The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: News

  • A University Center hidden on campus

    A University Center hidden on campus

    by Matthew Taylor

    The University Center (UC) is a husk of what it used to be since its contract was terminated by Cal Poly Humboldt’s administration back in December of 2020. Before then it was an auxiliary organization to the university in charge of many student events and activities. Many members had been left hurt, with most refusing to speak on the record due to a fear of legal or social reprimand by the university. A majority of the UC’s responsibilities have been transferred to the Student Activity Center. In its current state, the UC exists to provide pensions to its retirees and use reserve funds for various student programs. There are some members, however, who see its end as a bittersweet conclusion.

    “In my position, I see both sides,” said Wendy Sotomayor, UC Executive Director and Student Activity Center Director, the bittersweet sadness in her voice apparent throughout the interview. “I’m excited but I’m also sad. The UC was very valuable and did a lot of good for the students here. In the end, though, I think the students are getting a better package.”

    She expressed, along with many of her colleagues, that she still saw the letter of termination as the administrations ‘means to an end’, but also saw the validity in the problems stated within it. In some ways, the UC’s own response to the administration may have further solidified its decision to end the contract.

    “Our response didn’t really include any [tangible] changes to the actual administration’s complaints,” Sotomayor said.

    Much of the mistakes made by the UC at the time, referenced in the letter of termination, were based simply on miscommunication and misunderstanding. Certain allegations, such as that of fraud, were later confirmed to be completely unfounded. Still, legitimate mistakes existed and deserved to be fixed. The financial risk of loaning the Arcata Community Pool $300,000 was huge in hindsight of the COVID-19 pandemic, and due to its distant relationship to the university didn’t qualify well under “its mission”. Steps were made to fix these problems before termination, but in the eyes of the university’s administration that wasn’t enough.

    “We couldn’t fix it after the fact,” Sotomayor said.

    The introduction of lawyers to the mix didn’t make the situation any better in her eyes either. Instead of coming to the table it became only lawyers talking to lawyers. In the end, lawyers on each side may have convinced them that each was totally in the right.

    “[Many UC members] wholeheartedly believed they did nothing wrong,” Sotomayor said, expressing that at the time even she felt similarly.

    Since the termination, the administration has given most of UC’s previous tasks to the Student Activity Center. The program controls Center Arts, General Operations as well as a new program called Conference and Event Services (CES). Center Activities is now under Athletics and is located at the Student Recreation Center (SRC).

    “So much personal feelings got involved,” Sotomayor said. “And [I’m] not sure we could have gotten [to where the SAC currently is ourselves].”

  • Hustle and bustle at the Associated Students

    Hustle and bustle at the Associated Students

    by Matthew Taylor

    In the wake of reimagining the Associated Students, all hands are on deck. More staff and members have resigned over time as the major deadlines of AS’ yearly budget and the next election cycle fast approach. The Board of Directors has played musical chairs with itself after Finley’s impeachment in a scramble to fill the most critical positions. The AS is quickly becoming a phoenix out of its ashes. Reinvigoration among its most loyal members has been felt across the organization, and student participation and interest have been at an all-time high since the pandemic first hit.

    “[We’re] tapping into the core program,” Chase Marcum, the current Administrative Vice President, said. “Teamwork makes the dream work.”

    Since refocusing on the budget, Marcum and the Finance Committee have utilized all the help they can get from resources such as the Student Legal Lounge, CCAT, and the work of their predecessors.

    “We forget that a lot of passionate previous leadership had the foresight to give students templates and guidance,” Marcum said. “[We have] the ability to look back.”

    The yearly budget plans to increase funds for the Asian, Desi, Pacific Islander Collective (APIC) and various other cultural centers on campus. Funding is also being put into Scholars without Borders and expanding the list of study-abroad countries provided at Cal Poly Humboldt. The Student Legal Lounge may also receive higher funds to put into aid for Dreamer students.

    Discussions around previous legislation, bylaws, and organizational structures continue. Plans to review and update the AS Personnel Code along with many of Finley’s previous legislation are in the works. Reviews will ensure that all legislation and bylaws protect student representation and autonomy within the organization. The Bylaws Committee, alongside Legislative Vice President Gio Guerrero, has also begun negotiations with the Dean of Students to utilize the resources from HR to avoid future internal conflicts.

    Above all, the AS is hopeful for the new election cycle. Voting will commence between April 18-22, and students will be emailed the ballot. Guerrero said that last year only 3-4 people ran for mostly uncontested positions, but this semester almost all the positions have at least one person running for so far. The signature process to get on the ballot has also been waived, making it easier to apply. The results of the elections will be posted on May 6.

    “There’s some work ahead of us, but we’ll make it through and persist,” Guerrero said. “We’re going to be okay as an organization.”

    The next Board of Directors meeting will be held this Friday, April 8, at Nelson Hall East 106 from 3 to 6 p.m. As always, these meetings will be open to the public and are now entirely accessed via Zoom. For access to meetings or further inquiries, the AS can be contacted at (707) 826-5410 and through its email at as-staff@humboldt.edu.

  • Nimby threatens Cal Poly Humboldt student housing

    By Gabriel Zucker

    The California housing crisis can be summed up with one question: to build or not to build? The status quo has always favored single-family homeowners. The recent win for NIMBY (Not in My Back Yard) over UC Berkeley has brought light to the biggest problem California college students are going to face for the foreseeable future: the lack of affordable housing.

    California Governor Gavin Newsom passed a stack of bills focused on fixing the California housing crisis. The biggest bill was Senate Bill Number 9, which allows a four housing unit on a single-family lot. This prioritizes affordable housing for future generations and moves away from the outdated practice of single-family zoning.

    NIMBYs are local homeowners against affordable housing in their neighborhoods. They argue that their home values will drop and they will lose the peacefulness of single-family-owned housing communities if affordable housing structures were built in the area.

    The California Supreme Court sided with NIMBY in a court case against UC Berkeley, going against California’s push towards affordable housing. This forced the school to cut admissions by 2,500 students for the 2022 fall semester. NIMBY won because they argued that UC Berkeley was accepting more students than they could house.

    College students all over California are beginning to feel the effects of the housing crisis. Demand is rising while the options are dwindling. There is a lack of options and if this does not change other colleges will soon be forced to cut their enrollment.

    NIMBYs recent win highlights the division between single-family housing communities and the growing need for affordable housing. College towns are at the epicenter of this issue. College campuses will never be able to house their entire student population. Students rely on the surrounding community to find housing.

    The NIMBY movement is fighting against this change, wanting to preserve a way of life that does not exist anymore. The single-family home is not possible anymore in a changing climate and ever-growing homeless population. NIMBYs are clinging to their current comfortability instead of adapting to the needs of the next generation.

    Cal Poly Humboldt Students will soon feel the effects of this landmark decision. The influx of new students is a great thing for the university’s status but the campus will soon face tough decisions if they do not adapt to the changing times and work with the community to build more affordable housing in the surrounding area.

    A giant problem this semester has been the lack of parking on campus. Students must park farther and farther away from their housing because of the increase of students and stagnation of parking spaces. I had to spend months trying to find an apartment off-campus this past semester. There are already tell-tale signs of the strain the student body is putting on the schools’ resources. If UC Berkeley is a sign of things to come we must adapt before it is too late.

  • Lifted mask mandate polarizes student opinions

    Lifted mask mandate polarizes student opinions

    By Eddie Carpenter

    On March 14, face mask requirements were lifted on Humboldt’s campus as a way to transition back to normal operations. This has created polarizing views towards how students and staff going maskless might affect the local community. Some students have chosen to ditch the masks while others still embrace them.

    Photo by Eddie Carpenter | Dillon Harp still wears his mask in solidarity with his peers.

    Local musician Dillon Harp expressed how one’s personal choice can affect the community as a whole.

    “As an African-American and knowing that my family has elders in it…the mask is just really there to protect others,” Harp said. “Obviously the mask can let particles in like more so than let particles out…Wearing your mask is really just about kind of looking out for the community for me. I ain’t really unmasking anytime soon. If we can all come together a little and see some of the basic logic behind protecting each other, our elderly family members- I think we can all help out and just keep the mask on a little longer.”

    Carlos Ochoa-Silvas, a rangeland resource major, expressed how masks gave him skin problems.

    “Wear a mask if you have symptoms of anything or if you feel like you’re not a hundred-percent,” Ochoa-Silvas said. “When I heard about it, I was mostly excited just because I didn’t like wearing the mask. I kept breaking out underneath and it was really irritating my skin.”

    Political science major Lake McLeod believes that Humboldt’s recent transition could not come at a better time than this.

    “Personally, I agreed with it. I think that eventually, we do have to kind of return to some kind of sense of normalcy,” McLeod said. “You know after two years of being masked…and the cases are down, so I feel like at this point we should learn to live with COVID like we do [with] the flu.”

    English and CRGS major Mireille Roman thinks of wearing a mask as an act of solidarity.

    “I would say that because it’s not a mandate now, it’s kind of become a personal choice to what you want to do with it,” Roman said. “But your personal choice still impacts people at the end of the day. I think the best way that my professor put it was like ‘I’m going to stand in solidarity with people who can’t take off their masks.’ Because there’s people who [are saying] ‘I’m perfectly healthy. I’m vaccinated. I’m good.’ Yeah, but just because you’re fine doesn’t mean that other people are going to be in a position to do so as well… but I think it really dictates the environment of a classroom when the professor chooses to wear a mask or not. Until the numbers are better and just nationally we’re more responsive to this, I’m probably going to keep wearing my mask.”

    Between March 15 and March 22, Humboldt County Public Health reported 72 new COVID-19 cases with 2 new hospitalizations.

  • Cal Poly Humboldt’s Library Cafe sees the light of day

    Cal Poly Humboldt’s Library Cafe sees the light of day

    by Lex Valtenbergs

    The Library Cafe lifted its shutters for the first time in several years on Friday, Feb. 26. The cafe serves delicious coffee blends from Muddy Waters Coffee Co. as well as pastries, veggie wraps, drinks, and more.

    Recent biology graduate Kate Mendoza was just hired by the private company Chartwells Higher Ed to work at the newly reopened cafe.

    “Chartwells is really awesome,” Mendoza said. “Honestly, they work really well with students from what I’ve seen.”

    Mendoza’s go-to drink is the cappuccino.

    “I usually like to do the cappuccino,” Mendoza said. “It’s just espresso, steamed milk, and a lot of foam. I think the foam is my favorite part.”

    Mendoza’s coworker Ahmad Shah, a senior majoring in communication, recommended the hazelnut mocha.

    “I like a hazelnut mocha,” Shah said. “Sometimes coffee is a little bit bitter. The sweetness helps balance the bitterness of the espresso.”

    Communication senior and Learning Center academic peer coach Kas Colwell ordered a vanilla latte with two espresso shots from the Library Cafe on March 3.

    “I’m so glad y’all are open again,” Colwell said to Mendoza while ordering. “It’s exponentially improved my quality of life.”

    After getting her drink, Colwell sat down at a nearby table in the dining area. As a library employee, she appreciates how easy it is to get to the cafe.

    “It’s the convenience because I literally work in the library, so it’s on my regular route,” Colwell said. “I don’t have to go walking somewhere else to get coffee.”

    The Library Cafe is available to all Cal Poly Humboldt students and faculty and is currently open on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  • Humboldt professors speak in ‘Ukraine in Crisis’ forum

    Humboldt professors speak in ‘Ukraine in Crisis’ forum

    by Liam Gwynn

    Professors addressed the complex and multifaceted nature of the Ukraine invasion during an event hosted by the political science department on Friday. They addressed the situation from three different angles with professors breaking down the topic relevant to their expertise.

    Dr. Robert Cliver is a history professor at Cal Poly Humboldt. Cliver gave historical context for the war in Ukraine and explained how the situation is not black and white in his mind. Between the corrupt Ukrainian white nationalist oligarchs and Ukraine’s tentative alliance with the west, Cliver doesn’t think Ukraine is as innocent as they are being painted by the media at large.

    Cliver drew criticism after claiming there were no heroes or villains in war. In his eyes, all of the world leaders are villains fighting over power and resources.

    “I’m against war, period. I think if you’re resorting to violence to achieve your ends you’re not a hero,” said Cliver.

    Cliver warned students against glamorizing and glorifying political figures like Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Cliver supports the Ukrainian people, but thinks people need to look into the historical context of situations and understand that their perspective may have been altered by nationalistic rhetoric they have been exposed to.

    “It’s very difficult to find heroes and villains historically and when people do, it’s usually for nationalistic reasons and I’m very skeptical of that,” said Cliver.

    After Cliver’s talk, Noah Zerbe from the political science department gave a thorough breakdown of the international relations situation currently unfolding between Russia and the rest of the world. In particular, he explained how the sanctions put in place by NATO would affect both Russia and the global economy.

    “Russia and Ukraine account for about 20% of the world’s corn exports and about 30% of the world’s wheat exports,” said Zerbe, continuing. “So cutting that off from global markets is going to have a huge impact on food prices.”

    Zerbe went on to explain how Russia also accounts for about 20% of the world’s fertilizer so not having that on the global market will impact many types of agriculture on top of the ones previously mentioned.

    Allison Holmes from the international studies department took over after Zerbe. Holmes gave an urgent speech about the importance of fact-checking what you read online and the unreliability of news in the era of social media.

    Holmes explained how social media has changed the way people digest information which has, in turn, made times of crisis like this even more disorientating.

    “Everyone became their own spokesperson, nobody needed to wait for the official statement, nobody waited for a press officer to tell you what was happening out there, the feeds from Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, went straight to the news headlines,” said Holmes.

    She explained how this massive change has resulted in a repetitive news cycle where the most TV-ready looking civilians are asked the same questions over and over and other important developments are pushed to the side.

    “This has produced hours and hours of interviews with young women, most of whom happen to be lovely blondes who all speak perhaps halted but excellent English with at least one if not preferably two children sitting on a train platform going they know not where,” said Holmes.

    Holmes did not want to downplay the situation in Russia, but she does think it is being overplayed by the media, especially in comparison to how other conflicts outside of Europe are covered.

    “I’ve lost the number of times I’ve heard ‘we haven’t seen this since world war II’ which is simply not true,” Holmes said, continuing. “What about Yugoslavia, what about Syria’s impact on Europe and the estimated 13 million refugees or displaced people who are still not home?”637 words

  • The 28th annual Social Justice Summit concluded with paddle-boarding to Big Lagoon.

    The 28th annual Social Justice Summit concluded with paddle-boarding to Big Lagoon.

    by Kris Nagel

    An almost-spring chill in the wind convinced almost all of the attendees present to wriggle into one of the wetsuits piled on the warm sand. The Social Justice, Equity and Inclusion Center (SJEIC), in tandem with Center Activities, hosted a kayaking and paddleboarding trip to Big Lagoon for students on March 6.

    Photo by Kris Nagel | Attendees of the 2022 Social Justice Summit trip to Big Lagoon suited up with life preservers and splash guard gather on the beach on March 6, 2022.

    The event capped off a week of activities as part of the 2022 Social Justice Summit, which was themed around climate justice and intersectionality. Part of a 28-year tradition, the annual Social Justice Summit is a place for students to get directly involved in making our community more inclusive. Frank Herrera, the SJEIC coordinator, helped oversee the student leaders who put together the week’s schedule with accessibility in mind.

    “Big Lagoon is a cool spot. I would imagine that it’s probably going to be transformational for some,” Herrera said. “Hopefully in a positive way.”

    The summit was one of the first programs to be offered in person now that COVID-19 restrictions are starting to be lifted. Herrera said this year drew a smaller crowd than it had before the pandemic hit, with around a hundred students attending events over the week.

    About 16 people went to Big Lagoon on Sunday. In part, the limited itinerary was due to this year lacking a credit program for student organizers of the summit. Normally, a class credit is offered through the Critical Race, Gender and Sexuality Studies (CRGS) department. However, Herrera’s request for the program was denied this year.

    Photo by Kris Nagel | Aelis Hanson, a guide with Cal Poly’s Center Activities, walks a program participant through their launch at Big Lagoon on a paddleboard March 6, 2022.

    The summit was a work in progress for months prior to the first speaker taking the stage at the end of February. However, some accommodations took on-the-ground problem solving by the event coordinators.

    One student registered for the Big Lagoon trip had requested additional assistance in transporting their mobility aid before arriving at the pickup location. Not having planned for the additional cargo, organizers scrambled for an additional vehicle. Fortunately, another van was available that morning and the student was able to join shortly after the first kayaks launched.

    Photo by Kris Nagel | Center Activies’ Mairead Sardina educates program participants on water safety, showing how a tight life vest helps keep the head above water March 6, 2022.

    Mairead Sardina works for Cal Poly Humboldt’s Center Activities and helped plan the outdoor programming of the summit. Sardina hoped that the trip would help re-establish a sense of normalcy on campus, now that activities are held in person again.

    “It gets them out and engaged with the local environment which helps with student retention, makes them feel safer, makes them want to get out and care about protecting the environment and see what a beautiful place Humboldt is to live,” Sardina said, promoting the Center Activities center where students can rent outdoor gear at low or no cost.

    Cal Poly Humboldt student Tatiana Gamboa joined the journey out to Big Lagoon. A second-semester student, Gamboa was drawn to the school behind the redwood curtain because of its emphasis on the local environment.

    “It encourages [students] to come out and do something different, without having the funds to rent gear and the previous knowledge of how to paddleboard and kayak.” Gamboa said. “So it kind of gives that gate to students exploring something they might like and I think that’s pretty special.”

  • Healing a broken student body

    Healing a broken student body

    by Matthew Taylor

    It felt like he had become a completely different person. This was a sentiment that current and previous A.S. members echoed in detailing their experiences with ex-A.S. president Jeremiah Finley over the years.

    On Sunday, Feb. 20, Finley was officially impeached and removed from his office. Due to the Legislative Vice President role being empty, the role was given to previous Social Justice and Equity Officer, Lizabeth Cano Sanchez. A unanimous vote on an impromptu Feb. 8 meeting approved this decision. Currently, six positions within A.S. remain open, with an important and daunting budget season right around the corner.

    Many inside and outside A.S. remain both worried and hopeful for the association, along with many still healing from their time serving under Finley’s terms.

    “I have witnessed many great powerhouses of [the] Associated Students’ with strong voices drop off of the A.S. Board [of Directors],” Representative Tashenea Burns Young said. “Because of the negligence, [disrespect] and [inability] to do their job to their full potential, because of President Finley.”

    For longtime members of A.S. such as Malluli Cuellar, Finley’s change in demeanor beginning in the Summer of 2021 was both shocking and confusing, akin to a light switch being flipped.

    “If we ever had any disagreements it was still very respectful,” Cuellar said, explaining his previous demeanor. “He was still actively listening, I felt like he was taking in a lot of the feedback that we would get back then and you would see your feedback implemented into the work.”

    For Cuellar, much of this seemed to change after the pre-agenda meeting of August 2021, which can be read about in our A.S. impeachment article. However, for previous Administrative Vice President (AVP) David Lopez, this had begun as early as June that year.

    As AVP, Lopez was expected to be the head of the association’s yearly budget proposal. This was a task he took very seriously and based on feedback he had assumed he successfully did that year. A phone call from Finley days after the budget books should have been closed and signed told him differently.

    Under the advice and pressure of the university, Finley had almost completely revised the budget without Lopez’s or the Board’s input. When asked what changes he had made, Finley refused to respond until the next board meeting two days later.

    “I’m not ready to share those at the moment, I’ll bring them up tomorrow at our meeting,” Lopez said, directly quoting Finley’s words at the time.

    Huge cuts were made to General Operations, and funds given to student employees under A.S. programs such as WRAPP and CCAT, along with money taken out of the reserves for reallocation. Lopez also expressed that over the pandemic, Finley repeatedly proposed legislation that directly or indirectly centered power into his presidential position.

    “He’s not like that,” Lopez said. “He doesn’t portray himself as someone who is into power [in that way], he’s the perfect politician.”

    Despite the turmoil, both past and present A.S. members have hope for the future of the organization.

    “As for Associated Students, we are working together to further engage in collaboration,” Burns-Young said. “Understanding that we are students and most importantly we are human. With the support of our advisors, core programs, and staff we are the Associated Students who will once more rise above the conflict to further empower our student body.”

    The next A.S. meeting will be March 4, at 4 p.m. in Siemens Hall 117.

  • Troubled police recruitment at Cal Poly Humboldt

    by Carlos Pedraza

    The Cal Poly Police Department has a total of eight vacant spots in its organizations: two administrative, three dispatchers, one officer, and two sergeants. The CPD has enough staff to work all necessary operations, but this significant gap in positions and recruitments is now common throughout the nation.

    Sergeant Chance Carpenter has noticed fewer people willing to become officers. The College of the Redwood police academy has also had lower recruitment.

    “When I went to an academy in 2006, approximately 27-28 graduated from that police academy,” Carpenter said. He explained how the current number of graduates has dropped to only twelve at an academy that once graduated over double the members yearly. Carpenter added most law enforcement is having staffing issues, not just the ones in Humboldt. Speaking of his feelings, Carpenter feels some portion of society is less supportive of law enforcement.

    Black Lives Matter protests and reaction to police violence changed the public opinion on policing. A recent Black History Month protest in the Arcata Plaza articulated community concerns regarding police officers.

    “I think society should always be critical of professionals that offer services,” said Carpenter in response to questions about the change in the public view of police. Carpenter explained in his view that law enforcement should be invested in their communities and positive changes in policing should be supportive.

    There is still a disconnect between students and the CPD despite Carpenter’s hopeful sentiment. Cal Poly Humboldt freshman Elaina Wargala expressed her feelings about law enforcement.

    “I think that a portion of society may be less appreciative of the work law enforcement does,” said Wargala. She expressed her own discomfort with law enforcement in general.

    “I think a lot of people take advantage of their position,” Wargala said.

    The disconnect between campus law enforcement and the student body makes it difficult to maintain staff and even harder to hire new staff. Despite the high number of vacant positions, the CPD has still been able to maintain operations successfully.

  • Food sovereignty lab hosts indigenous film series

    by Krisanne Keiser

    In 2019, Cal Poly Humboldt students envisioned a project that would re-indigenize the campus by creating the Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab & Cultural Workspace.

    According to the summer 2021 FSL Progress Report, this new indigenized space is “dedicated to the research, practice, and preservation of food sovereignty and traditional ecological knowledge. The purpose of the FSL is to provide an opportunity to work directly with the surrounding communities, tribal nations, and national and international scholars and community leaders to center, learn, and engage with Indigenous science, environmental management, and preservation practices.”

    The Food Sovereignty Lab serves to “unify our students, faculty, local tribes, and communities; to center and support tribal sovereignty, natural resource management, and preservation practices; and to provide students with culturally appropriate education in Indigenous natural resource management that respects Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination and serves our community.”

    To help the public and Cal Poly Humboldt students understand the practice of food sovereignty, there will be an online film series via zoom that highlights the importance of revitalizing traditional food sources in March and April.

    The first film, “Inhabitant: Indigenous Perspectives on Restoring Our World,” will be presented by the Social Justice Summit on Thursday, March 3 at 7 p.m. PST.

    The second film, “Voices From the Barrens: Native People, Blueberries & Sovereignty,” will be shown Thursday, March 24 at 7 p.m. PST.

    “Gather” will be shown on Thursday, April 14 at 7 p.m. PST.

    The third part will be a double feature. “El Cacao: The Challenge of Fair Trade,” and “No Place to Grow,” featuring a discussion with filmmaker Michelle Aguilar, will be shown on Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m. PST.

    Interested parties can register online at https://forms.gle/UtD35UCCF89LJqY27

  • A.S. President Finley impeached in unanimous vote

    A.S. President Finley impeached in unanimous vote

    by Matthew Taylor

    Former A.S. President Jeremiah Finley was impeached Sunday, Feb. 20, after an almost seven hour trial. All members of the Board were present, many providing their testimonies and evidence against Finley. Impeachment was under the violations of A.S Government Codes Section 9, subsections F, J, L, M, and O. He was voted guilty on four of these five charges.

    Photo by Abraham Navarro | Social Justice and Equity Officer Lizbeth Cano Sanchez crying at the Associated Students meeting in Siemens Hall on Feb. 5.

    “In order to effectively serve students, we must eliminate fear,” said Social Justice and Equity Officer Sachez, the opening speaker for the trial. “Fear that we will not be allowed to speak our minds without retaliation and fear that, despite mediation, nothing will change.”

    Under subsection F, overstepping the bounds of their office without the advice or consent of the Board of Directors, Finley was found guilty of unilateral decision-making, violation of California Law AB 361, and violation of the Gloria Romero Open Meeting Act of 2000.

    College of Natural Resources & Sciences Representative Tashenae Burns-Young gave testimony towards these violations. She stated that President Finley refused to give her Zoom access to Feb. 4’s meeting unless she divulged personal reasons to her non in-person attendance. At the time, only Parliamentarian Kate Bourne was given Zoom access by President Finley.

    “I would like to start as being a black woman on Associated Students,” Burns-Young said. “I have never felt [more] oppressed by my former BIPOC peers, than by our current president.”

    While Burns-Young was able to attend the meeting thanks to Bourne’s own decision to give the Zoom link to all other members, Finley did not count her as quorum and ignored any votes she made during that meeting.

    Under subsection L and M, President Finley was found guilty of conduct that was deemed to be causing distress to the Board as a collective whole and continuous displays of disrespect aimed at students of the association. Resigned A.S. member Malluli Cuellar gave testimony to this section.

    She gave examples of her many conflicts with President Finley as an A.S. member. In the summer prior to fall 2021, during an agenda prep meeting, Finley had requested that she include a talking point within the agenda that he wished to speak on. She expressed discomfort in allowing this agenda item to be added purely in its state as it wouldn’t allow for a debate between the Board, instead she offered similar alternatives.

    “He expressed to me that if the chair was unwilling to work with him,” Cuellar said. “He would simply amend it on to the agenda [in the state he wanted it in].”

    This incident caused her immense embarrassment and a growing panic towards speaking with President Finley. While she explained that they later spoke one-on-one and he apologized for his actions, his disrespectful words and actions continued up again not long after.

    Lastly, the violation of subsection o. negligence to thoroughly communicate with fellow board members, was testified by both Executive Director Jenessa Lund and College of Natural Resources & Sciences Representative Mark Bulgara.

    “When I would support the President in putting agendas together,” Lund said. “I always encourage, like ‘hey can we link it here it’s always best to provide things ahead of time, so people have time to review it and digest it.’ I always got denied.”

    Bulgara stated that Finley had neglected to properly educate him on important legislation and his voting rights when he appointed him to his current position. In the end, this ignorance often led him to blindly follow President Finley’s own words on any matter.

    “Seeing [this] now, I regret every second that I voted yes for him,” Bulgara said. “Because he has done nothing but betray our trust and he abused my ignorance in being a new member.”

    Photo by Abraham Navarro | Student Affairs Vice President Chase Marcum and Social Justice and Equity Officer Lizbeth Cano Sanchez speak to President Jeremiah Finley at the Associated Students meeting in Siemens Hall on Feb. 5.

    Throughout the entire trial President Finley expressed that all accusations against him were refutable and that he never did anything to break any legal laws nor did he mean to hurt any member with purposeful intent. While he did extend apologies when explicitly asked to by Bulgara, he also expressed himself as a victim to these accusations. He believed many of these accusations to actually stem from personal disagreements and opinions to his own past decisions.

    “I don’t see anything in here that results in the punishment that this board is wanting to pursue,” Finley said. “In fact, I feel as though I am being retaliated against for a lot of the ways that I’ve advocated for our students.”

    The impeachment trial ended with a unanimous vote by all Board members to impeach Jeremiah Finley from his role as A.S. president.

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

    by Matthew Taylor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Hunt for new police chief continues despite adversity

    by Carlos Pedraza

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    by Liam Gywnn

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Black chemists celebrate diversity at Umoja Center event

    by August Linton

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Tears, power-grabs, and calls for resignation

    Tears, power-grabs, and calls for resignation

    by Matthew Taylor

    The first of this semester’s weekly Associated Students (A.S.) meetings ended in frustration, tears, and calls for the president’s own resignation.

    Conflicts between members arose when President Jeremiah Finley refused to hold the official meeting. His own requirements mandated that the group make in-person quorum; he stated that the student body members which attended the meeting via Zoom would not count. Most members of the present student body and the guest speakers at the meeting voiced disagreement.

    “It’s not fair to place the blame on us,” Kate Bourne, Parliamentarian, said through Zoom. “You just won’t make this hyflex, you can’t just force people to come here. The quorum is met, we’re just not in person, we are all members of this.”

    It was only due to the arrival of Social Justice and Equity Officer Lizbeth Cano Sachez moments later that the meeting was allowed by President Finley to properly take place.

    Photo by Abraham Navarro | Student Affairs Vice President Chase Marcum and Social Justice and Equity Officer Lizbeth Cano Sanchez speak to President Jeremiah Finley at the Associated Students meeting in Siemens Hall on Feb. 5.

    Multiple different issues were discussed regarding the amount of power that President Finley has been exercising during his period of presidency. Issues such as his sole power as the Chair to pick and choose what goes on the agenda of meetings, and to choose which representatives may go to the A.S. & CPH Leadership Meetings.

    An expressed lack of communication and ignored emails towards the R.O.S.E House were also present. Director Payton Wills of the organization stated they had been trying to get in contact with A.S. for over 2 months. Members anxious about the eventually demolish of their house and subsequent subpar relocation adding more stress to the tense meeting.

    Emotions ran high when Sachez had to leave to host an event for El Centro, another important student-run organization. She explained that she would continue to participate via Zoom, but under his own ruling on in-person quorum not being met, Finley attempted to end the meeting prematurely.

    Due to the collective stress of the meeting, Sachez began to break down and pleaded with the president to allow her participation through Zoom.

    “I hope I’m not failing any of the members-” Sanchez said, holding back tears.

    “You should be allowed on Zoom. There’s no reason for that to be other than preference.” Kate Bourne said.

    Photo by Abraham Navarro | Social Justice and Equity Officer Lizbeth Cano Sanchez crying at the Associated Students meeting in Siemens Hall on Feb. 5.

    Vice President of Student Affairs Chase Marcum also offered his support, pleading with Finley to make an exception for Sanchez. Still, the president refused.

    “Everyone on Zoom wants this meeting to continue and meet the quorum,” said guest speaker Payton Wills, adding their own opinion. “Lizbeth wants it to meet quorum. All of the people sitting here want it to meet quorum. You are the only person, sitting here, against continuing this meeting. It makes no sense.”

    “Seeing as I’m not leaving, we can continue our meeting…” she said, sitting back down.

    Arguments between members continued to escalate, both Bourne and Sachez accused Finley of refusing to accept not only their previous work experience at A.S. but specifically their roles as female leaders. The angry scraping of chairs could be heard across the room as almost all people present begin to leave the room.

    Unofficially the meeting was adjourned only halfway through the agenda. Only members Marcum and Finley were left, tidying up the room in complete silence.

    In the aftermath of the meeting, Vice President Marcum and President Finley had very different takes on what had occurred.

    Photo by Abraham Navarro | Associated Students President Jeremiah Finley at the Associated Students meeting in Siemens Hall on Feb. 5.

    “Being Black and in this leadership role I bear a weight that many will not understand,” President Finley said. ”Still, I know the work must get done and solutions to issues must be given. So, when my fellow board members and cabinet members won’t show up in person not because they are not able, but because they have something better to do, I still make sure students’ requests are fulfilled because that is why I do what I do and where I find joy.”

    On the other hand, Marcum accused Finley of abusing his power as President and personally apologized on behalf of the A.S. to students and staff members who have suffered hardships under the organization’s current leadership.

    “I truly believe that [Finley] should step down in a dignified fashion,” he said. “Embrace humility, be humbled. It is the most important of all characteristics to carry with you once it is obtained.”

    The Associated Students’ next meeting is planned to take place this Friday, at 3 pm in the same location of Siemens Hall 117.

  • CAP 2.0: The plan to make Cal Poly Humboldt carbon-free

    by Liam Gwynn

    On Jan. 28, Cal Poly Humboldt released an ambitious draft updating the Climate Action Plan. This updated plan promises to have the school completely carbon neutral by 2045. If CAP 2.0 is accepted, the school will implement changes to reduce carbon output and create an ecologically healthier environment.

    Changes would include phasing out gas and replacing it with electric power, implementing new carbon offset projects, introducing a zero-waste plan, and making several changes to transportation on campus. The final draft of the plan will be submitted this April. The budget is not yet finalized, however, if the plan is signed off, it will cost anywhere from 4.4 million to 5.5 million.

    The Climate Action Plan started in 2016 to lower greenhouse gas emissions to levels last seen in the ’90s. They succeeded at that plan in 2020 and started their planning for Cal Poly Humboldt’s next goal, complete carbon neutrality by 2045. This plan came about after The 100 Percent Clean Energy Act of 2018 passed in California, requiring all California businesses to have 100 percent clean energy by 2045.

    Morgan King is a climate analyst at Cal Poly Humboldt and the author of CAP 2.0. For him, this new plan is about more than just meeting the requirements set by the state.

    “We are in the midst of a climate crisis and we understand that climate change events and disasters are already having an impact on our communities, our ecosystems, and our infrastructures,” King said.

    Graphics courtesy of Facilities and Management

    According to King, the main climate threats Humboldt faces are rising ocean levels, wildfires, and extreme weather conditions. These threats are daunting and King is under no illusion that the school has the ability to singlehandedly stop them.

    “Even if humanity took big steps today to curb our burning of fossil fuels, we’re still going to see these climate impacts for many years to come,” King said. ”So we need to start planning and preparing now.”

    Despite the ominous threat of climate change looming in the distance, plans like CAP 2.0 show that there are still people willing to make drastic changes to soften the damage humanity has caused.

    “We are starting to see that resilience and climate protection are becoming part of the culture at this campus,” King said ”We are seeing a greater level than ever before of engagement around these issues.”

  • Campus Community Remembers Local Legend

    Campus Community Remembers Local Legend

    by Kris Nagel and Ollie Hancock

    Ricky Smith, a longtime Arcata community member, was the victim of a deadly assault Wednesday, February 2. The community has spent the last week remembering Smith’s legacy. Known for his big smiles and peace-loving attitude, Smith regularly took to the corner of 17th and G Streets where the assault took place.

    Photo by Morgan Hancock | Community members gather at the corner of G St and 17th St.

    Community members set up a memorial where Smith would spend his days playing songs for passersby. In the days since, the corner has seen people stopping by to share stories of the well-known busker and leave gifts around framed photos.

    Reports say that Smith was killed in a confrontation near the 17th Street footbridge around 5:30 p.m. Although CPR was attempted by two bystanders, he was unresponsive when police arrived on scene. Life saving efforts continued but Smith was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to Mad River Hospital.

    Smith was confirmed dead by Arcata Police the following morning. A 50-year-old Arcata resident was arrested at the scene and taken into custody and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility for murder according to the Thursday press release.

    Photo by Kris Nagel | Arcata resident Ricky Smith plays his guitar on the corner of 17th St and G St on April 28, 2021.

    Smith’s daughter, Sara Smith, has set up a Facebook page for people to share memories of her father. A recent post on the page from Sara shows a note Ricky had made for himself, “Your attitude almost always determines your altitude in life.”

    Ricky Smith was known best for his kind smile, passionate songs, and place in the community reminding us to be good to one another. Though some memories are brighter than others, this moment of loss has brought many in the community to grieve the corner left vacant in Ricky’s absence.

  • Defining Black History Month

    Defining Black History Month

    by August Linton

    To Zephie Harvey, Black History Month is an acknowledgment of the depth and value of Black heritage and culture.

    “Black History month means looking back at my heritage and knowing where we came from,” said Harvey.

    Photo by Abraham Navarro | Cal Poly Humboldt student Zephie Harvey

    However, they also say that it should serve as a reminder of the inequities that Black people still face. Black History Month is also about the history being made right now. Harvey points out that there are many areas in which Black people have only recently been allowed to exist.

    “It’s 2022 and we’re still having firsts for things,” they said.

    Like many people of color and especially Black people living in Humboldt County, Harvey felt a bit isolated before finding community resources like the Umoja Center.

    “I’m from an area that’s very heavily populated with Black people so it’s hard finding that community here,” Harvey said.

    Harvey is a dance major here at CPH, and will be performing in the “Evening of Dance” show later this semester.

    To Nicole Rahman-Garnier, Black History Month means celebrating the accomplishments of Black people.

    Photo by Abraham Navarro | Cal Poly Humboldt graduate student Nicole Rahman-Garnier

    “In the last couple of years, that script has kind of flipped and we’ve been able to more celebrate the triumphs rather than focus on the tribulations that we’ve faced,” Rahman-Garnier said. “It’s a little more of a positive notation of what it means to be Black, what things that we’ve done.”

    As for her experience in Humboldt, Rahman-Garnier says that becoming a student has connected her to the Black community here. “It’s changed over time, when I first moved here it was hard to find a place,” she said.

    “It’s weird being [a Black person] in the sciences because that’s not something that you see a lot here. That’s something that I’m kind of working on changing right now too, not only for the campus culture but for Humboldt culture in general,” said Rahman-Garnier.

    Rahman-Garnier is a grad student at CPH studying the morphology of fish olfactory organs.

    Gloria Thompson and Joi Mehn table in the Quad for CPH’s Umoja Center for Pan African Student Excellence.

    To Mehn, Black History Month means simply “celebrating Black people.”

    The events that the center is holding over the course of this month represent different facets of that celebration. Among others, these include an event highlighting Black achievements in STEM, a Black history expo, an African diaspora celebration, and regular “Kuumba: Dance for Creativity” classes every Saturday.

    Photo by Abraham Navarro | Cal Poly Humboldt student Gloria Thompson

    Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

    “Not holding a Pan African identity does not disqualify anyone from participation in any events or programs, we value cultural exchange and invite people from other backgrounds to ground with us,” said the Center’s website.

    Thompson said that her experience being Black in Humboldt has been “Interesting, but I’ve been finding my people, and that connection is really important.”

  • The HSU Library is finally open

    For the first time since 2017, the HSU library is fully open to students.

    The HSU library reopened on Jan. 18th after the completion of the Seismic Retrofit project. This project was undertaken to reduce structural damage from seismic activity.

    Changes to the library are mostly structural apart from the lower floor, which underwent a complete remodeling. This included repainting, new carpet and flooring, and new window coverings. A new sprinkler system was implemented throughout the entire building as well as new roof tiles and lighting.

    Jason Maugh was the Project Manager and was brought on board to work for HSU in 2016. This project has been in the works for years before this and was originally brought to attention in the 90s. According to Maugh, In 1993 CSU did an evaluation of all of HSU’s buildings and found that the library posed a risk to the general public in the event of serious seismic activity. They were not able to provide the funding for fixing this problem until 2015, over 20 years later.

    The project was dragged on for even longer after the completion of the original plans in 2020.

    “The state fire marshal looked at the changes as a building addition which triggered sprinkling the whole four story building,” said Maugh. This is the reason the library has been in construction for so long, since the school did not originally plan on putting in new sprinklers and had to request additional funding from CSU. Despite the arduous process, the library is now mostly complete and much safer in the event of a serious earthquake.

    There is still some exterior construction being undertaken but it has no impact on students’ accessibility to the library and all facilities are available to students regardless.

    Due to recent spikes in COVID-19 throughout Humboldt county, access to the library has been limited exclusively to HSU students and faculty for the foreseeable future. Each student must have their student ID ready in order to access the facilities.

  • Nina G uses comedy to start conversations

    Nina G uses comedy to start conversations

    On Jan. 28, HSU students were able to tune into a virtual event held by the SDRC where comedian Nina Ghiselli, better known as Nina G, provided laughs and a deeper insight into how she got to where she is today.

    Nina G, a comedian, professional speaker and author of “Stutterer Interrupted” reflects on the importance of student resources for students with disabilities.

    “It was resources like those provided by the SDRC that allowed for me to get through school,” Nina G said as she reflected on the struggles that she faced in grades K-12.

    When she was eight-years-old, Nina G was diagnosed with dyslexia and accommodations became essential for her progress in school. It was not until eighth grade, after receiving a failing grade in her math class for only doing half the work, where she recognized the lack of awareness surrounding the accommodations set for those with disabilities.

    Heather Hollingsworth is a first year transfer student at HSU and resonated with Nina G when it came to the lack of understanding when it comes to accommodations.

    “Some of the professor’s excuses are that accommodations give me an unfair advantage”, Hollingsworth said. “It would be too much work on their part, they do not think I need them, and lastly, my favorite, that I need to find a way to get over my disability and stop using it as an excuse to be lazy.”

    Back in October of 2017, the SDRC launched a “1 in 10” campaign. It was an effort to spread awareness about the amount of students with disabilities on campus, encouraging inclusion and acceptance. The campaign expressed that although disabilities are not always apparent, they are still widely present among the student population.

    Kim Coughlin-Lamphear, a student access advisor for the SDRC, feels like it is important that students at HSU keep in mind that the SDRC makes up 10% or more of the student population at times.

    “We are really trying to take away the negativity surrounding disabilities,” Coughlin-Lamphear said. “The usual, visual picture that students will have is someone who has a physical disability that you can make note of, but that is not always the case.”

    The reality of living with a disability is diverse and Nina G focuses on that, along with other stigmas surrounding the misconceptions that society has when it comes to understanding and including people with disabilities. Her journey of being a stuttering comedian is continuously a work in progress as Nina G constantly wants to improve her art and reach more audiences. She wants to continue to bring awareness, while also using humor as an unconventional approach to tell her story.

    For the SDRC it is important for the students at HSU to have a deeper understanding of where everyone is coming from and encourage inclusivity across campus.

    “For any individual, there’s this notion about being included, of being understood,” Lamphear said. “So having someone who promotes that understanding and inclusiveness is what Nina brings forward for a lot of people.”

  • The Biden Administration’s Long Road to Student Loan Relief

    The Biden Administration’s Long Road to Student Loan Relief

    President Joe Biden leaves his first day of office with continued pressure to follow through with his proposal to relieve $10,000 off all borrowers’ debt following his extension of the nearly year long federal student loan freeze through September 2021.

    At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, Biden took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the first stimulus bill, where he also urged that some sort of student loan relief should be included within it.

    It's simple: The White House and @senatemajldr have tried to put corporate bailouts ahead of families.

    No bill should pass without conditions on corporations to ensure the help they get goes to their workers, not their CEOs. No blank checks.

    No bill should pass without immediate, generous relief for workers who are losing jobs and hours, small businesses losing revenue, and communities facing emergency needs.

    Additionally, we should forgive a minimum of $10,000/person of federal student loans, as proposed by Senator Warren and colleagues. Young people and other student debt holders bore the brunt of the last crisis. It shouldn't happen again.

    We should also increase monthly Social Security checks by $200/month, as proposed by Senator Wyden and colleagues. Seniors and people with disabilities are uniquely at risk right now.

    In this moment of crisis, we should be sending federal resources to those who need it most. It's not just good economics — it's the right thing to do. We have to get this right.

    Originally tweeted by Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) on Sunday, March 22, 2020.

    Within his first day of office, Biden made progress with his proposition to tackle the student debt crisis through addressing the issue within one of the 17 executive orders made. This consisted of extending the pause on interest and principal payments for student loans through Sept. 30.

    Following this busy first day, many members of Congress are pushing Biden to do more. The likes of Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are leading a group of other influential Democrats in pursuit of asking for $50,000 of forgiveness per each federal student loan borrower. A few of the more progressive members of Congress, such as Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, are calling for complete cancellation of student debt. As COVID-19 cases are on the surge, they collectively believe that tackling the burden of student debt is essential to combat the financial hardship that citizens are going through.

    Lily McIntire received both her Bachelors and Masters degrees studying Biology at HSU. She is currently in the process of obtaining her PhD in Ecology at San Diego State University.

    In regards to what she hoped for student debt forgiveness with this new administration, McIntire was apprehensive. She explained that the accumulation of the student debt crisis has always been a looming issue, but the pandemic has made it more of an upfront issue.

    “I’ve been in school continuously, so I’ve been in deference,” said McIntire when asked how the burden of student loans has affected her personally. “However, they have stopped interest fees until September too, which is a huge relief for me because a lot of my debt from grad school was unsubsidized.”

    According to data that was crunched by the Department of Education, the average debt for an HSU graduate student is around $20,000. However, only around 26% of these students are making some progress toward repayment.

    Peggy Metzger is the Director of Financial Aid Services at Humboldt State and feels enthusiastic about the change that the Biden Administration has the potential to make for recent graduates.

    “There are a lot of students at the University that are out there with a debt of $10,000 or less,” said Metzger. “The amount of students that would be able to wipe out their debt completely is quite large.”

    Metzger also said that the relief of student loan debt could potentially help graduates focus on obtaining their first job or buying that first house. It would allow them to get a better start in life.

    Karolyn Fagundes is currently a graduate student at HSU who is in the process of obtaining a masters in forestry and has thought little about her student debt situation post-graduation.

    “I’m pretty deep in student loan debt, but I don’t know how it’ll affect me after graduation,” said Fagundes.

    Fagundes explains how the idea of being in debt is not entirely concrete since she has yet to make any payments. However, she feels skeptical about the current administration’s capabilities to make a real difference when it comes to student loan debt. Like many, Fagundes is questioning whether this first executive action made by the Biden administration is setting the tone for further progress with student loan forgiveness.

    “In the coming days and weeks we will be announcing additional executive actions that confront these challenges and deliver on the President-elect’s promises to the American people,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement on a press call the on Jan. 19 before inauguration day.

    In the coming months, the Biden administration is going to be watched closely as they are expected to make longer strides toward combatting many pressing issues during such a vulnerable time. The student debt crisis is currently on the hot seat and Biden’s exact plan of action is still unclear for many.

  • Local Mexican Restaurant owner Esteban Gonzalez passes at 55

    Local Mexican Restaurant owner Esteban Gonzalez passes at 55

    Esteban Gonzalez was 55 when he passed away from pneumonia in relation to COVID-19 on January 12. The tragic news shocked the community and everyone that knew him, leaving behind a huge legacy and heartfelt memories with those who knew the well-known Arcata restaurant owner.

    Gonzalez was able to open his first taco truck in 2000. What started as just him and his wife selling food out of a trailer, expanded into a second location and became one of the most popular restaurants in town. After the pandemic started, his outdoor benches continued to be a convenient destination to go out to eat.

    Located in the heart of downtown Arcata, the restaurant provided high school and HSU students a delicious and positive place to stop for lunch or dinner.

    One of those students is Brandon Allen. He grew up in Humboldt County and went to Arcata High School.

    “This is just such a loss for the community all around,” Allen said.

    Allen remembered stealing a soda from Gonzalez in his freshman year of high school when Gonzalez caught him in the act. Allen felt so bad that he went back after school to apologize. Instead of punishing him, Gonzalez was actually happy to see him.

    “He was super understanding, letting me know that everyone makes mistakes,” Allen said.

    Even after high school, he continued to eat there and Esteban would still remember his order and want to hear about how he was doing.

    “Esteban was such an important part of my teenage years,” Allen said. “He taught me a lot without me really grasping it until much later.”

    Kyra Cohen, a senior at Humboldt State and an Arcata native started going to Esteban’s during their freshman year of high school.

    “He was the first in Arcata that all the high schoolers knew and loved. He’d help out kids when they were short of money, and simply had the best restaurant for Arcata kids,” Cohen said.

    Gonzalez’s restaurant was not only a great place to eat. He also created a fun and loving environment every time you walked in.

    Cohen remembers making jokes with her friends, and Gonzalez would just crack a calm smile. He’d often jokingly laugh and smile at them.

    “He’s the go-to for sure. I crave an Esteban’s burrito more than anything,” Cohen said.

    Brook Reeser is an HSU senior who grew up in McKinleyville. She worked at Redwood Day Camp during the summer, and she and all her co-workers would go to Esteban’s for lunch. They all called his burritos the “best they’ve ever had.”

    Arcata Main Street set up a GoFundMe page for Gonzalez’s family and has already surpassed their $15,000 goal with $28,116 as of Feb 1.