CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
VOL. LXVIX, ISSUE 49 | FEBRUARY 15, 2018
49er
D HOUSING
Rodents found in housing dorms Christian Nunez, who was featured in the gallery titled Epilouge, centered his pieces on life, death and the afterlife.
T
Sabrina Flores | Daily 49er
By Diego Gómez
The Art of Identity
Staff Writer
his week’s School of Art galleries featured painting, ceramics and photography exploring ideas of feminine perspective and cultural experience. To see the full gallery feature, see pages 6 and 7.
EVENT
Safe sex? Better grab a latex With romance in the air on Valentine’s Day, Student Health Services took the opportunity to promote healthy practices. By Sabrina Flores
Assistant Photo Editor
Heart-shaped buckets filled with assorted condoms, sweet treats and dental dams occupied a booth set out at the Maxson Plaza by the Student Health Services Wednesday. The Student Health Services took the opportunity Valentine’s Day to hold their annual National Condom Day celebra-
The critters have chewed up resident’s food and the walls.
tion from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. “I think it’s important to share the importance of condom usage, not just using condoms but also promoting how to use them effectively,” said Allison Borwell, health education assistant mastering in public health. “We also are encouraging partner communication, and we’re really approaching sexual health from a sex-positive way.” Students were greeted by bright red hearts and friendly smiles as they passed by the National Condom Day booth. Some stopped to participate, intrigued by the wellness warriors and peer educators flagging them down. Their attention was then directed towards
On and off throughout the years, rodents have found a home in the walls and vents of Los Alamitos dorms at Cal State Long Beach — and they seem to have made a comeback this spring. Last semester, four to five-inch rodents were spotted in student residents’ dorms, some of which have helped themselves to dormers’ food from their rooms. The Housing Department representatives said they have been attentive to the issue since it was discovered that the dorms were infested. “We have been working with a professional pest control company,” said Corry Colonna, housing executive director. “Our own staff facilities are ensuring that the traps are checked and maintained regularly.” Although housing and the Stanley Pest Company have declared that the problem is just a rodent issue, some people who live in Los Alamitos express they have encountered rodents in their dorms. “I guess I was at the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Megan Schoeff, Los Alamitos room advisor and junior communications major. “Two of our residents trapped a [rodent] under a plastic trash can and it needed to be contained for when staff came to deal with it.” Schoeff said she had to sit on the trash can until faculty came to take the rodent away. According to her, you could feel the size of the animal from pressure on the side of the trash can. “At first we were told a exterminator would come over winter break but that never happened because when we came back we saw the [rodents] had eaten through the walls in bunch of the rooms.” Schoeff said. Since last October, there have
Sabrina Flores | Daily 49er
see SAFETY, page 3
Annika Horvath, a peer health educator, poses with a heart and a sex toy which is utilized to demonstrate proper condom usage.
see DORMS, page 3
2 NEWS
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PROFILE
Not so black and white CSULB professor’s research and journey to uncovering the mysteries of animals. By Jessica Jacobs Staff Writer
Ted Stankowich always dreamt of studying dinosaur bones, but by the time he was studying at Cornell University, he had found a new love — animal behavior research. He discovered this new interest after an introductory course in his undergraduate junior year. Stankowich went on to earn his degree in biological sciences at Cornell and his doctorate in animal behavior at the University California Davis. However, Stankowich returned to his roots in 2012 to flourish as an assistant professor in the biology department at Cal State Long Beach. In his time at the university, he unveiled the unknown reasons for animal behavior through research projects and designing robotic models of predators. “The great thing about this job is that you’re always learning,” Stankowich said. “Every paper you read, every paper you write, every discovery means that you’re learning things you didn’t know before. No day is the same as the previous one. Every day brings a new discovery.” The assistant professor began his research on why pandas are black and white with his graduate students and his collaborator of 10 years, Tim Caro, a professor at UC Davis. This team worked together for two years to compile photographs, analysis and data on pandas and carnivores with similar features until the research was published in March 2017. “It was really sort of a Herculean effort
Trang Le | CSULB
During his four year study on pandas, Dr. Ted Stankowich researched the biology behind the bears’ black and white fur pattern.
of dictated collection for this one question, because we essentially had to collect five to 10 images of both the face and body of more than 200 carnivore species,” Stankowich said. According to Stankowich, pandas are active year round, which means they do not have the luxury to be dormant and live in a single ecosystem. His team’s research supports that pandas are black and white because their coats serve as a camouflage. Stankowich and his team were able to conclude that panda bears must migrate to different environments for survival since their choice of food, bamboo, lacks nutrition and
does not permit enough weight-gain to hibernate. “Once you get the results it’s not this ‘ahha’ moment,” Stankowich clarified. “You have to talk it over, assess and discuss how to interpret those results in a biological and meaningful way. We take the data and results and weave it into a story.” Kim Fisher, a student who graduated studying Science and Biology, praised the professor’s findings. “Ted’s research is integrative because he looks at many topics of mammalian ecology and behavior, and investigates everything from morphology to evolution to current
predator-prey relationships,” Fisher said. Stankowich has published more than 40 research projects and says he has more in store. He plans on releasing another publication on how animal’s armor and spines can influence brain evolution in relative brain size and intelligence. “We are doing great work with how skunks perceive fear from predators,” Stankowich said. “We’ve built a robotic porcupine. We have radio-controlled coyote models chasing skunks around. We are also going to do the same thing with an owl model.” The professor is eager for his upcoming projects, but also to move on from his job as a faculty in residence at Beachside College. It is his third year programming events and advising residential students. However, the job only employs employees for three years, and Stankowich is ready to move on to bigger and better things. “Ted is a passionate and caring professor. He is always willing to elaborate on his work and is always curious as to how students are doing,” said Andrew Ellis, a junior majoring in communication studies and a former Beachside Resident Assistant. “He is a joy to be around and is full of knowledge that everyone can learn from.” There are many changes in Stankowich’s life, but he still has a constant of working in education. Stankowich attended Cornell University, interned at the University of California Irvine shark lab, earned his doctorate in animal behavior at Davis in 2006, worked as a Darwin Postdoctoral Fellow for two years at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, lectured at UMass and worked as a Teaching Fellow at Harvard University for two years. Now, Stankowich continues to educate others at Long Beach.
CRIME
Courtesy of University Police
Sexual assault suspect photographed The University Police released a photo of who they believe was the suspect. By Sarah Vehrs
Assistant News Editor
University Police released a photo of the male suspect who sexually assaulted a Cal State Long Beach student Feb. 11. The investigation is ongoing. The alleged assault took place at the off-campus dorm, Beachside College, where the male victim
lives. He reported that the unknown suspect approached him, while he was meditating on the lawn outside his dorm. The suspect sat down and proceeded to put his arm around the victim, who stated he became uncomfortable and left the area. According to the timely warning notice sent by University Police on Feb. 11, the victim walked to his dorm, where the suspect followed him into the building’s internal staircase. Being a few steps below the victim, the suspect then reached up between the victim’s legs and fondled his genitals. The victim confronted the male
University Police issued a flyer identifying the suspect accused of sexually assaulting a student at the Beachside dorms on Sunday morning.
subject who then left the area without further incident. Campus authorities describe the suspect as a white male in his mid to late twenties. He is reportedly 6-feet-tall, 160 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. The suspect was also unshaven and wearing a blue, short-sleeve button-down shirt with blue jeans and grey tennis shoes. Police representatives are requesting the assistance of the public in identifying the suspect. If the above described and photographed subject is seen on campus property, contact the University Police Department at (562) 985-4101.
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NEWS 3
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Breaking down the bars She presented her book, “Becoming Ms. Burton: From Prison to Recovery to Leading the Fight for Incarcerated Women.” By Diego Gómez Staff Writer
Susan Burton was sitting with a friend on Oct. 4 1997 drinking cheap beer while trying to figure out where to buy crack to smoke that afternoon. Then, out of the blue, she told her friend that she could not go on with her drug addiction. It was time for a change. Burton, an activist since 1998, has supported thousands of previously incarcerated women as they transition back into their communities. Her nonprofit organization, A New Way of Life, has given assistance to ex-convicts with housing, social and legal issues. “There are no throwaway people,” Burton said. “The hope of repairing communities and matching promise with opportunity is what keeps me fired up. We have a hope of a much better world.” Despite the half-hour delay, Burton spoke to a max capacity Anatol Center of students about her past addiction to drugs, her inand-out jail experience during the ‘80s and ‘90s and her bounce back as an advocate for women who suffered behind bars. Some students before the event felt touched by Burton’s experience. “I feel very inspired by her story, and I am here to learn a little bit more,” said junior social work major, Nicole Duree. “I love that she went through a personal, difficult experience and now she is helping the population she was once a part of.” Her speech began with a 17-minute video of participants of Burton’s program and how she helped them. According to Burton, 75 percent of the women in her program stay drug-free and
SAFETY
continued from page 1 the large heart and condom-covered wheel perched at the booth. The wheel was a game: one where the player could spin, reads the number it landed on and answer a multiple choice question about condoms. If the player got the answer right they were rewarded with candy; if the player got it wrong, no serious repercussions follow and they too would receive candy. “I think an event like this is great for students, [volunteers] are super friendly and it makes the condoms less scary,” said peer educator Annika Horvath, a senior majoring in women’s gender and sexuality studies. “It makes them like a fun Valentine’s day thing instead of a super scary sex-ed thing. Obviously a lot of people are going to get funky with their sig other but even if you aren’t we have a
Hunter Lee | Daily 49er
Activist Susan Burton speaks to students in the Anatol Center. Burton has done extensive work helping incarcerated women transition back into society.
do not return to prison. She has helped more than 1,000 women. Burton drowned her grief of losing her son with drugs and alcohol that later led to her imprisonment. “My road to recovery and healing was about 100 days of weekly therapy,” Burton said. “I felt a burden to other people. I was a sick, hurt women; I was not a bad person. I got stronger [in prison] and always thought of all of the women that needed a hand just like me.” Her book, titled “Becoming Ms. Burton: From Prison to Recovery to Leading the Fight for Incarcerated Women,” emphasizes the mindset of women helping women. She was asked by students how they should act
lot of stuff that you can use on your own.” In addition to the wheel, students that were interested in the safe sex practices as well as free condoms were welcomed to come forward and take whatever they felt they need. “[Volunteers] were really friendly, and I wanted to learn about STDs and sex-ed,” said Richard Mondragon, a sophomore majoring in business management. “[The event] allows students to learn the safe ways to have sex. It was very valuable, very interesting and very helpful. Especially for young adults like us that are sexually active, we definitely need to be informed how to properly be sexually active.” Not only were there free sexual goodies to go around, but a large red dildo was proudly displayed, which Horvath and other volunteers used to demonstrate how to properly condom-ize a penis. Female condoms, dental dams and lubricant packets were also available to students.
if they want to help their community in a similar way she did. “Never let others discourage you,” said Burton. “Stay committed to what you want to accomplish, stay firm in your belief and fulfill yourself. Burton earned continuous claps by the audience each time she spoke during her speech and a big ovation when she finished. Students afterward were glad they attended and heard a thoughtful speech. “It was very eye-opening,” said senior criminal justice major Tyler Vercruyssen. “It was very interesting to hear how women who face incarceration are pretty much left on their own. They have to find other people and basically pull each other out.”
“It’s something everyone can kind of relate to at some point in life,” said Jessica Elderkin, a senior majoring in Health Science. “It’s something taboo but that needs to be debunked. It makes it less scary, you have that peer-to-peer interaction and it makes it more comfortable.” This year’s National Condom Day was accompanied by a small booth covered with pamphlets and flyers that advocated self love and body positivity. “We are actively recruiting members for our [Body Positivity] series,” said Christina Goldpaint, a health educator at the Student Health Services. “We’re trying to promote self love, it’s important not to just love others, you have to love yourself as well, and that’s actually the first person you should love. So we are promoting self love and being your own valentine and doing something special for yourself today. I think a lot of times students get stretched really thin and self care gets neglected.”
DORMS
continued from page 1 been about a dozen calls from the Los Alamitos third floor building. “I first got a call about scratching from the vents,” said Grace Vignali, Los Alamitos room advisor and senior math major. “The residents were pretty freaked out about it. A lot of the rodents came up to the third floor.” According to Colonna, they have not received a complaint about rodents in the residence halls since before the semester started. “We have been vigilant,” Colonna said. “Our main priority is to ensure that our facilities are safe and clean for all of our residents.“ This is not the first time there has been a rodent incident in the university dorms. In 2013, rats were found next to the Parkside residential dining hall. According to Colonna, outside animals want to find a warm place to inhabit, away from cold winter conditions. Traps have been placed outside Los Alamitos hall to alleviate the problem. “The other option we have is to put poison,” Colonna said. “We can potentially do that in the summer but not when students are there. Poison is not ideal because the rodents may die inside the walls and we do not want that. We have done everything the pest company told us to do and we continue to do so.” Housing has advised students to alert them the moment they believe there is a rodent in their room. “The most important thing is that they put in a work order,” Colonna said. “It is about keeping food away, throwing away their trash and residents being clean in their dorms.”
4 NEWS
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FORUM
‘Herstory’ at The Beach CSULB students and faculty gathered in celebration of Black History Month. By Lauren Martinez
Staff Writer
An illustration of a woman with a perfectly coiffed afro, layered atop a magenta background, was projected against a large wall in the University Student Union ballroom Tuesday evening as organizers welcomed attendees to this year’s #BlackHerStories event. President Jane Close Conoley was among those in attendance and participated alongside the women chanting phrases such as “I release anything that does not serve me or deserve me,” and “I am whole and complete.” The event celebrated the beauty of #blackgirlmagic and created a safe place to discuss the struggles associated with
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identifying as a black female in 2018. The “black girl magic” hashtag was created by CaShawn Thompson in 2013 to celebrate black women. The event was held in observance of Black History Month, and was organized by the Office of Multicultural Affairs in correlation with the Black Leadership Council and the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The night began with Lauren-Michelle Hardge, one of the event’s organizers and the university’s Guardian Scholars Resource Program Specialist leading the crowd of 30 women through an activity she called “Goddess Affirmations,” where women spoke empowering statements to one another. Jessica Nwabuzor, a sophomore majoring in health science, said this helped changed her expectations for the evening. “I definitely came in with kind of a closed mind,” Nwabuzor said. “But then they started the positive affirmations. I never do
I think first and foremost, I wanted to accomplish establishing a space. And what I mean by space — I kept reiterating it throughout the night, is a safe space and a brave space.”
“
Kyari Cail that, but I know of it. It helped me to open up in the beginning.” Things progressed as organizers introduced an interactive guessing game that highlighted influential female figures of the black community such as Rosa Parks, Assata Shakur, Solange Knowles and Rihanna. “We don’t necessarily want a history lesson tonight, but we do want to pay homage,” Hardge said, referring to the figures displayed against the colorful magenta backdrop.
The energy of the room shifted when attendees were asked to form a large circle and begin a collaborative conversation about identity, esteem and self-preservation. Personal stories and tears were shared among the women. Not one woman’s tears went without another standing to offer a tissue or an embrace. Kyari Cail, co-organizer of the event and student development fellow in the Division of Student Affairs, shared that establishing a safe space for young black women was her top priority when coordinating this event. “I think first and foremost, I wanted to accomplish establishing a space,” Cail said. “And what I mean by space — I kept reiterating it throughout the night, is a safe space and a brave space.” Throughout the entirety of the evening Patience Bryant, director of the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development, and Terri Armstrong, communications coordinator at the Career Development Center,
encouraged the women to utilize the resources on campus, especially counseling. The support provided by the faculty and fellow participants was felt by many of the attendees of the event. Ebony Blaine, a junior majoring in health science with an option in community health, said the event helped her fit in on campus. “There’s a trust between the staff represented here today,” Blaine said. “That helps us feel safe. You feel like you’re in a place where you’re accepted versus other communities where you may not always be accepted. It’s hard to find your spot. I feel like I’m a puzzle piece and this is where I fit in.” #BlackHerStories was the third event hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs’ Black History Month celebration and will be followed by the third Annual Martin Luther King Day of Service Feb. 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Learn about Congress by working in Congress! No matter what your major, if you’re a student leader with a strong academic record and a commitment to community or public service, apply now for the Panetta Congressional Internship. Each fall semester, the Panetta Institute for Public Policy, located on the beautiful Monterey Peninsula, provides selected California students an intensive two-week training course on the workings of the U.S. Congress, then sends them to Washington D.C., expenses paid, for 11 weeks of service to a California member of the U.S. House of Representatives. While in Washington, you’ll attend special seminars with government leaders, journalists and policy experts. And with the submission of an experiential journal and a research paper, you can earn academic credits at your school. For more about the program qualifications and application process, go to:
www.csulb.edu/panetta
Open to students at all CSU campuses, along with private universities. Must be a junior or senior in fall 2018. Apply through the CSULB Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs by 5 PM on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018. Interviews will be held on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. All program costs are covered by the Panetta Institute, including your travel to and from Washington, housing expenses and a stipend.
ARTS & LIFE 5
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COLUMN
PREVIEW
‘Dreamers’ is ‘The play of the moment’ CalRep’s upcoming play responds to issues of our time, in real time. By Samantha Diaz Arts & Life Editor
A family separated, the fear of being deported, a constantly changing political landscape. California Repertory Company will touch on these issues in its upcoming play, “Dreamers: Aqui y Alla” directed by Andrea Caban and Julie Granata-Hunicutt. The story begins in 2012 and follows a group of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients when former President Barack Obama granted them residency, all the way up to President Donald Trump threatening the program’s existence in 2018. “It’s a very urgent and necessary piece of theater about dreamers that highlights this question about who gets to call themselves an American and who gets to call this place home,” CalRep Artistic Director Jeff Janisheski said. “I think it’s a beautiful example of the kind of work we want to do here at CalRep, which is work not only responding to urgent issues of our country, but urgent issues of California.” The production is part of CalRep’s Devising Democracy series, a four-year promise to develop original stories on issues Californians are facing and to create a conversation about democracy. While “Dreamers” certainly falls in line with that promise, the means to produce this play may be the most interesting aspect about it. In order to research the complex issues of Deferred Action and immigration, the directors and select cast members traveled with a group of students to Mexico to cross the
border and visit their families. The trip was made in collaboration with the California-Mexico Studies Center, an organization that has sent over 150 Deferred Action recipients to Mexico in order to let them see their families and return back to the United States safe from the fear of being denied reentry. “The most important part of the trip is returning home, hugging your grandma, seeing cousins you’ve never met before,” President and CEO of the Cal-Mex Studies Center, Armando Vazquez-Ramos said. “These students were there to capture the emotion and mental state of these dreamers and
A lot of times when people talk about dreamers they speak in abstract and stereotypes... That’s why we’re trying to give a human face to the issue. That’s why this opportunity is so important.”
“
Armando Vazquez-Ramos they were just as impacted. It’s a really unique way of providing perspective.” After visiting their families, students were prepared with group therapy sessions for the nerve-wracking process of crossing back through the border, and the emotional transition of returning home after that. The directors and cast members were present for the entire process, then used those experiences along with interviews and journal entries to devise the original piece. “My students that went on the trip with me were silent about their experience when we came back,” Caban said. “It surprised me how difficult it was for
Correction: The article above ran with the wrong story on Feb. 12
them to share their experience. I think they realized how similar they are to those students, but yet they’re documented and those students are undocumented. They were silenced by their privilege.” Although the play is emotionally driven, it doesn’t shy away from the political aspects of Deferred Action and those who can be held accountable for its outcome. Verbatim interviews from politicians speaking about the issue are mixed into the play, along with a real-time updated aspect of current news at the ending. Caban wanted the play to react to any news that comes out about the bill and communicate it to audiences, so she chose to leave a window at the end of each night for a different ending that includes those updates. “It’s the play of the moment,” Caban said. “So I want it to be able to respond to the moment.” By pointing audiences to the real-time events that are affecting Deferred Action recipients, they are able to convey a call to action and to make the issue more relatable to students, whether they are affected by those changes or not. “A lot of times when people talk about dreamers they speak in abstract and stereotypes,” Vazquez-Ramos said. “That’s why we’re trying to give a human face to the issue. That’s why this opportunity is so important.” “Dreamers: Aqui y Alla” will premiere at 8 p.m. Feb. 16 at the Cal State Long Beach Studio Theater. Shows will continue through Feb. 25 with a special viewing Feb. 22 followed by an inside look at the making of the play with collaborators. Tickets can be purchased at the Studio Theater or by visiting http:// web.csulb.edu/colleges/cota/theatre/ on-stage-now/index.html.
BeerPosting: Embracing the skunk
JOEL VAUGHN
E
STAFF WRITER
veryone drinks Heineken. From James Bond on the run, to dads at barbeques and my depressed a** at the Nugget. It’s trash but it’s trash that’s universally enjoyed. This stanky lager is worth pontificating about for that exact reason. In reality, I didn’t have time to seek out an inaccessible beer last weekend because taking four classes, producing a radio show and writing vampirically sucks my time, so why not go with one that maintains an understated eccentricity and is widely consumed? Part of that uniqueness is the beer’s bottling, which is all wrong but so right. Have you ever noticed that Heineken out of a can doesn’t taste quite the same as its bottled counterpart? The reason for that is light altering the taste of the bottled beer. So most beer is bottled in amber glass bottles to block out UV rays that alter the taste of the beer. Heineken, Corona and other clear or light green bottled beers allow the light to change the taste and as a result, have a pseudo-gonebad note to them. To me, that’s their appeal. If you’ve somehow never drank this massively available beer, the main flavor note is off-tasting water. Canned Heineken is as basic as avocado toast, Jesus Christ and pumpkin spice lattes. Bottled Heineken is as punk as rusty studded belts, stale Newport cigarettes and mosh pits at a Misfits concert. It’s off lager in a can versus beautifully vile shit out of a green bottle. Like every other beer I’ve written about thus far, Heineken has deep personal roots in either youthful delinquency, homosexual experimentation or gloriously both. Heineken isn’t just another garbage lager to me, it’s attached to experiences both beautiful and melancholic. Both coping with long-faded conversation and celebratory lit hangouts. Heineken is my liquid memoirs.
6 ARTS & LIFE
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CAMPUS ART
Students recreate cultural memories in School of Art galleries Over a dozen artists cover the walls with paintings, drawings and photography. By Grant Hermanns Staff Writer
Paintings featuring vibrant images cover every wall, with some standing five feet tall and overwhelming your senses in the group exhibition entitled “Displacement” at the School of Art galleries. The artist statement, put together by faculty advisor Daniel Dove, details the exhibition’s theme of finding one’s cultural place as they find themselves caught between their “familial origins and contemporary surroundings.” “Often we try to hold on to the memories by relating them to certain landmarks, locations or objects,” the statement reads. “This exhibition examines the complex issues of identity through personal narratives and their relationships to the current
Sabrina Flores | Daily 49er
The gallery titled “Female Perspective” features Norma Nava, who drew inspiration from her mother, as well as her own culture and the ocean.
social and cultural climate in Southern California.” Amidst the work hanging on the walls is the vibrant painting “Estoy Secando la Ropa (I Am Drying Clothes)” by Eva Altamirano, an oil-on-canvas painting
depicting a woman hand-drying her clothes in a modest backyard with other shirts hanging to dry behind her. This particular piece drew third year English major Antonio Molina to the gallery, be-
cause it’s “gritty” and relatable. “It’s all over the place,” Molina. “There’s a structure, but it’s not actually structurized.” Aldo Avelar, 21-year-old School of Art major, wandered into the gallery and cited “Your
Lost Little Girl” by Christian Nunez as his favorite piece, noting his love for the “color palette” for its “dark and mysterious” nature. Hanging on the wall nearby is the large and captivating piece, “Stolen Lights” by Samantha Reynolds, which is made up of various art materials including paint, cardboard and other physical standouts. The piece, which illustrates a hill filled with homes and lights, also features abstract breakout images of houses and a small area of a residential zone, standing at an astonishing five feet tall. The work encapsulates the exhibit’s theme of recreating memories of certain landmarks and locations from the past. In illustrating a dark hill with various sections of the nearby city, it does well to recreate what a young artist would have seen and how they would remember it. The Gatov East Gallery is currently home to the “Feminine Introspective” exhibition, which see GALLERY, page 7
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GALLERY
continued from page 6
is comprised of photography by Jessie Penprase, Nieves Maria, Norma Nava and Suzanne Mitchell. The group’s goal is to use their work to dive into their “perspectives on femininity” and to illustrate the “world around us.” “Our work embodies the deconstruction of representation, cycles of womanhood, empowering sensuality, and embracing spirituality,” the artist statement reads. “We are inspired by our own sensibilities and experience, to explore concepts of femininity as individual artists and as a collective.” The exhibition is made up of various styles of photography, with one wall featuring photos taken on a beach of a woman dressed in white holding a rope. Another wall showcases a photo series of a woman, with the first showing fear in her eyes and her face divided in half, the second illustrating two different expressions imposed over one another and the final showing her blowing a kiss in two different positions with the third manipulated by a negative filter. Once finished in the Gatov galleries, spectators can then progress across the way to the Werby Gallery to witness the peaceful majesty that is “Spring
Sabrina Flores | Daily 49er
Jessie Penprase’s piece displayed various phases of the moon, which she said was inspired by her pregnancy journey and love of the moon.
Breeze,” featuring work made by transfer scholar ChunLi Liu from China. Liu uses flowers throughout the gallery in various art forms, ranging from drawings and paintings to ceramics made in the traditional Chinese style with “a little modern” influence from the artist. She found influence for her work in the flowers seen around campus,
taking pictures and recreating them in different styles of art. Liu said the theme of flowers was meant to represent an ancient Chinese proverb. “A flower is not just a flower, but is also [symbolic] of the whole world,” Liu said. The exhibit also features an interactive element for students in which they can paint Chinese characters on
rice paper. In her artist statement, Liu writes that she “would like to pay tribute to the philosophical origin found in the art of Dunhuang” and that she hopes her “audience may experience a moment of Buddhist Zen” when viewing the work on display. The exhibits will be on display through Feb. 15 before a new wave of work is exhibited beginning Feb. 18.
JOB & INTERNSHIP FAIRS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 careers.csulb.edu 562-985-4151
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Individuals with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations, please contact the CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER 48 hours prior to the event. The Career Development Center is a department of the Division of Student Affairs. CSULB is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Educational Institution.
8 OPINIONS
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I
have a confession to make. It’s not one I make to be contrarian or different. I have felt this way for years and I seem to be the only person I know who feels this way. I hate Girl Scout cookies. I don’t understand the love for these bland, dry and frankly overrated treats. They are the things I eat at two in the morning after I have scoured every corner of the cupboards and checked the fridge three times. I’ve tried them all (somehow they always randomly show up at your job, office or anywhere else), but not a single one has connected with me the way they seem to with others. Yet, every year I internally groan as I walk up to the grocery store, only to see a group of girls with a table of boxes stacked above their heads. My only option is to steel myself and try not to feel bad as they all sweetly ask, “Do you want to buy some Girl Scout cookies!?” Of course I don’t. Thin Mints are plain, Savannah Smiles taste like chalk and I’m pretty sure the shortbread cookies are repurposed cardboard. I especially don’t want to buy a box while I’m walking into a grocery store where I can buy a bag of chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies baked fresh in the bakery. They take over everything. Did you know that Breyers made Girl Scout cookie ice cream? Is nothing sacred? Even on campus I can’t escape them. Just last week I was walking to my car only to see a mother and daughter with a wagon full of boxes. Immediately the mother nudged her daughter who perked up at the sight of a potential customer.
Bart Ah You | Modesto Bee
Caitlin Hildebran, 17, left, Emily Daivs, 16, center, and Megan VanHoogmoed, 11, load Girl Scout cookie boxes into waiting vehicles during the Girl Scouts Heart of Central California’s Mega Drop event at Big Valley Church in Modesto, California, Monday, February 20, 2012. Approximately 322,130 packages of cookies were distributed to Girl Scout troops for delivery.
COOKIES
My life as a pastry pariah After years of shame it is time to admit that girl scout cookies are overrated. By Daniel Green Opinions Editor
I can only imagine my mood walking by matched the enthusiasm of a french noble heading up to a guillotine. It wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t use kids to sell them. I feel nothing when I turn down the random people asking me to join their bible study. The only thing I’m risking there is eternal
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Thin Mints are plain, Savannah Smiles taste like chalk and I’m pretty sure the shortbread cookies are repurposed cardboard.”
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damnation, but turning down a kid makes my soul feel a little heavier and blacker. Despite my inability to understand the love of Girl Scout cookies, I can’t argue they are a hallmark of American culture. They have a long history that stretches back to 1917. According to an article from
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Fortune, the Girl Scouts made about $776 million in sales in 2015, which equals 194 million boxes sold. This is enough to put the Girl Scouts as no. 3 in the cookie industry. Truly impressive, considering the cookies are only sold for six to eight weeks a year. If that’s not mind-boggling enough, just know that this percentage is down from the year before and was considered a slump for the organization. A company that made close to a billion dollars in less than half a year is disappointed. Now, I don’t want anyone to think I have anything against the Girl Scouts as an organization. Their goal of providing young girls a place to learn and grow is admirable. Even the cookie program is meant to teach them skills such as “goal setting,” “decision making,” “money management,” “people skills” and “business ethics.” My cousins were all part of Girl Scouts for years and loved the experience. Every year they took part in the cookie sale and my family was more than happy to help them out by coercing their coworkers into buying as many boxes as they carry. As someone who spent a good portion of my childhood as a cub scout I have great memories of camping. It’s a great way to make new friends and learn new skills. Some of my best memories as a kid were going on trips or going camping with my friends. My complaint is the short period of the year when I can’t escape my sugary nemesis. Unfortunately, all I can do is accept that he is too far entrenched for me to make any difference. So enjoy your cookies, but please...don’t ask me to tagalong.
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SPORTS 9
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Long Beach State junior second baseman enters his draft elidgeable season as one of the 2018 Dirtbags most talented players.
Hunter Lee | Daily 49er
PROFILE
A constant at the keystone Second baseman Jarren Duran enters junior season at the keystone for LBSU. By Luke Ramirez
Assistant Sports Editor
When Jarren Duran first stepped on the Bohl Diamond at Blair Field for a fall practice in 2016, then-junior shortstop Garrett Hampson knew he was not another run-of-the-mill freshman. He carried himself higher than others and didn’t require the same amount of attention from coaches or more experienced players. “I think he’s just really the type of kid who’s not phased by much,” Hampson said. “He [was] one of those freshman who kind of already [had] it figured out...He just needed to learn some little stuff, but mentality-wise, he was there.” From that day forward, Duran began his ascent into an immediate impact player and now the most dynamic star Long Beach State will feature in the 2018 season. Now a junior, the three year starting second baseman looks to make the same impact as his friend and mentor Hampson, now with the Colorado Rockies Organization, had in 2016 for the Dirtbags. While he’s put on 10-15 pounds and over the offseason to get up to 200, Duran is ready to begin the 2018 campaign after improving most on the mental side of things.
“I used to be really get down on myself when I’d get out or make a mistake, even going back to playing as a kid,” Duran said. He’s now adopted a mentality that his teammates are fully capable of picking him up and moving a long despite his failure. “He’s developed security, his baseball IQ, his physicality and confidence and he’s made leaps and bounds in those areas,” Dirtbags head coach Troy Buckley said. “I give Hampson a lot of credit and think [Duran] will too.” Duran, 21, has been a constant at the keystone in the last two successful Dirtbag campaigns. He’s started 113 games and boasts a career average of .290, has an onbase percentage of .374 and has stolen 32 bases. His .308 average last season was second best on the team while his 47 led Long Beach. “He’s now one of the better players on our team from the talent perspective,” Buckley said. “The only thing he really has to be careful of is that he plays the game that best suits him.” The one hindrance Durran faced last year was being struck in the face with a fastball by Cal State Fullerton pitcher John Gavin on March 26. He was forced to leave the game immediately, but recovered from surgery faster than expected and returned to action about a week later, donning a protective mask on the field and at the plate. “I thought I was going to be out for way longer,” Duran said. “They told me I could play only if I wore the mask and I was ready to
do anything if I could play. It was really weird to play with that on though.” Duran didn’t skip a beat and come time for the NCAA Regional in Long Beach, he was the most potent hitter on a nightly basis. He collected nine hits, drove in six runs and scored three over five games and was even trending on Twitter during the championship game that was aired on ESPN. After the NCAA Super Regional loss to Fullerton, Duran spent his summer in the Cape Cod league, college baseball’s premiere organization of summer teams in which only the top players get invited to. “That was awesome,” Duran said. “In the Cape, everyone you face is a Friday night guy and you’re always competing against the best.” The experience even gave him a taste of what life would be like as a minor league baseball player; living on his own with a host family and playing baseball every day. The thought of getting drafted like many players before him still rests in the back of his mind. “I’m excited for him,” Hampson said. “He’s one of my good friends and I wish the best for him. I know he’s going to have a great year and most importantly be a leader out there. He’s going into his junior year and he’ll put the draft stuff aside and kind of focus on being the leader of the team and making sure everyone is doing what they need to do.” Before his name could be selected by a pro team in July, Duran has a name of his own to leave behind.
Luke Ramirez | Daily 49er
Duran makes a throw to first base during an intersquad game on Feb. 9 at the Bohl Diamond at Blair Field.
“I want guys to look back and say that I was a good teammate to them,” Duran said. “Hampson left his own legacy of being a great Dirtbag, but no one could see the little things he also did like take
me under his wing and lead the team with culture.” That culture is left in the good hands of Duran, who is already doing his part to pass it down to the next generation of Dirtbags.
10 SPORTS
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Luke Ramirez | Daily 49er
Senior shortstop Laine Huffman (right) and junior second baseman Jarren Duran (left) lead a small group of returning players that will look to repeat as Big West Conference champions.
BASEBALL
A tough act to follow The Long Beach State Dirtbags look to backup a historic 2017 season. By Luke Ramirez
Assistant Sports Editor
It is difficult not to dwell on the historic season the Dirtbags had in 2017, in which they fell just one game short of a trip to Omaha, even just days away from the start of a new campaign. The season where eight players were drafted into the MLB, seven signed and play professionally today. A year Long Beach was 5-1 against Cal State Fullerton in the regular season, bringing a Big West Conference championship back to Blair Field for the first time since 2008. All of which may still be in the back of Dirtbag Nation minds. “I hope they would say looking back is a really good memory, but of course it hurts,” head coach Troy Buckley said. “To get to that point means you had a quality season. I’ll never forget that year, but at the same time you have to move on to focus on a completely new team.” Only three position players who played more than 50 games last season return, joined by three pitchers who appeared in
more than 20 games. A lot of fresh faces with limited experience will be tasked with replacing the players who carried the program back into the national spotlight. Luckily, they will be assisted by a core of returners that understand what it means to be a Dirtbag. Returning position players: When all was said and done after the last day of the MLB draft in June, the era of Darren McCaughan, David Banuelos, Ramsey Romano and more had come to an end. Senior shortstop Laine Huffman had his name called in the 25th round after being selected by the New York Mets. Then a junior, he made the decision to pass on the Mets’ signing bonus offer and return to Long Beach for one more season as a Dirtbag. “It was a dream come true to be drafted,” Huffman said. “But being 90 feet away from going to Omaha played a role in wanting to come back here. A big part of me was still here, and I wanted another shot to make it right.” Huffman found himself on the wrong end of the starting shortstop job come opening day 2017. The transfer out of Fullerton College did not become a starter until March 18 after Markus Montelongo unexpectedly left the team. The following weekend, in the non-conference se-
ries against Cal State Fullerton, he went 5-for-10 with three runs scored and was a major influence in the sweep over the Titans. He returns as a captain and has already made an impact on the next era of players. Junior second baseman Jarren Duran will join Huffman up the middle, as well as a veteran voice to be heard in the locker room. After starting a combined 113 games in his first two seasons, he enters as the squads most tested,
Our goal is always to win the national championship regardless of how talented the team is.”
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Laine Huffman and most talented players. “I’m just excited to see what this whole new team is able to accomplish this season,” Duran said. “We’ve seen what it takes to get to the playoffs and that’s what is going to help us develop the new guys so that we can get back to where we want to be.” Duran has a career .290 batting average along with a .370 on-base percentage and has scored 81 runs in his career at Long Beach. The only question is where the coaching staff can best
utilize his daily offensive production. Buckley said that Duran will be penciled in as either a leadoff hitter, or even in the third spot of the lineup. Returning pitchers: As for the rotation, not one of the three probable weekend starters made a start for the team last year. Sophomore left hander Zak Baayoun served as a specialist out of the bullpen in 2017, striking out 28 batters in just 22 ⅓ innings, but will be the man on the mound in the Dirtbags season opener Friday night. “It took a lot of mental and physical changes. Especially in my mechanics for longevity so that I can stay healthy for 90, 100 or how ever many innings I need to throw this year,” Baayoun said. Baayoun was thrust into the Friday night job after returning senior starting pitcher, John Sheaks, suffered a complete tear of his ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow just one week ahead of opening night. “I always told myself that I wanted to become the Friday night starter, and I’ve known that I have the ability to do something great here, but now that it’s all happening it’s just very surreal,” Baayoun said. The Dirtbags will also be able to turn to a reliable option out of the bullpen in junior closer Chris
Rivera. He’s recorded 13 saves in each of his first two seasons and has been as accountable as anyone currently with the program. “It’s my third year doing it now, and I think I have good idea of where I’m at and the things I need to do in order to perform and produce,” Rivera said. Duran and Rivera are two of Long Beach’s top MLB prospects as they both enter draft seasons. New impact players: The biggest challenge for the incoming players will be replacing the production lost to the MLB. Draftees were responsible for nearly half of the runs, hits and RBIs recorded by the offense while 44-percent of innings were thrown by MLB-drafted players such as McCaughan, Dave Smith and Josh Advocate . Clayton Andrews transfers in as a junior and will be the starting center fielder; except for when he starts Sunday games. A true two-way player, his contribution on both sides of the ball will be a great advantage to the team. The left-handed arm and bat arrives from Cabrillo college where he hit .399 and scored 39 runs in 44 games. While pitching in relief, he struck out 69 batters over 39 ⅔ innings and nailed see PREVIEW, page 11
SPORTS 11
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PREVIEW
continued from page 10
Grant Hermanns | Daily 49er
Long Beach State softball head coach Kim Sowder delivers a few words to the players before hitting the field for practice before their trip to Puerto Vallarta College Challenge.
SOFTBALL
LBSU dominates in Puerto Vallarta College Challenge Long Beach starts season off strong in first road series in Mexico. By Grant Hermanns Staff Writer
After months of practicing and preparing for the start of the season, the Long Beach State softball team finally got to hit the field and put its skills to the test in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge. The five-game series in Mexico saw Long Beach nearly record a full sweep, winning four out of five games and narrowly losing the fifth after 10 innings against No. 21 James Madison University, (3-2) 6-4. In the debut game of the season against Louisiana Tech (1-5), Long Beach engaged in a close pitching battle as sophomore pitcher Cielo Meza allowed only one run in the first inning and two hits throughout the entire game. Though she threw two walks in her seven innings pitched, Meza shut down Louisiana Tech with a strong 12 strikeouts. Head coach Kim Sowder was very impressed with Meza in her first outing, noting that she went up against some “very good offenses.” “In those tight situation games, three in a row, I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Sowder said.
“She really led the way for us in of the weekend as the two teams the circle.” duked it out in extra innings. AfWhile Meza shined in the ter seven strong-played innings, circle with 27 strikeouts in the Long Beach was able to put the Puerto Vallarta College Chalbat on the ball and earn four key lenge, freshman outfielder Naohits to put runners on base and mi Hernandez crushed home earn the three runs to push for plate with 12 hits out of her 19 the 4-2 win. at-bats, starting her college caOn the final day of the tourreer with a batting average of nament, the 49ers went back up .632 and earned the honor of Big against Nevada and James MadWest Field Player of the Week. ison University, in which they “It was really exciting getrecorded another win in a close ting out there and being able to match-up with Nevada, narrowstart games, it was a really good ly earning the 7-6 win over the experience,” Hernandez said. Wolf Pack. “I was taking it pitch-by-pitch The score was close with Long and in college Beach up 2-1 you can’t let going into the It was really too many good exciting getting bottom of the pitches go by, fifth inning, out there and so I was trying and after getto attack any- being able to start games, ting two batters thing that was it was a really good experion base, junior close.” infielder Tierra ence” Following its Falo belted a strong pitching homerun to left Naomi Hernandez field, earning in game one of the season, the her three RBIs team would come back the next and her team a key increase in day for a double header against their lead late in the game. Nevada (2-3) and James Madison “I just saw that there was runUniversity, in which it recorded ners on and I wanted to do my another two victories. The first job and get them in,” Falo said. game against Nevada saw Long “The home run just put the icing Beach rack up huge numbers, reon the cake, so it felt good.” cording 18 hits and 16 runs while In the final game of the series, Nevada was only able to earn 11 however, the 49ers would lose hits and eight runs against sopha close battle to James Madison omore pitcher Devyn Magnett. University in the heated 10-inIn the first game against James ning matchup, in which the opMadison University, the team ponents ultimately earned three encountered its first close battle runs in the 10th inning to take
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the 6-3 lead. Though Hernandez was able to record one final RBI in the bottom of the tenth, it would bring her team just short of reaching the Dukes with the final score 6-4. When the team wasn’t on the field playing during the series, they were enjoying their time together in the hotel and at a youth camp where they spent time with an elementary school. “It was a very great, humbling and amazing experience,” Falo said. “My favorite part was going to Ipsac [Elementary]...we showed them some drills that we do, throwing, Devyn Magnett did a pitching demo and we had a little dance party with them afterwards.” Despite one loss, the team feel very positive about its play during the series and have “a lot of energy” going into the next weekend series. “After that last game that we lost to James Madison in extra innings, it just made us hungrier even more to come out strong against the teams in Nevada,” Falo said. The 49ers will hit the road again this weekend as they travel to Las Vegas to face off in the Easton Desert Classic, playing Iowa State (2-3) on Friday, followed by a double-header against BYU (1-4) and Boise State (3-3) on Saturday and a final double header against the University of Buffalo (1-3) and Idaho State on Sunday.
down nine saves. Long Beach is also down a starting catcher in junior transfer Cole Joy, who broke his thumb in practice Feb. 10, completely dismantling Buckley’s prospective Friday night battery. This brings true freshman Chris Jimenez into an everyday role behind the plate until Joy can return. He’ll be set to the same task as his predecessor David Banuelos, who turned in a career year in 2017 before being drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the fifth round. “It’s a huge jump from high school and club ball, the pitchers have more movement and catching is more detailed but I’ve been able to slow everything down and got the swing of things going,” Jimenez said. Standing only 5 foot 7, he’s not physically comparable to Banuelos but has all the tools needed to develop into a similar player. “He’s a little grinder,” volunteer assistant coach Zach Miller said. “He’s done a really good job being here and going about his business and we’ve put him in a pretty good spot to be the guy back there.” Season tests: The Dirtbags made headlines months ago when they released their schedule which was full of top-ranked teams to round out a tough non-conference schedule. The team will travel to Texas twice for series against Texas Christian University and Texas A&M, ranked 7th and 10th, respectively, by Baseball America’s preseason poll. They also host Ole Miss March 2-4 and Vanderbilt March 7. As of late, Big West Conference baseball has been trending upwards. Northridge and Cal Poly have been on the rise and, along with Fullerton, will look to make repeating as champions as difficult as possible for Long Beach. “In 2014 we had four teams in the playoffs and there has been a Big West team in the College World series four years in a row now,” Buckley said. “The baseball community is starting to understand the quality here.” The Dirtbags may seem short-handed in talent and experience in 2018, but the goals remain constant for a team who refuses to accept the term “rebuilding.” “We need to take care of our non-conference schedule, win the Big West again then on to another regional and super regional,” Huffman said. “Our goal is always to win the national championship regardless of how talented the team is.” Both the foundation of returners and the fresh crop of new players will have to reach a common ground to attain these goals. Baseball returns to the Bohl Diamond at Blair Field starting Friday, Feb. 16 against St. Mary’s.
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