The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: free

  • Badminton is back at Cal Poly Humboldt

    Badminton is back at Cal Poly Humboldt

    By Carlina Grillo

    Every weekend on campus students make birdies fly. Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., badminton lovers can be found at an open gym hosted by the Humboldt Badminton Club. Located at Forbes Gym, badminton is one of the many recreational sports on campus that host drop-ins. Drop-ins are $2 a session for community members, but for students, it’s completely free.

    Aaron Muscarello is the president of the badminton club and has been slinging shuttlecocks since middle school. As a senior and a physical education major, Muscarello is passionate about bringing badminton back from the dead. 

    “This is the first full semester,” Muscarello said. “To see a whole gym full of people, like this, was initially my goal to start. The next goal is to get more competition. I like to see tournaments. It’d be cool to have an intramural league but we just have to get people that are willing to… progress and want to be more competitive.”

    With big plans for this club’s rebirth, Muscarello’s big time goal is to travel and compete against other schools. In order to achieve his goals, he must start by recruiting more consistent club members. 

    “It was kind of a selfish goal,” Muscarello said. “You can’t play badminton by yourself right? So you need other people… I want to play so I’m going to be the one to get all these people together. And that’s why I started honestly. It’s a great opportunity to come down like if you want some exercise on a Saturday, especially when it’s raining.”

    Either with friends or on your own, the badminton club is beginner friendly and a good place to socialize. Depending on experience, games range from fast paced one-on-one matches, to slow and steady doubles. Most of the time they don’t keep track of points. 

    “If you’re somebody that wants to run around and actually meet people that are really cool, that is what the club is for,” Muscarello said. “That’s why drop ins are a sweet opportunity.” 

    Morgan Lopez, a child development major, was a first-timer on the badminton court. She had hardly played the sport before, and walked away feeling positive about the experience. 

    “It’s actually really fun,” Lopez said. “It’s way harder than I thought it would be, but I think I’ve got a dub coming up here soon. It’s a cute little game, a cute little racket, cute little birdie. Cute little net.”

    More serious about the sport is Clarissa Peyton, a zoology major. Peyton has played badminton since highschool where she competed in the Citrus Belt League and played varsity singles.

    “I love badminton because it’s a really satisfying sport, like when you smash it [the birdie] or trip up your competitor with different moves,” Peyton said. “I also just love competing with people and seeing people really give it their all.”

    Muscarello attributes the success of the club to the people he works with. This includes club officers, his advisor, recreation sports and the office of student life, his family, and most importantly his team and the people who show up to drop ins. 

    “I might be the President – or King, Emperor, Firelord – of the Humboldt Badminton Club, but this is a team game and I couldn’t have gotten this club to where it is without the support of [my team],” Muscarello said. “I couldn’t have done it without y’all.” 

    For more information check out @Humboldt_badminton on Instagram or for the full list of drop in sports see: https://recsports.humboldt.edu/drop-in-recreation 

  • Vets day at the zoo

    Vets day at the zoo

    By | Charlotte Rutigliano

    On Friday, Nov. 10 the Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation will be opening its doors to everyone for free.

    In honor of Veterans Day, the Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation with sponsorship from the Times-Standard is offering free admission to the zoo all day.

    According to Ashley Mobley, Events and Marketing Coordinator with the Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation, the zoo has been doing this event for the past few years.

    “The zoo is a community asset, it’s important to serve those who served,” Mobley said, “we can do this by giving a free day to everyone.”

    Mobley said that they are able to do an event like this because they have the sponsorship from the Times-Standard.

    Christina Arends, office coordinator for the Times-Standard, said that in the past they have sponsored the Red Panda Day events but this is the first time they are sponsoring the Veterans day event.

    According to Mobley, there will be a variety of different things for guests to experience at the zoo, from animal feedings, petting barnyard animals, a kids coloring contest, and visiting the resident bald eagles Cheyenne and Juneau.

    “There will also be veterans services tables there as well, the Eureka Vet Center will be there the whole day,” Mobley said, “and the Humboldt County Veterans Services Office will be there from 11 AM to 2 PM.

    Mobley said that when the zoo does free events like this, they tend to see an increase in admissions, but it still does depend on the weather if people will come out or not.

    “Free events like this gives an opportunity to people that might not normally come out to the zoo,” Mobley said.

    The Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation opens at 10 AM and admission is free all day.

     

  • Word on the street: Free community college bill

    Word on the street: Free community college bill

    Question: What do you think of Assembly Bill 19? Could it ever be implemented at a four-year university?

    LN_College_TrentDiederich.JPG
    Trent Diederic, a senior majoring in Finance says AB 19 could get more people in college, but they would still struggle financially. Photo credit: Lora Neshovska

    “It could be counterproductive. The people who are already on the fence about college would have to keep paying after that first year. At a four-year university, it would be very expensive. Housing and food would still be difficult to find.” – Trent Diedrich, 22, Finance, Senior

    LN_College_SarahGrover.JPG
    Senior Sarah Grover says it is pointless to make only the first year free. Students would still have expenses in the following years. Photo credit: Lora Neshovska

    “If people can live closer to home and still have that ‘freshman experience,’ it could be good encouragement, but freshmen are the largest group to drop out. It makes no sense for just the first year to be free. After that, you still have to work to survive.” – Sarah Grover, 21, International Studies, Senior

    LN_College_ZacAlfers.JPG
    A Business major, Zac Alfers says community college is definitely the less expensive route, so AB 19 would get more people in school. Photo credit: Lora Neshovska

    “I wish I went to community college, it’s the less expensive route. Money puts people off about college. It would get more people in school. I can’t see it happening at four-year university though, they like their money too much.” – Zac Alfers, 23, Business, Senior

    LN_College_StephanieSouter
    Stephanie Souter, HSU senior says having more education equality would better the country as a whole. Photo credit: Lora Neshovska

    “Even if it was free, there is still a lot of hard work and dedication that goes into school. But then again, if more people were educated, that would bring up our entire country.” – Stephanie Souter, 21, Psychology, Junior

  • California Senate pushes for free tuition

    By | Charlotte Rutigliano

    Assembly Member Miguel Santiago urged Governor Jerry Brown to sign a Assembly Bill 19 (AB 19) on Thursday, Sept. 27, in Los Angeles. AB 19 would give free tuition to community college students.

    AB 19 would allow the California Community Colleges to waive fees for first-time students, and full-time community college students for one year. The bill would boost enrollment and graduation rates, expand access to financial aid and decrease student debt. Additionally, AB 19 would support California’s businesses by addressing the shortage of college-educated workers that are needed to sustain the workforce.

    Francisco Rodriguez, Chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), started the press conference saying they want to change the narrative of public education, an often misunderstood and forgotten branch of higher education.

    “The two-year system of California Community Colleges and others around the country have received unprecedented attention because of the role that community colleges play to fuel the economic engine of this country and of California,” Rodriguez said.

    According to Rodriguez, the LACCD serves some of the poorest students in the nation. 85 percent of LACCD students are non-white, and half of the students live at or near the poverty line.

    “In Los Angeles, where we have a plethora of educational options, we have amongst the lowest rate of participation for adults in higher education,” Rodriguez said.

    Rodriguez quoted a recent study from the Public Policy State of California report, “California needs 1.1 million [graduates] with bachelor’s degrees by 2030 to keep up with economic demand. More college graduates means very clearly, higher incomes better economic mobility, more tax revenue and less demand for social services.”

    “The idea of tuition-free community college programs has been spreading across the nation,” Rodriguez said. “California is leading the nation with the idea of universal access to higher education.”

    Santiago said education should not be a privilege for the few who can afford it, education is a right that should be free.

    “When you leave our education system and you have the tools to compete in the 21st century, you shouldn’t have to be in debt for a decade or two, just because you got a quality education,” Santiago said.

    Santiago said that the bill would not be a giveaway. It would be an investment in the students, and that students will benefit from being full-time students. Almost 12 community colleges have signed on to support the bill.

    “California has the 6th largest economy in the world. There is no reason why we should not prepare the 21st-century workforce,” Santiago said. “When we’re already behind a million degrees that are much needed to get our economy moving forward and to get it stronger.”

  • Editorial: Promising free education

    Editorial: Promising free education

    By | The Lumberjack Editorial Board

    Hope is in sight. Despite the new Presidential administration’s barrage of legislation that raises the cost of higher education, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt). re-introduced the College for All Act.

    Sanders’ 2015 dream of tuition-free education came a step closer to reality. Along with Sanders, Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representatives Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) presented the bill on April 3.

    Although a glimmer of hope exists, we still have to be wary of the reality of the state of politics. The power has changed hands from Democrats to Republicans. Democrats passing legislation with a Republican House and Congress seems unlikely. Republicans are flexing their power by enacting their educational standards and repealing any policies adopted or created under the Obama administration.

    As promised, the College for All Act makes all community colleges tuition-free and offers free public tuition at four-year colleges and universities for students earning less than $125,000 a year. The bill calls for the federal government to pay 67 percent of tuition subsidies, leaving state and tribal governments to cover the last third of the cost. The bill also looks out for students already struggling with student loan debt.  The bill cuts the government lending rate for new undergraduate borrowers to 1.88 percent and refinances loans for existing borrowers at lower rates as well.

    Republican and Democratic views on our education system are counterproductive. The current GOP’s proposed budget cut of $9 billion to the Department of Education eliminates chances for low-income students to earn a college education. These policies snatch the money away from students while the College for All Act gives it back with interest.

  • Who Knew? At HSU: OhSnap!

    Who Knew? At HSU: OhSnap!

    In this installment of Who Knew? At HSU, we take a look at OhSnap!. This program offers free food and cooking classes to students as well as other services. Find out about all the hidden gems Humboldt State has offer by watching Who Knew? At HSU every week.

    Video by: Alexandria Hasenstab