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UCOP announces creation of National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement

Campus News

The California Aggie

November 20, 2017

Center will address free speech at time when colleges are grappling with issue

University of California President Janet Napolitano recently announced that the University of California schools will be creating a National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement in Washington D.C. The center’s goal will be to address and uphold the rights of students and university speakers under the First Amendment.

Stephanie Beechem, spokesperson for the UC Office of the President, clarified how students can expect to see this new center in action.

“Through the National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement, UC hopes to move the conversation around free speech to thoughtful dialogue and meaningful action,” Beechem said via email. “Key to the center’s efforts will be the creation of a fellowship program that will draw from leading public policy thinkers, legal scholars, social scientists, journalists and others.”

With regard to the recent announcement of the Center, Kevin Johnson, the dean of the UC Davis School of Law and a Mabie-Apallas professor of public interest law and Chicano and Chicana studies, said he is enthusiastic about its creation.

“A center dedicated to the study of freedom of expression is an excellent idea,” Johnson said. “We need to have a respectful dialogue as a community about freedom of expression. These are challenging issues and deserve our attention.”

From historic college campus protests during the Vietnam War to UC Davis’ 2011 pepper spray incident, freedom of speech has remained a controversial topic on college campuses.

Last spring for example, Milo Yiannopoulos, a leading figure of the “alt-right,” visited UC Davis after being invited by the Davis College Republicans. His event drew a large number of protesters and was ultimately shut down. At both the Davis and Berkeley campuses, Yiannopoulous was unable to speak due to protests.

Andrew Mendoza is the chair of the Davis College Republicans and a second-year political science major. Mendoza said he was disappointed in the event’s cancellation last spring.

“Our university has an obligation to ensure the constitutional right of speech for all students, especially minority opinions on campus,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza, when mentioning “minority” groups on campus, is referring to himself along with fellow Republicans at UC Davis.

“Social science professors who identify as Republicans represent less than 10 percent nationwide,” Mendoza said. “UC Davis should pledge to improve intellectual diversity among their faculty if they want to show that they’re serious about free speech on campus.”

Johnson spoke about the constitutionality of events such as the one last spring.

“The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the state, which includes the public University of California, from regulating the content of speakers invited to speak on campus,” Johnson said. “The university can enforce content-neutral, reasonable time, place and manner regulations to ensure public safety in events on the university campus.”

Recently, Adela de la Torre, the vice chancellor for student affairs and campus diversity, informed students via email about fliers with the message “it’s okay to be white” that were posted around campuses nationwide, including at UC Davis. The fliers were removed, according to de la Torre in the email interview, “because they were posted without prior approval.”

Deciphering the difference between upholding freedom of speech and fostering spaces for hate speech is an issue colleges throughout the nation are grappling with.

In addition to the Center, a national conference in 2018 will host the UC president and faculty and student leaders in an attempt to brainstorm new methods to ensure that students’ First Amendment rights are upheld on college campuses.

Written by: Ally Russell — campus@theaggie.org

Editor’s Note: An earlier version mistakenly stated that Stephanie Beechem is the head of media relations for UCOP. She is a spokesperson for UCOP. The story has been updated to reflect this change.

Humor: Davis students put Stranger Things kids to shame in panicked biking contest

The California Aggie

November 16, 2017

Escaping monsters from the Upside Down proves less panic-inducing than a midterm

In the wake of the second season of “Stranger Things,” everyone is going to be associating bikes with the ragtag group of tweens around which the show circles. Davis students refused to lose their title of “bike lords” without a fight and thus challenged these kids to a battle: Who could ride a bike in a panic better?

You might think that children riding banana-seaters from the ‘80s while escaping a Demogorgon would definitely have much more panicked pedalling tubes (legs) compared to some young adults whose bodies are functioning off of a cup of hazelnut coffee, two chicken McNuggets and an ounce of seasonal depression — but you’d be wrong.

“I looked over at this college student,” said Mike, a character from “Stranger Things.” “I thought he was going to fall over before he even got on his bike. He was wearing a bathrobe and a pair of Birkenstocks. I was shocked that Birkenstocks were still around, more than anything. Really thought you guys were going to leave those in the last century.”

However, this bathrobe-clad hero hopped over his seat and got in the zone. In the audience, one other UC Davis fan screamed, “YOU HAVE A MIDTERM IN 10 MINUTES!” Like a Spanish bull seeing red, bathrobe boy stormed off in a frenzy, leaving the “Stranger Things” kids in his dust (both the dirt kind and the Cheeto kind).

“Are you frickin’ kidding me?” said Dustin, also from “Stranger Things.” “This kid looks worse than Will in season two. And if you’re going to comment about spoiler alerts, you literally decided to read an article about this show, so you oughtta can it, bozo.”

Other Davis students also bested the kids in biking, but with different motivations. The crowd told one of them that their pass time was in three minutes and that eduroam wasn’t working. For another, a crowd of vicious turkeys was placed behind them — and that student biked right off the edge of the universe, or at least all the way to Woodland.

“I think the lesson is that hard work will really get you anywhere,” bathrobe boy said. “And also that college is scarier than a bloodthirsty monster from an alternate dimension.”

Written by: Olivia Luchini — ocluchini@ucdavis.edu

(This article is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fictional. The story and the names of “sources” are fictionalized.)

Pretending to fight in the Civil War

The California Aggie

November 16, 2017

What it’s like to be part of an online gaming community

“Why can’t you be racist in a game that is set in the Civil War?”

I’ve heard this question many times in the gaming events that I have attended. These organized events take place in a mod called “North and South” — an alteration of the original game “Warband” that’s set during the American Civil War.

“North and South” allows players to use the uniforms, weaponry and tactics of the 19th century. Players put themselves in the thick of the fighting, as cannonballs fly all around them and commanders bark out orders.

The realism and design of these organized battle events piqued my interest nearly two years ago. I had always played computer games but never really immersed myself into a community that uses voice chat software to communicate regularly.

I didn’t really know what to expect. I assumed that I would be playing with Southern hillbillies who would shout racial slurs every 10 seconds into their microphones in an attempt to “relive” the Confederacy in their parents’ basements.

This was also the first time when I had to communicate regularly with people on Teamspeak, a program that allows more than 50 people to listen and talk in the same chat room. I assumed this program would only be used for gaming purposes, but I came across a subculture with which I had never really had much contact.

I came across a world in which people would play songs, interact with each other like good friends and just have a good time. This isn’t just a place to play games, but a hub for interaction between people from around the world. This isn’t an alt-right hangout spot, but includes people of all backgrounds, many of whom are uninterested in politics.

On any given night, players can join a room and hear people playing the guitar, singing karaoke or laughing at the memes being shared around. In other places, people will be discussing the politics of their country or their area. A Virginian might explain why the Republicans lost the governor’s election in his state, or a Canadian might clarify why he’s such a huge Justin Trudeau fan.

But what surprised me more were the strict rules on behavior. The community revolves around a game with Confederate flags, banners and songs, which are likely to attract toxic people. To prevent this, community leaders have set up strict guidelines to ensure an environment for players to simply have fun and not be engaged in political debates. Many people play the game just for the entertainment, and others find the community to be a good place to make friends. This wouldn’t have been possible if the system wasn’t fashioned in a way that banned people who say racist or homophobic things or engage in any acts that tarnish the community’s reputation.

These strict rules allow for the community to remain vibrant. People in the community interact inside and outside of the game in ways that I didn’t initially imagine. This hub has fostered strong relationships that have extended into the real world. The friendships and experiences that have come from the game and spending time with one another would’ve been unimaginable 20 years ago. Technology has brought us to the point where people can become better acquainted with friends who live on the other side of the globe than with their very own neighbors.

Written by: Justin Chau — jtchau@ucdavis.edu

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

Support TPS recipients

The California Aggie

November 16, 2017

UC Davis students protest against TPS termination, UC lags behind

This past Wednesday, a group of UC Davis students participated in a march through campus to express solidarity for undocumented immigrants supported by Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the United States. TPS grants temporary immigration status to people of certain countries that are in times of war or under other extraordinary stress, but on Nov. 6 Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke made an announcement that compromises the future of this act.

The termination of TPS designated for Nicaragua means that after January 2019, thousands of undocumented Nicaraguan immigrants will be forced to leave their jobs and homes in the U.S. Duke questioned the designation of TPS for Honduras, and it remains very possible that its designation will be revoked after its TPS expiration date of July 5, 2018. This decision does not only affect Nicaraguans. It creates an air of uncertainty for the future of many undocumented people, leaving thousands of immigrants from other TPS-designated countries apprehensive as to whether or not their countries’ statuses will be renewed upon expiration.

Pulling TPS out from under thousands of immigrants living in this country and dangling the possibility of revocation in front of thousands more is consistent with the Trump administration’s dismantling of immigration policy.

What’s different this time, however, is that the University of California has done little to express discontent with the adverse TPS changes. When the administration released plans to rescind DACA, UC President Janet Napolitano was first to the scene, expressing her bold response against rescinding DACA and her support for beneficiaries of the act. With the chilling news of certain countries losing their TPS, there has been no such outcry from the UC system. Regarding DACA, Napolitano said the fact that students have to be “thinking about possible deportation is wrong on the law, inconsistent with our value and bad immigration policy.” Where is this same fervor when it comes to students directly affected by TPS?

The Editorial Board questions whether actions in support of DACA were taken because the UC believes in the benefits provided by DACA and TPS, or because they were an effort to uphold a personal legacy. Napolitano was instrumental in creating DACA when she was the secretary of Homeland Security in 2012. If the rights of immigrants in America are being questioned yet again, the UC should once more support those affected.

UC Davis students care about the future of TPS, which was evident in the march that took place on Wednesday. The Editorial Board is in solidarity with the marchers and undocumented immigrants supported by TPS. We encourage students to continue showing support for fellow students who are adversely affected by current and impending immigration legislation, and we urge the UC system to do the same.

Written By: The Editorial Board

Summer of Love at Sudwerk Brewery

Arts & Culture

The California Aggie

November 16, 2017

Take a break from the fall chill and return to Summer of Love

In celebration of 1967’s Summer of Love, Sudwerk Brewery is celebrating the landmark year’s 50th anniversary featuring covers of Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Moby Grape, It’s A Beautiful Day, Youngbloods, Buffalo Springfield, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, The Byrds, Cream, Neil Young and Country Joe and the Fish.

The event will be complete with a light show, lava lamps and even a tie-dye booth to capture the essence of the late 60s. The event will have one band and multiple solo artists performing songs from bands that played during the original Summer of Love. Eric Dewey, an organizer and drummer for the show, believes these songs kickstarted rock and roll culture.

“I mean, it was all experimental. It was a time when rock and roll was getting its traction in society,” Dewey said. “There’s a lot of good music coming out today, but there was also a ton of great music that came out from that era. It changed how music, and particularly how instruments, were played. Nobody would have expected someone to set a guitar on fire like Jimi Hendrix. That’s wild, crazy stuff. The music was also sophisticated and there were different styles. Rock and roll had been primarily rockabilly at the time, and this was a period when rock and roll began to expand its horizons. I’m sure it was an exciting time to be a musician.”

Dewey not only believes late-60s rock and roll revolutionized today’s music industry, but also provided a strong message for our country at the time.

“I think we need to get back to the core message of Summer of Love today because there’s so much division in our country right now,” Dewey said. “The idea that you accept people for who they are and love them for who they are is a powerful message that we’ve somewhat lost track of.”

Richard Urbino, a bass player for the event, lived through the counterculture movement. To him, the Summer of Love ultimately represented a lifestyle that shifted sound and societal values during that era.

“It was basically a bohemian lifestyle,” Urbino said. “There was a standard way to do things and there was the unusual, bohemian way to do things. Basically the bohemians of San Francisco got control of the media and everyone focused on them for bit of time. They had a different look, and the music had different sounds. It was just a different way of doing things.”

Music was not only more exciting then, but created a sense of agency for the artists.

“Everything was much more organic then, and there was no real corporate control of music,” Urbino said. “There’s an aspect of that still existing today, but typically it’s controlled by corporations.”

Due to the amazing turnout and response from the first event at Odd Fellows, the organizers reached out to Sudwerk’s Dock Store manager, Kathleen Brandl, to host the event in Sudwerk Brewery’s Tap Room, a perfect setting for this community event.

“We typically host community events like fundraisers, nonprofits or university organizations,” Brandl said. “We like to host a lot of music and our big events are just fun things for the community to do. Living in Davis, sometimes there’s not a lot of things to do, so we like to spice things up and make it more exciting. The culture behind the tap room is to savor the session. Most of the beers are lower in alcohol and we have no TVs. The idea is just to grab a beer with your friends and hang out and enjoy yourself as opposed to sitting behind a TV or going crazy at a club.”

The event is also supporting the Davis Phoenix Coalition, a local nonprofit organization that fights intolerance and violence resulting from hate. The Summer of Love was meant to foster community values and harmony.

“Especially with our current political atmosphere, it’s important to remind others that they should learn to accept one another,” Brandl said. “It’s food to celebrate diversity and inclusion.”

The event is free and will take place at the Sudwerk Brewery Dock Store on Nov. 18. Doors open at 4 p.m. and the show starts at 5 p.m.

Written by: Becky Lee — arts@theaggie.org

Greener pastures aren’t always best

Science & Technology

The California Aggie

November 16, 2017

UC Davis researchers make efforts to prevent costly citrus disease from spreading

Grapefruits, oranges and other delicious citrus fruits are tasty to the Asian citrus psyllid, an insect responsible for the mass decimation of citrus plants. Citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing, is a citrus disease caused by a bacterium spread by this psyllid.

The Asian citrus psyllid spreads the disease by injecting a pathogen into the leaf when feeding. The insect is no larger than a grain of rice, yet it is guilty of killing citrus groves around the world.

Brazil, Texas and Florida have lost millions of citrus trees, resulting in a loss of revenue. The citrus industry as a whole has seen an economic loss of over $3 billion. If the disease were to move to California, its effects would be devastating.

The symptoms of citrus greening are not limited to color changing, as the name may suggest. A citrus fruit inflicted with citrus greening is characterized by a bitter taste.

Its original name, Huanglongbing, is Chinese and is translated to “yellow dragon” because of its identifying attributes.

“[Citrus greening] makes the tree produce shoots where they are longer than they should be and the leaves stick up like rabbit ears and turn bright yellow where it looks a little bit like a dragon with scales,” said Neil McRoberts, a UC Davis associate professor of plant pathology.

While efforts have been made, few have been successful in detecting citrus greening early and thwarting its growth. Methods have generally been inefficient and archaic. Citrus growers typically attempt to scavenge among the millions in an orchard to find the plants affected. They then remove each individually to stop the multiplication of the disease.

However, the disease may lie dormant in a citrus plant for years before symptoms become visual. By the time growers are aware that a plant is contaminated, the disease may have spread among the grove.

“While you’re allowing these trees to be productive and potentially making money from them they are the Typhoid Mary,” said Carolyn Slupsky, a UC Davis professor in nutrition and food science and technology.

Once a plant has been infected with Huanglongbing, there is no cure. Thus, methods to detect the disease early are worthwhile.

Fortunately, UC Davis researchers have endeavored to find new ways to approach the disease.

“We’re looking at what happens to the plant’s metabolism when the plant becomes affected by this bacterium,” Slupsky said. “The technique that we’re developing is not based on the bacteria itself, but how the tree is responding to it.”

Slupsky’s lab takes samples of leaves on a tree, grinds them up and measures the metabolites extracted to detect the pathogen.

Another project the lab is working on is focused on the bacteria-transmitting psyllid itself. Research is examining how the bacteria behaves inside the insect, along with methods to stop the transmission of the bacteria by the psyllid.

Research spearheaded by Johan Leveau, a UC Davis professor of plant pathology, focuses on the microbes within citrus trees to better detect symptoms of Huanglongbing.

“The methods we are using include a non-invasive sampling approach to specifically collect the phyllosphere microbes as well as marker gene targeted, next generation sequencing technology to profile the microbial community,” said Xiaochen Yin, a postdoctoral scholar working under Leveau.

Yin added that because microbes are efficient in responding to environmental changes, the ability to identify microbial changes aids in diagnosing a plant early.

Written By: Natalie Cowan — science@theaggie.org

Women’s basketball enters season with something to prove

The California Aggie

November 16, 2017

After greatest season in team history, team hopes to build off success

In 2016-17, the UC Davis women’s basketball team had its most successful season since joining Division I. The Aggies semifinal loss in the Big West tournament and ensuing third round exit in the WNIT tournament left the Aggies yearning for another chance to step out on the court and build off their success of the previous season. With most of the core group returning, as well as some promising new talent, head coach Jennifer Gross is looking forward to seeing what the team has up its sleeve.

“I feel like this could be the best team that we’ve ever had at UC Davis,” Gross said. “But if we focus too much on March, then we’re not going to achieve what we can achieve. I’m really excited.”

The excitement is echoed throughout her team. For first-year forward Cierra Hall, the season’s start means that all of the hard work she has put in and all of the relationships she has already built with her teammates can finally be put to the test and pay off. Hall credits her teammates for welcoming in the first year Aggies with open arms and making them feel immediately as though they were a part of something special.

“I cannot wait.” Hall said. “Just being on the court with this new team. This team I call my family now, so I can’t wait to get out there and get some wins with them and just have some fun.”

With every new year comes changes which can help or hinder a team’s shot at success, but senior forward Dani Nafekh likes what she is seeing from this year’s team and hopes that she and the other veteran players on the team can lead this team much like those who came before her. Coming into her final year at UC Davis, Nafekh is excited to take on the leadership role and hopes that she can summon the same veteran leadership of ex-teammate Lauren Beyer and everyone else who helped to get her where she is today and use it to deliver something special as other teams take notice of the Aggies success.

“We know we did super well last year,” Nafekh said. “Obviously last year we were confident and knew we were a good team, but now we know that other teams know we were a really good team so we have to play knowing that people are coming after us.”

Gross is looking forward to seeing this new iteration of Aggie basketball, crediting her returning players for stepping up all offseason in order to be ready for the challenges the team is facing. She likes what she sees in her first-year players and credits them with being one of the strongest classes that she has had in years. Gross will not go easy on the newcomers, however. According to her, it’s not an easy road to even make it to the court for the season, but it’s a system that has brought the team success before.

“They’re in a difficult situation because we’re going more at a veteran’s pace than a newcomer’s pace,” Gross said. “So we’re throwing them into the mix, and we’re asking them to learn quickly and learn on the fly.”

This on-the-fly learning was nothing new for Hall. She spoke of the sacrifices that are necessary to succeed in basketball and makes sure that she puts in the proper work to get to this next level of basketball. To her, basketball isn’t just a fall sport with breaks in between the season — it’s a commitment to achievement.

“I feel like basketball, they say, is a winter sport,“ Hall said. “But for me it’s year-round. You just always have to be ready and especially when you find out you’re going to go play at the next level. That’s when you really need to get in the gym and start getting shots up.”

This commitment is necessary to fitting in with the returning players, and Nafekh loves what she sees from her newest teammates. This is what is important to Nafekh and the rest of the of the returning players. They understand the initial hardships that come with coming with a new program and make sure that they’re there for the newcomers.

“I think it’s a learning curve for everyone, but it’s going well,” Nafekh said. “We know that it’s a lot to take in and a lot to learn, but everyone will be happy with you if you’re just trying your hardest and going as hard as possible.”

With last year’s success, the team must now use whatever resources it can to make this year a success. Gross knows that success is not a given and the team cannot go into the year expecting too much or to exceed the previous year’s triumphs. Gross explained that the biggest hurdle between her team and the ultimate goal is not necessarily wearing a different uniform.

“It’s us versus us no matter who we’re playing,” Gross said. “And how good can this team be? So, right now we still have a week and a half of practice before we’re heading into our first official game, and so it’s even too soon to talk about them right now.”

With the regular season underway, only time will tell whether the Aggies made the proper moves to ensure another successful season. According to Nafekh, this competition is the culmination of all of their hard work. It is when they know that everything paid off.

“It’s been a long month of just practicing and I know everyone just looks forward to games, so I think we’re all super-pumped to finally get out there.”

After a decisive 77-34 victory in an exhibition game against the Academy of Art, the Aggies went on to defeat Washington State on Friday and won by a mere five points against Pepperdine on Sunday. The Aggies will face off against Portland State tomorrow at 7 p.m.

Written by: Bradley Geiser — sports@theaggie.org

Aggies defeated by Titans, come short of Big West Championship

Sports

The California Aggie

November 16, 2017

UC Davis men’s soccer team takes 4-3 loss in penalty kicks to Cal State Fullerton in conference championship

With the stands completely packed, forcing some to stand to watch the game, the UC Davis Aggies men’s soccer team took on the Cal State Fullerton Titans at Aggie Soccer Field in the Big West Conference Championship game on Saturday, Nov. 11. The Aggies were 7-2-1 on the regular conference season going into the game and were looking to bring home the first Big West Championship for UC Davis men’s soccer.

“It makes a huge difference with the amount of noise and cheering that was there,” head coach Dwayne Shaffer said with regard to the incredible fan turnout. “The support motivates the players and helps them, and it was awesome. Davis is a soccer community, and it is awesome to see it come back, and hopefully we will keep giving the fans what they want.”

The first half of play was back and forth, with a constant change of possession between both teams. The Titans outshot the Aggies in the first half, taking five shots to the four that UC Davis took, but it seemed that UC Davis was the predominant possessor of the ball for the majority of the first half of play. Sophomore goalkeeper Wallis Lapsley had one save. The Aggies knew at halftime they would have to continue to work hard, with the bustle of the crowd and having to watch the two total yellow cards that they received in the first, making sure they did not add on to that total.

Starting the second half, the crowd was on edge in the 46th minute of the game, when an exciting header by senior midfielder and captain Noah Wilson nearly found the back of the net but was saved at the last minute by the Titans goalkeeper. The second half proved to continue to be exciting, as a shot by Fullerton in the 51st minute from a free kick nearly went in the top corner of the net, but hit the crossbar at the last second, drawing gasps of relief from the collection of fans in attendance. Throughout the remainder of the half, the game continued to be a strong and fast paced performance by both teams, until the 82nd minute, when a flurry of through balls for the Aggies sent a shot to sophomore defender Marco Formico, which was barely saved off of the fingertips of the Titans goalie. UC Davis did not stop the offensive pressure. A cross into the box and a header in the 88th minute by senior wing Evan Barrett seemed to float into the corner of the net, but the Titan’s goalkeeper reached his hand into the air for the save, the ball barely brushing off of his glove, ending what was an incredible and exciting second half of regulation play with the score tied at 0-0, sending the game into extra time.

“Wouldn’t have changed anything the way we came out,” Wilson said. “Maybe we started a little slow but we picked it up and the whole game was a battle. Their [Fullerton] keeper just made some fantastic saves.”

The first half of golden goal overtime play concluded with countless pressure by both teams, the only shot in the entire first half coming from UC Davis. Going into the second half of overtime, the game remained tied at 0-0.

In the 106th minute of play in the second overtime period, it seemed as if the game was over, as a cross on the ground from Fullerton seemed like a wide-open goal, but was just saved off of the fingertips of a diving save by Lapsley. The remainder of the second half of extra time proved to be equal, ending at a 0-0 score, and sending the game into penalty kicks.

It was a very tense moment in the stadium, with all fans sent into a frenzy on who would become Big West Champions. After three made shots by both UC Davis and Fullerton, the Aggies fourth and fifth penalty shots were both missed, with the Titans making their fourth, bringing the penalty score 4-3 in favor of Fullerton, and giving the Aggies the loss.

Even though the Aggies took the tough loss in penalties, Shaffer knew that his team was the better team on the field.

“I thought the first 20 minutes we were a little off, but after that we turned it on and we were doing really well,” Shaffer said. “We created great chances to score a goal, but their goalkeeper made a few unbelievable saves and overall I thought we were the better team, had the more dangerous chances, but have to give credit to Fullerton.”

Shaffer continued his comments, giving recognition to his team and playing amazing soccer all year long.

“As I told them afterward, I told them keep your heads up, you guys were awesome all season and played outstanding soccer,” Shaffer said. “We were top five top goal scoring team in the country, and they should be proud of themselves. The eight seniors on the team contributed heavily today and were outstanding. Let’s make sure we know that we did not lose the game, the game goes down as a tie. The penalty kicks are just what determines it and it is unfortunate the game had to go to penalties.”

Now the Aggies are just waiting for a possible at-large bid for the upcoming NCAA tournament.

Written by: Ryan Bugsch — sports@theaggie.org

Efficient exposition

The California Aggie

November 16, 2017

Men’s basketball blows past Bethesda in first game

After a seven-and-a-half-month offseason, the UC Davis men’s basketball team made its highly anticipated return to the court to open the 2017-2018 campaign. In an exhibition contest, the Aggies blew out the Bethesda University Flames at The Pavilion last Tuesday. Behind a big offensive night from both junior guard Siler Schneider and senior forward Chima Moneke, UC Davis rode to a 111-56 victory without an ounce of drama.

Schneider had his offense rolling early, hitting each of his first three shots from beyond the arc to get the Aggies going on an 11-2 run to start the game. The UC Davis lead would only grow from there. Relentless attack and gritty defense kept the Aggies in control for the first 20 minutes, holding Bethesda to just 24.2 percent shooting in the opening half. Smooth shooting from the Aggie bench allowed UC Davis to build on the lead as well. Junior forward AJ John inserted himself into the scoring mix right away, knocking down his first two field goals –– including a right corner three to put the Aggies up 27-9. Freshman guard Delveion Jackson also contributed greatly off the bench in the first half, hitting two treys and recording eight points.

It was later in the first half, however, that Moneke began to assert himself on the offensive end. He rattled off 10 points in the final 10 minutes of the half, including a soaring alley-oop jam off a lob from Schneider and a rare triple that bounced all over the rim before falling in. Moneke added three more points after the break before sitting out most of the second frame. Moneke would end his evening with 16 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in just 18 minutes.

Continuing his hot start, Schneider finished the first half hitting five of his six shots from the field, all of which were threes. He brought that same energy to the second half as well. After intercepting a cross-court pass on the defensive end, Schneider dashed his way through defenders to lay the ball in for an and-one finish in transition. Just a couple of offensive possessions later, he drove his way to the basket and again converted a tough layup while being fouled. Schneider’s offensive bursts in both halves were enough for him to collect a game-high 23 points. He credited a productive offseason as the biggest contributor to this opening-game performance.

“[I] saw my numbers and percentages from last season and I want to get better,” Schneider said. “I want to help the team more. Got in the gym a lot this offseason and the jumper’s feeling good right now, so I’m going to keep letting it fly.”

Head coach Jim Les had nothing but high praise for the night’s top scorers, explaining that Moneke and Schneider have “separated themselves” as leaders on this retooled team. Les believes that the combination of their playing experience and approach during the offseason has allowed them to have the opportunity to take over the reins.

“Those guys have provided a really good example to the new players,” Les said. “This is how we do things, this is the way it’s done –– and it has allowed the new guys to have a visual of what to expect. That has allowed everyone to get on the same page a lot quicker so I owe it to that returning group because they have been good leaders.”

The Aggies were able to quickly amass a comfortable lead, which gave head coach Jim Les the opportunity to give valuable playing time to his new players off the bench. Three bench players, in fact, recorded double-digit points –– including redshirt sophomore guard Joe Mooney, who shot three for four from three-point range to add in 11 points. Freshman forward Logan Strom shot a perfect three for three from both the field and the free throw line, scoring 10 points in just nine minutes. Outside of the scoring column, senior guard Arell Hennings led the team with seven assists to go along with his eight rebounds. With these performances in mind, Les said that his Aggies put forth a “good team effort.”

“All the guys worked really hard, especially on the defensive end,” Les said. “We made it difficult for them to score and then we played offense off of our defense –– we got out on the break. I thought the ball moved. In the first half […] I think we had 16 assists on 20 field goals. That’s good teamwork and ball movement, which is what we’re preaching and guys are buying into that.”

The Aggies beat the Flames by 19 points in the second half to pad their already impressive lead, culminating in a lopsided 111-56 victory. Les was pleased with the stellar offensive performances and balanced play from both the starters and bench players, but the head coach was also cognizant of the tough games that lie directly ahead. Les said that his team “feels good” and is “excited for the challenge” going into the next three games on the road.

“We got to have road mentality,” Les explained. “Which means defense has to be stingy, you got to take care of the basketball and you got to make all of the hustle plays. You got to assume you’re not going to get many calls and you got to assume the other team is going to play well offensively. So us being solid defensively and continuing to move the ball, take good shots and the hustle plays is what this group prides themselves on and will give us a chance to win every night.”

From a player standpoint, Schneider is confident in the team’s chemistry and in his ability to lead this squad through what is expected to be another wild year in the Big West conference.

“This team is such an easy team to be a leader and captain for,” Schneider admitted. “We get along great, everyone works hard and it’s just a fun group to be around. So it hasn’t been a tough transition, but I’m sure once we hit some adversity later in the year, some leadership stuff will come up. But [so far] it’s going smoothly.”

As Schneider pointed out, it will be interesting to see how this team responds to adversity down the road. Four of UC Davis’ five starters from last season have graduated, leaving an incredible amount of opportunity for new faces to step up as top performers. It will require tremendous leadership from the team’s more experienced members to ensure that the Aggies have a chance to recreate last season’s run to the Big West Conference title, which earned the team a spot in the NCAA tournament for the first time in the program’s history.

For now, the Aggies just hope to play well in the several games on their schedule this preseason. The Aggies went on to win over Northern Colorado with a 74-59 win and again away at the University of the Pacific yesterday. The Aggies will play again this weekend at Utah Valley. A live stream of the game will be available at the UC Davis Aggies website.

Written by: Dominic Faria — sports@theaggie.org

Aggies struggle in final home game of season

Sports

The California Aggie

November 16, 2017

UC Davis football overwhelmed by first-place Southern Utah on senior night

The UC Davis football team suffered a painful 47-27 blowout loss to visiting Southern Utah, the top team in the Big Sky Conference, in its final home game of the season on Saturday evening.

It was a disappointing setback for the Aggies, who came into the contest with high hopes, having shown lots of improvement and promise over their two-game winning streak.

“This is part of the growing pain I think,” said sophomore quarterback Jake Maier. “You have to experience stuff like this before you can really get to where you want to be.”

It has been a season full of ups and downs for UC Davis, but there’s no doubt that the team is continuing to get better each and every time it steps on the field to compete, regardless of the outcome.

“The nature of competition is if you’re not willing to deal with some of that, you’ll never feel the joys and highs of the other side,” said head coach Dan Hawkins.

Before the kickoff, the team’s 14 seniors were honored as part of the Senior Day festivities, where they greeted family members at midfield and received standing ovations from the home crowd.

The 1982 UC Davis football team, the first in school history to reach the national championship game, was also honored before the game. Hawkins was a member of that squad and played fullback.

The Aggies fell behind early in the contest, trailing by 19 points at halftime, and never found any sort of rhythm on offense. They had a rough time stringing together first downs and sustaining drives and failed to convert on the majority of their third downs in the first half.

Defensively, the Aggies struggled to contain the explosive Southern Utah offense, which killed the home team with a slew of big chunk plays through the air. Overall, the incredible speed and athleticism of the Thunderbirds, combined with several instances of missed tackles in the open field by the Aggies, resulted in a lopsided defeat.

“They’re a good football team,” Hawkins said. “They’re good physically and well-coached. There’s a reason they’re in first place in the Big Sky.”

One of the lone highlights for the Aggies took place in the first quarter when junior wide receiver Keelan Doss recorded his 94th catch of the year, setting a new school single-season record. Doss finished the night with 11 receptions for 93 yards.

“[Doss] does all the minor details,” Maier said. “He does a great job of getting open, he reads zones really well, and he beats man coverage better than anybody I’ve seen.”

Maier also set a new single-season record for UC Davis, topping 300 passing yards in a game for the eighth time this year. The sophomore transfer from Long Beach City College has played a pivotal role in his first year, leading a high-powered UC Davis offense that is averaging over 32 points per game.

“This is the best decision I’ve ever made in my life to be a part of this, and I love every second of it,” Maier said. “I couldn’t be more motivated to get this place rolling and really be someone that makes a big impact here at UC Davis.”

Despite the frustrating result, the Aggies still have a lot left to play for in their season finale next Saturday against Sacramento State. With a victory in the Causeway Classic, UC Davis would close the campaign with a winning record for the first time since the 2010 season.

“It stings, but we’re still very motivated,” Maier said. “We have a lot on the line this last week coming up — a lot of pride and just a lot to play for.”

Early in the first quarter, each team traded interceptions on back-to-back plays. Junior cornerback Isiah Olave leaped in front of a Southern Utah wide receiver and high-pointed the ball to record the turnover at the five-yard line. On the very next play, the Aggies tried to run a quick wide receiver screen behind the line of scrimmage, but Maier’s pass was intercepted at the goal line for an easy Southern Utah pick-six.

Down 21-0, UC Davis started to get into a groove offensively midway through the second quarter. Backed up to their two-yard line, the Aggies put together their longest scoring drive of the season, traveling 98 yards in 18 plays and scoring their first points of the night on a four-yard touchdown reception by sophomore tight end Wesley Preece. Preece initially hauled in a 15-yard catch on a key fourth-and-13 play four plays earlier to keep the drive alive.

The Thunderbirds quickly responded with a 29-yard field goal and a safety just before halftime, pushing their lead to 26-7. In the final minute before the break, a UC Davis punt was blocked and the ball bounced through the back of the endzone, tacking on two more points to the Southern Utah lead.

On the opening drive of the second half, junior linebacker Mason Moe recived a targeting penalty and was subsequently ejected from the game for his hit on a Southern Utah receiver.

Southern Utah continued its momentum, adding 14 more points and never giving UC Davis much of a chance to close the gap.

Junior running back Namane Modise sparked the Aggies in the third quarter with a long 57-yard kickoff return that set them up in enemy territory at the 41-yard line. Four plays later, junior quarterback C.J. Spencer took a direct snap and ran four yards up the middle for a touchdown to bring UC Davis back within 20 points.

The Aggies had a chance to make it a two-possession game early in the fourth quarter, but Maier was picked off at the 11-yard line on a fourth down play, effectively sealing the victory for Southern Utah and putting any UC Davis comeback hope to rest.

The Aggies will have a week to prepare for a very hot Sacramento State team that has won four of its past five games. The Causeway Classic is scheduled for Saturday Nov. 18 with a 2 p.m. kickoff in Sacramento.

Written by: Brendan Ogburn — sports@theaggie.org

App Built By UC Davis Freshmen tackles awkward introductions

Science & Technology

The California Aggie

November 16, 2017

Questi uses anonymity to help people overcome shyness

The hardest part of any social interaction, whether it’s asking for job advice, help with homework or talking to that cute person who sits next to you in class, has got to be the introduction. It’s a feeling everyone knows well, with the sweaty palms and the racing heart. Well, Questi hopes to change that. The app, created by first-years Abhiman Reddy and Jerry Kennischov, hopes to encourage social interaction by allowing a user to anonymously ask questions on another’s profile.

“I wanted to build this app because I wanted to create an environment where social interaction can happen in an anonymous manner,” said Reddy, an economics major. “In the modern world, despite the rise of the internet, there isn’t an application through which we can overcome shyness and talk to people we wouldn’t normally have the courage to.”

This isn’t just another Yik Yak, though. Instead of offering one-sided interaction where people project their own lives, Questi encourages two-way conversations.

“The way this is different from other social media sites is that it uses a Q and A format,” Reddy said. “In Questi, you don’t post about yourself. Others ask you questions to which you reply.”

However, there might be some concerns with the anonymous feature. Questi decided to use a weak AI, or Artificial Intelligence, with keyword matching to block any attempt at cyberbullying.

“When user A wants to ask user B a question, the person asking the question [could use] inappropriate language,” Reddy said. “For example a user saying ‘you are ugly’ would get a prompt saying, ‘don’t be rude’ and the question wouldn’t go through… When the app detects that these words are being used it doesn’t let them go through. This prevents cyberbullying.”

Questi wants to change the shallow connection of social networking.

“Questi will make the environment for communication more comfortable because people nowadays hide their true emotion and purpose of talking,” said Kennischov, an undeclared student in the College of Letters and Science. “The problem is critical because people are losing their social abilities and other social apps cannot truly connect people closely.”

One user found an interesting use case: using Questi for professional networking.

“Students using this app can ask questions to others with professional answers,” said Jim Fang, a first-year math major and a current user of the app. “Unlike Quora, Questi gathers people at school, and this can make answers to questions more specific and accurate. That’s the reason I would like to choose Questi, because questions are mainly answered by students who are good at their specific subjects.”

The one thing most social media hasn’t been able to tackle is the awkwardness of meeting someone in person for the first time. Social awkwardness can keep a lot of people from networking, something vital to anything from building a relationship to building a career. Questi helps to alleviate this worry. So Aggies, get socializing.

Written by: Kriti Varghese — science@theaggie.org

Far out: ‘70s night at Davis’ Root of Happiness

Arts & Culture

The California Aggie

November 16, 2017

Local Kava bar gets groovy

It’s time to dust off those vintage bell bottoms and paisley print shirts — Root of Happiness Kava Bar in downtown Davis will be hosting a groovy ‘70s dance party. The event will feature a selection of talented DJs from the greater Sacramento area, and they will be showcasing their amazing talent with a ‘70s twist. Some of the featured names include Big Joe Daddy, Krakinov, GAMMA and Brian Botano.

Big Joe Daddy, or Joey Wisgirds, is one of the premiere underground EDM producers in Sacramento.

“I love Davis, and I love EDM,” Wisgirds said. “I can’t wait to change things up at the disco party.”

The management team at Root of Happiness strives to create an environment that appeals to all types of college students and young adults in Davis. Julian Nunn, the active manager for the past two years, shared his favorite part of hosting events.

“I love going to the events and enjoying the same party atmosphere of a club or bar but with none of the negatives,” Nunn said. “People are outgoing, and it creates a really cool experience for people.”

Nunn stressed the importance of providing alternatives to those who want to have fun while still being safe and responsible. The event will also provide the perfect opportunity for people learn about or even try kava.

Ava Taesali, an assistant manager of two years, believes that kava is a cultural experience that anyone attending should give a try.

“I love to bring people together in a unique environment,” Taesali said. “I feel hella proud when people are having fun in a culturally diverse setting. I want people to warm up to kava because it’s a unique cultural tradition.”

Guests can expect to be psyched out and ready to dance at this Nov. 17 event, with music starting at 9 p.m. More information can be found on Root of Happiness’ Facebook page.

Written By: Josh Madrid — arts@theaggie.org

Student Community Center: A Conspicuous Building with Hidden Gems

Features

The California Aggie

November 16, 2017

CCC, SRRC, AB540, URC, other resources found in Student Community Center

The Student Community Center is a vibrant, colorful building on the UC Davis campus. From serving as a study spot to housing the South Coho, the SCC has a multitude of resources to cater to the needs of the diverse groups of students in the UC Davis community.

The Cross Cultural Center was the fruit of a hunger strike “born out of student activism and political struggle, [and it] provides a culturally relevant community space where student voices can be expressed and respected,” states the CCC’s mission statement.

The CCC’s goals are centered around social justice, and it relies on student activism to innovate and spur change. It is “committed to providing programs and experiences that allow each individual to freely explore, discover and understand their identity.” It also believes in the “fluidity of human diversity,” and like the rest of the resource centers, has many programs available for students, such as PEACE, REACH, SoDA, and provides various resources including the Art Lounge, the Provost Fellowship and a newsletter.

The AB540 and Undocumented Student Center is geared toward AB540 and undocumented students, but provides a safe space for all students.

“This center is open for everyone,” said Edith Ruiz, a third-year animal science major. “I think overall it’s a good space to just hang out and meet new people. That’s one of the reasons why I came here too. My freshman year I didn’t really find myself because I’m not from the area so I came here and I made a lot of new friends.”

From providing legal assistance to a place to eat lunch and refrigerate food, this center strives to achieve holistic care.

“There’s also legal assistance for free for students that have any questions,” Ruiz said. “[It] is also just a safe space for people to come in do homework. We also have a refrigerator [and microwave] that’s open if you want to use.”

The AB540 center also has a lending library with books that are available for students to borrow free of charge. Students can check the availability of books online. The DREAM Committee has opened a forum where AB540 and undocumented students can request books they need, and the committee will try to use its funds to purchase these books for them. They also have iClickers, calculators and lab coats as free resources to borrow.

“We deal with a lot of different programs,” said Hector Gamero, a Ph.D. candidate in mechanical and aerospace engineering who works as the education and training coordinator at the AB540 center. “I like to think of it as three separate sections. One section is folks coming into the university. We create programs that help [high school and transfer students] make the [application] process a little bit easier, because it’s very specific for undocumented or AB540 students to be able to apply [and] also be able to [fund themselves].”

Continuing to support students in the next step of the journey — the second component of the program is to help current students have successful college careers.

“We work a lot on retention and awareness,” Gamero said. “One of the greatest things that we were able to see come up from this space is a source of community. We’ve been able to see students come together [and] feel safe in this space and connect with other community members. It wasn’t until we had this space where they were able to connect and be able to disclose themselves.”

The third aspect of the AB540 and Undocumented Student Center works to help students secure their futures after their undergraduate career at UC Davis.

“We also help them with afterwards,” Gamero said. “If they’re thinking of pursuing a higher degree in grad school [and] they identify as being AB540 or undocumented, that’s also a very unique path, so we have allies and mentors who know that journey and can help our students.”

Also working toward student retention is the Student Recruitment and Retention Center. The SRRC has many programs, with each one focusing on a different community within the context of retention and recruitment. They provide things like scantrons and blue books on every odd week of the month while also having a professional counselor, Tracy Thomas, available at the center a few times a week to support students.

“We have study space hours […], a test bank, which is available here if folks want to see a test that was previously given to a class, [and] we also give out scantrons and blue books on every odd week,” said Alejandra Araya, fourth-year international relations and Spanish double major. “We have a lot of retention initiatives in the sense where we want to make this space a resource for people for anything that they need. If they just want to study or if they want to hang out with their friends […] we’re here to serve the students.”

In addition, the Undergraduate Research Center, as its name implies, helps students navigate research opportunities and the pathways to finding a research position that is a best fit for them.

“URC provides undergraduates with the resources they need to start getting involved with research,” said Chioma Okoyeigwe, a third-year human development major. “Students will come in and make an appointment to speak with one of our advisors and [essentially] during the meeting, the advisor goes over the whole spiel on how to talk to professors, how to figure out what particular type of research you want to do. There’s so much variety and I feel like a lot of students think it’s just lab but it’s really more than that. There’s research in history research in the arts too.”

This just scratches the surface of all the resources that are offered to students in the SCC, and the SCC is most definitely not the only center that houses resources such as these. All these centers share the underlying passion to serve the diverse campus communities, meeting them where they are. And most importantly, many of these centers were formed from student activism and efforts, and the continue to evolve as students respond to the needs of other students.

Written by: Sahiti Vemula — features@theaggie.org

UCSA escalates demands for dismissal of Regent Pattiz

Campus News

The California Aggie

November 16, 2017

MICHAEL DRUMMOND / THE DAILY CALIFORNIAN

UC Student Association passes second resolution for Pattiz’s removal

During its board meetings on Oct. 14 and 15, the UC Student Association (UCSA) passed its second resolution calling for the removal of UC Regent Norman Pattiz from his position on the Board of Regents.

The resolution demands Pattiz’ resignation based on his alleged workplace sexual harassment charges and use of a gun to threaten an employee. Quoting multiple sources, the resolution provided evidence of the accusations in addition to citing multiple university policies that define sexual harassment.

“In November 2016, it was revealed that UC Regent Norman Pattiz came forward with repeated acts of sexual harassment,” the UCSA letter states. “The University of California defines sexual harassment as ‘unwelcome sexual advances, unwelcome requests for sexual favors, and other unwelcome verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature.’”

The available evidence to corroborate the allegations against Pattiz includes on-the-record statements from employees Raymond Hernandez and Heather McDonald, both of whom attest to the fact that Pattiz brandished a loaded firearm in work environments and at an employee, in addition to repeated displays of verbal conduct of a sexual nature in the workplace. Additionally, there is a recording available of Pattiz asking a female coworker, “Wait a minute — can I hold your breasts? Would that help?” during a broadcasting at PodcastOne studio.

News coverage of abuse by Pattiz first began in November 2016. UCSA President Judith Gutierrez described the efforts that the organization has taken to resolve this issue since.

“UCSA first called for his resignation in January of 2017 and escalated our demand to not just rely on him to resign, but to also call on other regents, President Napolitano and Governor Brown to do anything they can to censure or dismiss him,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez elaborated on the reasoning behind the more powerful nature of the most recent resolution.

“Our latest resolution, passed in October 2017, calls for the UC to immediately ban Regent Pattiz from campus when he is not at regent meetings, because we feel he is an immediate threat to our community,” Gutierrez said. “We also call on the Board of Regents to remove him as chair of any committees, and when possible, deny his right to vote on regental decisions.”

The external vice president of the Office of Advocacy and Student Representation Daniel Nagey, a third-year economics and psychology double major, acts as the liaison for the UC Davis undergraduate population to UCSA.

“We’ve personally asked different regents and Janet Napolitano to ask for [Pattiz’s] resignation and they’ve all said no due to dirty politics and whatnot, but it […] just really has been disgusting […] to see somebody in that position still having that position of power,” Nagey said.

According to the UCSA, it is unaware of any direct legal actions from law enforcement or UC officials, including UC President Janet Napolitano, regarding Pattiz and these allegations.

“The Board of Regents and President Napolitano continue to sidestep any requests we have made to urge for Pattiz’s discipline,” Gutierrez said. “They have done what we consider the bare minimum; UC regents are now required to get the same basic training about sexual conduct as everyone else at the UC. No regent has been bold enough to join our call.”

Nagey detailed the standpoint taken by the UC regents and officials.

“All the administrators have taken a very neutral stance saying that they don’t want to be the ones to call them out but they would potentially support something if somebody else came out with it,” Nagey said. “It means that they’re not really down for the cause.”

Since being named president of the UC in 2013, Napolitano has created initiatives such as the CARE advocate program and requiring engagement in mandatory consent training. Gutierrez claims that though Napolitano “has responded to public criticism that UC is mishandling sexual violence allegations” the silence on “Regent Pattiz undoes that work.”

“Survivors of sexual violence, who may be facing PTSD and other mental health concerns, have to go through the trauma again and again knowing that a man voting on every critical decision affecting them at our University is an assailant,” Gutierrez said. “We cannot trust Regent Pattiz to make good decisions.”

Nagey echoed Gutierrez’s sentiment.

“It’s really uncomfortable for students who are survivors that somebody in such a high position of power has done such incredible acts […] and it’s kind of demoralizing to see that nothing has really happened to him,” Nagey said.

Nagey continued on to describe his personal frustration with the issue and his encouragement that UC Davis students advocate for change.

“It’s just frustrating […] because they keep trying to blow it off like nothing ever happened and we want students to vocalize that they don’t want this person in power,” Nagey said.

Gutierrez also stated that this issue can be seen as cause for reform and improvement to the Board of Regents.

“Regents should not have 12-year terms and there should be a method for removing them in cases like this of egregious behavior,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez concluded with a statement regarding the presence of sexual violence on college campuses.

“Sexual violence on college campuses is a silent stigmatized epidemic, and no university is exempt, including the UC,” Gutierrez said. “As long as Regent Norm Pattiz is in office, the UC and President Napolitano specifically cannot stand by its commitment to end sexual violence.”

Gutierrez described the correlation between the actions of Regent Pattiz and trends within society.

“Pattiz’s actions reflect a toxic culture in our society, where men can say what they want and use violence as a threat to get what they want,” Gutierrez said. “Trauma from sexual violence and gun incidents are far too common. The UC cannot ignore such a perpetrator among its ranks. He must be removed from a position of power within the UC system, both as discipline for his actions and as a message to current and future members of the UC community that abuse will not be tolerated at the institution where we work, learn and live.”

Neither UCOP nor the UC Regents Office immediately responded to a request for comment.

Written by: Priyanka Shreedar — campus@theaggie.org

Last week in Senate

Campus News

The California Aggie

November 16, 2017

Several students confirmed as commission members

The ASUCD Senate was called to order at 6:09 p.m. on Nov. 3 by Vice President Adilla Jamaludin. Senators Khadeja Ibrahim, Michael Gofman and Yajaira Sigala were absent. Business and Finance Commission Chair Alexander Mirov was also not in attendance.

Lily Karim, a second-year biomedical engineering major, was confirmed as the Sexual Assault Awareness and Advocacy Commission Chair with no objections.

The Senate then received a presentation from Justin Barnes, the Teach for America campus representative, about the benefits of applying to the Teach for America program.

The Sexual Assault Awareness and Advocacy Commission quarterly report entailed the commission’s recent work in conjunction with Title IX to create an anonymous online portal for victims of any kind of assault. The commission plans to host an event about domestic violence myths, ground itself in the Greek system to continue spreading awareness and provide more tabling events in the Quad.

There was no prior legislation proposed the previous week. The Senate then moved to discuss a bill proposed by Senators Jose Meneses and Gofman, but yielded due to Gofman’s absence. Bills to allocate $372 for the Entertainment Council’s Production Manager’s back pay, allocate $1,300 from Picnic Day events to “pay back some of Doxie Derby’s revenue from Picnic Day 2017,” and $500 to be transferred from the Bike Barn expense budget to Bike Barn’s budget were introduced and sent to the Business and Finance Commission.

Next, Bryan Sykes, the editor-in-chief of The California Aggie, provided the newspaper’s quarterly report. After hiring nearly 30 new staff members, the newspaper is now running with approximately 110 staffers. Additionally, the newspaper, with the help of the library and funding from alumni, will be completely digitized within the next few years.

Prior to public announcements, Senator Simran Grewal left the Senate meeting.

Julie Jung discussed the Best Senator Practices event that was held for the senators and commission chairs after the Senate meeting on Nov. 9. The meeting was intended to remind the elected representatives of their responsibilities to their units and promises made during the election process.

Controller Jin Zhang spoke on behalf of Naeema Kaleem, the ASUCD Elections Chair, about senators who critically responded to the Senate candidates running in the Fall Elections rather than helping them to succeed.

J.T. Ghim, the assistant director of Intercultural Programs, reported on the International Education Week taking place from Nov. 13 to 17. There are around 8,000 students and scholars supported at UC Davis. Those planning the event are working on outdated programs regarding international students and are providing ways for international students to feel more supported while attending the university.

The Senate then confirmed Hailey Gleason, a first-year environmental science and management major; Ryan Birkett, a fourth-year environmental science and management major and Brooke Pritchard, a first-year political science major, as commissioners of the Academic Affairs Commission with no objections.

Judicial Council members Sydney Hack, a second-year international relations major; Jason Hsu, a second-year computer science major; Aria Aghalarpour, a third-year political science major and Devo Leichter, a third-year political science major, were confirmed unanimously by the Senate.

The Senate, due to a lack of present senators, then voted to suspend the bylaws in order to approve Marissa Levinson, a fourth-year marine ecology and organism biology major, as a commissioner of the Environmental Policy and Planning Commission with no objections.

Commissioners Kia Aliakbar, a third-year biomedical engineering major; Samuel Bennedy, a second-year philosophy major; David Lima, a fourth-year political science and philosophy double major; Travis Candieas, a fourth-year international relations major; Natalie Gutierrez, a second-year political science and managerial economics double major; Jero Real, a fourth-year biomedical engineering major and Aparna Komarla, a second-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, were confirmed to the External Affairs Commission unanimously.

The Senate took a 10-minute break at 8:26 p.m.

During public discussion, ASUCD President Josh Dalavai spoke about how senators and commissioners should be present at all events as promised when running for positions. Jamaludin also stated that no senator should have to stay in order to form a necessary quorum when they need to tend to more urgent matters. Internal Affairs Commission Chair Jacob Ganz proposed establishing new legislature that would require senators and commissioners to follow through with responsibilities.

After ex-officio and elected officer reports, the meeting minutes from Oct. 26 were approved with no objections.The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

Written by: Rodney Tompkins — campus@theaggie.org

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