THE HIGHLANDER
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE
FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
VOL. 68, ISSUE 17
est. 1954
The coronavirus is not as deadly as conspiracy theories would have one believe
Service workers union, AFSCME 3299, reach tentative deal with UC
MARTIN LOPEZ Senior Staff Writer
LAURA ANAYA-MORGA Senior Staff Writer
In the age of information, it is harder than ever to discern fact from conjecture. Seeing as even the most unassuming issues can be blown out of proportion by the internet, it’s hardly surprising that in times of crisis an already dangerous situation can be exacerbated by conspiracy theorists and rushed reporting. On Dec. 31, 2019 several people in Wuhan, China reported symptoms associated with a new virus that may have originated from the Huanan Seafood Market. This novel coronavirus, later dubbed 2019-nCoV, is a cousin of the infamous SARS-CoV, which caused similar epidemics in China during 2003 and 2004, and MERS-CoV, which affected Saudi Arabia in 2012 and again later in 2015. This group of viruses is named for the halos or “coronas” that can be observed when viewed under an electron microscope and commonly cause respiratory illnesses in humans. While it is unclear how many strains exist in the wild, only six have proven themselves to be pathogenic to humans. A common misconception is that the virus itself is deadly, when in fact it is more likely to compromise the patient’s immune system by inviting the onset of a separate, more dangerous infection such as pneumonia that can place the young, sick and elderly at risk. While much is still unclear about the nature and origins of the virus, one thing is certain: disinformation has proven to be far more infectious than any disease nature could have cultured in a lab. History has taught the world that nothing is more terrifying than a threat one cannot see nor comprehend. As the general population learned of a mysterious new disease spreading across a foreign land, people flocked to the internet in a desperate attempt to find answers to the many questions they had.
On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the UC Office of the President released a statement announcing tentative four-year agreements with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union that represents approximately 26,000 UC patient care and service workers statewide. This battle had been ongoing for two years and after AFSCME’s strikes against UC outsourcing last quarter, the new agreement will curb outsourcing and bring jobs back to UC workers. The new contract will “prohibit layoffs as a result of subcontracting decisions and (create) career employment opportunities at UC by placing additional restrictions on UC’s ability to contract out service unit work,” UCOP said in the statement. The agreement will provide health benefits for patient care and service workers at the same graduated salary-based rates as other employees. This will also ensure that new hires receive the same pension benefits as current AFSCME-represented employees. “These agreements provide hardworking UC employees with the benefits and protections they deserve, and it moves UC closer to being the kind of employer we need to be,” stated UC Board of Regents Chair John A. Pérez. In the next few weeks, AFSCME-represented patient care and service workers will vote to ratify these contracts. In addition to providing benefits and preventing UC outsourcing, the contracts will also provide various wage increases based on experience for workers. Peter Chester, the UC’s executive director of labor relations said in the statement, “We are pleased that after working with AFSCME leadership to address joint concerns and resolve our outstanding differences, we are able to meet the needs of our valued patient care and service workers as well as those of the University.” ■H
► SEE CORONAVIRUS PAGE 10
MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER
Members of the galley wait as the senate holds a closed session discussion on SB-W20-009.
ASUCR denies bill to increase executive vice president’s stipend by $2,475
AMANI MAHMOUD Senior Staff Writer
On Wednesday, Feb. 5, ASUCR held their fifth meeting of the quarter. The meeting centered on discussion around SB-W20-009 Amendments to Chapters 10, 8, 2 & 4 of the ASUCR Bylaws. These amendments to the bylaws would propose a stipend increase for the ASUCR executive vice president (EVP). In Chapter 8 of the ASUCR bylaws, it states that the EVP’s stipend is $7,425 and is paid for 12 months. The ASUCR president, vice president of internal affairs, vice president of external affairs and vice president of finance all have stipends totaling $9,900. These positions are also all paid for 12 months. Officers in ASUCR have a $9,900 maximum
stipend level and all executive cabinet members have hit the maximum stipend except for the EVP position. According to Chapter 8 of the ASUCR bylaws, stipend increases should not exceed 25% of a position’s existing stipend and may not be considered for a review before three years since the last stipend increase. Stipend increases that exceed 25% or are requested in less than three years must be allowed only under exceptional circumstances, which must be then be approved by a two-thirds vote of the ASUCR senate. The stipend increase from $7,425 to $9,900 is a 33% increase, exceeding the 25% mentioned in the bylaws.
Executive Vice President Abigail Cortes responds to public comments and her decision to hold a closed session discussion.
► SEE ASUCR PAGE 4
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
HUMANS OF UCR
UPCOMING EVENTS: WEEK 6
BRYAN RAMIREZ | BUSINESS ECON. | FOURTH YEAR COMPILED BY LYDIA TSOU
11
Tuesday
12
OE Hangout: Cookies & Campfires with Cooking Well 4:00pm - 6:00pm Student Recreation Center (SRC), Classroom Kitchen and OE Patio
Cognitive Brown Bag - Dr. Adam Gazzaley 12:00pm to 1:20pm Psychology Building, 3210 (Goldman Library)
13
Write a letter to Liyah ... 8:00am to 3:00pm HUB (Highlander Union Building), 260
R’Polar Plunge 4:00pm to 6:00pm Student Recreation Center (SRC), Pool
14
Coffee and Bae Goals 10:00am to 11:00am HUB (Highlander Union Building), 265
GSOE Education Major/Minor Information Session 11:00am to 12:00pm Sproul Hall, 1215
15
South California Pre-Pharmacy Symposium (SCPPS) 9:00am to 5:00pm HUB (Highlander Union Building), 302
Women’s Basketball vs Long Beach 5:00pm to 7:00pm Student Recreation Center (SRC), Arena
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Yosemite Snowshoeing and Exploring Student Recreation Center (SRC), Outdoor Excursions Shop
Wednesday
Thursday
“Forgiving someone is if they do something wrong to me, no matter what, I could trust them again - even if they hurt me once or twice. I’ll make the same mistake twice. I’ll go back to them. I’ll trust them no matter what. An instance - I’ve been emotionally abused by friends, but I still forgave them.
Kink 101 with Tristan Taormino Valentine’s Day Partner Yoga 11:00am to 12:00pm 5:00pm to 6:15pm HUB (Highlander Union Building), 355 Student Recreation Center (SRC), MPR E
Friday
I had no reason to be mad because I knew their stories and they were my friends. I just felt like forgiving them. And why am I in a tent? I work graveyard [overnight] shifts at work for 8-11 hours. I sleep in between classes since I don’t have other time to sleep. It’s a good place to chill out. “
Saturday
Sunday
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
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ASUCR
ASUCR denies bill to increase executive vice president’s stipend by $2,475
Students and Parliamentarian express concern with hour-long closed session discussion
► FROM ASUCR
During the Finance Committee Reports, Vice President of Finance Carolyn Chang stated that the Finance Committee held a separate emergency meeting in order to approve the creation of the bill. The bill passed in the Finance Committee but still needs to pass the senate to take effect. CHASS Senator Evelyn Castaneda asked Chang where the money for the stipend increase would come from. Chang stated that the money would come from profit ASUCR makes from the campus vending machines and ATMs. After Chang’s announcement the meeting moved on to the Legislative Review Committee (LRC) Report. SBW20-009 Amendments to Chapters 10, 8, 2 & 4 of the ASUCR Bylaws was then presented. EVP Cortes announced that discussion of the bill would be moved into a closed session. Cortes’ announcement prompted Castaneda to state that a closed session discussion was not on the agenda and was not approved by the senate. Members of the galley also expressed concern with discussion moving into a closed session, stating that a majority vote should be cast by the senate in order to move into a closed session. The senate then moved into a separate room to discuss the bill. Due to the closed session discussion of the bill, no explanation was offered for what the bill would do or how Chapters 10, 8, 2 and 4 of the bylaws would be amended and for what reason. In an interview with The Highlander conducted after the meeting, President Pro Tempore Miguel Ramirez explained that the bill would amend Chapters 10, 8, 2 and 4 and that the bylaw changes added responsibilities to the EVP role stated in Chapter 10 and modified all other bylaws that were affected, which are Chapter 2 and Chapter 4. The proposed changes to Chapter 10, according to Ramirez, included individual one-on-one meetings with every senator once a quarter, being well-versed through self training or
The Equity & Opportunities Referendum will allocate a $10 student fee to provide support and assistance for UCR’s Underground Scholars Initiative, R’Kids, Student Veteran’s Organization and the Office of Foster Youth Support Services. Support would go toward better staffing for the programs, more resources and more. $2.50 from the $10 student fee will go back towards financial aid. The Performing Arts Support and Access Fee Referendum was discussed by CHASS’ Associate Dean for Arts and Humanities Kiril Tomoff. This referendum would provide further funding for UCR’s Department of Theatre, Film and Digital Production (TFDP). Tomoff stated that most funding for TFDP comes from the CHASS Dean’s Office but that funding comes from the SSAP fee passed in 2012 and that fee is no longer adequate for the originally
Parliamentarian Avi Idea addresses the galley’s and his own concerns about the closed session discussion.
professional training in parliamentary procedures, specifications and guidelines to plan fall retreat and hosting a weekly legislature reading session to ensure all senators read and understand what they are voting on. Chapter 10 would also be amended to require the EVP to train any newly appointed senators, be responsible for executing at least one campuswide project, event or program, meet with the ASUCR president regularly and sit on two campuswide committees. The bill also edited Chapter 8 upon senate vote. Ramirez stated to The Highlander, “The overall purpose of the bill was to add responsibilities to the EVP bylaws to guarantee many things the current EVP is already doing are carried out by future EVPs, modified any other bylaws affected by the addition of those responsibilities and increased the stipend of the EVP.” After more than an hour passed with the closed session meeting taking place, ASUCR Parliamentarian Avi Idea addressed the galley and stated, “Robert’s
MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER
Rules of Order do state that there needs to be a majority vote cast by the senate in order to go into a closed session discussion. I am not exactly sure what to do here.” Idea added, “I cited the rules. I asked EVP Cortes to show me where in the rules that it states that she can just call a closed session. She either was not able to or she just did not want to. She just said that she wanted to continue with the meeting.” Idea stated that he showed Cortes where in Robert’s Rules of Order it explicitly states that a majority vote is needed to move into a closed session. Idea stated that in response, Cortes asked the senate to vote right then to continue the closed session and they voted to do so. “Obviously there are issues with doing something and then voting on approving it later but that is what they are doing. I cannot force them to come back in here. I have explained my point, I cited the rules, I did my job and I am doing my best,” Idea said. After answering more questions from the galley, Idea stated, “If she (Cortes) is
so confident about being allowed to call a closed session without a majority vote, then by all means I would love for her to find some kind of rule here but I do not like the discrepancies ... they did vote to continue the closed session but that should have been done publicly. This was just done in bad taste.” According to Article V: The Legislative Branch of the ASUCR Constitution, all official meetings of the ASUCR senate including subcommittees, and subordinate committees, shall be open to the public, excluding Finance, Personnel, Legislative Review and the Elections Committee, as well as Executive Cabinet sessions and executive sessions which may be called during regular meetings for the purpose of personnel and employee grievance matters. An executive session may be called during regular meetings for the purpose of discussion of an ASUCR representative, personnel or employee grievance matters, provided that 24 hours advance public notice is given. Executive sessions shall be limited to ASUCR senators, the senate staff and the executive cabinet. After approximately an hour and 30 minutes of closed session discussion about the bill, the senate made its way back into the senate chambers. Cortes prompted the senate to cast their votes on the bill. After a vote was taken, the bill ultimately failed to pass the senate with a vote of 7-4-4. Legislation requires a two-thirds majority vote by the senate to pass. During Public Comment, members of the galley expressed their concern with discussion on the bill being held in a closed session. In response, Cortes stated, “The chair of the senate (the EVP) is allowed to make choices about the methods of voting as well as the methods on discussing issues per Robert’s Rules of Order.” When she was asked to cite the clause per Robert’s Rules of Order by a senate intern, Cortes stated that she did not have the exact clause with her. The meeting was adjourned at 10:06 p.m.
Highlights:
proposed purpose. Tomoff stated that without a change in funding support TFDP cannot expand productions to accommodate growth in student numbers, music instruments cannot be adequately maintained, repaired or replaced and more issues will be presented. The student fee will increase the current PASA fee by $7. Students currently pay $2.50 per quarter and the referendum proposes that they pay $9.50. 25% of the fee will be returned to financial aid. Tomoff assured students that the majority of support for TFDP will still come from the CHASS Dean’s Office and that the burden is not being moved from the CHASS Dean’s Office and on to students. Both referendums were passed to be voted on in the general election 16-0-0 and 14-0-1. The Highlander will provide further H updates and details about these referenda.■
Chris Fernandez presents the Equity & Opportunities Referendum at the senate meeting on Feb. 5, 2020.
MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER
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NEWS
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
5
Students create petition to implement ASL courses on campus
LIZBETH MARQUEZ TORRES Contributing Writer
In the fall quarter of 2019, students and members of the American Sign Language Club at UCR started an initiative to implement American Sign Language (ASL) courses at the university. They presented the initiative to ASUCR Senators Natalie Hernandez and Miguel Ramirez, who reached out to the deans and department chairs of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS) to receive insight on the possibility of implementing said courses into the curriculum. ASUCR and the Student Voice Committee then teamed up to survey the general student population in order to determine the overall desire to make ASL courses available to current and forthcoming students. The Highlander reached out to Derrian Tabilin, the president of the American Sign Language Club at UCR, who began the project and petition to implement these courses on campus. According to Tabilin, they received over 1,000 student survey responses and found that 68% of students expected ASL courses to be offered when applying to UCR, and over 96% of those from each college (i.e., BCOE, CHASS, CNAS, SoB) believed UCR should implement ASL in the course catalogs. These results catalyzed the creation of a petition in order to spread the word
about getting these classes offered. The petition, which currently stands at almost 1,700 signatures and is available online, provides reasons why UCR should implement these courses and allows the community an opportunity to input their opinion as to why these courses should be offered. One of the reasons listed explains that the University of California San Diego, Los Angeles, Berkeley, Davis and multiple surrounding schools such as Cal State San Bernardino, California Baptist University, the University of Redlands and Riverside City College already offer ASL courses that fulfill language requirements. Tabilin mentioned that they worked closely with Tommy Korn, an associate professor in the languages department at Riverside City College, in an effort to create an online open forum and to ensure that this petition was accessible to the deaf community. Tabilin explained that this petition is important because “it provides students, staff, faculty, and community members the opportunity to voice their opinions on UCR providing these courses. It provides quantitative evidence that it’s not only the members of the ASL club who wish for these courses to be offered, but really, the campus and surrounding community. It further provides an overview of the issues that we are
addressing and compiles all the reasons that it’s important for UCR to offer the courses.” By implementing ASL courses on campus, UCR would be working toward increasing cultural awareness and deaf accessibility. It will also grow the deaf and signing community on campus and provide another higher educational institution for future deaf leaders and further opportunities to work with the local deaf community. Tabilin also mentioned that UCR has already appropriated part of the ASL language by using the ASL “R” to represent school pride. These courses will further educate the general campus in using the symbol “R” by paying
JOSHUA WANG / HIGHLANDER
respect to the language and teaching the campus how to use it appropriately. Tabilin wanted The Highlander to note that the ASL Club “have made extra efforts to include various individuals and organizations from the Riverside Deaf community to ensure that this project is just as much theirs as it is ours; it is extremely important that we work together with everyone involved to have the project go smoothly and successfully.” Their next step is to get the resolution passed so that the ASL club and other parties involved may work with campus departments, administration and the local deaf community to design these course offerings. ■H
Stonehaven residents speak out about uncomfortable living conditions
ADRIANA MANDUJANO ANGEL Contributing Writer
Stonehaven Student Housing began implementing Wi-Fi during finals week of spring 2019. As a result, residents have expressed concerns regarding unreliable internet and untimely internet servicing. “I remember when they installed the Wi-Fi, they installed it during finals week so they cut off the internet for three days which I thought was horrible timing,” stated Danny Tovalino, a fourth-year education graduate student. He went on to state that residents are still having issues, as the Wi-Fi works some days and does not on others. “I would have to leave my campus residence and go on campus to study. I got used to it but that’s not good,” stated Tovalino. Antoinette Nguyen, a second-year statistics major, shared Tovalino’s concern, stating, “I would often plan to stay on campus all day or go to establishments that offer Wi-Fi. This also adds a burden of risking my safety at night.” The Highlander also interviewed Olivia Rodriguez, a third-year history major who expressed similar safety concerns. “I’ve had to walk all the way to campus by myself to get better WiFi at night. All I ask for is at least an explanation for why this is taking so long or what the issue is.” In response to student concerns, Stonehaven Manager Nidia Meza said that if a resident is interested in learning more about a specific problem, the staff’s phone numbers are available for residents to contact them with any additional questions or concerns they may have. Meza added that the cause for the inconsistent internet was “extremely high usage to guests and unauthorized users using multiple devices at one time.” According to Meza, Stonehaven will be increasing
the bandwidth to 2GB rather than the previous 1GB. “We increased the number of routers from 100 to 140, and plan to have 200 routers installed by the summer, which means that every unit at Stonehaven will have its own router,” stated Meza. In addition to internet concerns, Tovalino stated that routine water shutoffs will also occur. He stated, “Every once in a while they will send out an
email and they will notify the students that the water will be shut-off. Since I’ve lived here in Stonehaven I have had the water shut off on me at least 10-15 times.” “It is typical for an apartment complex of Stonehaven’s size, age and regular strain from more than 400 student residents and their guests to need plumbing repairs with some regularity,” stated Meza. She also
stated that they are in the process of upgrading the plumbing system and pipes, which occasionally require water shut-offs. However, these issues have caused residents such as Jacob Ferber, a transfer third-year business administration major to become disillusioned. “Stonehaven is my only point to gauge so far and is setting a low bar.” ■H
COURTESY OF UCR HOUSING
6 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
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UCR ranked no. 15 in public universities in the West
ANTONIO VELAOCHAGA Contributing Writer
On Wednesday, Jan. 22, the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education (THE) released the rankings for colleges in the U.S. Among the list that consisted of over 800 universities, UCR ranked 15th among public universities in the Western United States. UCR’s U.S. rank was tied with Westmont College in Santa Barbara and Lawrence University in Wisconsin, at 189. The lists’ ranking system is based on 15 individual performance indicators. This information was collected through THE’s annual U.S. student survey that consisted of over 170,000 current college student respondents. The methodology of the survey and ranking is focused on four areas: resources, engagement, outcomes and environment. Resources looks at the ratio of students to faculty members to determine if the school has enough instructors to teach each student. To see how well funded the college is, THE looks at the amount of funding the institution spends per student. The number of published scholarly research papers per faculty member is also viewed to discern the college’s research productivity, and testing to determine if the faculty can create research that can be published in the world’s top academic journals. The 2020 data that THE used shows that UCR has 18 students per staff
member. Student engagement is determined by the students’ experience in college. One main part of student engagement is based on how much of an opportunity the student has to interact with instructors and faculty; it is also measured by whether a student would recommend attending the same school to someone else. THE examines the outcomes of a university by viewing the graduation rates of all students, including parttime and transfer students. They have a value-added assessment component
that determines the success of students based on the estimated difference between the predicted and actual median salary of students working and not enrolled into school. This calculates if former students have higher or lower salaries than they were expected to have. THE examines the academic reputation and debt of students after graduation to study the outcomes of the university. The 2020 U.S. ranking data displays that UCR graduates make an average of $48,067 a decade after graduating. According to THE, the environment
ARCHIVE/ HIGHLANDER
section of the colleges are based on diversity and inclusion. Firstgeneration students, the amount of students who receive Pell Grants and the international student population on campus is important in this component of diversity. The world university ranking data exhibits that UCR has a 53 to 47 female to male student ratio and the student body is made up of 14% international students. A spokesperson for Chancellor Kim Wilcox did not respond before time of print. ■H
The Southern California Affordability Symposium highlights the importance of water and housing affordability in Southern California
LAURA ANAYA-MORGA Senior Staff Writer
On Friday, Feb. 7, the UCR Blum Initiative hosted the Southern California Affordability Symposium at the UCR Alumni & Visitors Center. David Brady, director of the Blum Initiative and professor for the School of Public Policy stated that the Blum Initiative at UCR focuses on global and regional issues of poverty and in this conversation, wanted to help others understand how families make ends meet and afford the necessities of life in Southern California. “We are very interested in non-partisan and objective scientific research that can hopefully draw a richer public conversation about these issues,” stated Brady. Dr. Kurt Schwabe, associate dean and professor for the School of Public Policy presented on water affordability in Southern California. He stated that from 2007 to 2015 water prices increased an average of 45% while income has been stagnant or decreased by an average of 6%. This affects a household’s discretionary income, which is the disposable income that is left over after subtracting the cost of water and the cost of other essential needs. As water prices rise and discretionary income falls below zero, households are forced to make tradeoffs for some of their essential needs. “This is obviously concerning for over 13 million low-income households,” stated Schwabe. Low income is defined as households that make less than 200% of the federal poverty level, or around $45,000 a year. Schwabe went on to outline how the conversation on water affordability can be interpreted. Firstly, Schwabe stated we need to evaluate how expenditures on water and sewer services within the Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD), who supplies water to everyone living in a 555-mile radius of western Riverside County, compare with the income that its residents have to spend on water and other essential services. “If the amount we spend on water and sewer services is greater than 5%, that raises some red flags,” stated Schwabe. Schwabe’s research focused on a household’s water expenditure ratio (WER) which is an estimate of the
amount of money a household spends on water services relative to the amount of money they spend overall. He surveyed around 130,000 households and found that on average their WER rose from 0.85% in 2011 to 1.11% in 2018. Schwabe stated that the number one issue in affordability is housing which, on average, takes up 32% of a households income followed by transportation, food and housing which take up 13, 11 and 5%, respectively. “(These factors) all are much more significant than water, they are all essential services and they all should be accessible,” stated Schwabe. He also stated that in order to have substantive impact on societal wellbeing, we need to identify a full range of essential services and consider where changes can have appreciable effects. After Schwabe’s presentation, Dr. Joanna Rosen, a research assistant professor at USC’s Price School of Public Policy, spoke about the impacts of housing affordability in the Southern California region. She began by highlighting the rent burden problem affecting households
in and around the Los Angeles region. A household is considered rent burdened if they pay over 30% of their income on rent and Rosen stated it is considered an important threshold, after which they begin to make the tradeoffs that had been aforementioned by Schwabe. According to Rosen, the rent burden issue is driven by higher housing costs and lower income and it ultimately contributes to neighborhood change and homelessness. In the Riverside, San Bernardino and Ontario areas, there has been a 20.4% decrease in low rent units from 2011 to 2017 meaning housing costs are increasing compared to incomes. When it comes to dealing with these issues, Rosen stated she and her team are “focused on finding new strategies and tools to help to solve these complex social issues.” Rosen’s team conducted 36 focus groups with 400 people and a large door-to-door survey across different areas to identify how geography and communities play a role in the housing issue and how people are coping with the problem. “As people pay more income
COURTESY OF PEXELS
on rent and their incomes are stagnant … they face energy insecurity, they live in lower quality housing, and they reduce their spending on food,” stated Rosen. She also mentioned that affordability matters not just for individuals to avoid displacement, but because people are coping and strategizing to stay in ways that are harmful to them in the long run. Some key takeaways she found in her research were that people were making significant and impactful tradeoffs to stay in their homes. She gave personal anecdotes of residents who lived in rundown homes with landlords who refuse to make repairs but because they have nowhere else to go, they feel stuck. Gentrification also contributes to the housing issue as housing costs increase when the incomes in that area do as well, displacing lower income families. Rosen stated that many of these issues can be solved by thinking about rental and tenant protection and giving people the ability to create change. “If people have the ability to seek resources … allowing people to actually access the laws and creating new laws and social support to ensure they are not trapped in these situations is really important,” stated Rosen. The symposium then transitioned to a panel consisting of the two previous presenters, Carlos Gonzalez, chief of staff to Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, Sayori Baldwin, the director of the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) and Adan Ortega, the founder of Ortega Strategies Group and executive director of the California Association of Mutual Water Companies. A member of the audience asked who was to blame for these housing and water affordability issues and what could be done to fix it. Ortega stated that in Southern California, the governors resilience plan is already helping to solve the issue. When the Integrated Resource Plan, which evaluates the needs of people living in certain areas, is updated this year “it could make (this issue) a priority,” stated Ortega. Despite the issues that California faces with affordability, Ortega stated that its policies are setting standards for countries like Canada, because California’s government acts with an abundance of caution to protect its residents’ health. ■H
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Opinions
8 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
OPINIONS
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HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL
Listen or leave: The proposed tuition hikes are just another example of how the UC regents refuse to listen to their students
COURTESY OF THE DAILY BRUIN
The University of California (UC) regents will be voting between two proposed tuition models soon, but it’s hard to say when. Though the vote was originally scheduled for Jan. 22, 2020, the regents were forced to push it back due to their failure to post details regarding the proposed increases 10-days before the meeting, as is standard procedure. Of course, it is unlikely that this failure to provide public notice was simply an oversight on the regents’ part, rather, it is in all likelihood an attempt to dodge the upcoming student protests incited by the tuition increase. This highlights not only a lack of transparency but a total lack of concern for the opinions of UC students. The UC regents must begin listening to their students, or they will continue to exacerbate student-regent tensions. While tuition increases can occasionally be justified, the decision should never be taken lightly. Raising tuition without properly consulting the student population is incredibly shortsighted. Freshman application rates have fallen by 5.4% on multiple UC campuses, including Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz, and such a decline may very well be a direct result of past tuition increases. If so many students cannot afford to pay tuition as is, they won’t be any more capable of paying if it is increased further. If another economic downturn strikes the United States, the UC system’s admission staff will find themselves with far fewer
applications in their inboxes. Advocates for the tuition hikes will be quick to remind naysayers that a portion of the funding derived from the proposed increases will supplement student financial aid. Unfortunately, this sentiment does little to assuage the concerns of middle-class students, whose families often find themselves above the cutoff for a low-income household, meaning they are ineligible for federal aid but still not wealthy enough to afford tuition on their own. This concern is something students would likely be willing to discuss if a proper dialogue was established. Otherwise, a greater number of students will be turning toward the more affordable community college pathways. To further justify the tuition increase, the regents explain in their Supplemental Information for Tuition and Fee Proposals packet that the UC system is facing mandatory costs, like their growing backlog of maintenance requests, that they cannot meet at the moment, and that the tuition increases are meant to address said costs. To be sure, students understand that these costs are important, but the issue stems from the fact that rather than propose any reallocations of funds, perhaps by cutting the already munificent salaries of the chancellors and regents, the regents immediately turned to their long-time proverbial cash cow: the UC students they are meant to nurture and help develop.
With some digging, concerned students can find the regents’ budget priorities on the UCOP website in their 2020-21 Budget for Current Operations. To give credit where credit is due, many of the priorities are indeed important. The expansion of mental health services, for instance, is briefly mentioned in the document, as is the importance of addressing previously deferred maintenance issues across the UC campuses. More specifically, the budget priorities acknowledge a need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower energy costs. On the other hand, some priorities should give students pause. The faculty and staff pay increase priority is alarmingly vague. While one would like to see appropriate salaries for UC’s underpaid workers, chancellors like UC Riverside’s Kim Wilcox, whose current salary is $406,495, should not see a pay increase. The cold truth is that many campus administrators in the UC system are already overpaid relative to the amount of work they do, and students would prefer not to see their tuition dollars go to further lining said administrators’ pockets any more than they already do. Tuition money should be reserved for projects that will help UC students succeed and thrive on campus. This means improving infrastructure in the form of student housing, fighting food insecurity by better developing on-campus food pantries and allocating funds toward student programs. Unfortunately, because the
regents have a long history of ignoring student voices, one cannot be sure that the money will go where the students want. Very few of the regents were involved in the field of education before being appointed to their positions. Norman Pattiz, who resigned from the board following accusations of sexual misconduct in December of 2017, was not involved in education until he was appointed in 2001. Rather, Pattiz is most well known for being the founder of radio network Westwood One, a position far and away from student life. This disconnect explains the board’s general apathy toward the voice of the student body. Every time a tuition hike is proposed, students turn out in droves during the meeting to protest them, but tuition is increased regardless. Frankly, the regents don’t seem interested in listening to anyone but themselves. In spite of his upcoming budget proposal, which would increase UC funding by 5.8% while also providing a one-time gift of $56 million, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s vocal opposition to the tuition increase seems to be falling on deaf ears. The regents feel they need more funding than the budget proposal would provide. The regents’ unwillingness to listen to Governor Newsom is particularly ironic, as the California governor appoints most of the regents to their positions. They simply have too much power and too little oversight. If the governor has
the power to appoint them, the governor should also have the power to control them. While a certain degree of autonomy is necessary for any board to operate properly, the regents shouldn’t be allowed to raise tuition at a whim. State law must be amended to allow some sort of governing body, possibly the governor themself, to veto decisions that the people oppose. A series of checks and balances should also be put in place that would allow for the removal of UC regent members when appropriate. Furthermore, when appointing the future UC regents, the student body should have some say in the process. This would enable students to hold the regents accountable, at least to a degree. The regents have long decided where UC funding should be allocated, and they cannot be allowed to continue doing so on their own. The blatant aversion to transparency demonstrated by their recent failure to provide notice for the proposed changes to systemwide tuition is evidence enough that students cannot simply trust the regents to have their best intentions in mind. To put it simply: the regents must be made to listen, or they must be made to leave. ■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, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
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OPINION POLL Compiled by Lydia Tsou
“The UC Board of Regents will be voting on another tuition increase soon. What would you like them to know before voting?”
Jay Kamanna Pre-Business Second-year
Christian Arana Mathematics Second-year
“A lot of students take a lot of loans out to take care of college. People are also trying to go to graduate school. They’ll be looking at loans in the future as well and I hope the Board of Regents will take that into account. ”
“The tuition is already pretty high and there are so many resources that aren’t being used to their full potential. There’s some kind of money waste going on. Asking for an increase is a waste of money - we already pay enough for what we need.”
Sheyla Hernandez Amador CMDB Fourth-year
“Many peers I know have taken out more loans than they expected from freshman year because tuition increases each year. When we graduate and need to start paying it off, I think it’ll negatively impact our lives as we get a job. ”
David Awolowo Soc. and Edu.
Avisha Sheth Psychology First-year
Hailey Stuermer Psychology Third-year
“I don’t think it’s a very good idea to increase tuition. We are charged for things we may not even use. For example, we are charged for recreational fees and lots of our students don’t even go there. It’s not fair for a lot of students who have to pay more tuition.”
“I’m poor. We pay a lot already and not everyone can get financial aid. They’re building a lot of things on campus for things that won’t even be used while I’m here. Ask us the things we want before they decide to raise it. Make on-campus housing more affordable.”
“I’d like them to look at all angles of how people can pay for the tuition that they’re adding on. Look at the statistics of how many students need to take out loans and how long it takes them to pay those back. I want to make sure they first think, ‘Do we really have to [increase tuition]?’ I’d rather they look for money elsewhere.”
Fifth-year
‘American Dirt’ reveals the stains on the white publishing industry
SILVIA FERRER Senior Staff Writer
Jeanine Cummins’ novel, “American Dirt,” was sent to bookstores across the country with an editor’s note that spoke about how fervently Cummins wished to “give these people (the faceless brown mass at the Mexican border) a face.” Executive Vice President and Publisher Amy Einhorn attempted to give Cummins, who is neither brown nor a migrant, some credibility in the note by including her connection to a formerly undocumented immigrant. The editor’s note is as obtuse as the book itself — for a book all about uplifting the voiceless, it relies on tired stereotypes and problematic conceptualizations of a group of people. Although it is poorly written, fetishizes Mexican migrants and insensitive in its discussion of immigration, it successfully points to a larger problem within an overwhelmingly white literary industry. “American Dirt,” follows a Mexican mother and her son from their comfortable life in Acapulco, which is being overrun by drug cartels, to their journey to the U.S. as they flee from a dangerous drug lord. Writers of color have spoken about how the book is full of cliches and stereotypes about Mexico, portraying a “Trumpian fantasy of what Mexico is.” Furthermore, instead of humanizing her characters into threedimensional beings — i.e., “giving these people a face” as Cummins apparently longed to do — she relies on tropes and sexualization. Naturally, the book features a Latin lover, the drug lord Javier. It also includes the “dangerously” beautiful Soledad, whose body is a “vivid throb of color.” Several scholars have discussed how problematic this characterization is: Cummins is dehumanizing Latinos by portraying brown bodies as something solely to be feared or lusted after. Cummins herself admitted that she wasn’t sure whether she was the right person to write about a brown woman’s immigrant experience. She identified as a white woman until recently, when she coincidentally
Jeanine Cummins, author of “American Dirt,” poses for a photo.
remembered her Puerto Rican grandmother. The personal connection she has to a “formerly undocumented immigrant” is through her husband, who is Irish. Again, that shows just how tone-deaf the publisher and the author are, as they completely disregard the complexities and nuances of the immigrant experience between places of origin and race. An Irish immigrant will not face the same discrimination that a Mexican immigrant does. Even from an entirely legal standpoint, Mexican immigrants are at a disadvantage when adjusting their immigration status. In an interview, Cummins defended her choice to write the novel despite her misgivings: “I was never going to turn down money that someone offered me for something that took me seven years to write.” The book
was apparently in a heated bidding war between publishing houses and Cummins was offered a seven-figure deal by Flatiron Books, the winner. Iranian writer Porochista Khakpour stated that she only knows of one writer of color that was offered a sixfigure advance before — “and that was in the ‘90s.” Reyna Grande, now an award-winning writer who wrote about her own journey crossing the Mexican border when she was child, reported that she received a $20,000 advance for her first book, but only after 27 attempts and constant suggestions to make her story “more marketable.” That in itself is the real root of the problem: writers of color are turned away by the publishing industry in large numbers. A 2019 Diversity Baseline survey by Lee & Low Books showed that the publishing industry
COURTESY OF JEANINE CUMMINS VIA INSTAGRAM
is predominantly white: 78% of executives, 85% of editors, 80% of critics and 80% of agents are white. Naturally, a white industry will want to invest in books they, as an audience, will want to read; this returns to the suggestions that Grande received when trying to find a publisher. The industry wants immigrant tales that a white audience will find palatable, and Cummins delivered, even if she wasn’t factual or sensitive in her portrayal. UCR is the only school in the UC system that offers a degree in creative writing and it is one of the most diverse. The industry makes it hard for writers of color, like UCR graduates, to break into the field; subsequently, texts by diverse, talented authors are going unrecognized while authors like Cummins are being applauded for subpar work. ■H
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
OPINIONS
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The coronavirus is not as deadly as conspiracy theories would have one believe
► FROM CORONAVIRUS
Unfortunately, most of the literature surrounding the topic is dense, while other sources are less straightforward and thus more easily misinterpreted. When one Twitter user stumbled onto a patent filed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2003 for a coronavirus genetic sequence, imaginations ran wild. A conspiracy quickly formed around the existence of the patent, falsely claiming that the government had not only manufactured the virus for nefarious purposes but that they also had a vaccine lying in wait in the hopes of profiting from the widespread infection. This idea was false on all accounts, and what cannot be directly disproven can at the very least be explained. Not only is there no vaccine currently available for any variant of the coronavirus, the patent in question did not even pertain to the current strain of
the virus, instead referring to the sequence of the SARS-CoV strain from its 2003 outbreak. The debate over whether or not natural products like genetic material is eligible for patents has been a long one, dating back to a 1980 U.S. Supreme Court case in which it was decided that private companies could obtain licenses to living things, most notably individual human genes. Viruses in particular are a compelling target as their unique tendencies to enter and effectively hijack cellular systems makes them powerful tools in genetic modification, research and drug delivery or therapy. In an effort to keep scientific research open and legal, the CDC was granted multiple sequence patents, the SARS-CoV sequence being among them. While the SARS-CoV patent is no longer relevant to today’s industry — the Supreme Court case was later overturned in the hopes of reducing the potential for
preemptive monopolizations of untapped markets — the controversy surrounding the document shines an important light on an often forgotten corner of the commercial sector. The Biotechnology industry, as advanced as it may seem, is still very young. Too few lines have been drawn
in the sand when it comes to the ethics that researchers and entrepreneurs should abide by and the complex nature of the products the market produces makes it difficult to regulate. This, combined with the general lack of widespread coverage from conventional news outlets companies receive, makes the sector as
ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER
a whole inaccessible to the average consumer. Ultimately, the coronavirus scare not only proves that false information is often more dangerous than the infection it concerns itself with, but that the importance of easily accessible scientific reporting cannot be overstated enough. ■H
The true “coronavirus pandemic” is the spread of racism and xenophobia through the media
PREETI JUTURU Contributing Writer
The 2019 novel coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV, spread throughout the Chinese city of Wuhan in December of 2019 in the form of a respiratory illness. The illnesses caused by the coronavirus range in severity, with some cases being as benign as the common cold, and others more extreme, resulting in pneumonia. It is important to note that though there are multiple 2019-nCoV cases throughout the world, it is not considered a “pandemic.” The World Health Organization classifies a pandemic as a viral influenza spread throughout the world, where both non-susceptible and susceptible groups are at risk for severe illness. In the case of the 2019-nCoV, the cases themselves are “spillover” from the disease’s epicenter, therefore making the outbreak an epidemic. With the coronavirus outbreak being a topic of great interest, many media outlets have spread misinformation and enforce racial stereotypes, thus promoting fear. Fear mongering around illnesses is nothing new to the world of journalism, from the media coverage of the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009 — also known as “swine flu” — to the Ebola virus epidemic in 2014. With few journalists coming from public health backgrounds and thus being unaware of epidemiological terms, the headlines and content of their articles unintentionally, and sometimes intentionally,
The Huanan seafood market was closed after the Novel Coronavirus was detected there for the first time
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
perpetuate inaccurate narratives pertaining to the individuals impacted by disease. In the history of Western media, especially American and Western European media, coverage tends to fixate on the region of origin of epidemics, as well as the death toll due to these epidemics. As a result, the public instinctively tends to blame individuals from these impacted regions and are almost encouraged to engage in racial scapegoating. One would only need to look to the Ebola outbreak in 2014, during which stigma toward the African diaspora strengthened to the point that many deemed it acceptable to actively engage in implicit racism. For example, a cover of Newsweek depicted a chimpanzee holding a sign with the headline: “A Back Door for Ebola: Smuggled Bush.” This not so subtle imagery furthers
front cover of the print magazine. A French newspaper’s front page headline read “New Yellow Peril?” above an article about the coronavirus, as well as with another headline: “Yellow Alert,” above an image of a Chinese woman wearing a surgical mask. The phrase “yellow peril” is racially charged, originating from anti-Asian sentiments during the first waves of East Asian immigration to the United States in the 19th century. The outward usage of historically racist terminology as a means to “inform” and “encourage people to read more” is a prime example of predatory journalistic practices for the sake of article engagement and capitalizing off of vulnerable populations. With coronavirus memes circulating Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, many of these memes
stereotypical racist depictions of African people that stems from scientific racism in the European “species classification” of humans during the 1800s, which was then popularized by the European press through caricatures and comics. Similarly, fear mongering surrounding the coronavirus, perpetrated by the media and mainstream journalism, promotes xenophobia and racism toward East Asian communities. As of now there have been many instances of subtle and non-subtle xenophobia and racism within the realm of media coverage. The Economist, a reputable media outlet, wrote an article on the coronavirus and referred to it not only as the “Wuhan virus,” but as something that was “made in China,” and presents an image of a surgical mask with the Chinese flag covering the Earth on the
base themselves off of these problematic headlines and further anti-immigrant narratives. The media’s promotion of xenophobia creates an “echo chamber,” reinforcing and amplifying these beliefs repetitively within the multimedia realm. From memes promoting anti-Chinese international student sentiments to memes and tweets stereotyping Chinese cuisine, all of these play into furthering racist sentiments and anti-immigrant narratives. Stigmatizing immigrants and the people impacted by illnesses is a prime example of victim blaming as well as an excuse to further xenophobia within a society that was built upon a foundation of prejudice and racism. Instead of focusing on the origin of the illness as well as the fatality count, media outlets should inform the public on what the illness truly entails, how at risk people are to catching the virus, how viruses are spread and how to promote proper hygiene practices. Additionally, health-related articles and journalism surrounding public health issues should be vetted by epidemiologists and public health officials in order to ensure accuracy of information as well as to formulate accurate headlines. It is the media’s job to inform and educate the public with accurate information, and to ensure that article headlines and media coverage are not published with the intent to catch the eye of an already racist America and Western Europe. ■H
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OPINIONS
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
11
Nike doesn’t care what your dreams are, they care if you buy shoes
TIMOTHY HUGHES Senior Staff Writer
The Super Bowl has come and gone again, which means the average American sat around and watched roughly two hours of advertisements from some of the biggest corporations in America; that is, the corporations that could afford the $5 million price tag of a 30 second spot during the big game. While sports fans languish or rejoice over the winner of the big game, families might find themselves a little emotionally tapped for another reason. Super Bowl advertisements often have very serious messages that comment on politics, family, motivation, love and many other topics that may be very personal to the viewer. Unfortunately, the cynical truth is that those companies aren’t genuine in their promotion of their cause or message. There is only one thing they care about: sales. A recent example of this ethos-rich marketing is the 2020 Budweiser Super Bowl ad. In the advertisement, a voiceover describing stereotypes of the American temperament is juxtaposed against video of Americans doing kind, selfless things for one another and describes these actions as “typical American” behavior. Then comes the pitch: Budweiser is described as the “typical American” beer. So as the viewer is shown images of people helping the homeless and returning soldiers surprising family members, they are told to channel their emotions into purchasing Budweiser. Whether one is crying or cringing, they
COURTESY OF BUDWEISER VIA YOUTUBE
are probably wishing Budweiser had just made a funny ad like Tide did. Instead, the viewer is left in a state of emotional exsanguination over a beer commercial. The insincerity of the ad is compounded by the fact that the advertisers clearly didn’t do their research when compiling the clips they used. At the 37-second mark in Budweiser’s one-minute TV spot, a black teenager is shown giving hugs to police officers at a protest, donned with a t-shirt reading “free hugs.” The teenager depicted is Devonte Hart, who was known for tearfully embracing a police officer in the aftermath of the acquittal of the Fergusson, Missouri cop who murdered Michael Brown. What many don’t know, however, is that Hart was only in such a situation because his criminally abusive adoptive white mothers made him. His mothers would later drive him and his siblings off a cliff, killing all 6 occupants
of the vehicle. Another ad that falls short in its genuine passion for a cause is Nike’s 2018 ad with Colin Kaepernick. The ad features clips of famous individuals who had an unlikely origin for their success. It called on people, despite their qualms or obstacles, to achieve. In the last few seconds, Kaepernick appears on screen and tells the viewer, “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.” The slogan Kaepernick uses is an allusion to the protest he conducted while quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. He would kneel during the national anthem at every game in protest of police killings and brutality of black individuals. The protest found national attention and Kaepernick was condemned by “patriots” who saw his actions as disrespectful to service members, despite the form of the protest being suggested
by a teammate of Kaepernick’s who had served. These abusers were chiefly members of the Republican party, egged on by Donald Trump’s own chastisement of the football player. This is what makes Nike’s feel-good ad and their partnership with Kapernick so hollow: 76% of Nike’s political contributions that year went to the Republican party. Nike’s ad pretends to support Kaepernick’s protest and message while bankrolling those who fiercely opposed him and were responsible for his resignation from the NFL. In short, corporations are not morally upright entities. Their alignment is always to their best interest and their largest profits. Any perceived alignment to a cause in their advertising is merely another trick employed by clever marketers to manipulate the consumer. Viewers would be wise to see through ■H the facade.
peanut with a top hat, cane and monocle selling you other peanuts to eat?” This was the beginning of the public scrutinizing the business practices and assets of Mr. Peanut, viewing him as a cruel capitalist rather than a relatable character. Mr. Peanut’s death this past month was the perfect opportunity for Planters to reconstruct the image of their mascot. The killing and revival of beloved characters is not a new concept in popular culture. From Jon Snow in “Game of Thrones,” to almost every comic book superhero, this trope is a common method used to tug at the general population’s heartstrings. By portraying Mr. Peanut selflessly giving up his life to save his friends, Planters was able to shift his image from cruel to caring. Not only did Planters turn Mr. Peanut into a hero, they utilized another trend to benefit their brand: the general public’s love for babies. On Feb. 2, the company released their second Super Bowl commercial that shows the proceedings of Mr. Peanut’s funeral. As tears slide down Kool-Aid Man’s face and hit the grave of Mr. Peanut, a sprout begins to grow and
reveals that Mr. Peanut has been reborn into the form of Baby Nut. From Baby Shark to “I’m baby” memes, there has been an increased interest in baby versions of almost everything. One example of this obsession is Disney Plus’ “The Mandalorian,” and its character that fans have dubbed “Baby Yoda.” Disney Plus was able to garner 28.6 million subscribers since its release — a feat that Disney CEO Bob Iger largely contributes to “The Mandalorian,” that became a cultural phenomenon thanks to Baby Yoda. The popularity of Baby Yoda continues off-screen with Baby Yoda becoming the highest selling Pop! Funko figure before even hitting the shelves in stores. Bringing Mr. Peanut back in the form of a baby is a clever marketing ploy by Planters because it sufficiently softens the image of their mascot from evil capitalist to helpless baby that the public can’t help but coo at its cuteness. Planters is well aware of how popular baby versions of characters can be and has already created a full merchandise store for the newly born Baby Nut to earn even more money
from customers. By utilizing these techniques, the public’s attention and sympathies have successfully been captured. In the hours following the announcement of Mr. Peanut’s passing #RIPeanut was trending on Twitter and even received a shoutout in Saturday Night Live’s weekend update segment. Over the course of the past three weeks, Mr. Peanut’s death ad has accumulated over 7.3 million views on YouTube. The brand has also received an influx of calls and messages from people who were saddened by the death of Mr. Peanut. Through this campaign, Planters has been able to drop the criticisms surrounding Mr. Peanut and revitalize their brand with Baby Nut. They found an effective, positive way to capture consumers’ attention with a memorable story and adorable new mascot. While it is too early to tell if sales have increased, it is more likely than ever that the next time someone goes grocery shopping they will have the story of a heroic peanut in the back of their mind, urging them to buy a container of peanuts. ■H
Mr. Peanut’s death is part of a trend of clever marketing devices that have successfully captured the public’s attention
CHRISTINE TRAN Senior Staff Writer
Planters took to Twitter on Wednesday, Jan. 22 to announce that their longtime mascot Mr. Peanut had passed away. It was revealed in their recent pregame Super Bowl commercial that the 104-year-old peanut sacrificed his life to save his friends when their car swerved into a canyon and left them hanging from a branch that could not support all of them. His death is part of a larger pattern of companies using outlets like Twitter to build relatable stories and personalities for their brands. While this stunt left many wondering what was the purpose of killing off the icon, the buzz that Mr. Peanut’s death has cultivated proves the effectiveness of seemingly outrageous marketing schemes like these. When it comes to shopping, 95% of decision-making takes place in the subconscious mind and people have an intricate mental network of associations with any given brand. To win over buyers, businesses have to add more positive associations to their brand. As a result, Twitter has become overrun with big brands that tweet like ordinary people. This phenomenon is otherwise known as brand Twitter. From Wendy’s poking fun at McDonald’s frozen beef to SunnyD tweeting about depression, this unique marketing technique has garnered millions of retweets and has even inspired articles talking about which brand has the best tweets. By humanizing their social media, brands have been able to gather a loyal fanbase based solely on their interactions with their customers. Previously, Planters struggled with establishing this connection with its consumers. Over the years, Mr. Peanut’s public image has faced ups and downs. In 2013, a tweet went viral that read, “Is there anything more capitalist than a
COURTESY OF BABY NUT VIA YOUTUBE
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
First on the scene: TMZ and other tabloids aren’t to blame for publishing insensitive celebrity news VICTORIA DAVY Contributing Writer
The world was shocked to hear that beloved basketball player Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others passed away in a tragic helicopter accident on Sunday, Jan. 26. TMZ, one of the first media outlets to report on the story, has been chastised for reporting the news before the police had the chance to notify the families of the deceased. It is important to keep in mind that while it may have been insensitive for TMZ to report on Kobe’s death before his family was notified, reporting the news is their job. TMZ should not take all of the blame. In actuality, the problem lies with the profitable industry that has been built around celebrity gossip. TMZ is a business, first and foremost. They sell celebrity gossip to the public and people are fueling the insensitivity in the tabloids by clicking, liking and sharing articles. The tabloids want to be the ones to break a story first so they maximize their revenue. Celebrity gossip is a billion dollar industry because people choose to support it. Tabloids wouldn’t have the power that they do if people were not constantly interested in their stories. Part of the problem lies with the sources that provide the information. Tabloids offer money for information they could use in a story. They don’t care where the tip comes from, all they want to know is if it’s factual
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Photographers at a red carpet event.
so they can publish the story without being sued. A source is always someone close to the family, a witness or someone trying to make a quick buck from an event or tragedy. The source is partially to blame because sometimes they give information to the tabloids for financial gain, while others do it to say that they were the ones to supply the pictures, information or videos. These are the people that add fuel to the fire. Without a source, gossip could not spread and the tabloid industry would not thrive. At the end of the day, TMZ and other
tabloid sites are businesses. They report and publish articles they know will make them money. Tabloids publish articles, people read them, and tabloids make money from it — it is a vicious cycle that perpetuates endlessly. Tabloids need people in order to thrive so they will continue to produce the content that will make them money. The only real way to stop the insensitivity is to stop reading and circulating the stories. TMZ and other sites that get the news of a celebrity that has passed should hold off on publishing it until the families have been notified. Famous or not, celebrities
COMICS TALL TAIL #35 BY: JUSTUS ROSS
are still people. Hearing about their family member passing through a Twitter hashtag or a tabloid article can add unneeded trauma and stress to an already confusing time. The families should always be the first ones notified before the public. Celebrities should be treated with the same dignity and respect that everyone deserves. Still, TMZ and other tabloids are not the sole problem with celebrity gossip. The problem is that celebrity gossip is a profitable industry and people support it even though it is constantly insensitive to celebrities. ■H
Be imaginative.
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
FEATURES
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UCR’s Gamespawn hosts
GLOBAL GAME BY:Alexia Aguilar Contributing Writer
On Friday, Jan. 31, UCR’s game development club Gamespawn hosted the 12th annual Global Game Jam (GGJ), which the official website described as “the world’s largest game jam event (game creation) taking place around the world at physical locations in over 113 different countries around the globe.” At the Jam, teams of game designers and developers collaborated to produce a video game within 48 hours. Jacob Tan, a third-year computer engineering major at UCR, stated that the Global Game Jam “gave me the chance to meet other people who enjoy making video games and it exercises all the things I learned in class.” The GGJ is a unique opportunity for people to practice experimental game development around an annual theme not excluding anyone based on their skill levels. From Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, the turnout at the venue in Winston Chung Hall at UCR had “near 100 attendees, with the sign up increasing to 120 to accommodate for walk-ins,” stated Annika Kirman, the secretary of UCR’s Gamespawn. College students and non-college students alike from all neighboring communities were welcomed to attend UCR’s venue. Martha Bohen, a second-year computer science major at Chaffey College, stated that she was “encouraged to enroll in the UCR Game Jam by one of (her) professors.” Some hackathon veterans praised the quality of UCR’s Jam. Emily Richardson, a fourth-year visual communications major at Cal Poly Pomona compared UCR’s Game Jam to UC Irvine’s. “UCR’s is better,” she judged, “they offered more food and a bigger building than UC Irvine’s.” Nine rooms were reserved in Winston Chung Hall for participants to work in and for workshops to be held. The rooms remained open for the duration of the 48 hours. Each room was spacious and perfect for the programmer’s laptops and other equipment.
During the opening ceremony, a series of videos promoted healthy tips to remind everyone to get plenty of sleep and take breaks. According to the introduction video, it is not uncommon for participants to lose themselves in their work. By including these videos, the organizers hoped to maintain the fun aspect of the Jam and avoid seeing people overwork themselves. Those who came from neighboring communities were encouraged to bring sleeping bags and pillows. They were also allowed to use the showers at the gym. The introductory video also released the theme for the games this year: “repair.” Teams formed and so began the planning phase, each with their own unique takes and twists. One group made a game where a wizard had to fix his spellbook to regain his spells. Another group designed a game where players were in charge of running a blacksmith’s shop. Once an idea was settled on, the groups split up the roles based on each member’s strengths and interests. Roles usually include programmers, writers, artists, sound managers and modelers. One of the teams, Team Defense Team (TDT), however, consisted entirely of computer programmers. Since they lacked an artist, the art that they used for their game was purchased online rather than created on the spot. Veteran or greenhorn, the developers were all in good spirits and collaborative as they worked diligently in their groups. However, despite the health video show in the opening ceremony, there were still people who pulled at least one all-nighter that weekend. Every group had until 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 2, to turn in a finished product. On Saturday, Game Jam veteran Daniel Martin, a cognitive science major, specialized in design and interaction from UCSD, stated that he “stayed awake for 24 hours. Some people won’t even sleep until Sunday.” While people can participate in hackathons online, attending the GGJ
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JAM,
a conference for game developers novice and expert alike
Alexandria Esteban Contributing Writer
at a host school is special in that it is meant to encourage individuals to stay on-site. Participants could have experience in online game jams but the GGJ’s memorable aspects come from attending the event in person. The official Global Game Jam goes as far as to remark, “Participating in GGJ from home is sort of like listening to a tape recording of a concert. Yes, you can get the general idea, but it isn’t even close to the experience of being there in person.” The event was planned well before the arrival of the participants. Gamespawn organizers Yishan Luo, the event coordinator, and Yvette Chen, the outreach coordinator, admitted that they had been working on the details for this Game Jam for about a year. The sponsors that helped fund the event include companies like Adobe and Black Stone. Their careful planning and funding made it possible for them to provide everyone with free food. An assortment of timeframes were scheduled for the organizers to distribute breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout the span of those few days. The food available at the eating sessions included Dominos Pizza, Subway sandwiches and burgers from The Habit. Throughout the weekend, participants could also attend workshops led by experts who helped with developing difficulties. In one of the workshops, “Intro to Unity,” participants were shown how to make a Flappy Bird clone from scratch. In “Team Collaboration,” tips were shared on how to function as a wellrounded team. On Saturday, Feb. 1, organizers held a “Chill Time.” While this wasn’t technically a workshop, this gave participants a chance to unwind after hours of working on their games. By noon that Saturday, many of the teams were making steady progress on game completion, working late into the night to avoid working at all on Sunday. By then, many games only needed final touches before being submitted.
During the closing ceremony, each team presented their final products before giving a brief game demo. Though the games were short and simple, they all seemed to be operating to the point that they were playable. Once everyone had presented, every participant was given a free shirt that had a design of a girl surrounded by items that represented the common roles in game development teams. After the ceremony, groups were invited to present their final products. The presentations of each game brought delight to all the developers as everyone cheered on the results of everyone’s hard work. Then teams were encouraged to play each other’s games. None of the games were overly detailed but, nevertheless, participants were supportive of one another and proud of what they accomplished. The event was not without faults, however. Diane Ngo, president of UCR’s Gamespawn, revealed that next year they “plan to make arrangements with the Student Rec Center prior to Game Jam.” This year, there was an issue with non-UCR participants being unable to access the gym showers without an escort from a UCR student so by talking about the situation with someone from the gym the organizers hope to avoid this problem next year. Plans for printing and distributing parking permits were also discussed. Ngo noted that “some students had a hard time finding free parking during the weekend.” By distributing parking permits ahead of time, the coordinators hope to avoid this issue in the future. Gamespawn is also offering other ways to get involved in game design on campus, such as through their Hacknights for video game projects every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in Orbach 140 through February. They also hold workshops, socials and host guest speakers, all meant to supply knowledge and experience to students looking to enter the creative gaming world. ■H
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Money Maker Monday:
a talk on disseminating economic power to the black community Margarita Manzo, contributing writer
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furthered the discussion by stating that, with the advancement of technology, students can now make money through side hustles. A side hustle is essentially a job a person takes on out of passion, alongside a main one. They then segued into a conversation about the importance of side hustles and entrepreneurship. BRIDGE showed a TED Talk called “My Black Year.” The speaker Maggie Anderson, CEO and co-founder of The Empowerment Experiment, introduced a lesser known
we’re politically free but economically insignificant. That’s a tough trade-off to make.” After that video Mengush asked, “What are some of the hurdles that are in the way when it comes to taking social capital and utilizing that to combat this economic injustice?” Shane, a fourthyear political science major answered, “I feel like a lot of people don’t have the information they need. I feel like they have an idea they come up with something. They don’t realize the gravity
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e had economic power when we were politically disenfranchised, we took that economic power for granted because we needed to fight for our civil rights; now we’re politically free but economically insignificant. That’s a tough trade-off to make.’ kind of civil rights that Martin Luther King Jr. fought for: the regaining of economic and business power. “After slavery, more and more black towns became self sustaining, until intergration or until they were burned down by racists,” Anderson explained. “We had economic power when we were politically disenfranchised, we took that economic power for granted because we needed to fight for our civil rights; now
of what they’ve done.” Shane recalled the girl that coined the phrase “on fleek,” slang for “flawless,” as an example. “At first she didn’t have any of the business acumen to get trademarked so there were hella companies out there using that on their product. Then she realized, ‘Oh, I have a gold mine here’ and then she got all the legal documents to say ‘This is mine, if you want to use it you have to pay for
it.’” After the conversation BRIDGE introduced campus resources that shared the organization’s goals, such as LaunchPad Blackstone, an organization that meets every Tuesday from 12 to 2 p.m. at Rivera 144. LaunchPad Blackstone’s purpose is to guide anyone with an entrepreneurial idea or interest by doing one-on-ones and workshops to help make the idea a reality. Another resource they mentioned was icore, which provides funds for market research. The recurring theme of the event and philosophy of BRIDGE was noticed by those within the audience, especially Demaje, a community member who sought out the event himself. “I’d be a fool to not take these kinds of classes … being in here really made me wish the room was full of black people because it’s the same information that everybody else has that everybody else is utilizing and getting somewhere.” BRIDGE’s next event will be a collaboration with LaunchPad Blackstone from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Rivera Library room 140 on Friday, Feb. 14. To learn more about upcoming events, visit ASP’s office at 133 Costo Hall or their homepage at asp.ucr.edu. For more coverage on the events, visit the Highlander website at highlandernews. org. ■H
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In honor of Black History Month, African Student Programs (ASP) is hosting events all throughout February for students to learn more about the culture. The starting cannon event for Black History Month at UCR was Money Maker Monday: Entrepreneurship & Side Hustles, held on Monday, Feb. 3 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. at HUB 367. The event was hosted by a recently created club on campus called Blacks Rising in Domestic and Global Entrepreneurship (BRIDGE) whose goal is to “not only have students dedicated to their studies but also developing an interest in having something (a business) on the side,” said Semee Mengush, cofounder of BRIDGE and fourthyear political science major. He added, “We are trying to be the medium in which conversation can be had about things related to business development, business literacy and just understanding the mechanisms within them … trying to be the translator between the sort of language that (business entrepreneurship) is in.” The event was of sparse attendance, only a crowd of five, but it didn’t deter BRIDGE’s enthusiasm. The presenters and co-founders, Mengush and Halle Sam-Boudreau, a fourth-year economics and marketing major, started the event off with an icebreaker of rock paper scissors before beginning their presentation. It started off with a video about how the old way of earning money wasn’t going to work for the current generation. BRIDGE
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Campus Cope: the importance of campus involvement By: Cody Davis, Senior Staff Writer
College is often a period in our lives where we truly see ourselves grow into responsible, active and independent individuals. Four-year universities such as UCR serve as wellsprings that provide students with the resources and opportunities to meet their fullest potential. Despite this abundance of freedom that college students have at their disposal, they can often find themselves developing a tunnel-vision mentality. For some, college is simply about taking care of business in the classroom and walking out as soon as possible with a degree. Academics is no doubt the most important aspect of being a student, but to grow as an individual, it is important to embrace other activities outside of the classroom. This can include joining a campus club, organization or intramural sports team. The first question one may ask is, “How does joining a group help to improve my college experience?” A common answer is that such involvement can provide students with the camaraderie they need to be happy and feel connected to their campus. Being a member of a campus organization can help students step outside their comfort zone and develop friendships that sometimes outlast college, not to mention the potential memories that can be made from being in these groups can last a lifetime. Another benefit to being a part of a community on campus is that you could develop skills and experiences that will be useful when transitioning into the real world; more specifically, when pursuing a career. Most employers tend to seek out students who are active in
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their campus communities. They want individuals with leadership experience who have committed themselves to causes beyond their studies. Since a great number of college students have yet to begin their professional careers, joining a campus organization you are passionate about is the best way to gain this experience. However, although many students may understand the value of being active organization members, they still face a couple of challenges. To start with, they have to find the campus groups that are right for them. In this case, it would be worthwhile to visit the many student organizations that table during the week.
Specifically for UCR students, campus organizations table every Wednesday from around 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Bell Tower. Here, you can talk to different organizational representatives and obtain information such as sign-ups and meeting times. Another useful way to find information about a campus group is to visit the Student Life office located in HUB 229 or by going online and visiting HighlanderLink. These resources will assist you with sorting through the hundreds of student organizations here on campus and help you narrow down your search. Tools like the Involvement Calculator on HighlanderLink will even recommend options based on your profile on the site. The second challenge students may face when getting involved is balancing their academic and extracurricular schedules. Some students may be interested in joining multiple organizations, but may not have the time to be active in all of them. In this scenario, it is best to evaluate all the organizations you are interested in, prioritize the organizations you are passionate about and make your decisions based on time commitment. Ideally, you should be part of at least one organization you enjoy and are active in and another couple that you like that are not too demanding. Most organizations tend not to be overly strict about your active participation, but it is worth pointing out that if you are ever planning to apply for a leadership position within the organization, then it is best to be as active as possible. ■H
UNDER THE
KILT
I’m from the city of San Bernardino, which is approximately 20 minutes away from Riverside depending on the traffic. My peers tend to be shocked by this information since I live on campus and wonder why I don’t stay at home and commute if I live so close. My home life didn’t seem too bad in retrospect, but I was really anxious to have a small taste of freedom, even if it was under the pretense of going to college. Recently I finally learned the true nature of what comes with living on my own. While I lived in the A-I dorms my freshman year, I’d run into my residential advisor every day. This time around I truly have no adults, like my parents or my residential advisor, to watch out for my well-being. During my second year at UCR, I moved into an oncampus apartment, which has brought with it many more learning experiences. My first lesson was having the responsibility of managing my own amenities, namely, the internet. Trying to figure out how to get ahold of internet providers and set up my internet wasn’t the most enjoyable experience. There were days where I struggled to figure out that there was only one internet provider in my area; I then had to wait for the router and modem to be shipped to me so I could set it up on my own. Being allowed to go anywhere I please has been widely important to my social life. I constantly want to be around my college friends, but we all have very different lives and schedules throughout the day. By living near campus I’m able to go to their apartment to hang out at night when we are all available. I’ve become so accustomed to that freedom that while back home for the summer my parents were confused when I would just leave without asking for permission first. Funnily enough, my family still is able to keep tabs on me since my mom is always tracking my location through
her GPS app. When my mom realizes I’m not at home she is disappointed to hear that I was not living it up at a random party but raiding my friend’s apartment for snacks. Being in charge of buying my own food has posed quite the learning curve. In my family’s house, nothing was left in the fridge long enough to rot so I was never aware of expiration dates. While living on my own I had to figure out what foods to buy to feed myself. I began to plan ahead in my eating schedule for the week so that I could finish foods like milk and cheese before their expiration dates. This was a hassle at first as I don’t always have milk in my fridge for my cereal by the end of the week. I am very fortunate to have learned how to do my laundry while still living at home. Now that I live on my own I have to be very cognizant of when I’ll run out of clean clothes, especially socks. However, I’ve since adjusted and planned ahead by slowly increasing the number of socks I own. I made a point to also purchase extra laundry baskets to accommodate my clothes dilemma, one for my clean laundry and one for dirty clothes. The work habits from high school pretty much transferred over to my college years, so I feel as though I haven’t had too much a learning curve when it came to that aspect in my life. However, I feel it is important to note that while in college, friends can take up a significant amount of time and can become distracting. I take charge of my education by setting a schedule for when to do my homework. By setting a schedule, I can hang out with friends and am better able to section off when to work on assignments. It also helps remove any doubts that I won’t be able to finish my work and gets me in the right mindset to do well in class. Being proactive also applies to my living situation, since no one cares if I’m comfortable except me. I learned
Life on your own By: Alexia Aguilar, Contributing Writer
this fact the hard way when I pretended that the condition of my bathroom drain was fine when I initially moved into the apartment; turns out I was wrong and had to put out a work order to fix it. I know that there are students who commute from as far as Los Angeles to attend UCR, but personally, I think I would have been cheating out on an experience of a lifetime if I stayed at home. It would then be similar to my high school years where I could only be at school or at home. There are some aspects of living on my own that might seem to be more of a hassle than they’re worth, yet at the same time, they have been shaping me into a more well-rounded individual. Despite having to make adjustments, I would have still chosen to move out rather than staying at home. ■H
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‘Birds of Prey’ perfectly captures the colorful mayhem of Harley Quinn By: Colin Carney, Senior Staff Writer
Following a series of critical flops with “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Suicide Squad,” DC and Warner Bros have finally hit their stride. Their first major success with “Wonder Woman” was promptly followed up by the campy success of “Aquaman,” the family fun hero “Shazam” and the dark character study “Joker.” Now DC returns with “Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn,” and as the title may suggest, it is filled with the wonderful absurdity of the film’s titular villain. The film follows Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) as she fights to survive the onslaught of Gotham’s criminal underworld following her breakup with the Joker and the loss of his protection. Unfortunately for her, one criminal that wants Harley dead is the sadistic crime boss Roman Sionis, also known as Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). In order to save herself and win Sionis’ favor, she agrees to find a valuable diamond he lost and return it to him. As Harley pursues the young pickpocket who stole the diamond, audiences are introduced to a slew of female protagonists whose stories each coalesce around Harley. The narrative of “Birds of Prey” is relatively cut and dry as Harley is in pursuit of the diamond only to inevitably find herself back in the crosshairs of the cruel Black Mask. However, the way in which the film executes the plot is unique and representative of the film’s narrator, Harley Quinn. Told by the unhinged and wild villain herself, the story structure matches her mental state. As the film progresses, Harley often interrupts and pulls us away from the film to introduce audiences to new characters. Though at times jarring, these detours shine
Verdict:
a light on the supporting cast while also offering us different perspectives on past scenes. To some this may seem overly chaotic and distracting, but when taken with the film’s overall tone and direction, it feels somehow natural. The disjointed narrative perfectly matches Quinn’s chaotic nature while never deviating too far from the film’s central plot. Furthermore, though this film is clearly Harley Quinn’s movie, its diverse cast of supporting characters for the most part manage to deliver memorable performances. Leading this film is none other than Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn. Robbie’s perfromance as the Joker’s girlfriend was perhaps the best part of the critical flop that was “Suicide Squad,” and she continues to nail the character here. This time, however, she is unshackled from Jared Leto’s Joker and permitted to let loose and explore her own individuality. As the film’s clear lead, Robbie manages to carry the movie throughout as she continues to succeed in capturing the character’s inherent gleeful absurdity and fun loving brutality. Supporting Harley are the titular Birds of Prey: Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco), Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) and the Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Though each of these four protagonists varied in their amount of screentime, each were given their moment to shine. The two most impressive members of the Birds of Prey were Canary and Cain, each given ample amount of time to shine on screen. Smollet-Bell delivered on a strong and confident portrayal of the comic book heroine as she learned to be a hero despite being surrounded by so much evil. Basco’s Cassandra Cain worked
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well opposite Harley Quinn as she became a protegee to the villainess. Rounding out the protagonists was: Huntress, who had little screentime until the end, and Renee Montoya, a complex and compelling character from the comics who came across as more of a detective stereotype at times. That said, the film makes an effort to make light of this stereotype by continuously pointing it out and making jokes about it. Additionally, it is worth shining a light on Ewan McGregor’s campy and menacing performance as the film’s villain, Black Mask. True to his comic origins, McGregor’s Black Mask is a sadistic crime boss that takes particular joy from inflicting pain upon his perceived enemies. Furthermore, McGregor portrays the character as deeply paranoid and on a hair trigger as the slightest indiscretion can set him off on a violent outburst. Supporting McGregor in the villain category is Chris Messina as the killer
Victor Zsasz. Where McGregor’s performance was respectful of the source material, Messina’s begins to deviate drastically. Rather than being an insane serial killer stalking the streets of Gotham, instead he’s a hired hitman and associate of Black Mask. Though that may not annoy many casual fans, it felt unnecessary for that role to be Zsasz rather than some other comic hitman. Coupling this colorful cast and insane story are spectacular moments of creatively choreographed fight scenes. Thanks to the last minute addition of “John Wick” director Chad Stahelski as second unit director, many of the film’s fight scenes were touched up in reshoots. The result is thrilling as each fight makes wonderful use of the scene’s environment. Reminiscent of the “John Wick” franchise, anything in the scene could be used as a weapon or obstacle, making for fast-paced and adrenaline-fueled combat.
Each successive fight is both animated and hilarious, as demonstrated by one moment where Harley inhales cocaine in order to give her an extra edge in a fight. The fight choreography is exciting as each altercation is different from the last and accompanied by a stellar soundtrack that adds to the excitement and makes each battle unique. “Birds of Prey” is a welcomed addition to the steadily increasing amount of quality superhero (and supervillain) films made by DC. The film embraces the inherent insanity of Harley Quinn and does so to great effect. Visually appealing, the film is filled with bright colors, magnificent set pieces and amazingly shot fight scenes that are also coupled with a killer soundtrack. The cast of characters are sure to draw audiences in and are likely to keep them there as the majority of them deliver on both the action and comedy. ■H
“Birds of Prey” is another success for DC and Warner Bros that delivers on a wild and crazy ride with Margot Robbie’s colorfully chaotic Harley Quinn at the wheel. A great cast and spectacular fight scenes make for a fun movie going experience.
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The third installment of ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ will put a spell on you ATENAS ODRIOZOLA, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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Netflix’s horror thriller show is back. The “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”’s long-awaited season three was released on Friday, Jan. 24. With its dynamic plot, complex character development and unabashed desire to do whatever it wants, audiences were once again reminded how this Archie Comic title captivated those around the world. In season two, Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka) found out she was the daughter of Lucifer Morningstar (Luke Cook) and destined to be the Queen of Hell. After first trying to deny her destiny, she inevitably submits to be Hell’s Queen. However, as she ascends to the throne, she tricks her father. Sabrina imprisons him, but the Dark Lord still managed to escape. In order to save them all, Nicholas “Nick” Scratch (Gavin Leatherwood) has the Dark Lord binded into him. Lilith (Michelle Gomez) ascended as the new Queen, takes Nick’s body and walks into Hell. Sabrina watches, but vows she will get her boyfriend back after the pandemonium of the finale fight. The third season picks up right where it left off, solving all the loose ends left from season two, from Sabrina trying to save Nick to the search for Father Blackwood. If that isn’t enough, Sabrina learns she must help govern Hell, adding to her responsibility with Greendale’s coven, family and friends. Her judgement is put to the test with each decision she makes as she questions the cost they will incur. This new season has marked major progression for the show, particularly in character development. Sabrina’s indecisiveness and dual nature has been a major plot mover in previous seasons. In season three, however, this cliche trope is finally put to rest. Instead, Sabrina is painted as a powerful dynamic female character. Without having her solely painted as the savior
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or damsel in distress, Sabrina grows more than she does in other episodes. This move also helps highlight the complexity of the other characters in the show as Sabrina no longer has to solve every problem that arises. Some notable mentions are Ambrose Spellman (Chance Perdomo) and Prudence Blackwood (Tati Gabrielle), who hunt Father Blackwood for tricking them and almost destroying the coven. Despite having little screen time, the actors’ performance showed the complexities of these two characters. Since season one, their roles have depended on being supportive or were limited by the environment they were in. Ambrose has always acted as a mentor to Sabrina and Prudence always acted to serve Father Blackwood. We did get to see some character growth throughout the seasons (especially at the end of season two), but within season three they had a whole makeover as they journeyed by themselves and showed their full capability.
Mambo Marie, a voodoo priestess who provides the Spellmans in their need of help. Then there’s Jonathan Whitesell who plays Robin Goodfellow, the new kid in town with a mysterious past. Their cookie cutter descriptions paint them into cliche roles, which at times can become predictable. What’s more, with only eight episodes to introduce and mold their characters, their short appearance made them experience what the other characters have faced: a one-dimensional look. Another issue the show faced was its slowpaced plot. The first half of the season spent its time solving the problems of last season while the last four episodes were used to introduce the new storyline. At times, the show felt rushed and pivotal moments came out to be disappointing. The expectations of certain moments were delivered with hasty conclusions. With season three leaving you on another cliffhanger, the directors have positioned themselves to face the same problems in the next season that this season has had. The series markets itself as a horror, thriller show, but last season was toned down to display Sabrina’s high school problems. However, this season takes you to Hell and has been unapologetic in its use of horror. With human sacrifices, mass murder and psychological torture, the series conveys the dark side the show can offer. Its multiple historical usages of hell and monsters will ensure that you will not be able to sleep with the lights off, or at the very least, not be able to put your computer down. The show begins with a rocky start, but by the end of the season you’ll be glad to have watched it. The show gives a right amount of balance of horror, magic and high school drama. Then the ending makes you wonder when the next season will come out. ■H
hough the ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ lacks in some departments, its new direction proves how the directors are not afraid to make daring moves.
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While season three allowed returning characters the opportunity to shine, the show failed to flesh out the new actors. This latest season brought in three new actors to the show. Sam Corlett plays Caliban, the Prince of Hell who challenges Sabrina for the throne and Nick for her love. Skye P. Marshall plays
The show started slow, but delivers at the end. The characters become more fleshed out and the plot at the end will have you on the edge of your seat. It won’t be your favorite season, but it’s still a season to watch, so pop your popcorn and binge it.
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Game delays are in the best interest of players as they provide a more polished experience Jamie Peterson, Contributing Writer
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Gaming seems to be hitting a roadblock this year. Many triple-A games that were expected to be released early into the year have now been delayed toward the end of it or further. Multiple developers have taken to Twitter to announce delays ranging from small reasons such as future “polishing” to bigger reasons such as needing more time to “develop their vision.” Some of the most anticipated games include Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal’s “Marvel’s Avengers,” CD Projekt’s “Cyberpunk 2077,” Naughty Dog’s “The Last of Us Part 2” and Square Enix’s “Final Fantasy VII Remake,” among others. Although this results in the major lack of content and disappointment from the gaming community, it is better to trust the developers and wait for what can potentially be a fully fleshed-out game rather than a rushed one filled with bugs, glitches and empty content. Video games, like any other entertainment medium, are also a work of art and art can never be rushed. The same is true of games, as Nintendo’s legendary video game designer Shiegru Miyamato puts it: “A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad.” If done right,
video games can prove to be just as audioimmersive, narrative-driven and cinematically groundbreaking as any song, book or movie. Despite given the triple-A budget, the only way to reach this is through pure hard work and creativity. Development teams zone in on some of the most tedious things video games require — like sound design, level design, combat mechanics — so it only makes sense that games might have to work outside of the expected deadline sometimes. The delayed “Cyberpunk 2077” itself requires a team of up to 400 people. Even if this does not excuse the delayed release date, it is better for these 2020 games to be scheduled for a later date rather than an early release. It does not take much digging into gaming history to see that games have been seeing delayed releases for a while now, but it has mostly been for the better. Rockstar Games’ “Red Dead Redemption 2” was delayed, not once, but twice. As if players didn’t already have to wait eight full years since its predecessor was released, it was originally set for the second half of 2017 but then delayed to spring 2018 and eventually released in October 2018. Still, the game became one of the most revolution-
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ary games for the console generation. “Red Dead Redemption 2” racked up $725 million in revenue during its first weekend on sale and won several game awards for performance, score, narrative and audio design. Nintendo’s “Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” was originally scheduled to be released exclusively on the Wii U in 2015 but was delayed two years and eventually released onto the Nintendo Switch as well. Despite the two-year delay, it still fascinates me that an open-world game can be carried on a hand-held device. Also, “Breath of the Wild” sold 16.34 million copies by 2019 and climbed up in recognition with fellow Nintendo titles “Super Smash Bros Ultimate” and the Pokemon franchise. Ultimately, these games were brought to overwhelming success because they chose to take their time with the game even at the cost of temporarily disappointing their audience. If these delayed 2020 games were to skip the touch-ups and go straight to launch, the gaming community might be rid of the broken promise of a faux release date, but only to be replaced by a string of even more broken promises. Games that release before they are ready usually try to reassure gamers into buying their games for full price by talking up updates and patches that will eventually fix any errors. Yet, as we have seen in many games over the last few years, these updates either never happen or don’t do much. Hello Games’ “No Man’s Sky” started out as a vision to immerse into a world with 18 quintillion planets. Ironically, because they believed they could release early and improve it later down the line, it became a massive world with little to no content. Eventually, it became one of the lowest-rated games on Steam back in 2016 and continued to be an empty amount of space until its latest big update. Bethesda’s “Fallout 76” was also equipped with updates in order to help make the game run better with less glitches and frame drops and additional NPC’s (non-playable characters) even if the community remarked that these should’ve been fixed before the game launched. Eventu-
ally, updates quickly became ways to riddle the game with monetization instead of adding content and enhancing the game’s performance. Bethesda began overpricing holiday cosmetics and recently added a monthly $13 subscription filled with the content and private servers the game should have started with, only this time, behind a payment barrier. Thus, instead of hanging onto the disappointment that is a delayed release date, we should put more faith into these games and feel lucky that the developers themselves care about it enough to put it on hold. Still, delaying any type of game shouldn’t always be a safety net for developers. It is a dangerous move for gaming corporations economically. Both the highly anticipated “Marvel’s Avengers” and “Cyberpunk 2077” have moved their spring dates of May and April all the way to September. This is a risky move considering gamers will be using up their reserved money for the anticipated PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. These two games are also, coincidentally, releasing two weeks apart which stretches gamer’s funds even more thin. A majority will not invest this much money on a console and a handful of $60 games within such a close release time amongst one another. Avengers and Cyberpunk are also original games that aren’t coming from a familiar series like “Final Fantasy VII Remake” and “The Last of Us Part 2.” These two games have a series of delayed games which eventually became successful, so the trust their audience has in them is far greater than games with no previous community. All in all, I think the most fearsome thing we have against the idea of delayed games is boredom. What will we end up playing this year if everything is pushed back? With ray tracing and more advanced CPUs on the rise, it is hard to remember that there are so many games already out there. We fail to notice that the end of a generation of games is upon us, and an overall good one too. Embrace the “old” until the wait for the new generation of games doesn’t feel like such a wait anymore. ■H
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
21
KUCR Presents
OFF
Record the
SARAH BAZZY/ HIGHLANDER
REMEMBERING “KUCR: A RETROSPECTIVE” JOSHUA MORENO Contributing Writer
During September of 2019, a group of KUCR DJs gathered at the radio station for a weekly meeting to discuss how an exhibit at Pain Sugar Gallery, located in downtown Riverside, was to commemorate 50 plus years of service to the communal population. The exhibit itself opened on the fifth of December, which meant that immediate planning was essential. Thankfully, the KUCR team had the proper help. Fritz Aragon, the proprietor of Pain Sugar, was open to every idea KUCR suggested and gave his ultimate support. It was through his planning and consideration that using a gallery was even possible; he was the one that suggested to KUCR that an exhibit would be ideal. Late KUCR Engineer Bill Elledge donated his collection of photography to the station. KUCR Historical Archivist Elliott Kim had meticulously scanned every photo, which gave the planning team a selection to rummage through. Of course, there’s also KUCR Director Louis Vandenberg, who fundraised for the exhibit. These key figures, along with a number of KUCR DJs, made it all happen. Decidedly, the exhibit was to display past and present photos of KUCR. The photography was divided by decade and was displayed in a formation that mimicked a radio wave on the long wall of the gallery. As an engineer since the station’s hayday, Elledge’s photos documented the station’s growth along with pictures of DJs throughout the station’s lifespan. The photos presented DJs in their youthful tomfoolery as well as political figures in photos with KUCR members. Parallel to the photography was art and poetry created by the DJs which exhibited the many talents of the team. On the adjacent wall was a selfie station where visitors could take a picture of themselves along a backdrop that featured the radio station’s control booth. It allowed attendees the chance to simulate and show off as a KUCR radio DJ. The stage was set for the December fifth opening ceremony, but if this exhibit was to display the history of KUCR, it was important that past KUCR alumni be informed so that they would be able to visit. The planning team conducted phone banks using a list of hundreds of numbers and names. It was tedious work,
but the team was up to the challenge. Opening day came and the turnout was electrifying with a large number of station supporters attending. In usual KUCR fashion, it couldn’t end with just the exhibit, so live bands and DJs turned the place up to an 11. The live acts were all KUCR members, with Koby Parks opening the show. His soft folk guitar was complemented by a booming soulful voice that placed every attendee in a state of awe. Devyn Dezray continued this array of folk music, but where Parks’ struck from above like an eagle, hers speared right through the heart. Parent Teacher Conference followed Dezray’s performance. Caveman Movies closed the show and were as tenacious as they were exciting with DJ Clumsy Tung crawling on the floor while keeping his bass and vocals in check. Jan. 31 marked the closing reception, which was a humbling, yet equally as gratifying. The turnout was mostly DJs and KUCR alumni, which made for a very intimate night as it allowed for a true appreciation of
the past two months that this exhibit was open. We had live acts again in the form of KUCR DJs and bands. Sour Cage opened the show, sludgy and otherworldly. Esoralba followed Sour Cage’s heavy set with calming bass and vocal undertones. Closing the show was KUCR’s own Mikaela Elson, who slayed the night with her voice. It’s undeniable that her set made the rafters absolutely shake from her amazing vocal talent and her flawless backing band. The exhibit was to celebrate 53 years of commercialfree radio that places the Inland Empire (IE) in its utmost care. The documentation and photography not only captured the history of KUCR, but also placed in perspective how my fellow DJs and I are now inscribed in its story. By the time this is read, the exhibit will be long gone, but the radio station will still be living on and what a blessing it is that there’s a format that is as diverse as the people it caters to here in the heart of the IE. ■H
SARAH BAZZY/ HIGHLANDER
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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
NBA All-Star predictions
jordan hom, Senior staff writer
NBA All-Star Weekend is a time of excitement and fun for players and fans alike. The best of the best in the league are recognized for their hard work by being named to one of the two 12-player squads that play in the All-Star game. In addition to the game itself, the NBA also hosts other festivities during All-Star Weekend such as the skills challenge and slam-dunk contest. Below are predictions for the winners of this year’s All-Star Weekend:
USA versus World: team World While Team USA boasts the likes of Zion Williamson, Trae Young and Ja Morant, they lack the depth and size to compete with the World team. Without a true center on the USA roster, DeAndre Ayton will be able to feast down low on the block. In addition, Ayton will have first-time All-Star Luka Doncic on the roster to throw him easy lobs. With a duo of talented Canadians in RJ Barrett, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a pair of Gonzaga alums in Rui Hachimura and Brandon Clarke, team World will achieve the victory by a close margin.
Skills Challenge: Spencer Dinwiddie Spencer Dinwiddie, a guard for the Brooklyn Nets, will get his chance to defend his 2018 crown for the NBA skills challenge. Dinwiddie will take home the title because of his unique ability to pass and knock down threes in a flash. Currently, Dinwiddie is averaging a career-high in points with 21 points per game (ppg) along with 6.4 assists per game (apg). While his three-point percentage this season is on the lower side, he has proven in the past to be a reliable three-point shooter.
Three-Point Contest: Davis Bertans Davis Bertans, also known as the Latvian Laser, is one of the more underrated members of the contest. After a trade in the 2019 off-season sent Bertans from the Spurs to the Wizards, Bertans has been able to fully showcase his sniping abilities. Bertans is averaging a career-high 15 ppg to go along with his scorching hot 43% from behind the arc. On a nightly basis, Bertans converts around 3.5 threes a game, a number that ranks fifth in the league.
Slam Dunk Contest: Pat Connaughton While Pat Connaugton is probably the least known participant of the contest, he can use the element of surprise to show the audiences what he is capable of. At the 2015 NBA draft combine, Connaughton registered a 44-inch max vertical jump and a 37.5-inch standing vertical jump. In highschool, Connaughton was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for his performances and also showcased his dunking abilities with a 360 degree windmill dunk.
NBA All-Star Game: Team Giannis While Team LeBron is the more talented roster on paper, Team Giannis boasts a youthful collection of players that will be playing in their first All-Star game. As the underdogs, Team Giannis will come out attacking the basket and display some of the same intensity as they would in a real NBA game. In addition, Team Giannis also consists of a stronger collection of big men, including Joel Embiid, Rudy Gobert and Bam Adebayo. The three bigs will provide a formidable wall for any players looking to attack the rim with ease. With an enthusiastic group of young stars and a stronger interior presence, Team Giannis will earn the victory in a tightly contested battle.
■H
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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
SPORTS
23
Women’s BAsketball snap four-game losing streak in victory over Cal State Northridge CALLIE LAWSON-FREEMAN Staff Writer
The UC Riverside women’s basketball team (7-15, 3-5) snapped their four-game losing streak in a victory over California State University, Northridge (9-13, 4-4) on Thursday, Jan. 9 at the Matadome in Northridge. The victory marked Riverside’s first conference road win of the season. The Highlanders trailed the Matadors by only one point in the first quarter, 7-6, and never gave up the lead again for the rest of the game. Riverside secured the 67-62 win despite numerous offensive surges from Northridge. After closing the first quarter with a three-point lead, Riverside started the second quarter strong with senior guard Jannon Otto scoring a three on each of the first two possessions. The Matadors appeared to be cutting into the nine-point Highlander lead at the start of the second quarter, but the Highlanders quickly regained control of the game. After a foul from junior guard Keilani Cooper, Northridge sophomore guard Jordyn Jackson made the ensuing free throws. In the next sequence, the Matadors regained possession of the ball with a defensive rebound that led to a three from freshman guard Deja Williams, cutting their deficit to only four points. Riverside sophomore forward Bryanna Brady scored a quick bucket off of an assist from senior forward Jaylyn Clay, improving the Highlander lead to eight points. Brady’s bucket was the start of an eight-to-nothing scoring run for the Highlanders that was highlighted
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by Cooper sinking back-to-back threepointers for Riverside. The Highlanders started the third quarter with a 10-point lead and carried the momentum into the fourth quarter even with the Matadors cutting the lead to four points once again with only 36 seconds left in the game. UCR defended their 63-59 lead, holding Northridge to a missed shot attempt and a turnover while getting to the line three times to make four of their six free throws. Otto led the Highlanders with 27 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Her stellar performance cemented her place in Highlander history as she became the 19th woman to score 1,000 points for UC Riverside. “I think Jannon has been stepping up,” Head Coach Seyram Bell said when reflecting on Otto’s success. “I think she is doing a good job. And not just scoring wise, she’s doing a good job leading the team. She would get frustrated before and force shots, and in practice we have been really emphasizing shooting,” Bell added. Otto is currently ranked as an
individual leader in two of the four Big West categories, ranked third in points per game and fourth in rebounds per game, right behind her teammate senior forward Marina Ewodo who is ranked third. Ewodo contributed eight points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four steals in the victory. Cooper was the second highest scorer, finishing with 17 points and nine rebounds. Next, the Highlanders will host Long Beach State (10-11, 5-3) on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the SRC Arena. ■H
Men’s basketball defeated on the road by Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Northridge
DAMIAN GARCIA Staff Writer
After their first match up in the season against California State University, Fullerton (9-15, 4-5) that went in favor of UC Riverside (1410, 4-4) 65-59, the Highlanders were hunting for a season sweep against the Titans. Wednesday, Feb. 5 saw Cal State Fullerton (CSUF) come out in a different light, as they battled with a sense of determination that led to their 61-48 victory and evened the series. The match began in an unusual fashion for the Highlanders as they committed three turnovers in their
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initial possessions. Their 6-0 deficit, without a single point on the board, led UC Riverside Head Coach David Patrick to call a timeout. Although the Highlanders were able to temporarily rally on a 7-0 run, turnovers proved to be an underlying factor as the Titans capitalized on 10 first half turnovers. Even with a careless play style, UCR fought tooth and nail to stay in the match, as they went into the break trailing by five at 32-27 in favor of CSUF. The energy from the initial turnovers carried into the second half
of the match, in which the Highlanders were outscored 29-21. Beyond going a low 43% from the field, UCR could not find a rhythm from the threepoint line. The Highlanders were only able to convert three of their 14 shot attempts from beyond the arc. The Highlanders were also edged out in a rebound battle for the first time since their meeting against the Air Force Academy on Dec. 31, 2019. The Titans grabbed a rebound more than the Highlanders, 27-26, respectively. Graduate student guard Khyber Kabellis and sophomore center
Callum McRae posted 10 points each, although their collective effort was not enough to mount a Highlander comeback. The Titans dominant play was in part due to senior guard Brandon Kamga and senior forward Jackson Rowe, who both had double digit scoring games and five assists collectively. The Highlanders demonstrated another style as they took on CSU Northridge on Saturday, Feb. 8. Although they found themselves in a similar situation to their previous match, UCR was able to provide an answer to a 14-point deficit that fell just short of stunning Northridge. With under 10 seconds of play, Kabellis tied up the match at 59 with a clutch layup. The ball returned to the hands of the Matadors with 4.9 seconds of play. In a moment of chaos over a loose ball, Northridge’s sophomore forward Lamine Diane was fouled and sent to the line where he drained a pair of free throws. The Matadors protected their narrow lead and maintained the victory at their home. The Highlanders will return home on Wednesday, Feb. 12 as they host division leaders UC Irvine (14-9, 6-1) in a midweek match. UCR will look to even this series with their previous meeting going in favor of UCI, 69-53. ■H
SPORTS 24
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports
Women’s tennis Ends two-game losing streak as they earn victory against Westmont College
JORDAN HOM Senior Staff Writer
On Wednesday, Feb. 5, the UCR women’s tennis team (23) competed against Westmont College (1-5) on their home courts in Riverside. The Highlanders went into the match looking to end their two-game losing streak in which they lost to the University of Oregon (4-3) and UC Davis (4-1). In the end, Riverside came out victorious as they defeated Westmont 6-1. In total, the Highlanders have faced off against Westmont three times since 2018, and UCR has won in all three previous matchups. Last season was a successful season for the Westmont Warriors as they finished with a 20-6 record, the highest win total for Westmont since 2013, when they won 17 matchups. Additionally, the Warriors also won their conference tournament, the Golden State Athletic Conference Championship. Once again, the Highlanders came out strong against the Warriors. In the singles bracket, only one Highlander suffered a defeat. Riverside sophomore Natalie Shamma battled against Westmont senior Cade Pierson in a back-and-forth match. Pierson won the first round, Shamma
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took the second and the third round saw Pierson edge out Shamma for the victory. However, in the five singles matches, the Highlanders all earned subsequent victories. In the singles number two match, UCR junior Tia Elpusan got the 6-2, 6-0 victory against Westmont sophomore Emily Peterson. Riverside sophomore Lindsey Gelinas secured the 6-0,
6-1 advantage against sophomore Rachal Jackson. Gelinas also competed in a doubles match alongside UCR senior Lauren Wolfe. The pair took on a pair of Westmont freshman: Christine Hemri and Ana Negri. Wolfe and Gelinas earned a 6-1 victory. In the singles number four match, Riverside senior Sara Khattab defeated sophomore Sidney Lowry 6-1, 6-1. Khattab
paired up with Elpusan in the doubles category and defeated sophomore Peterson and Pierson in a final score of 6-2. Hanh Pham earned the win against Hemri 6-2, 6-4 in the number five singles. Pham also competed in the number two doubles match with sophomore Mahli Silpachai. Together, they defeated Lowry and Jackson by a final score of 6-1. The last finals
Battle at the rock - Riverside, CA
wednesday
Home game
men’s basketball 12:00 Pm vs. uc irvine
Home game
Feb 13-14
Saturday
4:00 pm @ Don Kirby Invitational - albuquerque, NM
feb 15
Thurs + Fri
M+W track
men’s tennis
6:00 am @ Siena College - Loudonville, NY
ek
2:00 Pm vs. San diego state university
wednesday
feb 12 feb 12
Women’s Softball
athl
Feb 10-11
women’s Golf
f t he o e et
we
Mon + tues
UPCOMING GAMES
match saw UCR freshman Sofia Lazarroni get the shutout victory against Westmont freshman Ava Verchimak. Lazarroni won the match 6-0. Up next, the Highlanders will battle against Long Beach State (1-1) on Friday, Feb. 21. at 1:30 p.m. in Riverside at the SRC. UCR has never beaten Long Beach State in the 12 times they’ve met. ■H
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Sara Khattab Women’s tennis senior
Won the game-clinching match against UCSD