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Aggies topple Tigers in dramatic fashion

Sports Editor

February 27, 2012

Aggies topple Tigers in dramatic fashion

The games between the Aggies and Tigers have a recent history of turning into battles, and this was no different.

Having dropped two road games in a row, the UC Davis women’s basketball program got back in the win column this weekend with a 65-61 victory over host Pacific.

This was the only game for UC Davis this week, and being well rested paid off. Just like the match-up earlier this season, in which the Aggies pulled out a dramatic 59-51 win, this one came down to the wire.

“We knew it was going to be a battle because it was a key game for both teams,” Head Coach Jennifer Gross said. “We came with a lot of focus, energy and passion.”

UC Davis put up a strong first half, but were matched blow for blow by the Tigers. The Aggies’ largest lead came five minutes into the game when senior Kasey Riecks drained the first of her trio of three-pointers in the game to make the score 10-4.

The two teams played a grueling first half and would go into the break deadlocked at 25 points apiece. The second half picked up right where the first left off, both teams coming out all guns blazing.

The Tigers would gain a slight advantage when it went on a 9-0 scoring run to go up 38-30 five minutes into the second half. Yet, the Aggies pushed back and pulled even with Pacific with 6:44 remaining.

“They had stretches where they started gaining the lead, but we battled back and kept our focus,” Gross said. “But we were very composed when the game was going back and forth and got it done on both sides of the ball.”

The Tigers continued to gain small leads, forcing the Aggies to play catch-up, but UC Davis never relented and patiently waited to get its foot in the door.

Senior Samantha Meggison led the charge for UC Davis, contributing most of her 19 points with key baskets that kept the game close until the Aggies grabbed a lead that they would hold on to for the last 52 seconds of the game.

In the final four minutes of play, Meggison put up 10 straight points to put UC Davis in a position to win. She was 4-5 from the free-throw line and also grabbed three rebounds to round out the night.

Yet, she was not alone, as three other Aggies dropped over 10 points. Riecks had 13 points, and juniors Blair Shinoda and Hannah Stephens both scored 12 points apiece.

“It’s comforting knowing we have a lot of players who play good minutes, I’m very comfortable with the ball in different players’ hands,” Gross said. “Tonight it was [Meggison] but it never comes down to the last play, it’s what happens in the middle and how everyone plays leading up to that point.”

In the end, Gross credited the victory to the Aggies’ defense and will to win.

“In any close game, it comes down to who makes the most plays and who makes the stops because you have to be consistent on both sides of the ball,” she said. “We had players that stepped up and made defensive and offensive plays and that’s what it came down to.”

The win over the Tigers completes the season sweep for the Aggies and also propels UC Davis into third place in the Big West conference with two home games remaining to close out the regular season. The Aggies are now 16-10 overall, 8-6 in conference action.

“From here on out, there’s going to be a lot of intensity and urgency, we’re going to have to bring a lot of this focus to the court,” Gross said. “Every game is crucial and we’re trying to gain momentum for playoffs and for that home court advantage.

MATTHEW YUEN can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

ASUCD faces possibility of 42 percent budget cut

Campus News

Campus Editor

February 27, 2012

A $4 million budget cut to UC Davis Student Affairs is leaving ASUCD with the possibility of an estimated $250,000 reduction to the annual budget.

This does not include the added Shared Service Center (SSC) Tax and University of California Office of the President (UCOP) taxes. A taxing of 1.6 percent of the $11.1 million budget on all university expenditures will raise the total to an amount of $658,000.

Added to the SSC and UCOP taxes, a re-budgeting of the university’s direct cost assessment that grants subsidies on common amenities, such as police and fire services, water and electricity, faces a possible continuous reduction annually until the full amount of what it would cost to use the utilities would be charged, said outgoing ASUCD President Adam Thongsavat.

“All packaged together, this is the perfect storm of what can cripple ASUCD,” he said.

Depending on the final budget for 2012-13 school year, the prospects of the budget reduction increases the possibilities of a minimization in the amount of student jobs, higher prices in places such as the ASUCD Coffee House (CoHo), Bike Barn, Education Opportunity Program (EOP) or a noticeable change in Unitrans.

“The smaller units could potentially see a devastating blow especially ones that receive the subsidy,” Thongsavat said.

This would also infringe on the functioning of the university’s noncommercial units, such as AggieTV and the campus radio station, KDVS, as well as Picnic Day, Whole Earth Festival and Campus Copies.

“That’s what we’re trying to convey to the administration right now, we have to tell them the benefit of having a strong student government, the services we offer and how much it would detriment ASUCD. We are very much on edge…” he said.

The Coffee House services 7,000 customers daily, while Unitrans receives 3.3 million passengers annually.

ASUCD President-elect Rebecca Sterling said she intends on fighting the possible budget cuts.

“There is much the community relies on that ASUCD is able to provide with its current budget … ASUCD now is special in that it is able to reach groups all over campus, empower students to have leadership positions and extend their Davis experiences much further than the classroom — many of these opportunities would be risked,” she said.

Students pay $105 to ASUCD annually, according to Thongsavat, and in the event that the SSC tax takes effect, all registration fees would be countermanded.

ASUCD Business Manager Brett Burns is working to mitigate the impact that the possible budget reductions would have on the school and aims to increase service efficiency through exploring new revenue opportunities.

Even though ASUCD is considerably autonomous by filing separate taxes as a nonprofit organization, they are still operating under the governance of the University of California, Burns said.

“Well documented, the University of California is in financial peril because of lack of state support to higher education, through the new budgeting and operating model all units within the Division of Student Affairs and the entire campus are dealing with budget reductions. ASUCD is no different,” he said. “If the decision was reversed and ASUCD did not have the reduction, then another area of campus, specifically the division of Student Affairs, would bear a greater budget reduction burden. I.e. Campus Recreation, Housing, Intercollegiate Athletics, etc..”

Thongsavat said the potential budget cuts would fundamentally alter how ASUCD operates.

“It would be hard to find a student that doesn’t use at least one ASUCD service a day and I think that says a lot about our association,” he said.

Both Thongsavat and Sterling urge students to rally behind ASUCD to fight budget reductions.

Sterling said the cuts put at risk everything that is most valued and attractive about the university and agrees it will be a difficult fight.

“It is something our student body must take a united front against. There is nothing we will write off doing to make sure that ASUCD and our campus are not threatened with these cuts,” she said.

The next budgeting process for the 2012-13 school year will begin in Spring during May budget hearings. ASUCD is exempted from the SSC tax until June 30.

MUNA SADEK can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Settlement announced in Title IX case

Campus News

Campus Editor

February 27, 2012

Since 2003, a group of women have been fighting against the unequal treatment they received after being denied the opportunity to compete on the UC Davis wrestling team.

Last August, a judge ruled that while UC Davis was not guilty of gender discrimination, it had violated Title IX, guidelines set to create equal opportunity for men and women in college sports. The judge ruled that the plaintiffs would receive damages from the university.

On Feb. 16, the parties announced a settlement of the case.

As stated in the press release announcing the settlement, “The court found that the University violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 by not sufficiently expanding intercollegiate athletic opportunities for female students at UC Davis between 1998 and 2005, the years that plaintiffs were in attendance.”

A damages trial was set for March 5, however, the parties reached a settlement. The university paid $1.35 million, covering the costs of the attorneys, along with any outstanding fees involved in the case.

“The plaintiffs feel really happy with the changes to UC Davis athletics, Ninth Circuit to file and attorneys paid for time. They are very pleased, they just wished it was not so long,” said the plaintiffs’ counsel, Noreen Farrell, an Equal Rights Advocates.

The plaintiffs in the case were Lauren Mancuso, Arezou Mansourian, and Christine Ng. When the case was filed in 2003, only two of the three women were still students.

“The first motive was to get wrestling back at Davis,” Mancuso, an Olympic hopeful said.

According the Farrell, the wheels of justice move too slowly and the focus of the case moved to improving treatment of women in the future.

The court found that UC Davis was in violation of Title IX. Its ratio of enrollment and athletic participation by men and women was unequal. Between 1998 and 2005, UC Davis claimed that it was trying to add more womens’ athletics, however it was discovered that 64 opportunities were dropped, and not replaced.

As a result of this case, UC Davis has added a women’s golf team and women’s field hockey team. Additionally, UC Davis has been required to improve the gender ratios between enrollment and athletic participation, along with being granted over $70,000 by the Women In Sports Equity fund.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Title IX, and many feel the decision of the district, along with the Ninth Circuit, has expanded the opportunities available for female athletes.

“This goes beyond Davis, beyond the University of California. It is an example for all UCs. It shows that the school or university must be in compliance. This affects all girls and women at universities,” Farrell said.

The final decision states that Title IX was violated, but the individuals involved are not being charged, as they were not in sufficient authority positions.

“These were women that took on a fight to make UC Davis the best it could be. They are the heart and soul of the case,” Farrell said.

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

Celebrate Your Body Week seeks to banish body image issues

Features

Features Editor

February 27, 2012

This week, take a load off with meditation, yoga and perhaps even a cooking class to celebrate your body with the annual Celebrate Your Body Week (CYBW).

This week, the Association for Body Issues and Disordered Eating (ABIDE) has put together a series of events to help students on campus appreciate their bodies while also learning body image issues and eating disorders.

Student chair and senior clinical nutrition major, Phoebe Copp, has been working with the ABIDE committee to put on this event.

“ABIDE is dedicated to bringing awareness to body image issues and disorders of eating and the dangers that go along with both,” Copp said. “Celebrate Your Body Week has a bunch of different events that are focused on spreading that message.”

Some of these events include a keynote speaker, a movie screening, a cooking class and “love your body” yoga, all of which are sprinkled throughout the week.

“There’s something for everyone who is interested,” Copp said.

Stacy Brezing, the physical activity and nutrition health educator, is a member of the ABIDE committee and is partaking in the planning of this event for her second year. This year, she is a moderator for the “love your body” yoga, taking place on Friday at noon at the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) dance studio.

“The point of [CYBW] is to raise awareness of the dangers of eating disorders and body image issues,” Brezing said. “We promote proper nourishment and taking care of our bodies and try to focus on fun activities for the week. It is a great way to bring awareness, but we do it in a positive manner with positive activities and educational opportunities.”

Hayley Ortman, a first-year exercise biology major, is on the student board for ABIDE with Copp and said that she loves the fact that the week is set aside to address such issues as eating disorders, body image issues and overall struggles with health.

“We’re bringing awareness to how our culture is so obsessed with body image and how it can be detrimental to young women and even men,” Ortman said. “So we’re just trying to bring awareness to that and to love you for who you are.”

Brezing similarly stated the extent of body image issues in this day and age.

“It’s important to just raise awareness about these issues because they are so prevalent in our society; the more you know, the more you can help others and recognize someone who needs help or just be aware,” Brezing said. “It also gives you understanding that if you haven’t personally experienced anything related to body issues, it can still help you have empathy for people and understand it more.”

These events all have something different to offer. Whether it is helping the students who have issues directly, or they know of someone who is struggling with accepting their body.

“Body image issues and disordered eating tie into how people can get the wrong impression about food,” Copp said. “I want people to be healthy and working with ABIDE is a good way to bring attention to how to bring people back into positive thoughts about their body and about food. I think that’s important especially in college.”

Copp said that this event is unique to UC Davis for two reasons, the first being the fact that is run by ABIDE, a staff-run organization with various departments involved, from Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and the Women’s Research and Resource Center to the Student Health and Wellness Center and the Cross Cultural Center.

“We’re not just focusing on the eating side of body image issues, with just a dietitian, but also the psychological issues, which is where CAPS comes in or any sort of cultural aspect,” Copp said. “The staff are all very specialized in their fields and know a lot about what that specific resource can offer. Having them involved gives us more depth in each area.”

Copp also addressed the fact that this type of event is unique to UC Davis’ campus. Apart from the events that ABIDE puts on in the fall and spring, there are no other events on campus that confront body image issues.

“It’s an important event,” Copp said. “UC Davis doesn’t do a lot of things that are purely focused on making students feel better about their bodies.”

The fact that this struggle with health is so widespread makes this a valuable event for all students, organizers said, due to the fact that so many people can relate to this issue.

“It’s not something to take lightly; it can really affect internal self esteem, relationships and just living life to the fullest,” Ortman said. “I don’t feel that people really take it seriously. We see in the media to ‘love yourself’ and I don’t feel that people actually take it to heart. I feel that we as a student community can show that we are there for support.”

This support is the biggest aspect of the event, emphasizing the appreciation of one’s body and, as Brezing said, to focus on “unconditional acceptance.”

“This isn’t targeted specifically at people who have eating disorders, it is for everyone, anyone who wants to gain more awareness or wants to help someone they know or is just generally interested,” Copp said. “It’s about how to celebrate what you’ve got, like it says; celebrate your body.”

DEVON BOHART can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

Seniors go out with a win

Sports Editor

February 27, 2012

UC Davis never trailed in Saturday night’s home finale en route to a 78-75 victory over the favored Cal State Fullerton Titans.

The win was the Aggies’ fourth in their last six games and their second home win in a row.

For seniors Adam Malik and Eddie Miller, a win over the second place Titans was the perfect way to close out a career in the Pavilion.

“It was pretty emotional,” Malik said. “I didn’t get the opportunity to play last year but came back this year and there’s no better way to go out than with a W. I’m glad I had that opportunity.”

Fellow senior Miller shared similar sentiments about his final game in the Pavilion.

“It’s a great way to go out,” he said. “Not many people get to win their last home game and it’s a great opportunity and great experience here tonight and I can’t say enough about the support I’ve gotten over the years.”

In front of one of their biggest crowds of the year, the Aggies took it to CSU Fullerton right from the opening tip. Five different players scored the first five buckets for UC Davis as it jumped out to an early 12-0 lead.

The Titans finally got their first field goal, a three pointer, after nearly seven minutes of play. A couple more threes cut into the Aggies’ lead, and midway through the first half the score was tied 16-16.

UC Davis ramped up its defensive pressure throughout the final 10 minutes of the first half and took a 35-25 lead into the break.

The Aggies extended their lead to 14 points in the first three minutes of play in the second half, but the Titans wouldn’t go away.

“You’re not going to walk away from a team as good as Fullerton,” Head Coach Jim Les said. “You knew they were going to make a run so it was just withstanding that run and making sure we had enough gas in the tank.”

The Aggies, who have dealt with multiple injuries all season long, had a short bench again on Saturday night. Four players were in street clothes at the end of the bench, while another, Paolo Mancasola, suited up but did not enter the game. Les used only eight players in the game.

Despite the limited roster, UC Davis was able to sustain its pressure throughout Fullerton’s comeback attempt.

“[I was] telling guys ‘hey you can’t be tired now this is your chance to seize the moment,’” Les said. “And they did.”

The Aggies led by 10 with just over five minutes remaining in the game, but the Titans used layups and free throws — UC Davis held Fullerton to just 8 of 31 from behind the arc — to cut the lead to just one with 1:36 remaining.

From there, clutch free throw shooting and one big defensive play led the Aggies to victory. Josh Ritchart blocked a potential game-tying three pointer by Fullerton after UC Davis turned it over on the inbounds play with just 11 seconds left in the game.

After the block and a foul by Fullerton, Miller had two free throws with eight seconds remaining to push the lead to five and essentially end the game.

“I don’t think you can paint a better picture,” Miller said of the situation. “When you’re a young kid in the backyard you’re shooting game winning free throws and I’m really thankful that I got that opportunity.”

Miller, who finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds, made both of the final free throws. He was seven for seven from the line in the contest.

Ritchart led the Aggies in scoring with 20 points, while Tyler Les had 14 and Tyrell Corbin added 10.

Coach Les said the game was the best of the season and praised his team’s consistent effort.

“I was really pleased with the all out effort over the course of 40 minutes on both ends of the floor,” Les said. “They’re starting to reap the rewards of their labor. [The team has] worked hard and they’ve continued to do the things that they’ve been asked to do.

“Giving great effort with some of the skill we have is going to give you a chance every night.”

CAELUM SHOVE can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

Aggie Digest: Lacrosse

Sports Editor

February 27, 2012

Lacrosse

UC Davis continued its early season success with a 16-13 win over rival Saint Mary’s.

The Aggies moved to 2-0 on the season with both of their wins coming in against Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opponents.

Elizabeth Datino’s six goals matched her career-high performances against Detroit and Bryant in March 2011. Freshman Landry and Morris chipped in two and three goals, respectively and added two assists apiece.

After trailing the Gaels 4-3 in the first 13 minutes, the Aggies answered with the five goals to claim an 8-4 lead. UC Davis led by 8-5 at the halftime, but was unable to contain the Gael comeback as Saint Mary’s cut the Aggie lead to 10-9.

The team regrouped and Datino answered with an eight-meter goal to make it 11-9, but Gaels’ junior transfer Amanda Cross netted three straight to give Saint Mary’s a 12-11 advantage.

The Aggies, then, gained momentum and went on to score five of the next six goals. Morris equalized the game with an eight-meter and Datino scored unassisted against short-handed Gael defense with 8:20 left. Datino added two more goals down the stretch.

The Aggies out-shot the Gaels by a 33-27 margin and won 21 draw controls.

UC Davis continues its road trip with two game in North Carolina. Their next game is against High Point on Wednesday. The Panthers maintain a 1-1 record overall.

Column: #nguyen-ing

Opinion

Opinion

February 27, 2012

Hashtags are brilliant because they can be both funny and informative — like Jon Stewart, but less handsome.

What else can be used as a snide afterthought on the one hand, and a sweeping declaration of revolution on the other? No other markup in social media parlance is as versatile or as widely adopted. In fact, the hashtag has become so culturally embedded that it has shaped its own genre of rap. Yes, geekery and hip hop, together, at last.

Hashtags found their home on Twitter, which I think is no coincidence. Constraints force people to be creative and resourceful. Limiting messages to 140 characters is no exception.

These short messages are strewn about in the Twitterverse with little direction as to where or to which topic they belong. So the Twitterati devised shorthand to thread related tweets together, a pound symbol and a string of letters placed after the message. #likethis

And what to make of the ensuing phenomenon?

I think the rise of the hashtag has a lot to do with us — the millenials, those of us born between the late seventies and the early nineties. The idea of grouping conversations is born directly from our generation’s inclination to create community with strangers online.

A fateful July 13 blog post titled, “#OccupyWallStreet” moved the masses in New York and elsewhere. Overseas, #Jan25 organized the revolution that shook the Middle East. More recently, the #SuperBowl set the record for tweets per second, turning the most-watched TV special of the year into a two screen experience. These days, hashtags are a standard vehicle for commentary and assembly.

And while revolutions were being built, some of those same millenials — in the entrepreneurial spirit that most defines them — took the hashtag … and made it their own.

The kind I’m talking about has more entertainment value than it does function. It adds a touch of self-mockery and sarcasm, which comedian Aziz Ansari does masterfully. During the Superbowl, Ansari admitted that his only football knowledge was Friday Night Lights, and tweeted things like, “Touchdown!!! #FoodHitMyPlate” throughout the day.

A hashtag makes a statement that is quick and to the point, which makes it particularly clever when done successfully. This may be why so many rappers use it in their rhymes. They finish their lyrics with a one-word punchline, just like a hashtag. Thus, hashtag rap. Drake is infamous in the ‘genre’, most notably for this line: “Swimming in the money, come and find me #Nemo/If I was at the club, you know I ball’d #Chemo.”

But what do revolutions and football and rap have to do with the future of the internet?

A lot, actually. There are developments that are threatening the livelihood of hashtags and, well, creativity in general. Social media platforms are adding rigidity to the way users generate content, partnering up with this company or that company so that we can only share something one particular way. I fear this will make user content driven sites more generic than ever. These platforms already give us templates for our messages and filters for our photos, leaving us as little editorial judgement as possible.

Google+ is even rolling out hashtag autocomplete for their posts, which adds some element of organization, but also stunts originality. Disorder and spontaneity free users to think outside the box. Twitter is one part structure and two parts attention deficit disorder, which is exactly why creativity thrives there. Twitter is successful because it works just like the universe — as an organized chaos.

The prevalence of hashtags in media and in culture are just a testament to the imaginative spirit that brought us the internet in the first place. If only social media would, like Twitter, find a way to preserve and encourage this kind of ingenuity, instead of manufacturing it for us.

Tell NICOLE NGUYEN why you are #winning this week at niknguyen@ucdavis.edu.

Column: Vaughn-ted Aggies

Sports

Sports Editor

February 27, 2012

The UC Davis baseball team is a hard team not to root for.

The squad has flown a bit under the radar in the Aggie sports world for the last several years, but early in the 2012 season it looks like the Aggies could prove to be one of the most compelling groups this campus has seen in some time.

Granted Dobbins Stadium will probably never produce the energy of Aggie Stadium during the Causeway Classic or the Pavilion as men’s basketball looks for a win over Pacific, but UC Davis baseball is turning things around and it’s time to take notice.

At this point last season UC Davis was an unimpressive 2-5, but after eight games this season the Aggies are 5-2 –– with their game against San Jose State still waiting to be completed (it was suspended due to impending darkness).

From top to bottom the Aggies are going to be a fun team to watch this season, and it all begins with their first-year head coach.

Matt Vaughn is UC Davis blue and gold all the way through.

After thinking he would be hired as the Aggies’ new head coach in 2003 only to be disappointed by the university’s choice to hire Rex Peters, Vaughn chose to stick with UC Davis as associate head coach with the hope that he would one day become the top-man at his alma mater.

Over the next eight years Vaughn turned down several head coaching positions at other universities to stay in Davis, and now, in his 20th year as a member of the UC Davis coaching staff, Vaughn is finally in his dream job.

And he is taking full advantage.

Vaughn has his team poised and playing hard, something that can be difficult for a first-year coach to accomplish. Most importantly, however, Vaughn has managed his team in perfect strategic fashion.

Without a true power-hitter in the order (UC Davis has yet to tally a single home run this season), Vaughn has been aggressive on the base-paths — manufacturing runs and taking advantage of his team’s speed.

And that’s just the type of management an underdog team like UC Davis needs.

After losing key pieces like Scott Lyman and Joe Biagini to the professional ranks last season, critics predicted that UC Davis would struggle in 2012, and the team was ranked eighth out of the nine teams in the Big West Conference preseason poll.

But the Aggie have exploded out of the gates, surprising nearly everyone.

With multiple series against nationally ranked opponents and a conference schedule that always proves to be a challenge, UC Davis will have a chance to turn a few heads with big-time upsets this season.

Possibly the most enticing part of this Aggie team, however, is that — if the season so far is any indication — this team will be playing close games all year.

UC Davis has gone to extra-innings in three of its first eight games, including Friday’s 16-inning win over Cal State Bakersfield and the still unfinished game against San Jose State that will go at least 12-innings.

And not only are the Aggies playing in close games, but they are finding ways to win in dramatic fashion.

Saturday UC Davis entered the top of the ninth against CSU Bakersfield trailing 5-1, only to stage a dramatic comeback — scoring five runs in the final inning to pull off a dramatic 6-5 victory.

It’s been a bizarre way to open the season, but the Aggies are learning how to win close games –– and with a solid mix of veterans and young players that’s a good skill to have.

So fasten your seatbelts, because this is going to be a nail-biting season for baseball fans.

And even if you’re not a baseball fan, this is a hard team not to root for.

TREVOR CRAMER can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

University sued over pepper spray incident

Campus Editor

February 27, 2012

University sued over pepper spray incident

On Feb. 22, students and alumni filed a lawsuit against UC Davis for the Nov. 18 pepper spray incident.

On Nov. 18, student protesters gathered in the Quad to protest rising tuition. UC Davis Police arrested 10 students and used pepper spray on the non-violent protesters. The event caused a media frenzy, putting UC Davis and the Occupy Movement at the center of national news.

Plaintiffs are suing the university for the violation of their constitutional right to freely protest.

“This was my first demonstration. So many of my friends can barely make ends meet and then another tuition hike was proposed. We had no idea there would be police in riot gear or that we would be pepper sprayed because we were making our voices heard,” said David Buscho, a mechanical engineering major and plaintiff in the lawsuit, in a press release.

The lawsuit states that the pepper spraying of the students went against state and constitutional protections. The lawsuit specifically cites the First Amendment.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit will be represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

“The university needs better policies on how it deals with protests and protesters. Students deserve to know what went wrong and how this could be allowed to happen. They want to make sure it never happens again,” said ACLU Attorney Mark E. Merin.

The university had no comment on the lawsuit.

“Attorneys for the university and the plaintiffs have been talking. We hope those conversations continue. In the meantime, we’ve not seen the lawsuit and therefore aren’t in a position to comment on details,” said Barry Schiller, UC Davis spokesperson.

Since the incident, the Chief of Police Annette Spicuzza, and one of the officers who pepper sprayed students, John Pike, have been placed on administrative leave.

Student protesters have continued their activism on campus from occupying Dutton Hall for two weeks in December, to the recent blockade of U.S. Bank on campus.

Five task forces have been launched to investigate the incident.

The task force that UC President Mark Yudof put together, led by former California Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso, recently announced that the results of their investigation would be delayed again, and would not be released until early March.

HANNAH STRUMWASSER can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Neighborhood Navigator: North Davis

Features

Features Editor

February 27, 2012

A few weeks ago, The Aggie analyzed the pros and cons of living in East Davis. This week, with lease-signing season in full swing, we move north in our quest to provide you with an accurate and thorough look at Davis’ housing options in the area known as North Davis.

Informally defined as the area north of West Covell and west of F Street (and mostly east of Highway 113), North Davis is home to an ample amount of housing options for students, with a diverse surrounding community and a close proximity to campus.

Located at 2689 Sycamore Lane, a little north of the intersection between Sycamore and Alvarado Avenue, is Chapparal Apartments. Chapparal, owned and managed by Tandem Properties (which also owns many other complexes such as Adobe, Russell Park and The Colleges at La Rue), offers a variety of housing options from studio to four-bedroom apartments.

Price ranges vary depending on the size, with a one-bedroom one-bath for $895 per month, a 2-bedroom one-bath for $1250 per month, a 3-bedroom, 1.5-bath for $1550, and a 4-bedroom 2-bath for $2000 per month.

The apartment complex includes features such as quiet study rooms, a pool, hot tub and free internet. The complex also allows cats and small caged animals, with prior consent from management.

Alyssa Parsons, a senior psychology major, lives in a four-bedroom townhouse at Chapparal. She said she has been living in North Davis for three years and loves the area and Chapparal.

“Chaparral is great! Their study rooms are really nice and their maintenance staff are terrific and quick to respond,” Parsons said.

The location of Chapparal was also a driving force for Parsons, and notes the Davis Greenbelts, the near-continuous stretch of biking and walking paths that string together small parks and span the city of Davis, to be particularly attracting.

“I’m close to the Greenbelts, which is a nice alternative to the Arboretum. And, the back of the complex borders Highway 113, so it’s really nice to go out and watch the sunset,” Parsons said.

A little further down Sycamore on Alvarado Avenue is Fountain Circle Apartments, located at 1213 Alvarado Avenue. Located directly across the street from The Marketplace shopping area, it offers one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments and features such as private patios, study rooms, a pool, spa, fitness center and barbecue area.

Elana Thoms, a junior art studio major who lives at Fountain Circle and has lived in North Davis since moving out of the dorms, said she really enjoys living at Fountain Circle.

“The prices here are very manageable and it’s far enough from campus that you feel like you are getting away from school, but not too far away,” Thoms said.

Other apartment complexes in the area include Drake Apartments, which is located at 919 Drake Drive and offers two-bedroom one-bath flats and two-bedroom 1.5-bath townhouses, and Almondwood Apartments, which is located at 1212 Alvarado Avenue and offers one to four-bedroom flats and townhouses.

Both Elizabeth Wood, a senior food science major and Drake resident and Alejandra Arguelles, a senior international relations major and Almondwood resident, agree that these North Davis apartments have everything one could need.

“It’s so convenient. I don’t have a car so the location is perfect. I live near two supermarkets and am close to the Yolo County bus lines to get to the airport when I go home for the holidays,” Arguelles said.

Wood added that Drake Apartments in particular have some nice features.

“We have a brand new study lounge that is amazing and offers free printing to residents. And our apartments have split bathrooms which, in an apartments of four girls, is amazing,” Wood said.

Getting around seems to be no trouble for North Davis residents due to the close proximity to campus and the convenience of the Unitrans buses. North Davis is conveniently located near the Davis Bike Loop, which leads to campus, and the bike lanes on Sycamore lead to University Mall and the southern edge of campus.

“I always bike to campus in nice weather since it is only a couple of miles away and only takes me 10 minutes or less,” Wood said.

Depending on the location within North Davis, students can take the P, Q, J or G Unitrans lines. They often stop directly in front of the apartment or within a close walking distance.

“It is extremely easy to use the buses here because there are multiple lines and they come by about every 15 minutes during the busiest times of the day,” Thoms said.

Parsons agreed.

“I’m not very much of a biker, so I definitely take advantage of the buses. They are very easy to use and come frequently,” Parsons said.

Residents of North Davis also agreed that having The Marketplace and Anderson Plaza shopping areas within walking and biking distance makes getting groceries and eating out easy and convenient.

“I visit Savemart and Safeway all the time because both of them I can get to by walking across the street. For restaurants, I love living across from Dos Coyotes, Panda Express, Papa Murphy’s, Togo’s and Quickly’s,” Wood said.

Unlike areas closer to Davis that have newer apartment complexes such as The Ramble, The Colleges at La Rue or Adobe, North Davis has mostly older complexes, which Parsons said is one of the only drawbacks.

“I’d rather be in North Davis and in an older apartment. All in all, it’s a great place to live,” Parsons said.

CLAIRE MALDARELLI can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

Free cupcakes on the Quad at noon

Campus News

Campus Editor

February 27, 2012

Struggling to stay in school as a result of unexpected financial difficulties? A new program, We Are Aggie Pride, strives to help those students in need.

“It’s an emergency fund set up by students, for students, to address the gap left between financial aid, personal funding and loans,” said Rajiv Narayan, director of communications for We Are Aggie Pride, who is also an Aggie columnist.

Zena Brown founded this program when she heard about a similar program at K-State University from a fellow Student Alumni Association board member during a leadership conference in August 2010.

“Once I heard about it I knew I wanted to create something just like it on our campus,” Brown said in an e-mail interview. “I really saw the need for a program like this, and I know that in these hard economic times if we come together we can really make a difference.”

Students can begin submitting applications and students will start receiving awards Spring quarter.

The applications will be reviewed in the context of immediate need. Applicants are required to have a FAFSA or Dream Act on file and must be a registered undergraduate UC Davis student. In addition, applicants must explain their current income and need for additional funding.

While there is no real restriction of how much money each student can receive, the selection committee will take into consideration how much money there is in the fund, keeping in mind the goal to help as many students as possible, Brown said.

“Students can ask for whatever they want but we award them whatever we determine appropriate,” Narayan said.

The awards will be determined by a committee of students supported by a member of the financial aid office. Students interested in serving on this selection committee can e-mail the awards director Sarah Hoover at smhoover@ucdavis.edu for more information.

“That individual [from the financial aid office] isn’t going to impact the decision but can explain financial circumstances so the committee can make an informed decision,” said Fred Wood, vice chancellor of Student Affairs. “This is a student-initiated, student-led endeavor so it’s appropriate that students will be involved in the selection of the recipient.”

Students who contribute to the fund will be given a limited edition “We Are Aggie Pride” T-shirt. Wearing this T-shirt will allow donors to get a 10 percent discount at various Davis businesses such as Pinkberry, Woodstock’s and 3rd & U. In addition, donors are invited to Donor Appreciation Days where there will be food and entertainment. The minimum contribution to the fund is $10.

“[Philanthropy] is a very personal decision,” Wood said. “I think it’s hard to justify what would lead someone to donate. As vice chancellor of Student Affairs, I’m constantly looking for a way to retain and graduate our students. The idea of ensuring students can complete their degree — that touches my heart.”

Narayan highlighted the fact that this program is a way for students to help other students right now.

“We can’t rely on systemic solutions to things such as tuition hikes and the budget crisis,” Narayan said. “A piece of legislation in the California Senate will not help a person who has to pay rent tomorrow.”

We Are Aggie Pride will be holding an event on the Quad today where the Cal Aggie Band-Uh! will be performing and students can get free cupcakes.

AKSHAYA RAMANUJAM can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

UC Davis stumbles in the desert

Sports Editor

February 27, 2012

After bouncing back against Santa Clara University, UC Davis traveled down to Southern California to face some stiff competition in the Cathedral City Classic, one of the premier tournaments in Division I softball.

“We are going to be challenged,” said coach Karen Yoder going in to the tournament. “We’re facing a couple more top 25 teams [and] that’s what the preseason is all about — being challenged and having multiple experiences so we can gain confidence as we go into conference play.”

Although UC Davis won just one of five games over the weekend, the Aggies hope that the experience gained by playing tough opponents will hopefully show through the rest of the season as they work to improve their 5-12 record.

Thursday — UC Davis 6, Fordham 2
The Aggies’ offense was firing on all cylinders as UC Davis started off well in their first tournament game against Fordham. With strong performances by Megan Guzman, who went 4 for 4, and Heather Zimmerman, who had a two-run home run in the third inning, the Aggies put together numerous offensive outbursts with 10 hits by seven players.

Justine Vela also continued her great play with five shutout innings of relief and only allowed one hit to finish off the Aggie victory.

Thursday — No. 6 Oklahoma 10, UC Davis 0
In the second game of the tournament, UC Davis kept up early with sixth ranked Oklahoma but would eventually be put away as it lost in five innings.

Walks became a major issue for starter Vela as the Sooner batters walked eight times by the fourth inning to help them move to a 7-0 lead against the Aggies.

Along with struggling to contain Oklahoma’s offense, UC Davis also had difficulty getting runners on base with Cassandra Ginnis and Kelly Schulze providing the only Aggie hits in the shutout loss.

Friday — No. 11 Missouri 11, UC Davis 0
Looking to forget the previous night’s game, UC Davis instead was shutout for the second time in two games against No. 11 ranked Missouri.

With the Tigers striking early — hitting three home runs to help them post eight runs in the first three innings — the Aggies missed multiple scoring opportunities and were unable to keep the game close.

Missouri pitcher Bailey Erwin and the rest of the Tiger defense came up big when it counted in their shutout win as UC Davis failed to convert a bases-loaded situation in the first as well as an opportunity in the fourth, when Kendra Campbell and Rachael Miller were on third and second base with no outs.

Saturday — New Mexico 7, UC Davis 5
UC Davis’ final day of the Cathedral City Classic began against 13-1 New Mexico. Although the Lobos would score four runs by the third inning, the Aggies would take a 5-4 lead into the fifth thanks to RBI singles by Miller, Kelly Harman and Chandler Wagner.

Unfortunately for the Aggies, this lead would not last as Aggie starter Jessica Thweatt surrendered three runs in the fifth inning to put the Lobos ahead for good.

Saturday — Syracuse 5, UC Davis 3
The final game of the tournament was a disappointing end for the Aggies as Syracuse overcame a late 3-0 deficit and a fantastic outing by starter Vela to come back and win the game.

The Aggies came out fighting with Vela shutting down the Syracuse offense early with five strikeouts in five innings.

UC Davis gave Vela support with Amy Nunez, Schulze and Miller all driving in runs to set up a 3-0 lead in the sixth.

Syracuse showed determination however, hitting a sixth inning two-run home run that cut the lead to one going into the final inning. With the Aggies unable to extend their lead in the seventh, the Orange took advantage with an RBI double to tie the game and finally, a crippling walk-off two-run homer to send UC Davis home with only one win on the weekend.

The Aggies will look for a better result closer to home as they travel to face rival Sacramento State on Wednesday.

DOUG BONHAM can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

SHAWCing Tip

Campus News

Campus Editor

February 23, 2012

Bacteria are in the air! Winter is here and with it comes the symphony of sniffles, coughs and the sound of general misery. You can avoid joining the sick masses just by going to sleep at a regular time. A recent study found that the immune system is linked to your circadian rhythm — your body’s clock set to a 24 hour cycle. When that rhythm is disrupted, it can make us more susceptible to infection and disease. So as you finish with your midterms and prepare for the final descent of Winter quarter, be sure to make sleep a regular part of your study habits!

For those of us who need to supplement our sleep during the day, be sure to drop by Health, Education, & Promotion (HEP) on the third floor of the Student Health and Wellness Center. They have nap kits to make your afternoon siestas on campus a little more comfortable on campus.

The ASUCD Student Health and Wellness Committee (SHAWC) aims to promote and address important health-related issues on campus. We serve as a liaison between ASUCD and campus health organizations, clubs, and resources. If you have SHAWCing suggestions, questions, or tips, please e-mail us at shawcucd@gmail.com and like us on our Facebook page!

Preparing for the annual Davis Film Festival

Arts & Culture

Arts Editor

February 23, 2012

The Davis Film Festival is back for its ninth year. However, the game has changed. This time around, the event becomes competitive. An event that usually showcases talent through short films and features, the Davis Film Festival now boasts an edgy element.

Taking place Apr. 5 to 7, the weekend kicks off with a free showing of Thrive by Foster Gamble and free cake at Opening Night Festival Preview Party on the first day. Friday and Saturday’s festivities take place at the Veterans’ Memorial Theatre.

Festival Director Judith Plank worked with what she calls a “screening committee” to determine the films that make the final cut for the festival. “[The committee] weeds out the films that are clearly not acceptable. [They] then give me the remaining films. I look at all of those and make the final screening decisions,” Plank said. “Sometimes I look at all of the films, though, depending on how much time we have.”

What makes this year so different, though, is that awards will be handed out, making the event more interesting and aggressive. The categories include “Best Feature,” “Best Short” and “Audience Award.” Each winning film receives a certificate and a prize from one of three local businesses.

“We are going competitive because most film festivals are. It’s nice to win things for work well done,” Plank said. “I believe that it makes the films that win Academy Award potential.”

A three-day event every single year, Davis Film Festival also brings one more new aspect to the weekend: musical performers.

“We don’t have anyone booked yet, so here’s [someone’s] chance for stardom,” Plank said. “Next year at our 10th Anniversary Gala Film Festival, we want tons of musicians.”

In addition to hosting a variety of comedians, musicians and bands, this festival showcases an assortment of films including documentaries, narratives, features, shorts, experimental and animation. Each section of the festival has its own theme: Friday is an artsy and edgy night, Saturday afternoon includes the short films and Saturday night is Human Rights Night.

This year the promotion is “Seven dollars, 11 hours, 21 Filmmakers Compete for Three Top Prizes!”

“We’re competitive at last, and we’re only charging seven dollars for everyone as a way to thank the Davis community for its support over the years,” Plank said.

Plank recommends putting the dates of the festival on the calendar and checking the website on Mar. 15 when the films will be listed and the schedule is posted. She also recommends buying tickets online and showing up without any research of the films or filmmakers.

Plank is also in need of a student intern to go through press kits of the winning films and pick digital photos to distribute to the media.

To get in contact with Judith Plank, to get involved or to find out more information about Davis Film Festival, email davisfilmfest@gmail.com or visit davisfilmfest.org.

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

Women’s Basketball preview

Sports Editor

February 23, 2012

Teams: UC Davis at Pacific
Records: Aggies 15-10 (7-6); Tigers 14-10 (7-5)
Where: Alex G. Spanos Center — Stockton, Calif.
When: Saturday at 4 p.m.
Who to Watch: UC Davis had two disappointing games this past week, but senior Samantha Meggison had a career weekend.

In the Aggies’ loss to Long Beach State, Meggison dropped a career-high 20 points, marking only the second time this season a UC Davis player has scored over 20 points.

Meggison then followed this performance with 19 points on Saturday, the bulk of which was her 11 free throws, also a career high.

Did you know? The UC Davis women’s basketball program finished last season at 10-6 in Big West play, good for 4th in the conference.

After this past tough week, they hold a 7-6 league record that places them 5th in the tight race for the title.

With three games remaining, the Aggies will be fighting for one of the top four positions, and with it, the home-court advantage for the first round of the Big West Conference tournament.

Preview: The Aggies sustained two losses this weekend on the road but are not in a position to panic. The worst-case scenario would have them losing the rest of their three games and still grabbing a seventh seed in conference.

UC Davis has beaten every Big West team at least once this season except UC Irvine, and head coach Jennifer Gross is confident in the team’s abilities late in the season.

“We feel good going down the stretch,” Gross said. “We’re fighting for that home game and every game is crucial.”

Gross is trying to get the team to focus on themselves and their performance rather than the standings. The past week, they had solid grasps on the games and let them slip away.

“You have to bring it for 40 minutes, the focus and the intensity,” she said. “At this point, it’s behind us and we have to keep moving forward.”

This upcoming week, the Aggies have some time to regroup and refocus for a lone game on the road against Pacific on Saturday.

Last time, UC Davis pulled out a 59-51 nailbiter over the Tigers at the Pavilion.

The Tigers have a record similar to that of the Aggies, at 14-10 overall and 7-5 in conference. Pacific is currently 3rd in the Big West Standings, which shows how close this race is.

Depending on how things go in other conference games, a victory over Pacific could potentially propel UC Davis to 3rd in the Big West.

If the Aggies can pull out a victory over the Tigers, they will be in good shape coming into the last two games at home. UC Davis holds a stellar 8-2 record when playing at the Pavilion.

— Matthew Yuen

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