April 16 2020

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

SERVING THE UC DAVIS CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY SINCE 1915

@THECALIFORNIAAGGIE

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

@CALIFORNIAAGGIE

@CALIFORNIAAGGIE

VOLUME 138, ISSUE 23 | THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020

THEAGGIE.ORG

UC DAVIS RESEARCHERS STUDY THE ROLE OF SPEECH AEROSOLS IN CORONAVIRUS TRANSMISSION Superemittors may be responsible for significant viral spreading

The CoHo operating before the shelter-in-place went into effect. (Justin Han / Aggie).

STUDENTS GO WITHOUT PAY DURING SPRING QUARTER

Unitrans, CoHo, Student Housing & Dining, Campus Recreation try to support students, cannot offer more than a certain amount of leave

BY JANELLE MAR I E SALANGA campus@theaggie.org

Since BIS 2B already has established course concepts outlined for each laboratory, Li worked closely with the course coordinator to make sure the concepts are met in the videos. Like with chemistry labs, Li said she worries students may not develop the necessary skills they normally would by physically going to lab.

“What is lost is likely not knowledge, but experience,” Li said. “For instance, students will understand the concept of forming a hypothesis.

However, since they are not able to do the lab experiments themselves, they will have less practice forming those hypotheses and fewer opportunities to discuss what makes a good hypothesis.”

Unlike chemistry, some BIS 2B lab sessions may include a do-it-yourself component for students to complete at home. Usually in biology labs, tools and specimens are provided to students, so Li and other faculty are trying to include hands-on components to labs as much as possible. Most experiments, however, will only be put into an observation context through video.

Similarly, in California Floristics and Angiosperms Systematics and Evolution, Dan Potter, a professor in the Department of Plant Sciences, is hoping to have students work with real flowers that they collect on their own, making it closer to the usual lab experience.

“Normally, we have a lot of fresh plant material that we bring into the labs for the students to look at,” Potter said. “So it’s a very hands on lab in a normal year.”

Zoom video meetings will be held for the labs in these plant science classes. Images of flowers will be integrated into the videos instead of having students examine only plant material. Usually, the labs have been five hours, but this quarter they will be split into two groups that meet for two hours each. Due to the new format and shorter laboratory period, this course will cover less material.

“We usually in both of these courses cover a whole lot of different plant families and we just decided to scale back on that a little bit so there’s not quite as many different things that they have to be trying to learn without being able to see the fresh material,” Potter said.

Buildings like the ARC, the CoHo and the Peet’s locations on campus have closed for Spring Quarter, and the students who staff those areas have lost a source of income. Unemployment is a repercussion of the COVID-19 pandemic — and nationwide unemployment is now at 13%.

Third-year mechanical engineering major Kayla Flores, who was a supervisor for Peet’s Coffee before the campus closure, said Student Housing & Dining provided her with little notice about the location’s status for Spring Quarter.

“During finals week, Student Housing & Dining Services were still optimistic about staying open, but I knew they wouldn’t,” she said. “Then they emailed us at the start of the quarter saying that they would be closed.”

At the time, Flores didn’t know that the university would be offering Emergency Administrative Leave (EAL), which she called the “UC Davis version of unemployment.” She now works at Food 4 Less, often for 9-hour shifts, while living at home.

“I needed consistent income,” she said. “I don’t get enough parent help or financial aid, and I still have to pay for rent, my phone bill and my car insurance.”

EAL is being offered throughout the UC system as a way to compensate students who cannot work remotely. It is calculated based on the number of hours students have worked in the past.

Work-study students who are affected by the pandemic can still be paid with work-study funds, but their employers are not obligated to keep them employed during the temporary closure. UC Davis said students who cannot work remotely and are currently on work-study will be paid until their funds are depleted.

“We encourage student staff to recommend projects in which their perspective is uniquely valuable in these unusual circumstances,” an FAQ on the UC Davis website reads. Many of the suggestions offered revolve around social media curation and website upkeep.

Employers themselves are seeking ways to keep students working remotely. ASUCD Business Manager Greg Ortiz called the process “turning stones over multiple times.”

Ortiz said ASUCD is keeping the Bike Barn open for appointments only. He’s also talked with the CoHo about offering delivery services and with Unitrans to see if they can pick up donations to The Pantry from the Yolo County Food Bank.

Deb Johnson, the director of recreation at Campus Recreation, said via email there were around 200 students — out of approximately 650 Campus Recreation employees — who elected to continue their work at home during Spring Quarter. Johnson said these students are “developing online classes on a variety of wellness topics” for other students to participate in at home.

“Students who are not teaching or leading programming have the opportunity to help create staff training videos, work on our risk management procedures, update and rewrite staff training manuals and help the team stay current with the constant fluid nature of our work right now,” Johnson said.

Employers are also trying to offer work opportunities to students who remain in Davis. Ortiz said CoHo and Unitrans employees were put to work making face shields for the UC Davis Medical Center. And Johnson said Campus Recreation employees are working on a similar project.

Darin Schluep, CoHo director, said he has notified employees that they can provide culinary support at the UC Davis Medical Center.

“I am sending weekly emails via our employee listservs with resources and relevant information from the campus,” he said. “We [...] are hoping that there will be more opportunities for our employees to earn money as we continue our spring quarter closure.”

Johnson said student employees at the Equestrian Center or Craft Center who chose to keep working during Spring Quarter remain on campus.

LABS on 11

COHO on 11

KATH E R I N E F R A N KS / AGGI E

BY D I N A G A L L AC H E R science@theaggie.org New research from UC Davis shows that certain speech patterns and key individuals, called superemittors, may be contributing to the spread of coronavirus more than previously thought, according to an editorial published in the Aerosol Science and Technology Journal on April 3.

“There are different [methods] of infectious disease transmission [such as] through direct contact with an infected individual or contact with infected surfaces which we call fomites,” said Sima Asadi, a chemical engineering doctorate candidate. “Another route of transmission is through air. [We call] this method airborne infectious disease transmission.”

Although previous research claims that COVID-19 is spread primarily through direct contact and inhalation of infectious aerosol particles that are sneezed and coughed into the air, research by Professor Ristenpart from the Department of Chemical Engineering indicates otherwise.

“It looks like SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted at least in part by aerosol particles, because there is quite a lot of evidence now for transmission from asymptomatic individuals, people who are not coughing or sneezing,” Ristenpart said.

“Asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic individuals, by definition, do not cough or sneeze to any appreciable extent,” according to the Aerosol Science and Technology article co-authored by

Ristenpart and Asadi.

Their research suggests that these asymptomatic individuals are largely responsible for spreading the virus through their everyday speech patterns.

“I think something that a lot of people don’t realize is that when you breathe or when you speak, you are actually emitting a pretty large number of what’s known as expiratory aerosol particles,” Ristenpart said. “These are very tiny droplets. As soon as you exhale them, they evaporate and they form [infectious particles] that are about one micron in diameter. For contrast, a human hair is about 50-100 microns in diameter.”

One specific instance of such spreading occurred in Washington state during a choir rehearsal on March 6, according to Ristenpart.

Here, where there were no known cases of coronavirus on the day of rehearsal, the significance of spreading occurring via asymptomatic individuals was clear due to the rate of infection after the rehearsal.

“About three weeks ago outside of Seattle, after [Washington] started enforcing social distancing, a choir practice in a small indoors environment sang for two hours and 45 out of 60 people there got infected,” Ristenpart said. “This indicates that the most likely method of transmission was via aerosols. Since singing is typically at a pretty loud volume, [the choir] would have been emitting a lot of aerosol particles in the air.

Other people breathe in those particles, then it goes deep into their lungs and they get infected.”

While the topic of viral transmission via aerosol particles may be novel to some, Asadi began her research on viral aerosol transmission long before the outbreak.

“One thing that I noticed was that in literature, there were a lot of discrepancies between results,” Asadi said. “Some [papers concluded that] talking released more droplets than coughing and sneezing, and [other papers concluded that talking] was releasing less than those activities.”

“They were not very specific about the experiments that they were doing,” Asadi said. “With talking, for example, it was not clear how loud the participants were during those activities. In most of the papers, the only talking activity that they tried was counting from 1 to 100.”

In order to further investigate the role that asymptomatic individuals play in the spread of COVID-19, Ristenpart, Asadi and their colleagues elected to study the role of aerosol particles in infectious disease transmission in more detail.

The results of the experiment were unexpected and partially unexplained, and may serve to provide more information about the nature of transmission and infectious potential of COVID-19 in the near future.

“Surprisingly, we found that some individuals systematically release more droplets than others, and we called [these people] speech superemittors,” Asadi said.

SPEECHCOVID19 on 11

SCIENCE CLASSES MODIFY LABORATORIES FOR ONLINE LEARNING THIS SPRING Departments record experiments, conduct laboratories over Zoom

Students working in the lab during the Food Analysis Lab for Food Science in the Robert Mondavi Institute on Jan. 20.

The students are analyzing several different teas for phenolic compounds using a spectrophotometric meseaure. (Photo by Gregory Urquiaga / Courtesy)

MAR G O ROSEN B AU M science@theaggie.org Pipettes, beakers, syringes and microscopes will not be used by students this quarter. With UC Davis’ decision to move to online learning in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, classes will not offer the same “traditional” laboratory experience this spring. Professors, teaching assistants (TAs) and other faculty worked hard to design creative online alternatives for laboratory classes.

Most courses are hosting online alternatives to in-person labs at the scheduled class times. By using online video platforms like Zoom, students watch their TAs and professors conduct experiments, instead of doing it on their own.

For the introductory chemistry classes offered this quarter, CHE 2B and CHE 2C, faculty in the department recorded themselves conducting some of the experiments before the campus closed, said Brian Enderle, a lecturer in the Chemistry Department. These experiments typically would have been done by students in labs. Faculty edited the videos for students to watch during Zoom video calls with their TAs.

Although students will not actually be completing the labs themselves, the TAs will talk them through the concepts and how to best analyze the data.

In these videos, the Chemistry Department mimics the usual flow of the lab and focuses on teaching students concepts. The hope is for students to gain a similar understanding of laboratory concepts, but they will not get the same practice with scientific equipment, Enderle said.

“This is the best of a difficult situation,” Enderle said. “We are doing our best but it will not be actually the same as using a pipette or [developing] glassware techniques that they would have in the lab. We can’t mimic and can’t send a bunch of glassware to your house.”

Classes in other departments, such as biological sciences, have implemented similar setups.

In BIS 2B, an introductory biology class about evolution and ecology, labs have moved to online platforms, said Ivana Li, a staff research associate and the BIS 2B lab manager, via email.

“Like everyone else, all of our content is online,” Li said. “This means a lot of the experimental and interactive parts of the lab cannot be done. We’ve opted to create laboratory videos as the substitute for our in-person labs.”

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

2 | THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020

PASS/NO PASS AND OTHER GRADE CHANGES DEADLINES MOVED TO LAST DAY OF INSTRUCTION Spring Quarter 2020 undergraduate P/NP units are exempt from university-wide 1/3 unit cap due to COVID-19 KA IT LY N PA N G / AGGI E

BY J ESSI C A BAG GOT T campus@theaggie.org For the first time, the Academic Senate has extended the deadline to opt into undergraduate Pass/No Pass (P/NP) and graduate Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading until June 4, the last day of instruction. Spring Quarter has also been exempt from the university and college specific undergraduate P/NP unit caps.

Though these amendments allow all students the ability to switch between letter and P/NP or S/U grading up until the last day of instruction,

they do not override specific college or major requirements, such as whether major courses can be taken as P/NP. It is recommended that students meet with an academic advisor before the last day of instruction to explore the impacts of P/NP grading on their degree.

Taking a course as P/NP may also affect satisfactory academic progress, time to degree, financial aid and admission to graduate school, as it remains unclear how graduate and professional schools will adjust their admissions requirements, if at all, in response to changes resulting from the pandemic.

UC DAVIS ADMINISTRATION IMPLEMENTS IMPROVEMENTS TO NEW PUBLIC BUS SERVICE WITH RIDERSHIP INVOLVEMENT

Free fare for six months for UCD affiliates, with bicycle storage, direct intercampus stops

Though this is the first time that the deadline to switch between P/NP and letter grading has been extended past the 25th day of instruction, it’s not the first time that the change has been considered. The Academic Senate considered extending the deadline at the end of this past Winter Quarter, due to coronavirus, and in November of 2018, during the university’s temporary closure due to the Camp Fire.

“Because there are so many risks for negative consequences for students to take a class P/ NP with regard to major requirements, time to graduation, academic progress, financial aid and professional school requirements, [...] we really wanted students to meet individually with advisors to make those decisions so they can make a fully informed decision,” said Academic Senate Chair Kristin Lagattuta.

When the campus ceased operations and the university moved to remote instruction, the risk of negative consequences were outweighed by the flexibility and relief that an extended period of opting into P/NP would allow.

UC Davis Provost Ralph Hexter said the decision to extend the deadline was the best way to give students “some peace of mind when there are so many other things that we cannot give people peace of mind about at this moment.”

“It gives people the freedom to say ‘Okay, I’ll sign up, it doesn’t have a heavy cost, I can take P/ NP,’” Hexter said. “As they gain confidence, they can switch back to a grade, if that’s what they would like to do.”

Students are able to switch between P/NP and letter grading as many times as they want to until June 4, giving students as much opportunity as possible to make the right decision for them through advising and self-reflection with no cost

to the university.

Instructors are unable to see a student’s choice for P/NP or letter grading, regardless of how many times a student switches between the two.

Instructors submit every student’s grade as a percentage — the same process as has been the case during every other quarter.

“The change has been programmed into Schedule Builder, so we are able to manage the requests from students to change to P/NP in the same way as other quarters,” said University Registrar Erin Crom via email.

Though the logistics of grading largely remain the same, student experience does not. Many students face fears about having a stable WiFi connection, having a quiet space to work and take exams in and the shifting and uncertain workload of remote instruction.

“One of the things that I think is so important about being on campus and being part of university is that you’re in an extraordinary environment where everyone is focused, first and foremost, on taking a series of classes,” Hexter said. “There are both subtle and not so subtle clues that we all get when we’re in an environment that supports us, and actually encourages us, to put our energies and our mental focus on learning.”

Though this environment is now different, Hexter said there may also be unseen positives in the extension of P/NP grading.

“If there’s something that is very disconnected from your area or something you have just no prior experience in but are really intrigued by, that seems to me the perfect occasion to select P/NP,” he said. “It would let you really dig more deeply and learn about an area that you might have had no previous experience in.”

CITY OF DAVIS FACES BUSINESS UNCERTAINTY AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC

UC Davis research says COVID-19 will have long-lasting economic impact, Davis businesses say economic losses are incalculable

The UCD-UCDMC shuttle (pictured here) was replaced by a new bus service that began operations on April 6. (Photo

by Quinn Spooner / Aggie)

BY GRASC HE L L E FAR I ÑAS HIPOL I TO campus@theaggie.org The launch of the Yolobus and SacRT Causeway Connection public bus service, which was set to replace the long-running UC Davis intercampus shuttle service on April 6, has been postponed through May 1 due to COVID-19-related matters.

The decision of the service replacement previously resulted in riders’ concerns. Following the replacement’s announcement, many intercampus shuttle riders expressed their concerns and requests in an open letter published in October of 2019.

The letter outlined complaints about the zero-emission service, which had no seat belts, dramatically reduced the capacity for bikes, increased commute times as a result of added public stops and terminated direct intercampus connectivity. There were also complaints regarding a lack of communication between the UC Davis administration and shuttle riders in the decision-making process.

Since then, administrators have offered open house meetings on both the UC Davis and Sacramento campuses, as well as online comment opportunities and regular outreach to communicate with riders.

Russ Zochowski, a disability specialist at the university’s Student Disability Center, stated in a previous article in The California Aggie that he relied heavily on the shuttle and its current stops as someone who is blind.

In a recent interview, Zochowski said he was unable to attend the open house meetings, but addressed his personal access concerns as a result of the changed bus stops directly with UC Davis’ Transportation and Parking Services and the supervisor of the UC Davis Health drivers.

“The driver supervisor has assured me that I will still be able to get rides from [UC Davis Medical Center] to my outpatient clinic appointments and to the 39th Street light rail station,” Zochowski said. “I found the 29th Street station inaccessible because of the need to cross two streets without audible walk signals.”

Zochowski also commented on the accommodations made for other frequent shuttle riders.

“After reading the meeting summaries, I agree with the majority of riders who feel that we probably got all we could from the University at this point,” Zochowski said. “They promised to retrofit the existing buses with seat belts and increase the number of bike racks. Let’s see if those things actually happen.”

Vice Chancellor of Finance, Operations and Administration Kelly Ratliff released a message on March 31 stating that the Causeway Connection was “improved markedly with ridership involvement.”

UC Davis Director of Environmental Planning and Local Government Relations Manager Matt Dulcich said rider feedback received through outreach efforts and public meetings has been critical in improvements to the service.

“The University is paying for fares for all Aggie riders through October with use of their University ID,” Dulcich said. “UC Davis will offer complimentary bicycle cage storage such as the new facility at the Gateway Parking Structure for any rider wishing to have a dedicated, secure bicycle parking stall on campus. The Causeway Connection will provide expanded service during peak hours and maintain direct trips between campuses allowing for more flexibility in commute schedules.”

Dulcich explained the addition of “Smart Stops,” where different transportation system routes intersect near or along main thoroughfares and freeways.

“Stops in the Downtown Sacramento area would allow students to reach internships, riders to connect with other bus lines and modes of transportation, and have easy access to shopping and entertainment,” Dulcich said.

To accommodate riders who relied on the original intercampus routes, Dulcich said there will be direct and express trips for commuters wishing to travel directly between the campuses.

Additionally, Dulcich said there will be no difference in the pricing structure for employees and graduate students at the end of the six-month fare free period.

“While switching from diesel to electric buses and helping to reduce congestion and emissions along I-80, we also had to consider where we could make improvements for the everyday Aggie rider and their door-to-door commute,” Dulcich said.

Dulcich noted that the administration will continue to solicit rider feedback at quarterly meetings beginning in May 2020 and conduct detailed monitoring of bus utilization, on-time performance and rider satisfaction to continue to improve the service in the future.

The Causeway Connection is currently set to launch in May after careful consideration with Yolobus and SacRT of all options for maintaining public health protection and providing needed transit services. Dulcich said they expect to continually adjust the bus services as the COVID-19 situation progresses.

Philz Coffee in Downtown Davis remains open for only take-out orders. (Photo by Timothy Li / Aggie)

BY ALE X W E INST E IN city@theaggie.org The economic impact of COVID-19 is something we will see for decades to come, according to a working paper authored by professors in the Department of Economics.

When asked about possible revenue losses locally, Mayor Pro Tempore Gloria Partida said the city has not made any predictions yet. It is not yet known the effect that the lack of widespread business closures and the loss of student presence will have on the town, Partida added.

“We’re going to see a drop of the amount [of revenue] that’s coming into the city to pay for our services,” she said.

In the meantime, Davis has taken steps to ensure that residents and businesses are able to continue operating.

“This is sort of like summer coming really early for them, so I’m sure they’re going to struggle,” Partida said. “The Downtown Business Association is trying to find creative ways [...] to offset that price — to sell gift cards, for instance.”

Beyond that, the city also plans to take advantage of state and federal grants and funding and has passed an emergency resolution which implemented an eviction moratorium, among other relief acts.

“They’ve done a lot of great things on paper, but in reality, not a lot of people are able to take advantage of [these programs],” said Alex Volzer, the owner of Davis Massage and Body Therapy.

Volzer recently moved their business away from Northern California following the Camp Fires.

“I don’t know how much longer I can hold on,” Volzer said. “But I’m optimistic that maybe I’ll be able to make it through this.”

Since many small business owners, like Volzer, are unable to take advantage of these loans and programs, they face special difficulties in continuing to operate. The City of Davis has

supported small businesses in the past, but it remains unknown how the city will continue this support.

“These are our neighbors, people we go to church with,” Volzer said. “I think Davis has a responsibility to step up.”

Partida added that the city continues to look into new avenues for helping small businesses, like a support hotline, but said the situation is evolving so rapidly that the town is having trouble keeping up with new information.

“We are very grateful for the local programs,” said Derar Zawaydeh, the co-owner of Crepeville and Burgers & Brew. “And the [property owners] have been nothing but a class act.”

Many companies and company owners, like Zawaydeh and Volzer, rely on flexibility from land owners. But even with this support, Zawaydeh has cut his employees across both locations by over 60%, laying them off so that they can take advantage of unemployment benefits.

Sometimes, other avenues of keeping business afloat are not as profitable.

“Third-party delivery companies charge a hefty commission for their services, a minimum of 20% and sometimes as high as 35%,” Zawaydeh said.

These companies helped supplement income before COVID-19 changes, but now the profit margins are not high enough to sustain business.

Zawaydeh is looking into having his employees deliver for free — just another step in keeping up with the crisis.

Some businesses also face long-term closure due to the economic impacts of the pandemic.

“Me and my family talked about it,” said Chi Hoang, the manager of Ding How, in an interview with The Davis Enterprise. “If it gets worse again, we better close the restaurant down and find something else to do.”

“Be it in Davis, Chico or Sacramento — it’s all being hit the same way,” Zawaydeh said. “This is really something significant.”

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020 | 3

FROM HOARDING TO PRICE GOUGING, LAW AND SOCIOLOGY PROFESSORS DISCUSS POLITICS OF CORONAVIRUS

Professors explain the difference between hoarding and mass buying, legality of price gouging

The sign indicating that only one item can be purchased during a transaction at a Safeway in South Davis. (Photo by Quinn Spooner / Aggie)

BY REBECCA BIHN-WALLACE campus@theaggie.org This week, The California Aggie spoke with Professor Donald Palmer of the UC Davis Graduate School of Management and Professor Gabriel “Jack” Chin of the UC Davis law school to talk about the economic and social implications of the current coronavirus pandemic.

Palmer, an economic sociologist whose research focuses on different forms of organizational misconduct, discussed the difference between hoarding and stockpiling food in response to changing economic conditions wrought by the outbreak of COVID-19.

“Hoarding implies that you are accumulating quantities of things beyond which you would need,” Palmer said.

“In this circumstance, if people are being advised to have 30 days’ worth of food and sup-

plies, and you walk into their house and see lots more stuff than you normally see, I wouldn’t call that hoarding,” he added. “They’re preparing for the possibility that they might not get to go shopping.”

Palmer explained that uncertainty about how long the virus will last has caused people to buy larger quantities of items than they normally would.

Chin, whose work focuses on criminal law, immigration and race, among other topics, discussed the difference between state and federal laws addressing price gouging and hoarding, which pertain to the supply shortages caused by the pandemic.

“State law doesn’t prohibit hoarding, it prohibits price-gouging,” he said. “So when there is a declared emergency, businesses historically have raised their prices substantially. The way that [California Penal Code Section 396] works

is that, [with reselling an item], it can’t sell for more than 10% than it was before, unless you can prove that prices are going up.”

According to Chin, this becomes more complicated when private entrepreneurs, like those affiliated with Amazon, become involved in reselling items. “[With them], it’s not clear how this law applies, because there is no baseline price you were selling this stuff at before the emergency against which the 10% increase can be measured,” he said. “I don’t see what value that adds to society as opposed to people just paying the regular price and more people having access to these important goods. If Costco isn’t allowed to jack up the prices, why should a private seller?”

On the other hand, Chin noted that putting strict limitations on price gouging can have a negative effect, limiting the number of people participating in the market and potentially making it harder to obtain supplies.

“Where this breaks down is when we talk about life saving–medicine and technology,” he said. “I [wouldn’t want to see things like ventilators] allocated based on who could pay for them.”

Federal law prohibits hoarding of essential items for resale, but does not regulate the private market or keep prices down.

Instead, Chin explained, the federal government only takes over the market for certain items — materials that the President may deem essential. In this context, it’s a violation of federal law to hoard items that are considered necessary. This problem became evident in a recent FBI investigation of a man who hoarded and resold N95 respirator masks.

“My sense is that the White House minimized the seriousness of this until relatively recently, so I don’t think we can blame hoarding on the president,” he said. “But not being sufficiently prepared is sort of part of the president’s responsibility.”

Palmer said he believed people “are more rational” than those who study and comment on human behavior give them credit for.

“There’s a tendency of academics to look at people and say ‘this is irrational, this is crazy,’” Palmer said, adding that this tendency isn’t fair.

“That doesn’t mean there aren’t components of this situation that don’t fall under strict rational calculation,” Palmer said. “[But] people

look to others in their environment to see, ‘How should I think? What should I think? What should I do?’”

Palmer believes that California Gov. Gavin Newsom has done a good job of adapting to the changing news about the virus, but that the messages from the White House have been less clear. “[What Newsom did] is very different than where you’re giving incrementally dissonant messages — every time Trump spoke earlier on, he was saying something different than what he said before,” Palmer said. “That led to uncertainty, not only about what he’s doing, but a lack of confidence.”

According to Palmer, although some people may believe whatever Trump says, many are still trying to make sense of the news coming from the White House. As the situation has worsened, “he’s deferred more to exits,” Palmer said.

“This has generated problems, because the experts say things that he doesn’t want to be said,” he added, referring to internal conflicts on the president’s coronavirus task force.

Palmer noted that the polarization of news media has led to more confusion about the pandemic.

According to Chin, some people in the legal field falsely claim expertise about the implications of the virus. He referred to a recent article in The New Yorker which cited New York University law Professor Richard A. Epstein as having questioned the World Health Organization’s decision to call the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.

Trump has also voiced skepticism about the virus, and he has also touted drugs of unproven effectiveness.

“I think President Trump’s intuition about [hydroxychloroquine] falls into this category,” Chin said. “He’s really not in a position [to talk] about whether this is a good treatment or not, and he’s running with this really casual information.”

Chin talked about the dangers of similar behavior on the part of lawyers and academics.

“If you’re practicing law, you do have to make decisions based on imperfect information with the best you can, but in this particular context, the impulse we all have to figure out the best we can based on limited information [...] can be counter-productive,” he said. “I think that reliance on experts in the field is probably smarter.”

HOW THE UC IS RESPONDING TO COVID-19: CHANGES TO ADMISSIONS, REVIEW OF FINANCIAL AID NEED, NO TUITION REDUCTION

UCOP promises unspecified economic aid for struggling students, no consideration of tuition reduction, partial refund

The UC system is making rules for admission more lenient for students who would start in fall of 2021, which include making ACT/SAT optional. (Wikipedia Commons / Courtesy)

BY ALLY RUSSELL campus@theaggie.org In response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, the UC Office of the President (UCOP) has altered some admissions requirements for admitted students and those returning for the upcoming 2020-21 academic year. Students impacted by the pandemic can file for an additional review of their finances in order to account for recent and expected changes in student and family income.

The UC also relaxed other admissions policies to ensure that transfer and high school students do not face penalties for failing to earn letter

grades or take standardized tests, and it has temporarily suspended letter grade requirements for A-G courses from Spring 2020 for all students, including the newest class of admitted Aggies.

Any A-G courses completed with passing or credit given grades are satisfactory for this quarter.

For current juniors in high school and other transfer students, the UC has suspended standardized test requirements for those applying for Fall 2021, meaning students do not have to report their ACT or SAT test scores to apply. The UC has not yet made a decision as to whether it will require the SAT/ACT for later admission cycles, though a faculty report released in February recommended the UC keep the SAT/ACT

HIGH-RISK HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS SHELTERED, SELF-ISOLATING IN YOLO COUNTY MOTEL ROOMS Through federal initiative Project Roomkey, county temporarily houses 143 vulnerable homeless KA ITLYN PA N G / AGGIE

BY EDEN WINNIFORD city@theaggie.org On April 3, California Gov. Gavin Newsom launched Project Roomkey, a program started by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to house the country’s homeless population in mo-

tel rooms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The California government issued a press release stating that the state’s homeless population would be sheltered to promote health and safety.

“Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California has become the first state in the nation to secure FEMA approval to provide safe

testing requirement.

Despite some flexibility, the UC has remained rigid for other enrollment procedures. Students are still expected to accept their offer of admission by May 1 for freshmen and June 1 for transfers and pay the accompanying deposit.

Many admitted students’ economic conditions have been dramatically altered by the ongoing pandemic. In the past weeks, 10 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits.

With businesses remaining closed and government subsidies not yet dispersed, the number affected is expected to rise in coming weeks.

For many recently-admitted and returning Aggies, COVID-19 has dramatically impacted the feasibility of attending university. Tuition alone ranges around $14,000 for in-state students and around $40,000 for out-of-state students.

In response to expected changes in students’ financial need, the UCOP website encourages students to get in touch with their UC campus financial aid offices.

“Students who need additional time, or who need a deferment of a deposit, should contact their campus admissions office directly,” according to the website.

While no formal allowances are outlined for offers of admissions, the website says campuses plan to provide maximum flexibility to students.

Sarah McBride, the media and communications strategist for UCOP commented further on decisions to alter admissions requirements for students in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“UC welcomes any student whose family lost a job to request a review of their financial aid,” McBride said. “Petitions for a review will take place over the summer.”

While students are encouraged to apply for additional aid, the amount of aid available for these students is not known at this time. This amount will depend on future federal and state

funding allocations, according to McBride.

The UC plans to provide additional support for students impacted by COVID-19. As of now, however, there is no discussion to alter the cost of tuition, which likely remains the main obstacle for students’ ability to attend any UC campus in Fall 2020.

While UC President Janet Napolitano recently announced that there will be no career employee layoffs related to COVID-19, student employees have already faced a loss of hours or lost jobs completely as a result of the pandemic. As of the time of publication, there were no scheduled plans for compensation or support for affected students.

While UC leadership plans to address the unprecedented public health crisis, students are demanding greater, immediate action.

JB Martinez, a fourth-year political science major as well as an ASUCD senator, is in the process of drafting a resolution demanding a partial tuition refund for current students.

“They’re not addressing the issue and ongoing problems being faced by college students right now,” Martinez said. “Some student jobs are cutting hours or laying off people, which creates an entire circuit of a lack of funds in students’ hands.”

Martinez sees a partial tuition refund as a potential, partial solution to help students struggling financially.

“Not all resources on campus are open, so [a partial refund] gives students more autonomy over how they’re spending their money and what they’re spending it on,” he said.

Many UC Davis resources, including The Pantry and counseling services, have altered hours and services due to COVID-19.

isolation capacity for tens of thousands of people experiencing homelessness in California in order to protect them and the state from COVID-19,” the press release reads.

A video posted on Newsom’s Twitter explains that the service is specifically meant to protect high-risk homeless individuals from becoming sick and needing hospitalization.

“California is securing thousands of rooms in hotels and motels for extremely high-risk homeless individuals to help flatten the curve and preserve hospital capacity,” according to the video.

Ian Evans, the Yolo County Alcohol and Drug administrator and Forensic and Homeless Team Clinical manager, described the county’s efforts with Project Roomkey as of April 8.

“As of today, we’ve been able to move 143 individuals into motel rooms throughout the county,” Evans said. “We’re setting up master leases with motels, and we have two master leases already secured.”

Master leases will last for 30 days, with the ability to be extended if the crisis continues.

The press release reported that nearly 870 homeless individuals had already been sheltered throughout the state.

“The state’s effort, Project Roomkey, has set an initial goal of securing up to 15,000 rooms for this purpose and county partners have moved 869 homeless individuals most vulnerable to COVID-19 off the street, out of shelters, and into isolation,” the press release reads.

At the time of the press release, Yolo County had sheltered 110 of the 869 individuals, according to Evans. He explained why Yolo County accounted for such a large percentage of the total.

“We were able to mobilize so quickly because of the relationships that providers, the cities and the county had built over the years trying to address homelessness,” Evans said. “We were in a good place to meet this crisis head-on, in that respect.”

According to the press release, each motel in the program will be outfitted with essential services for homeless individuals.

“Every hotel/motel within Project Roomkey will include essential wraparound services, such as custodial, laundry, security and support staff,” the press release reads.

Evans described the services provided in Yolo County specifically, including daily delivered meals and a telephone staff for physical and mental support.

“We’ve partnered with Yolobus and the food bank to do daily food deliveries to all the individuals who are in the motels,” Evans said. “We’re working with a lot of our local provider agencies who are dedicating staff to provide some on-site support and some telecommuter support. Folks will call each individual in the motel to check in on them.”

The press release included a quote from Newsom highlighting the importance of giving the homeless a place to isolate, as these efforts will decrease the total number of cases in the state.

“Homeless Californians are incredibly vulnerable to COVID-19 and often have no option to self-isolate or social distance,” Newsom said. “By helping the most vulnerable homeless individuals off the street and into isolation, California can slow the spread of COVID-19 through homeless populations, lower the number of people infected and protect critical health care resources.”

Evans echoed a similar sentiment, underscoring the need to protect homeless individuals and decrease the amount of critical patients who need hospitalization.

“The overall goal is around getting our most vulnerable clients safe and getting services wrapped around them during this time,” Evans said. “As a result of this effort, we’re hoping that we reduce the impact on the healthcare system so our hospitals don’t get overburdened.”

LENI ENTADMI SSI ON on 1 1

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

4 | THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020

SACRAMENTO AND YOLO COUNTY JAILS RELEASE INMATES TO LOWER RISK OF COVID-19 TRANSMISSION AMOUNG STAFF, INMATES

SHEREEN LEE / AGGIE

Among other precautionary measures, dozens of inmates close to completing their sentences were released from both county’s jails

Monroe Detention Center is the main jail of Yolo County. Jails in Woodland and Sacramento have released prisoners in wake of COVID-19. (Yolo County / Courtesy)

BY T I M L A LON D E city@theaggie.org Law enforcement officials at both Sacramento and Yolo County announced that they would be releasing certain jail detainees from their custody in order to reduce the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak in their facilities, in addition to taking other social-distancing and hygienic measures.

Yolo Sheriff Tom Lopez presented updates in the March 31 Board of Supervisors meeting — conducted remotely via Zoom — on measures county jails are taking in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Both staff and inmates are having their temperatures taken regularly, and staff has increased screening for exposure or infection during booking occuring at the Juvenile Detention Facility in Woodland, according to Lopez. Inmates who show symptoms of or have had recent exposure to COVID-19 will be held in a 10-bed isolation unit at the Monroe Center facility, which the county plans to expand to 50 beds in the near future.

Officials also received a court order on March 20 allowing for the release of inmates who had 30-days or less remaining on their sentence, according to Lopez. A second order was obtained on March 24, expanding early release to those with up to 60 days left in their sentences. Both

misdemeanor and felony cases were eligible for early release, except for individuals charged with violent or DUI-related offenses.

Individuals identified as transient at the time would also not be released under these court orders. Lopez said his office was working with the Yolo Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) in order to secure temporary housing that would allow for the release of homeless individuals.

“We’re working with the HHSA for those folks that are homeless, for a smooth passthrough for them to house them in hotels if we end up having those folks being released,” Lopez said.

Lopez also said, as of the March 31 meeting, 20 inmates have been released early under these two court orders.

Yolo jails took further steps to reduce the risk of exposure from the outside. Visitation has been suspended at facilities and staff is facilitating phone contact with legal advisors to limit the amount of attorney visits to the jail, Lopez said. Phone cards have been provided to inmates to allow two 10-minute conversations per week in lieu of in-person visits. Arraignment and preliminary hearings are being conducted via remote video to limit the extent inmates travel outside the jail.

Early releases allowed the jail to house each

inmate in a private cell, Lopez said, significantly reducing the risk of widespread infection in the event of an outbreak in the facility.

“It’s very unique — I’ve never seen us have the capacity to do this since I’ve been involved in our jail systems,” Lopez said. “Our current capacity, as I said before, is at 455. Today our current bed population is 207. So having the numbers down has provided us the opportunity to put everybody in a single cell — if the virus enters our detention system, we will be able to isolate everyone in their own room.”

Dan Fruchtenicht, Yolo’s Chief Probation Officer, presented a report on similar measures that the county is taking within the Juvenile Detention Facility in Woodland. Four youths are currently being held at the facility and Fruchenreicht said the juvenile system is working with courts to reduce this already low population.

Fruchtenicht said his office was taking steps to keep the juvenile facility population low, both by attempting to reduce recidivism and by encouraging officers in the field to make less arrests.

“We’ve directed our field staff to consult with management prior to making any arrest on a youth, to ensure that all alternatives were considered before booking,” Fruchtenicht said.

The youth facility has enacted no-contact visitation times, as well as increased phone call time for the detainees. A similar remote system to the adult facilities has been set up for legal proceedings and most programs as well as interactions with volunteers have been suspended, Fruchtenriecht said.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office also announced that it would be releasing inmates under a court order issued around the same time. A March 25 notice from the office outlines similar criteria for early release — those who had 60 days or less left on their sentence, had not been convicted of a domestic violence-related nor sexual offense were eligible for early release under the court order. These standards applied to a significantly higher number of inmates in Sacramento’s larger jail population.

“This Order will result in the release of 421 inmates who are currently being housed at the Sacramento County Main Jail or the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center,” the notice read.

“The releases will take place on or before March 30, 2020.”

Quarantine means more beers, brooms April 2 “Suspect broke into locked liquor cabinet.”

April 3 “Rhythmic spanking sound.”

April 4 “White Tesla backed up to show room.”

April 5 “Male subject screaming at the top of his lungs.”

April 6 “Neighbor at this location throwing a large broom over the fence into his yard this morning.”

“Subjects also have a microwave set up in front of the Dollar Tree.”

April 7 “13 year old daughter has taken her car keys and refused to return it.”

“Bee swarm at a nearby tree.”

April 8 “Male subject running around the pumps asking customers to buy him beer.”

VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY DONATES TO YOLO NON-ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES ABLE TO FOOD BANK, ENSURE CONTINUED SUPPLY OF CONTINUE HOME DELIVERIES IN YOLO CLEANER ENERGY DURING PANDEMIC COUNTY After Gov. Newsom’s shelter-in-place order, conservation measures for energy are encouraged

Social distancing still encouraged when going out to support local businesses

The Valley Clean Energy office in Davis, California. Valley Clean Energy is donating to Yolo Food Bank and is working to ensure customers have power. (Photo by Quinn Spooner / Aggie)

BY MA D E L E I N E PAY N E city@theaggie.org Valley Clean Energy, the local electricity provider for Davis, donated $2,500 to the Yolo Food Bank in an effort to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in Yolo County. The energy provider also ensured that clean energy will remain available during this time, following PG&E’s moratorium on electrical shut-offs due to nonpayment.

On its Facebook page, Valley Clean Energy announced the donation and encouraged others to support Yolo Food Bank.

“In times like these, coming together to support our community is more important than ever,” the post read. “That’s why VCE is thrilled to be able to contribute to Yolo Food Bank during this time of need. We implore you to do the same.”

Jim Parks, the director of Customer Care and Marketing at Valley Clean Energy, explained that the donation is intended to help reduce the increased costs the Yolo Food Bank will likely face during the pandemic.

“I expect the impacts on the foodbank will be significant starting now and going into the next couple months, as more people are realizing the impacts of not having an income,” Parks said.

“They’re going to start relying on the food bank for more services.”

In a press release, Valley Clean Energy also announced that its greener energy options will remain available during California’s shelter-inplace order.

“VCE sources the cleaner energy you use and feeds it into the grid,” the statement read. “We will continue to provide our customers with the same clean energy through this pandemic — nothing concerning that service will change.”

The energy provider added that they are asking “staff to self-isolate and work from home” and that they are working in “partnership with PG&E, to deliver the cleaner power we source for you,” according to the press release.

These statements followed Gov. Gavin Newsom’s shelter-in-place order, announced on March 19, requiring all Californians to remain at home except when performing essential ser-

vices. Parks explained that the shutdown has not influenced Valley Clean Energy’s main purpose of acquiring energy.

“We’re still procuring the generation, and making sure that it’s put into the transmission system, and PG&E is doing a good job of delivering the electricity like they always have,” Parks said. “On some level you could say things haven’t changed with regard to getting the electricity, but what has changed is everyone is working from home except for essential personnel needed in control rooms, and for maintaining the grid.”

Only five days before the statewide shutdown, PG&E declared a voluntary moratorium on electrical shutoff for nonpayment. In a press release, company officials ensured that electricity service will not stop for owners of homes and businesses who are unable to pay their bills on time, due to the extreme circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic.

“This suspension will apply to both residential and commercial customers and will remain in effect until further notice,” the statement read. “To further support customers who may be impacted by the pandemic, PG&E will offer its most flexible pay plans to customers who indicate either an impact or hardship as a result of COVID-19.”

With limitations on shutoffs, the overall impact of the coronavirus pandemic on electricity rates remains uncertain. Parks pointed out, however, that the neighboring Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) has seen an overall decrease in electricity usage, which could be from the lack of commercial electricity usage.

“SMUD is experiencing an 8% decrease, so I think we’re probably going to see something similar to that,” Parks said. “A lot of the businesses are really down in their electricity use but home usage is going up, so it offsets somewhat.”

Parks added that despite being home for most of the day, residents can reduce their electricity bill by being more conscious about the energy that they are using.

“I would focus on conservation measures, like making sure lights are off when you’re not in the room,” Parks said. “If you’re on a time-of-use rate, look at the rates and try to use electricity during the cheaper periods, and turn off appliances when they’re not in use.”

RA B IDA / AGG IE

BY S H RADDH A JH INGAN city@theaggie.org Starting March 27, Yolo County started permitting non-essential businesses “to process online and phone orders for home deliveries,” although the actual physical locations are required to remain shut for the public, according to a press release from Yolo County.

While residents of Yolo County continue to shelter-in-place under orders of Yolo County and the State of California, they may start needing non-essential items. Thus, “as an added layer to help keep residents at home and support local businesses during this time, non-essential businesses will be allowed to make home deliveries,” the press release reads.

Examples of non-essential businesses include restaurants with eat-in dining, sports good stores, thrift stores, sport games and more. A complete list of what is considered essential and non-essential can be found on Yolo County’s website.

Yolo County will continue to ensure that all residents have access to food through services like weekly food deliveries. For instance, the Food Bank will home-deliver a 45-pound box of food each week “to over 1000 homebound senior or medically vulnerable individuals.” There are other similar programs that will continue to operate, such as food delivery programs for homeless individuals, CalFresh and more.

Jenny Tan, the public information officer for Yolo County at the County Administrator’s Office, stressed the importance of continuing to support local businesses during this time.

“From ordering food to purchasing supplies or clothes from local businesses, either online or in person (if they are still physically open), now is the time to do it,” Tan said via email. “If you go anywhere in person, make sure to follow social distancing by staying 6 feet away from people or only touching what you are purchasing.”

Yolo County also released a list of resources in a presentation, which are aimed to help businesses and employees in Yolo County.

For example, staff from the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) will be available by phone from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

They will be able to answer general questions related to employment, communicate “updated job leads from local employers” and help with online job applications.

Additionally, HHSA will also be able to help local businesses by providing assistance pertaining to regional resources and Small Business Loans and having connections to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act or Rapid Response, as well as collecting data and answering more general questions.

On a larger scale, HHSA will also be assisting “local cities, regional employment partners and employment organizations.”

Such programs will help residents of Yolo County in a time where many of the daily lives of residents have been affected.

“From school to work to leisure, all of our lives have been drastically impacted,” Tan said via email. “People are home and have to think about things that they never really used to — like how to handle education for their children, how to work from home (if they are), and also how to stay positive in a time when we have to be physically alone.”

Not only have residents been impacted but so has the county. While staff of Yolo County who are able to work from home continue to do so, the Emergency Operations Center has also been activated, which is “a central command and control facility to carry out emergency preparedness and management”, according to Tan. Although non-essential businesses will still be allowed to process home delivery orders, Tan highlighted the importance of staying at home.

“Residents need to follow the stay at home order as much as possible,” Tan said via email.

“This is for the safety of everyone, including them. No matter your age or health, you can get COVID-19. Wearing a mask does NOT replace social distancing or the stay at home order.”

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020 | 5

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

Opinion THE

C ALIFORNIA A GGIE

E DI TO R I AL B OAR D KAELYN TUERMER-LEE Editor-in-Chief

The Aggie demands selection of its new editorin-chief be halted until adjustments are made All members of the Editorial Board, applicants for EIC ask Media Board to follow its own guidelines, commit to reform selection process

HANNAH HOLZER Managing Editor

KENTON GOLDSBY Campus News Editor

STELLA TRAN City News Editor

HANADI JORDAN Opinion Editor

CLAIRE DODD Features Editor

LIZ JACOBSON Arts & Culture Editor

DOMINIC FARIA Sports Editor

CECILIA MORALES Science & Tech Editor

HANNAN WALIULLAH New Media Manager

JUSTIN HAN Photo Director

SYDNEE RODRIGUEZ Design Director

ARIANA GREEN Layout Director

SABRINA HABCHI Copy Chief

ISABELLA BLOOM Copy Chief

ZOË REINHARDT Website Manager

SYDNEY ODMAN Social Media Manager

LAURIE PEDERSON Business Development Manager

Dear members of the UC Davis Media Board, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Life Sheri Atkinson and Chancellor Gary May, We are writing to let you know that all four prospective applicants for The California Aggie’s 2020–21 editor-in-chief (EIC) are refusing an interview for the position, as any selection made by Media Board would be in violation of its own bylaws. Furthermore, we ask you to immediately halt the current interview process for the selection of the next EIC of The Aggie until adjustments can be made and until discussions about reforming this inherently flawed process begin.

Many independent, autonomous student newspapers — including all other UC student newspapers — choose their own EIC with either minimal or no university staff input.

The Aggie’s EIC, in contrast, is chosen by the UC Davis Media Board, an advisory body to the administration. Campus Media Boards, created in the 1970s amid a UC-wide crackdown on campus press, were initially set up by order of the UC Regents “to oversee student publications, especially to serve as watchdogs over student newspapers,” according to an archived 1971 Aggie article. It currently operates under the delegation of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs out of the Office of the Chancellor.

Discussions around changing the EIC selection process are not new — Aggie staff and leadership have discussed reforms to the process for years. This year is a pivotal moment for The Aggie, when all current members of the Editorial Board are set to graduate and leave The Aggie. Now, more than ever, student input must be at the forefront of the EIC selection process. This is why The Aggie’s current EIC and managing editor twice requested that they participate in the selection process, additionally emphasizing that it should be completely reformed moving forward.

Both of these requests were met with resistance, as Media Board heads said allowing them into this process would violate its governing bylaws. We later learned — one day before EIC interviews were set to begin — that Media Board itself was operating in violation of its own bylaws by allowing the selection process to proceed without reaching quorum.

Media Board effectively decided that involving the two leaders of The Aggie, each with four years of experience on staff at The Aggie, and each with existing relationships with all four EIC applicants, would have disrupted the process, as the request was not pre-approved by Media Board, which meets only once a month. Media Board decided that the selection of the next EIC — a position that is vital to The Aggie’s operations for next year — could proceed as is: without meeting quorum, placing the selection of the EIC in the hands of only two UC Davis staff members, neither with any direct involvement in journalism.

In light of these circumstances, here are our grievances: Failure to meet quorum As stated in the Campus Media Board Guidelines, Media Board will “consist of seven (7) voting members, a non-voting chair, and ex officio members.” Those same guidelines also state that hiring decisions “shall require no fewer than four (4) affirmative votes from members present at all interviews for the position.” This year, there are only two voting members — one, an employee at UC Davis InnovationAccess, and the other, an employee at UC Davis Development & Alumni Relations. By failing to meet quorum and having two non-journalists vote to select the next EIC, Media Board has

delegitimized and disrespected the EIC selection process. It is inconceivable that two people, neither with any direct relation to nor knowledge of the applicants, were approved to select our next EIC, when it would be impossible for them to make a truly informed decision.

Upholding the bylaws to restrict important student input While we acknowledge that Media Board has bylaws to adhere to, it has upheld these guidelines selectively, turning a blind eye to essential points, like quorum requirements. Additionally, EIC interviews are scheduled to continue until April 16; therefore, Media Board has again failed to uphold its bylaws by failing to select the new EIC “no later than April 15,” according to its own guidelines.

We wonder: Why were Media Board members willing to proceed under the current circumstances — circumstances in violation of at least two points of its bylaws — yet unwilling to be flexible when The Aggie’s EIC and managing editor asked that they be included in this decision process?

In short, Media Board has refused to include substantial input from student leaders at The Aggie in this process (the current EIC is an ex officio member of Media Board). These students would provide invaluable perspective and insight, and they have forged personal and working relationships with EIC candidates. Letters of recommendation are not a replacement for sitting in on interviews and participating in the hiring process. Members of The Aggie are the ones who truly know the newspaper, inside and out, and these individuals should make any and all staff hiring decisions.

Reforming the process We feel that the students within a student organization, especially an independent, student-run newspaper, should be able to — and would be best equipped to — choose their next student leader. And the student staff members at other UC and university newspapers feel the same way. While they may have The Aggie’s best interests at heart, members of Media Board have not worked closely with any of the candidates, nor do they have any intimate knowledge of their work ethic, their relationships and dynamics with other staff members or their ability to take on the EIC position, which entails much additional responsibility.

While we recognize that reforming the selection process for EIC will be a continued discussion and take necessary time, we ask that quorum — a minimum four voting members — is obtained. The role of the EIC is extensive and, as such, each of the candidates deserves a legitimate interview.

Respectfully, The Editorial Board: Kaelyn Tuermer-Lee, Editor-in-Chief Hannah Holzer, Managing Editor Kenton Goldsby, Campus News Editor Stella Tran, City News Editor Hanadi Jordan, Opinion Editor Claire Dodd, Features Editor Liz Jacobson, Arts & Culture Editor Dominic Faria, Sports Editor Cecilia Morales, Science Editor All four applicants for EIC: Sabrina Habchi Margo Rosenbaum Anjini Venugopal Hannan Waliullah

Social distancing: helping your immunity, harming your health ALTHOUGH UNPRECEDENTED, WE CAN STILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS FREE TIME

BY KAC E Y C AIN klcain@ucdavis.edu Simple pleasantries such as small talk with a coworker, catching up with a friend over coffee or even hugging your loved one have become rare and almost entirely forbidden. As the number of COVID-19 cases rise, the importance of social distancing has become more apparent. Sheltering inside and only going out for essentials is intended to help flatten the curve. The more we avoid other people, the faster this deadly virus will go away. Introverts, like myself, have been preparing for a situation like this our whole lives. People who depend on social interaction, however, may be taking a mental hit during this pandemic. In the end though, we all might suffer immensely.

Some are lucky enough to be quarantined with their families, friends or partners; others, including myself, are not so lucky. In this isolation, many of us are already suffering from loneliness. FaceTime, Snapchat and other social media networks can only remotely bring us closer to our loved ones. As humans, we crave physical and organic connections with others, and this cannot be satisfied artificially. Unfortunately, however, social distancing has eliminated almost every mode of social interaction we have.

Schools are being navigated online, leisurely events are suspended or canceled and only businesses that have been deemed essential remain open. Busy streets have become ghost-like, and stores are left empty. The familiar has become unrecognizable, and the future is uncertain. Even a mentally and physically healthy person can be affected by these drastic changes.

The thought alone of this novel virus invading our bodies can increase the amount of anxiety a person may feel. Even more so, the shortage of household essentials and medical supplies amplifies feelings of uncertainty and stress. Each time we leave the house, we put ourselves at risk as the number of confirmed cases escalates.

As more businesses close, stress and anxiety surrounding financial security is also starting to set in for millions of people. On the other hand, those who are working on the front lines who cannot socially distance like the rest of us are being exposed the most everyday. Despite this, many essential workers have not been provided with hazard pay. In some way or another, it seems as though we are all experiencing a lack of safety and security.

The shelter-in-place order has led many of us to engage in an endless amount of scrolling on our phones. Even without the overwhelming amount of scientific evidence, we know that social media can be harmful to mental health. Especially now, seeing old pictures of how life used to be can send us into various states of depression. Setting high expectations for ‘self-care’ and ‘personal growth’ during this time may be unrealistic, leaving many of us feeling defeated if, by the end of this quarantine, we did not write a novel or become the fit and healthy person we had envisioned for ourselves.

TESSA KOGA / AGGIE

Although this truth may seem grim, there is a lot that can be done to boost more than just our immune systems. Reading a good book (or multiple), drawing or painting, listening to music or motivational podcasts, meditating, learning to cook and even taking a long overdue nap can help put our minds at ease. That said, this can’t replace true human interaction.

As humans, we are social by nature, and having to live during a time where in-person socialization is forbidden is truly unprecedented in modern day.

The silver lining in this grey cloud is that the cultural norms that have pushed us to always be in the fast lane and hurry through life have suddenly forced us to slow down. Perhaps this is an opportunity to reflect on the things we don’t always appreciate.

At the end of this, we will have learned to value the small things in life, such as full shelves of toilet paper, seeing and smiling at strangers on the street and sitting down at our favorite restaurants. There may seem to be no end in sight right now, but we should never lose hope.

Our immune systems may be at risk and our mental health may be taking a hit, but we should take advantage of this time to spend with our families or even with ourselves. Ironically, even though we must isolate alone and away from others, we are all in this together.

6 | THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

REMEMBER: THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS AT FAULT FOR THIS PANDEMIC

As Americans debate over the domestic response to the coronavirus pandemic, China is engaging in a deliberate misinformation campaign. Don’t fall for it.

J OEL L E TA H TA / AGGI E

BY B RA N D O N JE T T E R brjetter@ucdavis.edu The Chinese Communist Party has blood on its hands.

From ignoring and silencing whistleblowers, to downplaying social distancing during the initial outbreak to preventing doctors from consulting with infectious disease experts, China very clearly downplayed the Coronavirus risk.

Then, it engaged in a massive coverup of its odious response. In hopes of covering their trail, Chinese officials are now promoting the theory that the U.S. Army is to blame for the outbreak of the virus, just as xenophobic and racist messages about foreigners continue to circulate on Chinese social media.

In the meantime, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has doubled down on disseminating

its own propaganda. In a campaign described by one European Union chief diplomat as a “struggle for influence through spinning and the ‘politics of generosity,’” China is actively exporting medical supplies and doctors to the most devastated European countries.

Simultaneously, it is also sowing discord among competing democratic governments. Even the very equipment that China has so generously donated has wound up widely useless, with the vast majority of tools proving defective. Of the countries receiving aid from China, Spain, the Netherlands and Turkey are reporting that their China-produced equipment is essentially useless.

To add insult to injury, these donations came with a price tag.

The response from international organizations has likewise proved disappointing.

The World Health Organization (WHO),

for example, appears to be acting increasingly in the interest of the Chinese government.

When pressed by the Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK last month about granting membership status to Taiwan, Dr. Bruce Aylward, the colead of the WHO-China joint mission on COVID-19, cowardly faked technical difficulties to avoid answering the question. When the call reconnected, the RTHK reporter asked Aylward about Taiwan’s efforts in containing the virus, at which point Aylward refused to acknowledge the country’s sovereignty and immediately hung up.

Only days later, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom falsely accused Taiwan of encouraging racist rhetoric against himself and the organization, apparently in a ploy to demonize Taiwanese dissidents. The accusation, of course, comes as China has taken note of the West’s rhetorical obsession with racialization, effectively weaponizing wokeness, by using baseless accusations of bigotry as a means of absolving themselves of responsibility.

Elsewhere, WHO’s incompetence is on full display. In fact, WHO still has a tweet up from Jan. 14, 2020, claiming that Chinese officials have found no evidence of human-to-human transmission of COVID-19. The statement, which is either a blatant lie or an example of gross incompetence, would be hilarious for its sheer absurdity, were it not for the millions — if not billions — of lives at stake.

Despite China’s disregard for the truth, a number of groups in the U.S. continue to play the role of useful idiots for Beijing. Twitter, for example, is allowing a deliberate misinformation campaign by Chinese officials to continue on its platform. Many in the American media also seem reluctant to focus on the role of China in the early stages of this crisis.

Although I’m not very supportive of the notion that crude graffiti is an effective method of protest, it was still incredibly perplexing

when The California Aggie described an image as “xenophobic,” especially considering the depiction in question specifically mentioned the Chinese Communist Party — not Chinese citizens — as a threat to society.

In some regard, this makes sense. Indeed, it can be conceded that as Americans, it is certainly more beneficial to our general public to critique our domestic response first. It is our responsibility to hold our government officials accountable before we opt to intervene in the affairs of others.

In the end, however, the U.S. must also adopt a universal approach that holds all actors accountable. The CCP currently operates a racist and oppressive regime, one which is currently ethnically cleansing millions of Uyghur Muslims and suppressing political dissidents everywhere from Hong Kong to Tibet. This is not a government that should be allowed to consolidate any sort of international power.

Ultimately, the reality is that there will be blowback from this affair, irrespective of whether the American pundit class is willing to acknowledge the Chinese government’s initial mishandling of the virus outbreak. The current pandemic is a cataclysmic event that will devastate the global world order as we know it. It will bring about a skepticism of globalism that, while probably coming short of an embrace of full-on autarky, will likely see the U.S. and other Western countries abandon their total reliance on Chinese supply lines.

The political ramifications will be felt in the U.S. sooner rather than later. And the inability of both American politicians and the international community to hold the Chinese government accountable for their role in the crisis leaves us vulnerable to the issue being hijacked, whether it be by opportunistic demagogues or war-hungry neoconservatives — both would gladly take up the reigns of the aggressor.

FINDING MY PUNJABI ROOTS THROUGH FASHION Fashion is not just an outward display of culture, but a way to connect to it M A R I O R O D R I G UE Z / AGGI E

BY S I M RA N KA L KAT skkalkat@ucdavis.edu Wedding season is generally a happy time for all, but it’s especially meaningful for Punjabis.

It’s a chance to finally see family from various continents who we haven’t seen in years, party for a straight week and, of course, show off our newest fashion grabs from the last trip to Punjab.

I grew up in the Bay Area, which is a very culturally and ethnically diverse part of the country. Walking into Safeway with the brightest salwar-kameez suit, a traditional female garb, might have felt odd, but it usually wasn’t uncomfortable. Every Sunday, my dad took my brother and me to the gurdwara and on the way

back, we always stopped by the city library. I was an abnormally tall and wiry 10-year-old in a Punjabi suit carrying a school bag full of books, but I wasn’t the only one. I was used to seeing grandmothers gathering at the park in the summer evenings wearing their everyday salwarkameez suits, and girls like me going to grocery stores, libraries, restaurants and other places in our Punjabi clothes.

Because I grew up outside Punjab, fashion became one of the few things with which I could immediately connect to my heritage. Fashion’s impact is unique because of how tangible and physical it is.

Of course, growing up there were still stories from my parents and grandparents, movies

to watch, music to listen to, as well as a very present and physical community, that helped me stay grounded to my roots. I learned to read and write Punjabi when I was in elementary school. My grandparents had strict Punjabi-only conversations when they called to ensure that we wouldn’t lose the language as we began learning English at school. But fashion was perhaps one of the most glaring and obvious visual symbols of my culture.

Being surrounded by Punjabi attire at gurdwaras or Punjabi gatherings reminded me that although I may not physically be in Punjab, its culture is still an important part of my identity. Fashion may seem trivial, but it can wordlessly showcase a beautiful and powerful segment of culture.

The most important part of Punjabi fashion for me, however, goes beyond the scope of style and new clothing. Unlike the jeans and sweaters that I buy at the mall, almost all of my Punjabi clothes were bought on trips to Punjab. I’ve only made two visits in my memory and in both visits, my mom and grandma blocked an entire week just to go shopping for new suits. These suits range from party wear to everyday casual clothing.

On our last trip, almost eight years ago, we spent an entire day walking through Jalandhar’s Rainak Bazar going from one fabric store to another. My mom and grandma led the way through the narrow and bustling alleyways of the bazar, a well-functioning scene of chaos. Jewelry and fabric stores occupied every square foot of the bazar, and the limited spaces between the shops were overtaken by small business vendors calling out to shoppers to buy their jewelry or garments.

I loved seeing my mom and grandma spend hours searching for the perfect clothing and

designs in every fabric store and tailor’s boutique.

But in retrospect, what I loved most was walking through the crowded bazar with my mom the way she must have done with my grandma years ago. Shopping in the clothing markets of Jalandhar wasn’t so much about finding new clothes to wear as it was about spending time with my mom and grandmother in boutiques bursting with the colors and patterns of Punjabi culture.

This is what makes Punjabi fashion all the more special to me. My chunnis, or scarves, weren’t picked off a shelf to match with my salwar-kameez — my mom and grandmother picked out the fabric and chose the colors and patterns that would be dyed onto the chunni.

And whereas I saw most of the unstitched fabric for the suits as just a roll of pretty designs, my mom and grandmother somehow crafted in their minds a beautiful suit to be tailored with a perfect and unique style. Every detail on my suit was chosen and made with care and consideration, instead of being picked off a department store shelf.

Fashion is one of the many unique ways I have been able to connect with my heritage — this is the same for many others, whether of the Punjabi diaspora or not. What I love most is the community of support, especially the sisterhood that I have seen on social media among other young Punjabis who may have never met, but proudly flaunt and incorporate elements of Punjabi fashion into their identity.

Punjabi fashion stands out in Western communities, but that’s precisely the point: Its bright colors are made to be seen, and its unique patterns are meant to draw attention. It’s a reminder of the powerful impact that fashion and art can have in finding our community.

HUMOR

TRUMP: “HOW VIETNAM AND SYPHILIS PREPARED ME FOR CORONAVIRUS” Testimony of a testy man being put to the test on testing J OE LL E TA H TA / AG GI E

BY B EN JA M I N P O RT E R bbporter@ucdavis.edu Fresh out of the fiery, flaming, burning, blazing pizza oven that is the White House’s daily coronavirus press briefing, President Donald Trump emerged red hot, bothered, salty, cheesy, crusty, slightly charred, covered in tomato sauce and without olives — not even an olive branch for journalists and healthcare workers. Luckily, The California Aggie’s very own reporter R.E. Porter and cameraman Cam Raman were lying in wait for our lyre (not fiddle) playing liar of a president with oven mitts, a heavy duty stainless steel pizza slicer and a professional-grade, 26-inch perforated anodized aluminum non-stick pizza peel with a varnished wooden heritage handle — everything needed for an exclusive interview with the commander-in-chief.

Will these chic culinary contraptions help

our team to carefully handle his spicy ego, cool him off, smack some sense into him and actually get some answers about his response to the pandemic? Or will the pressure make him heat up again and revert back to his same hyperdefensive responses from the press briefings?

Mr. Trump: My God, it’s like a goddamn warzone out there! So many vicious, horrible questions. When you think about it, I should — are you listening? — should really be considered a wartime president for the attacks I have to deal with from you people in the media. It’s like, uh, not nice.

R.E. Porter: Well alright then sir, but we’re actually here to talk more about the coronavirus pandemic, which you — Mr. Trump: Oh Jesus here you go again...

R.E. Porter: You already said that this pandemic makes you a “wartime president.” We would just like to know more about how your

approach has changed since March 18, a month ago, when you made those remar— Mr. Trump: Yeah, I view it as, I’m a wartime president. It’s a war, and I have a lot of wartime experience that has prepared me for this. I basically was in Vietnam, okay?

R.E. Porter: I was under the impression that you got a medical deferment and were not in Vietnam. What are you refer— Mr. Trump: When I was on Howard Stern in 1998, I said that dating and avoiding STDs was like Vietnam: “It’s my personal Vietnam. I feel like a great and very brave soldier…..”

R.E. Porter [nonverbally via eyebrows]: Did he just say that?

Cam Raman [barely audible]: F*****g s**t….

Cam Raman [fourth wall break]: Whoops, I’m gonna have to edit out my voice right there, aren’t I? Mr. Trump: ….and since Howard asked me if I ever had sex with Anna Nicole Smith, I said, “If I had sex with a number of women that I’m supposed to have had sex with, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now. I’d be dead!”

R.E. Porter: Yeah okay sir, uh... do you really think it’s appropriate to feed into stigmatization around people with STDs like this, Mr. President?

This is really not the most tasteful or appropriate way to talk about these iss— Mr. Trump: Well maybe you should try to stop stigmatizing all these poor people that are sick with the coronavirus by social distancing from them. You know, convincing everyone that we have to do this is such — probably, and believe me, I have a hunch — such an overreaction, and now these sick folks will be stigmatized and blamed for destroying our economy when it’s really the dishonest people in the media like you.

R.E. Porter: Mr. President, I think that’s a bit rash of you. And we’ve drifted very far astray from what this interview was supposed to be about.

Healthcare workers are still very concerned about the severe lack of coronavirus testing. As Dr. Amy Cho recently said on CNN, without testing, we are “flying blind” and “have to continue to burn through extensive amounts of personal protective equipment” in order to prevent “increasing our risk of exposures to healthcare workers, as well as to the general public.” She added that “We need the testing. Most states across the country are limiting testing to healthcare workers and to hospitalized patients because we have to ration our supp—” Mr. Trump: No, no, no, I’m not being rash, there’s no rash, there’s no rationing. You’re not a very good reporter, are you? You asked me what my approach is and I’m simply telling you how Vietnam and syphilis prepared me for coronavirus. Look, I never worry about personal protection, okay? And I’ve never gotten anything.

But I know everything about it from what people are saying and that prepared me. Just like I told Howard, “It’s almost like I won the lottery thus far in life. I’m very lucky in that way.” That’s why I’m not worrying about corona testing now, even though I tested negative anyway. And that’s why I don’t think testing is a problem anymore.

R.E. Porter: Why are you saying this when we know from your phone call with governors that Montana Governor Steve Bullock said they are struggling with contact tracing because they don’t have adequate testing? He said, “Literally we are one day away, if we don’t get test kits from the CDC, that we wouldn’t be able to do testing in Mont—” Mr. Trump: I’m gonna tell you what I told Steve, and that’s that I haven’t heard about testing in weeks. And as I already said during the briefing, “The models show hundreds of thousands of people are going to die. I want to come way under the models.

TESTING on 11

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020 | 7

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

IF THIS IS THE END OF CHILDISH GAMBINO, IT’S A BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE — A REVIEW OF “3.15.20” Glover’s most recent album is filled with honest, beautiful, self-assured self-doubt

CULTURE CORNER

The Arts Desk’s weekly picks for television, movies, novels, music

J OE LL E TA H TA / AGGI E

BY ALLIE B AILE Y arts@theaggie.org

TV Show(ish): Bon Appétit’s YouTube Channel With this fantastic channel online, it’s officially acceptable to go down the YouTube rabbit hole. The Test Kitchen members are all charming and extremely talented, each offering some culinary specialty, making this channel so special. There is a creative range of content for a food channel, with unparalleled mini-series and, of course, mouth-watering recipes. My favorite series is “Reverse Engineering with Chris Morocco,” where the test kitchen director and supertaster can only smell, taste and touch food — no looking — before trying to recreate it exactly. “Gourmet Makes” with contributing food editor Claire Saffitz is a close second. Saffitz makes gourmet versions of popular snacks and candy, from Takis to Twix.

Movie: “21” dir. By Robert Luketic

BY HA N N A H HOLZE R arts@theaggie.org For years, Donald Glover, the singer, rapper, actor and altogether wildly gifted artistic creator, has hinted at plans to retire “Childish Gambino,” the musical stage name under which he performs.

As a long-time fan, I can sympathize with Glover’s desire to separate from his Gambino persona. The transformations of both Glover and his Gambino persona are jarring — of Glover in his role as Troy Barnes on “Community” to his role as Earnest “Earn” Marks on “Atlanta,” and of Gambino from his early “I Am Just A Rapper” days, rapping over indie-pop favorites like Grizzly Bear’s “Two Weeks” and Sleigh Bells’ “Crown On The Ground” to his politically pointed and poignant “This is America.” Yet, the refinement and maturity of his artistic talent in these processes is blatant and undeniable.

This is perhaps why I wasn’t fully sold on his new album “3.15.20” upon first listen — I couldn’t quite find Childish Gambino in the album. It felt different — it was different — and I didn’t know what to make of it.

In early Childish Gambino work, there is an endearing, albeit juvenile, unsorted eccentricity.

In the song “Lights On” from his 2011 album “EP,” he references (among other things) the clothing brand Gap, the Pokémon Raichu, the disinfectant brand Lysol, the 2010 film “The Social Network,” the SuperBowl, Vulture magazine, Cameron Diaz and Alex Rodriguez. It’s funny, but it’s also chaotic.

After I listened to “3.15.20” once, and then a dozen times, and then on an endless loop, I found Childish Gambino, still wildly anxious as ever, but now so composed.

“Childish Gambino [...] vividly conveys his anxieties regarding racism, aging, mass incarceration, climate change, parenthood and how people can’t walk down the street without tripping anymore because they’re always staring at their phones,” writes Los Angeles Times Music Critic Mikael Wood in his review of the album.

The album opens with “0.00,” seemingly meant as a preface to the rest of the album, rather than a stand-alone single. “3.15.20” is meant to be listened to in its carefully arranged progression, as the songs flow into one another.

The more astute observer might notice that tracks four through 12 are titled with the minute and second mark, indicative of where they begin in the 57-minute album. (Apparently I am not an astute observer, because a friend of mine had to explain it to me after some confusion on my end.)

The second and third songs, “Algorhythm” and “Time,” the only tracks titled with words, are two perfectly polar yet on-brand examples of Childish Gambino’s sound. “Algorhythm” is an ominous track about technology addiction and dependence, reminiscent in style and message to “II. Earth: The Oldest Computer” from his 2013 album (and my personal favorite) “Because The Internet.” “Time,” however, sets a completely different tone: It’s upbeat, pop-y and even features Ariana Grande. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t roll my eyes at some of the more banal lyrics in this track (“Maybe all the stars in the night are really dreams”).

Twelve minutes and 38 seconds into the album — at the track “12.38” — the album goes from forgettable to classic. As the kids say: This track slaps. It’s clever, addictive and classic Gambino. The sound change around the five-minute mark is flawlessly executed and reminds me of tracks like Frank Ocean’s “Nights” and Tyler, The Creator’s “GONE, GONE / THANK YOU,” which also incorporate seamless transitions toward the end of their run-times.

“12.38” is a musical narration of a sexual encounter enhanced or otherwise influenced by drugs. At one particularly memorable point, Childish Gambino asks: “Ayy, why your cat lookin’ at me sideways?” Then, playing the part of his female companion, he sing-croons “Sing to her.” “I said, ‘nah, I’ll put on the radio though.’”

It’s a familiar integration of humor with music (Glover is also a comedian), but in a much more secure and relaxed way than before.

The end of “12.38” explodes into “19.10,” an energetic and easy-to-listen-to track. He recounts when, at age six, his father told him he was “gorgeous,” but “To be beautiful is to be hunted.”

This is one of the first nods in the album to parental encouragement and advice, but it’s not the last.

NE WG AMB INO on 11

One of my favorites, this exciting and brainy movie follows a college kid who finds his way into an underground math club of sorts. Kevin Spacey plays a professor by day and Vegas gambler by night who leads the cohort of math students into a casino card-counting scheme. A little action, a little romance and some complex math come together for a well-rounded and enjoyable watch.

Book(ish): “Cat Person” by Kristen Roupenian This short story quickly gained popularity after being published in The New Yorker in 2017, landing Roupenian a well-deserved book deal. The story depicts a young woman hesitantly entering a relationship with an older man and details the unfortunately common experience of finding yourself stuck in a romantic situation.

The success of “Cat Person” can be attributed to how much this tale resonates with many women. The way the story highlights the power dynamics within relationships and the urgency of enthusiastic consent make this a must read. (Seriously, I couldn’t recommend this more!)

Album: “It Is What It Is” by Thundercat Thundercat, born Stephen Lee Bruner, recently released his third album “It Is What It Is” and it did not disappoint. He uniquely blends funk, jazz and electronica (among others) into an enticing sound that you can’t help but move to. My favorites from the new album include the star-studded “Black Qualls” with Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington and Childish Gambino, as well as ”Dragonball Durag,” which features thought-provoking lyrics such as “I may be covered in cat hair // But I still smell good.” Bruner described the album as “a bit tongue-in-cheek,” letting us know that we can sit back and enjoy the records for what they are and sending one of my favorite messages: It’s not always that deep.

THE LAST DECADE’S BEST MOVIE SOUNDTRACKS

From Reznor and Ross to Zimmer KATHER IN E FR A N KS / AG GIE

FOUR UC DAVIS PROFESSORS SHARE THEIR FAVORITE MOVIES

French films, zombies and Burton, oh my!

KIYOMI WATSON / AGGIE

BY ANDRE W W ILLIA MS arts@theaggie.org

BY ITZ ELT H G A MB OA arts@theaggie.org With a little extra time on our hands, this may be one of the only quarters where watching a movie as a small distraction is completely acceptable. The list below includes four professors’ favorite movies. Although we may not be physically with them during lecture, we can be with them in spirit by watching some of their “faves,” as Political Science Professor Jaime Jackson put it.

Communication Professor Virginia Hamilton — “Thelma and Louise” directed by Ridley Scott “Thelma and Louise” follows two women trying to take a short break from reality with a fishing trip but end up running from the law for murder. How did a small, serene trip end up with a flee to Mexico?

“It makes me laugh, it makes me cry, it makes me angry, it makes me happy,” Hamilton said via email. “It thrusts the dark side of sexism into our faces and yet we get to be thoroughly entertained as we ride through all the emotional dynamics.

It is extremely well-written and all of the actors are excellent.”

Although Hamilton can pointedly recall how many times she’s watched this movie (four), she can’t decide which character is her favorite.

“[Thelma and Lousie] are each other’s half of a whole,” Hamiton said. “I love Thelma because of her innocence, femininity, honesty, and the personal growth she achieved during her ‘adventure.’ I love Louise because of her responsibility, strength, conviction to principles, and her ultimate radical acceptance of that which she cannot change.”

Among many other awards it received, the movie won both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Screenplay. It is labelled an Adventure/Crime movie, but Hamilton describes the film as political.

“It exposes the range of privileges ‘the system’ bestows upon men at the expense of women,” Hamilton said. “However I think everyone should watch the movie because it is both seriously important and highly entertaining at the same time.”

“Thelma and Louise” can be rented on Amazon Prime.

American Studies Professor Megan Bayles — “Beetlejuice” directed by Tim Burton This 1988 classic follows a newly-wed (and newly-deceased) couple that haunt their home, stuck in limbo for what seems like forever.

PRO FMOVIE S on 11

Cinema is a sentimental itch. It’s the lasting tug when you leave the theater that forces you to take an extra couple moments out of your day to reflect. An invaluable asset in cultivating this pull is the score of the film, which, when done right, mimics the emotional palette and accentuates the tone. This past decade was iconic for film scoring, as world-class veterans like Hans Zimmer continued to build on their illustrious career while other newcomers like Justin Hurwitz and Nicholas Brittel burst into the spotlight. In the spirit of shelter-in-place, I thought I would take a stroll down memory lane and share a list of my favorite scores from the 2010s.

“Interstellar” (2014) This list could consist solely of Hans Zimmer’s pieces, but I settled on the score set to Christopher Nolan’s science fiction film “Interstellar.”

Zimmer worked closely with Nolan and spent over two years crafting the score. The focal point of the arrangement is an organ — a grand 1926 four-manual Harrison & Harrison organ located at the 12th-century Temple Church in London, to be precise. From a shuddering boom to bright wistful notes, the array of sounds it produces is mind-boggling. Mirroring Nolan’s obsession with time, Zimmer uses the tick, tick, tick of a clock hand alongside the organ. Tracks like “No Time for Caution” and “Mountains” leave listeners feeling like they’re peering into an endless void of the unknown. In the presence of the grand organ mixed with the unnerving ticking clock, Zimmer beckons you to jump, to fling yourself into space and revel in the unknown. And yet within this aura of isolation, there is also an undeniably human characteristic. Zimmer described the organ as having a living, breathing presence with tangible exhales at every note. The score expertly moves between that of religious reverence for the universe and innate curiosity in spirit.

“Moonlight” (2016) Nicholas Brittel features as the composer for the 2016 Best Picture winner “Moonlight.”

Brittel takes an unconventional approach to the soundtrack, employing a chop and screw production method to give it a mesmerizing woozy effect. The audience walks through the upbringing of Chiron, also known as “Little” — an impoverished black boy from the outskirts of Miami — in three distinct life stages, as he struggles with his own sexuality and environmental hardships, like an abusive mother and adolescent bullying. Brittel’s solemn backtracking conveys the emotional plight of Chiron and the internal confusion of adolescence and growing up. Behind a grounding solemn piano, the audience also hears a nervous violin sputtering in distress. Given the intimate cinematography, Brittel imbued the movie with a backing that resonates on the same wavelength as Little, representing his internal world and giving color to the little boy’s conflict between identity and surrounding expectations.

“La La Land” (2016) Ah yes, what kind of list would this be without the dizzying talents of composer Justin Hurwitz? Perhaps the most talked about film of 2016, “La La Land” fixed itself to its soundtrack, and for that reason, Hurwitz had to get it right. The jazz-infused sounds with more classical musical numbers complement the stunning, highly-saturated visuals. Tracks like “Planetarium” exude giddy weightlessness that mimic the onscreen gravity-defying dancing of actors Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. People have been humming and tapping along with Hurwitz’s score since its release and will continue to do so for years to come.

“Inception” (2010) Yes, Zimmer graces the list once again with “Inception.” The track “Time,” when paired with the iconic ending top scene, is almost good enough to propel the track to the top of this list by itself. Zimmer, once again working with director Christopher Nolan, crafts an auditory landscape that underscores the introspective, often unsettling themes of the Academy Award-winning film.

TOP SOUNDTR ACKS on 1 1

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

8 | THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020

HOW THE DAVIS FARMERS MARKET AND THE COMMUNITY ARE ADJUSTING

Managers discuss current state of the market, its importance to the community

The Davis Farmerws Market continues to to serve the community during the statewide shelter-in place order. (Photo by Timothy Li / Aggie)

BY LYRA FA RREL L features@theaggie.org With the on-campus Davis Farmers Market canceled entirely and the city side of the market maintaining strict regulations to ensure safety amid the virus, the dynamic of Davis’ only farmers market has changed drastically, but its importance to the community has become greater, according to its executive director, Randii MacNear.

“Many, many people have told us, ‘Thank goodness [you’re] open,’” MacNear said. “They would rather come to an open-air market where they know who grew the food [and] who’s han-

dled the food.”

Linda Adams, who manages the now-canceled campus side of the market, believes that farmers markets have become more valuable to the community because of the sense of normalcy they add to routines.

“I think they’ve become more valuable because it’s a piece of normal,” Adams said. “Even though I may not be able to go down to Central Park and camp on the lawn with my family and friends, [...] and even though I have to point at the piece of broccoli I want instead of picking it up and looking at it, and even though I have to wear a mask, it’s a piece of what I do normally.”

In addition to samples no longer being

distributed and sellers having to pass out condiments, communal sitting spaces have been eliminated. Farmers Market visitors are meant to make their purchases as quickly as possible and spend little time there.

“They’re coming and they’re shopping and they’re leaving and that’s good,” MacNear said.

“Definitely nobody is sitting in the park, nobody is sitting on the benches. They have gotten that message.”

Although the market is taking many precautions, allowing the community to safely continue shopping for local produce, the social component of the market isn’t the same as it was, according to MacNear.

“Step by step, minute by minute, we’re trying to create the most accurate and successful and efficient shopping experience for people, but it is very weird not to have any visiting, not to really have any chatting,” MacNear said.

Although there may be a strangeness to the limited social interactions among visitors and sellers, farmers aren’t struggling to sell produce.

“We’ve had some interesting surprises — the farmers are doing fantastic and there’s really no slowing in sales in the farmers’ products,” MacNear said.

Although the small number of students living on campus aren’t affected greatly by the campus side of the market closing as they can still go to the regular market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, its cancellation is affecting students like fourth-year clinical nutrition major Janina Larsen, who is currently interning as an assistant for a registered dietician at UC Davis who helps oversee the campus side of the market.

“My internship does not apply to the downtown market, so I no longer do that, which breaks my heart,” Larsen said. “You can ask any one of my friends how much joy the Farmers Market brings me, and they will attest that it is a lot.

Luckily, I still get to write the weekly newsletters and attend the downtown market as a customer, so I am very grateful for that.”

Larsen sends out weekly Farmers Market newsletters, which include healthy recipes, encouraging people to continue supporting the downtown location. She also helps run an Instagram account that promotes sellers and features in-season produce.

“We hope that the students miss us as much as we miss them,” MacNear said. “We really want to see them come back, when they get back.

We’re just very honored that the students love us so much and that they feel so at home at the market.”

GOOD NEWS: NEWBORN ANIMALS, GOODIE BAGS, INTUITIVE EATING, MORE AS AGGIES COUNT THEIR BLESSINGS UC Davis students, faculty spread positivity through survey distributed by The California Aggie, responses compiled below

A community member leaves spare supplies and snacks for delivery personnel. (Courtesy)

BY CL A I RE D O D D features@theaggie.org There is no denying the inconvenient truth that, due to the impacts of COVID-19, the global community and the lives of its citizens may be considerably different for the foreseeable future.

Given the constant broadcast of virus-related news and updates, good news might seem few and far between.

The California Aggie, in an effort to spread cheer amid difficult times, asked members of the UC Davis community to share positive news

either experienced first-hand or witnessed while sheltering-in-place. More than several Aggies were willing to share exciting or uplifting tidbits, and The Aggie sorted through the responses, ultimately choosing to share responses that would be most valuable to the community at-large.

The following responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Familial cheer “Amid all the craziness, my sister gave birth to a baby boy! It was crazy to see this new human experiencing everything for the first time, tragic to see him be welcomed into such a disintegrat-

ing world. I soon realized, within tragedy lies new lives, lies small happy moments, that come together and make us strong enough to face tomorrow.”

“I’ve been able to video chat with my grandmother a lot more! I’m an out of state student, so it’s hard to communicate with my family due to the time difference (especially those that don’t know how to text or use social media). My grandmother and I have been video chatting, and I’ve been teaching her how to hold the phone so I can see her whole face and not just her forehead.

She’s also been learning emojis. They grow up so fast! She taught me how to make her famous tuna salad the other day and she flipped her camera and everything!”

“Our family is focusing on the positive — more time to spend with each other. Our lives were incredibly busy, heading here and there all the time. Suddenly, we have come to a screeching halt. We can sit and just talk in the quiet moments of the morning, or in the afternoon after we have finished Zoom for the day. We hope to be able to look back and not forget the value of this time once we are up and running again!”

Spring has sprung!

“There are several babies being born in the campus barns — foals, lambs, kids and piglets.

Vegetables and flowers are still growing in our fields, and spring continues to share its beauty.

Life outside continues to thrive even as we shelter-in-place.”

“The swell in SoCal is picking up!”

“In one week, we are getting a new puppy to

love — a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. We are naming her ‘Aggie!’”

“Quarantined at home allows me to actually be able to keep an eye on two of my horses that are due with babies soon. I might actually get to be there for the births!”

“Being from the Bay Area, we’ve actually gotten a good amount of rain recently. Initially, it was a huge bummer, but [it] turned out to be so worth it because now the hills are greener than ever. Nothing beats taking my dogs out to adventure in the freshly blooming hills after a Zoom class.”

Creating personal definitions of self-discovery and fulfillment “I have finally reached a point in my life where I fully accept and understand that I am queer. With each day, I gain more pride because I continue to be myself, unapologetically.”

“I have free time to start learning [computer science]. I never thought I would be able to learn it, but I took it upon myself to do so this quarter.”

“Every day, I’ve been running with my hometown best friend — six feet apart, obviously! I honestly used to be self-conscious [about] running and tried to go early in the mornings to avoid seeing people, but going with her has really helped build my confidence. I never thought I’d run this much in my life and actually feel good doing it.”

GOODNEWS on 11

TO STAY OR NOT TO STAY: THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON HOUSING DECISIONS Five students discuss making their decision about where to live during Spring Quarter TE SSA KO G A / AG G I E

BY A N JI N I V E N U GO PA L features@theaggie.org The changes to Spring Quarter instruction required students to make a number of decisions, one of which was whether or not they would stay in Davis. Amid a pandemic that has resulted in an unprecedented amount of online and remote work, students have had to prioritize their physical and mental health and practice social distancing while simultaneously making decisions about academics, extracurricular commitments and where to live. Five UC Davis undergraduate students shared what went into their decisions.

In an update on March 20, Student Housing and Dining Services recommended that students living in the residence halls return to their permanent residences if possible. With a goal of reducing campus density, SHDS also said that they might move students who chose to stay in order to “consolidate students to one area for operational efficiency, to help support Social Distancing Requirements, or to provide a safe, isolated

space for any students that may fall ill.”

SHDS also offered a full refund for students who canceled their housing contract and moved out by March 25 and a prorated refund for students moving out after that.

First-year global disease biology major Maya Reihanian chose to stay in Davis because she felt that she would be more productive than if she were at home. She went home for Spring Break and returned to Davis the Saturday before Spring Quarter began.

“Being home, I just wouldn’t be able to complete my classes,” Reihanian said via email.

“Davis is a more productive environment, and I genuinely do better there than I would have at home.”

Reihanian, who lives in Segundo, said her roommate moved out. She noted that Davis feels “empty,” but she is trying to stay positive by staying in touch with all her friends and trying to stay lively in her dorm. The biggest change she has observed is that the Dining Commons, which are operating with a to-go service model for students

staying on campus, no longer allow seating nor do they allow students to serve themselves.

“It’s super weird, but I have gotten way closer to the staff at the DC,” Reihanian said. “The staff has been so kind and caring, and they genuinely brighten up my day. They always say ‘Hi’ and make sure everyone is [doing] well given the circumstances.”

Second-year mechanical engineering major Shivansh Bhatnagar, on the other hand, chose to return home to India. After learning that Winter Quarter finals were online, he talked to his parents, who suggested that he return home. In trying to plan for the remainder of the year, Bhatnagar felt more confused than anything else.

“I was just concerned about the logistics of things because I was going to be in a time zone 12-and-a-half hours ahead,” Bhatnagar said. “I was just trying to figure it out. You know, how would I stay up all night to take my finals and all throughout Spring Quarter?”

Based on how the situation was in the U.S. and India, Bhatnagar decided to leave on March 13. The plan was to finish taking his finals and then figure out what to do about Spring Quarter — his return ticket was booked for early August because of the student visa he has, which requires him to return to the U.S. within five months of exiting. Bhatnagar had an internship planned for the summer, but it seems probable that the company will no longer have any interns this summer based on the situation.

Despite being 12-and-a-half hours ahead, Bhatnagar has been attending his online lectures, discussions and labs live, which means that his academic weeks start at 1 a.m. on Monday night, which is 12:30 p.m. on Monday in California, and finish at 7:30 a.m.

“I’ve been trying to sleep in between classes and try to get as much sleep as possible during the day,” Bhatnagar said. “The classes aren’t hard, it’s more of me trying to balance my [studying] plus homework plus attending lectures.”

Unless it takes a toll on his health, Bhatnagar plans to continue attending all of his classes as they are being taught. He has only talked to one of his professors about being in a different time

zone and was told that lectures are recorded and not mandatory to attend in real time. However, there’s not much that can be done with regards to discussion sections and lab. Bhatnagar was told that his best option was to switch into a lab and discussion at a different time, something he can’t do because of conflicts with other courses.

“I had a lab yesterday which started at four in the morning and went up till 5:00 a.m.,” Bhatnagar said. “All we did was watch a video while we were all in Zoom — that doesn’t make sense to me. If I’m not actually doing the stuff, I’m not going to be remembering it. I get that they have to make us do something [...] but at the same time, it doesn’t make sense to me to just sit here at 4 a.m. and watch a video when I’d much rather be sleeping.”

Bhatnagar thinks that a possible solution is to allow international students in different time zones to watch recorded lab sections and be more lenient about attendance.

Second-year psychology major Jacob Diaz has not left Davis since Winter Quarter. During Week 10, his finals were all canceled or made optional. Since he was satisfied with his grades, he chose to not take any of them.

“I had time to go shopping and I decided to get about two weeks’ worth of stuff and just hibernate,” Diaz said via email. “Shortly after that, I started to feel sick and I got a call from my parents asking me if I wanted them to pick me up.

I ultimately decided that it would be best for me to not go home so that I do not spread my illness or waste the food that I bought.”

Diaz stayed in Davis through Spring Break and plans to remain there for the quarter. He said Davis is “tranquil, so not much has changed in that regard.” He added that he makes an effort to bike to get groceries instead of taking the bus, but other than that nothing has been too much of a change.

Diaz said the beginning of the quarter was a bit rough because he didn’t know how to use Zoom and because he didn’t have a good idea of the classes he was taking for the quarter.

R EAD FULL ARTI CLE ONLI NE

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

Sudoku

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

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020 | 9

Answer to previous puzzle

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

10 |THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020

COMFORT IN MUSIC: HOW TWO UC DAVIS PROGRAMS ARE SPREADING MUSIC DESPITE THE VIRUS

UC Davis Department of Music and KDVS radio station share their work to continue music

KAT H E R I N E F R A N KS / AGGI E

BY S OP HI E D EWE E S features@theaggie.org This story is the second installation of The California Aggie’s two-part digital art series. Part one can be found here.

Making a drum out of two wooden spoons and a pan might not seem like the most obvious reaction to COVID-19. But in Italy, singing from balconies and playing instruments made from kitchenware with neighbors provides a way to stay connected during the global pandemic.

These flash mobs against coronavirus are just one of the many ways people around the world are still creating and spreading music. Here in Davis, the UC Davis Music Department and the campus radio station KDVS are working to continue their art in any way they can, from uploading archived work to developing new content remotely.

Music department: Performance art and its digital dilemma The UC Davis Department of Music is holding music courses online, including performance-based classes. According to Phil Daley, the Music Department’s events and publicity manager, many classes that would normally put

on performances, such as concert band or orchestra, have been converted into classes focusing on studying music history, technique and performances by other groups.

“In music, there’s so much more historical context that we can study in the interim, so we can better inform our performances,” Daley said.

Although performances will not be held according to the original schedule for Spring Quarter 2020, Daley is hoping the department will be able to have a small festival in the summer to showcase the many music ensembles at UC Davis. In the meantime, Daley is working to provide musical content and thoughtful musical exploration by uploading past concerts to the UC Davis Music YouTube channel.

“The archives are wonderful to look at,” Daley said. “It’s not the kind of music that you would necessarily put on in the background and listen to while you’re writing a term paper, but it’s the kind of music where you have to sit down and think about what you’re listening to and hearing and seeing.”

According to Daley, although the theater department is planning to create a digital version of their spring play with 17 different ensembles, it is harder for the Music Department to move their performances and rehearsals online. Synchroni-

zation, a crucial aspect of creating music with an ensemble, is made difficult due to technological constraints with programs, such as Zoom.

“People who are familiar with the internet hear this term ‘lag time’ a lot,” Daley said. “Maybe it’s just a few milliseconds and to people [...] having a conversation, it’s not a big deal because there’s a call and response. But when you have to actually synchronize, I think it’s important that people think about how difficult that might actually be. You could probably pull off four 16th notes in just a couple milliseconds.”

Despite the challenges that come with remote-learning, Daley is hopeful, as music and art often flourish in trying times, functioning as a way to connect with others.

“My personal impression is that art is a source of refuge for a lot of people,” Daley said. “It does bring people together in interesting ways. It provides a piece of escapism that isn’t Netflix or Disney Plus.”

KDVS: Content in the face of coronavirus Despite prohibited access to on-campus resources, the UC Davis student-run radio station KDVS is planning on continuing operations this quarter by uploading archived works and creating shows remotely, according to Noel Fernandez, a third-year economics major and general

manager of KDVS. “We are going to be re-running archives,” Fernandez said. “There’s hours and hours of shows, probably years’ worth of shows we could go through. A lot of it is kind of unearthing content, so I don’t see any problem with that. I think people would be excited to have shows that they’re very proud of [replayed].”

In addition to continuing KDVS as both a news and music source, Fernandez said the station is planning to hold events and concerts on Zoom.

“We’re trying to create ways for KDVS not only to exist as a radio station but more as an idea or institution,” Fernandez said. “Stuff that you would usually do in Davis with your friends that are KDVS-relevant or KDVS-thrown, you can still do that, but maybe virtually for the time being.”

Although this solution to social distancing might not seem obvious in another context, for Fernandez, the issues resulting from coronavirus have caused KDVS to be more creative.

“The idea of a virtual concert or attending a virtual concert is kind of absurd before coronavirus, but now I think it’s a matter of really breaking tastes and really expanding into new things, because we’re driven by physical separation and also boredom,” Fernandez said.

The radio station serves the greater community beyond the students working at the station, Fernandez said. Media including radio stations are listed as essential businesses during the pandemic, according to the California State Government. For Fernandez, KDVS acts as both a source of essential information, but also, and perhaps more importantly, a way for people to distract themselves and find comfort.

“I think a lot of these communication things are very important right now, whether they’re about news or whether they’re an escape from it,” Fernandez said.

“I think KDVS is more of the latter, where people want to desensitize themselves from something for a while, so they go to a radio station where there’s someone producing something they love.”

Furthermore, the reliability and consistency of the radio station is something Fernandez believes will help members of the UC Davis community.

“Our audience is very wide,” Fernandez said.

“It could be the most tech-savvy guy who’s listening [and] downloading all of our archives or just someone that has their alarm clock radio set to 90.3. We want to provide some sort of comfort, we’re always there. There’s always something streaming on KDVS, whether old or new, but they kind of imbue all of the same energy and positivity in light of everything.”

UC DAVIS RELEASES ADMISSIONS DECISIONS, OFFERS VIRTUAL TOURS

Provost Ralph Hexter, high school seniors comment on admissions, expectations

BY AT H E NA AG H IG H I features@theaggie.org The UC Davis incoming class of 2024 has been welcomed into the community through virtual celebrations and experiences amid the chaos of COVID-19. The Aggie Experience Live, a weeklong virtual tour, was available for prospective students the week of April 6 to allow them to ask questions while also practicing social distancing.

While these celebratory acceptance letters come at a strange time for many, UC Davis Provost Ralph Hexter feels that this news might point to good things to come for the university.

“We’re all looking forward to a return to normal campus operations as soon as it is safe to do so,” Hexter said. “We’re looking forward to seeing our community again, and getting to know all those who are new to our community.”

Hexter discussed how applicants were chosen this year, saying they found students that would be able to flourish in the unique environment that UC Davis creates.

“Every new class brings a diverse range of backgrounds, interests and perspectives to UC Davis,” Hexter said. “It’s that richness of experiences and identities that make our community robust, vibrant and dynamic.”

The new students that are entering into UC Davis add to the current community, allowing for the creation of a distinct learning environment, one which values diversity, altruism and inquisitiveness.

TE SSA KO G A / AG G I E

“Once students are admitted, we’re looking for students who are willing to work hard and learn about themselves and others,” Hexter said.

“Our students have deep curiosity about the world, a respect for other perspectives and values and a desire to give back when they can.”

High school senior Asherah Davidow is looking forward to being here next year. She plans to major in cognitive science with an emphasis in neuroscience. She said she was drawn to the sense of community that UC Davis provides.

“I’m from Paradise, California, about an hour-and-a-half north of Davis,” Davidow said.

“I lost my home and most of my town to the Camp Fire at the end of 2018. In turn, I lost a good portion of my community, as 90% of my town’s population had to relocate. I’m excited to come to Davis and feel a sense of community again.”

Kabir Sethi is another prospective student, and he plans to major in international relations.

He is from Fremont, California, but he has spent the last 12 years in New Delhi, India.

“As an avid MUN (Model United Nations) student, I appreciate the connections the major has with the Davis MUN program,” Sethi said.

“Having lived internationally as well, the study abroad program allows me to immerse myself and — by extension — appreciate other cultures.”

UC Davis is proud to welcome in the class of 2024, and the community is excited to see everyone in the fall.

ASUCD CANCELS APRIL 2 SENATE MEETING, TRANITION TO VIRTUAL SENATE MEETINGS RAISES QUESTION REGARDING PUBLIC INCLUSION Minutes for Senate meetings will be available on ASUCD website, in 2019-2020 Google Drive folder AGGIE FILES

BY H ANNAH B LO ME campus@theaggie.org The April 2 ASUCD Senate meeting was canceled amid technical difficulties in attempts to transition to virtual meetings.

The social distancing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which mandate that people stay six feet apart to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as well as Yolo County’s shelter-in-place order and the suspension of many campus operations has resulted in many students moving back home or remaining in their apartments. As a result, the Senate will be holding all meetings virtually during Spring Quarter.

ASUCD Senator JB Martinez said the ASUCD Executive team made the decision to

cancel the meeting. The decision came in response to concerns of not being able to include a public forum through an online meeting format.

Martinez noted that the ASUCD Constitution bylaws require public access to Senate meetings.

He also said Senate meetings will be held virtually at 6:00 p.m. every Thursday for the remainder of the quarter, which is the time they are normally held.

“From what I understand, they are going to send us a Zoom link and have a separate Zoom chat for audience members so they can tune in and hear what is going on as well,” Martinez said.

Minutes for Senate meetings will still be available on the ASUCD website under the 20192020 Google Drive folder.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020 | 11

SPEACHCOVID19 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Though researchers do not yet know what percentage of the general population are superemittors, Asadi found that approximately 5 out of the 40 people involved in her study appeared to be superemittors.

“For unclear reasons, there is some fraction of these individuals that emit a lot more particles than other people,” Ristenpart said. “There is no clear correlation with gender, body weight, or height [in superemittors]. The hypothesis is that, if there is an airborne disease transmission mech-

anism, people who are superemittors are emitting far more particles than others. They might be disproportionately responsible for super spreading.”

Although the specific biological processes responsible for superspreading and superemitting are not yet known, research supports the crucial role of practicing social distancing whether or not you believe that you are infected.

“I myself am a superemittor,” Asadi said. “When I am sick, I should be more careful to not infect other people.”

LABS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

fresh material,” Potter said.

For the chemistry laboratory videos, piecing all of the clips together and adding a voiceover proved difficult, Enderle said. Also, if the faculty were unable to record a particular part of a laboratory, they have to now create or find an animation.

“It was a big blitz and a bunch of unorganized clips so the editing is a long process,” Enderle said.

“It’s a melee of trying to put everything together. The labs and exams are the most difficult parts.”

Another difficult aspect of this transition was organizing materials for the TAs, since not everyone had all of the necessary equipment, Enderle said. Additionally, the department expects both students and TAs to face many technical difficulties and will be very understanding of those who have issues.

“I like that post I saw from UC Davis: Keep calm and Aggie on,” Enderle said. “Basically to me that means, do your best to work out the technical difficulties you have. There will be internet going out, glitches and technical difficulties that both can and cannot be predicted.”

Lab modifications have also made it hard to know what resources and access to technology each student has, Li said. Some experiments usually incorporated into laboratories were deemed too difficult to adapt to an online lesson, so the BIS 2B faculty had to adopt different methods for teaching those concepts.

“Do they have access to the outdoors so that they

can measure plants outside?” Li said. “Are their laptops robust enough to run a modeling program? Everything has to be accessible, but it also has to fit the course concepts.”

For the chemistry classes, although the actual laboratory will be taught differently than previous quarters, pre-labs and post-labs completed before and after lab sessions will be the same, Enderle said.

“As far as the lab that they are getting graded on, they are having the same experience as any other student any other quarter,” Enderle said.

For students to be successful in the online laboratory courses, they must be self-disciplined and good at managing their schedule on their own. Some students may find online learning more challenging than attending classes in person, Li said.

“I think a student who is able to apply abstract concepts easily will do well in the class,” Li said. “Students who benefit more from hands-on learning may struggle.”

As the country faces challenges with preventing the spread of COVID-19, Potter said it is important for both students and professors to be flexible as laboratories undergo constant modifications.

“I think to some extent, we just have to accept that it’s not going to be the same, and [students] are not going to get the same kind of hands-on experience that they would otherwise get,” Potter said.

COHO CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“Overall, our career staff and student staff are working together to create innovative ways to work remotely,” she said. “During these unique times, many students unfortunately will see reduced hours due to the nature of serving patrons in our facilities versus at-home projects.”

A reduction in work hours is a problem experienced by a number of student employees. Flores said she’s not getting as much at Food 4 Less as she did at Peet’s, but did say that she gets more hours, since the university restricts how much students can work.

Fourth-year marine biology major Michael Brito, a driver, route trainer and supervisor for Unitrans, said Unitrans drivers tend to work around 30 hours per week. During Spring Quarter, he said, drivers have been working 10 to 13 hours per week.

Ortiz acknowledged that both the university and ASUCD have a finite amount of money and that they won’t always be able to supplement the reduced income.

“We’re trying to educate people to not use all their EAL in the beginning [of the quarter], but the problem is that we know this pandemic is going to last longer than EAL,” he said.

He added that without the passage of the Basic

Needs & Services fee referendum in Winter Quarter, ASUCD wouldn’t have survived the Spring Quarter closures, despite having saved up a reserve of money over the past few years.

“It’s the second time in two years something like this has happened — since we had the fires last year, and the CoHo alone lost $285,000,” Ortiz said. “The good thing is that we didn’t place a ton of orders, knowing we weren’t sure how much food we needed to have on hand.”

Employers — not just students — are experiencing financial losses due to the campus closures.

Flores said she thinks the university should be more understanding about students upending their lives — especially when it comes to student workers.

She said she’s been scheduled 40 hours a week and has 30 hours of lecture, not including homework and study time. Although she said she feels grateful to have a job, she’s still overwhelmed.

“I’m mentally struggling with having to push through it,” she said. “Everything is changing for students. We’re the ones being affected the most and the university can say that they’re here for us and that they understand, but at the end of the day, they’re not giving us good news.”

craft occurs when Eduardo Saverin, played

by Andrew Garfield, confronts Zuckerberg over being weaseled out of his fair share of stock in Facebook. An underlying drone

NEWGAMBINO CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

In “47.48,” Gambino/Glover seems to sing directly to his children: “Little boy, little girl / Are you scared of the world? / Is it hard to live? / Just take care of your soul.”

The most touching moment in the album is the dialogue between Glover and his son, Legend, which closes “47.48.” Glover asks his son who he loves, and he says he loves himself.

“Do you love yourself?,” Legend asks.

“I do love myself,” Glover answers.

“Does mommy love herself?” Legend asks.

“Absolutely,” Glover answers.

Appearing two songs prior to “47.48” is “39.28,” a song equally as beautiful, though tinged with sadness and loss. “Grief is a standing ocean / And I never swam unless you did / So I don’t know why I’m here without you / I miss you.” It’s one of my favorite songs on the album.

There are other greats: Listeners might recognize “42.26” as Gambino’s previously

PROFMOVIES When a new, irritable couple moves into their home, the dead lovers hire Beetlejuice to help them kick the living couple out of their home.

Although this may sound like a horror film, Bayles described it as a comedy.

“It’s dark and funny and very Tim Burton,” Bayles said via email. “The actors are perfectly cast—Beetlejuice is the role Michael Keaton was born to play, young Winona Ryder is the perfect goth teenager, and Alec Baldwin is so young and charming.

And there are so many memorable minor characters.”

Bayles watched the movie countless times as a child and recommends this movie to every student.

“Who doesn’t need a little dark comedy-fantasy right now,” Bayles said. “Do it after you finish ‘Schitt’s Creek,’ and before you start re-watching ‘Schitt’s Creek.’”

“Beetlejuice” can be rented on Amazon Prime and iTunes.

Psychology Professor Priscilla San Souci — “Shaun of the Dead” directed by Edgar Wright The comedy movie, about a post-apocalyptic world where zombies exist, pokes fun at zombie horror movie clichés.

“I love British humour — especially when it comes to a man vs. nature theme,” San Souci said via email.

Her favorite character is Shaun because although his situation isn’t preferrable, he makes the best of it.

“It’s one of those [movies] that I could pick up in the middle,” San Souci said.

“Shaun of the Dead” can be rented on

LENIENTADMISSIONS

GOODNEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

data in such cases to reflect significant changes to family financial conditions due to unusualcircumstances such as job loss, loss of a family member or medical expenses.”

The same procedures are now being used to assist students impacted by COVID-19.

While Spring Quarter financial aid has been distributed already, Agee said students enrolled in Summer Sessions or Fall Quarter can go online and apply for additional aid, adding that students in crisis can contact the UC Davis Emergency Crisis Response Team for immediate help.

ARENASHUTDOWN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz, the first NBA player to test positive for coronavirus, has pledged to donate $500,000. Part of his donation will go toward arena employees while the remaining amount will go to families impacted by the virus in Utah, Oklahoma City and his home country of France.

Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks were among the first set of players to come forward on their own and pledge their support. Each promised to donate $100,000 to compensate arena workers.

Following his donation, Love expressed how important it is for players to look out for the employees and “be more than just athletes.” This prompted the Cavaliers to respond to Love’s decision by paying all arena workers’ wages as if the season was still being played, while the Bucks announced that their entire roster will also be contributing to cover their workers’ lost wages.

“These are the folks who make our games possible,” said Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans as he announced a $100,000 donation in support of arena staff.

Pelicans owner Gayle Benson followed this decision by donating $1 million in support of arena workers and coronavirus victims in the New Orleans area.

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid also came forward amid his team’s uncertainty and promised $500,000 for medical relief within the local community and financial assistance for employees. His decision led to the Sixers contributing over $1 million in support of healthcare workers fighting COVID-19.

In solidarity with the workers who provide them with memorable experiences during events, some fans have also come forward to help ease the pressure posed by financial uncertainty. In Boston, a group of fans created a GoFundMe page for TD Garden staff, which players have also donated to as their owners

took the longest amount of time to come up with compensation plans.

The start of the Major League Baseball season has also been postponed, and all 30 clubs quickly came together to donate $1 million each, providing a whopping $30 million for ballpark employees.

College sports have also been significantly impacted, prompting the NCAA Board of Governors to vote unanimously to distribute $225 million to Division l members, specifically focusing on “using the distributions to aid college athletes during the uncertainty of the current environment.”

Athletes who have had their seasons cut short will also be granted an additional season of competition, and the eligibility period for students who were in their last year will be extended. Those who decide to stay the extra season will have their financial aid or scholarships adjusted accordingly.

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence also created a community relief fund to raise money for individuals with the coronavirus in Georgia and South Carolina.

His original GoFundMe account was shut down by the university in compliance with NCAA rules that athletes cannot use their image for any form of crowdfunding. The NCAA responded promptly, and has altered its rules to allow Lawrence and any other student athletes to raise money for those with the virus.

Fans, athletes and owners across the nation are now working to give back to those who dedicate endless hours to their teams throughout each season.

While these are just a few of the wide range of organizations providing compensation in these unprecedented times, it showcases the importance of acknowledging and supporting every individual who may be struggling as a result of the coronavirus and of working together to provide any relief possible.

TOPSOUNDTRACKS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

Filled with the ebbs and flow of violin, wary and subtle plucks of the piano and iconic teeth-rattling “BRAAMS” (a specific horn sound), the score is as intimate as it is epic. Zimmer draws you further and further into Nolan’s world and forces you to realign yourself with reality when the credits finally cue.

“The Social Network” (2010) The creators of the score for “The Social Net-

work,” a movie about the lawsuit-plagued rise of Mark Zuckerburg and Facebook, are Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Reznor (the founder and lead vocalist of Nine Inch Nails) and Ross’s approach to the score was as unconventional and distant as the protagonist in the film. The score casts an eerie cloud over the events that transpire. The emotional apex of the film’s best representative of Trent and Reznor’s

released “Feels Like Summer,” which appeared on the soundtrack to the 55-minute, gorgeously shot short-film “Guava Island.”

The movie, starring Glover and Rihanna, is directed by Hiro Murai, who also directed Gambino’s “This Is America” music video, which has over 652 million views — and if a music video was ever to be considered a cinematic masterpiece, this is it.

Up until “3.15.20,” Gambino’s music has been largely defined by insecurity, self-deprecation and internalized anger. This album is none of that — it’s self-assured self-doubt. So I do understand why Glover wants to part ways with his musical persona, and it’s been suggested that “3.15.20” is the last Childish Gambino project.

But if this is the end, it’s a beautiful tribute. These lines in “53.49,” the last track in the album, sum it up perfectly: “There is love in every moment / Under the sun, boy / I did what I wanted to, yeah, yeah / Now I just power forward.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

Students who returned home for Spring Quarter are similarly unable to utilize services they may have previously depended on and have contributed campus fees toward.

Deborah Agee, the executive director of UC Davis Financial Aid, said the office is continuing to find different ways to assist students.

“Every year there are some students whose family financial circumstances are significantly different than from a couple years ago,” Agee said. “UC Davis Financial Aid and Scholarships can evaluate a student’s 2020-21 FAFSA or Dream Act application

and prudent, heavy piano keys are synced as the scene unfolds. Although minimal, every tone and layer frame the dialogue in a climate of boiling intensity.

“I’m going to law school!”

“Time at home has allowed me to focus on intuitive eating and nourishing my body.

During school, I’ve always found it difficult to eat healthy meals and avoid processed, junky snacks. However, now I’m able to learn more about nutrition and what’s right for my body. Put good in, get good out!”

Acts of unity and selflessness “In the neighborhood I’m in, every night at 7 p.m., when the doctors and nurses finish their shifts, everyone in the town goes outside their front doors with their families to bang pots and pans, honk their horns, cheer and make noise to show their support for the healthcare workers risking their lives to protect us. It makes me happy to see so many people coming together to express their solidarity and gratitude for them.”

“San Francisco is a complicated city, where genius and ambition march side-byside with greed, inequality, and existential despair. Yet in spite of these differences, I have seen my city rise to the occasion as we fight coronavirus. I see people being gentler, kinder, and less confrontational. In my neighborhood of hipsters, young families, Slavic grandmothers, and older couples,

iTunes, Hulu or Amazon Prime.

Political Science Professor Jaime Jackson — “Amélie” directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet Back when Netflix wasn’t a thing and Blockbuster existed, Jackson worked at a video store. Though she is a movie-lover, her all-time favorite is the French film “Amélie” — she said she’s watched it more times than she can count.

“I know the movie so well that I use it to brush up on my French whenever I’m headed out to some place where I need to speak the language,” Jackson said via email.

The movie won multiple awards, including the Critic’s Choice Movie Award for Best Foreign Film.

“It’s weird and beautiful,” Jackson said.

“I love the imagery. I notice some new thing every time I watch it. The characters are all strange and awkward. And the music is amazing!”

Amélie follows a young girl with a sad childhood as she grows up and fills her own world with a whimsical touch.

“I would recommend this movie to EVERYONE because it is a story about self-discovery,” Jackson said. “Amélie learns how to overcome her fears but it’s done through a simple lens without a lot of thrills and frills. It’s just a great movie to watch if you need to be inspired or watch something warm and comforting. Even if the subtitles are hard to keep up with for folks, the body language, music and imagery are all capable of getting the message across.”

“Amélie” is available on Hulu or Amazon Prime.

people smile as we zigzag across the street in keeping with social distance regulations.

We are united by a bewildering pandemic that threatens the livelihood of the workers who make our city function, and imperils the elderly who suffer from respiratory and autoimmune illnesses. Walking my dog a few days ago, I was sniffling not due to the virus, but due to the strong and ever-present wind blowing against me. A woman asked me if I was okay and confessed that she, too, had been sniffling earlier that day. Standing on opposite sides of the street, we shared a brief moment of connection and concern.

I can only hope that this type of behavior will continue, and teach us all to be a little bit kinder.”

“My mom left goodie bags filled with things like toilet paper, soap and snacks on top of our trash bins for the garbage collectors. We initially made fun of her — joking that she was disrupting their workflow, because they’d have to get out of the truck to get the bag — but our mockery was silenced when one of the collectors left us a note that simply read “thank you so much” on the top of one of our bins.”

TESTING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

The professionals did the models. I was never involved in a model. But — at least this kind of a model.”

R.E. Porter: I know that you were already asked about this, but I’d like to repeat Kristin Fisher’s question: “The Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services recently released a report on over 300 hospitals across the country and the number one complaint from those hospitals were severe shortages of testing supplies and really long wait —” Mr. Trump: It’s just wrong, it’s just wrong [...] Give me the name of the inspector general, could politics be entered into this?

R.E. Porter: But this is your own governme— Mr. Trump: You should be thanking me, congratulating me, not asking such horrid questions. You see what you’re doing, this is what the media always do. Now you’re just stigmatizing me for being president. Guess what? I’m president. I’m making good decisions. If you’d actually read my book “Trump: Think Like a Billionaire,” maybe you’d be able to rest easy knowing that I “treat each decision like a lover.” That’s why I’m not worried about testing.

R.E. Porter: Mr. President, all of the information points to there being considerable reason to worry about your testing situation. Accurate information is essential in order to keep Americans healthy and safe. Fox News correspondent Geraldo

Rivera recently said, “If you can hold your breath for 10 seconds then you don’t have this disease.” Do you have a response for people who have spread dangerous information and debunked claims like that?

Mr. Trump: Geraldo Rivera is a friend of mine, but he did something that I thought was absolutely terrible and he admits it was a mistake. He wrote a book naming many of the famous women that he slept with. I would never do that — I have too much respect for women in general, but if I did, the world would take serious notice.

Beautiful, famous, successful, married — I’ve had them all, secretly, the world’s biggest names, but unlike Geraldo I don’t talk about it.

R.E. Porter: Sir, that doesn’t answer the ques— Mr. Trump: Listen to me, I’ll decide what my response is, okay? As I also wrote in “Trump: Think Like a Billionaire,” “Sometimes you decide immediately — love at first sight. Sometimes you go slowly—the long engagement. […] Sometimes you’ll think with your head. Other times you’ll think with other parts of your body, and that’s good.”

Anonymous [offstage]: Goddamnit!

This pizza is totally burnt to a crisp!

And what did I overhear about a rash of rationing? What type of testing have you actually been talking about this whole time anyway?

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

12 | THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020

SPORTS NETWORKS, WITHOUT THE SPORTS

Media giants try to navigate world of pandemic cancellations

KATH E R I N E F R A N KS/ AGGI E

BY OMAR NAVARRO sports@theaggie.org It has been over a month since the sports world shut down in the face of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and the effects have been felt not only by the leagues and teams themselves, but by the media networks built to cover them.

The suspension of the NBA, MLB and all other events have led these major outlets to search for content. With lower advertisement revenues due to a decrease in talk show and game viewership, sports networks have suffered a substantial loss in overall revenue.

The pandemic came at a time when networks like ESPN, Turner Sports, Fox Sports and NBC were gearing up for major events. The NBA Playoffs were scheduled to begin on April 18, with games that generally bring home huge revenues for ABC and ESPN (both majority owned by the Walt Disney Company) and Turner Sports Network.

Even though the 2019 NBA playoff viewership declined in comparison to the previous year, it still averaged 3.95 million viewers per telecast.

With the return of superstar Lebron James and

media market giant Los Angeles Lakers to the postseason, this year's ratings had the potential to improve.

The loss of advertising revenue due to the suspension of the NBA season could be "in the range of $75 million to $100 million" across all networks, media consultant and former Fox Sports executive Patrick Crakes told CNN. Even though the eventual return of the playoffs could help the losses, it will be difficult to fully regain what was lost.

But ESPN’s losses pale in comparison to the hit Turner has taken. Turner isn’t a full-time sports network, but the losses from the postponement of the NBA Playoffs as well as the cancellation of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament (which it broadcasts alongside CBS) are huge, and it is uncertain how long it will take before the network can recover.

That puts the NBA in a difficult position, as they must satisfy the needs of both ESPN and Turner, taking into account the losses by both and making changes if need be.

ESPN has seen a near 50% drop in ratings in comparison to last year during this time, according to Sports Pro Media. NBC, which owns The

ARENA AND STADIUM STAFF OUT OF WORK AMID SPORTS SHUTDOWN How organizations and athletes plan to provide compensation for lost wages

TE SSA KO G A / AG G IE

BY RAIN YEKIKIAN sports@theaggie.org As the nation continues to grapple with the unpredictable events brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of employees have been forced out of work with little to no knowledge of when they will receive their next paycheck.

Among the staggering number of the recently unemployed are those who worked within stadi-

ums and arenas, providing services ranging from concessions to security to ticket-taking.

Due to the recent suspension of all sporting events, employees across the nation who relied on these jobs for income are now facing the harsh reality of not knowing how they will be able to pay rent or feed their families.

The NBA, the first professional league to suspend its season, had originally estimated a hiatus of at least 30 days. But as the virus continues to spread throughout the U.S., it is beginning to

UC DAVIS TO ALLOW SPRING SPORT ATHLETES EXTRA YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY Decision follows NCAA adjustments of eligibility rules

Vern Hickey Gym at UC Davis houses training facilities and the administrative offices of the UC Davis Athletics Department. (Photo by Quinn Spooner / Aggie)

BY PRIYA REDDY sports@theaggie.org On March 30, the National Collegiate Athletic Association released a statement that it would allow schools to offer an extension of eligibility to spring sport athletes for an additional season of competition. The decision follows the historic cancellation of the spring sport season due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19.

The decision especially devastated seniors playing these sports, who were only able to compete for a short portion of the season before it was cancelled, effectively ending their collegiate careers.

Acknowledging this, the NCAA’s Division I Council voted to allow schools to bring spring athletes back for an additional season, but this does not require schools to offer athletes the same level of financial aid they received in previous years. Winter sport student athletes are not eligible for this extension, as those athletes would have competed in most, if not all, of their season, according to the council’s statement.

The decision to not offer eligibility to winter sport athletes whose seasons may have been affected has been met with backlash. A statement put out by a group of 60 NCAA Student Athlete Advisory Committee members urged the NCAA to grant winter sport student athletes, who had

Golf Channel, has also seen a hit, as ratings have fallen 39%. It is believed that all other networks that had major events canceled or suspended have taken a similar ratings hit as well. But this is nothing more than an estimation, as networks have been reluctant to share much information or make a statement.

So what do these sports networks show if there are no sports? There are no games to talk about or analyze, no plays to highlight and almost everything that comes with sports is gone.

The networks have been put in an interesting position where they must continue to put out content but are given almost nothing to work with.

After the initial suspension, NFL free agency was about to begin, which gave shows something to focus on and talk about — at least for the time being.

“Since this week coincidentally is the beginning of the NFL league calendar and free agency, we’ve built our schedules with an eye toward that being a major topic of conversation,” said Executive Vice President of Programming at ESPN Burke Magnus in an interview released on the site.

This is the route most networks are taking, as there were many major moves that required a lot of conversation, such as Tom Brady joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the blockbuster trade that sent Deandre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals. But, like any story, it can’t stay in the news cycle forever.

Daily talk shows like ESPN’s “First Take” and “Get Up” continued to air at their normal times and, after initially shutting down programming for a week, Fox Sports 1 resumed its daily programming of shows like “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed” and “The Herd.” All shows that have this similar format have been forced to broadcast from home, as these networks have tried to limit interaction due to the pandemic.

With no live sports action, and with content running low, ESPN has tried to keep its airwaves busy by airing a multitude of past events, classic games and its award-winning documentaries.

It announced a partnership with WWE to air three of the most recent Wrestlemania shows on its network. This was one of many attempts to bring viewers back, as ESPN has also announced that every Monday leading up to the NFL Draft it will be airing a historic Monday Night Football game. In addition, it has aired a multitude of

episodes from its “30 for 30” documentary series, including the critically acclaimed documentary, “OJ: Made in America.”

NBC has also taken a similar route. It missed out on many NHL games and was gearing up for the coverage of the NHL playoffs. From March 30 to April 5, NBC aired two classic “Sunday Night Football” games each night. It has also aired multiple Premier League games from this past year in order to fill time.

Due to the cancellation of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, CBS has been left with a lot of empty broadcasting space. It has been airing Big Ten conference tournament games from the last couple of years, as well as other games it holds the rights to.

Several professional leagues have also tried to produce content they can air while everyone is remote. The NBA and 2K sports announced the first ever NBA 2K Players Tournament, which began on April 3. It featured 16 current NBA players going head-to-head in the basketball video game aired on ESPN. The NBA is also airing a HORSE tournament on the network that will include current players from both the NBA and WNBA, as well as alumni of the game. The MLB will also begin a video game tournament of its own, with one player from each team competing in a single-game elimination tournament that will air on Twitch and Youtube.

If you look at Bleacher Report, Sportscenter or any of the other big sports social media pages, it is certain that the majority of what you will find is old highlights, historic sports moments and other player-centered content. They have been forced to get creative in the hopes of maintaining revenue and keeping subscribers engaged, but everyday that passes continues to get harder as they must continue to post and gain interaction.

In a streaming world where many people have “cut the cord” and moved away from cable television, this sports hiatus has added another layer of financial stress for TV networks. When the product that helps them run is suddenly gone, there’s only so much content they can show before they run out. The safety of everyone continues to be the number one priority, but at the same time, all parties are looking for ways to move forward and try to recover as much as they can from this unpredictable circumstance.

look like sports are going to be suspended for much longer than initially predicted. For arena staff, this means a loss of income that will extend through several weeks, or maybe even months.

Owners and athletes from different teams across multiple leagues, however, are responding to these events by providing compensation for these workers — a display of how the sports community is attempting to stick together in these uncertain times.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was one of the first major voices in the professional sports world to publicly express his desire to prioritize these workers right now. Just a few hours after the NBA suspended its season, Cuban explained during a press conference that he was already working on plans to pay the employees of the Mavericks’ home arena, the American Airlines Center, who would be impacted by the suspension.

The Mavericks also announced that they would be reimbursing employees for any breakfast or lunch purchases made locally, in an attempt to not only provide financial support for their staff, but also for local restaurants that have been impacted by this crisis.

Following Cuban’s press conference, other teams followed suit, coming forward, one after another, with plans to support the employees for their respective home venues.

One of the more common ways that teams have been giving back to employees is through relief funds created for arena workers and those affected by the coronavirus in general.

The Golden State Warriors were among the first to announce that ownership, players and coaches would be donating a total of $1 million to a disaster relief fund for workers at the Chase Center.

In some instances, different teams from the same city banded together to compensate those in need. In Los Angeles, the NBA’s Clippers and

Lakers, along with the NHL’s Kings, created a fund to provide financial support for employees of their shared home arena, the Staples Center.

These funds are meant to support the 2,800 hourly employees that run many different operations throughout the venue.

The Toronto Raptors also joined forces with four other Toronto-based teams and will be contributing to their own fund for their respective arenas’ employees as well.

The act of several teams working with one another in these difficult times indicates the importance of acknowledging each individual member of the sports community. Beyond the athletes, coaches and front office staff who are typically placed in the forefront of financial decisions, there are thousands of venue workers who provide event services that make game days possible.

There are also a handful of owners who did not initially make the same decisions. Josh Harris, the owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils of the NHL, had originally announced a reduction in salaries for arena employees, but almost immediately reversed his decision following pushback from fans and members of each organization.

The Calgary Flames also initially told their employees that they will not be paid for the remaining season, but reversed their decision as well, announcing a compensation program.

Controversial decisions like these have made many fans question why super-rich owners would be hesitant to provide assistance to the hourly staff who support their organizations daily.

In addition to the actions being taken by owners, a number of athletes have stepped up to individually support arena staff out of their own pockets.

not been able to complete for the entirety of their seasons, an extra year of eligibility. This was among other recommendations to mandate scholarship renewal and to provide immediate support for housing and food for all student-athletes.

Following discussions between administrators, coaches and athletes, UC Davis athletics has decided to offer spring-sport student athletes the option of returning for another season.

“The way that UC Davis is going to proceed is that the student athletes who wish to return may do so at the discretion of their coach,” said UC Davis Director of Athletics Kevin Blue.

“They may return at the discretion of their coach and they may be put on scholarship as long as the scholarship that they will be receiving for their additional year of eligibility fits within existing scholarship budgets.”

In an “Aggie Overtime” interview for the UC Davis Aggies YouTube channel, Blue mentioned that while UC Davis has decided to follow these guidelines, the Athletics Department is still working through the specifics of what that decision will entail. The department will likely continue to develop these policies through the next few weeks as students begin to make decisions about next year.

In the meantime, the department must also decide how to make up for lost revenue that resulted from cutting the spring season short. In particular, the cancellation of the NCAA basketball tournament means a loss of a significant revenue source that UC Davis Athletics relies on each year.

“We are continuing to fundraise through the end of the fiscal year as best we can,” Blue said. “But we're also sensitive about the current realities going on right now and are modest in our expectations with regard to how much fundraising success we're going to have compared to what we would have in a normal year. I think it's important to note that everyone associated with UC Davis athletics has an appropriate perspective, [in] understanding that the circumstances

going on in the world related to the pandemic are much more important than our challenges, as significant as our challenges might be for us.”

In addition to fundraising, ticket sales for the fall sports season — including season passes for the football games — are still ongoing, though the department is sensitive to the fact that the fall season may also be affected. Depending on how the virus progresses, the fall sports season may be affected or even cancelled, but the athletics department is preparing for all possible situations.

“We’re thinking through various scenarios and modelling through various scenarios,” said Blue in the YouTube interview. “We are considering various permutations on the matter for how football may proceed this fall. It’s still too early to know anything for sure, but there is a reasonable likelihood that the football season may be affected in some way, and we are trying our best to be proactive and prepared for all those scenarios.”

Despite this, the department plans to keep the team budgets for scholarships next year the same. This means that senior student athletes who elect to return next year will only be given scholarships at levels that will fit within the current budgets — budgets that would also include the incoming freshmen. This decision is something that will ultimately be made at the discretion of the respective coaches.

While many colleges across the country have decided to work within these new guidelines, one notable exception is colleges within the Ivy League. As of April 2, the Ivy League announced that it would not be offering spring sport athletes an extra year of eligibility and would instead follow its existing eligibility rules, which state that sports opportunities are only for undergraduates.

Regardless of each college or conference’s individual decisions, the coming months will likely see athletic departments across the country working with athletes, public health officials and the NCAA to make the difficult decisions regarding bringing athletes back as well as moving forward with the fall season.

AR ENASHUTDOWN on 1 1