Issuu

Thursday, Febr uar y 5, 20 15

E s t abl ished 19 16

w w w.mus t angne w s .net

DANIEL DEMPSTER | MUSTANG NE WS PLU$ DOLL A DOLL A BILL S

| The new meal plan, effective next year, will cost approximately $100 more per quarter, but students will be able to use their credits at any dining facility on campus.

Revised freshman dining plan eliminates meal credits Jessica Nguyen For the 2015-16 school year, incoming freshmen will be adopting a newly revised dining plan, which excludes the use of weekly meal credits. Instead, meal plans will only consist of Plu$ Dollars. “We’ve added a couple of more locations where you can use the meal plan credit, but we were just seeing so frequently that students seem to want less of the meal credits and more of the dollars,” Cal Poly Corporation (CPC) Interim Executive Director Lorlie Leetham said. On average, one meal goes unused each week per student. The modified dining plan will prevent potential meals from going

@xjessnguyen

to waste. “It’s all about flexibility and being able to eat anywhere as opposed to being limited to hav(ing) to use meal plan credits,” Leetham said. The meal plan cost breakdown consists of the declining balance of Plu$ Dollars, Week of Welcome (WOW) program meals and base operating expenses for the all-youcare-to-eat facilities. The base operating expense acts as an overhead payment to support the cost to operate an all-you-careto-eat such as 19 Metro Station. This allows those on a meal plan to dine at this type of venue at a discount entry price of $4.50.

“Part of what students pay for when they buy a dining plan is to have a dining program on campus,” Leetham said. “We opted to go with only the cost needed to support an all-you-care facility.” Incoming freshmen will not get to choose from a variety of dining plans like in years past. On a quarterly basis, those living in residence halls and apartments will have approximately $1,300 and $1,000 to spend, respectively.

see DINING, pg 3.

Sexual assault action plan submitted for review Olivia Proffit On Feb. 1, student leaders in Cal Poly greek life submitted the Students Taking Action Toward University Safety plan (STATUS) to administration who will edit the plan and return it to greek leaders by next Friday, Feb. 13. Safer center had the opportunity to share its input on the document by overseeing the writing process and making some grammatical changes. Safer Coordinator Christina Kaviani said while she thought the plan was a step in the right

@CPMustangNews

direction, she wanted more of a hands-on role in the process. “I think it’s a great first attempt and they worked really hard on it,” she said. “If Safer helped create it, I think there would be some changes.” After three sexual assaults connected to greek life occurred this year, sororities and fraternities were put on social probation until they could create an action plan. Since then, greek life has created STATUS — a comprehensive document that addresses greek life’s plan for culture change. If

the plan is approved, fraternities and sororities will be taken off social probation. “I think it’s going to come down to how much the chapters want to change it,” Interfraternity Council President and kinesiology senior Alex Horncliff said. “A plan is just a plan; a board is just a board; I’m just a president. It’s when the chapters take ownership of it is when it’s really going to become a culture change.”

see PLAN, pg 3.

JASON HUNG | MUSTANG NE WS

COLLABORATION | Greek leaders worked with Safer officers on the plan, which was sent in for review.

Anyone can ‘Run for Music’ this Saturday Karen Garcia @CPMustangArts

National Honorary Band Fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi will host the annual “Run for Music,” a 5k and 10k race aimed to fundraise for Cal Poly music programs, at 10 a.m. on Feb. 7. The race will begin in the University Union Plaza and continue through campus. Cal Poly chapter, Iota Pi, supports musical organizations on campus, including the marching band, wind ensemble and wind orchestra. The run will not only raise funds for these organizations but also for the Spring Chamber Concert Series.

see RUN, pg 4.

AIDAN THURLING | COURTESY PHOTO FOR A MUSICAL CAUSE | Kappa Kappa Psi member and computer engineering senior Nic Greer participated in last year’s Run for Music to raise money for Cal Poly music programs.

News... 1-3 | Arts... 4-5 | Opinion... 6 | Classifieds... 7 | Sports... 8

see RUN, pg 4.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

NEWS | 2

Sociology class partners with county jail Rosie Guzman Special to Mustang News

Twenty minutes before his class is supposed to start, Stefan Weidemann grabs his backpack and gets in his car. He drives past Cal Poly heading for Highway 1, making sure his headlights are on so he can see through the night sky. He makes a left onto Kansas Road and soon arrives at his destination. With a gated fence to his left, Weidemann walks forward with his notebook and driver’s license in hand. He opens the door and sees the guard, who is ready to check him in. This was the standard routine for Weidemann, one of 21 students who took a sociology class at the county jail of San Luis Obispo last fall quarter. Twelve of the students were Cal Poly students, while the remaining nine were inmates from the Women’s Honor Farm, a separate division of county jail. Ryan Alaniz, an assistant professor of sociology, came up with the idea of the class, “Incarceration and Society,” three years ago. Along with former Cal Poly sociology professor Chris Bickel, they both proposed the idea to the jail and to Restorative Partners. Originally it was for the inmates, not Cal Poly students. “Then we discussed it again this summer and thought it would be a really good opportunity to bridge the very privileged university setting and students with the marginalized and allow them to dialogue,” Alaniz said. When proposing the idea, Cal Poly administration wasn’t de-

lighted with the idea of sending students to county jail because of possible issues that could come up, but they did agree to a trial run. Alaniz said that the unique nature of the class made it easier to label as an independent study course. “And also this way, it didn’t have quite the stringent rules associated with it,” Alaniz said. Alaniz also had to be careful in choosing which Cal Poly students would be part of the trial run. Alaniz chose students based on levels of interest and maturity. It was critical to get the best students who were open-minded, mature and vulnerable, he said. Background checks were run on all the students who also had to fill out paperwork that was verified by the sheriff ’s department before being cleared to enter the facility. Weidemann, a sociology senior with an organizations concentration, was one of the two men who participated in the class. “I wasn’t too afraid, but I definitely had preconceptions that were definitely influenced by television and the media. But being in [sociology] classes you learn how those preconceptions aren’t always true,” he said. The class wasn’t structured like a regular college class. The SOC 400 course was about breaking barriers between the “outside” and “inside.” The “outside” refers to the community and world outside of the correctional facilities, including the Cal Poly students. The term “inside” refers to not just the women taking the class, but every inmate who is incarcerated. Lisa Rojas, who was an in-

side student, was released a few months after the class was over and returned back to the city of Los Angeles to start a new life with her children. Rojas was incarcerated in the San Luis Obispo County Jail for commercial burglary but was housed in a separate unit called the Women’s Honor Farm. A majority of programming, a term used to describe the various rehabilitative classes, is held at these facilities. The variety of rehab programs such as yoga and Alternatives to Violence (AVP) workshops are meant to encourage those incarcerated to take the next step to change their lives. These programs try to help build the foundation for restorative justice, a positive way of transforming those who have been affected by crime. The Honor Farm is a different housing unit for offenders who have low-risk offenses and have been sentenced for 30 days or more. Recently, unsentenced women have been sent due to county jail’s overcrowding. When she heard about the sociology class, Rojas signed up. “I thought it was a great idea,” she said. “I thought it was a lot more of (Cal Poly students) getting to know us. The class taught us academically and also got us to know them better.” Rojas said that she felt lost half the time, but she understood the broader meaning of all the sociological concepts being taught. Though she wishes the class could have focused more on the experiences of the “inside” students, she said she would take the class again if she ever had the chance. This class included a service

ROSIE GUZMAN | COURTESY PHOTO CROSSING LINES | Sociology senior Stefan Weidemann worked with local inmates in his SOC 400 class.

learning component where the Cal Poly students had to spend 12 hours programming in the Honor Farm or the local juvenile hall. These programs included gardening, yoga and meditation, tutoring or being a part of the AVP workshops. “Although it didn’t seem quite like service in the traditional sense, I believe in the restorative justice sense, it’s engaging with people, making relationships and making people believe we’re all in this together,” Alaniz said. “There is a ‘human-ness’ connection. That’s service in my mind.” Weidemann completed his 12 hours with both the men and women at the Honor Farm and agrees with the goal Alaniz had in mind. “I got to talk to the inmates, and it brought humanity to every inmate that I talked to. Some of them have children and some wanted to get out and spend time with their son,” said Weidemann.

“It made them seem just like I could have been in their place. It could’ve been me.” Throughout the quarter, Alaniz saw the creation of relationships and connections between the students. It was awkward at first, but both sides were able to listen and hear each other’s stories. “We have a state prison and a county jail in our backyard, and you have this population that is invisible to most residents of San Luis Obispo. By providing these classes, students have an opportunity to see into this invisible population,” Alaniz said. Society and the media often provide us with negative stereotypes about those in the criminal justice system, but when we meet the inmates face-to-face, our perceptions change, he said. “I hope (the students) see that we are all human beings,” Rojas said. Weidemann saw how motivated the women were throughout

the quarter and how the class encouraged them to seek more for their future. “I think it gives them an insight in what control they have over their lives and that they can get out of there and go to college and they can choose what they really like,” he said. The class, along with other jail programs, Rojas said, pushed her to move ahead and think differently than before. “It opened my eyes,” she said. “I am trying to put a change in my ways this time.” Rojas has found a job and is spending all her spare time with her kids. Weidemann is grateful he took the class, as he learned that the issue of a broken criminal justice system is bigger than it seems. “I think it was life-changing,” he said. “It taught me not to judge people right away. It made me a better human being.”

Thursday, February 5, 2015

NEWS | 3

Cal Poly student acquitted in trial for alleged sexual assault Lauren Piraro @laurenpiraro

Editor’s note: This article depicts details of an alleged sexual assault. Industrial engineering junior Frank Nguyen was acquitted of sexual battery and penetration with a foreign object, the San Luis Obispo Tribune reports. Nguyen was accused of sexual battery and penetration with a foreign object, which are both felonies. Closing argu-

DINING continued from pg 1. There is an estimated $100 increase in cost for the new meal plan co mpared to the previous dining plan. However, the cost increase is due to inflationary factors, and the program will remain the same, Leetham said. Without the restriction of meal credits, freshmen will have more freedom to choose where to dine on campus. This may lead to underutilization of certain venues on campus.

ments concluded Monday and the verdict was announced Wednesday. According to the Tribune, if convicted of both charges, Nguyen would have faced up to eight years in state prison and would have had to register as a sex offender. Nguyen was accused by the victim of holding her down and sexually assaulting her after spending a night together at her apartment, as stated in one Cal Coast News article. After

making dinner that night, the woman told officers that she told Nguyen to leave after they ate dinner. And when Nguyen started to hug and kiss her, the victim told him to stop multiple times. Nguyen stated in an interview with police that she told him to leave twice, but he testified Friday that she only told him to leave once and left when told. In another article by Cal Coast News, Nguyen explained his change in story was due to

initially feeling intimidated by the police who questioned him. Nguyen went with the alleged victim to her bedroom where they watched a movie on her bed. They started kissing and he removed her bra. He then proceeded to fondle her genitals. According to what Nguyen told officers, the woman did not say anything and did not push him off. He added that she was on top of him at one point and that he stopped when

she began hyperventilating. Cal Coast News also reported in the same article that a text message conversation was retrieved between the alleged victim and the accused. The woman told Nguyen that he had sexually assaulted her and he apologized multiple times for the previous night’s events. During his closing statements on Monday, Patrick Fisher — Nguyen’s attorney — accused the alleged victim of lying on the stand when she said she

didn’t know if penetration occurred, according to the Tribune’s article. The victim initially said that she didn’t know if penetration occurred but changed her testimony later after talking to prosecutors. Nguyen could have been found guilty of lesser charges, such as attempted sexual penetration or simple battery, if the members of the jury did not reach an agreement on the charges he was acquitted of.

“It’s okay to have a couple of underperforming locations that are there more for convenience for people than they are about being sustainable financially,” Leetham said. “We know there’s always going to be some that are busier and more successful than others.”

“We are underway right now with programming a design for a new Vista Grande building,” Leetham said. “It would be done and ready to go by the time Student Housing South is built, so that’s fall of 2018.” Sage and Vista Grande manager Margi Braden is excited for the transformation of the dining facility. “I wish it was coming sooner,” Braden said. “This building is so antiquated — it’ll be really nice to see a lot of upgrades.” The Vista Grande building

will no longer have a full service restaurant like Sage. All current dining facilities located inside Vista Grande will be substituted with new options. To accommodate the loss of a dining facility, a variety of food trucks may be placed on campus. The plans are not final, Leetham said. Once the Vista Grande building is completed, building 19 will also undergo construction. This includes venues The Avenue, 19 Metro Station and Sandwich Factory.

Located underneath 19 Metro Station is a culinary production area where food preparation for Grab-N-Go items like sandwiches are produced. With construction being done on building 19, the food preparation area will need to relocate. “We’re talking about building a culinary support center on campus,” Leetham said. “There’s a real opportunity here to try to collaborate with some of our academic programs.” While dining facilities undergo construction, employees will

have to find work elsewhere. “I’m very used to it and my staff is very used to having to work in other areas over summer that are open,” Braden said. “So something like this is not a surprise.” Cal Poly Corporation plans to relocate employees to other areas of Campus Dining during ongoing construction. “We may expand hours at some places, add staff to handle increased volume and a variety of other changes,” Leetham said.

PLAN continued from pg 1.

training, awareness and education and less on specific policy changes. She said the plan should focus more specific tangible items regarding parties. She spoke of examples such as designating one sober person to be a resource at a party and having more conversations about hooking up and intentions. “I don’t want to minimize the work they did, but as far as being very specific about policy changes or partners they are going to have, it’s vague in a lot of areas,” Kaviani

said. “My worry is there’s not a lot of accountability. So what’s going to happen if none of this happens?” Kaviani, Horncliff and Panhellnic President Kristen Henry all believe the plan will be effective in starting a change of culture on campus. “I think we have to think of it as a living document and get feedback along the way to see what’s working and what’s not working,” Henry said. “This is not something that’s static but something that’s dynamic.”

Changes at VG Cafe, the end of Sage Plans to renovate and rebuild the Vista Grande building will be tentatively taking place next year during fall or spring.

In the making of the plan, student leaders collaborated with the Northern Interfraternity Conference (NFC), four different national organizations on campus, and the plan was reviewed by other IFCs. They incorporated San Diego State’s plan and Dartmouth’s plan regarding alcohol awareness. According to Kaviani, the plan focuses on community items such as

JOSEPH PACK | MUSTANG NE WS RETURN DATE

| Cal Poly administrators will decide whether or not to approve the plan by Feb. 13.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

ARTS | 4

‘Memphis’ to take PAC, put new spin on Civil Rights Movement Lauren Piraro

@LaurenPiraro

Award for best musical, will grace the PAC’s stage Monday night.

An off-Broadway production of the musical “Memphis” will stop at the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center (PAC) during its national tour on Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m. “Memphis,” set in the late 1950s and early 1960s, is a musical chronicling a radio DJ’s heartfelt attempts to ma ke Af r ic an Amer ic an music a part of Memphis, Tennessee, despite the racial tensions of the time. The 1950s was the beginning of many political movements in American history, one of the most famous being the Civil Rights Movement. “The main character is the first DJ to play African American music on the radio,” Cal Poly Arts Director Steve Lerian said. “It’s controversial because it’s not what white Memphis is used to. He became the DJ of America, essentially.” The play, which was awarded “Best Musical” at the 2010 Tony Awards, is a fictional portrayal based loosely on a real disc jockey in Memphis during the 1950s. Lerian said he appreciates a unique perspective on the Civil Rights Movement that transcends time to reach a

multitude of audiences. “The historical elements of the play provide a different inside look into the civil rights movement through the music industry,” he said. “Musicals are always fun. This musical has such high energy and great music numbers.” On his annual trip to New York City in 2013 to scout Broadway plays that might potentially embark on tours around the country, Lerian was enthralled by the musical. “I knew it would be something people of all ages in San Luis Obispo would like,” he explained. “The energy was so high and people w e re u p o u t o f t h e i r seats dancing.” Lerian anticipates a varied audience at the show and expects tickets to sell quickly. “Predominantly, there will be a traditional Broadway audience, which will be a little older,” he said. “Because the music is more 21st-century, there’ll be younger people because they can appreciate this style of music.” Tickets are available online with prices ranging from $48 to $90.

The main attraction of the event is the music groups playing on the race’s sidelines, enthusing the crowd and pumping them up to meet their goal. One of these music organizations is the Cal Poly Pep Band. Cruz said the race has something for all ages to enjoy. “It’s a lot of fun because alumni come and they run; in the middle there is a lot of music and kids playing in our petting zoo,” Cruz said.

The zoo in question is in fact an “Instrument Petting Zoo,” where children can experiment with different instruments. Co-committee chair and computer science senior Aaron Jacobs said there are other incentives to participate in the event. “It’s a fun way to get the community involved, and it supports the summer concert series as well as miscellaneous supplies for the music program,” Jacobs said. Jacobs said if people run in

groups of 10 or more, each person gets a $5 discount when they sign up. The top finishers of the run will receive prizes and everyone can enjoy free snacks, refreshments and booths from sponsors of the event. Those interested in registering can do so online. Registration for the 5k is $30 for general, $25 for student and $20 for group. Registration for the 10k is $40 for general, $35 for student and $30 for group.

LISA WOSKE | COURTESY PHOTO

OFF BROAD-WAY | “Memphis,” winner of the 2010 Tony

RUN continued from pg 1. Kappa Kappa Psi President and political science senior Chloe Cruz has helped the run for the past three years. “The first year, I was part of one of the musical groups along the side of the race, and I volunteered at the booths the whole time,” Cruz said. “Last year I ran in the race, which was a great experience.”

LISA WOSKE | COURTESY PHOTO

Thursday, February 5, 2015

ARTS | 5

DYLAN SUN | COURTESY PHOTO

PEN TO PAPER | English professor John Hampsey spent nearly two decades crafting his memoir, “Kaufman’s Hill,” which he attempted to write from the perspective of each stage of his life.

English professor publishes intimate memoir Lauren Piraro @laurenpiraro

Phillips Hall — the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center lecture space infamous for early classes and sleeping undergraduates — housed a magical moment this past Saturday. At 7 p.m., the dense space oversaw the unveiling of Cal Poly English professor John Hampsey’s newly published “Kaufman’s Hill,” a memoir revolving around Hampsey’s adolescence from 1961 to 1968 in a Pittsburgh suburb. Hampsey’s students, family and supporters fidgeted in their chairs, quick to laugh as English professor Kevin Clark, through his east coast accent and white mustache, talked up his colleague. “‘Kaufman’s Hill’ — I think it’s remarkable,” he said. “I’ve been telling John for months now how disappointed I was that it came

out after Christmas because I wanted to buy a copy for every friend I had and every family member I had, which I will do next year.” Hampsey followed the raving introduction by reading two passages from his work, thanking his colleagues and giving some background on the half-novel, half-memoir that he’d spent the past two decades crafting. And his efforts were evident. In “Kaufman’s Hill,” Hampsey makes use of a boy’s vocabulary to communicate a brand of nostalgia specific to coming of age in the mid-1960s. He relies largely on imagery and the external aspects of those experiences, meaning he needs to convey emotion through action and physical gestures. “Big Maury stood perfectly still with his arms crossed in front, like an Indian,” Hampsey read.

“The wind gusted suddenly, and I noticed a group of birds settling into the weeping willow tree in the corner. No cars were passing. No one else was around.” Each line dripped with the compound used to coat, encase and petrify his memories. Hampsey’s words subdued his audience, ensnared in the nostalgic primer. Following his reading, Hampsey’s audience poured out their inquiries. He candidly answered their questions about the avenues and realizations that brought him to publication. After a hiatus, a special moment brought Hampsey back to his work. “My mother died in 2004, and I went back to writing this book then,” he said. “All of a sudden, I knew what I wanted to do. I went way more deeply into my past: things about my father, my fam-

ily, the problems, the dark days. I never would have done that if she were still alive. So, in a sense, the book is what it is because she died.” Hampsey also discussed the challenges that came with reaching back to memories over 50 years old and writing from the perspective of the person he was at the time. “Well, there’s two problems,” he started. “How much do you remember? My family is always saying to me, ‘How do you remember all this?’ I don’t remember dialogue; I remember images. And then the images unpack themselves, but with an intensity and an immediacy that

if I wrote it looking back, it would make more sense but it wouldn’t feel the same.” Hampsey said he struggled to write with the language he used and perspectives he held at previous stages of his life. The crowd remained respectful and interested in the strife and vulnerability Hampsey put himself through to create his work. Among the audience were his students. English senior Jordan Fulmer spoke highly of his professor and his relationship with his students. “I consider him more than a professor,” Fulmer said. “I consider him a friend. I wouldn’t be a good friend if I wasn’t out here

to support him on his day. He’s very humble. He’ll maybe bring it up a couple of times here and there, ‘Oh, this is something I said in my book.’ But only when it’s organic.” “Kaufman’s Hill” was released in hardcover Feb. 1, but for much of its conception, Hampsey did not have plans to publish it. “When I wrote this, I didn’t think it would get published,” he said. “So there’s a lot of stuff I put in there that I wouldn’t have if I’d known it would have been published.” “Kaufman’s Hill” is available to purchase online on Amazon and through its publisher, Bancroft Press.

Sajjad Mirza, Senior Computer Science

“I do the crossword once in a while”

Thursday, February 5, 2015

OPINION | 6 MUSTANG NEWS Graphic Arts Building Building 26, Suite 226 California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 93410

CONTACT EDITORIAL (805) 756-1796 ADVERTISING (805) 756-1143 CLASSIFIED (805) 756-1143 FAX (805) 756-6784

EDITORS & STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jacob Lauing MANAGING EDITORS Kyle McCarty, Kayla Missman BROADCAST NEWS DIRECTOR Morgan Butler COMMUNITY OUTREACH DIRECTOR Melissa Nunez NEWS EDITOR Benjy Egel ARTS EDITOR Brenna Swanston SPORTS EDITOR Nick Larson BROADCAST CONTENT PRODUCER Leah Horner BROADCAST SPORTS DIRECTOR Trent Merfeld BROADCAST SPORTS PRODUCER Allison Edmonds COPY CHIEF Drew Gorman PHOTO EDITOR Joseph Pack HEAD DESIGNER Jordan Dunn SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Rachel Sun WEB EDITOR Kenny Gurney SPECIAL SECTIONS COORDINATOR Suha Saya STAFF REPORTERS Samantha Pryor, Savannah Sperry, Lindsy Mobley, Olivia Proffit, Michelle Logan, Kelly Trom, Frances Griffey, Annie Vainshtein, Will Peischel, Rafael Salinas, Erik Chu, Jesse Summers, Harry Chang, Georgie de Mattos, Shelley Westerson, Eric Hsieh, Jessica Nguyen COPY EDITORS Nikki Petkopoulos, Jen Silva, Kristine Xu DESIGNERS Jordan Dunn, Zack Spanier, Sheila Ahi, Meghan Legg OPINION COLUMNISTS Eric Stubben, Garret Ahern PHOTOGRAPHERS Ian Billings, Sophia Liu, Dylan Sun, Christa Lam, Dakota Greenwich, Illiana Arroyos, Daniel Dempster, Harrison Cheung, Jason Hung ADVERTISING MANAGER Connie Lewis ART DIRECTOR Albert Chang PRODUCTION MANAGER Joseph Hewison MARKETING MANAGER Nikole Knak DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Kalei White ASSISTANT ADVERTISING MANAGER Maddie Spivek ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Anna Seskind, Ashley Safari, CJ Estores, Ian Taylor, Johnny Galvez, Kenney Young, Kristen Corey, Melissa Mubaraki, Sam Patterson, Shakti Rajput, Victoria Howland, Taylor Clarke, Madison Fleming ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Jordan Triplett, Scott Cutler, Micaela Pacini, Erica Patstone, Ally Bender MARKETING ASSOCIATES Kelly Witkop, Ross Pfeifer, Kelsey Payton FACULTY ADVISER Pat Howe 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 250 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 ADVERTISING EMAIL advertising@mustangnews.net MAIL Letters to the Editor Building 26, Room 226 Cal Poly SLO, CA 93410 ONLINE mustangnews.net

CORRECTIONS Mustang News takes pride in publishing daily news for the Cal Poly campus and the neighboring community. We appreciate your readership and are thankful for your careful reading. Please send your correction suggestions to editor@ mustangnews.net.

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 GRAPHICS 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. February 5, 2015 Publishing since 1916 ©2015 Mustang News “This emoji looks like a puckered butthole.”

What is an American?

Eric Stubben @ericstubben

Er i c Stubb e n i s a mechani cal engineering junior and Mustang News conservative columnist. These views do not necessarily reflect the opinion or editorial coverage of Mustang News. For one week, I want to depart from the monotonous ebb and flow of the political scene. My goal is to get away from the partisanship and tension that gridlocks our government, just for one week. In my columns, I often allude to the patriotism, the American Spirit or the American Dream. I’ve written countless Americana articles in my attempt to spur some sort of patriotism, hoping to intrigue but one reader. Yet after all of that writing, one question best to be asked and answered. What is an American? Over the past weeks in my philosophy class, we’ve discussed ancient Greek culture and how it sculpted Greek citizens, namely its philosophers. We talked about their religious beliefs, their traditions and their government. For the most part, the society was fairly similar across the empire. Through these discussions, my mind began to drift, trying to decide how I would define an American if anybody were to ask me on the spot. The truth is, the answer is likely much more broad than it was 100 or even 50 years ago. Today’s American doesn’t have a certain look, a certain dream or a certain culture. We all look different, we dress different and we eat different: we are different. We are rural and we are urban. We have dark skin and light skin, brown hair and blonde hair. We are rich and we are poor, we love food from the Mediterranean to Mexico. Yet no matter what we prefer or what we are, we are all Americans. While posing this question to friends and discussing answers, I realized that at some point in every conversation the word “freedom” became a focal point. It’s no surprise that “freedom” became a focus. A generic picture of America is littered with red, white, blue and our troops. Freedom in America runs deeper than the standard stars, stripes and camouflage, and it’s an essential part of what makes up an American. We have the freedom to be individuals. I am myself and I have my own dreams, goals and ideas for my future. The beauty of this individualistic freedom is that every American can have his or her own dream and goals. Having dreams and goals is nothing uniquely American, of course; every individual around the world has some type of dreams and goals. However, to understand why I believe the individualistic freedom we have as Americans is unique, let me take you back to my roots. I was born and raised 45 miles south of the Canadian border. Between trips to Canada and the Canadian infestation of the local Costco on Boxing Day, I’ve noticed that it’s actually rather easy to identify Americans compared to Canadians, although we may seem similar from afar. For the longest time, I could never put a finger on what exactly set the two cultures apart. It seemed odd to me that an arbitrary international line could do so much to separate two cultures.

the right angle Over time, I began to realize that Canadians seemed to be generally more relaxed than Americans and have a more laid-back outlook on things. This past week, I stumbled upon a quote from New York Times foreign correspondent Damien Cave that I believe perfectly sums up the perception of Americans: “I’ve learned to identify Americans by sight and sound: They tend to talk and laugh louder, tell their stories more freely and to walk with purpose — even when heading in the wrong direction.” What strikes me most about this passage is the way it supports the fact that we have an individualistic freedom. We have a drive or will about us that is bold and at times even arrogant. Maybe it comes from our past. As a country

and a people, we’ve always fought for what we believe. The colonists fought for our country and for centuries we’ve continued to battle the evils of communism, anti-Semitism and terrorism. Engrained within Americans is the will to push ahead on the battlefield, at home and in the boardroom. As Americans, we are loved as much as we are despised around the world. We brought the world Microsoft, Apple, Nike and so much more. We’ve protected countries from evil and given aid to those in need. Yet at times, our edge gets perceived negatively, in a cocky sense. In my life alone, I’ve experienced a Frenchman on a subway in Paris raging about American antics, only to be approached by appreciative (albeit heavily intoxicated) Swiss the next day.

Perhaps the simplest, most accurate definition of an American came from a 12-year-old Mexican-American in the same New York Times article I mentioned earlier. He said, “Being American is red, white and blue and being free. It doesn’t matter what language you speak; if you’re born in America, you’re still American. No matter what you look like, no matter what.” It’s true that “American” has no definition. It’s not Uncle Sam or a flag flying high above a white picket fence. Americans aren’t formally defined by a passage in a dictionary, but we are globally bounded by the ties of individual freedom and a drive to be bold, to have purpose, to be overall the best culture and people the world has ever seen.

Classifieds TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD:

Order online at www.mustangnews.net or call 805.756.1143 a day prior by noon Ads must be prepaid by check made out to Mustangs News or paid by credit card online.

CROSSWORD

CLASSIFIED ADS ARE FREE FOR STUDENTS Stop into MUSTANG NEWS to find out how to place your ad!

POP CULTURE SHOCK THERAPY

F MINUS

SUDOKU

SPONSOR THE COMIC!

SPONSOR THE SUDOKU!

SPONSOR THE COMIC!

CALL 805.756.1143

$50 A DAY

Thursday, February 5, 2015

SPORTS | 8

Cal Poly football inks 19 recruits on National Signing Day

Commitments: QB Khaleel Jenkins, 6’1” 190 lbs, Francis Parker (San Diego) HS WR J.J. Koski, 6’0” 195 lbs, San Ramon Valley (Danville) HS OL/DL Cutler Salmon, 6’4” 245 lbs, St. Mary’s (Stockton) HS DB Jerek Rosales, 6’1” 188 lbs, Diablo Valley College LB Charlie Davis, 6’2” 215 lbs, Laney College RB DJ Peluso, 6’0” 220 lbs, College of San Mateo OL Paul Trujillo-Langdon, 6’3” 290 lbs, Carter (Rialto) HS WR Jake Smeltzer, 6’3” 191 lbs, Tesoro (Rancho Santa Margarita) HS RB David Cooper, 5’9” 189 lbs, Loyola (Los Angeles) HS OL Tyler Whisenhunt, 6’3.25” 285 lbs, San Ramon HS DB Darren Adjei, 6’3” 210 lbs, Bakersfield JC RB Raven Middleton, 6’2” 208 lbs, Sweetwater (National City) HS DB Kameron Dennis, 5’10” 180 lbs, Servite (Anaheim) HS RB Trey Nahhas, 6’1” 182 lbs, Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) HS LB Nick Navarro, 6’2” 235 lbs, Jurupa Hills (Fontana) HS CB Kitu Humphery, 5’11” 180 lbs, Long Beach Poly HS FBS Transfers: LB Chris Santini, 6’1” 221 lbs, Boise State CB Kevin Griffin, 5’10” 168 lbs, Washington State OL Colin Goebel, 6’5” 280 lbs, Iowa

JOSEPH PACK | MUSTANG NE WS FRESH FACES | The Cal Poly football team held a ceremony Thursday at Mother’s Tavern in downtown San Luis Obispo as head coach Tim Walsh announced its 2015 recruiting class on National Signing Day.

Mustang News Staff Report @CPMustangSports

The Cal Poly football team inked the signatures of 19 recruits Wednesday at a ceremony hosted at Mother’s Tavern in downtown San Luis Obispo. The list of recruits features 12 directly out of high school, four junior college transfers and three FBS transfers. Head coach Tim Walsh was enthusiastic about the incoming class and said that after the program’s successful start as a new member of the

Big Sky Conference, these recruits have the ability to improve championship hopes. Walsh said the Mustangs were just one or two big plays from a conference championship, and now he thinks they have what it takes to win the title. Five 3-star recruits signed their National Letter of Intent today, the most in Cal Poly football history. Cal Poly beefed up its offensive line, adding four players to the roster. Cutler Salmon, Tyler Wisenhunt and Paul Trujillo-Langdon — all straight out of high school — will join Colin Goebel, a transfer signing from Iowa, at Cal Poly

next season. “Size in the interior defensive line was the hardest thing to recruit this year,” Walsh said. Linebacker Chris Santini will also look to be an impact player immediately. The Boise State transfer will bring experience to the position, appearing in all 14 games — including a Fiesta Bowl victory over a ranked Arizona side. A big story is the reunion of two former high school teammates from De La Salle: defensive backs Jerek Rosales and Kevin Griffin. Griffin played predominately as a corner back for

Washington State but is likely to occupy the safety position for the Mustangs. His experience in Pac-12 play will also be beneficial for all parties involved. Four running backs have been added to the roster, boosting the depth of the run-heavy offense implemented by Walsh. Last season, the Mustangs rushed for the most yards (4,221) and touchdowns (44) in both program and Big Sky history. “This year’s recruiting class speaks to who we are as a university and who we are as a football team,” Walsh said. “The best is yet to come.”