Vol111 issue01 by Santa Monica College Corsair Newspaper

CORSAIR

MARCH 02, 2016 | VOLUME 111 ISSUE 01 | SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

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SURPRISE SUSPENSION OF SMC CHEER PROGRAM (PG. 5)

ICC RESIGNS (PG. 3-4)

NEW POLICE CHIEF (PG. 4)

CAMPUS COSMETOLOGY (PG. 6-7)

ADDERALL ON CAMPUS (PG. 11)

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CONTENT

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 01 • MARCH 2, 2016• SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

EDITORIAL STAFF Nik Lucaj .......................................Editor-in-Chief corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com Bailey Peraita.............................Managing Editor corsair.managing@gmail.com Adam Robert Thomas .......................News Editor corsair.news@gmail.com Alissa Nardo ...........................Health & Lifestyle corsair.lifestylepage@gmail.com Grace Gardner ............................ Opinion Editor corsair.opinionpage@gmail.com Josh Shure .........................................Sports Editor corsair.sportspage@gmail.com Jacob Hirsohn ......Arts & Entertainment Editor corsair.calendarpage@gmail.com Alexander Melendez ........... Multimedia Editor corsair.multimediadept@gmail.com

Photo by (September Bottoms)

Jose Lopez ...........................................Photo Editor corsairphotoeditor@gmail.com Ramses Lemus ...................... Social Media Editor socialmedia.corsair@gmail.com Alissa Nardo....................................Design Editor corsair.designteam@gmail.com

FACULTY ADVISORS Saul Rubin ............................. Journalism Advisor Gerard Burkhart........................... Photo Advisor

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR NIK LUCAJ EDITOR-INCHIEF

As I write this inaugural Letter from the Editor, the Super Tuesday results h ave been mostly confirmed. It seems inevitable that we’re looking at a Trump vs. Clinton election. Like most people, it seemed unfathomable to me seven months ago that Trump’s grade school bullying act would be able to sustain any kind of legitimate run. The American public couldn’t be that stupid could they? Well, I was wrong. Every day he’s been able to recover from statements that show new depths of stupidity with a simple mix of New York bravado and a complete detachment from reality. And with each delegate he collects, Mike Judge looks more prophetic. Judge’s 1996 movie, “Idiocracy,” portrayed a dystopian future where society has become so dumb, that Luke Wilson, an average guy who finds himself there after a long hibernation, is the smartest man alive. The president in this future America is a former pro wrestler by the name of Mountain Dew Camacho. The connection is not hard to make. It’s pretty obvious at this point. This is where the presidency is headed.

Each republican debate sounds more and more like a shouting match between Hulk Hogan and the Macho Man Randy Savage. The winner of each debate is no longer the person who had the most eloquent, well thought out answers, but the person who drops the dopest battle rap and elicits the biggest, “Ohhhhhhhhh!” from the crowd. It’s “8 mile” minus the wordplay. But this is nothing new. Politics has been a more combative form of American Idol since its inception and regardless of how fresh 24hour news cycles try to keep it, it’s the same old song and dance. Trump, Clinton. Clinton, Trump. One’s more liberal than they lead on and the other’s more conservative than they lead on. Let’s at least check a box and elect the first woman. But enough about American politics: this is SMC. The Spring semester has kicked off with some interesting sights, sounds and developments. There have been jugglers, dancing bears, and a preacher attracting a crowd of over 100 people. In this issue, our cover story is one of the more curious developments this semester: the cancellation of the Spring Cheer Program. One of the consistently rising stocks at SMC, it has seen incredible success since the hiring of Jessie Moorehead in 2013. Last week it was officially cancelled after a rules violation. Our Sports Editor Joshua Shure and I dug deeper to figure out what happened and why such drastic action was taken.

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Also in this edition, issues within student government led the entire InterClub Council, which makes up 1/5 of AS, to resign. Adam R. Thomas, our News Editor and The Corsair’s version of the T 1 000, investigates while also finding enough time to profile the new SMCPD Police Chief. Jacob Hirsohn, our impossible to satisfy A&E Editor, focuses his gaze on the Oscars for threep lus hours and this makes him unhappy. Meanwhile Adam and Opinion Editor Grace Gardner duel over Hillary Clinton’s integrity. We all worked incredibly hard to make this first issue happen and get the semester off to an auspicious start. So much so, that as we get ready to send this issue to print, midnight has long passed. The staff has every right to be pissy, but they're not. They have all stuck it out to the very end and poured all the energy they have into the ink on these pages. Without every single member of the staff doing everything they could to help, this opening edition wouldn't have happened on time. We hope you enjoy the fruit of that labor.

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NEWS

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 01 • MARCH 2, 2016• SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

EXODUS OF INTER-CLUB COUNCIL LEAVES HOLE IN STUDENT GOVT.

The AS Board of Directors carries on without the ICC in the Cayton Center for their board meeting on Feb. 29, 2016 (September Bottoms)

After Resignation of ICC Members from AS Board, President Randel Promises Reform ADAM R. THOMAS NEWS EDITOR If you’ve been attending the regular Associated Students (AS) meetings at the Cayton Center since the start of the spring semester, you will have noticed something during AS Secretary Wave Baskerville’s opening roll call at the start of every meeting: all of the Inter-Club Council (ICC) seats are currently vacant. This isn’t due to ill health, holiday, or an important ICC conference out of town. None of the ICC members on the AS Board of Directors – ICC Chair Kevin Picard, ICC Vice Chair Lahari Indraganti, and ICC Communications Officer Isaac Medeiros – remain in their positions, each having resigned over the winter semester. The reason for the mass exodus of ICC heads? According to AS President Jesse Randel, it has to do with overly demanding unit requirements for eligibility that students serving on the ICC and AS boards must live up to. Requirements that Randel says put too much pressure on those who participate in student government, especially those majoring in STEM fields or with learning disabilities. “This AS board has eight people who are STEM majors," said Randel. "Well, not anymore it doesn't. And one who was a learning disabled student. But not anymore. All because of the eight unit minimum requirement.” According to the ICC Constitution, the eligibility requirements are the same as in the AS Constitution, which stipulates that all AS Board members must “be enrolled in at least eight (8) units at SMC and must be in good academic and conduct standing with at least a 2.0 G.P.A. during both the Spring semester directly preceding the beginning of their newly appointed term, as well as in the Fall and Spring semesters of that term.” By the end of the fall semester it turned out that each of the three ICC Chairs may

not have met these requirements. They were subsequently asked to submit letters of resignation by Associate Dean of Student Life Dr. Nancy Grass. In the case of Medeiros, who provided the Corsair with a copy of the email Grass had issued to him regarding his resignation, he was told by Grass that he may officially resign “due to personal matters.” “We lost our entire ICC and not a single one of them was technically ineligible,” said Randel, who disagreed with the fact that the ICC heads were actually violating regulations.

The AS President also felt that there had been undue pressure put on the ICC heads over the issue saying, “I have talked to Lahari. She said it was her own decision, but in my personal opinion, she was influenced. She was pushed, convinced out of her position.” Indraganti — who had failed a math class in the fall, which reduced her passing units to 7 with a 3.0 grade point average — told the Corsair that she agreed that her duties in student government were taxing saying, “I felt I was doing the job of about four people instead of just doing

my own job . . . it was killing me.” Indraganti confirmed that Grass had asked her to resign using the “personal reasons” excuse. However she disagreed about the nature of the request, saying it was Grass “extending courtesy” and that she willingly left her position of her own accord in order to salvage her mental health and GPA. Indraganti said, “The thing is, I could’ve argued about it . . . an "F" is a letter grade, and you argue that it is technically completing the class, and you could make (Continue Next Page)

students in a loud debate for over four hours in front of the library. On Monday, Feb. 22 Interim By the end of the impromptu Police Chief Mark Kessler an- sermon, over 100 students had nounced at the public AS board circled around the preacher to meeting that campus theft was on argue with him. the rise. Five bicycles and two iPhones have been stolen since Women's Empowerment the start of the semester. Speakers Announced

Gender Equity Resource Center being installed on campus. At the Monday, Feb. 29 meeting it was announced that there will be an open town hall for students to discuss the building of this center on March 9 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Cayton Center.

In Brief Campus Theft On Rise

Person Trapped In Elevator

At the Wednesday, Feb. 17 AS meeting, it was announced by Director of Student Advocacy Kymia Mahjouri that a host of speakers will come to SMC for Women’s Empowerment Month at the Main Campus Theater. Anita Sarkeesian kicks off events on March 8, followed by Rosa Moreno on March 10, Jackson Katz on March 17, Mara Brock Akil on March 22, Helena Lazaro on April 19 and Virginia Espino on May 24.

Blue Book Funding Debated

Discussed at all three of the first AS meetings of the year was the fact that the AS program, which distributes free blue books and scantrons to paying AS members at the Cayton Center, has seen increased use and cost, with $18,000 spent on the test materials in thev Fall and Winter semesters this year. This hemorrhaging cost led to a fierce debate on the AS floor on Preacher Draws Crowd on Quad Monday, Feb. 29 when Martha AS Endorces GERC Linden, Director of Instructional On Wednesday, Feb. 24 a street Support, brought up the topic of preacher, who did not wish to disAlso on Wednesday, Feb 17, the reducing the amount of supplies close his name, engaged SMC AS voted to publicly endorse a that AS could give to students. On Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 10 a.m., a localized power outage affected SMC, briefly trapping a passenger in a Drescher Hall elevator before Fire Dept. officials could evacuate them. The outage began when a transformer on East 9th St. blew and power was restored less than an hour later.

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NEWS

(Continued from pg. 3)

an argument about staying in. Maybe I could have been kicked out, maybe not, but it was a wakeup call to me more than anything else for me to pick up and leave.” While Medeiros agreed that he was likely technically in violation of the bylaws after initially disputing the situation, he was insistent that he was pressured by Grass to leave. He also stated that he and Grass had not gotten along after a recent dispute over an AS event. Said Medeiros, “I just don't feel like I want to be in a place where I know a person dislikes me. I would have left no matter what. That's what I want to say, but the unit requirement was a problem." The Corsair attempted to contact former ICC Chair Kevin Picard, but he did not respond to requests for comment by the time this went to print. Grass was unwilling to speak as to whether or not she had pressured the ICC heads into resigning, claiming that the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prevented her from commenting on the events. The only opinion she would give on the general situation was conciliatory saying, “It's awful, I would have liked to have

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 01 •MARCH 2, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

seen them not have to resign. I would have liked for them to be here. They were doing a great job and were wonderful. I love them.” The ultimate result of these events is that much of the work of the ICC, which would normally handles the upcoming AS election, has fallen onto Randel’s shoulders until replacements can be found. “It's kind of a bad situation for the students and it happened at a really bad time because there's few things more important in our student year than the AS elections . . . and that has been thrown into a doubtful stage," said Randel after the AS Board meeting held on Monday, Feb. 29. For his part, Randel stated both in interviews and during discussion at the year’s first AS meeting that he feels very strongly about altering the AS and ICC constitutions to prevent this disastrous situation from ever happening again, specifically by lightening the eligibility requirements for acting AS members to match the requirements of the Student Trustee position, which is only five units completed in a semester. Specifically, Randel felt that the case of Indraganti — a learning disabled student diagnosed with Panic Disorder and majoring in a STEM field — represented a particularly egregious ex-

AS Directors of Publicity Kishore Athreya, Director of Instructional Support Martha Linden, and Director of Sustainability Heather Haro discuss issues at the Feb. 29 AS Meeting. (September Bottoms) ample of the inequity of the eligibility regulations. With the full-time student unit requirement for learning disabled students being nine units per semester, Randel feels that the AS requirement of eight completed units puts too high an expectation on Learning

Disabled students to participate in AS effectively. “It screws over learning disabled students. Who better to represent learning disabled students than learning disabled students? We need them involved in student government."

SMCPD USHERS IN ERA OF ADAMS ADAM R. THOMAS NEWS EDITOR The Santa Monica College Police Department saw the beginning of a new era on Tuesday, March 1 when incoming Chief of Police Johnnie Adams was officially sworn in during a ceremony at Louise Jaffe held by the board of trustees in the Business Building, replacing Interim Chief of Police Mark Kessler. Adams comes to the SMCPD from the University of Southern California, where he served as the Deputy Chief of the USC Department of Public Safety for two and a half years after a 29 year career in law enforcement at UCLA. An alumni of UCLA, Adams graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1985 before being talked into applying to the police academy after catching backpack thieves while still a student. Adams spoke to the Corsair about his long career leading to the appointment, noting it was his time working Narcotics undercover for UCLA that led to his first interactions with law enforcement at Santa Monica. “I was loaned here at Santa Monica for a little while," he said. "I bought cocaine here at the beach in the '90s." Eventually his work in Narcotics led to his biggest bust, buying 400 pounds of mushrooms off a dealer in Marin County. As for his plans at the SMCPD, Adams insisted that he thought of police departments as “service organizations” and that his intent is to directly involve himself in student life and activities to keep his face familiar with the student body. "We should be out there introducing ourselves, letting them know that we're

accessible," he said. "One of the things I like to do is to give out my cell phone number . . . I feel that it's important that the student know that there's somebody in the police department that they can trust." In fact, during his interview with the Corsair, he received a text from a USC student he was in direct contact with due to this policy of extreme openness. Adams acknowledged how such a policy challenges deeply ingrained perceptions students often have about police, and talked of his prior attempts at USC to bridge the gap between law enforcement and students saying, “When you're in a uniform and people see the uniform, Wall they think is ‘it's a police officer. I don't want to get a ticket, I don't want to go to jail, I don't want to get in trouble.' I want to break that down. I want people to see you and say, 'Hey, I know that guy!'“ For vacating Interim Chief of Police Mark Kessler, this replacement is a huge break. “I am surprised that I've been here as long as I have been. It was an honor to be entrusted in the position, and it's been a great experience," said Kessler. After assisting Adams with acclimating to his new position, Kessler plans on retiring by the end of the year. Though he still has much to learn about how things operate at SMC and the SMCPD, Adams said he’s excited about the upcoming challenge. “We're here to serve the community," he said. "We hope that if they have any problems, to come here or give us a call. I like to discuss things and come up with a solution. I may not always agree, or be able to help out, but I think we can at least come to some kind of decision where we're both happy at times."

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Santa Monica College's New Police Chief Johnnie Adams at the SMC Police Station (Josue Martinez)

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SPORTS

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 01 • MARCH 2, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

SMC's Cheerleading team finished fourth at nationals this year before having program suspended. (Carlos Espinosa)

THE DAY THE POM-POMS STOOD STILL Cancellation of the SMC Cheer Program leaves student cheerleaders wondering what's next NIK LUCAJ & JOSH SHURE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & SPORTS EDITOR Three years ago, the Cheer Program at Santa Monica College was an afterthought. There was only one cheerleading class, but the group was noncompetitive and languished on the edge of irrelevance. Then coach Jessie Moorehead was hired and what was once an unnoticed part of campus life became a source of pride. The cheerleading squad were finalists for an ESPN photo shoot along with major universities including LSU, Rutgers and Auburn and the group was doing well in national competitions, finishing as high as fourth this year. But after this string of recent success, the Cheer Program was unceremoniously cancelled for the Spring semester and coach Moorehead was ostensibly let go, left without an assignment. According to VP of Student Affairs, Mike Tuitasi, a rules violation exposed a lack of guidelines for the program. The violation involved the use of an ineligible cheerleader during the Universal Cheerleaders Association’s(UCA) College Cheerleading National Championship. “I said I need to put this on pause and kind of look at this and put in some guidelines so that they’re safe, that our insurance covers them as cheerleaders,” Tuitasi said. The issue was that one of the cheerleaders was not enrolled in a winter class which was a violation of the guidelines that SMC had in place. It was not in violation of UCA competition rules however, which only required that the team have a signed contract from Athletic Director Reggie Ellis, even though the program is not technically a part of Athletics. According to Ellis, who only agreed to answer questions through email, “The Athletic Department is responsible for all intercollegiate athletic teams and cheer is not an intercollegiate athletic team. Cheer was offered as a class in the Kinesiology department.” This leaves cheerleading with dif-

ferent guidelines for eligibility from most This was when things became difficult athletic programs. for Moorehead. Their routine was already According to Tuitasi, “K12 has just ap- rehearsed and ready and she realized there proved to have cheer under athletics. The was no way to replace the student and still CSC’s have cheer under athletics. Com- perform their routine. She said she was munity colleges currently don’t but they’re then told by the student that they had acmoving in that direction.” quired an add code from an instructor at Caught in the middle of this regulatory SMC and added the class, while in Florida, confusion was Moorehead. To make matters to become eligible. worse, in her twoplus years at SMC, she “I tried to call Reggie the day of the comhad four different Athletic Directors, each petition and got his voicemail,” she said. with different ideas of what the program With her only options being to go ahead was and what rules it needed to follow. The as planned or withdraw from the competiSMC rules for this last competition stated tion, Moorehead said she put her faith in that all participants had to be enrolled in the student. They performed and finished winter classes, something that Moorehead fourth. said she did her best to confirm. After returning home to Santa Monica, “I had no way to verify [if students were she was informed that the student had not registered],” she said. “I don’t added the course and "Caught in the middle that the program, along have access so the only thing I had to do was submit my of this regulatory confu- with her duties, would sion was Moorehead. be suspended. information to my Athletic To make matters worse, Director.” Moorehead said When asked why in her two-plus years at they were not put on a she requested a class schedSMC, she had four ule from each student to probationary period, different Athletic Direc- Tuitasi said, “The issue verify their enrollment and that she was provided false tors, each with different then is, who is going to ideas of what the information by the student follow up on the cheerprogram was and what leaders? When I started found in violation. “I was rules it needed to under the impression that looking to see who was follow." he was a student,” she said. actually cheering, one Ellis wrote that, “Coach kid was disqualified. To Moorehead informed me that she had me, it’s like I need to put in place checks checked with all the entire team and indi- and balances.” He said he wants to do more cated that all the participants were cur- research and make sure the students are rently enrolled at SMC[sic].” It was not safe. “That’s the reasoning why we had to discovered until the day before the finals, look at it this semester because their big when the team was already in Florida, that competition is in winter.” a student was ineligible. When Ellis inThe competition aspect however, is the formed Moorehead of the development she main question right now. “The big discussion said she would do her best to rework their is competitive cheer here at the institution,” routine and remove him from the floor. Tuitasi said. “Is that an activity that will be According to Ellis, “Coach Moorehead taken on or that we’re going to keep?... We’re informed me that she would talk to that keeping the course, but it’s the competitive participant to verify his enrollment at SMC. part that I really need to look at and develop.” At approximately 5:35, coach Moorehead Concerning Coach Moorehead’s future called me and told that she had made adjust- at SMC, he said that there is currently no ments to the routine and removed the par- discussion of bringing her back. ticipant from the routine entirely.” These developments leave the current

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and prospective cheerleaders wondering what to do next. Cheerleader Matt Boone, who transferred from El Camino College to SMC to be a member of the cheer team, said, “I never really was a great student... cheerleading gave me an opportunity to force myself to get good grades... you have to be a good student in order to compete. [Moorehead] personally pushed me to better my record... It’s like I lose a part of me that pushed me to do better in school, to keep going to school.” There were also those who had yet to come to SMC who had to change their plans. “We had kids that already purchased their plane tickets to come out in May for tryouts and I had to contact them and say it’s not smart,” Moorehead said. “I’m so sorry for many cheerleaders who planned on coming to SMC,” said Boone. “They’re missing out on an opportunity to better themselves, not only as cheerleaders but as a total person, and especially a scholar.” Fellow cheerleader, Victoria Mandigo said, “[Moorehead] was always telling me to make sure you’re ready to transfer. She’s been kind of like a second mom to me here at school.” When asked if the problems with cheer could be solved by moving it under Athletics," Tuitasi said, “I think so. That way there’s the checks and balances that are in place.” As far aswhen we can expect the cheer program reinstated, Tuitasi said he is aiming for summer. Moorehead doesn’t deny the violation but she said, “It’s unfortunate. What they’re doing now [with the program] are things I’ve been asking for all along. It’s unfortunate that I won’t be there to see it.” Moorehead’s stint at SMC was impressive regardless of how it ended. Taking a non competitive program and turning it into a national contender is no small feat. Whoever takes over in the summer will have big shoes to fill. As Matt Boone said, “If you’re a decent cheerleader, you know that the coach is everything.”

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PHOTOSTORY

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 01 • MARCH 2, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Jiovani Hylton, 34 practices putting on nails on a mannequin finger as she prepares for her state board exam in order to get her Manicurist License at Santa Monica College on February 23, 2016 in Santa Monica, Calif. (Josue Martinez)

Top Right: Debbie Perret (right), a cosmetology instructor at Santa Monica College, helps Ester Harlouni (left), during a patients haircut at the business building at the main campus on February 23, 2016 in Santa Monica, Calif. (Josue MartiCiprina Spizzirri Nugent, a student enrolled in the Santa Monica College cosmetology program practices applying a facial on a classmate in the business building at the main campus on March 1, 2016 in Santa Monica, Calif. (Josue Martinez)

CUTTING HAIR, CUTTING COSTS SMC's Cosmetology department offers cheap haircuts for students and the community JOSH SHURE SPORTS EDITOR

For many, Santa Monica College is an institution where their primary objective is to get an AA degree and transfer to a four-year university. They will sit behind a desk jotting notes down while mindlessly listening to professor after professor lecture. However, the students in the SMC Cosmetology department learn in a different sort of way. Tucked away in the SMC Business Building, the cosmetology department has their own on-campus salon that’s open to the public. The salon is

the cosmetology’s version of a classroom. The students are able to perform salon services on real people while still under the supervision and direction of their instructors. Any member of the community has open access to come and receive a variety of services from students looking to hone their skills. Services offered range from hair styling, coloring and shaping, manicures, waxing, make-up application, and several other services that can be found online. Being a “test subject” is not a

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free duty; however, the salon is beyond reasonably priced. For students and seniors, with valid I.D., are entitled to a discount of ten percent. For instance, only a haircut and shampoo runs eleven dollars prior to any discounts. So if you are looking for a DJ Khaled beard trim, the frosted tips of Ricky Martin or smooth, waxed legs like an Olympic swimmer all within a college student’s price range, maybe the SMC Cosmetology Salon is the place for you. @THE_CORSAIR •

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VOLUME 111 ISSUE 01 • MARCH 2, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

PHOTOSTORY

Student walks passed the Santa Monica College Cosmetology Department on March 1, 2016 in Santa Monica, Calif. (Josue Martinez) FOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •

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Santa Monica College Cosmetology Program includes a Manicurist Program which requires its students to complete 400 program hours. (Josue Martinez) /THECORSAIRNEWS •

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HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 01 • MARCH 2, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

CASTING A NET OVER THE ZIKA VIRUS

Researchers at UCLA and around the world are pushing efforts to eliminate mosquito-borne illnesses. ASHLEEN KNUTSEN STAFF WRITER

On Feb. 1, the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. This was in response to the increase in neurological disorder cases coinciding with the recent outbreak of Zika virus infections. A week later, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention increased their response efforts to the highest activation level. This fast-moving disease is one of many viruses transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. According to the American Mosquito Control Association, over one million people worldwide die from a mosquito-borne disease every year. Therefore, it is no surprise that researchers past and present have been working from every angle to develop a prevention strategy. While some concepts are still being tested, others are being applied to the current Zika virus outbreak. Originating in the Zika Forest of Uganda in 1947, the Zika virus made its way across the Pacific and is currently active in 29 countries in the Americas, four countries in the Pacific, and one country in Africa. “The biggest concerns to the medical community are the devastating, unexpected consequences of Zika infection in some unborn babies as well as a serious neurologic condition called GuillainBarre syndrome, which seems to affect a small proportion of Zika infected people of both sexes and different ages,” said Dr. Claire Panosian, who specializes in infectious diseases at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center On the other hand, the majority of people with Zika show no symptoms. According to the CDC, 80 percent of cases are asymptomatic and won’t even be diagnosed. And, while it is not contagious through indirect contact, cases of transmission through blood transfusion and sexual contact have been reported, potentially resulting in a local spread of the disease. A person is only able to transmit the virus during the viremia phase of the illness, meaning the virus is in their blood. For Zika, this period lasts about three to 12 days after the mosquito bite, regardless

of whether they are showing any symptoms. The CDC has recently reported that the virus is present in semen longer than in blood, though the exact amount of time was not specified. Transmission has also been found to occur from infected, pregnant mothers to their unborn child during pregnancy and, although rare, during the time of birth. These children may be at risk for microcephaly, a condition in which babies are born with abnormally shrunken heads, though this link has not been conclusively proven as of yet. While there is no specific anti-viral treatment or vaccine, the CDC and WHO have been working to control the Zika outbreak by supporting clinical and mosquito reduction efforts. “In tropical countries, motivating and empowering people to eliminate mosquito breeding sites around their homes and also protect themselves against mosquito bites is a huge challenge,” said Panosian. “To achieve this goal, there has to be a partnership between the community and the government, as well as greater investment in public health infrastructure.” On the science front, medical and public health researchers have been pursuing preventative measures for mosquito-borne illnesses in general, such as dengue, malaria, yellow fever and chikungunya. In a collaborative effort, scientists have been working to find answers and solutions to these fast-paced diseases. “We’re bringing everyone together to gather information,” said Kevin Njabo, Africa Director at the Center for Tropical Research at UCLA. Scientists that specialize in the study of insects and environments, “look at patterns and describe trends and give information to genealogists,” said Njabo. These genealogists have already begun studies on self-limiting genetic technology, in which the genes of male mosquitoes are altered in a way that results in the death of their offspring. So far, field trials have shown promising results in this method of suppression. Other work has been done to engineer mosquitoes that are resistant to the parasite that causes malaria. Laboratory testing has shown that the resistant genes are in fact being passed

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on to the offspring, indicating good potential for future field tests. Using the findings of microbiologists, who study microorganisms like viruses and bacteria, scientists have investigated the use of a bacteria called Wolbachia, which has shown the ability to inhibit the replication of dengue, chikungunya and malaria parasites. By introducing this bacterium to mosquitoes, they are able to reduce the spread of the virus. Other researchers have been working to get a step ahead of the mosquitoes. With a doctorate degree in biology, Njabo’s work involves a full analysis of the characteristics of the specific genus of mosquito carrying and transmitting the virus and the environment in which they live. “We can create an environmental envelope to predict areas with similar traits,” said Njabo. “We then build models that can predict where the virus will move in the U.S., so we can then look into this area and have a plan of action.” Dr. Panosian agrees that research like Njabo’s is a critical step in controlling the current outbreak. “The focus should rest for now on the mosquito vector,” said Panosian. The Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes have been identified as primary vectors, or vehicles for transmission, for the Zika virus. Both of these are already present in over 30 states. While there is no evidence that mosquitoes in the U.S. are carrying the virus, and no locally transmitted cases have been found as of yet, there has been over 100 travel-associated cases across the country affecting 25 states. These travel related cases occur when a person goes abroad to one of the countries with active transmission and contracts the virus before traveling back to the U.S. In California, six cases have been found over the last three years. With the newly identified transmission methods, the majority of patients being asymptomatic and the danger to unborn children, finding a solution is not going to be easy. “It will still take months to years to fully understand the spectrum of disease,” said Panosian. “There are no quick answers to a fast-moving problem like Zika—a virus which is both “benign” and occasionally devastating.” /THECORSAIRNEWS •

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VOLUME 111 ISSUE 01 • MARCH 2, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

#OSCARSSOTRITE: THE ACADEMY CAN'T WIN JACOB HIRSOHN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

The Academy Awards are one of the most-widely watched spectacles on television each year, and with the added drama of the diversity controversy, the skepticism of the show has gotten so feverish that the awards end up mostly ignored. This year’s show is a better example of this than any show in recent years. Chris Rock was a unique and polarizing force from the moment the show started. Whether you reacted positively or negatively to him, three things were undeniable about the show: the production elements were an absolute disaster, Rock was hilarious, and the politics were noticeably radical for a space typically so sanitary. These three elements combined to produce a show that was surprisingly engaging, and — in an even more rare feat for the Oscars — genuinely worth talking about. I took a perverse joy in the constantly unfolding disaster that was the technical side of the Academy Awards, but for those interested in a watching a more fluid show, it was likely a rough night. From the plan- Protester holds a homemade sign in Hollywood on Sunday in ning of the show to the camera work, nominee ballot. (Chris Monterrosa) the show was bloated, messy, overambitious at the wrong times, and Globes — besides the odd Jada crowd expressed this sentiment under-ambitious at others. It is un- Pinkett-Smith tangent, which we’ll publicly; others disagreed, and believable that a show dedicated to get to later. He managed to discuss others likely agreed silently. celebrating excellent filmmaking race in a meaningful way without It’s not the end of the world that could be filmed this poorly. Even losing the support of his audience, Rock represented this point of view. when the broadcast wasn’t cutting which — like it or not — is a crucial The more damaging act was when to stumbling cameras pointed at part of his job. he circled back around to present nothing, the show was presented in The moments when the audience the case of the other side: he failed an awkward and bizarre way. wasn’t on board were equally funny to do so with the same fervor and The production team fell into the and even more captivating: “director punch of his comments about Smith. film school trap of of diversity” Stacey Dash, He went as far to call Hollywood "When Harris lost the sweat shop joke, the racist, but made sure to massage the “Moving the camera automatically makes his audience last year, monologue reference to audience into it by assuring them it interesting.” The it was due to a poorly- cops shooting black they weren’t that racist. His biggest device used in each written joke flopping, people. When Harris lost failure was his monologue's concluof the major acting his audience last year, it sion. He attempted to shoehorn in and his immediate categories where the was due to a poorly- comments about a Twitter campaign squirming camera scanned to response. Rock lost his written joke flopping, to ask female guests about more put a picture of each and his immediate than just their dress, and ended up audience by nominee in the backveering outside of squirming response. distracting from the diversity ground while they Rock lost his audience issue that would dominate the the parameters were referenced fell by veering outside of the whole show. of what they were flat. parameters of what they It was thrilling to see these The musical per- used to seeing in this were used to seeing in issues addressed in an honest space, and clearly formances were this space, and clearly way in this space, but it certaking joy in equally uneven and taking joy in their dis- tainly fell short of expectheir discomfort." misguided. Sam comfort. It was exciting tations. Rock was the Smith and The to see something unex- absolute perfect host Weeknd both performed mediocre pected in a positive way at the for this year and for this songs which needed dynamic pro- Academy Awards. controversy, and by no duction elements to become worthThe show would have had even means did he choke. He while. They were met with none. more success if Rock was willing to could have came out to Lady Gaga’s performance was so challenge his audience more regu- the tune of a “Wow, there dynamic that simply placing her at larly. This is where Rock’s comments are so many white people a piano was enough to make it a about Oscars defector Jada Pinkett- here!” joke, fire off a couple show highlight. Unfortunately, the Smith come back into play. Address- easy zingers about the presentation featured crazy cuts and ing the #OscarsSoWhite protestors, boycott, and move on. He a recurring aerial shot that spiraled Rock explained that Smith declining didn’t. He dedicated all of down onto Gaga. an invitation to the Oscars is like his time on a massive Luckily, Chris Rock and his writ- him declining an invitation to Ri- medium to address an issue er’s room managed to make the show hanna’s panties: there was no invita- he clearly cared about. It was consistently funny throughout by tion. He also reinforced the idea that a good show, but it was still playing to Rock’s strengths in a way Smith is only boycotting because too safe to be great. that past shows led by Ellen Dege- her husband wasn’t nominated for As far as the awards go, they neres and Neil Patrick Harris failed “Concussion.” weren't much different than to. It helps that Rock is a comedic The reaction of the audience made usual. Did Mark Rylance need genius and arguably the perfect it clear that this statement was re- to be recognized for "Bridge awards show host. inforcing the dominating sentiment of Spies?" Probably not. That His opening monologue encap- among them: the people who are was a pretty good place to recsulated this perfectly. It was an im- upset about the lack of diversity at ognize the movie that would pressive bit of stand-up that managed the Oscars are only mad because eventually go on to win to be provocative without veering they aren’t good enough and want best picture with into the off-puttingly cruel territory a handout of something they don’t another major award. of Ricky Gervais at the Golden deserve. Some of the people in the The biggest nonOFOR EXTENDED COVERAGE VISIT US AT THECORSAIRONLINE.COM •

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a protest of the all-white oscar Chris-Rock joy of the night was watching the eccentric cast of characters that made up the crew of "Mad Max: Fury Road" parade across the stage. The standout of this crew of course being costume designer Jenny Beavan. The Oscars could certainly use a little more rhinestone-embroidered leather jackets. The biggest mistake of the night was unsurprising, but frustrating given how the night had gone so far. After giving almost every single technical award to "Mad Max: Fury Road," why reward an inferior film with Best Director? It again reinforces the narrative I think we're all tired of criticizing: the safe and pretentious nature of The Academy's choices. Sure, they're willing to acknowledge that "Fury Road" is an incomparable technical achievement, but it's not the type of movie that gets to play with the big boys. some are likely to say the same wabout Best Picture winner "Spotlight," but at the risk of hypocrisy, I decline to. "Spotlight" may not be a new or sexy look for Best Picture, but I do think it's a great and important film. The 88th Academy Awards finally gave us something new to talk about in both positive in negative ways. It was an interesting political experience, a disastrous entertainment one, and a largely unsurprising awards ceremony. If you're looking for a quality entertainment experience, or an accurate representation of the year in cinema: you've come to the wrong place. If you're looking to be confused, frustrated, but come out on the other side with plenty to talk about: maybe you've found your home.

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OPINION

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 01 • MARCH 2, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

WHY I TRUST HILLARY GRACE GARDNER OPINION EDITOR It is no secret that a large part of America doesn’t trust Hillary Clinton. A Quinnipiac University study actually pegged the number at 59 percent. That is, about 6 in 10 people believe she is “not honest.” They may be right. Clinton’s extensive record of changing her views on a variety of policies definitely implies that she is not entirely upfront about her personal perspective. Consequently, she comes off as being an inauthentic, power-hungry woman who would do anything for the vote — especially when compared with the frank, stick-itto-the-man attitude Bernie Sanders has used to fuel his revolution/campaign. However, America, Hillary’s inconsistencies shouldn’t discourage you from trusting her. When an elected official clings to their personal beliefs, they don’t necessarily represent the best ideas or the will of the people. One of the most frustrating things to deal with when examining candidates is looking at a candidate who is otherwise awesome, but is stubborn about a few issues because of personal beliefs. The entire

HILLARY THEN

point of a democratic process is to ensure that no one person's beliefs will dominate our public discourse. I don’t want Bernie Sanders’ personal views to dictate my life and my country. This is a democracy, damn it. This is our lives, and our world, and the president's job isn’t to execute a massive transition into their personal utopia. Hating on flip-flopping is a really lazy way to decrease one’s political accountability. In a democratic society, it’s the citizen's responsibility to stay updated on events that affect their country. Plans change, new facts arise and the country continues to move forward. Any individual in office needs to have fluid views that can change according to what is best for the country right now. Hillary’s past of changing her views, for a variety of reasons, only makes her a stronger candidate. This is a person willing and able to put her ego aside in order to execute only the best policies.

HILLARY NOW

WHY IT'S OK

"LGBT Americans are our colleagues, our teachers, our soldiers, our friends, our loved ones. And they are full and equal citizens, and they deserve the rights of citizenship. That includes marriage. That’s why I support marriage for lesbian and gay couples." 2013

If a politician tries to jam progress down the populations throat before they're ready, it can cause significant backlash. It’s more effective to weigh the mood of the population and let the change in perspective occur naturally, with the representative accurately reflecting the mood of the people. . This change occured only after the rest of America was ready.

“I do support comprehensive background checks, and to close the gun show loophole, and the online loophole, and what's called the Charleston loophole, and to prevent people on the no-fly list from getting guns.”

Yes, in 2008, you could say Hillary was pretty lax on federally enforced gun legislation. However, that was before the spree of mass shootings that have occurred over the past couple of years. The problems that we face today regarding gun safety are not the same that we faced just ten years ago. This is a situation in which new information and circumstance would (quite logically) cause a politician to change their opinion.

LGBT RIGHTS “I think a marriage is as a marriage has always been, between a man and a woman. But I also believe that people in committed gay marriages, as they believe them to be, should be given rights under the law that recognize and respect their relationship.” 2000

GUN CONTROL “We have one set of rules in NYC and a totally different set of rules in the rest of the state. What might work in NYC is certainly not going to work in Montana. So, for the federal government to be having any kind of blanket rules that they’re going to try to impose, I think doesn’t make sense.” 2008

2016

IMMIGRATION “Clearly, we have to make some tough decisions as a country, and one of them ought to be coming up with a much better entry-and-exit system so that if we’re going to let people in for the work that otherwise would not be done, let’s have a system that keeps track of them.” 2008

“We need comprehensive immigration reform with a path to full and equal citizenship. If Congress won't act, I'll defend President Obama’s executive actions—and I'll go even further to keep families together. I'll end family detention, close private immigrant detention centers, and help more eligible people become naturalized.” 2016

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Hillary uses a much more sympathetic tone towards immigrants in this election. Since the recent global issue of handling Syrian refugees, the media in particular has examined immigrants with a more humanitarian view. This view has absolutely transferred to the way we look at Mexican immigrants, which has always been and will continue to be an issue for the United States. There is a lot of negative tension surrounding current methods of deportation, including mass roundups. These methods are unpopular, and some say unethical. /THECORSAIRNEWS •

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OPINION

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 01 • MARCH 2, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

WHY I DON'T TRUST HILLARY ADAM R. THOMAS NEWS EDITOR The majority of Americans polled by Quinnipac don’t trust Hillary Clinton. It’s not complicated to understand why — it’s because she is not trustworthy. While it’s true that some of this is due to the constant flip-flopping on issues that our Corsair Opinion Editor has so diligently tried to defend, this isn’t the reason people don’t trust Clinton. Arguing on these grounds, however eloquent it may be expressed, is fundamentally missing the point. Clinton changing her viewpoint more often than a hotel changes sheets is normal with career politicians. As a rule, they have to alter their beliefs (or at least say they do) in order to keep up with whatever the public feels like worrying about today. Yesterday’s consensus might as well have been written on an Etch-A-Sketch to anyone who has been in Washington for more than five minutes. With the exception of the most ardent political Pollyannas among us, it’s to be expected. So Hillary first saying the TPP is a great idea and later reneging isn’t important. Her stance on LGBT issues isn’t important. Her stance on immigration isn’t important. These are not why people mistrust Clinton. The heart of the issue surrounding Hillary and trust, lies in the infamous life of scandal that has plagued the Clintons since Bill first ran for governor of Arkansas in 1974 and has only increased its focus on Hillary since he left office in 2001. While the younger readers of this article are no doubt familiar with the latest email scandal, or the potential for conflict of interest with donors to the Clinton Foundation, to cover the full history of Clinton family impropriety would require a literal book (and there are several out there). Consider one of the older incidents: the Clinton pardons. On his last day in office on Jan. 20, 2001, Bill Clinton made the vast bulk of his presidential pardons, letting 140 people

off the legal hook, including FALN terrorists and fugitive Marc Rich, whose ex-wife donated $450,000 to the Clinton library and over one million dollars to democratic campaigns. The pardoning of Almon Glenn Braswell and Carlos Vignali was more pertinent to Hillary — more specifically her family. Braswell and Vignali, a convicted fraudster and cocaine trafficker respectively, had each paid $200,000 to Hillary’s brother, Hugh Rodham, in order to represent their pleas for clemency to the then sitting President Clinton. Rodham would later return the money once public scrutiny began settling in on him. Both Bill and Hillary claimed to know nothing about his receiving of funds, saying it was “deeply disturbing”. The fact is, the men were both pardoned upon a condition of payment to a Clinton relative. It wasn’t a smoking gun, but just another shady deal in a long history of shady deals. Now to be fair, most of these scandals follow a now familiar script: something outrageous comes out about the Clintons and it’s later disavowed by them entirely or turns out to not be as bad as it first seemed. Most of the accusations are entirely politically motivated, with Republicans being involved somewhere along the information chain, either pushing the seriousness of the claim past its limit, or often being the original sources of said information to the media. Occasionally, you get a Lewinsky affair that proves yes, the Clintons did in fact know something about the accusation and then lied to the public when it came time to cover it up or were involved in some other improper activity. This happened with Benghazi, where it turned out there was little that Clinton likely did wrong during the original incident, but her Senate testimony confirmed that Hillary used a private email server during her time as

Secretary of State. The private server has now led to an FBI investigation about whether classified intelligence may have been potentially accessible through an insecure channel. So it goes. Again and again, the pattern is repeated, usually with similar results. In all likelihood this incident will be like most of the others — Hillary won’t go to jail over it. It hasn’t happened yet, and probably never will. Consider that. Clinton is a presidential candidate where such a possibility is going to be a constant refrain. It’s a Nixonian legacy that follows the Clintons like a fog, an atmosphere of an untrustworthy crookedness that pervades even if most of the incidents are politically motivated and even if they never get pinned down under any of them. There’s just always more dirt that can be found for Republicans to make attacks next time. And over time, all of these incidents add up into a gestalt that indicates there’s just no possible way to trust the Clintons, even for moderates and certainly (to hear it from Sanders fans), a good chunk of Democrats. So how often do you like watching Senate Subcommittee hearings? Because what’s going to happen if Clinton wins the Presidency, is that there will be investigation, after investigation, after investigation of things she’s said to have done but that can’t quite be proved, as well as things that can be proved that she’ll brush off saying she had no knowledge of them. There will be gridlock the likes of which will make the interplay of the Obama presidency seem like blasting down the autobahn. And it will all be a under that cloud of suspicion that can’t quite be shaken off, no matter how much the Clinton’s try to blow it away.

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

ADDER-ALL OVER CAMPUS

starts and I start my career, I am going to enter a whole new competition.” It is true. We have entered a new era Imagine, you are in the middle of finals where competition in education and the week; you are completely overwhelmed job market is so fierce that stimulants with assignments and projects, all while have become socially acceptable. The studying for your impending exams. You expectations on young adults to succeed are exhausted, drained from all schoolwork, in life too great. and thinking back on the semester that “Athletes have steroids, depressives has passed makes you even more tired. have ‘happy pills’ and those who wish to You have come to a point where you no do it all, and do it fast, have Adderall,” longer have an ounce of energy left in your said Shah. brain to even be somewhat productive. This may be true, but one important You have hit a dead end. thing to know about stimulants like AdBut then your friend tells you about this derall is that they may affect everyone tiny little pill that can take you from zero differently, and there are side effects. to 100 in a matter of seconds. A pill that According to the Food and Drug Adwill make you focused, aware, and exministration’s medication guide, heart tremely energized. You are now at a point problems, high blood pressure, stroke where you are willing to do anything to and even sudden death are some of the push yourself just one step further. Do you side effects reported. Adderall may also take it? The pressure on college students pushes them to turn cause dizziness and drowsiness, and these Adderall is a prescription medication to stimulants, both legally and illegally. (Josue Martinez) effects may become worse if the drug is that is traditionally used to treat ADHD. mixed with alcohol. However, in recent years both legal and illegal prescriptions have been “I don’t feel hyper when I take it. I feel relaxed but most importantly used by overwhelmed college students who are not diagnosed with ADHD. focused,” another student said. “I get a better effect when I crush the pills “Students turn to this drug because it helps you pull all-nighters, to and sniff them, but at one point it sent me to the hospital for two days for read hundreds of pages at a time, or write pages and pages of that final mixing them with alcohol. I thought I was going to die.” paper,” said Maria Shah, a registered nurse at Avanti Hospitals. A study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services AdminAccording to Drugs.com, Adderall contains a combination of amphet- istration shows that emergency room visits due to non-medical stimulant amine and dextroamphetamine, two central nervous system stimulants use tripled from 2005 to 2011. Another study by SAMHSA shows that affect chemicals in the brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactiv- that full-time students between the ages 18 and 22 were twice as likely ity and affect attention span. to have used Adderall non-medically as those who were not full-time In an environment where assignments are endless, where there is always students. something on the to-do list, it is not hard to believe that students would In a country like the United States, where we seem to be fixated on the turn to a “quick fix” to power through college semesters. idea of succeeding and knocking out the competition at any cost, it does With the enormous stress that is put on students, whether by their not seem all too absurd to believe that we have entered a new Adderallfamilies or educators, it's no wonder young adults resort to Adderall. Good era, where in the future, our children will tell their children not to forget colleges and universities are harder to get into than ever, and the compe- to pack their Adderall for school. tition is tough. Some students today go as far as to justify their drug use, arguing that “I need it for my studies, to be able to stay up all night. There is a lot of the educators are equally responsible for the pressure leading to their pressure to get good grades,” said one student, who reported she bought decision. So, in a society where we are expected to get ahead pills from a peer on campus. “I have been taking them for about eight and not just keep up, how can we be expected to change if the system months now and I don’t plan on stopping after I graduate. Once work life doesn't?

DANIELA BARHANNA COPY EDITOR

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