January 15, 2015

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PIKE SUSPENDED

JOSEPH PACK | MUSTANG NE WS

Fraternity could face six-year suspension if appeal not granted Mustang News Staff Report Cal Poly has suspended the university’s chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE) for a minimum of six years, according to a university press release.

The suspension is in response to “a reported sexual assault, unsafe alcohol consumption and other conduct policy violations at a party in October,” according to the release. The party registration policy was developed last year by administration and greek life leaders.

“We work in good faith with our Greek Life students; in return, we expect that they will abide by the campus policies they helped develop,” Dean of Students Jean DeCosta said in the release.

“Cal Poly maintains a zero-tolerance policy for violations of those policies.”

The Dean of Students Office informed the chapter earlier this week.

While PIKE does not have a lettered chapter house, the

@CPMustangNews

fraternity has a number of satellite houses near campus. Cal Poly does not have the authority to remove students from private housing, but Vice President for Student Affairs Keith Humphrey said other suspended fraternities’ national offices had kicked members out in the past.

“When we disaffiliate with someone who has a house off campus, whether it’s a satellite house or a chapter house, we don’t evict them from their property,” Humphrey said.

“Oftentimes, the national organization or the local alumni will say, ‘We need to move everybody out of the house at the end of the quarter.’”

Former members of PIKE will also not be banned from wearing their letters around campus, at least by the university.

However, if former PIKE members conduct themselves inappropriately while unaffiliated with Cal Poly, it could negatively impact the fraternity’s chances of being reinstated when the

suspension is over, Humphrey said.

PIKE President and mechanical engineering senior Ellis Good said members of the fraternity felt they weren’t given fair consideration during the university’s investigation.

Good said he thought the reported sexual assault was what caused the fraternity to be suspended, rather than alcohol and party violations.

“They (the fraternity brothers) felt they were singled out,” Good said.

Because the university was making a judgment call rather than building a rigorous legal case against them, Good said, the fraternity wasn’t given a fair chance to defend itself.

“We felt we had nothing to hide,” Good said.

Good said PIKE plans to appeal the university’s decision, and that he will be working with alumni and the fraternity’s national chapter to determine the best way to proceed.

Student leaders respond to sexual assaults Olivia Proffit & Leah Horner @ojproffit & @leahlingo

Since last weekend’s sexual assault, fraternities and sororities have been put on social probation, meaning all social events are banned but sisterhood and brotherhood events and meetings within the houses are allowed. Fraternities and sororities will be on probation for the next 30 days until they come up with an action plan to stop sexual assault in the greek community, at which point Cal Poly will revisit the issue. Panhellenic Council President Kristen Henry, Interfraternity Council (IFC) president Alex Horncliff and Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) president Joi Sullivan have responded to the issue.

Q: Sexual assault is a school-wide issue, but sororities and fraternities have been in the spotlight. Why do you think that is?

A: “It is an issue that affects the entire Cal Poly community, but these incidents did occur at greek events. So it’s not to say that we have been targeted, but this is a chance for us to step back and make some changes to return to the values that the organizations were founded upon.” – Henry A: “It’s not isolated in the greek community but the past few instances have been found there. In order to make a culture change, we need to stop what’s actually happening, try to figure out how to fix it and move on from there. I think that the time to make change is over the next 30 days while they are on probation.” – Sullivan

see LEADERS, pg 4.

JOSEPH PACK | MUSTANG NE WS

AGR under investigation for December sexual assault case

HARRISON CHEUNG | MUSTANG NE WS EFFECTIVE | Draplin draws design inspiration from simplicity and functionality, which he finds beautiful.

Benjy Egel & Leah Horner @BenjyEgel & @leahlingo

Alpha Gamma Rho (AGR), an agriculture-based social fraternity, has been under investigation for an alleged sexual assault since December, Vice President for Student Affairs Keith Humphrey said Wednesday. “(Alpha Gamma Rho is) under investigation by the Dean of Students’ office,” Humphrey said.

The announcement came hours after word broke of Pi Kappa Alpha’s (PIKE) suspension from campus for at least the next six years if the decision is not appealed. Dean of Students officials investigated PIKE for about two months before making a decision, though Humphrey said there was no reason to believe AGR’s investigation would necessarily last the same amount of time.

AGR was placed under investigation during finals week of fall quarter, Humphrey said. While the Clery Act required Cal Poly to make PIKE’s case public shortly after it happened, the AGR assault lacked certain details that would have merited an immediate campus-wide announcement. ”There were many things that caused us to do a cease and desist order for (AGR),” Humphrey said. “(It was) a result of a social event including underage drinking, holding a party that was not registered — that was actually turned down for being registered, I believe — as well as the sexual assault that came from that event.”

Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong is an alumni of Murray State’s AGR chapter. Humphrey said the president is aware of the situation, but as the investigation currently falls under the Dean of Students’ jurisdiction, he is not actively involved.

Finding beauty in banality and other lessons from Aaron Draplin Annie Vainshtein @annievain

So much beauty can be found in junk.

At least Portland-based freelance graphic designer Aaron Draplin thinks so. Draplin’s work is on display at the University Art Gallery until Feb. 6.

Draplin has worked with all sorts of companies — everything from Patagonia to Nike to Sub Pop Records. He said his design mantra emphasizes function over fashion.

Draplin’s career as a graphic designer began about 15 years ago. He was born and raised in Detroit, but at age 19 he moved to Oregon to work with

snowboarders and be “living like an animal.”

After the icy hiatus, he moved back to the Midwest, finished up his art degree, started making graphics and logos and quickly found he was getting a lot of buzz.

“I knew I had to do something pragmatic and I wanted to do something with art, but a bit of a trade,” Draplin said. “Fine art was a little scary, a little too free-wheeling — and even though I could draw and paint and it was my hobby, design felt practical. I could get a job.”

see GALLERY, pg 6.

News... 1-4 | Arts... 5-6 | Opinion... 7 | Classifieds... 8 | Sports... 9-10

Thursday, January 15, 2015

NEWS | 2

JOSEPH PACK | MUSTANG NEWS

PROTECTING THE PROTECTORS | Cal Poly veterans, dependents of veterans and students without U.S. military ties are welcome to get involved in the Veteran Success Center (VSC).

Veteran Success Center comes to Cal Poly Samantha Pryor @sammpryor

Veterans at Cal Poly now have a new resource on campus. The Veteran Success Center (VSC) has come to Science (building 52), room E4.

Cal Poly will host a grand welcoming ceremony for its own center in February, which stemmed from a California State University initiative to enhance veteran services on all campuses throughout the state. The center will support the 74 veterans attending Cal Poly, according to Everette Brooks, veteran and VSC support staff adviser.

“It started that each campus were

to have veteran representatives,” he said. “(There was) a push to have veterans recognized, get their benefits and enhance services.”

According to the VSC mission and goals statement on their website, the center serves as a financial, academic and personal aid to veterans and dependents. To Brooks, however, these words only begin to scratch the surface.

Not only does the VSC represent historical context of Cal Poly’s past as an aviator training school, it also understands current veteran needs and promotes extended services Brooks said.

“There’s not much buildup knowledge about the whole

context of what a veteran is,” he said. “Providing (a home) here on campus will be more understanding to other people of what a true veteran is.”

The Vet Net Valley Program is one service the center offers, which provides faculty and staff with an educational awareness program to inform them of the needs of veterans. Other services include career and counseling support.

Brooks also emphasized focusing on the 130 dependents of veterans receiving benefits who attend Cal Poly. Additionally, the center welcomes volunteers who want to provide support to veterans.

“There’s no entity that can stand alone and make it. Some people just have a heart for what people have gone through,” Brooks said.

“The breakdown is high on dependents of veterans’ side.”

Brooks views the center as a “portal,” where opportunities for family cohesion can exist on campus between both veterans and non-veterans.

Part of this connection is fostered by the Student Veteran Organization (SVO) within the center, created by political science senior Lance Lunker, as a senior project.

“I wanted to do something involving veterans,” Lunker said. “There haven’t been a lot

of things at Cal Poly in terms of support.”

SVO is a chapter of a national program, Student Veterans of America. It operates out of the VSC, continuing to provide a community for veterans through fundraising and further advancements to the VSC, Lunker said.

Lunker stresses the importance of the SVO functioning not as a club, but as a “tool” to bring awareness and support to veterans on campus.

“We wanted to break away from club mentality and build community with no strings attached,” he said. “Cal Poly is a great school for veterans because there is a mutually beneficial relationship. Veterans

in classrooms provide prospective and experience.”

The VSC foresees much growth in the near future in terms of a larger staff and increased veteran presence on campus according to Brooks.

“We do want to grow and expand,” he said. “We are taking it one step at a time.”

Dean of Students Jean DeCosta believes the center will connect veterans with one another and provide them a place to call home. “(It will be) a viable and exciting place for veterans to connect, learn and grow together,” she said. “It gives us a chance to understand how to truly support them.”

Thursday, January 15, 2015

NEWS | 3

New year, new Panhellenic president Olivia Proffit @ojproffit

After an intense interview process, marketing junior and Alpha Chi Omega member Kristen Henry has been elected as Panhellenic president. With her experience as the vice president of philanthropy in her sorority, she feels up to the challenge. Mustang News sat down with Henry to talk about who she is and what she plans do with the position.

Q: What are your interests and hobbies?

A: I love hanging out at the Cal Poly Recreation Center playing beach volleyball, spending time with my friends whether it’s hiking or finding new places to eat in San Luis Obispo and spending time with my family.

Q: Are you involved in anything else at Cal Poly, besides greek life?

A: I’m an ambassador for the business school and I work for ASI for event scheduling and management … I spend a lot of time in the UU. Q: What do you see yourself doing in the future?

A: I want to go into something like brand marketing, product strategy or possibly PR. Q: When did you know you wanted to be Panhellenic president?

A: I knew Danielle Durante, the previous Panhellenic president, so I got to see how she worked with the community. Seeing how she helped and worked with so many people throughout her position was something that I got to watch and decided I was interested in the position as well.

Q: What is the role of the Panhellenic President?

A: I oversee the Panhellenic Council, which is 10 members to-

tal, work closely with the greek life officers and campus administrators. It’s about being a liaison to all those groups and working to better the entire Panhellenic community by ensuring that all the chapters are successful and that we are giving as many opportunities possible for each individual member.

Q: Describe the typical day as a Panhellenic president.

A: It depends on the day. Sometimes, it’s leading the Panhellenic general meetings and board meetings. There are a lot of emails; I’ve gotten more emails in the last few weeks than probably the last two months. I just need to be an available resource with a flexible schedule … and then being a student and having a life.

Q: Is it overwhelming to work with so many people on a dayto-day basis?

A: Not really. I’m really organized so it’s just about keeping track of it all. I have my big hourto-hour calendar so it’s just staying on top of my meetings. The biggest thing is checking emails; taking time to actually read the emails instead of skimming it.

Q: How do you feel about coming into the position in the middle of the school year?

A: So many of my friends were abroad last quarter so it kind of feels like I’m starting fresh anyway. And sororities use the annual calendar instead of the academic calendar so it’s something I’m already used to. I know what I can take on from here, how to manage my schedule and then work with greek life on that timeline.

Q: Do you plan to change the way things are run?

A: Right now, I’m doing a lot of observing because I wasn’t on the Panhellenic council last year, which is kind of abnormal for the president. I’m coming in with a

different perspective than maybe another president because they would know more of the day-today details of how things are run.

I think this perspective allows me to have a more open, critical mind about how things are working and where to make changes.

Q: What’s your vision for the future of Greek Life?

A: The biggest thing is that our members are having the best experience possible, which goes to meeting all of their needs from basic health and safety, to giving them the best leadership opportunities and the best networking opportunities and the best chance for a sisterhood, which is what these sororities are really built on.

Q: What are you most excited for?

A: I’m most excited to see everything my board can do because these are girls that come from all different houses. In the past week, I’ve seen them come together with tons and tons of ideas and enthusiasm.

Q: What are you most nervous for?

A: It’s a little embarrassing but coming into the position, I was actually most nervous for standing up at the meetings because there is a whole script you have to follow. It was probably the smallest and most trivial thing that I had to do but it was the thing I thought about the most.

Q: Do you have any advice for anybody interested in getting involved in the leadership side of Greek Life?

A: If you are even considering it, just do it. We have some really great opportunities and each chapter has activities.

Some might be hesitant because they are nervous of not getting the position but you know, you don’t know until you try. Just go for it. No harm.

DAKOTA GREENWICH | MUSTANG NEWS

NEW GIRL | Henry took over from past president Danielle Durante at the start of winter quarter.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

NEWS | 4 LEADERS continued from pg 1.

Q: Some have said that victims may be afraid to speak up to avoid being the reason greek life suffers any more punishments.

How do you respond to that?

A: “They need to understand that we are a resource for them.

If all of greek life gets suspended because of sexual assault, that’s not a bad thing. Sexual assault is a big problem and that is the primary problem that needs to be solved. We need to be held accountable for the result of those actions. We want survivors to know that their piece of mind, their comfort, their ability to feel comfortable for the rest of their lives with their stories is more important than the survival of our chapters and the culture we are breeding that allows that kind of culture in a house.” – Horncliff A: “One of our main goals is to be resources for victims of sexual assault. If we are looking to prevent it, we also have to support the people who have been directly affected by it. Whether

that’s through intensive education programs or bystander training, we are looking at all of the options to address the problems from start to end.” – Henry Q: Do you think it’s fair to punish all of greek life, rather than the individual houses involved in the assaults?

A: “Everyone understands why this is important. We all agree that this is a problem on our campus and we need to work together to solve it. One chapter can’t solve it; I can’t solve it; my exec board can’t solve it. It’s going to take every greek person to understand and take ownership of the problem.” – Horncliff A: “I respect the university’s decision … By standing together and working as one team, we have the opportunity to make a big impact on the community than one house on their own. We need to put our resources together to make a difference for all the members of the greek community as opposed to any individual house.” – Henry A: “I agree with the decision to put them on social probation. This decision is a wake-up call not only

for the greek community but the entire Cal Poly community that a culture change needs to happen … We are talking about people’s lives. It would be negligent not to do everything you could to try to shift this culture from allowing this to happen.” – Sullivan Q: Sexual Assault is such a big issue. Do you have confidence that whatever plan you come up with will actually work?

A: “I do. I think we have an opportunity to make a big difference and to really ensure the welfare of our members, which is the biggest thing. We have to make sure that our members are safe and comfortable.” – Henry A: “I can make the first step. If I could stop sexual assault on our campus, that would be great. But it starts here. It starts with leadership and it starts with recognizing a problem and knowing that we need to find a solution.” – Horncliff A: “I think a large part of it is a character issue. And character is very difficult to change. At the end of the day, there may be people that are lacking certain characteristics and don’t see this as an issue. I think there is a way to lessen it, yes. Get rid of it entirely?

Probably not … But the students we have here are quality people, so I think that’s why I’m a little more optimistic about this.” — Sullivan Q: Were you aware of the second and third sexual assaults when you spoke at the IFC meeting on Monday?

A: “I was aware of the sexual assault that happened last quarter and at the beginning of this quarter. I was unaware about the third assault until yesterday.” – Henry A: “I made the announcement with knowledge of the second sexual assault, though the chapter’s name has not been told to me. I was unaware of the third assault.” – Horncliff Q: Do you think these incidents will affect Cal Poly’s image?

A: “I would really hope that everyone in the Cal Poly community would take this seriously and use it as an opportunity to raise awareness and think very seriously about the issues of sexual assault

on our own campus.” — Henry A: “I would hate to see that define Cal Poly ... The entire Cal Poly community reacts and attacks will be indicative of how seriously this is taken and that will have an effect on the school’s reputation. My challenge to the whole community is to get past the ‘me’ factor and look at the whole picture and think about how we can change this and how we can get going.” — Sullivan Q: What do you have to say to anybody who has been a victim of sexual assault?

A: “I would never ask them to go out and talk about their story.

I do want them to know that IFC

stands behind the survivor 100 percent. We are a resource to her and we want to make sure that she understands that whatever happens to our fraternities is our fault. We are accountable for our actions. But what comes first is the safety of students. We care about her more than we care about our reputation.” – Horncliff A: “I would encourage them to report it if they feel that that’s the best thing for them. I would encourage them to not think about any policy or greek life implications but to disregard those things and think about what’s best for the survivor herself. At the end of the day, it’s the individual member we are looking out for.” – Henry

Thursday, January 15, 2015

ARTS | 5

JOSEPH PACK | MUSTANG NEWS

TRY NEW THINGS | KCPR DJ Francesca “chicky boo boo” Ricapito experiments with spinning “strange” music because she thinks sticking to the comfort of familiar sounds is overrated.

The Audio Files: Opening your ears Francesca Ricapito @kcpr913

A mere 10 feet from KCPR’s studio, the origin of all the sound our station sends through its airwaves, we have placed a radio for our own listening pleasure. Surprising, right? Well, the real kicker is how poorly it catches our signal for its prime location.

There are days when I’ll be lounging in the station, slouched in a chair, feet up and idly half-listening to the sounds ambling out of the speakers.

Then it hits me: All the thick static, dull pops and omnipresent roaring in the background are playing at that moment because that is the song. All those sounds were placed together and recorded in a certain way because that’s how the artist intended it to be.

Isn’t it funny how some sounds are just inherently better than other sounds? If you don’t like some music you hear, think about why. Is it because it makes you uncomfortable?

Never heard anything like it

before? Maybe it’s just too goshdarn weird for your sensitive ears? Chances are, if you’re tuning into KCPR, you’re prepared for the potentially unfamiliar, confusing and frightening music we might spin.

But it’s no secret that people tend to gravitate toward what’s comfortable. When you hear something you already know you like, your brain sends out a rush of pleasurable dopamine to reward you, reinforcing and cementing that certain taste in your mind. It makes you want more of that sound instead of something new. Because of this, it’s easy to miss out on a ton of music discovery because of an unwillingness to explore and delve into new genres.

This naturally impedes the acceptance and sharing of new and experimental music genres. Just as ignorance leads to misunderstanding, it seems like a lot of reticence to listen to certain music comes from no knowledge regarding the genre. But good music should have the ability to influence how you feel. If a song makes

you feel uncomfortable, it’s doing its job! This sensation should be embraced instead of shunned, using feeble excuses like “it’s just weird” or “what’s that screeching?” I’m not asking you to put away your Taylor Swift, but simply open your mind to new things.

A lot of music is “underground” because it caters to a niche, esoteric audience. Due to the way mainstream media tries to reach the most people, these genres don’t get widespread coverage and people just never encounter them. When you hear this kind of music on KCPR, challenge yourself to listen to it. Really listen to it, though. Do you know what it is? What genre it fits in? And if you then find yourself in a situation where you don’t immediately adore what you hear, at least try to respect it as a piece of art rather than discard it because it’s different.

One of the best albums put out last year, Pharmakon’s Bestial Burden, is a conglomeration of all the things your body can do to destroy itself. Margaret

Chardiet wrote the album after she underwent surgery for a cyst that was leading to organ failure, and she had a month of recovery. The album that resulted from it features her primal struggle through industrial noise. Through a mix of heavy breathing, burdened moans and excruciating shrieks, even a light listener can understand the pain the artist felt when

her body decided to turn on her. Even if the rumbling call of industrial noise is not your thing — and a late-night listen to this album is particularly terrifying and dark — meandering through each track should give you a respect and understanding of the human condition in its most basic impulses of survival.

Boil it all down, though, and

music exists both as an art form and as entertainment. Everyone has and is allowed to discern their own tastes, but don’t cast off genres because you might not understand them or just haven’t given them an honest chance yet. Try to explore new genres and open yourself up to new things, some of which you can find on your very own Cal Poly campus.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

ARTS | 6 GALLERY continued from pg 1.

And so he did. He was inspired by the beauty of banality: dying logos, typography, the beauty you find in junk.

“I tried to utilize the simple utilitarian beauty that I saw from dead things,” Draplin said.

Draplin described the ephemerality of style and how often simple processes — things that were appropriate and effective — go out of style because people are more concerned with keeping up with the “latest, coolest thing.” “ Things change, society changes, art changes, and you

see things drop off and die off because people want something different,” Draplin said. “But simplicity is beautiful because it’s free of any sort of whimsical, low-hanging fruit.”

And so he challenges the notion that clarification isn’t beautiful. A spectrum exists between too much and too little, and he hopes to always reside somewhere in the middle.

“There’s always going to be some grad student over-conceptualizing something and this boring shit at the end of it,” Draplin said. “But it’s not my job to make things provocative, it’s my job to make them

be effective.”

Take working with Patagonia, the outdoor clothing company, for example. Draplin said Patagonia appreciated the functionality of its product over any unnecessary novelty and it didn’t compromise that sentiment for the sake of a fancy logo.

Draplin, who is somewhat of a born cynic, noticed the strong ethical backbone of the company and found its dedication to doing the right thing surprising and quite impressive.

“It’s really interesting to me because that’s not what making money’s all about,” he said.

“If someone can cut a corner, they will.”

Draplin loves what he does, and it’s incredibly apparent. But beyond laboring over fonts and colors, sizes and shapes, he lives for the completion of a task. He lives to get the job done and to “make the client happy.”

He’s 41 but still feels 15 — especially when he’s thinking about the utility of art.

“I’m so new to the world,” Draplin said. “It’s amazing to me that 20 years ago, there was something in fashion, but now they just damaged it and chewed it all up because it never had to go there.”

Draplin’s been working like a maniac for the past 15 years, and according to him, he’s tak-

en on too many projects.

“You get a point where you don’t even need the money, because if you’re always working you’re not spending it,” he said.

“But I’ll never stop working — that wouldn’t feel right.”

And for young artists? Draplin has just a few pieces of advice.

“Try not to be afraid of the world, number one.” he said.

“You’re going to have to work.

That shouldn’t be a surprise.

Embrace that reality and be a good, ethical worker.”

And what if the person you work for isn’t ethical? Then work just long enough until you can quit.

According to University Art Gallery coordinator Jeff Van Kleeck, Draplin’s warmth comes across not only from his art and designs but from the way he speaks and deals with clients.

“He drives to do really good work for the things he believes in,” Van Kleeck said. “He shows us that you don’t have to sell your soul down the river to get a paycheck.”

Van Kleeck said people tend to forget that fact.

“We’re all worried about what we’re gonna do with our career — going down the rabbit hole of chasing the almighty dollar,” Van Kleeck said. “I think he’s shown us a different path.”

— S U A DD T ’ N O W YO U T I T E R G RE S W E N G N A MUS T P C H AT !

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Thursday, January 15, 2015

OPINION | 7

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We had heard before that issues like sexual assaults on campus don’t become real, don’t mean anything to you, until they happen to someone around you. This quarter, we realized how true that is.

T h i s w e e k e n d , t h e u nt h i n k a b l e h ap pened and there was another sexual assault on campus.

The details of the most recent victim’s assault are private, and really, they shouldn’t matter. What bothered us more was what happened to her after. Like so many women, she was terrified to report her abuse.

Scared of what people would think, scared of what would happen to her if she made it public. Days later, she is still too hesitant to report the incident to the school, made worse by the way other survivors have been hailed after other attacks this year, and especially after the statement released Monday, announcing that “if another sexual assault was reported, there would be dire consequences for all of greek life.”

Our friend deserved better. We deserve better.

What is worse is that clearly she was not the only female who experienced something like this last weekend. In fact, a recent study from the Department of Justice estimates that one in four women will be victims of rape or attempted rape before they graduate. It’s likely that last weekend, there were far more than two on our campus alone.

However, according to Safer, nine people on average came into Safer each week last quarter, yet only

two crimes were reported on campus. Clearly blaming survivors for their crimes and pressuring them out of reporting them with statements like the one made by Cal Poly earlier this week is not the answer. Threatening and later putting greek life on social probation because one of their own members reported an assault only scares and pressures women away from reporting these crimes. The policy pressures women to not report assaults.

And who wants to be the girl that shut down greek life, shut down her own organization? What happens when you need to report but are part of a greek organization? The hardest part of the aftermath of a crime for most survivors is reporting them, and for this reason most women never do.

Knowing this, why was the policy written this way and circulated? We believe social probation is a positive thing, because it really is necessary. In light of recent events, we need to press pause and come together to resolve these issues. We are grateful they have this opportunity, but having social probation act as a punishment for reporting a crime? Not so much.

The media circus that follows these events is insane.

Instead of speculating about whether or not a survivor is lying, how drunk she was (or was not), where it happened or complaining about social probation, we need to stop doubting and start listening. As a community, we need to stop asking survivors invasive, pointless questions and start asking ourselves for answers. Why do we let these things happen? What could we have done? If you are more concerned about being on social

probation and clearing your organization’s name than your fellow Mustang who was sexually assaulted, check your priorities.

And stop asking who it was — you do know her! She’s your friend. She’s in your class right now. She’s walking downtown. She’s in line in front of you at VG Cafe.

Statistically, you personally know a survivor of sexual assault, which means you probably know a perpetrator, too. Let’s not forget the real problem here. She is closer and realer than you’re willing to think.

Clearly something needs to be done, and we have to applaud Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic for already making strides in the right direction. There is good that will come out of these tragedies, and both councils are taking time to come up with tangible solutions and ways to change this culture.

We admire the Cal Poly leadership for responding to those events so seriously. Honestly, we’re not sure what the “right” solution to it is. We don’t think there is just one, or maybe any. But we’re certain that the solution does not start with scaring and pressuring women away from coming forward to report, discuss and get help after abuses, now and in the future.

We urge the IFC, USFC, Panhellenic, the coordinator of fraternity and sorority life, Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong, Vice President for Student Affairs Humphrey, Dean of Students Jean DeCosta and the Mustang community to step up and right this wrong, and we urge female and male students, faculty and staff to not stand for this kind of treatment for anyone.

We can do better.

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Thursday, January 15, 2015

RECOVERY continued from pg 10.

Morgan completed his comeback his redshirt freshman year when he went off against UC Santa Barbara, dropping a career-high 26 points, including seven 3-pointers, against the rival Gauchos.

The hard work Morgan put into his recovery began to pay off.

Despite the success of the 2012-13 campaign, his body couldn’t handle the wear and tear of a full NCAA season.

He played all 32 games, but the knee was still in the back of his mind.

“Not playing for such a long time takes such a mental toll on you,” Morgan said. “Every once in a while, I’ll have a lack of confidence in my knee. Sometimes I’m weary of whether or not I’m still able to make the plays I used to make.”

The left knee would require another procedure, his fourth surgery.

Once again facing months of difficult rehabilitation, Morgan had the option to take a second redshirt. This would require Morgan the leave Cal Poly and find a different school, an option he wasn’t interested in.

Despite not being at 100 percent, Morgan would end up playing toward the end of conference play last season to preserve his eligibility. He played sparingly, but the time back on the court allowed him to get in a rhythm.

Morgan would prove to be a

vital part of Cal Poly’s magical Big West and NCAA Tournament run in 2014.

In Cal Poly’s First Four victory against Texas Southern in the Big Dance, the program’s first and only NCAA Tournament victory, Morgan added nine points on three 3-pointers in only 10 minutes of action.

“That was the moment I was working for my entire life,” Morgan said of his success on the big stage. “I was really confident out there and it felt so good being able to help my team out.”

This past summer, Morgan continued to gain more confidence in his knee and began to feel more comfortable out on the court. More importantly, it was the first offseason he remained healthy.

“It was a really big summer for me to get through and feel good enough to get ready for this season,” Morgan said. “I’ve been working really hard to strengthen the other parts of the leg so that my knees don’t feel overwhelmed. Mentally, I’m confident.”

To alleviate the stress on his knee, Morgan received stem cell injections — the stem cells in his hip were removed and placed into his knee.

Everything has gone according to plan in the 2014-15 season thus far. Morgan has remained healthy and continues to be a reliable rotation player.

He is averaging 10 points per game and is the third-leading scorer on the team.

“Reese has had a very good

SPORTS | 9

season,” Callero said. “He is our sixth man and provides instant offense off the bench. He’s always aggressive and looking to attack — he’s very valuable to our team.”

The highlight of this season was a 17-point explosion on the road against San Francisco.

He shot an efficient 5 of 8 from the field and hit two of his four shots from downtown.

The question that will always be asked of Reese is if he can stay healthy.

“I understand where the questions are coming from,” Morgan said. “I’ve come to terms that all the injuries that I’ve had have just been the hand that I’ve been dealt.

“Is this the way that I have wanted things to play out? No, definitely not, but basketball’s worth it to me and all I’m going to do is to try my best.”

Callero plans to limit Morgan’s workload in practice and maybe increase his playing time to 25 minutes per game now that conference play has rolled around.

“What a great story,” Callero said. “Most people would be hesitant to come back after their first surgery. Reese just has the perseverance, toughness, character and commitment that it’s amazing.”

Reese Morgan was supposed to be another story of how injuries derailed a promising career.

“I’ve been waiting for my moment my entire life,” Morgan said. “And I’m not going to let it go.”

IAN BILLINGS | MUSTANG NEWS

SHARPSHOOTER | Morgan came into his junior year shooting 91.4 percent from the free throw line. He has continued his hot shooting in his third season while coming off the bench in 13 games.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

SPORTS | 10

The resilient return of

Reese Morgan

IAN BILLINGS | MUSTANG NEWS

RECOVERY | After four knee surgeries, junior guard Reese Morgan is back in the Cal Poly men’s basketball team’s lineup. He is averaging just over 10 points per game in his third active season with the program.

Erik Chu @chu_erik

Reese Morgan studied the long, threadlike scars that form a circle around his left knee. After four surgeries, he hadn’t been able to bend his knee more than a few inches.

Morgan simply shook his head and smiled. Now, the redshirt junior guard is finally healthy and a key member of an NCAA Tournament-caliber team.

“It’s been a hell of a ride.”

It certainly has been a long journey for Morgan and an up-and-down one to say

the least.

The 6-foot-3 guard dominated the prep ranks at Peninsula High School in San Pedro, California, accumulating nearly 2,500 points in his career. In his senior year, he averaged an astounding 27.3 points and seven rebounds per game and earned fourth-team Parade All-American honors.

However, it was in high school that Morgan first dealt with the heartbreak of injuries. In his sophomore season at Peninsula, he tore a ligament and cartilage in his left knee.

“My first knee surgery and the rehab was so painful because it was the first

time,” Morgan said. “To have something you love so much taken away from you for months broke my heart, but I knew I could come back.”

The injury ultimately convinced Morgan to work more on his outside shot instead of forcing his will into contact among the forwards and centers.

With a more complete game, Morgan attracted national attention and became known for his shooting. Morgan was descibed as “one of the elite shooters in the country,” according to ESPN.com.

Cal Poly men’s basketball head coach Joe Callero took notice.

“His ability to score really impressed me,” Callero said. “I remember going to one of his games his senior year and he was wearing this really clunky brace on his knee.

Yet, he was still able to beat his defender and make it to the free-throw line using pump fakes and cuts. He used his injuries to develop a game that doesn’t rely on athleticism, but rather on his intelligence and craftiness.”

Cal Poly was one of the first schools to offer Morgan a scholarship — he committed to Callero’s program even before his breakout senior year.

With a coach who believed in him, Mor-

gan was excited for his new beginning at Cal Poly.

His true freshman season, though, would end prematurely.

In a preseason game, Morgan injured his left knee again. He suffered a torn meniscus, ending his true freshman year before registering a single regular season minute.

That summer while rehabbing, Morgan re-tore his left meniscus. The injury required surgery, the third operation on the same knee.

see RECOVERY, pg 9.