Highlander University
Volume 63
of
C a l i f o r n i a , R ive r s i d e
Serving the UCR community since 1954
Issue 12
FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2015
State sexual assault law goes into effect
Driver licenses available for undocumented Californians Due to AB 60, millions can now apply for driver licenses.
AARON GRECH Senior Staff Writer
may benefit from this recent state law. “About time!” was UCR alumni Jorge Ascencio’s first reaction to the law. “I say this because it’s common sense to give undocumented people licenses. Why? Because they will still drive no matter what. And now that they have to go through the same test (as) any citizen … there will be a greater sense of security knowing they had to pass a driving test.” In addition to the sense of safety the law will provide, Ascencio added that it makes financial sense to provide undocumented immigrants with licenses because it will provide additional funds into state coffers. ASUCR Vice President of External Affairs and formerly undocumented UCR student Abraham Galvan also feels the recent law is beneficial because it enables undocumented immigrants to travel safely and legally. At the same time, Galvan addressed the challenges that still face many individuals who are still seeking citizenship in the United States.
State law SB 967, meant to address issues of sexual assault and violence, has gone into effect at the beginning of 2015. Commonly called “Yes means yes,” the bill was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in September 2014 and requires new policies on consent across all public and private universities. The most prominent feature of the legislation is an affirmative consent standard, which defines consent as “conscious and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity.” This requires all parties to give mutual consent that can be revoked at any time. Many campuses have come under fire in recent years for their alleged mishandlings of sexual assault cases. In response, many students across college campuses have rallied for improvements on existing sexual assault legislation, including a better definition of sexual consent in the law. UCR students have also expressed their desire for policy changes by taking action on a campus level. In late October 2014, UCR students joined campuses across the country in the “Carry That Weight” campaign against sexual assault and violence. In addition, a gender studies requirement which was passed by the ASUCR senate last May is currently going through the administrative academic approval process. In the most recent crime statistics of 2013, UCR recorded six sexual assaults, which is lower than many other campuses in the UC system. However, the reports may be inaccurate as survivors of assaults are less likely to file complaints, according to a recent White House report. ASUCR Senator Summer Shafer expressed her support for the law “because of the clarity it brings to what consent is,” she said. “UCR and college campuses need a more long-term and sustainable solution, like this law, to make sure that we are constantly encouraging consent culture.” Currently, the campus offers many resources about preventing sexual assault. All registered student organizations are required to attend a retreat each year in the HUB, where they are given a presentation about sexual assault. In addition, the Women’s Resource Center provides other resources such as through Sexual Assault and Violence Education, a peer mentor group that aims to prevent
► SEE DRIVER LICENSE, PAGE 5
► SEE ASSAULT LAW, PAGE 5
VINCENT TA / HIGHLANDER In an effort to increase road safety, a law recently went into affect that allows undocumented immigrants to apply for California driver licenses.
SANDY VAN Senior Staff Writer
A
landmark state law went into effect on Jan. 2, 2014, permitting millions of undocumented immigrants in California to apply for their driver licenses after being banned for more than two decades. In 2013, Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 60 (AB 60) into law as a way of increasing road safety by providing more individuals with licenses. According to a DMV report on 23 years of crash data, unlicensed drivers were more likely to cause fatal collisions than drivers with licenses. In turn, the implementation of AB 60 also reversed a 1993 state ban, which prevented immigrants from applying for a driver license without proof of legal U.S. residency. This year, California has become the 10th state to dole out licenses to undocumented immigrants. To accompany AB 60, another state law also went into effect under the California Low Cost Auto Insurance Pro-
gram through which undocumented Californians will, for the first time, be able to obtain affordable car insurance. “DMV is committed to successfully implementing this new law to increase safety on California roads by putting licensed drivers behind the steering wheel,” DMV Director Jean Shiomoto said in a press release.
residency and identity. Undocumented immigrants can obtain their driver license by showing proof of identity and California residency, passing a vision and driver test, providing a thumbprint, getting their picture taken, passing a road sign test and behind-the-wheel driving test and paying a $33 fee. The new driver licenses
“... it’s common sense to give undocumented people licenses.” - UCR alumni Jorge Ascencio In anticipation of the large influx of applicants, the DMV has extended the appointment system from 45 to 90 days in advance and now offers Saturday hours at 60 different locations. DMV Media Spokesperson Jaime Garza said 900 more employees were also hired and an AB 60 website was also created as a one-stop shop for applicants to learn more about the application process and required documentation about
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will include the words “federal limits apply,” prohibiting undocumented immigrants from using the card to establish eligibility for employment, registering to vote and applying for public benefits. “It’s your license to drive on the roads of California, but you can’t use it to board a plane (or) to enter a federal building,” said Garza. There are approximately 300 undocumented students enrolled at UC Riverside who
EDITORIAL
RINGING in the NEW YEAR with a RESOLUTION? We have some advice on how to follow through
NEWS 1 • OPINIONS 6 • FEATURES 9 • A&E 13 • SPORTS 20
Private funding is only a shortterm stop-gap in the bigger fight to secure funding from the state Page 9
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