Clery Act reveals numerous sexual assault cases within the last 3 years at HSU
Humboldt State University’s 2019 Clery Act Annual Security Report reveals more than three sexual assault cases at HSU in each of the past three years.
Amelia Wagoner, a victim rights advocate and kinesiology major at HSU, said the problem goes deeper than the statistics suggest.
“The amount of reported cases here and throughout the nation do not reflect campus safety,” Wagoner said. “The reporting process is traumatic and most survivors don’t want to deal with it.”
The Clery Act federally requires all higher education institutions to disclose campus crime statistics. The newest report for HSU, released in September, covers crimes from January 2016 to December 2018. All Clery Act reports for California State Universities are available on the California State University webpage.
HSU’s report notes five rapes in 2016, five in 2017 and four in 2018. HSU doesn’t have the most rape or sexual assault instances within the CSU system, but it did have one of the largest percentages compared to its relatively low student population. Sexual assault victims made up .05% of HSU students.
HSU requires students to go through a consent course before attending, and all members of clubs or sports teams attend a Title IX seminar once per year. Title IX is a federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in federally-funded education institutions, and the seminar focuses on teaching consent culture and anti-hazing.
Geography major Allie Jones expressed concerns about the faculty behind HSU’s Title IX seminar.
“At HSU, nobody on the Title IX team is a woman,” said Jones. “I’m sure the coordinator is qualified for his job, but as a woman I’d feel more comfortable having another woman to talk to.”
For now, Wagoner urged students to play their part in improving campus safety.
“Make sure everything is okay,” Wagoner said. “If you see or hear something that doesn’t seem right, do your part to make a difference.”
Life may seem black and white, but enter this creativity zone to be illuminated in fluorescent colors
Carolina Gonzalez, a marketing major at Humboldt State University, is a self-taught artist who dabbles in painting, drawing and jewelry making.
Gonzalez enjoys painting with acrylics and oils, drawing with paint pens and ink, as well as crafting unique earrings with charms and beads.
Some of Carolina Gonzalez’s work in her room/studio. | Photo by Chelsea Wood
She describes her art style as “daydream dripping” because many of her designs are colorfully psychedelic.
Her Latinx culture and Mexican background strongly influence her artwork. Natural elements influence her creativity and she credits moving to Northern California for sparking even more inspiration.
She’s always dreaming up new designs for earrings and paintings and often works up ideas for new artwork through sketches and graphic design.
Soccer and volleyball fall to Sonoma State, cross country prepares for second Oregon meet
For the Humboldt State volleyball and soccer teams, anything regarding the Sonoma State Seawolves is going to leave a bad taste in their mouth. Sonoma State dealt three different Humboldt State teams a loss over the weekend, all on the road in Rohnert Park.
Men’s soccer was the victim of a come-from-behind effort from the Seawolves, women’s soccer lost a tight game and volleyball lost in four sets. Cross country didn’t compete last week as they continue to prepare for their upcoming meet in Salem, Oregon.
Coaches and players from HSU soccer, volleyball and cross country were at the weekly Tuesday press conference at Lumberjack Arena.
Cross Country
After a good showing at the Sundowner Invitational in Monmouth, Oregon the Jacks’ attention turns to another Oregon course at the Willamette Invitational in Salem on Oct. 5. Head Coach Jamey Harris noted that training is going to be lighter going into this week in hopes that his runners are ready for the upcoming meet this weekend. He also noted the women’s race in Salem will be a 5k instead of the standard 6k, which could lead to faster times.
Harris talked about the men being ranked tenth in the NCAA regional rankings and how it motivates his runners to be even better on race day. For junior runner Elliott Portillo the ranking is something to feel good about, but it serves as a spark to push even harder.
“It’s definitely something very validating,” Portillo said. “It means people are beginning to take notice, and we have to show them that we are deserving of the title.”
Another topic of conversation was the passing of legendary former HSU cross country and track coach Jim Hunt. Hunt coached the cross country and track teams from 1967 to 1986 and produced 64 All-Americans and 11 national champion runners. Harris was visibly emotional as he spoke about what coach Hunt meant to Humboldt State and to him.
“The impact that he [Hunt] had on this university, I can’t even put it into words,” Harris said. “I honestly don’t know what to say, because I feel like I can’t say anything that will be adequate.”
Volleyball
The HSU volleyball team played Sonoma State on Saturday as part of their three-game road trip and lost in four sets by a score of 3-1. The Jacks won the second set and tied the score at 1-1 early on, but Sonoma won the next two sets and won the match. For Head Coach Kelly Wood, she feels that this year’s team is a vast improvement over last season’s team as far as talent, but that the team needs to be more consistent throughout the entire match. She talked about needing all of her players to have a great game, not just a few.
“We’re showing good streaks within the match, but we have yet to pull together an entire, consistent match,” Wood said. “It seems like we need to get all of our cylinders firing during a match, we’ve got a couple on and a few that aren’t on.”
Women’s Soccer
For a team that is still getting their footing under them, going down to Rohnert Park and playing a nationally ranked Sonoma State team is going to be a significant challenge. The Jacks fell just short of completing that task, losing to the Seawolves 2-1 with Lindsay Stoner scoring the lone goal. Head Coach Paul Karver had a very positive attitude about the loss, despite the result.
“The Rubik’s cube is sitting in the corner, it’s two turns away and we just gotta get there,” Karver said. “There was so much heart and determination out on the field and our girls were never going to say die in that moment.”
Men’s Soccer
The Jacks lost on Friday to Sonoma State in the cruelest of fashions, losing the game 4-2 despite taking a 2-0 lead early in the game. Isiah Dairo and Gus Baxter scored early for the Jacks but by halftime they were tied 2-2 and then Sonoma State scored two more times to seal the victory for the Seawolves. Jacks’ midfielder Ethan Waters talked about how the Jacks lost focus after gaining the early lead and eventually falling short.
“We lost momentum,” Waters said. “We have to respect them a little bit more, of course we got the two-goal lead but I think overall we didn’t control the game.”
Arcata incident renews doubts of local safety and transparency
A black 18-year-old HSU student reported being slashed with a knife near 14th and G streets in Arcata on Aug. 26, according to a Humboldt State University press release sent out Friday, Sept. 27.
The incident occurred more than a month ago, but students are only just hearing about it. Associated Students President Yadira Cruz wished HSU had notified students to avoid feelings of mistrust.
“To avoid that, just send out an email as soon as it happens,” Cruz said. “Just develop that transparency.”
The press release went on to summarize the events after the student fled Arcata and returned to HSU.
“Paramedics were called, and they were taken to Mad River Community Hospital where they were treated for the injury,” the press release, written by HSU Interim Vice President of Enrollment Management Jason Meriwether, said.
Cruz said the student has reported being physically fine as of Monday.
The incident, which largely flew under the radar until reporting from Lost Coast Outpost dug it up for a story published on Thursday, Sept. 26, is now under investigation by the Arcata Police Department.
The HSU press release noted multiple media narratives and sought to clarify the situation. On the night of the incident, HSU determined that no threat to the campus existed, and did not send out a notification.
The release also noted no evidence of the incident being a hate crime, which would warrant notification.
“If there had been an imminent threat or evidence of a hate crime, the campus community would have been alerted by text and email using HSU Alert,” the release said.
Cruz, along with several HSU faculty and staff, reviewed and gave consultation for the release.
Cruz first heard about the incident from a Lost Coast Outpost reporter seeking her comment. Cruz wondered whether HSU would’ve notified students if it weren’t in the midst of an enrollment decline.
In any case, Cruz wished HSU had notified the campus, regardless of whether the incident appeared to be a hate crime.
“Saying it’s not race-related is not a valid excuse,” Cruz said.
The press release emphasized Humboldt’s close-knit community and called HSU the “Humboldt Family.” However, Cruz doubted the sincerity.
“The campus tells us they care about us only when something bad happens,” Cruz said.
Controversial books read aloud at HSU library in protest and celebration
Humboldt State University students and faculty gathered in front of the HSU library on Tuesday, Sept. 24 for a banned book reading in celebration of Banned Books Week.
Garrett Purchio, librarian for the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, worked with Marcy Burstiner from the Humboldt Center for Constitutional Rights to host one of many readings held across the country for the campaign promoted by the American Library Association.
“It’s a chance to really listen to different people’s perspectives,” Purchio said. “I think it’s always great to hear, you know, people are reading this book because of the impact it has on them, or maybe it really opened their eyes to the world.”
Harriet Burr reads For Whom The Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway at the banned book reading in front of Humboldt State University’s library on Sept. 24. Burr chose the book because of its value in representing the Spanish Civil War. | Photo by Michael Weber
Readers chose from a rack of more than 50 banned or challenged books, including books of diverse content—defined by the ALA to have content by or about people of color, LGBTQ+ people or people with disabilities.
Purchio said that while many people feel we are at a point in history beyond censorship, literature still faces frequent challenges.
“Every year there’s always a list of new words that are challenged for different reasons,” Purchio said. “The ALA puts out a list of the top books challenged in 2018, 2019.”
Ocean Campbell, a graduate student in social work, read David Levithan’s Two Boys Kissing. According to the ALA, the book is ranked number 11 for the most challenged and burned book in 2018 because it included LGBTQ+ content.
“I really wish that this book had existed when I was a teenager,” Campbell said. “I think it possibly could have changed my whole life.”
Campbell said the book had a powerful message and brilliant moments that resonated with her. Campbell said any young person who wants the book should be able to have it.
Harriet Burr, a librarian with a master’s degree in community economic development, read For Whom The Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, a book set during the Spanish Civil War.
“How many of you learned about the Spanish Civil War in school?” Burr said. No hands raised in the audience. “Why don’t we teach this?”
Burr said people are unaware of a lot of history, in part due to purposeful obfuscation. Burr blamed former President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Catholic Church for ignoring the Spanish Civil War.
Purchio said people ban or challenge books because they feel threatened by a work and have a desire to respond. He said the book reading celebrates the freedom to read.
Journalism professor Marcy Burstiner reads a banned book during a banned book reading in front of HSU’s library on Sept. 24. | Photo by Michael Weber
Marcy Burstiner, who is also a HSU journalism professor, added a similar sentiment.
“You can threaten the writers, but the book will go on,” Burstiner said.
According to the ALA, it launched Banned Books Week in the 1980s after a United States Supreme Court case ruling said school officials could not ban books in libraries because of their content.
Since then, the ALA has compiled lists of challenged books each year. The ALA also posts additional information on banned books on their website.
“It’s still happening,” Purchio said. “It’s important to keep this band going, because it’s good to show that even though censorship exists in the world, there’s some people who champion freedom of speech and freedom to read.”
A previous version of this article listed the author of “Two Boys Kissing”as David Campbell, but the author is David Levithan.
Die-in protest advocates for action on climate change
Motionless bodies lay in the Humboldt State University quad on Friday.
Junior wildlife major Olivia Brock joined a die-in protest put on by Extinction Rebellion with help from Earth First.
“We want to show them that if they’re gonna kill us, then they have to see us,” Brock said.
A variety of HSU students pretended to be dead on the ground, with many holding flowers in their hands and some wearing face paint.
HSU student Vanessa Argonza lying prone for a die-in climate protest in HSU’s quad on Sept. 27. | Photo by James Wilde
Signs at a die-in climate protest in HSU’s quad on Sept. 27. | Photo by James Wilde
John Powell (tie-dye), College of the Redwood agriculture student, and J.T. Abbott, HSU botany student, hugging on the ground for a die-in climate protest in HSU’s quad on Sept. 27. | Photo by James Wilde
Extinction Rebellion and Earth First advocate and protest for governmental action on climate change and environmental issues.
Junior forestry major Arvel Reeves joined the protest despite not knowing about it beforehand.
“Climate change is something I really worry about,” Reeves said. “It’s only going to get worse.”
Lily Price, HSU botany student, played a morose tune over the protesters’ bodies on a harmonium, an organ instrument that sounds similar to an accordion.
The protest came one week after a global climate strike that saw thousands of protests around the world, including one in Arcata.
Ellis Hanson, a junior wildlife biology major, wanted to help stand for the earth.
“I did this to do a demonstration,” Hanson said. “To make sure everyone remembers the crisis we’re in.”
Ellis Hanson, HSU wildlife biology junior, lying down for a die-in climate protest in HSU’s quad on Sept. 27. | Photo by James Wilde
Lily Price, HSU botany student, plays a somber song on a harmonium for a die-in climate protest in HSU’s quad on Sept. 27. | Photo by James Wilde
Protesters lying down for a die-in climate protest in HSU’s quad on Sept. 27. | Photo by James Wilde
Protestors gathering in a circle after a die-in climate protest in HSU’s quad on Sept. 27. | Photo by James Wilde
Students passing by showed mixed reactions to the protesters. Some stopped and watched. Others took photos on their phones. Others scurried along without a second glance.
Brock hoped the visual nature of the protest would draw attention.
“We want to make the people of Humboldt County see the future we’re being handed,” Brock said.
Heri Hawthorn, a local activist, helped create some of the signs and banners for the protest. Hawthorn held a sign above the protesters while they lay still.
“There’s nothing else to do except support others and curb what’s happening,” Hawthorn said.
Early on, when a University Center employee took down an unpermitted protest banner. Brock took notice.
“Don’t you care about your children?” Brock asked the employee. “The earth is dying!”
Blu, HSU environmental studies senior, lies covered up for a die-in climate protest in HSU’s quad on Sept. 27. | Photo by James Wilde
A look at one of the key players in the underground Humboldt electronic scene
Twenty-two-year-old Preston Thibo is a Humboldt State studio art major who mixes his own electronic music and throws underground parties, but that’s only a piece of what he envisions for the future of electronic music in Humboldt.
Thibo’s music career sprouted from his passion for throwing “renegades,” a term used to describe underground electronic concerts showcasing lesser-known artists at secret locations. He began throwing renegades a year ago, and soon found himself mixing music for his own shows.
“I wanted to give people a place to dance to electronic music instead of punk, which isn’t for everyone,” Thibo said. “And I didn’t see a scene up here so I created one.”
Throwing renegades was spear-headed because electronic music shows in Humboldt aren’t exactly accessible for people under the legal drinking age of 21 because electronic music shows are often held at venues that serve alcohol.
Thibo relaxing before heading to the stage for his set at The Jam on Sept. 22. | Photo by Jerame Saunders
This drove Thibo to begin working on full-fledged concerts stationed in landmark Humboldt locations. Eventually, he was sucked into becoming one of the showcased artists.
“I think I was on the forefront of making it happen,” Thibo said. “There are a lot of people up here who mix and who create, but there wasn’t really anywhere for them to perform.”
After the first renegade in 2018, the support from the community and fellow artists was substantial enough for him to throw more, all while performing at shows on and off-campus.
“The success in terms of money is not at all,” Thibo said. “Success in the terms of making people happy and giving people a good time, it’s been amazing.”
Preston Thibo plays music with a partner for a small crowd at The Jam on Friday, Sep. 20. | Photo by Jerame Saunders
Thibo was led to Humboldt to escape the urban trappings of Los Angeles and he quickly fell in love with the environment. However, there are still drawbacks to being an artist in such a unique area like Humboldt County.
“Pros are that it’s such a small community that you get to know everyone in it,” Thibo said. “But that can lead to a con as well.”
Thibo doesn’t necessarily consider his mixes as representative of the Humboldt electronic scene, which he describes as trippy, ambient and with deep bass.
“For me, I like to play disco and house music, and what gets people moving on an upper level and not so much on a downer level,” Thibo said.
“[Music] is everything to me. If I didn’t have a platform for me to share my music, I probably wouldn’t be as outgoing as I am today.”
Preston Thibo
According to Thibo, he is constantly striving to improve at making music, by accumulating better equipment and furthering his renegade brand called Esoteric Method with the name Kabbalah, his personal label as an artist. His other passions include stage design, making art installations and transporting people into the worlds he creates.
“I guess my goal is to unite people with similar interests who have awesome nights where they don’t have to worry about work tomorrow, school or class,” Thibo said. “They come and are in the moment and in the now, having fun with people they might not know.”
Thibo uses his creative outlets for social connection and to have a place where his music and art may impact the lives of others.
“[Music] is everything to me. If I didn’t have a platform for me to share my music, I probably wouldn’t be as outgoing as I am today,” Thibo said. “I grew up very shy and to myself. But now being able to play music and express myself through what I listen to with other people, it just makes me content with my every day life.”
To check out Thibo’s mixes, go to SoundCloud of MixCloud under the name “Monsieur.”
Art is more than just another form of expression, it’s a lifeline
Taylor Bruzza is a studio art major at Humboldt State University whose love for creating art can be traced back to when she was first able to hold a pencil. Bruzza enjoys painting, making jewelry and drawing. She uses a wide range of mediums including ink, watercolors and colored pencils, but she predominately dabbles with acrylic paints. She takes inspiration from nature as she often creates art pieces involving biological and hyper-realistic forms.
Featuring: Thomas Lal, Deion Alston, Albert Muro, Skye Kimya and Elliott Portillo
Part 1: We talk about Humboldt State sports from the week including the volleyball team’s first conference win at home. We also discuss the men’s and women’s soccer team away games. At the end of the segment, conversation turns to international sports and we talk about the U.S. women’s national team.
Part 2: We discuss the start of the NHL preseason with a focus on the San Jose Sharks and LA Kings while brining any non-hockey fans up to date on the rivalry between the Sharks and the Las Vegas Golden Knights. We also address the IIHF’s banning of Evgeny Kuznetsov for four years compared to the NHL’s three game ban for illegal substance use.
Part 3: After waiting on the topic last week, we finally delve into the Antonio Brown saga and attempt to understand exactly what went wrong in Oakland and how on earth the Patriots keep getting better and better. We also talk about week two performances around the NFL and our favorite teams.
Part 4: In the debrief section of the show we talk a little baseball with playoffs just around the corner. We also discuss Bruce Bochy’s 2000th career win as a manager and the Humboldt Crabs Alumni who made it to the MLB.
Bing! Flight attendants, please prepare for take-off
We are now departing from the Humboldt State University library.
Since fall 2018, Humboldt State University’s PC Gaming Club planned, fundraised and constructed a flight simulator for anyone to use. Students, faculty, staff and community members can learn how to fly an airplane by practicing in the simulator on the third floor of the library.
“The amazing thing about simulations is that it’s designed to simulate real life,” Sarah Livingstone, president of the PC Gaming Club, said. “You are still having the same neural connections and the same wavelengths in your brain to replicate that. So then when you do step inside a real airplane, you are doing all the exact same things; you know how to do everything correctly.”
The control wheel or “yoke,” juts out from the instrument panel of the flight simulator. | Photo by Michael Weber
The simulator features all the levers, buttons, instruments, windows and pedals that one would see in a real-life cockpit. Library pilots can choose their airplane model, airport location, flight conditions and other variables within the software, Microsoft Flight Simulator X.
Step-by-step instructions are posted nearby so that anyone may start the simulation solo. Livingstone said the club wants to hire a trained student to teach the public to operate the simulator and hire a flight instructor to allow anyone to obtain a real pilot license.
“We’re looking into working with extended education to bring forward this flat ground school program that would help students get their pilot’s license at HSU.”
Sarah Livingstone
“We’re looking into working with extended education to bring forward this flat ground school program that would help students get their pilot’s license at HSU,” Livingstone said.
Just like getting a license to drive a car, the two requirements for a pilot’s license—as defined by the Federal Aviation Administration—are to pass a written test and record 40 hours of flight practice with a professional.
David Marshall, the advisor to the PC Gaming Club, said a pilot-in-training may save a significant amount of money for the 40 hours of practice by using a simulator rather than a real, gasoline-consuming airplane.
A nearby supplemental book for pleasure reading rests on the flight simulator desk at the Humboldt State University Library on Sept. 23. | Photo by Michael Weber
“The cheapest airplane is right around $100 an hour. On top of that, you get another $30 an hour for your instructor,” Marshall said. “So every hour, an airplane costs $130. In the simulator, if somebody else builds it for you, it’s just an instructor and it’s $30 an hour to put book time.”
The club is searching for more funding to provide a classroom to study the written test and a professional instructor for the simulator.
Livingstone said they are looking into purchasing the final flight instruments, headphones, a new cover for the chair and a pillow for younger pilots-in-training to access the simulator.
The project started one year ago when Marshall said he required the club to create a project with a positive, meaningful and educational experience.
“I suggested gently that gaming is really simulation,” Marshall said. “And there’s a lot of stuff we can do in simulation.”
The club then raised $10,000 for the furniture, chairs, equipment, computer and software by writing grants, fundraising and working with community members that provided some equipment and furniture.
Livingstone said the simulator caught the attention of HSU President Tom Jackson, Jr. and Provost Alex Enyedi, who are both aviators. Livingstone encountered unexpected enthusiasm when she met with Jackson.
“It was supposed to only be a 40-minute meeting, but it ended up being an hour and a half,” Livingstone said. “He was having so much fun.”
Asian, Desi and Pacific Islander Collective holds annual Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is an annual Chinese celebration dating back to the Zhou dynasty. At Humboldt State, the Asian, Desi and Pacific Islander Collective observed the traditional holiday with a free event on campus. Students and members of the community were invited to enjoy food and conversation with others in the Kate Buchanan Room.
Students and community memebrs work on Chinese calligraphy druing the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival put on by ADPIC in the Kate Buchanan Room on September 13. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Attendees were provided utensils to paint Chinese characters throughout the event and of course, enjoy mooncakes to properly celebrate the creation of their art. Mooncakes are a wheat based pastry seen as an essential part of the festival in Chinese culture.
A short presentation from the ADPIC officers helped show the meaning of the event. They talked about how the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is traditionally a time to spend with family or in absence, think of family members.
Jonathan Haeteurn performs a breakdance routine at the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival on September 13 in the Kate Buchanan Room. | Photo by Thomas Lal
After this, ADPIC member Jonathan Haeteurn and fellow Humboldt Rockers’ member Romel Robinson entertained the crown by break dancing. The dance may not have been expected from the event, but it was very well received with Haeteurn and Robinson being applauded throughout the performance.
“I want students, like me, to feel like they’re welcome. I’m from Kansas City. I get out here and there’s no one here that looks like me, I feel like I don’t belong. I feel like I’m always having to bring my chair to the table.”
Tammy Phrakonkham
Maria Castillo took her friend Afua Mensah to the event after hearing about it earlier that day. Mensah was happy that she had decided to join Castillo for her first Mid-Autumn Festival and said that she might be interested in attending more ADPIC events in the future.
Students and community members write Chinese calligraphy during the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival put on by ADPIC in the Kate Buchanan Room on September 13. | Photo by Thomas Lal
“I really enjoyed it,” Mensah said. “I’ve never had a mooncake before so I’m like, ‘this is pretty good!’”
The event was marked as the first event for ADPIC since becoming an Associated Students program. ADPIC President Tammy Phrakonkham was happy with the turnout from the campus and community, especially considering the lack of attendance at the events earlier in the week. She also believed that the amount of people that came out proved that there should be more support for the program from the school.
“I want students, like me, to feel like they’re welcome,” Phrakonkham said. “I’m from Kansas City. I get out here and there’s no one here that looks like me, I feel like I don’t belong. I feel like I’m always having to bring my chair to the table.”
Students and coummunity members enjoy a meal courtesy of ADPIC featuring mooncakes at the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival on Seotember 13 in the Kate Buchanan Room. | Photo by Thomas Lal
The ADPIC program passed around a petition supporting the goal of eventually having an ADPIC center on campus strictly dedicated to the progress and success of the program. In addition to aiming for a center space, the program recently procured a garden plot from the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology with the hopes of adding workshops for students to make different cultural cuisines.
“For five years prior, we were a club,” Phrakonkham said. “We have always been trying to fight to have our own center because a lot of the students felt like we weren’t represented here. When you think of Asians you aggregate that they’re all smart, they’re all rich or whatever. But half of us are South Asians or Southeast Asians. We’re also first generations and children of refugees.”
Dr. Kimberly Perris leads the reestablishment of HSU’s bachelor of science in nursing program
Four weeks into the job, Humboldt State University’s nursing program Director Kimberly Perris has started putting the pieces in place to reform HSU’s bachelor of science in nursing program.
Perris said she wants to empower local nurses to fill empty leadership roles in local health services.
“My excitement, what I’m hopeful for and why I’m grateful to be here is because I really envision a role for nurses where they can go beyond the hospital walls, work in team-based care models and just take on more autonomous roles,” Perris said.
Director of Special Projects and Executive Director of HSU’s California Center for Rural Policy Connie Stewart at HSU on Sept. 14. Stewart, an HSU graduate and former Arcata mayor, believes HSU’s BSN program will be essential for Humboldt County’s future. Photo by James Wilde.
HSU canceled its BSN program in 2011, citing a lack of funding and qualified faculty. After years of a lack of BSN-educated nurses, HSU is relaunching the BSN program with the help of a $2 million dollar grant from St. Joseph Health.
Director of Special Projects Connie Stewart leads the California Center for Rural Policy, an HSU program designed to improve rural communities. Stewart currently oversees fundraising for the BSN program, and she hinted the receiving of more than just the St. Joseph Health grant.
Stewart, a former Arcata mayor who has served the community for more than thirty years, said that Perris is perfect for the job.
“She’s got really great, fresh ideas about how to improve health care in Humboldt County,” Stewart said. “I couldn’t be more excited to be working with her.”
Stewart emphasized the importance of the BSN program not just for Humboldt County, but for HSU. HSU students and faculty, Stewart noted, need healthcare too.
“I’m grateful that we can provide the opportunity for nurses to expand on their education—I know for me it was life-changing to do that.”
Kimberly Perris
“This program has to be successful in order for HSU to thrive,” Stewart said.
Perris dabbled in health-related fields in her youth, where she said she picked up a passion for helping and educating patients.
Perris graduated with an Associate of Science in Nursing in 1991. She worked in family planning before she worked at the HSU Student Health Center from 2004 to 2016 as a nurse, a job Perris said she loved.
“I loved the education piece of it,” Perris said. “Working there is where I really decided to go back to school, and I saw a role for nurses that could be a little bit more fulfilling and autonomous and help improve access to care.”
Perris earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice Executive Leadership from the University of San Francisco in 2018. Perris said she’s driven to give other nurses the same educational opportunities she had.
“I’m grateful that we can provide the opportunity for nurses to expand on their education—I know for me it was life-changing to do that,” Perris said.
HSU’s BSN program is designed for already-registered nurses who want to further their education. Perris said this will allow nurses to become more involved with the community and work outside of hospitals.
HSU’s new BSN nursing program director, Kimberly Perris. Perris is working towards a goal of graduating 50 nurses from the BSN program by 2022. | Photo by James Wilde.
The program’s goal is to graduate 50 nurses in 2022, with 25 students entering a part-time, two-year program in 2020, and another 25 entering a full-time, one-year program in 2021.
Perris said she’s developing relationships with local health centers for BSN nurse roles. She’s also working to make the transfer process from College of the Redwood’s RN program seamless.
CR’s Director of Nursing and Health Operations Roberta Farrar echoed Perris’ hopes.
“My hopes and goals would be to see each class filled to capacity with a waitlist of those wanting to enter the program,” Farrar said in an email. “That the registered nurses who choose Humboldt State are satisfied with their education and use knowledge gained to make necessary changes in any healthcare setting they are employed.”
Both Farrar and Perris said the program won’t bring more nurses to the community, but will instead give more opportunities to nurses in the area, enticing them to stay in Humboldt.
“We have a struggling health care system right now and I think nurses are one of the missing pieces that can help to improve that… The missing links.”
Kimberly Perris
“A lot of nurses leave the area because they want to continue their education or there aren’t the kind of positions that they’re looking for,” Perris said. “So this role will provide more nurse leaders for the community and nurses to have more of a systemic look at the population.”
While Perris said she has felt overwhelmingly supported in her first few weeks, she did acknowledge the pressure of her position.
“I feel pressure because I want this to be successful,” Perris said. “And I want to make sure I have all the details in place to keep moving it forward and not let anything fall in through the cracks.”
Despite the pressure, Perris said she doesn’t have any significant fears.
“There will be likely a little series of things that don’t work, and that’s normal in a new project,” Perris said. “I’m sure there will be some hopefully-just-mini failures because this is a brand-new program, but that’s okay.”
Long-term, Perris said the BSN program will help nurses have a broader understanding of the community and its healthcare needs.
“We have a struggling health care system right now and I think nurses are one of the missing pieces that can help to improve that,” Perris said. “The missing links.”
Cross country dominated at home, volleyball won two of three games and soccer had mixed results
The Humboldt State men’s and women’s cross country teams stood out at the Baywood Golf and Country Club on Sept. 6, while women’s soccer lost on the road and men’s soccer started the season with a 1-1 record. The volleyball team won two out of their three games at the Toro Classic in Carson, CA.
The HSU cross country team performed well in front of the home crowd as they walked away with sweeping wins in men’s and women’s competition. Senior Daniel Tull took first place for the Lumberjack men, and freshman Hannah Hartwell nabbed first place for the HSU women.
The HSU volleyball team lost their first match in Carson against Cal St. Dominguez Hills (3-0), but were able to bounce back with sequential wins against Academy of Art (3-0) and Notre Dame De Namur (3-2).
Women’s soccer went 0-1-1 on their Bay Area road trip, losing to Academy of Art (2-0) and tying against Notre Dame De Namur (1-1). Men’s soccer was able to go 1-1 on their San Rafael road trip, pulling off a comeback win against Dominican (4-3) in overtime and falling to Holy Names (3-2).
At the Sept. 10 HSU Athletics press conference, each coach and player from their respective sport spoke on their team’s performance and looked ahead to upcoming matches.
Cross Country
Head Coach Jamey Harris was ecstatic about his team’s performance in front of the home crowd at Baywood, and it helped that the Jacks had a supportive home crowd behind them. Harris noted the fact that HSU President Tom Jackson was in attendance, along with several members of the local running community.
“I couldn’t have asked for the season to start any better,” Harris said. “This was sort of an early-season meet just to see where we are at as we go into more specific training.”
Harris also talked about how important it was to the team that the community came out to support and noted how it works both ways, with the team also wanting to contribute back to the community.
“It shows our runners that the community cares and that the campus cares,” Harris said. “It helps them see the value in investing their time in the community, and it becomes a great cooperative relationship that way.”
The cross country team has a little more than a week to train and prepare before they make their way up to Monmouth, Oregon for the Sundowner Invitational on Sept. 20.
Volleyball
Head Coach Kelly Wood was happy about the Jacks bouncing back after losing the first match against Dominguez Hills. Wood talked about the unforced errors that the team made, but also acknowledged that the season had just started.
“We absolutely looked like a team playing its very first match of the season against Dominguez Hills that first night,” Wood said. “We made 36 hitting errors. That’s an insane amount of hitting errors, and that’s a recipe for disaster.”
Despite a rough first match, the Jacks were able to steal wins against their next two opponents at the Toro Classic. According to junior outside hitter Lexi Riggs who had the second-most kills during the classic with 37, the group raised their energy level for those next two matches.
“Everybody stepped up,” Riggs said. “Every single person on the team stepped up and got themselves going. I think what turned it around for us was the energy.”
The volleyball team will travel to the West Region Showcase in San Francisco for matches Sept. 12-14.
Men’s Soccer
The Jacks had a mixed weekend against Dominican and Holy Names, but the win against Dominican was a season opener that many on the team won’t forget anytime soon.
Going into the 53rd minute, the Jacks trailed 3-1. They were able to score twice and force overtime, and then defender Gus Baxter drew a foul in the penalty box and buried the game-winning goal to complete the comeback.
Baxter gave credit to his teammates for putting him in the position to draw the game-winning penalty. He gave credit to Dalton Rice for his two clutch goals, one in the first and one in the second half of the game.
“There were a couple of good passes around the box and then all of a sudden the ball is at my feet,” Baxter said. “I shoot, and it hits the guys hand. I took a deep breath, stepped up to it and buried it.”
The Jacks will get on a plane early Thursday morning and head to Billings, Montana this weekend where they will play Montana State University at Billings and the University of Mary.
Women’s Soccer
The Jacks weren’t able to get a win on their road trip, but they did get the tie in a hard-fought game against Notre Dame De Namur. Despite the results, Head Coach Paul Karver was able to see early-season improvements in the team.
“I think we saw a lot of the hard work that was put in over the offseason,” Karver said. “Going 2-0 would be super fun, but in a weird way, I’ll take where we’re at. The lessons we learned were really important, and that is what the preseason is all about.”
The Jacks will travel up to Karver’s hometown of Portland, Oregon this weekend for matches against Concordia and Saint Martin’s.
CCAT plans to keep pigs on campus to reduce food waste
Humboldt State University’s Campus Center for Appropriate Technology plans to house two pigs on campus as soon as next week.
CCAT will loan the pigs from the Tule Fog Farm in Arcata for the duration of the fall semester. CCAT plans to feed the pigs food waste from HSU’s J dining hall.
Jacob Gellatly, environmental resources engineering major and former CCAT Co-Director, helped lead the project from concept to reality.
“We want to show how animals can be raised in a residential environment, and how you can use urban byproducts such as food waste to raise animals in an urban setting,” Gellatly said.
EnvironmentalRresource Engineering majors Jacob Gellatly (right) and Kong Vang (left) prepare a log on Sept. 6 to be used for the roof of a pig pen. | Photo by James Wilde
The plan to house the pigs began last fall when students in the CCAT Student Club vocalized interest in keeping animals on campus. CCAT contacted Shail Pec-Crouse from the Tule Fog Farm in Arcata. Pec-Crouse recommended pigs as the most viable animal.
“The easiest animal for us to raise would be pigs,” Gellatly said. “The reasoning for that is—a big thing is predators. So it’s a lot harder for something to come and get a hold of a pig as opposed to a chicken.”
As part of their plan, CCAT realized they could feed the pigs food waste from the J. While CCAT couldn’t feed the pigs food thrown away by customers of the J, CCAT could feed the pigs pre-consumer waste, such as food trimmings or spoiled foods not suitable for people.
“Another goal with the project was how can we divert food waste on campus,” Gellatly said. “And with that we can feed almost, and in some cases, their entire diet from food waste that’s at the school here.”
Once CCAT decided to loan the pigs from the Tule Fog Farm it needed approval from HSU’s Associated Students, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, Facilities Management, Risk Management and an environmental health and safety specialist.
The pig pen-in-progress on Sept. 6. CCAT plans to house two pigs in the pen for the duration of the fall semester. | Photo by James Wilde
Humboldt State’s IACUC reviews the use of animals on campus to ensure the animals are treated humanely under the requirements of federal and state law. College of Natural Resources Associate Dean Rick Zechman, who chairs IACUC, said the IACUC proactively reviews and inspects over 100 animal-involved projects on campus each year.
“There’s varying kinds of emotional feelings about the use of animals, and that’s respected and honored in the system of review,” Zechman said. “And that’s why the Animal Welfare Act was developed, to prevent mistreatment of animals. And I think, you know, in our committee, that’s sort of our first principle.”
While Zechman could not comment on the details of CCAT’s proposal, which is still pending, CCAT has worked over the last year to assuage concerns raised by various HSU faculty.
CCAT started by building a pig pen out of reclaimed wood from a local logging operation in Fieldbrook. CCAT has since integrated plans for a roof to prevent flooding of the pen and security to prevent people from getting harmed by the pigs.
In the long run, Gellatly hopes the project might convince the University to keep animals around for good.
“Big picture, I would like the school to see this and see, with what we’re having to deal with—getting rid of all this food—we could be raising meat for the school and have locally-produced meat with a byproduct of our current dining system,” Gellatly said.
Environmental Rresource Engineering majors Jacob Gellatly (right) and Kong Vang (left) working with a log for the pen. | Photo by James Wilde
CCAT’s plan to house pigs has only recently become known to the wider HSU campus. Saraí Escalante, psychology graduate student and president of HSU’s Vegan Club, sees the value of reducing food waste but wonders about the sustainability of the project.
“I think the underlying problem is that we see them as a convenience, as objects, so we see them as a tool to help us fix a problem or make our problems or our lives easier,” Escalante said. “And from a sustainability point of view, you still waste a lot of water in all of the slaughter process and the cleaning up of the meat. In that way, it wouldn’t be sustainable.”
Escalante said she’s considering starting a fundraiser to purchase the pigs and send them to a sanctuary instead of a slaughterhouse. However, Escalante said she plans to talk with CCAT to exchange thoughts, as she does like the idea of reducing food waste on campus.
Gellatly, for his part, noted that the current plan as registered with Tule Fog Farm and IACUC is for CCAT to house the pigs only for the rest of the semester.
“I think it’s, in theory, possible for them to buy the animals from the farmer if that’s something they’re inclined to do,” Gellatly said. “But, as far as our scope goes with the IACUC, once the project’s done, we’re taking the animals back to the farm and that’s where it ends for us.”
The project’s beginnings are dependent on approval from IACUC, but the pigs could arrive at CCAT as early as the week of Sept. 8 through 14.
HSU students pick rad fits to start the fall semester
Students wear interesting outfits to class everyday. Their outfits are often noticed, but rarely talked about. For those that are into fashion, we often try different styles or search for new clothes that represent our personality. The Lumberjack acknowledged a variety of students around campus wearing fashionable outfits during the first two weeks of school. HSU doesn’t disappoint when it comes to making rad fashion statements.
Jaime Cocking rocking an edgy, yet groovy look. Most of her clothing is thrifted. Her top is from Miranda’s Rescue and she cropped it herself. Her pants are from a friend’s dad who works at Cents, the shoes are from the Van’s store and she tops off the outfit with some sunglasses from Forever 21. Cocking says she tries to style a lot of her clothes like this because it makes her feel good and confident. She thinks this outfit is ‘very her’ to match her personality.
Sophomore Ethan Villalta struts his snazzy fit out in the quad. He got his jacket second-hand from his dad and the hat is a hand-me-down from his grandpa. He snagged the pants from the Dickie’s store and he bought the shoes at Vans. He feels this look is pretty casual and it was his first appearance in this outfit so he was pretty excited to show it off.
Brianna Myrick, a first year student at HSU, catches everyone’s eyes with her summery vibes. Myrick got her top from Brandy Melville, her skirt from Urban Outfitters, her shoes from Journey’s and she hand made her jewelry. She feels like this is an easy going outfit but she hates wearing tight clothing so she wouldn’t consider this her favorite outfit.
HSU senior Joseph Shanahan sits back, chill as ever, in his fit. His sweater is a hand-me-down from his uncle. He found his undershirt in a laundry room and cut it himself to make it more his style. Shanahan’s jeans were thrifted and he bought his sandals from REI Garage. He likes to dress comfortable and is always ready for any sudden weather changes.
Freshman Gabby Garza struts her comfy-yet-cute look to kick off her first year in college. Her shirt is from Brandy Melville, pants are from Avatar Imports, shoes are Fila Disruptor II’s and her necklace is from Forever 21. She wanted to feel comfy at school but still have style, and according to Garza, the looser the clothes, the comfier you’ll feel!
Robert Gonzalez, a first year student at HSU, kicks off his first of many college years with rad outfit. Gonzalez’s jacket is from Forever 21. Turtleneck and backpack are from Zara, jeans were thrifted and his Doc Martins are from Urban Outfitters. He feels confident in this outfit knowing other people like what he is wearing.
Sandra Zepeda, a junior at HSU, shows off her groovy outfit on campus. Her top is second-hand from a friend, the jacket was thrifted, she found the skirt at a Goodwill in Southern California and she bought the shoes online from T.U.K, an online retailer specializing in punk-rock fashion shoes. She feels confident in this outfit and according to Zepeda, this is the ‘Sandra Vibe’.
HSU’s Center Activities helps students get out and around Humboldt County
Trying to explore Humboldt but don’t have a paddle to go with your board? Center Activities is an on-campus resource available to students looking to get geared up and participate in local adventures.
The staff at Center Activities are friendly and attentive and they’re more than happy to help students find what they need to enjoy their day out in Humboldt County. Adventure Program Director Deserie Donae says Center Activities makes an effort to ensure students feel welcome on campus and in the community.
“We can outfit a student with anything but shoes,” Donae said. “We get people prepped and prepared to go out by providing food and transportation so people don’t have to think too hard about it. We want the outdoors to be easy and accessible.”
The Lumberjack has compiled a convenient how-to playlist of videos to guide readers toward fun activities. This list is a great way to introduce students to an outdoor lifestyle in a healthy way.
A hot and bothered rabbit and a troop of acrobats highlight the 21+ circus show
The Rabbit is out of the hat and she wants some action. Animal control is on the scene, face to face with a gang of nihilist bunnies who are ready to pounce. The Flynn Creek Circus was set up in a big, red and white circus tent in the Creamery District of Arcata.
The inside of the tent was warm. The audience’s voices were loud under the tent’s striped skin. The stage lights glowed a harsh, dull silver. A three person band charged with a buzz of anticipation playing a staccato drum, a perpetual accordion and a melodic guitar. A five-foot tall, eight-foot wide, magnificent red hat sat on the corner of the stage, otherwise known as the the magician’s hat.
The stage lights flashed and a hush fell over the crowd. After all eyes turned to the stage, the drum roll crescendoed into a crash as the curtains parted. Out came a sharp dressed man in a red suit who held a deck of cards in his hand.
The Flynn Creek Circus was set up in a red and white striped tent. The ticket booth was the eclectic trailer the left. | Photo by Collin Slavey
“You know what I am going to say next?” he said to the audience with a smile on his face. “Pick a card.”
The mix of sleight of hand, bravado and stage magic was just the start of the show. Popcorn and booze were also on the menu. After the magician’s magic act, Grenda the Science Chick made her appearance on stage with a platter ringed in butter shots.
“The story comes first,” Grenda said. “It’s what makes us different. The art director comes up with a story and makes acts serving the story. It adds a lot to think about. You wonder what’s next and become more invested in the characters.”
That evening was the 21-and-over show. The story was about the magician’s rabbit who had figured out how to get herself out of his hat. Life in a hat is awfully lonely, and she was desperately tense after a solitary life. She was on a mission to do what rabbits do best: reproduce.
“I’ve been in that hat for so long,” the Rabbit said. “Do you know how tough it is to be in a hat your whole life? Oh, my god it’s dreadful! I am so pent up. I have got to find me a carrot to chew on.”
Cue the nihilist bunnies. Animal control was on their tail with malicious intent. The magician’s rabbit was roped into the conflict on stage and the gang decided to make a stand as they whipped out K-bar carrots. Their performance devolved into a harrowing knife act and they were not messing around. The nihilists didn’t have a hare in the world. They made an acrobatic escape, bringing the magician’s bunny with them.
Nick Harden doubled as animal control and ticket salesman. Here he is grimacing after the credit card reader stopped working. | Photo by Collin Slavey
Nick and Wendy Harden played classic opponents: animal control and a stray cat. The duo did a unicycle act with acrobatics and headstands. It was a regular game of cat and mouse around the stage, their faces tight in concentration as Nick wheeled around the stage while Wendy maneuvered over his body in an impressive display of poise and balance. Clearly the duo has put years into their act.
“We were sold out the first night. I hope we can get you a ticket tonight,” Harden said. “Wendy stands on my head during our unicycle act.”
As the show came to a close, the magician performed his final act. It was an arcane rope act where he hoisted himself up and down, suspended 30 feet off the ground. He tied up the loose ends with his rabbit partner and encouraged her to find herself. The magician’s rabbit concluded the show with a descent into general apathy as the nihilist bunnies welcomed her into their ranks.
“Nothing really matters,” she said with a wink. “So I’m going to go get what I can get while I can get it. Know what I’m saying?”
The Flynn Creek Circus is based in Mendocino. The circus tours the North Coast and Oregon during summer, while the weather permits it. The 2019 season is halfway through and August 18 was the final show performed in Arcata this time around. Not to worry though, the next local shows will be in Fortuna on September 5, 6, 7 and 8. Tickets can be bought online or at the door.
A look at the behind the scenes cleaning team at Humboldt State
The grand clock on University Center strikes midnight and its sounds rings throughout the courtyard.
Then, utter silence except for the light rustle of leaves as a breeze passes through. If you look closer or step into any building on campus at this late hour, you’ll likely hear the creaking of wheels, the whirring of a vacuum or the brushing of floors as custodians go through their assignments.
Night custodians begin their shift at 5 p.m. and finish at 1 a.m. the next day. The work is grueling, but the team handles it with ease.
“Custodians that work here are hard-working people,” Student and Business Services Custodian Tiffany Swift said. “They run into things everyday that you’re not really prepared for, whether it be a big mess that you have to clean up or certain messes that take up multiple procedures. They work really hard, rarely any questions asked.”
Tiffany Swift is about to set down a wet floor sign after cleaning the women’s bathroom on the first floor of the Student and Business Services building during her shift on a late Monday afternoon. | Photo by Jose Herrera
Swift’s hair is swept into a ponytail and her bubbly attitude holds just as much power as her cart filled with practical cleaning supplies. She became a custodian almost seven years ago, back in 2012.
Swift was in charge of the Student Health Center, but was reassigned to the SBS building. She giggled and said she had a routine down for the last six years doing, “pretty much the same things,” like vacuuming, dusting and keeping the place sanitized.
She added that when she started at the SBS it felt like starting a new job.
“In this building everyone was welcoming, but it was nerve-wracking because I didn’t know where anything was,” Swift said. “I didn’t know anyone. I was so used to knowing everybody by their names, their family members, friends outside, you know.”
Swift said it was cool that she could go to a different building and be treated nicely. She explained that the best part of her day is getting to see people and interact with them.
Labor rights are human rights. That’s why I like contracts, there’s an expectation to be treated in a certain way.
Carly Demant
“The days where I’ve been left with a bunch of love notes is when my whole day is made. Or if I get compliments on my work that will put me in a good mood,” Swift said. “Throughout the day you’ll just feel this bliss, you feel like you want to come in the next day and do a great job or even a better job, when you feel like what you did was good and people notice.”
Science A Custodian Carly Demant usually listens to punk rock or comedy podcasts, but on a recent shift played sad country music while swabbing the floors with a wild mop.
Demant said the job is great and appreciates that the custodians are in a union.
“Labor rights are human rights,” Demant said. “That’s why I like contracts, there’s an expectation to be treated in a certain way.”
Custodian for Fisheries and Wildlife, Fish Hatchery and Wildlife Game Pens Dan Adams shares the same sentiment with Swift, that appreciation and compliments on his work motivates him to do a better job.
Carly Demant throws away the garbage during their shift of the Science A building. | Photo by Jose Herrera
“I found that if you develop a good rapport and effectively communicate with students in your building, and faculty and staff in your building, it makes your job better,” Adams said.
After being in charge of Founders Hall for 15 years Adams has many stories, like the time a bat flew in through a window, or when he caught a couple kissing late at night in a classroom.
Black-gloved hands, breathable trousers and a grey beard demonstrate Adams’ 18 plus years of experience.
Adams said his job consists of constant multitasking, and emphasized a greater work experience after creating relationships with others. Although each custodian spends hours alone in their buildings, there’s teamwork involved in making sure that the cleaning gets done.
According to Swift and Adams, the budget cuts have affected their department, resulting in a shortage of staff. When someone calls out sick, another custodian takes their assignment and their duties become doubled.
“We work good as a team,” Adams said. “Every custodian’s run is different.”
He said that when a custodian covers another’s run they should reassess the approach because each building is different. There might be cracked floors, loose tiles or foot traffic impact and custodians must decide which chemicals to use and how to set up their cart.
By the end of their nights, there are certain expectations that have to be met. Adams and Swift said that keeping their buildings clean and presentable brings a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Ken McDonald cleans a bathroom mirror in Science C at Humboldt State University on Aug. 25. | Photo by Jose Herrera
Swift let out another laugh and said that something might “look terrible the day before,” but after a shift the place looks nicer.
When their shifts end they go home and change gears.
Swift bakes on the side and recently made 300 cupcakes for a wedding. Adams is an avid music fan who likes to relax with loved ones. Demant goes home to their blind dog and roommate.
Ken McDonald, the custodian for Science B and C, has three years working for Humboldt State and said that when his night is up, he looks forward to going home to his 7-year-old son and wife of 10 years.
“I’m a family man. They’re my life,” McDonald said.
Guest columnist and Elementary Education major Tim Rupiper waxes poetic about those perfect summer moments
It’s 7 AM. The bags packed the night before wait restlessly by the door while you finish your morning coffee and watch as the world around you is blanketed with new light. You wash your mug in the sink, dry your hands and look to the street outside.
With your friends in tow, the door to the apartment will shut, the car engine will ignite to life and you’ll be off.
As an evergreen backdrop paints your drive, you barrel down the highway, occasionally pulling over to marvel at the vast beauty that is, simply, nature. Gaze upon it long enough and you become shockingly aware of just how microscopic you are in comparison to the trees, to the Earth and to the universe. Leave it to a tree or a mountain to put you in your place.
You continue on past the tar and glass, shortening the distance between you and your destination. Once or twice you stop at an oasis on the highway where people just like you, from all over, stop to stretch their legs, use the restroom, and do so in comfortable silence. The deafening roar of the highway calls you back.
You listen to your music, indulge in snacks, but something about driving long hours and far distances turns the playlist from the bops you and your friends bump, into the music that made you. It’s a calming background for the passing landscape.
Along the journey, you may stop at a friend’s house to spend the night on a makeshift bed; an old couch or blankets piled on the floor. You breathe, brush your teeth and get ready for the next day’s adventures. Excited to find things to add to the books of your life and the stories yet to tell.
The drive is exhausting—it tests your patience and the routes seem to blend into each other. Your wallet gasps for air and your body is exhausted. You long for some alone time. Your suitcase slowly eats away the clean clothes. The endless traveling is terrible but extremely rewarding and completely worth it.
Once you’re home and back to real life, the routines you had before will start up again. All that’s happened will become memories, a distant object in your rearview. These memories will help pass the days and keep you humble while you build anticipation for your next journey.
This is summer. A word dripping like honey from your lips each time it’s spoken. Its sweetness providing a canvas for the moments that last a lifetime.
Benjamin Shaeffer’s double life as an HSU philosophy professor and Crabs’ baseball announcer
It’s a brisk June night in downtown Arcata as Benjamin Shaeffer arrives at the ballpark around 6:30 in the evening. He climbs up the ladder to the media booth, sets his personal belongings down, and says hello to the other people working in the booth that night.
Before the game starts, Shaeffer will usually talk to the others in the booth about world events of that day, philosophical musings, or about how bad the Giants are doing. He looks over the lineups for both teams, noting the pronunciation of the players’ names and he fills out his fielding chart, putting a player’s name in each position on the baseball diamond.
It’s around 6:45 p.m. when Shaeffer gets ready to put his voice on air, connecting to hundreds of radios, phones, and computers across Humboldt County and beyond. He puts his headset on, waits for the countdown to go on air, then begins the broadcast with, “Good evening Crabs fans around the world and around the block, on the world wide web, and on the radio, it’s time for Crabs baseball!”
Shaeffer is the current philosophy department chair and for almost 10 months of the year he teaches philosophy full time at Humboldt State University. For two months every summer, he spends his evenings in the Arcata Ballpark broadcast booth.
Shaeffer grew up in the Southern California city of El Monte, 13 miles east of downtown Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. Journalism was his primary interest as he was the editor of his high school paper and then majored in journalism at Pasadena City College. But it wasn’t long before he started to lose interest in journalism, and it was then that he began to find what he believed to be his true calling in life.
“When I discovered philosophy, I realized that these are the questions I’ve been wondering about my whole life. I just didn’t know that you could get paid to ask them.”
Benjamin Shaeffer
“It seemed like it was more about selling papers than it was about informing people what was going on in the world,” Shaeffer said. “When I discovered philosophy, I realized that these are the questions I’ve been wondering about my whole life, I just didn’t know that you could get paid to ask them.”
Shaeffer went on to get his bachelor’s degree at UC Santa Cruz and then later received his Ph.D. at UC Santa Barbara. In 1998, not long after earning his degree at UCSB, Shaeffer accepted what he thought at the time was a one-year teaching position at Humboldt State University. Like many students and faculty who make the trek from LA to Humboldt, Shaeffer was not sure what to expect and was anxious about living in an unfamiliar place so far from home. He was certain that he wasn’t going to be in Humboldt for long and imagined he would return to his job in SoCal soon.
“I had this image of Humboldt,” Shaeffer said. “I thought I was going to live in the woods and it was going to be quiet like a small town. But when I got to Eureka and saw the Bayshore Mall, I was a little bit upset.”
Benjamin Shaeffer fills out his scorebook prior to the game. | Photo by Liam Warner
Aside from his interest in philosophy, a constant presence and a dear friend throughout Shaeffer’s life has been baseball. Shaeffer does not consider himself a sports fan as he has never been interested in other popular sports like basketball or football, but when it comes to baseball, he can recall the exact moment he fell in love with the sport.
“When I was seven, at the end of the street I grew up on, there was a park with a little league field,” Shaeffer said. “I remember going down there and just being fascinated by watching these kids plays baseball. I started to play as soon as I was old enough to play, but I didn’t get past little league.”
Thankfully, it wasn’t long before Shaeffer discovered the Humboldt Crabs baseball team that played their summers in downtown Arcata.
“I was in heaven,” Shaeffer said.”I started to hang out at the games, and in 1999 there was an opening for a ballpark announcer. I wanted to be the ballpark announcer.”
Although Shaeffer didn’t get the ballpark announcing gig, there was an opening for an official scorer and he took that position. After being the official scorer for a year and hanging out in the booth next to the radio broadcasters, Shaeffer was given a chance to be on the radio. He would then join Robert “Hoke” Holcomb on the Crabs radio broadcast, and that started a summer tradition that continues to this day.
“I always said that if you didn’t get along with Benjamin Shaeffer you had a personality disorder and you needed to see somebody.”
Hoke Holcomb
“So I sat right next to [the radio broadcasters],” Shaeffer said. “I would interject things over the air, and then after the first season Hoke asked me if I wanted to volunteer. He asked me ‘why don’t you be my color man?’”
Benjamin Shaeffer and Hoke Holcomb would develop both an on-air and off-air friendship that would last 19 summers before Hoke retired at the end of the 2018 season. Shaeffer and Hoke both came from an academic background, were politically active, but most importantly loved the game of baseball, and that made for instant on-air chemistry.
“I always said that if you didn’t get along with Benjamin Shaeffer you had a personality disorder and you needed to see somebody,” Holcomb said. “I think he brings enthusiasm to the broadcast without having that enthusiasm drown out what he’s conveying.”
Throughout his summers as the voice of the Crabs, Shaeffer has brought a unique perspective to the sport of baseball, often sprinkling philosophical musings throughout the broadcast. His philosophical background allows him to view the game in a different light, valuing the slow and building moments of the game rather than the high energy, action-packed moments.
Photo by Liam Warner
“I think the thing about baseball that is philosophical is its slowness and its meditative quality,” Shaeffer said. “It creates tension and that’s the source of its excitement, rather than speed and things moving really fast. It builds to these moments of tension that have to get resolved.”
Tim “Tres” O’Brien is one of the Crabs’ current ballpark announcers. He worked in the booth back in 2004 and then returned to his ballpark announcing duties in 2016. Tres has listened to Shaeffer both in the booth and on the radio, and he talked about what made Shaeffer a unique baseball announcer.
“Benjamin, while I think his style is more straightforward, he would have intellectual humor that would come out here and there,” O’Brien said. “He would ‘mini ponder’ about a certain play, and he would bring this other element to announcing a baseball game.”
Shaeffer’s day job might be teaching philosophy for most of the year, but to him, there is no better place to be during the summer than high up on that perch above the Arcata Ballpark, watching baseball.
“If I find somewhere where there’s baseball, I go,” Shaeffer said.
According to students, a better college experience comes with connection
Humboldt State maintains its unique character through its rural location and off-grid environment. This tight-knit community holds a rare and refreshing authenticity that can take some time to fully recognize.
With a small student body and independent style that defies mainstream media and trends, the HSU community tends to be accepting towards all students and individuals in general.
However, this experience doesn’t come without effort. Advice both to and from college students is to reach out and make connections, as it is said to be beneficial to a college experience. Second-year psychology major Analiise Calderon thinks the best way to connect in a college environment is in the classroom.
“Try and make at least one friend in every class,” Calderon said. “Always try and reach out because people are so open here.”
But not all connections and relationships work at first and college is a transformative period. Marlena McVey, a second-year art major, believes some things are meant to be temporary.
“Don’t think the very first person you meet is going to be your forever friend,” McVey said.
Maybe that is the case though, maybe the first person you meet on campus becomes your best friend forever. It happens, but McVey is simply sharing the recognition that not every connection is going to work out and that’s okay.
“It’s down down to earth. It’s definitely not the normal, stereotypical party scene. It’s more like whoever can come out, comes out and is getting together to genuinely have fun.”
Shelby Cabral
College cliques aren’t instantaneous and the reality is far from the clichéd Hollywood depiction. Individuality is valued in Humboldt and friendship, along with acceptance, comes easy with that.
“Humboldt is unique and open,” Maddie McCluskey, a second-year student, said. “I’ve never experienced and felt such genuine acceptance before.”
College is meant to be an experience, whether good or bad, and it is a place to learn lessons and continue to grow as an individual. Business major Shelby Cabral comments on what it is like during a night out in Humboldt.
“It’s down down to earth,” Cabral said. “It is definitely not the normal, stereotypical party scene. It’s more like whoever can come out, comes out and is getting together to genuinely have fun.”
Nightlife in Humboldt holds a more personal setting with house shows and live music as a popular weekend activity. It may not be the stereotypical college-night-out but it is get-togethers like these that help carry Humboldt’s character and charm.
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