The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Category: News

  • How neutral are the gender neutral restrooms?

    How neutral are the gender neutral restrooms?

    Critical race, gender and sexuality studies majors have the daunting task of climbing to the top of the Behavioral & Social Sciences building. This is a battle most Humboldt State students know too well.

    Anybody who has made the hike up would hope there is a place for them at the top to relieve themselves, regardless of their gender identity.

    However, the BSS building has been left out of the loop when it comes to gender-neutral bathrooms on our campus.

    For students who don’t feel comfortable using the gendered restrooms, the closest one to the BSS is in the CCAT building, which is not very close.

    “It is not possible for students to have to go across campus between classes and still be on time,” HSU professor Loren Cannon said.

    Cannon’s office is on the fifth floor of BSS. He was confused as to why there was not one gender-neutral bathroom in the building.

    “There are at least four bathrooms on every floor. I don’t think it would be very difficult for the school to put one here,” Cannon said.

    The BSS building is not the only building on campus to lack a gender-neutral bathroom. The library, forestry and natural resources buildings have also been left out.

    However, the BSS is home to HSU’s critical race, gender and sexuality studies department located on the third floor.

    Many alumni from this department were in favor of bringing gender-neutral bathrooms to our campus in the first place. If these existed, the gender studies department would be able to accommodate those of all genders comfortably.

    Bridget Santana is a student majoring in CRGS. She doesn’t like how HSU’s CRGS department advocates for inclusion, yet does not have a gender-neutral bathroom in the department’s building.

    “It’s as if we keep trying to make some moves, but end up just speaking about it without creating action,” Santana said.

    Elizabeth Whitchurch of facilities management explains why this is the case.

    “The single unit bathrooms have always been part of our campus,” Whitchurch said. “They just weren’t specifically labeled.”

    Whitchurch said there were recent talks of opening a “test” multi-unit gender-neutral bathroom, but that project has not moved forward.

    “I honestly think this is kind of contradicting for the CRGS department, since we advocate about these situations and how we should be inclusive towards non-binary and non-gender specific people,” Santana said.

  • Valentine’s Day gifts for a good cause

    Valentine’s Day gifts for a good cause

    Anyone stressed about Valentine’s Day has a last-minute chance this weekend to find that perfect something for that perfect someone while supporting a good cause. The Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship will be holding Hearts Together, a Valentine’s Day-themed event and auction from 4 to 8 p.m on Feb. 10.

    Event coordinator Edie Jessup says all the funds raised from this event will go towards Humboldt Unitarian, a congregation that is dedicated to helping others.

    “We do a lot of community work,” Jessup said. “We’re very social justice-oriented. ”

    Humboldt Unitarian donates to one local non-profit each month. These have included Food for People, Planned Parenthood, Humboldt Edge, Betty Chinn and Arcata House. In addition to their help with non-profits, the Fellowship is also a sanctuary congregation.

    “We are available for families in threat of deportation,” Jessup said. “Because we are a church, police are less likely to interfere.”

    Front entrance of Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Bayside, Feb. 7. Humboldt UU Fellowship is hosting their annual auction fundraiser on Feb. 10 from 4-8 p.m. Photo by Matthew Hable.

    For a suggested donation of $10, attendees can help and have a good time.

    The price includes all-you-can eat soup, bread and dessert. In addition, there will be beer and wine available for purchase, a Valentine’s gift store and both a silent and live auction. This is the first year the event will feature a live auction, hosted by local actor, Mack Owen.

    All of the items were donated by local businesses or individuals and will include dinners, nature outings, collectable items, classes, art and more.

    Free childcare services are offered during the event for those who reserve ahead of time.

    Jessup says they try to keep this event affordable so that all members of the community, including families and students, can attend.

    “We’re really welcome to HSU students,” Jessup said. “This might be fun for them.”

    For more information, contact Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (707) 822-3793 or by email office@huuf.org

    Or visit the event Facebook page for Hearts Together Auction

    Childcare can be reserved with Jen at jkw23@humboldt.edu or (707) 668-1848

  • Laundry machines on campus that rarely work

    Laundry machines on campus that rarely work

    When it comes to the Humboldt State University campus laundry rooms, students are never surprised when they spot an “Out of Service” sign on one of the machines.

    HSU senior Robert Matthews is accustomed to seeing that sign when he walks into the laundry room.

    “I’m never really surprised to see at least one or two machines that are broken down when I’m doing laundry,” Matthews said. “It does get annoying to have a machine that is broken down, and all you can do is call the company in order to have it fixed. Even if you call them, it would take a long time for the machines to be fixed.”

    Many students who live on campus are irritated when they cannot do laundry due to broken machines. This is especially annoying when on-campus laundry rooms have limited machines that need to serve over 2,000 students who live on campus.

    Stephen St. Onge, the Housing & Residence Life director, explains why the laundry machines stay broken for a long time.

    “The company that we bought the machines was from a company called Wash, which is located in San Francisco,” St. Onge said. “When a machine would break down, we would call the company to send someone down to fix the machine… but sometimes it would take awhile for someone to come down here at Humboldt.”

    According to St. Onge, the contract with Wash ended this year.

    “With the contract ending with Wash, the school now owns all the washing and drying machines on campus,” St. Onge said. “What this allows us to do is to self-service the machines ourselves. Students will eventually notice the improvements in laundry machine maintenance in the future.”

    St. Onge also expressed plans to make washing and drying free for students living on campus in the future.

     

  • Local taxicabs welcome Uber challenge

    Local taxicabs welcome Uber challenge

    Since its recent availability in Humboldt County, Uber has become an increasingly popular alternative to taking taxis. Although the San Francisco based company may provide some serious competition, the local cab companies don’t seem worried about it yet.

    William Startare, 31, is a Eureka resident and the grandson of William Startare, who started City Cab Company. The Eureka based cab company is now owned by his uncles.

    Startare is loyal to the family-owned company, but admits he uses both City Cab and Uber. He believes they both have their advantages. Startare says the Uber app is more user-friendly for younger people.

    “It’s modern,” Startare said. “It’s the way we need information to be presented to us.”

    One disadvantage to Uber, however, is it is not always available. On the other hand, Startare says City Cab might take longer, but they will always show up.

    “Two days ago at 3:30 in the morning, I tried to get an Uber and there was none,” Startare said. “I called City Cab and they said 10 minutes.”

    Jose Zaragoza, 34, was born in Mexico and has lived in Humboldt since he was six. Zaragoza has been driving for Uber for about seven months and is happy the service now exists in Humboldt.

    With a wife, two children and a third on the way, Zaragoza says money from his primary job at Costco is not always enough. Driving for Uber helps him supplement his income without a time commitment.

    “This is a job where you can pick your own hours,” Zaragoza said. “It brings extra income to the table. It helps.”

    Zaragoza says lower rates, cleaner vehicles and the convenience of the app make Uber the better choice for customers.

    “You can see where I am, where I’m going and how far I am from you,” Zaragoza said. “It’s all done with the simple touch of a button.”

    Cedric Pearl, the owner of Plaza Cab, says Uber has not caused his company to take a hit financially so far. He believes the availability and consistency of rates make taxis a preferable choice for some customers.

    “Their rates fluctuate based on demand,” Pearl said. “Our rates never change. You can call a taxi on New Year’s Eve and the price is the same as always.”

    Another advantage of a taxi company is they are required to have commercial insurance, and drivers are required to undergo federal scan background checks and drug tests.

    Despite some disadvantages Pearl sees with Uber, he is not opposed to people using the competition.

    “Anything that keeps drunk drivers off the road is ok with me,” Pearl said.

  • Man on Street: The McKinley statue

    Man on Street: The McKinley statue

    Humboldt State University students were asked a single question regarding a controversy surrounding the Arcata community: the presence of the McKinley statue.

    The results were rather polarizing:

    Video by Garrett Goodnight.
  • Spirits of Kerr Tower

    Spirits of Kerr Tower

    Spirits are people, not ghosts.

    The Kerr Tower room is the hidden third floor of Founders Hall at Humboldt State University. According to a Feb. 4, 1971 news release, the Kerr family is from Maple Creek in Humboldt County. They donated $8,000 to HSU for the completion of the tower and the installation of a meditation and prayer room.

    An HSU press release from Oct. 19, 1971 said that the Kerr Tower room in Founders Hall was completed as a spiritual sanctuary, a place of prayer and small gathering place.

    Hal Greer is an oceanography professor at HSU and graduated from HSU in the early seventies. Greer remembers going up there to meditate and feeling the warmth and solitude taking away the pressures of graduate school.

    “Twenty minutes of self-time in the comfort of a nice and quiet place replenished the energy required to keep up on my course load,” Greer said. “Kerr Tower was a spiritually comforting, neutralizing place.”

    Jimmy Allen is another student from the seventies who utilized the tower.

    “I didn’t meditate there,” Allen said. “Sometimes I would lay down and often times a female would come and snuggle.”

    When Allen attended HSU, all of Founders Hall was left open. He and a friend took up residence in the open classrooms, which is where they lived during the spring semester of 1977.

    Describing the social climate on campus at the time, Allen remembers walking into a Neo-Nazi meeting in the Green and Gold room in Founders Hall. At the time, the Green and Gold room was a study hall and a meeting room. No one seemed to mind Allen, who is black. He sat down and remained there studying throughout the entire meeting while no one bothered him.

    Another person around campus who made use of the Kerr Tower room as a meditation place is Jesse Austin.

    “Whenever I seemed to go there, no one else ever came up,” Austin said.

    Austin’s wife Rita got him started in yoga and meditation in the tower room and sometimes they would bring candles up there.

    Austin remembers having a psychic ability as a child and upon entering college at the age of 15, his psychic ability disappeared. Upon the birth of his first child, a daughter, his psychic ability returned.

    Austin’s psychic power experiences in the Kerr Tower developed to become supernatural. He gives himself the title of Psychic Medium.

    One time, the Austin’s brought back all of the past presidents of HSU into Kerr Tower.

    The most memorable contacts with spirits were female professors from the original Humboldt Normal School, but one woman stood out. She lost her son over the cliff on Scenic Drive in Trinidad before there was a Highway 101.

    “This one spirit was upset, but positive and extremely helpful,” said Austin. “The spirit was oriented towards teachers and was not interested in students.”

    Austin emphasized the spirits were people, not ghosts, and she wanted HSU to reopen the tower room.

    “I would like to see Kerr Tower reopened someday,” Austin said.

    There is now a meditation room in the basement of the library. It is only open during lower floor business hours.

  • Emergency services respond to Humboldt State Library

    Emergency services respond to Humboldt State Library

    Video by Vincent Leavell.
  • Humboldt State University budget crisis

    Humboldt State University budget crisis

    Humboldt State University held an open budget forum on Feb. 2 to discuss the threatening budget situation that could put the university in a potential crisis.

    Shortly after the forum, HSU President Lisa Rossbacher sent a message to the campus community:

    “In short, HSU’s budget situation has worsened over the course of this year due primarily to ongoing deficit spending in some areas, unfunded increases in salary and benefits, a continued decline in enrollment and projections based on the recent state budget for 2018-19 proposed by the governor,” Rossbacher said.

    Rossbacher wanted students, faculty and staff to take away a few things from the budget forum.

    First, a sense of the position that we’re in and the history of how we got here. Rossbacher wanted to make clear that it’s not anyone’s fault. This crisis has been ongoing from decisions made 10 to 30 years ago.

    “I want people to understand the situation that we’re in, the importance of working as a community to address it and solve the problems now,” Rossbacher said. “All of us that were involved in the discussions and planning are acutely aware of the impact the decisions will have on people… employees, potentially on students.”

    “We’re trying to do this with care and compassion,” Rossbacher said.

    Beth Eschenbach is the chair of environmental resources and engineering. She doesn’t quite know how the budget cuts will affect her.

    “I think everybody is afraid of saying what they’re really going to do,” Eschenbach said. “What I fear, they keep telling the academic side to save money, but the only way to save money is to teach fewer classes.”

    Zack Pitnick, environmental studies major, is a senior at HSU. He was one of the three students that showed up to the budget forum.

    Pitnick decided to come to the forum after hearing about it from his environmental studies professor. Pitnick wanted more of a student input in the discussion.

    “There needs to be a lot more transparency and [student] involvement,” Pitnick said. “I think there still does need to be cuts to higher up faculty salary. If they are so focused on this budget deficit, that should be the first thing to start instead of the very last resort.”

    Alex Enyedi, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs for Humboldt State, described the financial crisis in a nutshell.

    “It’s a simple overspending of the budget, and the next steps are to identify and trim back where spending is too much,” Enyedi said. “For example, we’ve got certain areas where we’re deficit spending, so we need to stop the deficit spending and that will help us with our budget.”

    Enyedi went on to say the problem is solvable, but it’s going to take combined efforts to solve.

    “It’s not the students’ problem,” Enyedi said. “It’s the administration, the staff and faculty’s responsibility to figure this out and we’re on it. This is a high priority, [and] we don’t have sufficient reserved dollars to be able to keep on covering the deficit spending.”

     

  • Humboldt State now has a mobile app

    Humboldt State now has a mobile app

    You now can register for classes on the go without having to wait to get to a computer. With the new Humboldt State mobile app, you can access your student center anywhere. Students can not only register for classes through this new app, but they can also check their grades and financial aid status too.

    According to Bethany Rizzardi, chief information officer for ITS, the app has an annual cost of $50,000 and a one-time $25,000 initial setup and configuration fee.

    The app adopted several modules including the student center, library, campus news, course catalogue, events calendar and a new interactive map. All of this and much more is just a touch away.

    According to HSU Information Technology Services project coordinator, Billie Herman, ITS office did extensive research prior to implementing the mobile app. In this research, several mobile app vendors were reviewed.

    “There were two vendors selected out of that research project,” Herman said. “There was Modo Labs and Greyhaller.”

    The decision was then made to pick Modo Labs, a software company that creates mobile apps.

    “There are nine other CSUs that have followed the same model and are using the same vendor,” Herman said.

    This new HSU mobile app is free and available to anyone with a smartphone. You can download the app through the iPhone App Store or Android Google Play Store.

    According to Herman, there’s around 1,000 unique visitors to the app so far.

    Connor Callison is a HSU programmer who works on maintaining and developing the app. He created a new campus interactive map. The map can be found on the homepage of the app.

    The app was first presented to students in both software engineering and database design classes last fall. Students in those classes tested the app and provided feedback to the programmers.

    “[Computer science] students have pretty intricate knowledge of how apps works, [and] we figured they might be able to find some of the holes that we might have to deal with first,” Callison said. “They were our beta testers and we got some feedback from them that was helpful.”

    “ITS likes to reach out and work with the CS students as much as possible,” Herman said. “We love to have a bridge, students brings such vitality and that new perspective.”

    The launching of the app came as a part of an an initiative at ITS to make it easier for students to access campus services using their phones.

    “We are trying to make the business of being a student very easy,” Herman said. “It’s hard to be a student as it is and it’s very nice to be able to easily navigate through all the process and procedures that you have to go through.”

    The app is a work in progress. Programmers at ITS are still working to improve students’ mobile experience with the app. Users can send comments about the app by using the app feedback form found on the home page.

    “This is our first step into this arena and we’re going to continue to evolve this as we get more feedback,” Herman said. “Give us a year and that app is going to sing.”

     

  • Future housing developments for students in Arcata

    Future housing developments for students in Arcata

    As the busy students of Humboldt State University get back into the swing of things, some students are in the unfortunate situation of being homeless.

    While many think no actions have been taken, it is easy to notice the many construction projects that have popped up around town.

    The one closest to campus is located on Foster Avenue. These buildings are beginning to catch attention.

    According to Alyson Hunter, City of Arcata’s senior planner, this construction is part of a project known as the Sunset Terrace Apartments.

    “The city had known the developer’s plans for the site long before construction started,” Hunter said.

    Construction began in 2014 in several phases. The property developer, Kramer Investment Corp., posts pictures of the construction process on their website.

    It is going to be a 142-unit apartment complex consisting of solely one bedroom and one bathroom units.

    While Alex Hunt of Kramer Investment Corp. was unable to release more information, he said that the first phase was nearing completion.

    “We’ll have to coordinate with PG&E to finish the first phase,” Hunt said.

    At this point, rent prices are unknown, but residents of other properties managed by Kramer Investment Corp. say similar units go for around $700 per month.

    Recent HSU graduate Nathaniel Matteson had been homeless for three months last semester.

    “I was looking really hard and I could not find anything,” Matteson said. “It would have been really nice to have something like this as an option.”

    Future students of HSU may not have to worry about housing as much as students are today, as this project is not the only one in the area. On Feb. 13, a city council meeting will be held to discuss further steps on what is known as The Village Student Housing Project.

    According to City of Arcata’s website, it is proposed to house 800 beds specifically for students. It will be a multi-story complex at the end of I Street and St. Louis Road, which is across the freeway from campus.

    These projects could make housing a smaller problem than it is among the students at HSU. As for now, the eventual completion and opening of the Sunset Terrace Apartments will decide whether homeless students will have some relief of trying to find a place to live.

     

  • New Bachelor of Arts degree is coming to HSU

    New Bachelor of Arts degree is coming to HSU

    A new degree has resurged in the art department: the Bachelor of Fine Arts.

    The program is a cohort system of 24 students who want to focus on their studio artwork. The BFA program helps prepare students for a professional art career or graduate school.

    The first group of BFA students will be juniors this fall, and will graduate in spring 2020. Applications are due this spring on Feb. 28.

    Department chair of the HSU art history department Heather Madar says that this program has been in the making for a number of years.

    “So at this point we are about to look at our first round of applications and have our first cohort,” Madar said. “Yeah, this is our first one and this is really exciting.”

    The difference between the two degrees is the coursework. The BFA requires 70 units of art classes while the BA requires 54 units. With the BFA, students won’t have the ability to have a minor or a second major.

    “It is a pathway to a degree that really focused in a whole lot of depth on their studio artwork making,” Madar said. “The BFA is seen in the field as a slightly more professionalized degree, so it gives them an additional credential if that is something that makes sense for their future career plan.”

    Art major Ann Valdes has always put an importance on creativity. This year, Valdes is graduating without having the opportunity to be part of the BFA.

    “I guess it just sucks for people who are in the transition and is between HSU not having a BFA and having a BFA,” Valdes said. “But in the future, I guess people will get to choose what they want.”

    HSU students who are in their first two years can become part of the BFA degree by taking the required lower division coursework.

    “We are not requiring them to declare which of the areas they are in,” Madar said. “It is a general BFA program, but generally most of them do identify with their previous coursework, what areas they really want to focus on, like ceramics, for example.”

    Art major Kiya Rutherford enjoys making functional art, but likes painting things for an aesthetic reason – it allows her to express certain ideas.

    “I think it’s pretty important, because I know a lot of people look for art programs,” Rutherford said, “but only go to certain schools if they have a Bachelor of Fine Arts rather than just art. I think it helps with grad school, too.”

    Art major Kiya Rutherford working in the ceramics lab on Feb. 2. Photo by Bailey Tennery.

    Valdes sees the BFA degree as an overdue improvement to Humboldt State’s art department.

    “I think for the school to have a BFA is amazing,” Valdes said. “It makes HSU way more competitive.”

    The tenured faculty will be involved in reviewing student applications. After reviewing the applications, they will have a meeting to decide who will be accepted.

    Valdes considers the BFA degree as a positive addition to HSU, but it wasn’t the right program for her.

    “Having a BA doesn’t mean you can’t be a fine artist, so it is a decision you have to make pretty early on,” said Valdes. “I feel like for me, that wasn’t really the best idea at the time, but I think it is great for people in the future, and that is great for HSU to have.”

    The Feb. 28 application deadline was put together by Madar and the Office of Admissions to make it easier for transfer students to apply to the BFA program.

    “This is not a better degree,” Madar said. “It is just a different degree and for different students, depending on what they are wanting to do with their college career.”

     

     

  • Unclaimed property goes to auction

    Unclaimed property goes to auction

    Objects get set down, forgotten and lost. Owners search high and low, their heads turn from side to side, frantically tracking down their lost objects. All lost and found items eventually end up in the University Police Department.

    UPD evidence technician Zan Mendonca uses an ongoing online auction website called Property Room to sell the unclaimed property after being held for a period of three months.

    “People bid like eBay, and then once they get their funds, they take a portion of it and send the check to us,” Mendonca said. “I think it is great. They have saved us a lot of money.”

    Mendonca said that the check, which is received from Property Room, doesn’t normally come in a large amount, because there are not too many items of value that are turned into UPD.

    “A lot of people think it goes to buy bullets and badges and stuff like that, but it actually goes back to the students, which is awesome,” Mendonca said.

    Sandy Wieckowski, student financial services manager, explained that previously the money went to a HSU Short Term Student Loan Fund.

    “At one time, the state told us, and the Chancellor’s Office said, you could either do it in short-term loans or in scholarships,” Wieckowski said. “We were putting some of it originally in the short-term loan fund, so we could give short-term loans, but we have enough money in short-term loans.”

    According to Wieckowski, it was decided to switch the funds to HSU’s Emergency Scholarship about a year ago, with the reason being short term loans have to be paid back.

    “If you truly have a financial crisis, a lot of the time, you can’t pay it back,” Wieckowski said. “Financial aid monitors that scholarship fund to help students out during desperate needs.”

    Peggy Metzger, director of financial aid, works behind the scenes helping students. A small portion of lost and found money is put into a special scholarship. The money goes to students, but isn’t anything that students apply for.

    “It’s basically sort of a little wiggle fund for me,” Metzger said. “Every once in a while, like for instance, say the scholarship is $500, but the interest is only in $427, but I want to give the student 500. I’ll take a little over from the fund, and shove it over so that the student gets the whole amount.”

    Student Financial Services isn’t dismayed when they look at the lost and found money, because there’s not a substantial amount made from unclaimed lost and found money. It’s not like money gained from a Pell Grant.

    “The caveat to claiming a lost property is that you cannot be an employee,” Mendonca said.

    Mendonca always asks herself how this would look from a different perspective. How would it look if an employee dipped their hands in lost and found?

    “They might get upset,” Mendonca said, “because they’re not legally able to claim it. Then I can say, oh, you know all this money that is brought back goes back to the Short Term Student Loan Fund.”

    The money made from lost property no longer goes to the HSU Short Term Student Loan Fund. The change is a positive one, because it means more money is going to a separate fund to help students.

    “It goes back to the students,” Mendonca said. “It usually takes the winds out of people’s sails, and what can you say? It is an awesome place for it to go.”

     

     

  • Government shutdowns: uncertainty as a price for democracy?

    Government shutdowns: uncertainty as a price for democracy?

    The showcase of the United States’ unique democratic system happened on Jan. 20. It marked the one-year anniversary of a reality TV star’s presidential inauguration. It also highlighted the country’s freedom of speech in the form of a nationwide women’s rights demonstration, as well as the beginning of a short-lived government shutdown.

    Professor Stephanie Burkhalter, a political science professor at HSU who studies communication strategies between Congress and the president, provides more insights on the phenomena of government shutdowns.

    What is a government shutdown?

    A government shutdown occurs when the House of Representatives and the Senate cannot pass an appropriations bill — the technical name for a bill that funds the government agencies — that the president will sign.

    Shutdowns are a uniquely U.S. government thing, because of our constitution, the filibuster rule and our two-party system. The two parties have become increasingly polarized on policy issues and more willing to have a shutdown if they cannot get the policy changes that they think are important.

    What caused this previous government shutdown and why was it so short?

    This answer depends on whom you ask. The consensus from mainstream media sources is that the Senate Democrats caused the shutdown by filibustering and demanding that the Senate markup — the official term for editing a bill — and debate an immigration bill that would create a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients, known as “Dreamers.”

    Senate Democrats agreed to fund the government through Feb. 8 in exchange for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s promise that the Senate will take up an immigration bill in the next two weeks.

    In this shutdown, Democrats were also able to negotiate six years of funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program. House Republicans had not funded this program in their version of the permanent appropriations bill.

    What does a shutdown say about the administration of President Trump?

    From my understanding, President Trump was ready to make a deal on Jan. 19 to avoid a shutdown, but his advisers scuttled the deal, because they believed that this deal was not tough enough on immigration policy.

    So, this shutdown says less about Trump and more about the partisan politics plaguing our nation’s capital.

    What could happen around Feb. 8?

    [On Feb. 8], the Senate will reconsider a permanent spending bill. If Democrats again decide to filibuster, another shutdown could occur if a deal cannot be reached between Republicans and Democrats on immigration policy.

    Government employees, such as those who work in the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management, will not be paid.

    ——–

    Eric Nelson, the manager of Humboldt Wildlife Refuge, an organization managed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, detailed the obstacles a shutdown would impose on the refuge’s operations.

    “In 2013, there was a shutdown that lasted 13 days, I believe,” Nelson said. “Probably the most challenging part of a shutdown is dealing with the uncertainty, and what it can do to schedules and scheduled work.”

    Because shutdowns are often prevented at the last minute, preparing for them is difficult. Fortunately, most shutdowns occurred outside of the spring/summer restoration work season and did not pose big problems for the refuge’s projects.

    If a shutdown occurs on Feb. 8, the refuge will be closed to most of the public. However, independent researchers working on the refuge will be allowed to continue their work, as long as they can access their research site without the help of a federal employee.

    Nelson added that if the shutdown goes on for three to four weeks, the financial challenge of not getting paid will become an issue.

    “Ironically, Congressional members do get paid during a shutdown,” Nelson said.

    Burkhalter also recognizes that a shutdown’s impact is affected by its length.

    “The effects of a shutdown are felt the longer it continues,” Burkhalter said. “Let’s hope that the Senate can make a deal on immigration policy, a permanent spending measure can be passed and we can feel secure that our government is funded through this fiscal year.”

    On the potential of shutdowns that may occur beyond Feb. 8, Burkhalter said that they could happen again when Congress tries to pass appropriate measures.

    “I would not be surprised if a few more shutdowns are headed our way in the next few years,” Burkhalter said.

  • Staying healthy during the flu season

    Staying healthy during the flu season

    Flu season has begun and the California Department of Public Health provides weekly reports of the epidemic. In CDPH’s third weekly report, all Californians are encouraged to get themselves vaccinated as soon as possible.

    An email sent by the CDPH stated, “CDPH is concerned about the severity of influenza and the impact of influenza on the health of people of all ages.”

    The CDPH went on to inform individuals by asking anyone suffering from the flu to avoid going into emergency rooms unless symptoms become more severe.

    The CDHP lists a variety of symptoms that people need to be aware of. These include:

    • Fast breathing or trouble breathing
    • Chest pain or pressure
    • Abdominal pain or severe vomiting
    • Not being able to eat or drink enough fluids
    • Being confused or not walking normally
    • Having symptoms that improve but then return with a fever and worse cough
    • Appearing dehydrated

    For anyone who is suffering from these symptoms, the CDPH encourages you to get in touch with health care services or seek emergency care as soon as possible.

    Students at HSU looking for a place to get vaccinated can visit Student Health and Wellbeing Services for free flu vaccinations. Vaccinations are only offered from October through January.

    Residents who are not HSU students can also visit the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services clinic in Eureka.

    On their website, they inform residents that “the cost of the flu shot is $17, although no one will be turned away for inability to pay.”

    The Center for Disease Control and Prevention offers people methods on how they can prevent themselves from contracting the flu: “Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub”.

    The CDC also recommends cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects. In addition, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. For more information to prevent spreading or getting the flu, visit the CDC’s website.

    The ongoing flu epidemic is being regarded as the worst in decades. The CDC reports that in the third week of the year, doctor visits for flu-like symptoms increased in the United States to 6.6 percent, higher than the national baseline of 2.2 percent. The number of pediatric deaths is 37.

    “It is not too late to be vaccinated,” the California Department of Public Health said. “CDPH recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older be vaccinated each year.”

     

  • Hummus gives hope to Syrian refugees

    Hummus gives hope to Syrian refugees

    Inside a Humboldt bakery and cafe, a smooth chickpea spread, a greeting card and tote bag are not as ordinary as they might seem to the naked eye. When those items are sold from Los Bagels between Jan. 17-31, all the money goes to support Syrian refugees.

    Los Bagels founder Dennis Rael, 65, uses a hummus recipe given to him by a close friend. His friend got the recipe from a neighbor who was Syrian.

    “My friend asked me, ‘Well, what kind of hummus do you make?’ You’ve got to try my hummus,” Rael said. “I literally wrote it down on a napkin and have that still in my cookbook at home.”

    That same recipe can be tasted at Los Bagels. A hundred percent of the profit goes to Syrian refugees.

    Rael noticed how some Americans stay in their own bubble.

    “It’s something that, in this country, we have a hard time relating to or even thinking about. It’s not a reality, we have other struggles,” Rael said. “We have a lot of things we need to deal with in the United States, but I think it’s good to think beyond that in a bigger world perspective.”

    Rael believes that Los Bagels stands out from other businesses, specifically by the way that they interact with the society.

    “I think everybody should think beyond himself, but it is not in everyone’s nature,” Rael said. “That is probably one of the reasons that set us apart, our overall community involvement.”

    Colin Begell, 39, works for a business that assists people with developmental disabilities and was unaware of Los Bagels’ fundraiser.

    “I love hummus. I have hummus in my refrigerator all the time,” Begell said. “No, I didn’t know about it, but I feel like that is an amazing business idea and humanitarian effort combined.”

    Begell supports the fundraiser for Syrian refugees and found himself surprised when finding out about how much of the profits actually go to the refugees.

    “I 100 percent support that and I will buy some hummus this week,” Begell said. “It is amazing that it’s 100 percent of the proceeds. That doesn’t happen very often.”

    Zach Ziino, a Los Bagels employee in Arcata, has been working for the company for about three years. Day after day, he has seen Los Bagels’ relationship with the community.

    “They really strive to improve the community,” Ziino said. “Again, this, I think, is going beyond that, which I haven’t really seen before, but it is cool that we are doing it.”

    Anne Braak-Katz, a local humanitarian, is Los Bagels’ connection to Refugee Support Europe, which is where the funds raised from Hummus for Hope are sent to.

    Her tote bag and greeting card are displayed on a table in Los Bagels. Braak-Katz gives her insight on the design of the “Small Things Great Love” tote bag that shows two stick figure children holding hands.

    “With all the damage kids have had of war, the smallest thing of holding hands is so powerful,” Braak-Katz said.

    Braak-Katz believes that by sharing the artwork, parents can identify them with their own children.

    “I realize that there are a lot of crises,” Braak-Katz said. “You don’t have to look that far, but I have had a calling to help. Being a victim of war is a radical situation, an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. We need to see past our own bagel, beyond our own cup of coffee.”

  • Erin Henry awarded degree, honored and remembered

    Erin Henry awarded degree, honored and remembered

    No one at Humboldt State University could forget the tragic story of Erin Henry. The 22-year-old HSU student was found deceased in Dec. 2017 after being reported missing for over a week. Henry was only a few weeks away from completing her degree in theatre arts with a minor in social advocacy. Last month, HSU awarded Henry her bachelor’s degree, just in time for her memorial service in Wyoming on Jan. 26.

    Henry’s death came as a shock to her college community. Her theatre professor and academic advisor, Rae Robison, remembers her as a hard-working actress, playwright and passionate social advocate.

    “I’ve never met anyone more kind, more thoughtful and more considerate of others than herself,” Robison said. “She was the type of positive, talented person who doesn’t come along every day.”

    What was most unsettling for Henry’s friends and family was the unusual circumstances surrounding her death. According to the North Coast Journal, the police found Henry’s injuries to be caused by a self-inflicted fall from Elephant Rock.

    “I have no idea what happened,” Robinson said. “I don’t think anyone will ever know.”

    Henry made her mark during her five years in Humboldt. She volunteered for Visiting Angels, a Eureka-based group that provides care for seniors. She also dedicated a great deal of time and energy to the theater at HSU, holding roles in many productions including “Young Frankenstein” and “Julius Caesar.”

    Henry was also a devoted student. She worked hard to earn her degree and according to HSU registrar Clint Rebik, Henry graduated Cum Laude with honors.

    Henry walked for graduation in Spring 2017, though she still needed one more semester for completion.

    A copy of Henry’s degree will be mailed to members of her family next week by the Dean of Students, Randi Darnall Burke.

    Her brother Ian Henry says she was always passionate about theater, but the demands of college did not always come naturally to her.

    “She had to combat that by working hard at it,” he said. “She was always working.”

    Ian is proud of his sister for completing her education and thinks sending her degree is a nice gesture from HSU. Although it is accompanied by bittersweet emotion, reminding him of her compassion and goals for helping others.

    “She was always a big proponent for being a voice for those less fortunate than her,” Ian said. “She was trying to go places. But obviously, that’s not going to happen.”

    Henry grew up in Sheridan, Wyoming and was adopted at two months old by parents Tom Henry and Terry Rowland. Her biological father passed away and biological mother felt she couldn’t handle parenthood alone.

    On Jan. 26, friends and family gathered at the WYO Theater in Sheridan to celebrate her life. Henry’s father says the theater donated their space for her memorial because she had been in several productions there. The venue seems fitting, considering the theater is where she loved to spend her time.

    “Her dream was to use theater as social advocacy to stop human trafficking,” Tom said.

    The memorial service was streamed live on the In Loving Memory of Erin Henry Facebook page, making it possible for all of her friends, fellow students and professors in Humboldt to view. HSU was an important part of Henry’s life.

    Henry’s father sent a letter to The Lumberjack, thanking the community for all of their efforts to find his daughter and emphasizing the importance of reaching out for help.

    “We would also like to encourage others suffering from depression, or related ailments, to seek help,” Tom said.” Please help to eliminate any stigma associated with needing medication or treatment in order to function as a happy, healthy human being,”

    The full letter can be viewed in the Letter to the Editor section of this issue.

  • What’s up, weather?

    What’s up, weather?

    Well, winter is most definitely here. Rain, hail, snow, strong winds and waves nearing 30 feet shook the Humboldt County coastline this week.

    Source: Eureka NOAA

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued several hazard warnings throughout the week, such as a hazardous seas warning, a winter storm warning for Northern Trinity County and winter weather advisory in Eastern Trinity County.

    The entrance to Humboldt Bay was closed to any and all inbound and outbound vessels due to the high surf on Jan. 18. It opened the following morning, according to the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services.

     

    (Tweet: Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services)

    ******

    “The ocean is the earth’s largest wilderness, but it’s clearly more wild here in Humboldt,” ecological restoration student at HSU Gabe Roletti said.

    The Humboldt County coastline and much of the Pacific Northwest are lined with trees and steep beaches, unlike Southern California’s gentle, broad beaches. The average water temperatures here in Humboldt are also much cooler.

    “SoCal is mellow and a little underwhelming,” Southern California native and HSU environmental science student Mike Leone said. He said that in Humboldt, he feels “more surrounded by crazy elements of nature like the big waves and wind.”

    Despite cold, unforgiving conditions, to go or not to go is not the question for some outdoor enthusiasts, but rather to, “Go big or go home,” local resident and surfer Greg Masessa said.

    Jokes aside, Masessa said that in reality, he really doesn’t put much thought into surfing behemoth waves. He just surfs, because it makes him happy.

    In order to practice reasonable precaution during swells like these, Masessa said that he surveys the conditions before going out and will often surf in a more sheltered area, such as a protected cove.

    ******

    A small craft advisory is in effect through late tonight, according to NOAA. A gale warning is in effect from late tonight through Saturday morning. We should be seeing hazardous seas throughout the week.

    Therefore, it’s especially important for all beachgoers to remain vigilant and practice caution when in or near large surf. In addition, beachgoers should always remain aware of sneaker waves.

    View the graphic below for basic information on sneaker wave safety:

    Source: NOAA. Illustration by Michelle Meyers.
  • HSU political science professor running for California Assembly 2nd District

    HSU political science professor running for California Assembly 2nd District

    This story has been changed from its original version on Jan. 25 at 4:24 p.m.

    Humboldt State University’s political science professor, Kevin Murray, will be running as a candidate to represent California Assembly 2nd District in the upcoming  elections.

    Murray has taught college-level political science classes since 1989. He started teaching at HSU in 2015, and plans to take his political experience to the next level.

    “I’ve taught political science for around 30 years and I figured it was time to convert that knowledge into action,” Murray said.

    Murray is running as a Democrat and bases his political platform on four main issues:

    1. Universal health care for California. Murray believes that every Californian should have full health care coverage in order to vastly improve our quality of life. The universal health care plan Murray wants includes mental health care and drug rehabilitation, helping those who are often ignored.
    2. A green economy. By switching from our over-reliance of non-renewable energies, such as oil, to greener and more sustainable energies, we can help lead the way to show that there is a profitable way to have a green society.
    3. Debt-free college. Murray states that an undergraduate college degree now has about the same equivalent to a high school diploma in the 1940s. Because a college experience is becoming essential to get better jobs, there shouldn’t be as large of a barrier for those with low-income backgrounds. By reducing or completely erasing college tuition, Murray hopes to have college graduates leave without debt hanging over their heads.
    4. Affordable housing. With debt and homelessness on the rise in California, Murray wants to bring peace of mind to Californians by pushing for affordable housing. By introducing rent stabilization, tiny homes and Measure J Housing to the 2nd District of California, Murray plans to fix our states housing problem.

    If elected as representative for the California Assembly 2nd District, he will represent several counties such as Humboldt, Trinity, Del Norte and Mendocino. Jim Wood is currently the incumbent representing California Assembly 2nd District.

    “It’s a daunting task, but one I’m well prepared for,” Murray said.

    Murray says that running for office won’t interfere with his current teaching, as his activism will take place only during weekends and, if anything, will enhance how he teaches.

    “I don’t really have anything to lose,” Murray said. “I can take my 30 years of experience into the position or I’ll be able to walk away with the knowledge gained from running and incorporate it into my classes.”

    The primary election is coming up on June 5, and the general election is occurring on November 6. If you’re interested in getting into contact with or volunteering for Kevin Murray, head to his website at http://murray4ca.homesteadcloud.com/

  • Gaining ground: marching for human rights

    Gaining ground: marching for human rights

    Video by Michelle Meyers.

    Protesters lined the streets of downtown Eureka on Jan. 21 to be part of the worldwide Women’s March.

    This year’s Women’s March occurred on the one-year anniversary of Donald Trump’s inauguration. It is now considered to be the largest single-day protest in U.S. history.

    The march in Eureka was part of the larger Women’s March movement that took place not only here, but around the globe. The intention of this movement is to protest the attitudes put forth about women by Trump and to promote women’s rights as human rights.

    The initial rally began at 1 p.m. on C Street Market Square.

    Speakers representing an array of local organizations, including the North Coast Rape Crisis Team, Centro Del Pueblo, Move to Amend and Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Rights, took to the stage to address their local and global communities.

    Organizers concluded the rally with an inspiring performance by The Raging Grannies, a local women’s music group that sings about social justice issues.

    The march began around 2 p.m.

    Protesters beared signs that read statements like, “together we rise,” “don’t mourn, organize” and “anything you can do, I can do bleeding” around the streets of downtown Eureka.

    A protester holds a sign at the Women’s March in Eureka on Saturday,  Jan. 21, 2018. Photo by Michelle Meyers.

    They chanted statements that rang through the crowded streets, such as “me too,” which is in reference to the prevalent #MeToo movement.

    “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist U.S.A.” and “I am a woman, hear me roar!” were also heard amongst the crowd.

    This all plays in part of starting a conversation that “just gets brushed under the rug,” protester Loganberry Fernandez said. “Human rights is something that shouldn’t be ignored.”

    Conversation is merely the first step.

    Many protesters lined the streets of downtown Eureka and around the globe to express one purpose: “To be here for women,” protester Athena Gore said.

    HSU students stand by a light post in downtown Eureka, located near the Women’s March on Saturday,  Jan. 21, 2018. Yomayra Mora (left), Myranda Dominguez (top left), Noel DiBenedetto (top right), Sydney Long (right) and Rowan McClelland-Bishop (center) protest with their signs. Photo by Garrett Goodnight.

    “Whether it’s immigrants, Native Americans or people of color, what will forward the movement is unifying voices and hearing other groups talk about advocating in strength and in numbers,” protester Raquel Lee said.

    For Brenda Perez, a voice for Centro Del Pueblo, this is her first time participating in the Women’s March.

    “[The Women’s March] represents the recognition of our neighbors as workers, as students,” Perez said. “For me, saying that we are here isn’t just a statement. We are here.”

    Perez is joined by Yojana Miraya, a fellow voice for Centro Del Pueblo from the Andes of Peru.

    “If injustice happens, women and men come together in Latin America, especially in indigenous communities,” Miraya said.

    When asked if she was afraid of what the future holds for her, as well as for women everywhere, Perez said, “We are going to do it. We have to do it.”

    So in the name of human rights, they will march.

    Number of marches: 673

    Number of marchers: 4,956,422

  • Affordable textbooks for an awesome cause

    Affordable textbooks for an awesome cause

    With a new semester comes a need for new textbooks and class texts. One club on campus, the Society for Women in Math and Sciences (SWiMS), is offering students an affordable book purchasing option.

    Carla Quintero, the president of SWiMS, explains the offer.

    “We are here selling used books which were donated by several people,” Quintero said. “We’re trying to raise money to fund our club’s events.”

    The society has high hopes their book sales will provide students with a much better alternative than the Humboldt State Bookstore or Amazon.

    “I think we can all agree that the bookstore is already overpriced,” Quintero said. “Most people try to find other sources, such as Amazon, to purchase their textbooks. We are selling our books at a fraction of an Amazon textbook price.”

    SWiMS will be using the money raised from book sales to create educational and community-building events for HSU.

    “SWiMS hosts several different events throughout the semester, one of them being Codernoon,” Quintero said. “We have computer science majors who are running this event and teaching people how to code in Python.”

    The club hosts Codernoon twice a week and offers refreshments to participants.

    “Through these workshops, we are trying to break the stigma that coding and computer science is a boys club,” Quintero said. “Coding is accessible and fun. Everyone should learn how to do it!”

    In addition to Codernoon, SWiMS will be using money from book sales to fund Crafternoons, which are crafting events that occur for two hours every other week.

    SWiMS provides participants with crafting materials and lessons on knitting and crocheting. They also offer a space for participants to interact with other majors and destress from their heavy workloads.

    Specifically for STEM majors, Crafternoon hopes to be a space for this group to interact with people outside of their majors. The purpose here is to create a community SWiMS is aiming to establish in their role of being a support group.

    One major event that SWiMS has been pushing to put on annually is a workshop called You Belong Here.

    “In this workshop, we try to inform STEM majors about imposter syndrome, stereotype threat and provide students with the tools to combat these things,” Quintero said. “With these tools, students can move through their respective fields feeling empowered and welcomed because everyone should have the same access to science and math.”

    Money raised from book sales will also be used to host You Belong Here in March.

    To Quintero, being apart of SWiMS means the world to her. As a woman of color in physics, it can be disheartening at times.

    “It can be hard to see yourself in a career when you don’t see anyone else like you in that career,” Quintero said. “The point of SWiMS is for everyone to realize that, while women’s population in the sciences may be small, they still are an important part of the scientific community.”

    Purchasing books from SWiMS will provide the club with the funding to continue their mission of supporting underrepresented groups in the sciences. These include women, people of color, LGBTQIA and other individuals in their scientific journey at HSU.

    Linh Pham is affiliated with Society for Women in Math and Sciences. 

  • International students first few days in the U.S.

    International students first few days in the U.S.

    As the spring semester approached, Humboldt State University welcomed new foreign exchange students. Archana Nihalani from Pakistan and Gereon Ploenes from Germany are two of the new incoming students. Nihalani came from Hyderabad, a city located in the Sindh province of Pakistan, and Ploenes came from Nijmegen, a city in the Dutch province of Gelderland where he resides. Both had stories to tell about their first few days in the U.S. before the spring semester started.

    Nihalani thinks that people are too polite.

    Archana Nihalani from Pakistan. Photo by Ahmed Al Sakkaf

    “People here say thank you a lot and sorry a lot,” Nihalani said. “A lot of times and I’m not used for this.”

    Saying thank you and sorry too much is considered a very formal behavior in Pakistan, according to Nihalani. It may mean that a person has too many boundaries.

    “Here [U.S.], if you don’t say ‘thank you’ or ‘sorry,’ it’s rude,’ Nihalani said. “But there [Pakistan], it’s rude if you say ‘thank you’ and ‘sorry’ all the time, because it means that you’re being too much formal.”

    Nihalani described food to be her worst struggle. She thinks the food here is too plain and lacks flavor.

    “Food here is plain,” Nihalani said. “I’m not used to eating plain food with no flavors… it’s too plain. In Pakistan, we put so such spices in food, so many flavors.”

    Nihalani thinks that people here in the U.S. have more personal space than their counterparts in Pakistan. She also notices that people here are easily offended.

    “People here [U.S.] have so much personal space and there [Pakistan] we don’t have so much personal space,” Nihalani said. “Everything here offends people I don’t know why? They get offended very easily.”

    Ploenes from Germany residing in the Netherlands. Photo by Ahmed Al Sakkaf

    “The first impression I had of the U.S. [is] that it’s exactly like the movies,” Ploenes said. “The J cafeteria and how it works… it’s really like the High School Musical.”

    To save money on his flight, Ploenes flew to San Francisco International Airport and took the Greyhound bus to Arcata. He was surprised when a Greyhound worker asked him several times if he is carrying any guns in his oversized backpack.

    “The guy working in the Greyhound asked me five times if I carry guns in my big backpack,” Ploenes said. “It’s not normal to carry any guns in Europe. You’re not allowed to. But in America, guns are normal.”

    Ploenes was also surprised by the amount of “big cars” and pickups he found in the streets here.

    “I’m not used to seeing a lot of pickups and a lot of big cars. Why [do] people need these big cars?” Ploenes said.

    Ploenes noticed that the toilets here in the U.S uses a lot of water to flush and they have a lot more water in their bowls too.

    “Toilets are totally different here,” Pioenes said. “You use a lot of water to flush.”

    Both Ploenes and Nihalani think that people here are very kind.

    “I was surprised with how friendly the people are,” Ploenes said.

    “People are really nice here,” Nihalani said. “They’re very helpful.”

     

  • Proposal to cut Third Street Gallery

    Proposal to cut Third Street Gallery

    Humboldt State University’s Third Street Gallery in Eureka may shut down in an effort to reduce the university’s spending budget. The proposal to close the gallery calls for $55,000 of the gallery’s budget to be reduced. That makes a third of the gallery’s whole budget and the remaining two thirds transfer to other gallery programs on campus.

    Jack Bentley is the Third Street Gallery director.

    “The proposal to close this gallery is actually very short-sighted,” Bentley said. “It misses the point of what the purpose of this gallery was and the inherited highly developed community expectation of what we do here.”

    The Third Street Gallery was founded in 1998 to provide students with real world, hands-on learning through work and internship opportunities. It’s also meant to give HSU opportunities to reaching out to the community.

    Pedro Uribe Godoy is an art major and works at the gallery.

    Godoy opposes the proposal to close the gallery and thinks it is “destructive” as it will cut out a venue for learning for current and future art students.

    “There’s a lot to learn here and for them [HSU administrators] to take it away and not expose new students to this line of work, I think, is very destructive,” Godoy said. “They are limiting students of what they’re gonna learn and what kind of avenues of work they can plug themselves into.”

    The gallery is supported by the university, revenue from art sales and public donations. The Third Street Gallery raised around $22,000 from both sales and donations during the first half of the current fiscal year.

    “It’s kinda messed up for the university to take away this gallery and undermine all the donors that have been donating for this gallery for so long,” Godoy said.

    Andrew Daniel is an art alumnus who graduated from HSU 16 years ago. As a student, he had his work shown in the gallery. Daniel wrote a letter to HSU administrators expressing his displeasure with the proposal to close the gallery.

    “The gallery brings a unique perspective to the community. It brings in work from out of the area,” Daniel said. “I don’t know if we’ll get those artworks if not for this gallery.”

    Over the years, Humboldt County has gained a reputation for being a haven for art and artists of all kinds. Besides student artists, local artists exhibit their artwork in the gallery too.

    “It’s such a valuable thing to our community,” Daniel said. “There are a lot of artists in our community that would just not even show their work if it didn’t show at that gallery. It’s such a unique venue.”

    In such a rural area, the Third Street Gallery provides students and the community access to different forms of art from different parts of the world.

    “We’re rather isolated. Here, people have access to art forms and new ideas that otherwise they won’t have,” Bentley said. “They would have to travel several hundred miles to either Portland or San Francisco to have that type of access.”

    The gallery host exhibitions for local artists and other visiting artists from outside the area. It also provides a venue for students and alumni artists to exhibit their work in a professional gallery off campus and in the community.

    “Student artists and alumni artists exhibit here where they have a much higher probability of coming into contact with the public than they would if they’re exhibiting their work on campus,” Bentley said.

    Living in a rural area like Humboldt, art students at HSU can find it difficult to find a job or an internship related to their major.

    Ann Valdes is an art student at HSU and also works in the Third Street Gallery.

    “Being in Humboldt, we’re so removed from a large art market. It’s really hard to get good solid work experience if we didn’t have programs like this,” Valdes said. “We’re learning all the lessons that we may not be able to learn if we’ve never worked in a gallery.”

    HSU prides itself on offering plenty of hands-on learning opportunities for its students. Students say HSU Third Street Gallery provides students with real world experience.

    “I’ve been learning valuable lessons here,” Godoy said. “There’s no more hands on than this. This is hands on.”

    Valdes thinks the proposal to close the gallery goes against how HSU advertises itself.

    “What this budget cut proposal intends almost goes against the way Humboldt State University advertises itself,” Valdes said. “For them to cut this program is almost undermining what Humboldt says it’s about.”

    HSU owns three art galleries. Reese Bullen Gallery and Goudi’ni Native American Arts Gallery are both located on campus, while HSU Third Street Gallery is located off campus in Eureka.

    Bentley thinks all of these galleries are important and serve important purposes. The most important purpose, he believes, is that the Third Street Gallery serves as community outreach.

    According to Bentley, the art department is planning on launching a new Bachelor of Fine Arts program in the future.

    “This gallery is the natural venue for the BFA exhibitions,” Bentley said. “Here, students will have the opportunity to gain more studio time.”

    Bernadette McConnell is another art student who works in the gallery. She opposes the proposal to close the gallery. McConnell thinks the proposal to close the gallery is ill-informed.

    “If it wasn’t for my job here at the Third Street Gallery, I wouldn’t be here at Humboldt State,” McConnell said. “If this place gets shuttered, I have no reason to be at Humboldt State. I will leave Humboldt.”

    Bentley has received many letters that oppose the proposal.

    “The letters I received are very supportive of the gallery,” Bentley said. “Letters from former students, community members who object the proposal very strongly.

    Every summer, the Third Street Gallery hosts an exhibition of work from HSU art graduates.

    All graduates who have a piece in the senior show get to show their work in the gallery. In the Third Street Gallery, students get exposure to the overall community off campus.

    “Every summer we have a show dedicated for graduating seniors from the art department. They get off campus public exposure that they otherwise wouldn’t get,” Bentley said. “If this gallery closes, those type of exhibitions will simply be on campus and not available to the broader community.”

    The proposal to close the gallery came as a surprise to Bentley. He learned about it by reading the list of proposed budget reductions.

    “There’s been no outreach by any of these communities to the gallery,” Bentley said. “I learned about it by opening the proposal. This is how I learned about it.”

    Godoy hopes the community comes together to help keep the gallery open as they did with the football program.

    “I’m hoping that the community does that for us too,” Godoy said. “Hopefully, it all comes together well and we all fight together for it, and I’m hoping that we can keep it alive with the help of the community.”

  • Word on the Street: What students look forward to this semester

    Word on the Street: What students look forward to this semester

    Name: Dalvin Jamal-Milton

    Major: Psychology

    Standing: Sophomore

    “One thing that I’m looking forward to is this rugby season. Our rugby team looks pretty good this year, and I think we have some really good chemistry… we have all the means to do well.”

    ——

    Name: Seth Velasco

    Major: Kinesiology

    Standing: Freshman

    “I’m looking forward to starting off a little better than I did last semester now that I know what I’m doing. I struggled a bit in the beginning of last semester. Now that I know what I messed up on last semester, I can fix it.”

    ——

    Name: Rebecca Bantum

    Major: Psychology

    Standing: Freshman

    “I’m looking forward to taking different classes that I didn’t take in high school. Here in HSU, there’s a lot of options. I’m looking forward to pick what I want to take.”

    —–

    Name: Cailyn Lien

    Major: Cellular Biology

    Standing: Freshman

    “I’m looking forward to learning more stuff about my major. I’m probably going to start working at a blood bank and hospitals to learn more about human biology.”

    —–

    Name: Mei Shimizu

    Major: Child Development

    Standing: New transfer student from Japan

    “I’m excited to take classes about child development. This is what I wanted to learn from before.”

    —–

    Name: Akane Yajima

    Major: Francophone Studies

    Standing: New transfer student from Japan

    “I’m excited to learn about Francophone studies in the English language.”