Volume 61 Issue 1

THE USD VISTA

USD Football accused of

hazing

Half of the team facing disciplinary actions

LAUREN CEBALLOS SPORTS EDITOR

The SDUT shared that on Aug.18, 2023, the newly welcomed USD football coach, Brandon Moore, reported the allegations, which resulted in football activities being suspended within hours of the news. Investigations are being pursued by the school, USD public safety and the police department.

In a letter addressed to the faculty and staff, President James Harris III explained that some players will receive indefinite suspensions as part of the “varying degrees of disciplinary actions” that will occur.

Senior Director of Media Relations Lissette Martinez shared information with The USD Vista in an email.

“It is important to note that in Athletics, coaches have the ability to make disciplinary decisions based on their program, and the preliminary action taken thus far

Journey to an artistic oasis Artbuilds’ ‘Unfolding Humanity’ featured at Burning Man 2023

and passion for their art.

is team-based. Further inquiry is underway, and because this is an ongoing investigation and for privacy reasons, we cannot elaborate further,” Martinez said. Martinez did not specify on the difference between “active” and “passive” hazing among players who received punishments. Further, it is unclear how this differential in alleged involvement in hazing activities factored into the “degrees of disciplinary actions” that the players faced from the team’s leadership.

On Aug. 23, the players who were not suspended proceeded with practice. President Harris’ letter claims that “approximately half the football team” is being disciplined. However, the school has not stated the specifics of each player’s disciplinary status.

The season still began on its original date of Sept. 2 at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Harris’ letter revealed that some players came forward to share their accounts about the hazing, without listing names or details. President Harris commended the actions of those who came forward with allegations about hazing.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, suspicion arose when a player ceased to

MORE

Burning Man has been a trending topic in the news for multiple reasons — the death of one attendee, the mud and rainy weather and the unfortunate circumstances that left many attendees stuck in the desert. While the festival was an unpleasant experience for some, for the USD professors and one student that attended with the art collective “Artbuilds,” it was unforgettable.

Burning Man is a festival of the arts that takes place every year in Black Rock City, Nevada, to bring people together over their love of art and to connect over creativity. The Burning Man

festival is a part of the Burning Man Project, which is based on 10 core principles that exhibit the

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values of Burning Man and its community; attendees are called “Burners.” The festival went from Sunday Aug. 27 to Monday Sept. 4 and four USD professors and one USD junior had the chance to be there with Artbuilds. Although there were weather challenges, the mud was no match for their spirit of community

Dr. Diane Hoffoss, the chair of the mathematics department and professor of mathematics, is a core member of the art collective Artbuilds, along with three other USD professors — Dr. Austin Choi-Fitzpatrick, Dr. Gordon Hoople and Professor Nate Parde.

“The mission of Artbuilds is pretty much to bring joy to people — joy, playfulness and bringing community together,” Dr. Hoffoss said.

Dr. Hoffoss helped initiate the art project “Unfolding Humanity” with USD students in 2017, which began as a math class assignment to create a project that represented an unsolved math problem — in this case, an unfolded dodecahedron (a polyhedron with twelve flat faces). Hoffoss then helped build the immersive sculpture that opens up so that people can walk inside of it with students in 2018. “Unfolding Humanity” got renovated this year, before being displayed by Artbuilds

See Burning Man, Page 2

#GRWM trend

Advice for first-years

Bike lanes

See Opinion, page 4 Loyal leaving

Photo courtesy of Diane Hoffoss

The University of San Diego’s football team is facing the consequences of hazing accusations. Upon the brink of the new season, an investigation was made to look into the allegations, making news headlines in the San Diego Union-Tribune (SDUT).

The USD football team is under scrutiny for alleged hazing.

Photo courtesy of @usdfootball/Instagram See Hazing, Page 11

Artbuild displays ‘Unfolding Humanity’

Burning Man from Page 1 at the Burning Man festival. The mission of the art piece ‘Unfolding Humanity’ is to represent the math question of Albrecht Dürer, a German painter in the 1500s: can a dodecahedron be unfolded? But it is also designed to show the relationship humans have with technology. The outside of the dodecahedron-shaped sculpture is covered in LED lights that have Matrix code on them, while the inside immerses spectators in a mirrored room, allowing them to be surrounded by images of themselves.

“I think the students were maybe concerned about the walling off of ourselves from the rest of the world…they saw each of these walls [on the sculpture] as being the walls of technology, and as you folded up the dodecahedron, you were isolated. When you unfolded it, that sort of connected you with the rest of humanity,” Dr. Hoffoss said. “On the inside, there are mirrors, because what’s more human than seeing yourself reflected back at you everywhere?” Dr. Hoffoss added.

Dr. Austin Choi-Fitzpatrick, a professor of social change at USD and a member of Artbuilds, gave his perspective on the exhibition of man’s relationship with technology.

“On the outside, all this data is streaming, but if you go on the inside in there with these reflections, you’re having humanity reflected in on itself,” Dr. Choi-Fitzpatrick said. “And so I love this idea that perhaps inside of technology, we can even find our own humanity, perhaps by escaping from it.”

Dr. Choi-Fitzpatrick, Dr. Hoffoss and Dr. Gordon Hoople, professor in the department of Integrated Engineering, agreed that one of the highlights of the experience was the community aspect of constructing it and

how connected everyone became at the festival, despite poor weather conditions.

“At Burning Man, there’s no one placard that says, ‘oh, here’s the QR code, go and find out more about us.’ There’s no name of the artist on the art; you just experience it,” Dr. ChoiFitzpatrick said. “I like building this art with other people at USD with high levels of cooperation and low levels of ego, because it’s an opportunity to demonstrate what people working together across big differences can do.”

USD junior Valentina Vargas had the opportunity to go to Burning Man with Artbuilds for her first time this year after helping revamp “Unfolding Humanity” all summer. She also loved the experience of different backgrounds coming together for a shared purpose.

“I worked with other students throughout the summer, but when I got [to Burning Man], there were electrical engineers and teachers and professors or people who were just all over the place, in different fields,” Vargas said. “So it was just an incredible experience being a student and having to relate with all those people and share our perspectives. In the end, we were just an incredible team and worked together every day.”

Vargas said that as a student, she was nervous going into the festival, for she did not know what to expect. But as soon as she got there, she said she felt like everyone just wanted to help each other out and get to know one another.

“Everybody was literally there to give what they had,” Vargas said. “Everyone was deeply in love with the project and was helping out and there was this really good teamwork going on. And I was really, really grateful to be part of that.”

Dr. Hoffoss stated another highlight of hers, among

many, was the moment of actually experiencing the new and improved sculpture in the desert for the first time.

“We built the structure — almost all of it — in one day, which was just amazing. That night, I was able to turn it on, and you just never know what’s going to happen,” Dr. Hoffoss said. “We turned it on, and it worked, and I started to cry. I feel it right now. I just felt like the struggle was over…I was elated and relieved.”

Once the sculpture was set up and ready for viewing, it was a hit. Dr. Hoffoss explained that watching her labor of love bring others so

much joy was an incredibly memorable experience for her.

“Every single minute watching somebody else play with and enjoy the piece and giggle while they’re inside of it, or marvel at something...every single moment of that just went straight to my heart,” Dr. Hoffoss said. “It’s really touching to feel that you’ve created something that’s bringing another person joy.”

Dr. Hoople talked about the unpredictability of the festival’s weather and while it was a very unfavorable situation for some, for others it was what made the festival so special.

“This was a different, crazy experience than we had expected, but we were prepared for it and everybody had a really good time, and I think it brought people together,” Dr. Hoople said. “It was amazing — I went by [the sculpture] many times after the rain had come, and the electronics stopped working, and I found people there all the time,” Hoople shared. “There were just people sitting in there in the dark having a quiet reflective moment or people admiring the piece and asking about it, which was totally unexpected and really fun.”

Dr. Hoffoss also felt this sense of community and coming together in tough circumstances to be a part of something that she cares about deeply.

“It is a chance to do something together that each of us couldn’t accomplish alone. So going out there and working under these kinds of challenging conditions, whether it’s hot or dusty, or in this case, rainy, brings the team together and you feel a

sense of accomplishment,” Dr. Hoffoss said. “It’s our whole camp. We kept saying to each other, ‘this is the best Burning Man ever’... not everyone’s experience is the same but for us, it was a really, really positive and beautiful time.”

Vargas shared this positive experience, and although she couldn’t stay for the entire festival, it was still a week and a half of joy, learning and togetherness for her.

“There’s no way you can actually tell people how you feel about this [Burning Man] — it’s just your own perspective and it’s something you have to take with you,” Vargas said.

“Obviously you can share it with other people but the experience of being there, it’s something way out of this world.”

Burning Man may be over, but Artbuilds’ fire for creating and community still continues.

Dr. Hoffoss and Vargas both emphasized that the Artbuilds collective is an open space for anyone who wants to join, whether you have art experience or not.

Burning Man 2023, although hectic, was an event that brought together different departments of the USD community to exhibit and celebrate the beauty of art.

Although Burning Man is over, Artbuilds’ fire for creating and community still continues.

Dr. Hoffoss emphasized that the Artbuilds collective is an open space for anyone who wants to join, whether you have art experience or not.

Burning Man 2023, although hectic, was an event that brought together different departments of the USD community to exhibit and celebrate the beauty of art.

“The Man” sculpture is burned annually at the end of the Burning Man festival.

Photo courtesy @burningman/Instagram

Artbuild’s sculpture created by USD professors lit up at night.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Diane Hoffoss

Professors and student attend Burning Man 2023

Toreros react to political and social news of the summer

DALAL-WHELAN

As summer 2023 comes to an end, Toreros look back on the events that have occurred since last semester ended. This summer was busy with political and social changes.

U.S. Supreme Court major decisions

In June, The U.S. Supreme Court voted on many decisions before ending the 2022-23 term on June 30. On June 8, the Supreme Court rejected a gerrymandered voting map in Alabama that diluted Black voters’ power, in accordance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Court also upheld the Indian Child Welfare Act, which keeps Native American children within their tribes rather than being placed in foster homes outside of their culture. The Supreme Court unanimously voted to strengthen protection for religious workers, emphasizing that employers cannot reject religious accommodations.

On the last two days of the term, the Supreme Court made

three decisions split 6-3 along what many consider increasingly partisan lines, with conservative Justices in the majority.

Affirmative action, the practice of providing opportunities for underrepresented minorities was banned in higher education, with the Court deciding that colleges and universities cannot consider race in their admissions. Further, the Court also rejected President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan which, according to The New York Times, would have forgiven Americans from more than $400 billion worth of debt.

The Supreme Court also decided that businesses have the right under the First Amendment to refuse service to LGBTQ+ people.

USD sophomore Betsy Ploudre expressed dismay with some of the Supreme Court’s decisions.

“I was disappointed,” Ploudre reacted to the overturning of Biden’s student loan plan.

“I kind of saw it coming, but obviously I wanted that to pass.”

She had a similar feeling about the decision on LGBTQ+ rights. “From the way people were talking, I could kind of tell

it was going in that direction, but I did want it to go the other direction, so I am kind of disappointed,” Ploudre explained.

President Trump’s legal trouble

Former President Donald Trump faced three new indictments this summer. On June 9, he was charged in Florida with charges relating to retaining classified documents after leaving office. A trial date was set for May 2024. On Aug. 1, Trump faced his third indictment, charged in Washington D.C. with conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election on Jan. 6, 2021. And in his third and final indictment of the summer, Trump faced charges in Georgia for election interference in 2020.

First-year Brent McMurray does not believe Trump should face legal consequences for any of his indictments. “I think a lot of it’s a witch hunt, I don’t think he did anything wrong, and I think it’s all political, [2024] election interference,” McMurray explained.

The former president is seeking re-election in 2024 and is the current frontrunner campaigning for the Republican party’s nomination.

California’s “hot labor summer”

Many news sources, including the LA Times, have called this summer a “hot labor summer,” due to the high union activity,

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especially for California. In July, SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union, joined the Writers Guild of America on strike, fighting for new contracts in response to how the industry has changed due to streaming services. The strike has paused and delayed the production of many movies and shows, pushing back release dates.

In a speech declaring the strike, Fran Drescher, the president of SAG-AFTRA, explained why 160,000 performers are refusing to work.

“The entire business model has been changed by streaming, digital, A.I. This is a moment of history that is a moment of truth. If we don’t stand tall right now, we are all going to be in trouble,” Drescher stated. Negotiations are at a standstill, while the unions and entertainment studios continue to be at odds in how residual payment and workplace rights should operate in a changing industry.

Meta launches Threads

Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, released the app “Threads” in July. According to CNN, in the first 48 hours, it surpassed 70 million sign-ups, making it the most rapidly downloaded app ever. Despite the strong start, NBC reported that Threads engagement has dropped since July. Last October, billionaire

and entrepreneur Elon Musk acquired Threads rival and competitor, Twitter, and made many changes that drew criticism from users. In July, Twitter was rebranded to “X” and also phased out the classic blue bird that was associated with the app.

Although some users don’t like the changes made by Musk, first-year McMurray continues to enjoy using X, formerly Twitter.

“I have Twitter,” McMurray said. “I think it’s great, [Musk] knows what he’s doing; he’s smart. I don’t know much about Threads. It seems to be the same as Twitter. I’m just used to Twitter’s interface and all that.”

Threads does not have some of the popular features of X, such as hashtags and the “trending” page, and the engagement on X remains much higher than Threads.

These summer stories will continue to develop into the fall. The Supreme Court will begin a new term in October, with new cases to decide.

Trump’s civil trial in Manhattan — the first of his four indictments — will also begin in October, as he simultaneously continues his campaign for president against many competitors.

The battle for WGA and SAGAFTRA remains contentious and unresolved in Hollywood, and the landscape of social media continues to change.

Actors Cameron Monaghan and Isidora Goreshter participating in the strike.

ANJALI

The U.S. Supreme court ended their term in June 2023.

Photo by @annasullivan/ Unsplash

OPINION

Stay in your lane

The benefits of adding bike lanes to USD’s roads

JACKIE MARQUEZ OPINION EDITOR

There’s nothing more frustrating than hearing the whir of an electric scooter or the rumbling of a skateboard right behind you on your way to class. Dodging a scooter, skateboard or bike has become an everyday occurrence for USD students, and frankly I’m sick of it. The problem, however, isn’t with the riders of these contraptions. The problem is that students don’t have a designated place to ride.

According to university policy, “skateboards, scooters and rollerblades may not be ridden on campus roadways or parking lots on campus.” This policy is based on the City of San Diego’s Municipal Code, requiring skateboarders, scooter-riders and rollerbladers to travel on the sidewalks. It forces pedestrians to share the walkway with riders who are often going much faster than them, which can become dangerous. University policy also states that “bicycles/ebikes may be ridden only on roadways and riders must obey all traffic signs.” However, USD doesn’t have bike lanes on any of the

campus roadways, so bikers must share the road with cars.

Given these current policies dictating on-campus transportation, USD needs bike lanes. Adding bike lanes to USD roads would not only

get scooter-riders and bikers out of the way, but it would also make the roads safer for drivers and promote sustainable practices. By creating bike lanes, the school can give riders a designated space to use their preferred methods of transportation. This would ultimately result in less sidewalk riding by e-scooter users. According to NPR, the Washington D.C. Department of Transportation found that the number of sidewalk bikers decreased by 56% when protected bike lanes were installed. It’s evident that bikers get off the sidewalks when there are bike lanes to use, and this isn’t a trend exclusive to bicycles. In California, bike lanes are used by more than just cyclists. In fact, California law states that motorized scooters or skateboards should use bike lanes when they’re available. Ultimately, creating bike lanes ensures that pedestrians, e-scooter users and cyclists all have paths they feel comfortable traveling on. Bike lanes don’t just improve walking conditions for pedestrians, they also make roads safer for drivers.

The United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration explains that bike lanes make roadways safer by mitigating or preventing car crashes

between motor vehicles and cyclists. Without bike lanes, cyclists and drivers must share the road. However, cars can easily take up the whole lane, leaving little space for bike-riders. This can lead to accidents when drivers don’t see cyclists. Bike lanes ensure equitable sharing of the road by clearly marking where cars can drive and where bikes can be ridden. This makes travelling on campus roads safer for cars and cyclists.

Another way bike lanes help prevent car crashes is by forcing motor vehicles to slow down. According to Science Daily, bike lanes have a “calming effect” on traffic. Based on research conducted by the University of Colorado Denver, cars drive slower and more cautiously when bike lanes are present. More controlled and attentive driving ultimately increases road safety.

Creating bike lanes on campus would improve the traveling conditions for cyclists, scooter-riders and pedestrians, and this would encourage students to use more sustainable forms of transportation on campus.

Deciding to walk, bike or ride an e-scooter rather than drive drastically reduces one’s carbon footprint. The United States Environmental Agency reports that “the average passenger vehicle emits

about 400 grams of CO2 per mile.” This is much higher than the amount of CO2 emitted by non-automotive transportation. Alternative forms of transportation, like the ones mentioned above, don’t run on fossil fuels like gasoline, and because of this, their carbon emissions are significantly lower. By promoting these sustainable modes of transportation, USD would move closer to its goal of fostering a more sustainable world.

As our mission statement says, we are dedicated to creating “a more inclusive, sustainable and hopeful world.” Ultimately, by adding bike lanes to campus roads or sidewalks we could move one step closer to achieving the university’s mission.

With more students relying on scooters, skateboards and bikes to get around campus, it’s important that the university accommodates these alternative modes of transportation. With our current lack of bike lanes, bikers must share the road with cars and scooter-riders and skaters must share the sidewalk with pedestrians. But, by adding designated lanes the university can get riders out of pedestrians’ way, improve road safety and promote sustainable practices.

The USD ViSTa • September 14, 2023

The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.

A student rides his skateboard on the sidewalk near law circle.

Emma-Kate Squires /The USD Vista

More students are using electric scooters to get around campus Emma-Kate Squires /The USD Vista

The state of our unions

Unions are becoming more popular in America, and for good reason

RONNIE SAENZ ASST. OPINION EDITOR

With the passing of Labor Day, we reminisce on pool parties, barbecues and the end of summer. But, Labor Day is more than a day off. It’s a day dedicated to all workers in America, and represents the rights they fought for through unionizing and strikes. Before Labor Day was a federal holiday, it was a day when workers went on strike to protest unsafe working conditions, overworking and underpayment.

Labor Day may seem like an artifact of the past that celebrates how far we’ve come, but many of those underlying issues are still faced by workers today across the country. Because of this unions are becoming more popular in America, and for good reason.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) – have been striking together for two months. The WGA strike started on May 2, 2023 and the SAG-AFTRA strike started on July 13, 2023, but the fight continues as writers and actors come together to demand better wages and security from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). This alliance is made up of many studios including Amazon Studios, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, Apple Studios, the Walt Disney Company, Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery.

It’s also important to note that the people on strike are not just the big name actors and writers we’re familiar with, but also the “lesserknown” creatives that make significantly less money from their work. While some big name Hollywood stars are joining the strikes, they are joining out of solidarity. After all, their fame already guarantees them a much larger wage than the average writer or actor.

The WGA is demanding more compensation by increasing minimum compensation for writers and standardizing residuals for streaming services. SAGAFTRA demands increased minimum pay rates as well, increased streaming residuals and improved working conditions.

Actor pay rates are so bad right now that according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the median pay for actors in 2022 was $17.56 per hour, which is only two dollars above the minimum wage in California. All the while the CEO of Disney Bob Iger is earning $26 million per year. Just looking at the box office numbers for this year, studios are making more money than they have in years with the average movie domestic box office grossing $17,345,050, which is the highest it’s been since 2001. And yet, the average pay for actors and writers has stagnated or declined. With workers still fighting for their worth, it’s important that we as individuals continue to support unions.

To those who turn a blind eye, the WGA and SAGAFTRA strike may seem like an anomaly. But, these

strikes are responding to one industry out of our entire corporate economy. There are plenty of big corporations that fail to pay their workers enough or provide a suitable working environment, and unions are consistently tackling these issues. Just last year there were union efforts at Starbucks, Amazon and Apple. There were also strikes among nurses in Minnesota and the nation’s railroad workers. The nurses in Minnesota demanded better working conditions, and the railroad workers demanded higher pay.

It’s clear workers’ movements are still needed in the modern era to negotiate wages and better working conditions. On top of this, the cost of living in America is rising without a rise in income to match. With disposable income dropping over the last few years, many are

blaming corporate America’s failure to raise wages. All of these factors are reflected in union support rates. According to Gallup polls, in 2022 U.S. support of unions peaked at 71% approval for the first time since 1965.

Some may argue that consumer support of unions isn’t important because the government should be the one to keep big businesses in check. It’s common for politicians to champion the working class; elected officials, such as Biden and Trump, often run on strong platforms of creating jobs and improving the economy. Despite this, it is very rare that the government interferes with disputes between workers and corporations, unless workers have come together to petition either through unionizing, striking or a variety of other methods. Even when the government does occasionally

intervene, it is often in favor of corporations rather than workers. One recent example was last December when President Biden signed legislation to block a national U.S. railroad strike. instead of requiring railroads to meet their demands.

Given that the government rarely interferes with these strikes, it’s important that workers in America know they aren’t alone. There are many things we can do to help protect worker’s rights, such as boycotting industries that abuse their laborers. Another small way to support workers is by buying unionmade goods and using union-supported services.

If Labor Day has taught us anything it’s that the fight for labor rights in America is a never ending struggle, but unionization at least gives us a chance at securing those rights.

SAG-AFTRA members and allies picket with signs supporting the union’s strike efforts.

USD Medical Brigades to make a difference

Students create connections and provide health care in Honduras

LILI KIM ASST. FEATURE EDITOR

For many students, summer is a time to kick back, relax and prepare for the upcoming school year. For the USD Medical Brigades chapter, however, summer served as a way to support communities in need. In August, 10 students from the USD club traveled to Honduras for a week-long “brigade,” or service trip to holistically support a small, rural community.

USD Medical Brigades acts as a chapter within the nationally recognized Medical Brigades, a subdivision of the nonprofit organization Global Brigades. While the organization originally began its work in Honduras, efforts have now expanded to other countries such as Panama, Greece, Guatemala and Ghana.

Within these countries, Global Brigades workers, volunteers and student groups partner with local community health workers to provide care that citizens may not be able to access, including medical and dental care, fresh water or proper engineering and infrastructure. The intentions, passion and commitment to the Honduran healthcare model are what set this group apart from other organizations and missions, according to USD senior Allison Marquis, who serves as Co-Presi-

dent of the USD Medical Brigades.

“It’s all community led,” Marquis explained. “If anything, we are learning more from [the community] than they are from us. We’re there to support their community in whatever way their community leaders think is necessary.”

Due to COVID-19, the USD Medical Brigades branch has not been able to travel abroad since 2019. In the meantime, they engaged in “tele-brigades,” allowing students to work virtually with patients and shadow healthcare workers from afar. Transitioning back from telehealth to traveling across the world entailed a great deal of effort, according to USD senior and Medical Brigades Education Chair, Paulina Castellanos.

Casetellanos recounted her work toward making this trip happen.

“Coming from COVID, we had to work hard to discover our ‘why’ and ‘how’ and make sure our intentions were aligned with the global organization.”

To do so, Castellanos led sessions for the club to help dismantle “white savior complex” ideologies, such as beliefs of superiority or providing support without consideration of cultural differences.

She also taught members introductory medical Spanish, in order for the group to better connect with patients and work together with the Honduran doctors.

“Learning the language,

culture and the public health model they’re operating under [in Honduras] all help you care for these communities the way they deserve,” Castellanos said.

Medical Brigade members also chose to invite USD adjunct professor Dr. Víctor Zambrano, who has taught Spanish at USD since the late 1980s. While some

professors may have chosen to take control as an authority figure, Dr. Zambrano emphasized his being a part of the team.

“My role is to anticipate and give students tips on how to address different issues, rather than tell them what to do. I let them lead the brigade, and become leaders.”

During their one week brigade, the club traveled to two small Honduran communities. First, they visited Los Hatillos, where the team worked with the community to construct ecostoves for six local families, as a way to decrease the chances of respiratory illnesses and house fires caused by open flame stoves. They then transitioned to their main focus of the trip: working for three days in Escobas Amarillas, a rural village in the Honduran rainforest with a population of around 300 people. There, the team worked with Honduran healthcare professionals to set up various medical stations, including triage, dental, medical consultation and pharmacy. Also available for community members was a “charla” station (Spanish for chat), which educated on hygiene, anxiety and nutrition.

For many Honduran civilians, this brigade was the first chance to receive medical care all year. Since many students in the club are on the pre-med track, it was also their first opportunity to perform medical treatments in real-life scenarios. For example, Allison Marquis described her ability to stitch a patient’s hand with sutures with guidance from a local Honduran doctor.

“It was the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” Marquis stated.

Beside aiding in medical efforts, students also had a

chance to connect with community members by practicing their Spanish or engaging in casual games of soccer with kids. When the time came for students to return to the U.S. for the fall semester, they reported gaining a fresh perspective of how cultures around the world approach healthcare and how it relates to healthcare in the U.S., as well as different lifestyles on the whole.

“We can learn a lot from other countries’ health care systems,” Marquis said. “You can’t assume that all patients have access to clean water or other resources, so when you’re prescribing something, you have to think about what’s attainable for the patient. And that’s applicable for our health care system, too.”

Now that the team is back on campus, they plan to continue their work by fundraising for the next brigade planned for the summer of 2024, which students of all majors are eligible to join. They will also continue to engage in team building and community outreach in San Diego. These outreach efforts include working with the homeless population in the city, as well as with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), a nonprofit supporting childhood diabetes.

“You don’t have to travel eight hours on a plane to realize there are disparities in our healthcare system, too,” Castellanos also noted.

Even though the Honduras trip is complete, the longterm, sustainable effects of the students’ work, and the connections they had the opportunity to make with the community of Escobas Amarillas will continue on indefinitely.

Woman gets medical care from student.

Photo courtesy of Allison Marquis

Children line up for medical care from students.

Photo courtesy of Allison Marquis

ARTS & CULTURE

‘Elemental’: a Disney hit in a year of flops

‘Elemental’s’ unexpected success

you and trying to decide what to do with that heritage.”

This year, Disney is set to release at least 33 movies. Of the movies that have already been theatrically released, many did not perform well in the box office. However, “Elemental,” a recent Pixar release loosely based on the computer game “Fireboy and Watergirl,” had unexpected success in the box office across the world.

For a movie to be considered a “box office hit,” according to Film Daily, there are a lot of factors that play a role like storyline, production quality, marketing and critical reception. Some of the biggest Disney movies of the year that fans were looking forward to, such as “The Little Mermaid” or “Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” achieved huge success in their opening weekends but in the end, they did not bring in enough profit for the company, leading to their designation as “flops” in Forbes magazine.

However, “Elemental” is an example of box office success defying expectations this year.

Disney Pixar’s “Elemental,” directed by Peter Sohn, started its box office journey in June with a disappointing opening weekend, earning $29.6 million in the U.S., against its $200 million budget. Its debut marked one of the weakest starts in Pixar’s illustrious history, raising doubts about the film’s potential for success.

The movie’s narrative, set in Element City and revolving around the blossoming romance between fire element, Ember, and water element, Wade, did not spark initial enthusiasm among audiences. Despite the movie’s lackluster beginnings, word-of-mouth praises for “Elemental’s” storytelling and animation from viewers who saw the film spread like wildfire.

“Elemental” depicted an unconventional love tale as its central theme. The romance between Wade, a go-with-theflow water element, and fiery Ember covers ideas of acceptance, diversity and community. Some other themes that were featured in the movie were cultural tension and the immigrant experience.

Ember, even though her culture is fictional, is dealing with issues trying to understand her life in a place that is not her parents’ home. While making the film, director Peter Sohn was influenced by his experience growing up in New York among Korean immigrants, which helped bring out these themes.

In an interview with Variety, he described the idea behind “Elemental” coming from “the burden of culture and carrying a piece of heritage inside of

As a result of its multifactored relatability and the ever-growing importance of telling underrepresented stories, “Elemental” recovered at the box office in the following weekends.

“Elemental” crossed the $100 million mark in its fourth weekend, and the $150 million mark in its ninth weekend of release. The first weekend of this month, it reached $478 million in the box office and now ranks as the ninth-biggest film of the year so far, behind “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One” ($553 million) and ahead of “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” ($463 million).

Another important factor in the movie’s reach was its compassionate examination of concepts like identity, family and belonging. USD Sophomore Ian Mai reflected on these themes based on his own experience growing up as a child of refugees.

“I can relate to Ember and Wade a lot. You feel this pressure and guilt to follow what your parents want you to do, especially if they’re immigrants or refugees,” Mai said. “But in my opinion, one should follow their dreams and do what you have to do to make yourself happy even if it means being an outcast to the people that are supposed to love you most.”

The marketing for “Elemental” was misunderstood and did not do justice to the film, a contributing reason to why the movie did not initially see success. An article from Screenrant says that “Disney attempted to market “Elemental” with vague trailers. By the time the film came out, Elemental’s hook wasn’t clear, with it seeming like a knockoff of other movies Disney had released like “Zootopia”.”

USD junior Yvette Cerevo talked about how the marketing prevented her from watching the movie in the theatre.

“Even though the trailers were adorable, I didn’t see the movie in theaters because I didn’t hear a lot of hype around what the film was actually about,” Cerevo said. “So I figured it wasn’t worth watching.”

In regards to many of the labeled flops from Disney lately, CEO Bob Iger addressed the disappointments, saying he wished the content had performed better but that the company has been “serving mostly [their] streaming offerings,” which may have had an impact on people not dedicating their time to going to the theater when they could watch it at home.

“Elemental” is the most recent Pixar film since “Lightyear” (released in June last year) that did not go straight to Disney+.

Previously, Pixar films were going straight to Disney+ because of flexibility with

movie releases and people’s willingness to return to theaters.

USD first-year Kiara Alcina talked about her motivation to go to movie theatres.

“I enjoy going to the movie theater and watching at home,” said Alcina. “Whether or not I go to the movie theater depends on the movie, and I just did not watch “Elemental” when it came out because I could not find the time.”

Disney’s most recent release

in theatres was “Haunted Mansion,” a live action movie based on the famous attraction at the Disney theme parks. This movie was released at the end of July, and so far it has not grossed nearly as much money as it spent on making the movie and has received many negative reviews.

But “Elemental” continues to gain positive reception, globally earning over double the amount of its initial budget.

“Elemental” is a rare example of a Disney success this year because of its relatable and compelling storytelling and box office comeback. The continued admiration for this film not only emphasizes that it was a success, but that continued engagement from audiences is important, and success is not just determined by how a film opens in the box office.

Peter Sohn (right) with this mother (middle) and brother (left).

Photo courtesy of @petersohn18/Instagram

One of “Elemental’s” movie posters featuring the characters Wade (left) and Ember (right).

Photo courtesy of @pixarelemental/Instagram

ZOE ZAPANTA ASST. A&C EDITOR

#GetReadyWithMe USD students’ take on ‘Get Ready with Me’ videos

NYLA HARRIS ASST. A&C EDITOR

Back to school means an overflow of exciting new habits, trends and ideas for both returning and first-year USD students. For many, this thrilling transition of going back to campus includes the experience of getting ready for an eventful new chapter.

A social media hashtag and trend continuously rolls around and is popular with college students during this period of having fresh starts: #GRWM. This concept is a shared experience for many students involved in social media consumption and creation.

For those unaware of what a “Get ready with me” or “GRWM” entails, it is more or less what it sounds like: a social media video showing the process of someone getting ready for an event or activity. Currently, these videos are popular across platforms like YouTube and TikTok, in which content creators or vloggers upload pieces of their daily routine and generally document the act of getting ready to go out for the day.

Although they are currently gaining immense popularity, GRWM videos are not a new concept. Longer GRWM videos, featuring hair, makeup and/or styling tutorials, were popular on YouTube in the early 2000s. Years ago, publishers like Vogue jumped

on the bandwagon, bringing popular celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Emily Ratajkowski into the hashtag’s interaction.

However, it is specifically TikTok that landed GRWM videos on many individuals’ radars through “For You” pages during 2020 and beyond, providing a closer look at people’s style choices, routines and moves before a big day such as the first day back at university. To date, #GRWM has accumulated over 60 million views on TikTok (Allaire, 2023).

Scrolling through GRWM videos, many online users said they found them to be equal parts educational, inspirational and comforting.

USD senior Anisha Kumar had a similar response in how she felt about the content.

“This is due to the content not only influencing students to try out new looks, but also acting as a comfort of knowing the interconnected community of many students around the world, experiencing mutual feelings about what going back to school/university means for them,” Kumar said.

USD senior Naza Jaff described her enjoyment from GRWM videos, stemming from the personal connection between the creator and viewer.

“It feels like you’re on FaceTime with someone; they’re telling you a story while getting ready for their day,” Jaff said.

She further cited this to be a shared experience among her peers as well. “When I have time to go on TikTok, my For You page will show “GRWM” videos at least once a week, and it is always fun content to watch.”

Popular, young influencers such as Alix Earle, Monet Michelle, Denzel Dion, etc. have tried to engage with their audiences, making them feel as though their viewers are friends, classmates, colleagues and just people they know and trust.

Dr. Rachel Larrain Montoni, a psychologist who specializes in women’s mental health, asserted that the connection formed between viewer and creator during GRWM videos are particularly strong, due to the videos usually being intimate and unvarnished. Essentially, seeing another student be vulnerable in their PJs, doing their skincare routine and getting ready for class helps to make the audience feel more like a close friend with whom they can share the journey of getting ready with.

Students are receiving a lessfiltered glimpse into people’s lives as they are getting ready for school. It creates a circle of conversation for new fashion trends, skincare routines, makeup hacks and even daily mantras that have been circling around the community of young college students, including those at USD.

Sleep deprivation & its harms

RONNIE SAENZ ASST. OPINION EDITOR

With the stress of assignments, exams and work, many students find sleep to be less of a priority. Students often decide to go to bed later for the sake of their studies, but sleep is so important that this may actually be worse than not studying at all.

Associate professor in the department of psychological sciences Dr. Veronica Galvan teaches her biopsychology class about this very issue.

“Sleep is incredibly important,” Dr. Galvan said. She highly recommends reading “Why We Sleep” for anyone who wants to improve their sleep. According to the author of the book, Matthew Walker, nutrition and exercise depend on sleep to properly function.

“Matthew Walker talks about how nutrition, exercise and sleep are important, but you recover from 24 hours without nutrition and exercise much easier than [without] sleep,” Dr. Galvan explained.

Dr. Galvan further emphasised possible side effects from sleep deprivation.

“A lot of bodily functions are negatively affected by sleep deprivation, such as memory, hormones, your cardiovascular system, your immune system and also the ability to make moral decisions.” Dr. Galvan explained. “Believe it or not, six to seven hours of sleep can be sleep deprivation. What’s worse is that the effects of sleep deprivation are cumulative, so a week of six-hour sleep really is the same as one all nighter. That’s why on average you need a good eight to nine hours of sleep [a night].”

“Why We Sleep” also delves into the importance of going through all the stages of sleep, such as non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM).

NREM is present in early stages of sleep and removes unnecessary neural connections, and REM is present later in sleep and strengthens important neural connections.

If you sleep too little, you can miss out on one or both these stages of sleep, hindering your memory and attentiveness, and causing sleep deprivation.

Dr. Galvan explained various ways to avoid sleep deprivation.

“It varies for individuals,

but on average at least eight hours of sleep is ideal for a healthy night’s sleep.”

Along with sleeping at least eight hours each night, Dr. Galvan also highly recommends utilizing a sleep schedule. “Create a sleep schedule by getting to bed and getting out of bed around the same time every day,” Dr. Galvan said. “If you want to change it, change it five minutes at a time, so you aren’t shocking your body.”

Dr. Galvan discussed some important pre-sleep routines.

“Warm showers are good because it creates a bodily response to cool off which is good for sleep. Write in a journal before you go to bed so you’re not awake in bed thinking about your day. Also, make sure it’s dark and not noisy, and stay away from blue light screens.”

Your consumption can also have a big impact on your sleep.

“What you put into your body matters in terms of whether or not you will be getting a good night’s rest. Cherries and cherry juice are actually excellent for sleep, as well as milk,” Dr. Galvan explained. “However, before going to bed you should avoid eating, especially proteins, as

the digestion will stop you from sleeping. Also you shouldn’t consume any alcohol or caffeine past 3 p.m. as you will still go to sleep, but many of the important processes won’t happen.”

Dr. Galvan also strongly advised against sleeping pills as they can create more problems than they’re worth.

A WebMD article titled “Understanding the Side Effects of Sleeping Pills” cites sleeping pills as being “highly addictive” and potentially “can cause problems with memory and attention.”

When asked about her sleep patterns, USD senior Andrea Yazzlyn Martinez majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Operations and Supply Chain management said she, “[aims] for six hours of sleep.”

“As a Computer Science major with a Supply Chain minor and a student leader, it is really hard to have a consistent sleep schedule.”

Martinez also shared what she thinks will help her maintain a consistent sleep schedule. “The only way I could realistically maintain a sleep schedule is if I dropped all my extracurriculars and only focused on school.”

Javian Johnson, a USD

junior majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience, has slightly different sleep patterns. “At night, I get about five hours maximum. During the day I sleep an extra two, three, four hours.” Javian also commented on the fact that he sleeps below the daily recommended amount of night time sleep.

“Even though the science says seven hours is deprivation, I don’t believe that. For an average person sure, but when you’re someone like me who’s been in the ROTC since the beginning of high school, you’re absolutely used to sleeping less than five hours on a daily basis. So your body becomes accustomed to that. Those short naps that I take literally refresh me to be normal to where I can be as alert and awake as I am now.”

Javian’s schedule is a reminder that there is some variation in the amount of sleep we all need. Whether it’s five hours or nine hours, for many getting the proper amount of daily sleep can improve your stress, mental health, immune system and moral compass.

Just as long as you go through your NREM and REM stages, and sleep and wake up at consistent hours.

USD junior Taylor Polcyn posting a #GRWM on TikTok. Photo courtesy of @taylorpolcyn2/TikTok

A good night’s rest can impact one’s health and well-being

USD football hazing fills the media

Torero football players navigate games with half of their team

Hazing from Page 1 attend team activities which was later discovered to be a result of his experience being hazed, allegedly not involving any sort of physical harm.

USD has a zero tolerance policy for hazing. Martinez expanded on the policy.

“Hazing is a topic addressed in team orientation for all sports and USD has zero tolerance for hazing across the board, as reflected in the swift response to the situation with USD Football. The university suspended team activities and notified SDPD within 12 hours of learning of the allegations,” Martinez said.

While Martinez specifically addressed the football team, Vice President Charlotte Johnson alluded to the policy for the school within her welcome letter to the first-year students.

“Remember, we all have a role to play in keeping our community safe. If you see something or know something, please say something. This applies to all harmful or potentially harmful behaviors, including hazing,” Johnson wrote.

Despite trainings that are put into place, many organizations still struggle with hazing. Hazing is an increasing outbreak among communities and schools across the country.

According to the Hazing Prevention Network, “47% of students come to college having experienced hazing. [And] 55% of college students involved in clubs, teams, and organizations experience hazing.”

Despite hazing policies and other school rules and regulations across the country, schools must trust their students

to uphold such policies and adhere to their expectations; however, it is unknown what happens behind closed doors.

In a recent letter sent to USD students on Sept. 12 entitled “Building a Community of Hope, Truth and Compassion” from President James T. Harris III, he states expectations regarding students for the year based on Cardinal Robert McElroy’s homily at the Mass of the Holy Spirit.

“My hope for our university community is that we act in a forthright manner and with compassion when faced with issues that challenge the well-being of any member of our campus,” Harris said.

President Harris proceeded to address the football situation directly within the letter.

“As many of you are aware, this semester we were shocked and deeply concerned regarding allegations of bullying or hazing on our Torero football team.

I am grateful for the quick action of Head Coach Brandon Moore and Athletic Director Bill McGillis in response to these allegations and commend those who bravely stepped forward to share their experiences. Team sanctions and penalties were enforced immediately, and the matter was also referred to the San Diego Police Department. In addition, we have launched an independent inquiry to determine if there were violations of the student code of conduct or infringements upon the individual rights of any member of our student body.”

President Harris expressed the relevance of addressing the situation in his letter.

“I bring this matter to your

attention because I wish to be clear that any form of bullying, hazing, or other actions that threaten any member of our community have no place here at USD. Such behavior will not be tolerated, and zero tolerance means zero tolerance. Every member of our community has chosen to be here to learn, to share and to build an

environment of hope, trust, and compassion where all members have a clear sense of belonging.”

If you are a victim of hazing at USD or in another other organization, resources include filing an anonymous report with the Department of Public Safety at USD, filling out a compliance form through USD, and/or calling the

National Hazing Hotline which is available 24/7 at 1-888-NOTHAZE (1-888-668-4293). Lastly, the university provides other outlets for relief and help such as the Wellness Center, which can be reached by students at (619)2604655 or email wellness@ sandiego.edu and support from campus ministries.

President James T. Harris III reiterated USD’s zero tolerance policy for hazing. Photo courtesy of @usdfootball/Instagram

USD football played their first game of the season on Sept. 2 despite hazing allegations.

Photo courtesy of @usdfootball/ Instagram

The details of the hazing incident are unknown to the public.

Photo courtesy of @usdfootball/ Instagram

Loyal is leaving Soccer club based out of Torero Stadium announces it will shut down

LUKAS BLANKENSTEIN CONTRIBUTOR

The San Diego Loyal Soccer Club announced that this season would be their last season.

On Aug. 24, the San Diego Loyal Twitter account uploaded a three-minute video from their chairman Andrew Vassiliadis explaining the status of the San Diego soccer team.

“Four years ago, Landon Donovan, myself and our group of investors started on a journey to bring professional soccer back to San Diego,’’ a visibly distraught Vassiliadis began.

“Over the last six months, myself, Ricardo Campos and a small part of my team have been looking at all viable options,” Vassiliadis continued, with tears in his eyes. “Unfortunately, after looking at all that, I have come to the conclusion that this will be the last season for San Diego Loyal,” Vassiliadis said.

The San Diego Loyal currently play in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship, the second division of U.S. soccer.

The USL gave the following press release after the announcement made by Vassiliadis:

“The United Soccer League announced today that it will transition the franchise rights held by USL Championship Club, San Diego Loyal SC’s ownership group, after a viable near and long-term stadium solution in the market did not materialize.” The press release affirmed, “the club has announced that 2023 will be its last season in the league.”

The declaration makes clear what Andrew had already stated, the current iteration of the San Diego Loyal will cease to exist after this season. There remains the possibility of the rights being transferred and the Loyal returning in the future, but for now, Loyal is going out of business.

The Loyal have their home games at USD in the Torero Stadium, but have been searching for a more permanent stadium to house their games.

USL Deputy CEO Justin Papadakis talked about the importance of USL clubs having their own stadiums in a press release.

“Having a modern,

USD MXC at Notre Dame

commercially viable stadium solution is vital to our clubs’ long-term success and is a pillar of the USL’s growth strategy,” Papadakis said. “Despite collectively pursuing multiple potential options with SD Loyal’s leadership in the San Diego area, an appropriate stadium solution has not materialized.”

The USL stated that in the coming month, they will provide more information about the transfer of franchise rights. Vassiliadis also confirmed that in the coming weeks, there will be a question-and-answer session about the future of the club.

The announcement of the dissolution of the Loyal came three months after the announcement of a new Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise in San Diego. The city of San Diego has always been seen as a potential destination for MLS expansion. It was speculated that the Loyal might be part of the new MLS franchise. This was spurred on in part because they were co-owned by the U.S. men’s national team former player Landon Donovan. However, the MLS elected to go with a joint ownership between Egyptian billionaire Mohammed Mansour and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, a tribe located in Southern California.

According to LaJolla.com in an article entitled “San Diego Loyal SC Shutting Down At End of Current Season,” the article theorized that the announcement of MLS club was related to the dissolution of the Loyal club, stating that San Diego is getting a Major League Soccer franchise, which is slated to arrive in the city sometime in 2025.”

With similar stories taking place in Austin and St. Louis, San Diego offers another example of the struggles of running a USL club in the same city as the MLS.

Many fans have argued that the MLS creation of clubs as corporate entities rather than fan-driven efforts is potentially detrimental to the long-term growth and success of U.S. soccer. At the Loyal’s first home match after the announcement of their disbandment, a banner was displayed that stated, “a community is built, not bought,” implying their support of the USL’s grassroots soccer club over the MLS corporate soccer clubs.

The announcement of the club’s dissolution was also met

with sadness from fans of the club. The Locals, one of the largest fan groups for the Loyal, posted this message to their Twitter account the day of the announcement.

“Today’s announcement is nothing short of devastating… From dreaming of a team that would represent us, to the pride of building that club, to the joy of our inclusive community, to the hope of hearing that the Loyal ‘aren’t going anywhere,’ to today’s devastating finality, this has been an emotional journey,” the post said. It was not, however, all doom and gloom. Vassilidas’s messaging also encouraged

people to continue to show pride for their club.

Vassilidas implored people to “come and celebrate, and not mourn what we have done over the past four years.”

The Locals echoed this sentiment. “Our passionate support has not waivered and will continue until the last minute of SD Loyal soccer has been played. We will not let sadness quiet us, we choose to stand and sing louder than ever.”

The Loyal have three remaining home games in the regular season: Sept. 24 at 3 p.m. against Las Vegas, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. against Monterey and Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. against Oakland.

They are also currently fourth in the Western Conference, which would give them an additional home playoff game. The Locals confirmed that for the last two regular season home games, they will have a pre-game party at “Bum’s Barking Lot” (the parking lot behind the JCP).

It’s clear from the continued support for the club that fans care for this club. People showed up to their first home game after the announcement with a new vigor and continued support for the club they helped grow. What the future holds for the Loyal is unknown, but what many do know is the impact they had on their fans and the community.

Loyal fans pictured supporting their team, showing a glimpse of the “built not bought” banner.

Photo courtesy of @sandiegoloyal/Instagram

San Diego Loyal players pictured at a practice before a game. Photo courtesy of @sandiegoloyal/Instagram