Fall 2015 Issue 11

press GOLDEN GATE

art censorship on page 6

november 4, 2015 ISSUE 11 VOLUME CI GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Serving the San Francisco State community since 1927

String of campus bike thefts angers cyclists TYLER PRIMAS

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tprimas@mail.sfsu.edu

olen Brown, a senior majoring in science and geology, said he received a text message from a friend Oct. 25 warning him that the Bike Barn on campus had been broken into. When he ran down to the Bike Barn, he discovered that his $3,000 bike had been stolen.

“I was enraged,” Brown said.

“I was really upset. I’ve been working hard to get a mountain

bike team together on campus, so it was a huge setback.”

Brown is just one of the many students who have fallen victim to a string of recent bicycle-related thefts on campus. Last week, the University Police Department received reports of approximately $4,155 worth of bicycles and bicycle parts stolen from the Bike Barn, according to University Police

Department’s crime, arrest and fire log.

“Since the Bike Barn is an enclosed structure, but it got broken into, I felt like that was the safest place to store your bicycle, and now it’s been violated,” Brown said in an email.

bike thefts Continued ON PAGE 4

JAMES CHAN / XPRESS

FRUSTRATED: Nolen Brown, a member of the SF State cycling team, said he found out Oct. 25 his race bike was stolen. Brown poses for a portrait in front of the Bike Barn Tuesday, Nov. 3.

New health unit revamps events targeted toward well-being ALLISON MICHIE

amichie@mail.sfsu.edu

MELISSA MINTON / XPRESS

SOOTHING: Students pet Jackie, a therapy dog, during Therapy Dog Tuesday in the Malcolm X Plaza Tuesday, Nov. 3. Therapy dogs are brought to SF

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State every first and third Tuesday each month to help students relieve stress.

rowds of students waited to pet eager puppies brought to campus in just one of the events organized by the new Health Promotion and

Wellness Unit.

“I feel that the therapy dogs are a great option for those who are really

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stressed out,” said senior psychology major Edna Hernandez. “It has helped me feel less stressed out, but not everyone likes dogs, and they can feel as if it’s not doing anything to help them.”

The unit was created this semester at SF State to improve existing health service programs through cooperation, outreach and educational events, like

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the Therapy Dogs session Nov. 3 in Malcolm X Plaza, to better suit student’s health needs, according to health educator Vincent Lam. The improved teamwork will help the new unit grow to become a better resource for students, Lam said.

Health Continued ON PAGE 2

UPD seeks suspects in armed robbery LINDA KARLSSON

lkarlsso@mail.sfsu.edu

University police are searching to identify three suspects who reportedly robbed and beat a woman on campus Nov. 1, according to Jonathan Morales, director of news and news media at SF State. “(The University Police Department) will utilize all of the tools it has available in order to identify and locate the suspects,” Morales said in an email. “We encourage anyone with any information about this incident to please contact (the UPD) as soon as possible.”

The woman reported being robbed and beaten with a mini baseball bat around 1 a.m. Nov. 1 while walking with her friend near Mary Ward Hall, the Golden Gate Xpress reported.

Kenneth Duncan is a psychology student who lives in the dorms at Mary Ward Hall and used to visit the designated smoking area, near where the incident occurred, several times per day. “(Since) I got the email about the (robbery), I haven’t come out (to the designated smoking area) at night,” Duncan said. “I mean, I need some kind of weapon on me. I do feel unsafe, but I try to be as aware as possible of my surroundings, and – worst case scenario – I always do have my keys on me, so I (can) just put them in between my fingers.”

A total of 37 crimes occurred on campus last year, including burglary, sexual battery and rape, according to SF State’s campus security report from Sept. 30.

robbery Continued ON PAGE 4

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2 news

Wednesday, november 4, 2015 goldengatexpress.org

MELISSA MINTON / XPRESS

AFFECTION: Carina

Kalaydjian (left), math major, and Ellie Doyen (right), photojournalism major, pet Marlow, a therapy dog, in the Student Health Services Garden Tuesday, Sept. 15.

Therapy dogs are brought to SF State every first and third Tuesday of the month.

Students de-stress at health unit event health Continued from the front “From a systems level, it’s really beneficial, because we’re promoting this culture around health and wellness change,” Lam said. “Having a standalone unit to focus on that, versus having it be under the umbrellas of each of the service providers, now we have come together in really creating and developing what this unit is going to look like.”

Although Hernandez said she liked the therapy dog session, she said the event is not enough and suggested options like yoga classes or free massages as a better way to help students unwind. Hernandez also said she believes the unit could do more to help students by providing them an outlet to interact with others who might feel the same way.

The new unit has brought together two separate departments with different missions and directions in order to improve collaboration and make the work more strategic for campus heath, according to health educator Aimée Williams.

The department is funded through a $153-per-semester Student Health Services fee that is collected with tuition,

according to officials in charge of the unit.

Students’ lack of awareness regarding health is the main problem that the unit is trying to address, according to Lam. “A lot of people don’t end up utilizing (health services on campus) unless they need to,” Lam said. “So, I think one of the approaches is empowering students and making sure they know what they’re paying for and (helping them) be able to make informed decisions.”

To better assist students with relevant health issues, the unit has utilized information obtained from the American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment survey while developing their events, Interim Director Richard Nizzardini said. According to the ACHANCHA, the survey is a nationally recognized research survey that assists universities in collecting data about student health habits.

“Finally, San Francisco State got to (participate in the survey) last spring, and the top three health issues that students said affected academic performance were stress, anxiety and lack of sleep,” Nizzardini said. “(With

MELISSA MINTON / XPRESS

BACK RUB: Students pet Marge, a therapy dog, during Therapy Dog Tuesday

in the Malcolm X Plaza Tuesday, Nov. 3. Therapy dogs are brought to SF State the first and third Tuesday of every month to help students relieve stress.

BRIAN CHURCHWELL / XPRESS

WELLNESS: SF State students enter the Student Health Center Tuesday, Nov. 3. Therapy Dog Tuesday is organized by the new Health Promotion and Wellness Unit.

the new unit), the staff gets to work together, there’s a bigger presence and students really get to address the one thing that they’re saying is most affecting their academic performance.”

New additions to the unit will include many future pop-up events hosted by Peer Educators Advocating Campus Health, said health educator Christine Morley.

“Many of our events (used to be held on) Wednesdays or Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Quad, and it (didn’t) reach a whole lot of students,” Morley said.

The unit has implemented PEACH pop-up events around campus, including outside the J. Paul Leonard Library, in the Tri-Community Plaza and in front of Student Health Services in order to reach the entire campus community, Morley said.

“(The events) are interactive to help students change their behavior around wellness and sexual health, and also to

“

(The events) are interactive to help students change their behavior around wellness and sexual health, and also to become more aware.

”

-Christine Morley

become more aware,” Morley said. “For example, knowing to get eight hours of sleep a night.”

Sexual education peer educator Lauren Diez said the various pop-up events have

different themes, including women’s and men’s health, sexuality, birth control and sexually transmitted infections.

The events use games and incentives to make learning about the topics fun for students, Diez said. Some of the incentives are “Sexy Bags” filled with information, resources, condoms and lube to encourage safe sex practices, according to Diez.

“During our first two pop-up events, we were able to reach over 100 students and provide them education and resources on the LGBTQ spectrum and community,” Diez said. “I believe that these events are being well-received by the student body. Students are always excited and intrigued to play the games that we have to offer and win prizes that we provide.”

NEWS 3

Wednesday, november 4, 2015 goldengatexpress.org

UNIVERSITY CRIME BLOTTER Thursday, Oct. 1

Sexual battery UPD officers respond to a person at the Student Services Building who wants to speak to an officer about a sexual assault that happened on campus the previous evening around 7-7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 4

pain

UPD officers respond to a report of a person crying at Buckingham Way at 11:18 p.m. The subject complained of general pain. The subject declined aid from San Francisco Fire Department medics and said that she would seek medical help the next day.

Monday, Oct. 5

car accident UPD responds to an officer who reported being hit by a

State vehicle near Thornton Hall at 2 p.m. The officer reports not needing any medical assistance and declined to press charges. According to the report, the officer spoke to the driver’s supervisor, who said the incident would be handled with training.

Tuesday, Oct. 6

mental commitment UPD officers responded to a report of a woman

who wanted to kill herself at the Student Services Building at 5:45 p.m.

The woman was transported to the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center after meeting the criteria for mental health detention.

Saturday, Oct. 10

controlled substance An on-duty UPD officer noticed a man acting

suspiciously at Cardenas Avenue at 12:42 a.m. The suspect was determined to be on probation and in possession of illegal narcotics. He was taken into custody.

COMPILED BY XPRESS NEWS STAFF

Between Thursday, Oct. 1 and Saturday, Oct. 31, the University Police Department reported 121 incidents. Here are some of the most notable reports.

Monday, Oct. 12

Assault with a deadly weapon UPD officers and San Francisco Police

Department officers responded to a report of an altercation including three people, including a person with a baseball bat, at Serrano Drive at 7:15 p.m. Officers talked to two of the three subjects and arrested the woman with the bat.

Tuesday, Oct. 13

self-harm UPD officers responded to a report of a woman who inten-

tionally cut her arm at Serrano Drive at 11:31 p.m. The woman requested an escort to the UCSF Medical Center after not meeting the criteria for mental health detention.

Friday, Oct. 16

medical assist UPD officers responded to a report of a broken window

due to a possible altercation at Winston Drive at 10:03 p.m. Officers determined the cause of the broken window was an intoxicated subject who had fallen into it. SFFD transported the subject to the UCSF Medical Center for assistance.

Tuesday, Oct. 27

tampering with fire alarm

Dispatch received a fire alarm activation from the first floor of the HSS Building at 10:16 p.m. Officers responded and found that there is no smoke or fire. The pull-station was activated maliciously, according to the report.

Friday, Oct. 30

resist/ obstruct peace officer

A UPD officer reported that a suspect refused to pull over when attempting to conduct a bicycle stop at Holloway Avenue at 12:30 a.m. More officers responded to help take the subject into custody for resisting/obstructing a police officer. The subject was found to have an outstanding felony warrant for $480,000 out of Contra Costa County.

4 NEWS

Wednesday, november 4, 2015 goldengatexpress.org

JAMES CHAN / XPRESS

STOLEN: SF State’s

University Police Department received reports Oct. 27 and 28 that thousands of dollars worth of bikes were stolen from the Bike Barn on campus.

bike thefts Continued from the front

Cyclists call for increased bike storage security “I just feel like there’s little-to-no response or action to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.”

Cinema major Jacob Phillips said he thought his bike would be safe chained and locked up in the enclosed side stairwell of Mary Park Hall. He said he was devastated and shocked when he discovered that someone had stripped his bike Sept. 29, stealing parts that he said totaled more than $700.

“San Francisco, being packed with cyclists, has a University that frankly does not care about cyclists,” Phillips said in an email. “Whether it be students living here or people who commute to school, there is no safe place to keep a bike here on campus.”

UPD was not helpful following the theft, Phillips said. When he reported his bike stolen, the case was closed within 10 hours of the initial report, according to Phillips, who said police told

him that because there were no leads, they had to close the investigation.

Despite the high number of students impacted by the

“

Time and time again SF State has failed to provide legitimate, secure storage for bicycles.

”

-Joey Vangsness

recent thefts, the Bike Barn is typically a safe place to store bikes, according to University Police Department Chief Reggie Parsons.

“Theft is not common for the Bike Barn,” Parsons said in an email. “The Bike Barn has been open since 1996, and there have only been three incidents where bikes have been stolen.”

The SF State arrest, crime

and fire log reported three burglaries and two petty thefts at the Bike Barn within the last 60 days alone. The Golden Gate Xpress contacted the Bike Barn regarding the recent thefts, but staff members did not comment in time for publication.

“Time and time again SF State has failed to provide legitimate, secure storage for bicycles,” Joey Vangsness, a freshman involved with the cycling club on campus, said in an email. “In a city with such extensive bike culture and history, I think it is bizarre that residents and their bikes are not respected by the administration.”

Many students said residential rules prevent them from storing their bikes within their dorm rooms, forcing them to utilize outside parking areas or the Bike Barn as their only storage options. Residential Life rules state that bikes must be kept in designated locations on the racks outside of the

JAMES CHAN / XPRESS

BUSTED: A cut lock wraps around a pole in front of Hensill Hall at SF State Tuesday, Nov. 3.

dorms and are not permitted on patios or other posted areas.

Bicycles will be confiscated if used or stored outside authorized areas, according to the rules.

The UPD bike theft safety guide suggests that student cyclists park their bikes in a well-lit area, use hardened padlocks and chains, take a piece of their bikes with them – like the seat or a tire – and list their bikes with the National Bike Registry.

“Bike theft is a pervasive problem throughout the Bay Area,” Parsons said. “UPD continues to recommend community members use the Bike Barn as a reliable place to secure bikes.”

Decreasing the bike-related thefts requires effort by the school to make necessary changes around campus, according to Phillips, who suggests that the Bike Barn be made available on weekends so that students don’t have to chain their bikes outside, where thefts are more common.

Currently the Bike Barn is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. through 5 p.m. on Fridays.

“The solution to bike security requires money, which is why nothing has been done about it,” Phillips said. “The Bike Barn just needs to be renovated with an alarm system or a security camera, along with a stronger lock.”

Recent crimes prompt increased UPD patrols robbery Continued from the front

However, there was a total of 481 crime reports documented by the UPD from Jan. 1 to Nov. 3, 262 of which occurred during the day and 219 of which occurred at night, according to Morales.

“Please note that the majority of crime reports taken by UPD are misdemeanor violations, many of which are not counted for purposes of compiling the annual Campus Safety and Fire Report,” Morales said.

Similar crimes have occurred on campus over the last few months, according to University crime alerts. A woman reported a sexual battery to UPD Oct. 1, when she said that a suspect

grabbed her, lifted her up toward the wall and pressed his face against her stomach. The incident occurred in the lobby of Burk Hall, according to the crime alert.

UPD is attempting to address the recent crimes on campus by increasing patrols as needed, Morales said.

Members from the Campus Alliance for Risk-free Environment, who escort students, faculty and staff within the campus community upon request, are available from 4:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Monday through Friday, according to a recent crime report. When members of CARE are off duty, UPD officers are available to escort students as they walk

“

It’s always best when traveling in groups, although personally I feel safe walking around campus by myself.

”

-Cameron Vocke

on campus.

Cameron Vocke, 19, said he often walks around campus alone at night.

“I have met several people who are

afraid of walking home from class or just around campus in general,” Vocke said. “It’s always best when traveling in groups, although personally I feel safe walking around campus by myself.”

Kyle Liddle, a women and gender studies major who lives in the student apartments on campus, said she feels unsafe walking on campus at night after her evening classes end.

“I feel more unsafe on campus than here (in the designated smoking area), just because I’m a girl. Because in our society, it’s scary to be a girl,” Liddle said. “I just have my weapons and I just use that (for protection).”

Wednesday, november 4, 2015 goldengatexpress.org

XPRESS yoursELF

WE ASKED SF STATE STUDENTS:

news 5

What mental health services would you like to see more of on campus?

“More dogs would be nice. Puppies make people happy, and everyone loves animals – I have several of them.”

“I would definitely like to have more massages, because it feels good and it’s relaxing.”

“More support groups on campus, because I feel like going to therapy for more serious issues is a good service.”

evin salak, 22 cinema major

john henning, 22 BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION MAJOR

janelle martinez, 19 undeclared

“I think another service they should have on campus is music therapy, because it positively affects the body’s chemistry.”

“More physical activities and support groups would help, because physical activity has a benefit to your body, and that can be an advantage.”

louis davis, 23 beca major

gabrielle roa, 19 kinesiology major

6 LIFESTYLE & CULTURE

Wednesday, nobember 4, 2015 goldengatexpress.org

RESISTANCE: Victor

De La Rosa (far left), associate professor at SF State in the art department, and volunteers Emily Cruz (left), Veronica Rued (center) and Nash Bellows put up one of his art installations, titled “La Gente De Tu Barrio/The People of Your Neighborhood,” addressing issues of gentrification at the 16th and Mission streets BART station plaza Tuesday, Oct. 27.

ANGELICA EKEKE / XPRESS

B

ASHLEY BOWEN

anbowen@mail.sfsu.edu

ustling commuters escalated out of the underground BART station at 16th and Mission streets to come face to face with four intricately woven tapestries taped to the plaza’s walls. Some continued walking, while others paused, entranced by the artwork.

Victor De La Rosa, associate professor in the school of art at SF State, is the creator of the tapestries for his collection “La Gente De Tu Barrio/The People of Your Neighborhood.” He is taking a stance against what he said was BART’s recent censorship of his art.

It started when he entered a competition held by San Francisco Planning’s Mission Street Public Life Plan and was selected to create four woven portraits to be featured at the BART station, De La Rosa said. The series of posters depicts four people from

ANGELICA EKEKE / XPRESS

PUSHED OUT: One of three

art installations addressing gentrification by Victor De La Rosa, associate professor at SF State in the art department, at the 16th Street BART station Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Art professor revolts against BART censorship the Mission District standing next to words and phrases that range from positive feelings about the Mission to more controversial topics like gentrification. De La Rosa’s final piece featured Mission local Mickey Martinez, who stands next to a large star saying, “Bitch you’re not from here!”

De La Rosa put his collection up for commuters to see Oct. 27 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the BART station after a nearly two-month delay of his work being displayed because of BART’s hesitance to allow his fourth tapestry to be shown, he said.

“If BART is going to make sure that every project is 100 percent OK with them in terms of safety of the message or the ability of their riders to not be upset by the message, then that’s just going to leave hearts and flowers, because the Bay Area is not like that,” De La Rosa said. “We have a tradition of looking at tough subjects and discussing them out loud and in public.”

Five other artists were chosen, and all of their projects are either under way or on display, according to De La Rosa. He said that San Francisco Planning Department had already obtained the permit for the location to display his pieces. When BART, which owns the space, saw the artwork, the last poster in particular, it put his installation on hold.

De La Rosa said that San Francisco Planning Department had been trying to work with BART to find a solution. He said he waited almost a month for BART to respond to San Francisco Planning Department’s proposal that they blur out the word “bitch” on the fourth poster.

However, De La Rosa said after

weeks of delay, BART ultimately decided Oct. 22 that only the first three pieces could be put up, or none at all, because of the conflict.

“If I left out that one piece, that would only be 75 percent of my message,” De La Rosa said.

“That’s not the full dialogue; that’s not the full art conversation happening in the Mission, and I didn’t want it to look like a one-sided, almost approval on my part, because that’s not what I proposed.”

Jim Allison, BART media relations manager, said that BART worked to find a solution that was acceptable to De La Rosa, BART and the city.

“Because BART’s art policy had not been finalized, BART used existing advertising standards in the permit approval process for the art installation,” Allison said.

He said that the phrase on the last poster was profane, which standards prohibit.

“Blurring out the word ‘bitch’ would not address the overall demeaning tone of the message in that panel,” Allison said. “BART did issue a permit for the installation of the other panels. Those panels could be installed if the artist wishes.”

Martinez, who said she has lived in the same apartment her whole life, said that she’s seen the Mission transform from families to ‘techies.’

“I told Vic BART will never put up this piece of me, and they’re too afraid and don’t want to offend the white people that have moved to Mission,” Martinez said. “It is important, because old school people from the Mission should know that they’re

ANGELICA EKEKE / XPRESS

ARTISTIC EXPRESSION: Victor De La Rosa, associate professor at SF State in the art department, poses for a portrait at the 16th Street BART station in front of his recent installation Tuesday, Oct. 27.

not the only ones thinking ‘what happened to my home, what happened to my neighborhood, why do I feel like an outsider now?’

That is scary true.”

Jessica Sabogal, one of the other artists chosen to have her work showcased on Muni buses, said that she didn’t receive any restrictions. She said that public art is always a negotiation between what the artist wants and what the city thinks is appropriate.

“The censoring of Victor is a disservice to all the people that need to hear the message of so

many of us that rarely get a platform to speak,” Sabogal said.

Paul Gibbons, who has lived in the Mission since 2009, was another one of the subjects featured in the tapestries, and has known De La Rosa for more than 20 years. Gibbons said that with the election nearing, the collection illustrates a controversial topic.

“It’s ridiculous. I think its censorship,” Gibbons said. “I think discussing these issues is essential. This is the type of art we need to be having in the city to facilitate this type of discussion.”

Correction: The print version of the article "Industry insiders expose flaws in porn consumption," published Oct. 21, misattributed a pull quote to Jiz Lee. Ryan Werner, co-founder of Fight The New Drug, said the quote.

8 OPINION NASHELLY CHAVEZ

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF nashelly@mail.sfsu.edu

DARCY FRACOLLI

Wednesday, november 4, 2015 goldengatexpress.org

press

STAFF EDITORIAL GOLDEN GATE Prison reform is crucial as Obama urges new post-incarceration programs

MANAGING EDITOR dfracoll@mail.sfsu.edu

RISTI TEWOLDE

ONLINE SUPERVISING EDITOR tewolde@mail.sfsu.edu

EVA RODRIGUEZ

ART DIRECTOR erodrig2@mail.sfsu.edu

HARLAN FROST

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR hfrost@mail.sfsu.edu

EMMA CHIANG

PHOTO EDITOR echiang@mail.sfsu.edu

AVERY PETERSON

NEWS EDITOR averylp@mail.sfsu.edu

CREO NOVENO

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR cnoveno@mail.sfsu.edu

KALANI RUIDAS

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE EDITOR kruidas@mail.sfsu.edu

REID CAMMACK

OPINION EDITOR reidcamm@mail.sfsu.edu

VINCENT FAUSONE IV

SPORTS EDITOR vfausone@mail.sfsu.edu

P

resident Barack Obama President Barack Obama's New housing, announced a education and employment proposals take comprehensive plan Nov. 2 to aim at reducing recidivism rates. These bolster rehabilitation for proposals give former inmates the necessary former inmates.

At the top of his list is tools to get their lives back on track . an $8 million grant to fund reentry education programs for those previously in in the U.S. has snowballed more likely to be suspended jail and an $8.7 million grant too far to be ignored. We from school than a white funding permanent supportive have seen time and time youth for engaging in the housing programs that will again how systematic same disruptive behavior,” provide stable housing and bias has targeted the same Obama said in an interview end the cycle of chronic communities, shackling them with Vice. “More likely to homelessness among those to a lifetime spent in and out be arrested, more likely to who have been incarcerated. of jails. Without rehabilitation be charged, more likely to The proposal also includes a programs and opportunities be prosecuted aggressively, push for Congress to “ban the for education, jobs and more likely to get a stiffer box,” which requires former housing, we cannot effect sentence.” inmates to detail criminal real change. Without support As of Sept. 26, 2015, the history on job applications. systems in place, offenders Federal Bureau of Prisons The president’s will continue to fall through reported that 37.7 percent of announcement comes after the cracks. the prison population was months of campaigning for “The system, every black, in spite of the fact that prison reform. In July, Obama study has shown, is biased black people only account became the first sitting somewhere institutionally for 13.2 percent of the total president to visit a federal in such a way where an U.S. population, according prison.

African American youth is to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The rate of incarceration

This kind of out-and-out discrimination corrodes the heart of our justice system.

But it gets worse. More than 2.2 million Americans were incarcerated in 2014, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. If we expand the pool to include those who were on probation or released on parole, that number skyrockets to nearly 6.9 million Americans.

To put these numbers in a global context, the U.S. made up only 5 percent of the total global population in 2013, but a shocking 25 percent of the world’s total prison population, according to former Attorney General Eric Holder.

We need prison reform.

Our justice system is robbing our country’s people of color of the life they deserve. We need to provide offenders with the tools to rehabilitate themselves instead of a oneway ticket back to a prison cell.

GENESIS CHAVEZ-CARO COPY EDITOR gchavezc@mail.sfsu.edu

LULU OROZCO

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR ohlulu@mail.sfsu.edu

JOCELYN CARRANZA

ASSISTANT MULTIMEDIA EDITOR jcarranz@mail.sfsu.edu

JESSICA NEMIRE

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR jdn@mail.sfsu.edu

RACHELE KANIGEL

PRINT ADVISER kanigel@mail.sfsu.edu

JIM TOLAND

FACULTY ADVISER toland@sfsu.edu

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PHOTO ADVISER tucker@sfsu.edu

EVA CHARLES

ADVERTISING & BUSINESS echarles@sfsu.edu

ARUN UNNIKRISHNAN I.T. CONSULTANT arun@mail.sfsu.edu

SAMANTHA LOPEZ CIRCULATION

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STUDENT GRAPHIC DESIGNER ggxads@sfsu.edu

WRITE US A LETTER

The Golden Gate Xpress accepts letters no longer than 200 words.

Letters are subject to editing.

Send letters to Reid Cammack at: reidcamm@mail.sfsu.edu

ABOUT XPRESS The Golden Gate Xpress is a student-produced publication of the journalism department at San Francisco State University.

For more information or comments, please contact Nashelly Chavez at: nashelly@mail.sfsu.edu

Stereotypes weigh down women lifters SAMANTHA LUSIGNAN slusigna@mail.sfsu.edu

and become the next Incredible Hulk, because they do not have the necessary testosterone hormone needed to create a large amount of muscle mass, according to Women’s Health Magazine. For women to bulk and create mass, they would need to eat an excessive amount of calories and lift heavy weights on a regular basis. I specifically make sure I keep my nutrition

A repetitive thud of footsteps echoed throughout the cardio room in SF State’s Village Fitness Center. A group of girls ran on the treadmill, all wearing the same grim expression on their face as they cranked out 30 minutes of monotonous cardio.

When I enter the weight room, though, I notice a complete gender shift. There are only male students lifting weights, but they look focused and, dare I say, at peace.

But it shouldn’t be just men who feel at home in the weight room. Women lifters should really be utilizing the weight room too.

Women fear weightlifting because of the common belief that weight training will make them bulky and unfeminine, but that’s not true. I used to share this fear until I decided to give it a try after noticing famous female bodybuilders ILLUSTRATION BY EVA RODRIGUEZ on Instagram. Their bodies were small very basic and as natural as possible. I eat and compact with cinched waistlines and around 2,000 calories daily, depending curves gracing their trim forms. After on my fitness goals, and eat a diet rich reading their advice on bodybuilding, in lean proteins, vegetables and complex I decided to take the plunge and give carbohydrates. weights a chance.

I lift five days a week, and from what Women do not easily bulk up muscle

I’ve seen, weights will actually give women who strive for a cut physique their dream body. Sure, little 5-pound dumbbells are a great way to start off with on day one, but to really get those rounded glutes, strong thighs and sexy abs, women need to train heavier.

For me, strength training creates confidence. Before weight training, I used to have anxiety walking around town by myself. After I incorporated training into my life, those fears disappeared completely. I now walk with more purpose, which in turn has greatly improved my self-confidence.

Weightlifting empowers me, because it’s amazing to see the weekly improvements in strength and to crush daily goals.

Last week, I was ecstatic to finally be able to do pull-ups for the first time.

This month I am working on developing something I have always wanted: abs. These dreams and goals become possible for me because of the foundation of strength training. I encourage you ladies to give it a try and lift some iron.

OPINION 9

Wednesday, november 4, 2015 goldengatexpress.org

Your 20s should be for self-exploration, not relationships

B

JESSICA NEMIRE jdn@mail.sfsu.edu

etween our fixation with dating apps, our love for shows like “The Bachelor” and our overuse of the term “bae,” our generation is obsessed with relationships. However, your 20s are the absolute worst time in your life to be in one.

Your 20s are the first and last time in your life that is really all about you. In your teens, you had to worry about what your parents wanted, and in your 30s, you have to worry about what your boss wants.

Sure, you may have a job and/or school to worry about, but aside from that, you can do you. When you have a serious partner in your 20s, however, you have to do them, too. Pun very much intended.

As cliché as this sounds, your 20s are supposed to be about finding yourself, and it’s hard to do that if you’re devoting so much of your time and energy to another person. Twenty somethings should have the freedom to take up new hobbies, switch jobs or maybe even move to different cities without feeling tied down or like they have to constantly update someone else on their every move.

I had the privilege of traveling through Europe with friends this summer, and there’s no way I would have been able to do that if I had a significant other back home. While it’s possible to travel with a partner, it’s a totally different experience from traveling with friends.

I’ve heard stories of people traveling with their significant other, and they ended up fighting the entire time. I’ve also heard stories of people in a relationship traveling without their other half and spending a considerable amount of time Skyping with them. One of my friends was even accepted to study abroad in France, but chose not to

go because she had a boyfriend – and they broke up two months later.

When you’re a “real adult” traveling with a spouse and children, you have to pay for your kids’ airfare,

accommodations, food, etc. in addition to your own, which makes that kind of trip even more expensive. Your 20s are one of the few times you can travel without anything holding you back.

No, I’m not just bitter because I’m single. I’ve been in serious relationships before, and it’s not my thing. I like being single, because I can do whatever I want.

If I were planning on staying in on a Friday to watch Netflix, but then decided to go out instead, I can do that without affecting anyone else.

The only person I have to make plans for is myself, and that’s the way I think it should be.

I’ve never been super monogamy-oriented, nor do I want to be. If I ever end up in another serious relationship, I don’t want it to be until I’m at least 30 years old.

Essentially, I just don’t see the rush to attach yourself to one person when you’re 20-something. You have the rest of your life to do that.

Instead, spend your time and energy trying new things, traveling and not having to worry about anyone else except for yourself.

Enjoy being 20-something while you can.

You’ve got plenty of time.

ILLUSTRATION BY REID CAMMACK

“SNL” should dump Donald Trump REID CAMMACK

M

reidcamm@mail.sfsu.edu

ost of my family is insanely conservative and racist. Since I only see them once or twice a year, I usually forget how terrible they are, and once I finally see them, I am shocked by their ignorance. Luckily, I won’t have to endure that shock this year.

For the past couple months, I have had to listen to presidential candidate Donald Trump spew his ridiculous beliefs, and his words are almost verbatim what my family believes.

For example, like Trump, my family loves the idea of a walled border. But my cousins worry “the Mexicans will just stack their bales of marijuana on top of each other to hop over the wall.”

They’re two racist peas in a racist pod.

Besides a few billion dollars, the main difference between my family and

Trump is their platforms. My family only spouts their racist musings to their Facebook friends and the 20 dogs living behind their trailer homes. Trump has a national platform where he can say all the racist and misogynist things he wants. And this Saturday night, that living pile of melted orange crayons will have NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” as his newest political platform.

NBC shouldn’t give that melted CPR dummy any more coverage then he already has. Earlier this year, NBC dropped Trump’s Miss Universe show after the grown-up Chucky doll made racist comments about Mexican immigrants. Now, five months later, NBC completely forgot what he said and decided to let him host their classic sketch comedy show.

If a singer or actor called any group of people rapists, they would be blacklisted in Hollywood, not rewarded

with an “SNL” hosting gig. But because this pile of human pubic hair is running for president, he’s excused.

“SNL” thrives during election season, and NBC is using Trump, a living swamp creature made of Cheeto dust, for an obvious ratings grab. They could have just put him in a single sketch like they did with Hillary Clinton in this season’s premiere, but they know having a racist Mr. Potato Head host will bring in ratings. Trump, the only man to have Little Caesar’s pizza grease pumping through his veins of blood, is bound to say something crazy, and NBC knows people will tune in to find out what.

This isn’t an attack on Republicans.

John McCain hosted back in 2012 and it was fine. McCain’s character and politics are better than Trump’s, and more importantly, he was the actual Republican candidate. Trump is just

Reid It and Weep is a weekly column highlighting the frequent disappointments in contemporary pop culture.

a random, soiled pile of meatloaf that hasn’t even earned an official nomination yet.

I hope the actual episode just ends up being an intervention for the collective of orange hamsters that makes up Trump. The cast will sit him down for an hour and a half, explaining to him why he’s so terrible. Unfortunately, I know it’s not going to turn out that way.

Trump is probably going to make fun of himself to show that he can take a joke.

Then he’ll call a few people losers and fire a few others. Some viewers will think that it’s so cool that this congealed ball of macaroni and cheese is in on the joke and able to poke fun at himself.

It shouldn’t matter how well Trump can deliver a punchline or how many viewers NBC can pull; anyone who spews as much misogynistic and racist bile as Trump shouldn’t be provided such a huge platform.

10 SPORTS Added size and skill rejuvenates women’s basketball roster

Wednesday, november 4, 2015 goldengatexpress.org

CHRISTOPHER CONTRERAS

A

chrisdc@mail.sfsu.edu

fter the mass exodus of players from a roster that mustered only one win last season, the SF State women’s basketball team plans to erase 2014 from the University’s memory.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been this optimistic about a team,” said head coach Dennis Cox at the Winter Sports Media Conference. “We’re more athletic and bigger. The players are a little more tenacious.”

QING HUANG / XPRESS

FOCUS: Lauryn Catching (0),

guard for the SF State Gators, practices at the Gymnasium Monday, Nov. 2.

Only three players are returning from last year, and they’ll be competing for spots against seven junior college transfers and four incoming freshman. The team’s top three scorers from last year, who combined for an average of 27 points a game, have left.

The Gators added muchneeded size in the form of 6-foot5-inch freshman Kiara Ginwright and 6-foot junior college transfer Laura Lawson. Cox said one thing the team struggled with last year was rebounding, and Lawson said she thinks that’s the biggest skill she brings to the table.

“I know that’s what I’m good at,” Lawson said. “I like to rebound.”

The team placed a heavy emphasis on conditioning this offseason, Cox said.

“We’re going to play an uptempo style,” Cox said. “We’re gonna run in transition and apply pressure over the whole court for 40 minutes. That kind of style demands very good conditioning.”

NCAA Division II rules do not allow coaches and the team to practice basketball during the offseason, so the team has been going through a rigorous conditioning program in the meantime.

The California Collegiate Athletic Association will also be moving to a new game format with four 10-minute quarters this year instead of two 20-minute halves. Cox has helped coach international teams that use the

QING HUANG / XPRESS

REPETITION: SF State Gators women’s basketball team practices at the Gymnasium for the start of their season Monday, Nov. 2.

four-quarter format and doesn’t think it will affect the team.

“I think it’s going to work to our advantage because I don’t think coaches are going to be wasting timeouts anymore,” Cox said. “They’re going to have to wait for the quarter, and sometimes you can win and lose a game at any time. We’re the kind of team that can get on a roll and score in bunches.”

Cox said that he has an idea of who his starting five will be this season, but that it is a dynamic situation.

“One thing we are very adamant about is that everyone has an opportunity,” Cox said.

“There’s no deal in our program– no one is promised a spot or minutes.”

One of the projected starters is City College of San Francisco transfer Naila Washington, a 5-foot-9-inch forward, according to Cox. Washington, one of the team’s leaders, hopes to bring experience and a passion to win.

“None of us are afraid,” Washington said. “If you want new expectations we got to try

new things.”

The team’s first game is an exhibition match against Menlo College Nov. 5. The Gators open the regular season Nov.13 against Central Washington University and the team’s home opener is Nov.17 against Notre Dame de Namur University.

“It may not be a finished product right away,” Cox said.

“It’s gonna be a process, but we got a good mix of experienced players and young players.”

Men’s basketball team begins title chase JESSE SAETEURN essej@mail.sfsu.edu

Despite posting a disappointing 11-15 record last year, the SF State men’s basketball team said it is determined to make a name for itself this season.

“I would like to hang a banner,” said head coach Paul Trevor.

Trevor said he has high hopes for this year’s team and is confident that it can make a statement.

“Our first goal is to win the (California College Athletic Association conference),” Trevor said. “It’s our goal no matter what. We set our bar high.”

The last few seasons didn’t go as planned for the Gators, according to returning forward Jon McMurry, but the team is hoping this year will be different. McMurry said a season without the CCAA championship would be a disappointment.

“We’re here to win and we want to win,” McMurry said. “Some people might be like, ‘We did well this year – we got fit – we won more game than we lost,’ but that’s not the situation for us.”

Trevor and McMurry both said their upcoming exhibition games against Division I teams would be a great assessment of their abilities.

“Playing Division I exhibition is exciting and a good test,” McMurry said. “We think we should play at that level, so it’s a nice little preparation.”

Trevor said the reason they were unsuccessful last season was their lack of anticipation.

“One thing we weren’t doing a good job on was making reads,” Trevor said. “We spend a lot of time playing two on two just to know where the read is, spacing, when you hit a gap where the open guy is, how

to push and pull or how to dump the ball in the post and play off the post.”

Although two of last season’s captains didn’t return, the team added depth to its roster, including three all-state players, according to Trevor.

Notable recruits from this offseason include Warren Jackson, Brantley Bynum and Damien Rance. Trevor said he anticipates immediate impact from this offseason’s acquisitions.

“Bynum is probably the best athlete we’ve ever had here,” Trevor said. “When you want to talk about highlight reels, you can throw a lob to him; it can be anywhere and he’ll catch it. He’ll make an immediate impact as a low post scorer for us.”

Jackson, a sophomore point guard and transfer from Cabrillo College, said he looks forward to competing with his new teammates and help guide the team.

“I’m looking forward to competing with them and adding my defense, being able to penetrate and get guys open because we have a lot of good shooters,” Jackson said. “Trying to add my game to their game and do whatever they need me to do.”

Rance, a freshman from Melbourne, Australia, is another player Trevor said he expects to have a big impact on the team. “(Rance) is super skilled,” Trevor said. “He can handle the ball, shoot the threes, and he’s probably the most physical player we have.”

The deep roster this year makes it challenging for the coaching staffs to project who its starters will be, according to Trevor.

“It’s going to be very competitive among them for the minutes,” Trevor said. “Some guys play better with other guys, so we’re still trying to figure that out right now.”

ANGELICA EKEKE / XPRESS

SURROUNDED: Israel Hakim (15) attempts to make a lay

up while being guarded by Derrick Brown (22) and Justice Howard (3) during the SF State men’s basketball practice in the Gymnasium Monday, Nov. 2.

The Gators will begin their season with three exhibition games against Division I opponents. The team will play its first regular season game at home versus Pacific Union College Nov. 14.

Wednesday, november 4, 2015 goldengatexpress.org

Gator wrestlers pitted against tough teams early on

D

TYLER LEHMAN

tlehman@mail.sfsu.edu

uring SF State’s inaugural winter media day, 174-pound wrestler Johnny Costa was offered a slice of delicious-smelling pizza. Costa politely declined.

“Maybe next time I can have a slice, but I’m watching my weight right now,” Costa said.

Costa and fellow members of the Gators wrestling team will have their hands full this season when they face four Division I teams, according to head coach Lars Jensen.

“We compete against Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo), which is an outdoor meet,” Jensen said. “We’re very excited for that. We also have Old Dominion (University) on the schedule, which is a top 10

Division I school. We also face (CSU) Bakersfield and that little school down south, in between us and San Jose, that’s called Stanford (University).”

The tough schedule brings its fair share of challenges, according to 133-pound junior wrestler Jordan Gurrola, but he said he’s up to the task.

“Just getting the best competition that we can, it’s a way to improve, especially being the leaders of the team,” Gurrola said.

Gurrola and Costa said the upgraded schedule is a great way to get in shape for regionals and nationals by the end of the season.

Jensen said it’s his goal to get his team to All-American status.

“We had (Gurrola and Costa) last year, and this year they know what to expect on the big stage,” Jensen said. “We’re in a pretty

tough conference, and we just need to win the right matches to be an All-American.”

Working on technique is one way the wrestlers said they could improve, but mental toughness was also a focal point for them these past few months.

“Getting my butt whooped every day by our assistant coach, that helps a lot,” Costa said. “He’s been a main part of helping the little things in my game.”

Gurrola and Costa are the leaders of the team, but they will be pushed by some young guns in the program, according to Jensen.

“We have a lot of eager young freshman that’ll challenge some upperclassmen in a lot of weight classes,” Jensen said. “We added some new pieces to the puzzle that we are really excited about, and I think they’re going to push some

sports 11 JAMES CHAN / XPRESS

GRAPPLE: Romeo Medina (SF State) and Naino Calvo (Stanford University)

wrestle in the first round of the 157-pound division at the SF State University Community College Open, Sunday, Nov. 1 at the Swamp gymnasium at SF State.

of those starters.”

The Gators recruiting class included out-of-state recruits from Texas and Florida. Robert Enmon, a freshman recruit out of Florida, was a 2015 state champion and three-time state placer. Gurrola said he’s excited about his new teammates and wants to focus on giving every ounce of effort he can in every match.

“I would say wrestling is a bit of both the mental and the physical,” Gurrola said. “Once you

get to the point where your body can’t go anymore, you just have to make yourself do it and believe it. You just got to keep pushing it, pushing it, pushing it, and you just got to believe that everything we’ve been working on, we deserve to be on that podium now.”

The Gators had their 48th annual SF State Community College Open Nov. 1. Their next match-up is at home against Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Nov. 7.