22nd ANNUAL
OPEN HOUSE APRIL 16–18
2015
THIS IS THE
MUSTANG NATION
Thursday, April 16, 2015
OPEN HOUSE | 2
Top 5 things to do at Open House Madi Salvati
@MadiSalvati
ANDREW EPPERSON | MUSTANG NE WS DON’T MISS
| Along with the tours students and parents embark on during Open House weekend, prospective Mustangs are welcome to attend events that will familiarize them with the Cal Poly community.
The sun is shining, tractors are being pulled and the pungent smell of the dairy unit wafts through campus. This time of year at Cal Poly marks Open House. This year, the sequence of events is entertaining and extensive. To help you navigate festivities, here is a handful of main events you won’t want to miss. 1. The 75th Poly Royal Rodeo Since 1940, this event has been a staple at Cal Poly. It’s the largest college rodeo west of the Mississippi, and competitors from all over the region come to compete. With barrel racing, goat tying and a variety of other events, the Poly Royal Rodeo is an authentic experience on campus. Agricultural business senior
Jake Rogers, Associated Students, Inc. chief of staff, explained what an experience the rodeo truly is. “It’s a different side of Cal Poly that a lot of people don’t see,” Rogers said. “It’s a fun environment, and I would definitely encourage people to check it out.” The rodeo will be held on Friday, April 17, at 6 p.m. and Saturday, April 18, at 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online. 2. Tractor Pull If you enjoy big machines, the smell of exhaust and a whole lot of dirt, check out the Poly Royal Tractor Pull happening on Saturday, April 18, at 1 p.m. What exactly is a tractor pull, you ask? Josie Odello, the apparel co-chair for the pull event,
shed some light. “A rigged-up tractor (not your ordinary tractor) is hooked to a sled,” Odello said. “As the tractor pulls the sled down the track, a weight on the sled moves forward, causing the sled to go deeper into the ground, which makes it heavier for the tractor to pull. The goal is to see who can get the farthest down the track.” The Tractor Pull has become another tradition for Cal Poly, and it not only shows off the school’s tractor innovation skills, but brings the campus together for some entertainment that is unique to Cal Poly. 3. Farmers’ Market It is difficult to imagine San Luis Obispo without its farm-
ers’ market — and what a way to really get a sense of the town if you are visiting Cal Poly for the first time. The Farmers’ Market is a big deal in San Luis Obispo, and English senior Ali Garrison, cochair for Open House, explained why it’s important for potential students to attend. “Farmers’ is always a hit,” Garrison said. “Cal Poly takes over most of Broad Street, and we have a bunch of clubs and organizations out there for students to browse during Open House.” Along with freshly grown veggies, bouquets of sunflowers and delicious tri-tip sandwiches, the Farmers’ Market is a must during Open House. “It’s a cool look into Cal Poly and the community and
how the two meld together,” Garrison said. The Farmers’ Market is on April 16, from 6 to 9 p.m. 4. The Poly Royal Parade The Poly Royal Parade showcases different clubs and organizations that are active at Cal Poly and in the community. The parade is a continuing tradition for Cal Poly and features different floats for each club, the Cal Poly Mustang Band, the Cal Poly cheer/ stunt team and the Cal Poly dance team. The parade will be taking place on a designated route on Saturday, April 18. 5. Club Fair Just when you think you know everything there is to know
about what Cal Poly has to offer, the club fair offers even more options to immerse yourself on campus. “We have about 180 clubs and organizations coming out onto the lower half of campus,” Garrison said. “They sell food, hand out flyers and talk to admitted students and their families.” But you don’t have to be newly admitted to enjoy this club fair. “It’s just a really fun way to see what Cal Poly has to offer,” Garrison said. “I didn’t even know about a lot of the clubs and organizations that will be there, and I’ve been here for four years.” Whether you’ve been a student at Cal Poly or are newly admitted, Open House is a great way to get to know the school and all of its quirks.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
OPEN HOUSE | 3
Not Cal Poly’s first rodeo Jen Silva The Poly Royal rodeo has drawn a crowd for the past 75 years. Though it has changed over time, it has remained an annual tradition. This year, it is back during Open House weekend on April 16-18. “Think about if you’re driving down the highway at 70 mph and you throw the steering wheel out the window,” rodeo team president and biology sophomore Chase Bowen said when describing how he feels while
REBECCA LONDO | COURTESY PHOTO
@jesilva345
partaking in the rodeo. Bowen will compete in the bareback competition at Poly Royal this year. Bareback consists of a random draw of horses, followed by the rider wedging their hand into a belt-type object and riding the horse, Bowen said. “You’re almost at the mercy of the horse,” he said. Poly Royal has always had a strong history. It used to have a line going as far back as Frank’s Hot Dogs, and people were even turned away. “Cal Poly kind of started college rodeo,” Cal Poly rodeo head coach Ben Londo said. “This is part of what makes Cal Poly what it is.” The Cal Poly rodeo team has been working on reminding the school of its roots and how well the rodeo team is ranked nationally. “That’s actually really impressive and the school should be more involved. I think people would think it’s cool; half the people that go here don’t even know about us,“ agricultural communication junior Giuliana Torlai said. Torlai wakes up at 6 a.m. to feed and ride her horses, then goes to class from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Afterward, she goes back to her horses to clean and feed them until 5 p.m., and then goes home to start her homework. Growing up around rodeo helps kids become hard workers, Londo said. Four generations of his family were involved in rodeo, and Londo had been a part of Cal Poly’s team before he graduated. He couldn’t wait to take the opportunity to coach. He encouraged students from any background to get involved. “I didn’t do high school rodeo, but I always had horses,” Torlai said. Students succeed and excel at rodeo even without having previous experience, Torlai said. Rodeo creates strong friendships, while also adding in some healthy competition. “You can be competitive with your friends, but still be happy that they did better than you,” Torlai said. The team goes to competitions frequently and never gets
tired of them. The adrenaline rush from bareback is insane; it never goes away, Bowen said. “It’s kind of like tying yourself to a thousand-pound brick and throwing it off into the ocean,” Bowen said. Londo found his rush from watching his students at the rodeo even more so than competing himself. “I almost get more amped up and nervous and apprehensive watching my students now, more than I ever did,” Londo said. “I didn’t expect that.” Rodeo is a huge part of Londo’s life and life at Cal Poly, he said. The Western way of life should not be forgotten. “When you look at the history of rodeo and you go all the way back to the 1800s, it really was the first sport of America, the western way of life,” Bowen said. To be a part of something that has been shared through so many generations is pretty unique, he said. And the camaraderie shared between the rodeo world is unlike anything he’s ever experienced. “I played a lot of sports, but there was never anyone like the people in rodeo who would always extend what they had to offer to anyone,” Bowen said. Rodeo is a good way to promote and protect Cal Poly’s Learn By Doing approach and strong agricultural background, Londo said. “Rodeo is a large part of what makes America America,” Londo said.
PHOTOS BY JOSEPH PACK | MUSTANG NE WS OLD SCHOOL| Poly Royal has been a tradition at Cal Poly for 75 years.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
OPEN HOUSE | 4
Learn By Doing sways prospective students’ choice Brendan Abrams @brenabrams
The decision to commit to a college might be one of the most important decisions a young adult makes. With that deadline only two weeks away, thousands of potential Cal Poly freshmen are likely thinking of little else. This weekend, many of them will show up on Cal Poly’s doorstep, inundating the university parking lots and listening to Cal Poly sales pitches. What specific factors will make their decisions to attend Cal Poly, as opposed to another highly ranked academic institution? Andrene Kaiwi-Lenting, Cal
Poly’s director of New Student Programs, said more than anything, the Learn By Doing motto is what is most attractive to prospective students. “For our biggest (academic) programs, we’re primarily competing for students who are also looking at UC Berkeley or Davis,” she said. “(Here) they know that they will be getting the chance to practice what they’ve been learning, which is something that I think is completely unique from almost every other university.” Kaiwi-Lenting also said Open House is the school’s major opportunity to really show off that academic philosophy.
Coming to Open House can vinced by Open House alone, but make up the minds of some stu- immediately mentioned Learn dents, she said. By Doing when asked about how “(During Open he made his decision to House), I’ve run attend Cal Poly. into students “The best way who have that I learn said, ‘I is through just went hands-on The best way that I learn is to a UU experience, through hands-on computer, so that was experience, so that was how logged into how I made my choice. my portal my choice,” and said yes he said. CHRIS BARSTA to Cal Poly beUnsurprisingcause you’ve sold ly, academics do not me on why I should account for the entirety come here.’” of most students’ decision-makChris Barta, an aerospace engi- ing processes. The social and exneering freshman, was not con- tracurricular characteristics of
the school are also important. Noah Weitz, a software engineering sophomore, was initially drawn by Cal Poly’s academic reputation and proximity to home, but it was one extracurricular in particular that sealed the deal. “Cal Poly has a great marching band, and that was something I really wanted to stay involved with,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun to go to the sporting events, and it has been a great social opportunity for me. A lot of the band members are engineers, too, which is cool.” Despite being stressed about an approaching deadline for his programming homework, Weitz
enjoys his time at a school with both rigorous academics and opportunities to actively promote school spirit. Of course, much of that opportunity is rooted in the Learn By Doing philosophy. Overwhelmingly, that philosophy is the first thing people refer to when asked about their attendance of Cal Poly. “Many of the alumni that I see throughout my time here share with me how much they still put into practice what they learned at Cal Poly or while being involved on campus,” Kaiwi-Lenting said. “They really attribute their success in their profession to the experience they got here.”
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Thursday, April 16, 2015
OPEN HOUSE | 5
Applicant pool increases as acceptance rates fall Tim Wetzel @timawetzel
Fall 2015 was the most competitive quarter in the admissions office — more than 55,000 freshmen and transfer students applied, beating out last year’s record of just over 51,000. However, just because more students applied does not mean the class will be bigger. Jim Maraviglia, Cal Poly’s associate vice provost for Marketing and Enrollment Development, explained some of the drawbacks of the growing applicant pool. “I think there are extreme degrees of competition,” Maraviglia said. “Obviously we have more applications, but we have about the same number of spaces, so a growing application pool means admissions are more competitive.” Interim University Planning Officer Linda Dalton also said the university needs to think
carefully about numbers. “Having access to equipment and technology sometimes really limits class size to a small number,” said Dalton. “We have a committee looking at enrollment challenges and I think there’s a general consensus that we need to (keep in mind).” Not to worry, you won’t be sharing latex gloves or hair nets with your lab partner — Cal Poly is looking carefully to see if departments are capable of handling more students. “Right now, we’re not planning to increase students,” Maraviglia said. “We have to plan for growth smartly, not for growth’s sake. The only way I see Cal Poly growing is by catching up with infrastructure.” “First and foremost, we need to take care of the faculty who are here,” Maraviglia said. “Second we need (new) staff, third we need resources.” If the admissions office does end up taking in more students,
it’ll pick the growing departments carefully. “Some areas have the demand and capacity to grow more than others, so we wouldn’t be growing just by an even percentage of all programs,” Dalton said. “We look at discipline, demand by the applicants, demand by graduates and other factors first so that all of that will be balanced out.” Cutting back on class size isn’t unheard of. According to the 2014 Cal Poly Fact Book, 2014’s incoming Fall freshman class was smaller than 2013’s, enrolling 209 fewer freshmen. “If we grow without planning, it’ll definitely impact (students’ educations),” Maraviglia said. “We have to grow smart, and we can only grow where there is enough faculty, staff and infrastructure to support growth.” Sitting in a jam-packed classroom wouldn’t be the only problem with a larger Fall 2015
class. Maraviglia is also concerned about teachers’ salaries. “I could only see growth occurring when we have enough faculty, that are hopefully better paid, and staff to support students,” Maraviglia said. “That would be my goal.” However, it’s hard to turn down the incoming herd of bright Mustangs. According to Cal Poly’s Fact Book, the average GPA of enrolled freshmen has been steadily increasing. “When you look at how many students have job offers before they even finish college, it’s pretty hard not to see that we want to try to satisfy more of that demand,” Dalton said. Cal Poly is already a competitive university, but the competition will only continue to increase. The final class size has not been determined, but for now, admitted students can breathe a sigh of relief while listening to their parents fire questions at admissions officers.
FILE PHOTO | MUSTANG NE WS FRESH | Freshmen move in at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year.
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Thursday, April 16, 2015
NEWS | 6
DAKOTA GREENWICH | MUSTANG NE WS DRY TIMES | California is no stranger to droughts, but the current one is out of the ordinary, according to mulitple Cal Poly professors. Much of the water used goes toward agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley.
Drought could get worse, professors say Jen Silva @jesilva345
NASA scientists predict that the likelihood of a 30-year “megadrought” coming in 2050 is growing rapidly. This study gained widespread media coverage and national debate about its accuracy in February. As Californians look ahead to a likely fourth year of drought, Cal Poly researchers say there is a reason to be concerned. A megadrought occurs when
there are approximately 30 years of warm temperatures and low precipitation, Cal Poly geography professor Bill Preston said. Temperature is a critical factor of a drought. The likelihood that California would match up a dry year with a warm year was 50 percent in the last century, Preston said. Because of California’s arid climate, the chance of having a drought has gone up to 80 percent; it is more likely that the very dry year will coincide with
a very warm year. “As a professional, I have a little trouble believing that we’re going to have a 35-year megadrought by 2050 because there’s just no way to know,” Director of Cal Poly’s Irrigation and Training Research Center Stuart Styles said. Researchers have suggested that megadroughts may be the reason past civilizations have collapsed, Styles said. “We haven’t had a megadrought for the last 100 years,”
Styles said. “The truth is, the weather report said it is going to be a thunderstorm this afternoon and I’m looking outside and it’s sunny. Even trying to predict the weather today is very difficult.” The current drought is the most severe one California has had in the past century, associate professor of natural resources management and environmental sciences Chris Surfleet said. “We’re in a part of the globe
where it is drier,” Surfleet said. “It’s kind of to be expected that we’re going to have years with less precipitation.” The real problem is the allocation of water, he said. We have a lot of people and need to be smarter about where our water goes because we don’t have it all the time. “This is worse than normal,” Surfleet said. “Nonetheless, drought is a regular thing in this state. We just have to be careful.” It is time to think about what
happens next and how to help our future, Styles said. “How do we do something in 2015 that is going to impact 2050? More storage. We need to capture the water that does come down,” he said. Agriculture has suffered the most in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Growers have been hit with some of the biggest decreases in their surface water
see DROUGHT, pg 7.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
NEWS | 7
Recommended ways to save water
Use treated water for agriculture DROUGHT continued from pg 6. supply and have been moving toward groundwater, Styles said. We haven’t seen a real drought yet; a real one will last about 1012 years, he said. Ten to 12 years would have a major impact on many growers, which will make them need to change to different crops or stop farming. “People are going to have to change their consumption in water and crops,” Styles said. Experts say another major factor in causing droughts is the climate change. Climate change revolves around the issue of greenhouse gasses, tropical deforestation and many other contributing factors, Preston said. It is not an argument whether or not climate change is occurring, Styles said. “These ice flows in Alaska are melting, and so I went out there to see for myself,” Styles said.
Turn off sprinklers “There’re lots of places where you can go and they’ll show you pictures of what it was in the ’60s, and you look at it now and it’s all bare ground.” The ocean levels rose rapidly by a foot over the last century but suddenly slowed during the last 20 years. This shows that, regardless, there will be big changes in the future, Styles said. “I think everybody has decided (the climate) is changing, things are happening,” Styles said. “It’s going to result in more unstable, erratic conditions.” “What was the normal 50 years ago is not going to be the normal 50 years from now. We’re going to be dealing with higher ocean levels, more ice melting,“ Styles said. “It’s going to lead to more serious conditions for us.” People need to change their water consumption and find new sources of water, he said. “Some of the things that we eat take a tremendous amount of water in the pro-
Eat less beef
cess of production, transportation and consuming. For instance, beef,” Preston said. “If you reorder your culinary habits to other forms of meat, like poultry, you’re actually conserving water.” It is also important to think about drought-tolerant landscaping at home and to be an activist to leaders to say we need to plan for this. Specifically, it’s important to tell them to think about how we’re going to deal with these issues, Surfleet said. “Insist that your representatives at a larger scale implement water conservation measures that are enduring,” Preston said. The most important thing to understand is that there is a future of water shortages because we have maxed out our resources, Styles said. “We’re going to be continuously having shortages in the future,” Styles said. “We’re always going to be up against that limit because we’re up against that limit right now.”
Take shorter showers
Only flush toilet when necessary
Thursday, April 16, 2015
NEWS | 8
Musty the Mustang Facebook account run by student, not administrators
JOSEPH PACK | MUSTANG NE WS CONFUSION | Musty’s Facebook page was shut down because students he had friend requested reported the account to the site’s administrators. His friends told him others thought Musty’s account was being run by university officials.
Samantha Pryor @sammpryor
Disclaimer: The student inside the suit of Cal Poly’s mascot, Musty the Mustang, will be referred to in this article as Michael. His real name cannot be disclosed due to the deep-seeded tradition of the mascot’s identity remaining anonymous. Cal Poly students have re-
ceived Facebook friend requests throughout the year from an account called “Musty the Mustang.” In reality, it’s run by a student named Michael, the man under Musty’s costume at most events where the mascot is present. Cal Poly administrators admitted to combing through students’ social media accounts looking for students who had
attended the party after the St. Fratty’s Day roof collapse on March 7. Michael friend-requested a number of students on Facebook shortly after the party. People reported him to Facebook administrators, thinking the page was being used to gather personal information on them. “(The) Facebook page and
account for Musty the Mustang are in no way connected with the investigation into the March 7 party,” Cal Poly spokesperson Matt Lazier said via email. Facebook shut down Musty’s account due to many reporting it as an inappropriate page. Michael plans to create an entirely new account since his efforts in contacting Facebook have
been unsuccessful. Michael has been the mascot since 2013 and the sole manager of Musty’s social media accounts. He claimed university officials have never had access to them. “I want students to know that administration and athletics have nothing to do with Musty,” he said. “He is all student-run and has always been
student-run.” Ac c ord i ng to Mi cha el, Musty’s social media accounts are passed down from mascot to mascot, and Cal Poly Athletics has no association with the accounts, which include Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
see MUSTY, pg 9.
Thursday, April 16, 2015 MUSTY continued from pg 8.
If Michael wins, he receives scholarship money, a trophy and recognition.
students an interactive way to get to connect with their mascot. Musty’s Facebook account is more than just a “They know it exists,” Michael place to post photos — Misaid. “But they basically have chael also books additional no control; (the mascot) is gigs for Musty through in charge of social media.” Michael added stuFacebook messaging. dents through Musty’s There are certain events Musty is reFacebook account You can’t associate a person quired to attend, to build a fan base. with the mascot because which include footWhen he was apball games, men’s pointed as the maswhoever is under the suit and women’s basketcot by cheer/stunt changes every time, but head coach Anball games, the UCSB nette Laron-Pickett, vs. Cal Poly soccer Musty stays the same. Musty’s social media match, Open House and had not been used in WOW’s (Week of Wel- MICHAEL come) Big Fall Welcome. a while. All other events are optional “I started using it to adverand must be worked around tise Musty more as an ambassador of Cal Poly — it’s building Michael’s schedule. up his character and our school Though the financial aspect “It is all volunteer,” Michael spirit,” he said. is appealing, Michael says he said. “So it’s up to us. SomeIn addition to creating a brand is striving to get Musty’s name times I have to study, so I let for Musty, Michael used social known. He has recently been them know I can’t do the whole media to increase the number following the University of Or- time they’ve requested.” of friends on Musty’s Face- egon’s Duck mascot and adoptHowever, Musty is usually book account in order to com- ing similar initiatives in order available since there is now anpete for a national Capitol One to build up Musty’s status. other person chosen to be the Mascot competition. However, this bump in the mascot alongside Michael. Michael must submit a vid- road will not stop Michael in his The new mascot has a lot of eo showcasing Musty’s role on quest to give campus. The judges will review Musty’s social media to factor into his overall score.
NEWS | 9 promise, according to Michael, but he is still learning the ways of being a mascot and has not yet been given access to the social media accounts. Musty’s traditions must be taught to each new person who becomes the mascot, Michael said. The first tradition is to keep your identity a secret. “It’s easier to mess around with people or interact with people when they don’t know who you are,” he said. “You can’t associate a person with the mascot because whoever is under the suit changes every time, but Musty stays the same.” The only people who know Michael’s actual identity are a couple of friends who found out by accident. His roommates do not know he is the mascot and, for quite some time, Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong did not know either. Other traditions include
adopting Musty’s walk: a choreographed “pimp-type” stride that must be accompanied by the bobbing of the head. Before one can master Musty’s step, they have to become comfortable (or as comfortable as they can possibly be) spending hours in a 30-pound suit, where the temperature inside the suit is about 30 degrees hotter than the temperature outside. “I’ve had people try out to be a mascot, and the first time they get in the suit, they’re done and can’t handle it,” Michael said. “People think it’s easy.” There is a lot more to being the mascot than just smiling for pictures and dominating the field at halftime: accommodating the suit itself is a task all in its own. The suit is one piece in its entirety, but the head is an additional piece and the shoes Musty wears consist of
three pieces. First, Michael dresses Musty before he himself puts on the actual suit. He wears a football helmet under the suit for further protection, which is needed on the days when he encounters a rowdier crowd. “(Adults and students) tend to pull pranks,” he said. “One time, somebody tried to jump over me and it gave me whiplash.” Michael can barely see inside the suit. There is mesh where the teeth are located, and that is his only source of air. Having tunnel vision doesn’t ease the process by any means. All in all, the journey to be the mascot is one that can be strenuous, but it’s overall a gratifying experience. As he prepares to graduate soon, Michael continues to pass down the reigns of Musty’s persona to the new appointed person.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
ARTS | 10
Seattle a cappella quartet
The Bobs to perform at Spanos Theater
LISA WOSKE | COURTESY PHOTO ACA AWESOME
| With three men and one woman, The Bobs boast a unique a cappella vocal blend.
Annie Vainshtein @annievain
Seattle-based a cappella group The Bobs will perform at Spanos Theater on April 18. The quartet, consisting of Richard Greene, Matthew Stull, Dan Schumacher and Angie Doctor, has been around for more than 20 years and performs almost all original songs and arrangements. Cal Poly Arts Director Steve Lerian said The Bobs stand out because of their comedic element.
“They’re not only great singers, but also fantastic humorists,” Lerian said. “It makes it a whole different kind of experience.” In contrast to other a cappella groups, The Bobs approach performance in a more lighthearted, playful manner, Lerian said. “They’re great vocalists, but these guys tend to not take themselves too seriously because they just like to have fun,” he said. “You would be expecting to have a lot of fun when you attend this show.” The blend of their sound is
unique as well. “It’s kind of unusual,” he said. “They have three guys and one woman, which adds an interesting element to the vocals.” The show will hopefully bring in a younger crowd, says Lerian. There are a couple hundred tickets left, and rush tickets will likely sell at the door. Tickets are available online and can be purchased at the door at 20 percent off regular price for students. The show will begin at 8 p.m.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
ARTS | 11
Nostalgia through
neon:
Local professor celebrates small businesses with neon sign art series
DYL AN SUN | MUSTANG NE WS AMERICAN CHARM | Kristopher Doe’s series of neon sign art highlights the character of small businesses in America, a disappearing breed.
Will Peischel @CPMustangArts
Next time your parents visit and bring you to Big Sky Cafe for the obligatory free meal, take a moment to look around between bites of the expensive thing you ordered. If you don’t, you’ll miss the collection of pop culture Americana that warms the room under its fluorescent oil strokes. For the past two years, Cuesta Emeritus College and Allan Hancock College professor Kristopher Doe has meticulously worked and reworked a collection of paintings that illustrate 1960s nostalgia with neon store signs titled “Neon Nation.” Filaments bend and trace along the calligraphy; they lead the eye off the canvas to the imaginary business entrance.
The only thing missing is the stuff ’s kind of disappearing in buzz of ionized gas. our corporate age.” Everything about the works Doe generally works as a are deliberate, but the idea came landscape artist. However, acto Doe through coincicording to colleague and dence. He jourformer studio-mate neyed across the Chris Cuyler, Doe moves United States to help a out of his elI stared noticing in every friend move ement when town I was seeing the same and stumhe sees fit. corporate restaurants everybled upon “He dewhere. So the little mom-andhis next cided to pop places sort of stick out. big project. give abstract All of the a shot,” CuyKRISTOPHER DOE paintings are ler said. “He of actual places went all the way — some local, some to Utah to capture across the country. that with a few large canvases. “I started noticing in every They were landscapes, but more town I was seeing the same abstract. He stepped out of corporate restaurants every- the box.” where,” Doe said. “So the little As a child of the ’60s, Doe mom-and-pop places would couldn’t resist incorporating sort of stick out. Now that the remnants of a fleeting time
into his work. A constant theme for Doe in his exhibit has been daylight. Neon is usually visualized in a nighttime setting, but Doe’s focus is on the daylight shadows such peculiar shapes project. The style gives off a warm-tothe-touch impression. “Looking at the workings, and not only the classic design of the image itself, but I’m fascinated by the tubes and intertwining — the shadows they cast during the daylight hours,” he said. “I have a fascination with the neon signs in conjunction with the classic Americana design.” The time of the mom-andpop business may be increasingly rare in a society driven by big corporations. At least, for the time being, the attitude of small-town hospitality is safe at Big Sky Cafe.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
ARTS | 12
Ira Glass shatters illusions of radio storytelling
ANDREW EPPERSON | MUSTANG NE WS LOUD AND CLEAR | ‘This American Life’ host Ira Glass spoke at the PAC this past Sunday about broadcast journalism.
Frances Griffey
@CPMustangArts
It was pitch black in the auditorium. ing to add to it, or the ideal thing is they say The only light came from a tablet shin- you’re wrong, and then they’ll have an idea ing between the hands of a figure pacing that’s even better than yours. That happens a on stage. Ira Glass’ voice cut through lot,” he said. This method of creating stories has proved the darkness. “The first thing that you have to under- extremely effective, as listeners of his show stand is that it’s radio. That not seeing has can’t seem to turn off the station. a power in and of itself.” “He’s a supreme storyteller,” said Renee Veiled by the shadows, Glass continued Leton, 54, who has been listening to “This to talk about the power of voice in a story American Life” for 12 years. and how sight can sometimes be more of Glass said listener rates are so high because a distraction. of his mastery of narrative tricks, such as Then, the lights turned on. plot-driven stories. The audience saw Glass in the flesh for “That’s my job: to create a situation where the first time and a round of applause you do not turn off the radio,” he said. echoed through the room. A major failure of journalism, Glass said, is “You look different than I thought you the separation of humor and drama. would, too,” Glass said. “In American broadcast journalism, it’s very, As creator and host of award-winning very rare for the funny and the serious to mix radio show “This American Life,” Glass in a single story. Which, if you think about knows how to tell a story. During his talk, it, is weird, because in real life, in the most “Reinventing Radio,” on Sunday evening grave situations a person is in, things do get in the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts very funny sometimes in a weird way,” he said. Center (PAC), he told more than Glass is known for his mixture of a few. Jenna Juday, 32, came humor and drama in stories, to the event not knowand Juday said that makes ing what to expect. him a genuine storyteller. “This was a nice But part of being gensurprise — to actuuine involves finding ally hear him talk real stories — not an That’s my job: to create a about the process easy task. of how they come “It is a disturbingsituation where you do up with their stoly inefficient, messy not turn off the radio. ries,” she said. process,” Glass said. Glass held nothTo find good stories IRA GLASS ing back as he rethat people actually want Radio Personality vealed unknown backto hear, Glass said you have story of his past radio to go out in the world, walk stories, sharing tips, tricks and around and observe. “You have to set aside time in the day and methods he has used to make engaging radio over the past few decades. in the week when you are consciously looking He said one of the main things you at stuff and being in the world and reading have to keep in mind when mak- stuff, thinking about stuff and just noticing ing broadcast journalism is struc- what is interesting to you. That will lead you ture, specifically organizing stories to things,” he said. Glass appears to be gifted in finding interaround plot. “You need forward motion. You need an esting content, and his effective way of telling actual plot and you need the plot to be stories is tried and true. surprising,” Glass said, later comparing One of Glass’ trademarks is his voice, easily plot points with a train heading toward identifiable on the radio. Through his voice its destination. “Then the other thing alone, his personality can be felt by his listenyou need is an idea. There has to be a ers through the speakers. reason for the story to exist; it has to be “I think he has a great voice,” Miller said. about something.” “But also, he’s very bright and friendly and Finding meaning in an idea is of the down-to-earth.” utmost importance, according to Glass. The audience walked away from the PAC He said the best way to uncover the with a better sense of what it takes to be a meaning in a story is to propose one to broadcast journalist and how radio segments the interviewee. are put together. The main takeaway: Glass’ “Ideally, either they’re going to say in a passion and skill for storytelling are unrivaled, nice way that you’re right and they’re go- and can only grow.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
ARTS | 13
Thursday, April 16, 2015
SPORTS | 14
Women’s golf preps for final rounds at Big West Championships
R AY AMBLER | COURTESY PHOTO FOCUS | Freshman Sophia Bergland is second on Cal Poly, averaging just 77 strokes per round this year.
Nick Larson @njlarson8
After months of tournaments throughout the western part of the United States, the Cal Poly women’s golf team will conclude its season at the Big West Conference Championships beginning on April 19. The Mustangs will head north to El Macero Country Club near Davis, California for the three-round competition. Cal Poly boasts a trio of student-athletes — junior Madison Hirsch and freshmen Sophia Bergland and Jamie Binns — who have carried the squad. All three have competed in all 21 rounds for the Mustangs, with Hirsch maintaining the lowest average of 76.8 strokes per round. Bergland and Binns are
close behind, averaging 77 and 77.5 strokes, respectively. Though the Mustangs did not finish in first place in a tournament this year, they finished in the top three in half of their competitions. In October, Cal Poly captured back-to-back third-place finishes at the Santa Clara Colby Invitational and at the Cal Poly Invitational, a tournament the Mustangs hosted at Cypress Ridge Golf Club in Arroyo Grande. In its most recent tournament, the Battle at the Rock at Oak Quarry Golf Club in Riverside, Cal Poly came away with a season-best second-place finish. The Mustangs shot a four-person, three-round each total of 932, 68 over par and 45 strokes behind the first-place finisher, UC Riverside, which blazed through its
local course. The Highlanders were the only other Big West team in the eight-team field. Of the eight tournaments in which Cal Poly has competed, it has finished ahead of Big West opponents seven times, while only finishing behind conference opponents five times. The Mustangs have also finished in the top half of the field in each competition. The Mustangs’ season has not been spectacular, but it has been successful and solid. The overall strong finishes are promising heading into the Big West Championships, a tournament in which Cal Poly will be considered a contender. Schools will take to the tee-box Sunday at El Macero Country Club. The three-day, three-round tournament will conclude on April 21.
Thursday, April 16, 2015 MUSTANG NEWS Graphic Arts Building Building 26, Suite 226 California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
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Cal Poly’s fitness phenomenon Liana Riley @Ri__Li
Liana Riley is a political science sophomore and Mustang News columnist. These views do not necessarily reflect the opinion or editorial coverage of Mustang News.
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“Jordan I need your magical skills.”
OPINION | 15
The city dubbed as the happiest in America, San Luis Obispo is home to breathtaking sunsets, picturesque landscapes and what can be considered a conventionally attractive student body. When I first arrived at Cal Poly in Fall 2013, I had trouble assimilating to the athletic and fitness-oriented culture the school boasts. Everyone seemed to have an inclination for fitness and a common desire to hit the Recreation Center at least three times a week. Meanwhile, I forget my Recreation Center code at least once a quarter and still don’t know how to use the squat rack. I felt an overwhelming pressure digging into my psyche, demanding I complete a minimum of four days per week at the gym. It was a nagging and fruitless effort, a pressure I had yet to experience in my life. When you factor in the excessively greasy dining options at VG Cafe and the lack of food with any basic sustenance on campus, it became increasingly harder to feel like my body was a temple. When food science sophomore Alexandra Christie started her first quarter at Cal Poly, she too experienced a fitness culture shock. “My theory on why Poly is so fit is that since students are so motivated academically; chances are they’re motivated to be fit as well,” she said. Our student body is supposed to emulate the “Hap-
piest City” title that Oprah bestowed upon us, embodying it in the way we interact with one another and increasing the aesthetic appeal of the college. This breeds unrealistic expectations and high ideals for the average young adult, who is still attempting to grasp life as an autonomous being who has to clean their own sheets. And with anxiety and depression becoming such crippling afflictions for college students, it’s no surprise that so many seek solace in trips to the Recreation Center between classes. The implicit and yet dominant force motivating our workouts is the issue at hand, not the act of physical activity itself. It is valuable to find a balance between enduring self love and a desire to continuously grow as a person. Part of me wants to refrain from criticizing our culture because it is the driving force behind so many expeditions to Bishop Peak, hikes to the Serenity Swing and intramural sports. The common culture is to enjoy hiking, running and lifting. Anything to the contrary seems out of place at Cal Poly. We must remember the golden rule: everything in moderation, fitness being no exception. Excessive exercise can lead to obsession, which fosters a preoccupation with body image. We see it on every college campus. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia are becoming widespread phenomena for our age demographic. Body image is so pervasive because: A. The influential status of media on societal norms. B. We’re at an age in which every inch of our bodies can be picked apart, hyper-sexualized and objectified. Body image is based on the so-
Pop and circumstance cial constructions of the feminine and masculine beauty ideals and the skinny versus fat standards of western beauty. And that’s just it — they are called standards for a reason, since everyone feels the pressure to meet them. We should strive to dismantle the fat and skinny dichotomy; doing so is the best way to reme-
dy our narrow perception of the “normal” college student. Could this dissolve some of the aforementioned body image, anxiety and everyday pressures we face on campus? Positive or negative body image is learned, so where we encourage instead of judge is progress toward defeating an impossible standard.
I envy anyone who has reached Oprah-style self-actualization and does not have to strive for this ideal at least somewhat. For almost everyone else, we are attempting to adhere to unattainable criteria. And, inevitably, when we can’t fit the mold, we will internalize it as failure.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
SPORTS | 16
Softball looks to ride momentum to victory over Hawaii
PAUL BRENNEMAN | MUSTANG NE WS DUCKY | Outfielder Emily Ceccacci is the lone senior on a young Cal Poly squad. She is batting .252 in 38 appearances this season, adding one home run and 10 RBIs while striking out just 11 times as the Mustangs’ leadoff hitter.
Harry Chang @harrychangmn
Heading into Big West play last month, the Cal Poly softball team was looking for revitalization — an ignition of sorts to somehow tip the balance of its perfectly even 17-17 nonconference season. What the Mustangs had after their first Big West series was a result that indeed tipped the balance, but in completely the wrong direction. The Mustangs suffered a sweep at the hands of Cal State Northridge, which put them in an early 0-3 cellar to start conference play. Discouraging, yes, but in a season defined by ups and downs, the Mustangs are no strangers to bouncing back. Since losing that series in the final weekend of March, the Mustangs have gotten out to a hot 4-2 start in April, including three wins in their past four games and series wins against UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis.
Cal Poly (4-5 Big West Conference) now sits tied with UC Riverside for fifth place in the conference, but remain just a half-game back of a three-way second-place tie between Cal State Fullerton, Hawaii and Long Beach State, who all sit at 5-4, while Cal State Northridge tops the Big West with a 9-0 record. So where do the Mustangs go from here? It starts with a series against Hawaii at home this coming weekend. Hawaii, which has risen to a 24-18 overall record this year, enters the three-game set coming off of a series at Long Beach State, where it lost two out of three games. The Rainbow Wahine, however, still boast a 59 national RPI ranking, according to the latest NCAA release. Led by sophomore pitcher/first baseman Heather Morales, who has a .330 batting average this season as well as a team-high 27 RBI and 38 hits coming into the weekend series, Hawaii boasts a
.431 team slugging average second only to Cal State Northridge in the Big West. Also figuring to be a large factor offensively for the Rainbow Wahine is fellow sophomore Sarina Jaramillo. The 5-foot-5 shortstop is second on the team with a .316 batting average and has crossed the plate 16 times to score for Hawaii. Jaramillo also has four doubles and 18 RBI. Junior right fielder and leadoff hitter Keiki Carlos, who may end up being the key out for the Mustangs if they wish to minimize runs, rounds out the Hawaii offensive attack. Carlos has 29 runs scored and nine doubles on the year and has been one of the more consistent players in the Big West, starting in all 42 games and collecting a team-high 42 hits while compiling a .311 overall batting average and hurting Big West opponents with a .353 average in conference play. Hawaii head coach Bob Coolen will send a solid pitching rota-
tion to the mound as well, a staff that begins with redshirt freshman Brittany Hitchcock. She is 11-6 overall this year with a 2.55 ERA in 120.2 innings pitched over 24 appearances. Also looking to silence the Mustangs’ bats will be sophomore Kanani Aina Cabrales, who is 12-12 overall with a 2.66 ERA in 134.0 innings pitched. Aina Cabrales has four shutouts on the season and has especially upped her performance of late, recording a 1.81 ERA and a 3-3 record with a shutout already in just six conference starts. Countering with a potent pitching staff of their own, the Mustangs and head coach Jenny Condon are led by reigning Big West Pitcher of the Year, sophomore right-hander Sierra Hyland. Hy l and enters Fr id ay’s matchup with a 16-14 overall record and a Big West-leading 197 strikeouts and 197.1 innings pitched. Hyland’s 197 strikeouts also put her at 16th
among NCAA Division I pitchers and on pace to become just the second player in Cal Poly history to post back-to-back 200-strikeout seasons. Opposing batters are also averaging just .203 against Hyland, opening the door for the Mustangs offense to jump out to an early lead, which is something Courtney Tyler, an All-Big West selection and sophomore right fielder, would love to do. Cal Poly’s leading and most efficient hitter, Tyler, who comes into Friday’s matchup ranked 10th among conference players with a .361 (43-for-119) batting average while leading Cal Poly with 13 multihit games, should figure to be a key component to the Mustangs offense as she’s gotten on base in nearly half of her plate appearances this season. Look for Tyler to disrupt pitchers’ rhythms and increase their pitch count all weekend. The Mustangs, who are 17-2 when outhitting their oppo-
nents this season but just 3-18 when being outhit, will also hope that emerging players like freshman designated player Stephanie Heyward can continue to impress. Heyward is ranked second on Cal Poly with a .330 average and has started 41 of Poly’s 43 games. She’ll bring a seven-game hitting streak into the weekend series as Condon continues to coach up her youngest-ever team, as well as one of the youngest squads in the nation. The Mustangs have seven freshmen, five sophomores and just one senior; however, youth like Heyward has proved it can be a plus for a middle-of-thepack Mustangs team looking for a shot in the arm. Game one of the weekend series is set for Friday at 4 p.m., while Saturday will be a doubleheader with game one scheduled for 2 p.m., followed by a 4 p.m. first pitch for the series’ final game.