Daily Forty-Niner, Aug. 24, 2020

weekly digital print edition

DAILY FORTY-NINER EST p 1949

Vol. LXXII, Issue 1

www.daily49er.com

Monday, August 24, 2020

Welcome to

Inside the

Niner

Students and faculty brace for a mostly-remote semester filled with disruption and uncertainty.

NEWS

ARTS

Conoley talks campus changes

Campus gets a facelift

pg 3

pgs 8 & 9

2

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | EIC@DAILY49ER.COM ON THE COVER Photo by Andrea Ramos

Daily Forty-Niner 1250 Bellflower Blvd., LA4-203 Long Beach, CA, 90840

Editorial Office Phone (562) 985-8000

Editor’s Note: Welcome Back!

Dear Long Beach State, We’re sure many of you are asking yourselves “what the f*ck just happened?”

We, here at the Daily Forty-Niner, are asking ourselves the same thing.

The past five months have been incredibly challenging for all of us and, with the start of a mainly virtual semester, things are about to get even more difficult.

That being said, we here at the Niner want to assure you, our community, that just because the way we’re doing our job is changing, our job itself isn’t.

Things will be different this semester. For the first time in our nearly 71-year history, the Daily Forty-Niner will not be producing a printed copy of our publication and will remain completely online. To compensate for the loss of a

physical print version, we will continue to publish a digital copy of our print edition online at Issuu.com and maintain a 24-hour news cycle on our website at daily49er.com.

Our dedication to providing up-to-date, fresh and important information, however, is unphased by this change in distribution.

We’re going to be exploring topics in new depths and discussing issues that affect us all like race and racism, mental health and plenty more.

The Daily Forty-Niner’s mission statement is to be the voice of the student body on campus, and we strive to continue to maintain that mission, even from afar.

Madalyn Amato Editor in Chief eic@daily49er.com

Business Office Phone (562) 985-1740

Abel Reyes

Multimedia Managing Editor multimedia@daily49er.com

News Editor Julia Terbeche news@daily49er.com Arts & Life Editor Paris Barraza arts@daily49er.com Opinions Editor Kelsey Brown opinions@daily49er.com Sports Editor Jacob Powers sports@daily49er.com Design Editor Alejandro Vazquez design@daily49er.com Advertising Manager Carter Magee advertising@daily49er.com Business Manager Hannah Getahun business@daily49er.com Special Projects Editor Peter Villafane Photo Editor Andrea Ramos

Madalyn Amato Editor in chief

Video Editor Pablo Unzueta Social Media Editor Jocelyn Torralba Podcast Editor Cameron Johnston Multimedia Assistant Luke Pajari Design Assistant Anna Karkalik

Shark bites Shark Bites is a CSULB-inspired crossword puzzle that contains clues from the recent news stories published by the Daily Forty-Niner. Tag us @daily49er with a screenshot of your completed crossword for a chance to win a prize!

News Assistants Chance Sinerius Nicholas James Arts and Life Assistant Celeste Huecias Opinions Assistant Jireh Deng Sports Assistants Cain Hernandez Ignacio Cervantes Special Projects Assistant Giselle Alexandra Ormeno Photo Assistant Richard Grant Video Assistant Lauren Berny Social Media Assistants Yaritza Rodriguez Ashely Ramos Desiree Aguilera Webmaster Assistant Kevin Patel Distribution Manager Rachel Barnes Design Adviser Gary Metzker Content Adviser Barbara Kinglsey-Wilson Advertising and Business Jennifer Newton Adviser Letters to Editor editor@daily49er.com

Story Ideas tips@daily49er.com

Corrections correction@daily49er.com

Job Inquiries jobs@daily49er.com

Letters Policy: All letters and emails must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Daily Forty-Niner reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.

Across

5. Many students were unpleased with the school’s decision to keep the same student fees so they started a ____.

8. On ____ 4, President Jane Close Conoley announced that the fall semester would be a virtual one.

9. Throughout the summer, there were many ______ projects brought to fruition.

10. Andy ____ is the Long Beach State athletics director.

Down

1. The newly inaugurated mascot is _______ the Shark.

2. Rocio Mares, a third-year _____ major, is one of the newests transfer students to join the Beach family.

3. This semester, there was an increase of _______ dollars for a fall semester parking permit.

4. Four students share that since classes are ____, they decided to take a year off.

6. Long Beach State student-athlete, Elysia Laramie, plays women’s ____.

7. 23% of the students fees in tuition go towards _____, energy cost, maintenance and renovations.

Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in the issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinons of the Daily FortyNiner are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Daily Forty-Niner.

Follow us @daily49er

NEWS 3

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | NEWS@DAILY49ER.COM

ANDREA RAMOS | Daily Forty-Niner

As the fall semester approaches, certain precautions and procedures are in place to ensure students’ safety on campus.

Q&A with Conoley: What the fall?

CSULB President Jane Close Conoley reveals that fall semester will only have about 4% of faculty, staff and students in person. She also discussed her visions to maintain a healthy campus.

By Julia Terbeche News Editor

W

ith Long Beach State looking at a quiet campus of only 1,000 students and faculty per day this fall, President Jane Close Conoley aims to have a bubble-like safety model for the university.

Compared to the usual Monday-through-Thursday attendance of 25,000 individuals daily, the fall 2020 semester will only see 4% of the school’s pre-coronavirus population coming to campus.

Although in-person numbers will be low, Conoley maintains that all classes, assignments and learning will be going “full steam.”

“My biggest fear, in addition to our students, faculty and staff getting sick, is that we become an infection hot spot for all of Long Beach,” Conoley said. “All the public health evidence tells us to keep density low, so that is what we are doing. Long Beach is making progress against COVID, but careless behavior from us could completely undo that.”

CSULB’s minimal face-to-face classes will be offered mainly in a hybrid method to ensure only a small number of students will be in the same place at the same time, according to Conoley.

Only students and university employees

will be permitted on campus, she said, and will be required to complete a health questionnaire to ensure no symptoms of the coronavirus each day prior to arrival.

The university will be closed to the public in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.

“I know we can’t create an NBA-like bub-

more related positive cases are within one building, a several-day process will occur in which the building will be closed and disinfected, and the filters will be vacuumed to flush in fresh air.

“Low campus density is likely our buffer against infection,” Conoley said. “We need

“I usually think bubbles are bad, but not during a pandemic.”

- President Jane Close Conoley ble, but that’s the only successful model we’ve seen thus far,” Conoley said, referring to the 2020 NBA Bubble in which NBA players are remaining in an isolation zone to resume playoff games amid the pandemic. “I usually think bubbles are bad, but not during a pandemic.”

To promote health and safety guidelines, Conoley said there is new signage across campus, along with several hand sanitizing stations and crews frequently performing deep cleans. CSULB has also implemented labeled walkways to indicate which direction to walk on entrances, exits and stairwells for physical distancing.

Conoley said there will be a “SWAT team” of cleaners dispersed if an infection is reported on campus. In the case that three or

everyone to be involved in taking responsibility for keeping the campus healthy.”

The school will be giving faculty and staff access to paper towels and disinfectants to clean their personal work areas, and everyone will be required to wear masks unless within a private office that guarantees six feet of separation. A supply of personal protective equipment will be available as well.

According to Conoley, students with a verifiable medical condition preventing them from wearing a mask should visit the Bob Murphy Access Center.

The president encourages the campus community to monitor their symptoms and report any positive COVID-19 tests to Student Health Services, who will be in contact with the Long Beach and Los Angeles Pub-

lic Health Departments.

“No one should come to campus unless their work or studies require them to be there,” Conoley said. “This will keep everyone much safer.”

Without coming to campus regularly, students lose out on access to various resources such as the library and computer labs. In an effort to combat this issue, CSULB has expanded campus Wi-Fi and student access to software, as well as offered thousands of computers and hot spots to students dependent on these resources.

Instead of the usual 2,500 on-campus residents, this fall semester will only have 348 students living in on-campus housing, all in single rooms. According to Conoley, the majority of these students must live on campus for varying personal reasons.

The common areas will not be available for resident use, and masks will be mandatory outside of the single rooms. There are rooms and services set aside for quarantine situations, if necessary, Conoley said.

With no communal dining halls and only a few campus food locations open, all meals will be grab-and-go.

Conoley hopes following these regulations will allow for an increase in residential numbers more quickly. She said students will be asked to get a seasonal flu shot

by Nov. 1 to help diagnose COVID-19.

“All safety precautions will be in place, but in many ways we’ll be doing what we do with student services and academic experience,” Conoley said. “We’ll just be doing it at a distance until we can safely unite the Beach.”

4 NEWS

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | NEWS@DAILY49ER.COM

‘Elbee’ makes waves Long Beach State introduced its new mascot, “Elbee”, after students voted over a year ago to replace the former mascot, Prospector Pete.

Elbee the shark, Long Beach State’s new mascot, made their debut on Aug. 17, 2020.

By Julia Terbeche News Editor

A

fter identifying with Prospector Pete since 1949, Long Beach State introduced its new mascot via social media Monday, Aug. 17, a shark named “Elbee,” causing some uproar in the campus community.

Students voted over a year ago to replace the old mascot and landed on the shark as a representation of CSULB’s well-known shark lab in a 53% majority. “Elbee,” which is a phonetic reference to Long Beach’s initials, has a jersey number of 49 and identifies as non-binary, using they/them/theirs pronouns.

“From the start, there was interest in having Elbee representative of both men’s and women’s teams and all members of the Beach community, so Elbee does indeed transcend gender,” said Jeff Cook, associ-

ate vice president of strategic communications.

Members of the Beach community have expressed mixed feelings about the rebranding, taking to social media to voice their concerns over the new identity. Prospector Pete had been the school’s mascot since it opened in 1949, and many students and alumni still identify with the “49er” nickname and history.

Recent graduate and former international student who majored in film and electronic arts, May Nyback, took to Instagram to voice her thoughts on the new mascot.

“I think the decision to pronoun the shark as they/them was extremely progressive and promising for our college and community,” Nyback said. “It highlights everyone and set forth a world where everyone is accepted for who they are — even sharks.”

Another alumna, Lioda Aghajani, has conflicting feelings toward the pronoun decision.

“I myself am part of the LBGTQ+ community and appreciate the proper use of

pronouns, using it for a shark is a bit excessive but I get that the people who came up with it were probably just trying to be inclusive,” said Aghajani, who graduated in 2018 majoring in communication studies.

Others expressed their disappointment in the school’s decision to continue distancing itself from the retired mascot.

Former Daily Forty-Niner sports editor in 1984, Elliot Teaford, did not take well to the announcement of Elbee’s debut.

“Thanks for the chuckle, but I’ll be a 49er first, last and always,” Teaford said on Twitter.

In a long process of finding an identity for the Beach, several mascot ideas were eventually narrowed down to three semifinalists: a shark, stingray and the option to have no mascot at all. President Jane Close Conoley approved of the shark mascot in May 2019 and appointed a representative committee to begin development during the 2019-20 academic year.

According to Cook, the mascot’s name came from a collective effort by the Mascot Development Committee.

Despite Elbee’s debut, CSULB students will not be known as “the sharks,” and the campus will maintain its identity as the Beach. The shark is the singular campus mascot, not the campus identity as a whole.

Using the term “49er” to refer to students is still considered to be applicable, according to the campus communications department, as it is in reference to the school’s first president, P. Victor Peterson, proclaiming that the opening of the university meant they had “struck educational gold.”

The shark’s debut was postponed from last spring as CSULB focused its efforts on adapting to virtual instruction in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

As part of the school’s rebranding efforts, CSULB removed the statue of Prospector Pete from the Liberal Arts 5 plaza, where it had been since its erection in 1967.

“Long Beach State is a place where diversity is welcomed and valued,” Conoley said.

“Why go with binaries when the ocean is a very big place? We strive to think just as big.”

Campus COVI April 10

March 13

March 17

The Big West conference announces that all spring conference and non-conference competition will be canceled for the 2020 season.

Conoley announces that CSULB will not be returning for face-to-face instruction for the remainder of spring semester and commencement is postponed.

Provost Brian Jersky announces CSU allowing students the option to selec no-credit grade for the spring se

March 16

March 23

Housing and Residential Life officials notify all dorm residents to move out completely by March 27.

As CSULB makes the transition to alternative teaching methods, university officials send out messages of encouragement and guidance.

Conole CSUL teach

NEWS 5

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | NEWS@DAILY49ER.COM

PARIS BARRAZA | Daily Forty-Niner

Parking and Transportation Services announced a new monthly parking permit and lot closures, among other program changes, ahead of the fall 2020 semester on Wednesday.

Empty lots, empty wallets To better accommodate the modified campus, Parking and Transportation Services is making changes to their permit, lot and shuttle availability.

By Madalyn Amato Editor in chief

P

arking and Transportation Services shared via email on Aug. 5 that there will be significant changes to different parking programs on campus.

The department will be offering a $40-per-month parking permit that will grant students the same access a normal parking permit would, without the $175-per-semester price tag, which is a $20 increase from last academic year. This will

allow students “greater flexibility” when they choose to come to campus to avoid paying the $10 daily fee each visit.

Other parking permit price changes include a $25 increase for residential permits, an $8 increase for community permits and a $20 increase for motorcycle permits.

Electrical vehicle charging station fees will also increase from 25 cents per kilowatt to 29 cents per kilowatt for faculty, staff and students.

When looking for parking, however, students and faculty will have less options as many of the parking lots will be closed in attempts to “increase campus security.”

Lots G6, G5, G13, G1, E1 and E11 will

be closed for the fall 2020 semester. The Walter Pyramid parking structure and the Palo Verde North and the Palo Verde South parking structures will also be closed. All other lots will be open for parking.

As announced on May 26, the Los Coyotes shuttle route has been terminated.

Other shuttles, including the Beachside shuttle, the West Loop shuttle, the East Loop shuttle and the Campus Tripper, will not be running during the fall 2020 semester due to a decrease in students on campus and an attempt to maintain social distancing standards.

All public transportation services to campus will be overseen by Long Beach Transit.

In the past, LBT offered students a fee waiver for shuttle passes. The waiver will not be offered for the fall semester; instead, a 30-day unlimited pass will be offered at $40 and a 150-day unlimited pass for $100.

Rideshare and Guaranteed Ride Home, two ridesharing services previously offered to faculty only, will now be available for students. Both programs are part of the department’s initiative to encourage cleaner transportation to and from campus.

Parking and Transportation Services asked that all non-essential travel to campus be postponed for the coming semester, but reminded everyone that paid parking is required at all times.

ID Chronology

ULB will be ct a credit or emester.

May 7

July 31

University officials announce that CSULB students will receive CARES Act disbursement payments at the end of that week.

Conoley announces that CSULB’s class of 2020 is scheduled to join the class of 2021 commencement celebration next May.

May 4

ey reveals in a campus-wide email that LB will be continuing with alternative hing methods into the fall semester.

July 29

August 6

The Big West Board of Directors announces all Big West Conference-affiliated sports will not be played this fall season.

The California State University system implemented a program Thursday called CSU Fully Online that allows CSU students to take one online class from any of the 23 campuses at no additional tuition cost.

6 NEWS

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | NEWS@DAILY49ER.COM

Tuition remains in full

WHAT DO STUDENT FEES PAY FOR?

Long Beach State administrators said they have no plans to reduce student fees for the fall semester.

By Nicholas James Assistant News Editor

L

ong Beach State will not be waiving any campus-related fees included in tuition for the upcoming fall 2020 semester, according to several CSULB officials.

Many of the fees not being waived include the Associate Students, Inc. fee, set for campus events and activities and the University Student Union fee, which goes toward funding for on-campus food establishments, banks, salon and other on-campus resources.

Aside from the ASI and USU fees, CSULB’s tuition includes a facility fee, a student excellence fee, student health services fee and instructionally related activities fee, which are all student resources that are mainly on campus.

The university suffered a substantial budget cut of $22 million in July due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, but campus officials will not be looking to make any changes to the fees.

“At this time, there is no type of adjustment planned as instruction is being offered and academic credit is being earned,” said Jeff Cook, associate vice president of strategic communications for CSULB. Cook said the pandemic has caused a financial strain on the university, and, while some of the campus-provided programs have been either shut down or transferred to remote delivery, CSULB will still be charging the fees to keep programs running until campus reopens.

“Campus-based fees, such as the student excellence fee and health fee here at CSULB, provide support to programs that students continue to benefit from,” Cook said. “There are ongoing costs related to facility upkeep and staff compensation for programs that continue to run remotely.”

Roughly 77% of the university’s budget goes toward maintaining faculty and staff, with the remaining 23% going toward campus energy cost, maintenance, insurance and renovations, according to President Jane Close Conoley.

However, some students have expressed concerns over the university’s decision to maintain the fee rates.

“I don’t think the fees should remain the same as they were,” said Michaela Chakos, third-year sociology major. “We are getting a compromised education when it is all online. I’m not saying it should be free, but our tuition fees should be significantly reduced.”

Alyssa Neal, fourth-year psychology major, started a change. org petition in May calling for the university to reduce tuition.

“Considering how many of the resources paid for by tuition will be unavailable to students, I stand by my initial belief that CSULB should lower the cost of tuition,” Neal said. “I do not think that the university is being considerate of the many hardworking students like myself enrolled in the university. While these times are unprecedented and we could not have prepared for such a wild year, the school can more than afford to give us a break financially, especially considering we will be paying for things we cannot use.”

Since the posting, the petition has gained almost 3,000 more signees, bringing the total to over 8,000 signatures.

Fees such as those associated with ASI will also remain the same, according to Senior Communications Manager James Ahumada.

Ahumada said the ASI fees are categorized by the California State University Chancellor’s Office as a Category II fee, which are considered mandatory fees required for enrollment at all CSUs per Executive Order 1102.

“This means for us that these fees are not sanctioned for refunds,” Ahumada said. “They primarily finance debt service on facilities, similar to a mortgage, facility maintenance, student employment, permanent staff salaries and benefits, and other fixed costs that support the student services that ASI provides.”

Student fees are also being used to pay off various construction projects, including renovations of the USU in 1994 and the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, which was approved in 2007 with a 74.7% to 25.2% student vote.

Conoley said that the students’ approval in 2007 has allowed for continual support for the buildings and programs on campus.

“Although it is natural for students to see them as ‘usage’ fees, they are actually paying for the mortgages on buildings and the staff who continue to serve the students,” Conoley said.

77% 23% MAINTAINING FACULTY AND STAFF

ENERGY COST, MAINTENANCE, INSURANCE AND RENOVATIONS

RENOVATIONS OF THE USU & THE SRWC

SRWC RENOVATIONS WERE APPROVED BY A STUDENT VOTE OF 74.7% TO 25.2% IN 2007

"ALTHOUGH IT IS NATURAL FOR STUDENTS TO SEE THEM AS 'USAGE' FEES, THEY ARE ACTUALLY PAYING FOR THE MORTGAGES ON BUILDINGS AND THE STAFF WHO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE STUDENTS," CONOLEY SAID.

GRAPHIC BY JULIA TERBECHE | Daily Forty-Niner

50% LOVES

25% LOVES

15% HATES

8 ARTS & LIFE

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM

A Differen

Despite many visible changes being made to Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary the empty campus continu

W

BY PARIS

hile new changes to be seen around Long Beach State include construction for expansion and renovation projects, the transition to virtual learning since last spring semester has brought a different type of change to campus.

The pathways throughout main empty except for a few cals out on a walk. Building Pyramid Parking structure, busy as students sought out or enrollment, are closed.

(Clockwise from top left) Pathways in front of the Horn Center as well as along the Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Musuem are underg distancing protocols, The lecture halls at the College of Business are being renovated for the first time since 1993 with changes including new furniture an continues for Parkside North Housing off of E Atherton Street, Aug. 14, and is expected to be completed by May 2021.

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM

ARTS & LIFE 9

nt Campus

o Long Beach State, like construction on the y Art Museum and Parkside North Housing, ues to be most noticeable.

BARRAZA

t upper and lower campus rew maintenance workers or logs like Brotman Hall and the , which would otherwise be t questions about financial aid

Still, projects like the Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum expansion and the construction of Parkside North Housing will continue as faculty and students work from home.

going reconstruction, Aug. 14. A sign stands in front of the second floor entrance to Brotman Hall, which remains closed, to remind individuals of social nd retrofitting lighting fixtures. The University Bookstore’s front entrance doors are in the process of being reinstalled at Long Beach State, Construction

10 ARTS & LIFE

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM

Pandemic puts plans on hold As instruction is conducted mainly virtually for the fall semester, four CSULB students decide not to return to the university until next year.

For them, the loss of the in-person experience proved to be too great.

By Paris Barraza Arts and Life Editor

W

hen Long Beach State announced the decision to transition to virtual learning on March 13 in accordance with California’s stay-at-home orders, students and faculty scrambled to adjust to the changes.

At first, the university expected to resume in-person classes by April 20. When that did not happen, the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic made students like Ben Nicholas rethink their fall semester plans.

Nicholas, a third-year double major in jazz and composition, had already decided that if the coronavirus was to continue to spread in the coming months, he would take time off from CSULB. He was not the only student to make the decision to not return to CSULB this fall. So did Eliza Derselt, Justin Chow and Alyssa Mesa.

“It’s just not exactly what you pay for,” said Chow, a third-year studio art major.

“I’m sure professors are providing the same amount of work as they normally would in person, if not more virtually, but it feels too costly to be enrolled in a class that you may not need to complete your degree.”

Chow decided to enroll in classes at Rio Hondo College instead. It is what Nicholas is doing at Fresno City College as well as Mesa, a third-year double major in vocal performance and choral music education, at Long Beach City College.

Though unchanged tuition for a virtual fall semester was a factor, the loss of valuable in-person experience within their departments sparked all four’s decisions.

Prior to the pandemic, Nicholas frequently spent between 12 and 14 hours a day on campus attending classes, rehearsals and practicing his music. He came to CSULB with the intent to be in vocal groups, make music with his peers and work alongside the faculty.

“I love making music with people live,” Nicholas said. “I can still make music on my own but having the group aspect taken away has been really hard. It’s what I wake up and look forward to.”

Mesa ran into the same concerns this past spring.

“I was taking a percussion class and all the percussion instruments are located at the school,” Mesa said. “Through online classes, it was all lectures and small writing assignments. We still learned about each instrument but we didn’t get to really interact with them.”

It was not just the percussion class, Mesa said, but also the cancellation of the live opera production “Orpheus in the Under-

PARIS BARRAZA | Daily Forty-Niner

Some Long Beach State students have decided not to return to school for the fall semester due to the transition to alternative learning. world” Mesa had been preparing for that turned into instruction about technique via Zoom. The University Choir’s San Diego tour became a virtual performance and left students like Mesa singing alone in their bedrooms.

Mesa understood instructors were trying their best, but it was not working.

Across campus, Derselt, a fourth-year psychology major, saw how her experience changed.

“I was in a community psychology class where a significant portion of that class was volunteer work,” Derselt said. “A lot of us didn’t get that portion of the class completed.”

Her psychology lab was disrupted as well.

“We worked a lot with children and that was the first thing that had to go,” Derselt said. “We were about to start a study with newborns and their mothers.”

Spring semester proved that it was no

longer a question about whether or not to return, but if the consequences of that decision would be worth it.

For Derselt, that meant returning home to live with her family as it no longer made sense to pay rent in Long Beach for a school she was not going to attend. Mesa realized that she would no longer receive state-paid vocal lessons she otherwise would as a student in the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music.

Still, there were positives to this newfound time.

“Personally, I do a lot of art on the side,” Chow said. “During this time I’ve just been participating in zine fests.”

Before, Chow was kept busy with his work at a graphic design agency in Anaheim during the day and night classes at CSULB. Now, he has the time to work on personal projects.

Meanwhile, Nicholas has been brushing up on the piano, an instrument he used to

be well-versed in. His music also has a new source of inspiration.

The turmoil Nicholas has experienced and witnessed around from the pandemic has turned into valuable life experience that can be channeled into his work.

“I’m still making music everyday,” Nicholas said. “Right now, I’m just going where my creativity takes me naturally and trying not to be too hard on myself because things are difficult right now.”

As Chow, Mesa, Derselt and Nicholas hold out for an in-person spring or fall semester next year, Chow realized that the pandemic has brought an important change of pace to students’ lives.

“I feel like this was a necessary break for everyone,” Chow said. “Right after you graduate you always experience that burnout. I’m sure there are a lot of students who are reevaluating their field. It’s kind of neat to see.”

ARTS & LIFE 11

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM

Beach Bound: Meet three of the Beach’s newest transfers Farah Hammam, Taylor Triplett and Rocio Mares share what made them decide on transferring to CSULB and what they hope to accomplish while at the Beach.

BY PARIS BARRAZA

Farah Hammam is an incoming third-year psychology major who transferred from Orange Coast College to Long Beach State, a choice she made after she saw how diverse the campus population is.

Hammam moved to Long Beach five years ago from Egypt, where she was born and raised, due to political reasons. So diversity was especially important for her.

“Here, for me to be able to say how I feel, if I don’t like the president or don’t like something he’s done, being able to share it on social media, it’s a big thing,” Hammam said. “I don’t feel that someone will hurt me or bother me over here.”

Another difference between Egypt and the U.S., Hammam said, is that people here work while enrolled in higher education. Hammam soon realized that she enjoyed the independence

Taylor Triplett is an incoming third-year transfer student from Orange Coast College. He is a business administration major who hopes to apply his degree in the technology field.

Though it took Triplett some time to determine what he wanted to major in, business administration was a field he had seen his family work in since he was a child.

“My parents are both small business owners,” Triplett said. “My mom used to own a pet shop. My dad owns a pond-themed construction business. I actually work with them.”

An Inland Empire native, Triplett moved out at 18 with his friend when they received an affordable opportunity to live in Long Beach. It was a decision Triplett said he feels proud of to this day because leaving home meant a chance to learn how to be

self-sufficient.

Still, Triplett visits his family often. Though he splits his time with his family back home for work or, as he joked, if he needs household items like paper towels, Triplett knows he wants to eventually transition into living in Long Beach permanently while at school.

Long Beach State will be Triplett’s first time in a university setting. After three years at community colleges where students commuted, attended classes and left, he is ready for a change of pace.

“I have been looking forward to being on campus and being around other people who are excited to be on campus,” Triplett said. “I am looking forward to the community and [the university] mindset.”

This change does come with some concerns for Triplett, especially since

of having a job and became a Registered Behavioral Technician to work with children who have developmental disorders.

She helps them with their speech and teaches them how to make eye contact.

“I’ve been working with kids for a while,” Hammam said. “It’s so much fun and it’s rewarding.”

While Hammam is considering pursuing a doctorate in psychology, she knows that working with children is something she would be happy to continue doing. Before that, Hammam has to navigate her undergraduate schooling as a transfer student, something that has not been easy.

At first, Hamman had to determine what classes to enroll in, which proved confusing when she would be blocked from enrolling in certain classes within her department.

It also didn’t help that the admis-

sions office registered her as an international student, something Hammam had to solve quickly to make sure she did not pay international student tuition fees by the time the fall semester began.

Despite the complications these past months, Hammam remains excited about attending CSULB and eventually being on campus to attend in-person classes. In the meantime, Hammam plans to join the Muslim Students Association at CSULB. “I want to raise awareness about the middle east,” Hammam said. “This is one of my goals.”

Hammam also wants to build herself a platform at CSULB to speak about autism and mental health. For Hamman, it is all about working for what she wants.

“You need to strive for the best,” Hammam said.

classes will be conducted virtually this semester.

Though he has experience with online instruction, knowing that all of his classes will be virtual poses problems like instructor accessibility.

Without the ease of in-person classes, Triplett said that trying to speak with his professors individually directly after class may not be the same in a virtual setting.

“I have to stay on top of it,” Triplett said.

When CSULB does return to in-person instruction across all departments, Triplett knows he will have the opportunity to continue working on himself.

“I like to try and keep improving, whether it’s in my academics or any sort of activity in my life, and keep making changes through hard work and determination.”

Rocio Mares is a third-year sociology major at Long Beach State, the school she knew she was going to attend long before she was accepted.

“I remember walking around and getting lost,” Mares said, recalling a time she and a friend visited the campus. “So we started walking towards the Go Beach [sign] and I looked around, turning to my friend and said, ‘This is where I’m coming.

I have a feeling I should come here.

I should work my butt off for Long Beach.’”

It was not just Mares who was accepted at CSULB, but her sister as well. While the two share this accomplishment, Mares has different goals than her sister.

“I want people to know who I am,” Mares said. “You’re getting yourself connections, getting to know people.”

The path to CSULB was not always easy for Mares. When she started at Mt. San Antonio College, the community college she transferred from, she was a full-time student who was failing one of her classes.

Mares had turned in a poorly written paper to one of her instructors, Mario Yagoda, who noticed the lack of effort. He pointed it out to her, but after, he told Mares something she had never heard before.

“You have potential,” Yagoda said.

Mares was motivated to work harder and later, in a sociology class to fulfill a general education requirement, formed a connection with her instructor. While she always thought she would do something within the field of criminal justice, she discovered she enjoyed sociology.

Between these two instructors,

Mares knew what she wanted to do one day.

“I want to teach in the future [at] colleges to inspire other students to go for their dreams,” Mares said. “I want to inspire others to further their education.”

Her hope to be an inspiration to others, she decided, does not have to wait until then.

Mares said she wants to connect with her peers at CSULB to be a resource if anyone needs help. She and her sister are first-generation college students, so Mares plans to set an example for her other siblings as well.

Despite her busy schedule with work and school, Mares is prepared to handle it all.

“If I feel something, it’s going to happen,” Mares said.

12 OPINIONS

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | OPINIONS@DAILY49ER.COM

Go Beach?

Long Beach State’s new mascot was finally named after the removal of its controversial mascot, Prospector Pete.

By Kelsey Brown Opinions Editor

F

or the last few years, there has been struggle and tension surrounding the original mascot of Long Beach State, Prospector Pete. Though some saw Pete as a harmless and fictitious caricature representing the pioneering spirit of the founding president, Peter Victor Peterson, others found the mascot to be disrespectful of the Puvungna land on which the university is built up upon, and a symbol of the colonizers in the past who stole land and lives from native people.

The 51-year-old statue of Prospector Pete, which stood in the Liberal Arts 5 plaza since its erec-

tion in 1967, was removed this past June. Pete’s removal was met with confusion, especially for the thousands of new students being admitted to the school, with littleto-no knowledge of the university’s identity and culture.

As a transfer student to CSULB, I was unaware of the preexisting layers behind the mascot.

In fact, during my first tour of the campus I was more confused than anything as to what the mascot even was.

While walking around in March before the campus closed due to coronavirus, I saw all different kinds of manifestations of the campus’ spirit. There were murals that loudly exclaimed “Go Beach” throughout the campus, but in the bookstore shirts cheered on the “Dirtbags” and some even had squirrels on them.

ALINA SCHWIEDER | Daily Forty-Niner

Elbee the shark’s debut was met with backlash as alumni and students voiced their disapproval of the new mascot while others were happy to finally has a new identity.

It wasn’t until I googled CSULB’s mascot that I realized it was a shark.

Without a clear mascot, I feel there’s a certain estrangement between the students and the school.

All the different nicknames and mascots circulating on campus representingCSULB made it feel like the school is having an identity crisis. With so much conflict and confusion, what is there to

represent the students?

CSULB posted on Instagram Aug. 17 revealing the new official mascot, Elbee the shark, in full suit. Though many people in the comments complained at the lack of creativity in the mascot’s name, others expressed relief that the mascot wasn’t a squirrel.

There will always be criticisms and concerns regarding mascots.

Some are upset with the new

mascot because they feel it gives too much attention to the already esteemed science program at CSULB. Others are still mad about Pete’s departure.

Still, as a coastal school that represents the beach, I think sharks are a neutral and fitting mascot for the school.

Personally, I’m just relieved to have a clear mascot to claim and represent our school.

Spill the Tea is a weekly section for students to share their opinions and make their voices heard. Long Beach State students answer a question that can rnage from the silly the political. We at the Daily Forty-Niner valve deverse opinions of the CSULB student body and look forward to you sharing them with us.

How do you feel about the fall semester being mainly online?

BY JIREH DENG AND KELSEY BROWN

Fiona Hang Second-year criminal justice major “I’m a bit nervous about going online this semester because I do struggle with the whole online learning experience—with making deadlines, and also all of the distractions at home. I know a lot of students, including myself, have elderly family members and immunocompromised friends we need to protect. While I am nervous about school being online, I am hopeful that it’ll get better and that our university will use this semester to plan so that we can all return to campus safely.”

Parvathi Devi Third-year film major “Remote learning seems to be the only completely safe way to attend school this semester—that being said, it does not work equally well for every focus of education. Being an art major myself, it is daunting to think about attempting to learn a craft that is heavily dependent on in-person teamwork and visual learning of skills. While I know my professors will be more than dedicated to teaching me in the best way possible through online classes, I still feel that my education will be lacking the hands-on experience I need, as opposed to those with mainly lecturebased classes.”

Dan Dao Second-year mechanical engineering major and entrepreneurship minor “What I believe the incoming fall semester will feel like is that it’s a breeze you get from behind a fast food restaurant’s dumpster. A continuous, smooth, but slightly unpleasant experience. I feel like I will have a strong start and possibly crash after three weeks. Overall, I am confident I will make do with whatever happens.

I kinda have to.”

Gabriella Labrador Fourth-year philosophy major and political science minor “Remote learning seems to be the only completely safe way to attend school this semester—that being said, it does not work equally well for every focus of education. Being an art major myself, it is daunting to think about attempting to learn a craft that is heavily dependent on in-person teamwork and visual learning of skills. While I know my professors will be more than dedicated to teaching me in the best way possible through online classes, I still feel that my education will be lacking the hands-on experience I need, as opposed to those with mainly lecturebased classes.”

OPINIONS 13

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | OPINIONS@DAILY49ER.COM

Should we stay or Should we go?

Students share their opinions on whether school should be online or resume traditional instruction for the fall semester.

By Kelsey Brown Opinions Editor

W

ith Southern California continuing to be a hot spot for the coronavirus, I’m grateful to not be returning back to school in person.

As a transfer student, I spent the past three years at community college, waiting for this moment to finally come to a big university.

Even though I’m bummed about the semester being online and have my concerns regarding remote learning, I think it’s ultimately the best option for the time being.

Obviously, it’s disappointing, and obviously I want in-person classes.

I’ve never voluntarily taken online classes, in-person classes force me to sit down for a given amount of time, focus and allow me to connect and get direct help from my peers and professors.

I want the typical college experience like everyone else, and remote delivery doesn’t allow for that. However, I also understand that sometimes in life, things happen outside of our control and we have no choice but to deal with it.

You could argue that college students are not at risk for the virus, and because of that we should return.

As the virus persists, though, the infection of younger people is becoming more and more frequent, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

What about the students with auto-immune diseases that place them in the high-risk category? Or those who commute to campus and would risk exposing the virus to their families and hometowns?

I’ve seen plenty of college students posting Snapchats of pool parties and birthday gatherings. It is impossible to force people to follow the rules and guidelines for this pandemic, and, if we returned, students would more than likely socialize outside of any social distancing regulations that the campus could try and sanction.

So, given the situation, I think the school made the best decision it could by choosing remote learning for the fall semester.

Who knows, maybe distance learning will be what finally forces me to learn better time-management skills and become more self-disciplined.

Online learning will definitely be difficult to navigate, but some good could come out of it, too. If we all commit to suffering just one term online, we can hopefully resume our normal lives come spring semester.

By Felicia Petrocelli Contributor

I

believe that we should go back to school and resume in-person classes because many people, including myself, learn better that way.

When I am in class, I feel the need to pay attention to assure that when I get home I understand what was taught to me.

But, with everything being online, I find myself feeling more relaxed and less attentive.

While doing work on my computer, my phone will light up, or my dog or sister will come into my room and I’ll want to talk to them. I know it’s my responsibility to make sure I have no distractions and force myself to pay attention, but it is definitely more challenging learning in your house rather than a classroom.

Home is supposed to be where students can relax and be stress-free. The classroom is supposed to be a place to learn and take tests, which can be stress-inducing.

So, why would we want to put those two things together?

Putting them together is like bringing a 9-to5 job home with you, and nobody wants that.

When I lived on campus in the dorms, I could find places to study: outdoors, in the classroom of the Honors building, or the library. My dorm room would be the place where I could finally relax.

People should be relieved to come home, not want to try and get away from it.

As much as students say we dislike school, truth be told, we enjoy the community it brings. I enjoy being at school because when I arrive early to a class, I am able to talk to my friends and interact with peers. If I needed help, I could stay after class to ask the professor questions.

Now, I can’t do any of these things because we are logging into class online instead of stepping into a classroom.

For me, campus is also a place that brings all of my friends together.

Many of the friends that I made while in classes and through mutual connections, I’m unable to see because they live too far away, or our class schedules no longer match up. If we were still meeting in-person on campus I would be able to walk with them to class or we’d have lunch together in those small amounts of time in between classes.

I’m not saying we should be crammed into classrooms and risk spreading the coronavirus; ideally the proper safety precautions could be taken. Cass times could be spread out, and classrooms could seat students six feet apart. Maybe some classes could even be held outside.

I think coming up with creative solutions to allow students on campus would benefit the students’ educational and social lives.

14 SPORTS

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | SPORTS@DAILY49ER.COM

ANDREA RAMOS | Daily Forty-Niner

The future of fall sports for the Beach now depends on the ability for the university to provide rapid coronavirus testing, according to Long Beach State Athletics Director, Andy Fee.

State of Athletics with Andy Fee In a sit-down with the Daily Forty-Niner, Long Beach State athletic director Andy Fee reveals the current state of Beach athletics and that fall sports remain at a standstill due to coronavirus regulations.

By Jacob Powers, Cain Hernandez and Ignacio Cervantes Editorial staff

D

espite the Big West Conference’s announcement of a canceled fall season, Long Beach State athletic director Andy Fee said he is feeling optimistic about Beach athletics.

“In March, I would have said we’d be busy, but we are now by far administratively busier than we were prior,” Fee said. “One of the biggest changes without a doubt is my staff has worked harder in the last five months than ever, and they worked hard before.”

Mitigating transmission of COVID-19 between players, Fee said, is the number one goal of the athletic department in getting players back to competing in their respective sports.

According to Fee, the main issue holding Beach athletics back from resuming is the struggle to implement rapid testing across the athletics department. With a

lack of funding making it difficult to get these rapid tests, sports remain at a standstill.

“We have not been approved for activity yet,” Fee said. “We are still in a holding pattern. I’ve had discussions already with some donors on what we need for testing and funding.”

In order to safely resume competition and be in compliance with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the athletic department will need to provide athletes and coaches with rapid testing of the virus every 72 hours, Fee said.

In the case that results come back positive, the individual who tested positive would be temporarily removed from team activity and must self-isolate, per NCAA guidelines.

However, it is up to each university in the Big West Conference to administrate and fund the testing themselves.

Because CSULB cannot afford rapid COVID-19 testing, the testing that the school has access to does not deliver results as quickly as the department would hope for.

Within the Big West, almost every participating program is at a

standstill when it comes to access to testing that will get them safely on the field.

“We have access through county testing and our campus, the turnaround time isn’t three days, it’s multiple,” Fee said. “But the reality is there is going to be some positive cases unfortunately.”

Another hurdle facing the athletic department is safely designing protocols for each of the 19 sports teams to resume practices.

Coaches may have to break down their teams into “cohorts” of up to six athletes who will practice and run through drills together.

Cross country head coach Shawn Winget recently had to split his squad into groups of six for the foreseeable future.

Until the spread of the virus slows, the cross country student-athletes will have to train with the same five teammates through the rest of summer, fall or even winter if the pandemic were to persist.

“Across sports, people have been really open about helping one another,” Fee said. “It’s because nobody has the perfect plan.

For us to ramp back up, one, we have to find things that do work and mitigate transmission and mitigate risk the best we can.”

The most difficult part about navigating the fall semester for Fee and the coaching staff lies in the solution not being a “one size fits all” scenario.

Player physicals, signing of paperwork and staying within NCAA protocol might be similar for each team, but when Fee meets with coaches to clear teams for practice, it’s a different case for each sport.

According to Fee, hosting the meetings in a safe space, taking extra sanitary precaution and staying socially distanced will assist in getting teams back on the field.

During volleyball practice, for instance, when a ball is spiked down and hits the ground, staff members will have to wipe the ball as well as the spot in which the ball hit the ground before it can be used again.

In women’s and men’s soccer, similar sanitation practices will be necessary to clean the balls after a throw-in.

When permitted to return back to on-campus practicing, Fee mentioned that student-athletes need to be ready for a completely different training format.

“We’re trying to mitigate and reduce transmission as much as possible,” Fee said. “We want to practice, but my job as athletic director is to decide if it’s the right thing to do. We’re working hard to find that solution where we can have activity.”

In regards to the Dirtbags program, Fee said he’d been in recent talks with head coach Eric Valenzuela about how to safely get the team back to practicing at Blair Field.

In July, coach Valenzuela talked with Los Angeles Angels head coach Joe Maddon on how to mitigate transmission risks and ways to be practical.

“A week ago, I talked to coach Valenzuela, who has been talking to the Angels to find out how their summer camp operated this summer at Blair field,” Fee said. “The playbook is being built right now, I’ve already teased Angels general manager Billy Eppler how do you welcome a player into the facility.”

SPORTS 15

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | SPORTS@DAILY49ER.COM

Focused Laramie Sets Example for Women’s Soccer Third-year center back, Elysia Laramie, still has her head in the game, despite her cleats not being on the field this season.

By Ignacio Cervantes Assistant Sports Editor

U

pon coming to Long Beach State in 2018, women’s soccer center back Elysia Laramie knew forcing her way into an experienced and mature squad would be rough.

After contributing 894 minutes her rookie season, followed by a dominating sophomore year, Laramie no longer struggles for playing time.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, circumstances are different this time around.

“Last week we were told we weren’t going to have a season,” said Laramie. “But for us, that doesn’t mean anything. We still have to focus and get better every day whether the season starts tomorrow, two months from now or next year.”

A force in head coach Mauricio Ingrassia’s program, third-year Laramie has her eyes set on the same thing she did when she first stepped foot at the Beach during her recruitment visit. Preparing to win games.

Her work ethic was something coach Ingrassia first noticed in 2018. Laramie proved to be one of the fittest players on the field in her first few practices and went on to make 27 appearances in her first year.

“She was playing behind very talented players but contributing every single game,” Ingrassia said. “The program has been built to a point where it’s nationally recognized and Elysia is next of all the players before that have had this opportunity.”

In the summer of 2019, Ingrassia and his team travelled to France for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The team also featured in friendly matches against an unfamiliar opponent, the Argentina Women’s National team.

Days later, her and her teammates, including roommate and Beach winger Lena Silano, were in the stands at the Parc des Prince in Paris watching the South American’s play 90 minutes of scoreless play against Japan.

“It’s amazing,” Silano said about being there in person, “I played against [Argentina]. It definitely motivates all of us, we

COURTESY OF LONG BEACH STATE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT

Long Beach State women’s soccer center-back, Elysia Laramie, dribbles past an opponent during a match last season. can be here.”

It’s the way Laramie enters the field, according to Silano, with confidence and lack of nerves that inspires the rest of her teammates.

Another shot at a Big West Conference title for the duo looms on whether the state of California and participating universities are able to agree that things are safe enough to begin play.

The task to piece together a plan for Laramie and the rest of Beach’s student-athletes is something Long Beach State Athletics Director Andy Fee isn’t taking lightly.

The man responsible with the project of safely clearing 19 different sports teams says his first assignment is finding affordable rapid testing.

“Without rapid testing, I’m not sure we can safely compete because we do not have the ability to ‘bubble’,” Fee said.

Coach Ingrassia has been planning a bubble-type method with his staff to submit for approval with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

For now though, the planning and approval of on-campus training is not something on Laramie’s mind. Continuing to improve for her team by using the extra time to train, she says, is her only option right now.

“I’m just focusing on the things I can control,” Laramie said. “Everything else is out of my mind.”

Following a frustrating 2019

season, the center back’s focus is now centered on building from the squad’s success in spring play. During the training sessions last April, Ingrassia and his staff realized how much more effective Laramie can be for the team in the back line.

She was used as a forward her freshman season and a swap to center back last season was hampered by an “anemic attack” up front, according to Ingrassia, following key injuries to the team.

“The Women’s National Team wanted to look at her in the front cause she’s a physical specimen,” Ingrassia said. “But she’s a natural defender so she’ll go there for the last two years.”

When pandemic allows, Laramie’s new role in her natural

position is going to let her and the team take the game to its opponents tactically.

Silano mentioned that with Laramie in the back, things will be interesting because she isn’t afraid to venture forward into attack.

In the meantime, Laramie continues to stay mentally and physically ready. To take her mind off things, Laramie has been enjoying time with her niece who, at just one- years-old, also has a knack for soccer.

“The first time she kicked the ball back to me,” Laramie said about the most memorable moment with her niece. “The greatest moment in my life. Put this on record, she’s going to be a Long Beach State women’s soccer player in 18 years!”

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