Club sports member expresses disappointment in administration inviting SJSU to campus
You know there is a huge lack of communication between the Humboldt State University’s administration and its students when an email is sent only a day before the arrival of an entire football team from San Jose State University.
It’s very frustrating there is such a disconnect between our administration and it’s student body and community. As a member of club sports it is disappointing to see another team from another school practice on a field that I can not touch with my teammates.
From spending 14 hours a week all of last year, at the Redwood Bowl or College Creek field with my teammates building my skills to now, possibly suspended for even gathering with a small group of teammates is frustrating to say the least. All clubs such as Men’s Baseball and the Mountain biking club can not join together because of the guidelines given from HSU.
Last time I checked, you have to already be six feet away in order to shoot a baseball. Also I don’t know if anyone in the Humboldt administration has ever mountain biked, but normally bikers keep distance like cars in order to avoid an accident or sudden stop.
I will say that my sport, rugby, brings more challenges to social distancing. I still can not go to the field with non-house members of my team to kick or pass a ball and even train.
So this is where I find it ridiculous that a football team, a contact sport to say the least, consisting of 141 players and personnel are able to play on the same field we at club sports cannot.
I will not blame or send hate towards the players or coaches of SJSU because I respect them leaving their homes in order to possibly have a chance at playing at the next level. If I was in the same situation, I would do the same thing.
But I will turn all my blame and anger towards the administration of both universities and the Chancellor of the CSU system.
I do not understand how my rugby team cannot practice because of rules given by the Chancellor and the HSU administration but a large football team can travel across multiple county lines, probably making a stop or two, in order to practice for just a week.
To put a whole community at risk is baffling to me. The decision to allow another university to send their football team approximately 360 miles to us is terrible.
Disagreements between the UC Board and HSU administration reaches a new point of contention
Humboldt State University served a notice of termination to their contract with the University Center group, citing a series of breaches between the two organizations.
In the campus wide email, President Tom Jackson states that the UC, which provides student facing services like the dining services and the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center, has 90 days to correct the six breaches. With the notice sent on Sept. 24, the UC has until Dec. 24 to make the corrections.
President Jackson stated in the email that the decision came after discussions with CSU Chancellor Timothy White, the university plans to take over some responsibilities “…ensuring students still have employment opportunities and that services supporting students are continued…” while the board attempts to make corrections.
“The UC professional staff and student employees who work hard for our campus, community, and students each day are outstanding, and resolution of issues at the executive and fiduciary level should not disrupt them as they continue to serve and support HSU students,” Jackson said in the email.
No word was given on what would happen to services run by the UC if the termination were to be finalized.
Members of the UC Board were not told ahead of time of the termination and learned of the notice the same time the campus and media were told.
In a statement made by UC Faculty Representatives Steve Martin, Ph.D, Mark Rizzardi, Ph.D, and Armeda Reitzel, Ph.D, the board expressed their disapproval with the move.
“Unfortunately, we find ourselves in an environment where authority seems to outweigh collaboration,” the statement said. “A memo was sent to the UC, at the same time as to the media and the public, of a termination of contract notice. We can’t help but wonder if there were ulterior reasons to motivate such a disproportionate response.”
Of the six breaches that the notice brings forward, three of them included the business relationship between the North Humboldt Recreation and Park District, focusing in particular on the Arcata Community Pool.
According to the notice, the UC Board opened a $300,000 line of credit for the NHRPD in Aug. of this year, as well as transferring $100,000 and $50,ooo to them in Feb. and July respectively. These actions, according to the president’s statement, violate Executive Order 1059 which states that “Campus auxiliary organizations are . . . operated solely for the benefit of the campus.”
In a separate email, Martin said “Everything the University Center did with respect to the line of credit we extended to the Arcata Community Pool was done above-board, in public, and even the University Controller recommended it and voted in favor of it, as did administrator Dean of Students Dr. Eboni Turnbow.
“For the President to pull the termination trigger on our operating agreement is akin to using a nuclear bomb to respond to a mosquito bite,” Martin said.
Dean Turnbow was also not one of the administrative team members mentioned in the notice of termination, which included Vice President for Administration & Finance Sherie Gordon and Vice President for Enrollment Management Jason Meriwether.
Gracie Oliva, a student employee of the HBAC, expressed her concerns during a September interview about administration’s decisions, calling it a slap in the face to the entire student body.
“I want students to know that if Center Activities or HBAC are affected, it would be a detrimental change,” Olivia said. “The Recreation Administration program is held up by these programs. Without them, I feel like it would crumble.”
***Editor’s note: SJSU football program was tested in congruence with Mountain West conference guidelines***
The Spartans have arrived and this time they’re not carrying spears or shields. Instead the San Jose State football team stepped onto the Humboldt State campus on Oct. 2 with bags full of clothes, televisions, gaming consoles and plenty of padding. As 141 players, coaches and trainers streamed out of the six buses into a school that hasn’t seen college football since 2018.
Humboldt State students received an email on Sept. 30 that the San Jose State football team would be arriving within the week. Initial reports suggested that the Spartan football program would be at HSU for one week per the Spartan Daily student newspaper from SJSU. The duration of their stay is not confirmed and could be longer.
According to the Humboldt State Athletics Department, the length of the Spartan football team’s stay at HSU depends on the regulations set forth by Santa Clara County where SJSU is located.
“It’s uncertain at this point as it depends on the needs of SJSU and how quickly they may be able to return to their campus to practice and play games,” the HSU Athletics Department said in an email. “They are working with Santa Clara County Health to get approval for that as soon as possible.”
SJSU Head Coach Brent Brennan said in a press conference on Oct. 5 that the arrangement between San Jose State and HSU came quickly with the need to start full contact practices soon.
“I think it probably came together in about a week, maybe a little less than that,” Brennan said. “President Jackson here and their Athletic Director Jane Teixeira and our Athletic Director Marie Tuite, our CFO Charlie Faas, Dr. Papazian, it was just a mad dash that way.”
As of Oct. 5, Santa Clara County has announced that they are moving into the third tier of COVID-19 classification after seeing an decrease in new cases each day. While there is still no official time set for the Spartan football team to be on the HSU campus, this development could mean that the team may return to San Jose sooner rather than later.
“It was a slap to the face on rec sports. Because we really didn’t know what the hell was going on. We thought it was Athletics. We were like ‘Athletics, what the heck?’ and then Humboldt County was like ‘Yo, what the heck?’ But it wasn’t really Athletics’ fault.”
Martin Gordillo
While the team is on campus, they will be responsible for testing their athletes and personnel using their own testing resources. In an email sent out on Oct. 1, Humboldt State told students that will be tested once per week. This runs contrary to Mountain West conference protocol who state on their website that athletes will be tested three times each week. It is unclear whether this testing will apply to the preseason training that the Spartans are currently participating in.
While the Spartans are on campus, Humboldt State’s own NCAA teams will still have access to facilities during their scheduled times in order to continue their preparation for hopeful upcoming seasons.
“HSU sport programs are still using Redwood Bowl during their regularly scheduled and reserved time periods,” HSU Athletics said in an email.
Even as the San Jose State team was arriving on campus HSU students and athletes alike were confused and upset that more context had not been provided for the team’s arrival. One of the loudest voices that could be heard across social media was that of the club sports on campus that have been unable to hold practices since COVID-19 shut down the majority of sports. President of HSU Club Baseball Martin Gordillo was upset that the communication between the administration and recreational sports teams was not more clear.
“It was a slap to the face on rec sports,” Gordillo said. “Because we really didn’t know what the hell was going on. We thought it was Athletics. We were like ‘Athletics, what the heck?’ and then Humboldt County was like ‘Yo, what the heck?’ But it wasn’t really Athletics’ fault.”
According to Gordillo, there was a miscommunication between Athletics and recreational sports which was clarified in a meeting with several of the club sports and the Athletics Department.
“In reality it wasn’t Athletics,” Gordillo said. “It was mainly more towards the Chancellor’s Office who made that decision on whether or not to allow athletics to continue to practice but not rec sports.”
Gordillo stressed that while he feels that communication can be improved between rec sports and athletics, there is a disconnect with how the Chancellor’s Office views rec sports in comparison to NCAA athletics.
“I believe the Chancellor’s Office has made it seem like they really don’t care about rec sports that much,” Gordillo said. “They don’t see us and [NCAA] Athletics as equal. Not Athletics in general. Athletics wants to work with us. They really want to have our voices heard.”
After shooting Megan Thee Stallion, Tory Lanez cancels himself
Back in June, rapper and R&B singer Tory Lanez was freshly released from his label and experiencing unprecedented success with the Quarantine Radio show he performed on Instagram Live, his career at an all time high. As quickly as he rose, he sunk exponentially, when what started as an unclear altercation evolved into an unthinkable assault.
For over a month, the July 12 incident was left to mere speculation. Megan Thee Stallion, the other party involved, finally took to Instagram Live on Aug. 21, to explain her side of the story.
“Tory shot me,” Stallion said.
In the weeks leading up to her statement, Stallion was receiving a mix of sympathy and accusations, despite releasing the X-rays showing proof of the bullet wounds.
Lanez remained silent on the matter until releasing the album “DAYSTAR,” Sept. 25, only two days after Breonna Taylor’s killers were let off without justice. On the project, he persistently denies any wrongdoing regarding the incident and outright accuses of lying.
Lanez’s unabashed decision to capitalize from the situation, only providing his side of the story through a product, and his incessant claims of innocence ultimately detract from his credibility and have led many of his supporters to abandon him.
Heavily feeding into the backlash of supposed friends, Lanez fires shots at several rappers, singers and most viciously, Los Angeles Lakers’ small forward J.R. Smith. While entertaining, the “Me Against the World” approach leaves a bad aftertaste. Given the opportunity, Lanez consistently takes the low road, rather than owning up to any of his mistakes or at least acknowledging the severity of the situation.
Concerning the quality of “DAYSTAR,” the beat selection, various flows and word play are just as good as any other Tory Lanez album. The sonic range he displays between the two genres he occupies would normally be enough to satisfy the average listener, however, his fixation on the incident and the two-dimensional account he provides make it both agitating and boring to listen to entirely in one session.
Lanez fails to deliver any form of apology or explanation on the album for whatever occurred on the night of July 12. Instead, he calls Stallion’s account into question and implies he’s the one due an apology, using good production to punctuate his empty argument.
When it comes down to it, the album sounds quite good, so long as you’re not actually listening to the lyrics. Even then, the sting of the initial reaction wears with each play for those willing or perhaps careless enough to silently condone the behavior. Lanez challenges his haters, however, providing what would normally be received as a hit with “Just Got It Done” as well as an otherwise undeniable classic with “Care For You.”
The question is, can a hit record or even a potential classic save Lanez from sinking out of the spotlight? Or is the wound simply too raw for him to survive a tasteless response like this?
Opinion Editor Mikayla Moore-Bastide speaks on nationwide injustice
How do I explain Breonna Taylor to my future daughter?
A Black woman, in her own home, was shot multiple times by police and it took six months for the officers to be charged with a crime. Only one officer was charged, but it wasn’t even for killing her, it was for endangering the neighbors.
How do I even explain Atatiana Jefferson to them?
She was playing video games with her nephew in her own home when the police shot and killed her through her window.
How could I explain Botham Jean?
He was watching TV on his couch when an off-duty officer burst through his door and shot him. The officer said she mixed up his apartment with her own.
How do I explain my fear of the police bursting into my apartment because my neighbor called for a wellness check?
How do I explain that walls got justice before Taylor did? Or how it took national pressure from social media to keep the city from sweeping this under the rug. Or how any bad thing from your past will be brought up in an attempt to justify your death. Or that women already have to face enough oppression, but adding melanin to the mix just makes our odds worse?
How do I explain the terror every black person faces on a daily basis?
The terror of becoming a statistic, a hashtag, or having their last breath recorded for all to see over and over and over again. Having our name and face plastered on a sign with the demonstrators chanting, “No Justice, No Peace.” Riots being named after us. How about the family not having time to grieve because they’re too busy making sure we get justice? Or the worst one, justice not being served because the system doesn’t care about black lives.
How do I have “the talk” with my future kids?
Usually, “the talk” is about sex, drugs, drinking, dating, or staying out late. My version of “the talk” was about how to talk to the police without looking like a threat. It was about why that one kid kept calling my little sister “brownie”. It was about avoiding certain cities,bars and malls because the people there have a certain mindset. It was about why I will get treated one way, but my white-passing friends will get treated another. It was about getting followed in stores because I looked suspicious.
Of all the talks I’ve had, they would have never prepared me for not feeling safe in my own home or neighborhood.
Our home is meant to be our relaxation spot, our comfort zone, and our safe space.
Living while black, we don’t get that. We don’t get to go on innocent runs around the neighborhood, we don’t get to sleep, watch tv, or play video games in our home. Tamir Rice didn’t get to play in the park. Elijah McClain didn’t even make it home from the store. My sisters go to a school in a nice area, but they don’t even get to walk to McDonald’s after school without being questioned by police regarding their residency.
How do I explain that we are not protected?
Or that we were never protected?
Breonna Taylor deserved better and the system just treated her life like it was disposable. Her life was not disposable. Black women are not disposable. Black people are not disposable.
News Editor, Carlos Holguin recounts his experience at the Breonna Taylor protest in Eureka on Sept. 24.
As I parked a block away from the the Humboldt County Courthouse on Sept. 24, watching community members gather with signs in hand, the name Breonna Taylor emblazoned on so many of them, I wondered just how the night would go.
Over the past months, reports of violence occurring at Black Lives Matter protests from the likes of counter protesters, police and so-called vigilantes have grown, from cities large and small. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous as I watched heads turn as I continued to snap photos.
It’s hard to cover a protest, and even harder to cover one when trying to stay objective. When protestors ask you questions about your support and why you are there, it’s hard to create an answer that fits all needs and wants.
No matter how many times the crowd calls for you to say her name, you’re told that replying is compromising to your ethics. God knows I wanted to chant and reply, but I held my tongue.
Some people don’t want you there at all sometimes, afraid that you just pose another risk.
As the march started, taking over street corners and sidewalks before advancing to entire lanes and intersections, the chants grew louder. People peaked out of business doorways, sat on apartment balconies and either silently watched or cheered as the crowd passed. Cars blared their horns behind the procession, only to be met with more cheers and protesters stopping to take in the anger and frustration.
That’s what this was after all, focused and controlled anger at a system that failed not just them, but people like them. Anger at a system that left people in Louisville and around the nation demanding justice.
The tension climbed higher as the sun set, the protestors circling back to the courthouse to pick up any late comers and grow in number, before continuing to take streets and hold traffic. Through it all I stood aside, camera in hand taking photos of the world around me, trying hard to be a fly on the wall. This is not my story, this is not something I needed to be a part of.
When the first car drove through the crowd of protestors, I saw it coming. Both sides stood in a stalemate, with protesters refusing to give an inch to the Mustang as its engine stirred and horn deafened the chants.
Through the lens of the camera I saw bodies get pushed aside and land hard on the concrete, but bounce back just as fast. The anger grew and the few scrapes and bruises
were just fuel and this fire was not ready to die out.
The second car, a large truck who’s black paint blended with the night, was more deliberate. It slowly crawled into and then lulled in the intersection, watching as more and more gathered around it. As I approached the truck, the car shifted into park and the tires turned in place, smoke bellowed from the burnout. It was an arrow notched and aimed.
The car shifted into drive. A few feet in front of me, the car made contact with a protester. There was thud, then a scream.
For a second I froze in place, watching the crowd rapidly part ways.
And then I ran with everything I could for a moment after the truck. I needed a plate, a model, something to help. I watched it after a few minutes disappear on to the highway, before turning back. This was not longer something I could choose to remain objective as a journalist in.
I cannot understand, nor do I want to understand, how hate can grow within a person to the point that they could justify actions like these. A person who willfully chooses to meet progress with aggression is not someone any person should associate with.
Journalistic integrity be damned, I will not stand idly by.
Despite an uncertain future, athletes continue to train for their next season
Normally fall sports would have begun their season at this time of year. For now, however, fall and spring student athletes must wait for the foreseeable future until they can touch the court or field as a team. For senior athletes the possibility of not having a season can weigh heavy on their mind. Fall athletes are ready for the season to start in the spring, but there is still no solid answer if it will happen.
Tyler Guptill, a senior on the Humboldt State men’s soccer team, has had to deal with these problems. Guptill has also had to come to terms with the fact of not having a season in the fall.
“Yeah there are a lot of difficulties during this time”, Guptill said. “However, we are very fortunate to be the only CSU able to train this fall.”
Guptill and other athletes have been able to train for the upcoming season by using the HSU gym but they must follow all social distancing guidelines and stay in small groups.
As for the possibility of not having a season, Guptill has had to keep his head high and voice his positivity to his teammates and coaches.
“Whether we have a season in the spring or not I think it’s important to lead with being positive”, said Guptill. “We all love the game so much, the face masks and social distancing won’t distract us from working hard. It’s important to think about the young guys and do our best to make this time productive and most importantly memorable. It requires a lot of extra work but the guys have that fight in them, so I’m excited for whatever comes our way.”
Fall athletes are not the only athletes who have to deal with the uncertainty of a season. Chris Louie, a senior on the Humboldt State rugby team, must deal with the possibility of not having a season in the Spring. Louie was a transfer from Sacramento City College last year.
“It was my first year playing and now I have a different environment to train in”, Louie said. “ I don’t like how the season ended. Now I feel like I have to be more prepared for the oncoming season so we can win.”
Louie has stayed in physical shape by running and going to the gym everyday since self-isolation has ended.
“Physically I have actually been able to push myself but in a different mindset, not as a sports mindset but as a lifestyle choice.”, said Louie. “I’ve always had a coach or team to push me to go to the gym. But now with no season I have to push myself to go to the gym, setting me forward for the future. I have to better myself in life and not just the game.”
Louie has always been able to look on the bright side. The possibility of having no season really proves this.
“I’ve always had a positive mindset, I look at life like there are two sides.”, said Louie. “With every negative there are always positives surrounding it. For example I’ve been in college for 6 years. Even though I don’t have sports to play my senior year, I realize I have almost graduated and that is a positive to take away from no season.”
The Athletics Department is starting to allow socially distanced practices this week. As for playing a season in the spring, the question still holds whether or not athletes will have one.
I found you dead this morning. You had a tragic and undignified death. I only hope you were dead, or at least unconscious before being caught in a tire wheel and thrown back onto the road.
I do not know if you had a name, or even if snakes understand the concept of names. I hope it’s alright if I call you Billy.
From what the internet tells me, you were either a Northwestern garter snake or a red-sided garter snake. You had bold yellow stripes running down your tail/body/spine, and big, dead eyes that were empty of the spark of life that was so cruelly taken from you. You were a bit over 6 inches, not a big snake but you were not tiny.
What were your accomplishments? We may never know. Did you eat a lot of slugs, or did you have a preference for amphibians? What was your favorite food, Billy? Did you prefer to coil and strike in defense, or slip into the creek?
As I was staring into the eye sockets of my skeleton bobblehead, I was reminded that death can be a beautiful thing. Death is a transition into a new life. Mourning is a time to remember who you were, and who you can be in your next life.
You lived and died in a college, arguably a modern-day Acropolis, much like your ancestor, the sacred snake of Athens. The sacred snake stood guard in Athena’s temple, receiving gifts of honey cakes until they sensed the Persians coming and fled as a warning.
Are you warning us of something, Billy? That cars will be the death of us all, most certainly by climate change, but also by the crushing wheel of modern society?
I resolve to make you mean something. Your life was meaningful, perhaps not by human standards. But as a snake, it was your job to consume plant-eating creatures, thus protecting the small plants that make Humboldt beautiful.
The humans will laugh at my grief. You were a snake, and a large percentage of them feared you without cause. Though your bite was inconvenient at best, you were small, so small that I doubt you were fully grown. I grieve not only for the death of a wild animal but a newly-hatched one.
You were not a bird, a rabbit, or a deer. You were not what is commonly considered “cute.” Yet, a live snake is exciting. How fast you used to move, how slick you must have felt! That power is gone now.
Seeing you struck me with the irrelevance of human society. Why do humans drive cars, except for human reasons? Birds fly, rabbits hop, and snakes slither. That’s all the transport you need. Humans can’t make enough money unless they move beyond the capacity of legs. Money doesn’t make sense to anyone who isn’t human!
Billy, I hope you find peace. But I know you most likely won’t. Cars may become completely electric, but the system that makes driving a daily occurrence continues.
Artists at HSU are experiencing somewhat smooth sailing this semester
Factoring in all the tools, materials and space art students require to create, they more or less have access to everything they need at HSU.
Studio art major at HSU, Nicole Velazquez, already does online sketching on her own time. With her recent courses, however, she’s been focusing a lot more on class related artwork.
“I mostly do digital art right now, because of my classes,” Velazquez said. “It keeps me a little more occupied.”
So far, Velazquez has experienced somewhat rudimentary quarantine classes, leaving her with more time to improve her artistic abilities and explore new art forms. Lately, this hasn’t involved traditional art.
“I don’t really have time,” Velazquez said. “I’ll sketch like here and there.”
Velazquez hasn’t had many issues with online art courses but she misses in-person instruction. When it comes to art, she often draws her creative inspiration from others.
“I like getting criticism,” Velazquez said. “I just feel like, if I don’t have someone telling me something, I will personally bring my art piece down.”
Brittany Sheldon is an instructor in the Art department whose main course revolves around art history. Sheldon is still adapting to the new normal of teaching.
“It is all based on equity,” Sheldon said. “Just trying to be as equitable as possible and accessible as possible for my students, while also trying to recreate whatever I do in the classroom normally.”
Sheldon’s classes this semester are mostly asynchronous. By allowing students to have more flexibility, Sheldon hopes this will make her classes more accessible for students.
“I have Zoom office hours and I was doing weekly Zoom sessions that were optional,” said Sheldon. “Students didn’t get a grade for that – it was an opportunity for them to come and ask questions or talk to each other.”
At this point, students enrolled in Sheldon’s courses this semester seem to be passing. Sheldon has relaxed deadlines for assignments and is doing her best to be helpful and understanding but it is hard to tell how her students are doing from a screen.
“I field their emails and just respond with empathy,” said Sheldon. “I am just trying to be there for my students.”
Alex Pickrell majors in child development at HSU and minors in studio art. They’re using their excess quarantine time to explore more art forms and experiment with current projects.
“I’ve also started doing collages with my old pieces,” Pickrell said. “Which I’ve never done before.”
Living off campus, Pickrell has more room to explore their creativity as well as different art forms. They have their own space to create and express themselves without distractions.
“I’ve been living off campus for about three years, so I kind of turned my apartment into my own little art studio,” Pickrell said. “It makes it a really nice space to work.”
Pickrell typically creates abstract artwork. They’re currently taking two art classes where they’re exploring entirely new styles.
“I decided to do left hand vs. right-hand painting,” Pickrell said. “Just because I usually only paint with my right hand and I’ve only ever done a set of paintings once.”
The struggles of quarantine are plentiful, but Pickrell figures, we can either wallow in our misfortune or we can rise to the occasion and make the best of a bad situation.
“I’ve just been trying to get out of my comfort zone,” Pickrell said.
In order to keep up community involvement, Eureka and Arcata city councils go online.
There are 32 local races and nine measures that Humboldt County residents will be voting on this year.
With so many decisions to make, it’s important to educate ourselves as much as possible. One easy way to get informed is through forums, which are all online this year. Forums are meetings where people discuss ideas and views on a specific or various issues.
There are 15 community organizations who have come together to host a series of forums, Humboldt Candidate Forum. One of the organizations is Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities. Its Executive Director, Colin Fiske, said, “these forums are important because local elected officials make decisions that can deeply affect people’s everyday lives and our collective futures, but there is relatively little information available to voters in local elections.”
President of Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives, Inc. (AHHA), Nezzie Wade said, “The main goal of these candidate forums is to provide a platform so that the voters and our community can learn about the people running for office and their thoughts on issues or solutions.”
Wade added, “The topic AHHA chose to cover with the candidates includes whether they are willing to work with non profits on non traditional options or alternatives for shelter and housing.”
Two forums have passed and both can be found on Access Humboldt’s YouTube channel. The first forum, held on Sept. 18, featured the nine candidates running for two wards for the Eureka City Council. The second forum was held on Sept. 25 and included the 10 candidates running for the Arcata City Council.
The final one will be held on Fri., Oct. 2, at 6 p.m. for candidates from McKinleyville and Humboldt Community Services Districts. The organizations will be asking the candidates questions on various topics. It will be broadcast on YouTube, television Channel 11, radio station KZZH, and Humboldt Candidate Forum’s Facebook page.
David Cobb from Cooperation Humboldt spoke on the significance of this forum, stating “The most important thing about this candidate forum is that it brings together a diverse group of social change agents…who are engaging the electoral process to ensure that our voices are heard.”
To learn more about the candidates running in Eureka and Arcata City Councils and ask any questions, visit Lost Coast Outpost’s General Election Page. You can also read previous questions and answers there and even register to vote.
Information on the nine measures being proposed can be found Humboldt County’s Official, Local Measures page. You can read an impartial analysis for each, as well as arguments in favor of and against. Some include Measure F, a special tax to support the Arcata Fire Department, and Measure B, which would increase the total number of affordable housing units in Arcata, and more.
“We won’t have a voting location on the HSU campus this year, due to COVID, it’s a closed campus,” according to the Humboldt County Clerk, Recorder, Kelly Sanders. Voting Assistant Centers and Ballot Drop Box Locations are still being finalized, and updated information can be found on the Humboldt County official website.
“All registered voters in Humboldt County will be mailed a Vote by Mail ballot to ensure a safe and accessible voting option during the COVID 19 pandemic,” said Sanders “Mailing of Vote by Mail ballots will begin on October 5.”
With the Coronavirus still prevalent, mailing your ballot is the easiest way to vote this year.
Sanders recommended students refer to Humboldt County Qualified Candidates Presidential General Election Page for a complete list of races and the Local Measures page for all measures happening in Humboldt County.
If you are 18 and older and haven’t registered to vote yet, make sure to do so on the official Humboldt County website.
“While national elections get the most attention, local elections are also really important. I hope everyone tunes into the forums, educates themselves on the candidates and the issues, and votes,” Fiske said.
California has again warned residents of the potential and likely chances of Public Safety Power Shutoffs. With a larger range of the state being on fire this fall, more residents have been left without power in the midst of a pandemic.
After the 2019 school year was impacted by power outages, HSU immediately sprung into action working toward a plan to improve the issue for students. While they couldn’t have predicted a pandemic would occur at the same time, they’ve created a plan to put into effect during these occurrences.
Associate Vice President for Student Success Stephen St. Onge said HSU students would likely not even realize a power outage had occurred due to their new equipment. Since last year, housing has purchased two generators.
“One is over $6,000 and it will power the JGC building, Cypress, the Canyon, and Sunset and Redwood,” St. Onge said. They also bought a portable generator to power College Creek.
As well as the generators, the King Salmon Powerplant, based in Eureka, is now operating and handling Humboldt County’s future PSPS events. Cris Koczera is the emergency Coordinator for HSU’s Risk Management and Safety Services.
“If we got notice of an impending PSPS right now, this year unlike last year, PG&E has been able to provide typically at least 48 hours of advance notice,” Koczera said. With this extra time, the school has been able to prepare more.
“We already had one PSPS and there was no campus disruption because of the King Salmon Plant,” St. Onge said. “We had the generators ready to go – we were prepared this time.”
This solves many of the problems that concerned students last year. Campus should function as normal this semester, without limited food, power and the need for students to leave their dorms to receive access. Even the elevators should be running for students who cannot rely on stairs.
“We have since – knock on wood – solved those issues,” St. Onge said.
In the instance the King Salmon Plant does not work and students live in an area uncovered by the new generators, HSU has another plan prepared.
“We do have open spaces in other buildings, so we might consider if there’s a need to reopen up the JGC like before or relocating students temporarily to other spaces as well,” St. Onge said. “So we have those Plan C’s in place, as well.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Koczera said the school would be reaching out to health officials to help determine the safest way to move students into one area.
“We would be reaching out to public health to find a safe, viable way to still provide those levels of support and services,” Koczera said.
So, while students have been preparing themselves to return to the University, HSU has been preparing for ways to help the student body through these issues.
“It’s important for students to know that as an outcome of last year’s PSPSs, there’s been a group of folks, housing facilities, management, that have been working really hard,” St. Onge said. “We are prepared.”
“Our commitment to supporting their educational work on campus is a serious commitment that we take,” St. Onge said.
“The goal of the University has always been to get to a point where these PSPS events or rolling blackouts have the least amount of impact possible on our campus and on our students and on our ability to continue through the educational process,” said Koczera.
COVID-19 hampered the communication of logging plans between the city of Arcata and new members of the community
Lumberjacks with heavy equipment felled redwood trees in the Arcata Community Forest during the last two months, shocking some Humboldt State University students who regularly use the park. The City of Arcata uses timber harvest money to fund the management of the park and purchase additional park land in the area.
HSU senior Isaac West downhill bicycles the trails most days. He was disappointed when he came across the heavy equipment in the park near Fickle Hill Road, and a friend told him a section of the bicycle “jump trail” had been ruined.
“We have trees burning down everywhere,” West said. “It just seems like a really bad time to be cutting them down.”
Karlee Jackson, an HSU transfer student majoring in environmental studies, said many students she talked to hadn’t heard the tree cutting was happening, and were shocked by it.
“I am so mad they are cutting down these trees when so many trees have already been cut down,” Jackson said. “Why wasn’t it discussed with the community?”
Jackson acknowledged that COVID-19 may have made it more difficult to consult with the community, but said she would have liked the city to have found another way to engage the community before cutting.
Mark Andre, Arcata City director of environmental services and former HSU watershed management graduate student, said community engagement in the forest’s management was greatly impacted this year due to COVID-19.
“The biggest challenge to us is to explain to new people who are moving here,” Andre said. “During this COVID-19 year [community consultation] has not been as perfect as it could have been.”
Andre prepared the current Non-Industrial Timber Management Plan which allows some logging in local community forests. It was approved in 1999 and therefore public comment is not required each time the city wishes to cut, but the city is required to submit a Notice of Timber Operations (NTO). The city did issue a press release and convened the city Forest Management Committee, made up of appointed experts, although some regular meetings were canceled this year due to COVID-19.
The NTO includes an impact analysis on spotted owl populations, and the steepness of the grade to ensure the cuts do meet environmental regulations.
Greg King, executive director of the Siskiyou Land Conservancy and one of the first-ever Redwood tree-sitters, said he supports the efforts of Andre and the city.
“I’m pretty skeptical when it comes to most logging,” King said. “It almost surprises me to say I support this.”
King said he was far more concerned about the practices of logging companies owned by the billionaire family, Fisher, and Green Diamond Resource Company. Together these companies own roughly half of all redwoods in existence and regularly get “incidental take permits” which are essentially licenses to kill endangered species found while cutting.
“What you see is a lot of faux [or fake] sustainable logging, but that’s not what you see here,” King said.
He hasn’t read the forest management plan, but King encouraged students and community members to keep a close eye on the city. He is impressed at the “light touch” of the operations, and how the city has been able to purchase additional land in the area for conservation with the money from the park’s timber harvest. But King does believe public notice could be improved.
Andre said he has been working for the city since 1984 and since then the size of the forest has doubled. In the past decade about 30% less is cut annually compared to the 1980s. The city originally purchased the park and instituted the arrangement to use timber harvest money to purchase additional land for conservation after a city bond measure passed in 1979. Andre said since then the city has set standards in sustainable forestry and community based forestry even winning an award from the Forest Stewards Guild.
Regarding the recent destruction of a section of the downhill bike trail Andre said, “If we damaged the jump trails it’s going to be rebuilt this fall anyway.”
Experienced ceramics students are back in the lab this semester
Following a graceless transition to online learning in the spring, ceramics students are receiving a drastically improved experience this semester.
When the COVID-19 pandemic first went into effect, forcing students to finish the spring semester from home, ceramics students were among those who drew the shortest stick.
According to Ryan Hurst, who has been teaching ceramics at HSU for nine years, when classes were moved online, the hands-on experience that students signed up for was no longer possible. They were instead tasked with drawing up sketches, studying research and development and critiquing other artists’ works.
“It wasn’t ideal,” Hurst said.
This semester has been a continuous adjustment according to Hurst. Gaining access to the building as well as the proper equipment to record demonstrations over the summer was an uphill battle.
“I didn’t get either of those things until two weeks before it started up, so the plan kind of went out the window,” Hurst said. “I’d reformulated plans leading up to the end of the summer and some are working and some aren’t, but it’s a crazy adjustment.”
At the start of the fall semester, each student was given a kit to take home, including basic ceramics tools and the clay they would receive in a normal semester. Beginning ceramics students will be creating almost entirely from home this semester, because of the new lab capacity put in place by COVID-19 protocols. Meanwhile, intermediate and advanced level students are granted some access to the building, with portfolio development students receiving first priority.
“They have paid their dues and deserve the last moments of their academic career to do as much as time allotted them,” Hurst said.
Jenna Santangelo is a former student and now lab technician for the ceramics department. After six years of classes, this is Santangelo’s first year as a staff-member. According to her, the beginning students are able to accomplish almost all that’s required of them in a normal semester from the comfort of their homes, assuming they possess the space.
“Working at home is possible,” Santangelo said. “But it’s pretty messy and a lot of people don’t really have the space necessary for it.”
Melissa Martin is a graduate psychology major with an emphasis in academic research. She takes ceramics as a therapeutic ritual each time she’s nearing the end of a chapter in her education. This semester, she’s preparing to close the final chapter as she puts the polishing touches on her thesis. Taking the beginning ceramics course this semester and not having access to a lab has changed the way Martin approaches her projects.
“I think that you’re a little bit more restricted of how much work you can actually do,” Martin said. “I also was a very avid wheel thrower, so that’s also been a real big challenge. Now I’m doing a lot of hand building stuff so I really have to hone in on different skills.”
One thing not included in the kits the university handed out to ceramics students this semester was a proper kick wheel for throwing pottery.
“The kick wheels are, I think, like 400 pounds,” Santangelo said. “Which isn’t really feasible for most students to move.”
Despite the disappointments and also experiencing challenges with creating a comfortable workspace at home, Martin is remaining optimistic.
“We’re just learning how to be resilient in this world. We’re still trying to accommodate the best that we can,” Martin said. “But it is still a challenge and we’re still learning little bit by little bit, each time.”
Maximus Landon is brand new to the ceramics program this semester. Landon took the class in hopes it would help them enjoy school again. Unfortunately, the barriers introduced by the online format have taken away from some of the enjoyment.
“Because I’m really new to all of this, I’m not entirely sure what exactly I’m doing,” Landon said. “I’m not sure if I’m scoring things wrong and I’m not sure if I make this dent too large if it’s just going to have the entire side fall off, so it’s a lot of trial and error by myself and it’s not very fun for my anxiety.”
Likewise, Hurst has been very anxious this semester about the safety of his students and the quality of their education.
“It’s definitely not an ideal thing,” Hurst said. “But a lot of students have just been really happy to still be able to work with clay, even if it is at home.”
Captain of the University of Oregon police department, Jason Wade, puts his hat in the ring for UPD chief at HSU.
Following the retirement of former chief, Donn Peterson, in the end of May, the University Police Department has begun its official search for a new chief. Current captain of the University of Oregon Police Department, Jason Wade, is one of the two candidates currently in contention for the position.
Wade has more than 20 years of experience in law enforcement, working primarily for the University of Colorado, Boulder Police Department and for the past six years with the UOPD. In his time with the UOPD, Wade has served as an instructor and director for their cadet academy, developed their body camera program and served as the internal affairs investigator managing the background process for new employees.
In today’s atmosphere of nation-wide calls for radical change regarding the country’s law enforcement system, Wade believes that rather than defund police departments, we need to re-think them.
“The police in the past were seen as the catch all. You know, if you have a problem you call them,” Wade said. “And the expectation was that they were able to respond and serve equally no matter what.”
Wade is of the mind, not every call for service requires the response of a police officer and that many non-violent calls would be better handled by mental health professionals.
“The police still are responsible for enforcing the laws and keeping people safe but how can we better address those issues,” Wade said. “That’s one of the largest levels of police reform, is the calls for service and how we respond with what we respond with.”
According to Wade, the benefit of having a campus police department, in specific, is the collaboration with the university that wouldn’t take place with a city department.
“The campus police department can be brought forward to help the campus,” Wade said. “We can be trained. We can work with the campus to develop the department that the campus needs.”
Campus police departments can also be held to a higher level of accountability by the university. Given the job, Wade plans to implement the policy work groups system currently in place at the UOPD.
The system involves reading every new policy or change in policy at the UPD to a community panel made up of students, staff and faculty of the university who are given the opportunity to weigh in on each policy.
“At some level there has to be oversight that allows the community to see what occurs behind the walls of a department,” Wade said. “So, they know that if a complaint, an allegation of misconduct or something is going on inside the department, that it’s being handled and handled appropriately – and if there is misconduct, that we’re taking measures to not let it happen again.”
When Wade started as a young police officer, he said it was all about how many tickets he would write, how fast he could drive and the fancy gadgets he got to play with.
“That was the mindset back in the late 90’s,” Wade said. “There were problems then, but we didn’t address them. We didn’t have the concepts of implicit bias training or crisis intervention training. I’ve seen change occur, but we’re not there, where we need to be, yet.”
Ultimately, Wade believes, rather than acting in the interest of whoever is in power, a UPD has to hold the best interest of the entire community above all, in order to succeed in creating a safe learning environment for students.
“This should never be the ‘Jason Wade’ Police Department,” Wade said. “Because that will not be successful.”
Comparisons between episodes of the classic TV show The Twilight Zone and our own dismal reality
In what may be the greatest understatement of the century, 2020 has been a rather eventful year. Wildfires, a global pandemic, isolation, protests throughout the world, political turmoil, deaths of public figures – you could write a new version of “We Didn’t Start the Fire” for each month of the year. So, why not look to retro television for comfort? Why not explore a simpler time, when the greatest fears we had were looming nuclear war, human short-sightedness, crippling loneliness and the catastrophic realities of climate change?
Oh wait.
1. Nightmare at 20,000 Feet (Season 5, Episode 3)
A man recovering from a nervous breakdown is the only person on his plane who can see the monster just outside the window. He attempts to warn his fellow passengers, only for people to assume he’s lost his mind. The fear of flying is certainly one many people these days are familiar with, as travel becomes a major factor in the spread of COVID-19. With the US government claiming it’s safe to reopen and many people ignoring mask and distancing guidelines, it can be easy to doubt one’s own concerns. Like the man on the plane, we find ourselves questioning if the invisible force of death is actually there. Are we overreacting, or do we really see an imminent threat?
2. Where is Everybody? (Season 1, Episode 1)
A man finds himself alone in an abandoned town, with no memory of who he is or how he got there. He finds himself searching empty streets and abandoned shops for any sign of human life, only to be left alone with just his own thoughts for company. This certainly brings back memories of the beginning of shelter in place, when nothing was open and we all thought it would blow over within a week or two. Remember when it was pessimistic to say we wouldn’t be back to normal until fall? Good times.
3. It’s a Good Life (Season 3, Episode 8)
The citizens of a small town are cut off from the world at large and kept at the mercy of a six-year-old boy with reality-warping powers. They live in a state of constant anxiety about what fresh horror awaits while pretending everything is fine to avoid angering someone who doesn’t seem to understand that actions have consequences. What a classic American mood? The townspeople, in their defeated acceptance of the new normal, are certainly relatable to the average person in 2020 watching things fall apart while baking bread, submitting assignments, and occasionally looking at the red sky to say, ‘Sure, this might as well happen. What’s next?’
4. The Midnight Sun (Season 3, Episode 10)
Two women are in their apartment building, slowly being consumed by unbearable heat as they await the end of the world. They cope with the loneliness by supporting each other as the world outside erodes. While the twist in this episode is certainly not one of the series’ best, the despair of the two women as the radio presenter snaps on air and paint boils on the canvas feels painfully relevant as wildfire season is upon us. Staying inside and distracting ourselves with hobbies is really all we can do, as we smell the smoke and watch the destruction on the news.
5. Time Enough at Last (Season 1, Episode 8)
An absentminded, bookish man is left alone in a ruined city after a bomb destroys everything and everyone he once knew. This episode is one of the classics, and it’s easy to see why. The sense of loneliness permeates the entire episode, even before the bomb drops. Our protagonist can only find solace from his abusive wife and belittling employer in the pages of his books, but once he’s lost the interactions he’d taken for granted he finds himself sinking into depression. Unfortunately, like many of us who’d had grand quarantine plans of learning a language or writing a book have discovered, having all the time in the world doesn’t necessarily mean we can finally indulge in our dreams.
6. The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street (Season 1, Episode 22)
A small community is torn apart and devolves into a violent blame-game after the electricity goes out. In a time of abundant anti-Asian hate crimes in response to the “Chinese virus” pandemic, this episode is an excellent example of what not to do. Yes, things are bad – there is no denying that. However, we need to remember that we have to look out for each other. We can’t go around blaming others for everything that’s gone wrong – we have to work with them to solve our problems. Wear a mask. Donate to fire relief funds. Call your representatives. Order takeout from local restaurants. Check in on your friends and family. Do whatever you can to support those around you.
Boasting sixteen solo mixtapes at 20 years old, YoungBoy is an artist who thrives on flooding the market with music. When it comes to releasing an album, however, YoungBoy has proven to follow a much more selective process.
With “Until Death Call My Name,” YoungBoy delivered infectious performances either vocally, lyrically or both on all 20 tracks of the deluxe version. Paired with flawless beat selection, the album is a strong candidate to someday be looked back on as a classic. Now, with “Top,” YoungBoy carries that same infectious performance and flawless beat selection throughout the 21 track album.
It’s clear on “Top” that YoungBoy has mastered the art of melodic rap. With two or three possible exceptions out of 21, YoungBoy delivers undeniably catchy hooks that often come off as effortless. With the tracks “Right Foot Creep” and “Big Bankroll,” YoungBoy doesn’t bother to establish a pattern and the hook still hits. The unique appeal of “Top,” however, is YoungBoy’s pairing of two, three or as many as four hooks on a single track, disguised as intros, outros, refrains or even within the verses – “Sticks With Me” being a prime example.
Unlike YoungBoy’s first album, where the goal was to create a record catering directly to a mainstream audience, “Top” is packaged with several songs made specifically for his street supporters. While the tone of the tracks are generally abrasive, YoungBoy frequently flip-flops flows in each song, consistently delivering multidimensional-tracks that maintain mainstream appeal.
Even on songs with less aggressive tones, like “House Arrest Tingz,” YoungBoy’s subject matter is focused in the streets and saturated with heavy themes of violence. While a deterrent for some people, there’s no question concerning the authenticity of the experiences YoungBoy raps about, barring occasional exaggeration. We’re made aware of just how dark that reality is on tracks like “All In,” where YoungBoy reveals his anxieties surrounding his health and safety, his dad’s questionable release from prison, and the threat of losing more loved ones to gang-related violence.
Consistently, drastically switching flows and tones on most tracks along with providing more than twice as many hooks as songs on the album, it’s like Drake rapped on “5AM In Toronto,” “that’s why every song sound like Drake featuring Drake,” except it’s YoungBoy featuring Never Broke Again. In the oversaturated state of music today, it’s records like “Top” that stay on the charts, because of their knack for staying stuck in your head.
The Redwood Forest Defenders demand Yurok tribal land be returned
Green Diamond Resource Company, (GD), an Humboldt State University research partner and local logging company, made two clear cuts near Strawberry Rock in Trinidad this summer. Redwood Forest Defense partially blocked the logging by creating a tree sit village in the forest canopy.
A Redwood Forest Defense tree sitter risking arrest asked to remain anonymous, but provided the alias Lupine. Lupine said the tree sits were erected April 1 immediately after Humboldt County imposed the COVID-19 isolation order.
The company stopped about 20 acres, or 20 football fields, short of logging the whole area they originally intended. Roughly 100 acres between two timber harvest plans, Lupine said.
Karen Pickett from the Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters and an Earth First!er since the early 1980s believes protecting the forest is crucial.
“I guess forest defense is an essential job too,” Pickett said. “I find it really inspiring that people are up there doing this.”
Lupine and the tree sitters have defended a five acre area this year. In previous years the sitter protected the remaining untouched 20 acres of the timber harvest plan. Green Diamond and the Trinidad Coastal Land Trust are in active discussion over the 20 acres, wanting to preserve a strip of forest for trail access to Strawberry Rock.
Sarah Lindgren-Akana, Yurok tribe member and secretary of the Tsurai Ancestral Society, an organization advocating for the Indigenous of the area whose land was stolen, said she supports the tree sitters.
“I really admire their dedication and I hope people are listening to their message,” Lindgren-Akana said. “While some may argue that this is just a small area, or that it is not an old growth forest, we need to keep in mind that over the past 500 years America has lost about 95 percent of its forest due to development and logging.”
Gary Rynearson, GD chief communications officer, claims the company stopped logging the clear cuts near Strawberry Rock more than three weeks ago.
“We think it’s dubious for them to say that [since] they have refused to file the completion paperwork [for the timber harvest plan],” Lupine said. “We are staying here since they are still legally entitled, within the timber harvest plan, to come here and cut.”
Lindgren-Akana disapproves of the management practices of GD advocating for the land to be returned to the tribe.
“The Strawberry Rock property is within the Tsurai village and should be returned to the tribe for proper management and care,” Lindfgren-Akana said. “The Yurok tribe can bring the land back into balance and ensure the plants and forest, animals and people all have something to enjoy for generations to come.”
Lupine supports Lindgren-Akana and the idea of the land being returned to its rightful protectors.
“The goal for this land is not to be held by an entity like the land trust, but to be returned to the Indigenous people it belongs to, the people it was stolen from,” Lupine said. “Whether that be the tribal council or groups like the Tsurai Ancestral Society.”
Lindgren-Akana stated that the GD was starting to move towards a streambed that directly impacts the surrounding ecosystem.
GD declined to comment on stream encroachment and sustainable forestry practices.
Lupine said very little is done to ensure the company complies with sustainable forestry practices.
“I think there is very little oversight whether it is from those types of third party certifiers or whether it is from the state and federal agencies who are tasked with overseeing these things,” Lupine said. “I often wonder if [third party] certifiers are doing more harm than good.”
While the rest of the planet suffers, what will become of the Redwood Forests?
While climate change continues to cause destruction around the globe, scientists are finding hope in a local tree: The Giant Redwood, or Sequoiadendron giganteum.
The trees are currently in the midst of a growth spurt, producing more wood in the past century than any other time in their lives, according to Save The Redwoods League, a nonprofit organization who protect and restore the California redwood forests. Researchers from Humboldt State University, UC Berkeley, Natureserve, United States Geological Survey and Colorado State University are working alongside Save The Redwoods League to understand the growing trees and how they will continue to respond to climate change.
The Save The Redwoods League and HSU published findings concerning the impact of climate change in the recent research paper Aboveground biomass dynamics and growth efficiency of Sequoia sempervirens forests. They found that within the redwood forests, there are massive amounts of carbon sequestration. “Sequoia forests may be the most effective to [sequester carbon], because they accumulate more above ground biomass than any other vegetation, sustain higher rates of productivity than any other forest, and protect biomass produced via superlative fire- and decay-resistance.”
Carbon sequestration is “the capture and secure storage of carbon that would otherwise be emitted to, or remain, in the atmosphere,” according to Encyclopedia of Energy, 2004. This means carbon is trapped in forests, soil, or oceans for long periods of time instead of entering the atmosphere. It can be done naturally or artificially, and is becoming a researched effort to delay global warming which is caused by increase of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide.
This is why scientists are so interested in the natural carbon sequestration of the redwood forests. While this seems to be good news, there is still much research to be done.
NASA scientists have started to create a global map of where carbon is being stored, and how much carbon is being released through deforestation. The redwood forest is only a tiny part of that map.
Humboldt State University Professor Steve Sillett has worked on the research with Save the Redwoods League.
“Redwoods can do little to fight climate change as they occupy a TINY proportion of the landscape,” Sillett said in an email. “Even though they are impressive in many respects, too little of the landscape is covered by them to make much difference at the global scale.”
While the redwoods alone cannot create a global change, scientists are continuing to research the storage of carbon in forests and what this means for the future of the planet.
Asynchronous classes allow students flexibility at the cost of self-discipline.
Following the disastrous transition to online learning, students returning this fall express concern about the quality of their college experience moving forward.
Matthew Moretti is a botany major at Humboldt State University. Moretti took spring semester off after a particularly challenging fall but decided to return because he felt it was his only option in the pandemic.
“If there’s any time to rush through the rest of college, I feel that online courses are in a way easier, even if they have their unique challenges to them,” Moretti said. “I think the asynchronous classes are particularly difficult and I need to have a lot more self-discipline than I think I have any other semester before.”
Moretti’s biggest gripe with online learning is missing out on the practical knowledge that comes with the hands-on experience of lab classes. He’s delaying as many labs as possible, in hopes they’ll be held in-person in the near future. Unfortunately, Moretti couldn’t avoid taking an online entomology, study of insects, lab this semester.
“We will not be able to collect or curate insects,” Moretti said. “Which I feel is a real disservice to really understanding the ins and outs of the insect properly. You lose a lot without being in person.”
Chris Bignery, HSU wildlife major, plans to become a herpetologist, working with amphibians and reptiles. His online lab means missing out on educational field trips and important labs with species samples, but he couldn’t risk losing his spot.
“It’s the class I’ve been waiting for, for three years,” Bignery said.
Bignery came down from Oregon to live on campus this semester because he loves Humboldt’s redwood forests, beaches and small cities. Although claiming the county has everything he needs, Bignery described his life on campus this semester much more bleakly.
“It’s like a prison,” Bignery said. “It’s very lonely.”
Sara White, environmental studies major, enrolled in two classes that were moved online at the last minute. Regardless, she’s carrying a positive attitude into the semester.
“Honestly, I’m really excited, I like all of my classes so far,” White said. “I mean, I wish that things were different obviously but I’m still happy to be here.”
White was attending community college last semester and like other students was forced to convert to online learning mid-semester. Her only concerns are the three asynchronous classes she’s signed up for.
“I feel like it’s a little bit harder to keep track of things,” White said. “I think that’s true of being online in general. It feels like things can get lost in the void.”
Drake Woosley, HSU mathematics major, believes asynchronous classes are much more efficient because he doesn’t have access to an internet connection at home, so he has to walk to campus every time he has class. He feels, generally speaking, there’s a lot less being covered this semester than in normal circumstances and the tuition should reflect that.
“It’s an online school, it shouldn’t be the same tuition. That’s kinda ridiculous,” Woosley said. “There’s almost nothing— no facilities are open. You’re not getting anything other than the accredited university online degree.”
A quick and easy breakdown of how the university was impacted by budget cuts.
The budget for this academic year was released on Sept 15. There are two sets of budgets laid out, the University Operating Fund and the All Funds Budget. Each budget provides the expenditure and revenue breakdown.
The All Funds budgets dates back to the 2015-16 academic year to display all changes that the budget had gone through throughout the last five years.
Both the Expenditure and Revenue All Funds budgets have significantly decreased in various ways.
The budget released this past week does not reflect any Center Activities, Center Arts or HSU dining services funds.
The revenue budget, is based on how Humboldt state University receives its money, is $164.6 million. According to the 2020-21 All Funds Revenue budget, this was decreased by $58.2 million. This is the first major decrease since 2015 and the lowest the budget has ever been since the last recorded academic year, 2015-16.
Educational Appropriations, which is just another way of saying state and local funding, make up over 50 percent of HSU’s revenue. The amount of appropriations received for the 2020-21 academic year is $85.6 million, resulting from a $5.1 million decline. This is the first reduction recorded since the 2015-16 academic year.
A quarter of the revenue comes from higher education fees, which includes tuition, student health, AS fees, graduation fee, etc. This portion stands at $42.2 million which is an $8.2 million decrease from last year. This could be the result of COVID-19 causing drops in enrollment.
The expenditure budget, which is the budget based on what the university will spend their money on, is $180.5 million. According to the All Funds Expenditure budget, this was decreased by $43.8 million. This is the first reduction in the budget since 2015 and the lowest the budget has been since the last recorded academic year, 2015-16.
The salaries and wages of HSU employees reflects 44.5 percent of the budget. These include not just tenured professors and lecturers but also department chair members, assistants, teaching associates, support staff and the university president.
The Regular salaries and Wages budget did have an overall decrease of $8.9 million. With the budget dropping across the board, the president managed to increase his salary by $10,000.
This is also the first time the revenue budget was significantly smaller than the expenditure budget since 2015. The usual trend is having the numbers very close in amount with a maximum $5 million gap. This year’s budget has a $15.9 million gap.
HSU student shares their experience of sexual assault from a non-student member within their club.
Title IX is a federal law protecting students from facing discrimination within any federally funded academic institution. Title IX prioritizes the significance of equal treatment of students, however, flaws in the investigation process leave some students feeling abandoned.
David Hickcox is the Title IX coordinator at HSU. When the Title IX office conducts an investigation into a sexual assault, they’re required to remain impartial through the process.
“I think it’s human nature to want to assume that every person bringing a report is telling the truth,” Hickcox said. “In some cases, it’s pretty clear cut that the person accused is responsible for that behavior, but I can’t rush to judgment. I can’t start treating that person unfairly and not giving them access to advice.”
In a Title IX investigation, an investigator will be assigned to conduct interviews with the parties involved and witnesses willing to cooperate. They will also gather any relevant documentary evidence they can, including text messages, social media posts are collected. The investigator will then present the evidence to both parties, allowing for any questions, before writing up a report with their findings.
Prior to 2019, Title IX investigations were entirely done on paper by a single investigator. A CSU-wide policy change requires that all students be given access to a live-hearing, with the opportunity to question and respond to evidence used in the investigation before a finding is made.
In the case of non-students who participate in campus activities like rec-sports and clubs, the Title IX office has almost no jurisdiction as they’re only able to investigate students or staff members.
“I can’t compel a member of the community to come on the campus and talk to me and give me an interview statement,” Hickcox said. “I can with a student, because guess what, I can put a hold on your student account and you won’t be able to progress in your degree.”
An HSU student-member came forward, wishing to remain anonymous. They shared their experience of being sexually assaulted by a non-student club member and demanded accountability and reform within club policy to exclude non-student members from joining.
“I read through a couple of cases where it was pretty clear that the students had lost faith in the process, because it was taking so long.”
David Hickcox
Hickcox hasn’t found there to be a disproportionate number of sexual-misconduct cases coming from the clubs department, and doesn’t believe non-student members should be excluded.C
“I think that might be a bit like the sledgehammer on the fly,” Hickcox said. “But I think we could definitely target that behavior.”
Through auditing cases, Hickcox discovered the office wasn’t properly following through with several victims. He took his concerns to the HSU Chief of Staff.
“I read through a couple of cases where it was pretty clear that the students had lost faith in the process, because it was taking so long,” Hickcox said.
California State University executive order 1068 allows for non-students to become non-voting members of clubs on campus, provided they constitute less than 20 percent of each club.
Molly Kresl is the office of student life coordinator and oversees the clubs department. Kresel says this is a prevalent issue that’s been happening at the CSU level for a while now, claiming non-student members pose a higher risk.
“It is because of push back from student groups who rely on their alumni and community members to support their events and outreach that we permit the 20 percent max non-student membership,” Kresl said.
It’s ultimately up to each club to allow or not allow non-students to become members. Kresl works with clubs to put together plans of action to address problematic non-student members. Students can obtain a no-contact-order against another student or non-student.
Under CSU executive order 1095, all campuses are required to have a survivors advocate – a person to whom students can confidentially report sexual-assault, without any obligation to report to the University.
Rather than hire a single advocate to work from within HSU, the University has been contracting the local North Coast Rape Crisis Team. The NCRCT provides victims with a 24-hour hotline, one-on-one counseling and general advocacy.
Paula Arrowsmith-Jones is the community outreach coordinator of the NCRCT. Her job is to hear, believe and support victims of sexualized-violence.
“Our services are available to any person of any age or gender,” Arrowsmith-Jones said. “Who has ever in their lifetime been impacted by some form of sexualized-violence.”
HSU’s Title IX office has recently been granted two new full-time positions, tripling the size of their department and expanding their opportunities to stop, remedy and prevent sexual misconduct on campus.
“No one should ever have to go through the betrayal and violation that an assault invokes,” Anonymous said. “It’s not just physical – it’s also an overt psychological trespass that forces you to question the entire relationship you thought you had with the person who assaulted you. It’s a form of injustice on the interpersonal level, a trickle-down of our society’s attitude and response toward sexual assault, and it needs to be addressed.”
Humboldt Domestic Violence Services
24-hour crisis line: (707) 443-6042
North Coast Rape Crisis Team
24-hour crisis line – (707) 445-2881
Humboldt County Mental Health
720 Wood Street, Eureka, CA 24-hour crisis line – (707) 445-7715
Elise Fero recounts her experiences after 10 days of isolating in her dorm
Isolation felt like home, not the home you want to be in, the home you’re stuck with until life gives you an opportunity for change. I spent days journaling and staring out the screen door at a single pinecone stuck between the boards of the porch I wasn’t allowed to step foot on.
After ten days, I finally received the call informing me it could be my last day in isolation. My first thought, ‘well shucks I just ordered groceries.’
As excited as I was, something inside me was terrified to leave. Most of my anxiety surrounding COVID-19 had disappeared. I was recovering fast and my parents, friends and boyfriend all tested negative, but I was experiencing a new kind of anxiety. Life after COVID-19.
My life had suddenly become full of consequences I had no control of. I watched friends lose opportunities because they were required to quarantine after spending time with me. I feared the current science could be wrong, that my release could be lethal. I was consumed by an overwhelming fear that someone could’ve died because of me. Yet selfishly, all I wanted was to be set free.
When I was cleared for release, I let out a sigh of relief and broke out into tears and uncontrollable laughter. The second the call was over, I opened the door and felt the cool air rush past me without the filter of a screen standing between us for the first time in over a week. The simple act of stepping outside was an indescribable joy I’ve never felt before. I was finally able to pick up the pinecone that had stared at me for so long.
During those ten days in isolation, I’d planned exactly what I’d do when I was released. My list consisted of finding a dog to pet, reuniting with an army of banana slugs and going to the beach.
I was determined to return to the coffee shop where I had received the bad news that I tested positive for COVID-19. That first sip of coffee tasted like the conclusion to my horror.
I’ve never felt closer to nature than that day, on the beach and in the forest. The same day, I was reunited with my best friends the banana slugs.
For the next week, I spent as much time as possible outside. I abandoned my introverted tendencies and greeted everyone I saw. It was an awakening. For the first time, I experienced the world without taking it for granted.
Coronavirus was not just unpleasant, it was living out the nightmare the world warned us to fear and facing the possibility of dying alone. The experience robbed me of all my comforts and left me deserted. Watching others claim that my illness was a lie and that they would never catch it. To be honest, I never thought I would either.
This virus is not prejudiced. It will try to kill anyone given the chance. Doctors pour their lives into patients who may not live to see tomorrow. Family members are forced to say goodbye, praying it’s not for the last time. Survivors are absorbed in guilt after watching others die from the virus they passed on. It never leaves your mind, the fact that you could’ve been a statistic on the list of those who passed.
For those who experience this virus, I share my story to provide you comfort. I was lucky to have survived. Not everyone is. I always had it in the back of my mind that others in isolation spend their final days alone.
I thank the universe this wasn’t my fate and for giving me more time to share my story and grow from it.
2020 has been a year of disruption felt throughout the globe let alone Humboldt State campus. Like most industries in America, live sports has been subjected to repercussions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
With most states banning the gatherings of large amounts of people, sports organizations such as the NBA and MLB have attempted to salvage the remaining portions of their seasons in order to keep fans entertained and revenue coming in. As the fall has drawn closer many have worried the pandemic would stifle the incoming football season. Though the arenas in which these teams rival for the next few months may be empty, the fans at home are champing at the bits for the action their hearts long for.
Despite the current pandemic stifling most ways fans enjoy football season, one thing remains as popular as ever: Fantasy Football.
Though it might be daunting from an outsider looking in, fantasy football is a pretty easy game to get into for fans of all ages.The first step of the game for any prospective fantasy football franchise owner is finding a league.This can be accomplished by joining or starting a league with a group of friends, coworkers or family members, if not joining a league online.
For the novice beginner with no previous experience we suggest joining a league with people you know first. Each league ranges in size from eight to sixteen team owners.The league fee also ranges from group to group, often varying from twenty to a few hundred dollars per individual participating in the season.This pool of money is then distributed to the team that come in first place.
Fantasy football is a game that can be learned as the season progresses but the gist is that the better your players perform during the regular NFL season, the better they will perform each week against other teams in your league. The players’ stats from each week are added up and the team with the most points is the winner.It is important to start your franchise off with a solid roster. As draft day approaches here’s a few tips and tricks that will help you curate a team that will hopefully perform well throughout your season.
Select players that you project will continue to perform well from last season.
Be weary of players that have the same by weeks during the season because this will dramatically affect your teams chances of winning during such weeks.
Steer clear of players that are prone to injuries, suspensions or any lackluster performance from previous seasons.
At the end of the day what you learn throughout the season will be as a result of trial and error. Have fun with it, learn from your mistakes and don’t be afraid to take a chance on certain opportunities that may arise during the season.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
