serving the uc davis campus and community since 1915
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volume 130, number 117
thursday, november 17, 2011
Shazib Haq / Aggie
Tents were pitched outside of Mrak Hall as a form of protest.
Students occupy Mrak Hall overnight Protesters relate UC crisis to Occupy Movement By MELISSA FREEMAN Aggie Opinion Editor
An estimated 2,000 people gathered on the Quad at noon on Tuesday to strike against tuition increases, police brutality and the privatization of the UC system. The protest was the largest strike at UC Davis in recent years and will continue with a Day of Action on the Quad today at noon. The demonstration began with speeches by faculty, followed by graduate students and undergrad-
uates. Around 2:30 p.m., the remaining group marched around the Silo and into Mrak Hall, the university administrative building, to begin an occupation. Police allowed protesters to remain in the building throughout the night, provided they remained non-violent. The longest of the speeches was written by English professor Nathan Brown but spoken by professor Joshua Clover, also from the English department. The
See more photos of the protest at www.theaggie.org
See OCCUPY, page 4
Evan Davis / Aggie
Protesters were allowed to continue occupying Mrak Hall overnight, provided that they remain nonviolent after gathering at noon on Tuesday for the largest strike that UC Davis has seen in recent years.
Former UC Davis student sues university over hazing
News iN Brief
University fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi, refuses to comment on allegations By MUNA SADEK Aggie News Writer
A lawsuit was filed against UC Davis, by former student Ryan Clifford, for allegedly ignoring complaints of hazing at the off-campus Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) in Fall 2008. The lawsuit, which was filed Nov. 4, states Clifford, a communication transfer student, was required to partake in initiation activities that violate the university’s Policy on Student Conduct and Discipline for student organizations. This included the drinking of “inordinate amounts of alcohol” and the consumption of beverages that contained “unknown narcotic substances.” It also states that Clifford Madison Dunitz / Aggie was sexually assaulted by the Alpha Epsilon Pi, an off-campus Jewish fraternity, was recently sued by former
See LAWSUIT, page 9 transfer student Ryan Clifford for ignoring complains of hazing.
Vandalism emerges during Students of Color Conference Hateful message discovered on campus decorations
By CHARLOTTE YOUNG Aggie News Writer
During this past weekend’s Students of Color Conference (S.o.C.C.), held at UC Davis, “Use this as a noose” was found written on one of the yellow ribbons tied around the trees in the Quad in honor of Veterans Day.
Today’s weather Mostly cloudy High 62 Low 48
“Students of color experience racist microaggression daily, and the manifestation of that at S.o.C.C, during such an empowering event, could have turned the conference into a sad, depressing and marked experience,” said Miguel Espinoza, ASUCD senator and member of the S.o.C.C. planning committee, in an e-mail interview.
“Instead, we facilitated intense dialog that involved students sharing their personal experiences of racism, systemic oppression, but also how to work together as a community to fight against these systems,” Espinoza said. While this is not the first hate
Forecast Hey, kid with the nasty cough in lecture, not only did you sit front row, but is it necessary to cough every 15 seconds? I can barely hear the teacher’s lecture over the sound of your mucousy bronchial tubes ... Alexander Neigher, atmospheric science major Aggie Forecasting Team
See VANDALISM, page 9 Friday
Saturday
Chance of rain
Chance of rain
High 55 Low 38
High 51 Low 37
Man sentenced to death for murder of Sheriff Deputy Marco Antonio Topete was sentenced to death Wednesday for the murder with special circumstances of Yolo County Sheriff’s Deputy Jose “Tony” Diaz. The Yolo County jury that convicted Topete read its verdict aloud before Judge Paul K. Richardson at a
District 3 courthouse. In October, Jurors sentenced 39-year-old Topete for first-degree murder in the June 2008 death of the officer on a dirt road outside the town of Dunnigan. They also ruled he shot Diaz as an active gang member, to avoid arrest and while lying in wait.
CSU approves 9 percent tuition increase for this fall On Wednesday, the California State University (CSU) trustees voted to raise student fees for the 2012 school year by 9 percent. Cal State spokesperson Claudia Keith told the Sacramento Bee that this would increase the cost of going to a CSU by $498 per year. The trustees reconvened their meeting in a different room after there was an outburst of students in the normal meeting room at the CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed’s office in Long Beach. CSU spokesperson Erik Fallis told the Bee that protesters broke a glass door, injuring three police officers. One of the officers was transported for medical care, he said. According to Fallis, four people were arrested — a Cal State Long Beach student and two San Diego State students. Fallis did not identify the fourth person, but said he was arrest-
ed for breaking the glass door. The California Faculty Association — a union that represents Cal State professors — released a statement which reported that “police pepper sprayed the front door of Chancellor Reed’s headquarters, where the trustees were meeting to push the students out. Faculty members are trying to leave the building now as riot police are marching toward the protest.” ReFund California, a group backed by several large labor unions, pledged to protest at Wednesday’s meeting. Before the outburst, members of the group spoke, calling on CSU leaders to support higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy to fund public education and other services that have been reduced because of the state budget crisis. –– Angela Swartz
Public service announcement: Christmas should be celebrated after Thanksgiving. Come on people, you can wait one more week before you start decking the halls and blasting the Christmas music. And despite what my friends may say ... I am not a grinch, I promise! Amanda Nguyen
page two
2 thursday, november 17, 2011
daily calendar dailycal@theaggie.org
TODAY
Global Forum
Orientation and First-Year Experience Info Session Noon to 12:45 p.m., 6 to 6:45 p.m. 1065 Kemper Hall at noon, Tercero Main Lounge at 6 p.m. Interested in being an Orientation Leader for summer 2012 or a First-Year Experience peer adviser for the 2012-13 school year? Learn more about these hiring opportunities in Student Housing.
Speaker Series: Asia Research Funding Workshop Noon to 1:30 p.m. 360 Shields Library, IGA Room University Outreach and International Programs sponsors an overview of Asian research and educational opportunities presented by Dr. Shao WEI, chief education consul, consulate general of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco and Toko UETA, deputy director, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Transforming Body Image Workshop Noon to 1:30 p.m. 123 North Hall This workshop will explore messages about appearance and gender and how they impact body image and self esteem. Presenters from Counseling and Psychological Services will help participants feel empowered to explore body image in a healthy way that allows for integration of intersecting identities.
Speaker Series: Nations Within Our Borders 12:10 to 1 p.m. Mee Room, Memorial Union Melissa A. Johnson, Ph.D. will discuss the case of Indigenous nations within the United States and the significance of resistance and revitalization, particularly in relation to globalization. Sponsored by Native American Cultural Days.
Paid Summer Teaching Internship for Undergrads Info Session 4 p.m. 219 South Hall Learn about 35 internship sites including Sacramento, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and Hong Kong. There will be another info session Friday at noon.
Intersections of Gender and Queer Identity Panel 5 to 6:30 p.m. Memorial Union, King Lounge Meet a student panel that will discuss issues and experiences regarding gender presentation, gender identity, and gender performance. This community panel with Q&A will explore the intersections of identities such as gender identity and queer identity.
FRIDAY Speaker Series: Humphrey
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Silo Union, Cabernet Room Discover views on sustainability from Fellows from Tanzania, Philippines, Zambia, Myanmar, Haiti, Congo, Brazil, Uganda and Laos.
Fashion and Design Society Holiday Gift Sale 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 120 Cruess Buy hand-made, sustainable gifts for loved ones. All funds will go towards supporting two annual spring fashion shows that will exhibit fashion design student collections.
Trans BDSM Workshop Noon to 1 p.m. Memorial Union, Moss Room Go learn about BDSM (bondage, discipline, dominance/submission and sadomasochism) through a non-binary perspective. Explore different kinky roles while fucking with the gender binary.
Campus Media Board Meeting 2 to 3:30 p.m. Memorial Union, King Lounge Discuss the recent California Aggie column “Jungle Fever” with the Campus Media Board.
Jose Quiroga’s “Practicas Disidentes: Cuby y Argentina, 1967 to 1983” 2 to 4 p.m. 912 Sproul Hall This event is sponsored by the Cultural Studies in the American Research Cluster, Hemispheric Institute on the Americas, Spanish Department, Davis Humanities Institute, Graduate Group in Cultural Studies, and the Queer, Feminist and Transgender Studies Research Cluster.
International Student Fair 3:40 to 5 p.m. UC Davis Extension, Orchard Lounge This event is sponsored by by UC Davis Extension International English and Professional Programs.
SATURDAY Tzu Chi Collegiate Association Thanksgiving Drive 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Davis Farmers Market, Central Park, 4th and C Streets Tzu Chi Collegiate Association is collecting winter items for low-income people of Sacramento. Please bring the items you wish to donate to the table at the Farmers Market or e-mail davistzuchi@gmail.com to arrange a pick-up. To receive placement in the AGGIE DAILY CALENDAR, e-mail dailycal@theaggie. org or stop by 25 Lower Freeborn by noon the day prior to your event. Due to space constraints, all event descriptions are subject to editing, and priority will be given to events that are free of charge and geared toward the campus community.
campus Judicial reports Innocent intern A student was referred to Student Judicial Affairs (SJA) due to suspicions that he had provided false information. In particular, the student submitted paperwork to the Internship and Career Center that seemed like it may have been copied and altered. When the student met with a judicial officer, he maintained that the form was legitimate. The other copies had gotten lost, he asserted, so this was the only copy that he had to turn in. The judicial officer was able to confirm that the form was indeed authentic, and thus found that the student was innocent of all suspected violations.
Two strikes, you’re out An upper division student was referred to SJA for suspected copying during an exam. During the administering of the test, the TAs proctoring the exam noticed that the student looked over the shoulder of the student in front of him multiple times. Even after the TAs warned the class to keep their eyes on their own papers, the student continued to copy. Upon reviewing the two exams, the TAs noted that many of the answers were either exact copies or very close, so the suspected copier was referred to SJA. In his meeting with a judicial officer, the student maintained that he was only looking at the clock. Since the student
was already on Deferred Separation for a previous copying violation, the student had waived his right to a formal hearing. In lieu of a formal hearing, the Judicial Officer reviewed and considered all of the evidence and testimony, and decided that the student was in violation. In accordance with his standing Deferred Separation sanction, the student was therefore suspended.
Sharing is not caring A student was referred to SJA for providing/receiving unauthorized assistance on coursework. The instructor noticed that although the homework grades of the student were very high, the exam grade he received was very low and unlike his previous work. Upon further inquiry the instructor found that the homework submitted was very similar or the same as that done by his classmates. When the student met with a judicial officer, he stated that he felt he had done most of the work himself and had not received a significant amount of assistance, but he did agree that he had violated the instructor’s course policies. The student agreed to the sanction of Deferred Separation. CAMPUS JUDICIAL REPORTS are compiled by members of Student Judicial Affairs.
correction In the Nov. 3 article “More students than ever benefiting from financial aid,” in the sentences, “One change that UC Davis did face was the end of Cal Grants for summer school, which were implemented for the last two years. According to Maloney, Cal Grants will not be offered for Summer 2012,” Cal Grants should have been Pell Grants. The Aggie regrets the error.
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after our first kiss. That was startling, and surprisingly old fashioned. How can you make that commitment after just one kiss? Janelle But it’s not just him. I Bitker talked to one of my Belgian host-sisters about the entire situation. She thought it was hysterical — well of course we were boyfriendgirlfriend. We went out on more than one date and we kissed on more than one occasion. Done deal, she said. My American roomhave been in a commate and I were stunned. mitted relationship for That’s it? Just two dates and nearly two months. I I signed my romantic life learned this last week. away? I’m no idiot. I obvi Apparently, yes. ously knew I was dat We tried to decipher all ing the guy. But I thought of this. We guessed that the that was it. Casual dating. Europeans just skip over Noncommittal. Fun. the whole trial dating peri And it has been fun. It’s been that European prince od we Americans relish. In return, Europeans generally fantasy every girl dreams have many about — that more, one I comI had trouble believing this short-term pletely debunked in a European system of dating could relationships, and column in really be that easy those relawhat seems tionships like forever don’t necessarily have all ago. Oops. those intense connotations Little did I know that I’d soon be holding hands with that Americans tend to obsess over. that tall Polish guy in my communication class. Little Americans are just too atdid I know that he’d be tak- tached to labels. Why does that “convering me out for drinks, that sation” seem necessary? I’d be cooking him an allRelationships don’t need to American dinner, that he’d be so stringently defined. bear a rose in his hand when I met him at the met- If they work, they work. If they don’t, it’s probably not ro and that I’d even meet because you had the “conhis family. versation” too early. I guess these events Likewise, we Americans should have made the whole committed relation- can get pretty uptight. We want to talk about evship thing obvious. erything from our cur And it was obvious. But rent feelings to our histoin America, we like things ries. We call it honesty and to be painfully obvious. open communication. In We demand the “converEurope, these heavy dissation” to be had. After a cussions don’t happen. minimum of a few weeks You just enjoy each othof steady dating, someone er’s company — why bog it breaks down and pops the down with complications? question: “So, what are we Europeans are far betexactly?” ter at living in the moment. Then it’s established. Or it ends, because one person Americans are constantjust isn’t convinced that the ly thinking about deadother person is worth being lines. Time is always running out. There isn’t enough tied down to. time to take our classes. We I told this all to the boycan’t graduate on time. We friend after having an odd can’t find a job. We need version of the “conversation.” I explained that in the to settle down. We need to find someone to marry, and States, you could be dating someone for a couple of quick, because we won’t meet people after we gradweeks and then kiss someuate. And our biological one else at a party, but it’s clocks are ticking. not cheating or anything, because there was no “con- This is a common mindset. And thus, we date. We versation.” There was no date a lot. We date and we contract. He was amazed. That sort don’t commit because we don’t want to waste time. of behavior would never Someone might be great, fly in Belgium. If you aren’t but someone else is probafully satisfied with a perbly better. son, you don’t date them. Simple. If you like each oth- Paris isn’t the only city er, you are committed. Duh. of love. You see tons of completely carefree cou I had trouble believing ples parading around all this European system of of Europe. If you want dating could really be that easy. How do you know you that too, stop over thinking, shed your urgency and are committed? How do choose to waste hours away you really know the other person feels the same way if on a park bench. There may you don›t talk about it? You be no future on that bench, but that doesn’t make it any know what they say about less perfect. assuming... Apparently, you just know. JANELLE BITKER is still not accustomed to The boyfriend said that all this gentleman behavior. Remind her of he knew I was his girlfriend normalcy at jlbitker@ucdavis.edu.
The foreign prince II
I
The california Aggie
ers and the good people of paragraph uno is. Don’t worry, I’m getting to that. When it comes to said protesters, I’ve found that for every well-informed, ecDylan onomically/politically inGallagher clined picketer, there’s another whose knowledge on the matter is limited to robotically memorized statistics; for every protester who offers a valid justification of their anger, there’s the barnacle tagging along behind them, offering a simple “well, a lot of people don’t have money.” ou might think, before coming to a mod- More times than I can (or care to) count, I’ve enerately-to-highly secountered impassioned lective campus such as dissenters, waving signs UC Davis, that the student with catchy rallying motbody is going to consist of tos written on them, who like-minded, generally ingo deer-in-the-headlights telligent individuals. Yet when asked about their reahere I am, writing in silent sons for protesting or about obscurity behind my warpossible solutions for our torn Toshiba, surrounded country’s/school system’s by dudes discussing an execonomic tracurricproblems. ular short film they’re Don’t be the one asking to have I would makyour voice heard and then not say — and the wording ing about knowing what to say here is opgay samtimistic — urai warthat I’m not exactly a politriors. The wardrobe of the ical/economical aficionavideo, from what I gathdo, but I know well enough er, centers around the extensive use of rainbow mo- to shut my mouth when the tifs and quips involving ka- only answers I can offer to back up my opinions are tanas and anuses making conversational cameos. The on the same level as “there’s skit in question stops short children dying in Africa” of a romance scene, howev- or “Yudof makes too much money.” er. Whoa, now: that would The point I’m trying to overstep the boundaries of get across as pedanticalbasic discretion. ly as possible (I’m a busy I feel compelled to add man with a word quota to a quick disclaimer for my fulfill — deal with it) is that readership: this is not all you have to walk before about LGBT politics. Also, don’t see it as a crusade for you can run. In the words of my conversely politicalboundless diplomacy and ly and economically-mindequal love for everyone –– ed brother, don’t make a if you’ve read me before, stand if your only reason you know I’ve already established that as an impos- for doing so is seeking this sibility. In fact, this column generation’s answer to the isn’t pro-anything; it’s anti- Vietnam protests. If you understand something and idiot. believe in it wholeheartedly, I shouldn’t have to be so then by all means join the wary in a facility of higher education, but experiences crowd; I’m sure there are at like this have come to teach least one in two among the me that if a university can’t rest who are just like you. provide sanctuary from stu- Otherwise, though, don’t get swept up in the fupidity, then nowhere can. ror of something just beI know the GPAs and SAT/ cause the opportunity presACT scores required to gain admission don’t exact- ents itself. Don’t be the one ly double as character bios, asking to have your voice heard and then not knowbut you’d think they would ing what to say. Don’t be the reflect, to a certain extent, idiot who stands around in the caliber of a person’s a Technicolor kimono and general intelligence. On the contrary, I have learned thinks for a second that he that a college environment knows anything about being gay, or being a samurai is to students as alcohol is for that matter. to Mel Gibson: put the two together and the true colors When all is said and done — when the pickflow freely. et signs or the video cam To take this tirade off the eras are stowed — you’re “respect gay people!” track it started on, let’s segue into only going to end up sitting around and wondering the trending topic of all what it was that you really the protesting that’s going accomplished. Then again, on throughout Davis right now. If you haven’t seen the maybe you’ll find yourself masses storming Mrak Hall, caught in the same room as an eavesdropping color driven past the handumnist and unwittingly befuls pitching their tents in come his inspiration for the Central Park, or if the term “the 1%” still means nothing week –– then you’ll have really achieved something. to you, then, by all means, stop reading and go experience the outside world. You DYLAN GALLAGHER insists that any/all have my blessing. attempts to spark political discussions at At this point you might dylaaaaan@gmail.com be accompanied be wondering what exactly by compliments and Red Lobster gift the tie-in between the strik- certificates.
The Idiot Brigade
Y
Sexting and depression among teens are linked, study says By Sydney Shea The Daily Free Press (Boston University)
Teenagers who ‘sext’ are more likely to have symptoms of depression, according to a Nov. 2 study. Thirty-six percent of students who had ‘sexted’ reported depressive symptoms in the past year, according to the study conducted by The Educational Development Center, while only 17 percent of students who have not ‘sexted’ reported symptoms of depression. The study, which was based on a 2010 survey that included more than 23,000 high school students, also revealed that 13 percent of high school students who have ‘sexted’ reported a suicide attempt in the past year, while only 3 percent of students who had not ‘sexted’ reported suicide attempts. The survey did not reveal if ‘sexting’ causes depressive symptoms, or if depressive symptoms cause people to ‘sext.’ The survey is part of a greater research project, the MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey, which
informs local officials involved with health education, prevention and policy-making programs. It defines ‘sexting’ as sending, forwarding or posting nude, sexually suggestive or explicit photos or videos. Preliminary results concluded that 10 percent of students who took the survey had sent a ‘sext’ in the past year, and 5 percent had an explicit photo or video of themselves sent by another person. Students who had sexual intercourse at some point were five times more likely to ‘sext’ than those who had not, according to the survey. Students who did not identify themselves as heterosexual were also more likely to send explicit messages or have pictures of themselves sent by others, according to the study. Lead project researcher Shari Kessel Schneider said that while specific research in gender difference is forthcoming, there was a difference between men and women in result statistics. “We found that 10 percent of males and 11 percent of females have sent a ‘sext’ of
someone they know in the past 12 months,” Schneider said in an email, “and 6 percent of males and 4 percent of females have had a ‘sext’ sent of them in the past 12 months.” Although Schneider said that the EDC has yet to research specific correlations between females affected by ‘sexting’ and depressive symptoms, slightly more females than males reported that they were involved in ‘sexting’ in the survey. The prevalence of sexting among females, can be attributed to the kinds of relationships they choose, said Boston U. psychology Professor Deborah Belle. Belle said that girls tend to enjoy the sense of vulnerability and intimacy that dyadic relationships — relationships exclusively between two individuals — have. “I think that girls often orient themselves to dyadic relationships,” she said. “Girls tend to seek out and be comfortable with one other person at a time. Girls more than boys, research suggests, are involved in dyadic relationships.” But sexting can be
harmful to both partners in a relationship, no matter what their gender is, Belle said. She said there is also a possibility of betrayal in these relationships, especially when one person makes his or herself vulnerable to the other by sending an explicit message. “The other person fails to honor that self-disclosure and makes it public,” Belle said. Some BU students said they agreed that the decision to ‘sext’ can be risky. Paul Robinson, a BU sophomore, said that ‘sexting’ explicit images is often a result of peer pressure, and in some cases, constitutes child pornography. “It takes the romance away from sex itself,” Robinson added. BU sophomore Troy Wilson said that ‘sexting’ can get out of hand and that it is more risky if a couple that has ‘sexted’ in the past breaks up. “Especially if they turn against you or something,” he said. “Of course, the obvious situation is if you accidently send it to your mom.”
OPINION
The california aggie
thursday, november 17, 2011 3
editorials
uc regents
Stop avoiding the issue This past Monday, the University Office of the President announced that the UC Board of Regents meeting, previously scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday of this week, would be postponed due to safety concerns. According to the press release, they received information of possible “rogue elements intent on violence and confrontation with UC public safety officers were planning to attach themselves to peaceful demonstrations expected to occur at the meeting.” While it is understandable that safety issues are a concern, the UC Regents should not have cancelled the meeting. Those in charge need to be making decisions that will affect students in a timely manner, especially in a time of economic crises. The regents should treat the potential tuition increase as an urgent matter. Don’t get us wrong, we’re in no rush to pay more to the UC, but while they would not have voted on the potential 81 percent increase in this meeting, they would and should have discussed it. Many UC students have already dropped out of school because they cannot afford tuition, and many others are waiting for the decision from the Regents to decide if they will be able to continue paying for their education.
Furthermore, while the UC Office of the President has not released any more information, it seems to some that the only “rogue elements” that could have been an issue would have been student protesters. Because of the vagueness of the release, it seems concerns of safety could merely be an excuse to cancel the meeting. Students should be given the right to express their opinions, and the regents should not see cancelling the meeting as an answer to the students’ complaints. Many students and faculty had planned to bus to UC San Francisco, where the meeting was to be held, to protest against the fee hikes. Some cancelled classes, moved midterms and arranged their lives so they could go to the meeting. Alfredo Mireles, UC student Regent and Jonathan Stein UC student Regent Designate, have come out against the cancellation of the meeting and encourage students to continue to make their voices heard. We agree with them, and are glad that they support the students’ cause. The regents have a responsibility to the students to make these decisions in a timely manner, and the meeting should be immediately rescheduled and promoted to encourage student involvement.
Editorial Board Jason Alpert Editor in Chief Becky Peterson Managing Editor Melissa Freeman Opinion Editor
Hannah Strumwasser Campus Editor Angela Swartz City Editor Erin Migdol Features Editor
Uyen Cao Arts Editor Trevor Cramer Sports Editor
Amy Stewart Science Editor Jasna Hodzic Photography Editor
Editorials represent the collective opinions of The California Aggie editorial board. The Opinion page appears Tuesdays and Thursdays.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
GUEST OPINIONS
The California Aggie welcomes letters from its readers. Letters must be typed and no longer than 200 words. As The Aggie attempts to represent a diversity of viewpoints on its letters page, we reserve the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Publication is not guaranteed, and letters become the property of The California Aggie. All correspondence must be signed with the author’s name and telephone number. Unsigned letters will not be considered for publication, although names may be withheld upon request.
The California Aggie welcomes guest opinions from its readers. Guest opinions must be typed with an approximate word count of 600 to 800, or character count around 3,000 to 4,000. The same standards of letters to the editor apply to guest opinions. Guest opinions may reflect a variety of viewpoints. Any member of the campus community is eligible and encouraged to highlight issues regarding UC Davis, regional or national issues. Address letters or guest opinions to the Opinion Editor, The California Aggie, 25 Lower Freeborn, UC Davis, CA 95616. Letters may also be faxed to (530) 752-0355 or sent via e-mail to opinion@theaggie.org.
feeling strongly about
courtesy newsday.com
Letters to the editor for me to deduct that country music culture equates to white cul I’m excited that you have taken an interest in another culture, and ture. We all know that is not true even more excited that despite op- at all. Why is it so difficult to understand that an African American position from your parents, you can enjoy Linkin Park too? I lischoose to pursue possible relaten to Hard-Fi, David Garrett tionships with African American (classical), Linkin Park, DubStep, men. I am always happy to see multicultural relationships. To me, Oludum (brazilian), Michael Buble and Tarkan (turkish). Rarely do I these types of relationships help listen to rap. And yes, I really am to end ignorance and force others around them to have a more open black. Having lived in multiple counmind. tries, I have gained an innate ap As an African American female, preciation of other cultures. And I I was disappointed to once again appreciate that you are taking the see someone making a direct cortime to do the same. I would defrelation between being black and listening to rap music. I do under- initely encourage you to go to a stand that this is a hugely popular BSU meeting and educate yourself on the culture. The worst thing you genre of music within the African could possibly do (which you’ve American culture but I feel it is very limiting to deduct that African already done, so hey! that’s over) is to try and learn about black people American culture equates to rap culture. Just as it would be limiting by watching rap videos. Did you
know that in Korea, many people believe that all black people carry guns and are violent because that is the only image of them they see on TV? It’s very sad. So I hope you can understand why this method of learning about a culture is extremely limiting. My advice, make a few AfricanAmerican friends ... and if it isn’t too late, go to a BSU meeting (or email the president about it if you are too scared). I hope that you will not receive too much backlash about this article. I think you’ve made an innocent mistake that tons of people do. You just had the balls to actually put it out there. But I’m glad it’s out there, because now I can help you understand.
ing for education and never voted to raise undergraduate tuition. Unfortunately, drastic cuts and increased student fees have threatened to make education unaffordable and inaccessible. The UC, CSU and our community colleges recently suffered a $1.7 billion cut in state support. Meanwhile, tuition at UC alone recently jumped 9.6 percent — on top of an already implemented 8 percent increase for fall — and nearly 200,000 qualified California students have been denied admission to a UC, CSU, or community college in recent years due to budget shortfalls. The financial burden of education is falling almost entirely on students’ shoulders. That is why I voted for the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA), a higher education reform bill that invests $36 billion in Pell Grant scholarships. This is a significant boost for higher education, which is constantly on the chopping block in the Republicancontrolled House. This education reform bill also makes federal loans more affordable through capped monthly payments, invests $2.55 billion in Historically Black and Minority-Serving Institutions, and provides $2 billion for education or career training programs at community colleges. This law will save American students $61 billion over 10 years. SAFRA is only the first step. President Obama is acting right
now to relieve the burden of student loans with his “Pay As You Earn” plan. Beginning this January, six million students and recent graduates can consolidate their loans and reduce their interest rates. Also in 2012, 1.6 million students can cap their loan payments at 10 percent of their discretionary income, and the plan will forgive the balance of debt after 20 years of payments. Ultimately, we must prioritize college affordability and job creation. The Democrats’ Make It In America jobs agenda is built upon exactly these values so we can help our public education system return to its once proud state and take the financial burden away from students. This comprehensive plan to revive our economy would improve public education by investing in campus infrastructure, increasing money available for university research, and creating good jobs for graduates. Lawmakers need to do their part, but students have a voice too. You should demand more from us in Washington and Sacramento. Pay attention to our votes and our priorities. California’s greatness has always relied on the best education and research in the world, but with drastic cuts, we’re paying for the present by sacrificing our future.
Response to “Jungle Fever”
UC affordability
As a proud University of California graduate, I sincerely believe that public education enables everyone to pursue their dreams and move our nation forward. With a troubled economy and millions of Americans out of work through no fault of their own, it is even more important that lawmakers invest in students now as a way to get the country back to work. When I attended UC Berkeley in the early 1960s, no Californian was priced out of an education. A good work ethic and college degree were usually all it took to enter the middle class. Maintaining low tuition created a system that ultimately paid for itself by keeping California’s best talent in California and by attracting the greatest minds from around the world. It is no accident that major biotechnology companies have flourished near UC Davis. My devotion to quality higher education dates back to my tenure as a State Senator. In 1984, I authored a bill to establish a supplemental salary program to improve recruitment and retention of hard-tohire faculty at the California State University. Five years later, my legislation funded the construction of $1.25 billion in research facilities across the UC, structures known as the Garamendi buildings. As a UC Regent and CSU Trustee from 200709, I always supported more fund-
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A KKK hood, a noose and “Jungle Fever” Senior economics major
“Use this ribbon as a noose” was written on a yellow ribbon tied to a tree for every passerby to see. Lingering words of hatred and disdain desecrated a ribbon intended to show support and remembrance of Veteran’s Day. A noose — a tied rope historically utilized as a cruel, malicious tool to hang,
The Politics of “Space Marine”
A
popular video game features a totalitarian empire ruled by an order of fanatical warriors devoted to genetic purity and the worship of an immortal despot. Emblazoned with death’s heads, federal eagles and other Germanic regalia, the regime’s elite slaughter foreign
John Garamendi U.S. Representative for California’s 10th Congressional District
guest opinion Cameron Brown
Jordan Carroll
Natasha Dupre Senior agriculture and environmental education major
to lynch, to sentence thousands of black men, women and children to death. Since this past weekend Davis hosted the Student of Color Conference, the timing of this vandalism could not have been more strategic. Students of Color from all the UCs convened to celebrate and educate one another on diversity and the issues affecting communities of color.
from 2000 A.D., a British comic magazine hordes they deem sub-human. However, these imperial soldiers aren’t fascist storm which careened between dystopian science fiction and Mad Magazine slapstick. troopers, nor are they the enemy — these Like the magazine’s most famous charare the heroes of “Space Marine”. acter Judge Dredd — a humorless, authori This would be shocking were it not so tarian supercop known for stomping punk common. Countless video games play rockers and jay walkers — the characters out fantasies in which protagonists stand can be read as either genre unaccountable and parody or genuine heroes. above the law, cleansI’m not suggesting that Uncle Indeed, the game seems ing the world of evil through mass murder. Moneybags just hits the street and to revel in the over-the-top “grim darkness” of its proAnd, somehow, these starts writing blank checks tagonist’s world. There is games are fun. no illusion that the Space Presumably, most players wouldn’t advocate indiscriminate Marine Emperor’s reign is a democratic or even merciful one. killing or military dictatorship as a solu For example, the game takes place on tion to real world problems. Why, then, a planet-sized munitions factory where, do so many video games have such bad even as slavering monsters kill everyone, a politics? repeated intercom message demands that With “Space Marine”, it’s somehow hard workers remain at their posts to fulfill their to decipher a political message because of the game’s tone. Many of the creators of the quotas — or else. As the Space Marine game’s franchise, Warhammer 40,000, came narrator tell us, “It is better to die for the
Yet, this act committed by an unknown assailant has not been the only hate-crime committed this year. Additionally, earlier this year a napkin folded to replicate a Klu Klux Klan hood was taped to the wall of the African American themed floor in Campbell Hall. Even after these incidents, another act of racial
See GUEST, page 10
Emperor than to live for yourself.” Nevertheless, even if we interpret the game’s setting as tongue in cheek, it’s still curious that we are supposed to identify with these people. For every moment of levity, there are a dozen other moments in which the game seems to ask us to cheer as aliens with working class, Cockney accents are gored with a chainsword or thrill at the noble majesty of a bunch of unelected space thugs. As writers such as David Brin and Michael Moorcock have pointed out in their readings of other fantasy and science fiction texts, most fans seem to accept the message that death is glorious, evil is an inherited defect passed down to entire “races” and rulers are chosen by supernatural means. At this point in the argument, someone will inevitably respond that video games
See CARROLL, page 10
4 thursday, november 17, 2011
The california Aggie
campuses to greater issues facing the world today, making references to situations in Chile, Greece and Spain. “By changing the university, we are also changing the world. And we have to change the world to change the university,” said Clover, speaking for Brown. Even more prevalent, however, was the both implicit and explicit references to the Occupy Movement and anti-capitalist sentiments throughout the day. In his own comments, Clover spoke of the “regime of capital and cops” and said that he was “ashamed to work on a campus with a bank.” The connection to the Occupy Movement was made even clearer by the use of Occupy consensus techniques at Mrak Hall to discuss and deliberate, using thumbs up, down or sideways to arrive at decisions, and repeating the words of each speaker. After arriving at the building, protesters, including some faculty, entered the stairway and filled the bottom floor. They repeated the chant “no cuts, no fees, education must be free” to the tune of a drum and a small
occupy Cont. from front page speech focused on what he called five theses. These included that tuition increases are a problem, not a solution, police brutality is an administrative tool to enforce said increases, and that the fight is against the upper administration of UC, not the state legislature. “We are winning” was the fifth and final thesis. In his speech, Brown said that UC is seeking to raise funds through tuition, which provides unrestricted funds that can be spent on investment in capital projects. Speeches by undergraduate students came toward the end of the protest, with a large group of students standing together on stage while several took turns speaking. “The issue is, money is always a fucking issue –– it’s the fucking truth of who we are,” said Yadira de la Cruz, a senior transfer student and the first of the undergraduate speakers. “The fact that we are here is very much a political statement.” Several speakers at the protest also related the growing problems on UC
group of dancing students. As the speakers in Mrak emphasized the symbol of making their own decisions in the building in which decisions are made, administration employees could be seen talking and laughing through the window of a door on the first floor. Occupiers remained in the hall past the 5 p.m. closing time, while a few police, ranging at times between three to over 15, stood by the doors. Students freely entered and exited the building. Police were present upstairs throughout the occupation, for the most part going unnoticed. Occupiers inside held a general assembly, making decisions through consensus on whether to allow the media into the building. After deliberation, they voted to allow media to remain inside the building. Several news crews were there throughout the night and students streamed live footage of the strike online. Protester Elli Pearson, a sophomore sustainable agriculture and food systems major, said that her main motivation in protesting was to act in solidarity with the Occupy Movement
against corporate greed. “I’m really glad the strike moved from the Quad to this occupation, and now it will be part of Davis’ history. I’m proud to be part of it,” Pearson said. In regard to students not protesting, she said everyone should get involved. “I can’t see how anyone can not be enraged and can’t somehow find a part of how they can fit into the movement.” Another protester, Maria Vega, a junior transfer student and anthropology and psychology double major, said her biggest concern was tuition hikes. “I am most worried about student loans,” she said. “Especially since I want to go to graduate school. It’s a terrifying prospect.” Although Vega is not a part of the Occupy Movement and it was her first time at a protest, she said that she felt it was time to get involved. In addition to students and police, campus official Bob Loessberg-Zahl said he was there on behalf of the vice chancellor of student affairs to answer any questions that may come up for students. This protest was set apart
from others in the past by the faculty involvement and the fact that students were allowed to remain inside the building. This is compared to the Nov. 2009 occupation of Mrak, during which 52 people were arrested. The UC Davis Faculty Association was one of only four UC faculty associations to endorse Tuesday’s strike. Post-doctoral lecturer Sarah Lauro said that this action was necessary for the faculty involvement that followed. “Once it had that support, there was a momentum and it was up to the various departments to weigh in on how much support their faculty would have on striking,” she said. Lauro, however, said she is not sure if faculty involvement should play as big a role in the future. “It is not fair for students to have to fight on their own, but I also don’t think faculty should be in the leadership positions. We should be listening to them as much as talking to them,” she said. The other major change, the absence of arrests, was pleasing to junior mechanical engineering major, Dominic Gutierrez. Gutierrez spent the night in Mrak doing homework,
amid others who were hanging out or sleeping. “There was never an issue with the police,” Gutierrez said. “They were upstairs and downstairs, there was a student affairs guy there the whole time and I think the lawyers guild was there, which was nice. It was really nice there was no violent reaction and they let us stay and speak.” The next step, Gutierrez said, was to increase student involvement in the UC protest movement. “It affects all students equally, but if you look for the most part there’s not a lot of science majors,” he said. “There are a few math or engineering, but we need to get more students in greek life and other student clubs engaged, since these issues affect everyone.” Bob Ostertag, a professor of technocultural studies, said during his mid-day speech that this was an opportunity for students to participate in a movement to change the world. “What an amazing time to be a student,” he said. “You all have lucked out in a lottery of life.” MELISSA FREEMAN can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
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thursday, november 17, 2011 5
6 volume 5, number 29
The California Aggie’s Arts and Entertainment Magazine
Thursday, november 17, 2011
The untold story of Hamlet Uyen T. Cao
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead parodies the most famous of Shakespeare’s plays
The artist’s place
The role of the artist in a society has always been one that is hard for me to answer. Could the world survive without artists or musicians? Or how about the poets and actors who are under the soulbinding spell of heated stage lights reciting lines and verses to a nearly empty arena that is halfway to crumbling straight into the ground? Does any of it even matter? I certainly hope so. On Aug. 7, the L.A. Times published an article about Libyan artists who, after having their artwork hidden from the public eye for 41 years under the ruling of Moammar Gaddafi, were finally able to exhibit their work without fear of being reprimanded. One of the pieces, entitled “Dustbin of History,” depicted Gaddafi as a 12-foot caricature caged in a 15-foot-high trash bin with surrounding garbage. Can you imagine what Gaddafi’s authorities or Gaddafi himself would have done if he had discovered the mock up representation of his image? It would have been brutal. But it took major guts for these artists to do what they did. And for that, I am in complete awe and admiration. “Any Libyan seeing this art is the luckiest person on Earth,” one of the artists said. “We artists have been waiting 41 years to have our art displayed in public instead of hiding it in our homes.” When I initially read the article, the words “we’ve been waiting 41 years” kept on resonating back at me. Forty-one years. These artists waited 41 years to share their work — a work that was made as a direct commentary to the awful conditions of the system they were living in. After the heavy events that have transpired in the past week (particularly after watching YouTube videos of the police brutality that took place at UC Berkeley), I couldn’t help but question where I stood. Where do I belong? In recent years, I have somehow worked myself into a corner where I’ve become indifferent to the system that I live in (you know, the “politics” and all the baggage that comes along with it). Like a lot of people, I was sick and tired of hearing guys in fancy suits making empty promises. So to be quite honest, I stopped caring. Instead, I hid behind my persona as an “art major” who didn’t need to know any of “that” political jargon to get by in life. Rather than say something and be wrong or rejected, I opted to saying nothing at all. But, of course, with the amount of passion the students at this university have, there’s no way I can get by as an ignorant idiot who thinks she’s above it all. It’s unbelievable to witness how much beautiful raw passion everyone here owns. While I was watching videos of the protests online, I was reminded of the L.A. Times article that I had read months earlier. I had to read it again. It’s incredible to see the similarities between the Libyan artists and student protesters. Although “The System” shuns both, they are very much needed for the sake of balance — the sake of sanity. So going back to the beginning of this column, I guess I’ve been asking the wrong question this entire time. It’s not about where the artist (or the profession for the matter) belongs, but ultimately it’s about where do I, as an individual, want to belong. UYEN CAO would like to know what you think about the entire Occupy movement and how it’s affecting you. Let her know by e-mailing arts@ theaggie.org.
Mitchell VanLandingham (Rosencrantz) and Will Klundt (Guildenstern) star in the comedic take of Shakespearean play, Hamlet.
By MICHELLE RUAN Aggie Arts Writer
There is exactly one word that sums up Shakespeare’s Hamlet perfectly: madness. And then, there are exactly two words that sum up Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead: comedic madness. A little bit of Hamlet 101 for everybody, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were messengers that had minor roles in Hamlet. In fact, the two had such small roles that throughout the original play, they never once make a physical appearance nor have any spoken lines — only mentioned in passing by other characters onstage. From Nov. 17 to Dec. 3, Granada Artist-in-Residence Michael Barakiva will be bringing Tom Stoppard’s absurdist Shakespearean play to life on the stage of the UC Davis Main Theatre. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a play by Stoppard based on Hamlet, will be the last production directed by Barakiva, who had previously directed The Zona Rosa Project. For this production, Barakiva has created a unique stage setting by combining 1920s Hollywood silent films and an ethereal dream world. In addition, he will have dumb-shows in the play. A dumb-show is basically the performance of a play without any text and it was quite popular in Elizabethan Times. And the dumb-shows will contribute to the silent film atmosphere of the play. “The play has several interesting elements,” Barakiva said. “We have Tragedians, actors who have to be able to do a lot without speaking and even play instruments. We have actors who speak Shakespearean text and we make Shakespearean jokes funny.
And Rosencrantz and Guildenstern never leave the stage.” What Barakiva himself finds interesting about the play is that Stoppard plucked the most obscene, rarely seen and used characters from one of the most famous plays in the English language world and created another play entirely just about them. During the process of re-writing Shakespeare, Stoppard also managed to totally transform Shakespeare and make it ridiculous and humorous for the audience. Instead of the usual facial cringes during the many gruesome scenes which pepper Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead had the ability to make audience members fall out of their seats to the ground in laughter. Mitchell VanLandingham, a junior linguistics major who plays Rosencrantz, admires how the UC Davis production highlights the visual delights of the play. “From a technical aspect, this production pushes the limits of what magic you can do in the theatre through special effects, set, lighting, music and sound,” VanLandingham said.” On the page, this play reads as the story of two men cycling through a series of bewildering events, but this production of it becomes a fantasy — which itself, surprisingly for a comedy, turns into a nightmare.” Will Klundt, the second year MFA in Acting candidate playing Guildenstern, also commended on the superb technical aspects of the play. “What I love most about this production is that it takes advantage of all of the possible ways that theatre can be magical,” Klundt said. “From live music, illusions, juggling,
Aaron Juarez / Aggie
word play, an extraordinary story, to beautiful spectacle and hopefully a deeper understanding of who we are and how we live.” The two actors agree that besides the striking visuals of the play, comedy is really the heart of everything. “Come for the existential philosophy, stay for the hat tricks,” Klundt said. Such an amazing production didn’t come at an easy price though. “It was definitely thrilling and challenging. There’s no such thing as a standard production so you can really do anything with it,” Barakiva said. In spite of this, Barakiva hopes that through the play, he’ll be able to give all the audience members a memorable experience. “I always feel sad whenever I see young people just mainly interacting with their cellphones, which can cause mass misanthropy and the destruction of attention span. The experience of watching a play is different from any other experience you’ll have in life,” Barakiva said. MICHELLE RUAN can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead will be showing today through Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 20 and Dec. 1 to 3 at 2 p.m. . Tickets are $17/$19 general; $12/$14 for students, children, and senior citizens. They can be bought at mondaviarts.org.
Spotify: You’ve heard of it New music streaming website transforming the public access to music By ELIZABETH ORPINA Aggie Arts Writer
Just when you thought you knew too much about the minute-to-minute activities of your friends, Spotify came onto your dashboard and proved that, yes, you can know more. All of a sudden you knew exactly what song your friends were listening to and exactly when they switched to the next. Foreign and unknown to many at first, Spotify appeared to be an application that only a minority utilized on social networking sites. Slowly, the integration of the music streaming service with the social media sparked the interest of the population. Without paying a single dime, the regular user can listen to music for free with the occasional radio and pop-up advertisement. However there are different types of accounts. Subscriptions in the United States are $5 dollars a month for ad-free listening and $10 a month for ad-free listening plus mobile usage as well as offline ability to stream music. “I like using Spotify on my phone, because having offline files is really cool,” said Lucas Bolster, a sophomore mechanical engineering major. “Basically, I listen to the music on my phone all the time. The adfree feature is the best part.” Launched publicly in October 2008, this Swedish-founded company offered the streaming of selected music from a range of major and independent record labels. With approximately 10 million users as of September 2010, Spotify slowly grew, and in October 2011 was available in 10 different countries. Funded by paid subscriptions, advertisements in the Spotify player and music purchases from partner retailers, the company’s catalog has approximately 15 million songs as of July 2011, the same month of the U.S. launch of Spotify.
The functions of Spotify are accessible through mobile devices running iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile and a couple more systems. As of September 2010, there were one million paying members of Spotify. “One of my coworkers introduced me to
their account with their social media accounts so that they can access their friends’ favorite music and share with them what they’re listening to at the moment. The Facebook compatibility option allows users to share their music with their Facebook friends via a Spotify supported inbox. Although there are over 15 million songs in the library, some artists have opted not to be added to Spotify or are missing due to licensing restrictions. Besides hosting radio music and typically popular songs, Spotify allows independent artists to use its services. According to About.com, independent musicians can easily distribute their music to Spotify, with the pay being based on a sliding scale basis determined by the total number of monthly plays an artist receives. Kevin Ian, a 2006 UC Davis alumnus who majored in music theory and composition, is the guitarist and vocalist of The Common Men. Based out of Sacramento, this post-punk trio’s music is available through Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, CD Baby, Napster and Bandcamp. “Spotify is just another form of advertisement via the internet,” Ian said. “As long as artists see Spotify as a vehicle to get more fans and not a vehicle with which to make a great deal of money, it can be a very useful service.” Omid Roostaeyan, a sophomore cell biology major, uses Spotify to share, discover and use music for his DJ sets at Sigma Chi events. “I find music through DJ podcasts [and research them] on Spotify and add them to my playlists and sets,” Roostaeyan said. “I like the fact that I can simply drag songs, albums or even artists to my Facebook friends and share them.” Spotify accounts can be created at Spotify. com, where users can begin to share and discover music.
Staying in the loop
Spotify in August,” Bolster said. “At that point, it was still invite-only in the U.S.” Some may compare Spotify to Pandora, however there are a couple of major differences. Sure, there is a radio option for a random playlisting of songs but users can skip as many tracks as they desire without being forced to listen to whatever plays next. On Spotify, users don’t have the ability to rate songs either. Spotify allows registered users to integrate
ELIZABETH ORPINA can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.
The California Aggie’s Arts and Entertainment Magazine
Thursday, november 17, 2011
volume 5, number 29 7
Growing up in India Mondavi Center film series takes an unflinching look at life in India
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Exhibit II: Prashant Panjiar
courtesy of Prashant Panjiar
By SASHA SHARMA Aggie Arts Writer
Growing Up in India, a film and photographic series at the Mondavi Center for Performing Arts, sheds light on the economic and social issues embedded in Indian culture. The film series began this past Monday with a screening of Salaam Bombay! and concluded Tuesday with the movies Udaan and Pink Saris. The series was a part of the UC Davis Middle Eastern/ South Asian studies department’s attempt to raise funds for an Indian Studies program. People across the globe know India today as an emerging economic power; with Bollywood’s record as the largest film producer in the world, the number of jobs outsourced to India skyrocketing, and the standard of life changing rapidly to mimic first world countries. It is often easy then for the onlooker to overlook the deteriorating conditions of the poor. The gap
between the rich and the poor in India is everwidening as the rich get richer while the poor find it hard to afford two decent meals a day. “There are lots of problems in India, exacerbated by the fact that some parts of the country haven’t caught up,” said Sudipta Sen, a professor of the department of history at UC Davis. “This series is a singular testament of an open society where these struggles are no longer hidden. In this series, through three different lenses we see the faces of India that most people don’t think about.” Salaam Bombay!, directed by Mira Nair, was nominated for the 1989 Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language Film. It is the story of Chaipau nee Krishna who is abandoned by his mother and forced to live on the streets of Mumbai. The movie follows Krishna as he attempts to make a living on the streets in the hope of someday returning to his mother, in the process befriending drug pushers, pros-
titutes and the like in Mumbai’s Red Light District. Despite more than a 20 year gap between 1989 and today, the film invokes equal parts horror, sadness, nostalgia and hope in viewers even today. Pink Saris, which was the second film in the series, revolved around the “Gulabi Gang”, an all-woman group from Bundelkhand, India; the women of the gang, clad in the eponymous dress, attempt to fight the prejudice against women in India’s traditionally patriarchal society, in addition to the country’s deeply rooted caste system. The movie tells the story of Sampat Pal Devi — the gang’s matriarch who vehemently battles for the rights of girls and women on the lower end of the social and economic ladder of India. These young girls and women are married at a young age into abusive families, happen to
See BOMBAY, page 10
Club Profile: Unity Clap Theatre
Drake Take Care Universal Republic
12345
In a recent review by Pitchfork, Drake was touted as the heir to Marvin Gaye. As it usually is with music critics or critics of any kind, the opinion as stated was hyperbolic. The Canadian-born singer stands comfortably with the new-school of hip-hop artists that also includes Lupe Fiasco and Kid Cudi and of course, the godfather of this new-school genre, Kanye West. These guys are trying to take hip-hop inward — rapping with honesty about insecurities, and emotional turmoil. Fiasco raps with an incredible speed with meaningless lyrics leaving most of his music bordering on incomprehensible (e.g. Lasers) while Cudi usually raps about being selfinvolved and sad. Ironically, Drake’s first lyric on the album in the song “Over My Dead Body” is “how I’m feeling, it doesn’t matter”. Since the rest of the album and songs deal with Drake’s feelings, it seems to matter a whole lot. Take Care shares numerous similarities with West’s 808’s & Heartbreak with sparse minimalist sounds with piano pieces and scathing lyrics confronting himself and those who hurt him. While the sounds and beats of the song appear subtle and
of discrimination such as sexism, homophobia and minority perspectives. Unity Clap Theatre club hopes this gives minorities a voice to express themselves and provide opportunities for others to learn. “Not only are we using the performing arts as a tool to raise awareness of discrimination but we also want to teach the community about the different types of discrimination,” said Felix Cuma, president
low-key, the lyrics are biting. “Shot For Me” has Drake challenging a former lover to “take a shot for” him in the chorus while explaining “Yeah, I’m the reason why you always getting faded”. The song is immensely funny and can easily become the next anthem for couples who’ve recently broken up. When he is not too busy attacking former lovers, Drake also takes on other rappers and lets listeners know he really enjoys spending money. In “Headlines”, a song about celebrity status, Drake criticizes mainstream music for concentrating too much on “what was or what will be, than what is”. That “what is” for Drake being what it takes to get over someone. Other parts of the album concern Drake getting used to and enjoying the success of his first official album from 2010 Thank Me Later. In “Crew Love”, Drake eviscerates education by saying “but seeing my family have it all, took the place of that desire for diplomas on the wall”. The theme comes back in “Underground Kings” with Drake stating “I drop out, lessons I was taught are quick to fade as soon I realize that term-end papers they won’t get me paid”. Lyrics like that make the album worth listening to. “Make Me Proud” is easily the best song on the album since it either is about Drake’s relationship with feminism or just Nicki Minaj, you can’t really tell the difference, but the song itself is probably the best balance between Drake’s conflict and the sparse truthful pop he’s aiming for. Drake certainly misses the mark on trying to re-create Fleetwood Mac’s 70s album, Rumors, for the current generation. Drake’s latest stands along with his fellow contemporaries — Fiasco, Cudi, and West, are examples of artists proving that the idea success doesn’t make you invincible. And ultimately, they’re frustrated trying to find out why. Give these tracks a listen: Practice, Make Me Proud, Shot For Me, Doing it Wrong, We’ll Be Fine For Fans Of: Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Lupe Fiasco — Rudy Sanchez
Winters is one of those charming small towns that often gets neglected. Today is your chance to do some exploring. At the Berryessa Gap Winery, the local band Yolo Mambo will be playing their upbeat music to the backdrop of the scenic landscape.
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Christian Baldini, the conductor of the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra, will lead the ensemble in a night of classical music. Here’s your chance to catch the celebrated symphony orchestra before they head to Spain this spring for an extensive tour.
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Theatre is one of the most creative forms of expression. It encompasses all types of artistic talent, acting, dance, singing and even visual arts. It is a way for people to express themselves and address important issues. Unity Clap Theatre, a new theatre club on campus, uses performing arts as a way of spreading their message and bringing awareness to important issues. They are unique from other theatre groups on campus because they focus on multicultural plays. Unity Clap Theatre club started just this quarter. A group of friends came up with the idea last spring and spent the summer planning to turn it into a real club. “We’re all in the same friend
circle, we talked and found a similarity that every person goes through: a struggle or issue that other people don’t see unless they tell them about it,” said Nam Pham, public relations manager and senior human development major. “They might be made fun of or identified in a way that wasn’t appropriate. We felt like if we just tell ourselves in this friend circle about these problems, it’s getting nowhere and we need to tell the world.” Luckily they were able to transform their ideas into an actual club with specific goals and messages. Every quarter, they will produce a student-written play or a professional play written by a minority playwright. The play produced each quarter will focus on a certain ethnic group and the struggles they go through. They will also address other types
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Aggie Arts Writer
Yolo Mambo Today, 6 p.m., free Berryessa Gap Winery, 27260 State Highway 128, Winters, CA
UC Davis Symphony Orchestra Sunday, 7 p.m., $8 Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center
New theatre club uses performance to spread awareness of important issues By PAAYAL ZAVERI
The Nickel Slots is a Sacramento-based band that features two UC Davis alumni. The band has recently released an album entitled Five Miles Gone which explores darker themes laced in powerful lyrics. The band is one of five nominees this year for Best Local Band in Best of Sacramento Magazine. On Saturday, the band will bring their unique alternative country sound to Davis’ new “G street Pub”.
See UNITY, page 10
The Basement Gallery: Christopher Robert Jones and James Walter Bovard Today, 6:30 p.m., free The Basement Gallery, Art Building
It’s a treasure that’s hidden within a building that not many people go through. The show features Christopher Robert Jones and James Walter Bovard’s series of sculptural, sound, and video installation work. Today, come join the artists for their opening reception to introduce their work in the gallery space.
Florence + the Machine Ceremonials Island Records
12345 “You are a revelation” sings the scarlet headed Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine in the recently released Ceremonials. For anyone who remembers her aptly titled first album, Lungs, Welch is again singing full throttle here, exhaling booming vocals like only few lungs can through some 16 soulfully drum-heavy songs totaling what will, for many, be a revelation. For others, this album will be an exercise in exhaustion. It is, faithfully, echoing the popular zeal of her first album and then some, a high energy experience. Approach it otherwise and it is liable to become an assault. That is, of course, the inevitable charm of the often blaring Florence and her machine. Welch has the rare sort of capacity to overwhelm in the best, and perhaps lesser, of ways. That is in part because Ceremonials can’t help but arc toward the explosive. It knows little calm, and the often heavy drums slam in rhythm with the epic, the sweeping and the quasi-pop to match the weighty vocals that Welch breathes with cosmic scope. It should come as no surprise, then, that by the end of the album, Welch’s voice was like dark chocolate on the ears — rich and potent and probably preferable in a slimmer dose, but delectable nonetheless. Give these tracks a listen: “Shake It Up,” “All This and Heaven Too,” “No Light, No Light,” For Fans Of: Adele, Mazzy Star, Lissie, U2 — James O’Hara
Skype lecture with Ryder Ripps Today, 4:30 p.m., free TCS Building, Art Annex
This is the first Skype lecture by prominent new-media artist named Ryder Ripps. This will be an interactive event where Ripps shares his ventures as an artist in the art world. In conjunction with The Basement Gallery reception, audience members are welcome to join and celebrate.
Oak Grove Community Cypher Friday, 4 p.m., free The Oak Grove Gazebo, Davis Arboretum
Spoken word and ciphering has become a large part of the Davis community. And better yet, its growing quickly. Arguably a branch extending from UCD spoken word group Sick Spits, the Oak Grove Community Cypher group will host their weekly ciphering session Friday. Go with an open mind and you’ll be in for a real treat. UYEN CAO can be reached at theaggie.org.
8 thursday, november 17, 2011
The california Aggie
thursday, november 17, 2011 9
The california aggie
UK lifts blood ban among gay men American blood donor policies revisited By Ramon Solis Aggie News Writer
“I feel like if the questions that the FDA used more narrowly focused on high risk behaviors, such as having sex without using any kind of protection (i.e. condoms/ barriers), that would be more helpful information about risk of contraction, and NOT target people based on their identities,” Krause said. If a man has had sex with another man since 1977, he is ineligible to donate blood in the United States. But if a man has had sex with another man prior to 1977, he can still donate blood. Some residents of UC Davis Student Housing in the past had faced uncomfortable pressure when confronted with this restriction, said Chuck Huneke, UC Davis Student Housing assistant director. Residents who wanted to maintain the privacy of their sexual orientation ultimately had an obligation to lie, said Andrew Wells, Student Housing conduct coordinator. “To avoid being solicited, residents eiIrisa Tam / Aggie
A new law in the United Kingdom has partially lifted the ban on gay blood donations. Gay men may now donate blood; however, men who have had anal or oral sex with other men, abbreviated as MSM, within the past year are still ineligible to donate. The new policy was based on a scientific review this September by England’s Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO). The British subcommittee had been looking into the policy since 2006. Furthermore, compliance to the previous law also suggested a call for policy reform. Eleven percent of men who have had sex with men in the U.K. gave blood despite the 1985-enacted ban, according to SaBTO. Improvements in contamination testing as well as the latest evidence on infection risks have found that MSM blood, under the one-year abstinence period, poses no significant risk of infection. The new policy provides a unique opportunity for Davisites to reflect on existing blood donation policies in America and their ramifications on men who have sex with men. It may be worth pointing out that some men who have sex with men do not identify as gay. BloodSource, a California blood donation organization, is part of a association of blood donation receivers called America’s Blood Centers, who in 2010 made a joint statement with the American
Red Cross and the American Association of Blood Banks calling for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to amend the indefinite deferral to a 12-month one. “The policy now alienates a large number of otherwise willing donors, unless these individuals choose to lie about their sexual history,” said Cameron Osborne, president of Delta Lambda Phi, the UC Davis progressive, gay and bisexual interest fraternity, in an e-mail. “In events such as the recent Causeway Classic, many of my brothers were unable to contribute to the blood drive.” The FDA has not changed its views since the ban was implemented. “Men who have had sex with men account for the largest single group of blood donors who are found HIV positive by blood donor testing,” the FDA stated on its website. Elizabeth Krause, assistant director at the UC Davis Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center, believes there are other methods of identifying risks of contraction.
ther had to say ‘No, I don’t want to’ or ‘No, I can’t,” Wells said. It is important to emphasize that the MSM controversy is one of practice and not of sexual orientation. The inability to donate blood lumps ineligible donors among those that are underweight or have a low iron content. But it also lumps them among solicitors of sex workers, people who have syphilis, hepatitis or HIV. In response to these resident complaints, authorities at Student Housing made a decision not to allow blood donation sites to occur on its properties. Now, blood donation sites continue to take place only on open campus locations such as Freeborn Hall or at the mobile centers, which had most recently been parked along the West Quad. At these central campus locations, the pressure to out oneself is not as high as directly outside one’s residence hall. Other college campuses have made more aggressive responses. In 2008, San José State University suspended all blood drives on campus, an action which elicited mixed reviews. Some studies have shown that allowing MSM blood donations would increase supply. A 2010 UCLA study at the Williams Institute indicated that allowing these donations could add more than 200,000 pints per year to the nation’s blood supply. For now, the FDA has signaled no indication that any further change will occur. RAMON SOLIS can be reached at city@theaggie.org.
cultureSHOCK to raise awareness for global education Visions Club presents evening of dance, music, food By MICHELLE STAUFFER Aggie Features Writer
Instead of staying home Saturday night or heading downtown to the bars, those interested in trying something different can help support international education. On Saturday night in the Activities and Recreation Center Ballroom, the UC Davis chapter of Visions, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing educational resources to poverty-stricken countries, is bringing cultureSHOCK to you. This one-night event will offer performances by The Spokes, Popping Club, Unbound Progression and many other groups as well as raffle prizes and food. The grand raffle prize will be a test prep course from Kaplan Learning Center. Students, children and seniors can pay $7 for advance tickets, or $10 at the door. For adults, advance tickets are $10 or $15 at the door. The funds raised by this event will help support educational programs, called Children’s Learning Centers, for youth affected by poverty and conflict in South Asia. cultureSHOCK serves as the last in a series of culturally diverse events that make up International Education Week, which began on Monday. Venita Sivamani, chapter coordinator and staff advisor of Visions and program assistant at UC Davis Extension, said this is something that all UC Davis students and members within the community should consider attending. “cultureSHOCK is the mustsee culture show of the quarter,” Sivamani said. “This really is a cam-
lawsuit Cont. from front page members of the fraternity, choked and had his foot broken in several sections by the “Big Brother” assigned to him by the fraternity. This resulted in “extensive personal injuries to his body,” such as an irreversible limp, as well as sustained emotional distress, according to the lawsuit. Clifford, the only non-Jewish pledge during initiation, expressed in the lawsuit that he was subject to the harshest form of hazing due to his religious affiliations. The lawsuit claims that after constant complaints to university officials, including a professor, academic advisor, Office of the Dean of Students, as well AEPi headquarters, he was advised by the Office of the Dean and his academic advisor in the Spring of 2009 to withdraw from classes, in fear of retaliation from fraternity members. In Fall 2009, he re-enrolled, but subsequently unenrolled in the Winter of 2010, taking the advice of university officials. He was 6.5 credits short of graduation requirements. The fraternity was in turn placed on “Conditional
pus and community-wide effort.” Not only is the event meant to be fun and exciting, but it is also a chance to get involved and even discover new volunteer opportunities, Sivamani said. Sumitra Tatapudy, junior psychology major and solicitation chair for Visions, added that the ultimate goal is to help eliminate the inequality that comes from the lack of educational opportunities. “The goal is to provide students K to 12 with mentorship, leadership and the academic preparation necessary for them to reach their full potential and ultimately change patterns of inequality,” Tatapudy said. Tatapudy also said that some students may also reach a sense of selfsatisfaction by attending the event. “I know first-hand how powerful and meaningful our positive impact can be in bettering life prospects for disadvantaged youth and transforming lives,” Tatapudy said. Oksana Petrechko, president of Visions Global Empowerment, added that they are hoping to offer impoverished children a chance to better learn how to cope with life’s issues. “What we are really looking to do is at least give children who are burdened by the most deprived and poor conditions the chance to learn how to cope with life’s problems, pressures and stresses in a better way, as well as learn necessary leaderships skills and develop positive personality changes,” Petrechko said in an email interview. Petrechko also said that by providing these types of opportunities to children of impoverished communities, they are helping them
Registration” after the initial complaints of hazing were received. The lawsuit states that no follow-up occurred to ensure that AEPi has adhered to the code of conduct. Executive Director of Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, Andrew Borans, released a statement Friday stating AEPi’s refusal to comment further on the issue, as they are not party to it. “We stand by the values and ideals of Alpha Epsilon Pi: Developing leadership for the world’s Jewish communities. We are a non-discriminatory, positive leadership force … There will be no further comments from our organization on this pending matter.” Davis AEPi president David Rosove and representative Jonathan Pierce also refused to comment on the lawsuit. University spokesperson Claudia Morain said all campus organizations, after registering, are required to abide by the student code of conducts or will be subject to disciplinary action by Student Judicial Affairs or Campus Police. “All of our registered student organizations, in order to have that status, agree to follow university policy and procedures as well as our principles of communi-
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Visions works to provide educational opportunities for children who are affected by poverty and conflict in South Asia. build foundations to better the lives of the community as a whole. “While these may be little and intangible things to give to someone who is worried about surviving without food or shelter, we strongly believe that skills learned from the Children’s Learning Centers will act as catalysts in improving the lives of these suffering children, as well as those around them,” Petrechko said.
ty,” Morain said. “Registration can be withdrawn or revoked if they do not abide by the policies they’ve agreed to follow.” The Policy on Student Conduct and Discipline explains the university policy on disciplinary action for hazing. The policy restricts “participation in hazing or any method of initiation or pre-initiation into a campus organization or other activity engaged in by the organization or members of the organization at any time that causes, or is likely to cause, physical injury or personal degradation or disgrace resulting in psychological harm to any student or other person,” as stated in The Policy on Student Conduct and Discipline (102.12). UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi issued a statement Thursday concerning the lawsuit, stating that the university will take appropriate sanctions, if the alleged hazing did occur. “We take the recent allegations in this lawsuit very seriously, and are committed to a fair outcome, wherever the facts may lead … I take the safety and well-being of our students as one of my highest personal priorities and will strive to ensure that UC Davis provides a safe and welcom-
Tatapudy also speaks from personal experience, and knows that many of the students from UC Davis may have more personal connections to the cultureSHOCK event. “Having lived in India for a while, I have seen the need for empowerment in South Asian communities very closely,” Tatapudy said. “I understand how difficult it is to emphasize the importance of all-around develop-
ing environment for all.” “However, I also want to protect our students and staff from unjust accusations, and will ensure we have all the facts before reaching any final conclusions,” states the press release. UC Davis officials said they do take precautionary measures to ensure that students follow the code of conduct enforced on campus and upon request to panhellenic groups, provide hazing awareness education to new pledges. “Hazing is specifically prohibited by university policy and abuse of any kind against students is not tolerated,” Morain said. Students are encouraged to report hazing to university officials if they feel they have or will fall victim to it. For more information regarding hazing and risk management, Morain recommends reading “50 Questions Every Chapter Risk Management Plan Should Answer” and the “Fraternal Information & Programming Group (FIPG) Risk Management Policy,” which can be found at greeklife.ucdavis.edu and www.fipg.org, respectively. MUNA SADEK can be reached at campus@ theaggie.org.
ment in countries like Sri Lanka and India, given the harsh circumstances and psychological stress that people in these countries go through.” Visit cultureSHOCK’s Facebook event page at w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / e v e n t . php?eid=181488045250108. MICHELLE STAUFFER can be reached at features@ theaggie.org.
vandalism Cont. from front page crime to occur on Davis’s campus, organizers said this message was one that affected students of many different universities, as the conference hosted guests from a wide range of UC campuses. “This kind of racist intolerance is so frustrating and I condemn it as strong as I possibly can,” Alfredo Mireles, UC Student Regent, said in an e-mail interview. “It is precisely why we need events like the Students of Color Conference to educate and empower all students and show these bigoted perpetrators that students or color are an integral part of the UC community and proud of who we are.” According to Deonna Anderson, member of the S.o.C.C. planning committee, there were several other hate crimes during the conference, including people yelling “white power” to participants. “The planning committee of the conference had three graffiti cubes, located on the Olson lawn, Wellman lawn and the MU Patio, available for participants to spray on. One of them ended up having a swastika and “white power” sprayed on it with paint that we did not provide,” Anderson said. Although participants said these crimes attempted to hinder the event, some believe that its impact had as many positive effects as it did negative. “It did show us why these spaces are important, why we need to stand in solidarity together, and how important it is for students of color to continue to advocate to empower our communities,” Espinoza said. CHARLOTTE YOUNG can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
10 thursday, november 17, 2011
The california Aggie
Board finds Davis City Council culpable of unfair labor Council allegedly forwent fact-finding procedures By EINAT GILBOA Aggie News Writer
When the Davis City Council imposed its last, best and final offer on the Davis City Employee’s Association (DCEA) last May, it was in violation of the city’s negotiation procedures, ruled the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) on Oct. 31. The city’s offer created budgetary all-funds savings of $507,000 and General Fund savings of $203,000 during the 2010 fiscal year, according to the staff report from May 25, 2010. According to the ruling, the city denied violating its own negotiation rules, which are in the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA). “In California, employees can form associations, like unions,” said Davis City attorney Harriet
Steiner. “Associations engage in collective bargaining with the city. If they can’t reach an agreement, either side can declare impasse.” According to the city’s rules, when impasse — a negotiatory stalemate — is reached, an impartial mediator is brought in to help resolve the matter. “If the parties still cannot reach an agreement, the next step is fact-finding prior to the city being able to impose the terms and conditions of the contract,” said Assistant City Manager Paul Navazio. Unlike private party negotiation, the employer and employee engage in nonbinding arbitration — the third party comes makes a determination about the case, but it’s not binding on either party. “The city and DCEA start-
ed down the road to that process,” Steiner said. “The city tried to schedule fact finding, but we were unable to come up with a date that could accomplish the process in a reasonable amount of time. We imposed the contract because the process was taking way too long.” “The charge was that the city failed to follow its own locally adopted rules for dealing with impasse on a labor contract by prematurely imposing the contract on the group,” Navazio said. The new contract made changes to the number of furlough days and amount of cost sharing for health insurance and retirement benefits. The city required that employees take 12 furlough days in the 2010 fiscal year, all to be taken before Jun. 30, 2010, stated the staff report.
The amount of money employees could cash-out on their health insurance was capped, as were employee insurance rates. “Employees were also asked to pay for any increase in employee cost of retirement,” Navazio said. DCEA was the only group, of which they imposed similar contracts on, unable to come to an agreement with the city, Navazio said. “If the PERB’s decision was to stand, the city would have to pay the employees the difference between the old and new contract,” Steiner said. The city council had 20 days as of Oct. 31 to decide whether they are going to appeal the PERB’s ruling, but so far a decision has not been made. Council must make a decision by Friday. “The city believes that it took appropriate action to bring
the impasse process to conclusion in the face of significant delays by DCEA and the city’s budgetary issues,” said Councilmember Stephen Souza. “The decision does not appear to account for any time urgency in reaching a conclusion to the bargaining, which the city believes is important to both sides. The council will as this process continues determine if it will appeal the decision.” “The city believes that it has and continues to bargain in good faith with its employee groups. It is also important to the long-term stability of the city to reach agreements with the employee groups that will effectuate long term budget stability for the city and long term stability for the employees,” Souza said. EINAT GILBOA can be reached city@theaggie.org.
Nameless Magazine seeks submissions Literary publication showcases students’ creativity By PRISCILLA WONG Aggie Features Writer
At an afternoon picnic on the UC Davis Quad, a group of undergraduate writers decided to start a literary and arts magazine simply because it was something they were all passionate about. It was at this moment that UC Davis’ Nameless Magazine was born. Nameless was started six years ago by a group of firstyear students who wanted a literary and artistic outlet on campus but couldn’t find one, said junior English major Samantha Mandell, editor in chief and president of Nameless Magazine, in an e-mail interview. “There was a literary magazine at Davis before Nameless called Seele, but when Nameless was started, Seele was losing steam,” Mandell said. The main goal of the magazine is to provide a creative space for
students on campus. Nameless Magazine publishes an online edition every quarter on its website and it also showcases the best works of the school year in a print edition that comes out once a year. Since UC Davis is known for its focus on the sciences, Mandell felt that the importance of creativity can sometimes get lost. “We want to provide a way for students to share their work with each other and with the greater artistic community in Davis,” Mandell said. Mandell became involved as a first-year student when she met some of the founding members at an activities fair. For her, being part of Nameless has defined her college experience so far, and she would consider herself lucky to continue this kind of work in the future.
guest Cont. from page 3 insensitivity occurred. “Jungle Fever” was an article written by Medha Sridhar exclaiming her newfound infatuation with black men and rap music. However, the term “jungle fever” is reminiscent of an era in America when interracial relationships were not only illegal, but black men and women were brutally murdered for it. Whether these statements were malevolent acts or foolish, insensitive actions, students must recognize it as wrong and unacceptable. Every student can recognize blatant, disrespectful and derogatory acts of racism. However, the significance of historically stigmatized words and symbols that are directly associated with racism, bigotry and prejudice can no longer be ignored. Many students of color, (yes, not only the African American community), are outraged by the ignorance displayed within these three acts. As a black male, I have no problem with Sridhar’s newfound “love” of rap music and black men. Nonetheless, her article is disrespectful to both black males and the African American community. It is disrespectful because she claims to have a “better understanding of African American culture” simply because she listens to “ghetto rap music”. Other than the fact African Americans mostly create rap music, the majority of lyrics speak about the experiences of the rapper not the listener. Additionally, rap music is not intrinsically ghetto nor does it speak on the history, culture or overall experience of African Americans.
unity Cont. from page 7 and senior dramatic arts major. “That way everyone can join. It’s not just for minority students, it’s for everyone.” Anyone who is interested in theatre or the message that the club expresses can submit a playwright proposal and it will be transformed into an act on stage. The piece can be anything from a play, to a skit, to a song or even a poem. These events are not limited to acting; there are a variety of ways to express these ideas through performance. Additionally, people who are interested in directing, stage managing, lighting, etc. can also contribute to the productions the club puts on. The first production the club will put on is a one-act play written by UC Davis Chicano students. Cuma came up with this idea after taking a Chicano Theatre course over the summer. “The play is about how Chicano students go through dif-
Junior English major Corrie Jacobs is the head of the Mixed Media board for Nameless, which oversees all submissions that are not poetry or fiction. It
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mostly receives photography and two-dimensional art, but is open to accept a film, music, sculpture and anything else creative. “With Mixed Media, you just
Jamila Cambridge, a senior community and regional development major and member of BSU, feels “the most offensive hate crimes aren’t the ones that are so blatant and extreme. The most offensive hate crimes are more insidious.” She recognizes allies to communities of color who support during times of outright racism. Although she begs the question, “Will you stand in solidarity with me in other moments when the insidious, underhanded, stereotypical comments are made?” I would advocate for campus-wide diversity training. Recently, the campus has required that students attend a workshop on campus violence prevention addressing issues of sexual assault and sexual harassment during freshman orientation and welcome week. A similar requirement should be implemented. Instead, the topics should include diversity training incorporating issues on race, sexual orientation, gender, religion and ability (only to name a few). I invite Sridhar and any other student wishing to learn about the African American experience and issues on campus to attend a BSU meeting. You should not be “intimidated”. Each day, I attend a class of 150 students and am the only one of my race. If you are of a different race, attending a gathering of your fellow African Americans students may give you a taste of how it feels to be “the only one”. It is what African American students deal with daily. This experience is a greater representation of the African American experience on campus than rap music. If you want to share your concerns or defenses of these actions contact CAMERON BROWN at cabrwn@gmail.com.
ferent struggles such as discrimination, stereotyping, racial profiling and how those struggles pull them down and almost prevent them from continuing their school. It’s a distraction [and] an obstacle for their studies,” Cuma said. But that is only half the performance. The second part will be improvisation skits written by other students. They held auditions this week for this part of the performance. It will be performed during Winter quarter. In addition to their performances, Unity Clap Theatre also holds bimonthly meetings on Wednesdays in 101 Wright Hall, which is also where they will perform. Each meeting will have a different cultural topic, such as Chicano Theatre, Asian American Theatre, etc. Everyone is welcome to attend the meetings and contribute to the discussion. The meetings will also teach background of the topics if people are not informed about them. “Personally, I think this club is way different and interest-
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know a great submission when you see one. First impressions are an important part of the critical process, but even if a piece has a plethora of color or lots of studied angles, that doesn’t mean automatic submission,” Jacobs said in an e-mail interview. Senior English major Thomas Michael Travagli said that the most memorable submissions do not hold up to any template. The only characteristic that the magazine looks for is originality. “There are no trends among our favorite works except that they stray from the average and give us a surprising perspective in an extremely artful way,” Travagli said in an e-mail interview.
carroll Cont. from page 3 are a form of escapism and that we should therefore avoid evaluating them based on their implied ideologies. I have never understood this argument because it fails to explain why someone would want to “escape” to an imaginary world in which some people are just naturally inferior. So, what’s the appeal? “Space Marine” provide players with a fantasy wish-fulfillment of self-mastery and control. Even as everything else changes or falls, the Space Marine is unyielding and strong. The Space Marine is an example of what Klaus Theweleit called the “armored body.” Just as proto-fascist soldiers (Freikorps) imagined themselves to be encased in armor, impervious to the corrupting influences of foreigners, impure women, and the “Red Flood” of communism, the Space Marines protect themselves through mechanized suits which can never be penetrated or opened. In an adolescent male fantasy, the Space Marines represent an invulnerable form of masculinity which does have to negotiate or compromise with social, racial and sexual otherness. The devout Space Marine will always remain the same, emotionally and physically untouched by anything that is different or threatening. His enemies are the flipside of this fantasy. The alien Orks — as in so many xenophobic narratives — are creatures
ing because we already had our first meeting and even people who are non-theatre [majors] had so much fun too,” said Keyla Suntistbun, vice president and sophomore women studies and dramatic arts major. “Theatre is a form of expression and so for us [it is a way] to express ourselves in front of everyone and to expose ourselves; it’s a pretty big deal; it’s a way to let ourselves go and show who we are and connect with people.” Unity Clap Theatre uses theatre to bring awareness to issues of discrimination, ethnicity and identity. Although it is a new club and ideas are still developing, this is the main goal. It will bring people of all backgrounds and circumstances together. “I’m excited for our productions to be on stage and to see that the audience had learned something from our performances. That they are more aware about struggles and issues that go on everyday,” Cuma said. PAAYAL ZAVERI can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.
bombay
The motto of the magazine is “Anything that tells a story.” It’s not about the ideas of the editors, but of the writers and artists who contributed to it, hence it is Nameless. “Nameless can be whatever you want it or need it to be. For me, Nameless is about a sense of equality and unity,” Jacobs said. “We all have distinct names, thoughts and feelings that cannot be labeled with just one name. The deadline to submit a creative piece for the next online edition of Nameless is Dec. 3 at 11:59 p.m. at namelessmagazine. com. “Advice to people on the fence about submitting: don’t be afraid. The editors at Nameless are the nicest people ever and negativity doesn’t exist. It’s all about positivity, constructive criticism and smiles,” Jacobs said. PRISCILLA WONG can be reached at features@ theaggie.org.
of infinite, uncontrolled instinct, incapable of civilized restraint. Meanwhile, the lascivious demons of Chaos display pink, exposed bodies which constantly warp and mutate. Exposure to the Chaos heresy is not only a danger to tradition and order, but also to the bodies of Space Marines, because its followers emit a flow of magical radiation which disfigures and perverts all that it encounters. The only response to these threats to a perfect and unassailable white male identity, the series suggests, is to kill: “Burn the heretic. Kill the mutant. Purge the unclean.” Of course, it is important to remember that players have complicated relationships to their games. Players do not simply imitate or unreflectively affirm what’s happening on the screen. While playing “Space Marine”, I alternated between enthusiastic immersion, wry amusement and detached criticism. In some respects, the series is more progressive than other, more “realistic” shooter games. By giving us this hyperbolic and sometimes sinister image, “Space Marine” encourages us to rethink our relationship to violent heroism. However, when it alludes to fascist imagery in such a cavalier way, it risks trivializing the suffering of millions. Either way, “Space Marine” shows that popular culture should not be placed beyond the reach of political thought. JORDAN CARROLL is a perfect example of the Space Marine dictum, “An open mind is like a fortress with its gates unbarred and unguarded.” He can be reached at jscarroll@ucdavis.edu.
means to take flight and the movie follows Rohan as he finds courage in his teenage bravado to escape his father’s petty tyranny. The movie is a powerful portrayal of the struggles of children in a country that has a longstanding history of oppressive parenting. “All three movies describe the experience of growing up where the future is uncertain but full of possibilities — and there is a hope for redemption. There’s hope,” Sen said. The series aims to bring focus to the experience of growing up in India across economic strata. The three movies that comprise the film series accomplish this goal as their protagonists tell their tales with a basic honesty that is hard to shake. The photographic exhibition is curated by Dinesh Khanna and will continue through Dec. 18 in the Yocha Dehe Grand lobby and is open to patrons one hour prior to all performances.
Cont. from page 7 belong to the “untouchable” caste known as the “Dalit” caste, or are victims of age-old sexist customs that live on through caste bigots. The documentary, directed by Kim Longinotto, is set in rural India but the message resonates across the globe for women who are either abandoned or fall victim to domestic violence. The series closed with the screening of Udaan, a 2010 film directed by Vikramaditya Motwane. The movie is centered on 17-year-old Rohan who belongs to a typical lower-middle class Indian family. Rohan is forced to move back home with his father and his 6-year-old half brother Arjun after he is expelled from the boarding school he attends. Rohan’s relationship with his father is strained at best. In fact, the father is an abusive alcoholic whose self absorbed lifestyle alienates both his sons. The word “Udaan” SASHA SHARMA can be reached at theaggie.org.
thursday, november 17, 2011 11
The california aggie
Aggies escape in home opener
CAUSEWAY CLASSIC PREVIEW
UC Davis faces Stanford Friday
Kristina Geddert / Aggie
Sophomore Harrison DuPont scored 15 points against UC Santa Cruz on Tuesday.
MEN’S basketball The UC Davis men’s basketball team rallied to overcome a 12-point second half deficit and beat UC Santa Cruz 84-78 on Tuesday night. It was the first win for new head coach Jim Les, who is now 1-3 in his first season with the Aggies. With the hope opener behind them, the team is looking toward Friday’s matchup against Pac-12 opponent Stanford, who they last played in 2009-10, losing 69-85. If they want to have a better result this year against the Cardinal, the Aggies will need to improve on both ends of the court, as they didn’t exactly impress against the Division III Banana Slugs. UC Davis started slowly on Tuesday, shooting 42 percent from the field in the first half while allowing UC Santa Cruz to shoot 65 percent. The struggles continued in the second half as the out-sized Banana Slugs continued to hurt the defense with quick guard play and physical rebounding. For the Aggies, the spark they needed came from 6’5” sophomore Harrison DuPont, who was playing in his first game of the season after picking up a concussion in the preseason. DuPont brought energy to the court with his physical play, and UC Davis stopped settling for jump shots and instead pushed the ball inside to their skilled forward, who finished with 15 points. “I liked [Harrison’s] aggressiveness attacking the basket,” Les said. “We saw that he was a competitor [and] he wasn’t going to allow us to lose. In his first regular season game at the Pavilion, freshman guard Tyrell Corbin scored a game-high 16 points and helped the Aggies secure victory by going 10-10 from the free throw line in the second half. “I just want to win,” Corbin said. “Whatever I have to do if its shooting free throws or getting someone an open shot then that’s what I want to do.”
Still, Les is adamant that Corbin, DuPont and the rest of his players must adapt a team-first defensive attitude if they want to have success. “It takes all five guys on the floor with great commitment, energy, and enthusiasm on the defensive end,” Les said. “[The game against Santa Cruz] was a great message. “Just the change of philosophy, of ‘x’s and ‘o’s, the change of the guy sitting in this seat isn’t enough. They have to change and we’re trying to lead them down that path. Until we get all five guys in concert getting after it and realizing how important that team is were going to have some inconsistencies.” On Friday in the Pavilion, the Stanford Cardinal will be ready to exploit any lapses in the UC Davis defense. The 4-0 Cardinal come to Davis while in the middle of their NIT Season Tip-Off tournament, having beaten Fresno State and Colorado State in the first two rounds. Stanford will continue the tournament in New York early next week. If all goes according to plan for the Aggies, the Cardinal will be thinking about its loss at the Pavilion during the long flight east. “Stanford is a great team,” DuPont said. “But if we go out and do what we’re supposed to, play hard, the result will take care of itself.” It won’t be easy to deal with the size and skill of the Pac-12 team. “I think they’re a big physical team yet they’ve got athleticism too,” Les said of Stanford. “We have to be the aggressor on the defensive end of the floor and we have to compete every possession.” One player who certainly wants a shot at the Cardinal is former California player Eddie Miller, now in his second year with UC Davis. Miller made his return from a leg injury Tuesday against the Banana Slugs, but played limited minutes as Les looks to build physical confidence in the senior leader. You can reach CAELUM SHOVE at sports@theaggie.org.
offense and defense. Teams: UC Davis vs. Sacramento “I don’t hate those guys but I State don’t like them,” Erskine said. “A Records: Aggies, 3-7; Hornets, lot of [our] guys were recruited 6-3 at Sac State and Davis and we…” Where: Hornet Stadium he said, trailing off, wary of the When: Saturday at 1:05 p.m. microphone. Who to watch: If you’re the type “There’s nothing more fun of person who gets nostalgic afthan a cross-town rivalry.” ter a long football season, keep For the first time this year the you’re eye on the 14 seniors who Aggies may have a new starter at will be playing their last game in Bobby Erskine junior quarterback on Saturday after UC Davis blue and gold. Randy Wright picked up an ankle If you’d rather look toward injury at the end of last week’s next season, watch junior degame. fensive end Bobby Erskine. One of four team captains, the San Should Wright not be able to play, Biggs Diego native has been a constant pres- will turn to redshirt freshman London ence on Aggies’ defensive line for three Lacy. The 6’3” 200 pound Lacy has played years, playing in 29 of the last 32 games. This year Erskine leads the team with only three games this year, completing 9.5 tackles for loss and has also recorded two of two passes for 36 yards. “I feel very comfortable with [Lacy] 2.5 sacks. Asked about his recent success — 5.5 playing,” Biggs said. tackles for loss in the last two games — Wright’s injury is just one of many that UC Davis has dealt with this season. The Erskine attributed it to consistency. “Nothing’s really changed,” he said. team lost key offensive weapons across “Our mindset has been the same, just the board early in the season, including busting our butts. I’ve struggled with wide receivers Stephen Dunstan and Alex some injuries, just trying to come back Cannon and running back Nick Aprile. “We’re decimated, we really are,” Biggs from those and staying healthy [is key].” Did you know? UC Davis and Sacramento said. “This time of year it’s expected but it State will once again be conference oppo- seems like this year it’s been rough. That’s nents next year when both football teams why you have a team.” join the Big Sky Conference. The Aggies Senior running back Josh Reese has and Hornets were last in a conference to- also had injury problems this year. He will gether in 1993 when both teams played in be back in the line-up on Saturday after missing his senior day due to injury. the American West Conference. Preview: There’s a lot to think about as On the other side of the ball, the Aggies the Aggies prepare to play their last game aren’t sure who will be quarterbacking for Sacramento State. of the 2011 season. The team’s 3-7 record comes to mind, The Hornets have had three quarteralong with the struggling offense that backs play in at least three games. Most recently, Garrett Safron was under center, ranks 103 out of 120 FCS teams. There’s also coach Bob Biggs, who has leading a run-heavy offense. never lost eight games in a season in his If the more experienced Jeff Flemming 19 years as head coach, and the seniors, plays for the Hornets, the Aggies will exwho, more than anything, want to finish pect to see more a more passing attack. their careers with a win at the home of “We’re preparing against what they do,” Biggs said. “Game day we’ll figure who’s their cross-town rivals. It’s not just the seniors that want this playing and who’s not playing.” win, though. Rivalries bring out the fight — Caelum Shove in everyone, from the scout team on up,
VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW Teams: UC Davis vs. Pacific Records: Aggies, 20-10 (6-9); Tigers, 17-11 (8-7) Where: The Pavilion When: Saturday at 7 p.m. Who to watch: While Saturday may be senior night, sophomore Jenny Woolway will be looking to shine in the final game of the 2011 season. The San Diego, Calif. native is currently second in the Big West Conference in Assists per set with 10.71. Woolway also ranks second on the Aggies with 303 digs this season. Did you know? Pacific is the only Big West opponent that Jenny Woolway UC Davis has beaten on the sophomore road this season. The Aggies defeated the Tigers 3-0 on Sept. 21, in the team’s first conference match of the season. Preview: UC Davis will say goodbye to a pair of talented seniors as they take the floor on Saturday. Katie Denny and Betsy Sedlak will make their final appearance in the Pavilion following distinguished careers. Sedlak and Denny rank second and third, respectively, for career blocks in UC Davis history. Sedlak is also on pace to set
a school record for hitting percentage, at .334. “Both seniors are players who left their marks [on UC Davis volleyball],” said head coach Jamie Holmes. “I’m super-proud of them and Saturday will be a tough day.” If the Aggies plan to send their seniors out on a high note, however, they will need to snap their current four game losing streak — a streak that included the team’s first two homelosses of the season. Despite suffering defeats to both Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State last week, Holmes believes that Aggies can enter this weekend feeling good about how they played against a pair of the Big West’s top teams. “I think our players should be very pleased with the execution of play [against Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton],” Holmes said. “We should have a lot of confidence based on how we played.” With that in mind, Holmes feels her team can make some minor adjustments to be successful this week. “If we can grow up mentally and have that hunger to finish, to execute at the right times,” she said, “that will be the difference.” — Trevor Cramer
MEN’S WATER POLO PREVIEW Teams: UC Davis vs. Air Force or Occidental; vs. TBD Records: Aggies, 20-10 (11-4); Fighting Falcons, 8-16 (5-7); Tigers 7-22 (1-13) Where: Canyonview Aquatic Center — La Jolla, Calif. When: Friday at 1:30 p.m.; TBD Who to watch: Senior Kevin Peat will be looking to have a strong showing at his final Western Water Polo Kevin Peat senior Association Tournament. The Walnut Creek, Calif. native has started all 29 games for the Aggies this season and is averaging 9.8 saves permatch. Peat also has 278 saves so far this season, giving him the fifth best season in UC Davis history for that category. Did you know? Three Aggies earned WWPA honors this season. Senior Aaron Salit was named first-team all WWPA while junior Colin Hicks made the second-team. Freshman Chris Richardson received all-freshman honors. Preview: No. 12 UC Davis enters the WWPA Tournament coming off two straight losses
against top competition. The Aggies fell to No. 3 California and No. 4 Stanford on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Despite the losses, coach Steve Doten has stated all year that playing solid opponents will help his team in the postseason. The Aggies will need to be at the top of their game this week though. UC Davis has gone 0-3 this season against the top two seeds in the WWPA Tournament — No. 11 UC San Diego and No. 10 Loyola Marymount. The Aggies also lost to Loyola Marymount in last year’s WWPA Championship game. For Doten, if the Aggies plan to be more successful this season, it will all come down to poise. “At the conference championship,” he said, “You have to be mentally sharp.” Should the Aggies win the WWPA Tournament this weekend, they will receive an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament at Cal beginning Dec. 3. — Trevor Cramer
GOON SQUAD PREVIEW The NBA lockout may be ongoing, but the stars will be out on the UC Davis campus this weekend. Sunday’s Goon Squad Classic, organized by Sacramento Kings guard Donte Greene, will feature a variety of professional players. Among the bigger names scheduled to play are Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant and Washington Wizards guard John Wall — although some reports suggest that Durant may not appear due to a prior engagement. The event will also include several current and former Kings, including guard Tyreke Evans and 2011 draft-selection Jimmer
Fredette. Tickets are on sale at the UC Davis ticket office and online at Tickets.com, with prices ranging from $25 to $70. Proceeds will benefit a variety of charities, including Greene’s Circle of Success Foundation. There will also be a canned-food drive sponsored by the Jason Thompson Foundation (named for the current Kings forward), with non-perishable food items being taken at the door. The game will take place Sunday in the Pavilion. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. — Trevor Cramer
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12 thursday, november 17, 2011
The california Aggie
Students march on On Tuesday afternoon students marched to Mrak Hall and occupied it until Wednesday, when police closed Mrak Hall and escorted protesters out. The General Assembly, formed by the protesters, moved to the front of Mrak Hall following its closure.
Brian Nguyen / Aggie
Evan Davis / Aggie
Several students spoke up in the General Assembly on the steps outside of Mrak Hall.
Members of the General Assembly displayed thumbs up signs to show their agreement with a proposed motion. Brian Nguyen / Aggie
Police entered the building in order to escort protesters out on Wednesday afternoon.
Evan Davis / Aggie
Many student protesters remained in Mrak overnight.