Issuu

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Volume 156 No. 39 SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934

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Chancellor gives Fall 2021 updates By Sarah Dwyer STAFF WRITER

The California State University Chancellor Joseph Castro met with San Jose State’s community members Tuesday to discuss the repopulation of campus for Fall 2021 during a Zoom conference. Castro said his first priority is to protect students, faculty and staff during the coronavirus pandemic and to work with CSU presidents to safely repopulate all 23 campuses. “We’re working to finalize our policy and I anticipate there’ll be some more details forthcoming,” Castro said during the forum. “I can’t tell you exactly how we’re going to do that yet . . . the important thing here is that we want everybody on campus to be vaccinated and move us toward herd immunity on the campuses.” He said he feels “cautiously optimistic” about current vaccination rates and a COVID-19 immunization policy is in development.

The CSU and SJSU first announced its intent to require students, faculty and staff to be fully vaccinated before returning to campus next fall in an April 22 news release. This development reversed an April 8 CSU news release that initially stated it wouldn’t require the vaccine. Michael Uhlenkamp, senior director of CSU public affairs, stated in the release that the decision stemmed from legal liabilities. Uhlenkamp said legal liabilities can arise because the vaccines aren’t fully Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved yet. However, Pfizer stated in its First Quarterly 2021 Earnings report Tuesday it’s seeking to get full FDA approval by the end of May. The Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are currently authorized for emergency use and haven’t undergone the same review as a fully cleared product, according to the FDA Emergency Authorization Use fact sheet. FDA emergency use

to Proposition 209, which prohibits state government institutions from considering race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in the public employment sector, The California State University (CSU) according to Ballotpedia. is currently ﬁnalizing its coronavirus “Proposition 209 is always immunization requirement policy. followed by the CSU and I want you to know my comments were all about The CSU is developing another policy trying to broaden our pools to verify COVID-19 immunization records of candidates and to select for the upcoming semester. the very best people from all different backgrounds,” CSU Chancellor Joseph Castro said Castro said. “I believe through he aims to close the equity gap between intensive recruitment, underrepresented minority and majority through creating a culture of support for women and students and hire more faculty from people of color, that we can underrepresented backgrounds. succeed in attracting and authorizations are issued COVID-19 immunization hiring more of them into when there are no other records for Fall 2021. Those Joseph Castro our faculty.” CSU chancellor adequate, approved and who have medical or religious He said recruitment is available alternatives. reasons for not getting the essential so that campus The Centers for Disease vaccine will be reviewed and “That’s something that I faculties reflect the “rich Control and Prevention receive exemptions. think as a system we have diversity of our student body.” and the FDA halted “I think San Jose State, in the opportunity to go to that supplies of the Johnson so many ways, represents next level in terms of our & Johnson vaccine on that exciting opportunity effectiveness and San Jose April 13 after six women to transform not just the State’s been even busy during ages 18-48 experienced a individuals lives, but whole this pandemic recruiting rare blood-clot complication communities and to really some really talented faculty,” a few weeks after they were model what equity means Castro said. immunized. in . . . such an important While he hopes to hire Castro said the CSU is urban area like San Jose,” more underrepresented Follow Sarah on Twitter developing a policy to verify Castro said. faculty, he intends to adhere @SarahDweezy

CSU’S PRIORITIES

As for Castro’s other priorities, he aims to close the equity gap between underrepresented minority and majority students and hire more faculty from underrepresented backgrounds.

We’re working to finalize our policy and I anticipate there’ll be some more details forthcoming.

Police advisory group loses members By Madilynne Medina STAFF WRITER

Several San Jose community leaders announced their resignations from the city’s police advisory group during a Thursday news conference at city hall after they expressed discontent with the group’s lack of progress. The Reimagining Community Safety Advisory Group was formed in September by city leaders after George Floyd’s murder. More than 40 San Jose community leaders initially joined the group which was created to recommend and evaluate how the San Jose Police Department could intervene with social issues and reduce non-criminal conflicts, according to a March 17 city council memorandum about the group.

When you say community safety in the wake of police killing people, unarmed people, then we think of policing and that’s the reality. Jahmal Williams director of advocacy for racial justice and former Reimagining Community Safety Advisory Group member

Jahmal Williams, a former group member and SJSU director of advocacy for racial justice, said some members felt misled about the group’s purpose and were under the impression it would address safety in all forms, including policing. Williams said policing is a significant aspect of community safety. “When you say community safety in the wake of police killing people, unarmed people, then we think of policing

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and that’s the reality,” Williams said in a phone call after the conference. The group’s first meeting was on March 18 and members expected to meet bi-weekly through August, according to the memorandum. The group held three meetings, which former members said never led to policy discussions or defined the group’s focus. William Armaline, director of SJSU’s human rights institute, wrote that the meetings lacked structure, didn’t focus on police reforms and disrespected Black leaders in an April 27 letter to the group. Williams said some group members asked for data on “how many police are actually racist” and other members had to prove experiences of racism with the data. Williams also said certain members of the committee would not engage in conversation to recognize that “there is a systemic issue which is why we [the committee] were all brought together.” Scott Myers-Lipton, SJSU sociology professor and former committee member, said the resigned members didn’t agree with the SJPD “policing” themselves. “The city represents the people,” Myers-Lipton said in a phone interview after the conference. “The police are supposed to serve the city and they’re not independent of us in that way. You can’t have the group that is trying to be transformed leading that effort.” About 38 members still remain on the committee, however current member and Santa Clara County board of education trustee Peter Ortiz said San Jose needs to reimagine its public safety process and listen to the community as well as former and resigned group members’ concerns. “If the City of San Jose does not rectify their concerns, I will step away,” Ortiz said in a phone call after the conference. Resigned members are calling for the City of San Jose to turn the group over to community members’ suggestions. “We took that action [resigning] to hopefully change the direction of the commission and not end the commission,” Myers-Lipton said. He said Angel Rios, deputy city manager, met with

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Several San Jose community leaders resigned from the city’s police advisory group on Thursday after some didn’t agree with SJPD “policing” itself. The Reimagining Community Safety Advisory Group was formed to recommend ways police oﬃcers could intervene with social issues and reduce non-criminal conﬂicts. INFOGRAPHIC BY BRYANNA BARTLETT

resigned members and they voiced how they’d like to see a community-driven board. Rios said the existing advisory group will continue its work on enhancing and ensuring community safety, according to an April 28 San Jose Spotlight article. The resigned members are currently working on a new model for their ideal vision of community safety. “We have scholars, we have leaders, we have community members all with insight and data and information we can use to craft real transformative solutions,” Williams said.

AACT IVITIES EVENTS ONGOING PROGRAMS TUTORING RESOURCES

Follow Madilynne on Twitter @madilynneee

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2021

Puppies: perfect pandemic pairing By Christina Casillas STAFF WRITER

Wagging tails, curiously perked-up ears and slobbery kisses have made the pandemic all the better for students who welcomed new puppies into their families over the past year. Business administration senior Kindred Nguyen wasn’t initially looking to bring another furry companion into her life, but a family friend had a litter of puppies and she knew she had to take a dog home. “Something was pulling me towards him and so if it wasn’t us he probably would have been conveniently taken to the pound,” Nguyen said in a FaceTime interview. “I didn’t know what was going to happen to him so I wanted to take him so I know for sure where he’s going and he’s going to be taken care of.” She said her dog named Echo Lucien, a German Shepherd and Husky mix, loves adventure, stealing things from people and watching Golden State Warriors games with her. Although Nguyen adopted Echo out of convenience, psychology lecturer Steven Del Chiaro said there are many benefits to having a pet.

During this pandemic, it’s been so hard to take care of myself mentally definitely, so having him kind of straightens myself out in my lifestyle. It’s definitely, in a way, a big step in my adult life for sure. Kindred Nguyen Business administration senior

“Pet owners have shown a reduction in depression, anxiety and stress,” Del Chiaro said in an email. “The companionship can ease loneliness and assist in play and exercise, which has shown to improve physical and cardiovascular health.” Del Chiaro said oxytocin, a chemical commonly referred to as the “love hormone,” is connected with trust, empathy and relationships and is released in both a dog and their owner’s brain during physical contact between the two. “Activities like petting and snuggling with your pet releases oxytocin, which can have an effect on depression, anxiety and impact ‘prosocial behavior,’” Del Chiaro said. Prosocial behavior refers to actions of helpfulness, empathy and concern regarding peoples’ rights and well-being. These actions benefit both the receiver and giver, according to an Oct. 13, 2020 verywellmind article, a website reviewed by health care workers. Nursing junior Emily Ibarra adopted a pug puppy she named Midnight on April 20. Ibarra said she’s wanted a pug because she formerly had one and enjoyed the breed’s lazy temperament and loving nature. “[I like] their little snorts and their pigtails and they’re more human-like compared to any other breed,” Ibarra said in a phone call. “They love food so much, they like to sleep a lot.” Nguyen said Echo has made her more responsible, helped her cope with stress during the pandemic and lets her care for another being besides herself. “During this pandemic, it’s been so hard to take care of myself mentally definitely, so having him kind of straightens myself out in my lifestyle,” Nguyen said. “It’s definitely, in a way, a big step in my adult life for sure.” As life slowly returns to normal, Ibarra said she’s apprehensive about taking Midnight out in public. “If we want to be in public at like the dog park or something, I really wouldn’t want

CLASSIFIEDS CROSSWORD PUZZLE

PHOTO COURTESY OF KINDRED NGUYEN

Kindred Nguyen’s puppy Echo has provided her with newfound comfort since they met.

anyone to touch him,” Ibarra said. “Just because I don’t know where they’ve been and where they’ve touched, they said animals can pass some things to the humans.” Del Chiaro said many of the emotions people felt because of the pandemic, including isolation, insomnia, anxiety and depression might have driven them to get puppies during the time. “The surge in pet adoptions may be to fill the voids people are feeling,” Del Chiaro said. “Pets give unconditional love.” However, he said he’s concerned for what will happen after the pandemic when people who impulsively adopted animals in that time realize having a dog doesn’t fit into their lifestyle and surrender them to an animal shelter.

Del Chiaro also said it’s important for anyone who’s looking to adopt a puppy to educate themselves before doing so. “I encourage people to research the type of pet they want and will it fit into their lifestyle,” Del Chiaro said. Even so, puppies have personalities that fit into the lives of their owners differently and the dog-owner relationship can vary from person to person. For Nguyen, the loving connection between her and Echo is mutual. “I feel like we’re benefiting back and forth with each other,” Nguyen said.

SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

Follow Christina on Twitter @christina_casi

JOKIN’ AROUND What is a tornado’s favorite game to play?

Twister!

SOLUTIONS SOLUTIONS

ACROSS

1. Cuts into cubes 6. Stigma 10. Adhesive strip 14. Panache 15. What a person is called 16. Absent Without Leave 17. Not tight 18. Not closed 19. Police action 20. Interlace 22. Backside 23. At one time (archaic) 24. Male goose 26. Taps 30. “Eureka!” 31. Eastern newt 32. Shortly 33. Alone 35. Kidney-related 39. Grand style 41. Breach 43. First Hebrew letter 44. Observed 46. King of the jungle 47. Father 49. Biblical boat 50. Austrian peaks

51. Abounding in stars 54. Stair 56. Emanation 57. Make into a citizen 63. Boast 64. Affirm 65. Nuzzled 66. River of Spain 67. Not less 68. Internment camp 69. A soft sheepskin leather 70. Possesses 71. Inscribed pillar DOWN

1. Sandwich shop 2. Computer symbol 3. Coagulate 4. Leisure 5. Cubic meter 6. Racquet-shaped footwear 7. Seat of government 8. Ends a prayer 9. Fail to fulfill a promise 10. A lively whirling dance 11. Honor

12. Composure 13. Church officer 21. Garbage 25. Hairdo 26. Dad 27. A Freudian stage 28. Anagram of “Note” 29. Showy bloom 34. Preliminaries 36. Found on a finger 37. At the peak of 38. Focusing glass 40. Blacken 42. Embellisher (comic art) 45. Not western 48. Generator 51. Cavalry weapon 52. Engine supercharger 53. A kind of macaw 55. Twinges 58. Affirm 59. Boor 60. Small island 61. Ardor 62. Border

5/4/2021

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2021

Student stars in Netflix docuseries By Jacqueline Vela STAFF WRITER

Los Angeles native Jay Davis is a San Jose State economics junior who’s making a name for himself as a TV star in a new Netflix original docuseries. Davis is being featured in the show “Last Chance U: Basketball” after transferring to SJSU as a student-athlete at his community college. The series is a spinoff of the original football version that premiered in 2016 and gained popularity on the platform. Davis grew up in the Mid City neighborhood in Central LA and said sports has always been a big part of his life. He would travel around the area for sports and to visit family, but said he comes from humble beginnings. “We were playing football in the street like all night,” Davis said during a Zoom interview. “We were playing freeze tag, tag, anything like that.. So l just grew up, like I said, real old school.” Davis said his skills on the basketball court and his respectful, hard-working mindset are how he caught the attention of SJSU’s then-assistant men’s basketball coach Jay Morris, who convinced Davis to apply to San Jose State after high school. Davis said his plans changed after Morris took a job at another university and he didn’t end up playing for SJSU his freshman year. “My first year, I was scrambling,” Davis said. “At that point, I was just coming off a state championship and I was like, I’m still trying to hoop. I’m still trying to play.” He said he didn’t let that negatively affect his mental health. Davis persevered and spent that year networking when he played in a showcase. It was there he met Kenneth Hunter, the assistant coach for the East Los Angeles College (ELAC) Huskies. Davis soon met the rest of the coaching staff and started working with the team in the summer when head coach John Mosley noticed his skills and character. “I’m a very disciplined dude,” Davis said. “I always respect authority, so he never had an issue with me.” A couple of months after he started training with the team he tried out and officially made the roster. That was when the Netflix opportunity came. After “Last Chance U” gained attention, producers took to the

PHOTO COURTESY OF JAY DAVIS

Economics junior Jay Davis has been featured in the basketball edition of the Netflix docuseries “Last Chance U: Basketball.”

I have watched him become such a good, well-rounded young man. I always tell people he [Davis] is the best version of us.

Ryan Davis

Jay Davis’ older brother

basketball court and focused the narrative on ELAC. Davis said it was a case of being at the right place at the right time. “No recruit did [Coach Mosley] tell that Netflix was coming,” Davis said. “I was already committed to coming to ELAC before I even knew Netflix was [coming or] anything about Netflix.” He said Mosley even kept information regarding the show from other coaches. The team didn’t realize the power their show would have and Davis said they even questioned if the series would be good. Him and his teammates were pleasantly surprised with the final product. “We couldn’t find the story that they were going to project until it came out,” Davis said. “When they gave us a chance to see it, we were like woah. This is why y’all

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get paid to do this because once it came out, we were like ‘yo, this is great.’ ” He said the feedback the team received after the show came out has been amazing, but he doesn’t focus on that aspect too much. Davis’ older brother Ryan Davis expressed pride about the person he’s become. “I have watched him become such a good, well-rounded young man,” Ryan Davis said during a Zoom call. “I always tell people he [Davis] is the best version of us.” Ryan Davis said Davis was so casual about the entire Netflix situation. “It got me because he just sends me a text like ‘hey, I’ll be on Netflix in a couple of week’s,’ and I’m like, ‘I was at those games. You didn’t tell me when I was in the stands. This is what took y’all so long in the locker room,’ ” Ryan Davis said. Through the jokes, Ryan Davis said he’s

happy to see his brother excelling and even said he looks up to Davis and he knows whatever Davis does with his future will be great. Political Science junior Tatiana Sallins has been Davis’ friend since their freshman year at SJSU. “We both took Psych 1 together and we sat next to each other,” Sallins said during a phone interview. “We just started talking and became good friends. I would say he’s one of my good friends even still.” She said she’s not the only one rooting for him and is happy he had such an amazing opportunity. “I was so proud of him and it was such an amazing achievement, all of our friends were so proud of what he’s done,” Sallins said. Davis graduated with his associate’s degree from ELAC last year and is back at SJSU where he’s expected to graduate in spring 2022.

Alexandra Shezifi contributed to this article. Follow Jacqueline on Twitter @Jacqueline_v20

OPINION

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TUESDAY, MAY 4, 2021

Fitness is a luxury most can’t aﬀord Jacqueline Vela STAFF WRITER

The amount of time, money and dedication required to live a fitnessbased lifestyle isn’t always attainable because fitness is unfortunately a privilege, not a right. Imagine a single mother of three: She has multiple jobs to provide for her family and spends her spare time with her kids. By the time she puts her kids to sleep, she has a list of chores to complete before she starts the cycle over again. Being a single parent can be difficult. Most of the time, single parents don’t have the time to do everything a two-parent household might, according to a March 2019 article by The Daily Positive, a website focused on personal growth and positive living. Of course, fitness is unable to fit in that single mother’s busy schedule because she has other commitments and priorities, but it doesn’t just apply to single parents. Living an active lifestyle can be tough for many people. I started my fitness journey fall semester by joining a CrossFit gym and it changed my entire lifestyle. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. five times per week. I was committed and felt good, but all that changed when spring semester started. I quickly realized how hard it was to maintain my healthy lifestyle while working three jobs, being a full-time student, finishing chores and saving time for my family. An Oct. 18, 2017 article in the Poughkeepsie Journal, New York’s mid-Hudson Valley area newspaper, says the idea of exercise as a separate act of exerting physical labor shows the individual has free time, something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. There is also the financial aspect. If you genuinely commit to a fitness-based lifestyle, there are many expenses that some don’t realize. You have to recognize “healthier” foods often cost more. Supplements including protein and pre-workout powders are costly and as you complement your workouts with

SOURCES: 2016 NATIONAL POSTSECONDARY STUDENT AID STUDY; HEALTHLINE. INFOGRAPHIC BY ERICA LIZARRAGO

I quickly realized how hard it was to maintain my healthy lifestyle while working three jobs, being a full-time student, finishing chores and saving time for my family. enhancements, it adds up significantly. “Not everyone can afford these supplements or can afford to workout multiple hours a day, and let me tell you that the price of this lifestyle is expensive,” said a March 20, 2019 article by The Odyssey online, a blog platform. The average American spends $56 per month on supplements while more than 60% spends more than $40 per month, according to a May 2020 survey of 1,350 Americans from MyProtein, a nutrition company. One can argue you may not need

those items, but even the cost of a gym membership can be pricey. The average monthly cost of a gym membership is $58 and in areas with a more expensive cost of living such as Brooklyn, monthly spending is more than $100, according to a Sept. 24, 2018 Healthline article. The minimum wage in Santa Clara County is $15.65, according to the county website. Students have enough to worry about with essential expenses including rent, groceries and transportation. The $58 of remaining

disposable income they’d use for a gym membership could make a huge dent in their finances. A 2016 national postsecondary student aid study found the average monthly income for dependent full-time students was $325 per month. Considering the average student can’t afford a membership to exercise, they’re still constantly bombarded with perfect bodies online that puts extra pressure on them. Despite influencers and social media models online telling you “anyone can do it,” sometimes life gets difficult and you can’t always show up for leg day. So don’t be ashamed, do what works best for you.

Follow Jacqueline on Twitter @Jacqueline_v20

Big corps should bear environmental responsibility Christina Casillas STAFF WRITER

Purchasing “sustainable” products such as reusable totes and trendy stainless steel water bottles might make some feel better about their individual environmental impact, but no real change is made by simply purchasing a product. We must stop putting pressure on the public to save the planet because the change we can do is minimal compared to big corporations that should change their production means. Shelie Miller, University of Michigan professor of sustainable systems, said in an Oct. 28, 2020 Popular Science article that people often focus on consumer habits, such as reducing plastic grocery bag use as essential solutions to the climate crisis. While Miller said this isn’t a bad approach in itself, the issue is the tunnel vision we’ve created by telling ourselves that limiting plastic and “going green” will solve all climate problems. “It’s not that we don’t want to worry about single-use plastics, but it really is not seeing the forest for the trees,” Miller said. A September 2017 Stanford Magazine article discussed different types of grocery bags and their environmental impacts. It stated the carbon cost of creating single-use plastic bags was less than creating cotton totes or paper bags. That’s not to say reusable bags are useless. They can be useful and also have a low carbon footprint. But according to the same article, “an average cotton shopping bag would need to be reused 131 times to account for its higher impact on the production side.” The article suggests that someone

would need to use the same cotton tote for the next five years to cancel out its carbon footprint during production. But that is just idealistic at best. A 2015 Norway National Institute for Consumer Research study on the active life of clothing found that clothes are only actively worn for about four years and are often kept until considered “out of use” after about five years. What happens when there’s a hole in someone’s tote they’ve only been using for a year? Are they going to stitch the hole, or simply buy a new bag while believing it’s sustainable? I must admit, I have reusable bags and use them when I can.

We must stop putting pressure on the public to save the planet because the change we can do is minimal compared to big corporations that should change their production means. I prefer them over plastic bags because it makes me feel better about what I’m doing for the environment. I also have reusable straws that make me feel like I’m actively saving turtles and I have a steel water bottle I use instead of plastic ones. But putting stress on individuals’ small choices will not save the Earth. The 2017 Carbon Disclosure Project carbon database report regarding fossil fuel producers and greenhouse emissions found 100 companies were responsible for 71% of total industrial emissions globally. Our carbon footprints are minuscule in comparison to big corporations. It’s still important for individuals to buy less, buy responsibly and actually use the item for the duration it was intended. However, to address such a large issue out of our direct control by buying into slick, superficial corporate marketing isn’t the answer.

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Follow Christina on Twitter @christina_casi

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2021

Duo security a big hassle We need aﬀordable rent To the Editor: “Why is your phone out during class?” “Sorry professor, I have to sign into my SJSU account.” This is one interaction that myself and many students are dreading now that the university requires Duo two-factor authentication security. In the event a student misplaces their phone, their account becomes effectively inaccessible because of Duo. Additionally, if a student gets a new phone, Duo fails to recognize new phones, according to an April 11 review in the Apple App store. SJSU students on the SAMMY app have also complained about IT not responding fast enough, resulting in missing class. Rather than using Duo, we should

look into security apps that welcome more devices, especially with phones being frequently misplaced and replaced by students. With Duo’s inability to accommodate new devices, this makes students hesitant about upgrading their devices. With San Jose State University priding itself on being a university based in Silicon Valley, there should be alternatives to the additional layer of security other than a 2.3 star review app. I hope that SJSU is open to other alternatives to the double layer of security. Mallory Wakida Advertising junior

Dear Editor, The issue of SJSU housing has been addressed time and time again but never seems to change. I am a third year at SJSU and have found it hard to find housing that is affordable. Many apartments require students to make 2.5 times the monthly rent and don’t allow co-signing. I find this to be impossible requirements and landlords need to be more lenient. This issue makes it extremely hard for students to find housing and many have to commute and even some have sadly resorted to homelessness. At Chico State, the apartments there are discounted to students and are more flexible when it comes to their requirements.

I believe it is only fair that landlords are more accommodating toward students, being that 86% of SJSU students live off campus. Some solutions to the problem could be: to provide discounted rent to SJSU students, lower the 2.5 monthly income requirement and have all landlords allow co-signers and or guarantors. These ideas for solutions can really help out students and make it easier for them to live off campus while still being able to be close to campus. Best, Tana Strong Advertising junior

Instructors, be adaptable Don’t protect inﬂuencers To the Editor: Pandemic or not, many professors aren’t as flexible and available as we students would like. Many professors always start by saying that their classes should be prioritized. Why? Many of us have at least 4 equally hard classes to focus on. It is frustrating that their curriculum and teaching techniques have us panicking to get assignments done, without really learning anything. Nowadays, we have rushed to finish assignments like if it was a race against the 11:59 p.m. time limit, without retaining much information. The worst part is, when we have questions or concerns about the assignment due, many of these professors do not respond on time or not at all and get upset when students turn in their work late/half-assed. Although there are 70% of students passing college, most of these students pass with the minimum requirement of 69.5% and learn more about their major in the field.

As a student, I don’t fully understand what it is like to lecture 35+ students, but I do know that professors can make a curriculum that teaches students more, rather than having us rush to finish assignments back to back. The whole point of their job is to teach, prepare us, and guide us. If professors are not going to answer on the weekends, don’t expect students to do their best when they have little help. I’m not opposed to weekend homework, but I am against professors not responding to students who need help. We all learn differently and have different schedules, so professors should go out of their way to be more accessible and flexible. Livier Mandujano Public relations junior

Dear Editor, Living in the world of social media, it’s so frustrating to see many influencers getting away with their scandals and constant allegations. Vela’s article, “Influencer apologies are downright performative” brings to light the flawed mindset that influencers carry. Their performative activism shows by usually only apologizing if they are being called out by the public. James Charles is an example. He finally chose to speak upon his allegations after multiple minors stepped forward about being groomed by him. If no one spoke up he would have kept doing it. Holding these influencers accountable for their mistakes and making an attempt to de-platform them from their high status would be a good start. We have to call them out and not allow them to victimize themselves for their wrongdoings. According to Vox (2018), an influencer can make up to $10,000 dollars per post. Influencers like James Charles can get privileges like this taken away if his scandal gets enough attention.

Instead of making criminals famous, we should give attention to people and situations that actually need it. We must hold influencers accountable and not let them get away with their allegations just because they are famous. Sincerely, Daisy Zamarripa Meza Communication studies sophomore

Why is SJSU still charging unfair on-campus fees? To The Editor, The COVID-19 Pandemic has changed the lives of students attending SJSU. Not only have they been forced to adapt to online learning, but many students have lost their jobs and are struggling to pay their bills. It is so disappointing to see the lack of empathy SJSU has had for its alumni. Community colleges have either lowered tuition during this time because they know their students may be facing financial hardships, or given them grant money. But SJSU has failed to do so, charging the same tuition fee students would be paying for in-person schooling. This is outrageous for many reasons. Students are being charged a campus fee when we are not allowed on campus. We are also not getting the full college experience because everything is virtual. So why are we paying full price for tuition? I’m sure SJSU makes more than enough money to pay their Staff and Faculty, as well as other fees it takes to keep the university standing. But to charge almost four thousand dollars per attending student in the time of a pandemic is ridiculous and uncalled for. So many students and their families are struggling to make ends meet. Does SJSU not care or have any empathy for what their students are going through? We have lives, we are real people, with real struggles. Especially belonging to a minority

Corrections On Tuesday, May 4, the Spartan Daily published a story titled “Restaurant owners like business outdoors” in which Jeff Worrell was misidentified. On Tuesday, May 4, the Spartan Daily published a story titled “SJSU community discusses increase in mass shootings” in which Greg Woods was misidentified. On Tuesday, May 4, the Spartan Daily published a story titled “SJSU community discusses increase in mass shootings” in which mass shootings were misdefined. The Gun Violence Archive defines mass shootings as a minimum of four victims shot, either injured or killed, not including the shooter. The Spartan Daily regrets these errors.

group, we already are doing our best to break free from our ancestral poverty and attend college so that we can have a future career. The way SJSU has handled the pandemic saddens me and many other students I have talked to, at this time I am not proud to be a Spartan because SJSU has shown their selfishness as they do not care about their students and their struggles. Savanah Ceballos Communications studies major

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2021

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