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JANUARY 5, 2015 ESTABLISHED 1916

Monday, January 5, 2015

NEWS | 2

Don’t call it a graveyard: ‘Canyon Days’ seeks to reclaim Poly Canyon Kyle McCarty Clever solutions The task was removing SUVsized boulders from a soccer field in Kenya. “We unearthed it, and it just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger,” Cal Poly alumnus Lucas Hogan said. Hogan was an architectural engineering student at the time and was working on construction in a village for HIVpositive orphans in Kenya, as a project during his final quarter at school. One of the local men said the solution to the problem was simple. All they needed to do was start a fire on the boulder, let it heat and pour cool water over it. The sudden change in temperature would cause the rock to crack, and then it could be removed by hand and with sledgehammers. In Kenya, Hogan had to be flexible in the way he tackled problems. He said he had a sense of being on his own and needed to rely on what he had at hand to get things done. When looking back on the experience, Hogan said it was reminiscent of the spirit of his time living and working as a caretaker in Poly Canyon, while a student at Cal Poly. Poly Canyon is the home of projects built by Cal Poly students working in architecture and related disciplines. The projects are ambitious fullsize structures ranging from a spindly flower-like sculpture made of reinforced concrete, to a house with a gently sloping

@KyleMMcCarty

roof that seems to flow towards its edges. They have been built throughout the decades, going back to the early 1960s. As a caretaker, Hogan lived in Poly Canyon in the Modular House, an experimental house built in the 1960s and early 1970s. Visitors may recognize it by its distinctive road-signcovered outer wall. Hogan was responsible for performing basic maintenance to the structures, such as painting over graffiti, trimming plants back for fire protection, as well as asking visitors to leave the canyon after dark. Though the specifics of working in Kenya and the canyon were not the same, the feeling of being on your own and having to be flexible and clever with your resources were analogous, Hogan said. Now working as a postdoctoral earthquake researcher at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, Hogan said the time he spent living in Poly Canyon was important to his personal development. “It prepares you well for lateral thinking,” Hogan said. Tarnished home It has been several years since a caretaker lived in Poly Canyon. Hogan has made a trip back to the canyon every year since he graduated, while on the way to visit his parents in Ohio. On a recent visit, he noticed a change that troubled him. Graffiti and vandalism had increased. There had always been

some, but this time it was worse. Hogan wasn’t the only person who noticed the increased vandalism. Kevin Dong, Associate Dean of Administration in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED), said he has seen an increase in the last year. Now, something is being done to reverse this trend. In response to disrepair in the canyon, a group of students, alumni and administrators are banding together to create an event they’re calling Canyon Days, where volunteers will work on projects to fix up the structures in the canyon. Whether it was learning a sense of independence or the triumph of constructing an original structure, those working to rehabilitate the canyon feel an emotional connection, based on memories big and small. For Canyon Days volunteers, Poly Canyon is a place worth saving. The canyon is valuable because it is a great place for experiential learning, and it goes hand-in-hand with Cal Poly’s Learn By Doing approach, Dong said. He also sees it as a great place for the university to continue to try progressive ideas in building responsibly and sustainably. It’s also a unique resource Dong couldn’t recall any other university that had a similar facility on such a large scale. The plan Impetus for the project came

K YLE MCCART Y | MUSTANG NE WS HOME SWEET HOME | Lucas Hogan lived in the Modular House while working as a caretaker in Poly Canyon.

together at an opportune time, Dong said. Dong was surveying the structures in the canyon and compiling a list of needed repairs when Hogan pitched the Canyon Days idea. Hogan envisioned a workday in the canyon, where current students and alumni would work on projects during the day, have dinner together in the canyon, and perhaps even spend the night under the stars. Now that Canyon Days is underway, hammering out the reality of Hogan’s vision is the next step. The event is being organized by a group of student volunteers, in collaboration with Dong. Potential projects for Canyon Days, and the future, include: • • • • •

•

Painting over graffiti Re-tensioning or replacing cables Repairing guardrails Replacing decking Removing panels to make structures more open, so people can’t gather away from view at night Removing the interior of the Shell House

Making the structures safe is the priority of the renovations, Dong said. There has been discussion about taking some of the structures down. Dong said the college would like to avoid this if possible and would only take a structure apart if it cannot be made safe. Canyon Days is being planned by a student organizing committee, headed up by Nicole O’Hearne, an architectural engineering senior and president of the Cal Poly chapter of the Structural Engineers Association of California. The Canyon Days committee is seeking volunteers for the event, O’Hearne said. Those who are interested in helping out can sign up using a sheet on the group’s Facebook page. O’Hearne also said to check the Facebook page for specifics on projects to be undertaken dur-

ing Canyon Days. Volunteers can expect a day of working in the canyon, complementary food, and live music, O’Hearne said. The committee had to nix the idea of sleeping under the stars - it’ll be too cold in January. O’Hearne went on a tour of Poly Canyon in her freshman year, and has been interested in it ever since. “I thought it was super interesting, so now whenever I’m going out there, I’m telling everyone the history of the structures, I find it really fun,” O’Hearne said. A new Design Village Like many of those now working to maintain the canyon, O’Hearne has fond memories of her time there, particularly of Design Village, the yearly architecture event held in the canyon that draws national attention and participation. During Design Village, freshman in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design are required to build a structure on campus, disassemble it, carry it on foot into Poly Canyon, set it back up again, and then spend the night in their creation. For her project, O’Hearne’s group built a “tripod-esque” structure, that featured a table and three spaces for beds. Their structure was light enough to be moved all the way to the top of a hill in Poly Canyon, where they hoisted an American flag over it. O’Hearne said the sense of community is what makes Design Village special. “It was a good experience for most people, as long as your structure stood up,” she said. Design Village was on Hogan’s mind when he came up with the idea for Canyon Days. He wants the two events to parallel each other. Though Canyon Days will be in winter this year, the plan is to hold it in fall in the future. Canyon Days will be at the beginning of the year in fall and Design Village in the spring.

O’Hearne believes Canyon Days will capture the same sense of community that makes Design Village special, but with its own unique feel because of the addition of alumni and potentially attendees from the whole university. Looking ahead As for the larger future of the canyon, Dong said the College of Architecture and Environmental Design would like to maintain the space and is open to allowing students to build projects there in the future. Dong said the main limitation on new projects in the canyon is the huge time and resource commitment required of students who want to complete something there. Any new constructions would likely be semi-permanent, though that hasn’t stopped them from standing the test of time before. Dong said most of the structures currently in the canyon were never intended to be permanent — familiarity and affection have kept them in place. Take care The caretaker position Hogan held was cut when California State University funding was reduced in 2007 and 2008. Dong said it was possible that the College of Architecture and Environmental Design would hire a caretaker again in the future, but maintenance needs to be completed first so the canyon is safe to live in. Though another Cal Poly student won’t get to experience living in Poly Canyon in the near future, the Canyon Days committee hopes to see the canyon appreciated by students and the community — and to perhaps shed its “graveyard” moniker. Because Poly Canyon is a special place for many who’ve spent time there. “It set me up well for my life since then,” Hogan said. “There’s an easy comfortable road, and there was a far more interesting and adventurous road to go down.”

Monday, January 5, 2015

NEWS | 3

Tips for starting a new quarter

Adjust your sleep schedule

Naba Ahmed @NabaAhmed

As students head back to Cal Poly after winter break, they must prepare to transition into a new quarter. But according to Shannon Stephens, director of the Mustang Success Center, the transition shouldn’t be rushed. Students need time for routine changes when they are on break and are forced to readjust to their new school routine. “Sometimes you do things dif-

Reflect on what you’ve accomplished

ferently when you go on break because you are not on the same schedule as you were during the school year,” Stephens said. “It’s a good idea to think about when your classes are and start setting a new routine a few days in advance.” When students start a new quarter, they have classes at different times and are forced to alter their sleeping schedules, Stephens said. “Sleep is overlooked a lot, especially for young people,” Stephens said. “Students may have had all

Plan your daily and weekly schedule

afternoon classes in the fall so they slept in, but if they set a sleep schedule before they come back, it won’t be a nightmare if they have to wake up at 7 a.m. when they have been sleeping in until noon every day for three weeks.” But scheduling isn’t the only way to approach a smooth transition. With each break separating quarters, students are also given a chance to digest or reflect on what they’ve accomplished in the past term, which can help with class preparation.

Check PolyLearn for class syllabi

According to Stephens, students should start preparing for their classes during break. Whitney Lenet, College of Liberal Arts advisor, said one way to prepare for classes is for students to ensure they have all their assigned materials before returning to Cal Poly. Because students have already registered, they have an idea of what their next quarter’s schedule will look like and can start planning ahead, Lenet said. “Students should already be prepared with their schedule,

Define your goals for the quarter

even if they are wait-listing,” Lenet said. “If they already know their schedules, they don’t have to procrastinate in getting their materials and books.” In addition, once enrolled in classes, the syllabus for each class should be posted online, she said. Students should review it to be aware of class expectations. Additional preparation requires setting goals, Amy Carter, director of the Orfalea College of Business advising center, said. Students must define their goals, understand

their priorities and be aware of the challenges that may arise in order to have a plan most suited to them. “When students are goal-setting, they have to set realistic goals that go above and beyond just writing down the goals by defining what actions, resources and tools they are going to use,” Carter said. “By breaking it down into small, simple action steps and learning how to prioritize these goals, it will allow students to have a plan that is most helpful.”

Monday, January 5, 2015

NEWS | 4

The mid-college life crisis Lauren Piraro @laurenpiraro

The anxiety of starting another quarter of classes that were, once again, too challenging and stressinducing was enough to motivate food science sophomore Mariam Alamshahi to try to change her major for the third time. Alamshahi is currently experiencing a mid-college life crisis. “A mid-college life crisis is the

moment you realize you’re turning 20 next year and that’s two decades and what have you done with your life?” she said. Prospective students must declare a major during Cal Poly’s application process prior to being accepted to the university. Once enrolled, many students seek to change their major. According to Alamshahi, being in a major she doesn’t like is one of the main triggers of

DAKOTA GREENWICH | MUSTANG NEWS PANIC

| Students tend to worry about where their major will lead them.

her mid-college life crisis, along with struggling to increase her GPA and constantly worrying about money. She admits not being in a major that is more aligned with her career aspirations is the most worrisome. “I have stress dreams,” Alamshahi said. “I don’t know anybody who doesn’t. It will keep me up at night and it’s always in the back of your mind.” She realizes that her low GPA is influenced by her current major. “By changing my major, I will have classes I am interested in,” she explains. “By taking classes that I enjoy, I am going to like what I’m learning and my GPA will go up.” Though food science is a fascinating area of study, Alamshahi said she cannot see herself being successful in college with

that major. She has yet to tell her mother that she has already started the process to switch her major to journalism and says it’s because there is substantial influence in her family for college students to pick sciencebased careers. “It wasn’t expected of me, but it was kind of like, well, science brings food to the table,” she said. Alamshahi believes every student’s college experience differs. Students will realize at the right time if their major isn’t for them, she said. “It took me this long to change my major, but that’s just how long it takes for you to realize what’s going on,” she said. “I wish I did it sooner because I do want to graduate in four years.” Despite finding the right major, the pressures to make the most of her years in college have not completely diminished. “You can’t screw around anymore,” she said. “Two more years and you’re out of here.” Simon Manson-Hing graduated with a degreee in business administration this past fall with the intention to enter the law enforcement field. He doesn’t think a person’s college degree necessarily decides their career. “It gives you a more broad perspective on general life experiences, rather than majoring in exactly what you will be entering into once you graduate,” he said. Manson views his concentration in finance as a useful foundation for his future but is already proactively working to become a police officer. A career in finance is his backup plan. “Even if I want to go into one field — law enforcement — if I have knowledge in other areas, that’s going to help me,” MansonHing said. Though he always knew he wanted to enter law enforcement, he wanted to have a memorable college experience as well. He knows that whatever he pursues after graduation — whether it

be finance or law enforcement — he will have developed into a skilled, capable adult ready for the “real world.” “There’s all this life experience that happens here,” he said. “College is about gaining as much knowledge as possible.” As important as it is to find a major that works best, Manson-Hing believes students often put unnecessary pressure on themselves to find the “right” major. “Hopefully you pick the right major in college and maybe you have to change and maybe you don’t,” he said. “But even if you’re in the wrong major, you can still succeed if you just have the right attitude. That’s the bottom line.” Ashley Eberle, a Career Services counselor who works exclusively with first-year students, is on the front lines combating this major crisis firsthand. Many freshmen are already questioning whether their major is right or not, which could lead to a mid-college life crisis. Along with the doctoral intern Jay Bettergarcia, Eberle co-facilitated “Oh, The Places You’ll Go: A Major Exploration Group.” The five-week program was specifically designed with curriculum to aid freshmen students with proactive and helpful strategies to decide which major better suited their future career and life goals. “I like to tell students that that decision is probably not going to fall from the sky,” she said. “I really like to guide students through trying new things that will lead them to new experiences that might open possible doors.” Some of those techniques include career research, informational interviewing of professionals in specific career fields they are considering and volunteering or participating in an internship or club. “All of those opportunities will have subjected students to people

they otherwise never would have met and experiences they otherwise would not have had that may make that light bulb click,” she said. Eberle believes a student’s happiness in their major directly impacts the happiness of their college experience as a whole. “Are my grades high enough to get into this major? Is this major too impacted? If I can’t get into the major that I want, what is going to be my Plan B so I can still get into the career that interests me,” she said. “And those are pretty heavy concerns for first year students — someone who is 18 years old — to grapple with.” Though students are able to take major courses early on in their degree progress, there are drawbacks to having 17- and 18-year-old students decide what their major will be so early on. “They do need to decide on that application for admission what their major is going to be and that does put a lot of pressure on students — both to make that decision early and pressure when they change their minds.” At the heart of Eberle’s major exploration focus group is the idea that a student’s major does not dictate their path once they graduate from Cal Poly. “Some of it is informing students that the decision they make as a freshman is not a lifetime decision,” she said. “It feels like such a weighty decision that there is so much anxiety around it that they can’t make a decision, when in reality, so many professionals have had such winding paths. Very few are linear.” Eberle incorporates many ways for personal development and self-actualization into her program’s curriculum. “Where we start in the group, and even in most firstyear appointments, is not even what major is right for you, but who are you as a person,” Eberle said.

Monday, January 5, 2015

ARTS | 6

Resolving your New Year’s resolutions Madi Salvati @MadiSalvati

The champagne has been popped, the confetti has been thrown and the year has come to a close. Bringing in the new year is a celebration for everyone and almost always involves the making of New Year’s resolutions. Whether it’s to lose a few pounds or be a better person, resolutions are a staple to the festivities. But one week later, that couch is looking a whole lot more inviting than the gym. That new shiny attitude might involve more fake smiling than imag-

ined, and that whole no-sugar idea? Forget it. That pint of Ben & Jerry’s “Peanut Butter Fudge” has been sitting in the freezer way too long. Why do so many struggle to keep their New Year’s endeavors? It’s possible that wonderfully ambitious attitude may have been induced by one too many glasses of bubbly or you’ve bitten off more than you can chew. Whatever the dilemma, there are manageable steps to be taken to achieve resolutions — that way you won’t wind up wondering how in the world you came to be sitting on the kitchen floor, devouring the last three pieces of leftover

Domino’s pizza. Most common New Year’s resolutions According to Time Warner Inc., the top 10 most commonly broken resolutions are to lose weight, quit smoking, learn something new, eat healthier, get out of debt and save money, spend more time with family, travel to new places, volunteer, be less stressed and drink less. But let’s be honest, no one is going to quit smoking overnight or wake up on Jan. 1 and suddenly have an appetite for kale and African cucumber. These things take time and reasonable goal-setting that can be made

JOSEPH PACK | MUSTANG NEWS

WILLPOWER | For students, making a New Year’s resolution is easy — but keeping it is a different story.

possible when you allow yourself room to get used to something new. Why they don’t alw a y s work out It’s hard to stick to something that is not in your reach yet. Being over-ambitious can get in the way of making manageable goals. According to Shannon Stephens, director of the Mustang Success Center, making the resolution is not the hard part. It’s sticking to it. “You h ave to set a goal that’s realistic and something that is worth the sort of commitment it’s going to take,” Stephens said. Comm i t ment is key in succeeding at a resolution, but it often doesn’t work out. The resolutions aren’t always realistic in terms of what someone wants to change and the time they give themselves. Stephens also explained that specificity is another component. “You have to be specific, realistic and have a time component,” Stephens said. Steps to make manageable resolutions Step one: Recognize that you are not superhuman.

Step two: Be nice to yourself. Come on, if you love chocolate and have eaten it every day since you can remember, no one’s going to win if you completely shun it from your diet. You’re only going to want it more when you haven’t eaten it in a week. It’s OK to allow yourself small breaks from your resolution when it’s in moderation.

Having super powers would help maintain resolutions. However, you can’t set goals around the mentality that you’re going to wake up on Jan. 1 and go for a 10-mile run when you’ve never run farther than a mile in your life. S eth Bush, associate professor for the chemistry department, also put it into perspective. “Take small bites,” Bush said. “It’s oftentimes hard because we have this ideal of what we want to do, who we want to be. I think, in the moment, we get caught up in that and make promises to ourselves that don’t make much sense.”

Step three: Know you don’t have to do it alone. Stephens mentioned that it’s easier to stick to a goal when you have support. “Find someone to hold you accountable,” Stephens said. Have someone text you to remind you to work out, or better yet work out together. Friends make it more fun, and you might be more motivated. Step four: Set smart goals. The ideal “smart goal” is specific, measureable, attainable, realistic and timely. Having these characteristics in mind when you make a New Year’s resolution will make resisting that chocolate possible. This system of goal-setting can not only help in the short term, but make the long term feasible. In addition, Stephen mentioned that when the goal you set isn’t something you’re excited about, you probably won’t be very successful. “Make your New Year’s resolution worthwhile, otherwise, why do it?”

Monday, January 5, 2015

ARTS | 7

Remembering art and design professor Michael Miller Kelly Trom The art and design department suffered a big loss this past fall quarter in the passing of Cal Poly Distinguished Teacher Michael Miller. On Nov. 14, 2014, Miller died after battling brain cancer for two years. Art and design professor Eric Johnson was there for the very beginning of Miller’s 15 years at Cal Poly. In fact, he was the one who made the ultimate decision to hire him as department chair in 1997. “It was certainly one of the best decisions that I have been involved in in all the years I have been here,” Johnson said. “He was a tremendously positive and successful professor. He was a big part of the department.” Miller stood out in his initial telephone and in-person interviews. Johnson said Miller’s undergraduate degree in political science from Arizona State University helped Miller connect art to society and culture. Miller’s quality as an artist and knowledge of contemporary and historical art also helped him secure the job. His ability to speak with ease about art during his interview translated naturally to his classroom. “He was extremely well-prepared for every class,” Johnson said. “He did a lot of prep, whether it was slides, verbal material, sequencing in presentation, so his preparation allowed him to have a large comfort level in the classroom.” Though Miller had high expectations for his students, Johnson said Miller also had high expectations for himself. Students were motivated by his standards. Art and design senior Reid Vizcarra took his first Cal Poly art class, Drawing 101 (ART 101), with Miller. Vizcarra remembers Miller’s willingness to listen to student concepts and give them honest feedback. “He would ask you to show him more and what your original concept was,” Vizcarra said. “He was blunt and maybe some people were turned off by that, but it forced students to be better. He brought an energy to the department; if you saw him down the hall he was always excited to be here around students and the creativity.” Vizcarra learned some funda-

@KellyTrom

mentals of art from Miller that he will never forget. In addition, he appreciated Miller’s attention to the conceptual side of art. “He was a very intelligent person,” Vizcarra said. “I can’t imagine him ever stopping. He had so much energy and charisma. He always wanted to do more and learn more.” Art and design senior Lauren Manning appreciated Miller’s care for his students on an individual level. “Even though I just had him for two classes, I am blessed to have had his wisdom bestowed upon me,” Manning said. “He paid a lot of attention to me and had me pretty much figured out at the end of my first quarter. Whenever I feel like I’m struggling as an artist, I always remember his faith in me.” She also appreciated what he brought to the department as a whole, changing the focus of the art department from crafts such as jewelry making and glass blowing to fine art. “He built the fine arts program from nothing, instated the art history side of the department and emphasized conceptual and contemporary art where it hadn’t existed before,” Manning said. “It sounds dramatic, but he’s the reason we’re all here.” Miller’s contributions to the department went far beyond his stimulating teaching style. The curriculum of art and design would look different if not for Miller’s influence. He created a course, Art Theory and Practice (ART 203), that all three concentrations of art and design are required to take. It deals with contemporary issues that all art students, regardless of their concentrations, will have to face in their careers. He also created an intermedia course that focused on the connections between video, drawing, painting, television, cinema and more. “He always made sure people had an idea behind their work and explored concepts,” Johnson said. “It wasn’t just purely a technical exercise, to learn technique only. Technique in the service of an idea is really what he was about.” Miller taught students how to come up with ideas and then

execute the concept into a piece of art. He was heavily involved in the Thailand study abroad program and spearheaded the growth of the art lecture series that brought artists from all over to talk to Cal Poly art students. He believed in the importance of broadening students’ minds and getting perspectives from places other than the art department. “He was here, giving all of himself with the best intent, with very little self,” Johnson said. “He had a huge knowledge of himself, a pretty deep spiritual dimension, so he was comfortable. Because of that, he was able to give to others.” Miller did s o throug h his relationships with the other professors. “He was the kind of person who was able to listen and hear,” Johnson said. “Sometimes people are a little more wrapped up in their own stuff and don’t hear what other people say. He was very much a conciliator, trying to find common ground with people.” Art and design professor Jean Wetzel, one of Miller’s colleagues and best friends, attested to Miller’s listening and conversational facility. “Michael impacted my career in a positive way by sharing ideas and resources with me,” Wetzel wrote in an email to Mustang News. “We talked constantly. He was a wellspring of knowledge on many subjects, and I enjoyed testing out ideas on him because I could count on him to stimulate new insights and ways of approaching an issue or problem.” Not only did Miller stimulate the minds of his colleagues, but he also genuinely cared on a personal level. “I have known many brilliant minds in my academic career, but it is rare to find someone like Michael who combines sharp intellect (and wit) with a deep sense of caring for other people,” Wetzel wrote. “He was the real deal: a humane, ethical and compassionate

TERA GALANTI | COURTESY PHOTO IN MEMORY | Miller, who died Nov. 14., impacted students and curriculum in the art and design department. human being.” Art and design professor Daniel Dove was part of a committee that included Miller in 2005. Miller was one of the main reasons Dove took the job. Dove was teaching at a professional art school before coming to Cal Poly, worried that a polytechnic state school would not have the same sort of emphasis on art practice. “Talking to Michael during my interview confirmed that there were serious, intense minds that I could learn from,” Dove said. Miller also taught Dove how to be a professor in a small department. “Since I am the only painting

professor here, I sort of have to hold the torch for it,” Dove said. “I saw the way in which Michael did that with the subjects that he taught. I learned to be much more assertive and a much more comprehensive thinker about how to do things.” Separate from his professional aptitude, Dove remembers Miller as a fierce artist and a verbally inclined person who could easily translate his complex thoughts to words. “He was intimidating but had these blasts of warmth and affection that made you feel like you were always dealing with someone who had many sides,” Dove said. “He was a deeply

complex individual.” Art and design professor Tera Galanti, Miller’s wife, wrote in an email to Mustang News that “Michael’s greatest joy was touching the lives of others through teaching and making art. He truly cared for every individual he came to know. With razor sharp acuity and an unparalleled joie de vivre, he held young artists’ dreams close to his heart and guided them on a path of finding their own voice.” Those who want to celebrate Miller’s memory can attend a memorial Jan. 10 at 1 p.m. at Cal Poly in the Business Rotunda (Building 3, Room 213).

ARTS | 8

Monday, January 5, 2015

7 shows you need to see this winter quarter Annie Vainshtein

@annievain

With the new quarter just beginning, you might not be thinking about upcoming shows or events. But once you finalize your schedule, check out these seven exemplary shows coming to the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center (PAC) and around San Luis Obispo.

1 THE HOT SARDINES Forbes calls the hip, old-school band “one of the best Jazz bands in NY today.” If that doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will. The band takes you back to all your favorite 1920s films and makes you feel like you’re in an old-time nightclub. Check them out in the PAC on Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m.

2 KATHLEEN MADIGAN If you like comedy that isn’t quite as clean as Seinfeld but not crude enough to be Sarah Silverman, Kathleen Madigan is the girl for you. Madigan has appeared on almost every late-night TV show and headlined a few of her own Comedy Central specials, and she’s coming to the PAC on Jan. 16 at 8 p.m.

33 THE SECOND CITY Do you like Tina Fey? How about Steve Carell? Or Stephen Colbert? Well, Second City’s had all of them. Also at the Performing Arts Center, the improvisation troupe will perform Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. The legendary sketch comedy group has performed at Cal Poly before and according to Cal Poly Arts director Steve Lerian, the group is the “launching place for some of the greatest comedians of all time.”

4 RAIN There’s nothing worse than a bad Beatles tribute band — or really any bad tribute band in general. Thankfully, Rain is one of the best. Modeled slightly af-

ter a Broadway show, Rain is impeccable in its production. If you’re a fan of costumes, singing really loudly and videos projected on big screens, come see Rain in the PAC on March 16 at 7:30 p.m. You might even learn a thing or two about your beloved band!

5 TROMBONE SHORTY Hailing from New Orleans, Shorty is the new face of jazz and blues. He was the second headliner at the Avila Beach Blues Festival last year and is coming to the PAC on Jan. 23 at 8 p.m. He’s likely to blow you away with his trombone and trumpet talent.

6 LINDSEY STIRLING Stirling is a hip hop violinist. And for the folks out there who care about Klout scores, this lady has more than 800 million views on Youtube. Come see her shred some string at the Performing Arts Center on Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

7 ZION I Best known for their song “Coastin,” the Bay Area hip hop duo will be playing a Valentine’s Day set at SLO Brewing Co. at 7:30 p.m. Business administration sophomore Sonia Sokolova plans to attend the concert. “Each Zion I song sends out such great vibes,” Sokolova said. “Jammin’ to songs like Coastin’ or Temperature always gets my friends and I in a happier state of mind.”

Monday, January 5, 2015

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Lenses of life

Eric Stubben @EricStubben

Eric Stubben is a mechanical engineering junior and Mustang News conservative columnist. These views do not necessarily reflect the opinion or editorial coverage of Mustang News. It’s time to take a step back. Maybe even two or three steps back. It’s time to take a look at political debate and discourse from an outside view. Last week’s article concerning the happenings in Ferguson, Missouri was arguably my most controversial to date. I knew touching the topic of race is difficult, but last week opened my eyes to the depth and significance surrounding the issue. Several people approached me to display their appreciation for my thoughts and honesty. Others … Well, let’s just say they didn’t like it very much. I wouldn’t have it any other way. The point of the article wasn’t to spark racial debates or offend anybody. My goal was simply to tell my side of the story as I — and quite a few other Americans — see it. I wouldn’t change a word of the article even if I had the opportunity. The way I see things politically is fundamentally different than anybody else in this world. I do not identify my views as solely “Republican” or “Conservative” though often times I do closely align with these labels. In fact, I don’t really agree with applying broad labels to my views, or anybody else’s for that matter. We all see politics and world events through our own personal lenses of life that have been shaped and hardened and defined over time by our own personal experiences

and beliefs. I see life through the lens of Eric Stubben. I’m small-town born and raised by a teacher and a police officer. I was raised on the values of hard work and persistence. I’ve traveled across states and countries. I’ve worked on a farm and in a bank. I’ve seen the rich and I’ve seen the poor. All of these life events have led me to where I am today. I am who I am and nobody can change that. Last year, our own liberal columnist, Zachary Antoyan, wrote an article titled, “Meaningful political discourse comes from full range of opinions.” It couldn’t have told the truth about political discussion and debate any better. Though I appreciated the article then, the message it sent inspired this column. We have the opportunity to shape our country with incredibly diverse perspectives. Yet we don’t seem to want to use all of these perspectives. If a view or opinion is shared that is unpopular, the public seems to shy away from its discussion using personal attacks and dismissal until the threat of an outside opinion is gone. How do we expect to have meaningful political discussion if we can’t face the fear inside ourselves whispering in the back of our mind that there may be another opinion? How do we expect to move forward as a country when the fear of failure is the greatest fear holding us back? Instilling fear and doubt into anybody who has the guts to speak their mind will create a society that deters discussion and resists honesty. Without honesty, we will never have the political debate that we need to solve serious issues.

the right angle However, with honesty also comes discomfort. People will state harsh truths and opinions that don’t align with the popular majority and may even anger some people. While I don’t and would never condone racism, sexism, or any other negative type of “-ism,” the reality of political discussion is that it must be mildly uncomfortable and honest before positive change can arise. One of the great things we have in the world is all of the tools we need to be successful and proactive. We are instantly connected across the globe

and have diverse institutions of higher learning. Ideas and opinions can be shared in an instant and become reality faster than ever. It’s rather incredible to think that students coming from completely different backgrounds can attend the same college, take the same classes and work together to reach common goals. The only thing holding us back from greater success as a nation and as the human race is not our toolset, but our mindset. Until the mindset of selfishness, personal defamation and

entitlement changes, the reality is that we will not see the changes we need to become a better society. If the hard truth isn’t told, the raw data isn’t shown and the difficult decisions aren’t made, we will continue to fall into the rut of reaction without action. There is not just one side to blame. Across the political spectrum – from far right to far left – ignorance seems to be bliss. There are two sides to every story. Everybody sees through their own lens. Everybody’s perspective is needed to move this world in a positive direction.

Monday, January 5, 2015

SPORTS | 12

Men’s basketball primed for conference play Harry Chang @HarryChangMN

When the Cal Poly men’s basketball team boards the plane for its game against Hawaii on Jan. 7, it will not only be leaving the mainland for the Manoa campus, the team will be departing from one of the toughest nonconference schedules in Cal Poly history. The 12-game opening slate included just three home games, compared to nine games on the road or at neutral sites. It also included a sevenday stretch in which the Mustangs played three games, then four games in seven days a few weeks after, and ended with their longest road trip in their 35-season history. That road trip — five games away from Mott Athletics Center over a span of 12 days — culminates in Wednesday’s Big West Conference matchup against Hawaii, which officially ushers the Mustangs into the conference portion of their schedule. An unparalleled travel itinerary did not go unmatched by the Mustangs’ competition on the court. During their 2014 nonconference odyssey, the Mustangs twice played teams from the powerful Mountain West Conference. They opened up against Nevada in a hostile environment in Lawlor Events Center and later travelled to Fresno State to play the Bulldogs. The Mustangs then hosted Delaware, a team that nearly upset Michigan State in last year’s NCAA tournament, in the Central Coast’s first-ever game featuring two teams coming off

an NCAA tournament berth on Nov. 21. They faced four teams from the treacherous West Coast Conference (WCC), including Saint Mary’s, San Francisco, Santa Clara and the now-No. 7 ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs, whom they played inside the 17,072-seat KeyArena in Seattle. The results? The Mustangs held both Fresno State and Nevada to 65 points or fewer, despite the losses. They put on a show against Delaware with a threepoint shooting clinic in a home win. They held Gonzaga to 63 points of offense, a feat only No. 3 Arizona has been able to pull off this year, and the green-andgold downed Santa Clara and San Francisco to finish a solid 2-2 against the WCC. And don’t look now, but the Mustangs have jumped to first in the nation in ball control. Their 8.5 turnovers per game leads comfortably over the next team, Wisconsin, and is on pace to set an NCAA record. Though it’s still early, the Mustangs’ maturity in ballhandling has gone to show that head coach Joe Callero’s fundamentals-abound passand-catch offense does indeed mean the Mustangs can hang with anyone, anywhere. Daunting as it once seemed, the Mustangs come out of their early season calendar with a 7-5 record and, more importantly, a visible confidence, which they will no doubt be drawing on when they touch down in Hawaii to open up a Big West schedule that is anything but a vacation. Hawaii will enter the match with an impressive 11-4 record.

Cal Poly, however, will hope to add to their 5-1 record against Hawaii in the Callero era and join San Francisco — who the Mustangs beat three short weeks ago — as one of the few teams to have defeated Hawaii this year. The Mustangs then turn to their first home conference game when they host BlueGreen rival UC Santa Barbara on Jan. 10. Though the Gauchos were picked to finish just ahead of Cal Poly at second in the Big West in preseason polls, the Mustangs can hang their hat on being undefeated at home this AARON SUOZZI | COURTESY PHOTO season and being 27-14 overall under Callero against Big West I’M LOVIN’ IT | Senior guard Maliik Love leads Cal Poly with 37 assists. He has started all 12 games this year. opponents inside Mott Athletics Center. The Mustangs will then travel south to face Long Beach State and Cal State Northridge, both teams that received first-place votes in conference predictions, Jan. 15 and Jan. 17. The Mustangs, who received three first-place votes to UC Irvine’s conference-leading nine, will face the Anteaters in Irvine on Jan. 29. In a Big West Conference packed with talent and challenging home environments, preseason polls will not mean much. This is a league, after all, that was successfully predicted by no one last year when the Mustangs fit into the glass slipper and, against all odds, brought home the conference championship. In other words, when the Mustangs finally land in Hawaii to transition from a tough nonconference schedule to a tougher conference one, don’t expect the fasten your seatbelt sign to be turned off.

Monday, January 5, 2015

SPORTS | 13

Women’s basketball fills big voids, preps for Big West play Nick Larson @NJLarson8

Transition periods are never easy. The Cal Poly women’s basketball team (4-7) is in the middle of one right now, but the results have been fairly good. After the losses of star players Molly Schlemer and Jonae Ervin last season, the Mustangs knew they would have to ride senior guard Ariana Elegado. However, new stars have emerged to fill the voids. Elegado still leads the Mustangs with 15.7 points per game, but senior guard Kristen Ale, senior forward Taryn Garza and sophomore forward Hannah Gilbert have helped considerably. Ale has dropped 10.3 points per game, while Gilbert is averaging 8.5. Gilbert also leads the team in field goal percentage, shooting 55.4 percent on the year. Garza has dominated the paint, doing the dirty work for the Mustangs. She is averaging a team-high 6.8 rebounds per game while also chipping in with 6.9 points per contest. The emergence of junior guard Beth Balbierz as a spotup shooter has also been huge for the Mustangs. Balbierz is

shooting 38.5 percent from three-point range, and 60 percent of her made field goals this season have come from behind the arc. She is also shooting more than 94 percent from the free throw line. Despite these numbers, the Mustangs are just 4-7 on the season. After a strong 4-3 start, including road wins at Loyola Marymount and Santa Clara and home victories over Portland and Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Cal Poly has lost four straight. The Mustangs hosted Saint Mary’s at home on Dec. 14 but fell by one point in overtime, a 65-64 loss in Mott Athletics Center. After the close loss, Cal Poly traveled to New Mexico State and New Mexico, dropping both games in the same state by convincing margins. The Mustangs wrapped up the road trip at Colorado State but were unable to turn their luck around, losing 6563 in a close game. After the Jan. 3 game against Bakersfield, the Mustangs will begin Big West Conference play. Last season, Cal Poly lost to Cal State Northridge in the Big West Tournament Final, falling just one win short of back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances. This season, it looks as though

the competition will be even tougher. Cal State Northridge looks strong once again, returning stars Janae Sharpe, Ashlee Guay and Cinnamon Lister and going 9-2 in nonconference play. Long Beach State looks like the favorite at this point. The 49ers are 11-1 in nonconference play, including wins over San Diego State, LSU, and then-ranked No. 17 California. Their one loss was an overtime defeat at the hands of Pac-12 program USC. The Mustangs have a tough road ahead of them, but they have shown signs of potential. The key to look out for will be the development of freshman guards Dynn and Lynn Leaupepe. The twins have been a revelation for the program, providing tremendous athleticism on the flanks. They have combined for 34 steals so far this season and have supported Ale and Elegado well. Lynn is averaging 7.2 points per game, while Dynn is averaging 6.2. Keeping with the synchronicity, both sisters have pulled down 56 rebounds as well. The Leaupepes will certainly play a role in Big West play, which the Mustangs open on Jan. 8 at home against Hawaii at 7 p.m.

FILE PHOTO | MUSTANG NEWS SHARP SHOOTER | Senior guard Ariana Elegado leads the Mustangs with 15.7 points per game.

1/31/15

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