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UC Davis files complaint against U.S. Bank

Campus Editor

May 14, 2012

On Friday, May 4, UC Davis filed a complaint against U.S. Bank for its alleged breach of contract.

The suit claims the bank “assumes all responsibility for the protection of the Bank, its agents and invitees from acts of third parties… the Lease does not obligate the Regents to indemnify the Bank for the costs of providing security.”

There has been no news of U.S. Bank filing a countersuit.

The bank announced it was closing its doors on the UC Davis campus on March 1, subsequent to student protesters blockading the entryway and exit of the bank. The bank allegedly suffered significant losses due to the disruptions caused by the protests.

U.S. Bank collaborated with UC Davis in 2009, signing a ten-year contract that granted the university campus with a U.S. Bank branch. The program was set to bring forth a significant amount of revenue for the University; in 2011 alone, $167,000 in funding for student programs was generated through the proposal.

In the contract between U.S. Bank and UC Davis, it states payments must be made in the event of an early termination (13.7).

“Upon termination of this Lease … an equitable adjustment shall be made concerning advance payments under the Financial Services Partnership Agreement and any advance payments made by the Bank to University. University shall, in addition, return to Bank so much of Bank’s security deposit as has not therefore been applied to the University,” stated the contract.

In concurrence with the Occupy movement, student protesters sat in front of the bank in January and February, ultimately leading the bank either to close its doors early, or not open at all over the course of approximately seven weeks. Eleven students and one faculty member are facing charges following the protests. All twelve pleaded not guilty at an arraignment on May 10.

“Students and non-students forcefully blocked the only entrance and exit of the bank. These same protesters put their hands on bank customers and assaulted them, pushed them away, grabbed at their arms and hands,” said senior women’s studies major and former U.S. Bank employee Hassan Shabbir.

“I never expected the campus police to remain idle while these ‘protesters’ assaulted my co-worker, ripping bank documents out of his pockets and his hands as he tried to enter the office.”

Under the Information on Rights and Responsibilities Concerning Peaceful Protest at UC Davis, protesters allegedly violated the Relevant UC Davis Time, Place, and Manner Requirements, disobeying the clause stating “Does not interfere with property entrances and or exits,” in addition to a disregard for several other requirements, including the “Disruption or Interference with University Operations.”

“The last thing in the world you want to see is 11 students and a faculty

member facing charges — even misdemeanors that reportedly could be
resolved through community service and no jail time,” said UC Davis spokesperson Barry Shiller.

“It’s vital to remember that the charges were filed only after campus police received multiple complaints from students and others alleging that they had been prevented from entering or leaving the campus U.S. Bank branch. And the blockades continued despite 12 attempts — six in writing — by campus staff to educate protesters about the risks of continuing their actions,” Shiller said.

“It’s an inconvenience because it’s the only bank which is on-campus; it was the only reason I chose U.S. Bank. However, I’m glad there’s a U.S. Bank ATM because getting charged two dollars in tax is unnecessary,” said international student and first year psychology major Anum Idris.

GHEED SAEED can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Open Door Art Studios brings artists together

City Editor

May 14, 2012

Open Door Art Studios brings artists together

The Open Door Art Studios held its second open door event in Downtown Davis on Friday, May 11 from 5 to 8 p.m. The studio is located on 231 G Street in the Court and Cedar Plaza. It spans several units and occupies a large portion of the second floor.

Open Door is currently a collective effort between a group of artists looking to showcase their work and to create an interest in the procedure of making art. Each artist will be able to rent a space in the studio and subsequently work on and showcase their art in said space.

The first opening back in April received positive support, including prominent local figures such as several city council members. The summer heat and Whole Earth Festival may have slightly hampered Friday’s turnout, the organizers said.

Marieke de Waard, an art teacher at the UC Davis Craft Center, is one of the artists participating in the studio.

“We want to be as diverse as possible, meaning photographers, quilters, painters, even sculptors,” de Waard said. “We hope it will evolve.”

On display were a variety of works ranging from abstract paintings to photographs. In the future, the space will have actual artists working in them alongside displays of their work. People will be encouraged to not only admire the artwork, but to get a chance to ask the artists themselves about techniques, inspirations or anything else.

“Everything is in Davis already, we have the art galleries, we have the art school, and this is not meant to be a competition, it’s meant to be a supplement,” de Waard said. “Something kind of in-between, so if the art school would do something with us, we are here to cooperate with each other.”

De Waard was also very open to students coming in and getting involved too. When the studio is fully underway, there will be plans to keep it open until 8 p.m. Students could come in after eating downtown and enjoy the art.

Jamie Anderson, a veterinarian who runs a practice in San Francisco, is an abstract artist on the side. She has three degrees from UC Davis, but has never taken an art class.
“In 2004, I went into an art gallery and I saw these beautiful abstract works. And something just clicked in me. I’ve never done art before. I’ve never purchased any art before, but after purchasing two works I became passionate about abstract art,” Anderson said. “There’s something really freeing about abstract art because anybody who looks at it may see something different.”

For Anderson, art is more of an outlet, something totally separate from the circumstances she has to deal with as a veterinarian. She wants to see the art community thrive in Davis.
“That’s what the world needs, some sharing and kindness and have it not be so serious,” said Anderson.

Ben Tuason, a photographer who moved to Davis recently, showcased a different facet of art at the event. He previously had an art venture in Sacramento and has work featured at Crepeville.
Tuason held a casual interest in photography since his college years. At first he would primarily do family or personal portraits, but with time his work became less focused on the people themselves and more on moments in time.

“I can go back to a place and catch the same picture again,” said Tuason. “With trees and landscapes you can go back one hundred times and still capture the same picture. But by capturing that one moment in time, it gives it some dimension that you cannot recapture.”

“If I was late or too early, I would not be able to capture this particular action,” he said in regards to a photograph of a boy suspended in motion on a bustling street.

Each artist specializes in vastly different areas of art, but they can all come together for a singular cause: encouraging a keener interest in art for the community.

De Waard said students have not shown a strong interest in the studio as of yet, but they are more than welcome to do so.

“They should bother us,” de Waard said.

Plans are still underway for the full opening of the studio and each artist will have to go through an impartial jury selection process before they are allowed to work at the site.
Further updates and additional information can be found at opendoorartstudios.org.

ANDREW POH can be reached city@theaggie.org.

An Interview with Dave Nachmanoff

Arts & Culture

Arts Editor

May 12, 2012

Dave Nachmanoff is a busy man. He’s a prolific singer-songwriter, the father of two, with a doctorate in philosophy from UC Davis who also tours with Al Stewart and plays a variety of instruments. In addition he has just released his new album Step Up, nearly five years after his previous release. Despite his busy schedule, Nachmanoff still somehow manages to find time to not only perform at the Whole Earth Festival (WEF) at 11 a.m. on the main stage on May 12 but to also play at Luigi’s on May 10 with Hardwater, a local band. The Aggie caught up with Nachmanoff to learn more about his new CD and upcoming performances.

MUSE: Can you give a quick introduction about yourself?

NACHMANOFF: I am a longtime Davis resident, a UCD alum and a professional musician. Most of my gigs are actually out-of-town, though, so I haven’t been as much a part of the local music scene as I’d like to be. I grew up in Virginia, but moved to London and New York City in my late teens. I had been a big fan of Al Stewart for years and through a mixture of luck and being prepared I became his lead guitarist and touring partner around 2001. I’ve toured as a solo acoustic artist, and have nine CDs out (plus numerous side projects). But I really enjoy playing with a full band, and since my new CD, Step Up, is less folk and more rock/adult-contemporary, I’m starting to do more full-band shows, including the two Davis shows in May.

How many times have you played at the Whole Earth Festival?

This will be my fifth or sixth time over the years. I played a set on the quad stage back in 1997 or 1998 soon after my first CD was released and several times in the years right after that. I’ve played on the kids stage, the acoustic stage, and then for a number of years I didn’t apply for the festival, as I was usually on the road somewhere when it was taking place. This will be the first time back on the quad stage in quite a few years, and I’m really looking forward to it.

Will you be performing with anybody else (because Hardwater is performing with you at Luigi’s)?

This set (as well as the show at Luigi’s) will be a full-band show, with some wonderful musicians who are all longtime friends of mine. The guitarist, Martin Lewis, used to play with me in the late 80’s when we were students at Oxford University and then in New York City. Jeff Simons (bass) is pretty well-known both as one of the owners of Watermelon Music, but also as a phenomenally talented bassist and guitarist who has played with many different artists. The drummer, Graham Roggli, grew up in Davis and brings the average age of the band down considerably (yay Graham). We will also have my good friend Donna Lemongello (a.k.a. the “harmony machine”) joining us for some of the set on vocals. So, it should be a nice big sound.

As an acclaimed songwriter, what’s the most interesting songwriting workshop you’ve ever led?

It’s hard to pick a single example as I’ve been lucky enough to do work with some really diverse groups. One of the most interesting was a center for aphasia patients in New Jersey. Aphasia is a language disorder that is often the result of a stroke or brain injury that renders people unable to speak (and sometimes unable to write as well). With the help of a friend of mine, Bruce Kalter, who regularly volunteers at the center, I led a three-hour workshop in which they wrote not one, but two songs, one of which (“Tip of My Tongue”) was all about what it’s like to have aphasia. It was a very challenging, slow process, but incredibly rewarding.

I’m really grateful for the chance to play at WEF once again and for the great musicians that are coming to join me. There is a ton of stuff on YouTube, and if people want to hear some samples of the music, or read more details about what I do, I’d encourage them to visit my main site, davenach.com. Thanks for helping to spread the word. Go Aggies!

WEF is free for all. The show at Luigi’s will be $10 for adults and free for kids.

MICHELLE RUAN can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

ASUCD faces 1.52 percent tax from University Office of the President

Campus Editor

May 10, 2012

ASUCD faces 1.52 percent tax from University Office of the President

The UC Office of the President recently decided to place a university-wide 1.52 percent tax on the expenses of ASUCD units.

In the past, money from individual campuses was centralized at the UC Office of the President before being redistributed. This new tax, however, will allow campuses to maintain control over their individual revenues while paying the 1.52 percent tax.

“It’s a 1.52 assessment from the Office of the President and is UC-wide. In the past, the Office of the President used to get all of the money, but now they are flipping it and every campus retains their own money,” said ASUCD Business Manager Brett Burns.

The decision was made by UC President Mark Yudof and it has been said that it was not an easy decision. Money from the tax will go to funding the UC Office of the President. Yudof left it up to the chancellors of each campus to choose where to find the funding for the tax.

Specifically at UC Davis, the ASUCD Coffee House will be assessed $67,175 and Unitrans $65,721 for the 2012-13 school year.

“They are phasing in ASUCD. They think that it takes off a slight burden, but it doesn’t do justice,” said ASUCD President Rebecca Sterling.

Over three years, ASUCD will need to assess the full tax, rather than the one-third it is currently responsible for. For the first year ASUCD will pay one-third of the tax, for the second year two-thirds of the tax and for the third year the full 1.52 percent tax.

“We are pretty scared about how it will impact things like the Coffee House and Unitrans. How many students employed, prices offered and hours open will be affected,” Sterling said.

When the tax was first being considered, ASUCD knew it would need to bear the burden, but was upset that it would need to assume the tax.

According to Sterling, ASUCD is confident that it will be funded through the first year, but is worried about what will happen once the assessment triples.

“I think two years from now ASUCD will be making different decisions,” said Melanie Maemura, ASUCD Controller.

As ASUCD Budget Hearings approach, ASUCD is working to adjust the budget to allow for the new tax.

DANIELLE HUDDLESTUN can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Tipper, Kraddy, and Joe Daddy come to Freeborn for Whole Earth

Arts & Culture

Arts Editor

May 10, 2012

Last year’s Wellman DJ Pit, once a feature of Davis’ Whole Earth Festival that was canceled over growing safety concerns after reports of a rape, among other charges, will be replaced this Whole Earth Festival by a performance by Tipper, Kraddy and Joe Daddy in Freeborn Hall.

The venue change from the Wellman Pit to Freeborn Hall comes less an as abolition of the “DJ pit” than as an alteration toward increased security. The pit of Wellman will be vacant and lifeless this year, but the halls of Freeborn will be, as intended, thumping.

“After hearing that the Wellman Pit would not be happening, I decided that Entertainment Council could create a safe space and hold an event in Freeborn Hall in place of the Wellman Pit,” said Entertainment Council director Henry Chatfield. “My goal is that attendees of the festival will still be able to have a place to dance and enjoy the same type of music that the Wellman Pit offered, but in a much more controlled space to make sure everyone is safe.”

Chatfield went on to make it clear that the move away from the Wellman Pit is not the only change being implemented. Entertainment Council has, he emphasized, gone the extra length to compensate for whatever loss Whole Earth fans might have felt in the wake of the Wellman Pit’s cancellation.

“We are bringing in two big and very well-respected electronic DJs and a huge sound system with twelve subs that will line the front of Freeborn Hall and professional lighting with lasers and the whole nine yards,” Chatfield said. “We also have a team of art students who are collaborating with us to build a really cool installment for the stage design. Even if you’ve never heard of the artists, it will be worth the $12 flat admission fee just to check out the extraordinary environment we are creating inside Freeborn Hall.”

The lineup will add to the robust environment that Kraddy, a previous member of Glitch Mob and a long time electronic veteran, creates.

“For anyone who likes dubstep, glitch hop or bass music in general is going to really enjoy dancing and listening to his set,” Chatfield said.

The second headliner, Tipper, is someone Chatfield explained to me as a highly respected figure within the electronic community, and is widely regarded as a sound design and bass music genius/prodigy.

“… anyone who has heard Tipper’s music, especially live, is entranced by it. His live performances are actually pretty rare,” Chatfield said. “I was very happily surprised when we were able to work out a deal to be able to bring him to Davis and this really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see him in this setting.”

The set will be this Friday in Freeborn Hall starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12.

JAMES O’HARA can be contacted at arts@theaggie.org.

Campus Judicial Report

Campus News

Campus Editor

May 10, 2012

Caught on Tape

A student was referred to Student Judicial Affairs (SJA) for stealing from the university bookstore after a security officer observed and identified the student with security cameras. The student admitted to stealing over $175 worth of merchandise over multiple days. When he met with a Judicial Officer, the student agreed to be placed on Disciplinary Probation for two years. If a student on probation violates the rules again, he or she will likely be suspended or dismissed from the University. In addition to this disciplinary sanction from SJA, the student agreed to pay $1,400 in restitution to the bookstore.

Overnight Success

A student was referred to SJA for allegedly plagiarizing an essay in an English class. The professor noticed that the essay was significantly better than the student’s previous work and suspected that it was not the student’s own work. When the student was called into SJA, she explained that a friend of hers had proofread the paper, pointed out mistakes and corrected errors. She asserted that she did not have anyone proofread her earlier papers because she wanted to show improvement by the end of the quarter. The SJA officer in charge of the case did not find this explanation credible, but was not able to find a source that the student had clearly plagiarized from. In the end, they agreed to resolve the case with a Censure. A Censure is a written notice that a violation has occurred — and in this case the student admitted that she had probably received more help than allowed from her friend. If the student is found in violation again, she will likely receive further disciplinary action.

Not-So-Smart Phone

An economics professor referred a student for using unauthorized materials during an exam. The professor noticed that the student was looking at his cell phone, which he held between his knees during the exam. When asked to see the phone, the professor found many pages of typed and scanned notes on the screen, containing information that the student was being tested on. The student admitted to having his cell phone out but alleged that he was not looking at the notes on the screen. However, simply having a cell phone out and on is prohibited during testing — whether or not a student intends to cheat using the phone — and constitutes as “use of unauthorized materials during an exam.” The student agreed to Deferred Separation, meaning that if he is found in violation again, he will likely be suspended or dismissed from the University.

Column: World, here we come

Opinion

Opinion

May 10, 2012

“I want to go on exchange because I dream a lot. I dream of having a big family, changing the world through environmental education and being loved. These are my big dreams. However, I also dream of seeing a Broadway show, enjoying summer all year round (at least for a year), hiking in the Rockies, speaking French everyday or living in a city where my great-grandfather was born.”

I wrote this a year and a half ago in the application for my university’s international exchange program. Barnard College in New York City, University of British Columbia (UBC), McGill University, University of Chicago and, of course, University of California, were included in my top five destinations. Needless to say, I would have been very excited to go to any of those other places had I gotten an offer from, but how come all the school who accepted my application were in North America?

In the words of my brother — I wasn’t brave enough! He’s now considering to go on exchange for his third year. Chicago and UBC seem possible destinations, but he thinks that the other options of Chile and Vietnam would be simply too much. Similarly, I had my eyes set on New Zealand for a long time. But when it came to filling the application, I didn’t have courage to put NZ universities on it — it just seemed too drastic.

North America seemed much closer to home, more familiar, less uncertain. I have friends who studied here, family friends living here, family history that was born here and I’ve had a dream of this place ever since I had first heard about it. All my chosen places seemed exotic enough to justify the internationality of the exchange (Canada!). I was more than OK with going to California.

Leaving my home country Lithuania to study abroad in Edinburgh then leaving Scotland for California, of course, takes guts. I seem so worldly, but Edinburgh was a safe choice; I knew the language and many Lithuanians study in the UK so I was familiar with all the procedures and what to expect before I even got there. Apart from hearing about occasional earthquakes and scary stories, I thought Los Angeles, California was also a safe choice.

Why do other exchange students come to California? Good schools, great climate, surfing, skiing, Hollywood, California Gurls, U2’s The Joshua Tree (maybe just me for the last one). Most people think that they have California all figured out — even without visiting it! In reality, California is even more magical now that I know how much I don’t know about it.

What this year taught me, however, is that the world is our oyster. No more dream places — I see these now as inevitable plans for my future.

When people ask why we chose UC Davis, we laugh and say that we didn’t. Some invisible people decided for us that we will be going to Davis for a year and not Berkeley, San Diego or Santa Barbara. And it turned out to be not bad at all.

Davis was never my dream. (I didn’t even know about Davis until a year and a half ago! Heck, my first reaction to this placement was no no no no!) But now I will always dream about Davis. Everyone should end up going to their Chiles and New Zealands, but they should also go to their undreamed-of Davises. Even if it is as close as the Bay Area or as far as the actual New Zealand, nothing’s gonna stop us now.

Times have changed since my great-grandfather was born in Chicago in 1916. Several years later the family returned to Lithuania then communists came and everything changed. All his life my great-grandfather wanted to go back to the United States, but he was never allowed to. And here I am, his great-granddaughter, living under the amazing California sun and telling his story to the world.

So, I did end up getting my all-year-round summer. But I also got so much more — starting with a stronger faith in dreams.

Even when she’s daydreaming, you can catch KRISTINA SIMONAITYTE at ksimonaityte@ucdavis.edu.

Letter to the Editor: Summer Session fees

Opinion

Opinion

May 10, 2012

The May 1 editorial on Summer Sessions costs is a serious reminder of the pressure students face with significantly rising tuition and fees. These are difficult times and, as we look for ways to continue offering a quality education with an ever-increasing budget gap, we commiserate with you.

Unfortunately, UC, CSU and community college fees will likely continue to rise as the state’s budget deficit does not appear to be reversing direction. Under this uncertain future, students may view Summer Session as a hedge against future higher tuitions and fees.

Summer Sessions is developing strategies to offer more seats in the courses students need. We are collaborating with academic departments to increase the number of courses and raise enrollment caps for high demand courses. We are working with Academic Technology Services toward offering at least one or two full lecture capture courses this summer, and hope to offer online and hybrid courses in the summer of 2013.

Summer Sessions may play a minimal role in the education of many UC Davis students, but it can be a valuable tool to those who want to leverage their time here.

Mary P. Wall
Director, UC Davis Summer Sessions

Guest Opinion: ASUCD budget hearings

Opinion

Opinion

May 10, 2012

On Friday, ASUCD will begin the process of finalizing its budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year. On its face, the budget is an enormous and esoteric book containing numbers which correspond to financial line items most of the student body has never heard of. But once the book closes and the budget is finalized, the fiscal effects reflected in your student government’s deliberations will begin to permeate noticeable aspects of campus life.

If you’re a member of a club, if you eat at the CoHo, if you have ever received a piece of Aggie Pack swag or attended a culture day, then you will notice the impacts these numbers have. Politics is a matter of priorities. There is no such thing as a completely fair or equitable budget; thus, when the Senate debates where to allocate scarce resources, it’s a reflection of our priorities as senators and where we think the student body wants to see their hard-earned fees allocated.

But senators are ignorant and, at times, completely disconnected from the tenor and feelings of the student body at large. Aristotle said that in the absence of perfect practical knowledge, the next best thing is to aggregate as many dissenting opinions as possible and attempt to get as asymptotically close to the truth as possible.

So I urge you, come, be that aggregate and tell your senators where you want your fees allocated, because those fees are yours. ASUCD is bankrolled by the students and is in turn meant to serve them. Come to budget hearings, beginning on Friday at 5 p.m., on the third floor of the Memorial Union, and ensure your fees are being used properly, because government transparency only matters if there’s someone to stare through the glass.

Event seasons are ending…

Arts & Culture

Arts Editor

May 10, 2012

Time is running out — as the Mondavi Center, the Department of Theatre and Dance and the Department of Music seasons come to a close, so does the curtain on the opportunity for your free ticket to any show.

All first-year students, whether undergraduate, graduate students or transfer students, are given the opportunity to redeem one free ticket to any event during their first year at UC Davis. This deal only applies to Mondavi Center Presents, Department of Theatre and Dance or Department of Music events.

As soon as students are registered for their first quarter of classes, they become eligible to redeem their free ticket.

“There are only a few events left for the season, so don’t miss out on using this use-it-or-lose-it ticket,” said Mondavi’s Public Relations Coordinator Amanda Caraway. Tickets can be reserved either by phone or in person at the ticket office.

In addition to this first-year deal, all UC Davis students save 50% on tickets for Mondavi Center Presents events. These are not to be mistaken for shows such as Florence + The Machine, though, as the Mondavi Center also serves as an entertainment venue rented out by outside groups.

To further make entertainment and tickets more accessible for students, the Mondavi Center sets aside a number of tickets for each show to be purchased before the show is sold publicly.

“We have ‘on-sale’ days before every season and ‘just-added’ shows,” Caraway said. “For two to three days, we allow students to purchase tickets before the public has access.”

There are additional discounts awarded for season subscribers or “choose your own package” purchases where specific shows can be picked out from a variety of series and combined for a small discount.

The Mondavi Center celebrates its ten-year anniversary next season, boasting events and shows in the new lineup. Brand-new events were just added to the Mondavi Center calendar, including Lyle Lovett on July 7, Steve Martin on August 25 and Eddie Izzard on October 26.

“The upcoming shows are exciting,” Caraway said. “I would advise students not to walk, but to run, to the ticket office for Steve Martin.”

For more information about the remaining shows of the season and next year’s events, visit mondaviarts.org, theatredance.ucdavis.edu and music.ucdavis.edu.

ELIZABETH ORPINA can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Column: Whole Earth

Arts & Culture

Arts Editor

May 10, 2012

Whole Earth Festival starts tomorrow, and we all know what that means. Everyone in attendance will be flyin’ high — on those satisfying food and eclectic purchases from vendors and the intoxicating sound flowing through the air, of course. Like Whole Earth Festival is known for anything else …

But let’s be real here. Last year I attended this weekend festival expecting one thing and left scarred, confused and intrigued. Yes, I saw more bare feet than I ever wanted to see. Yes, I encountered a mural of woman genitals depicted as the Earth. Yes, I wish I would have embraced the variety of entertainment options and vendor selections.

And that’s why I’m ready this year. I’ve printed out the program and mapped out every place I need to hit up. One of my friends informed me that she scored a pair of middle-finger earrings last year — um, excuse me, why aren’t those on my earlobes? I need them and I need them now.

I want to discover the music scene and immerse myself in poetry readings. I want to ignore the girls who will treat this event as Coachella 2.0. I can’t wait to enter a campus as busy as Picnic Day but with such a different atmosphere to it.

If Picnic Day was too tiring, too hot and too spread out for you, then Whole Earth Festival is where it’s at. Located in the central part of campus, booths, vendors and stages occupy most of the Quad. Surrounding this area are multiple stages and sections specified for children’s entertainment.

One look at the program for this weekend and I promise you’ll be overwhelmed. There are poetry workshops, yoga sessions, acoustic jam sessions, belly dancing performances, body painting opportunities and performers doin’ their thang like every five seconds on the multiple stages.

If you feel guilty for spending so much time outside having fun and have a need to study, fear not. You can get your learning on through the various informative booths. If you want to learn about Engineers Without Borders, there’s a community booth for that. Want to save the frogs? There’s an Environmental booth for that. Future midwife? Women’s Health booths. Classrooms Across Cultures? Social Consciousness booths. And if you want to be stabbed and punctured with needles, there’s an acupuncture booth by the Wellness booths.

Now that you’ve saved the world and basically signed up to live in the Domes, you can treat yourself to one of the service booths. I’ll most likely be spending my time getting henna tattoos, getting my palm read and having my back cracked. Right after that I’ll be spending my life’s worth in money at every single one of the zillion craft booths.

So now that you know where I’ll be for the next couple of days, you’ll probably run into some crazy girl chasing after animals and stuffing her face with every food item possible. Or you’ll see me giving campus tours. Yes, folks. I am signed up to give tours most of tomorrow morning and afternoon as well as Saturday afternoon. I am missing out on prime events at Whole Earth Festival. Pity me. Actually, no. I’ll be making money to spend at WEF and you’ll probably be sleeping in.

But hey, it just so happens that Decision UC Davis day for transfer students is tomorrow. What a perfect way to convince potential students that we are in fact an environmentally friendly school…I’ll just have to do my best convincing them that we don’t all walk barefoot, wear long skirts and save the Earth on a daily basis.

So if Picnic Day was too much for you, composting and recycling are your top extracurriculars or you’re looking for some entertainment, this weekend is for you. Print out that schedule of events. Don your tie-dye shirt and cut-off jean shorts and get ready to experience something you’ll only find in Davis…or maybe Berkeley on a normal school day.

ELIZABETH ORPINA wants to know what you’re looking forward to most at Whole Earth Festival. Is it going to be the acid-tripping adults, swaying to the music, the pure celebration of the environment or the eclectic atmosphere you came to Davis for? Let her know at arts@theaggie.org.

Whole Earth Festival attendees encouraged to expand their minds

Features

Features Editor

May 10, 2012

The annual Whole Earth Festival is upon us. Another Spring Quarter weekend event where there is so much to do in Davis that one could wander for hours and not see it all.
But there’s so much more than what meets the eye when casually walking through the Quad, so much more than endless aisles of vendors selling crafts and delicious food. Via workshops and demonstrations run by peers and special guests, festival attendees can learn about things that resonate with the overarching emphasis of the festival: sustainability, creativity and spiritual wellness. Here’s a rundown on what can be learned and experienced at a handful of the sites this weekend.

Experiential Space
According to the directors, the Experiential Space welcomes everybody to learn, inspire and integrate fresh ideas into their lives. On the schedule for this area are events such as yoga workshops, a session on how to discover “supernatural love and ecstatic bliss,” composting demonstrations and ideas on how to incorporate more vegetarian meals into a regular diet.
“There’s a professor, Kathryn Dillard, running a poetry workshop on Friday at 4 p.m., where people can write something they’ll be able to take home,” said Joy Wei, junior international relations and statistics major. “A girl named Cassie will be talking about different types of herbs on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. We have all types of people speaking; anyone with experience in holding a workshop can do one. We do have some students putting on workshops.”

Through a series of short workshops and lectures running from a half hour to an hour and a half, Whole Earthers can raise their awareness in the areas of well-being, social justice and environment.

“There will be one person there to help people who were abused and show how they can grow from it,” Wei said. “We’ll have dance instructors, anyone who just wants to share knowledge. I’m really excited for the hula hoop space.”

Participatory Art Space
This space will provide the opportunities for people to learn and engage with each other through hands-on exhibits and activities. One such activity will be a scavenger hunt with the aim of collecting intuitive answers rather than items.

“People are going to be asking questions, meaningful questions,” said Andre Almeida, a student at the Da Vinci Charter Academy in Davis. “The idea is to get them to interact with random people, which is something people aren’t used to, but this’ll get them to open up.”

The goal is to collect enough responses to bring them together at the end in a visually comprehensive way that can be shared with those who did not participate.

“We want to be able to write something about it afterwards, or make a collage of them,” Almeida said.

An example of a hands-on exhibit that will be in the Participatory Art Space is a bike with a special type of rear wheel, designed and built by Almeida himself with the help of his father.

“The back wheel has mirrors in the place of spokes,” he said. “When you spin it one way you’ll see the face of the person standing on the other side upside down, and when you spin it the other way you’ll see a blend of the two faces.”

On Friday and Saturday, artist Danny Shieble will be coming to instruct festival-goers on the techniques of Tapagami, a method of origami that uses tape instead of paper.

“I’m looking forward to it mostly just because I know how amazing the artist is, and I can’t wait to bring his work to everyone,” said Art Space director Chloe Jones. “It’ll be really exciting because it allows us to use everyday materials and see them in a different light by making them into artwork.”

Sacred Space

The most spiritual of all of the Whole Earth locales, Sacred Space, is a place the directors say is a place for spontaneous conversation, sharing energy and honoring Mother Earth. Located in Young Hall, the events are catered to be shared with more people and run for a longer amount of time.

“It’ll be more of a lecture format, and the workshops will take place for two hours or longer,” Wei said. “Learning is a big part of this part of Whole Earth — people who come definitely come to learn.”

The day starts with yoga sessions that run for an hour every morning during the festival starting at 10 a.m., and finishes with acoustic jam sessions every night. Other events include body painting on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., a medicinal herb workshop on Saturday from 3 to 4 p.m. and a raw chocolate workshop on Sunday from 11 a.m. to noon.

View the complete Whole Earth Festival program at wef.ucdavis.edu/?p=463.

LANI CHAN can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

The Aggie Arts presents Magik*Magik String Quartet

Arts & Culture

Arts Editor

May 10, 2012

In 2011, the Mondavi Center launched its Aggie Arts Internship program with a generous grant from the Andrew Mellon Foundation. Aggie Arts interns commit for three quarters and they receive the opportunity to learn from firsthand experience the intricacies of arts administration.

Interns work with Mondavi Center staff in many different aspects of arts presenting such as programming, marketing and arts education. The interns also provide valuable feedback that goes into developing more student-specific events and programming.

On Tuesday, the Mondavi Center Arts Program will be presenting its first of many student-targeted shows to come, the Magik*Magik String Quartet at 8 p.m. in the Mondavi Center.

The Magik*Magik String Quartet is a subdivision of the San Francisco-based Magik*Magik String Quartet. It has performed with Death Cab for Cutie as well as with John Vanderslice at the San Francisco Noise Pop festival.

Annie Phillips, the manager of the Magik*Magik String Quartet who is also a trained clarinetist, further illuminated the Orchestra’s mission.

“Magik*Magik is a modular orchestra with a focus on collaboration and a mission to attract more listeners and participants to the orchestral experience,” said Phillips. “Basically, we aim to be one-stop-orchestra shopping for any artist, no matter their background in working with ‘classical’ instruments. If a band wants, for example, a string quartet or a brass trio on their record or incorporated into their live performance, we work with that artist to create arrangements and charts of their songs.”

Besides working with popular artists to incorporate orchestral sounds into their music, the Magik*Magik String Quartet has also done live shows with Sting and Chicago, among many other artists. It also participated in its first film score for a movie called Looper that will be released in September.

Wendy Lu, a junior sociology and communication major who became an Aggie Arts intern because she wanted to share her love of arts with other students, expressed that Aggie Arts chose the Magik*Magik String Quartet to play at the Mondavi Center because it wanted to make classical music more accessible to students.

“Magik*Magik String Quartet is really unique because it breaks off into modules that collaborate with really contemporary and modern groups,” said Lu. “Magik*Magik’s mission is to ‘attract new listeners and participants to the orchestral experience,’ and that was right in line with our vision: that people would see classical music as something that you are actively involved in and can engage with.”

Megan Friel, a senior art history major and Aggie Arts intern, expanded on other reasons for why Magik*Magik was a perfect fit for the Aggie Arts’ first student-specific show.

“Our internship is funded by the Mellon Foundation and strives to make classical music more accessible to a younger audience. Magik*Magik String Quartet was the perfect fit because while its members are classically-trained musicians, they break the paradigm by collaborating with indie rock and pop musicians,” said Friel.

The process of getting Magik*Magik to perform at the Mondavi began during Fall quarter and was something of a learning experience. The interns had to create a theme for the event, create a catalog, get sheet music, draft contracts and even market the show. The Magik*Magik String Quartet will be exploring the duality between chaos and order by performing pairings of music that exemplify contrasts in musical styles.

“During their performance at the Mondavi. Center Magik*Magik String Quartet will be exploring themes and patterns that have existed in music over a huge span of time. They will be playing selections responding to the theme of chaos and order ranging from canonically classical works by Hydan to indie rock pieces by Radiohead,” said Friel about what kind of music the Quartet will be playing for its May 19 show.

Lu and Friel encouraged UC Davis students to come because, besides the great music that the Quartet will be performing, there is also a post-performance reception with refreshments and student DJs.

Tickets can be purchased at the Mondavi Box Office; regular $30 and students $15. Internship applications are available for next year’s internship at the Aggie Job Link: 749651

MICHELLE RUAN can be contacted at arts@theaggie.org.

News in Brief: You should probably bike to school on Friday

Campus News

Campus Editor

May 10, 2012

3,000 visitors — and their cars — are expected to visit UC Davis on Friday, May 11 for the Decision Day that is being held for prospective transfer students — according to a news release from the UC Davis News Service.

Undergraduate Admissions and Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) warn that this will lead to added stress on campus parking.

Visitors will be directed to the west entry parking garage and Lot 25 located in between the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) and the Segundo Dining Commons. Overflow parking will be directed to Lots 40 and 41 that are across from Hutchison Drive and the west entry garage, Lot 30 (behind the Recreation Pool) and Lot 47 (along La Rue Road, south of the Tercero housing area).

“We realize there may be some inconvenience and we appreciate your understanding and support for this important campuswide endeavor,” said Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Fred Wood in a press release.

An estimated 1,200 prospective students, who are visiting the campus along with family members and friends, have until June 1 to submit their statements of intent to register.

Decision Day registration begins at 7 a.m. and the program is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. at the Pavilion in the ARC. Early-bird tours start at 7:30 a.m. at Bixby Field (west of the Segundo Dining Commons).

–– MUNA SADEK

Editorial: Don’t break glass

Opinion

Opinion

May 10, 2012

As Whole Earth approaches and the Northern Hemisphere tilts closer to the sun, The California Aggie would like to ask that members of the community refrain from breaking glass on the ground.

You see, dear readers, we at The California Aggie spend such an incredible amount of time in Lower Freeborn – a windowless dungeon – that our feet can’t help but escape the constraints of shoes the minute we step outside. Our little toesies are just crazy about nature.

And this weekend, we will not be alone. Whole Earth Festival will bring busses full of hippies wearing nothing but tie-dye and dreads, looking to spread their toes in the grass and be one with Mother Nature. Do not muck things up for these people.

Not to mention, they will bring their children. If you are not yet convinced that throwing glass on the ground is a bad idea, think about these baby future leaders of the world. Think about how annoying it is when they cry.

We understand that this whole “glass” thing may have come out of nowhere. But sources close to the Editorial Board saw beer bottles being chucked from second-story apartments onto Third Street a couple of weekends ago. And sometimes people let their cats knock lamps over and then forget to sweep up broken bits of compact fluorescents until their roommate has to do it when she has friends over. And maybe certain members of the Editorial Board always step on glass, like always, and it just sucks, you know?

Anyway…

Let’s use this weekend to embrace recycling and put our containers in the right receptacles. Together we shall peacefully appreciate the environment around us — barefooted and free of glass bits.

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