The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: News

  • Skate park opens after 23 years of activism

    by Brad Butterfield

    Buttery coping, tight transitions, steep mini-bowl, rad manny pad – they may sound like code names for undercover pornstars, but they are in fact fitting descriptions of a project 23 years in the making. An impressive 5,000 square foot concrete wonderland of ramps, rails and ledges, now stands at 1621 Gwin Road in Mckinleyville thanks to the dedicated efforts of a handful of Humboldt county residents – and there is much more to come.

    The Mckinleyville skatepark’s initial spark came in 2000, when Humboldt resident Pat Hanson’s grandsons had the police hassle them for skating in a Safeway parking lot. 

    “My grandma got really upset because she was like, ‘where were they supposed to skate?,’” said Ciara Torres, Pat Hanson’s granddaughter. “That kind of inspired her to get a skatepark going for her grandsons.” 

    Those police ignited what would become a decades-long effort for a local skatepark that began with home baked treats.

    “She started hosting fundraising out of her house with baked cookies and we started selling shirts and stickers at local events like Pony Express, and even the kinetic sculpture race,” said Torres, who used to help her grandma in fundraising for the skatepark. 

    In 2011, Hanson passed on, but the cause that she spearheaded had gained traction and blossomed into a full-fledged community initiative. If all goes as planned, another 15,000 square feet of concrete will be poured next summer. On Oct. 7, the celebration was squarely focused on enjoying the immense achievement that was getting the first 25% of the park built, thanks to the dogged efforts of many locals who pushed through roadblocks for decades. 

    “This is huge because people in the community have been trying to get this statepark built for over 20 years,” said Lesley Frisbee Parks & Recreation Director for the Mckinleyville Community Services District (MCSD). “I’ve worked in the district and the Parks and Rec Department for 20 years, so I’ve been aware of this project for a long time.” 

    Among the many involved, and first to take the mic during the long-awaited ribbon cutting, was Charlie Caldwell, a lifelong skateboarder and director of the Humboldt Skatepark Collective. Caldwell spoke candidly about the multi-pronged effort to raise funds for the skatepark.

    “We got a quarter of our skatepark built with the money that’s all been reissued community grants,” Caldwell said. “Community grants, community fundraising, like we’re doing over there at the table right now. It’s about years of selling shirts and being out in the public and trying to raise funds.” 

    The price tag to build the planned 15,000 square foot addition to the skatepark is pegged around $1 million. Just as with the first 5,000 square feet of concrete, the completion date for the addition is dependent upon funding. Currently, the collective is hoping a grant will be awarded and the addition will be complete late next year. 

    “I have written [to] three different grants and we’re waiting to hear if the latest grant application gets awarded to complete the project, so it’s a really big deal,” said Frisbee. “It’s very exciting to have opportunities to create in our community.” 

    In the event that the grant is not awarded, fundraising will return to the grassroots precedent that Hanson started 23 years ago.

    “We’ll be doing events like this on a regular basis if we don’t get the state grant,”  said Caldwell. “You’ll see us out here probably every month all summer long doing fundraisers.”

    The difficulty in raising funds for the skatepark essentially forced the collective’s hand. Decades of fundraising meant the collective had about $200,000 in the bank. A substantial chunk of change, but not enough to complete the planned 20,000 square foot skatepark in one go. 

    “One of the things that we decided to do is figure out what we could do with the money we already had,” said Torres. “And we decided that doing it in phases would be the best approach because the community had really lost faith in supporting us and donating money because they hadn’t seen anything in 20 years. This is basically our way of showing the community that we are doing something and we need to continue to raise money for the rest of the park.” 

    If the state grant is awarded, building will commence next summer. No matter the timeline for the addition, Saturday, Oct. 7, was reserved for enjoyment of the long awaited concrete, an emotional achievement for those most closely involved. 

    “It’s definitely emotional for me because my grandmother was my best friend,” Torres said. “It’s very emotional for me to feel like this is actually real. It’s almost hard for me to even think about, because I just get too emotional.”

    The skatepark, having been made possible through donations small and big, grants and volunteers, needed to provide a tangible service to the community at large – a fact not lost on Frisbee.

    “We are in service to this community. So we have to be really responsible for how we spend the money that people give us through tax dollars,” said Frisbee. “Not just funding for these projects to be developed, but also being mindful of what it’s going to cost us to maintain perpetuity.”

    One of the many benefits to a skatepark is the eclectic and uncategorizable cast of characters it draws in. It provides a safe space for creation, growth, and adrenaline.

     “We want our community to be a place that everyone feels welcome, that businesses can thrive in. Something like a skate park brings people to the area,” said Jesse Miles, executive director for the Mckinleyville Chamber of Commerce.

    Where some activities and sports attract a narrow segment of the population, skateboarding, by its very nature, tends to attract just about every type of person at all stages of life.

    “You see all ages, and I mean all ages – guys in their 60s, like me, out here skating with little kids on their scooters. There’s skateboards, there’s bikes, there’s rollerblades or quad skates… they are all out here riding,” said Caldwell.

    Importantly, for Mckinelyville, the skatepark will be a springboard for the local economy.

    “While they’re here, they’re going to our businesses, they’re going to our restaurants, getting coffee,” said Miles. “And for the residents, it just makes it more of a reason to want to stay here because there’s opportunities for all ages.” 

    In addition to boosting the economy, providing an enriching environment for kids, adults, and seniors alike, the word on the street is that the skatepark park may also have anti-aging qualities. 

    “It keeps us young. You know, I will always be young at heart.” said Caldwell, who has been skating for over 50 years.

    The ribbon ceremony occurred at 11 am, then, the day’s festivities kicked into gear. In addition to live music, beer on tap, and food trucks, there were several contests being held throughout the afternoon. Quad-blader Noelani Araujo praised the inclusion of a quad-skate contest alongside the many skateboarding contest categories. 

    “We love this skatepark and I love the community and I think it’s nice for us all to be a part – like one with each other,”  said Araujo. “I think it’s really cool that we’re included. We’re not usually super on the front lines for this, so it’s really nice to be included.”

    In an effort to build a skatepark that the community would be proud of, the planners spoke with local skaters and canvassed local DIY parks to ensure that the money was spent wisely. These efforts did not go unnoticed by the skating community.

    “This is like a southern California park. This is a professional park. The concrete is nice and slippery, the transition is super proper, the coping is really mellow. I think everything is built really well,” said Cal Poly Humboldt student and dank skateboarder Jaikyn Russell.

    Perhaps most critically, not only was the skatepark well-built, it has also been well waxed, as confirmed by Araujo.

    “The coping is so buttery,” said Araujo.

  • Weeding out the OG’s

    by Monica Robinson

    Authentic champagne is created in France, highly acclaimed wine comes from Napa and Humboldt County stands as the central hub for premium cannabis. 

    Measure A, also known as the Humboldt Cannabis Reform Initiative (HCRI), is a voter initiative scheduled to appear on the March 5, 2024 ballot in Humboldt County. If approved by voters, this measure would introduce 38 pages of new rules and restrictions to all existing cannabis farmers operating legally in Humboldt.

    Origins of HCRI

    The HCRI spawned from a conflict between Kneeland residents and a neighboring cannabis farm concerning water resources and traffic. Mark Thurmond and Cal Poly Professor Emerita Betsy Watson took charge as proponents, collaborating with people in other areas of the county. 

    A petition circulated, highlighting the protection of the environment and small cannabis farmers, along with preventing large scale cannabis farms. After reaching 7,000 signatures, the measure qualified for the ballot. 

    Notably, the 38-page initiative was drafted by a San Francisco law firm, Shute Mihaly & Weinberger, which was submitted on March 4, 2022, and did not undergo public review or receive public input. If passed, Measure A cannot be altered or amended from its original form, requiring a ballot initiative for the next elections. 

    Current legislation

    Due to the impact of changing market dynamics and statewide legalization of cannabis, Humboldt County revamped its legal framework. The Humboldt Board of Supervisors (BOS) enacted two land use ordinances, starting with the Commercial Medical Marijuana Land Use Ordinance in 2016 and the Commercial Cannabis Land Use Ordinance in 2018. 

    Both followed public scrutiny with many stakeholders including cannabis cultivators, environmental groups, neighborhood organizations, as well as county and state officials for implementation. Further refinements were made in 2020 to enhance the framework’s efficacy. 

    “These changes have successfully reduced the overall environmental footprint of the industry and strategically relocated many [cannabis] farms to agricultural land,” said Executive Director of the Humboldt County Growers Alliance (HCGA), Natalynne Delapp. 

    Delapp explained how the county has experienced an 89% decline in cannabis farms since 2015, decreasing from 15,000 illegal grows to 775 legal permitted farms, with an estimated 1,000 illegally still operating.To obtain cultivation permits, applicants must display the serviceability of their farms’ access roads, reduce neighborhood impacts and ensure water sourcing methods are environmentally sustainable. 

    At a BOS meeting on June 27, 2023, the Director of Planning, John Ford, explained the agencies subject to review include the county Department of Public Works, Department of Environmental Health, along with state and federal agencies owning public land, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Regional Water Quality Control Board and often surrounding tribes.

    Foggy fine print

    The initiative would modify the county’s General Plan, which serves as the primary guide for land use planning in Humboldt. Delapp said this revision would replace a significant portion of the existing county cannabis regulations, which took eight years of robust public process.

    The initiative is “unworkable and would be devastating to the [local] cannabis industry,” said Attorney Paul Hagen from the North Coast Environmental Law Office.

    A restriction of one active permit per cultivator could leave additional permits for activities void. 

    “If Measure A passes, the seed of [Humboldt] cannabis tourism will die before it has a chance to root,” said Founder of Humboldt Cannabis Tours, Matt Kurth. 

    Annual expiration of cultivation permits would make reapplication necessary. The vagueness of the renewal process creates ambiguity regarding public hearings for renewal applications. Ford explains in the Amended Analysis that conducting public hearings annually for permit renewals is inconceivable. Furthermore, renewal on any outstanding complaints would be prohibited regardless of validation. 

      The HCRI broadly defines expansion as “any increase in the number or size of structures connected to cultivation,” including environmental improvements. In relation, farms must be located on two-lane paved roads, challenging the hundreds of farms currently operating on dirt roads. According to a technical memorandum provided by LACO Technologies engineering department for the county in 2020, upgrades would range from $170,000 to $280,000 per mile.

    Cultivation of cannabis includes drying, curing, grading and trimming, requiring a ‘processing’ license which would also be prohibited. 

    Additionally, farms would be capped at 10,000 square feet, including a discretionary review for  any expansion over 3,000 square feet. 

    Out of sight, out of mind

    In an effort to explain why class II whitewater rapids rivers are being de-watered, Watson provided a map of permitted cannabis farms. She said there were 1200 active cannabis permits with an estimated 300 non-operational due to the overproduction of cannabis statewide from price drops. 

    “In 2022, the south fork of the Eel [river] ran dry, and Freshwater Creek did not have enough water for the park to have its annual swimming hole,”said Watson.“The ordinance in place now calls for 2400 more [permits], for a total of 3600.” 

    Watson added that the initiative would cap the number of permits at 1200. 

    According to the HCRI Amended Analysis by the Humboldt County Planning and Building Department on June 27, 2023, there are 1,027 active permits, with 210 of them being newly approved. Areas with prime agricultural land are concentrated with retirement, remediation and relocation permits, which were redirected from environmentally sensitive areas.

    “This is prohibition masquerading as environmentalism,” Delapp said. 

    A controversial summary, due to letters filed back and forth between HCRI’s attorney and the county’s Planning Department of the HCRI analysis, refers to geological studies, stating “the initiative’s groundwater protection measures are unnecessary because average per-acre groundwater recharge in Humboldt County is high, even during drought years.”  

    Currently, there are no environmental groups in the county endorsing the initiative or taking sides. 

    “The current ordinance is the best in the country, maybe even the world,” a confidential source from a local environmental group said.

    Lawsuit

    As of  Oct. 11, 2023, the HCGA and seven cannabis farmers filed a lawsuit at the Humboldt County Court, alleging the petition of the HCRI did not include the complete initiative text, as required by law. It also contests false and misleading information in the petition. As a result, the lawsuit seeks the removal of the initiative from the ballot to protect the integrity of the election process.

    If you are not a registered voter and want to participate, go to http://registertovote.ca.gov. The last day to register is Oct. 23, 2023.

  • Finalized census shows only 2% growth this fall, yet administration remains confident

    by Brad Butterfield

    Cal Poly Humboldt’s official census has been finalized and shows a one year increase of 118 students, or a 2% growth compared to last fall. The increase is important for the new polytechnic, which hasn’t seen consecutive growth in over seven years. The university is far below the projected 2,000 more students that were expected this fall semester. Because of the far-off prediction, over half a million dollars in Associated Student funded programs has been cut and millions dollars of funding may be withheld by the CSU for the next school year. What caused this gross over-prediction? What is the administration planning to do about it? And, maybe most critically, why does the school need to grow anyway?

    The projection for 2,000 additional students this fall arose primarily due to a record 86% surge in freshman applications. 

    “It really did look like it could be possible,” said Chrissy Holliday, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success, regarding the expected inflow of students this fall. “What’s less known is how serious students are in the very beginning about an institution that’s just changed its identity,” Holliday added. 

    Cal Poly’s Humbodt’s recent transformation to become California’s third polytechnic has rendered the historical data typically used to predict enrollment, unuseful. As the school is changing, so are students’ behavior in response to it. In understanding how the university operates, it is useful to compare it to the way businesses function.

    “Think about companies that shift their identity or create something completely different that they’re putting into the marketplace, whether it’s a new brand or a new product,” said Holliday. “You never know right in the beginning exactly what reaction is going to be and then you start setting new baselines and adjusting to that.” 

    2,000 new students was both a worst and best case scenario for the university, which has promised to grow, but has not yet completed the planned infrastructure projects to support such an influx of new students. 

    “We planned for everything on the continuum. The worst possible thing would be to have growth like that and not be prepared for it right. You can imagine the chaos that would have ensued,” said Holliday.

    Cal Poly Humboldt is 2,473 students under their target for this fall, which could lead to 3.4 million dollars in funding being withheld by the CSU.

    “It’s a budget challenge we’re planning for. We knew that that was a possibility,” said Holliday.

    Additionally, the school spent over a million dollars on a contract with the Comfort Inn to house students, with hundreds of bed spaces on campus vacant. Further, the inaccurate enrollment estimation means that Associated Student funded programs have been cut by $528,717. This includes major cuts to the children’s center, government and even the university’s pool. 

    Still Cal Poly Humboldt is faring much better than most other schools in the CSU system.

    “If you look at all the CSU for this fall, headcount is actually down across the CSU and their full time enrollment, the resident ‘FTES,’ grew by about 1%, where for us that was 3.4%,” said Holliday. 

    In an effort to spread the word about the new polytechnic in northern California, the university has ramped up its advertising efforts. This includes the deployment of recruiting staff across California, digital advertising, improving communications and increasing engagement with prospective students, allowing ‘instant admissions’ for eligible students, enhancing the community college to Cal Poly Humboldt pipeline, increased presence at college fairs and streamlining the admission process.

    It appears that two statements are congruently accurate. The university will grow because it is now a polytechnic, and the school must grow because it is now a polytechnic. In fact, Governor Gavin Newsom and the state legislature approved $433 million in initial funding for polytechnic transition and $25 million per year thereafter. The pressure to grow is evident.

    “There’s definitely pressure because we put forth this polytechnic transformation, right, and said, ‘This is what we’re going to do,’” said Holliday. “There’s definitely a responsibility to follow through on what we promised.” 

    In spite of the low enrollment numbers this fall, Holliday remains confident that the school will achieve their overarching goal of 11,000 students by 2028.

    “I have zero doubt that we’re going to meet the targets that we have in the out years,” said Holliday.

    Holliday went on to explain that gradual growth will allow for changes to be done in a way that doesn’t take away the aspects of Humboldt county and campus life that separate the Lumberjack’s campus from any other. 

    “The more steady growth that we’re seeing currently gives us that time to make sure we don’t lose those things that helped make us special,” said Holliday.

  • Jewish Student Group is stronger than hate

    Jewish Student Group is stronger than hate

    by Valen Lambert and Dezmond Remington

    In the lonely strip of land that is the North Coast, Arcata is famed for being a haven for tolerance and relative diversity. Cal Poly Humboldt in particular is a shelter for people of all creeds and beliefs. However, it isn’t immune to hatred. 

    According to the University Police Department, an unidentified suspect vandalized the sukkah set up on the UC quad with an anti-semitic message at around 1:30 pm on Oct. 9. The sukkah, set up for eight days during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, symbolizes the Jewish people’s dependence on God. No update on the suspect has been reported.

    Student response was immediate. The rabbi for the Jewish Student Group, Chabad took the sukkah down immediately when they realized what had happened. Members of the club were disappointed. President Noach Guttman, who had attended a Jewish private school his whole life, said it was his first time experiencing anti-semitic hate speech ever. 

    “I’ve only found interested people,” Guttman said. “They [say things] like, ‘Hey man, I like your yarmulke.’ I’m like, sweet… I was just disappointed that this happened the day after the largest Jewish massacre since the Holocaust [referring to the Oct. 7 bombing of Israel by Hamas]. That’s what upsets me the most.”

    Despite the act of hatred, Guttman does not have plans to return the favor.

    “I hold no hate for this person whatsoever,” Guttman said. “I truly believe they’re just misinformed… the sukkah has no connection to the state of Israel. It’s a solely Jewish structure… if they understood the gravity of Hamas murdering [about] 1,400 people, I feel like they would have the respect to not say a message like this.”

    Guttman believes that the university has done a good job at supporting the Jewish Student Group through this time, with staff reaching out to Guttman and other Jewish students. Administrators worked with the rabbi to craft the email sent out on Oct. 10. 

    “In keeping with Cal Poly Humboldt’s commitment to maintaining the safety of our campus community, the University has a zero tolerance policy for acts of hate or discrimination against anyone, no matter who you are and where you come from,” said Associate Vice President of Student Success and Dean of Students, Mitch Mitchell. “The incident is an unfortunate reminder that world events often impact our students. We are fully committed to supporting them in any way we can and I want to encourage all students who may need additional support to use the resources that are available to them on campus.”

    Despite repeated efforts to contact other members of the group, no other members would respond to requests for comment. However, Guttman said all other members of the club he’s talked to feel similarly disappointed, but appreciative of the community’s support. 

    “I’ve always been very active about my Judaism,” Guttman said. “I’m very vocal about it. And this is definitely not going to stop. If anything, it’s going to make me louder. You know, I’m still always going to wear my yarmulke. We’re still going to hold our Jewish events. We’re hoping to do a candlelight vigil within the next week or so. This is not going to [distract] us at all. We’re strong people. If anything, I’m hoping it’ll make us stronger.”

  • CFA gets the word out on the quad, announces rally

    CFA gets the word out on the quad, announces rally

    by Hank Wicklund

    At midday on Thursday Oct. 5, a student hunched over a table, drawing a spiked boot splattered with blood, the front of Art B plastered with posters behind her. Phrases like, “Don’t make students your ATM,” and “Shame on you, CSU,” stood in stark contrast with the dark wall. A clear voice rang across the quad below, calling out to passersby. The air buzzed with the day’s unusual heat, becoming charged with urgent words and the smell of free coffee, drawing the eyes and noses of students to three folding tables, specifically the people behind them. 

    These were organizers from the California Faculty Association – the labor union for CSU faculty –  and the Students for Quality Education, a student-led organization for education rights across the CSU system. They were there in response to the CSU Board of Trustees’ vote to raise tuition. This demonstration was also intended to promote the CFA’s upcoming rally on Oct. 19, where they plan to protest further. People were encouraged to enjoy refreshments, grab union merch and help make posters. Among the organizers present was Humboldt CFA President Marisol Ruiz.

    “We’re forgetting that this is a public university, publicly funded. It’s not a private institution and we need to stop treating it like a private institution,” said Ruiz.

    Ruiz explained that the CFA’s goals are a halt on tuition hikes as well as better pay and working conditions for faculty. This protest comes on the heels of long-standing grievances regarding what the CFA says is inequitable pay for faculty. According to Ruiz, the CSU has the money to fund education and pay its employees fairly without the need for tuition hikes, yet has strayed from the path of education as a public good. 

    A board bearing the words, “How Much Do You Owe?” was propped up against a planter in front of the tables. Students had scrawled their answers, the numbers going as high as $100,000.

    Also present behind the tables was SQE chapter head Mary Mangubat. According to Mangubat, outreach by the SQE has been quite successful this semester at getting people engaged, because the tuition hike affects not only students but the entire CSU ecosystem.

    “When they hear our admin makes a million a year, but students are in 100k debt,” said Mangubat. “They’re gonna want to be involved.”

    SQE was founded in 2008 as part of the CFA and holds weekly meetings Fridays at 4 p.m. in Nelson Hall. Mangubat described them as fighting for an equitable, accessible education that is free from discrimination and debt.

    Making a poster at one of the tables was Erika Ospenson, an environmental science and management major. Ospenson only found out about the outcome of the Board’s vote that morning from a friend in SQE and is now left with doubts about the cost of her education. She plans on attending the rally on Oct. 19 and is interested in getting more involved with SQE.

    “Something I learned today is that I will get halfway through a degree and then not know if I can actually finish it because of the tuition hikes,” said Ospenson. “I’m already barely making ends meet and [only] able to pay my rent in a rent-controlled situation.”

    The tuition hike has rattled the CSU system here and across California, but chapter president Ruiz believes that students and faculty are in this together.

    “Working conditions equal better student conditions, student conditions equal better working conditions,” Ruiz said.

  • University releases annual security report

    by Jake Hyslop

    Cal Poly Humboldt made its annual Security Report under The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act public. The report details crime statistics that have occurred during the past three years, from 2020 to 2022. 

    The Jeanne Clery Act was signed into law in 1990. The act is a consumer protection law meant to provide transparency to the public around campus crime policy and statistics. Nicki Viso became the Clery Director in February 2022, heading up the Clery Compliance Team which is composed of representatives from many Cal Poly Humboldt departments. 

    The crimes reported are sorted into four categories based on where they happened. These include reported incidents on the general campus, on campus residencies, non-campus locations affiliated with the school, and public property near or adjacent to the campus. 

    There were no hate crimes reported during the three year stretch of 2020 to 2022 in the report. While there were no reports of murder or non-negligent and negligent manslaughter, there was a large increase in rape cases, from two incidents in 2021 to 11 in 2022. There were also increases in incidences of fondling, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, arson, and other crimes. Some were small increases (like robbery from zero to one case) and some were larger (like weapons law violations from three to seven). 

    The Clery Compliance Team noted these increases in the report. August 2022 was the point that campus opened fully, with an increase of people on campus and returning to in-person classes as the reasons. Another change the team cited was that Comfort Inn in Arcata, currently housing students, was included and classified under “Non-campus Property.”  

    It’s important to clarify that any allegation that fits the criteria of a specific crime and occurs within the geographical locations specified by the Clery report are included. Not every crime statistic included in the report is proof that a crime definitively happened. Furthermore, crimes are recorded under the year they’re reported, even if they occurred a previous year. 

    The Clery Act Report is available on Cal Poly Humboldt’s Clery Act Compliance webpage, as well as information to help understand it.

  • Associated Students cuts $500,000 out of student programs

    Associated Students cuts $500,000 out of student programs

    by Angel Barker

    Faced with a deficit of more than $500,000, the Associated Students (A.S.) met Friday to make huge cuts to student programs. The Womxn’s Resource Center saw a large cut of $25,850, Diverse Male Scholar Initiative was reduced by $29,340 and Recreational Sports Clubs were cut by 50%, now left with $15,000. Those were three of the over 20 funded program cuts that were approved.

    It was a misty Friday morning in Arcata, specifically in Gist Hall room 218, where fewer than 20 people met in person to discuss the budget reform for funded student groups on campus. The meeting was called to session at 10:03am. Tensions were high and budget cuts were higher.

    A $500,000 deficit heightened the tensions between A.S. and core funded student groups on campus. With thousands lower in enrollment numbers than originally projected by the university, it has left a sour taste in the mouths of everyone whose budget was about to be cut by thousands of dollars.

    Associated Students Administrative Vice President (AVP) Andres Olmos facilitated the discussion for the necessary cuts of the budget. He stated that because of lack of funds, they are essentially starting from the ground up with the bare minimum of only wages for student workers, which would still leave them over budget. The revenue is much less than predicted in the spring due to the high enrollment projections made by the university.

    Olmos acknowledged that it was important to A.S. that student workers were able to keep their jobs, and that the main priority was keeping each budget at least at their current wages only so students could continue to survive.

    The approved 2023-2024 funded student programs budget sat at $1,278,717, and because of the lack of funding they needed to get to $750,000. Over 20 student groups like cultural centers, service organizations, and more, saw cuts that ranged anywhere from $2,500 to $186,498. Some individual budgets were getting cut entirely because they have trust funds that they can survive on for the year; others were biting their nails to try and get more than just enough to pay student workers.

    The original revenue number was $786,000. Using A.S. reserve funds the number would have been $865,000. The financial office told A.S. to get to $750,000, meaning the total number of funds cut were $528,717.

    The Eric Rofes Queer Multicultural Resource Center (ERC) approved budget for the 2023-2024 school year was $42,500 and was reduced today to $30,000 after exchanges between Ascher Marks, the fiscal director for the ERC and AVP Olmos.

    “We still need to work over the winter and spring break,” Marks said over Zoom.

    “Like I have stated to other organizations,” Olmos said, “you guys might have to reconsider working through winter break and summer break, so I apologize for that.” 

    “We cannot really consider that because our bills don’t stop during winter and summer break,” Marks responded. “We need to be working over the breaks because this is our job and how we make money.” In the end, the ERC’s budget was reduced by $12,500.

    Some organizations still have enough to sustain for the year, like the Waste Reduction Resource Awareness Program (WRAPP). The Program was cut by $9,200 leaving them below the A.S. recommendation of only wages, yet they remain optimistic.

    “We are so excited to have $44,000,” Ella Moore, Rose Co-Director said. “It means we are going to be able to pay our employees and [have] a little wiggle room for basic operations.”

    A more in depth story will be printed this week on Wednesday, October 4.

  • Cal Poly Humboldt spending $1.34 million on hotel lease while having 331 vacant beds on campus

    Cal Poly Humboldt spending $1.34 million on hotel lease while having 331 vacant beds on campus

    by Brad Butterfield

    Two-and-a-half miles north of campus stands the seven-figure “temporary solution” to Cal Poly Humboldt’s current housing crisis. However, this fall semester did not bring the thousands of additional students that had been expected, and 331 bed spaces remain vacant in the on-campus dorms. Despite the difficulties presented by living out of a hotel room, students spoke – mostly – positively about life at the Comfort Inn.

    Cal Poly Humboldt’s lease agreement with the Comfort Inn commenced on Aug. 11 and will expire May 12, 2024, for a total of 275 nights. The 49 rooms at the hotel cost the university $100 per night. By the end of the lease, the university will have paid $1,347,500 to the Comfort Inn.

    During normal hotel operations, the city of Arcata charges a ‘transient tax’ of 10% the cost of the room. With the university’s lease, the city of Arcata will not earn its normal 10% tax from the Comfort Inn for the 275 nights that students will call it home. Representatives from the city of Arcata were not immediately available for comment regarding the loss of tax revenue.

    Given the fact that 331 empty bed spaces remain vacant on campus, the Comfort Inn lease could appear like an ugly $1.3 million stain on the university’s management of funds, but perhaps that’s not fair. Enrollment was expected to jump by 2000 students this fall and the university had an obligation to plan for every scenario. Additionally, the university allowed students who were accepted this fall to defer enrollment until next spring, creating a potential housing shortage come spring. The Comfort Inn lease was kept as an insurance measure by the university. 

    “To meet the needs of our students and prepare for a possible influx of more students, the university provided the option of living in university-managed off-campus bridge housing like the Comfort Inn,” said Aileen Yoo, Director of News & Information in a statement. “It’s meant to be a temporary solution as we move forward with building additional housing facilities over the next several years.” 

    In spite of the price tag and lower-than-predicted enrollment, the university kept the Comfort Inn as a housing option, in part because they had to. They had advertised the hotel as a housing option for many students.

    “We also sought to honor the fact a number of students specifically chose to live in the Comfort Inn, even when offered the option to move back onto campus,” Yoo said. “Continuing our contract allows us to not only plan for the future, but to reduce uncertainty and disruption of housing locations for those students.”

    Importantly, all students currently housed at the Comfort Inn are there by choice. 

    “Students who are currently residing in the Comfort Inn have chosen to stay there, even when the university offered them the opportunity to move back on campus and live in residential halls,” said Yoo.

    Neither Sherie Cornish Gordon the Vice President of Administration & Finance, Donyet King the Senior Director for Housing & Residence Life, nor Steve Relyea the Executive Vice Chancellor responded to interview requests.

    The money spent is particularly concerning on the backdrop of the recent CSU tuition hike. Regardless, the students of Cal Poly Humboldt that have been caught in the crosshairs of the university’s rapid expansion, should be the number one priority. Happily, it seems that students now housed in the Comfort Inn are quite content, one might even say they are… (relatively) comfortable. 

    “It’s not a shitty place, it’s really not. People are like, ‘Oh that sucks you guys are living there,’” said Luis Castro, a student living in the Comfort Inn. “I’m like, ‘No, it’s chill. It’s our own thing.’ In my opinion it’s better than living on campus.”

     In fact, there are a number of notable benefits to life in the Comfort Inn that students are stoked on. 

    “It’s quiet. You don’t have the loudness of the community on campus,” said Dylan Harrison, another student who resides in the hotel. “We have our own community here. We have breakfast every morning. We got a pool downstairs if I want to go swimming, or go to Jacuzzi. We have our own laundry as well.”

    In addition to the jacuzzi and laundry, students housed at the Comfort Inn have cleaning services twice a week, free breakfast, and gated parking. Still, there are drawbacks to making a hotel room a home. Namely, the absence of a kitchen. Fortunately, the university has crafted a creative compromise for the students living without a kitchen.

    “They got a deal with this diner called Pepper’s and we use our meal exchanges there, or flex money,” Harrison said. “If I want a burger, instead of going and getting a burger that some student made on campus, who just wants to get paid – I could go to a diner where these people want to make burgers. And they like making burgers. And they got good burgers.”

    In addition to top notch burgers, students are relishing the first floor snacks provided by the hotel.

    “If you want to get something to eat – let’s say you want snacks on campus – then you have to go to the marketplace and pay for it. And here you just go downstairs and just get a yogurt that’s already stocked,” Castro said.

    Naturally, the perks of life at Comfort Inn must be weighed against its inconvenient undesirable location miles from campus.

     “There is a little bit of a disconnect, socially, you know, between big events that are going on [on campus]. But, I mean, the people that I have met here are pretty cool,” said Andres Arteaga, another student resident of the hotel. “Seeing as it’s my first year here, I did actually really want to be on campus. I do like the vibe on campus, but at the same time, It just feels like our own area here in this section of the town.” 

    All things considered, the situation seems decent for students living at the Comfort Inn, but it is far from an ideal college housing arrangement. Directly across the street from the Comfort Inn stands, ‘The Grove,’ a hotel recently converted to a homeless shelter. Behind that, in an undeveloped stretch of land that backs up to highway 101, a small community of homeless folks have put up shop and don’t appear to be leaving anytime soon. 

    “It’s like a 15 feet deep pool and 20 feet diameter wide and there’s tarps and there’s like, people just living over there,” Harrison said. “It’s crazy. You see it off the 101, they’re always burning fires. There’s a lot of people over there. You hear them at nighttime, [and] they’re always screaming.”

    Logistically, it appears the university has set students up for success with multiple options for transport to the campus grounds. Working in tandem with Arcata Mad River Transit, the university created a new route that runs 7am to 10pm to transport students, for free, to and from the campus. The bus does not run on Sundays, but students have the option to call the University Police Department for a ride at any time, if need be.

    “I take the bus to school,” Harrison said. “There’s three options every hour. If you miss all three buses, you’re a dumbass.”

  • Students struggle to navigate COVID-19 safety post-pandemic

    Students struggle to navigate COVID-19 safety post-pandemic

    by Zachary Mink and Griffin Mancuso

    While COVID-19 regulations have become more lenient at Cal Poly Humboldt, many students are still contracting COVID-19 and are unsure of where to find resources.

    EG.5 (Eris) is one of the newer variants of COVID-19 in the United States, known for being highly contagious. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicts that Eris made up about 24.5% of COVID cases in the U.S. over the last two weeks. The second most common variant, FL.1.5.1, made up about 13.7% of cases. 

    Currently, the data on the number of student COVID-19 cases and which variant students are contracting most often is unavailable.

    Dobby Morse, a graduate student in English who lives on campus, contracted COVID-19 in mid-August. They initially tested negative and assumed they weren’t contagious despite their symptoms.

    “After like the third or fourth day, there was this burning lump in my throat and I couldn’t speak,” Morse said. “So, I went to the health center to try and get help and they tested me there. They said I had [COVID-19] and I had to go into lockdown.”

    Because they were living with a roommate, Morse stayed in a quarantine room in the Cypress dorms for six days with one bedroom, a bathroom, and a mini kitchen with a broken stove. They tested again five days after their visit to the health center and had a positive result.

    “I tried to extend my room for a couple more days, but the housing person said that I wouldn’t be contagious after 10 days,” Morse said. “But there’s internet health websites that say you can be contagious for up to 20 days.”

    According to the CDC, those with moderate or severe COVID-19 should isolate for at least ten days, but those with a severe case of COVID-19 may still be contagious and need to isolate for up to 20 days.

    Many students believe that precautions still need to be taken in regard to COVID-19.

    “I don’t think people are as aware of it or as concerned about it as they should be,” Morse said. “Because I did have one person be like, ‘Oh, you have COVID[-19]? But I’m not scared of COVID[-19],’ and kind of got in my face.”

    Emma Kral, a senior at Cal Poly Humboldt, contracted COVID-19 a week after moving into the dorms. COVID-19 left her unable to prepare for her classes, disrupting the beginning of her semester and leaving her feeling tired and unsettled. She was able to get a rapid COVID-19 test from one of the health vending machines on campus, and wants to see students and faculty taking more precautions.

    “I think masking should be a lot more common on campus,” Kral said. They also thought more ventilation in classrooms would be helpful.

    Many students aren’t aware of the vending machines on campus that carry COVID-19 rapid tests or the resources available in the Health Center. Some students said that they want to see more free masks available around campus. Most frequently, students requested that the school take an active role in addressing the rising number of COVID-19 cases among students and listen to student feedback.

    Photo by Griffin Mancuso. The Student Health Center on campus.

    According to the Cal Poly Humboldt website, students who are symptomatic can make an appointment at the Student Health Center to see a medical provider. If you are unable to get to the Student Health Center, 2-packs of rapid COVID-19 tests are available in health vending machines for $20 each.

    Free 2-packs of rapid COVID-19 tests are currently available to all students at the Student Health Center, but students can only get one pack of tests at a time.

    The Student Health Center currently does not provide COVID-19 boosters, but students can sign up for an appointment or find walk-in clinics near them on myturn.ca.gov. Locations in Arcata and Eureka that have the updated COVID-19 vaccine are Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy and Rite Aid. Safeway locations currently have a limited supply of the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

    The Lumberjack reporters made multiple attempts to contact Jennifer Saford the Executive Director of Student Health & Wellbeing Services, Mira Friedman the Lead for Health Education and Medical Clinic Support Services, Aileen Yoo the Director of News & Information, and Grant Scott-Goforth the Communications Specialist, through email and in-person, but all were unwilling to provide a comment on COVID-19 tests and resources at this time.

    Covid Vending Machine Locations:

    Nelson Hall East (across from Goodwin form)

    Gutswurrak Student Activities Center (1st floor by the Depot)

    Jolly Giant Commons (3rd floor next to housing cashier)

    College Creek Mail Room Lobby

    Creekview Dorm Lounge (must be a Creekview resident to access)

  • UPD still doesn’t have a police chief

    UPD still doesn’t have a police chief

    by Brad Butterfield

    After a spring semester that saw The University Police Department’s force spread so thin that single-officer patrols were a norm, they have recently hired two new dispatchers, promoted an officer to sergeant, and hired one new officer. While slightly better than before, the department’s staffing issues have forced many members of its small team to still work long hours with few days off. Despite the successful recent hirings, the department remains without a permanent police chief and ever-cautious in its search for a new one. The still understaffed force has had to rely on its committed team working overtime to remain functional.

    As many students will have been made aware of through the UPD’s advisory emails, it has been a hectic start to the fall semester. The last two weeks have seen an uncharacteristic barrage of criminal activity on our typically peaceful campus among the redwoods. From “Suspicious Bags Found in Wildlife & Fisheries Building” to “Trespassing Arrest at the Children’s Center” and a tragic “Collision That Injured Student” at one of the campus’s few intersections which left a student in critical condition, this has been an unusually chaotic start to the semester. 

    Throughout this spring semester, Lieutenant Peter Cress filled the role of police chief in addition to his normal duties as lieutenant. Currently, Fernando Solozano, a retired police chief from Long Beach, has stepped in as interim chief until a permanent one is finally hired. 

    Unfortunately, a timeline for the hiring of a permanent chief is difficult to nail down with so many factors at play. Even if the perfect candidate showed up on Harpst street tomorrow, they’d still need to go through a full background check, potential recertifications and additional police academy training (depending on where they transferred from). So, it will likely be exactly a while-longer before Cal Poly Humboldt has a permanent police chief.

    On top of all that, hiring a police chief for a university – especially one as unique as Cal Poly Humboldt – has a number of additional hurdles as compared to your average city police department. Most notably are the Clery Act and Title IX federal civil rights, which affect police operations on a university campus distinctly from those at a typical city police department.

    Moreover, the bureaucracy of a college campus means that a very unique skillset and experience is necessary to perform the job tactfully.

    “The CSU system has its own challenges in different ways. It’s not just a police department in a town where you can go to your mayor and say, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ We have our presidents and we have our chancellor, so we have lots of different steps… What would be nice is if we had somebody who is familiar with the CSU system, who is eager to grow a police department, and comes in with knowledge, all those things,” Martin said before adding, “we’re not looking for a unicorn, but I mean, kind of we’re looking for somebody who can do all of that.”

    The chief of the police sets the tone for the entire department, Martin explained. They look fifteen years down the line and act as captain of the ship, adjusting course towards innovation and progress. The fact that the department has been absent a chief for so many months and remains not only functional but reliable, serves as testament to the unwavering dedication of each member of the department. Importantly, though the search for a permanent police chief remains a top priority for the department, they are not rushing the process and will not pull the trigger unless the fit is perfect.

     “Our VP [Sherie Gordon] has a very set criteria of what she wants to hire. She just doesn’t want to settle. She wants somebody who’s going to do justice to the police department and our campus,” Martin said.

    Martin’s explanation for the still vacant chief position hinted that perhaps having no police chief is better than having the wrong police chief. 

    “It’s about finding somebody who wants to be here, who is willing to put in the work,” Martin said before continuing, “Somebody who’s progressive, understands what we’re trying to do here. And we’ve struggled at finding a very qualified person that can slide into that role and help our police department grow.”

    This spring saw the lean department frequently functioning with only one officer on duty at any given time. 

    The recent new hires have eased that strain slightly but they’re currently still running some single person patrols, as they are having trouble finding qualified officers. 

    Aware of the mounting need for more personnel, the UPD have put together an incentive package and have hired a firm to recruit nationwide to find fitting candidates. A common theme in talking about the difficulties in hiring was UPD’s emphasis on hiring the right candidate. They are not interested in hiring just anybody so that they have additional boots on the ground. They’ve got to be the right boots. And of course, this is Humboldt – they’ve got to have the right vibe.

    “We are not just filling boxes and trying to put a cop in a seat just because I need a number. I’ve got people who are willing to come here,” Martin said. “We just want people who are going to be a positive addition to the police department and how they interact with our community and how they’re willing to change and how they’re willing to grow.” 

    “We are looking for the right people to be a part of that police department as we grow,” Martin emphasized. 

    Remaining a community based police force appears to be a top priority for the department when considering new hires.

    “Our community as a whole is more laid back,” Martin said. “100% we want to be able to be part of that culture.”

    The understaffed department has relied on its indomitable staff to keep the peace on campus. 

    “It’s been the staff. The staff is really the reason that we’re still moving forward and getting stuff done,” Martin said. “A lot of overtime for different people, a lot of hours are being put in and everybody’s just still getting the work done.”

    Martin put in about thirty hours of overtime last month, with this month’s overtime hours quickly racking up. Impressive as that is, dispatcher Jennifer Gomes’ work schedule borders on super-human.

    “I have, technically, one full day off this month. My normal schedule is day-shift Sunday through Wednesday,” Gomes said. “But I’m covering graves for the second half of the week right now, and then my one day off for the week is the day that I rotate back to day shift. So, I sleep all day to try to accommodate coming back to day-shift.” 

    With two new dispatch trainees set to complete their training in October, respite is on the way. The dispatch ‘family’ will be back to three days off per week with just one dispatcher role left to fill. An unsung hero of Humboldt, Gomes explained her reasoning for weathering the recent tough times at the UPD. 

    “Everybody’s pulled their weight, come together kind of as a family and just pushed through the staffing issues,” said Gomes. “Just push through the hard times here, we’re all coming out of it.”

    With millions upon millions being put toward Cal Poly Humboldt’s expansion, it seems the unstoppable force of dollar-driven change is also working overtime here in Humboldt county. Change is a comin’. 

    “As our faculty and our staff grow, there are gonna be different expectations as we modernize our campus and in the directions that we had. So, we’re also gonna have to keep up,” Martin said. “We want to maintain that same service that we’ve had, we want to be able to have these conversations. We want to be able to play pool with our students and whatever events and be accessible and always there. And that’s one of the things we look for when we’re trying to hire people.”

  • CSU Board votes to raise tuition by 6%

    Andres Felix Romero and Brad Butterfield

    On September 13th, the CSU board of trustees approved a tuition increase of 6%, every year, for the next five years. In effect, this will raise tuition costs by $1,940 in the 2028-2029 school semester as compared to tuition in the 2023-2024 semester. CSU cites inflation, the rising cost of living, and a lack of rising tuition rates as reasons for the compounded 6% increase over the next five years. For their part, students cite inflation, the rising cost of living, and six figure salaries for upper level administrators as reasons for their frustration with the tuition increase.

    In defending the hike in tuition, CSU states that inflation has grown by 39% over the last twelve years while tuition has only increased by 5%. CSU expects a whopping 860 million in revenue in the five years post tuition hike, with 280 million being put towards financial aid.

    Among the top priorities for the millions being brought in from the tuition include: expanding the work of the CSU’s Graduation Initiative, providing non-loan financial aid to assist students, increase in salaries for faculty and staff, and infrastructure projects.

    Crucially, the tuition increase will cease at the end of the 2028-2029 school year. Tuition will remain at those rates unless the board of trustees votes again to increase. 

    CSU states that their current budget revenues are not sufficient to sustain current operations. The six-figure salaries of many CSU employees stoke the flame of frustration for students struggling to afford their education at the current tuition cost. 

    Prior to the increase being approved, it was heavily opposed by students, staff and faculty across the CSU system. In Long Beach alone, the CSU unions CSUEU, Teamsters 2010, and the CFA protested the tuition increase alongside the student-led rights group, the Students for Quality Education (SQE) outside of the Chancellor’s office where the tuition would be eventually decided. SQE member, Jackie Barrett, laments how the higher-ups in the education system generate thousands of dollars in income, yet the CSU persists they need more funds to sustain itself and pay its workers.

    “They say that they need the tuition increases so they can pay faculty and all this stuff,” said Barrett, “But the new chancellor with all of her benefits such as housing, car allowance, after all of that she makes almost a million dollars a year. And campus presidents make anywhere from $250,000 to $500,000. [CSU] say they don’t have the money, but they definitely have the money. It’s just not in the right places.”

    Even here on Humboldt’s campus, President Jackson’s salary was raised 14% from last year making his salary $396,150 with a $50,000 housing stipend.

    Marisol Ruiz, President of the CFA Humboldt Chapter and Professor, noted the possible ramifications the tuition increase could have on the upward mobility of CSU students in the future.

    “We know what [the tuition increase] means,” said Ruiz. “The students are going to have [higher] loans and what is that going to do? That’s going to make [students] indebted, that’s going to take away freedom to be wherever [students] want to be, and to do whatever [students] want to do. [Loans] affects your freedom to move,and it affects your freedom to have better opportunities.”

  • Cal Poly Humboldt rakes in over $1 million in parking revenue

    Cal Poly Humboldt rakes in over $1 million in parking revenue

    by Brad Butterfield

    Total revenue for Cal Poly Humboldt’s parking services stands at $942,513.09 in parking permit fees and $236,564.81 in parking fines and forfeitures for the Fall 2022- Spring 2023 semesters, thus far. A grand total of 2,137 parking spaces with nearly 6,000 students enrolled this fall, makes parking on campus a carefully coordinated charade for students commuting to campus. With a negligible number of additional students enrolled this fall compared to last fall, and a thousands less than the university’s enrollment number of nearly 9,000 in 2015, parking on campus is not a new issue. Pending infrastructure projects, funded by the university’s recent transition to become California’s third polytechnic university, promise more parking spaces in the near future. However, the current parking problem persists as a daily frustration for many Lumberjacks.

    Students are fed up with the lack of parking options, particularly after spending $157.50 per semester for a parking pass.

    “It’s a mess. I feel like I’ve spent a lot of money on my parking pass to not be verified. And I’m always late to class trying to find a parking spot. So it’s kind of frustrating,” said Jada Willis, a third year psychology major.

    Likewise, third year art major Somerset Dwyer is annoyed with the daily scrimmage for a parking spot.

    “I think it’s really silly,” Dwyer said. “I have a parking pass but half the time I can’t find parking on campus and then have to pay for a meter.” 

    The lack of parking on campus directly affects students’ ability to succeed academically. 

    “My first year here, I had a parking permit and half the time if I couldn’t find parking.” Dwyer said. “I would just skip class because it was super frustrating to find it.”

    Importantly, parking on campus is not always an issue. It comes down to timing. Essentially, any weekday between 8:00am and 5:00pm, you’re unlikely to have an easy go of locating an available spot. Still, one always has the option to enjoy less pillow time and leave earlier, as computer science major Jaztin Marasigan pointed out.

    “It’s really hard to find parking within certain hours,” Marasigan said. “But if you come early, like if you can get an early class, get morning classes, you’re definitely finding a spot.

    Everybody has something here at noon. That’s when you’re gonna have difficulty parking.

    It’s a skill issue. You know what I mean? Like, okay… come early.”

    While an early departure is an option for some, it is inconvenient and undesirable for most.

    “I skipped a shower two mornings in a row just to get parking here,” said senior Tim Skaggs.

    In the near future, multiple, multi-million dollar infrastructure projects promise to bring more parking spaces to Cal Poly Humboldt. The Library Circle Student Housing, Health Center, Dining and Parking Facility (total project budget $175 million, planned opening August 2026) is slated to add 500 parking spots. The Campus Apartments Housing and Parking Facility (total project budget $110m, planned opening Summer 2027) should add 500 new parking spots.

    Assuming there are no construction delays, Cal Poly Humboldt will have 1000 new parking spots by Summer 2027. 

    It remains to be seen whether these new spaces will be enough to ease parking difficulties at Cal Poly Humboldt. With the school aiming to increase enrollment to 7,000 by the fall semester of 2024, it’s difficult to imagine that parking on campus will be an effortless endeavor anytime soon.

    Importantly, there will be some casualties along the road to more parking on-campus. The new infrastructure projects are set to be built where the ceramics and sculpture labs, Bret Harte House, Campus Apartments, Warren House and ‘Building 20’ currently stand. Regarding the planned relocations of the to-be-torn-down labs, the university states on their ‘Future Infrastructure Projects’ webpage that: “Ceramic and Sculpture Labs will need to be addressed in long term planning. The Feasibility study for this project has yet to begin. And general scope is still being developed.” 

    A statement released from the university’s director of news & information, Aileen Yoo, on Sept. 19 reads “With significant infrastructure projects such as these, plans are often fluid. Based on the completed feasibility study for this project, the Ceramics and Sculpture labs will be relocated to Jenkins Hall, which is also being remodeled.”

    The same press release details potential plans for an off-campus parking lot, or ‘surface parking’ for ‘about 1000 stalls’ in lieu of an on campus parking facility. 

    “Parking structures are extremely expensive and such an investment should only be considered when all other cost-effective and sustainable transportation options have been implemented,” Yoo said via press release.

    The off-campus location for said parking lot is still undecided, but is planned to include bike parking and a shuttle service.

    Cal Poly Humboldt’s transportation and parking services department declined to interview regarding the current parking situation and future parking options.
    Future, grandiose structures – or surface structures – yet unbuilt and/or unpaved, the reality remains that students pay $157.50 per semester for a parking pass that doesn’t ensure a parking spot. 

    “I feel like it should be kind of guaranteed parking. But, it seems like, you know, even if you pay for that you don’t really you don’t get the full benefits of the amount you’re paying for just because you don’t always get the parking that you need,” said wildlife conservation major Justin Salazar. 

    The planned infrastructure projects promise additional parking space but will also lead to the demolition of some of the school’s oldest buildings.

     “I’m taking sculpture right now, and I know that they’re tearing down the sculpture and ceramics studios to build parking lots and more buildings,” said Dwyer before adding. “That doesn’t seem like a solution either. It’s taking away lots of resources from the school and from the students. But obviously, more parking is needed.”

  • Journalism Department remembers Sam Armanino

    Journalism Department remembers Sam Armanino

    by Alex Anderson

    Sam Armanino was a freelance videographer, editor and photographer who made his living doing what he loved. He wasn’t afraid to put himself in critical positions for his video work, which made his content stand out. A Cal Poly Humboldt journalism graduate and former Lumberjack Editor in Chief, Armanino used the skills he learned in school to chase down his dream. Armanino created content for outdoor sports such as climbing, mountain biking and skiing. He was truly living his dream, but sadly on Aug. 31 Armanino passed away from a mountain biking accident. 

    Sam Armanino was truly one of a kind, both in the sense of his creativity but most importantly in how he treated others around him. It did not matter whether he knew you his whole life or one day, Armanino made people feel comfortable, always giving his utmost respect and attention. I remember the first day that I met him, meeting at my brother’s apartment in Arcata, getting ready to go surf. He was so stoked on learning how to surf, buying a fresh longboard and questioning my brother and I for advice that we might have for him. Instantly fitting into the deep bond that I share with my brother, Armanino fit in like family instantly, being silly and pestering me with jokes while flaunting his huge infectious smile. That was Sam. 

    He dove into new adventures head on and did the same with learning about those around him. Armanino strove to pull as much as he possibly could out of life, learning more about the people he stumbled upon, their stories and what interested them. He was the embodiment of a humble soul, killing people with genuine kindness and curiosity. I interviewed Sam for a class project in Fall 2022 where he described what drove him into journalism.

    “I found journalism and I saw that as something that was really important,” Armanino said. “I really liked talking to people and connecting with people and I have always been a big fan of media. And so my initial thought was to combine recreation administration and the love of the outdoors with journalism.”

    Photo courtesy of Mark McKenna. Sam Armanino (center) standing with other photographers.

    Vicky Sama, an emeritus professor in the journalism department at Humboldt State University and Armanino’s former advanced video production professor, described how Armanino used his kind energy in and out of the classroom.

    “Sam brought positive energy to the classroom and just about everywhere he went,” Sama said. “He combined his passion for the outdoors and journalism and created a career doing what he loved most. He had such a great and young career and so much promise. I’m absolutely crushed to know he is gone.”

    Sam was the type of person that would scream louder than you for your accomplishments, a recurring theme that can be seen in many of the videos that he created. A passionate creator and cameraman, Armanino can be heard howling for joy while filming his friends. He was genuinely happy for you. I remember hearing him playfully shouting as I rode waves past him. Few people possess the infectious joy that Armanino embodied. He legitimately wanted to see the people around him succeed and be the best version of themselves, encouraging people to test their abilities. 

    Sam lived his life to the absolute fullest, chasing powder days while backcountry skiing and blistering down mountain bike trails. Dedicated to being in the outdoors, chasing the beauty of nature and doing everything he could to avoid a typical desk job. Being outside with his friends was where he belonged and he made a living pursuing his dream of capturing people doing amazing things outdoors. Armanino detailed his desire to thrive and create his own path and how pursuing his dream as a freelance videographer made him happy. 

    “I think it’s been a really good way for me to kind of avoid the stereotypical 9 to 5 world, which I just don’t think I could thrive in, that I didn’t thrive in,” Armanino said. “So I think it’s been like a really good creative way to kind of create my own path.”

    Armanino was not a typical human being that could be bound to an ordinary career, he was a special breed. His adventurous personality drove him to creating beautiful content and friendships. His friends point to Armanino’s ability to create light in life through his corny jokes, absurd noises, goofy faces and bubbly laugh. He surely has left a positive mark on this planet and will be sorely missed by many. 

    Kind words from those who knew Sam 

    Vicky Sama – Emeritus Video Production Journalism Professor

    Sam was a talented photographer and editor and he would often visit in my office where we would talk about how he could make a living doing the things he loved such as videography, skiing and mountain biking. He made it happen. He was living the dream. He was full of life. It’s so sad he’s gone.

    Mark Mckenna – Photojournalism/Video Production Professor 

    I will miss those random calls or texts for advice or just to see how I was doing. I will miss seeing the latest instagram post where he nailed it. I will miss him being able to share with current students his talent and passion for life. He was so full of light. I will try to always remember that smile filling up my classroom and his words of encouragement to his fellow students. 

    Andrea Juarez – Advising Professor for El Leñador

    Sam was a wonderful student and human being. He was kind, easy going and laid back, but no doubt, he was dedicated and serious about his craft. He was eager to learn and try new things. Sam was bold and dared to live as he believed, especially with regard to his love of the outdoors. He certainly knew how to capture beauty with his photos and videos, yet it was his spirit and zest for life that captivated those who knew him.

    Garrett Purchio – Librarian at Cal Poly Humboldt

    Sam was truly one of a kind. He was incredibly passionate about journalism and his positivity was unmatched. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Sam and I will miss him dearly. Sam, thank you for your kind spirit and generosity.  

    Javier Rojas – former LJ Managing Editor & El Leñador EIC

    Ask anyone and they will tell you that Sam was the nicest and most genuine person they ever met. He was one of a kind and will be missed by so many people. Love you Sam.

    Miranda Hutch – Class of 2016

    He had a perfect balance of drive and adventure. He had a passion for his work that cannot be learned. You just have it. And Sam had it. It’s not fair that the world won’t get to see what else he could have done with more time. 

    Katelyn Peakes – Class of 2017

    I will miss his random yelling and super sick air guitar skills… He created a career following his passions and was living life to the fullest which we could all aspire to. There was simply no way you could be in a bad mood around him. A great human being and an amazing friend… Much love Sam!

    Austin Anderson – Class of 2017

    My experiences with Sam will always act as a lens through which I see life; always looking for the good, the fun, and of course for what’s right. Sam’s energy was infectious and if you could key into his wavelength, it truly was a portal to a better place. So sad to see him go, but so proud to have been his friend.

    Carmen Pena-Gutierrez

    Thank you for being better than kind, more than genuine, and too much of a force to be described in words. Thank you, Sam. Rest easy.

    Zachary Sibek

    Sam not only met life’s biggest moments with a fearless smile, he was present in the quiet moments. Truly absorbing life and ultimately embodying an example all of us can work towards. Rest in Peace Sam. You are loved and you are missed so dearly. 

    Tessa lance

    Sam was one of my first friends at humboldt, he made me feel like I was in the right place. I’ll never forget his ridiculous smile and over the top wave whenever he skated by and am so grateful for all the beers we shared. I love you Sam.

    Anne Maher

    I will always remember Sam for his exceptional drive to live life exactly the way he wanted to. He truly loved life, and moved through it with unbounded positivity and creativity. 

  • Controversial casting choice reveals ongoing student frustration in Cal Poly Humboldt’s Theatre Department

    By Jake Hyslop

    Theater students are outraged and frustrated after Troy Lescher, an associate professor in Cal Poly Humboldt’s theater arts department, has been cast in this semester’s theater production of The Life of Galileo. The casting decision has faced fierce opposition from students within the theater program, who argue that it undermines opportunities for aspiring actors, and raises questions on inclusivity and fairness in casting. 

    By casting Lescher in the role, the students argue that the department has removed the opportunity for a student to gain valuable learning experience in a leading role. It’s the last straw in a series of decisions and experiences that the students believe have left them unprepared for the world of professional theater. 

    Lescher declined to be interviewed, but provided a statement in response to his casting. 

    “When faculty artists and student artists collaborate… students have opportunities to develop knowledge and skills in realistic ways, preparing them for the diverse production experiences they will encounter after graduation. As a member of The Life of Galileo ensemble, I look forward to applying my professional training put and experience to help strengthen student learning; promote learner success; and bring a special and relevant story to life on the university stage.” 

    Rumors of the casting spread before it was officially announced at the theater program’s “Welcome Back” event on Aug. 24th. Several disgruntled students showed up to challenge the casting decision. Miah Carter, a senior in the program, was among these students. 

    “We just wanted to, first and foremost, make sure that all the students who are in this program and attending were aware that this is not something that benefits college students,” Carter said. 

    At the event, the students asked why Lescher was cast before auditions were held. Linda Maxwell, the theater program leader, did the bulk of the responding. One reason for Lescher’s casting was the scope of the lead role. 

    Cindy Moyer, chair of the Department of Dance, Music, and Theatre, said that Lescher has spent his summer working on the part, and asking a student to put that breadth of work in half a semester isn’t feasible. 

    Maxwell and Julie Eccles-Benson, the co-director of the show, declined to be interviewed. 

    Maxwell spent a large part of the meeting blaming the students’ frustration over not being able to audition for the lead role.

    “Yeah, I’m mad,” Carter said. “Mad I’m not getting the education I’m paying for, not because I wasn’t cast as the lead in a show. Look at me. I’m a young Black woman. I was never going to be slated to play as Galileo himself.”

    Carter wasn’t surprised at the results of the encounter. 

    “We pretty much expected them to give the reaction they did and the excuses they did,” Carter said. “They didn’t really want to hear us out, which didn’t surprise me.” 

    Carter suggested that if the faculty knew The Life of Galileo was going to feature a lead role too bulky for a student, they should have chosen a different show that catered more towards student interest. 

    According to Moyer, the justification for casting a faculty member over affording the opportunity to a student boiled down to how the role of Galileo was too large a workload for a student to handle and how Lescher’s casting afforded an opportunity for collaborative learning. 

    “For Galileo, the theater faculty thought carefully and felt that this play provided an appropriate opportunity for students to learn by working side-by-side with a professional actor,” Moyer said. “It may be several years before students will get this valuable and exciting opportunity again.” 

    Ash Quintana, a theater major in his senior year, felt that the faculty had taken away students’ agency. He said that taking away the students’ choice pampers them and doesn’t prepare them for professional theater, where they’ll often have to multitask between theater and work.

    The students didn’t accept the collaborative learning rationale provided by the department. 

    “When it comes to acting, you learn more by doing than by watching somebody,” Quintana said. “If you want a student to learn, put them in that role, and have the resources to guide them to success, instead of just assuming they can’t do it on their own.” 

    Lescher’s casting is the latest in a series of controversial choices for theater program students. The program once had a season selection committee for choosing future shows, including both faculty and students, but in recent years only two students, including Carter, were on it.

    “It was pretty easy for them to dismiss what we were saying,” Carter said. “I do think they made a little bit of effort to be like ‘oh yeah, here, you’re making some good ideas,’ but it never felt like they were actually considering what we wanted to do.” 

    The season selection committee was disbanded by the fall semester of 2022. The faculty provided no reason why.  During that same semester, they emailed a survey to students, to gather their opinions on shows the faculty had already selected for consideration. Many students only recognized Into the Woods, the show slated for Spring 2024, out of four faculty-selected shows. 

    In Spring 2023, an email announced an in-person show selection meeting. Only one student attended. Carter explained that students didn’t want to bother showing up when they weren’t going to be heard or meaningfully included in any way. 

    The other big issue theater students have faced is the recent glut of “no-prep” auditions. “No-prep” auditions require no preparation going in, and often involve theater games and activities where the director(s) will cast or send callbacks to performers by judging their contributions. Out of the past five semesters since coming back in-person from the Covid-19 pandemic, four of them have been non-traditional or “no-prep.” 

    “I’ve been to a couple of those,” said Zoe Estelle Rose, a child development major. “Nonsense, they’re just nonsense auditions. They don’t prepare you for anything.” 

    When an audition announcement is made with the words “no-prep” attached, many students audibly groan. They don’t feel that actors who attend these auditions are being taught anything useful regarding professional auditions. 

    “We’re going to graduate and go off and try to audition for a real production,” Carter said. “And we’re going to fail immensely. And when they ask us where we trained, we’re going to say ‘I went to Humboldt where they did no-prep auditions and we could just show up and get casted if we were silly.’” 

    In Quintana’s advanced acting class this semester, he noted that many students asked to learn how to audition and recite monologues. 

    “The school is not teaching us how to do that,” Quintana said. “We are not going to be cast in professional shows in the real world.” 

    Moyer said that these nontraditional auditions have been the result of selected directors, but that in the future the department will address this concern and make sure the students get more professional audition exposure.

    The concerned students are speaking out because they don’t want new students to transfer to the department unaware of the issues they’re facing. Both seniors mentioned they wouldn’t have transferred to Humboldt’s theater program if they’d known that going in. 

    Maxwell has started meeting with the frustrated students to open up a dialogue for making the theater program more inclusive, and cut down on the communication divide between faculty and students going forward. 

    “I feel like I’m getting a lot of examples of what not to do in a theater program,” Quintana said. “I personally haven’t had too many opportunities to fully learn theater. I’ve been here for two-and-a-half years, and I’m not really going away with that much.” 

    Here is Lescher’s full statement: 
    Thank you, Jake, for wanting to share additional context and insight on theatre-making within the Cal Poly Humboldt Theatre Arts (TA) academic program. As a TA Major who has acted on our stage several times, you can attest to the frequency of TA Faculty serving in major creative capacities on mainstage productions. Project-based learning is one of the central components of performing arts education within the Department of Dance, Music & Theatre. When faculty artists and student artists collaborate as choreographers, composers, directors, designers, dancers, musicians, and actors, students have opportunities to develop knowledge and skills in realistic ways, preparing them for the diverse production experiences they will encounter after graduation. As a member of The Life of Galileo ensemble, I look forward to applying my professional training and experience to help strengthen student learning; promote learner success; and bring a special and relevant story to life on the university stage.

  • Cannabis festival “Cannifest” brings buds together

    Cannabis festival “Cannifest” brings buds together

    by Andrés Felix Roméro

    As the sun was setting on the Eureka Waterfront, a few people in their boat called out to the festival-goers on the shore. Through shouts across the water, they requested some weed to enjoy on their aquatic cruise. One kind gentleman was more than happy to oblige and passed along a joint to one of the boatmen who swam to shore on his boogie board. This was just one of many instances of communal actions and feelings present at the 2023 Cannifest, which ran from Sept. 9th-10th.

    For the first time since the pandemic, a cannabis-centric festival returned to Humboldt county with the three-day celebration of the plant and the culture surrounding it through Cannifest. Primarily run and organized by Joe Moran and Steve Gieder, the festival was a hit to those who love to spark, smoke, eat and other methods of enjoying weed. There was no lack of colorful and engaging sights with plenty of music, food, art, activities and of course, cannabis.

    Day 1

    For some, the Cannifest celebrations began not in Humboldt, but on Friday, Sept. 9th in San Francisco. The Roast and Toast bus tour aspect of Cannifest was helmed by the founder of Humboldt Cannabis Tours, Matt Kurth. He acted as the group’s tour guide, spouting fun facts about the surroundings, as the bus reenacted the pilgrimage many people took following the San Francisco Summer of Love in 1967.

    Photo by Andrés Felix Roméro. Snail-Nail Dab Company representative shows off his dab rig that is powered by his Bigfoot statue.

     “There’s always a group of people where mainstream society doesn’t work for them,” said Kurth. “Because Summer of Love only lasted three months and fell apart, some of the people still wanted to find a new way of living because they needed it. So, they started the Back to the Land Movement, leaving the city and going to try to find new ways of living out in the country. The first cheap land was northern Mendo and southern Humboldt, that’s why [the people] stopped there”

    The bus made stops at Santa Rosa dispensary OrganiCann and the Hopland restaurant Rock Seas. At these stops, the passengers happily shared their buds with each other. The passengers ate lunch and took dabs with fruit pairings to enhance the turpentines. Self-described gonzo journalist Cameron Hussain described the desire for community that many of the passengers and cannabis lovers carry, and the importance of accurate representation of the cannabis community.

    “We are contributing to the narrative of the culture just by being here,” said Hussain. “[The community has] been so long underground, we are hungry to connect and enjoy this plant we all love.”

    The bus made its final stop for the day at the Red Lion hotel in Eureka so that the passengers could get ready for the first true party of the weekend, the Cannifest Gala at the historic Eureka Theater. At the Gala, there was cannabis history trivia, the winners of the Cannifest competitions were announced, and the night ended with performances by local artists such as Flow J. Simpson, Eli Fowler, and Object Heavy. 

    Day 2 and 3

    Event Highlights

    The Cannifest Festival properly kicked off Saturday, Sept. 9th. Even for any seasoned festival goers, it would be difficult to experience everything the venue and 50-plus booths had to offer. The backdrop of the Eureka Waterfront was soothing to those wanting to enjoy delicious, diverse food from taco trucks and soul food booths with a calm breeze. A favorite by many was a locally owned Native women business, Frybread Love, which offered fry bread topped with lettuce, sour cream, ground beef and chili beans.

    Besides people sitting and laughing while eating, many community aspects of the event were present thanks to the constant sharing of cannabis between everyone. Everywhere you looked, there were smiling people passing smoking blunts and joints. Plenty of booths offered free dabs to anyone who came by. One gentle soul only known by Big L was rolling free blunts for any passerby to enjoy. 

    Photo by Andrés Felix Roméro. Festival-goer dressed as a stoner icon, Towlie from South Park, enjoys quality time with his class piece.

    The ability to enjoy the event was diverse. Those with a Sativa high could enjoy the music and dancing, and those with an Indica low had plenty of comfortable seats to enjoy. Katie Dalmasso attended Cannifest after just returning from Burning Man, and remarked how the festival was great to reset following the hectic desert festival.

    “What a beautiful way to decompress, coming to a cannabis festival right after [Burning Man],” said Dalmasso. “It’s kind of the same feeling [as Burning Man] but more relaxed, everyone getting together as a community and having fun and supporting each other.”

    In many aspects of cannabis culture, feelings and desires for healing are present, which was case-and-point with the arts at the event. Many who were dancing at one of the two stages looked carefree and happy in their outfits that were peak Humboldt. Festival-goers were treated to music by Hip-Hop legendary duo Dead Prez, and Grammy-award winning Reggae rapper Kabaka Pyramid. 

    Healing and Community Aspects

    Besides music, plenty of other art forms were present. There was a series of amazing murals painted with a variety of different techniques as part of an art competition centered on social justice. Other amazing mediums included dancing, paintings on large canvases, and a glassblower doing his work live. There were plenty of activities to participate in, such as massage chairs, yoga and even a mobile barber.

    Not suprining to Humboldt and Cannabis culture, the event was welcoming not just to bipeds, but to our four-legged canine friends. As diverse as the arts were in Cannifest, dogs of all breeds and sizes accompanied their owners. One individual brought his best friend Roscoe, and also found healing and solace through cannabis culture following a tumultuous childhood, was Jake “Big Jake” Lawrence, a judge for Cannifest and the founder of the non-profit MedVets.

    “My parents used to sell methamphetamine to the cops, I grew up in hell-on-earth, [what] I’ve been through makes most grown men cry,” said Big Jake. “This entire community is part of my larger family. It’s really about the community and supporting the community as a whole that helped [Cannifest] actually exist.”

    These feelings of hegemony, community, and love was the endgame of Cannifest founder and executive director, Steve Gieder.

    “I think it’s important [we have events like Cannifest] because of so many reasons,” Said Geider, “but one of them is bringing people together socially. The way that we do things like dancing, eating and partaking [in this community]. When people dance together and get loose it takes us back to being primal. It brings us back to who we really are as people and can be and can be an opportunity for people to get comfortable expressing themselves in all these different ways, and that helps us learn and grow together.”

  • Cal Poly Humboldt considers Clayco – a company with record of wrongful death, wage theft and malpractice – for $100 million construction contract

    Cal Poly Humboldt considers Clayco – a company with record of wrongful death, wage theft and malpractice – for $100 million construction contract

    by Andrés Felix Romero and Emma Wilson

    A giant stood on LK Wood. It was twice the height of the men around it, armed with a massive hammer and a demonic scowl. It pointed with a long, curled finger at every soul underneath its gaze, framed by a wooden wig and caterpillar eyebrows. It was a judge, and judge it did. 

    Photo by Alex Anderson | Members of the carpenters union placed a tall judge statue in front of the Cal Poly Humboldt entrance sign to protest Calyco

    “Judgment day is coming,” it said. “Shame on you. Shame, shame, shame!”

    No ogre was laying waste to Arcata. It was built as a protest by Local Carpenter’s Union 751 against Clayco, one the companies in the running to bid on the Cal Poly Health, Housing and Dining Infrastructure project, also referred to as #PLY106. The Union and their main goal is to bring the company’s legal issues and history of malpractice to the attention of the campus committee that awards infrastructure projects, and to the community in general.

    THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

    Construction on the Housing, Health, and Dining building is set to begin fall 2024. The new facilities include a new health center and dining hall, and will be able to house roughly 450-500 students. The facilities are planned to be operating by August 2026, or summer 2027 at the latest. The direct construction will cost at least $108.9 million and the guaranteed maximum budget is $131.9 million. The winning contractor will be announced in October of this year.

    MALPRACTICE AND WORKING CONDITIONS 

    In a legally fact-checked letter from Union Local 751 to the CSU Board of Trustees, there is a list that cites Clayco’s history of legal issues due to allegations of malpractice. Clayco has been a defendant in at least 22 cases since March 2000. Since 2010, they have had at least 17 OSHA violations brought against them, resulting in fines around $81,336. Clayco’s legal issues include an active investigation by the Federal government concerning allegations of violating worker’s rights and harassment of union members, a pending case concerning allegations of wage theft, and a wrongful death lawsuit concerning a worker’s death that was settled last year.

    OSHA Citation against Clayco documents details on Kirk Smith’s accident

    In August 2017, Kirk Smith, an employee of the subcontractor Watson Companies Inc., fell 35 feet to his death while working on the construction of an Ulta Beauty warehouse in Fresno CA. The fall was a result of a weakened roof not being fixed for employees to safely work on, as well as a lack of warnings concerning the stability of the roof. Smith left behind a wife and children, who then sued Clayco along with Ulta and Watson for wrongful death in April 2018. Clayco, along with the other defendants in the case, eventually settled with the Smith family for $5 million in 2022. Attorney Brett D. Beyler, representing Smith’s family, wrote in the court settlement document that the incident was entirely avoidable.

    “On August 9, 2017, Kirk Smith (the decedent) arrived at the Project,” Beyler wrote in the settlement document. “He was directed by Watson [Companies Inc.] foreman, Mr. Rabideau, to cut out the membrane and insulation on top of the metal decking. As Mr. Smith was cutting the membrane and insulation out with a hand knife, the weakened metal decking gave way like a trap door, causing Mr. Smith to fall nearly 40 feet to his death. This incident was entirely avoidable. Unfortunately, due to the negligence of Clayco and NDBS [National Design Build Services], Mr. Smith is no longer alive.”

    WAGE THEFT

    Decision by US District Judge John Mendez gives background info on allegations of wage theft

    Clayco is currently in an active case regarding wage theft. These allegations are brought forth by labor rights organization, The Workforce Defence League (WDL), representing laborers who worked on Amazon Fulfillment Centers in Sacramento and Tracy who say that they have not been compensated for their overtime work or use of their own tools in the construction project. 

    According to the WDL, the laborers worked 58 hours a week and were promised $20-24 an hour. They weren’t fully paid for their regular or overtime hours, and they didn’t receive their work breaks and only got one meal break. They also didn’t get compensated for the missed breaks.

    HARASSMENT OF UNION REPRESENTATIVES

    NLRB charge against Clayco for allegations of harassing Union members

    Clayco is also under current investigation by the federal government for allegations of violating workers’ rights as well as harassment of union representatives. Two separate documented charges brought against Clayco by the National Labor Relations Board were filed as recently as November 2021. They claim that the contractor unfairly fired a subcontractor from their position, and attempted to prevent the Carpenter’s Union from conducting their activities by barring them from Clayco properties and instructing Clayco employees to limit contact with Union representatives. Additionally, videos on the Local 751-run website, Claycofails.com, show alleged harassment of Union organizers. One instance alleges that a Clayco foreman followed and videotaped an organizer.

    “[Clayco] interfered with the exercise of protected rights by firing a Union signatory subcontractor when Union Agents tried to access the site,” one document read. 

    “[Clayco] interfered with the exercise of protected rights by calling the police when the Union tried to access the job site, surveilled and videotaped Union agents and ordered workers not to talk to the Union,” according to the other document.

    CLAYCO’S RESPONSE

    In an email, Clayco’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications Sarah Green forwarded a statement from Clayco’s legal team. The statement said that Clayco is the target of a campaign of Union harassment. The statement made the case that the Union has no legal right to access any Clayco properties and that the Union’s ultimate goal is to get Clayco to sign a collective bargaining agreement with them.

    “Since 2021, [Union members] have filed 11 unfair labor practice charges against Clayco with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB),” according to the email. “8 out of these 11 charges have either been withdrawn or dismissed, and the remaining three charges will go to hearing in October [2023]. Nor does the [Union] report that the NLRB matters arise from the [Union] and/or its members attempting to forcibly enter two Clayco California projects despite having no legal bona fide right to enter those projects – resulting in them having to be removed by police.”

    Labor Counsel for Clayco, Andrew Martone, adds that no one affiliated with Clayco has brought charges against the company through the National Labor Relations Board, and that any Federal investigation against Clayco is a result of Union actions only.

    “No Clayco employee and no employee at any Clayco worksite has filed a complaint with the NLRB,” said Martone. “Charges brought are by the [Union], and they don’t represent any Clayco employee.”

    Court document provided by Clayco that has been given a red flag by Westlaw

    Green also stated that the Union has been misleading in their campaign.

    “The [Union] misleads the reader to believe OSHA citations were issued against Clayco that were in fact issued to other entities,” said Green, “and reports OSHA Citations without informing the reader that OSHA found no violations existed.”

    However, Lumberjack reporters were able to find OSHA violation documents concerning the death of Kirk Smith. Clayco shared a court statute with Lumberjack writers that documented tactics by the Union. However, the statute was labeled as “amended, repealed, superseded, or held unconstitutional in whole or part” by Westlaw, a legal research company. Unfortunately, since Lumberjack writers were unable to gain further access to Westlaw files, we are unable to say why it was labeled as such.

    UNIVERSITY INVOLVEMENT 

    Lumberjack writers reached out to Procurement Specialist, Addie Dunaway of Contracts and Procurement department of Cal Poly Humboldt, as well as Humboldt Director Planning, Design & Construction, Kassidy Banducci of the Facilities Management Department. Both expressed a desire to comment, but were limited in their ability to speak as the bidding process is still active. Any comment on Clayco’s involvement from Cal Poly Humboldt staff and admin could violate legal obligations, as well as compromising fairness to the other three potential contractors. 

    University documents confims that Clayco, Sundt, and Swinerton are three companies on the shortlist for the #PLY106 contract. A fourth potential bidder is currently unconfirmed. The Union has also sent a letter to the Board of Trustees concerning Sundt’s history of malpractice.

    Communications Specialist with the News and Information department, Grant Scott-Goforth, shared some information on the infrastructure project, though he was unable to comment on any allegations brought against potential contractors.

     “The Committee remains diligent in their work towards a fair and equitable evaluation process governed under the provisions of the law in the state of California,” according to a statement released by the University. “Cal Poly Humboldt is committed to its responsibility under California regulations for public work projects and the better good of the construction industry. Any information regarding the performance or behaviors of proposing firms will be considered against CSU policies and State regulations.”

    UNION AWARENESS

    Union Organizers from Local 751 spread awareness to the campus community about where their money may be going—especially the funds that students give to the school as part of their tuition.

    “How has a contractor with this history got this close to a major project?” said Harvey McKeon, a field representative for the Union. “Which, at the end of the day, is [funded by] public money, and it’s also by extension student’s money, and [the students] should have some sort of control and say over how that money is spent.”

    The organizers from Local 751 want to make it clear that although they are a union, their endgame isn’t to try and have a union-backed construction company be awarded the contract. Rather, they want to ensure that a company with multiple legal issues and allegations of malpractice isn’t able to gain a foothold in the community and public works projects, and to try and create a better and safer working environment for all laborers.

    “As a union, our recent track record has been to lift standards for workers whether they’re union or non-union,” McKeon said. “The reason why we are seeking to generate awareness about Clayco is because we want to draw attention to what Clayco does to workers that we don’t formally represent, but we care about their working conditions.” 

    Beyond a desire to bring Clayco’s past and current legal issues to light and try to create safer environments for workers, some organizers such as McKeon feel a personal responsibility to ensure a safe working environment for both contractors and the community at large due to their personal experience as a worker without union support. The union also wants those at Cal Poly Humboldt that awards infrastructure projects like #PLY106 and potential contractors that there must be precedence for companies rooted in ethics.

    “I’ve been in jobs before I was a labor union organizer where I didn’t have anyone looking out for me because I wasn’t in a union, and I don’t think that’s a reason why you shouldn’t have people not look out for you,” McKeon said. “We’re trying to represent [all laborers] even if they’re not currently union members. It’s like trying to plant a tree whose shade you may never sit in.”

    Editing note:

    On Sept. 6, this article was edited to clarify that Clayco’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications Sarah Green shared Clayco’s statement from legal team with a reporter via email. The statement made the case that Clayco is the target of a campaign of Union harassment and that the Union has no legal right to access any Clayco properties and that the Union’s ultimate goal is to get Clayco to sign a collective bargaining agreement with them.

    The article was also edited to remove reference to a contractor who’s bid on the project could not be confirmed.

  • California State Universities propose 6% tuition increase 

    California State Universities propose 6% tuition increase 

    By Peyton Leone and Carlina Grillo and Christina Mehr

    The California State University Board of Trustees will vote on the Multi-Year Tuition Proposal on Sept. 13. If passed, tuition at all CSU campuses would rise by 6% for five years starting fall 2024 until fall 2028.

    On Thursday Aug. 31 Cal Poly Humboldt’s Associated Students held a meeting to inform students about the tuition increase proposal. There were more than 30 people in attendance.

    Photo by Jillian Wells. Students and staff gather at the Tuition Increase Town Hall on Aug. 31.

    “The 6% increase covers all of the different levels of education,” said Amber Blakeslee, Executive Director of Finance and Budget at Cal Poly Humboldt. “So that’s undergraduate, credential and graduate student tuition. It also covers in-state tuition, out-of-state tuition, and the graduate business professional fees.”

    For example, the proposal would raise the tuition rate of an in-state full-time undergraduate degree from the current $5,742 to $7,682 in fall 2028, a 34% increase over the first five years. This does not include the fees for each campus, which vary. This semester full-time student fees at Cal Poly Humboldt totaled $2,170.

    The CSU system is funded from two main sources: tuition and state funding.

    CSU reported in a document titled the “Sustainable Financial Model Workgroup Report” that there was a nearly $1.5 billion gap between money the system received and the costs to keep the CSU system running in 2021-2022.

    The same report concluded that “even with aggressive assumptions about increases in-state general fund and tuition” would not be enough to close the gap.

    The California State Student Association, a nonprofit group representing nearly 500,000 CSU students, unanimously voted to oppose tuition increases according to AS president, Sam Parker.

    “The proposal lacks measurable outcomes, a clear termination date, and fails to articulate plans for generating other revenue sources,” CSSA said in a July 11 press release.

    According to the Multi-Year Tuition Proposal, 60% of students at the CSU system would not be affected by increases. Their attendance is covered by the Cal Grant, Pell Grant or tuition waivers.

    The proposal notes that increases will exceed the maximum Pell Grant award by over $280 by the 2028-2029 school year, and that Cal Grant may not rise to cover tuition raises into the future given.

    Photo by Jillian Wells. Peggy Metzger, Director of Financial Aid, (left) addressing questions by Nova Presley (right) at the Tuition Increase Town Hall on Aug. 31.

    “It discourages me from even wanting to continue through school,” said sophomore Sonny Buckner after the town hall meeting, noting that affording school and finding housing were affecting his time as a freshman. “…I barely even passed all my classes. It’s ridiculous that these are the things I have to put my priorities on when I came here to be a student.”


    The CSU Board of Trustees will meet from Sept. 10-13 in Long Beach, California. The board will take public comment on the proposal on Sept. 12 at 9:00 am. Public comment can be sent to trusteesecretariat@calstate.edu. before Sept. 11. Instructions on how to give live public comment virtually or in person can be found at www.calstate.edu/csu-system/board-of-trustees/Pages/information-for-bot-attendees.aspx. 
    Caption: Data from https://www.calstate.edu/attend/paying-for-college/tuition-increase/Pages/proposed-tuition-adjustments.aspx

  • First fall for fresh Cal Poly Humboldt Admin

    First fall for fresh Cal Poly Humboldt Admin

    by Andres Felix

    Three new individuals with years of experience in education and community service have been selected for the roles of Dean of Students, Dean for the College of Extended Education and Global Excellence, and the Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Success. Hailing from all corners of the nation, these leaders are here to accept the challenge to provide support to the academic institution and its community from their respective roles and offices. 

    Dr. Mitch Mitchell – Dean of Students

    Fresh Dean of Students (DOS), Dr. Mitch Mitchell, began his position in Spring of 2023. He made his first major appearance in his role in the commencement ceremony. Mitchell wants to provide support to the students in any way he can to ensure their best chances of success.

    “[My focus is] anything outside of the academic environment,” said Dr. Mitchell. “What students are thinking, what they’re passionate about, what they’re feeling, what they’re doing. I help cultivate whole students that are holistic that can go out and make a difference in this world.”

    Dr. Mitchell wants to focus on supporting and expanding cultural centers on campus such as ITEPP and Umoja, as well as ensuring that this community is safe for students to be able to get their education and enjoy themselves.

    “My goal is to make Cal Poly [Humboldt] the best place to live, learn, and thrive,” said Dr. Mitchell. “It’s ok to be your authentic self and be different. You’ll find people here that are part of your community here, so this is a place for everybody.”

    Dr. Mitchell came of age with many of the odds stacked against him.

    “I grew up with a survivor mentality,” said Dr. Mitchell. “I grew up in [Washington] D.C. during a tumultuous time, the height of the crack epidemic and it was the murder capital.”

    Dr. Mitchell credits his introduction to higher education and the guidance of his fraternity brothers to smoothing out his rougher edges, and for providing a space where he felt safe to be his authentic self.

    A lover of the outdoors, Dr. Mitchell wanted to come to Humboldt due to the lovely nature in the area. When he first visited Humboldt in Spring of 2023, he fell in love with the energy of the area. He noted that it wasn’t just the redwood backdrop, but the people of Humboldt that added to his love of this community.

    “From the moment I stepped into Humboldt County, I felt the energy and people pouring into me.” said Dr. Mitchell. “When you come here and you feel the energy and you feel the love, it changes you, and you realize the difference from [other communities] is that it’s really an oasis here.”

    From his first visit to the campus in April 2023, many noted his sharp suits and outfits, many of which have the school colors. When asked about his style, Dr. Mitchell explained that dressing sharp is essentially in his DNA.

    “Fashion is an art form and a way to express yourself,” Dr. Mitchell explained. “It’s like music, it’s like painting. I will say that the [artform] is in my bloodline. My grandfathers on both sides were really some fly people. My father specifically had monogram collared shirts with his initials on them. I would say [fashion is] in me, and it’s on me.”

    Dr. Cindy Bumgarner – Dean for the College of Extended Education and Global Engagement

    Photo courtesy of Cal Poly Humboldt.

    Coming off a position as Assistant Vice Provost for the Division of Undergraduate Education at UC Berkeley, Dr. Cindy Bumgarner became the Dean for the College of Extended Education and Global Engagement (CEEGE) on July 1st. 

    Dr. Bumgarner and her office focuses on supporting international students and students who study abroad through Global Engagement by offering immigration service support and academic counselors. On the side of Extended Education, Dr. Bumgarner supports graduates in their professional career, as well as students that are returning to their degree following a hiatus. 

    “I would imagine that some [students] just had life circumstances or needed to go out and do some work,” said Dr. Bumgarner, “or had something happen in their family, and they just really want to get back and complete their degree.”

    On top of this, Dr. Bumhgarner and her office are working on developing certificates from the college such as one in IT. Although she has many tasks, she is excited to rise to the challenge. It’s this opportunity for growth and previous vacations to the Humboldt area while teaching at CSU Chico that drove Dr. Bumgarner to take up a position on this campus.

    “[Humboldt] was a spot for me to cool off [from Chico in the summers], but I got to know the community and always sort of paid attention to what was going on the campus,” Dr. Bumgarner explained. “So the idea that I could bring a bunch of knowledge and positively contribute to a campus trying to reaminge itself just really appealed to me.”

    Dr. Bumgarner is no stranger to intensity, challenge, and being under pressure. In her early college days, Dr. Bumgarner competed in Division I basketball for Indiana State University. It was this time as an athlete that she developed tenacity to prepare her for future challenges.

    “The piece I learned from sports,” said Dr. Bumgarner, “is that when you set some goals,  even if they’re not fully defined, if you know, ‘I want to help more, I want to do more, I want to contribute more,’ that can lead you in interesting ways.”

    These lessons helped her as she was working on her undergraduate degree as well.

    “In the educational process it was transformative to me,” said Dr. Bumgarner. “As a young poor kid, to realize that this undergraduate degree was going to completely change my life, and it did.”

    Dr. Chrissy Holliday – Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success

    Photo courtesy of Cal Poly Humboldt.

    The honor of being Cal Poly Humboldt’s newest Vice President goes to Dr. Chrissy Holliday. Although she began her term in the position in January this year, this is her first fall on the Humboldt campus. In her role as the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success, she is leading the team behind admissions, and continuing to support students that choose Humboldt as their campus to study.

    “[We] make sure that our current students have the best experience they possibly can,” said Dr. Holliday, “and they successfully get to graduate and have their careers after that.”

    Currently, Dr. Holliday is focusing on the growth of the new Cal Poly, and ensuring the infrastructure is available to sustain that growth. By renovating housing and dining, she aims to improve students’ overall academic experience. Overall, Dr. Holliday wants students to feel at home on the Humboldt campus, similar to how she felt at home in the community when she arrived at Humboldt.

    “[Humboldt] feels like home,” said Dr. Holliday. “I want our students to have that same feeling. A lot of what we’re doing is looking at everything from recruitment all the way through graduation and asking, ‘how can we make this a better experience for our students?’”  

    Dr. Holliday is originally from North Carolina, just outside of Charlotte. For most of her education career, she has been steadily moving westward, working at South Carolina and then Colorado. The opportunity for challenge and growth at Humboldt pushed her to come to Arcata.

    “[Cal Poly] Humboldt is poised for growth and greatness in a very different way than most higher-ed institutions right now,” said Dr. Holliday. “It really is the opportunity to be part of something different to help strategize how we serve all students in California.”

    Besides professional reasons, Dr. Holliday also had personal reasons to take up a position at California’s newest Cal Poly.

    “This place spoke to me a lot,” Dr. Holliday said. “I came here, smelled the ocean…growing up in the South, I had spent a lot of time on the coast. I told my husband that [Humboldt] smells like home.”

    Outside of Dr. Holliday’s professional life, Dr. Holliday has a love for the horror genre. Her passion began with books through authors such as Christopher Pike and Stephen King. Her husband later helped to develop a fondness for horror films. One of Dr. Holliday’s favorite horror villains is Damien Thorne of The Omen.  

    In addition, Dr. Holliday  is also an avid fan of music and concerts. One of her favorite experiences with live shows was seeing Nirvana and the Red Hot Chili Peppers perform at the same music festival. Dr. Holliday’s personal favorite show to date was Five Finger Death Punch. Even today, Dr. Holliday tries to make time for music.

    “I’m going to one of my bucket list shows later this fall,” said Dr. Holliday. “I’m going to go see Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper!” 

  • Cal Poly Humboldt project 2,000 more students for Fall semester, yet only delivered 98

    Cal Poly Humboldt project 2,000 more students for Fall semester, yet only delivered 98

    by Brad Butterfield

    Back in March, the university projected over 2,000 more students for the Fall 2023 semester than from the Fall 2022 semester; in reality, there are only 98 more students enrolled this fall.

    On March 7th, the University Resources and Planning Committee (URPC) had an Open Forum to discuss budget recommendations and feedback. In that forum enrollment for fall was projected to increase by about 2,000 students to have around 7,449 total students. However the current data from the university’s Institutional Research, Analytics, and Reporting shows only 5,964 total enrolled students. This difference is meager compared to last fall when total enrollment was 5,866.

    Of the nearly 6,000 students in attendance, there are 959 new freshmen undergraduates and 758 transfer undergraduates. These are preliminary totals, as final enrollment data will be available after the add/drop deadlines on September 18th.

    According to the university website, “Cal Poly Humboldt would expect to see enrollment increase 50% within three years and 100% within seven years.” At current growth of enrollment rates, it appears unlikely for the university to meet this goal. 

    Citing a hectic start to the semester, Chrissy Holliday, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success, could not comment on the low enrollment numbers and advised the Lumberjack to talk to university Communications Officers. 

     Although there is growth, it is attributed to the university’s transition to becoming California’s third polytechnic campus. This transition promised $433 million of one-time funding and $25 million in ongoing base support, a name change, a host of new majors and hundreds of new on-campus dorm rooms. While new majors like cannabis studies (BA) and applied fire science and management (BS) have been added for the first time this fall, additional on-campus housing has not yet been achieved. 

    “The University expects this to be its second consecutive year of fall semester growth, and that is something to celebrate. Given the fact many colleges and universities in California and across the nation continue to suffer enrollment losses,” Grant Scott-Goforth, the university’s Communications Specialist said. Cal Poly Humboldt aims to bring enrollment up to 7,000 students by Fall of next year.

    The expansion of Cal Poly Humboldt is inevitable. At least two satellite properties west of highway 101 have been purchased by the university and the ‘Craftsman’s Mall’ project promises 800 new beds in the coming years. 

    “The Student Housing Project now in construction is expected to be completed in Fall 2025, with others rolling out in the coming years,” Scott-Goforth said.

    Although there is a lack of growth in enrollment, the university is still suffering. In the spring semester of 2023, an already understaffed University Police Department had to provide shuttle service to students housed in hotel rooms miles north from campus, while student-led housing protests ignited in the quad in the early part of the semester. Growing pains were felt by students and faculty alike. It’s apparent that the university is under strain from the exponential growth it’s undertaking, however this has not caught the school off guard.

    “Leadership knew that the first application cycle as a polytechnic would be different, and that it would take some time to develop the right infrastructure to capitalize on the increased admissions interest in the institution,” Scott-Goforth said.

    All this to say, welcome home to all of the new Lumberjacks and a warm (probably overcast) welcome back to the seasoned ‘jackers of Cal Poly Humboldt.

  • Student workers ask the CSU for union rights 

    Student workers ask the CSU for union rights 

    by August Linton

    Originally published May 3, 2023

    CSU officials are now deciding whether student workers should be allowed to unionize, after students petitioned the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) on April 17 for the right to take a union vote. This was accompanied by around 4,300 signatures from CSU student workers.

    Daniel Chaidez is a student assistant at CPH, working for the university’s Waste Reduction Resource Awareness (WRRAP) Program. He says that the Let Us Vote campaign will hopefully give students a better foothold for bargaining with the university. 

    “It would just make things a little more equitable and bring a little more awareness to the issues that student workers are currently facing,” Chaidez said.

    Chaidez tabled on the UC Quad on April 18 along with Stephen Green, a labor relations representative for CSUEU, the CSU employees union. The CSUEU is taking an active role in supporting students working for unionization. 

     “When hiring a lot of student assistants it’s very unorganized in a lot of ways,” Chaidez said. “It feels like it’s just a way for the school to get easy labor from students.”

    “[Student Workers are] a pretty significant part of the workforce that keeps this campus running, or the system running,” Green said. “And they don’t get treated with a lot of respect. They get abused, and they have no voice at all in their working conditions.”

    Chaidez thinks that better parking infrastructure for student workers would be a good first step, either with subsidized/discounted parking passes or reserved spaces. Another concern for Chaidez is the weekly hours caps for student workers. 

    “A lot of students are cut off at 6 or 7 hours a week,” Chaidez said. “And that’s not really working for a lot of people.” 

    Many student assistants and employees are paid minimum wage, and at 6 or 7 hours a week, this forces them to supplement with second or even third jobs to make ends meet. More jobs means less time for students to study, let alone relax. 

    Some CSU student workers are even paid less than the minimum wage in their area. This is because the CSU only pays state-wide minimum wage as a state-wide organization, as reported by CalMatters.

    If the board approves this request, workers at CSU universities will have the opportunity to organize, something which is automatically given to non-student workers. 

    “It’s kinda a new thing for students to have a union on campuses,” Chaidez said. 

    Other universities and university systems have had high-profile unionization processes recently, including the University of Oregon and the UC system, according to Green. If the request to unionize at the CSU is approved and the students vote to unionize, the resulting organization would be the largest student employee union. 

    “Generally, the PERB is pretty worker-friendly,” Green said. “I think we have a pretty good case, that we’ve submitted a sufficient amount of legitimate signatures.”

    In the meantime, advocates continue to gather support, hoping to apply pressure to the PERB.

    Student workers who wish to join the unionization effort can contact the CSUEU to sign a union card, and to add their signature to the PERB petition.

    “You don’t want to assume these things, so we’re still gathering more signatures,” Green said.

  • The UPD is still understaffed and without a police chief – but not desperate

    by Brad Butterfield

    Originally printed May 3, 2023

    An expected 2,000 additional students are anticipated for the Fall ‘23 semester, threatening to strain an already understaffed police department at Cal Poly Humboldt. The UPD is currently absent a police chief and shorthanded in both dispatchers and officers. Since early March, the number of new hires onto the force has not increased—not for lack of effort. Despite working long hours to compensate for the lack of personnel, Sergeant Andy Martin remains optimistic.

     In early March a candidate for police chief, Kevin H. Williams, was interviewed by the hiring committee. Williams, a former LAPD lieutenant with a long resume as a public servant in many departments, filed a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles in 1999. The suit claimed racial discrimination and cited that Williams suffered from pseudofolliculitis-barbae, which allegedly prevented him from shaving his beard and commonly afflicts Black men. A federal district court would later dismiss the case. Martin, who serves on the hiring committee for the department, couldn’t divulge the reasons Williams was not hired onto the UPD force. With extensive medical tests, background checks, psychological evaluation and training required in the hiring of any officer, Martin explained that it is unlikely CPH will have a police chief come the Fall ‘23 semester.

    “I would be shocked if it all happens before fall semester starts, but things happen. I’ve been surprised before, but I don’t think so,” said Martin.

    Although short staffed, the department is not rushing the hiring process. 

    “Our Vice President [Dr. Jenn Capps] puts a lot of expectations and weight behind the police chief and so, she’s made it clear – she’s not just going to hire anybody. She wants to make sure she’s hiring the right person for the job and what we need on campus,” Martin said.

    While scrupulous hiring is partly to blame for the lack of personnel on the force, it is far from the only force at play here. The very features of Humboldt county which attract many residents often work against the UPD’s effort in enticing new officers to join the force. 

    “The county tends to be a little behind the rest of the country in some aspects. You know, the night life completely shuts off at a certain hour. It’s a quiet place,” Martin said. “We don’t have the fast food chains. We don’t have what you would expect in some of the bigger cities. That can be a detriment for us sometimes because we are asking somebody to come to a more remote and isolated spot.”

    Martin further explained that being behind the ‘Redwood Curtain’ filters out many potential officers. 

    “It’s just hard to convince somebody to come work up here in a smaller department… It’s intimidating for a lot of people if they’ve never been here,” Martin said.

    Just as in March, dispatcher Jennifer Gomes is still working long hours as one of only two full time dispatchers employed by the UPD. Two potential hires for dispatcher are being considered currently, but even if both are hired, “they’ll probably still be in training as the next semester gets going,” Martin said. Additionally, one officer is currently going through the hiring process. 

    “I am optimistic that they will be here before this next semester,” said Martin.

    Evidently on the backfoot, the likely addition of two dispatchers and one officer will still leave the UPD undermanned. Lack of officers means that there is often just one officer on duty. In anticipation of the rapidly expanding new polytechnic university, the UPD will be hiring another sergeant and a couple more officers. 

    “That process is just getting started,” Martin said. “So I expect that some of them will start mid [fall] semester at some point.” 

    Regarding the massive influx of students coming to Arcata for the fall semester, Martin is confident that the department will be ready.  “Our staff is incredible. You can tell by the hours people put in and the heart that they give to this department,” Martin said before adding, “It would be a little more comfortable if we had more people though.”

  • Queer students are afraid to use TimelyMD counseling option

    by August Linton and Camille Delany

    Originally printed April 26, 2023

    Art Wardynski has lost almost all of his adult family members in the past few years, most recently his mother. He reached out to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for support, and was only offered a telehealth appointment with TimelyMD. 

    This wasn’t acceptable to him. As a queer person, Wardynski wasn’t comfortable with the fact that TimelyMD is a Texas-based company, or that they offer faith-based therapy as an option for universities. 

    “When I’m already going through such a vulnerable time in my life, I don’t want to risk being discriminated against,” Wardynski said. “They told me that my only option was to go through TimelyCare, and that is not an option for me.”

    After the death of his mother, on whose insurance he was dependent, Wardynski wasn’t sure if he had the ability to access off-campus healthcare, either. In the meantime, he’s just been trying to finish the school year.

    “I feel like I’m just chipping away at energy that I don’t even have,” Wardynski said.

    He isn’t alone in his concerns. Many queer students have voiced fears about the safety of the service, according to Landon White, Outreach Director for CPH’s Eric Rofes Multicultural Queer Resource Center (ERC).

    TimelyMD is an online mental health company which markets itself to universities as a stopgap and after-hours counseling service. CPH has contracted with the company, it says to provide students with after-hours healthcare.

    TimelyMD’s location in Texas, a state that is currently considering over 50 bills which limit the rights of transgender people, is one of the main issues that White has with Humboldt’s use of it.

    Other than the objection to university dollars going into Texas, the likelihood of being paired with a non Queer-affirming therapist is too high for many students’ comfort. Even in the relative haven of trans rights that is California, many therapists are transphobic, according to trans students. 

    “There are other telehealth organizations out there,” White said. “We need accessible mental health services that don’t come at the cost of forcing Queer and BIPOC students to play roulette.”

    The ERC advocates for the university to employ more CAPS counselors, especially those familiar with Queer and BIPOC issues. That would take competitive pay, job security, and outreach, said White. They also point out that the accessibility of telehealth is definitely a good thing, but don’t think that TimelyCare is a good option. 

    The use of online therapy services as replacement for in-person treatment by CAPS forces students into a situation that many are not comfortable with, should they need mental healthcare. 

    An open letter to the Associated Students, signed by campus groups including the Students for Quality Education (SQE), Queer Student Union, Black Student Union, and clubs such as the Mycology Club and Critical Race, Gender, and Sexuality (CRGS) Club, took a direct stance against TimelyMD. They asked AS to support the campaign against the service, something the body has not yet done.

    Student Allison Miranda also feels uncomfortable going to TimelyCare for mental health support due to her and her family’s Queer identities.

    “I need support. My tuition is paying for Timely,” Miranda said. “But I know that… LGBT+ students haven’t felt supported by them.”

    Miranda is a transfer student from College of the Redwoods, and said that she feels comparatively unsupported at Humboldt.

    “They [CR] had three different people, licensed therapists, who were trained in addiction counseling and all this stuff,” Miranda said. “Coming to HSU I expected an equivalent, if not better, experience. [Not having therapy] has impacted my studies.”

  • Dean of Students candidates vie for position

    by Andres Felix Romero

    Originally printed March 22, 2023

    Prospective Dean of Students candidates made their intentions heard through forums and Q+A sessions held on March 7 and March 8. 

    One candidate, Ryan Griswold, was recently the Dean of California Maritime Academy, leaving the position in July 2022.

    Griswold expresses a passion for working with students across institutions, especially at Cal Poly Humboldt. 

    “In terms of connections with the student population, I’m not going to say that this is different for me than a lot of institutions, because my passion for working with students really is universal. That’s not to say that the population isn’t different here,” Griswold said. “Every campus has its own demographics.”

    Griswold recounted a story about a previous institution he worked at, where he and student volunteers came together to help students around finals using what he says is his love language: food.

    “I have this tradition wherever I work, I like to find a way to incorporate food into things. We would get one of the industrial kitchens on campus, and we would bake banana bread for six, eight, or nine hours,” Griswold said. “Then we would take 200 loaves of banana bread and give it out to students at about 11 o’clock around finals.”

    Other candidate Micah Mitchell is currently the Assistant Dean of Students and Case manager for Winston Salem State University.

    Mitchell emphasized that to build that relationship, faculty must listen to student voices to understand how they are impacted by admin decisions.

    “[Myself and other leadership are] doing stuff, we’re changing stuff, and trying to support stuff,” Mitchell said. “But if I’m not knowledgeable of what [the students] are going through, it’s gonna be hard for me to effectively support you.”

    Mitchell also showed concern over the impending growth of the student population, and if campus resources can match the needs of those students. He is also conscious of overloading the current staff with the stress of supporting more students.

    “The growth is great,” Mitchell said. “But going too fast is dangerous. Do we have the institutional support to support the changes? Because if not, we’ll have this influx of students, then have an influx over the inability and strain our system. So how can we grow and sustain and maintain at the same time…we can’t expect the same staff to expand and do more work with regard to doing that. So I think it’s about…people getting the resources and figuring out how we can successfully support the growth.”

    Student and Indian Tribal and Educational Personnel Program (ITEPP) representative Mazacuauhtli Burrola wants whichever candidate that gets the job to integrate themselves into the campus community. Burrola wants to see this through the future DOS being open with their communication; by setting up methods to hear student voices such as dropboxes and a phone number to the dean of students publicly displayed on campus. 

    “You want to be our DOS, then you better move into my fricking house,” Burrola said. “You better be standing there in the quad. This is not a game. Our lives are at stake here, our futures.”