The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Humboldt State University

  • Campus Store, Arcata, lost $250,000 in one year

    Campus Store, Arcata, lost $250,000 in one year

    by Brad Butterfield

    The Campus Store, Arcata boasts high ceilings, a prime location and 10,200 square feet of usable office and retail space for Cal Poly Humboldt to sell merchandise, build community relations and provide information on California’s new polytechnic. This lot, located at 697 8th St. on the Arcata Plaza, is owned by the Trustees of the California State University and is leased to the Humboldt State University Foundation at $12,240 a month, according to the lease agreement signed June 17, 2021. The expensive investment into the downtown Arcata real estate is both a success and failure, depending on who answers the question.

    Expense reports obtained through public records requests show that from July 2022 – Nov. 2023, the off-campus Campus Store, Arcata had expenses totaling $514,228 with only $258,034 in revenue. The last 15 months of operation have lost Cal Poly Humboldt a whopping $256,194.

    According to Cal Poly Humboldt Communications Specialist Grant Scott-Goforth, the main goals for the Campus Store, Arcata did not include profitability. Instead, according to the university, the new storefront’s main goals are to expand the university’s relationship with the community of Arcata, provide visibility to the community, engage with store guests and provide information about the university, as well as expand Cal Poly Humboldt logo wear offerings.

    “The University sees the stores as successes on those terms,” said Goforth in an email. 

    Karen Diemer, Arcata city manager, highlighted the crucial timing of the store’s opening.

     “It was kind of mid-pandemic and we had been working closely with downtown businesses trying to pivot to outdoor sales areas, outdoor dining, trying to do whatever we could do to assist businesses and keep [us] afloat during COVID,” Diemer said. “I remember just having a really thankful feeling of having the university invest in what would be a retail space right on the plaza as we feared, at the time, that businesses could be closing as a result of the pandemic.”

    It’s important to recognize that prior to the opening of the off-campus Campus Store, Arcata, branded gear, school supplies and books were all sold out of the on-campus Textbook Warehouse (more commonly referred to as the Bookstore), located in the Student Activities Center on the third floor. This on-campus location was difficult for alumni and community members to access, in part, because of Cal Poly Humboldt’s insufficient parking.

    “The campus location was difficult for people to access because of parking and its location on campus,” Goforth said in an email.

    An unnamed, long-term employee of the Campus Store, Arcata detailed how the parking situation at the off-campus Campus Store is not much of an improvement from on-campus parking. They chose to stay under the pseudonym Doe to avoid persecution from their job.

    “Even now, our parking lot still has parking permits [required],” Doe said. “Our whole parking lot; you need a parking permit or like 20 minute parking, so people get really annoyed about that.” 

    The university embarked on a massive undertaking upon buying the building, previously a bank, into a welcoming storefront that both represented Cal Poly Humboldt as well as fitting into the surrounding businesses.

    “The feedback that I received from the community has all been very positive about the bookstore,” Diemer said. “The feedback that I’ve received from retailers about having that kind of a core hub right on the plaza is positive from downtown businesses.”

    The city-center location of the Campus Store, Arcata lends itself to much higher foot traffic. But foot traffic alone does not necessarily translate into improved community outreach nor sales, Doe pointed out.

    “We should be more busy with the whole farmers market going on. Usually we’re not because a lot of people just go there specifically for the farmers market,” said Doe. “They’re not really wanting to shop around the plaza that much and other than that, weekends are pretty slow.”

    The new store’s location off-campus removes it from the epicenter of campus events, like graduation. This means there is an extra step for would-be customers in order to buy their Cal Poly branded gear.

    “We’re getting less foot traffic, from what I’ve been told, than previous graduations and things like that because when you have your main store for apparel and stuff—when parents are coming to buy apparel and things like that—off-campus and you’re holding the graduation on-campus, there’s a disconnect between that,” Justin Plourde said, an environmental science and management major who has worked at both Campus Store, Arcata and the on-campus Bookstore for over two years. “And yes, some people will come to the [off-campus] store specifically to come buy stuff. But before, [during] graduation, people tended to wander in [to the on-campus Bookstore] and buy stuff rather than go out of their way to go to the [off-campus] store.”

    Still, the Plaza location has more consistent foot traffic throughout the year, most notably through the summer months, Plourde said.

    The significant deficit of the off-campus Campus Store, Arcata may be, in part, due to inventory problems, both in price and availability. 

    “Their biggest income is from clothes, which is why they’re so expensive. And they’re all from like, these specific brands like MV, Champion and Nike, stuff like that. Literally, there’s a pair of leggings at our job that is $120. I’m like, no college student is going to pay $120. I would never buy that and I get a 20% discount,” Doe said. 

    The leggings Doe mentioned are not an outlier. A university branded notebook costs $44, a small, stuffed Cal Poly Humboldt branded bear runs $20, women’s shorts go for $78, bras for $78, and a plain white t-shirt with a green ‘H.’ will set customers back $76.

    Plourde explained that shipments coming to the Campus Store, Arcata can take months between the time they are ordered and when they finally hit the shelf. Currently, this has caused a lack of sizing and style options at a crucial time in the Campus Store’s sales year.

    “We usually have big shipments of clothing before graduation and between the new semesters, and we have yet to get anything that I have seen,” Plourde said.

    Plourde added that he has not been in the store this week and a massive shipment may have just come in time for the spring rush. Some inventory currently on-site has evidently sat for some time, as many mugs and cups were caked in a visible layer of dust observed on Jan. 16. 

    With the transfer of apparel and branded trinkets to the Campus Store, Arcata, the Bookstore on-campus has become a shell of its former self.

    “Everyone’s like, ‘what happened, it looks like you guys got cleared out,’ and we’re like… ‘yeah,’” said Doe.

    More concerning from an operational standpoint is the confusion the new store has generated for students buying textbooks. Plourde explained that the Campus Store, Arcata does not make textbook orders nor process returns. They do, however, shuttle books back and forth to the on-campus Bookstore which is responsible for all textbook processing. To confuse matters more, a clerical error in the listed phone numbers for the businesses has led to many customers calling the wrong store.

    “When people look up the on-campus Bookstore number, it gives them our number. So then, whenever I pick up the phone I have to tell the people like, ‘Sorry, I apologize. This isn’t the right store. I can give you the other store’s number.’ I [memorized it] now because of how often it happens,” Plourde said.

    The fact that the off-campus store is named the Campus Store, Arcata has complicated the situation further.

    “The name ‘Campus Store’ is so hard for new people to wrap their heads around because it’s like, oh, the Campus Store is the one on-campus… but it’s not. So, then everyone goes to the wrong store to pick up their package,” Doe said.

    This has led to a frequent shuttling of sold goods to and from the on-campus Bookstore and off-campus Campus Store, Arcata.

    “It’s like so extra and it is so confusing, because then people always think there’s items at one store and then [there aren’t]. It’s ridiculous,” Doe said.

    Plourde detailed the constant state of limbo that the Campus Store, Arcata has been in since its opening.

    “I think the school doesn’t know what they want from us. It sounds like they think they wanted everything off-campus. And then they realized that that probably wasn’t the best move, but they still want everything on-campus because they want to utilize that space,” said Plourde. “It’s very confusing. And like I said, I don’t think the school knows what they want to do.”

    According to Scott-Goforth, speaking on behalf of the University, Cal Poly Humboldt has no plans to close the on-campus Bookstore.

    With so much money poured into the new location, the university is attempting creative (and tasty) ways to attract potential customers to the off-campus Campus Store, Arcata. 

    “I know that we’re also trying to get food trucks and stuff to come by on certain days so that more people would want to come in the parking lot and things like that,” Doe said.

    Doe’s claim was confirmed by a marketing email sent out by the university on Jan. 15 that read, “Pineapple Express Food Truck, Spreading aloha 1 plate lunch at a time! Brought to you by Housing & Res Life. Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Campus Bookstore, Arcata!”

    Interestingly, the university advertised the Campus Store, Arcata as the “Campus Bookstore” in the email.

    With nearly half a billion dollars pumped into California’s newest Cal Poly, it may be true that the university is not concerned with a $256,194 deficit at the Campus Store, Arcata. However, as last semester saw budget cuts to many programs that benefit students, like the swimming pool, students are frustrated with the misallocation of resources.

    “I feel like that money should not be going to a new building. It wouldn’t make much of a difference if I was working on-campus or off-campus. I would appreciate them fixing things like that for the betterment of the students, not really what makes them the most money,” Plourde said before adding, “[There are] many other things that they should be working on, and I don’t see [why] this is something that they should be proud of.”

  • Cal Poly Humboldt charges non-refundable $100 deposit to apply for on-campus dorms

    Cal Poly Humboldt charges non-refundable $100 deposit to apply for on-campus dorms

    by Christina Mehr and Jasmin Shirazian 

    If you were considering living on campus next year, submitting your housing application just got expensive. The university is now charging a $100 nonrefundable application fee to apply to live in student housing. While this application fee is nonrefundable, it does not ensure housing for students who apply.

    According to Cal Poly Humboldt housing, the $100 housing application fee is not an additional cost to students. It is treated as an initial deposit and is credited towards the housing and meal plan charges. 

    “We had to reinstate the application fee because we had too many students completing housing applications and holding spaces who weren’t serious about living on campus, preventing other students who did want to live on campus,” said Bria Kupras, a representative for Humboldt Housing & Residence Life. “Currently, the application fee is nonrefundable.”

    Once admitted into student housing, that $100 deposit will go to housing and meal plans. 

    For those students who are Pell Grant eligible, with verification from financial aid, they could receive a waiver. If a student is struggling to come up with the payment, another option would be the short-term loan program through Student Financial Services.

    Skylar Rawitch is a first-year psychology major living in the Cypress dorms.

    “The fee has definitely gotten me thinking about the worth of it,” Rawitch said. “I don’t think that it is fair, especially because the payment fee does not guarantee you housing. If it was optional to pay and guaranteed you housing… I may feel differently.” 

    “Submit your online application and pay the $100 nonrefundable application fee. The $100 will be applied to the housing and meal plan charges, unless the application is canceled where the application fee will be forfeited,” the university’s official housing website states.

    The application fee seems to be an incentive for applicants to only apply if they are seriously considering living on campus.

    “How is it in the best interest of a school that’s supposed to take care of their students and keep them safe to charge them even more when people already are struggling to afford it?” Rawitch said. “They aren’t getting the money back if they do not get housing, and for some people that $100 could be gas money, grocery money, etc., and they would be losing out on that because they were applying for something that [isn’t] guaranteed.”

    Emma Sundberg is a molecular and cellular biology major in their first year at Humboldt. They currently live in Campus Apartments. 

    “I think it’s awful having us pay more to apply when we already have to pay so much,” Sundberg said. “There is no need to spend money on an application.”

    Jess Carey, a biology major in their junior year, has also faced obstacles due to the fee. The application fee has deterred them from applying despite needing it due to housing insecurity over the summer. 

    “I understand that the whole point is to allow the school to get a more accurate idea of how many students to plan for,” Carey said. “But on the other hand, creating yet another barrier to accessible housing stretches the already weak trust of the students in our administration to meet our needs and encourage a livable, desirable college experience. My trust in the administration has been damaged even more from this situation.”

    Kimberly Alexsandra, a sophomore journalism major, has experienced the dorms of varying communities on campus. 

    “I could see why the application fee is necessary, due to the chaos created by the projected overflow of students that applied for housing last spring that didn’t end up attending, which left the school with a worse rep and vacant dorms,” Aleksandra said. “$100 right out of pocket is too much for me and I’m sure others could relate, and for it to be nonrefundable is crazy. As a student who’s lived on campus for two years in different locations, I really don’t think anything about on campus housing is realistically credible enough for a nonrefundable application fee to be needed just to apply.” 

  • Students should support the CFA strike

    by Alexandra Berrocal

    First, they came for our housing.

    Then, they came for our alternative housing students.

    Now, they are coming for our professors.

    When is this going to end?

    At this time, it is easier than ever to develop an ‘us versus them’ mentality. However, we need to remember that students and professors are all in this together. When we stood up for the right to basic housing last year, professors stood with us. When students living in their vehicles were, for heaven’s sake, cruelly kicked out of the school parking lots, professors stood with us. Professors have always been our allies in a world that seems to be squeezing us tighter and tighter. 

    Let’s make this clear: the world is becoming a harsher and harsher place to live, and universities, unfortunately, are not exempt from this. Students can still struggle throughout their college experience for all kinds of reasons. Despite the university attempting to make it easy for students to access mental health resources and disability accommodations, accessing those services can still be hard for people. We need them now more than ever.

    I personally cannot justify the university only giving staff a month of parental leave. How can anyone justify leaving a new baby without their parent at daycare after only a month? Professors should have a semester of parental leave, at least. That should just be common sense, and I don’t understand how that isn’t the law of the land. I also cannot believe that some of the lecturers who are so willing to share their expertise with the students are not making liveable wages. This is unconscionable. I believe that college professors and lecturers deserve the greatest respect because they pass down important knowledge and educate the new generation. This respect should extend to transgender and non-binary staff. It is basic common sense that there should be access to gender-neutral bathrooms for faculty. Students these days claim to care about trans rights, yet fail to advocate for their leadership’s rights to these same facilities. Universities claim to be bastions of progressive ideals yet they pay lip service to trans students, while simultaneously neglecting their own faculty. Speaking of faculty, my former faculty advisor was swamped with work that was completely unrelated to teaching last semester and I know that he is not alone. My advisor has had to do more administrative work lately with less time to focus on her passion for teaching. From my point of view, that’s pretty crazy – and not in a good way.

    When we protested, our teachers stood with us. It’s time for us to stand with them.

  • CFA settles and calls off strike after one day, Teamsters settle over weekend

    CFA settles and calls off strike after one day, Teamsters settle over weekend

    by Andres Felix Romero

    Across the California State University system, thousands of students expected a pause in classes, thousands of faculty expected to trade in their pens and markers for picket signs and thousands of skilled laborers were prepared to drop their tools for the week of Jan. 22-26 to strike.

    However, the Teamsters 2010 announced Friday, Jan. 19 they reached an agreement with the Chancellor’s Office. After one day of a weeklong planned strike, it was announced by the California Faculty Association (CFA) the night of Jan. 22 that they and the Chancellor’s office had settled with a tentative agreement as well. Campus operations are set to return to full swing by the end of this week. 

    Teamster’s Agreement Highlights

    The Teamsters were able to secure an immediate 5% pay increase, with back pay retroactive to July 1, 2023. They were also able to establish a step-pay system, meaning that skilled laborers within the CSU system will have a pay increase each year. Teamsters were also able to maintain their pension, medical benefits, and their emergency pay.

    With the Teamsters able to get back to work and have an agreement for a solid contract in order with better pay, skilled laborers on the Humboldt Campus such as locksmith Phillip Bradley felt a sense of relief. 

    “Obviously [having an agreement in place] just takes a lot of stress off,” Bradley said. “Uncertainty creates a lot of anxiety.”

    Librarian Carly Marino drums while crossing 14th St. | Photo by Griffin Mancuso

    CFA Agreements Highlights

    The CFA also secured a 5% increase in pay retroactive to July 1, 2023. There is planned to be another 5% increase on July 1, 2024, effectively giving faculty a roughly 10% increase in pay. However, the 2024 increase is contingent on the state not cutting CSU funding. There will also be more protections in place for faculty dealing with police, and improved access to gender-inclusive restrooms and lactation spaces. Also for faculty that are new parents, paid parental leave has increased from six to 10 weeks.

    Faculty, such as English professor Sarah Ben-Zvi, had to find ways to balance parenthood with work. Despite the support of her department to make her maternity leave as smooth as possible, she still felt some struggle. She felt that the increase in time for maternity leave was appreciated, but it may not be enough. 

    “It’s definitely a step in the right direction, but I still don’t think it’s enough time,” Ben-Zvi said. “I feel like it was not until maybe three months after my kid was born, that I started to feel almost human again… and able to give my students what they deserve, which is a great teacher who is on her game.”

    Another mother and professor with a newborn is English professor Tessa Head, who was on the picket line with her 14-month-old child. Head feels that a paid semester of parental leave would be beneficial for not just parents but the students as well. 

    “[A semester of parental leave] would give you time to bond with your babies and take care of them, to form that secure attachment,” Head said. “And for students, I think it would provide better learning conditions because they would have a faculty member who is present for the whole semester.”

    CFA faculty rights chair Loren Cannon was present on the picket line striking his drum and leading strikers. He shared his thoughts on the outcome of the tentative agreement.

    “We really did make some gains,” Cannon said. “I guess [the Chancellor’s Office] didn’t expect us to actually pull off a strike or something, because we only struck for one day [then came to a tentative agreement with the Chancellor’s Office].”

    Richard Toledo leads faculty and students across 14th St. holding signs on the picket line. | Photo by Griffin Mancuso

    Student Reactions

    With notice being given by faculty not to expect classes this week, some students made plans for work or travel. Students like Criminology and Social Justice Major Jocelyn Douglas faced some struggles when they scheduled extra shifts at work this week, only to be told that class would be back in session. The short notice has left students such as Douglas feeling disorganized.

    “I took this opportunity of thinking that I had a week off of school to work 60 hours with both jobs that I work at, to be able to catch up on bills,” Douglas said. “Being a full-time student and working full-time, sometimes conflicts with each other. And with less than a 24-hour notice that we do have to attend school, and with my classes being mandatory for attendance, I’m kind of conflicted about [choosing] between work and school. Thank God the teachers are being pretty lenient so far.”

    Scene of Strike

    As for the strike itself, dozens of faculty and their supporters were on the picket line. They danced with their signs to the passing cars that honked their support, all the while they moved to energizing music blaring over speakers. Some signs read, “5% don’t pay the rent,” “California Strike University” and “You can’t put students first if you put faculty last.”

    Students were present on the line to support their faculty. Students such as accounting major Lealu Freedom felt an obligation to support their professors due to the past support they have given to her. 

    “[If faculty have better conditions they] can devote more time to their students, and create a more enjoyable experience versus focusing so much on trying to get their needs met,” Freedom said. “It’s kind of like a student. You know, if the student’s struggling with housing, they’re not gonna be able to learn. Same thing with a teacher, if they’re struggling with basic needs, they are not gonna be able to teach.”

    What’s Next

    Language for the contracts will be rewritten based on the tentative agreement, and the CFA is expected to vote on whether or not to officially ratify the contract within the coming weeks to months.

    Although the CFA and Teamsters unions made gains in this situation, CFA President Marisol Ruiz acknowledges that there is still work to be done.

    “When we are striking, we’re striking for better working conditions for all,” Ruiz said. “For all the faculty and the students, we should all be supportive and in unison working together to fight. There’s still a 6% increase of tuition hikes, and that’s a fight that needs to continue to happen.”

  • Teamsters union strikes against unfair labor practices and bad faith bargaining

    Teamsters union strikes against unfair labor practices and bad faith bargaining

    by Andrés Felix Romero

    Beginning at 5:30 a.m. in the cold rain on Nov. 14, members of Teamsters 2010 began their one day strike picketing outside of the College Creek Marketplace, the Library Circle and the parking lot of the J. It was the first official strike by any California State University union for the first time in 28 years, and the one day demonstration was performed by the other Teamster 2010 chapters across all 23 CSU campuses. The union members adapted to the weather by bundling up, sporting Teamster 2010 rain ponchos and covering their picket signs with plastic coverings. 

    The union’s picket line had two main goals. One, to establish that the unions are ready and willing to strike. Locksmith for Housing and Teamster member, Phil Bradley, said that the Teamsters are ready for more strikes.

    “The one day strike today is to show the CSU we are serious about this, and to come to the table and bargain with us,” Bradley said. “It’s to show that we have the resolve to do this if that’s what it comes down to. If they don’t show up and start working with us, we’re gonna have to do a longer strike.” 

    Teamsters 2010 represent skilled trade laborers across the CSU system such as plumbers, painters, mechanics and electricians. Campus painter Jeff Robinson shared his thoughts on how campus will be impacted if the Teamsters decide to strike for a longer period of time in the future.

    “Say you have a rainy day,” Robinson said. “You have old buildings on campus, so you’re getting leaky calls that aren’t getting attended to. [You’ll get] clogged toilets, lights that are out, or the heat’s not working.”

    The second goal is for the Teamsters to draw attention to unfair labor practices.

    “[We want] to bring awareness that the CSU has been conducting unfair labor practices,” Bradley said. “There’s rules on what the [CSU] can and can’t do such as, retaliation, delaying, and bargaining in bad faith.”

    Maintenance lead Daniel Bouchard crosses the street in the rain in front of the Jolly Giant Commons parking lot. Photo by Griffin Mancuso.

    The Teamsters have expressed frustration at what they feel are continued practices of bad-faith bargaining by the CSU Chancellor’s office.

    “[The bargaining team for the Chancellor’s office] show up to meetings completely unprepared, and they keep canceling negotiating sessions,” Bradley said. “They’re basically just doing whatever they can to delay and obstruct.”

    Although the primary focus of the strike wasn’t financial, some on the picket line highlighted their grievances with a lack of an adequate wage-increase structure. Campus Building Service Engineer Steve Brands felt lucky that he was able to receive some increase in wages during his time employed with the CSU, but he feels frustrated that his colleagues haven’t had the same opportunity.

    “We used to have a very defined step-structure,” Brands said. “As long as you were getting good evaluations and things were going well, you got the raises until you moved to the top of the range. And now, nobody really moves through the range.”

    Teamsters such as campus automotive mechanic Ryan Moore explained how they have struggled with a lack of increase in wages, especially as inflation continues to rise

    “I live out towards Willow Creek and I have kids to commute to school and sports,” Moore said. “Fuel and [groceries] goes through the roof just trying to raise a family. I never thought I’d actually be out on the picket line here at the college.”

    On Nov. 9, Cal Poly Humboldt released a statement addressing the Nov. 14 strike. The message clarified to the campus community that the Humboldt and other CSU campuses have contingencies in case of an event such as a strike. As promised in the email, the Humboldt campus remained open and operational on the day of the strike. The email also promised to not pay any of the employees who participate in the strike. The email also asks the campus community to remain patient as the Chancellor’s office continues the bargaining process with the Teamsters 2010 and the other CSU unions.

    The Teamsters weren’t the only union on the picket line that day. Members of California State University Employees Union (CSUEU) were there with picket signs and chanting alongside the Teamsters. The California Faculty Association (CFA) also showed solidarity that day. Some members joined the picket line and some faculty even refused to host class. CFA Faculty Rights Chair and philosophy lecturer Loren Cannon is excited to work alongside other lecturers.

    “CFA is fully in solidarity with the teamsters right now, and with our other sister unions,” Cannon said. “We’re all in this together. Without the teamsters doing their work, without teachers doing their work, without staff doing their work, this place can’t run. And so we are together, supporting each other’s rights to a fair contract to make sure that we don’t have unfair labor practices.”

  • Triathlon ends season in Arizona

    by Vanessa Saltos

    Swimming, cycling, running; all great sports on their own, but some people tackle all three at once. For Cal Poly Humboldt, seven triathletes took on this challenge. On Saturday, Nov. 11, the Lumberjacks traveled to Tempe, Arizona for the NCAA National Championship. 

    After their last race on Oct. 1, they had about four weeks to prepare to finish out their fall season. Head Coach Kinsey Laine wanted to ensure she was getting the best out of her athletes for this last stretch of the season. What Laine wanted to focus on in practice was speed and maintaining health. 

    “The deeper you get into the season, the greater the chances are for injury and illness. After regionals, I did have them take a week where it was easier,” Laine said. “They had an extra day off, just because I wanted to make sure they were healthy and not go right back into challenging training, and maybe compromise their immune system or put them at a higher risk for injury.”  

    This is the second season Cal Poly Humboldt has had a triathlon team. The growth from the players and the team is evident. Last season, they finished 12th out of 12 teams. Going into this race, they have earned the 7th spot out of 13 teams. Laine attributes this growth to the culture shift she has seen within the team. She notices her athletes wanting to not only get the best out of themselves, but out of each other in a positive way. 

    “It’s been phenomenal. It’s been such a joy to watch this team grow and improve,
    Laine said. “I think probably the biggest difference is that the new athletes that are here this year came in knowing part of the reason they came to Humboldt was to do triathlon.”

    One of the new athletes this year is Sierra Erlandson, a freshman majoring in environmental resource engineering. Erlandson had no experience with collegiate triathlon, and didn’t know what to expect when joining the team. She was pleasantly surprised to be a part of what she now calls family. Erlandson understands that the deeper you get into the season the more mental strength it takes. 

    “Right now, we’re just supporting each other, and we’re just so proud of how far we’ve come so far as it is, that we’re not looking for some miraculous outcome from nationals,” Elandson said. “We’re looking for strong finishes and smiling faces”. 

    Six out of the seven Lumberjack athletes crossed the finish line in Tempe, Arizona this weekend. Leading the way was freshman Eve Wendley placing #137 out of 208 athletes. Racers were either from division I, II or III programs. As a team, Cal Poly Humboldt placed 10th out of the 12 division II teams in attendance. 

  • Good vibes at Good Relations

    Good vibes at Good Relations

    by Alana Hackman

    Nestled away in Old Town Eureka on 2nd and D street is Good Relations, Humboldt County’s very own independent lingerie and sex store. Founder Linda Meyers began the company in 1983 while attending Humboldt State University for mathematics before changing her focus to psychology.

    “I was going to be a junior high school math teacher way back then, and then I realized I would probably wind up getting fired because I would drive a kid to the [sexual health] clinic,” Meyers said. “So I just decided to skip that part and go immediately to the next career.” 

    Meyers is a fourth-generation Humboldt State graduate. She attended elementary school in Gist Hall because her father taught at Humboldt State. Meyers graduated from Humboldt State in 1988 with a bachelor’s in psychology and got her Doctorate in psychology in 1994. She also lectured for 25 years in the psychology and Multicultural Queer studies department up until 2017. 

    Adorned in a golden labia necklace and sporting dark red painted nails, Meyers welcomes all customers in her Eureka store with her beaming smile. Good Relations opened its first store in the early 90s after Meyers wrapped up nearly 1000 of her own “pleasure parties”. Meyers compares these parties to the Tupperware parties of the 1980s, where she would bring her basket of sexual health goodies to different houses for those attending to buy.

    “It was all word of mouth,” Meyers said.  “Usually I knew somebody who had referred me.” 

    Good Relations was an at-home company in its foundational years until the first storefront opened in Arcata in 1995. A second location was opened in Eureka in 1998, and is now the only open location. This year, the store will be celebrating its 40th anniversary.

    Meyers is grateful for Good Relations giving her the ability to have a free schedule within her work life, especially when she was still attending school and raising her children. Meyers mentions opening her first store was the result of her eldest son asking why there were penises on a shelf in their spare bedroom that Meyers worked out of. 

    Good Relations is focused on sexual education and creating a welcoming atmosphere for any curious or experienced customers that walk in. Meyers mentioned accessibility and diversity is the main focus within the company from differing skin tone options for lingerie, custom corsets, and lingerie sizes up to 5x and up if needed. 

    Photo by Alana Hackman | Handblown glass buttplugs for sale at Good Relations

    “Auntie-ing people is in my nature, it’s in my culture, it’s in every cell of my body, and the nice thing about having a place like this is it’s very appropriate to auntie people, right,” Meyers said. “Aunties will kind of tell you what you need to know, even sometimes if you don’t really want to hear it, so we tell the truth. We educate the stores as a front for sex-ed and always has been.” 

    Good Relation’s success for the past 40 years can be attributed to Meyer’s efforts to bring in a well-trained staff and make sure they are knowledgeable in all topics around sexual wellness and education, as well as consent.

    Abby Beha, an employee of Good Relations, mentions the three-month-long training of videos, pamphlets and tests is a crucial part of employment, but is necessary for trying to help people have better sex lives. 

    “I just want them to feel welcomed, and that they can ask any question without feeling that they’re gonna get made fun of or ridiculed,” Beha said. “Everyone starts somewhere and we’re just here to help.” 

    A new employee, Gabrielle Castro, has only been working at Good Relations for a month after a second try at applying for the position and is grateful for the opportunity to help others.

    “I really do believe that personal human pleasure is a basic right,” Castro said. “Everyone should have the opportunity to experience what they want to experience before their deathbed and shouldn’t have to wait till they’re in a retirement home partying their ass to be able to do it.”

  • Humboldt State has officially been erased and replaced, but at what cost?

    by Ione Dellos

    From the new signs at the campus entrance to the Cal Poly header on your “Possible COVID Exposure” email from the Student Health Center, the new polytechnic status of Humboldt has been hammered home to students many times in the past few months. Despite the many open forums and countless emails the University has sent to students explaining the new polytechnic status, does anyone really know how much things cost?

    Starting in August of 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom approved a $458 million investment in Cal Poly Humboldt. The allocation of funds is supposed to overhaul the university, with investments in updating aging infrastructure, adding several new majors by fall 2023, and several new buildings on campus. The impressive financial package also includes a yearly infusion of $25 million from the state, which Humboldt has built into its initial planning estimates.

    Graphic by Ione Dellos
    Graphic by Ione Dellos

    Initially, the $25 million will be used primarily for one-time spending initiatives, like rebranding and marketing the campus. For the 2021-2022 school year alone, $1.3 million has been set aside for rebranding/marketing efforts. Another $665,000 has been set aside for rebranding through campus signage, and if you didn’t think all of the Cal Poly Humboldt signs seen while fighting for your life up the stairs to Founder’s Hall were excessive, the University has set aside $983,000 for additional campus signage for the 2022-2023 school year. This does coincide with the school’s budgeting plans, as 2021-2022 costs are supposed to cover program start-up costs, while 2022-2023 costs will ramp up with the ongoing new projects. Additionally, the 2022-2023 school year will cover the first round of faculty hiring ahead of the 2023 program launch.

    Higher education marketing firm SimpsonScarborough is working with the University to “energize and elevate” their brand, as stated in a December email to students. They are rolling out a multiple-phase branding campaign. The campaign started last November with the announcement of Humboldt’s polytechnic status, and will continue for years to come as Humboldt aims to get their brand out to students nationwide. This is the start of a multiple-year effort that begins with extensive research with the campus community, and the full timeline is displayed below:

    PHASE 1: November 15 – January 14, 2022
    Transitional communications and marketing plan; audience research to inform the brand.

    PHASE 2: January 14 – May 6, 2022
    Brand strategy and development; creation of graphic identities; brand awareness campaign; prospective student recruitment collateral.

    PHASE 3: May 6 – August 5, 2022
    Refreshed digital presence and web templates; assessment of internal capacity and structures.

    ONGOING EFFORT: Starting August 6, 2022
    Sustained buildout and implementation of the brand through digital and traditional media, advertising strategies, media relations, and more.

  • Letter to the Editors

    To our Cal Poly Humboldt Family, 

    Associated Students do not stand nor condone any kind of disrespect. We value everyone’s thoughts, opinions, and presence within AS. 

    We are aware of an unsettling situation that occurred during our Executive cabinet meeting on Feb. 4 concerning members of the Associated Students and members of AS Core Programs at Cal Poly Humboldt. 

    During the meeting, President Jeremiah Finley was uncooperative with fellow board members and had cut the meeting short. During this meeting, the WRRAP’s R.O.S.E branch team was expecting a response from the board, but would not move forward due to solely wanting in-person attendance. 

    In addition to this, President Finley neglected his team by failing to acknowledge the presence of appointed members who joined through Zoom, assuming that, “they only joined through Zoom simply because they didn’t want to be in attendance in person,” though this was not the case. 

    First and foremost, we, the Associated Students do not accept or tolerate the sort of behavior that was presented on that evening. We understand the concern, the anger, and the feelings of disrespect. You are heard and your feelings matter. 

    Next, we find it critical, to be honest with our student body and with each other. Unfortunately, there has been an unhealthy power dynamic within AS. There have been many issues regarding communication, equality, and access to opportunities. These are issues AS members have been dealing with but have managed to persevere through while keeping our student body and AS Core Programs at the top of their priority list. We are actively working towards community building and furthering our relationships with our staff and student leaders. 

    Due to the continuous amounts of disrespect and unacceptable behavior, AS will be moving forward with the impeachment process. 

    Associated Students stands for the purpose to educate, empower, and most importantly elevate all student voices. 

    Signed, 

    Associated Students of Cal Poly Humboldt

  • Humboldt Athletes are ‘DAM WORTH IT’

    Humboldt Athletes are ‘DAM WORTH IT’

    by Morgan Hancock

    Photo by Morgan Hancock | Gracie Kasberger finishing the 400M Log Relay on Feb. 12 at the Cal Poly Humboldt Redwood Bowl.

    Athletes live in a culture of perfection and pressure that can lead to high stress, these Cal Poly Humboldt students want to address that. Gracie Kasberger founded this campus’ branch of Dam Worth It. Dam Worth It is a nonprofit that supports athletes struggling with mental health. Athletes’ mental health has become a bigger conversation since the recent double feature Olympics. High-profile athletes are setting precedents by putting their mental health first. Students like Kasberger are laying the groundwork for a new culture in athletics. 

    Kasberger is a kinesiology major and track athlete, she saw a need to support her peers. The athletics department doesn’t have any counseling services for athletes, so students are on their own. They balance classes, practice, work, and self-care. Kasberger expressed that students will often put their mental health on the back burner. 

    “I’ve noticed more pro athletes coming out about their mental health and saying that they are struggling,” Kasberger said. “It’s something that is being normalized. Athletes go in and get help when they’re injured, but they’re not doing the same for their mental health. We’re bringing attention to it, we want athletes to have access to help and feel like they can speak out.”

    Photo by Morgan Hancock | Travis Allen in the 60M hurdles on Feb. 12

    Travis Allen is a track athlete who opened his season at the Green and Gold event last weekend. Allen expressed how sports can offer a mental haven for athletes, but with it also comes added stress.

    “Mental Health is often overlooked, especially with athletes,” Allen said. “Teammates are like a family, there is a lot of support from each other.” 

    Each athlete filled out a card with the reason why they are ‘dam worth it’.

    “I’m ‘dam worth it’ because I am me,” Allen said.

    Sue Grigsby, Lumberjack class of ‘79  track hall of famer and record shatterer, attended the legacy event. Grigsby has seen the pressures change for students over the years. Students have increased pressures from athletics and an unstable world. 

    “If you have a vision problem or dental problem or a knee injury you seek help,” said Grigsby. “Athletes should do the same for their brains. It’s okay to seek help, there are ways to get help.”

    Student-Athletes often define themselves by their sport. They use athletic success as a measure of their worth. Clara Lenihan struggled to define herself outside of her sport once she ended her soccer career.

     “When I introduce myself I start with ‘oh I play soccer,” Lenihan said. “Now that I don’t play anymore I don’t know what to say. Sports is such a big part of our lives.” 

    Photo by Morgan Hancock | Track Athletes Kaela Dennert-Frederick, Emily Bath, Joy Hano, Grace Kasberger pose for a photo at the Green and Gold Event Feb. 12
    Photo by Morgan Hancock | Track Athletes Kaela Dennert-Frederick, Emily Bath, Joy Hano, Grace Kasberger pose for a photo at the Green and Gold Event Feb. 12

  • AS President Finley’s refusal to resign leads to more conflicts

    by Matthew Taylor

    Prior to the AS meeting last Friday at Siemens Hall, President Finley received a letter by the collective student body calling for his resignation that evening. If he failed to do so, actions would be taken towards impeachment. This letter was written in part due to his actions at the previous AS Meeting on Feb. 5th, which can be read about here.

    “I have come to understand that recently there are many that felt disrespected,” Finley said, in response to the letter during the meeting. “Reduced to only a vote to count as opposed to the valued team member they are throughout the year by my unintentional behavior.”

    The president continued in offering apologies to any members he may have unintentionally hurt over the past months. He pleaded with the student body to talk personally with him and to allow him to end his final semester, both as a student and president, without burnt bridges. He explained that the extra weight of responsibility expected of him as a Black leader in a predominantly white university may have also gotten the better of him.

    “I cannot leave till I have had a chance to put in order what is out of place for those that are hurt and be your champion once again,” Finley said, ending his speech and thus refusing to resign.

    No members present at the time had further comment. Conflict between Board members and the president continued later on in the meeting, however, as Finley attempted to appoint a new student for Legislative Vice President.

    “First, I want to apologize to you,” At-Large Representative Gio Guerrero said, to the new candidate. “Our Associated Students are in a really big hurdle at the moment, internally. I don’t feel confident that we can support an additional new member on this Board until we get through [this] storm.”

    All other Board members, excluding Finley, concurred with this sentiment. Members expressed that they did want the candidate to be appointed but only once internal conflicts had been figured out. Finley accused the Board of allowing personal opinions of him to cloud their decision. All members present disagreed and appointed Student Affairs Vice President Marcum and Guerrero to keep in contact with the candidate. Plans to properly vote in this appointee are scheduled to happen at the next AS meeting.

    The next AS meeting will be held on Friday, Feb. 18, at 4 pm in Siemens Hall 117.

  • Hunt for new police chief continues despite adversity

    by Carlos Pedraza

    Cal Poly Humboldt is struggling to find a new police chief in the wake of yet another resignation

    For the last two years, Cal Poly Humboldt’s University Police Department has been plagued with resignations at the very top of their hierarchy. Anthony Morgan, the most recent chief, resigned early in Jan. 2022 after a year in the position.

    UPD is still in the early stages of searching for a new chief.

    “Cal Poly Humboldt has not yet made the public announcement for accepting applications,” said Grant Scott-Goforth, a communication specialist in the CPH’s News and Info department.

    The search for UPD’s next leader will be nationwide. Representatives from different university sources will be involved in the decision, including students, faculty, and university police department staff.

    “The University aims for a July 1, or sooner, start of the new permanent chief,” said Scott.

    Morgan was only the latest chief of the campus police to resign. Cal Poly Humboldt’s current acting chief of police is Peter Cress, a 25-year police veteran. He started his career at what was then Humboldt State before moving to Sacramento, and eventually returning to UPD in 2021. Cress stated he will likely apply to become the permanent chief of police.

    Even if the position is filled, the UPD has barely enough officers to be fully staffed. With a more critical eye on police nationwide, the UPD is struggling to maintain leadership and swear in new officers.

    “A lot of people have just said no, they are not interested in living under that kind of criticism,” said Cress.

    For students interested in giving their input for the hiring process or for UPD, the police conduct bi-weekly phone calls with students. The university directory also provides all officers’ contact information, and the general UPD contact number is 825-55-55.

  • Symptomatic and want to teach online? Steer clear of Cal Poly Humboldt

    by Liam Gywnn

    Dr. Christopher Aberson came into contact with COVID-19 the weekend before he was supposed to teach. He requested the school let him teach over zoom and his request was denied. The school would not let him switch his modality despite the Omicron surge and the numerous COVID-19 cases reported on campus.

    “I was told I was not authorized to change modality. After several emails, clarification came that I could not move online. I have symptoms. I am well enough to teach. Not allowed to,” said Dr. Aberson.

    Dr. Aberson is the Professor of Psychology at Cal Poly Humboldt and came into contact with the virus after one of his son’s friends tested positive. He claims that this issue is larger than his individual case.

    “My issue with the surge has and continues to be that faculty who agreed to teach in person are not being allowed to change to online. Faculty agreed to teach in person at times when it seemed we had gotten over the hump and were headed toward a better situation,” said Dr. Aberson in an email, he continued. “In both the fall and spring semesters, as I understand it, most requests to change to online were denied. Both semesters began during surges.”

    Dr. Aberson has been outspoken about a number of issues on campus and believes that could be playing into why he wasn’t allowed to teach online.

    “I have been outspoken about under-compensation of chair duties — it is a full-time job but during the summer and other off times, we are grossly under-compensated for our time. Also, campus safety and working conditions during both the delta and omicron surges,” said Dr. Aberson.

    The California Faculty Association (CFA) negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with campus administration regarding teaching during COVID-19. The document was signed by CFA and Cal Poly Humboldt management. Dr. Aberson presented a passage from the MOU that explicitly supports his position.

    “During the time that an employee may be waiting for an appointment or for testing results every effort should be made for them to be able to work remotely,” states the MOU.

    Prior to Dr. Aberson’s situation, the CFA had already made an official statement addressing the administration and their lack of leniency.

    “No faculty member should be forced to work in conditions that put themselves or their loved ones at risk, especially when there are alternatives,” states a press release provided by the CFA.

    CFA Humboldt president Loren Cannon still supports this idea and thinks the administration needs to be more flexible in situations like Dr. Aberson’s.

    “We have urged that Administration approve all such requests for temporary, or sometimes permanent change in modality,” said Cannon.

    Cannon acknowledges that for some cases transitioning to online can be difficult, however for many other classes transitioning online for a week or two is relatively easy.

    “I believe that at this time, as we still are not ‘in the clear’ of this incredible health crisis, we need to trust each other and make decisions that recognize the complexity of individual context,” said Cannon.

    Leadership has yet to make an official statement regarding the MOU breach and has also failed to respond to our request for an interview.

  • Black chemists celebrate diversity at Umoja Center event

    by August Linton

    Claps and cheers echoed through Founders Hall 118 during the Umoja Center’s Black Excellence in STEM event, probably far more than had graced the room in quite a while. Many HSU community members filled out the seats, just as their enthusiasm and passion filled the room.

    Dr. Kim White, Cal Poly Humboldt professor of chemistry, hosted the event at the request of Umoja Center for Pan African Academic Excellence.

    After an indigenous land acknowledgement, she began by paying homage to several Black scientists under whom she studied. One of these was Dr. Loyd Noel Ferguson, the first Black person to earn a PhD in chemistry from UC Berkeley.

    “He was the original backyard chemist, he synthesized moth repellent and stain removers in his backyard in Oakland when he was growing up,” White said. “He also used his academic talent not only to propel his own career but also to create opportunities for others.”

    She also spoke fondly about Dr. Phillip Crews, a UC Santa Cruz professor of chemistry known for his involvement in diversity programs.

    “Phil instilled in me a strong desire to use my privilege for the benefit of others… seeing him use his strengths to lift up others was pretty fundamental in the trajectory of my career,” White said.

    Dr. Chris Harmon, another member of Cal Poly Humboldt’s chemistry department, spoke next. He spoke on the importance of acknowledging and celebrating the growing diversity within science.

    “It matters where you come from, it matters what language you grew up speaking, and absolutely the color of your skin matters, Harmon said. “When I got into chemistry, one of the things that I loved was all of these rich, beautiful colors that you would see in the lab… if we celebrate the colors of the chemicals why can’t we celebrate the colors of the chemists?”

    Photo by Morgan Hancock | Dr. Kensha Clark speaks to students of her work in chemistry via Zoom at Founders Hall on Feb 11

    Harmon introduced Dr. Kensha Clark, a highly celebrated and accomplished Black chemist currently teaching at the University of Memphis.

    After brief technical problems, she appeared on the projector screen, Zooming in to the event.

    Clark discussed her work, both as a private sector chemist with Chevron and as an academic. Her current fields of interest include molecular electronics, solar energy conversion, and small molecule activation, among others.

    In her lab, she makes sure that students of all backgrounds feel welcome.

    “I think [our diversity] makes our science all the better,” Clark said.

    When she was a student, however, Clark felt that her interest in science was quashed. She described only being encouraged to become a writer or an artist, all the while never wavering from her passion for science.

    Even though strong familial support allowed her to achieve her dream, Clark is still faced with a shocking lack of diversity in her field.

    “By default, you are the representative of your people,” Clark said. “It makes it exciting when one sees up-and-coming scientists of color.”

    Photo by Morgan Hancock | Asia Anderson explains her research into membrane protein isolation on Feb 11.

    Cal Poly Humboldt student Asia Anderson took the stage after Clark, to a joyous round of applause from the audience. A transfer student from College of the Redwoods, Anderson is obviously beloved to the campus community.

    She spoke about the community and support that she has found while studying chemistry at Cal Poly Humboldt, and how her mother’s going back to school to study English inspired her.

    “I feel like every step of the way I’ve had this ushering of peers around me… I will also be the first person in my family to graduate from college,” Anderson said.

    Anderson’s research during her undergraduate degree at Cal Poly Humboldt has been in the targeted extraction of membrane proteins. She said that the proteins’ sensitivity to light means that further study could illuminate ways to use these proteins for targeted medication delivery.

    After graduation, Anderson will study to receive a graduate degree at UC Santa Cruz.

    The Umoja center hosted this event in collaboration with NSBE, the National Society of Black Engineers. Demi Ogunwo is a masters student in Cal Poly Humboldt’s Energy Technology and Policy Program, and spoke at the event as the president of the school’s NSBE chapter.

    “NSBE offers a platform for students to network and get mentored by … Black professionals,” Ogunwo said. “It’s not for engineers alone, it’s for all STEM students.”

    NSBE is a community focused on supporting Black scientists, whether academically or professionally. They will be hosting a social hangout for students potentially interested in joining this Friday Feb. 18, from 1 pm to 3 pm in the University Upper Quad.

  • Food forests flourish at Cal Poly Humboldt

    by Ollie Hancock

    CCAT courses are back this spring. One of the classes on the roster this semester is Organic Gardening. In this one-unit course, students will learn the basics of gardening. Students grow their plots in the campus community garden using sustainable techniques.

    Since the pandemic disrupted CCAT operations, the course has not been offered. Now, the course has returned, and students have a lot of work ahead of them. Ben Cross is a political science major who’s more than excited to be back in the Buckhouse.

    “I’ve got lots of passion for this, and it’s an amazing area to learn it,” Cross said. “If there is a place I’d want to take this class, it’s at Humboldt. I want to have my garden and tend to it with confidence.”

    Julia Simmons is the student instructor of ENST 123.

    “We’re teaching the basics of what goes into gardening,” Simmons said. “I want to focus on how plants affect each other. Some plants have nitrogen-fixing properties and support other plants in the soil. I want to teach students to cultivate ecology and grow food forests.”

    Food forests are a farming technique that mimics the natural patterns found in ecosystems. Growing plants interact with each other in a network of reciprocal relationships. The result is healthy biodiversity, nutrient-rich soils, and a sustainable food source.

    Agroecologic farming methods have the potential to localize food systems and make them more efficient. A 2018 study titled “Permaculture—Scientific Evidence of Principles for the Agroecological Design of Farming Systems” by the EU Institute for Environmental Science establishes environmental damages caused by industrial agriculture. Monoculture causes biodiversity loss, soil degradation, and alteration of biogeochemical cycles and greenhouse gas emissions. The study cited food forests to remedy the damage done by monoculture.

    Monoculture is the standard agricultural practice in the United States. Crops are planted in rows, where they can be most efficiently harvested by machine. Though it is convenient for machinery, this practice does not benefit plants or local ecologies. Without ecological support and context, isolated crops require fertilizers and pesticides to grow.

    Plants can fend off pests and fertilize each other in food forests. One example Simmons describes is the three sisters. This pairing of beans, squash and corn, comes from traditional ecologic knowledge.

    “They grow really well together, and they use each other to grow well,” Simmons said. “The beans provide nitrogen for the other plants to grow. Ground cover [from the squash leaves] keeps weeds from growing.” The tallest sister, corn, acts as a trellis for the beans to climb up. Growing together, they protect each other and help one another flourish.

    “We’re going to be working in the community garden. We’ll design food forests with their own ecologic networks,” Simmons said. “I want anybody to be able to garden, and everyone should garden.”

  • Students dive into oceanic research

    Students dive into oceanic research

    by Nina Hufman

    At Cal Poly Humboldt’s marine lab, graduate students run between the workspaces and laboratories, students stir beakers of brine shrimp instead of cups of coffee, and Percy the giant pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) tugs on the fingers of the lab tech feeding him.

    Photo by Morgan Hancock | Percy the giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini)

    Percy’s isn’t the only interesting face one can see at the lab. Other notable critters include Gaia the red octopus (Octopus rubescens), Eleanor the Wolf Eel (​​Anarrhichthys ocellatus), and Butters the Albino Dungeness Crab (Cancer magister). Sea stars, baby jellyfish, sea urchins, clingfish, nudibranch, sea cucumbers, and anemones are among the lab’s other aquatic residents. There are also rockfish older than most of the people working at the lab.

    “There’s so much potential at this place for doing even more than we are now,” said Lab Director Rick Zechman.

    Although it’s currently closed to the public due to COVID-19, the students and staff of the Telonicher Marine Lab are offering guided virtual tours and virtual educational programs. Cal Poly Humboldt students also have the option to visit and explore the lab in person.

    If they want more experience than a visit will offer, students can sign up for courses in oceanography, fisheries biology, and marine biology, which all include instruction at the marine lab.

    Marine naturalist Jordyn Neal is in charge of tours.

    “Most of my job is public outreach,” Neal said. “I try to inform the public on the fish here, and conservation.”

    Neal gives guided tours of the lab and is in charge of the summer school program. She says that one of her main goals is to bridge the gap of scientific literacy.

    Neal is a fifth year marine biology major who is currently doing shark research outside of her degree. She takes CT scans of shark species living at different depths in the water column and looks at the morphology of their ears. Neal’s focus is on how the depth of the water in which a species lives impacts the structure of its ears.

    Photo by Morgan Hancock | Eleanor the Wolf Eel (​​Anarrhichthys ocellatus)

    The marine lab also hosts a number of grad students doing research projects, including Rose Harman. Harman is currently working on her master’s thesis and grant applications to fund her research. This summer, Harman will be studying habitat usage and predation of leopard sharks in Humboldt Bay.

    “Our new plan is to do field work combined with lab experiments,” Harman said. “One of my goals is to publish my research.”

    Graduate students Marzia Fattori and Kalani Ortiz are doing their research on growing bull kelp in Humboldt Bay. Ortiz’s project is focused on kelp as an agricultural product. She is currently growing the seaweed on string, and will be outplanting it to kelp farms in the bay until it reaches a harvestable size.

    Fattori’s project is focused on conservation. She is growing bull kelp on gravel and on ceramic tiles to see which substrate is more effective. In the second stage of her research, Fattori will grow the bull kelp in warmer water to examine the impact that rising ocean temperatures will have on kelp populations.

    The marine lab has two classrooms, a running seawater system, and access to the Coral Sea, a 90ft research vessel. Lab director Zechman says the lab is situated on an important part of the Pacific coastline, where students can expect a learning experience that is unique to Cal Poly Humboldt.

    “Our intention is to be a different kind of polytechnic,” Zechman said. “How many CSUs have a marine lab and a research vessel?”

  • Jacks on track

    by Eddie Carpenter

    Cal Poly Humboldt hosted the annual Green and Gold track meet at the Redwood Bowl on Feb. 12. In the past, the Green and Gold has been an invitational meet open to alumni as well as all local athletes, but due to precautionary measures and local COVID-19 restrictions, only collegiate entries were permitted.

    The event kicked off with the national anthem, and the Cal Poly Humboldt track and field athletes all joined at center field for an ecstatic cheer. It was a beautiful, sunny day with nothing but blue skies, perfect weather to run in.

    Head track and field coach Sarah Ingram says a huge amount of effort went into preparing the Jacks for this event.

    “We’ve been training since August… both on the track and in the weight room,” Ingram said. “It was a really fun atmosphere. The 400-meter log relay is not something we usually have, but it was a team bonding event.”

    Women’s team captain Joy Hano is also proud of her team’s strategy for game day.

    “We spent a lot of time visualizing and training. Mindful training is what we did the most,” Hano said. “I do the 100-meter hurdles, long jump, and today I did the 150 meter and the log relay. It felt great. There were a lot of nerves, but being here in front of our home crowd made it all worth it and made the nerves go away.”

    College of the Redwoods coach Reed Elmore shared what it was like to see his former athletes compete at last weekend’s scrimmage.

    “[As a coach], you don’t always get the best athletes. Our main goal is to get our athletes to work together as a team. We want them to compete with each other and not against each other,” Elmore said. “It’s exciting! We’re a developmental program. We take kids that need love and a little extra time. Humboldt does something different. We’ve been working with Sarah and Jamie to bridge that gap. [We make] sure everyone feels supported. We had a good performance, but our important races are at the end of the season.”

    Junior thrower Savannah Henninger wrote down all the marks for the throwing events. She is one of those athletes who transitioned from a Corsair to a Lumberjack.

    “It was definitely super weird. It’s not necessarily better or worse,” Henninger said. “It was a different atmosphere. Both Sarah and Reed are amazing advocates for their athletes, so that really helped a lot. I saw a lot of team support. Everybody was cheering their teammates on as best as they were able to, there was a lot of camaraderie going around.”

    In the latter half of the scrimmage, many athletes participated in the 400-meter annual log relay. As the last athlete rounded the corner, a member of the crowd shouted out, “Better start running with a purpose!”

  • My mental illness makes me a better leader

    My mental illness makes me a better leader

    by Lex Valtenbergs

    You sleep too much or too little and neglect your personal hygiene. You’re a ticking time bomb that can’t be defused. You oscillate between extremes like a pendulum. Your own thoughts wage war against you and, in some circumstances, the people around you.

    Being mentally ill is a constant struggle, and that is only the surface of it.

    In my case, I have undiagnosed traits of borderline personality disorder (BPD), specifically a subset of the disorder called quiet BPD, as well as comorbid anxiety and depression.

    To be clear, I am not diagnosed due to being assigned female at birth (AFAB) in a rural county, one with a disproportionately high rate of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and inaccessible or understaffed mental healthcare facilities.

    Seeking and getting a diagnosis from a psychiatrist is also protracted and difficult, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

    It must also be said that being branded borderline in our society is not ideal, especially as someone who was is perceived as female. There is a lot of stigma around the four Cluster B personality disorders: narcissistic, borderline, histrionic and antisocial personality disorder.

    I stigmatized narcissism in particular, before I became self-aware and realized that narcissism is merely the inverse of codependency. Both stem from traumatic formative experiences with maladaptive object constancy and abandonment, but they manifest differently. For me, narcissism was a mirror into my own dark traits that I wasn’t able or willing to peer into.

    Most borderlines are stuck in an incredibly alienating and painful catch-22. The people who understand us aren’t necessarily healthy for us, and the people who don’t understand us are usually stabilizing for us. Couple that with the chronic emptiness that borderlines endure daily and you quickly rack up a series of short, toxic relationships that end in violent staccato.

    The Western culture of individualism makes things worse for mentally ill people. In our society, we have a tendency to overlook our ability to affect other peoples’ lives. We also have the tendency to sell ourselves short. We would rather shrink than dare to take up space. The latter is contingent upon us being vulnerable, which includes the risk of failure.

    Because my judgment is skewed by my mental illness, I make a lot of mistakes. I assume the worst of people who don’t deserve it. I misread peoples’ intentions before giving them the benefit of the doubt, or idealize people who haven’t yet earned my trust or respect. These behaviors open me up to exploitation and abuse. I can also be abrasive, intense and even callous, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have compassion or remorse.

    If anything, I feel too much, more strongly and longer than the average person does. I constantly emotionally regulate myself, to grapple with my volatile moods and intense emotions. Most of these emotions go inward towards myself rather than radiate outward.

    Believe it or not, my mental illness makes me a better leader. Because I am mentally ill, I have put myself in situations where I needed to be held accountable for the sake of myself and people around me.

    I couldn’t play the victim. I had to own up to my behavior, even though it stemmed from something out of my control. At the end of the day, I am fully responsible for my choices and the consequences.

    Owning up to your dark side every time it creeps up and wreaks havoc enables you to build healthy, strong relationships. Relationships are hard work.

    Good leaders have good relationships. Good relationships are contingent on accountability, boundaries, trust and clear communication.

    The first step of realizing your ability to lead others and trying it is hard no matter what, but mentally ill people just have more barriers to overcome.

    I have had to learn how to use the dark side of my mental illness to harness my light and use it to influence others around me. The skills that I’ve developed to cope with my borderline traits, anxiety and depression allow me a self-insight which is extremely useful.

    Every day, we have the choice to be a positive or negative influence in the lives of people we know. Try to go against the grain of your darkest tendencies of your humanity and use your light as a guide.

  • Disconnected

    by Cheyenne Wise

    These past few years have created this heavy and strange feeling that has found itself settling on my chest. It’s a constant feeling of disconnect—a disconnect from my peers, professors, friends, and even family. I’m staring at a black screen or the muted faces of people I should know, but it feels like I’m watching a TV show.

    I was 21 when COVID-19 hit, and now I’m 24. I’ve already lost most of my early 20s, and I don’t know when I’m ever going to get it back. A lot of people are telling me, “well, you could have gone out and partied with your friends or traveled” as if COVID-19 doesn’t exist or like I’m not terrified of getting sick. I was supposed to be a graduate and living in another state working a dream job, but here I am, sitting in my room in my hometown, waiting for my next class to start while getting ready for work. I’m not unhappy with where my life is, but I’m not exactly delighted with everything. I love my jobs, my coworkers, and the fact that I’m living with my childhood best friend, but some part of me is mourning the loss of what could have been, just like many people.

    I miss having exciting conversations with my peers and being excited about my classes. The disconnect and lack of inspiration are like a smack to the face when I sit down to log onto Zoom for my lecture. I’ve become one of those black screens that remains muted, and I hate it. Even writing has become a struggle for me. I’m a storyteller, but all I have is nothing when I sit down to write. There’s no ‘aha’ moment of what story needs to be told or list of potential events to look to reporting on.

    I know I’m not alone in this feeling because I see it everywhere. Other college students are no longer being inspired by their studies. I just wish I had some great advice on mediating a solution, but I don’t. It’s a dreadful feeling, and I feel a particular type of guilt for not having a remedy.

  • Let the bodies hit the floor at RWC

    Let the bodies hit the floor at RWC

    by Matthew Taylor

    On Monday, Feb. 7, the deep and thunderous sounds of student bodies hitting the floor echoed down the halls of Cal Poly Humboldt’s Recreation and Wellness Center. Instructor Mairead Sardina, the department’s Adventure Program Supervisor, pushed student after student onto large cushioned mats. She instructed them to copy her previously demonstrated method of proper falling. This was the second class within Sardina’s “Intro to Self Defense” workshop.

    The course focused on utilizing multiple different martial arts techniques for the purpose of self defense and self empowerment. Lessons within the course included energy cultivation and energy negating practices. Students first began with a simple guided meditation by the instructor.

    “We’re trying to push away the outside world,” Sardina said. “But the reality of meditation is it makes us more connected to the outside world, by being more connected to ourselves.”

    As the evening progressed the lessons became more physical and hands-on. Lessons would involve activities such as swinging each other around with a red rope and fighting against the instructor whilst blindfolded.

    “The human brain is amazing, it can do insane things,” Sardinia said. “If a parent can flip a car off of a child, we can protect ourselves.”

    Many of the students laughed at each other as they attempted many of the strange yet effective techniques. An audible shock heard amongst them whenever they found themselves accomplishing a seemingly impossible task.

    Photo by Matthew Taylor | Instructor Mairead Sardina (right) teaches blindfolded Theodore Lee (left) to use his other senses when in combat at the Reaction and Wellness Center on Feb. 7.

    “[The classes have] been fantastic,” Theodore Lee, a major in wildlife conservation, said. “I’ve always wanted to learn martial arts and this made me understand the concepts.”

    Another student and participant, Ada Erlewine, a biology major, explained that she had been searching for a self defense course to go to for awhile. She stated that her friend had found the course while checking the RWC website and told her.

    “[I] wanted to be more confident in my body and my power,” Elrewine said, explaining why she joined. “[It’s my] first extracurricular outside of schooling since transferring during COVID.”

    These were the last scheduled workshops, however, future courses may be offered if enough students express interest by reaching out to cntract@humboldt.edu.

  • Drop In and Skate Out: Latin Edition

    Drop In and Skate Out: Latin Edition

    by Matthew Taylor

    A flurry of rainbow colors whipped by as Cal Poly Humboldt students both old and new skated side by side across the West Gym’s floors. Outfits ranging from the mundane to the elaborate, with glitter dotting the faces of many, could be seen throughout the room.

    Near the entrance of the gymnasium, two tables were draped in sarapes and decorated with marigolds, sugar skulls, and an assortment of popular Mexican candies. Behind these tables stood a large speaker and multi-colored spotlights, as well as over thirty chairs where students would fight to get the tight roller skates onto their feet.

    Volunteers collected donations for the El Centro Académico Cultural de Humboldt (El Centro) ‘Graduacion Latinx’ ceremony.

    “The first [Skate Night] was just a phone speaker,” Taylor Sachez, an ESM major, said whilst putting on her own skates. “Since then we’ve got a DJ and sponsor.”

    El Centro is that sponsor. Under the ideas and leadership of Giovanni Guerrero, ESM major and a student staff member of the organization, this Latin-themed skate night was born. This project has been in the works since the fall semester of last year.

    “I heard about HSU having skate nights,” Guerrero said. “I wanted to combine the skate night with Latin music to make it a kinda party.”

    Photo by Abraham Navarro | Cal Poly Humboldt Students round the corner in the West Gym during Roller Skate Night on Feb. 4.

    A party it certainly was. Students skated in circles around the linoleum floor, but many also danced together, swinging each other around with the momentum of their wheels.

    Latin music blasted through the speakers and through the skaters’ bodies, with the DJ, known as B1g $uave, interjecting every few minutes to liven the crowd up. When he’s not spinning the tunes, B1g $uave is José Juan Rodriguez, wildlife biology major and student staff member at El Centro.

    Cal Poly Humboldt students and friends Norma Francisco and Cierra Holmes heard about the drop-in skate nights through El Centro’s sponsorship.

    “I would go [skating] occasionally, mainly while in middle school,” Holmes said. “I think ice skating is easier.”

    “I think this is easier,” Francisco replied with a laugh. “I was nervous to come, both to skate for the first time and from being off-campus for so long.”

    Both friends were able to agree on one thing though, the event was fun and had good vibes.

    Kumami Jackson, a local science major, explained that he’d been skating on and off since the 3rd grade but skateboards pretty regularly.

    “It’s kinda the same motion,” he said.

    A few couples dotted across the room could also be seen skating together. One such couple was Jessica Ordaz, a mathematics education major, and her partner Gilberto Gamboa. He held her arm or hand all night as she attempted to learn how to skate. She was the event specialist for El Centro, but this was one of her first times doing this kind of skating.

    “I’m very grateful for the people here, I want to encourage people to come out,” El Centro staffer Guerrero said nearing the end of the event. “[El Centro] is planning [other] events, Ciencia Para Todos and Cafe con Chisme.”

    Ciencia Para Todos (Science for All) will be hosting the creation of their bilingual science children’s book this Friday at 3 pm in Nelson Hall 206, and community talk space Cafe con Chisme will meet on Friday, Feb. 18th at 3 pm in Nelson Hall 205.

  • The moving pieces under Humboldt

    by Carlos Pedraza

    Cal Poly Humboldt sits on top of a very seismically active part of the world known as a the Cascadia subduction zone. This area is composed of three tectonic plates under the ocean off of the Pacific coast.

    The Juan de Fuca, Explorer, and Gorda plates are subducting beneath the continental North American Plate, where the Cal Poly Humboldt campus is located.

    As the oceanic plates push against the continental plate, the friction created leads to deformation and faulting.

    “We live on that boundary where this is taking place, which leads to frequent earthquake activity,” said Cal Poly Humboldt geology professor Amanda Admire.

    In addition to the deformation from the Cascadia subduction zone, the Humboldt region is also influenced by the movement along the San Andreas Fault to the south. Humboldt stands on top of an intersection of three different plates pushing against each other.

    The plates themselves move very slowly, only a few centimeters every year. However, they still generate friction as they move against each other. This is the energy released during an earthquake and tsunami.

    Graphic by Carlos Pedraza and August Linton

    In the Pacific Northwest, both earthquakes and tsunamis are important to prepare for. The Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group, an organization made up of local government officials, tribes, and relief groups, gives information and warnings in their “Living on Shaking Ground”magazine.

    The magazine states that “more than two-thirds of our large historic earthquakes have been located offshore within the Gorda plate.”

    A tsunami is created when an earthquake along a fault ruptures the seafloor, moving the entire water column and releasing that built-up energy, which moves out in all directions.

    The primary local tsunami hazard, the Cascadia subduction zone, is very close to Humboldt’s coastline compared to other regions in the Pacific Northwest.

    According to Admire, a tsunami produced along the fault between the Gorda and North American plates would only take approximately ten minutes to reach the Humboldt shoreline. In Oregon and Washington the fault is further from shore, allowing for more warning time should there be a tsunami.

    This much seismic activity can be exciting to study for geologists and scientists, but for people living in Humboldt it may be nerve racking. Admire said there is no need for panic, but that residents should prepare.

    The last mega earthquake along the Cascadia subduction zone was in 1700. However, there are still smaller instances of seismic activity as the plates move and push against each other.

    So when an earthquake happens: drop, cover and hold on. If you’re near the coastline, head for higher ground in case of a tsunami.

    To find more preparedness tools and tsunami evacuation maps for the region, check out the Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group.

  • Gone Foraging

    by Morgan Hancock

    Edible and medicinal plants grow in every corner of campus. Students can learn to forage for them in Campus Center for Appropriate Technology’s new Foraging class. Josefina Barrantes and Sandra Zepeda are the student instructors of ENST 123. The course expands on their research of ethnobotany on the Cal Poly Humboldt campus.

    Ethnobotany is the study of plants and how people use them. Zepeda and Barrantes spent the last year mapping and researching edible plants on campus. Their map shares a location, name, and photos of plants with ethnobotanical purposes. Students will use the map along with information taught in the class to forage on campus sustainably. The map includes native plants that grow in the area and non-native plants used in landscaping.

    “It’s comparable to urban foraging because we’re not actually nature, we’re on a university campus,” Zepeda said. “A lot of the edible plants on campus are not native, they’re just for decorative purposes.”

    The course will highlight how plants like mountain pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata) can serve as a seasoning alternative and also have medicinal uses.

    “This plant was significant to aboriginal people, they used it to make medicines and tinctures,” Zepeda said, between nibbles of a leaf. Indigenous groups used the mountain pepper to treat stomach aches, colic skin disorders, and toothaches.

    As its name suggests, the mountain pepper is spicy, but it is not quite a pepper. Instead, it is a shrub that uses a tricky chemical reaction to taste spicy, rather than capsaicin like many spicy plants. The pepper taste comes from the compound polygodial, a C15 sesquiterpene.

    According to a study published by The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology titled “Native Australian fruits — a novel source of antioxidants for food,” the mountain pepper had more than three times the antioxidant levels of blueberries.

    The instructors shared some of their favorite foragable plants on campus. The Dog Rose (Rosa canina) provides bright red hips packed with vitamins and has many common health benefits.

    Some campus plants have simple uses, like in-between-class snacks. Bolivian fuchsia (Fuchsia boliviana) offers bright flowers and juicy berries. The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) also has round edible fruits.

    The ENST 123 course is the result of several attempts to bring sustainable foraging on campus. Barrantes and Zepeda are enabling students to rethink food sustainability.

    “We started this project so that we could add more edible landscape,” Barrantes said. “To show this is what we have and we could do more, and also supports the desire for more sustainable food projects, like the food sovereignty lab or starting an off-campus farm.”