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Californians report high approval of state’s higher education system

City News

City Editor

November 24, 2008

According a survey released this month by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) titled “Californians & higher education,” Californians have a high opinion of the state’s higher education but are concerned about the impact of the budget deficit.

The survey said that all three branches of California’s higher education system enjoy high approval rates. Fifty-one percent of respondents rated community colleges “good” and 15 percent said “excellent.” California State University received 52 percent “good” and 10 percent “excellent.” For the University of California, 50 percent said “good” and 15 percent excellent.

A large majority of those surveyed were concerned about the effect California’s $10 billion budget deficit will have on higher education. According to the survey, 83 percent of residents are very (48 percent) or somewhat (35 percent) concerned that the deficit will cause significant spending cuts in higher education.

“We are pleased from the survey that Californians have such a high opinion of higher education,” said Ricardo Valazquez, a UC spokesperson. “We do agree that costs are too high. We’re hoping that the state does invest in higher education to the greatest possible extent.”

Jennifer Paluch, the survey project manager, also said the support for higher education in the state is encouraging.

“We don’t see the overwhelming support for any other bureaucracy,” said Paluc. “It’s sort of striking to see at a time when Californians are pretty down on other government agencies.”

The governor and the state legislature were ranked among those other agencies. Only 12 percent of Californians expressed a great deal of confidence in the state government’s ability to plan for the future of the state’s higher education system, according to the survey.

PPIC conducted a similar study in 2007 using many of the same questions. While the answers largely remained the same, minor differences reflect a growing concern over funding.

Thirty-five percent of those surveyed in both 2007 and 2008 named student cost and affordability as the most important issue in higher education. In contrast, 14 percent said “not enough government funding” in 2007 while 19 percent of respondents said the same in 2008.

UC Davis students shared similar opinions expressed in the survey. Elise de Gandiaga, a junior animal science major, recently transferred to UC Davis from a private East Coast school. She said that her experience with California’s higher education has been excellent in comparison, and that budget is always a problem.

“No one’s up for raising taxes, and I don’t agree with raising tuition every year,” de Gandiaga said. “I would gladly pay what I’m paying now for the quality education I’m getting.”

Paluch said that the survey hopes to show the opinions of all Californians, voters and non-voters alike. She said that voters can have their voices heard at the ballot box, but the survey hopes to get a better overall view, especially among parents of children under 18.

“The idea is for us and our motivation is to give a voice to all Californians,” Paluch said. “Our job is to provide timely and non-partisan information to legislators.”

The study is part of a larger project to look at education in the state of California and receives funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. To see the entire survey, visit ppic.org.

ELYSSA THOME can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Federal Appeals Court upholds travel restrictions to Cuba

City News

City Editor

November 24, 2008

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit recently upheld a lower court’s ruling against a group of academics that had challenged restrictions affecting academic travel to Cuba.

The approximately 200 study abroad programs in Cuba before the restrictions were put in place have since decreased to only a handful.

Building on the comprehensive trade embargo initiated in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, the Bush Administration augmented existing regulations on Cuba in 2004 by banning short-term study trips of less than 10 weeks.

Additionally, colleges are prohibited from accepting students from other institutions to participate and only full-time, tenured professors are allowed to supervise trips.

The amendments were inspired by recommendations of the interagency Commission for Assistance to Free Cuba, established in 2003 by President Bush with the chief objective to “hasten and ease Cuba’s democratic transition,” according to the Commission’s 2004 report.

Along with a discussion of how best to bring about the peaceful fall of the Cuban dictatorship, one of the Commission’s secondary objectives was to strengthen enforcement of travel restrictions that had formerly been abused for personal and business reasons.

The Commission’s 2004 report found that shorter length academic programs allowed for minimal cross-cultural interaction and too much free time, and subsequently implemented the academic program restrictions.

UC Davis’ own Quarter Abroad program to Cuba, which takes from 20 to 25 students each spring to the capital city of Havana, is unaffected by the travel restrictions, said Quarter Abroad coordinator Robin Ducatillon in an e-mail.

Since the Cuba program began – one year after the 2004 restrictions – the current requirements for groups traveling to Cuba do not limit UC Davis abroad programs, she added.

“I can say that for the eight programs not run through Quarter Abroad, Cuba is the only country for which a license through the U.S. Department of Treasury is required,” Ducatillo said.

Under the present regulations, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control authorizes travel on a case-by-case basis. A general license is available for official government business and journalistic or professional research activities, according to OFAC guidelines which are available on the treasury’s website.

“Because the campus project is more than 10 weeks and we have a special license with the Department of the Treasury we have the go ahead,” said Professor Beatriz Pesquera, who is co-leading the trip.

Although her first time leading the QA Cuba program, Pesquera has led several trips to Mexico through UC Santa Barbara, and encourages students to travel abroad if possible, she said.

“Education abroad programs are extremely important,” Pesquera said. “Students are really enriched by their experiences abroad.”

Avani Modi, a UC Davis student who attended the Cuba program last spring, said she felt very welcome and safe in Cuba, though American tourism there has become almost nonexistent.

“Because Cuba is a Communist country, there is so much surveillance and control [that] it’s probably one of the safest countries in the world,” she said. “They’ve gotten used to this level of safety and nonviolence so it has become part of their culture.”

Modi even felt safe walking alone in the city at night, something many people couldn’t say of most cities in the United States, she said.

Nevertheless, interested students should be aware of the differences in traveling to Cuba, said Pablo Ortiz, a UC Davis music professor who used to take a short-term program abroad to Cuba each year.

“You need to obtain a copy of the license and carry it with you to and from Cuba,” he said. “Without a license you can be fined around $10,000.”

American citizens are also forbidden to spend U.S. dollars in Cuba or import merchandise from Cuba into the U.S., Ortiz added.

Courses offered in the Quarter Abroad Cuba program will focus on gender and ethnic identity and will examine cultural issues in Cuba and Latin America.

Two classes each from the African American Studies and the Chicana/o studies departments will be taught by Professor Bettina Ng’weno and Professor Pesquera, respectively. In addition, a 2-unit Spanish course is required.

AARON BRUNER can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Study finds few women in top business positions

Campus News

Campus Editor

November 24, 2008

The annual UC Davis study of California business leaders reported disappointing results – women are significantly underrepresented in the top levels of the state’s largest firms.

The UC Davis Graduate School of Management and the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and Executives publish the study annually, which reports the numbers of women in director and executive officer positions in the top 400 corporations in California.

According to the report, women occupy only 10.9 percent of board seats and top executive officer positions. Statistics show a minimal increase from the 9.4 percent of women directors in last year’s report.

“Major California companies are underutilizing the talents of women who hold only about 11 percent of top decision making positions,” said Nicole Woolsey Biggart, dean of the UC Davis Graduate School of Management.

The key findings show that almost 30 percent of the state’s 400 largest companies do not have female representation in a top executive position or on the board of directors. Forty-eight percent do not have a woman in an executive officer position and only 13 percent have a female CEO.

“We cannot say from our study why this is the case,” said UC Davis professor Donald Palmer, who also led the research. “But other research suggests that the reasons include simple discrimination and the absence of organizational structures that make it feasible for women to play a central role in the bearing and rearing of children while at the same time pursuing a career at work.”

Discrimination and the absence of organizational structures likely affect women’s chances of promotion at all levels of the corporate hierarchy. To change the percentage of women at the top, changes have to be made at multiple levels of the corporate hierarchy, Palmer said.

Research suggests that companies which are diverse at top positions have better financial returns and greater financial stability, Biggart said in an e-mail interview.

The study says the location, company size and the industry also make a difference.

“We continue to find that the largest firms tend to have the highest percentage of women directors,” said Palmer in an e-mail interview. “And firms in high-tech industries, like computer hardware, and Santa Clara County – the heart of Silicon Valley – tend to have the lowest percentage of women top managers and directors.”

Wendy Beecham, CEO of FEW&E, said that the current situation is due to the combination of gender differences, stereotyping for men and women and the corporate culture. Women also face a challenge in how they are connected into the informal power network at their workplace.

“[Women] need to learn skills to break into those networks,” Beecham said. “Women need to say yes when they are offered more CEO roles. Research shows women feel uncomfortable accepting a role if they don’t have 100 percent of the qualifications.”

Beecham said men will accept if they feel they have 60 percent of the qualifications.

A high percentage of baby boomers are going to be retiring in the next 10 years, which translates into a change of leadership, Beecham said. The female demographic has the highest potential for leadership because they are available to fill open positions, she said.

“When an organization has a more diverse management team, [its] financial results are better,” Beecham said. “In this economic climate that’s critical.”

POOJA KUMAR can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Senate Briefs

Campus News

Campus Editor

November 24, 2008

ASUCD Senate meetings are scheduled to begin Thursdays at 6:10 p.m. Times listed are according to the clock at the Nov. 20 meeting location, the Memorial Union’s Mee Room.

Meeting called to order at 6:12 p.m.

Ivan Carrillo, ASUCD president, left at 11:00 p.m.

Molly Fluet, ASUCD vice president, left at 11:03 p.m.

Lula Ahmed-Falol, ASUCD senator, present

Andrew Bianchi, ASUCD senator, present

Sergio Blanco, ASUCD senator, present

Joe Chatham, ASUCD senator, present

Chris Dietrich, ASUCD senator, present

Rebecca Lovell, ASUCD senator, present

Erica Oropeza ASUCD senator pro tempore, present

Chad Roberts, ASUCD senator, present

Jesse Rosales, ASUCD senator, present

Ramneek Saini, ASUCD senator, not present

Rebecca Schwartz, ASUCD senator, present

Tracy Zeng, ASUCD senator, present

Presentations

The Michael John Tucker leadership award was presented to Chatham.

Carrillo presented his State of the Union address.

Departing Senators said their farewell speeches in the following order: Lovell, Zeng, Chatham, Rosales, Roberts, Ahmed-Falol.

Appointments and confirmations

Danny Garret, Mo Torres, Justin Patrizio, Laura Pulido, Jack Zwald and Erin Lebe were all confirmed as ASUCD senators.

New student court cases/prior weeks’ verdicts

The Chief Justice presented the past weeks’ verdicts. She announced they made changes to the judicial codes and that they will make a pamphlet on how to file a court case and approach the Court.

Consideration of old legislation

Urgent Senate Resolution 10, co-authored by Jonathan Woolley, authored and introduced by Dietrich, would support the continued existence of the Bike Church, passed unanimously.

Urgent Senate Bill 15, co-authored by Nina Massoumi and Torres, authored and introduced by Oropeza, would allocate $403.32 from Senate Reserves to help fund the attendance of 75 UC Davis students to this year’s Student of Color conference taking place Nov. 21 to 23 at UCLA, did not pass 5:6:1 (Saini not present). The amount was changed from $1,000, to $750, to $503.32, then to $403.32.

Senate Bill 12 authored by Matthew Shannon, co-authored by Paul Harms, and introduced by Dietrich, would implement the Long Range Plan for University Affairs, passed unanimously.

Dietrich was elected senator pro-tempore in Fluet’s absence at 11:03 p.m.

Senate Bill 13, authored and introduced by Chatham and co-authored by Amy Harstein, would add the responsibility of the MyUCDavis “My Student Government Channel” to Chapter 13 of the Bylaws, passed unanimously.

Senate Bill 14, authored and introduced by Chatham, allocated $175 from Senate Reserves to advertise MyUCDavis “My Student Government Channel” on facebook.com, passed 9:1:2, with Pulido abstaining, an automatic abstain due to Saini’s absence and a no vote from Blanco.

Other business

Dietrich was appointed the representative of the Internet Network Committee which oversees ASUCD networking and website issues.

Positions are now open for the Environmental Planning and Policy Commission (EPPC), Business and Finance Commission (B&F), Gender and Sexuality Commission (GASC) and Ethnic Cultural Affairs Commission (ECAC).

Amanpreet Singh, commission chair for EPPC, announced the “Sex, Funk and Danger” benefit concert at the Delta of Venus café for Nov. 24 at 8 p.m. Free canvas bags will be given out.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:10 a.m.

ANGELA RUGGIERO compiles the Senate Briefs and can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

UC Davis professor chosen for Obama transition team

Campus News

Campus Editor

November 24, 2008

Cruz Reynoso, professor emeritus of law at UC Davis, will be assisting in President-elect Barack Obama’s transition to the White House.

Reynoso was appointed as a member of the administration’s agency review team, one of several leaders in a justice and civil rights sub-team. He and other experts from across the country will review the current departments, agencies and commissions and advise the president-elect on future policy decisions.

“I’ve been dealing with these kinds of issues all of my life,” said Reynoso, who has served as vice chair of the U.S. Commission of Civil Rights. “To be able to make a difference in the policy of the administration will be an honor.”

In addition to his position on the Commission of Civil Rights, Reynoso was also the first Latino to sit on the California Supreme Court. He received the presidential Medal of Freedom from President Clinton in 2000 and joined the staff at UCD in 2001.

“It shows the status of UC Davis to have somebody with such a critical role in President-elect Obama’s policies,” said Kevin Johnson, dean of the UC Davis King School of Law. “He is a national civil rights icon. We’re very lucky to have him.”

The Justice and Civil Rights agency review team will congregate in Washington D.C. in early December to begin their review. The team will write a report on the issues they feel are the most pressing. The report will then be presented to the co-chairs of the entire transition project, who will in turn present the report to Obama, with the corrections they feel necessary.

Reynoso suspects the group will recommend Congress conduct an annual review of human rights, which may include an evaluation of the treatment of undocumented workers, as well as same-sex rights and potential programs for prisons.

“There’s much to be done – not just in civil rights, but in human rights also,” Reynoso said. “For example, Obama will not argue in favor of same-sex marriage, but same sex people should have the same legal rights as everyone else. So a lot needs to be done to conform those rights.”

Though a transition team is standard for all president-elects, this particular team is much larger than those in the past. Very often, the public doesn’t know who is on the team and there aren’t as many different groups – now there are 10 different teams, dealing with a wide range of issues such as energy, the economy, the arts, technology and government operations.

“President-elect Obama is bringing a greater representation of people together to help make this country better,” Reynoso said. “That’s one step beyond what most president-elects have done in the past.”

In addition to his influence in national government with civil rights, Reynoso’s colleagues also admire his influence within the law school.

“He’s a role model in the real classic sense,” said Diane Amann, professor of law at UC Davis. “He brings to faculty and students an incredible perspective because of his experience as vice chair on the Commission on Civil Rights and his experience in the California Supreme Court.”

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

UC considers cutting 10,000 freshman enrollments

Campus News

Campus Editor

November 24, 2008

In the midst of a devastating budget crisis, the regents decided that freshmen enrollments could be curtailed by 10,000 students next fall if the state does not provide sufficient funding.

During their Nov. 20 meeting in San Francisco, the regents approved a 2009-2010 budget proposal for UC. While the university is facing a large pitfall for the 2009-2010 academic year if the state does not meet its needs, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed an additional $65.5 million mid-year funding cut to UC for 2008-2009.

“The situation we face is serious, and some very tough choices are ahead of us,” UC President Mark G. Yudof told the regents. “We need to preserve access and affordability to the greatest extent possible.”

State support for the UC system has steadily fallen in the last 20 years. According to the UC Office of the President, the state’s per-student spending for education at UC has fallen from $15,860 in 1990 to $9,560 today, adjusted for inflation and growth.

The regents originally planned to include a 9.4 percent total increase in student fees as part of their initial 2009-2010 budget proposal to the state. The registration fee would increase 4.2 percent and the Educational Fee would increase 10 percent, amounting to a $662 annual increase for undergraduates and $748 annual increase for graduate students.

However, the regents ultimately decided to not include increased student fees in the initial budget proposal, as they believed other options should be considered first, said UC Student Regent D’Artagnan Scorza.

“Most of us recognize that the state is in tremendous budget challenges right now,” Scorza said in a telephone interview after the meeting. “Student fees are an option to raise money, but they should not be the first option.”

If the governor and legislators could not make up the difference, Scorza said he believes students would be willing to pay the increase in order to maintain the quality of education at UC.

“Students wouldn’t be opposed to student fees if they knew it would help maintain quality and if we exhausted all other options,” Scorza said. “We don’t want the value of our degree to decrease.”

Now, UC is considering cutting freshman enrollment next year to help close the gap. Currently, UC enrolls 10,000 more students than for which it receives funding from the state, amounting to a cost of $120 million.

While it is far too soon to make definitive conclusions, such a system-wide decrease could mean as many as 1,000 fewer freshmen at UC Davis next year, said Fred Wood, vice chancellor of student affairs.

Transfer student enrollments would likely remain unchanged, as the community college and California State University systems are already impacted, Wood said.

If UC Davis were to cut freshman enrollments next year, many campus programs’ budgets would be adversely affected. Since units such as Unitrans, ASUCD, intercollegiate athletics, the Memorial Union and the Activities and Recreation Center receive funds from UC Davis-specific student fees, cutting enrollment would also mean cutting their budgets.

Wood said the campus will be consulting with students to minimize the impact of cuts, but difficult choices will have to be made nonetheless.

“All of these programs have great value, but nothing is protected,” Wood said.

Even if freshman enrollment were cut, Student Housing would continue to operate at capacity. Available beds would be offered to transfer and continuing students, Wood said.

The UC campuses are already in the midst of a budget crisis this year, as they have seen a $48 million reduction to the 2008-2009 budget. A further $65 million mid-year cut would force the campuses to hire more lecturers and fewer ladder-rank faculty, offering fewer course sections and larger class sizes and cutting library hours and student services, according to the UCOP.

Scorza, the UC student regent, said the state should carefully consider whether further cuts to UC are a viable option.

“We need to tell the state that if we aren’t funded, the impact will lead to decreased quality and less diversity,” he said. “The prison outspends all three segments of higher education combined. Our priorities are off.”

PATRICK McCARTNEY can be reached campus@theaggie.org.

BAR GRAPH:

Undergraduate Historical Fees

2009-2010*

Registration Fee: $900

Educational Fee: $6888

2008-2009

Registration Fee: $864

Educational Fee: $6262

2007-2008

Registration Fee: $786

Educational Fee: $5850

2006-2007

Registration Fee: $735

Educational Fee: $5406

*Proposed minimum fee increase if not funded by state.

TitleThinking outside the box

Arts & Culture

Arts Editor

November 24, 2008

The UC Davis theatre and dance department’s #5 The Angry Red Drum offers a unique look into writer/director Philip Kan Gotanda’s inventive mind. Set in bizarre circumstances and moving in an undefined direction, the play can best be described in one word: abstract.

Made up of only six cast members, the story revolves around two lost souls drawn together at the ending of earth times – Pick (junior dramatic art and psychology double major, Bryan Marcus Pham) and Goram (MFA candidate in acting, Amy Louise Cole). The two set out as a team, working together to reach an ultimate goal. This goal, however, is never really made clear to the audience. It could be that they are searching for a democracy within a corrupted world, friendship during a time of chaos or peace in the midst of destruction. But, these remain mere guesses, as each audience member is left with their own interpretation.

On their journey, Pick and Goram meet two characters from a dying democracy, Truman (freshman dramatic art major Michael Lutheran) and Backwards Soldier (junior dramatic art and psychology double major Jazz Trice). Both characters live in a heightened state of distress, which is highly suggestive of warlike hostility. “Curious are the appetites of men,” a line repeated throughout the play, hints at the awesome destructive capabilities of the human race, returning to an underlying war theme. Upon these characters‘ introduction, it becomes clear that Gotanda is commenting on the destructive effects of war, undoubtedly linked to his outspoken frustrations with the Bush administration.

The play’s use of sound and stage design help to bring to life the surreal concept of the end of time. As power and authority takes the form of a drum within the play, rhythmic beats can be heard throughout the performance. In addition, the use of streaming sand from the ceiling, television monitors and red lighting create an eerie and unsettling ambiance, transporting the audience to the disturbing and dreamlike world.

#5 The Angry Red Drum is not your typical, run of the mill play. As nothing is clearly spelled out for you, it doesn’t let the audience relax. Addressing all too relevant issues of war, destruction and corruption, the play raises questions about humanity and human capabilities, demanding that the audience think and reflect on these weighty concepts. It offers a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience that is sure to get you thinking.

JULIA McCANDLESS can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Women’s volleyball preview

Sports

Sports Editor

November 21, 2008

Who: UC Davis vs. Pacific

Records: Aggies, 12-16 (4-11); Tigers, 10-15 (9-6)

Where: The Pavilion

When: Saturday at 7 p.m.

Who to watch: Junior libero Avreeta Singh needs only 37 digs tonight to break the UC Davis record in that category.

Last weekend, the Fresno, Calif. native pushed her career total to 1,409, passing up Candy Lench at 1,395 (1989-92) and moving her in sight of the leader, Mary McClelland, who had 1,446 (2001-04).

Did you know? Tonight will be the last match for UC Davis seniors Renee Ibekwe, Chantal Paschetta, Michelle Nelson and Erin Turner.

“I’m excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our seniors,” head coach Jamie Holmes said. “Renee, Michelle and Chantal have been through the program for four years, and Erin for two. They’ve gone through some good times and bad times.

“It’s something to be celebrated that they’ve stuck with it. I want them to have a good Senior Night. I want them to reflect on their experiences as Aggies with a lot of pride.”

Preview: In a season of ups and downs, the UC Davis women’s volleyball team will play one final match tonight against Pacific.

“We’ll go out there and give it our all,” Holmes said. “Hopefully, that equals a ‘W’ but more importantly, I hope it equals playing to our potential. I want to play a mature match at the top of our ability level.”

The last time these two teams met, the Tigers knocked off the Aggies 3-1 in the opening match of the Big West Conference season on Sept. 9 at the Spanos Center.

But the Aggies have come along way in those two months.

Their 4-10 record versus Big West opponents since the loss to Pacific may not seem indicative of positive change, but the Aggies were just 1-15 in Big West play and 4-24 overall a season ago.

“Playing against Pacific at home on an Aggie Pack night and for Senior Night is momentum in itself,” Holmes said. “There is a definite difference in our team when we play in an environment that has some atmosphere versus an environment that’s dead.”

– Matt Miller

Wrestling preview

Sports

Sports Editor

November 21, 2008

Teams: UC Davis vs. No. 10 Northwestern

Where: The Pavilion

When: Sunday at 6 p.m.

Who to Watch: Sophomore Ricky Alcala is off to a great start this year in winning his first two matches against Embry-Riddle and Arizona State.

The Arvin, Calif. native has great expectations this year after tying for the team lead with seven dual wins and nine victories in Pacific-10 Conference action last season. His goal is to qualify for the NCAA Division I Championships this season.

Did you know? All but three wrestlers on this year’s 33-man roster are from California. Junior Charles Hinriksson is from River Forest, Ill., sophomore Brandon Low is a native of Honolulu, Hawaii and sophomore Rory McBryde hails from Eagle River, Ala.

Preview: Led by eighth-year head coach Lennie Zalesky, and one of the best recruiting classes in program history, the Aggies are looking to live up to great expectations this year.

Coming off a loss in their first Pac-10 meet at Arizona State on Nov. 8, the Aggies are looking for a different outcome this Sunday against the Wildcats in their first home dual of the year.

UC Davis currently stands at 1-1, with its first victory coming in the form of a 39-6 rout of Embry-Riddle on Nov. 7. The Aggies are looking for similar success this Sunday at the Pavilion, which will be a difficult task to come by, as Northwestern enters at No. 10 in the country.

“They will be pretty solid all the way through the lineup,” Zalesky said. “I would like us to compete well with them. We want to see these top-notch teams during the season to help test our wrestlers and improve our chances of qualifying for the national meet. We have to wrestle very well and pull off some upsets to win, but we’ll just go after them.”

– Kyle Hyland

Women’s basketball preview

Sports

Sports Editor

November 21, 2008

Teams: UC Davis at Denver

Records: Aggies, 1-0; Pioneers, 0-1

Where: Hamilton Gymnasium – Denver, Colo.

When: Today at 6 p.m.

Who to watch: If the Aggies are to have a presence in the low post this season, they will need the assistance of freshman Lisa Peterson.

In the Aggies’ first game of the season, the 6-foot-2 Citrus Heights, Calif. native scored a game-high 14 points and collected six rebounds in a 64-44 victory over Southern Utah.

Did you know? UC Davis will be one of just two Denver opponents this season to play at the Pioneers’ alternate basketball facility, Hamilton Gym. Denver plays the rest of its home games at Magness Arena, which is located right next door.

Preview: UC Davis opened the 2008-2009 season with a successful showing against Southern Utah last Friday, as three Aggies scored in double figures en route to a win.

The victory was fueled by impressive defensive play that held the Thunderbirds to 13 first half points and 28 percent shooting for the game.

The defense was sparked by senior Haylee Donaghe, who recorded a career-high nine steals. The Aggies had 18 takeaways as a team.

A 9-2 run at the beginning of the second half helped secure the victory for a UC Davis team that is looking to build on its bid to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament last season.

“This was a good test for our team on the road in a hostile venue,” head coach Sandy Simpson said.

Denver’s first game didn’t prove as much of a success as UC Davis’ did.

The Pioneers fell to Wyoming 61-54 in their home opener.

Junior forward Ashly Robinson led her team with 13 points and six rebounds but coughed up six turnovers.

–Max Rosenblum

Dwayne Shaffer on…

Sports

Sports Editor

November 21, 2008

The UC Davis men’s soccer team looks to make history once again.

Already the school’s first team to qualify for multiple NCAA Division I Tournaments, the Aggies will be gunning for the first playoff win in UC Davis history when they play host to Denver at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Head coach Dwayne Shaffer recently sat down with Aggie Sports Editor Adam Loberstein before practice to discuss everything from what a postseason win would mean to his program to why fans should arrive early come Saturday.

What are the differences between making your first NCAA Tournament last season and qualifying for it again this season?

Last year, we were just kind of happy to be there. This year, it was expected that we were going to make the NCAA Tournament again. Gaining all that experience by qualifying for the tournament last season – we’re an established program now. I felt like we started to weather everybody’s best game and all that experience helped us all the way through that.

The men’s soccer program is UC Davis’ first to qualify for back-to-back Division I tournaments, as well as host a home playoff game. What does that mean to you and your program?

I think it’s a tribute to the university, the athletics department and to the program itself. Everybody has worked hard to help us get to this level.… We’re constantly trying to figure out ways to make the program better. Who to play, who to recruit – that’s all we think about as coaches. It’s a 24/7 job.

UC Davis is ranked ahead of UC Santa Barbara in three of four national polls. The Gauchos, however, received a first-round bye, while your team has to play on Saturday. What’s your reaction to that?

I do think we should be ranked ahead of Santa Barbara. We beat them at their place and we tied them here at our place. That’s how the rankings should go.… You’ve got to credit the Big West. Both Santa Barbara and Irvine got first-round byes. That would have been nice for us, but hey, we got a home game. We get to play. That’s what I’m excited about.

Your team has done so much in just two years on the Division I scene. Where would winning a NCAA Tournament game rank on that list of accomplishments?

It would top it. We’ve knocked off the top team in the conference in UC Santa Barbara, beating them twice in the past couple years.… We’ve surpassed quite a few top programs on the West Coast. But winning a NCAA Tournament game would be huge for us. Not just for the men’s soccer program, but for all the athletics programs at UC Davis.

The fan support for your team has been great this season, especially in big games. What would you like to see from your fans on Saturday?

I would love to see the Aggie Pack and all of our fans show up out in the parking lot between 10:30 and 11 a.m. There’s a group of former players that are organizing a social prior to the game. It’d be awesome to have the Aggie Pack lined up when we walk in and to let Denver know they’re here at UC Davis when they walk in. That would be outstanding.

ADAM LOBERSTEIN can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

Aggies enter WWPA Championships as No. 3 seed

Sports

Sports Editor

November 21, 2008

Although the Aggies have finished the regular season with three more losses than wins, they have exhibited strong play in Western Water Polo Association play, earning an 8-4 record and the third seed for this weekend’s conference tournament.

The Aggies travel to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps for a tough Friday game against sixth-seed Air Force. The two squads met earlier this season, with UC Davis coming out on top at Schaal Aquatic Center, 12-10.

“I’ve always said that I have high hopes for this team,” head coach Steve Doten said. “I didn’t feel that it was a rebuilding year. So I can’t help but think of us as the dark horse. LMU comes in undefeated, UC San Diego is super talented. Santa Clara and Redlands are tough.

“But people aren’t thinking about what we can do. I really think we are capable, and hopefully our guys will realize it, play like it and put together a streak of games against competition that is really good.”

Defending champion Loyola Marymount grabbed the first seed with a season of flawless conference play.

UC San Diego picked up the two-seed, and will likely get matched up with the Aggies in Saturday’s second-round semifinal game.

UC Davis centers around a core of seniors. Utility Adam Bennett leads the team with 54 goals, while 2008 first-team All-WWPA honoree Grant Muenter owns the school record with 40 assists.

The defense is by Adam Lindsay and Danny Driscoll, while Paul Wilson leads the team in two-meter goals and exclusions with 25 and 35, respectively.

The Aggies have gotten a big lift from the impeccable play of redshirt freshman keeper Kevin Peat, who recorded 14 saves in Sunday’s showdown with Santa Clara.

“The seniors and the younger guys have two different styles. Adam Bennett, Adam Lindsay, Paul Wilson, Danny Driscoll – they’re big and strong.” Doten said, “That’s different than Walter Eggert, Cory Lyle, Aaron Salit and Matt Richardson, who are really fast. That second group gives us a lot of tempo and speed.”

With the young speed, new hot shot in cage and experienced, talented seniors, the Aggies are looking to return to the WWPA title game. UC Davis lost in the title match last year to LMU, 7-6.

SAMMY BRASCH can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

Men’s soccer preview

Sports

Sports Editor

November 21, 2008

Teams: No. 17 UC Davis vs. Denver

Records: Aggies, 12-4-4; Pioneers, 10-6-6

Where: Aggie Soccer Stadium

When: Saturday at 1 p.m.

Who to watch: After contemplating whether or not to return to the UC Davis men’s soccer team to use his fourth year of eligibility, senior co-captain Dylan Curtis decided to suit up for the Aggies for one more year.

His decision to come back paid off, as Curtis was named the Big West Conference’s Midfielder of the Year on Tuesday for a UC Davis team that has been nationally ranked all season.

Did you know? Saturday’s match marks men’s soccer’s second NCAA Tournament appearance in as many chances, making it the university’s first team to qualify for multiple Division I tournaments.

Preview: When the Aggies fell to California in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year, they were happy to have simply qualified for postseason play.

That mentality has changed, as UC Davis welcomes Denver to the friendly confines of Aggie Soccer Stadium gunning for a win.

“[A playoff win] would mean a lot,” Curtis said. “All we want to do is be better than last year. Step one is winning our first game. Past that, it’s going on a six-game spree to win the whole thing.”

Denver makes the trek to Davis with its Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title, which earned the Pioneers an automatic berth in the national tournament.

They are led offensively by senior forward Kyle Christensen, whose six goals and three assists earned him MPSF Player of the Year honors. Freshman forward Sam Garza’s four goals and four assists got him the MPSF Newcomer of the Year award.

The Aggies know a thing about all-conference accolades, too.

Senior forward Quincy Amarikwa led the Big West with 15 goals – five of which came in game-winning fashion – en route to being named the Big West Offensive Player of the Year.

UC Davis was also tough defensively this season.

Senior defender Jordan Vanderpoorten earned second-team all-conference honors in front of sophomore goalkeeper Ryan McCowan, who led the conference with a mere 0.85 goals against average.

Senior Sule Anibaba and junior Paul Marcoux round out the group of five Aggies to garner all-conference recognition.

– Max Rosenblum

Men’s basketball preview

Sports

Sports Editor

November 21, 2008

Teams: UC Davis vs. Portland

Records: Aggies, 1-3; Pilots, 1-1

Where: The Pavilion

When: Sunday at 2 p.m.

Radio: KHTK 1140 AM

Who to watch: Mark Payne doesn’t have the look of a sophomore slump.

Last year’s Big West Conference Freshman of the Year, Payne averaged a team-best 5.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game, and was second on the team with 7.0 rebounds per contest at last weekend’s season-opening World Vision Classic.

Against Arkansas last night, the 6-foot-7 point guard had 11 points, six rebounds and nine assists.

Did you know? UC Davis and Portland have faced each other only once before when the Pilots defended their home court for a 76-72 win in 2003.

Preview: After beginning the year with four games away from The Pavilion, UC Davis finally returns to Davis on Saturday for its home opener.

“You mean we actually get to play at home?” joked head coach Gary Stewart. “I was beginning to think we were road warriors here, but it’ll be great to be back home. We really need that advantage.”

The Aggies’ road trip came to a close last night at Arkansas with a 68-59 loss to the Razorbacks. UC Davis trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half but closed the deficit to four at one point in the second.

Joe Harden led the team with 16 points and seven rebounds. He is averaging 15.5 points and 9.7 boards per contest.

Saturday’s nonconference home game will be a rarity for the Aggies. The next time they play at The Pavilion will be Dec. 6 against Cal State Bakersfield, as nine of their first 11 games this season are on the road.

The Pilots can’t relate. Six of their first seven games this season come in Portland with Saturday’s game being the one exception.

Portland plays Yale today at 7 p.m. before traveling to Davis. Its lone win of the year came in its season opener against Washington.

–Michael Gehlken

Football preview

Sports

Sports Editor

November 21, 2008

Teams: UC Davis at San Diego

Records: Aggies, 5-6; Toreros, 8-2

Where: Toreros Stadium – San Diego

When: Saturday at 6 p.m.

Radio: KHTK 1140 AM

Who to watch: When senior wide receiver Brandon Rice takes the field for the final time as an Aggie on Saturday, he’ll do so coming off a 145-yard, three-touchdown performance against No. 3 Cal Poly. The Los Angeles native leads UC Davis with nine touchdown catches and sits second on the team with 740 receiving yards.

Did you know? Saturday’s stop in San Diego will be the first time the Aggies have visited Southern California in a long time.

“To my knowledge, we’ve never played a game in San Diego,” head coach Bob Biggs said. “[Since] Northridge dropped football, … we never get down to Southern California anymore.”

UC Davis last played at Cal State Northridge in 1994. The Matadors dissolved their program in 2001.

Preview: UC Davis’ 5-6 showing in 2007 snapped a 37-year streak of winning seasons.

Now, the Aggies look to avoid their first seven-loss season since 1969.

A win on Saturday over San Diego means UC Davis would finish its season at 6-6, something Biggs called “extremely important.”

“There have been disappointments this year,” he said. “We’ve played consistently better this year than we did last year. Unfortunately, there were some games we couldn’t quite pull out.

“It’s easy to say, ‘Could have, should have, would have,’ but the reality is there, so here we are at 5-6. It’s important for us to have the .500 season. No question.”

To do so, the Aggies will have to defeat a Toreros team whose two losses have come by a combined nine points.

“Every time we play them,” Biggs said, “they remind me of what we were like back in our Division II days. They’ve got a great tradition of winning. Their tenacity, the way they play – they remind me of ourselves, and we were pretty good then.”

Getting back to those winning ways begins with a victory on Saturday.

“It’s something to build on for next year,” Biggs said. “We’ve got a lot of people returning next season. You always want to end on a winning note.”

– Adam Loberstein

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