Spartan Daily Vol. 161 No. 7

Tuition hike hits San Jose State

By Brandon Nicolas SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Faculty and student-led organizations gathered at the Student Union’s patio area Tuesday evening to voice their concerns regarding a proposal to increase tuition for all students.

The California State University (CSU)

proposed a multi-year tuition increase by 6% each year for five years and would start during the beginning of the 2024 academic year.

Library and information science masters student Trizha Loren Aquino helped organize the Students 4 Fair Tuition Campaign alongside fellow student organization members.

Loren Aquino said the campaign team was founded to promote student discussion and action following the CSU tuition proposal.

“We knew we wanted to do something on campus because it’s a topic that we needed to raise awareness on,” she said.

She said the primary goal for the campaign was to get people interested in

giving a public comment either by email or in person at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach on Sept. 12 to vote on the proposal.

“(Public comments) are the most direct form of public action,” Loren Aquino said. “You can do it in person or online ... we wanted to make sure we got those directions out there somehow.”

Flyers were handed out to students on Seventh Street with a summary of the CSU Board’s proposal and a QR code with information about how to take action. She said SJSU was her first choice for graduate school because it is the cheapest program for her desired degree.

“I was a community college student and

transferred to a four-year university,” she said. “I, from the beginning, have always needed to look for more affordable avenues of education.”

Loren Aquino said she worked fulltime throughout her undergraduate years.

According to the CSU Multi-Year Tuition

TUITION | Page 2

Students talk tuition increase

By Navin Krishnan STAFF WRITER

San Jose State University’s Associated Students established its stance on disapproving the petition created by California State University Chancellor Jolene Koester.

Josh

Community addresses housing

By Angel Santiago STAFF WRITER

The city of San Jose held a housing community meeting in regard to decreasing the cost of housing in San Jose at the Mayfair Community Center on Aug. 31.

Many of those in attendance were low-income families and advocates.

Josh Ishimatsu, acting division manager at the Anti-Displacement Tenant Preference Policy

Team, and Avni Desai, an executive fellow from FUSE, did a presentation on the housing crisis in San Jose.

FUSE is a national non-profit organization that provides support to low-income residents in the South Bay Area.

Ishimatsu and Desai started the meeting by presenting a slideshow of goals city officials are looking to accomplish.

Some of these goals included preventing displacement of lowerincome renters, allowing residents to have

housing choices and making the best use of scarce publicly-funded affordable housing.

In one of the slides, it stated that up to 35% of all restricted affordable units otherwise available to the general public.

These units aim to help low-income families by lowering the cost of housing and preventing the loss of housing.

District 5 resident Angelica Flores, said there is a lot of housing construction around her and is at risk of losing her home.

“I am at high risk where there are so many construction projects (East San Jose),” Flores said. “I live in a duplex in which there is no preference, no protection and my situation is risky.”

Flores, who works for a small contract-creating business, also said more than half of her salary goes to her rent.

Ishimatsu did not describe what the 35% statistic represented.

Elizabeth AgramontJustiniano, an advocate

HOUSING | Page 2

The petition’s purpose is to increase tuition by 6% every year between 2024-2029.

The CSU is the nation’s largest and most diverse four-year university system which includes SJSU.

On July 9, the Cal State Student Association (CSSA) voted unanimously against the proposal.

The CSSA is a student collaboration consisting of over 450,000 student government representatives, according to its website.

The petition, called the “Multi-Year Tuition Proposal,” would invest in faculty and staff, provide safe, modern and sustainable facilities, invest in high-demand academic programs,

strategically grow resident enrollment and cover required operational cost increases, according to information presented by the CSU Board of Student Representatives on July 9. SJSU Associated Students President and CEO Sarab Multani said the CSU Board of Trustees will most likely vote in favor of passing the petition.

Multani said CSU Board of Trustees will meet in Long Beach, Sept. 10-13, where it will debate whether to oppose the tuition increase. Students will have access to the meetings via zoom and will have the opportunity to comment on a live public forum on Sept. 12.

“I’ll be honest with you. Realistically, this is going through,” Multani said. “[The Board of Trustees] definitely could have been more professional, more collaborative and more cooperative.

A.S. MEETING | Page 2

BRANDON NICOLAS | SPARTAN DAILY

CFA San Jose chapter president Ray Buyco (left) and racial and social justice representative Chris Cox (right) speak at an event on the patio of the Student Union on Tuesday.

ANGEL SANTIAGO | SPARTAN DAILY

Ishimatsu speaks at a community meeting about a decrease in housing costs on Thursday afternoon.

HOUSING

Continued from page 1

from the Sacred Heart Housing Action Committee said she came to the meeting to understand a little more about the housing crisis and find ways to support her local community.

Sacred Heart Housing Action Committee is a community service organization that combats poverty and helps change economic laws in Santa Clara County.

“I really care about our community and making sure that our community is not displaced because displacement eviction, being unhoused predominantly and disproportionately affects people of color,” Agramont-Justiniano said.

Agramont-Justiniano said there are many low-income residents in San Jose who come from different marginalized groups, including multiple BIPOC communities, the LGBTQ+ community,

TUITION

Continued from page 1

Proposal, nearly 60% of undergraduate students enrolled in the CSU system have the full cost of their tuition covered by grants or waivers.

The California State Student Association (CSSA) is a studentled organization that strives to improve the lives of CSU students by advocating for student needs and engaging students in system-wide, state, and federal higher education policy making, according to its bio.

Estevan Guzman, the director of legislative affairs for Associated Students and political science and government sophomore, said the proposal for tuition increase by the CSU Board has been on CSSA’s radar for the past three months.

“Throughout this time, I have seen a lack of consideration for students,” he said.

The plan proposed by the CSU raises the cost of a full-time student’s annual

A.S. MEETING

Continued from page 1

They definitely could have made more of an effort for students to be aware of what’s going on.”

Multani said the original idea for the tuition increase was not going to affect certain students, including those who were using the financial aid program.

He also expressed personal concern about the petition, saying his family is middle-class and he does not qualify for financial aid.

“They make just above the threshold, so I don’t get financial aid assistance, but what that means for me is that my family helps me with tuition, food and living expenses,” Multani said.

Associated Students

Director of Internal Affairs Katelyn Gambarin

veterans and people with different mental health issues.

“I feel really passionate about protecting our community and making sure that it truly is a

tuition from $5,742 to $7,682 by 2028, according to a CSU webpage.

“(California State Student Association) is taking active steps to make our voices heard, but we require all of you to be active and voice your own personal experiences for us to win,” Guzman said.

History senior John Duroyan is a member of Students for a Democratic Society SJSU and spoke at the event.

Students for a Democratic Society SJSU is a progressive studentactivist organization that tackles social and economic issues, according to their Instagram bio.

“While many students are knee deep in debt, we are barely given any relief,” he said. “And instead of extending a helping hand, we are saddled with ridiculous measures like this tuition.”

Duroyan said students have already paid thousands of dollars for tuition while enduring the high cost of living in the city.

“(The proposal) is a

said SJSU has always presented itself as a minority-serving campus.

Gambarin argues that the old ways of middleclass students being able to afford tuition may no longer be the case with this new petition in place.

“A majority of our students are international students, undocumented students and students of middle class and historically students of different backgrounds have been able to afford education,” Gambarin said.

Multani also said that international students and undocumented students are the most negatively impacted of those students affected by this situation.

“They’re students in America, in an American system, in an American institution, in the most diverse and inclusive, and the biggest college system in America,”

place where we all belong,” she said.

San Jose’s City Council approved Senate Bill 649 and is now moving the bill forward to the state capital and

blatant attempt of pinning students against faculty, and a poor attempt at that,” he said.

Duroyan said the CSU Board should be able to meet faculty demands without placing burdens on students.

“Students for a Democratic Society SJSU condemn this 6% proposed tuition hike by the Board,” he said. “We see that this tuition will do nothing but hurt students while putting money into the pockets of administration members who do not care for their students, faculty and staff.”

Sociology Lecturer

Chris Cox is the California Faculty Association (CFA) representative for racial and social justice.

According to its bio, the CFA is a union of 29,000 professors, lecturers, librarians, counselors and coaches working toward transforming higher education into a more inclusive environment.

“The CSU has money in its figurative bank account ... it can pay its bills,” Cox said. “It does not need to short-change us to pay its bills.”

Multani said. “If we’re going to sit here and act like international students aren’t a vital part of CSUs, then we’ve failed.”

Associated Students Director of Legislative Affairs Estevan Guzman said there is a massive budget deficit.

“We are below budget by almost $1 billion,” Guzman said. ”A lot of our campus has aging buildings at San Jose State. We do have the oldest campus throughout all of the CSUs.”

Multani said he isn’t calling the proposal unnecessary, as SJSU is in a huge deficit, but the Chancellor’s actions aren’t favored by the student body.

“A five-year, 30% increase is just ridiculous,” Multani said.

Statistically, this increases drastically from a revenue of $148 million to a cumulative estimate of $840 million after five years.

attempting to make it an official law.

Agramont-Justiniano said it’s crucial for community members to be aware of changes regarding prevalent topics

like housing. “It’s so important for members in the community to come to events like this, to be involved and to learn about the policies

that are being shaped that will impact their lives,” AgramontJustiniano said.

Agramont-Justiniano said she hopes everyone can get the opportunity to have their voices heard by representatives, city council members and anyone who has the authority to influence and improve housing in San Jose.

“It’s hard, it’s a sacrifice a lot of people who are like working by families, other obligations or taking care of like loved ones. That’s so important that we come here and that we show up and that we let her voice be known to the housing department, to our city councils, to the mayor,” Agramont-Justiniano said.

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He said the CSU needs to rework its system if it wants to increase enrollment rates of both undergraduate and graduate students.

“The people who are studying should be able to get a high quality education and walk out of here without 20 years of student loan debts hanging over their heads,” Cox said.

He said the proposal follows a trend of individuals at the top of

the CSU Board of Trustees running the CSU system as if it were part of the corporate world.

“Be careful to not fall so quickly for whatever game they want to play ... we all have to be mindful and do our homework,” he said. “When they say ‘There is no money,’ we have to ask, ‘Is that right?”

The event came to a close as Trizha Loren Aquino offered instructions on how to give a public comment.

“Giving a public comment is a space to make your voice heard,” she said. “Share your thoughts, opinions and your story because these are all things that are vital at providing input on policies that are going to affect all of us.”

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Multani said he would have made different decisions if he were the chancellor. He also said the students who are going to be affected by the tuition increase need more financial aid.

“If we don’t [oppose] this, our CSU could crumble,” Multani said. “Money is an integral part of running a foundation and an institution. I think there should be a more strategic way to come up with a compromise.

”The CSU Board of Trustees will revote on Sept. 11 to decide whether or not to approve the petition.

BRANDON NICOLAS | SPARTAN DAILY Community members gather by the Student Union to address concerns about tuition.

ANGEL SANTIAGO SPARTAN DAILY

An audience listens to speakers at a meeting to address a potential decrease in housing costs on Thursday afternoon.

Queen Bey invites Silicon Valley to her Renaissance

By Bojana Cvijic SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

It almost didn’t feel real seeing Beyoncé live for the third time at her sold-out Levi’s stadium “RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR” show, but then again, when you’re at a Beyoncé show, nothing ever truly feels like it’s real. I can still remember when I saw the tour kicked off in Stockholm, Sweden earlier this year. I was constantly watching every video I could about the tour – from what outfits she wore and what songs she performed, to how each show almost always felt different.

It made the date for the show in Santa Clara feel so far away, but “RENAISSANCE” came and swiftly went.

On that day as I’m standing and waiting for her to come on stage, the anticipation doesn’t really hit me, only until the sky darkens.

All of a sudden a large widescreen on the stage engulfs you with an image of Beyoncé lying down in nothing but a fur coat, with her name splashed across the screen.

Suddenly, a rosy-pink sky and blue clouds formed overhead as she slowly came out of the stage in a custom Marc Jacobs ensemble, introducing the concert with one of her more niche songs from her debut album, “Dangerously In Love.”

It’s a carefully crafted song choice, as is everything in a Beyoncé show, a song only her most devoted fans would probably know.

She transitioned into a serenade for the crowd with ballads like “1+1,” “Flaws and All,” and topped the first act off with “I Care.”

Before she leaves the stage, she also makes the distinction and celebrates the honor the City of Santa Clara bestowed upon her by giving her the key to the city and making her honorary Mayor of the day, according to an Aug. 29 ABC7 News article.

“You know today’s special because today, I am the mayor,” Beyoncé told the audience laughing as we cheered on what could only be the most iconic mayor the City of Santa Clara has probably ever seen.

All of these songs are not the ones you would think she would go with to open the show in support of the electrifying album that is “RENAISSANCE,” but that’s exactly why she did it.

It’s Beyoncé’s renaissance, and we’re here witnessing her create new peaks for herself, each and every time.

As I stood there along with the rest of thousands of people, I started to cry, until I was full-blown sobbing.

Not only because it’s Beyoncé, not only because of the show and the album, but because of who she is to me and what she represents.

I still remember being a child,

fascinated by her in the “Crazy In Love” music video as she strutted down the street in that iconic sparkly white tank top. “You ready?”

No Beyoncé, I was not ready.

From her album “B’day,” where I would sing along to every word into my imaginary microphone (which was really just my hairbrush),- to her changing the music industry with her self-titled release, to her heartbreaking and radical release with 2016’s “Lemonade,” there isn’t a time I can’t remember where she hasn’t struck me with amazement.

With “RENAISSANCE” I am here as a 28-year-old, a full-grown adult with my full-grown money, watching the show with the same friend who saw Beyoncé’s “The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour” with me ten years ago.

This show was a special time for both of us as we sat there catching up on the last 10 years, with the singer that brought us together again. That’s who Beyoncé is, a uniting force.

A perfect tribute to what the culture surrounding “RENAISSANCE” is, a uniting force.

I could only feel a sensation of being overwhelmed, remembering how she has been with me through thick and thin.

Her music has watched me over the years and has become a part of my growth into the adult that I am now, she’s there on that stage with not a single clue of who I am.

Or who any of us are.

However the opposite is true of her, as she is all we know – her music, her cultural significance and the mark she has left on the world.

You would be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t know who Beyoncé is, even if she means absolutely nothing to a lot of people.

I didn’t have much time to process any of this, as her visuals (which we’re still waiting for the surprise, Beyoncé) started to flicker across the screen as she departed for her first outfit change of the night.

The shimmering silver and chrome animations started to segue into the first song off the album “I’M THAT GIRL.” while Beyoncé arose back on stage, ready to prove to us yet again, that she really is that girl.

“Welcome to the Renaissance,” she politely announces to us, before breaking out into absolutely dazzling choreography with the rest of her dancers.

If one thing’s clear about this show, it is that Beyoncé knows how to pay tribute to what inspires her, which is one of the most brilliant

qualities about who she is as an artist.

The show is a staggering and beautiful tribute to Ballroom culture, a Black and Latinx underground LGBTQ+ culture originating in New York City, according to a June 28 Vogue Magazine article.

These pageants began as a response and a form of protection

for the community from racism experienced in established drag queen circuits in the city.

GRAPHICBYJILLIANDARNELL,CANVA

The competitions would also create “houses,” groups which participantsarepartofhere

participants are part of where relationships are forged when conventional support systems have ostracized them.

Ballroom culture is at the heart of Beyoncé’s live performances, featuring dancers from the scene, forging her own house, “The House of Renaissance,” of which she’s the mother of.

This is her biggest and greatest tribute to the scene and LGBTQ+ community, who have stood by her for the entirety of her career.

It’s also a tribute to her own history with the community, as “RENAISSANCE” is dedicated to the memory of her late Uncle Johnny, her mother’s close confidant and best friend who helped raise Beyoncé and her sister.

This love and homage glimmers throughout the show, as well as in the last two shows I’ve seen Beyoncé perform. Absolute perfection in the details is her standard.

As you watch her perform now, there is so much joy in her movements and steps, a love and warmth where even with all the incredible detail that has gone into this tour, there is freedom, which Beyoncé has allowed herself to enjoy, flaws and all.

One of the other staggering parts of the show for me was the attention to the costumes.

Every show on this tour

Beyoncé has worn a variety

of different outfits and designers, showing the pull she has in the fashion world.

From fashion houses including LOEWE and Alexander McQueen, to Versace and Mugler, all the pieces tell a story and connect Beyoncé herself visually back to the album.

I couldn’t wait to see all of this, the months of videos, watching people react to the acts of the show, it was finally my turn.

turn

From there, she thanked the audience as she flew across the crowd, paying tribute to her dancers and crew and of course, us for supporting her all this time.

As we saw her say her goodbyes and watch her disappear from the stage, the audience was illuminated with a picture of her mother, Tina Knowles-Lawson and her Uncle Johnny, in the ultimate tribute anyone could give to their family.

It was better than I could possibly have imagined it to be, even when Beyoncé isn’t purely perfect on stage, she still simply is.

Her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, came out to help her perform

“MY POWER,” (or should I say Beyoncé helped Blue Ivy), performing the iconic dance break that has taken the internet by storm, in one of the best parts of the show.

As a journalist, I couldn’t wait for “AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM” where the visuals parody newscasts as she performs on an anchor table which spells out “KNTY 4 NEWS” as someone who is “KNTY 4 NEWS,” she truly did

It was better than I b isn’t purel she still Blu (o helpe th h sto best parts o journa “AME whe newscasts as on an anchor table w is “KNTY 4 NEWS,” that one for me. the penultimate so HONEY”hereth

From there we move on to the penultimate song, “PURE/ HONEY,” where the tribute to Ballroom culture is direct and the main act of the show.

Her dancers broke off into their own respective acts of house dancing, where the audience explodes in cheers watching the death drops and dives on stage as we wait for her to top it all off.

She really tops off the rest of the show when she comes back on stage with the final song of the night “SUMMER RENAISSANCE.”

In pure Beyoncé fashion, she glided across the stage on a chrome and silver horse, paying tribute to the album cover for “RENAISSANCE.”

After her birthday show in Los Angeles on Monday, seemingly with every celebrity in Hollywood showing out in tribute to her and Diana Ross herself surprising Beyoncé with a Happy Birthday rendition on stage, it’s the biggest reminder that Beyoncé is the celebrity’s celebrity. She continues to be the cultural phenomenon I have loved my whole life and I cannot wait to see where she goes from here.

As I continue to grow and move on in my life, she continues to elevate her craft as the soundtrack to our lives.

“This is my gratitude tour. I don’t take any of this for granted. I know after 25 years I’m still able to do what I love, and it’s because of your loyalty and because of your prayers,” Beyoncé told the audience after celebrating her honorary mayoral status.

We’re grateful for you Beyoncé, just as you’re grateful for all of us.

BOJANA CVIJIC | SPARTAN DAILY

Beyoncé brings the RENAISSANCE World Tour to Silicon Valley performing at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara as she sings her opening song “Dangerously in Love” on Wednesday.

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Lowriders cruise through San Jose

By Angel Santiago STAFF WRITER

The city of San Jose held a lowrider car event in front of the City Hall on Friday Sept. 1, the anniversary of when the city lifted its “no cruising zone” law which in certain parts of streets of San Jose are not allowed to cruise.

The city made it illegal to have lowrider cars cruising out in the streets of San José in 1986. The law was in effect for more than 35 years until the year 2022.

Last year on Sept. 1, former Councilmember Raul Peralez reversed the law and made it legal to cruise once again.

“It was thanks to the organizing of these clubs, the incredible advocacy of former Councilmember Raul Peralez,” Torres said.

“I am thrilled to continue the annual celebration of San Jose Lowrider Day right here in our beautiful downtown San Jose where my law writer community I only hear this side having expression so anyways, so after 35 years,” Torres said.

Many car clubs, like Aztec Creations, Dueñas and Timeless, joined the event and had the opportunity to show their cars and love for their culture.

Santa Clara Street was closed to the public between Fourth and Seventh Street from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There were more than 300 lowrider drivers with many different car models on display. There was music, food, and a few lowrider cars jumping up and down.

Jeannie Copes is a hospitality

owner who bought WhyHotel by Placemakr in what she is going to call “Rollati Ristorante” at the corner of Fourth and Santa Clara Street.

Copes said she has respect for the lowrider community and loves seeing the different models of cars.

“Look at all these people who have this amazing hobby,” Copes said. “Which is, you know, constructing and maintaining these cool vintage cars.…This feels like a really positive, safe, cool environment.”

Copes said she was a little upset because if she would have known about the event earlier, she would have been given the opportunity to invite the lowriders club members.

“I wish we were open,” Copes said. “We would be selling cocktails, we would be selling food.We will be there at the beginning of the party,

which is so fun that we will be open next year.”

President of the United Lowrider Council of San Jose David Polanco said he expresses love for the lowrider community and his love for cruising.

“As a lowrider community, there’s been strides as far as getting the ban repealed and being that was [a] unanimous vote last year to repeal [the] no cruising ban,” Polanco said. “It kind of showed the commitment city and now has more agricultural wasn’t there before.”

Polanco said it was very symbolic to have lowrider cars displayed around the outside of City Hall.

“You know, (it) shows the partnership there (getting) started,” Polanco said. “You know where we didn’t have a seat at the table or voice. Now we do.”

He said lowriding is like a family, where the community brings out their cars to show their love and respect to everyone.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and Councilmembers Omar Torres and Peter Ortiz made their opinions about lowriding known and how one person was able to remove the no cruising law.

“I want to start by recognizing and thanking my former colleague, former downtown councilmember, Raul Peralez, who brought us together as a city to remove the cruising ban to celebrate the incredible tradition and culture of lowriding and cruising in San Jose,” Mahan said.

Councilmember Torres said he has always been very passionate about lowriding because he used to

go cruising with his father when he was a child in the 1980s.

“He would take us from the West side, all the way to the East side,” Torres said. “Right and right beneath him, we were amazed by what we saw coming from the west to the east.”

Councilmember Peter Ortiz told the public that showing pride and creativity is what makes it unique in the Mexican-American community.

“We know that the lowrider culture is a product of the creativity, ingenuity and pride of the Chicano community in the state of California, and San Jose has been central to this iconic subculture,” Ortiz said.

‘Squid Game’ comes to SU Ballroom

By Julia Chie STAFF WRITER

San Jose State’s International Student and Scholar Services threw a “Squid Game”-themed event called International Welcome in Student Union Ballroom B on Friday.

“Squid Game” is a Korean drama series produced by Netflix that aired in 2021.

Both international and non-international SJSU students were welcome to enjoy games, prizes and food.

Keri Toma, the International Programs Manager for International Student and Scholar Services, said her respective department on campus advises and provides support services for international students.

“We do this event once a semester to welcome back international students, but also it’s open to everybody,” Toma said. “It’s a chance to meet people from all over the world.”

She also said student assistants from International Student and Scholar Services planned the entire event with “Squid Game”-themed activities and decor.

Clubs and organizations such as Chinese Student Association, Indian Students Organization, and International House were in attendance.

Hayley Lin, a studio art senior from the Chinese Student Association explains that they were there to welcome students and encourage them to enjoy the event.

“We want to help a lot of Chinese students to get more help in school,” Lin said. “Like maybe it’s their first time coming to the United States. They don’t know how to get help, but they come to us to ask questions.”

Josie Pan, a digital media arts graduate student, also a member of the Chinese Student Association, said she wants to help Chinese students connect with each other.

Computer engineering

freshman Aniket Chopade said he enjoyed the event.

“Initially, there was a lot of chaos,” Chopade said. “But as the game progressed, [I] enjoyed it. And this last round was, like, awesome.”

The first game of the event was centered around the marbles game featured in episode six of the Netflix series “Squid Game”.

The second event was

carving out symbols of the Dalgona cookies featured in episode three.

Dalgona is a South Korean candy made from melted sugar and baking powder according to a New York Times 2021 post.

The last event was a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Chopade said they also did a betting game and a conga line.

As an international student, Chopade said this event helped him meet new people and get more in tune with campus culture.

“You get to know different people from all over the world,” he said.

Toma said that the intention behind the event was to help students connect.

“Everything we do is kind of guided by four

words: connect, explore, engage and thrive,” Toma said. “And so that’s what we do with our international students. Helping them connect with each other, but also other students and resources, get them engaged in the larger community.”

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Students gather at Student Union Ballroom B to engage in “Squid Game”-themed activities. The event was held by International Students and Scholar Services.

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Drivers of lowrider cars gather in front of City Hall to celebrate the first year anniversary of the “no cruising zone” law being lifted.

VTA unveils concept for art installation

By Tracy Escobedo STAFF WRITER

The Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) conducted a Zoom meeting on Thursday to discuss the art installation concept made for the Eastridge Station created by Laura Haddad and Tom Drugan.

The VTA is an independent district focusing on the transportation systems in Silicon Valley.

According to the VTA website, it is extending the Alum Rock light rail service into the Eastridge Transit Center.

Haddad and Drugan, were chosen out of the 250 artists reviewed during a selection panel to partake in the art project for the transit line in January.

Both of the Seattle-based artists specialize in public artwork.

“Our works are inspired by the places in the community where they’re built,” Drugan said. “We use a variety of materials and create visual effects using sun, wind or rain.”

The artists began the design process by talking with the community for inspiration and discussed the important landmarks and San Jose’s specialties.

Alum Rock Park, Evergreen Valley and Vietnam Town were some of the places that inspired the artwork because of their cultural significance.

“We also discovered that there is a wide diversity of cultures in the area that

have temples and churches that bring (the) community together,” Haddad said.

After hearing from the community and visiting the areas themselves, “Radiance” became the name for the official art concept for the sculpture.

“‘Radiance’ is an abstract sculpture that’s drawn from the community’s diverse cultures, celebrations, natural light and environment,” Drugan said.

The proposal revealed a 28 feet tall and 33 feet wide sculpture made from stainless steel pipes,

forming an archway, with prisms and hundreds of branch-like rods decorated by warm-toned polycarbonate discs.

“The sculpture forms a portal that you can walk through, the lower arbor forms heart and moon shapes but also more contemporary forms of conduit and circuits,” Drugan said.

He said that when visitors stand underneath the sculpture they’ll be able to look up into the canopy and see colorful fruit and flowers.

“(The) sculpture changes in appearance as people move around and through it when viewed from the center,” Drugan said.

The artwork will be located by the bus terminal that connects the plaza to Eastridge Mall. It will be about 12 feet away from the base of the stairs, leading to the train platform.

After the presentation, the community shared some concerns they had.

“I just want to ensure that it’s going to be safe and that it’s going to be durable in our environment,” said

“We’re using this very durable hard metal, stainless steel that can be refinished over time,” Haddad said. “And it looks good. Even as it ages, we thought about that too. This is a site where there will be a lot of activity and a lot of potentially hard use, so we wanted to use durable materials.”

There will be another opportunity to contribute to this project at the Public Art Committee on October 3, 2023.

The Public Art Committee is an organization that oversees any future projects pertaining to the City’s Public Art Program. They meet once a month in order to discuss the selection, acquisition, placement, and conservation of public works of art in the city’s collection.

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San Jose resident Melissa Got-Lopez.

ZOOM SCREENSHOT BY TRACY ESCOBEDO | SPARTAN DAILY

A rendition of “Radiance,” an art installation, is planned to be built at Eastridge Bus Station designed by Laura Haddad and Tom Drugan.

FOOTBALL

Oregon State running back Deshaun

San Jose State couldn’t stop No. 18 Oregon State quarterback

DJ Uiagalelei as he recorded 5 touchdowns in a 42-17 routing of the Spartans on Sunday at CEFCU Stadium.

Defensively, the Spartans (0-2) were thoroughly beaten on the ground as the Beavers (1-0) averaged 5.6 yards per carry and rushed for a total of 197 yards and 3 touchdowns, in what was a night and day shift from the Spartans’ season-opener against USC, SJSU recorded just 279 yards of total offense.

“I give all respect to their offense,” said SJSU safety Tre Jenkins. “They were physical, stronger and they battled.”

Quarterback hevan

Cordeiro struggled in SJSU’s home opener, completing 18 of 32 passes for just 143 yards — his lowest yards thrown since his sophomore season at the University of Hawai i at Manoa in 2020.

“When you’re

playing a team that is consistently good and fundamentally sound as [Oregon State], you have to match that,” said SJSU head coach Brent Brennan. “You can’t make mistakes like we did. We made some mistakes today on both sides of the ball, right like that. They’re like Iceman from Top Gun. No mistakes.”

The Spartans had trouble from the start, scoring just 3 points

in the first half. The Beavers took a 21-3 lead with 14 seconds left in the second quarter after Uiagalelei scored on a QB sneak near the goal line.

The Beavers scored the first points of the second half after Uiagalelei threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to sophomore receiver Jeremiah Noga which put Oregon State up 28-3. SJSU didn’t score its

first touchdown until the first snap of the fourth quarter when Cordeiro fumbled in the endzone and the ball was recovered by junior tight end Sam Olson to cut the Beavers lead 28-10.

“They did good where they needed to be,” Cordeiro said. “We just stopped ourselves on penalties. And then something would happen that would hurt ourselves.”

The Spartans will have somewhat of a break in their next game when they face FCS Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

BEAVERS

TITUS WILKINSON | THE SPEAR

at 1 p.m. at CEFCU Stadium on Saturday as they will look to get their first win of the season.

Brennan’s first win as SJSU’s head coach came back in 2017 against the Mustangs.

By Nathan Canilao SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The injury bug seems to have bitten the Spartans early this season.

San Jose State was without starting running back Kairee Robinson on Sunday against No. 18 Oregon State and has been without AllConference wide receiver Justin Lockhart for the last two games.

The Spartans suffered another potential injury on Sunday when starting cornerback DJ Harvey had to be helped off the field after what looked like a lower leg injury.

Head coach Brent Brennan declined to comment on the severity of the injuries for all three players.

Robinson was a surprising scratch from the lineup on Sunday as he was dressed in street clothes on the sidelines. His absence was evident as the Spartans only rushed for 56 yards on 22 carries.

The Spartans have managed to make up some of Lockhart’s production with the emergence of former quarterback turned wide receiver Nick Nash stepping into a bigger role in the offense.

Lockhart’s situation has been more strange as he has not been seen around the team despite Brennan confirming his absence is injury related.

“[Kairee and Justin] are good players and it will be awesome to have them back,” said SJSU quarterback Chevan Cordeiro. “But I mean it’s the game of football, there’s always injuries going on. There’s a lot of things going on, but it’s always just the next man up. I’m confident in the guys in the offensive room … that they’ll be ready.”

SJSU will have to rely on Utah Tech transfer Quali Conley to take over the role of starting running back for the foreseeable future. After rushing for 107 yards in the Spartans’ season opener against USC, Conley struggled to find his rhythm against Oregon State as he rushed for just 34 yards on 11 attempts.

Harvey’s injury could be the most concerning of all. The Spartans have given up 98 points in two games and losing a starter like Harvey could have a lasting effect on an already thin defense.

Despite the loss of key players on both sides of the ball, SJSU still believes it can rely on younger players to step into the roles of starters.

It’s obviously tough missing [Kairee and Justin,] but I think it’s always going to be a next man up mentality,” Nick Nash said. “We need to embrace that and not worry about who we’re missing, and worry about who we have.”

Follow Nathan on X (formerly Twitter) @nathancanilao Canilao’s Commentary: Injuries haunt San Jose State Follow Nathan on X (formerly Twitter) @nathancanilao

TITUS WILKINSON | THE SPEAR

Fenwick scores the Beavers’ final touchdown extending their lead 42-10 in the fourth quarter on Sunday.

San Jose State quarterback Chevan Cordeiro avoids a defender in the Spartans’ loss at CEFCU Stadium Sunday.

SJSU loses to No. 18 Oregon St.

Spartans tie Dons in 1-1 draw at home

By Nathan Canilao SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The San Jose State

men’s soccer team tied in its match against the University of San Francisco

1-1 last Thursday at Spartan Soccer Complex.

The Spartans recorded 10 shots with 7 being on goal. Sophomore midfielder Angel Iniguez scored SJSU’s only goal in the 27th minute.

“I thought we had good

looks in the first half,” said SJSU head coach Simon Tobin. “We probably could have gotten a couple of great looks later, but didn’t finish.

[San Francisco] owned the second half.”

SJSU had chances early to put more goals on the board. In the tenth minute, Iniguez and junior midfielder Beau Leroux put up back-to-back shots, but couldn’t capitalize

as Dons’ goalkeeper Eric Waltz came up with two big saves.

In the 27th minute, Iniguez broke loose up the field and received a pass from sophomore forward Anthony Guzman. Guzman’s pass was initially broken up near the center of the box from Waltz, but Iniguez was able to rebound the pass and kick the ball into the center of the net to put the Spartans up 1-0.

In the second half, USF found the equalizer when senior midfielder Arjan Dosanjh found an

open shot near the center of the box to tie the game at 1-1.

SJSU’s defense held strong near the end of the game as it blocked off the Dons’ chances of taking the lead in the final 5 minutes. San Francisco had 5 shots on goal in the final 5 minutes of play, but could not convert.

“I think we’re a small, undersized team, so when a team wants to impose themselves physically, it

makes it difficult for us,”

Tobin said. “In the first half, we moved the ball quite well and created opportunities. We kind of stopped doing that.”

The Spartans lost Monday’s match against No. 4 Stanford 2-0. They will face Saint Mary’s at 5 p.m. on Friday at Saint Mary’s Stadium in Moraga.

Spartans give up late lead in draw vs. UCI

By Vanessa Real STAFF WRITER

The San Jose State’s women’s soccer team continues to search for its first home win after tying 3-3 against the University of California, Irvine last Thursday.

The Spartans (1-3-2) held onto a 3-2 lead until a late Anteaters (3-2-1) goal in the 82nd minute awarded them their second tie this season.

After having one of her shots saved in the 20th minute of the game, junior forward Kennedy Mayo scored her first goal of the season giving

the Spartans a 1-1 tie in the 30th minute.

“It felt amazing and refreshing honestly,” Mayo said. “I feel like I’ve been kind of in a hole since I’ve started. So now that I’ve scored I’ve opened up the game for myself and the rest of the year, so I’m excited.”

The Spartans and Anteaters were tied for less than a minute until junior forward, Bella Flocchinini, scored giving SJSU a 2-1 lead in the 31st minute.

“I saw their other centerback about to pass it across,” Flocchini said.“I anticipated and took the ball before the other girl got

it. And then I didn’t want to be in front of the goalie, and thankfully I made it.” Flocchini leads the Spartans with 3 goals this season.

Senior midfielder Sabrina Weinman scored her first goal of the season and extended their lead 3-1 in the 62nd minute.

Sophomore goalkeeper

Bente Pernot would end the game with 3 saves and a season high of 3 goals allowed.

The Spartans’ head coach Tina Estrada said there were still positive things to be taken away from her team’s performance despite not getting the win.

“This is a really good tie for us. UC Irvine is an incredible team with a lot of firepower. We’re [going to] stick with some of the game plan that we had in our approach to UC

Irvine, and hopefully recover and have the same approach on Sunday,” Estrada said.

The Spartans lost Sunday’s match against Saint Mary’s College 2-0. They will play Southern Utah at 12 p.m. on Sunday at the Spartan Soccer Complex.

San Jose State sophomore forward Anthony Guzman (17) dribbles the ball down the pitch in a 1-1 draw last at the Spartan Soccer Complex last Thurdsay.