbat cofounded the multimedia exhibition Hot Mess. The exhibition is a comment on the current generation’s tendency to do things at the last minute, leading to spontaneity and creativity. Jorge Delgado, a third-year computational math major and the conference’s planning director, chose Dillon to speak at the conference for its connection to social justice. “To get things done, it has to be a hot mess. It’s hard to get things done when planning to a T, so a lot of it has to be free-flowing and creative,” explained Delgado. In his address to the conference, Dillon shared his journey from being an unhappy college student in Colorado to leaving for Los Angeles in pursuit of his passion for photography. Dillon shared how he was inspired to pursue his work as a photographer after seeing an article listing the top 20 young creatives. “(They were) people my age, and they were doing really cool stuff. I had no idea that was possible,” explained Dillon. He also shared how he began to work in Hollywood and collaborated with Sabbat on projects. Additionally, while on stage, Dillon facetimed some of the people he’s worked with such as Sabbat, Virgil Abloh and Lexie Jiaras to share advice on millennial entrepreneurship. Due to time constraints, the scheduled breakout sessions were cancelled and the conference ended with a performance from UCR student band Blueseason. One of the projects ASUCR is hoping to realize next year is securing funding to create a Beyond R’ Margins scholarship to encourage social activism among students. The idea is that the finalists for the scholarship would be UCR students who would be “deemed to have gotten beyond their margins” as explained by Delgado. The finalists would then be keynote speakers or present a research or capstone project at the conference. Since its creation in 2015, the Beyond R’ Margins conference has grown to bring awareness to marginalized communities through speakers to inspire students to take action and advocate for others and themselves. ■H

THOMAS HOLGUIN / HIGHLANDER

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TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

SAF’s second culture show

“Zindagi”

brings the South Asian community together MARTHA DELGADO Senior Staff Writer

“Zindagi,” meaning life in the Hindi and Urdu languages, was also the title for the South Asian Federation’s (SAF) second culture show on Saturday, April 6 in the University Theatre. “Zindagi” had two components: performances from student groups and a narrative intertwined between performances. The cultural and dance organizations who performed were UCR Bhangra, UCR Giddha, UCRaas, Afghan Student Association, UCR Abhinaya and UCR Afsana. Among the performers were Sanduni Rajapakse who gave a Kandyan performance, which is traditional to Sri Lanka, and Sarang Majmudar who gave a traditional tabla (Indian drum) performance. Over 200 people came to watch “Zindagi,” the second cultural show that SAF has held. Culture shows usually do not have a narrative component. Creative director and recent biology graduate Vishal Kumar Gupta co-wrote the script with the artistic director Ashish Kothari. They both explained that they wanted audiences to engage with the show through the characters and push the boundaries of what a customary culture show is. Gupta was creative director for “Lamhe,” SAF’s ﬁrst culture show, which also intertwined a narrative with performances. The original synopsis of “Zindagi” was a story about three women taking a bachelorette trip to France. However, the actual narrative twisted into a murder mystery within a culture show. Meena Kumaruguru, Vedika Iyer and Varunika Raja played the murder suspects Maya, Zoya and Shanaya respectively. Sheevang Patel played Akash the detective trying to solve the murder of Jamaal Shaikh. This was Kumaruguru’s, a second-year media and cultural studies major, ﬁrst time being a part of SAF’s culture show. “I’ve always loved being involved in things that

represent my South Asian background,” Kumaruguru said. “(The culture show) was perfect because it’s essentially a culmination of all the different art forms and aspects of our culture.” This was Kothari’s, a third-year biology major, first time as artistic director. Some of the responsibilities that this position included were organizing the fashion show component and creating the set design. In most culture shows, the fashion show component takes place during intermission, but Kothari wanted the fashion show to be part of the narrative. Additionally, the fashion show component allows different South Asian cultures to show their cultural attire. “I think that’s what makes our culture show different from others because of how many different organizations come together to work on this show,” said Kothari. “Most culture shows are specific to one region but SAF was able to bring everyone together.” SAF began planning for “Zindagi” in January after Gupta and Kothari finished the script. From there, they had 13 weeks to plan the rest of the show, significantly longer than the planning period for “Lamhe.” The show’s direction and production was a team effort as it consisted of 25 board members. “There are so many organizations always hosting their own events, and dance teams doing their own competitions but a culture show is one way to bring everyone together! A culture show also helps us establish our communities presence on our campus,” SAF told the Highlander. SAF was established at UCR in 2015 to unite the 13 South Asian identifying organizations, but it was in 2017 when they held their first culture show. The culture show was meant to unite and celebrate the organizations and dance H teams in the South Asian community. ■

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

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TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

RADAR

“DUMBO” FAILS TO LIVE UP TO THE MAGIC OF THE CELEBRATED DISNEY CLASSIC

COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY PICTURES

SILVIA FERRER Staff Writer

“Dumbo,” along with “The Jungle Book,” “Cinderella” and the upcoming “Aladdin,” is yet another live-action remake of a popular Disney film. Starring a cute CGI elephant and an array of circus performers, the film extends on the short, hour long children’s movie from 1941 to create a fantastical, almost two hour-long tale. However, no actual substance or complex characters are added to align with the longer running time. While visually outstanding, the film itself occupies an awkward middle ground between being too serious and bleak to be a kids’ movie while lacking the depth or action for mature audiences. The plotline remains pretty faithful to the original, with the addition of the tragic, but eventually sweet, storyline of a family who help Dumbo and his mom, Jumbo, throughout the film. The choice to focus on the Farriers instead of developing Dumbo’s storyline doesn’t really pay off plot-wise. A significant portion of the film focuses on scenes in which the kids grapple with the loss of their mother; a plot point which, unfortunately, fails to convince viewers. There’s no doubt that the CGI is generally wellexecuted. The titular character was completely

computer-generated but didn’t look like a simulated reproduction. His expressions and movements were believable as Dumbo flew around the circus tent to looking mournfully after his mother.

Although h i s generated appearance is excellent, sometimes the CGI missed the mark. Dreamland, the manufactured circus which the performers move to by the middle of the film, looked more like something from an animated movie than a real amusement park. Dumbo was close enough to a real elephant, but the rides of Dreamland were far too fantastical and obviously computer-

generated to pass for real. Dumbo’s character, despite its artificiality, was far more compelling than many of the live action actors. Even Danny Devito’s character, circus owner Max Medici, felt too unsympathetic in comparison to the other sugary-sweet characters. Devito managed to veer from his unlikeable persona through comedy and moments of compassion, but his characterization itself felt shallow, adding no complexity to the “greedy circus owner” trope until the very end. The majority of the other characters encountered the same issue — their roles boxed their characters in and lacked depth. Some actors breathed life into their roles, as in the case of Miss Atlantis, but these performances are scarce in “Dumbo.” Sitting through these flaws leads to a great payoff; the film got exponentially better by the last act. Funny moments, emotional interactions and fast-paced action are all crammed together as Dumbo and the Medici circus performers band together against the deranged Dreamland owner, Vandemere (Michael Keaton). The film concludes on a relatively satisfying note, and minor changes from the original, while somewhat uninspired, don’t ruin the plot. But despite the general passability of this film, “Dumbo” falls short of the beloved classic it’s imitating. ■H

Verdict:

“Dumbo’”s childhood nostalgia may be enough to pique interest, but the constant flaws, unoriginal plot and long runtime all make for a disappointing watch. Those patient enough to sit through the bland characterizations will be pleasantly surprised by the dynamic last act, even if they aren’t by the predictable ending.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

The

celebrating one of Dark Knight DC’s most Tu r n s 8 0 : iconic heroes

COLIN CARNEY Staff Writer

On March 30, DC Comics celebrated Batman’s 80th anniversary since debuting in Detective Comics #27 in 1939. Ever since, Batman has become a cultural icon as his bat symbol has become recognizable across the globe, even to those who have never picked up a comic book. Throughout the decades, countless writers and storytellers have had the opportunity to adapt and interpret the character in varied media spanning comics, radio, television, video games and ﬁlm. Each generation of Bat fans have had their very own version of the Caped Crusader that is both incredibly loyal to the source material as they explore different aspects of the character and remarkably unique to the era of their release. His evolution as a pop culture icon has endured the test of time and has shaped the cultural landscape of this generation and will likely continue to do so for generations to come. Following the unprecedented success of their ﬁrst superhero in Superman, DC Comics tasked Bob Kane to create another hero for their comics. Alongside writer Bill Finger, Kane created the hero that would go on to become a cultural phenomenon. Together the duo created the story of a child of a wealthy family who witnesses them being gunned down before his very eyes. Vowing never to allow such a thing to happen again, Bruce Wayne declares a one-man war against crime, trains his mind and body and invests his wealth to become the masked vigilante Batman. As the character evolved, he was adapted to whatever era he was placed in. Over the years, the Dark Knight has been dark and brooding, embracing the noir detective aspect of his character, or light and comical, embracing the campiness of the 60s and 70s as he fought aliens and had a bat gadget for literally anything. As the character evolved on

the pages of comic books, so did the character on the small and big screen. Wider audiences were finally introduced to the Cowled Crimefighter in the iconic 1966 Adam West “Batman” series on TV. The series famously embraced the inherently cartoonish nature of a costumed vigilante as the show was known for its campiness and unapologetically light tone. The 1966 Batman succeeded in introducing new audiences to the character but resulted in a comical tone that the character became known for until his cinematic debut in 1989 with the release of Tim Burton’s “Batman” and his follow up film “Batman Returns” starring Michael Keaton as the titular crimefighter. Burton’s take on the Caped Crusader embraced the darkness of the character as the bright lights and colorful costumes of the 1966 version were replaced with muted tones and dark city streets. Alongside 1978’s “Superman: The Movie,” 1989’s “Batman” proved that superheroes can make for great movies as well as financial successes. If it wasn’t for the cinematic success of both Batman and Superman, it is highly likely that Hollywood studios would’ve taken longer to pull the trigger on the big budget superhero spectacles audiences are accustomed to today. Since West and Keaton have dawned the cape and cowl, several actors and voice actors have, too ,worn the tights. Each generation has their very own Batman, some great and others who are probably best forgotten. Some of the all-time greats who have portrayed the World’s Greatest Detective and have become their generation’s Batman include the iconic voice performance of Kevin Conroy in 1992-1995’s “Batman: The Animated Series” that reintroduced the character to television and embraced both the darkness of the character and delivered on character defining interpretations of classic Batman friends and foes such as Mark Hamill’s maniacal and fan favorite Joker. The big screen has also reintroduced us to a

COURTESY OF DC COMICS

more grounded and somewhat believable take on the hero with Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy that gave us Christian Bale’s stunning performance as Bruce Wayne. Nolan’s series cast aside the supernatural and the extreme nature of the comics and instead embraced a Batman that could feasibly exist in the real world and fought sadistic villains that were both threatening and remarkably complex such as Heath Ledger’s critically acclaimed take on the Clown Prince of Crime, The Joker. Furthermore, Nolan’s arguably best ﬁlm in the series, “The Dark Knight,” is more psychological crime thriller than superhero ﬁlm as Batman takes on the mob and the Joker for the soul of Gotham. Throughout the years, Batman continues to evolve and captivate audiences everywhere. Despite 80 years and countless writers, the franchise has never run out of new

and original stories as even today some of his best stories are being written and released both in comic shops and on the big screen. The wealth of material that has spanned Batman’s 80-year history is second to none in terms of comic book heroes. His rogues gallery is arguably the best in the industry and contains villains almost as iconic as the hero himself, such as the Joker, TwoFace and the Riddler, and who at their best each portray a different aspect of the Bat’s psyche and offer a stark look at what could’ve happened if Bruce embraced the darkest parts of the character. His friends and foes alike have helped create a vast collection of iconic stories, but it is a testament to the hero himself and the brilliant storytellers behind him that he can still carry a series for so long and retain its high quality. Despite being born into wealth and riches, Batman still manages

to be relatable to his many fans. He’s a character who has endured the worst that the world can offer and manages to overcome despite only being human. He symbolizes the best that humans can be without needing super strength or x-ray vision. He epitomizes the peak of human perfection, a man who dedicated his life to justice, trained tirelessly to become the best ﬁghter and best detective in the world. Furthermore, despite the one-man war on crime he is known for, he also conveys the importance of having a support system as well. As much as the character wishes to be alone, he is constantly surrounded by those that help him such as the faithful Alfred, his closest ally Gordon, or his countless sidekicks and companions. Batman, and the culture he has helped create, has continued to be relevant for 80 years and likely will be for decades to come. ■H

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TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

Google’s next big venture creates more questions than answers ADAM ALVERNAZ Contributing Writer

During the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) in mid-March, Google surprised everyone by revealing a video game streaming service named Stadia, billed as a whole new way to play video games that doesn’t require disks or consoles. Google Stadia seeks to become a simple option for convenient gaming. The service will be hosted on Chrome, boasting a 1080p output with smooth 60 frames per second (FPS). It’s even designed with their WiFi controller, which connects to Google’s servers independently to reduce latency as much as possible, in mind. Releasing later this year, Stadia sounds like the next big evolution in gaming. Unfortunately for Google, there are still many current generation issues that hold Stadia back. However, if Google learns from previous video game streaming platforms, Stadia could potentially be a standout in today's video game market paradigm. We have seen different iterations of video game streaming with companies like Sony and Valve taking a different approach than what Google plans. Sony, for example, has a service called PlayStation Now that allows users to stream previous PlayStation games to a PS4. PlayStation Now is a subscription-based service that gives you access to over 700 titles that can be played on your PS4. With new games each month and older PS4 titles being released, the service keeps getting better. It also helps those with large digital libraries that don’t have the space to put older PS3 titles on their hard drive. Not only that, but because PS3 games are smaller than PS4 games, they can be streamed seamlessly and are easy to be maintained by Sony’s servers. On the other hand, Valve allows users to stream PC games from one computer to another. The service is simple as it only requires you to own the game in order to stream them to other devices. It's a very barebones way of giving users the option to play games while away from their desktop. The downside to the service is that it requires fast connections on both sides of the network. These two services can give some insight into how Google could be successful and what traps they may fall victim to. As soon as Google revealed Stadia, criticism followed

with many different roadblocks that Google will have to overcome in order for Stadia to be successful. The biggest issue with Stadia is the large data requirement for the service to be seamless and produce the crisp 1080p, 60 FPS experience. Due to the repeal of net neutrality laws nine months ago, some internet service providers are able to limit customers connections to be slower or be cut entirely if they exceed a certain cap. Currently, Stadia operates on 20 gigabytes per hour. The service cannot survive if the medium is a danger to consumers who have data limits. With data caps that only keep getting lower, Stadia will have to combat this on a fundamental level. It's the same issue that Valve faces with their own Steam Link product that currently is in the same phase of development as they allow any PC to stream games to a Steam Link with great internet connection. This is the biggest issue that Google will be facing as changing the laws around the freedom of the internet is more difﬁcult than ever. The Stadia’s biggest hurdle to overcome will more than likely be the latency issue. When streaming on Stadia, there will more than likely be a delay from when a button is pressed to when it is displayed on the screen. Early statistics suggest a 200ms delay, which is less than half a second. Of course, these metrics are all in-house and will differ from the actual product upon public release. Compared to Sony and Valve, Google will need to shape up this part of Stadia in order for it to become a competitor in the current streaming market. Another big criticism against Stadia is the library of games that will be supported by the application. One of the big upsides to PlayStation Now is the huge library of titles players get from just $100 a year. For Google to follow this, they will need both a great library of games and an affordable cost. With no cost being revealed yet, Google has shown “Assassins Creed Odyssey” working on their service and announced “DOOM Eternal” to be a launch title. Yet this tells very little as to what the future of Stadia content will be like. Mainly this concern boils down to the scope of Stadia and what its future will be like. If Google tries to push this as a main competitor then its faults in data caps, latency and game library will push people to more traditional consoles. Going forward, Google has quite a lot of avenues for

the project and they could be able to turn it into the next big gaming network. I could see this being a useful addition to light and portable machines that are able to run Chrome masterfully, which is exactly what Chromebooks are designed for. One of the less looked at features that Stadia introduces is the walkthrough aspect of it. Using Google Assistant to progress in a video game is a very useful feature as it removes the hassle of searching for it yourself. Having Assistant give you directed instructions on moving forward is a great idea that removes the hassle of having to search for information on other websites. This removes the break in immersion players experience when searching it themselves. This is a fresh idea that can be taken far should Stadia do well. Taking this further, Stadia could also find themselves as the killers of physical games. With more companies and developers pushing digital titles and stores on customers, the idea of physical media is becoming less of the focal point when it comes to making sales. Stadia utilizing a totally digital store and being used exclusively through Chrome could eventually end physical game runs as they would no longer be profitable. By no means would Stadia be the sole culprit of ending physical games; it would, however, contribute very much to the end of the practice and production. It’s possible that Stadia can survive on year-old titles and Indie-developed games at an affordable cost. Even if they decide not to take this road, Google has the option of privatizing some games by buying exclusivity rights for a certain time frame. This is very similar to what Epic Games and PlayStation do nowadays with timed exclusives. If Google decides to follow this route, then Stadia might generate some interest. Even then, they would still need to solve the roadblocks of the current streaming climate. Google’s new business venture has many raising their eyebrows on the use and versatility of the service. Google has high hopes for the application and it could be turned into an example of pure, next-generation beauty. Yet Google faces the issues that plague current generation networking and hardware. A future for the service is definitely plausible and could lead to a gigantic shift in the gaming market. If Google execute Stadia properly, it could signal a new approach to how we game. ■H

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SPORTS

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WOMEN’S GOLF FINISHES FIFTH IN FRESNO STATE CLASSIC

JONATHAN FERNANDEZ Senior Staff Writer

The UCR women’s golf team competed in the Fresno State Classic on Monday and Tuesday, April 1-2 where they finished fifth out of 14 teams. The competition in the tournament included UC Davis, Grand Canyon University, UC Irvine and Cal State Northridge. The Highlanders started the tournament out relatively well, shooting a combined 295 score which put them in sixth place after the first round of play. UCR really found their stride in the second round, where they shot a 287 and moved up a spot to fourth place. However, this was as far up in the standings that Riverside would get, as they played their worst golf in the final round of play, shooting a team-worst 303 and falling into fifth place. UCR finished 21 shots over par as a team, but managed to finish fourth in birdies with 35. There was only one team that shot under par, UC Davis, who won the tournament. Aside from Davis, every other team struggled to figure out the course of the Copper River Country Club.

PLAYER

SERENA CHON PING HUANG JAKESHIYA LE HANA FURUICHI HAILEY WHITE

Highlander Hot Take: Why the NBA must hold officials responsible RICARDO GARCIA Contributing Writer

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

Sophomore Serena Chon placed the highest for the Highlanders, shooting a score of six over par which was good for 23rd place. Sophomore Ping Huang and senior Jakeishya Le finished right behind Chon at seven over par and they tied for 26th place. Senior Hana Furuichi finished tied for 29th a stroke behind Huang and

Le, at eight over par. Junior Hailey White finished tied for 34th place at 10 over par. UCR’s women’s golf team will compete in the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic on Monday and Tuesday, April 8-9. This tournament will mark their final regular season tournament before the Big West Conference Tournament. ■H

FRESNO STATE CLASSIC RESULTS R1 72 69 79 77 77

TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

R2 74 76 67 73 73

R3 76 78 77 74 76

TOTAL 222 223 223 224 226

PLACE T-23 T-26 T-26 T-29 T-34

MEN’S TENNIS CAN’T KEEP WIN STREAK GOING, LOSES CONFERENCE-OPENER AGAINST UC IRVINE 6-1 JONATHAN FERNANDEZ Senior Staff Writer

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

The men’s tennis team (17-11, 0-1) opened up conference play on Friday, April 5 against UC Irvine (12-5,11). The team had been on quite a roll recently, winning four straight and six of their last seven matches. However, they weren’t able to ride their recent wave of momentum to a victory in this one, losing their conference opener 6-1. The Highlanders lost the doubles point after the teams of freshman Andreas Whelan-Merediz and senior Kyle McCann, and the pair of juniors including Gilbert Chung and Nabil Abdullah lost their matchups 6-2 and 6-3 respectively. The doubles team on court one kept the score the closest, with the team of senior Anderson Ju and sophomore Vignesh Subramanyan losing by the smallest margin, 6-4. With UCR already down a point they needed to make up a lot of ground on the singles side. However, UCI came out and won the first three singles matches to earn a 4-0 lead and essentially end the match. Riverside was able to earn one point thanks to junior Gilbert Chung who won his singles match 6-4, 6-4. Whelan-Merediz also showed fight in his match, losing in a pair of close 7-5, 6-4 sets. Up next the Highlanders will travel to Santa Barbara to face off against the Westmont College Warriors. The match will take place at 1 p.m. Friday, April 12. ■H

NBA officials, like in many other sports leagues, are constantly under scrutiny by fans and the media. Officiating nowadays seems to be getting worse as the league makes changes to rules and interpretations of the rules. On March 29, it seemed as if the relationship between players and officiating would reach a new low. In the Golden State Warriors’ loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, there were several questionable calls late in the final seconds of overtime. The first occurred when Warriors forward Kevin Durant was fouled shooting a three-pointer by Timberwolves forward Keita Bates-Diop with 4.4 seconds left in overtime. The made shot would have tied the game at 130, with the foul call sending Durant to the free throw line to give the Warriors the lead. Instead, official Marat Kogut ruled that Durant was fouled before he shot the ball, and since the Warriors were yet to be in the bonus, the ball would be taken out on the sideline. Despite this, Warriors guard Stephen Curry hit a corner threepointer to tie the game anyway, but Golden State was now fighting to send the game into double overtime instead of making one last stop to win the game after blowing a large halftime lead. Following the play, the Warriors mocked Kogut as they walked back to the bench during a timeout. The next controversial play happened on the Timberwolves’ ensuing inbound play. With Minnesota forward Anthony Tolliver trying to inbound the ball to center Karl-Anthony Towns, Durant was called for a foul by official Leon Wood with 0.5 seconds left. Towns made the first free throw, and intentionally missed the second to let time expire and Minnesota escaped with a 131-130 comeback victory. The NBA soon came out with its last two minute report stating that the officials made the correct calls (as outrageous as that seems) and fined three Warriors players for a combined $75,000 for comments about officiating made after the game and on social media. Personally, while I agree with the call on Durant in the final second, it’s typically not a foul that gets called in the ending moments of a game. There’s been inconsistency with making that call at that point in the game when they don’t call it at that same point in other games. Also, I disagree with the NBA’s official ruling on non-shooting call on the Durant three-pointer. That changed how the Warriors approached the next play and it cost them. This inconsistency and the referees ego has been deciding the outcome of games for many years, yet the NBA does almost nothing about it. Although they may be disciplining referees behind the scenes, they typically don’t make it public. If the NBA wants to maintain the integrity of the game and keep the trust of its players and fans, they have to publicly hold their officials accountable the same way they publicly fine and suspend players. Doing so makes it known that they aren’t letting officials let their emotions get the best of them in the plain view of players and fans. It also lets the officials know they are responsible for their actions on the court. If we do not want another Tim Donaghy-like game-fixing scandal, the NBA must take action. ■H

SPORTS TUESDAY, APRIL 09, 2019

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

Women’s tennis drops conference matchup against UCSB, 7-0

JONATHAN FERNANDEZ Senior Staff Writer

UCR women’s tennis team (5-9, 0-4) matched up against conference opponent and number one seed UC Santa Barbara (9-6, 3-0) on Thursday, April 4. The match was especially significant because the Highlanders only have three remaining conference matchups before the Big West Tournament and are currently in ninth place in the conference. Although Riverside had won three of its previous four matches, this match was the first since returning from finals and spring break and it definitely looked like it. UCR lost across the board, failing to earn a single point on their way to a 7-0 loss. Despite the disheartening score, Head Coach Mark Henry was pleased with his team’s play given the circumstances, saying, “Santa Barbara’s a really tough team. Probably the top team in our conference. The first match after finals and break is always a little tricky, but we came out and worked really well, worked hard.” The Highlanders did show fight and managed to make some second sets interesting. Freshman Natalie Shamma bounced back in a huge way in the second set, forcing

UCR

Webb, Nathan: two hits, one run scored JORDAN HUANG / HIGHLANDER

a much closer 7-5 ﬁnish after going down 6-2 in the previous set. Shamma also showcased her competitive spirit in this matchup, often showing displeasure with her own performance and at one point the line judge. Freshman Hanh Pham was the only Highlander who won a set in her matchup, winning the second set 7-6 to force a third set. This far into the season, Riverside has had to rely heavily on their freshman players and for the most part they have come through, earning 24 of the total 36 singles wins. Going forward, the freshman will have to continue to play a huge part if Riverside hopes to be successful down the stretch of the regular season and in the Big West Tournament. “I think they’re feeling like they’re pretty ready,”

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

UC Riverside (8-19) had a chance to avenge their loss from earlier in the season against the University of San Diego (1910) on March 5, when they were defeated by a score of 31-3. The score was a lot closer this time around but the Highlanders again fell to the Toreos by a final score of 7-6. The Highlanders got off to an early start as sophomore shirtstop Nathan Webb led the game off with a walk in the first inning. Sophomore outfielder Dylan Orick got the second inning started with a single while senior outfielder Dean Miller grounded out to first base while advancing the runners. Senior outfielder Yeager Taylor drove the runners home with

CSUN

L: Ohl, Riley (3-2)

Henry said when asked if he believes the freshmen can continue to produce results in high-pressure situations. “They’ll be a little more prepared next week because it’s settling back into the routine of practice and weights and all the things that we do.” UCR will have a chance to move up in the standings on Saturday, April 6 as they face off against the number eight seed Cal State Northridge, who is only a game ahead of them in the win column. However, the 23rd-year head coach isn’t currently concerned with seeding. “Everybody in the conference, especially all the teams around us are so close,” Henry said. “We just focus on who’s the next team and preparing to play our best for that next team. Anything can happen.” ■H

UC Riverside loses their two games against USD and CSUN

JORDAN HOM Contributing Writer

BASEBALL

a hit to center field to give the Highlanders the early lead. During the fourth inning, UC Riverside scored two more runs on only three hits. Freshman catcher Jacob Shanks got on base with a walk. Freshman center fielder Damian Sanchez and Nathan Webb both got an RBI to give the Highlanders a 5-2 lead. However, each time the Highlanders scored a run, the Toreos answered with a run of their own. USD scored a run in every inning with the exception of the third and sixth innings. The Highlanders got off to an early lead but their struggles on defense allowed the Toreos to fight their way back into the game. By the eighth inning, San Diego managed to tie up the scoreboard. They loaded the bases and won

the game with a walk-off-hit-bypitch. Defense has been the main issue for the Highlanders over their recent stretch of games as they gave up 10 runs during a game versus UC Davis as well as 12 and 11 runs respectively in their two games against UNLV. Despite losing the game by one run, Webb was a standout in the game as he got on base in four of five at bats. He also hit an RBI double to left field in the fourth inning. UC Riverside lost their game against California State University, Northridge (13-17), 14-5. Their defense was once again subpar and they were unable to contain the Matadors offense in the early moments of the game. In the first two innings, the Highlanders allowed 10 runs. Three Highlanders managed to get solo home runs as they were recorded by Miller, Taylor, and junior pitcher Connor Cannon, who recorded his sixth home run of the season. The home run puts Cannon at fourth place in the Big West Conference rankings. Coming up next, the Highlanders will get the chance to improve their defense with their upcoming game against California State University, Bakersfield Tuesday, April 9. ■H

SOFTBALL UCR

LONG BEACH

L: Jacy Boles (10-4)

Emma Ramelot: two hits, two RBI and one run scored

GAME 2 UCR

LONG BEACH

W: Megan Casper (6-2)

Emma Ramelot: one hit, one run and three RBI

WOMEN’S TENNIS UCR

CSUN

Lindsey Gelinas singles victory: 6-4, 3-6, 10-8 Mahli Silpachai records comeback singles victory: 2-6, 7-5, 10-8

Men’s and women’s track in Pomona-Pitzer Invitational Saturday Justin Parker: finished fifth in the men’s 400 meter dash with a time of 48.72 seconds. Samantha Poliakon: finished 53rd in the women’s 1,500 meter run with a time of 5:07:36