Entering the third week of an ongoing strike from Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 265, the union denied the most recent proposal at the board’s special meeting on Sunday morning from the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA).
In a Monday press release
from the VTA sent to The Spartan Daily, the board said that they were convening to resolve negotiations through a wage proposal that would be approved by the ATU.
“The Board proposed an increase to the agency’s most recent proposal with authorization to go up to an 11% offer paying out at 4%, 4%, 3% over three years, conditional upon agreeing to proposals that reduce absenteeism to guarantee reliability of service,” the VTA said in
the press release. “This also represents a meaningful increase from the previous board-authorized offer of 9% over three years. The new proposal has been sent to the union.”
The proposal put forth an increase of wages from an initial 10.5 percent over three years in which the ATU demanded more, according to a March 22 article from The Mercury News.
“VTA has put forward a more than fair proposal that ensures employees receive
competitive pay and strong benefits for themselves and their families,” the VTA said in a statement sent to the Spartan Daily.
ATU rejected the agency’s proposal of an 11% increase of wages with 83% of voting members opposing the deal, according to a March 24 article from The Mercury News.
Workers with the ATU began their strike over two weeks ago after not reaching a deal with VTA for months of negotiations, putting a halt
to all VTA operations in the area, according to a March 11 article from CBS News Bay Area.
“VTA’s latest proposal reflects our commitment to our workforce, and we urge our employees to embrace this chance to secure their future and return to work,” the VTA statement said.
“Negotiations remain open for ATU to come to the table with a request.”
Public transportation is the primary method of transportation for
commuter students at SJSU, according to the Associated Students’ Transportation Solutions Fall 2023 Student Survey.
The Spartan Daily contacted A.S. Transportation Solutions for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
As of publication, all VTA bus and light rail services are not operating because of the ongoing strike.
Education Dept. shutdown looms over SJ
By Anahi Herrera Villanueva CONTRIBUTOR
San José State Students worry about what is to come following President Trump’s signing to dismantle the Department of Education.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, ordering the dismantling of the Department of Education, according to NBC News.
The Department of Education, created in 1979, has been labeled by some right-wing activists as wasteful and spreading left-leaning ideologies, according to a Friday AP News article.
Aija Redding, a sociology graduate student at SJSU, said she is concerned about how this will affect her studies.
“I am definitely stressed, I do benefit from financial aid so any impact on that does have a direct impact on if I’m able to continue my masters,” Redding said.
The department’s responsibilities
include non-discrimination policies, distributing financial aid and collecting educational data, according to a March 12 article from
be made in the future that would impact our students.”
In a statement from the Cal State Student Association (CSSA), the
“I come from a lowincome family so I definitely depend on government aid and my job to keep me here. My friends in other
119th Congress as the representative of the 16th district of California sent out an email to the community touching base on a plan
I come from a low-income family so I definitely depend on government aid and my job to keep me here. My friends in other CSUs are worried how this will affect their campus specifically and some have talked about dropping out if they don’t receive the funds that they will need.
Anthony Barragan
Fourth-year interior design student
several orders that President Trump is trying to pass, according to the Litigation and Response Task Force webpage.
“There are so many schools that don't have the resources to support their current students and I can’t imagine this new impact this will have,” Redding said.
The CCSA is also urging Congress and elected officials to protect students who are pursuing their academic goals, according to the association’s same Instagram post.
CBS News.
Ariana Lacson, president and CEO of Associated Students at San José State, gave insight on how the university is responding after this executive order.
“The university is closely monitoring what's happening at the federal level and communicating with the Chancellor's Office for guidance,” Lacson said. “I'm also consistently conversing with campus administration to ensure student voices are included in any decisions that may
association president Iese Esera said the elimination of the Department of Education poses a threat to students who rely on crucial federal and state support which gives them access to quality education in the California State University system, according to an Instagram post from the association..
Anthony Barragan, a fourth-year interior design student who is financially supporting themself through college, said this affects students beyond San José.
CSUs are worried how this will affect their campus specifically and some have talked about dropping out if they don't receive the funds that they will need,” Barragan said.
While the Santa Clara County Office of Education began submitting layoff notices on March 7, according to a March 6 KTVU article, officials in San José are taking action against Trump’s executive order.
Sam Liccardo, who is currently serving in the
of action, according to Liccardo’s webpage.
“My Rapid Response Taskforce and Litigation Working Group and I are actively seeking ways to challenge this latest ‘executive disorder’ in partnership with national legal organizations,” Liccardo said.
Part of this challenge was setting up a website describing legislation that he and other House Democrats are in support of which protects communities potentially vulnerable to
In regards to the Department of Education shutting down, states and other organizations have vowed to bring lawsuits to halt the dismantling, according to the same AP news article.
“It feels like we are always in a waiting game with this administration,” Redding said. “All we can do is wait and see.”
ANAHI HERRERA VILLANUEVA | SPARTAN DAILY
Students socialize and walk across 7th Street Plaza outside of the Provident Credit Union Event Center while student organizati ons and clubs table on campus.
Cinequest filmmakers share knowledge
By Elizabeth Bravo Rebolloso STAFF WRITER
Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival held its annual celebration this year, with its primary focus being to provide independent filmmakers with a platform for exposure.
The film festival is known for its innovative, groundbreaking focus on showcasing film, media, creativity and evolving technology, according to a Cinequest webpage.
The festival runs from March 11 to March 23 in San José and screens a diverse selection of feature films, documentaries, and short films. All with an emphasis on bold, unique storytelling that might otherwise struggle to find mainstream distribution.
Cinequest has been instrumental in launching the careers of many notable filmmakers, such as J.J. Abrams and Rosario Dawson, according to the same webpage.
On Saturday the panel Cinequest Storytelling Celebration was hosted at the California Theatre Rehearsal Hall and featured speakers from the filmmaking industry that shared their experiences in the field.
Chris Philip, an executive producer for the series “Siberia” shared insight into distributing the end product.
“Distribution is access to all those international players and production … there’s so many facets to the production and I think, at the end of the day, if you all are writers and you have a plan, you have to think like a distributor too,” said Philips. “You have to know the steps involved. And that’s what I do as a producer, I’m involved from beginning, middle and end and I know all the deals along the way.”
Jiauri Guo, the founder of Incandescent Entertainment, shared suggestions on how to get started.
“I’ve been through all that; I do a lot of independent films,” Guo said. “The only suggestion I have for young filmmakers is don’t expect to get that big deal. “You base and seize your work, it means you can have a great career. I always tell my friends to lower your expectations. And that will help you build your career.”
Distribution
Panelists agreed that starting at the bottom, taking chances, building skills, and having the right team is key to opening
the scenes of financing and organizing planning for productions.”
While the festival focused on showcasing
writers' script and all those smaller by A.I. but I really get over a commercial script but a true story my company now, focusing on the development of the IP (address),” Guo said.
The effects of artificial intelligence in the industry have been positive in some aspects but it does have a negative impact on the unforeseen future for the people in the filmmaking industry, according to a June 9, 2024 Raindance article.
can be, it is not just a film festival, it is a movement that celebrates the power of storytelling and the unlimited possibilities of technology.
For Prachee Prabhat, a marketing student at San Francisco State, the event was just more than a panel and celebration but a way to bring people together to build networks and learn more about what it takes to succeed in the filmmaking industry.
opportunities for a career in the field.
Ally Wong, a second-year business student at Cabrillo College shared why she attended the symposium.“I wanted to get a better understanding of producing because right now I am focused on production,” Wong said. “I want to know as a business major how behind
the talent of producers, filmmakers and students’ shorts, it also highlighted the changes that artificial intelligence (A.I.) has been bringing in the field and how it is making strides in the film industry.
“I mean like this is kind of crazy because people are using A.I. scripts and my company is just going through an app for A.I.
Larry Schapiro, a Radio/TV/Film lecturer, expressed his thoughts about the use of A.I. in the industry.
“It’s very scary; I know a lot of people in the business or writing whole screenplays with AI,” Schapiro said. “I think it’s very dangerous at the same time, I’m hopeful that the human experience differentiates a good screenplay from A.I.”
Cinequest continues to redefine what a film festival
“I just wanted to expand my network because my school’s network is pretty limited so I just wanted to branch out a little more,” Prabhat said. “It is beneficial to me and anybody else in general. If you’re starting out, you know everyone needs some way to put their foot through the door so this is one way to start local and then go bigger.”
ELIZABETH BRAVO REBOLLOSO | SPARTAN DAILY
Spartans compete in MW championship
By Israel Archie SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The San José State women’s gymnastics team placed third in Saturday’s Mountain West Tournament racking up a total of 195.350 points.
Placed just above Air Force, the Spartans were a few points behind the runner up Boise State University, that scored 195.950 and the tournament champions Utah State, who won with a score of 196.100.
Not only did SJSU place third but some of the gymnasts took individual medals home with them.
Junior Mikaela Pitts and graduate student Madison Kirsch were in a three-way tie for first place in the vault along with fifth-year Bronco Emily Lopez as they all scored 9.850.
Pitts and Kirsh are the second and third Spartans to win a Mountain West vault title, according to a webpage from SJSU Athletics.
“I think that everyone had something to be proud of today and had some of our best routines of the year,” Kirsch said. “I know I had one of my best routines of the year and we just went out there, put everything out there and had a lot of fun.”
San José also had an individual first place in the uneven bars thanks to senior Sophia Konieczny who had a score of 9.900.
Like the vault, the uneven bars also had a three-way tie for first with Lopez and Aggie graduate student Brianna Brooks joining Konieczny
with the same 9.900. “Personally that was one of the best bar routines I’ve ever completed,” Konieczny said.
“It was a really good end to
Although the Spartans didn’t win the championship, head coach Joanne Bowers voiced how proud she was of her team given
struggle for us,” Bowers said. “I am more proud of the type of people we have on our team. In the first-three rotations, that’s the most fun
first place medal tying her season high of 9.875 while sophomore Marissa Ashton took the third place medal scoring 9.850 on the balance beam.
tie for second place with each gymnast earning a 9.850 including sophomore Devyn Valuch, freshman and all-around competitor Ava Johnson and graduate student Jaudai Lopes.
Although the Spartans had three medals for the floor exercise, the team as a whole finished last recording a total score of 48.275.
“The wheels came off a little bit on floor which hurt us (and) we know, but it doesn’t diminish how proud I am of this group of young women,” Bowers said. “I know the future is bright for us and we’ve learned a lot of lessons this year.”
The three Spartans shared the spot with Broncos freshman Bridget Kemp and senior Elaina McGovern and Aggies sophomore Isabella Vater and junior Marley Peterson, who all earned a 9.850.
Valuch also won second place all-around with a total score and career high 39.100 beating out Utah State freshman Olivia Orengo and placing just below Slife.
I think that everyone had something to be proud of today and had some of our best routines of the year,I know I had one of my best routines of the year and we just went out there, put everything out there and had a lot of fun.
Madison Kirsch SJSU graduate student
I’ve ever seen them have.”
my college career. I couldn’t have asked for a better last routine as a Spartan.”
the circumstances they encountered this season.
“This season has been a
SJSU also had freshman Madison Gustitus earn the
Gustitus shared this achievement with Falcons sophomore Maggie Slife who also won first place for her individual performance on the balance beam.
Ashton was a part of a fourway tie for third, sharing this accomplishment alongside two Aggies including Brooks and sophomore Sydney Jelen and Boise State junior Sydney Kho.
For the floor exercise, there were three Spartans involved in the seven-way
Following the tournament, SJSU’s Gustitus is scheduled to compete in the beam event at the NCAA Regionals at noon Pacific Standard Time on Apr. 3 at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
ISRAEL ARCHIE | SPARTAN DAILY
SJSU places third in Mountain West Championship on Saturday afternoon at the Provident Credit Union Event Center..
SJSU dominates Wyoming at home
By Nicole DeVries STAFF WRITER
The San José State women’s tennis team continued its dominant Mountain West campaign with a 4-0 victory over Wyoming on Friday at the Spartan Tennis Complex.
The Spartans (12-1, 3-0 MW) celebrated their first win over the Cowgirls (3-12, 0-3 MW) since 2021, maintaining their undefeated record at home, 8-0.
SJSU gained momentum with help from freshmen Soledad Fayos Capilla and Emma Fantousis, who made quick work of their match, winning 6-0.
However, that momentum began to shift after sophomore Cheuk Ying Shek and senior Carla Urchoeguia faced a tough loss 6-0 to the Cowgirls.
SJSU head coach Chad Skorupka was surprised by the results of the doubles matches especially, seeing the top pair struggle while the third team delivered a decisive win.
“I was shocked the number one team lost 0-6, though you know I was shocked when we won at 6-0 at three but you know it’s a team sport at the end,” Skorupka said. “It’s a team score, you gotta get two out of three to get to one point.”
Although the earlier matches had surprising outcomes, the Spartans stayed focused on securing the doubles point.
Senior Olaya Bances Iglesias and sophomore Duru Durgun fought in a tense deciding match ultimately clinching the point for the Spartans 7-5.
The pair continues to be unbeaten in conference doubles and has earned the doubles point for the Spartans three times this season.
“Me and Duru have a good friendship,” Iglesias said. “On the courts, I think that plays a huge role because we have each other's back, maybe I’m not feeling it and she is and we just talk through points.”
With the doubles point secured, the Spartans entered the singles play with determination as fourth singles as Iglesias set the tone
with a 6-0 and 6-3 win.
In the fifth singles set Fantousis followed with a 6-3, 6-2 victory further solidifying SJSU’s control through combating power with consistent rallies.
Skorupka praised Fantousis for her success in the game and her improvement throughout the season.
“It’s great to see Emma,
the freshman at five come back and finish that match because she’s good,” Skorupka said. “She’s been struggling a little bit with some of the results but, today was her day.”
The team’s chemistry was evident throughout the match, as players continuously supported one another even while playing.
Durgun, emphasized how crucial the team’s mental support was, helping her overcome physical limitations and stay focused.
Despite battling illness, Durgun maintained constant pressure on the Cowgirls using precise shot placement to control the tempo of the match.
“I told myself I really gotta fight on the court and
make it as long as possible,” Durgun said. “Obviously, I couldn’t play at 100% but I fought for every point. I told myself mentally just gotta keep going, even if somebody is losing I’m shouting from court six let’s go, let’s go, you go this. It elevates us.”
Urchoeguia extended the Spartan’s singles success with a remarkable fourmatch winning streak, with her latest victory match 6-2, 6-3 to the Cowgirls.
The Spartan’s win against the Cowgirls furthers their dominance in the conference as they prepare for their future matchups of the season.
Skorupka commended the team for their resilience throughout the match and recognized the team’s
performance in the conference this season, but stressed the need for improvements.
“I think individually we gotta work on being a little bit more mentally tough and some of our responses to some of our points are a little bit too long drawn out … We have to play a little bit tougher and fiercer at home you know, enjoy playing on our home courts.”
SJSU will return home to face San Diego State on April 6 at noon, looking to maintain their record and extend their winning streak.
Spartans fight hard against UCI
By Anahi Herrera Villanueva CONTRIBUTOR
San José State Men’s Lacrosse team overcame a slow start to its game against the University of California, Irvine ending with a 13-10 win.
On Sunday, SJSU (3-2) faced the Anteaters on the South Campus Recreation Field.
Losing the first face-off against the Anteaters set the tempo of the first half. A face-off violation from the Spartans starting early resulted in the Anteaters gaining ball possession and scoring the first goal.
Placed in the goal for SJSU was Gavin Gannod, who was named MCLA Division II Pearl Goalie of the previous week, according to an SJSU Club Sports webpage.
Gannod made multiple saves in the first quarter, stepping outside of his goal to chase down wide shots from the Anteaters trying to gain possession back to the Spartans.
It took us a while to wake up and that first quarter was rough, second quarter, we started to wake up and get on our feet.
From one of those saves, Gannod was able to clear the Spartans midfield making a successful transition down to attack.
Once SJSU’s offense settled, a pick was set up by the team clearing up a lane for Lukas Payne allowing him to take a shot on goal ending the dry spell.
Throughout the majority of the first half, the Spartans gained and lost possession through unsuccessful passes and ground balls.
The first quarter ended
with a tied game of 3-3 and SJSU head coach Derek De Lemos said that the team took its time to find footing.
“It took us a while to wake up and that first quarter was rough,” Lemos said. “Second quarter, we started to wake up and get on our feet,”
The Spartans did manage to turn the game around in the second quarter, winning the first face-off of the quarter.
During the first quarter, multiple possessions from SJSU were lost because of ground balls.
In the second quarter, Spartans put the pressure on the Anteaters opening them up to get several opportunities for the goal.
Hunter Dietrich, the sophomore face-off, continued to gain multiple
possession wins for SJSU.
When Irvine gained possession, an attempt to shoot on goal was made but was blocked by the Spartans' defense.
A timeout was called by the Anteaters after SJSU got a 5-4 lead in the second quarter.
Irvine gained possession after a penalty from the Spartans. However, the defense applied pressure to Irvine, switching the possession to SJSU. The ball ended on Dietrich's sticks and instead of passing and cutting among the offense, Dietrich wound up and shot on the goal
The Spartans’faceoff specialist is often seen initiating several of the offensive plays or transitioning the ball after a switch of ball possession.
“Since the beginning of the season and even from the beginning of fall ball,
Since the beginning of the season and even from the beginning of fall ball, we have been able to get along as a team and know more about who likes to do what on the field.
we have been able to get along as a team and know more about who likes to do what on the field,” Dietrich said. “Helping us use that to our advantage, that definitely helped us win this game.”
For the last two quarters, SJSU truly dominated the game creating several turnovers in the games while creating multiple scoring opportunities for themselves.
Some of these opportunities came from the Spartans running a tight defense and not giving the Anteaters much room to work with; often running their shot clock and giving a possession turnover to the Spartans who would later capitalize on it.
The SJSU men’s lacrosse team will continue to face top teams, including the University of San Diego on March 30th at 1 p.m. on UCSD’s home turf.
“If we can even just hang with them, then we can hang with anybody in the country,” Lemos said.
HUNTER YATES | SPARTAN DAILY Spartans sophomore Cheuk Ying Shek goes on the offensive against the Cowgirls on Friday at the Spartan Tennis Complex, in San José.
ANAHI HERRERA VILLANUEVA| SPARTAN DAILY
SJSU's Hunter Dietrich (10) chases after possession of the ball against the University of California, Irvine.
