The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: SJSU

  • SJSU football team back on HSU campus

    SJSU football team back on HSU campus

    As of the 29 of July, the San Jose State University football team has arrived at HSU. Last year the SJSU football team came to the HSU campus to practice and use the Redwood Bowl fields in late September. They plan on staying till the 8 of August for practice. All staff, players, and coaches have been vaccinated before their arrival and are following the COVID-19 protocol.

    Cooper Jones, Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics & Recreational Sports, and SJSU are grateful to be able to return to HSU.

    “Since the official start of football practice for San Jose State University coincides with the university hosting the Women’s Tennis Association’s Mubadala Silicon Valley tournament on many of the same campus facilities, the Spartans are thankful an agreement was reached again with Humboldt State University to use its facilities as guests through Sunday, August 8.” Cooper Jones, executive director of intercollegiate athletics & recreational sports said.

    Since the SJSU team is staying between the dates of the 29-8 it is before students arrive on campus for the fall semester. An email was sent out on July 27 from Humboldt State University about welcoming back SJSU to the HSU campus. Students differ in opinions about the SJSU football team returning to the HSU campus.

    Gerardo Hernandez, an HSU freshman, heard about the SJSU football team on the HSU campus through some friends. Hernandez’s main concern is the value of other HSU students and what they are allowed to do on campus.

    “As a student, I’m worried that the administration will continue to cater to other universities athletic programs than cater to HSU students because since the start of the pandemic they’ve been denied a lot of access to on-campus resources, classes, facilities, and what happened with SJSU football team getting majority of that I would’ve been upset as a student,” Hernandez said.

    Keynan Quigley, a senior at HSU is the treasurer of the bike team club on campus. Since the pandemic hit, Quigley has not been able to practice with his fellow teammates while SJSU was allowed to practice on HSU fields in 2020.

    “It wasn’t really that it affected us, it was just unfair that they allowed another school to practice and live together when our team wasn’t even allowed to go on a bike ride together even if we wore masks,” Quigley said.

    According to Lawrence Fan, San Jose State University Associate Athletics Director for Football Communications & Special Projects last time SJSU was on campus was successful and will continue to follow COVID-19 protocol.

    “Last year’s experience was very positive for the San Jose State University football program and was the foundation for the Spartans’ Mountain West championship season. Like 2020, the team will live and practice on campus and maintain a “bubble” between the team, the campus, and the local community,” Lawrence Fan San Jose State University associate athletics director for football communications & special projects said.

    Although it looked positive for the SJSU football team, a feeling of unfairness to some HSU students was not uncommon but not all students.

    Tucker Caraway, a junior at HSU is understanding of the situation and doesn’t see any foreseeable problems, and is understanding of their situation.

    “I think it’s fine, mainly because they are also a state school and we are all in the same boat,” Caraway said,” Caraway said. “If HSU needed to do something on another campus I would imagine that it would be accepted.”

    Overall SJSU and HSU are communicating back and forth about keeping them and the public safe and communicating with Humboldt county as a whole.

    “HSU and SJSU are making sure to limit the risk to all members of our community and prior to the team’s arrival, we consulted with Humboldt County Public Health to ensure they had no major concerns,” Cooper Jones, executive director of intercollegiate athletics & recreational sports said.

    “All of the SJSU team, staff, and coaches have been vaccinated against COVID-19, and they’ll continue to follow campus protocols on masking and distancing. The SJSU team is also highly motivated to stay healthy and safe to ensure completion of their upcoming season.”

  • The San Jose State University Football Team Comes to Humboldt

    The San Jose State University Football Team Comes to Humboldt

    On a day’s notice from administration, the SJSU football team spends a week and a half in Humboldt practicing because their county did not allow it. Students react to their presence on campus in the midst of a pandemic.

    Directed and produced by Dakota Cox.
    Contributors: Skylar Gaven & Thomas Lal

  • Humboldt State Admin attempts to discredit the Lumberjack

    Humboldt State Admin attempts to discredit the Lumberjack

    ***A Lumberjack editorial represents both the majority opinion of the student newspaper’s editorial board, nine editors, as well as the overwhelming majority of Humboldt State University’s student body. Collectively, an editorial echos, embodies and advocates for community beliefs.***

    Insensitive communications between Humboldt State University administration and student newspaper, the Lumberjack, includes inaccurate accusations and degradation comments directed at the LJ’s reputation. 

    In a letter to the Lumberjack’s editor, Vice President Frank Whitlatch claims the student-paper intentionally printed false information. The letter targets four specific points within the article, “HSU Athletics Department left in dark about SJSU,” by Sports Editor Thomas Lal, published in print on Wed., Oct. 7 and online the following day.

    According to Whitlatch, the four issues within Lal’s article include accuracy, context, claims of purposeful ignorance towards follow-up quotations and headline language. 

    Whitlatch’s claim that Jane Teixeira’s, HSU’s athletic director, was misquoted in regards to the Athletics department’s knowledge of San Jose State University’s arrival is completely inaccurate. The second paragraph of Lal’s article clearly states HSU Athletics was notified late Tues., Sept. 29. 

    “With the notice coming late on Sept. 29, the first chance that the department had to discuss matters was the following day with the Spartans roughly 24 hours away,” Lal wrote in his article.

    The information reported in Lal’s article directly matches the information stated in Whitlatch’s letter to the editor. There is no inaccuracy. Lal, in fact, did not ignore the information as the letter suggests. Whitlatch attempts to use this baseless claim to delegitimize the entire article.

    While the letter states HSU Athletics was not in the dark about the team arriving, our editorial staff does not believe a few hours of advanced notice would significantly impact the department’s ability to prepare for the team’s arrival. 

    Whitlatch attached transcripts from Lal’s meeting with Teixeira in his letter claiming the Lumberjack ignored context surrounding Teixeira’s quote. Cris Jones Koczera, emergency management coordinator, however, further supported the information reported in Lal’s article.

    “It was at the end of the day, on Tuesday [when they found out],” Koczera said in the interview with Lal. “So, by the time we really had an opportunity to get together, start talking about what that meant it was Wednesday first thing, right out the gate.”

    In a Zoom meeting with the Lumberjack editorial staff on Thurs., Oct. 15, Grant Scott-Goforth, HSU’s communications specialist, echoed Koczera’s statements that SJSU’s arrival at HSU was in fact a last-minute affair.

    “The Athletics Directors and our emergency operations team and myself I think found out several hours before the rest of the campus did,” Scott-Goforth said. “So, that was a scramble. I mean, that was a huge scramble.”

    In addition to Scott-Goforth’s confirmation, he claimed the diction used in the Lumberjack’s editorial, “Humboldt State administration cash in at student expense,” was strong, misleading and accusatory language that promoted a Humboldt brand of xenophobic behavior towards students from big cities by stating SJSU was stealing HSU student resources. 

    “I just felt that was a little bit misleading because again you know this is a decision that’s made by the President’s versus the student athletes who are coming here so they could practice but it wasn’t exactly their choice,” Scott-Goforth said. “I grew up in Humboldt County and I feel there’s this weird kind of specific Humboldt County brand of xenophobia that I see over and over again, and often is about HSU students coming from the big cities and it’s a scary thing.”

    Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services was not advised prior to SJSU’s arrival, the Lumberjack was purely reacting to student and community concern regarding health endangerment in the midst of a pandemic, not due SJSU coming from a more populous county.

    The Lumberjack is an independent news organization. We have enjoyed a healthy, working relationship with the HSU Athletics Department and would never purposefully ignore facts provided in an interview. Implying that we would attempt to mislead our readers is entirely incorrect and harmful to the reputation of this publication and its reporters. 

    Through a very complex set of circumstances, the Lumberjack has aimed to provide the most accurate information available to students and the community while working with Athletics to obtain that information.

    As a part of the California State University system, Humboldt State is subject to the same rules and limitations as other public universities. This includes court cases that set a precedent for the protection of student produced media under the First and Fourteenth Amendments.

    By publishing your letter to the editor, we have maintained our position as a public forum by allowing a fair and open space for all to voice their opinion.

    While the Lumberjack may receive funding from the university, like many student-run programs on this campus, Bazaar v. Fortune, 489 F.2d 225 (5th Cir. 1973) ruled this does not grant the administration the right nor the permission to control the contents of the campus paper. 

    In addition, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District 393 U.S. 503 (1969) ruled that actions of censorship cannot be taken against a paper for content unless the school can prove the content would “materially and substantially interfere” with operations.

    Like any other publication, the Lumberjack is protected as a member of the free press. Our duty is to serve the interests of our students and surrounding community by informing them with timely and accurately reported information. While the HSU administration may take issue with our editorial, we stand by our position and how it accurately represents the voices of HSU’s student body.

    We will not be retracting our story and will continue to support the efforts our reporters make to ensure the voices of the student press on this campus are not silenced, censored or intimidated.

  • Recreational sports athletes react to SJSU in AS meeting

    Recreational sports athletes react to SJSU in AS meeting

    Athletes speak out against the uncertainty surrounding rec sports and the playing season  

    Recreational sports at Humboldt State University is made up of 15 competitive and four non-competitive club teams that practice and play in their respective seasons throughout the school year. Each club team offers the opportunity to students of all skill levels to participate and grow their abilities while building community with fellow teammates and recreational sports athletes. 

    Since spring break of early 2020, HSU officials have not allowed recreational sports teams to gather or practice in order to avoid the possible spread of COVID-19. No update has been given to any rec sports athletes over the past months on when their teams would be allowed to return, practice and compete. 

    HSU announced that it would be allowing San Jose State University’s football program access to the Redwood Bowl and Student Recreation Center facilities to prepare for their upcoming season. 

    Rec sports was finally allotted the opportunity to be heard publicly at the Associated Students board meeting on Oct. 9. 

    Martin Gordillo, a student and member of both the men’s baseball and volleyball teams, led a discussion on who at the university was behind the decision to not allow rec sports to conduct practices. 

    Gordillo noted the lack of communication from the Cal State University Chancellor’s office regarding the future of rec sports. Gordillo explained the strategies that fellow rec sports clubs are willing to follow in order to uphold CDC safety guidelines. The plan includes reallocating funds from travel budgets in order to pay for increased sanitation supplies and COVID-19 testing for athletes and faculty.  

    Associated Students member, Collin Waichler, believes an in-depth look at Chancellor Timothy White’s decision would provide clarification to the decisions that lead to the cancellation of rec sports.

    “I think it would be very helpful if we can get the text of the Chancellor’s decision to not allow rec sports,” Waichler said. “So we can see that and look at it and figure out exactly what’s going on.” 

    A representative of the HSU men’s crew team, Michaella Praska, voiced her experience as a rec sports athlete in her senior year not being able to practice and compete with her fellow teammates. 

    “It’s so disheartening and I’m very, very disappointed in how things are being run and I just wanted to say my team really became my family,” Praska said. “So to not be able to like have  that one hour or half hour to be able to spend more time with them. It really hurts. And I don’t  feel like I stand alone.”  

    The future of rec sports continues to be uncertain for the time being, Gordillo ended his presentation by quoting the HSU’s rec sport’s pledge.

    “We are Humboldt plus sports and we care for our athletes, one voice in solidarity loud and proud.”

  • HSU Athletics Department left in dark about SJSU

    HSU Athletics Department left in dark about SJSU

    Jane Teixeira addresses student concern over football program’s stay on campus

    ***Editor’s note: SJSU football program was tested in congruence with Mountain West conference guidelines***

    The Humboldt State Athletics Department was notified that the San Jose State football team was coming to HSU the same time the general student and staff population of campus were told. 

    With the notice coming late on Sept. 29, the first chance that the department had to discuss matters was the following day with the Spartans roughly 24 hours away. 

    “I got the same information at the same time that everybody else got the information on campus,” HSU Athletics Director Jane Teixeira said.

    SJSU anticipates spending $100,000 to $150,000 in total while at HSU. This includes meals, housing, use of Humboldt State’s facilities and round trip bus fare per San Jose State’s media relations. 

    It is currently unclear as to how much of this estimated budget belongs to Humboldt State or how that money will be distributed.

    On Tues. Oct. 13, Santa Clara County moved into the orange tier from the red tier, meaning that COVID-19 guidelines will be loosened. 

    According to San Jose State football social media and Humboldt State University,  the team will be leaving the HSU campus on Oct. 14 following the announcement that Santa Clara County will allow the Spartans to hold practices on their own campus once again. 

    According to an email sent out to HSU students on Tuesday Oct. 13 if conditions do get worse in Santa Clara County again. 

    “Should Santa Clara County return to the red tier, HSU will consult with Humboldt County Public Health and SJSU about the viability of the team’s return to HSU to proceed safely for practice and/or competition.” Humboldt State said in the email.  

    Teixeria explained that she has not been involved with any contract negotiations between HSU and SJSU, but believes the arrangement is similar to any rental of the Redwood Bowl. 

    “I believe that they are renting our facilities and paying for them like any other outside group would be able to do,” Teixeira said.

    Student concerns surrounding a large group of people coming onto campus was addressed by Emergency Management Coordinator Cris Jones Koczera. Koczera said that since the team arrived, the Athletics department has been working with local county health officials. 

    Koczera believes the chances of the SJSU bringing COVID-19 with them is very low considering the team is subject to mandatory testing once per week before the Mountain West season begins, and three times per week when competition starts. 

    “Because of the frequency of testing that was required both by the state and by local county public health, they are by far the most tested individuals, probably in our entire county right now,” Koczera said. 

    The Athletics Department became aware of frustration coming from the rec sports organizations on campus which prompted Teixeira to hold a meeting with members of those groups on Sept. 30. 

    For Division 1 athletes, there is immense pressure to perform well and do whatever they are told to do as part of their respective athletic programs. Teixeria pointed out that while the SJSU football team is on our campus, they did not directly make the decision to come here themselves as individuals. 

    “It’s really important to know that the student athletes and the coaches and the student workers and the people that are up here from San Jose State are just following the lead of their leadership,” Teixeira said. “Just like we’re just following the lead of our leadership and I think it’s important that our individuals or people who are out in the community understand that this is by no fault of their own.”

  • SJSU Football team brings mixed reactions

    SJSU Football team brings mixed reactions

    Humboldt State University students unsure how to feel about visiting football team

    In a campus wide email sent out on Oct. 1, Humboldt State University informed the student body that the San Jose State University’s football team, the Spartans, would be staying on campus to train for their upcoming 2020 season.

    The Spartans are currently unable to practice at their own stadium due to a combination of stadium construction and COVID-19 regulations within Santa Clara County that prevent the practice of contact sports for reduced infection.

    The email stated that “approximately 141 players, coaches, and staff will stay in HSU residence halls that have previously been unused this semester. The halls are separate from anywhere that HSU students are currently living on campus,” with students on campus stating that they were staying at the Redwood Hall dorms.

    SJSU has pledged to cover the costs of the used athletic facilities, housing and testing for the team. HSU emphasized the separation of the team from students, stating that contact with students will be minimal.

    HSU students are still coming to terms with the news. Hours after the initial email, students are reacting with mixed opinions and fears of future California State University’s coming to Humboldt.

    Kezia Letzin, a zoology major, and Nastya Yudinova, an exercise science grad student, welcomed the news. Hoping the SJSU football team can bring a sense of community during these tough times.

    “Honestly, I don’t care,” Yudinova said. “If we’re not using the field, ‘why not help them?’ It’s nice to know that we are still a community.”

    Letzin also agreed, saying the field went largely unused due to the current pandemic and it made sense to allow another team to utilize it.

    Freddie Rosen, another zoology major, and Nicole Vazquez, a studio art major, and Melania Guillen, a film major, were less than pleased with the news. Rosen believes it was a terrible idea, already finding fault in HSU’s claim the football team would be held separately and away from students.

    “It isn’t fair that they are using facilities that we don’t even have access to,” Rosen said. “They said that they were going to be away from students, when they are in Redwood Hall, which is where everybody is.”

    For Velazquez, the main issue surrounded the lack of transparency from HSU administration, something she thought students should have had a say in.

    “It was sprung upon us so suddenly,” Velasquez said. “I know that it’s not our decision as students, but we paid money to go here and this wasn’t in the plan.”

    Guillen felt the administration is unfairly treating HSU students by prioritizing another school and their athletics before their students.

    “It’s kinda unfair,” said Guillen. “We are all up here doing our best, and it’s unfair to see another school come onto our campus and be prioritized in a way that we could.”

    HSU has stated that the initial plan is to host the team for one week, but without concrete certainty on a scheduled timeline, the team’s stay could be longer.

  • Rugby captain frustrated with CSU’s hasty actions

    Rugby captain frustrated with CSU’s hasty actions

    Club sports member expresses disappointment in administration inviting SJSU to campus 

    You know there is a huge lack of communication between the Humboldt State University’s administration and its students when an email is sent only a day before the arrival of an entire football team from San Jose State University. 

    It’s very frustrating there is such a disconnect between our administration and it’s student body and community. As a member of club sports it is disappointing to see another team from another school practice on a field that I can not touch with my teammates. 

    From spending 14 hours a week all of last year, at the Redwood Bowl or College Creek field with my teammates building my skills to now, possibly suspended for even gathering with a small group of teammates is frustrating to say the least. All clubs such as Men’s Baseball and the Mountain biking club can not join together because of the guidelines given from HSU. 

    Last time I checked, you have to already be six feet away in order to shoot a baseball. Also I don’t know if anyone in the Humboldt administration has ever mountain biked, but normally bikers keep distance like cars in order to avoid an accident or sudden stop. 

    I will say that my sport, rugby, brings more challenges to social distancing. I still can not go to the field with non-house members of my team to kick or pass a ball and even train. 

    So this is where I find it ridiculous that a football team, a contact sport to say the least, consisting of 141 players and personnel are able to play on the same field we at club sports cannot. 

    I will not blame or send hate towards the players or coaches of SJSU because I respect them leaving their homes in order to possibly have a chance at playing at the next level. If I was in the same situation, I would do the same thing. 

    But I will turn all my blame and anger towards the administration of both universities and the Chancellor of the CSU system. 

    I do not understand how my rugby team cannot practice because of rules given by the Chancellor and the HSU administration but a large football team can travel across multiple county lines, probably making a stop or two, in order to practice for just a week. 

    To put a whole community at risk is baffling to me. The decision to allow another university to send their football team approximately 360 miles to us is terrible. 

  • Spartans arrive at HSU despite campus concerns

    Spartans arrive at HSU despite campus concerns

    ***Editor’s note: SJSU football program was tested in congruence with Mountain West conference guidelines***

    The Spartans have arrived and this time they’re not carrying spears or shields. Instead the San Jose State football team stepped onto the Humboldt State campus on Oct. 2 with bags full of clothes, televisions, gaming consoles and plenty of padding. As 141 players, coaches and trainers streamed out of the six buses into a school that hasn’t seen college football since 2018. 

    Humboldt State students received an email on Sept. 30 that the San Jose State football team would be arriving within the week. Initial reports suggested that the Spartan football program would be at HSU for one week per the Spartan Daily student newspaper from SJSU. The duration of their stay is not confirmed and could be longer. 

    According to the Humboldt State Athletics Department, the length of the Spartan football team’s stay at HSU depends on the regulations set forth by Santa Clara County where SJSU is located. 

    “It’s uncertain at this point as it depends on the needs of SJSU and how quickly they may be able to return to their campus to practice and play games,” the HSU Athletics Department said in an email. “They are working with Santa Clara County Health to get approval for that as soon as possible.”

    SJSU Head Coach Brent Brennan said in a press conference on Oct. 5 that the arrangement between San Jose State and HSU came quickly with the need to start full contact practices soon. 

    “I think it probably came together in about a week, maybe a little less than that,” Brennan said. “President Jackson here and their Athletic Director Jane Teixeira and our Athletic Director Marie Tuite, our CFO Charlie Faas, Dr. Papazian, it was just a mad dash that way.”

    As of Oct. 5, Santa Clara County has announced that they are moving into the third tier of COVID-19 classification after seeing an decrease in new cases each day. While there is still no official time set for the Spartan football team to be on the HSU campus, this development could mean that the team may return to San Jose sooner rather than later. 

    “It was a slap to the face on rec sports. Because we really didn’t know what the hell was going on. We thought it was Athletics. We were like ‘Athletics, what the heck?’ and then Humboldt County was like ‘Yo, what the heck?’ But it wasn’t really Athletics’ fault.” 

    Martin Gordillo

    While the team is on campus, they will be responsible for testing their athletes and personnel using their own testing resources. In an email sent out on Oct. 1, Humboldt State told students that will be tested once per week. This runs contrary to Mountain West conference protocol who state on their website that athletes will be tested three times each week. It is unclear whether this testing will apply to the preseason training that the Spartans are currently participating in. 

    While the Spartans are on campus, Humboldt State’s own NCAA teams will still have access to facilities during their scheduled times in order to continue their preparation for hopeful upcoming seasons.

    “HSU sport programs are still using Redwood Bowl during their regularly scheduled and reserved time periods,” HSU Athletics said in an email.

    Even as the San Jose State team was arriving on campus HSU students and athletes alike were confused and upset that more context had not been provided for the team’s arrival. One of the loudest voices that could be heard across social media was that of the club sports on campus that have been unable to hold practices since COVID-19 shut down the majority of sports. President of HSU Club Baseball Martin Gordillo was upset that the communication between the administration and recreational sports teams was not more clear. 

    “It was a slap to the face on rec sports,” Gordillo said. “Because we really didn’t know what the hell was going on. We thought it was Athletics. We were like ‘Athletics, what the heck?’ and then Humboldt County was like ‘Yo, what the heck?’ But it wasn’t really Athletics’ fault.” 

    According to Gordillo, there was a miscommunication between Athletics and recreational sports which was clarified in a meeting with several of the club sports and the Athletics Department.  

    “In reality it wasn’t Athletics,” Gordillo said. “It was mainly more towards the Chancellor’s Office who made that decision on whether or not to allow athletics to continue to practice but not rec sports.”

    Gordillo stressed that while he feels that communication can be improved between rec sports and athletics, there is a disconnect with how the Chancellor’s Office views rec sports in comparison to NCAA athletics. 

    “I believe the Chancellor’s Office has made it seem like they really don’t care about rec sports that much,” Gordillo said. “They don’t see us and [NCAA] Athletics as equal. Not Athletics in general. Athletics wants to work with us. They really want to have our voices heard.”