Issue 3 — Oct. 9

Entertainment Council hosts Sunset Fest 2025

Artists Lyn Lapid, Blxst and two student openers performed at the show

BY GRACIELA TIU features@theaggie.org

On Oct. 4, 2025, ASUCD’s Entertainment Council (EC) hosted Sunset Fest, the university’s annual fall quarter concert, at UC Davis Health Stadium. The free event — exclusive to undergraduates — featured headlining artists Lyn Lapid and Blxst, along with student openers ai T and DJ Ami.

Known as ASUCD’s annual welcome-back concert, the event had a wide reach of over 5,000 attendees, with EC reporting that all available tickets had been claimed. e night also featured food vendors, water stations, photo spots and tabling by various ASUCD units.

The EC team members strategically chose the 2025 lineup to curate a speci c energy and mood for the event.

“For this year’s Sunset Fest lineup, we wanted to go with something a little more chill and just kind of ease students back into that transition into UC Davis life,” Abby Wong, the Assistant Director of Entertainment Council and a fourth-year design major, said.

“So with Blxst and Lyn Lapid, we know they’re pretty popular, especially on the West Coast. And we thought both of them have a very nice chill vibe to match the warm tones of this year’s Sunset Fest theme.”

Student opener Thai T, whose real name is Trevor ai, came onto the stage around a quarter after 6 p.m. e fourthyear global disease biology major and West Coast R&B music artist performed to a relatively small and growing crowd but still brought an enthusiastic, pumped-up energy to his set.

The night marked his first performance, and though most students did not know his

songs, he still heavily interacted with the audience and tried to engage them with his mood-varying R&B tracks. The Sacramento-based artist described how this opportunity gave him the chance to improve his performance style and learn from the headliners after him. e biggest thing I’m taking away from this performance is de nitely the rst experience of performing ever, and then how I’m gonna make it even better next time,” ai said. “More crowd control, like Lyn Lapid [was] doing — I like how she’s making the crowd sing her songs. I know it’s harder because I’m an opener and nobody knows my stu .” Towards the end of his performance, ai T said goodbye to the audience and began leaving the stage before the DJ onstage stopped him, telling him he was supposed to perform one more song. e surprise stunt ended with one of his most energetic songs yet before saying his true goodbye. He later revealed in an interview that the

moment was a last-minute, scripted idea for the performance.

“One of the guys in the front of the house was recommending it to me,” ai said. “I was like, ‘Bro, that’s sick.’ It was a really good idea and I just used it. Apparently, I faked out the audio people, too.”

e night continued with DJ Ami, the stage persona of Amadeus Alcala, a third-year environmental engineering major. He made his introduction at 7 p.m. with a slow transition into an exciting, jungle-esque percussion beat that faded into a remix of TV Girl’s “Lovers Rock.”

During his performance, which featured electrifying house-style beats, the sun nished setting, allowing the technical production to truly shine.

e lights came on throughout the songs, smoke started blowing in front of the stage and the jumbotron lit up, featuring meme videos and animated visuals. roughout the set, the crowd continued growing, and more concert-

Downtown Davis Starbucks permanently closed as of Sept. 27

Customers and employees were given two-day notice of closure, as Starbucks undergoes national restructuring

BY GIA

In late September, hundreds of Starbucks employees received the news that their stores were set to shut down within the next week. is mass closure of stores includes the Starbucks location frequented by UC Davis students on the corner of 2nd Street in Downtown Davis. Other Starbucks locations in Davis are currently set to remain open.

On Sept. 25, Starbucks’ Chairman and Chief Executive O cer (CEO), Brian Niccol, announced that they would be making changes to their co eehouses by closing underperforming locations, along with reducing non-retail partner roles by eliminating over 900 employees. is message broadly outlined that, with Starbucks’ new scal year ending, they plan to close hundreds of locations that are nancially unfeasible and cut non-retail expenses as a part of their “Back to Starbucks” plan.

“We identi ed co eehouses where we’re unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, [...] or where we don’t see a path to nancial performance,” Niccol said in a statement on Starbucks’ website.

While Niccol explained his plan to close some Starbucks locations, the message did not include information on the timeframe or which locations would be closing. e announcement simply stated that around 18,300 locations would remain open between the United States and Canada, a large drop from the previous 18,734

locations from their most recent quarterly report. Yet, the largest concern surfacing from the immediate closure of over 400 stores is the widespread job loss. Niccol explained Starbucks’ plan to deal with this downsizing. “Partners in co eehouses scheduled to close will be noti ed this week,” Niccol said. “We’re working hard to o er transfers to nearby locations where possible and will move quickly to help partners understand what opportunities might be available to them. For those we can’t immediately place, we’re focused on partner care, including comprehensive severance packages.” e Downtown Davis Starbucks location housed around 15 employees, and, when the closure was announced, they were promised either transfers or severance packages. However, as of Oct. 1, seemingly no employees have been o ered transfers — with the majority of them receiving only two weeks of severance pay.

While this location is not the only Starbucks set to close due to this restructuring plan, it is one of the quickest turnovers, as employees were noti ed of the closure on Sept. 25 and the store was o cially closed to the public on Sept. 27. e public was noti ed of the closure by a paper stuck on the front door stating that the location was now closed. is two-day closure raised some concerns for former Starbucks employees, who questioned if the decision to close the store was due only to nancial underperformance — as stated in Niccol’s announcement

— or possibly the recent unionization of this location. is location was the 58th Starbucks in California to unionize to seek better pay, schedules and working conditions.

Gray Engstrom, a fourth-year theater and dance major who worked at the location for two years, expanded on the store’s recent unionization.

“We o cially unionized on Aug. 27 of 2025,” Engstrom said. “ e decision was de nitely not supported by upper management. ey had another store manager continuously come into our store and pull employees aside and discuss negative aspects of unionization.”

Suspicion grew among the employees that the rapid closure of the Starbucks was not due to its nancial underperformance, but possible disapproval of its unionization. Engstrom continued by explaining the reasoning store workers were given for the closure.

“We were not given an o cial reason for store closure, but [Starbucks said] it is due to our lack of pro t,” Engstrom said. “However, [that] was probably not the only thing that was considered in the closure, since we had recently unionized. Before closing we had just been picking up in business, since all the students were coming back.”

Employees and supporters organized a picket outside of the downtown location on Sept. 27. Brooke Allen, a barista and fourthyear communication major, helped to organize and promote the picket and explained their goals in hosting it.

“By organizing a picket outside our store on the last day of operations, our goal was to bring attention to the community and regular customers of how the company treats their ‘partners,’” Allen said. “We were pleased to have a turn out of both regular customers and employees at our picket and successfully got passersby to commit to boycotting Starbucks over their treatment of employees.”

In the upcoming days, Starbucks locations will likely continue to shut down until the company reaches around 18,300 locations for the upcoming scal year. In total, this will lead to between 400 to 500 store closures and thousands of employees laid o . Other Davis Starbucks locations are set to remain open, while several others are set to close in the Sacramento area. Visit Starbucks’ website for updated location information.

sure to keep everyone engaged. While talking between her set, she shouted out her Filipino heritage and led a UC Davis chant. She overall did her best to connect with the attendees, even though she briefly mistook the campus as being in Sacramento and not Davis (which she later attributed to a lack of knowledge of California’s geography).

goers got the chance to see DJ Ami radiate a genuine love for his craft.

“Performing at Sunset Fest as a student artist is huge for me,” Alcala said. “My friends and family are super supportive when I share music I’ve made, mixed or curated. Even at work —- I cook in a kitchen and they’ll let me play my sets or songs while we do our thing. I really just want to put everyone on some happy tunes that I think they’ll like.”

After DJ Ami exited the stage, students eagerly waited for the next performer, Lyn Lapid. Students on the outer edges of the eld ran towards the stage and cheered delightedly as she came out. Her performance featured many of her most popular songs, including “Buzzkill” and “In My Mind,” and even included a recently released song, “The Simlish Song.” The audience size continued to grow during her performance as more students gained entry into the event, and Lapid made

“For me, it was really cool to see an artist who came up through social media,” Sophie Cabrera, a third-year art history major, said. “It makes it seem so attainable — I love music and I love seeing people create, so seeing a song I heard in 2020 on TikTok performed in front of so many people at UC Davis was a really cool experience.” e nal performance of the night began shortly after 9 p.m. and spotlighted Blxst, an R&B and soul-inspired rapper, singer and songwriter. During his set, he brought out singer Cheyenne Wright, whose vocals supported the high-energy yet emotionally potent tone set by his music.

With 6.2 million monthly Spotify listeners at the time of the concert, Blxst’s presence as a headliner especially excited many students.

“His energy was insane, and I feel like he tried to interact with the crowd a lot,” Andrea Ngo, a secondyear human biology major and Blxst fan, said. “I felt like seeing Blxst for the rst time was crazy, especially because I ended up being one of the fans he high- ved at the end of his performance. I just couldn’t believe I was seeing him in real life.”

In putting on a show as large as Sunset Fest, members of EC had to work hard to prepare for the event and ensure the success of the show.

SUNSETFEST on 7

UC Davis among top 10 best universities in new rankings

Ranking rubrics shift, feature different emphases on diversity and faculty research

BY ROBIN FRANKLIN campus@theaggie.org

For the fth year in a row, UC Davis has secured a spot in the top 10 best public universities nationwide.

UC Davis tied for No. 9 with two other public universities — the Georgia Institute of Technology and UC Irvine — in the 2026 U.S News & World Report rankings released on Sept. 23, which is considered one of the most in%uential and highly read annual reports on higher education in the country. Despite this, UC Davis’ university ranking overall shifted down from last year’s spot, falling from No. 6. Chancellor Gary May wrote his praise for the ranking in a recent LinkedIn post.

“This ranking from U.S. News & World Report highlights our steadfast commitment to the success of our students,” May’s post reads. “The University of California, Davis empowers students from all backgrounds with world-class educational opportunities that prepare them for rewarding careers and service to their communities.”

Since 2024, the ranking rubric for U.S. News & World Report has begun adding diversity scores into their calculations; rankings now evaluate the percentage of graduated students who are the rst in their family to attend college, as well as the number of lowincome students.

For the best national universities rankings, U.S. News also introduced new faculty research metrics, which report the average number of citations per publication and the percentage of a university’s publications that appear in the top 5% most-cited journals.

U.S. News also abandoned ve pieces of its methodology: class sizes, the share of students in the top of their high school classes, the share of fulltime equivalent faculty with terminal degrees, levels of giving by alumni and the proportion of graduates borrowing federal loans, according to an article by education news site Higher Ed Dive.

“This ranking from U.S. News & World Report highlights our steadfast commitment to the success of our students.”

Chancellor Gary May via LinkedIn

UC Davis did better in e Wall Street Journal (WSJ)/College Pulse 2026 rankings released on Sept. 29, placing No. 2 in the nation among public universities and No. 13 overall for how well it sets its graduates up for nancial success.

e WSJ/College Pulse 2026 lists have continued to build on a rubric shift since 2024, now emphasizing post-graduate salary rather than college prestige. Student outcomes make up 70% of the WSJ ranking, broken down into three sections: salary boost (33%), time spent paying o tuition (17%) and the percent of students who are able to graduate (20%).

Protest outside the Starbucks in Downtown Davis on Saturday, Sept. 27.

(Courtesy of Brook Allen)

UC Davis sign at the intersection of 3rd and A Streets. (Aggie File)

Student opener Thai T. performs at Sunset Fest on Oct. 4, 2025. (Jessie Baltaxe / Aggie)

Climate and Environmental Justice Commission discusses Omnibus Municipal Code

The commission reviewed proposal concerning tree shading and parking/zoning amendments

BY KATYA OKS city@theaggie.org

On Sept. 22, the Climate and Environmental Justice Commission members met to discuss proposed changes to 2025 Omnibus Municipal Code Amendments, particularly parking lot shading requirements and tree planting and preservation, according to the meeting agenda.

e meeting began with a sta presentation from omas McNairn, the associate planner, and was followed by feedback from the commission and concluded with public comment. e purpose of the meeting was to receive feedback for the current state of proposals so that a nal amendment can be o cially proposed to the Davis City Council in October.

Omnibus Amendments are amendments to a bill that involve multiple changes and are voted on all at once. At the meeting, McNairn emphasized the importance of regular Omnibus Amendment reviews.

“It’s good practice to update the zoning ordinance as state law changes [and] direction from [city] council changes, when some things just get a little bit aged,” McNairn said. “So it’s good [...] to update the code and make [some practices] more consistent.”

At the beginning of the presentation, McNairn spoke about the cause of some of the possible changes to be expected in the proposal.

“ e big bulk of what’s changing [...] is due to Assembly Bill 2097,” McNairn said. “ is bill [...] precludes a local government requiring parking standards within a half a mile of high-quality public transit. [...] As a result, the city council directed sta to remove parking requirements [...] almost entirely, and so that’s what we’re

bringing forward to the council.”

Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on Sept. 22, 2022, Assembly

Bill 2097 does not require a parking lot on a property within a half mile of a major public transportation stop. is is meant to encourage the use of public transportation, according to the California Lawyers Association.

McNairn then highlighted that possible changes to parking lot standards fall into three di erent options for property owners and developers, to ensure the process remains %exible.

Flexibility is an important aspect of the process, as it will help move the community toward the goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2040. is would include “expanding local renewable energy development and storage and creating a cooler city with more urban forest and green space for people and habitat,” according to McNairn.

e commission has three options to reach this goal: maintaining the requirement of 50% shade in a parking lot; having the property owner choose which guidelines to follow; or implementing solar energy structures that cover 50% of the parking lot.

The first option includes the retention of the current “status quo” which would include “moving forward and maintaining the requirement of 50% canopy shading over a parking area within 15 years of the planting of the tree or within the development or the project,” according to McNairn.

The second option concerns “development standards, so a developer [or] property owner can choose to follow certain guidelines that are very consistent with di erent requirements of municipalities around the Sacramento area [and] helps just with consistency for the developer,” according to McNairn.

Daryel Dunston selected as city manager of Davis

Dunston spoke about his goals to address unhoused communities, balance the structural deficit and work alongside UC Davis leadership

BY JORDAN POLTORAK city@theaggie.org

During the Aug. 19 Davis City Council meeting, Daryel Dunston was chosen unanimously to be the new city manager. Dunston previously served as the assistant city manager in Santa Rosa and senior policy advisor in the vice mayor’s o ce in Oakland.

“I learned a great deal in both cities,” Dunston said. “What’s consistent between the two is working with policymakers and understanding what the needs of the community are; looking at the resources that are available and helping to develop policy and program services that are going to make a positive impact on the community.”

Dunston then spoke about his goals of getting to know those who work alongside him.

“First and foremost it’s getting to know the team; [...] getting to know the leadership team and their deputy directors, managers, folks out in the field. ” Dunston said. “Also, [it’s] learning the council — I have to understand their idiosyncrasies, their policy concerns, their goals and vision they want to execute, because I am tasked with carrying that vision out.” Dunston expanded on his goals for balancing the budget and working with UC Davis leadership.

“In addition to that, it’s no secret that we’re running a structural de cit, so one of my main priorities is to work with our nance team to come up with a plan to balance the budget,” Dunston said.

“There are some forces at play out of our control. ere are also a lot of opportunities for partnerships over at the university and to know the leadership over at [UC Davis].”

Dunston began his career in public service as a re ghter in Prince George’s County, Maryland before his transition into public administration.

“Most re ghters would describe it as a calling. We have servant hearts. I want to do anything I can to help those in need. Going from a re ghter to public administration seems like a leap, but I’m still putting out res, just metaphorical ones, and I’m still helping. It motivates me to be able to contribute to the public good.”

City Councilmember Linda Deos spoke about her support for Dunston. roughout his career, [Dunston] has shown a deep commitment to public service through leadership roles in housing, emergency management and public safety,” Deos said. “ at kind

of dedication and versatility speaks volumes and will be an asset to our community.”

In Oakland, Dunston contributed to projects that served unhoused populations, such as working in Oakland’s Emergency Operations Center during the COVID-19 pandemic and as Oakland’s homelessness administrator in the city administrator’s o ce. He explained how some of these strategies may be transferable, while others may not work for the City of Davis.

“It is a statewide crisis — it is not national — and the unhoused population is not a homogenous group. ey have di erent needs depending on how insecure their housing is. You have some people who may be one or two paychecks away from being out on the street, and they need support because we don’t want them falling into homelessness,” Dunston said. “Some people are extremely low income, they have no income, and they need

Creatively Davis: the charm of the arts

Students

a di erent level of service than others. [...] e unhoused landscape in Davis [is] going to look di erent than in Santa Rosa and it’s going to look di erent than it did in Oakland. We’ll take a look at some of the things I’ve done in Santa Rosa and Oakland and see if it makes sense, and if it doesn’t, then we have to be creative,” Dunston said. Lastly, Dunston spoke about what he wanted students to know about him. “I support advocacy e orts and the mental health crisis — I don’t know if we’ve seen it this bad nationally [...] students are at the forefront of forcing public o cials to take it seriously and to come up with interventions that speak speci cally to students,” Dunston said. at is something that I support. I want students to know that they have an ally in me and you will absolutely see me walking around on campus. If there is something that the city can do in partnership with the school to improve the quality of life for students, that is something we would lean into.”

BY IQRA AHMAD arts@theaggie.org

While

space for its art history, art studio, design and performing arts majors. Tucked between the lecture halls and bike racks is a creative current that doesn’t clamor for attention so much as it hums insistently: the arts. For students, the arts o er the sly thrill of discovery: a mural that makes you pause, a gallery opening in a space you never noticed or a class lecture that feels less like a monologue and more like the start of a conversation.

Shaped by the campus’ geography, the faculty and the arts community of the greater Davis area, students spoke to the value and opportunities within UC Davis’ arts programs.

A feeling of belonging

“When I was walking around campus for the rst time, it was very beautiful,” Laila Penny, a fourth-year art history major, said.

Penny is a campus tour guide, president of the Art History Club and works at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art.

“Students seemed productive in a way, but also very kind,” Penny said.

“People held open doors for each other. It felt like a kind yet studious environment.” In perspectives like Penny’s, a feeling of generosity seems to be built into the very infrastructure of Davis. e Maria Manetti Shrem Art Hall — the main art studio building on campus — works as a hub for sharing ideas and promoting collective growth through its features of student work.

ere’s a lot of student artwork on the rst %oor, all dedicated to sculpture,”

Penny said. “A lot of the time, you can just walk in and see what students are working on. If you go up the stairwell, there’s a bunch of doodles all over the ceiling, so sometimes I just like to go there with friends and read them. It’s really good for inspiration, or if I just want to check out what students are into.”

These everyday experiences — walking through hallways adorned with creative expression and observing students creating art — capture the

vastly unique portfolio of artists within these programs. For students, there’s always an opportunity to be inspired and welcomed.

Faculty who insist on the “why”

To many students, what truly distinguishes the arts at UC Davis is not just the sense of community, but the approach of the faculty and professors who treat teaching as an ongoing conversation. In Professor John Lopez’s undergraduate Renaissance seminar, Penny shared the value of his emphasis on conversation and inquiry.

“It was very eye-opening,” Penny said. “He’s very involved in making sure students know what they’re learning and talking about.”

Penny also noted the importance of accessible and supportive faculty as a result of small classroom sizes, which have been found to foster greater personal connections and trust within educational settings.

“We’re a small department, so you see the same people again and again,” Penny said.

“It’s really nice to be part of a smaller department where you can form that sense of community.”

Penny also discussed the importance of utilizing o ce hours in getting to

know professors on a personal level and gaining a better understanding of course content.

“Going to o ce hours has de nitely helped me a lot,” Penny said. “It’s very comfortable to just go and ask a question as simple as, ‘How can I improve my writing on this?’” What makes UC Davis special for arts students isn’t just the beauty of the campus or its resources, but also the way that community is formed to create a space where ideas can thrive.

For students like Penny, it is a place where curiosity is celebrated and conversations matter.

A city that doubles as a studio

Creativity doesn’t stop at the edge of campus, but spills right into the city itself. Between spaces like the Pence Gallery, the Basement Gallery, e Artery and John Natsoulas Gallery, student opportunities span from classroom to gallery and from theory to practice, all to discover how ideas take shape in real-world contexts.

“I think that being well-rounded in interacting with [...] the public and understanding the cogs that are involved with running such an institution has especially complimented my emphasis on museum studies,” Cadmael Tapia

Zapata, a third-year art history major and student assistant at the Pence Gallery, said.

e City of Davis itself is a partner in education, a place where art meets opportunity: it’s not just work hung on walls, but a civic presence. As Zapata shares, gaining experience provides a bridge for students, closing the gap between academic study and hands-on practice.

“Working [at the Pence Gallery] has given me an opportunity to feel like I truly understand what I am being taught,” Zapata said.

“I do think it has set me up for future career experiences by not undermining me as a student, giving me opportunities in a professional environment and guiding me though the responsibilities that come alongside being a community center.”

UC Davis, while not advertised as a school for the arts, provides ample support and an environment conducive to learning both in and out of the classroom, according to students.

With its ever-present sense of camaraderie and community, as well as the countless opportunities to get involved, arts students at Davis hold a unique key to inspiration.

New City Manager of Davis, Daryel Dunston. (Courtesy of Jenny Tan)

The Mondavi Center for Performing Arts. (Aggie File)

Parking lot lined with trees for shade. (Courtesy of Mark Stebnicki / Creative Commons)

In first session of the school year, ASUCD Senate fills positions, passes budget for the year

Senate Pro Tempore elected as Senator Luis Garcia at the Oct. 2 meeting

BY AALIYAH ESPAÑOL-RIVAS campus@theaggie.org

In a largely procedural a air, the Associated Students of UC Davis (ASUCD) hosted their rst Senate meeting of the year on Oct. 2 to con rm new appointees, make budget amendments and pass legislation.

Senator Luis Garcia, a third-year political science major, was elected Senate pro tempore — the presiding o cer of the legislative body — over Senator Lexi Raben, a second-year environmental sciences and management major.

“I think this quarter is fundamental for the rest of the year,” Garcia said. “I really do want to establish those connections and make sure that we expand our resources, not just internally within ASUCD but also [...] outside of that.”

!e rst Senate meeting of the quarter also saw the con rmations of various ASUCD chairpersons, committee members and vice president roles that had not already been lled. These confirmations include: Iris Chen, a fourth-year psychology and economics double major, as the associate vice president of internal communications; Simrit Singh, a thirdyear psychology major, as the external a airs commission chair; and Tanvi Kesavaprasad, a second-year political science and economics double major, as the judicial council justice.

!e Senate also interviewed several candidates to serve as an interim senator for the quarter, lling the seat left vacant by Zack Dollins, a second-year political science major, who was elected as the external a airs vice president in the

spring. Candidates for the position include: Ivan Garcia-Cervantes, a thirdyear political science major transfer student; Livreet Sandhu, a third-year political science transfer student; and Shaina Taebi, a second-year political science and philosophy double major.

After brief questions from ASUCD President Amrita Julka, a third-year political science and human development double major, and Internal Vice President (IVP)

Dhilena Wickramasinghe, a fourth-year

sociology major, the Senate went into a closed session to ask further questions of the candidates.

!e Senate’s pick to ll the seat is expected to be announced and con rmed at the Oct. 9 meeting.

In a related development, Julka made a statement regarding workplace boundaries before the meeting adjourned, announcing that she will not be endorsing any candidates in this

USDA issues UC Davis citations for treatment of primates in research lab

Federal inspectors found that the California National Primate Research Center violated the Animal Welfare Act following the euthanization of an injured animal

BY RIVERS STOUT

campus@theaggie.org

Following a July inspection of UC Davis’ California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued three violations, two of which were critical, over the treatment of animals at the facility. University officials maintain that the research spaces promote speciestypical behavior; however, watchdog and animal rights groups continue to criticize the facility and its operations.

!e report, issued Aug. 15, reveals that at one of two inspected sites, several animals were injured as a result of improper treatment or living conditions.

In a case from February, two macaques, including one injured, were found outside of their shared enclosure. !e injured macaque, who su ered “a severe right rear leg laceration with muscle transection and a severed calcanean tendon with an associated visible fibula fracture,” was later euthanized.

“After a consultation between veterinary staff and the principal investigator, euthanasia was elected rather than repair due to study end point timelines,” the report reads.

It was later found that the lock securing the enclosure door had “malfunctioned.”

The second incident which resulted in a critical violation involved a primate at the facility being injured on their back, leaving an area of skin damage measuring three by ve inches. ! e report attributes the injury to sta ers inappropriately overheating subcutaneous $uids injected into the primate.

“Facility employees were responsible for the physical harm and /or unnecessary discomfort to a nonhuman primate when personnel made a mistake during handling and anesthesia,” the USDA report reads.

The CNPRC is one of seven National Primate Research Centers in the country and is largely funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Its primary mission is to “help humans and animals live longer, healthier

lives through scienti c advances and discovery,” according to their website.

Federal regulations require UC Davis to receive regular visits from inspectors of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Animal Care Unit, whose agency is charged with enforcing the federal Animal Welfare Act. The facility housed a total of 5,108 primates at the time of the July inspection, according to the USDA.

!e same report also detailed a third violation, this one noncritical, which found there was inadequate housing space for four primates weighing over 10 kilograms. T hey were housed in spaces 4.3 square feet large, while the Animal Welfare Act requires a space of six square feet at minimum.

When asked for comment on the CNPRC’s practices, a UC Davis representative asserted that the facility was committed to minimizing harm to test subjects.

“UC Davis and the California National Primate Research Center follow all federal and state guidelines for the ethical use of laboratory animals, and the welfare of every animal at UC Davis is our highest priority,” the representative said. “!e UC Davis animal care program both endorses and enforces the ‘3Rs principles’ in which biomedical researchers search for ways to ‘replace’ animals in research when feasible, ‘reduce’ the numbers of animals used and ‘re ne’ methods to improve animal welfare.”

University o cials did not respond to !e California Aggie’s requests for speci c details on the incidents that resulted in violations, or to questions over whether the university plans to change animal welfare practices or other policies in response to the report by time of publication. These violations join existing controversies at the research center over the treatment of test subjects. In March, the CNPRC was issued an official warning from the USDA, in part over two earlier events that resulted in the deaths of primates. In May 2023, one primate was left in a stainless steel cage in a heated van without temperature control; it was later euthanized after being found unresponsive due to

hyperthermia. In December of that same year, another primate was killed after being strangled by a loose bungee cord that had loosened from an overhead canopy.

!e other site inspected by the USDA in July held no primates, and no violations or non-compliance issues were reported there.

Animal rights groups, including animal research watchdog Stop Animal Exploitation Now! (SAEN), have called for UC Davis to be further investigated and for the center to be closed.

!e statement that was given to you by UC Davis is quite clearly a canned statement,” SAEN Co-founder and Executive Director Michael Budkie said.

“It is in stark contrast to the reality shown by the USDA inspection reports. What the most recent inspection reports show is that the UC Davis sta [are] incompetent to the point they can’t make certain that animals stay in their enclosures.

!e bottom line here is that if the sta at UC Davis can’t even follow basic animal care regulations then there’s no way we can expect them to be capable of doing science.”

UC Davis did not respond to requests for comment on SAEN’s statement by time of publication.

!e People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has also condemned the CNPRC’s practices, and is calling for the NIH to cut funding to all seven research centers.

“A monkey with repairable injuries was killed, not because they couldn’t be treated, but because saving him would inconvenience the experimenter’s timeline — a decision that betrays both science and the most basic oath of veterinary medicine,” PETA Senior Science Advisor Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel said in a press release.

SAEN is pushing for the USDA to further investigate and prosecute the center, calling for nes to be levied as a result of the incident. However, the USDA’s oversight ability has been hindered by a loss of funding, a dwindling sta count and a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that has limited federal agencies’ abilities to impose financial penalties for statutory violations.

to work with any and all senators that are open to working with me.”

Wickramasinghe echoed the statement.

“I have the same boundaries,” Wickramasinghe said. “I will not be engaging in the same type of behavior; do not ask me the opinion of a senator.”

Budget Amendments

After the closed session and a short break, the Senate made amendments to several ASUCD units’ budgets.

The Housing Advising for Undergraduate Students (HAUS) unit saw the largest amendment, with the rati cation of a memorandum of understanding allocating $101,528 from the Vital Emergency Shelter and Transitional Assistance (VESTA) sub-unit to the HAUS budget for a transitional housing line item.

Additionally, Whole Earth Festival (WEF)’s budget was amended to accommodate for the creation of another logistics coordinator position, which was not accounted for in their previous budget.

WEF Co-Director Ella Estabrook, a fourth-year sociology major, emphasized the importance of two coordinators for the festival.

fall’s ASUCD election. “I want to work on establishing self-work boundaries, because I’ve already kind of seen it, but please do not ask me the opinion of another senator,” Julka said. “I will not be engaging. Know that people are probably going to have friends who are running for Senate during the fall election. I will personally not be endorsing any senators, because I want to maintain that I am open and willing

Human

“We have a sta of about 42 people, and the logistics coordinators have a huge job,” Estabrook said. “It’s a twoperson job. !ey undertake providing all of the supplies and reservations. In previous years, logistics coordinators have had to skip classes and stay up all night to ensure the festival is set up and take down is nished on time.”

Lastly, the Senate changed the hours of the Senate president pro tempore down from 19.5 hours to 17 hours weekly.

Commission emphasizes community input as it begins new year of work

BY ALMA CULVERWELL city@ttheaggie.org

The Davis Human Relations Commission met on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 6:30 p.m. in Davis City Hall to review its agenda and set goals for the upcoming year. !is commission advises the city on matters related to social equity, diversity and inclusion.

A central focus of the meeting was the Sanctuary City workplan. As a Sanctuary City, Davis law enforcement and city o cials, in the course of duty, do not take into account if a person is undocumented. Immigration status is a federal issue rather than a local one, so this plan can be applied within Davis city limits, according to the City of Davis website. Davis was rst declared a Sanctuary City in 1986, and rea rmed in 2007 and 2014.

Members voted to form subcommittees dedicated to di erent aspects of the plan, according to Sta Liaison to the Human Relations Commission Carrie Dyer.

“The [Human Relations Commission] moved to create subcommittees as a rst step to do research and outreach to those with lived experiences as well as to local institutions to review current language and policies,” Dyer said.

!e subcommittees will explore e orts such as rea rming and updating the Sanctuary City language, revising informational materials for residents, developing a one-time publication with “know your rights” information and providing education and training opportunities for businesses and city sta . Commissioners also discussed holding a public forum and expanding online resources to increase community awareness.

In addition to the Sanctuary City plan, the commission began outlining its 2025-26 priorities.

“!e commission is just beginning their work for the 2025-26 year, and the meeting focused on how to move forward with the council-approved Sanctuary City work and proposed additional work that they would like to focus their e orts on,” Dyer said.

!e additional proposals will go to City Council for approval, prior to any work getting started on those.”

“As the work for this current year is just beginning, having community input on [our] efforts surrounding Davis as a Sanctuary City would be very appreciated.”

Carrie Dyer Sta Liaison to

the Human Relations Commission

While several subcommittees were established in August, members reported no signi cant updates this month, as much of their work is still in the early stages.

Dyer further explained the role of these subcommittees and how they support the commission.

“At the August meeting, the [Human Relations Commission] determined a number of planning committees,” Dyer said. “Each month there is a standing item for the planning committees or subcommittees to provide a brief update on the work that they have done over the past month. As the committees were just established and many of the events are a ways away, there were no updates to note from last night.” The commission also began discussions about adjusting its November and December meeting dates, which fall on city closures. Members considered holding one combined meeting or selecting alternative dates.

Looking ahead, Dyer emphasized the importance of community involvement in the commission’s work.

“The [Human Relations Commission] always appreciates community engagement in their meetings,” Dyer said. “As the work for this current year is just beginning, having community input on [our] e orts surrounding Davis as a Sanctuary City would be very appreciated.”

Entrance to the California National Primate Research Center at UC Davis. The school received federal violations for the mistreatment of animals. (Jenna Lee / Aggie)

The Davis Human Relations Commission met in the Community Chambers on Sept. 25, 2025. (Aggie File)

SAVANNAH BURGER / AGGIE

OPINION

Empathy: the key ingredient in intellect

Exploring the toxicity of intellectual prejudice

What’s with all the Republican DEI hires?

Is diversity within the Trump administration indicative of progress or a deeper sociocultural movement?

BY GEETIKA MAHAJAN giamahajan@ucdavis.edu

is past month, FBI Director Kash Pramod Patel bewildered the majority of the United States at the funeral of right-wing zealot Charlie Kirk.

SAVANNAH BURGER / AGGIE

BY VIOLET ZANZOT

vmzanzot@ucdavis.edu

I’ve never understood the true de nition of “smart,” and yet, I can certainly say that I’ve spent too much time feeling dumb. It’s this weird, ambiguous feeling — to feel a certain way about your own intelligence — because, while it shouldn’t be, it can be such an emotional experience. If your brain is a separate entity from your heart, why can thoughts hurt so badly? e pain that comes from feeling dumb is interesting to me. It echoes the expression: “ e opposite of love is not hate, it is indi erence.” I don’t think the opposite of being smart is being dumb, but is it indi erence?

I rst asked myself this question (I will pose it to you now) as I was thinking about a boy I liked. Our forms of intelligence are very di erent, so I was pondering whether or not he and I would be compatible. I had chatted with him earlier that evening, and I remember him claiming that he isn’t as smart as me — that he doesn’t know as much as I do. I found this odd, considering I wouldn’t even be con dent saying that I’m the smartest person in an empty room.

is is the question I asked myself later: Does having the conscious awareness to consider our own intelligence inherently demonstrate some kind of intelligence to begin with? In other words, does wondering exactly how smart we are indicate that we possess a certain level of intelligence?

I certainly tell myself that thinking “I’m dumb” actually means I may not be; and, whenever I feel completely lost — I think “you can’t be found if you don’t know you’re lost, right?” I like to think that this self-re$ection

We

means something, especially considering that the real problem with self-imposed intellectual inferiority is that it involves multiple levels of perception.

Beyond how we perceive ourselves, we often consider how we perceive others, how we assume others perceive us, how others actually perceive us and then how others perceive themselves.

It’s a lot to read on paper, let alone process that this is how the world works. We lose empathy in the conversation around being “smart” because of these many levels of perception.

In my short time studying abroad, I’ve already noticed that Americans have a tendency to, as they say, “stick out like a sore thumb.” I am in London right now, and it’s painfully obvious that the rumors are true — we don’t come across as the brightest bunch. is is probably the main reason why this topic has recently been at the forefront of my mind: to be perceived as less intelligent because of the prejudice associated with my accent has certainly been thought provoking.

Misjudgements are ignorant because they lack empathy. Empathy, it seems, is a key aspect of intelligence. If we cannot understand the language of someone else’s thought processes, any assumptions about their intellect may as well be errors in our own translation. It is foolish to assume our own knowledge is greater than others because they think in a language we are unable to understand.

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

are paying

Grok, is this true?

BY SABRINA FIGUEROA

sfigueroaavila@ucdavis.edu

From asking ChatGPT to write an email to directing xAI’s Grok to factcheck a Pop Base post on X, arti cial intelligence (AI) has us in a chokehold. Since the first launch of ChatGPT-3.5 in November 2022, generative AI has been integrated into our lives — willingly for some and forcibly for others. It was initially branded as magic, looped in with wizards and witches that can create anything out of thin air. e reality is that AI has as much magical power as the Wizard of Oz — with only a man behind the curtain operating a complex system, trained on our own data, that keeps the illusion of magic, novelty and power. Still, if tech companies continue their quest to sell it as so, let it be known that magic has its conditions and often comes with a price. We don’t have to wait to nd out what that looks like: It’s already here, and it’s a ecting small, low-income and Black communities rst, many of which lack the political power to signi cantly change the operations of tech companies and their data centers. It’s another wave of environmental racism — a regression in the name of “progression.”

Tucked-away in Southern Memphis, Elon Musk has built “Colossus:” a giant supercomputer that he utilizes to power his company, xAI, and the chatbot, Grok. In June 2025, the Southern Environmental Law Center found that Musk was operating 30 unpermitted methane gas turbines without any notice or regulation. Turbines such as these emit formaldehyde and smog-forming pollutants, increasing risk of asthma, heart disease and cancer.

If that isn’t unethical enough, the surrounding area is predominantly made up of Black communities that have historically experienced environmental injustice and industrial pollution. e city closest to the xAI data center, Boxtown, for example, already has an average cancer risk four times the national average.

Luckily, both the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) have decided to sue Musk over this. However, a recent study from scholars at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and UC Riverside found that other communities all over the U.S. are still su ering from the emissions of fossil fuels burned to power AI. Carbon emissions travel from one area to the next, a ecting communities, people and ecosystems beyond those

“Rest in peace brother,” Patel said into the microphone. “I’ll see you in Valhalla.” e comment drew widespread attention, rst and foremost because of Patel’s insinuation that Valhalla (a Nordic myth) was still a relevant cultural belief, that Kirk had done something to deserve the afterlife of a warrior and that Patel himself was planning to die in battle soon (which, according to Norse mythology, is the only way to reach Valhalla).

e bizarre statement could be explained as just another example of the Trump administration’s attempts to sound tougher than they really are, which it is, in a way. But Patel’s reference to a cultural belief that died with the Viking empire at the funeral of a man who vehemently disagreed with policies that made it possible to succeed as an immigrant in the U.S. is symptomatic of something else.

Watching Vivek Ramaswamy, American entrepreneur and politician, proudly advocate for the end of birthright citizenship or Governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley implement some of the most stringent “showme-your-papers” immigration laws is disorienting. From an American perspective, it’s odd to see children of Indian immigrants turn their back on other immigrants. From an IndianAmerican perspective, it’s kind of

What looks like a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiative from the outside is actually symptomatic of the worst colonial hangover of all time. An NBC article found that “Indians are perhaps the most wellrepresented minority group within the Trump administration” — despite making up a mere 2% of the national population. e current FBI director, Kash Patel, and the Second Lady of the U.S., Usha Vance (among others), are second-generation Indian Americans. ey’re entrenched in an administration that’s imposing a $100,000 fee for the employment visas that made it possible for them to grow up in the U.S. in the rst place.

the price for AI

local to the data centers. If we do not enforce limitations upon these Big Tech companies and we continue to use AI like a harmless toy, the consequences will soon catch up to us. Although society may discriminate, climate change does not. One minute it’s directly a ecting people in a far-away community, the next minute it’ll directly a ect you. e high energy demand, along with the mass amounts of water consumption necessary to sustain data centers, are expensive. Not for the tech companies, but for community members in the surrounding areas.

Tech giants like Google, for example, are securing deals with utility companies that help them save money and make more pro t. Just last year, Google scored a deal in South Carolina that allowed them to “pay less than half the rate that households pay for electricity,” according to an article by Capital B. is “deal” forced local households to cover the remaining cost through their own utility bills. Every year, generative AI has the potential to drive a racial economic gap by $43 billion, with low-income and predominantly Black communities having to pay for AI’s giant mess —

both environmentally and nancially. Generative AI has become an environmental issue, a public health issue and a social issue. As we continue to use AI as a search engine, an artist for lack-luster art, a writer for discussion posts we’re too lazy to write and more, we must ask ourselves: Is it worth it?

Big Tech and billionaires, like Musk, sell us magical supercomputers designed to help us, but it’s all a facade to make them more money at the expense of our health, critical thinking and literacy skills, communities and nancial wellbeing. If you think for a second that companies in a capitalist society only have the goal to help the masses, think again. eir main concern is not people, it’s pro t. Before it’s too late, we must demand regulations on AI and Big Tech companies and hold ourselves accountable for abusing generative AI as more than a tool; for the sake of human lives and the planet. AI can’t save us time if there isn’t any more time left to save.

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

e Trump administration hasn’t been randomly populated by Indian sycophants. Through a con$uence of socioeconomic factors within India and America, the incoming immigrants are uniquely poised to occupy this speci c niche and be particularly successful under Trump’s regime. e issue originates long before immigration itself — it starts as a byproduct of the deeply entrenched caste system in India. e subsequent structural inequality a ects the opportunities, education and access Indian citizens have today. Ramaswamy discussed where his family fell within this hierarchy in his 2021 book “Woke, Inc. Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam,” stating that “Kings were below us.” While such a blatant appeal to false authority is a little nauseating to

anyone who understands how horrible the caste system in India really is, it’s also indicative of the overall demographic pattern of Indian immigrants. Many people who come to the U.S. are $eeing war or famine, or looking to escape conditions of abject poverty. On the $ipside, immigrants from India are largely the product of employment visas; consequently, they are collegeeducated (77% of Indian-Americans have a college degree, as opposed to 35% of all immigrant adults) and may even have jobs lined up the moment they land in America. Essentially, Indian immigrants arrive in the U.S. relatively well-positioned with stable roots back home. What this primarily implies is that such a demographic might be unsympathetic to the desperation and hope that fuels many immigrant stories. It explains the eagerness with which Haley and Ramaswamy so strongly emphasized their intolerance of other immigrant groups.

ere’s also the assimilation aspect.

Being a visible minority is di%cult, and there’s been a signi cant rise in antiSouth Asian sentiment in the United States within the past few decades. With racist caricatures like Ravi from “Jessie” or Apu Nahasapeemapetilon from “ e Simpsons,” it’s understandable to want to prove you’re not like the stereotype. Ostensibly, the easiest way to do this is by demonstrating that you have the same cultural and political beliefs as the most “American” people in the country. However, this is not to assign blame. Trump’s DEI hires aren’t victims of some unjust system that forced them to act evil, and nobody should sympathize with them.

IAIDENTITY on 7

Do big words equal big ideas?

How accessible does science need to be?

KASAGANI

BY ABHINAYA

akasagani@ucdavis.edu

Let me start by saying Academia and I are not friends. Most days I don’t understand her, and she doesn’t understand me, but we keep in touch anyway. I get most of my information from her, and she’s usually credible. On the other hand, Academia annoys me deeply and is oftentimes unwelcoming, but she is perpetually trying to teach me something, for which I am grateful.

At dinner the other night with a friend of a friend, I was accused of being “out of touch” with the current state of access to academia — all because I concluded that it was not the density of research that intentionally kept people at arm’s length, but that it was the public’s unwillingness to approach a subject that didn’t appeal to them. e other party argued that a research paper’s failure to be instantly consumable by every person was the problem — noting that there exists both a moral and practical imperative that knowledge must be accessible to the public at all times.

We failed to reach a shared consensus on whether or not it was the academic’s job to ensure the common person was kept in the conversation, which left me with the question: What is the attempted extent of a scientist’s allegiance to the public?

In the public imagination, information appears as if cloistered — an inaccessibility that is not incidental, but built into the systems of academia. Paywalls, technical jargon and talk of specialized methods function as barriers to accessibility, discouraging outsiders from participating. When direct access to researchers is denied, the public disregards nuance to back their biases or relies on intermediaries who might oversimplify or distort ndings for their personal gain; when one has no access to the person who wrote the source and cannot verify what they intend to say, they ll in the gaps themselves. e authority fallacy then results in the public’s acceptance of claims becoming hinged on trust in an authority gure, leaving them unable to weigh evidence themselves.

Gatekeepers also advance their own

agendas when they translate or lter research, realizing how easy it becomes to sway public opinion when the public lacks the necessary information to form their own beliefs. Some argue that researchers face cost and time constraints, and cannot be expected to distill all ndings into layman terms for the sake of another’s convenience. While the current social climate has made it evident that the public’s trust in science has begun to waver, most people still believe in the value and credibility of scienti c research — it is scientists themselves who they distrust. is often stems from their inability to engage with research or attempt to understand its methods — they demand certainty where none exists, often leading to a misrepresentation of scienti c progress. ey remain susceptible to misinformation by those who have been incentivized to spread it; paradoxically, this cannot be remedied if scientists spend their time and energies attempting to cater to the masses. Still, if knowledge is power, and knowledge is continually restricted, then it becomes a failure of the research method to ensure that potency of that power is accessible by all.

Some solutions to mitigate this inaccessibility might include incentivizing public-facing materials (for instance, abstracts, summaries or data tied to publications in simpler language), more open peer-review and platforms for public commentary and requiring journals to reward open science practices like data sharing and explanations of methodology. Since transparency encourages accountability, it is easier to identify when error, bias and fraud are prevalent.

The responsibility of ensuring accuracy without compromising clarity and demystifying the research process doesn’t rest solely with researchers, nor entirely with mediators — it must be shared amongst educators too. ey must teach citizens how to read science, understand bias and make inferences.

While I am still not sure I fully believe that publishing research necessitates the use of layman terms, I also agree that research mustn’t be walled o to those who want in.

SAVANNAH BURGER / AGGIE

SAVANNAH BURGER / AGGIE

SAVANNAH BURGER / AGGIE

Trump administration unlawfully wages war against American

Attempts to deploy the National Guard speak to a rising pattern of militarization and federal control

WRITTEN BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD

On Sept. 30, President Donald Trump, in plain terms, declared war on American cities. While hundreds of topranking military o cials sat watching the stage in Quantico, Virginia, Trump made clear his intentions to deploy troops to Chicago, Portland, San Francisco, New York and more via his hour-long address — in an attempt to “straighten them out one by one.”

Once again blaming “radical Left Democrats,” Trump expressed his desire to turn the United States military’s focus inward, claiming that these cities are the source of an underlying, domestic “war from within.” He argued that national guard troops were necessary to protect Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) o cials and crack down on crime.

What are these cities in reality? Hubs of immigrant networks, communities with histories rooted in social justice and the most culturally diverse areas within the U.S. Using broad claims of high crime rates to justify his blatant attack on these left-leaning localities, Trump went as far as suggesting that these places become the next “training ground” for U.S. military troops.

Following the deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Memphis in August and September, the Trump administration has wasted no time in attempting to bring the rest of their plans to fruition.

Portland On Oct. 3, Trump readied 200 Oregon National Guard soldiers to enter Portland, his administration

Sudoku

deeming this as necessary action against anti-ICE protestors organizing outside of a Portland ICE building. When this was barred by Federal Judge Karin Immergut, the Trump administration tried to dance around her ruling by seeking out hundreds of National Guard troops from two other states: Texas and California.

In America’s long history, the National Guard — a branch of the military that answers to state and federal rule, most often deployed in times of natural disasters — has almost never been activated within a state without the approval of its governor. But this past weekend, despite objections from both Governor Tina Kotek of Oregon and Governor Gavin Newsom of California, President Donald Trump continued to push for the militarization of Portland.

On Oct. 5, Judge Immergut once again blocked these e orts, reworking her restraining order to apply to National Guard troops of any state, sending home 300 California National Guard soldiers from the city. On California’s end, Newsom has threatened to leave the National Governors Association in protest of Trump’s actions, calling for the group to condemn what they’re seeing happen across cities.

This mission to weaponize the U.S. military force directly against American civilians is just one of many road signs pointing toward the Trump administration’s descent into authoritarian, fascist rule. President Trump’s ploy to expand federal control of these left-leaning cities is in direct opposition to our First Amendment right to peaceably assemble.

While White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that the

Portland ICE building was “under siege” by “anarchists,” the city’s Police Chief Bob Day, stated that these claims “did not match what was happening on the ground,” via CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. Rampant misinformation, another hallmark of authoritarianism, has led some to believe that anti-ICE protestors in Portland and across the U.S. are a violent threat to public safety. In reality, organizing e orts have been largely peaceful, only escalated following the deployment of police and military troops. Governor Kotek also expressed that Trump’s deployment of the National Guard was highly unnecessary in an Oct. 5 statement, con rming that “there is no threat to national security. No res, no bombs, no fatalities.”

Editorial Board

ALYSSA CREVOISERAT Editor-in-Chief

MAYA KORNYEYEVA Managing Editor

VINCE BASADA Campus News Editor

JORDAN POLTORAK City News Editor

MOLLY THOMPSON Opinion Editor

ZOEY MORTAZAVI Features Editor

SAVANNAH ANNO Arts & Culture Editor

MEGAN JOSEPH Sports Editor

KATIE HELLMAN Science & Tech Editor Managing Staf

JENNA LEE Photo Director

NOELLE ESCALANTE Layout Director

SAVANNAH BURGER Design Director

SAM RUIZ New Media Manager

KAYLIE HUANG Social Media Manager

JULIAN MONTANA Website Manager

JULIA CROSSAN Distribution & Outreach Director

YILAN LI Translation Director

CARMEN RODRIGUEZ-ZARATE Translation Director

JENNY DYE Copy Chief

ALYSSA PULIDO Copy Chief

LAURIE PEDERSON Business Development Manager

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

Answer to previous puzzle 10/02/25

Crossword

BY JORDAN POLTORAK arts@theaggie.org

Song: “Older (and Wiser)” by Lizzy McAlpine (2024)

As a long-time fan of Lizzy McAlpine, my claim to fame is that I loved her even before her songs became famous on TikTok. I discovered her music in 2020, when I had nothing better to do other than sit in my room and listen to music. I have enjoyed everything she’s released, from her very rst EP to her most recent album “Older (and Wiser),” the deluxe edition of the album “Older” she debuted in April. It is truly amazing to watch someone experiment until they nd their signature sound.

You might recognise the track “Pushing It Down and Praying” from its TikTok fame. It details the experience of not quite being able to get over someone, starting o slow and building as the song progresses. e raw honesty of the song, accompanied with dramatic strings and piano, replicates the emotions McAlpine discusses. My personal favorite track is “Spring Into Summer.” McAlpine expresses similar emotions to “Pushing It Down and Praying,” but instead of ghting the feelings like she does on the previous track, McAlpine leans in and accepts them, perfectly wrapping up the album. e beginning of the track, soft and slow, lulls listeners into nostalgic content, while the chorus and bridge crescendo into a display of colorful sound. McAlpine shows o her extensive knowledge of music theory and uses it to create something both beautiful and heartwrenching, sure to blow you away.

Book: “Severance” by Ling Ma (2018)

is book follows Candace, a woman who lives in New York City amidst a virus that spreads and infects the world. e novel moves between the main character’s current life amidst the pandemic — as she joins a small group of survivors — and her childhood experience immigrating to the United States from Fuzhou, China with her parents. e virus, referred to in the novel as “Shen Fever,” causes those infected to become stuck in a zombie-like state, repeating a task until the person eventually dies. is repetition re ects that of Candace’s life in corporate America, where she held on to her mundane daily routines until becoming the last person left at her o ce. Eerily similar to some of the events that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, “Severance” serves as a reminder that the small, unique actions we engage in to keep life interesting should never be taken for granted.

TV Show: “Veep” by Armando Iannucci and David Mandel (2012)

While this show has been out for over a decade, I only recently discovered it over the summer. Safe to say, it did not disappoint. e show follows Vice President Selina Meyers (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) as everything that can possibly go wrong, goes wrong. e show follows her through seven seasons of satire, scandals and sta members who are terrible at their jobs. Every episode is laughout-loud funny and lled to the brim with witty, unparalleled wordplay. “Veep” answers the question: If all the characters on a show were terrible people, would you keep rooting for them? e answer is somehow yes — I cannot recommend it enough.

Movie: “Opus” dir. Mark Anthony Green (2025)

“Opus” centers on a young journalist, feeling slightly frustrated with her career thus far, after she receives an invitation from the notorious Alfred Moretti, a ctional global superstar who has reached David Bowie and Freddie Mercury levels of fame. Announcing a new album for the rst time in 30 years, Moretti invites a small group of journalists, talk show hosts and in uencers to his home for a special preview. Upon arrival, the group learns that Moretti lives inside a remote compound, leading a large, cult-like group who call themselves Levelists. e main character, Ariel Ecton, played by Ayo Adebri, becomes fascinated with the Levelists and decides she wants to write her own piece on their philosophy. at is, until she uncovers the darker elements at play. is psychological thriller de nitely lives up to the A24 name and explores ideas of fame in a unique way.

Colors for every season

Is seasonal color analysis a worthwhile approach to personal style?

BY JULIE HUANG

arts@theaggie.org

Common sense dictates that specific colors flatter some people while washing out others, but the process of discovering the colors that look good on you can be tedious and time-consuming. Seasonal color analysis seeks to bypass that arduous process by organizing the e ects of di erent colors on di erent complexions in a systematic and reliable way, assigning every person a color palette that suits them best.

Inspired by the natural colors associated with the yearly seasons, there are four main categories of “color seasons” that one may fall into, depending on a mixture of factors involving one’s natural skin, eye and hair color.

These four categories are then broken up into numerous subcategories, which might be called di erent things depending on which version of the system one is using, but nearly always feature similar concepts and guidelines.

The colors that are most attering on a person can be found by determining certain qualities of a person’s complexion, such as whether their skin is warm or cool toned, according to seasonal color analysis.

“It de nitely shaped the colors I choose to wear, and even how I do my makeup,” Soleil Castro, a third-year biological sciences major, said.

Using color seasons as a starting point, a person can determine the types of clothing, makeup, jewelry and other accessories that, according to the seasonal color theory, suit them best.

“Every person does have a set of colors that complements them the best, and it can be a really good way to maximize your looks,” Castro said.

Daryl Bordelon, a third-year English and ecology, evolution and biodiversity double major, stated that nding one’s personal color season usually consists of a process of trial and error.

How do UC Davis students find time for the arts in their day-to-day lives?

The importance of art in all its forms, according to the student community

NOVA MAI / AGGIE

BY NATALIE SALTER arts@theaggie.org

Between classes, work and social commitments, it may be di cult for students to nd time to engage with the arts. After a long day of intellectual and physical rigor, it is understandably more appealing to take a nap or scroll through lighthearted content on social media than interact with a narratively complex novel or an ongoing artistic project.

Downtime that demands no mental e ort is a necessary part of a healthy schedule and can help prevent complete exhaustion or burnout.

But art, in its diverse span of forms, can also provide enrichment and pleasure for those who seek it out in their free time. Whether this means keeping up with a good television series, tearing through dense fantasy novels, devoting time and energy to creative projects or attending live events, the arts are an integral part of Davis’ student culture.

For some, even something so simple as listening to an old favorite album or doodling in the margins of a notebook can provide artistic ful llment.

“I have always been, and am currently obsessed with, creating soundtracks to my life,” Juliana Vasquez, a third-year English major, said. “Music has always resonated with me on the deepest level possible.”

She went on to explain how drawing connections between the works of musical artists and her own life makes her listening feel special.

“I nd it to be almost magical how you can discover a song that ts any and every period or moment of your life,” Vasquez said. “Whether that be playlists lled with crash-out songs dedicated to my situationships, party playlists that curate the vibe for every function or a collection of songs that encapsulate the essence of girlhood, there is always a song I can nd comfort in.”

Riley Martin, a third-year English major, also remarked that hobbies such as reading or playing video games can be comforting, transporting them into a completely di erent world.

“Having time to myself in the comfort of my own home to read is great, but I also love that I get

“For a long time, I always felt like darker shades looked really bad on me,” Bordelon said. “Once I had the words that color seasons gave me, it gave me a framework for choosing colors that were attering on me.”

Bordelon considers herself a warm spring. Her complexion is primarily clear and bright, complimenting colors like golden yellow, coral, turquoise and warm greens.

Crossreferencing the many di erent guides to seasonal color palettes, however, can become a bit tricky, as Bordelon explains.

“Definitions get kind of vague because every source will show slightly di erent palettes for di erent seasons,” Bordelon said. Due to these numerous interpretations of what constitutes a

speci c season, Bordelon stated that describing certain details that are relevant to color seasons in general may be more useful than using terminology that not everyone is aware of.

“It depends on my audience. If I’m talking to somebody who is really into fashion, maybe I’ll bring up the term ‘color season,’ but a lot of the time I just kind of get away with describing something,” Bordelon said. “Saying I like wearing pastels with warm undertones gets the same point across.”

Despite appearing to place rules and restrictions on the shades and hues that one can wear, the value in seasonal color analysis can be found in its ability to stimulate personal creativity in one’s attitude towards styling themselves.

“Wanting to sort yourself into fun little categories is as old as human

nature,” Bordelon said. “Sometimes working from a limited place actually grants room for more creativity.”

As an artist, Bordelon sees similarities between the process of overcoming art block with the everyday decision of choosing something from your wardrobe.

“One of the best ways to break out of [art block] is to give yourself an arbitrary limit, work o of it and see how that pushes you out of your comfort zone,” Bordelon said. “For personal style, color seasons can be that limit.” e guidelines set by color seasons can also be disregarded or downplayed depending on individual preference, allowing for a more personalized experience. “I wouldn’t say it’s inherently

the opportunity to pull out a book wherever I go and fall into that state of immersion,” Martin said. “It makes it easier to be in new places, and I feel like I get a moment to myself even in crowded areas.”

However, art may also t best into students’ lives when it has tangible results, such as the development of a new skill or the acquisition of a homemade item.

Students like Martin have found that a practical application for their hobbies makes them feel like they are accomplishing something substantial outside of their studies.

“Crafting is on the other end of the spectrum, but is still greatly important to me.” Martin said. “I get to feel inspired during weeks of work, gathering ideas and planning what I think would be a great new project. And then, when I nally nd the time, I get to bring all of those ideas together to create something new, whether it be a special gift from a friend, a new piece of decoration for my room or an accessory I can add to my wardrobe.” April Nguyen, a third-year biological sciences major, expressed feeling a similar sense of value in her creative endeavors.

“I’m interested in art that can help me in some way, like sewing and pottery, because those are things that I can use everyday, and they feel more productive,” Nguyen said. “I don’t have a lot of time for hobbies anyways, so I like the idea of using them to help my everyday life.”

Whether it’s for emotional respite or creative satisfaction, Davis students are still nding time in their packed schedules to seek out the arts.

Many of us turn to the arts for support without even realizing it, such as when we listen to a calming playlist or turn on a favorite comfort show after a rough day of classes.

ese hobbies and passions are outlets for imagination and mediums through which personal experiences can be processed and understood. Even in its simplest forms — a beloved song, a hand-knit sweater, a well-worn journal — art continues to give students sustenance and meaning, even in the midst of endless papers and exams.

“Every person does have a set [of] colors that complements them the best, and it can be a really good way to maximize your looks.”

Castro

Soleil

third-year Biological Sciences major

limiting, especially because it’s not a set of rules that you have to follow. You can nd what works for you,” Bordelon said. “For example, I’ve seen some sources say that ‘warm springs’ don’t look good in cool-toned pastels, but I look great in pastel blue, so I don’t necessarily listen to that speci c aspect of my season.” Jessica Alvarez-Cruz, a third-year human development major, agrees that color seasons do not have to become a hindrance in the curation of a unique personal style.

“It’s not like you’re being held at gunpoint to just stay in a certain category,” Alvarez-Cruz said. “You can indulge in other categories and nd what works for you.” Ultimately, seasonal color analysis may operate at its most helpful when treated not as gospel, but as a source of creativity and inspiration.

“Really, it’s just a starting point,” Bordelon said. “To put it simply, it’s not that serious, okay?”

NOVA MAI / AGGIE

SCIENCE AND TECH

UC Davis-designed payload to be launched into space this November

UC Davis team partners with Proteus Space to send the first-ever satellite equipped with a digital twin into orbit

BY EKATERINA MEDVEDEVA science@theaggie.org

When is your computer battery going to fail? Most people wouldn’t know an answer to this question — it could be in two years or two weeks. e most damage that you would incur if it were to suddenly fail would most likely be a couple of hundred dollars in expenses and maybe some missed assignments in the time it takes you to replace it.

However, in systems of greater scales where the stakes are much higher — in satellites, for example — knowing the answer to this question is crucial, and so is guring out how one can adapt the manner in which the battery is used to address anomalies and prolong its performance.

is is where digital twins come in. e idea behind a digital twin is to create a virtual representation of the battery. e collected real-time data — such as electrical data (i.e. voltage), thermal data (i.e. cell temperature), performance metrics (i.e. energy e ciency) and environmental data, coupled with predictive models — enables monitoring of the physical battery’s health and performance, along with forecasting of its future conditions, according to an Amazon Web Services

for Industries blog post.

Over the past year, a group of four graduate students at the Center for Space Exploration Research, led by Stephen Robinson, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, along with Associate Professor Xinfan Lin, whose laboratory researches intelligent battery systems, collaborated with Proteus Space on a United State’s government-sponsored project to launch a satellite with a digital twin payload of the satellite’s battery. is project is the rst time, at least publicly, that a digital twin has been own in orbit,” Adam Zufall, the coordinator of the project on the UC Davis side, said. Jackson Fogelquist, an UC Davis alumnus with a Ph.D. in mechanical and aerospace engineering, and Ayush Patnaik, a third-year Ph.D. student in Lin’s lab, developed algorithms of the digital twin that combine physics-based mathematical and data-driven empirical models to simulate the behavior of the battery. e team also includes Ansha Prashanth, a master’s student in computer science, who created the software to gather the battery data and allow the payload to communicate with the satellite.

“Oftentimes the power system is the determining factor of how long the spacecraft is going to last in orbit,”

Zufall said. “So, if you can do a better job at managing your batteries by making better predictions and models, you will get more value out of your spacecraft, which is why we created this digital twin. But, in theory, it could be applied to other parts of a spacecraft as well.”

e payload harnesses machine learning capabilities in order to make a more dynamic model of the battery that learns from collected data over time, changing the weights it assigns to di%erent factors and its calculation methods, resulting in more informed and accurate predictions about potential problems.

e spacecraft was just handed over to the launch provider [two weeks ago], which is an exciting time,” Zufall said.

For the past four months, the spacecraft, which carries multiple commercial and research payloads along with UC Davis’ digital twin, underwent various kinds of tests, including environmental, vacuum and thermal testing to ensure it will survive its ride up to the orbit and will be able to operate in space as designed.

e launch is now scheduled to take place in November from the Vandenberg Space Force Base. e outcomes of this project have potential for applications to power systems beyond satellites, and the project itself is a testament to the fruitfulness of partnerships between researchers and enterprises.

“All the technologies we are working on, especially on the battery modeling side, could actually be useful for people working on electric cars, electric aircraft[s] — really anything with a rechargeable battery that could have higher levels of performance,” Zufall said. “I think it is a very good example of how universities and private companies can partner together. [...] e U.S. government has a few di%erent funding opportunities to support activities just like this, and I think it works well when you have universities doing science, because that’s what we like to do — we like to do things that people haven’t done before — and then have private companies use their resource of professional engineers to build a product.”

Your environment impacts the quality and ease of your sleep

Your circadian clock may be shifting due to environmental cues

SAVANNAH BURGER / AGGIE

BY KATELYN BURNS science@theaggie.org

October has come to Davis. With cooler temperatures and less daylight, it’s natural to feel more tired. Your body’s internal clock, called the circadian clock, takes cues from the environment to help you stay alert in the day and sleep at night. Environmental cues, like light and temperature, reinforce or reset your circadian rhythms.

When you wake during the day, the light sets your circadian clock. However, if you wake during the night and turn on lights — including your phone’s light — your clock resets and can interfere with sleep.

Fumika Hamada, a professor of neurobiology, physiology and behavior at UC Davis, uses flies to study temperature and better understand circadian rhythms.

“Temperature is also able to set the clock, [which is] one of the reasons we have body temperature rhythms,” Hamada said. Humans and ies heat their bodies di%erently. Humans generate heat from their own energy because we are endotherms, whereas ies heat their body using the environment because they are ectotherms.

Flies are smaller and easier to manipulate, which makes them useful models in science. Additionally, ectotherms allow researchers to observe behavior to monitor body temperature changes, since ectotherms use the

All departments of EC were involved in putting together the concert, and Wong also made sure to shout out the event’s volunteers.

“Our volunteer team is responsible for recruiting hundreds of volunteers, because we can’t do this show without all the volunteer work involved,” Wong said.

Looking back, EC Unit Director Eddie Kim, a fourth-year human biology major, says that he is happy with the production value of the concert and is already planning improvements for future events.

“ roughout the event, we didn’t experience any technical di culties [and had] smooth transitions and engagement with attendees throughout the stadium,” Kim said. “One aspect we could majorly improve on was the check-in process, and our team is looking forward to working diligently with security for future events.”

For some attendees who attempted to enter the concert at peak waiting time, the line could last over an hour, with lengthened security screenings at the singular entry point.

At the end of the day, Wong hopes that Sunset Fest provided students with a safe, freeing environment to transition into the new school year.

“Bringing students together through music is di%erent from other forms of campus engagement,” Wong said. “We aren’t expecting anything from them other than just having good concert etiquette. But for them, this is a time when they can choose how to enjoy it, and often it’s a form of catharsis. It’s a break from school, from work — it’s just for fun. We hope that with our shows, students have a space to just relax, to dance, to meet other students, [all] with no expectations of them.”

Using two surveys of about 120,000 students and recent alumni, the WSJ rankings attribute the other 20% of the rubric weight to a college’s learning environment; this encompasses learning opportunities, preparation for career, satisfaction with facilities and how likely students are to recommend their college.

e last 10% considers how diverse the campus is, measured by the percentage of students with disabilities, Pell Grant recipients and ethnicity. However, unlike the WSJ rankings, the U.S. News & World Report diversity categories exclude international students, as speci c ethnicity data was not reported for this group, according to U.S. News. In other UC school ranking news,

environment to heat their bodies. Flies have a similar body temperature rhythm to humans, which makes them a useful tool when creating comparisons. e results from such studies could then be used to nd treatments for various sleeping disorders.

“The circadian neuron system receives temperature signal(s) and integrates this information with circadian information to orchestrate suitable behavioral responses,” a PubMed article reads. Other ectotherms seen commonly around Davis are lizards. During the day, lizards are often visible in the sun absorbing heat, which increases their body temperature. During the night, they disappear. eir temperature preference rhythm is observable via their behavior.

Despite differences in heat production methods, both the body temperatures of ies and humans cycle from low in the mornings to high in the evenings, making ies an ideal model for studying body temperature rhythms. e temperature decrease is an important cue for the onset of sleep,” Hamada said.

You can help cue the onset of sleep using methods like lowering the thermostat temperatures at night or showering before bed to lower your body temperature. With cooler temperatures and less daylight, working with your circadian clock is essential to staying alert in the day and getting enough sleep at night.

UC Los Angeles (UCLA) has been dethroned by UC Berkeley in the U.S. News & World Report list as the top public school in the nation. UCLA had previously held the top spot for the past eight years. Meanwhile, UC Merced moved from No. 58 in top public schools last year to No. 25; UC San Diego maintains its streak at No. 6. the motion was passed unanimously. More updates on the progress of the proposal will be available later this month.

Finally, the third option would include solar energy structures covering 50% of parking spaces, according to McNairn’s presentation.

One of the main proposals focused on planting more trees to create more shading in parking lots — increasing the current 30% requirement to 50% canopy shading over parking areas.

After reviewing the proposal in detail, the commission moved to public comment.

John Johnston, a past chair for the Natural Resources Commission, expressed concern about the proposal lacking any detail about tree care once they are planted.

“The issue is not so much the percentages as the care of the trees,” Johnston said. “[If] they don’t take care of them, they don’t mature, they don’t grow, you don’t get the shade.”

Johnston emphasized the importance of “specifications [for] planting and caring for trees and the accountability issues when an owner doesn’t take care of their trees later on.”

e sentiment was then reiterated by Ann Trump Daniel, a member of the Climate and Environmental Justice Commission. Daniel highlighted how the presented proposal does not mention any sort of tree care, such as irrigation requirements.

“ ere’s nothing in this language about best practices and the optimal size of that tree [...] and in addition, there’s nothing about irrigation,” Daniel said. “I think making sure that the parking lot and the tree wells are irrigated, particularly for summer irrigation, is imperative for the success of any of the landscape.”

Jim Cramer, another commission member, also brought up how enforcement mechanisms must take place to ensure complacency with tree planting regulations. e trees not only have to be properly planted, with the right soil and irrigation, but [...] there has to be some sort of enforcement mechanism,” Cramer said. “One of the mechanisms that we talked about [...] was having the developer deposit a nancial bond that could be drawn upon if, after 15 years, things hadn’t succeeded.” After more discussion between commission members and presenters,

Currently, immigrants across America are being subjected to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) rollbacks, family separations, visa attacks and the Trump administration making existence in the U.S. more precarious at every turn — these are people who have been directly victimized by a system that runs on racism and ignorant, antiimmigration sentiment. It’s much more di cult to feel sympathetic towards Usha Vance or Ramaswamy, even despite the racism they’ve demonstrably experienced within the Republican party. Maybe they’re locked in a room full of bullies, but it’s their own fault for closing the door.

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

While a lack of transparency disenfranchises the public and fosters dependence on gatekeepers, a more literate, involved public is empowered to interrogate, challenge and participate in the public trust in science. Scienti c literacy, in this way, ensures that citizens are not left behind as passive consumers — your brain, ultimately, is a muscle that must be deliberately exercised if you desire to not be excluded from academic conversations.

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

UC Davis football defeats Weber State in 34-12 game

BY THEO KAYSER sports@theaggie.org

On Sept. 27, the UC Davis Aggies’ football team hosted the Weber State Wildcats for their fourth game of the 2025 season. e Aggies’ strong start to the year continued, as they walked away having seized victory in dominant fashion, 34-12.

e Aggies’ high-powered offensive performance began methodically, as the game’s rst quarter saw neither team score any points. e rst notch on the scoreboard came by way of a Weber State eld goal three minutes into the second quarter.

After a scoreless first 23 minutes of the game for the Aggies, the floodgates finally burst after Quarterback Caden Pinnick, a secondyear international relations major, reached the endzone on a two-yard goal-line run. After a successful point after touchdown, the score was 7-3 in favor of UC Davis.

e game’s next score came in far more spectacular fashion when Carter Vargas, a second-year undeclared major, found the endzone by way of a 57-yard pass by Pinnick. Before the half concluded, the Aggies would score yet again as Hunter Ridley, a fourth-year communication major, nailed a eld goal in the half’s closing moments to secure a two-score lead. e Aggies entered the locker room having scored 17 unanswered points over the course of just seven minutes. The game’s third quarter more closely resembled the first, with both teams notching one eld goal each. e reworks would only continue upon the start of the fourth quarter, as a trick play saw Defensive Back Rex Connors, a fth-year human

development major, score his rst career touchdown. is extended the Aggies’ lead to 27-6, about 90 seconds into the

commanding 34-6 lead, leaving Weber State with little hope for victory. While not enough to defeat the Aggies, the Wildcats did manage to score their rst and only touchdown of the game with three minutes remaining.

One score would prove to not nearly be enough, and the game concluded with a nal score of 3412, a third victory for the Aggies in their impressive beginning to the season.

Key performances in the game

strong receiving core, headlined in this game by Gbatu Jr., who notched a 112-yard performance to go along with a touchdown reception. Vargas and Ian Simpson, a fourth-year sociology major, rounded out the group’s strong evening with 60 and 56 yards, respectively.

course, 12 points. is was achieved mainly through sti ing run defense, as abundant tackles for loss held Weber State to a mere 3.2

average yards per rush.

Jacob Psyk, a graduate student at the UC Davis School of Management, put up the group’s most impressive stat line, registering 2.5 sacks as part of his nine tackles in the game. rough just four games this season, Psyk has collected 4.5 sacks along with two forced fumbles.

supplied by Samuel Gbatu Jr., a fourthyear managerial economics major. He connected with Pinnick on an 85-yard score, the longest passing play of the Aggies’ season thus far. At this point, with nine minutes left to play, the Aggies held a

came rst and foremost from Pinnick, who nished the game completing 16 of his 27 pass attempts for 288 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Pinnick’s dominant performance through the air came to fruition with the help of the Aggies’

e Aggies’ stupendous defensive performance should not go unnoted, either, as their dominance enabled the o ense to hold Weber State at bay.

Despite forcing zero turnovers in the game, the Aggies’ defense held the Wildcats to just 313 yards, and, of

After achieving a strong victory for the second week straight, the Aggies will look to continue their season’s momentum when they travel south to face Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on Oct. 4.

England conquers Canada in Women’s Rugby World Cup final

The 33-13 win gave England their third championship

BY COLINA HARVEY sports@theaggie.org

e rst Women’s Rugby World Cup took place in the early 90’s, an era that also saw the start of other women’s sports organizations and events such as the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).

Over 30 years later, the popularity of women’s sports, including women’s rugby, is booming. is year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup final drew 5.8 million television viewers, making it the most-watched rugby game this year and the most-watched women’s rugby union game of all time. e match was held at Twickenham Stadium in England on Sept. 27. e stadium boasts a capacity of 82,000, making it the country’s second-largest stadium after Wembley. In front of a crowd of 81,885 fans, England and Canada faced o in an exciting match. e enthusiasm around women’s rugby has also been rising in the United States, thanks to the celebrity status of their star player, Ilona Maher. Maher gained traction on her social media platforms during the 2024 Tokyo Olympic Games, and has since become one of the biggest names in women’s rugby. Despite her stardom, the U.S. still has a lot of work to do in order to become a women’s rugby powerhouse. In the group stage of the tournament, the squad faced a defeat against England in their rst game. While they went on to draw against Australia and beat Samoa, it wasn’t enough to advance to the knockout stage.

e host country, England, was a clear favorite going into the tournament.

ey made easy work of their opponents during the group stage, beating the U.S., Samoa and Australia handily.

Coming out of group play and into the knockout stage, England could not be stopped. In the quarter nal, they beat Scotland, blocking them from scoring a try until the 82nd minute — with England having six tries total.

In their semi nal, England played France, yet another team that was no match for them. In the quarter nal, France was able to narrowly defeat Ireland; however, France was not able to keep their tournament run going once it faced England. e rst half of the match stayed close between the two teams. However, in the second half,

England was able to create separation and ultimately beat France 17-35, securing their spot in the nal. Canada also dominated most of their opponents in the tournament. In group play, they had comfortable wins over Fiji, Wales and Scotland. In their quarter nal match, they crushed Australia 46-5.

In order to punch their ticket to the nal, Canada had to defeat New Zealand in their semifinal match. Although Canada and New Zealand are ranked similarly in world rankings, some fans viewed Canada as an underdog because the New Zealand women are six-time winners, as well as back-to-back reigning champions. However, New Zealand’s strong reputation did not slow Canada down. ey got o to a quick start and stunned New Zealand with two tries in the rst 11 minutes. Although New Zealand responded with three tries throughout the game, Canada remained the dominant team throughout the match, which ended with a score of 34-19. Going into the nal, England was heavily favored. However, no one could deny Canada as a strong contender for the championship. Only three countries, the U.S., New Zealand and England, have ever won the Women’s Rugby World Cup, with Canada looking to add itself to the roster. As the match kicked o , Canada opened with a try scored by Asia Hogan-Rochester and assisted by Fabiola Forteza, in just the fth minute. Although Canada was able to score early, England’s Ellie Kildunne responded by scoring a breakaway try just a few minutes later. is was followed by two more tries by England’s Amy Cokayne and Alex Matthews, resulting in England leading 21-8 at the half. In the second half, Canada tried to ght back and close the gap, with a second try from Hogan-Rochester. However, England’s defense proved to be too strong for the Canadians, as they were unable to score a third. England outscored Canada in the second half as well, with tries from Abbie Ward and Matthews. e match ended 33-13, with England being crowned World Rugby Champions. After being runners-up in the past two World Cups, finally clinching the win was extra meaningful to the England team. e Rugby World Cup 2029 will be hosted by Australia, with 16 teams ghting to take the reigning champion title away from

UC Davis football players in defensive formation against Weber State on Sept. 27, 2025. (Sacha Chickering / Aggie)

The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup Final at Twickenham Stadium in London on Sept. 27, 2025. (Courtesy of @Like tears in rain / Creative Commons, CC by 4.0)