THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
VOLUME 133, ISSUE 15 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014
SERVING THE UC DAVIS CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY SINCE 1915
CLASS
O R IGIN
Brain injuries ignite discussion of head trauma protocol Concussions, brain damage impact athletic community
KENNETH LING & VIC ANDERSON
sports@theaggie.org fr eshman
60,496
o u t - o f s tat e
t r an sf e r
203
14,413
i n t e r n at i o n a l
9,413
ca resident
46,757
c a re sid e n t
11,843
in t e rn at i o n a l
2,367
ou t -of stat e
2014 Fall UndergraduateICIT Y E T HN
203
UC Davis undergraduate applications continue to rise A P P L I C AT I O N S I N C R E A S E F O R 1 0 TH C O N S E C U T I V E Y E A R JASON PHAM campus@theaggie.org
According to the University of California Office of the President (UCOP), UC Davis received a total of 74,909 undergraduate applications for Fall Quarter 2014. Of the 74,909, freshman applications accounted for 60,496, while transfer applications accounted for 14,413. UC Davis experienced a 7.6 percent increase in total applications from 2013. admissions on 15
a fr i c a n a m e r i c a ns
4.8% asian american
unknown
c au c a s i a n
american indians
c h i c a n o l at i n o
pa c i fi c i s l a n d e r
38.7%
26.7% 25.6
3%
0.7%
0.4%
BEST’S STORY
Imagine running into a wall at full speed. Now imagine doing that 30 more times. Welcome to a week in the life of a typical running back like former Cal player Jahvid Best. While that doesn’t sound like fun, Best’s story gets worse. In a Sept. 5, 2009 game against the Maryland Terrapins, Best took a pass and tried to do what he did best: blaze past defenders with his incredible speed. However, Terrapin player Kevin Barnes had a different idea. The 190 lb. defensive back launched himself at Best, hitting him so hard that Best was sent flying. When Best landed, he rolled over and vomited on the field. Best, being the competitor that he is, still had the desire to play football after his injury. However, luck was clearly not on his side. Only a few weeks later, in a game against Arizona State, Best, in an attempt to get into the endzone, flung his body toward the goal line. Unfortunately for him, he collided with an opposing defender. The contact sent Best sprawling into the air, high above the other players, until he finally landed on the back of his head. Right on impact, Best’s helmet flew off of his head and he looked to be in agony. Thirteen minutes later, Best was strapped onto a cart en route to the Highland General Hospital in Oakland, brain on 17
UC Davis students plan mission to Mars Eclipse Rocketry enters international mission design competition NICK FREDERICI features@theaggie.org
A popular inspirational phrase suggests people “shoot for the moon,” but that’s not far enough for Eclipse Rocketry.This interdisciplinary group of UC Davis students has taken on the challenge of making possible a manned mission to Mars. Ben Holmquist, a fourth-year mechanical and aerospace engineering major, captains a team of over 20 members of various majors and ages, all with at least one thing in common: their interest in space and rocketry. This interest has inspired each of the members to come together in pursuit of designing a mission plan to send human beings on a trip around Mars for the first time. Holmquist said that this is part of an international competition put on by a foundation called Inspiration Mars. “They’re one of the few private foundations that is trying to raise funding and create a mission design for a private manned mission to Mars,” Holmquist said. The foundation’s goal is to raise money and design a plan to send a pair of humans to fly by Mars in a 501-day mission in early 2018, an important time period for the probability of a successful mission. “It’s all about alignment of the planets really. In 2018, it’s the absolute ideal alignment for this kind of mission. It’s the shortest way you can go to Mars and back,”
Holmquist said. The time limit is a major factor in the planning process, which is why the team only has until March 2014 to write a 50page comprehensive mission plan and submit it for judging. But for this fairly new team at UC Davis, the time crunch is nothing new. “Last year we participated in the NASA USLI competition, which is the University Student Launch Initiative, where university teams across the nation go to Huntsville, Alabama, [where] everyone basically designs, fabricates and flies a high-powered rocket. It’s all built and designed from the ground up. It was a really rushed time schedule because the club kind of came about halfway through the project,” Holmquist said. According to Alejandro Pensado, a thirdyear mechanical and aerospace engineering major and vice president of Eclipse Rocketry, the team had a short time to come together and finish their rocket for their first competition, but impressively managed to pull it off. “Getting there in itself was a victory. The way the project was organized was to mimic NASA’s business plan. It starts with a proposal, your idea gets picked up and then you have a series of reports you have to do to make sure your design is going to be safe, it’s going to work, you’re sticking with schedule, cost and so forth. Every
M IS H A V ELA S QUEZ / AGGIE
Eclipse Rocketry, led by fourth-year mechanical and aerospace engineering major Ben Holmquist (back row, top left), is participating in an international competition to design a manned mission to Mars.
time you do that you give a presentation to some NASA engineers, then you get approved and you move on to the next phase. So there are teams that don’t pass those phases,” Pensado said. But Eclipse Rocketry did pass, and they successfully launched their rocket in the competition. The team chose not to gear
up for another USLI competition when Inspiration Mars’ mission plan arose as an opportunity. Their ability to work well together under pressure and time constraints has paid off in big ways with their current competition. mars on 13
2 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
DAILY CALENDAR
Students drive to college degrees
dailycal@theaggie.org
Commuters voice pros, cons of living out of town
6 / THURSDAY
RITIKA IYER
Lecture: Population Shifts in Bird Species of the Yolo Bypass 7 to 9 p.m. | 45211 County Road 32B Join Carson Jeffres, Lab and Field Director for the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, as he discusses a Yolo Bypass salmon and rice experiment which has been taking place over the last several years. A $5 donation is encouraged. Financial Literacy Workshop 6 to 7 p.m. | Multipurpose Room, Student Community Center The UC Davis Senior Class Challenge will team up with River City Bank to hold their second-annual Financial Literacy Workshop. Check it out if you want to learn about managing school-related debt both before and after graduation. “We’re The Millers” 7:30 to 10 p.m. | 123 Sciences Lecture Hall Join the Entertainment Council for a free screening of We’re the Millers, a comedy about a dysfunctional pseudo-family embarking on an unconventional road trip to Mexico. The event is free. Poetry Reading 8 to 10 p.m. | John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 First St. The Poetry Night Reading Series will welcome back Molly Fisk, the essayist, radio commentator and Poet Laureate of radio station KVMR-FM in Nevada City. Join them as they celebrate Fisk, her work and the publication of her new book, Blow-Drying A Chicken: Observations from a Working Poet.
7 / FRIDAY UC Davis Wears Red 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.| Hutchinson Intramural Field Join your fellow Aggies in breaking the Guinness World Record with a 12,000-person heart formation, attend the third-annual Battle Heart Disease Fair organized by Alpha Pi Sigma and head to the Pavilion for free information and health screenings as well as a special performance by the Nigerian Student Dance Group. Lecture: Resilience and the Politics of Memory 3 to 5 p.m. | 266 Everson Hall Rui Cidra will examine the different ways music and expressive practices have shaped the social memory of the Cape Verdean diaspora of the cacao and coffee plantations of São Tomé and Príncipe, as well as the diasporic identities of Cape Verdeans. Winter Olympics 2014 Opening Ceremony Showing 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. | International House Whether you are a sports fan or just want to get in on the action, come join the fun! Feel free to dress up Olympicsstyle in support of your favorite athletes and countries. Drinks and cake will be provided. “Where are they now?” Davis Roots Speaker Series 5:30 to 7 p.m. | Hunt-Boyer Mansion, Second Street Check out this speaker series featuring local entrepreneurs and the companies that they have founded. Ken Ouimet, CEO and founder of ShoppingScout, will give a short talk about his path to success in building his company. Photography: Uniting Art and Science 7 to 8:30 p.m. | Pence Gallery, 212 D St. Join photographer and Professor of Atmospheric Science Terry Nathan as he discusses the key individuals and photographs that have helped to expand the frontiers that unite art and science. The event is free. Author Event: Moon Los Cabos 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. | Avid Reader, 617 Second St. Nikki Goth Itoi will share the best ways to experience Los Cabos. The event is free.
8 / SATURDAY UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day Noon to 4 p.m. | UC Davis campus This is a day to go behind-the-scenes and learn about research and collections across campus. Explore displays, talk with scientists and participate in student-led activities and crafts. The event is free. Taste of Hope 5 to 8:30 p.m. | International House, 10 College Park Enjoy a wine tasting and silent auction benefit to support the victims of the recent typhoon in the Philippines. Great Gatsby Ball 8 to 11 p.m. | UC Davis ARC Ballroom Check out the Telemark Dance Troupe’s annual ball. This year it will be Great Gatsby-themed, so people are welcome to dress up and come dance the night away. The evening will start with two swing and waltz dance lessons taught by Barbara Fate Nicholas. There will also be a dance competition with some great prizes! No dance experience needed to attend the event and tickets are $8, available for purchase at the MU tabling Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the UC Davis Ticket Office and online.
9 / SUNDAY Elderberry Flute-Making Workshop 1 to 3 p.m. | 146 Environmental Horticulture Join this free two-hour workshop where people of all ages can learn how to make and play a Native Californian elderberry flute. East Bay Regional Parks docent Antonio Flores
DAILYCAL on 11
news in brief On July 1, the City of Davis will join 89 other cities and counties across California that have come together to ban plastic bags from retail stores. Approximately one-third of the cities and counties of California now participate in the bag ban, a huge jump from 2011, when only 15 cities and counties were involved. Getting the bag ban to the City of Davis is part of a huge effort to reduce plastic waste nationwide.According to Donna Farvard, the president of the UC Davis chapter of CalPIRG, the average person receives approximately 200 plastic bags per year. The ban will be extended to all stores in
features@theaggie.org Fourth-year English major Seychelle Steiner said she listens to trashy radio shows more than her fellow students might. Steiner, like many Aggies, doesn’t actually live in the college town of Davis itself. Since her second year in college, Steiner has been commuting daily to classes from her home in Sacramento. “I have an 8 a.m. discussion, so I wake up at 5:30 in order to get everything ready, get breakfast and leave at 6:45 in the morning,” Steiner said. “ Yes, I’m on campus really early, but I do that in case there is traffic or an accident.” Since much of Davis is occupied by college students, many community members are not aware of the large student population that does not live locally. “To me, Sacramento is so close, so it’s not that big of a deal,” Steiner said. “I don’t think there should be any judgment against commuting, it’s more curiosity than animosity. I
ABBY ALCALA | AGGIE
Seychelle Steiner is one of many UC Davis students who commute to school.
think people are curious about how it works.” Students may live outside of Davis for many reasons, including for financial and medical issues, job commitments and personal preferences. “For me, the main benefit would be financially,” said fourth-year English major Cameron Taylor, who has been commuting since his first year. “Davis is a really expensive city,
comparatively speaking.” Driving from Shingle Springs, near Folsom, Taylor commutes to and from UC Davis about an hour each way, depending on the traffic situation. “The actual commute is not great and it takes a lot of getting used to. I don’t think people realize how much COMMUTER on 13
City of Davis bike plan aims for diamond certification League of American Bicyclists rewards bicycle friendly cities SYDNEY COHEN
city@theaggie.org The City of Davis, one of the most bike-friendly cities in California according to the League of American Bicyclists (LAB), is looking to improve upon that status even further by taking the Diamond Challenge along with other cities across America. “The City of Davis was working with the League of American Bicyclists to redesign the bike-friendly community program. We did that along with Boulder and Portland and we said ‘How can we encourage these platinum level cities to take it to the next level?’” said Dave “DK” Kemp, the City of Davis’ active transportation coordinator. The LAB rates cities across America on a basis of ridership, safety and education on a scale which includes the ratings of bronze, silver, gold, platinum and now diamond. “The diamond status is new since the end of 2012, which is the new frontier of the bicycle-friendly America program in trying to create that bicycle friendly America for everyone,” said Liz Murphy, the communications manager for the League of American Bicyclists. According to the LAB the criteria to obtain the Diamond Certification is specific to each city. Each city receives an audit detailing what can be improved and laying out more specific goals with five, 10 and 15-year benchmarks. “The primary measure to Diamond designation: The number of people riding and citizen satisfaction,” said the LAB website. Kemp said that the community is ready for new projects and programs like the ones proposed in the Beyond Platinum Plan. This plan outlines the new goals for the community as well as gives analyses of the city in its current state and details how it can be improved to meet its new goals.The plan will be up for adoption in February. The plan can be divided into two
SHAZIB HAQ | AGGIE
Bicyclists ride around the roundabout at Shields and California Avenues.
subdivisions. The first is programs which include education, enforcement and encouragement. The second piece is infrastructure, which focuses on signing, striping and marking. Additionally, the plan illustrates the implementation of a bike park which would be a city-maintained facility in which riders could build skill and confidence on bikes. One of the projects detailed in the bike plan has already begun to take shape. This is a bike share that would promote the use of bicycles as part of daily commuters’ routine in addition to the use of public transit. Another project which has recently received grant funding is a way finding project that would increase signage around the city. According to Kemp, there will be a variety of mechanisms for funding the plan which includes grants and funding from the city. “Primarily because of our recent success, we’ll be able to utilize some external sources. Simultaneously [we] will be looking at [an] ongoing pavement maintenance program and looking at additional local funds for specific programs that wouldn’t be accomplished by the pavement maintenance program,” Kemp said. The pavement maintenance program includes upkeep of the paved surfaces around the city. Kemp said that when different roads undergo
maintenance, striping and marking can be implemented at the same time.The remainder of the needed funds would be supplemented by the City of Davis. The Ride Walk Davis Campaign, which seeks to increase ridership, is estimated to cost $40,000 per year and signing and striping is estimated to cost $80,000 per year; however, to apply for the diamond status is free.According to Murphy, it is funded by Trek Bicycles. Ultimately the goal of the plan is to increase ridership to aid in reaching the city’s climate action goals. Currently, 20 percent of Davis’ population bikes to work and 27 percent bikes to school; there has yet to be an evaluation on what percentage bikes for shopping, dining and running errands.The Beyond Platinum Plan aims to increase ridership overall by 30 percent by 2017. As for the University, Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) and the Bike Committee are collaborating with the city to provide bicycle ambassadors to help students find their way, change a flat tire or assist with safety, according to TAPS Bicycle Program Coordinator David Takemoto-Weerts. “This is the first bike plan to marry the city’s objectives with the league’s [LAB] objectives,” Kemp said. The city plans to reapply for the diamond certification by 2017 and become the first city in the nation to gain the highest status. n
Plastic bag ban to extend to Davis stores July 1
the city, with the exception of some nonprofit organizations, such as Davis Community Meals. According to Farvard, general reactions to the ban have been very positive, but she has noticed that students are slightly more enthusiastic about it than some community members. “You get some community members who aren’t as fond of the bag ban, but the overwhelming majority are in support,” Farvard said. Interestingly enough, most of those not in favor of the ban are more worried about losing the practical use of plastic bags than about how they’re going to carry their gro-
ceries out of the store, according to Farvard. “They’re so practical to have around the house, it’s going to be frustrating to go without them,” said James Kim, a Davis community member. Farvard believes that most retail stores are in support of the ban, because not having to supply customers with free bags will reduce their costs. Customers will still be able to purchase paper bags for 10 cents. “Paper bags are a better option for the environment, because they break down more easily than plastic,” said Janine Spiers, a second-year UC Davis graduate student in the conservation ecology program. Plastic bags never biodegrade completely,
they continue to break down into tinier and tinier pieces of plastic. Currently, in the North Pacific Garbage Patch, there are six times more pieces of plastic than plankton in the water, which means more pollution than food for fish. While talks about an ordinance have been in place for some time, if all goes as planned it will be in full effect by July. “All ordinances have a phase in, and many plastic bag ones have had more than a year,” said City of Davis Mayor Joe Krovoza in an email. “[And] so stores have time to adjust their practices.” n — Taylor Cunningham
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014 | 3
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
news in brief
UC Davis Wears Red Day to take place Feb. 7 On Feb. 7, UC Davis Wears Red Day will take place on Hutchison Field at 11:30 a.m. The event will raise awareness for heart disease as a leading killer of both men and women in the U.S. UC Davis Wears Red Day coincides with National Wear Red Day. The goal of the event is to break the Guinness World Record for the largest human heart formation to spread awareness for heart disease in the U.S. The current record is at 11,116 people. All who attend are encouraged to wear red and participate in the breaking of the record. Pictures will be taken at 12:30 p.m. According to Andrew Crotto, event manager at UC Davis, planners are expecting at least a 12,000 person turnout at the event.
“To show just how dedicated we are to this important cause, we have set our sights incredibly high,” UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi said in a press release for the event. The hope for the event is that a variety of UC Davis organizations on campus and in the community can be involved in spreading awareness with their own unique talents and strengths. Special event T-shirts have been created and sold at the MU since Jan. 21.These red shirts will also be available on the Hutchison field before the event. Short-sleeved shirts will be available for $5 and long-sleeved shirts for $8. One dollar from each T-shirt purchase will be donated to the Women’s Cardiovascular Medicine Program at UC Davis.
The project was spearheaded by the chancellor’s office alongside Dr. Amparo Villablanca, director of the UC Davis Women’s Cardiovascular Medicine Program, and Adele Zhang, curator of the UC Davis Design Museum. Following the heart formation on Hutchison Field, the studentorganized Battle Heart Disease Fair will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. in the ARC Pavillion. The fair was organized by Alpha Pi Sigma sorority and will have information tables and health screenings. Additional event details can be found on the UC Davis website and on the Facebook event titled UC Davis Wears Red Day. — Laura Fitzgerald
Phishing scam hits UC Davis Health System In mid-December, the UC Davis Health System was hit by a phishing scam, in which 1,800 patients may have been affected. The system is comprised of the UC Davis School of Medicine, Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, Practice Management Group and UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. Three clinicians’ email accounts were breached, but no patient Social Security numbers, financial information or health records were compromised. The emails mainly included minimal patient admission information, medical record numbers and names. The breach hit mid-December and was first realized when the clinicians noticed deleted emails from their accounts. Their email addresses were also being used to send messages outside the system.
The scam artists used malicious software to conduct a phishing scam; however, data security experts are unable to pinpoint the exact nature of the breach. The hackers tried to phish for passwords and financial information, but there is no evidence of identity theft. “Because of the automated nature of this type of phishing scam, it’s unlikely that any individual email messages were viewed or accessed,” said Senior Public Information Officer Charles Casey. “We have had some calls with concerns and questions, but we’re not aware of any actual patient email problems as a result of this breach into three accounts.” The Health System’s email program is encrypted to prevent such an event from occurring. The three affected clinicians forgot to encrypt their outgoing emails, allowing ac-
Katehi serves coffee at CoHo Chancellor fulfills her “Promise for Education”
ROSA FURNEAUX | AGGIE
As part of her Promise for Education, UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi served coffee to students at the CoHo on Feb. 3.
LAUREN MASCARENHAS
campus@theaggie.org Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi delivered service with a smile at the ASUCD Coffee House (CoHo) on Monday as part of her participation in the University of California (UC) crowdfunding effort, Promise for Education. In the midst of funding cuts and financial difficulties last fall, UC launched its first crowdfunding platform to raise scholarship funds for undergraduate students. In a call to anyone who was interested in the cause and willing to help, UC recruited people to make promises that they would fulfill once a certain amount of money was donated. Those who wanted to participate made their promises, set with a donation goal and got the ball rolling. The
fundraiser ran for six weeks leading up to Oct. 31. One thousand promises were set, 3,900 contributions were made and over $3.1 million was raised. Educators, celebrities, students and more made promises ranging from the silly to the strenuous. Katehi promised to serve coffee at the CoHo if the goal of $5,000 was reached and host a VIP Greek Gala if $10,000 was raised. Both goals were exceeded, and, on Monday, Katehi strapped on an apron and got to work. “She caught on pretty quickly,” said Chris Greene, a fifth-year human development major and CoHo worker. “The first thing she made was a cappuccino foam, which is one of the hardest drinks to make. It was really surprising because for her first time she did really well.” Though not everyone knew why
cess to their accounts. The exact scam artists responsible have not been identified, but UC Davis has taken immediate measures. “Our IT department deleted the phishing email and blocked access to the phishing website, as well as alerted UC Davis staff to the scam,” Casey said. In addition, the Health System notified government agencies, such as the California Department of Public Health and the California Attorney General’s office. The UC Davis Police Department is also investigating the breach. According to Casey, this is the first time, to the best of their knowledge, that a UC Davis Medical Center account has been hit by such a scam. — Nicole Yi
Katehi was working at the CoHo, many students responded positively to seeing her there. “I didn’t know it was going to happen,” said Cammile Gunsauls, a fourthyear design major. “I didn’t know this was why she was here, but that’s really cool.” Students noted the fact that this was a rare opportunity to interact so closely with the chancellor. “I’ve only seen her at big rallies,” said Chris Miller, a first-year Japanese major. “She’s been sort of a distant figure so it’s cool that she’s sort of coming down to the student level. I think it’s awesome that she’s following through on a promise, because so many higher officials don’t do that.” The $10,000 goal set by Katehi was exceeded by the end of the fundraiser. All money raised goes into the general scholarship pool for undergraduate UC students who qualify for financial aid. According to the Promise for Education website, the state currently covers 39 percent of a UC student’s education, a significant drop from the 78 percent it used to cover. This is due in part to a $900 million cut in state funding received by UC in the past five years. “Last year, for the first time ever, students and their families shouldered a bigger share of the cost of their public education than the state,” stated the Promise for Education website. “And with that shift comes growing questions about the value of a college education.” With many students unable to afford to attend the universities that they are qualified to attend, extra financial aid can make the difference. “About one-third of tuition revenue is put aside for financial aid,” said Dianne Klein, spokesperson for UC. “We are looking under every rock and around every corner to raise more money. [The fundraiser] increased the money we have to give to students who need financial assistance.” As participants in the Promise for Education fundraiser continue to fulfill their promises, UC will continue to initiate innovative fundraising campaigns. n
Watts Legal with DANIEL WATTS
My most frequent repeat questions come from students with landlord and roommate problems. Surprise, surprise. Although I’ve covered it before, it’s worth repeating now that a new year is well underway: Security deposits must be returned to you within 21 days of moving out, or else the landlord owes you a triple refund. Question: My lease ended on Jan. 1. My landlord is
refusing to return my security deposit. He says I need to collect it from the new tenant who’s replacing me. I don’t want to have to deal with whoever the new person is. Can the landlord make me do this? — Various students, Everywhere. Answer: No, your landlord can’t make you chase after the new tenants for the security deposit. Within 21 days of you vacating the apartment, the landlord must refund your security deposit. If he doesn’t, or he refunds only part of it, he has to tell you why he did that. He needs to mail or personally hand to you an itemized list of the amounts of any deductions and the reasons for the deductions. He should also include copies of documents showing the charges incurred to clean or repair the apartment. This list of deductions must be reasonable. He can’t just deduct for anything he wants. Before you move out, you’re supposed to restore the apartment to the same level of cleanliness as it was in at the time you first moved in. Does the landlord want to steam clean the whole place? He can’t charge you for that, unless steam-cleaning is indeed necessary to return it to the previous level of cleanliness. Ordinary wear and tear is to be expected, and landlords cannot deduct money for “damage” that occurred due to ordinary use. Some landlords automatically keep about $80 of the security deposit for unspecified “cleaning” fees. But cleaning is not always necessary, and they cannot deduct money for unnecessary expenses. The portion of the security deposit that wasn’t necessary to return the apartment to its original condition must be returned to you by the landlord. Back to your question.The landlord cannot tell you to recover your security deposit from the new tenant. Why? Because you don’t have a contract with the new tenant. You’ve probably never met the new tenant.The new tenant has no idea how clean the apartment was when you first moved in, so he has no way of refunding you the correct amount. You have a contract with your landlord.That means that if something goes wrong with that contract, you can sue only the landlord. The law requires the landlord to hang onto that security deposit during the entire time you live there. California Civil Code Section 1950.5(D) states that any security deposit “shall be held by the landlord for the tenant who is party to the lease or agreement.” Get your refund from the landlord, not the new tenant. He’s the one with the security deposit, so he’s the one who should give you the refund. A landlord who withholds your deposit in bad faith is liable for triple damages plus your attorney fees. If you try to get your deposit back, do not start with a lawsuit; start with a letter to the landlord.You can find template demand letters using Google. For more detailed information, there’s a California Tenants Handbook published periodically by the State Department of Consumer Affairs. The latest edition is available at dca.ca.gov/publications/ landlordbook/catenant.pdf. Speaking of questions I keep getting but covered but keep coming up … Question: In student government elections, slates/par-
ties are too powerful. Can ASUCD just ban slates? Does that violate any law or the Constitution? Is ASUCD even subject to the Constitution? Answer: ASUCD cannot ban groups of candidates from running together under a common name. Nor can ASUCD restrict the number of candidates who run together, or whose endorsements they can use in their campaigns. Bans like these would violate a candidate’s right to free association under the First Amendment, which applies to student governments in public universities. Courts treat student government elections as a limited public forum, in which the First Amendment applies, but with reservations. A rule restricting speech in such a forum will be upheld only if the government has legitimate interests in restricting the use of a forum to certain intended purposes that outweigh a speaker’s interest in using the forum for a different purpose. A judge would consider whether any restriction on speech is viewpoint neutral or reasonable in light of the purposes of the forum. ASUCD isn’t nearly as bad as the student government of my undergrad alma mater, UC San Diego.There, the A.S. Council recently restricted the number of candidates who can run together under the same platform.They also banned candidates from jointly campaigning unless they all file paperwork with the elections committee.That’s pretty clearly unconstitutional, since the only conceivable purpose of such limits is to restrict the most popular candidates, those with lots of friends and supporters, from winning elections. No other purpose is served. WATTS on 13
4 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
28 / TUESDAY
Rise Up! Campaign raises money for Typhoon Haiyan relief
Surprise party
UC Davis organizations join to raise $33,000
POLICE BRIEFS
On Anderson Road, someone wired $1,200 to a known suspect for shoes that were never shipped.
29 / WEDNESDAY
LUJAIN AL-SALEH
features@theaggie.org
Makes skin crawl A squirrel was found dead on Second street appearing to have been skinned.
Give him some credit On East Covell Boulevard, a transient asked if he could use the reporter’s credit card to see if it worked, saying he was a police officer investigating the reporter.
31 / FRIDAY Cataclysm Someone was suspicious of a subject with a drill at the manhole on Glide Drive, believing it related to calls for the past few days about people trying to retrieve a cat.
1 / SATURDAY Drove him to drink A seemingly drunk male was wandering through the street and tried to get into someone’s vehicle while they were stopped at the light on Anderson Road.
Purranoia An unknown female pounded on someone’s door on Alvarado Avenue stating she lost her cat. When she saw the person’s kittens she tried to claim they were hers. Police briefs are compiled from the City of Davis daily crime bulletins. Contact EINAT GILBOA at city@theaggie.org.
WEEKLY WEATHER Short Term Forecast In the wise words of Ollie Williams, “IT’S GON RAIN.” This rain won’t get us out of the drought, but it will help a significant amount in getting water levels more towards a normal level. With this rain it will also become somewhat colder, and as always with rain storms, increase your following distance while driving/riding. You can also expect some good snow in the mountains above 6000’, so chains will likely be needed over the weekend. Today (2/6): High 50, low 37, cool, mostly cloudy, rain before 2 p.m., and lingering showers into the evening, rain totals for the day will be near 2 tenths of an inch Friday (2/7): High 52, low 36, cool, mostly cloudy, after 10 p.m. expect rain, breezy Saturday (2/8): High 52, low 39, cool, rain most of the day, periods of heavy rain, totals will be near 1 or more inches, wind gusts up to 20 MPH
Long Term Forecast Under what is known as an atmospheric river, Davis will accumulate good rainfall. Rain continues into Sunday, heavy at times. Conditions improve on Monday and Tuesday with drier weather. By the middle of next week, a storm system will usher in increasing clouds and a chance of rain. Sunday (2/10): High 57, low 45, rain, breezy, rain totals around 1 inch Monday (2/11): High 59, low 37, mostly clear Tuesday (2/12): High 60, low 36, partly cloudy Wednesday (2/13): High 59, low, 37, increasing clouds, 60% chance of rain — Aggie Forecast Team
In response to Typhoon Haiyan, Filipino organizations across campus have come together to kick off the Rise Up! Campaign. Only three months ago, the deadliest typhoon in the history of the Philippines took over 6,000 lives, according to the nation’s government. Approximately 11 million people have been affected by the catastrophe, and the country is still recovering from the extreme impact. During the weekend following the typhoon, multiple students at UC Davis, including fifth-year history major Kirby Araullo, were quick to extend their hands in support. After reaching out to Filipino organizations and clubs on campus, Araullo attended a meeting with all of the presidents of the seven main FilAm (Filipino-American) community groups. During the meeting, Angelica Singson, Kirby Araullo and Robyn Huey were designated to be the main coordinators of the Rise Up! relief efforts for Typhoon Haiyan. “I have worked with relief efforts before at my junior college back in 2009 when another typhoon happened,” Araullo said. Shortly before Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, the 7.2 magnitude Bohol earthquake shook the same affected region. As the nation was in the process of recovering from the drastic earthquake, the Fil-Am community was working to plan a Bohol earthquake relief fundraiser. With the synergistic impacts of both the earthquake and typhoon, Araullo set out to find a way to combine the relief efforts. “I set up a GoFundMe page to begin fundraising and that is kind of how Rise Up! started,” Araullo said.“At first it was the UCD Fil-Am Typhoon Haiyan/Bohol Earthquake Relief Effort, which is a really long name. I wanted to make it shorter so that it was easier and catchier for people to remember.” Araullo also mentioned that the phrase “Rise Up!” is rooted in the notion of the Aggie community rising up to support Typhoon Haiyan survivors. As the external coordinator of Rise Up!, Araullo specifically works in outreach to connect with other campus organizations. Araullo has joined forces with Robyn Huey, a third-year landscape architecture major and the community mentorship advocacy coordinator of BRIDGE, Pilipino/a Outreach & Retention. Along with working as one of the main coordinators of the Rise Up! Campaign, Huey has helped Araullo to publicize and advocate. Immediately after Typhoon Haiyan, Huey organized a community dialogue in the Student Community Center to discuss the typhoon. Over 100 people gathered in support, and media sources like KCRA and AggieTV documented the event. However, Huey said that one of the primary obstacles in effectively running the campaign is planning a relief effort through organizations that are busy with other events.
ABBY ALCALA | AGGIE
Kirby Araullo has been involved in relief efforts in the Philippines since 2009.
“While we have many passionate students and leaders who want to do more for relief efforts, we also have a responsibility to maintain our work as students and our role as board members and officers of various organizations,” Huey said. Although it may be difficult to combine several student organizations in this effort,Yee Xiong, ASUCD Senator and a third-year Asian American studies and design double major, has advocated for student government involvement with the campaign. “I was with Kirby that weekend when Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, and when I saw how much he was affected and wanted to coordinate a relief effort to help the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan, I immediately gave him my full support,” Xiong said. “I wanted to act as a resource for him and the rest of the campaign coordinators to provide them with anything that might have helped.” Along with ASUCD, Araullo and those involved with the campaign collaborated with alumni, administration and faculty alike. “A lot of UCD alumni were active in organizing their own relief efforts outside of Davis,” Araullo said. Recently, Araullo also met with Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Dr. Adela de la Torre, to discuss the campaign and planning strategies. Initially, the campaign set its goal at $5,000, but set a higher target shortly after. As of last December, the campaign has raised $5,837 through a combination of cash and online donations. “Our goal is to reach $33,000 — it seems like an impossible thing to do but if each UC Davis student donated one dollar to the campaign, we would easily reach our goal,” Xiong said. The majority of the monetary donations have been collected through donation jars located at the Cross Cultural Center and Student Recruitment and Retention Center. All of the funds will be sent to NAFCON (National Alliance for Filipino Concerns) which works closely with grassroot organizations in the Philippines. Araullo works with professor of Asian American studies Robyn Rodriguez, and due to her close ties with NAFCON, Araullo decided they were
the best option for handling donations. According to Araullo, government corruption and the current politics of the Philippines also factored into their final decision to not send funds directly to the government. “There were a lot of issues during the typhoon because the government was just not doing their job and has not been accountable,” Araullo said. “So that is why we chose NAFCON.” Through joining with NAFCON, an opportunity eventually blossomed for Araullo. With the organization’s assistance,Araullo is preparing to embark on a health mission trip to the Philippines in the spring. “I wanted to go last quarter and be there to physically help, but I had finals,” Araullo said. “If we have actual Davis students who had experienced the area that was affected, it would be more convincing for administration, faculty and other students to donate and help Rise Up!” Two months after the disaster, thousands of displaced individuals are in need of support, and Xiong said that she believes Araullo’s motivation to go on a health mission stems from his eagerness to help out. Additionally, Araullo shared his interest in filmmaking and plans to document the current state of the nation during his trip. He is also hoping that he can create a documentary and hold a screening for the cause on campus. In terms of the Rise Up! Campaign, Araullo is in the midst of discussing the potential of a benefit concert in the spring. “Just be on the lookout for upcoming events,” Araullo said. “Right now, the least students can do is spread the word.” Although Araullo said there is much to accomplish, he believes the Rise Up! Campaign will persist in raising awareness to the ongoing issue that has altered the lives of so many people. “Self-education of the situation in the Philippines is also important, as many students during the community dialogue brought up questions about the political and cultural dynamics and how they relate to relief efforts from abroad,” Huey said. “Understanding which organization to donate money to is important in making sure efforts have the greatest effect possible.” n
This Week In senate ASUCD Vice President Bradley Bottoms presided over the senate meeting on Jan. 30. The meeting was called to order at 6:15 p.m. The meeting was comprised mainly of discussion about several pieces of legislation, including five bills and three senate resolutions. Susan Kee-Young Park from the UC Davis Office of the Ombuds made a presentation explaining how Ombuds is a good resource on campus. Ombuds is an independent and impartial resource that helps solve any conflicts between the faculty, staff, administrators or postdocs and the UC Davis administration. Ombuds does not get involved but offers strategies
and tips to solve resolutions peacefully. Senate Bill (SB) #21, which changed the attendance policy for commission interviews, was passed with no objections. SB #23 to implement a Long-Range Plan for Project Compost was passed with no objections. SB #27 to include the chairs of the Internal Affairs Commission (IAC) and Environmental Policy and Planning Commission (EPPC) on the Unit Renovation and Space Allocation Committee (URSAC) was passed with no objections. SB #28 to revise Chapter 17 of the ASUCD Bylaws was passed with no objections. SB #32 to remove the phrase “encouraged to resign” from the Bylaws, in regards to censures, was also passed with no objections.
Senate Resolution (SR) #5, which calls for a new Master Plan for Higher Education for the State of California, was passed without objection. The current Master Plan has not changed in 53 years. It is the responsibility of the California state government of Higher Education to adapt to and fix inequities of the K-12 and higher education systems. A committee will be formed to draft an entirely new plan. SR #7 to pursue an end to actions that seek to ostracize, harass or disenfranchise segments of the UC Davis community, authored by University Affairs Director Dillan Horton, was debated. Senators Miles Thomas and Jonathan Mitchell were against the resolution because it
represented “words without any action.” Senator Mariah Watson wanted to add a clause to urge administration to create forums on the education of diversity. SR #7 was re-referred to the Ethnic and Cultural Affairs Commission. SR #8 details the problems and barriers to affordable education and offers a solution to make more flexible and affordable course material available to students. The resolution was passed with no objections. The meeting then moved into public discussion before adjourning for closed discussion at 10:30 p.m. — Jordyn May
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014 | 5
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
Corporate alumni offer students networking opportunity Finance & Investment Club holds sixth annual Career Panel
CHAD DAVIS
features@theaggie.org
On Feb. 6, students will have the opportunity to personally meet and network with five corporate professionals. From 8 to 10 p.m., the Finance & Investment Club (FIC) will be holding their sixth annual Career Panel in 1003 Giedt. “This is a great place to meet very powerful people,” said Mike Eidlin, a fourth-year economics and Japanese double-major who attended the panel last year. “This is your chance as a Davis student to put your foot in the door.” Eidlin said these business professionals typically only pay attention to target schools — the renowned business schools like Harvard, Princeton, Yale and others. Although UC Davis’ Graduate School of Management rapidly rose last year in Forbes’ ranking of MBA schools, they largely cater to only graduate students. “There’s not that much help around the campus for business students,” said Andy Feldman, president of FIC and a double-major in economics and communication. At only six years old, FIC is the oldest business club on campus. Fourth-year managerial economics major Jimmy McCutcheon, vice president, said UC Davis never had a club strictly for business — there had only been business fraternities. However, in 2007 students Charles Chen and Dinesh Ganapathiappan founded FIC to unite UC Davis’ top finance students. According to Feldman, at FIC students could help each other succeed in the financial world, despite coming from a non-target
school, by increasing their opportunities to network. According to their LinkedIn profiles, Chen is currently an associate at Fifth Street Management LLC, and Ganapathiappan is a consultant / officer at State Street Investment Analytics. “Everyone who has ever heard of the club, or who has not, should come to the Career Panel,” Feldman said. The visiting panelists range from vice presidents and managing members to founders and CEOs. Four of the five panelists are UC Davis alumni. McCutcheon said the guests will talk about their past experiences and how they went from Davis to their current positions. At the end of the presentation, attendants will have 15 to 30 minutes for one-on-one talks with the panelists. “It could lead to an internship or more connections down the road,” McCutcheon said. Feldman said this portion of the panel lets attendants exchange business cards, shake hands and make an impression. “So dress to impress,” Feldman said. “Come in full business garb.” Feldman adds that, in the past, attendants have come from Sac State, Berkeley and surrounding areas just to meet these panelists and expand their networks. Feldman and McCutcheon have actively made efforts to advertise the Career Panel. He said flyers have been posted on cork boards around campus and handed out to interested students. Various members of the club have also been tabling and making speeches in economics classes. “We created a Facebook event and invited hundreds of people who we
think would benefit from [it],” Feldman said. The Career Panel is one of the few FIC meetings open to the public. Other events are limited to members only — and FIC has high standards according to McCutcheon. At every meeting, members are expected to act in a professional manner and dress business-casual. To find the best candidates, he said potential members must go through an application and interview process. “That includes a cover letter, resume and a one-page stock report,” McCutcheon said. “We’re looking for driven people who want to succeed in the business world.” Feldman said he and McCutcheon both wanted to be part of a tight-knit club that could teach its members how to invest, enter the job market and find internship opportunities. Both were admitted to FIC through the same application process that students complete today. However, Feldman said even nonbusiness majors can experience significant personal growth from the club. He said every student should learn to make connections with people who may become assets later in life, discover different industries and understand what it means to be financially intelligent. “Everyone should understand the basics of finance and investing,” Feldman said. He also said it’s crucial for even non-business students to learn how to budget, save and invest their money for financial security — whether it be through a personal account, a 401(k) or 403(b) plan or whatever suits their needs. “We exist to teach those interested in investing some of the best techniques to do so,” Feldman said. Without the Finance and Investment Club, Feldman said students can miss out on an opportunity to learn about investing at a young age — which, he said is the best time in a person’s life to start. n
news in brief
Davis homicide cases set court dates In the past several months, Davis has seen a series of high-profile murder cases go through various court proceedings.The cases of Daniel Marsh, Aquelin Talamantes and Darnell Dorsey have all gained considerable attention. Daniel Marsh is accused of murdering an elderly Davis couple, Oliver Northup, 87, and his wife Claudia Maupin, 76. According to medical examiners, both victims were stabbed over 60 times.The crime involved use of a deadly weapon, forced entry and heinous and depraved murder — actions that all have very serious legal ramifications for Marsh. A torture charge was debated, with the defense recently making a case to have this charge dropped. Marsh has pleaded not guilty to his existing charges. On Feb. 6, Marsh and his attorneys will petition the Yolo Superior Court for a motion to exclude the public and electronic media coverage from the case. “These motions are brought on grounds that they are necessary for a fair trial ... and due process under the federal and state constitutions,” Deputy Public Defender Ronald Johnson said in his notice to the Yolo County District Attorney. Jonathan Raven, chief deputy district attorney, noted the harsh possibilities for the now 16-yearold Marsh. “26 years to life on each murder for a total of 52 years to life in prison,” Raven said. “We will be dedicated to obtaining justice.” Marsh is ineligible for the death penalty as a minor. He will stand before a jury on Mar. 10. In a separate case, Aquelin Crystal Talamantes, 29, is accused in the murder of her 5-year-old daughter, Tatianna Garcia. The alleged crime involved Talamantes putting her daughter’s unresponsive body in the trunk of her car before driving to a relative’s house. Talamantes’ defense has provided a report from a psychologist for the court stating that she would be pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. “Nothing comes as a surprise,” Raven said, in response to Talamantes’ not guilty plea. Talamantes underwent a preliminary hearing on Nov. 14, 2013. “[The defendant] was held to answer on all charged counts, meaning she will face trial on all counts in the complaint,” Raven said. The trial date for Talamantes is uncertain.While the crime took place on Sept. 25, 2013, Raven said that most murder cases take about a year to go to trial. Bearing similarity to the Talamantes case is the most recent Darnell Dorsey Case. Cameron Morrison, a 20-month-old child, died on Jan. 25 leading to a homicide investigation conducted by the Davis Police Department (DPD). Dorsey has a criminal record that to date includes robbery, battery and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Details on the Morrison death are still unclear given the ongoing nature of the investigation, said Lt. Paul Doroshov of the DPD. According to the Davis Enterprise, it seems that an assault on the child may have taken place. Dorsey will appear in court to enter a plea on Mar. 18. n
— Eli Flesch Sarah Raphael / Aggie
6 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
MUSE WORKSHOP TO AID DANCE INTERPRETATION
COURTESY
Pamela Trokanski Dance Company presents “Life & the Meaning of Dance”
COLEMAN SAWYER arts@theaggie.org If you have ever gone to a dance performance and felt completely bewildered as to how you should interpret the barrage of constant movement and expression emitted from the stage, then maybe you should check out “Life & The Meaning of Dance.” On Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., the Pamela Trokanski
Dance Company (PTDC) will combine lectures and performances to create an interactive understanding of the meaning of dance and how one interprets dance. “Life & the Meaning of Dance” is part of the annual Davis Dance Project. The project, which is thematically oriented, aims to promote artistic literacy in the art form and is highly unique due to its hands-on educational aspect. Members of the crowd will be able to
participate in some of the dances. Lectures about differing elements of movement and the purposes behind dances will also be facilitated throughout the event. Pamela Trokanski, the founder and director of PTDC, started her company in 1984 after relocating from New York. Over the past 30 years she has seen thousands of dancers participate in classes and recitals, effectively becoming a staple part of the Davis dance community.
CIRCUS OZ T U M B L E S I N TO TOW N
Regarding the upcoming performance, Trokanski discussed the idea behind this year’s Dance Project. “I wanted to give people ways to think about dancing. I wanted to give people who are unfamiliar with dance and allow them to have access to some of the tools that can help understand and interpret dance,” Trokanski said. Michele Tobias, a board member and PAM ELA O N PAGE 1 4
COURTESY
Australian national circus to perform at Mondavi INEZ KAMINSKI arts@theaggie.org Circus Oz, the animal-free, national circus of Australia, will be performing at the Mondavi Center on Feb. 8 and 9. Founded in 1977 — six years before Cirque du Soleil — the comedic and contemporary theater has toured worldwide time and time again, to critical acclaim. This will be their second performance at UC Davis.
Mike Finch, Circus Oz’s artistic director and co-CEO, was trained in theater before pursuing circus performing. The upcoming performance titled From the Ground Up, inspired by Charles Ebbot photographs of American skyscraper workers, is his under his sole direction. “Circus is theater that is deeply visceral,” Finch said. “[In theater] performers aren’t six meters up in the air when they’re performing
COURTESY Part of the cast of John Malin’s “Dinner,” put on by the Dead Arts Society last year.
King Lear! There’s a whole element that steps between suspension of disbelief — rather than pretending our characters are in physical danger, they literally are vulnerable. This makes it tantalizing; it’s never completely make-believe.” The circus’ charm, Finch said, comes from its imperfection. “[Circus] isn’t like movies: you never get to sign up on the definitive version, it’s never finished C I R C U S O N PAG E 1 4
DEAD ARTS SOCIETY G E T S C R E AT I V E UC Davis drama club produces original student works AKIRA OLIVIA KUMAMOTO arts@theaggie.org Do you have a secret inner performance artist just waiting to break free? Whether you’re an amateur or distinguished veteran of the spotlight, the Dead Arts Society at UC Davis believes you should be able to experience theatre and artistically express yourself. The Dead Arts Society (DAS) is one the many unique student-run clubs on campus. DAS focuses on dramatic art and aims to create low-budget original productions that utilize a diverse group of students from UC Davis. The club performs plays, musicals, short scenes, choreography, poetry, songs and any other type of performing art, as long as they’re original pieces of work by students who have attended DAS workshops. DAS was founded in 2010 by UC Davis alumna Jenny Adler. Adler created the club for students who wanted to take part in the performing arts but didn’t have the time to practice for school pro-
ductions. The typical stage production expects up to 30 hours a week and students who have other time commitments often have to miss out on the opportunity to perform.When Adler created DAS, she cut down commitment to only three to six hours a week. The shorter time commitment proves quite doable for many busy students and the club draws a wide range of majors and talents who have a passion for performance art. The group prides itself on working with students of all experience levels and does its best to include as many people who are interested in theatre arts as possible. Second-year English major Leah Daugherty acts and writes for DAS and has come to enjoy the creatively open atmosphere of the group. “It [DAS] is a safe, supportive, creative space for anyone interested in making art and friends,” Daugherty said in an email. “My favorite parts of being in DAS are the camaraderie and seeing D RAM A O N PAGE 1 5
I T D P P R E S E N T S “ T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N ” New choreography explores space, contact
JOHN KESLER arts@theaggie.org
lez, a Master of Fine Art candidate who also conceptualized “The Space Between.”
“The Space Between,” a new choreography produced by the ITDP, aims to explore the meaning of the space between people. The choreography is performed by Rosemary Hannon, Brandon Gonzalez and Megan Ransmeier. MUSE spoke with Gonza-
MUSE: What is your choreography about? GONZALEZ: It's called “The Space Between,” and it’s an exploration of that space between people, between dancers and between the audience. We're questioning and
exploring what exists in that space. It's about 30 to 40 minutes, but since it’s an improvised movement piece, the length might vary a little bit. We're working with improvised structures, so some ideas of what we're doing will be set but there will be sections where the performers are creating the movement in the moment. What inspired you to come up with this choreography? I became interested in the contact that we make when we're not in physical contact,
and how we communicate and understand the people around us not only through touch but through space as well. My major influence was contact improvisation, which I’ve done a lot of before. It's a form that was founded by a number of people, namely Steve Paxton in the early 1970s. It's hard to describe. It's an exploration of movement and physical touch, a kind of wobbling in contact with other bodies. It’s an influence of martial arts mixed with modern dance, I T D P O N PAGE 1 4
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014 | 7
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
COURTESY
AGGIE ARCADE
Michael Tilson Thomas conducts the San Francisco Symphony.
MONDAVI CENTER PRESENTS...
Renowned symphony to perform Russian, Finnish pieces PAUL SANCHEZ arts@theaggie.org On Feb 13., the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) will travel to the Mondavi Center for a performance that features the Sibelius Violin Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. Led by guest conductor Jaap van Zweden, the symphony’s two pieces hope to inspire audiences particularly when they face the darkest depths of winter, whether literal or emotional. Second violinist Chunming Mo connects with the Sibelius Violin Concerto, which reflects Sibelius’ Finnish national identity but also contemplates the nature of the region. “Sibelius was a Finnish composer from the late Romantic period, and music played an important role in his Finnish identity. He used the violin as a medium as he mused on nature, such as snow and winter, and about his country. It evokes very beautiful imagery,” Mo said during a phone interview. Mo relishes in the chance to perform under the guest conductorship of Jaap van Zweden, whose own career began with playing the violin. “The composer [of the piece] itself is a violinist usually, and the certain techniques when you compose a piece come out more clearly [by having previous violin-playing experience]. Being a violinist, he [van Zweden] is able to see what works and what doesn’t among everyone — the orchestra, the soloists and especially the violinists,” Mo said. Professor Christian Baldini, director of the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra, said as a community, we are very fortunate to
ANTHONY LABELLA arts@theaggie.org PlayStation Now
have the San Francisco Symphony perform, considering it is one of the “world’s great orchestras.” In an email response, he wrote that music, particularly the live music of the symphony’s performances, can speak to us in unimaginable ways that can resonate with us throughout our lives. “The most wonderful thing about music is that it accompanies you all your life, whether in sad, exuberant, happy, exciting or terrifying moments,” Baldini said. “Music can always be with you. Music communicates a message, whether consciously or subconsciously. Listening to a CD or your iPod is great, but experiencing live musicians performing for you right in front of you is a remarkable, powerful experience.” The symphony’s principal trumpeter Mark Inouye happens to be a native of Davis, and also attended UC Davis for two years as a civil engineering major before transferring to the Juilliard School. His performances at the Mondavi with SFS remind him of his fond memories at UC Davis, but also of how much the campus has changed. “We used to play in Freeborn Hall. I honestly never thought there would be a great auditorium at UC Davis. [The Mondavi Center] is a great facility. It’s on campus, and as a performer, it sounds great,” Inouye said. Inouye looks forward to performing Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, both for its great writing of brass instruments and also for the way he hopes the audience can connect with it. “It has great writing for brass and trumpet.The trumpet plays a primary role in the modus of the piece; every time the trumpet arrives, it’s a startling part of the music. The way I feel, everyone that listens to this piece can connect with it,” Inouye said. Tickets range from $10 for students to $94 for regular admission, and can be purchased online at mondaviarts.org or at the Mondavi ticket office.
Sony recently sent out beta invites for PlayStation Now, the company’s upcoming streaming service in which PlayStation 4 owners can play old PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 games on the new console. I highly doubt one of those invites will be coming my way, but count me among the excited PS4 owners. Many people in the video game community were upset with the news that the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One would not be backwards compatible. I still play plenty of PS3/360 games, which means I have a giant PS3 and 360 right next to my shiny new PS4. At a certain point I’m going to run out of room for video game consoles! Sony aims to solve that problem with PlayStation Now. A key partnership with streaming company Gaikai was announced last year — an announcement met with both enthusiasm and skepticism. The idea of streaming old games sounds great on paper, but execution is the most essential component. If Sony does succeed, we’re looking at a huge boost for the PS4. PlayStation Now will likely come with some kind of subscription service or rental fee for individual games, which creates an interesting dynamic. On the one hand, I feel weird paying for games I already own on previous Sony platforms. But at the same time, I know the limitations of my willpower. If I see a bunch of awesome PS2 role-playing games (RPGs) available to stream, I’m going to fork over the money. I’m like Fry from Futurama in one of those “Shut Up and Take My Money” meme images. The option to stream also averts any need to download games, though that brings us to a potential concern. In order to use PlayStation Now, the user must have a reliable internet connection and bandwidth — a 5 Mb/second minimum to be more specific. Not everyone will meet those requirements, which cuts off a portion of the potential audience. There’s also the chance that the service will not work as intended. Imagine playing an old PS2 classic, only to have your memories ruined by noticeable lag and other technical issues. That’s the pessimist in me talking, but Sony did recently show off the service to a select few. The press got some hands-on time with PlayStation Now at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) last month, and The Last of Us and God of War: Ascension — both PS3 games — appeared to run well. PlayStation Now will publicly launch this summer, and I sincerely hope it works. We’re still years away from having robust game libraries for the PS4 and Xbox One, but including PS1, PS2 and PS3 games all on one system definitely helps. Then I can actually have some more space for important things, like a gigantic TV.
NEWS IN BRIEF: K D V S C E L E B R AT E S I T S 5 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y KDVS, UC Davis’ non-commercial student-run radio station, celebrated its 50th birthday on Feb. 1. Organized by KDVS events director Estefania Alvarez, a free public party was hosted at Rock Band University, featuring both local and Bay Area bands. Musical performances included Big Sticky Mess, Whiskey Business, Genius, Chad Stockdale and Robert, Beast Nest and Virga. There was a special appearance from Mr. Turntable Head, the mascot of KDVS. Former
general managers (GM) were also in attendance. “I just want to give a big shoutout, a big thank you, to all the former staff members — that’s anyone that’s ever volunteered at KDVS. I joke about us selling out but really, KDVS has stayed true, and that’s awesome,” said Neil Ruud, GM from 2010 to 2012. The freeform spirit wasn’t lost in the celebration — Ruud deadpanned to the audience about the yet-to-be-determined
2014 to 2015 replacement GM Cameron Cairns. “We’re going to be holding a competition very soon, actually, to determine the next GM,” Ruud said. “All the former GMs gather around a giant vat of beef stew — this is held under the tower, actually at the Yolo County Landfill — and the new GM is determined by who can survive in the beef stew pit the longest.” In 2014, the station launched its newly-redesigned website at KDVS.org, and they created an
app that streams their live broadcasting. The station began broadcasting February 1, 1964, from the laundry room of the now-abandoned Beckett Hall dorms. The progressive station has interviewed the likes of Ronald Reagan, Angela Davis and recently Fran Lebowitz. KDVS is the only UC radio station to broadcast constantly, every day of the year. It is also the parent organization for its record label, KDVS Recordings, the
non-profit Common Frequency and the Radio Engineering Research Group at UC Davis. Every quarter, the station also publishes their free newsletter KDViationS, written by the station volunteers. The station has relocated its broadcasting location multiple times over its 50 active years, settling its main studios in Lower Freeborn Hall in 1966 and the station transmitter from the tower of the Yolo County Landfill just last year. — Inez Kaminski
8 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2013
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
SCI+tech THIS WEEK IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
TECH TIPS
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X
STEVEN COLLINS science@theaggie.org
Print it with Flag N E W A P P A L LOW S F O R F R E E S M A R T P H O N E P I C T U R E P R I N T I N G
JASBIR KAUR science@theaggie.org
Living the college lifestyle often means having to learn to carefully budget your expenses. College students in particular are always looking for creative ways to still find what they want/need for the lowest possible prices. Now with the Flag app, college students and other budget-savvy shoppers can print photos saved on a smartphone for absolutely free. Entrepreneur Samuel Agboola recognizes the fact that printing out precious memories can become very costly very quickly. For instance, a printout of 20 photos at a local pharmacy such as CVS can cost over $75. Using only 220 gram photo paper from sustainable sources, this kickstarter company promises its users a printout of 20 free high-quality photos a month, with no additional shipping costs. In order to make a profit, ads get printed
on the backs of photos. By charging for these ads, the company is able to maintain profits. If you are not particularly fond with the idea of ads printed on the back of the photos, you can order blank prints for a small fee. However, the company notes that ads will always be tasteful. For those who like to think outside of the rectangle, the company says it will also offer users the option to print the images in different shapes and sizes. Users could also add text captions and make the photos into postcards if they wish. However, Flag plans on offering these extra features at an additional cost. Although the company is still in development, it offers a promising solution to a common problem: converting our process from merely looking at our photos to actually having them in our hands. Flag can not only be of a great service to college students, but also to smart shoppers alike. n
ROCK, GAS PRESERVE FOSSIL BEDS
The Yixian and Jiufotang fossil beds in northeast China are known for having produced some of the most well-preserved plant and animal fossils ever found. The cause of such pristine preservation is now expected to be because of pyroclastic flows, which are high-speed rivers of rock and gas. It was the presence of sediment and cracks in the fossil bones that prompted a team led by Baoyu Jiang of Nanjing University to publish their findings in the Nature Communications Journal. PERCENTAGE OF GLOBAL SMOKERS DECREASE, BUT NEWS NOT ALL GOOD
A study from the University of Washington published in Journal of the American Medical Association broke down smoking percentage by country and gender from 1980 to 2012. On a global scale, male smoking dropped from 41 percent to 31 percent, and 11 percent to 6 percent for females. However, due to worldwide population growth, the total number of smokers rose from 721 million in 1980 to 967 million in 2012.The study also found that men smoked more than women in almost every country. ACID CREATES STEM CELLS
A new type of stem cell has been created through the method of subjecting cells to acid baths, or other methods of stress. These new stem cells have been named STAP cells, for stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency, and have been tested on mice white blood cells. These STAP cells are ultra-flexible and can grow into any type of tissue. The research team, including Haruko Obokata of the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology and Harvard Medical School, also used these cells to grow an entire mouse fetus. COLD CLOUDS MEAN NO NEW STARS
UC Davis study finds little difference in efficacy of donor tissue based on age Corneal transplants from 60-yearold donors can be just as effective as those from younger donors
ALISSA REYES science@theaggie.org
Much like other parts of the body, parts of the eye can be transplanted. Unfortunately, there are cornea shortages around the world. In order to better this situation, UC Davis’ Dr. Mark Mannis and his multicenter research team conducted 10 years of fieldwork that compared the longevity of corneas from older donors to corneas from younger donors in transplant recipients. “The study confirmed the fact that older tissue functions just as well as younger tissue,” said Mannis, UC Davis professor, chair of the UC Davis Eye Center and co-principal investigator of the cornea study. This is the largest corneal study ever done. For 10 years it compared the corneal clarity of donors ages 66 and above to donors under the age of 66. At the five-year mark the success rate of younger tissue to older tissue was the same. “Whether it was a younger donor or an older donor we saw an 86 percent chance of success,” Mannis said. At 10 years after the transplants, the results were mostly the same. The only differences were seen at the extreme ends of the study; patients given corneas under the age of 30 had slightly better results while those given corneas over the age of 75 were slightly worse. Those in the 40 to 60 year range had virtually identical results. “[The cornea is] the front surface of the eye, and is really important for our vision. It functions like the lens of a camera: it does a whole lot for focusing the image correctly on the retina (which is like the film in a camera; where the light gets turned into signals for the brain to interpret). So, to do those things, it has to be very clear and smooth, and have the correct curvature,” said Ken Britten,
professor of neurobiology, physiology and behavior, in an email interview. Due to its location at the very forefront of the eye, it can be subject to damage. “Anytime you have a body part that’s exposed to the environment it is susceptible to all kinds of injury … Its shape can become deformed or become opaque and the light rays can’t get through. But anything that would either deform the image or block the image from being projected to the back of the retina is a reason to have the cornea replaced,” said Martin Usrey, professor of neurology. When someone’s sight is damaged, it can become severely blurry and things like reading can become nearly impossible. Also, pain or discomfort can be a problem since pain fibers are densely packed in the cornea, according to Usrey. The donor shortages have origins in many practices doctors use to choose corneas for their patients. Age matching is the process where a doctor tries to match the patient’s age to that of the donor. “Surgeons were concerned that older donor tissue might not function as well as younger donor tissue,” Mannis said. Both of these practices are unnecessary according to the study’s findings and create a severe deficit in available corneas. As one could imagine, corneas are hard to come by since they can only be harvested from deceased donors. The pool of eligible donors also diminishes if they have any disease that could potentially be transferred to the recipient. Older donors are much more common so favoritism toward the rare, young donors diminish the availability for younger transplant recipients who will need their new corneas to last their lifetime. Many of the donated corneas used in surgeries overseas come from the U.S. If doctors continue to only depend on younger corneas, there will not be enough to meet the needs of the American public, let alone the world.Thus, these findings have international CORNEA on 13
Eyelid Sclera Conjunctiva
Choroid
Retina Aqueous Humor
Fovea
Lens Iris
Cornea Optic Nerve
Ciliary Body
Trisha Kietikul / Aggie
Vitreous Humour
When gas clouds collapse, molecularly the cloud’s hydrogen atoms are fused into helium; the heat of this fusion reaction is what allows for scientists to easily locate them. A team at the University of Waterloo led by astrophysicists Michel Fich and Gopika Sreenilayam were searching for colder gas clouds. They did so by looking for dust particles within the clouds, which are much larger than gas particles, and it was in this way that they located 20 gas clouds that are far colder than normal. The clouds’ center temperatures ranged from eight to 20 degrees Kelvin (or around -450 degrees fahrenheit), and at these temperatures fusion cannot occur.Thus, the clouds cannot collapse.The team’s findings, published in The Astronomical Journal, may help to further explain what prevents gas clouds from collapsing. n
World’s most advanced instrument for imaging plants turns skyward Gemini Planet Imager starts searching for new planets JUNETTE HSIN science@theaggie.org
The search for planets outside our solar system is an underreported but active field. Dozens of powerful instruments have been designed to detect these faint heavenly bodies in unique ways.Whether ground-based or in orbit, they face numerous challenges. The Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) opened in November last year and is the most recent addition to this exclusive group of space investigators. The GPI is the world’s most advanced instrument for directly observing light coming from Jupiter-sized, or Jovian, planets. Located in Chile, it is the culmination of a decade of work among many institutions, including UC Santa Cruz, the Lawrence Livermore National Observatory and UCLA. GPI is designed to observe the atmospheres of large young planets within tens of light years away and take their spectra, which reveals the planets’ composition. “Newly-formed planets are very warm, and the Gemini Planet Imager looks in the infrared to detect their light,” said Jeffrey Chilcote, a graduate student at UCLA and a contributor to the GPI project. Hot solid objects emit light with a continuous spectrum across many wavelengths. Hot gases emit light at only specific wavelengths. Consequently, hot solid objects surrounded by cooler gasses will show a near-continuous spectrum with dark lines corresponding to the emission lines of the gasses. By comparing the absorption lines of the object with emission spectra of known gases, the chemical composition of objects can be determined. However, several problems stand in the way. “The main problem for direct imaging is atmospheric seeing (twinkling of starlight) … This basically distorts the image and makes it look larger by moving the image around so we do not have very good detail resolution,” said Patricia Boeshaar, a UC Davis astrophysics professor. Furthermore, the brightness of the host star, which is often seven or eight magnitudes higher than the target planet, make observing the planet difficult.
“[It’s like] trying to see a firefly on the rim of a searchlight,” Boeshaar said. The GPI contains several components to overcome these obstacles. Its adaptive optics system, an essential organ in any serious ground-based space observing endeavor, corrects the light coming through our atmosphere. A large deformable mirror takes the distorted light and reflects it as corrected waves in a process similar to how a carnival mirror changes how you look. The GPI’s coronagraph blocks out the light coming from the host star so that its planets may be more easily visible. The sky is imaged onto a mirror with a small hole: the desired light is reflected, but the unwanted light from the star goes through the hole. While imperfect, these corrections allow enough legroom for valuable data to be collected. The real goal of GPI and any exoplanet search activity is to uncover clues about the formation of our universe. What causes planets to form around stars? How common are planets in solar systems? “We have a couple of questions about Jovian planet formation mechanisms. Do they form by core accretion, where the solar system coagulates but eventually builds up gas, versus planet formation like gravitational collapse?” said Michael Fitzgerald, astrophysics professor at UCLA. In core accretion — the current prevailing theory — a core with a large mass forms by numerous collisions between smaller bodies. Hydrogen and helium eventually envelope the core until the supply (usually leftovers from star formation) is exhausted. In gravitational instability, the self gravity of a massive gas disk collapses into fragments, becoming giant planets. No solid core is required. “ There are also questions about system evolution. We have inferred that the orbits of our giant planets are not where they were long ago,” Fitzgerald said. This is inferred by the distribution of small bodies in the solar system, like the asteroid belt and Kuiper belt.Their orbital properties indicate a migration. GPI is set to conduct a 600-star survey to observe their planets this year. How many questions it can answer about our universe remains to be seen. n
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2013 | 9
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
UC President Napolitano holds first Google Hangout First chat of online series addresses UC student concerns MELISSA DITTRICH
campus@theaggie.org On Jan. 28, UC President Janet Napolitano hosted the first of a series of live online Google Hangouts. Student representatives from five UC Schools made up a panel that could ask questions and give feedback during the Hangout. There was also a chat for those watching online to comment and ask questions. During the web talk, Napolitano said that the series was the result of many students asking to learn more about the updates that the UC Office of the President (UCOP) is making to the school system. “This is part of our ongoing efforts to be in touch with students, both undergraduate and graduate, on issues like tuition, assistance for graduate students and professional school students, diversity and inclusion, sustainability and all the other initiatives that we have under way,” Napolitano said. The web chat focused on issues such as job training for graduate students, in-state tuition for student veterans, financial aid, textbook prices and aid for undocumented students. Questions from the chat box were chosen by UCOP representative Sarah Fidelibus and given to Napolitano to address. Many of the questions asked by students in the chat box regarded Napolitano’s previous occupation as Secretary of Homeland Security.
UC Davis University Affairs Director Dillan Horton said there is still a lot of concern surrounding Napolitano’s previous occupation and her opinion regarding AB 540, a law that allows for undocumented students to attend college in California. “Students still want a response on AB 540 students,” Horton said. “We’re wondering if Napolitano will take accountability.” A large focus of the web talk went to Napolitano’s initiative to allocate $5 million to undocumented students. The money will go towards financial aid for undocumented students who are enrolled in the UC because of AB 540. The panel consisted of UC Student Regent and UC Irvine School of Law student Cinthia Flores, UC Riverside graduate student Lewis Luartz, President of the Student Veterans Organization and UC Santa Barbara student Paul Malone, Board Chair for the UC Student Association and UC Berkeley student Safeena Mecklai and Daily Bruin reporter and UCLA student Kristen Taketa. UC spokesperson Brooke Converse said that UCOP reached out to members of the UC Student Association (UCSA) and students Napolitano had met during her visits to create the panel. The panel will change during the next web talk, as will the discussion topics. Future talks will feature faculty and staff, as well as other students.
BIJAN AGAHI | AGGIE
Students gather around a laptop in the ASUCD Moss Room to listen in on Napolitano’s Google Hangout.
Horton said that the student panel was put together quickly, which is why it was difficult for UC Davis students to get involved. Another possible reason that UC Davis students were not included in the panel is their limited involvement with UCSA. “It seems disingenuous that student leaders who often have the opportunity to participate with Napolitano were on the panel,” Horton said. “But we don’t know what kind of panel would show up if students were chosen randomly.” Aneil Dhillon, president of Da-
vis Regents Scholars Society, does not think representation in future web talks will be an issue. “UC Davis should get involved and I don’t think we’ll get neglected,” Dhillon said. “There will be significant activism if we do.” Horton said he is glad that Napolitano is reaching out to students with the web talks. He said that more campus visits will also be a great help in connecting students to the UC President and staff. ASUCD President Carly Sandstrom also said that visits to cam-
Severe flu virus season hits California Healthy, younger individuals more at risk LUCIA RUIZ
city@theaggie.org This year’s flu season has seen an alarming number of deaths in California.The number of confirmed influenza deaths has increased by 52 as of Jan. 31 to a total of 147 confirmed deaths in the state of California. An additional 44 deaths are still under investigation by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). “The increasing number of influenzarelated deaths points to the severity of this flu season,” said Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the CDPH. The CDPH reported that the total number of deaths reported for the entire 201213 influenza season was 106. The CDPH does not have any recorded influenza-related deaths in Yolo County for this season, but that does not mean that immunizations and precautions are not neces-
sary. The CPDH has a reported 15 deaths from the neighboring Sacramento County, which is the second to Los Angeles County, which has the largest amount of deaths in any county in California. “What is very concerning this influenza season is that the influenza is disproportionately affecting those younger and healthier individuals under the age of 65,” said Beth Gabor, a representative with the Yolo County Health Department. According to the Yolo County Health Department, the predominant flu virus this flu season is the H1N1. The health department also said that in 2009, the H1N1 virus did not follow the traditional flu season, but it is still too early to tell just how long the season will last. This means that all those healthier and younger individuals under the age of 65 who might not think that a flu shot is necessary might be wrong, and might possibly be
at a higher risk for the flu. “The flu shot has been effective so far, although it is still possible to get the flu even though you have been vaccinated. The vaccine greatly reduces the risk of becoming ill with the strains of influenza virus,” said Stephanie Nardini, a family nurse practitioner and urgent care manager with the UC Davis Student Health and Counseling Services, Although the City of Davis recognizes that California has been hit hard by the influenza epidemic, they have not acted on the outbreak. “No changes have been made in response to the influenza epidemic,” said Brian Mickelson, transportation manager for the City of Davis. Mickelson said nothing will be altered in regard to City of Davis’ public transportation routes or policies. That means that all the routes for Unitrans at UC Davis will re-
pus are important. “I do appreciate the fact that she is reaching out to students and letting them know what she is working on,” Sandstrom said. “However, I do hope that there continues to be more candid dialogue with students, not just through using social media.” UCOP recently released a newsletter for students to keep up with policies, initiatives and news. Subscriptions require a name and email, and the newsletters come out monthly.The date for the next Hangout is still undetermined. n
main the same as well. The Yolo County Health Department held a free flu vaccine clinic on Feb. 5, in partnership with the West Sacramento Fire Department and the City of West Sacramento. Additionally, local healthcare providers throughout the county are still offering vaccinations for the flu season. Gabor said that the free flu vaccination clinic that was held on Feb. 5 may not necessarily be the last mass clinic. She said if there is a need for vaccinations, mass clinics would be scheduled. The Yolo County Health Department has regularly scheduled immunization clinics on Mondays, located at 137 N. Cottonwood St. in Woodland.Vaccinations at the clinic are $10, but all those who want the shot regardless of financial status will be able to receive the shot. UC Davis Student Health Center experts say in addition to being vaccinated, it is also very important to practice disease prevention habits to prevent infection. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that individuals FLU on 13
10 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
Opinion THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE ELIZABETH ORPINA Editor in Chief CLAIRE TAN Managing Editor SCOTT DRESSER Campus News Editor PAAYAL ZAVERI City News Editor NAOMI NISHIHARA Features Editor TANYA AZARI Opinion Editor KYLE SCROGGINS Science Editor KENNETH LING Sports Editor CRISTINA FRIES Arts Editor BIJAN AGAHI Photography Editor EMMA LUK Copy Chief JANICE PANG Design Director JAMES KIM Art Director BRIAN NGUYEN New Media Manager RYAN HANSEN-MAFFET Business Manager TALIA MOYAL Advertisting Manager One Shields Ave. 25 Lower Freeborn, UCD Davis, a 95616 Editorial (530) 752-0208 Advertising (530) 752-0365 Fax (530)752-0355
The California Aggie is printed on recycled paper
editorial from the board Vote yes on Measure 1
#SaveTheAggie The California Aggie is asking for your help. We are introducing a referendum to the student body to add $3.10 per quarter to student fees in a campaign that we’re calling “Save The Aggie.” As the situation stands, our college newspaper doesn’t have enough money to make it to next year. This is The Aggie’s 99th year in publication, and if we don’t receive a major cash boost soon, it won’t live to see 100. The Aggie makes 100 percent of its revenue off of advertisements, and is one of the few financiallyindependent university papers — we don’t get funded by ASUCD or student fees. But due to the deflation of the advertising industry and the ever-changing nature of journalism, The Aggie is seeing less and less money every year, just like many other newspapers across the country. Since the 2006-07 school year, we
have been using up our reserves to stay afloat, eliminating resources and cutting positions, jobs and salaries. This is due not only to the depleted advertising industry but also the adverse effects of year-to-year editor and manager turnover. It’s hard for student business managers to have long-term financial visions for the newspaper when they’re just trying to make it through the year, or even the quarter. There’s only so much a bunch of 20-something college kids can handle. That’s why, in the model of other successful UC publications, we’ll be using the money to hire two fulltime professionals to manage our finances over an extended amount of time, a move the most successful ASUCD units have also pursued. We also hope to increase staff salaries, to compensate and motivate some of the most stressed-out students you’ll ever stumble upon (we
Taco Philosopher
C-C-Senioritis
LATIN AMERICANISMS with JORGE JUAREZ
IN TRANSITION
T
acos are an important part of my life. You might even — if you were so inclined — call me something of a taco philosopher. Now a taco philosopher ponders the deeper questions of taco existence. What size tortilla is best? What is the ideal cilantro/onion ratio? And of course, the question which still keeps me up at night and which has confounded taco theorists since the dawn of the taco: salsa verde or salsa roja? But nowadays, other, more pressing
My call is not to shun these neighborhood institutions but to supplement them with more daring acts of culinary exploration. metaculinary questions keep me sleepless and away from pleasant taco-filled dreams. Namely, why is Davis such a terrible taco town? Now I know some Davisites may take issue with my framing of the question. And I certainly don’t mean for this to be an unfair attack or snobby takedown of Davis taco culture, or the many taco dispensers which make their home in Davis for that matter. But I do intend to shine an unapologetic light on the path to taco nirvana. And folks, pardon the tough love but it sure as hell is not a path found in Davis. For one, if you are frequenting a Mexican restaurant which prepares in any shape or form the monstrosity that is carne asada fries, you can rest assured that this is in no way a taco philosopher-endorsed taqueria. This puts me in a perilous position and limits my options drastically given that most taquerias in the States have shunned tradition in favor of cultural pragmatism i.e. profits. There is nothing wrong with this on the face of it, and while I may seem to be overly critical I nevertheless sympathize with these business owners. They craft these unholy creations because no matter their cultural allegiance, at the end of the day they’re a business first and foremost, and American college kids for whatever reason enjoy a side of fries mixed in with their serving of steak and cheese. Mexican culinary traditions be damned!
But why then this undying love for the taco? After all it’s a quite simple and ordinary being: a corn tortilla (not flour, obviously), some meat — popular options include carne asada, al pastor, the slightly more exotic cabeza (head meat), lengua (tongue), tripas (tripe i.e. guts) — cilantro and diced onions, and to top it off a nice dressing of salsa, be it salsa de tomatillo, salsa de jitomate, what have you — the salsa is not the issue here. This compendium of deliciousness is what comprises the existence of what Mexicans collectively refer to as the taco — keeping in mind that there are variations of the taco; add-ons if you will (it all gets very complicated). Now on to what a taco isn’t. A taco is not bathed in sour cream. A taco is not sprinkled with cheddar cheese (there should be no yellow colors in the taco). A taco does not come in a hard-shell tortilla. A taco should, but does not necessarily have to be, accompanied by a Mexican lager — beer snobs rejoice (Corona can be ignored; better options are Pacifico and Modelo, which are quite good). And finally, but most importantly, a taco should be referred to as a taco, not a taquito — that is an entirely different being — not a burrito, and certainly not a chalupa, for that is a wooden boat. My call is not to shun these neighborhood institutions but to supplement them with more daring acts of culinary exploration. Maybe give a taco truck in Sacramento a visit (the mobile aspect, while potentially off-putting, only increases the authenticity given the hustle and bustle nature of a place like Mexico City), order some tacos de lengua, work your way up to tacos de sesos. Food is a major component of culture and can reveal a lot about a people’s traditions and ways of being. The taco is as symbolic as it is delicious. It’s a marriage of Mexican ingenuity and historical tradition. It’s a synthesis of Indian, European and Middle Eastern traditions (much like Mexico herself), which borrows as much from the Lebanese kebab as it does from German sauerkraut. The same might be said of the Mexican-American fusion resulting in carne asada fries. But I’ll leave those philosophical investigations for the carne asada fries philosophers. I am sure our theoretical jousting will be both tasty and fruitful. If you also share this writer’s dislike for carne asada fries, you can find a friend in JORGE JUAREZ at jnjuarez@ucdavis.edu.
overachievers flock to each other). For what essentially amounts to a full-time job, editors and managers get paid a bountiful two dollars an hour. Fun fact: we probably spend more weekday hours in the office than we do in the sunlight. Another fun fact: all those articles you read in the paper? Their authors don’t receive a cent for them. That’s right, we don’t even have enough money to pay our writers, let alone our photographers, artists and graphic designers. It’s no surprise then that our staff has dwindled over the years — there’s a very small percentage willing to put in long hours for little-to-no pay. There’s an ocean of talent out there, we just need to bait our hooks right — with an esteemed and award-worthy college newspaper. We see this referendum as an opportunity SAVETHEAGGIE on 13
with SARAH MARSHALL
A
s a transfer student, I only have two years at UC Davis. The filing period for graduation began a few days ago and I don’t feel ready to graduate just yet. Which is surprising — I always assumed I’d just feel “ready” to move on when the time came. I assumed I’d be ready to take all of the skills I’ve acquired and make use of them in the real world. I figured I’d be sick of writing research papers and spending hours upon
I have no idea what I’m doing (please don’t tell my parents). hours studying for midterms and finals in the library. I thought that senioritis would just hit me and I’d be ready to graduate. But that doesn’t seem to be the case here. I don’t feel ready and I don’t want to leave. I guess I feel like I’ve just started to settle in. I finally know where most of the buildings on campus are, the best places to eat downtown and I feel like I’ve just now gotten used to Davis — its wonderful quirks and secrets. I’m getting to know all my classmates and teachers and learning how to adjust to the (insane) quarter system. I’ve settled into my job, found an internship I enjoy and love writing for The Aggie. I’m not ready to give all that up just yet — which seems odd to me, considering how satisfactory it was to graduate from high school and community college. I absolutely could not wait to get out of high school. Sure, I was only going to be moving on to community college, but still — I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there. I was sick of the bell schedule. Sick of feeling like I had more important things to do than go to class. Sick of constantly working my butt off knowing that none of it would really matter. By the beginning of my senior year of high school, I was done. Senioritis hit me and that was it. I was ready to leave and move on. I was excited to make a big change and (begin to) embark upon my college education.
And during my preliminary college education, I had senioritis within my first semester of community college. And I spent three years there, all patiently awaiting those final weeks. I counted down the days until graduation. I gleefully sent out my announcements and said goodbye to my peers. So why can’t I do that now? After many hours of pondering, countless forced-grin smile-and-nod responses to “Oh you’re graduating? Isn’t that exciting?” and fleeting weeks passing me by, I’ve come to a few conclusions. Firstly, no one in their right mind would say that they felt ready to graduate after only their sophomore year of college, so at least I know I’m not alone. It would be unnatural to want to leave at this point. Secondly, of course my transition from high school to community college, and community college to UC Davis didn’t seem as scary as this … I had that cool “comfort zone” thing going on. I knew exactly where I was going and what I would be doing. Again, that’s not the case here. I have no idea what I’m doing (please don’t tell my parents). Lastly, there’s a big difference between senioritis as defined by “I’m sick of ” as opposed to “I’m not ready for.” Sure, leave the semantics of defining “senioritis” to the English major, but it makes sense. I’m not sick of school. I’ve just started to settle in to UC Davis and am now planning out my career options …? It’s weird. Though I might be apprehensive to graduate, I’m not unprepared. I’ve held a steady job since I was 16, been taking college classes for five years and have lived on my own for the past two years now. I’m prepared enough to do this, I’m just scared. But they say that life begins outside your comfort zone and I guess it’s about time I started listening. So with this column and my application to file for graduation complete: L’Chaim! Here’s to being scared, having no idea what we’re doing, and loving every step of it! To step into the unknown with SARAH MARSHALL, email her at smmarshall@ucdavis.edu.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014 | 11
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
Dating Candide
Seed Basics
LITERARY LESSONS with EREN KAVVAS
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE with ELLEN PEARSON
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f you are looking to be impressive, but do not want to put in a lot of effort, I have the book for you.Voltaire’s Candide is short, exciting and, heck, a fancy-schmancy historical figure like Voltaire wrote it so it’s the perfect literary reference for any snobby dinner party. What is also awesome about it is that it’s an honest-togoodness wonderful book. It’s no Being and Nothingness, no War and Peace and definitely no Ulysses. It is just a solid and riveting novel that makes reading classic literature more enjoyable and less like homework. It also has a lot of
Maybe I’m getting nostalgic for an era that I never experienced, but loving someone as they lose limbs and social standing and parts of their face seems like an anachronism in today’s world. applicable life lessons for any era, especially when it comes to dating advice. In short, Candide works at a palace and has a big crush on an aristocratic girl, Cundegone. A revolution then goes down, followed by general havoc for about 100 pages until everyone decides that simple is better and becomes farming hippie folk. Oh, and every time you’re 110 percent sure someone is dead, they are not. I have noticed that these days, love has lost its permanence. It seems that when we love others we imagine them to always be how they currently are, and we try not to think about them changing in some unsavory way. Unfortunately, the bane — or maybe the miracle — of existence is that we do not stay young, adventurous and youthful forever. For those older students, you may even be realizing it now. “Why do my knees hurt?” “Am I too old to have pastel lilac hair?” Moreover, just as we will not stay wrinkle-free and bangin’ forever, neither will our loved ones. Candide fell in love with Cundegone because as far as one can ascertain from Voltaire’s writing, she was hot. I imagine her with a curvy ’50s pinup bod. However, although he fell in love with her during her prime, he stayed in love with her. And let me tell you
something, by the end of the book she was missing a leg and had a degenerative skin condition, and was generally not looking too great. I am all for living in the moment, but the next time you are on a date, maybe ponder this: if this other person looked completely different, would I be on this date? This is a fair question, because if you end up with this other person, in about 30 years, they are going to look completely different. Or maybe ponder this: if I had a complete change in my social stature and wanted to do something revolutionarily different with my life, would this other person come along? This is also a fair question, because in 30 years, you are most likely not going to be doing anything near what you imagine you are going to be doing right now. Life changes and people change, but if you want a bit more depth in your relationships, you might want to read Candide. It is so easy to be superficial these days. Everything is photoshopped, ridiculously attractive people apparently are the only people who exist — at least that’s what my TV tells me — and going to loud parties to get wasted seems to be preferable to sitting around and talking with others. Worse, having relationships via text and Facebook is a completely viable option. Candide had it easy in a sense.Yes, it may have been a more difficult historical period in a lot of more crucial-tosurvive kind of way, but in the ability to find real love it was much easier. He knew that things were going to be different, but it didn’t matter. Maybe I’m getting nostalgic for an era that I never experienced, but loving someone as they lose limbs and social standing and parts of their face seems like an anachronism in today’s world. On the other hand, maybe this kind of love is still alive; it’s just not interesting enough to show on TV or in a magazine. “Celebrity Falls In Love and Stays With Companion Forever” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as “Celebrity Cheats on Husband of Two Weeks.” I’m not sure if life imitates art, or art imitates life. What I can say, however, is that either way I am feeling a little worried about the future of dating and love in our society. Maybe the stress of midterms is getting to me, but where did all the Candides go? To fantasize about the Enlightenment with EREN KAVVAS, you should email her at ebkavvas@ucdavis.edu.
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or their size, it’s impressive how much confusion seeds cause. “Haven’t we been genetically engineering seeds for years?”“Don’t GMOs occur on their own in nature?”These are common questions people less familiar with plant science might ask. In order to understand the politics of seeds, it is imperative that everyone involved in the debate has a common understanding of basic seed biology. Otherwise, the debate rages without moving anywhere. Debates about genetically engineered seeds, the intellectual property of such seeds and the socioeconomic impact on
Many people incorrectly posit that mankind has been genetically engineering plants for millennia. This statement has one foot in reality and the other in ignorance. people who feed themselves from seeds they’ve sown is crucial. Informed debate on such topics is essential if we are to make informed decisions at the personal and policy levels. In my own experience, many hot-tempered debates about the politics of seeds end in me realizing that the person I am conversing with lacks an understanding of the biology behind what we are supposedly arguing about.Thus, this column will be the first of a pair.This week, I will clarify the biology of seed breeding, and next week I will offer my arguments for regionally-based breeding programs as opposed to GMOs. First, let’s clarify the difference between genetically engineered, hybrid, heirloom and open-pollinated varieties. Many people incorrectly posit that mankind has been genetically engineering plants for millennia. This statement has one foot in reality and the other in ignorance. It is true that people have bred plants for thousands of years.The indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica and the Middle East exerted intentional selective pressures — purposely saving seeds from useful plants — in order to develop foods and materials that suited their needs.This is considered conventional breeding. People still do it today. Conventional breeders work in labs and in garden plots as we speak, selecting the most suitable seeds to save.This process can be sped up through hybridization depending on the end product one is hoping to
letter to the editor
For more biological clarifications on seeds, email ELLEN PEARSON at erpearson@ ucdavis.edu.
DAILYCAL
Regarding Class Sizes As a professor at UC Davis, I have witnessed over the years the saga of UC budget cuts, tuition hikes and increased pressures on departments to teach larger numbers of students. Teaching assistants have become the frontline instructors for our large undergraduate classes at this university. I write as a faculty member in support of their campaign for a new contract, one that will guarantee the quality and accessibility of a UC education. In my Department of Art and Art History, our graduate students in art history rely on teaching assistant (TA) appointments as their primary form of fellowship support, and we are hard pressed to offer even half-time TA employment to them.We are not alone; UC’s average yearlong graduate funding offer is nearly $5,000 less than that of any competing university, according to an Academic Senate report, when accounting for California’s high cost of living (http://ucop.edu/ student-affairs/_files/gradsurvey_2010.pdf). So that we can extend financial support to as many of our students as possible, most of our TAs in art history are paid at 25-percent time, a remuneration that amounts to less than the typical rent for one adult in Davis, according to the Living Wage Calculator. We in art history grapple with large teaching workloads and multiple classes.We benefit from talented, conscientious and hard-working TAs. However, when our TAs have only 10 hours a week to serve 40-60 students, those TAs only
achieve. Gregor Mendel, the father of modern genetics, gave us the Mendel square that helped us figure out what the probability of having a blue or brown-eyed baby was. Mendel was a pea fanatic, and he is credited with being one of the earliest European scientists to experiment with intentionally crossing pea plants to produce a desired offspring.This process is called hybridization. Where traditional breeding and hybridization start to differ is in the behavior of their seed.Traditionally-bred varieties are bred to be stable and open-pollinated; or rather, their seed will grow out to resemble its parent plants. Hybrid plants, however, are bred for hybrid vigor; the first seed will produce exceptionally well the first time you plant it, but the favorable characteristics will begin to wane each generation thereafter. Hybrid varieties were introduced to the U.S. markets in 1951, much to the delight of some plant breeders and home gardeners. Hybrid seeds, however, never replaced open-pollinated varieties completely, because they required gardeners and farmers to purchase new seeds each season. Many felt this was an unnecessary cost. Many small growers continued planting and saving their favorite seeds, which we now call heirloom varieties. For a variety to be considered heirloom, it must have been cultivated before 1951, the birth year of commercial hybrids.The seeds inside the juicy heirloom tomatoes you see at the Farmers Market were developed in our grandparents’ youth. As technology progressed throughout the second half of the century, hybridization became more sophisticated, and techniques for modifying the specific genome of a plant were developed. Genetic engineering deals with organisms at the DNA level. By looking at an organism’s genome, scientists have begun to replace, alter and add genetic information between species.These seeds are then patented as intellectual property by the companies that produce them, and they become commodities which can be bought by consumers and protected by patent laws. Open-pollinated, heirloom varieties function at the scale of a population, whereas hybrids function at the scale of selected individuals within a population. Genetically engineered varieties function not at the population or individual scale, but at the level of a gene.These differences are crucial, and the terms should not be mistaken for each other.
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barely cover the minimal weekly requirements of attending lectures, completing readings, preparing and leading sections, let alone giving individual attention and feedback on papers. Such constraints hardly make ideal learning conditions for the undergraduate students in those classes. Departments who do not meet the expectations to teach ever-larger classes face budget cuts and cuts to the number of sections they can offer. As fewer TAs serve more students, it seems this campus will regrettably — and inevitably — move toward only the most superficial education at what is supposed to be one of the nation’s top public universities. This Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 10 and 11, the UC Student-Workers’ Union (including TAs, Readers and Tutors) will be bargaining on the UC Davis campus for a new contract for TAs. Among many other things, they are demanding higher wages and more input on class sizes. Unfortunately, UC refuses to even consider TA input on class sizes, arguing that class sizes are not part of TA working conditions — a refusal which TAs say is unlawful and constitutes an Unfair Labor Practice. I ask that you support our campus’s TAs by speaking on behalf of them or simply attending their bargaining session.You can sign up at: tinyurl.com/testifydavis. Diana Strazdes Department of Art and Art History
will talk about the culture of flutemaking and also about the endangered elderberry beetle. All materials will be supplied, but please bring a sharpened pocket knife if you have one. Author Event: “The Nonviolent Life” by John Dear 2 to 3 p.m. | Fellowship Hall, Davis Community Church, 412 C St. Join John Dear for a talk and book signing as he shares his vision for peace and nonviolence, which includes nonviolence toward ourselves and toward other people and the earth. The event is free.
10 / MONDAY NAS Brown Bag Lecture Series 12:15 to 1 p.m. | Instruction Room 205, Shields Library Check out the Native American Studies lecture series. Robert Keith Collins, Ph.D. and assistant professor of American Indian Studies at San Francisco State University, will present his lecture “Displaying Transculturization in Native America: A Collaborative AfricanNative American Exhibit Between National Museums.”
11 / TUESDAY How to Get Involved in Research 4:10 to 5 p.m. | Meeting Room D, Stu-
dent Community Center Interested in getting involved in research? Check out this information session sponsored by the Undergraduate Research Center and learn the tools you’ll need in order to approach professors and land a position in the research environment of your choice! Trivia 9 to 11 p.m. | Sofia’s Thai Kitchen, 129 E St. Find a team and head to Sofia’s to test your knowledge in subjects ranging from world geography to ‘80s music to sports to The Big Lebowski. There will be prizes and entrance is free.
12 / WEDNESDAY Walk with Warren Noon to 1 p.m. | UC Davis Arboretum Attend a guided tour of the west end gardens plant collections. Warren Roberts, superintendent emeritus of the Arboretum, famous storyteller and punster will meet attendees at the Arboretum Gazebo. The event is free. Writing Fellowship Grants for Graduate School: Tips for a Successful Application 4 to 5 p.m. | Multipurpose Room, Student Community Center Are you applying for graduate school/ predoctoral fellowships? Professor Neelima Sinha will present how best to put together the key pieces of a fellowship application including the proposal, broader impact statement and personal statement.
12 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2013
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
BRIAN NGUYEN | AGGIE
JAMES KIM Have you found the perfect berry lip? In this first-ever beauty edition of Campus Chic, our muse of the week, fourth-year international relations major Humera Durrani tells MUSE how she rocks a classic, berry lip for the season. First things first: identify what works best for your skin tone and eye color and the look you’re trying to go for prior to purchasing an arbitrary shade of berry lipstick. Personally, I recommend a matte lipstick because it’s chic and edgy, yet not overthe-top with all the gloss and the shimmer. Remember, what looks good on someone else may not look as flattering on you and, through this quick and simple guide, you’ll be on your way in no time. For every skin tone, there is a perfect berry lipstick. For accentuating lighter colored eyes, use one with pink undertones. Lipsticks with blue or brown undertones are great for highlighting both lighter and darker colored eyes. If you have a darker skin tone, pretty much anything goes, including brighter shades of berry; but I suggest opting for a deeper shade for added sophistication and avoiding pastels or pinks that will overpower the natural complexion of your skin. A purple hue is fantastic on very dark skin tones for those looking for subtle sophistication with a pop of color. If you are of a medium/olive skin tone, you can get away with both darker and lighter shades of berry, but I would suggest opting for a medium shade for a seamless day-to-night transition. If you are lighter-skinned, make a statement with a brighter shade of berry with red undertones or a deeper shade with brown undertones for an ultra-chic and classic look. But don’t feel limited by these suggestions! Experiment and discover what works best for you. James’ Notes: As college students, beauty
arts@theaggie.org products can get real expensive, real fast; so how do we go about spending our money wisely? Jennifer Goldstein, the executive beauty/health editor of Marie Claire, once told me that the ingredients found in highend beauty products, like Chanel and La Mer, are actually very similar, and almost identical, to those found in over-the-counter products, like Olay and L’Oreal. I suggest splurging on essentials like make-up brushes or foundation, but save your money on items like lipstick and nail polish.The quality of drugstore lipsticks is improving by the day, as brands expand their collection of different shades and colors and better the staying power of their lipsticks. Without breaking the bank, you too can play with your makeup and test different approaches in expressing your individuality and personal style. Cheers! 1. Describe your personal style in three words. I don’t want to be a difficult subject for you, but James, you can’t categorize my fashion in three words. There are multiple words, but that’s the thing with fashion in that it’s so unique to every individual. Even if I say “vintage,” that can mean something different to you than to me.
3. What are your three must-have items in your wardrobe? A bold lipstick (a deep maroon or red and a hot pink), my headscarf and rings. My lipstick depends on the clothes I’m wearing. My headscarf has to be on point. It’s really hard to match them with your outfits. Sometimes, you’ll have the cutest outfit, and if you don’t have a head scarf that kind of flows with your outfit, it could really kill or make your outfit, so my headscarf is very important. I love rings because they texturize your hands [...] and they look GREAT with nail polish. 4. What is your all-time favorite accessory? My headscarf. As a Muslim woman, this is like my hair.We call it a hijab, so a bad hijab day is like a bad hair day. Sometimes they move around and you start looking like a hot mess. And I love a bold lipstick! It just makes your face pop and you can be wearing very minimal makeup, but if you have the right lipstick on, it just makes you glow. So those are two things I love.
2. Who or what is your style icon? I love Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad! I just love their style. I’m also very observant of how people around me dress so I kind of take inspiration from my surroundings. There are certain patterns and textures that people are wearing and putting together and I sometimes think, “Maybe I can rock that?”
5. Tell us more! Your face and your smile are usually the first two things people see when they meet you, so I think the right lipstick just makes you pop out and your smile brightens. Reds, maroons, berry lips look great with earth tones and neutrals. Be mindful of the colors you are wearing in your clothing and choose a lip color that will complement [your outfit]. Different lip shades also complement different skin tones, so choose a color that makes your face pop. But you can’t go wrong with a bold lip while dressed in all black! I’m not wearing lipliner right now, but lipliner is a must so the color doesn’t bleed.
Did you see the Elie Saab spring/ summer 2014 couture show? Yes, it was magical! It’s like,“Where did you think of that?” The fabrics and the textures were just to die for. He’s just amazing and definitely gifted.
6. Where do you love to shop and why? From what I can afford, it’s Forever 21, H&M and Target.When I want to splurge a little bit, it’s ZARA. I really like ZARA because it’s just classy and elegant.You look good without trying too hard. It’s not flashy, it’s minimal, but
still gives you that impact. Like, “I’m here,” but a sophisticated “I’m here.” 7. How has your style changed since high school? I used to think I had to match everything. If I was wearing black pants, I would think my headscarf would still have to be black. I wouldn’t do prints. I was a lot safer and I thought matching colors was safe. It just wasn’t that cute. Now, I think I’m a little bit riskier, especially compared to the rest of my peers. My roommates and friends don’t necessarily dress up that much so I think my fashion is a little more risky. [Fashion] tries to take me out of my comfort zone. I used to wear a lot of black-on-black and neutrals, so I started embracing colors more. If I’m not wearing [color] on my clothes, I’m probably going to wear it on a bright lipstick. 8. What does fashion mean to you? I’m not an artistic person at all, so, in a way, this is my artistic form of self-expression. I don’t know how to draw, I’m not musically inclined, but every morning when I go to the closet I can be like,“Well, how do I want to express myself today?” I already stand out and it’s very clear that I’m a Muslim woman because I wear a headscarf, so I want to make sure that I’m well put-together. 9. What final tips can you give to our fashion-forward readers? Dress however you like, but exude confidence when you do it. Sometimes, I’ll see an outfit [that someone’s wearing] that I might not have necessarily worn myself; but because that person carries it with such confidence and grace, I’m like, “Wow! That person looks really nice!” It might not even necessarily be their outfit, you know? So, I really respect that. Whatever it may be, like if it’s edgy, vintage or you’re trying to bring some sort of fashion back, only you can do that because, if you’re not going to do it, someone else is going to bring that fashion back and be the trendsetter. And that could be you, but you just have to have the confidence to go with it.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014 | 13
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
COMMUTER Cont. from page 2
van hour-long commute twice a day takes out of you,” Taylor said. “During my freshman year, I’d get to school and I would be exhausted, but at this point, it’s a lot better.” In high school,Taylor’s parents gave him the option of living at home while attending UC Davis for four years, or living locally and going to community college before coming to university. “I don’t regret it, because getting out of college and looking at my finances, I am so much happier,” Taylor said. “[But] I think I might have missed something about the college experience spending most of my time away.” Although the definition of a “college experience” varies amongst students, many agree that the social aspect of being at a university constitutes a large part of it. “I think that your academics and studies are very important in college, but it’s also good to make friends and get involved in student organizations,” said second-year economics major Sharanya Balasubramanian. “Making it a point to get to know people in your classes and people that are
interested in the same things that you are interested in is also a big part of college life.” Balasubramanian recently started commuting from Rancho Cordova this past September. She said the 25-mile distance from campus was a large transition after a year of living in the Segundo residence halls on campus. “Initially it was very weird to see my friends once a week and not every day.You really have to make an effort to set aside time for friends,” Balasubramanian said. “Before, it wasn’t a conscious effort, it just kind of happened. I make an effort because I don’t want to fall away from college life.” Without having the freshman residence hall experience, Taylor said he has made friends just by being aware of students around him. “Being open to interacting with people is important.What really helped me was to be receptive to other people talking to me,” Taylor said. “Try to be spontaneous.” Steiner said she has found the most success making friends with similar-minded people in her classes. “I have lots of friends within my major; especially with the small workshops I do in creative writing and honors,” Steiner said.
MARS Cont. from front page
major, captains a team of over 20 members of various majors and ages, all with at least one thing in common: their interest in space and rocketry.This interest has inspired each of the members to come together in pursuit of designing a mission plan to send human beings on a trip around Mars for the first time. Holmquist said that this is part of an international competition put on by a foundation called Inspiration Mars. “They’re one of the few private foundations that is trying to raise funding and create a mission design for a private manned mission to Mars,” Holmquist said. The foundation’s goal is to raise money and design a plan to send a pair of humans to fly by Mars in a 501-day mission in early 2018, an important time period for the probability of a successful mission. “It’s all about alignment of the planets really. In 2018, it’s the absolute ideal alignment for this kind of mission. It’s the shortest way you can go to Mars and back,” Holmquist said. The time limit is a major factor in the planning process, which is why the team only has until March 2014 to write a 50page comprehensive mission plan and submit it for judging. But for this fairly new team at UC Davis, the time crunch is nothing new.
“Last year we participated in the NASA USLI competition, which is the University Student Launch Initiative, where university teams across the nation go to Huntsville,Alabama, [where] everyone basically designs, fabricates and flies a high-powered rocket. It’s all built and designed from the ground up. It was a really rushed time schedule because the club kind of came about halfway through the project,” Holmquist said. According to Alejandro Pensado, a thirdyear mechanical and aerospace engineering major and vice president of Eclipse Rocketry, the team had a short time to come together and finish their rocket for their first competition, but impressively managed to pull it off. “Getting there in itself was a victory. The way the project was organized was to mimic NASA’s business plan. It starts with a proposal, your idea gets picked up and then you have a series of reports you have to do to make sure your design is going to be safe, it’s going to work, you’re sticking with schedule, cost and so forth. Every time you do that you give a presentation to some NASA engineers, then you get approved and you move on to the next phase. So there are teams that don’t pass those phases,” Pensado said. But Eclipse Rocketry did pass, and they successfully launched their rocket in the competition. The team chose not to gear up for another USLI competition when Inspiration Mars’ mission plan arose as an opportunity.
WATTS Cont. from page 3
That does not mean that ASUCD’s bylaws are in the clear. This section, for example, is probably unconstitutional and unenforceable: “A copy of the written list of [a candidate’s] supporters must be filed with the ASUCD Elections Committee one academic day prior to the [candidate’s] use of the endorsement.” It is unlikely that a judge would uphold this, because its blanket restriction is unreasonable. Imagine the consequences: After a club holds its endorsement meeting on the Friday before a three-day weekend, the candidate cannot tell anyone that the club endorsed him until the following Tuesday. What reasonable purpose is served by this four-day waiting period? The club could
“I’d rather get to know people that way because we have common interests and it kind of works out.” For Balasubramanian, commuting has made her value her time more, specifically when it comes to managing her academics while maintaining her social life. “As a commuting student, I do spend a couple hours on the road everyday, so that makes me realize I have less time to do school work,” Balasubramanian said. “Commuting has made me more focused and efficient, and I try to waste not as much time anymore.” By living away from Davis, many student commuters face less distractions than a college campus generally brings. “If the student is more focused on having friends, but also really interested in having good grades, commuting is awesome because it forces you to have the time to do that,” Steiner said. Overall, those who commute feel their reasons for doing it outweigh any negatives. “I really like having accessibility to school and friends here [and] having my own personal space and having my family close by,” Steiner said. “I don’t have any complaints. If I did, I’d be living in Davis.” n
Their ability to work well together under pressure and time constraints has paid off in big ways with their current competition. Holmquist emphasized the individual efforts of the team, and their ability to bring everything together. With people working on everything from communications and launch systems to life support and mental health, Holmquist said that cohesion between the sections is a priority. “Basically, there are nine large components of the mission that we think deserve individual attention. Before winter break everyone had written their own independent report and analysis on their section,” Holmquist said. “Every section met with varying success, everyone had a report, and everything is on track to come together to be, we think, a very successful and reasonable mission plan.” Though the foundation will judge the mission as a whole, any unique and helpful elements of the individual sections might be used in the foundation’s final mission. “I think there’s some really cool stuff in our report that might not be in anyone else’s, so hopefully we’ll give them some thoughts, and then if they get their funding together and eventually do this, we will have contributed to a really great scientific achievement as college students,” Holmquist said. Molly Townsend, a second-year grad student working on a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, is in charge of the “human” element of the project. She pointed out the
announce its endorsement on Friday, but if the candidate’s roommate asks him about the endorsement on Saturday, he would have to stay mute or else risk disqualification. That’s nuts — or, in legal terms, unreasonable. It’s great that UC Davis’ election bylaws are more free and fair than UC San Diego’s, but clauses like this are still a problem. Any candidate afraid of disqualification under this provision could file a lawsuit in federal court before the election even begins. Lawsuits are expensive, and ASUCD would do well to revise the bylaws before some ambitious political science student tries to test them in court. Daniel is a Sacramento attorney, former Davis City Council candidate and graduate of UC Davis School of Law. He’ll answer questions sent to him at governorwatts@gmail.com or tweeted to @governorwatts.
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“Can we try...?” “I like it when...” “Do you want...?” “What kind of protection do you like?” To get started, visit shcs.ucdavis.edu/sexcessful
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for an amazing transition for The Aggie — not only to save it, but to make it better. Once we’ve covered the basics, we’ll be selecting a business and development manager, expanding our online and new media presence, publishing two or more times a week, running issues over summer sessions, paying writers and photographers, increasing editor pay to maybe even four dollars an hour (wow!), hiring and paying assistant managers, applying for awards and so much more. So why do you need all this for your campus newspaper? Because when shit hits the fan, we’re there in hazmat suits. Our reporters are out interviewing students on the Quad as they get pepper sprayed. Our photographers
CORNEA Cont. from page 8
benefits; they are meant to “debunk some of the myth about what tissue is suitable and to help make tissue more available for transplants all over the world,” Mannis said. Corneal transplants have been around for over 100 years and it can greatly improve the quality of life of the transplant recipient. They are a very special tissue to replace and are rarely rejected by the recipient’s immune system. “I think corneal transplants are wonderful … The procedure has restored sight in countless numbers of people,” said Arnie Sillman, emeritus professor in the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior. This study’s findings can even further expand the reach of corneal transplants and sight to more people. If someone opts to donate their corneas at death, they can have a donor sticker put on their driver’s license. They must also inform their family of their wishes. This is because eye banks need family consent in order to harvest the tissue, whether someone has a donor sticker or not. n
trade-offs between each of the components, and the importance of communication. “Everything has its sort of trickle down, that’s why everything in this club is focused on communication between the different sections,” Townsend said. On the subject of trade-offs, Holmquist, Pensado and Townsend all commented on the time commitment for the project, and compared it to having one or even two extra classes.They said balancing time was difficult but not impossible. “As far as we know, nobody failed any classes,” Pensado said. Overall, they all said they found their work on the project very educational. Townsend said her part in it has helped with her dissertation, as most of her work focuses on the problem of the loss of bone mass experienced by astronauts in space. Pensado said he doesn’t believe there is a single class that teaches the variety of subjects he’s learned about in his time in the competition. “After this, I know a good amount about every single part of a mission design. I can have a conversation with someone that is an expert in this field now and know what I’m talking about, know the problems you’re gonna run into, some of the solutions and the current state of technologies. It’s been the single most educational thing that I’ve done in school, and also the most motivational thing. For me, it’s been an extremely positive experience,” Holmquist said. n
FLU Cont. from page 9
should avoid close contact with sick people, and stay home for at least 24 hours. If sick, limit contact with others, cover nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and wash hands often with soap and water. For those who already have the flu, UC Davis Student Health experts said that getting the flu shot will not help their current illness, because it takes approximately two weeks to get the maximum protection for the flu vaccine.
are at Murder Burger at one in the morning when there’s an armed suspect on the loose. Our staff members are the watchdogs for ASUCD. $3.10: that’s less than the price of a CoHo burrito. Think about it: one burrito a quarter can pay for student salaries, a bi-weekly paper, more online content and a school newspaper you can be even more proud of. Not to mention that it’s a paltry price in comparison to predetermined fees, such as the $93 a quarter you pay for UC Davis Athletics. The Aggie’s staff and supporters are fully prepared to embarrass the hell out of ourselves in getting this referendum passed. We’re changing our profile pictures and making announcements in our classes. We’re flagging down random people to ask them if they’ve heard about the referendum. We’re literally changing our middle names to “#Sa-
Experts maintain that getting a flu shot is the best way to prevent illness, and it is important to get a shot as soon as possible. “Teleconferences have been consecutively held for the last month [and] the purpose of these conferences is to provide the most up-to-date information concerning influenza activity in the state of California,” said Norma Arceo, a public informant officer with the CDPH. Additional information and resources about the current influenza season may be found at CDPH.CA.gov or CDC. gov. n
veTheAggie.” OK, just kidding on that last one. Not literally, that would require money — and, as previously stated, we have none. But what we have plenty of is determination, solid work ethics and a strange, severe love for our little windowless office in 25 Lower Freeborn, known to all us sunlightdeprived staffers as “The Basement.” And if you care about anything that has to do with us — our paper, our purpose, our stale bagel that’s been hiding in the roof tiles for an uncomfortably unknown amount of time — vote yes on Measure 1, our referendum to save The Aggie. Voting happens online at elections.ucdavis.edu/ from Tuesday Feb. 18 at 8 a.m. to Friday Feb. 21 at 8 a.m. We’ll be where we always are — bumping swivel chairs against each other in The Basement, typing with one hand and crossing our fingers with the other. n
14 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014
ADMISSIONS Cont. from front page
According to Walter Robinson, executive director of UC Davis Undergraduate Admissions, the increase is because of a strategic recruitment plan created when Robinson started at UC Davis in September 2011. “We’ve been very intentional with our recruitment efforts,” Robinson said. “We have identified places where we should go and activities we should engage in in our outreach and recruitment. And it’s starting to pay off.” Of the total UC Davis freshman applicants, 46,757 are California residents, 4,326 are outof-state students and 9,413 are international students. While there is only a 2.2 percent increase in California resident applications, out-of-state and international applications increased by 27.8 percent and 39.5 percent, respectively, from 2013. For transfers, there were 11,843 California resident applicants, 203 out-of-state applicants and 2,367 international applicants. “I think it is great that UC Davis is becoming more well-known among international students,” said Moira Delgada, UC Davis outreach coordinator. “I would have loved to have international friends as both an undergraduate and graduate. International students can play the role of global educators, especially to students, staff and faculty who have not had the chance to live or study abroad.” However, Delgado worries that students will misinterpret the increase in international and out-of-state applications as favoritism towards students from these regions. According to Delgado, UC Davis is committed to maintaining the current allotment of California residents. “My fear is that the general public reading these statistics will wrongly assume, as some did last year, that international students are
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
taking spots away from domestic students,” Delgado said. “The general public sometimes doesn’t realize … that the tuition from outof-state and international students is helping UC schools to overcome the loss in funding at the state level.” According to Robinson, the large increase in out-of-state and international students has been a result of recent efforts by UC Davis to reach out to students globally and across the country. He said that the UC has been “very California-centric” since its creation in 1868. “The perception that the world had about the University of California was that we didn’t have an interest in people outside of the state of California. For the last several years, we’ve been trying to change that perception as we’ve become more globally diverse,” Robinson said. “It’s hard to keep something as good as the University of California a secret from the rest of the world and the rest of the country.” From the pool of California residents, 4.8 percent of freshman applicants identify as African American, 0.7 percent identify as American Indian, 38.7 percent identify as Asian American, 25.6 percent identify as Chicano/ Latino, 0.4 percent identify as Pacific Islander and 26.7 percent identify as white, leaving three percent of applicants who did not provide a racial report. Out of all ethnic groups, Chicano/Latino applicants saw the largest rise, with 2,125 more applicants than 2012. According to Robinson, UC Davis has spent a large amount of effort and time recruiting students from schools in Chicano/ Latino communities. “Chicano/Latino is the most rapidly growing population in the state,” Robinson said. “I’d say that the majority of all students that are in a K-12 sector of California public schools are of Chicano/Latino descent. I’m proud of the fact that the University of California is starting to reflect more so the diversity of the state.”
CIRCUS Cont. from page 6
perfect … it’s like gardening, or cooking or storytelling in a pub. It’s very human, and the moment you think you’ve got it right, it can all change,” Finch said. One of the trapeze and aerial ring performers, Spenser Inwood, ran away to the circus, so to speak. Although she still attended school, as was required through the youth circus company she performed for, she had already toured around the world for 10 years by the time she joined Circus Oz. Although she’s traveled worldwide, seeing the different cultures in her native country is Inwood’s favorite part of touring. “We embrace Australia’s multiculturalism,” Inwood said in a Skype interview. “It’s important to have this conversation with the audience about the kind of society we want to be living in.” The company has been committed to social justice as well as being a state-of-the-art circus company. Historically, they’ve backed various causes in Australia, particularly supporting gender equality, land rights for indigenous Australians and asylum seekers. Finch described Circus Oz to be “at the progressive end of the spectrum.” The cast consistently fea-
For Fall Quarter 2014, of the freshman applicants from California, 41.1 percent will be first-generation college students, 36.7 percent came from low-income families and 20.7 percent came from high schools with a low Acadeic Performance Index (API) determined by an API score of one to four. With its recent opening in September 2013, Robinson does not believe the UC Davis Welcome Center has had enough time to have a large impact on this year’s applications. However, Robinson predicts that, in time, UC Davis will be able to correlate applicant outcomes to the Welcome Center’s efforts. Due to an increase in applications, Robinson anticipates UC Davis’ admit rate will continue to fall. “As our applications continue to grow, our pool gets bigger,” Robinson said. “If our enrollment target stays pretty flat then the admit rate will continue to drop. I anticipate that this year’s admit rate will drop a bit.” Supna Nair, a first-year biological sciences major, believes UC Davis’ competitiveness helps attract students to the university. “I went here because it was higher ranking than the other schools I got into, so competitiveness helps,” Nair said. Across the UC system, there was a total of 183,272 students who applied to a UC for Fall Quarter 2014, an overall increase of 4.9 percent since Fall 2013. This would make 2014 the 10th consecutive year in which the UC saw an increase in applications. According to the UCOP, Chicanos/Latinos, the largest racial group among California high school graduates, remained the largest ethnic group among California freshman applicants for the second consecutive year, with a total of 32,580 applicants. “As a Chicana undergraduate student at UC Davis, it really fills me with joy to know that the Chicano/Latino students are the largest ethnic group among California fresh-
tures an equal number of men and women, as well as different sexualities and a number of indigenous Australians. “At a fundamental level, we try to achieve a connection with the audience,” Finch said. “They are at the center of the whole endeavor. The audience should feel empowered to make noise, to interact, to feel uplifted and positive. Hopefully, it’s a diverse group of people, too — adults, children, rich people, poor people — as much diversity, as much humanity in that room as possible.” Circus Oz’s newest forthcoming show will premiere in Melbourne, Australia in June. According to Clare McKenzie, International Programming representative for Circus Oz, they have built a facility in Melbourne in which the circus company will be able to develop more cutting-edge shows for the world to experience. “This year we move into our brand new custommade Secret Circus Laboratory Home Base deep in the heart of Melbourne,” McKenzie said. “From this purpose-built facility, Circus Oz aims to produce bigger, more spectacular and dangerously funnier shows.” Circus Oz will be performing at Mondavi Center’s Jackson Hall on Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. Tickets start at $12.50 for UC Davis students and can be purchased at mondaviarts.org, by phone at (866) 754-2787 or at the door. n
man applicants, and even more that it’s the second consecutive year,” said Angela Munoz, co-chair of Hermanas Unidas de UC Davis. “I know that there still is a long way to go, but it’s a step towards having more students of color in the UC system.” The overall number of transfer applicants to UC saw a slight dip from the previous year with a decrease of 0.5 percent. Robinson expects the increase in applications to help with the movement of the 2020 Initiative. The 2020 Initiative is a proposal introduced by Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi in November 2011 that seeks to sustain and expand excellence at UC Davis by expanding the overall enrollment to UC Davis with the addition of 5,000 students by the year 2020. “In notion of diversity in the broadest context, access in the broadest context, excellence in the broadest context, 20/20 has given us an opportunity to achieve all three of those objectives,” Robinson said . According to Robinson, UC Davis looks for the type of student who is well-rounded and has a passion towards making a contribution. “I will proudly say as a Californian, I think it’s part of the California DNA that we are activists,” Robinson said. “I was raised as an activist. There’s a value that should be placed on students who are activists.” According to Robinson, UC Davis Undergraduate Admissions is still working on a final enrollment target, but he predicts the number to be comparable to the previous year. Due to the expected completion of the Tercero residence halls by Fall Quarter 2014, Robinson predicts a slightly larger enrollment target. “I think that the University of California Davis continues to be one of the top universities in the University of California system, therefore one of the top universities in the country, and more and more people are starting to realize that,” Robinson said. n
PAMELA Cont. from page 6
dancer in PTDC, has been in the company since 2006. She will have her choreography performed at the event and looks forward to the audience participation. “There’s a lot to look forward to about the performance. One thing is that I get the chance to present my own choreography that I originally developed during a summer composition class at the Pamela Trokanski Dance Workshop. Another is the lecture/demonstration. That part is really fun because while we’re on stage, the dancers can see how the audience reacts to what we’re doing,” Tobias said. PTDC will also be performing with special guest performers and The Third Stage, a multi-generational dance company that works alongside
ITPD Cont. from page 6
becoming an expressive physical form. Out of that way of thinking, I’m expanding that way of being in contact and communicating with other bodies — deep listening developed internally and externally. The movement choices and compositional choices are based on that listening. How did your collaborators influence the project? Because we’re doing improvisational work, there’s a kind of sharing of authorship that happens between the choreographer and the performer. It’s going to be a back and forth between me proposing ideas and providing scores and material and the dancers taking it into their own exploration and coming up with new material. It’s a conversation rather than a straight dictation. Why did you return to school to get your MFA? I wanted a dedicated space to develop my artistic work while being in a situ-
the PTDC. The Third Stage, founded in 1994, includes dancers from the age of six to 83 and allows for members of the Davis community to participate in introductory dance routines. Allegra Silberstein, the oldest dance member of The Third Stage at age 83, has been a part of the company since its inception. Silberstein commented on why she has continued dancing and what dance means to her. “Dancing makes me feel so alive. There are things with dance that you can’t express through other mediums of art. It also is a very spiritual experience for me and I feel very connected to something greater than myself while I’m dancing,” Silberstein said. The performance will take place at the Pamela Trokanski Dance Workshop, 2720 Del Rio Place. Tickets are $12 for general admission. n
ation where I had access to resources like theater space and other artists to collaborate with. I think being an artist in the U.S. is challenging because there isn’t a lot of financial support, so for me it was a way to find that support I was looking for as well as a way for me to deepen into my interests and connect with other thinkers in other fields who I feel influence and inspire my interests. I’m also interested in teaching, so that’s another thing an MFA allows you to do. Anything else? People who don’t normally go to a movement production should know that there’s a kind of specificity in the compositions that we’re creating, but there’s also an abstractness and openness where we’re really wanting to bring people into the present moment with us. We’re not dictating a linear narrative, so we just would like people to come with that open sense of attention. “The Space Between” will be performed in the Arena Theater in 112 Wright Hall on Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. Admission will be free. n
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014 | 15
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
DRAMA Cont. from page 6
original pieces performed. That’s what’s really exciting, seeing these scripts come to life.” DAS has three showcases a year, one per quarter (excluding Summer Session). The first two showcases in Fall and Winter Quarters are mostly short scenes occasionally intermixed with music and poetry. The Spring Quarter showcase consists of one-acts, full-length musicals and/or full-length plays. The group is currently preparing for their winter showcase and have been hosting workshops for prospective writ-
ers. Writing workshops are Mondays and Thursdays in Wright Hall, Lab B. All students who wish to have their writing performed must attend at least two workshops to get second opinions on their pieces. Third-year psychology major Kazia Hart is the secretary of DAS and said that she enjoys the fact that anyone who is interested in writing can have their work produced. DAS also offers directorial meetings for students who wish to try their hand at directing. “We have a directors meeting where each director chooses a piece (or pieces) they’d like to direct,” Hart said. “We then hold auditions and anyone is welcome to audition, but we especially en-
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courage students to try out. We try and include as many people as possible in the productions.” Though most of the work reviewed often come in the form of plays or musicals, all types of performance art are accepted for the showcase. The purpose of this is to create an open-door policy in which all artists are allowed to express themselves, whether it is through dance, theatre, poetry, singing or anything else one might consider performance art. Fourth-year English major Audrey Shih has been a part of DAS since her first year at UC Davis. She said she finds the group a place of friendship and has therefore kept it prevalent in her life. “Everyone is so humble. There’s no
elitism that comes with being a part of this club because we literally accept anyone and everyone who wants to join,” Shih said in a phone interview. “We provide a safe and welcoming space for those who want to experiment with all aspects of theatre. It’s not just a club for new, first time actors; it’s a club for new directors, dancers/choreographers, songwriters, stage managers, etc.” Auditions for DAS’s upcoming showcase were held Feb. 5 and another will be held Feb. 6. The Winter Showcase will be held on March 10 in Wright Hall, Lab A. Doors open at 7:30 p.m and entry is free. For more information about auditions or becoming a part of DAS, you can contact them at deadartssociety@gmail.com. n
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C R O S S W Edited O RbyD Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis ACROSS 1 Seepage at sea 6 King’s tenure 11 Attach a button, e.g. 14 “Bye, José!” 15 WWII sub 16 “Go, José!” 17 Easy-to-swallow gelatin pill 19 Luau instrument 20 Util. supply 21 Gets a load of, so to speak 22 Backpack part 24 Daily Planet cub reporter 26 Swab brand 27 Pirate on the Jolly Roger 28 Sydney natives 31 Decorative piece behind a couch 34 Cost-of-living fig. 35 Sticks around 36 Wish undone 37 “For goodness __!” 39 European peak 40 Aromatic burner made from vegetable wax 42 Lake __: “Prairie Home Companion” town 45 Thin coin 46 Colorado natives 47 Valuable violin 49 Persian Gulf emirate 51 Refinery waste 52 Arduous expedition 56 Flow back 57 Seafood selection suggested by this puzzle’s circles 60 Gibson of “Braveheart” 61 Artist Rousseau 62 Pisa place 63 Pay dirt 64 Out of the harbor 65 Styles DOWN 1 Slider’s goal 2 Recipient of bags of fan mail
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3 “That’s __!” 4 Snuggled up on the couch, say 5 PC “oops” key 6 Mumbai money 7 Jed Clampett portrayer Buddy 8 Promissory notes 9 Guy’s pal 10 Experimental bomb blasts 11 Cucumber in brine 12 Betty’s role in “Hot in Cleveland” 13 Have a bawl 18 Desirable quality 23 “__ the season ...” 25 Grassy expanses 26 “__ Sera, Sera” 27 Bathtub popper 28 Actor Guinness 29 Fencer’s sword 30 Family nickname 31 1944 invasion city 32 Presley’s middle name 33 Pay cash for 35 Tool with teeth
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014 | 17
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
James Kim / Aggie
BACKSTOP
The brain has roughly 1/4" of space between it and the skull and is usually tightly held in place with several layers of connective tissue.
Sufficient impact to the head, however, may knock the brain out of place, causing it to hit against the skull on the opposite side from which impact occurred.
This causes damage to the delicate brain tissue and creates a kind of bruise that interferes with the brain activity in whatever area it happens.
BRAIN Cont. from front page
where he was diagnosed with a concussion. This concussion happened to be his third concussion of the season. Best found the courage to continue playing after the traumatic incident and eventually made it big time: the Detroit Lions drafted him in the 2010 NFL Draft. However, his story does not end happily ever after — Best’s career was eventually derailed because of successive concussions, leading to the Lions cutting Best from their team and his eventual early retirement. Best’s story is only one of the many which have been discussed recently, as the spotlight has shone more brightly on the realm of concussions and their eventual consequences. Luckily, Best has shown no severe repercussions from his injuries as of now. However, many people are not as lucky as him and have suffered from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), which has been linked to repeated concussions. CTE’S SOCIETAL PROGRESSION
CTE is a progressive, degenerative brain disease made famous by the athletes who have fallen victim to it. CTE is found in people who have histories of repetitive brain trauma.The most common triggers are concussive blows to the head and repeated subconcussive head hits. Subconcussive hits occur when the brain is rocked against the inside of the skull, but not hard enough to cause a diagnosable concussion. These hits are the most dangerous, as they can go undetected while leaving the brain hurt and even more vulnerable to damage later on. A breakthrough 2013 study from UCLA regarding CTE treatment revealed a way to find indications of CTE in the brain while the patient is still living. This breakthrough would not only benefit athletes, but also improve public health, as many military personnel and victims of automobile accidents are also at high risk of these traumatic brain injuries. The knowledge of what to look for may lead to a cure or at least a treatment for CTE down the line. If nothing else, this knowledge will provide an opportunity to intervene and protect the people showing early symptoms. CTE has affected athletes in mainstream sports for a long time, occurring in boxers since at least the 1920s under the name pugilistic dementia. It was thought to be almost exclusively a boxing issue, but recent research and studies have shown conclusive neuropathological evidence that the disease has been affecting football players for years in much the same way as boxers. Among the most prominent
NFL players affected is Junior Seau, who fatally shot himself in May 2012. The disease is likely affecting untold numbers of athletes across a wide array of sports. Most recently, it was discovered that Ryan Freel, a former major league baseball player who committed suicide in December 2012, was suffering from an advanced stage of CTE at the time of his death.This discovery was significant as it is the first known case of CTE from baseball. Freel sustained massive head trauma in 2007 when he collided with another outfielder and then bashed his head on the hard outfield warning track, and again in 2009 when he was hit in the head by a pickoff throw. Freel reported feeling random headaches and pains in his head after the 2007 collision. The frightening aspect of CTE is that, currently, it can only be diagnosed post-mortem.This is because the brain tissues necessary to make an adequate diagnosis can only be acquired after death. Therefore, it is only possible to make diagnoses based on symptoms rather than scientific evidence. CTE manifests in a person’s lifetime by triggering memory loss, impulse control problems, intense depression, aggression and finally, progressive dementia. These changes in the brain can begin anywhere from immediately after the most recent brain trauma to up to decades afterwards. For this reason, mainly older and retired athletes have come forward to report their symptoms and issues with CTE. However, younger athletes are at risk as well. While CTE currently cannot be conclusively diagnosed before death, concussions are an emerging field in sports medicine. Despite overall ignorance to the dangers of concussions, an increasing number of voices in the sports community are speaking out about the severity of brain trauma. These voices, catalyzed by the media coverage over the tragic stories of many athletes with CTE, as well as the Frontline documentary regarding brain trauma and the NFL, continue to grow, and as a result, changes are being made and questions are being asked about the safety protocols in sports. UC DAVIS’ PROCEDURES
Many universities have started questioning previous medical protocol for handling concussions and brain trauma. Some have even suggested that players wear padded headgear on their heads in sports such as basketball, lacrosse and soccer, all of which have relatively high rates of concussions. “Any way you can prevent early onset concussions and brain injury, do it,” said UC Davis’ Senior Athletics Director Nona Richardson. “My suggestion a couple of years ago was ‘Let’s evaluate and see if we can have
some sort of soft headgear for our basketball players and for our lacrosse players,’ because we had a number of lacrosse players getting concussions. So if this is one way that we can help offset that, let’s do it.” However, not all are sure that the preventative measures are effective. Some believe that proposed solutions such as headgear are simply a bandage on a much larger wound. “After careful review, the Sports Medicine Committee finds no evidence that wearing this sort of [padded] headgear is beneficial to players, and is concerned that it might actually lead to more injuries,” said an official statement made by the U.S. Soccer Federation.“The Sports Medicine Committee is also concerned that the use of headgear in soccer may alter the game in ways that would be detrimental. For example, players may develop a false sense of security, play more aggressively, and not learn proper technique — thus potentially increasing the frequency of concussions. As an example, head and neck injuries have increased in ice hockey and
Many in the sports community feel that concussions are not completely preventable. There are ways to lower the risks, but much like a torn ACL, concussions are simply a risk of playing sports. “We don’t have a way of preventing concussions, but we do have a way of monitoring concussions,” said UC Davis’ Director of Sports Medicine Tina Tubbs. For example, UC Davis has multiple layers of observation in regards to a possibly concussed athlete. This includes baseline testing (AXON testing) which occurs before players even take the field and allows the trainers to have numbers regarding the players’ cognitive function before any major incidents. Beyond this, the University has trainers on the field as well as a team doctor who constantly evaluates players who may have been concussed.After this testing, the doctor and team staff will determine whether it is a concussion. “If we’re going to call it a concussion, there is no mild, medium or large concussion,” Tubbs said. “It just is a concussion or it is not.”
tired, meaning that the player can no longer compete for the University. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
While the rules of the game have changed and most athletic associations have adjusted their organizations to deal with the dangers of concussions and brain trauma, some wonder whether these procedures are enough, or whether the owners, managers and administrators care enough to enforce them. On Jan. 5, during one of the NFC Wild Card Playoff games, Green Bay Packers’ David Bakhtiari ran out onto the field for an extra-point attempt. However, he was in the middle of a concussion test, clearly violating the NFL concussion policy. According to NBC’s profootball. com, even though the NFL found the Packers to be in violation of league policy, there will be no fine assessed to the team or player. Moving into the future, discussion about CTE and concussions can and should be continued. However, beyond the science of
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football since the introduction of helmets in those sports.” If this is the case, then there seem to be few options which administrators and trainers can implement to prevent concussions. One idea that has picked up traction is to change the rules of the game. “The football rules this year [are] different for the NCAA to help prevent concussions. You’re not allowed to go [for] head-tohead [collisions] anymore,” said UC Davis’ Assistant Athletics Director Mike Robles.“The penalties are severe.You can get kicked out of the game.” Despite the rule changes, the rates of concussions still remain fairly high.This is because rule changes can only protect players every so often. The rules cannot shield the players from the possibility that one of them takes a fall or gets tackled in a way which shakes up his or her brain.
The treatment policy regarding a concussed player at UC Davis is that the athlete cannot resume physical activity for a week and a day. After this time, the staff requires the player to retake the AXON testing as well as undergo a CT scan if necessary. If the athlete passes the AXON test and shows no further concussive symptoms, the University waits another day to see if any symptoms reoccur. If not, the player is free to resume light physical activity, such as riding an exercise bike. After that, if no symptoms appear, the athlete is allowed to jog. It may take at least seven to 10 days for the athlete to get from the point of first restarting physical activity to full athletic participation. Thus, a concussed athlete is generally out for at least two weeks. Beyond the concussion protocol, UC Davis athletics policy states that if a player has three concussions while at UC Davis, they will be re-
James Kim / Aggie
concussions and the protocols put in place by many organizations to prevent them, people must realized that athletes are humans — humans that are ultra-competitive and often times so driven to succeed that they lose sight of potential risks to their physical safety. It is up to the coaches, trainers and league officials to understand the gravity of the situation and protect the athletes from themselves. They should emphasize the severity of concussions and discourage athletes from shrugging off head trauma for the sake of the game. One minute of play does not justify a lifetime filled with health and mental problems. At the end of the day, all the rules in the world can be implemented to help protect athletes from concussions, but there needs to be strict enforcement.Without it, the alarming trend of concussions and CTE-related problems will continue. n
18 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014
THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE
BACKSTOP
A
ggies head south to spar with Matadors, Anteaters
COURTESY
Sophomore Celia Marfone grabs a rebound over a Long Beach State defender.
Coming off a win, UC Davis looks to break third-place tie in Big West Teams UC Davis vs. Cal State Northridge; UC Davis vs. UC Irvine
ReCORDS Aggies, 9-11 (4-3); Matadors, 10-12 (6-2); Anteaters, 10-11 (3-4) WHERE The Matadome — Northridge, Calif.; The Bren Center — Irvine, Calif. When Thursday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. Who to watch? Watch out, Big West, Alyson Doherty has arrived. The sophomore forward has been unstoppable in conference play this far, scoring in double figures in eight straight games. Doherty has put up 20 points in each of her last two games, leading the Aggies in scoring in both, and is dominating the paint, scoring efficiently and giving the Aggies a formidable low-post scoring
threat. Watch for the 6’3” Doherty to continue her success against Cal State Northridge and UC Irvine as the Aggies look to control the post and feed their talented forward, who can take defenders to the basket and finish with both hands. Preview Following a narrow loss to first-place Cal Poly on Jan. 30 and a comeback win against UC Santa Barbara on Feb. 1, which included a major career milestone for star forward Sydnee Fipps, the UC Davis women’s basketball team looks to break a three-way tie for third place in the Big West this week. Against Cal Poly, both teams had their way in the paint. The Aggies (9-11, 4-3) were unable to contain Cal Poly’s 6’5” center Molly Schlemer, who put up 26 points on 12 of 16 shooting and added nine rebounds. However, sophomore Alyson Doherty was undaunted on the offensive end, taking the taller Schlemer to the basket repeatedly and finishing over her with both hands. Doherty finished with 20 points and went 8-13 from the field. Other than a 20-3 Cal Poly run that put
the Mustangs (12-8, 6-1) ahead 30-19 in the first half, the Aggies went toe-to-toe with last year’s Big West conference tournament champs and this year’s conference leaders in the standings before falling 81-72. “This is a team, [Cal Poly], that is 6-1 in conference, so it’s promising to know that we’re right there,” head coach Jennifer Gross said. “It was a 10-point game, but I felt like it was closer. We can continue to improve, and that’s the most exciting thing. We have so much room to get better and our players are committed to that.” The Aggies did improve two days later against UC Santa Barbara (6-14, 1-6), knocking off the Gauchos, 82-70. Doherty again was a dominant force for UC Davis, recording a team-high 23 points and eight rebounds. “Aly is becoming someone we’re relying upon and she’s showing us that she can get it done for us inside,” Gross said, following the Cal Poly game. Against Santa Barbara, junior forward and team leader Sydnee Fipps became the 16th player in UC Davis women’s basketball history to score 1,000 career points.
AGGIES HOPE TO BREAK .500 OVER TWO-GAME HOMESTAND Teams UC Davis at Cal State Northridge; at UC Irvine ReCORDS Aggies (11-13); Matadors (11-12); Anteaters (14-9) WHERE The Pavilion — Davis, Calif. When Thursday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 8
Who to watch? Rarely should Aggie fans come to see other teams play. But, UC Irvine is an exception to the rule.The very tall reason for this treason is the Anteaters freshman center Mamadou Ndiaye who stands at 7’6”. Ndiaye towers over all of his teammates, including 7’2” freshman center Ioannis Dimakopoulos. Oh, and he happens to be pretty good at basketball too, averaging 8.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.2 blocks while shooting a ridiculous 77.5 percent from the field. If nothing else gets you moving, come see the Aggies play on Feb. 8 just to watch the Anteater big man who wears size 19 shoes and can touch the rim without jumping. Preview The last time that UC Davis and Cal State Northridge met this season, the Matadors came away with the victory. While the Aggies’ offense played admirably in that game, the defense failed, a trend that has become all too common this season. The Matadors shot over 62 percent from the field, including 41.7 percent from beyond the arc, and sank 22 out of their 23 free throws. Throughout the season, the trio of junior forward Stephen Maxwell, junior guard Stephan Hicks and senior guard Josh Greene have given opposing teams fits. They are combining to average more than 48 points per game, over two-thirds of the team’s points.Against UC Davis, they scored 65 points while shooting 60 percent from the field. To have a better outing against this squad, the
She reached the milestone midway through the first half en route to her 21 points, her ninth 20-point game of the season. The Aggies travel to Cal State Northridge (10-12, 6-2) on Feb. 6, and they will try to stop a Matador team that has won three straight on its way to grabbing second place in the Big West. Cal State Northridge is led by junior guard Ashlee Guay, who also recently passed the 1000-point mark in a game against UC Riverside on Jan. 31 and comes into the game averaging 15.5 points per game. In the two teams’ most recent meeting on Jan. 9, Cal State Northridge just barely held off the Aggies 56-52. Following Cal State Northridge, the Aggies will travel to the Bren Center to take on UC Irvine (10-11, 3-4), a team the coming off an 84-79 home loss to Cal Poly on Feb. 1. The Anteaters are led by 6’1” senior forward Camille Buckley, who averages a stellar 16.3 points per game and 10.4 rebounds per game. — Scott Dresser
Softball gears up for 2014 season
Aggies will have to force the other Matadors into scoring roles, while rebounding better than they have thus far in the season. This shouldn’t prove to be too difficult as they have found a rare opponent that does not hold a significant size advantage. UC Davis did a solid job defensively in a recent road game against Cal Poly, holding the Mustangs to 58 points on 30 percent shooting from beyond the arc.This was followed, however, by allowing UC Santa Barbara to dominate them to the tune of 82 points on 53.7 percent shooting. The second contest included Gaucho’s junior forward Alan Williams posting 27 points and 20 rebounds. “The guys have played well on defense throughout the last two weeks at practice, we just needed that effort to show up on game day to earn a positive result,” head coach Jim Les said. The Aggies will have to ignore their tough road loss and channel the defensive energy they held against Cal Poly to pull out a win against Cal State Northridge. UC Irvine has a much more well-rounded squad as far as scoring the ball. No player averages 13 points per game, but they still manage to average more points per game than the Aggies. Scarier yet, the Anteaters make 47.9 percent of their shots, good for No. 28 in all of Division I basketball. They also grab 10 more rebounds per game than UC Davis, led by the trio of sevenfoot players previously mentioned. If UC Irvine has a statistical weakness, it is extremely tough to find. They did, however, struggle mightily against UC Santa Barbara several games ago, shooting just 35.7 percent from the field and losing by 20 points. They were outrebounded by eight and were forced into 13 turnovers. Leading scorer, freshman guard Luke Nelson shot just 9-21 from the field, including 6-15 from beyond the arc. If the Aggies can figure out what the Gauchos did to fluster UC Irvine, while shooting lights out from beyond the arc, they will have a chance to steal the game. That being said, the Anteaters seem to simply have too much size for the Aggies and will likely overpower the defense for an away victory. — Ryan Reed
Who to watch? It’s finally that time of year again. After an icy Fall Quarter and the first round of winter midterms now a thing of the past, the beginning of February means one thing: the long awaited start of UC Davis’ spring sports. After months of preparation, the athletes that make up the UC Davis softball team are ready for their 2014 season.With four seniors, three juniors, 10 sophomores and eight freshmen coming into the year, the squad is a young one. Eighteen of the team’s 25 players are underclassmen and the Aggies are looking to introduce the Big West Conference to a new, young set of players ready to dominate on and off the diamond. Looking back at the Aggies’ 2013 season, several players can be marked as threats for this year. Leading the team with a .308 batting average, along with a .349 slugging percentage in the 2013 season, sophomore Christa Castello looks to have another stellar year at shortstop. Castello received multiple accolades after her freshman year, marking her as a force to be reckoned with this upcoming spring. In 2013, she was named to the All-Big West Conference Second Team, was sixth in the Big West in stolen bases and tied another Aggie for the longest hitting streak of the season at eight games. She also was the 105th toughest batter to strike out in the country.With one year of collegiate play now under her belt, Castello is expected to be a huge contributor for the team both offensively and defensively. Another standout freshman from 2013 was Jasmine Lee, who finished the year with an overall batting average of .266 and .286 slugging percentage. Lee collected multiple accolades alongside Castello. She
ranked as the 58th-toughest batter to strike out in the nation and also led the Aggies with 10 multiple-hit games and held the fourth-highest batting average. Finally, one cannot forget junior pitcher Justine Vela, who finished 2013 with an outstanding 2.03 earned-run average. Named to the All-Big West Conference First Team, Vela ended her sophomore season with six national rankings: 14th in hits allowed per seven innings, 35th in shutouts, 82nd in ERA, 84th in strikeouts per seven innings, 87th in strikeouts and 135th in victories. Within the Big West Conference alone,Vela led the league with a minuscule .177 opposing batting average and was third overall in both ERA (2.03) and strikeouts (175). Now a seasoned veteran,Vela enters her junior season as an Aggie who is expected to lead the team both on the mound and in the dugout. Preview With the team’s schedule released in mid-December, the athletes have a challenging set of games ahead. They will face 10 teams that competed in last year’s NCAA Tournament, two of which played in the women’s College World Series. However, the women are ready for the challenge. “Our entire program cannot wait for the 2014 season to start,” said head coach Karen Yoder. The Aggies start the year with the UNLV Sportco Kick-Off Classic in Las Vegas, Nev. from Feb. 7 to Feb. 9, facing Arkansas, San Diego and Washington. With another fresh slate in 2014, the team looks to start strong with three wins and carry that momentum throughout the spring. — Sloan Boettcher