Opinion
Trump is not handling the Ukraine-Russia conflict
Page 5
Onions, potatoes, eggplants and other vegetables
Spartans find relief at food pantry
By Bryan Reos STAFF WRITER
San José State is continuing to see an increase in food item prices affecting students across campus and making resources like the pantry more essential than ever before.
The Bay Area has seen a 1.6% increase of the price of food compared to last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
SJSU students who are affected by the increase in cost of food rely on school resources like the Spartan Food Pantry from SJSU Cares to continue their academic careers on campus.
SJSU Cares, a division of Student Affairs, offers student support including the Spartan Food Pantry to eligible students facing food insecurity, according to the Spartan Food Pantry webpage.
Brenj Cuneta, the basic needs coordinator for the Spartan Food Pantry, said that the program aims to help enrolled students experiencing food insecurity get support.
“We are here to support those currently enrolled students and are identified or self identified as experiencing food insecurity,” Cuneta said.
With approximately 3,200 international students attending SJSU, resources like the Spartan Food Pantry are an important resource for students to have, according to the SJSU International Student and Scholar Services webpage.
Siddharth Kulkarni, a
graduate software engineering student, has been relying on the pantry with expenses like rent getting in the way since the fall 2024 semester.
The cost of rent in San José for students can vary from $1,200- $4,500 monthly adding to student expenses, according to University Living.
less bottle of milk to buy from the store, it's one less bag of potatoes to buy from the store,” Cuneta said. “Hopefully the amount that you were supposed to spend on those items could go to your basic needs like rent or clothing.”
The Spartan Food Pantry relies on partnerships with
to divide its inventory evenly among students with over 35,000 visits during the 2023-24 school year, according to SJSU Cares annual report.
Pranusha Cheemarla, an international graduate electrical engineering student, said having the pantry as a resource can help make sure adjustments
The pantry is not able to provide possibly all that you need but hopefully with the assistance that (students) are getting every week, it’s one less bottle of milk to buy from the store, it’s one less bag of potatoes to buy from the store.
high demand for eggs, this has resulted in very limited to unavailable portions for students, according to an SJSU Basic Needs post.
“I usually get veggies and eggs, but nowadays there are no eggs so I’m stuck with just veggies,” said Cheemarla Cuneta said that although eggs are limited and unavailable, at times the Spartan Food Pantry is still trying to provide alternate food choices as replacement options.
“The price of eggs just went crazy, Second Harvest purchased the eggs through the funds and donations, however it's gotten way too expensive and so Second Harvest is now providing alternate sources of nutrition. It may not be protein directly, but different alternatives like shelf stable milk,” Cuneta said.
“The groceries I get from the pantry help me manage my expenses much better,” Kulkarni said. “I spend most of my money on rent but it feels good not worrying about groceries because of the pantry.
Cuneta said that the pantry may not be able to provide students with all the groceries they need but it can still help ease some of their worries.
The Spartan Food Pantry limits certain food items based on availability and demand, according to the Spartan Food Pantry webpage.
“The pantry is not able to provide possibly all that you need but hopefully with the assistance that (students) are getting every week it's one
organizations like Second Harvest and Hunger at Home for their inventory, according to the Spartan Food Pantry webpage.
Cuneta said that Second Harvest delivers to the pantry twice a week, where the pantry rations the food to make it last until the next delivery to operate in the most equitable way, while Hunger at Home provides individual frozen meals.
“We see about at least 200 students a day, that's basically at least 1,000 students a week. And we are looking to help more but it's only possible if the community could help us more,” Cuneta said.
Spartan Food Pantry tries
to campus feel a lot more smoother.
“As an international student, we don't have access to things like transportation and food. So it's really pleasurable that on campus we are getting this,” Cheemarla said.
Students interested must apply online and once approved can create an account to visit the Spartan Food Pantry using their Tower ID, located at Diaz Compean Student Union, according to the Spartan Food Pantry webpage.
With the price of eggs rising due to production cost and disease, the demand for eggs is at an all time high, according to a Jan. 6, 2025 Forbes article.
Unfortunately, due to
Students can continue to rely on the Spartan Food Pantry as they are open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., located at the Diaz Compean Student Union, according to the Spartan Food Pantry webpage.
BRYAN REOS | SPARTAN DAILY
at the Spartan Food Pantry located at the Diaz Compean Student Union.
Brenj Cuneta Basic Needs coordinator for the Spartan Food Pantry
a forum and address community
City
Students share thoughts on candidates
By Israel Archie SENIOR STAFF WRITER
With San José State being inside San José’s District 3 according to a city council map, students and staff on campus have plenty to talk about concerning the upcoming special election.
The special election is the result of the resignation of former District 3 Councilmember Omar Torres, who was arrested for three felony counts of child molestation, according to a March 3 article from San José Spotlight.
With Torres out of office, there are currently seven candidates competing for the seat.
The candidates for District 3 include: Mayoral Deputy Chief of Staff Matthew Quevedo, Gabby Chavez-Lopez, executive director for the Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley and Pro Tem Judge Irene Smith. Additional candidates on the ballot are: Adam Duran, former Santa Clara County lieutenant, Anthony Tordillos, city council
planning commission chair, Philip Dolan, a knife sharpener salesman and Tyrone Wade, a retired family counselor.
Jason Ross, a fourth-year political science student, lives in Downtown San José and works in Japantown, both areas that are a part of District 3.
Because Ross lives in the district, he said he has been staying informed on the race for the council seat.
“San José State is in District 3 (and) surrounding us is all of the downtown area,” Ross said. “Whoever wins this election is going to be in charge of the surrounding area.”
SJSU is located near the southwestern portion of District 3, according to an interactive map on the City Council’s website.
When it comes to candidate support, Ross expressed his support for Quevedo.
“I feel like his policies align more with mine (and) I see that he does have a decent amount of experience behind him to help him accomplish
some good things,” Ross said.
Quevedo helped San José Mayor Matt Mahan launch neighborhood associations and was involved in the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, which managed to secure funds for Bay Area projects such as Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), in San José, according to his campaign webpage.
The District 3 candidate and SJSU alumnus also served as the Director of Housing, Transportation and Community Engagement Policy in the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, according to his LinkedIn page.
Nahum Hintsa, a thirdyear political science student, also voiced his support for Quevedo in the race.
“He’s a great guy and very honest; he doesn’t lie about what he wants to do,” Hintsa said. “He has the most experience in my book (and) he knows what it takes to listen to voters.”
Although Hintsa supports Quevedo, he also agrees with some of Tordillos’s answers to
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questions that were asked at the District 3 forum last Thursday at the San José Woman’s Club.
Tordillos plans to fight for business owners and fill empty storefronts as well as empower neighborhoods and strengthen community voices, according to his campaign website.
endorsed by the State Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas, California State Senator Dave Cortese, Betty Duong, Santa Clara County District 2 supervisor and a few other current and former politicians which are also listed on her campaign webpage.
Regarding SJSU support
2024 article from San José Spotlight.
Even with Nwokolo backing Chavez-Lopez, he voiced his agreement with Duran’s take on addressing houselessness.
San José State is in District 3 (and) surrounding us is all of the downtown area, Whoever wins this election is going to be in charge of the surrounding area.
Hintsa has volunteered for Quevedo’s campaign since January, engaging in activities including canvassing throughout the district and phone banking.
“I’ve enjoyed it so far (and) there’s no reason for me to complain,” Hintsa said. “Everybody I’ve worked with (has) been great; it made me more experienced in my field of work that I want to do in the future.”
Because of ChavezLopez’s endorsements, Hintsa said he sees her as Quevedo’s biggest competition in this race.
Chavez-Lopez is currently backed by Bay Area groups including the South Bay Labor Council, Santa Clara County Democratic Party and San José Fire Fighters, according to her campaign webpage.
“I’ve done my research a little bit about Gabby; she has the backing of South Bay labor unions, some of the members on the San José assembly (and) other elected officials,” Hintsa said.
Chavez-Lopez is also
for Chavez-Lopez, Associated Students Vice President Chima Nwokolo has been volunteering on her campaign.
“Gabby ChavezLopez is the candidate that resonates with me because of her years of service in the community as the executive director of the Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley and her commitment to fostering pro-labor policies,” Nwokolo said.
Chavez-Lopez has a commitment to closing the wage gap for Latinas in addition to creating a more equitable community, according to a webpage from the Santa Clara University Ciocca Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Latinas in Silicon Valley experience the largest wage gap of any major city area in California, making an average median salary of $34,400 in 2022 compared to white males who had a median salary of $102,000, which was reported by the Hispanas Organized for Political Economy, according to an Oct. 18,
Jason Ross Fourth-year political science student
“Even though he sounds a little more conservative, I agree with Adam Duran that to really fix the homelessness crisis not just in San José but in California in general, you need to open up mental health facilities back up again for the homeless to get the right treatment they need,” Nwokolo said. Duran proposes mandatory treatment in addition to an increase in mental health and drug addiction facilities for unhoused individuals, according to his campaign webpage.
Being in the realm of politics on the campus level, Nwokolo urges students at SJSU to be more informed about the special election.
“Politics is your life; especially local politics because that has the biggest impact in your neighborhood and community, so it’s important to take it seriously,” Nwokolo said.
ISRAEL ARCHIE | SPARTAN DAILY
council candidates for District 3 attend
questions and discuss policies at the Student Union Theatre on Wednesday night.
Student Union caters to commuters
#1: Aasiya Jabbar, a second-year biomedical engineering student, unwinds in one of the massage chairs in Student Union Meeting Room 2 after a busy day of classes.
#2: Jabbar and other students get creative with candlemaking, crafting their scented candles by placing scented wax beads in a jar of their choice for a custom relaxation experience.
#3: Students sort through supplies to make sure they have essentials to tackle the semester.
#4: Commuter students at SJSU mark their hometowns on a Bay Area map in the Student Union Meeting Room on Wednesday, showcasing the journeys that bring them to campus.
PHOTOS BY NICOLE DEVRIES
SPARTAN DAILY
Determination to dance with balance
By Anahi Herrera Villanueva
Balancing two very high time consuming activities can be stressful but San José State student, Deborah Le is able to manage part of her day to her studies and the other part of her passion: dance.
Le has elevated her skill to the next level and is debuting her choreographing skills during New Ballet dance company’s eighth annual “Fast Forward” program.
Deborah Le, a third-year justice studies student with a concentration in criminology, has taken up a choreographer role for the upcoming program, according to a New Ballet webpage.
“Fast Forward” is scheduled to feature at the Hammer Theatre Center where emerging local and country-wide choreographers can debut programs to an audience as well as discuss the creative and planning process with said audiences, according to the same webpage.
“I think that for a first-time choreographer, I was definitely given a lot of help in where I get to perform, when I get to perform, like, lots of liberties and opportunities all at once, which I don't think that many people will get outside of this,” Le said.
Le started her dance career at a young age following the footsteps of her older sister, Naomi Le.
grow up. We’ve literally been in the program together,”
Naomi Le said.
Le said that after high school, she thought she would be faced with an ultimatum in which she would either have to quit school to continue pursuing dance or vice versa.
“Having come from homeschooling, ballet was pretty much my everything and then when I was a senior, I was like, do I have to pick between the two? Yes or no?
“We kind of joke around saying how our director, artistic director and our teacher basically watched us
be everything to a person,”
Naomi said.
The New Ballet dance company is a ballet institution in Silicon Valley that develops dancers by focusing on developing the individual, according to the New Ballet webpage.
Deborah said that she was able to have this debut choreograph opportunity through workshops.
the upcoming show.
“Her experience and background can be seen through how she makes simple movements so captivating. There are little to no complicated steps in her piece. There’s no partnering at all, and it’s still so captivating to watch and really fun to perform,” Concordia said.
upcoming show successful.
Naomi is placed in a different tier than Deborah in the company giving her a more of a supervisor role.
But I havent had to think of between the two. Im taking five classes at San José and still full time at the junior company,” Le said.
“It started with the choreography workshop, and that was pretty much either just me or my friend Jack Concordia, and that was around maybe March or April of 2024 and then as we started going on to more and more outreaches,” Le said.
However, regardless of differences in roles, Naomi said Le is still able to maintain a level of control and respect.
“During rehearsals, it is very interactive, but she’s still the leader in our rehearsals.
“I think Debbie, in all areas of her life, holds herself to the highest standard. She doesn't really catch a break for herself normally,” Naomi said. With Deborah’s choreography debut approaching in “Fast Forward,” she said there are several things she hopes her audience will get out of watching the performance.
Ballet” Le along with her sister, Naomi Le, have been able to do both.
“New Ballet really understands that especially in the Bay Area, ballet can't
Jack Concordia is another member of the New Ballet dance company and friend of Le and has seen the growth of her skill and how she has been able to implement it to
However, with large opportunities, a set of struggles came with them too.
“I struggled so hard with finding music I really, really liked and music I wouldn’t get sick of,” Deborah said. “I would listen to it on repeat over and over and over again. I kind of developed where the accents are within the counts.”
Those surrounding Deborah believe that her approach as a choreographer is what will help make the
Naomi said, “That's a hard relationship to find with a bunch of dancers. It amazes me because sometimes I work with professional choreographers who have struggled to keep that kind of respect towards professional dancers.”
Deborah said that throughout her years in ballet, she has learned discipline and that has now translated into other aspects of her life.
“I think the best outcome would be to show off the dancers and to give people a different taste of what contemporary (dance) looks like,” Deborah said.
“Fast Forward” is scheduled to debut at the Hammer Theatre Center at 7 p.m. on March 21 and 22, according to New Ballet’s press release.
Trump needs to stop playing games
President Donald J. Trump’s disruptive behavior, along with Vice President JD Vance’s contentious remarks, exposed a disregard for diplomatic protocols during the meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Oval Office meeting that happened on Feb. 28 took a sharp turn, exposing growing tensions between the United States and Ukraine.
What should have been a diplomatic exchange to discuss military aid instead raised critical questions about the future of Ukraine’s war efforts and U.S. foreign policy.
The discrepancies from the meeting pose a significant challenge as Ukraine battles Russia and tries to maintain U.S. backing.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, U.S. aid has been critical to Ukraine’s defense,
By Nicole DeVries STAFF WRITER
contributing $118 billion of the total $407 billion in international support, according to the Council on Foreign Relations’s global conflict tracker.
The meeting that started as an opportunity for more aid shifted
after President Trump and Vice President JD Vance openly criticized President Zelenskyy’s attitude and appearance.
It’s troubling when our diplomatic leaders focus their attention on trivial matters such as
clothing in a meeting, in the context of the gravity of what Ukraine is facing currently.
When the press openly disapproved of Zelenskyy for his lack of formal attire early in the meeting, it revealed more about
in a video of the meeting uploaded on the White House’s official YouTube channel.
Zelenskyy’s actions felt in no way a disrespect to the U.S. but rather, a tribute to his country as a symbol of unity and it’s
the priorities of the U.S. than actual concern of the discussion.
“A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting the dignity of office,” a member of the Oval Office press pool said to Zelenskyy
disappointing to witness those desperately asking that.
When questioned on Trump’s position between Russia and Ukraine, Trump continued to emphasize his desire to be in the middle of the two
countries to make a deal of peace.
“No, I’m in the middle … I’m for both; I want to get it solved,” Trump said. “It’s wonderful to speak badly about somebody else but I want to get it solved.”
These statements became hollow though, as he continued to lash out at others openly and contradicting his rhetoric.
Trump constantly avoids not criticizing Russia but has no problem using jabs at those who offer opposing viewpoints.
The conversations continued to grow tense as both Trump and Vance felt an insufficient amount of gratitude from Zelenskyy.
“Have you said ‘thank you’ once, this entire meeting?” Vance asked.
Vance persisted in making it clear that the Trump administration felt that Zelenskyy was not admiring the extent of U.S. support for Ukraine.
“Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country,” Vance said.
Trump and Vance’s need for validation felt both unnecessary and disrespectful, as it shifted focus from support to demanding gratitude.
The following Monday,
Trump directed a “pause” for U.S. assistance to Ukraine, according to an Associated Press webpage. His decision to halt U.S. aid highlights a broader strategy to push Zelenskyy into negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a move Trump advocated for throughout the meeting.
Aid deliveries will reportedly resume on Wednesday, according to a Tuesday Associated Press article.
Trump seems to view the war as a strategic game of business and negotiation while his focus was on positioning the U.S. as a key player with the ability to control the outcome.
The negotiations with forces like Russia and Ukraine are not comparable to a business deal when lives are involved and treating it as such undermines the gravity of the conflict.
The Trump administration highlighted their interest in power-driven and transactional deals between international alliances.
As Zelenskyy said in the Oval Office meeting, “We’re not playing cards.”
GRAPHIC BY NICOLE DEVRIES | SPARTAN DAILY
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