Thur sday, April 21, 20 16
E s t abl ished 19 16
w w w.mus t angne w s .net
Women’s golf records best Big West Conference finish in school history
Erik Engle @CPMustangSports
The Cal Poly women’s golf team placed second in the Big West Women’s Golf Championship, the best finish the program has ever recorded in the event. After leading the first two days of the tournament, Cal Poly fell four strokes behind UC Riverside on the third and final day of competition at the Kapalua Bay Golf Course in Hawaii. None of Cal Poly’s golfers finished in the top five individually, but a consistent team effort helped the Mustangs to their best finish in conference history. Sophomore Desiree Gillaspy led the way for the Mustangs with a score of +12. She finished eight shots behind
the leader, UC Davis’ Paige Lee, good enough to tie for sixth place overall with UC Riverside’s Hannah Facchini. Three other Mustangs finished in the top 11 in the field of 40 players on the 7,411-yard course. Senior Madison Hirsch finished eighth with a score of +13, sophomore Sophie Bergland finished ninth with a score of +14 and sophomore Jamie Harada finished tied with four others for 11th with a score of +15. Hirsch posted the best individual round for Cal Poly, posting a 73 in the final round of the tournament and her collegiate career. Sophomore Lucy Robson, finished 23rd overall with a score of +21. The Mustangs finished the first day with a four-person team score
of 305 strokes, and the second day with a team score of 310. They finished strong with a team score of 303, but UC Riverside posted a tournament-best score of 296 in the final round to come back from three strokes behind. Jakeishya Le was a key part of UC Riverside’s comeback victory, as she finished with a score of -2, the best individual score in the third round. After the championship, head coach Sofie Aagaard was named the Big West Conference Coach of the Year and Hirsch was named to the Big West All-Conference Second Team. The Mustangs will look to carry their strong finish into next season, as they will have the majority of their team returning in the fall.
CHRISTA LAM | MUSTANG NE WS
Head coach Sofie Aagaard was named the Big West Conference Coach of the Year
CHRISTA LAM | MUSTANG NE WS GOLF
| Sophomore Desiree Gillaspy (top) sizes up the green before attempting a putt. Jamie Binns (bottom), also a sophomore, hits a shot down the middle of the fairway.
Arts... 2-3 | News... 4-5 | Opinion... 6 | Classifieds... 7 | Sports... 8
Thursday, April 21, 2016
ARTS | 2
Michelle Zaludek @michellenistic
Five San Luis Obispo-based bands have been sharpening their axes in preparation for a massive group performance. Associated Students, Inc.’s (ASI) Battle of the Bands is set to hit the Julian A. McPhee University Union (UU) Plaza from 6-9 p.m. Friday. The five bands, including Bearcats; Hopeless Romantics; Box the Oxford; honestly, nothing.; and The Pacifics, will be in the running to be the opening band for this year’s Spring Stampede. But before hitting up the battle, here’s a breakdown of this year’s players:
Members: Physics senior Bryce Parry, guitarist and keyboardist; business administration junior Ryan Corvese, guitarist and vocalist; Cal Poly alumna Jessica Neie, vocalist; environmental management sophomore Cliff Moore, bassist; and agricultural business sophomore Drew Miller, drummer
THE PACIFICS | COURTESY PHOTO MELTING POT | Differing music tastes make an interesting meld of tunes.
How they describe their sound: “You can definitely feel like, fusions of the British invasion and blues,” Corvese said. “I would say it’s kind of a — is psych rock blues a good way to put it? It’s inspired by everything under the sun.” What the band is listening to: As a whole, the band has been listening to The Black Keys and The Beatles. What they have / want to cover: Moore would cover Tame Impala’s “The Less I Know the Better.” Neie would cover Audioslave’s “Show Me How to Live.”
Miller would cover Queens of the Stone Age’s “Little Sister.” Corvese would cover The Beatles’ “Kansas City/ Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!” or “You Can’t Do That.” Parry would cover Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home.” In brief: Neighbors Moore and Corvese first started playing together after hearing each other play from their homes. Then, they met several other members through open mic nights at Kreuzberg, and were practicing as a band by early winter quarter of this school year.
“I think the girl/guy dynamic is unique to us, too,” Corvese said. “I mean, how many guy/ girl bands do you know in SLO? … I don’t know, I think it lets us experiment, and you can kind of tell a more interesting story.” Adding to that uniqueness is the band members’ different tastes in music. “We all do have very different inspirations and tastes,” Parry said. “Like, I like harder stuff,” Neie said. “Like hard rock and heavy metal-ish.” “And I’m the hippie, like
’60s, ‘flower power,’ you know … and Bryce is big into blues,” Corvese said. Their different tastes can make agreeing on a musical direction difficult, at times. “But when we do find something it’s just like: ‘That’s it!’” Parry said. “And it may not be everything that I like or everything that you like, but it’s something that we all enjoy.” “I think something we pride ourselves on is that no one person writes the music,” Corvese said. “It’s definitely a collaborative effort.”
HONESTLY, NOTHING.
Members: Electrical engineering sophomore Nic Kane, guitarist and lead vocals; mechanical engineering sophomore Nickie Gurney, guitarist and backing vocals; mechanical engineering freshman Cameron Kao, bassist; and biology sophomore Matt Neumann, drummer.
How they describe their sound: “There are some math rock-y vibes,” Gurney said. “Some hints of math … We have some pop hooks — distorted, but not too distorted.” “Weezer and Nirvana — Nevermind, plus the (Blue Album) plus Pinkerton … maybe some Green Day, like, Dookie,” Kane added. What the band is listening to: Gurney is listening to SpaceGhostPurrp, Aphex Twin and the Deep Vibes playlist on Spotify for studying, adding: ”It’s just like, really weird — but not that weird. Just. Deep. Vibes.” Kane is listening to Pinegrove, Nirvana, Porches, Deerhunter and Shoot the Mariner. Kao is listening to The Rollings Stones, Muse, The Killers, Incubus and Tool. What they would want to cover: Kane would cover “California” by Phantom Planet, and Gurney would cover “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy. “I’m pretty sure I can play that on piano,” Kao added. Gurney: “No, but without the piano.” Kao: “OK, but we can still incorporate piano.” Gurney: “No, but no pia-
no … I want it to be heavier, like, math-y.” In brief: The mixture of different music inspirations including Nirvana and Pinegrove inspire Kane to meld dark and light musical themes together into one cohesive piece. “Being able to blend the darker sides with something kind of uplifting … It’s more difficult than just trying to do one or the other,” Kane said. The hip-hop music that Gurney has been listening to has had an effect as well. “Hip-hop drum beats are really different, so it just inspires different things … And if they’re electronic, you can do things that humans can’t do,” he said. Kane added that they’re excited to play both with other local bands and for the possibility of playing to a larger crowd. “It’s just — say T-Pain plays for Spring Stampede, I want to open for T-Pain,” Gurney said. “Put that on my resume, dude,” Kane added. Gurney: “And you could buy pizza with the money (from playing) … It’s like seven or eight pizzas from Little Caesar’s.”
HONESTLY, NOTHING. | COURTESY PHOTO OPPOSITES ATTR ACT
| The g roup combi ne s d ark and lig ht music a l t hemes into t heir s ongs to cre ate a unique s ound.
HOPELESS ROMANTICS
HOPELESS ROMANTICS | COURTESY PHOTO MUSICAL PAIRING | Rubin and Azevedo’s songs describe relationships.
How they describe their sound: “Blues rock,” Azevedo said. “It’s funny, so I’m not very good with genres,” Rubin said. “But I have a friend who is deeply into sub-genres who described us more as garage rock pop — I think she even said garage blues pop.” What the band is listening to: Azevedo is listening to The 1975, Kanye West and The Black Keys. Rubin is listening to early alt-J, The Strokes, Kings Of Leon and “anything Jack White’s ever done.” Favored songs of their own: Azevedo is partial to “Pretty
Girls” and “Lost Cases of Love,” while Rubin said he appreciated the reactions he’s gotten from “Already Yours” and “Powder Nose Girls.” In brief: Hopeless Romantics draw some of their musical inspiration from the early work of The White Stripes and The Black Keys — in that both bands shared the ability to make strong, full sound with just two band members, according to Azevedo. “And I like to infuse some hip hop into that,” he said. “Not so much Kanye — we’re not using any auto-tune or anything like
that — but like, old school hiphop beats.” Rubin, who does most of the lyric writing for the band, said that he most commonly likes to write about relationships with people, especially with women. “It’s how I vent,” he said. “So there’s anger in some of it. But I also — I like having it be lighthearted as well. Even though there’s anger in it, I don’t want to take it too seriously.” Azevedo: “I’d say in a more positive way, it’s more angsty. Like there have been days where he’s kind of in a bad mood, and
I’ll be like, ‘tell me a story,’ and I tell him, ‘go write an angsty song about it.’” Additionally, Hopeless Romantics have played shows with most of the bands featured in Battle of the Bands. “They’re all super nice and awesome people that I’ve enjoyed playing shows with,” Rubin said. “So it’s fun that we all get to do this together.” “And I know Bryce (Parry, of The Pacifics) and I are graduating this year,” Azevedo added, “So it’s just really exciting to be able to play together at Cal Poly.”
Thursday, April 21, 2016
ARTS | 3
BEARCATS
Members: Journalism senior Lexi McCoy, drummer; and Lisa Harrison, bassist.
BEARCATS | COURTESY PHOTO DARLING DUO | McCoy and Harrison have been making music for years.
How they describe their sound: “I would say it’s like garage rock with a peppy — well, we call our style garage pop,” McCoy said. “So it’s like, it is like garage rock but it definitely has a pop element.” What the band is listening to: McCoy is currently listening to La Luz, The Shangri-Las and Plumtree. What they have been covering: Bearcats have recently been incorporating The Vaseline’s “Sex with an X” into their setlist.
In brief: Harrison and McCoy had been in a band together a few years prior. But when that band fell apart, they decided to put their own duo together with a distinct garage pop flavor. Bearcats just recently came back from what McCoy referred to as a “mini tour” that took them through Southern California. McCoy emphasized that Bearcats entered Battle of the Bands not for the sake of competition, but for the fun of playing an-
other local show — which they have scheduled to do every week in April. “I don’t like competition,” she said. “Especially in music. I think music should be about supporting each other and lifting each other up, rather than competing. So we decided to apply more for the fun and for the fact that, hey, I’m graduating in June, and I could have this opportunity to play in the UU with these other bands.” They’ve played with Box the
Oxford previously. McCoy explained that she’s excited to have the opportunity to play with a set of local bands who all have Cal Poly ties. “We all go here and we all live here, and that’s going to make it really fun,” she said. “And I’m pretty sure that we’re all pretty different genres, so that will be really fun too — I mean, if all the band sounds the same then what’s the point?”
BOX THE OXFORD
Members: Electrical engineering junior Eric Osborn, drummer; mechanical engineering junior Andrew Krippner, lead vocalist and guitarist; mechanical engineering junior Davis “The Mux” Muxlow, bassist; and computer science junior Colton Stapper, guitarist.
How they describe their sound: “Surf Velvet Underground — we do what The Strokes do, but better,” Krippner said. “No. We do indie surf rock. We’ve been called weird, crazy stuff like long wave — blah, blah, blah.” “Long wave surf rock,” Osborn added. What the band is listening to: Osborn is listening to Bad Suns and Declan McKenna. Krippner is listening to Rayland Baxter. Stapper is listening to Geographer. Muxlow is listening to B.B. King, Albert King — “all those ‘kings.’” And collectively, the band has
been listening to The Neighborhood, Darwin Deez and The Lumineers. What they have covered before: Box the Oxford consistently covers Fountains of Wayne’s “Stacy’s Mom.” In brief: Box the Oxford draws a lot of inspiration from blues music, with several members having been in blues bands in high school and listening to the genre now. The first time Stapper and Krippner met had been online — they both had a common interest in San Diego-based, indie band Local Natives. The second was during Week of Welcome (WOW); Stapper and Krippner bonded over the band
again without realizing they already knew each other. “I said, ‘dude, I know this guy on Facebook who I’ve been talking to who knows the Local Natives,’” Stapper said. “So I pulled up the chat and it turned out to be Andrew … And like, that day, we started writing music.” Then, the rest of the band slowly came together as they became friends, and worked to make a sound that could translate across multiple platforms. “We want to play songs that if you play it on the acoustic guitar, if you play it on the glockenspiel, if you play it on the marimba — that’s the
same category — they all have value just because of the song, not the way you produce it,” Krippner said. Osborn: “Basically, we want to write good songs.” The band said they plan to release a nine-song album in the upcoming months that addresses what it means to “be a man,” according to Krippner. “Like, falling in love with an experience that you know is short or fleeting,” Stapper said. “You know, ephemeral?” “Uh — sure,” Krippner said. “I guess that’s one good thing.” “He just wanted to get ephemeral in there,” Osborn added.
BOX THE OXFORD | COURTESY PHOTO INSPIR ATION
| The band’s sound is influenced by blues music.
Trans Fashion Show to empower and educate Lindsay Mann @CPMustangNews
GEORGIE DE MATTOS | MUSTANG NE WS VOGUE | The goal of the Trans Fashion show is to empower and educate the general population through style and telling personal stories.
With its second year on campus, the Trans Fashion Show is set to be a night of fun, empowerment and education for all this Saturday. Student assistant and coordinator of the fashion show Rachel Scales is excited for the models to feel proud of who they are. “It’s a confidence-boosting experience,” Scales said. “On campus, they might get confused looks and feel different, but at the fashion show, they’re applauded and embraced.”
Throughout the evening, there will be makeup and binder demonstrations, as well as students sharing stories from their lives to bring a more personal and real element to the event. “The fashion show helps normalize what it means to be transgender,” Scales said. “Last year, we had a big turnout, and we’re hoping this year will be even bigger. It’s an educational and fun experience for everyone, and the models feel empowered”. The fashion show is free and will be in the San Luis Lounge in Julian A. McPhee University Union, room 221.
Arts community comes together at the Juried Student Art Exhibition Megan Schellong @persimmegan
The Cal Poly University Art Gallery opened its Annual Juried Student Exhibition on April 14. Students, professors, friends and art enthusiasts gathered on the ground floor of Walter F. Dexter (building 34) to see student works, which art and design senior Daniel Willardson said was set up strategically. “We wanted it all to flow nicely and not just put all the photog-
raphy pieces in one corner,” Willardson said. “Flow is important so people feel like they have a desire to go to every corner of the room.” For this reason, all of the 3-D, 2-D, sculptures, paintings, graphic design and photography were spread throughout the gallery. In total, 53 of 158 submissions were displayed. Judges Nick Wilkinson of Left Field art gallery and Peter Ayer, President of Moshpit Digital, decided which pieces were put in the
gallery. While the judges did not follow specific parameters for selecting the pieces, Ayer said, “it has to give an impression with creativity but also have discipline and be presented well.” One of the pieces includes the “Narcissus” portrait by art and design junior Arianna Cabebe. “The style and concept are both routed in a Caravaggio painting called ‘Narcissus’ and its commentary on elevating our own image through social media,” Cabebe said.
“Narcissus” was not the only student art piece in the exhibit relating to social media. Firstplace recipient of the 3-D art award, art and design senior Charles Wilton, also incorporated the impact of social media in his five phone display of iPhones, titled “(dis)connect.” Wilton said he chose to display his drawings on an iPhone screen to show the moments when he catches himself on his phone. “I went to dinner with friends and saw everyone taking phone calls,” Wilton said about his inspiration for one of the displays. Constructing each mock-iPhone from scratch himself, Wilton said it took him a lot of trial and error to get it right. “I like to get those fine details and craft things; it’s details that make me feel accomplished,” he said. Other student artists could relate. “I had a lot of times when I’d look at something and my friends said ‘it looks good,’ but I felt there was just a little bit more trial and error to be done,” Willardson said. It’s this strive to accomplish the best piece of art they can that drives the student artists. “You just get into this flow where time doesn’t matter and nothing else matters but completing what you’re doing and making it the best you can,” said agricultural science freshman Sabrina Clark, who is considering changing her major
ANDREW EPPERSON | MUSTANG NE WS SELF-EXPRESSION | Student artwork is exhibited until mid-May.
to art and design. Mechanical engineering senior Christopher San Nicolas had a similar perspective on the free state of mind art offers. “Art is a good release,” he said. “It’s very different from stuff I do in normal classes and I think spatially and visually, so it’s the way I understand and express myself.” San Nicolas said having his art featured in this exhibition is an honor too. “Validation is the best reward,” he said. “I’m an art minor, not a major, so it’s nice even though I don’t fit the mold exactly, I still appreciate being recognized.” Students enjoyed recognizing the projects of their fellow classmates as well. “Seeing the collective work of all
my peers is the most rewarding part,” Cabebe said. Overall, the exhibit encompassed all of the trial and errors, perseverance and creativity of the students. Even more than a showcase of hard work, the exhibit served as a place where viewers came to make sense of the meaning behind the tangible works. According to Teri Sanders-Brown, adjunct professor for ceramics, there’s a difference between just looking at something and enjoying content and color and the deeper level of communication and expression it brings to the viewer. To draw your own interpretations of these artists’ works, visit the University Art Gallery now until May 13.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
NEWS | 4
Cal Poly to celebrate Inclusive Excellence Month
Carly Quinn @carlyaquinn
What was Inclusive Excellence Week has become a monthlong celebration, creating May Inclusive Excellence Month. The Office of University Diversity and Inclusivity will have guest speakers, workshops and performers to empower and celebrate minority groups on campus. This will help raise campus awareness about diversity and inclusivity, Interim Executive Director for the Office of University Diversity and Inclusivity Jean DeCosta said. “It begins to shift the campus climate so that it would feel more comfortable, especially to some of our underrepresented minorities,” DeCosta said In light of SLO Solidarity, the importance of Inclusive Excellence Month should resonate with all students. From the College of Liberal Arts to the Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology to Associated Students, Inc., each campus organization is pitching in to put on at least one event a day for every day of May. “It’s really important to me that my school values diversity and inclusivity,” sociology freshman Juliet Spile said. “No group of people should be excluded from the Cal Poly community.” The keynotes of the upcoming events are the Pres-
ident’s Diversity Awards and guest speaker and renowned author Tim Wise. The President’s Diversity Awards, which come with the title and a cash prize, are awarded to students, faculty or staff who have made a positive impact on Cal Poly in terms of diversity and inclusivity. The award may be given to an individual or a group of individuals. Nominations end on Friday, April 22, and the awards will be announced May 19 at 3 p.m. in the Robert E. Kennedy Library Atrium. To nominate a person or group, visit the Office of University Diversity and Inclusivity’s website. With eight published books and vast college and other speaking tours under his belt, Tim Wise is revisiting Cal Poly after 10 years to speak about racism and his thoughts about colorblindness in society. “I appreciate that he tells people what they can do and encourages them to do it,” Office of University Diversity and Inclusivity program director Kari Mansager said. “We really didn’t want it to be his talk and then we stop talking about these issues.” Wise will speak May 11 at 7 p.m. in the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center. The full schedule for Inclusive Excellence Month is now available on the Office of University Diversity and Inclusivity’s website.
CHRISTA LAM | MUSTANG NE WS PRIDE | Cal Poly changed its diversity and inclusivity week to an entire month to ensure students feel a sense of pride about their culture. In May, the university will host guest speakers, workshops and performances.
SLO Smash Community builds friendships beyond the screen
ANDREW EPPERSON | MUSTANG NE WS SMASH | SLO Smash Community offers a space to play and make friends.
Carly Quinn @carlyaquinn
For some, gaming is a form of entertainment. For others, it can be a community. That’s the case for nutrition senior Susanna Yu, who helped found SLO Smash Community — a club dedicated to playing Nintendo’s original Super Smash Bros. She’s played the game competitively since 2008, and started hosting tournaments as a freshman at Cal Poly in 2012. The club meets at SLO Donut Company once a month and weekly at the Bonderson Engineering Center (building 197). “This community gives me a comfortable environment to connect with a bunch of other people who enjoy the same hobby,” Yu said. “We’ve established friendships within this community that transcend the game.” The club gives those who like to play Super Smash Bros. a friendly community to game with as well as a community of supportive friends. Anyone who is interested in the game is allowed to join, no
matter their skill level or major, physics senior and SLO Smash Community President Umar Sohi said. Members range from computer science to economics to architectural engineering. “The community is also really exciting to watch,” Sohi said. “The professional players have cool backstories, and the rivalries at major tournaments are exciting to watch.” Yu began hosting tournaments, which are held in double-bracket or round robin formats, at an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers meeting. Tournaments are now held at a variety of players’ homes, residence halls and apartments. For the double-bracket format, there is a winner’s bracket, which everyone starts in, and a loser’s bracket, to play a second rival if the first round is lost. If players lose to two people, they are disqualified completely. Round robin is played by separating the players into pools. Then, the winners of each pool play each other until an ultimate winner is found.
“The game is also incredibly intricate and has a lot of depth,” Sohi said. “Hard work is quickly rewarded and creativity is highly encouraged in every Smash game.” With plenty of characters and varying combos, Super Smash Bros. requires quick thinking and a lot of practice. Super Smash Bros. can be played on a variety of consoles, ranging from the GameCube to the newer Wii U. Each console, as well as each game, offers a different experience. While competition is the foundation of this community, members get together for friendly games and hangouts. “This club is my family away from home,” mechanical engineering junior Adrian Corona said. “Almost all of the friends I have in school I met playing this game.” Some may argue that video games are unproductive, but these players have found a sense of community and support in playing together. To learn more about how to get involved in tournaments and the community, visit the SLO Smash Community Facebook page.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
NEWS | 5
How does terrorism effect studying abroad? Connor McCarthy @Conr_mccarthy
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) once again claimed responsibility for a deadly terrorist attack — this time in Brussels, Belgium. On March 22, bombs exploded at the Brussels Airport and the main subway station. A total of 34 people were killed, and 340 were injured. In November 2015, terrorists attacked Paris, killing 129 people — including California State University Long Beach student Nohemi Gonzalez — and injuring hundreds more. But even after multiple attacks in Europe in the past six months, Cal Poly students’ interest in studying abroad has not been severely impacted. The Cal Poly International Center, which is one avenue to study abroad, has been contacted by parents and students with questions about terrorism abroad, according to the center’s director, Caroline Moore. She said students studying abroad are safe. “The safety of Cal Poly students, faculty and staff abroad is of paramount concern,” Moore said in an email. “We want all to have valuable — and hopefully transformational — educational experiences and to return safe, secure and more savvy global citizens.” Architecture freshman Marc Hill is still considering going abroad. “Definitely, safety has come across my mind. Especially since there’s that story now with that one kid who was caught in three attacks,” Hill said. “It’s a concern to me and it’s sad. It’s still not going to stop me, though.” Cal Poly’s student body and alumni network is not immune to being caught in terrorist attacks. Cal Poly basketball alumnus Chris Eversley lives in Brussels and plays for a professional basketball team there. He was in the city when the bombs went off in the airport and the main subway terminal. “I was at home at the time of the attacks,” Eversley said. “I was just waking up and saw the reports. Then the texts started to pour in from my Belgian friends, and family in America, when they woke up. I live about 10 to 15 minutes from the attacks, so I was
definitely on edge.” Construction management senior Peter Lee was studying abroad in Spain when terrorists hit Paris. Even though he was in a different country, the attacks still had an impact on him. “One of my roommates was in the stadium during the shooting and did not reply to our group messages on WhatsApp until the next day,” Lee said. “So that was pretty nerve-wracking and hit pretty close to home, but, strangely enough, I did not feel that I was in danger.” The feeling of being safe while studying abroad is still apparent among most students. More students throughout the United States are choosing to study abroad. According to the Institute of International Education, a global nonprofit foreign exchange organization, the number of American students going abroad has increased nearly 10 percent in the past 35 years, reaching almost 1 million students abroad. The Institute of International Education predicts that this trend will likely continue. Electrical engineering freshman Nick Lampe said he will be part of the rising trend. “Terrorism would not hinder me from studying abroad,” Lampe said. “I still think it is a great opportunity. Though there is a risk of an attack, it’s not that great of a risk.” Local crime is more of a risk, Lee said. After going abroad for a quarter, he said he hopes new students will take this advice about safety to all four corners of the globe. “There is no certain way to avoid danger regardless of where you are in the world. So just keep that in mind and be aware of your surroundings, but do not let fear deter you from immersing yourself into the culture around you,” Lee said. “Be street-smart and use common sense.”
CALLING ALL DESIGNERS*
WE’RE HIRING. INTERESTED? Please email your resume and portfolio to Jordan Triplett. triplett03@sbcglobal.net *Non-majors welcome to apply!
KRISTINE XU | MUSTANG NE WS DANGERS ABROAD | Some Cal Poly students were studying abroad when terrorists attacked Paris in November 2015.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
OPINION | 6
The power of sex-positivity Erica Hudson @CPMustangNews
Erica Hudson is a journalism junior and Mustang News columnist. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints and editorial coverage of Mustang News. I don’t have another year left of mediocre sex left in me. I am only 21 years old, and I know I am not the only student who feels this way. Analyze your sexual occupancy in this world. Feel uncomfortable and be honest with yourself. First off, this article is not meant to erase anyone who does not align themselves with sexuality. After all, our sexualities are socially constructed, ranked and understood through a very limited lens in Western culture. You might identify as asexual. If you are someone who has a minimal sex drive, doesn’t enjoy sex or has any varying reasons for not wanting to participate in sexual acts, understand this: You are valid. You understand your experience and how it reacts with the world around you the best. I hope no one shames you for this. It comes both ways. What I am trying to get at is the analysis of myself as a sexual being in relation to my experience in hopes that it can help you question yours and ask yourself: Am I happy with how this is going? So leave your fedoras and “women are obligated to have sex with me” comments at the door and let’s dip into it. Women are socially constructed into a space in society that harshly limits them as sexual beings. People are hyper-sexualized, desexualized and erased, socially categorized on the basis of race, sexual orientation, ability, body type and more. This is incredibly hindering to sexual liberation for anybody, not just women.
In a society that already sets these “women,” female-identified people, and all people outside of the white, heterosexual, cisgender, middle-class, male category in terms of opportunity and advancement, the way we interact with our world socially and how we are socialized varies. Take that into the sexual world and it gets even more unnecessarily complicated. Some women are praised for being sexual beings, while others are slut-shamed. Women are judged based on their appearance and actions rather than their desire. Women are discouraged to have desire. Women are encouraged to be passive and sexually submissive. If you find empowerment through this, that’s for you to decide. I would encourage you to look at the root of where that power comes from and analyze if this is a healthy power relationship to be having. You may be asking yourself, “Are any power relationships healthy, though? They can be very problematic.” And you’re right. In a healthy relationship where both partners communicate with each other, respect each other’s boundaries and identities
that component. When you think of the sexual woman, what do you see? What does society paint in your mind? Why is this woman considered sexy? Does she consider you sexy? Has she shown any direct sexual interest in you, in the form of consent? Did you have that conversation? Do you understand that alcohol and drugs can inhibit someone’s ability to provide an answer to this? If that’s the case, can you see how it would be unfair of you to take advantage of them? (@ Frat Culture @ Rape Culture). Are you only comfortable having sex when you’re drinking? Did you get their permission to do that to them there? Are you treating them differently based on how much clothing they are wearing? Are you understanding their worth as a person before any of this? Are you respecting their desire, or lack thereof, to have an emotional connection in correspondence with physical intimacy? Basically, it never hurts to ask: “What do you want this relationship to look like?” It doesn’t make you uncool for communicating. Consent is the very minimum. Respect should be mutual, no matter how fleeting your interaction may be. Are you cool with just having sex? Do you want to have sex with multiple people? Do you only want to h ave sex with each other? Do you have a safe word? Does the sex you’re having require one? Are you asking your partner to change something about them in order for you to have sex? Should you be doing that? Are you shaming them by doing so in some way? There is so much to consider and we are making it far too complicated. Don’t shame somebody for who they are. Sex shouldn’t be a weapon of control or a non-
Sex shouldn’t be a weapon of control or a nonconsensual loss of power. I am done making it complicated. ERICA HUDSON
and honestly talk about what they want, if you want to play with power differences, I don’t kink-shame. However, I do feel like some people are being left out by this stereotyping if they are not including
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consensual loss of power. I am done making it complicated. I haven’t always thought of these different questions. I’m still thinking about it. I don’t think we can really stop thinking about it, just like anything else. I’ve judged girls for how many people they’ve slept with. I’ve been judged quite a bit, too. I’ve had guys subtly slut shame me one minute and then we hooked up the next. I’ve sat through sex that I pretended I liked when really I thought about what eyeshadow palette I wanted to be using instead. I’ve also had great sex, lots of it, and that’s fine. I’m not bitter about the bad sex I’ve had and I don’t necessarily blame it on one person or another. What I’m confused about is why so many college students aren’t having the sex they want to be having. Miscommunications. Power differences. Disrespect. Violation of someone’s space. What all of the good encounters have had in common was a
mutual understanding of how those concepts can be harmful, what you’re looking to get out of the experience and what you can contribute to it. If your sex life is occupied by bodies but not the principles, I’d say you should invest in a sex toy and quit wasting your time. We all have different experiences, but it is crucial at a place where so much of our transition into “adulthood,” as it is inhibited by our San Luis Obispo college culture, is to understand this and act accordingly in your interactions with others. Our college culture has existed by predominantly benefitting and basing itself on greek life, athletics and partying. This especially has been seen with the frequent track record of unreported sexual assault that we all know greek life has, but may choose to ignore that. Apply this to your life in what way you see fit. Have the sex you want to be having. Help your friends understand that people are not objects and don’t hold out on satisfying others.
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Can Cal Poly baseball make it past top seed rival UCSB?
GENERAL MANAGER Paul Bittick
WRITE A LETTER Mustang News reserves the right to edit letters for grammar, profanities and length. Letters, commentaries and cartoons do not represent the views of Mustang News. Please limit length to 700 words. Letters should include the writer’s full name, phone number, major and class standing. Letters must come from a Cal Poly email account. Do not send letters as an attachment. Please send the text in the body of the email. EMAIL editor@mustangnews.net
Amelia Parreira @CPMustangNews
Amelia Parreira is a journalism senior and Mustang News columnist. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints or editorial coverage of Mustang News. The Cal Poly baseball team just took the series against the University of Hawaii, one of the toughest teams in the Big West Conference, with wins on Saturday and Sunday. Now the Mustangs must prepare to face their rivals, the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, who currently hold the No. 1 spot in conference. There is no doubt that this coming weekend will be intense and exciting. But do the Mustangs have what it takes to overpower the Gauchos to take the rival series? Well, there will definitely be some struggles to overcome, but the answer is yes. There’s no doubt that the Gauchos have skill in all aspects.
Otherwise why would they be in first place? However, the Mustang offense is on fire and can burn through just about anything. One of the many star Mustangs is freshman center fielder Alex McKenna. McKenna currently has a .360 on-base percentage, 21 runs scored and five home runs this season alone. McKenna had a hitting slump for a few games, but broke the spell when Cal Poly played Hawaii, scoring two runs for the Mustangs in the first game of the series. Freshman shortstop Kyle Marinconz is another importantcog on offense. Marinconz, who is currently batting .323, scored four of the Mustangs’ 13 runs in last weekend’s series against Hawaii. Overall in the season he has picked up 21 runs and 17 RBIs. The Gauchos will surely need to do some serious preparation to face this nonstop infielder at the plate. Also, look out for third basemen Michael Sanderson. A junior transfer, Sanderson is batting .293 and has recorded 16 runs and 17
RBIs this season. While the Mustangs are stellar on offense, they have been shaky on defense. They already have 50 errors on the season. If the Mustangs want a chance at beating the Gauchos, they are going to have to stay in focus to keep the opposition scoring chances at a minimum. However, Cal Poly does have some strong pitchers that will be a good match against the Gauchos. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Kyle Smith has pitched a total of nine games this season, keeping one of the team’s lowest ERAs of 2.77. Sophomore righty Jarred Zill has been even better as of late, yielding four runs over his last three starts to lower his ERA to 2.73. After missing a full week’s worth of conference play, Cal Poly needs all the wins it can get to achieve a top spot. This weekend will be extremely important for the Mustangs’ record. The Mustangs begin BlueGreen rivalry play at 6 p.m. on Friday.
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NOTICES Mustang News is a “designated public forum.” Student editors have full authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. Printed by UNIVERSITY GRAPHIC SYSTEMS ugs@calpoly.edu Mustang News is a member of Associated Collegiate Press, California Newspaper Publishers Association, College Newspaper Business and Advertising Managers and College Media Advisors. Thursday, April 18, 2016 Publishing since 1916 Volume M, Issue 47
“What does 4/20 mean?”
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Thursday, April 21, 2016
SPORTS | 8
Baseball returns home to handle Fresno State
Tommy Tran
A weekend away in Honolulu treated the Cal Poly baseball team well. The Mustangs clinched the final two games of the three game series against Hawaii and improved their Big West Conference record to 4-2. The Mustangs’ (22-13, 4-2 Big West) winning momentum didn’t end once they returned home to host Fresno State (24-14) on Tuesday for a nonconference ballgame, where Cal Poly handled the Bulldogs in a 7-1 victory. Freshman Cam Schneider started on the mound for the Mustangs, striking out two Bulldogs and not allowing a single hit in the first inning. Cal Poly also started strong offensively, with two runs in the first inning. Sophomore left fielder Josh George first scored on an errant throw. Junior catcher Brett Barbier scored on the next play, a sacrifice fly by junior third baseman Michael Sanderson.
@TommyTran_
Both teams had quiet second innings, but the silence was disrupted in the third inning when the Bulldogs put up their first and only run of the game, cutting the lead to 2-1. The Mustangs increased their lead in the fourth inning by putting three more runs on the board. Senior right fielder John Schuknecht doubled down the left field line and eventually scored off of an RBI bunt single by freshman catcher Nick Meyer. Meyer also scored on a triple by freshman first baseman Cooper Moore, then Moore came in on a single by junior designated hitter Kevin Morgan to stretch the Mustangs’ lead to 5-1. George and Barbier both scored again in the fifth inning, increasing the Mustangs’ lead to 7-1, where it stayed until the end of the game. Cal Poly seems to be improving
on Tuesday nights, especially in pitching. The Mustangs rotated only three pitchers on the mound and committed no errors, after cycling between seven pitchers and committing one error in last Tuesday’s 7-1 loss to Cal. Freshman Thomas Triantos was among the pitchers Tuesday night for the Mustangs. Triantos racked up four strikeouts in four shutout innings of work. Though Sanderson had his 34game on-base streak snapped, he also had a productive performance in Tuesday night’s game, contributing two RBIs from two sacrifice flies. The Mustangs look to continue their success this weekend, as they host No. 14 UC Santa Barbara, who is currently leading Big West Conference standings. The three-game series will be a critical test in determining the outcome of Cal Poly’s season.
CHRISTA LAM | MUSTANG NE WS SIGH OF RELIEF
| Freshman relief pitcher Spencer Howard throws in a game against CSU Fullerton earlier this season. The Mustangs topped Fresno State on Tuesday to improve to 22-13 on the season.