The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: News

  • 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.

  • With Future Unknown Amid Pandemic, HSU Plans for Enrollment Drops and Budget Cuts

    With Future Unknown Amid Pandemic, HSU Plans for Enrollment Drops and Budget Cuts

    HSU, like all colleges, prepares for tough times and serious measures

    Humboldt State University is preparing for an enrollment drop of around 20% for the fall and a budget cut of around $20 million by the 2022 fiscal year, according to a joint press release from HSU and College of the Redwoods.

    Before the COVID-19 pandemic, HSU projected an enrollment drop for total students of around 14% for the fall and had proposed a budget cut of around $5.4 million by the 2022 fiscal year. 

    Given the uncertainty of the next year, HSU is planning for an even larger enrollment decline and budget cut. HSU currently projects new student enrollment to drop by 30%. The specifics of what the budget cuts will mean are still being worked out.

    “Many options are being looked at, including combinations of a hiring chill, spending freeze, operational changes, incentives for retirements, travel reductions, and more,” the press release said.

    In a Zoom interview, HSU Vice President of Enrollment Management Jason Meriwether said a worst case scenario projection might be only 500 new students and 500 transfer students admitted to HSU in the fall. 

    These numbers, to be clear, are projections. No one knows exactly how the next year will play out. Meriwether hoped HSU could keep enrollment and retention as high as possible.

    “The sad part is, I don’t know,” Meriwether said. “There’s no benchmark. There’s nothing to project against. We could be doing all this and, you know, 1400 students show up—which would be wonderful.”

    HSU is not alone. As noted in Meriwether’s Tuesday enrollment management report to the HSU Senate, colleges everywhere are facing enrollment drops amid the pandemic. The report cited articles from Forbes and the Associated Press along with some early data suggesting one out of every six college-bound students won’t attend college in the fall.

    With education expected to shift to a more local focus, Meriwether pointed out that HSU already shifted to local recruitment in the last year with measures like the Humboldt First Scholarship.

    Compared to an average of about 32 local students attending HSU per year in the last three years, HSU currently has 208 local students confirmed to attend HSU in the fall with the Humboldt First Scholarship. 

    “The good news is we’re not starting local recruitment today because there’s a problem,” Meriwether said. “That’s the best part of all this—is that we already have a really solid foundation that we built in the community over the last eight or nine months.” 

    The enrollment management report includes a graph of enrollment scenarios, with red lines for lower enrollment scenarios and a blue line for a growth scenario. Meriwether hoped for HSU to remain close to the blue line.

    “Essentially, pray we get as close to the blue line as possible,” he said. 

    Meriwether pointed out that, since COVID-19 has hit everywhere, current students might not have much reason to transfer. If classes are still online in the fall at HSU, they will presumably be online everywhere. 

    “Let’s say a student says, ‘OK, well, you know, I want to transfer because I didn’t want this experience,’” he said. “OK. Well, the question will be, ‘What school are you going to transfer to?’ Because every school is stuck in this scenario right now.”

    Nevertheless, the pandemic will likely temporarily derail HSU’s efforts to improve enrollment. 

    “Long term, you know, prior to COVID-19, prior to this hit, we had a plan of getting to an FTE of 7600 students [full-time students] in about four years,” he said. “So now, what if the COVID-19 environment says, well, gosh, it can make us take eight years to get there.”

    Meriwether was optimistic that eventually, HSU would get through this.

    “I believe that we will bounce back, and I believe we will bounce back strong if the hit is really bad,” he said. “This is a marathon. Enrollment is a marathon.”

  • HSU Projecting Grave Hit to Enrollment for Fall Semester

    HSU Projecting Grave Hit to Enrollment for Fall Semester

    Freshman class projected to shrink, number of academic departments to be reduced

    For the latest information, see our story here.

    Update 11:10 a.m.: a second email sent yesterday from College of Natural Resources Dean Dale Oliver and obtained by The Lumberjack makes similar points but does not give a specific number to the expected enrollment drop for fall beyond noting that a 15-20% drop was expected prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. We will update this story when we have confirmed the numbers below. The second email is pasted below.

    Humboldt State University has issued a budget directive to take immediate action to prepare for the fall semester, including the freezing of open staff positions and the reduction of the number of academic departments, according to an email sent to faculty and staff of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Tuesday morning.

    The email, sent by Interim Dean of CAHSS Rosamel Benavides-Garb, projected a freshmen class for fall 2020 of around 500 students, down from around 1,400 students five years ago and down from around 1,000 students for fall 2019.

    “The scale and impact of our current predicament is grave and as a result our budgetary practice has to be reconsidered and reformulated based on the simple equation of demand and resources,” the email said. “We have become, de facto, a much smaller institution, which compels us to undertake a comprehensive reset at HSU.”

    The email listed six directives, including requests to freeze all vacant staff positions, reduce the number of academic departments and develop online programs for current and transfer students to complete their degrees.

    The email promised to make the process consultative and sustainable.

    “We remain committed to “the student first” approach,” the email said, “and are extremely aware of the critical importance, now more than ever, of issues of social justice, equity, and inclusion in all we do.”

    The full email is copied below:

    Dear CAHSS Colleagues,

    On April 2, the deans of all three academic colleges received new administrative directives from Interim Provost Lisa Bond-Maupin regarding the coming academic year. The directives are a call to action, issued in response to the budget and recruitment/retention reality at HSU. The Interim Provost reiterated these directives yesterday, Monday, April 6 in her Provost/VPAA Report to the senate.

    As we all know, our student enrollment has been declining for several years and the institutional budget has been negatively impacted. The administration’s efforts to address the problem must now be reframed in light of new and profound challenges the current COVID-19 pandemic poses for HSU, and the CSU system in general.

    We are projecting a freshmen class of 500~ students across all three colleges. Five years ago, the freshmen class numbered 1,400+ students. The scale and impact of our current predicament is grave and as a result our budgetary practice has to be reconsidered and reformulated based on the simple equation of demand and resources. We have become, de facto, a much smaller institution, which compels us to undertake a comprehensive reset at HSU.

    The Interim Provost has directed the three academic deans to reduce spending and grow retention/recruitment. Her directives require our college to implement the following action areas immediately:

    1. Freeze all vacant staff positions: This is indefinite or until each college develops a plan to organize staff support within colleges and across colleges.

    2. Reduce the number of academic administrative units (departments): This needs to be planned immediately and be in place for this next fiscal year so we are reorganized starting fall 2020.

    3. Develop online degree completion opportunities for certain existing majors in the last two semesters of their programs.

    4. Develop two-year degree online completion opportunities for transfer students of certain majors beginning fall 2020.

    5. Develop a partnership with CEEGE related to workforce development, responding particularly to a post COVID-19 context.

    6. Integrate the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) in the development and implementation of new teaching capacity.The Interim Provost has also indicated that she expects this process to be:

    The Interim Provost has also indicated that she expects this process to be:

    · Consultative with unit leadership.

    · Consultative and collaborative across colleges.

    · Sustainable by creating new retention and recruitment opportunities.

    The deans of the three colleges have already begun discussing the directives. I have also initiated planning within CAHSS, in collaboration with the three associate dean fellows, and will continue to discuss budget with the chairs. We will move forward together, exploring multiple budget management opportunities to make our colleges strong and resilient in the face of present and future challenges. We can also regard these adjustments as unique opportunities to explore new and exciting programs to attract and serve our ever-diverse student population in a shifting and challenging workforce environment. We remain committed to “the student first” approach and are extremely aware of the critical importance, now more than ever, of issues of social justice, equity, and inclusion in all we do.

    Sincerely and in solidarity,

    Rosamel

    Email from CNRS Dean Dale Oliver:

    April 6, 2020

    CNRS Faculty and Staff

    Dear Colleagues,

    Earlier today Interim Provost Lisa Bond-Maupin sent out her report to the HSU University Senate in preparation for Tuesday’s meeting.  Included in her report was a call for collective action to prepare for fewer students and fewer resources in the next academic year.  I’ve pasted the relevant section of the Provost’s report below my signature.

    Current estimates indicate we could have 20% fewer students in Fall 2020 that we had in Fall 2019.  This reduction is significant, and we must plan over the next weeks and months so that those students who start or continue with us in the fall experience high quality, engaged learning that will prepare them well for STEM professions and advanced study.

    Three items from the Provost’s report that I want to highlight are personnel, administrative re-structuring, and online education.

    Personnel: Although we will be finishing out the two faculty searches currently underway, and ensuring we have sufficient temporary faculty to deliver our curriculum, all other hiring is frozen for the moment, including those which are currently vacant and those which will soon be vacant due to expected retirements. Through improving business processes, realigning and reorganizing staff positions, and targeting professional development we will find a way to support our educational enterprise without hiring additional personnel.  This work will be both necessary and challenging, and require collaboration with relevant unions and careful consideration of multiple factors.

    Administrative restructuring: At the Dean’s level we were already planning a partial re-assignment for Associate Dean Rick Zechman to manage the marine lab while marine lab director Brian Tissot transitions from full-time director to FERP faculty.  We are also being asked to reduce the number of administrative units in the college, meaning that some departments will be merged or reformed.  This work will be done in close collaboration with the CNRS Council of Chairs and the other two academic deans.

    Online Education: There are some programs in CNRS for which one of the following scenarios might make sense:  provide an online degree-completion option for a group of students who have a year or less left to complete their degree; provide a degree-starter program for a group of first year (or transfer) students to get started with HSU from home during the fall 2020 semester, and then begin on campus in Spring 2021; provide more online sections of general education courses for undeclared students or majors from outside CNRS.  For the moment, I recommend that faculty discuss within their departments whether one or more of these scenarios might be appropriate for their program.

    For this week I am collaborating with the Provost’s office, with the other academic deans, and with a working group of CNRS Chairs to create possible models for administrative restructuring that can then be discussed among all of the CNRS chairs the following week.  Relatively soon I will also set up a mechanism by which input can be given from across the college.

    We face a significant challenge as a college and university over the next few months and years, but I am confident that we will find solutions that serve our students and the citizens of California well.  My confidence rests solidly on the incredible talent, dedication, and creativity of our faculty and staff, whom I am proud to serve.

    Best wishes, safety, and health to you and your families,

    Dale R. Oliver, Dean

    College of Natural Resources and Sciences

    From Interim Provost Lisa Bond-Maupin’s report to HSU’s University Senate, April 6, 2020

    Realignment of Spending with Reduced Revenue

    In addition to supporting instructional continuity and Academic Master Planning, our division leadership is turning our attention to budget planning for next fiscal year and beyond. Prior to COVID-19, our enrollment picture for next academic year was apparently trending toward a 15-20% fall-to-fall (one year) student headcount decline. We were likely headed toward a reduction to the HSU budget for next fiscal year that was double that anticipated when the URPC created its annual budget recommendations to President Jackson.  While the college-going enrollment impact of the pandemic is unknown for all in higher education across the nation, it is clear that the CSU and HSU will experience further decline in student enrollment. Given the enrollment challenges felt across the state, it is likely that impaction at our southern campuses will be lifted. It is highly likely that more students will choose for financial and other reasons, in the shorter term at least, to remain at home or closer to home to study. 

    While we await the release of up-to-date enrollment projections and budget information, Academic Affairs is implementing a few immediate strategies toward student retention and recruitment on the heels of the pandemic and toward further reducing our spending. As we do so, we are guided by the URPC principles and our own commitments to meeting the instructional needs of our students and protecting employment. In addition to continuing to adjust our academic offerings for Fall, immediate strategies also include: 

    • Working with each dean and director to reduce budget allocations for FY 21 

    • Freezing hiring in all open staff positions for now and planning to absorb staff attrition

    • Working collaboratively with staff within and across colleges and budget units in Academic Affairs to reimagine and reorganize our staff support 

    • Working collaboratively with department chairs and faculty to condense the number of separate academic administrative units in the colleges 

    • Working within the Office of the Provost to realign and reorganize staffing

    • Identifying academic programs ready to continue to offer upper division major courses online into next year and beyond to: a) help students in their final semesters to study from home and complete their degrees, and b) offer new transfer students an opportunity to complete their degrees online 

    • Identifying a COVID-era retention specialist in Academic Affairs who will support the continued offering of all existing retention efforts in a virtual format and will work in collaboration with ODEI to implement inclusive retention practices at a distance. 

    Each one of us will be implicated in and needed for this work. It is tough and unavoidable at this time. Each one of us has a very important role to play, now, more than ever in maintaining close connections with our students, helping them to problem-solve their educational needs and connect to resources and to stay connected to HSU. We need our students. And I think we are finding in their response to our transformed instruction – they need us. This powerful connection will ultimately move HSU through and beyond this tough moment in our collective history to the future we envision. Thank you.

  • Breaking: Planning Commission Rejects Wind Farm Project

    Breaking: Planning Commission Rejects Wind Farm Project

    After three meetings, Humboldt County Planning Commission comes to Terra-Gen wind farm conclusion

    In a 4-2 vote on Thursday evening, the Humboldt County Planning Commission rejected permitting for the Humboldt Wind Energy Project, a proposed plan to bring 47 Terra-Gen wind turbines to Bear River and Monument Ridges.

    The turbines would have been capable of producing half of Humboldt County’s energy needs.

    The Planning Commission held two previous meetings this month before reaching a decision. Both previous meetings and Thursday’s meeting saw huge crowds.

    The planned wind farm site was located in a sacred Wiyot prayer site and in a pristine wildlife environment home to several endangered species that would be impacted by the turbines.

    The opposition to the project cited visual pollution, an incomplete environmental impact report and inadequate mitigations as reasons to reject the plan. Project supporters cited an urgent need to reduce fossil fuel burning and reinforce the county’s energy resiliency.

    See more information on the project here.

  • PG&E to Shut Off Power for Up to 5 Days

    PG&E to Shut Off Power for Up to 5 Days

    Humboldt County residents prepare for a power outage

    A power outage will hit Humboldt County as soon as midnight, and may last as long as five days according to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services.

    PG&E notified OES today that parts of Humboldt County may see power shutoffs as a result of transmission line shutoffs in California’s Central Valley, due to high winds raising the risk of wildfires.

    OES Public Information Officer Meriah Miracle said Humboldt County residents should prepare for an outage.

    “Humboldt County should expect power outages as soon as midnight,” Miracle said. “PG&E has not given a time frame yet, but it could be as long as five days.”

    Miracle added that PG&E is currently looking into using the local King Salmon power plant to offset any shutoffs. At 4 p.m., Miracle expected an update from PG&E over the following couple hours.

    According to a Humboldt County press release, OES is working with response partners and has notified local health services.

    “Humboldt County should expect power outages as soon as midnight. PG&E has not given a time frame yet, but it could be as long as five days.”

    Meriah Miracle, Office of Emergency Services Public Information Officer

    Humboldt State University has posted a statement on their website promising further information when available, including whether classes will be cancelled. The statement urged students to charge phones and critical electronics.

    Miracle said residents should follow normal emergency preparedness procedures.

    “OES is urging residents to prepare just like they would for any other events,” Miracle said.

    For more information, multiple press released are posted below.

    A message sent out to some PG&E customers today:

    Dear Valued Customer,

    To protect public safety, PG&E may turn off your power overnight. Power will remain off until weather conditions improve and it is safe to restore service. To view a list of your impacted locations visit pgepsps.com.

    Here is what you need to know:

    Please have your emergency plan ready.

    If you have a backup generator, please do a safety check and make sure you have enough fuel to last a few days. Generator safety tips can be found here. Power will remain off until weather conditions improve and it is safe to restore service. We will continue to monitor conditions and will contact you with further updates. In most cases, we would expect to be able to restore power within 24 to 48 hours after weather has passed. Depending on weather conditions or if any repairs are needed, outages (weather event plus restoration time) could last longer than 48 hours. For planning purposes, we suggest preparing for multiple-day outages. If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and extremely dangerous and report it immediately by calling 911.

    For more information, including regular updates, visit pge.com or call 1-800-743-5002.

    Thank you,

    Pacific Gas and Electric Company

    From the Humboldt County website:

    Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services (Sheriff’s OES) is preparing for the potential shutdown of PG&E power to areas of Humboldt County. On Tuesday, Oct. 8, PG&E notified the county that it may activate Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) protocols in neighboring counties due to extreme weather. Transmission lines that power Humboldt County could be affected as a result of a shutdown in another county. The shutdown could impact parts of Humboldt County within the next 24 hours.

    Humboldt County is ready to respond to the effects of the power outage; however, the decision to turn off the power and the speed at which it is restored is managed solely by PG&E. The utility is working on a solution to generate power locally at its King Salmon power plant that would help offset the effects of any shutoff.

    Sheriff’s OES has taken steps in preparation for a potential power shutdown after being notified by PG&E of their new PSPS program earlier this year. OES is currently operating the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and is actively coordinating with our operational area response partners and monitoring the situation.


    Sheriff’s OES has notified community partners including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, Humboldt Senior Resource Center, PACE, Open Door Community Health Centers and other critical service providers in the county. Adult Protective Services staff are working on contingency plans to protect the most vulnerable. Local emergency services including 911 dispatch have backup power and should remain active in the event of a power shutoff.

    Learn more about PG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoffs and sign up for PSPS alerts at prepareforpowerdown.com or call 1-877-9000-PGE. PG&E is monitoring weather patterns and will provide updates to customers and Humboldt County when information is available.

    Sign up for Humboldt ALERT at humboldtgov.org/alerts to receive safety information and be informed of imminent threats to personal safety or property, tailored to an address of your choosing.
    To receive updated information from PG&E, update your contact information at prepareforpowerdown.com.
    Talk to your medical provider about a power outage plan for medical devices powered by electricity and refrigerated medicines. Plan for batteries and other alternatives to meet your needs when the power goes out.
    Many medications are still usable for two to three days at room temperature, including insulin, which can keep for 28 to 30 days. However, if you are in doubt, please be sure to check with your medical provider.
    Review the supplies that are available in case of a power outage. Have flashlights with extra batteries for every household member. Have enough nonperishable food and water.
    Use a thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer so you can know the temperature when the power is restored. Throw out food if the temperature is 40 degrees or higher.
    Keep mobile phones and other electric equipment charged and gas tanks full.
    Know how to manually open electric garage doors and gates.

    For more information, including what to do during a power outage, visit prepareforpowerdown.com.

  • Marijuana Breathalyzer Coming 2020

    Marijuana Breathalyzer Coming 2020

    No pee, hair or spit. One blow is all it takes to show marijuana intoxication levels with new breathalyzer.

    Marijuana has been a touchy topic since Colorado and Washington made their first moves to legalize recreational use in 2012. Since then, 29 states have followed and declared marijuana legal for medicinal and/or recreational use.

    Tension forms at the discrepancy between state and federal opinion on where marijuana falls legally as a drug. The lack of legal confirmation from the federal government makes it difficult for government employers, especially police officers, to execute and process circumstances surrounding marijuana intoxication. Recent developments in marijuana detection technology suggest a breathalyzer is in the works.

    Current marijuana testing requires a hair, urine or blood sample. The test results detect past use up to six months and reports the current THC level in the body. This testing proves to be unreliable as past use of marijuana will distort a current reading of bodily intoxication, which is what law officials care about.

    The two technology companies racing to release their version of a more accurate breathalyzer are Hound Labs and SannTek.

    Hound Labs was established five years ago and is leading the race with an expected release of late 2020. The Hound Labs breathalyzer operates on a specified time basis. It can detect marijuana if it’s been used in the last three hours. The three-hour window comes from two findings; one, marijuana is only detectable for the first three hours. Afterward, THC levels drop so low and so fast that it becomes virtually undetectable. Second, the initial three hours of intoxication are the most impaired and therefore the most crucial.

    The breathalyzer method proves to be more accurate and better suited for law and medical officials, as alternative testing can take hours to produce results. In addition, this method is also beneficial to the participant, as the regulated three hour time interval doesn’t hold participants liable for past usage beyond that time frame.

    If this new testing method becomes normalized, the three hours prior to testing will be the most critical, but anything before those three hours is merely tangential. Ideally, someone tested for their marijuana use could not be held liable for their marijuana use prior to the that three-hour window because the breathalyzer would not be able to detect it.

    The opposing company, SannTek, and their breathalyzer the SannTek 315 will operate similarly to the Hound Labs breathalyzer. SannTek 315 is still in early development so the company is not providing much information. Like Hound Labs, their product will utilize a time interval to reveal the last ingestion of marijuana and current intoxication.

    Hound Labs conducted clinical testing in 2017 in cooperation with University of California, San Francisco. However, no findings have been concluded publicly due to the small sample size. SannTek 315 lacks any formal testing or trials at this time.

  • HumBot Says Hello

    HumBot Says Hello

    HSU chatbot introduced to new students to answer campus questions

    This fall, Humboldt State University introduced artificial intelligence chatbot HumBot to provide basic information for new students and transfers.

    Director of Communications and Marketing for Enrollment Management Josh Smith led the project over the last two months until its release.

    Thus far, HumBot has received more than 1000 questions and comments.

    “There is a good chance that those questions may not have been asked if that avenue was not available to them at the time,” Smith said. “We get them at all hours of the day.”

    Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Alexander Enyedi initially pushed for the development of a chatbot two years ago after hearing about a chatbot at Georgia State University. Pounce, the name for GSU’s chatbot, delivered more than 200,000 answers to incoming freshman within the first few months of its implementation in 2016.

    Enyedi, with help from Smith and Associate Professor of Social Work Jen Maguire worked together to create HumBot.

    “I’ve been a passionate proponent for the chatbot technology for over two years,” Enyedi said in an email.

    HumBot is one chatbot among seven within California State Universities. AdmitHub, an AI chatbot service designed for students, developed all seven chatbots.

    HSU created HumBot in the last two months after receiving an $80,000 grant from the Irvine Foundation.

    AdmitHub handed over HumBot pre-seeded with answers to the 700 most common questions asked by first-year students. HSU then needed multiple departments to analyze the answers.

    “It was started off by everybody just going in there, reading all the questions and answers, and first making sure that it was accurate, and second, trying to make it a little bit more friendly,” Smith said.

    HSU staff and summer students then seeded HumBot with an additional 150 questions before it was released this fall. HumBot will continue to learn as students interact with it.

    HumBot responds to fisheries transfer student Matthew Howe on Sept. 3. HumBot has answers to over 850 questions so far. | Photo courtesy Matthew Howe

    “That is going to be an ongoing, multi-year, get smarter each time kind of thing,” Smith said.

    Associate Professor Maguire is conducting research through the bot and Smith said she has been shaping HumBot to address issues specific to HSU. Maguire could not be reached for an interview.

    “She is kind of the intellectual arm of the chatbot,” Smith said. “She and her colleagues are seeding the knowledge base of the chatbot with questions that relate to housing insecurity, food insecurity—HumBot is still learning those things, but it is our particular brand.”

    Transfer fisheries student Matthew Howe used HumBot to find out where to pick up his mail. Howe admitted to being surprised by how well HumBot worked.

    “I thought it worked fairly well,” Howe said. “I was expecting it to not perform at all. I was surprised at how well it did work.”

    Howe said he would use HumBot again, although he doubts he would ask it anything personal.

    Smith noted that questions sent to HumBot can be viewed by the project staff. HumBot is unlikely to be helpful for personal matters, although with the possibility of endangerment HumBot can notify university police.

    Smith hopes HumBot can play an important role in the modernization of HSU’s accessibility.

    “I would just encourage students to kind of re-look at those things that maybe they don’t know about or maybe weren’t up to par with a couple years ago,” Smith said.

    For now, HumBot is only available to new students, but it is expected to roll out for second and third-year students next fall.

  • 20 Flights to Remember

    20 Flights to Remember

    Honoring those who lost their lives on 9/11

    Humboldt County firefighters, community members and HSU students walk HSU’s Founders Hall stairs in honor of those who died at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

    • Arcata Fire Disctrict Battalion Chief Sean Campbell’s gear and water bottle sit by the base of the Founders Hall stairs on Spetember 11 as Arcata Fire Department prepares to walk 20 flights of stairs in memory of those who lost their lives at the World Trade center.
    • Arcata Fire Captain Luke Walker walks with his wife Sinei and their daughter Lina on Spetember 11 in remembrace of those who lost their lives at the World Trade Center.
    • Humboldt County firefighters, Arcata Police officers and community members walk 20 flights of stairs at Founders Hall in remembrance of those who lost their their lives at the World Trade Center on September 11.
    • Arcata firefighter Russell Kadle makes his way up the Founders Hall stairs with a New York hook on September 11 in honor of those who lost their lives at the World Trade Center.
    • Arcata Fire Disctrict Battalion Chief Sean Campbell (Center) walks up the Founders Hall stairs while others head down in remembrance of those who lost their lives at the World Trade Center on September 11.
    • Public Information Officer Amy Conlin and James Hamilton walk up the Founders Hall stairs on September 11 for Humboldt Bay Fire and Cal Fire Del Norte Unit repectively in remembrance of the firefighters and civillians who lost their lives at the World Trade Center.
    • Volunteer with Kneedland Fire Ruger West walks up the Founders Hall stairs on Spetember 11 in remembrance of those who lost their lives at the World Trade Center.
    • HSU president Tom Jackson cariers an oxygen tank while walking with firefighters and community members on September 11 in recognition of those who dies at the World Trade Center.
    • Kneeland Fire Captain Everett Buell makes his way up the Founders Hall stairs on September 11 in honor of those who lost their lives at the World Trade Center.
    • Arcata firefighter Luke Walker gives a brief speech about walking in remembrance on those who lost their lives at the World Trade center as firefighters from around Humboldt County and community members prepare to walk 20 flights of stairs on September 11.
    • Students from Arcata Christian School wave American flags as firefighters and community members walk up and down the Founders Hall stairs on September 11 in honor of those who lost their lives at the World Trade Center.
  • This week in news

    This week in news

    By | Charlotte Rutigliano

    World:

    • Pope Francis urged the United States and North Korea on Saturday to defuse their increasingly tense standoff and avert a potentially horrific conflict. (New York Times Update – 4/29/2017)

     

    Nation:

    • A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a threat to take away funds from sanctuary cities. (CNN Update – 4/25/17)
    • Trump administration still considering how to make it easier to sue the media. (Washington Post Update – 4/30/2017)

     

    Local:

    • A federal judge dismissed portions of a lawsuit claiming Eureka’s ordinances against camping and storage of personal items in public spaces violates the Constitutional rights of homeless individuals. (North Coast Journal Update – 4/28/2017)
    • Highway 101 is open and traffic is flowing north of Leggett. (Caltrans Update – 4/25/17)
  • This semester in news

    This semester in news

    By | Curran Daly

    Spring term began on January 17. Since the first Lumberjack issue of the semester, we have covered a wide range of topics within HSU and the local community. Here is a look at some of the top stories the Lumberjack has covered this semester. For all these stories and more go to thelumberjack.org.

     

    Largest March in Eureka City History

    On January 21, women and men took to the streets of Eureka to march in protest of the inauguration of Donald Trump.

    “We need to be together, as the mass of humanity, with all our diversity in order to join up and be powerful, and challenge the other powers that are trying to oppress us,” Arcata local, Joanne McGarry said.

     

    Protesting Banks in Arcata and Eureka

    On January 28, protesters stood outside of local Wells Fargo branches to protest corporate banks funding the Dakota Access Pipeline.

    “We want to tell Wells Fargo to stop financing the North Dakota Access Pipeline. We are here to tell them that we are in solidarity with those at Standing Rock even all the way from the West Coast. We are here to fight.” Mahilija Florendo said, a youth activist who helped organize the protest.

     

    Uproar Over Shiny New Floor

    Humboldt State’s Fulkerson Recital hall received a new floor that made it hard for students to see the music they were supposed to be playing.

    “It’s super shiny and distracting when standing on the stage and it is very hard to read music. It doesn’t really feel like a performance stage anymore.” Music student Telisha Moore said.

     

    Berning Green

    Jill Stein, former Green Party Presidential Nominee, came to Humboldt State on March 8. Stein spoke to nearly 400 Humboldt County community members including human rights activists, environmentalists, future, the past, and present politicians and a large number of young people.

    “The important thing here is not to close your eyes to what history is telling us…If you think we have more time to keep beating around the bush, stay in the Democratic Party. If you don’t? Move on, move forward. The more of us the better.” Jill Stein said during her speech.

    The Vote is In, Tuition Goes Up

    On March 22, the California State University Board of Trustees voted 11-to-8 to increase student tuition for the 2017-18 academic year by $270 for undergraduates.  There are over 100,000 more students enrolled in the CSU system today than in 1985 while funding has decreased by 2.9 percent. The state’s gradual abandonment of CSU funding commitments has pressured the Board of Trustees to find alternative financial support for institution services.

     

    Theatre Arts Retrofit Postponed – Again

    The grandaddy of all structures on Humboldt State’s deferred maintenance list will have to wait at least another year before seeing some much needed tender love and care.

    “It’s frustrating, we spent months preparing to move,” Development director of KHSU David Reed said. “We have a large operation, many moving parts. The only good side is that we digitized much of our paperwork in preparation for the move.”

     

    Humboldt Cuts Child Care Services

    After running on a deficit budget for about three years, the university decided to close the children’s center on 10th street.

    “With the overhead, administrative costs, the cost for teachers benefits and salaries, we could not make that extra center work,” Director of Housing and Residence Life and manager of the children’s centers on campus Steve St. Onge said. “We really have to focus on our values, the reasons that we exist and that is to support the academic success of our students on campus.”

     

    Remembering David Josiah Lawson

    David Josiah Lawson, a second-year criminology major and president of Brothers United, was stabbed and killed on the early morning of Saturday, April 15. Brothers United organized a vigil to remember their brother. The audience consisted of Lawson’s family members who traveled from Riverside, California.

  • Trump watch (March 29 to April 4)

    Trump watch (March 29 to April 4)

    President Donald Trump has donated all of his earnings as President of the United States to the National Park Service. Trump donated $78,333, his first salary installment which covers the first 10 weeks he’s been in office. $78,333 is 0.005% of the money Trump’s budget would cut from the National Park Service.

    President Trump wants to warn China that the clock will run out in North Korea when they meet in Florida later this week. President Trump would like Chinese President Xi Jinping to take a tougher stance on North Korea regarding the country’s nuclear program.

    On Monday President Trump signed legislatures to diminish many Obama-era regulations. One of the legislatures included issue about education and school performance. One of President Trump’s new legislation scraps new requirements for programs that train new K-12 teachers and rolls back a set of rules outlining how states must carry out the Every Student Succeeds Act, a bipartisan federal law meant to hold schools accountable for student performance.

    President Trump signed a legislative on Monday that repeals the Federal Communications Commission’s privacy protection for internet users. The new legislature would diminish the landmark policy from President Obama’s time in office. President Obama’s policy would have stopped internet providers from collecting, storing, and selling data from internet users without their consent.