Thursday, Februar y 6, 20 14
Volume L X X V I V, Number 3 4
w w w.mus t angne w s .net
NWABA BRINGS JAMS TO THE GYM Words by Jefferson P. Nolan | Photo by Ian Billings
It was a moment of awe. In the Cal Poly basketball team’s home opener against Fresno State, David Nwaba introduced himself to Cal Poly with his first slam dunk in Mott Athletics Center. The sophomore found a hole in the defense, and weaving through the defenders, he drove to the basket. Launching himself in the air, the 6-foot-4 winger
took flight as he slammed the basketball through the rim and brought the crowd to its feet. The jam helped spawn Nwaba’s new nickname — Sav, short for “savage.” “It was Maliik (Love) who came up with the name,” Nwaba said. “It was after my second or third dunk … I guess it was a really good one, and he gave me the nickname.”
“Sav” for savage After Cal Poly’s loss against Fresno State early this season, Love, a junior guard, gathered the team together in the locker room. “I remember him going up to dunk on someone, and he had this vengeance about him,” Love said. “The way he went up and dunked the ball that night … After that game, I announced
to the team that his name was now ‘Sav.’ Even people we’ve played have come up to him at the end of the game and said, ‘Hey, you’re a savage, man.’” Nwaba has been throwing dunks down since the first game of the season against Arizona, now the No. 2 team in the nation. The Mustangs lost the 73-62 decision against the
Wildcats, but in that game, the team caught a glimpse of his dexterity on the court. With six minutes left before halftime, Nwaba single-handedly cut Cal Poly’s seven-point deficit to one after making four consecutive free throws, forcing a turnover and slamming an emphatic dunk through the rim. “When the lights come on,
he turns into a beast,” assistant coach Sam Kirby said. “He’s a different person. When it’s game time, he goes to work. It doesn’t matter who’s in the lane. He’s going to get to the basket.” In that first game of the season, a savage was born.
see NWABA, pg 12.
SOFTBALL SUSPENDS 6 Sean McMinn @shmcminn PREVIEW
FILE PHOTO | MUSTANG NEWS
Six Cal Poly softball players are under suspension for violating team rules, head coach Jenny Condon said Tuesday. Condon declined to comment on why she suspended the players. The Mustangs will have 11 players of its 17-player roster available for this weekend’s seasonopening tournament in Tempe, Ariz. >>
see SOFTBALL, pg 11. PAIGE SMITH | MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST
To the beat of the brew Aryn Sanderson @ArynSanderson
Cal Poly winemakers
BATTLE DROUGHT Sara Natividad @s_nativi
PREVIEW Bang The Drum brewery is set to open doors in a few months in San Luis Obispo. It already serves beers, including a yerba mate-infused IPA and a chipotle-smoked porter. The people behind the brewery? Two exes and the ex-girlfriend’s father. Meet co-owner, marketing director and Cal Poly alumna Noelle DuBois; head brewer and co-owner Jeremy Fleming and president, co-owner and sole investor Gary DuBois. Cheers. >>
see BREW, pg 6.
PREVIEW San Luis Obispo has seen only one day of rain in 2014. As a result, salt build-up and dehydration have damaged Cal Poly’s vineyards, forcing winemakers to discuss adjustments to their growing strategies. >> DYLAN SUN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
see WINE, pg 2.
News... 1-4 | Arts... 5-8 | Opinion & News ... 9 | Classifieds... 10 | Sports... 11-12
NEWS | 2
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Cal Poly winemakers battle drought Sara Natividad
@s_nativi
DYLAN SUN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The sun is bright, the air is dry and Cal Poly’s vineyards are thirsty. To help quench the crops’ thirst, the wine and viticulture program irrigates the fields with a drip-irrigation system — but after one of San Luis Obispo County’s driest years in 2013, and only one day of rain in 2014, an irrigation system is simply not enough. Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture program has practiced water conservation techniques prior to the dry winter, but the drought amplified their approach. The vineyards are pouring over every sprayer head in the drip system and students
are manually scrubbing barrels in the wine cellar. But even with these conservation techniques, the crops still need rain. “There is nothing like rain — it falls everywhere, not just through drips,” vineyard manager Craig Macmillan said. “And it comes gently over a long period of time. We can do things with irrigation, but we can’t actually get all the benefits and get rid of the salt like we need. It’s not as effective.” During dry seasons, salt builds up in the vines and dehydrates them. An irrigation system does not distribute water effectively enough to prevent the salt
build-up. Macmillan hopes a decent amount of rain will flood the fields and save this season’s crops, but is frustrated by the unpredictable situation. “It is the topic that everyone is talking about,” he said. “Basically everyone is stressed because it is bad now, and we don’t know how bad it’s going to be.” Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture department has yet to meet as a whole to discuss possible changes in their growing methods, Macmillan said. One possible change on the horizon is to prune the vines so the field has fewer crops with smaller yields, but it is too early to predict the impact the drought will have on the quality or quantity of the crops. Since controlling rain is not an option, the viticulture program is focusing on what they do have power over: the efficiency of irrigated water usage. Cal Poly has increased their moisture-monitoring efforts, which examine when water is depleted from the soil and help decide when and how much water they need to apply. Macmillan said this allows them to water the crops less frequently. They are also working
to improve irrigation efficiency. Cal Poly students in the Drip/Micro Irrigation (BRAE 438) course examined the distribution uniformity of the drip system last week. The goal of distribution uniformity is to have water evenly distributed throughout the crops, said Daniel Howes, the systems professor in bioresource and agricultural engineering who teaches the class. When crops have uneven distribution, more water must be distributed to the entire crop so the areas with low distribution receive enough water to grow. As a consequence, excess water is wasted in areas with high distribution. The class evaluates the irrigation from 0 to 1, with 1 being perfect. The last time the class inspected Cal Poly’s vineyards was three years ago and the score was a 0.9, Howes said. He expects the current irrigation system to perform at a similar caliber. Cal Poly has also been working on a long-term project to improve the soil so it is more “spongy” and absorbs more water instead of allowing it to drip off. They have been working on this for approximately five years, Macmillan said, and it should be
a 10-year commitment. These programs are not new to Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture program, but they have had a renewed approach since the drought, Macmillan said. In addition to the conservation techniques used in the field, the wine cellars at Cal Poly implement water — efficiency strategies into wine-making. Wine and viticulture lecturer Matt Brain was hired in 2011 as Cal Poly’s cellar master. Part of the reason he was chosen was because of his emphasis on water conservation and production knowledge, he said. Since then, Cal Poly’s winery has used a variety of watersaving techniques for cleaning and sanitation, which are the main uses of water in the winery, Brain said. For most of their sanitation, they mix water with light chemical bases such as light acid and citric acid. Diluted chemical mixtures use less water than using water alone, he said. Instead of using constant high-pressure hoses, they physically scrub barrels without water pressure, then quickly rinse the barrels after.
Though these techniques take “more elbow grease and manual work,” they use less water. Spreading awareness that water is a diminishing resource has to be a priority, Brain said. Young winemakers need to bring this philosophy to the industry and pay more attention to water use, he said. “It’s starting to become a real limiting factor in the industry,” Brain said. “It’s gone from something that has gone for granted, to being scarce, to becoming a really really big concern in our industry.” San Luis Obispo isn’t the only county affected by the dry weather. The U.S. Department of Agriculture declared San Luis Obispo one of 27 California counties to be a natural disaster area. One positive aspect Brain hopes will come out of this drought is a nationwide shift in the wine industry toward water conservation, which he considers a “conscious level of winemaking.” “This is a level of winemaking that I hope our students take with them,” Brain said. “Making good wine and also trying to balance being conscientious of water.”
“It’s the topic that everyone is taking about. Basically everyone is stressed because it is bad now, and we don’t know how bad it’s going to be.” CRAIG MACMILLAN | CAL POLY VINEYARD MANAGER
DYLAN SUN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
DRY AND WINING | San Luis Obispo has only seen one day of rain in 2014, causing salt to build up and dehydrate the vines.
NEWS | 3
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Semester update: How close are the CSUs to converting? Cameron Bones Special to Mustang News
Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) President Jason Colombini has made it clear that Cal Poly has no interest in converting from a quarter to a semester system. The ASI Board of Directors voted against the switch in December, but California State University (CSU) Chancellor Timothy White has said he is a strong supporter of the conversion. Of the six remaining CSU campuses on the quarter system, three are already in the process of converting to semesters: CSU Bakersfield, CSU San Bernardino and CSU Los Angeles. Cal Poly, Cal Poly Pomona and CSU East Bay have yet to make any major changes.
Cal Poly Pomona
CSU Bakersfield
Cal Poly Pomona is still on the quarter system, but plans are in the works for the conversion. Pomona was originally expected to convert by 2020, but it has recently been moved to 2017. There have been several meetings about switching to semesters, but no official committees have been created to execute the plan, Pomona’s ASI President Christine Hall said. There are both pros and cons to switching to semester system, Hall said. “In a semester system, if you notice by week three or four that you’re struggling in a course, you still have time to intervene and improve your grades,” she said. “But as students of a polytechnic, we will struggle with the after effects. They’re going to have to significantly change our curriculum.” Hall hopes to include students as much as possible in the discussion, but for now the decision is unclear. “I’m graduating, but I still feel significantly responsible for what happens to the future of this institution,” Hall said. “The future of Cal Poly Pomona right now is very unknown.”
CSU Bakersfield is currently in the process of converting to the semester system. Bakersfield’s student-run newspaper, The Runner, reported that the original plan estimated that the switch would occur in the 2014-2015 academic year. But because of budget issues, the switch has become more difficult, CSU Bakersfield’s ASI Vice President of External Affairs Emily Schnell told The Runner. “It takes a lot of extra hired hands and man power to change to a semester system,” Schnell said. “This is because all of the curriculums have to be reworked.” Despite the cost, CSU Bakersfield hopes to create a smooth transition for incoming students. “The main idea behind the switch is so that all 23 schools under the CSU system would have easier transitions between schools, and the administration would be able to function more effectively,” Schnell said. The conversion to the semester system would highly benefit high school and community college students, Schnell said. The fast-paced quarter system makes that transition difficult. Bakersfield is now planning to switch to the semester system for the 2016-2017 academic year.
SEMESTERS or QUARTERS?
CSU Los Angeles In November, Chancellor White visited the CSU Los Angeles campus to meet students and answer questions. Several there were concerned about converting to the semester system. Converting to the semester system would be beneficial for students because of the fast paced nature of the quarter system, White said at the Los Angeles campus. Transitioning all 23 campuses to the semester system would also create an overall unified CSU system. “Semesters allow more time for students to learn material and would buy less textbooks,” White told CSU Los Angeles students and faculty. Although the campus is still on the quarter system, it is planning on converting in Fall 2016.
CSU San Bernardino In May, CSU San Bernardino planned an open forum for students to ask White about the conversion to the semester system. There are still no official plans, but the university is in the process of making those plans. “The plan is still being evaluated,” said Joe Gutierrez, assistant director of public affairs. San Bernardino is still using the quarter system.
CSU East Bay CSU East Bay is currently using the quarter system, but converting is a possibility. As of October, there was no set date for the conversion, said Michael Uhlenkamp, director of public affairs for the CSU Office of the Chancellor. “We are already starting to move forward on the process with Bakersfield and Los Angeles,” Uhlenkamp told the student-run newspaper, The Pioneer. “In terms of East Bay, we haven’t necessarily been engaged in those discussions yet.” Uhlenkamp said the process will include both CSU executives and campus officials.
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NEWS | 4
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Clubs splurge, ASI increases funding Benjy Egel @benjyegel After Cal Poly clubs burned through the entire yearly operating budget by the eighth week of fall quarter, Associated Students Inc. (ASI) activated nearly $30,000 in reserve funds on Jan. 29. The extra funding was necessary to keep clubs moving through the end of the year, biological sciences senior and Board of Directors Vice Chair Jordan Lippincott said. “Our club funding pot has diminished to zero, which is expected and a very good thing because it means all the money is being used,” he said. “(We) thought there could be a higher need to bring some more money in to disperse among more clubs.” ASI began the year with an operating budget of $54,000 plus a $10,000 grant from Cal Poly Corporation to split between 256 chartered clubs, software engineering sophomore and club funding liaison Myra Lukens said. Several clubs applied for funding as soon as they were able to in June, Lukens said. Those who waited too long would have missed out on their share without the extra cash. “If you have a new club that wants to charter or establish their club and then get funds, they probably won’t be able to because it’s first come, first serve,” Lukens said. ASI has steadily withdrawn more and more money from the reserves every year, though the full amount is rarely used. Clubs ran out of cash midway through winter quarter this past year,
prompting ASI to draw $20,000 from the reserves. Clubs can request sponsorships or event co-sponsorships totaling a maximum of $1,500 per year. Any club can receive a $350 sponsorship as long as the money doesn’t go toward refreshments or officers’ personal gain. To be eligible for co-sponsorships, clubs must be hosting an event or providing a service to benefit non-members. “It needs to be more than your club,” Lippincott said. “It has to be open to a wide variety of students before that money actually is used.” Out of the 256 clubs, 133 received sponsorships and 18 received co-sponsorships, Lippincott said. Club sports, which started the year with $61,000, are run through the Club Sports Council and do not have access to the $29,000. Lukens and fellow liaison Emily Mallett requested $24,708.05 in additional funding from ASI’s Business and Finance Committee, which Lippincott chairs. Once approved, the proposal was passed onto the Board of Directors, which added an additional $5,000 to the pot. The reserves held about $49,000 before the withdrawal, Lukens said. Reserve funds are typically held to help re-activate disbanded clubs, many of which are not likely to get back together from February through the end of the school year. Clubs asking for more funding have been turned away since the original budget dried up in November. ASI now has to use marketing strategies,
JOSEPH PACK | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
IN DA CLUB | ASI began the year with an operating budget of $54,000, plus a $10,000 grant from Cal Poly Corporation.
“Our club funding pot has diminished to zero, which is expected and a very good thing because it means all the money is being used.” JORDAN LIPPINCOTT | ASI BOARD OF DIRECTORS VICE CHAIR such as booths in the Julian A. McPhee University Union, to inform club officials about the newly-freed money, or more funds might not be available in the future, Lukens said. “I really hope that clubs actually utilize the additional funds,” she said. “In order for this to keep happening, we
do need the clubs to use these funds, because it’s going to look bad if clubs don’t use the funds we allocate.” If clubs don’t take advantage of the extra money, ASI could be reluctant to supply more in the future. But if Lukens and Mallett have their way, there could be
a different withdrawal system altogether next year — the two are brainstorming ideas to reform the original budget and withdrawal system, since recent history has shown more and more clubs requesting money. While nothing is concrete yet, Lukens said many of their ideas were centered on
increasing the original budget. “Our goal is to have it so there are more funds for clubs so that they won’t run out as fast, or so the rollout of club funding is slower,” she said. “There are a couple different policies that we’re considering, but none of them have been presented.”
Dean of Students ‘concerned’ with alcohol hospitalizations Brooke Sperbeck @BrookeSperbeck7 Dean of Students Jean DeCosta told greek life leaders in a January email she is “concerned” about the increase in alcohol-related transports to the hospital this year. “In this case, we are very concerned about the high number of alcohol-related transports we have already had this year,” DeCosta wrote in the email, which was obtained by Mustang News through a public records request. “The numbers are in excess of the total number we had last year.” University Police Chief George Hughes said the University Police Department (UPD) responded to 23 alcohol transports this past quarter, higher than previous academic years. “However, it’s our opinion that it is not because there’s more drinking on campus,” Hughes said. “It’s just there’s more education, more outreach, more information out there on how to be safe and what to do.”
Ryan Vilfer, Cal Poly’s Friday Night Live advisor, said Friday Night Live educates students on the signs of alcohol poisoning and encourages them to get medical help. “Our big thing is educating students that if you see even one of those signs, get that person help immediately because you don’t want to risk it, and you don’t want to lose another Mustang,” Vilfer said. Vilfer said he would rather see more people getting taken to the hospital for alcohol poisoning because it would mean students are looking out for one another. “I see it as students are getting the message from Friday Night Live, from Aware Awake Alive, from new student programs, from everyone on campus, and then really taking that message to heart and watching out for one another, ” Vilfer said. Another group that has encouraged students to get medical help for alcohol poisoning is Aware Awake Alive, founded by Julia and Scott Starkey in honor of their son Carson, a Cal Poly freshman who died
from alcohol poisoning at a fraternity event in 2008. The organization, which has expanded to all 23 California State University campuses, uses the slogan: “Drunk or dying? You make the call.” Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong, a board member for Aware Awake Alive, said in November that lives have been saved on campus because of Aware Awake Alive. “It really is about watching out for one another,” Armstrong said. “Someone makes a mistake; let’s get them to the hospital. Let’s not let them suffer from that mistake.” When asked about DeCosta’s email, Cal Poly spokesperson Matt Lazier said DeCosta was trying to make the point to greek leaders that party registration is about increasing student safety with regard to partying. “She points to the increase in alcohol transports as a possible area of concern to administration regarding student safety, but she is not saying that the greeks are on probation because of increased alcohol transports,” Lazier said.
ARTS | 5
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Something’s Brewing (Craft)in’ up some recommendations Nick Larson and Jake Devincenzi @njlarson8 and @jake_devincenzi Kinesiology senior Nick Larson and aerospace engineering senior Jake Devincenzi are Mustang News beer columnists. As the world learns more about craft beer and our borderline unhealthy passion for it, we have received more and more texts from friends and family that all sound pretty similar: “I am at ________ and want to get something that is similar to ________ but not too _________. What should I get?” We love getting these messages, but just in case we happen to be busy (aka nose-deep in a glass of Imperial Stout) the next time you find yourself in such a predicament, we thought we would fill you in on seven reasonably priced craft beers to excite your palate and broaden your horizons. When we’re just looking to pick up a nice 6-pack of brews for the weekend, here are a few of our favorites. 1. Sierra Nevada “Ruthless Rye IPA” A great option for anyone who’s a fan of hops and earthy
tones in their beer. With its weaker alcohol percentage, it’s an easier drink than most rye IPAs. One of the best-tasting IPAs you’ll find in a 6-pack, it’s easy to find here on the Central Coast and up north as well. Most grocery stores in San Luis Obispo even carry 12-packs for under $15. 2. Deschutes “Black Butte Porter” In a normal place that’s not California, where they actually have winter, there’s nothing better than a nice, dark porter or stout to warm the soul. This dark and chocolatey West Coast-style porter hits the spot for a casual night home with a sixer. 3. Lagunitas “Brown Shugga American Strong Ale” The bad thing about this beer is it’s seasonal and harder to find south of the Bay Area. The good thing about this beer is literally everything else. 9.99 percent alcohol by volume. Ridiculously flavorful. Rumor has it this beer was an accident that was never intended to be loaded with brown sugary goodness. Be careful with this beer; it’s easy to forget the alcohol content behind the explosive flavor. 4. North Coast “Old Rasputin Russian Im-
perial Stout” This Russian stout has a bold flavor — one of the best around. Similar to the porter, this stout is perfect for a casual beer at night. Solid all around, you can’t go wrong. The best thing about this brew is you can find it everywhere. 5. Alaskan “Amber” We’ve mentioned this fantastic amber before, but if you haven’t tried it yet, you’re missing out. It has more character than any other amber we have ever had, and people with all different types of beer preferences have loved it. 6. Uinta “Dubhe Imperial Black IPA” Another rye IPA, this one packs two punches. Sporting a higher alcohol content than the Ruthless Rye, Dubhe is brewed with hemp seeds, giving it a very distinctly — how shall we put this — Colorado/Washington smell and taste. 7. Einstok “Pale Ale” A lesser-known beer and brewery, this Icelandic pale ale is fantastic. Not as hoppy as a traditional pale, this mellowed out version still has a ton of character. We stumbled upon it at BevMo! and were pleasantly surprised. Oh, and Einstok’s toasted porter is also fantastic.
“Sporting a higher alcohol content than the Ruthless Rye, Dubhe (Imperial Black IPA) is brewed with hemp seeds, giving it a very distinctly — how shall we put this — Colorado/ Washington smell and taste.”
What are we drinkin’
beer challenge Have you ever wanted to share a beer with Cal Poly’s two most eligible beer-chelors? Well, you’re in luck. We have selected a specific brew. If you can guess exactly which brew it is, you will win an all-expenses paid pint of craft beer with Nick and Jake (we will buy you a beer). Here’s how it works: 1. Each column will have a new clue about the beer we have chosen. 2. You can get one extra special clue per week if you send us a message on Twitter. 3. Tweet your guesses to @njlarson8 @jake_devincenzi AND @CPMustangArts 4. You must correctly guess the brewery AND specific beer.
The first person to guess correctly wins a beer with us! Yes, you have to be 21.
This week’s clue Different from my friends, I’m the beer you’ll choose. For all 75 of my IBUs.
ARTS | 6
Thursday, February 6, 2014
To the beat of the brew Aryn Sanderson
Bang The Drum Brewery, a small brewery set to open in a few months on Orcutt Road, is already making a name for itself with its nontraditional beers — beers such as a yerba mate-infused IPA and a chipotlesmoked porter. But its owners are even less traditional than its beers: They are a pair of exes and the ex-girlfriend’s father. “It’s something we like to keep off the table,” head brewer and co-owner Jeremy Fleming said. But when people find out Fleming dated co-owner, marketing director and Cal Poly alumna Noelle DuBois, they’re bound to ask questions. “People always go, ‘Oh, that’s very modern of you,’” DuBois said. “But one of the best things about working with an ex is that while we were dating, we learned
a lot about each other and how to communicate.” Fleming and DuBois dated for three years and broke up approximately a year ago, with plans for the brewery well underway. A pair of exes walk into a bar … “Things were definitely rocky at first,” Fleming said. “But all it does is show that this was a dream of ours, and we’re creating it together.” Owning a brewery wasn’t always their dream, though. DuBois graduated from Cal Poly with a degree in animal science. She realized near the end of her college career that she didn’t want to “work for somebody else,” so she and Fleming contemplated opening their own business — a chocolate shop, maybe, or a restaurant, or perhaps even a res-
taurant that served homebrewed beer. The last idea triggered DuBois’ father’s interest. Gary DuBois, president, co-owner and sole investor, “made it all possible,” his daughter said. But as the trio began looking into opening a restaurant that made beer in-house, they realized it wouldn’t be that easy. “Working with the health department is a whole other beast,” Fleming said. So they simplified the idea: a brewery — one where music permeates — first. DuBois soon hopped on the beer train. “I didn’t realize the world that was out there,” she said. After tasting Fleming’s yerba mate-infused ale, DuBois caught beer fever too, and now she spends hours observing Fleming’s work and
@ArynSanderson
trying to learn more about the industry — and the “supportive, amazing” Central Coast brewing community — the trio has joined. Building beers The team is constantly learning, Fleming said. An aspiring engineer, Fleming tinkered with their brewery’s equipment to achieve better results. “I literally build my beers from the water up,” he said. Bang the Drum features an incredibly small production more akin to large-scale homebrewing than smallscale industry, and even if the brewery expands, he’s looking to continue small batch brewing. Fleming credits his ability to create unique, deep flavor profiles from his four years as a baker at Blackhorse Espresso and Bakery and
the time he spent baking in his grandma’s kitchen. Bang the Drum currently has three brews available for purchase: the yerba mate IPA, the chipotle porter and a German-style Hefeweizen, Fleming’s personal favorite. It’s a traditional, malty beer that Fleming hails as “perfect.” A dream in progress But that’s Fleming’s vibe — confident, perhaps overly so, in this vision. Currently, Bang the Drum is a work in progress. The tasting room has a concrete floor and exposed walls. Their first mead is still in production, and the spot where an outdoor stage (the first approved outdoor stage within San Luis Obispo city limits, according to Fleming) will soon sit, there is dirt.
But Fleming points to a neighboring building and says, “That might be a coffee shop we add on,” and points to another building, “maybe a restaurant there.” It’s the type of statement that’s typically followed by a “who knows?” and a chuckle. But for Fleming, there doesn’t seem to be a need to second-guess their vision. Their vision They can picture it perfectly. The rustic, 50-year-old reclaimed wood that currently sits on the floor of the under-construction tasting room will soon cover its walls. The wood, from a weathered fence on the Vandenberg Air Force Base, will keep its character. The seating will be limited, and
see BEAT, pg 7.
“Things were definitely rocky at first. But all it does is show that this was a dream of ours, and we’re creating it together.” JEREMY FLEMING | HEAD BREWER AND CO-OWNER
PAIGE SMITH | MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST
ARTS | 7
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Orchesis pirouettes its way to Alex and Faye Savannah Sperry @SavannahSperry1 A throng of dancers peppered the stage of Alex and Faye Spanos Theatre this past weekend, pirouetting through the routines of “Vitality,” Orchesis Dance Company’s 44th annual dance concert. The show encompassed an array of genres, giving audiences a taste of modern, contemporary, jazz, ballet and hip hop-contemporary fusion. “Vitality” featured 13 choreographed pieces, each telling its own story while still contributing to the show as a whole. “Vitality” was choreographed by faculty, guest artists and selected students. The performers in-
cluded members of Orchesis Dance Company as well as guest dancers from the Modern/Contemporary Dance and Advanced Ballet repertory classes offered on Cal Poly’s campus. Environmental management freshman Madison Miyamura danced in the show as a guest dancer from the Modern/Contemporary Dance repertory class. “It was a lot of hard work, but it’s always a good experience to be in a show,” Miyamura said. That hard work seemed to pay off. “I thought it was very cathartic to watch the dancers move in the way that they did and really put their entire bodies into it, and just breathe through everything — it was really
powerful to watch and experience,” audience member and psychology freshman Justine Nader said. The show extended beyond its choreography, using costumes, lights and a fog machine to enhance the viewing experience. “What stood out to me was the theatrics of it,” kinesiology freshman Julie Pollard said. “I thought the combination of the costumes in addition to the lighting all added to the whole tone of every piece, and each piece was very different and individual, so I thought it was interesting because the show encompassed a variety of emotions.” “Vitality” also incorporated color, using muted tones for costumes at the show’s
inception and building toward an explosion of pastels at its finale. “The colors, I thought, reflected the mood of the piece,” journalism freshman Leah Horner said. “I noticed that a blue background would be used for the cool, kind of softer dances, and then red would be for the fast and powerful and fiery dances and then orange and yellow were kind of the mellow pieces.” Horner also valued the show’s diversity. “I really liked how versatile the whole show was,” she said. “It would go from a fast number to a slow number, and it kind of kept you entertained and on the edge of your seat as you were waiting to see what would happen next, because
it was never the same thing twice. It was always different.” The piece “On Making Decisions” was choreographed by liberal studies senior Ella Richards and performed by Richards as well as architectural engineering senior Robyn Schmidt, food science senior Brandon Takahashi and liberal studies junior Jenna VanderDoes. The routine used chairs as props and the dancers showed complete control over their bodies. Psychology freshman Hannah Burgardt enjoyed the routine, she said. “That was my favorite one by far, because they only used four dancers, and I thought that was way more powerful than having a group of people coming in and out,” Burgardt
said. “They had really good extensions, too.” The finale, “Red,” was choreographed by guest artist Nancy Cranbourne in collaboration with faculty member Christy McNeil and the Orchesis dancers. The piece was performed by the entire company and was multi-layered, with different dancers rotating on and off the stage in a lyrical, bluesy eruption of dance. “The closing number was definitely a standout for me,” Nader said. “I thought that the dancers really were throwing themselves into every move, and it was really captivating.” “Vitality” will be performed again on Feb. 6, 7 and 8 at 8 p.m.
DAVID JANG | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
DANCE, DANCE | Orchesis’ 44th annual dance concert, “Vitality,” began this past weekend. The concert shows will continue until Feb. 8. Above is a photo from one of the show’s dress rehearsals. BEAT continued from pg 6. dancing encouraged. There will be an emphasis on music — primitive, tribal, the sort of music that gives a room a heartbeat. There will be live performances, cabaret, comedy and charity events in the tasting room and out on the patio. It will be lively and
full of energy — the type of space that’s both intrinsically energizing and relaxing. That’s the goal, at least — to be “a place where people feel like they can be themselves,” DuBois said. “Raw, naturalistic, we’ll even have drums for people to come bang on.” It’s about “not just working a nine-to-five job you don’t enjoy for someone
else,” DuBois said. “It’s about doing something you’re passionate about.” It’s about a vision so strong it turns exes into friends. Bang The Drum beer is on tap at Kreuzberg, CA and available for purchase at La Bodega Wine and Spirits, CrossRoads Liquor and Deli and Petra Mediterranean Pizza and Grill.
“People always go, ‘Oh, that’s very modern of you. But one of the best things about working with an ex is that while we were dating, we learned a lot about each other and how to communicate.” NOELLE DUBOIS | CO-OWNER, MARKETING DIRECTOR, CAL POLY ALUMNA
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OPINION & NEWS | 9
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Water conservation a must Zachary Antoyan is a political science senior and Mustang News liberal columnist. These views do not necessarily reflect the opinion or editorial coverage of Mustang News. The fact that we need water to survive should be obvious. I shouldn’t have to argue over the fact that in order to grow food, create energy and ride in lazy rivers, we need a steady influx of the liquid. But here is another fact: Our access to fresh water is going away. In case you didn’t notice, in January Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for drought in California. “State water officials say that California’s river and reservoirs are below their record lows.” This, like every single political issue ever, has no easy fix. Shocker. If you drive north to Fresno on US-41 or toward Sacramento on I-5, you’ll notice a series of signs saying, “Congress created dust bowl.” Aside from the fact that they are missing a hyphen between “Congress” and “created” to be grammatically correct, the signs themselves are … signs … of the ongoing battle between different parties within the state over this resource. Between the use of water for agricultural purposes, natural environments and everyday uses such as filling up my kiddie pool, everyone is scrambling to ensure their livelihoods remain intact. Unsurprisingly, no one is willing to share. Take, for instance, the local city of Paso Robles. The SLO Tribune reports that in Paso, “Water levels have gone down by more than 80 feet in some areas.” This is a significant decrease.
It was once simple to dig a well and have easy access to water in California. Now we are forced to build more expensive wells and dig them deeper than they have ever been before. This is prevalent in many communities around the state. I myself can say in my hometown of Fresno, farmers and residents alike are feeling the pinch. New regulations were enacted to combat the water shortage, forcing water meters to be installed in every home in the city by 2013. This is because water tables below ground are not being replenished by rain or snowmelt. The reasons behind this lack of replenishment can be attributed to numerous factors including wasteful irrigation practices (e.g., flood irrigation), inefficient plumbing systems, people taking long showers, probably my kiddie pool and climate change. Whether it be the winos in Paso, grape-growers in Fresno, naturalists in the San Joaquin River Delta or just the average person in San Luis Obispo, everyone wants cheap access to the resource, and few conservation efforts are in place to ensure we have enough now and in the future. In the document Gov. Brown signed acknowledging the water crisis, directives are set that start to create a conservation infrastructure. It attempts to address the concerns of numerous areas from environmental to agricultural and domestic. Santa Barbara County is already ahead of the curve. Providing rebates for efficient use of water for both private and public entities, Santa Barbara’s rigorous
@SuhaSaya PolyPlanner — Cal Poly’s newest registration tool — is now available for students to use. The mandatory course demand analysis tool will allow students to plan schedules for their remaining time at Cal Poly. The system will signal departments and colleges of how many students need to take a specific course, Associate Registrar Debbie Arseneau said. “It’s a planning tool for both the students and the university,” she said. “We want students to go on PolyPlanner every quarter because we’re going to be pulling in this data to give to academic departments.” Right now, course demand data is very hard to predict, Arseneau said. “It’s very difficult to know the future and guess what classes students need at a given time,” she said. “But if students follow their flow chart, look at what they need and what they have completed and plan remaining courses accordingly, the system will improve.” On PolyPlanner, course recommendations are given based on degree flowcharts that indicate when students should take certain classes. With the help of those recommendations, students can drag courses over to place in a specific term. The Office of the Registrar will send out targeted communications to students letting them know when they will need to plan a specific term. “We encourage students to
plan for one year at minimum, but they can plan all four years depending on where they are in terms of graduating,” she said. “Incoming freshmen are going to have the largest terms to plan for, but if you’re a senior, you’re only going to have a couple quarters to plan.” Students will be required to log into PolyPlanner during a set time during the registration period each quarter. If they log in once a quarter during registration, they will have met that requirement, Arseneau said. PolyPlanner will also work alongside PASS in Fall 2014, according to Arseneau. Students will be able to see what courses they’ve planned for when the time comes to register for that specific quarter. The Office of Registrar hopes students update PolyPlanner when their future plans change. “You’re going to be registering for spring soon, and what you register for and what you end up with at the end of that add/drop period won’t always be the same — class availability or time conflicts may change your plan,” she said. “When this happens, we hope that you go back into PolyPlanner and change things, so it shifts everything else and remains accurate for the future.” Cem Sunata, the university registrar, indicated that PolyPlanner does not set future class schedules in stone. “There are some elements PolyPlanner cannot resolve — timeslots, time conflicts with students’ demand, faculty preference — so students will also have to be flexible,” he said. “It will not be a guarantee that those courses indicated will be
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the true progressive campaign to conserve water is a model for other cities and the state. It focuses on conservation education and the importance of water and provides helpful resources to make a home or business more efficient. The campaign has had a significant positive effect on water usage in the county. Now, of course, when talking about this issue, one must also talk about its impact on water animals. One such animal has a controversial existence. This is the Delta-Smelt. It’s funny that we could consider the existence of life controversial, but this seemingly small, insignificant fish has made ripples throughout the state.
Environmentalists want to prevent the usage of water from Delta Smelt ecosystems to preserve their habitats, and farmers can’t use the water since the Delta Smelt is endangered. Either way, it’s a lose-lose. Use the water, lose the fish. Keep the water, lose the agriculture. I am instinctively tempted to side with the fish on its existence here, but should it come down to fish or us, I’m inclined to side with the fish. I mean us. Either way, sacrifices would have to be made. If we reach the point where we do have to make a choice between our food and water and the livelihood of a fish, it would be clear that we had already lost the
conservation battle. This issue shouldn’t exist. I shouldn’t have to explain to you why water is important. Now, more than ever, conservation efforts must be rigorously applied throughout the state to ensure everyone’s livelihoods remain comfortable. I cannot express how important this truly is, and I can only hope that you approach your water usage with as much care as you would an equally valuable resource that is scarce. I don’t know, pretend it’s gold. This is Zachary Antoyan, taking a moment of silence for his now-retired kiddie pool. Have a fantastic week, everyone.
PolyPlanner goes live, eases registration woes Suha Saya
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REGISTER | The Office of the Registrar is holding workshops on PolyPlanner in residence halls. available, but it will give us something to plan around.” Shannon Stephens, Mustang Success Center director, agreed. “If students are expecting that as soon as they use PolyPlanner this term they’re going to have all the classes they need next quarter, that’s not going to happen,” Stephens said. “Over time, though, they’ll start to see trends that can then influence departments … people are going to have to be a little more patient because we’re going to have to collect data first before making a difference.” Sunata acknowledged that the Office of the Registrar is
making the system mandatory in order to ensure accurate demand information. “As long as students use this process faithfully, give us accurate information for future quarters and adjust their demand information accordingly, degree progress should become easier for students and they should have better access to classes,” Sunata said. The Mustang Success Center is currently holding PolyPlanner workshops for students, specifically targeting residence halls. The center has 10 workshops planned, with two already completed, Stephens said. Two open forums about
PolyPlanner will also be held each month through April. The forums will be available to all students and will also include a workshop. Additional forums will be held for faculty and staff as well, he said. “The university has a level of responsibility in helping students get the classes they need to graduate, and the students have a responsibility when it comes to planning, too,” Stephens said. “This particular tool can hold both the university and students accountable, and has the potential to reduce issues we have with registration.”
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SPORTS | 11
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Softball suspends 6 for breaking team rules Sean McMinn @shmcminn Six players on the Cal Poly softball team are under suspension for violating team rules, softball coach Jenny Condon said Tuesday. The coach is working with Athletics Director Don Oberhelman to handle the suspensions, though she hasn’t determined how long each player will be out for. Condon declined to comment on why she suspended the players, but said the length of each player’s punishment will differ based on the severity of their violation. “It’s a team issue,” she said. “And we’re going to
handle it in-house. That’s what we do with all the kids who break rules in any way, shape or form.” The team, which was ranked sixth in its conference in the league’s preseason coaching poll, will head to the Kajikawa Classic tournament in Tempe, Ariz. this weekend. Condon said none of the six suspended players will play in the tournament. The official softball team roster lists 17 players, leaving just 11 who can play this weekend. Condon said players will most likely be at positions they’re not used to at the tournament because of the team's limited numbers. “We’ve got a really versatile
group of student-athletes that are going to give us everything that they have,” she said. “Some of them will be learning skills they’re unfamiliar with." The softball team addressed player conduct and repercussions for breaking team rules at the beginning of the year, Condon said. The Mustangs return three All-Big West Conference selections from a year ago headed into this weekend’s tournament. Cal Poly will play Seattle, No. 8 Oregon — which reached the 2013 NCAA Tournament Super Regionals — San Jose State and San Diego State. First pitch against Seattle is set for 8:30 a.m. PT.
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FILE PHOTO | MUSTANG NEWS
VIOLATIONS | Six unnamed softball players were suspended earlier this week for violating team rules.
SPORTS | 12
Thursday, February 6, 2014
NWABA continued from pg 1. Love story Theodore Nwaba, David's dad, stands at 5-foot-7. Blessing Nwaba, his mom, is 5-foot6. Even now, the 6-foot-4, 200 pound wing has no idea where he got his height. His aptitude for the game of basketball came out of nowhere. Growing up, Theodore played tennis and soccer; Blessing used to run track. “I really don’t know where I got the height,” Nwaba said. “I don’t know how I started (playing basketball). Just growing up playing a bunch of sports, you eventually fall in love with one.” As Nwaba has experienced, love is a journey, and sometimes that journey can be rocky. Nwaba’s odyssey to the Central Coast began at University High School in Southern California. In West Los Angeles, Nwaba was named a two-time All-Western League Most Valuable Player honoree and was honored as an all-league, first team selection. But while Nwaba had offers from a number of Big West schools, the basketball star’s grades began to slack during his senior year, and his options became limited. Seeing an opportunity to snag top-tier talent, Division II Hawaii-Pacific University decided to give Nwaba a shot. And for him, there was no turning down a scholarship to play the game he loved. Nwaba made the move to Honolulu as a freshman, but the experience proved to be vastly different from what he anticipated. “(At Hawaii-Pacific) it was lower-level basketball, and it didn’t really fit me,” Nwaba said. “It was terrible there. I thought I wanted to get away from home, but it was really far. My parents didn’t like that decision I made. In general, it just wasn’t a good fit for me.” Nwaba moved back home to Los Angeles and enrolled in Santa Monica Junior College. The goal remained the same: to make it to Division I basketball. “Seeing all my friends playing at that level … I thought, ‘I can hang with them,’” Nwaba said. At Santa Monica, Nwaba averaged 20.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. He was named the Western State Conference South Division Player of the Year and to the All-California Community College Athletic Association state first team. But more importantly, the athlete started to make the grade in the classroom. That’s when Nwaba received the first of many phone calls from Cal Poly
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY IAN BILLINGS
SPACE JAMMIN’| Sophomore wing David Nwaba is averaging nearly 12.0 points per game and has shot higher than 70 percent from the floor in seven games this season. head coach Joe Callero. A second family After each recruit has committed to the team, Callero always asks his athletes a question: “What was the deciding factor for you in making your decision to come to play at Cal Poly?” “They say, ‘Coach, you were really important. When you drove down to see me or when you called, it really meant a lot.’ But at the end of the day … I think that the most important aspect of recruitment is our current players,” Callero said. “At the end of the day, this is a family. I know it sounds corny, but we spent Thanksgiving together … we spend the holidays, our birthdays and our Sundays together. We really do become a family." With three years of eligibility remaining, Nwaba would have been a catch for every team in the Big West Conference. But when he made an official visit to Cal Poly and met his fellow athletes, Nwaba had made his decision. “I went out here for an official visit … They just showed more love here for me,” Nwaba said. “I felt wanted, so I made the decision to come here.” Nwaba now lives with three of his teammates on the basketball team. On Jan. 14, the sophomore ventured downtown to the bars of San Luis Obispo with his friends and teammates to celebrate his 21st birthday. “The bartenders here really aren’t that nice to those who are turning 21,” senor forward Eversley said laugh-
ing. “We had practice the day after, so we couldn’t go too hard. Definitely one of the more entertaining 21sts I’ve been a part of. It was just a matter of him having to pay his dues.” But these are dues Nwaba doesn’t mind paying. “I feel like I’m building chemistry with my teammates, and they’re making me feel at home,” Nwaba said. “I’m really close with (my roommates), but I love them all.” The dunk master This past week — when a Mustang News camera crew set up to shoot video of Nwaba’s infamous dunks — he tried to put on a show for the small crowd. First, the passes he received were too low, then too high. The sophomore transfer slammed the first few off the rim. Nwaba never dunks in practice, and it took at least five attempts for him to throw one down. “He needs a little bit of excitement,” Kirby explained. “Something has got to get him going for his legs to get involved. It’s the crowd; it’s the mentality.” Nwaba now plays in front of a Division I crowd in one of the smallest, yet most raucous, venues in NCAA basketball. “The energy we get from everyone in the gym is amazing, and it helps with the legs,” Eversley explained. “The legs you don’t have in practice, you’re going to have on game day.” Though he may not re-
IAN BILLINGS | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
AGENT ZERO | Sophomore David Nwaba is an offseason transfer from Santa Monica College.
hearse dunk drills in practice, come game time Nwaba has had no trouble getting those legs going. Known for a focus on keeping opponent possessions down, Callero’s addition of Nwaba has brought an athleticism to the the fifth-year head coach's team he hasn’t seen in years. “(Callero) knew about my athleticism … He wanted to bring that to the team,” Nwaba said. “I feel like that’s what I’m good at doing, so I like to bring excitement to the crowd.” The aggression in the wing
position allows Nwaba to drive to the hoop at any time, making it extremely difficult for opponents to defend. But dunks aside, it is the “coachablity” of the young talent that makes him such a current threat and a weapon for the future, according to Callero. “(His jump shot) is something he’s developed in just the last two months,” Callero said. “That’s a credit to his coachablility. I think he’s a kid who has yet to even scratch the surface of how great he can be down the road. I think his improve-
ment will be continuous and he has a great chance to make money as a professional someday.” An admirer of the NBA’s Kevin Durant, there is little doubt that Nwaba envisions a similar future for his own career. Revered for his raw shooting ability, Durant has been dubbed the “Slim Reaper.” But while the college athlete tries to emulate the professional's style of play, a noticeable dissimilarity differentiates the two athletes: Durant is not a fan of his nickname, but Nwaba has embraced his alter-ego.