weekly PRINT EDITION
wednesDAY, april 19, 2017 – Tuesday, April 25, 2017 volume 103, Issue 31
SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1913
W W W . T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M
A.S. passes anti-Semitism resolution
jasmine bermudez Senior staff writer ____________________________
Students march through campus Monday, April 17 in support of changing the Aztec mascot. Andrew dyer, opinion editor
Students march to change SDSU mascot Will fritz sENIOR sTAFF wRITER ____________________________ San Diego State students rallied on Monday April 17 to protest the Aztec mascot ahead of the University Council’s vote on a resolution to retire the mascot. The Student Diversity Commission voted unanimously to send the resolution to the council during a meeting on April 10. The resolution was initially submitted to Associated Students by the Native American Student Alliance. Protesters first organized in front of Hepner Hall, waving signs and using a loudspeaker to express their opposition to the Aztec name and moniker. Protesters later marched around campus, shouting their opposition to the mascot.
While rallying in front of Hepner Hall, MEChA member Michelle Parra directed her attention to faculty who stood nearby and observed the protest, and shouted at them to come closer. “We’re here asking you all to represent us as students of color,” she said. “This is unacceptable that we are in this (educational system), and we are still having to deal with racism.” Parra said she is not proud of the Aztec mascot or that many buildings on campus are named in the Aztec language, Nahuatl. Participants in the rally said the Aztec mascot is racist, and a gross example of cultural appropriation. One such student, creative writing master’s student Brooke Peterson, said it is not a
question for her whether or not the mascot is offensive. “It’s controversial in terms of like, there are very much people for and against it,”Peterson said. “But I don’t think that the issue of ‘is this racist or not?’ is controversial at all. I think all the research backs up the fact that it is racist, and I think the personal experiences of people who have to live with the impact also backs that up.” She mentioned Ozzie Monge, a lecturer who wrote his dissertation on the use of the mascot, and Lydia Wood, a graduate student who she said is currently writing a dissertation on colonization. “There’s a lot of research being done right here on the
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Associated Students University Council voted to pass a resolution to condemn antisemitism on April 12. The meeting began with public comment from SDSU students, alumni and staff voicing their concerns and opinions about resolutions to condemn anti-Semitism, retire the SDSU mascot and moniker and fight food insecurity through expansion of the A.S. food pantry. A.S. University Affairs Board Chair Chimezie Ebiriekwe said the amendments that were made to the resolution were items previously taken out by the Campus Community Commission. The University Council amended the resolution to include “the three Ds” - delegitimization, demonization and double standards regarding Israel - as forms of anti-Semitism. The resolution passed 18-4, with five abstentions. During the meeting, the University Affairs Board also adopted the United States Department of State definition of anti-Semitism. This definition establishes anti-Semitism as, “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of
anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.” The resolution says the U.S. Department of State recognizes anti-Semitism can come from language and actions related to Israel, but criticism of Israel that is at the same level of criticism of other countries is not anti-Semitic. The resolution says it was not created to restrict free speech, academic freedom or participation in social activism. “Its only purpose is to define the line between civil, academic debate and hate speech,” it reads. The resolution lists incidents of anti-Semitism that have occurred at SDSU and universities across the country. It reads that blatant antiSemitism must never be tolerated and Jewish people have a collective right to selfdetermination. College of Arts and Letters representative Nick Elliott said he voted in favor of the resolution. “When it was first presented (to the campus community commission), there were flaws,” he said. Elliot said he encouraged sending the resolution to the Campus Community
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Zylan Cheatham announces intent to transfer tony zarate staff writer ____________________________ Only three days after his announcement as new head coach of the men’s basketball team, Brian Dutcher announced sophomore forward Zylan Cheatham will not be returning to San Diego State Wednesday, April 14. After a meeting with each of the players, Cheatham expressed to Dutcher that he would like to explore other schools to play basketball. “We appreciate all Zylan has brought to this university, both in the classroom, as he is a very good student, and on the basketball court, for his contributions to the success of the program,” Dutcher said. “We wish him well in his pursuit at another university.”
Since the SDSU men’s basketball team is losing playmaking seniors such as Dakarai Allen and Matthew Shrigley, Cheatham was expected to be one the leaders on the team along with junior forward Malik Pope. “I want to thank everyone at the university for giving me the opportunity to play Division I basketball,” Cheatham said. “I appreciate the support the coaching staff and team has shown me during my time at San Diego State and in helping me along my process of going from a boy to a man.” The Phoenix native came to Montezuma Mesa before the start of the 2014-2015 season. However, due to an ongoing foot injury, this forced the four-star recruit to redshirt his first year at SDSU. During his redshirt freshman campaign,
Cheatham averaged 7.6 points per game as well as racking up 36 assists in 38 games. In his second, and final, season wearing the Scarlet and Black, the redshirt sophomore forward averaged 9.1 points on a 51.9 percent clip and a teambest 6.3 rebounds along with 43 assists in 31 games, including 22 starts. In his final three games, Cheatham shot an even 50 percent from the field while averaging 7.6 points. Cheatham did not give any indication when talking to the media of where he is looking to play for the upcoming season. Since he already used his redshirt season, he will only have one year of eligibility left at his new school. He can petition the NCAA for a medical waiver for a sixth season of eligibility.
Redshirt sophomore Zylan Cheatham watches a play against Boise State March 9. kelly smiley, photo editor