Mustang News, Oct. 23, 2018

C A L P O LY S A N LU I S O B I S P O ’ S N E W S S O U R C E

MUSTANG NEWS

IN DEEP

FRATERNITY DISAFFILIATED: BLOODY KNUCKLES, WATER SUBMERSION & ALCOHOL PAGE 5

OCTOBER 23, 2018

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Pismo Pier has new wooden boards, steel piles, water refill and fish cleaning stations, and additional seating.

PISMO PIER REOPENED

EIGHT MONTHS EARLY & UNDER BUDGET

BY SA MA NTH A SP ITZ The updated Pismo Pier made its debut Saturday, Oct. 20 after 18 months of renovations. The pier now has new wooden boards and steel piles, water refill and fish cleaning stations, upgraded water and electrical lines, additional seating and more.

The opening comes eight months ahead of schedule and just in time for the 72nd Annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival.

The pier underwent a complete renovation but still has the same charm and classic beach feel.

“When you walk on the pier, you want it to feel like a retro old pier, and so that’s why we went with wood,” Pismo Beach Senior Engineer Eric Eldridge said. “In Pismo, they’re all about the ‘classic California’ and for us, it’s wood on the pier that completes this look.”

Kazoo Beedo Beedo band member Sandy Davidson performed on a float during the Clam Festival parade and also attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the reopening of the pier.

“I am excited that it is happening — it’s felt like such a long time. We don’t get down here that often so it’s nice to be here today on a perfect Pismo day to see the pier reopening,” Davidson said.

Reconstruction of the pier was originally

supposed to take 30 months. Because the old pier could not support the weight of the crane, the construction crew had to start at the beginning of the pier, moving 15 feet out per week. According to Eldridge, the experienced crew was able to complete 15 feet every four days instead of every seven, which put them months ahead of schedule.

“You can’t be out here without five or six people asking, ‘When’s the pier going to open?’ You realize that anyone who comes to Pismo for a visit walks out onto the pier and it’s been the one thing people haven’t been able to do,” Eldridge said. “I am excited to have it open to the public again.”

According to Pismo Beach City Manager Jim Lewis, the project was estimated to cost $8.8 million, but came in $600,000 under budget. The leftover money will go towards the purchase of two Airstream travel trailers for the pier and other small projects around the pier. Both Airstream trailers will be located on the first diamond of the pier — one being the new visitor center with souvenirs and information and the other one dedicated to vending food and bait.

The funds for the Pier Plaza are financed by a 1 percent Lodging Business Improvement District Assessment on Lodging Rents (rate paid per night).

They are also adding six informational

boards along the length of the pier, with topics ranging from sea animal facts to the history of the pier and of the Chumash Tribe.

Psychology sophomore Matt Reed has lived in Pismo since he was four years-old and said the pier is the landmark of the city.

“Going to the pier was something I did a lot as a kid,” Reed said. “Pismo is supposed to be classic California and the pier is one of the first things that comes to my mind when I think of the city as a whole. It’s good to have the pier back.”

The city’s next plan is to tackle the pier plaza reconstruction. A financial package has been assembled to remove the existing parking lot and bathrooms to build a whole new plaza with new parking, more bathrooms and benches, art, permanent corn hole, a lawn for yoga and a venue for farmer’s markets and concerts.

“We’re really trying to jazz up the plaza area just outside the pier to make it become a living room for our community,” Lewis said.

The plaza design will seek approval at the planning commissions meeting Oct. 23 and then be presented to the council on Nov. 6 to obtain a permit. According to Pismo Beach Mayor Ed Waage, they hope construction will be underway in early 2019 and completed by summer 2019.

Cover Photo Illustration Z AC H D O N N E N FI E LD | M USTA NG NE WS

IN THIS ISSUE

TUESDAY • OCTOBER 23, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

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#MeToo PAGE 4

Shabang PAGE 8

Succulentopia PAGE 11

Chris D’Elia PAGE 13

Women’s Volleyball Freshmen PAGE 14

CITY PARTY REGISTRATION PROGRAM IS HERE TO STAY

3 TUESDAY • OCTOBER 23, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

BY ASHLEY LADIN The San Luis Obispo City Council unanimously approved a permanent Voluntary Party Registration program Tuesday, Oct. 16.

The program, which was piloted last year, allows students and residents to register parties with the San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD) to avoid party-related noise fines.

How it works

Students can register scheduled parties with SLOPD to receive one courtesy dispatch call.

If a resident calls the police with a noise complaint for a registered party, police will call the host and allow 20 minutes for the noise to settle down before any fine is given. The program is designed to help students avoid fines for noise complaints, which start at $350.

To register a party, hosts must be 18 yearsold or older, provide photo ID and fill out an application in-person at SLOPD at least one week prior to the scheduled party. Hosts with noise violations on record within the nine months prior to the application will not be accepted.

The Council’s decision

During the pilot program, which began in May 2017, 99 hosts filled out party registrations. Of the 76 parties approved, there were eight warning calls and only one noise citation.

“We are happy to see how this has been a helpful way to let community members still have parties that are fun, while also communicating with the city and police department to reduce risks,” City Council Member Dan Rivoire said.

Rivoire said he is particularly excited about an online application option that will be available soon. This will make it easier for more students to use the program.

Vice Mayor Carlyn Christianson confirmed every city council member is supportive of the program.

“There have been fewer party complaints and fewer students getting in trouble,” Christianson said. “Students are happy, neighbors are happy and the police department is happy. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Student reactions

Several students were onboard with the idea.

“It’s good because it gives students a fair warning before punishing them, while also letting the city take care of business,” business administration sophomore Wayne Myat said.

“When students are given a simple procedure to follow for complaints, it will work out better for everyone.”

C A RO LY N E SYSM A N S | M USTA N G N EWS

CAL POLY 2ND FOR STUDENT VOTER REGISTRATION

BY C ARLY QUINN Cal Poly has the second highest voter registration among colleges in California, coming in behind only California State University (CSU) Fullerton, in the California University and College Ballot Bowl.

Cal Poly has 1,942 newly registered voters, just behind CSU Fullerton’s 2,097 voters.

CSU Channel Islands comes in third place with 481 voters.

The Ballot Bowl, a college voter registration competition, was started by Sec. of State Alex Padilla in an effort to encourage college students to register to vote. The competition ranges from private schools to community colleges and tracks the number of students in each school who have registered.

Ages 18-24 have the lowest voting rates, according to Pew Research Center.

“The earlier that someone starts to vote, the more likely they are to become a life-

time voter,” San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Reporter Tommy Gong said. “The first step to becoming an engaged citizen is being registered.”

The Flex Your Right campaign, started

by Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) in 2016, promotes registration through presentations during Week of Welcome (WOW), social media and even a campus-wide email from President Jeffrey Armstrong.

Political science senior and ASI President Jasmin Fashami encouraged students to get involved in not only federal and state elections, but local elections as well.

“When we think of elections, we think big. But state and local elections are the ones that really affect you daily, like parking or noise ordinances,” Fashami said. “ As president, I want to emphasize student voices, as we make up 40 percent of the San Luis Obispo population.”

ASI hopes to help the student body realize the importance and impact of participating

in local, statewide and federal government, Fashami said.

They encourage the use of a local address in registration, as any student voters registered in their hometown rather than in San Luis Obispo are ineligible to vote on San Luis Obispo city or county issues.

Out-of-state students are also eligible to vote if they register with their local San Luis Obispo address.

Students on campus are allowed to vote for state and federal elections, but not city elections, since Cal Poly is outside of city limits.

“We are given this amazing opportunity to get involved with our government, so we should take advantage of it,” Fashami said.

“One person can make a difference, and the decisions made now are the ones that will affect us decades down the line.”

Mustang News will host a mayoral debate Oct. 30 at 11 a.m. in the University Union Plaza.

FROM #METOO TO #WHYIDIDN’TREPORT

TUESDAY • OCTOBER 23, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

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THE LOCAL EVOLUTION OF #METOO

BY ISA B EL H U G H E S Trigger warning: sexual assault.

After Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was accused of sexually assaulting Christine Blasey Ford when they were in high school, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Ford and ignited the #WhyIDidn’tReport movement.

In a tweet, President Trump questioned why Ford had not come forward with the allegations earlier.

I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents.

I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!  DONALD J. TRUMP @realDonaldTrump

Following this tweet, survivors of sexual assault and rape flooded the internet with personal accounts and reasons for why they did not report sooner, or at all. Many recounted the trauma they experienced and the difficulty of prosecuting. #WhyIDidn’tReport rose as a nationwide movement roughly one year after the global so-

cial media surge of #MeToo. Looking Back at #MeToo and #TimesUp One year ago, the global #MeToo movement amplified voices of sexual assault and rape survivors. The movement began when actress Alyssa Milano used the hashtag on Twitter in an effort to give survivors a voice.

If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet.  ALYSSA MILANO @Alyssa_Milano

Milano’s tweet came in the wake of sexual abuse allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

The notion of ‘Me Too,’ however, began in 2006, before the dawn of hashtags. Activist and founder of Just Be Inc., Tarana Burke, started the movement centered around people of color in solidarity with other survivors. #MeToo brought the conversation about sexual assault into the purview of the public eye. The “Silence Breakers,” including Burke, who came forward and said #MeToo were named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year in 2017.

In December 2017, following #MeToo, #TimesUp circulated the internet. The related movement was started by more than 1,000 women in the entertainment industry

who collectively published a letter in The New York Times, creating an initiative to stop sexual harassment in the workplace in Hollywood and blue-collar jobs.

The initiative included the establishment of a legal defense fund backed by $13 million to call for more women in leadership positions and assistance for survivors of sexual assault and harassment across all industries.

In January 2018, many actresses, actors and attendees wore all black to The Golden Globes in solidarity with the #TimesUp movement.

The Local Evolution of #MeToo The genesis of #MeToo, #TimesUp and #WhyIDidn’tReport sent ripples that reached San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly.

The Local Impact of #MeToo, #TimesUp and #WhyIDidntReport Since the #MeToo movement, RISE (Rise.

Inspire. Support. Empower.) has seen a 322 percent increase in calls to its sexual assault crisis hotline and an increase in need for their services, according to RISE Executive Director Jennifer Adams.

“The shift that I’m hoping we can start seeing is one from awareness to prevention,” Adams said. I’ve been in this movement for 20 years and #MeToo has really helped take care of that, now people know that it’s a problem.”

Adams also hoped there can be a shift from focusing on how women and girls can protect themselves to focusing on the notion that sexual assault and harassment are un-

acceptable.

She considered San Luis Obispo a “community of first adopters” and said she believed the city can be a leader in the prevention of sexual violence.

Women’s March Organizer Dawn Addis said the Women’s March has served as a catalyst to help people in San Luis Obispo get involved amidst the era of #MeToo, #TimesUp and #WhyIDidntReport. She said sexual assault awareness is among the various things the Women’s March fights for.

“The mission hasn’t changed. The mission has always been to fight for a more positive and just future. What has evolved is that we’re more resolute than ever,” Addis said.

Political science senior Katie Ettl was a part of the March Against Rape Culture and is the vice president of Triota, the feminist activism community and Women’s and Gender Studies society.

In the midst of #MeToo and #TimesUp, Ettl said she constantly heard stories through the media and by word of mouth about people who had been sexually assaulted at Cal Poly.

She said it is essential that, moving forward, these movements reflect the voices that are most oppressed, despite San Luis Obispo’s demographic lacking diversity.

“As we can see with Brett Kavanaugh, as long as there are activists and survivors sharing their stories, we’re helping people to be less afraid. In these movements and in our present time, survivors and their allies are uniting; so no one has to feel alone or ashamed about their story,” Ettl said.

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LAMBDA PHI EPSILON DISAFFILIATED FOR HAZING BLOODIED KNUCKLES, WATER SUBMERSION & ALCOHOL

BY ISA B ELLA PAOLET TO , Q U I NN FIS H, AUSTIN LIN THI CUM Cal Poly’s chapter of the Lambda Phi Epsilon Asian Interest fraternity was suspended for a minimum of two academic years on Thursday, Oct. 18 based on a university investigation into systemic hazing of new pledges in recent years.

The university received anonymous reports that members of the chapter had taken part in the hazing and began the investigation Sept. 28.

It was determined that the fraternity was involved with hazing that included forcing new recruits and pledges to take part in painful or unsafe activities such as knuckle pushups and late-night submersion in the ocean, according to University Spokesperson Matt Lazier. They also made pledges consume large amounts of alcohol and provided mi-

“I know the cultural organizations haze way harder than any [Interfraternity Council] fraternity” nors with access to alcohol.

The university received corroborating testimonies from current and former members of the fraternity.

The university determined that disaffilia-

tion is the only appropriate sanction and the national fraternity has indicated its support for Cal Poly’s findings and sanctions.

The investigation confirmed that the chapter’s recognition is revoked for a minimum of two academic years or until all their past members have graduated. These sanctions are effective immediately.

“It really sucked in the moment, it was the hardest thing ever … but this is something I think everyone knows about. I know the cultural organizations haze way harder than any [Interfraternity Council] fraternity,” a source who personally witnessed the hazing, who requested their anonymity, told Mustang News.

This was one of several sources who spoke to Mustang News about the situation.

The anonymous sources said they had no idea how rough the hazing would be before pledging the fraternity. All anonymous sources said they were left with broken skin and bloodied knuckles. Some said they were left with scars.

Lambda Phi Epsilon has a history of investigations within the university. During Winter 2018, the chapter was placed on social probation for the quarter after they were found to have had alcohol at a recruitment event.

The national Lambda Phi Epsilon organization is the largest Asian-American fraternity in America, according to the chapter’s website, which has since been deleted. The rest of the chapter’s social media was deactivated Friday evening.

Lambda Phi Epsilon has had the most hazing incidents of all Asian-American fraternities, including three deaths, according to The New York Times. Two of the deaths occurred at California State Universities, Cal Poly Pomona and San Francisco State University. All deaths occurred in the last 13 years.

“These actions violated the law and university policies and created unsafe conditions

Lambda Phi Epsilon has had the most hazing incidents of all Asian-American fraternities, including three deaths for new recruits and members,” Lazier wrote.

Lambda Phi Epsilon falls under the umbrella of cultural fraternities and sororities overseen by the United Sorority & Fraternity Council (USFC). The council focuses on fostering unity and diversity within the cultural greek community.

The USFC specific code of conduct guidelines for greek members is not listed on their website and could not be found online.

From Oct. 16 to 18 the USFC, along with the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and the Panhellenic Council, hosted Hazing Prevention Week to bring awareness and prevent hazing within the Greek community.

The week consisted of a victims’ vigil, film

screening, roundtable discussion, training and a professional speaker to teach about hazing prevention. New fraternity or sorority members will also continue to receive training on hazing prevention during their first month in the organization.

Under the Hazing and Conspiracy to Haze section of the Recognized Student Organization Handbook, hazing is described as any method of initiation into an organization, whether associated with the university or not, that would bring physical or mental harm, degradation or disgrace to any student.

Even if a student consents to be hazed, it is still a violation of this section. Being aware of the hazing and doing nothing to stop it is also considered a violation under the Recognized Student Organization Handbook.

Violations of law include any chargeable violation of a federal, state or local law that poses as a threat to the safety or well-being of the campus community. Hazing is also considered unlawful under Penal Code 245.6 in California, which falls under assault and battery.

Under the penal code, hazing that does not result in serious bodily harm is punishable as a misdemeanor with a fine between $100 and $5,000. If the hazing results in serious bodily harm or even death, students can be sentenced to up to a year in county jail.

Lazier said the university cannot comment on or acknowledge any individual student disciplinary actions, due to FERPA protections.

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TUESDAY • OCTOBER 23, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

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ALUM OPENS UP ABOUT LIFE-THREATENING EATING DISORDER

BY MIC HA ELA B AR R O S Her heart stopped beating at 27 years-old.

Denise Solters, now 70, stares at the ocean at Cayucos State Beach with a level of appreciation unmatched by many. Her service dog, Bud, barks for her to throw a stick.

“I didn’t like the attention. I didn’t like being looked at,” Solters says. “I just wanted to be invisible.”

When Denise went into cardiac arrest, she weighed 97 pounds. An overdose on diuretic pills had reduced the volume of her heart until it stopped pumping.

After two shocks from the defibrillator and a handful of luck, she was revived. She spent the next 18 days of her life in a coma. The coma caused significant damage to her cerebellum and she became disabled with affected speech and balance.

She stayed at Loma Linda Hospital for almost a year learning to walk and talk again — as well as recover from a nasty bout of pneumonia.

“Imagine you’re 20 years-old, and in only 7 years, you’ll be disabled,” she said.

When she was 47 years-old, Solters graduated from Cal Poly cum laude with a degree in child development.

“I only took 2 to 3 classes so I’d have time for

AL ISON CHAVEZ | MUSTAN G N EW S

BLUE WATER TASK FORCE HELPING BEACH-GOERS KNOW WHEN WATER IS SAFE

BY SABRINA PASCUA Heading to the beach? The San Luis Obispo Surfrider Foundation chapter wants to inform beach-goers of current bacteria and pollution levels before they make weekend plans.

The Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) is a program within the Surfrider Foundation that tests and monitors water quality throughout San Luis Obispo. Their goal is to identify problem areas in the county that indicate beach and coastal water pollution, then raise environmental awareness by identifying the sources of that pollution.

The San Luis Obispo Health Agency also tests and monitors water quality. But according to San Luis Obispo BWTF Coordinator Niel Dilworth, the county has a different goal than the Surfrider Foundation.

“The county samples places like San Simeon where there is hardly anybody in the water, [which] can help develop a really nice amount of data about the general health of the environment all up and down the coast and the county,” Dilworth said. “What we’re looking at really is sampling places where we’ll have a direct impact on people going into the water.”

Volunteers with the BWTF collect water samples from sites that are considered popular beach spots. Each week, volunteers collect samples from 14 different locations along the Central Coast, from Cayucos Pier to Pismo Beach.

Volunteers then take the water samples to the Central Coast Aquarium for testing, where they are combined with a chemical solution and placed in an incubator to be analyzed later.

The samples are tested for signs of entero-

my walks, but I did it,” Solters said. “I did it with my brain injury. I always wanted to make my mom proud. She always told me to get my education and not depend on a man.”

Her near-death experience inspired her to become an advocate for mental health and body positivity. During her rigorous schooling, she began educating students in nutrition classes at Cal Poly about the dangers of eating disorders. In a Human Sexuality class, she talked about intimacy while having a disability. In elementary school auditoriums, she taught young students about her service dogs.

Solters, a devout Catholic, credits her recovery from her eating disorder to her faith and her service dogs. Her service dogs, therefore, quickly became her life purpose. Solters now spends substantial time in the pool at the Recreation Center doing physical therapy. Her dog Bud paces alongside the pool excitedly as she swims.

She has trained two dogs of her own — Bud and Jetta — and has published two books, “Jetta’s Journey” and “Lessons from Jetta,” which focus on the impact her late dog, Jetta, had on her life.

“She touched me, and made me be nicer to people,” Solters said. “She made me think about other people more than myself. When I had her, it gave me more of a mission in life.”

Solters’ eating disorder has affected her since she was a young girl. She spent a significant portion of her life wearing over-sized clothing to keep her figure from being visible.

At least 30 million people of all genders and ages suffer from an eating disorder in the United States. Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortali-

ty rate of any mental health disorder.

To put this into context, “In 2016 there were 21,306 (Fall 2016). If six percent of that population meet criteria for an eating disorder then that means about 1,278 students on this campus are walking around with an eating disorder,” according to a fact sheet provided by Campus Health and Wellbeing. “In a 2016 Healthy Minds study, they found that six percent of the Cal Poly population met criteria for an eating disorder.”

Solters said one of the worst parts about the disorder was the constant feeling of denial and shame.

“There’s so much denial,” she said. “I denied until I was in a coma. I denied until I was in the coma and they found my pills. My husband broke several of my scales. It is such a hard thing to get over.”

If she were to meet someone struggling with this disorder, Solters said she would want to hug them.

“I feel like I’d say to them, ‘You’re beautiful the way that you are,’” she said. “You don’t have to put yourself through the pain anymore. But you have to let go of your issues and you have to let go of yourself. It’s all control.’”

Bud barks again and she tells him to start digging. He begins panting and shoveling sand behind him at rapid speed as she continues to talk.

She looks out at the ocean one more time.

“My life was hard, but it’s wonderful and I would never trade it, because I got to know Bud and Jetta and touch people’s hearts.”would never trade it, because I got to know Bud and Jetta and touch people’s hearts.”

coccus, a bacteria that indicates fecal waste.

According to Dilworth, Enterococcus also signals the presence of other viruses and pollutants and can lead to infections.

“We’ve had numerous instances here in San Luis Obispo County — particularly related to rain events — where the water quality is upwards of several hundred times the state’s safe[ty] standard for human contact,” Dilworth said. “If you ingested any of that water, you would get ill, and if you happened to be a child or elderly [person] or have a compromised immune system, it could be much worse than the case of the flu.”

The collected data is posted online every Friday. Dilworth said the BWTF wants to help the public make an informed decision about going to the beach.

“Personally … I think there’s more real hazard from bacteria than big fish. The big fish are more predictable,” Dilworth said. “It’s the high bacteria at some of our local beaches that occur more frequently and are potentially more hazardous to a lot more people.”

BWTF volunteer Jenni Metzger said she hopes the collected data will help advocate for solutions to improve water pollution.

“I think getting actual data and collecting data over time will hopefully help with either funding for future projects or it’ll have the proof that some of the agencies need [to prove] that there is something going on and it’s worth doing something [about],” Metzger said.

BLU E WATER TA SK FO RC E | CO U RTESY

A volunteer collects water samples at Avila Beach.

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TUESDAY • OCTOBER 23, 2018 | ARTS | MUSTANG NEWS

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SHABANG

SH U T T H E F U NK U P At the silent disco, guests were wired into headphones and danced away to house music in a jungle-themed corner of the festival

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“They’re too funky to stay in a cage”

AL ISON CHAVEZ | MUSTA N G N EWS

T’was the afternoon of Shabang XI and all through Laguna Lake, vendors and artists were singing and stirring. But at the Funk Safari, there was hardly a shout as they danced to house.

At the silent disco, guests were wired into headphones and danced away to house music in a jungle-themed corner of the festival.

Respect the Funk, a local production company specializing in magazines, videos and events, was behind this “Funk Safari,” which challenged disco-goers to break out of their own personal zoos while maneuvering through vines, bamboo cages, and even a 15-foot inflatable elephant.

This is the second time they have held a Silent Disco at Shabang, and like in the spring, the lines were out the door.

Ariana Filice, a fire dancer and performer from University of California, Santa Barbara, acted as an animal wrangler for dancers dressed as a lion, jaguar and bird.

“The theme is they’re too funky to stay in a cage, they break out and they’re gonna break out onto the platforms where they do their performance solos,” Filice said while supervising the dancers’ makeup routine. “They’re evoking the animal in the audience and evoking the animalistic sides of themselves.”

If the dusty grounds proved to be too wild for attendees, they could seek refuge at The Janky Barge, a bus with 10 Burning Man festivals under its belt. Jenni Fick, a Barge crewmember, said she was proud of the homely-looking vehicle’s features, although some are left unspoken for, like the five different subwoofer speakers on the bottom and back of the bus.

“We also have a full bar inside that we’re not serving right now ‘cause there’s underage kids at this event,” Fick said as she smiled next to the ladder leading to the Barge’s top balcony.

Up there, DJs from KCPR, Respect the Funk and SubSessions live-mixed with their friends.

While the bus teetered back and forth with the weight of its stampeding passengers, a firm grip on the balcony’s railings could keep eyes locked on the rest of Shabang’s festivities happening down below.

Near the shores of Laguna Lake stood the main stage, which featured local bands and musicians like the Breathing Effect, Daisy, .paperman, Rowan McGuire, Depressed Specter, VeryDeadly and Sonoda.

Leven Kali, an up-and-coming R&B artist from Santa Monica, headlined the festival. His energy brought the audience to sing along with his songs and share his excitement.

“Something that I pride myself and we pride ourselves on is the borderless, genre-less, raceless quality to everything we’re doing,” Kali said in an interview. “We could take this show anywhere across the country and across the world and connect with people through music.”

Kali has a growing fan base and collaborates with other artists, including The Internet’s Syd. When it comes to artistic expression, Kali said he believes in being yourself. “[People] definitely know when you’re being honest,” he said. “They can feel it and nothing’s stronger than that.”

9 TUESDAY • OCTOBER 23, 2018 | ARTS | MUSTANG NEWS

WS | MU ST AN G NE AL IS ON CH AV EZ

BY G RANT ANDERSO N

SUCCULENTOPIA Five students from two greenhouses and a love for succulents resulted in the birth of the semi-annual Succulentopia, where students and faculty sold more than 125 kinds of plants Oct. 19-20.

Propagated and grown by students at Cal Poly’s Horticulture Unit, the succulents are a way for the department to embody Learn

By Doing. The idea originally stemmed from horticulture lecturer Mike Bush, who was inspired by “Tomato Mania,” a similar event held every May where students and faculty sell heirloom tomatoes.

“We’ve been growing succulents here at Cal Poly [for] a very long time, but I found the effort had been declining, so about three years ago we started ramping up because of the drought,” Bush said.

This year, there were more than 5,000 plants to choose from, meeting the high demand and popularity of succulents among students and locals.

“We have two greenhouses completely filled with succulents and we are selling all those right now to make room for

more propagation,” agricultural and environmental plant sciences senior Karianne Rydberg said.

Although the horticulture unit has been selling succulents for several years now, they just recently began selling them under the name of “Succulentopia” in May 2018. The money raised goes back to Cal Poly Corporation, funding further student employment through the “Learn

By Doing” motto.

“Our sales were just over $14,000 last year,” Bush said.

This year, those sales are expected to rise due to the flood of succulent lovers seen at the shop this past weekend. The shop contained a variety of plants, ranging from small to large, with prices starting at $4.50.

“I have a lot of the typical plants at home, so I’m trying to find something I haven’t seen before,” business administration alumnus Rachel Robinson said.

The horticulture unit hopes to continue this new tradition, and judging by the overflow of happy customers this weekend, it seems that Succulentopia is here to stay.

EMILY MERTEN | MUSTANG NEWS

COMEDIAN CHRIS D’ELIA

SELLS OUT CHUMASH AUDITORIUM

BY GRA NT ANDERSON

Lines were out the door for stand-up comedian Chris D’Elia’s set in Chumash Auditorium on Wednesday, Oct. 17.

TUESDAY • OCTOBER 23, 2018 | ARTS | MUSTANG NEWS

BY A LLY MAD OL E

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Students could be seen lining up as far back as the dumpsters outside of the Administration building (Building 1).

The 38-year-old comedian, known for his cynical humor and energetic delivery, is

A LIS O N C HAV EZ | MUSTA NG NEWS

notoriously candid in his delivery. D’Elia said he is “not sorry for any of the jokes [he’s] ever made in [his] life,” according to a pinned tweet.

Many attendees were eager to see D’Elia perform stand-up comedy after following his antics on social media and the Netflix special, “Man on Fire.” Near the front of the line stood kinesiology sophomore Tyler Smith, who is a devoted D’Elia fan.

“I’ve listened to his podcasts and followed him on Instagram for five years now,” Smith said.

Smith said he was not worried about how students would react to D’Elia’s stand-up routine, though.

“I think comedy in general can be controversial but you have to take it nonoffensive,” Smith said. “He’s not trying to pick at someone offensively.”

Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) Special Events Student Assistant Joanne Lodato said she was also sure D’Elia’s performance would not sour the audience.

“He’s not homophobic, he’s not racist, his jokes are just funny and making fun of people and I think it was a good fit for our campus because of this,” Lodato said over the phone a few days before the event.

ASI Events booked D’Elia because of his large following with college students.

Lodato said she felt that a comedy show would be a great stress reliever for students taking midterms this week.

Once the Chumash doors opened, the

entire auditorium was filled to its capacity of about 1,000 people. Some were turned away at the door because of the lack of available seating. Fellow comedians Craig Conant and Michael Lanoche, who are friends of D’Elia, opened the night with material ranging from family quips to fart jokes. A projector above the stage captioned all the dialogue of the performers and Lanoche took the opportunity to use as many expletives as he could to have them typed out in real-time.

Then, the unapologetic D’Elia took the spotlight, talking for an hour about the sexual tendencies of dolphins and the mannerisms of waiters who take orders at restaurants. He also gave some insight into his creative process, which involves talking to himself around the house all day until he comes up with funny lines.

At the end of the night, ASI had a surprise for all the guests. Anyone who could find a sticker under their chair had the opportunity to meet with D’Elia backstage along with a friend.

Agricultural business senior Chris Moll said he was quite happy with the performance.

“He’s not afraid to push the boundaries and talk about getting f*cked all the time,” Moll said.

Moll’s friend found a sticker under his seat and the two were able to head backstage to push their own boundaries and chat with the comedian.

TUESDAY • OCTOBER 23, 2018 | OPINION | MUSTANG NEWS

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PUZZLES

CLUES ACROSS 1. Rhythmic patterns 7. Ethical theory 13. Nightclub 14. Upsets 16. Type of railroad 17. Home of The Beatles 19. Political organization 20. Disgraced cyclist Armstrong 22. Seven 23. Enlarges hole 25. Some are big 26. August __, German socialist 28. Unappetizing food 29. Cast out 30. Adult male 31. After uno 33. Midway between northeast and east 34. Kenyan settlement 36. Oxygen deprived 38. British writer

40. Synchronizes solar and lunar time 41. Vehemently expressed 43. Hurt 44. Relative biological effectiveness (abbr.)

45. Gradually weaken 47. Cool!

48. Touch softly 51. Israeli city 53. Indicating silence 55. Protein-rich liquids 56. Tropical Asian plants 58. A very small circular shape 59. Type of wrap 60. Potato state 61. Spinning toy 64. Type of degree 65. Ornamental molding 67. Closes again 69. Verses 70. Rise up

CLUES DOWN 1. Spanish seaport 2. Equal to one quintillion (abbr.)

3. Powders 4. One of the “Great” ones 5. Increase motor speed 6. “E.T.” director 7. Caught sight of 8. Congressional investigative body 9. Aroma 10. Runs without moving 11. Southeast 12. About remembering 13. Slang for famous person 15. Potential criminal 18. Body part 21. All over the place 24. Conqueror 26. Actress Ling 27. Mauna __, Hawaiian volcano 30. Distributes

32. Golfing legend Sam 35. Laos musical instrument 37. Open payment initiative 38. Having no fixed course 39. Type of dog 42. Digital audiotape 43. Hit lightly 46. San Diego ballplayers 47. Stop working 49. Suitable for growing crops 50. Musical groups 52. Soft 54. Lowest point of a ridge 55. Beloved late TNT broadcaster 57. Thin strip to align parts 59. Cardinal number 62. Frozen water 63. One who is incredibly special 66. Rhodium 68. Top lawyer in the land

O BI T UA RY

IN MEMORY OF JORDAN BENJAMIN GRANT

BY JA MES GRAN T The following is submitted by computer engineer freshman Jordan Grant’s parents. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News.

We are unable to breathe without our 18-year-

old son Jordan Grant of Plano, Texas. We struggle to comprehend a world that no longer has his bright smile, compassion and loving heart in it. He was such a good person.

Everyone who met or knew Jordan was blessed with his ready smile, irrepressible laugh and generous heart. His teachers said it best when they wrote, “Jordan was unfail-

ingly kind, helpful and considerate of others.”

He was the friend everyone called when they needed help, or just a shoulder to lean on, day or night. Jordan had great depth for his few years and knew great love.

Jordan lived his entire life in the same home in Plano, Texas and graduated from Plano ISD Academy High School. He lived an extraordi-

nary life in his short 18 years. He grew up surrounded by his mom’s close-knit Plano family who surrounded him with love and adoration. Summers growing up were spent at the Cypress Springs lake house — enjoying July Fourth parades and fireworks with his grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles and bringing continued on page 13

continued from page 12 friends and their families out for weekends of fun and games. The walls of the lake house are filled with pictures of a thoroughly enjoyed, childhood growing up with his cousins and close friends. Jordan loved wake surfing, tubing, racing the Sea-Doo around the lake and driving the boat.

Along with parents Becky and James and his sister Nicole, Jordan traveled widely, enjoying frequent trips to Mexico and the Carib-

dreams. In his three short weeks at Cal Poly, Jordan studied computer engineering and made so many new friends. With curiosity and excitement, he joined as many clubs as possible. He spent a wonderful weekend with the four wheeling Poly Goats Club and with other jeep enthusiasts camping and riding on the Oceano Dunes. Even with the many challenges of starting college, Jordan was generous with his time and made many friends and connections in his short time at Cal Poly.

He had a big heart for those he felt needed some extra comfort, and was quick to say a kind word, or simply smile across the room to brighten someone’s day.

Jordan was excited to sign up to watch the SpaceX rocket launch with the Cal Poly Astronomy Club. He was on Highway 101 going to this event at Vandenberg Air Force Base when his life was tragically taken from us when an SUV pulled out unsafely across his path. Good Samaritans, Ashley De La Vega and Michael Freund heroically rushed to his side and performed CPR in efforts to save Jordan’s life and were holding his hand until the end.

The Cal Poly family held a beautiful Celebration of Life in the center of campus. Student after student stepped forward and shared how Jordan, in such a short period of time, had touched their lives and become their

friend.

Jordan, you will be happy that your closest friends are here to carry you the last few miles as you would have wanted.

Jordan, you will be missed each and every moment by all of your Plano family. You were a bright light and were loved so deeply by your grandparents, Bryan and Ellen Morris.

You were cherished and a friend to all your three aunts, three uncles and nine cousins.

Jordan, you will smile knowing your Canadian aunts and uncles rushed to California and followed you here to Texas to be by your side and to grieve the tragic loss of their favorite Texas nephew. Your Canadian family includes eight aunts, eight uncles and 42 cousins.

Jordan, we will miss you every moment of every day for the rest of our lives. We love you Jordan, we love you, we love you.

In lieu of flowers, Jordan’s family requests that any gifts to honor Jordan be given to the GoFundMe campaign to eliminate the death trap at El Campo and Highway 101 that caused Jordan’s death.

We also request that each of you sign the Change.org petition and forward to everyone you know, including posting on social media, to gather enough voices to affect this change and prevent someone else’s loved one from being taken from them.

OPIN I O N

FOOD INSECURITY ON CAMPUS: IT’S REAL

BY YERVANT MALKHASSIAN Yervant Malkassian is a Mustang News columnist.

The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News.

When I first heard about student food insecurity on campus, I didn’t take it seriously. I thought it must be a joke. I felt spoiled my first year at Cal Poly: I had a comfortable living space, close access to food and a magical student ID to give me all that food. Breakfast, lunch and dinner? Try two of each every day, with multiple snacks in between. Friends coming to visit? I paid for all their meals. Yet despite all this indulgence, my peers and I still had an abundance of plus dollars left near the end of our first year. Food simply arrived at the snap of any freshman’s fingers.

Unfortunately, one in three Cal Poly students does not receive this royal treatment. They may have managed to secure education and (if they’re lucky) housing, but they’re still living meal to meal. Having met financially insecure students, I can understand the importance of being cautious with financial budgeting; after all, schools are only getting more and more costly. But I cannot understand how Cal Poly could allow any student to come to school with an empty stomach. It is completely absurd that students are facing difficulty acquiring the most basic of

human necessities- but Cal Poly can mend this situation effectively.

The solution to student food insecurity begins with the financial mechanics of Cal Poly’s administration. The perpetual cycle of wasted money begins with requiring freshmen to purchase an expensive meal plan. All leftover plus dollars go back to Cal Poly at the end of the year.

They do not rollover to the second year. Many freshmen find themselves with an abundance of leftover plus dollars, even after frequent spending. A common stratagem is to use leftover plus dollars to purchase groceries from Campus Market and Village Market for the next school year.

The flaw with this solution is that many other freshmen partake in this hectic harvest, quickly exhausting campus stores’ supply. Other freshmen may purchase meals for older students. Although charitable, this act is ineffective because the meals are not going to the food-insecure students.

The meal plan system should be altered.

Cal Poly should cut down on the total amount placed into freshman meal plans and redirect the saved money toward battling food insecurity. This would decrease the cost of the mandatory meal plan and therefore make it accessible to more students. The saved money could be directed to stocking the on-campus Food Pantry, where food-insecure students may go to pick up

canned dinners. Additional money could be redirected to promoting student programs battling food insecurity. Freshmen are left with an abundance of leftover plus dollars and food insecure students are left with nothing, so why not alleviate both issues?

Cal Poly students may not be aware of the ongoing food insecurity issues on campus or how they can contribute to the solution. The Mustang Meal Share program is one such solution which has so far gone woefully unnoticed. This program allows students with meal plans to donate as many as 10 meals per academic year, with one meal costing $6.50 (in plus dollars). A donated meal can be used by a food-insecure student at any of the dining locations on campus. The donation method is simple and convenient too: students may fill out a voucher online or in-person expressing how many meals they wish to donate.

Unfortunately, there exists a lack of clarity and knowledge about the Meal Share program. As far as I can tell, the only initiative taken by Cal Poly Housing is to leave a stack of Meal Share vouchers at the front desks of freshman residence halls to collect dust. A poster in the common room of my freshman residence hall marketed the Meal Share program, but not many people noticed.

Cal Poly should form committees to set tables in freshman residence halls and advocate for the

Meal Share program. Emails should be sent out to all freshmen, informing them of the program and encouraging them to participate.

An emerging trend in Cal Poly Student Organizations is the creation of student clubs battling food insecurity. One startup in particular has already established a presence on campus. Swipe Out Hunger at Cal Poly, a new club formed last year, is an entrypoint for all students looking to eradicate student food insecurity. Unlike the Mustang Meal Share program, a meal plan is not needed to join. Swipe Out Hunger aims to educate students on food insecurity and fundraise for the campus Food Pantry and Food Bank.

This wave of philanthropy has proven appealing to students. At the last Club Showcase, Swipe Out Hunger witnessed successful results with the recruitment of 100 new members.

Cal Poly should follow in the path of its students and catalyze community interest in this problem. Whether this is accomplished by promoting student participation in programs like Mustang Meal Share and Swipe Out Hunger or initiating an awareness campaign through email, posters around campus, or highlighting relative information on the Cal Poly website, it is clear that administration needs to follow the leadership of its students. After all, no student should have to struggle with this most basic of needs.

13 TUESDAY • OCTOBER 23, 2018 | OPINION | MUSTANG NEWS

JAMES GRAN T | COU RTESY

bean Islands with a close group of family and friends, as well as Costa Rica, London and Paris, the Beaches of Normandy and Hawai’i to visit Uncle Peter. He loved his annual trips to British Columbia, Canada to visit his dad’s large group of siblings and enjoy the love and warmth they always showered on him. Jordan traveled to B.C. this past June to share his high school graduation and pending college plans.

Jordan treasured his friends and was lucky enough to have a friend group who treasured him equally. He told us he had limited time before college and wanted to do as much as possible with his friends: playing video games, taking trips to Austin, to the lake house (without parents, by request) and to the symphony to hear a live performance of the Jurassic Park soundtrack. During this past year, he completed fixing up his black Mustang GT with carbon fiber throughout and he loved going to Cars and Coffee to shock all with the cracking sound of his two-step, Armytrix custom exhaust (we still don’t understand, but he loved this noise!). This was followed by his buying a wrecked Sahara Wrangler and customizing it to his specs — including fenders, bumpers, lift kit, LED light kits and winch. It was his new ride for college and the dunes.

Jordan was accepted at all colleges he applied to and selected Cal Poly San Luis Obispo as the best school to fulfill his childhood

TUESDAY • OCTOBER 23, 2018 | SPORTS | MUSTANG NEWS

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FOOTBALL’S SPECIAL TEAMS

MAKING AN IMPACT ON THE FIELD

BY F RA N C I S CO M A RT I N E Z & GA RRET T B R O W N Cal Poly Football may have lost to No. 10 UC Davis Saturday night, but the Mustangs’ (2-5, 1-4 Big Sky) special teams are a bright spot in their season.

Football’s special teams consist of specific players to handle any kicking or punting plays, such as senior kicker Casey Sublette, who emerged last season as a consistent threat for the Mustangs. Depending on who you ask, special teams are either one of football’s most important aspects or football’s forgotten feature.

On one end, former University of Southern California coach and inductee to the College Football Hall of Fame John McKay once compared kickers to horse manure.

“They’re all over the place,” McKay said.

On the other end, Pro Football Hall of Fame coach George Allen said”football is onethird offense, one-third defense and one-third special teams.”

However, special teams have been vital in Cal Poly Football’s recent victories. In both of the Mustangs’ victories this season, over Brown and Sacramento State, a player scored a touchdown off of either a punt return or a kickoff return.

Sophomore slotback Broc Mortensen scored off a 99-yard kickoff return against the Bears and junior wide receiver J.J. Koski ran a punt return 56 yards for a touchdown against the Hornets. This is the first time in five seasons that a Mustang has returned a kick or a punt for a touchdown. The last Mustang to score in this fashion was Alex Hubbard, who ran 94 yards against Northern Colorado in 2013.

While it is uncommon for two of the Mustangs’ touchdowns to come this way, special teams coach Dan Ferrigno has not drastically changed his coaching to create these unique scenarios.

“We don’t change the scheme much week by week,” Ferrigno said. “But our techniques are getting better. That contributes as much as anything.”

The rarity of a touchdown coming off a kickoff or punt return requires a perfect storm among all the players on the field.

“Everyone’s doing their own assignment, cause I can only do so much, our line can only do so much,” Koski said. “If everyone does their part, big plays are gonna happen. It’s not up to me, it’s not up to this one guy, so as long as everyone does their part, [big plays] are gonna come.”

While special teams returning plays for touchdowns is still a rare occurrence, Ferrigno wants to continue this developing trend.

“[The returns for touchdowns are] consistent towards what we want,” Ferrigno said. “We want to keep building on this.”

The emotion that comes with scoring a touchdown off a punt or a kickoff is invigorating for the player and his teammates.

“Knowing that I have the ability to make good plays, I think that gives me confidence,” Koski said. “Knowing that I got guys downfield blocking that are gonna block for me on those big plays … it gives me [confidence], as well as our team, and I think that going forward with it, it’s gonna be good for our team.”

DI EG O RI VERA | M USTA N G N EWS

Senior kicker Alex Vega made a 41-yard field goal for the Mustangs against UC Davis Saturday.

PA I D A D V E RT I S E M E N T

PA I D A D V E RT I S E M E N T

BY LAUR EN KOZ I CKI The freshmen of the Cal Poly women’s volleyball team have so far exceeded expectations. Despite being thrust into the challenge of playing for the 2017 Big West Conference champions, the two freshman starters, Avalon DeNecochea and Meredith Phillips, have only added to the Mustangs’ success.

“They had huge roles to fill,” senior outside hitter Adlee Van Winden said. “They stepped up and have obviously executed those tremendously beyond anybody’s expectations.”

Last year, the Mustangs earned their best record in program history at 27-3 and are on track to perform even better with only one loss this season so far. The team is still ranked No. 12 in the nation after continuing an 18game winning streak after weekend wins against CSUN and Long Beach State.

The Mustangs’ success is all the more possible due to the talent of Phillips and DeNecochea, who were both prominent players at their respective high schools.

Setter DeNecochea was a four-year varsity starter for University City High School in San Diego, where she was the team’s MVP for three consecutive years. Since joining the Mustangs, DeNecochea has noticed an increase in her preparation for each match.

“So much mental work goes into everything, we have scouting reports all the time,” DeNecochea said.

This mentality has clearly worked for DeNe-

cochea, who has started in every game this season. DeNecochea is second in the Big West in assists per set with 10.35 and is second in attack percentage for the Mustangs with .348 Middle blocker Phillips, meanwhile, was a four-year varsity starter for Memorial High School in Houston, Texas, where she broke the program record for block-per-season with a total of 196 blocks.

“The speed of volleyball just [goes] so much faster,” Phillips said of the transition from high school to college. The 2018 AT&T Sportnet Player of the Year has started in 63 games for the Mustangs and already has a record of 15 digs, eight solo blocks and 112 kills.

In addition to a faster-paced game, the freshmen have also felt the increased attention in collegiate play. Even with only eight games left in the regular season, Phillips said she still feels nervous every time she hears her name announced as a starter in Mott Athletics Center.

“When I’m standing on the end-line and they call my name ... it’s so surreal. I just take it in every time and I’m like, ‘Wow, all these people are here to watch me play volleyball,’” Phillips said.

Phillips’ emotions ran high during her first match in Mott Athletics Center against UCLA, but she ended up with 18 kills in two matches against the Bruins “It was a big chance to like do something, make a name for ourselves, and I knew that we needed everybody to step up including

me,” Phillips said. “[DeNecochea and Phillips] just did a really good job of composing themselves and kind of moving onto the next ball,” Van Winden said. “If they make an error, they are not the type of players to return to that error. They’re moving forward to get better with every single point.”

Van Winden credited the strength of the Mustangs to the team’s culture and close-knit relationships both on and off the court. The personal connections and relationships outside of Mott Athletics Center allow the team to work cohesively on the court.

“We push each other to grow, we all have these open, communicative relationships,” Van Winden said.

DeNecochea is filling a big role, replacing now-graduated setter Taylor Nelson. Van Winden has noticed similarities in the two starting setters.

“The way they handle themselves on the court, it’s like a consistent, composed person who you can always look to just be that silent leader who you look at in times of worry,” Van Winden said. “And [DeNecochea’s] just good, she’s never going to get too rattled.”

As one of two seniors on the roster this season, Van Winden has been a source of advice for the new Mustangs.

“Trust your skills, there’s pressure, there’s a crowd, there’s tons of information that can be overloading,” Van Winden said.

Fans can expect the freshmen and the rest of

the team to continue to shine at every game.

Cal Poly will look to continue their rampage through the Big West Conference when the team travels to play Hawai’i on Friday, Oct. 26 at 10 p.m. before returning home to host UC Irvine on Tuesday, Oct 30 at 7 p.m.

“I really want to keep our level of intensity,” DeNecochea said. “We’re having a really good season and I want to keep having that every year I’m here.”

DI EG O RI VERA | M USTA N G N EWS

DI EG O RI VERA | M USTA N G N EWS

TUESDAY • OCTOBER 23, 2018 | SPORTS | MUSTANG NEWS

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL FRESHMEN EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

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