Volume 67 Issue 07

THE HIGHLANDER

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

est. 1954

FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6 , 2018

VOL. 67, ISSUE 07

A FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP?

How the administration’s mishandling of misconduct allegations put students and staff at risk.

Pg. 7 f UCR Highlander Newspaper @ucrhighlander HighlanderTV NEWS 4

OPINIONS 7

FEATURES 11

RADAR 15

SPORTS 19

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018

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HUMANS OF UCR

UPCOMING EVENTS: WEEK 6

CINDY HSIAO, SOCIOLOGY, SECOND-YEAR COMPILED BY LYDIA TSOU

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Midterm Election Poll at UCR 7:00am to 8:00pm Glen Mor, J315

Nacho Average Tuesday 3:30pm to 5:30pm Student Recreation Center (SRC), Classroom Kitchen

21st Century Fox: Lunch n’ Learn 12:00pm to 1:00pm HUB (Highlander Union Building), 260

Teacher Education Program Information Session 3:30pm to 4:30pm Sproul Hall, 1215

Endnote Desktop 2:00pm to 3:30pm Orbach Library (Science Library), 122

ASPB Presents: An Evening with Max Greenfield 7:30pm to 10:00pm HUB (Highlander Union Building), 302

Friday

Flag Raising Ceremony Honoring Veterans 7:30am UCR Main Campus, Flagpole

Research Networking Night 4:30pm to 7:00pm HUB (Highlander Union Building), 302 North

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Gathering Under the Stars 4:00pm to 7:00pm Palm Desert Center

Women’s Volleyball vs CSU Northridge 7:00pm SRC Arena

Tuesday

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Wednesday

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Thursday

“In Kindergarten I had a lot of trouble learning the ABCs. In 1st

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grade, I was speaking fluently yet still unable to read and write. In 2nd grade, my teacher advised my family and I to get tested for dyslexia, however the public school system doesn’t do well in supporting kids with learning disabilities, so I went to an outside source, a professional in dyslexia, to be diagnosed. The entire process took about a year

Saturday

and by 3rd grade, I found out that I had dyslexia. Now, I’m working towards becoming an educational therapist so that I can work with kids with dyslexia, autism, and ADHD. I want to be able to make an impact on even just a few students so that they can attain a proper

Sunday

education and live up to their potentials.”

CONTACT US

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The Highlander accepts letters from the campus community. They must be 600-800 words at length and include the author’s name and contact information. Topics should be UCR-centric and/or pertain to our generation of students. Contact Opinions Editor Michael Beeli at opinions@highlandernews.org by Wednesday if interested in writing a letter and submit the completed letter by Saturday at noon. Letters can and will be rejected if it does not meet requirements.

LEGAL The Highlander is published and copyrighted by the Highlander for the students, faculty and staff of UCR. All rights are reserved. Reprinting of any material in this publication without the written permission of the Highlander is strictly prohibited. Readers are allowed one free copy of the newspaper. For additional copies or for subscription information, please contact the Highlander.

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News TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/news

UCPD intercepts two-person burglary at UCR Child Development Center

JAKEB TIVEY Contributing Writer

On Saturday, Oct. 27, UC Police Department (UCPD) arrested two vagrants stealing from the UCR Child Development Center on Watkins Drive. A security alarm tripped at 1:08 p.m. alerted the officers, who arrived on the scene to find the suspects putting stolen office supplies into their backpacks. A third female suspect was arrested outside the center but was released after UCPD determined she was unrelated to the crime.

The Saturday burglary was committed by Sturgil Edward and Clark Geranamo, both unaffiliated with the university.

The two were booked into the Riverside County Jail on counts of burglary and conspiracy, with Edward also suspected of possession of a knife on campus.

Crime on UCR’s campus has been a topic of contention in previous years, being named 24th on a list of the most dangerous universities in America by Business Insider in 2012.

In an overview of UCR’s official crime rate relative to the total campus population – in addition to an evaluation of how it ranks relative to its UC counterparts – its actual level of safety is discerned.

UCPD’s most recent documentation of crimes on campus was published in an annual UCPD report, most recently updated in 2016, which tracks crimes, offenses and arrest trends from 2012 onwards. In the entirety of 2016, UCPD made 225 arrests, only seven of which were students and only one of which was a Part 1 crime (offenses such as rape or aggravated assault). In response to UCR’s spot on Business Insider’s list, former UCR Director of Media Relations Kris Lovekin issued a statement in response, stating their efforts to “brand certain college campuses ‘the most dangerous’ is in fact a step in the wrong direction.” Lovekin went on to reference alternative data sources: “A more relevant statistic is available in the Clery Act reports.”

ARCHIVES / HIGHLANDER

In regards to the report named by Lovekin, UCPD statistics have some differences in their documentation of crime offenses and arrests within a four-year period. In UCR’s Clery Act campus crime catalogue, crime offenses were inconsistent with official data and considerably fewer arrests were reported than those registered in the UC system-wide crime reports.

The US Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Organization (OPE) is responsible for the curation of the data.

Part 2 weapon offenses, such as drug abuse and vandalism, steadily decreased year after year, moving from 18 offenses in 2013 to one offense in 2016. Viewing crime in total at UCR, the seven arrested accounted for 0.0249 percent of the campus

population of 28,039 that year. To gain perspective on these numbers, UCLA’s crime statistics were consulted in addition to UC Santa Barbara’s (UCSB) reports. In 2016, UCLA had 656 arrests of a 76,386 campus population (0.858 percent); 62 of which were students or faculty and 41 of which were for violent crimes. UCSB reported 1,082 arrests of a 34,232 campus population (3.16 percent); 393 of which were students and 14 were for violent crimes. UCR’s arrests to total population ratio was 0.802 percent which places it below its more populated counterparts. Detailed on-campus crime statistics are publicly available and are updated in accordance with UC guidelines and respective police departments.

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ASUCR ASUCR discusses future of UCR food security, moves to reduce meal plan cost President Semi Cole addresses student homelessmess and basic needs with UC President

JAKEB TIVEY Contributing Writer

The sixth ASUCR meeting of the Fall quarter occurred Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 6:36 p.m. to discuss current efforts made by student organizations to increase student voter turnout, approve bylaw resolutions drafted to improve food security for students and address the funds allocated to aid student organizations in the recent Oct. 24 and Oct. 29 budget hearings. Fourteen of the 16 senators were present with the exception of CNAS Senator Abigail Cortes and CHASS Senator Alex Gonzales. CNAS Senator Davis was excused early.

Prior to the approval of the meeting’s agenda, Executive Vice President Andrea Cuevas delivered an acknowledgement of responsibility to the indigenous peoples of the land. Afterwards

CHASS Senator Julian Gonzalez moved to add Senate Resolution 004 (SR-F18-004), regarding the STEM high school bylaw, and Senate Bill 001 (SB-F18-001), regarding the GCAP bylaw, to the agenda. Both were unanimously approved to the agenda (14-0-2).

Following agenda approval ASUCR President Semi Cole presented a brief ex-officio foreword, detailing the state of current issues within his THOMAS HOLGUIN / HIGHLANDER jurisdiction. He stated that he is working on speaking with UC Academic Senate representatives to amend the UC calendar to include Nov. 6 as a systemwide holiday in an effort to increase voter turnout. In addition, he says his team is working on the logistics of adapting UCSD’s Lyft “Safe Ride” program partnership to bring its functionality to UCR and developing a relationship with UCR Housing in an attempt to provide housing aid to students at-risk-of or experiencing homelessness.

The topic of homelessness stems from his correspondence with UC President Janet Napolitano, where Cole also addressed food security, “We are the most basic, food insecure UC in the UC system. When they actually gave out money to support our pantries across the UC, they did not factor in need.” Cole reported that when he met with Napolitano, they “were able to talk about that, and … make some firm commitments … to a

sustainable model that will be also equitable.”

The final ex-officio report was delivered by a representative from the internal affairs office, regarding the progress made by the Lobby Corps and the Highlander Action Committee in increasing voter registration: “They’ve been doing an exceptional job … we were able to register 278 students in the span of a week.”

The articles passed by the legislative branch began with SB-F18-002 titled “Office of Campus Internal Affairs Bylaw Revisions,” which changes the necessary actions of officers by granting R’Professional Career Closet responsibilities to Internal Affairs instead of a specialized committee, and removing outdated job descriptions. The bill passed unanimously (14-0-2).

Following the second quarterly bill was the resolution, SR-F19-002, titled “Combating Food Insecurity Through Affordable/Accessible Meal Plans.” The resolution declared that meal plans are too expensive considering the food insecurity rate of 62.5 percent, demanding “lower prices by at least 5 percent; having a meal is a student right and should not be treated as a privilege.” The resolution was passed unanimously (13-0-3).

The final pieces on the agenda were 004 STEM High School and 001 GCAP Bylaws. SR-F18-004 requested that further provisions be made to ensure community involvement in the process of building the new STEM High School on the UCR campus and that new recreation areas be made available in place of the Glen Mor fields. SB-F18-001 requests that the UCR Green Action Plan Program committee be increased from 10 to 12 members, in addition to changing funding rules such that resources could be allocated to any project that aids UCR’s sustainability. These two additions to the agenda were passed (13-0-3) prior to the meeting’s conclusion at 7:29 p.m.

ASUCR meetings are open to the public, occurring every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in HUB 221.

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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/news

NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018

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UCR and UCI psychologists develop intelligence test

ESTELA GONZALEZ Contributing Writer

Psychologists at UC Riverside and UC Irvine have developed the University of California Matrix Reasoning Task (UCMRT), which is being touted as an efficient alternative to the Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM), both of which measure fluid intelligence.

The UCMRT is a free test accessible on mobile devices that is highly comparable to APM. Developed by John C. Raven in 1936, APM has been administered for about 82 years. APM is programmed to measure the reasoning ability of those who take the test through a 36 question complete-the-pattern problem set. APM takes roughly an hour to complete and can cost upwards of a $100 for each test.

Anja Pahor, a postdoctoral researcher who designed problems for UCMRT and first author of the journal Behavior Research Methods, states “We made UCMRT because we realized that existing measures of reasoning ability were not well suited for the studies we are conducting at the Brain Game Center. As a first step, we used matrices constructed by Sandia Laboratories. Later on we went through multiple cycles of development, testing, data analysis and refinement of test items,

which eventually gave rise to UCMRT.” UCMRT has three different versions, each consisting of 23 questions and taking about 10 minutes to complete for measurements that are tantamount to those of APM. As Trevor Stavropoulos, lead developer at the Brain Game Center for nearly three years and UCMRT software creator, states “The UCMRT was inspired

“AS MORE RESEARCHERS USE THE TEST, AND IF THEY DECIDE TO SHARE DATA, WE CAN DEVELOP NORMS FOR DIVERSE POPULATIONS.” by preceding Matrix Reasoning tasks, going back almost 100 years to Raven’s original progressive matrices. The basic idea of a matrix reasoning task is that the subject is shown a grid of images (usually one or several geometric shapes), but with one space missing, and they have to figure out what goes in the missing spot by deducing what the rule is that relates

them. Much as our task does now, Matrix Reasoning tasks have historically been used to assess a concept called ‘fluid intelligence’, which is generally one’s ability to think outside of the box.”

UCMRT assists the progress in repeated testing of fluid intelligence. Pahor stated, “In the context of UCMRT, we are focusing on fluid intelligence, which is defined as the ability to solve problems without relying on explicit knowledge derived from previous experience.” As such, those who do poorly on the UCMRT are not considered less intelligent than those with high scores. Pahor added that he “would like to stress that UCMRT measures only one aspect of nonverbal fluid intelligence.

To accurately assess one’s intelligence, a multitude of different tests needs to be administered.”

High scores on the UCMRT have corresponded with high performances on math tests, college admissions test scores, and college grade point averages which are similar in result to those of APM. As “Behavior Research Methods” states, “In fact, performance on UCMRT correlated significantly with all ACT subtest scores (Math, Science, Reading, and Writing), whereas performance on APM showed significant correlations only with ACT

Math.” Pahor explained that, “Of the 713 students who took UCMRT, about 230 students took both tests, UCMRT correlates with APM about as well as APM correlates with itself.”

Going forward, Pahor stated that, “By making the test available to researchers, we hope to help the scientific community.

As more researchers use the test, and if they decide to share data, we can develop norms for diverse populations.” He later added that he “hope(s) that researchers will recognize that it represents a viable alternative to the original test and will find include it in their studies. Moreover, I hope we can improve the test by generating more alternate versions and versions that are suited for different age and ability groups.”

Regarding future plans, Stavropoulos said, “We also have some projects trying to do the mobile tablet revitalization for other domains entirely. We’ve have (sic) a grant from NIH where we are working with researchers associated with the V.A. system (Veterans Affairs) to develop robust, iPadbased hearing tests that will eventually be deployed through the VA Hospital system so that general practitioners ... can administer state-of-the-art hearing tests for veterans.”

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EMILY HUANG Contributing Writer

daughter team. Overall, amazing!”

In 2004, Rochelle Campbell created the “Neil Allison Campbell Endowed Research Award” in honor of her late husband, Neil A. Campbell. This award was established to support summer or academic term internships for CNAS undergraduate students.

In 2010, Rochelle Campbell established the Neil A. Campbell Learning Laboratory on the ground floor of the University Laboratory Building for experimental research. Undergraduates as well as visiting K-12 students have the opportunity to access laboratory facilities in the building.

In 2018, Rochelle Campbell and Susan Wessler, a distinguished professor of genetics at UCR and the Campbell presidential chair (a position that was created in 2014 by the Campbell family), developed the Campbell-Wessler Endowed Undergraduate Research Award for undergraduate students of CNAS to support summer research which is associated with the Neil A. Campbell Science Learning Laboratory and the Dynamic Genome Program. The Dynamic Genome Program is a three part program that includes a Biology 20 course, summer research program, and a place for K-12 students to visit and learn.

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University laboratory renamed ‘Campbell Hall’

RYAN POON / HIGHLANDER

The University Laboratory Building has officially been renamed the Rochelle and Allison Campbell Hall in honor of the Campbell family. The Campbell family consists of Neil Campbell, Rochelle Campbell and Allison Campbell. A ceremony was held on Oct. 19 to celebrate the building’s renaming.

Throughout the years, the Campbell family has made many contributions to UCR. Rochelle Campbell is the widow of the late Neil Campbell, who was known for his textbook, “Biology.” Their daughter Allison is a member of the UCR Foundation Board of Trustees.

Kathryn Uhrich, the dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Agriculture (CNAS), elaborated on why the building was renamed. “In renaming the building, we recognize the scientific impact of the Campbells - the Campbell Biology textbook is surely amongst the best-selling texts. We recognize the educational impact - students in Campbell Hall are exposed to innovative education in labs overseen by world-renowned scientist, Professor Sue Wessler. And we recognize the societal impact - a building named after a mother-

JORDAN HOM / HIGHLANDER

Be timeless.

The Highlander Newspaper is a great way to keep up with current events and news around campus. If you are interested in the newspaper’s articles or pictures, we offer opportunities in writing, photography and design. Join us every Monday at 5:15 p.m. in HUB 101 to learn more.

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Opinions HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/opinions

OPINIONS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018

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HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

Wilcox’s handling of Sandoval situation is a failure of leadership

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hancellor Kim Wilcox released a statement on the resignation of James Sandoval, UCR’s Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs of 20 years on Monday, Oct. 22nd, providing the UCR community its first real insight into the circumstances involving Sandoval’s sudden resignation in January of 2018.

Wilcox released his statement after receiving the 298-page investigative report into Sandoval’s behavior conducted by the UC Office of the President, which concluded that in two separate cases involving different complainants, Sandoval was found to have violated the University of California Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment (SVSH) policy. In Wilcox’s words, “the investigation detailed a set of behaviors over a 20-year period, that demonstrated his blatant disregard for university policies and a breach of our principles of community.”

Sandoval was first accused of sexual harassment in Aug. 2017 by an anonymous letter that was mailed to several high-ranking UCOP and UCR individuals,

this letter, the UCOP began the investigation that culminated in the 298page report. In Nov. 2017 Wilcox placed Sandoval on involuntary administrative leave, and in Dec. 2017 Sandoval informed Wilcox that he would be retiring from the university, effective Jan. 2018.

Sandoval was initially accused in Aug. 2017, but UCR administration has not indicated that it took any action against him until three months after, in November. Furthermore, university administration has failed to provide the UCR community any information of why action was then taken against Sandoval three months after, or what, if any, information emerged during that time period that influenced Wilcox’s decision to place Sandoval on leave in November.

The UCOP investigation began almost immediately after the Aug. 2017 complaint was made, but Wilcox claims he only received the investigation’s report in late Oct. 2018.

The astute reader will then question what happened between the three months of Aug. 2017 and Nov. 2017, and why Wilcox did not take action against Sandoval sooner, if the

any significant new information.

The report also suggests that, at least to some degree, Sandoval’s behavior

powerful and predatory male supervisor working in the Student Affairs division of UCR is an incredibly troubling and disappointing

“AT THIS POINT, THE UCR COMMUNITY DOES NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THOSE THREE MONTHS IN BETWEEN THE INITIAL ALLEGATION AND WILCOX’S DECISION TO PLACE SANDOVAL ON LEAVE, AND JUST LIKE THE QUESTIONS REGARDING LARRY NASSAR, THE ADMINISTRATION’S INABILITY TO TRANSPARENTLY ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS IS EVIDENCE OF A FAILURE OF MORAL LEADERSHIP AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE CAMPUS ADMINISTRATION.” had been a sort of “open secret” within Student Affairs for some time, that was only blown open when accusations were made in Aug. 2017.

This timeline, accompanying a very limited picture into the inner review and investigation process that eventually led to Sandoval’s departure, provides a frustratingly insufficient account to the UCR community. While Wilcox failed to take action against Sandoval in August, he appears to

reality that further stains a university which touts its inclusive and supportive environment for women.

The leniency with which Sandoval was able to preside in his position and continuously engage in such conduct casts serious doubt on the legitimacy of UCR’s claims of friendliness to and proper accomodation for women that are so constantly spotlighted as token pride points for the university.

Wilcox’s deafening silence, followed by a frustrating response that is too little, too late, is eerily reminiscent of his botched handling of questions regarding his role of oversight over former Michigan State Dr. Larry Nassar in April. At this point, the UCR community does not know what happened in those three months in between the initial allegation and Wilcox’s decision to place Sandoval on leave, and just like the questions regarding Larry Nassar, the administration’s inability to transparently answer those questions is evidence of a failure of moral leadership at the highest levels of the campus administration.

It is difficult for female students and staff to

“UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION HAS FAILED TO PROVIDE THE UCR COMMUNITY ANY INFORMATION OF WHY ACTION WAS THEN TAKEN AGAINST SANDOVAL THREE MONTHS AFTER, OR WHAT, IF ANY, INFORMATION EMERGED DURING THAT TIME PERIOD THAT INFLUENCED WILCOX’S DECISION TO PLACE SANDOVAL ON LEAVE IN NOVEMBER.” alleging that Sandoval had sexually harassed two of his subordinates “in a similar manner during two different time periods.”

The letter included a list of 10 witnesses and urged an investigation into Sandoval’s treatment of the two previously mentioned employees. After receiving

investigation was ongoing during that time. The timing of Wilcox’s decision is also curious as it lines up with the growing popularity of the #MeToo movement in Nov. 2017, when Wilcox placed Sandoval on administrative leave, while he, to the best of the UCR community’s knowledge, had not learned

feel particularly safe or valued in light of these allegations, particularly when considering that as Vice Chancellor of

have only become serious about Sandoval’s sexual misconduct and taken serious action when public pressure to do so had materialized in the form of the #MeToo movement.

The fact that these female employees faced such systematic harassment and exploitation by a

Student Affairs, Sandoval was essentially the ultimate liaison between students and the university administration. The fact that such conduct persisted for about 20 years (even before Wilcox’s time at UCR) is very troubling, but unfortunately not incredibly surprising given the revelations of the #MeToo movement. The suspicious three-month gap where the credibly-accused Sandoval was allowed to remain in his position after being accused however, is a much more recent violation that is antithetical to the very values UCR enthusiastically prides itself on. It is hard to imagine that Wilcox’s three-month delay was of a sinister nature; however, the university administration has failed to provide the campus with information that could easily clear this suspicion. Wilcox’s uncanny ability to act with an all but permissive complacency concerning matters of sexual abuse within his administrations, both at MSU and UCR, proves that old habits really do die hard.

■H Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

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OPINIONS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/opinions

OPINION POLL Compiled by Thomas Holguin Staff Photographer

“Is UCR a safe environment for women?”

Ajay Raj Computer Engineering Third-year

Jaspreet Kaur Creating Writing Fourth-year

“UCR does its best to make the campus a safe space for ideas and opportunities for women ... you can see by all the UCPD sexual assault alerts and necessity for pepper spray that this may not be the case.”

“Sometimes.”

Kalyn Lee TFDP Fourth-year “I think being on campus at UCR is generally safe.

During the day there are alwayspeoplearoundand I feel very comfortable being in all places on campus. However, at night I don’t feel the same level of comfort.”

Liz Tocker Sustainability Fourth-year

Rifat Ahmed Psychology Fourth-year

Sid Sharma Computer Science Third-year

“I think overall UCR is a safe space for women and the campus consistently tries to make efforts for it to be so.”

“I think overall in my experience It has been a safe space.

Maybe it hasn’t for others based on what I have seen based on the UCPD reports, so it’s like a yes/no.”

“Riverside as a city isn’t really a safe space for anyone, but UCR as a school does its best to provide a safe space for women.”

What our president needs to learn about his rhetoric ELAINE CHEN Contributing Writer

On Oct. 24, the nation believed for about half a day that President Donald Trump was finally going to understand the repercussions of his seemingly nonstop attacks on his critics. Shortly after law enforcement agencies intercepted suspicious packages on their way to notable Democratic politicians and CNN, Trump called the attempted bombings “despicable” and promised the public that the perpetrator would be tracked down by the federal government.

“We have to unify. We have to come together … Acts or threats of violence of any kind have no place in the United States of America,” he proclaimed.

A day after the first few stories of the suspected pipe bombs began circulating, however, Trump almost immediately backtracked on his message of solidarity, tweeting that the “Fake News” was to blame and claiming that mainstream media has “gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description.”

This ill-timed tweet was sent out as news stories were still breaking discoveries of new attempted bombings, and all those targeted by these almost identical packages fell under a common denominator: prominent critics of Trump. Trump’s inability to authentically condemn political violence, coupled with his petulant refusal to acknowledge it as such, shows his clear complicity in these attacks.

Thankfully, the suspect of the attacks is in custody, but this recent event also gave way to conspiracy speculation, mostly fueled by conservatives who claim that this was all a ploy to make Republicans look bad right before the midterm elections.

These claims came despite several law enforcement agencies sharing that the suspect behind the bombing had more than 100 potential victims. Names on the list remain unreleased, although the FBI is working to notify those who didn’t directly receive a package to still warn them.

Trump also tweeted Oct. 29, calling out “The Fake News Media” once again as “the true Enemy of the People,” and claiming that once hostile reporting comes to a halt, these

kind of attacks will also come to an end.

It is disappointing, but not surprising, to see that even after the very obvious message the suspected bomber was trying to send, our president still managed to set forth the narrative that certain media outlets are the villains.

Trump, time after time, fails to grasp the very basic idea that what he says will resonate heavily with his supporters as his statements are hoisted up on one of the biggest platforms in the world. The president continues to create hostility towards any media outlets that utter a single word of criticism towards his actions, yet miraculously still tried defending himself against suggestions that his rhetoric incited this latest mail-bombing attack.

There’s a very clear correlation between Donald Trump’s history of aversion towards mainstream media,and the targeted attacks that occurred throughout the week of Oct. 22. Also noteworthy is the fact that the attempted bomber was discovered to be the owner of a van covered in pro-Trump pictures and stickers, as well as images expressing hate for CNN. Speaking of correlation, other recipients of the pipe bombs have been famously targeted

by Trump personally at his rallies: Hillary Clinton is the receiving end of the infamous “lock her up” chants that echo at nearly every Trump rally, even though it’s been two years after Clinton and Trump competed against each other in a political campaign.

Representative Maxine Waters of California has been denounced by Trump as “crazy” with a “very low I.Q.” CNN is also frequently under fire by Trump and his supporters, who target the news outlet with the “CNN sucks” chant at many Trump rallies, prompting the president to reply, “Don’t worry,

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

I don’t like them either.” It’s unfathomable that Trump has frequented attacks on these same figures and networks in a neverending loop and then stated that he doesn’t think his words had any type of involvement with the bombs that were mailed out and intended to strike against those that he commonly and openly disparages.

The message Trump delivered of unifying against political violence, although extremely short-lived, is fairly difficult to come across nowadays in such a polarizing political climate in general – Trump is definitely not the only person to contribute to an environment of thinning political tolerance and increased violence, but he is currently the country’s biggest political figure.

Waters once unwisely told her supporters to confront and harass Republicans, saying that it’s important to give them “no peace, no sleep” for being complacent under Trump’s actions. Despite the fact that she identifies with the political party that more or less opposes Trump’s ideas, holding a different ideology still isn’t an excuse for spreading messages that prioritize harassment and violence. However, although

her message could have done better in terms of not encouraging hostile behavior, it’s not the total equivalent to the outbursts of violence led

by Trump’s rhetoric, such as the Charlottesville incident and the most recent attempted bombings.

It’s a frustrating atmosphere to live in when figures from both political parties are ramping up their hostility and openly encouraging uncivil behavior, but it’s still important to recognize the effects these kinds of speeches can have.

Both parties carry the ability to do harm with the kind of angle they decide to take with those who oppose their ideas. When was the last time something productive came about from calling violence and aggression to those who didn’t share the same beliefs as one another? People have tried pointing out how Trump isn’t the first political figure to have an extremist supporter lash out against the opposing party in violence, which is true: an alleged Bernie supporter started shooting at a Republican baseball practice in 2017, but unlike Trump, Sanders stuck to his condemnation on the

attack, stressing that “violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society,” and emphasizing the importance of “nonviolent action.”

Trump didn’t last 48 hours without going back to blaming the media for this violence, despite the overwhelming amount of evidence that pointed to the perpetrator carrying out the act in the name of farright extremism. The attacks on the media will only further create hostility between Trump supporters and nearly 80 percent of the press who have been labeled by Trump as “the enemy of the people.” Our president should keep in mind however, that maybe if he didn’t make so many statements that required fact-checking by analytic media sources, he wouldn’t be under the impression that the majority of the press is out to get him.

Donald Trump still has at least two years of presidency left, and instead of spending rest of his first term slandering anyone who tries to challenge a statement of his, Trump should be trying to allocate more time and energy to ensuring ways to mitigate violent behavior, even if he doesn’t think he’s behind provoking it.

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OPINIONS

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/opinions

ADRIANNE OFFRIL Contributing Writer

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018

A culture is more than a costume

Halloween is a holiday traditionally known to be the spookiest day of the year, where you can dress up as anything you want from a simple ghost to elaborately planned zombie costumes complete with tarnished clothes and ghoulish makeup.

In recent years, Halloween has become increasingly politicized as awareness of cultural sensitivities takes on a more prominent role in societal discourse.

The latest incident in the ongoing debate about cultural appropriation came when NBC’s Megyn Kelly expressed her distaste for political correctness of Halloween costumes.

During her show “Megyn Kelly Today” airing Oct. 23, Kelly expressed that she was “fired up over Halloween costumes,” adding “political correctness gone amok.” Controversy followed, however, when Kelly discussed the use of blackface as a costume and asked “What is racist?” about it, earning her a wave of backlash on social media. Kelly was quick to apologize later that day, stating that she needed to “rethink her views.”

Kelly’s comment, while indicative of her ignorance, opens up a bigger conversation about what is and isn’t socially acceptable in the realm of Halloween costumes. Costumes that portray stereotypes of other cultures such as indigenous people and Mexicans have been growing in popularity over the years, and many people do not realize the cultural and historical significance behind the cultures they are dressing as.

More often than not, these costumes do more to ridicule a culture than celebrate it. Costumes that falsely represent a culture, regardless of intent, are not the best choice when it comes to choosing what to wear for Halloween.

Costumes, such as ones that are supposed to depict cultures like indigenous people of America by wearing replica headdresses and haphazardly drawn face paint do more to perpetuate the system of racism that is embedded in our society.The reason why the cultures are made into costumes is because they were never taken seriously in the first place. From the beginning of our country’s history, people of color were treated as less than human.

One of the most infamous events in our country’s history is Christopher Columbus’ “discovery” of America in 1492. While many history books put Columbus on a pedestal, we aren’t usually taught that he and his crew forced the indigenous people into slavery and tried to force Christianity onto them, trying to erase their culture in favor for a European one. America’s long history of slavery and mistreatment of black people has also written the “people of color are less than human” narrative deeper into our society. In the 17th and 18th centuries, black people were treated as property and were sold off to white owners who did not treat them with respect or humanity. They were forced to work on plantations and did not reap the benefits of their work; instead those benefits were given to the white owners.

As a result, hundreds of years later, these people, their culture and their history still aren’t being served the respect that is rightfully theirs. Costumes that poke fun at cultural stereotypes such as indigenous people’s traditional wear or wearing a Japanese kimono completely ignore the cultural significance and history behind them. Doing so is exemplifying cultural appropriation, or taking aspects from a person’s culture without understanding or respecting it.

Cultural appropriation becomes an

The problem with

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even bigger issue when a person who already holds power practices it. What defines a person as “powerful” can change depending on what lens you view it from, but from a historical and cultural perspective, white Americans tend to be of the highest socioeconomic status.

They often haven’t lived through the hardships that people of color inAmerica have experienced, such as discrimination on the basis of skin color. When a person in a powerful position relegates others’ cultures to a silly costume on Halloween, it further affirms the notion that these cultures aren’t to be taken seriously and shows the public that making fun of these cultures is acceptable.

For example, a suburban white man dressing up in dreadlocks on Halloween will get some laughs, maybe even some praise for his “costume,” while a black man who wears dreadlocks on a daily basis will have numerous stereotypes

immediately attached to him and will get treated differently simply because he is black. The white man will never experience being stereotyped in this way and so may not understand the implications of his choices.

Before issuing her apology, Megyn Kelly expressed her confusion about the debate on Halloween costumes, saying that the whole point of Halloween is “... to dress up and pretend you’re something other than yourself.” People that share her views also expressed their distaste for people becoming too sensitive, and it is a common argument that people should just dress up as whatever they want. They are correct, but only up to a certain extent.

Halloween is a perfect time to dress up and take on a whole other persona, but you must be mindful of what you are putting on and tread respectfully.

Having the freedom to wear what you choose doesn’t make it ok to be

racially and culturally insensitive.

Wearing blackface, or other cultural costumes as a joke desensitizes people to the history of a culture and its meaning.

People from cultures that are made out to be costumes for the entertainment of others can feel dehumanized, which again, further perpetuates the racist society that exists today and has existed since the beginning of our country.

At the end of the day, it truly does come down to personal choice, but you need to think about how your costume will be received by the public, by the person/people it represents and the history behind it. Is it a smart choice? Is it a socially conscious choice? Halloween has already come and gone for this year, but for any other time you might be putting on a costume, keep in mind that what seems light-hearted may have a deeper significance than just a simple costume.

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GENDER

Q UOTAS in boardrooms

AMY PERRY Contributing Writer

A California State Senate bill signed Sunday, Sept. 30 requires companies with headquarters in the state to have at least one woman on their board of directors. Companies that do not comply with SB 826 as early as 2019 can face up to $300,000 in fines. The authors of the bill, Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) and Senator Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) cite the bill’s goal as an attempt to bring greater gender diversity to corporate boards. Although the bill was introduced with the aim

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to improve gender representation, a law requiring hiring standards for companies is problematic because it ultimately preferences one class of people over another.

California has become the first state to enact such a law, and it’s unclear whether it will continue to stand or be struck down by a federal court. An analysis on this issue conducted by the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), admits that “the use of a quota-like system, as proposed by this bill … may be difficult to defend.” According to previous Supreme Court rulings, such as United States v.

Virginia, the standard is that sexdiscriminatory laws must have an “exceedingly persuasive justifica-

tion.” The gender quota that is being demanded for boardrooms to adopt discriminates against men.

The federal court may find the law lacks justification for such discrimination. According to the Pew Research Center, four in ten women report gender discrimination at work. This new law might seem like justification for the disadvantages women face in the corporate world, but having a sex-discriminatory law is a drastic step that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Additionally, more than 30 business groups oppose the new legislation. Most notably, the California Chamber of Commerce expressed opposition by stating, “a state law that requires California-based companies to either arbitrarily dismiss a male member of their board of directors or create a new seat on their board without allowing men to be hired or elected to that position violates the U.S. and state constitutions.”

With the new legislation, many employers could be left in a difficult situation when choosing candidates for the positions.

With this law, the precedent has been set: companies can no longer hire according to merit alone.

Instead, they are legally forced to hire a certain class of people for a specific position. The newly signed bill affects employees as well. A candidate for the position who would otherwise be the right fit could be unable to fill a position due to an unprecedented law that discriminates against that candidate’s sex. Moreover, such an unforgiving quota means that for some corporate boards, individuals would have to be removed from their positions in place of a new candidate that happens to be the required gender. The law codifies gender-based discrimination, setting a precedent for future law including (and thereby excluding) other classes of people.

The goal of this legislation does address an important issue; equality in gender representation in executive leadership roles is not expected until as late as 2055. This law is intended as a way to fast-track gender equality in corporate positions so that we

don’t have to wait 40 years for gender parity. Jackson also cited the bill as beneficial for businesses, and has some evidence on her side.

Various studies have found it to be true that women in leadership roles are profitable for companies. One example is a 2016 study from the Peterson Institute of Economics which found a correlation between having at least 30 percent of women in leadership positions and up to six percent increases in net profit margin for that company.

Despite the good intentions of making workplaces a more accessible place with executive opportunities more easily available to women, there are serious problems with having a law requiring businesses to hire a certain type of person. The law is likely to be ruled unconstitutional by federal courts, it’s widely opposed by business groups and it leaves employers and employees in unfair situations where the most qualified candidate might have to be replaced with the law-mandated candidate in order to fulfill the quota.

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Features HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features

FEATURES

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018

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Persist 2018: empowering women to make a difference

THOMAS HOLGUIN / HIGHLANDER

Wendy Carillo (D-Los Angeles) speaks at the Persist 2018 conference at UCR. Carillo stated that she ran because she was “not going to wait for someone to tap me on the shoulder and tell me that is my turn.”

MARTHA DELGADO Senior Staff Writer

Denise Davis, the director of the Women’s Resource Center (WRC), will never forget the text message she received from her aunt after the results of the 2016 presidential election were announced. “I have never felt so insignificant as a woman,” her aunt wrote. Following the election, the WRC sought to create a conference to further the political engagement and participation of women. The result was Persist, a conference that seeks to prepare women for engagement in the political field.

The Oct. 26 event marks the second-annual Persist conference.

“We recognize that running for office isn’t for everyone,” stated Davis to the 300-400 attendants inside HUB 302, “and that’s okay. There are many ways to make an impact.”

California Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo was the first keynote speaker. Carrillo shared her experiences being a politically active first-generation American of Salvadorian and Mexican heritage. Carrillo was a broadcast journalist for 12 years and covered many controversial stories such as the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) before getting elected to office. While covering DAPL, Carrillo was tear gassed in her tent. Carrillo stayed to cover DAPL even though her parents were concerned for her safety.

“Sometimes you get the call for justice and you just have to answer it, and that’s what I did,” Carrillo stated. Carrillo decided to run for office because she disagreed with the policies of the current presidential administration. “I’m not going to wait for someone to tap me on the shoulder and tell me that it is my turn,” Carrillo stated.

Award-winning columnist and publisher Dr. Paulette BrownHinds, the second keynote speaker, aspired to run for political office from a very young age. When Brown-Hinds was six years old, she experienced campaigning when her father ran for city council in San Bernardino. “Politics is part of my family’s DNA,” Brown-Hinds stated as she recalled how her family became involved in her father’s campaigning process. BrownHinds originally entered college as a political science major, planned to attend law school and enter politics. She changed her major, however, after taking her first political science class in college and hating it. As an English major, Brown-Hinds found

her passion in literature and writing. Brown-Hinds explained that one does not need to run for political office in order to be politically active. She told the audience how two women who she looks up to, Mary Ann Shadd and Ida B. Wells, paved the way for women of color through their journalism and activism.

Janice Rutherford, second district supervisor in San Bernardino, was the third keynote speaker. After noticing the few hands from people considering to run for public office, Rutherford began by stating that she did not plan to run for public office at first. While recruiting candidates in her community, every one of the people she was recruiting told her to run for office because she was prepared for it through her experience.

“Even though I never intended or aspired for public office it was what I was called to do,” Rutherford reflected. Rutherford emphasized that one does not need to be an elected official or have a title to change the world. “The way you change the world is by serving other people,” she stated.

This year’s Persist added a new component called Mentoring Cafe, where individuals can receive a speed-mentoring session with female leaders working within the public sector. Among the mentors were congressional staffer Monique Pierce, Glocally Connected Chairwoman of the Board Erin Edwards who is also currently running for Riverside City Council, CEO and Founder of Hidden Gems Enterprise Tonya Burke, and Senior Strategist for Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, Torie Osborn.

During lunch, Jacqui Casillas from Planned Parenthood moderated a student activist panel. Biane Arias, a fourth-year political science and public service major, was one of the student activists who was part of the panel. “I attended (Persist 2017) because I was stuck,” began Arias. “I was motivated to improve myself professionally and empower women, but I didn’t know how to get started.” Arias attended Persist last year to hear the motivating words from the speakers and learn how to start her political career. At the conference, Arias met with a fellow from Ignite, a national non-partisan organization based in Oakland that encourages young women to engage in politics, who encouraged Arias and another student to co-found an Ignite chapter at UCR. This year, Davis asked Arias to return to the conference and share her advice on what keeps her motivated to do her work in activism. The Persist conference is not only an opportunity for women to learn about politics but to help women like Arias

become the changemakers they seek to be. “I feel (there are) a lot of young women (that were) like me last year that want to be involved and have the energy but don’t have the encouragement or know-how to get started,” explained Arias. “I think having an elected official speak to you and interact with you is a powerful thing. You are able to see yourself in that position when you hear their story and struggles.”

The latter part of the conference was spent with breakout sessions that covered a variety of different aspects of political involvement.

Erika Lara, a third-year transfer student and anthropology major, was a volunteer at Persist. Throughout the conference, Lara found time to attend one of the breakout sessions, “Palm Springs City Council: LGBTQ Representation in Politics.”

In the session, council members Christy Holstege and Lisa Middleton, who identify as part of the LGBTQ community, spoke about their experiences being a part of the first city council in California made up entirely of LGBTQ members.

“Hearing their perspectives as women and as a trans woman was really interesting,” commented Lara.

While 2018 has been referred to by journalists as the Year of the Woman due to the increase in the number of women running for office, women still have many challenges to overcome.

According to the Center for American Women and Politics, women make up less than 26 percent of local, state and federal government. In terms of women’s representation in state government, California ranks 25th in the nation. In the US Congress, out of the 170 women, only 38 are women of color. In the Riverside City Council, there is not a single councilwoman.

“Persist 2017 was the first event of its kind in the Inland Empire region,” began Davis. “We remain the only event in this area that focuses primarily on furthering women’s political engagement and participation. Women of color and the LGBTQ community are tremendously underrepresented at every level of government, so UCR provides an ideal setting to get more of these minoritized communities engaged and connected to resources to help them lead.”

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FEATURES

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features

LATINOS

remember their heritage DANIEL TSAI Contributing Writer

During the Oct. 31 UCR Bell Tower Nooner, a procession of thundering drums and painted skull faces danced toward the Bell Tower. In their rainbow colored tunics, the dancers blessed the campus and honored their past relatives at the various altars across campus. Laid out across a black cloth were scented candles and various butterfly cutouts — red, striped, blue, green. The aroma of conchas permeates through the air, and in the center, a framed picture of a past relative forms a gateway for the dead to traverse from the land of the dead to the land of the living.

Chicano Student Programs (CSP) have celebrated Dia de Los Muertos annually since 1972. The event is held at the Bell Tower, where CSP-affiliated organizations each build their own altar to honor those that have passed. Students of UCR as well as those from various local schools lined up to join in on the festivities, including face painting and sugar skull decorating.

Dia de los Muertos — Day of the Dead — is a special day for the Latino community, as it symbolizes the day of remembrance when past relatives can cross the barrier from the afterlife to the living and be with present family members. Items that the late relatives enjoyed are offered to express remembrance and admiration for the relatives. Owner of Sweet Angel Creations, who sold tamarindo apples

and sugar cookies throughout the event, Maria Hernandez, says that “Dia de los Muertos is a celebration of life of the people that have left. We invite them to come back and we have offerings for them of their favorite things — things that they liked to do or food that they enjoyed eating.” Moreover, Dia de los Muertos is an opportunity for Latinos to reclaim their identity on American soil, given the current political climate.

Hernandez explains, “sometimes when you move away from home or not close by, it’s harder to do things that celebrate your culture or bring others. And it shows other students from other cultures, that this is what it is. The Mexican tradition of embroidered vestidos bordados, horchata, Frida Kahlo, etc.” The celebration on campus is an opportunity for Hernandez to “bring (her) flavors (and) cultures into (her) creations.”

Moreover, Dia de los Muertos gives representation to Latino individuals.

Victor Hugo Marroquin, a fourth-year philosophy and gender and sexualities major, remarks “It’s a day of remembrance.

Even though it comes with the pain of remembering the dead, death is rebirth; it’s the next journey for the ones that are no longer presente.” To Marroquin, it’s important that UCR honors their lives and ancestral lineage. Marroquin reflects, “As Chicanx, we come from a place of resistance, and we can’t forget where we came from.”

Dia de Los Muertos often represents

an opportunity for Latinos around the world to reclaim pride in their identity.

Marroquin recalls, “I wanted to be white.

I didn’t like the color of my skin, and so it took a lot for us to be here with our individual stories. We stand together — people from our community — with shared experiences … we are marginalized and this event makes me feel strong.”

Melissa Vega, a second-year sociology major, does Aztec dancing back home, but notes it doesn’t feel the same without a community with individual struggles and stories. Vega comments, “Whether you believe spirits are real, Dia de los Muertos is a day of remembering the values of the ancestors that are instilled in your family for generations. Keep in mind that we are descendents of immigrants and we resonate with their personal struggles of the trek.” Also, Dia de Los Muertos is something Latinos do everyday; they have altars in their houses to honor the dead.

Akatzin Torrez, a second-year linguistics and Spanish major, reflected on all the face painted skulls, explaining, “It’s our way of honoring the idea of muerte and Catrina, the female version of death. The long dress and dances and honors symbolizes that we all eventually reach death, but we should embrace it.”

Dia de los Muertos is a holiday that teaches those who participate to not fear death but to welcome it. CSP hopes to continue to honor these traditions with their future events.

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R adar ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

EVENTS THIS WEEK 11/07

Nooners Performance by Sallee Free @UCR Bell Tower, 12:00pm to 1:00pm

11/15

UCR Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo @ Arts Building, Performance Lab, ARTS 166, 8:00pm to 9:30pm

11/16

Homecoming Bonfire 2018 @CHASS Interdisciplinary North, Lot 19/INTN Field

JIMMY LAI / HIGHLANDER

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018

RADAR “ B oh e mi a n R h a p s ody”

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i s a Maj esti c O d e t o Q u een SILVIA FERRER Contributing Writer

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“Bohemian Rhapsody” is the highly awaited biopic on the legendary 1970s rock band Queen and its frontman Freddie Mercury. Like most, I’ve heard their singles before (including “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the mega-hit the movie is named after), but I knew nothing about the history of the band.

While I expected a decent take on the dangers of rock star life, I didn’t expect such an emotional, multifaceted story. “Bohemian Rhapsody” is a touching film whose thrilling musical background and powerful performances make for a captivating watch.

Spanning a decade, the movie provides a thorough background of Freddie Mercury, from before Queen was formed through their rise to stardom. The film immediately reels the watcher in with a fan-favorite: “Somebody to Love” plays while Mercury (Rami Malek) hypes himself up as curtains part to reveal a crowd of thousands. Malek is perfectly cast.

His sharp facial features create an incredible resemblance to the late Mercury, although he is missing the large, buck teeth the late singer was known for. As Mercury’s teeth were an essential part of his persona, (early in the movie, Malek’s character explains that his teeth give him a musical edge he wouldn’t otherwise have) Malek wore fake teeth throughout the entirety of the movie. However, these prosthetics were very distracting at times. Malek seemed uncomfortable in them, as if he couldn’t close his mouth, and they poked out in an unsightly manner frequently.

Aside from this small detail, I would

be shocked if Malek’s performance wasn’t at least nominated for an Oscar.

He is expressive in his every movement.

Like Mercury, his confidence and charisma draw the attention to him (although the supporting cast is similarly impressive in their roles) in every scene. An eye twitch and Malek could have the audience laughing or crying.

The concert scenes (which there are a lot of) never feel excessive or repetitive. They are electric, perfectly encapsulating the energy and excitement of the moment. The cinematography is well-done, if nothing new, and creates a colorful backdrop to the band’s history. There isn’t much change to how Mercury acts on stage, but every concert scene is goosebumps-worthy.

Mercury feels electric on stage, and his band members create a funny, three-dimensional supporting cast to his genius. They never feel tacked on to the storyline; the scenes that focus on their song-writing instead of Mercury’s are equally as powerful and interesting. Occasionally there is some comedic relief, but this also is spread out evenly. However, the film is primarily focused on Mercury and his struggle with stardom, his sexuality and his identity issues.

While dealing with somewhat bleak subjects, the film never paints Mercury as a victim. The tense scenes where he is at odds with someone or obviously struggling aren’t indulging — they are beautifully acted and subtle enough to be crushing but not over the top.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” is engrossing and occasionally heartbreaking without feeling sensationalized. It’s fairly long (just over two hours), but like the titular six-minute long hit, it doesn’t feel overstretched.

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Verdict:

With powerful performances and impassioned music, “Bohemian Rhapsody” is an emotional and fascinating must-see. Once the credits roll, super fans and casual listeners alike are sure to be moved by the inspiring story of the celebrated English band and its unforgettable lead singer.

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Radar

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018

“BALLADS 1,” coming to an elevator near you!

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IAN CHEW Contributing Writer

George Miller, also known as, Joji, Pink Guy and most notably, Filthy Frank, is a former YouTube star who initially gained his popularity from his own ridiculous antics uploaded on the platform. Now as a budding alternative R&B artist operating under the alias Joji, he seemingly counters that irreverent persona with the creation of his debut album, “BALLADS 1”. The 12-track album is a follow up to his six-track EP, “In Tongues,” which frankly feels more fulfilling than its double-length successor. Unfortunately, despite exhibiting mastery in beautiful lo-fi production and notable vocals, Joji doesn’t seem to step out of the shadows of more established artists such as Billie Eilish, King Krule and Rex Orange County, whose mastery of the genre, as

well as its melancholy undertones, make Joji’s debut feel watered down and nonessential.

Parts of this album manage to feel enjoyable, with a beautiful track in “SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK,” and melodically pleasing songs like, “CAN’T GET OVER YOU” and “WANTED U.” However, this still is far from compensation for an album where the remainder of tracks are about as musically dense as a typical 30-second interlude. Without the inclusion of the three aforementioned tracks, one could question why Joji even bothered putting out this project.

What makes these tracks so admirable despite their monotony is that they show Joji’s artistic ambition. His failure to stand out as an individual voice, however, causes him to get sucked into the instrumental and on the remainder of the album makes the other nine songs feel like elevator music. Joji fails to expand his vocal range, or

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even utilize autotune to supplement his own monotonality, so the majority of his singing sounds as if it’s coming from someone who just woke up. The lyrical makeup of “BALLADS 1” also seems incredibly rushed and sparse, with broad themes never expanding past generalized unrequited love and obsessive infatuation that make Joji seem like a hopeless teenage romantic lamenting over his first break up. With this in mind, it feels as though there’s a lack of confidence from Joji; there’s no individuality felt within “BALLADS 1,” and every track feels replaceable by just about any other song stemming from the current lo-fi aesthetic trend.

“BALLADS 1,” with all of its diluted artistry, is an utter disappointment. “In Tongues” was a sample-size of what Joji could do as an established artist, and this had many fans in high anticipation after spending months looping Joji’s Soundcloud hits such as “i don’t wanna waste my time” or “rain on me” which established him as an up-and-comer with tons of potential.

Despite the disappointment of “BALLADS 1,” Joji has exhibited enough raw potential to not be counted out just yet. Even his less serious works under his Pink Guy alias, despite being somewhat “joke songs,” allowed Joji to enter the scene as a polarizing, avant-garde artist who utilized a plethora of experimental, industrial sounds that distinguished him from the very beginning. This initial promise caused an even greater discrepancy with “BALLADS 1,” which isn’t just basic compared to Joji’s past works, but just outright generic compared to any alternative R&B album.

Due to its overly normal and crowd-pleasing features, this album finds itself in this odd state of feeling forcefully diluted in order to appease the masses, yet not being unique enough to attract anyone’s attention. Had Joji come onto the scene releasing “BALLADS 1,” then finding himself experimenting with his sound like he did early on, it would be much more acceptable. Rather, it seems Joji is compromising his sound without managing to gain any sort of traction, especially when compared to his far more successful competitors in the genre.

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Verdict:

“BALLADS 1” is a head-scratcher that leaves listeners confused as to who Joji is as an artist, and ends up being an oversimplified mess that is nonessential at best.

Hopefully this album was just Joji’s attempt to please a large audience and not an indicator of his future creative direction.

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018

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“Castlevania” is a sliver of hope for the future of video game adaptations MARCELO GARCIA Senior Staff Writer

The first season of “Castlevania,” which premiered on Netflix last July, stood out as one of the most compelling and unexpectedly released projects on the platform (with little to no marketing for the series, it simply showed up on the site).

While four measly 20-minute episodes can hardly be called a season, from its start, the show lured viewers into a captivating world of demons and vampire hunters that made every minute count. By the time it was over, viewers were left wanting more, and with the announcement of a follow up season shortly after release, “Castlevania” promised to deliver.

The series follows Trevor Belmont, the last son of the legendary house of Belmont (an ancient bloodline of vampire hunters) who joins forces with wandering sorceress, Sypha, and Dracula’s own son, Alucard, to put an end to the vampire war on humanity.

With only eight episodes this second season is still far from the 13-24 episode format that viewers are accustomed to.

That being said, it picks up right where the first season left off, and accomplishes some rather dense world building that wasn’t entirely fleshed out by season one’s short run time. In just the first two episodes, we learn about vampire society, the inner workings of Dracula’s army and get some nice character development for our main antagonist.

The plotline that develops here is also nice, as it’s loosely based on the video game series without requiring prior knowledge or heavy investment in the lore. Although it is worth noting that there are tons of callbacks to these games as well as nods to the lore of the expanded Castlevania universe, the references are so plentiful that even those who have only

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played one installment can find some enjoyment in them.

Admittedly, season two’s initial start is rather slow-paced, and most of the world building and exposition is crammed into the first two episodes. However, once we get back to our main trio, the story really kicks it into gear. All three of our protagonists feel very fleshed out, and even Sypha (who arguably has the fewest stakes in the conflict) is important to driving the story forward and makes her screen time enjoyable; even when it drags us away from Alucard, who by far takes the spotlight in the character development department this season. This is all in addition to the fact that the last three episodes contain some of the best animated and most exciting scenes I’ve seen all year, which completely justify the small cuts in production quality that are slightly noticeable in other episodes.

With its darker tones and undeniable character, one can only hope that “Castlevania” helps start a trend of more large-

budget animated features that aren’t family centric or outright comedic.

Another Netflix original, “Bojack Horseman,”

does a fully animated feature offer an alternative to the enormous amount of resources devoted to CG, but it can also

“not only does a fully animated feature offer an alternative to the enormous amount of resources devoted to CG, but it can also serve a solution to the break in immersion that CGI can cause in live action films.” has been a forerunner for the medium, showing just how successful creative animation for adults can be. With enormous CGI budgets in most summer blockbusters, the demand for over the top and stylized stories is undeniable. And not only

serve a solution to the break in immersion that CGI can cause in live action films.

This offers a solution to Hollywood’s ongoing struggle with video game adaptations being notoriously awful. From the “Super Mario Bros” and

“Mortal Kombat” films of the 90s to the more recent “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” and “Assassin’s Creed,” live action production has never quite been able to capture the essence of the beloved source material it attempts to adapt.

This is largely in part due to the difficulties that naturally arise from shifting from a 2D to 3D medium. However, animation not only shows potential to be a great way to adapt video games, but has already proven itself with cult classics like 1993’s “Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie.”

Animation is an untapped gold mine that the likes of Disney and Dreamworks have only scratched the surface of.

The endless amount of stories that haven’t been told and worlds yet to be explored, can only be discovered with more projects like “Castlevania.” Projects that, although at first glance seem like they won’t garner much popularity, have the ability to cultivate the stagnant mainstream of animated features.

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COURTESY OF NETFLIX

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018

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Golden goal sends men’s soccer to HIGHLANDER HOT TAKES first-ever Big West tournament final De’Aaron Fox is a legitimate Most Improved Player candidate

JARYD BONGCARAS Senior Staff Writer

For the first time in program history, the UC Riverside men’s soccer team (7-9-2, 5-2-1) will appear in the Big West Conference Tournament final. The Highlanders knocked off defending champion Cal State Fullerton (7-5-9, 2-42) in dramatic fashion, edging the Titans 3-2 in overtime. These same two teams played each other last week and drew a tie, but with the stakes raised this time around, they both brought their A-game on Saturday night. This historic victory for the Highlanders also denies CSUF from reaching the championship round for the third year in a row, as the Titans have appeared in four of the last five tournament finals.

Both teams were aggressive right out of the gate, with CSUF and UCR attacking the opposition’s goal in the second and sixth minutes, respectively.

The two teams remained scoreless throughout most of the first half, until sophomore midfielder Daniel Aguirre scored in the 45th minute, putting UCR on the board just before halftime. Aguirre rushed the left side with senior Antonio Lokossou, as Lokossou perfectly set up Aguirre for the Highlander’s first goal on the night.

The Highlander lead didn’t last

JONATHAN FERNANDEZ Senior Staff Writer

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very long heading into the second half, as CSUF’s Ross McPhie quickly responded with a goal off a corner kick nearly a minute into the second half. Then, in the 67th minute, Fullerton’s Carlos Escobedo placed a corner kick into the box where it would ricochet off of a UCR player and find the back of the net. The own-goal for Riverside gave the visiting team a 2-1 advantage, as it appeared that the Highlanders were letting the game slip away from their hands.

Despite the wild turn of events, the Highlanders stayed poised and aggressive for the remainder

of regulation, waiting patiently for the right opportunity to strike.

That opportunity came knocking on UCR’s door in the 80th minute as Fullerton’s goalkeeper, PaulAndre Guerin, knocked over a Highlander player in the box, giving the home team a penalty kick.

Riverside chose to bring up senior defender Dusan Keca for the opportunity, with a chance to tie the game and send it into overtime. Keca came through in the clutch, scoring his fourth goal of the season and keeping his team alive with a score of 2-2 into extra

time.

UC Riverside’s historical victory came in the 99th minute, as Lokossou notched his second assist on the night, setting up freshman Daniel Castaneda for a golden goal into the bottom right corner.

The team has flipped the script, winning seven of their last 10 matches after a rough 0-7-1 start to the season. Now, the Highlanders stand one win away from an incredible season turnaround, as they’ll host UC Davis in the championship round Saturday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.

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UCR Volleyball wins home thriller, finishes week with split RICARDO GARCIA Contributing Writer

The Highlanders volleyball team (7-15, 2-8) returned to action on the road at Cal State Northridge (7-17, 3-9) Tuesday, Oct. 30, looking to keep their momentum going following a win against Cal State Fullerton.

However, in a season full of inconsistency, UCR soundly fell to the Matadors in four sets.

Senior setter Chelsea Doyle led the Highlanders with a game-high 40 assists, while freshman outside hitter Nailah Jones tied for a game-high 13 kills. Senior outside hitter Aeryn Owens and junior middle blocker Morgan Salone each led the Matadors with 13 kills each, while senior defensive specialist/libero Kristey Markle led all players with 19 digs.

The Highlanders took control in the first set, leading 11-8 early on. However, the Matadors pulled ahead with a 5-1 scoring run. After a brief tie at 17-17, the Matadors used another big 6-1 run to overwhelm the Highlanders and take a 1-0 set lead.

Once again, the Highlanders dominated the beginning of the second set, leading by as many as five early on at 13-8. However, a Matador run brought the score to within one at 15-14. Later on, the Highlanders’ lead slipped, allowing an 18-15 lead to become a 19-18 deficit. Although they recovered to retake a late 23-21 lead, UCR was held scoreless the rest of the set and lost 25-23, falling into a 2-0 hole.

The Highlanders looked to respond with urgency in the third set, but trailed the Matadors 7-5 early on. A big run from Riverside helped them take the lead at 9-7, and they held the lead until the Matadors rallied from down 21-

18 to tie the set at 21-21. Looking to avoid another collapse, the Highlanders outscored CSUN 4-1 to force a fourth set.

UCR tried to keep the momentum going after staying alive, but failed to do so despite a 3-2 lead early on. The Matadors began to pull away with a 6-1 run to take command of the set.

Although the Highlanders brought the score to within one point at 11-10, they surrendered another massive 8-2 run and ultimately lost the set 25-19 and the match 3-1.

The Highlanders didn’t have long to mull over a tough loss, however, and returned home to welcome the UC Irvine Anteaters (14-10, 8-4) to town on Friday, Nov. 2.

The Anteaters had won four of their last five games entering the weekend-opening contest and looked for a season sweep of the Highlanders. Right away, it looked like they might do just that.

UCR struggled right out of the gate, trailing 12-6 early on.

However, they found their rhythm and used an 8-2 run to tie the game 14-14 midway through the set. Although UCR kept the game close and trailed 18-17 late, they were outscored by a 7-2 UCI run and lost the first set 25-19.

In contrast with the first set, UCR had a solid start in the second, and took a quick 10-5 lead. The Highlanders continued to build on their lead, and pushed it to as high as eight. The home team dominated the set and won 25-17, and tied the game at 1-1.

The Highlanders once again took UCI by surprise in the third set, building yet another large lead at 13-6. However, the Anteaters did not go down quietly, cutting the lead to two at 20-18. UCR

De’Aaron Fox’s development has been easy to miss, mainly because his team, the Sacramento Kings, aren’t very good and don’t usually receive national coverage (four nationally televised games).

I had noticed a subtle uptick in his numbers this season, but his play really took center stage on Thursday night when he scored 31 points, grabbed 10 boards and dished out 15 assists, while simultaneously almost beating my whole fantasy team by himself. I was definitely surprised by this considering I have both Ben Simmons and Giannis Antetokounmpo on my team.

With his stellar performance, Fox joined only LeBron James as the only players to record a 30-point triple-double before their 21st birthday.

Fox has made a big jump from year one to two, not only in production but also in his efficiency. In year one, Fox averaged 11 points, four assists, and two rebounds on 40 percent shooting, but this year the secondyear point guard is averaging 19 points, five rebounds, and eight assists on 50 percent shooting.

It’s normal for players’ stats to take a leap when their minutes increase as Fox’s have, but to improve his field goal percentage by 10 percentage points shows the amount of work he put in during the offseason and his improved shot selection.

If Fox can keep up this level of production over the course of the season, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be in the conversation for Most Improved Player. As of right now there isn’t a player in the league who has taken as big of a leap as Fox and really the only thing that could stop people from noticing is the fact he plays on the Kings, who barely receive any national coverage.

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COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

was able to hold off the comeback attempt, and escaped the set with a score of 25-22.

With the match score sitting at 2-1 in their favor, the Highlanders were closing in on an upset win in four sets. However, the team did not play the fourth set with the same intensity they had in the previous two sets. Although they trailed 7-6 early on, they only managed to score seven more points and lost the set 25-13, sending the game to a decisive fifth set.

The fifth set was tightly contested, with the Highlanders leading early on 8-4. Looking for their second win in three games,

the Highlanders surged to a 15-11 upset win, putting a dent in UC Irvine’s Big West Tournament hopes. This also marks the first time the team has beat UCI in six years.

Freshman outside hitter Marissa Holt led the Highlanders with a game-high 18 kills, and senior setter Chelsea Doyle finished with a game-high 54 assists.

The Highlanders split both their games this week, and will welcome UC Davis (15-9, 7-5) to the SRC Arena Saturday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. The Aggies have won six straight games within the Big West.

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