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Women’s lacrosse upsets Denver at MPSF Tournament

Sports Editor
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With the season nearing its end, the Aggies came out firing at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament in Palo Alto, Calif.

The Aggies entered the tournament as the No. 5 seed, where they’d face heavily favored No. 4 Denver.

UC Davis, though, didn’t step aside for the Pioneers to pass them by. The Aggies battled back for a 16-14 win in seesaw fashion on Thursday.

The win propelled them into the second round, where they faced tournament host Stanford – the No. 14 team in the nation.

The Aggies‘ tournament run came to a close against the Cardinal, but not before they made their mark on the tournament by showing Denver the door.

 

Thursday – UC Davis 16, Denver 14

The Aggies picked the right time to post their signature win of the season.

UC Davis upset the Denver Pioneers on Thursday evening in Palo Alto to advance to the second round of the MPSF Tournament.

The Aggies were led in the 16-14 shootout by sophomore Jacklyn Taylor, who scored the game-tying and game-clinching goals to cap off a career-high five-goal performance.

Leading scorer Brit Farquharson found the back of the Denver net four times. The sophomore scoring trio of Christina Corsa, Gina Hoffmire and Molly Lapolla contributed two goals apiece.

Defender Molly Peterson also had a goal as the cherry on top of a gritty performance by the Aggie defense.

“Denver has been one of the most respected teams in the conference,” said senior defender Eri Ichikawa. “It’s a huge upset for us to beat them.”

Ichikawa and Patrice Clark are the only seniors graduating from the very young Aggies roster. No UC Davis player went on to win all-league honors.

Denver goal Ashley Harman, meanwhile, was named conference Co-newcomer of the Year. Five Pioneers were named to the All-MPSF squad.

Not only were the Mustangs more decorated than the Aggies, but when the teams matched up during the regular season, the result was a lopsided 18-5 UC Davis home loss.

The Aggies combined scoring, defense and great goalkeeping by Alyssa Cranska on Thursday to pull off the huge upset in the quarterfinals.

“It was the perfect game,” Ichikawa said. “Everyone was on the right page.“

 

Friday – Stanford 17, UC Davis 3

The Aggies tried to turn the momentum of their quarterfinals upset of Denver into a win in the semis against top-seeded Stanford.

Unfortunately for UC Davis, it was unable to play Cinderella once again this time around.

The Cardinal were led by MPSF Player of the Year Lauren Schmidt and Amy Bokker, who won MPSF Coach of the Year in her first season at the helm in Palo Alto.

Farquharson led the Aggies with two goals, Lapolla netted the other and Corsa recorded a pair of assists to feed the scorers.

The loss brought the tourney to a close for the Aggies, who moved up from the fifth seed to finish fourth overall.

UC Davis closes out its season with senior day on Saturday. It will host the Louisville Cardinals at noon at Aggie Stadium.

 

JOHN S. HELLER can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

Pfaff skyrockets up national list in steeplechase

Sports Editor
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UC Davis distance runners shined at Friday night’s New York Road Runners Distance Carnival portion of California’s Brutus Hamilton Invitational.

Headlining their performances was junior Russ Pfaff’s second-place finish in the steeplechase (8:48.81), which easily qualified him for regionals. Additionally, that time puts him second all-time at UC Davis, No. 2 in the West Region and No. 9 in the nation.

“I knew it was finally time to break nine,” Pfaff said. “That has been the goal for a while now, but I didn’t think I would get that far under. I went with guys that can run in the 9:30s, so I knew it was going to be good, or I’d at least shamble home and still qualify for regionals.“

Due to some late scratches, the college and elite sections of the event were combined, leading to Pfaff racing against much stiffer competition, including eventual race winner Jacques Sallberg.

Sallberg had a personal best over 40 seconds faster than Pfaff’s entering the meet. He competed in last summer’s Olympic Trials.

“I knew I was going to go with the elite guys,” Pfaff said. “We broke off from the pack pretty quickly. I felt really good throughout the race, but there were a couple of times when I landed off balance or stutter-stepped on my approach, and every time those miscues happen, it is another couple of seconds.

“I just happened to have two-stepped the most important hurdle – the last one – and was not able to make up for it and thus lost by .27 seconds.“

After such a performance, Pfaff set some lofty goals for the rest of the season.

“I want to win Big West in the steeple,” Pfaff said. “I want to go to nationals in the steeple, destroy the school record, double at regionals (1,500m and steeple), stay healthy, put Davis on the map and let everyone else know that we can compete.“

In addition to Pfaff, junior Kyle Suarez and David Buscho competed in the steeplechase, taking fifth (9:17.28) and seventh (9:25.80), respectively.

The Aggies continued to impress in the distance events with the 5,000m shortly thereafter. They were led by senior Pat Parsel, who set a personal record of 14:32.30 to finish fourth. Sophomore Jonathan Peterson (14:38.93) was right behind in fifth, and freshmen Kindu Ejigu (14:56.79) and junior Scott Himmelberger (14.57.04) broke the 15-minute barrier for the first time as they took 10th and 11th, respectively.

“It’s been three years since I have set a P.R. in any distance on the track,” Parsel said. “Why it happened last night, I’m not quite sure. If I knew the answer to that, I would have done it a while ago. But I tried to keep having faith that it would come and stay positive.

“I’ve learned that just because you have the talent and put in the work, you aren’t promised anything. But as much of a struggle as it’s been the last three years, it was worth it, if even for just two seconds.“

His time easily qualified him for the Big West Conference Championships, which will be his first chance to compete at a Division I conference track meet.

“The only goal [distance coach] Drew [Wartenburg] and I talked about coming in was to be sure we left with a conference qualifying time [14:55],” Parsel said. “More than anything, I look forward to going to conference and competing. I want to compete to the best of my ability and score as many points for the team as I can.”

In the 110m hurdles on Saturday, junior Jazz Trice destroyed the field in the invitational section to win in 13.65. Trice’s time would have been a school record and top-10 time on the national list, but the wind of 2.5 meters per second was over the allowable limit for record purposes (2.0 m/s). Senior Polly Gnepa took fifth in 14.01.

Shortly thereafter, junior Alex Wilright and sophomore Thomas Phillips dominated the 400m, clocking 47.26 and 47.28, respectively, to go under the old school record of 47.42 from 1982.

“Honestly, that record should have gone down a long time ago, so it feels great that me and Thomas took it down together,” Wilright said. “We just worked together the last 100m, kind of like practice.“

Though Wilright and Phillips dominated the open 400m, their main event is the 400m hurdles. They sit first and second on the all-time list at UC Davis in that event as well. Phillips cemented his place there by finishing a solid second in 50.96 on Friday to become the second Aggie to break the 51-second barrier.

“I am just waiting for the day where Thomas busts out and flies by me,” Wilright said. “We both work equally hard in practice and we use each other to get better. You should see both of us in the NCAA national finals for the 400m hurdles.”

 

ALEX WOLF-ROOT can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

 

We are the champions

Sports Editor
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In November of 2002, the UC Davis student body voted in favor of increasing student fees to help its athletics program move to the Big West Conference and the Division I ranks.

It paid off last week.

From funding initiatives to being ineligible for postseason play during the transitional process (2003-2007) to finally having the chance to feel out the Division I waters, the Aggies’ nearly seven-year wait for a Big West title came to a close on Tuesday.

The first-seeded UC Davis men’s golf team knocked off defending champion UC Irvine by seven strokes to win the Big West Tournament at the San Luis Obispo Country Club.

“Man, it’s about time,” said coach Cy Williams. “We had a lot of fun today. We’re really going to enjoy this win.”

The men’s golf team won’t be the only one enjoying it. The rest of the UC Davis athletics department will be smiling, too.

Seventeen Aggie teams had a shot at a Big West championship during the 2007-2008 school year – UC Davis’ first official year of Division I eligibility. Each of them came up short.

Thirteen more have had a chance this academic year – some of which came very, very close – but couldn’t pull off the trick, either.

Until now.

The men’s golf team’s Big West title is about more than being the conference’s only club to break par at the tournament (3-under 861). It’s about more than firing a tournament-low 284 in the final round. It’s about more than watching sophomore Austin Graham and senior Ramie Sprinkling finish first and second, respectively, among individuals.

The Aggies’ win on Tuesday was about writing the first championship story to a book that had been seven years in the making.

It’s official. The UC Davis men’s golf team has done it.

It won’t be the only one, though. Stay tuned.

 

Big West disappointments, too

The only thing tougher than losing out on a championship is being beaten for that title by one.

The UC Davis women’s golf team suffered that fate last week.

The Aggies, Long Beach State and UC Irvine were all within one stroke of each other when the Big West Tournament came to a close. Long Beach ended up claiming its first league title, although it was outshot by UC Davis in the tournament’s final round.

That’s what will leave a bad taste in the Aggies’ mouths: the fact they played well enough to win.

“It’s tough,” said coach Anne Walker. “To come that close and come up short – it’s just really hard.… We wanted to win so bad.”

The UC Davis women’s water polo team ends its Big West season having come up short, too.

The Aggies, who finished the regular season in a three-way tie for first place, were upset by UC Irvine in the semifinals of the Big West Championships.

The women’s golf and women’s water polo teams have more in common than a pair of Big West disappointments, though. Both squads return the talent necessary to make another run at a league title.

Maybe next year will be the year.

 

Feeling a draft

Former UC Davis defensive tackle John Faletoese went unselected during the National Football League Draft over the weekend.

A potential seventh-round draft pick, Faletoese was named an All-American by both the Associated Press and the Walter Camp Foundation. He was also selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 17.

Going undrafted, though, isn’t the worst thing in the world that could have happened to Faletoese. In fact, it could be a positive.

Faletoese is now a free agent, meaning he can sign with the NFL team of his choosing. He’ll be able to decide which team’s roster he has the best chance of making, as opposed to being a late-round selection by a club that may or may not have actually had him in its future plans.

The 6-foot-3, 292-pounder has made a name for himself as a special teams player. It’s hard to imagine that NFL teams wouldn’t be interested in adding a potential field-goal-blocking presence in the form of Faletoese.

Guard Jonathan Compas and receiver Brandon Rice are also expected to test the NFL’s free agent waters.

 

ADAM LOBERSTEIN didn’t win a Big West title last week and wasn’t taken in the NFL Draft. Oh well. He can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

When cancer keeps coming

Features Editor
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For Selena Martinez, cancer runs in the family.

A UC Davis alumna who graduated with a degree in cellular biology in 2006, Martinez now works as a research technician at UC San Francisco’s Miranda Lab. But growing up, she watched family member after family member mysteriously fall victim to cancer, with no obvious cause linking the separate cases.

 

A history of bad luck

 

In 1994, an uncle, Juan Martinez, succumbed to pancreatic cancer when Martinez was just 11 years old.

“I met [my uncle Juan] three weeks before he passed away. He looked pretty strong – I knew he had cancer, but he was proud, he had great poise. He was a strong man, but in a couple of weeks, the cancer took his life. That’s when reality hit me,” said Israel Alvarado, Martinez‘ cousin.

The following year, Martinez‘ father, Nazario Martinez, was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer; doctors eventually removed his stomach to save his life. Four years later, just as Martinez began high school, her father was diagnosed again – this time with colon cancer.

Still, it seemed like the Martinez family just ran into some bad luck.

“We didn’t think anything of it at the time, there being a connection or anything. We didn’t really know,” Martinez said.

Thankfully, after intensive chemotherapy treatments, her father survived. But like some horrible curse, cancer continued to strike Martinez‘ loved ones.

The following year, her older sister Noemi was diagnosed with endometrial cancer (cancer of the lining of the uterus) at the age of 32. Three years later in 2002 – Martinez‘ first year at UC Davis – her sister was diagnosed again, with colon cancer.

The family’s oncologist, disturbed by the frequency of cancer in the Martinez clan, believed there was more at play than simple misfortune.

“He said it was most likely inherited,” Martinez said. “This was the first time we heard of Lynch syndrome.”

Lynch syndrome, Martinez learned, is an inherited condition that vastly increases individuals‘ chances of contracting colorectal cancer and endometrial cancer in women, as well as cancers of the stomach, pancreas, urinary tract, bile ducts, ovary, small intestine, brain and skin. In addition, the cancers form earlier, usually in the victim’s mid-40s.

“The chance of [my family members] inheriting it is 50 percent,” Martinez explained. “It’s a dominant gene, so once you know you have it, the chances of you getting cancer are really high.“

Given the Martinez family’s history of cancer, it was likely they carried the gene mutation associated with the condition. Her sister was immediately tested, but results came back inconclusive.

It took six years until advances in genetic testing were able to provide the Martinez family with a definite answer. In 2008, Noemi tested positive, as did her father, and finally, Martinez herself.

“At that point, I was mentally prepared. I was positive; I decided … I would never want to let the fact I may get cancer in so many years affect my life. I wanted to be an example of how to deal with it, and help my family,“ Martinez said.

All in all, in the last 14 years Martinez has seen eight family members suffer through 10 bouts of cancer, with two family members (including her uncle, Juan) succumbing to the disease.

But despite an 80 percent lifetime risk of developing colon cancer herself, and a 71 percent risk of developing endometrial cancer, Martinez never saw her Lynch syndrome diagnosis as a death sentence. Rather, she saw it as an opportunity she described as “empowering.“

“I wanted to turn an overwhelming and somewhat negative situation into a positive situation,” she said.

Raising money and awareness for cancer prevention

 

Frustrated by a lack of public knowledge and support regarding Lynch syndrome, Martinez decided to take action.

Last September, with the help of friends and her associates at UC San Francisco, Martinez founded Detect the Mutation, an organization dedicated to promoting awareness about Lynch Syndrome.

“There’s almost nothing out there for Lynch syndrome; it’s really under the radar for the cancer community,” Martinez said. “A lot of families don’t get properly diagnosed, oftentimes because they can’t afford it.“

Detect the Mutation raises money for the Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program at UCSF, which offers screening for those in need. Martinez hopes her efforts can provide resources for families and individuals interested in genetic counseling for Lynch syndrome, especially for low-income or uninsured individuals.

“Psychologically, a Lynch syndrome diagnosis can cause a lot of anxiety and a lot of nervousness,” said Megan Myers, a genetic counseling assistant at UCSF’s Cancer Risk Program. “But it’s really important to find the mutations, warn family members and [have them] understand what they are going up against…. Proper screening saves lives, and that’s what we are trying to do through the gastrointestinal program.“

Myers, whose family also has a history of Lynch syndrome, graduated from UC Davis in 2007 with a degree in genetics. She noted the vast majority of Lynch syndrome cases go undetected, causing unnecessary suffering in entire families.

To spread awareness and raise money for cancer prevention, Martinez has run three half-marathons to date: Philadelphia in November 2008; Austin, Texas in February 2009; and Santa Cruz just two weeks ago. Both Alvarado and Myers participated in the most recent marathon, donning “DetectTheMutation.org” T-shirts in honor of Noemi Martinez Garza, Martinez‘ sister and a two-time cancer survivor.

Each of Martinez‘ runs are cataloged on the Detect the Mutation website. Her goal is to run a half-marathon for each family member affected by Lynch syndrome, meaning she has at least five more planned for the future.

However, due to the costs of athletic gear, travel and registration expenses, Martinez has put her plans on hold until she can find financial sponsorship. All of her expenses are out-of-pocket, while all donations received are directed to the UCSF Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program.

Undeterred, Martinez eventually hopes to turn Detect the Mutation into a full-fledged nonprofit.

“It’s a little campaign,” Martinez said. “But hopefully it will catch on.”

But for Martinez‘ loved ones, there’s nothing “little” about Martinez, or her cause.

“I think what my cousin is doing is great, not only for our family, but all families affected by Lynch syndrome…. I’m very proud, she’s been through a lot,“ Alvarado said.

“When I think about Selena Martinez, I see a bright, motivated and driven young woman who cares so deeply about her family,” Myers said. “She’s putting her foot down, and saying that this isn’t going to happen to her family anymore. This project, her marathon running, is truly inspirational.“

Visit DetectTheMutation.org for more information.

Those interested in donating can send a check to Selena Martinez, 230 Nueva Ave., San Francisco, Calif. 94134 for the UC San Francisco Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program, UCSF Foundation Tax ID No. B1900.

 

ANDRE LEE can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

 

Daily Calendar

Features Editor
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TODAY

Project Compost

6 p.m.

West Quad

Learn how to compost 1,000 pounds of food on campus. Experience the beauty of compost!

 

Student Nutrition Association general meeting

6 to 7 p.m.

216 Wellman

Stop by the general meeting and learn about this club!

 

Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament

6 to 8 p.m.

Griffin Lounge, MU

Show up early to guarantee a spot! Top players will have a chance to play in the tournament of champions!

 

Operation Christmas Child

7 to 8 p.m.

184 Young

Go check out this new group at their first meeting of the quarter!

 

TUESDAY

Cutting Calories on Cultural Cuisines

5 to 7 p.m.

Silo Union

Learn how to cook healthy, easy and exotic dishes!

 

WEDNESDAY

Beyond the Bachelor’s Degree

11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m.

MU II

Speakers at this panel of Chicanas and Latinas will feature personal testimonies as well as a Q&A session.

 

Karma Patrol

7 to 9 p.m.

Mee Room, MU

Stop by this meeting and “bee” a volunteer for the Whole Earth Festival.

 

THURSDAY

Hermanos Macehual

8 p.m.

1 Wellman

Hermanos Macehual is a community service organization oriented to help students in academic and social aspects of UC Davis while encouraging a friendly and open atmosphere. For more info: macehual.com.

 

 

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. 

Hail to the Chief

Opinion
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So at the risk of furthering Twitter’s disturbingly expansive reach into popular culture, I’m going to spend this week talking about it.

Putting aside for a moment that the concept of Twitter is more than a little mystifying (despite many millions of dollars in funding from venture capitalists, it has yet to produce even a single dollar of revenue), let’s discuss a frightening concept that’s been spread in recent weeks: Twitter journalism (my initial thinking when I heard the phrase was “Oh dear God,” followed by banging my head against my desk. Twitter journalism? What?).

It is something that at least deserves a moment or two of serious consideration. Twitter has already led to news of several events spreading faster than previously thought possible. When the airliner crashed in the Hudson, the first news of this event was not broken by CNN, The New York Times or ABC News. Instead, Janis Krums “tweeted” (if we’re going to keep using this phrase, can we at least change the name of the service to Tweeter?) the crash to the whole world mere moments after it happened. The Associated Press broke news of earthquakes in California only moments before news of the seismic rumbling hit the Twitterverse.

If such news can be gathered and disseminated so swiftly, why shouldn’t it be a legitimate avenue of news?

Because in its current format, Twitter is not nearly robust enough to handle that responsibility. You can certainly tweet some news – just make sure it’s under 140 characters. The concept of Twitter – microblogging – is great for doing just that, but it doesn’t allow enough space for any substantive news transmission.

While potentially a good source of information – several news outlets tweet headlines and provide links to stories – providing information is only one aspect of journalism, and Twitter fails to deliver in other areas.

The primary virtue of Twitter, its speed, is not unique to Twitter, merely the format (online updates, essentially). Make no mistake, a newspaper updates its website as quickly as an individual user; the difference is the content. Twitter updates that don’t come from reputable organizations or reporters are not reliable sources of information. Moreover, the 140 character limit on tweeting creates greater potential for sensationalistic reporting; you clearly have more space than you would for a headline, but not enough for any meaningful reporting.

News tweets are exactly as reliable as blog posts; eventually users will decide which tweeters they trust and wish to follow (the followed/followers word choice by Twitter is a little creepy). Just like they decide which bloggers are worth their time! If your goal is to obtain accurate information beyond a simple news bulletin, Twitter is strictly worse than the rest of the Internet at fulfilling your need.

There have been intriguing uses for Twitter other than further enabling people that visit perezhilton.com; Vermont State Senator William Doyle has taken to tweeting frequently as a means of staying in touch with his constituents. By creating a place where people interested in both reading and posting short updates can congregate and tweet tweet tweet, Twitter has allowed for intriguing new ideas like Doyle’s.

The idea that it is a new format for news in general, however, is completely ridiculous. Creating artificial limits for a writing medium does not a new format create.

Incidentally, if you like to follow Twitter because it’s a trendy new thing and you want to be a hep cat (you can tell how cool I am because I use terms like “hep cat“), you can follow The California Aggie on Twitter. Look us up!

 

RICHARD PROCTER survived a week with four midterms and now he just wants to relax. Send him your finals success stories at rhprocter@ucdavis.edu.

Cap and Gown List

Opinion
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Friday morning I got a text from a friend asking me if I’d like to accompany her to the Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference the following afternoon to see her roommate present some research she’d been working on. Slightly embarrassed, I asked for more information and admitted I had never heard of the conference before.

Saturday afternoon, I attended the Undergraduate Conference and realized that UC Davis provides ample opportunity for students to get hands-on with their education. Each student presenting had a different area of interest, different research questions to answer, and a unique perspective to offer on their chosen topic. I walked around awed by their accomplishments and grateful for an institution that offers the resources for the 250 students who participated to explore their own curiosities on a variety of subjects.

Admittedly, I am not a science-oriented thinker. Facts about genes and DNA and reverse transcriptase seem to flow in one ear and out the other like background noise. I was concerned that the value of the research, and the conference itself, would be slightly lost on me or that I would find myself left behind. I needn’t have worried. The research was presented well and aesthetically pleasingly, and there were plenty of research studies I could comprehend without assistance from a biology textbook index.

Are you looking for aggression studies on female mice? Got you covered. Always wondered about gender differences in adolescent best friendship staying power? No problem. Curious about potential drugs to aid Alzheimer’s patients? Look no further. Each student had conducted some type of research or exploration, and had created a presentation to convey what they had found, some were lecture-style presentations and others posters that they stood by to answer questions.

After I left, I was filled with a sense pride for the students involved. I hadn’t agreed to go with the intention of turning the day into my article for the week; once I learned what the conference was about, however, I knew it was worth the column inches, if for no other reason than because any event that can produce a sense of pride for strangers and their accomplishments is worthy of a second look.

From the time humans first crawled out of the cave, the thing that has separated us from the rest of the animals was our insatiable thirst for knowledge. We invented the wheel, the steam engine and the automobile; we even conquered flight. We created the telephone, the radio, television, computers and tens of thousands of other things simply because of our innate passion to answer the questions “how” and “why.“ The road to discovery is our defining voyage, and I realized this weekend that our generation has begun to take the reigns.

It’s exciting to think that I could have seen the beginnings of a lifelong research project on a certain subject. Who knows which of these UCD undergrads will go on to discover the vaccine for HIV or a cure for a form of cancer? There is limitless potential for discovery and new knowledge, and with each inquiry into why something is the way it is comes the potential to discover something entirely new.

If you get the chance, go see this conference next year! It is, if nothing else, deeply inspiring to watch your peers be a part of new information and knowledge others have yet to find. The very act of walking in the room and listening to students your age explain their research on lab mice or posit on the different depictions of old fables in modern-day literature is enough to encourage you to explore your own curiosities.

 

EMILY KAPLAN, her friend Tina and many others have had about enough with the in-class PDA. Seriously, if you can’t keep your hands off each other, don’t take classes together! If you share their frustration, e-mail Emily at eckaplan@ucdavis.edu.

Experts opine on ‘living in the new economy’

City Editor
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Economic pressure often translates into family pressure. Stress can result in withdrawal from the community. Maintaining individual health is key.

Those were just some of the take-home lessons offered at an all-day conference on the economy hosted by the Davis Community Church on Saturday.

Called “Living in the New Economy,” the Saturday conference drew on a number of local and state experts, from the fields of economics, health care, education and psychology, among others.

According to speaker Dr. Katherine J. Conger, much of the stresses are felt around the family and the home. Conger is associate professor, Division of Human Development and Family Studies, at UC Davis. She spoke of the negative pressures economic hardships can have on family life, as well as tools families can use to successfully ease those pressures.

According to Conger, these legitimate factors can often create a kind of “cascade effect” whereby economic problems trickle down as problems in the home.

“Parents get distracted by financial concerns, and aren’t able to give as much attention and loving care that the kids may need,” Conger said. “Pretty soon kids maybe stop going to their parents as much, or at all.“

Through case studies of families undergoing difficult economic times, Conger was able to learn more about the mechanisms that translate those hard times into home life, as well as come up with ideas on how to make the pressures more tolerable.

“Couples able to maintain or provide high spousal support for one another,” Conger said, “were less depressed and better able to weather economic setbacks.“

Conger also found that families with better developed communication and problem-solving skills imparted those abilities on to the children, helping them develop crucial skills moving forward.

“The lesson we learned is that we can diminish the cycle of disadvantage for the next generation,” Conger said.

One of the minds behind the conference’s creation was Freddie Oakley, Yolo County clerk-recorder. She said one of the origins of the idea for the conference came from a seasonal job of hers.

“The seed was compassion for suffering,” Oakley said. “I’m a regular cook at the Davis Interfaith Rotating Winter Shelter, where I cook for local homeless people all winter long.“

Oakley added that she sees the greatest impact on these homeless people at the end of winter. The shelter stops cooking, but the homeless people remain.

“Some of them are even employees at UC Davis, who are having trouble meeting the demands of first and last month [rent],” Oakley said. “This meltdown of the world’s economy will create more people under stress, some under very serious stress.“

Keynote speaker Kim Stanley Robinson addressed the changes the nation is undergoing, from the “old” economy to a “greener” economy with improved environmental practices.

“This is a vision of Davis 100 years from now – a utopian vision, where we make better use of our land, and recognize the importance of sustainable agriculture,” said Robinson, a futurist author who was recognized as one of Time Magazine’s 2008 “Heroes of the Environment.“

Robinson emphasized that the goal was to continue moving away from farming practices that depended so heavily on oil and other natural resources.

“UC Davis has had a lot to do with the change so far, and in this future vision, Yolo County would be a demonstration of that change,” Robinson said.

State Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis) held a small panel discussion of health care experts to discuss the impact the slowing economy has had on our ability to receive good medical services.

One of her panelists was Dr. Steve Mayberg, director of the California Department of Mental Health. Mayberg admitted that when the economy shrinks, health services have to get cut, and this can have an extremely negative impact on the people.

“When economic stress happens people can withdraw from the community, which only exacerbates the situation,” Mayberg said.

Laura Bibelheimer, deputy Yolo County supervisor, agreed that this is very trying on patients and health providers, but said she is encouraged by the Obama administration’s plans for health care coverage.

“All I can hope for,” Bibelhaimer said, “is that we maintain our own health and mental health while we weather this storm.“

Oakley felt confident that this conference and others like it would have a positive impact.

“Most of our participants today are decision makers and opinion makers,” Oakley said. “And there is a core group of people listening in there that have a real sense of community responsibility.“

TOM MORRIS can be reached at city@theaggie.org. XXX

 

 

Bike Church finds new off-campus location

City Editor
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The Bike Church is reborn.

Saturday was the grand opening of the Davis Bike Collective – the newest incarnation of the Davis Bike Church, which was evicted from its former location on campus in October.

The new Davis Bike Collective has taken up residence in an 1138 square-foot garage in East Davis, near the northwest corner of Fourth and L Streets.

“We‘re definitely still in the process of getting everything set up and organized, but we have tools and space and that‘s all we really need,“ said Sarah McCullough, a cultural studies graduate student who was welcoming a steady flow of visitors into the new space Saturday.

Dubbed “Bike Forth,“ the new location is more obvious and accessible than the old space behind the Domes Sustainable Living area, McCullough said. It‘s also on one of the major bike routes connecting East Davis with the rest of the city, she said.

Saturday’s opening was the culmination of months of planning and organizing after Student Housing forced the Bike Church to close because it did not comply with university regulations.

Now the group is working with the Solar Community Housing Association, a nonprofit that manages J Street Co-op and Sunwise Co-op. It will eventually be its own 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, said Robbie McMurry, a Davis resident and Davis Bike Collective volunteer.

“I sort of view it as empowerment over your own transportation,” McMurry said. “The way we do that is education, providing tools and supporting a healthy lifestyle.”

Because the group has to buy tools and pay rent and insurance bills, DBC has suggested contributions for various services. The average donation for a day’s work is $5, but those who utilize the service can give back in other ways, like volunteering their time.

“Ultimately we just want to get people on their bikes,” said Josh Gould, a UC Davis alumnus who has volunteered with the Bike Church for four years. “If you want to come and fix your bike, we will provide tools, knowledge, a helping hand,” he said.

DBC’s work is meant to complement the business of bike shops in town, Gould said. Volunteers and ministers share their expertise on where to find special parts, and more people on bikes ultimately means more business for established bike shops.

The organization of the Davis Bike Collective is based on other bicycle cooperatives around the country, such as the Sacramento Bike Kitchen, Boston’s Bikes not Bombs and Working Bikes in Chicago, said Christopher Salam, a UCD grad student in biological engineering who is a minister-in-training at DBC.

It’s not certain whether DBC will be able to come back to campus, but Salam said the tone of the organization has become much more positive, and coordinators are working with Transportation and Parking Services to arrange for a university-sanctioned presence on campus.

Several possibilities have been discussed, including a location in the North Entry Parking Structure and a space in the Experimental College Community Garden, Salam said.

For the time being, the group is focusing on settling into its new digs. In the next few weeks, racks will be installed in the ceiling and an artist will begin working on a mural inside the garage, Salam said. Eventually, Bike Forth could be a venue for small shows and other entertainment events.

Organizers said the two most important steps toward getting involved are checking the group’s DavisWiki page and showing up. Regular work hours are scheduled Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m. The group meets Fridays at 6 p.m., and additional work hours will be posted on the wiki page when they are more certain.

More information is available at daviswiki.org/davis_bike_collective.

 

JEREMY OGUL can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Senate Briefs

Campus Editor
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ASUCD Senate meetings are scheduled to begin Thursdays at 6:10 p.m. Times listed are according to the clock at the Apr. 23 meeting location, the Memorial Union’s Mee Room.

Meeting was called to order at 6:10 p.m.

Joe Chatham, ASUCD president, absent

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 senator, present

Jack Zwald, ASUCD president pro-tempore, present

Court Announcements

Chief Justice Missy Whitney announced that ASUCD Court Case No. 46 concerning the validity of the recent ASUCD election has been unanimously dismissed. The decision was made at a pre-hearing.

Consideration of Old Legislation

Senate Bill 42, authored and introduced by the Internal Affairs Commission, to clarify language and revise textual errors in Chapter Two of the ASUCD bylaws, passed unanimously.

Senate Bill 43, authored by the Internal Affairs Commission, co-authored by Chen, Zeigier and Webb and introduced by the Internal Affairs Commission, to address the process by which the Recorder of a Commission is to be selected, passed unanimously with some amendments.

Senate Bill 44, authored and introduced by the Internal Affairs Commission, to remove references to the University of California Student Association from Chapter 13 of the ASUCD bylaws, passed unanimously.

Public Discussion

Dietrich said Russell products, which produces ASUCD‘s T-shirts and gear, will not sign an agreement preventing them from using sweatshop labor. All of their products will be sold in a liquidation sale at the MU.

Elected Officers Report

Lebe announced fundraisers for Safeboats on Apr. 29 at Yogurt Shack and May 12 at Habit Burger.

Meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.

RITA SIMERLY compiles the Senate Briefs. She can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

UCD signs agreement with state public health department

Campus Editor
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UC Davis is teaming up with the California Department of Public Health in an effort to better encourage public health practice and education within the state.

The university signed a no-cost, four-year agreement with state public health officials earlier this month in what they hope will be a mutually beneficial relationship.

“The future of public health is doing more with less, so partnerships become all the more important,” said Dr. Bonnie Sorensen, department deputy director at a recent forum at UC Davis.

“[This agreement] will allow a sharing of resources between the [state] department and UCD,” said Dr. Stephen McCurdy, director of the UC Davis Masters of Public Health program. “UCD has a wealth of expertise in areas that are highly relevant to public health challenges and the state brings its own considerable expertise as well. The state also has access to a lot of the population that the university is trying to reach.”

The agreement will provide more opportunities for UC Davis students in the Masters of Public Health program, McCurdy said.

“We hope to invite individuals at the state department to participate as volunteer faculty here on campus,” he said. “The agreement would also allow our masters students to participate in projects at the state as part of their practicum.“

Though the university already has a history of working with the state, the agreement makes the relationship more official, said Dr. Thomas Nesbitt, executive associate dean for clinical and administrative affairs at the UC Davis School of Medicine.

“The purpose is really to put together a document that puts everything into one place.… We wanted to create a formal relationship that is in writing,” he said.

This is especially important as UC Davis moves forward in establishing its own school of public health, Nesbitt said. The university currently has a masters of public health program, which is jointly sponsored by the medical and veterinary schools. However, a separate school would allow for great expansion of the program, McCurdy said.

“We have accredited programs already but we don’t have a full set of resources,” McCurdy said. “When the program becomes a separate school, we can hire more faculty, do more research, teach more courses and take in more students.“

The university first proposed to establish a school of public health in 2005 and is currently working toward receiving approval from the University of California Board of Regents.

“The proposal has already been approved by the UCD campus Academic Senate,” McCurdy said. “However, when the proposal was sent to the office of the president (UCOP), some clarifications were requested and it was sent back to the university.“

At the request of Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef, the university created a task force headed by Dr. Claire Pomeroy, vice chancellor of human health sciences at the UC Davis medical school, to respond to the UCOP and work toward gaining regent approval, McCurdy said.

“[The university] has a vision to really look at a very innovative approach to public health,” he said. “We are interested in what public health looks like for this century – what are the challenges that we are facing currently? The goal is to design new ways to train a workforce to serve the state of California.“

One of the biggest concerns regarding the public health school is determining how it will be funded, Nesbitt said.

“The task force has been given several jobs, and one of those is clarifying funding sources and figuring out how all of this would be paid for – something that is a challenge in the current budget situation,” he said.

Though it is not yet determined where the new school would be built or when construction would begin, the task force is getting very close to defining a timeline for its completion, Nesbitt said.

“The task force is very active and meets on a regular basis,” he said. “Right now the main focus is on determining funding and creating a fiscal model for the new school.“

ERICA LEE can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Correction

Campus Editor
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In the Apr. 21 issue of The California Aggie, the article “Budget cuts affect Spanish grad students” stated that graduate students are facing an increased workload with less funding. This point should be clarified to explain that it refers to their scholastic workload and not their teaching workload. Graduate students have less time to complete their degrees, but have not seen an increase in their teaching duties. The Aggie regrets the error. 

All AG-Cess

Sports Editor
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The UC Davis men’s golf team almost wasn’t the school’s first Big West Conference championship winner.

The women’s team finished league championship play at the San Luis Obispo Country Club roughly an hour before the men’s field put the wraps on its tournament.

Three women’s clubs – Long Beach State, UC Irvine and UC Davis – were vying for the top spot come final round play. When things were all said and done, the 49ers, Anteaters and Aggies were separated by a combined one stroke. One. For a league title.

UC Davis, though, was on the wrong side of that one-stroke swing.

Long Beach State claimed its first Big West title with a three-round score of 929 to hold off UC Irvine and UC Davis by the slimmest of margins. The Aggies had the upper hand in the final round, outshooting the 49ers 307-308.

“Man, it’s tough,” said coach Anne Walker. “To come that close and come up short – it’s just really hard.… We wanted to win so bad.“

The only thing worse than finishing second in a championship event is being beat out for the title by one. The Aggies have now finished second each of their two Big West Tournament appearances.

The men’s team, too, had a second-place showing last season. Coach Cy Williams said the team wanted nothing more than to get that bad taste out of its mouth this time around.

The women will have to wait at least one more year to put their Big West blues to rest. With a pair of first-team All-Big West honorees – sophomores Chelsea Stelzmiller and Alice Kim – returning next year, though, there’s a chance that the third time could be the charm for the UC Davis women’s golf team.

Ask Adam: Men’s soccer update?

Hi Adam,

Any update on what Dylan Curtis and Sule [Anibaba] are doing with their soccer careers? I know Quincy [Amarikwa] is playing in the MLS with the [San Jose] Earthquakes. Is he off to a good start?

Thanks,

Jonathan

Hey Jonathan,

It looks like Curtis and Anibaba are heading off to the real world – for now, at least. Curtis took a job in San Francisco, and Anibaba is currently hunting for the right gig.

Anibaba said he’s not done pursuing playing professional soccer, though. He’s continuing with his training in case the right opportunity presents itself.

Amarikwa, meanwhile, started his Major League Soccer career off with a bang. He scored a goal in his first game with the Earthquakes – a 1-0 exhibition win over the Portland Timbers on Mar. 14.

The reigning Big West Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Amarikwa has seen action in three of San Jose’s five regular season contests. He’s totaled 83 minutes and has three shots (one on goal) to his credit.

Thanks for the question, Jonathan. Keep them coming.

Have a question you’d like answered in next week’s All AG-Cess? ADAM LOBERSTEIN can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

UC Davis Students Get Their Feet Wet

Features Editor
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UC Davis may have an agricultural reputation, but a group of undergraduates have been diving into the waters of marine science as well. The UC Davis Oceanography Club, which began in fall of 2008, has been working to spread knowledge of the ocean throughout inland Davis and recruit more students interested in the field.

The club was first envisioned when a group of undergraduates met for a summer school session at UC Davis‘ own Bodega Marine Lab, said senior evolution ecology and biodiversity major Anna Brodsky.

“We felt we needed a club that addressed the ocean and the different jobs affiliated with it,” Brodsky said. “Davis lacked one, so we started [the club].“

With the club’s formation in the fall, members have hoped to spread knowledge of the ocean to the Davis community and shed light on some fields of study few realized UC Davis offered.

“Most of [the members] are pursuing a minor in oceanography in addition to their major at UC Davis,“ said Professor Tessa Hill, faculty advisor for the club and the oceanography minor. “The minor has existed for many years but we recently revised and revitalized it.”

UC Davis also offers a marine biology emphasis in the biological sciences major, Brodsky said. Students taking courses in the marine sciences have an opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the marine environment by living in on-site housing at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Lab, Hill said.

While many of the club members have a major or minor that directly relates to oceanography, Brodsky said anyone who loves the ocean or simply wants to learn more about oceanography should join.

The club serves as both a social outlet for members with the same interests and a tool for community outreach. Group members have recently given presentations on beach erosion at Davis public schools and science fairs, said senior biological sciences major and club member Will Fennie.

In addition to informing the public on ocean-related issues, the club has also been setting up informal meetings between UC Davis marine scientists and students interested in the field, said Hill. These meetings serve to educate students on different job opportunities in oceanography.

“It turns out there are many faculty at Davis who are experts in marine environments, marine ecology and oceanography, even though we are two hours from the coast,” Hill said. “These meetings are a great chance for students to get to know their marine science professors a little better.“

The club is also planning several field trips which will be partially funded by the bake sale fundraisers they have hosted and donations they have taken at the Farmers Market.

These trips include beach clean-up efforts, surf trips and a field trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Monterey Bay Research Institute pending a grant the club applied for.

The club members and faculty advisor say they feel that although Davis is inland, it is important for the general public to have an understanding of the ocean.

“Two-thirds of our planet is covered by water,“ Hill said. “The ocean is integrally linked to the earth’s climate system and provides habitat for a fascinating, diverse array of organisms.“

Members say the club is intended to be both fun and informative for members, and invite students who would like to participate to contact them at davisoceanographyclub@gmail.com.

 

AMANDA HARDWICK can be reached at features@theaggie.org.

For the youth

Opinion
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Super Senior,

 

Why is it that upperclassmen find the DC to be such an enticing place to eat? I would like to understand so that I will be better prepared for falling victim to it myself when I check out of dorms. But seriously … the food is only good for days when a multitude of prospective students will be dining there, which coincidentally means that there is nowhere to sit, and more to the point you stare at the same food over and over and over again until some of it starts to look like it is just perpetually left over.

 

– Trying to Regain my Appetite

 

Think back to your initial week at the DC; for probably the first time in your life you were presented with the prospect of nearly 24-hour, ready-made deliciousness (and I don’t care what you think you think about the food, it’s delicious). There was all you can eat pizza, all you can eat burgers, all you can eat pancakes, all you can eat omelettes, all you can eat fro-yo, all you can eat Captain Crunch, all you can eat cake and all you can steal fruit.

Of course, the operative phrases here are “ready-made“ and “all you can eat.“

Upperclassmen like the DC because it frees us from our kitchens. As you will soon discover, when you move out of the dorms you suddenly encounter a world where prepared food is not provided to you whenever you so desire it. This is a scary world, and the DC is your vehicle of deliverance.

And I would think that the virtues of “all you can eat“ are self-evident. If they aren’t, you obviously haven’t turned eating into a competitive sport, which I highly recommend.

Super Senior,

 

In your experience at Davis, what do you think was (or is) the best way to get involved and meet people on campus? The dorms have been a fun way to get to know people, but at the same time it can be very limiting when you keep spending time with the same people every day without any way to meet anyone else. And you can never have too many friends.

 

– Hugs, Not Drugs

 

So, not happy with the dormies huh? Roommate too much for you? Ridden the dormcest merry-go-round a few too many times? Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us. Here’s your move.

First, figure out what you have fun doing, whether that’s playing soccer, getting wasted, doing advanced particle physics or ideological circle jerking. Next, find out who else is interested in those things, and do them together. This is what IM sports, the Greek system, academic clubs and churches are for, respectively.

Seek, and in the case of the Greek system, pay, and ye shall find.

 

Super Senior,

 

My friends and I are making plans for Picnic Day this weekend and we couldn’t help but wonder what’s the worst thing you’ve either seen or done (or both) on the glorious occasion that is Picnic Day?

 

– Aspiring Adventurer

 

I can’t legally comment on that, since I’m bound by a gag-order. But I hear that the most outrageous thing ever done on Picnic Day involved one of the wiener dogs, a gallon of fortified wine and a female clarinet player from Stanford.

 

Super Senior,

 

I was walking behind these girls the other day from one of my classes. I knew them from my building but I hadn’t talked to them much. It took about two seconds to realize they were talking about me. What do you think I should do?

 

– Stewing and Steamed

 

Unless what you heard them saying was positive (doesn’t sound like it) then your task from here is to make them feel as awkward as possible in your presence. Your chances with them are shot and are likely also shot with any of their friends, so at least have some fun with it.

I suggest walking up to one of them at some point and starting a random “conversation“ (really you’ll just be rambling) about something absolutely certain to bore her so thoroughly she’ll want to rupture her ear drums with a bobby-pin. Something like advanced particle physics. When she makes attempts to get away, keep talking, follow her around and don’t let up until she threatens to call the cops.

Or you could just ignore them and move on.

 

Super Senior,

 

I like this guy, but he’s kind of a hermit and has no friends. He’s a total bookworm and barely leaves his room. We’ve hung out a few times, but I can’t tell if he’s interested because he’s so socially awkward. How should I approach this?

 

– Stuck in Dating Limbo

 

You have interesting taste, but you know what they say: There’s somebody for everyone most people. Lucky you, you’re that somebody.

Unluckily for you, women don’t typically make the first move. But since he’s so socially awkward, he probably doesn’t even know that.

And hopefully you haven’t tried to have him hang out with you and your other friends. I say this because if he’s really that socially awkward, odds are he’s not used to doing much of anything with anyone and the last thing he’ll want is an audience for his first foray into male/female interaction.

Finally, if you actually like spending time with this guy, then you won’t worry about whether he wants a piece right away. Just enjoy the kid’s company and let things work themselves out in the early phases.

But if he hasn’t put out by the third date, it’s time for plan-B: tequila.

 

K.C. CODY is very, very, very, very appreciative of the people who sent in questions this week. Send in some more at kccody@ucdavis.edu.

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