Volume 69 Issue 24

The Highlander

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

For the week of Monday, April 26, 2021

VOL. 69, ISSUE 24

est. 1954

ARCHIVE / THE HIGHLANDER

NEWS

ARCHIVE / THE HIGHLANDER

ASUCR elections see a rise in voter turnout

DESPITE HAVING TO HOST ANOTHER ELECTION WEEK ONLINE, THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED.

DAVINA GARCIA Assistant News Editor

In light of continued COVID-19 closures and precautions, this year’s ASUCR elections were once again conducted entirely online. All students received a personalized ballot link via email, with polling hours opened from 8:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., Monday, April 19 to Friday, April 23.

In an email interview with The Highlander, Elections Director Lama Yassine stated that she feels the Elections Committee and she did well, given the unusual circumstances. They reportedly had many candidates and voters alike talk to them about how fun the elections process was in spite of its remote status.

“I am incredibly grateful for the hard work of the elections committee,” she stated.

“They have done a phenomenal job in pulling off a job that nobody has done virtually before.”

According to Yassine, they had around 13.7% of students who voted, compared to last year’s online voter turnout, which was lower at 11.4% of the student population.

She added that the voter turnout for this year was even more significant due to the lack of referenda on the ballot, which Yassine affirmed is often “a main driving source” behind the amount of students who participate.

Still, Yassine admitted that planning and conducting the elections process was not without some challenges. One of the biggest issues of this year was the fact that there were fewer candidates. Once eligibility confirmations were made, there were only 47 total students running for ASUCR positions, versus 86 students from the year prior. “This actually makes it harder to get students out to vote, because a huge part of our voters, ~26% according to a study done by the SVC (Student Voice Committee), vote simply because they know a candidate personally,” she said. According to Yassine, with a lack of competition, there is also less of a demand for candidates to create larger campaigns that might reach more people.

Another obstacle that carried over from last year was the difficulty of student outreach due to UCR’s closed campus. ► SEE ASUCR PAGE 3

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

SPORTS

UCR’s women’s golf finish fifth in the Big West Championship

AMIDST A SHORT SEASON, THE HIGHLANDERS MANAGE TO GROW AND SHOW PROMISE FOR FUTURE YEARS.

KEVIN CONTRERAS Assistant Sports Editor

After a season cut short, the Highlander women’s golf team participated in the Big West Women’s Golf Championship. The short season began on March 1 with a threeday tournament hosted by Grand Canyon University in Arizona. The women played a total of three tournaments in preparation for the championship, giving them little time to prepare for the championship. This final three-day tournament was hosted by the Yorba Linda Country Club, taking place between April 19 to 21.

Despite little time to prepare, the women’s team managed to make the best with what they had. The women’s team only began practice in February, while normally they would have begun in September.

“There is a lot of training that goes on very early in the season and we have such a young team. We’ve got two freshmen and two sophomores in the line up, and it’s almost like we have a team built mainly of freshmen because last year our season was cut so short,” said Head Coach Mary

Ritchie. “Our performance gradually improved over the season, and I think our performance at the conference sort of demonstrated that as well,” she added.

The Highlanders had a rocky start in the first 18 holes of the 54 hole tournament, coming in 12th over par at the end of the first day. Despite the shaky beginning, the Highlanders quickly got into the rhythm of things, quickly rising to fifth place by the end of day two. By the end of day three, UCR had secured their fifth place position in the tournament and came in one under par.

Freshman Vanessa Betancourt came in T4 at the end of the third day, a large jump from T24 at the end of day one. Freshman Kate Villegas and sophomore Mylan Hirata tied for T17. Senior Nao Brando landed in the 24th place, and sophomore Nicole Le in the 39th.

“That’s an illustration of what can happen when more time and more experience allows a player to get into the flow of things. One under par the final day, we were trending much better, and ► SEE WOMEN’S GOLF PAGE 10

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FEATURES 9

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MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021

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Upcoming Events: Week 5

Humans of UCR JORDAN EDWARDS | MECHANICAL ENGINEERING | FOURTH -YEAR COMPILED BY THE HIGHLANDER STAFF

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Southern California Edison Coffee Chat 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Virtual Event

Monday

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Accessible Documents and Newsletters 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Virtual Event

Undergraduate Wellness Circle 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Virtual Event

Sierra Club: Local Wildflower Viewing Tips 12 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Virtual Event

Astronomy Night - Sky Hunters Kids aged 5-10 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Virtual Event

Tuesday

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Wednesday

“I am the vice president of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) at UCR and a mechanical design lead on the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).

I am also the peer mentor lead for the Passing the Torch Peer Mentorship Program (PTPM) through NSBE. I enjoy gardening and engineering related

Education Major & Minor Info Session 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Virtual Event

Thursday

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Using Zotero for Citation Management 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Virtual Event

Climate Action Leadership Series (CALS) 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Virtual Event

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CED Virtual Open House 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Virtual Event

Indeed Workshop Decoding the Whiteboard 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Virtual Event

projects. I am very passionate about my community and strive to improve the Black experience at UCR everyday. I started the PTPM to provide Black engineering freshmen and transfer students at UCR with a peer mentor that will help them throughout their first year at UCR. I created the curriculum for the program which focuses on academic and personal development in

Friday

the fall quarter, professional development in winter quarter and leadership development in spring quarter.”

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Saturday

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2021 Women’s Leadership Conference 9 a.m.

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NEWS

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► FROM ASUCR

Yassine explained that it can be extremely challenging to reach and connect with other students on a virtual platform, as opposed to an in-person setting, in which students would normally be encountering obvious outreach efforts while walking across campus, like tabling events.

In order to combat this, Yassine and the Elections Committee concentrated much of their efforts on social media outreach, from nightly Instagram lives to online conventions for candidates in which voters were free to interact and ask questions about each running individual. In addition, the Elections Committee heavily utilized giveaways as an incentive to participate. “I wanted to ensure that people could interact with us

MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021

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ASUCR

virtually and knew where to find us and wanted to gain the attention for it to be possible through these giveaways,” Yassine stated.

She told The Highlander that they are very much aware of the fact that around 50% of students only participate in these elections just for the accompanying prizes.

Knowing this, the committee created surveys to find out what prizes the student population would be most interested in and held giveaways that required sharing with other friends and knowing some trivia about the ASUCR election. Prizes ranged from restaurant and shopping gift cards to iPads. According to Yassine, this was met with positive feedback from other students. She added that when considering the types of prizes

that would be given, she took into account how the pandemic has been negatively impacting people. “I know how many students were struggling during the pandemic. I wanted to use the budget as much as I could to give back to the students,” Yassine stated.

When thinking about the future, Yassine claims that there needs to be a better way to clear up all the misconceptions that students have about student government and voting. “Many seniors think they can’t vote.

Many STEM students think they’re ineligible to vote. Many students don’t think voting in ASUCR elections will benefit them or realize the potential of what ASUCR officials can do,” she stated. While she made

efforts toward educating students on the topic, Yassine stated that there is still a significant part of the student population that is not well acquainted with ASUCR and their contributions to the university community.

Yassine believes that one way to combat this problem is to make an interactive effort to introduce UCR’s student government to incoming students during their orientation.

“We can’t expect students to see how ASUCR applies to all of them if we are just another tent at orientation for students to walk past,” she stated. Yassine would like to see ASUCR being consciously included in the orientation presentations so students can know how this student government functions

on campus, how to access representatives and how effective ASUCR can be in addressing and implementing student demands.

In doing this, Yassine affirmed that the added effect would also likely help increase freshmen involvement with ASUCR. In turn, there would be more candidates running for office, higher voter turnout and stronger representation of the diverse student population experience at UCR. “The ASUCR officials are nothing without the students,” she concluded. For those interested, the results of the election will be announced on Tuesday, April 27 at 8:30 p.m. through an @asucr_elections H Instagram live.■

ARCHIVE / THE HIGHLANDER

ASUCR passes resolution advocating for affordable textbooks across the UC

CALPIRG STUDENTS RALLY IN SUPPORT OF THEIR UC WIDE CAMPAIGN.

LAURA ANAYA-MORGA News Editor

On Wednesday, April 22, ASUCR held their fourth meeting of the quarter. Members of The California Public Interest Research Group at UCR spoke during public forum in support of an upcoming piece of legislation advocating for the use of open textbooks at UCR. Ria Mavinkure, the UCR chapter chair for CALPIRG, urged the senate to vote “yes” on the resolution and expressed her support for open textbooks or Open Educational Resources. “As a student that received financial aid, I understand that it’s a nearly impossible hardship that comes with achieving financial security during college. I think mentioning open textbooks will be a huge step in the right direction,” she said.

SR-S21-006 Resolution in Support of Affordable Textbooks Across The UC was primarily authored by Vice President of External Affairs Vincent Rasso and CALPIRG members Ria Mavinkure and Zelina Johnson. The resolution follows CALPIRG’s affordable textbooks

campaign which calls for increased affordability and accessibility of course materials.

Henry Alfaro, a student member for CALPIRG, wrote in support for the resolution.

He stated that during his time at UCR, his roommate was unable to pass a class due to not being able to afford the textbook and urged the senate to consider the impact that affordable textbooks can have on students.

The students presented their findings and explained that open textbooks are written under an open license which makes them more affordable to print; they are faculty written and free to use for students through the university

library. OERs do not only consist of textbooks, but include a platform for quizzes, homework assignments and tests, and are customizable to professors and their course requirements.

The Affordable Textbooks campaign is being supported by CALPIRG students statewide, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic where students have experienced increased financial hardship. CALPIRG students have met with members of the UC Regents to advocate for their campaign and stated that more support is needed at the student level to ensure that their efforts are being noticed.

The resolution was passed with a vote of 16-0-0.

The student voice committee also presented the results for their student employment survey. 23 questions were presented to students to analyze the wages and benefits of student employees on and off campus during the pandemic. 65% of students were working off campus and 45% on campus; nearly twothirds reported being satisfied with their jobs and 46% of respondents reported receiving Work Study benefits.

The meeting was H adjourned at 7:15 p.m. ■

4 MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021

NEWS

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UCR IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING EIGHT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, MAKING HEADWAY ON THE STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER AND PARKING STRUCTURE 1.

Despite the campus closure, campus construction projects at UCR continue to make headway ATENAS ODRIOZOLA Contributing Writer

COURTESY OF STAN LIM AT UCR

Though the campus closure has driven students home, UC Riverside has continued on many of its construction projects. There are currently eight active projects being built on campus: the Pierce Hall renovation, Student Success Center, the North District, Parking Structure 1, electrical infrastructure improvements, the off-campus UC Intellicenter, the Falkirk Apartments seismic improvements and the Watkins Lecture Hall renovation.

The pandemic has affected the construction projects to varying degrees, explained Jacqueline Norman, the assistant vice chancellor of the Office of Planning, Budget & Administration and UCR’s campus architect. Construction crews and staff all had safety practices implemented; however, the progress and speed of the construction projects were affected the most.

The next construction project to be completed will be Parking Structure 1. The parking structure is located at the existing

Lot 13 and has expanded to include four levels and to accommodate close to 1,300 parking spaces. The structure will also contain over 100 electrical vehicle charging stations and bicycle parking.

According to the department of Planning, Design & Construction, the projected time of completion is expected to be sometime this spring.

The last two projects, the Pierce Hall renovations and the Student Success Center, are set to be completed this year during the summer. Pierce Hall will undergo renovations that will upgrade the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, and it will also obtain replacements for the electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems.

“In some instances, construction progress was slowed a bit by material delays related to the pandemic, and in other instances, some projects were actually able to accelerate the pace of construction due to the campus closure, as the general contractors were able to work without concern for causing disruption that normally can be challenging when campus is open,” stated Norman.

The Student Success Center was one of the latter. Located in the center of the campus, the removal of student traffic helped in speeding up construction. In its latest construction update, the seating framing, electrical rough-ins, window glazing and ceiling grid are in progress.

Mihai Gavan, project manager for the Student Success Center construction project, stated in an interview with The Highlander, “It helped us … From a safety perspective, we didn’t have to look in all directions. It helped us focus a little bit more and bring equipment and materials faster in the core of campus at our sites.”

The building will be completed by August 2021, before students return to campus in the fall. Gavan’s next construction project will be the School of Medicine Education Building 2. The 65,000 square feet facility will help in accommodating for the growing class sizes, which has increased to 125 students per class. The Design Build competition phase has since concluded, and the project received approval from the UC H Board of Regents. ■

Opinions

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OPINIONS

MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021

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THE HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

UCR is extremely underfunded — our student body deserves equity COURTESY OF PEXELS

IN COMPARISON TO OLDER UCS, PREDOMINANTLY BLACK AND BROWN CAMPUSES SUCH AS UCR ARE BEING SEVERELY UNDERFUNDED, LEAVING STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO PAY THE PRICE.

U

CR is one of the most diverse campuses within the University of California system, while also being one of the most underfunded. In comparison to older universities such as UC Berkeley or UCLA, who have been accused of admitting an onslaught of wealthy white students, the much more diverse UCR is barely scraping by. UCR is dealing with a growing number of students — primarily low-income and firstgeneration —and facilities that are practically falling apart, and therefore it is unacceptable that the University of California Office of the President is ignoring this blatant display of inequity. Something needs to be done so that funds are equally distributed across the UC campuses. If UCR continues to lose out on valuable financial support, it will not have the resources necessary to care for its students and faculty.

The underfunding of UCR is adversely affecting students and faculty alike on campus. Budget cuts as a result of the pandemic have been institution-wide, but it should come as no surprise that they have affected UCR the most. The fact that UCR has to even consider cutting something as big as athletics or the School of Public Policy is enough evidence to show how much less funding the campus gets compared to other UC campuses. And if we don’t

get the money we deserve, the list of programs to cut may not stop there. UCR cannot stand to lose any more programs that benefit its student body. We already do not have enough resources to support everyone on campus, so losing more would be a large blow to those who require them.

On the other hand, facilities are in a state of disrepair — especially in the humanities sect, and the lack of funding has made it impossible to begin any repairs. It is downright depressing to walk through classrooms that are grimy or old, and because of this, morale is extremely low. Students and faculty lack a university that boasts a curb appeal.

UCR is also severely understaffed, with the student to counselor ratio being disproportional most of the time. Advisors are overworked, and classes are always at maximum capacity due to a lack of teachers. At this rate, it will become increasingly difficult for students to get the classes they need, and every class will have to take on more students, which will make important one-on-one time with teachers a rare occurrence. Much worse, teaching assistants are not being paid enough and they are taking on too much work in order to supplement the fact that this university lacks proper staffing.

While many people are classifying this as a case of racism on the UC’s part, this issue is bigger than that. The U.S. education system in

general has been notoriously inequitable, and the fact that the UC is treating its most diverse campus this way is merely a side effect of a broken system that has already been in place. This situation is very reminiscent of redlining, in which regions containing marginalized individuals receive less funding. And although it is likely that the UC is doing this unconsciously, they must still be held accountable in recognizing this unfairness and fixing it. UCR is in the middle of the Inland Empire, and if you compare the demographics of people to UCLA or UCSD, the difference is clear. We have more firstgeneration students coming from low-income families.

As a result, it’s likely that this ties directly into why we get less funding, but enough is enough. The UC system needs to reallocate the right help that our students deserve. They have the responsibility as a prestigious institution to set an example and to make sure that the tradition of redlining ends with their campuses.

As much as UCR students and faculty can advocate for themselves, resources must directly come from UCOP. Unless they get enough pressure from students and faculty, nothing will be enough to coerce them into giving us the funds we desperately need.

At the end of the day, UCOP will not dole out adequate funding out of the goodness of their hearts; it needs to come from accountability.

The funds being allocated toward campuses like UCLA or UC Berkeley must be redistributed so that all campuses, especially campuses with underserved communities like UCR, have the chance to thrive. The older campuses are already established and have a more secure footing — and other campuses must also be given this right. The reallocation of funds from older campuses will greatly benefit underfunded schools like UCR, which will help provide a better life for our college students.

With this money, the school will have the opportunity to implement better programs that have the ability to help people from marginalized communities on campus the most. It is indisputable that UCR students and faculty are as deserving of as much funding as UCLA students and faculty. Our student body is on the rise, and the obvious benefit of redistribution would be that so many more students from diverse backgrounds would be better supported and successful in their pursuits.

Of course, there will be inevitable pushback from students at the other campuses.

They may argue that it’s unfair that some of the money they rely on will no longer be there; however, these schools have a large source of revenue coming from not just the UC, but from medical centers or athletics.

Redistributing funds and leveling the playing field would not be a large hindrance to the students of these campuses.

Wealthier campuses are able to better serve their student body with resources and counselors simply by the fact that they have more revenue to reach their students and provide for their needs.

Schools like UCLA and UCSD get a lot of money from donors, which should remain in their budget, but government funds should be reallocated.

This way, everything will be more equal. We’re not asking to steal funds from these campuses directly; we’re asking that the UC reanalyze the way they distribute their money.

Other UCs should realize that we are all one collective university system that should come together to support one another. All schools need proper funding for their students to succeed, so this should be something that all the campuses can rally behind.

It is up to the UCOP to make the final decision instead of leaving it up to the chancellors to agree upon. We cannot allow this issue to become buried.

UCOP must be firm and act swiftly so that UCR, in addition to the older campuses, has the opportunity to do right by their H students and faculty. ■

The Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board.

They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

6 MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021

THE PAUSE IN THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE PROMPTS A NEED FOR CLARITY AND TRANSPARENCY FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION REGARDING VACCINE SAFETY.

OPINIONS

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The Johnson & Johnson vaccine production halt has left many questioning its effectiveness DAVID MORENO Staff Writer

COVID-19 vaccine administration tactics have reached millions of people in the United States alone. The vaccines have been consistently criticized by many, prompting many Americans to not feel comfortable to take it. As a result, the Biden administration needs to be completely transparent with the American people regarding vaccine safety.

With the spread of so much misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, it is critical that government organizations and community leaders help stop the spread of false information. The recent news about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has the potential to severely lower vaccine trust in the public.

Because of this, the Biden administration, alongside the Food and Drug Administration, must work extra hard to ensure that they

make it clear to the American public that what happened with J&J is being taken care of.

The Biden administration has done fairly well when it comes to vaccine transparency and distribution plans. In March, President Biden announced that all Americans would be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine

by May 1 while promising to have most of the country back to a sense of normalcy by Fourth of July weekend. During his first 75 days in office, over 150 million doses of the vaccine were administered to Americans across the country. President Biden has been actively encouraging all Americans to continue wearing masks and practicing all other forms of safety measures. This is a clear shift in tone from the Trump administration, which, to a certain point in time, denied the severity of COVID-19. From this, the White House has argued that the pause in the J&J vaccine distribution shows how cautious the Biden administration is and that they are taking every necessary precaution to ensure public safety.

One of the biggest challenges during this pandemic has been the amount of false information regarding COVID-19. As millions of people get infected and hundreds of thousands fall into hospitalized states, Americans should feel a sense of urgency to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. However, many simply don’t trust it enough to take it. The Biden administration needs to take a more robust stance against anti-vaccine discussion online. It’s critical that our current administration is doing everything in their power to educate the public about COVID-19 and the benefits of receiving a vaccine.

Allowing misinformation regarding vaccines will only hinder the Biden administration’s pro-vaccine initiative.

As the J&J vaccine re-enters distribution in the coming days, it’s important that it’s administered with full confidence. The J&J vaccine has been incredibly effective in getting senior citizens and other at risk communities vaccinated faster. This has also been great in getting groups such as people who live in rural areas and those who work long shifts vaccinated. These groups are the ones who the Biden administration is going to have to work to regain their trust in the vaccine. President Biden has reassured the public that there’s enough Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to continue successfully vaccinating Americans at a rapid pace. In fact, the J&J vaccine only makes up about 5% of the recorded vaccine shots in the United states. Out of this 5%, there have only been six recorded cases of blood clots. While the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention come to a conclusion about the future of the J&J vaccine, it’s important that they have enough evidence in order to provide reassurance to the public.

It’s imperative that the Biden administration directly addresses the concerns many Americans have about taking a vaccine. That small percentage of people who have taken and will take the J&J vaccine is made up by millions of Americans. For many of them, the J&J vaccine is their only option when choosing to get vaccinated.

Ensuring that Americans in these positions feel comfortable and safe receiving this vaccine should be a number one priority for H the current administration. ■

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The Russia-Ukraine conflict is getting serious, but we cannot let it devolve into a war THE DEEP-SEATED RESENTMENT BETWEEN UKRAINE AND RUSSIA WILL NOT ONLY BE SOLVED WITH MILITARY CONFLICT. EVELYN HOMAN Assistant Opinions Editor

The worst thing about rising tensions in military contexts is that far too often, it seems like the only way out is war. And though the Russia-Ukraine War has been ongoing since 2014, the troops gathering on the borders of both countries seem to imply that something huge and terrifying could be on the horizon for the world as a whole. The allyships that both countries harbor feels eerily akin to those held by the Triple Alliance and Triple Entente prior to World War I, and if history has taught us anything, it’s that these alliances could mean the world gets dragged into this conflict in Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, though it may be reductive to say so, the answer to this altercation is for allies to keep out the best they can and for the military to be dissolved on these borders.

With the state of the world as it is with rising tensions everywhere, nations and their economies recovering from the pandemic and an exhausted population coming out of the throes of 2020, the last thing anyone needs is for a war to start. Especially considering Russia’s substantial nuclear stockpile, the fears that the war could potentially turn nuclear is minimal but sadly must

still be considered. As such, a war must be deterred as much as possible.

Even though Russia has started digging trenches and has amassed more troops along the border than it has in the entire conflict, some sort of military conflict is imminent. The world as a whole cannot allow itself to get involved in the conflict.

Allies to Ukraine and Russia would be better off holding out to see if the two countries can simply settle it themselves.

The world at large should step in only if matters take a turn for the nuclear in order to deter the chances of a nuclear holocaust.

Given this conflict is deep-seated and ongoing, it doesn’t seem likely that either side would be willing to sit down and talk it out with one another.

They see it as easier to duke it out on a battlefield rather than have a diplomatic discussion. However, though this has the potential to escalate into a full-on war, raising awareness in the public of this conflict is a very strong way to warn people of the potential dangers of the situation, especially if nuclear warheads get involved. Educating people on the issues going on between these two countries — to inform the public, rather than make them afraid of it — could have the potential to help de-escalate the conflict, at least from a worldwide stance.

Although anti-war efforts don’t always work, the strong negative sentiment from the world about possibly being dragged into a war might offer the potential for

the two opposing parties to back down if their allies do not want to help them out.

Politically, the world should keep an eye on the conflict but try not to engage, as engaging could further flare up the problem. If one country’s ally backs them up but the other is left hanging, then even more conflicts could arise. One could argue that it is human nature to fight wars and to support allies, but we don’t need another war to scar the surface of a world that is still recovering from last year’s bruises.

The Biden administration has already said it will take further action if Russia keeps upping the tension, but this is the wrong course of action. Some are saying that this conflict might be Russia testing Biden, and the fact that Russia is making this “readiness exercise” so public could mean that they are doing it all for show and might be posturing to make themselves look like the stronger

party in this conflict. Nevertheless, the fact remains that the relations between Ukraine and Russia may very well be legitimate grounds for a battle to break out. Whether or not this gathering of troops is staged does not diminish the fact that it is a dangerous posturing that could result in a battle breaking out.

Regardless of politicians’ sentiments on the matter, if Russia and Ukraine engage in a military conflict, the world must sit back and watch carefully. The population at large cannot afford a war in this current climate, and we should remain laissez-faire about the whole ordeal. Though war is not the answer, it is an unfortunate possibility. If it can be avoided by the world taking a negative stance on it, then all the better to prevent loss of life in both countries and the possibility of a world-stage conflict. War is not the answer; anything to de-escalate H it is.■

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FEATURES

MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021

7

Club Spotlight: Get to know the UCR Gardening Club

CLUB SPOTLIGHTS HIGHLIGHT UCR CLUBS AND THEIR GOALS. ADRIANA MANDUJANO ANGEL Features Editor

The club previously known as Cultivate R’Space in the mid 2000’s has since rebranded in the past year as the UCR Gardening Club. The club was officially reestablished during fall 2020 and since then, the UCR Gardening Club has greatly expanded and flourished despite the looming pandemic. They’ve intrigued students with their goals to combat food insecurity through sustainability and community resilience.

Despite the club having been re-named and re-branded during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has grown in the past year by utilizing online platforms, such as Instagram, to recruit members. Kali Krishnan, secretary of the UCR Gardening Club and second-year applied mathematics and public policy major stated that the club has gone from “zero to over 80 members since the initiation of the club.”

Krishnan was able to create the club’s website from scratch. For board members such as Arely Gomez, social media coordinator and second-year psychology major, this effort is indicative of why the club means a lot to her. “At the beginning, we did not have much, we didn’t even have a logo,” said Gomez “Through teamwork, we were able to shape the club into what it is today.”

As a result, the 2020-2021 board members are all essentially the founding members of the UCR Gardening Club. Leslie Rendon, a fourth-year sustainability studies major and club president stated that, “Despite a rough and very unpredictable beginning, as a club

we’ve developed incredibly meaningful relationships and have virtually advocated for our main pillars while helping fund the R’Garden’s activities during these trying times.”

Being a student-led club, the Gardening Club works closely with the UCR Community Garden, otherwise dubbed the R’Garden. The R’Garden provides fruits and vegetables to the R’Pantry and in turn helps students who face food insecurity.

As a result of COVID-19 budget cuts, the R’Garden has faced financial difficulties due to lack of funding by UCR, but the Gardening Club aims to provide support for the R’Garden. Rendon stated that “The Gardening Club is an extra source of income for the severely underfunded community garden on campus.” This is done by spearheading fundraisers with the intention of handing out a large percentage of proceeds over to the R’Garden.

To date, the UCR Gardening Club has hosted fundraisers, such as the Valentine Gram fundraiser. Valentine Grams were a “new and original idea that tied our concept of gardening with that of a COVID-friendly project that could spread some joy to people who haven’t been able to see each other due to the pandemic. It was extremely successful. We put together and mailed out 60 orders,” said Krishnan.

The club has also collaborated with R’Garden for produce sales that included oranges, pumpkins and celery in hopes of providing financial support to the R’Garden. The club recently won a $1,000 giveaway for being the most voted for organization and plans to donate around half to the R’Garden. According to Andrea Delgado, a second-year environmental science major and community outreach coordinator for the Gardening Club, “As the link and direct support to the R’Garden,

the Gardening Club strives to advocate for our community garden given its vital role in not only providing produce to the R’Pantry, but serving as a food hub and inclusive space for community building and student learning.”

Alongside the clubs efforts to fund the R’Garden they also focus on educating members on a variety of topics to create discourse about community gardens, waterwise gardening, local food insecurity and gardening in general. These discussions are usually held during the clubs biweekly meetings and also sometimes invite guest speakers that do community work related to the clubs mission. In the past, UCR Community Garden Manager Richard Zapien was invited to the club’s meetings as a guest speaker. According to Delgado this is done so “in order to provide a fresh and knowledgeable perspective on such essential topics.”

In honor of Earth Week, club members have given tips and advice to people who might be interested in gardening or reducing waste. According to Rendon in an interview with The Highlander, if you wish to reduce waste in your own home, starting a compost pile is a great way of doing so. Krishnan shared the same sentiments and added that “in terms of helping t h e

environment, planting something — be it a tree or a bush, or just a flower — can be so beneficial to our air, and to the other plants and animals that live around us. (if we don’t use harmful fertilizers, that is).” If this sounds overwhelming Gomez advises to start small by recycling, picking up trash from the floor or even shifting to using reusable water bottles. “Awareness of any issues that may exist is half the battle of fixing them,” stated Krishnan.

If interested in learning the ins and outs of gardening, feel free to sign up on HighlanderLink for their newsletter or check out the Gardening Club’s Instagram page, @ucrgardening, for up-to-date information on club meetings and gardening tips. Lastly, Delgado shared that, “the institutionalized presence of the R’Garden means a step towards food security for highlanders who are in need, and we hope to motivate student advocacy to ensure that our garden’s legacy H and its impacts live on.” ■

Stay green, stay home

SAVING THE PLANET DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A BATTLE FAR FROM HOME. HERE ARE A FEW TIPS ON HOW TO PRACTICE ECO-FRIENDLY HABITS IN YOUR DAILY LIFE. ALEXANDRIA ESTEBAN Assistant Features Editor

Recycle

Don’t let everything go to waste. Keep separate bins for recycling and trash. Material such as cardboard, paper, The climate is changing. With large factories and glass and metal can all be reused. But you don’t have to oil wells polluting the Earth, keeping the planet clean put recyclable items in the recycle bin. You can reuse items seems like an impossible feat. But, even though it seems yourself. Buy reusable grocery bags and water bottles so we have little control over the biggest culprits of world you don’t throw away so many plastic ones. Rinse out pollution, there are still simple tasks we can include in plastic food containers, and reuse them as tupperwares. our everyday lives to keep our planet strong. If you’re Turn your empty plastic bottles into planters. Be creative interested in doing your part to save the environment, try with how you recycle. these tips:

Turn off any electrical items that you are not currently using

Turning off the lights and other electrical items in your house can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Aside from saving energy, it will save you money on electricity bills. Electricity is mainly produced by burning fossil fuels, so the less electricity that we use will ultimately have an effect on how many fossil fuels are burned. Furthermore, turning off your electronics will reduce the amount of light pollution that can be seen at night.

Take shorter showers

Roughly 3% of the Earth’s water is fresh. It is our responsibility to conserve our supply as much as we can.

Restricting your shower time to five minutes will help save freshwater. Set a timer before showering, or play a song that’s about five minutes long to help you keep track of time. When you’re finished showering, make sure that the faucet is closed tight. Leaky faucets can also waste a lot of freshwater.

Donate and spread the word

There are many different organizations that are making efforts to help preserve the planet. For example, the Canopy Project works to fight deforestation by planting trees all over the world. Another organization is the Great Global Cleanup, which works to reduce pollution by cleaning up areas with trash that have not been properly disposed of. If you cannot donate money to these organizations, consider donating your time. Join these projects by planting trees and organizing cleanups in your own community.

Find organizations that you’re interested in, and share them with your friends.

Start a home garden

You don’t need a big backyard to start a garden. You can grow potted plants practically anywhere. Plants help produce oxygen, and depending on what you choose to grow, they can produce food too. Just remember to avoid using harmful pesticides and

fertilizers. Find healthy alternatives such as eggshells and coffee grounds.

The future doesn’t have to be bleak. If we each play our part in taking care of our planet, we can ensure that the environment we live in will remain for many years to H come. ■

8 MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021

Radar

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‘Mortal Kombat’: Balancing fatality and realism THE VISUALS AND WRITING ARE AN AMAZING COMBO OF VIDEO GAME AND MOVIE MEDIA, BUT IT LACKS THE TIME TO EXPLAIN ITS WORLD. MARGARITA MANZO Contributing Writer

In “Mortal Kombat” (2021), writer Greg Russo and director Simon McQuoid aspire to blend the franchise’s brutal violence and complex storyline into something that is also emotional and grounded.

Cole Young (Lewis Tan) is a normal guy from Earth thrown into the fight of Mortal Kombat with fan favorite fighters Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Kano (Josh Lawson) and Jax (Mehcad Brooks) by his side, all trying to stop Shang Tsung (Chin Han) from his malicious deeds before the beginning of the 10th Mortal Kombat tournament.

The narrative is fully aware of the possibility of its audience not being very knowledgeable about the lore. Protagonist Cole Young, an original character, is meant to serve as a guide for newcomers to understand the world of “Mortal Kombat.”

Nevertheless, the film stays grounded in its origins: the movements and writing for the characters had an overthe-top video game quality with moments of comedic relief that grounds them to reality. The comic relief, a

role mostly filled by Kano, is often used to comment on the violent absurdity of what is transpiring on film. This tactic helps to transition us into the world as opposed to being thrown in.

As far as the visuals go, the graphics and fights are fun to watch. It feels like watching a scene in the video game. The characters make subtle movements that imitate the signature moves of their video game counterparts, but don’t shy away from other fighting styles. In the battles with Scorpion and Sub-Zero especially, they matched each other with different intense rhythms that felt fluid and based in real life martial arts. The other battles had more of a video game stiffness and incorporated the combo moves you can unlock in the game. It is simply the visuals and graphics that make me recommend that the film be seen in theaters, since it would feel even more immersive.

As with the visuals, the writing also paid homage to the source material.

Characters would say lines directly from their roles in the games, like “finish him” or “fatality.” Not once does

this hint at its video game origins feel forced. It feels like a natural part of their characters.

In the calmer moments, the character dynamics are developed well. We see the love that Kung Lao (Max Huang) and Liu Kang (Ludi Lin) have for each other, and we get a bit of backstory, especially on Liu Kang.

The downside to the movie is that while it builds on the protagonists of the film, it doesn’t explain much about the details of the Outworld, the oppressive realm of the film’s antagonists. It also doesn’t have any regard for the consequences of its major actions. A big plot point they gloss over is that the villain Shang Tsung is breaking the rules of Mortal Kombat by eliminating Earth’s heroes before the tournament. The film seems to foreshadow consequences to his actions, but they never happen. The only god around to hold him to account is the lightning god, Lord Raiden, who serves as a deus ex machina to get the protagonists out of a situation, but his role in the film is never fully H fleshed out. ■

VERDICT:

“Mortal Kombat” is an entertaining watch, but viewers should either pay close attention to the film to understand the full lore or have previous context before watching. It’s open ending shows clear intent for a sequel.

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Jessie Buckley and Josh O’Connor bring new life to the tragic romance in ‘Romeo & Juliet’ PBS PARTNERS WITH LONDON’S NATIONAL THEATRE TO DELIVER A MASTERFUL TAKE ON CLASSIC SHAKESPEARE. REBECCA SALINAS Contributing Writer

Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona where we lay our scene — or in the Lyttelton Theater in London, in the case of this movie. The PBS TV program “Great Performances” partnered with London’s National Theatre to bring their production of “Romeo & Juliet” to the screen after its initial summer 2020 performance run was canceled. The TV movie premiered on April 23 on the PBS app and stars Josh O’Connor and Jessie Buckley as Romeo and Juliet.

While this story has been told time and time again, the changes in this version of “Romeo & Juliet” make it vibrant. The characters and the atmosphere is electric. Watching each character fill the screen makes viewers get attached to the characters, especially to Juliet, and causes audiences to wish they can alter the series of events that leads to the story’s irreversible ending.

The movie manages to have each event feel like a tragedy and not a cliche.

The production sticks to Shakespearean language and stays true to most of the original play, though does incorporate many changed aspects. For example, Lady Capulet (Tasmin Greig) delivered many of Lord Capulet’s original lines.

Shakespeare purists might be upset at another change — the modernization of the play. The ball where Romeo meets Juliet is more similar to a warehouse party. As Romeo sees Juliet for the first time, she sings into a microphone, hauntingly moaning a song.

In the beginning, the film does not attempt to mask that it takes place on

VERDICT:

a stage; no set design was done to make it feel as if the characters are in Verona.

Instead, the viewer feels as if they are watching a rehearsal of a play. The first scene shows all the actors gathered around, sitting on chairs as they hear the first lines of narration spoken as if they are listening to stage directions. The film is shown as if the group of actors are putting together the performance with the materials they have on hand, but slowly, the viewer is sucked in as the world of Romeo and Juliet becomes real. The wooden props used as knives in the beginning of the film look like real blades by the end.

Similarly, Juliet’s room becomes an actual room after first being a bed in a cluttered stage.

The most important change in this version of “Romeo and Juliet” is the representation of the women in the play. In Shakespeare’s original play, the women come off as ditzy, naive, meek and timid. Juliet was understood to be a foolish girl that was consumed by her infatuation with Romeo, her nurse uneducated and Lady Capulet distant and selfish. The movie vindicates these characters by interpreting their roles differently, successfully demonstrated by Buckley and Greig.

Greig’s performance as Lady Capulet is marvelous and grabs the viewer’s attention in each scene she is in. Greig fills the character with a spitefulness and controlling nature; her version of Lady Capulet is conniving. She is the one in control in the Capulet household, and her behavior has Juliet on edge as she forces Juliet to do what she wants. In one scene, she is able to stop Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, from

starting a fight which would have embarrassed her. The viewer then understands that Lady Capulet exercises her ability to destroy others for her own sake. While this goes along with the original portrayal of Lady Capulet as selfish, it’s a refreshing take that shows that she no longer depends on her husband for her reputation but is the one shaping it.

Buckley is also able to lift Juliet from the naive character Shakespeare wrote. Her version of Juliet is on the verge of breaking as the stress of her family and their feud with the Montagues presses down on her. The monologues she delivers are not the silly dreams of a girl who has just fallen in love, but of someone trying to keep a grip on life. The movie feels like viewers are watching Juliet crack.

Buckley’s performance is full of passion, and Juliet’s love doesn’t seem like the rosiness of a first love. It is genuine. She is constantly worrying for Romeo, who O’Connor also gives an excellent performance as.

He doesn’t change much of the original version of the character, but he is able to embody the role. He makes the anger Romeo has toward the familial dispute appear as if it didn’t rise from trivial disputes between boys, but of a deeply rooted fear of his demise by an awful destiny he feels the universe has set.

Overall, the program is beautiful. Despite Buckley and O’Connor being older than the roles they play, their acting fills the characters and brings them to life. There are no dull scenes in the movie. Every actor brilliantly executed their role, adding to the H movie’s depth. ■

This movie must be watched. PBS’ “Romeo & Juliet” isn’t a typical remake; it is a masterful adaptation of a well-known story.

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/ae

BRILLIANT DIALOGUE AND AN EXCEPTIONAL CAST MAKE FOR A COMPELLING POLITICAL DRAMA.

COLIN CARNEY Radar Editor

Debuting in 1999, NBC’s “The West Wing” placed audiences right in the middle of the day-to-day operations of the White House staff. Featuring breathtaking writing from series creator Aaron Sorkin, “The West Wing” crafts a compelling narrative across its seven outstanding seasons.

“The West Wing” follows the fictional presidency of Josiah “Jed” Bartlett (Martin Sheen) and his senior White House staff as they handle the day-to-day functionings of the executive branch. Over the course of the show’s seven seasons, the Bartlett administration tackles a litany of controversial political issues, ranging from homosexuals in the military to the sale and purchase of firearms. What makes this show even more refreshing than just its insightful takes on pressing issues is the strict adherence to political realities.

Bartlett’s administration is not a perfect presidency. He is unable to pass every policy he pushes or win every battle he chooses to fight, just as a real life president does. The show takes audiences behind the scenes and has them witness the political maneuverings and partisan politics of the U.S. government, which isn’t always pretty. It’s this imperfect portrayal of a U.S. president that is unable to achieve everything on his agenda that makes the show so compelling, and it makes his onscreen achievements even more rewarding.

This show’s writing and storytelling can be described as nothing less than exceptional, and that is only made greater thanks to its excellent cast. Featuring a stacked cast of exceptional on-screen

JASHANPREET MALHI Staff Writer

Ever wanted to go back to finish that dream you had? Maybe it’s the one where you became a millionaire or one where you were reunited with a lost loved one.

But consider the possibility the dream wasn’t actually yours, rather a fabrication that someone implanted in your mind.

Christopher Nolan, known for his nonlinear storytelling and ambiguity in films, explores this notion of dreams in his sci-fi action film, “Inception.” The film follows Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), whose skill for extracting valuable information from people in their weakened dream state makes him a fugitive and prevents him from reuniting with his children. He has a chance for redemption when he is hired by a billionaire businessman for the ultimate, difficult mission of implanting a dream into his competitor’s mind, whose company poses a threat to his business.

Cobb assembles a team composed of an architect, chemist and other brilliant minds to succeed in the heist. “Inception” is a mind-bending watch with intricate details that make it a truly unique film.

A large part of what makes the film fascinating is its ambiguity and complexity.

“Inception” tells its story in different layers that explores three dreams within dreams.

The film not only includes the major plot of the team’s journey to accomplish their mission, but also a sub-plot which explores Cobb’s married life before becoming a fugitive. The film seamlessly tells two

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021

9

‘The West Wing’ brilliantly shows us how the presidency should be run talent that includes Martin Sheen, John Spencer and Allison Janney, “The West Wing” presents the audience with complex and compelling characters that each endear themselves to viewers. As I write this, I struggle to name a single character, series lead or guest star, that didn’t stand out or capture my interest and appreciation in some capacity. Sorkin’s expert dialogue is artfully delivered by this stunning cast as they tackle crisis after crisis.

Though Jed Bartlett is the president, it’s his senior staff that comprise the majority of the show. The relationships that exist between the staff elevates the quality of the storytelling as audiences experience the highs and lows of each cast member. For

a show that covers so many political issues that are sure to divide viewers’ opinions, it’s a testament to the writing and character portrayals that audiences can’t help but root for them despite any political bias.

Furthermore, it’s not just the upper echelons of the West Wing that are given the spotlight in the show, but also the secretaries, researchers and counsel that help achieve the president’s policy agenda.

Some of the show’s most heartfelt or comedic moments come from interactions between Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) and his Senior Assistant Donna Moss (Janel Moloney).

Never is there a dull moment in this show as Sorkin’s remarkable writing and the cast’s

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RADAR REPLAY

COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES

storylines, the impossible mission and Cobb’s personal life, which compliment one another. It’s one of those movies where you have to watch a few times to understand it in its entirety, and each time you do, you’ll find something new.

Most sci-fi/thriller films are known for their action-packed sequences and rapid car chases, but “Inception” is different in that it places the audience in a whirlwind of emotions. The audience experiences confusion and frustration due to the vast amount of detail regarding dreams and the subconscious mind, while on the

other hand, it undergoes sympathy for Cobb and his sorrowful marriage. The audience is able to appreciate the film and its unanswered questions through various viewings.

With its focus on dreams and infinite possibilities, “Inception” contains a myriad of subtle messages. Through showcasing the extreme attention to detail the team is posed with when implanting a dream, “Inception” questions our perception of the very reality we live in. At times, it’s difficult to perceive whether the team is in a dream or reality. Since “Inception” is

masterclass performances can transform even the most mundane political subject into a captivating discussion of American political realities.

Perhaps the most impressive feat “The West Wing” achieves is its insightful and respectful handling of touchy political topics. Taking place in the early 2000s, this show covers a lot of ground and addresses some of the most controversial political subjects of its time, some of which we struggle with still today. Throughout the course of the show, Jed Bartlett and his administration are faced with challenges stemming from religion, terrorism, gay rights, gun violence and countless other subjects. Plus, as previously mentioned, Bartlett doesn’t always win his fights.

The painful realization that it is nearly impossible for any one president to achieve the breadth of his policy agenda is made abundantly clear in this show, but it never stops the subject from being addressed.

“The West Wing” provides a masterclass in political theory and philosophy, respectfully presenting both sides on a range of issues as they engage in insightful political debate and discourse behind the scenes in the halls of the West Wing.

Aaron Sorkin’s “The West Wing” presents a brilliant and artfully realistic representation of the daily occurrences of the executive branch. It presents to audiences a refreshingly flawed yet realistic White House where all the problems of the world are not solved on a daily basis, but rather one where insightful discourse H dominates. ■

known for its ambiguity, the audience is left to ponder for themselves what actually occurred in the film. In turn, the audience experiences its own “dream” by imagining how the story is unfolding. Thus, it places the audience directly in the film by causing them to also experience a dreamlike state as the film follows the team’s journey in various dream worlds. The film signifies that one’s interpretation of their surroundings is what gives life meaning, as reality is what we make of it.

As the main character, Cobb presents an interesting character study on morality.

On one hand, Cobb’s choice to take the mission can be justified because he is doing it for the sake of his family. However, his actions may be selfish as he is overstepping boundaries to invade someone else’s privacy by implanting false beliefs. Cobb is split between upholding his role as a father or tampering with someone’s beliefs, and it is up to the audience to decide if his intentions are justified.

“Inception” can be watched multiple times, especially considering that it is inevitable to miss key aspects in the first watch. The film’s complexity in creating dreams makes for an intriguing experience and provides a new perspective on reality.

“Inception” is not just a sci-fi thriller, but also an enigma that the audience is left to solve. It is sure to impress anyone with its complex plot and Cobb’s character depth H that stems curiosity in the audience. ■

Cleverly written, ‘Inception’ remains one of Hollywood’s best films

EXPLORE THE CONCEPT OF DREAMS IN THIS TIMELESS AND INTELLECTUALLY STIMULATING WATCH .

10

Sports

SPORTS

MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

UCR SCOREBOARD game 1

baseball

4/23/21

VS. CAL POLY san louis obispo

softball

4/24/21

game 3

game 4

6-3

4/24/21

2-4

2-8

9-6

game 1

game 2

game 3

2-1

3-2

3-6

4/24/21

VS. CALifornia state university northridge

game 2

4/24/21

4/25/21

4/25/21

game 1

MEN’S TENNIS

VS. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA davis

4/19/21 4/20/21

SAINT MARK INVITATIONAL

3rd Place

WOMEN’S GOLF

4/19/21 4/21/21

big west championship

5th Place

game 1

WOMEN’S TENNIS

4/23/21

VS. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO

MEN’S GOLF

4-3

4/24/21

VS. california state san louis obispo

2-4 game 1

game 1

VS. UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII

4/24/21

1-4

4/25/21

0-4

► FROM WOMEN’S GOLF

if we had another tournament this week, I feel like we would have a very good chance of winning it. We have that kind of momentum, and then it’s like ‘okay, full stop,’” said Ritchie All in all, this short season gave very few moments for this predominantly young team to grow together. The shortened season meant that the amount that would normally be spent on training and team building was shortened. Normally, the team would spend three weeks on team building, but this season, team building happened in a different way. While the team was on the road, the moments they spent together in between tournaments allowed for them to grow together, but in a more relaxed and less technical way than is usual in a traditional year.

“We stayed at a lot of Airbnb places. We did more extracurriculars while we were in competition. For instance: we cooked together, we stayed together, we hiked together, we went to the grand canyon together,” stated Ritchie. She continued, “So we kind of made up for all of those months of Zoom and not really being able

to be in person by spending that additional time together in kind of an intensive way.

There was less training, skill building, that kind of stuff that we normally do in preseason, but there was more sort of connecting and relationship building.”

Ritchie expressed her hope in the team’s potential. The Highlanders have a recent conference win, coming up triumphant as the 2016 champions. This new team, on the other hand, had very little time on the green, especially after the 2019-20 championship was canceled due to the pandemic. After starting the year on Zoom calls, Ritchie wanted to make sure her team still had a memorable experience this season despite its brevity.

“That is actually my main agenda with my team ... to build memories and so you know during spring break after we were finished with the Red Rocks Invitational.

I took the team to the Grand Canyon the next day. That’s probably the highlight of our whole season,” said Ritchie.

Despite the few performances her team had, Ritchie is confident in her team’s ability to adapt to the different situations

thrown at them. Out of the six players, two are seniors, but the rest of the team is made up of freshmen and sophomores.

Ritchie recognizes her team’s potential and believes that with more time to train, they can make some real damage in the tournaments to come.

“I’ll say that we have a really really strong team heading into next season, and we have got two pretty strong freshmen coming in in the fall. So I am expecting, if all goes well and we are back to normal without all the COVID restrictions, we are gonna have a really, really strong team that I think will contend for the conference championship,” stated the coach.

In the off-season, Coach Ritchie focuses more on administrative tasks, like remote recruiting, as in-person recruiting has been banned by the NCAA. In the off-season, she will have limited practice with her team where they focus on different technical improvements. In the summer, players can request one on one training with the coach.

The Highlanders on the women’s golf team are eager to continue playing and earning more experience. They will participate

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in the U.S. Open qualifiers in the coming weeks. If they qualify, they will be able to participate in the U.S. Open, a very prestigious competition.

Ritchie concluded, “They are all really jazzed to compete, and they just want to keep the momentum going. That just speaks to the competitive nature that everyone has on the team. That just makes me really excited about what is in store for our program.” ■ H

UCR softball sweeps doubleheader game against Cal State EXCELLENT PITCHING PROPELS THE HIGHLANDERS TO VICTORY. HANSEL CHU Staff Writer

game 1 The UC Riverside softball team won the first doubleheader game with a score of 2-1 against Cal State Northridge thanks to an outstanding pitching game from pitcher Chrys Hildebrand. The Highlanders had been struggling all year, but a favorable matchup against the struggling Matadors boosted their chances of winning.

Both teams started out slow, as neither team seemed to get a hit in. It wasn’t until the bottom of the third inning when designated player Briza Blanco hit a single up the middle that started to get things rolling for the Highlanders.

Moments later, a single up the middle from right fielder Leah Brito and an error from CUSN led to the first score of the game for UCR. In the top of the sixth inning, an error from shortstop Marissa Burk led to a score for the Matadors and tied the game 1-1.

However, in the bottom of the sixth inning, Burk redeemed herself as she bombed a solo home run to put the Highlanders back up 2-1. In the top of the seventh inning,

a flyout, strikeout and popout sealed the game for the Highlanders as they won with the score of 2-1 in the first game of the doubleheader.

Hildebrand pitched an outstanding game; in seven innings, she had 10 strikeouts, allowed only two hits and had a 0.00 ERA. “Chrys is working really hard in practice … We are seeing that consistency show up in the games,” said Head Coach Nikki Palmer. Burk led the offense with a home run, and Blanco chipped in with two hits.

game 2 The UC Riverside softball team swept the doubleheader games against CSUN with a win

3-2 in their second game.

Coming off of a great first game in the doubleheader, the Highlanders carried that momentum into their second win.

In the bottom of the second inning, catcher Kennedi Sorenson hit a double into left field.

Moments later, first baseman Gianna Araki moonballed a home run down centerfield to put the Highlanders up 2-0 to open up the game. In the top of the third inning, the Matadors occupied third base and threatened to score. A hit from left fielder Savannah Favre sent shortstop Aaliyah Swan racing toward home base.

However, a great catch and throw from the shortstop Marissa Burk to catcher Sorenson tagged Swan

before she could touch home, which prevented CSUN from scoring.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Araki stole third base and looked to reach home base. A sacrifice flyout from designated player Briza Blanco allowed Araki to reach home and extend the UCR lead 3-0. Pitcher Katie Babarick continued to have a great game and pitched a shutout until the seventh inning, in which the Matadors made one last push to win the game.

In the top of the seventh inning, a single down the middle by Favre gave CSUN its first run of the game. Moments later, a sacrifice flyout from center fielder Jaymi Steward inched the Matadors closer 2-3. However, a popout

from right fielder Sami Garcia sealed the game for the Matadors and gave the Highlanders the victory 3-2. “It’s obvious to see that we are growing every game … The hard work they are putting in a practice is starting to pay off,” said Palmer.

Barbarick had a great pitching game; in 6.2 innings pitched, she had four strikeouts and had a 1.05 ERA. Araki led the Highlander offense with one home run and a 2 RBI. The Highlanders look to continue their win streak at UC San Diego next Saturday, May 1 at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. and next Sunday, H May 2, at 1:00 p.m.■