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.