Cal Poly’s President went to Capitol Hill. He spoke for just 8 minutes
Congress called President Jeffrey Armstrong to testify for campus antisemitism. He discussed Cal Poly’s efforts to address the issue.
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KCPR PHOTO: A GLIMPSE INTO SHABANG
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PEYTON DUNKLE DIDN’T ALWAYS LOVE TENNIS. NOW SHE’S ONE OF CAL POLY’S GREATEST.
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SATIRE: A GUIDE TO SLO STREET PARKING
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Over the rolling hills of California’s Central Coast, KCPR’s team captured the magic of Shabang. With the musical festival’s growing attendance, bigger headliners and increasing ticket prices, the venue continues to grow each year. KCPR photographers documented the electric atmosphere, from passionate performances to the vibrant crowd.
STORY BY JOE FORRESTDAVIS AND MARLEY LOGAN
DESIGNED BY KENNEDY RAY
Since its introduction in 2014 to the San Luis Obispo music scene, Shabang has expanded the college audience it was founded for.
With growing attendance, bigger headliners and increasing ticket prices, Shabang continues to blossom each year.
Cal Poly finance lecturer Sharon Dobson was among the first to arrive. Once past the entrance, she took a sharp left turn past the various vendors, heading straight to the electronic dance music stage of Funk Safari. DJ sets from headliners Jungle and Kream caught her eye to come back to the festival for another year
as she was ready to rave in broad daylight.
“My philosophy is, there’s no problem, big or small, that can’t be resolved with dancing,” she said among the younger crowd. “You’re never too old to have fun and dance.”
Dobson has been a loyal Shabang patron since its early days, when ticket prices were just $5. Cal Poly students at the time attempted to escape the noise regulations of house shows by heading to Cuesta Ridge for a night of live music.
Dobson continues to attend because she believes in the community of Shabang and music’s ability to create a space outside of the ordinary. She is no longer grading students’ tests but standing beside them as they scream their favorite songs.
The lecturer believes there is magic in “being with people, like-minded, who share a joy, no matter what political or religious beliefs.”
“We are connected and bonded through the music,” Dobson said. “Dance it off.”
The once-empty golf course quickly became packed, as clusters of people filed in to find a spot to see the artists they had bookmarked in their schedule builder, a new feature launched as a part of the Shabang app to help navigate the festival.
With the sinking sun cast upon the Laguna Lake stage, the otherworldly build-up of Slow Pulp’s “Do You Feel It?” consumed the landscape. Launching their set, the indie rock band kept fans’ momentum flowing, with tracks “Slugs” and “Falling Apart,” accompanied by a beach ball hopping throughout the gentle waves of the crowd.
“This place is so beautiful,” Slow Pulp lead singer Emily Massey exclaimed.
As day became night, the festival continued to gleam. The moon was outlined by thin strobes of color for Funk Safari goers, and people in every direction were hushed by the overlapping beats of Jungle’s top hits. There was nothing to do but dance, with the understood silence overcoming a sea of music under an illuminated sky.
The following afternoon, 25-yearold Conner Chapla sat in a white bucket hat overlooking the smallest stage between sets. Chapla flew in from Dayton, Ohio after receiving sponsored advertisements about his favorite bands performing for the festival, but stuck around to discover the stars of the Central Coast.
The pink and purple canopy of the Cuesta Ridge is the hub for the local and indie bands such as Almost Monday and The Kilans.
“It’s neat because I found a lot of artists that I’ve liked so far, like ones that I probably wouldn’t have found otherwise,” Chapla said. “Then obviously seeing my big headliners like Goth Babe and Wallows is really cool too.”
Following Santa Barbara band Big Hungry, who kicked off the Saturday afternoon, San Luis Obispo’s Toad
prepared for their hour-long set after winning Battle of the Bands in April.
For bands like Toad, Shabang is an opportunity to reach outsiders like Chapla, while surrounded by supporters in San Luis Obispo.
A diverse crowd of fans and strangers waited patiently for Toad to begin playing, but most notably, their loved ones were front and center, ready for the big moment.
the coast shared the stage of Cuesta Ridge.
Indie band Almost Monday was among fan favorites, as their San Diego sound brought an eternal summer to the spirit of listeners with songs “Sunburn” and “Jupiter.”
While the festival attracts people from the big cities, it also brings different residents from Central Coast communities, like 23-yearold Santa Barbara resident Emily Calkins.
“My philosophy is, there’s no problem, big or small, that can’t be resolved with dancing. You’re never too old to have fun and dance.”
SHARON DOBSON
Cal Poly finance lecturer
“It means recognition for all the hard work they’ve put in over these four years, where they’ve really been playing so many shows and working so hard to get to where they are right now, that it’s really paid off,” said Sophie Hugh as she looked over at her boyfriend, Casey Brant, on the drums.
In front of Brant was guitarist and lead singer Annie Pagel. The lead singer’s parents, Cal Poly alumni Susan and Darrin Pagel, drove from Roseville for her performance.
“I just think it’s amazing to get to experience music, music is like therapy,” Susan said. “I mean it’s a gift to be a part of it. It’s such a beautiful art, and I mean, what a cool place to experience it.”
Darrin was also in a band during his time as a Mustang. Returning to the Central Coast to watch their daughter perform at the area’s only major music festival was a full-circle moment, they said.
“I love that it converges in the center in such a beautiful place and people from Norcal and Socal,” Susan said, as bands from across
After finishing work on Friday morning, Calkins grabbed her camping to-go bag for her solo getaway weekend. She pitched her tent at the Shabang Campsite of El Chorro Regional Park and began day two of the festival with a yoga class on the University Stage.
“A lot of people just drive through [the Central Coast] on the 101 and I think it’s worth it to stop,” Calkins said, yoga mat in hand. “We got the wildflowers blooming and the weather is almost perfect, so there’s not much to complain about.”
With clouds sitting overhead and wind that had yet to clear, she remarked that the activity was a good way to stay warm, enjoy herself and appreciate all that got her there.
The beauty of the Central Coast was a primary factor for 54-year-old Los Angeles resident Joey Mendelsohn, who visited his son in Santa Barbara before landing in San Luis Obispo for the dawn of Jungle’s DJ set.
“It’s such an eco-friendly festival, they’re so positive,” Mendelsohn said. “It’s a college environment and everyone’s so free and it’s all about what life is.”
And the college environment does not end with Cal Poly students, as word of the festival extends. Daniella Fink, a 20-year-old University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) student, traveled north with her fellow Gaucho friend after she heard about the music festival from other UCSB students.
“It draws together a really niche point of contact between everyone that loves music like this,” Fink said. “It’s very diverse, but at the same time, you’re also relating to people that have the same interest as you, which I think is really interesting.”
Toad’s
For Cal Poly students, the festival is a chance to connect with their classmates in a completely novel setting.
“We only have the opportunity four times in our life to go to a music festival that’s literally just everyone from your school,” said Cal Poly anthropology and geography junior Emily
Goetz.
Acting as a focal point of the festival, a cream tarp was positioned over a wooden stand, drawing in passersby for a moment of creative release amongst the chaos of the crowd. The immense structure was accompanied by various colors of
paint in plastic cups that gave people the opportunity to add whatever artistic declaration they desired to the plain canvas.
The activity was a part of the Open Walls Collective, an initiative started at the University of California, Davis, serving to promote community engagement through art installations in unconventional places.
“Just seeing all these people make artwork together gives me goosebumps,” co-founder Tom Neill said as he rinsed stained paint brushes.
Behind him, a woman was cradled, pressing her paint-covered feet onto the vivid canvas.
From brushstrokes of “Free Yourself” to “Save CP Swim and Dive,” aside the large depictions of the sun and stars in bold colors, the canvas was full of individuality and life in no time, with her pink footprints marking the newest addition.
“It’s been awesome just to kind of step back and honestly just watch it,” Neill said.
Under the same awning, racks of vintage clothing were sold by various vendors, including sister duo Celeste and Marisol of Thrift Joy, a San Diego-based brand that returned to Shabang for a second year.
The sisters particularly love the opportunity for extra time in San Luis Obispo to explore the surrounding areas and coastlines.
This year, they worked to curate their selection more towards the college audience, bringing more
inexpensive clothes to appeal to a large portion of “Shabangers.”
On a hillside overlooking the entrance on one side and the Funk Safari stage on the other, aerialist and San Luis Obispo local Liz Crosby returned to Shabang with the goal of teaching people to walk on each other’s shoulders, after successfully instructing audiences on the art of crowd surfing last year. She brought a team of Cal Poly students to perform on the silks in what she called a passing of the baton for her art form.
Crosby appreciates the excitement surrounding Shabang, comparing it to attending the early days of Coachella. Unlike most mainstream music festivals, Shabang continues to mature in parallel to its audience, generation after generation.
Festival attire remains a prominent part of the Shabang experience, as people spend weeks planning and curating their perfect festival outfit. However, for some, the decision of what to wear is not only easy but obvious.
Nate Cunningham and friend Corey Messner thought the festival presented the ideal occasion for him to throw on his red and white striped shirt and beanie, creating a continuous game of “Where’s Waldo” for festival goers.
Cunningham was not the only one with plans to treat the festival as a mini costume party, considering various people dressed as Waldo and another three draped in purple
wizard cloaks flocked around the golf course.
“No matter who the lineup is, it’s a cool thing to come see and get to dress up with my friends,” Cal Poly business student Chloe Ghibanesce said.
Whether wearing long flowing skirts and chain belts on the walk to listen to the indie tunes of Laguna Lake or in pashminas and sunglasses in spirit of the Funk Safari stage, groups of students frolicked throughout the grass, passing vendor booths, face painting and the food trucks parked amid the movement.
As the Shabang clock began to run dry, Briston Maroney looked at the crowd, knowing there were just hours left before everyone had to return to real life.
“Can we just scream because we are here, and we’re alive?” Maroney asked, igniting a chorus in the thousands of people packed into the Laguna Lake crowd.
When Dylan Minnette of Wallows took the stage in the final moments of Shabang 2025, he also had one request.
He asked each person in the crowd to dance more vibrantly than they ever had before, and that they did.
As the first chord of “Are You Bored Yet?” rang out under the blue and purple lights, unity rang out with it. ever had before, and that they did.
As the first chord of “Are You Bored Yet?” rang out under the blue and purple lights, unity rang out with it.
AIDAN DILLON | MUSTANG NEWS
A fan in the crowd gets a better look at the stage during Slow Pulp’s performance.
STORY BY DYLAN WHITE DESIGNED BY AUDREY WALCH
Design Village celebrated its 50th anniversary with the theme “Nexus,” representing “a link or series of links connecting two or more things.”
The event, which began in 1975 as a weekend experiment in structural ingenuity, has evolved into a hallmark Learn-By-Doing tradition that challenges each new generation of students to conquer theory and application, according to Cal Poly archival records.
A steady rain on Saturday made canyon paths muddy channels, giving real-time waterproofing tests to each design. Applied-math senior Eli Clifford made his way to Poly Canyon on Friday along with mechanical engineering senior
Johnny Rourke and soil science senior Rory Burton.
The three formed Team OGMI, short for Origami, a senior team notable for the whole team not being architecture majors.
Although not of the discipline, they took on with eagerness the challenge of creating a structure from ground zero.
“We’re kind of an unorthodox team out here,” Clifford said. “Everybody’s architecture and landscape architecture, so we just like making things.”
Drawing inspiration from his applied-math capstone project on origami tessellations, he described how they constructed a central wall of triangular panels that can either fold flat or rigidly stretch.
They then attached modular sleeping pods for sleeping overnight.
“We’re sleeping in these pods
Something we’ve been doing this year is looking into the history of the event. It really is closely tied to our architecture department’s history and the history of design built here at Cal Poly, which is a really critical part of the school as a whole.
HANNAH HUNTLY Architecture Junior
tonight, rain or shine,” he said, smiling.
Team OGMI entered the contest two years ago, and came back as seniors this year. “It feels like the perfect finishing touch to our college experience.”
Steve Hall, a 1977 architecture graduate and member of The Alliance, stopped by on Saturday morning to view the open house for residents, design professionals and alumni.
The Alliance promotes interdisciplinary learning beyond the university campus, providing grants for first-year material awards, senior project grants, and networking receptions that bring students together with peers and industry professionals.
“It reminds us why we fund these things when you see students not just design but actually inhabit these
buildings,” Hall said.
Hall said while the lessons of Design Village aren’t graded in a traditional sense, their impact lasts well beyond campus.
He added, “It’s not in the classroom, but it will influence how they’ll think once they’re out.” Thinking back on the rain, Hall said, “They learned waterproofing, or rather the lack thereof—and it’s pretty funny to see what’s happening.” He added the unexpected weather served as an impromptu stress test, turning student projects into a live experiment in resilience.
“I always come back whenever I can. Seeing all the effort students put into this, they make it, and then they live there.”
Hannah Huntley, an architecture student and co-president of the Design Village board, also
Students begin preparing pieces of their build to haul up to Poly Canyon, where they will complete the build.
highlighted the event’s highly immersive, student-led nature.
She described how groups manage every stage—beginning with sketching out preliminary designs in the studio, to acquiring and transporting materials a mile into Poly Canyon, culminating in on-site construction.
Additionally, Huntley said, “Something that we’ve been doing this year is looking into the history of the event.”
She emphasized the learning process that starts with lectures on structural design and culminates in
live critiques around campfires.
Participants judge not just appearance but concrete considerations such as shelter, warmth and durability in real environments.
Huntley went on to detail the judging and made clear that construction quality and creativity are the two biggest criteria.
“Judges take into account not only the visual appearance of the building but also function and livability,” she said. For instance, they think about whether the students would feel okay sleeping overnight in the building, taking into consideration aspects
such as warmth and protection.
She added that a majority of the judges are Cal Poly professors who, though they may not come each year, have judged previous competitions, seen builds throughout, or taught the respective class.
Huntley said, “It’s really hard to pick out one building and say ‘this is the best building of all the buildings here.”
Their quality, innovation and livability, including structural integrity, thermal performance and livability in real-world conditions, were judged by Cal Poly faculty members
who include many instructors who have taught the equivalent course or judged past competitions.
A number of Cal Poly and community college groups won awards—Cal Poly’s F8 won for construction, ShortStaffed won for innovation, and S.S. Lotus took home the theme award— while Santa Monica College’s Phage took home the grand prize.
For students who were interpreting the theme “Nexus,” Design Village 2025 provided an opportunity to examine architecture as a means of creating connections among individuals, concepts and places.
Addie Uhl es una columnista de opinión de Mustang News. Las opiniones expressadas en este artículo no necesariamente reflejan las de Mustang Media Group.
ESCRITO POR ADDIE UHL
DISEÑADO POR JULIA HAZEMOTO
Cuando era joven, el verano llevaba un sentimiento de alegría por completo. El verano, significaba comer helados, nadar en las piscinas y no levantarse hasta el mediodía. Significaba un descanso real. Puedo recordar la emoción que tenía en las últimas semanas de escuela, contar las horas hasta que la última campana sonará.Que dulce fue eso.
Ahora, estoy en la universidad, y el verano no lleva tanta buena emoción nunca más. La constante presión de la sociedad de los pasos hacia progresar, me ha cambiado mi perspectiva a lo que significa tener un descanso. Siendo personas jóvenes y estudiantes, estamos en la parte de nuestras vidas donde aprendemos y crecemos más. . Este tiempo es hermoso y no tenemos mucho, y se manifiestan en forma de un descanso. Pero no miramos el verano así. Este sentimiento se me hizo presente al escuchar a mis amigos preocupados sobre sus dificultades en la buscada de internships o trabajos para el verano. El tener en mente a todas horas un currículum hecho y lo que uno debe
tener escrito en él.¿Pero, quién fijó el “debes de”? ¿Quién decido que necesitamos seguir esto? ¿Quién decidió que tenemos que seguir un camino fijo apto para todos?
De hecho, nadie. Nada está dicho explícitamente, pero si implicado. Lo vemos todo el tiempo en los volantes de campus, los correos electrónicos que recibimos, en el nivel de estrés que nos consume al escuchar la palabra verano. Alrededor, siempre hay señales que nos dicen que no debemos dejar ir una oportunidad, porque al hacerlo, todo nuestro trabajo sería en vano. Vivimos en un mundo que valora más el agotamiento académico en lugar del descanso mental. El verano es el momento perfecto para poder explorar nuestras pasiones fuera de escuela, disfrutar los últimos tiempos que tenemos antes de entrar el mundo de “adulto”. Es un tiempo profundo en mi opinión, porque realmente podemos hacer cualquier cosa. ¿Por qué no les parece así a los demás?
Una razón es que la idea de pasos buenos se han convertido en un patrón que sentimos que necesitamos seguir. Por ejemplo, en Cal Poly es conseguir un internship en tu tercer o cuarto año. Supongo
que una vez este tipo de camino académico, le funciono a alguien una vez, pero ahora en vez de ser algo hecho por voluntad propia se normaliza y se volvió en el requisito para todos los estudiantes. El problema es pensar que todo estudiante es igual y su camino académico es uno que les funciona a todos. Todo estudiante aprende diferente y tomará un camino único. Eso es algo bonito, ¿no? Que nuestras diferencias y pasiones nos guiarán a donde estamos destinados a estar. Para mi, lo es, pero a veces esta idea se me escapa. Es difícil pensar de esta manera, a tener fe en sí mismo, tener fe en tu propio camino, en la cara del camino exitoso de otro. La seguridad propia podría desaparase se cuando no estás trabajando en internships o teniendo algún progresimiento profesional. El simple hecho que tu currículum está vacío,y el estar rodeado de otros estudiantes que no estan en el mismo barco, duele r. Hacer comparaciones, eso es muy fácil. Y me di cuenta de que he vuelto muy bien en hacerlo. El pensar que ella está haciendo eso, él consiguió eso, etc. Pero al regresar a la realidad, sé que las personas hacen su propio progreso a su tiempo. El emfasis de hacer algo “serio”en el
verano mientras están en la universidad, creo que es una pérdida de tiempo esencial. No solo es tiempo para descubrir y crecer, sino también para relajarse y descansar.
La cosa rara es que ahora es cuando necesitamos eso más que nunca.
Necesitamos descubrir lo que realmente nos lleva hacia la felicidad.
Necesitamos descansar de todo el trabajo y estrés que viene con la escuela. Pero no aprovechamos la oportunidad que tenemos.
La razón es porque tenemos esta idea en nuestra cultura que nos dice, “Necesitas seguir adelante, necesitas mantener tu velocidad.” Casi es como si descansamos, alguien más tomará nuestro lugar—así es la cultura de prisa. Como el diablo que se disfraza de ángel. Los resultados parecen bien, pero los efectos nos agotan. Las personas no estan creadas para seguir sin parar. Eso es como perder tu fuego interior. Con esta mentalidad de prisa, el verano se siente como un castigo.
Creo que Cal Poly no nos ayuda en este aspecto. No estoy diciendo que el enfocarnos en progreso o que las oportunidades de la escuela sean malas, es más que la escuela no presenta otras opciones que existen. Que un solo camino no es apto
para todo estudiante. De hecho, para muchos de los estudiantes, este camino no hará nada. Las carreras no solo vienen de caminos tradicionales, y creo que un enfoque en ellos podría bajar la individualidad de personas jóvenes, en la manera de expresión, y también en la manera de imaginar. Estamos atrapados en cajas con estructuras absolutas, cuando en realidad, lo mejor usualmente viene fuera de una estructura prefijada. Es necesario saber cómo confiar en tus deseos propios, pasiones, y creatividad la misma que es necesario saber las ecuaciones correctas. ¿Queremos personas que crearán lo nuevo, no seguir lo viejo, verdad? Queremos una generación de innovadores. La innovación pasa en todos los lugares, a veces aun en los descansos. Deberíamos aprovechar al máximo el tiempo que tenemos. El mundo real nos espera, no te preocupes en crearlo. Entonces, los descansos que tenemos, como el verano, son unas de nuestras últimas oportunidades para estar libre. Experimentarlos de verdad, en lugar de vivir solo para el futuro. Quien sabe que podrías encontrar a través de helado, piscinas, y dormir hasta el mediodía.
OPINION BY LANDON BLOCK
DESIGNED BY AUDREY WALCH
News is objective, but people aren’t. People are messy; we have emotions, biases and, worst of all, opinions. We need the news to reflect what’s going on in the world, but we also need opinion journalism to reflect how people are feeling about it.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand the desire and instinct to have everything published in a newspaper crafted to be as neutral as possible. People deserve to draw their own conclusions and shouldn’t be manipulated to always feel a certain way. That seems to have been the major critique of cable news sources, which have increasingly become more sensationalized and polarized. But if we want to create a space for news to be as objective and neutral as possible, we also need to create a space for people to share their opinions. After all, the problem isn’t that we have opinions and biases; the problem is that we’re confusing them with the news.
Still, audience members on social media have complained about some of the views opinion columns have taken. Instagram comments on certain Mustang News opinion posts read “I don’t really like anyone telling
me what I should care about,” “I want to know more about the irrational opinion columnists that the author’s title suggest exist,” “how is this cal poly news” and “My opinion: ‘Opinion’ pieces published by news outlets are weird” and “WTF is this post?!? Just stop already…learn by doing.”
Some went further to attack the political leanings of Mustang News: “no need to post opinion pieces that leans…” and “should you be leaning right or left? Stay credible, don’t lean. You’re not New York Time or New York Post. Just report Cal Poly campus news as you should be.”
What’s the solution to this? I argue it is to dedicate real resources to opinion journalism. Strong opinion sections, like we are working to cultivate at Mustang News, present a perfect opportunity to help share new, pressing and sometimes controversial narratives with the communities most impacted. They can’t give you everything you need (that’s what the other sections are for), but they can give you something you need.
Let’s take a recent controversial policy as a case study: the preparations for Cal Poly’s “Morning on the Green” event to reduce damages and dangerous activity at St. Fratty’s Day celebrations. Mustang News published a traditional news article,
and I supplemented its reporting with an opinion column. Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong soon submitted his own response on the situation and took a harsh stance against my column.
I’ve long held my tongue about these insults to my staff and my section. So now I want to speak up. Not everybody has to agree with every opinion column we publish (not even I do). But if we want to talk about breaking out of our echo chambers and engaging with different types of people, opinion journalism is an easy way to start.
LANDON BLOCK Political Science Junior
While I didn’t directly quote any students in my column, I was far from the only one who spoke out. However, my piece was given the unique platform of Mustang News, so it achieved far greater impact than one person could have achieved through word of mouth or posting on the Cal Poly Snapchat story.
I encourage more people to utilize this platform to share their perspectives. Any member of the Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo community can submit a Letter to the Editor. This year, we’ve published several Letters on various topics, including Cal State’s new AI initiative, the student parent experience and congressional internships.
Contrary to assumptions I’ve encountered, Mustang News often publishes Letters to the Editor even when they explicitly disagree with my own personal views. The AI letter went against my perspective in a previous column after the initiative’s announcement, and President Jeffrey Armstrong’s letter infamously claimed my column included a “thinly veiled threat.”
If I wanted to publish only things I agreed with in my section, or only things I think Cal Poly administration would approve of, things would look very different. The opinion section must run opposing viewpoints
because the audience deserves to hear what real people are thinking. These columns not only help people share their perspective and elevate their communities, but they can also help give a real shot at understanding the “other” side. Whether you’re liberal, conservative, somewhere in the middle or somewhere outside, you are welcome to submit a column.
Opinion journalism should not be anyone’s entire source of news. It has its flaws, as does any other type of media. It heightens personal biases, introduces redundancies, and can be mistaken for objective news. Despite all of these potential shortcomings, I know for a fact that it can have a real impact.
As a senior in high school, I would have never imagined I would be Opinion Editor at an award-winning campus newspaper. But writing one guest column for my high school paper turned into being a recurring contributor for The San Diego Union-Tribune. Next thing I knew, I was here.
So I encourage you to give opinion pieces a chance. Uplift columns you support, hear out ones you might disagree with and consider submitting your own. If we want to understand the world, go to news. If we want to understand each other, go to
Congress called President Jeffrey Armstrong to testify for campus antisemitism. He discussed Cal Poly’s efforts to address the issue.
WASHINGTON D.C. — Cal Poly
President Jeffrey Armstrong took his labeled seat at the wooden desk in the hearing room at 10:16 a.m. Armstrong testified in front of the Committee on Education and Workforce in the hearing, “Beyond the Ivy League: Stopping the Spread of Antisemitism on American Campuses.”
He took his seat as the last witness on the panel, immediately grabbed a plastic water bottle and chugged it. Presidents from Harvard, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania testified in front of the same committee. After the hearing, only MIT’s president remained in their position with the other two leaders ultimately resigning.
In the end, the Republicanmajority committee directed much of its harsh and unrelenting questioning to Haverford College President Wendy Raymond and DePaul University President Robert L. Manuel.
Mustang News counted that Armstrong talked for approximately eight minutes out of the 195 minutes of the hearing. Many of the questions directed to him warranted a yes or no answer with some elaboration. A little over three minutes of his speaking time was his pre-written testimony where he condemned acts of prejudice and bias.
“I’m really glad that we could be here today and really stress the point that antisemitism or any forms of discrimination on campus have no place,” Armstrong told Mustang News after the hearing. “I’m also proud of all the work that our faculty and staff have done to support student success, and they’ve done it over the years. We’re really excited that could be highlighted as well.”
In a hearing recap press release, Armstrong’s name was mentioned
once next to the following quote:
“The October 7th attacks on innocent men, women, and children were horrific. The violence perpetrated that day must be condemned without equivocation. And the targeting of Jewish students on campuses across the U.S. that followed was terrible and unacceptable,” Armstrong said. Armstrong also said the number of Jewish students enrolled at Cal Poly doubled since 2011 and noted “longstanding partnerships” between various Jewish organizations on campus. Student leadership from SLO Hillel and Chabad, including Avi Shapiro and Mia Kaplan Kristensen were present behind Armstrong during the hearing with shiny Cal Poly pins on their jackets.
The people who do not live up to our commitment to prohibit prejudice and bias, we hold them accountable. We do not tolerate threatening activity.
JEFFREY
ARMSTRONG Cal Poly President
He also shared changes to student orientation and employee training to include education about antisemitism and the new Presidential Antisemitism Task Force, which he announced on April 2.
“Our efforts to support Jewish
students and combat antisemitism have made progress, Armstrong said. “I want to emphasize that our goal is continuous improvement. We work to give each student the safest possible environment, free from discrimination and religious intolerance, so they can learn, grow and succeed.”
While the committee’s previous letter noted alleged incidents and protests on Cal Poly’s campus, including a Cal Poly professor disrupting an Israeli speaker and shouting profanities, graffiti with pro-Palestinian messages on campus buildings and a protest blocking the Cal Poly entrance through California Boulevard, the events were minimally brought up by committee members.
The majority of the hearing was focused on Haverford and DePaul’s incidents, including DePaul’s 17-day encampment and Haverford’s removal of Bi-Co Chabad posters around campus.
For the Cal Poly president, most answers were a “yes” or “no,” before turning off his microphone for 30 minutes at a time while his neighboring witnesses on the panel facewd scrutiny.
“This is a matter particularly seriously we have to do better at Cal Poly,” said Armstrong during his opening statement. “The people who do not live up to our commitment to prohibit prejudice and bias, we hold
them accountable. We do not tolerate threatening activity.”
When the Cal Poly president was asked how the university handles discriminatory or antisemitic incidents, Armstrong responded with, “They would immediately be brought in and put through our adjudication processes, with consequences up to and leading to expulsion.”
Committee members like Rep. Elise M. Stefanik (R-NY), Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) and Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) harshly questioned and condemned Raymond and Manuel, threatening to cut federal funding to their respective universities and remove them from their positions.
Armstrong was questioned about the number of Cal Poly students facing discipline for antisemitic conduct after Oct. 7, 2023, and clearly responded that six students were either suspended or on probation.
Raymond, however, declined to state specific numbers or account for investigations into antisemitic actions on Haverford’s campus, which was a focus of many Republicans’ questioning.
Ranking Member Robert C. Scott. (D-VA) criticized the Republican committee members and the Trump administration for holding multiple hearings on antisemitism, but no other minority groups facing discrimination on college campuses.
“Here we are again, complaining
about the problem without offering real solutions, all the while, the administration ignores due process and takes a chainsaw to the Office of Civil Rights, the very office responsible for investigating and addressing antisemitism and putting the Community Relations Service, the Department of Justice, also on the chopping block,” Scott said. “Our priorities must lie with the students.”
Republican committee members thought differently and were insistent on the hearing’s validity in stopping antisemitic actions and protests on college campuses.
“I oppose discrimination of all kinds. Antisemitism, racism, sexism, discrimination of all kinds,” Walberg concluded the hearing. “I believe this committee will stand in that same light, but we’re here today talking about antisemitism that has wrapped up multiple college and university campuses. Remember, this happened before this administration took office. We want it to end.”
Cal Poly’s President received compliments from committee members and small nods about the new Presidential Task Force and Cal Poly’s graduation success.
“You have one of the highest returns on investment for students,” Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) said. “When your graduates get out, they go out to work and make a good return on investment. Thank you for that.”
Now she’s one of
STORY BY JACK BYNUM
DESIGNED BY LIZ RIDLEY
I
f you asked Peyton Dunkle as a kid whether she’d play tennis at Cal Poly, she would’ve laughed. Back then, tennis was just something she participated in, not always willingly. Dunkle enjoyed and excelled in Irish Dance, soccer, and softball, but tennis was always around.
Growing up, it wasn’t about records, titles, or even college. It was a way to compete, spend time with family, and even bring out the occasional argument with her dad and coach Bill Dunkle and older sister Delanie.
Peyton first picked up a racket when she was two. Now at 22, she’s devoted her life to the game, and it’s hard to
imagine she could completely walk away from tennis.
She is now leaving Cal Poly as one of the most decorated players in program history.
Her record boasts 52 wins, the 2024 Big West Champion title, and multiple first-team all-conference singles and doubles accolades. But she wants her legacy as a tennis player to transcend just her wins and losses.
“I want to dedicate these four years at Cal Poly, and my whole tennis career to my dad,” Dunkle said. “He gave everything so my siblings and I could play this game at such a high level.”
After four years with the Mustangs, Peyton is feeling the emotions of her collegiate tennis career coming to a close.
I’m short of words to describe how proud of her I am, as a remarkable player and a person. This is an incredible feat to win that many matches, and it adds to her unbelievable career.
ELLIE EDLES WILLIAMS
Cal Poly Womens’ Tennis Head Coach
“At the beginning of the season, I was like, ‘I won’t be picking up a racket again for a long time,’” Dunkle said. “But as it gets close to the end, I’m going to miss the game and our team so much.”
Her tennis journey began with a fierce competitive drive. And her tennis relationship with her father was sometimes rocky, but she knew it came from a place of love and desire for her to be great.
“Everything came pretty naturally for Peyton; it was about getting her to put the extra effort in to be great in tennis,” Bill Dunkle said. “We bribed her with Lululemon if she played well, we wanted her to find the joy in the sport to keep her going.”
Dunkle grew up 15 minutes from Cal Poly in Arroyo Grande, and it was
always her dream to get as far away from the Central Coast as possible and see the world.
The eventual all-time wins leader did not even consider becoming a Mustang during her recruiting process. And when her sister Delanie committed to Cal Poly, Peyton was even more against the idea of going to Cal Poly.
“I did not want to stay here at all, I had to get away and see the world,” Dunkle said.
Soon after Delanie started her Cal Poly career, Peyton learned more about the team, coaches and culture. Her mind slowly started to shift and soon welcomed the idea of following in her sister’s footsteps.
“I remember the moment that my mind instantly changed,”
Dunkle said. “I was a senior in high school, sitting on the parking garage watching Melissa [LaMette] play, and she was undefeated on the season. I wanted that type of success.”
Peyton looks up to her older sister Delanie, who played five years at Cal Poly. She is remembered as one of the top Cal Poly women’s tennis players with 45 career singles wins and a Big West Championship title.
“Delanie and my dad had an amazing connection on the court, that honestly I was jealous about sometimes,” Dunkle said. “But I learned from her, from them, how to carry myself and how to compete in every match and practice.”
The Dunkle duo formed a partnership in that 2024 Big West Championship run, going 13-6 on the season playing at line No. 1. Looking back, this wouldn’t have been possible.
“It’s funny thinking about the times Delanie and I have had playing tennis, one of us would always end up crying or mad when we were kids,” Dunkle said. “And then last year, the whole reason why I played so hard was to win the championship for the seniors, Delanie and Melissa.”
Dunkle has fought to a 15-3 record in singles play this year. Her most recent victory at home against UC
Irvine was a win that put her over the top and led the program with 52 singles victories.
her face. We’re so proud of her as a tennis player and the woman she’s become.”
What makes the moment of capturing the record even more surreal is that she was able to break the all-time record on Senior Day, her last home match of her career, in front of over 30 long-time supporters of hers, including the whole Dunkle family.
It is so inspiring to see all the work Peyton puts in. With Peyton leaving next year, I am definitely going to have to pretend that she is still here to push me. She has taught me so much about life and being a leader, and I look up to her a lot.
SASHA OZERETS
Cal Poly Womens’ Tennis junior
“We didn’t really bring it up until it was all said and done. But we knew she knew about it and wanted to leave her mark here,” Bill Dunkle said.
“You could see the determination on
“I didn’t really build up this moment in my head, but once I was getting close, I was like ‘Woah, this is big,’” Dunkle said. “I was playing for everyone who was out watching and supporting me.”
For head coach Ellie Edles Williams, it was a surreal moment, she’s coached Peyton since childhood at the San Luis Obispo Country Club, witnessing both her struggles and triumphs.
Williams started her Senior Day speech and, with a huge smile, let everyone know they were looking at the winningest player in Cal Poly history.
“I’m short of words to describe how proud of her I am, as a remarkable player and a person,” Williams said. “This is an incredible feat to win that many matches, and it adds to her unbelievable career.”
Dunkle has been an inspiration to many of her teammates when she takes the court, given her natural ability to compete and drive for winning.
Junior Sasha Ozerets, one of Peyton’s best friends and roommate, has been touched by her greatness.
taught me so much about life and being a leader, and I look up to her a lot.”
Even though Peyton won’t be a current Mustang in 2026, she has left a mark, from lessons to legacy that will far outlive her four years, propelling and excelling the women’s tennis program.
I didn’t really build up this moment in my head, but once I was getting close, I was like ‘Woah, this is big...‘ I was playing for everyone who was out watching and supporting me.
One lesson that Peyton hopes she can pass on to her teammates is the idea of battling and overcoming impostor syndrome.
“When I first got here and started playing in college, there were times I felt like I wasn’t good enough or didn’t have as much belief in myself as I should’ve,” Dunkle said. “If I could go back and tell my younger self anything, I would say to always believe you belong here and are good at tennis.”
With the game of tennis being so much of a mental game, the importance of a leader who has seen ups and downs is essential.
PEYTON DUNKLE Cal Poly Womens’ Tennis senior
“It is so inspiring to see all the work Peyton puts in,” Ozerets said. “With Peyton leaving next year, I am definitely going to have to pretend that she is still here to push me. She has
The message has been working so far, and the growth and confidence within the women’s tennis family help keep the program successful.
“She’s inspirational, I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Peyton since she was a little kid was doing so many other things outside of tennis,” Williams said. “To see her give tennis a chance and achieve everything she has done for the Cal Poly program is wild. Thank you, Peyton.”
STORY BY AMANDA AVILA DESIGNED BY JOLINA CHEN
When Chase Walters stepped on campus five years ago, the 6-foot-4 submarine-style pitcher from Laguna Niguel, California had a different vision of how his college athletic career would play out.
A Cal Poly Baseball commit, he envisioned four years of college ball with the hopes of playing professionally. His only experience with track and field was in his senior year when his club baseball team didn’t allow him to play for his high school.
His first two years at Cal Poly were spent entirely at Baggett Stadium. Day after day, pitch after pitch, he
put in the work. But despite a promising arm with good velocity and movement, something didn’t click.
“I just was never very good,” Walter admitted. “I never was consistent enough pitching-wise to be a guy they could always go to. And I knew that.”
After a difficult freshman and sophomore season, Walter came to a painful realization. The sport that once lit a fire in him, one he had devoted his entire childhood to, was starting to feel like a stranger. He was falling out of love with the only thing he’d ever known.
At the end of that season, he sat down with his coaches during his exit meeting and said something out
loud he never could have imagined. He was quitting baseball.
“I started to get burnt out,” he said. “I asked myself, ‘Why am I still doing this? I’m not having fun anymore.”
Still, the competitive spirit was alive in him. He wanted to compete in college, just not on the diamond. Having self-confidence from his high school track showing, he decided to take a chance.
That fall of 2022, with a brand new track coaching staff in place, Walter sent out introductory emails. That led him to Mohammad Nourani, the sprint coach.
Nourani had heard it all before.
“I’ve heard that story hundreds of times,” Nourani said. “Athletes that didn’t make it in other sports think they can just come over and be good. But for some reason, I looked into him.”
Walter’s high school times caught Nourani’s eye. He offered him a two-week tryout.
“He definitely looked not like a runner,” Nourani said, laughing. “Despite that, he was keeping up with all those guys who ran track for years and years. And he was just as fast as them, even looking really sloppy.”
Walter earned a spot on the track team, competing in both sprints and javelin.
That first year on the track team was a test of humility and resilience for Walter. He had to learn how to sprint and how to use his body in an entirely new way. He suffered a lenghty hamstring injury. And yet, he didn’t back away.
“He always knew he’d make the comeback,” said Chris Baytosh, Walter’s roommate for four years and former baseball teammate. “He’s the most driven person I’ve ever met.
Once he made the switch, nothing was going to stop him.”
By the end of the 2022-2023 season, Walter had become the go-to 400-meter runner. That’s when Nourani gave him the words he never forgot.
This first year, you’ll be good. Next year, you’ll be better. If you come back for a fifth, you’ll be really good.
MOHAMMAD NOURANI
Sprints Coach
“This first year, you’ll be good.”
“Next year, you’ll be better.”
“If you come back for a fifth, you’ll be really good.”
In 2025, Walter opened his fifth outdoor season with a time nearly a second faster than last year, which was already two seconds quicker than the year before. He broke the school’s indoor 600-meter record and earned a top-ten time in the 800 meters.
“Eventually, everyone plateaus,
and it just hasn’t happened for him,” Nourani said. “I don’t even know where this kid can go anymore.”
Walter’s growth had less to do with physical ability and everything to do with his mentality.
“He came in absolutely willing to do whatever it took,” Nourani said.
“Which I didn’t expect from a baseball player.”
The shift from pitcher to sprinter caught his coaches and teammates by surprise. Somewhere along the way, Walter fell in love with the simplicity of the sport.
“Track is just so much more rewarding because you can see the progression,” he said. “In baseball, a great bullpen means nothing in the game. On the track, you run as hard as you can. You can’t really fail.”
Walter didn’t completely leave baseball behind. The mindset shaped by years in the game, influenced by coaches and teammates holding each other accountable, stayed with him. The small habits — arriving early, racking weights, dressing up — instilled a sense of professionalism that he carries to the track.
“I don’t elect team captains, but if I did, it would be him,” Nourani said.
“He leads by example, works the hardest, encourages others to be on time and do the right things off the track. During warmups, everyone goes when Chase goes. It’s that kind of deal.”
Walters is a natural leader on the team. In a sport that can often be about personal records and individual finishes, he stands with his
team-first mentality — another value he brings from baseball.
“You show up early, you grind all day, just because you have something bigger than yourself that you’re
Walters came to Cal Poly as a pitcher but will now finish his career as a sprinter and javelin thrower on the track and field team.
SATIRE BY ERIN YARWOOD
DESIGNED BY JULIA HAZEMOTO
The Monday Manure is a satire column created to find humor in the daily life of Cal Poly students. If you’re looking for news, this is not it. If you’re looking for sports, this is kind of it, because we’re having a ball. Ha. Puns.
Finding parking in San Luis Obispo, especially for a Cal Poly student without a permit, is a daily struggle that tests your patience and creativity. Here’s a ranked breakdown of the most lucky and most desperate parking spots I’ve seen parked in, from worst to best.
7
The Grand Parking Lot (without a permit)
A true gamble. You might make it out unscathed, or you might be greeted by a little yellow envelope under your windshield wiper. If you’re feeling lucky, go for it. Just don’t complain when Cal Poly’s Parking Services tracks you down like the bloodhounds they are. Always remember the ticket doesn’t really count until they’ve denied your appeal.
6
That tight parallel spot on your street
A rare find: a parking spot on your busy street at 10 p.m. What a blessing! But, when you get closer, you recognize that this parallel parking job might be a bit of a squeeze. You get in after giving the curb behind you a hit, and the car in front of you a little kiss. It’s okay, no one saw. Right? You slither away, hoping you’ll be able to get out safely in the morning.
9
In front of your neighbor’s driveway (they can’t get out)
A last-resort move when you’re circling for the tenth time. You tell yourself you’ll move your car in “just a minute,” but that usually turns into an annoyed neighbor knocking on your door the next morning. If you do this more than once a quarter (or at all), you should probably take a look into your soul and work on being a little less selfish.
8
Stenner/Kentucky/ Abbott Street
These streets are full of parallel parking. Every once in a while, you come across a lucky find, but mostly these streets are just places you get your hopes up for before being quickly let down. While driving around these streets, you may become agitated at the three-foot gaps left between cars. Big enough for a smart car, maybe, but not for you. “Learn how to park!” you think to yourself before driving away.
5
The paid parking in front of the Cal Poly Recreation Center
There are only about 30 spots on Perimeter Road. They aren’t free and might all be taken, but at least you know you’re not getting a ticket. It’s the price of convenience, and honestly, sometimes it’s worth it. Just make sure you don’t pull up as class is getting out or you will get caught in a stampede of students.
Blocking your roommate in
Sure, this isn’t ideal, but at least you’re not blocking a stranger. You’ll move your car eventually, or when they bang on your door 10 minutes before their 8 AM class. But, with good roommate communication and a busy group chat, this is not a bad option whatsoever.
The holy grail of free parking near campus… if you time it right. You might need to flip an illegal U-turn to secure a spot or follow someone leaving the rec to their car, but it’s all worth it. For a sweet 90-minute workout at the rec, you don’t have to worry about parking enforcement writing you up for parking in the lot right next to these streets because you couldn’t find a spot anywhere else.
1
Your garage
You lucky duck! If you have a garage in SLO and you get to park in it before your other unworthy roommates, then good for you. No permit to pay for, no scouring the streets at night for a spot, and not even a worry about a bird pooping on your windshield. Good for you! I’m only a little bit jealous. Ok, maybe a lot bit jealous.
In front of your neighbor’s driveway (they can definitely get out)
Ok, so you might be a little in the red, but nothing too drastic. You get out of your car and triple-check that there’s room for your neighbor’s gigantic truck to get through before taking a deep breath and putting the parking brake on. All should be fine, as long as your neighbor isn’t a jerk.
FLO RIDA
JULY 16
CODY JOHNSON
JULY 19
DAVID LEE ROTH
JULY 22
DON FELDER
JULY 25
JON PARDI
JULY 17 311 W/IRATION
JULY 18
JUNTOS
JULY 20
BAILEY ZIMMERMAN
JULY 23
COUNTRY RODEO FINALS
JULY 26
TBA JULY 21
KEITH URBAN
JULY 24
MONSTER TRUCK MADNESS
JULY 27
