Volume 68 Issue 02

The Highlander

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

VOL. 68, ISSUE 02

For the week of Tuesday, October 1, 2019

est. 1954

WELCOME TO

Block Party C A M P SCOTTY 2019 PAG E 1 6 & 1 7

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

HUMANS OF UCR

UPCOMING EVENTS: WEEK 0

YOSELIN ZAVALA-LOPEZ | GENDER AND SEXUALITYSTUDIES | FOURTH-YEAR

COMPILED BY MARTIN LOPEZ

01

UCR Healthy Campus 2nd Annual Celebration 11:00am to 1:00pm UCR Bell Tower

Community Button-Making 2:00pm to 4:00pm Costo Hall, 245 Costo Hall

02

Fall Involvement Fair 1:00am to 2:00pm Belltower

Work-Study Orientation 2:00pm to 3:00pm HUB (Highlander Union Building) 355

03

UCR Student Disability Resource Center Open House 11:00am to 2:00pm Costo Hall 125

Night at the Rec - Rec It at the SRC! 4:30pm to 8:00pm Student Recreation Center (SRC), MAC Gym

04

Feminist Friday: First Gen Financial Wellnes 12:00pm to 1:00pm Women’s Resource Center, 260 Costo Hall

SRC & ASPB Presents: Highlander Poolooza 3:00pm to 6:00pm Student Recreation Center (SRC)

05

UCR Health Miles for Medicine 5K & Kids Fun Run 2nd Annual Event 8:00am to 12:00pm UCR Bell Tower

Digital Arts & Design Academy Informational Session 9:00am to 10:00am Live Online Webcast

06

Women’s Soccer vs. CSUN UCR Soccer Stadium

Inlandia Institute’s Conversations 1:30pm to 3:00pm UCR ARTS, Culver Center of the Arts

Coffee Chat with E.&J. Gallo Winery 10:00am Olmsted Hall, 2354

Senior Career Plan 12:00pm to 1:00pm Career Center, Meeting Room A

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

“My first concert was when i went to see The Weeknd, I think that was the first time that I actually knew the person and knew all of the lyrics so

Friday

I didn’t give much of a damn about the way i presented myself. I didn’t really care about the rest of the world because I was focusing on myself, most of the time I feel self-concious and feel like I might be judged but I feel like music is a way to be free. I really got explore my love of concerts starting with that first one.”

Saturday

Sunday

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News TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

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TAPS implements Undergraduate Carpool Program

AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer

Starting this fall quarter, Transportation and Parking Services will be offering undergraduates a carpool program that will allow groups of three that travel along the same route to purchase and split the price of a regular Gold parking permit. The program will be called the Undergraduate Carpool Program.

In an interview with The Highlander, Irma Henderson, the director of TAPS, stated that the carpool program requires that all participants must be undergraduate commuter students living three or more miles away from campus who travel along the same route. Each member of the carpool would be required to enroll at TAPS in person for each quarter they participate. The $121.50 per quarter permit must be paid up front and would be split between the members of the group. One carpool permit hang tag would be issued per carpool.

Students with a current parking permit who are interested in buying a carpool permit would be required to return their current permit. Henderson stated that a refund or credit would be provided for any time left on the permit. The car used would be permitted to park in the designated carpool zone located on the top floor of the Big Springs Parking Structure, as well as the Gold lots.

A hang tag can be transferred to anyone in the carpool group and a maximum of one vehicle per person can be registered

to that permit. Henderson noted that members of the carpool may not purchase another monthly or quarterly permit in their name. If they do purchase another monthly or quarterly permit in their name, the carpool permit is automatically revoked.

Henderson stated that the vehicle must display the carpool permit hang tag on the windshield when parking. “It is the carpool members’ responsibility to switch the permit between vehicles if they are changing cars. If their permit is forgotten, the group would be required to go to one of the parking kiosks to obtain a temporary permit for the day,” stated Henderson. If a member cannot carpool on any given day, they would be required to purchase a daily permit through the kiosk or purchase hourly parking via the ParkMobile app.

According to Henderson, the Undergrad Carpool Program was generated by TAPS due to conversations with ASUCR, GCAP and the Office of Sustainability officers to provide priority parking at a discount to undergrads as there were not any incentives available to undergrads for carpooling. Henderson believes that the Undergraduate Carpool Program will benefit undergrads by providing an option for discounted parking and allow them to park a bit closer to campus than the Gold lots. “It helps in UCR’s efforts to reduce parking demand on campus as each 3 person carpool will eliminate 2 parking passes ■H being sold,” stated Henderson.

ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER

Bourns College of Engineering UCRWPA wireless network welcomes 12 new faculty members replaced with a new this year UCR-SECURE wireless solution AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer

ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER

AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer

This year, the Bourns College of Engineering (BCOE) hired 12 new faculty members. The college now has 135 faculty members, however, they are seeking to hire six to eight more this year.

In an interview with The Highlander, Angela Meluski, the director of marketing and communications at BCOE stated that the demand for engineers in the workplace continues to increase and at engineering colleges across the nation, including BCOE, applications exceed enrollment capacity. “The college had more than 11,000 applicants this year and we are able to accommodate only a small percentage of the qualified applicants,” stated Meluski.

Meluski added that BCOE hired 12 new faculty this year to support the growth in the number of students seeking engineering degrees.

For the past year, BCOE has worked

to develop a strategic plan that will define the college’s next five, 10, 15 years and beyond, noted Meluski. She stated, “This year’s faculty hires will contribute to our education mission at the undergraduate through doctoral levels as well as our research mission through solving critical problems in the areas of medical technology, big data, machine vision and artificial intelligence, automation and robotics, and other areas critical to society.”

The new faculty members were hired for their “incredible strengths and background in teaching and research,” said Meluski. The new hires will enable BCOE to continue to expand the number of students they educate and graduates who will ultimately be recruited to top-paying jobs. “UCR was ranked No. 1 in social mobility. Many of our engineers come from low-income backgrounds and walk into very large starting salaries. BCOE is making a difference in the lives of our students,” stated Meluski.

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As of Tuesday, Sept. 17, UCR’s current UCRWPA wireless network was replaced with a new UCR-SECURE wireless solution.

In an interview with The Highlander, Jacob Poore, the communications specialist at ITS, stated that the network was replaced as a part of ITS’ ongoing efforts to improve campus wireless infrastructure, security and access for students, faculty and staff. Poore stated that all student wireless users who were previously accessing UCRWPA should now be using the new UCR-SECURE network, using their same login credentials (UCR NetID and Password). Users may see a security warning and be prompted to

accept UCR’s wireless security certificate the first time they connect to UCRSECURE on some devices. Poore noted that this is a legitimate prompt.

ITS has established new naming protocols for campus networks, making it easier for users to identify and differentiate between available campus networks (e.g. UCR-SECURE and UCR-GUEST).

“The new network name also reflects improvements in security being made to the service. The UCR-SECURE network will have even greater protection from malicious internet hosts, and new faulttolerance features added,” stated Poore.

Step-by-step instructions can be found in the ITS Knowledge Base. If students have any questions, they should contact BearHelp@ucr.edu or call 951-827-4848 (IT4U).

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

NEWS

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UCR police department to use body worn cameras and in-car video systems

AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer

Beginning this quarter, the UCR police department will begin to use body worn cameras (BWC’s) and in-car video systems as a part of their patrol functions.

The addition of BWC’s and in-car video systems is a part of a multiyear initiative across all University of California campuses to leverage a modern resource for law enforcement that is expected to enhance police services and transparency.

The technology was officially deployed this week.

In an interview with The Highlander, John Freese, UCR’s assistant chief of police, stated that the emergence of this technology has been acknowledged across the country as a best practice for modern law enforcement agencies. “The University of California Police Department and UC

Office of the President collaborated and agreed to implement body worn cameras system-wide. Locally, the UC Riverside Police Department had support from the leadership and our officers to put these cameras in place,” stated Freese.

UCR’s police department published a 12-page body worn camera policy. In the document, it refers to body worn cameras and in-car video systems broadly as body worn audiovisual cameras (“BWV’s”, “devices” or “cameras”). The document states that BWV’s provide documentation to be used in criminal investigations and prosecutions, internal or administrative investigations, training and other circumstances. The document also notes that BWV’s will also serve to enhance the accuracy of police reports, testimony in court and enhance the department’s community relationship-

based policing efforts. The document states that this new policy is intended to “balance the respect for privacy and other University values with legal, policy and administrative obligations. Officers should remain sensitive to the dignity of all individuals being recorded and exercise sound discretion at all times,” according to Freese.

The document notes, however, that BWC’s provide a limited perspective of any encounter and should be considered with all the available facts and evidence.

This includes officer perception, witness statements, officer interviews, other available video documentation, forensic and expert analysis and documentary evidence. The document states, “The cameras cannot always show the full narrative nor do they capture an entire scene. The use of cameras does not

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reduce or alter the requirement to provide thorough written documentation as required by this or other policies.”

Freese believes that the emergence and implementation of this technology will improve transparency between UCR’s police department and the UCR community. Freese stated, “For our community, we hope that our decision to embrace this technology is proof of our efforts to build trust, transparency and accountability.” Freese added that these cameras allow for the opportunity to have a greater view and understanding of enforcement activities. “They provide a valuable perspective on the circumstances our officers are dealing with; and assists in reviewing the facts involved in complaints against the department,” stated Freese.

Freese believes that this technology will improve criminal investigations at UCR. He stated that the video footage provides the officer’s incident point of view to prosecutors and criminal juries, helping increase the effectiveness of criminal prosecutions. According to UCR’s police department Instagram page, body worn cameras are anticipated to not only improve criminal investigations but also the police complaint process.

UCPD began to onboard, test and begin training with BWC’s towards the beginning of September. Their Instagram page states, “As with all new technology, there may be delays and there is a learning curve for personnel using the technology. UCPD continued to use the cameras and train with them prior to their full deployment at the start of fall quarter.”

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Student Life and Center for Social Innovation host meeting on 2020 census

LAURA ANAYA-MORGA Contributing Writer

On Friday, Sept. 20, the department of Student Life and the Center for Social Innovation held the first of many informational meetings pertaining to the upcoming 2020 Census. It was open to all UCR students and organizations.

The meeting highlighted how important filling out the census is in hard-to-count areas like Riverside, and how college students make up a huge part of this demographic. This meeting featured two panelists, Sky Allen from Inland Empowerment, a coalition of community organizations whose focus is on increasing civic engagement in the Inland Empire, and Adan Chavez from The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) that strives for full Latino participation in the American political process.

The U.S. Census is the decennial count of the country’s population. This count affects where resources are allocated to a community including federal funds, neighborhood revitalization and apportionment of seats in the U.S. Senate for the next 10 years. The census asks questions about race, age and sex; one questionnaire is to be filled out per household. Something the U.S. Census Bureau wants to be sure of is that people are only counted once and in the correct location.

The meeting’s purpose was for UCR organizations to come together and brainstorm ways to educate the student population on how they can act as trusted messengers for civic engagement.

Riverside and surrounding areas had an average 60-70% return rate in 2010 which makes it a hard-to-count community.

College students are often part of this population because many times they get counted twice, either in their on-campus residence and their homes off-campus or not at all, due to this confusion. When asked how students can be engaged, Allen stated that the ideal way is for them to communicate with parents or roommates on where they are being counted.

The second half of the meeting was purely informational. Chavez informed the group that census day is on April 1, 2020 but everyone will be receiving an invitation to submit early on March 12, 2020. This will be the first digital census; it can be filled out online in 59 different languages or can be requested over the phone or by mail in 13 languages. Since California is one of the more populated states, there will be many census centers with enumerators helping the community. Chavez ended the meeting by saying that many people may be hesitant to complete the census or they may see it as a burden but in the end, “the resources come back where they get filled out.”

Finally, everyone in attendance was split up into small groups to discuss ways to raise awareness during the upcoming school year. The most common suggestions were to host more census information sessions, use social media to address frequently asked questions as well as to utilize the organizations with a larger presence on campus such as ASUCR, ASPB and Student Life. More information about the 2020 census can be found at IECounts.org and CensusIE.org.

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Be yourself.

Do you have an interest in writing, photography, design or marketing?

The Highlander can help you polish your skills. Come to our weekly meetings every Monday at 5:15 p.m. in HUB 101 to learn more.

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Opinions

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OPINIONS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

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HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

The media must not forget the Hong Kong protestors

T

he streets of Hong Kong swell with the rage of angry protestors, and that rage doesn’t seem any closer to pacification than it was back when the protests started this past June. Said protestors have a lengthy list of demands and one unified goal in mind: Hong Kong must not surrender its autonomy. Media coverage of the demonstrations has been constant since the protests began, which is quite possibly the only reason the protests have achieved what little they have achieved.

Indeed, protest alone may not be enough, but the rest of the world must do its part by continuing to follow the news of the protests so as to apply pressure to China.

To truly understand the reasons for these protests, however, one must first understand Hong Kong’s unique position not only in Asia, but on the global stage. At a surface level, the demonstrations, which have only recently turned violent, are in direct response to a Hong Kong extradition bill, the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation.

Originally purported to have been written with the intent of keeping the streets of Hong Kong safe, the bill

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would allow Hong Kong to extradite criminals to mainland China. This incited outrage amongst the people of Hong Kong because it is a striking example of China’s growing encroachment on Hong Kong’s autonomy.

For those unaware, Hong Kong had been a British colony for over half a century, originally occupied since 1841 before eventually being turned over to China in July of 1997. This handover sparked outrage amongst the people of Hong Kong, who had by that point developed culturally very different from the rest of mainland China. As a result of fervent backlash, Hong Kong and China now reside under the “one country, two systems” principle, which grants Hong Kong some level of approximate autonomy.

Maintaining that autonomy is proving to be no easy feat.

China has always desperately wanted Hong Kong firmly back under its control, and the aforementioned extradition bill is only one example of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s efforts to control the region. In response to the constant protests, local authorities, supported

by Beijing, have reacted aggressively, using tear gas, pepper spray and billy clubs to shut down demonstrations.

To make matters worse,

there is talk of police potentially working side by side with triad members, which is enough to give even those on Beijing’s side pause. There’s currently no end in sight for the Hong Kong protestors. On their list of demands is that Chief Executive Carrie Lam steps down, but even if she did it would be an empty victory.

Another Pro-China leader would soon take her place.

With the way the system is currently set up, Beijing is able to screen candidates for the position of chief in Hong Kong, making the election’s process more of a formality than anything else.

Notably, some citizens of Hong Kong have been looking towards Singapore as a sort of lodestar for achieving true independence. The southeast Asian country separated from the Malaysian federation in August of 1965, after a short and tenuous union. Like Hong Kong, Singapore had drastically different political and economic circumstances from its nanny state that made separation necessary, and since separating the country has become a flourishing hub of global trade. It stands to reason, then, that Hong Kong could potentially walk that same path to independence.

Unfortunately, those who believe that Hong Kong is capable of following

Singapore’s example seem to drastically underestimate the hold China has on the region. Singapore has the unique position of being left well enough alone by bigger nations. Hong Kong, on the other hand, has always been coveted by their nanny state.

China has next to no reason to kowtow to those in the Hong Kong autonomy movement.

Hong Kong’s leverage only extends as far as their voices will take them, which might not be very far.

One must not lose hope, however. While the movement may have its shortcomings, such as the lack of a “defacto” leader, that is not to say that the protests are completely without direction.

While there are very few Hong Kongers willing to openly label themselves as leaders of the movement, many older Hong Kongers support the younger protestors in secret, operating behind the scenes.

Still, the Hong Kong protestors rely on media coverage. Carrie Lam did indeed kill the extradition bill, but it is important to note that she likely only did so because of the international buzz the demonstrations generated. If progress is to be made, the pressure (and the coverage) must continue.

Hong Kongers can take heart in the fact that their city is an incredibly important one

in terms of global affairs and commerce, which is in large part the reason why international interests have been piqued. The region is economically valuable enough to China that the rest of the world can’t help but listen to their cries. The media has been covering the protests for months, which bodes well.

With the way things currently are, Hong Kong could never hope to take a stand against China. The circumstances are looking dire, and the violent protests covered in the current news cycle are a product of said circumstances. The world can only watch as the situation continues to unfold, but that very well may be the only leverage Hong Kong has over China. That’s why the protests, their victories and their failures, must continue to be covered internationally.

Hong Kong is drastically different, culturally, from mainland China, and those differences should be allowed to continue to blossom. One can only hope that Hong Kong will be able to maintain their autonomy.

■H 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.

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OPINION POLL Compiled by Martin Lopez Senior Staff Photographer

“Do you believe that protest can be effective?”

Adam Alvernaz English Third-year

Mark Bertumen Business Third-year

“There’s quite alot of beneficial effects protests can have on different issues. If anything they bring lots of media coverage to the issues that matter to the masses. ”

“Protests bring much needed attention to issues and at the very least begin the process of correction.”

Jordan Hom Media and Cultural Studies Fourth-year “Protests are a means of the citizens to have their voices heard and invoke change in a society they believe in.”

Colin Carney Political Science Third-year

Amani Mahmoud Public Policy Third-year

Mitch Ho Dog Twelfth-year

“I believe that protests are effective since they historically have brought about change and attention to important issues. Though there is no guarantee of success, they are an important part of political expression. ”

“I think protests are defiinitely effective.

Throughout history protests have made a huge difference on history. Protests can bring substantial change and they can reshape history.”

Well, *bark bark bark bark*

The way California funds public education needs to change

TIMOTHY HUGHES Contributing Writer

The way California funds public education leaves much to be desired.

The state has created a system that perpetuates class divides by favoring the rich and neglecting the poor. In the wake of massive teacher strikes and shocking drop out rates we still see an inequitable system standing, unmoved by the human desperation before it. This system must be changed to make California a more equitable and efficient place to educate and to be educated.

Even a cursory look at the

California school funding system will bring up questions of its equity, and the facts agree. For starters, the system’s framework relies on local property taxes for 22% of its funding.

This links the funding of schools directly to the wealth of attendants and inherently disadvantages the underprivileged. Poor neighborhoods and districts with low rent will have a substantially smaller dollar amount gathered from this funding source than neighborhoods and districts with multi-million dollar homes filled with rich students and their parents. A better-funded school typically means a better education

and higher test scores for students.

Property taxes aren’t the only funding source serving helpings of inequity to California’s workingclass children; The federal government supplies 9% of the state’s education funding through incentives involving national standardized tests. Schools with richer students have more funding from property taxes, opportunities, support, tutoring and teachers. It is no surprise that a high school serving students in Beverly Hills has higher test scores across the board than a high school serving students living in Compton. Schools that participate

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in and score high on standardized tests have greater access to federal funding, and in turn, will continue their trend of success.

Meanwhile, schools that have low funding to begin with will often have lower test scores and, as a result, less access to federal funding. This creates a mire of funding and failure too thick and sticky for any administrative team to pull themselves and their students out of with any degree of ease.

It’s a cycle that robs the working class of California the opportunity to succeed. Unfortunately, these poor communities are often made up largely of black and brown individuals, making this a justice issue beyond classism. All this compounded with the fact that California ranks 41st in the nation for per-student funding, it is easy to say that the state needs to take a hard look at the way it treats its kids.

California’s lack of funding for the education system and the dependence on test scores makes it difficult for teachers to do their jobs. Teachers do not have the necessary resources to teach to the best of their ability. Lack of funding leaves poor districts short on teachers, and the teachers who remain often end up in classrooms with swollen attendance lists. It is not uncommon in the Los Angeles Unified School District for a teacher to be teaching a room with 35 or even 40 students. These situations decrease the quality of instruction and eliminate opportunities for oneon-one interactions between teacher and student. We have seen multiple teacher strikes in California that seek to address this in 2019 alone.

“Teaching to the test” to vie for more funding puts teachers in boxes. Some may say that testing is a useful way to keep educators and students accountable, but it is at the cost of imaginative teaching styles, teacher satisfaction and equity for our students.

It is important to note that there are other options. California could create a total pool of money collected from property taxes and dole it out evenly to schools on a per-student basis. A similar approach could also be taken with federal test score funding coupled with teacher evaluations for accountability purposes. The state needs to make education more of a priority, which means making the funding changes necessary for our school system to be an equitable place to be a kid.

H California can and must do better. ■

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CYRUS TOSCO Contributing Writer

OPINIONS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

Partisanship matters in impeachment

There have been three publicized instances of impeachment proceedings against sitting American presidents: those of Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. While the House of Representatives voted to impeach Johnson and Clinton, the Senate failed to convict them; Nixon resigned before the House could vote on impeachment. While many people may be comfortable leaving these proceedings to history, the current president’s actions and today’s political atmosphere closely parallel these previous impeachments. United States citizens would do well to remember the lessons learned from those impeachments.

Articles of impeachment can be brought against any civil officer under three conditions: treason, bribery, high crimes and misdemeanors.

With these criteria in mind, the impeachments of Johnson, Clinton and Nixon can all be classified under high crimes and misdemeanors, with Nixon being the only president who objectively obstructed justice.

While there are objective, nonpartisan reasons for Nixon’s resignation, both Johnson’s and Clinton’s impeachments occurred during a highly partisan time.

Johnson was impeached during the Reconstruction Period immediately following the Civil War. The Confederacy had rejoined the Union, but their political ideologies did not coincide. During that time, Johnson

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regularly clashed with Congress in a cyclical pattern; they introduced a bill, he vetoed that bill and they overrode his veto. When the House voted to impeach, the Senate failed to convict him by 10 Republicans, signifying voting in both chambers was largely based along party lines.

While Johnson’s impeachment was mostly policy-based, Clinton’s related more to his personal conduct, which was subject to biases based on political parties. That’s not to say Clinton’s actions were not disgraceful; they absolutely were.

However, during that time, the House

was composed of 207 Democrats, 226 Republicans, and 2 independents; the Senate was composed of 45 Democrats and 45 Republicans. With a handful of exceptions, impeachment votes in both chambers of Congress fell along party lines.

The aforementioned events, combined with the conditions of impeachment under the Constitution, give a clearer understanding of the sociopolitical criteria necessary for this process. The politically polarized nature of current times echo the partisan nature of those prior impeachments. In addition to

the polarized political environment, Donald Trump’s intention to obstruct justice, and his personal conduct under increasing scrutiny, the House has historical evidence to draft articles of impeachment. President Trump has pressured Ukraine to gain potentially damning information on a political opponent as well; one may call it bribery. Perjury, lawbreaking and obstruction of justice have all historically been causes for impeachment, and failure to hold this administration accountable for its crimes would be, in and of itself, criminal.

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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/opinions

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

Boris Blocked: Parliament should continue to stop Johnson’s efforts for a nodeal Brexit.

TIMOTHY HUGHES Contributing Writer

In 2016 the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union by a slim margin in a movement called “Brexit.”

Three years have passed since the referendum and still no Brexit. Since the original vote to leave the EU, the British Parliament has voted against every transition plan brought before them. Parliament shut down the EU’s deal and a no-deal Brexit. Ministers also voted down the option to have another referendum on Brexit to see if the opinions of the British people had changed. Theresa May, the U.K.’s most recent prime minister and head of the Conservative party, was forced to resign to avoid a vote of no confidence and her subsequent disgraceful removal from office amid the Brexit drama.

Johnson entered the picture as the new prime minister, covering for Theresa May’s resignation. Boris is a staunch conservative and is in favor of a no-deal Brexit. Parliament has repeatedly shot down a no-deal Brexit because of what it could mean for Great Britain. No-deal could mean a massive loss of capital in the U.K. that could create food and medicine shortages, notably insulin. A loss this great for Britain and the EU could also have massive repercussions on the global economy and must be avoided.

Since entering as prime minister on July 24, Johnson has made it very clear that he will not request another extension from the EU for the U.K. to decide on how Brexit will be carried out. This leaves Parliament until Oct. 31 to vote on a plan or a nodeal Brexit will be enacted on Nov. 1. Parliament does not want a no-deal Brexit, but Johnson does, and has been using every trick he has to see a nodeal come to fruition. Fortunately, his actions as prime minister have been met with not only massive protests from ministers in Parliament but also

COURTESY OF CHATHAM HOUSE/FLICKR

public outcry from U.K. citizens.

Due to this protest, Johnson has been incredibly ineffectual as prime minister, which is good news for Britain and her people. Boris has failed to convince a majority of Parliament to vote for his agenda a single time in the past two months since taking office.

Johnson began his tenure by requesting that the Queen of England allow him to suspend Parliament until Oct. 14. The Queen acquiesced, of course, as the Royal Family is not to take political stances. The issue with this suspension is that upon return, Parliament would have little more than two weeks to come to a decision on Brexit, making Johnson’s goal of a no-deal Brexit within grasp.

Luckily, Johnson’s proposed suspension of Parliament was blocked almost immediately. The Scottish Parliament made a legal complaint against the suspension and the complaint was heard in court. While the complaint made its way through appeals and hearings Johnson was still at work managing other issues in Parliament. Boris repeatedly lost votes and began to remove members of his own party from party membership if they voted against him. Notably, Johnson’s own brother stood against him. Johnson held multiple votes to have a general election in Britain, which would make every seat in Parliament up for grabs three years early, and was repeatedly shot down.

On Sept.

24, the Scottish

Parliament’s case against the suspension of Parliament was heard in the British supreme court and was ruled in favor of. Boris Johnson’s ability to force a no-deal Brexit has been pulled out of his hands. There are new calls for Johnson to resign now every day.

The fierce opposition against an elected official who is not carrying out the will of the people is inspiring and must continue. Scottish Parliament did exactly the right thing by challenging the call for a suspension of Parliament and the resistance to Johnson’s agenda should hold strong throughout the U.K. Boris Johnson must be defeated to save the U.K., the EU and the world the pain of a no-deal Brexit.

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COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

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FEATURES CAMPUS COPE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

FEATURES

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features

[ROOM_N’_DORM] [DECORATING_TIPS] by: ashley perez, contributing writer

Moving into a new environment is a big change for students. Once students find themselves situated in their new place, the topic of decorating the space arises, yet people cannot simply decorate as they wish when they share the space with roommates. Before buying any decorations, students should keep in mind the boundaries and rules of their roommates, as well as any dorm policies.

It’s always advisable to start small when moving into the new place. You do not want to bring too many items and then have to take the majority of them back home.

When starting to decorate, it’s important to look at what style looks best for you. Here are some questions that can help with the decoration process.

Are you more minimalistic, boho chic, trendy or modern? What kind of textures are you looking for — wood, metals or soft materials? How big is the dorm?

Where are the electrical outlets? Where does the sunlight hit? What is the budget for decorating? A great way to gain some inspiration is to look through catalogs

of stores that specialize in decor, such as IKEA or Target, or even by looking through social media posts.

Once you have a rough idea of how you want to decorate, then comes the task of where to find the items you are looking for. Second-hand stores, such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army, are great places to start if you’re looking for furniture. Not only is it more affordable, but there could be some very unique pieces that one wouldn’t expect to find.

You can also look through apps such as OfferUp or Letgo where oftentimes there are good finds or other college students looking to get rid of their own furniture. When using these apps, it’s important to be safe and not to divulge too much information. When meeting up with sellers, try to bring someone else, should the furniture be heavy and for safety. Flea markets and swap meets are also alternatives to find new items, such as decorations or anything that piques your interest.

Here are some tips to help achieve a new look for the dorm:

CO

URTESY O F PEXELS If the dorm is small, add a add more d mirro imension to decorate wit the room. Tr to feels more h lighter colors so th ry to sp e extra belon acious. Buy bins to ke room g ep any in g s in or fi way to fold shirts in ord nd an efficient room for clo er to have more thes.

COURTESY OF PEXELS

Try to keep a checklist of items that you need to keep yourself organized, and jot down the price tags. It’s easy to get sidetracked when something neat catches your eye, but if such a thing does happen, use the list to compare prices elsewhere.

World History: 1500s-1900s Workbook

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

COURTESY OF PEXELS

In case your dorm does not get much sunlight, invest in a lamp or small fairy lights, as they are a great way to light up a room. You can find these items through sites like Amazon, or places like Target and thrift stores.

COURTESY OF PEXELS

Another way to add personality to a room is through the comforter that you put on your bed. If you want something neutral or minimal, colors like blue, white or grey are good choices. If you’re looking for something more soft and cute, colors and patterns such as pink, baby blue or pastels help give it that touch. Ultimately, the choice is up to you.

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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features

FEATURES

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

13

Fall Flavors: Salted Caramel Brownies CHRISTINE TRAN, SENIOR STAFF writer Nowadays fall is not only represented by leaves changing colors or the cooling weather, it’s also represented by the reappearance of some of the best seasonal flavors.

Amongst pumpkin spice and apple cinnamon, one of my favorites has always been salted caramel. It’s sweet with a dash of salt to balance out the sugar.

Salted caramel is also such a flexible ingredient to work with; you can put it on top of practically anything. I personally recommend using it to create a top layer to your brownies, but you can also drizzle it on or inject it in your brownies as well — the possibilities are endless.

MATERIALS:

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Two large bowls • Parchment paper • Wooden or rubber spatula • 9 inch by 13 inch baking tray (but really any size works) • Measuring cups and spoons • Saucepan

INGREDIENTS: • 1 ½ cup white sugar (you can add or subtract ¼ cup depending if you like it sweeter or not) • 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted • 1 teaspoon espresso powder • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 4 eggs plus 2 egg yolks • 1 cup cocoa powder • ½ cup vegetable oil • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (can be substituted for table salt or sea salt, just use a little less) • 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped or chips both work • 1 ½ cups bread flour • 1 cup soft caramel candies • 3 tablespoons of milk or heavy cream

1. Line a 9 inch by 13 inch pan with parchment paper and grease the whole thing up with vegetable oil.

2. In a large bowl, combine the white sugar, melted butter, espresso powder, and vanilla extract, 4 eggs, and 2 egg yolks.

3. Add cocoa powder, vegetable oil, and chopped chocolate.

4. In a separate bowl, combine bread flour, salt, and baking powder.

5. Combine your wet and dry mixtures.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-35 minutes.

7. Allow brownies to cool for 10-15 minutes or until warm.

8. Place your caramel candies in a saucepan over medium heat.

9. Add milk or heavy cream and stir until CHRISTINE TRAN/ HIGHLANDER all the candies are melted. You can add more or less depending on how thick you want your caramel to be.

10. Let your caramel cool slightly before pouring it on top of your brownies.

11. Top with sea salt.

12. Make sure to let your brownies cool completely before digging in.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Mark Bertumen, SENIOR STAFF writer

MATERIALS: • Muffin wrappers • Muffin pan, 12-count • Rubber spatula • Whisk • Measuring cups • Two large mixing bowls • Sieve, large enough for the mixing bowls • Ice cream scoop, or any large scooper tool (optional) • Non-stick spray • Cooling rack

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Mix all of your dry ingredients together by sifting each of them with the sieve into one of the bowls. This includes the flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices. The sugars, salt and nuts do not need sifting.

Mix until evenly combined, and make a well in the center.

3. Use the other bowl for the wet ingredients. Whisk the eggs in the other bowl until scrambled, then whisk in the rest of the wet ingredients, which includes the oil, milk, vanilla extract and pumpkin. I’ve read that there’s no discernible difference between canned and home-baked-andblended pumpkin, but it’s your call! If you do the latter, use small sugar pumpkins for convenience and taste.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry well in batches, waiting until the previous pour is thoroughly mixed with the dry ingredients. The result should be a very liquid and pourable batter.

5. Set up your muffin pan with the wrappers and spray each wrapper with the cooking spray.

6. Pour your batter into each of the wrappers, leaving anywhere between a quarter inch and half inch of space from the top. If you’ve got any scooper tool, the task becomes a lot easier and less messy!

7. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Wait 5 minutes for the muffins to cool in the pan, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Muffins tend to take the backstage to pastries and other baked goods; nothing compares to the festive nature of cupcakes or the corner shop novelty of donuts. But when you’re not in the mood for something so sweet, you’re going to want to bite into something with a little more subtlety on the sugar.

I’d dare say muffins are a perfect candidate for a milder midday-or-night munch, and are thematically perfect for the sensation of winding down that autumn always brings.

This recipe will create about a dozen and a half standard-sized muffins.

INGREDIENTS: • 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon of baking powder • 1 teaspoon of baking soda • 1 ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon • 1 teaspoon of ground cloves • 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg • ½ a cup of dark brown sugar, packed • ½ a cup of white sugar

• ½ a teaspoon of salt • 2 eggs • ½ a cup of vegetable oil • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract • 1 cup of milk • 1 cup of pureed pumpkin, homemade or canned • 1 cup of chopped walnuts

TIPS: • Flour, egg whites and water give baked goods structure and strength. Sugars, oils and yolks soften, flavor and add moisture to a dough.

Milk does both, due to its protein, sugar and fat content. If your muffins, and other baked goods you make, seem to be outside of your preferences, adjust the affecting ingredients accordingly.

• Overmixing your dough will stimulate too much gluten development, leading to especially tough end products. When you add the wet ingredients to dry, try to fold the dough into itself until everything just about mixes together.

• You can add any kind of nuts, fruits or H chocolate chips to this recipe as you see fit! ■

MARTIN LOPEZ/ HIGHLANDER

RADAR

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

EVENTS THIS WEEK 10/01

Tartan Soul Kick-Off @UCR Bell Tower, 12:00pm to 1:00pm

10/02

Fall Nooners 2019 @UCR Bell Tower, 12:00pm to 1:00pm

10/03

Free Film Premiere - “Joker” @UV Theater, 10:00pm

RYAN POON/ HIGHLANDER

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts

RADAR

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

15

D ow n t o n Ab b e y

is an excellent successor to the show and a reprieve from a rougher reality

COURTESY OF ITV Studios

EVAN ISMAIL Senior Staff Writer

As a continuation to the sixseason series that aired on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), the “Downton Abbey” film focuses on the Crawley family and their servants as they plan for a visit by Queen Mary and King George V. The complicated and multi-faceted film echoes the complexity of the show; the film functions independently from the television series but uses the same characters and successfully continues the original plot without the focus being solely on the usual characters.

Nonetheless, the film is an excellent and well-crafted successor to the eponymous show.

As the king and queen arrive at Downton, the estate’s servants are insulted by the arrogance and commandeering of the house by the king’s servants. Simultaneously, the audience witnesses the Crawley family struggle to make a good impression on their Majesties amidst several mishaps and associated family drama. The film, however, exemplifies the class divides between the cheerful servants and the snobbish aristocrats as well

as the place of women in elite British society during the second decade of the 20th century.

The film is artfully done with sweeping camera angles that emphasize the beauty and glamour of this period in British history. The filmmakers do not leave out the typical montages of the series that show servants industriously preparing for the numerous balls the Crawleys are privy to. The cast remained faithful to their characters from the show and the little variation made the transition from the show to the film seamless.

However, the one downside in the film were the subplots of love affairs that were overdone. Several romances emerge while numerous relationships from the original continue, which makes the film too sappy and adds another layer of over-complication.

The film does provide more context and attention to Barrow’s homosexuality which was an aspect not as noticed or expanded upon in the show.

What is particularly striking about the film, as was evident in the show, is the social commentary that accompanies it. I find the American obsession with the British aristocracy curious. However, it really is not any

different from the massive industry Hollywood has built exhibiting America’s elite to the masses for entertainment. In a time where we have presidential candidates railing against the privilege of the rich, it is an interesting contrast to the prevailing mainstream message.

Though a far kinder inequality is portrayed in the film as the audience observes Lady Mary openly discussing selling Downton to her maid, Anna, reflecting on the fragility of the system they live in. This is a persistent theme she revisits with her grandmother, the matriarch of the family, at the end of the film. Anna ardently reassures Lady Mary and urges her to keep Downton in the family, as it brings the commoners pride; she insists that the aristocracy is a necessary cultural foundation.

Similarly, when asked to step down by the family to make way for Carson to take over planning the royal visit, Barrow loudly protests to the Earl of Grantham. This idealized servantmaster relationship adds a certain endearing quality to the series, which contributes to the film’s popularity. Its inequality is part of a nostalgia for the early 20th century, perceived now as a time of glamour.

Though there is a certain American obsession with the rich and everything British, the show strikes a contrast to the violence, disadvantages and disrespect of society today. There is a tinge of arrogance in suggesting that Americans tacitly accept the stark inequality in American society but I think the film is more of a reprieve from the nastiness in American culture and the regular violence prevalent in just about every Hollywood movie that has recently debuted. This is not to dismiss, however, that the film is a blatant exhibition of extreme privilege and unrelenting entitlement. In the film’s defense, the Crawleys do nonetheless represent a certain class and decorum that appeals to Americans, itself a relic of a closely related culture. Frankly, it’s refreshing to see a film draw the viewer in and keep their attention without the hypersexualized, violent and provocative behavior of characters in most other Hollywood films.

The film accomplishes some social commentary on women’s position, classism and homosexuality while H remaining tactful and composed. ■

verdict:

Though watching rich people struggle with change is rather exhausting, “Downton Abbey” has a certain appeal that isn’t annoying or overbearing; it provides a window into a history that contrasts current Hollywood films.

The film is satisfying in its rather simple plot and exemplary cinematography that honors the legacy of the television series.

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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

s t f i l 9 1 0 2 y t r s e Block Pa s s i m t u b s e s s a t s a p the m s r a e y f o c i g a m e h t

r with e new yea th ff o k d up to kic uccessful Spring dents line tu s ildly s g ith in rn d retu ls of the w rt the new year w n e a e h w e e n th , ta ff R s o C and y h U o s ll s in Fre m essfu All acros ck Party. es with S B to succ lo ib P v B S l g a A n g u o r n n tr o n fo s tr t , the 31st a ge was se featured s e lla Fiasco vent also 19, the sta 19 featured DJ Be e th 0 e 2 d n th h a s , n la is o p S p of th o stati rty 20 o a to tt P n ta k O c a . n lo y n b yet the Ba r he a bang. B R by storm ll was able p icon Lil ly-popula C o h U ig -h e h ip k e h ta r th ti headline as ready to e this, the event s flocked to it k Party w s; people p c n s o e lo ti B D c t. ra ’s h r tt a nig yea ors. This rse of the nce. food vend aned over the cou in attenda e s o th r w t fo n t e excitem safe even a fun and to pull off

NDER

LA ON/ HIGH RYAN PO

ernaz v l A m a d By: A riter W ff a t S Senior

With many returning and new sponsors, the amenities featured at Block Party had amazing variation to all in attendance. One of the more interesting places to visit at the event was the wellness zone tent. Providing comfy cushions and a chill place to rest, it’s awesome to see The Well looking out for the betterment of the student population and providing a safe space for support and special resources. It was definitely a big help to those in need and I hope to see it return for future events. Once again, the inflatable slide, friendship bracelet tent and rock wall seemed to be the weakest attractions despite the new euro bungee activity. These four attractions seemed to be overshadowed by the public’s new favorite, the highly popular henna booth. The tattoo line was always full and had people in and out frequently. It was one of the better attractions at the event with some high quality art being showcased. With major queue lines, the stand was a roaring success. This year’s Block Party had some great new attractions that hopefully make their way to other ASPB events.

RYAN POON / HIGHLANDER LLOYD KAO / HIGHLANDER

MARTIN LOPEZ/ HIGHLANDER

RYAN POON / HIGHLANDER

With every ASPB event, the row of food trucks returned with some welcome new additions to the lineup. While the eateries still had campus favorites like Culinary Chameleon, the food truck selection was especially diverse this year. Crepes Bonaparte was a standout with their fresh French breakfast and dessert crepes. Alongside this, Dina’s Dumplings and White Rabbit were able to deliver delicious traditional Chinese and Filipino food, respectively. While the food is still overpriced as always, the selections this year gave many substantial selections for any student looking for something simple or exotic. This year definitely had some of the best truck selections ASPB has had for their events.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts

17

O T E M O C L E W

y t r a P k c Blo 9 1 0 2 Y T T O C S P M A C

ATTRACTIONS

RYAN POON / HIGHLANDER

ARTISTS

This year’s featured artists made up one of the better lineups in recent memory. While DJ Bella Fiasco’s set was strong, the long lines had prevented many like myself from being able to fully enjoy her DJing prowess. Her overall liveliness and impressive set lended the audience strong energy that would help carry the crowd into special guest Boombox Cartel.

Early into the evening, Boombox Cartel got the crowd pumped with his electrifying EDM and dubstep, which kept the crowd excited and moving. The duo’s performance benefited greatly from the early evening time slot as it raised the crowd’s spirits. The popular duo’s set was one of the event’s highlights, which gave the crowd the much needed energy to stay motivated and lifted.

Smino began his set later than expected but with some very slow and chill beats that many appreciated. His quick lyrical style and good vibes soothed the crowd. Due to this, his set dampened the high energy the crowd carried before. In addition, the various lulls during the performance progressively lowered the crowd’s vigor as the evening dragged on. Smino held the crowd’s attention as he performed some of his strongest songs, such as “KLINK” and “L.M.F.”, and gave out soul-like vibes to all in attendance.

Finally, the headlining hip-hop beast, Lil Baby, took the stage and crowd by force with a strong opening of his more famous crowd pleasing songs. However, his set suffered from a combination of his late start and waning passion from the crowd. Still, his set was able to bookend the night with classic beats like “Pure Cocaine” and “Drip too Hard.” Regardless of the lulls in between performances and fading thrills, the line up for this year’s event proved to be stellar and held up against other great Block Party lineups.

FOOD In spite of the lower than expected excitement, the event was still able to provide stellar performances by Smino and Lil Baby especially. With the popular new attractions and food trucks, the event carried a fresh enough feel to be welcoming to any and all students. Despite the various lulls during the event, it shows that UCR is still committed to deliver on great events for the student body as a whole. The event gives hope to future planned ASPB events to provide a bigger and better experience.

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ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER

18

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

SPORTS

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

Uncovering the mentally abusive culture within UCR’s women’s basketball program Former players speak up after dismissal of assistant coach

JONATHAN FERNANDEZ Senior Staff Writer JORDAN HOM Senior Staff Writer

When UC Riverside’s women’s basketball assistant coach Giuliana Mendiola was informed on Monday, July 22 that her contract would not be renewed for the 2019-2020 season, it sent shockwaves throughout the women’s basketball program and their alumni.

Although the official reason for why Mendiola will not be brought back remains unknown, former players with knowledge of the situation have heard it was due to “poor coaching skills” and, more specifically, “a month of bad coaching. “That doesn’t make any sense,” said a former women’s basketball player from the class of 2017. “She was there for seven years.”

The decision to dismiss Mendiola was made during an outside independent investigation regarding alleged unethical behavior of Head Coach John Margaritis.

As a result of the investigation, Margiritis was originally slated to be suspended for 20 days without pay for being in violation of a university policy. While the athletics department did not provide details on the specific violation, multiple sources with knowledge of the investigation said that it was focused on the alleged mental and verbal abuse of student-athletes

by Margaritis.

The former players also said they didn’t understand why they weren’t asked to participate in the investigation.

Margaritis’ 20-day suspension was scheduled to include practices and games.

The start date of the suspension was not determined.

The former players felt Mendiola was actually fired because of how vocal she was during the investigation into Margaritis’ alleged mistreatment of his players. “She got fired because she doesn’t submit to him like everybody else would,” said Dynese Adams, a former women’s basketball player who was with the program from 2010-2015. “I don’t think she’s wrong for that. You stand up for what you believe in ... At the end of the day, yes we’re here to play basketball, but we’re also here to grow as women and I think she helps, and has helped, a lot of women grow as not just basketball players but as women.”

Mendiola had been associated with the program since 2011 and established deep connections with her players that extended beyond the sidelines. The unexpected “firing” of Mendiola, which many current and former players feel was unfair, led to the creation of a petition on change.org that currently has over 941 signatures. The petition states that Mendiola was fired, but a spokesperson for UCR Athletics clarified that Coach Mendiola’s “contract had expired and was not renewed,” in response to an inquiry from The Highlander.

The creators of the petition, as well as many others, have demanded more transparency on the official reason why Mendiola was dismissed.

Many former players and others familiar with the team’s dynamics believe Mendiola’s absence will have a negative impact on the team heading into next season. “I think the girls are going to suffer,” a former employee with an understanding of the team dynamic told The Highlander. “Both current and future athletes on that team are going to suffer by not having someone like her that’s willing to stand up for them around.”

“I think she literally just wanted the best for us,” said Kiara Harewood, another former women’s basketball player who was in the program from 2011-2014. “On the court and off the court. So on the court she wanted to see us succeed like nobody else, she was our biggest supporter and off the court she also would tell you the truth and speak to you like you’re an adult.”

“She was like that light, she was like that breathe of fresh air… and she honestly helped get me through,” said Adams.

Coach Mendiola issued the following statement via email in regards to her sudden dismissal and the result of the investigation: “The job of a coach goes beyond winning and losing. The job of a coach is to lead, teach, challenge, inspire, and empower impressionable young student-

forced to defend my character, reputation, and my future.

Female student athletes should not have to endure abuse by their coaches. Female coaches should not have to experience any kind of harassment, threats, emotional abuse and discrimination in the workplace.

To be silent and complicit in allowing this kind of behavior is to condone it.

When you condone it, you now become the problem rather than the solution.

And I refuse to be silenced.”

The nature and firing of Mendiola is a microcosm of what the players described as Margaritis’ “tyrannical” tenure.

Dynese Adams joined the UCR women’s basketball program in 2010 as a wide-eyed 18-year-old who was both excited and terrified to play on the next level. “In high school, you always hear about the next level. It’s so much more intense and this coach is intense,” Adams said in an interview over the phone.

After talking with Margaritis, Adams and her head coach decided she should redshirt her first year. However, despite the decision to forego collegiate competition for a year, Adams found herself at the center of attention at the teams’ thenannual Midnight Madness event, a pep rally to celebrate the upcoming season. In

back from a c-section, but she could make it back in two to four weeks because she was strong.

“I felt really pressured,” Adams said. “(Margaritis) came to the hospital after my son was born and he was pretending to be concerned, he even held my son ... I have an incision as large as a f------ pencil in my stomach and you’re worried about when I’m getting back on the court?”

Many who go into the UCR women’s basketball program on a scholarship are initially elated at the opportunity to play at the college level. However, that feeling quickly disappears as they come to the realization of the situation they are entering.

Multiple former players told The Highlander that Margaritis would constantly threaten to take scholarships away from players, which took a toll on their mental health. “Yes (Margaritis) threatened me. I don’t know who he did not threaten to be honest with you,” Harewood said. “I’m pretty sure almost everyone was threatened with that and it puts you in this like psychological box of ‘I can’t do anything.’”

According to multiple sources, this added a strong and constant pressure to quietly submit to Margaritis’ demands or risk losing everything they had worked for. “Can you imagine you’re working your entire life up to this moment to get a scholarship to play Division I basketball and then you get there, and the coach is basically holding that over your head? Telling you that you’re going to lose your scholarship if you don’t comply with what he wants?”

Harewood said.

Numerous former players reported that Margaritis would act as though he was directly paying for players’ education, food and living arrangements and used that as leverage to coax them into submission.

According to Nyingifa, who was a forward for the Highlanders from 20132018, Margaritis would also use this leverage to pressure players to play through injuries. “He sees it as ‘I’m the one who paid for your scholarship,’” Nyingifa said. “‘You need to play. Do what I say. It doesn’t matter if your leg is going to fall off, hop on your other leg and make the shot.’”

Margaritis actively discouraged student-athletes from telling the trainers when they were hurt, or specifically when they would hit their head, former players told The Highlander. “He used to get mad at us if we told the trainer that we hit our head,” Adams said. “You know how serious concussions are? We would literally be in fear of telling the trainer that we bumped our head ... (Margaritis) would tell us we were weak. ‘It’s just a headache, take some Tylenol and get back on the court.’”

Former women’s basketball player Jessica Ogunnorin was a forward in the women’s basketball program from 20102012 and suffered severe trauma as a result of the pressure Margaritis placed on players to play through injuries and ignore hits to the head.

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“I FELT REALLY PRESSURED,” ADAMS SAID. “(MARGARITIS) CAME TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER MY SON WAS BORN AND HE WAS PRETENDING TO BE CONCERNED, HE EVEN HELD MY SON ... I HAVE AN INCISION AS LARGE AS A F------ PENCIL IN MY STOMACH AND YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT WHEN I’M GETTING BACK ON THE COURT?” athletes. Head Coach John Margaritis has been at the helm of the UC Riverside Women’s Basketball program for 15 years. For seven years I not only witnessed the toxic, demeaning, manipulative, threatening, hostile culture that he created with his verbal and emotional abuse, I am a victim of it as well.

UCR Athletic Director Tamica SmithJones had the opportunity to change the misogynistic culture Coach Margaritis created and she chose not to. AD Jones came to me shortly after the current student-athletes complained of Coach Margaritis’ mistreatment in December, and told me of her plans to fire Coach Margaritis and name me Interim Head Coach. She met with the team in May and promised them the same.

And without explanation, AD Jones and UC Riverside chose to abruptly end my tenure with the team by not renewing my contract and instead chose to give more power to the abuser which is a complete disservice to the student-athletes, the University and the community of Riverside. When Coach Margaritis was finally punished for the grave mistreatment of student-athletes, he was suspended for just 20 days. Twenty days of unpaid suspension for 15 years of abuse, is not justice.

Not only was I harassed and verbally abused by this man, I am now being retaliated against for standing up for what is right. I am a woman of high moral standards. I am a woman of principle. And after years of earning the love and respect of the program, the University, and the community, it is me, not him, who is now

UCR’s Midnight Madness event the men’s basketball team would host a slam dunk contest while the women’s team hosted a three-point shootout.

Adams was only in Riverside for summer workouts and had hardly practiced with the team, much less experienced the adrenaline that comes with playing in front of the home crowd, yet she was inserted into the three-point shootout by her new head coach and struggled. “I don’t even think I made a shot,” Adams recalled.

According to Adams, Margaritis stopped practice the following day to berate her and another teammate who also struggled in the shootout in front of the entire team. “He’s just like ‘I don’t know if you can play at this level, that was embarrassing and I could tell before you even started that you were going to miss your shots,’” said Adams, “and for (Margaritis) to tell me (he doesn’t) think I can play at this level and that also (he) thinks (he) made a mistake in recruiting me?”

“As a freshman I was like maybe this is how it goes,” Adams said.

In 2013, Adams’ fourth year in the program, she found out she was pregnant, and unable to play basketball for the foreseeable future.

After having her baby on March 29 via cesarean section, Margaritis came to the hospital to visit Adams and check on her progress. According to Adams, Margiritis told her that the key to coming back from a c-section is to get the muscles “down there” worked out and moving. Adams remembers Margaritis saying that doctors usually say it takes six weeks to come

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

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Women’s soccer match against Denver ends in a tie JORDAN HOM Senior Staff Writer

On Thursday, Sept. 26, UC Riverside’s women’s soccer team (2-6-1) faced off against the University of Denver (3-4-2) in which the final outcome of the game resulted in a 1-1 tie.

“We should have won and we played well enough to win. An error in the midfield caused the breakdown and they (Denver) scored with seconds left in the game. How we reacted afterwards (in overtime) was amazing though. I thought we finished the game strong and I’m proud of the effort,” Head Coach Nat Gonzalez said.

The Highlanders entered the game on a two-game losing streak after dropping consecutive losses to UC Berkeley (8-1) and Fresno State (4-2-1).

Both teams remained scoreless in the first half of the game, although Denver was the more aggressive team offensively. The Pioneers attempted 10 shots while the Highlanders only attempted one shot.

Junior forward Alexis Vera scored the first goal of the game for the Highlanders in the second half during the 60th minute of play.

UCR had all but secured the victory

until their defense collapsed in the final eight seconds of the game which allowed Denver’s sophomore forward Camryn Macmillan to score the gametying goal.

Although Denver managed to tie up the game in the final seconds of regulation, UCR senior goalkeeper Annie Bailey kept the Pioneers from stealing the game from the Highlanders with her efforts in the overtime period.

Denver senior midfielder Hannah Adler attempted a game-winning goal in the final minutes of overtime but Bailey was able to prevent the goal and obtain her fourth save of the game.

“Our defense is a team effort,” Gonzalez stated. “We just weren’t composed enough to understand that we were in control and we didn’t have to jump in the midfield to try and do something that someone else probably could have done. We just over committed and we lost that battle in the moment.”

Up next, UCR will travel to Irvine on Oct. 3 to face off against UC Irvine (1-9) before heading back home on Oct. 6 to battle against Cal State Northridge (6-2-3).

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Men’s Soccer falls in intense battle against University of San Diego CALLIE LAWSON-FREEMAN Contributing Writer

The Highlanders were shut out by the University of San Diego’s strong, physical defense in an intense 1-0 match on Friday, Sept. 27.

This loss is only the team’s third of the season.

UC Riverside Soccer Stadium was filled with excited fans who chanted and sang even through an uneventful first half, up until the very last minute of the match. It only took four minutes in the second half for the University of San Diego Toreros (7-1-0) to score after an aggressive drive into the box. The goal was preceded by a number of foul calls on both teams, a possible reflection of the rising tensions on the field.

The Toreros proved to be an absolute match for the Highlanders as their final stats almost mirrored one another ’s. Both teams recorded 12 shots, three saves and eight fouls. However, the Highlanders suffered a significant six offsides calls while the Toreros only committed one.

The Highlanders were aided by junior midfielder, Daniel Aguirre, who returned from injury to contribute four shot attempts. The team made aggressive attempts to score to no avail until the 75th minute, when senior forward Roberto Garcia-Vargas made a shot after an interception in the box that electrified the crowd but flew just shy of the goal.

Just five minutes later, the tensions of the game reached a climax when frustrated senior goalie Edwyn Gutierrez pushed a Torero after an inaudible but clearly passionate verbal exchange on the field. The Highlanders scuffled for a last minute opportunity but were hit with two more fouls and were unable to score.

Senior forward Olli Pirinens said in an interview with The Highlander, “Nothing comes easy but we’re building. We really wanted to win and didn’t get results but we’re a good team.”

The Highlanders will begin the wrap up of their non-conference schedule with an away game against UCLA (3-4-1) on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

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Sports 20

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2019

Volleyball defeats conference rival Cal State Fullerton in back and forth match

JORDAN HOM Senior Staff Writer

Following a two-game skid that included losses against the University of Pennsylvania (7-2) and Seattle University (9-5), UC Riverside’s women’s volleyball team faced off against Cal State Fullerton (8-6) (CSUF). The match took place in Riverside on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at the SRC Arena where the Highlanders defeated the Titans by a score of 3-1.

The Highlanders were led by freshman outside hitter Amarachi Osuji who had a career-high 20 kills along with 12 digs. This was Osuji’s third double-double of the season. At this point in the season, Osuji has recorded 84 digs and 153 points, which has her ranked 9th in the Big West Conference.

“She (Osuji) has such a high ceiling and physically she is learning a lot about the game and the system. For her to have that kind of night as a freshman, we are just excited to see her keep getting a little bit every day,” Head Coach Michelle Patton-Coleman said.

Junior outside hitter Ayla Fresenius also recorded a double-double with 15.5 kills and 17 digs. Junior middle blocker Kathleen Lowry contributed 10 kills

and four blocks while freshman middle blocker Isabella Scarlett contributed 10 blocks of her own.

Despite the 3-1 score, the match was closer than the final score indicated.

In all four sets, the largest margin between the two sides was two points.

There were 25 ties and lead changes in total, with the momentum shifting toward UCR in the final two sets. The Highlanders won three of the four sets while the Titans took the second set 2523.

“To start the conference with a win we couldn’t ask for anything more,” Patton-Coleman said. “Then realizing as we go, we just have to take our opportunities to get better.”

Since 1969, UCR has played CSUF a total of 53 times with the Highlanders winning only 20 of those matches. Their last match was in Fullerton on Oct. 6, 2018, where UCR got the 3-0 victory.

Up next, the Highlanders will be on the road for their next three games.

They will face UC Davis (9-5) on Sunday, Sept. 29, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (9-5) on Friday, Oct 4 and UC Santa Barbara (12-1) on Saturday, Oct. 5 before traveling back to Riverside to face Cal State Northridge (5-8) on Thursday, Oct. 10.

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COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

UCR women’s golf team struggles in Colorado at the Golfweek Conference Challenge

JORDAN HOM Senior Staff Writer

The UC Riverside women’s golf team traveled to Colorado to participate in the Golfweek Conference Challenge from Sept. 2325.

The trip was quite underwhelming for the Highlanders as they finished

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

in last place out of the 18 schools that participated in the event. Some of the schools that competed besides UCR include UCLA, Sacramento State, San Diego State, Pepperdine University and the University of Denver.

One of the bright spots for the Highlanders was freshman Jennifer

Deng, who competed in her first ever collegiate tournament for UCR. Deng placed 34th overall in the tournament with a total score of 222. In the three rounds, Deng hit a 74, 79 and 69.

Junior Kayla Kwong finished the tournament with a score of 236. In the third round, Wong shot a 71, a significant improvement from her

score of 85 in the second round.

The other Highlanders that competed in Colorado were freshman Nicole Le, junior Ping Huang and junior Nao Bando from Japan.

Up next, the Highlanders will travel to Las Vegas on Oct. 27 to compete in the Las Vegas Showdown Tournament.

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