April 20, 2023

Weight measurements no longer required to receive care at Student Health and Counseling Services

New “Decline to Weigh” policy and other recent body inclusivity initiatives seek to increase patient comfort during appointments and reduce weight stigma on campus

BY JADE BELL campus@theaggie.org

A patient satisfaction survey conducted by Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) during the summer of 2020 revealed that one of the main deterrents of students seeking out medical care at the SHCS facility was the required weight measurement at appointments. As a result, SHCS created and implemented a new policy that allows students to decline being weighed if it is not necessary to their appointment purpose.

Shantille Connolly, a health promotion specialist at SHCS, explained the details and results of this survey.

“We are tracking the number of people who have opted out of being weighed,” Connolly said. “So far, in this school year, 318 students declined to be weighed when they came in for an appointment. In fall quarter, we were using a card system [...], but now we changed it to where the MA just asks, ‘Would you like to be weighed today?’ And then the patient can say yes or no.”

Connolly said that in February, before the change was

implemented, only around 15 students took advantage of the card to decline to be weighed. By comparison, when the new practice was implemented in March, 137 students declined to be weighed.

“It really shows that when you change the practices of an organization, it increases access and gives the patients more autonomy,” Connolly said. Medically speaking, according to Connolly, it’s not always necessary to weigh a student when it is not necessary for the purpose of their appointment. However, she noted that in instances when an exact weight is necessary, it will now be recorded in a way that allows the patients to remain unaware of the number on the scale.

“Some medications are weight-based in order for them to effectively work, so we do have the option for a blind weight,” Connolly said. “[This] is where they turn their back toward the scale, so they don’t have to see the number. [The MA] would tell the patient that the medication they are in for is weight-based, so they need an accurate weight to prescribe the correct dosage.”

In addition to the measures being implemented by SHCS, Connolly said that similar steps are being taken across

campus to “build and maintain a bodyinclusive environment.” She attributed some of this to a response to student feedback collected via the free response survey that SHCS ran.

“The bookstore, for example, was talked about a lot for not having a variety of sizes available,” Connolly said. “Keep in mind that this was in 2020, so things have changed — they have changed their clothing vendors specifically to go with

Sudwerk Restaurant reopened on April 6

The community-favorite brewery’s restaurant is back after six years of renovations

BY ANTHONY W. ZAMMIKIEL city@theaggie.org

clothing vendors who have a wide variety of sizes. The bookstore is trying to be more intentional about that [...] as a result of the survey.” SHCS also received feedback from students in regard to how they felt in classroom spaces and how their mental health and academic performance were affected.

“We just did a pilot [program] in Olson Hall,” Connolly said via email. “We

wanted to know how classroom seating that was not size-inclusive was negatively impacting students’ mental health. And we found that students were really anxious and stressed about coming to class because they couldn’t find seats that fit their body [and] couldn’t focus because they were in seats that were digging into their sides or they couldn’t position their laptop or iPad to take notes appropriately. So it impacted their academic performance and just overall sense of belonging.”

Connolly addressed these issues by sharing what campus policy updates are being made to better accommodate all bodies in classroom seating.

“We did update the campus policy — all new furniture that is purchased should be at least 400 pounds in weight capacity, 22 inches wide and armless whenever possible,” Connolly said. “That policy was enacted before the Teaching and Learning Complex was complete, so all the furniture in there complies with that policy.”

City of Davis introduces interactive Urban Forest Management Plan

The new feature on the city’s website hopes to engage the community in local forestry

BY ALEX UPTON city@theaggie.org

On April 6, Sudwerk Brewing Co. reopened the restaurant section of its Davis location following a closure that lasted more than six years, as renovations were being completed to construct an improved dining space

inside the brewery located at 2001 2nd Street. This comes as Sudwerk Brewing Co. announces that an additional 3,500-square-foot beer garden is in the works at their same location to improve and expand outdoor seating options for customers.

Sudwerk Restaurant is an independent restaurant located inside the Sudwerk Brewing Co. location in Davis and operated separately with Sudwerk Brewing licensing. It became an independent venture in 2006 and was owned and operated by San Francisco-based restauranteur Timothy McDonnell. The restaurant has been closed since 2016 but has re-opened its doors this spring.

“We’re excited to finally announce that the Sudwerk Restaurant is opening,” Sudwerk Brewing Co. announced in its customer newsletter.

“We’d like to thank you all for your patience and continued support as we made renovations to improve the Sudwerk experience.”

Sudwerk Brewing Co. was founded by German-Americans Dean Unger and Ron Broward in 1989. After receiving positive community consideration ever since its opening, the microbrewery has gone on to receive significant national recognition for its products.

In 2021, Sudwerk Brewing Co. was nominated for both Brewer Of The Year and Brewery Of The Year in the Great American Beer Festival. Sudwerk Brewing Co. became the first brewery located in the state of California to receive an official collegiate licensing for an alcoholic beverage after the

company entered into a partnership with the UC Davis Athletics Program which allowed Aggie merchandising of Sudwerk products. Unger passed away in 2011 and Broward passed away two years later in 2013. However, the Broward family still owns and operates the facilities located in Davis, and multiple relatives of Unger work at the brewery

Kayla Trowbridge, fourth-year environmental science and management major, said that Sudwerk Brewing Co. is a staple in the Davis community and the business represents aspects of Davis that make the city distinct.

“I enjoy going to Sudwerk,” Trowbridge said. “I have only been a handful of times, however, I still think that it is one of those Davis staples, that it really represents the quintessential Davis tradition. The staff is always super friendly and they have always made sure to make the experience enjoyable.”

Sudwerk Brewing Co. also recently announced via their newsletter that renovations will begin soon on an additional 3,500-square-foot beer garden at the Davis location. The company said that this will greatly expand the brewery’s outdoor seating section and provide a much more immersive experience for patrons.

More information about the newly re-opened restaurant can be found on the online Sudwerk Brewing Co. website. Its current operating hours are 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sundays.

The city of Davis introduced a new online format to engage the community in the city’s Urban Forest Management Plan, which is available on the city of Davis’s website. City council met on March 21 to discuss a number of proposals, including the Urban Forest Management Plan. The urban forest consists of all private- and city-owned trees and woody shrubs in Davis, excluding natural areas. The Urban Forest Management Plan page on the website provides easy and interactive access to updates on how the city is designing the urban forest to best benefit the community.

Stan Gryczko, public works, utilities and operations director for the city, has been a part of the team for the Urban Forest Management Plan for the past year. He explained how the format that Davis is using is different from usual management plans.

“This format really allows for direct community engagement at any time with the city’s progress,” Gryczko said via email. “With this online format, the community will have an opportunity to see regular updates on progress, changes to objectives and metrics on how the Urban Forestry Program is moving forward. This is a much different method of interaction versus a usual method of having a pdf document that is not updated as frequently.”

The main goal of the format is to increase community engagement in city decision-making processes. The plan spans over 40 years, so changes will happen slowly, allowing the community to learn about it and understand how it will impact them directly. Gryczko shared how he expects the city’s implementation of the plan to affect community engagement and how his team has worked to engage community members.

“As part of the development process, the team actively engaged community members through online forums, inperson events and submittals via email

or online via the city’s website,” Gryczko said. “I expect the community and the tree commission will remain heavily involved as the city looks to move from development to implementation of the UFMP [Urban Forest Management Plan]. In Davis we have a community that is very actively engaged with the urban forest, and we are appreciative of the ongoing efforts to support our tree canopy.”

This plan, which was just adopted by city council in March, is still new. Because of this, Gryczko said he does not expect to see major updates immediately but envisions a continual progression of efforts.

“Staff is focused on preparing an implementation road map for the next number of years to begin achieving the goals and objectives within the plan,” Gryszko said. “This of course will be developed with the input of the tree commission and community. Once we have a recommendation on the road map, the city council will review and adjust if necessary before we move forward with implementation.”

UC Davis has discussed their plans to adapt the campus’s tree canopy to address climate change. After the extreme wind and storms throughout Davis this past winter, the university is making an effort to prepare the campus tree canopy for the future effects of climate change.

“Certainly, having a robust urban forest has a positive impact on climate change, as demonstrated in the Urban Forest Management Plan information,” Gryczko said. “While the rain received this winter is welcome, the reality is water will continue to be a finite resource for California. Having said that, the city does prioritize watering of the urban forest and young trees in order to combat climate change.”

Updates and the full interactive Urban Forest Management Plan can be found on the city of Davis website.

Sudwerk Brewing Company in Davis, CA. (Aggie file)

JOANNE SUN / AGGIE

JOANNE SUN / AGGIE

New Transportation Services parking program grants oneday grace period for parkers who forgot to pay

Instead of receiving a $55 parking citation, people will receive an invoice of $15 due at midnight the next day

BY KAYA DO-KHANH campus@theaggie.org

On April 3, UC Davis Transportation Services (TAPS) announced the new Parking Invoice Program that it will be piloting this quarter. The program, which is being put in place in response to community feedback, grants partial relief for people who forgot to pay for parking or do not have knowledge about parking payment options on campus. Instead of receiving a parking citation of $55, individuals will receive an invoice for the non-UC Davis affiliate rate of $15 if they do not pay for parking in a campus lot. If they pay the invoice fee by the following day at midnight, they will not receive a parking citation. However, if they do not pay the fee, they will receive the normal $55 ticket.

“The program was put into place in response to community feedback to provide a simpler and more affordable process for those who forgot to pay for parking or weren’t aware of their permit options,” TAPS Engagement and Marketing Specialist Shelby Slutzker said via email. “The goal of the program is to provide a convenient and less expensive process while educating customers on daily choice parking and improving compliance.” Invoices are only issued in C, L, M and F zones without a permit and are not issued in A or C+ zones. Slutzker said

that this is because the TAPS compliance team is unable to distinguish who qualifies for parking A and C+ zones when issuing an invoice and wants to protect access to such spaces for those who do qualify for them.

Affiliates and non-affiliates can receive two of these $15 invoices every 12 months. After two invoices, they will receive the normal parking ticket if they do not pay for parking. Additionally, invoices are not appealable and will automatically turn into a citation if an appeal is submitted. Slutzker said that the invoice program is also an attempt to remove the inconvenience of the appeal process.

Valeria Cantor Mendez, a third-year community and regional development major, received a parking citation after forgetting to pay for parking and said that she is not in favor of the pilot program.

“As someone who parks regularly in C+ zones because it is so hard to find regular spots, this would not apply to me,” Cantor Mendez said. “Since [the invoices] are not appealable, it just forces you to pay the $15 without being able to explain yourself. The way that I was able to get out of my ticket was through an appeal, which resulted in me just paying the $3 I owed.”

ASUCD event spotlights sustainable career opportunities for students

The event, known as the Student Sustainability Career Fair, will take place on April 26

Despite some hesitance, the pilot program has generally received positive feedback from the UC Davis community since its launch, and the decision of whether or not to permanently implement the program will be based on TAPS’s consideration of community input, program effectiveness and compliance and appeal rates, according to Slutzker.

Second-year English major Cadence Cockrell, who has received two parking citations this school year, said that she sees the benefits the program offers people who forgot to pay or are unaware of their payment options.

“I think the new parking invoice program is a good grace period to implement for when people forget to pay or don’t realize the parking rules for the lot they’re parking in,” Cockrell said. “Fifty-five dollars is kind of a lot, especially for a college student parking on their own campus.”

In an additional effort to address parking citations issued to those who forget to pay, TAPS is currently working with the ParkMobile application to activate an alert when a user drives onto the campus area as a reminder to pay for parking, according to a recent press release.

BY LEV FARRIS GOLDENBERG campus@theaggie.org

Heads up, environmentally-minded Aggies. The Student Sustainability Career Fair (SSCF) will take place on April 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the ARC Conference Center. Registration for the SSCF is free and offers students an opportunity to connect with organizations, agencies and firms in the environmental field and explore positions for summer or post-graduation.

Created in 2019, the SSCF is an extension of the ASUCD Environmental Policy and Planning Commission (EPPC). SSCF chairperson Alana Webre, a fifth-year environmental policy analysis and planning major, was a member of the original initiative and is now in her second year as the head of the committee.

After conducting two virtual fairs in 2020 and 2021, this is the second in-person fair Webre has helped plan.

“I got a ton of feedback last year from people who would just come up to me or email SSCF saying ‘I got my summer internship or I got my summer job through SSCF and the career fair,’” Webre said. “This is at a really opportune time in April, where a lot of students are looking for what they’re going to do over the summer, and a lot of the organizations that come to our career fair offer internships, or for graduating seniors, jobs.”

The SSCF differs from the Internship and Career Center’s (ICC) Spring Internship and Career Fair, which took place on April 19 and catered to a more general range of majors and interests.

At the SSCF, students can connect with 28 groups this year, including California State Parks, CalTrans, Yolo Farm to Fork, the California Attorney General’s Office, Natural Resource Division, SMUD, Bay Area Air Quality Management District and many more.

“We had a lot of returnees this year who said they got a really good crop of applicants last year and so they wanted to come back,” Webre said.

By inviting a wide variety of sustainable organizations, the committee hopes to make their fair helpful for students in all corners of the sustainability field.

“We really wanted it to cover anyone who might be interested in a sustainable career,” Webre said. “It truly runs the gambit. [...] It’s a super wide variety, so not only will it attract a lot of people and a lot of different majors, but also, if you’re a first or second year, you might get a look at some of the opportunities that you haven’t seen that are very promising.”

According to Webre, the majority of the organizations will be actively hiring. She encourages attending students who hope to apply for jobs or internships to dress business casual and bring copies of their resumes.

“A lot of times employers would ask for a resume if they really like you as a potential candidate for an internship or a job,” Webre said. “And I had a lot of students kind of caught off guard last year without a resume when they needed one.”

SSCFAIR on 10

Arboretum project prepares campus landscape for climate change

The Texas Tree Trials, a research project created by the Urban Tree Stewardship, seeks to create a campus environment that is better suited to Davis’s changing climate

BY LILY FREEMAN campus@theaggie.org

With hotter summers and wetter winters on the horizon, the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is working toward adapting all trees on campus to Davis’s weather conditions. The Texas Tree Trials, a research project created by the Urban Tree Stewardship internship program, is an effort to improve the resilience of the UC Davis tree canopy, according to its website.

Nurjannah Wiryadimejo, a fourth-year environmental science and management major and co-coordinator of the internship, provided more detail about the project.

“Our trees on campus are not currently prepared for the climate that is oncoming, as many can see — with the recent storm event, a lot of the trees fell down on campus,” Wiryadimejo said. “Keeping that in mind, we came up with this idea of going to Texas and getting seeds of certain trees that match the changing climate in Davis. Our team brought those trees back here, germinated them in our nursery and planted these trees all around campus, which has become our living lab.”

According to Wiryadimejo, Texas was the best place to collect seeds because the state shares a similarly expected future climate of Davis and is home to a wide range of trees that are well equipped to handle droughts, storms and certain soil types.

Sam Vitt, a fourth-year environmental science and management major and the other co-coordinator of the internship, outlined the timeline of the project. The collection of tree samples took place in 2019 and since then, the group has been planting trees across campus and monitoring them each spring.

“We [want to] see what we can take away from these trees, asking whether or not they can survive on our campus in our future urban tree canopy,” Vitt said.

There are several plots located around campus, but the main research grove is near the Mondavi Center.

Wiryadimejo explained the difference between the trees that have previously grown across campus and the ones that have been planted as part of the project.

“Redwoods are very prevalent on our campus,” Wiryadimejo said. “If you look at our redwoods, they do not appear very healthy. If we’re being realistic, redwoods need so much water and they thrive on fog and constant irrigation, and that doesn’t work with our climate. With that, we’re leaning towards cypress [trees] that give off the

feel of redwoods but are more drought tolerant and can handle acidic soils.”

Vitt described the process of planting these cypress trees, noting that they recently planted a group of Arizona cypress trees between the stumps of redwoods that were recently cut down near Meyer Hall.

“Now, there are all of these little baby trees that will hopefully one day cover up the ugly parking lot where the redwoods once stood,” Vitt said.

To allow the community to learn more about the trees, according to Vitt, the internship program created a database that describes each tree, its potential on campus, why it is

important for urban forestry and why it was chosen for the Texas Tree Trials.

The Texas Tree Trials project is funded by both the Arboretum and Public Garden and The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF), according to Wiryadimejo. She said that a vast amount of the funding that has allowed them to transform the campus tree landscape has come from TGIF, which will appear on the ballot in the 2023 spring ASUCD elections in the form of a fee referendum that would provide continued funding for the project.

The Urban Tree Stewardship, through the Texas Tree Trials, has planted over 250 trees this school year

with the help of the internship team and several volunteer tree-planting events.

Mara Feldman, a second-year environmental science major, described her experience as a volunteer for Urban Tree Stewardship.

“It was a super rewarding experience since the trees we were planting were picked for their drought-resistant qualities,” Feldman said. “This is super important in the changing climate we’re experiencing. As an environmental science major, I know how critical it’s going to be in the coming years to adapt to climate change and do our best to help out where we can.”

The project is ongoing, according to Wiryadimejo, and the Urban Tree Stewardship program plans to continue to monitor the growth of these trees until their full maturation, which could take anywhere from 20 to 50 years.

“Our internship applications open up over the summer for the next school year and we will announce [them] on the Arboretum website and Instagram page,” Wiryadimejo said. “We also have a ton of community tree-planting events coming where you can volunteer to plant trees, typically during fall and winter quarter.”

Vitt concluded by saying that her experience with the project so far has been “so rewarding,” both personally and through seeing volunteers and interns enjoy themselves and their work.

“I just really enjoy that we get to see these trees that we planted and the impact that they are making [...] both on students and for our changing campus climate,” Vitt said. Wiryadimejo also described the joy she has in watching others get excited about the project.

“It is so cool to be able to teach people something new,” Wiryadimejo said. “I love seeing the glitter in people’s eyes when they plant their first tree.”

There is a project to shift the current tree types on the UC Davis campus gradually to a more climate resistant tree canopy.

(Jersain Medina / Aggie)

ALLISON VO / AGGIE

A student tables at last year’s Student Sustainability Career Fair. (SSCF / Courtesy)

Aggies in the Area: Andrianna Pellini and Sarah Pando

These students are working to promote sustainable and free alternatives to fast fashion at the Aggie Reuse Store while building an inclusive community

BY DANIELA DULA MEJIA features@theaggie.org

UC Davis student wins $10,000 on Wheel of Fortune

The student, Chandra Pham, represented UC Davis during the game show’s themed “College Week”

BY RACHEL GAUER campus@theaggie.org

UC D_ VIS ST_D _ NT WINS ! Can you fill in the blanks? In case you can’t, here’s the news:

On Thursday, April 6, the popular game show Wheel of Fortune aired an episode of their “College Week”’ series that was of particular interest to the Aggie community: UC Davis student Chandra Pham was one of the contestants on the show. Wheel of Fortune, which first premiered in 1975, is a word puzzle game show that relies on real-world contestants to compete in a series of contests for prize money.

Pham, a fourth-year genetics and genomics major, was selected to be a contestant representing UC Davis and described the unexpected application process that ultimately led to her participation in the show.

“It was a totally random application — I literally got an Instagram ad that was [seeking] college students to be on Wheel of Fortune,” Pham said. “To be 100% honest, I applied for it thinking, ‘There is a 50/50 chance that the application was a scam’ and that I probably gave my email to a scammer.”

“It was super fun to see how TV is made,” Pham said. “Being a genetics [and genomics] major, I have never been involved in TV production or anything like that. It was really cool to [experience] ‘hair and makeup’ and see a soundstage and all of the other logistics that go into the production.”

While at the studio, Pham briefly interacted with Pat Sajak and Vanna White, the co-hosts and “faces” of Wheel of Fortune. The pair has hosted the show together since 1982. Pham recounted her unexpected encounter with White prior to taping.

“In the morning, they were having us contestants sign some contracts and they played a recording of a lawyer talking to us,” Pham said. “During the video, they paused it in the middle, and they told us someone wanted to say hi to us. So, this lady came in wearing sweatpants and a mask, and we were like, ‘Who is this lady?’ And then she took her mask off, and we [realized] it was Vanna White.”

through the filming process with others her age.

“I got to spend the whole day with other college-student contestants from all across the country,” Pham said. “Going to college during COVID[-19], I haven’t been able to meet a lot of other college students outside of UC Davis. It was really fun meeting [people] from all different places that I didn’t even consider for college.”

During her episode, Pham won $10,000 through the puzzles. She explained that she was able to obtain the prize money without technically winning during the standard Wheel of Fortune rounds.

“I feel like every episode, there is a contestant who has a little bit of bad luck, and for my episode, I was that person,” Pham said. “I was spinning a lot of ‘Bankrupts’ on the wheel, so I didn’t make any money on the actual puzzles, but I did on the speed round.”

Adrianna Pellini and Sarah Pando at the Aggie Reuse Store. (Courtesy)

The Aggie Reuse Store, a studentrun organization, is making an impact by connecting students to an alternative to the fast fashion industry. Andrianna Pellini, a fourth-year managerial economics major and a social media and sales volunteer, and Sarah Pando, a fourth-year environmental policy analysis and planning (EPAP) major and the point director, are working hard to mitigate the effects of climate change through Aggie Reuse.

Over the years, more people have become aware of fast fashion’s negative impact. Fast fashion is the mass production of trendy clothing sold at inexpensive prices. Brands like H&M, Zara and Shein are notorious for the negative environmental impact of fast fashion practices. While it’s hard to beat the affordable prices for many people on a budget, there is a larger cost at stake.

Fast fashion has created ethical concerns starting with the production of the clothing and ending with its disposal — three-fourths of fast fashion clothing ends up in landfills or is incinerated. So

what happens to the remaining fourth?

It either ends up being donated to forprofit community thrift stores or, when the quality is too poor to be sold, the clothing is shipped to other countries where it ends up becoming trash.

To solve this problem, places like Aggie Reuse are working to help eliminate clothing waste in a new way. Pando and Pellini said the store is a great alternative to for-profit thrift stores like Goodwill.

“I like working here because I’m an EPAP major, so I care about the environment and not supporting fast fashion,” Pando said. “Stop buying from Shein.”

In the past year, Aggie Reuse has shifted from its former location at the Silo to the first floor of the Memorial Union and transformed into a mutualaid model which now offers all items for free, as noted on their website.

“I think everyone should have access to clothes,” Pando said.

AGGIESINTHEAREA on 10

Davis music lovers insist on keeping it old school

Vinyl fans in Davis celebrate as vinyl records overtake CDs in sales for the first time in three decades, according to CBS News

BY FAITH DEMEULENAERE features@theaggie.org

In the era of streaming, it’s no secret that physical music has taken a backseat. Yet, vinyl records have recently made a comeback, with CBS News reporting that vinyl sales have surpassed CD sales for the first time in 30 years in 2022. This resurgence of vinyl sales has had a significant impact on music communities across the country, including those in Davis.

Vinyl provides an experience that digital music doesn’t offer listeners, according to Leo Angelini, a secondyear electrical engineering major and KDVS radio show host.

“There is a special relationship between people and physical music that streaming can’t replace,” Angelini said. “People love to own their favorite albums, see the exclusive printouts in the sleeve [and] show off their favorite artists with the enormous cover. Vinyl creates a more intimate experience.”

Similarly, Mia Rosenquist-Synder, a third-year international agricultural development major and employee at Armadillo Music, said that digital formats often cannot replace the original technology.

“A lot of it is the aesthetic of record players and just having the physical copies of music,” Rosenquist-Snyder said. “It’s kind of like when people buy books. It’s just really nice to hold a thing in your hands that represents

something you like, and a lot of people get emotional about it.”

The resurgence of vinyl may stem from its vintage novelty and a desire to explore something new, according to Jack Sigler, a second-year electrical engineering major and KDVS radio show host.

“Our generation is bored of Spotify and CDs, so they look to past generations for something they haven’t experienced yet,” Sigler said.

Sigler and Angelini co-host the radio show “Organic Water” on Tuesdays on KDVS 90.3FM. In a world where streaming dominates, vinyl offers a physical and tangible connection to music that cannot be replicated, according to Sigler. For those who value this connection, the inconvenience of vinyl is a small price to pay for the rich and intimate listening experience it provides.

Ultimately, the debate over the merits of vinyl versus CDs or streaming is a matter of personal preference. However, the fact that vinyl sales continue to thrive despite the dominance of digital music suggests that there will always be a place for physical music formats in the hearts of music lovers.

“Vinyl will always fill the void that digital music can never fill,” Angelini said.

Pham submitted her application during finals week of fall quarter 2022. To her surprise, she was then asked to participate in a series of auditions. Over the course of a few weeks, Pham said that she participated in two Zoom interviews during which she completed Wheel-of-Fortune-esque puzzles with other potential contestants and spoke with the show’s producers. Pham said that when the interviews were over, she believed her television journey was over as well.

“I didn’t hear from them for a couple weeks, so I thought that probably nothing would come from it,” Pham said. “I thought, ‘At least it had been a fun experience to audition.’”

But in January, Pham received a call asking if she would be able to fly to Los Angeles, where the Wheel of Fortune studio is located, to film an episode. With only a week’s notice, she had to plan her trip, alert her friends and family and navigate a short absence from school. Pham described an amusing conversation with one of her professors regarding her absence.

“For one of my classes I had mandatory attendance, so I talked to the professor and said, ‘Hey, I’m going to be on Wheel of Fortune. Is it okay if I miss class?’” Pham said. “And he was like, ‘Yeah, of course!! Whatever!’”

Pham received the news on her birthday, which she noted was particularly fun because she had planned to celebrate with friends.

“[I found out] around two hours before dinner with all of my close friends at Davis, so I had to keep it to myself until then,” Pham said. “As soon as everybody got there, we were sitting in Red 88, and I said, ‘Hey everybody, kind of random...’ and told them. It was really fun to tell all of my friends at once in the same place. They were all really excited, and I even had a friend who thought I was joking.”

Pham reflected on the experience of being involved in a television production.

The series that Pham was selected for is the College Week series, which means that Pham, as a representative of UC Davis, competed against two other students representing other universities. Although Wheel of Fortune airs only one episode per day, they recorded the entirety of the College Week episodes in one day. Pham described the experience of meeting other students and going

After the whirlwind experience, Pham returned to Davis and to classes, homework and midterms. She said that the day after she competed, she felt a similar feeling to what is often described as “post-concert depression,” or the sadness that comes after an event you’ve been looking forward to is over.

“Honestly, it was such a blur,” Pham said. “The day after, [...] I thought, ‘Aw man, that was definitely the coolest thing I’m going to do, maybe ever.’”

15th healthiest college town in the U.S.

Davis ranks

The study from Broke Scholar included physical, mental and social health factors to determine the healthiest college towns for students

BY KAYA DO-KHANH campus@theaggie.org

On Feb. 7, UC Davis was ranked the 15th healthiest college town out of 148 cities that are home to the nation’s top four-year public universities. The study, done by Broke Scholar, sought to identify the healthiest college towns for Gen Z university students.

“We looked at America’s top college towns to see which ones backed students with the resources needed to

thrive, both physically and mentally,”

Dr. Jessica Sharem, who was heavily involved in the project, said. Davis was one of the six college towns in California to rank in the top 25 healthiest college towns. Berkeley was ranked third, Santa Cruz eighth, Fullerton 13th, San Francisco 20th and Irvine 24th. The researchers of the study looked

at three categories to determine the healthiest college towns in America: physical, mental and social health measures. Davis’s physical health score was 7.4 out of 10, based on factors ranging from percentages of binge drinking to adequate sleep. This data, according to the methodology section of the study, was collected using county health rankings. The 2023 county health rankings used data from 2020 for each measure.

In Yolo County, 33% of adults reported getting less than seven hours of sleep per night on average, according to the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps program (CHR&R). In regards to excessive drinking in Yolo County, 19% of adults reported binge or heavy drinking. Additional physical health factors that were analyzed for the study include the concentration of fitness centers and the frequency of walking and biking.

“I am not surprised that we rank high on physical wellness as we have implemented many programs to supplement our already bike- and pedestrian-friendly Davis campus and city of Davis and strong Health Education and Promotion department,” said co-lead of the Healthy UC Davis Steering Committee Stacey Brezing via email.

UC Davis student Chandra Pham competes on Wheel of Fortune. (Carol Kaelson / Wheel of Fortune®/© 2023 Califon Productions, Inc. ARR.)

People shop at the Davis Farmer’s Market on Saturdays at Central Park in Davis, Calif. (Aggie file)

Nuclear power needs to be developed further

Nuclear energy has potential, but stigma and lack of funding are holding it back

BY MAYA KORNYEYEVA mkornyeyeva@ucdavis.edu

Upon hearing the word nuclear, images of devastating explosions, yellow and black hazard signs and massive cylindrical power plants come to mind. Nuclear energy is rarely discussed with positive connotations in everyday conversation, which is understandable considering humanity has experienced some catastrophic disasters related to nuclear warfare and reactor meltdowns.

Most prominent among these are the two atomic bombs used against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II, the meltdown of the reactor in Fukushima following the 2011 Japanese tsunami and the release of radioactive waste at the Ukrainian Chernobyl power plant in 1986. The large-scale impact of these nuclear disasters is the causal factor in the global fear of nuclear power, as power plants can be easily targeted by other countries during war and the resulting radioactive waste is extremely detrimental to the health of all living organisms.

However, if the proper time, funding and research are dedicated to pursuing safer nuclear energy development, I believe the world could benefit greatly from its utilization. For one, nuclear energy is virtually “carbon-free” — with the exception of facility construction, removal of radioactive waste and uranium extraction — meaning that it does not emit the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into the atmosphere while generating electricity.

Furthermore, nuclear energy has a small land footprint in comparison to renewable energies like solar and

wind. While a nuclear power plant can produce 1,000 megawatts of electricity per square mile, wind turbines require 75 square miles to produce the same amount, and solar, 360 square miles. Nuclear energy also has a high power output and energy density and is relatively reliable as long as it is run and maintained. In other words, while the absence or presence of the sun, wind and water alter the ability of other renewable energy sources to function consistently, nuclear only relies on the presence of uranium inside the Earth’s crust.

That being said, we cannot ignore the factor of nuclear waste. This is a major area that requires refining if we are to rely on nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuels in the near future.

Currently, fuel that is used for five years at a power plant is designated as waste, sealed in canisters on-site, then transported to underground storage facilities without any recycling processes and left there for an indefinite amount of time. This exposes the steel and packaging material to corrosion and degradation over time, which can cause the radioactive plutonium, fission products and actinides to leak into the open environment.

As a solution to this, scientists have tested the idea of stabilizing nuclear waste via vitrification — trapping the waste particles inside solid glass. Governments have also considered shooting the nuclear waste up into space, burying it in ice, isolating it in synthetic rock, relocating it onto isolated islands or drilling it deep into

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the Earth. Another approach, which I think is the most promising solution, is the development of fast neutron reactors which are able to make use of the highlevel waste fuel produced from current reactors. Despite these attempts to determine the best solution for dealing with radioactive waste, no country has been successful in developing a deep repository. Looking at the progress mankind has made in the search for safe, clean energy, I have feelings of both hope and frustration. The time to act is now; whether it is pursuing another form of renewable energy such as hydropower, wind or solar or developing infrastructure and research on nuclear power. The climate is changing and the world with it, and we must put forth the necessary time, effort and funding to mitigate the negative effects of climate change as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The goal of nuclear research should be about the future. Developing longlasting, permanent solutions that don’t pollute the Earth is something that governments need to prioritize when creating climate policy and dedicating resources. Nuclear power has an immense amount of potential — we just need to unlock it.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

A pub needs to return to Downtown Davis, and fast

The hole in Davis’s nightlife remains unfilled, despite promises from would-be businesses

BY OWEN RUDERMAN opinion@theaggie.org

Back in 2022, I wrote a column about how there seems to be a hole in the downtown Davis nightlife — a hole that could only be filled by a pub. Near the end of the article, I mentioned that I was “cautiously optimistic” about a new modern American pub called the Bull ‘N Mouth that was supposed to be coming to the downtown area, and I genuinely was. I was eagerly awaiting the opening of the pub, which was slated for September 2022. I thought that the missing piece in downtown Davis had finally been found, that there could be a worthy successor to de Vere’s.

I was sadly mistaken. The Bull ‘N Mouth failed to open in September. November came and went, and the doors remained shut. 2023 rolled around, and still, nothing happened, besides “Help Wanted” signs appearing and then disappearing from the windows of the abandoned bar.

Now here we are, nearing the end of April — nearly eight months since the Bull ‘N Mouth was supposed to be in operation. But hey, I get it. I’m sure it’s hard to launch a restaurant and bar (even though the town is absolutely teeming with college kids). The least it could do, though, is keep us in the loop.

Every month or so, I Google the name of the would-be restaurant to check for any update. But the search results are always the same — all I find are articles from as early as July of 2022 detailing the first, and only, news about the new bar. I feel like the owners of the new bar could let us know what’s going on, and if the Bull ‘N Mouth will ever launch. Right now, it’s just stuck in limbo. The lack of communication and the bar’s low chances of opening are a shame. I tried my best to build hype and support the Bull ‘N Mouth, but my

efforts have been squandered. The worst part, though, isn’t that I feel betrayed, or even that communication is lacking — it’s that prime real estate in downtown Davis is being wasted. The place where the Bull ‘N Mouth was supposed to open is incredibly central; you may have seen it when swinging by Raising Cane’s at 3 a.m.

It’s located right next to the Kobe Mini Mart, across from Nick The Greek, which is the perfect downtown area — it’s about halfway between Central Park and all the bars on G Street. If there really was a functioning bar/ restaurant/hangout place there, I’m sure it would be a resounding success. It’s saddening that the space is currently occupied by the husk of a pub that could have been. We need an update, and we need it soon. A few more months and it will have been a year of waiting for some word from the owners of the Bull ‘N Mouth about the state of the business. I feel scammed. At this rate, I’m going to graduate from UC Davis without ever being able to frequent a local pub — and that is simply a travesty. The Bull ‘N Mouth should either step up or step aside.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

BY EMILIE BROWN emrbrown@ucdavis.edu

Let’s face it, being a student often means living on a shoestring budget and mastering the art of stretching your last dollar. But eating instant ramen for every meal and counting pennies for pizza isn’t fun for anyone, so here is my guide to the best student discounts in Davis and online. From low prices on train tickets to savings on software and everything in between, get ready to become the ultimate thrifty student and show those bills who’s boss.

Amtrak Need a break from campus? Planning a weekend getaway or a trip back home? Amtrak offers a 15% student discount on train tickets for any train when you purchase through their website — and all you have to do is add your “.edu” email. If you’re a frequent traveler, Amtrak offers a 25% discount off a “6-Ride Pass” that can be used for an entire year after the purchase date.

Amazon Student Amazon is your one-stop shop for everything from textbooks to late-night snack deliveries, but shipping costs and fees can add up fast. Luckily, with Amazon Student, you can enjoy 6six free months of Amazon Prime, followed by 50% off a regular Prime membership, which will get you Prime delivery times, as well as Prime Video, ad-free Prime Music, up to 90% discounts on rented textbooks and exclusive deals and discounts on a wide range of products. The service is free for six months and then $7.49 a month after that.

Spotify Need some tunes to get you through those all-nighters? Spotify offers a premium plan for students at a discounted rate. Get the first month free and then pay $4.99 a month. Oh, and your Spotify Premium Student account also comes with Hulu (unfortunately, with ads) and SHOWTIME (with no ads) for no extra cost. Enjoy unlimited ad-free and offline listening while keeping your wallet in tune.

Regal Cinemas Davis Both Regal Cinemas locations in Davis offer discounted movie tickets for students that show their student IDs at checkout. Take a break from the textbooks and indulge in some movie magic without breaking the bank.

Davis Bike Collective Head over to Davis Bike Collective and let their volunteers help you fix your bike for much cheaper than other shops will. Sure, you might have to get your hands a bit dirty, but you’ll save money and learn how to fix future problems.

The Pantry This hidden gem on campus is a game changer for students on a tight budget. With shelves stocked full of non-perishable food items, fresh items,

toiletries and other essentials, The Pantry makes it easy to save. Order nonperishable items ahead of time online or swing by MU 167 with your student ID to pick up fresh groceries for free!

Apple Apple offers education pricing for all students who show proof of enrollment. From MacBooks to iPads to accessories, you can enjoy special pricing that’s easy on your budget.

StudentUniverse Dreaming of a summer adventure abroad? StudentUniverse offers exclusive discounts on flights, hotels and tours just for students. Pack your bags and let your wanderlust take flight without blowing your budget!

The New York Times Staying informed about current events and news is essential. The New York Times offers discounted digital subscriptions for students — just $1 a week — giving you access to reliable and credible journalism, fun games and more at a fraction of the regular price. Additionally, access to The New York Times is free for UC Davis students, provided they sign up with their school email and specify their graduation date.

Unidays

Unidays is an online marketplace that offers discounts on a wide range of products and services, including fashion, technology, beauty and more. Simply sign up with your student email and unlock a world of savings!

Woodstock’s Pizza

Tired of counting pennies for pizza? Woodstock’s offers 15% off any XL onetopping pizza to students that show their student ID. They also frequently have deals that can save you even more. Grab some friends and enjoy some pizza without worrying about your dough.

FedEx FedEx offers a generous student discount of 30% off when sending documents with an envelope and 20% off when sending packages. Say goodbye to hefty shipping fees and take advantage of this great deal to save on your shipping needs while juggling student responsibilities.

Chipotle Show your UC Davis ID at checkout and receive a free drink — It’s really that simple.

Happy savings!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

NATALIE CHENG / AGGIE

MAYA KORNYEYEVA / AGGIE

UC Davis must provide reliable Wi-Fi, technology infrastructure for students, staff

As most courses depend on technology, campus should provide the necessary resources

It might seem counterintuitive to publish an article online about the lack of Wi-Fi on UC Davis’s campus, as you likely have internet access via Wi-Fi if you are viewing this article (unless you are one of the few who still picks up print newspapers). It also seems silly to receive an email from UC Davis explaining the poor campus Wi-Fi. It goes to show the almost sole reliance we have on being able to connect to the internet in order to go about our daily lives — to read the news, receive campus announcements, submit assignments and more.

While we have never been more dependent on internet access, save for the days of online instruction, Eduroam, the on-campus Wi-Fi, has

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been worse than usual lately. Many Editorial Board members have found themselves connecting to the UC Davis Guest network (despite not being guests, but paying students) or resorting to their mobile devices’ hotspots, and in extremely desperate times, even pulling out a pen and paper to write lecture notes. In the words of a previous Aggie staff member: “Edu has not been roaming.”

This is not only inconvenient for students and staff, but it is simply unacceptable when so much of our day-to-day lives relies on access to the internet. Tasks necessary for almost all classes on campus, like taking notes, accessing course Canvas pages and even opening the Bookshelf e-books that many students borrow through Equitable Access, require Wi-Fi.

And, while proactive students might download notes, textbooks and Canvas PDFs for times when internet access is lost, other necessary functions, like hosting or joining Zoom meetings and even some methods of lecture capture, require Wi-Fi to work at certain times.

Further, not all students have access to reliable Wi-Fi at home. Some might count on Eduroam to be the Wi-Fi network they use when they have a Zoom interview or meeting, need to download a lengthy document or upload an assignment by its due date. It puts students whose only option is Eduroam at an unfair disadvantage when they have to deal with intermittent and unexpected outages.

UC Davis’s IET (Integrated Education and Technology) support

department has suggested that people experiencing Wi-Fi outages on campus either connect to their mobile devices’ hotspots or find a wired connection location on campus to use. While they acknowledge that not all students have access to hotspots, it seems unfair to suggest this as a solution, given many students don’t have unlimited data plans or even a hotspot connected to their phones. As for wired-connection locations, many students — including members of the Editorial Board — are unsure of where to find these outlets and do not have the correct cables to connect to them. There are also not nearly enough of these connectors to serve the whole campus community; IET estimates 40,000 devices connect to campus Wi-Fi networks each day. Aside from Wi-Fi, this points to a larger issue as professors integrate more and more technology into their curricula. While almost every student in most lecture halls, as well as in Shields Library and the Memorial Union, is using some kind of electronic device to do their work these days, our campus’s infrastructure seems to be behind the times. Most spaces on campus, aside from recently constructed or renovated buildings, don’t have enough easily available outlets for students to charge their devices. As our education becomes more reliant on technology, UC Davis must do better to make the campus a space where students can easily use the technology they need.

WRITTEN BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD

AARON POTTER

MARY ANN LEM

HUMOR

ASUCD Senate to vote on allowing hunting permits for freshman

Not, like, for freshmen. Hunting for freshmen. Yeah.

BY ANNABEL MARSHALL almarshall@ucdavis.edu

It’s Thursday again, and in the Mee Room gathered around the conference table, squabbling, monologuing and occasionally throwing pens, is UC Davis’s student government. Like most nights, there are more coffee cups than people. And like every night, 90% of the student body has no idea they exist. Tonight, however, there’s a good reason for UCD to pay attention.

In a controversial new bill last week, Senator Malcom Mann proposed the school grant 20 to 30 permits to UCD students and staff that would allow holders to hunt and kill one freshman each.

Opponents of the bill have argued that permits are unfair to freshmen. To this, Mann said, “Freshmen, in exchange, will be allowed to forgo one final per quarter.” A poll by The California Aggie has shown that 68% of freshmen think this is a reasonable trade. Additional incentives may include a coupon for

has been on the system used to hand out the permits. So far, the majority of the Senate has shown favor for a blind lottery, but tonight they’ve opened the floor to other proposals.

Obviously, discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, etc. is unacceptable. However, Senator John Chu suggested prioritizing those who want to hunt either computer science majors or his ex-boyfriend’s new boyfriend. This was a popular suggestion.

Senator Jean Paul Francis argued that upperclassmen should have priority, and that permits should target freshmen with life-insurance policies.

Finally, Senator Eddie Cullen proposed giving the permits exclusively to other freshmen. This way, they could keep the slaughter contained within the dorms and have Aggie Studios shoot a “‘Hunger Games’-esque reality show, so that people finally think we’re more

Solve this, ChatGPT!

BY SANDHYA PFILE sbpfile@ucdavis.edu

interesting than UCI.” Cane’s has already offered to sponsor the show. How has it come to this? How could a school that prides itself on diversity, equity and Turning Point speakers ever devolve into violence?

“Dr. Gross was running out of bodies,” Senator Mandy Lexus said. Gross was not available for comment, but sources suspect he may have been the heavily cloaked figure at the end of the Senate table who kept encouraging hunters to “keep the patella intact.”

Senator Arianna Chan said, “It was the only way we could think of to get people to buy AggieCash.” The permits can only be bought with UC Davis’s particular currency and will only be sold when the bike lanes get clogged.

Disclaimer: This article is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fictional. The story and the names of “sources” are fictionalized.

Disclaimer: This cartoon is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fictional. The story and names of “sources” are fictionalized.

Canvas Jumpscare

BY PRISCILA JIMÉNEZ CORRALES pjimenez@ucdavis.edu

CHRISTINA LIU / AGGIE

KELLIE LU

ARTS & CULTURE

‘Normal People’ romanticizes the intricacies of everyday relationships

Sally Rooney’s characters come to life on both the pages of the novel and the TV screen

BY ANA BACH arts@theaggie.org

Sally Rooney’s gripping novel “Normal People” has taken the world by storm. In addition to the book, the show’s television adaptation starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal blossoms on screen, bringing the story to life.

For those who are unfamiliar, the story follows two high schoolers in Ireland who come from seemingly different worlds. Marianne, played by Edgar-Jones in the Hulu series, comes from an affluent background, while Connell, played by Mescal, comes from a single-parent household. The two originally meet because Connell’s mother works as a maid for Marianne’s family.

The story distinguishes itself from a narrative that relies solely on class disparities to determine the social hierarchy of a show’s characters, though. Viewers see a role reversal among the star-crossed lovers. Connell is on the rugby team, deemed attractive and sociable and has many friends.

Marianne, on the other hand, ostracizes herself from her peers. Most of the time, she has her head in a book to avoid conversations with her classmates, whom she tends to find dull.

Despite their differences, the two find comfort in each other — and both Rooney’s novel and its television adaptation emphasize that this comfort isn’t purely physical. With every step they take towards a more physically intimate relationship, Connell and Marriane also move towards a more emotionally fulfilling connection.

When the pair has sex for the first time, the moments that detail them undressing each other prior are portrayed as an endearing testament to their mutual feelings rather than just their physical attraction to one another. In the book, this scene is described more intimately than the actual sex, and Mescal and Edgar-Jones’s portrayal of the scene in the show captures those same feelings of gentleness and instant comfort. Their emotional bond creates a newfound beauty in how they view one another that surpasses the bodily closeness that sex provides. They seem aware that they are about to embark on a raw, emotionally intimate experience with one another.

Both the novel and the show emphasize the theme of communication in Connell and Marianne’s relationship. Their ability to connect with one another feels natural and seems to require little effort. Ultimately, however, the differences in their upbringing are responsible for the conflicts they face later in their relationship.

One example of this occurs when the two discuss their college plans

A brief history of nudity

and censorship in art

How artists have challenged sexualized narratives of the human body over time

BY CORALIE LOON arts@theaggie.org

Everyone is born naked — and yet, the discourse around the portrayal of the bare human body has remained fluid, shifting from acceptance to sexualization to even disgust. Some say that the European Renaissance was a celebration of the nude form that has since become increasingly censored and disrupted. In reality, however, there was no historical period where nudity in art went without challenge, and it seems the same holds true today.

awkwardness of unclothed movement. Hildegarde Handsaeme’s paintings and drawings show a variety of female body types in colorful, naked abstraction, each one emphasizing different shapes, contours and positions. These and countless other examples show a third purpose of the nude: to display the human body as natural and beautiful not only because of its sex appeal but because of its form and its ability to hold raw human experiences.

Weissenberg said that the lack of appreciation from both the University of California and the student body makes it difficult for the department to function at full capacity. Despite this, it hosts a community that both students and faculty have worked hard to build, as well as a place where aspiring performance artists and production designers at UC Davis can grow their skills in preparation for entering the entertainment field. According to second-year theatre and dance major Daxi Jiang, students are extremely involved and put tremendous amounts of work into their classes and the department and are largely inspired by the effort of the faculty and staff.

“We don’t have many professors or lecturers, but the professors we have genuinely care about the students,” Jiang said. “They’ll give everything they have or known to help a student’s growth. They use their free time to answer students’ questions and help them go further in the industries if the students are passionate.”

Jiang said theatre and dance majors also uplift and support each other, reflecting the dedication of their instructors.

“We are more so friends to each other than classmates,” Jiang said. “We were able to form such a strong bonding through working a show together, and I’ve never had such experience anywhere outside the theatre department. We respect each other’s boundaries, we genuinely care about each other’s feelings and both mental and physical health.”

The Theatre and Dance Department is also an important resource for non-

shortly after they start seeing each other. Marianne is convinced that Connell should attend Trinity College based on his interests in English — coincidentally, she is also planning on going there. Connell responds and says, “Then we would be in college, and I bet you would pretend to not know me.” In both the novel and the show, Marianne looks at him perplexed and says, “I would never pretend to not know you, Connell.”

Ultimately, the two both end up at Trinity after not being in contact for a while. In college, Marianne is thriving (both socially and academically) while Connell is struggling to find where he fits in. Attempting to get more socially acclimated, Connell attends a party with one of his friends from class, where he is reintroduced to Marianne. Instead of choosing to act as if she does not know him, Marianne instantly welcomes him amongst her friend group, knowing that

THEATER

FROM PAGE 7

majors and minors. Teresa Arenas Salas, a graduate student in dramatic art at UC Davis, recently ran her Master of Fine Arts show, “White Dancer Loops,” last week, and has been instructing an introlevel acting class. According to Salas, theatre classes offer a change of pace for students in traditional academic majors.

“Many students from outside the department come in and take this class and […] have said that [it] is so different from STEM-based classes,” Salas said. “Here, you cannot just sit around. You have to get on your feet and be completely engaged and involved the entire class duration.”

Salas said theatre classes often build camaraderie between UC Davis students as they require them to “collaborate [...] at a more immersive level,” and can also have positive impacts on students’ health.

“The department’s classes are beneficial to the body and mind and are some of the few ones where you can make mistakes and have fun, be silly and yet have meaningful experiences while learning,” Salas said. “I would invite students to try a class; people say it is always way better and more fun than anything they expected and it opens up their mind.”

First-year theatre and dance and psychology double-major Yi Zhu has experienced these benefits first-hand. “I love it when we can fully enjoy dancing, performing and creating arts because that helps me relieve a lot of stress and gain energy and confidence,” Zhu said. “Feeling the fluidity of my emotions and body and forgetting the crazy and swirling world outside is always the best.”

he did not do the same for her when they were in high school.

It’s beautiful to see that the potential of their relationship still exists at Trinity despite all of the trouble they have been through, and the show captures this moment almost exactly as the book describes it.

“Normal People” speaks to the younger generation through its depiction of mental health struggles, social pressures and the miscommunications that are so common within our relationships. Both the book and the show provide a realistic representation of these issues that readers and viewers alike can identify with. Perhaps the title says it best: “Normal People” romanticizes the interactions and relationships that all of us normal people experience, allowing us to resonate with the characters and grant ourselves the same grace that we give them.

The first known depiction of the naked body in art is widely accepted to be “Venus of Willendorf,” an 11 cmtall figure created sometime between 28,000 and 25,000 B.C. in present-day Austria. After that, nude figures became prominent in ancient Greece, favoring the athletic male body or romantic idealizations of female goddesses. Nudity in art is often associated with idealized or sexualized bodies. Through this lens, art is a medium through which to “perfect” and gloss over human flaws. This approach to nudity was common in Renaissance art, in which paintings such as Correggio’s “Danaë” (1530) depict soft-skinned angels and Duke Federico II Gonzaga posing suggestively. However, even this single narrative fails to encompass the full picture of nudity during the European Renaissance. To say nudity in art is sexual is to say all depictions of nudity have the same purpose, which is grossly untrue. Despite modern Christian interpretations of nudity as something that should be avoided in art, some of the most religious messages were depicted in art through the naked body. Cranach’s 1526 “Adam and Eve” shows the biblical figures Eve and Adam with no clothing (save for a few convenientlyplaced fig leaves), and paintings of an emaciated Christ such as Giambono’s “Man of Sorrows” purposefully put his body on display to symbolize suffering. These paintings seem to show human bodies for reasons other than mere aesthetics: to symbolize strength or suffering. Within religious artwork, the “ideal” of the female form is not fixed, but changes drastically between regions and paintings.

In the present, nudity in art has continued to expand and challenge notions that the human body is inherently sexual. Artist Edgar Degas’s oil paintings of women bathing and cleaning show the mundanity and even

Art inherently pushes away from a single narrative of the body because seeing the human body as art is different than seeing it as a sexual object. The human body as art is composed of shapes, colors, curves, blemishes, stories, movements and identities. It can be sexual when it wants to be, but it is also intimate, revealing the parts of ourselves we’ve been told to hide or be ashamed of.

The vulnerability and perceived sexuality of the body have caused its presence in art to be disputed. Even in the Renaissance, nudity in art was controversial, and many of the paintings we see in museums today were only viewed by a small, elite audience, barred from public display. Today, while general nudity in art is constitutionally protected, it still causes controversy and has the potential to be censored in public places or on social media.

What makes today different from the past is the presence of social media and the algorithm’s ability to censor anything deemed indecent. As the Art Newspaper explains, despite Instagram’s assertion that nudity in art is acceptable, artists’ uploads are consistently censored and flagged for any content that remotely resembles nudity, often incorrectly.

In an era where AI and art are merging, it is incredibly dangerous to censor human voices and human experiences. Growing coalitions of artists and creatives, such as the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), are pushing to end artistic censorship, envisioning a freer and more equitable world for art.

Whether nudity in art has gained more public approval over time or not, one thing is certain: it has always been questioned, yet it continues to be made and viewed. Art’s job is to continue to break the boundaries placed before it, pursuing a vision of the human body free of shame and stigma.

According to Salas, UC Davis may be a STEM-focused university, but this does not mean that its arts programs are of poor quality.

“I chose this department at UC Davis as it was one of the few Master of Fine Arts programs in the field that was interdisciplinary, and I can work across dance, acting [and] singing here and collaborate with artists of various disciplines,” Salas said. “Art is absolutely essential in the world, and so is our department on the UC Davis campus.”

Salas said that students and professors as well as Davis community members can get involved in supporting the Theatre and Dance Department by spreading awareness of the departments’ courses and events. Salas believes that art deserves a place on university campuses and within student communities for the ways it contributes to personal growth.

“Art helps us understand our place in the world, like within interpersonal relations, about social issues, politics, the human condition and creativity and increases our sensitivity in different ways beyond academics, very practically,” Salas said. “Art is a vehicle for changing perspective and the Theatre and Dance [Department] does this while working with our most important instrument: the body and mind.”

To stay updated on events and opportunities with the Theatre and Dance Department, visit their website at https://arts.ucdavis.edu/theatre-anddance, follow @ucdtheatreanddance on Instagram or sign up to join the department’s listserv by emailing the company managers at kezaldumbide@ ucdavis.edu.

Normal People release poster. (Courtesy of Hulu / fair use)

Professors Lucy Corin and Mary Ziegler are named 2023 Guggenheim Fellows

The UC Davis professors are being honored for their contributions to law and writing

BY RUMA POUDELL arts@theaggie.org

The Arts Desk’s weekly picks for music, movies and more

BY SARAH HAN arts@theaggie.org

Movie: “The Hunger Games” film series dir. by Francis Lawrence and Gary Ross

(2012-2015)

Although the first movie was released over ten years ago, I never get tired of watching “The Hunger Games.” Each part of the series complements the whole and perfectly tells the story of the main character, Katniss Everdeen. What I like about this film series is that the themes seamlessly apply to real life despite its setting in a dystopian reality. For example, themes of love between Katniss and her family, friends and allies can connect many of the viewers’ own experiences. Apart from Jennifer Lawrence’s fantastic acting, I have to give a shoutout to Stanley Tucci, Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson — their acting was so natural that even in an interview, I only saw them as Caesar Flickerman, Effie Trinket and Haymitch Abernathy, respectively. Whether you want to revisit a childhood classic or have never seen the film series before, “The Hunger Games” movies are worth a watch.

Song: “Little Bit More” by Suriel Hess (2022)

Suriel Hess is a rising artist whose songs are characterized by sounds of acoustic piano and guitar that create a calm atmosphere. One of his biggest hits is “Little Bit More,” which describes the process of falling in love. The song opens with strums of the guitar, soon followed by Hess’s calming voice. In my opinion, the repetition of the words “little bit more” creates a catchy melody to the chorus and makes it the best part of the piece. The rest of the track’s vocals do not fluctuate too much as Hess continues to sing in a relaxed voice. Whenever I listen to this song, I am reminded of laying on the grass in spring. Its overall ethereal vibe can be very soothing. If you are looking for a new song to listen to, I recommend checking this out.

TV Show: “The Glory” dir. by Ahn Gil-ho (2022)

The University of California’s education system is notable for its faculty, who actively keep up their own research and other scholarly contributions in addition to teaching courses. This year, UC Davis professors Lucy Corin and Mary Ziegler have been recognized for their exceptional work by the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship program.

The Guggenheim Fellowship has been around for 98 years, established to honor Simon Guggenheim’s son who passed at an early age. Each year, 175 candidates are granted the Fellowship out of a pool of around 4,000 applicants, and the selected candidates are awarded $30,000-$45,000 to further pursue their scholarly passions.

Corin is a writer and professor of English. Her fiction writing is experimental, informed by avantgarde traditions and elements of oral storytelling and adds fantastical aspects to the mostly realistic worlds that she writes about.

“I’m really interested in the history of artists who are making work that is trying to upend people’s expectations about what storytelling can be and what it’s for,” Corin said. “People with experimental tendencies tend to look

at what people seem to like and think is cool and interesting and disrupt [or challenge it] in some way [...] to get people to look at things they should be looking at.”

Ziegler is an expert on the history of reproductive rights and conservatism in the United States and is a professor at the UC Davis School of Law. She began her research early in her career as a law student after her professor in a legal history course said there wasn’t much history behind reproductive rights.

Both professors are, as Corin would say, “shaking it up” in their fields by helping people look at issues and topics that they believe haven’t been adequately explored. Both recipients expressed how grateful they are for the awards.

“It’s an incredible affirmation,” Corin said. “As a writer, [I’m] always unsure about whether [I’m] really good at what [I’m] doing, [no matter how] long [I] work on it and as many times as somebody decides to publish [my work].

And so, having something official that’s run by people I know are extraordinary at what they do and care deeply about literature is deeply gratifying.”

She plans to use the funding to work on her next book, “Les and Rae.”

The work will reimagine how we can

think of animals, asserting that they are sovereign and independent from human utility.

As a historian, Ziegler emphasized how history “is driving what you’re seeing now [in the world or reproductive rights].” Granted this funding, she will now be able to research archives of conservative collections on fetal rights and publish a new book highlighting the invasive impacts of abortion law that don’t apply just to pregnant people.

Both Ziegler and Corin are busy with their responsibilities teaching and creating new pieces of work for the world. However, their active lifestyles are sustainable because of the passion they both have for what they do and their belief in the impact their work can have.

The professors offered some advice for students interested in either writing or law. For those interested in diving into writing, Corin recommends beginning by reading some great pieces of literary work (“The Swank Hotel” is Corin’s favorite pick, which she authors), and Zieger recommends that students intrigued by law should read up on history and stay up to date in the present world through journalism.

“The Glory” is a South Korean drama about Moon Dong-eun (played by Song Hye-kyo), a woman who seeks revenge on her former high school bullies. The first episode centers around Dongeun’s traumatic experience with the main ringleader being Park Yeon-Jin. After contemplating dropping out, Dong-eun eventually graduates high school; however, she still has plans to seek revenge on Park Yeon-Jin. The following episodes detail Dong-eun’s revenge plot, and I have to say, Son Hye-kyo’s acting is quite impressive. I definitely recommend this series if you are on the lookout for a new thriller.

Book: “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak (2005)

“The Book Thief” is by far one of the most interesting yet touching books I have ever read. Zusak’s storytelling is incredibly unique. Narrated by Death, the readers follow Liesel Meminger as she grows up in Nazi Germany. Due to both the tragic passing of her brother and her mother’s inability to take care of her, Liesel’s life unfolds in an unexpected direction as she is taken in by the Hubermanns. The book touches on themes of familial love, cruelty, injustice and other poignant topics. Without spoiling too much more, I can say that “The Book Thief” is truly a moving piece of literature.

Amid staffing and funding struggles, students and faculty call Theatre and Dance Department essential

Community members share their concerns about the future of the performing arts on the UC Davis campus

BY INDRANIL BASU features@theaggie.org

The Theatre and Dance Department at UC Davis houses the theatre and dance majors and minors, which include courses in acting, the history of theatre, dance and movement. These courses are offered to students affiliated with and outside of the department and typically take place at Wright Hall.

Theatre and Dance is a comparatively small area of study at UC Davis, with about 120 registered undergraduate students majoring in dramatic art, 4045 graduate students pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in dramatic art or a Ph.D. in performance studies, as well as five to 10 visiting professional artists and teachers each quarter, according to the department website.

Undergraduate and graduate students taking classes in performance art say these courses have a significant impact on their personal and professional growth, as well as their mental health. However, at a department review conducted during winter quarter, the department staff and students determined that Theatre and Dance is highly underfunded and understaffed.

Madeline Weissenberg, one of two theatre and dance company managers who facilitate communication between staff and students, said the arts often take a backseat at scientific research universities like UC Davis.

“Being on a STEM-focused campus, it is very often that the arts can get lost, but it’s so important for

the arts to be here,” Weissenberg said.

“So often we get some students who want to get away from hard classes like [organic chemistry] for example, […] to perform and be creative, and you can find those creative outlets in theatre or music or art. Because without that, that creative outlet for them maybe gets lost and that can feel very stifling.”

Other than its academic offerings to students, the Theatre and Dance Department also holds many shows and events that are open to everyone, with special ticket rates for UC Davis students. Theater students dedicate much of their time preparing for a mainstage show every quarter, such as “The Fall Show” in fall 2022, “Refuge” held in winter 2022 and “Open, Stay” coming up at the end of this spring.

These are the highlights of the department’s work, typically developed and directed by the Granada Artistsin-Residence, who are working professionals in the theatre and dance industry. They come to the department for a quarter and work on the show, as well as teach a class at the same time, giving students hands-on experience. Students also choreograph and perform a dance and movement show, “Outside the Lines,” in various academic quarters.

All shows produced by the Theatre and Dance Department are performed by students under the guidance of professors and staff. Students also play important roles in creative production teams such as with lights, sound, set

design, projection design, dramaturgy and costumes.

Students and faculty in the Theatre and Dance Department worry about the future of performance art at UC Davis given the current situation.

“Something the review showed is that we’re all very concerned about the department,” Weissenberg said. “We are underfunded, understaffed and underappreciated in a way no member of our Davis community should be made to feel. If things keep going the way they are currently, we will potentially be down to only having three professors in the entire department, which is unacceptable.”

Despite struggling with staffing and funding, the department has been holding courses and putting on shows to its best capacity because of the passion, expertise and dedication of the students, faculty and staff.

“It often feels like the school tends to forget us, and a lot of students don’t even know we exist, which can be very disheartening, but we are here and we are passionate about what we do,” Weissenberg said. “Our faculty, professors and lecturers are pushed and pulled in every which direction and are made to do everything under the sun, but they do it with a smile because they are so passionate and so supportive of our education. They deserve so much more appreciation than they receive.”

Heghnar Zeitlian Watenpaugh, a UC Davis art history professor, is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship. (Courtesy Photo)

Popular vegan restaurant, Burger Patch, closes in Davis

The Burger Patch location in Davis closes after three years of serving the community

BY ALMA CULVERWELL city@theaggie.org

Senate discusses transfer student representation at April

13

meeting

ASUCD positions

BY SYDNEY AMESTOY campus@theaggie.org

Vice President JT Eden called the April 13 Senate meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. The first item on the agenda was the confirmation of a new Gender and Sexuality Commission (GASC) vice chairperson. Hailey Porterfield, a sociology major who previously did advocacy work for the Center for Advocacy, Resources & Education (CARE), was the only candidate. She was unanimously confirmed.

GASC also unanimously confirmed first-year wildlife, fish and conservation biology major Jay Chen and secondyear English major Cindy Nguyen as new commissioners.

the CoHo as funding for free cookie coupons to incentivize student voter participation in the spring ASUCD elections.

Some members of the Senate table were concerned about scams, which would waste the money allocated through the bill. “How do we prevent students from duplicating the coupons?” Eden said. “I think it’s a fair concern. The only solution I can really think of is writing down their student ID number, but people were opposed to that because that’s a little weird.”

On March 31, the decision was made to close down the Davis location of the local vegan fast-food chain, Burger Patch. The Davis location had been serving students and Davis residents their popular vegan versions of burgers, shakes and more for the past three years.

Burger Patch was founded in 2017 by Philip and Danea Horn, and began as a pop-up restaurant. In 2019, they opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant in Midtown Sacramento. Since then, they opened two more locations in Davis and East Sacramento.

The business was created to provide plant-based options while still maintaining good taste and quality. Their menu contains a large variety of options to fit dietary restrictions, including vegetarian, vegan, dairy- and gluten-free options.

With a wide range of vegan-friendly and affordable choices, Burger Patch was a staple for many students during the past three years, including second-year ecological management and restoration

major Olivia Dobusch. “My favorite part about Burger Patch was the all-vegan menu,” Dobusch said. “I will miss being able to easily access a restaurant with so many good-quality vegan options.”

According to their website, the decision to close down both the Davis and East Sacramento locations was made due to a shift in diner habits and costs over recent years. Instead, the company plans to give more attention to the midtown location and to the development of a sister brand, Burrito Patch, according to a statement on its website.

“We truly hope to continue to grow Burger Patch in the years to come and further our mission of feeding kindness for our planet, animals and communities,” the statement on their website reads. “This was a necessary, but painful step that we wrestled with for many months, but ultimately must take to ensure our long term success and the hope that we might be able to put a Burger Patch in a neighborhood

near you again sometime in the future.”

Burger Patch in Davis will be missed by vegans and non-vegans, like Francesca Controneo, a secondyear sustainable environmental design major, alike.

“It’s a good vegan option,” Controneo said. “I’m not vegan, but it is good if you don’t want to eat a lot of meat products.”

Michell Valencia-Ortega, a secondyear marine and coastal science major, is vegan and appreciated the choices she had at the restaurant.

“I like the chicken burger,” ValenciaOrtega said. “I will miss the fact that there is accessible vegan food near me, it was a good safety food.”

Burger Patch brought back their popular breakfast menu on April 8 and extended the store hours at their midtown location according to the statement on their website. They will still be serving at their original Midtown Sacramento location at 2301 K St., Suite 101, and will have to-go options available.

Danzantes

BY MIA BALTIERRA

Danzantes del Alma, established in 1977, is a student retention program under the Cross Cultural Center that aims to foster student leadership and academic excellence through the traditional Mexican art of Ballet Folklórico. Over the years, the group has established a presence in the community of Davis, holding events year-round and providing resources for students to succeed artistically and academically.

“We do Mexican traditional dance,” said Fernanda Serna, a fourthyear statistics and economics double major and a student manager. “Some of our dancers learned from maestros in Mexico, and some learned from people here in the U.S. We are trying to stick to what they do in Mexico. We try to keep it authentic so people who know about it feel we are representing it the right way.”

Danzantes del Alma welcomes all skill levels to join their group, teaching basic movements in the beginning of fall quarter and building up to more technical steps as the school year progresses, according to second-year animal science major and student instructor Jat Cruz.

With the support of a nonstudent instructor, Danzantes del Alma is completely student-run. The organization has a board of 13 members who organize practices, foster a welcoming and successful community and prepare members for the group’s main event — their annual show.

The group is currently at full membership capacity at 63 students, but some members still feel Danzantes del Alma is not recognized on campus. Members, including thirdyear psychology and Spanish double major and this year’s annual show chair Christopher Lopez, hope the annual performance will bring attention to the organization and give students the opportunity to learn about Latinx traditions.

“It shows support to the minorities here on campus,” Lopez said. “It shows involvement and appreciation. It seems like our group gets pushed under the rug, so I think it’s important for the community to show up and show their appreciation and support […] and learn something.”

This year marks the 44th annual performance for the group but only the second annual performance that will be held in the Mondavi Center, a venue that the group fought hard to secure.

“We are reclaiming the power we

have in this campus and [showing] how our communities are so strong,” Serna said.

In preparation for the event, troupe members practice nine hours per week in fall and winter quarters and up to 20 hours per week leading up to the show. During practices, members learn dance steps as well as the history behind them.

“There are different dances for each state in Mexico,” said third-year design and communications double major and dance troupe member Michelle Mendoza. “They all vary in different ways, but each one tells a specific story.”

Danzantes del Alma hopes to convey not only the stories in the dances but also the joyous spirit of Mexican culture, according to fourth-year aerospace engineering major and administrative chair Juan Carlos. The theme for this year’s performance is “Historias de Nuestra Tierra,” which directly translates to “history of our land.”

“We are also trying to bring a piece of Mexico to this place,” Carlos said. “We are trying to bring people who haven’t been to Mexico in a very long time back. Their experiences, the colors, the music — it’s a way for them to be reminded of what home feels like.”

Lopez shared the goals of the organization in planning the show.

“We are trying to implement cultural values and the rebirth of Mexican culture

in a way that represents who we are and what we stand for,” Lopez said. “Not only as a community, but as individuals who have a past, who have a heritage and who have a culture they long to represent.”

Members encourage all students to come see the show, regardless of background or major, as they believe everyone can get something out of the experience.

“You don’t have to be a part of this community; you don’t have to speak the language or understand the dance even,” Mendoza said. “You are not just seeing and hearing the sounds. You are experiencing it, and we want people to connect with us as a bigger community more than just [individuals].”

Students can expect a colorful, joyous celebration of music and dance at the performance on April 22, including brightly colored costumes and props depicting a narrative.

The performance will include “a lot of noises, a lot of skirt work and a lot of movement of the arms,” said secondyear animal science major and student instructor Jat Cruz. “We have long skirts that go all the way down to your ankles, […and] a lot of olas [waves].”

Doors to the annual show open at 5 p.m. and the performance begins at 6 p.m. Visit mondaviarts.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

Former ASUCD President Ryan Manriquez then recommended seven new members of the Disability Rights Advocacy Committee. Six were confirmed unanimously. One candidate was not in attendance and therefore was unable to be confirmed during the meeting.

Public comments followed the confirmations, during which numerous members of the Underground Scholars organization at UC Davis voiced their concerns with the administration’s handling of funds. The Underground Scholars are a group that supports formerly incarcerated students and according to leaders in the organization, funding was recently given to public universities in California to support this demographic of students.

According to co-founder Axel Cominsky, the group has had conflicts with the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) and administrators from UC Davis, specifically Vice Chancellor Pablo Reguerin, who is in charge of allocating funding for this project at Davis.

“UC Davis was the only UC to not have formerly incarcerated representation at UCOP [...] meetings,” Cominsky said.

“We’d be happy to mediate [conversations with the Vice Chancellor] and ensure that the funding is appropriately allocated in a manner that meets student needs,” President Radhika Gawde said.

Following public comment was the quarterly report from the Office of the International Student Representative (OISR). Former Representative Keven Zhou announced his resignation from the role, which he officially left the day before the meeting. The report focused on how to contact the office in the transitional period between representatives — namely, through the OISR email. He also discussed the projects that the office worked on throughout the quarter. These include an Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) night market that will be held on May 19 and feature numerous AAPI clubs and the proposal of an LGBTQ+ international student support group.

Eden then gave quarterly reports on two committees within the legislative branch: the Scholarship Committee and the Volunteer Award Committee. Eden asked members of the Senate to encourage volunteers they know or work with to apply for the volunteer award, which will distribute 10 $250 awards to student employees during spring quarter.

After the consideration of previous legislation, next on the agenda was elected officer reports.

Senator Stephen Fujimoto met with The Pantry to discuss their system of supplying menstrual products for students. Senator Gaius Ilupeju met with Aggie Compass to work out a promotion strategy for the new UC Davis-sponsored Aggie Eats food truck launching later this month.

During the open forum, there was a long debate on where to hold the upcoming quarterly town hall meeting. While the meeting is typically held in the Coffee House, there was discussion about changing both the location and time in order to increase student attendance.

The table considered having the meeting outside on the quad, but there is a 12 p.m.-1 p.m. limit on projected sound that prevented the change from passing. To limit discussion, a motion was made to decide a place through a quick vote at the end of the meeting.

Jahanvi Narwal, a fourth-year economics major and the chairperson of the Research and Data Committee, then gave the committee’s quarterly report, which summed up past and future projects, including surveys to see if UC Davis would benefit from a free textbook program and to measure student approval of the Equitable Access program.

Members of the Senate then moved to consider old legislation.

Senate Bill (SB) #90, authored by Fujimoto, sought to allocate $7,000 to

Other anti-fraud suggestions include writing students’ information on each coupon, making each coupon unique and asking CoHo employees to be on the lookout for fraudulent coupons.

“It’s a $1.25 cookie, and it’s a lot of effort to go through a duplication operation,” Senator Erek Leschyn said.

SB #90 passed unanimously.

SB #88 was next on the agenda; it sought to add a referendum to reinstate The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) sustainability grant program fee to the spring ASUCD elections ballot, which passed unanimously.

Constitutional Amendment (CA) #83 sought to make major changes to the ASUCD voting system by consolidating all general elections to spring quarter. This would mean every Senate seat would be up for election in the spring. According to the amendment’s author, Eden, this would improve election competition and give new students more of a chance to adjust to campus before running for a position.

Many members of the table opposed the change, however, citing concerns about “excluding” the freshmen and transfer student populations.

“This amendment is that first years cannot run for office under this proposal,” Senator Jacob Klein, who is a first-year student, said. “So I’m going to start by saying that while constitutional amendments inherently make alterations to the constitution, excluding entire categories of students violate so many parts of our constitution, and directly goes against so much institutional precedent.”

“I think what we’re dealing with here is that the pros outweigh the cons,” Eden said. “It’s not true that first-year students could not run for positions.”

After a long debate, CA #83 failed with 2 yesses, 6 nos and 4 abstainments.

The next item on the agenda was CA #84, which sought to make minor language changes within the constitution to match bylaws. One section within the amendment would make the International and Transfer Student Representatives voting members of the Senate table. Many members of the Senate did not approve of this change in an amendment labeled as minor.

Gawde, who was in support of the change, made a motion to split the house and get a show of hands on whether or not giving the International and Transfer Student Representatives the ability to vote in Senate meetings was “a slay.” There was a call for decorum.

“We literally just argued how it was important that transfer students have a voice at this table,” Gawde said. “People rejected the last amendment because it was thought it was a limit to the voice of transfer students on the table, I would ask that you guys stick to that commitment.”

When it was argued that this part of the amendment should be its own amendment, Gawde made a motion to do just that. Another motion was made to limit the debate to 17 minutes on this proposed amendment.

Gawde’s proposed amendment failed, with only Senators Ilupeju and Leschyn voting yes.

“I do not support the specific amendment,” Senator Shrey Gupta said. “Just because this is not a minor change and I do not think that it should be done in an amendment to the amendment. There are so many questions to ask.”

CA #84 passed without Gawde’s amendment, 11-1.

Finally, the Senate, which had already gone over an hour past its scheduled end time, returned to their discussion on where to hold the next quarterly Town Hall meeting. Ultimately, it was decided to make the “Memorial Union (MU)” the location, so that a more specific location within the MU could be chosen in a later meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:43 p.m.

They also heard from concerned activists seeking support for formerly incarcerated students and confirmed candidates for numerous

UC student organization

del Alma invites the community to experience annual performance

“Historias de Nuestra Tierra” will showcase the group’s dancing and share the importance of Latinx tradition and history

features@theaggie.org

Burger Patch serves up 100% plant-based burgers, fries, and many more fast food favorites. (Christine Minarik / Aggie)

Danzantes del Alma student troupe dressed in wardrobe highlighting the regions they will perform for their 2023 Annual Show “Historias de Nuestra

Alexandra Serna Godoy)

Sudoku

Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row, column and 3x3 square must contain each digit. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.

Crossword

IET acknowledges Wi-Fi issues on campus, explains proposed solutions

Associate CIO of Enterprise Infrastructure Services Neeraj Chauhan addresses student concerns regarding Wi-Fi issues on campus and what he and his team are doing daily to ensure fullfunctioning Wi-Fi

BY JADE BELL campus@theaggie.org

We’ve all had it happen to us — two minutes until an assignment is due, you finish it, go to Canvas to turn it in and then, at the critical moment, your device disconnects from Eduroam. In the digital age, and especially postCOVID, much of an education at UC Davis relies on technology — from Zoom lectures and online office hours to Canvas homework submissions and quizzes. So when this technology fails, it can be frustrating. But what does it really take to manage a Wi-Fi network that serves more than 50,000 people?

Neeraj Chauhan, the Associate CIO of Enterprise Infrastructure Services (EIS), explained the system of Wi-Fi management on campus — an effort to facilitate the connection of more than 40,000 devices.

“On average, it’s about 43,000 devices connected to our Wi-Fi networks,” Chauhan said. “We look at resolving Wi-Fi in multiple different ways. [When you report] Wi-Fi issues on campus, we narrowly focus on you and what is going on with your setup. We are very aware when you run into Wi-Fi issues, but most of the time people aren’t reporting it. We don’t blame you; you’re either in class or doing something important, so you just want to get going.”

Chauhan went on to say that students should feel free to contact IET (Integrated Education and Technology) support “for Wi-Fi connection issues big and small.”

“If you do report it, we will interact with you and figure out very specifically what is happening with your device,” Chauhan said. “We also constantly monitor this coverage proactively on campus. [If] our sensors are saying there is some fatal connection [in one area], we proactively try to look at what we

AGGIESINTHEAREA

FROM PAGE 3

The Aggie Reuse Store, a studentrun organization, is making an impact by connecting students to an alternative to the fast fashion industry. Andrianna Pellini, a fourth-year managerial economics major and a social media and sales volunteer, and Sarah Pando, a fourth-year environmental policy analysis and planning (EPAP) major and the point director, are working hard to mitigate the effects of climate change through Aggie Reuse.

Over the years, more people have become aware of fast fashion’s negative impact. Fast fashion is the mass production of trendy clothing sold at inexpensive prices. Brands like H&M, Zara and Shein are notorious for the negative environmental impact of fast fashion practices. While it’s hard to beat the affordable prices for many people on a budget, there is a larger cost at stake.

Fast fashion has created ethical concerns starting with the production of the clothing and ending with its disposal — three-fourths of fast fashion clothing ends up in landfills or is incinerated. So

FROM PAGE 3

The Healthy UC Davis initiative is made up of a steering committee that offers support and resources to members of the UC Davis community to “help them live healthier lives,” according to their website. One of the programs led by Healthy UC Davis includes Active Aggies Mobile, which is intended to make engaging

Chauhan said that in addition to any issues on their end, failed Wi-Fi connections can sometimes be due to device hardware — even new hardware.

“There can be multiple reasons for the [Wi-Fi] scenario to be happening,” Chauhan said. “It could be with Mac’s new M2 chip, which has a known issue with Wi-Fi. Apple is trying to get that resolved. We try to publish information like that through our service desk to get the word out. If you have the newer Macbook, you might run into an issue where it just drops your connection, or it shows you’re connected, but you have no internet.”

With the hardware issue in mind, Chauhan said that IET services has begun replacing old hardware in major campus locations.

“We’re constantly replacing hardware,” Chauhan said. “The library has been completely replaced, and we’ve added more access points to the library to increase coverage. The Student Community Center is next week because we know this is where the students congregate the most. The MU is the other one.”

In addition, Chauhan said that campus’s routers have been updated to help maintain user capacity. They also have a system of sensors that automatically and consistently check Wi-Fi connection on campus.

“With Wi-Fi, we look at multiple approaches,” Chauhan said. “One is keeping our gear up to date. We are doing a major refresh this year and then we should be good for most of the Wi-Fi routers on campus for the next five years. [Two] is us proactively monitoring. So if you experience an issue, we experience it. We’ve been deploying sensors; these little machines

what happens to the remaining fourth?

It either ends up being donated to forprofit community thrift stores or, when the quality is too poor to be sold, the clothing is shipped to other countries where it ends up becoming trash.

To solve this problem, places like Aggie Reuse are working to help eliminate clothing waste in a new way. Pando and Pellini said the store is a great alternative to for-profit thrift stores like Goodwill.

“I like working here because I’m an EPAP major, so I care about the environment and not supporting fast fashion,” Pando said. “Stop buying from Shein.”

In the past year, Aggie Reuse has shifted from its former location at the Silo to the first floor of the Memorial Union and transformed into a mutualaid model which now offers all items for free, as noted on their website.

“I think everyone should have access to clothes,” Pando said.

According to Pando, free clothing is an important part of providing for students’ basic needs. The zero-cost model not only helps to mitigate clothing waste but also helps create safe spaces for students to pick gender-affirming clothing without worrying about the cost.

simpler by creating more workout classes around campus in places other than the ARC. “Healthy UC Davis aims to make the University of California ‘the healthiest place to live, work and learn’ by investing in meaningful shifts in our environment that produce a lasting culture of health and well-being for the entire UC community,” said the Coordinator of the Living Well Program for Campus Recreation Eric Chen via email. For the category of mental health, Davis scored a 2.7, which is based on factors such as the number of residents

BY KACEY CHAN features@theaggie.org

During freshman orientation, one of the most common questions asked during the small talk phase between potential friends is, “Are you thinking of studying abroad?” In movies and coming-of-age shows, fresh-faced 18-year-olds are seen traveling to Europe to have whirlwind romances and go to clubs in countries with lower drinking ages. But is studying abroad really worth it?

Some may consider studying abroad a pillar of the college experience, and global education can be extraordinarily valuable for college students. Sheyenne White, a fourth-year political science major, studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom and traveled to Italy to study Italian language.

“Going abroad definitely builds humility as you deal with many humbling experiences,” White said. “It teaches self-sufficiency and builds character.” White said she was able to enhance her experience abroad through careful planning.

“It’s important to plan ahead and do your research,” White said. “I was able to complete four major requirements in London and fulfill Davis’s core language requirements in the other. I actually saved time by completing a year’s worth of Italian in 17 weeks.”

scientific fields who may not think it’s valuable for their degree.

“It is important especially to have multiple perspectives when studying anything,” Isabella said. “A lot of STEM majors think it’s useless, but everything is interconnected, and it is important to include that in an education.”

However, some students are hesitant to go abroad because they don’t think the experience will be worth the difficult planning process.

“It does seem like a lot of fun but […] it requires a lot of research, which makes me falter,” Hata said. “I’m a biology major, so there aren’t a lot of classes in the places I would want to go to.”

Money is also a major concern for students when deciding whether to go abroad.

“I haven’t actively thought about study abroad mainly because of the cost,” Isabella said. “I assume it would be difficult for financial aid and I would consider it more if I knew of grants.”

According to the UC Davis study abroad website, the school recommends that students who study abroad should start the financial planning process six months to a year before enrollment.

that connect to the nearest Wi-Fi over and over again. If they experience what you experience, it is recording it and going deeper and understanding what is happening.”

Chauhan said that EIS team tries to communicate with students, letting them know via email when there might be a long outage and providing suggestions for alternatives to utilize in the meantime.

“The other connection you might use is your [phone] hotspot if you have it, but cellular coverage on campus isn’t great, especially if there are many people congregating in one area,” Chauhan said. “Our campus facilities are doing a study to see what we can do to make the cellular coverage more robust. Our job is always looking at what we can do to have reliable service.”

When Wi-Fi is being fixed, according to Chauhan, service changes must be done in certain windows of time to reduce class disruption; namely, between school quarters or over the summer.

“The issue is that we can’t interrupt teaching, learning and research,” Chauhan said. “So this summer, there will be a lot of buildings on campus with brand new gear. Having a lot of this gear replaced will make the experience better.”

Chauhan emphasized that he wanted to “give a big shout-out to the team who supports Wi-Fi.”

“These folks give up their weekends and work at night because they care about your experience,” Chauhan said. “This is their mission; a lot of them have been here working at UC Davis for 20plus years. It’s just one team that keeps the Wi-Fi up, trying to make it better.” Kayla Lee contributed to this report.

“Everyone should be allowed to experiment […], especially for people who are transitioning,” Pando said. Pando and Pellini both said the space is welcoming for all people, even community members who are not students.

“Everybody is welcome to come in,” Pellini said. “It’s so open to the community.”

Pando and Pellini both emphasized that they love working at the store because of the inclusive community they have gotten to know this past year.

“I really get to see [other Aggie Reuse staff] as people instead of just somebody I’m volunteering with,” Pellini said. “Also, another highlight is just meeting cool people that come into the store, and they introduce themselves, and we start chatting.”

The staff at Aggie Reuse not only have environmental sustainability in mind but also want to create an inviting community space around this campus resource.

“We have so much stuff; everyone will find something they like, hopefully,” Pando said. “If you feel like you don’t have your community yet, it’s okay. We’re always open to new people and very accepting, and we love meeting people and adding to our team.”

reporting poor mental health days and the concentration of meditation and yoga studios. The category of environment and community health, in which Davis scored a 3.7, was based on factors such as access to natural grocery stores and farmers markets.

“Our Campus Recreation motto is ‘Come As You Are,’” Chen said via email. “We are welcoming to all and promote inclusive programs and healthy messaging like our nutrition seminars along with things from our partners on campus such as the Helmet Hair Don’t Care or Body inclusivity projects.”

Many students agree that studying abroad is beneficial, especially as our world becomes increasingly globalized. A poll conducted by CIEE, a non-profit that helps college students study abroad, found that 91% of students believe they are more aware of global issues because of their experiences abroad.

Students who have not had the opportunity also emphasized the importance of global education.

“It teaches a greater appreciation for other cultures, and I’m sure you can gain that independence from the identity you are tethered to back home,” said Tori Hata, a fourth-year biology major at UC Davis.

Isabella C., who requested her last name be excluded from the article, is a second-year aerospace engineering major. She also acknowledged the value of studying abroad, even for students in

The question of how many students are ultimately able to go is, perhaps, an important one. Statistically speaking, the largest demographic of college students who study abroad are wealthy, white women studying the social sciences.

However, White firmly believes that the study abroad experience isn’t only for this typical audience, and is even an ambassador herself for CEA CAPA — a non-profit that caters to students studying abroad.

“You should talk to your financial aid advisors, apply to grants and work,” White said. “I paid for everything myself, and I was luckily able to receive the Gilman [Scholarship] and I worked jobs as well to save. When I had gone, I was surprised to see things were more affordable than I had realized.”

White said that one of her key takeaways from studying abroad was the cultural immersion.

“I left with a richer, more expanded perspective,” White said.

SSCFAIR

FROM PAGE 2

“A lot of times employers would ask for a resume if they really like you as a potential candidate for an internship or a job,” Webre said. “And I had a lot of students kind of caught off guard last year without a resume when they needed one.”

The committee had several goals following last year’s fair. It hopes to attract more underclassmen as well as third and fourth years. The committee also made a concerted effort to reach out to students of many backgrounds.

“We’re trying to attract a lot of students of color, because the environmental field is predominantly white,” Webre said. “My own committee is super diverse and I know that there are a ton of different backgrounds in the sustainability students here and we want to make sure that everyone has equal access to the fair and all these services we provide.”

Webre said that she, third-year sustainable environmental design major Vice Chair Jordyn Kosai, and the rest of the committee have been hard at work organizing and advertising the conference.

Members have reached out to the transfer and cultural centers, tabled, put up flyers and made in-person announcements. They hope to attract sustainable majors of all kinds: landscape,

BSBVSSAC FROM PAGE 12

The Aggies loaded the bases with one out; second-year outfielder Riley Acosta was on third, thirdyear outfielder Damian Stone was on second and first-year infielder Joey Wright was on first. After a deep fly ball by third-year infielder Alex Gouveia to left field, Acosta took advantage of the distance between the left fielder and the catcher and made a sprint for home plate, beating the throw by the

design and architecture, sustainable environmental design, environmental policy and planning, environmental science and management and political science students.

SSCF is also partnering with the ICC to create virtual career fair prep workshops.

“I think something that we would really like to work on this year is that we had almost 300 people sign up to come last year and yet only around 100 actually attended. Which I think is very normal, but we would like to close that gap this year,” Webre said. “We hope that [the workshops] will incentivize people to not just sign up, but also attend because they will already have some of the resources available to them.”

Fourth-year environmental science and management major Mackenzie Field, chair of EPPC, works closely with Webre.

“SSCF has worked tirelessly on this event,” Field said. “Students always come out of it with great jobs and internships, so it’s an amazing opportunity for them to interact with organizations in the sustainable fields.”

UC Davis has long been known for its focus on sustainability, even being ranked the most sustainable university in North America for the last seven years in a row. This is one of the reasons why students interested in careers in this field choose to come to UC Davis, and if you’re one of these students, this April 26 career fair might be just the place for you.

left fielder and scoring the winning run for the Aggies.

Following the winning hit, the Aggies ran onto the field to celebrate their late rally against the Hornets. While UC Davis was down for most of the game, they were able to make an impressive comeback when they needed to the most.

Following their win, UC Davis traveled to Southern California, where they lost their series against UCLA 2-1.

Next up, UC Davis hosted Saint Mary’s on April 18 for one game. From April 21-23, the Aggies will host UC Riverside for a Big West Conference series.

An enriched perspective vs. high costs — A balanced overview of this college experience according to UC Davis students

JOANNE SUN / AGGIE

SCIENCE AND TECH

Recent sea otter deaths linked to a rare strain of parasitic infection

A parasitic strain of Toxoplasma gondii called the COUG strain has killed four California sea otters

BY KATIE HELLMAN science@theaggie.org

Sea otter along California’s coastal waters (Trina Wood / Communications officer of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine)

A recent news release reported that four California sea otters have died from a severe form of toxoplasmosis, an infection that comes from the microscopic parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The initial research is published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science.

“Our findings reveal a novel and concerning lesion pattern for southern sea otters with systemic toxoplasmosis that appears to be associated with an atypical T. gondii strain described in an aquatic animal for the first time,” the study reads.

Although the particular strain of infection is rare, the parasite is relatively common, and sea otters are particularly vulnerable to infection due to their

habitat’s location near the shoreline. Sea otters may consume marine invertebrates that expose them to the infection or come into contact with the parasite’s eggs through rainwater runoff. The strain of Toxoplasma was found through DNA testing to be one known as COUG, which was first identified in 1995. These findings raise concern about the strain’s potential to infect more sea otters and possibly other warm-blooded animals, including humans.

Devinn Sinnott of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine coauthored the study and addressed this concern.

“Toxoplasma gondii in general can affect any warm-blooded species, so

humans are susceptible as well as many domestic and wild animals,” Sinnott said. “This particular strain has never been reported in humans, but that’s not to say that it couldn’t potentially infect humans.”

All four sea otters in the study were found to have steatitis, an inflammation of body fat, which was detected through microscopic analysis of the otters’ tissues.

Melissa Miller of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, who co-authored the study, commented on the virulence of the strain.

“We have seen that certain genetic strains of Toxoplasma in otters appear to be a little bit more pathogenic than

others,” Miller said. “What’s astounding about the COUG strain is that it appears to be capable of killing adult otters that don’t have obvious pre-existing health conditions. I’ve been looking at otters for 25 years and I haven’t seen that before.” This is the first time that the COUG genotype has been found in sea otters or anywhere along the California coast.

“Sea otters are a threatened species and they are already under a lot of pressure from different sources, including other diseases, toxins, their habitat and food limitations,” Sinnott said. “Finding this new strain that’s killing animals very rapidly is particularly concerning from a

conservation standpoint.”

Scientists noted that the presentation of the parasitic infection in the otters exhibited unusual characteristics. For example, although large quantities of the parasites were identified throughout the otters’ bodies, none were discovered in their brains. In the case of deadly toxoplasmosis, the central nervous system is usually heavily affected.

“As a wildlife pathologist, I’m all about pattern recognition,” Miller said. “If you listen to [sea otters] and let them teach you about what’s happening in the environment, they’ll do it and they’ll do an extremely good job. They’re one of the finest environmental sentinels I’ve ever worked with in my career.”

New study visualizes how BRCA2 protein helps with DNA repair

Understanding its function helps explain how mutations in BRCA2 can lead to cancer

BY LILLY ACKERMAN science@theaggie.org

A new study from researchers at UC Davis illustrates how the Breast Cancer Gene 2 (BRCA2) protein, crucial for DNA repair, functions and how BRCA2 mutations are linked to increased rates of breast and ovarian cancer.

DNA repair is critical to maintain healthy cells and prevent cancer from developing. Cells have many pathways to prevent damaged DNA from being replicated, from direct DNA repair to programmed cell death if the damage is too severe. BRCA2 is part of a pathway that repairs damaged DNA.

Understanding how BRCA2 works can help researchers determine what exactly links mutated proteins to increased ovarian and breast cancer rates. Ultimately, the researchers hope that their findings may pave the way for future research that clinicians can use to develop therapeutics against these diseases.

Stephen Kowalczykowski, senior author on the study and distinguished professor in UC Davis’s Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, said it was previously known that BRCA2 helps a different protein, RAD51, form a filament on DNA. RAD51 is another essential protein in DNA repair, and in order to function, many individual RAD51 proteins need to bind along a single strand of DNA as a filament. However, the way in which BRCA2 brings RAD51 to DNA had not been visualized prior to this study.

“What we knew is that [BRCA2] acted to assist a protein called RAD51 to form a filament on DNA,” Kowalczykowski said. “So we were hoping we would see BRCA2 doing that. In a nutshell, we did.”

The authors of the study used a device called an optical trap to visualize a single DNA molecule interacting with a single BRCA2 protein. An optical trap uses a laser focused through a high-resolution lens to form a “trap” that catches particles and holds them in place so that they can be observed

in very fine detail. By examining the interactions of BRCA2 and DNA, the authors were able to visualize just how BRCA2 helps a RAD51 filament form.

“What we actually saw was that BRCA2 enabled RAD51 to form a nucleus,” Kowalczykowski said. “So it didn’t enable growth; it enabled nucleation. Nucleation is the hard part of forming a filament. You have to start it.” As Kowalczykowski said, the nucleation phase of filament formation

is the most difficult part. Nucleation is the first phase of growth, in which a few single molecules (monomers) of RAD51 find each other by chance and begin growing. The rate of nucleation, therefore, depends on the concentration of monomers floating around. In order to bypass the concentrationdependence of the nucleation phase, the authors found that BRCA2 acts as a chaperone for RAD51, bringing at least six RAD51 monomers at a time to the DNA strand that is in need of repair. This helps them bind together without

needing to rely on chance, immediately allowing a filament to start growing.

“We propose that BRCA2 achieves this task by delivering […] a preassembled nucleus of RAD51 directly to the DNA,” the study reads.

“The result would be a nascent RAD51 filament of up to eight monomers […] assembled by the chaperoning capacity of BRCA2.”

This discovery about how BRCA2 functions in the cell expands the knowledge base surrounding BRCA2 mutations and their implications for

patients. While Kowalczykowski doesn’t work directly on therapeutics, this study provides insight for those that do, an important step in the advancement of treatments for cancer patients with BRCA2 mutations.

“Like anything that’s basic science, understanding the basis of the defect is step one,” Kowalczykowski said. “We personally don’t work on compounds that have therapeutic consequences, but Pharma and other labs are looking for ways to take advantage of sensitivities of BRCA1- and BRCA2-deficient cells.”

MEN’S TENNIS BASEBALL

UC Davis men’s tennis beat Rainbow Warriors, extend winning streak

The team’s winning record makes them one of the most dominant teams in the Big West this season

BY EVA MACHADO sports@theaggie.org

UC Davis men’s tennis faced the University of Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors on April 12 at the UC Davis Marya Welch Tennis Center, ultimately beating them with a final score of 4-3.

Starting strong, the Aggies opened with first-year Lucas Bollinger and fourth-year Coleton Hootman as the leading doubles team. Bollinger and Hootman defeated their opponents, third-year Votja Vlkovsky and secondyear Karl Collins, 6-3. However, the remainder of the doubles sets did not go as well for the Aggies.

The Rainbow Warriors roared back in the doubles competition and the Aggies struggled, losing the remaining two doubles matches. The teams — fourth-years Andras Necz and Brett Brinkman and fourth-year Mitchell Davis and first-year Constantinos Djakouris — played strong matches, but the Rainbow Warriors defeated both pairs.

Singles competition began with UC Davis’s second-year Sam De Vries, who handily beat his opponent, Guillaume Tattevin, in two straight sets with scores of 6-1 and 6-0, respectively. This win was Vries’ sixth singles win of the season and evened

the overall score between the Aggies and Rainbow Warriors.

In the next singles match, Rainbow Warriors’ fourth-year Andre Ilagan defeated UC Davis’s Djakouris in both sets (6-3, 6-3).

Then, Brinkman came back strong in the singles competition following a tough loss in the doubles competition.

Brinkman beat the University of Hawai’i third-year Axel Labrunie in two sets (7-5, 6-2).

Bollinger carried his excellent play in the doubles contest into the singles competition., beating his Rainbow Warrior opponent, graduate student Lucas Labrunie, in two sets (7-5, 6-1).

Both of these matches showcased the power and skill that the Aggies are capable of.

These wins solidified the Aggies’ lead over the Rainbow Warriors. The Rainbow Warriors managed one more win during the single competition on court two with Hawaii’s Vlkovsky beating UC Davis’s second-year Ryan Torres in three sets (1-6, 6-2, 6-2).

Torres’s inexperience seemed to hinder him against an experienced veteran like Vlkovsky who easily cruised through three sets.

Mitchell Davis sealed the deal for

UC Davis baseball wins Causeway Classic against

Sacramento State

After an eighth-inning rally, the Aggies beat the Hornets in extra innings

UC Davis by winning the last singles match of the day (4-6, 6-4, 6-3). Davis lost his first set against his Rainbow Warrior opponent; however, he came back fighting in the second and third sets. Davis’s match ended the day and secured the win for the Aggies.

The final score was 4-3 for the Aggies. This win extends UC Davis’s four-game winning streak and is the team’s seventh win of their past eight matches.

Following this win, UC Davis’s Big West standing is 4-0, solidifying the group’s dominance over the Big West competition this year. The Aggies have showcased their capabilities throughout this strong season.

UC Davis was set to play UC Irvine on April 14 and hoped to continue their winning streak in that match; however, The Aggies ultimately lost the match 0-4 to the Anteaters.

Despite the recent loss, the Aggies are still one of the strongest teams in the Big West Conference this season. With one more regular season game left on the schedule, UC Davis will seek to close out the season with a win against crosstown rival Sacramento State on April 19.

BY CAROLYN (CARI) FENN sports@theaggie.org

After a tough week with back-toback losses against UC San Diego, the Aggies beat Sacramento State 4-3 in extra innings on April 11 at home on the Phil Swimley Field at Dobbins Stadium. Despite losing to the Hornets in a previous matchup four days prior, the team looked strong on Tuesday and defeated their cross-town rivals.

Throughout the game, eight of the Aggies’ pitchers took the mound, beginning with third-year Nate Freeman. In the top of the first inning, the Aggies gained a one-run lead, which Freeman was able to hold for the three innings he pitched. Despite only allowing two hits in the three innings, Freeman was taken out before the fourth inning. Second-year Trevor Allen replaced him and began UC Davis’s constant pitching rotation that lasted for the duration of the game.

Offensively, the Aggies were unable to score another run until the eighth inning. During the team’s seven scoreless innings, the Hornets gained a 3-1 lead over the Aggies, scoring in the fourth, sixth and eighth innings against three different pitchers.

While some of the eight pitchers who took the mound for UC Davis played well, a new pitcher was brought in each inning until the ninth inning. Fourth-year Nathan Peng pitched from the bottom of the ninth inning until the first out of the 11th inning. The constant rotation of relief pitchers on the mound — aside from Peng’s three-inning stint — could have been why Sacramento State was able to gain a lead. Luckily for the Aggies, the Hornets also substituted their pitchers quickly for a total of seven substitutions.

While this number of substitutions isn’t the norm, both teams did so as to not overwork their pitchers in preparation for big weekends ahead, especially since this was not a conference game. Both teams had three-game series scheduled for last

BASEBALL

weekend; Sacramento State played UT Arlington and UC Davis faced UCLA. While UCLA isn’t a conference opponent for UC Davis either, the Aggies needed their bullpen at full strength to perform well against the PAC-12 team.

Going into the eighth inning, the game appeared to be nearing an end. Sacramento State had a 3-1 lead, and the Aggies hadn’t been able to score a run since the first inning. However, the momentum of the game shifted when the first UC Davis batter came up to the plate.

To start the eighth-inning rally for the Aggies was second-year right fielder Mark Wolbert, who hit a home run straight out to right field. The Aggies then scored another run to tie the game 3-3, bringing hope to a game that seemed as good as over.

The Aggies were able to hold the Hornets to a 3-3 tie at the end of the ninth inning and forced the game into extra innings.

The game remained tied through the ninth and 10th innings, in part thanks to impressive pitching by Peng and a strong defensive performance by UC Davis. The Aggie offense was less successful, getting a single hit in the two innings.

The 11th and final inning was probably the most intense of the game, with excitement in both the top and bottom. In the top of the 11th, Sacramento State loaded the bases with only one out against UC Davis. The Aggies were able to prevent the Hornets from scoring, with third-year pitcher Kaden Riccomini relieving Peng and finishing off the top of the 11th.

The Hornets’ defense had more trouble preventing UC Davis scoring runs. After pitching two hitless innings, Hornets’ third-year pitcher Wesley Harper ended up walking multiple batters.

Minor League Baseball players agree to first-ever collective bargaining agreement

Minor Leaguers receive pay increases and other benefits as a result of recent agreement with the MLB

BY PATRICK FIGUEROA sports@theaggie.org

On March 29, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) and Major League Baseball (MLB) owners came to an agreement on the first-ever Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for minor-league players. The agreement will last five years and includes various benefits for players, including pay increases at all levels of Minor League Baseball (MiLB). After decades of mistreatment and exploitation, this agreement marks a new era of MiLB. For decades,

minor-league players say they have dealt with below-minimum-wage pay and overtime violations. In fact, minorleague players recently won a $185 million federal-class action lawsuit after MLB violated the Fair Labor Standards Act. Several stories from former minor leaguers have also exposed the unglamorous realities of being a MiLB player.

In a Bleacher Report article from 2014, Dirk Hayhurst discussed his

time in the minor leagues, detailing a time when, as a low-A minor-league player, he lived without a refrigerator and microwave because he could not afford the appliances. He claims that he ‘lived off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.’ Fox Sports MLB Analyst Ben Verlander also shared a similar experience in the minor leagues, saying the MiLB did little to ensure that players received proper nutrition.

“Professional athletes need to fuel their bodies properly in order to compete at the highest level, and unfortunately, minor leaguers don’t have the money to make that happen on their own,” Verlander told Fox Sports. He also said that when players were provided with food, he felt it was not even enough to satisfy a middle schooler. He claimed that if players complained, they would be met with the same response: “If you don’t like it, play better.” Hayhurst and Verlander both pointed to one of players’ biggest issues in the MiLB: the living conditions. In the lower levels of MiLB, players live with a host family, but in the upper levels, players are on their own. This

often means sharing a living space with other players; Verlander said that five or six players would sometimes live in a house meant for four people.

Some players have also claimed that the minor leagues have not been as geared toward player development as they should be. However, with a new CBA, the conditions should be much improved.

One of the biggest issues that the new CBA addresses is minorleague pay. At all levels, players will receive significant salary increases: Triple-A players will receive a $17,500 to $35,800 increase, Double-A, a $13,800 to $30,250 increase, High A, an $11,000 to $27,300 increase, Low A, an $11,000 to $26,200 increase and Rookie, a $4,800 to $19,800 increase.

Players will also receive year-round payments, as opposed to the previous payment schedule, which did not include the off-season and forced many players to work second jobs.

The new CBA will also address players’ housing. At higher levels of the MiLB, specifically Double and Triple A, players will now receive their own bedrooms. Lower-level players will have the choice of sharing a bedroom or receiving a housing stipend. This builds

upon a previous agreement made in 2021 in which MLB required teams to provide all minor-league players with housing.

In regard to food and nutrition, players are now guaranteed both a preand post-game meal. Teams will also be required to provide cost-effective and nutritious snacks. To address future complaints, a joint clubhouse nutrition committee will be created.

Other noteworthy parts of the agreement include a requirement that players’ spouses and children receive access to MiLB housing; a new joint drug agreement and domestic violence policy; name, image and likeness (NIL) rights; guaranteed transportation to and from stadiums; access to language classes and new health benefits starting in 2024.

This CBA is not only a victory for minor-league players, but it also creates a recognized union that can continue to improve the conditions of MiLB.

In the words of MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark, “The agreement represents a giant step forward in treating minor-league players as the elite professional athletes that they are. It’s a historic day for these players, their families and the entire player fraternity.”

RHP Carter Delaney faces off against a CSU Northridge player in a previous game during the season. (Sean Vanderaa / Aggie)

The UC Davis men’s tennis team defeat the University of Hawai’i, 4-3. (Shanna Punzalan / Aggie)

Held at the Marya Welch Tennis Center, UC Davis Aggies plays against the Rainbow Warriors. (Shanna Punzalan / Aggie)