Volume 68 Issue 05

THE HIGHLANDER

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

VOL. 68, ISSUE 05

est. 1954

Office of Event Management & Protocol announces commencement changes during ASUCR meeting

ARCHIVE/HIGHLANDER

AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer

On Wednesday Oct. 16, ASUCR held its third meeting of fall quarter.

During the meeting, Christine Mata, the dean of students and the vice chancellor of student affairs and Jorge Ancona, the assistant vice chancellor of alumni and constituent relations, spoke on behalf of the Office of Event Management & Protocol in regards to the changes

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to commencement ceremonies that UCR is implementing this year.

Ancona stated that while commencement normally takes place on Pierce Lawn, uneven ground and obstructed sight lines makes crowd management difficult. He said that holding commencement ceremonies outdoors in the summer time presented issues, as it is often too hot for guests. Ancona added that with UCR’s growing number of students, the length of commencement ceremonies was also presenting issues.

Ancona stated that there would be increased safety and comfort if large ceremonies are moved indoors. He also stated that alternative ways to recognize individual student names to shorten the length of commencement ceremonies may be better than the status quo. According to participant surveys, the top three priorities for commencement are: procession, length of ceremonies and the recognition of individual graduates. ► SEE ASUCR PAGE 4

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OPINIONS 6

FEATURES 11

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SPORTS 21

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

HUMANS OF UCR

UPCOMING EVENTS: WEEK 4

VANESSA BANUELOS | BIOLOGY | THIRD-YEAR COMPILED BY SOFIA BAUTISTA

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GameChangers Leadership Series 3:00pm to 5:00pm HUB 379

ASPB Presents: Get to Know Kenny Beats 7:00pm HUB 302

These Hands Don’t Hurt 12:00pm to 1:00pm UCR Bell Tower

Queer Christians & Allies Discussion 4:00pm to 5:00pm Costo Hall 245

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Cover Letter Writing 10:30am to 12:00pm HUB (Highlander Union Building), 269

Fall Food Truck Festival 11:00am to 2:00pm HUB Upper plaza

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Finding Hubbard 12:00am UCR Main Campus

Transfer Brunch & Social 1:00pm HUB 355

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Career Exploration Conference: Health & Medicine 9:00am to 4:00pm HUB 302

R’Garden Harvest Festival and Pumpkin Patch 11:00am to 5:00pm R’Garden, Parking Lot 30, Section 3

Donut holes are good. Security holes are not!

9:00am to 11:00am Upper HUB walkway near Coffee Bean

APSP’s CEP: “The Oppressed Muslim Communities in India and China 1:00pm to 2:00pm Costo Hall, 244

Tuesday

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Wednesday

Thursday

“Being a first-generation student means that I have academic opportunities that my parents didn’t have. By working hard to get my college degree, I will be able to provide a better life for my family. Instead of settling for a labor intensive

Friday

job, I am able to study the subjects I enjoy and get payed to do what I love in the future. I am the one to change that cycle in my family while also teaching my younger brothers that it may be hard, but it’s possible. I want to make them proud.”

Saturday

27 Sunday

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

HUB Governing Board and the Off ice of Planning, Design and Construction hosts presentation on Student Success Center

ANTONIO VELAOCHAGA Contributing Writer

On Friday, Oct. 18, the HUB Governing Board and Office of Planning, Design and Construction (PDC) hosted a presentation on the upcoming construction of the Student Success Center (SSC) building at HUB 269.

The event lasted from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and provided food and drinks.

The HUB Governing Board is responsible for developing facility operations policies, approving budgets and special event requests, developing usage policies for facilities, providing comment on HUB Programming, initiatives, operations and approving an annual report developed by the HUB facility detailing the fiscal and management operations of the

facility to the chancellor and students.

The SSC, which will be adjacent to the Interdisciplinary South and Student Services Buildings, is a new building that will include lecture halls, classrooms, informal study spaces, social lounging and a dining venue.

According to HUB Director Brendan O’Brien, the SSC will include the first ever genderneutral bathroom and Socratic lecture hall at UCR. O’Brien said that the HUB Governing Board looked through ways to accommodate the rising student population at UCR and they found that the SSC is the most cost-effective way to adjust to the rapid growth.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Bryan Haines opened the event and gave the podium to O’Brien, who showed a video of what

the SSC would look like when completed.

Following the video, O’Brien introduced two members of the Office of Planning, Design and Construction who extensively worked on the building plan. Project Manager Mihai Gavin and Co-Director of Project Management, Architects and Engineers Drew Hecht, spoke of the planning process and the architecture of the SSC. According to Gavin, seven months of planning and design went into the layout of the SSC. Gavin explained how the SSC will have a positive effect on campus stating, “I think it was about time that we added another building on our campus that was education and student focused.” Gavin said that the three-story building will create a social environment that

allows students to study and learn effectively.

The modernist aesthetic of the SSC “makes a much richer experience,’’ due to the way the “building talks back to campus in subtle ways,” Hecht stated.

Three major focus points of the SSC were student affairs, student life, generally assigned classrooms and the dining venue, said Gavin.

He added that besides the large and medium lecture halls, the SSC building will include an official testing center and multi-purpose rooms.

O’Brien stated that he will provide campus updates on the construction from the HUB Governing Board. The construction of the SSC will start this November and it is expected to be completed in July 2021.

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ASUCR

SARA BERNAL /HIGHLANDER ► FROM ASUCR

Their proposed plan, which would take effect for the graduating class of 2020, would move commencement from Pierce Lawn at UCR to the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, which is approximately 20 miles from UCR. In order to shorten the length of the commencement ceremonies, student names at larger ceremonies would no longer be called out as they walk across the graduation stage. Instead, the names of graduating students would be flashed on a banner-like screen as they walk across the stage.

Last year, nine different commencement ceremonies took place. This year, stated Ancona, five ceremonies would take place.

The Graduate Division hooding ceremony will be held on May 30 in the Student Recreation Center, following the same format as 2019. The School of Medicine Hippocratic Oath Ceremony will be held on May 29 in the Student Recreation Center, also following the same format as 2019.

In an interview with The Highlander, Ancona stated that there will be three identical university-wide ceremonies open to all graduates and their families who wish to participate. The ceremonies will be held at Toyota Arena in Ontario on Sunday, June 14 at 9:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. In addition, there will be a full range of events, receptions and ceremonies on Saturday, June 13, almost all of which will be held in various venues across campus and would

provide opportunities for individual recognition of students. A campus-wide Grad and Family Night event will be held for graduates and families by the Bell Tower from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Ancona stated that students from the School of Public Policy and from the Graduate School of Education are being invited to participate in the universitywide ceremonies scheduled to take place at Toyota Arena on Sunday, June 14. He stated, “Additionally, it is our understanding that both schools are planning their own on-campus ceremonies independent of the other in one of the indoor venues on Saturday, June 13.”

In response to these changes, ASUCR President Julian Gonzalez stated, “This honestly makes me less excited for commencement. My graduating class is being used as a pilot for whether this is going to work or not and I honestly think it is kind of offensive.” Gonzalez then questioned whether the relocation of commencement to the Toyota Arena was already set in stone, to which Ancona stated that it was. Gonzalez also stated, “It’s concerning that we were not asked about a venue. I can probably speak for every fourth year by saying that I do not want commencement in Ontario.

I want my commencement near the Bell Tower. That is where I lived for the past four years. There should have been more open communication about a venue.”

When Gonzalez questioned Ancona

about how large the increase in graduating students this year compared to last year, Ancona stated, “There was about a 16% increase. We had an unusually large class and increase in transfers in 2016 which is the class that would be graduating this school year in 2020.” In response, Gonzalez stated, “A lot of students heard about this through rumors. The student body is constantly being blindsided by things that impact us just like the decision to build a STEM high school and I’m sure that a contract has already been signed to hold commencement at the Toyota Arena.

This is going to affect what students have been working towards for four years. I am offended and I will make sure that this new plan does not take place.”

Executive Vice President Abigail Cortes then questioned Ancona and Mata and stated, “Is there any way we can at least keep the calling of names as part of the ceremony?”

Ancona answered, “That would prove to be challenging, we are talking about a three to three and a half hour ceremony. I don’t know that it is physically possible.”

After Ancona and Mata finished their presentation, the meeting moved on to committee reports. The finance meeting minutes for Oct. 14 and Oct. 16 were both approved 13-0-1 and 14-0-0. The GCAP meeting minutes and allocations were approved 14-0-0. The senate also approved SR-F19-011: Resolution in support of advocacy and outreach efforts for the 2020

U.S. Census. This resolution, which was presented by Eric Calderon, the transfer/ non-traditional director, would promote oncampus education about the census, which is taking place on April 1. The resolution was passed 14-0-0.

The senate also passed SR-F19-012: Revising Chapter II section III — ASUCR Senator Qualification 14-0-0. This revision would make it clear in the ASUCR bylaws that a GPA of 2.5 is required for ASUCR senators and if they failed to maintain this GPA, they would have to step down and then the runner-up from the ASUCR elections would take their place. President Pro Tempore Preeti Juturu stated that while these requirements were outlined in the ASUCR constitution, they were not outlined in the ASUCR bylaws. This change would now layout these requirements in the bylaws.

During Ex-Officio Reports, Gonzalez took the stage to readdress the commencement changes that Ancona and Mata presented. Gonzalez stated, “I honestly thought that they were coming in to speak to us today to ask our opinion.

I had no idea this was set in stone. I am going to make sure that these changes do not happen. They blindsided us on this and they keep blindsiding us on things. I want to request an emergency meeting with the chancellor. Expect a formal statement from me speaking out against this soon.”

During Roundtable and Announcements, EVP Cortes stated that there is a CHASS Senator vacancy and that they are awaiting a response from the runner-up to see if they would fulfill the vacancy. The circumstances surrounding the vacancy are unclear. The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.

On Oct. 18, Julian Gonzalez released an official statement on the proposal changes to the 2020 UCR commencement. In the statement, Gonzalez wrote, “I am offended by the fact that our campus intentionally leaves students out of important decisions because they know we would fight back … this is a genuine disregard for the hard work and investments we and our families have given since the day we stepped foot onto the campus.”

In addition to the official statement, Gonzalez also created a petition on change. org that, at time of writing, has approximately 14,600 signatures. In the petition, which is titled “Embracing Tradition for UCR Commencement,” Gonzalez wrote, “Please show your support to keep the traditional location and ceremony and for those classes that follow by signing your name to this petition.”

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

NEWS

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ASUCR open house welcomes students to meet ASUCR members ANTONIO VELAOCHAGA Contributing Writer

ASUCR hosted an open house event on Friday, Oct. 18, starting at 9 a.m. at the ASUCR office for people to come meet and speak with their representatives.

ASUCR gave free doughnuts, candy, coffee and pizza.

The open house was designed to be a senator project to network with ASUCR senators and ASUCR members and understand the layout of the ASUCR office. More than 50 students attended the event, approximately. Students were given tours, free bluebooks and scantrons. ASUCR Vice President of Internal Affairs Jocelyn Ortiz and Vice President of External Affairs Luis Huerta announced a few of the main issues they plan to concentrate on during the school year.

During the event, Huerta claimed that his office plans to collaborate with CalFresh to combat the issue of food insecurity stating that, “roughly 60% of students are food insecure.” CalFresh is a state mandated government program that provides monthly food benefits to lowincome households.

The Highlander also spoke with Ortiz who stated that she wants to focus on basic needs. She said she planned on having a housing mixer event this quarter to get 15 to 20 off-campus apartments together and have students come and get information about the different housing options, prices and amenities for the future. Ortiz stated,

LYDIA TSOU /HIGHLANDER

“I know often times it’s hard for students to get on-campus housing and then they’re left having to find off-campus housing without any guidance.”

Ortiz plans to work with the Underground Scholars Initiative (USI), which focuses on integrating formerly incarcerated people into the school system. The goal of USI, according to their website, is “to bridge the popular academic theoretical discourse of mass incarceration with one that is grounded in the real lived experiences of UCR students and the surrounding community.”

A collaboration with R’Kids, a studentparent organization that focuses on making

the best UCR experience for studentparents and their children, is another focus for Ortiz. According to the website, the goal of R’Kids is “to empower students with children by providing the necessary resources to succeed in higher education or whatsoever their future goals may be.”

Huerta said, “some of the things I plan on prioritizing is civic engagement.” He added, “my office is going to spearhead voter registration efforts … and we are going to see how the team within the external affairs office works together.”

Huerta said that his office will table at the Bell Tower with food and snacks to have students register to vote. Another

effort that Huerta plans to work on is lobbying. He stated he is in collaboration with UCR junior Governmental Relations Director Vincent Rasso to make sure students have a doorway to go to the state capital in Sacramento and engage with elected officials. Huerta also noted, “I’m really lucky to have a good team and good government relations director.”

President Pro Tempore Preeti Juturu said, “This event helped us get to know a lot of students and introduce them to the space. It could have been more impactful if there was a better presence and engagement from the executive cabinet and senators.”

The event ended at 1 p.m.

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CALPIRG kicks off new campaigns for the 2019-2020 school year

COURTESY OF CALPIRG

LAURA ANAYA-MORGA Contributing Writer

CALPIRG, a UCR student public interest activism group, kicked off their five campaigns for the 2019-2020 school year on Wednesday, Oct. 16. from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m in HUB 355. Around 30 students stopped by the event to learn more about what CALPIRG has planned for the year.

The presentation was led by Laura Caldera, the chapter chair for CALPIRG who started off by mentioning the importance of the organization on campus. The student run non-profit “is the presence on campus that shows

students that they don’t have to wait until after they graduate to make a difference” stated Caldera. According to the CALPIRG website, their mission is to show students that they have the power to shape the future they will inherit as well as create a better, more sustainable future for all. The five campaigns for the year are meant to coincide with and reinforce that mission.

This year, CALPIRG will reintroduce a few campaigns they have had in the past to UCR. The New Voters Project will focus on getting first-year students and anyone who has not already registered to vote registered. They will also be putting

an emphasis on getting students to vote in the March 3, 2020 primary election in the most efficient way possible by finding ways to avoid long lines at polling stations. Next, the End Hunger campaign strives to end food insecurity on campus. Kate Castillo, the campaign coordinator stated that “around 60% of students on our campus are food insecure, meaning two out of every three people you see every day struggle to find what their next meal will be.” This year they will focus on trying to partner with local farmer’s markets to donate any leftover produce they may have to students.

The 100% Renewable Campaign has the mission to continue their victory from fall 2018 where they were able to get the campaign “to pass SB100, which committed the state of California to getting 100% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2045” according to the CALPIRG website. Their next campaign, Plastic-Free Seas, aims to make UCR a waste free campus and ban single use plastics as well. The final campaign for the year is the Save the Bees campaign, where they have partnered with UCR professors and the Sustainability Director to bring awareness to the importance of bees and why we should strive to keep them safe.

The last half of the meeting was for all attendees to find the campaign they wanted to be a part of the most and discuss their missions as well as brainstorm ways to raise awareness for the work they are doing. Each member also signed up to receive updates about what they could do to further their campaign.

General members of CALPIRG will have the opportunity to attend campaign meetings for whichever campaign they signed up for as well as explore any other they might be interested in. They will also help with promoting their visibility on campus through tabling at the Bell Tower or by making posters for their campaign.

Caldera also went on to mention that there is an opportunity to grow your resume through CALPIRG with their internship program, which gives students the opportunity to “take (their) education out of the classroom, do hands-on work, learn important skills, make an impact, H and climb up the leadership ladder.” ■

Opinions

6 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

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HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

Singapore’s fake news law has free speech activists worried, but only time will tell if their concern is warranted

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ree speech advocates in Singapore had quite a scare this month over the country’s newly established “fake news” law. The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act came into effect Oct. 2, and, to a western eye, it looks terrifying. The law will allow the government ministers of Singapore to flag online information as false, which will force the account that made the post to either amend the information, delete it entirely or face a fine and potential jail time. Individuals hit with these falsehood flags must then appeal directly to said ministers. This opens up many avenues for potential abuse, and critics of the law have made the obvious assertion that the law is overtly authoritarian.

At a cursory glance this law is distressing, but it may still be too early to ascertain what the law is meant to do.

It is important to remember that, while Singapore has been operating under what amounts to a dictatorship for some time now, the country has managed to avoid many of the common pitfalls most traditional authoritarian dictatorships fall into headfirst.

Since the country left the Malaysian federation in August of 1965, the ruling party, the People’s Action

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Party (PAP), has had a vice grip on the country, but unlike most traditional dictatorships, Singapore doesn’t seem to be suffering much as a result. By all definitions, it is a First World country with a high standard of living. The country enjoys incredibly low crime rates, and while the government is known for passing seemingly obtuse laws, like their ban on chewing gum, many of those laws are lauded for their role in making Singapore the champion of urban development it is today.

This makes one reconsider whether or not the western standards of democracy are at all relevant when discussing Southeast Asia.

To the law’s credit, with the way the legislation is currently written, the law seems poised to raise the standard of accountability amongst journalists. The spread of disinformation through media outlets is a common complaint echoed throughout the world at the moment. Unfortunately, it is all too easy for false information to be disseminated throughout the internet today. While the online falsehoods law is liable to make most Singaporean journalists very nervous, they are much more likely to fact check their statements. Time will tell whether or not the laws prove to be draconian.

Another potential upside to the law is its capacity to handily squash political mudslinging

campaigns. Because there are now potential repercussions for spreading lies, politicians will be less likely to make baseless claims in an effort to smear their opponents.

Regardless of where one lies on their country’s political spectrum, most people would likely agree that political mudslinging is an issue that needs to be dealt with in one way or another, and this law seems capable of solving that dilemma.

That is not to say that the law is perfect. While it is important to recognize the potential for good this legislation represents, it is equally important to recognize its potential for abuse.

Opinions, criticism and satire are protected by the wording of the law, but because the power to accuse rests firmly in the lap of the government ministers, facts that don’t unmistakably fall under the aforementioned categories could be flagged as misleading.

Even if such an accusation was successfully appealed, the accused individual would still suffer a crushing blow to their reputation. A journalist who was erroneously flagged as spreading falsehoods might have difficulties finding work after his appeal process is complete.

Furthermore, academics are reasonably worried that this law may impact their work.

Much of academia is centered around examining and deconstructing known facts, and the worry that their work might be deemed misleading by some government official who has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo in academia may be enough to turn academics away from their careers. Academics in the country are so concerned that over 80 of them went so far as to write a letter to the government of Singapore to express their concern before the law was passed. If the censorship of academic study becomes an issue then the language of the law will need to be revised.

It is also important to note that Singapore’s parliamentary elections are coming up this next year, March 2020, and critics of the government have been speculating that the recent establishment of this law is not at all a coincidence.

It is within the ruling party’s best interest to safeguard their position against other potential candidates. Many of the judges who have the final say on whether or not an appeal is granted have historically been quite close to the ruling party, so an opponent’s ad campaigns could easily be stifled if the government decided to circumvent their own rules.

This would fall right in line with other dictatorships that have rigged their elections.

One possible metric with

which one can assess the success of the fake news law is the appeal process. As mentioned before, the law has extensive criteria regarding what constitutes a falsehood, and those accused of spreading fake news are entitled to an appeal. This is where the potential for abuse is the greatest. It is entirely possible that the ministers will stall the appeal process for important cases indefinitely, which would be a sure sign of the law’s failure, but because one cannot say for certain that such a thing will happen, the only option left is to remain vigilant.

Society must wait and see how the appeals are handled as they come in.

Nobody can be sure how this law will play out. If it is to be successful, ethical safeguards need to be ensured. Any bill that gives the government sweeping power must be carefully monitored, but if there’s a country that could pull this rigid law off it’s certainly Singapore. The only thing that can be done now is wait; time will tell whether this law is a step in the right direction or a step towards a true authoritarian dictatorship.

■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.

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/opinions

OPINIONS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

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OPINION POLL Compiled by Julianna Gularte Senior Staff Photographer

“Is fake news something Americans should be worried about?”

Nizam Hamid Liberal studies Third-year

Eric Yu Undeclared Third-year

Alyssa Sanchez Psychology First-year

Daniela Tapia Education Third-year

Miranda Hankins Anthroplogy Third-year

Andres Delgado Business Marketing Fourth-Year

“Definitely now a days especially because nobody knows what real or fake is anymore. Seeing things in the middle east firsthand I can see the misinformation in American news.

I feel this misrepresentation is based on profit for the news. ”

“Yeah, I think people should worry about it.

Informed people know how to check sources. I guess that the majority that just take what they hear as truth, we should worry for them.”

“Yea, I think a lot of Americans believe everything they see in the news without doing their own research. Americans are believing outrageous things just because it is on the news.”

“I believe it is something we all should worry about. We are easily convinced by social media. We should be more critical doing our own research.”

“Yeah, you don’t want to be misinformed.

You can’t make good decisions for helping society if you don’t know what’s really happening”

“Definitely nowadays people put things on social media and not bother to do their own research. People are believing more and more in unreal things and don’t bother with research.”

Working from home benef its both employees and employers

COURTESY OF PEXELS

ESTHER CHOI Contributing Writer

The idea of remote work is not something new, but rather it has been an ongoing trend for some time.

Remote work was encouraged among employers as a result of the Great Recession in 2008, which pressured them to downsize their office space and save money. About 5.3% to nearly two-thirds of the U.S. workforce work remotely. For many people, working remotely is equivalent to working from home so they find it convenient.

This is partially due to the fact that remote work provides people with schedule flexibility, which can help employees juggle their family and work life. The benefits of a flexible schedule is too good of a perk to forego. Working remotely is not an

option for many jobs or professions due to various reasons, but if it is an option, it impacts people in a positive way. Overall, remote work mutually benefits both the employees and employers.

There are many long-lasting benefits to working remotely, with flexibility perhaps chiefest among them. Flexibility allows employees to efficiently multitask while on the job. An office worker who would otherwise not have the time to take care of their child or themselves by exercising and going to the doctor for checkups would be able to with this system.

Remote workers are fortunate enough to save time and money working from home, as they reduce the cost of transportation and can

use the extra time to do more things.

Furthermore, 55% of the participants felt more stressed as a result of their commute, meaning that, if employers allow their employees to work remotely, it can help reduce stress and help them produce quality work. It’s important to keep in mind that some employees have to travel for several hours back and forth from home to work, which is time-consuming. They have more opportunities to be more productive because they can use their commute time to do more work. Also, they can avoid possible distractions from colleagues and focus more on their work.

In the long run, employees will experience increased wealth alongside a more productive life if they use their time efficiently. The increased wealth

will be an accumulation of their income, in addition to the money they save from not using transportation.

Employers also benefit from allowing their employees to work remotely because, in return, they receive high quality work and satisfied employees.

In a survey, about 75% of employees said they would quit their job for more remote work.

The job market is made up of a lot of millennials and many of them favor flexible schedules so they are keen to have access to remote work. This trend will continue into the future too. The benefits that come along with remote work are great because the effects of those benefits persist for a long time. It is clear that remote work is greatly enhancing employees’ lives in our society today.

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8 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/opinions

Do UC why you’re paying student fees overseas?

TAYLOR GONZALES Contributing Writer

Studying abroad is an opportunity that every student deserves to experience, and UCR should work on making that opportunity more accessible. There are questionable fees added to a student’s account while in another country. This was a topic not properly covered in the program informational meetings; students were given “ballpark” answers in response to questions like “How much does it really cost to study abroad?”

At slightly less than a full quarter at UCR, the Faculty-Led Education Abroad Programs (FLEAP) program fee is $3,488 but can vary depending on location. Each session fee is the same as UCR’s Summer Sessions, priced at $1,016 each, plus an additional $16 for each tech material fee.

That brings the total to $5,522 for each month spent abroad. This should be the only fee added to the bill, as students studying abroad are spending time far away from the UCR campus. To everyone’s frustration, however, students are also charged fees for on-campus utilities and programs — services that the students are not using while abroad. This adds an extra $449.54 of fees, raising total student fees to $6,001.54. This does not include the cost of the flight to and from the location, nor the cost of meals and other activities which for many students was close to $1,500$3,000 more.

However, don’t lose hope if you want to study abroad — scholarships are the first source of funding that students should look into when planning to study abroad. The Office of International Affairs encourages students to consider applying for

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scholarships offered by the school, but the catch is that UCR has very low funding for study abroad scholarships. This results in the possibility of aid being unavailable as it was this past summer. A new referendum was passed during spring quarter 2019 directed at increasing the funding available for students to study abroad. There are also many scholarship opportunities offered outside of UCR that could help with the financial burden. Furthermore, countries that fewer students choose to go to actually have more offers of scholarships available to encourage students to explore that country. While this means that students might not be studying somewhere touristy

like Paris, the costs of the trip may be completely paid for.

Since 86% of students at UCR receive financial aid to cover tuition, it is important to know how financial aid will work when studying abroad. If a student decided to study abroad during the fall, winter or spring term then the student would be eligible for the full award amount as if they were attending UCR locally as a full-time student. However, if they were to study abroad during the summer then the awards are cut in half, leaving a sum for you to pay out of pocket.

For as fervently as the school pushes for students to study abroad, UCR isn’t giving

them accurate pricing. Students should be fully informed on how expensive studying abroad is so that they are not hit with a hard reality while abroad that their budgeting was incorrect. Having to pay student fees while studying abroad is unfair, $500$1,200 that go to on-campus programs could have been the difference between the opportunity to fully experience something new while abroad or even being in less debt after the program is over. If UCR continues to push students to study abroad, then they need to focus more on funding the program, making it affordable and fully informing prospective students on what to expect financially.

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Expanding vocational programs to prisons and high schools

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ROBERT GOLD Contributing Writer

The United States unemployment rate decreased to 3.5% in September 2019, the lowest it has been since December 1969.

Since 1948, the American employment rate has averaged at 5.74%. Comparatively, Canada has a rate of 5.7% with a population one-tenth the size of the United States.

There are many factors that affect a nation’s unemployment rate. One factor worth considering is the growth of trade schools. In 1999, 9.6 million Americans were enrolled in trade school. In 2016, enrollment had swelled to 16.9 million.

With a 28% cumulation, it is time for federal aid to support the expansion of vocational programs.

For starters, the U.S. criminal justice system needs mandatory vocational programs in all prisons across America.

Across 6,843 prison facilities, with 2.3 million inmates and 716 inmates for every 100,000 people, America has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Inmates who leave prison with vocational degrees have a 43% lower recidivism rate and a 28% higher employment rate.

Unfortunately, it is implausible for former convicts who do not possess the necessary tools and education to be productive members of society. It is therefore imperative to institute mandatory vocational programs for all inmates serving a sentence of one year or longer to be enrolled in a vocational program

during their time incarcerated. Regardless of any prior educational backgrounds, all prisoners will have to graduate and receive a vocational certification as a token of their release.

Trade school is a cost-effective alternative to traditional college. The average trade school degree costs $33,000.

Comparatively, the average bachelor’s degree costs $127,000. Additionally, it takes a shorter amount of time than traditional college. Most vocational programs are 10 to 18 months long, with the shortest ones being four months. With a faster graduation and a marketable skill, these vocational graduates will be debt-free much faster than their college graduate counterparts.

Students can also benefit from vocational programs being added to the high school curriculum. While most high school students will never use algebra, chemistry or English literature in the professional world, the practical applications of welding, plumbing, pipe fitting, machining, culinary arts, web design and carpentry are immeasurably valuable skills in the private sector. Additionally, the percentage of high school graduates who attend college is 69.7%. With nearly one out of every three high school graduates choosing not to attend a higher education institution, these students cannot survive in the professional world. These young people deserve a chance to make something of themselves too. Therefore, all high school graduates should leave with a vocational certification.

Critics may point to the overwhelming

cost of a mass education reform program.

The national budget already allocated $68 billion annually in 2016, for education federally and $80 billion annually on corrections facilities. Proposing more money allocations would be both redundant and ineffective, but studies show that we could be saving more money by putting our focus into vocational programs.

Studies show that, because of the lowered recidivism rates, for every $1 spent on vocational degrees in prisons, taxpayers save $5 in return. Additionally, the federal government spends $668 billion a year on over 126 different welfare programs.

Millions of Americans who rely on government subsidies could relinquish their government dependence if they had vocational training, once again saving the taxpayer billions of dollars.

In America today, there are still stigmas against trade schools, but many respectable career paths are considered vocational skills, and salaries for these jobs are sizeable. Cosmetologists, for instance, average salaries of $41,490 a year. These graduates are productive and prosperous members of society. Unlike many professions, these jobs are not limited to certain regions of the country. Anywhere in America, there is always a necessity for repairmen and auto mechanics. America is in a state of economic fruition, but not all Americans share this prosperity. With the expansion of vocational programs into new sectors of society, more people will be able to live the American dream.

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OPINIONS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

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Money or Morality: The NBA must decide how much money dictates their stance on human rights

JORDAN HOM Senior Staff Writer

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey caused an uproar in China when he made a post on Twitter in support of the Hong Kong protests.

Morey’s tweet, which has since been deleted, sparked enough outrage in China to cause the country to stop airing Rockets games. Several Chinese companies, such as Tencent, decided to suspend ties with the Rockets despite the longstanding relationship that the team had built with China through Chinese basketball star, Yao Ming. The Rockets drafted Yao as their first overall draft selection in

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2002 and because of his dominance on the basketball court, the Rockets became one of the most popular teams in China. In addition, the Rockets also had Asian American star Jeremy Lin on their roster for two seasons and Chinese center Zhou Qi in 2017.

However, none of those acquisitions mattered to China when they decided to impose their ban on the Rockets.

For background, Hong Kong was once part of China, but due to the opium wars between China and Britain, Hong Kong was ceded to Britain in 1842. Trading tensions between China and Britain led to the first opium war. In the second war, Britain stood victorious and acquired

the New Territories of Kowloon in 1898. The New Territories would be ruled by Britain for 99 years until 1997. When it was time for Britain to return Hong Kong back to China, they agreed for a one-country, two-systems government, lasting until 2047.

The NBA must defend Morey’s right to his freedom of speech and anyone else who decides to speak in support of Hong Kong. The NBA, a professional sports league that prides itself on being a progressive league that supports breaking the repressive structure of many societal issues, must not be silent. As a growing global entity, the NBA should not only stand

by Morey and ensure that he won’t be terminated for his tweet in support of Hong Kong, but they should also speak up in favor of the protests and not let the influence of China dictate where they stand on this issue.

Recently, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was also in the midst of controversy because of a statement he made regarding Morey’s tweet in which he called the Rockets GM “uninformed” and “uneducated.”

LeBron’s statement is hypocritical because he has been very vocal in prior social issues, but his stance with China indicates that he is only vocal about issues when they can benefit him. LeBron is quite popular in China, amassing millions of dollars from various endorsements, which is likely the reason why he decided not to speak in support of Hong Kong. Players who

also have endorsements with Chinese companies, like LeBron, will lose out on endorsement money from China.

In addition, it is also likely that the NBA has yet to take a stance in support of Hong Kong because China generates millions of dollars in revenue for the NBA. Simply put, the NBA doesn’t want to risk losing the money China brings to the NBA. Currently, China makes up about 10% of the league’s revenue through various broadcasting and endorsement deals. As of right now, the salary cap is currently at $109 million for the 2019-20 NBA season while the projected salary cap for the 2020-21 season is around $120 million. However, with the Chinese market drying up, that number could stagnate or even decrease, which will impact the amount of money each team will be able to spend in order to resign their star players or acquire new ones.

However, none of that should really matter with basketball’s growth on a global scale. The NBA still generates millions of dollars outside of the Chinese market and this is a perfect opportunity to venture into other markets. Basketball will be popular worldwide regardless of China and the NBA players and personnel should be able to speak their opinions freely without repercussions from outside entities. The NBA should stand for the freedom of speech and not let money dictate whether or not they should kowtow to China’s growing influence on the world.

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Blizzard silences its players speech to follow those who continue to blindly take Chinese money ADAM ALVERNAZ Senior Staff Writer

On Tuesday, Oct. 8, video game developer Blizzard Entertainment found themselves in hot water with the gaming community over the harsh punishment of two commentators and a professional Hearthstone player, Chung “Blitzchung” Ng Wai. Blitzchung was banned and had his tournament winnings confiscated after he expressed his support for Hong Kong protestors during a postgame interview. This form of expression is something that Blizzard has valued in the past and something the company is built on. Blizzard’s initial reaction to the controversy was a clear preventative measure to quell their Chinese investors’ worries.

Blizzard is owned in part by Tencent Holdings Limited, a corporate conglomerate

that is also known as the owners of Riot Games and 40% shareholder of Epic Games.

Blizzard’s initial reaction was to suppress the comments made by their tournament winner, which paints a disturbing picture of American corporations bowing to the power and wealth of the CPC. Their subsequent apology and backpedaling measures failed to convince their supporters.

In the days following the incident, Blizzard attempted to quell the masses on both sides with another official statement. In this letter, they apologize for the harshness of their decisions whilst also divulging why. While the statement does seem to be a genuine and well thought out compromise, it remains problematic. Blizzard’s main assertion against Wai was that he was using their platform to express his views, stating that they only wished Wai’s comment would be focused on the game.

Many have questioned Blizzard’s decision.

Had Wai taken a pro-China stance, it’s hard to believe that Blizzard would have questioned his decision in the slightest. It’s clear that Blizzard does not care about what people say, except when they clash with the intentions of their Chinese shareholders. It also doesn’t answer to the banning of the two casters who were commentating during the match.

Despite them having no involvement in Wai’s declaration, they were still unfairly punished.

Blizzard did lower the bans from one year to six months, but the bans are still very unnecessary and many of Blizzard employees would agree.

Their own employees held a day of protest to state their disagreement with the company’s values and to stand up for those who have been silenced. The good intentions of their employees means more than their own company’s statement. Surprisingly, even

Congress recently decided to urge Blizzard to reverse the reduced bans. It is heartening to see that even Congress is standing in support of a Hong Kong man’s freedom of speech. With Congress now interested in the intervention of freedom of speech, it’s likely that they will be looking much more closely at how overseas business is done.

There will always be people who will try to fight for freedom of speech, but censorship regarding Hong Kong is a problem that likely won’t go away anytime soon. For every supporter of free speech, there are those that still choose to side with their Chinese investors’ best interest. Apple, the NBA and countless others are choosing to just keep taking the investor money. While this practice is slowly starting to come into the light of the public as immoral, we can hope for more work to be done in letting every voice be heard.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

OPINIONS

Highlander Write- Off

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/opinions

Cartoons by Justus Ross

Ellen DeGeneres is on trial in the court of public opinion for her choice in friends VICTORIA DAVY Contributing Writer

Ellen DeGeneres and former President George W. Bush were seen laughing in a video together when they attended a football game. This set the internet ablaze with opinions on whether or not Ellen and Bush should have been laughing together at a football game due to their opposing political beliefs. Later on in the week, Ellen defended herself against the backlash on her show. Ellen shouldn’t have had to defend herself because she should be allowed to be friends with whoever she wants. This situation reveals a larger issue; the public expects celebrities to be figureheads and not people.

Ellen on multiple occasions has let her viewers and the public alike know that she is a liberal person. Former President Bush is a committed Republican. Though they both have differing political views, that isn’t the be-all and endall to their personalities. There are many conversations the two may have had regarding their beliefs that the public is not privy to. Even though they may

not agree on every single issue, they are still people who could have similar interests.

Many people on social media are of the opinion that all celebrity interactions should only happen with others who share their same beliefs. Though Ellen and other celebrities connect themselves to certain causes, that does not mean that they are bound to the cause.

Their platforms convey some small part of their views to the public, but what the public sees is not the full story.

Throughout B u s h ’ s presidency, he did make a few decisions that more liberal Americans might find questionable.

He called the 2004 Massachusetts ruling in favor of same-sex marriage “deeply troubling”.

Ellen has always been vocal about LGBT rights ever since she came out on her

television show. Bush fought against a large part of Ellen’s identity so it is understandable that Ellen was criticized for being friends with a man who, through his actions as president, showed that he didn’t really care about her or those like her.

That being said, Bush’s past should never overshadow that he is a person first and a politician second.

If Ellen can forgive him and put what he’s done in the past, p e o p l e have no right to condemn h e r .

Furthermore, while she forgave him for his past actions, that does not mean that she has to forget or agree with them. Both of

them were in a public place and if Ellen had reacted a different way, people on social media would have had something to say about that too. If Ellen had ignored Bush people would have said she was prejudiced or disrespectful. They weren’t at a political debate or a town hall meeting so they should have been allowed to momentarily forget that they are public figures and just enjoy being two people at a football game.

If Ellen and Bush had been two regular people who had different political beliefs no one would have batted an eye.

However, their place in the public eye means that people felt the need to give their unwanted opinions on the situation. People should be allowed to befriend whomever they please. People have differing feelings, opinions and lifestyles but that doesn’t mean they should be treated like outcasts. Intolerance begins when people aren’t willing to put themselves in the place of others. Ellen is showing that she can be the bigger person regardless of what others have to say about her.

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Bush should not be forgiven: Ellen chooses placation over condemnation of evil TIMOTHY HUGHES Contributing Writer

Ellen DeGeneres is well-known for her kind and polite demeanor, witty sense of humor and generosity toward guests on her show. Ellen is a nice person — so nice, in fact, that she recently gave a monologue on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” about the importance of being kind to people we disagree with and the value of working hard to become friends with them. Said monologue would be innocent enough had the subject of the speech not been former President of the United States George W. Bush, who she describes as her friend. Ellen believes that people should have a heart of forgiveness for those who have wronged us, but the ethical carnage that was the Bush administration is beyond forgiveness.

Ellen is choosing empty words and placation over holding power accountable.

For those unaware of Bush’s appalling track record, it amounts to much more than the casual stupidity he is well-known for. In 2001, less than a year after Bush’s inauguration, tragedy struck the United States. Bush was in office during the 9/11 attacks, which saw the collapse of the World Trade Center and 2,977 American lives lost. Bush did an excellent job consoling and uniting the country following the attacks, but he also utilized that unity and vulnerability to

con America into going to war in Iraq. The war in Iraq was fought on a false pretense that Sadaam Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction (WMD). This was patently untrue and the Bush administration knew that. The true motives for going to war are not entirely clear. The war may have been a desire for access to oil, to ensure reelection o r perhaps simple status seeking.

What is certain, however, is that B u s h lied to the American people to make this war happen.

T h r o u g h fearmongering TV appearances throughout 2002, Bush gottheAmericanpeopleonhissideand

attacked Iraq in 2003. Bush’s successors have

continued this legacy and since 2003, American forces have killed approximately 280,000 combatants and 200,000 civilians in Iraq alone. Their blood is on Bush’s hands.

And while Ellen may forgive him for that, those Iraqi citizens don’t have the privilege of choosing to do so.

Ellen may also be forgetting to be enraged about Bush’s flagrant homophobia throughout his presidency.

Bush came out in favor of a constitutional amendment to permanently ban gay marriage at the federal level called the Federal Marriage Amendment, which eventually failed. He spent a lot of time parroting typical talking points about how “God ordains marriage between a man and a woman,” blurring the line of church and state and using religious

principles to oppress gay Americans.

Politically, it wasn’t a bad strategy, as only a slim majority of Americans at the time were in support of gay marriage. Ethically, it was despicable.

Bush’s stance against gay marriage was a large part of his reelection bid but is typically ignored as part of his harrowing legacy. This sort of bigotry goes beyond “political disagreement.”

Ellen seems unfazed by it.

George Bush is a villain in this world and is beyond the public rehabilitation Ellen is attempting to give him. If Bush’s participation in the murder of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis isn’t personal enough for Ellen, his homophobia should be. Had Bush been successful, Ellen and Portia wouldn’t be married today. Ellen’s monologue reveals her priorities. She is more interested in placating the rich establishment with syrupy, empty rhetoric than she is interested in condemning crimes against humanity and the denial of the validity of her sexuality — something she shares with millions of Americans.

Ellen’s point that we should be friends with people we disagree with is not bad, but Bush is a monumentally poor subject for the argument she is trying to make. Tolerance of political differences cannot be extended to a man who chose to murder hundreds of thousands and attempted to further oppress millions of Americans on the basis of who they love.

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FEATURES

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

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Queer Alliance hosts coming out dance BY: Alejandro Meza-Aguilar, contributing writer On Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m., Queer Alliance hosted the annual Coming Out Dance at the UCR Alumni Center. The event is annually held by Queer Alliance, an LGBT organization on campus, with the goal to offer a space for LGBT students and community members to celebrate Halloween and mingle with other LGBT individuals.

The event has been held since the reestablishment of Queer Alliance back in 2015. Its purpose has consistently been to offer LGBT individuals space to openly express themselves on the dance floor and celebrate Halloween without the fear of judgment, discrimination or any social repercussions.

The club publicity manager, Azalea Corral, a second-year Latin American studies major stated, “The Coming Out Halloween dance is an event put on

by Queer Alliance to bring together members of the LGBT community and have a good time with friends without worrying about what anyone thinks.”

The dance was planned a year ago and the theme this year was Witches.

Nate Sebastian, a fourth-year psychology major, and event attendee stated, “Halloween was always a comforting holiday. For one, it is Emo Christmas. And second, it’s just a chill day. Free candy, no obligation to cater to anyone. Some people can be not themselves for a day and others, it may be the only day they can.”

The tradition of the Coming Out Dance has been held since 2007 when Queer Alliance was reinstated at UCR. It was one of the few events in which LGBT students could mingle in a largely anti-LGBT environment of the time. Most of the Coming Out Dance’s origins are unclear due to the lost history within Queer Alliance’s fluctuating annual club roster size. It’s only certain that the dance came about at the beginning of Queer Alliance’s involvement on campus. Regardless of the origins, the dance brings community members together to celebrate.

The night was a blend of students and community members under one roof, dancing to a variety of songs without caring about any judgment.

Scattered around the dance floor there were multiple couples who were able to demonstrate affection and not look over their shoulder in the fear of who might see. All they had to focus on was the fun they were having on the dance floor and watching their toes because not everyone is a gifted dancer.

The highlight of the night was the costume contest in which students were able to go on the dance floor and compete for the cheers and jeers of their peers to determine the winner. It started off with basic dancing

since everyone was warming up and feeling the crowd out of stage fright.

After the third dancer came up, everyone got comfortable and started letting loose, with dancers performing stunts such as splits and flips. The competition got fierce among three competitors who performed the most stunts and had the most rhythm: The Mad Hatter, Sexy Patrick and a Fairy.

They got into a dance battle of grace and rhythmic prowess, with a greater sense of competition focused on Patrick and the Mad Hatter. Sexy Patrick, fourth-year sociology major Nikki Abello, proved to work their dance moves were the best. Abello clacked their heels, split on the floor, and scorpioned their left leg behind their head with eight-inch heels on.

The crowd cheered nonstop, proving Sexy Patrick had earned the crown.

After the costume contest coronation, the DJ played “The Cupid Shuffle,” “The Cha Cha Slide” and “El Payaso del Rodeo.” The night began to wind down once “El Payaso del Rodeo” was over, and the music transitioned into pop classics like Diana Ross “Coming Out.” ■H

JULIANNA GULARTE / HIGHLANDER

The Highlander Newspaper has modified the accompanying images to preserve the privacy of the students in attendance at the request of the Queer Alliance.

JULIANNA GULARTE / HIGHLANDER

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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

Spooky Season:

The Holiday Spirit BY: CHRISTINE TRAN, SENIOR STAFF WRITER I pace back and forth outside the doors of the Student Recreation Center arena trying to relax my nerves before entering. Today is the day that could make or break the rest of my college career: today are the tryouts to be the iconic Scotty the Bear mascot.

“Run .” Scotty towards me.

In the middle of the gym sits a lonely table with a man and a woman chatting casually. Interestingly, they both have hair as white as snow and a surprisingly youthful glow is radiating off of them. As I walk closer to their table I see that the man wears a name tag that reads Coach Nicholas and the woman has one that says Coac h Carol.

Oh my gosh … OH MY GOSH. I don’t wait a second longer before racing back toward the entrance.

The cool night air feels harsh against my skin as I run in the direction of the hill leading to the Aberdeen-Inverness Residence Hall. Adrenaline is flooding through my veins and I refuse to spare a single glance backward. As I near the top of the hill, I crash into somebody.

“Hi, I’m here to try out for—” “You got it, you’re the new Scotty,” he cut me off with an air of finality.

takes

a

step

What? Run from what?

“RUN. AWAY. BEFORE IT’S— ” Scotty doesn’t finish before he starts sprinting towards me.

“What? Don’t you want to see me in action at least?” I ask.

“Watch. Out. Scotty chasing me,” I panted, barely able to get the words out. I look up and see that it is Coach Carol. A wave of relief comes over me and I grip onto her arm for dear life.

Coach Nicholas’ whole body shakes with a jolly laugh, “No i t ’s f i n e , k i d . I s e e t h e s p i r i t within you, you’re perfect for the job. Meet us here back here tomorrow night and we can begin the process.”

Coach Carol places a hand on my forehead, “Are you feeling well? There’s no way that could have happened. The Scotty suit has been with me all night.” Coach Carol o pens the bag she’s holding to reveal the suit in question.

The next night I arrive to a dark and lifeless SRC north building; i t ’s a s t r a n g e s i g h t s e e i n g a l l t h e empty machines and courts. As I turn right to walk toward the arena, I see a shadowy figure at the end of the hall. I can barely make out who it is under the light of the moon.

“But-but I swear — ” I’m at a loss for words. What did I see in the hallway then?

I t ’s S c o t t y. W h o c o u l d b e i n the costume this late at night? I thought.

But as soon as Scotty turns to face me my blood runs cold. An e n o r m o u s g a s h r u n s f r o m S c o t t y ’s chin all the way down to the bottom o f h i s s t o m a c h . Te r r i f y i n g l y i n t e n s e a m b e r- c o l o r e d s t r e a k s o f light were flowing out of the tear and his eyes.

Coach Carol chuckles, “Save the theatrics for practice, now come on.” She begins to make her way toward the SRC and I follow closely behind, not willing to take any more chances tonight.

At the end of practice, I fall to the ground of the locker room. I’m drenched in sweat and my body refuses to move, screaming every time I budge even the tiniest bit.

That was the most intense practice I’ve ever had in my entire life.

Coach Carol and Coach Nicholas didn’t let up one bit. I drag my dead body onto a bench and let my head fall into my hands.

I shut my eyes for a brief moment of peace. But when I open them once more I notice the lights are starting to flicker, then they shut off completely. I feel the panic rising within me; I open my mouth to yell for the coaches but it runs dry when I see who is in the doorway.

Scotty is back and he is looking worse for wear. His f ur is matted and he is missing a part of his right arm and leg. His hat and clothes are tattered and stained with a dark liquid. He begins to stumble toward me, reaching out with his remaining arm.

“ESCAPE NOW.”

before placing the head over my own.

As soon as I have the suit completely on, I immediately know something is wrong.

I can’t breathe, I can’t move.

My body begins to radiate a brilliant yellow; a sight that I would consider beautiful if it wasn’t for the fact that I was g r o w i n g w e a k e r. I t f e e l s l i k e I ’ m being drained. As if the suit is stealing a part of me, as if it is consuming me. I try to struggle, but I have no energy left to fight back.

Everything goes dark.

Unable to run, I close my eyes and let out a shrill screech. I hear footsteps and the door being flung open. The lights are back on and the coaches are looking at me wide-eyed. Scotty is nowhere in sight.

I’m shaking uncontrollably and my vision blurs from the tears forming in my eyes. Coach Carol comes to my side and wraps her arms around me. “Shh, don’t c r y, w e n e e d y o u r s p i r i t s u p , ” she wipes away the tear that has f a l l e n o n t o m y c h e e k . “ H e y, d o you know what will cheer you u p ? Tr y i n g o n y o u r m a s c o t s u i t for the first time! Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

When I come to, my body feels h e a v y. I ’ m s i t t i n g i n a c h i l l y r o o m I d o n ’ t r e c o g n i z e . I t h i n k t h e r e ’s something missing. I don’t feel scared or confused. I can’t feel a n y t h i n g . I a m j u s t e m p t y. I l i f t my head but the effort to move feels so burdensome. The world around me has become dull, but I can still tell that it is Coach Carol and Coach Nicholas sitting in front of me.

I n o d m y h e a d s l o w l y. T h a t ’s actually the last thing I want to d o r i g h t n o w.

“ I k n o w, ” a g r e e s C o a c h C a r o l , “This is enough spirit to keep us running for weeks, we picked out a good one.” Coach Nicholas labels the jar and places it on a shelf full of matching jars. A crash comes from somewhere outside the room. Coach Nicholas f r o w n s a n d f l i n g s o p e n t h e d o o r.

Coach Nicholas brings in the Scotty suit and I can barely even l o o k a t i t . C a l m d o w n , i t ’s j u s t a n empty suit. I slowly step into the suit and the coaches help me slip my arms into the sleeves. Coach Nicholas zips up the back for me and hands me the last piece of the c o s t u m e , S c o t t y ’s h e a d . “ W h e n e v e r y o u ’ r e r e a d y, ” h e says with a warm smile. I feel a sense of reassurance for the first time that night and muster a grin

They’re deep in conversation; a shimmering yellow jar sits between them. Coach Nicholas looks joyful as he says, “I’m surprised by how much we collected tonight.”

“ H e y, w e h a v e n o t i m e f o r m i s t a k e s , ” h e h o l l e r s , “ I t ’s l e s s t h a n t w o m o n t h s u n t i l D - D a y. ” He shuts the door and finally faces me, “And you, what are you still doing here? Get out there and start working.”

■H *This is a fictional work. Any real life connections are pure coincidence.

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FEATURES

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

Spooky Season:

B ew are the Human ities building By: Silvia Ferrer, Senior Staff Writer

It was week five — midterm week — and I was running on a whole lot of coffee and very little sleep. I’ve found a quiet place to finish my world history assignment in the Humanities building. Even though I’ve had to visit professors in this building a couple of times before, I’ve always gotten lost. It wound around and around like a maze; sometimes, I would enter on one side of the building only to end up on a completely different floor than I had expected.

But it was a good place to study. Quiet, solitary, with tables and chairs in some sections. The assignment was already late, but my TA had assured me that he would take it as long as I turned it in the next morning. I just had to find his office on the third floor and slip it under the door.

I don’t know how it happened, but I fell asleep. One moment, I was reading about Mesopotamia and the sun was shining through the window in front of me. The next, I was startled awake by a slamming door. Oh, no. The blinding blue sky was replaced with pitch black. The only light I could see was in the distance, flickering weakly in front of the elevator. I could barely see the light shining off the silver of the doors, as the darkness encroached on both sides.

This is just a building, I reminded myself, just school. The scariest thing about it is the tuition. I grabbed my phone and my headphones. Music will calm me down. It was dead. No doubt because of the music that kept playing as I slept. I gave up on the last remaining questions and shoved the rest of my things in my backpack before walking quickly to the elevator. The only sound I could hear were the echoes of my steps. Until I heard the slamming door again.

“Hello?” I called out nervously. Maybe it was a maintenance worker. The company would be nice. All I heard was a dry chuckle in return.

Finally, the elevator opened. By now, the creepiness of the building was getting to me and I practically threw myself inside. I slammed the button for the third floor and sighed audibly when the doors closed. I didn’t notice there was already someone in there, but when I did, everything in me told me not to look at … it directly.

Blood was dripping from its brown, ratty fur and the bottom of the kilt it was wearing was shredded and muddy, like it had fallen at the construction site outside. I heard its shallow breaths. I felt

more and more on edge, my heart basically beating out of my chest until the elevator dinged.

The third floor looked … off. This building was always dark, even in the daylight, but now the darkness seemed ominous. The hallway I knew was replaced by a dim waiting area. It didn’t make any sense — it was surely night, but a receptionist and a couple of students were in the waiting area. The lights cast an unsteady glow around the room, casting shadows across the face of the receptionist, who screeched at me to sit before turning to the television.

There was nothing on, just static.

By this point, I was shaking. I didn’t know what else to do. I sat.

I sat next to a girl, hoping to find some answers as to why this building didn’t seem to house the history, anthropology and English departments anymore. She was scribbling in a notebook with a red crayon. As I peeked over, it seemed like she shifted to give me a better look. I wish she didn’t. The page was covered in grotesque drawings of people being brutally murdered. I could see the weirdly realistic figures with stab wounds and lost limbs underneath all the red crayon. Horrified, I looked up at the girl, who met my eyes with what remained of her face. Her eyes looked like they had been scratched out. I was transfixed by the gory, bloody marks and empty black holes on her face for a second before she started emitting a guttural laugh.

That’s all it took for me to jump out of my seat and run back to the elevator.

I can’t find the exit. I’ve looked and looked, encountering worse monsters at every turn. It feels like I’ve been here for hours, shouldn’t it be morning already? I’ve gotten on the elevator twice more in desperation, but the door won’t open on the first floor, it only takes me back up to that goddamn third floor. I can feel the creatures getting closer every time I step in and I’m afraid of what they’ll do to me.

I’m begging you — don’t stay in the Humanities building after dark. There’s an evil force in here; I don’t think I’ll ever escape.

■H *This is a fictional work. Any real life connections are pure coincidence.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

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Spreading awareness one clothespin at a time By: Adriana Mandujano Angel, Contributing Writer

In honor of October being National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Women’s Resource Center partnered with CARE (Campus Advocacy, Resource and Education) and the Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center (RARCC) to host the Clothesline Project. The Clothesline Project is an annual event that displays shirts with a variety of powerful messages regarding domestic violence against women, children and men and was brought to campus for all to see on Tuesday, Oct. 15 to Wednesday, Oct. 16.

Flyers at their table told the history of the Clothesline Project. The Project began when a group of women discovered that the death rates of 58,000 soldiers in the Vietnam War was eerily close to that of women who were killed by their loved ones. They set out to spread awareness and educate people regarding the alarmingly high rates of abused or murdered women and to let them know that they have options.

Based on the Clothesline Project website, “the Clothesline is made up of t-shirts created by survivors of violence, or created in honor of someone who has experienced violence.”

Alexandria Blaze Cogbill, better known as “Sasha,” tabled at the Bell Tower and is an institution advocate at RARCC. Her aim is to advocate for college students. By partnering up with the Women’s Resource Center and CARE, RARCC hopes to create an environment that will help educate students on the resources available on-campus as well as off-campus.

The RARCC offers a variety of resources open to all such as a 24/7 crisis hotline, 24/7 hospital advocacy and accompaniment during court hearings and law enforcement interviews to provide support throughout the process. Cogbill stated that the center does “anything and everything so (victims) feel empowered and are getting control and agency over their lives again.”

The services offered at RARCC are available in both Spanish and English but they are always looking for advocates who speak different languages. In order to become an advocate, applicants have to be 21 years or older, have a driver’s license and own a car.

It is important for survivors to be aware of resources available to them, and the Clothesline Project is meant to give survivors options, help them through difficult times and let those survivors know that they are not alone. It is also meant to encourage society to volunteer and advocate for survivors and make a difference in the world.

In addition to off-campus resources, there are also on-campus resources for students to utilize. Vidhi Dave, a fourthyear biochemistry major working with the CARE office explains that they have “state-licensed advocates who help people with sexual trauma and volunteers who do sexual violence prevention education.”

Their goal is to educate the community on how to prevent sexual violence, and offer their services when students need them.

Dave and others from the CARE office tabled during the Clothesline Project and participated in a touchstone activity to promote self-care. “They are a way to bring yourself back to a place of relaxation,” said Dave. They encourage participants to think of anything that makes them happy and draw on a circle.

After, they glue the paper on a stone so whenever the person feels anxious, they could touch their stone and be brought back to a state of relaxation.

If anyone seeks help, there are resources available on-campus at the Women’s Resource Center, the CARE office, and off-campus at the RARCC. The RARCC’s hotline is (951) 686-7273. For those who want to volunteer to become an advocate, it is recommended to email Alexa Thomason at athomason@rarcc.org or call the number listed.

■H

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

FEATURES

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

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Do TroBon’s waffle sandwiches enhance the UV or simply blend in?

By: Adriana Mandujano Angel, CW

RYAN POON / HIGHLANDER

TroBon is a brand new addition to the list of restaurants at the University Village (UV), a convenient and accessible location for UCR students and staff to dine. TroBon specializes in waffle sandwiches with a variety of different combinations ranging from grilled pastrami to BBQ pulled pork and their best-selling fried chicken.

For my eating experience, I wanted to get a grasp of their sandwiches and whether they were worth it or not.

When I first arrived, I was met by a friendly cashier who instantly made me feel comfortable when taking my time looking at the menu. I ordered their best-selling Fried Chicken Waffle, Maple Bacon Waffle and the cashier ’s personal favorite, the Roasted Mushroom Waffle sandwich.

To my surprise, the waffle sandwiches were reasonably priced when taking into account other restaurants around the UV. Their best-selling fried chicken sandwich along with the maple bacon and egg waffle sandwich were both $6.75. I would have expected it to have been at least $8. The veggie mushroom was a bit pricier at $8.25 but still not bad.

After I ordered, I sat down and finally took in the ambiance. The inside of TroBon was very chic, with

bright red chairs contrasting the dark brown wood tables. It was very aesthetically pleasing and was only enhanced by the mural on the wall. It portrayed a beautiful red tree with its branches extending over the entirety of the wall. There were a few groups of people eating and laughing and some were even doing homework.

After a while, our food arrived and my friends and I were in awe at the presentation. The first smell that hit my nose was the bacon. It smelled so good and when I took my first bite it was very warm and cheesy. The eggs were seasoned with pepper and salt, and tasted delicious. The crunch of the bacon only enhanced the flavor and made my inner-kid explode in happiness.

The next bite I took was from the Roasted Mushroom Waffle. I was very intrigued by it and wanted to know if it was worth the $8.25 — let me tell you, it definitely was. Packed full of mushrooms and other veggies, my first bite was met with juicy mushrooms that somehow exploded in flavor, smoky and roasted to perfection.

Another flavor I tasted was this sweet flavor contrasting the smokiness of the mushrooms. I first thought it was cranberries but after

talking to the chef, Miguel Hernandez, I discovered they were sundried tomatoes. Personally, I tend to stay away from any kind of tomatoes, but the ones in this sandwich are an exception. They added depth and sweetness to the roasted mushrooms and is an overall great veggie option for the price.

The third waffle dish I tried was their best-selling Fried Chicken Waffle. It wasn’t as warm as the others, probably due to the time my friends and I spent discussing the flavors of the other two. However, that did not take away from its taste. The chicken was so sweet and crunchy and paired with coleslaw, it was fresh and delicious. Chef Hernandez explained that the chicken is marinated for 24 hours prior to being cooked and served; I could definitely see why it is a best-seller.

After a while, however, the waffle became soggy at the bottom and messy to eat, but I expected as much to happen after enough time had passed.

After tasting three waffle sandwich options, we tackled dessert next. First came the Creme Brulee and Berries Waffle Sandwich. It tasted super sweet due to the custard and caramelized sugar, but the

Fried Chicken with Agave Chipotle Honey & Brussels Slaw Roasted Mushrooms Crimini, Shitaki and Hummus

9/10

Maple Bacon & Tillamook Cheddar

9/10

Creme Brulee & Berries Waffle Sandwich

9/10

Nutella & Banana Waffle Sandwich

8/10

Price

$

Ambiance

9/10

9.5/10

crunchiness of the waffle and savory strawberries made the flavor wellrounded. For $5.75 you get a lot of value for your money, especially if you have a sweet tooth!

Next came the Nutella & Bananas Waffle Sandwich for $5.75. I love Nutella and bananas, but personally I do not see myself ordering this again. It was a delicious classic that was enhanced by the warm crunchy waffle, but if I came for dessert, I would go for the Creme Brulee waffle sandwich instead. Nonetheless, both were delicious.

After my eating experience, I was surprised at the absence of a food coma. I knew I was full, but I did not feel groggy or lazy. I definitely believe it is because of the fresh ingredients in each waffle sandwich — the mushrooms, bananas, strawberries, chicken, coleslaw and bacon all tasted fresh and healthy.

It was delicious, and I do see myself coming back to try their other combinations.

Overall, I feel that TroBon is enhancing the UV, with its surprisingly affordable prices and healthy ingredients but I do feel like it is a restaurant where I would go in to celebrate the end of midterms, finals or as a treat yourself day.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

New Riverside arcade provides fun both old and new By: Joaquin Romero, CW

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

Tucked to the side of the famous Fox Theater in Downtown Riverside sits a new attraction sure to excite and entertain. The Riverside Game Lab is a newly established place for arcade games, both old and new.

The Lab opened in late September and touts an eclectic selection of games including everything from classic arcade cabinets to cutting-edge virtual reality.

The first thing one notices about the Game Lab is the atmosphere. The building interior is stylish, lights dimmed and cartoons and movies projected on the walls. There is even wall-sized art of Pac-Man and his titular ghost enemies in one corner. The arcade itself is packed with machines. Many are classic coin-ops: Pac-Man, Asteroids, Galaga, Metal Slug and Street Fighter to name a few. The classic cabinets are interspersed with newer titles, making the experience of walking through the Lab like going through a grab bag of video game history.

The games all seem to be in good condition. Even the older ones like the Asteroids machine in the back row of the arcade handle surprisingly well for their age. Be careful though — every so often a machine can be finicky and eat one of your tokens on accident.

When I visited the Game Lab, I made a beeline for the pinball machines. A sizeable amount of the Lab is devoted to pinball games. Machines featuring iconic franchises like Star Wars, Iron Man and Batman dominate two entire walls of the arcade.

Several of the machines at the Lab carried the faces of Doctor Who, Tron and Indiana Jones. There are some newer machines with fancy digital displays, but there’s also an assortment of vintage pinball machines.

These machines may be older but they are no less exciting; they arguably have more character than their flashier, modern coun-

terparts. Much like the arcade games, these machines manage to be tons of fun no matter how old they are.

But the main staple of the Lab is virtual reality. The Lab has a wall of virtual reality stations where patrons can play a number of VR games or go through a number of VR experiences. Among the titles offered in the Lab’s repertoire are Beat Saber, Job Simulator and Loco Dojo. The staff are particularly enthusiastic about the VR attractions and readily engage with customers about the different selection of games they offer. The employee that spoke with me was excited to share that there were new VR games being added all the time.

For parties that want some privacy while they play, the Game Lab also offers private rooms that can be reserved, complete with space for up to eight players.

But if pinball, coin-ops or VR still aren’t your thing, the Game Lab still has you covered. There are also an assortment of more modern racing games, shooters, carnival games, rhythm games and even an air hockey table to round it all out. For adults, the back room of the Lab serves as a bar, and there are tables at the front for patrons to sit and mingle. The Lab is open for adults only after 10 p.m., but despite this, the Lab is still a place for people of all ages. It’s not uncommon to see families and young couples enjoying themselves throughout the arcade. There is something for everybody.

The Riverside Game Lab offers a new, stylish take on the classic arcade. Alongside its myriad of titles and types of games, it offers a cool and inviting atmosphere that can appeal to just about anyone. The Riverside Game Lab is open from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. Fridays through Saturdays.

■H

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

Radar

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

RADAR

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‘Zombieland: Double Tap’ arises from the dead to rehash the original By: ADAM ALVERNAZ, SENIOR STAFF WRITER The fan favorite zombie horror film returns to the silver screen with its anticipated sequel, “Zombieland: Double Tap.” Despite the 10-year gap in production from the original, the sequel still manages to reel audiences into the world of Zombieland quite easily. The plot, cast, effects and cinematography all deliver on a fun zombie comedy. While the familiarity to the original plays to the movie’s strengths, it does rehash quite a few plot threads that feel very unoriginal. Despite this, the renowned parody still manages to reinstate itself as its lovable characters return for more gory zombie action.

The film takes a time gap to explain our characters’ journey across the United States to inhabit the now deserted White House. “Zombieland: Double Tap” actually mirrors the original quite well, with Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) and Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) chasing after sisters Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) and Wichita (Emma Stone) because they steal the groups’ vehicle. Yet, after a few nights, Wichita returns to the White House to ask the group for help in finding Little Rock, who seemingly deserted her sister for a hitchhiker named Berkeley (Avan Jogia).

The group is then tasked with finding Little Rock and her new boyfriend as they venture to a peaceful safe haven, Babylon. While the film remains similar to the original script, it also introduces new characters that definitely change the tempo of the film.

Among the main group is Madison (Zoey Deutch), whose dumb blonde trope annoys the group as a whole. Her joyous vibe was a great foil to the gritty cast as she’s a constant pest through our characters’ journey. Another great addition was Rosario Dawson’s character, Nevada, who acts as a mirror and love interest to the wild cowboy Tallahassee. As a matter of fact, the film even takes the mirror trope further by introducing Albuquerque (Luke Wilson) and Flagstaff (Thomas Middleditch) who rip off Tallahassee and Columbus, respectively. Each of the new characters take time away from the main cast, which is disappointing. Rather than spending time developing characters, we see a mirror character almost instantly.

Despite the story not having much substance or overall significance, the humor makes up for it in strides. One of the film’s strengths is the consistency in its actors’ abilities to make a humorous film. Each scene had me roaring with some very clever lines and cheeky references to its predecessor. Each character brings an edge of humor that adds much-needed flavor to the post-apocalyptic world. At times the quality can be juvenile, but never did I find myself feeling like it took me out of enjoying the film.

When looking back at the original film, it’s easy to see through the special effects used and CGI because of the modern advancements in technology. The 10 years it took to make the sequel benefited the special effects department to make the world of Zombieland much uglier. My favorite addition to the film’s VFX was all the added zombie elements. The zombies now look much more detailed and developed with more gross and disgusting effects like their putrid vomit. Like the effects, the cinematography was given much more attention, with many scenes being filmed expertly and delivering satisfying shots of our characters and the hordes of zombies

they encounter. One such scene that sticks out is in the beginning when our heroes breach the White House. Playing simultaneously as the opening credits roll, the scene is a great reintroduction to the cast with an equally amazing zombie killing montage. The film definitely stepped up its game with cinematography and effects to pull audiences back into a ridiculous zombie-ridden world.

With that said, the film is a souped-up version of the 2009 film that creates a humorous world for audiences to enjoy. It largely takes from the original, such as using Columbus’ rules for survival and Talahasse’s iconic catchphrase “Nut up or shut up!” The great VFX work also makes this film look as great as it does.

“Zombieland: Double Tap” still delivers on a funny zombie adventure flick with great characters and humor; even though its overall plot and humorous moments are largely reused from over a decade ago.

■H

VERDICT: “Zombieland: Double Tap” takes the best beats of the original to craft a great sequel that is an excellent zombie comedy film. While at points the film is somewhat generic and plays on its predecessor a little too much, it still makes for an enjoyable parody film that is a treat to zombie lovers.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

'STREET FLOW ':

THE HARSH COLLISION OF TWO WORLDS LIZBETH MARQUEZ TORRES Contributing Writer

Much like New York and Los Angeles, Paris is one of the many cities that suffers from a two-sided story. To tourists, the glamorous city is another item to cross off their bucket lists whilst the suburbs suffer from poverty and the wrath of French classicism. Although physically connected, each side of the town lives in very distinct worlds. These worlds shape the lives of those who inhabit it by presenting struggles and forces beyond their control.

Directed by Leila Sy and Kery James, “Street Flow” is a French drama recently released on Netflix that presents a story where these issues are addressed through the perspective of a black family that struggles with issues of race, poverty and family values.

Soulaymaan (Jammeh Diangana) lives in the suburbs of Paris with his younger brother, Noumouke (Bakary Diombera) and their mother Khadijar (Kani Diarra).

There is no mention of their father until later in the film, where it is revealed that he died possibly due to the actions of the oldest sibling, Demba (Kery James), who was just released from prison. Although they are related by blood, the three siblings couldn’t be any more different from one another and this is reflected in the choices they make.

Soulaymaan is a scholar working on his law degree by preparing for a crucial debate where he must defend the French government in court as a final assignment.

Soulaymaan’s studies play an important role as the film develops its critique against the government through the powerful speeches he practices to prepare for court.

He is responsible for arguing against the idea that the state is responsible for what is happening in the suburbs. On the other hand, Lisa, a white bourgeoisie product of the other side of Paris, is responsible for forming an argument where the state is indeed responsible for the rates of crime and violence that run the suburbs.

Meanwhile, Noumouke’s character can

COURTESY OF NETFLIX

choose to either earn quick but dirty money by following Demba’s footsteps or he can improve his academic habits in hopes that someday this might help him climb the socio-economic ladder that France has built. It is easy to judge Demba’s character and label him as nothing but a heartless criminal but his choices were an attempt to bring his widowed mother out of poverty.

Because this is a French film, the American translation of the audio and subtitles is a little choppy, making the film slightly cringy and hard to follow at times. Nevertheless, this doesn’t take away from the powerful performances of each actor and actress. The film not only addresses issues of poverty and crime, it also touches on race when Soulaymaan, the most innocent of the three brothers, gets profiled by French police for running in an attempt to catch his train. When the

police fail to find anything illegal on him, they are forced to release him but not until one of them makes a comment about how fast “these creatures run.” While the issue of race and poverty is the main focus, the film also touches on the struggles of being a single parent. Khadijar, their mother, is an elderly woman who suffers from health issues that are a direct effect of their economic status. She must carry the burden of raising these siblings while struggling with her own issues; the absent father figure means that much of the parenting is left up to Soulaymaan, which interferes with his own responsibilities. This case is not unique and many families can relate to this struggle not only in France but all around the globe.

The film does a marvelous job of presenting Paris as a tale of two unfortunate cities. It purposely puts

Soulaymaan in a position where he must argue that the neighborhood’s issues are not because of the government, but instead are a product of the choices we make.

Meanwhile, Lisa’s character comes from a privileged background that sets up the expectation to argue what Soulaymaan is tasked with. Soulaymaan’s character is used to critique the French government by attempting to blame high rates of poverty and crime on the individual choices of those who live in the suburbs.

The juxtaposition of Demba’s character tells us that they often have no choice but to start dealing drugs or other illegal activities to survive and eventually break out of poverty. Noumouke’s loss of innocence reminds us of the harsh realities of the world and how we can never really be sure that the choices we are making are the correct ones.

■H

VERDICT : If you’re looking to watch a film filled with powerful performances and a strong, yet compelling

narrative, then “Street Flow” is for you. The film not only addresses socioeconomic issues that need to be explored, it does so through a cast of primarily black actors without glamorizing poverty and its consequences.

COURTESY OF NETFLIX

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

19

First CW episode of

‘BBatw a twoma oma n ’ is off to a rocky start ANNA BAIK Contributing Writer

COURTESY OF THE CW

Superheroes have been the source of our entertainment for decades. Comic superheroes from DC Comics to Marvel Comics have been featured on both the big screen and the silver screen, fascinating and inspiring audiences for generations.

The CW has taken on this challenge with shows like “Arrow,” “The Flash,” “Supergirl,” “Black Lightning” and “Legends of Tomorrow,” all of which have been major successes and fan favorites. A new hero entered the CW universe in the show “Batwoman.”

“Batwoman” stars Ruby Rose, an Australian actress, most well-known for her role as Stella Carlin in “Orange is the New Black.” Fans were excited to hear that Rose had been cast to play protagonist Kate Kane. Her appearance in “Elseworlds,” the annual “Arrow,” ”Flash” and “Supergirl” crossover episode, created lots of buzz and anticipation for her new show.

“Batwoman” opens with the protagonist Kate Kane, Bruce Wayne’s cousin, trapped under a frozen lake. As she struggles to break free, she has flashbacks of surviving a dangerous car accident when she was a young girl — a car accident that killed her mother and her twin sister, Beth. When Kane regains her strength and frees herself from the ice, it is revealed she was training to become a part of the Crows, a private special-ops team lead by Jacob Kane, Kate’s father. Jacob Kane established the Crows to protect Gotham’s citizens following the disappearance of Batman.

When Kate learns from her stepsister that Sophie Moore (Kate’s ex-girlfriend

and now Crow agent) was kidnapped by a terrorist group, Kate returns to Gotham to locate her. Upon her return to Gotham, she learns that Bruce Wayne was not who she thought he was. She discovers that Bruce Wayne was Batman, the same Batman that saved her life in that life-altering car accident from when she was a child.

Despite having a promising lead actress and a dedicated fanbase from the other CW DC shows, “Batwoman” has not done well in ratings and viewership. Many viewers have said that the pilot alone felt dull and unoriginal.

Compared to its CW counterparts, “Batwoman” lacks the excitement they all offered in their pilot episodes. Ruby Rose delivers a performance so unremarkable and — dare I say — boring, that it does not do justice to her character. The side characters are just as unremarkable: a ditzy stepsister, a frightened security guard and an uncaring father fail to bring anything new to the table. To add to this, everything about the episode was too quick and choppy.

Many scenes were rushed through and not given much thought. “Batwoman” assumes that its audience knows everything there is to know about Kate Kane. By rushing through her backstory and simplifying her origins, it downplays the quality of the show.

Despite the show’s flaws, the fight sequences were well-orchestrated and exciting to watch. There was one sequence where Kane goes head-to-head with the series’ villain Alice. Regardless of its unremarkable pilot episode, I have faith that “Batwoman” will find its voice and ■H carry on.

Verdict: Despite high hopes for the series, the CW ultimately fails to impress in their newest pilot, “Batwoman.” Though the series’ first outing lacked originality, the series’ opener hints at a potentially promising run if the series can gain its footing.

COURTESY OF THE CW

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Record the

Sarah Bazzy, Contributing Writer

KUCR FOLLOWS THE CRUMB TRAIL

MIKAELA ELSON / KUCR

On Tuesday, Oct. 8, a gang of KUCR DJs ventured off the quiet UCR campus and headed west to see psych-indie sensation, Crumb, perform live at The Glass House in Pomona. For a few of us, the decision to drop all of our responsibilities and go to the concert was very spontaneous. Some of us had early classes and shifts, but we risked our sleep and sanity in hopes to hear the secrets Crumb sings of holding. The question is, was waking up off four

hours of sleep and being absolutely wrecked the next day worth it?

The night began with psychedelic bedroom pop vibes from newcomer Shormey. She warmed up the crowd with her bouncy synths, raspy voice and groovy energy. As it turns out, Shormey was as energetic off-stage as she was on it. Somehow the KUCR crew ended up dancing the rest of the night away with Shormey and the lead bass player, Alex. They made the night 10 times better by

being so humble, down to earth and just a tad goofy, which mixed perfectly with KUCR’s chaotic energy.

After Shormey’s solid introduction into the night, I was feeling pretty good about my decision to come to the show but was still slightly worried I might regret it in the morning. However, the next act to hit the stage, Divino Nino, made sure that there was not an ounce of regret left in my conscious. They’re groovy, soulful and psychedelic performance took me right out of my head and straight into my body as I danced alongside my fellow DJs for the next 30 minutes straight. Their set felt like you were riding a smooth wave and every time the wave crashed you would get back up and do it again until you landed on the shores of Miami, ready to party.

I say this quite literally, as they randomly picked up their set with a funky 80s inspired song, where the hook “welcome to Miami” was repeated over and over again in a deep robotic tone. Yet, the highlight of the performance was when the group did a cover of “How Deep Is Your Love” by The Beegees. The

crowd’s hands shot up into the air as we sang along to the lyrics from the bottom of our hearts in the most cheesy Kodak moment imaginable.

I didn’t think the night could get any better after Divino Nino but somehow it did when Crumb hit the stage. Synth, keyboard and sax player Brian Aronow kicked off the set with a smoky sax solo; then, the drums and bass kicked in and in an instant, we were taken from the strange shores of Miami into the spacey psychedelic world of Crumb. Their live renditions of hits like Nina, M.R. and Locket managed to sound even better live.

You could see the passion being put into the performance and feel how the sounds of each instrument moved through the body and mind to create a trippy out of this world atmosphere. Although their set was amazing, it was extremely short because their lead singer, Lila Ramani, was recovering from a recent vocal injury. However, I’m just glad we got to see the set at all.

Overall, I think all of the KUCR DJs who attended were happy to make new friends and groove the night away with each other. So was it worth it? Absolutely.

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MIKAELA ELSON / KUCR

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

23

Men’s soccer drops conference road match to UC Santa Barbara

DAMIAN GARCIA Contributing Writer

Following an away loss to UC Irvine (5-4-5), UC Riverside (6-6-2) hosted Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (5-6-1) on Saturday, Oct. 12, in a match that tested their patience defensively. Their discipline in the match proved effective as they returned home with a 1-0 win. On Wednesday, Oct. 16, UC Riverside (6-5-2) looked to carry the confidence boost into their next away match at Harder Stadium against UC Santa Barbara (10-2-2).

However, the Highlanders were unable to carry the momentum from their victory against Cal Poly into their match against UC Santa Barbara as the team fell 2-0.

The Highlanders demonstrated defensive poise in the first half of the game, keeping the Gauchos scoreless. After a scoreless half, UC Santa Barbara emerged reinvigorated and flooded the Highlanders’ defensive sidelines with heavy ball traffic.

UC Riverside was unable to quickly adjust to their opponents’ tactical change

as an awkward ground pass into their box resulted in a tap-in goal by UCSB freshman forward Finn McBride in the 52nd minute. The Gauchos repeated the formula in the 67th minute, as McBride received a perfectly placed cross which he redirected with a header into the upper right corner of the Highlanders net.

Although the final score was a shutout, the box score indicated a very close match statistically. Both teams each registered 10 shots and two saved shot attempts.

Whereas the Highlanders had one more corner than the Gauchos, their opponents put two more shots on frame.

“We create good chances and now it just comes down to putting the ball in the back of the net,” Head Coach Tim Cupello said. “When our forwards find the first goal three two, three or four can come after that.”

Up next, the Highlanders will attempt to get back on track as they host Cal State Northridge (6-6-1) on Wednesday, Oct. 23 in Riverside.

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Highlander Spotlight Team: The New York Jets KEVIN SANCHEZ-NERI Contributing Writer

COURTESY OF MARINE CORPS NEW YORK

After starting the season 0-4, the New York Jets now have reason to be optimistic.

Jets quarterback (QB) Sam Darnold defeated the ailing Cowboys in a game that featured Darnold’s down-the-field throwing prowess and poised pocket play. The 22-year-old passer set the tone with his receiving corps early in the first half and invigorated the entire team’s play, as the Jets defense also showed up to play with critical third and fourth down stops near the goal line in the first half.

Darnold cooled off from his hot start in the second half, but still managed to walk away with a huge upset and a pretty stat line of 338 yards and two touchdown passes. New York’s receiving corps came back from the dead amassing a total of 338 receiving yards, thanks in part to wide receiver Robby Anderson, whose 92-yard touchdown catch is the longest of the season.

The Jets could not have caught a break any sooner, as they were quickly descending into irrelevancy, especially after it was reported earlier in the season that Darnold would miss

approximately eight weeks due to an infection known as mononucleosis. Nevertheless, the Jets still have plenty of missing pieces to the puzzle. Darnold’s protection has steadily improved, but the real test will come during week seven against an unstoppable New England defense that leads the league in both interceptions and sacks.

A key matchup between wide receiver Robby Anderson and New England cornerback Stephon Gilmore will put Darnold’s decisionmaking to the ultimate test, with Gilmore playing at an all-pro level once again.

Of course, no one expects the Jets to defeat the institution that is the Patriots — but crazier things have happened in the NFL. Should the Jets escape with a victory, they will immediately be in contention in a wide-open AFC. The last team to make the playoffs following an abysmal start to their season was the 2015 Chiefs, who began the season at 1-5, but went on to win their remaining 10 games, including a wildcard round victory. Despite only playing in two games in the season so far, there’s no question that Sam Darnold’s triumphant return shed a sliver of light at the end of the tunnel for “gang green.”

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Women’s volleyball swept on the road by the University of Hawaii DAMIAN GARCIA Contributing Writer

On Friday, Oct. 18, UC Riverside’s volleyball team (5-13) lost in frustrating fashion to the University of Hawaii (15-3). The final result of the match was a 3-0 shutout. This marks not only their sixth straight loss but a six-game losing streak in which the Highlanders have not been able to take a set away from the opponent.

The University of Hawaii came out strong with an initial seven point rally in the first set. Hawaii freshman outside hitter Hanna Hellvig contributed six consistent serves to start up each point battle. The Rainbow Warriors offense then gave up four points and briefly allowed the Highlanders back in the game, 9-6. After a time out, the University of Hawaii responded with a 6-1 run. Once again in control of the set, the Rainbow Warriors closed out the set, 25-17.

The early stages of the second set saw both teams trade points constantly in an exciting back and forth sequence. The first half of the set had 11 score ties and four lead changes. With the score at 16-17, a timeout proved crucial once again for the University of Hawaii. The Rainbow Warriors

readjusted their game plan and took 10 of the final 12 points to close out the set, 25-18.

The third and final set saw total domination from the Rainbow Warriors as the Highlanders began to crumble defensively. Hawaii junior libero Kyra Hanawahine had a five-point serving streak early on, allowing Hawaii to increase their lead, 12-5. Senior setter Bailey Choy later had a six point serving run of her own, increasing Hawaii’s lead to 19-5. UC Riverside was unable to answer the offense surge and the University of Hawaii took the final set 25-12 with ease.

A bright spot of the game for UCR was junior outside hitter Ayla Fresenius.

Despite the Highlanders’ offensive struggles, Fresenius constantly kept the Highlanders in the match, as she accumulated a total of seven kills and six digs. Junior setter Morgan Kline also contributed to the match with nine assists and sophomore setter Jade Dejah added seven assists of her own. UC Riverside will have to count on a grander team performance going forward, as they only registered 23 kills compared to Hawaii’s 40 kills.

Up next, UC Riverside will host Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (13-6) at the SRC Arena on Thursday, Oct. 24.

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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

Highlander N What are you most excited about to start the NBA season?

Jordan Hom: I am excited for this NBA season because for the first time since the Golden State Warriors’ rise to dominance in 2015, there isn’t a clear cut favorite to win the NBA Championship. The Warriors lost Kevin Durant when he decided to team up Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn and Klay Thompson tore his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals, which will likely sideline him for most of the season. Also, the defending champions Toronto Raptors just lost their Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard who decided to return home to the Los Angeles Clippers. So essentially, the championship can be claimed by anyone and the anticipation of not knowing who will claim the trophy will bring out my excitement to constantly tune in to the games.

Jonathan Fernandez: I’m most excited about the level of competition. This is the first time in the past four or five years where there is an exciting amount of parity in the league.

There’s around six or seven teams in the West who can realistically win the championship, plus the two heavyweights in the East, making for the most exciting NBA season in recent memory. I’m also excited about seeing all the great players who switched teams and how they fit with their new teams. All of the new dynamic duos have been discussed all summer and the majority of them look great on paper, but the most exciting part is actually watching the games and seeing how it all comes together.

What do you think about the blossoming rivalry in Los Angeles with Anthony Davis (AD) joining LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers and Kawhi teaming up with Paul George on the Clippers?

JH: It will definitely be exciting now that both LA teams should be contenders at the same time, which has never really happened before. The Lakers haven’t been good for the past few seasons so AD and LeBron can bring some much needed excitement back to the Lakers. Also with Kawhi fresh off winning the NBA Finals MVP, he will bring the Clippers into a place of contention that they have never seen before in the history of their franchise. As both teams stand currently, I believe that the Clippers will see more success because I don’t trust the duo of LeBron and AD to stay healthy throughout the season. The Clippers also have the more competent front office so if management feels like the current construction is missing something, I trust that Jerry West can be the guy to bring in someone to elevate the Clippers.

JF: It’s an exciting time to be an LA sports fan. This is probably the best these two teams have been at the same time … ever. Both teams now feature players in their dynamic duo that rank among the top 15 players in the league, which immediately inserts both of them into the title discussion. For the Clippers, this is the first time that they have been viewed as favorites to win the title and with two defensive-minded superstars in Paul George and Kawhi on their team, they just might. The Lakers are looking to get back on top after the longest playoff drought in franchise history and with two legitimate top-five players they are my personal favorite to come away with the championship. If all goes right, we could get the first-ever hallway series between these two teams this year in the playoffs.

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Zion Williamson, one of the most hyped rookies since LeBron in 2003, will make his NBA debut. Are you excited to watch Zion and the young core of the Pelicans?

JH: I am quite excited to watch Zion and the young Pelicans in action. They lost their franchise player Anthony Davis, but they acquired a few young prospects in Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart. The Pelicans might not be ready to make the playoffs this season, but they will definitely be exciting to watch.

With Zion’s athleticism and Lonzo’s passing, the Pelicans will have a barrage of dunks, recreating the Lob City identity that the LA Clippers had a few seasons ago.

JF: Yeah, watching Zion and the rest of the young Pelicans will be exciting to watch. Brandon Ingram looked like he’d figured something out after the All-Star break but then had to sit out the rest of the season due to blood clots. Lonzo was also playing the best basketball of his young career before turning his ankle and missing the remainder of the season. Now in a new city, with a new franchise, free of LeBron, I anticipate both players having career years barring any unforeseen injuries. Zion himself is a wrecking ball of a man and athlete that we haven’t seen before. He showed that throughout the preseason, averaging 23 points and appearing in many Sportscenter highlight plays, including when he easily scored on Rudy Gobert, making him look tiny in the process.

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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

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NBA Preview By: Jordan Hom and Jonathan Fernandez, Senior Staff Writer

Who do think will be the 2020 NBA MVP, given all of the roster shifting throughout the offseason?

JH: My choice will be the “Greek Freak,” Giannis Antetokounmpo, the winner of the 2019 NBA MVP. There are many strong candidates to win the 2020 NBA MVP such as LeBron, Kawhi, Steph or Nikola Jokic but I believe that Giannis will present the best case and validate himself as the undisputed best player on the planet. The Milwaukee Bucks lost a few key pieces in the offseason such as Malcom Brogdan and Nikola Mirotic but they added shooting in Kyle Korver and Wes Matthews to space the floor for Giannis. They also added Giannis’ older brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo which isn’t much, but it will add to the morale of the team and his brother can inspire him on and off the court. The addition of Kyle Korver is the most important though because Korver can work with Giannis to help him develop a respectable three-point shot which will add another dynamic to his already dominant game.

JF: I’m going to go with Stephen Curry, the two-time, only unanimous MVP in league history. Curry is finally free of Kevin Durant and will have the opportunity to remind everyone just how great he is. It was only four years ago that Steph had the most efficient, dominant offensive season in recent memory. Curry won the scoring title, averaging 30.1 points per game while becoming only the second man to enter the 50/45/90 club, marking historic levels of efficiency. During that time there were genuine discussions about if Curry was the best player in the world, that’s how good he was during that season. It’s not a certainty that the Warriors will be good enough for Steph to win the MVP, but I think his stats will be off the charts, much like when Russell Westbrook won the award despite his team not being near the top of the standings.

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With a new crop of young talent on the rise, who do you see as someone who can be recognized as a first time All-Star?

JH: Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors has a strong chance to become an All-Star this season. With Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard departing to the LA Clippers, an opportunity has emerged for Siakam to take the next step and expand his game. Much more will be expected out of Siakam because of Kawhi’s departure but it’s nothing that Siakam won’t be able to handle. As Siakam continues to develop his ball-handling skills and improves his shooting, he will grow to be a dominant force and accumulate many accolades along the way.

JF: Jayson Tatum is the easiest choice. Tatum was almost voted in as a starter last year despite taking a step back following his standout rookie season. This year with Kyrie gone he will be a focal point in Brad Stevens’ offense, and I expect his game and numbers to flourish. This expected jump coupled with Kawhi Leonard leaving the conference, will lead to Tatum’s first All-Star appearance.

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SHAHEEN KAROLIA / FLICKR

Sports 24

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2019

How Newly signed Fair Pay to Play Act will impact the future of ucr athltics?

CALLIE LAWSON-FREEMAN Contributing Writer

A new California bill will allow collegiate student-athletes to be paid for their name, image and likeness. This game-changing legislation comes after a long standing controversy over how much money is made from collegiate sports for some NCAA regulators and coaches while athletes themselves make nothing. Collegiate sports is a $14 billion industry, and for the first time, student-athletes will be given a chance to earn compensation.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Fair Pay to Play Act into law on Wednesday, Sept. 30, during an episode of NBA superstar LeBron James’ show “The Shop.” The law does not allow athletes to be paid directly by universities, but instead through endorsement deals with brands and businesses.

Currently, the NCAA prohibits students from profiting from their image as athletes completely.

NCAA President Mark Emmert responded to the signing of the bill with stern criticism.

Emmert argued that the bill creates “a new form of professionalism” that stands to soil the current state of collegiate sports. “There is a choice every high school senior who plays sports should have to make.

They can choose to be a college athlete. Or they can choose to be a professional. There is no room for both or the waters turn murky,” Emmert told the Indianapolis Star. Like Emmert, many people

who are against the bill feel that the payment to student-athletes in the form of scholarships should be enough.

Many critics argue that there is a myriad of unintended consequences that come with the legislation. “The idea is progressive, but we need to slow down and make sure that we’re making the right decisions so that it will be equitable across the board,” said Athletic Director Tamica Smith Jones in an interview with The Highlander.

Other states like Florida and New York are already working toward enacting similar legislation, and the competition to come out on top in the new sponsorship race will likely be tight.

The law will not go into effect until 2023, but a whirlwind of speculation concerning how this will affect the NCAA and collegiate sports is causing people to question what is to come. UCR Athletics released an official statement about the bill: “We will continue to work in collaboration with our University of California, Big West Conference and peer institutions’ leadership, as well as our coaches, staff and student-athletes to identify solutions with respect to how we move forward over the next few years amidst the rapidly shifting landscape that is intercollegiate athletics.”

While only time will determine how the NCAA will respond, the Fair Pay to Play Act has sparked a movement. All universities, athletes, brands and the NCAA can do now is adapt.

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UPCOMING GAMES WEDNESDAY

Women’s soccer unable to complete comeback against Hawaii

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

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MEN’S SOCCER vs. CSUN

@ Riverside, CA 7:00 P.M.

vs. Long Beach State @ Long Beach, CA. 7:00 P.M.

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WOMEN’S volleyball vs. Cal Poly @ Riverside, CA. 7:00 P.M

WOMEN’S Cross Country Titan Invitational @ Fullerton, CA. 6:00 P.M.

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F R I D AY

On Friday, Oct. 18, the Highlander women’s soccer team (2-11-1, 0-4) welcomed the University of Hawaii (5-61, 3-0). The Highlanders came into this game looking to add to their conference point total after suffering a loss to Cal State Fullerton (10-2-2) on Sunday, Oct. 13. Prior to this matchup, Hawaii had yet to win on the road against the Highlanders, further elevating expectations for a Riverside victory.

Although the first half was a scoreless affair, the Highlanders’ offense went toeto-toe with Hawaii, as UCR persistently went on the attack. Senior goalkeeper Annie Bailey saved four total goals to keep UCR in the game, but Riverside was unable to capitalize on Bailey’s defensive effort, finishing with only two on-target attempts out of eight total shots.

The second half leveled the playing field, as both teams came out with a flurry

of attacks. Led by a strong performance by senior forward Neyda Martinez, the Highlanders put up a staggering seven shots in the second half. The opponent, Hawaii, had their effectiveness on full display, as six of their 10 shots were on target.

The University of Hawaii successfully put up two goals, the second coming in the 87th minute, all but closing out the game for the Highlanders.

The Highlanders were unable to fully execute and find the back of the net, thanks in large part to Hawaii’s strong goalkeeping efforts, but also due to an ambitious, but ultimately sloppy offensive showing.

Hawaii’s victory extended their undefeated conference record and dealt another blow to the Highlanders’ poor start to their conference schedule.

The Highlanders will now regroup and prepare for a key game on the road against Long Beach State (3-10) on Thursday, Oct. 24.

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THURSDAY

KEVIN SANCHEZ-NERI Contributing Writer

F R I D AY

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

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THURSDAY

Women’s soccer

men’s cross country Titan Invitational @ Fullerton, CA. 6:00 P.M.