CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
VOL. LXVIII, ISSUE 81 | MARCH 16, 2017
“DEFINE YOUR PATH, BELIEVE IN YOUR PATH, LIVE YOUR PATH.”
SENATE
ASI moves to protect DREAMers Student government created a resolution to make USU and SWRC safe spaces. By James Chow Staff Writer
Jose De Castro | Daily 49er
Common speaks to a full house at the Carpenter Center Wednesday night, inspiring the audience with his empowering message about life. The night was complete with a Q&A and surprise freestyles.
He mentioned how he was honored to be at a memorial service for Ali over the summer, and was touched to see the different types of people who spoke to celebrate his life. “I’m talking Muslim brothers, Jewish sisters, Christian brothers, Baptist preachers, Native American leaders, lesbian teachers,” he said. Common referenced how Ali was known across the world as “the greatest,” and he was inspired to ask himself what makes a person “the greatest?” His answer was that when you achieve the highest potential within yourself that it changes people’s lives. Common said it begins by defining your path. “[Your path] is bigger than a profession, it’s bigger than the titles, bigger than an award,” Common said. “It’s a purpose, and it serves you and it serves others.”
Despite Cal State Long Beach not being an official sanctuary campus, the Associated Students, Inc. has began undertaking “sanctuary practices.” A move by the ASI Senate on Wednesday aims to establish safe spaces on campus for undocumented students. Details in the resolution prohibit ASI employees of the University Student Union and the Student Recreation and Wellness Center from working with or providing information to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that assist the federal agency in detaining undocumented students. The senate passed the first reading of the resolution. ASI Vice President Logan Vournas said during the meeting that the senate would involve the University Police Department in the resolution. “We urge the university to take a clear stance on the implementation
see RAPPER, page 3
see DREAM, page 2
CARPENTER CENTER
More than just Common sense Rapper and actor inspires a packed CPAC. By Jason Enns
Arts & Life Editor
Grammy and Oscar winning rapper Common hasn’t just branched into acting both in movies such as “Selma” and “Suicide Squad,” and television shows like “Hell on Wheels,” but he is also an activist who brought his inspiring word to Cal State Long Beach. Common spoke to a packed audience of fans at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center for “An Evening with Common,” presented by Associated Students, Inc. Beach Pride Events. Whether people were fans of his early rapping in the ‘90s, his more recent songs or they only knew him from his appearances in film, students greeted him and continuously inter-
rupted his speech with ecstatic screams. “Cal State Long Beach is really a warm and inviting crowd, with just open great energy,” Common said in a press conference after his speech. “I hope that each individual will just take away a spark to send them or keep them on the path that they always dreamed of, and I hope they were inspired to go higher and keep going toward those dreams.” He began his keynote speech by admitting that most people were probably there as fans of his music, so to pay tribute to that, he freestyled before getting into his talk. The freestyle spurred cheers and hollers from the crowd when he mentioned Walter Pyramid, the Carpenter Center, Parkside, Second Street and Hole Mole. He ended it by referencing the Muhammad Ali theory. This theory was ultimately his take away message for students, which was to “define your path, believe in your path and live your path.”
CAMPUS POLICY
Breathe Campaign: CSULB adjusts to smoking ban
By Michaela Kwoka-Coleman Staff Writer
Cigarettes, vape pens and all other tobacco related products have been banned on the Cal State Long Beach campus since last semester. Yet, while university administration is pleased with the progress being made, some students have found ways to skirt the policy. Certain parts of campus, such as behind the design and psychology buildings, are more or less secret places where stu-
dents go to smoke on campus. Junior English education Victoria Dries said that she tries to be respectful of the ban, even though she thinks it’s ridiculous. “I personally follow [the ban] to the best of my ability, but I’ve never been an obnoxious smoker,” she said. “Sometimes between classes when I don’t have time to walk to the streets and smoke, I definitely smoke in the hidden spots on campus not a lot of people walk around. But there’s a lot of us who sneak around. I don’t appreciate the little green shirt wearers who tell me I should get help.” The Fresh Air Advocates, comprised of students from CSULB’s Health Science Department, frequently wear green Breathe Campaign shirts when they’re on duty. They posted information signs, hosted informational booths and removed ashtrays around campus leading up to the ban’s implementation last semester.
However, Terri Carbaugh, CSULB’s associate vice president of government and media relations, said that she was unaware of any smoking pockets on campus and that the smoking ban is viewed as a
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Some students and faculty take opportunity to quit, while some still smoke in secret spots on campus.
I don’t appreciate the little green shirt wearers who tell me I should get help. -Victoria Dries, CSULB student
success by administration. She credited the Breathe Campaign for its accomplishments saying that the campus community has been educated on the rules surrounding the ban and have wide-
ly been respectful of them. The Breathe Campaign launched in the beginning of 2016 to help CSULB transition to a smoke-free campus by September 2016.. In addition to the student-driven advocacy group, the university also turned to Student Health Services to help smokers kick the habit. Partnering with the Breathe Campaign, SHS began provided one-on-one counseling sessions to help students quit smoking, according to Health Education Assistant at SHS Allison Bordwell. She said that since the ban’s implementation, the cessation programs have seen an increase in participation not only from students, but faculty and staff as well. An exact number of the increase in cessation participation was not available. Bordwell said that the cessation services offered are curtailed uniquely to the needs of the individual.
“Our services are not only for people who are looking to quit smoking completely; we can assist with tobacco management for those who are not ready to quit but want to adhere to the tobacco-free policy,” she said. “For those who do want to quit, we need to take in consideration that everyone is different, so not all quit plans look the same … Overall, we have received very positive feedback from our students, staff and faculty who have used our services.” The decision to ban all smoking-related products on campus came in 2013, after the student body voted to approve a campus wide smoking by a 64 percent margin, according to a statement by Associated Students, Inc. The referendum saw a record turnout, with nearly 6,500 or 19.5 percent of the
see BREATHE, page 3