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‘A week in a life’

From being mute to living in a wheelchair, students learn to exist in another’s shoes Rosie Guzman Special to Mustang News

Editor’s note: This article opens with the author’s personal experience while completing the “Week in a life” assignment in Sociology 111, “Social Problems,” in Spring 2014. ... The bathroom was squeaky clean; I made sure of it. Next to the toilet was my pillow and two blankets for dark nights, and I reassured myself I had all my textbooks and notes to

keep myself busy. I circled around looking at the blank four walls, white toilet and not-so-white bathtub knowing it was going to keep me company for the next five days. I always read about solitary confinement, but experiencing it is different than just reading about it. When the opportunity arose to see through the eyes of those isolated, I took it.

see WEEK, pg 2.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JASON HUNG | MUSTANG NE WS 5 DAYS | Students who complete the “week in a life” assignment choose to simulate the life of a marginalized group, like staying alone in a bathroom to simulate solitary confinement. The student pictured is not the author of this story.

Fraternities speak out against sexual assault Mustang News Staff Report @cpmustangnews

Sixteen fraternities have submitted statements against sexual assault within the greek system and at Cal Poly as a whole. Each fraternity composed unique statements and delivered them to Interfraternity Council president Alex Horncliff to release. Student leaders in Cal Poly’s greek life submitted the Students Taking Action Towards University Safety (STATUS) plan last month, and the plan is still under review. These statements are voluntary, Horncliff said. “Chapters were challenged to define their stance on sexual assault and some went as far as to outline clear punishments of confirmed perpetrators,” Horncliff said. “Though these letters in and of themselves are not the solution to the problem of sexual violence, they are a fervent exclamation of the stance that Cal Poly fraternity men take toward that ideal.” Many of the statements referenced fraternities’ founding credos in speaking out against sexual assault, such as Sigma Pi’s. “It is in our core beliefs that every woman should be treated as one’s own mother, sister, or daughter,” it reads. “In light of recent events, we have implemented new risk management policies that will help ensure safe social environments.”

see mustangnews.net for all fraternities’ statements

JASON HUNG | MUSTANG NE WS

THETA CHI | COURTESY PHOTO DANCING QUEENS | Nine sororities will compete to raise support for Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo.

Sorority’s Best Dance Crew to break it down for a cause Frances Griffey @CPMustangArts

What do you get when you combine greek life, philanthropy and dancing all in one evening? Answer: Sorority’s Best Dance Crew. Cal Poly’s Theta Chi chapter will host its sixth annual Sorority’s Best Dance Crew on Monday at 7 p.m. in Chumash Auditorium. Impressive dance routines, applause and cheers will fill the auditorium as nine sororities show off their moves to raise money for charity. Event director and physics junior John Pelgrift said the proceeds from the event will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters

of San Luis Obispo. Sororities aren’t the only ones who have worked hard to prepare for the show — Theta Chi has been practicing a routine of its own. After the sororities do their dance routines, Theta Chi performs a dance while the judges tally scores. “It’s usually pretty funny,” Pelgrift said. He said the number of people each sorority brings factors into their scores, too. “[People will] have a great time, and if they know anyone in a sorority they can come out and support them,” he said. Tickets are available online for $5 via Theta Chi’s Facebook page or at the door on Monday for $10.

News... 1-3 | Arts... 4-6 | Opinion... 7 | Classifieds... 8 | Sports... 9-10

h t 5 h c r a M , y a d s r Thu 1a m –2p m 1 n w a L r e Dext

New memories await.

Monday, March 2, 2015

NEWS | 2 WEEK continued from pg 1. I had camped only once in my life, and the first few days in my bathroom were like that. I slept on a hard floor and had no technology in my life, but after the third day, I started to get restless. I didn’t want to waste electricity and I doubted those in solitary confinement got the pleasure of light, so I slept. A lot. While I didn’t turn crazy, like most expected, it was strange coming out of my “isolation” for work and school. My eyes watered and burned when the sun’s rays touched me and sometimes I would feel strange being around so many people. I longed for true human interaction. Being stuck in a room for days creates nothing but frustration and anxiety. It can increase anger and other negative emotions, which cannot rehabilitate those incarcerated. I’m glad I isolated myself from the world for five days because I can understand solitary confinement and its effects just a teeny bit more. ... A week in a life Cal Poly students who have taken classes by Ryan Alaniz, an assistant professor of sociology, are given a chance to experience what the marginalized feel by participating in an assignment called “week in a life.” The students choose a “life” of people who don’t have everything in the world and, for five days, get to experience how that person makes it day by day. Alaniz recalls his first quarter at Cal Poly teaching his SOC 110 “Comparative Societies” course, and realizing it would be interesting to have his students empathize with another group that is foreign to them.

He offered his students the project in place of the midterm. “I really believe that the experiential learning is critically important to having a really powerful educational experience,” he said. “But there is something fundamental that can change you through the experience of living like a marginalized person.” By the end of this project after his first quarter, Alaniz saw how well the students responded. One student was on the swim team and decided to be in a wheelchair, he said. The student was stunned and humbled, as he had no idea how difficult it was for those confined in a wheelchair. “It changes somebody, to be more aware about people that don’t look or act just like them,” he said. Some “week in a life” projects vary between having a physical disability (blindness or bound to a wheelchair) to food insecurity (fasting), gender inequality (cross-dressing) or working in agricultural fields. The idea of working in the fields came from Alaniz himself, as he worked on a farm for four summers. “That was a very humbling experience,” he said. “It was foundational into who I became as a person.” We are surrounded by so much agriculture, but the people who feed us are often invisible and their work is invisible, he said. “And I wanted to make that visible to students,” Alaniz said. Alaniz asked his father, who still works at a farm in Nipomo, if he could bring students in. The farm work started with strawberry picking for a day but soon expanded to a day and a half of labor, so the students know what it feels like to have to come back the next morning despite having back pains and

almost no sleep.

Work in the fields Maya Fernandez, a psychology freshman, worked in the fields on Valentine’s Day. “I expected it to be really hard”, she said. “And it was really hard! It made me appreciate where my food comes from and the life these people live.” She met up with the students and her professor at 5:45 a.m. to drive over to Nipomo before starting the long day. “First we met some of the higher-ups and saw the work being done and what needs to be done. Then we piled into a car and went on this dirt road and stopped at a cabbage field,” she said. “And we de-weeded the cabbage field. Like a whole field with these women.” Fernandez kept thinking about how hot it was, when they were going to stop, when the water break was going to be. But then she would hear the women singing and talking and laughing. “It’s their life and they’re okay with it. They’ve coped with it and they find the beauty in it,” she said.

In a wheelchair Patrick Kunkel, a sociology junior, took Sociology 111 last spring quarter and remembers his “week in a life” assignment like it was yesterday. “Once I heard that the wheelchair ‘week in a life’ was an option, that’s what really sold it on me,” he said. “Just because work-

ing here at the DRC (Disability Resource Center) we deal with wheelchair passengers.” Kunkel wanted to feel the service from the rider’s point of view and also see how the DRC is doing to make improvements. Kunkel spent five days in a wheelchair and recalls how he planned on not using the DRC for his first day, just to know how it would be like not to have a service available. Day one was where he had to get from his apartment on California Boulevard to the top of campus. “Everything was difficult, every little crack in the sidewalk,” he said. “Getting to campus was way harder than I had expected it to be.” I made it to the bottom of the UU hill and I was exhausted, Kunkel said. I couldn’t have made it up, so I ended up calling the DRC. “People were very friendly, really eager to help,” Kunkel recalls. “But at the same time I felt weird asking people for help because I technically didn’t need it.” The biggest thing he noticed throughout the five days was people would make eye contact and then quickly look away, like he made them uncomfortable, he said.

Lost voice When someone is disabled and limited, there is no way to feel “normal.” Language is one of the disabilities in this world that can make someone feel different. Brooke Matson, a communication studies senior, who is currently enrolled in Alaniz’s honor program, experienced this firsthand when she decided to go mute.

Matson was already sick and couldn’t speak and so decided to go with the idea of speech loss when she realized how difficult it could be. “On the first day I kinda thought of it as fun in a way, thought it was a new challenge,” she said. “But as time went on and I really needed to use my voice, I was frustrated.” Matson wasn’t able to go to office hours to speak to her professors, talk on the phone or even order tea from a store. She couldn’t do many things, she said. “(But) it really opened my eyes to how other people operate,” she said.

On a dollar a day of food Caitlin Lyle, a liberal studies freshman, is also a part of Alaniz’s honors program and grew to appreciate food through her “week in a life” assignment. Lyle chose to only eat a dollar’s worth of food every day, for three and a half days. “I maybe didn’t eat my first meal until two in the afternoon,” she said. “But other than that the first day went pretty smooth.” The weekend before Lyle started, she bought some bananas, bell peppers and a bagel and cut everything and portioned everything, making sure every meal was a dollar’s worth. For my first day I had half a red bell pepper and half a bagel, she said. The remaining two days had similar meals. “I felt really tired and sluggish. One time, I even took a four-hour nap,” Lyle said. “I was even mad at myself for slacking because there are people in worse situations and they can pull through.”

Honor system Aside from doing the assignments, all students must meet with Alaniz personally to discuss their chosen project and sign a contract. Students agree to rules that state the importance of respect to the marginalized community they are representing and making sure their health is the highest priority. The project is a trust exercise; Alaniz does not keep track of students as they complete the assignment. Another requirement of the “week in a life” project is writing a five-page paper about the experience. Through reading each paper, it is clear to Alaniz that his students aren’t backing out of the assignment and completing it as required. Looking for trends Alaniz is also doing research on “week in a life.” Along with a student assistant, he has read every paper written and has looked for quotes and themes that come up over and over again. “The big thing I want to do is ask the question: This transformative experience, how does it impact the student’s learning; what do they get out of it?” said Alaniz. “And what we found is empathy.” Now the students are looking at the world and its people differently, said Alaniz. He wants students to know what it is like for the people who are marginalized; if you are going to work in agriculture, it should be important to shake hands with all those workers. “We stereotype and we create the ‘other,’ and when we do have these experiences we break down these stereotypes,” Alaniz said. “We create human relationships and understand each other better.”

see WEEK, pg 3.

Monday, March 2, 2015

NEWS | 3

ILIANA ARROYOS | MUSTANG NE WS SKATER BOI | Most of the $2.2 million needed to renovate the skate park came from the Tony Hawk Foundation. The grand opening at Santa Rosa Park this past weekend drew a crowd of approximately 1,000 people.

SLO opens ‘concrete jungle’ skate park Rebecca Ezrin @CPMustangNews

After eight years of seeking funds, planning and construction, the city of San Luis Obispo’s new skate park is finally complete. The first skate park in San Luis Obispo opened at Santa Rosa Park back in 1994. Built by volunteers, the wooden ramps provided minimal area for the skateboarding community to ride. After years of gradual deterioration, skateboarders beseeched the San Luis Obispo City Council to

WEEK continued from pg 2. He compares the idea of “otherness” to the Nazis and the Jews. If a Nazi officer was treated like a Jew in those times, I don’t think they would have treated other people like they were treating the Jews, Alaniz said. The takeaway His students who complete the

build a new park in 2007. The park was adopted as a major city goal that same year, but it only came to fruition when Mayor Jan Marx and the city council later incorporated it into the 2013-15 financial plan. “The design has been carefully developed over the years with community input,” Marx said. “The park is in the center of the city. It will become a place for the whole community. It is also walking distance from Cal Poly, and many Cuesta kids live around here. I am hoping to see many collegeaged students hanging around here.”

“week in a life” project feel that same kind of empathy. Two quarters after completing the project, Kunkel is glad he spent five days in a wheelchair. He is more understanding of riders who use the DRC and respects those in a different situation more, knowing the difficulty of being limited. “I think it’s really beneficial. You see a whole other point of view

that I would have never seen before,” Kunkel said. “It’s interesting to see how you’re treated in that position and reflect on how you treat other people.” Despite only eating a dollar’s worth of food for three and a half days, Lyle still can’t eat as much as before. The project wasn’t a piece of cake, she said. But she’s still glad to have done it. “I work at Ciao! and it’s upset-

Much of the skate park’s funding came from the Tony Hawk Foundation, which donated most of the $2.2 million needed to construct the park. Executive director Miki Vuckovich represented the foundation at the park’s unveiling. After months of construction beginning in June 2014, the park is now finished and open to the public. The new 15,500-square-foot concrete park consists of an outdoor amphitheater, a fitness path, public art and a plaza for seating. The park is also decorated with four 30-foot concrete and steel trees, which can be skated on. The ting to see how much food is wasted and thrown away,” she said. “It definitely made me more aware of food and how many people are starving these days.” After working in the fields for a day, Fernandez agrees that a project like this “really built up my character,” while also feeling empathy for those who work in laborious jobs. All students agree that while the

trees are part of the park’s “concrete jungle” theme. The skate park is unfenced and open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. It serves as a means for effectively drawing people of the community together regardless of age, industrial engineering sophomore Josh Yolland said. Yolland served as a volunteer at the park’s opening. “There are Cal Poly students, there are old people here,” he said. “Skateboarding is one of those things that bring people together of all ages.” The grand opening drew a crowd of approximately 1,000 people.

project was difficult, they would do “week in a life” again given the opportunity. “It can seem intimidating,” said Matson after experiencing speech loss. “But it teaches us how to connect, relate and empathize with people we sometimes see as ‘others.’” Alaniz tells his students that it’s hard to make a social change if you don’t understand what the

people are going through, and the best way to understand is by going through it yourself. I’m really grateful to have this opportunity to offer this experience to the students, he said. “I wish I had this opportunity as a student,” Alaniz said. “I want to expand this because it’s so powerful. If you are homeless for a week, you’ll never forget it.”

Monday, March 2, 2015

ARTS | 4

Shots fired: Cal Poly’s new archery club

ANNIE VAINSHTEIN | MUSTANG NE WS STR AIGHT SHOOTIN’

| Two juniors passionate about archery have chartered a Cal Poly club dedicated solely to the sport, which they say is harder than people think.

Annie Vainshtein @AnnieVain

Archery usually invokes “Robin Hood,” “Lord of the Rings” and — occasionally — “Princess Diaries 2.” But it’s so much more than that. For years, Cal Poly students have toyed with the idea of forming an archery club. Now, thanks to two juniors, the idea has become a reality. As of last week, the Cal Poly Archer y Club was officially chartered. English junior Bailey Satterfield and biology junior

Miranda Beaudoin wanted t o i n c or p or at e a rc h e r y into their daily lives and thought it would interest others, too. “It’s something that I really enjoy and would want to teach other people to do because I feel like it’s a fun thing to do,” said Beaudoin, who is level one certified to teach archery and taught it at a summer camp this past summer. According to Satterfield and Beaudoin, the process to start the club was fairly difficult. “There have definitely been a lot of hoops to jump through

because it’s kind of a risk factor, because, you know, it’s a sport that involves things that can kill people,” Satterfield said. “So it’s not like badminton club — no offense to badminton club, I hear they’re awesome.” The sport itself involves more precautionary steps to avoid injury. In order to develop the club and ensure safety measures, Satterfield and Beaudoin had to go through multiple steps, boards and panels, ensuring that all rules would be followed and the practicing space would be safe. But beyond signed forms

and bureaucratic regulations, archer y holds a sp ecial place in Satterfield’s and Beaudoin’s hearts. Satterfield got started when she was 16 years old, while B eaudoin started at 10. Beaudoin learned to shoot at Camp Natoma, where she eventually became a teacher. Archery, which is normally regarded as a fairly niche sport, is also faced with some misconceptions, most of which are perpetuated by commercialized films. “You see people who make every shot from this really

long distance, and while there are people that cando that, it’s not a common thing, and that’s what makes it Hollywood.” Satterfield said. In reality, archery is not as effortless as Katniss Everdeen makes it seem. “It’s more focus than athletic ability,” Satterfield said. “It takes a lot of concentration.” “And precision,” Beaudoin added. Additionally, the two noted the misconstrued idea surrounding the violence of archery. “A lot of people may think that it’s aggressive, or that you have

to be a hunter or something like that,” Beaudoin said. “Like you’re doing it to shoot people or for hunting — but we just do it recreationally.” More ove r, w h at re a l ly determines success within the sport is attention to detail. Alignment, footwork and even breathing are of vital importance. “You have to make sure that everything you’re doing is in alignment and everything will lead to a certain point,” Satterfield said. “Getting the habits down is really important because it’s muscle memory, but all that muscle memory won’t really amount to much if you don’t have that focus.” Beaudoin has always been drawn to the precision and certainty of the sport. “You’re doing something that’s slightly dangerous, and it’s kind of a unique thing,” she said. “It’s a really good feeling as you progress, and when you hit your first bull’s-eye, it’s kind of the best feeling.” Satterfield described it as zen, and Beaudoin described the repetition as “calming.” The club is still in its beginning stages, but it’s open to any and all who’d like to try it. “Most of the people I’ve taught had never held a bow before,” Beaudoin said. The two received some interest about the club and had their first club meeting on Feb. 27. Saturdays are the projected date for practices; the two say they are hoping to practice twice a month at the San Luis Obispo Sportsmen Association’s archery range. Students can f ind out more about the club from its Facebook page.

Monday, March 2, 2015

ARTS | 5

A message from Kid President to you

DYL AN SUN | MUSTANG NE WS E XECUTIVE ORDER

| Kid President spoke to Cal Poly about his dream to change the world, one person at a time.

Jessica Nguyen @xjessnguyen

Before Kid President could kick off his appearance at Cal Poly on Wednesday night, I had the pleasure of meeting Robby Novak — the president himself — in person. That overly energetic persona you see in his videos? It’s not just an act. This became clear during Mustang News’ broadcast interview with Novak and his brother-in-law, Brad Montague. Despite being an 11-year-old boy, camera shyness was not in Novak’s book. Neither was being negative. He spoke of his medical condition, a rare brittle bone disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta. He gave some words of wisdom about his days in the hospital. “The good days are the bad days,” Novak said. “You get hamburgers on the bad days.” He then proceeded to bust out one of his famous dance moves and said, “This is for you, Mustangs.” My heart melted for a second. I wanted to pick him up and put him

in my pocket. After we settled into the Chumash Auditorium and received a free copy of his book, the seats slowly started to fill with excited Cal Poly students. The moment Novak stepped on stage with Montague, the crowd went wild. First and foremost, Novak thought our mascot was the Ford Mustang. He also created a special handshake for Cal Poly, which he demonstrated as a high five, fist bump and a move he called the “Mustang broom,” in which he leaned back and steered the supposed Ford Mustang’s wheel with one hand. Novak and Montague practically finished each other’s sentences when introducing themselves. Their close friendship kept the crowd smiling through the performance. Montague talked about how their newly released book had made it as a New York Times best-seller this past week. Novak responded with a dance move he called the “New York Times shuffle.” Then, Novak talked about the

time he met Beyoncé. “I did not just meet Beyoncé,” he said. “We went in a room and met her and then I kissed her!” Apparently, she asked for the kiss. Montague continued to talk about how their videos allowed them to connect with the White House, Justin Timberlake and many other celebrities, including Rainn Wilson. He then showed a video about how to make the world awesome, featuring Kid President. Looking around the auditorium, nearly everyone was captivated by Kid President’s adorably positive attitude. Robby left the stage briefly. Brad spoke about how the idea for the videos came about. The character Kid President grew out of the idea that individuals — especially kids — can change the world and make it better. “The cool thing for us is when people watch our videos and then go do something,” Novak said. Kid President’s first pep talk video was all about encouragement. He wanted his videos to be positive and humorous at the same time.

“Don’t stop believing,” Kid President said in his video. “Unless your dream is stupid.” Between bits of life advice, Montague frequently interjected with comic relief to keep the audience entertained. It wasn’t your typical motivational speaker event. The casual and playful aura made the performance both enjoyable and meaningful. Though it seemed nearly impossible to dislike Kid President, he does have Internet haters. However, Montague didn’t seem phased. He talked about a time when he and Novak sent a picture of them eating a corn dog to an Internet troll. “Take a chance and hug the haters,” he said. Montague said he enjoys giving people the outlet to spread

happiness through Kid President’s videos. They asked their viewers to submit videos of them doing silly things like laughing, dancing or giving someone a corn dog. Kid President unintentionally started a flood of mass corn dog-giving among their viewers. The duo also started Socktober, in which individuals collected socks during October to hand out to the homeless. The event started off as nationwide, but spread until every continent in the world hosted a Socktober event this past year. “All we did was give people permission, the idea,” Montague said. Later on, Novak and Montague threw an “aggressively positive” rap battle in which the audience created raps on the spot for volunteers.

As these volunteers introduced themselves, Novak showed off his snazzy dance moves in the background with the occasional side comment of “Awesome!” and “Aw, yeah.” At the end of the battle, Novak handed all the volunteers and rappers a bag of corn dogs. Business administration freshman Miranda Ho was impressed with Kid President’s performance. “For a kid his age, he is very mature, yet he is still able to spark the inner child in many adults,” Ho said. “I really liked the messages and energy of the event. The concepts Brad and Robby talked about placed me in a different perspective.” As Kid President would say, it’s everybody’s duty to give the world a reason to dance.

Monday, March 2, 2015

OPINION | 7

MUSTANG NEWS

Piping up on Keystone XL

Graphic Arts Building Building 26, Suite 226 California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 93407

Eric Stubben @ericstubben

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

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

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Eric Stubben is a mechanical engineering junior and Mustang News conservative columnist. These views do not necessarily reflect the opinion or editorial coverage of Mustang News. My past Friday night wasn’t spent like most others. Rather than good friends, good music and good times, my evening was filled with reading the 27-page State Department executive summary on its findings regarding the Keystone XL Pipeline project. As Michelle Obama might suggest, “Turn up, for what?” Last week’s presidential veto of Keystone XL wasn’t surprising, to say the least. Per his past promises and citing environmental concerns, President Barack Obama killed the Pipeline bill just hours after it arrived at his desk. But after reading the State Department’s executive summary (published in 2011), I’m beginning to doubt whether the president and I read the same document. For those who aren’t exactly sure what the Keystone XL Pipeline project is, here’s a short summary: A 1,179-mile pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta, will meet the current Keystone Pipeline in Steele City, Nebraska, in an effort to quickly route more crude oil to Gulf Coast refineries. The current Keystone Pipeline pumps 550,000 barrels of crude oil per day from Canada to the Gulf Coast. If the Keystone XL Pipeline is approved, roughly 830,000 barrels of crude oil will be pumped from Alberta to the Gulf Coast. As with any major construction process, environmental concerns quickly arise with its development. Over the course of the nearly 1,200 miles, the pipeline would be placed underground, crossing several rivers, streams and miles of plains. After weeks of research on and monitoring Keystone XL, I found one key aspect of this entire project most striking. It is meticulously and carefully planned down to the most specific details. Dozens of organizations and government departments have devoted significant amounts of time and resources into risk mitigation and accident prevention. From the most basic emission estimates to plans for how to deal with Indigenous Peoples’ land conflicts, the Keystone XL Pipeline project is one of the most thorough and complete projects I have ever seen run through Congress.

Though many complain the Keystone XL debate is complicated, it truly comes down to two pieces: the environment and the economy. Can they coexist? Does one outweigh the other? Or will government gridlock continue to halt this project in its tracks? Let’s take a look. Protecting the environment I love majestic mountains, healthy trees and a strong-yielding crop. I’m not one to disagree that the environment should be protected, but at what cost? Environmental arguments over the Keystone XL pipeline seem to be unjustified and out of line. As with any pipeline, leaks and spilling are main concerns. But after sophisticated government modeling, the State Department report refutes the likelihood of a major environmental crisis from a Keystone XL Pipeline failure. It states: “In most cases, the oil from a small leak would likely remain within or near the pipeline trench where it could be contained and cleaned up after recovery.” The report also suggests that larger spills would be containable so long as they did not reach migration pathways such as streams, steep slopes or drainage ditches. Anticipating possible environmental concerns during the building of the pipeline, the State Department report includes a series of recommendations and safety nets to prevent major catastrophes. The plan implements a “horizontal directional drilling method,” which forces the pipeline to run under wetland and stream areas to minimize the chance of leaked oil entering water supplies. Speaking of water supplies, a major environmental concern of the pipeline is the risk it poses to the Northern High Plains Aquifer System (NHPA). The aquifer supplies 78 percent of public water and 83 percent of irrigation water in the state of Nebraska, as well as 30 percent of the United States’ entire irrigation and agricultural water supply. After a complete spill incident model was completed, the State Department concluded, “In no spill incident would the entire Northern Plains High Aquifer be adversely affected.” Though there are minor risks for parts of the aquifer becoming affected, the report points to plans to reroute the water without much flow disturbance. The pipeline project also places heavy emphasis on quick replacement of native vegetation and agricultural land after construction completion. A heavy focus would be placed on minimizing erosion and replacing grasses for wildlife and livestock. Overall, environmental concerns are val-

The Right Angle id, but the pipeline project takes in careful consideration to protect the environment and to transport oil as safely and efficiently as possible. Bolstering the economy The bulk of Republican support for the Keystone XL Pipeline lies in its economic benefits and “shovel-ready” jobs. Though the nearly $7 billion price tag on Keystone XL is high, much of the money will be plugged directly back into the American economy in the form of materials, supplies, easements, engineering and permitting. Though some outlets like to point to predictions that model only 35 direct long-term jobs created from the project, the immediate impact is what stands out. Approval of the Keystone XL pipeline is estimated to result in 5,000 to 6,000 construction jobs totaling anywhere from $344 to $419 million in wages. The State Department report seems to also back the idea that the Keystone XL Pipeline could create a profound long-term economic impact. It states: “Operation of the proposed project would also result in long-term to permanent beneficial socioeconomic impacts, including employment and income benefits resulting from long-term hires and local operating expenditures and increased property tax revenues.” Following that statement, the report projects a generation of $140.5 million annually in property tax revenues directly from the pipeline. Job incentives and tax revenues alone should be more than enough reason to proceed with the signing of the Keystone XL pipeline, especially for a president who heralds himself on promoting “economic recovery.” Finding a solution Alternative solutions have been suggested, two of which the State Department aptly

names the “No Action Alternative” and “System Alternative.” As one would expect, the No Action Alternative is simply what has been done thus far. With crude oil demand expected to rise in the Gulf Coast over the next 10 years, this lack of action would not meet the Gulf Coast’s need. The State Department “does not regard the No Action Alternative to be preferable to the proposed project.” The System Alternative would use currently in-place minor pipelines, tank trucks and railroad cars to fulfill the oil need. However, trucking adds congestions to our nation’s major highways, especially at international border crossings. Rail cars add more emissions than a pipeline ever would and have significant safety concerns. Hauling oil by truck or rail is far more dangerous than crude oil flowing through an underground pipe. A solution on the Keystone XL pipeline can be reached, but compromise must be made. The State Department recommends only minor route alternatives for safer construction and risk mitigation. Other political outlets have even suggested partnering with Canada on a deal that benefits both countries. With Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s lax environmental policy, President Obama could consider a package deal that conditionally approves the Keystone XL Pipeline in exchange for Canada meeting certain environmental guidelines similar to President Obama’s recent environmental deal with China. With the new Republican Congressional majority and a push for Congressional action, approval of Keystone XL is a perfect place to begin. Compromise must be made and the pipeline must be approved. Canada will produce and transport the oil regardless of our actions, but will we provide the pipeline that ensures it will be transported safely across American soil?

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Monday, March 2, 2015

New Year, New Goals! Start Your Graduate Degree at APU.

DAVID E. HOLMES | COURTESY PHOTO NAILBITER | Senior guard Ariana Elegado’s 24 points were not enough to complete a comeback against UC Irvine.

Women’s basketball upset by UC Irvine

Mustang News Staff Report @ CPMustangSports

In a game against an opponent it should have defeated, the Cal Poly women’s basketball team was upset by eighth-place UC Irvine on Saturday. The Anteaters were propelled to an 84-75 victory largely thanks to 44 first-half points, shooting 19-for-35 in the first 20 minutes. In the same frame, the Mustangs were held to just 19 points. The second half was a different story, as Cal Poly (1413, 9-6 Big West Conference) tried to close the 25-point halftime deficit. The Mustangs were up to the task, nearly tripling their firsthalf score and dropping 56 sec-

ond-half points. Senior guard Ariana Elegado led the charge, cutting the lead down to 70-66 with just over four minutes left to play. The Anteaters (7-22, 4-10) stifled the comeback before it was too late, hitting big shots at the conclusion of the game to maintain their advantage to the final whistle. Elegado finished with a teamhigh 24 points, while sophomore forward Hannah Gilbert ended up with a double-double, adding 10 points and 10 rebounds. Cal Poly, sitting in third place, is still in a good position heading into the Big West Tournament. However, the Mustangs are just half a game ahead of Long Beach State and UC Davis, both of which have two games to play,

while Cal Poly has just one. Cal Poly concludes its regular season on March 7 at 2 p.m. in Mott Athletics Center against UC Santa Barbara. The Gauchos have struggled this season, going just 2-25 overall and 2-12 in conference play. The Mustangs cruised to a 56-41 victory in their first match in the Thunderdome. The final game will determine whether or not Cal Poly holds on to the No. 3 seed in the Big West Tournament. Depending on the results in the Long Beach State and UC Davis games, the Mustangs could fall as low as No. 5. As was evident in Saturday’s game, the Big West is deep with talent. When the tournament starts, anything can happen.

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SPORTS | 10

Monday, March 2, 2015

Men’s basketball falls to first-place UC Davis Erik Chu @chu_erik

In a disappointing Senior Night for senior guards Maliik Love and Michael Bolden, the Cal Poly men’s basketball team lost its third consecutive game in a 66-56 defeat at home against UC Davis. The Aggies (22-5, 12-2 Big West Conference) entered the game in first place in the Big West and as the No. 1 3-point shooting team in the country. UC Davis also has star guard Corey Hawkins, the Big West’s leading scorer at 20 points per game. On the other hand, the Mustangs’ two consecutive losses this past week dropped them to seventh place in the conference. To have a chance to pull an upset against the Aggies, the Mustangs (13-14, 6-9) needed a fast start. Sophomore guard Ridge Shipley led the charge and continued his hot shooting. In his two previous games against UC Riverside and UC Irvine, Shipley totaled 15 and 20 points. Shipley started the game with back-to-back 3-pointers off of pick-and-rolls with junior forward Brian Bennett. Lack of focus and intensity on the defensive end let the Mustangs’ fast start go to waste. Cal Poly had trouble defending the interior of its 2-3 matchup zone. The Aggies penetrated the Cal Poly defense and converted many easy layups. “We either have a turnover or a drought and they score, and you can feel the energy lost and the disappointment,” head coach Joe Callero said. “Our team thinks a little too much. I’m trying to get our guys a little more into a primal mode, which is stop thinking and compete a little more.” The lapse in defense allowed the Aggies to go on a run to take a 26-19 advantage with 2:51 remaining in the first half. A 3-pointer by junior forward Joel Awich on the right wing brought the Mustangs within six. Cal Poly had multiple turnovers, leading to fast break baskets for the Aggies. UC Davis shot an impressive 52 percent from the field in the first half on 12-for-23 shooting. Going into halftime, the Mustangs trailed 30-22. In the second frame, Cal Poly had no answer for Aggies senior guard Josh Ritchart. Utilizing pump fakes and pivots in the low post, as well as a lethal 3-point shot, Ritchart scored

nine straight points to extend the Aggies’ lead to 39-27 with 15:25 remaining in the second half. Hawkins would add another transition 3-pointer to extend the Mustangs’ deficit to 15. In order to increase the tempo and intensity for his team, Callero implemented a fullcourt trapping press. The increased pressure allowed Love and Awich to wreak havoc on the Aggies offense. On one key play, Love picked Hawkins’ pocket and threw a one-handed underhand lob to a trailing Awich, who then slammed home the lob to cut the Davis lead to 47-33 with 10:19 remaining. “I’ve never thrown an oop like that before, so that definitely has got to go down as the No. 1 assist at my time at Cal Poly,” Love said. The highlight reel play energized the Mustangs and started a 6-0 run to close the gap to 47-37. Sharpshooting Aggies senior guard Tyler Les responded with a deep 3-pointer from the left wing to stop the Cal Poly run and extend the lead back to 13 with 8:29 left. The Mustangs continued to fight back. Threepointers by Shipley and Bolden brought the Mustangs within eight points with 2:44 remaining, but the deficit was simply too large to overcome. UC Davis cruised to a 66-56 victory, finishing the game shooting 55.8 percent on 24-for-43 shooting from the field. “They’re a good team, good guard play, good bigs as well,” Bolden said. “The whole conference is very strong, so you got to play everybody like the best team in the conference.” Shipley finished the game with a team-leading 16 points on 6-for-13 shooting. Love finished his last game at Mott Athletics Center with 11 points on 5-for-9 shooting with four rebounds and four assists. “I love Cal Poly, love the fans, love the community,” Love concluded. “It’s been a great five years, and I thank everybody for their support throughout my career.” Cal Poly closes the 2014-15 regular season on the road at UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, March 7. “The key is to be able to move on,” Callero IAN BILLINGS | MUSTANG NE WS concluded. “Our faces are a little numb when teams respond to us, so the No. 1 cure is rest.” RETURN | Back from illness, junior guard David Nwaba registered eight points in the Mustangs’ final home game.