Volume 61 Issue 2

THE USD VISTA

6 burglaries raise safety concerns

USD students urged to take precautions on campus

Over the past few weeks, safety has nudged its way onto that list of concerns early into the semester.

On Aug. 28, USD community members received a notification from Public Safety announcing two reports of burglary. Two more reports, both specifying bicycle thefts, were announced on Sept. 7, followed promptly by another two reports of burglary incidents on Sept. 9, for a total of six reported thefts in the span of the first week and half of classes.

According to the Public Safety (P-Safe) reports, all six incidents occurred in or around Valley A, a first-year residence hall located in the valley area of campus. While no suspect information or means of entry were released, James Miyashiro, Chief and Vice President of Public Safety, gave his insight on the matter.

“There were no signs of forced entry, so whoever stole anything might have come through an open window or door,” Miyashiro said.

Chief Miyashiro recommendsed that while students might want to leave their door open for air ventilation or even socialization, it’s important

Every year, during the months of August and September, the Hindu calendar brings around one of the most widely celebrated 10-day festivals called Ganesh Chaturthi. Hinduism is a religion that leads with the principle of finding divinity in the common, and this festival is a time when Hindus worldwide take a moment to recognize fresh beginnings and pray for the clearance of obstacles through rituals, prayers, dancing and — in true Hindu fashion — a platter full of delicacies.

Hinduism is a religion that is studded with a long list of deities, each of them being looking after one or more parts of human nature and life. The point of Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chavithi, is to celebrate the birth of the elephant-headed God Ganesha, who is known to be the destructor of obstacles,

to keep doors, windows and window screens locked and secured to avoid incidents like this. Many students have heeded this advice, taking more precautions around their dorm.

“I used to leave my window open to let air in, but now I keep it closed,” First-year and Valley A resident Emma Oskorus said.

Cassandra Diaz, another Valley A resident, explained the need to adapt to life around dozens of new people.

“You’re used to living with your family that you trust, but now you’re living with people you don’t know, so you have to adjust to living on campus,” Diaz stated. These incidents can oftentimes be preventable by being wary of leaving valuable items visible near windows or social gatherings getting out of hand.

Similarly, Public Safety was recently notified of another safety incident that occurred on Sunday, Sept.10, involving a noncampus community member following a female student on Linda Vista Road onto campus and indecently exposing himself near Camino Hall. The student videoed the man and posted it to her social media, alerting fellow first-years. However, Public

See Crime incidents, Page 2

MORE

COVID-19 spike

See News, page 2

See Opinion, page 4

Applying to grad school

See Feature, page 6

York

See A&C, page 10

God of new beginnings, wisdom and prosperity. It is in Hindu tradition to worship Ganesha before the start of a new period in your life, whether that be going off to college or buying a new car.

See Sports, page 11

Ganesha idol and Chinchpoki Chintamani, the site for the oldest Ganesh assemblage in Mumbai.

Photo Courtesy of @chinchpoklichantamani/Instagram

There have been six burglaries so far this semester, all occurring in the valley residential area.

Emma-Kate Squires/The USD Vista

Toreros discuss crime incidents on campus

From Crime incidents Page 1

Safety was not notified until the following day. Due to the delay of the report, no action was taken in removing the man from campus during the time of the incident.

Chief Miyashiro told The USD Vista that if Public Safety had been contacted, officers would have arrived on the scene within one to two minutes to investigate. He urged students to not hesitate to reach out with concerns.

“Even if [students] have doubts whether it’s a crime or not, just the fact that something is suspicious warrants them to call us,” he said. “We’ll never say, ‘you shouldn’t have called us for that.’ We’ll always

Public Safety encourages students to reach out

take the call and investigate.”

According to Chief Miyashiro, it’s better to be safe than sorry. He gave examples of non-emergency situations in which students can call DPS at the phone number (619) 260-7777, such as seeing someone walking around residence halls who doesn’t appear to be a resident, or someone looking into cars or trying to open locked doors. Officers can also help students search for and recover lost items on campus.

“I’d rather be called than have something happen,” he echoed. To include student insight on security matters, Public Safety also manages a student advisory board, which any student is

invited to join. “We’re always looking to see what students want,” said Chief Miyashiro.

It was this student board that enacted the new emergency text messaging system, which automatically sends texts to all students on campus after a public safety incident. Students interested in joining the advisory board can contact publicsafety@sandiego.edu.

Public Safety recommended students to make smart decisions on keeping their dorms secure and be aware of suspicious activity to stay safe. In emergencies Public saftey can be reached by calling(619)-260-2222.

COVID-19 cases on the rise

Post public health emergency: attitudes toward COVID-19 have shifted

Four months ago the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) ended the COVID-19 public health emergency, however, the spread of the illness is coming back into conversation. Ending the public health emergency does not mean that the illness is gone for good, only that it is no longer considered as large of a threat.

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, has had many variants. Scientists have their eyes on a new strain that is derived from the Omicron variant. The Washington Post explained that “the strain, officially BA.2.86, was first spotted by virus trackers in mid-August…the new lineage has more than 30 mutations on its spike protein, which helps the virus latch onto cells and cause infection. That could make it better at evading immunity from vaccines and past infections.”

As of Sept. 14, San Diego County had a 14.5% test positivity rate which has risen since July when the rate was 9.46%. This positivity rate only tracks lab tests, not at-home COVID tests which are commonly used. COVID-19-related deaths and hospitalizations are also on the rise in San Diego County. Although the numbers are rising, month to month they are still significantly lower than they have been the past three Septembers. According to data from the CDC, in the first week of September 2020, the COVID death rate per 100,000 people in the U.S. was 1.5. In 2021 it rose to 4.7, last year it was 0.9, and this September it was 0.2.

On Sept. 11, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two new mRNA COVID-19 vaccines from PfizerBioNTech and Moderna. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended this vaccine for all individuals above six months old.

In a press release, the CDC stated that “vaccination remains

the best protection against COVID-19-related hospitalization and death. Vaccination also reduces your chance of suffering the effects of Long COVID, which can develop during or following acute infection and last for an extended duration.”

According to USD’s COVID-19 action plan, the Student Health Center does not have COVID-19 vaccines, because the distribution is controlled by the government. However, appointments are currently available at CVS and Walgreens for the new vaccine.

This fall marks the first semester at USD since 2020 in which COVID-19 is not considered a public health emergency. Because of this, USD has made changes to its COVID19 policies. COVID-19 vaccines are no longer mandatory, but instead, strongly recommended. Face masks in the classroom remain at the discretion of faculty.

USD senior Julia Humphrey described the dramatic changes in COVID-19 policies since her first year of college. Like many seniors, Humphrey’s first semester of college in 2020 was online, and she didn’t get to go to campus until her second semester. Humphrey expressed that her first and last years at USD were complete opposites due to COVID-19. “My first semester on campus I was stuck in my room and it felt like there was not a lot of sense of community,” Humphrey said. “But now I’m a senior and it feels like what college was made to be like.”

While most students and faculty have shed their masks, and gone back to normal, USD professor Dr. Maura GilesWatson in the English department explained her reasoning for continuing to require masks in class. “I have a medically fragile family member at home whom I must protect from contracting COVID. He has not caught COVID because I have been careful not to catch it and bring it home to him,” Giles-Watson

explained. “By consenting to wear masks in my classes, my students are participating in the ‘Culture of Care’ which is the fundamental guiding principle of our University community.”

Dr. Giles-Watson expressed that once she receives the new COVID-19 vaccine and the positive test rates go down, she will stop requiring masks, but will likely continue to wear hers.

Some USD students have contracted COVID-19 this semester. Dr. Giles-Watson said that almost half of one of her classes recently notified her that they had contracted or were exposed to COVID, resulting in her moving her class to Zoom.

USD sophomore Ernie Soto recently had COVID-19. While he was sick, he did not have a Zoom option to attend any of his classes; however, he was able to stay up-to-date through online programs, such as Blackboard and Canvas. As a Resident Assistant (RA), Soto lives in a single dorm and was easily able to isolate. However, he expressed that it would be more difficult if one of his residents in Maher

had COVID-19, as many of them live in triple and quad dorms.

“I think it would have been harder if I had roommates, because I don’t think there’s much space to move around [to isolate people] because it’s not really too bad of an issue,” Soto said. “It’s starting to pump back up.”

Last year, the University Terrace Apartments were used for quarantine housing, however this year they are not an option, because they are under construction.

The USD COVID-19 campus action plan explains that, “residents diagnosed with COVID-19 are permitted to isolate in place. Residential Life will manage temporary alternative housing consideration for impacted roommates on an as-needed basis (i.e. when roommates are immunocompromised or in other wellness related situations).”

“I think the university has kind of passed that,” Soto said, referring to quarantine housing.

USD Senior Derek Hardy is also an RA in Maher who recently had COVID-19. He was also

unsure of the protocol if a student with roommates tested positive.

Hardy expressed that the majority of his professors were accommodating to his sickness. “One of my professors recorded their lectures. And then I know some of my classes I had the option to request to come in on Zoom,” he explained.

USD has a plan for a “significant resurgence of COVID19,” which includes requiring face masks and resuming contact tracing. These policies are listed on the USD COVID19 campus action plan website.

Although the uptick in COVID-19 cases brings up fears of returning to the lockdown conditions of the past years, the article in the New York Times by Apoorva Mandavilli explained that “in interviews, experts offered reassurances that the country will not see a return to the nightmarish scenarios of previous years.”

While the immediate emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic is in the past, increasing cases may cause concern for some, and individuals should take precautions as they see necessary.

ANJALI DALAL-WHELAN NEWS EDITOR

Most students have stopped wearing masks.

Emma-Kate Squires/The USD Vista

Students can receive text alerts about emergencies. Colin Mullaney/The USD Vista

Largest first-year class in history

Students discuss the impact of over-admitting students on housing

With more than 1,600 students, the class of 2027 flooded USD, when they arrived in August, as the largest class in USD history. Welcome speeches to students, faculty and staff reflected on the record-breaking attributes that this incoming class presents, similar to the class of 2026, who broke the record last year. Due to the number of accepted first-years to attend, USD did not even touch the waitlist for admission, signifying an upward trend for admitting a large number of students.

USD is not the only institution facing such a drastic increase in their student population, however. Forbes reported in March that the number of college applications reached record numbers this year, hovering between a 28-32% increase from previous years. Further, the USD community is only experiencing a microcosm of what is going on in the outside San Diego community. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, other San Diego universities are facing a similar problem. They explained, “congestion is about to get much worse on [the UCSD] campus that has added about 13,700 students since 2012.”

This nationwide increase in college applications is largely due to post-COVID revisions, such as the increased implementation of test-optional policies which made applying to college more accessible and attractive to students over the last couple of years, according to The College Advisor of New York.

“Some students may be hesitant to apply to selective colleges due to the perceived competitiveness of the admissions process,” they detailed, “but test optional policies may make these schools seem more accessible and encourage more students to apply.”

In May 2020, USD permanently removed its ACT/ SAT requirements, aiming to prioritize a “holistic approach” to college admissions, which considers factors such as grades, extracurricular activities, essays and other elements to determine admission for applicants.

At USD every grade is facing the effects of the entrance of our large new first-year class. First-years are being introduced to a different experience from their first year of high school. Instead of online school during COVID-19, they are squeezing

into housing with strangers in a way that previous grades did not have to experience as firstyears. First-year dorms faced several changes to accommodate for the unprecedented number of new students. In Maher Hall, for instance, which houses the Collaborate LLC, rooms that were previously doubles and triples were converted into quads, which came as a surprise for many first-year students.

USD First-year Hudson Lam reflected on his housing situation–a triple that is now a quad–and the arrangements that he had to make as a result of this shift.

“The biggest adjustment has been timing things with my roommates and adjusting to having so many people around,” Lam explained. “It’s especially difficult not knowing when my roommates are asleep during the day and accidentally walking in.”

From a faculty perspective, the shift has been similarly new. As first-years are learning how to work together in a new way, administration has to do the same.

As Maher Community Director (CD), Aicha Haidara worked on the frontlines of this new living-model, handling both student affairs and administrative changes. She touched upon the various deliberations she had with the administration involving restructuring placement of resident assistants around the building, collaborating with LLC programs to accommodate

The USD Vista

for the influx of students and restructuring rooms. Haidara honed in on new joint efforts between the admissions team, residential life and other departments to design a thriving student experience.

“Because of this new situation [increase in firstyears], administration has to reframe everything from a standpoint of growth.”

The growth of the admitted students has been at the forefront of the minds of many in the class of 2027.

USD first-year Keira Dooley excitedly shared her perspective regarding the changes on campus and being a first-year student.

“I’ve never lived with another person in my room before, but it hasn’t been bad at all.” Dooley noted. In regards to the way USD handled the housing situation, Dooley explained how she wished the school provided more information beforehand, specifically about furniture arrangements. “We only have two desks for four people, and since we are unable to bunk all our beds, even if we wanted a desk, we couldn’t fit a third one.”

Beyond Maher Hall, CD Haidara described the domino effect taking place for housing other students. Due to USD’s two-year housing requirement, all other grades had to adjust as well. San Antonio de Padua (SAPS) for example, is usually a swing space, which is an area

that is temporarily used to house excess students from different grades, mainly sophomores and transfer students. This year, however, SAPS is mainly housing first-years, pushing transfers and sophomores who could have been placed in SAPS into other locations. Several transfer students are living in Pacific Ridge across the street from USD, and the school has had to partner with neighboring spaces to grow beyond what USD originally had in order to acclimate to the changes.

Monique Lynch, a Community Director for the Alcalá Vista Apartments (Vistas), previously worked in admissions, honed in on this topic more, referring to a concept called “the melt.” Usually students are waiting on their admissions decisions, and if they get admitted elsewhere and choose a different university over USD, a spot will open up for someone else. From an admissions perspective, there are waves where the admissions team sends out a first wave of acceptances, and based on how many people accept their admission, there will be a second wave, perhaps a third, and so on.

“We anticipated that there were inevitably going to be some people who may not be able to attend USD,” Lynch said. “But this year, it was the perfect storm where several people said, ‘I really want to go to USD.’”

Lynch emphasized the importance of also prioritizing

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sophomores who are experiencing the consequences of the rising student populations on their housing situations. Sophomore Ryan Prabhu shared his experience of what it is like living in the Pacific Ridge Apartments.

“I love staying in Pacific Ridge, because I am able to have a little bit more freedom,” Prabhu explained. He specifically noted how his apartment is much larger than freshman year, as he now has his own bedroom and bathroom, even while living with one other roommate. “I get a feeling of what it’ll be like living on my own after college,” Prabhu added.

Lynch emphasized USD‘s dedication to a holistic education.

“Over here in the Vistas, this year’s goal is about learning how to live with other people and integrate yourself into the real world.”

The weight falls on various different groups of people to handle such a grand institutional shift. The USD community, affected by an influx of firstyear students, approached the housing situation by increasing accommodations both on and off campus. In a broader sense, the San Diego community continues to deal with housing issues for students throughout the city.

Ultimately, increasing class sizes may continue to influence various aspects of residential life both in and out of USD even more changes may be made in the future to accommodate a larger student population.

The USD Vista publication is written and edited by USD students and funded by revenues generated by advertising and a student fee. Advertising material published is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as an expressed or implied endorsement or verification of such commercial venues by the staff or University. The USD Vista office is located on the fourth floor of the Student Life Pavilion in room 403B.

All inquiries should be sent to: The USD Vista 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110

Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of

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The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego or of its student body. Letters to the Editor can be submitted to The USD Vista office. Letters should be limited to 300 words and must be signed. For identification purposes, USD identification numbers and writer’s year must be included in the letter. The USD Vista reserves the right to edit published letters. Any content sent to the editor will be considered for publication unless otherwise stated.

Many first-year dorms in Maher have been converted to quads with bunked beds due to the large size of the first-year class.

Riti Dey/The USD Vista

LILY ANDERSON ASST.

In a world where technology is involved in nearly every aspect of our lives, it makes sense that it would dominate classrooms as well. As early as fourth grade, my school required that we use ThinkPad computers for our notetaking and class work. In high school, iPads were similarly required. When COVID-19 hit, every student spent their school day in front of a screen for months, in some cases, even years. Integrating technology into classrooms appears to be a no-brainer. Laptops make taking notes fast and organized, and many textbooks are provided virtually. Sites like “Quizlet” and “Kahoot!” turn learning into an interactive game and PowerPoint allows teachers to plan their lectures.

At first glance, including technology in education appears to be the most beneficial option. However, I question if that is really true. While technology may make learning easier in some cases, it ultimately takes away from learning because it draws the students out of the classroom and into their own little bubble.

Technology is a distraction for both yourself and for those around you. I often catch my classmates scrolling through Pinterest or shopping sites and end up quickly closing out my notes to follow suit.

If I manage to avoid going down the rabbit hole of outfit inspiration, I’ll spend the whole 55 minutes texting my mom and doing homework for other classes instead.

According to an article published by Baylor University titled “Teaching Without Technology,” “even when students know they are being monitored, they use the internet for nonlearning-related activities.” Technology appears to be an unavoidable distraction, and as much as I love scrolling through the web during a tedious lecture, this is not a strong academic choice or a good way to spend my time.

However, things have taken an unexpected turn

OPINION

this semester. Three of my professors do not allow laptops in class and two of them avoid PowerPoint entirely. Instead, they just use the whiteboard to highlight any key points.

At first, I was a little upset by this news. I am very accustomed to taking notes on my laptop. I appreciate that I can write quicker, use spell check and stay very organized. Sometimes, I feel like my handwritten notes are chaotic and hard to look back on. I was also upset that I simply could not use my technology. After spending a lot of money on a computer, I would like to be able to use it. Lastly, I was also concerned about the lack of PowerPoint. Being able to access class slides makes it much easier to review information or get caught up if you happen to miss a day of class.

Despite this wariness, I decided to accept my new tech-free classrooms. I went to Target, bought some notebooks and nice pens, and left all of my technology tucked away. To my surprise, I quickly adapted to these changes, and have grown to absolutely love them.

Now, I dread the moments that I have to pull out my computer to look

something up or do research because I can instantly feel myself becoming less focused or engaged. These tech-free classes are some of the most outgoing and energetic classes I have ever attended.

I am friends with those who sit around me, engage in conversation with my peers and participate in class discussions. I find myself becoming excited for classes and lectures, which is not how I have always felt. Since I am looking at my professors and those around me instead of at a screen for the entirety of the class, I feel as though I am more connected to everyone, and that people care about what I have to say. Research has also shown that PowerPoint is not as helpful to students as it may seem. As explained in “Teaching Without Technology,” “PowerPoint can put the students in a ‘passive’ posture, reducing their investment in active learning and meaningful engagement with the material.” So, while I was under the impression that PowerPoint was a beneficial tool, it may have actually been harming my education and allowing me to remain checked out. As further discovered

in “Teaching Without Technology,” “paradoxically, students find PowerPoint both boring, yet also expected.” A change of pace away from PowerPoint in the classroom can help students reengage with new material and further their education.

While it is still early in the semester, I was recently talking to my roommates about how my recognition and recall have seemed to drastically increase this semester. For the first time, I can pinpoint the different ways that all my classes connect and remember class discussions, without having to refer back to my notes. I strongly believe that this is due to the lack of technology and PowerPoint.

While many of us are familiar with the notion that handwritten notes are more beneficial than typed notes, two researchers, Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer, were able to solidify this theory.

“In three studies, we found that students who took notes on laptops performed worse on conceptual questions than students who took notes longhand,” Mueller and Oppenheimer noted.

Not only is the information easier to

remember when written longhand, but it also leads to better performance on questions. Even though some people, like myself, may find long hand notes more tedious, it is impossible to deny the benefits.

After my experience in tech-free classes over the first couple weeks of school, I am a major fan of this teaching style. I would prefer if all of my classes were laptop and PowerPointfree. As someone who has grown up with an education run by screens, I never thought I would appreciate its absence.

Not only do tech-free classes foster more energy and participation, but they are also more beneficial for learning. While this is not possible for every class (i.e. computer science), professors could still find ways to adapt their classrooms to be less techoriented. In a society that is so used to the constant prevalence of technology, removing it is a refreshing and welcome change. Even if your class is techfriendly, I encourage you to ditch your laptop for a notebook and a pen. I can assure you that you will not regret it.

Tech is vanishing from classrooms And school has never been better

OPINION EDITOR

The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.

Technology has become an everyday staple in education.

Photo courtesy of @marvelous /Unsplash

OPINION AI haunts the music industry

JACKIE MARQUEZ OPINION EDITOR

Earlier this year, an anonymous artist going by the alias “Ghostwriter” released a song that used the “voices” of popular musicians Drake and the Weeknd. The track, titled “Heart on My Sleeve,” used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to mimic the voices of these well known artists, despite never getting authorization to use their vocal likeness. However, the lyrics and background tracks were written and produced by real people. The song quickly caught the audience’s attention on social media, garnering millions of views. Soon after, the team behind the Ghostwriter persona submitted it for Grammy consideration.

While its submission was questioned by many social media users, the Recording Academy initially embraced it.

“As far as the creative side, it’s absolutely eligible, because it was written by a human,” CEO of the Recording Academy Harvey Mason Jr. said.

The song’s popularity sparked a conversation about AI in music, and many media figures are interested. The New York Times reported that the individuals behind Ghostwriter have “met with record labels, tech leaders, music platforms and artists about how to best harness the powers of AI, including at a virtual round-table discussion this summer organized by the Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammy Awards.”

Although the concept of AI-generated music is gaining traction, it cannot replace music created by humans. I mean this both literally and figuratively. In a more literal sense, AI is unable to replace human-created music because it lacks some of the human capabilities required to make music. In a more figurative sense, AI should not replace human music. Such a thing would have reprehensible consequences.

To start, AI cannot provide the human connection that human-made music can. We are drawn to music that is relatable to us, and AI simply doesn’t have the relatability of a person. If you look at popular musicians and their fan bases, they often have shared experiences. Take for instance the reaction of Olivia Rodrigo’s listeners to her newest album.

The implications of Ghostwriter’s AI song

“‘GUTS’ by Olivia Rodrigo is the most devastatingly beautiful album written specifically for teenage girls in their twenties,” @gwenbrina wrote on X.

The album, titled “GUTS,” captures the angst of growing up as a teenage girl. It reflects on experiences like being homeschooled, going through heartbreak and discovering yourself. Rodrigo’s new album has been positively received by women in their late teens and early twenties because of how close it hits to home.

AI-generated music, however, fails to reflect these shared experiences because it does not experience things for itself. Our chatbots and music generators have never been homeschooled, broken up with or discovered personalities of their own; instead, they’ve learned to imitate it from the people that have. According to Forbes, AI learns by combing through mass amounts of data to discover patterns which can be used to mimic human interactions and emotions. Because it simply attempts to replicate experiences and emotions, AI cannot create songs about original experiences like people can.

Due to its limited capabilities, AI has only been used as a tool in creating music thus far. However, it still has the potential to wreak havoc on the music industry. Currently, there are two primary uses of AI in music creation. The first type of AI usage is the kind seen in Ghostwriter’s “Heart on My Sleeve.” For this, humans write the music and lyrics, and then they use AI to recreate vocals so that the song sounds like it’s being sung by music superstars.

This type of usage has become a trend on TikTok and Youtube; social media users have begun using AI to make covers of existing songs that sound like they’re being sung by well-known musicians. One example of this trend is an AI cover posted by TikTok user @1989..repulore of The Weeknd’s hit song “Starboy.”

The cover sounds as if Taylor Swift is singing the song, and it’s garnered 38.5k likes. In a way, these covers steal from musicians. AI ultimately replicates the voice and style of artists who have spent their entire careers developing a unique sound. The fact that AI covers use these vocal talents without compensation is vocal plagiarism.

The second type, AI music generators, are more concerning. Popular music generators like SOUNDRAW, Loudly and Jukebox only require users to pick details like genre, mood and track length, and then click “submit” to generate music.

Generative AI also poses a threat to human musicians who need work. These bots allow content creators and companies to produce custom music, without hiring composers or performers. While this is convenient for people who want custom music at cheaper prices, it displaces musicians who need work and minimizes the value they add to society.

Americans for the Arts reports that after the pandemic the unemployment rate for musical artists rose from 3.7% to 10.3%. While that figure is slowly returning to what it was pre-pandemic, it demonstrates the vulnerability of real, working musicians. Musicians rely on projects and gigs to make a living, and choosing to use AI over them pushes them out of the jobs that they need to survive and create more innovative, inspiring music.

AI replacing human musicians will have a negative impact on the quality of music and hurt the live music scene. Human musicians are often experimental, pushing the

norms around what can and cannot be done in music. They are also imperfect. As someone who’s been performing with musical ensembles since she was eight, I can confidently say that musicians never perform a song the same way twice. We miss notes, pause to catch our breath or deliberately mess with tempo and dynamics. This is why seeing music live is so enthralling. Imagine going to see your favorite artists in concert, and instead of performing their music they start playing a recording over the speakers; it’d be pretty disappointing. When you go to a concert or show, you go so that you can experience the music in a way that you haven’t before. If AI were to replace human musicians, there wouldn’t be new music to experience. Because AI simply replicates patterns, it fails to diverge from musical norms and try something new. This is why we need our imperfect, experimental human musicians.

While Ghostwriter’s song “Heart on My Sleeve” pushed AI-generated music into the spotlight, it has most recently reflected AI’s inability to take the place of music created by humans. After backlash toward Harvey Mason Jr.’s original statement

about the song’s Grammy eligibility and questions about the song’s legality, the Recording Academy reversed its stance. It was announced that Ghostwriter’s song was actually unable to be submitted for a Grammy and that the Recording Academy would stand by human musicians.

“I’m sure things are going to continue to have to evolve and change,” Mason said in a statement posted on his Instagram account, @harveymasonjr. “But please, please, do not be confused. The Academy is here to support and advocate and protect and represent human artists, and human creators period.”

In taking the side of human musicians, the Recording Academy has taken a step in the right direction. Afterall, AI can never capture the humanness of music. Its algorithmic nature defeats music’s central focus: human connection. It lacks the imperfect, experimental creativity that people put into their songs. It threatens the livelihoods of already at-risk artists. Given these shortcomings, we must recognize that AIgenerated music is not a stand-in for human crafted music, just as the Recording Academy finally did.

The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.

This intentionally blurry photo of a ghost wearing clout goggles is the track cover for Ghostwriter’s “Heart on My Sleeve.”

Photo Courtesy of @ghostwriter/Youtube

Mastering the art of school applications

Advice for applying to graduate school

If you are a senior you are already too accustomed to the dreaded question, “What are you doing after you graduate?” Some students may have had their answer before they even attended US D But, many students are left feeling lost and confused on what their next steps following graduation will be One option could be graduate school Though once again a student could be left confused about where to begin on the application process Senior Director of the Career Development Center Matt Yepez gave his advice and guidance on the process of applying to graduate school

Seeking Employment 7.4%

Other 6.3%

“Lean into exploration, lean into the Career Development Center and lean into the U SD community. Leverage your time at USD as best as possible to engage in activities; this could be classes or extracurricular clubs or this could be an internship this will help you develop and experience different things.”

Advice for senior year:

“Focus on the year and now, grad school is forward thinking, which is fantastic, but taking that time of self-exploration is so vital. Take that pause and maybe see what things you can get involved with at USD, to not only help your marketability on grad school applications, but it can also help you discover your passion ”

in Grad

Correction: last week in the Sept 14 issue, The USD Vista team mistakenly attributed the written text of pages 6 and 7 to Feature Editor, Katie Foreman. In actuality, the text was written by Asst Feature Editor Allie Longo We regret this error

Employed Part-Time 7.7%

Employed Full-Time 55.8%

Writing a personal statement for graduate school applications:

“Spend time talking about your unique journey think about your experiences from growing up, challenges and obstacles you have faced, or experiences that have shaped your view on things This could even be classroom academics, research experiences or any extra curricular activities. Take those experiences and have them align with the program you are applying for Articulate how not only is the program a good fit for you, but also how you are a good fit for the program. And how you are going to add value to the school, fellow classmates and the community ”

Finding the right program:

“Talk to some folks that have gone to the programs you are applying for. There is a platform called T.E.A.M., it is an alumni and mentoring community where students have access to close to 3,000 alumni all over the world. For example, if I was in undergrad thinking of going to school for neuroscie nce, I could go onto the platform and see what other USD students followed that path Reaching out and connecting with them can help with exploration ”

During the application process:

USD 2023 "Viewpoint" hure about the class of ths after graduation

“Have fun, enjoy the process Be authentic throughout the process, and lean into the support network USD provides you. Just know it's okay to not have all the answers, it is part of the process At times we may feel like we have to know everything, or what the next 10 years [are] going to look like, and we don’t, it's part of the journey of self-discovery. Find and express your passions and your ability to learn Keep organized, whether it's a tracker or whatever it may be, find a unique way to stay organized.”

Dr. Mercado’s work, life and intersectional approach

Correction:

Last week, The USD Vista (9/14/23) incorrectly printed Lili Kim as the Assistant Feature Editor. She is the Assistant News Editor. We regret this error.

Dr. Antonieta Mercado holds many identities — being from Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, Mexico, an immigrant to the United States, a first generation college student with a doctorate, a professor at USD, an artist and many more. Navigating these varying identities has come with struggles, but through analyzing and questioning these different facets of who she is, she has found her passion in life: learning.

Mercado spent the first 23 years of her life in her hometown in Mexico and then moved to San Diego. Her father attended school until fourth grade, and her mother did not learn to read or write until she was an adult, but her mother especially wanted her daughters to complete school. Although nobody in her family had gone to college before, Mercado said that the teachers she had in her childhood inspired her to further pursue her education.

“Because of my teachers in elementary school and in secondary school, I could envision myself going to college,” Mercado said. “Because of that, I was like, ‘this is so cool. This is liberation, right?’”

After getting her bachelor’s degree in political and social sciences at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, she moved to San Diego, but it wasn’t until a few years later when she decided to continue on with her education. Mercado received her master’s degree in Communication at San Diego State University and her doctorate degree in Communication at University of California, San Diego.

“A lot of what I learned in school was liberating in a way. It gave me the world, basically. It gave me a lot of tools to get to know the world. But for a long time, I was not being reflected,” Mercado said. “My particular history and the struggle even in my own family — I come from a mixed family — even those histories were not reflected in my education.” Mercado also noted that — throughout her schooling — there was a very Eurocentric approach to the world and she questioned if that was really what resonated with her life and her history. A Eurocentric approach is one that centers around the idea that Europe is the dominant leader of the world/center of the world and whiteness is valued.

“I have invested a good chunk of my adult life unlearning a

lot of what I learned,” Mercado said. “Unlearning can be painful sometimes. I mean, hopefully not always. But there is some discomfort along the way…I was learning all these things that were hegemonic, and I was so well versed. I did very well on this hegemonic knowledge. But this knowledge doesn’t represent me. So I had to really find which knowledge represents my experience.”

Hegemonic knowledge was defined by Mercado as a dominant viewpoint in society being spread as the only valuable perspective and she wanted to challenge that idea. Mercado began to work with different humanitarian organizations in San Diego and would investigate the narratives of immigrants from Mexico and the U.S. to see if there were any commonalities between them. This passion for learning more about people’s stories and identities and how they were also represented in the media led Mercado to cocreate “Comparative Race/Class and Gender Formations and Popular Culture” with Dr. David González-Hernández, Professor of Communication at Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO) Guadalajara. This binational project was made to exhibit the ways that colonialism has constructed race, gender and class around the world and how this is shown in the media. She also is a founding member of USD’s Decolonization Working Group, which started in 2015 as a discussion of Columbus Day and its implications for indigenous people.

“We [the Decolonization Group] get together periodically, in the semester a couple of times and we discuss these issues,” Mercado said. “How do we frame our research and what do we do? As you know, many of us who are persons of color who have been put at a disadvantage by colonialism, talk about it. How have we been living?”

Mercado has continued on this anti-colonial work through scholarly pursuits with her most recent project “Comparative Intersectionalities,” a collaboration between her and her colleague Dr. Gonzalez-Hernández.

Mercado said her goal in this new project is “to talk about colonialism, to talk about the effects of colonialism in different places, but also to highlight the differences in how those things are different.”

Mercado finds significance in calling out the impacts of colonialism to challenge the hegemonic knowledge that is often taught. “Doing these comparisons of what colonialism looks like and how discrimination

due to colonialism looks like in different parts of the world and how people who have been colonized have received this colonialism. Or what does it look like? That’s the sentiment, right?” Mercado said. She values shedding light on these topics for others to discover what their identities are and how colonialism has shaped their story.

“Inclusion is not the only thing that we are aiming for, but also representation that is dignified,” Mercado said, in regards to the media. Her scholarly work, as well as her activism in the community and intersectional approach to teaching, have been noticed by USD senior Sarah Siegel, who has taken two of Mercado’s courses.

“I admire her teaching — she brings a really unique perspective to all the discussions and she always incorporates her culture and experience with indigenous people,” Siegel stated. “She always integrates other cultures

into her discussions and goes outside the Eurocentric view.” Siegel said that Mercado is never one to judge and is always open to hear everyone’s experience.

“My first impression was that she was super into hearing our personal opinions and experiences and she cared a lot about how we’re feeling,” Siegel said. “She made sure that we all had the resources to be involved in the class for the day. And she was really friendly and inclusive to everyone.”

Siegel appreciated the work Mercado does in and out of the classroom and has valued having a professor who truly wants to get to know you for you.

What motivates Mercado the most are the relationships she has built along the way.

“My favorite thing is the relationship with the students,” Mercado said. “There’s so much value in that and showing the students the world and

seeing how they take it…I have developed so many relationships along this road. And that’s the thing that drives me, both with the students and with people in the communities that I study with. I don’t see them as subjects of research.”

Mercado shared a phrase that her father would tell her when she was growing up: “richness is your people; that’s your wealth.”

She has lived by these words and they have molded her into the person she is today — someone who has deep love and empathy for the world and those around her. She defined herself as rich in life, for she is surrounded by people whom she truly cares about and wants to inspire.

Mercado is a woman of many talents who managed to turn her struggles into her life’s work. By taking an intersectional approach to the world and colonialism, she is exhibiting new ways of thinking and experiencing life to others.

‘Richness is your people: that’s your wealth’

KATIE FOREMAN FEATURE EDITOR

Dr. Mercado takes pride in her work and activism.

Photo courtesy of www.sandiego.edu

ARTS & CULTURE

Ganesh Chaturthi

The Hindu festival of new beginnings

Ganesh Chaturthi from Page 1

Asking for his blessings is like a rite of passage into a world free of sin and filled with knowledge.

During the 10 days that this festival is commemorated, it is said that Lord Ganesha descends down to Earth to bless his worshipers. So in order to invite him into their homes, devotees buy a statue or idol of Ganesha and place it on a higher pedestal embellished with flowers, turmeric, sandalwood paste and — most importantly — surrounded with food.

According to Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesha was a lover of sweet delicacies and was even named “Modapriya” because of his love for Modaks, a steamed dumpling with coconut-jaggery stuffing. This connection to food is one of the main reasons why Ganesh Chaturthi brings about a widespread feeling of community. People will often bring sweets and cook food to bring to friends, family and even strangers who celebrate the festival.

Since most Hindus live in India, a vast and extremely diverse country, the way one’s family celebrates the festival varies according to the environment in which they grew up. And the most grand celebrations today happen in West India, in the state of Maharashtra.

USD international graduate student Aashruti Seervi shared her memories of observing Ganesh Chaturthi during her time in India as she moved from one state to another.

“Growing up in Rajasthan, I celebrated the festival, just not as much as it was in Maharashtra. But I have really positive memories of decorating the pedestal, eating the sweets and worshiping with my family,” Seervi said. “But once I moved for college to Bangalore, since India is very diverse, celebrating with friends and people coming from different backgrounds made it feel so much bigger and gave me a sense of belonging.”

Bigger celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi involve activities and festivities on all 10 days. From dance performances and bingo games for elders to dinner nights and daily group prayers, the festival is celebrated both on an individual and community level.

Gigantic elaborately-crafted statues of Lord Ganesha are beautifully set up in public places across cities, and devotees make it a point to go see these statues during the 10-day period.

On the last day of the festival, it is finally time for Lord Ganesha to depart after his time on Earth and this day is a culmination of the entire festival. Idols of Ganesha are brought together from individual homes and set up with larger statues, as they are paraded through the streets accompanied by music and

dancing. Musicians play a doubleheaded drum that is worn around the shoulders using a strap called a ‘Dhol’ as worshippers dance and celebrate Ganesha’s departure.

“Dancing on the Dhol is one of my best memories,” Sreevi said. “It is crazy. We are out on the streets, dancing like crazy, sweating. It is so fun, especially with a group of friends.” The idols and statues are then immersed into bodies of water like rivers, ponds or even large buckets of water in order to bid farewell to Ganesha as devotees show gratitude for his blessings and

pray for an early return the year after. This immersion of idols into water is called “Visarjan” and is not just a symbol of goodbye but also helps drive the idea that life is in a constant state of change, as new beginnings always arise.

The sentiment of celebrating this festival changes and varies for Hindus around the world. USD junior Advika Pillai talked about her relationship with the festival as someone who grew up in the U.S.

“I definitely think it’s very different, because in India you have an entire community,” Pillai said. “Growing up, it was just

me and my family celebrating it, and my friends were doing it with theirs. And being in the U.S., I definitely feel like I am more Hindu when I’m with my family who actively practice it and not as much when I am in college. But still I feel the sentiment. I have a little Ganesha idol in my room and in my car, and I definitely want to know and keep in touch with my religion more.”

Pillai recounted a story during her senior year of high school when she was on a long road trip with her friends and the Ganesha idol in her car fell down, a symbol

that is usually considered a bad omen. Coincidentally, the trip was filled with obstacles like flat tires and Pillai remembered the trip feeling surreal and was amazed at the timing of events.

Regardless of where one grows up, the grandness and gravity of Lord Ganesha is felt by Hindus everywhere, especially during Ganesh Chaturthi. This year, this auspicious festival occurred on Sept. 19, offering a chance for people to have a new beginning, free of struggles and stones, right at the start of a new academic year.

Worshipers praying at home to a decorated idol of Lord Ganesha. Satvika Nitya/The USD Vista

Worshipers during the idol immersion in water at the end of the festival.

Photo courtesy of @thegreatbappa/Instagram

2023 New York Fashion Week

NYLA HARRIS ASST. A&C EDITOR

On USD’s liberal arts campus, fashion can be used to signify group belonging, social status and self-expression — all of which students consciously or unconsciously participate in every day as they get dressed for school.

Since the event of New York Fashion Week (NYFW) recently occurred, conversations regarding the fashion and inclusion began circulating through the student body.

New York Fashion Week is a semi-annual series of events that occurs every September and February in Manhattan, New York. It is one of the four major fashion weeks in the world, with the others occurring in Paris, London and Milan.

The shows of New York Fashion Week provided leading designers from around the world with a global platform to showcase their collections.

In sum, NYFW is the creation and presentation of clothing, accessories and concepts to depict a visioned, distinctive way of dressing and American fashion. This year, it occurred between Sept. 8-13.

As designers debut new clothes, looks and ideas, models portraying the looks during the fashion shows are generally handled through modeling agencies. However, many lifestyle influencers and individual models attended this season’s edition.

USD junior Amari Esper is one such individual model who had the opportunity to walk the runway during the 2021 and 2022 NYFW February shows. She talked about her experience as a model.

“Participating in New York Fashion Week as a non-signed model really means working hard for a lot of the opportunities to be in shows,” Esper said. “It’s doing things like finding castings and connections to get in front of designers in order to really kind of present myself as a brand and sell myself to other people, so they would want me to be a part of their shows. As a non-signed, Black female model, it’s a lot of hard work, selfcare and being my own boss.”

Part of the circulating conversation of NYFW is centered around the inclusion and diversity of models presented on the runway. Some NYFW brands followed a theme of including minority accessibility in their runway shows while other brands featured very limited diversity. This led to many people posting critiques of the events and shows online, talking about NYFW’s largeness and longstanding effect on public opinion.

USD senior Abby Baines is passionate about issues within the LGTBQ+ community. She posed some commentary on how NYFW attempts an inclusive environment for other LGBTQ+ and minority

USD students’ stance on this year’s NYFW

associated individuals.

“DapperQ is a queer style website and blog that held its 8th NYFW show this year. This was super cool to see, but at the same time these are not the shows that are getting the most attention,” Baines said. “The mainstream is still not interested in high risk gender bending expression when the models are trans, plus size people of color.”

Baines talked about mainstream shows, their targeted audience and how the queer community is impacted by the lack of attention to smaller more diverse shows.

“Generally, it’s safe to say that the shows that get the most attention break some gender fashion norms, with masculinepresenting models wearing skirts, and feminine-presenting models wearing boxy, oversized suits. These mainstream approaches are palatable to cishetero audiences,” Baines said. “Meanwhile, queer people look on, blasé about these undaring attempts at breaking any status quo or gender expression norms.”

The discussion of NYFW’s take on inclusivity and impact on the fashion community is also understood as a display of marketing strategy for brands. Critiques about brands having a few models to check off the diversity box have surfaced on social media.

Experienced stylist and USD senior Elia Balourdet spent time analyzing the business and strategic side of fashion marketing as she worked alongside fashion designers during her year abroad in Strasbourg, France this past year.

“At the end of the day, you know a brand is just kind of supporting their best interest and doing what they think will market the best and appeal the most to the audience,” Balourdet said. “Seeing a famous influencer that many people know modeling during Fashion Week, rather than someone that’s working behind the scenes, may be more exciting to some people. Which is sad in a way, but at the same time this is the type of industry we live in and we have to learn to work in that. But I just think it’s really cool to see people in the U.S. attempt to break norms in the fashion industry. Because it’s newer, there is a lot of room for growth there.”

The discussion of NYFW’s importance, inclusivity and impact on the fashion community continues to swarm around USD’s campus. The expression of an individual through fashion is an understood key aspect of the event.

As fashion events such as New York Fashion week continue to occur around the world, students on USD’s campus continue questioning and bettering the inclusivity of both the fashion and the art industry that are growing to surround and influence us.

‘Dapper Q’s’ runway right before the start of show at NYFW 2023.

Photo courtesy of @dapperq/Instagram

Behind the scenes of designer Prabal Gurung’s show.

Photo courtesy of @prabalgurung/Instagram

USD junior Amari Esper walking in Feb. 2022 NYFW

Photo courtesy of Amari Esper

A model for ‘Selkie,’ one of the most diverse runways this year (Forbes)

Photo courtesy of @selkie/Instagram

NFL football returns with a bang

16 games kicked off another exciting season of the NFL

LUKAS BLANKENSTEIN CONTRIBUTOR

The National Football League (NFL) officially returned on Thursday, Sept. 7 with all 32 teams in action for the first time since last season. Hope springs eternal, as teams envision themselves winning the Super Bowl at the end of the season.

Action began on Thursday night, as last year’s Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, took on the up-andcoming Detroit Lions. The Lions barely squeaked out a win, with a final score of 21-20.

During the Sunday games, the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons played a game that featured the NFL debut of last year’s first overall pick, Bryce Young. Young would have to wait longer for his first win, as the Falcons won 24-10.

The Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns battled it out in the 100th Battle of Ohio, an old rivalry. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow recently became the highest-paid player in NFL history. The Bengals lost 3-24 with Burrow only completing 45.2 percent of his passes for 82 yards with two interceptions.

Natalie Brooks, a Bengals fan and USD first-year student had choice words for her team.

“Disappointing,” Brooks stated. She still holds out hope for the team in the long run, stating, “they made the playoffs last year, I don’t see why they can’t again.”

The Jacksonville Jaguars

and Indianapolis Colts played in an exciting game, with the final score being a 31-21 victory for the Jags.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings played a close 2017 win for the Buccaneers.

The New Orleans Saints scratched out a nailbiting 16-15 victory over the Tennessee Titans.

“I was surprised to see we won our first game, as I do not believe it is in modern Saints fashion to win the first week,” a pessimistic USD sophomore Nick Crozat reported. “The highest record I see for us is 9-8, hopefully the seven seed.”

The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers with a final score of 30-7.

“I thought they played extremely well,” 49ers fan and USD sophomore Lucca Sebastiani stated. “I expect them to go 15-2 this season and win the Super Bowl.”

Second overall pick CJ Stroud (Quarterback) made his debut for the Houston Texans against the Baltimore Ravens. They were probably hoping for a better debut, but they fell to the Ravens 25-9.

The Arizona Cardinals traveled to Washington D.C. to face the Commanders. The Commanders were sold for a record-breaking $6.05 billion this offseason. The new ownership was greeted with a close 2016 win over the Cardinals.

The Green Bay Packers faced their biggest rivals, the Chicago

Bears. The Bears ended up falling 38-20 to their arch rivals.

The Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos competed in an AFC West divisional match. The Raiders were victorious 17-16.

The Seattle Seahawks took on the Los Angeles Rams in an NFC West showdown. The Rams managed to fly to a 3013 win over the Seahawks.

Last year’s Super Bowl runners up, the Philadelphia Eagles, were in action against the New England Patriots. The Eagles were able to hold off a fierce comeback, winning 25-20.

The matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins looked to be an incredible clash between two offenses that could really light up the scoreboard.

For the Chargers, Justin Herbert built upon a historic rookie season in 2020 with two successive fantastic campaigns, making himself must-watch television with his incredible deep balls. Unfortunately, a nail-biting barnburner ended 36-34 in favor of the Dolphins.

Sunday Night Football was supposed to be a hotly contested game between two bitter rivals: the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants. Instead of the close game that was promised, fans witnessed one of the biggest defeats seen in many years, as the Cowboys walloped the Giants 40-0. To put into perspective the depths of ineptitude the Giants displayed on Sunday, The Athletic reported that “no team has ever: Lost 40-0 or worse, lost the sack battle 7-0

The first week of the NFL began on Thurs. Sept. 7, 2023.

or worse, lost the turnover battle 3-0 (or worse), had a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown and threw a pick six in the same season. The Giants did that all in one game.”

The Buffalo Bills and New York Jets battled in a New York rivalry on Monday Sept. 11. The Jets, meanwhile, have the longest playoff drought in the NFL, not making the playoffs since 2010. The Jets made a blockbuster trade for multitime MVP Aaron Rodgers.

The Aaron Rodgers experience in New York only lasted four plays, as he was

Photo courtesy of @nfl/Instagram

helped off the field with an injury that was later determined to be a torn Achilles that will put him out for most of the year. While he was able to guide the Jets to a shocking 22-16 overtime win, thanks to a game winning 65 yard punt return touchdown by undrafted rookie Xavier Gipson, neither team was happy with the events that transpired. The whole first week of the NFL was filled with action and stories. This season looks to be another with many contenders, and fans are interested to see all the twists and turns the season will have.

The graphic published by the NFL pictures players looking to win a spot in SuperBowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024.

Photo courtesy of @nfl/Instagram

Princeton University Band drums up anger USD

COLIN MULLANEY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

In case USD Football was not facing enough challenges: enter the Princeton University Band. The band brands itself as a “scramble band,” on their website, or “like a marching band, only with less formality, more funniness, and more fun — in other words, better.” However, with recent, serious hazing allegations against USD’s football players, many USD students and fans were not in the laughing mood.

According to the Band’s website, “at every game, we perform original and humorous shows at pregame and halftime.”

However, USD players and fans are still grappling with the fallout and consequences from hazing allegations — including multiple-game suspensions.

Many USD students felt that Princeton University was taking the opportunity to kick USD’s program while it was down, especially when Princeton’s Band made reference to the hazing accusations during their halftime performance.

“We haze our officers, not our freshmen,” the Princeton Band’s announcer said over the intercom during the performance.

USD senior Sophie Warder is a cheer Captain, who was present at the football game. Warder said she was not a fan of this particular jab. “We were sitting down, watching them, supporting their band, and then all of a sudden a girl started talking, and said something like ‘we haze our officers, not our freshmen.’ and I was like, ‘what? Why haze anyone?’” Warder stated.

Adding to the tension, USD cheerleaders, including Warder, reported that the Princeton Band repeatedly performed the “sign of the cross” in an apparent allusion/ mockery of USD’s Catholic affiliation and reputation.

“This random guy in the middle of the performance came up and was running in front of Cheer and Dance doing the sign of the cross in front of all of us, so then we got up and left… because that was weird,” Warder said.

Dr. Michael LovetteColyer, Vice President for Mission Integration at USD, did not witness the incident firsthand, but provided context for Princeton’s behavior in

regard to the Catholic tradition.

“The sign of the cross is an important aspect of many Catholics’ spirituality. By making this gesture, we remind ourselves of who God is and of our relationship with God, as well as recommit to living in a way that reflects that relationship,” Lovette-Colyer shared. “It would be unfortunate and in poor taste for any sincere expression of faith to be mocked.”

Warder was unsure whether to be amused or offended, or somewhere in between.

“I was confused, because it seemed like it was supposed to be inoffensive, like they were trying to do a play/fun thing at our school, but I was confused… because we’re a Catholic school I guess? But also not everyone’s Catholic [at USD]. I’m not Catholic… and that’s when we left, because everyone was very taken aback,” Warder said.

USD senior Iesha

Brown is on USD’s Dance team and was likewise confused by the band’s entire performance and whether their satire was crossing a line by mentioning the hazing allegations.

“Obviously schools have these scandals and things happen, and it’s not ok what goes on, but I just think Princeton doing that was bad sportsmanship… I don’t think any institution is perfectly innocent… so if they really wanted to make a statement, they could have done it and handled it in a better way,” Brown said. “I still had fun at the game… They seemed like a cool band, they played good music I guess, but people could have been more respectful.”

Although satiric, the Princeton University Band’s performance fell flat with students like Warder and Brown.

“In the middle of the performance… they called

out Diego [Torero], and I was like, ‘what does our little mascot have anything to do with this?’” Brown said. However, the overt mockery and jabs were not the most irritating part of Princeton’s visit, according to many students. Instead, it was the sound of instruments, which echoed across USD’s 180-acre campus, bright and early. Drums were audible from the Student Life Pavilion around 10:30 a.m., before many USD students had awoken. One USD-affiliated Fizz user posted, “there’s no world in which i should be hearing a tuba earlier than 10 am,” which received over 1,800 upvotes. Fizz is unique among social media apps in that — although anonymous like Reddit — users can only access the campus’ community forum, if they have an email account affiliated with that institution;

in order to register for and post to USD’s Fizz community, one must have an associated “sandiego.edu” email address.

Other Fizz users did not mince words, as one anonymous USD user posted: “why the F*** is there a band outside the vistas [apartments] rn,” which received more than 1,700 upvotes. Other USD students posted spy-shot photos of the marching band on its way to the Torero Stadium, including photos from behind foliage and aerial shots from inside the Alcalá Vista Apartments.

Ultimately, USD fell to the Tigers at the game, 23-12, but all anyone at USD could talk about on social media like Fizz was the band’s presence on campus in the early hours. Whether this was their goal or not, Princeton’s visit will not be forgotten by those who witnessed — and heard — their controversial activities.

Valley residents were awakened by the morning alarm of Princeton.

Photo courtesy of Mikey Acosta

A student snuck behind a bush to catch a photo of the band.

Photo courtesy of Snezhana Vorontsov

The Princeton band playing throughout the Vista Apartments. Lauren Ceballos/The USD Vista