Preview: Aztecs vs. Bruins men’s basketball
THE NEWSPAPER OF SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1913 VOLUME 99, ISSUE 51
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012
SDSU ranked 7th most dangerous college
campus
Stephanie Saccente Staff Writer
San Diego State ranked No. 7 on Business Insider’s list of “Most Dangerous Colleges in America.” The list included 25 U.S. colleges ranked by averaging a combination of violent and property FBI crime data from 2008 to 2011 for schools with more than 10,000 students enrolled. The report stated SDSU experiences approximately 27 violent incidents per year. According to Business Insider, in 2011 there were five forcible rapes, three robberies and five aggravated assaults. But, property crime is where SDSU experiences the most crime. Business Insider reported there is an average of 575 incidents per year. SDSU foods and nutrition sophomore Kelsey Wild, experienced an on-campus robbery firsthand when her iPhone was taken out of her hands last semester while walking down Montezuma Road at 3 a.m. with a few friends. “We were in the middle of crossing a crosswalk and this guy came up behind me and grabbed my iPhone 4 from my hand and ran,” Wild said. Wild immediately reported the incident to the SDSU Police Department but he was never found. Graphic design junior Jesika Frain, also experienced on campus criminal activity when her apart-
paige nelson , photo editor
SDSUPD car sits parked in front of Love Library on Campanile Walkway. Business Insider ranked SDSU No. 7 out of 25 most dangerous college campuses in U.S.
ment at Aztec Campus was broken into last year. Frain and her roommate had their laptops stolen. “Our window had been closed but not locked, so the guy ripped open the screen and came through that in the middle of the day…I also had a whole load taken out of the dryer in my apartment building,” Frain said.
SDSUPD Capt. Lamine Secka said he feels strongly for campus safety although he said he feels the list is misleading in the way crime history is calculated. He advises students and parents not to take the No. 7 ranking for face value and to do their own research. “It’s important for students to have awareness of what’s going
on around them, have awareness of where their stuff is and who has access to their areas, whether it’s a commonly shared lab or the library,” Secka said. “Just be aware of what’s going on and what security precautions are in place and be smart about the decisions you make.”
Student converts pool into a fishpond
campus
terence chin , staff writer
Travis Martin Wennen shows SDSU geography lecturer Diana Richardson his newly converted pool. Wennen brought his geography urban agricultural school assignment to life by turning his pool into a fishpond with live algae, fish and turtles.
Terence Chin Staff Writer
After months of development, a San Diego State student converted his backyard swimming pool into a garden pool in order to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle. On Tuesday, social science student and aspiring entrepreneur Travis Wennen received a visit from SDSU’s Center for Regional Sustainability Coordinator Mariah Hudson and SDSU geography lecturer Diana Richardson,so they could see his newly converted garden pool after months of development. After taking a U.S. geography
course last semester, Wennen brought his geography urban agricultural project to life within three months of planning. Embracing the idea of sustainability, Wennen converted his backyard swimming pool into a garden pool, also known as a “fishpond” or aquaponics system, which combines aquaculture (fish) and hydroponics (soilless cultivation). In his garden pool, Wennen added three turtles and 26 fish including tilapia, koi, minnow and goldfish. One of the ways Wennen takes care of his fishpond is by ensuring his fish eat an organic diet of algae, roots from pond plants, duckweed and, occasional
pellets as a treat. Richardson, Wennen’s geography professor last spring, said she was delighted to hear back from Wennen, when she learned he followed through with his geography project to create his own aquaponics system. “I was so excited. He told me he was going to build this, so I asked him to keep me in the loop and he did,” Richardson said. “He shot me an email telling me that he had finished the project, so I was thrilled that he carried this idea forward.” Richardson continued to explain the work and sacrifice Wennen endured in completing this project.
“He made this extraordinary effort to work with his family and his resources. He had to cut back on eating well for a while and ate lots of peanut butter in order to fund the project,” Richardson said. “He really spent a lot of time and money and resources to do this and I’m just really proud of him for carrying this idea forward and really making it work.” Wennen invested roughly $2,500 into funding his garden pool, whereas maintaining a swimming pool can cost about $200 per month. His garden pool is surrounded by a 14-milliliter reinforced UV plastic sheet, which helps shade his turtles and fish, in addition to regulating the water temperature and blocking out UV rays. Every month, Wennen maintains the garden pool by changing 20 to 30 percent of the water to ensure it’s sustainable enough for his fish and turtles. Wennen explained why he felt the need to create this sustainable project. “I think it’s really crucial to know where your food comes from, and to even go further in producing your own food,” Wennen said. “Being self-sufficient is an even more important concept now that the prices of food are rising and genetically modified foods are becoming so popular. Organic farming and doing it for yourself is really becoming more important than it was before.” Once Wennen’s fish develop and FISHPOND continued on page 2
Alex Riggins Contributor
Backcourt Aztecs: Junior guard Jamaal Franklin has been both brilliant and erratic this season. He’s averaging 18.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, but also turning the ball over five times per game. Junior guard Xavier Thames and senior guard James Rahon have been steady and reliable. The big question is if senior guard Chase Tapley will play – and be effective – after straining his patellar tendon last week. Bruins: Shabazz Muhammad is one of the top-rated college freshman and might end up as the top pick in the NBA draft next year. He’s averaging 17 points and five rebounds per game since he became eligible three games into the season. Yet, he’s not even the best freshman on his team right now. 6-foot-5 guard Jordan Adams has the highest points per game, averaging 18.5 points through the first six games. Edge: Even
Frontcourt Aztecs: Redshirt sophomore forward JJ O’Brien and freshman forward Skylar Spencer played well on Sunday against the University of Southern California and its two centers, who both stand taller than 7-feet. O’Brien scored 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while Spencer grabbed 11 rebounds and defended well despite his size disadvantage. The Aztecs will likely have senior forward DeShawn Stephens back after he missed the majority of the USC game with a hip injury suffered early in the first half. Bruins: Redshirt junior forwards Travis and David Wear are 6-foot10 twin brothers that combine to average 22 points and 12.8 rebounds per game together. Junior center Joshua Smith left the program on Wednesday, which could play a factor in Saturday’s game. As a result, freshman Tony Parker will likely see his minutes increase. The Aztecs may have trouble matching up with the Bruins’ huge front line. Edge: Bruins
Intangibles Aztecs: The game is being played at a neutral site closer to UCLA and in honor of legendary Bruins coach John Wooden. Still, the crowd might favor the Aztecs. SDSU fans traveled en masse to the USC game last Sunday and a similar crowd is expected on Saturday. Experience also favors the Aztecs. SDSU starts two seniors and brings one off the bench, while UCLA has just one senior and its two top scorers are freshmen. Bruins: UCLA is the most storied program in college basketball history, owning 11 national championships and 17 Final Four appearances. But much of that is ancient history. The Bruin’s last Final Four appearance was in 2008. Since then, the Aztecs have gone to a Sweet 16, while the Bruins haven’t advanced past the round of 32. Edge: Aztecs MEN’S BASKETBALL continued on page 3