Humboldt State University students unsure how to feel about visiting football team
In a campus wide email sent out on Oct. 1, Humboldt State University informed the student body that the San Jose State University’s football team, the Spartans, would be staying on campus to train for their upcoming 2020 season.
The Spartans are currently unable to practice at their own stadium due to a combination of stadium construction and COVID-19 regulations within Santa Clara County that prevent the practice of contact sports for reduced infection.
The email stated that “approximately 141 players, coaches, and staff will stay in HSU residence halls that have previously been unused this semester. The halls are separate from anywhere that HSU students are currently living on campus,” with students on campus stating that they were staying at the Redwood Hall dorms.
SJSU has pledged to cover the costs of the used athletic facilities, housing and testing for the team. HSU emphasized the separation of the team from students, stating that contact with students will be minimal.
HSU students are still coming to terms with the news. Hours after the initial email, students are reacting with mixed opinions and fears of future California State University’s coming to Humboldt.
Kezia Letzin, a zoology major, and Nastya Yudinova, an exercise science grad student, welcomed the news. Hoping the SJSU football team can bring a sense of community during these tough times.
“Honestly, I don’t care,” Yudinova said. “If we’re not using the field, ‘why not help them?’ It’s nice to know that we are still a community.”
Letzin also agreed, saying the field went largely unused due to the current pandemic and it made sense to allow another team to utilize it.
Freddie Rosen, another zoology major, and Nicole Vazquez, a studio art major, and Melania Guillen, a film major, were less than pleased with the news. Rosen believes it was a terrible idea, already finding fault in HSU’s claim the football team would be held separately and away from students.
“It isn’t fair that they are using facilities that we don’t even have access to,” Rosen said. “They said that they were going to be away from students, when they are in Redwood Hall, which is where everybody is.”
For Velazquez, the main issue surrounded the lack of transparency from HSU administration, something she thought students should have had a say in.
“It was sprung upon us so suddenly,” Velasquez said. “I know that it’s not our decision as students, but we paid money to go here and this wasn’t in the plan.”
Guillen felt the administration is unfairly treating HSU students by prioritizing another school and their athletics before their students.
“It’s kinda unfair,” said Guillen. “We are all up here doing our best, and it’s unfair to see another school come onto our campus and be prioritized in a way that we could.”
HSU has stated that the initial plan is to host the team for one week, but without concrete certainty on a scheduled timeline, the team’s stay could be longer.
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