June 6, 2019

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VOLUME 137, ISSUE 30 | THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

ASUCD could “financially collapse” in the next three years if measures are not taken Potential student base fee increase in the works to tackle $545,000 budget deficit

Q UI NN S P O O NER / AGGIE

BY A L LY RUSSE L L campus@theaggie.org Over the past few years, ASUCD has accumulated a budget deficit of about $545,000. The deficit was exacerbated by income losses from the Camp Fire, policy decisions made by past Senate tables and executive officers, new fees imposed by the university and a statewide mandate to increase the minimum wage and stipend positions. Labor costs funded by ASUCD increased by about $200,000 due to a California-mandated yearly dollar increase to all minimum wage workers as well as an increase for positions with stipends. According to a new bylaw passed by the ASUCD Senate, stipend positions will increase by 12.5% every year going forward for the next 10 years, a stressor adding to the deficit. This current Senate table and executive board were forced to address the growing deficit following the Camp Fire in Northern California that impacted UC Davis during Fall Quarter 2018. While the school was closed in response to poor air quality, ASUCD

employees were still required to be paid, despite the units not generating any new income. The brief university closure further contributed to the current deficit, which grew by around $200,000. Senator Maya Barak, a third-year international relations major, spoke more about the drastic deficit increase from the fires. “Because we took on a large amount of debt just from about a week, it opened all our eyes to just put a stop to an issue that’s getting skirted around for

Recreation Pool to reopen June 10 Construction took just over a year, finished on schedule

TI M OT H Y L I / AG GI E

BY DE A N A M E D I N A campus@theaggie.org After being closed for over a year, the Recreation “Rec” Pool is reopening just in time for the end of the school year with an open house set for June 10. Construction began in May 2018 and the project is expected to finish on schedule. Julianne Nola, the director of major capital projects for Design and Construction Management, said there was a possibility of an “early completion.” The soil had to be replaced, however, due to the discovery of “micro levels of naturally occurring asbestos in the soil,” so June 2019 remained as the original opening time. Although the rec pool is reopening on schedule, some graduating seniors have expressed disappointment over not having the opportunity to make use of it. “I feel the same way about the ARC,” said Natalie Hill, a fourth-year psychology major. “I wish construction hadn’t taken

so long. I never got to use the Rec Pool, and the Hickey Pool has such odd hours it’s hard to utilize that pool as well.” Jeff Heiser, Associate Director for Campus Recreation, said that the new facility “will be a great place to relax with friends, play a pick-up game of sand volleyball and even study” due to the availability of Wi-Fi. Students can also look forward to having “expanded opportunities for lap swimming, swim lessons, aqua fitness classes, outdoor yoga classes and special events and activities.” Heiser also noted that the updates to the Rec Pool have made it “more inclusive,” as it now has “a gender-inclusive locker room complete with a separate shower, restroom and day lockers.” Events to advertise the opening will begin with a giveaway of free scantrons on June 10, free ice cream and frozen treats on June 11, therapy fluffies on June 12 and a beach party on June 13.

a long time,” Barak said. ASUCD’s compliance with the university’s Department of Environmental Health and Safety to cover the costs of food-related health inspections for the upcoming fiscal school year added $30,000 to the deficit. While a large percentage resulted from unavoidable costs, like the minimum wage increases, the deficit has been accumulating over years of neglect. Noam Marcus, a third-year managerial economics major, served as Interim Business and

Experimental College and Student Transportation Services/ Tipsy Taxi, were recently dissolved as a result of the budget deficit. STS/Tipsy Taxi was allotted $88,996 to fund operations for the 2018-2019 school year and generated an income of $91,650, according to the ASUCD Budget website. Despite recent improvements made to the unit, senators judged it too costly to continue funding in light of the deficit. Students currently employed by Tipsy Taxi were of-

BUDGET on 11

Band-Uh! placed on interim suspension Suspension follows accusations of hazing, sexual violence, misconduct JU STIN HA N / AGGIE

BY K E NTO N G O LDS BY campus@theaggie.org The Cal Aggie Marching Band (Band-Uh!) has been placed on an interim suspension pending the completion of an independent investigation by an external law firm following an article published in The California Aggie and a subsequent investigation done by The Sacramento Bee. Previous reporting detailed potential cases of hazing; sexual assault, harassment and violence; binge drinking and other instances of misconduct. The investigation into Band-Uh! will be conducted by Sacramento Law firm Van Dermyden Maddux, according to The Davis Enterprise. While the suspension is in place, all band activities are canceled, according to Jeff Heiser, the associate director of recreation at UC Davis. These activities include all performances, including those at the commencement

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Finance Chair during Spring Quarter. Before his appointment, Marcus has served on the Business and Finance commission since his second year. “It is no secret that associations of the past have essentially pushed this deficit on the next term’s board year after year, and this is essentially why it has gotten so bad,” Marcus said. “Senators and executive boards would basically just kick the can down the road assuming future boards would deal with the issue.” Two ASUCD units, the

fered positions by Unitrans. Previous STS/Tipsy Taxi student employees declined to comment on the unit’s dissolution. ASUCD Controller Kevin Rotenkolber spoke more about the current Senate’s goal to minimize the number of student jobs lost as a result of unit cuts. “In addition to other cuts — despite cutting more than 2.5 times more than ever needed before — we only needed to cut five total jobs: three paid positions that Aggie Reuse voluntarily gave up and made volunteer positions and the two paid positions at the Experimental College,” Rotenkolber said. Because budget changes will not go into effect until July, current employees of the Experimental College will complete their term of employment, effectively bringing the number of student jobs lost down to three. Going forward, Rotenkolber sees more changes that need to be made to not only address the current deficit, but in order to also address the root cause of the issue. “The only realistic option to save ASUCD as a whole is to pass the base fee increase,” Rotenkolber said. “In the absence of this base fee increase in the next three years, ASUCD will either financially collapse or be absorbed by the university unless [...] another form of drastic financial change occurs. From the conversations I have had with other members of

exercises, and the band’s annual fundraiser. According to The Bee, band officers’ key cards have been deactivated, all university-owned instruments must be returned and the band room will be officially closed at 5 p.m. on Friday. Before the suspension of the Band-Uh!, the Cal Aggie Marching Band Alumni Association had been suspended in Winter Quarter when allegations against one of its members came to light, according to statements from Emily Galindo, the interim vice chancellor of Student Affairs. “The review will also consider whether band administrators failed to appropriately respond to reports of misconduct and will include an assessment of the relationship with the alumni band,” Galindo said in a May 24 statement. “Within the Division of Student Affairs, Campus Recreation leadership has also initiated a review of policies, procedures, reporting and training, and is consulting

with other UC campuses to ensure best practices.” The suspension of BandUh! is not an unprecedented move for organizations of this type within the university, according to Galindo, who also noted that university leadership “is committed to conducting a thorough internal and external assessment to determine the best path forward to provide a safe and inclusive experience for all student band members.” Ema Seijas, a former section leader in the band who still pays dues and a fifth-year animal science major, welcomed the suspension. She said that although she and others wanted the Band-Uh! placed on suspension, she never expected “the university would take it that far.” “[The suspension is] what the band needs, because while there are extremely fun aspects — like music, like having pretty much a family in the band — it’s not something that can just cover up all the bad things that happen in

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the band,” Seijas said. While this is a step in the right direction, according to Seijas, her relationships with band members remain strained because of the allegations that have come out and her participation in news articles. “The people that I went forward with definitely are happy that this happened,” Seijas said. “I’m doing my best not to talk to other current members of the band because last time it happened, I just got a bunch of hate from them. So I can only imagine how mad they are right now.” Heiser responded to the suspension via email. “The safety of all CAMB students is paramount and the University decided to impose the interim suspension to determine the path forward to promote a safe and inclusive environment,” Heiser said. “The decision to suspend the band was a difficult one, but necessary in order to create the space needed to conduct a thorough review.”

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2 | THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

Senate passes second resolution to disarm campus police Controversy over the first resolution that was written by a graduate student resulted in an undergraduate reintroducing the bill

CAITLYN SAMPLEY / AGGIE

BY SA BRI N A HA B C H I campus@theaggie.org Vice President Shreya Deshpande called the May 23 ASUCD Senate meeting to order by at 7:30 p.m. following a sparsely-attended ASUCD Town Hall in the CoHo. Senator Ricky Zapardiel was absent.

Senate began with the confirmation of Amaris Fraley, a third-year environmental policy and planning major, as an Environmental Policy and Planning Commission (EPPC) commissioner. Fraley noted underprivileged communities that are disproportionately affected by climate change, and said she wants to open up a dialogue about this issue as a future commissioner. “I really want to open a dialogue about that

Less than a dozen students attend ASUCD town hall

BY CLAIRE DO DD campus@theaggie.org

KATHERINE FRANKS / AGGIE

Audience member questions Senate’s outreach strategies SHEREEN LEE / AGGIE

where we are able to bring other [organizations] on campus together, specifically orgs that discuss green issues, like Environmental Club, and hold an event of some kind where they’re able to interact more,” Fraley said. Scott Hatcher, the UC Davis Fire Department’s pre-hospital care coordinator, put on a presentation next. Fire Chief Nathan Trauernicht, who was also present, occasionally interjected with more information and answers to questions from senators. The presentation focused on ways the fire department is attempting to be increasingly student-oriented. “In 2014, we started our EMT program, where students can sign up and actually become licensed as EMTs,” Hatcher said. “In 2016, we started our community education program that initially started with using CPR and first aid. Currently today, we’re teaching about 1,000 people a year in those disciplines.” Hatcher emphasized the importance of educating students on procedures such as CPR that may save lives in the time that it takes the department to respond to emergencies on campus. “It’s going to take us anywhere between three to seven minutes to get to where you’re at, depending on where you’re at on campus,” Hatcher said. “There’s a big difference that you all can make in those three to seven minutes that can really make a difference in someone’s life.” The fire department responds to about 1,300 calls a year and UC Davis alumni make up 40%

The ASUCD Spring Quarter Town Hall gathered a sparse crowd at the CoHo on May 23. While 16 individuals marked “going” on the Facebook event page, only around 10 people actually filtered in and out during the duration of the meeting. ASUCD Vice President Shreya Deshpande led the meeting — they asked first for any questions or comments from the audience, but were met with silence. Deshpande deflected to a Google Forms document that was posted on the Facebook event page that allowed students to ask anonymous questions to their representatives. The first question they read aloud asked what senators planned on doing now that Tipsy Taxi, a free transportation service for students, was dissolved. With no senators volunteering an answer, Deshpande encouraged them to speak up. “Come on senators, I need answers,” Deshpande said. “What do we do?” Senator Maya Barak chose to take the inquiry on. She noted that the university is currently trying to partner with Lyft to make rides more affordable for students. ASUCD President Justin Hurst also chimed in and said the prospect of a partnership was still being discussed. The next question that Deshpande read asked what senators can do to bring the Experimental College, an ASUCD unit that was also recently dissolved, back to campus. Senator Alexis Ramirez said that senators would be able to add it back in the future. The Experimental Col-

of the fire department career staff, according to Hatcher. A second-year environmental policy analysis and planning major whose name could not be confirmed at the time of publication was confirmed as a second commissioner for the EPPC. The second-year student is interested in the zero-waste movement and thinks it’s something the city of Davis should be more focused on. Shelby Salyer, a second-year political science and history double major, was confirmed as the External Affairs Commission Chair. Directly after Salyer’s confirmation, Senatepassed SR #16, a resolution that calls for the disarmament of campus police. Senate passed a similar resolution a week earlier, but there was controversy over the constitutionality of the resolution since a graduate student authored the resolution. Rina Singh, a fourth-year political science, international relations and Italian triple major, introduced SR #16 with two additional clauses that call on the UC to fit campus doors with door jams and for faculty and TAs to be trained in basic first-aid and CPR. The bill passed with six in favor and three against. Senators Maya Barak and Rebecca Gonzalez abstained and Zapardiel’s absence counted as an abstention. Senate also passed another resolution to remove pesticides from UC campuses. UCSB passed a similar resolution for an herbicide free campus. The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 p.m.

lege was cut due to a lack of funding, and Senator Shondreya Landrum explained that it could only come back if ASUCD could find a way to cut its budget deficit. She noted that one main goal of the current student government was to be above its deficit for the 2019-20 year. Hurst also mentioned that students should be on the lookout for a proposal to increase the ASUCD base fee. According to Barak, the fee currently paid by students hasn’t been adjusted for inflation in decades. Because of the association’s budget deficit and a rise in minimum wage, ASUCD drafted a referendum to increase the fee. Following the Google Form questions, Felix Cassidy, a third-year English major, stood up and questioned what kind of outreach methods ASUCD was currently using. He said that he was unaware this town hall was even taking place. His inquiry was initially met by silence from the senators. Landrum eventually volunteered an answer, saying that she puts advertisements out on Facebook and is starting to do the same on Instagram. “Not everyone wants to be involved with student government,” Landrum said. “We want people to know that we’re here, we want to help. Our main goal is to start this precedent that we need to be around and visible.” Deshpande also explained that ASUCD as a whole is planning on increasing its outreach in the fall. They said that the Bylaws have been changed to require ASUCD senators to hold mandatory outreach hours and that ASUCD will be tabling and putting on different activities in the future. The senators then went around the table and explained what their platforms are and what actions they’ve taken to work towards their goals in office. The meeting concluded at 7:06 p.m.

Hispanic Serving Institute task force compiles strategy to support Latinx students University on track to become HSI this spring DANIELLE MOFFAT / AGGIE FILE

Elder vs. playground May 23 “Unknown ringing doorbell for last fifteen minutes. Three females on porch. Vehicle in driveway.” May 24 “Playground equipment is being re-installed by parks department, elderly harassing employees, verbally protesting the repair.” May 25 “Reporting party concerned, because she located children’s items in the trash and feels a child may be in danger. She placed the items in a Trader Joe’s shopping cart at the complex trash bins.” May 26 “Sounds of walking. No response. No answer on call back.” May 27 “Reporting party found wallet and dropped off.” May 28 “Accidental dial. No emergency.” May 29 “Open line, negative signs of distress, unable to call back.” “Two pickup trucks pulled into the gate — gate was open.”

BY DE ANA ME DINA campus@theaggie.org UC Davis continues its journey this spring towards becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), now equipped with a strategy outlining the university’s goals for helping Latinx students written by the HSI task force. The nearly 100 page-long report describes the UC Davis Latinx student population — students who make up the HSI possible — as “rising scholars.” One of the four goals is to “prepare and attract” more of these scholars while also providing them with the “opportunity to learn, succeed, graduate and thrive,” according to the report. Another goal consists of “elevating students to industries with critical workforce needs” along with “preparing and educating all students to serve a multicultural society.” Finally, the report details the goal to “harness UC’s collective strengths as a system to transform public higher education.” Cirilo Cortez, director of the Center for Chicanx and Latinx Academic Student Success, was part of the HSI task force and is “very optimistic and excited about the goals that were established by the task force.”

Cortez’s optimism lies within the 11 high priority goals set for the first year which Cortez says are “specific, measurable, attainable, action-oriented and realistic.” These 11 goals encompass multiple areas, including hiring an HSI Director within the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to coordinate the HSI effort at UC Davis and “initiating a feasibility study around creating a writing center at UC Davis.” Mariela Gonzalez, co-coordinator for Mujeres Ayudando La Raza (MAR), believes the HSI title is something that can benefit Latinx students. MAR is focused on community work, something Gonzalez noted that the HSI title should also focus on. “I would like to see HSI continue to foster this [philanthropic] sentiment by encouraging students to return and serve their communities after achieving their careers,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez also hopes to see Latinx students in STEM be better supported with a focus on how to “effectively retain” them, as well as having “a more representative faculty.” Similarly, the Latinx Student Union (LSU) believes the HSI title and its funds are a great opportunity for the Latinx community on campus to thrive. However, there

is some concern about this new allocation of funds that accompany HSI institutions. “We believe that it is great that we are in the process of applying for these funds through the HSI grant because we have now reached the Latinx Population of 27%, but an issue [...] we see is where is this money going to be allocated and who would be deciding where that money is going to,” said a statement from the LSU. The LSU is in agreement over rising scholars being the focal point, because the grant money is fundamentally a result of the high number of Latinx students admitted to UC Davis. “But at the same time we do not want our Latinx folx to be used solely to meet the quota strictly for funding,” the statement said. The LSU mentioned ways these concerns over admitting Latinx students simply for increased funding purposes can be alleviated. “We would like to see a constant and consistent communication with the Latinx Student body population where we are updating both the University, task force, and students on what is the status of the HSI grant and anything related to HSI,” the statement said. In order to help create this communica-

HSI GOALS on 11

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 | 3

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

UC Regents approve the addition of Lassen Field Station to UC Davis Natural Reserve System

Solar Panels pushing City of Davis toward a greener future

Call for DJUSD to give attention to Davis’ multicultural background R3li3nt / FLICKR

TESSA KOGA / AGGIE

City’s goal is to draw more of its energy from renewable sources BY TAYLO R M A RT I NE Z city@theaggie.org The City of Davis will put up a new set of solar panels as part of an effort to help Davis gather more of its energy from a renewable source. UC Davis helped achieve this effort by launching an initiative to have the campus draw 50% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. The Environmental Club at UC Davis works to support and protect the environment. The club’s president, Caroline Newell, a fifth-year fish and wildlife conservation major, emphasized the club’s support for solar panels and addressed ways to eliminate waste. “Solar panels are better than using fossil fuels for energy since the sun does not run out like fossil fuels,” Newell said. “When thinking about switching to solar power, think about reducing. The best thing to reduce your impact is to reduce the things you use like food, water and power — don’t waste, essentially. Also, look to cleaner alternatives for the things [you use].” Solar panels are not the only solution for renewable energy. “Solar panels are not a go-to solution,” Newell said. “Solar panels degrade habitat when they are put in, and the land can’t be used for anything else. The soil and water become toxic because of the toxic materials used to make them, which also affects the people that make the solar panels. They also end up in e-waste dumps in third-world countries and become toxic to the people there.” Linda Katehi, a distinguished electrical engineering professor and former UC Davis chancellor, provided further information about solar panel technology. “There are two different types of solar panels,” Katehi said. “The foldable type takes sunlight and transforms this light into currents for power. The other type takes the heat of the sun and turns the heat into power. The foldable type needs direct sunlight in order [to] operate and thus does not work in conditions where there

is little sunlight. The other type of solar panel can operate in many kinds of environmental conditions since it relies only on heat.” The solar panels planned to be put up in town are the foldable type. The annual supply of sunlight received in Davis will be able to provide power to the community once the panels are placed. “Solar panels save households money and are the perfect technology to combat climate change,” Katehi said. “Currently, the main problem the technology faces is the cost of technology, since some households are not able to afford solar panels right now. I would say that there needs to be some more investment from the state and government to make the technology more affordable to those who can’t afford it.” Many organizations on campus and in the community, such as the Environmental Club and CalPirg, are working to accomplish the goal of making renewable energy more affordable. Information about these organizations and programs can be found online. Charles Hunt, an electrical engineering professor at UC Davis, discussed the uses of solar energy. “In the world of solar power, there are two camps: residential use and solar farms,” Hunt said. “In local or residential use, the power from the technology is used for local homes and businesses. This would include places like Aggie Village and some farms in town.” Solar farms, on the other hand, are “owned and leased by solar companies who take the power and put it into the power grid.” These farms are typical in the southwestern region of the United States and current developments are intended to increase the efficiency of the technology, according to Hunt. Solar farms also require a specific plot of land to supply renewable energy. “A 100 kilometer by plot with the current technology could provide all the energy currently needed by the entire United States,” Hunt said. “This could be done by distributing the panels into 400-mile patches and scattering it around the country. Political will is the only thing preventing the use of renewable power.”

BY ANDREA ESQUETI NI campus@theaggie.org A field station in Lassen National Park was added to the UC Natural Reserve System and marks the sixth reserve for UC Davis. The approval came during a meeting of the Board of Regents on May 16. The Lassen field station will be the first in the system to be located in the northeastern region of California, an area referred to as “underserved” by the UC system. The region’s volcanic landscape is unique compared to the rest of the reserves in the system. Jeffrey Clary, associate director of the UC Davis Natural Reserve System, explained that the process of selecting a site has to do with the extent of campus interest. “If faculty aren’t interested in a site and wouldn’t use it, there’s no point in going there,” Clary said. Once interest is determined, the UC Office of the President puts together a three-campus review committee to make recommendations about going forward with the process. A statewide committee then votes on a recommendation that is presented to the Board of Regents. The long process is meant to ensure the success of the natural reserve. Previous UC Davis reserves, such as the Bodega Marine Bay Reserve and the Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve, were not partnerships with existing organizations, so the university was in charge of building facilities. In this case, UC Davis will partner with the National Park Service. With this partnership, UC Davis researchers will have access to meeting and classroom space, campsites and waived

park entrance fees. Clary explained that another goal is to expedite research permits, so graduate students with a short window of time can more easily complete their research. Undergraduate students are also involved with the natural reserves through internships and senior projects. One group comprised of students Adam Strauss, Henry Jue, Josephine Situ and Kavitha Dhanukodi completed their senior design project for computer science by working with the administration of Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve. The team created an app allowing visitors to see a live map of where they are and showing them points of interest in the reserve. “It was a great learning experience,” the team said in an email. “It’s clear that the reserve provides great educational experiences for students both on-site and off.” Class field trips and field classes are another possibility for the future of the Lassen field station. Academic activities in the natural reserves are not limited to STEM fields. Andrew Latimer, Faculty Director of the UC Davis Natural Reserve System explained that art classes have also gone out to use the reserves. One of the goals of the UC Davis Natural Reserve System for the next five years is to increase opportunities for undergraduates, according to Latimer. “Our faculty and staff and students [will have the potential] to be interacting with communities and visitors to this area that has been off the map as far as UC Davis and the UC system is concerned,” Clary said. A field station in Point Reyes was also approved at the Regent’s Meeting and will be administered by UC Berkeley.

Ethnic studies push for a seat at the table Call for DJUSD to give attention to Davis’ multicultural background ALLYSON KO / AGGIE

BY R E N EE HO H city@theaggie.org Community members pushed for the implementation of an ethnic studies program in the K-12 system at the Davis Joint Unified School District (DJUSD), which currently does not offer a course dedicated to ethnic studies. This proposal comes after legislative action in an amended version of Assembly Bill 331, which

would require California high school students to take a semester of ethnic studies as a graduation requirement. The bill would go into effect for the 2024-25 school year and allow for local school districts to customize the length and ways of incorporating such courses into the curriculum. On May 16, the ethnic studies curriculum was discussed at the Davis school board meeting by residents, educators and students. Blair Howard, a history teacher at Martin Luther King High School, said in an email that his support for the

bill is influenced by interactions with students who feel history is unimportant to them. “As a teacher of US history for the past 10 years, I have seen students come into my class completely disinterested in history, when I ask them why they often tell me they don’t see why it matters to them,” Howard said. “I see it as a possible solution to diversifying history so that all students can see themselves in history and why they and their families matter.” With the pressures of predetermined class

time and a wide range of topics to cover, Howard found value in customizing his classes to the backgrounds of his students. “It was only [in] working with a diverse set of students [that I] was spurred to find history that they could relate to, whether that was Filipino farmworkers in Gilroy, the history of Vietnamese Independence or the history of slavery in Brazil,” Howard said. “It will take some work but I know it will be worth it.” Creating Inclusive Davis Schools (CIDS) voiced its support for integrating ethnic studies into the DJUSD curriculum. The organization’s members cited personal experiences as motivation for this integration. “Throughout the time that I’ve been [in Davis] and talking with other parents of color, we’ve talked about ways that our children haven’t felt included or weren’t getting information from the curriculum that we thought they should have,” said Anoosh Jorjorian, a founding member of CIDS. Ethnic and cultural studies courses and majors are offered at UC Davis, and they continue to grow in size and quality. David Michalski, a UC Davis Social and Cultural Studies Librarian, remarked that it would be effective to introduce ethnic studies at younger ages. “[There] is a way to do it for kindergarteners, and there’s a way to do it for people going into college,” Michalski said. Michalski added that ethnic studies goes beyond teaching about other cultures — the programs can touch on empathy as well. “There’s a lot of empathy that has to be taught, and I think that is what ethnic studies teaches,” Michalski said. “Putting the United States in the global world is more important [...] than ever, because people don’t live in a monocultural society. Books that present the culture like that are either trying to make a monocultural society or just being ignorant about the way the world is.” CIDS encourages community members to write to the DJUSD school board and publicly educate others on the significance of ethnic studies for both marginalized and non-marginalized students. Jorjorian emphasized the importance of a culturally competent society, from kindergarteners to teachers, to reflect the diversity present in the Davis community.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

4 | THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 KA R IN HIGGIN S/ AGG IE

GRAD CAP DESIGN CONTEST BEGINS JUNE 19

Prizes include Amazon gift cards, HydroFlasks, alumni gear BY SIERRA BURGUENO features@theaggie.org It’s that time of the year again: graduating students are bringing out their creative sides for the UC Davis Grad Cap Design contest. The deadline to enter the contest is Monday, June 17 at 11:59 p.m., after which students can vote for their favorite decorated grad cap between June 19 and June 27. Winners of the competition will be announced on June 28. The contest has been consistently popular

with community members, which is why the university is expanding it for the first time ever. Sallie Poggi, the director of social media for Strategic Communications Office, has led the team that manages the Grad Cap Design contest for the past four years. “This year we wanted to make sure to extend it to as many graduating students as possible, so we ran the contest for fall graduates as well,” Poggi said. “It was a big success, and as a result we will be offering it for fall and spring commencements going forward.”

The winners of last year’s contest were Ashley Kim, an animal biology major, Kelsey Sloan, a biological sciences major and Dikshya Dhugana, an English major. Designs are judged through Facebook — the entry with the highest combined reactions will take first place, the second-most reactions will win second place and so on. The Grand Prize Winner will receive a $300 Amazon gift card, a Recent Grad Annual Alumni Membership from the California Aggie Alumni Association, UC Davis Alumni apparel, one Hy-

droFlask and other UC Davis-themed and decorated accessories. The second place winner will receive a $200 Amazon gift card, UC Davis Alumni apparel, one Hydro Flask and additional UC Davis accessories and the third place winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card, a UC Davis hat, license plate, mug, alumni decal and tote bag. “This year, we are also introducing an ‘Editor’s Choice’ where our social team will select a fourth winner we feel used extra creativity or whose story really stands out, but didn’t make it into the top three,” Poggi said. The Editor’s Choice winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card, a UC Davis hat, license plate, mug, alumni decal and tote bag. The funding for the program comes from university operating funds. No student fees go toward the program. Each year, the university puts money into the contest as a way to engage with students and celebrate creativity, Poggi said. When asked about previous winners, Poggi noted that the winning designs are usually ones that speak truth about the UC Davis experience. She added that it helps to have a network of friends and family that will vote on Facebook. As far as advice to students goes, she advised to put out an honest message. “First and foremost, use this as an opportunity to say what you want to say,” Poggi said. “This is your big day and it should have meaning for you, no matter what. Put some thought into your story about why you designed the cap the way you did.” Past designs have included quotes, paintings, flowers, cows, flags and even a remake of a monopoly board. Caps can range from being two-dimensional to three-dimensional. “Some of the best entries we see are ones that show the triumph of making it to graduation day and thanking family and friends along the way,” Poggi said. “Our team reads all of the entries and we have been known to shed a tear or two because some of the stories are so incredible and inspiring.” To enter this year’s Grad Cap Design contest, students must submit a photo of their design to socialmedia@ucdavis.edu using their UC Davis email. Entries must include the student’s first and last name, major or program and a 280-character description of the design.

STUDENT CLUBS WITH PURPOSE, PASSION AND PARTIES Members of SOS, KASA may have other aims

V E NO OS M OS H AY E DI / AGGI E

BY LINH NGUYEN features@theaggie.org UC Davis offers a wide variety of clubs and organizations which promote making connections with other students or helping students pursue a specific interest or extracurricular. While some of these organizations are intended to encourage student involvement, some are bet-

ter known for their parties. The Ski or Snowboard Club, better known as SOS, claims to be the largest social club at UC Davis. Their primary goal is to “get you up to the snow in the cheapest, most exciting way possible,” according to their website. Popular social events hosted by SOS include a Halloween Crawl, Jello Wrestling and a Welcome Week event. These events are free for members,

but non-members are charged $5 for entry. Second-year genetics and genomics major and SOS member Mari Hoffman explained that the club has not only given her some of her best friends, but also once-in-a-lifetime access to different mountains. “I love how the club gives any student at Davis the opportunity to get to the mountains and meet all different types of people,” Hoffman said. When asked about the balance between snow activities and partying, Hoffman said that although the club is intended for winter activities, it’s still a year-round organization and members enjoy each other’s company on a continuing basis. “I would say we have the best of both worlds,” Hoffman said. “We are college kids who love to ski and get outside, but are also in college and enjoy partying [...]. During Winter Quarter the primary focus is skiing, but we like to have fun all year-round, so [we] have events in the fall and spring.” Another student organization at UC Davis known for their parties is the Korean American Student Association, known as KASA. KASA hosts many social events throughout the year, charging non-members $5 for entry. A non-member who once attended a KASA social event and who asked to remain anonymous due to a fear of being blacklisted from future KASA social events discussed a friend’s experience with the club. “My friend told me that at a KASA party, she was socializing with one of their members [and] that member was encouraging her to join the club,” they said. “My friend told her that she doesn’t have enough time to join a club and the

member told her that all they care about is partying.” The source said that, as an outsider to the organization, they are unaware of what else KASA does aside from hosting social events. The organization, however, does hold other events with the goal of building a family and foundation for club members. “I, personally, don’t mind that their club runs this way, but I guess I can see how it might be a problem because it’s not very professional,” the source said. The Center for Student Involvement, an on-campus resource meant to engage students in extracurriculars, addressed its involvement level in regards to regulating student organizations. “Anything that happens off campus, CSI doesn’t observe,” said CSI Director Kristin Dees said. “Registered student organizations are actually not heavily connected to the campus — they are affiliated. We don’t have any policies that say that this is how the organization should run, this is how an organization should conduct their business.” When students want to create an organization, they need the CSI’s approval. One requirement is that the organization’s purpose is “consistent with the educational nature of the University,” according to the CSI’s website. “When we register an organization, we look at the purpose statement that they submit through the registration process,” Dees said. “We don’t evaluate if their activities live up to that purpose statement. That’s not something that, as an office, we do because they are their own stuPARTYCLUB on 1 1

IN LIGHT OF CONTROVERSIAL NEW YORKER ARTICLE, UC DAVIS PROFESSOR WEIGHS IN ON PROPER JOURNALISTIC PRACTICE Science journalism’s obligation to truth OL I V I A KOT L A R E K / AGGI E

BY AARON LEVINS features@theaggie.org After The New Yorker published “The Day the Dinosaurs Died,” which details the discov-

ery of a fossil site in Hell’s Creek, North Dakota, by Robert DePalma, a Kansas State PhD student and paleontologist, debates and discussions across the country arose over the article. Douglas Preston’s writing about the discovery

lauds it as one of the most important discoveries for paleontology in recent memory. Researchers and professors alike in the paleontology community, however, have objected to the presentation of this discovery in The New Yorker, claiming it to be sensationalized and misinformed. Soon after the article went online, a scientific paper was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This paper was the peer-reviewed account of DePalma’s findings in Hell’s Creek. The piece generated even further controversy, given that many of the findings discussed in The New Yorker article were not in the actual peer-reviewed article published in a respected scientific journal. Sandra Carlson, a professor and researcher at UC Davis who studies paleontology, has helped lead a discussion on campus regarding the discovery, the article and the debate that followed. One of her biggest concerns was the timing of The New Yorker article and the irregular process by which the paleontological find was made publicly known. “There were a lot of things about it, from a scientist’s point of view, that just kind of rankled me,” Carlson said. “The general public got to read about this through The New Yorker before the scientific community was even introduced to it. It’s one thing if you have a paper and that’s published and has been peer reviewed and then you have a more popularized article. It was the wrong order.” Carlson explained that by contacting a fiction writer to do the story, DePalma was advertising his find with somebody not in the scientific field. She claims this is a “weird” thing to do, unless the scientist simply wants fame.

Pushing past her concerns about the journalistic process, Carlson also felt the article contained misleading details. She felt that the paper published in the scientific journal, PNAS, was sedimentology in nature, while The New Yorker article only addressed the dinosaurs. “There’s plenty of interesting stories that you could present from this — just from the fish alone and from the plant fossils,” Carlson said. “The fact that it was all pulled to the dinosaurs [is] because when people think of the End-Cretaceous extinction event, they think of dinosaurs, not these other organisms.” Carlson expressed her opinion that The New Yorker article was a journalistic misfire, skirting regular and ethical ways of disseminating scientific information to both the public and the scientific community. What does good scientific journalism look like to her, then? “A [good] journalist who wants to find an interesting story should start with the peer-reviewed literature,” she said. “Write things that come out recently. And then do your best to both try to get an interview with one of the authors of the paper. Try to get them to expound more on what’s in the paper. Try to get them to talk about the greater significance of it, if it’s not in the peer reviewed paper.” But in her view, scientific journalism need not be dry and strictly factual — the information should be engaging and written in such a way as to inspire and inform the public. “It’s really important for scientists to be able to communicate with journalists, and get that information out,” Carlson said. “And not just get it out in a factual manner — to paint a picture that’s accurate, that doesn’t go too far.”

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 | 5

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

most of the students gone, the ARC will likely attract less traffic, freeing up more equipment!

MACLEAN HARTFORD / AGGIE

Visit the Farmer’s Market The Farmer’s Market has always been a classic favorite among Davis students during the school year. Grab a couple of friends and enjoy a nice summer day with some good food from local vendors while listening to local musicians perform. The market is open Wednesday evenings from 4:30-8 p.m. and Saturday mornings from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Road trip to Lake Tahoe, San Francisco or Lake Berryessa Davis is in close proximity to several beautiful sites, so if the acres of farmland start to become monotonous, take a roadtrip to a neighboring city or lake with a few friends. Lake Tahoe, Lake Berryessa, San Francisco and Downtown Sacramento are just a few highly-recommended destinations.

Davis summer survival guide Eight activities for students enrolled in summer sessions SNEHA RA M AC HA N DR AN features@theaggie.org Summer sessions are often to referred to as Davis’s ‘fourth’ quarter of the year, and while most of the student body leaves for the summer, a few brave souls attempt to conquer the summer heat and accelerated classes. With less people crowing the multiple hotspots on campus, the atmosphere of Davis can feel barren. Here’s a list of eight summer activities to ensure those students who stick around are thoroughly entertained during summer session. Lounge by the newly renovated Rec Pool If you’re worried about melting in the scorch-

ing Davis heat, worry no more! The Recreation “Rec” Pool located on La Rue is set to open on June 17, just in time for those enrolled in Summer Session I. The newly-renovated aquatic center includes state-of-the-art facilities, including a sand volleyball court, activity pool, competition pool and new locker rooms. Take advantage of the newly-renovated ARC After two years of remodeling, the ARC opened its doors to the public during Spring Quarter. The renovations include newer (any much more) equipment and more group classes. And, of course, air conditioning. The summer is a great time to start getting into shape and, with

ALLYSON KO / AGGIE

will also be open this summer and includes multiple activities such as billiards, bowling, console gaming and board games. Join an IM soccer team If you are interested in participating in a recreational sport, sign up for the Rec soccer teams (offered both summer session I and II). Rec sports is a good way to meet other students who are enrolled in summer session classes as well as engage in fun, physical exercise. No previous experience or skill is necessary to participate, but all participants will have to purchase a rec pass before joining a team. Visit the California State Fair The annual California State Fair will open its doors on July 12-28 in downtown Sacramento. Each year the fair hosts a multitude of food vendors, musicians and artisans as well as rides for families and friends to enjoy.

Take classes at the Craft Center The quarter system can be stressful and it can be hard to find time to discover new interests. For those looking to explore their creative side, make a visit to the Craft Center located at the Silo. The Craft Center offers a variety of classes to students during both summer sessions I and II. Hang out in the MU Games area and the Gunrock Gaming Center If indoors activities and air conditioning is more your style, check our the new Gunrock Gaming center and the MU games area. The new gaming center provides students with the opportunity to play popular games such as Fortnite, League of Legends, Call of Duty and more on high-end gaming monitors. The MU Games area

ZACHARY LACSON / AGGIE

Street Food: preserving tradition and culture through culinary delicacies made on the streets

City of Davis is home to over 150 species of birds, among other wildlife

Series brings to forefront issues affecting street vendors throughout world

Davis students, community members can appreciate native wildlife, nature right outside their doors

G RACE SI M M O N S arts@theaggie.org

MARG O ROS E NB AU M features@theaggie.org

The Netflix original series “Street Food,” created by the creators of “Chef ’s Table,” steps away from the Michelin Guide and hits the streets in search of unknown culinary masters. As a celebration of the roots of Asian cuisine, some destinations include Delhi, Seoul, Singapore, Bangkok and Osaka, exploring the culinary delicacies of everyday people. Like “Chef ’s Table,” this spin-off uses the same, slow-motion shots accompanied by suspenseful classical music, but it differs from the elite, white tablecloth restaurants showcased in the first four seasons of “Chef ’s Table.” By taking an Anthony Bourdain-style approach, the series features street cooks who represent their culture’s traditional foods. These hawkers, none of whom went to culinary school, have been cooking the same dishes for fifty years, have secrets they had to learn the hard way and hold a deep respect for the food. Each episode follows the story of one main cook and how they came to be masters of their trade without professional training. Most of these individuals are elders with extensive knowledge of the ingredients and traditional techniques passed down through generations. The creators of “Street Food” declare these street cooks as not only chefs, but preservers of culture. Street food developed because many poor people did not have kitchens in their homes. Instead, they depended on street vendors for their meals. These dishes were first made for the working class, but today, the street food scene has evolved to defy class barriers — attracting everyone from young to old and poor to rich, street food is now for everyone. The chefs featured in “Street Food” not only show how they make food, but also tell their family’s story and exhibit their culture. Nearly all of these hawkers inherited their stands from their families, using traditional methods and family recipes passed down through generations. Authentic dishes are a product of dedication and attention to detail, with only the best surviving the cut-throat nature of street vending. Simply having the recipes and the name is not enough: the success of these chefs comes from extensive knowledge of their craft, tireless work and perseverance. For some vendors, it was expected they would inherit the family business as a symbol of family honor. Others, however, wanted their children to move away from the grueling and laborious trade. Most street food businesses don’t provide stability, only allowing these workers to make

enough money to get by — it is a labor of love, not profit. Each episode tells a story of hardship, poverty, devastation from natural disasters and family separation, but what keeps the cooks going is their passion for cooking meals for others and putting a smile on people’s faces. Each of the chefs rose to the top of their respective city’s food scenes by breaking new ground and redefining what street food means in the modern day. For some, like Mbah Satinem in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, this meant keeping dishes constant in an evolving food scene, becoming the last bearer of jajan pasar — a treat made from palm sugar, sticky rice, cassava and coconut. For others, this meant being part of the evolution by adapting, growing and popularizing their dishes, like Jay Fai in Bangkok, Thailand, who created dishes like dry tom yum and her famous crab omelettes which earned her a Michelin Star. But for all of these cooks, maintaining the integrity of the traditional recipes means using quality, local ingredients. The camera follows them to their local, outdoor markets where they hand-select seafood, produce and spices. It also means sleeping no more than four hours a night and working nonstop every day for years on end. And these hawkers are faced with a new challenge: government regulations in many of the cities which threatens their livelihood and existence. Thailand’s military government is waging war on street vendors and forcing them off the sidewalks. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has moved over 20,000 street vendors from nearly 500 locations since 2016. This affects not only the livelihood of the vendors themselves, many of them women, but also the communities that rely on street food for affordable meals. The cuisine from street food vendors is not a newly explored frontier, but “Street Food” is the first to address the changing political landscape that is threatening the survival of these economies and communities. The success and recognition of these street vendors like Jay Fai represents hope for the future of street food vendors. If the food is good enough, they bring people in on their own terms. “Street Food” has started a global conversation and brought to the forefront threats against street vendors in the hopes of liberating a counter movement. Food is a tradition passed from generation to generation. Food is nostalgia. Food brings people together. Food is a representation of culture, and media like “Street Food” is a window into that culture, documenting and preserving heritage. This series left me inspired, salivating and hungry to explore the culinary destinations of Asia, not by a Michelin Guide, but by the streets.

Besides the students, professors and faculty who can be seen on campus, there are also fox squirrels, yellow-billed magpies, gopher snakes, burrowing owls and more that can also be spotted around UC Davis. Over 150 animals call this campus their home, just as any student might. Spanning over 5,300 acres, the Davis campus contains a diverse wildlife population in varying locations, according to Assistant Director of the UC Davis Arboretum Andrew Fulks who noted that in the core campus area alone, one may find squirrels, turkeys, ducks, crows, scrub jays and mockingbirds. In the more rural parts, however, like west and south campus, owls, yellow-billed magpies, lizards, frogs and bobcats can be observed. Additionally, in the arboretum, mallards, wood ducks, mergansers and foxes can be seen at different times of year. Most of the plants and animals living on

campus can also be found throughout the city of Davis. The areas with more wide open spaces and fewer buildings have more wildlife, according to Fulks. John McNerney, a wildlife resource specialist for the City of Davis, said these species were able to adjust to city living over time. “Within the City of Davis limits we find many common native species that have adapted well to the urban landscape and human activity,” McNerney said. “I’d estimate the City of Davis hosts over 150 species of birds, around 20 mammalian species, at least seven species of reptiles and about five amphibians [...] There are also hundreds, if not thousands of invertebrate species.” He explained that most plants found in Davis are typical of urban landscaping found across the Central Valley ecotype, but this area in particular also has a high density of native species supporting other urban wildlife. Species living in urban

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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

6 | THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

Opinion THE

C ALIFORNIA A GGIE

E DI TO R I AL B OAR D

Thorough investigation of Band-Uh! long overdue

KAELYN TUERMER-LEE Editor-in-Chief

Suspension provides opportunity to enact positive change

HANNAH HOLZER Managing Editor KENTON GOLDSBY Campus News Editor STELLA TRAN City News Editor HANADI JORDAN Opinion Editor CLAIRE DODD Features Editor LIZ JACOBSON Arts & Culture Editor DOMINIC FARIA Sports Editor CECILIA MORALES Science & Tech Editor

HANNAN WALIULLAH New Media Manager JUSTIN HAN Photo Director OLIVIA KOTLAREK Design Director ARIANA GREEN Layout Director SABRINA HABCHI Copy Chief ISABELLA BLOOM Copy Chief ZOË REINHARDT Website Manager SYDNEY ODMAN Social Media Manager LAURIE PEDERSON Business Development Manager

It was announced that the California Aggie Marching Band, also known as Band-Uh!, had been placed on interim suspension on May 29 pending the completion of an independent investigation by the Sacramento law firm Van Dermyden Maddux into allegations of hazing, binge drinking and sexual assault. The decision was made after a pair of articles were published — one by The California Aggie in April and the other by The Sacramento Bee earlier this month — that reported on the band’s alleged inappropriate and dangerous culture. While the band’s suspension should come as welcome news to the UC Davis campus community as it addresses the damaging actions of one of the university’s most highly-touted programs, it’s also frustrating that it took a wave of negative media attention for the university’s administration to respond with adequate action. The band and its alumni association’s history of questionable conduct has been well-documented. While several different forms of punishment have been administered over the years, none have seemed to put an end to the band’s most pressing issues. The recent reports and subsequent suspension also raise concern regarding how closely the university actually oversees the band’s operations. It took testimonies bravely given by several current and former band members to independent news outlets, rather than internal UC Davis channels, to elicit a response from the university. Now that the university has temporarily put a halt on all band-related activities, it’s time for administrators and high-ranking members of the Band-Uh! to support those affected by the alleged misconduct and make concrete changes to the band’s culture once and for all. Band members tormented by forced binge drinking, constant humiliation or sexual misconduct

and violence deserve to have their stories heard, acknowledged and taken seriously by the university. Above all, the band’s offensive “traditions” that have caused so many UC Davis students, past and present, to suffer emotional and physical trauma, must end immediately — not be “phased out” only to reappear down the line. The band cannot be exempt from the rules and regulations that work to ensure the safety and well-being of the UC Davis student body. It must be held accountable for its actions. As is the case for most other college campuses, a marching band is an integral piece of each university’s history, school spirit and overall culture. Losing the Band-Uh! — even temporarily — is certainly an enormous blow to the UC Davis community and to the reputation that the university has built for itself as one of the top-ranked public schools in the nation. But make no mistake: Allowing the band’s culture to continue and spread unmonitored would leave a larger stain on UC Davis’ reputation than temporarily banning its existence. For its members, Band-Uh! should be about playing music, spreading school spirit and building meaningful friendships with fellow members, not degrading others or perpetuating hyper-sexualized “traditions.” It’s regrettable that many members of the band — who love it for what it’s meant to be loved for — are being robbed of the positive moments they were planning on experiencing. It’s the Editorial Board’s sincere hope that the current suspension and investigation will lead to sweeping and lasting changes to the band so that those affected by its past behavior may find healing, and that future generations of Aggies will be able to enjoy all of the band’s good qualities without fear of suffering unnecessary harm.

Title IX does us a disservice I AM A RAPE SURVIVOR AND TITLE IX MAKES ME FEEL UNSAFE

BY L AUREN FR AU STO lrfrausto@ucdavis.edu Title IX of the 1972 Education Act states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” On every college campus that receives federal funding, this means there are Title IX offices and accompanying policies and procedures for handling campus sexual discrimination, harassment and violence. Title IX is an attempt at the federal level to keep our academic communities accountable for sexual misconduct. But from personal experience, I say we are entirely too proud of ourselves for this law. I do not feel protected by Title IX. There are facts concerning rape that overlap with postsecondary academic institutions that are detrimentally unclear and harm the survivor. First, any university employee who becomes aware of an incident of sexual misconduct involving a student is obligated to report it, regardless of the student’s wishes. This cuts students in crisis off from important sources of guidance and support exactly when they need it the most. They need emotional support from the people in our academic community

who know them best — faculty or staff, such as professors, advisors, employers or coworkers — not solely advice from trained professionals. After my own rape by another student during my first year at UC Davis, there were faculty and staff I was desperate to talk to and couldn’t because of Title IX, but finally broke down and did anyways. I was then contacted by the Title IX office. The second reason concerns precisely why a survivor would not want their rape reported to Title IX in the first case. What is not made clear on any website is that once Title IX is made aware of any sexual misconduct, the survivor loses all control over whether there’s an investigation. In my case, after taking advantage of the free legal counsel available to all UC Davis undergraduates, I decided not to press charges against my rapist — criminally or through Title IX. This was happening just as Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick were being torn apart by the conservative right over bringing sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh, a Supreme Court nominee at the time. After meticulously going over the details of what had been done to me, I was told that I had very little chance of winning a case given my circumstances. Ultimately, I decided putting myself through the extreme and traumatizing stressors of an investigation would not be worth it. Title IX would take this decision

away from me, exposing me to the kind of derision women in our society experience when publicly confronting their rapists. We have seen this in the Kavanaugh case, and I have lived it in speaking up about my experience in my own community. I chose not to pursue an investigation, and I desperately wish to see that respected. Anyone else in my position deserves that same right. The third reason is a specific point of violation in the reporting process. Like every website of post secondary education, the UC Davis website user interface is often not user friendly. While researching what to do after being raped, I encountered a convenient link to file a report with the school many times before I could find detailed information about what would happen after reporting. Even then, the information was unclear. The most thorough source was very reassuring, using words like “appropriate, supportive, preventive, and corrective measures,” and phrases such as “very seriously,” “highest priorities” and “interim protections or accommodations.” I was told I would be provided with, “confidential emotional support” and that “necessary measures will continue to be taken to ensure that [I felt] safe.” So I was shocked that it took 1,000 words for this UC Davis sexual violence resource to inform me, in the fourth-to-last paragraph, that in an investigation “your name will probably appear in

the notification letter sent to the accused by the Title IX Officer.” The “probably” does not make me feel any better. My rapist does not know my full name, and I am in possession of an email from our UC Davis Title IX officer that says if they ever get ahold of his name, it is fully within their jurisdiction to open an investigation and potentially give my name to him. I find this to be viscerally horrifying. The final problem with Title IX is the lack of repercussions. Title IX is a federal law without federal reach. I spoke incredulously about this with the head of the UC Davis Family Protection and Legal Assistance Clinic. Title IX benefits the survivor in that the burden of proof is less than that of a criminal investigation. That is, it is easier to get a conviction. The consequences for raping another human being, however, are minimal. Title IX benefits the survivor in that is physically removes their rapist from their lives, which is critical, but this action falls tragically short in the larger scheme of things. We are patting ourselves on the back inappropriately if we think we are actually keeping people safe. We aren’t. If a student, for example, is found guilty of rape and forced to leave, there is nothing noted on any kind of permanent record to prevent

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The virtual future of cinema MOVIES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LIMITED BY PRESENCE OF REAL-WORLD DISTRACTIONS, VR COULD CHANGE THIS BY EL I EL ST E R eselster@ucdavis.edu In the words of Roger Ebert, the intention of film is to “enter into the experience of the characters.” The ability of films to facilitate that goal, though, is limited by the constant intrusions of the real world. No screenwriter can silence the sugar-rushed sixth graders or liberate the movie-goers seated two rows behind a couple lost in bizarre PDA. Care to watch from home? Your dog still barks, your couch still creaks. But a new era of film immersion, powered by virtual reality, could finally make sixth-graders and couches a thing of the past (not literally, but it’s a start). Luke Skywalker didn’t have neighbors. With an Oculus Rift strapped on and “Star Wars: Hunting of the

Fallen” queued, neither will you. Prominent directors have rushed to head projects within the new medium. Steven Spielberg backed DreamScape Immersive, a “freeroam, shared-experience VR theater.” Kathryn Bigelow produced a VR documentary advocating against poaching. Alejandro G. Iñárritu won an Oscar in 2017 for “Carne y Arena,” a VR short film that “plunges viewers into the harsh life of an immigrant.” Ridley Scott and Robert Rodriguez are reportedly spearheading ventures as well — when asked about the prospect of creating virtual reality films, Scott said, “You have to go for it. You’ve got to, you’d be stupid not to.” It should be noted that initial “hype” doesn’t always signify continued success. Two years before the inception of the Oculus Rift, 3D films were the way of the future. At the time, 3D was a cinematic achievement bringing in $2.7 billion with “Avatar” and engaged

by the likes of Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan. Eight years later, the industry generated $1.3 billion in revenue over the course of 11 months — the same total that “Avengers: Endgame” reached in one weekend. Will VR be any different? It’s hard to say. With the medium newly emerging, there’s no real way of telling what filmmakers will or won’t do. If creators manage to bring the promises of virtual reality to fruition, however, cinema could transform in ways we have yet to predict or understand. Watching Sandra Bullock and George Clooney careen through the blackened smolder of space in “Gravity” is a majestic, albeit horribly tense experience, even when watched in a traditional theater. Now imagine traversing that world, that universe, from inside a helmet. In a Variety article, Todd Spangler contended that the “immersive, solitary confine-

ment” of VR “doesn’t square with how people consume entertainment at home [...] You can’t interact in-person with another human being with a Google Daydream, Oculus VR or Vive headset strapped to your noggin.” But isn’t that the point? At their finest, films are immersive and solitary. For so long, distractions that Spangler says are essential to the cinematic experience have limited our capacity to “enter into the experience of the characters.” What better way to “enter into the experience” than by separating oneself from the all-too familiar intrusions of the peripheral? What better way to discover a new world than by leaving your old one behind? I, for one, cannot wait to see how VR filmmaking unfolds over the coming years. If VR will allow us to not only observe new perspectives, but inhabit them, then we’ll have arrived at the future of cinema.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 | 7

HUMOR

#Vanlife

Davis turkeys mysteriously vanish after Chipotle introduces new protein option

ANOTHER BS TRAVEL BLOG PHENOMENON? BY A N N A K R I S T I N A MOSE I D J O R D akmoseid@ucdavis.edu “#Vanlife” turns up over five million results on Instagram, the majority of which are posed, pleasantly tan, often filtered, classicly athletic young people poking legs out of open van doors. A subgenre of travel blogging, van life posts represent a growing trend of people living out of their vehicles by choice for anywhere between a few days to a few years. The “van life” movement has drawn in quite a few people and given rise to something of a community, making vans a staple at every national park campsite and BLM back road. The draw is different for different people. For a lot of folks, it’s an affordable way to travel and be outside, allowing them to ditch rent and devote themselves to a romantic, very American idea of freedom upgraded for the 21st century. It also reflects the rising rents, increasing job turnover and the drive to get out of the isolated bubble of modern life. And of course, there’s an eco-conscious aspect to it — for many, the small carbon footprint is a major draw. There’s something seductive about the whole thing. The aesthetic beauty of van life — of living small, traveling between beautiful places and not having a job — is ripe for the kind of “travel blog” category of internet content. It supports a lifestyle that allows every post to be from a new, dramatically beautiful place, creating the illusion that every day of the blogger’s life happens in an exciting new venue. It’s the kind of internet fakery that makes me simultaneously mad, sad and jealous, but it only gets under my skin because I’m a little seduced. The van life aspect of travel blogging really bugs me, though. I know a lot of people who live out of vans either part or full time so they can do more climbing, skiing, rafting or whatever else they’re into. But I also know a couple

people who live out of their cars or vans because they have to. It’s a big psychological difference. While it can be incredibly fun, living out of a car or van is hard work. There’s a lot of stuff that’s easy to take for granted when you live in a house: the ability to cook food when it’s raining, for example, or not getting woken up by a flashlight in your face at 3 a.m. If it’s a choice, it can be fun. Last summer, I lived out of my family car for a few weeks road-tripping and climbing in Canada. There was a night on a back road in Squamish when a friend and I were huddled under a tree in the rain, trying to get our stove to light and laughing harder than I can remember. But there was a night a few days later when I was woken up in my dirty, trashed car by a lady deeply furious I had parked in front of her neighborhood park. At the time it irked me — what did it matter to her if some 18-year-old kid slept in their car in front of a park? But I was a few hours from my house and days away from starting college, and my parents had enough money to rent a hotel for a night if I needed to. I think it would have felt really different if that wasn’t my situation. Adapting road tripping and van camping into a lifestyle is an awesome way of breaking out of the monotony and loneliness that’s so common these days. In the age of the so-called “digital nomad,” I think it’s ridiculous not to take advantage of technology and changing culture. But I also think that the Instagram brand of van life comes from a place of selling lifestyle for personal gain. It’s worth questioning what van life says about rent and stability in modern America. It’s also worth questioning why so many of the people who are able to sustain this lifestyle, which rests heavily on the kindness of strangers and skirting the law, are white. Van life is cool, undoubtedly. If it appeals to you, go do it — it’s pretty much my entire plan after I graduate. But it’s way too interesting and complicated to sell out to Instagram models and advertising.

TOP-RANKED ANIMAL SCIENTISTS SUSPECT FOWL PLAY BY MA DEL INE K U MAG AI mskumagai@ucdavis.edu For years, many an Aggie had to bear witness to the brutality of the Davis turkeys. These birds haunted Cowtown ever since God said, “Let there be turkeys” on the first day of creation. They blocked streets with their slow, fat bodies. They flocked around automobiles with the ferocity of a used car salesman trying to make commission. And they intimidated countless little freshmen into dropping out of college with their aggressive battle cries. That is, until they vanished. For this past quarter, the granola people of Davis have enjoyed a very turkey-free spring. Not a single person has had to climb out of their vehicle in an attempt to chase one of those fat bastards off the road. Ornithophobes

can walk around town in peace knowing that they will not have to look into the turkeys’ beady little eyes while en route to the farmers market. The most shocking part of this development is that no one is certain what caused the turkeys’ disappearance. In other news, the Chipotle in downtown Davis is now serving turkey as a protein option for their entrees. Residents of the 95616 can now fill their burritos or tacos with meat from Meleagris gallapavo. “The new protein option is really, really good,” said fourth-year Oliver Lucchesi. “Do I get it in a burrito or bowl? Man, the real question is ‘What happened to the turkeys in town?’ I don’t know.” Lucchesi took a bite of his burrito before continuing, “All I know is that this turkey burrito is hella good. I think it’s ‘cause the meat is really fresh.”

BY R O S E Y MO R E A R T Y rosey@morearty.org

reduce. reuse. recycle.

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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

8 | THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

SCIENCE+TECH MIC H E L L E WO N G / AGGI E

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT TEAM ONE OF FIVE FINALISTS IN MARTIAN AGRICULTURAL AND PLANT SCIENCES PROJECT Team created conceptual design for greenhouse on Mars BY MI C HEL L E WO N G science@theaggie.org Have you ever imagined living in a greenhouse on Mars? A team of undergraduate students from the UC Davis Space and Satellite Systems Club designed a greenhouse for astronauts to reside in for two years on Mars. The project was entered into the Martian Agricultural and Plant Sciences project, a competition offered by the National Institute of Aerospace and NASA. After researching and formulating this design, the UC Davis students were nominat-

U C DAV I S H E A LT H / CO URTESY

ed as one of five finalists within the competition. The winners are eligible for NASA summer internships. While many of the other teams enrolled in the competition were graduate students, UC Davis’ team consisted purely of undergraduate students, many of whom are freshmen and sophomores. The team found it challenging to understand research papers and decipher the language as relatively young and inexperienced students, according to Audrey Chamberlin, a first-year aerospace science and engineering major. “We went through many strange and outlandish ideas before

settling on our final design,” Chamberlin said. “Those ideas consisted of using mirrors to track the sun [and] having a mote at the bottom of the dome. We decided on the final design by whittling down and editing all our ideas into one final, comprehensive and realistic design.” Their final product consisted of a two-story greenhouse which utilizes a sensor-supported irrigation system to support plant growth, according to Isabella Elliot, a first-year aerospace science and engineering major. Martian regolith, the soil found on Mars’ surface, would be used in plant bags to facilitate plant growth and provide a comfortable environment for the Martians to live and work in. Chamberlin added that the team decided to use soil after conducting a risk analysis, although NASA subtly recommended the use of a hydroponic growing system, which involves using mineral nutrient water solvent solutions to grow plants. From this initial idea, they had to determine a way to create fertile soil out of the toxic, innutritious Martian regolith, leading to the development of the sensor-supported irrigation system. “When you are creating something new, never or rarely done before, you have to expect many, many drafts,” said Nancy Juarez, a second-year triple major in international agriculture development, Middle Eastern/South Asian studies and Chicano studies. Although many of the members have engineering backgrounds, each member is specifically interested in a certain subject field and contributed to the project, according to Chamberlin. One student handled the more human-centered aspect of the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems, which includes the facilitation of atmospheric pressure, oxygen levels and waste management. Another student focused on power usage. The team heavily relied on Juarez, who has a plant science background, to guide them through the requirement for plants within their design. “The diverse perspectives [were] amazing to work with,” Juarez said. “We all come from different fields. As an agriculture major, with every idea I came up with, I felt like I had a team behind me to fact check and cross examine. [It] really makes you trust your peers.” After their initial idea was proposed by NASA’s BIG Idea Challenge, the UC Davis team had the opportunity to present their finalized design to NASA officials in Virginia. “I would like other people to know that we have a lot of faith in our design, and that we put a lot of hard work and effort into developing and understanding it,” Elliot said. “We put our whole heart into this project, and I’m very lucky to have been a part of it.”

PEDR O MOU R A PIN HEIR O / FLICKR

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AUGMENTS ANALYSIS OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE New machine learning tool could aid Alzheimer’s research BY K RI T I VA RG H E S E science@theaggie.org In an effort to speed up Alzheimer’s research, researchers at UCSF, UC Davis and Tsinghua University in Beijing have found a way to apply machine learning techniques to accurately find two hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease in human brain tissue: amyloid plaques and blood vessel abnormalities. “One of the major challenges is that by the time people have clinical symptoms, there is a great deal of brain damage,” said Laurel Beckett, professor and chief of the Division of Biostatistics in the Department of Public Health Sciences at UC Davis. “So we need to start treating people earlier – but how do you know if people are “at risk” or developing damage, or if treatment is helping if you can’t see symptoms? This motivated the use of biomarkers: brain imaging, and analysis of fluid samples such as cerebrospinal fluid or blood samples, combined with genetics.” The tool works by studying an image, splitting it into different parts and comparing those parts to a labeled dataset that contains thousands of images. This analysis provides predictions for each part based on what the tool has already seen. The predictions can then be converted to a count, which is used to identify different kinds of brain changes. The algorithm can process a whole-brain slice with an accuracy of 98.7%. Using the algorithm requires multiple disciplines to come together. “A computer engineer is typically needed to implement the algorithm,” said Brittany Dugger, an assistant professor in the UC Davis School of Medicine. “These projects are phenomenal examples of cross-disciplinary translational science: neuropathologists, a statistician, a clinician, and engineers [come] together, [form] a dialogue and [work] together to solve a problem.” The immediate benefit of this tool is that it vastly increases the number of slides that can be analyzed at once relative to how many would have been analyzed by just an expert neuropathologist. “This makes it possible to look at many more brain tissue slides than before, and maybe eventually even at slides of tissue outside the brain, in case there are plaque locations that we’ve been missing but would be easier to test for early Alzheimer’s diagnoses,” said Michael Keiser, assistant professor in the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at UC Davis.

UC DAVIS RESEARCHERS MODEL CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT AND SEARCH FOR RESILIENT OPTIONS ON CAMPUS University looking at reducing carbon emissions from its heating, cooling systems BY FOXY RO B INS O N science@theaggie.org For students sticking around campus for summer session classes, research or work, more triple-digit degree weather is ahead thanks to climate change — but that’s not all. “What we are used to is going to be gone [over the next few decades], there is going to be a new normal,” said Camille Kirk, the director and campus sustainability planner for the UC Davis Office of Sustainability. Climate change highlights a dramatic change in weather patterns. It has been associated with changes in precipitation, temperature, wildfires and other natural disasters. By the end of the century, the climate surrounding UC Davis is predicted to match Phoenix, Arizona. So far, UC Davis has seen wildfires with air quality shuttering its buildings, year-long droughts leading to strict water conservation efforts and atmospheric rivers flooding the area with heavy precipitation. This year’s Spring Quarter featured a few thunderstorms in its final weeks. “I was in Davis in 1972 [and] on an ordinary day, the air pollution and smog around the city was so bad you couldn’t breathe,” said Arnold Bloom, a distinguished and John B. Orr endowed professor at the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences. “The horizon would be brown for half the year. On a sunny day, you could move towards Sacramento or Southern California, it would be even worse. You could feel your eyes burning.” Five greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, ozone and chlorofluorocarbons contribute to Earth’s changing environment and atmosphere. Carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide are the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Even though these gases are invisible, they are producing noticeable, long-term changes. Paul Ullrich, an associate professor at

the UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, models climate change’s effects on the Earth through physical logs of the Earth’s mass, energy and momentum conservation. From there, the atmosphere, condensation, evaporation, radiation, land use and ocean environmental factors, such as salinity and local water resources, are factored in through equations into a computer model. “The predicted primary effects of greenhouse gases are water availability, changes in precipitation where we see more atmospheric rivers and increased heat, which will affect our agricultural viability,” Ullrich said. “We might need to abandon agricultural practices in certain areas, others might open up.” The atmosphere’s current carbon dioxide levels are 0.04%. Even then, agriculture has experienced changes. “Plants get a temporary boost in photosynthesis, where they make higher energy compounds from the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,” Bloom said. “When plants get limited by other nutrients, such as nitrate, due to greenhouse gas emissions, they lose their ability to make proteins. They have stunted growth. Pests become more voracious when they’re not reaching their protein needs.” Notably, high carbon dioxide availability leads to water-efficient plants. The higher carbon dioxide concentration encourages plants to close the openings in their leaves to allow carbon dioxide in for photosynthesis, keeping water inside the plant longer. UC Davis’ plants have a slightly different experience. The extreme weather, especially the drought, have stressed out the campus landscape. “We are thinking about landscape adaption, looking at places we that have plants that can live in this type of environment,” Kirk said. “We want to make this campus liveable and have landscape plants that can

translate across time. We can be a beautiful campus while still being resilient.” There are multiple ways to get involved with climate change, starting with this campus. “There are two major categories, or sects, in climate science: mitigation, where we focus on decarbonization — reducing greenhouse emissions from the atmosphere, and adaptation, where we acknowledge climate change is unavoidable and create strategies that allow us to continue on in this changing climate,” Ullrich said. “California is going to see an increase in water conveyance, where we will need to send more water from Northern California to Southern California. In 2012, UC Davis emitted 209,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, adapting solar farm technology to power the campus in 2015. The 16.3-megawatt solar farm provides 14% of the energy resources on campus. “In the past three years since our solar farm went online, we have seen our emissions go from 194,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide down to 163,000 metric tons,” said Alyssa DiGirolamo, a fourth-year civil and environmental engineering major and greenhouse gas inventory data analyst for the UC Davis Office of Sustainability. “Our electricity emissions are getting closer to zero.” UC Davis is also looking at reducing carbon emissions from its heating and cooling systems, which use natural gas. The UC Davis Medical Center uses a natural gas cogenerator to maintain its heating and cooling. “You can start with your day-to-day life,” DiGirolamo said. “You can compost, not use single-use plastics, and share your personal experiences with others. This is also not about judging others. People move at their own pace, communicate with each other and try to educate others. Use your information and pass it along to share with someone else.”

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 | 9

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Sudoku

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

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Unitrans Hiring Now

Boxing Classes For Women

We're trying to hire as many people as we can to train during summer to get ready. If you have students who need summer jobs and work next academic year, please let them know we're hiring! Training starts at $12/hour and then goes to $14.25/hour when you get your license. Wage increases to $15.25/hour on January 1, 2020. We offer very flexible work hours, supervisory and management opportunities, and it’s FUN to drive the buses!

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Hard Corps Athletics brings you sport boxing classes designed for women. 630 Pena Dr. Suite 100, Davis (530) 848-1593 CoachAhmad@sbcglobal.net Check out info on these and other classes for everyone. https://www.hcacoach.com

Davis Food Co-op is hiring! WANT TO BE PART OF OUR TEAM? The Co-op is one of the friendliest places to work in Davis! Join our team! Applications available here: https://davisfood.coop/sustainability/employment

FOR SALE Vespa, Primavera 150. Beautiful scooter, showroom condition with only 260 miles. Perfect vehicle for getting around Davis. Email: robgeb@sbcglobal.net

Optician/Optometric Assistant, P/T & F/T Optometrist office in downtown Davis. Must be available Monday through Saturday 8am-6pm. Now filling Part time and Full time positions. Duties include: - Optical dispensary - Patient reception/front desk - Optometric technician - Patient retention - Office coordinator - Accounts receivable / Billing If applying, be sure to INCLUDE A COVER LETTER explaining why you may be a good fit for our practice! Saturdays are required. Previous experience in optical/eye care is not necessary, but very helpful. Strong organizational skills, great interpersonal skills, desire to serve patients, attention to DETAIL, computer competency, and RELIABILITY are necessary. Email djguerrieri@gmail.com Or call (530)758-4000

Wine Tasting Room Associate Multi award winning winery desires energetic, outgoing individual with excellent communication skills. Weekends only at the Old Sugar Mill, Clarksburg. Must be 21 years and able to lift 40lbs Email Barbara@batiavineyards.com

HOUSING Rooms for Rent Room for rent in a pet friendly home. Full house privileges . Reduced rate in exchange for pet care , when I am away. House located in Vacaville. $700 a month, includes utilities, WiFi, water and garbage. Private bathroom .

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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

10 | THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

Non-Existent Discussions: Game of Thrones and non-binary politics Bran the Broken: King of the Six Kingdoms, Breaker of Genders

BY R OSI E SCHWAR Z arts@theaggie.org

Television: “Freaks and Geeks” Although this show came out in 1999, if you haven’t watched it yet, please do yourself a favor and hit play. This show is about two groups of high schoolers in the ’80s: the freaks and the geeks. This classic Judd Apatow creation is where Jason Segel, James Franco and Seth Rogen first met. And while it only ran for a single season, it’s remembered as one of the best shows to hit the air. Even if you cannot relate to either subset of groups, or the ’80s, this show evokes a youthful nostalgia through its comedy, content, soundtrack and memorable cast.

JA I M E C H E N / AGGI E

Movie: “Slacker” BY C L AY A L L EN R OG ERS arts@theaggie.org The fire of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” has been reduced to its embers. Its finale is still a hot topic, but since the series concluded, its once blinding flame now casts a light on the issues of gender politics within the show and how these issues mirror those in 21st century politics. Show viewers and book readers alike are unanimously disappointed with how Dan Weiss and David Benioff wrapped up the epic series, particularly with the decision to kill off Daenerys Targaryen, the all-powerful matriarch, and instill another “male” ruler. Most likely, this ending already contributed to libraries worth of articles highlighting the show’s neglection of capable female rulers. But one overlooked aspect of the show’s finale is the decision to place a genderfluid character upon the once-Iron Throne: Bran the Broken (i.e. the Three-Eyed Raven). It is nearly impossible to view any piece of art without holding it under the scope of 21st century values, hence the extensive discussions about the absence of Queendom (and female Knightdom) in “Game of Thrones.” Popular interpretations of “Game of Thrones” have been done through a selective scope. But while such focus is drawn to the divide of the dancefloor, many onlookers do not have the tools to see who is dancing — the characters who refuse to meet the standards of gender in Westeros. The concept of non-binary identities in Westeros did not exist in the 4th century AC (After [Aegon’s] Conquest), explaining why all characters still

refer to the Three-Eyed Raven as Bran, a character who used the pronoun “he.” In many ways, the former friends and family of Bran Stark do not know what do with this new omniscient being, therefore resorting to an identity that’s comfortable for them. The Three-Eyed Raven does not stand on either end of the gender spectrum, they sit somewhere above it all, as an essence of knowledge that transcends the roles placed by humans on one another. The Three-Eyed Raven is deemed king, but never wears a crown. They are named the true born son of Eddard Stark, but reject the title. Sansa says Bran (who has not been Bran since season six) will father no children and will likely take no bride (as the divine royal rights were abolished in the finale). Therefore, who is to assign the Three-Eyed Raven a gender? Those of the Westerosi aristocracy, of course, as they have no knowledge of the term or what it means to exist outside of the binary. But for viewers to refuse to recognize the Three-Eyed Raven in this light says a great deal about the current conversations surrounding the non-binary community. One day after “Game of Thrones” ended, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Elizabeth Warren sat down to converse about the show’s ending. Ocasio-Cortez commented, “we were so close to having this ending with women running the world and then the last two episodes it’s like ‘oh, they’re too emotional.’” Warren agreed with her, then Ocasio-Cortez voiced her frustration about the show’s male writers. And while this is a reasonable conversation to have given our political climate, it

still says something about our society as a whole if two icons of the progressive movement forgot to include non-binary people in their conversations about gender politics in “Game of Thrones.” If the first thing that comes to mind in discussing the political allegories of “Game of Thrones” is the inequality between the sexes, then that’s a good sign. The disparity men and women face in the 21st century needs to be reconciled. But if one’s mind does not go to other outlets for allegories within the show for social betterment (such as a non-binary character taking the throne), then it shows our world is succeeding in erasing identities that do not meet normative standards. Consider the aspects of non-binary culture: all attention is given to the two ends of the gender spectrum but none to the middle ground. Those who do not meet the binary norms are typically met with silence or denial because communities do not know how to recognize and include the non-binary in societal discussions. Too often, non-binary people are marginalized and rejected by the institutions to which they belong, whether in queer spaces or under a government that attempts to force these individuals to pick a side that can make sense to the masses (thanks Title IX). Although ancient Mesopotamian tablets from 3100 BC describe how the gods created an intersection of people that had no gender, the term “non-binary” was not coined until the 1970/80s when feminists Casey Miller and Kate Swift wrote “The Handbook of Nonsexist Writing,” where

AL LYS O N KO / AG GI E

they encouraged the use of gender-neutral pronouns and acknowledged the existence of people outside the gender binary. It’s unacceptable that the discussions surrounding the biggest television series in history do not involve non-binary identities. And if the answer to that argument is that non-binary identities did not exist in 4th century AC Westeros, well, they existed in ancient Mesopotamia and through the proceeding centuries of our history. If “Game of Thrones” is a fantasy retelling of our history, it would be ignorant to cherry pick what parts of our history are included within that fantasy. Consider the obstacles and adversities non-binary people need to overcome in order to exist: social rejection, a wall of legislation to keep one from claiming an identity and a life underneath the prescriptive roots of America’s nuclear family tree (not talking about the Three-Eyed Raven here). Yet nobody recognizes the ThreeEyed Raven as a non-binary being because other characters within the show are keen to push gender roles onto them. The Three-Eyed Raven is the essence of an omnipotent almanac forced into the human body in order to exist. They claim no identity, therefore they claim no gender, and what better way to end “Game of Thrones” than to say that the future is non-binary? The wheel is broken in Game of Thrones, in more ways than Daenerys originally intended, and if the show was interpreted through a more holistic lens, such as recognizing a potential non-binary character taking the throne, then maybe it could influence the breaking of our own wheel of genders.

Following the theme of nostalgic homages to earlier eras, Richard Linklater’s debut film “Slacker” is one of the best movies about the ’90s. The film, which also stars Linklater, occurs over the course of a single day and follows the many small interactions that happen among college students in Texas. The film is famous for inspiring Kevin Smith’s cult favorite “Clerks,” but on a grander scale, for inspiring both the content and style of ’90s independent cinema. The movie captures the feelings of a “lost” generation and is a really fun watch.

Novel: “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller This Joseph Heller novel is one of the most famous post-war satires, but in honor of George Clooney’s recent HBO adaption of the novel, this book deserves an extra recommendation. Many people recognize this novel as one of the most funny and biting books to exist, and if you like any degree of absurdity, you will love this book.

Album: “Section.80” by Kendrick Lamar Giving another old suggestion, Kendrick Lamar’s 2011 freshman studio album is often forgotten amid all his amazing albums and projects that followed. This album came out in July and as summer approaches, it’s time to dig it out of your music library and give it a listen. If you haven’t given this album a listen to in a few years, you’re in for a treat as you remember just how talented Kendrick Lamar has always been.

BY CLAY ALLE N RO GER S, ROS IE S CH WARZ AN D ANDRE W W ILLIAMS arts@theaggie.org Clay Allen Rogers: “IGOR” is a gift from the soul of Tyler, the Creator — an art piece unlike anything that has ever been released by Tyler, or any other musician for that matter. Each song is a deliberately placed brushstroke that contributes to the whole of the piece. Press play on the album; listen to it frontwards, backwards or on shuffle and it will cut through to the heart all the same. Think of a theme that reflects the turmoil of planet earth and, most likely, Tyler has filtered that message into one of his songs within the album. “A BOY IS A GUN” was my favorite track. I imagine the line “When the time is right (a boy is a gun) / No, don’t shoot me down” is an ode to the 48 black young adults and children who’ve been killed by police in the last five months of 2019 alone. “IGOR” is more than just an album — it’s a story and a lesson sung to its listeners with the utmost passion and commitment. Rosie Schwarz:

The Arts Desk reviews Tyler, the Creator’s fifth studio album

“IGOR” dropped the night of a Mac DeMarco concert I was at and, after such an incredible experience, I went home and immediately listened to “IGOR” and haven’t stopped since. For most people, watching Tyler, the Creator’s

progression from his early Odd Future days to “Flower Boy” to “IGOR” debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart has been really exciting. Like most artists who have been in the limelight since they were younger, watching Tyler mature and change with his music seems to match our own progression and maturity perfectly. The more I listen to “IGOR,” the more I continue to find new songs or moments on the album that stick out to me, but my personal favorites are “EARFQUAKE” and “GONE, GONE / THANK YOU.” Andrew Williams: “IGOR,” with heavy synthesizer production and deeply introspective lyrics, supplements Tyler, the Creator’s new artistic trajectory. Following “Flower Boy,” the album is a step away from his blunt and shocking lyrical trademarks. The album’s sound is relatively consistent throughout, using similar production tools and melancholic undertones. Despite general uniformity, the album manages to avoid stagnation, compelling the listener to tune in for the full 40 minutes. The opener and my personal favorite track, “IGOR’s Theme,” strikes energy into the record. The majority of the song is composed of a subtle layering process. Hymn-like lyrics are weaved into its instrumental of both heavy and delicate synths. Around the 2:30 mark, it lulls into a moment of anticipation before roaring back into life in a wall of electrifying sound.

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 | 11

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

HSI GOALS

TITLE IX

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tion with the Latinx student body, the organization believes it would be beneficial to have more than the two current students on the task force to alleviate the intense “pressure, work, and labor [put] on them.” The organization also wants to see UC Davis do more to retain the rising scholars.

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“We want to give credit and recognition to the Chicana/o Studies, Latinx organizations/clubs, and Student Centers who are doing a lot of the recruitment and retention of Latinx students at UC Davis when it is not their jobs but the University’s jobs to do proper retention and recruitment,” the statement said.

SUMMER SESSION

pus) or 916-734-3799 (UC Davis Health - Sacramento) or email ucdcare@ucdavis.edu. Same day appointments are often available. Title IX cut me off from my most important sources of support, mislead me, would have potentially disclosed my identity to the man who raped me and threatened to take away my autonomy. Title IX subverts the entire point of pressing charges in the first place: to ensure my rapist’s next victim never become a victim in the first place.

BUDGET

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Visit the California State Fair The annual California State Fair will open its doors on July 12-28 in downtown Sacramento. Each year

them from immediately reapplying to another school. Going through the rigors of Title IX proceedings at Davis may ultimately protect students at Davis, maybe at other UCs, but if a rapist is found guilty, they are not prevented from preying upon students elsewhere. Instead of going straight to a Title IX report, from my experience, the best resource for a survivor at UC Davis is the Center for Advocacy, Resource and Education (CARE). To make an appointment, call 530-752-3299 (Davis cam-

the fair hosts a multitude of food vendors, musicians and artisans as well as rides for families and friends to enjoy.

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student government, we are all aware of the gravity of our financial situation longterm and the importance of passing this base fee increase in Winter Quarter 2020.” The current base fee was established in 1960, when it was set at $8 per quarter, according to Rotenkolber. Since then, there have been no adjustments to the fee, including adjusting for inflation, which is why some in the association

think it is time for a change. “We have yet to calculate an exact number [for the fee increase],” Rotenkolber said via email. “But very preliminary estimates are between $20 to $30, but again these are just estimates because 25% will immediately go to scholarships, and a certain percentage will go to our net, capital, and net reserves.”

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environments will often utilize a variety of food and shelter resources, thus benefiting from human activity. Living on the UC Davis campus is thought to be relatively easy for most organisms, Fulks said. Plants receive regular watering, trees get structural pruning, and animals have abundant food and shelter, as well as few predators. “The lack of major predators also allows some species, like the ducks, to be more abundant than they would be in more wild areas,” Fulks said. This doesn’t mean Davis animals live worry-free lives, however. Habitat destruction, as well as disturbances caused by cars, bikes, feral cats and domestic pets all pose threats to wildlife, according to Fulks. The City of Davis tries to reduce these challenges by fully adopting and upholding state and federal regulations related to the protection of wildlife. The city also provides education to residents about how to protect nature. Laci Gerhart-Barley, a lecturer in the department of evolution and ecology, explained why the arboretum allows for a unique nature experience. “One thing that is really cool about campus is that you have the

arboretum, which is this less human-managed, slightly more natural area right next to campus that we can interact with and see totally different stuff there than you would see in town,” Gerhart-Barley said. Gerhart-Barley teaches a new course offered every spring called Evolution and Ecology 16: Wild Davis, or EVE 16. The class focuses on urban ecology and nature that can been seen in human-driven systems. Since the class serves as a California naturalism training course, students learn about components of geology, history, social dynamics, how scientists study concepts and what it means to be an environmentalist or naturalist. In the class, Gerhart-Barley and her students visit various parts of campus and observe different ecological questions, such as pollinator interactions between some of the flower gardens on campus, or take surveys of ants in the arboretum. “A big thing I am trying to instill in the students in the class is that nature isn’t something that is somewhere else,” Gerhart-Barley said. “You can be in an urban setting and still be interacting with nature. There are still ecological interactions and organisms around you. There’s more going on than you realize.”

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hear feedback and we talk to organizations saying, ‘Hey, we got this complaint’ or ‘We got this report. Can you talk more about this and what it looks like?’” Dees explained. “At this point, we haven’t received complaints or reports saying that clubs aren’t upholding, or consistent with the purpose that is communicated through the AggieLife website.”

QU IN N S P O O N E R / AGGI E

UC DAVIS TO OFFER ONLINE MBA Program to offer small classes, chance to meet classmates in person BY A N D RE A ESQ U E T INI campus@theaggie.org The UC Davis Graduate School of Management will offer an online MBA program beginning in Fall 2019. The program will include live virtual classes, pre-recorded lectures and residential sessions. Unlike the in-person MBA which has 50 to 60 students in each class, this program will have 15 to 19. “We can do things in a virtual classroom that you can’t in a large lecture hall,” said Robert Yetman, a UC Davis professor of management and academic director of the online MBA program. Students in these classes will be able to see and interact with their professors and one another. Students can press a button to let others know they have a question, making the class interactive. Professors can also write questions and immediately see what students answer to assess whether students understand the material. “It causes the online students to be even more engaged,” Yetman said. The pre-recorded lectures will also have questions for the students,

COMMENTARY: THE ANATOMY OF THE HOLLYWOOD FEMALE SEX ICON Does the sex icon title exist in contemporary Hollywood? BY CARO LINE RU T T E N arts@theaggie.org

PARTY CLUB dent-run, student-led organizations. That is why we never see the phrase ‘UC Davis’ in that name, except to describe the location.” CSI is, however, able to investigate club activities if someone files a complaint or reports that the organization is violating the terms and policies. “If a student on-campus has a problem, ... we definitely want to

CA ITLYN SA MPLEY / AGGIE

allowing professors teaching the live sessions to see how their students are doing before they start class. One part of the program is not online, requiring students to occasionally travel to Davis. Residential sessions are meant to give students the opportunity to interact with their classmates in person. Four of these sessions are held per year and students are required to attend at least two. According to Andrea Shaw, senior director of admissions at the Graduate School of Management, most students are expected to come from Northern California, but the program can also accommodate global students. The requirements to apply to the online MBA program will be very similar to those for the full-time MBA program. “We’re ensuring that the academic experience and rigor is consistent with the on-campus program,” said Shaw, via email. Yetman, who led the proposal process for this program, began drafting it about two years ago. He has since obtained the approval needed from faculty, the UC Davis campus and the UC System.

I first learned who Farrah Fawcett was when I was in the fifth grade. My mom took me to a cafe that used classic photographs as the number cards placed on each table to have orders delivered. Our card had the famous “Charlie’s Angels” photo with Fawcett centered in the middle. She’s objectively physically stunning and, of course, her hair is what drew my attention. “That’s Farrah Fawcett,” my mom said. “She was a sex icon from the ’70s. I still remember watching that show back then.” The idea of sexuality was not avoided in my childhood; my mom did not want me to think this integral part of our existence was something embarrassing or that it should be hidden. While my mom included a healthy feminist contextualization to the situation, I was introduced to the concept that some people are deemed famous predominantly due to their physical sex appeal. Think of others like Pamela Anderson, Elizabeth Taylor, Megan Fox and, of course, Marilyn Monroe. Even the recently deceased Doris Day, under her innocent virginal appeal, was a cloaked sex icon. Each embodied the total collection of beauty standards of the time, deemed the apple of the generation’s eye. It’s important to note that these beauty standards do not include women of color or any sexuality besides the heterosexual norm. Of course it’s wrong, but not terribly surprising given the time. These ideas of beauty standards and which groups occupy them, while vitally important to recognize, are not revolutionary. Beauty standards are and have always been strict, and the fame associated with immense physical beauty of a select few women set these standards. I’m curious, however, how much these standards have held themselves together in present-day Hollywood? Are we still in the era of the sex icon? My initial answer to this question is no. Although tabloid magazines might still publish their “Sexiest Man/ Woman of the Year” cover spread, I cannot pinpoint a single person our decade has deemed “the sex icon” of the era. Progressive ideology and the emphasis on representation in the media has made its way onto the mainstage and established new standards in how we view the actors we see in the lime-

light. It’s not that we don’t view certain celebrities as sexy or attempt to replicate their appearances (think Kardashians). But the same awe communally associated with one person, I believe, has been foregone. Our society would instantly reject the occurrence of such a universal notion — and what a good thing that is. Omitting the title of sex icon from our everyday vernacular when speaking of celebrities is a significant indicator of our collective values. We expect more than attractiveness in our standards of fame. Although the Kardashians may still fiscally benefit, their vanity and vapidness is often the butt of the joke. There has been a clear moral shift. I am concerned, though, when people look at the surface to assess progress. Take for example “Crazy Rich Asians,” which was praised for its all-Asian cast. Yet, under deeper analysis, the film ultimately belittles traditional cultures and favors their Western representations. Similarly, just because we have rid Hollywood of the sex icon title and included more representations of beauty on screen does not mean we genuinely rid such a mindset from our psyche — Lady Gaga has still been told to get a nose job and Meryl Streep was once told she was too ugly for a role. Who we put on screen is still under intense scrutiny by the Hollywood machine. While some can slip through the cracks, high beauty standards are simultaneously alive and well. Although we may not have the title of sex icon out in the open, this does not mean the same scrutiny associated with it is gone. I must also note my fear in completely ridding the notion of sexuality and sex appeal from mainstream Hollywood. Similar to my mom introducing me to the idea of sexuality at a young age, I fear consequences from limitations on the space for female sexaulity. The representation and purpose of this sexuality, of course, must be reevaluated — not for the male gaze. The appeal of the woman should not be evaluated in a surface-level vacuum, but the images of Farrah Fawcett smoothly skating on a cruiser and Pamela Anderson in a high-cut red swimsuit should not be destroyed either. Who is allowed to pose in these photos must be opened up to more definitions of beauty. They can serve as a vital mechanism in expressing womanhood, if the woman chooses to express herself in such a way. The fundamental essence of the sex icon must live beyond the title, and sexuality can be used as a tool for female empowerment.

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12 | THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

JUSTIN HAN / AGGIE

JUSTIN HAN / AGGIE

JUSTIN HAN / AGGIE

JUSTIN HAN / AGGIE

UC Davis athletics 2018–2019 year in review A review of some of the highlighted achievements of UC Davis sports teams, athletes BY RYA N BUG SCH sports@theaggie.org The 2018-19 year was successful for teams and individual athletes across UC Davis sports programs. Championships were won, athletes were drafted into professional leagues and some set achievements were praised by fans and supporters alike. The following is a list of highlighted achievements in UC Davis athletics this year. Football wins first ever Big Sky Conference Championship Since the recent arrival of head coach Dan Hawkins, the UC Davis football team has improved at a seemingly lightning-fast pace. In 2018, the team finished with a 10-3 overall and 7-1 conference record, while going undefeated at home. The team defeated Sacramento State 5613 in its final regular season game to earn the title of Big Sky Conference Champions. This was

the first Big Sky Championship in the school’s history and its first conference championship since 2009. Before advancing into the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) quarterfinals, the Aggies defeated Northern Iowa to earn their first ever Division I postseason victory. An unfortunate 34-29 loss to the Eastern Washington Eagles ended the Aggies’ hopes for an FCS championship run. Due to the team’s impressive season record and Big Sky Championship-finish, Hawkins was named Big Sky Coach of the Year and won the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award for the nation’s most outstanding coach at the FCS level. Wide Receiver Keelan Doss was named the Athlon Sports 2018 All-American Team and signed with the Oakland Raiders after a 1,000-yards receiving season milestone and over 100 receptions achieved in his final season with the Aggies.

QUINN SPOONER / AGGIE

Cuenin leaves her mark on UC Davis Three-year captain wraps up her UC Davis women’s lacrosse career BY FRA N KI E V E V E R KA sports@theaggie.org The UC Davis women’s lacrosse team concluded its 2018-19 season with a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) championship game appearance and a 9-8 overall record, including a 4-2 record at home. Despite losing in the final match and finishing on a not-so-pleasant note, the team was not without its bright spots. Perhaps the team’s best story coming out of this season was senior attacker Taylor Cuenin. The Danville, CA native and three-year captain for the Aggies was named MPSF Player of the Year for the second straight season. Cuenin was not only a force on offense who led the team in goals (48), but she also led the conference in caused turnovers per game (1.27). She also ranked third in points per game (3.40) and ninth in ground balls per game (1.87). Her versatility allowed her to be a major threat on both ends of the field. “It is really exciting, and it has been a great

four years,” Cuenin said. “I have been super lucky to have such a successful career, and I think a lot of it came from how I was coached the past two years and changed a lot of the way I played this past year.” Cuenin started playing lacrosse more heavily her freshman year at San Ramon Valley High School where her experience on the junior varsity team helped her grow more as a player. Cuenin emphasized how her time on the JV squad helped her realize her love for the game. She honed her lacrosse skills for the remainder of her high school years, playing and serving as captain for her school’s varsity team, as well as playing on a local travel club team, competing across the country in numerous tournaments. Despite her extensive playing experience, Cuenin was not highly recruited out of high school, so she said she made a point to attend UC Davis’ off-season lacrosse camp. “I started a little later and wasn’t heavily recruited anywhere,” she said. “I didn’t really know how to do the recruiting process itself, and as far as going to camps, I wasn’t sure where I wanted

Morgan Bertsch drafted by the Dallas Wings in the WNBA Draft After shattering a number of career and single-season marks in her four years as an Aggie, Morgan Bertsch, a biomedical engineering major and forward, was drafted by the Dallas Wings in the third round of the WNBA draft in early April. Bertsch is currently the all-time leading scorer for both the UC Davis men’s and women’s basketball programs, with 2,422 career points. Bertsch is the first UC Davis player to ever be drafted to the WNBA. She was also named 2019 Big West Player of the Year, averaging 23.6 points per game and shooting nearly 50 percent from the field in her senior year. In her collegiate career, Bertsch holds 11 different all-time program marks and is third on the Big West all-time scoring list. Just in her senior year alone, Bertsch was No. 4 in the nation in scoring, No. 9 in total points, No. 6 in free throws made, No. 10 in free throw attempts and No. 7 in field goals made.

Unfortunately, the team’s hopes for an NCAA Championship ended in the first round of the tournament with a loss to Stanford of 79-54. Before this loss, the Aggies were on an impressive 16-game winning streak, one of the longest in the program’s history. For her impressive coaching performance during the season, Head Coach Jennifer Gross was named the league’s top coach for the third consecutive season.

Women’s basketball earns Big West Championship Sporting a 25-7 overall and a 15-1 conference record, the UC Davis women’s basketball team won the Big West Conference Championship Tournament. The Aggies came back from a 17-point deficit in the third quarter to secure a 58-50 victory over Hawaii, punching their ticket to the program’s second ever NCAA Tournament appearance as a Division I program.

Brooke Yanez adds a perfect game and a no-hitter to a huge softball year Pitching the first perfect game in the program’s Division I history, sophomore Brooke Yanez also threw UC Davis’ fourth no-hitter at the Division I level. Yanez produced an amazing 25-7 record for the year, with 25 complete games pitched and a 1.03 Earned Run Average (ERA). She also struck out a total of 273 batters this season, ranking first in the program’s Division I history, third on the school’s all-time list and eighth in Big West History. Throughout the year, Yanez earned a variety of awards, namely Softball America’s All-American second team honors and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Pacific Region First Team. She is the first Aggie to receive both awards at the Division I level. Currently, Yanez is a two-time NFCA all-region selection, earning the Big West Conference Freshman Pitcher of the Year award in 2018 and the Pitcher of the Year award this past season.

to go.” Luckily for the Aggies, Cuenin had a friend who attended UC Davis and who played a large role in influencing Cuenin’s decision to ultimately choose to become an Aggie. Cuenin also noted that the university’s reputation for academic success was a main factor in her decision. UC Davis, therefore, was her top choice both academically and for lacrosse. As a neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, finding a balance between working hard in the classroom and on the lacrosse field was important to Cuenin from the outset of her time at UC Davis. She not only found a balance, but she excelled at both endeavors. Cuenin was recently inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society this Spring, thanking lacrosse for being a big release from her intense academic coursework. “I think because I never had to do school without lacrosse, it was a good thing because it structured my life so much and made me really disciplined in my school and knowing that I always have to be a week ahead for everything.” In 2016, Cuenin was awarded all-MPSF second team and became the first UC Davis lacrosse player since 2013 to earn all-conference honors as a freshman. During that season, Cuenin was also awarded MPSF Rookie of the Week and led the Aggies with 19 caused turnovers. The following season, Cuenin earned an upgrade to the all-MPSF first team and led the Aggies in goals (42), total points (53), ground balls (52) and caused turnovers (51). She also ranked second in the nation with 3.4 caused turnovers per game. After leading the team in goals (38), points (41) and caused turnovers (23) for the second straight season during her junior year, Cuenin earned multiple MPSF Player of the Week honors and secured her first MPSF Player of the Year award Entering this season, Cuenin was a player on the radar of every team that competed against the Aggies. She was also on pace to finish in the top three in program history in goals. But after she suffered a serious ankle injury at the beginning of senior year, Cuenin was forced to make some unforeseen changes to her game. “I had to learn how to adjust my play,” Cuenin said. “I got moved from being a midfielder — which I was my whole career — to an attacker, which was pretty different because it is hard for

me to not want to run everywhere on the field. But everyone was so supportive and so awesome. We all kind of worked through it together.” In lacrosse, attackers can only play one third of the field, while midfielders are allowed to run up and down the entire length of the field. When she moved to an attacking role, Cuenin was able to capitalize on her scoring abilities without needing to cover as much ground and exacerbate her injury. The senior attacker shifted her play to a more two-dimensional game, thanks in part to her Head Coach Suzanne Isidor, who Cuenin believes taught her how to work more closely with her teammates. This directly resulted in more of her goals coming off of assists from her teammates, as opposed to goals that she scored via her own attacking runs. This change, however, did not set her back. Cuenin led the conference and finished 29th nationally in goals per game, with 3.2. Switching her position meant learning how to change her style, and she thanks Isidor for her guidance in this process. “For me, [Isidor] helped me change my level of play and made me progress as a player and [become] more diverse and play selflessly and work with my teammates,” Cuenin said. Isidor took over the program in the 2017-18 season during Cuenin’s junior year. “The level of maturity [Isidor] brought to the program was huge, [as was] her ability to recognize and care for each player on a personal level as well as athletically.” Along with praising Isidor, Cuenin thanked her teammates and believed much of her team’s success was due to the fact that the members were so close with one another. “A lot of teams don’t have the bonds we do on our team,” Cuenin explained. “That has made it really fun. It’s a good mixture of working hard and getting to have fun.” Cuenin capped off her UC Davis career tied for second in school history in goals (151), tied for sixth in points (171), and alone at second in caused turnovers (112). After graduation, Cuenin plans to work toward becoming a Physician’s Assistant and attending PA school. She is grateful to continue her studies nearby at Sacramento State this summer because it means that she will still be close to the people that matter to her most: her UC Davis women’s lacrosse teammates.