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Quarter system falls under scrutiny

Campus Editor
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Weekly papers and quizzes, endless midterms, little time to study before finals begin – the downsides to the quarter system can seem endless.

Now, a new article may provide some validity to our complaints.

The piece, written by clinical psychologist Nancy Rosenbach and vice president of academic affairs at La Guardia Community College Peter Katopes, was published in the education journal Inside Higher Ed. The authors argue that education reform in America places too much importance on the speed and efficiency of education, and not enough on the quality of the education itself.

“The emphasis in recent years has been on rapid credential attainment and ‘seamless transitions’ rather than on actual learning,” they wrote, contrasting this with earlier generations in which the knowledge – both bureaucratic and academic – gained during school often weighed more heavily the degree it produced.

Every UC school used the semester system until the late 1960s, until all campuses, including Berkeley, switched to quarters to promote year-round operation and increase capacity. Berkeley converted back shortly after, but all other campuses remained on quarters, said Robert Powell, chemical engineering professor and chair of the UC Davis Academic Senate, in an e-mail interview.

Currently, eight of the ten campuses including Davis use a ten-week quarter system.

Talk of switching to a semester system emerged at Davis in the late 1990s, but almost every group on campus – students included – opposed the change, Powell said.

Despite this, he acknowledged the increasing rarity of the quarter system among US colleges.

“As you look out across the country, in the last decade or two it’s possible to find examples of universities that converted to semesters, but I know of no university that converted from semesters to quarters,” he said.

Trends may be diverging away from the quarter system, but in response to the study’s argument, Powell insists that UC officials are primarily concerned with delivering the best education possible with the resources available.

“What may be perceived as an emphasis on increasing efficiency is usually dictated by outside factors – the way the state funds the University, budget, classroom size [and] limited TA support,” he said.

Though breaking the school year into quarters allows students to take a wider variety of classes, many feel that the system increases stress and cuts down the amount of material taught in class.

However, some students remain critical of the speedy quarter system.

“I think it causes the teachers to move through information way too fast in certain classes and spend one day on topics that deserve at least a week’s worth of attention,” said junior sociology major Abbie Lieberman.

Still, others appreciate the quarter system’s rapid pace.

“I honestly like the quarter system because it helps students get through their classes faster,” said Anh Chau, a senior evolution and ecology major. “It keeps you working hard to stay on top of things; with a semester system, there’s a lot of room for procrastination.”

Lindsey Pitman, a senior political science major, noted other benefits of the quarter system.

“If I have a hard quarter [or] professor [or] class, I only need to survive for ten weeks and then it is over,” she said, also pointing out that the system allows her to take a wide range of different courses in just one year.

Chau did mention the dangers of falling behind in the quarter system.

“If you don’t get something in lecture, you have to make sure you get help ASAP,” she said. “That might be hard since as students, we are taking at least 15 units and at times we cannot dedicate all the time in the world to one class while taking three other classes.”

In their article, Rosenbach and Katopes claim that students gain more from an education the longer it takes them to complete. They argue that by rushing students through the learning process, our education system teaches these students not to wait for gratification, and instead to expect instant results.

“Study after study has shown that delaying gratification allows space for experience and learning and leads to a psychologically healthier, more mature, more sophisticated individual,” they wrote. “The ability to wait for reward is at the basis of hard work, scientific inquiry, artistic creation and intellectual achievement.”

MEGAN MURPHY can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Underrepresented groups on campus see increase in future funding

Campus Editor
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Last week, Chancellor Linda Katehi announced a $230,000 annual investment to combat hate and intolerance on campus.

This investment is in direct response to the recent incidents of intolerance that plagued campus in March. The money will go toward the office of student affairs and the office of campus community relations.

“These are difficult financial times, to be sure, but I believe that these investments are critical to advancing our shared goal of a safer, more inclusive and hate-free environment,” Katehi said in her May 5 letter.

From the office of student affairs, $100,000 will be allocated annually to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center (LGBTRC) effective July 1. Katehi advised the LGBTRC, which was infamously vandalized in March, to use their funds for their highest priority needs.

“We plan to utilize a portion of the funds to hire an assistant director,” said Sheri Atkinson, director of the LGBTRC, in an e-mail interview. “We need more staff to meet the many needs of our community and to continue to educate the campus community.”

The principles of community, which Katehi said have been reaffirmed through a public resigning, state that the UC Davis campus must strive to build a true community of spirit and purpose based on mutual respect and caring.

“The recent allocation from Chancellor Katehi is a good step toward supporting the many needs of the LGBT community and enhancing campus climate for all,” Atkinson said.

Along with the LGBTRC, Katehi announced that the university will allocate $100,000 in ongoing funds to the Black Student Union. She explained that the money would help institutionalize mentorship programs that focus on underrepresented, underserved and marginalized students.

The incidents of hate, which appeared across multiple UC campuses, have shed new light on the discrimination still present, even at the university level.

“Expressions of hate, intolerance and incivility have no place in a university community that prides itself on educating the brightest minds of tomorrow and are inconsistent with the goals of our Principles of Community,” Katehi said. “Our campus is actively engaged in reaffirming our commitment to these principles in a number of ways to promote freedom of expression, confront acts of discrimination, appreciate our differences and build a more inclusive campus community.”

While the public hate crimes seemed to have stopped around the UC campuses, Atkinson stressed that this kind of bigotry still occurs daily to underrepresented groups on and around campus.

“The recent incident of blatant hate brought to light homophobia that LGBT people experience on a regular basis,” she said. “The LGBTRC works to provide support to the community and educate the campus to address hateful and discriminatory attitudes and actions.”

The LGBTRC and Black Student Union are two main groups that will benefit from Chancellor Katehi’s decision, but the chancellor is looking into other ways to promote tolerance. The extra $30,000 will be allocated to the Campus Council on Community and Diversity to fund events, training programs, students or other costs that will advance the goal of a hate-free campus.

“I’m happy to see our campus taking action to combat hate and intolerance,” said Natalia Lopez-Montero, a senior political science major. “It’s just too bad that it took high-profile acts of vandalism and a swarm of media coverage to prompt the university to invest in such important organizations.”

ANDY VERDEROSA can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Photo essay: Whole Earth Festival

Features Editor
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Photos from the 41st annual Whole Earth Festival

Davis celebrates life at Whole Earth Festival

Features Editor
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Thousands of tie-dyed, barefoot and nature-loving visitors descended upon Davis for the 41st annual Whole Earth Festival last weekend.

The three-day event began last Friday and lasted till Sunday, celebrating sustainable living and appreciating our Earth with the theme “From the Ground Up.”

“What it means for us is just not involving ourselves with what no longer serves us. [We are] focusing on what doesn’t work, focusing on what does work and rebuilding it from the ground up,” said Ayse Gursoz, co-director of the festival. “We are actually working together with people, with the staff and all these volunteers and collaborators and we really do literally build this festival from the ground up.”

Festival-goers had their pick of several stages and “spaces” to watch performances by local bands and dance groups, and participate in a number of workshops.

One popular destination was the Soular Dance Stage, located in front of Wellman. Highlights included performances by the UC Davis dance group Mobility and the cast of Studio 301’s production of the musical Hair.

At Cedar Stage in front of Walker Hall, KDVS hosted an afternoon of live music and dancing. Children could make their own flower wreaths and kaleidoscopes at the Kids’ Space.

However, the Quad was the main hub of activity. Over 100 art, jewelry and food vendors lined the outside of the grass, while classes such as “OMG! Orgasm Your Dreams to Screaming Success” were conducted in the center.

“It’s amazing because you see this Quad transform into something completely different,” Gursoz said. “On the rim you see a lot of craft vendors but then you go to the center and there’s Sacred Space and Experiential Space workshops like learning how to live in more sustainable ways.”

Joe Levy said this was his first time attending WEF as a craft vendor. His company, Yeoman Organics, sells organic clothing designed by UC Davis students.

“I’ve been on the other side of the booth, walking around and seeing everything, when I went to Davis,” said Levy, who graduated in 2009 with a degree in economics. “I like Whole Earth a lot and it’s a lot of fun. I’d love to come back.”

Though thousands of people come to Whole Earth every year, some experienced the festival for the very first time this weekend.

“It’s great! They turned the Memorial Union into a market,” said Maria Reunggeary, UC Davis Extension student and WEF first-timer. “I think I’m going to walk around and buy something. I really support the sustainable living message.”

Keeping the festival completely sustainable and as close to zero-waste as possible is always an important element of the weekend. The Whole Earth Reusables Cooperative (WERC) oversaw the reusing, recycling and composting of all of the event’s waste.

Instead of paper dishware, the WERC instituted a loaning system for reusable dishes. Use of a plate, cup or utensil cost one dollar per item. After returning the dishware, patrons received their money back.

“After the festival we only have a minuscule amount of pounds of waste, when really for something in this scale you’d expect there to be so much waste,” Gursoz said. “Being also that there are 300-plus volunteers, everybody helps each other along or reminds people. But a lot of people do already see that, oh, [recycling is] what we’re supposed to do.”

From the families picnicking on the grass to the friendly young man carrying a sign offering “Organic Hugs,” it’s clear that peace, love and harmony were the orders of the day.

The most popular thing to do at Whole Earth is to soak in the sun, get the vitamin D and feel the love, Gursoz said.

“It’s so crazy at Picnic Day, but there’s a lot of heart here at Whole Earth,” Gursoz said. “We’ve maintained a mellow vibe. It has gone swimmingly.”

ERIN MIGDOL can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

Baseball swept away

Sports Editor
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With a severely depleted roster, UC Davis was forced to play Pacific with one arm tied behind its back.

The newest injury has sidelined stud shortstop Justin Shafer and as a result, the Aggies must rely on some unfamiliar faces.

“We only have 22 healthy guys on our roster,” said coach Rex Peters. “You’ve got to go with what you have and hopefully it’s good enough to win. If the players are here playing at this level, they should be able to compete.”

The Aggies couldn’t deliver on the mound or push enough runs across the plate to take this Big West Conference series from the rival Tigers.

Friday – Pacific 12, UC Davis 1

At the beginning of the year, a start from Dayne Quist was practically an automatic win for UC Davis.

Unfortunately, the Aggie ace has faltered of late causing his earned run average on the season to balloon to 5.91.

Peters was worried that Quist may have been tipping his pitches. When Quist gave up nine runs on 12 hits against Pacific on Friday, Peters said that the pitcher just wasn’t on his game.

“He was just getting pitches up and they were hitting them,” Peters said. “Give them credit. When a pitcher leaves off-speed stuff up in the zone, you have to hit it and they did.”

In total, Quist pitched four innings and struck out four. CJ Blom gave the Aggies five innings of relief while allowing three runs on four hits and four walks.

Saturday – Pacific 7, UC Davis 5

After a disappointing defeat on Friday, the Aggies looked to improve against the Tigers on Saturday.

Though it suffered a loss, UC Davis played well enough to win as it out-hit Pacific 16-14.

“We swung the bats pretty well,” Peters said. “I thought we had a pretty good approach against their left-handed starter so we had a lot of hard hit balls. We left a lot of guys on base and they didn’t so the difference was they got their hits with guys on base.”

Third baseman Paul Politi, designated hitter David Popkins and second baseman Justin Andrade led the Aggie offensive attack with three hits apiece.

With Schafer out of the lineup due to a muscle injury, Politi hit third for the first time this season. Peters was pleased with what he saw from his freshman slugger.

“He’s come a long way as a hitter,” Peters said of Politi. “Every time he practices taking a swing it’s with a purpose. He’s probably been the most improved player we’ve had all year.”

With all the injuries UC Davis has experienced, the squad has been forced to experiment with different lineups and defensive alignments. With little wiggle-room, Peters looked for his team to show grit to get a win in the final game of the series.

“I don’t have any options,” Peters said. “We’re so banged up health-wise, we’ll use the same lineup. The guys just have to find a way to win.”

Sunday – Pacific 11, UC Davis 7

The shortened UC Davis roster was again the story of the game on Sunday.

Despite giving up eight runs, the Aggies left Lyman on the mound for 140 pitches, by far the most he’s ever thrown in one game.

“We didn’t have a lot of guys to go to in that pen,” Peters said. “We used some guys up on Friday and Saturday so we let him go a little longer than normal.”

In total, Lyman threw 5.2 innings while allowing 10 hits, seven walks, seven earned runs and striking out seven.

After taking a series from Cal State Northridge a week ago, UC Davis is understandably disappointed to be swept by Pacific.

“We had a couple opportunities defensively to make some plays and get out of some innings but we didn’t do it,” Peters said. “You can’t walk 10 guys and play shoddy defense against one of the better offensive teams in the conference and expect to win.”

MARK LING can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

Women’s rowing gets the cut

Sports Editor
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Editor’s note: On April 16, the UC Davis Athletic Department cut four Intercollegiate teams. As part of a four-part series, The California Aggie will examine how these cuts will affect the student athletes, the coaches and the future of each sport. While several factors such as conference affiliation, Title IX regulations and budgetary constraints determined which sports were cut, this series will concentrate solely on the impact felt by those directly affected. Women’s rowing is part one in this series.

Caleigh Guoynes doesn’t know if she can come back to UC Davis next year.

“There’s no job that I can get that I will make $20,000 in a year,” she said.

Guoynes, a sophomore genetics major and coxswain for the UC Davis women’s rowing team, is in the same boat as many of her teammates. The team is questioning the uncertain future of not only its sport, but the individual lives of the student athletes after the announcement of the cut.

Guoynes’ story may be like many other athletes. She was recruited from Michigan and given a $5,000 scholarship by verbal agreement that was to increase by $5,000 till her senior year. She received an extra $5,000 her sophomore year through another scholarship. Although the original scholarship will be carried throughout her four years, the additional increase is still negotiable.

“I think it’s frustrating that the administration isn’t listening to individual students. It’s not just the sport but their education and their plans for the future,” Guoynes said.

With the high price of an out-of-state tuition, and with the lack of another scholarship, Guoynes is not certain if she will be able to afford to stay at UC Davis for much longer.

Even if she is to remain in Davis, she wouldn’t be able to participate on a potential club team.

“I would need to get a job…I wouldn’t be able to afford the expenses of staying on the club team,” she said.

She said it wouldn’t be feasible to maintain school, a job and rowing because of the time commitment.

“I was just starting to get rowing and what a coxswain does. I now really won’t have the opportunity to excel at it. I’ll never have the chance to get better, to be on the water again,” Guoynes said.

Her teammate Emily Roberts, a first-year psychology major and bow-seat on the varsity A squad, feels similar frustrations.

“It’s hard now to go to a school that cut my sport, raised my tuition and cut classes,” Roberts said. “I’m really disappointed in the school. It hasn’t been what I’d hoped.”

Roberts said that she still doesn’t completely understand how the decision was made to cut her team.

“I don’t think that’s fair. Why would they cut an entire team of girls? I think it’s sad that they would cut a 30-year sport that has been doing well,” Roberts said.

The Aggies recently captured three medals at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships and took home the Jean Runyon Cup after beating Sacramento State.

Roberts thinks, however, that she will continue with the club team if possible.

Much like her players, coach Carissa Adams also does not see the logic in eliminating a team of so many women.

“To cut a team of 73 on the women’s side is a huge thing,” Adams said. “It makes a statement to the female student athletes on campus that maybe they are not as valued as male athletes.”

According to Adams, men’s indoor track was only cut in an attempt to minimize the damage.

“That’s what makes this pretty depressing,” she said.

Adams, too, is unsure of her future, especially as a coach. She will be talking this week with administration to see if the possibility of a club team will be available. Her contract expires June 30 and she has not made a decision yet if she will stay on as a rowing coach at the club level.

The hardest part of being a club, Adams said, would be getting sufficient competition.

“No one wants to play against a club team and run the risk of losing. Without the umbrella of [the Intercollegiate program], turning up some kind of competition for the team is going to be pretty challenging,” Adams said.

Adams suggested to the administration to cut scholarships out of the mix.

“We can be just as successful without our scholarship money.”

The team runs on an approximate operating budget of $70,000 to $80,000 a year, according to Adams. Around $40,000 of that goes towards van travel, which Adams said goes right back to the university.

This season, the team raced in eight meets and traveled once, taking 27 members to San Diego.

On March 2, the athletes were told to raise funds for long-terms goals if they wanted to keep their sport. The amount to raise was “unrealistic,” Adams said: $5 million without endowments and around $16 million with endowments.

“I think it was a way to discourage coaches from trying,” Adams said.

She said prospects look dire to get the team back to ICA at this point without the full-fledged support of students.

“It’s really difficult to bring a sport back once it’s been cut. But I’m a firm believer in rooting for the underdog and thinking that social change can happen,” Adams said. “I think it will be up to the student athletes and the student body to say if they agree with the decision or not.”

ANGELA RUGGIERO can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

UC Davis misses nationals

Sports Editor
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After dominating the field at the Big West Conference Tournament two weeks ago, the Aggies set their sights on an NCAA Tournament berth.

Unfortunately for UC Davis, it didn’t finish in the top eight spots and failed to advance past the NCAA West Regional this weekend at Stanford.

The Aggies shot 61-over for the tournament, placing them in 15th, 37 strokes behind first-place No. 3 ranked Arizona and 10 strokes behind No. 24 Texas A&M, the last team to qualify.

It was not the finish UC Davis had hoped for, but the Aggies left Stanford with their heads held high.

“Obviously we wanted to make it to nationals,” said coach Anne Walker, “but we were really well prepared and we gave it our best effort.”

The Aggies were led by junior Chelsea Stelzmiller who finished tied for 17th at 9-over, 8-strokes behind Calle Nelson of Virginia and Madeleine Ziegert of San Jose State, who tied for first.

Stelzmiller had seven birdies in the tournament and also had the best single round for UC Davis, shooting 2-over on the final day.

Big West Golfer of the Year Alice Kim tied for 30th with a score of 12-over. The Walnut, Calif. native led UC Davis with eight birdies and shot scores of 4-over in each of her three rounds.

Senior Kim Johnson ended her career as an Aggie in a tie for 66th at 19-over. She shot 3-over in the last round of the tournament.

UC Davis’ two freshmen Demi Runas and Amy Simanton both struggled at Stanford. The duo each posted their lowest finishes of the season and ended in the bottom half of a field that featured 121 individuals.

Runas finished tied for 85th with a score of 23-over. She fired just two birdies for the tournament, both in her final round.

Simanton wound up one stroke behind Runas at 24-over. She tied for 91st.

Despite the low finishes for the freshmen, coach Anne Walker knows that this will be a learning experience for the younger members of the team.

“It’s going to be great for them,” Walker said. “They didn’t have any experience playing on this stage. Learning to deal with the emotions of a championship-level tournament will help them a lot in the future.”

She also knows that her team needs to avoid letting its inability to reach nationals affect confidence as it moves forward.

“Of course we need to think about it,” Walker said, “but it’s been a great year and we need to stay focused on all the good things that happened. One tournament doesn’t define our season.”

With a little hard work in the off-season, the Aggies could make another push for a national title next year. Going into next season, UC Davis will retain many of its key players, all of whom gained a lot of valuable experience.

“We grew as individuals and as a team this year,” Walker said. “Our players need to keep competing in national events through the summer and getting exposure against some of the best competition. If we can do that then I think we’ll be even better next year.”

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

At critical time, Aggies show brilliance

Sports Editor
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The Aggies are dialed in.

Will Guthrie and senior Anikia Jackson both hit the ground running for the Big West Multi Meet in Northridge, Calif. this weekend. The rest of the team combined for wins in seven events at the Sacramento State Open.

Guthrie posted a career-best 6,329 points in the heptathlon. His previous best of 6,138 was tallied at last year’s conference championships.

Jackson amassed 5,126 points, the most in school history. On Friday, Jackson finished second in the shot put and third in the 100 hurdles. The next day, she took the first spot in the javelin and second in the long jump. She is the only UC Davis heptathlete to break the 5,000-point barrier.

At Sac State, the Aggies showed that their past successes weren’t flukes as they combined for 30 top five finishes.

The men showcased an impressive show of talent, depth and training in the 400 hurdles. Thomas Phillips put together a season-best performance, turning in a time of 52.36. His other two teammates in the race also had season-best times. Nolan Frazier posted a time of 52.71 for second place, and Jeffrey Campbell went 54.36 for the fourth spot.

Ed Orgon, a junior from Fair Oaks, Calif., highlighted a solid overall team performance. He had three top-three finishes in the meet as he took first in the shot put, second in the discus and third in the hammer.

Fellow thrower Ashley Hearn took first in the discus throw, posting a distance of 164-2. Hearn also went fifth in the shot put.

Melanise Chapman took the 100-meter sprints for the women with a time of 11.95. Her teammate, Abigail Gallaher, took first in a tight 1,500 race, finishing in 4:35.82.

Senior Sirena Williams ran a season-best 13.52 in the 100 hurdles. Her previous best this season came at the Cal-Neva Championships, as she registered a 13.55.

A relay team composed of Stephanie Eckels, Chapman, Shanie Landen and Mina Mohamadi won first, finishing at 46.53.

Guthrie and Jackson will head back to Northridge next week. The rest of the Aggies will accompany them as UC Davis will compete in the Big West Conference Championships beginning Friday.

MATT WANG can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

Column: Sp’oscars,’ Part II

Sports Editor
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Here I am following through on my guarantee.

I bet you didn’t think Part II of the Sp’oscars’ would come so quickly, though.

Before I begin, I have a disclaimer: Athletes and coaches chosen as Sp’oscar’ winners don’t actually receive an award or real hardware – just my respect.

That should be good enough.

Best single-game performance by a female

Women’s soccer coach MaryClaire Robinson judges offensive success by how dangerous the offensive unit is.

This season, the lethal UC Davis offensive attack scored 11 more goals than the previous season.

Dangerous? I’d say so.

That unit, led by senior Rochelle VanBuskirk, was especially deadly in the fifth game of the season.

The Pleasant Hill, Calif. native kicked it into gear against Eastern Washington as she scored twice and assisted on three of her teammate’s other goals.

Overall, she was involved in five of her team’s six scores on the day as the Aggies defeated the Eagles on the road by a 6-1 margin.

Best single-game performance by a male

When wide receiver Chris Carter set a school-record with 18 catches in a game in mid September, it wasn’t just epic because it came against last season’s Football Championship Subdivision runner-up.

No. It was also an incredible feat considering he essentially shattered the previous record of 15 set by Tony Kays in 2005.

Carter left no question of who was best of this day as his catches accounted for 190 yards in total, a career high for the senior.

“Coach did a good job of moving me around between outside and inside receiver,” Carter said.

Carter holds the school’s all-time record for catches in a career with 213 and his 85 catches last year rank second in UC Davis history for a single season.

He was also named Great West Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

Best game

One of the goals football coach Bob Biggs set for his team at the beginning of the 2009 season was to beat Cal Poly.

Biggs got his wish.

UC Davis defeated Cal Poly 23-10 to capture the Golden Horseshoe, the first Aggie victory in the series since 2005.

“It was an unbelievable effort and a total defensive victory,” said co-captain Mike Morales after the game. “It feels so good. We’ve got blown out at home before and to only give up 10 points is icing on the cake.”

Besides for an early Mustang score, the Aggies dominated the contest, scoring through the air and on the ground.

The special teams stepped up big for the Aggies, too, as kicker Sean Kelley booted three field goals – one tying a school record- and cornerback Kenneth Brown blocked a Cal Poly field goal attempt.

“It was a great team win,” Biggs said. “There were so many contributions from so many people.”

Best moment

If you think going four years without beating a team is long, try 70.

That’s how long the drought was for the men’s basketball team against Pacific. During that time the Aggies had lost 49 straight times to the Tigers.

And preventing No. 50 wasn’t looking good after starting point guard Mark Payne was scratched from the lineup due to illness prior to the regionally televised Feb. 10 home contest.

However, the Aggies were able to overcome the absence of their star player, the historic streak and the first-place Tigers to win 62-59 in what was no doubt the best UC Davis sports moment of the year.

“It’s by far the best athletic moment I’ve had in my life, not just as an Aggie but overall,” said lone senior Dominic Calegari. “It’s the most amazing feeling I could ask for.”

The Aggies used an 11-2 run late in the first half to take the lead at halftime. The game remained close in the second period of play as neither team held a lead of more than five.

UC Davis pulled out the victory, though, and it in process took a 70-year monkey off its back.

The win also propelled the Aggies to their best season in the Division I post-season eligible era as they finished fourth in the Big West Conference.

MAX ROSENBLUM doesn’t think there will be a Part III of the Sp’oscars.’ That doesn’t mean he has a wealth of ideas. Help him out by contacting him electronically at sports@theaggie.org.

Column: Taylor Swift’s a dirty sinner

Opinion
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If Taylor Swift thinks she can bat her whopping eyelashes at me and win me over, she is sorely mistaken.

She’s got a lot to answer for, particularly for “Love Story” and “You Belong with Me.” It’s not that I don’t like country-that-isn’t-really-country, or that I think Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time.

It’s … well, have you seen the video for “You Belong with Me?” First, what self-respecting marching band nerd has her sloppy blonde braids hanging all over the place in uniform? And stop waving that clarinet around – you’re going to either put an eye out or break your reed.

But what really gets me about this story is her feelings for Cutie McFootballstar. He’s pursued a relationship – or been hen-pecked into one – with a catty, domineering diva. Whenever he’s not getting what he needs out of his girlfriend, he turns to a girl he won’t commit to, offloads his wounded heart and kicks some flirting in for good measure. I can totally see why our geeky heroine is into him. (I’m only half-sarcastic here.)

And then there’s “Love Story.” The protagonist, beset by a Romeo-and-Juliet romance, can’t wait to run away with her prince, escape the naysayers and live happily ever after. Oh, Tay-Tay. As a person who once kept a relationship secret for several months because I knew it was a bad idea and my friends would call me out, I can assure you that fleeing your disapproving loved ones does not a sustainable romance make. I mean, it totally worked out for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, who are currently sipping Mai Tais in the Bahamas, but they’re a special case.

The part about this song that gets me tripping is when Juliet is pointing out to Romeo that he has been completely ignoring her for so long she wasn’t sure he’d ever turn up again. What’s his solution? A ring and a proposal. Because getting married will magically transform your broken relationship into a fairytale, infused with love and faithfulness and possibly unicorns.

We generally like the magical transformation myth. If I date this charming yet immature guy, my love will turn him into a man I can respect. If I pass this class, life will be easy and pleasant. If I get this job after college, I’ll make enough money to never have to dig through the dumpster for Carl’s Jr. coupons again, and I’ll finally have satisfaction.

Sometimes, we try for a quick fix; other times, we put in long hours of work to solve our problems. Either way, the connection between our efforts and the marvelous result is a little bit mystical, and we don’t mind it.

But we don’t like the magical Christian transformation myth. What, just because you “got religion” you’re better than me? God’s going to let you into heaven because you’re all uptight and follow his rules? I’m a good person, too, you know. I have morals.

Well, shoot. If being a good person is the prereq for getting into heaven, I’d better start packing for my Harry Potter closet in hell. I don’t even know which staircase it would be under, because I’m pretty sure I’ve hit up sins on every level of Dante’s Inferno.

See, I used to do a lot of bad things, and failed to do a lot of good things. Then I got serious about Jesus, and a funny thing happened:

I kept sinning.

Let’s be real. When someone becomes a Christian, they’re probably going to get kind of weird, not super-holy. Suddenly, they start using “disciple” as a verb and answering requests for dates with “I’ll pray about it.” But usually, they don’t stop being rude to their families or give up their porn addiction overnight. They’ll change over time, but they’re still dirty sinners. And dirty sinners don’t go to heaven.

That’s the bad news. See, when it comes to God, there’s no “good enough.” The standard for innocence before God isn’t “worse than Mother Teresa but better than Hitler.” It’s actual innocence, and none of us have it.

None but one.

Jesus never faltered. In the final exam of life, he got a 100 percent. And here’s the ridiculous, scandalous, countercultural truth of the gospel: He wants us to trade his 100 percent for our 2.5 percent, or our 1 percent, or our slept-though-the-final-because-I-was-hung-over. You’ll never, ever, ever score 100 percent. You’ll never earn forgiveness. But you can have it for free.

Will you take it?

BETH SEKISHIRO sees you football players at the DC all the time, but you never sweep her off her slip-resistant soles. To ask for a dinner date, contact her at blseki@ucdavis.edu. Then she’ll pray about it.

Column: Of coming too soon and glitter

Opinion
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0

I had three papers to write last week, averaging no more than two hours of sleep each night. Cinco de Mayo was on Wednesday and it would have been a shame to let my culture go uncelebrated. The weekend was trippy, to say the least, complete with hippies, raves and the nicest lady ever who took my dirty dish and gave me a dollar. All that was followed by a very hungover phone call home to wish my mom a happy Mother’s Day. I’m exhausted.

That being said, it would be very cruel of you to expect much from this column. Currently, I’m vegged out in bed, donning a nasty old T-shirt from my fat years and some sweatpants. (Yeah, me in sweatpants? Believe me, I’m ashamed of myself, too. But it could be worse. I could be wearing Uggs. Ew. Or even worse – Crocs. Those are nasty.)

So, in all my blob-tastic existence, all I’m capable of doing at the moment is answering questions. And surprisingly, I’ve received lots of them lately. Here’s another edition of “Dear Mario.”

Dear Mario,

My current boyfriend and I have been dating for several months now, but when we try to have sex, he cums too early. He’s really embarrassed about it, and no matter how many times I try to reassure him, his self-esteem goes down. I’ve told him that this does happen to other guys, and I just want to be more intimate with him, but nothing seems to work – I miss sex!

What should I say to him and how should I approach the situation next time we try to go at it?

– Little Miss Sex

If I were you, Little Miss, I wouldn’t have done anything differently – talking to your boyfriend is a great start! Keep reassuring your boyfriend that it’s okay and you don’t have a problem with it. Premature ejaculation happens to a lot of guys – and I’m sure many, if not all, of them reacted just like your boyfriend did. The thing about guys is that they like to build up this machismo complex about themselves, and anything that threatens said machismo makes them wimpy (or so they feel).

Refute that. Let him know that’s not the case. He’s just as manly as ever, and you’re just as horny as ever. While sex most certainly is not the most important aspect in a relationship, it does come with its great deal of significance. That said, keep trying. When you think he’s slowing down because he’s afraid to cum, tell him you want to keep going. Or you could perhaps try not jumping straight into sex – oral and manual stimulation could be perfect alternatives.

Dear Mario,

I fuckin’ love you. Your column makes me laugh every Monday. Thanks for writing something in the paper that I can laugh at, and that makes my homophobic friends squirm. You’re the man, Mario.

Some guy

I think that was the first time someone’s ever called me “the man.” Regardless, it was really nice and I appreciate you taking the time to send the e-mail. And I’m super glad you’re enjoying my columns; that’s more than I could ask of my readers!

In regards to your friends, fight homophobia! It makes the world an ugly place. So, talk to your friends and get ’em informed. I’m just gay – I won’t bite you. (Unless you ask … )

Dear Mario,

I like this guy. One day, I was standing behind him in the bus terminal and I gave a big sigh since it seemed to be a long bus ride home. He turned back and looked at me. Looking back on it, I realized I should have said something. But my gaydar needs tweaking.

He dresses like a normal breeder: black pants with brown shoes, but different shirts that are not too flamboyant. How do I know if he bats for the same team without making a mistake?

Curiouser and curiouser

Oh, honeybee. I’ll make this short: It’s not healthy to judge people – and yes, that’s ultimately what you’re doing. Talk to this guy. Get to know him. If his sexuality pops up, learn about it. If it doesn’t, talk about it in a nonthreatening way. And talk about your sexuality, too. That’s healthy.

Dear Mario,

I’m starting to think the glitter is becoming an addiction for you. I mean bless Martha Stewart and all, but you’re going make her rich. I don’t see you anymore. I’m so blinded by all the glitter!

A concerned friend

A note to my readers who have yet to see me in person: I wear glitter on a daily basis – on my face, around my eyes, on my clothes, everywhere. I have a Martha Stewart collection variety pack of glitter and I bought it from our very own bookstore! Sometimes I just quickly sprinkle a bit on. Other times I’m drowned in it.

In all honesty, though, glitter is a part of who I am. I love wearing it. It’s funny how something so small and shiny can make such an impact – I get so many stares and weird looks. That’s what’s wrong with our world: We’re too afraid of what’s different. And boys wearing glitter? That’s different.

But I’m not going to keep from wearing it. Yes, I’m a boy – that’s a fact. I wear glitter. That’s also a fact. Who is anyone to tell me those two facts can’t coincide?

Next, are you going to tell me I can’t play with the Barbie I recently bought myself? You’re crazy.

MARIO LUGO is going to say it: He’s more impressed with Miley Cyrus’ “Can’t Be Tamed” music video than Xtina’s desperate cry for attention video. And Beyoncé works it out in “Why Don’t You Love Me” as B.B. Homemaker – she takes a bath in jewelry and heels! For more useful news on divas, send an e-mail to mlugo@ucdavis.edu.

Aggie Daily Calendar

Features Editor
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0

TODAY

Project Compost

6 p.m.

43 Memorial Union

Attend the Project Compost volunteer meetings and learn how you can help them divert organic waste around campus.

Southeast Asian Graduation Meeting

6 to 7 p.m.

South Hall Conference Room

Join a passionate group of students working to celebrate the achievements of graduating Southeast Asian students through an intimate cultural ceremony for the Southeast Asian community.

WEDNESDAY

IAESTE Leadership Opportunity Meeting

6:20 to 7 p.m.

129 Wellman

Join the global network of architectural, engineering, mathematics and science leaders. See how IAESTE can enrich your experience with international professional training and leadership opportunities!

THURSDAY

Spanish Jeopardy

6 to 8 p.m.

53A Olson

Play Spanish jeopardy with the Spanish club!

Mr. Greek Universe

6:30 p.m.

Chemistry 194

Watch your favorite fraternities compete for this year’s Mr. Greek Universe crown!

To receive placement in the AGGIE DAILY CALENDAR, e-mail dailycal@theaggie.org or stop by 25 Lower Freeborn by noon the day prior to your event. Due to space constraints, all event descriptions are subject to editing, and priority will be given to events that are free of charge and geared toward the campus community.

Davis City Council candidates discuss transportation

City Editor
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0

Davis Bicycles! and the Davis Bike Collective hosted Davis City Council candidates last week at Bike Forth downtown to discuss their views on transportation in Davis.

Candidates had five minutes to introduce themselves. Afterward, they were asked two questions by the sponsors, followed by questions from the audience.

The candidates first discussed what policy changes candidates they would put in place to prepare Davis for the long-term effects of climate change and peak oil.

Joe Krovoza, the first candidate to respond, said the answer lies in public transportation.

“Unitrans stands for university transit,” Krovoza said. “I think Unitrans should stand for unifying the modes of transit.”

Other candidates agreed.

“The good thing about the gas shortage that we had a couple years ago is that we have a taste of what’s coming,” Rochelle Swanson said. “I think some people learned the hard way that Unitrans doesn’t go during finals very well and over the summer it’s reduced quite a bit. So I think Unitrans is a good start for us to talk about how we get to the next step in making it more user-friendly.”

Next, candidates were asked what is the boldest thing they would do during their term to encourage more and safer bicycling.

Jon Li, who arrived just before the question was asked, said there should be restrictions on driving.

“This is right off the top of my head, just reacting to the question: no car driving one day a week,” he said.

For Sydney Vergis, the issue was safety.

“In Europe they’ve had wonderful success moving the stop line at four way intersections back for cars, allowing the bikes to actually go in front of them,” Vergis said. “We certainly don’t have to recreate the wheel with regards to some of these roadway improvements. All we have to do is have the political forces to do it.”

Daniel Watts said he is open to suggestions if they are feasible.

“One thing that I can promise I would do in my one term that you’re electing me for is pass a common sense municipal ordinance banning leaf blowers on bike paths,” Watts said. “It may not seem that bold, but it’s one thing I can promise.”

Both Vergis and Krovoza said they support the Fifth Street redesign, a project that was unanimously approved by City Council at the end of April. The redesign would condense Fifth Street from four lanes to two lanes, adding room for bike lanes and parking.

Swanson said the redesign costs too much money to be done without absolute certainty it will work. Watts supported the idea on a trial basis.

Candidate responses to eight other of the sponsor’s transportation related questions can be found online at davisbicycles.org.

The Davis City Council elections will be held on June 8. There are five candidates competing for two open seats.

BECKY PETERSON can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Davis Democratic Club hosts city council hopefuls

City Editor
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0

On Tuesday, May 4, a small group of Davisites gathered at the Odd Fellows Hall in downtown Davis to hear from three Democratic Party members running for city council this year: Sydney Vergis, Daniel Watts and Joe Krovoza.

The Davis Democratic Club hosted an intimate atmosphere, with 15 persons in the audience, many of whom were already well acquainted with each other as well as the speakers.

The candidates have close ties to UCD and unique perspectives on the direction Davis ought to be moving.

Vergis holds degrees in economics and environmental policy. She is now pursuing a Master’s degree in Transportation Technology and Policy at UCD’s Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS). Vergis has a background working in county and city level development committees including a position from 2007-09 as a senior planner on the Sutter County Planning Commission.

“Hopefully what I can bring is experience as someone who has professional background in land use planning,” Vergis said.

She is currently involved in the Davis Tree Commission as well as the Business and Economic Development Commission.

Watts, a second-year law student at UCD, is working against two Davis city ordinances, 26.01.010 and 26.10.100, which target a ban against the act of annoying people and public use of obscene language, respectively. Watts charges that these laws are unconstitutional and violate the federal protections afforded to free speech.

“I see myself as being a mediator between the [UCD] students and the city,” Watts said.

He said that he was troubled that nobody from the City Council was present to reduce tensions between students and law enforcement during the March 4 protests at UCD which culminated in a standoff between the protesters and the Davis Police Department at the I-80 exit on Russell Boulevard.

Krovoza, Senior Director of Development and External Relations at ITS, attended UCD King Hall Law School and specializes in water law. He also chaired the Putah Creek Council for seven years and worked closely with Sen. Lois Wolk (D-Davis) on water issues.

Krovoza said that as a councilmember he will do his best to help the city through tough economic times and would like to focus on improving public transportation, energy efficiency and bicycle access.

“I come from a public service family,” Krovoza said, explaining that both of his parents were schoolteachers in Pasadena County who were active in the movement to desegregate schools.

He always thought he would run for a public office, and since his children are now adults, this is the perfect time, he said.

At least half of those in attendance asked the candidates questions.

“This year we had problems with Picnic Day, what would you suggest to the City Council?” asked one man regarding the rowdy behavior during the April 17 event.

“Move Picnic Day back a month so it will be raining,” joked Vergis, drawing laughter from the crowd. “Let’s put our heads together.”

She said the May 10 meeting between city officials and UCD representatives should prove fruitful. Asking bars not to open their doors in the early morning and advertise drink specials may alleviate chaos in upcoming years, she said.

Krovoza was against discontinuing the event. He said that it represented an opportunity for alumni, parents and prospective students to become acquainted with Davis, as well as advantages for local businesses.

“It is the goose that lays the golden egg,” Krovoza said. “We have to make a very clear statement: Not everyone should just be able to come out and get liquored up. We can restrict open containers; we can discourage businesses from discounting liquor.”

Watts compared the event to the Sun God Festival at UC San Diego where similar festivities consistently resulted in higher arrest rates.

“Two-thirds of those arrested were from out of town,” Watts said.

He would work with the Davis Downtown Business Association to introduce voluntary regulations controlling liquor distribution at local bars. It would not be inconceivable to fence off designated festival areas in downtown Davis where revelers unaffiliated with campus activities could be more closely monitored, he said.

SAMUEL A. COHEN can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Athletes suspect foul play

Campus Editor
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5

A group of UC Davis student athletes believe that their sports may have been unfairly discontinued and want the cuts reversed.

“It’s not just that we were cut, it’s the way we were cut,” said Tristan Kaiser, senior international relations major and swimmer. “And we don’t believe that we needed to be cut.”

Athletics officials announced April 16 that they will cut women’s rowing, men’s wrestling, men’s indoor track and men’s swimming and diving teams this summer in order to address a necessary $1.79 million budget cut. The Intercollegiate Athletics Senior Management Group estimates $2.9 million in savings over three years.

Athletics Director Greg Warzeck said in a letter to Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Fred Wood that the ICA Senior Management Group explored all options, including different budget models from the coaches that kept all 27 sports.

“Despite what some have suggested, the budgets for all our varsity sport programs do not have areas that can be cut,” Warzecka said. “It became obvious very quickly that across-the-board cuts would not achieve fiscal solvency within three years.”

Wood formed a workgroup to review ICA’s budget proposals. The workgroup gave its commentary on the proposals to Wood, who then gave recommendations to Chancellor Linda Katehi.

The workgroup never saw proposals that continued all 27 sports programs, even though some members of the team voiced a strong interest in reviewing those models, said Janet Gong, associate vice chancellor of student affairs and chair of the workgroup, in a letter to Wood.

In addition to Gong, the workgroup included National Collegiate Athletic Association Faculty Athletics Representative Kimberly Elsbach, Athletics Administrative Advisory Commitee Chair Leslie Lyons, Campus Counsel Steve Drown, Assistant Vice Chancellor of University Communications Mitchel Benson, Senior Associate Athletic Director Nona Richardson, Compliance Director Wendi Delmendo and Budget Analyst Christine McUmber.

Elsbach and Lyons were dissatisfied with the lack of collaboration between the workgroup and ICA, Elsbach said. They felt that the workgroup’s report could be misinterpreted.

“We thought that people who would read the report would think the workgroup was very involved in developing the proposals that came out of athletics,” she said. “And when you talk to people who read the report and have read the news releases, most people do think that. But in fact, that was not the case.”

The workgroup was not designed to help develop criteria used to evaluate sports nor to help develop proposals – ICA already did all of that.

“It was this very one-way communication: ICA to workgroup, workgroup to the vice chancellor,” Elsbach said.

Because of this communication set-up, the workgroup did not fact check the criteria that ICA provided.

“The criteria for cutting teams in the matrix was incorrect and definitely formed to have specific teams cut,” said Heidi Kucera, senior nutrition science major and swimmer, in an e-mail interview.

The workgroup released – but did not design – a matrix of the criteria applied to the potentially impacted sports: men’s swimming and diving, men’s track, men’s wrestling, men’s tennis, men’s water polo, women’s swimming and diving, women’s field hockey, women’s lacrosse, women’s gymnastics and women’s rowing.

In the matrix, men and women’s swimming are both said to have no conference affiliation. However, both sports are not only affiliated with the Big West Conference, but they finished first in the 2009-10 season.

Women’s rowing is said to have “limited” competitive opportunities in western states with 14 teams, while gymnastics is said to have sufficient competitive opportunities with nine teams.

Another criterion was “ability to maintain competitiveness with reduced funding.” Only men’s tennis was listed with this ability and ICA did not consult coaches about this piece of criteria, Kaiser said.

“How did they determine that we weren’t competitive or that these other teams weren’t or why men’s tennis was?” Kaiser said.

A seasonal error was also made – the women’s swimming team is listed as a spring sport when it is in fact a winter sport.

“It is this error that shows that this matrix was not proof read or had much time put into it,” Kucera said. “In my opinion, either this matrix was used and is incorrect or there was another criteria that was correct but never released.”

Warzecka did not respond to requests for comment. In a press conference to announce the cut teams, Warzecka admitted that the decision was made in a small amount of time so that athletes whose teams were cut would have time to accommodate the change.

However, Kaiser said the mistakes in the matrix are suspicious.

“It really makes you wonder what the real motivations were behind this,” he said. “If they were honest about everything and there were no ulterior motives, then I think the fact that they were dealing with false information warrants the right to re-look at it and look at other alternatives.”

Athletes are also upset that the cutting of four sports breaches the eight core principles UC Davis adopted when the campus transitioned from Division II to Division I athletics. Principle five states that UC Davis cannot reduce its broad-based program, but rather must seek to add sports.

In a letter, Lyons urged Wood to consider the core principals and suggested that program reductions should be temporary actions.

Athletes want a reversal of the cuts and a one-year transition period, where both teams are given an opportunity to raise money and the administration is given a chance to review possible budgets that maintain all 27 sports, Kaiser said.

“The reason there is so much emotion and outrage right now is because this was done in a very small window of time, the coaches and athletes were blocked out of the process, the decision was made by a small group of people and we have yet to see how that decision was made,” Kaiser said. “And from what we have seen, we can see that it was just rife with errors.”

Community members opposed to the athletic cuts will hold a town hall meeting at the UC Davis Conference Center adjacent to Gallagher Hall on May 19 at 6 p.m. The public forum will include an overview of the allegedly flawed criteria and a presentation of budget models that would continue all 27 sports.

JANELLE BITKER can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

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