hE’S GOT CHOPS.
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VOLUME XLIV, ISSUE XXVi
WWW.UCSDGUARDIAN.ORG
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011
UC TUITIONS MAY VARY BASED ON CAMPUS By SARAH SMITH • CONTRIBUTING WRITER Illustration by JANE RHO
UC Board of Regents revisits proposal to allow each campus to set its own tuition rates based on factors such as demand, freshmen and transfer application rate or yield.
U
niversity of California campuses may be allowed to adjust their undergraduate tuition in an effort to help the university adjust to Gov. Brown’s budget cuts. UC tuition will be $11,124 system-wide starting Fall 2011, after the regents raised in-state undergraduate tuition rates last November. This is an eight-percent increase over Fall 2010 rates. Fees for student activities, health, parking and room and board will vary by campus. The proposal would allow each UC campus to determine its own tuition a certain percentage either above or below a baseline that has yet to be determined. “The idea is that you would allow each campus the flexibility to go up to a certain percentage,” UC Office of the President spokesperson Ricardo Vazquez said. “It’s not that [the individual campuses] would be able to set their own tuition.” In November 2010, the regents chose not to endorse the staggered tuition proposal when it was included among the 20 recommendations in UC Commission on the Future report. According to the report, the regents felt that staggered tuition would place several campuses at a disadvantage due to actual or perceived academic “tiering.” Little formal progress has been made since then — though
the idea was last discussed at the UC Regents’ meeting in December — and Vazquez said the now-informal proposal does not yet include concrete numbers. The plan was last discussed at the Dec. 13 UC Regents meeting and is being put back on the table for discussion at this week’s meeting. Most state university systems have a flagship university, which charges higher tuition than the others. The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Wisconsin at Madison are two of these universities. “[Differential tuition] is not a new idea,” Vazquez said. “It’s something that has been discussed in light of dwindling state support.” The set of budget ideas is in response to the continuing budget cuts, now including Gov. Jerry Brown’s $500-million cuts from the UC system in his 2011-12 budget proposal. The cut would
eliminate about one-sixth of the current state funding. It is still uncertain how much each campus would charge and how they would decide pricing. Readers can contact Sarah Smith at sjs001@ucsd.edu.
Student Regent Resigns Due to “Personal Reasons”
WET AND WILD
By Sarah Kang Staff Writer
Student Regent Jesse Cheng, who has served since July 2010, resigned from his position on Monday, May 16 due to “personal problems.” UC Board of Regents Chairman Russell Gould released a statement the same day accepting Cheng’s resignation and announcing that Student Regent-designate Alfredo Mireles Jr. will assume a voting position, effective immediately. In an open letter posted on the UC Regents blog on May 16, Cheng said that
the accusation made against him was becoming a distraction in the Board of Regents. He spoke more on this matter in an interview with the Guardian. “If I stayed [as] N olan T homas the Student Regent, I’d pretty much be a lame duck,” Cheng said. “And there’s no point in having a lame duck [as a] Student Regent.” Cheng was arrested on Nov. 4, 2010
after an anonymous 22-year-old UCLA Law School student, “Laya,” accused him of having sexually assaulted her on Oct. 3, 2010. Criminal charges were initially dropped due to lack of evidence until Laya provided email evidence in which Cheng, her former partner, apologized for attempting to rape her. Cheng explained that he sent the email because she constantly made disruptive phone calls to him. “[The phone calls] were extremely disruptive and I was extremely stressed out,” See REGENT, page 3
Work Group Revises Student Conduct Code By Laira Martin News Editor
Andrew oh/Guardian
Outback Adventures held a kayak-jousting event at Canyonview Pool on May 18 from 6 to 9 p.m.
SPOKEN WEB POLL
FORECAST
SUNRISE
do you support staggered uc tuitions?
THURSDAY
√ Yes, it is a fair decision. √ No, tuition should be equal. √ Only if UCSD were cheaper.
H 65 L 55
H 66 L 57
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
WWW.UCSDGUARDIAN.ORG
H 65 L 59
New revisions to the Student Code of Conduct would extend the student appeal process with the addition of a council of provosts, if the changes are approved and enacted by January 2012.
FRIDAY
H 61 L 57
5:48
A.M.
SUNSET
7:44
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P.M.
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SATURDAY
friday FRIDAY
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The new code is the result of a work group created by Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Penny Rue in May 2009. After two years of research, the group released a 15-page draft and is now soliciting student and faculty feedback before reevaluating the draft in Fall 2011 and putting the changes
into place. “The code was shortened from about 30 pages to 15 pages,” work group member and Associate Vice President of Student Advocacy Arohi Sharma said. “I think that says a lot. Because it was too long, students weren’t reading it. [Some felt] it was too verbose.”
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The code — which was last revised Aug. 29, 2008 — covers student discipline-related issues such as suspension, expulsion and the appeals process. Prominent changes to the code include a new introduction which cites the “Principles of See CONDUCT, page 3
INSIDE Comics...................................2 New Business.........................3 Politics As Usual.....................4 Letter to the Editor.................5 Druthers..................................8 Classifieds............................10 Sudoku.................................10
2 THE UCSD GUARDIAN
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011
NEWS
things left unsaid By Josey Tsao Angela Chen
Editor in Chief
Angela Chen Arielle Sallai
Managing Editors
Laira Martin Nicole Chan Rebecca Horwitz Margaret Yau Madeline Mann Rachel Uda Mina Nilchian
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Cyanobacteria Not as Useful in Medicine as Predicted By Leila Haghighat Senior Staff Writer
A particular species of marine cyanobacteria holds less potential for medicinal use than originally thought, according to an international study led by researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD. “Marine cyanobacteria of the genus Lyngbya are among the richest sources of bioactive natural products. We need to learn as much as possible about these fascinating organisms in our search for new drug candidates,” Scripps graduate student and paper author Adam Jones said. The recent rise in marine biomedicine first prompted the researchers to conduct this study. The FDA is increasingly approving drugs derived from ocean life, such as the Prialt and Halaven. L. majuscula, the tropical microorganism of interest in this study, was previously known to produce molecules that could treat cancer, malaria and inflammatory diseases.
But little is actually known about the genetics that give rise to the production of potential drugs derived from organisms of the Lyngbya genus, including L. majuscula. Jones and postdoctoral fellow Emily Monroe of the Gerwick Laboratory at Scripps finally cracked the genetic code of L. majuscula, completing a project that began back in 2005. The genome was published on May 9 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This study marks the first time that the genome of a filamentous marine cyanobacterium has ever been sequenced. A major obstacle to sequencing these cyanobacteria has been contamination by other bacterial strains. Because other bacteria cling to the outer sheath of L. majuscula and contaminate these samples, the researchers had to use both traditional and modified methods for DNA isolation. In the modified approach, single cells were isolated under the guidance of a microscope. The small
didn’t get one?
amounts of DNA were then amplified using a technique called Multiple Displacement Amplification, and bioinformatics tools were used to eliminate the background noise of any contaminating bacterial sequences. The results revealed an intricate network of genes that enable L. majuscula to interact with other bacteria and adapt to environmental conditions. In contrast to previous reports, the study also found that this strain cannot use atmospheric nitrogen in a process known as nitrogen fixation, which is necessary to synthesize the building blocks of life. To the researchers’ surprise, the marine organism only had eight sets of genes dedicated to the biosynthesis of molecules that could be potential drug candidates. “Three of these were involved in making the molecules we had found earlier,” Jones said. “The other five sets likely are responsible for making new molecules we’ve never seen, but follow-up experiments revealed that these genes did not appear to be active
in our culture conditions.” Still, according to the paper, 35 percent of all natural products from cyanobacteria come from the Lyngbya genus alone. Jones foresees using the successful isolation techniques from this study to sequence the genomes of related species and identify which species of the Lyngbya genus are actually responsible for producing molecules useful for human drug development. Readers can contact Leila Haghighat at lhaghigh@ucsd.edu.
Business Assistant Tiffany Han Marketing Directors Brandon Katzer, Annie Wang Webmaster Bryan Smith Advertising Design and Layout Alfredo H. Vilano Jr. A.S. Graphic Studio Distributors Scott Havrisik, Amanda Ku The UCSD Guardian is published Mondays and Thursdays during the academic year by UCSD students and for the UCSD community. Reproduction of this newspaper in any form, whether in whole or in part, without permission is strictly prohibited. © 2011, all rights reserved. The UCSD Guardian is not responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or art. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the opinions of the UCSD Guardian, the University of California or Associated Students. The UCSD Guardian is funded solely by advertising. Horse Breast.
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THE UCSD GUARDIAN 3
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011
Penny Rue Visits Council, Muir Cheng Emphasizes Innocence in Sexual Assault Case College Tries to Save CLICS
T
hese larger-than-life council members I’ve been hearing about turned out to be very human after all. Case in point: They have birthdays, just like the rest of us! The council sang “Happy Birthday” twice, and baked goods were plentiful in the forum Alison Gilchrist this Wednesday. argilchr@ucsd.edu So much for the gloomy atmosphere I was expecting. Public input began with Athletics, Recreation, and Sports Facilities Advisory Board undergraduate representative Anish Bhayani announcing that the board has approved a sports facility budget for the 2011-12 school year. Triton TV Station Manager Thomas Dadourian showed a video produced by the studio and talked about the benefits of the Triton TV internship program. The video, a medley of dramatic music and unexplained clips from TTV productions, was inspirational, yet inexplicable. Associate Vice President of Student Advocacy Arohi Sharma proclaimed the Sun God Festival a success for A.S. tabling, after which Vice President of External Affairs Samer Naji announced that the new California budget is bad news for the UC system. Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Penny Rue then spent 15 minutes discussing the budget cuts, after which council members spent 15 minutes asking questions. Sixth College Senator Cody Marshall questioned her about the recent firing of a Diversity Development Officer, and Rue responded that she would not comment on personnel
New
Business
matters. Associate Vice President of Student Organizations Carli Thomas then asked what Rue’s favorite Sun God act was. Answer: Second to None in the Midway Tent. Campuswide Senator Karen Liang announced that the first senate meeting of the new council was on Wednesday, and that one-on-one senate project meetings began this week. Associate Vice President of Concerts and Events Brian Wong announced that Sun God did not go over budget and reminded the council that there would be more upcoming events, such as the Senior Send-off Bear Garden at RIMAC Arena with a karaoke band. Muir Senator Elizabeth Garcia spoke about the Muir College Council’s task force to save CLICS. President Alyssa Wing announced that the board was looking for comments about the new Student Code of Conduct booklet, and that although UCSD would not be in Division I for the next period, the council would continue to work toward that goal. She also announced that next year’s Welcome Week will collaborate with Target to have the company open its store exclusively for UCSD students. Associate Vice President of College Affairs Leonard Bobbitt gave a 15-minute presentation on election bylaws, emphasizing the need to revise poorly written, repetitive bylaws before mid-fall quarter in order to prepare for election season, after which he gave a pop quiz with cookies for prizes. Those, and birthday cupcakes, ended.
▶ regent, from page 1 Cheng wrote in a public statement. “So I lied in the emails to do whatever I could to move forward with my life.” Cheng emphasized his innocence in the sexual assault case, but the Office of Student Conduct determined on March 10 that Cheng was responsible for unwanted touching of his former girlfriend and denied his appeal. As the Office of Student Conduct is not a court of law, this was not a legal decision. In the open letter, Cheng expressed his regret for being unable to complete his service to the UC community.
“My main focus and motivation has always been for students to feel that they have a full and powerful voice on the Board of Regents,” Cheng wrote in the letter. “Seeing how it will be my last meeting as a Student Regent, and how much of a distraction from other serious student issues that this issue has continued to cause, I think it would be best for the students and the University of California if I step down at this time.” Cheng said that he waited to resign until he was sure Mireles would be able to step into his position and have a vote immediately. “This past week, we kind of got all our goals and issues either
accomplished or out of the way, and we confirmed that Alfredo would get a vote after I left,” Cheng said. “Then I felt much better about resigning, and I was able to resign this past week.” He added that he didn’t want to resign without accomplishing the projects on the Board of Regents’ agenda. Cheng stated that he plans on focusing on graduating in June. “For me, this is a time to focus on my academic career again, focus on graduation, focus on my family and be a student,” Cheng said. Readers can contact Sarah Kang at sak019@ucsd.edu.
Legal Language Removed from Student Code of Conduct ▶ conduct, from page 1 Community” and an altered appeals process. “The draft code reads that appeals will be heard by a council of provosts,” Career Services Center Director Andrew Ceperley said. “So if the students find themselves moving to the point of an appeal, that appeal will be heard not just by their own [college] provost, but by the six person council of provosts.” Two major points of clarification have been made due to feedback from administrators, including the application of the revised code to the entire student community at UCSD — undergraduate, graduate and professional school students included. “The code has a different tone, is less legalistic in language and walks through things more clearly,” Cara Appel-Silbaugh, Co-Chair and Director of Parent and Family Relations, said. Although the work group
ultimately chose to remove the legal language from the code, not all members agreed with this decision. “The student legal services section has been taken out of the code,” Sharma said. “They tried to remove as much legal language from the code as possible but I feel that it is a disservice to students.” Additionally, the Student Regulations and Revisions Committee — which consists of students, faculty and staff — will now review the code on a need-be basis. “They would, in the past, review the code as issues came up when a policy question was needed and make suggestions for revision,” Appel-Silbaugh said. “[Our committee] because Vice Chancellor Rue felt that from student feedback that a real look and consideration was needed.” The work group consists of 24 faculty and student members from A.S. Council, the Graduate Student
Association and the Council of Provosts. “Some people [on the work group] that Vice Chancellor Rue thought would be appropriate and contribute to the dialogue [were selected],” Appel-Silbaugh said. “And some students were identified by their dean of students or their college council.” The group held an open forum on May 17 and has another planned for May 23. The group also uses emails from students and anonymous feedback via its website to evaluate the revised draft. The draft is available online at http:// blink.ucsd.edu/sponsor/studentaffairs/scc-rw/index.html. “The feedback has been largely positive,” Ceperley said. “We’re going to continue this process in the fall term after a quiet summer.” Additional reporting by Regina Ip. Readers can contact Laira Martin at lairamartin@ucsd.edu.
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011
4 THE UCSD GUARDIAN Do you support staggered UC Tuition? VOTE ONLINE.
√ Yes, it is a fair decision √ No, tuition should be equal √ Only if UCSD were cheaper
Opinion
www.ucsdguardian.org/OPINION Props to Corporate Accountability International for its resolution to retire Ronald McDonald because of the unhealthy message he promotes to children. Flops to Kerry Campbell for injecting her eight-year-old daughter with Botox to help her chances of winning beauty pageants.
Contact the Editor: opinion@ucsdguardian.org
Staggering Tuition The proposal to set varying tuition fees by campus may lead to drastic changes in the standards and quality of our universities. By arik burakovsky • staff writer
T
here’s nothing new about putting a price on prestige, and now, the idea of paying more for a better brand is moving to the University of California system. Financial problems are old news — a reduction in state funding has already led to staff layoffs, tuition increases and cuts in class offerings, all of which started a couple of years ago. Having exhausted these options and already downsized the universities to their bare bones (rest in peace, CLICS), the UC Board of Regents has proposed a new tactic: different tuition for different campuses. According to the March 9 article in the Los Angeles Times, the regents are considering allowing the 10 UC campuses determine their own undergraduate tuition within a predetermined range, which would result in tuition being staggered by “consumer demand.” This idea has been used at other large state systems — notably the University of Texas system, which our very own Mark G. Yudof was once president of — and it might make the money-crunched schools a few extra bucks, but the lack of specificity with the proposal in general is making it a weak solution to deal with the UC’s crippled
budget. In lieu of recent funding cuts, Governor Jerry Brown proposed in January to reduce the UC budget by $500 million in the 2011-12 state budget. The suggestion of staggered tuition is the brainchild of the UC Commission on the Future, a panel studying UC system reforms. Though the concept is still in its early stages, meaning there’s few concrete numbers to analyze, it still brings up numerous doubts, including questions about who would decide on rates, how schools would be impacted and whether staggered tuition would destroy the goal of a unified UC system. Currently, undergraduate tuition within the UC system costs about $11,618 per year at each campus. UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau suggested that, under the new plan, the regents set a midpoint for undergraduate tuition and allow campuses to vary tuition to 25 percent above or below the median. This leads to the question of who will determine the tuition of each campus. According to UC Office of the President spokesperson Ricardo Vasquez, the new plan would likely have the chancellors of the individual universities determining the tuition. The exact method of doing so — based on how high the demand is to attend — is still undetermined, though Vazquez said that one possibility is basing tuition rates on annual freshmen and transfer application numbers. Other ways demand may be calculated, though it is
unlikely, given Vazquez’s statement, are by U.S. News and World Report ratings, freshmen and transfer yield rates or even number of Nobel Laureates. Staggered tuition is not a revolutionary idea, but its results have not been very promising. Universities in Texas, Wisconsin and New York all currently implement this system. For example, the Austin campus at the University of Texas plans to charge as much as $4,900 in tuition and basic student fees starting Fall 2011, compared to about $3,500 for the El Paso campus. This can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy: the more tuition UT-Austin charges, proving its superiority, the more it can continue to attract noted faculty and staff — including nine Nobel Laureates — and a more national student body. Currently, Austin places 45th on the U.S. News and World Report’s national universities list. None of the other UT schools are highly ranked, and while UT Austin maintains strong rankings, UT campuses in El Paso and Arlington continue to sink in their perceived prestige. While this staggered tuition proposal would raise more funds for the UC system overall that the campuses could share — and reward colleges that have greater demand — under such a plan, the regents may be unable to keep campuses in check. Transitioning to this structure now, at a time when no school wants to lower tuition See tuition, page 5
R ebekah D yer /G uardian
EDITORIAL
Regent Resignation Was Best Possible Move Given Student Regent Jesse Cheng’s recent legal troubles, his May 16 resignation was the wisest move to make in order to show his respect for his crucial position.
I
t’s been a difficult year for Jesse Cheng. As Student Regent — the sole student representative on the 26-member UC Board of Regents — the UC Irvine senior has been fighting for access and affordability in a year fraught with budget cuts and tuition raises. He’s also been faced with sexual assault charges from former partner and UCLA grad student “Laya,” as well as subsequent protests from the very students he’s supposed to represent. Though the Office of Student Conduct found Cheng guilty on March 10, he has emphasized his innocence even in light of his resignation this Monday. But while we may never know if the charges are
true, Cheng’s resignation — and acknowledgement of the effect the charges have had on his performance — shows his respect for the gravity of the position. With Student Regent-designate Alfredo Mireles Jr. taking his place immediately, the position can now be filled by someone who isn’t distracted by legal woes, and who still has the full faith of his constituents — something Cheng lost in light of the accusations against him. Though the regents declined to intervene in the “personal matter,” students organized the statewide “Justice for Laya Coalition” to hold protests and meetings across the UC system and ask top-level administration to hold
Cheng’s resignation shows his respect for the gravity of his position.
Cheng accountable for his actions. Cheng should be commended for ensuring that Mireles can become a voting member immediately without a lame-duck period in which there would be no student representation on the board. He had thought about resigning earlier, but waited to resolve the logistics and make sure the position will be in good hands. With the UC system struggling through a budget crisis — including a minimum $500-million cut next year — the Student Regent position is more important than ever. Two years ago, then-Student Regent Jesse Bernal was the sole dissenting vote against the 32-percent fee hike; Cheng voted against this year’s 8-percent hike as well. This crucial position, and its holder, represent one of the few concrete ways students can express their concerns to the UC governing board,
and the position needs to be filled by someone who can devote his or her full attention to the important issues at hand and who the students are able to work with.
Angela Chen Editor In Chief
Arielle Sallai Managing Editor
Laira Martin News Editor
Margaret Yau Opinion Editor The UCSD Guardian is published twice a week at the University of California at San Diego. Contents © 2011. Views expressed herein represent the majority vote of the editorial board and are not necessarily those of the UC Board of Regents, the ASUCSD or the members of the Guardian staff.
Budget Woes Solved By Tax Extensions
W
ith a sudden windfall of extra revenue, to the tune of $6.6 billion, it looks like our state’s 2011 deficit will be, you know, a mere $10.8 billion instead of the original $15.4 billion sum. It’s great news to learn that we suddenly have a cool $6 billion to spend as we please, but this modest financial boon doesn’t mean we can avoid Jerry Brown’s plan to pass tax extensions and make spending cuts.
Politics
as Usual
saad asad sasad@ucsd.edu
Sen. Tony Strickland (R-CA) has argued that this early Christmas present means spending cuts alone are enough to pull us out of the mire, and there’s no need for tax increases. State Republicans like Connie Conway even believe that we can save $300 million by eliminating Medi-Cal fraud — an extremely optimistic estimate. Their Plan B: Save another $400 million by transferring prisoner medical care to the University of California or to the oh-so-cheap private sector healthcare, whose costs are continuously rising. These solutions, while they seem great, are overly optimistic calculations that distract from the necessary drastic cuts. The Republican budget plan avoids tax increases by relying on deep cuts to spending for the poor and elderly, along with taking one-time funds from programs for mental health and early childhood improvement. Attacks on the old, the poor, babies and those with mental disabilities — all to avoid minor tax extensions are outrageous, especially since the taxes would still be billions below the average level collected over the past three decades. Ideally, local governments would take up the task of helping the poor, but it can be assumed that a struggling local government will also forsake these programs, leaving their constituents in the dust. Under Brown’s new plan and budget though, the extra $6.6 billion in revenue means K-12 education funding will be increased by $3 billion, and there will be $2 billion less in tax increases. And if these taxes aren’t extended, it’s likely that the fee hikes we’ve already had won’t be enough to stem the bleeding. Included in Brown’s budget extensions are a 1-percent sales-tax increase and .5-percent vehicle license fee to reduce the deficit. Politicians like Sen. Sharon Runner (R-CA) argue that increasing taxes paves the way for more spending. But state governments have to end up borrowing anyway if tax revenue isn’t enough to fund spending. Furthermore, the newly revised budget still opens the way for economic recovery by offering tax incentives for firms to hire. Republicans are supportive of hiring incentives for businesses as well as sales-tax exclusion for firms purchasing new equipment. Despite the tax increases elsewhere, Brown has smartly encouraged businesses to stay. Tax increases and incentives paired with spending cuts will get California out of this economic rut. Hell, even conservative icon Ronald Reagan increased state taxes his first year as governor of California. If Brown’s budget plan isn’t enacted soon, it’s not just bad news for UC students, but for California as a whole.
OPINION
THE UCSD GUARDIAN 5
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011
The Mental fishbowl By Alex Nguyen
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Protests Cause Tense Campus Climate
Tuition Staggering Will Fragment UC Campuses More ▶ tuition, from page 4 in the face of a shrinking budget, will likely create destructive competition among UC campuses. UC Santa Cruz Chancellor George Blumenthal predicted that if different undergraduate tuition rates were allowed, all UC campuses would quickly raise fees, not wanting to be left behind in reputation or money. This mad scramble to the top would be counterproductive and in the end, hurt students as much as the UC campuses themselves. The proposal also reduces the unity of the university system by taking power away from the regents, who currently serves as a system-wide governing board. Aside from setting the tuition range, the regents won’t have a hand in deciding fees. If the university institutes varied tuition based on application rate, a degree at UCLA or UC Berkeley
— which receive roughly 51,000 and 44,000 freshman and transfer applications a year, respectively — would cost more than one at UC Merced, which receives about 11,000 annual freshmen applications. This would exacerbate the already present fragmentation of the UC campuses (nobody is going to argue that Berkeley is on par with Merced). But by staggering tuition, the UC Regents are confirming that a lower-tier UC education is not worth the same amount as a flagship school, which is like giving up on the lower-ranked schools before they have a chance to ascend. As the costs of undergraduate attendance begin to vary at UC schools, some campuses like Riverside and Merced will further suffer in terms of their perceived reputation and academic quality. Ultimately, this situation could make it more difficult
This would exacerbate the already present fragmentation of the UC campuses.
for the “lower-tier” universities to recruit high-quality faculty, staff and students, further dividing the UC system. Blumenthal asserted that varying undergraduate tuition rates among schools would damage the concept of an interconnected university system. “I think it has been an enormous benefit to the state of California and the taxpayers of California to have a uniform tuition,” he said. To avoid some of the pitfalls that other universities have experienced, the UC Board of Regents ought to maintain full control over setting rates rather than delegating it to chancellors, who will have trouble seeing the bigger picture of staggered tuition when working for the benefit of their individual university. The UC Regents would be able to make centralized decisions that aren’t just limited to setting a medium tuition price — thereby effectively clarifying future problems with this tuition proposal. Though staggered tuition may eventually become necessary, the regents should strive for a unified campus system for as long as possible.
Dear Editor, As an undergraduate at UCLA during spring quarter of 2006, I was on my way to class via Bruin Walk when I first noticed a large event taking place in Ackerman Plaza. I smelled the food, heard the music and began to grow curious about what was going on. With the flags and attire donned by attendants increasingly visible, I realized it was an event celebrating the independence of Israel sponsored by Hillel at UCLA. Not far from the center of the dancing was a half circle composed of members of the Muslim Student Association. Some members were holding graphic signs depicting the carnage inflicted upon the Palestinian population. My initial excitement about the interesting event devolved into a sense of intense dejection as a member of a campus where mutual hatred was rampant and intolerance was inescapable. Presently, I am in a graduate program at UCSD. Last week, I was in desperate need of a textbook which I worried may not be in stock. As I was racing to the bookstore with my mind cluttered by thoughts of potential alternatives on Amazon and an impending midterm, I noticed a group gathered behind a large Israeli flag facing the main walkway. As I grew closer, I saw that the walkway was lined by members of various organizations supporting the plights of Palestinian protesters in front of signs displaying images and facts about the occupation. Again, the pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian student groups faced off — for all students, faculty, staff and visitors to see — with no hope for discussion, but with the intent to divide. With police officers standing by nervously and passersby gazing confusedly at the commotion, I saw all I needed to see after a few moments. I proceeded to the bookstore with a distantly familiar sense of sheer disappointment, then soon attempted to refocus on my book and midterm.
I fear that the destructive environment in which we are voicing our opinions will ill serve all students. In the cases I mentioned, if the ultimate goal of demonstrating is to achieve a viable solution that will benefit those affected by the Middle East conflict, then it should be clear that promoting discourse is the only method of reaching accord among all relevant parties. The demonstrations in both cases only served to ingrain lasting memories of hopeless separation in the minds of participants and viewers. The members of the various groups would benefit from engaging their ideological counterparts in a forum that promotes tolerance, and most importantly, learning. The creation of immense tension only obfuscates truth and instills fear and misunderstanding. I ask that the members of our campus community recognize the vital roles student organizations play in our experiences. Accordingly, we must hold them accountable for ensuring that the way in which they operate on campus will reflect the type of educational environment we aspire to foster — a place where the examination of seemingly irreconcilable ideas serves as the basis of learning. The failure to embrace our values as an institution of higher education will only result in the production of societal participants who view divisiveness, hatred and intolerance as norms. Years have passed between the two accounts I shared above, but little has changed. A new campus, a new time, same groups, same methods... same result. —Berna Kamyar Rady graduate student ▶ The Guardian welcomes letters from its readers. All letters must be no longer than 500 words, typed, double-spaced and signed with a name and applicable title. Letters must also contain a phone number. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. Letters may be dropped off at the Guardian office on the second floor of the Student Center or e-mailed. Send all letters to: The UCSD Guardian Opinion Editor 9500 Gilman Dr. 0316 La Jolla, CA 92093-0316 e-mail: opinion@ucsdguardian.org
write where it matters. applications online at ucsdguardian.org.
6 THE UCSD GUARDIAN
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011
Gov. Jerry Brown’s Cuts to UC System Could Double if Proposed Tax Extensions Not Placed on Fall Ballot
PRESENTS
UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE TOURING COMPANY
TUESDAY MAY 24, 2011
Loft The
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Doors: 7:00 PM Show: 8:00 PM
Ticketing: Free w/ valid undergrad student ID General Public $5 (includes fees)
By Nicole Chan
Associate News Editor
Despite a revised state budget plan that includes $6.6 billion more revenue than previously expected, the University of California systemwide budget cuts for 2011-12 will remain at $500 million and could double if a proposed tax extension fails. According to a May 16 UC Student Association press release, Gov. Jerry Brown hopes to place tax extensions on the November ballot in order to close California’s remaining $10-billion deficit, down from the original $15 billion. With the revenue generated from tax extensions, the system-wide budget cuts would stay at the originally proposed $500 million. But, according to UCSA Executive Director Matthew Haney, Brown does not currently have the Republican votes needed to propose the tax extension. If the tax extensions fail, the UC system cuts could double to $1 billion for the 2011-12 academic year, Vice President of External Affairs Samer Naji said. “Republicans are holding up legislation to extend tax increases,” Naji said. “If voters extend taxes, the most that would be cut is $500 million.” Gov. Brown’s 2011-12 budget proposal includes a $1.4 billion overall cut to higher education which includes the UC, CSU and community college systems. According to a press
ASCE.UCSD.EDU
release from UCSA representative Christine Byon, a $1-billion cut to the UC system could result in tuition fees as high as $20-$25,000. The UC Regents voted to raise tuition by 32 percent for the 2009-10 academic year and by 8 percent for the 201011 academic year. California resident undergraduate students currently pay $10,302 in educational and student services fees in addition to campusbased fees. Cost of attendance at UCSD with both of these fees is $11,330. According to Byon, UC students plan to hold a budget “Day of Action” on Friday, May 20 to demand an end to higher education cuts and a vote to put tax extensions on the ballot. The United States Student Association organized a Day of Action for March 2 of this year in response to the budget cuts. UCSD students did not take part in this, despite last year’s successful March 4 protest in which 800 people marched. “Doubling the cut would reduce the state’s contribution to the university’s core funds —monies that pay professors and staff members, light the libraries, maintain the campuses and all the rest — to roughly $2 billion,” UC President Mark Yudof said in a May 16 press release. According to Naji, the administration plans to deal with the budget cuts at UCSD by closing CLICS and other campus libraries. University staff and students
from the Student Worker Collective and the local chapter of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union met May 12 on Library Walk and Hillcrest Medical Center to protest the budget cuts. According to senior custodian Jose Puga, about 200 people attended the protests. “Instead of cutting workers or increasing tuition, UC administrators’ benefits can be cut,” Puga said. “Their perks are very expensive, and all of us have to pay — both students and workers.” According to Puga, taking $1,000 off of UC administrators’ benefits could save $20 million annually. Naji is working with StudentOrganized Public Affairs Committee head Arshya Sharifian to increase on-campus student voter registration and student presence in California’s elections. “Jerry Brown kicked off his campaign at UCSB, which has the highest percentage of registered voters,” Naji said. “If we registered 40 percent of our students, he would listen.” According to Naji, 38 percent of UCSB students are registered voters, compared to only 6 percent of UCSD students. UCSD spokesperson Rex Graham could not be reached for comment. Readers can contact Nicole Chan at n3chan@ucsd.edu.
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7 THE UCSD GUARDIAN
TONIGHT Craving a magical moonlit adventure? Bring your boots and flashlights down to the Birch Aquarium at 11 P.M. for the grunion run — the mass hatching of hundreds of silver fish!
HiATUS
Not All of Us Were Born to Love Gaga
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011
www.ucsdguardian.org/HIATUS Daedelus “Penny Loafers”
boss ditties The Best Songs in hiatus This Week
Contact the Editor: hiatus@ucsdguardian.org
Daedelus “Experience” Chad VanGaalen “Sarah” Chad VanGaalen “Shave My Pussy”
FESTIVALPREVIEW
meet the inventor
I
think I need to be emancipated from Mother Monster. Don’t get me wrong, I used to love Lady Gaga — I even paid money to see her in concert — but now the pop star is really starting to get on my nerves.
get lost in the labyrinth with la’s daedelus. BY REN EBEL
Dodging the
A
Horizon
lfred Darlington is a dork. He has a Greek myth-inspired stage name, Daedelus; he’s mastered an impressive range of nerdy instruments (the bass clarinet, the accordion and a peculiar electronic device called a monome, to name a few); plus, he dresses like a dapper, Victorian-era statesman — complete with suede coattails and one triumphant set of mutton chops. He’s also one of modern electronic music’s most vibrantly innovative producers and a flagship contributor to L.A.’s increasingly influential beat music movement — the emerging patchwork of artists and musical styles that has redefined the boundaries of hip-hop and electronica in the past decade. With thirteen studio albums and a string of countless EPs under his belt, Darlington has refined his infectious bursts of unhinged sonic joy, establishing himself
arielle sallai asallai@ucsd.edu
It all started with “Born This Way.” When the Madonna rip-off and its subsequently horrible alien-birth video were released last February, I heard grumblings from my friends (and the Internet) that Gaga was over. But in my optimism I thought, “The rest of the album couldn’t possibly be this bad.” However, now that Born This Way has leaked (its official release is next Monday, May 23), I’m beginning to doubt her even more. For one, her antics are becoming tiring as hell. No, being carried down a red carpet in an egg is not art, tweeting about how your “little monsters” make you cry does not sound sincere and, most importantly, Facebook gimmicks do not make your new album more interesting. What’s this gimmick I speak of? In case you haven’t heard, Lady Gaga has teamed up with Zynga to promote Born This Way. The social-network game developer has introduced a Lady Gagathemed version of Farmville, appropriately titled Gagaville. There, you can herd crystal sheep (seriously) while unlocking new tracks from the album. I’m not exactly sure how many Lady Gaga fans are avid Farmville players, but I guess now they will be swarming Facebook for a glimpse into the singer’s new music (even though you can just download the leak online already). It’s absurd, it’s pointless, it’s Gaga personified. Given all this hype, now that the album is finally here, it all feels anticlimatic. There are certainly worse pop records (just give anything by Katy Perry a listen), but there are definitely better (Britney Spears’ new album has way more hooks, and it’s less pretentious). Based upon my premature evaluation, every track (from “Dance In the Dark” wannabe “Marry the Night” to Catholic club-banger “Judas”) sounds like Gaga color-by-numbers: the self-referencing bridge goes here, the explosive chorus comes next and then finishes with some loud-as-hell synths. I’m starting to think Lady Gaga isn’t the pop savior we’ve been hoping for since Michael Jackson died. Watching “Glee” last night had me thinking that perhaps Gaga is a lot more like Rachel Berry, the musical-comedy’s cloying star. Rachel is talented, sure, but she’s also deeply imperfect: She’s intense and selfobsessed, convinced that she is a born star, and eager to represent underdogs like herself (when her talent makes her far from a loser anyway) — a kind of Jesus complex that doesn’t always deserve praise. Gaga is no different. There’s a large amount of vanity in the magnitude of her stardom that people don’t seem to recognize, and the only way she represents freaks is by telling them that she does (her outcast-proclaiming “Born This Way”). But who am I to judge? The Gaga gospel works for billions of obsessed teens, eager to let their freak flag fly in the name of their idol. I just wish she’d care a bit more about the music than the spectacle of her image — meat dresses be damned.
Daedelus “Fair Weather Friends”
See daedelus, page 9
FILMREVIEW
druthers
HIATUS PICKS THE WEEK’S BEST BETS
Up & Coming Student Film Festival The loft / may 19, 8 p.m. / free The fourth annual Up & Coming Student Film Festival celebrates UCSD’s own innovative cinematic voices. Ten films were chosen from 40 entrants to compete for a $500 cash prize, a free 3-D workshop and a visit to music video director Chris Milk’s (Kanye West’s “Touch The Sky,” Arcade Fire’s “The Wilderness Downtown”) Los Angeles studio. Jury panel members will include eminent local filmmakers and photographers, and the Janks will perform before the screening. Free pizza, gift bags included. (RE)
Upright Citizens Brigade the loft / May 24, 8 p.m. / Free Laugh off your year-end stress this Tuesday at the Loft. Chicago’s premier improvisational troupe has jumpstarted the careers of such A-list comedians as Amy Poehler (“SNL,” “Parks and Recreation”) and Adam McKay (“Anchorman,” “Talladega Nights”). The comedy collective has toured across the U.S., performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival, and hosted its own sketch comedy show on Comedy Central. The UCB will be joined by UCSD’s own improv comedy team, FOOSH. (RE)
Same Old Tide The fourth installment of the “Pirates” series gets stuck in cold water. By Neda Salamat
N
ever has a “Pirates” movie been so aptly titled — “strange” is a fitting description for the fourth part of the megaPIRATES OF THE franchise. After two sibling CARRIBBEAN 4: installments that ON STRANGER largely resembled the TIDES drunken, incoherStarring: ent mutterings of the Johnny Depp & series’ much beloved Penelope Cruz pirate-hero, the movie 02:17 Rated PG-13 — divested of two of Cits three protagonists (Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann), stripped of its three-time director (Gore Verbinski) and stacked with ample cleavage appearances
by the sexed-up Penelope Cruz (Yo ho ho!) — has finally tacked down what’s eluded the series since its “Black Pearl” days: A plot (and boobs — sorry, Keira). It’s a blissfully simplistic one, too — Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) et al race to reach the Fountain of Youth, with plenty of swashbuckling and booze along the way (Read: no mounds of crabs while Sparrow acid trips on some desert island). But what “On Stranger Tides” offers in the way of coherency unfortunately sacrifices in ingenuity — and while the plot remains linear, remnants of the confusion of previous See PIRATES, page 9
exit strategy THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS
a sound, vast and summerlike conrad prebys music center may 20, 7 p.m. free
sci-fi radio & film laboratory geisel may 21, 11 a.m. free
Fresh Sound Series: Alex Nowitz the loft may 21, 8 p.m. $10
Underground New Play Festival Showcase Arthur Wagner Theatre may 23, 8 p.m. $5
Anna Chiaretta Lavatelli’s The Pink Room Visual Arts Facility Gallery may 24, 12 p.m. Free
Fresh Air Films: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Price center may 25, 8 p.m. free
8 THE UCSD GUARDIAN
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011
FILMREVIEW
ALBUMREVIEW
Strangers in the Night
Chad VanGaalen Diaper Island Sub pop
7 10
Art-Rocker Turns Up the Amps
Woody Allen brings his fast-talking neurosis to the city of lights. By Trevor Cox
O
T
he latest in the Woody Allen oeuvre of talky, lighthearted comedy, “Midnight In Paris,” swerves ever slightly from tradition: misanthropic writerly type — saddled down by a grating, better-looking female companion — Midnight In takes to the big-city Paris streets and grumbles Starring: Owen Wilson & at the sad state of his Rachel McAdams own rut. The formula’s 01:30 admittedly worn thin in Rated PG-13 the decades since “Annie B+ Hall”: there’s only so much room on the streets of Manhattan for another miserable, self-involved curmudgeon. But in trading New York City for Paris, Allen endows the film with gorgeous, romantic panoramas: of moonlit brick boulevards, Monet’s garden at Giverny, the Palace of Versailles. (Allen’s also noted in interviews that the move away from New York in his most recent films has mostly been an effort at cutting costs). But more central to the film’s success is Allen’s choice of misanthropes. Owen Wilson, as Hollywood burnout Gil Bender, projects none of the smug self-absorption that so often sullies Allen’s protagonists. Gil comes to Paris on vacation with fiancée Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her parents, and also to work on his novel. The trio make for an amusing, if one-dimensional, foil to Gil: Inez can’t fathom the appeal of the simpler life in Paris (Gil’s dream) when a beachside Malibu manse
HIATUS
awaits; Kurt Fuller, as her father, deadpans a serious case for the Tea Party after Gil suggests they’re a band of “demented lunatics.” To break free from the insufferableness of it all, Gil takes to walking the city streets alone by night. It’s on the first of these midnight strolls that Gil is ushered inside a vintage yellow Peugeot. He doesn’t make too much of the car’s appearance — a friend in L.A. has a collection — but by the time Gil is dropped off at the roaring, sequin-splattered nightclub where he spends the bulk of the evening, his suspicions have arisen: fedoras and ragtime aren’t quite the stuff of modern Paris nightlife, are they? Gil makes the fast acquaintance of Zelda, a blonde bombshell of an Alabaman who introduces him to her husband, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Once it’s accepted that the two are, yes, those Fitzgeralds, and that Gil’s been magically transported to the 1920s by way of French automobile, the fun really begins. “Ernie” Hemingway
refuses to read Gil’s novel, though offers his friend Gertrude Stein’s proofreading services; Pablo (Picasso, that is) suffers Gertrude’s wrath for the misogyny of his work; Salvador Dalí (played to harebrained perfection by Adrien Brody) makes a show-stealer of a cameo. When Gil begins to fall for the unearthly beautiful Adriana (Marion Cotillard), lover of Pablo and student of Coco Chanel, things get a little messier. Adriana, too, yearns for life in an earlier time — and naturally, despite her fluent English, fails to understand Gil’s claim that she’s an “art groupie” (probably for the best). It’s here that Allen’s message shines: that no matter how great one’s present, there exists a pervasive, inevitable nostalgia for a better time. That nostalgia, for many, extends to earlier Allen films — but with the joyful breeziness of this latest variation on a theme, the director may well be poised to entertain a golden age all his own.
n every album since his 2005 debut, Infiniheart, Chad VanGaalen reinvented his prolific brand of art-rock, restlessly seeking new sounds and instruments to impart his surreal and soft-spoken melodies. His fourth fulllength album, Diaper Island, is no exception. With cranked amplifiers and a basement full of synths, VanGaalen has created his most raw and diverse record to date. VanGaalen stamped out almost any trace of the plinking electronics employed on his ’08 eccentric folk rocker Soft Airplane. Opening track “Do Not Fear” immediately pours on the reverb-soaked guitar that drives most of the album. Songs like “Burning Photographs” and “Replace Me” feature VanGaalen at his most direct: dry, garage-leaning chaos bridled by stomping percussion. VanGaalen’s commanding croon also gets some serious playing time. The album’s standout ballad “Sara” swells with VanGaalen’s aching plea, “Sara, wake me up when you’re home!” His vocals carry a startling sense of urgency and passion when he has the courage to push them over the mix. But Diaper Island isn’t devoid of VanGaalen’s penchant for the unconventional. “Can You Believe It!?” jaggedly shuffles along with distorted vocals and rambling, off-key guitar picking, before suddenly shifting gears and devolving into a grating peak of sheer noise. The album’s closer, unnervingly titled “Shave My Pussy,” reads more like a freakish postmodern short story than the bittersweet ukulele jam promised in its first few measures. The track brings disconcerting nakedness and harsh honesty to an uneasy boil as VanGaalen sings, “Baby will you love me? I’m feeling really ugly.” Yet the raw self-indulgence manages to dazzle rather than bore, making Diaper Island another fascinating entry in Chad VanGaalen’s divisive oeuvre. It isn’t a mainstream breakthrough by any means, but VanGaalen shows that he can still keep his fans on their toes. —Taylor Hogshead Staff Writer
HIATUS
THE UCSD GUARDIAN 9
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011
LA Beatmaker Hit Stride With Collaborations Only Rush Shines In “Pirates” ▶ daedelus from page 7 as one of L.A.’s beat-making VIPs. His latest album Bespoke utilizes all the trans-genre tinkering of his past work — aided by a few of indie’s most engrossing voices — to produce danceable, sample-heavy grooves that are as exploratory as they are utterly beautiful. Darlington recently spoke with the Guardian about his roots, his collaborations and his upcoming headlining performance at this year’s Warren Live festival. “I’m kind of a history buff,” Darlington said of his innumerable influences. “You might notice that my records reference moments in history and literature quite a bit. Also, some geographical locations inspire me. I find Wales to be very influential, the country of Brazil to be very influential.” Though Darlington’s music often dwells in the familiar — intelligent beats punctuated by bubbly pop sensibilities — one gets the impression that he’s operating on a plane entirely separate from that of your typical flipped-bill, fist-pumping laptop jockey. This individuality can, in part, be attributed to Darlington’s jazz background. “I had fallen in love, primarily, with the music of jazz,” Darlington said. “But I was playing double bass and there aren’t many routes for a bass player. Unless you switch to electric, you’re either in a psychobilly band or you’re playing jazz. I do love the music... yet at the same time, it is a kind of museum piece. There isn’t that much being written for the medium that celebrates the old while taking it to the new. And that, for me, is the modern electronic scene.” At that time, however, the nowprosperous beat movement was still in utero. “In the late ’90s, the L.A.
to do with music that was leaked, scene seemed really fragmented,” and beats that were made a long Darlington said. “There was this sense that drum and bass, or later on time ago by Madlib that sampled some of my work. I even got a dubstep, was going to be the sound chance to tour with them. I played of the future. It was the sound they accordion, actually. That tour was used in car commercials [laughs]. MF Doom, Madlib and Jay Dilla; There just wasn’t much personality it was incredible. Experiences like — it didn’t speak to people.” that, they change things. They But Darlington continued makchange me.” ing music in L.A., slowly becoming Yet Darlington is as both participant in, much an individual as and witness to, a forhe is a man behind the midable sea change in curtain, embracing a modern electronica. range of earnest influFinding a mecca in But all of this stuff ences from Turkish Low End Theory — an experimental hip is just background psych and Saigon funk to his keystone hop and electronic noise. If people Victoriana fashion nightclub in Lincoln want to have the sense. Heights — Darlington “But all of this stuff and contemporaries context, then it’s is just background such as The Glitch there, but if not, noise,” Darlington Mob and Flying Lotus it’s just music. It’s said. “If people want gained underground to have the context, eminence, testing not supposed to then it’s there, but if the boundaries of an have everything not, it’s just music. It’s entirely new genre. spelled out.” not supposed to have “It’s one of those everything spelled funny things — just Alfred Darlington out.” life, in general, where Musician This year’s Warren you don’t pick a path, Live finds Daedelus but the road rises to sharing a stage with fellow beat you,” Darlington said. “I started scene luminary Nosaj Thing — a making music at the crossroads seasoned lineup that will undoubtof hip-hop and electronic music, edly make for a memorable year-end which is very fertile ground.” show. Daedelus, like many beat musi“San Diego is certainly not cians, gained early notoriety from outside the bounds of what the collaborations. In 2004, rapper/proSouthern California movement is, ducer Madlib sampled Darlington’s and the fact that we can all celebrate Invented track “Experience” in together is just an honor and a privi“Accordion” — the second track lege for me,” Darlington said. “I’m from the hugely acclaimed MF psyched to flip some wigs.” Doom and Madlib (aka Madvillain) And that’s a sentiment that puts release Madvillainy. Darlington was the calculated pseudo-dorkiness of even featured in the music video. Muirstock headliners Hellogoodbye “Madlib is one of the most creto absolute shame. ative gentlemen in Los Angeles, Catch Daedelus at Warren Mall period,” Darlington said. “The way on May 20. Free for all UCSD stuI got involved in Madvillain was just a twisting and turning — it had dents.
“
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▶ pirates from page 7 installments still remain. Cruz’s Angelica is the same take-no-shit bad girl persona that Knightley’s Elizabeth Swann pioneered in the first three films (but now in Spanish!). But her character, save for her fierce devotion to her father and prowess with a sword, is vanilla, and her chemistry with Depp is equally painful to watch — the two exchange lines with an uninterested, monotonous tone as they parry enemies with dead-catlike reflexes. The relationship, like most other aspects of the film, is sluggish and painfully formulaic. Likewise, a “Twilight”-esque romance that blooms in the midst of the fray between a merwoman and a religious man is as dull as it is nauseating: The couple is hopelessly enamored after only spending a few short hours in one another’s company. Worse, an inexplicable guestcameo by Keith Richards as Sparrow’s father adds to the confusion, as he growls his lines with noncommittal apathy that’s become the trademark of the “Pirates” series, referring to his son by the cringe-worthy pet-name “Jackie.” And even Depp — undoubtedly the series’ biggest fan — seems
bored, staggering through the movie’s endless two hours with the same drunken drawl that was, really, only refreshingly humorous the first time around. Perhaps the most confusing aspect of the film was the decision to release it in 3-D. Save the first few minutes where your eyes adjust to the glasses, the effect is no different than its 2-D counterpart, making it a total wash. The only reminder of the graphics teams’ efforts is the glasses imprint on your temples post-viewing. It seems the only one taking the franchise seriously anymore (and yes, that includes “Pirates” fans) is Geoffrey Rush. His unpredictability and enthusiasm as a character thricereprieved are the only remnants of the Disney classic that almost was; even Depp is more vivacious and jaunty in the scenes they share. But Rush’s invigorating presence isn’t powerful enough to forgive the errors and blatant laziness displayed by the rest of the cast and crew, and certainly not enough to forgive the archetypal plotline. “On Stranger Tides” has proved, (hopefully definitively) that the “Pirates” series’ premise— like Richards’ weathered, crusty visage — is tired and out of date.
10 THE UCSD GUARDIAN
CLASSIFIEDS
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011
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SPORTS
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011
THE UCSD GUARDIAN 11
First Top 10 Finish Since 2007 for Tritons Tritons Set to Host Super Regionals on Friday ▶ WATER POLO, from page 12 “It’s hard to play out there,” Kreutzkamp said. “Not only did we have a three-hour time difference, but it was an indoor pool. It’s just louder and harder to hear what I’m saying and what others are saying, so we had to adjust to that.” For the first six minutes of the second quarter, it seemed like the Tritons were going to fall back into the same routine: continuously playing from behind and trying to catch up. Iona scored first, and when the Tritons got a reply, the Gaels scored again, further digging the Tritons into a hole. But to follow Lizotte’s outstanding first-half performance, the team picked up the slack and worked to outscore the Gaels in the third quarter. Senior attacker Felicia Orozco scored with just over two minutes left in the quarter, giving the Tritons their first lead of the match. Senior attacker Hanalei Crowell then scored with less than a minute left in the quarter to increase the lead and UCSD never looked back. “We made some half-time adjustments,” Kreutzkamp said. “We didn’t see Iona all year long so we didn’t have a lot of book on them. We spent the first half getting a read on them and trying to figure out what to do, then we made some adjustments.” UCSD found a groove at the start of the fourth quarter. Sparked by Crowell’s second consecutive goal, the Tritons held the Gaels scoreless for most of the final quarter and scored seven unanswered goals before finishing the game out 15-9. Senior hole set Kirsten scored three goals in the second half to fuel the Tritons’ fourth quarter frenzy. While the Tritons closed out the tournament with a win, they had a rough opening two games. On Saturday, they faced Indiana University, the tournament’s No. 6 ranked team. Bates and Lizotte scored two goals in the first quarter and the Triton defense shut out the Hoosiers to take a 2-0 lead after the first quarter. However, the Hoosiers were prepared for the Tritons and responded in the second quarter with three goals of their own. Bates scored with just over a minute left in the half after an ejection to take a 4-3 lead into the half. “We know we can play with anybody in the top 10,” Kreutzkamp said. “As long as we don’t
make mistakes we can play with these teams.” But Indiana stormed back in the second half, taking their first lead of the game with two goals in the first minute. The teams traded goals for the rest of the quarter and the score settled at 7-6 in favor of Indiana. The Tritons scored two goals to kickstart the final stanza and take the lead, though the Hoosiers scored four unanswered goals, giving them an 11-8 lead to the end of the game. “We came out like we meant to in this game,” Kreutzkamp said. “However, Indiana broke our press the rest of the game and we did not play the defense we needed to play for all four quarters…we made some mental mistakes and we knew we needed to correct those.” On Friday, the Tritons were paired against in-state rival and No. 2 ranked Cal. The Tritons own a series lead over the Golden Bears, but had lost the last time the teams faced each other. Cal started fast and strong, jumping to an 8-2 lead at halftime, while the Triton defense struggled to contain their opponent’s speed. UCSD could never muster much in the way of offense and scored sparingly throughout the game. The second half played out much like the first — with the Triton offense failing to catch a spark and the defense unable to contain the Bears. The Tritons fell to the final score of 13-5 and were placed into the consolation bracket of the championship tournament after the first day. Cal ultimately placed second in the tournament. “I’m proud of this team,” Kreutzkamp said. “There are so many distractions here, not to mention the pressure from a tournament like this. I was proud. They came out and stayed focused and played well against one of the best teams in the country. They just had more talent, but we played well.” The Tritons end their season with their first WWPA championship since 2000 and a place in the NCAA tournament. Bates was a second team selection for the tournament. “When you win it really builds your confidence,” Kreutzkamp said, “The girls are on seventh heaven right now and really looking forward to next year.” Readers can contact Tyler Nelson at tcnelson@ ucsd.edu
▶ Softball, from page 12 a great job as always and our defense was pretty solid.” In an effort to push the game into extra innings, the Wildcats equalized in the seventh. After an error from third baseman Woofter, Chico placed men on first and third, and Diana Payan singled to bring the runner on third home. Tied 1-1, head coach Patti Gerckens called on senior Katrin Gabriel to pinch-hit for Esther Strom. Gabriel singled to left field and advanced to second off an illegal pitch. Chico pitcher Sam Baker walked the next two batters to load the bases. With one out and Sepulveda — who had already laid out four sacrifice bunts in the tournament — up to bat, Gerckens called for the suicide squeeze. Sepulveda dropped a bunt to Baker, allowing Gabriel — who is 12-for-16 on stolen bases this season – to slide in to home. “[Sepulveda] was seeing the ball really well this weekend and was able to put it down every time she was asked to, even when the corners were playing so far in,” De Fazio said. With the win, the Tritons will head into the Super Regional round of the NCAA tournament, where they will face off against Cal State San Bernardino. As the top-ranked team in the region, UCSD will also be hosts of the Super Regional. No. 7 Cal State San Bernardino advanced to the Super Regional
after winning their own sub-regional bracket with wins against No. 3 Sonoma State, No. 6 Dixie State and defending national champion No. 2 Hawaii Pacific University. UCSD went 4-0 in conference play against Cal State San Bernardino — a squad that finished fifth in the conference standings and did not qualify for the CCAA tournament — this season, but De Fazio says the Tritons will still be training hard this week in preparation. “We know that they are going to be a better team then what we saw before, but we are definitely prepared to face them again,” De Fazio said. “We are going to be doing a lot of hitting in practice this week, since that is where we lacked this weekend.” But De Fazio remains confident after having success against the Coyotes during the regular season. “We need to score more than one or two runs a game, because we don’t want to put that much pressure on our pitching or defense,” the senior infielder said. “We hit [San Bernardino’s] pitchers really well earlier on this year, so we cannot wait to take them on again this weekend and dominate.” The Tritons will host the best-of-three series on May 20-21, with the first game beginning on Friday at 4 p.m. Readers can contact Rachel Uda at ruda@ ucsd.edu
We Can Improve Ourselves Before Going D-I
▶ HOWE, from page 12
beyond that, it needs to be the responsibility of our department to show everyone that we are ready. This means creating a marketable athletic program but also a more marketable campus. We need to be able to make the name “UCSD” more of a commodity. This is being done academically with our rankings growing on the top colleges lists, but it also requires more coverage for events. First coverage to students should be expanded, such as games on Triton TV or locally. As we prove to ourselves that we are a big deal — even if we are actually more
of a moderate deal — we will look bigger and better to others. This is just a suggestion. It is up to you to decide if you want to make the move for Division I and where you want to place the burden for that move. I believe that corporate sponsors and wealthy alumni should take a more active role in funding this rather than the students. Let the administration know, let me know. What do you think and where do you want this athletic program to go? Readers can contact Nicholas Howe at nshowe@ucsd.edu
SPORTS 12 THE UCSD GUARDIAN
THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011
www.ucsdguardian.org/SPORTS
UPCOMING
SOFTBALL 5/20
UCSD
BASEBALL 5/19
GAMES
Contact the Editor: sports@ucsdguardian.org
GOLF 5/20
WOMEN’S WATER POLO
TRITONS TAKE SEVENTH AT NCAA Championships
VS Cal State San Bernardino (NCAA West Regionals at UCSD) VS Sonoma State (NCAA West Regionals at UCSD) AT NCAA National Championships
The Big West Said No, So Now What?
W
ord came in earlier this week that the Big West is not looking to expand its conference. For UCSD, this means the move to Division I athletics is unlikely in the foreseeable future, though there are still some options available to the Athletic Department that need your opinion and feedback. If UCSD were to pursue Division I without a conference, our program would lack games in the season of each sport; our dominant athletic programs would flounder; in essence, we would be a school with no backing and no
Left, Center
Tackle
Nick Howe nshowe@ucsd.edu erik roberts /G uardian F ile
erik roberts /G uardian F ile
brian yip /G uardian F ile
By tyler nelson • Senior staff writer
UCSD women’s water polo gets its first ever NCAA tournament win with seventh place finish at the NCAA Championships.
T
wo weeks after one of the greatest upset wins in the program’s history, the UCSD women’s water polo team went on to the national championship tournament this past weekend and finished seventh overall, finishing their season in the top 10 for the first time since 2007. “This feels great,” head coach Brad Kreutzkamp said. “I got here last year and this was our goal — to win this game.” Despite the fact that six of the eight teams in the tournament were from California, the Tritons flew
to Canham Natatorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan to play for the NCAA championship, where they came in seventh place after defeating Iona College on Sunday. The Tritons came out strong against the Gaels with freshman utility Sarah Lizotte scoring five first-half goals. However, Iona capitalized on opportunities and never trailed in the first half, although UCSD tied the game at 6-6 at halftime. See water polo, page 11
Best-Ever Postseason Push Continues for Tritons By Rachel Uda Sports Ediot
SOFTBALL — The UCSD softball team captured the West Region 1 title after defeating Chico State in another close 2-1 finish on Monday, May 16. The Tritons now have a perfect record in NCAA postseason play this season and will move on to the Super Regional — the furthest UCSD has advanced in the program’s history. The Tritons put Chico 1-0 in the hole their first time up to bat. Leading off, senior Kris Lesovsky was walked and advanced off a single from freshman Taylor Sepulveda. Senior Sarah Woofter followed up by loading the bases, reaching first on a fielder’s choice. With one out, senior Jennifer De Fazio hit a single into the infield. De Fazio was thrown out at first but it allowed Lesovsky enough time to reach home. The play earned De Fazio her fourth RBI in three games. From there, the bats cooled off, as the Tritons registered only two hits in the next five innings. But the Triton defense, anchored by pitcher Camile Gaito, kept the Wildcats scoreless until the seventh inning. Gaito (29-4) recorded eight strikeouts, while allowing only seven hits in the game. “Our hitting wasn’t the strongest it has been this weekend,” infielder De Fazio said. “But we found other ways to score the runs that we needed to win. Our pitching was outstanding. Camile did N olan TH omas /G uardian F ile
The Tritons advance to Super Regionals after a dramatic 2-1 win over Chico State on Monday morning.
See softball, page 11
athletes. We would have so few programs at the Division I level that, logistically, it wouldn’t make any sense to make the transition. Plus, the NCAA probably wouldn’t allow it anyway: Under current protocols, potential Division I schools are supposed to obtain membership from a Division I conference before making the jump. What we can then hope for at UCSD is that we can get together with another school to crack the Big West open. If UCSD were added to the conference, the number of teams would be 11. But the problem with 11 schools is that one team in a week will have no games, creating a longer season that costs the conference more money. Virtually every sport at the NCAA level is in the red, save a few lucky basketball programs. So if we had another school with a large television audience to bring the Big West at least some commercial gains, we could have a shot. One such school would be Cal State Bakersfield, which is in Division I but floundering as an independent program without a league. The best thing for us would be for them to get their program in order and bid with us for entrance into the Big West. The television audiences in San Diego and Bakersfield could potentially turn a profit for the conference and provide big incentive for them to let us join. But if that plan fails, UCSD can wait for someone to drop out of the Big West, though historically this is not a very regular occurrence. The Big West just added Hawaii as a member in December, and the Warriors provide a big market for the conference. The Big West seems content with their most recent catch, which has also moved them to an even number of member schools. In reality, it is more likely that Cal State Bakersfield will turn its program around. So knowing what needs to happen externally, what needs to happen here at home? How is this going to affect our program and how do we move forward? The administration will probably keep us at Division II rather than commit suicide with independent Division I status without a conference. But we should get ready to make the move in order to show the NCAA and the Big West our willingness and ability to do so. We need to prove we are ready within our own program — walk the walk and talk the talk of a Division I university even while staying Division II. There needs to be more funding for athletics on every level. The 3.3 million-dollar increase suggested by the Division I feasibility report released in March needs to be reached for UCSD to touch Division I status in a handful of years, with three to five years of struggle to be expected before that. This needs to be done mainly through the athletic department raising funds from corporate sponsors. I really think the main burden for our athletic program should be on the same shoulders that the Division I expenses rest on: the department and alumni. As students, we have no money; we are already broke and eating Ramen noodles. We can probably afford to pay $20-50 more per quarter for athletic fees, but See Howe, page 11