Volume 69 Issue 27

The Highlander

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

For the week of Monday, May 17, 2021

VOL. 69, ISSUE 27

est. 1954

UCR is ranked in the top 1% of universities around the world by World University Rankings NEWS

UCR CONTINUES TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A TOP 50 PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN THE UNITED STATES.

DAVINA GARCIA Assistant News Editor

According to the World University Rankings of 2021, UCR has once again been listed among the top 1% of universities around the world. For this year, UCR was ranked at no. 242 of the top 2000 out of 19788 different higher learning institutions across the globe; the university was also named at 82 nationally and within the top 50 public universities in the United States.

The World University Ranking is determined by the Center for World University Rankings, a consultancy from the United Arab Emirates. The center constructs these rankings based on these general categories: quality of education,

SPORTS

alumni employment, quality of faculty and research performance.

This marks yet another achievement for the university. Some other notable accomplishments include being recognized as one of the nation’s more selective public universities that enrolls 2% more Hispanic students than are in its college market, honored for ranking high amongst over 600 universities by the nonprofit advocacy group Education Reform Now, named a champion of social mobility by the U.S. News & World Report and a contender on Forbes magazine’s “America’s Best Value Colleges”.

According to Chancellor Kim Wilcox, UCR, like other higher learning ► SEE WORLD UNIVERISTY RANKINGS PAGE 3

UCR Men’s Track and Field struggle in Big West Championship

DESPITE SOME EXCELLENT PERFORMANCES, THE HIGHLANDERS FINISHED SECOND TO LAST IN THE EVENT.

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS HANSEL CHU Staff Writer

The UCR men’s track and field team participated in the Big West Championship hosted

by UC Irvine. The event began at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 12, and ended on Saturday, May 15, at 4:45 p.m., which included preliminary and final rounds throughout the few days. Although the team showed signs of excellence throughout the season and in the championship event, UCR finished second to last in the Big West Championship.

On Thursday, sophomore

John Ober III threw an impressive 59.35m for the men’s javelin throw, which ranked him number four in the category. For the 400 meter men’s preliminary hurdles, junior Quinn Williams finished with a time of 55.13 seconds, but it wasn’t enough to advance him into the final round. For the 10,000 distance men’s final run, senior Arman Irani ran with a time of 32:17.28, which placed him fifth in the category.

On Friday, freshman Cameron Lewis leaped for ► SEE TRACK PAGE 9

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THE PEOPLE WHO WANT NEWSOM OUT OF OFFICE ARE NOT ADVOCATES, BUT RACISTS.

OPINIONS

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Californians must vote “no” on Newsom recall if the country wants to flourish SILVIA FERRER Managing Editor

Californians can’t be fooled — the Recall Newsom campaign is not a valid criticism of the governor or his policies. It is merely a California Republican tantrum — a dangerous tantrum that will surely send the state into a tailspin just when it is starting to recover from the tumultuous year it has endured. The underserved communities of California will be the ones most affected if

Governor Gavin Newsom’s term is cut short.

There are justifiable reasons for removing Newsom from office, but the recall campaign is running on hateful claims. The Recall Newsom petition dedicates half of the grounds for recall to antiimmigrant rhetoric; for example, it begins its qualms by stating that Newsom has favored foreigners “in our country illegally, over that of our own citizens.” The list of complaints fails to mention the governor’s mishandling of the

pandemic, which has had the most obvious impact on his approval rating across partisan lines. The effort is a badly disguised attempt to capitalize on racial tensions and Trump’s legacy in order to inject power into the Republican party after its losses in the 2020 election.

A 2006 study titled “Finding Intersection: Race, Class, and Gender in the 2003 California Recall Vote” comes to the ► SEE NEWSOM PAGE 5

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Upcoming Events: Week 8 Goal Setting 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

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Executive Speaker Series with Lu Lu, vice president in market risk at Goldman Sachs 6 p.m.

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Active Minds: Treat Yo Self 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

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Mindfullness: The Art of Stillness 12 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.

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National General Insurance Information Session 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

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Return to Campus Briefing: Operational Continuity Working Group 12 p.m.

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UCR Doundounba Festival 2021 - West African Drum and Dance with Master Drummer Bara M’Boup and Will Gordon - Online!

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NEWS

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SENATOR MUFIDA ASAF RAISES AWARENESS FOR ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT.

On Wednesday, May 12, ASUCR held their weekly senate meeting. President Pro Tempore Orlando Cabalo presented SRS21-009 UC Riverside Fair Trade & Labor Resolution.

Members of the Fair Trade Club at UCR authored the resolution to call upon the incorporation and promotion of fair trade products in campus dining services in an effort to support environmentally sustainable principles and proper working conditions for people and communities that are traditionally exploited by conventional food systems, stated the resolution.

Fair trade products are sourced ethically and sustainably and its approach enables farmers and workers to have more control over their lives by ensuring fair wages, safe working conditions, environmental sustainability and prohibiting forced labor of any kind.

The resolution outlines multiple reasons why UCR should

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ASUCR

ASUCR advocates for fair trade and diverse food options for students LAURA ANAYA-MORGA News Editor

MONDAY, MAY 17, 2021

become a fair trade university.

For example, the resolution states that growers of coffee, tea, chocolate and other products produced in Latin America, Africa and Asia are often paid less than a living wage, as little as $2 a day, and forced child labor may be involved where over 2 million children below the age of 15 perform dangerous work in the cocoa industry; additionally, conventional means of growing coffee and other commodities are often damaging to the environment.

Through the resolution, the Fair Trade club and ASUCR will work to increase campus awareness of fair trade and its importance. SR-S21-009 UC Riverside Fair Trade & Labor Resolution passed with a vote of 13-0-0.

SR-S21-010 Proposition to Diversify Food Options for Various Dietary Needs was primarily authored by CHASS Senator Mufida Assaf, CNAS Senator Akanksha Sancheti and Vice President of Sustainability

Vanessa Gomez-Alvarado.

The resolution hopes to bring diverse food options to meet most students’ dietary needs and preferences. The resolution passed with a vote of 13-0-0.

During Committee Reports, Mark Hanin, the vice-chair of the Student Voice Committee presented the results of their Academic Advising Survey.

The Academic Advising Survey was conducted to analyze the various aspects of students’ academic advising experience in order to understand how it can be enhanced in the future.

The survey found that 49.5% of transfer students at UCR meet with their academic advisor at least once per quarter compared to 37.9% of non-transfer students.

The survey also found that, on average, advisors take one to two days to respond to emails.

Towards the end of the meeting, Senator Asaf used her platform to bring awareness to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Palestinians in the city of Sheik Jarrah are being pushed out of their homes by Israeli soldiers, women and children are being terrorized by the Israeli government in Gaza and recently the Israeli military injured over 200 Muslim Palestinians during this holy month of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa mosque,” she said.

“This isn’t a religious war against Muslims and jews, it’s ethnic cleansing.” Asaf encouraged the senate to educate themselves on the issues that Palestine is currently facing and encouraged them to attend upcoming events hosted by Students for Justice in H Palestine. ■

ARCHIVE / THE HIGHLANDER

► FROM WORLD UNIVERISTY RANKINGS

institutions, aims to provide students with a world-class university experience.

However, as is evidenced by these honors and ranking lists, UCR is unique in its mission to create opportunities for all kinds of students.

“What we feel makes UC Riverside stand alone is that we are providing that first-class education to students who are largely first-generation students, who are underrepresented minorities, and who come from low-income families,” he concluded, “That’s why everyone here – students, faculty and staff – feels like we’re part of something unique.”■ H ARCHIVE / THE HIGHLANDER

ARCHIVE / THE HIGHLANDER

The School of Public Policy announces a BA/MPP fiveyear program set to launch in Fall 2022 IN A CONVERSATION WITH THE HIGHLANDER, DEAN DEOLALIKAR EXPRESSES EXCITEMENT TO RECRUIT AND KEEP STUDENTS ON THE UCR CAMPUS WITH THE COST-EFFECTIVE DEGREE.

SILVIA FERRER Managing Editor

UCR’s School of Public Policy announced the creation of a new program that will allow students to obtain both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s of public policy in five years. The program is geared to launch in Fall 2022 and will be open to UCR undergraduates who have declared public policy as their major, including double majors. According to the Dean of the School of Public Policy Anil Deolalikar, the joint program has been in planning for over two years.

Students will be able to complete both degrees in five years by double-counting up to 12 credits of coursework, as there is an overlap between upper-division elective courses and M.P.P. elective courses. Coursework toward the master’s degree will begin during the fourth year, as will the required internship and capstone.

In an interview with The Highlander, Deolalikar said that the reason it is structured and marketed as a four year bachelor’s degree plus one year of the master’s is that it reduces cost. “The university will think of these students as undergraduates and they will be charged undergraduate tuition, which means they can continue to get financial aid that they get currently as an undergrad. It only means that they have to finance one year of the master’s program out of their pocket, as opposed to two,” said the dean.

The goal of the program is two-fold: generally, it is meant to increase the number of policy analysts, but more specifically, it is meant to attract academically talented students to UCR. In the proposal submitted to the

senate by the faculty of the school of public policy, it states, “Combined program students will be more inclined to stay at UCR for their Master’s studies instead of applying to other institutions.

Thus, UCR departments can better retain these students.”

Deolalikar was optimistic about the future of the program despite the obstacles that arose, like the Budget Advisory Committee’s proposal that the school should be cut entirely. “It was just a recommendation by one particular committee. It was never really a major issue or a threat to the existence of our programs,” he stated.

He emphasized that UCR’s SPP is one of only four public policy schools in the entire UC system, and it is the only major research university in inland Southern California to offer a Master of Public Policy. “This is one of the only programs that combines a first year master’s outside of the sciences … this is a unique program.”

The dean concluded that this program would be especially helpful to students who wanted to cut down on the costs and the time required of a public policy degree, but it was truly meant to attract the students who believe in the school’s mission statement.

He concluded, “We are looking for students that are idealistic.

They want to go out and change the world, they want to change their communities for the better, and they want to do that using the power of public policy. This is a very good program, but they shouldn’t be doing it only because it saves them some tuition, they should be doing it because they are interested H in making a difference.” ■

Opinions

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OPINIONS

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THE HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

If Los Angeles finally plans to help the homeless, the effect will be felt nationwide

AS LA IS GIVEN 60 DAYS TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO HELP ITS HOMELESS POPULATION, THE RESULTING ACTIONS MAY BE THE FRAMEWORK FOR HOMELESS RELIEF ACROSS AMERICA.

H

ome to the thirdlargest homeless crisis in America, Los Angeles has reached a reckoning to finally help the affected population. In order to prompt the city to do something, a judge is withholding the $1 billion worth of homeless relief that has piled up over the years and placed it in escrow for 60 days. These 60 days will be absolutely crucial; if LA can come up with some sort of plan in that time, then it could set the precedent for homeless relief in other counties, and even across the country as a whole.

However, in order for this to be truly effective, county officials must make sure they take into account a number of factors to not only solve the homeless crisis as is, but also make sure to address the crisis at its root.

With so many funds, it seems obvious that first and foremost, the money could go towards building shelters for those in need. However, this isn’t the catch-all cure for this issue; there is a stigma that permeates both society and the homeless community itself that homeless people are addicts. Though this stigma is sometimes true, it is also equally damaging to those who fall victim to it. However, in order to ensure the safety of all homeless people, LA would find it wise to develop divided housing shelters that allow each

individual or family a room to themselves that only they have access to, so they have peace of mind in a sheltered situation.

And within this divided housing format, those who do suffer from addiction can get the help they need in a separate part of the shelter.

Additionally, the funds should also go to competent, respectful staff. Cases of abuse in homeless shelters are sadly all too common, and funding a process of background checks and hiring people with the right qualifications for the job will ensure safer homeless shelters for all. Most importantly, proactive staff will help promote rehabilitation even more, and therefore this factor should be funded.

Of course, it is not enough to simply put the money towards helping those who are already homeless. Part of this funding should also go towards preventing homelessness in LA, particularly towards funding education and opportunities in Black and brown communities.

Black and Indigenous people are more likely to experience homelessness than their white counterparts, and part of this can be chalked up to the lack of good education and funding in the neighborhoods that are predominantly nonwhite. If part of this fund was to go towards improving schools and expanding

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more opportunities for these communities to succeed, part of the issue of homelessness would be nipped in the bud.

Furthermore, the price of living in LA has significantly gone up over the years, which has only further contributed to the housing crisis. As the city has gained so much fame over the years, it has gradually become even more gentrified as celebrities and influencers move to LA and live in exorbitant wealth.

Meanwhile, poorer communities are forced out of their homes because they can no longer make rent on their houses.

In the case that more funding was needed for this push to help the homeless, then it should be levied from the influencers who have made LA all the more expensive to call home in the first place.

With these factors in mind, LA county must create a plan that will take into account both solving the problem for those who are already homeless, as well as taking steps of prevention.

The plan, if there is one, will be an incredible piece of homeless relief if it is done well; however, there is still a chance that the plan will not meet expectations.

It is no surprise that bureaucracy will likely push back against any significant change to help the homeless, and as such, they may produce a plan that is lacking at best and harmful at worst.

It is of utmost importance

that the LA community demands a plan of action that will ensure none of the money goes to waste, and this plan should not simply be a band-aid on a bullet wound. A good plan will allow for transparency as to where these funds are going, create opportunities in underfunded minority communities and assist those who are already homeless to help them get back on their feet.

All eyes should be watching LA as they create this plan because it could alter the way the homeless crisis is treated nationwide if they create something solid.

Above all else, LA would be wise to remember throughout the process that homeless people are people too. They have rights just like those of us who are lucky enough to have a roof over our heads. Regardless of if they suffer from addiction or if they have simply fallen on hard times, shelter is a human right.

Los Angeles needs to buck up and create a plan to help their impoverished residents, if not out of the goodness of their hearts, then to simply provide one of the H most basic needs of humankind. ■

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.

OPINIONS

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/opinions ► FROM NEWSOM

conclusion that the “experiences of marginalization (for racial groups) and privilege (for whites) seem to affect how group members, male and female, make political choices.” The study found that only 21.5% of Black, 44.8% of Latino and 47% of Asian American people voted in favor of the 2003 recall, in comparison to a 59.5% “yes” vote by whites. If people of color were not in favor of the recall in 2003, when it was economically — not racially — motivated, it is less likely they’d be in support of it now. As the most diverse state in the country, California has a right to uplift the voices of their residents of color.

People of color would not benefit from a recall; they’d actually benefit from Newsom’s major policies, like a single-payer health care system, or extended Medicaid coverage for undocumented immigrants, of which two million reside in the state.

Despite his mishandling of the coronavirus crisis, Newsom is making steps to improve; he’s recently signed a bill in support of workers laid off by the pandemic. He’s also stuck to many of his promises: he has begun to phase out the state’s use of private prisons and immigration facilities, extended Medi-Cal coverage to

qualified undocumented immigrants in his first year in office and allocated $50 million to colleges in order to help fight student hunger and homelessness.

In 2019, he also signed an executive order that implemented a moratorium on the death penalty. And considering the proven racial prejudice involved in death penalty sentencing, this was a major step for the residents of California to have an unbiased justice system.

Despite such wins, Republicans are gunning for a recall election — which is a waste of time and taxpayer dollars.

Moreover, their choice of candidates shows how petty their efforts are.

Contemplating candidates like Caitlyn Jenner is a joke, but one that can come true far too easily considering the political climate and California’s voting history with celebrity politicians. The Republican party will make California the laughingstock of the country if it voted in a reality TV fixture like Jenner, a businessman like John Cox or adult movie star Mary Carey at the forefront. To prefer a celebrity or a businessperson as governor shows that Republicans prefer someone who is unworthy and unqualified to hold the highest position of the state, instead of an experienced progressive professional. In other words, they are

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more concerned with the best interest of the party than the best interests of the people.

The recall effort in and of itself is proof of such carelessness. Instead of focusing on passing legislation, Newsom must now concern himself with campaigning. He has already called the election “distracting,” and it is not just distracting for him personally. During the 2003 recall, there were 135 candidates on the ballot, many of them publicity stunts; such an event will distract from real, urgent issues the country is facing, like homelessness. Moreso, conducting the election will cost up to $400 million dollars that can be spent on actual aid for Californians, instead of being used to appease white political extremists.

Californians must not vote Newsom out of office; if they do, it will be all the more difficult for California to heal and stabilize after the devastating year it has had. Newsom’s legislative track record shows that he cares about California — especially about its marginalized communities. That’s more than can be said about Republicans as they conduct a frivolous election that will ultimately only benefit people that are already at H an advantage in the political system. ■ COURESTY OF GAGE SKIDMORE UNDER CC BY-SA 2.0

The US cannot abandon democracy by enabling voter suppression ABHIJIT REGE Staff Writer

THERE HAS BEEN A RETURN TO THE USE OF VOTER SUPPRESSION TACTICS — GEORGIA AND TEXAS HAVE SUFFERED THE MOST.

Politics have become all the more polarized as a result of the pandemic.

Although Joe Biden’s campaign promised changes in government and a reversal of many Trump era policies, we have seen a purge of our freedoms. Legislation has been introduced, aimed at suppressing voting rights through measures that are not only discriminatory, but ridiculous and inhumane. And although the subject of voting rights

numerous bills to curb voting.

Many prominent Republicans have shown their support for Trump’s agenda through both legislative and non-legislative actions, and although the GOP has famously supported voter suppression, Trump’s aim to delegitimize the election has reenergized their desires. Indeed, prominent Republicans have even admitted to wanting fewer voters.

“I don’t want everybody to vote,” the influential conservative activist Paul Weyrich told a gathering of evangelical leaders in 1980.

has been historically up for debate in this country, polarizing politics has given way to a recent increase in blatant suppression tactics.

The 2020 presidential election had completely transformed the realm of politics and saw many breakthroughs, including the highest voter turnout in modern history. Unfortunately, the Trump administration has claimed that the election results were falsified and manipulated. The fallout of such actions culminated in the failed insurrection that occurred in January with the storming of Capitol Hill by Trump supporters who believed in Trump’s baseless lies. But in the wake of these events, a nationwide debate emerged over voting rights and future elections. Trump’s allegations and backlash of the record turnout have caused lawmakers to introduce

Voting rights issues have appeared throughout the nation’s history as part of the natural progression of politics, though this progression has increased over the last century and in particular the last decade.

Georgia has recently been hit with one of the most restrictive voting rights bills seen in the last decade.

This is a direct result of the states’ blue shift in the 2020 presidential election, and Georgia’s two runoff elections for the Senate that favored Democrats.

Citizens have been outraged by a variety of measures including voter ID provisions and changes to mailin voting that affect marginalized communities and make casting a ballot more difficult for some minorities and poorer voters. And though the bill expands early-voting, it reduces

the time frame for requesting and returning mail-in ballots, counting votes and conducting runoff elections, increasing the likelihood of mishaps occurring in all three processes. However, the most egregious provision comes with the ban on giving voters food or water while they’re in line at the polls. The primaries in June and the general election in November saw polling sites plagued with long lines and wait times, with voters having to stand for hours on-end in the scorching heat or the freezing

watchers for unruly behavior, and a variety of amendments that impose penalties or increase existing ones.

Originally, the Texas bill also included a number of more troublesome measures including those which would have banned drivethrough and 24-hour voting as well as implementing a decrease in polling locations. Though these provisions were pulled, they unfortunately can return to the bill through the Senate in a conference committee. And with a Republican stronghold on the state, Democratic members have no real

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cold. The implementation of this restriction is a sinister maneuver to curb voters and restrict them from basic needs. Consequently, the bill’s provisions makes absentee voting harder and in-person voting more painful, leaving nobody better off except the very politicians who wrote the bill itself.

Much worse, Texas has now joined Georgia with its own voting rights bill.

The Texas house of representatives voted 78-64 to approve Senate Bill 7, which grants Republicans the opportunity to rework Texas’ voting policy behind closed doors.

The bill itself consists of numerous amendments including those which bar election officials from proactively mailing out absentee ballots, those which make it harder to remove poll

opposition.

Serious consequences will result from voter suppression that affects more than the world of politics.

Restricting democracy and suffrage paves the way for corruption and tyranny, which is something that citizens don’t deserve to go through.

The last election saw the largest voter turnout in American history and it was clear that much of it stemmed from the anxiety and desperation of communities to vote out the most controversial president in history. But the future may lead to another term of Trump or someone far worse if we continue to restrict our fundamental H democracy. ■

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OPINIONS

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Racing to normalcy won’t make students happy

SILVIA FERRER Managing Editor

Even as we move toward the midyear mark of 2021, the world cannot shake the crushing effects of 2020. The number of vaccinations and announcements of reopenings are not a cure-all to the sense of aimlessness and lack of joy the public is experiencing. Unfortunately, the pandemic is like a bad heartbreak — it will leave an indelible mark on everyone’s mental health and motivations that will take years to heal.

As we move forward with our lives, students and staff shouldn’t expect to bounce back into the normal, hectic routine of a college day. It is imperative to be forgiving with ourselves and our boundaries, and allow ourselves to transition into a state of flow.

On top of the tiny tragedies and inconveniences we suffer in a normal year, the pandemic brought an unimaginable sense of loss to many. The pandemic will have a long-term effect on mental health and will create a state of “languishing,” the middle ground between depression and flourishing despite a slow return to normalcy. “The lucky ones,” the ones who did not have to grieve the deaths of family members or friends, instead had to quietly mourn the cancellation of proms, weddings and graduations. Freshmen have had to accept the loss of a normal first year, filled with new friendships and new experiences.

Seniors have had to accept modified or completely remote graduations, a loss that is especially devastating to those that are the first in their family to go to college or had a nontraditional college career. Even students in between have had to accept the loss of a normal routine of long-planned

goals, participating in club activities, dating and forging new friendships.

Mental health expert Kenneth Doka has coined the term “disenfranchised grief” as a way to describe these otherwise indescribable losses. Now, other grief counselors are using the term to encourage people to acknowledge and mourn their own losses.

Although UCR announced the return to in-person classes, students and staff alike shouldn’t feel pressured to immediately jump back into the myriad of activities and responsibilities of before. A race to success to make up for lost time will only result in burnout; everyone’s gotten so used to the slow pace of remote classes and the lack of human interaction that moving from class to club meetings to social settings will be unexpectedly exhausting.

Maintaining an attitude of toxic positivity will be equally harmful. It is unrealistic to expect anyone to stay positive after the awfulness of 2020, and it is completely contradictory to the concept of “flow.” Kate Sweeny, professor of psychology, conducted a study of people in quarantine and found that the ones who best adapted to quarantine were “the ones who’d found the most flow.” This state of absorption into a task, bond or challenge could be the antidote to languishing. Flow could mean baking, working on puzzles or even spending hours playing video games. America has set such a destructive standard of productivity that it’ll be hard to implement a routine of uninterrupted time to flow, but it is important for students to carve out time to avoid long-lasting mental health issues.

Students shouldn’t expect their levels of productivity or happiness to be the same as they were pre-pandemic, at least not right away. The impact that COVID had on society is far-reaching and traumatizing; like a terrible ex, it’ll take time for the wounds to heal. In the meantime, students should set boundaries in their everyday life so that the transition into normalcy isn’t overwhelming. Moving away from toxic patterns of thinking in terms of productivity and success, and instead prioritizing wellbeing and happiness will be necessary if we want to move forward H with our lives. ■

IN ORDER TO AVOID LANGUISHING, STUDENTS NEED TO TAKE TIME TO HEAL FROM THE WOUNDS OF THE PANDEMIC.

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FEATURES

MONDAY, MAY 17, 2021

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Getting the scoop on Ben & Jerry’s co-founder, Jerry Greenfield JERRY GREENFIELD, CO-FOUNDER OF BEN & JERRY’S ICE CREAM, ANSWERS QUESTIONS ON HOW TO START AND RUN A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.

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ALEXANDRIA ESTEBAN Assistant Features Editor

For years, Ben & Jerry’s has been one of the biggest ice cream brands on the market. It was founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in 1978. Together, these two friends created unique ice cream flavors that everyone could enjoy from the comfort of their homes. On Tuesday, May 11, the ASPB hosted “A Scoop of Success with Jerry Greenfield” as part of their quarter for a cause theme, career and professional development. In this guest Q&A discussion, Greenfield shared some of his experiences in building a successful business.

Joab Corey, a professor of economics at UCR, led the first round of questions.

Greenfield talked about how he created the company with Cohen because they were childhood friends who wanted to start a business that was food-related. They

decided to sell ice cream and opened an ice cream parlor in Burlington, Vermont because the cold environment meant that they would have less competitors. To stay in business during the winters, the men began to package and sell their ice cream to local restaurants.

It took some time for their business to take off. According to Greenfield, they “started with vanilla, chocolate and strawberry” with their only interesting flavor being mint with oreo cookies. In the beginning, they would create new flavors each day and serve it at their shop, but now “it probably takes a year for the company to develop a flavor from start to end.” There were people who told Cohen and Greenfield that starting an ice cream business in Vermont would be unsuccessful, but having each other to lean on helped them push past those types of obstacles.

Since becoming one of the biggest

ice cream companies in the world, Ben & Jerry’s has used its status to publicly support marriage equality and the Black Lives Matter movement. Ben & Jerry’s is a company that tries to derail the narrative that businesses exist solely to maximize profit. Greenfield recognizes the powerful role businesses play in society, and this understanding is reflected on how he runs his company. “In my experience, the more kind and caring Ben & Jerry’s has been, the more successful it’s been,” Greenfield explained.

During the second half of the event, students were encouraged to ask Greenfield about his business pursuits. Some students wanted to know how he felt jumping into a risky business venture. Greenfield revealed that he never felt like it was too risky because they didn’t have much to lose. If it didn’t work, he might have had less money than when he started, but he would have learned something new. Plus, working with

his best friend was a joyous experience, and they had very few disagreements. They worked as a team with Cohen coming up with ideas for new flavors and Greenfield creating them.

With the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the world, Hayle Lee asked Greenfield how the virus affected their business. Greenfield revealed that his company didn’t lose much during the global pandemic. “People at home eat a lot more ice cream,” he stated. “It’s a real comfort food.” Later, Greenfield did admit that, while he loved many different ice cream flavors, he was “not a big fan of Cherry Garcia.”

This event gave helpful tips and encouragement to young people seeking to become entrepreneurs. It described the ups and downs of business in a tasteful manner. The ASPB will host its next event on Thursday, May 20: Out of the Mud with H Tobe Nwigwe. ■

Salt

By: Blue Robinson, Contributing Writer

FEATURES FICTION IS A COLUMN UNDER THE FEATURES SECTION THAT SHOWCASES CREATIVE WORK FROM STUDENTS, RANGING FROM POETRY TO SHORT STORIES.

The conversation went something like; I don’t have white privilege. Yes, I am white but I am not privileged ...

I was raised in a poor family, and never went to college. I work hard and …

Then she goes on about all the hardship she’s ever faced.

But there lies the problem, white privilege is not a life free from hardship that’s just privilege White privilege is a life free from Black hardships.

And to understand why you must also understand the other.

Black hardship isn’t poverty, illiteracy or tragedy, that’s just hardship.

Black hardship is police brutality, wage gaps, and unequal opportunity.

NO, it’s more.

Black hardship is guilty until proven innocent … It’s a beauty standard impossible for Black women to achieve, it’s a lack of representation on TV, it’s a never-ending road of products not designed to accommodate the people who look like me.

YES Black hardship is every aspect of Black life that white eyes are not equipped to see.

She looks confused so I slow down to reiterate.

Your race is a privilege and your privilege allows you to forget that race matters.

But Black hardship is a set of trials in which a race is the only factor repeated in the pattern.

Now don’t get defensive, I’m not blaming you specifically, after all your ignorance it’s not your fault.

H but society is an open wound and white privilege; the salt ■

8 MONDAY, MAY 17, 2021

Radar

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

RADAR REPLAY

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/ae

PROVIDING A LAUGH A MINUTE, “SPACEBALLS” ARTFULLY SPOOFS THE SCIENCE FICTION GENRE.

‘Spaceballs’ the replay COLIN CARNEY Radar Editor

Mel Brooks is without a doubt the big-screen king of spoofs and satire. With classics such as the hilarious western spoof “Blazing Saddles” and his comedic take on classic Hollywood horror “Young Frankenstein,” Mel Brooks’ catalogue of films offers something for everyone. Often included in lists of Mel Brooks’ best films is his outstanding 1987 spoof of “Star Wars,” “Star Trek” and science fiction more generally, “Spaceballs.”

Featuring a stunning cast of comedic all-stars, “Spaceballs” has earned its spot as a comedic classic.

“Spaceballs” follows the adventures of intergalactic mercenary Lone Star (Bill Pullman) and his “mawg,” a half man half dog, co-pilot Barf (John Candy) onboard their space winnebago. This unlikely duo is solicited by the concerned king of the planet Druidia to rescue his daughter, Princess Vespa

(Daphne Zuniga), from the clutches of planet Spaceball and the villainous Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis). If that plot description doesn’t already intrigue you, the endlessly quotable one liners and comedic references to pop culture will. Featuring a treasure trove of comedic characters such as the all-powerful Yogurt (Mel Brooks), the greedy Pizza the Hutt (Dom Deluise) and the conniving President Skroob (Mel Brooks), “Spaceballs” has plenty to make you laugh.

The colorful cast of characters would be nothing without a great comedic cast to deliver them. Any lesser comedic cast could have easily made this film forgettable and filled with poorly delivered absurd characters. With the likes of John Candy, Joan Rivers and Rick Moranis, “Spaceballs” manages to transform every insane and stupid character into a fan favorite. Each playing their role straight and believable, these wacky and absurd characters become real and lovable within

this fantastical setting. John Candy’s Barf fills the same role as Chewbacca in the “Star Wars” franchise as the lovable furball and Rick Moranis’ Dark Helmet steals every scene he’s in as he desperately tries to make himself appear intimidating. Each actor works brilliantly with each other as the jokes land with each delivery.

Speaking of jokes, “Spaceballs” is chock full of them with hardly a dull one to remember. Fans of science fiction will find plenty of references and jokes made lovingly at their favorite franchises’ expense that will leave them endlessly laughing. Furthermore, casual viewers will find that none of these jokes go over their heads as Mel Brooks expertly manages to make the childish seem somehow intelligent. Perhaps my favorite comedic bit in the film pokes fun at the commercial juggernaut that is “Star Wars.” When our heroes meet the elusive Yogurt, they are first treated to a tour of his gift

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shop where he loudly exclaims “Merchandising, merchandising, merchandising!” Audiences are then walked through his stock of “Spaceballs” merchandise, such as a themed flamethrower. Jokes like these are commonplace as they poke fun at our beloved franchises without ever coming across as mean spirited or too obscure as to be confusing for casual fans.

From the minute the film starts to the moment the credits roll, “Spaceballs” is a laugh a minute spectacle. Featuring a masterclass in comedic acting, a common trait in Mel Brooks’ films, the movie also features a well written and executed narrative

in its own writing. Borrowing heavily from the likes of “Star Wars,” “Spaceballs” crafts its own compelling story executed with comedic precision. Despite the wackiness of its characters or the childish nature of some of its jokes, “Spaceballs” doesn’t come across as nonsensical or so absurd as to dismiss the possibility of rewatchability. Fans know that this film demands a yearly rewatch as the jokes are iconic and somehow manage to never get old. So long as science fiction and “Star Wars” continue to remain in popular culture, so will “Spaceballs.”■ H

Visual distractions and a plodding narrative in ‘Monster’ makes for a boring watch

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REBECCA SALINAS Contributing Writer

Two men fight with a bodega owner over a gun. The gun goes off and the bodega owner dies. Three men are arrested for the murder, but was one of them actually involved? This is the premise for “Monster.” The movie focuses on many complex topics, most importantly subjective truth, and the racism involved in associating Black men with crime. With such a heavy message and passionate depictions of important issues, “Monster” should be a success, right? However, despite great acting, the theme becomes muddled through unnecessary distractions.

The movie focuses on Steve Harmon (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), a Black 17-year-old boy who is arrested and facing trial for the murder of a bodega owner. Steve claims

that he is innocent, but his ties to gang members and his presence at the scene of the crime make his chances of being released from prison very low. Viewers of the film, however, are intentionally left in the dark about Steve’s participation in the crime; instead, the film focuses on his trial and slowly reveals how he became associated with the crime in flashbacks.

The film triumphs in strong performances from its actors. Simple scenes like Steve speaking to his parents hold profound weight because of the rawness actors Harrison Jr., Jeffery Wright and Jennifer Hudson applied to their roles.

The fear the three of them feel makes viewers empathetic and root for Steve throughout the trial.

Yet the portrayals the actors give is not enough to save the movie. The film

falls short of delivering its message due to its unrealistic resolution. Without a large enough focus on the effects of race, the film does not realistically portray the real and brutal trials that Black people in America are subjected to. Despite the fact that race should play a major role in Steve’s trial and story, the film does not focus enough attention on these themes.

Instead, the movie spends most of its time building tension over the reveal of Steve’s involvement.

Stylistically, the film itself is shot in a way that mimics the use of a personal camera, referencing Steve’s interest in directing and photography. While this is an artistic choice, the camera work often distracts viewers from the narrative.

Instead of focusing on the plot and theme, viewers are forced to focus instead on camera quality and the constant changes on-screen. At the same time, most of the drama in “Monster” occurs through narration, which frankly dulls the acting’ performances since narration cuts over what they are saying or the emotions they are portraying.

Another consequence of the movie’s use of narration is its pace. “Monster” is very slow in developing its plot. Many scenes feature Steve narrating his own life, which consist of him constantly repeating that no one truly knows him and how he didn’t expect his life to end up the way it did. At the same time, flashback scenes present the lessons Steve learned prior to

‘MONSTER’ DISAPPOINTS AFTER NOT DEPICTING ITS MESSAGE WELL.

his arrest. On the other hand, scenes in the present focus more on his inability to cope in prison and represent the hopelessness that Steve is overcome with. While the scenes help demonstrate to the viewer the problems Black men face when accused of crime, too many of the scenes are repetitive and hamper the development of the plot. In turn, “Monster” feels boring despite the intriguing story being told.

Overall, “Monster” depicts an emotional drama exceptionally. At certain points in the film viewers find themselves overcome with empathy for the characters. Yet, the movie dulls that by having lengthy scenes that echo one another and the experimental camera work only draws viewers away H from the events being shown. ■

VERDICT:

Despite the actors depicting their roles well and the interesting subject matter of the movie, “Monster” is a boring film. Its lengthy narration, slow pace and lack of focus on its message dulls the movie and makes it not worth watching.

SPORTS

THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

Sports

MONDAY, MAY 17, 2021

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UCR women’s track and field concludes season at Big West Championships

DESPITE THE ATHLETES BEST EFFORTS, THE HIGHLANDERS FINISH 9TH OVERALL IN THE COMPETITION.

KYLE PENIX Contributing Writer

The UCR’s women’s track and field teams’s season came to an end at the Big West Championships on Saturday, May 15. The tournament was hosted

by UC Irvine and spanned three days, beginning Thursday, May 13. Several Highlanders placed within the top 5 of their respective events and new lifetime best scores were achieved.

day 1 Opening in the field events for the Highlanders, freshmen and Filipino National record holder Shiloh CorralesNelson placed fourth in women’s hammer throw with her mark of 53.63m. The throw neared her recordsetting mark of 53.78m from the UCR and California State University, Long Beach Invitational on April 30, 2021. Next, in the track preliminaries, sophomore Delaney Harris ran the 200 meter dash and finished with a time of 25.3s to place ninth. To conclude the first day of events for the UCR women’s team, junior Daisy Romero competed in the 1,500 meter run and recorded a time of 4:54.88 to finish 18th.

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day 2

day 1

Joining Corrales-Nelson in the field events for day two, freshmen and Riverside native Jada Reid finished 13th in the high jump with her mark of 1.46m.

Corrales-Nelson then threw for shot-put and placed 11th with a mark of 12.44m.

The track preliminaries continued into day two. Freshman Monea Jennings competed in the women’s 100 meter hurdles in heat one to finish in 13th place with a time of 14.85s. Following Jennings’ performance, freshman Nia Jones also ran the same event in heat two and finished 10th at 14.75s. Harris ran a lifetime best 12.06s in the 100 meter dash to qualify for Saturday and placed seventh. Junior Chudney McGehee ran the 100 meter dash as well to finish 12th with the stopwatch recording 12.47s. Romero was the lone runner for UCR in the women’s 800 preliminary run and finished 12th at 2:20.18. The Highlanders finished strong as freshmen Carolinh Calvert earned a top-three spot in the women’s 3,000 meter steeplechase. Calvert timed in at 10:51.65 to finish third-place behind California State University, Fullerton at number one and CSULB in second-place.

Corrales-Nelson had a busy time at the tournament as she competed again in another field event — the women’s discus throw. She recorded a 35.81m toss and finished 22nd to wrap up her record-breaking season. Up next in field events, sophomore Purnima Gunarathna jumped a distance of 10.85m in the women’s triple jump to place 10th. On the track, Jones, Harris, McGehee, freshman Ivana Hill and fellow freshman Aleeza Roy, participated in the women’s 400 meter relay race. UCR came in seventh place with a time of 49.38. Following the relay, Harris returned to the 100 meter dash to again match her lifetime best of 12.06s. The performance moved her into the top-five to place at fifth of the contest. To end the tournament, Calvert and freshman Dariana Miramontes participated in the women’s 5,000 meter run. Calvert finished eighth at a time of 17:14.36 and Miramontes placed 27th at 19:09.08.

The UCR women’s track and field team finished ninth place overall with 18 points. California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo came in first place to win the championship with H 181.50 points. ■

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6.95 meters in the men’s final long jump, which ranked him ninth in the category. In the men’s 110 meter preliminary hurdles, freshman Martin Billings finished with a time of 15.05 seconds and freshman Joshua Lee finished with a time of 15.58 seconds. However, both freshmans were unable to qualify for the final round. In the men’s 800 meter preliminary run, freshman Andrew Jackson ran a blazing 1:54.17, which placed him second in the category and a nod in the final round.

Freshman Zachary Cadima on the other hand, did not get so lucky and finished 12th in the category with a time of 1:59.43, which prevented him from qualifying into the final round.

On Saturday, junior Brian Nnoli leaped for a total of 14.68 meters in the men’s final triple jump, which placed him sixth in the category. In the men’s final 800 meter run, Jackson finished with a time of 1:52.89, which was faster than his preliminary run, but it was not enough as

he finished seventh place in the category.

In the men’s 5,000 meter run, Irani ran a time of 14:14.98, which placed him third in the category. In the men’s 1,600 meter relay, Williams, Jackson, Cadima, freshman Cameron Harris, junior Ryan Ayale, Lee, and Billings all participated in the relay. However, they finished dead last with a time of 3:22.31.

Overall, UCR finished with a total score of 22 points, which placed them eighth out of the nine teams that participated in the event. California State University, Fullerton became the champion in the Big West Championship with a total score of 163 points. Irani led the Highlanders with a total score of 10 points, 6 points from the 5,000 meter run and 4 points from the 10,000 meter run. Ober III chipped in with a total score of 5 points, which came from his performance in the javelin throw. Even though the Highlanders finished with a low score, there were multiple events that UCR did not participate in, contributing to H their low score of 22 points. ■

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