serving the uc davis campus and community since 1915
www.theaggie.org
volume 131, number 7
MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2012
Students issued bike citations during Bike Safety week Bike safety promoted on- and off-campus By CLAIRE TAN Aggie Staff Writer
Shazib Haq / Aggie
Ralph Nuno is UC Davis’ only full-time campus bike police officer.
The Davis Police Department (DPD) and the UC Davis Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) are both advocating bicycle safety through programs designed to educate the public about bicycle laws and safety practices. The DPD conducted a Bicycle Safety Education and Enforcement Operation during the week of Jan. 9. Due to the increased patrolling around areas frequented by bicycles, numerous bike citations had been given out. In the city, a fine for running a stop sign is around $200. Likewise, UC Davis, in partnership with TAPS, has been continuing to enforce bicycle safety through its Bike Enforcement Education Program (BEEProgram) that was introduced in October 2011.
UC Regents discuss state funding, new revenue options Student protesters interrupt meeting By Hannah Strumwasser Campus Editor
On Wednesday and Thursday of last week, the UC Regents met for their January meeting at UC Riverside. The regents, who meet six times a year, discussed new revenue ideas for the UC system along with the issue of increasing state funding. “Believe me, this board is working diligently to find alternative funding strategies and creative solutions to this budget crisis,” said Chair Sherry Lansing. Thursday’s meeting was interrupted by 15 UC Occupy protesters, who began to chant during the meeting. Hundreds of students also gathered outside of the meeting in protest of tuition hikes. Two students were arrested. Reports of police brutality outside the meeting alleged that police used batons and rubber bullets. Student protests at the regents meeting come in the wake of the
Annika Hammerschlag/Daily Bruin
last regents meeting, at which students on four different campuses interrupted the meeting in protest. “The meeting was both informed and disrupted by protesters. There was some productive protesting and public comments made, but there was also a group of students that occupied the meeting and shut it down,” said UC student Regent Alfredo Mireles. “Also, the regents and UC Office of the President staff were trapped inside the building the meeting was held in at Riverside — and in a few cases inside cars — for several hours. The situation was extremely tense.” While tuition hikes were not discussed at the meeting, many
students came out to tell the regents how they felt about the potential of future tuition hikes. “Tuition has doubled over the past five years. This will continue unless we see real leadership for a long-term plan to increase state revenues to fund education. Students believe that the elimination of corporate loopholes within Prop 13 must be urgently addressed. Everyone should pay their fair share,” said UC Student Association President Claudia Magaña in a press release. In 2011, the state cut $750 million in funding to the UC system. The regents discussed Gov. Brown’s 2012-13 budget proposal and how it would affect the UC. A plan for a stable funding model from the state is being developed, however it will be dependent upon Brown’s tax initiatives passing in November. The regents also discussed increasing revenue from UC inventions. They are looking toward supporting new technology created on UC campuses and
See REGENTS, page 2
Neighborhood navigator: East Davis Residents describe area as friendly, convenient, inexpensive
By CLAIRE MALDARELLI Aggie Staff Writer
Editor’ note: The following article is part of a new series intended to give students information about various neighborhoods and apartment complexes in Davis. Formally defined as the area north of I-80, east of Pole Line and north of E. Eighth Street and east of J Street, East Davis is a short bike ride to campus, an even shorter ride to downtown and is home to a variety of apartment complexes. One apartment complex is the J Street Apartments, located at 1111 J Street between East Eighth and East Covell Boulevard. The complex offers two different floor plans — a one bedroom, one bath for $850 and a two bedroom, one bath for $999. The apartment complex includes many features such as a pool, tennis courts, an exercise room and a game room with a Ping-Pong and pool table. Jessica Cole, a senior neurobiology, physiology and behavior major who currently lives at J Street Apartments, said she chose to live at the J Street Apartments
Today’s weather Rain early High 55 Low 37
because she got a great deal on the apartment and she wanted to be close to downtown. “I like the neighborhood. Across the street is an elementary school and downtown is only a couple minutes away. I’ve lived at [other places] in Davis and have enjoyed living in East Davis the most,” Cole said. The complex allows all cats as well as any dog that is fewer than 25 pounds, an aspect that Cole was very happy about. “I live with my best friend and my young cat Luna. And many of the [other] residents here have small dogs and cats that are often seen in windows or being walked on sunny days,” Cole said. A few blocks down from J Street Apartments is the Pinecrest Apartment complex at 920 Cranbrook Court also situated near the corner of J Street & Covell Boulevard. Pinecrest Apartments offer a one-bedroom, one bath for $885 and a two-bedroom, two-bath for $1100. The complex is professionally managed by the Riverside Residential Group, which also owns Alder Ridge Apartments, Renaissance Park Apartments and Silverstone.
Lt. Paul Doroshov of the Davis Police said halfway through the safety week, about 115 citations were issued. “The most common violation was rolling through stop signs,” Doroshov said. “The California Vehicle code states bikes have to follow the same laws as cars. At stop signs, bikes have to cease movement completely.” Doroshov said other citations were given out due to the lack of bike lights or having headphones in both ears. Simone Levy, a senior landscape architecture major, received a ticket in 2011 while biking downtown at around 11 p.m. Levy said she had just gotten off campus after 14 hours of studio work, when she was pulled over by a police car for not completely stopping at a stop sign on F Street. “I’ve never gotten a warning before but he didn’t care about that and gave me a ticket,” Levy said. “It bothered me
EPPC Editor’s Note: The Environmental Policy and Planning Commission (EPPC) is an ASUCD commission responsible for researching environmental issues affecting the campus and its surrounding area, and providing recommendations for improvement. Upon receiving an iPad for Christmas, the eco-warrior in me was torn: could I ever take enough notes on my glamorous new device to justify the environmental costs? The obvious argument in favor of the iPad is that by switching from your typical paper notebook to an electronic one, you’re saving trees. Here at EPPC, we cannot overstate our enthusiasm for trees and forests, so seemingly sparing the trees was a strong selling point for me. However, the choice becomes less clear when we compare the realities associated with production, use, and eventual disposal: iPads are a product of an energy-intensive and socially questionable genesis, requiring coltan to be mined from politically unstable countries such as the Congo. On the other hand, the paper in your seemingly innocuous notebook is the result
Pinecrest has outdoor BBQ and picnic areas, a pool, is pet friendly and has huge walk-in closets. Becky Fu, a senior genetics major and Pinecrest resident, said price was her main reason for choosing this complex. “I chose Pinecrest because it was the least expensive apartments I could find. Anything closer to campus was just way too expensive,” Fu said. College Square apartments is located almost exactly one mile from campus at 801 J street, near the intersection of Eighth street
See APARTMENTS, page 2
Forecast After a cold and wet start to your week, plan for a warmup by the weekend. I didn’t think this could happen already but I’m just about over this winter weather business ... Alex Neigher, atmospheric science major Aggie Forecasting Team
of large-scale deforestation, which presents a host of consequent environmental and social threats such as biodiversity loss and decreased water quality. Comparing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the course of usage of both products shifts the metric in favor of the iPad, especially if you already own the device and are considering extending its use to include your schoolwork. The production of a single piece of notebook paper equates to about 0.03 pounds of GHG, which matches a full day of iPad usage (at 0.003 kilowatt-hours per hour). Unless you’re an incredibly efficient note taker with microscopic handwriting, the mighty iPad wins out. However, savvy students know that it’s wasteful to buy something you don’t need, and this sustainable shopper suggests refraining from a major electronics purchase if your only goal is “greener” notetaking. However, if you plan on exploring the full utility of your device by downloading e-books, streaming lectures and doing your homework, the iPad could go from a glorified Facebook stalking device to a green machine indeed! Ask EPPC questions or tell us how to live green every week. Submit to margaret.link@gmail.com.
Department of Agriculture to close 259 offices across nation Closures will provide $150 million annually Aggie Staff Writer
Shazib Haq / Aggie
See BIKE, page 4
Doin’ it Green: In Lecture
By CLAIRE TAN
J Street Apartments, located between East Eight and East Covell Blvd., is noted for its lenient pet policy and proximity to the E Unitrans line.
that I didn’t get that first warning. But I do feel tickets are necessary, although they could be less strict with bicycles by at least charging less for tickets.” In reaction to the bike citations given out last week, students voiced their thoughts about the trend of bicycle traffic violators. “I guess it’s good because it keeps the biking community safe,” said Jody Chiang, a sophomore biological sciences major. “When I see police, I intentionally take out my headphones or hop off my bike if I’m on the wrong side of the road.” Ralph Nuno, the only full-time campus bike police officer, said the university has been utilizing the BEEProgram so that students, faculty and staff have 14 days within the issuance of the citation to go to the TAPS website, watch a
On Jan. 9, the United States Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack introduced the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Blueprint for Stronger Service at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual meeting. According to the USDA press release, it is a plan that helps producers continue driving American’s economy by streamlining operations and cutting costs. Vilsack believes this will be better for the challenges farmers face today as opposed to 150 years ago when the department was founded. “We must innovate, modernize and be better stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars,” Vilsack said in a statement. “We must build on the record accomplishments of farm communities in 2011 with a stronger, more effective USDA in 2012 and beyond.” The USDA plans to close 259 domestic offices, facilities and labs as well as seven foreign offices. This will impact roughly 20 agencies, with USDA headquarters in Washington and 46 states and one U.S. territory. One USDA agency, the Farm Service
Tuesday
Wednesday
Mostly sunny
A.M. fog
High 58 Low 41
High 62 Low 41
Agency (FSA), will be consolidating the most offices in the country — 131 county offices in 32 states. “We have 131 offices that qualify under a congressional mandate known as the [Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008],” said Chief of Public Affairs of FSA Kent Politsch. “If the FSA wants to consolidate offices, it could only do that under specific circumstances.” The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, also known as the 2008 Farm Bill, states that it will govern the bulk of federal agriculture and related programs for the next five years. “The offices consolidated would have to be within 20 miles of another office and have two or fewer employees,” Politsch said. The USDA expects FSA offices to close by the beginning of July and all other agencies will have closed their offices by the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30. According to Politsch, the largest numbers of offices that will be affected are in the state of Texas. There were no consolidations proposed in California. Politsch said of the 131 offices, roughly 174 employees will be affected, but will
See USDA, page 3 Yahoo! News has recently concluded that the most useless majors are, in order, Agriculture, Fashion Design, Theater, Animal Science, and Horticulture. Did anyone else notice that these are all popular majors at our dear UC Davis? Amanda Nguyen