Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020
Volume 155 No. 26 SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY
Students question G.E. classes By Felix Oliveros STAFF WRITER
Some San Jose State alumni are questioning the value of general education (G.E.) courses, saying they aren’t very useful to their career paths given how much they cost. Isaiah McNair-Wilson, a 2017 alumnus with a business marketing bachelor’s degree, said that while he had positive experiences with his G.E. courses, he hasn’t benefited from them since he graduated. “A lot of G.E. classes are pretty useless and not in the sense that it’s bad to be educated,” McNair-Wilson said over Zoom. “Personally I don’t think I disliked any of my G.E. classes, even though I think they were low-key useless.” McNair-Wilson said the only G.E. course he felt provided skills applicable to his current job as a marketing and program lead at Moveable Co., a company that provides services varying from marketing and retail to food and music, was an honors humanities class. He said that class touched on topics such as race, politics, war, and environmentalism. This provided him with critical thinking skills and the ability to encounter a problem and have a unique conversation about it, which he deemed applicable to his career. According to the SJSU website, the Humanities Honors and Advanced Honors programs are meant to broaden students’ knowledge across different disciplines. Students must take G.E. courses early in their college careers before enrolling in courses related to their majors. “G.E. is designed to complement students’ majors and help students gain perspectives, skills and knowledge to be lifelong learners,” Thalia Anagnos, vice provost of undergraduate education said in an email. “G.E. is designed to help us understand ourselves and the world we live in a social, cultural, moral and physical context.” Students must take 39 units of general education courses ranging from lower to upper-division classes. Lower-division requirements include areas of English language communication and critical thinking and scientific inquiry and quantitative reasoning. Other categories include arts and letters and social sciences and human understanding and development, according to the G.E. catalog on the SJSU website. The website also states that students can take upper-division requirements that pertain to their major once lower-
ILLUSTRATION BY HANZ PACHECO
It can feel like a waste of time for some people if they know what they’re trying to study and are ready to go. But for me it was really helpful as a first generation [college student] to pick up that extra knowledge and figure out exactly what I wanted to do.
Alyssa Wall
2017 child and adolescent development alumna
division G.E. classes are completed and a satisfactory Writing Skills Test score is achieved. Alyssa Wall, a 2017 alumna with a child and adolescent development bachelor’s degree, said the value of G.E. courses depends on whether or not students know
the career they want to pursue. “It can feel like a waste of time for some people if they know what they’re trying to study and are ready to go,” Wall said over Zoom. “But for me it was really helpful as a first generation [college student] to pick up that extra knowledge and figure out exactly what I wanted to do.” Wall currently works at Braven, a nonprofit education company, and said she still uses notable skills from her G.E. courses such as public speaking and psychology, which she said has furthered her understanding of how to work with people. Anagnos said employers value skills students obtain in their G.E. courses because it helps them understand their professions in the context of the world. However, Wall said the price of tuition makes students question whether going to university is worth it because of the cost of G.E. courses, which may not always be relevant to each students’ major. In the 2019-20 academic year, the average cost of tuition and fees for in-state students at SJSU was around $7,852 while the average price at a local community
college like De Anza College was $1,561 according to College Factual, a website with information to help students pick a college. “I was a college advisor with San Jose State students and with my students, I started to urge them to choose community college paths,” Wall said. “I was working with students that were like me, coming from low-income backgrounds.” Wall said making G.E. courses free would improve the college experience. McNair-Wilson agreed with this sentiment, saying G.E. courses would feel more necessary if college was inexpensive, free or if there was a choice involved. “People have an immediate need to get a degree because they have an immediate need to get a job. G.E. [classes] should be optional,” McNair-Wilson said. “Forcing people to take these G.E. [classes] when they don’t have the luxury or the time to find themselves and figure things out, I don’t think that’s cool.”
Follow Felix on Twitter @f3lixthe3rd
SJ City Council reviews COVID-19 regulations California Blueprint for a Safe Economy in order to transition to the orange tier. The most restrictive rules apply to tier During Tuesday’s San Jose City Council purple, while the least restrictive rules apply to meeting, councilmembers discussed new tier yellow. Santa Clara County is transitioning arrangements for indoor establishments from red to orange tier. and reducing homeless encampments near waterways. Indoor establishments reopen Andrew Ehrich, assistant to the Under the orange tier guidelines, indoor Emergency Operations Center (EOC) establishments such as pools, restaurants, director, discussed in detail the changes to family entertainment centers, places of Santa Clara County public health orders worship and fitness centers can reopen at as indoor businesses and recreational limited capacity. establishments, were allowed to reopen Based on the city’s recovery plan and the on Oct. 14. state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, businesses “California continues to structure its in Santa Clara County can substantially reopen COVID-19 public health restrictions for each but must enforce strict public health protocols. county, according to California Blueprint for a Bars, breweries and distilleries that sell Safe Economy,” Ehrich said. alcohol can only open outdoors. In addition, The state updated its reopening outdoor gatherings have a 200-person limit, requirements in order to better respond to the according to Ehrich. needs of those disproportionately affected by Concert venues, nightclubs and theme the pandemic. parks are not allowed to open yet, but most According to the California Department indoor businesses are allowed to reopen once of Public Health, the reopening requirements the county enters the yellow tier when there attempt to address the coronavirus spread is minimal risk of COVID-19 spreading, in all communities, especially those according to Blueprint for a Safer Economy. disproportionately impacted, as a measure to During public comments, community protect all communities. members and small business owners urged Kip Harkness, deputy city manager, said councilmembers to expand the time frame’s the high unemployment rate and growing Al Fresco initiative. The initiative allowed economic disparity is disproportionately establishments to close at 10 p.m., but business affecting low-income, Black and Hispanic owners would like to close at midnight instead. communities. The Al Fresco Initiative was developed by California’s updated reopening standards the City of San Jose to maximize business will help measure the impact of COVID-19 in opportunities during the pandemic by moving underserved communities and will be critical dining operations outside. in helping officials decide which tier each Homeless encampment debris removal county is in and what can reopen. District 10 Councilmember Johnny Khamis Santa Clara County meets all criteria of the
By Jovanna Olivares STAFF WRITER
Abating encampments, even along the creeks, they don’t have a shelter location for them to go or a designated alternate and camp location. They do not recommend us to abate now. Jim Ortbal deputy city manager
questioned Deputy City Manager Jim Ortbal about abating and displacing homeless encampments. “I know that the CDC gave us guidelines on removing encampments, but I think it is really vital for us to at least remove encampments when it comes to the rivers and waterways,” Khlamis said. Khamis said the city council needs to prioritize moving these encampments away from any waterways. Khamis shared his concerns from a previous $100 million settlement, where a high percentage of fecal matter was found in waterways. Ortbal explained that the CDC does not recommend abating encampments at this time because of the risk of spreading COVID-19 to multiple sites by relocating members of the encampment. “Abating encampments, even along the creeks, they don’t have a shelter location for them to go or a designated alternate and
IN BRIEF Local business owners push for extended outdoor business hours as the county moves to moderate COVID-19 levels. San Jose City councilmembers wrestle with the idea of abating homeless encampments near waterways. camp location,” Ortbal said. “They do not recommend us to abate now.” District 4 Councilmember Lan Diep agreed with Ortbal and emphasized the advice from public health experts. Aside from COVID-19 limitations to abating encampments, Diep wanted to pursue other solutions, such as implementing sanction encampments in the city. “We should not be moving people unless we have a place to put them in,” Diep said. He clarified he is not endorsing the idea nor rejecting it, but that the notion of simply relocating individuals should not be brought into question.
Follow Jovanna on Twitter @joo_zuniga
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 2020
Outdoor theater comforts moviegoers By Ruth Noemi Aguilar STAFF WRITER
The movie theater experience is a pastime that cannot be replicated at home as many film lovers have missed its presence throughout the pandemic. But 3Below Theaters and Lounge, located on Second Street in Downtown San Jose, is successfully bringing that experience back by hosting a four week run of its dinner-and-a-movie event “Up On The Roof.” The event, which started on Oct. 8 and finishes Nov. 1, features a total of 44 films, all based on themes of social justice. The theater is showing movies focused on women, the LGBTQ+ community and the Black Lives Matter movement while also highlighting Latinx, Asian and Pacific Islander filmmakers. 3Below Theaters and Lounge moved its viewing screen to the roof of its Second Street parking garage to create a safe, outdoor experience while the coronavirus pandemic persists. “We know that our fans and our patrons were looking for something to do and we hope that you’re able to experience what you’re here for tonight with lots of joy, watching the films, joining us as we continue on,” Scott Guggenheim, owner of Guggenheim Entertainment and operator of 3Below, said to the audience before the start of Friday’s featured movie. The theater follows COVID-19 regulations by selling seats in groups of two, three or four, which are separated six feet apart to meet the social distance requirement. Tickets are $75 for a group of three and each ticket comes with a $10 meal voucher. Moviegoers can purchase small meals called “Hot Bites,” which include hot dogs, samosas and taquitos, as well as typical movie concessions like candy and popcorn. Aryana Hernandez, assistant manager of 3Below’s cafe and an SJSU graphic design senior, said the theater had to adapt in order to follow more safety regulations and customers also have to adjust to the new theater policies. Attendees must wait in line for concessions with strict social distancing protocols enforced by employees and have to wear face masks. Reusable cups are no longer an option and the theater’s cafe menu offers fewer items. Hernandez knows the event is something
RUTH NOEMI AGUILAR | SPARTAN DAILY
Attendees watch “The Post” atop the Second Street parking garage at a 3Below Theaters and Lounge screening on Friday.
I think that that’s, like, really the best thing about being open right now is, like, showing that we’re important [to people who are] locked up in their house all the time. When they come to places like this where they can kind of get a sense of normalcy. I feel like it makes people feel a bit better about the situation. Aryana Hernandez 3Below Theaters and Lounge cafe assistant manager
theater fans are excited about. As an art major, she’s pleased to be a part of this new style of going to movie theaters. “I think that that’s, like, really the best thing about being open right now is, like, showing that we’re important to [people who are] locked up in their house all the time,” she said. “When they come to places like this where they can kind of get a sense of normalcy. I feel like it makes people feel a little bit better about the situation.” As someone who has stayed home almost religiously since March, I was very interested in this event and wanted to see if it was both safe and amusing. My roommates and I watched “The Post,” which was Friday’s featured
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movie. The film is part of the theater’s “Power of Women” viewing series and is about Katharine Graham, the first female publisher of a major American newspaper. Attendees were required to either take an elevator with a two-person capacity or walk five flights of stairs to the roof where the movie was being shown. Luckily, when we arrived there was no wait for the elevator. The movie setup reminded me of a drive-in theater and it was an amusing thing to experience without a car because none of my friends have driver’s licenses. After being escorted to our seats by an usher, we found gifts on the seats including flashlights and hand sanitizers from the theater’s sponsor.
It was exciting to enjoy a movie outside the confines of my house and it was a common feeling among some other attendees. “It’s just a fun concept [and] super cool idea,” Debbie Velasquez, a movie attendee who traveled from Santa Cruz said about her experience. “It’s comfortable out there and it’s nice to get out.” However, some drawbacks were expected when attending events like this where operations are moved to an outdoor setting, such as distractions that wouldn’t be found in a typical theater. The downtown street noises made the outside setting seem more authentic, but it was bothersome during the movie. The colorful LED lights in several rooms from The Grad San Jose, an apartment complex near the theater, also took my attention away from the movie. These complications of new outdoor movie venues are something that theaters looking to host similar events need to consider, as well as people planning to attend those events. But, despite the changes that were made to comply with the pandemic regulations, 3Below Theaters and Lounge hosted an entertaining event that was enjoyably reminiscent of life before the pandemic.
Columns are the opinion of individual writers and not that of the Spartan Daily. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student
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OPINION
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WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 2020
3
Evangelicals faithful to Trump Laura Fields STAFF WRITER
Many white evangelicals stand by President Donald Trump because he delivers on their issues by putting his lip service into action. Trump, a self-proclaimed anti-abortion champion, represented a change from the norm in 2016 for a part of the population who felt ostracized for far too long – white evangelicals. According to a July Pew Research study, although evangelical support for Trump is waning, roughly 8 out of 10 white evangelical Protestants surveyed would still vote for Trump in November, the most out of any Christian faith group. White evangelicals make up 26% of the American electorate and 81% of them voted for Trump, according to a Nov. 11, 2016 New York Times article. Not only has President Trump made promises to evangelical Christians – he delivered on issues important to them such as appointing conservative judges to uphold their values. According to an Aug. 26 article published online by Religion News Service, a news agency covering religion, spirituality and moral issues, Trump appointed more than 200 conservative federal judges. Appointing this many conservative judges
shows his commitment to the preservation of Constitutionalist rule. Evangelicals care about this because by making decisions based on the text of the constitution, churches are allowed more leeway in maintaining their bubble of sanctity rather than a liberal view of government oversight. Constitutionalism is the idea that the government shouldn’t act unless the actions are specifically permitted by the Constitution. This idea was popularized by former Texas Congressman Ron Paul and came to national attention when he ran for president in 2008. With conservative Constitutionalist judges, they would interpret the Constitution as it was written, giving churches free reign to rule themselves without government suppression. During the Democratic presidential primary, leftists called for the end of church tax exemption, where houses of worship are largely exempt from federal and state income and property taxes. Many white evangelicals feared for the security of their First Amendment rights as this would mean the state would encroach upon the church, so they fully supported Trump
ILLUSTRATION BY BRIANA CONTE
who would champion their love of freedom. Trump has also come out against abortion, making him the darling of many Christian voters who consider this to be a key issue. At the infamous February 2019 State of the Union address, where Nancy Pelosi rudely ripped up a transcript of the President’s words, Trump’s message was overshadowed by partisan antics. In his address, the President called for legislation against late-term abortion. “Let us work together to build a culture that cherishes innocent life,” Trump said. “And let us reaffirm a fundamental truth: all children – born and unborn - are made in the holy image of God.”
CLASSIFIEDS CROSSWORD PUZZLE
While white evangelicals tend to vote with Trump, they also consistently look the other way when it comes to Trump’s personal transgressions. According to an Oct. 19, 2016 article published by the Public Religion Research Institute, a nonprofit and nonpartisan research organization, voters who cast their ballot based on shared values with a candidate were not dissuaded by news of Trump sexually harassing women or refusing to pay contractors. To some voters, it’s more important that political candidates have the same views on issues than to live a principled life. Jerry Falwell Jr., a prominent evangelical
leader and president of Liberty University, a private evangelical university, defended Trump in a Nov. 9, 2016 Time magazine article. “Evangelical theology is all about forgiveness,” he said. “When you look at the issues, he ended up being the dream candidate for conservatives and evangelicals.” Eric Metaxas, an evangelical writer and radio host, forgave Trump for his past transgressions and voiced his support for the then-candidate, according to a Nov. 11, 2016 New York Times article. “We understand. We’re all screwed up. We all sin. To judge people by fussy moral standards is something I think is no longer the issue it used to be,” Metaxas said. “I
SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.
think a lot of people believe he’s not the person he was in 2005,” referring to the audio of Trump’s “grab them by the p***y” comment. Much to the disgust of today’s increasingly secular society, as observed in a November 2015 Pew study, Trump’s rhetoric on Twitter and his administration’s power moves cemented his pro-evangelical stance in the eyes of the American people. Nevertheless, this election season, Trump will depend on his fan base and with every mention of the conservative judiciary and anti-abortion values, Trump can deliver the goods to his fanatical white evangelical cult. Follow Laura on Twitter @swimgirllaura
JOKIN’ AROUND What do you call a blind dinosaur?
A do-youthink-he-sawus.
SOLUTIONS
ACROSS 1. Cut down 5. Wanes 9. Trudge 13. 66 in Roman numerals 14. A satirical comedy 16. Large luxurious car 17. Nights before 18. Mendicant 19. So be it 20. Subsequently 22. Cannabis 24. Nonsense (British) 26. Sped 27. Travel 30. Fundamentals 33. University 35. Chaff 37. Hair goop 38. Steeple 41. Years 42. A dish of tomatoes and greens 45. Stayed behind 48. Women’s stockings 51. Faintness 52. Duplicate 54. Decays
55. Siring 59. Souvlaki 62. Monster 63. Reject 65. Anagram of “Tine” 66. 500 sheets 67. Creepy 68. Notch 69. Catch a glimpse of 70. Lease 71. Shade trees DOWN 1. Beers 2. 26 in Roman numerals 3. Finally 4. Strife 5. F 6. Leavening agent 7. Very prickly woody vine 8. Dung beetle 9. Acclaim 10. City in Peru 11. Portent 12. Spanish lady 15. Genus of heath 21. Feudal worker 23. A short strap of leather
25. Skirt lines 27. Sharp projections 28. Sea 29. Sharp high-pitched cry 31. Geranium 32. Mentors 34. Carriage 36. Marries 39. Crimson 40. Arab chieftain 43. A pseudoscience 44. Handout 46. Violent 47. Acute 49. Like the Vikings 50. Sharpshooter 53. Habituate 55. Not aft 56. How old we are 57. Snare 58. Smile 60. “Smallest” particle 61. Wagers 64. Mesh
10/20/2020
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4
SPORTS
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WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 2020
SJSU student-athletes run for change By Laura Fields STAFF WRITER
Several San Jose State student-athletes wanted to give back to the San Jose community, so they decided to organize and compete in a Race for Change five-kilometer run on Sunday. All the proceeds went toward a local African American organization. “During COVID19, [African American Community Service Agency] created AACSA Cares, which is a program that served over 8,000 people,” SJSU football linebacker Christian Webb, said in a video posted on Twitter by the SJSU women’s basketball team. “We go out in the community and make sure that people have the essential items they need, such as toiletries, food, baby wipes, diapers and anything else that you can think of.” Annalisa Duarte, an academic support coordinator and adviser for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, was at the event on Sunday, making sure athletes socially distanced to adhere to Santa Clara County health guidelines. Duarte said the original idea for the event came from the University of California, San Diego women’s basketball program. The SJSU women’s basketball program then organized the same event here in San Jose to support the African American Community Service Agency, which Duarte said many
PHOTO COURTESY OF SJSU ATHLETICS
San Jose State student-athletes run to raise money for the African American Community Service Agency on Sunday at South Campus.
SJSU student-athletes intern for, and other sports teams soon joined to raise money for charity purposes. SJSU’s Race for Change GoFundMe page set a $1,500 goal. Then, SJSU’s Beyond Football, a campus organization that connects football players to community organizations, raised the goal to $2,500. By Monday, almost $3,000 was raised on the GoFundMe page. Duarte said Race for Change event organizers asked each SJSU team if they
wanted to participate. “We got so many teams that said ‘Yes, 100%. We definitely want to support this cause, we want to raise awareness for social injustices, as well as help our local community,’ ” Duarte said in a phone call. Dana Dormann, SJSU women’s golf head coach, participated in the fivekilometer run by posting a video on Twitter of her completing the run. She said she would match her initial pledge up to $400 for student-athletes who participate and repost.
“When we were planning it, I didn’t realize they were going to do it on Sunday,” Dormann said. “I couldn’t make it on Sunday so that’s why I did my virtual run on Friday.” Student-athletes arrived on Sunday at South Campus with their respective teams to complete the five-kilometer run. The athletes delayed their start time for about 15 minutes each to maintain distance from one another. Alexus Jackson, SJSU women’s soccer midfielder,
said each team had different time slots and her team’s call time was 9:30 a.m. “Everyone was excited and full of energy,” Jackson said. “It was great vibes.” Jackson said seeing other student-athletes push to run a fast time really stood out to her. “Seeing them push themselves, it was really nice,” Jackson said. Duarte said a group of student-athletes came together to form SJSpeaksUp, a social justice activism group. SJSpeaksUp is a group that posts films,
books and articles on its social media in order to teach other Spartans about racial inequality and social change, according to an Aug. 5 article by SJSU athletics. The group works with the Beyond Football program and its mission is to educate, empower and enact change for equality. “I would say our student-athletes are very involved in raising awareness for social injustices,” Duarte said.
Follow Laura on Twitter @swimgirllaura
OPINION
Lakers fans celebrate recklessly Olivia Gerber STAFF WRITER
After the Los Angeles Lakers won the 2020 NBA Championship on Oct. 12, fans acted irresponsibly by gathering at the Staples Center in mobs to celebrate the victory. However, what should have been a joyous celebration turned into a turbulent evening that left Los Angeles in an embarrassing state of chaos. According to an Oct. 12 ESPN article, about 1,000 fans took to the streets that night to celebrate, completely disregarding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and warnings from Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti. Garcetti tweeted after the Laker’s victory over the Miami Heat that he felt grateful toward fans celebrating from home and that gathering in large crowds is still unsafe amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Lakers Twitter page posted an announcement saying an official championship celebration can’t happen until the Los Angeles County officials deem it safe. “We cannot wait to celebrate our NBA title with our fans,” the Lakers Twitter page tweeted on Oct. 12.
“After consulting with the City and the County, we all agree that a joyful and inclusive public celebration will take place as soon as it is safe to do so. In the meantime, thank you again, Lakers Nation, for your support!” Instead of abiding by the warning, fans still celebrated in large groups. In some instances, the festivities became so rambunctious and violent that several arrests were made. According to the Oct. 12 ESPN article, the Los Angeles Police Department made 76 arrests throughout the night after fans threw glass bottles, rocks and other projectiles at officers. During the rowdy celebrations, ABC7 News reporters live-tweeted various incidents. These included a city bus that was destroyed and lit on fire, multiple cars doing donuts in the middle of unrestrained crowds and a man being transported to the hospital after his hands were severely burned from handling fireworks. The level of unnecessary chaos was so thoughtless and irresponsible that it went beyond just being a championship celebration. While some fans
ILLUSTRATION BY HANZ PACHECO
generally wanted to express their love for the Lakers, others simply used the championship win as an excuse to wreak havoc on the city. The LAPD tweeted on Oct. 12 that more than 30 buildings were damaged. The department also stated that eight police officers were injured and two fans were taken to the hospital after being injured by non-lethal weapons fired by police officers. This NBA title was particularly emotionally charged for some fans because it was the first championship since former Lakers star, Kobe Bryant, died Jan. 26 in a
helicopter crash along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others. The loss of Bryant would normally be a unifying factor for fans, but on that evening it became a point of conflict. A video surfaced on Twitter that night of a man being brutally beaten by several others after he allegedly made derogatory comments about Bryant. On top of the chaos, a lot of fans also entirely disregarded CDC guidelines to avoid large gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. According to the Los Angeles Times COVID-19 tracker, Los Angeles County
averaged 1,069 new cases and 15 new deaths per day over the past week. The number of confirmed infections is doubling every 264 days as of yesterday. The current public health order from the Los Angeles County public health department asserts that private gatherings consisting of people from more than three households are prohibited. It also highly discourages singing, chanting or shouting at gatherings because they increase the release of respiratory droplets in the air, escalating the risk of spreading COVID-19. The Lakers fans’ celebration was a direct
contradiction of this protocol because it definitely had a significant amount of singing, shouting and chanting in packed crowds. During a pandemic, Lakers fans dangerously gathered in the streets to celebrate the championship victory and put the Los Angeles community at risk. Although the celebration began peacefully, it spiraled into a riot that left fans and police officers injured and businesses damaged.
Follow Olivia on Twitter @LivGerber