THE HIGHLANDER UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE
VOL. 66, ISSUE 30
est. 1954
FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018
Is ASUCR’s GPA higher than yours?
It’s week 10 and grades are being finalized. The Highlander evaluated ASUCR on how well they’ve represented the student body this year.
Graduation 2018
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TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018
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HUMANS OF UCR
UPCOMING EVENTS: WEEK 10
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2017 - 2018 SENIOR STAFF
Spring Dance Showings 2018 2:30pm to 3:30pm Arts Building, ARTS 100 and 300. ATHD 102 and 159
Sandra Kirtland Turner - Hewett Club Speaker 3:30pm to 4:30pm Geology Building, 1444
Wednesday
Music Awards Ceremony and Student Performances 12:10pm Arts Building, Performance Lab, ARTS 166
NA Wrinkle in Slime: Make Your Own Slime 2:00pm to 3:00pm Orbach Library (Science Library)
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Therapy Fluffies 11:00am to 1:00pm UCR Library, Rivera & Orbach Libraries
PLAYWORKS 2018 by UCR Undergraduate and MFA Playwrights 8:00pm to 10:00pm Humanities Building , Theatre Lab, Humanities 411
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Surprise Snack Giveaway UCR Library, Rivera & Orbach
Spring Quarter Fun Friday 2:00pm Student Recreation Center (SRC)
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Massage Therapy 2:00pm Orbach Library (Science Library)
Film: Last Men in Aleppo 7:00pm to 9:00pm ARTSblock
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R’Finals Study Jam 4:00pm to 8:00pm Orbach Library (Science Library)
Tuesday
COMPILED BY ADRIAN DIZON
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Thursday
The departing, returning and newly-appointed Highlander Senior Staff.
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News TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018
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R’Claim: UCR neglects Ethnic and Gender Programs, protesters claim
Student group GS 107 holds march against UCR administration’s distribution of tuition fees MARK BERTUMEN Senior Staff Writer
Students gathered under the Bell Tower on Tuesday, May 29 to protest the disparity between the UCR administration’s salaries and the amount of money spent for the benefit of students, especially those of Costo Hall, as well as the lack of transparency in how the administration spends money. They also protested that the lack of student funding does not coincide the positive image of diversity that the university advertises. The march was led by Melanie Yazzie, a professor of gender and sexuality studies, and organized by GS 107, “a coalition of students seeking justice for” student and workers’ rights. GS 107 also leads the R’Claim movement, which according to its Facebook page, is “a demonstration that brings together multiple issues across UCR.” Yazzie also supplied a document titled “GS 107 Demands” that outlines the reasons for the march and the demands that the protesters hope will be met. The document states that if the demands it lists out are not met during the summer of 2018, GS 107 will “initiate a UC-wide campaign during the Fall 2018 quarter demanding the resignation of Chancellor Kim Wilcox and all top UCR administrators” and establish a student committee for Costo Hall in charge of selecting a replacement chancellor. According to Yazzie, the march was intended to be a “starting point for galvanizing various communities within UCR to form a large and successful movement for student and worker rights,” as well as a way to bring the issues among those parties to light. The march’s guest speakers began taking the microphone at 11:30 a.m. Anaf Wako, a member of GS 107, spoke about why the needs of African, Native American and Chicano Student Programs were “relegated to a ballot on the Highlander Referendum,” referring to the Highlander Empowerment Student Services Referendum, which would have supplied funds to those and other programs but failed to reach its voting quota in April. The “GS 107 Demands” list states that this “current process of referendum voting is unreliable.” Wako also wondered why the staff involved with managing those programs were the most underfunded, referring to the
$300,000 that Wilcox makes annually while “maintenance workers cannot even secure contracts to take care of their families.” Wako later stated that despite the lack of funding to student interests, the university still used the image of students to advertise the school in pamphlets and brochures, which Wako said was “tokenism at best and exploitation at worst.” Cuauhtemoc Peranda was another guest speaker, a graduate student with a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity. He said that fellow graduate students did not receive any kind of funding from the administration and hoped that the march would help spark a movement to change that. The list of demands for GS 107 do not ask for any kind of assistance directed towards graduate students. Graduate student Frank Perez took the microphone and spoke as “a working class student, a community college student, a community college educator, as a grad student and as a parent.” He commented on how he went into the Scotty store that day and saw the signs on the registers asking students to donate money for food-insecure students on campus. Perez saw this as “an expectation for students, rather than elected officials with bloated incomes, to support students.” Perez went on to discuss how CHASS tuition subsidizes other colleges on campus in the form of grants rather than going to the faculty of CHASS and stated that the tuition should instead be funnelled in-house and that the administration ought to receive a pay cut that goes directly to helping the students, such as those that are food-insecure. The request for in-house tuition funneling is one of the stipulations in the GS 107 list of demands. The last speaker of the march was David Chavez, a sixth-year doctoral candidate in the department of history and recording secretary for the UC Workers’ Union. He emphasized the importance of students having more control over the money they spend toward the university and mentioned that in 1968, students “occupied and liberated the San Francisco State University through the Third World Liberation Strike” MARK BERTUMEN / HIGHLANDER under similar demands that
MARK BERTUMEN / HIGHLANDER
MARK BERTUMEN / HIGHLANDER
the students of the march that day were protesting for. He also called for “an end to white supremacy, sexual harassment and sexual violence on campus and throughout the UC system” and wanted UCR to be a sanctuary campus for undocumented and international students that gives both those groups free tuition. An unnamed spectator proceeded to take the microphone that claimed to be a veteran of the 1968 San Francisco strike that Chavez spoke about. He affirmed that the strike was done in part for ethnic studies alongside the Latin American Student Organization and multiple Mexican organizations. He voiced his support for what the marchers were doing because he considered himself a “community person and a community representative.” Yazzie then took the microphone to ask why there weren’t more faculty in the audience, specifically those that had tenure. Being a lecturer at UCR, Yazzie did not have tenure and was therefore putting her career at risk by being at the march. She stressed that faculty needed to attend more events such as this march to show that they cared about the students and their needs. The marchers then gathered in a circle and proclaimed the Assata Shakur chant before beginning the march at 12:15 p.m. Assata Shakur was a member of the Black Liberation Army, a black nationalist group, and created the chant to inspire activists to fight against discrimination together. They marched in front of Pierce Hall and headed left, down and through the HUB food court, continuing past Costo Hall and the Student Services building. They then marched toward and up the stairs of Hinderaker Hall, where UCR’s administration offices are housed. Outside his fourth floor office, Wilcox
came out to receive a list of demands from the demonstrators and to listen to what each march member had to say. Victor Marroquin, a third-year gender and sexuality studies major, began by expressing his concerns about food insecurity on campus and the lack of funding towards Costo Hall, its programs, and ethnic studies. Wilcox thanked everyone in the hall for the feedback on what needed to be done and said that he would hold a discussion in the HUB at 10 a.m. on Thursday that same week to further talk things out. Marroquin confirmed that the marchers would attend the meeting, but emphasized that “this (march) is an accumulation of anger for years. We’re protesting not just because of the Highlander Empowerment Referendum, but because of our campus experience ever since we came here,” Marroquin said, referring to the directing of funds towards infrastructure rather than students. “I’ve seen new buildings go up, but the issues I had ever since I first came here are still here.” Protesters continued to echo the issues that were voiced under the Bell Tower and then walked back downstairs to the front of Hinderaker Hall, gathering in a circle and expressing their gratitude for being able to participate in the march and having their voice be heard. The march concluded with a Unity Clap, a symbol of solidarity created by the United Farm Workers labor union representing Latinos and Filipino laborers. Yazzie considered the march a success, explaining that “students (at the march) clearly felt empowered to voice their outrage at the injustice they experience here at UCR.” GS 107 is now working toward an agreement between Wilcox and the rest of UCR’s administration on how the school’s financial budget ought to be handled. ■H
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NEWS
TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018
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ASUCR
ASUCR Report Cards
Martin Cuenca
C+
Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Cuenca has opposed banning political parties and subsequently opposed a roll call vote for the political parties bill, which would make each senator’s vote public. Additionally, Cuenca voted against the ban on laptopping in ASUCR elections and supported allocating $35,000 for R’Gear sweatshirts. Cuenca ran on a platform of cooperating with Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) to “ensure more parking for our undergraduate students.” He has sat on the TAPS Advisory Committee during his time in ASUCR but little information is available on his accomplishments in this committee.
Senator Xaypraseuth proposed projects that would benefit her fellow BCOE students, including the installation of nap pods across Bourns Hall in addition to more sleep and study areas for engineering students. Xaypraseuth never implemented those policies and remained silent during senate meetings throughout the school year. She abstained from voting on the motion that outlawed political parties in ASUCR elections.
Amanda Xaypraseuth
D
According to senate meeting minutes, CHASS Senator Roy Tongilava met several times with Assistant Vice Chancellor of Auxiliary Services, Andy Plumley, and spearheaded a commuter meal plan that will be implemented in Fall 2018. Tongilava opposed political parties and laptopping in this year’s elections alongside R’Gear, stating that there is “really no meaning to the project.” Tongilava worked on creating the Connections Conference that educates students on different cultures in early winter quarter, supporting his campaign promises of advocating for diversity. Roy Tongilava
A
BCOE Senator Patrick Le pledged to devote himself to improving the atmosphere for the engineering student body on campus. He promised to accomplish this by sanitizing the current engineering lounges and study rooms and adding open lounge spaces on the Bourns lawn. To Senator Le’s credit, he did note having productive discussions with campus architects about the notion of implementing external furniture on campus, but these talks never came to fruition. He took responsibility for his mistake during the April elections in which his vote counting program double counted votes. Patrick Le
C-
Senator Semere Mengistu was active within the black community at UCR, working to increase the campus’s black retention and enrollment rates. He also secured a $1,000 private scholarship for black students, earning him senator of the month for March. He also negotiated funding with Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education Kelechi Kalu for students to go to Brazil’s Afrocentric study abroad program. He voted to ban laptopping but abstained from a vote to ban political parties and was absent during votes on R’Gear. Semere Mengistu
A CHASS Senator Solomon Demeku ran on an umbrella rental system for undergraduates that didn’t materialize. Nonetheless, Demeku was active on the Athletics Awareness Committee in order to help promote, market and assist the athletics department of UCR. Demeku voted to ban laptopping but abstained from a vote to ban political parties in the 2018 ASUCR elections. He was excused as absent during a vote on R’Gear in late February.
Solomon Demeku
CHASS Senator Grant Nakaoka ran on a platform of increasing aid and assistance for marginalized groups given the relationship California has with the federal government. He sits on the Referendum Student Advisory Committee, or RSAC, which allocates funding from Highlander Empowerment Student Services Referendum (HESSR) for Costo Hall. He spoke of wanting an “R’ rights” program in his senatorial pitch, under which legal aid and assistance would be provided for certain groups who may feel threatened under the current administration. This aid would also be expanded to undocumented students. Currently no evidence of the “R’ rights” program can be found. Advancements on certain issues have been made over the past year, B such as the removal of an RSAC stipulation requiring periodic voting on HESSR funding in a quint-annual meeting with Chancellor Wilcox. In November 2017 he also helped draft a resolution called the “Official Declaration of Support for the GSA,” in support of the GSA which would reduce summer SRC fees for graduate students. The resolution has not been voted on. Also in November, he proposed to reboot the multicultural festival and made progress in doing so, although it is unclear if anything has come to pass. He has promoted HESSR, which was on the ballot this April – it failed, however, in meeting the minimum turnout threshold and did not pass.
Grant Nakaoka
B+ CHASS Senator Reginald Wong has attended senate meetings very regularly throughout winter and spring quarters. There was discussion about a mental health conference Wong was seeking to host but it has yet to materialize. However, Wong mentioned he was meeting biweekly with the director of Counseling and Psychological Services, Dr. Elizabeth Mondragon. Wong ran on a platform of renting out laptop chargers to students, but this has yet to happen.
Reginald Wong
C+
Carolyn Chang
B+
CNAS Senator Priyanka Garg ran heavily on a platform of fixing parking on the UCR campus by working with TAPS. This goal was frequently talked about in ASUCR meetings. In an ASUCR meeting on October 19, she shared plans to tackle limited parking on campus by collaborating with TAPS to allow students with a Gold parking permit to park in the Glen Mor lots. She intended to meet with the director of transportation to show why parking is an issue at UCR as well as to get other organizations involved as well. It is unclear whether any initiative or measures have passed, or if more passes are being sold as a result of her actions. She also planned to change the way seating is arranged in organic chemistry C classes due to their being organized by grade. The plan is ongoing.
Senator Matt Shashaty has worked to serve CNAS and pre-health students during his time as senator through his presence at ASUCR meetings, promoting research expos and trying to increase student voter turnout through participating on the Voice Project Committee.
Matt Shashaty
B Priyanka Garg
CNAS Senator Andrew Ng did not provide a platform or goals to the Highlander in 2017. He sits on the Legislative Review Committee and the finance committee. Ng has helped pre-med professional fraternity Phi Delta Epsilon secure funding for their health conferences both in the fall and spring. He has fostered connections between other health-related organizations on campus and has endeavored to help students considering medical or other health-related career paths. Ng helped Phi Delta Epsilon fill out a budget request for a grant for the conference. He has also aided in collaboration between senators with the aim of improving life for CNAS students. ■H
Senator Valeria Orozco has consistently been an advocate for UCR’s LGBTQ communities and events, and in general has worked to support the interests of Costo Hall programs and the students they help within ASUCR. Additionally, she has helped promote opportunities for CNAS students proving her dedication to CNAS students.
Valeria Orozco
A
CHASS Senator Carolyn Chang set out with a goal to provide students with better access to information regarding clubs, activities and events by providing that information at the bottom of the Bell Tower. The project to wrap the bottom of the tower in butcher paper so as to stick information directly on it has not come to fruition. Chang has made progress in several areas, including in her goal to strengthen the bond between the Asian Pacific Student Program, the Women’s Resource Center and ASUCR. Her biggest accomplishments were getting four new microwaves in the HUB commuter area and volunteering in the snack wagon. She has made progress in looking into the transfer commuter dining hall plan.
Andrew Ng
B-
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TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018
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Report Cards (Continued):
Dana Dinh
B
CHASS Senator Dana Dinh promised in her campaign to create a mentorship for pre-business students. Entering into the third quarters, Dinh was unable to deliver on her promise. Her notable accomplishments, however, are her contributions to the R’Closet and Undie Run. Dinh expanded the snack wagon and had the HUB close later during during Finals Week. She was involved in the Civics Engagements committee “One Person, One Vote, One Cookie” to register students to vote in return for an ASUCR string bag and a cookie. Dinh was able to reach out across campus in working with the Native American Student Programs for the Native American Heritage Month and volunteering in the botanical garden sale.
Carisha Moore
B+
CHASS Senator Marco Ornelas had multiple goals in his campaign including banning political parties on campus and having an inclusive campus. Ornelas was able to continue a program that provides free female hygienic products in the HUB bathroom, helped in creating gender-inclusive bathrooms in Rivera library, was in the committee that worked for the annual research expo, voted against R’Gear and voted to end laptopping.
Marco Ornelas
A In her campaign, CHASS Senator Mariam Alkhalili delivered on her promise to create a more interconnected environment in order to reduce food waste by 15 percent. She worked on creating a food insecurity project, which would have UCR Dining package any overabundance of food to have available for free in R’Pantry. Alkhalili advocated for the Muslim student population by increasing the availability of halal food options and tried to change the campus paper receipts to be BPA free. Alkhalili worked alongside Senator Grant Nakaoka and the Native American Student Programs try to have the land UCR is built on recognized as Native American land.
Mariam Alkhalili
A+
The Executive Vice President campaigned on a platform focusing on housing and reaching out to the community. She was part of the group along with Johnathan Li and Aram Ayra who vetoed the R’Gear funds allocation, which was later overturned. She helped establish a rule within ASUCR that all senators must meet with the executive vice president every quarter to discuss goals and projects, as well as ensure there are no time conflicts between ASUCR meetings and classes. Moore also cast the deciding vote to ban political parties within ASUCR. She notably instituted a sergeant-at-arms position within the ASUCR to keep the government on track by preventing the use of electronics and other distractions.
Austin Mok has been the director of GCAP since 2017 and recently secured reelection for 2018. Mok has been involved in establishing the R’Closet and the UCR Botanical Gardens event, “Plant a Succulent.” His committee also brought solar umbrellas to campus which can be seen in the HUB area. A request for Mok to elaborate on some of his accomplishments went unanswered.
Austin Mok
A Briana Perera has been consistent in her activity to assemble committees established by members in ASUCR. She has hired volunteers for various activities and added a sergeant of arms position in the senate. Perera did not respond to a request from The Highlander to elaborate on some of her accomplishments this year.
Briana Perera
B+
Executive Cabinet:
Aram Ayra
Semi Cole
The Vice President of Internal Affairs had a contentious tenure in ASUCR. He is no stranger to controversy as he appointed and initially defended Sammie Ayoub as his chief of staff, before dropping him due to allegations of sexual misconduct that had been brought against Ayoub in the past. He was a proponent of the R’Gear program as well as political parties within ASUCR, which have since been banned. He has had success by organizing or connecting with several events and conferences, and helped boost voter turnout in ASUCR elections with his use of fireside chats. He also contributed to the distribution of scantrons, bluebooks and parking B- passes, as well as promoted volunteer efforts in the snack truck. Cole, alongside Vice President of Finance Jose Cortez-Hernandez, established a grant for Black Graduation.
Johnathan Li
After winning a contentious election, President Aram Ayra set out goals to reform ASUCR by increasing representation, especially of women, and bolstering its connections to campus organizations. He also wanted to improve parking on campus and address food insecurity among students. He was successful in several endeavors, including increasing female representation within student government by appointing several female students to the judiciary. As far as reforming ASUCR, Ayra not only added four amendments to the elections code, but also created three new positions which all focused on connecting with other organizations. FolB lowing a freedom of speech incident on campus which made national news, he was one of the signatories of “The Joint Statement on UCR Principles of Community.” Notably, Ayra has taken big steps to improve relations between students, neighbors and tenants by putting students in contact with the Fair Housing Commission and organizing community meetings. He was opposed to R’Gear, even vetoing the vote with Johnathan Li and Carisha Moore on the grounds that the money could be better spent, but the veto was overturned after it was ruled illegal.
The Vice President of External Affairs ran on a platform of improving mental health funding, helping students deal with food insecurity and strengthening the community. One of his achievements involved aiding in the procurement of $3 million for the housing initiative fund, which ultimately were used for seismic improvements to the Falkirk Apartments. He also helped create and distribute the “campus student experience survey” to gain information about student relations with neighbors and landlords. Li was also an active participant in various student conferences. He along with Carisha Moore and Aram Ayra vetoed the R’Gear funding B+ allocation which was later overturned on grounds of unconstitutionality.
Connie Wi, as the Director for Marketing and Promotions of ASUCR, was involved in the marketing aspect of R’Gear in late winter quarter and is working on a project to hand out free notebooks to promote mental health. However, there are notable gulfs in activity on their social media, such as Facebook, with several days to a month passing between updates. Likewise with Instagram, the last post was a week and a half ago, at time of writing. The low turnout for the April ASUCR election was in part due to lack of marketing and voter outreach, the former being the responsibility of Wi’s office. Connie Wi
Jose Cortez-Hernandez
C+ Vice President of Finance Jose Cortez-Hernandez ran on a platform of reinstating a system of grocery receipts for food costs. Cortez-Hernandez also campaigned to streamline the application process for organizations seeking funding. Neither of these were fulfilled. He helped establish a $1,500 grant for Black Graduation. Cortez-Hernandez spoke in favor of political parties when the issue was put before a vote (Jan. 7), and campaigned for the $35,285.45 R’Gear allocation. He also brought a judicial case against President Ayra, Executive VP Moore and Vice President of External Affairs Li, resulting in their D R’Gear veto being struck down
Outreach Director Serena Cheng planned on visiting area high schools at least once every two months to give a presentation about UCR. Cheng also intended to bring representatives from UCR organizations with her, to offer prospective students a view of UCR’s culture and offerings. Cheng ended up conducting four visits to Romano High School, hosting a college fair at Norte Vista High School and planning a college fair for Riverside’s Poly High School.
Serena Cheng
Maria Chavez
B Transfer/Non-traditional Director Maria Chavez intended to establish a Transfer Student Coffee Night Social and planned on providing transfer students with fliers describing the resources available to them, which she achieved. In her position as Transfer/Non-Traditional Director, she held the transfer student convocation in coordination with UCR administration. Chavez was consistently present at state of the association meetings, and stayed generally active with regards to expanding services for transfer and non-traditional students. Chavez also hosted a variety of events for transfer students, including banquets and de-stressing events. A She promoted R’Gear as important to increasing school spirit, especially for transfer students. ■H
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NEWS
TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018
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ASUCR
ASUCR rules election of CNAS senator unconstitutional
AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer
Last week’s ASUCR meeting kicked off by calling attention to the controversy surrounding Wajeha Mahmoud’s election to the previously unfilled CNAS senatorial seat. Mahmoud was elected to fill the CNAS senatorial seat in a special election that took place on May 22. Heidi Awada, the general advocate of the ASUCR Judicial Council, claimed that a student must have attended UCR for at least three academic quarters before becoming an ASUCR senator, while Mahmoud has only been a student for two. Awada stated, “Her appointment to ASUCR is considered unconstitutional and this was a unanimous decision by the judicial branch.” Awada stated that the council was made aware that there was a meeting among the 2018-2019 ASUCR senate, which the judicial council ruled was unconstitutional according to Article 3, Section 8. The section states that next year’s senate does not have the power to meet until
the day following commencement, which means that everything discussed at that meeting is considered void. This concluded Awada’s judicial report. Awada did claim that during their meeting, the judicial council discussed amending Article 3, Section 8 in order to make it easier for transfer students to be elected to senatorial seats. During public forum Dean of Students Joe Virata invited the senate to come out and listen to public presentations made by candidates running for the position of Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs as well as Dean of Students. Virata emphasized the importance of these positions, stating that “it’s very important that you as students have input on who fulfills these positions.” Virata also addressed ASUCR’s meeting with Chancellor Wilcox on May 8 in which students expressed their concerns over the failure of the Highlander Empowerment Student Services Referendum. Virata claimed that the Chancellor has set up a meeting on Saturday, June
MYLES ANDREWS-DUVE / HIGHLANDER
3 with students who wish to know what commitments he will be making in order to address student concerns over Costo Hall funding. Miguel Ramirez also took the stand in order to speak on behalf of CALPIRG and discussed their success over the school year. He acknowledged many campaigns that CALPIRG has focused on this year, such as the 100% Renewable Energy Campaign, and Affordable Higher Education Campaign. Jose Cortez-Hernandez, ASUCR Vice President of Finance, claimed that he was proud of his office’s significant revision of the finance bylaws. His office freed up $18,000 worth of funds which was being allocated to clubs that were no longer active. Cortez also stated that he helped create the budget for R’Gear, however he stated that he did not wish to take full credit for the initiative, stating that he only worked on porMARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER tions of it. Executive Vice President Andrea Cuevas, 2018-19 ASUCR executive vice president, oversaw the special election Carisha Moore spoke of her which was ruled unconstitutional by the Judicial Council on May, 29.
office’s efforts to provide legal assistance for victims of sexual harassment, receiving funding for CARE, an intervention and prevention support program dedicated to ending sexual violence, and revising the Title IX policy at UCR. Transfer and Non-Traditional Student Director Maria Chavez discussed her successes with transfer students. She stated that she had the pleasure of working with Student Life and CHASS First, which she claimed was a big accomplishment for her and collaborate on core events with them. Connie Wi, the Marketing and Promotions Director, expressed pride over her team’s work on designing R’Gear. Mariam Alkhalili, who was not in attendance for the meeting, proposed the creation of a session during ASUCR meetings that will allow students to delegate ideas to elected officials. Fifteen minutes will be allocated to this session but no more than 30 minutes to ensure the efficiency of this meeting. Elected officials cannot engage or intervene with the students and must only listen.
The motion passed 6-0-1. An amendment was also made to assign a marketing director to the R’Feed Committee, since the committee never had one in place. The motion passed 9-00. Highlight: • During officer reports, each officer highlighted their accomplishments or lack thereof throughout the 20172018 school year. Semi Cole, ASUCR Vice President of Internal Affairs, highlighted that his office successfully facilitated the creation of the R’Closet. His office also held a mental health panel which was meant to draw attention to the mental health issues students face, as well as the Beyond R’Margins Conference which Cole claimed was incredibly successful and something he was very proud of. Last week’s ASUCR meeting was the last of the 20172018 school year. ■H
UCR enrolls and graduates more Pell Grant recipients than any other major university VASKEN NAJARIAN Contributing Writer
A recent study of federal data has revealed that UC Riverside students receive more Pell Grant aid than their counterparts at any other major public institution. This report, titled “The Pell Divide: How Four-Year Institutions are Failing to Graduate Low- and Moderate-Income Students,” was released by Washington D.C.-based think tank Third Way. It focused on the success of Pell Grant recipients who entered college as full-time freshman starting in the fall of 2010. The Pell Grant is a federal grant that was established as part of the Higher Education Act of 1956 with the aim of subsidizing education for university students. After changes to university reporting requirements, Pell Grant recipient graduation rates were made available. On average, Pell Grant recipients have a graduation rate of 49 percent, which is 18 percent lower than the 67
percent average graduation rate of non-recipients. For Pell Grant recipients attending college for the first time and full-time, the average is at an even lower at 39 percent, as opposed to the national graduation rate of just under 60 percent. However, the disparity in graduation rates between Pell Grant recipients and non-recipients has reached levels as high as 61 percent. UCR, on the other hand, stands out from this trend; according to the report, UCR enrolled 2,528 Pell Grant recipients, and graduated 1,835 (73 percent) of them within six years of enrollment. In addition, 57 percent of all UCR students receive Pell Grant subsidies, another potentially significant statistic necessitating UCR’s commitment to recipients. It revealed that UCR’s Pell Grant recipients not only surpass the national average in graduation rates, but are also equal to UCR’s nonPell Grant graduation rates. However, this is not the only case in which UCR
serves as a leader in student success. A press release in December 2017 revealed that UCR’s graduation rates have been on a rise across the board. These rises include UCR’s transfer student four-year graduation rates which are now at 87 percent and rates of over 70
percent for first-generation college students. In addition, UCR has also been commended for its efforts in graduating a diverse group of students. In 2016, UCR was awarded the Project Degree Completion Award by the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities
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for its efforts in promoting student achievement. Its six-year graduation rates for African Americans, Asian Americans, Chicano/ Latinos and White students all surpassed 70 percent. Pell grants for the 20182019 school year will be H awarded starting July 1. ■
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TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018
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Cloud printing and virtual computer labs on the horizon for UCR students
AIDAN RUTTEN Senior Staff Writer
Over this summer, UCR’s Information and Technology Solutions (ITS) plans to implement cloud printing kiosks across campus to allow students to print from their devices from any location using software developed by WEPA. ITS also plans to test a virtual computer lab through which students could check out laptops from portable stations. The project is headed by Danna Gianforte, Associate Vice Chancellor for Computing and Communications and Chief Information Officer. “With this new printing solution, it definitely has more features like being able to print directly from the kiosk,” she told the Highlander, as well as other capabilities like “being able to print directly from Google and other cloud vendors, (including) iLearn.” Gianforte said that students could “print from any device from anywhere to any of the 15 machines across campus.” Cloud printing software from WEPA would allow people to queue items they need to print from anywhere, including home, as they can access storage spaces such as Google Drive through the kiosks on campus. Students or employees could then log in to the machines and print with greater capabilities than currently available, such as in color. “In order to implement it, however, cooler things cost more money. It costs almost four times as much as our current solution,” said Gianforte. “The way to account for that is if we change the student printing quota.” This project is being undertaken in response to student surveys which revealed concerns over printing. According to the Director of Campus
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Support and Assessment Sam Robbin, “You see lines out the door. What we’re really trying to do is decrease those lines and increase the functionality for students around campus.” The current printing model allots 300 black and white, one-sided pages per quarter per student, which equates to a quarterly cost of $3.50. The new allocation method would give students 100 pages with color and double-sided printing capabilities per quarter at a cost of $7.00. This new printing system would “open up the ability to print front and back which would lower the allocation, then you could get more,” said Gianforte, adding that students will now “have the opportunity to print color.” ITS hopes to fund these projects without greatly affecting student cost, even if they change the way printing is allocated, from page limits to dollar amounts. According to Gianforte, “Less than 14,000 (of 21,539) students actually print at all. Of those who print, 84 percent print less than 100 pages per quarter. The average student prints about 97 pages per quarter.” According to a focus group examining the printing habits of seven students, only two printed over 100 pages per quarter. This data, along with student survey results, has prompted ITS to move towards this new WEPA system which ITS hopes will alleviate some of the burden of overcrowding that students face when printing during busy times such as finals. Another issue with the current model of printing is security. “It’s a whole lot safer for the students if they’re printing confidential information because they’re right at the
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kiosk when it prints,” says Robbin. The new system would ensure that the only person handling printed materials would be the printers themselves. The other ITS pilot project taking place in the near future is a virtual computer lab through which students could check out laptops to use on their own time. These “laptop checkout vending machines” would allow students access to computers on campus even after on-campus computers become unavailable, such as when libraries close. This may also free up current computer lab spaces to be used as classrooms. “There’s going to be 30 devices
within one kiosk. There’s 12 Dells, there’s 12 MacBooks, and then there’s 6 Chromebooks,” said Robbin. “They’re high powered machines with the lab environment already on the PCs.” Students could then check out laptops to use just like they would a computer in the lab, only portable. The Student Services Fee Advisory Committee approved the reallocation for these projects. Since both services are funded by the student technology fee, Gianforte said that she would “like to get broader feedback from students”. The projects will be gradually implemented either over the summer or in the fall. ■H
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Opinions
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HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL
Calls to rate journalists will only further erode trust in media
F
ollowing distasteful news coverage of the automaker Tesla’s production troubles and crashes with cars in its AutoPilot program, Tesla CEO Elon Musk attacked “big media companies” on Twitter and announced his plans to create a website that will allow the public to rate the “core truth” and “credibility” of journalists, editors and publications. As impressive as Mr. Musk’s endeavors in the private sector are, his plans to privately police journalism are nothing more than a reckless, self-serving remedy to a more nebulous and fundamental social illness than most people realize. Attempts to publicly regulate the validity of media through a rating aggregation website during a time of peak polarization in media trust will do little more than provide an additional platform for the echo chambers that plague American consciousness today. Musk tweeted that he had registered the domain name “Pravduh” on May 25, after the Russian newspaper “Pravda”. The inspiration for this name was notorious as the primary propaganda paper in the Soviet Union; Musk’s appropriation of the term implies a tongue-in-cheek distrust of journalists as driven by ulterior motives. The tech mogul’s ire stems from a round of negative reporting that Tesla had underrepresented its worker injuries in its safety records and is producing an unusually high number of flawed parts in its production of the Model 3 Sedan. Understandably upset at bad press, Musk tweeted that “the public no longer respects them (big media companies),” and claimed that the problem is that journalists are motivated to chase stories that will bait clicks and bring advertising revenue rather than pursue objective reporting. While Musk is correct that public trust and respect for
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big media companies has been declining in recent years, using these woes as a means of advancing his personal agenda against negative coverage is a shameful exploitation of a deep American crisis. His proposed solution of creating a public rating website will do little more than create another platform for increasing polarized debates and ad hominem attacks. The journalism crisis in America begins with the fact that many media companies are under intense financial stress, and that advertising revenue is becoming more of a lifeline for reporters than it should be. These developments are linked to another transformation of the American news environment — the death of local reporting. The Pew Research Center found that just 30 national and international news sites accounted for nearly 60 percent of all new jobs in digital journalism from 2009 to 2014, and between 2000 and 2015 print newspaper advertising revenue dropped from approximately $60 billion nationwide to just $20 billion. This digital consolidation of the media has led to the hollowing out of local and trusted sources across the country, like the Denver Post, a particularly prominent paper in the American midwest, which has been forced to lay off enormous numbers of its staff, from 250 in 2010 to less than 100 today. In an increasingly digital world, the decline of local news crowded out by more digitized outlets is only to be expected. When news is confined to a small town or even just a single city, the number of possible readers about issues as critical as corruption in city hall or the performance of the school district is strictly defined by that area’s borders. News about nationally interesting stories however, such as national politics or reporting of any event from a
more universal perspective, clearly has the potential to entice more subscribers and bring more money in through advertising revenue. In media markets, digital and broadly-focused news reporting, the type that doesn’t commit resources to local issues or write about issues from local perspectives, has been dominating the free market as a result of its wider audience base. A Morning Consult/Politico poll found that 41 percent of registered voters trust their local news more than they trust national news. Given that local news sources are downsizing while national and digital media models are becoming more and more prominent, Americans are facing a strange paradox as they are more inclined to read, but less inclined to trust, consolidated media. This trend of consolidation also means that large media is becoming more and more concentrated in large urban centers and becoming increasingly disconnected from the more rural and suburban heart of the country. This lack of representation for large swaths of the country, paired with systematic partisan attacks on the media as a whole, is to blame for such polarized poor public trust in the media. The first thought that comes to mind when considering a website that will track the “core truth” and “credibility” of journalists through public ratings is a site similar to other rating aggregation sites online, like RottenTomatoes.com or RateMyProfessor.com. Considering the disappointing, but unsurprising failure of these sites to provide thoughtful, balanced perspective on the demonstrably simpler subjects of film and teaching, it’s difficult to see how any publicly accessible rating website could enhance dialogue about the perspective and truth in news reporting. On the other hand, it is all but
guaranteed that the website will be vulnerable to partisan attacks on journalists by virtue of their reporting. Journalists will be attacked by partisans when their reporting reflects poorly on a particular group, and the few journalists that already have a public reputation will similarly have their attempts at objective reporting preemptively criticized by readers that have disdain for the political reputation. These journalistic challenges are nothing new of course, but that is exactly the problem. In a time where tribalism so heavily dominates political discourse, such a rating service would not control the fire but rather add even more kindling to an already raging inferno. The fourth estate should be accountable to the public in a functioning democracy, but it also in turn has to be fueled by public trust. In absence of this feedback loop, which is fundamentally built on thoughtful discourse that has never even seen the light of day on the anonymous forums and rating aggregations of the internet, journalism will ostensibly become an extension of political identification itself. Restoring public trust in the media is incredibly difficult, firstly because all media should be read with a healthy dose of skepticism, but more importantly because much of the country no longer sees itself in the journalists that have come to dominate the media environment. Finding proper solutions to this crisis is a daunting task, but almost anything is better than just adding fuel to the fire. ■H Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.
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OPINIONS
TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018
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Another look at the Italian election: are its consequences being ignored? SHYAM RAJAN Contributing Writer
In March 2018, the Italian general election ended with a hung parliament after no running party achieved a clear majority in the legislature. Neither the centerright nor center-left coalitions, nor the populist Five Star Movement were able to claim absolute victory. Subsequently, the left and right-wing populist parties, the Five Star Movement and the League, coalesced to deliver a joint platform decrying immigration, centrist politics and the European Union. The EU, having faced both the Greek financial crisis and Brexit over the past decade, now faces an Italian political situation that could devolve into an economic crisis with the potential to impact the entire global financial market. Trying Italy’s relationship with the EU, the populist coalition developed a reform program detailing the importance of reviving the stagnating Italian economy, calling for increased public spending and a round of tax cuts. With the populist regime now installed, the EU has little choice but to acquiesce to Italian demands or risk failure through dissolution. Worries about the effects of Italian economic instability are far greater than those entertained during the Greek crisis. Italy accounts for 15.6 percent of EU GDP; comparatively Greece commands only 1.8 percent. Having already been claimed “the worst economy in Europe,” Greece’s economic recovery over the past decade has been gradual, accompanied by austerity packages and bailouts that eventually succeeded in cutting the budget deficit and reaching a marginal surplus in the state treasury. Although the Greek crisis threatened the stability of the Euro, the currency ultimately survived as suggestions of replacing it with its previous cur-
rency, the drachma, were rejected. Moreover, suggestions of forcing Greece from the EU were also rejected, fearing it would threaten European political and economic integration. These fears did not stop the Brexit vote, however; the U.K. plans to depart from the EU next year after negotiations are complete. As Italy is the third largest economy in the Eurozone, the potential financial consequences of its recent election are far greater than those that amassed in Greece – paired with Brexit, it may seriously threaten the EU’s survival. Italian political instability has spurred a lack of confidence in the Euro, sinking in value to its lowest since last July. Following Italian President Sergio Mattarella’s rejection of a eurosceptic government led by the populist coalition, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell over 400 points amidst growing concerns of eurozone instability. As the effects of the election are felt overseas, the uncertainty of Italy’s situation may trigger consequences for the global economy that eclipse those that resulted from Greece’s failures. Exacerbated by Brexit, the Italian situation makes the EU’s precarious future evermore apparent. Considerations of replacing the Euro with Italy’s native currency, the lira, are far more grave than when similar thoughts were entertained in Greece. As Italy is a considerably larger contributor to EU GDP, its domestic discussions have the potential to disrupt the foundation upon which the EU was built unless their concerns can be stemmed. Anti-European sentiments have taken root in Italy, largely replacing the pro-EU stance which had previously united Italians against their own perpetually dysfunctional governments. Beliefs that Italy’s economy was better before it adopted the Euro, compounded by failing economic prospects evidenced by slow
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growth and a lack of competitiveness in global markets, have beseeched widespread reform. Following Brexit, suspicions of an Italian exit have grown, furthered by the recent victory of the populist coalition. The indecision that led to the political standstill has ended; Italy will now be led by a populist coalition that has achieved success even after the Mattarella decision, straining relations with the EU far more than previous administrations had. Although a Brexit-style vote may be held in Italy, its situation is quite different than that of the U.K. In the latter case, the EU was able to dictate the terms of the exit agreement. Since Italy had already proposed a reform program, it, by law, retains a much more powerful bargaining position. Meanwhile, Italian eurosceptics claims it is currently “rule[d],” by Germany, the leading economic power of the EU. Fostering disdain for the international currency, the new populist coalition will focus on the legitimacy of the Euro, concealing the very real concerns of sovereignty and nationalism. An Italian exit would threaten the stability of the
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EU not only economically, but by damaging the ideological foundations necessary for its continued survival. President Mattarella’s rejection of eurosceptic leadership forced the populist coalition to reassemble, averting a constitutional crisis. Having now been permitted to form a government, Italy has sworn in Giuseppe Comte to lead the anti-Euro populist coalition as the country’s Prime Minister. With the succession crisis now averted, the EU must negotiate with Italy to guarantee the preservation not only of its international union but
of its member states. Italy’s populist coalition is too big for the EU to ignore. Election of a populist government has furthered the risk of an Italian exit, but Italy’s sizeable importance to the European economy is just enough to permit bargaining for favorable terms that will heal their lagging economy without the alarmism that characterized the comparatively miniscule crisis in Greece. Hopefully, Italy’s populist successors will preserve domestic interests without destroying the economic powerhouse that is the EU. ■H
Health Coverage — Protecting Your Personal Investment: A Note to Graduates DR. KENNETH W. KIZER CASTULO DE LA ROCHA
The two of us are among dozens of commencement speakers at California’s colleges and universities this year who are calling out the importance of having health insurance coverage in our remarks to new graduates and their families. We congratulate you on what you have accomplished and offer our good wishes for what lies ahead. Like us, many of you are the first in your family to get a college or advanced degree. You have worked hard and made many sacrifices. Indeed, you have made a big investment in yourself, and we want to be sure that you protect that investment. Having health insurance coverage is one of the most important things you can do to protect your investment in yourself. Fortunately, you have options today. Some of you will be able stay on your parents’ health insurance — an option that can continue until you turn 26 — while others will be able to get coverage through your spouse or through your new job or
graduate school. Regardless of how you get covered, ensuring you have health insurance coverage is what is most important – and what should be your top priority. No one can reliably predict when injury or illness will strike, but when it does, you will need health insurance. If you will be losing your insurance through your campus health program and you are not sure what is next for you, we encourage you to visit Covered California’s website at www.CoveredCA.com or look them up on social media. You may be eligible for free coverage or insurance that costs as little as $1 a month. Covered California is just one of the many health insurance options available to students and new graduates. In California, we have dramatically expanded insurance coverage and made health care coverage more affordable. Going without coverage is gambling on the likelihood that you will not experience an unforeseen illness or injury, the cost of which could quickly exceed the cost of your student loans. Rolling those dice has too often proved to be a losing bet! Getting covered is the winning strategy. Once again, congratulations, good luck
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and GET COVERED! Dr. Kenneth W. Kizer is Director of the Institute for Population Health Improvement at the University of California, Davis, and the former director of health services for California; he gave the commencement address at the University of California,
Irvine, School of Medicine. Castulo de la Rocha is President and CEO of AltaMed Health Services Corporation and gave commencement addresses at the College of Business and Economics at California State University, ■H Los Angeles.
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OPINIONS
11
OPINION POLL Compiled by Lizelle Oreno, Contributing Photographer
“What are you looking forward to doing this summer?”
Michelle Edwards Psychology Fourth-year
Jasmine Esmaiozadeh Math Second-year
Gintas Kazlauskas History Fourth-year
Alexis Bueno Liberal Studies First-year
Kimbrlyn Gilchrist Sociology First-year
Nathan Ramos Business First-year
“I’m actually going to be graduating in the spring, only a few more weeks and just excited to consider my options and look into different career possibilities and to make the most of my free summer before adulthood really starts.”
“Visiting Israel for the first time with my family.”
“Probably going around Kings Canyon, Sequoia National Park, having some nice hiking, enjoying the view and enjoying nature.”
“This summer I already have a job, but I want to make more money because I had limited hours during school, and my boyfriend also just got out of school as well so I’m looking forward to spending more time together.”
“I’m looking forward to visiting my family in Alabama.”
I’m working on a project with a group of friends to help out people who have a disturbed mindset, to work on outreach in communities. We want to get better interpretations of the problems of a larger community.”
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13
“Survival:” Rose Humanzor breaks the silence around domestic violence MARTHA DELGADO Senior Staff Writer
What struck Rose Humanzor the most about domestic violence was the silence surrounding the issue. A survivor of an abusive relationship herself, Humanzor, a senior custodian at UCR, decided to speak up. Organized in collaboration with the Women’s Resource Center (WRC), “Survival,” which took place at HUB 268 on May 16, was formatted as an interview between Humanzor and WRC coordinator Romanie Arterberry, where Humanzor spoke on her sevenyear-long abusive relationship. Humanzor was inspired to start the program because she felt domestic violence was kept quiet in today’s culture. “I feel that in the younger society no one really talks about it. Even as an adult, no one really talks about this topic and those are things that happen every single day,” she explained. “I feel that maybe if someone spoke at school about things like this, I probably would have been more careful.” Humanzor intends to provide attendees with the information to help either themselves or someone they know. According to statistics from the National Coalition Against Domestic Abuse, domestic violence is most common in women between the ages of 1824. For Humanzor, it began at 16 years old and continued for seven years, getting progressively worse as it went on. “Those punches weren’t just little slaps. (I would) wake up and get punched just because he had a bad dream about me,” Humanzor described. “No one helped me. His family didn’t help me because they knew what was going on. They would tell him, ‘Hey, don’t hit her that hard because it’s showing.’ I used to watch Lifetime all the time. I never thought that I would have ended up in a relationship like that.” Humanzor noted that her program resonated with audiences and made the impact she had hoped for. “I did have someone tell me they left a significant other after they came to my program,” she began. “They realized they were going through similar stuff.” Following the death of her daugh-
ter and her second partner, Humanzor was motivated to look for centers to help her realize the program. Within the last 15 years, Humanzor’s first daughter passed away, followed by the death of her abusive partner. The recent death of the father of her second daughter finally prompted her to create “Survival” and share her story instead of remaining quiet. The WRC was the fourth place Humanzor had gone to pitch the program to. Previously, she had approached various women’s homes around Los Angeles, but they denied her request because of the length of the process and their refusal to host speaker programs where individuals such as Humanzor can discuss their experiences. “I kind of lost hope,” she recalled. It was not until her supervisor suggested that Humanzor try the WRC at UCR. After sharing her story with Romanie Arterberry, the student life and development specialist for the WRC, the program was in the works and scheduled for April. Unfortunately, it had to be moved to May due to the many programs that were already planned for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. After moving the program’s date, Humanzor almost stopped the program due to anxiety about potential reactions. Humanzor even kept the program a secret from her coworkers to avoid being asked questions about her past and to avoid a potential cancellation. Humanzor was nervous as she watched people walk into the room, but with the support of Arterberry, she was able to feel comfortable. After recounting her experience, Humanzor learned from some of her coworkers that they had also gone through similar situations and had stayed silent. The positive reaction reaffirmed Humanzor’s belief that she did the right thing by creating “Survival.” “People think that (survivors) care about what people think about us so much that we’d rather just be quiet about it,” she explained. Many women have also gone to Humanzor days after the program to ask for advice on their situations. When talking about violent relationships, Humanzor advises her audience to
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never ignore the red flags and to try to get out of toxic relationships. She discussed some warning signs she noticed among the college students who shared their complications with her. Humanzor elaborated, “They have to send (their partner) pictures of where they’re at to prove that they’re there, give (their partner) their phone to check calls; (The partner) making their decisions instead of them doing their own decisions.” These rules and expectations, she explained, are typical indications of a controlling and unhealthy partnership.
Humanzor is preparing for her second program in collaboration with the WRC in October for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In this second event, she will share her story once again with a wider audience and with those who could not attend her first program. “(Domestic violence) is not going to stop. That’s something that’s going to keep going for the rest of our lives,” she states. “You have to care about certain things to make a difference. I guess everyone has their own purpose and mine should be something like this.” ■H
Campus Cope An introduction to summer courses By: MARTHA DELGADO, SenIOR staff writer
If you are still wondering what to do this summer, then you might want to consider taking summer courses. There are a variety of reasons to do so, including getting ahead on units or fulfilling degree requirements. Summer courses at UCR are divided into sessions which range from three to ten weeks in length with each course worth four units. To receive summer financial aid, the unit minimum is to register for a total of eight units for summer session. This means that you can sign up for one course to take the first five weeks of summer and a different course the last five weeks to satisfy the eight units. Depending on the course, you might end up taking a class that is fast paced compared to the same course during the academic year. You should take this into consideration when planning your summer course schedule. If you don’t want to stress with many assignments, then you should limit yourself to one course during each session. For those that have vacations planned, online summer courses are a great option to complete requirements that fit around your sched-
ule. Online courses are like normal courses in which you login to an online classroom during the specified time. However, online courses offer you the option to participate from the comfort of your own home. While you still have assigned work, you can rest knowing that you won’t have to worry about getting to campus. The University of California offers different online summer courses hosted by different campuses, across various sessions. If the course you plan on taking is not offered online, then make sure to plan for your housing and transportation. If you live nearby, then you can commute to campus. If that’s not the case, you can also request summer housing through the school or look for a summer lease at an off-campus apartment. For most people, taking summer classes at a community college is a more affordable option than courses at UCR. If you plan on taking summer courses at a community college, make sure to register for the specified college for the term. Also, make sure that if you plan to request financial aid, send your Free Application for
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Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other important documents to the college. If you attend summer courses outside of UCR, remember to send your transcripts to the university to receive credit. It’s not too late to register! With community college and university
summer courses, you can still register a day before the first class. Additionally, you can also still apply for financial aid. Even though the aid won’t be as high, you will still receive some aid which is better than attempting to cover all of the summer session costs out-of-pocket. ■H
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TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018
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Kanye West offers a compelling, emotional and surprisingly human experience with “Ye” MARCELO GARCIA Senior Staff Writer
After an over two year hiatus, with the exception of a few inconsequential features and some production work on the side, Kanye West has returned in full force. Following “Daytona,” which was exclusively produced by West, news of a collaboration project with Kid Cudi and the two teaser tracks preluding this new project, “Ye,” Kanye’s 8th studio album, has dropped. At just 23 minutes, with a total of 7 tracks, it’s skeletal compared to the likes of “Late Registration” and “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” which, sporting runtimes of over an hour and, in the case of “Late Registration,” more than double the number of tracks, amount to musical epics. As for the production, it’s as bare bones as the album’s cover, with soft, echoey vocals and simple instrumentals prominently featured on nearly every track. Similarly to “Yeezus,” “Ye” captures the essence of Kanye’s signature production style, an emphasis on vocals and soul samples, while simultaneously stripping it of all the grandiosity and swagger that we’ve seen develop over West’s previous projects. However, “Ye’”s themes and
overall mood feel far more personal and genuine than any track that ever came out of “Yeezus,” which simply boiled down to a messy, unorganized parade of Kanye’s over-inflated ego that was a stretch for even the most hardcore Kanye fan. And that’s because “Ye,” much like the majority of Kanye’s later discography, is an exploration of the mental state and perspective of Mr. West himself. Right from the intro, which opens with these very quiet and soothing vocals from Francis and the Lights, accompanied by a monologue from Kanye, it’s made very clear that “Ye” is much more reflective, and I would dare say sentimental, than Kanye’s previous projects. This isn’t to say that tracks like “Real Friends,” “Roses” and “Hey Mama” weren’t examples of extremely genuine and emotional moments, but while these tracks felt like impassioned detours on their respective albums, this pouring out of feeling is much more centerstage on “Ye.” The emotion that’s put in the spotlight is about as unstable and unpredictable as Kanye himself. We go from the sporadic and energetic “Yikes,” which feels like a mental outburst, to the slow and somber “Wouldn’t Leave,” where Kanye is reflecting on mental breakdowns like these with what seems like regret.
From lines about the toll his actions have taken on his relationship with his wife, to the guilt that he feels for the pressures and criticisms that come with her marriage to him. As we see from PARTYNEXTDOOR and Ty Dolla $ign’s hook, these feelings have gone far enough to create a distance between the two of them, where Kanye “doesn’t feel that she’s mine enough.” We see the climax of these brimming emotions in “Ghost Town,” which draws some inspiration from classic rock and samples “Someday” by Shirley Ann Lee, while featuring contributions from John Legend, Kid Cudi and 070 Shake. On the track, the toll of this swing of emotions becomes seemingly overwhelming as Kanye decides to abandon these emotions entirely, leading to the euphoric state of the entire cut, rather than to deal with and experience the pain. The experience of numbness is embodied perfectly in 070 Shake’s outro with the lines, “I let it all go, of everything that I know, yeah / Of everything that I know, yeah / And nothing hurts anymore, I feel kinda free.” At its core “Ye” is a story about Kanye, but more importantly it’s a story about genuine human experience. The ability to separate art from the artist is a hot topic in the media, and from his Twitter rants to
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statements about President Trump, few artists are as contentious as West at the moment. With the album littered with references to the aforementioned controversies along with several other incidents that have followed Kanye throughout his career, the project can seem dismissable as simply another perspective from him to his fans. However, when it comes to “Ye,” there’s a little more to it. Is “Ye” one of the most Kanye-focused albums
ever? Yes. But simultaneously, what this album does is tell a story that’s one of the most personal and resonant West has ever told; it’s a story less so about the larger-thanlife figure and one that focuses on the man behind the curtain. Verdict: With a short runtime and fluctuating mood, “Ye” is far from Kanye’s greatest project. However, with compelling emotion and stellar production, it’s one that shouldn’t be ignored. ■H
“13 Reasons Why” fails to handle the issues it struggles to address MARCELO GARCIA Senior Staff Writer
Earlier this month the second season of Netflix’s controversial original series, “13 Reasons Why,” premiered on the site. It sparked controversy almost immediately for a rape scene that was considered by many to be “unnecessary,” which series creator Brian Yorkey has vehemently defended in interviews claiming that “talking about it is so much better than silence.” It’s a nice sentiment, if it had any foundation in reality. Because as much as “13 Reasons Why” likes to think of itself as a white knight, spreading awareness of teen suicide and helping those affected, that couldn’t be further from the truth. And while I have no doubt that this series, and the book series that inspired it, were both created with only the best intentions in mind, “13 Reasons Why” has accomplished nothing but offer extremely problematic perspectives and pander to the teen audience it appeals to. When I say that “13 Reasons Why” is problematic I’m not
referring to the aforementioned graphic portrayals of rape and suicide, since there is nothing wrong with a thoughtful onscreen portrayal of either. The true problem lies in how the series chooses to handle both subject matters. Firstly, there’s rape, which is very much a subtopic of the series compared to suicide. In one of the later episodes we learn that the protagonist, Hannah Baker, is forced into sex, which goes on to become one of Hannah’s “13 reasons” for commiting suicide. Which in concept, is reasonable; as a victim of sexual assault it would make sense that Hannah would feel more isolated and alone, but in the show this just isn’t the case. The rape, and associated scene, offer little to nothing except some added shock value for the audience. And before we go any further, allow me to make myself clear. I have no problem with a show addressing a topic like rape, just as I have no problem with the writers portraying Hannah as a rape victim. What I do find problematic, however, is how
COURTESY OF NETFLIX
“13 Reasons Why” uses rape to simply escalate the dramatic effect of the plot. Portraying Hannah as a rape victim simply because teen rape is topical is incredibly atrocious, not just to the victims and families of these
COURTESY OF NETFLIX
crimes, but to an audience that understands just how real these issues are. Putting a rape scene in a series does not offer solace or encourage conversation around the issue of sexual assault, it simply breeds controversy that the creators have happily used to market this series. And with the mention of this series’ marketing we are led to “13 Reasons Why’”s main selling point, the topic of teen suicide. Again, as distasteful as the extremely gratuitous suicide scene was, it’s a smaller problem in the grand scheme of the flawed perspective this series offers regarding this issue. The crux of this series’ message is in its title – throughout the first season Hannah lists all 13 wrongdoings committed against her in a collection of tapes. Once her friend and classmate, Clay, finds these tapes, he slowly learns of the tragic life of Hannah Baker and proceeds to seek justice for her suicide. Where this series’ credibility wavers is when it proceeds to blame Hannah’s family, classmates and teachers for her
suicide, thus absolving Hannah of any kind of responsibility for her actions. This is not to say that victims of suicide should be blamed for their situation, it is simply a matter of fact that suicide is fundamentally a choice, one that victims hold some responsibility for making. The series, which seemingly had a message about how members of a community can come together to support those suffering from depression, changes gears and not only justifies suicide but places the blame entirely on the family and friends of the victim. As appalling as “13 Reasons Why” may be, it cannot be written off as simply a bad show. Nothing would be better if the series were tossed to the side to join the pile of movies and TV shows about teen angst that no one takes very seriously, but what makes “13 Reasons Why” unforgivable is that it champions itself as part of the solution to these issues. The one purpose this series hopefully serves is as an example of how these topics should never be handled. ■H
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts
Saturation Festival 2018 ADRIAN DIZON / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
For many UCR students burned and bruised by the toils of Spring quarter, the beginning of Memorial Day weekend meant a frenzied rush out of Riverside and toward their respective refuges away from college. But as the armada of students flocking to airports and their hometowns frustratingly packed freeway entrances to neighboring and far-off cities, another influx of cars was making its way into the city, specifically Downtown Riverside. Friday, May 25, 2018, marked the first of three days for Riverside’s 18th annual Saturation Fest, which attracted hundreds of people from the greater Inland Empire.
Ever since its start in 2001, Saturation Fest has continued to evolve from a small music and art gathering into a series of community partnerships with local businesses and collectives. Among some of these partnerships are familiar names like the Inland Empire Record Collective and Mano y Mano Productions. With a do-it-yourself (DIY) attitude, Saturation Fest showcases the talents of local bands, instructional workshops, vendor booths and art exhibitions. Traditionally, University Ave. businesses such as Back to the Grind, Worthington’s Tavern, Pixels and Mission Tobacco Lounge host extensions of the festival for a community-wide event.
KIKI DIAGO
Kiki Diago’s outdoor night set in the Back to the Grind parking lot proved that they have the cleanest guitar riffs and grooviest vocals on the block. Still fresh from the release of their 2018 album “Vol. 1,” their performance of new tracks was met with delightful movements from a crowd mesmerized by their easygoing chords and flow. Vocalist, Gael Jacobo, would also like to remind their listeners that their song “Gravity” is not a John Mayer cover.
CHOLA ORANGE
“Our name is Chola Orange, and we are from Czechoslovakia,” exclaimed keyboardist and vocoderist Kris Castro before beginning their set. Chola Orange actually hails from La Puente and have certainly become iconic in their own right by creating “funk music of the intergalactic variety,” all the while having the most fun in spilling their music onto larger platforms in Los Angeles. As frequent performers within the Downtown Riverside scene, bringing their sound back to their stomping grounds is always an adventurous local affair. From floor dropping bass solos, futuristic vocoder layers and even an homage to Master Splinter of the Ninja Turtles cartoon series, Chola Orange’s Saturation Fest performance had the crowd in a 45 minute trance where even novices engaged with the band in sly head bobs and fist pumps.
BRAINSTORY
One of the many Saturation Fest veterans homegrown in the Back to the Grind indiesphere is psychedelic rock jazz band Brainstory who closed the night off on the Back to the Grind balcony to a crowd mixed with local friends and fellow I.E. musicians and artists. The band’s joyful exuberance, evident through the huge, cheesy smiles, violently rhythmic guitar swinging and a mock stern-faced drummer playing inside and outside a trumpet driven progression, was mirrored by the energetic crowd calling for an encore as soon as the last song reached its close.
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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LOS GLIFOS
A striking twelve piece band of mixed brass, percussion and several traditional afrobeat components, Pomona band Los Glifos channeled the biting spirit of legendary artist Fela Kuti while guided by their “funkafied Black Jazz” influences. Equipped with prop machete, frontrunning vocalist Cheyenne Dunbar cuts through the eleven piece orchestrations in strict, militant fashion.
DREAMLOVER
A familiar set of faces in the I.E. circuit of local venues, all-age house shows and town bars, Dreamlover returned to Saturation Fest this year with some new and improved tracks that nostalgically embrace 90s West Coast funk, hip hop and low rider culture --a unity of influences they brandish as “Cholo Soul.” Along with their funk-laced tunes, Dreamlover displayed their famous merch booth of neon colored signage, super throwback Homies figurines and a selection of one-of-one Dreamlover screen printed and embroidered clothing.
PORCELAIN HILL
Ontario natives Porcelain Hill showed that old school rock-and-roll matched with flavors of punk, funk, blues and soul can make waves through the ears of a millenial-dominated soundscape. Leader of the troupe, guitarist/vocalist Darnell Cole, guided his bareboned three-piece band and commanded the packed Pixels Bar crowd in a heart-pulsing set complete with both finicky note plucking and hard-pressed chords up and down the fret as well as searing cymbals hits by Nathalie Campos to dress it all together. ■H
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports
SPORTS
TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018
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NBA Finals: Breaking down the newest rivalry saga The NBA Finals are now underway and for the fourth straight season, the Cleveland Cavaliers will be facing off against the Golden State Warriors. The Highlander’s sports section decided to break down whether sports fans should be excited for the fourth chapter in this seemingly never ending saga, what kind of impact the series could have on free agency and overall series predictions. JARYD BONGCARAS Senior Staff Writer JONATHAN FERNANDEZ Senior Staff Writer
S h o u l d p e o p l e b e e x c i t e d t o w a t c h t h i s C a v s - Wa r r i o r s m a t c h u p the fourth time around? Is it good for basketball? Jonathan Fernandez: People should be excited for this series because when you think about it, this is what all great rivalries are made of. They have played against each other in the Finals multiple times, which is how animosity forms between two teams and cities. When you think back to those Celtics-Lakers matchups in the 80s, that rivalry basically saved the NBA in a time where there weren’t enough stars to keep people tuning in on a regular basis. Building t h i s k i n d o f r i v a l r y, e s p e c i a l l y i n t h i s e r a , i s e x t r e m e l y d i f f i c u l t a n d rivalries are always good for basketball.
WERE SHAQ AND KOBE’S LAKERS TEAMS BAD FOR BASKETBALL? J a r y d B o n g c a r a s : Wi t h o u t a d o u b t , p e o p l e s h o u l d b e a p p r e c i a t ing the greatness of these two teams. The storyline of LeBron as one of the most polarizing athletes in professional sports history is something we can’t take for granted. Fans hated him when he took his talents to Miami, but once he returned to Cleveland and Kyrie Irving went down with a fractured knee cap in the 2015 Finals, fans s t a r t e d t o a p p r e c i a t e h i m m o r e . We ’ r e w i t n e s s i n g a n a l l - t i m e g r e a t player in LeBron battle an all-time great team in Golden State. And t h e o n l y r e a s o n w h y t h e Wa r r i o r s a r e e v e n m o r e s t a c k e d i s b e c a u s e of him. Also, NBA fans shouldn’t be acting as if they haven’t seen d o m i n a n t t e a m s b e f o r e . We r e S h a q a n d K o b e ’s L a k e r s t e a m s b a d f o r b a s k e t b a l l ? O r J o r d a n ’s B u l l s ? O r t h e C e l t i c s a n d L a k e r s t e a m s from the 80s? This matchup is fantastic for basketball, because it forces other teams to build enough talent to take down Golden State or Cleveland. It pushes everyone else to become more competitive. Getting more into the analysis side of these NBA Finals, who do you think will be a potential X factor in this series? J F : To m e i t ’s n o t j u s t o n e p e r s o n , i t ’s e v e r y p l a y e r o n t h e C a v s t e a m w h o i s p a r t o f t h e r o t a t i o n a n d i s n o t n a m e d L e B r o n J a m e s . We all know LeBron is going to be spectacular night in and night out, b u t h e n e e d s h i s t e a m m a t e s t o s t e p u p . I f h e ’s g o i n g t o h a v e a n y c h a n c e a t w i n n i n g t h i s s e r i e s , g u y s l i k e J R S m i t h , K y l e K o r v e r, a n d K e v i n L o v e n e e d t o p r o d u c e c o n s i s t e n t l y. I f t h e y s o m e h o w m a n a g e to do that, Cleveland might be able to surprise a lot of people this series. JB: The X factor is whoever can play a competent second fiddle to LeBron. If he can get at least two 20-point games from either J R , J e f f G r e e n , K o r v e r, L o v e , a s w e l l a s a c o u p l e o f m o n s t r o u s r e b o u n d i n g g a m e s f r o m Tr i s t a n T h o m p s o n , t h e s e r i e s c a n p o t e n t i a l l y b e c l o s e r t h a n w h a t w e a n t i c i p a t e d i t t o b e . T h e r e ’s n o w a y t h e C a v s defense can shut down Golden State, so the next best thing to put up is consistent numbers. W h a t d o y o u t h i n k e a c h t e a m ’s p r i m a r y g a m e p l a n s h o u l d b e ? J F : F o r t h e Wa r r i o r s , j u s t a b o u t t h e o n l y w a y t h e y c a n l o s e i s b y beating themselves. They usually do that by lacking effort or turning the ball over too often. Being that they’re in the NBA Finals, I don’t believe that they’ll lack any effort, but they definitely need to
f o c u s o n e x e c u t i n g a t a h i g h l e v e l w i t h o u t t u r n i n g t h e b a l l o v e r. B e i n g c a r e l e s s w i t h t h e b a s k e t b a l l h a s b e e n t h i s t e a m ’s o n l y f a t a l f l a w, s o t h a t ’s s o m e t h i n g t o b e a w a r e o f . The Cavaliers on the other hand should be focusing on shutting d o w n t h e e n g i n e o f t h e Wa r r i o r s ’ o f f e n s e , w h i c h i s S t e p h e n C u r r y. The Cavs should look to take Steph out of the game by making h i m w o r k o n d e f e n s e a n d f o r c i n g h i m t o b e a f a c i l i t a t o r. C l e v e land should look to run pick and roll action that forces Curry to be switched onto LeBron. This will make Curry exhaust a lot of energy t r y i n g t o g u a r d a b i g g e r, m o r e p h y s i c a l p l a y e r w h o i s g o i n g t o a t t a c k him. The Cavaliers should also look to trap him off of pick and roll situations to force him to make tough and risky passes. J B : I t h i n k i f y o u ’ r e t h e Wa r r i o r s , y o u f o c u s o n c o n t a i n i n g L e B r o n ’s t e a m m a t e s . G a m e 1 i s a m i c r o c o s m f o r t h e w h o l e s e r i e s , i n t h e s e n s e t h a t n o m a t t e r h o w p h e n o m e n a l L e B r o n d o e s , i t ’s n o t g o i n g t o pull out a victory if he doesn’t get sufficient help. All Golden State r e a l l y h a s t o d o i s s h u t d o w n L e B r o n ’s t e a m m a t e s . A n d o t h e r t h a n m a k i n g s u r e L e B r o n g e t s t h a t c o n s i s t e n t s e c o n d s c o r e r, t h e C a v s need to focus on taking advantage of mismatches, particularly in the s e c o n d h a l f . T h e Wa r r i o r s ’ b e s t q u a r t e r o n a v e r a g e i s t h e t h i r d , s o the Cavs are going to need to make sure they don’t get swamped by t h e Wa r r i o r s o f f e n s e i n t h a t p e r i o d . Who will take home the Finals MVP award this year? J F : I b e l i e v e i t ’ l l b e S t e p h e n C u r r y. T h e n a r r a t i v e e n t e r i n g t h i s series was all about how despite all the individual awards Curry has won, the Finals MVP has eluded him. Although he has said publicly that it doesn’t matter to him whether he ever wins it or not, make no
GAME 1 IS A MICROCOSM FOR THE WHOLE SERIES, IN THE SENSE THAT NO MATTER HOW PHENOMENAL LEBRON DOES, IT’S NOT GOING TO PULL OUT A VICTORY IF HE DOESN’T GET SUFFICIENT HELP. mistake about it, he wants to win that award and so far it looks like h e ’s g o i n g f o r i t . T h e t w o - t i m e N B A M V P a w a r d w i n n e r h a s s h o w n t i m e a n d t i m e a g a i n t h a t h e ’s t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t p l a y e r o n t h i s r o s ter and I believe he’ll prove it on the biggest stage. JB: LeBron. It seems like this series is already much more comp e t i t i v e t h a n l a s t y e a r ’s f i n a l , e v e n t h o u g h o n l y t w o g a m e s h a v e b e e n p l a y e d s o f a r. I h o p e I ’ m n o t o v e r r e a c t i n g t o L e B r o n ’s p e r f o r mance in Game 1, and that he can very much well pull out four wins a g a i n s t t h i s s t a r - s t u d d e d Wa r r i o r s t e a m , b u t I p r o b a b l y a m . What kind of impact will this series have on this summer and free agency? JF: I think in all reality it won’t have much of an impact unless by some miracle LeBron ends up winning this series. At this point I t h i n k L e B r o n k n o w s w h a t h e ’s g o i n g t o d o i n f r e e a g e n c y a n d w i n ning would be the only thing that might make him want to either s t a y i n C l e v e l a n d l o n g e r o r p e r s u a d e h i m t o s t a y i f h e ’s t h i n k i n g about jumping ship. JB: I’m putting faith into the Cavs’ front office to surround LeBron with a better supporting cast. Regardless of what happens, I think LeBron is going to stay in Cleveland even though a very small part of me sees him going to Houston. What is your series prediction? J F : Wa r r i o r s i n 6 . JB: Cavs in 7 (hopefully). ■H
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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports
Sports
Highlander World Cup Halftime
HIGHLANDER
The 2018 World Cup in Russia starts on June 14th, and some teams are still being put together. However, that’s not stopping the Highlander from breaking down every group to give you a comprehensive overview leading up to the first kickoff.
Group G, Part II
Vasken Najarian Contributing Writer
HOT TAKES
Championship games need diversity too ZIYAYE CHONGWE Contributing Writer
Tunisia FIFA Ranking: 14
Panama FIFA Ranking: 55
Coach: Nabil Maaloul (Tunisian), since 2017. Previously coached Kuwait (20142017). Players to watch:
Coach: Hernan Dario Gomez (Colombian), since 2014. Previously coached Ecuador (2010-11).
World Cup Appearances: 1 First Appearance: 2018 Last Appearance: 2018 Best result: TBA
World Cup Appearances: 5 First Appearance: 1978 Last Appearance: 2006 Best result: Group stage
Saif-Eddine Khaoui In the absence of Youssef Msakni, the Tunisian national team will look to 23-yearold midfielder Saif-Eddine Khaoui to provide a creative spark in the attack. While he has only managed two appearances at the senior level for Tunisia, he has begun to develop for Troyes in France’s top flight, Ligue 1. It wasn’t until Marseille loaned him to Troyes that he was able to get a good string of games under his belt, but when he finally did get the chance, he showed glimpses of what he is capable of in his breakout season. He is tidy on the ball, tricky with his feet, can finish his chances and even has the ability to belt in a long shot. While he only managed five goals in 32 appearances for Troyes, the raw abilities he showed in his games this past season have been encouraging, and he should be a significant part of Tunisia’s attempt to get out of a very difficult Group G.
Players to watch: Luis Tejada The 35-year-old has become a cult hero for Panama’s national team, holding the title as his country’s all-time leading goal scorer with a whopping 43 goals in 104 international appearances. Over the course of his long career, Tejada has represented 19 clubs and currently plays for Panamanian club Sport Boys. Panama will most likely struggle to dictate the tempo of the games, so Tejada will need to be sharp in front of goal in the three group stage matches if his side is going to be able to sneak into the round of 16. However, if there is anyone in this team that could lead from the front, it is Tejada.
The 27-year-old attacking midfielder will also be a very significant part of Tunisia’s attempt to overcome Msakni’s absence. Khazri, like Khaoui, has experienced somewhat of a renaissance in his career in Ligue 1. In 2017, he was loaned to Rennes from Sunderland and went from having a strike rate of 8 percent to 52 percent. On top of this season’s 52 percent strike rate, he contributed two assists as well, but it doesn’t end there. Khazri does not succumb to the pressure of international play either, boasting exactly one goal in three games. at the international level. Khazri’s performances this summer will be vital to Tunisia’s hope of taking points away from Belgium and England.
Roman Torres Panama would not even be a part of this conversation if it wasn’t for the 32-year-old Seattle center back’s 87th minute goal against Costa Rica. Torres stands at 6’2, 183 lbs. and has the physical build of a tank. If Panama is going to pull off the impossible and make it out of this group, Torres will have to put together some stellar performances in the back. He was a key part of a Seattle Sounders side that made two MLS Cups in a row, and has been a leader for the Panamanian national team as well. If Torres is able to solidify the back line, Panama could become the surprise of the summer.
Potential lineup: Mathlouthi - Maaloul, Ben Youssef, Meriah, Nagguez - Skhiri, Ben Amor, Sassi - Sliiti, Khalifa, Khazri Formation: 4-3-3 Prediction: 3rd in group, eliminated in group stage
Potential lineup: Penedo - Ovalle, Torres, Baloy, Machado Quintero, Gomez, Godoy, Cooper - Tejada, Torres Formation: 4-4-2 Prediction: 4th in group, eliminated in group stage
Matches: Vs. England 06/18 Vs. Belgium 06/23 Vs. Panama 06/28
Matches: Vs. Belgium 06/18 Vs. England 06/23 Vs. Tunisia 06/28
Wahbu Khazri
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Six UCR baseball players earn All-Conference honors JONATHAN FERNANDEZ Senior Staff Writer
Despite a disappointing season in which UCR baseball (19-33, 7-17) finished last place in the Big West Conference, the Highlanders still had six players receive AllConference honors. The most notable award received by any Highlander was the Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year, given to Cole Percival. Percival becomes just the third player to earn this award in UCR program history. The first-
year pitcher finished the season with a 5-4 record, a 3.19 earned run average (ERA), and a teamleading 63 strikeouts. Percival was also selected to the Big West Second Team. Fellow freshman Nathan Webb was named to the Big West Second Team alongside Percival. Webb finished the season with a modest batting average of .232, but played well during conference season where he hit 17 doubles, the second highest record in the conference. Another standout who was
recognized was sophomore Connor Cannon who was named to the Big West First Team. Cannon finished the year leading UCR in home runs (10), RBI (33), and slugging percentage (.520). Cannon’s 10-homerun record was the second highest in the conference. The Highlanders also had three seniors receive Honorable Mentions in their final season, including shortstop Colby Schultz, and pitchers Trent Toplikar and Max Compton. Schultz led UCR in hits (64), runs (31), assists
(142), and double plays (17) on his way to earning his second Big West honor. Toplikar had the best pitching record on the team at 6-3 and also finished second in innings pitched (84) and strikeouts (62). Compton had the best season of his career, pitching in a career high 21 games and throwing the third most innings (50.1) and strikeouts (47). The Highlanders appear to have a solid foundation to build on next year as three of the six winners will be returning for next season. ■H
In the last three weeks, we have had both the Champions League final and the start of the National Basketball Association (NBA) finals. Both finals consisted of repeat teams, with Real Madrid in the Champions League and the somewhat exciting rematch between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors. Real Madrid was able to seal its place in the history books by becoming the first club to win a third straight Champions League trophy, defeating the likes of Spain’s Atlético Madrid, Italy’s Juventus, and England’s Liverpool FC. For the last three seasons the NBA has “awarded” us with the matchup of the Warriors against the Cavs, with the Warriors winning two of those three finals. Meeting for the fourth time, there was a moment of disappointment for just about everyone that lives outside of Cleveland or San Francisco. During the season it looked like there would be new teams battling it out for the title, with the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors leading their respective conferences in wins. But that was not the way things ended up; the Rockets were eliminated in game 7 of the Western Conference final, while the Raptors were swept in four games by the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Personally, I’m not a fan of seeing the same teams compete for championships year in and year out. I find that this eliminates the excitement of watching sports. During these last few NBA seasons, I have watched fewer basketball games than I usually do. The repetition of teams seems to have lowered what fans can talk about when it comes to basketball. Lately, topics of basketball center around the Cavs and Warriors, and if LeBron James is better than Michael Jordan. Luckily, there are other sports that don’t follow the NBA’s standard. One storyline that has impressed the sports world has been of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Las Vegas Golden Knights. The Golden Knights are an expansion team that has made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in their first season. Led by veteran goalkeeper Marc-André Fleury and forward William Karlsson, the Knights were able to battle all season. The team worked so well together during the season, they were able to build a strong fan base. With the opportunity to win a title in their first season, the Knights have not only gained fans at home, but outside Nevada as well. So, go ahead and watch the NBA Finals. Just know that next season’s stories will most likely circle around those same two teams. With both of this year’s NHL finalists playing for their first title, there is more to offer during this season’s Stanley Cup Finals than anywhere else in the sporting world. ■H