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Annual event showcases undergraduate research

Campus News

Campus Editor

February 5, 2013

The Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference will take place Apr. 26 and 27. The annual event will showcase the talent of many of the students on campus involved with research.

The event will include poster presentations, an arts exhibit and oral presentations on the final day.

In order to participate, students are to write an abstract introducing their research, which then has to be approved by their sponsoring professor. Abstracts may come from students involved with research in all disciplines and majors.

Tammy Hoyer, conference chair, created the annual event 24 years ago, and has since seen a significant increase in participants.

“Nineteen students participated in the first conference, which happened in April of 1990, and last year, in year 23, we had 430,” Hoyer said.

The event is not only intended to challenge students academically.

“The conference will stimulate interaction between students and faculty, while encouraging undergraduates to pursue advanced degrees toward the goal of research and college teaching,” the event webpage states.

Students who participate are also learning how to deliver information in a concise and comprehensible format.

“It’s a huge skill, to learn how to synthesize this huge body of information they’ve learned into something that’s still complex and meaningful to their field, but reachable to a more generalized audience,” Hoyer said.

The conference may also serve as inspiration to students who have yet to be involved with research.

“I think if students have a chance to hear their peers and see their projects, they will realize they can really take advantage of being at this research university,” said Carolyn de la Peña, interim vice provost for Undergraduate Education.

According to de la Peña, the event will be a time for students to present what they have learned.
“Our students are not just sitting and writing notes, they’re putting classroom knowledge to work, independently,” Peña said.

The deadline to submit an abstract is Feb. 19 at 4 p.m.

For more information on the conference and to look at samples of past student abstracts, visit the Undergraduate Research Center’s website at undergraduateresearch.ucdavis.edu.

SASHA COTTERELL can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Roundabout

Opinion

Opinion

February 5, 2013

For those of you that travel down Hutchison Drive, the danger of getting run over by a car has (hopefully) gone way down.

Conversely, your chances of getting blindsided by a bad biker have skyrocketed.

What was formerly an intersection on Hutchison Drive between Sciences Lecture Hall and Bioletti Way has been transformed into a roundabout.

This has some positives and negatives.

First, most people didn’t quite stop at those stop signs anyway unless there was a visible police officer roaming the area. The roundabout will at least instill some sort of system that people can follow.

Which brings us to the second point. We’ve already expressed our frustration and offered suggestions on how to not be a fatal threat on the bike paths. This shouldn’t be an issue now, 5 weeks into the year, but people are still reckless going into those roundabouts. Follow the rules.

One of the impressive things about this new feature is the time it took to complete construction. The project only lasted a couple days and was finished by Jan. 22.

This makes us wonder why it takes so long to complete some of the other construction projects on campus. If anything short of a tunnel to the other side of the world results from the work next to the soccer field and over on Hoagland Drive, it should be considered a waste of time.

But that’s another issue.

For now, we celebrate the small victories of the roundabout. If nothing else, it eliminates another stop sign where police will be lurking, or it can serve as a training course for helpless freshman cyclists.

Paleo with a Purpose: Cauli-Fried Rice

Uncategorized

The California Aggie

February 4, 2013

Now that the Super Bowl is over, I can finally start thinking about midterms. All of mine are starting this week so, it’s time to buckle down and study. During these times, studying takes priority over cooking every day.

Normally, in order to make it easier on myself I just eat Chipotle every night because it’s quick and there are no dishes to do afterwards. However, on a college student’s budget, eating out every night might not be the best idea.

So one of my “go-to” meals in the infamous midterm season is fried rice. It’s fast to prepare and easy on the wallet.

Fried rice is often made with some combination of rice, peas, carrots, chicken, a scrambled egg and plenty of soy sauce. But it can easily be adapted to feature your favorite veggies or a different protein source.

However, since I’ve gone completely Paleo, rice — brown or white — is no longer in the food pyramid for me. Additionally, I don’t eat soy products or legumes (which include peas). Therefore, I’ve created a scrumptious fried rice, using only Paleo approved vegetables, proteins and fats.

Pull out your chopsticks and enjoy a paleofied rendition of the ever so popular fried rice, made from cauliflower.

3 c. cauliflower florets (yields 1 ½ c. Cauli-Rice)
½ yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper
2 green onions
1 tbs. coconut oil
1 large egg
5 large deveined shrimp
1 tsp. sesame oil

Directions: First you need to create your “Cauli-Rice.” In a food processor add in cauliflower florets and pulse until all florets are chopped up into little pieces (such as rice granules). If you don’t have a food processor, a standard grater will work too. Once all the cauliflower has been riced, place in a separate bowl and begin chopping your veggies.

Cut your yellow onion, garlic, red pepper and green onions into small pieces.
In a sauté pan over medium-high heat melt coconut butter and add in garlic and yellow onion. Wait roughly 4-5 minutes until onions have browned.

Once browned, add in red peppers. You want the peppers to soften a little, roughly 2 minutes.

Then add in your cup and half of cauli-rice. Keep an eye on your pan, keep mixing it around like you normally would with fried rice. It has a tendency to stick, so make sure you’re constantly stirring it around.

Once rice has browned, add in your egg. I like to make a small circle in the middle of my pan and add the egg there. This insures that the egg cooks through completely before being added into your rice.

Add in shrimp and cook until they become pink. Be careful not to cook shrimp too long as they become hard and very chewy. Just make sure both sides turn pink and you’re good to go.

Finally, toss in green onions and drizzle the “rice” with sesame oil.

DEMSINA BABAZADEH invites you to send your favorite recipes to undergo the Paleo treatment to dbabazadeh@ucdavis.edu

Senate Brief

Campus News

Campus Editor

February 4, 2013

ASUCD Senate meetings are scheduled to begin Thursdays at 6:10
p.m. Times listed are according to the clock at the Jan. 24 meeting location, the Memorial Union’s Mee Room. The ASUCD President is not required to attend Senate meetings.

Meeting called to order at 6:15 p.m.
Rebecca Sterling, ASUCD President, present
Yena Bae, ASUCD Vice President, present
Beatriz Anguiano, ASUCD Senator, present
Bradley Bottoms, ASUCD Senator, present
Liam Burke, ASUCD Senator, present
Armando Figueroa, ASUCD Senator, present
Don Gilbert, ASUCD Senator, absent
Joyce Han, ASUCD Senator, present
Maxwell Kappes, ASUCD Senator, present
Kabir Kapur, ASUCD Senator, Pro Tempore, present
Paul Min, ASUCD Senator, present
Felicia Ong, ASUCD Senator, present
Alyson Sagala, ASUCD Senator, present
Tal Topf, ASUCD Senator, present
Melanie Maemura, ASUCD Controller, present

Unit Director Reports
A representative working on the Picnic Day event said that all applications have been sent out for the events, and the next step is to finalize the events. A fire marshal will be coming to the meeting next week to discuss safety issues.

Josh Gelfat, director of City and County Affairs, said that Housing Day is on Feb. 14.

A representative from Aggie Threads said that last quarter there were poor capital investments and that the printer was not working all. The representative said they had been barely getting by all year trying to figure out what to do with the printer. The printer was purchased for $30,000. It was upgraded last year but still had issues. A technician fixed a lot of issues, and so far it has been working. They are looking at alternative printers in case this one breaks again. They are in debt by about $1,500.

Presentations
The Campus Safety Coordinator said that they just finished meeting with the Freedom of Expression Committee and drew up a document stating issues with rules and regulations regarding protest on campus. They are working on trying to get blue lights back on campus. The blue lights were removed a year ago because administration thought they were being misused. There are also blueprints for new bike circles on campus.

Bottoms gave a report on the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), an organization that gives accreditations for schools and colleges, and how they are coming to UC Davis. Bottoms said that this is the group of people who determine whether a degree means anything, and gives legitimacy to education.

Consideration of Old Legislation
Senate Resolution 6, authored by Patrick Sheehan, requested student influence and transparency in decisions concerning Intercollegiate Athletics (ICA). The resolution passed with a 9-3-0 vote. Bottoms, Topf and Ong voted against the resolution.

Senate Bill 36, authored by Carly Sandstrom, to allocate $1544.62 to purchase an ASUCD E-Z UP tent. The bill passed in a 9-2-1 vote. Kappes and Anguiano voted against. Figueroa abstained. Cano asked how the senate would justify buying these tents to the students.
Kappes proposed buying a tent from outside, cheaper sources. Cano said that he does not encourage that, and recommends two tents because Campus Recreation has a lot of tents and they are a big entity on campus and it reflects how you host events on campus. Multiple tents allow ASUCD more flexibility for multiple events at once, etc. Sandstrom said that the tent is not just for tabling purposes.

Senate Bill 50, authored by Internal Affairs Commission Chair Sergio Cano, to prohibit Commission Chairpersons from introducing legislation, passed unanimously.

Senate Bill 54, authored by Ong, to allocate $128.29 for the purchase of 12 donation jars to benefit fundraising efforts for the ASUCD Scholarship, passed with a 9-3-0 vote.

Senate Resolution 4, authored by Han, to thank Allison Chilcott of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences on the occasion of her departure, passed unanimously.

Senate Resolution 5, authored by Hackney, to support California Senate Bill 8, introduced by California State Senator Leland Yee, that makes higher education more transparent, passed unanimously.

Public Discussion
Justin Goss presented Senate Resolution 6, and said that it is less aggressive and more factually astute, compared to its previous resolution, Senate Resolution 2. He said that the veto reasons were addressed, and he would like the opportunity to advocate on behalf of the students who cannot vote on these resolutions.

Sheehan said that he would like to turn ICA or create a situation in which the ICA administration comes and presents to them just like unit directors do.

Cano said that he preferred the language of the previous bill.

Meeting adjourned at 11:30 p.m.
Open positions within ASUCD can be found at vacancy.ucdavis.edu.
JESSICA GRILLI compiles the senate briefs. She can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

News-in-Brief: Candidates begin campaigning for ASUCD Winter Election

Campus Editor

February 4, 2013

Prospective student candidates for ASUCD positions, including that of the president and vice president, have begun campaigning as the general election approaches.

ASUCD holds two general elections each academic year, one during Fall Quarter, when six senators are elected, and another during Winter Quarter. Six more senators and a president and vice president are elected during Winter Quarter.

Candidates can either run with slates or can run independently.

“The elections are students’ most direct and easiest way to have their voices be heard,” said Aaron Hsu, chairman of the ASUCD Elections Committee, in an email interview. “Students should participate in ASUCD simply because they’re affected by it. Not only do we pay over $100 per year to ASUCD, but whether we’re buying something at the CoHo, filling our bike tires at the Bike Barn, or getting to class on a Unitrans bus (or, of course, reading The Aggie), we’ve had an interaction with the way ASUCD is run.”

Leading up to the election, students have a chance to learn more about each candidate’s platform at a debate that takes place in the ASUCD Coffee House. The Coffee House Debate is tentatively set for Feb. 13.

ASUCD Senator Alyson Sagala, a fourth-year political science and communication double major, was elected to the Senate last quarter on the SMART slate.

“As much as the increased number of Senate and Executive candidates convolutes the electoral process a bit, it’s really great when students from different parts of campus decide to join ASUCD, because it increases our visibility and level of participation from the greater student body,” Sagala said.

Voting begins Feb. 19 at elections.ucdavis.edu and ends on Feb. 22. Voting is open to all undergraduate students. Election results will be announced Feb. 27.

— Stephanie B. Nguyen

Aggies drop 77-64 battle at Pacific

Sports Editor

February 4, 2013

Whether it was a defensive letdown or a lack of depth on the bench, the Aggies faltered down the stretch and lost to conference rival Pacific. The road game tested UC Davis’ physical strength. Pacific is stacked with size and boasts a roster full of shooters.

The Aggies were without starting guard Corey Hawkins, but junior Josh Ritchart stepped up to fill the void of leading shooter. Ritchart’s been a threat from all over the court this season, but he was on fire against Pacific.

Ritchart banked five three-pointers as well as a field goal and he went 5-7 from the free throw line to score a season-high 22 points.

UC Davis started the game by falling into a 12-point deficit, but they managed to come back and pull together a 19-9 point run of their own. At the end of the half the Aggies were trailing the Tigers by a mere four points.

As usual, UC Davis left the tunnel with some added fire. Coach Les’ halftime speeches certainly seem to be giving them the energy they need to start trimming away at the deficit.

Junior Tyler Les immediately sank a three from beyond the arc to trim the deficit to a one-point margin.

The teams continued to trade baskets, but sophomore J.T. Adenrele muscled his way to the hoop to even things at 41-41.

The Tigers took a timeout to regroup and proceeded to go on another 9-1 scoring run before building a 12-point lead with just eight minutes left in the game.

The Aggies continued to chip away at the lead. Ritchart’s points were supplemented by junior Ryan Sypkens, who continues to amaze from the three-point perimeter. Ritchart’s last three-pointer allowed the Aggies to pull within six points with just under five minutes remaining.

UC Davis has repeatedly struggled to close out games this season, and Saturday night was no exception. The Aggies had no match for the Tigers’ Lorenzo McCloud, who continuously thwarted any attempts to even the score.

Pacific pulled away at the finish and closed the game with a 77-64 victory.

While it was disappointing for UC Davis, the loss is understandable. Pacific is one of the top teams in the conference, and they were backed with plenty of home field support.

It also did not help that sophomore Corey Hawkins did not dress for the game. Hawkins was injured in UC Davis’ home-game win against UC Riverside and has not dressed since.

Despite playing without their leading scorer, the Aggie offense did not struggle to produce. Led by Ritchart, Sypkens and Adenrele also broke into the double-digit margin for points. Junior Tyler Les and seniors Paolo Mancasola and Ryan Howley also scored for UC Davis.

The loss drops the Aggies to 8-12 on the season and 4-5 in conference play. While it is not ideal, they are still positioned sixth overall and still have a chance to make the Big West Conference tournament if they can find a few more wins this year.

A lot of that will depend on whether they can get Hawkins back, or if they can find the bench talent to compensate. Head coach Jim Les noticed how the late game let-downs seem to stem from a lack of experience in his young roster.

“I thought our lack of depth tonight coming down the stretch [was a factor]. This was a physical game and I thought some guys wore down as the game went on,” Les said. “I thought they battled and really worked hard, but give credit to Pacific. They’re playing pretty well and are a pretty tough out here.”

UC Davis is facing another tough week on the road, with games against UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly. There is no word on whether Hawkins will be joining his teammates on the court, but hopefully the Aggies will be able to muster the energy to keep their defense strong throughout the game.

KIM CARR can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

News in Brief: Yolo Superior Court looking for jurors

City News

City Editor

February 4, 2013

Applications for the 2013-14 Yolo County Grand Jury are now being accepted. Juror qualifications can be found at yolocounty.org.

Each year, the Yolo Superior Court impanels 19 jurors. The grand jury reviews the operations of the city and county government, other tax-supported agencies and special districts. The jury publishes its reviews and recommends ways to improve quality and effectiveness of the local government.

The term of service is from July 1 to June 30. The average time commitment is 25 to 40 hours a month. The grand jury meets twice per month in the evening.

The jurors are reimbursed $15 per day of attendance and 55 cents per mile round trip from their home to the meeting location.

Two training sessions will occur before the new term begins. All applications must be submitted before Feb. 14 to the Yolo Superior Court.

— Claire Tan

UC Davis women’s basketball splits weekend games

Sports Editor

February 4, 2013

The UC Davis women’s basketball team had quite an up-and-down weekend of games. The Aggies took down the then-fourth place team in the conference, but dropped a tough contest to the last place UC Irvine.

The game against Long Beach State featured teams that had both won their two most recent games, and it turned out to be a back-and-forth game until the end.

After taking down the 49ers on Thursday — a confidence booster, no doubt — UC Davis came out flat against UC Irvine and lost by a 13-point margin.

With the split weekend, UC Davis moves to 9-11 with a 4-5 record in the Big West Conference.

Thursday — UC Davis 68, Long Beach State 62

Coming off two road wins, the Aggies brought the momentum back home to the Pavilion on Thursday when they took down Long Beach State.

The 49ers brought a 4-3 conference record into the game, but the Aggies clawed their way to a victory.

The two teams battled for the duration of the game, which consisted of 15 lead changes and 12 different instances in which the game was tied.

UC Davis went into the half down one point 35-34, but limited LBSU to 27 second-half points. While shutting down the 49ers, UC Davis put up an identical number to their first half to round out the 68-62 victory.

The teams battled back and forth until freshman Alyson Doherty made a layup with 1:41 left in the game, giving the Aggies a lead that they held onto for the remaining time.

Sophomore Sydnee Fipps dropped a career-high 29 points, which included a perfect six-for-six from the free-throw line. Supplementing Fipps was senior Cortney French’s shot from the outside. French drained five three-pointers and put away both of her free-throw attempts.
Saturday — UC Irvine 70, UC Davis 57

French had the hot hand for UC Davis in Saturday’s game against the Anteaters, but it wasn’t enough to lift the Aggies to victory over the last place team in the Big West.

Despite French’s 20 points, a product of a career-high six long-range buckets, the Aggies couldn’t do much else to find the basket. Fipps had a particularly cold night, only managing three points in her 29 minutes of play.

Unfortunately for UC Davis, they fell behind early and never recovered. The game stood at 11-0 until French knocked down a three-pointer over six minutes into the game. The Aggies battled back and came within five at halftime when the score stood at 30-25, but the relentless UC Irvine team kept the UC Davis shooters at bay.

Across the board, UC Davis shot 31.5 percent.

One highlight for UC Davis was freshman Molly Greubel’s 12 points, which gave her 22 points over the two weekend games. Greubel went 6-7 from the charity stripe and had 22 consecutive free-throws before missing one against the Anteaters.

French brought her weekend total to 37 with her big performance on Saturday.

The win was the first Big West conference victory for the Anteaters, who now stand at 5-16 overall with a 1-8 league record.

The Aggies, after winning three conference games in a row, dropped the decision to UC Irvine. UC Davis’ 4-5 record puts it tied for sixth place with the 49ers.

UC Davis will continue its four-game home stand this week, as it hosts UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.

MATTHEW YUEN can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

ASUCD senate bill introduced to create international student committee

Campus Editor

February 4, 2013

An ASUCD senate bill has been authored that would create a special committee with the purpose of promoting culture, education, hospitality and leadership of international undergraduate students.

The bill was authored by second-year computer science major and UC Davis international student Shehzad Lokhandwalla, who is also a member of the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Advisory Board; Edward Yoo, student activities official and ASUCD President Rebecca Sterling.

The goal of the bill is to represent the opinions and concerns of international undergraduate students in order to accommodate their needs.

If the bill passes, this special committee will be known as the International Undergraduate Student Committee.

“The chancellor plans on getting more international students by 2020, but we must ask ourselves whether the campus is prepared. Often international students are lost when they first move to the United States … This newly formed committee basically tells the campus that ASUCD cares for international students,” Lokhandwalla said.

While Davis’ International House and the Campus Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS) currently exist as resources to international students, Lokhandwalla said that international students still struggle to find the materials and resources that they need in order to be successful, both academically and socially.

Moira Delgado, International Students Club advisor and SISS outreach coordinator, said that students, staff, faculty and administrators need to do more to make the campus more accommodating to international students.

“Sometimes both staff and faculty need to understand a little bit better about language and cultural differences when students come here. [But] I think there’s a really good climate for the most part,” Delgado said.

According to the bill, UC Davis had a student population of 25,096 undergraduates in the 2011-12 academic year, and of those students, approximately 1,800 students were international students from over 100 different countries.

Ken Burtis, genetics professor and faculty advisor to the chancellor and provost, has authored a 2020 initiative report which, among many functions, aims to increase the influx of international students on campus.

Burtis pointed out that increasing the number of international students on campus could contribute to financial and campus growth, as international students pay higher tuition than students from California.

In addition, Burtis said that integrating international students into the campus community will have a positive impact on both national and international students.

“We want to create a welcoming environment for [international] students and we’re going to need the help of California students to do that. And that is sort of a benefit in both directions … Having some close friends from Sri Lanka and Korea would benefit your development as a student,” Burtis said. “If we don’t have interactions between students, then that internationalization potential benefit is not realized. [In] the other way, there’s a huge benefit for [international] students. The fastest way to develop your English language skills and cultural education is to have those interactions. It’s really important.”

According to Lokhandwalla, it is his hope that this bill will enable international students to be more involved in ASUCD, allow the voices of international students to be heard and contribute to awareness of international students on campus.

The bill is currently being seen by ASUCD commissions before it reaches the senate table.

JESSICA GRILLI can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Staff, administrators participate in Mrak Gives Back

Campus News

Campus Editor

February 4, 2013

The Pantry celebrated a recent food drive that started this quarter in Mrak Hall on Tuesday.

The Mrak Gives Back food drive attracted donations from the staff and administrators in Mrak Hall to help students on campus who struggle to afford basic necessities, including food and toiletries.

The donations went to The Pantry, an on-campus food bank organized by students to help other students.

The mission of The Pantry is to aid financially disadvantaged students in accessing food and basic necessities, as stated on the organization’s website.
“We hope that this goes to the broader campus community and challenges the rest of the community to support us too,” said Artem Trotsyuk, student assistant to the chancellor, who initiated the recent food drive.

Trotsyuk worked in collaboration with Rich Shintaku, assistant to the vice chancellor of Student Affairs, in organizing Mrak Gives Back.

Trotsyuk said the goal was to engage students, staff and administrators in community service on campus. Most of the donations from Mrak Gives Back were from staff and administrators who work at Mrak Hall.

“This past year we’ve definitely seen an increase in drives that departments are hosting,” said Quincy Kayton, director of The Pantry.

According to Kayton, the Financial Aid Office at Dutton Hall and the Asian American Studies Department have organized food drives for The Pantry as well.
Kayton added that Mrak Gives Back was the biggest campus food drive The Pantry has hosted and the first one at Mrak Hall.

Ralph J. Hexter, provost and executive vice chancellor, also helped to establish the food drive and attract support for the program.

“The need is every week … We were talking about how important it is to let people know that this organization exists,” Hexter said.

Currently, there are approximately 200 users per week at The Pantry, Kayton said. During high peak, the organization has received up to 500 students in one week.

The food drive collected popular items, including tuna, chicken, peanut butter, soups with meat, pasta, cereal and toilet paper.
Hexter said he is inspired by the student initiative.

“The ingenuity, creativity and generosity of our students in knowing how to help students in need really move me. And it really inspires everyone — faculty, staff and administrators — to help students help other students,” he said.

The Pantry is located in the basement of Freeborn Hall, Room 21, and is open Monday through Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. and Monday through Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. Students may take up to three items per day from The Pantry by presenting their student ID.

More information about The Pantry can be found at thepantry.ucdavis.edu.

KELLEY DRECHSLER can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

Month of January sees rise in burglaries in Davis

City Editor

February 4, 2013

The Davis Police Department (DPD) has reported an influx of burglaries in the past month.

From Jan. 1 to 9, DPD reported eight residential burglaries. The increase in burglaries continued throughout January. On Jan. 24, the Davis Police reported a total of 21 burglaries had taken place in the past two weeks.

The suspects have been stealing laptops, computers, jewelry, purses, electronics and gaming systems.

“These numbers aren’t something that we would expect [to be] out of [the] ordinary. Some people are away for the holidays,” said Lt. Glenn Glasgow of the DPD. “So people are gone for one or two days when they report, but anytime we have these numbers it raises a red flag, especially with the pattern of unlocked residences and windows. We always try to get the word out.”

Glasgow said that burglaries usually increase in line with UC Davis’ finals week as well as the holidays. Students tend to be more forgetful about safety precautions during finals week and burglars take advantage of this. They also take advantage of the holiday breaks when many people are on vacation.

An abnormal amount of the recent burglaries have occurred while a resident is present at home. This type of burglary is classified as a cat burglary. One specific burglary took place after the resident’s doorbell rang, and the resident only noticed that the burglar had been in his home after finding a window screen had been removed.

“The first step is to safeguard yourself and anyone else in that house. Possibly lock yourself in your room and call 911,” Glasgow said in reference to cat burglaries. “We don’t advocate confronting the person because we don’t know who it is and whether they are armed. So we always say stay sheltered in a locked room.”

Out of the 21 burglaries that have occurred, 10 were in West Davis, four were in Central Davis, two were in East Davis and five were in South Davis.

“Lock your doors and windows, especially when you’re away from home and you’re sleeping. Make sure shrubbery around your house is trimmed so that no burglar can get through the windows,” Glasgow said. “Also, just make sure the doors and locks are in good order. If someone rings your doorbell, acknowledge the person is outside so they know someone is home.”

A few other preventative measures and tips that the DPD recommends are to make sure all windows, doors, garages and side gates are locked when not being used. They suggest locking doors while at home.

The DPD stressed that a large amount of burglaries due to unlocked entry points are still occurring.

The Davis Police encourage residents to be wary of suspicious activities, such as a person walking or driving in your neighborhood at very slow speeds for a long period of time. They advise to call in if something does not feel or look right.

Many students and residents are not as aware of the number of burglaries as they should be due to Davis’ supposedly safe reputation.

“I feel safe here because I can go out at night and feel safe even if I’m alone, partly because of the reputation and the community,” said Lela Schwartz, a first-year international relations major.

Although Davis is known as a relatively safe place, keeping cautious at all times is important.

“If you’re walking, it’s best to walk in pairs and be aware of your surroundings. People will be picking people that aren’t paying attention,” said Lt. Don Malloy of the UC Davis Police Department. “If you’re making eye contact with someone, it will make someone less likely to do something.”

KAMILA KUDELSKA can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Decommodifying education

Opinion

Opinion

February 4, 2013

Last quarter, I raised my hand in class and respectfully told my teacher that I thought what he had just said was bullshit.

The dormant class awakened with a burst of laughter, and my good-natured professor smiled before opening the floor. He invited a discussion that interrupted class and offered students a respite from the rather dry lecture format he normally used. The class discussion that spun off my remark engaged more students than I had seen all quarter and elicited verbal participation from many students who normally remained silent. We were learning from discussion, rather than passively listening.

What were university classes like before PowerPoint? I can hardly muster a scenario in my mind, because the teaching tool is so ubiquitous. You mean, professors had to write on chalkboards? Professors had to speak engagingly to hold our attention? PowerPoint no doubt has its benefits, but it is embarrassing when a professor reads slides off a PowerPoint presentation in a way that would surely earn me a C in any class if I were being graded.

Not all professors suffer from this sort of incompetence, thank gosh, but even the best ones are limited by the lecture format. You’d think the way we were taught was designed by economists.

If we, the students, are investors, then the University is our bank. We invest our time, money and intellectual trust into this bank, expecting a decent return on our investments at the end of our four (or five) years. The professors, in the scenario, are like the tellers who hold access to such assets. So, we arrive at class, sit down and try to passively absorb their knowledge.

And, what’s better? In many classes (say, nearly any introductory course at UC Davis), we are only expected to memorize and regurgitate this information on a multiple-choice exam. Sounds like an awfully easy way to gain knowledge. But that’s just it. It is easy, because we don’t actually learn.

In economic terms, I believe this would be called fraud. We are faithfully investing ourselves and our future in this educational system, and we are not obtaining the return we’ve been promised. Every single one of my classes should be well-organized, high-quality and educational, and I’ve experienced far too many that fail to meet this criteria.

Last fall, students protested the exorbitant rise in student fees without a proportional increase in educational quality and services. After the pepper spray incident, the focus of these protests shifted away from educational critique. Let’s return to the original spirit of these protests and tell our university what we want.

Every student should feel comfortable speaking out to professors or administration on the ways we’d like to see our education improved, because we have every right to. If the University is going to treat us like customers, then we should demand a better-quality product. But, here, even my own rhetoric on this issue is disturbing.

My own language is reflecting how we’ve come to view our educational system through an economic framework. There is not only a crisis in the quality of education, but also in the method of which it is being delivered. What are the inherent issues with viewing education as a market? If education is commodified, then those who can afford to pay the most will receive the highest-quality education. Oops. That sounds vaguely familiar.

If we all agree that roughly $55,000 in tuition for a four-year education at UC Davis is expensive, then I need not argue that $165,000 in tuition for a four-year education at Stanford is abusively outrageous. I will not argue that private schools are across the board better than public schools, but they are definitely trying to be. Most private schools are already cost-prohibitive to the average student and the more tuition increases at public schools (the supposedly affordable option), the more inaccessible education becomes.

And here we reach an impassable philosophical debate. Should education be available to everyone? The obvious answer to me is yes, of course! But there are others who outrightly argue that no, only a certain percent of our population should obtain some degree of higher education. Our current educational system reflects the values that education is not a right, but a privilege.

Our educational system is mistaken. A high-quality education is a right for every person. If you agree with me, support the efforts of protesters who defend education. If you agree with me, speak up in class and demand it be so.

To tell ELLI PEARSON about the times you’ve called out your professors on bullshit, email her at erpearson@ucdavis.edu.

Breaking Badly

Opinion

Opinion

February 4, 2013

I have looked into Hell and its name is crystal meth.

Over Fall Quarter, I busted down four and a half seasons of “Breaking Bad” on Netflix. I peaked at around three to four episodes per day — it’s just SUCH a good show. I simply could not have enough … and the suspense of waiting for the rest of the fifth season is keeping me awake at night.

“Breaking Bad,” as many of you almost undoubtedly already know, follows the tale of an under-respected high school chemistry teacher, Walter White, who, upon finding out that he has what may very well be terminal cancer, selflessly turns to a life of crime — the production of crystal meth — in order to support his financially woe-begotten family — his wife, Skyler; his son, Walter Jr. and his newborn baby daughter, Holly.

As the chemotherapy bills slowly become more manageable and the future of Walter’s family becomes more financially secure (baby Holly will need a college education eventually) the backstory of Walter’s life is slowly flushed out amidst countless botched drug deals in Walt’s gradual ascension to meth kingpin.

The alleged betrayal of a previous female lover — a betrayal that Walt cannot ever forgive — put Walt from being a successful co-owner of a burgeoning neuroscience company named Gray Matter to an underappreciated chemistry teacher slowly waiting to die. This lover is now married to Walt’s previous male business partner at Gray Matter.

Oh, Lord, what countless travesties have men wreaked upon their futures because they were unable to forgive themselves and their past lovers for loves that are no more?

The production of crystallized methamphetamine provides Walt’s brilliance a new outlet to shine now that his insurmountable pride has kept him from his past life. An uncanny amount of luck — or intelligence, perhaps — keeps Walt from death as he consolidates a gigantic meth empire under his rule and his rule alone.

And the question that remains to be addressed is the status of Walt’s family. Skyler is impossibly difficult for Walt — and me, personally, as a viewer — to deal with on any level. How much easier would Walt’s life be were he to not have to consider her feelings? How much easier would it be for Walt to produce meth if he was able to use his tremendous mind to manipulate absolutely everyone close to him into doing exactly what he wants them to?

Walt has the maturity level of a sophomoric 15-year-old. The quality of a man is found not in his unadulterated brilliance or his unadulterated passion. The quality of a man is found in his ability to moderate and negotiate between those around him who do not share the same goals as him.

It can be easy as a viewer to dismiss Skyler as an adulterous, naggy burden upon the very, very interesting protagonist of our show in the same ways that our society’s technological progression dismisses the environment as being superfluous. Yet what is the ultimate point of your meth empire consolidation, Walter White, if not to help your family? In the same vein, what is the ultimate point of all of your technological progress, society of 2013?

I’m getting carried away with myself — both technological progress and Walter White’s meth production both do accomplish a tremendous amount for those that they seek to help. Children do not ask the question, “do the ends justify the means,” whereas adults are at least conscious that such a question exists, regardless of whether they can answer it or not.

Walter White, you are not a man.

I have looked into Hell and its name is crystal meth.

MICHAEL FIGLOCK is not doing any blue meth until the conclusion of season five. He can be reached at mpfiglock@ucdavis.edu.

Review: Zero Dark Thirty

Uncategorized

The California Aggie

February 3, 2013

The film begins with a small heading on a black screen, “September 11, 2001.” Slowly, we hear hauntingly familiar audio transmissions wash over the dark theater. Desperate employees call from inside the towers, bewildered police dispatchers giving false reassurance, air traffic controllers and news reporters all struggle to make sense of an unfolding situation.

This is a gripping moment, and the audience feels prepared to enter a harrowing and controversial account of recent history. While ZD30 has some success in this area, particularly with a strong central performance by Jessica Chastain as the composite character Maya, much of the material feels like another murky 21st century American war thriller.

Once again, our nation is grittily portrayed as more embittered, more uncertain than we were before 9/11, but with a typical approach to intelligence strategies that resembles an angry tennis match (inter-departmental feuds, reactive instead of proactive thinking) more than a patient chess game. Maya’s character brings a more quiet, intelligent determination to the story, offering a unique twist to the pattern, and becomes the primary interest of the film.

The bulk of the plot follows Maya through a string of events leading up to 2011, showing some of the the breakthroughs, setbacks and tragedies that occurred throughout the decade-long Bin-Laden investigation. Many of the revealed details stick with the viewer (assassination attempts on CIA personnel, the agency’s purchase of a Lamborghini for a Saudi prince to gain information, the infamous scenes of U.S torture methods), but after awhile the enigmatic (sometimes flat) characters and their tersely delivered, unrevealing dialogue begins to wear on the viewer.

When the conclusion arrives, the viewer is immediately drawn back into the story; in the heavily detailed recreation of Operation Neptune Spear (the actual raid on Bin Laden’s Pakistani compound), there is a sense of being in immediate proximity to a defining historical moment, which the earlier portion of the film didn’t quite achieve. There is little dialogue except for the professional jargon of the Navy SEAL’s, and the sensorial features (the sound of stealth helicopters, locks being blown open) contribute greatly to the realistic impact of the experience.

One almost feels as if these final scenes could stand on their own as a short film. The one factor that ties this intense dramatization to the preceding plot is the presence of Maya at the end, confirming the kill, and coming to terms with the completion of a decade of her life’s work. It is her performance in the final shots of the film that allow ZD30 to stand as a whole.

Rating: 3 ½ out of 5 stars

ANDREW RUSSELL can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

‘mbv’ is pbd: Pioneering rock band’s first album in 21 years is superb

Uncategorized

The California Aggie

February 3, 2013

My Bloody Valentine released their second album, Loveless, on the same day my roommate was born.

In the same amount of time it takes someone to go from the womb to college graduation, My Bloody Valentine has been working on their third album, m b v, which was surprise-released on their website last weekend. Guitarist and producer Kevin Shields’s perfectionism paid off, because m b v is absolutely incredible.

Full disclosure: I’m a huge My Bloody Valentine fan, to the point where I had a You Made Me Realise shirt imported from England. Loveless is one of my all time favorite albums.

The first half of m b v consists of tracks that pack the same wall of reverberated guitars, drums and vocals that makes Loveless so appealing. The song “Who Sees You” literally could be an outtake from the Loveless sessions.

The second half is much harder to pin down sonically, as the band incorporates electronic influences in the sound. “New You” is a lower-tempo number dominated by hazy female vocals from guitarist Bilinda Butcher as well as a hypnotic and distorted bass line.

The remaining songs on the album are much faster paced, with the concluding song “Wonder 2” having its harsh instrumentation literally fade into what sounds like a jet engine around a relentless drum line.

If the album has any problem, it’s that it is overpriced at 16 dollars for only nine songs. However, it’s impossible to be angry when those nine songs are incredible.

It’s not uncommon for a band to disappear for 20 years only to return with a hastily recorded album reminiscent of their earlier and better work. It’s far more rare for the band to return with a great album that incorporates artistic development while retaining their signature sound. I hope My Bloody Valentine will record more music soon, because I can’t wait to hear it.
m b v is currently only available digitally from My Bloody Valentine’s website, mybloodyvalentine.org.

FOR FANS OF: Music
RATING: 5/5

JOHN KESLER can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

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