The Aggie | Student-run, independent newspaper at UC Davis 🗞️ – 📍New issue out every Thursday!

Max Rosenblum

Sports

Sports Editor

September 28, 2009

It only takes one.

One hook and ladder play. One Statue of Liberty play. One stunning upset of Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz. One game to put the Boise State football program on the college football map as a perennial Division I power.

The man responsible?

Former UC Davis quarterback and wide receiver coach Chris Petersen.

What’s amazing is Petersen, who was only a second-year head coach when his Broncos shocked the Sooners on a series of remarkable plays, doesn’t even think he would have been a head coach at the college football level had it not been for his time as an Aggie.

“I never even had thoughts of being a head coach,” Petersen said. “I don’t think that I would have become a coach had I not gone to Davis. When the Boise thing came up, it was something that just happened.“

Next week, something else will happen. The Aggies will travel to play the Broncos in Boise, Idaho in a matchup that Petersen says just came up by chance.

“[The Boise State athletic department] asked me, ‘What do you think about playing Davis?’ and I said, ‘Sounds good,‘” Petersen said. “Next thing I know we’re playing Davis.“

Still, you can’t deny the Aggie connection as Petersen, who was the top-rated Division-II quarterback in the nation when current UC Davis head coach Bob Biggs was the offensive coordinator, speaks about his upcoming coaching counterpart.

“I went to Davis because of Bob Biggs,” Petersen said. “I really wanted to play right away so I went to junior college. When I was done one-and-a-half years later, Biggs was there to recruit me again. He is one of the best people I have ever met and one of the better coaches out there. He introduced me to Davis.“

Biggs displays the same sentiment for Petersen as a player, coach and human being.

“When he went to Sac City, they tried to make him a defensive back,” Biggs said. “I just stayed on him and said, ‘Hey, you are a quarterback.‘ I just believed in him. He is a great competitor. He has tremendous charisma.

“When you take a combination of his throwing ability, his charisma and his leadership – he was just the glue that offensively made us go when he was playing here. He has that same sort of charisma in his coaching. He is a wonderful human being and I have nothing but the utmost respect for him.“

While Biggs was the one who brought Petersen to UC Davis, it was actually former UC Davis head coach Jim Sochor, the namesake of Jim Sochor Field at Aggie Stadium, who introduced Petersen to the idea of coaching.

“Sochor was really the one who opened my mind to coaching and strategy,” Petersen said. “He also showed me how the game of quarterback should be played.“

It would seem that Sochor had the right idea introducing Petersen to the discipline of coaching.

In a little over three years at the helm of the Boise State football team, Petersen has amassed a record of 39-4. He was named the winner of the 2006 Paul ‘Bear‘ Bryant Award, an honor for the national coach of the year, for his team’s 13-0 record and Fiesta Bowl victory.

In addition, he was chosen as the Western Athletic Conference Coach of Year and one of eight finalists for the Bryant Award in 2008, when the Broncos‘ 12-1 record got them an appearance in the Poinsettia Bowl and a No. 11 ranking by the Associated Press to finish the season.

In that same year, he was also named as a finalist for the Liberty Mutual and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Awards.

So far this season, Boise State has a 4-0 record and is ranked as the No. 5 team in the country by both the Associated Press and USA Today Polls. The Broncos have strong wins at home against then No. 16 Oregon and on the road versus Fresno State.

Petersen’s success at Boise State hasn’t made him forget about his stay at UC Davis, though.

“Some of my really close friends to this day I met in Davis,” Petersen said. “I am proud to be part of the university and to have graduated from there. To this day, my ears perk up whenever I hear ‘Davis.‘”

He also displays much excitement when asked about UC Davis‘ recent transition to the Football Championship Subdivision.

“It’s great,” Petersen said. “I know that Davis will continue to make strides.“

This year’s version of the Aggie football squad marches into Bronco Stadium, also known as “The Blue,” on Saturday at 5 p.m. While UC Davis is overmatched on paper, it hopes to leave Boise feeling less blue than the grass on which they will play.

MAX ROSENBLUM is excited to see a UC Davis alum having so much success. Show your enthusiasm at sports@theaggie.org.

Aggies earn first win of the season

Sports

Sports Editor

September 28, 2009

The saying is “defense wins championships.“

Well the UC Davis defense proved itself to be worthy as the Aggies beat Western Oregon 29-13 Saturday night to pick up their first win of the season.

A large part of the victory was thanks to the Aggies‘ defense, which held Wolves to 48 rushing yards and forced two key turnovers that led to two touchdowns.

On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Greg Denham passed for 225 yards and two touchdowns on 50 attempts while wide receiver Chris Carter had 11 catches for 77 yards.

Perhaps the best single performance of the night, however, belonged to senior cornerback Kenneth Brown, who finished the game with an interception, a forced fumble, a blocked kick, two pass breakups and three tackles.

“I was just taking what they were giving me,” Brown said.

Brown’s interception gave the Aggie offense the ball on the Western Oregon two-yard line and the forced fumble led to an 11-yard touchdown pass from Denham to wide receiver Bakari Grant.

While the final score seemed like a dominating UC Davis performance, the game was close for much of the second half as the Aggies saw a 16-0 lead evaporate after the Wolves put together touchdown drives of 53 and 80 yards, bringing the score to 16-13 with 4:15 left in the third quarter.

Both teams‘ placekickers were pretty good with the exception of a missed extra point attempt per side. For UC Davis‘ sophomore kicker Sean Kelley, the miss, which clanged off the left upright, was his first career failure to convert a PAT. Western Oregon’s miss was the result of pre-game preparation by the Aggies‘ special teams squad.

“We found out that the wing [of the offense] doesn’t usually block the corner coming off the edge, so we game-planned for me to rush it as hard as possible,” said Brown, who blocked the kick.

In danger of letting another game slip away, the Aggies responded with a seven-play, 47-yard drive, culminating in a three-yard touchdown pass from Denham to wide receiver Sean Creadick.

UC Davis added two more Kelley field goals in the fourth quarter to account for the final margin.

Kelley was three for three in field goal attempts, the first of which was a career long 46-yarder.

The ability of Western Oregon to close the gap in the third quarter despite their constant mistakes – nine penalties in the first half to go along with their two turnovers – was due to UC Davis‘ continued inability to run the ball effectively, said coach Bob Biggs.

“I think our defense is out there too long and eventually people are going to score some points,” Biggs said. “There was a period where we had too many three-and-outs and the defense was on the field too much. They’re going to tire.“

The Aggies were held to just 60 rushing yards on 30 carries against the Wolves. They were held to 43 yards rushing in both their previous games.

Part of the problem, Biggs claims, is due to the injuries that have plagued his squad early in the season.

“We’re so banged up at tight end, we’re not getting any production on the edge,” he said.

UC Davis‘ continued troubles with the run game were overshadowed by the contributions from the special teams.

In addition to the three Kelley field goals and Brown’s blocked PAT, true freshman punter Colton Schmidt pinned the Wolves inside their 20-yard line twice, allowing UC Davis to win the field management part of the game according to Biggs.

Schmidt had three punts inside the 20 against Montana, which earned him Great West Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

Next up for the Aggies is Boise State, currently ranked No. 5 in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls. The teams play in Boise, Idaho next Saturday at 5 p.m.

RICHARD PROCTER can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

Buzz recap:

Features

Features Editor

September 28, 2009

This past Friday night thousands of students buzzed around the Quad, riding mechanical bulls, flipping upside-down in the air, playing carnival games and receiving free stuff, while listening to live concerts by U-N-I and Natural Roots.

The Buzz occurs on the last day of Welcome Week, the first Friday of the quarter, and gives both new and old students an opportunity to let loose before classes get rigorous and thoughts of midterms settle in.

Presented by ASUCD’s Entertainment Council, Student Housing, Campus Unions and Campus Recreation, this year’s Buzz featured inflatable games, informational booths from on and off campus organizations, a rock climbing wall, performance competitions such as break dancing and, of course, free stuff. The event began at 6 p.m. and continued strong, with long game lines until the very end at 10 p.m.

New students gathered in crowds for various give-aways, at one point chanting “UC Davis!” to gather attention to free t-shirt givers.

Text by Angela Ruggiero
Photo by Deeba Yayrom

Aggie Daily Calendar

Features

Features Editor

September 28, 2009

TUESDAY

Seasonal Flu Vaccination Clinic

2 to 4 p.m.

North Lobby, Student Health Center

Protect yourself from getting sick this flu season by getting a flu shot.

Students unable to make these clinics may call 530-752-2349 to schedule an appointment. For more information, visit

http://healthcenter.ucdavis.edu/topics/flu-vaccine.html.

WEDNESDAY

East Quad Farmers Market

10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m

East Quad

Go support local farmers and get fresh produce, nuts, flowers and more! The market is held every Wednesday through November 18th.

Cooking Club

8 to 9:30 p.m.

205 Olson

Fall Welcome Meeting! Join us for a food potluck, recipe demo, and learn about upcoming events! We welcome all levels of cooking experience and food appreciators!

THURSDAY

Seasonal Flu Vaccination Clinic

2 to 4 p.m.

North Lobby, Student Health Center

Protect yourself from getting sick this flu season by getting a flu shot.

Students unable to make these clinics may call 530-752-2349 to schedule an appointment. For more information, visit

http://healthcenter.ucdavis.edu/topics/flu-vaccine.html.

FRIDAY

Koinonia Open House

6 p.m.

1001 Giedt Hall

Koinonia @ Davis (KoinoniaDavis.org) invites all new students to our welcome night! We will provide a free delicious BBQ dinner. Go find out about our fellowship and meet new friends! Enjoy exciting and fun games!

Yolo Fest

2 to 6 p.m.

732 B Street

Go join Don Saylor at Yolo Fest, an entirely local and Yolo inspired evening, to kick of Saylor’s campaign for Yolo County Supervisor. Musical performances by Yolo Mambo and Kate Saylor and Friends and food provided by Monticello Bistro using Yolo County products. E-mail Chris Jansen at cjansenconsulting@gmail.com for student tickets.

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.

AAA survey says gas prices will level off

City News

City Editor

September 28, 2009

The average California gas price is much lower than the record numbers of last year.

In June 2008, unleaded gas reached up to $4.61 per gallon on average, according to AAA‘s Daily Fuel Gauge Report website.

Gas prices were back on the rise this summer but never reached $4 per gallon.

Experts say gas prices in California may have “plateaued.“ The current California average unleaded gas per gallon is $3.13, a slight drop from the $3.16 average a week ago.

The Sacramento metro area‘s average is slightly lower than the rest of the state‘s at about $3.09 per gallon, down from $3.15 a week ago.

Because there were many maintenance issues at refineries, such as plants in Martinez, gas prices have probably been higher than they would be otherwise, said Matt Skryja, AAA spokesperson.

The current national average cost of $2.51 per gallon is much lower than the California numbers. There are places such as Missouri, where the average cost is $2.22.

Southern states such as Georgia and Mississippi also tend to have prices in the mid to low $2 range.

In California, less access to gas translates into higher prices.

Prices in California have been more expensive because of requirements for additives in gasoline and gas taxes. Since California gets most of its gas from state refineries only, the maintenance issues have more of an effect on the state because there are no other sources of gasoline coming in.

Uncertainty about trends in gas usage remains, however.

According to a monthly survey from Northern California AAA released on Aug. 31, gas consumption has increased by 0.6 percent from a year ago. This rise started in May of 2009, coinciding with Memorial Day weekend.

Locally, many believe the California trend holds true.

“Our store is doing well,“ said Manuel Sangh, Davis‘s Arco gas station attendant. “We‘re still busy with business.“

The numbers, however, do not always speak for themselves.

“There is actually an overall decrease in usage,“ said Skryja. “There are ups and downs from week to week and these studies are basically a snapshot of a snapshot of a snapshot.“

The decline of gas usage over the past three years was so great that a slight increase this year was not unusual, said State Board of Equalization – the state‘s elected tax commission – Spokesperson Anita Gore.

A move toward more economic and efficient cars, as well as using more public transit contributed to less consumption of gas.

In a weekly BOE gas consumption study, Board Chair Betty T. Yee expressed reasons why there is probably low gas consumption.

“We‘re in an uncertain time,“ said Yee. “While more fuel efficient cars and trucks are increasing fuel economy – and in light of some of the recently improved economic statistics – consumers remain cautious in their spending as the economy continues toward an uncertain recovery.“

Gore pointed to diesel fuel use as a greater economic indicator than gasoline.

“Diesel fuel is used for trucking of large appliances and other items,“ Gore said. “There are less goods being transported when there is less economic growth.“

Diesel use declined by 7 percent, according to the study.

Differences between diesel and gas growth could also be in part due to the fact that Labor Day weekend – the time when gas consumption was said to rise – is a large time for travel and thus more gas consumed for this, Gore said.

Skryja said diesel is a good indicator of the economy on a global scale. He says that this is not necessarily true for the U.S. because it is more of a gas-based country.

“Prices most likely won‘t spike either if the economy improves or gets worse,“ said Skryja.

ANGELA SWARTZ can be reached city@theaggie.org.

Davis postpones tenant fees to boost business

City News

City Editor

September 28, 2009

In response to the increasing amount of vacant space available in the Sacramento region, Davis developed a plan to attract new businesses to the area.

City Council passed a resolution to defer tenant improvement fees for new businesses.

In non-residential spaces, the city will defer all plan review and inspection fees, collected by the Building Division, for first-time tenant improvement.

This fee deferral is expected to boost business in Davis because space that is ready for move-in improves the likelihood that property owners will be able to lease their spaces quickly.

“Providing property owners in Davis an economic advantage over their competition, without the city incurring significant impact, would not only benefit property owners but the city as well,” said Mark Wood, Chief Building Official and one of the authors of the resolution.

The vacancy rate for office space in Davis is currently at an all-time high of 20 percent. The decision to defer tenant fees was sparked by a recent meeting between a local commercial developer and city staff.

According to the resolution, which was presented to the city council on Sept. 1, “In these difficult economic times the City of Davis may have an opportunity to distinguish itself from other communities within our area.“

Because plan review and permit fees for commercial office tenants are not a significant portion of the Building Division budget – amounting to less than $2,000 per application – deferring these fees would not cause the city to lose a great deal of money.

“We realized that in order to be competitive in the current market, Davis would need to look at barriers to locating or expanding in Davis,” said Davis City Manager Bill Emlen in a news release.

Fee deferrals such as this are not a new idea. Nearby cities such as Folsom, Elk Grove and Rancho Cordova have also recently offered similar incentives for businesses. Sacramento County has offered deferrals for roadway, sewer and transit fees for the last decade.

Nevertheless, city officials are optimistic that this action will give Davis a competitive edge in the market.

The incentive will remain in effect through July 1, 2011.

SARAH HANSEL can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Study examines the difficulties of transferring

Campus News

Campus Editor

September 28, 2009

One solution to unemployment may lie in an easier transfer process for community college students.

A report published in August by Sacramento State’s Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Policy (IHELP) indicates that the transfer process between community colleges and universities must be streamlined. Doing so would help California fill the 1 million job gap between available jobs and college graduates projected for 2025.

“We need a more standardized system for students to follow that would leave more options for them and make the whole process easier to understand,” said Colleen Moore, research specialist and co-author of the IHELP report.

According to the study, the main challenge for transfer students stems from the different requirements for transferring and fulfilling majors for California schools.

“We want to make it student-centered and not institution-centered,” Moore said. “Right now each student has to figure out exactly which college and which major they want, and with [class size and space] being impacted, it is really very difficult for students to know whether or not they will get in.“

A major concern for students arises when the transfer requirements for four-year schools conflict with or do not correspond with those required for obtaining an associate degree at their existing college.

“I was worried about the classes I was taking because I was not sure if they were going to fulfill my transfer and major’s lower division requirement,” said Joanne Chu, senior psychology major and second- year transfer student.

Another problem transfer students face is taking too many or too few units before transferring to a university, a problem that arises from insufficient counseling, or indecisiveness regarding their major.

“My biggest concern was whether or not I was going to complete the required 60 units to transfer in the time that I had left,” said Michael R. Formosa, a junior economics major and first-year transfer student to UC Davis who spent five years at Skyline College in San Mateo. “Most of my automotive units did not count for the UC system so I was lacking in units.“

There have been some reform efforts in the past for a more standardized transfer process for California’s 110 community colleges, producing agreements between individual colleges and universities. ASSIST.org, a website designed to articulate those agreements, also aims to smooth the process.

For the most part, however, such agreements have been limited. California has yet to achieve the statewide implementation of transfer agreements that other states have.

In one of their recommendations for a more universal student transfer system, the authors of the report encourage the integration of an associate degree that could also satisfy the admission requirements of all four-year schools.

“The requirements for a transfer and associate degree can be very different,” said Moore. “Students often take classes for transfer and don’t get an associate degree on the way, and when they don’t get in, they’re stuck and both they and the state have already invested money into them. That’s why we want to implement the associate transfer degree so that they do already have that credential on the way.“

Moore feels that the cost of a more universal transfer student will not be an issue, stating that the money already spent on transfer counseling would be used for the IHELP’s recommendations. This could in turn lower the overall cost by streamlining the transfer process and reducing the unnecessary amount of units students take.

As the IHELP report states, improving the rate of successful student transfers is key in increasing the number of college graduates in California.

“Once [transfer students] get over that hurdle, they do fairly well at UC and CSU,” Moore said. “The problem really is in getting over that hurdle.“

ARNOLD LAU can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

ASUCD SENATE BRIEFS

Campus News

Campus Editor

September 28, 2009

ASUCD Senate meetings are scheduled to begin Thursdays at 6:10 p.m. Times listed are according to the clock at the Sept. 24 meeting location, the Memorial Union’s Mee Room.

The meeting was called to order at 6:12 p.m.

Joe Chatham, ASUCD president, present

Chris Dietrich, ASUCD vice president, present

Joemar Clemente, ASUCD senator, present

Danny Garrett, ASUCD senator, present

Justin Gold, ASUCD senator, present

Erin Lebe, ASUCD senator, present

Kevin Massoudi, ASUCD senator, present

Justin Patrizio, ASUCD senator, present

Laura Pulido, ASUCD senator, present

Shawdee Rouhafza, ASUCD senator, present

Trevor Taylor, ASUCD senator, present

Mo Torres, ASUCD senator, present

Previn Witana, ASUCD president pro-tempore, present

Jack Zwald, ASUCD senator, present

Appointments and confirmations

The senate approved Previn Witana pro-tempore.

Public discussion:

Priya Shukla noted that the bookstore’s unrecyclable plastic book wrap increases the university’s carbon footprint. Advertisements for the Buzz, supposedly a zero-waste event, are laminated.

Public announcement:

Amy Hartstein announced that the study abroad fair will be next Thursday at the Quad all day.

Ex-Officio reports:

Jasmine Smith of the Ethnic and Cultural Affairs Commission (ECAC) announced a meeting on Monday at the Mee Room at 7 p.m.

Hartstein, the internal affairs commission chair, announced that the first meeting will be on Monday.

Sarah Raridon announced that Gender and Sexualities Commission (GASC) meetings will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Taylor Fleshman stated that interviews for Outreach Assembly start next week and the first meeting will be on Wednesday at 7 p.m..

Consideration of old legislation

Senate Bill 65, authored by Joey Chan, coauthored by Fleshman, Eli Yani and introduced by Zwald, to change Bylaw 209 in section E as to update the duties of the Outreach Assembly in order to better reflect the budget, was not passed with an 1-11 vote.

Senate Bill 69, authored by Matt Shannon of the Internal Affairs Commission, and introduced by the Internal Affairs Commission, to require better financial transparency in ASUCD spending bills, was not passed with a 1-11 vote.

Senate Bill 70, authored by Matt Shannon of the Internal Affairs Commission, and introduced by the Internal Affairs Commission, to change the duties of the IAC, passed with a 12-0 vote.

Senate Bill 72, authored by Matt Shannon of the Internal Affairs Commission, and introduced by the Internal Affairs Commission, passed with a 12-0 vote.

Senate Bill 74, authored and introduced by the Environmental Policy and Planning Commission (EPPC), to revise grammatical errors and inconsistencies in Chapter 17 of the ASUCD Bylaws, as well as to clarify the duties of ASUCD Senators pertaining to the environmental sustainability of Senators‘ respective Adopted Units, and omit redundant, irrelevant and unenforceable assertions and mandates within Chapter 17, was sent back to EPPC as amended with a 12-0 vote.

An Urgent Senate Resolution authored by Torres, coauthored by Clemente and introduced by Torres, to support the UC system-wide walkout held on Sept. 24, was not passed with a 0-12 role-call vote in favor of revision. A revised version of the resolution passed with an 11-0-1 vote.

An Urgent Senate Resolution authored by Yani, coauthored by Zwald, and introduced by Zwald, against furloughs of Unitrans employees, passed with a 12-0 vote.

Meeting adjourned at 10:16 p.m.

ARNOLD LAU compiles the senate briefs. He can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Cooking in college

Features

Features Editor

September 28, 2009

Editors Note: Cooking will feature student food-blogger Stephanie Bouret’s experiences with cooking and adapted recipes that will be manageable for the everyday college student. Visit her blog at stephcooks.blogspot.com

My cooking section will feature all kinds of recipes and my personal experience trying them out. Cooking is one of my more recent interests so often my recipes will be beginner attempts and new dishes. Expect some of everything, from vegan recipes, to dorm room cooking, to breakfasts to impress, to dishes from around the world. Today’s recipe is for brioche buns that are delicious as burger buns, sandwich rolls, toasted for breakfast with jam, butter, honey, or Nutella or even just plain as a snack anytime!

Before I get into the recipe, I want to try to reassure you about the whole baking thing. Baking bread from scratch sounds really scary – I’ll be the first to admit it – but it’s actually not that bad. My first time baking bread was when I tried out these buns for my blog, and they turned out so good that I can’t imagine buying grocery store burger buns ever again. I had no trouble with the recipe, and when they were done, I couldn’t believe that I had made them! You’ll have to make a special trip to the store for the yeast and bread flour (different than all-purpose flour). You will also need a dough scraper, a tool that looks something like a small square steel blade on a wooden handle, or can also be a plastic/silicone spatula-like scraper. Small ones are available at Cost Plus World Market for $1.50.

Info Box:

Brioche Buns

Adapted from the New York Times Dining & Wine section, June 30, 2009

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons warm milk

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 large eggs

3 cups bread flour

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

sesame seeds, optional

Directions:

1. In a glass bowl or cup, combine one cup warm water, the milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about five minutes. Meanwhile, beat one egg.

2. In a large bowl, whisk flours with salt. Add butter and rub into flour between your fingers, making crumbs. Using a dough scraper, stir in yeast mixture and beaten egg until the dough forms. Scrape dough onto clean, floured counter and knead, scooping dough up, slapping it on counter and turning it, until smooth and elastic, eight to 10 minutes. The dough will be sticky but don’t keep adding flour or else the buns will be tough.

3. Shape dough into a ball and return it to bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, one to two hours.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using dough scraper, divide dough into eight equal parts. Gently roll each into a ball and arrange 2 to 3 inches apart on baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let buns rise for one to two hours.

5. Set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center. Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush some on top of buns. I also sprinkled the tops with sesame seeds. Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Makes eight buns.

City works to improve drinking water quality

City News

City Editor

September 25, 2009

Woodland and Davis will join forces on a water project that seeks to provide clean, reliable water to the two communities, including UC Davis.

The plan will improve the quality of the drinking water supply and wastewater effluents by replacing groundwater with high quality surface water.

Furthermore, pumping water from the Sacramento River into Davis and Woodland residences will provide dependable present and future water supplies.

Groundwater currently serves as the source of drinking water for Davis citizens.

A meeting between Davis and Woodland taking place in July estimated that the project will cost $325,000 over the next five to seven years.

Earlier this month the two cities formed an agency to focus on surface water distribution between Davis and Woodland. Both cities will apply for grants and federal funding through the Joint Powers Agreement, and will eventually give the water project a formal name.

Boardmembers decided to allocate a total of $1,042,000 to the project.

In addition, members examined alternatives to the project through an evaluation of groundwater uses, limitations and the impact the timing of these improvements would have.

Since both cities have aging water systems, the longer they take to implement this new project, the greater the risk of keeping water supplies available, said Davis Utilities Manager Jacques DeBra.

“It’s a race against time,” DeBra said.

Dick Donnelly, deputy director of public works in Woodland, said that the two communities have been working for a long time toward having a water project.

The timing is an important consideration, since waiting can result in additional costs due to inflation, loss of funding opportunities and loss of ability to purchase water over the summer.

Additionally, a future plan may fail to be in accordance with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits, resulting in potential fines or litigation.

“This is the culmination of many years of effort,” said Donnelly. “It’s satisfying and exciting. It’s the birth of a new government agency.”

ELENI STEPHANIDES can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Walk-out draws thousands, moves to Mrak

Campus News

Campus Editor

September 25, 2009

At noon Thursday, thousands of students, staff and faculty filled the east quad to rally support for a system-wide UC walkout; by 1 p.m., their numbers and voices had risen and they were marching to Mrak Hall to make their message loud and clear.

“The students united will never be divided,” they chanted.

The rally began with a performance by a spoken word poet and included speeches by several individuals angered by recent budgetary measures.

The walkout was initially organized by faculty upset by the recent furlough plan and increased student fees, but garnered student support, as the topic of student fees applied to them. The rally was part of the day-long walkout.

“I can’t afford to attend this university, the way fee increases are headed right now,” said Dennis Nguyen, a senior Asian American studies major.

Nguyen beat on a hand-held drum while the rally-attendees marched to Mrak Hall and carried a homemade sign addressing the rising cost of attending a UC.

Among those who spoke at the rally included a student from the Native American Student Association, Bill Camp, CEO of Sacramento Central Labor Counsel, Gretchen Braun, lecturer of the undergraduate writing program and Markus Luty, physics professor.

The sources of contention for these individuals were broad, but the main message of the rally was clear: students and employees want a change in the way education is funded.

“Your brainpower is the intellectual capitol that will lead California into the future,” Camp told students at the rally.

Speakers at the event mainly addressed what they felt is the “privatization” of the UC system – or the cost of tuition reaching that of a private university. They predicted such fee increases would diminish the financial diversity of the campus population.

“A public institution has a mandate to provide opportunities for a diverse and growing population,” Luty said in his speech.

“Here’s the bottom line: A privatized University of California will not grow fast enough to give a place to the top one-eighth of graduating high school seniors in California. During the last five years, UC enrollment went up by more than 10 percent, while Stanford’s went up by only two percent. More privatization will result in less education,” he said.

Many blamed the rising fees on the regents, with signs reading “I’ve seen the best minds destroyed by Yudof” or, “Cut from the top,” referring to the regents‘ yearly salaries.

One table set up at the rally included a letter attendees could sign addressed to the state legislature, urging them to reevaluate their budget priorities to include public higher education as a top priority.

Workers from the University Professional and Technical Employees simultaneously joined the walkout in protest of “unfair labor practice.“

“Our unfair labor practice strike is about the illegal cuts that Yudof is making to the university,” said Jelger Kalmijin, UPTE president and researcher at UCSD in a press release. “He is obligated to bargain with us, but instead he’s taking unilateral and unwise actions. His furloughs and layoffs, proposed tuition hikes and lack of budget transparency threaten the public mission of our university.“

In response, administrators have expressed their condolences, saying that they have tried every option they can in protecting student fees; however the cuts were made to maintain the quality of a UC degree.

For more information on this rally, read Monday’s edition of The Aggie, or visit ucfacultywalkout.com and http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/special_reports/walkout_0909/

LAUREN STEUSSY can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

UC Davis and BMW to conduct one-year study on electric vehicles

Campus News

Campus Editor

September 25, 2009

Electric vehicles may become the environmentally friendly future to mass motor transportation.

UC Davis‘ Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) Research Center and BMW have partnered together to conduct a one-year study to see just how possible this future actually is.

The study will focus on consumer reports made on the MINI E vehicle, gathering information from over 50 volunteers across the U.S through online travel diaries, written questionnaires and a series of interviews conducted throughout the one-year study.

“This is an exciting opportunity to talk with users about their daily experience of the cars, about their driving habits and impressions of the electric vehicles,” said Dr. Tom Turrentine, director of the PHEV Research Center. “We are pleased as a public university to be partnering with BMW to find solutions to our urgent public problems of transportation energy supply and environmental impacts.“

The study provides volunteers with cables for charging at home and for on the go.

“Just having freedom of not having to go to the gas station or being dependent on foreign oil is a great benefit,” said Todd Crook, a volunteer in the study who drives his MINI E about 85 miles every day. “I always have a full charge for the vehicle which is a nice feeling to have that kind of security and driving something that is environmentally friendly.“

Consumers have reported that the MINI E has a general 100-mile range on a single charge, an accurate reflection of the MINI E’s capabilities driving through variable conditions.

“We are barely getting started on the project, so we don’t have a whole lot of results,” said Dahlia Garas, program manager at the PHEV Research Center. “We have gotten great feedback about the vehicle though and people are surprised by the performance of [the MINI E]. They love the acceleration.”

Despite the benefits, there are a few minor drawbacks of the car, Crook said. The car itself is fairly small. In addition to this, there aren’t really any charging stations to be found around town when driving. However Crook predicted that the frequency of charging stations is bound to change with more electric vehicle usage.

Garas said BMW’s reasoning for partnering with UC Davis‘ PHEV is because PHEV has been doing advanced vehicle consumer research for years, and that BMW wanted their expertise.

BMW is also working with Germany’s Technische Universität Chemnitz (TU Chemnitz) to conduct similar MINI E studies in European markets as well.

“These results will be used to make [BMW’s] next decision on going forward with creating electric vehicles in mass production,” Garas said.

Garas said that so far consumer reports on the MINI E are generally positive ones. The study will conclude in May 2010 with fully detailed consumer reports.

“I have every intent to purchase an electric vehicle for my next car,” said Crook.

CORY BULLIS can be reached at campus@theaggie.org

Aggies search for first Big West title this season

Sports

Sports Editor

September 24, 2009

After 16 combined wins the last two seasons, a nine-win summer in 2009 has the women’s volleyball team anticipating the upcoming Big West Conference schedule.

So far, the Aggies have participated in four tournaments and the Causeway battle against Sacramento State last week. They have compiled a record of 9-5 after fourteen matches against some stiff competition.

During those matches, UC Davis relied heavily on its seniors for leadership and the trio of Avreeta Singh, Carson Lowden, and Tori Hooper is delivering so far this season for coach Jamie Holmes.

“My expectations on the seniors are high,” Holmes said. “Carson, Avreeta and Tori have competed in the conference for as long as we’ve been in it. They’ve been around the block.”

Holmes has watched these three seniors turn into leaders this summer and prepare the team for Big West competition.

“So far, they’re doing an excellent job in nurturing the team and setting the bar high,” Holmes said. “In terms of that internal leadership, they’ve come a long, long way. They’re really hungry to do something.“

Holmes is also hungry to do something after tripling the Aggies win total from four in 2007 to 12 last season, her first year at the helm of the program.

In 2009, Holmes is looking for the Aggies to be contenders in the Big West as she leads her team with the driving message: building a champion, one block at a time.“

The Aggies began the season with the Cougar Tournament in Pullman, Wash.

UC Davis took on host Washington State in the first match of the season. UC Davis had a tough time with the eventual tournament champion Cougars as they lost 3-1 to open their season. The lone set that the Aggies won was the third by a score of 25-21. The Aggies exploded for 21 kills in that set.

The Aggies looked more comfortable in their second day of competition where they swept both Portland and Montana State 3-0 to improve their record to 2-1 on the season. Lowden and Singh earned all-tournament honors.

UC Davis then traveled to play at the Mary Jo Wynn Invitational in Springfield, Mo.

The Aggies entered their second tournament of the summer with confidence after going 2-1 in Washington.

Once again the Aggies opened with the host team, this time being Missouri State. Despite an impressive 16 kills and 12 digs from junior opposite Melanie Adams, the Aggies were unable to protect its first-set lead and eventually fell to the Bears in a close match as the Aggies failed to beat the host once again.

The next three matches for the Aggies seemed to be a breeze as they swept Mississippi State on the second day 3-0 with a 50-32 kills advantage led by freshman outside hitter Allison Whitson who tallied 16 and hit an impressive .484 for the Aggies.

It was more of the same for UC Davis in the third and final day as it swept both Memphis and Stephen F. Austin pushing the overall record to 5-2. Lowden and Singh were once again were named to the all-tournament team.

UC Davis then took a trip to the Circus Circus Invitational in Reno, Nev.

The Aggies opened with host Nevada, a team they had not beaten since 1990. The Aggies took the match in four sets and Adams led the Aggies, tallying 16 kills for a .464 hitting average.

On the second day of the competition the Aggies lost to a tough contest with Portland State, 3-1. The Aggies had no answer for the Vikings‘ .344 team hitting percentage in the final two sets. The Aggies ended their third straight tournament by sweeping the opponent, Sam Houston State being the victims this time.

Lowden made her third straight all-tournament team. Junior outside hitter Kayla Varney joined Lowden on the all-tournament team as the Aggies improved to 7-3 on the year.

UC Davis then matched up against rival Sacramento State.

The Aggies played a very tough match but lost to the Hornets in five sets in the volleyball edition of the Causeway Classic.

The Aggies dropped the first two sets 25-21, 25-22 giving the Hornets a very comfortable lead. The Aggies narrowly avoided the sweep in the third set winning 25-23 and pushed the match to a fifth set with a 25-19 victory in the fourth game.

However, the Hornets regrouped and found a way to squeeze out the victory against the Aggies, winning the final set 15-10.

UC Davis was off its mark against the Hornets, as it hit a zero percentage mark in the first set helping to give Sac State the early two sets to none lead.

The final tournament of the summer sent the Aggies to the Billiken Inviational in Saint Louis, Mo.

Once again the Aggies traveled to the Show Me State for another tournament.

They opened by handing Toledo in a sweep, the first loss of the season for the Rockets. Sophomore Katie Denny had six kills, two aces, and six blocks for the Aggies in the match.

On the second day of the tournament the Aggies split with SIU Edwardsville and host No. 22 Saint Louis. The Aggies swept SIUE and then were swept for the first time all year against Saint Louis. Junior Adams earned her first all-tournament honors of the year while senior Singh collected her third.

The Aggies play at home for the first time tonight in its Big West Conference opener against Pacific at Hickey Gym. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.

KYLE HYLAND can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

Aggies’ scoring brigade aids hot start

Sports

Sports Editor

September 24, 2009

In 17 games last season, the UC Davis women’s soccer team only managed to score a total of 17 goals.

Through only seven games this season, the Aggies have already amassed 20 goals and posted a 4-2-1 record to start the season.

The brilliant offensive play of the Aggies so far has coach MaryClaire Robinson praising their style of play.

“They’ve been playing really aggressively,” head coach MaryClaire Robinson. “They’ve also been doing a good job finding the net.“

In the regular season opener, the Aggies faced off with rival Sacramento State and fought it out to a 1-1 tie. The Aggies came back from a one-goal deficit to tie the score as Marissa Boge netted her first goal of the season.

The tie with their archrival sparked the Aggies, as they would end up winning their next four contests by a combined score of 19-4.

In the first of those matchups, the Aggies took on Marist and managed to pull out a come-from-behind victory.

At halftime, Marist held a 2-1 advantage only to see the lead get done in by a second period filled with yellow cards.

On a free kick, sophomore Aisha Lott dropped a 35-yard shot over the goalie to tie the score in the 46th minute. The Aggies held the pressure and were then able to capitalize on another penalty, as senior Rochelle VanBuskirk scored the third goal and sealed the first regular season win.

During UC Davis‘ next three games, coming from behind was not on its mind.

The Aggies traveled to play Cal State Bakersfield and walked away with a sound 5-0 victory. The Roadrunners had come in hot after recently defeating the No. 13 San Diego Toreros but were no match for UC Davis as the Aggies out-shot the Roadrunners 14-7.

The shutout was the largest victory in a road game for UC Davis in 14 years.

Boge showcased her first career hat trick in the game, and the first in UC Davis Division I history. The senior was also named Big West Conference Player of the Week for her performance.

The team then traveled to Missoula, Mont. where it had another dominating performance as it routed the Grizzlies 5-1. VanBuskirk finished the day with two goals while Britnee Warmerdam had a goal via the header. Sophomores Lisa Kemp and Anna Quigley also got into the action with one goal apiece.

The Aggies posted their third victory in as many games with a 6-1 win over Eastern Washington. Midfielder Elise Winbrock and defender Katie Webb each celebrated their first goals of the season, helping the Aggies close out the Eagles.

Eastern Washington was no match for veterans VanBuskirk and Boge, who tallied two goals apiece.

VanBuskirk was named Big West Player of the Week, making her the second Aggie in as many weeks to earn the honor.

UC Davis then took on the San Jose Spartans. The Aggies suffered a narrow 1-0 loss in double overtime. Goalie Sara Peters had five saves in over 100 minutes of play.

UC Davis returned home Sunday to host Fresno State and wrap up the summer.

The game concluded in a 1-0 Aggie loss in which Bulldogs‘ goalie Callie Hancock blocked seven UC Davis shots on goal.

The Aggies have scored 20 goals this season so far. They’re currently ranked second in the Big West, behind only UC Irvine (6-1-1).

With its play thus far, UC Davis has cracked into the NSCAA National Rankings, taking the No. 10 spot for the western region.

The Aggies also boast the Big West’s top scorer in VanBuskirk, who has found enemy net seven times this season.

The women are next in action on Sunday as they will take on Nevada at home with a 12 p.m. scheduled start.

ANDREA GUTIERREZ can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

Team sets bar high for upcoming season

Sports

Sports Editor

September 24, 2009

By finishing second at last year’s Big West Championship and sending representatives to the NCAA Finals and the U.S. Women’s Open, the UC Davis women’s golf team has set the expectations high for this season.

Coach Anne Walker doesn’t think that will be a problem.

“I think we have a depth on the team that we’ve never had before,” Walker said. “We’ve got nine players that I feel can contribute at any time. I think we can maintain a top 25 ranking this year. The postseason is without a doubt going to happen.”

The Aggies opened up the season at last weekend’s Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational at the University of New Mexico. UC Davis finished in sixth place out of a field of 18 teams.

“Overall, I felt like it was a really solid start to the season,” Walker said. “If we’d been in the top five, I would have been really pleased.”

The Aggies finished the tournament at 11-over par (887), just 2 shots behind fifth place Oregon. Pepperdine finished in first place at 17-under (859).

The team overcame a sluggish beginning with a strong showing in the final two-thirds of the tournament.

“We played 49 holes of great golf and 5 holes of really mediocre golf,” Walker said.

The Aggies were led by Juniors Alice Kim and Chelsea Stelzmiller, who finished 1-over (220) and 2-over (221) respectively, good for 15th and 17th place individually. Freshman Belen Hernandez also finished with 221 in a tie for 17th place while fellow freshman Amy Simanton finished in a tie for 35th place with a 7-over (226) card. Senior Kimberly Johnson finished 12-over (231), tying for 62nd overall.

Kim, an All-America Honorable Mention last season, and Stelzmiller both qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open in July and have stepped into team leadership roles, Walker said.

“[Kim’s] work ethic is what makes her a great leader,” Walker said. “She really sets the bar for how hard you have to work to be a top Division I player. I think it’s wonderful for the young players to see that and witness that up close.”

Stelzmiller has also been an example for younger members of the team.

“[Stelzmiller] is more of a vocal leader,” Walker said. “She loves UC Davis and is very committed to the team. She’s not afraid to step forward and say what we need to do better.”

While the team got solid performances from its leaders, the Aggies also got valuable contributions from freshman members of the team.

Hernandez, a Merced, Calif. native, turned in a team-best 4-under (69) effort on Sunday while Simanton finished Sunday with her best effort of the tournament, an even-par.

Simanton enters the season having won the California State Fair Women’s Championship in early September. The win marked the third consecutive year an Aggie has won the event.

Despite the positive showing at the tournament, the coach still belives there is room for her team to improve.

“They didn’t sit around and bask in glory because they realized we could have been so much better,” she said.

The Aggies barely had time to catch their breath after finishing the tournament on Sunday before traveling to Colorado for the Ron Moore Intercollegiate tournament, hosted by the University of Denver. (Extra text – 2 paragraphs)

RICHARD PROCTER can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

Sections

Resources

Best of Davis

Projects