CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
VOL. LXVIX, ISSUE 24 | OCTOBER 25, 2017
49er
D
HOMELESSNESS
A plan for financially insecure students
A student made the most out of the hot weather by setting up a hammock in a shaded spot by the University Student Union. Students, below, entertain themselves under the cover of a tree by Fine Arts 2.
The Student Emergency Intervention and Wellness Program provides immediate support for students who are food and housing insecure.
WEATHER
By Sarah Vehrs
Photos by Hunter Lee | Daily 49er
HELTER SWELTER Students face triple-digit heat during midterms week. By Hunter Lee and Haley Martinez Staff Writers
Students scurried from the parking lots to their classrooms this week, shielding themselves with hats and “sunbrellas” from torrid triple-digit weather. As Cal State Long Beach experienced a scorching heat wave on Monday and Tuesday, students took shelter in air conditioned buildings and campus shuttles. A red flag warning was put into effect by the National Weather Service and will continue into Wednesday evening. According to the service, some areas of Long Beach reached temperatures as high as 104 degrees, breaking a 1965 heat record for the city, as reported by the Long Beach Press Telegram. With many students scheduled to take midterms this week, the heat was an added stressor as some had to make the long trek across campus. “The heat just makes me sweaty when I’m walking to class,” said Santiago Vega, a fourth year english major. “It makes me less prepared, I look like a mess. I usually keep a case of water in my trunk to be prepared.” Following Monday’s temperature in the high 90s, Tuesday brought in Santa Ana winds in addition to 103 degree heat in the early afternoon. Keeping up to date with the weather, Carol Ek, a freshman molecular cell biology and physiology major, came to campus ready for the heat. “I always check my weather app before
school so I know what to wear and dress for the occasion to be prepared,” Ek said. Being such an open campus, shade was a scarcity outside, making it a challenge to avoid direct sunlight walking to class. Students utilized shade from trees, set up hammocks or avoided going outside altogether in attempts to stay cool. Jeremy Yang, a junior molecular cell biology and physiology major, spent his day under a tree by Fine Arts 2. “I got [to campus] around 9 and skated to class so I was able to avoid the heat this morning,” Yang said. “But after I posted up here in the shade.” Although some students were surprised, not all California natives were caught offguard by the heat. Teresa Arellano, a fourth
year psychology major, said she’s dealt with hot weather all of her life. “I come from the central valley of California so we experience triple-digits,” Arellano said. “So I am used to the hot weather, but I hate it and it makes me feel gross and lazy.” With the heat wave occurring so late in the fall, Anna Reeves, a senior sociology major, attributed the dramatic change to climate change. “This extreme heat is a testament to the state of our environment and the impact of global warming,” said Reeves. Today will see a drop in temperature as winds die down, and students will experience cooler weather as the weekend approaches.
Staff Writer
After exhausting all financial options, several students resort to sleeping in their cars, skipping meals, couch surfing or even sleeping on the streets. One in five students are in need of food, and one in 10 are in need of housing, according to research by Cal State Long Beach assistant professor in the school of Social Work, Rashida Crutchfield. The Student Emergency Intervention and Wellness Program combats these emergency situations by targeting students with housing and food insecurities to immediately serve some of the most at-risk on campus. “I was facing a situation where I was completely homeless and I was using my friends’ places, but it wasn’t long-term, and I didn’t have resources to get food or to eat healthy,” said Anette Alvarez, junior recreational therapy major. “I had already exhausted all of my financial aid — I used all my loans and [Free Application for Federal Student Aid]. They helped me find an apartment soon after, and they gave me 10 free dining hall meals for the entire semester. They also signed me up for the CalFresh program, so I got money for groceries through them, and they basically held my hand through the entire semester.” The Cal State Chancellor’s Office strongly encourages every campus to develop appropriate programs to serve students in danger of experiencing homelessness. The university has chosen to implement the Student Emergency Grant, the Meals Assistance Program and the Short-Term Housing Program that see SUPPORT, page 3