Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021
Volume 156 No. 7 WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY
SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
Faculty supports statue removal By Royvi Hernandez STAFF WRITER
Some San Jose State professors have different opinions about whether the city should take down a statue of Thomas Fallon after Mayor Sam Liccardo voiced support for its removal in a Feb.1 blog post. “For a significant part of the community the statue has become a deeply painful symbol of racial oppression,” Liccardo wrote in the post. “It’s time to move on.” Fallon was the mayor of San Jose in 1857 and was known for his controversial treatment of Native American and Mexican communities. The Thomas Fallon Statue was first proposed under Mayor Tom McEnery’s administration in the late ’80s. The statue features Fallon riding on a horse and is located on West St. James Street in Downtown San Jose. Gregorio Mora-Torres, a retired SJSU Chicano and Chicana studies lecturer, said he wants the statue completely gone because it’s a reminder of an imperialist war that symbolizes oppression. “[Fallon] is not that significant and he was not a great mayor,” Mora-Torres said in a phone call. He said Fallon took part in a military expedition led by John Fremont, a military officer who mistreated and killed Native Americans and Mexicans. Further after the Mexican-American war, many Mexicans were losing land and immigrants were being killed. “He is not significant like Abraham Lincoln or George Washington, there is no value,” Mora-Torres said. “The statue must go, as he represents conquest.” He said there is a huge population of Latinos in San Jose and the “needs of modern California” need to be addressed. “We need to start thinking about role models that the Mexican-American community can identify with,” Mora-Torres said. SJSU Chicano and Chicana studies lecturer Juan Pablo Mercado said statues are symbolic and agrees with the mayor’s belief. “Sites of public memory have always had a significant impact on how we understand and often misunderstand this country, its history and our place within that history,” Mercado said in an email. He said removing Fallon’s statue is a way
BLUE NGUYEN | SPARTAN DAILY ARCHIVES
Protesters set fire to the Thomas Fallon Statue on West Julian and St. James streets during a protest downtown on Sept. 23.
said although he favors the removal of the statue, he’d rather see it relocated to History of San Jose at Kelley Park, an outdoor museum three miles away from the statue’s location. He said in this setting it would better represent how different San Jose communities have viewed the statue over time and why it’s Juan Pablo Mercado no longer appropriate for the city to display Chicano and Chicana studies lecturer this statue in a place of honor. “A museum setting that explains the complex, multiple and changing meanings of for people to publicly reject an ideology of “We have an opportunity now to reject those the statue is a good way to stop glorifying it subjugation and exploitation. previously outmoded and incomplete histories without scraping it altogether,” Gendzel said. “Public art provides a very important and envision stories of resistance, struggle Follow Royvi on Twitter opportunity to choose what we will and of opportunity.” @lesroyvs collectively remember,” Mercado said. History department chair Glen Gendzel
We have an opportunity now to reject those previously outmoded and incomplete histories and envison stories of resistance, struggle and of opportunity.
CSU won’t require COVID-19 vaccine Some San Jose State students think the decision to vaccinate should be a personal choice. Business administration The California State University sophomore Balu Peduru said he Chancellor Joseph Castro addressed doesn’t trust the vaccine because of whether the coronavirus vaccines its novelty. will be required for students, staff and faculty during a student media Zoom conference Monday. In the conference, Castro said CSU campuses will have 50% of classes in person during the Fall 2021 semester. However, because COVID-19 guidelines and cases vary across counties, he said the final decision regarding the percentage of in-person classes will be determined on a campus-to-campus basis. Castro said it’s too early to make a final decision about whether a Christopher Okonji kinesiology senior COVID-19 vaccine will be required to return to campus. He said he’s focusing on avoiding the legal issues He also believes that a significant of a vaccine mandate, but instead portion of the campus community encourages students and employees would choose to get the vaccine, to get vaccinated on their own will. allowing a number of people to “There may be some students, remain unvaccinated. who for different reasons, decide “I feel like most people are they don’t wish to be vaccinated,” gonna be taking it anyway so herd Castro said in the conference. immunity will probably be there “I’m going to respect that and really even if it’s not required in school,” focus on trying to get as many people Peduru said in a phone call. vaccinated as possible and to plan According to the Association for accordingly for [Fall 2021].” Professionals in Infection Control By Christina Casillas STAFF WRITER
They need to be able to figure out successful ways to have students come into the actual classroom where they feel safe.
and Epidemiology, herd immunity is present when a high number of individuals become immune to a disease by either infection or vaccination. Because of the novelty of COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not yet know what percentage of the population will have to be vaccinated in order to reach herd immunity. Other students said campuses won’t return to normal without total vaccination. In order for campuses to reopen, “At least majority 75% [of people on campus] should be vaccinated,” psychology junior Isabela Paniagua said in a phone call. “The [remaining] 25% should still continue to try to get vaccinated so in the end everyone is vaccinated.” Paniagua said she believes campus community members should not be exempt from a vaccination unless they have a medical reason such as allergies or a propensity to adverse reactions. “It’s just leeway for [people] who are uneducated about vaccines,” Paniagua said. “We should be past [that mentality] by now.” Kinesiology senior Christopher Okonji said he believes all SJSU students should be vaccinated
Competition will be on
SCREENSHOT BY CHRISTINA CASILLAS
California State University Chancellor Joseph Castro speaks to student media during a student media Zoom conference Monday.
before classes resume, and further precautions should be taken to ensure the safety of everyone returning to campus. “They [SJSU] need on-campus testing,” Okonji said in a phone call. “They need to be able to figure out successful ways to have students come into the actual classroom where they feel safe.” Castro said some CSU campuses will most likely follow Cal State Los Angeles and become COVID-19 testing sites for their counties in the upcoming days. He also said the CSU system is applying for federal funds that would provide cleaning
equipment and other campus-related maintenance. Even though there are details of the fall semester that remain unknown, Castro said each campus will strive to accommodate its students who wish to stay off campus. “It’s a time, as we’ve been throughout this pandemic, to be flexible and reasonable and compassionate,” Castro said. “That’s how we’ll proceed for the fall as well.”
Follow Christina on Twitter @christina_casi
Thursday March 18, 6-8pm Zoom and Livestream info TBA. BA.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
THURSDAY, FEB. 11, 2021
Serial killers attract U.S. fandom By Shruthi Lakshmanan STAFF WRITER
Serial killers are known to stalk their prey, display dangerous fetishes and murder innocent people yet these notorious individuals sometimes acquire a large fandom of lovers, fans and copycats. San Jose State forensic science senior Adrianna Albanez said her interest in serial killers started in high school from crime show portrayals detailing the psychology behind these offenders. “I find it interesting that someone could kill once, let alone more than once,” Albanez said. She said her curiosity began with Ted Bundy, who murdered 30 women, according to a Jan. 30, 2020, ABC News article. She also said Bundy seemed relatively personable but was somehow capable of committing gruesome murders. Despite his history of killing, Bundy’s deceiving personality has been an attractive quality to crime junkies
ILLUSTRATION BY HANZ PACHECO
and to women who fell in love with him during his murder trial. Carol Ann Boone is famously known as one of Bundy’s many fans, but she was the only one who became Bundy’s wife and the mother of his child, according to a Feb. 26, 2020 Film Daily article. Over the years, Netflix has released a slew of serial killer adaptations including, “The Confession
Killer,” “Don’t Fuck With Cats,” and “Confessions with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes.” On Jan. 13, Netflix released the docuseries called “Night Stalker: The Hunger for a Serial Killer.” The docuseries follows Richard Ramirez, a.k.a the “Night Stalker,” who murdered at least 13 people and assaulted 11 others throughout
CLASSIFIEDS CROSSWORD PUZZLE
the ’80s. Fans also may be interested in the illogical actions of serial killers. SJSU forensics professor and former crime scene investigator, Mary Juno, said the theatrical quality of serial killer cases seem to reel in more intrigue than crimes without mystery. “Most homicides are not even a mystery and serial killers are really rare,” Juno said. “It’s
thing can you do to them than murder?” She also said most serial killers are not as interesting as TV makes them seem, which causes an increased interest in serial killers. “It makes for good TV,” Juno said. “Media doesn’t cause serial killers but they do give them attention.” Nick Roland, a finance junior at Santa Clara University, said movies and series glorify criminals rather than punish them. “I don’t understand the fascination,” Roland said. “I don’t think we should play into this Hollywood monopoly.” Infatuation with serial killers goes as far back as the ’60s and this was shown in 2017’s true crime thriller “Mindhunter,” which focused on the birth of the behavioral science unit within the FBI. This obsession with serial killers could be everlasting and is an obsession that’s ingrained into American culture as the long list of documentaries continues to release.
a fascination because it’s not you, so it’s grief by proxy.” She used Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. as an example, also known as the Golden State Killer. He escalated his crimes from break-ins to taking fetishtic objects, to rape and eventually, murder. “When you think about people’s fascination with killers versus say, serial rapists, it’s the ultimate [crime],” Follow Shruthi on Instagram Juno said. “What worse @shruthilakshmanan
SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.
JOKIN’ AROUND Where do hamburgers go to dance?
The meatball.
SOLUTIONS SOLUTIONS
ACROSS 1. Keg 5. Supplemented 10. Church alcove 14. Stake 15. Exotic jelly flavor 16. Geographic illustrations 17. Untouched 19. Distinctive flair 20. Drunkard 21. Go in 22. Licoricelike flavor 23. Anagram of “Seedily” 25. Front or back lawns 27. An Old Testament king 28. Servilely submissive 31. A hard kind of stone 34. Epee or saber 35. Do it yourself 36. Disabled 37. Japanese stick fighting 38. A pack of playing cards 39. Ambition 40. Crinkly 41. A friction match 42. Interpreted 44. Bro or sis 45. Unsuccessful person
46. Include 50. Shame 52. All excited 54. 54 in Roman numerals 55. Glove 56. A moderately quick tempo 58. Found in some lotions 59. Split 60. Journey 61. German for “Mister” 62. Varieties 63. Alleviate DOWN 1. Stimulate 2. Irk 3. Condition 4. Hemp 5. Order of business 6. Channels 7. A romantic meeting 8. Everyone 9. Father 10. Restitution 11. Walls 12. Resorts 13. Feudal worker 18. A belligerent mongrel dog
22. Dry 24. Alley 26. Relating to aircraft 28. Possessed 29. Agreeable 30. Kid 31. Flutter 32. Den 33. One who sacrifices by fire 34. Singly 37. Cabbagelike vegetable 38. Anagram of “Buds” 40. Desire 41. Roughage 43. Nurture 44. Billows 46. Strainer 47. Extreme 48. Specks 49. Call forth 50. Nursemaid 51. Digestive juice 53. Dud 56. Play a role 57. French for “Summer”
2/10/2021
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SPORTS
THURSDAY, FEB. 11, 2021
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OPINION
EA should pay NCAA football players Christopher Padilla SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Video game developer Electronic Arts (EA) is reviving the NCAA College Football series minus the NCAA moniker and the players, but in the case of the latter, EA shouldn’t move forward without them. On Feb. 2, EA announced it would be continuing its college football lineup under the name “EA Sports College Football” after the NCAA Football game series was put on hiatus because the NCAA would not allow EA to pay players for their name and likeness. Without the ability to pay the players, EA risked litigation similar to the “Ed O’Bannon v. NCAA” trial and they chose to sideline the series instead. In July 2009, former UCLA basketball star Ed O’Bannon sued the NCAA, EA, and the Collegiate Licensing Company over the use of former players’ images and likeness in DVDs, video games and other apparel, according to a 2014 CBS Sports article. According to ESPN, EA is working with the Collegiate Licensing Company to secure usage of stadiums, mascots, and names of more than 100 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. However, the game developer won’t be using the names and likenesses of players to sidestep problems that stymied from the “NCAA Football” series. EA is taking the wrong approach to this issue, at least from an ethics and authenticity stance.
Any football league is composed of its players, and to omit them from a video game about that very league is an insult to the players and fans. There’s a reason that more fantastical interpretations of football like Midway’s “NFL Blitz” series or Cyanide Studio’s “Blood Bowl” games have never taken off the way that ‘real’ football games, such as Madden, have. ‘Real’ football games already fulfill fantasies of running an authentic NFL or NCAA team. 2020 SJSU linebacker Kyle Harmon and fans of the NCAA video games pointed out that even if EA files the serial numbers off, fans will recognize that certain numbers on certain teams belong to specific players. With authenticity being a factor, there’s a disconnect between the expectation of certain players who should be in the game, and the subsequent lack thereof. This could likely take people out of the experience. But even more important than the immersion factor is the moral imperative for EA and the NCAA to support the student-athletes the games were originally modeled after. The crux of the matter is that student-athletes work just as hard, if not harder than professional athletes. They have to balance the rigors of athletics while keeping up their grades, essentially two full-time jobs they pay for with blood, sweat, tears, and cash.
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Any football league is composed of its players, and to omit them from a video game about that very league is an insult to the players and fans. This doesn’t consider the fact that some of them may even have an actual job to help pay for the expenses of athletics and academics if they aren’t on an athletic scholarship already. If there is an opportunity for student athletes to earn some money for their likenesses, they should be allowed to. Some would argue EA is
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taking the correct course of action here, like 2020 SJSU lineman Trevor Robbins. He found the NCAA series to be more enjoyable than the Madden games, which pay NFL players for royalties. Robbins said it’s better to start working on the games now and once the NCAA loosens its restrictions on players, EA can add real student-athletes to the game.
He has a point and with downloadable content and regular online updates, it would be easy to update the game’s roster. However, there’s no guarantee EA would take that direction, should it prove to be too costly to compensate the players. Fortunately, the NCAA and California are already making strides in the right direction. According to a statement from NCAA Director of Communications Stacey Osburn, the NCAA board of governors is working on policies that would allow student athletes to be compensated for their names and likenesses. In 2019, Gov. Gavin Newsom also signed SB 206, an order that allows
California student-athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness and will take effect early 2023. EA has an opportunity to release an authentic NCAA experience and to better the lives of student-athletes, all they have to do is wait and likely not for long. If EA wants to really get college football back into the digital realm, it shouldn’t do it halfway. The company should bring its 100% to the field. After all, the players and fans always bring at least that much to every game.
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OPINION
THURSDAY, FEB. 11, 2021
ILLUSTRATION BY HANZ PACHECO
What is the superior sleep schedule? Night owls are focused, creative and harmonious Giorgina Laurel STAFF WRITER
Society tends to put a negative connotation on those who stay up late at night. But being a night owl has more positive effects than being an early bird. Since many students look for tips and tricks to be more successful within their respective careers, the time which they rise or rest is a highly debated topic. Night owls tend to be more fruitful than early birds when it comes to creativity. A 2007 study conducted by the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan found that people who have a habit of staying up late have more creative minds. Researchers who conducted the study provided different age groups an activity that required them to complete a picture with straight and curved lines. The participants were scored on their originality, elaboration, fluidity, and flexibility factors. Those who identified as night owls passed the test with no problem, while early birds struggled to achieve an average score. The study suggests that being a night owl may enhance your creativity. Several popular creatives, including YouTube creator and animator Alex A., who only gave her last initial, from the channel “Alex’s Corner” produces content other than her videos at night. “I guess it [the night time] gives me time to explore new ideas and get more creative since I’m more relaxed at night,” Alex said in a Discord private message. I tend to come up with more ideas of what to draw or paint at night than I do during the day. It feels like my brain is more inventive at those hours. Night owls also tend to be more mentally alert for a longer amount of time in comparison to early birds. In a 2009 article in Science magazine, a group of researchers from the University of Liege in Belgium measured participants’ brain activity when they woke up and again 10 and a half hours later. After the allotted time, early birds
“had lower brain activity in brain regions linked to attention,” according to the study. The ability to be more mentally alert for a longer time is beneficial because more tasks can be accomplished. However, my colleague makes a good point that waking up early can improve productivity in a person’s daily life. When I wake up early for work, it feels like I have more time to do homework or chores and I feel more productive at the end of the day. While this is a good point, I also find myself productive in activities that allow me to express myself, rather than complete everyday tasks.
Night owls also tend to be more mentally alert for a longer amount of time in comparison to early birds. With most people asleep during the late hours of the evening, night owls enjoy tranquility while they practice their hobbies. As a night owl, over the years I’ve spent large amounts of time practicing different art styles with only the moon and stars to keep me company. I’m unable to do this during the day since those I live with are awake, which leaves me with limited time and focus to practice my art. During the nighttime, my household is peaceful because almost no one disrupts me, making night the perfect time to explore my creativity. People who are more active at night have a keen ability to harness their creativity and effectively use their waking hours.
Follow Giorgina on Twitter @ItsGiorgina
Early birds are more productive and successful Jacqueline Vela STAFF WRITER
Routinely waking up early every morning is a better lifestyle to adapt because it invites significant benefits and waking up early has positive effects including improved productivity, better mental and physical health. People have debated the perks of starting your day early versus sleeping in and staying up later for years. In most cases, this debate is an all or nothing situation. You’re either an early riser or a night owl, but many studies have shown starting your day earlier can improve your life in various aspects. University of Education in Heidelberg, Germany professor Christoph Randler surveyed 367 university students and found early risers were more proactive and better equipped for success. “My earlier research showed that they tend to get better grades in school, which get them into better colleges, which then lead to better job opportunities,” Randler said. This is because waking up early can improve overall day-to-day productivity. “Starting your day early improves your concentration in addition to being able to focus on goals and task lists without being interrupted,” according to a June 8, 2020 article on SleepAdvisor.org, a blog on sleep products and wellness. Waking up earlier gives you more time to situate yourself, set the tone for the day and complete any outstanding tasks that would otherwise create stress later in the afternoon. Studies have shown waking up early can significantly relieve mental stress. A Jan. 29, 2019 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications links a person’s mental health to when they wake up. Researchers from the study found that early risers tend to have less mental stress because of their circadian rhythm, the body’s natural alarm clock. People who wake up early also have improved physical health.
“Being genetically programmed to rise early may lead to greater well-being and a lower risk of schizophrenia and depression,” explains a Jan. 29 2019, Harvard Gazette article. If you asked me a year ago if I was an early bird or a night owl, I would’ve confidently said a night owl. For most of my life, I felt I was most productive at night. I took care of my tasks at that time so I wouldn’t have to wake up and worry about anything in the morning. Though my colleague’s argument supports that point, I looked to successful people in our society and decided to take tips from them.
Waking up earlier gives you more time to situate yourself, set the tone for the day and complete any outstanding tasks that would otherwise create stress later in the afternoon. A June 2017 USA Today article found many notable and successful people are early risers. Some of these individuals who start their days early include: Tim Armstrong, the CEO of AOL; Ursula Burns, the CEO of Veon; Indra Nooyi, the CEO of PepsiCo; and Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks. If being an early riser means my personal and professional life will be improved, then I’ll also gladly wake up at the crack of dawn.
Follow Jacqueline on Twitter @Jacqueline_v20