Fall 2016 Issue 4

THE CAMPANIL // Student-run newspaper serving Mills College since 1917 //

In this issue

News

10.18.16 // Volume 103 // Issue 4 //

Opinions

ASMC budget >> pg 3

Identifying as Latinx >> pg 6

Mills organizations contiue to get their budgets cut into this fiscal year.

Editor discusses her identity as Latinx.

Health & Sports

Arts & Entertainment

New soccer coach >> pg 7

Mills Train >> pg 5

Departments host walkthough art shows and exhibits on campus.

Mills soccer team welcomes new head coach.

ASMC budget cuts to continue into fall semester Mills Train art program chugs across campus Jeanita Lyman Asst Opinions editor Emily Burian Cheif news editor Erin Strubbe Arts & Entertanment Editor Following a budget crisis and hope for a better future last semester, problems with ASMC funding continue to rattle the student body as the new fiscal year begins.

During the 2016 spring semester, in which ASMC discovered miscommunication about funding that resulted in a negative student fees balance, student activities at Mills were rife with budget cuts, and organizations entered the

new school year with uncertainty about this upcoming semester. It was widely acknowledged last spring semester that clubs and organizations would have to buckle down and find alternative methods of funding, and that ASMC would be embarking on a more fiscally conservative path.

On Monday, Oct. 10, management of The Campanil appeared before the ASMC board to appeal the paper’s current fiscal year budget. The Campanil cut its originally allocated budget of $32,296 by 20 percent in response to ASMC’S budget crisis in the spring. The estimated budget for 2016-2017 would result in a decrease in funding for the student newspaper by nearly 50 percent from last year’s spent budget of see Budget page 3

PHIL BOND PHOTOGRAPHY

“Water in the Sun,” a collaborative dance and music installation, was held at MCAM.

see “Train” page 5

Peer tutor program undergoes new changes Mills College recognized for A F service to Hispanic students bbey lentje editor in cheif

After years of paperwork required for peer tutors to set up their appointments, a new system has been implemented this semester in an attempt to streamline the process.

Starting in fall semester 2016, peer tutors and their tutees are required to use Accudemia.net.

Dr. Donald Crampton, Director of Mills College’s Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) implemented the change with the intention of creating a digital system for scheduling peer tutor appointments. By logging in at several different locations on campus, notably in the CAE itself or in the F.W. Olin Library, students can connect with peer tutors via the

internet for any of their courses that have tutors. Crampton also said that the CAE is working with ITS at Mills in an effort to figure

out how to have stations set up all over campus. see CAE page 2

crystal moncada contributing writer denise ruiz contributing writer

COURTESY OF CAE

The CEA is one of the places students can sign up for a peer tutor.

We want to hear from YOU! Tweet us: @thecampanil Flickr: the_campanil

For the first time in history, Mills has officially become a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).

According to this year’s Mills Facts and Trends report, 27 percent of the undergraduate student population identify as Latinx, making a jump from 24 percent in previous years. At least a quarter of the student population identifies as Latinx. The U.S. Department of Education states that a school must meet the program-specific

requirements to be defined as a Hispanic Serving Institution, which includes having at least 25 percent of the undergraduate student population identify as Latinx.

In light of the new report, the college will be given a grant to improve the attainment of Hispanic students. With this grant money, Mills will be able to fund programs like academic tutoring or counseling programs, faculty development, distance learning academic instruction, endowment funds, and student support services for first generation, and low income Hispanic students. see Trends page 2

Keep up with us on our Facebook page and at www.thecampanil.com

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News

10.18.16

Meeting discusses improvement in water conservation as drought drags on Sarah Denis staff writer

On Oct. 4, the Drought Committee met to discuss water conservation at Mills, and ways that the school could improve.

Mills has been seeking to conserve water even before water restrictions made by Governor Jerry Brown were announced. It currently uses about 18 million gallons per year, down from 28 million gallons per year when the drought started. The school would like to use 25 percent less water than the 28 million gallons used pre-drought. So far, the campus uses recycled rainwater toilets in the Lokey Graduate School of Business (GSB) as well as the Moore Natural Sciences Building (NSB), and planted native drought resistant grass in front of GSB. California is in its sixth year of the worst drought in over a century. Two years ago, the California Water Board mandated new guidelines for ensuring that California uses less water than it has been, including banning the use of water as a decorative feature, requiring hoses to have shut-off valves, and prohibiting watering outdoor landscapes.

Nicole Gaetjens, sustainability coordinator, is trying to figure out

ways to further improve water use at Mills. She thinks the pool and the lawns on campus could be improved.

“Granted, you can’t reduce all that water because people need to take showers and cook things, but I know the pool especially has been using more water than we initially thought,” Gaetjens said, referring to the 1 million gallons the pool uses yearly.

Gaetjens and Mike McBride, chief engineer at Mills, had gone to the pool with PG&E to discuss putting a mechanical cover on the pool, which would give them a discount in addition to reducing water loss.

Meanwhile, the lawns have different needs in regards to water conservation. The word “lawn” is used for any area of grass, from Holmgren Meadow, to the President’s Meadow, to the courtyard of NSB, to the “dog lawn” by the Commuter and Guest Parking Lot. To further increase sustainability, Mills is discussing how to transition from using (filtered and drinkable) potable water, to (not drinkable and straight from the source) non-potable water on the Courtyard Townhouse Apartment lawns, the NSB courtyard lawn, the lawn between Ethel Moore and Mary Morse, and the Trefethen pool lawn.

All the other lawns on campus are “all lake,” says Ron Galvin, grounds manager at Mills, meaning that the water used on those lawns comes from Lake Aliso, behind Founder’s Dining Hall.

The biggest source of water waste by far at Mills is the leaks.

Leaks account for five million gallons per year out of the 18 million gallons the entire school uses. These leaks occur mainly in the pipes underground, but can also occur in sink faucets.

According to McBride, the school could use a leak detecting company, which they have in the past. Previously, the company needed to cut off the pipe at both ends. That entailed cutting off water to nearby buildings.

In addition, McBride also knew the general area of the main pipe leak and was sure it was still continuing . The largest obstacle to finding leaks is that the main water line at Mills is not made of metal, making it harder to detect.

“The only way we find out if they’re underground leaks is if it surfaces. Generally they do surface since none of our pipes are generally deep [....] Finding those leaks is a hard, hard, task,” McBride said.

On the other hand, McBride believes that the faucet leaks in the dorms and elsewhere are not too

COURTESY OF CAE

the scheduling was all done through email between students who the CAE would connect with one another, or students would know who peer tutors were by name and approach them.

One of the biggest difficulties with the paper-only system, according to Crampton, is that it is difficult to assess whether or not the CAE is meeting certain goals.

Some of these goals include finding out whether or not receiving peer tutoring is correlative with higher grades in classes and if graduation rates are higher with visits to the CAE and peer tutoring. Having this data can help the CAE gain more resources from the college if they are reaching the goals they have set.

“Trying to take those pieces of paper and trying to convert them into data, that’s not anything that the CAE essentially has the person power to do,” Crampton said.

Seelie says the data that can be collected by using the Accudemia system to track how many students are utilizing peer tutoring is important. Right now, the data is inaccurate, partly due to the fact that both tutors and students must log in and log out of the Accudemia

T h e n e w p e e r t u t o ri n g s y s t e m i s t r a n s f e ri n g t o a d i g i t a l s y s t e m t o i n c re a s e a c c e s i b i l i t y t o s t u d e n t s . from

CAE page 1

Because the CAE is one of the main locations for the Accudemia sign-in/sign-out stations, Margaret Seelie, coordinator for the CAE, witnesses the flow of students who now come up to the CAE for tutoring.

“I get here at 9 a.m. and I can’t tell you how amazing it feels, and how encouraging and energizing it is to walk in that door and hear

the hushed voices of academic discourse happening,” Seelie said.

Since its start in 2007 by Dr. Helen Walter in the biology department, the peer tutoring program has used a system of filling out physical sheets of paper with the students who come to them for tutoring. With 80 to 90 students working as peer tutors and around 50 appointments a week, Crampton says this could lead to upwards of 1000 sheets of paper at the end of a semester to sift through. In addition,

MONIKA SABIC

With the current drought, the pool needs to add a mechanical cover.

much of a problem, because the students are good with work orders.

The Drought Committee meets once a month. Announcements of meetings are posted in the Student

Forum Newsletter. Students can reduce water wastage and improve sustainability by submitting a work order if leaks appear, and by joining a Creek Care Day every Friday.

system for the time to be tracked correctly. “[The data] is vital,” Seelie said.

“It’s vital to add gravity to what we do here at Mills, but also in the wider academic conversation with other institutions. [Crampton] and I are wanting to go to a conference and speak with knowledge of what we’re doing here, and at the moment we can’t do that.”

Senior Lee Rost has been a peer tutor since 2014 in several science classes and notes that everything about the process has changed.

With the Accudemia system being implemented, peer tutors were required to learn the digital system while also continuing to fill out the paper appointment sheets.

“There are more steps to peer tutor now,” Rost said. “You have to really go through a checklist in order to finish one appointment, and it’s a little bit of a hassle because it used to be just sign a sheet[...]so there’s a lot of extra steps.”

Crampton says that the paper system is still in effect in order to give students time to adjust.

He says some peer tutors are still working to understand the new system while some have

mastered it.

English major Clarissa Johnson believes that even though the Accudemia login system can be tricky, having it for scheduling is helpful.

“I think that more clarity in instructions and tutorials would be useful, but overall it seems to be a pretty stable process, and it’s a lot easier than having to email back and forth with students,” Johnson said in an email.

Even though there are still some kinks in the system, Crampton says that the barriers are not causing a decrease in students seeking tutoring. At the end of the semester, the CAE staff will sit down and consider the feedback they have gotten from the peer tutors and students and at the problems the systems might have run into.

“There’s a bell curve of students where you have really great first adopters, and they’ll just know it, and you’ll have some students in the middle who struggle, and you’ll have some students who just won’t know how the system works,” Crampton said. “We need to figure out how to support all the students all along that.”

Managing Editor Monika Sabic

Sports & Health Editor Calli Storrs

Abbey Flentje Editor in Chief eic@thecampanil.com

Chief News Editor Emily Burian

Design Editors Britt Hart & Dani Toriumi

Asst. News Editor Marisa Tangeman

Online Editor Alexina Estrada

5000 MacArthur Blvd.

Rothwell 157 Oakland, CA 94613 510.430.2246 phone

Opinions Editor Annie Clark

Arts & Ent. Editor Erin Strubbe Asst. Opinions Editor Jeanita Lyman

Copy Chief Kenna Wright Staff Writers Melissa Berkay, Sarah Denis

The Campanil welcomes public commentary on subjects of interest to the campus community, as well as feedback on the paper itself. Letters to the Editor should be no more than 150 words. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity only.

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The Campanil is published every other Tuesday.

Students interested in joining The Campanil staff should contact the Editor in Chief at eic@thecampanil.com

News from

Budget page 1

$25,813. This year’s budget for The Campanil is $12,975.

The 2016 to 2017 budget allocation provided by ASMC shows a much smaller range of funding than the prior year’s, notably the elimination and the dramatic decrease in funding for campus organizations. General funding for clubs increased from $3,000 to $8,000 after being slashed entirely during the spring semester, and funding for The Center and Heritage Month took smaller cuts. Other organizations, including the choir, The Campanil, and ASMC themselves took larger hits.

Based on the proposed allocation of ASMC funds for the coming fiscal year compared to last year, ASMC is expected to receive a more than 30 percent budget cut; The Campanil’s funding would be cut by just under 50 percent, and funding for the choir is proposed to be cut by 87 percent. This

year’s cuts are in addition to the unexpected shortfall in funding from last semester. The overall estimate of allocated student fees for the year, which each undergraduate Mills student pays $150 a semester for, is projected at around $120,000.

No new information has been confirmed about what caused last year’s budget shortfall, aside from miscommunication between ASMC finance chairs before Fall 2016 and confusion on the part of student organizations about the availability of student funds.

President Hillman issued a statement about the students’ budget cuts for organizations.

“Since I arrived at Mills, I’ve been heartened by the energy and engagement of our students, none more than those leading the ASMC and The Campanil,” Hillman said. “I deeply value Mills’ fourth estate and look forward to supporting positive solutions to the current situation.”

Chicora Martin, dean of students, declined to comment.

from

Trends page 1

According to Alfredo Del Cid, assistant director for social justice resources at The Center, the College has commissioned a committee of faculty to come up with programs that will help the Latinx student.

“The new designation shows that Mills is committed to helping the Latinx students and the reputation of Mills will only get stronger,” Del Cid said.

10.18.16 Arely Zimmerman, faculty advisor for the Latinx Student Collective, formerly Mujeres Unidas, and coordinator of Latin Heritage Month (LHM), points out that this increase of Latinx students at Mills is especially significant given the political and social context in which a major national figure like Donald Trump is running on an anti-Mexican, anti-Latinx and antiimmigrant platform.

In addition, Zimmerman notes that some of these students who

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are undocumented or come from mixed-status families are directly affected by federal and state antiimmigrant policies and find it difficult to get funding, scholarships and financial aid.

The news could not have come at a better time as Mills celebrates Latin Heritage Month mid-September through November. Mills LHM has grown from just a week long celebration to a month and half, which is more reflective of the current student body.

T o

Questions or concerns about the content of this issue?

Email: eic@thecampanil.com

DENISE RUIZ

A c o m m i t t e e o f f a c u l t y w a s s e t u p t o c re a t e p ro g r a m s t o h e l p L a t i n x s t u d e n t s .

Revised shuttle schedule takes effect to accomodate traffic cherry chan contributing writer

With help of ASMC and Mills Public Safety, the new shuttle schedule went into effect on Oct. 15 and will account for the traffic on Interstate Highway 580 during rush hours.

According to ASMC, the new schedule was made to take into account the heavy traffic on the route from Mills to Berkeley during rush hour, and to prevent the late arrival at each stop that causes various problems for both users and

operators of the service.

Natalia Sandoval, the ASMC student service chair, worked closely with Niviece Robinson, director of public safety, to finalize the new shuttle schedule.

On Oct. 11, the first two loops of the shuttle, which departed Mills at 6:30 and 7:20 in the morning, demonstrated the issue of the current schedule. In the 6:30 a.m. loop, the shuttle arrived on time to Berkley with traffic on the route.

However, in the 7:20 a.m. loop, the shuttle departed Mills on time, but did not arrive in Berkeley on time at

7:35 a.m. Instead it was 10 minutes behind the schedule because I-580 started to become more packed with commuter cars at around that time The new schedule has now been changed to add five more minutes to each loop from Mills to Berkeley.

The earliest shift of the schedule has also moved to 7:00 a.m. from 6:30 a.m. In the new schedule, the shuttle drives the same route, which stops at UC Berkeley and MacAuthur Bart Station.

According to shuttle driver H.D. Nelson, the current schedule

gives insufficient time for the route between Mills and UC Berkeley.

“The current schedule only gives 15 minutes for the route from Mills to UC Berkeley which is supposed to be 18 minutes with light traffic according to Google Maps,” Nelson said.

He later explained that the shuttle would arrive at Mills and Berkeley up to 30 minutes late due to the heavy traffic on the current route. Nelson would typically use his break time to make up the extra time spent on the freeway.

“The extra time will definitely

help me to catch up the schedule,” Nelson said. “However, from my experience, it is still a very tight schedule for the rush-hour loops in the morning.”

Amber Escobar, who takes the 7:20 a.m. shuttle for an 8:00 a.m. class in Berkeley, mentioned she will be adjusting her schedule to adapt the change of the service. “[The old schedule] is perfect for me,” Escobar said. “I would probably take the 7:00 one of the new schedule, which means I need to spend [an] extra 20 minutes in Berkeley.”

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10.18.16

Arts & Entertainment

Mills student features film in national festival Xiomara Hooker Contributing Writer Mills College’s very own third year Imani Karpowich Smith flew over 2,000 miles this September to have her short film featured in the weekend-long 5th Annual Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival (GCUFF).

Her film, “Nappy Makes Me Happy,” delves into one of the most poignant symbols of Black culture: hair. The story follows a girl going through the process of picking out her hair. During this, she poses as multiple Black icons: Angela Davis, Diana Ross, and Jimi Hendrix to name a few. The short film’s climax shows the girl going all out in a Prince costume, lip-syncing and dancing to the late singer’s iconic hit “Purple Rain.”

As the short film culminates, the girl is posting a photo of herself on Facebook captioned: “I am loving my hair right no-” before deciding at the last moment to delete the post - ending with a crestfallen look on her face before walking out of the shot, afraid that people will react negatively to her hair.

Content featured in the short film was inspired by Karpowich Smith’s own life experiences.

“This whole thing was inspired by my childhood,” Karpowich Smith said.

As a kid, Karpowich Smith would pretend to be Abdullah, the main character from her favorite movie “Car Wash.” The 1976 cult classic features an ensemble cast with big names of the time like Bill Duke, Richard Pryor, and The Pointer Sisters. Shot in an episodic format, Car Wash follows a day in the lives of employees and the owner of Dee-Luxe Car Wash set in Los Angeles, California.

“His [Abdullah’s] super hero persona in the movie is The Fly and I used to pretend to be him as a kid.

After that I thought, this would be

XIOMARA HOOKER

Imani’s film has found success at Ohio festival.

a really cool concept, and just went from there.”

Despite the societally imposed shame surrounding natural hair, especially in the United States, Black hair has retained its status as political symbol within the community–this is seen in various social collaboratives that strive to empower Black people and promote Black culture, such as The Natural Hair Movement and I Love Being Black.

The decision to submit Karpowich Smith’s short film to the festival circuit came after presenting a rough cut of the piece to her Video II class, taught

by Professor Samara Halperin, a professor of video production in Mills’ studio arts department.

Because the timing of the short film and the tragic death of Prince coincided, a scene that was once meant to offer comedy had now taken on a completely different meaning.

“I think the scope of iconic people that Imani chose to represent is really beautiful just historically, but also when Imani was making this video, Prince died,” Halperin said. “To have Prince be such an intrinsic part of this video, it just all came together so right and so beautifully. I know it’s going to do extremely well in the film festival circuit. I’m so proud of every step she made with this piece.”

With the full support of her colleagues and professor, Karpowich Smith began submitting her short film to the festival circuit.

Imani’s short film was accepted into the 5th Annual GCUFF in August, irrefutably a first of many successes in the future.

The festival, in its fifth year of operation, creates an opportunity for Black filmmakers to showcase and celebrate their work in the face of an industry that actively limits the exposure of works by people of color.

Although the film was submitted to multiple festivals, GCUFF was a priority for the young filmmaker.

“GCUFF was the film festival that I really wanted to get into because it was focused on Black filmmakers and this film is for the Black audience,” Karpowich Smith said.

The film presents a core aspect of identity that is not only relatable to people who also identify as Black, but also brings to light the shaming of natural hair in a way that opens up a dialogue for this issue with those who identify outside of the target audience.

Written, directed, and featuring Karpowich Smith herself, the piece touches not only its audience, but the filmmaker as well.

“Even though I’ve worn my hair natural my whole life, I felt uncomfortable and self-conscious about how my hair looked,” she said. “I made the short film to speak to people who feel this way. It was also a journey for me in making it.”

Nappy Makes Me Happy is not available to the public in its entirety, but you can go to filmmaker’s Vimeo page, Imani k, to check out the trailer and a brief clip.

COURTESY OF ALAN YIP

B o n n i e L e e a n d D a v i d Wo n g p l a y t h e s o n g “ F l o w i n g Wa t e r ” o n t h e g u q i n .

Strings of China conjures up echoes of stories, old and new Calli Storrs Sports & Health Editor

Patrons wait in line for the Chinese music performance in the lobby of the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, excitement spoken in several languages. After the announcer opens the show and introduces the first musical piece in both Chinese and English, a warm light fades in to shine on the instruments. As the audience quiets, the ensemble begins to play music that evokes echoes of universal feelings and long histories, as the notes dance alongside the players.

On Oct. 1, Strings of China marked the first collaboration between Tranquil Resonance Studio (TRS) and China Spirit Music Ensemble (CSME). Tranquil Resonance Studio is dedicated to teaching and sharing classical Chinese arts, including lessons in the guzheng (Chinese table harp), guqin (seven string zither), and the erhu (Chinese two-string fiddle), whereas CSME is focused solely on the guzheng.

The nine songs differed in instruments and style, but almost all of them were related to nature or autumn in some way. Before each performance, the announcer shared the stories and histories behind the musical pieces. One song Flowing Water was into a duet piece called High Mountain Flowing Water, and was performed by Lee and David Wong, Artistic director and Executive director from Tranquil Resonance.

Many of the songs performed, like High Mountain and Flowing Water, are classics that date back to the Chinese dynasties. Other songs performed that night were written in the 1920s and 30s.

TRS Programs Director Alan Yip focuses on preserving and building upon the rich history of China through his teaching and playing of ancient Chinese instruments. He wants to balance

the traditional mindset of forming a relationship with the music, and taking music in stride with modern times. He feels the program reflects this idea of highlighting both traditional and more contemporary Chinese pieces, especially when it came to the guzheng arrangements.

Yip hopes that the organizations will continue to expand the event in the future.

“The most important thing about being here in the U.S. is to keep as much of that identity as possible,” Yip said. “I think more opportunities need to be available to the public...there needs to be a dialogue.”

CSME’s director, Winnie Wong, arranged the guzheng section for four songs out of the nine in the program. Yip thought she was able to take old historical songs and arrange the guzheng ensembles in a way that uses traditional foundations to create striking new combinations. Even having a guzheng ensemble is unusual, Yip noted, as the instrument is most commonly played solo or accompanied by other instruments.

In addition, Winnie Wong and pianist Donna Stoering performed the Lament of the Rainbow Cloud together, a guzheng and piano duet, something not commonly done.

Mills Chinese Professor Chiu-Heng Chen attended the

performance and found the song choices pleasantly surprising.

She thought that the program would include more traditional pieces, instead finding the new arrangements well-executed. In Lament of the Rainbow Cloud, the instrument combination struck her.

“I never heard that kind of combination. I feel like they are talking to each other,” Chen said.

“They compliment each other pretty well.”

Yip believes that music is closely tied to language. He can hear that the northern style of guzheng in Henan has a distinct voice.

“Henan is a place where the music reflects the dialect,” Yip said.

Jared Young, a biology professor at Mills, originally attended the performance with his two daughters because one of his students was performing. He walked out feeling more connected to the rich culture of China, calling the experience “transformative.”

As a parent, this event was also something that he wanted to share with his kids.

“I did have an awareness that this was an opportunity to expose them to an important part of their heritage,” Young said. “I feel like I left with a much greater appreciation of the music and it helped me connect with Chinese culture in a pretty deep way.”

COURTESY OF ALAN YIP

O rg a n i ze r a n d m u s i c i a n A l a n Yi p o n t h e g u q i n .

Arts & Entertainment

10.18.16

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Jackie Im talks curation Mills Train tracks art across campus and creation Erin Strubbe Arts & Entertainment Editor

Dani Toriumi Design Editor Jackie Im, Mills College alumna and curator to the first exhibition of Mills‘ new gallery space, Slide Space 123, kicked off the Mills’ Art Lecture Series of 2016 with a reflection on how strange it felt to finally be on the other side of the podium.

On Sept. 28, students gathered in the Danforth Lecture Hall to hear Im’s lecture on her journey of becoming a curator and the unexpected situations and surprising circumstances the role led to.

From curating an art show in a friend’s apartment to her current success as co-founder and director of Et al. and Et al. etc. galleries in San Francisco, Im’s opportunity seeking and “roll with the punches” attitude certainly paid off.

Im calls San Francisco her hometown, despite initially moving to the east coast for college. After spending one year at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, Im knew that it was not the school for her and transferred to Mills, where she quickly found her place within the Oakland community.

Im reflected on her most influential times at Mills, when she worked in the college’s museum, during her museum studies course.

“Having the opportunity to work with and interpret art in this way produced a moment of realization as, ‘[Becoming a curator] is actually a thing that people do, that I could do!’” Im said.

During Im’s lecture, she accredited her difficulties in finding work after school as a driving force in becoming involved with gallery work. Im offered two pieces of advice for someone who wishes to pursue a similar path: to know that it is a lot of work and that working with others whom you can trust is crucial.

Also in attendance to the lecture was Mills College Art Association’s Treasurer Connie Lee, who felt that Im was not only very personable, but also brave.

“I appreciated how open Jackie was about being a new curator,” Lee said. “It’s refreshing to hear people working in the art world admit that they’re still figuring things out, even as curators.”

Im expressed her gratitude for being able to work alongside her partner, Aaron Harbour, co-founder of Et al. and Et al. etc., and how

DANI TORIUMI

Jackie Im curated new gallery Slide Space 123.

their shared interests often aid in their communication and ability to work so well together.

This mutual trust between Im and Harbour also supports the cofounders’ ability to trust and work with their diverse range of artists.

Im says that they enjoy being surprised by how artists will utilize the space when given this trust.

“We will be involved as much or as little as the artist wishes. We simply give them the keys and say don’t burn it down,” Im said.

Im also spoke to the purpose that art can serve in the greater context of how people understand an artist, an issue being portrayed or often ourselves.

“Art is not a great tool to solve problems; rather art shows what we can’t/won’t see,” Im said.

Lee agreed strongly to this quote during Im’s lecture and discussed how she felt when applying this idea towards her own notions in viewing art. “[Art work] can just be objects that change the way we think about our relationships to them,” Lee said.

In early November, Im will continue her role as curator in Slide Space 123’s second exhibition.

“Jackie Im has truly become quite the mover and shaker in the contemporary art world,” Catherine Wagner, the Mills Studio Art department head said.

Im hinted during her lecture that potential themes for the upcoming exhibit could focus on her recent interest in human companion species like dogs and cats or how humans claim space, inspired by the work of German artist Nicole Wermers. Whichever theme Im decides on, the show will without a doubt be one to keep an eye out for.

DANI TORIUMI

I m ’ s c o l l e c t i o n i s t h e f i rs t e x h i b i t a t S l i d e S p a c e 1 2 3 .

Mills Train, an interdisciplinary exhibition organized by the Mills College Art Museum (MCAM), chugged across campus in a collaborative celebration of dance, art, music, and poetry, all in the spirit of Patti Smith with its own, unique Mills twist.

Three hours of ongoing events were scheduled throughout campus on the evening of Oct. 12, allowing art enthusiasts to wander from “station” to “station,” experiencing the varied forms of art produced by Mills students, staff, and faculty.

The exhibition was an offshoot of the expansive new Patti Smith exhibit featured at MCAM, the library, and the book art building. It was inspired by Smith’s latest book “M Train,” which, according to the MCAM website, “refers to a ‘mind train’ that gets off at any station it wants.”

The idea for the event was proposed by MCAM program director Jayna Swartzman-Brosky, and jointly planned with museum director Stephanie Hanor.

“It seemed like an excellent opportunity to take advantage of all the talent and artistic offering that we have on campus and engage it with the exhibition that we have on Patti Smith’s work,” SwartzmanBrosky said. “And also to tie the campus together, to all celebrate each other.”

Students in the book art club set up their own station in a classroom in CPM, guiding participants through the construction of papercrafts for the duration of the evening. Club members were excited to show the continued strength of their program to Mills community members after recent budget cuts nearly eliminated the book art department.

“The book art department really wants to, in light of everything that happened last year, show that we are connected to this campus,” Danni Anderson, book art minor and club member, said. “It was fun,

we had a great time.”

Each station featured ongoing performances and installations for at least one hour of the three-hour exhibition to ensure that everyone had the opportunity to experience each station.

The opening event was a convergence of music and book arts, combining the improvisational music skills of music professor Fred Frith with students from his Musical Improv II class and book arts students who used printing presses to simultaneously make music and produce broadside prints of one of Patti Smith’s poems.

Students used a range of

“There’s a very experimental nature to the arts here at Mills and it’s nice to be able to highlight that.”

- Stephanie Hanor

traditional instruments and unconventional materials to produce sound, ranging from violin to tin can against a drum. Joel Nelson, a graduate student in the music department, played guitar during the performance.

“I had no idea really [what to expect],” Nelson said. “I thought it went really great.”

Though the idea for the event started at the museum, Mills Train really took off once the faculty got involved.

“It was really a group effort,” Swartzman-Brosky said. “We just kind of made space for having a conversation about how we could collaborate and they were all in.”

Faculty members led most of the events, bringing together their many departments into a unique, interactive experience for the whole campus to enjoy. Creative writing and Latin American studies professor Carlota Caulfield led a “Walking Magazine” from the book arts building all the way to MCAM, reciting spoken work poetry as she led the march. Once the procession arrived at MCAM, a multi-part performance of dance and music unfolded in the courtyard, pulling the physical space of the buildings, right down to the freshly fallen leaves gathered on the steps, into the art. The evening was capped by a poetry reading in the new Slide Space 123 gallery, which included the works of professors like Stephanie Young and Stephen Ratcliffe.

The Mills Train laid its tracks all across the school, weaving its ongoing performances into the fabric of the campus.

“There’s a very experimental nature to the arts here at Mills and it’s nice to be able to highlight that,” Hanor said.

“And this is an experiment!”

Swartzman-Brosky added.

This event is the first of its kind, but Hanor and Swartzman-Brosky hope that, if the campus community was inspired by Mills Train, it could be brought back to show off the talents and skills of Mills students and faculty into the future.

PHIL BOND PHOTOGRAPHY

“ Wa t e r o n t h e S u n ” u n f o l d s i n t h e A ro n A r t C e n t e r.

Sprinkles Screenings bring film from classroom to community Selena Guido Contributing Writer In honor of Halloween, Mills art and video professor Samara Halperin inaugurated a new monthly film screening group, Sprinkles Screening, with a viewing of the horror film “Let the Right One In.” Students and Professor Halperin gathered in Danforth Hall on Oct. 7, in what will hopefully be the first of many meetings. Sprinkles Screening was named after the unofficial mascot, Halperin’s dog Sprinkles, who was given to them by their students. Halperin started Sprinkles Screenings to bring the Mills community together once a month to watch a variety of films

ranging from the 1960s through the present– for free. This concept came to Halprin after they wanted to show movies to their students, but there was never enough time in class.

“In my classes, I don’t generally get the opportunity to show features because of the length,” Halperin said. “This is an opportunity to share movies that I would love everybody in the Mills community to see.”

Halperin chose “Let the Right One In” in light of the Halloween season and because it gives a different view of vampirism, love, relationships, and gender.

The first screening was small, populated mostly by students in Halperin’s Video I and II classes.

Ashley Carreon, who is in Video II, attended the screening with her friends after hearing about it in

class. Carreon felt the film “had a lot of outrageous moments” that balanced the creepy factor with humor in a very interesting way.

Emily Teraoka and Ashley Young also heard about the screening through Carreon. Young recounted that the movie was different from most horror movies because it did not rely on gore and blood to make it interesting.

“I really like the characters...It’s cool it showed a human side to a vampire,” Teraoka said.

Halperin plans on expanding the advertisements for future Sprinkles Screenings events. They hope to to bring Mills students together and create a sense of community by providing free movies to the campus. Students are encouraged to attend the screenings in costumes that reflect the themes from the featured films.

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10.18.16

Opinions

Staff Editorial Trump comments inspire outrage, start discussion

An embattled Trump campaign seemed to reach its breaking point last Friday, Oct. 7, when The Washington Post released a 2005 “Access Hollywood” tape showing Trump boasting about sexually assaulting women. Politicians on both sides of the aisle were quick to denounce Trump, and by the second presidential debate on Sunday, Oct. 9, as many as fifty Congressional Republicans announced that they would no longer support him. The fallout only seemed to intensify in the ensuing week, as even more Republicans abandoned Trump–including John McCain, who withdrew his endorsement, and House Speaker Paul Ryan, who will reportedly no longer campaign on Trump’s behalf.

The Campanil staff were immediately shocked and disgusted by the video, which captured Trump in a moment of unfiltered candor, when he apparently did not know he was being recorded. This fact is particularly unsettling to us, as it suggests Trump was not ashamed of the language he used to discuss women, making it likely that the behavior he described was something he acted upon. This is also bolstered by a New York Times article published Wednesday, Oct. 12 giving the accounts of two women who say Trump sexually assaulted them.

While Trump’s comments were certainly reprehensible, we have to wonder why it is this

particular instance that seems to be the death knell for his candidacy.

After all, this is a man who referred to Mexican immigrants as “rapists” on the day that he launched his presidential campaign, publicly defamed a Gold Star family because of their Muslim faith, and made explicit sexual remarks about his own daughter. The white actress Trump was speaking about on the tape, Arianne Zucker, seems to have elicited greater sympathy from Congressional Republicans, and Americans at large, because she represents a demographic that is easier for many to view as delicate and in need of protection.

In a video statement posted to his Twitter account on Saturday, Oct. 8, Trump accused his opponent, Hillary Clinton, of having “bullied, attacked, shamed, and intimidated” women who have accused her husband of sexual harassment and assault. Many of us feel Trump’s attempts to deflect responsibility by dredging up these allegations is as transparent as it is ineffective; Bill Clinton is not running for President, and his actions do not reflect the on-the-character or service record of his wife. As there is not enough evidence to substantiate Trump’s assertions that Hillary Clinton enabled her husband’s alleged abuse, we feel it is unfair to hold her accountable, and that any attempt to tie Hillary Clinton directly to her husband’s indiscretions is rooted in

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

patriarchal notions that women are inextricably linked to their husbands. One editor pointed out that Clinton would always be associated with her husband’s reputation, regardless of whether she stayed with him. However, several editors believe it is valid to question Hillary Clinton’s commitment to protecting victims of sexual assault, as she has continued to support her husband through multiple allegations of harassment and assault.

One editor put forth that these schoolyard-like attacks treat the extremely important topic of sexual assault as a commodity to be used in a political smear campaign.

It seems to have been reduced to nothing more than a political token, used either to garner the critically important “women vote,” or to assert that an opposing candidate is unfit to hold office. Of course, given the multiple allegations of sexual misconduct that have been made against Donald Trump, we feel his grandstanding on the issue of sexual assault is disingenuous at worst.

Ultimately, the 2016 presidential campaign has certainly been the most bizarre and consistently unbelievable in modern political history.

We feel that, if there is any silver lining to this latest Trump incident, it is that women voters have been empowered to share their stories of sexual assault–an issue whose nearuniversal consequences are finally being acknowledged.

Technocracy is not the solution jeanita lyman assistant opinions editor

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has possessed an infinite amount of success. The 32-yearold multi-billionaire serves as one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent poster children; an inspiration for the waves of young people who have gravitated to the tech industry and flooded the Bay Area in search of comparable success. It’s not just success that has shaped Zuckerberg’s prominence and influence; what differentiates him and many of his Silicon Valley peers is their aspiration not just for personal success, but for changing the world. While this might be a warm, fuzzy goal of millennials everywhere, entering a world in which individual tech billionaires have the potential for a wide, overarching influence in society is not something to be taken lightly. The characteristics that lead to success in the worlds of technology and business are not the same ones that make someone moral and trustworthy.

Zuckerberg and his philanthropic contemporaries are under no obligation, moral, legal, or otherwise, to actually have the best interests of society at heart.

Unlike the billionaires of times past, Zuckerberg isn’t content to revel in his riches and maintain the status quo that gave him his start. While Wall Street profiteers his age have been practically defined by their selfishness, Zuckerberg’s pendulum swings stridently in the opposite direction. With the rise of Facebook’s prosperity, he’s been notably generous to charities. In 2015, following the birth of their daughter, he and his wife launched the Zuckerberg-Chan initiative, pledging to donate 99 percent of their Facebook shares at the time to the advancement of health and education over the course of their lives.

Although details of his charitable donations have drawn skepticism and criticism, Zuckerberg does appear to have virtuous intentions and a desire to make the

world a better place, in addition to the continuously growing influence to actualize his desires. But there’s a massive, glaring problem: Zuckerberg is not a democratically elected public official. His position isn’t one he was picked for based on people’s belief in his strong moral fiber or ability to make good choices. No matter how well-intentioned he might be, he is one man with one company with an obscene amount of influence, and, like anyone, with a subjective view of what making the world a better place means. His convergence with an increasingly globalized and tech-based society has caused an entrance into murky moral territory. Zuckerberg’s influence and life goal “to connect the world” put him on the forefront of globalization. In 2014, Facebook launched Internet.org, an ambitious project “with the goal of bringing internet access and the benefits of connectivity to the two-thirds of the world that don’t have them.

Although it can’t be denied that internet access is practically a requirement for everyone in the digital age, the fact that this effort is being headed by one person, whose global influence came about through his role as pioneer of a new brand of 21st century capitalism, isn’t something that should be glorified. Increasingly, the major fallacy permeating Silicon Valley has been that technical ability and success are equivalent to wisdom and virtue. Leaders like Zuckerberg are seen not just as businesspeople, but as sage revolutionaries. However, the ability to create a successful tech company is absolutely no indication of suitability for directing the future of society.

It can be argued that governments have failed in meeting society’s demands in the 21st century and that someone has to step in and help. However, the Silicon Valley giants didn’t rise to power due to their deft understanding of society and what would make it better, and this trend should be approached with caution ratherthan blind faith.

To read the rest of this article, go to http://tinyurl.com/jy88ohe.

Finding myself before I leave Mills: What does it mean to be white passing?

alexina estrada online editor

Growing up, I had jet black and extremely curly hair, red lips, pink cheeks, super light skin, and as my

family would say “the cutest little butt.” As I’ve gotten older, my hair has changed somewhat naturally, my cheeks are still noticeably rosy and I am still very light skinned.

I’ve always been white passing and I strongly believe that it has had to do with how I identify.

My maternal grandpa is from Jalisco, Mexico. He had blonde hair, pale skin, and green eyes; so it’s no surprise I was born so light.

In fact, as I was growing up, I didn’t realize I was so light. I knew that I was Mexican, and thought that everyone else knew too. Growing up, I would catch myself thinking, “I don’t look like my other Mexican friends.” Even my sister, grandma and tíos (my uncles) were

darker than me; granted my tíos were tan from doing outside work on cars, on the house, or from going to el ramate (the flea market) every week.

When I came to Mills I learned about the term “white passing” and realized that is what I am. I learned about what that means in the context of history and what it means for people today. For example, when my grandparents were growing up, if you passed as white it meant you pretended to be so that you wouldn’t be discriminated against. Today, if you are white passing, you have more privileges than those who have more melanin. You aren’t judged by the way you look when you walk into a

store or even followed by the shop owners or security guards. Instead, you are more likely to get help from someone because they think you are white rather than Mexican. You’re assumed to be better educated than someone who is darker, etc.

When some people see my last name or hear that I am from Southern California, they guess that I am Latina. For the most part though, I am usually not considered Latina, at least not immediately.

While I was abroad in New Zealand last semester, I was talking to a shop owner and at one point, when he realized I was Latina, he laughed and told me, “I never would have known you were Mexican if you

hadn’t said!” He saw no harm in that comment, but for me, it felt like a dagger.

I am proud to be Latina, proud of my heritage, my culture, my ancestors and my past. So when I am not affiliated with them, it hurts.

Growing up, I internalized the feeling of not being Mexican enough, and I began to believe that I wasn’t really Latina.

My experience here at Mills has changed that feeling. I am learning that my white passing privilege doesn’t invalidate my cultural identity. I hope that others who have felt the same way- and sometimes still do- recognize that your skin tone does not represent your culture. You do.

Opinions

10.18.16

7

Politically disenchanted? More reason to vote meryl bailey

guest columnist

Sonia Sotomayor, the only female Supreme Court Justice of color, once said that her experience as a “wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.” Her point was that a Supreme Court populated by any single race or gender would not have the tools to reach the best overall result – a breadth of perspectives is essential for justice and fair governance.

A recent Campanil editorial (“Staff editorial: Going third party in the season of Drumpf,” published Sept. 7, 2016), mentioned that some of you plan to sit out the upcoming election, a sadly common feeling this season.

I appreciate the diversity of views expressed in the editorial, and I respect the frustrations that many of you feel. Like some of you, my preferred candidate is out of the race, but that won’t keep me from voting. Here’s why.

Like Justice Sotomayor, each of us has the benefit of our own unique life experiences. When we abstain from the vote, we deprive

our community and ourselves of that richness. Few Americans regularly vote, and those who do are often politically extreme. These voters populate federal, state and local legislatures. Elected officials govern everyone, but they only have to please voters. This isn’t the fault of the parties. If we don’t vote, it’s our fault.

I heard from many young people during the primary season that the system is rigged. It’s not rigged, but it is opaque and extremely complex. The primary system, like many other aspects of our electoral lives, favors those who understand its byzantine rules and those who vote regularly for all levels of government. Consider, for instance, the fact that in many states voting districts are drawn by the party in control of the state legislature. This gives that party a huge advantage in determining the outcome in Congressional elections.

Is this system good? I would say no. However, if you are “unlikely to participate in any major political process for a long while,” then you cannot change or influence this system. If you don’t vote for your state senators, your abstention increases the political influence of every person who votes for your least favorite candidate. You can only change

the system if you get informed, stay involved and vote.

If you feel passionate about Gary Johnson or Jill Stein, vote for them in November. For the rest of you, remember this: for the next four years, either Hillary Clinton or Donald Drumpf will be president. This president will nominate at least two Supreme Court Justices – lifetime appointments with enormous power and no political accountability. Among other things, the Court may consider or reconsider the death penalty, reproductive rights, affirmative action, worker and whistle-blower protections, gender-based discrimination, marriage equality and racebiased voter laws.

You cannot directly influence the Court. If you care about those issues, the only way to impact the Court is to vote for president. And while you’re at it, vote for every other elected official, every single year. The presidency matters, but so do your city councils and your county sheriffs. Even the most outstanding president has limited powers, and state and local officials often have a greater impact on your daily lives than federal officials do.

One of my students was advised by a faculty member at a different

What do you do with a problem like Facebook? annie clark

opinions editor

Sometime last summer, I noticed a status update that a friend (in the loose sense that Facebook has given to that term) had posted to notify her network that using Facebook had exacerbated her depression, anxiety, and had begun to affect her work ethic. I hadn’t spoken to this person in years, but her status immediately resonated with me. Facebook has been linked to lower levels of concentration and self-esteem; after all, is it possible not to feel worse about yourself after being constantly bombarded with reminders of how your much cooler Facebook friends are spending their time? Between internships at major companies and semesters abroad in Europe, it seemed like everyone on my Facebook feed was making something happen for themselves.

Why not just deactivate?

For many, Facebook has become as essential to their lives as a smartphone or a laptop. It’s just something you are expected to possess in the “digital age,” a prerequisite for maintaining personal and professional connections. With the increasingly commonplace usage of FaceTime and the advent of apps like Venmo, Facebook has struggled to keep up as the one-stop location for online social interaction. Their Messenger app can now be used to call anyone on your friends’ list, send money, video chat, and has widely become a replacement for texting. With developments like these, Facebook embeds itself even further into your daily life, making it harder to simply sever ties. For many in our generation, Facebook has been a staple of social and daily life since our early teens, or even before.

Being asked to give up Facebook is like being asked to give up a cell

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Facebook has become an essential ing and social tool for its billions

networko f u s e rs .

phone. Facebook’s utilitarian value as a powerful professional networking tool also complicates the “just delete” argument, especially for college students. I personally belong to at least three Facebook groups which regularly post job openings, internship opportunities, and are host to an entire network of people willing to offer career advice or lend contacts, and they are just a simple message away. There are other ways Facebook groups are often essential for anyone looking for affordable housing or a new roommate, and the events app helps many keep tabs on low-cost or free events going on near them every weekend.

I’ve recently come to the conclusion that my well-being is more important than maintaining a social network presence, even if that network has some genuinely useful features I’ve come to rely on over the last eight years that I’ve been an active user. If I need help finding an internship or applying for a job, I know there are people I can reach out to and services I can use right here at Mills. Since I’ve started using Facebook almost exclusively for school and work obligations, I’ve noticed that I’m much less reliant on social media for validation.

It helps to think of Facebook as a tool that, thanks to Facebook’s impermanent deactivation feature, will always be there if you need it.

institution that people who aren’t informed about the issues shouldn’t vote. I don’t agree. The solution isn’t to abstain. The solution is to get informed. You have greater access to primary sources and research databases than any generation in history. Use them. Your editorial stated that Secretary Clinton’s actions “have been described as untrustworthy and politically expedient.” I find this sentence perplexing. You are Mills students and journalists, trained to dig deep and consider the evidence critically. Is she “described as” untrustworthy, or is there solid evidence that she is untrustworthy?

Each candidate has been described negatively. Consider, for instance, the Republican claim that Clinton mocked Sanders supporters as “basement dwellers.” In less than a minute, you can locate the full transcript of her remarks and form your own evidence-based perspective on her words and their meaning. Twitter is bursting with tweets about Mr. Drumpf calling veterans with PTSD “weak.” Watch his remarks for yourselves and decide if this is a fair characterization of his words. That’s what your professors mean when we ask you to evaluate your sources. Don’t rely on spin, gossip or the opinions of others.

Consider the evidence directly.

Decide for yourselves.

Otto Von Bismark famously described politics as “the art of the possible.” Here at Mills, we don’t want to settle for the politically expedient. Politicians compromise on issues where we want the ideal solution. But sometimes incremental improvement, however imperfect, can push towards the ideal solution.

If you came to Mills to change the world, know that the world doesn’t change in one fell swoop, and it doesn’t change just because you wish it would. It changes incrementally, and through action. Inaction is a kind of action. You are our future leaders. You cannot lead by staying home.

If you still plan to abstain, please come talk to me. My door is open to all Mills students, whether at my office hours (Mondays 9:30 a.m.– 11:30 a.m.) or by individual appointment (mbailey@ mills.edu). I promise that I will not attempt to influence which candidates you choose, but I WILL encourage you to cast your ballot in this and every election.

Your vote matters, to all of us.

Meryl Bailey is an associate professor of art history at Mills.

Comic: Midterm blues

LESLIE LEIVA

Editor’s note: With the exception of staff editorials, the views expressed in columns and the Opinions section do not necessarily reflect the views of The Campanil and are solely those of the author.

Additionally, statements made by contributors outside of The Campanil do not reflect the opinions of the editorial board.

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10.18.16

Sports & Health

New soccer coach ready to bring her best game The treasure in the Oakland Hills: Calli Storrs sports & health editor The Mills College soccer team is proud to welcome Lilia Dosalmas as their new head coach.

This year, Dosalmas has become the new head soccer coach after serving as interim head coach during the previous season. Now, Dosalmas is focusing on the mental aspect as well.

“I enjoy helping student athletes find their voices,” Dosalmas said. “It’s a space where you are allowed to be strong and physical, and compete.”

Dosalmas grew up in a family that loved soccer. She started playing organized soccer at age 5, and eventually started coaching a local high school team while she was in college. Dosalmas eventually took a break from coaching to focus on administrative work in the Santa Barbara County Alcohol and Drug Prevention Programs. Although Dosalmas knew that her work was important, she eventually realized that she needed a more active lifestyle and went back to coaching student athletes. She attended a program at UC Berkeley to get her teaching credentials.

“Choosing coaching as a career was pivotal,” Dosalmas said. “I have so much respect for coaching.”

Before coming to Mills, Dosalmas coached for Merritt College, and according to Merrit College’s website she coached the Albany High School women’s soccer program. She has lead Albany to TCAL Rock Division Championships in 2013 to 2014, earning honors there, and received the TCAL Division MVP Offensive players of the season for four

seasons in a row. In addition, Dosalmas coached the Golden Gate Women’s Soccer League in San Francisco, and was awarded the EBISOA Referee’s Association Coach in 2013.

This season, Dosalmas aims to prevent the number of goals scored by opponents from reaching double digits. She hopes her players will learn how to leave a space better than when they entered it, whether its the field or elsewhere. She approaches the coaching process with patience, meeting players where they are, and accepting that there are some aspects of the game that you cannot control.

Senior Alex Miller has been on Mills’ soccer team for all four of her years.

“One thing I really respect about Lilia is her honesty in her uncertainty,” Miller said. “If she doesn’t know something, she’s not one to hide it.”

Miller added that Dosalmas will try to work with the students come to a solution.

“She has a way of getting things done without being so serious all the time,” Miller said.

Most importantly, Dosalmas wants her athletes to focus on balancing their academics and athletics. Because Mills is Division III school, it provides more time for academics. She believes that her soccer team can be both great athletes and students.

“They’re set in this binary: athlete, scholar, you’re on either end of it.” Dosalmas said. “I want to destroy that, demystify that binary.”

Dahlia Pimentel, a sophomore who joined the team last year finds that, while Dosalmas and the previous soccer coach Laura

VanWart both expected the players to perform at their best, Dosalmas has connected more with the team.

“Lilia’s a lot more personal with the players,” Pimentel said. “She makes sure we have fun.”

One of the ways that Pimentel noticed how Dosalmas created a good team atmosphere was though her planned team-bonding events.

She also appreciated when, at the beginning of the season, all the players participated in an exercise and came up with expectations for the team and for Dosalmas.

“She gets very intense, but in a very inspiring way,” Pimentel said. “She makes me want to work harder, so I do.”

Besides being the head soccer coach, Dosalmas is also the community engagement coordinator for APER. She wants to bring people together by building events for non-athlete students to get involved in what the department has to offer.

“I’m finding at Mills, the students are driven by curiosity and what moves them,” Dosalmas said.

CALLI STORRS

Lila Dosalmas is Mills’ new soccer head coach.

S h e w a s M i l l s ’ i n t e ri m s o c c e r c o a c h l a s t y e a r.

Cyclone of the week: Coco takes initiative on the cross country team

COURTESY OF APER

Melissa Berkay staff writer

Coco Kennedy was awarded Cyclone of the Week for her hard work and leadership on the cross country team.

Kennedy has been the top runner out of the seven scored runners for each race. At the Sonoma State Invitational, Kennedy passed a total of 27 runners in the six kilometer race; at mile three there were 23 runners in front, and at the finish the number dropped down to nine.

Kennedy accomplished the largest passing margin a Mills cross country athlete has done this season.

Head coach Ivory Veale was im-

pressed with Kennedy’s hard work and dedication; her running has rapidly improved from the beginning of this season.

“Kennedy has a fiery and aggressive attitude about performing and does not like to back down from a challenge,” Veale said. “She takes a leadership role on the team to motivate the other runners.”

Veale noted that Kennedy does not mind being pushed during practice. During each practice she is very aggressive and focused, which has contributed to her times constantly improving after every run.

Veale also mentions how Kennedy is a positive teammate; she always smiles and encourages her teammates when a hard running session is about to start.

Kennedy transferred from Berkeley City College last semester and has not been on a team sport since her junior year of high school in 2011. She says that being on the cross country team has been rewarding. Since her beginning of this season, Kennedy is constantly learning how to improve her running technique.

“The meets are going well and I am learning what to work on,” Kennedy said.

In the midst of the season, Kennedy and Veale plan to ramp up

her training to better prepare her for the upcoming meets. Due to her dramatic improvement in her races, Veale is going to have her train harder compared to what was originally planned. Kennedy hopes to establish consistency throughout all of her mile splits in the 6K race.

For the remainder of the season, she is focusing to improve her time on the second mile of the 6K. By improving the second mile time, each of Kennedy’s mile times within the 6K stay consistent to future race times.

“I have a month left during this competition season and my goals are to train really hard and to know what I have to do in order to improve throughout the winter and the spring,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy’s teammate, Laura Schultz, says that she is one of the people that shows up most consistently for practice and is always positive. Shultz says that Kennedy’s commitment to cross country is strong despite being involved in all of her other activities.

“I am amazed at how wellrounded she is and how dedicated she is to training,” Shultz said.

Kennedy is happy to be named Cyclone of the Week and is looking forward to training harder for future meets.

exploring Joaquin Miller Park

CALLI STORRS

I n a d d i t i o n t o h i k i n g r a i l s , J o a q u i n M i l l e r Pa r k h a s p i c i n i c t a b l e s a n d g ri l l s , a g ro v e o f re d w o o d s , a n d fields perfect for a picnic or dog walking.

Calli Storrs sports & health Editor As a newcomer to the Oakland area, I had been looking for a new hiking trail and ways to explore Oakland since returning to campus for the semester. A trip to the Sequoia Bayview Trailhead was a beautiful balance of both goals.

On the drive up to the Oakland hills where Joaquin Miller Park is situated, the view of Oakland and the Bay burst from behind the trees that line the road. The morning air was cool as we stepped out of the car, and the trails already active with hikers, and mountain bikers.

The area my friend and I were traversing is part of a 500-acre plot of land that the City of Oakland maintains as a park combined with hiking trails. According to the government site, the land originally belonged to the poet Cinncinatus Hiner “Joaquin” Miller (18411913). In 1870 he visited Oakland, and sixteen years later, he returned to the area to live on a 70-acre swath of land on which he planted over 75,000 trees.

We started at the trailhead on the side of Sanborn Drive and dipped down into a wide trail that skirted the edge of a giant field, perfect for walking dogs, having a picnic, playing Frisbee, and other outdoor activities. As we were deciding which way to turn, a herd of mountain bikers pedaled through with their hooting and chattering fading into the distance. We turned down Sunset Trail, a well used, compacted main walkway that is lined with tall trees and carpeted with yellow leaves that led to other trails. The highway noise was soon eclipsed by birds calling, leaves rustling and feet walking.

The meandering trail narrowed into a dusty fork that led more paths. We decided to take Palos Colorados trail, a long, thin path that sloped down over a small ra-

vine where a threadbare, quiet creek trickled through. We continued along the path, walking under a canopy of beautifully twisted bay trees curving above as their sharp scent gently infused the air. The sound of the bay leaves crunching on the ground set the beat.

Though much of the park remains untouched, a testament to the Bay Area’s natural beauty, it has not entirely escaped the urban sprawl. In more than a few places, the trail has been worn down to expose metal pipes with sharp edges– be aware of this if you plan on going to this area.

Several people and their dogs pass us as we clambered around. At the end of Palos Colorados trail, we came out into a residential neighborhood where my friend and I decided to turn around and go right back up so we can explore a different section of the park.

Back at the fork, we decided to take the Sinawik Trail. We hike up the steep but brief path to emerge higher up along Sanborn Drive and into the sun that had just emerged from clouds. This area was not dense forest, but instead a family area with grills, picnic tables and parking lots. The versatile aspects of this park continued to impress me as it is equipped with what a family lunch would need.

At the end of our hike, we had walked about 3.4 miles. The area we wandered around had a pretty easy incline, but since we only experienced the Southern part of the park, there are possibilities to extend the hike, or find a more difficult path. In the carefully maintained environment of the park, it is easy to just mix and match, following the forks in no particular way. The versatility of the park, accommodating hiking trails, family gatherings, dog walking, outdoor field spaces, sculptures and more developed areas of the park for bigger festivals and events makes this park a wonderful place to explore on a calm Sunday.

CALLI STORRS

M i l l e r p l a n t e d 7 5 , 0 0 0 t re e s o n h i s l a n d i n 1 8 8 6 .