The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Students

  • My mental illness makes me a better leader

    My mental illness makes me a better leader

    by Lex Valtenbergs

    You sleep too much or too little and neglect your personal hygiene. You’re a ticking time bomb that can’t be defused. You oscillate between extremes like a pendulum. Your own thoughts wage war against you and, in some circumstances, the people around you.

    Being mentally ill is a constant struggle, and that is only the surface of it.

    In my case, I have undiagnosed traits of borderline personality disorder (BPD), specifically a subset of the disorder called quiet BPD, as well as comorbid anxiety and depression.

    To be clear, I am not diagnosed due to being assigned female at birth (AFAB) in a rural county, one with a disproportionately high rate of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and inaccessible or understaffed mental healthcare facilities.

    Seeking and getting a diagnosis from a psychiatrist is also protracted and difficult, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

    It must also be said that being branded borderline in our society is not ideal, especially as someone who was is perceived as female. There is a lot of stigma around the four Cluster B personality disorders: narcissistic, borderline, histrionic and antisocial personality disorder.

    I stigmatized narcissism in particular, before I became self-aware and realized that narcissism is merely the inverse of codependency. Both stem from traumatic formative experiences with maladaptive object constancy and abandonment, but they manifest differently. For me, narcissism was a mirror into my own dark traits that I wasn’t able or willing to peer into.

    Most borderlines are stuck in an incredibly alienating and painful catch-22. The people who understand us aren’t necessarily healthy for us, and the people who don’t understand us are usually stabilizing for us. Couple that with the chronic emptiness that borderlines endure daily and you quickly rack up a series of short, toxic relationships that end in violent staccato.

    The Western culture of individualism makes things worse for mentally ill people. In our society, we have a tendency to overlook our ability to affect other peoples’ lives. We also have the tendency to sell ourselves short. We would rather shrink than dare to take up space. The latter is contingent upon us being vulnerable, which includes the risk of failure.

    Because my judgment is skewed by my mental illness, I make a lot of mistakes. I assume the worst of people who don’t deserve it. I misread peoples’ intentions before giving them the benefit of the doubt, or idealize people who haven’t yet earned my trust or respect. These behaviors open me up to exploitation and abuse. I can also be abrasive, intense and even callous, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have compassion or remorse.

    If anything, I feel too much, more strongly and longer than the average person does. I constantly emotionally regulate myself, to grapple with my volatile moods and intense emotions. Most of these emotions go inward towards myself rather than radiate outward.

    Believe it or not, my mental illness makes me a better leader. Because I am mentally ill, I have put myself in situations where I needed to be held accountable for the sake of myself and people around me.

    I couldn’t play the victim. I had to own up to my behavior, even though it stemmed from something out of my control. At the end of the day, I am fully responsible for my choices and the consequences.

    Owning up to your dark side every time it creeps up and wreaks havoc enables you to build healthy, strong relationships. Relationships are hard work.

    Good leaders have good relationships. Good relationships are contingent on accountability, boundaries, trust and clear communication.

    The first step of realizing your ability to lead others and trying it is hard no matter what, but mentally ill people just have more barriers to overcome.

    I have had to learn how to use the dark side of my mental illness to harness my light and use it to influence others around me. The skills that I’ve developed to cope with my borderline traits, anxiety and depression allow me a self-insight which is extremely useful.

    Every day, we have the choice to be a positive or negative influence in the lives of people we know. Try to go against the grain of your darkest tendencies of your humanity and use your light as a guide.

  • Disconnected

    by Cheyenne Wise

    These past few years have created this heavy and strange feeling that has found itself settling on my chest. It’s a constant feeling of disconnect—a disconnect from my peers, professors, friends, and even family. I’m staring at a black screen or the muted faces of people I should know, but it feels like I’m watching a TV show.

    I was 21 when COVID-19 hit, and now I’m 24. I’ve already lost most of my early 20s, and I don’t know when I’m ever going to get it back. A lot of people are telling me, “well, you could have gone out and partied with your friends or traveled” as if COVID-19 doesn’t exist or like I’m not terrified of getting sick. I was supposed to be a graduate and living in another state working a dream job, but here I am, sitting in my room in my hometown, waiting for my next class to start while getting ready for work. I’m not unhappy with where my life is, but I’m not exactly delighted with everything. I love my jobs, my coworkers, and the fact that I’m living with my childhood best friend, but some part of me is mourning the loss of what could have been, just like many people.

    I miss having exciting conversations with my peers and being excited about my classes. The disconnect and lack of inspiration are like a smack to the face when I sit down to log onto Zoom for my lecture. I’ve become one of those black screens that remains muted, and I hate it. Even writing has become a struggle for me. I’m a storyteller, but all I have is nothing when I sit down to write. There’s no ‘aha’ moment of what story needs to be told or list of potential events to look to reporting on.

    I know I’m not alone in this feeling because I see it everywhere. Other college students are no longer being inspired by their studies. I just wish I had some great advice on mediating a solution, but I don’t. It’s a dreadful feeling, and I feel a particular type of guilt for not having a remedy.

  • Let the bodies hit the floor at RWC

    Let the bodies hit the floor at RWC

    by Matthew Taylor

    On Monday, Feb. 7, the deep and thunderous sounds of student bodies hitting the floor echoed down the halls of Cal Poly Humboldt’s Recreation and Wellness Center. Instructor Mairead Sardina, the department’s Adventure Program Supervisor, pushed student after student onto large cushioned mats. She instructed them to copy her previously demonstrated method of proper falling. This was the second class within Sardina’s “Intro to Self Defense” workshop.

    The course focused on utilizing multiple different martial arts techniques for the purpose of self defense and self empowerment. Lessons within the course included energy cultivation and energy negating practices. Students first began with a simple guided meditation by the instructor.

    “We’re trying to push away the outside world,” Sardina said. “But the reality of meditation is it makes us more connected to the outside world, by being more connected to ourselves.”

    As the evening progressed the lessons became more physical and hands-on. Lessons would involve activities such as swinging each other around with a red rope and fighting against the instructor whilst blindfolded.

    “The human brain is amazing, it can do insane things,” Sardinia said. “If a parent can flip a car off of a child, we can protect ourselves.”

    Many of the students laughed at each other as they attempted many of the strange yet effective techniques. An audible shock heard amongst them whenever they found themselves accomplishing a seemingly impossible task.

    Photo by Matthew Taylor | Instructor Mairead Sardina (right) teaches blindfolded Theodore Lee (left) to use his other senses when in combat at the Reaction and Wellness Center on Feb. 7.

    “[The classes have] been fantastic,” Theodore Lee, a major in wildlife conservation, said. “I’ve always wanted to learn martial arts and this made me understand the concepts.”

    Another student and participant, Ada Erlewine, a biology major, explained that she had been searching for a self defense course to go to for awhile. She stated that her friend had found the course while checking the RWC website and told her.

    “[I] wanted to be more confident in my body and my power,” Elrewine said, explaining why she joined. “[It’s my] first extracurricular outside of schooling since transferring during COVID.”

    These were the last scheduled workshops, however, future courses may be offered if enough students express interest by reaching out to cntract@humboldt.edu.

  • Dating in the time of COVID

    Dating in the time of COVID

    by Krisanne Keiser

    None of us thought we would wake up one morning and be told that we could no longer make connections the way we were used to. COVID-19 became a part of our daily lives, affecting us at every turn.

    Dating during a worldwide pandemic has impacted us all in unique ways, including CSH students.

    Local resident and Cal Poly Humboldt alumnus Olivia Brock shared their experience.

    “Dating during COVID times for me is for sure more online now at the beginning of talking to someone,” Brock said. “It definitely restricts what we do … all the dates I’ve been on have been outside usually somewhere in nature with a mask on.”

    Once you’ve managed to meet someone, COVID-19 precautions also complicate bringing them home. Having roommates means that bringing over a new flame has to involve conversations about masking, exposure, and testing.

    “But once enough of the outside dates and FaceTime dates have happened and it feels worth it, then we could move forward with figuring out how to add someone to our exposure bubble. It’s a lot of logistics and communication,” said Brock. “I enjoy FaceTime dates a lot, because I don’t have to leave my house and they’re easier to schedule.”

    Building connections online does have its advantages, according to Brock. She says it forces her to be more engaged in the conversation, because that’s the only way there’s any hope of forging an online connection.

    “Overall, COVID has forced me to go slower in relationships and communicate boundaries more effectively,” she said.

    History major Victoria Bankson often worries about the vaccination status of potential partners. She says that if the person she’s interested in has purposely chosen to avoid getting vaccinated, that completely changes her opinion of them and weighs into her decision to ultimately not date them.

    “I’m not going to mess around with somebody who’s unvaxxed, that’s just not right,” Bankson said. “We don’t have the same values if you’re that way.”

    She also shared that conversing online isn’t the most enjoyable way for her to get to know someone, but that having a phone conversation feels more intimate and comfortable.

    “I don’t like texting online, and I don’t feel like I’m the best communicator that way,” Bankson said. “I’m much more of a ‘give me a phone call’ [person,] which is very much opposite of what things are now.”

    Junior Franziska Daumberger doesn’t feel like COVID-19 changed the dating scene for her personally, but acknowledges that it added some new challenges.

    “People would either be careful about COVID and say like ‘oh I’m vaccinated’ or ‘I wear a mask’ or wanting to meet in outdoor places,” said Daumberger. “And then that’s further stipulation upon whether or not I was interested in them or not … if they didn’t care at the height of it I was like ‘I don’t wanna be even knowing you because your beliefs don’t align with mine.”

  • Caribbean cuisine comes to campus

    Caribbean cuisine comes to campus

    by Angel Barker

    A new local restaurant opened on the Cal Poly Humboldt campus. Located inside the College Creek Marketplace, Taste of Bim is now serving the public. The grand opening for this Caribbean-inspired spot happened on Wednesday, Feb. 2.

    Gabrielle Long is the owner of the Eureka-based restaurant. She was accompanied to the grand opening by her mother Verna. Long says she is excited for the opportunity to bring a fresh set of flavors to campus.

    Photo by Abraham Navarro | Gabrielle Long, owner of Taste of Bim and her mother Verna Long serve up carribean cuisine at the ribbon cutting ceremony on Feb. 2 outside the College Creek Marketplace.

    “Bim is slang for Barbados,” Long said in her statement before the ribbon-cutting ceremony, “I want to continue to spread Caribbean love and flavor.”

    The menu will go through rotations depending on the day of the week, featuring many items including plantains, jerk wings, burgers, curry chicken, and more.

    “A Taste of Bim seeks to satisfy your soul via your taste buds in a warm and classy atmosphere,” the restaurant’s website says on its welcome page. “Our cozy little restaurant specializes in Caribbean cuisine inspired by our family’s heritage.”

    This all authentic food is now available to students, staff, and the public. James Richards, Resident Dining Director, was ecstatic for the opening.

    “It is the kind of place you’re going to go and leave full,” Richards said in his speech.

    Richards went to the restaurant prior to the opening on campus and loved it. Taste of Bim was recommended to him by Dr. Jason Meriwether, Cal Poly Humboldts Vice President, who also loved the food.

    “The food spoke for itself,” Long said. “Dr. Meriwether came down and tried the food and he loved it.”

    All that was left was the logistics. College Creek Marketplace had an open spot for new food and it was a perfect place to add some flair and flavor.

    Many people came out for the grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony. There were free samples and swag. Janaee Sykes, Social Events Specialist in the Admissions office went for two reasons.

    Photo by Abraham Navarro | Cal Poly Admissions speciallists Rickiyah Mcgrady and Janaee Sykes, enjoy carribean cuisine at the Taste of Bim ribbon cutting ceremony on Feb. 2 outside the College Creek Marketplace.

    “I came out to support local black business. It’s quite refreshing to have them on campus,” Sykes said. “I really liked the cod fritter, it was probably my favorite. I usually don’t like fish but it is not super fishy.”

    Sykes mentioned she had been to the original spot before and it was always delicious with great customer service.

    “The customer service was 20 out of 10, totally recommend,” Sykes said.

    “The plantains are really delicious,” said Admissions Counselor Rickiyah McGrady. “And the beef empanada is just delicious.”

    Many Cal Poly Humboldt faculty and staff showed their support for the new business during the grand opening.

    Featuring all student employees, Taste of Bim is now open Monday through Friday from 11 am to 7 pm. Head there any day of the week to experience flavors from Barbados and the Caribbean.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • There are no safe options for restaurants during the pandemic

    by Ian Vargas

    While there was only a lockdown for a short period of time in 2020, a lot of restaurants weren’t open for indoor seating. Businesses typically ended up dropping employees they didn’t need. They also had to adjust to significantly less income, and many closed down as a result.

    That’s obviously bad for the restaurant and the people who got fired, but the alternative is that both the employees and customers would have died of COVID-19.

    With the advent of the vaccine most of that has changed; most restaurants are open for both indoor and outdoor seating. They frequently stress social distancing and wearing a mask on your way in, but people are rarely seen sitting very far apart. Cal Poly Humboldt’s dining options have followed the same trajectory. As soon as people could get vaccinated, everything went back to mostly normal.

    Like many students, I’m very poor. When I came up to Humboldt and started looking for work, I did as many do and went to one of the restaurants nearby. This was when everything was still take out only. Businesses had been losing employees like crazy, so getting into something wasn’t too hard.

    Working in any place that has a lot of people coming in and out seems risky, but thankfully I did not typically have to see any customers. I could at least remain mostly isolated, aside from my coworkers. Once people could get vaccinated and everyone started reopening for indoor seating, that changed.

    Now I’m in close contact with unmasked and dubiously vaccinated customers all the time, my job feels very unsafe. Vaccines have given people a lot of inadvisable confidence about their safety. Vaccinated people can still get sick very easily, and even when you don’t get sick there is a danger of spreading disease with an asymptomatic infection.

    Restaurants are particularly dangerous in this regard since there isn’t any way to eat and keep your mask on. Food going down doesn’t push the germs back into your lungs. Walking in with a mask just to take it off as soon as you sit down doesn’t sound like an effective way of limiting the spread of an airborne disease.

    I don’t think restaurants are doing anything wrong, everyone has to get paid somehow after all. Rather, I think that they’re in a position where there isn’t any good options for a response. The initial 2020 lockdown should have been longer and more consistent, and everyone should have received monthly stimulus checks.

    Unfortunately that didn’t happen, which places people in the unfortunate position of risking whatever new strain comes around. At some point, one of them is going to start getting people way sicker than before and there’s no way we’re going to be able to deal with it. More places will close for good and more people will lose their jobs or their health.

  • I traveled and got COVID-19

    by Angel Barker

    Last week I talked about how one of my main fears while traveling during a pandemic is contracting the virus. Well, it happened. To get back to the United States, you have to show a negative COVID-19 test within the last 24 hours. My trip was planned from Thursday to the following Friday. I got tested on Thursday, Jan. 20, and planned to fly out on Friday, Jan. 21. The test came back negative, and I genuinely felt fine.

    I get home Friday night and still feel fine, just tired from traveling. Saturday and Sunday roll around, and I am still okay. On Sunday evening, I feel a trickle in the back of my throat and think nothing of it. On Monday morning, I go to work as usual at 3:45 am, absolutely exhausted with a sore throat. I figured I was dehydrated. It was the same thing on Tuesday, except a cough had developed.

    I called my doctor because it was getting to the point of being sick. Having asthma makes me immunocompromised, and I have never had a cold that was just a cold. It always turns into pneumonia or bronchitis, so I was worried. I really do not have the time to be sick as a full-time student working part-time.

    The nurse comes in and talks to me about my symptoms and wants to test me since it had been five days since my last test. It comes back positive. The doctor sends me home with a quarantine flyer, which is the end.

    Before I went to Mexico, I received my booster shot on Jan. 3. I tested positive 22 days after I got my booster shot. The symptoms I had weren’t mild, but they also weren’t super severe. I had a cough, sore throat, fatigue, headache, runny nose, shortness of breath, body aches, etc. I think my weirdest symptom was that my teeth hurt like it felt like I had braces again, and I had just gotten them tightened. I also had shooting pains in my back.

    Three people so far have blamed it on travel or on me for traveling. It felt very judgmental and almost degrading. I could have gotten it at work, school, the grocery store, or from people I know. I am pretty sure I got it in a restaurant in Mexico, but the same thing could have happened here. Don’t blame me for living my life and having fun.

    I do not think it is fair to judge the ones you love or anyone for that matter on their decisions to travel or whatever they do in their personal time, especially if they are safe. I wore a mask on the plane, the airport, around town, and in the restaurant except when eating. I did my part, and I still got COVID-19.

  • Drop In and Skate Out: Latin Edition

    Drop In and Skate Out: Latin Edition

    by Matthew Taylor

    A flurry of rainbow colors whipped by as Cal Poly Humboldt students both old and new skated side by side across the West Gym’s floors. Outfits ranging from the mundane to the elaborate, with glitter dotting the faces of many, could be seen throughout the room.

    Near the entrance of the gymnasium, two tables were draped in sarapes and decorated with marigolds, sugar skulls, and an assortment of popular Mexican candies. Behind these tables stood a large speaker and multi-colored spotlights, as well as over thirty chairs where students would fight to get the tight roller skates onto their feet.

    Volunteers collected donations for the El Centro Académico Cultural de Humboldt (El Centro) ‘Graduacion Latinx’ ceremony.

    “The first [Skate Night] was just a phone speaker,” Taylor Sachez, an ESM major, said whilst putting on her own skates. “Since then we’ve got a DJ and sponsor.”

    El Centro is that sponsor. Under the ideas and leadership of Giovanni Guerrero, ESM major and a student staff member of the organization, this Latin-themed skate night was born. This project has been in the works since the fall semester of last year.

    “I heard about HSU having skate nights,” Guerrero said. “I wanted to combine the skate night with Latin music to make it a kinda party.”

    Photo by Abraham Navarro | Cal Poly Humboldt Students round the corner in the West Gym during Roller Skate Night on Feb. 4.

    A party it certainly was. Students skated in circles around the linoleum floor, but many also danced together, swinging each other around with the momentum of their wheels.

    Latin music blasted through the speakers and through the skaters’ bodies, with the DJ, known as B1g $uave, interjecting every few minutes to liven the crowd up. When he’s not spinning the tunes, B1g $uave is José Juan Rodriguez, wildlife biology major and student staff member at El Centro.

    Cal Poly Humboldt students and friends Norma Francisco and Cierra Holmes heard about the drop-in skate nights through El Centro’s sponsorship.

    “I would go [skating] occasionally, mainly while in middle school,” Holmes said. “I think ice skating is easier.”

    “I think this is easier,” Francisco replied with a laugh. “I was nervous to come, both to skate for the first time and from being off-campus for so long.”

    Both friends were able to agree on one thing though, the event was fun and had good vibes.

    Kumami Jackson, a local science major, explained that he’d been skating on and off since the 3rd grade but skateboards pretty regularly.

    “It’s kinda the same motion,” he said.

    A few couples dotted across the room could also be seen skating together. One such couple was Jessica Ordaz, a mathematics education major, and her partner Gilberto Gamboa. He held her arm or hand all night as she attempted to learn how to skate. She was the event specialist for El Centro, but this was one of her first times doing this kind of skating.

    “I’m very grateful for the people here, I want to encourage people to come out,” El Centro staffer Guerrero said nearing the end of the event. “[El Centro] is planning [other] events, Ciencia Para Todos and Cafe con Chisme.”

    Ciencia Para Todos (Science for All) will be hosting the creation of their bilingual science children’s book this Friday at 3 pm in Nelson Hall 206, and community talk space Cafe con Chisme will meet on Friday, Feb. 18th at 3 pm in Nelson Hall 205.

  • The moving pieces under Humboldt

    by Carlos Pedraza

    Cal Poly Humboldt sits on top of a very seismically active part of the world known as a the Cascadia subduction zone. This area is composed of three tectonic plates under the ocean off of the Pacific coast.

    The Juan de Fuca, Explorer, and Gorda plates are subducting beneath the continental North American Plate, where the Cal Poly Humboldt campus is located.

    As the oceanic plates push against the continental plate, the friction created leads to deformation and faulting.

    “We live on that boundary where this is taking place, which leads to frequent earthquake activity,” said Cal Poly Humboldt geology professor Amanda Admire.

    In addition to the deformation from the Cascadia subduction zone, the Humboldt region is also influenced by the movement along the San Andreas Fault to the south. Humboldt stands on top of an intersection of three different plates pushing against each other.

    The plates themselves move very slowly, only a few centimeters every year. However, they still generate friction as they move against each other. This is the energy released during an earthquake and tsunami.

    Graphic by Carlos Pedraza and August Linton

    In the Pacific Northwest, both earthquakes and tsunamis are important to prepare for. The Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group, an organization made up of local government officials, tribes, and relief groups, gives information and warnings in their “Living on Shaking Ground”magazine.

    The magazine states that “more than two-thirds of our large historic earthquakes have been located offshore within the Gorda plate.”

    A tsunami is created when an earthquake along a fault ruptures the seafloor, moving the entire water column and releasing that built-up energy, which moves out in all directions.

    The primary local tsunami hazard, the Cascadia subduction zone, is very close to Humboldt’s coastline compared to other regions in the Pacific Northwest.

    According to Admire, a tsunami produced along the fault between the Gorda and North American plates would only take approximately ten minutes to reach the Humboldt shoreline. In Oregon and Washington the fault is further from shore, allowing for more warning time should there be a tsunami.

    This much seismic activity can be exciting to study for geologists and scientists, but for people living in Humboldt it may be nerve racking. Admire said there is no need for panic, but that residents should prepare.

    The last mega earthquake along the Cascadia subduction zone was in 1700. However, there are still smaller instances of seismic activity as the plates move and push against each other.

    So when an earthquake happens: drop, cover and hold on. If you’re near the coastline, head for higher ground in case of a tsunami.

    To find more preparedness tools and tsunami evacuation maps for the region, check out the Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group.

  • Gone Foraging

    by Morgan Hancock

    Edible and medicinal plants grow in every corner of campus. Students can learn to forage for them in Campus Center for Appropriate Technology’s new Foraging class. Josefina Barrantes and Sandra Zepeda are the student instructors of ENST 123. The course expands on their research of ethnobotany on the Cal Poly Humboldt campus.

    Ethnobotany is the study of plants and how people use them. Zepeda and Barrantes spent the last year mapping and researching edible plants on campus. Their map shares a location, name, and photos of plants with ethnobotanical purposes. Students will use the map along with information taught in the class to forage on campus sustainably. The map includes native plants that grow in the area and non-native plants used in landscaping.

    “It’s comparable to urban foraging because we’re not actually nature, we’re on a university campus,” Zepeda said. “A lot of the edible plants on campus are not native, they’re just for decorative purposes.”

    The course will highlight how plants like mountain pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata) can serve as a seasoning alternative and also have medicinal uses.

    “This plant was significant to aboriginal people, they used it to make medicines and tinctures,” Zepeda said, between nibbles of a leaf. Indigenous groups used the mountain pepper to treat stomach aches, colic skin disorders, and toothaches.

    As its name suggests, the mountain pepper is spicy, but it is not quite a pepper. Instead, it is a shrub that uses a tricky chemical reaction to taste spicy, rather than capsaicin like many spicy plants. The pepper taste comes from the compound polygodial, a C15 sesquiterpene.

    According to a study published by The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology titled “Native Australian fruits — a novel source of antioxidants for food,” the mountain pepper had more than three times the antioxidant levels of blueberries.

    The instructors shared some of their favorite foragable plants on campus. The Dog Rose (Rosa canina) provides bright red hips packed with vitamins and has many common health benefits.

    Some campus plants have simple uses, like in-between-class snacks. Bolivian fuchsia (Fuchsia boliviana) offers bright flowers and juicy berries. The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) also has round edible fruits.

    The ENST 123 course is the result of several attempts to bring sustainable foraging on campus. Barrantes and Zepeda are enabling students to rethink food sustainability.

    “We started this project so that we could add more edible landscape,” Barrantes said. “To show this is what we have and we could do more, and also supports the desire for more sustainable food projects, like the food sovereignty lab or starting an off-campus farm.”

  • Parking Pain Persists

    Parking Pain Persists

    For me, the start of the spring semester means the return of the eternal struggle to find a parking space. Many Cal Poly Humboldt students, both on and off campus, are finding it difficult to find a parking space. Even those of us who usually walk to campus are impacted by a lack of parking.

    The parking situation on and around campus is absolutely abysmal. Campus parking permits and metered parking are expensive and purchasing a campus permit does not guarantee that you will find an open parking space. $157 a semester is a lot of money to pay to not be guaranteed a spot to park. I know students who live on campus who can’t even park outside of their own dorms. I’ve talked to commuter students who have to move their cars multiple times a day to avoid being ticketed.

    You would think that living in an off campus house within a short walking distance of the school would resolve any parking issues. However, parking is still a huge problem for my roommates and I. One side of our street is 4-hour parking from 7 am to 5 pm, intended for students to be able to park off campus and walk if they don’t have a campus parking permit or if campus parking is full. The other side of the street is reserved for vehicles with residential parking permits. I have four roommates and we all have cars. That’s five vehicles that we have to try and fit in our parking zone, which we also share with our neighbors.

    Photo by Nina Hufman | The parking zone in an off campus neighborhood in Arcata, California.

    We can usually fit four of our cars in front of our house if we park as close to the edges of the residential zone as possible. Because my neighborhood is so close to campus, there are usually several student vehicles parked in the 4-hour zone. I often come home to find that our residential parking is full. I am then forced to parallel park, very poorly might I add, across the street from my house.

    Parking, specifically parking enforcement, is something my roommates and I commiserate about almost daily. We sit in our kitchen, talking about how much we hate the guy who enforces parking on our street. He’s a jerk, he takes his job way too seriously, and I honestly think he has it out for my brother. It feels like he targets our street, and my brother’s car specifically.

    He literally stopped my brother in the street to ask him which car was his and tell him that it’s illegal to remove chalk from the tires of your car. He kept moving his little, three-wheeled car in front of my brother to prevent him from walking away. During this interaction, he was in the way of one of my other roommates who was trying to park. Imagine being a middle aged man having beef with a 21-year-old who’s just trying to park in front of his house. That feels like an inappropriate interaction to have with an “authority” figure. As a college student who is just trying to get an education, the last thing on my mind is fighting with parking enforcement.

    I can’t help but think, if I’m fed up with the parking situation, it must be absolutely enraging to have purchased a campus parking permit, but never be able to park. It’s not the students’ fault that they’re parking in my neighborhood. To be honest, it’s a very convenient distance from campus, especially if you can’t park any closer. The real problem is that campus parking is so scarce.

    Cal Poly Humboldt students pay a lot of money for parking to only be able to park on campus sometimes. The issue doesn’t only impact the campus. Student vehicles overflow into the surrounding neighborhoods, creating a lack of parking for everyone who lives nearby.

  • Campus vandalism causes student outrage over school policy

    Campus vandalism causes student outrage over school policy

    A security camera was vandalized somewhere on campus, so the school responded to this by sending out an email to everyone who lives on campus. This email was simple— someone was messing with the security cameras, and if that person wasn’t caught, everyone who lives in the building would be fined for the damages.

    This announcement caught many students off guard. The email didn’t give out the information of which building was impacted, or what students would be getting charged.

    “Unless a specific individual’s responsibility can be determined, ALL members of a living area will be charged for damages,” said HSU Housing & Residence Life. “The cost to repair, relocate, adjust and/or clean damaged cameras is $150 per incident and identified individuals will be adjudicated through the conduct process.”

    Questions about how much individual students are going to be charged were left unanswered. Donyet King, the Senior Director of Housing & Residence Life says that the fine is regrettable but routine when it comes to vandalism cases.

    According to Section V of the license agreement, “Damage or loss of common area furnishings, equipment and physical plant unless specifically assigned to individuals shall be equally divided among all members of the living group that have reasonable access to the common area.”

    King stressed that faculty would prefer to charge students who were directly involved and are open to information from the public.

    “It’s helpful if students report any suspicious behavior or share any information they have with us that so we can address the issue with the responsible person,” said King.

    Several Cal Poly Humboldt students vented their frustrations with this arrangement on an Instagram page “HSU Confessions”. This page allows students to send in anonymous “confessions” which are then posted by the page’s creator for students to interact with. One post was a screenshot of the security camera email with the caption “Thanks guys…”

    The comments were brimming with furious students.

    “If these mf’s think they can force me to pay for repairs for something I had no hand in breaking, they better rethink, bc I am not afraid to contest this s***,” said one particularly upset student. A majority of the comments were thinking along similar lines. Students called into question why the school would come after student money instead of trying to solve the issues with the security that’s supposed to protect students.

    “Shouldn’t you literally have them on camera messing with them? So either the cameras are s*** or they just want us to snitch. Either way they f****** suck,” said one irritated student.

  • Polytech Budget Forum breaks down $433 million spending plan

    On Jan 28, a Polytech Budget Open Forum was hosted by the Budget, Finance, and Reporting Working Group. The forum broke down how funds for the Cal Poly transition would be distributed.

    The Budget, Finance, and Reporting Working Group is composed of 15 campus and community members. While their membership overlaps with the University Resources & Planning Committee (URPC), they are responsible for the oversight and management of $433 million and $25 million in collaboration with Cal Poly Humboldt’s Chief of Staff and Provost.

    The forum was held to clarify any questions community members may have had. This discussion came before a proposal outlining the polytechnic transition was to be submitted to the Chancellor’s office on Monday. The funds for this proposal are currently held central at the Chancellor’s Office, which means that the Budget & Finance Team must make an annual request to disperse those funds to the university. Their initial request that was made in Fall 2021 was approved, however it was on the condition that they present financial planning updates to the Chancellor’s Office every January and July.

    Executive Director of Budget & Finance Amber Blakeslee broke down an overview of the $25 million Polytechnic Spending Plan to the attendees.

    “Collaboration is really at the heart of what we’re doing. The polytechnic transition is being implemented with a $25 million plan. This is being spent over a six year period,” Blakeslee said. “This is an iterative planning process. These plans will continue to be refined as we go.”

    The updates to the prospectus are intended to reinforce polytechnic prosperity in the first two years (2021-22 and 2022-23) in areas such as faculty for program development, staffing, information technology, recruitment, advising, infrastructure, e.t.c. One of the working group’s goals is to launch and sustain new academic programs in Fall 2023. Previously, students had uncertainties of what tuition rates would look like as we make the transition to polytechnic.

    “Tuition rates are set at a system level, not a campus level. Becoming a polytechnic would not increase tuition.” Blakeslee said.

    The Budget, Finance, and Reporting Working Group also tried to highlight the change from the prospectus in terms of cause and impact. Investments to faculty and staff and are central to their planning, and additional investments are to be made in the future.

    “We’re actively hiring 16 new positions to help out with the plan’s new buildout,” Blakeslee said. “The marketing and rebranding is everything.”

    Thirteen staff positions have recently and are currently in the process of being filled, with additional recruitments forthcoming. In the initial planning estimate, the Budget and Finance Team is working to implement a total of $2,993,000 in ongoing expenditures for year 1 (2021-2022). Meanwhile, they are also refining plans for a total of $8,469,000 in ongoing expenditures in year 2 (2022-23). This is to align with iterative planning needs.

    If you have polytechnic related questions or ideas, you can email poly@humboldt.edu or reach out to the applicable implementation team.

  • Moon Cycles: queer-owned bike shop in Arcata offers alternative space in male-dominated industry

    Moon Cycles: queer-owned bike shop in Arcata offers alternative space in male-dominated industry

    Correction (2/4/22): Co-owners Sage and Sprout did not meet while looking for a job but instead meet years prior as mutual HSU students.

    Moon Cycles, a brightly colored bike shop located on the side of the road near the intersection of Foster and Alliance in Arcata, is hard to miss. The bike shop was founded in October 2016 by nonbinary duo Sage and Sprout, a queer tour de force.

    Sage and Sprout serve the local cycling community by offering a queer-friendly space that goes against the grain of the male-dominated bike industry. Even the shop name is a pun that alludes to queer identity.

    Photo by Alexis Valtenbergs | Sprout standing in the doorway of their store Moon Cycles in Arcata on Jan. 27.

    “It’s a play on words, the moon being associated with femininity and the menstrual cycle,” Sage said. “Even if we don’t feel like women, the moon is a signal to our queerness and difference.”

    Sue Hilton, a 71-year-old lifelong bicyclist, is a regular customer at Moon Cycles. Hilton first caught wind of the shop in the L-Word, a lesbian newsletter based in Humboldt County.

    “My friend Susan did an article for the L-Word, so once I heard about it I started going,” Hilton said. “I loved the idea since I’m a big bike rider. Just that they’re great people, and they’re queer-friendly.”

    Although Moon Cycles is queer-owned, it’s not just for queer people. Moon Cycles an accepting space for everyone, regardless of gender or sexuality.

    “I’ve seen that especially with men but like most people, if they come in and they don’t know the words for things, they’ll feel apologetic,” Sprout said. “We’re not looking down on anyone for not knowing correct terminology or what the names of parts are or stuff like that.”

    Sage and Sprout met in Humboldt County while trying to find jobs at other bike shops, to no avail. After facing gender discrimination in the hiring process and being looked over in lieu of men, they decided to open their own shop instead.

    Photo by Alexis Valtenbergs | Sage (left) and Sprout (right) inside Moon Cycles in Arcata on Jan. 27

    “One year, neither of us could find jobs here,” Sprout said. “We kind of just started scheming and thought, ‘well, maybe we should just try to open a bike shop.’”

    “There’s an important caveat there,” Sage added. “Which is that I applied to all the bike shops here and I felt – I knew – I was being discriminated against and judged by my gender.”

    Sage won a mechanic scholarship from Quality Bicycle Products. The scholarship was an attempt to include more women and gender-nonconforming people in the bike industry.

    “They were trying to bring women – and gender-nonconforming people more recently – into the world of bike mechanics so that the whole industry can get more diversified,” Sage said. “And they can tip the balance a little bit away from men dominating the whole thing.”

    Ever since Moon Cycles opened, Sage and Sprout have played an integral part in tipping the balance in Humboldt. To learn more about Humboldt’s first and only queer-owned bike shop, check out @arcatamooncycles on Instagram.

  • “Something Rotten” is happening this spring

    “Something Rotten” is happening this spring

    The cast and crew of Cal Poly Humboldt’s spring musical have been meeting for two weeks now, ever since the start of the semester. Rather than fully polished scenes, their rehearsals consist of bare-bones run-throughs, scripts in hand and tape on the floor where the set will eventually be.

    The show is “Something Rotten,” a farcical comedy set in an anachronistic 16th century. The two main characters, the Bottom brothers, invent the concept of a musical and feud with their rival, Shakespeare. The show re-characterizes The Bard as a rocker, not dissimilar to a Freddie Mercury type charismatic frontman.

    “The show is about love, relationships, ego, and anachronism,” said director Michael Thomas. “You’ll see a cell phone or two, there might be a modern toilet plunger.”

    Although “Something Rotten” is set in the Renaissance, the music and dancing are rooted in Broadway tradition. At this particular rehearsal, choreographer Carrie Walpole was working with the cast on the dancing for the track “A Musical.”

    This number will feature the cast tap-dancing, and is best described as a classic musical theater style composition. Another track, “Will Power,” performed by the character of Shakespeare, is unmistakably rock. The Bard croons out his famous lines “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate,” over a driving bass line.

    “It’s more like a rock musical, it’s a very upbeat score,” said Thomas.

    Cast members and crew alike were required to be at Wednesday’s rehearsal for most of the evening. Stage manager Ian Aguilera and his two assistant stage managers Benji Salisbury and David Fisher spend just as much time as the actors, if not more, preparing for and producing the final musical.

    Before the rehearsal had even started, before the director or most of the cast had arrived, Aguilera was at Van Duzer Theater, preparing.

    “Tech and acting are kinda fifty fifty,” said Aguilera, when asked about how much the crew do behind the scenes. “The director’s not here, I am.”

    With the support of the crew literally behind the scenes, the musical’s cast can do their best work. While the actors go over scenes, Aguilera sits at the front of the stage assisting with minute production details and even helping with direction.

    “Something Rotten” takes advantage of its self-aware premise for comedic effect.

    “It’s a musical about a musical,” said Aguilera. “It’s [the main characters] versus Shakespeare.”

    In one scene, the soothsayer Thomas Nostradamus, played by Sammi Pietanza, looks into the future of theater. He says that the characters will break into song and dance, and a glass of wine at concessions will cost an exorbitant amount of money.

    Pietanza’s character acting is silly, joyful, and extremely animated, even at this early stage of production. They said that it’s easier for the director to scale back an overdone performance than to draw more out of a timid one. They were the center of attention on stage, striking wizardly poses and speaking the script with mystical energy.

    “The character [Thomas Nostradamus] is like a human goblin,” Pietanza said. “Like a Danny DeVito kinda trash rat.”

    This energy that Pietanza brings seems emblematic of the production as a whole. It’s a whole lot of passionate people, coming together to make something silly, dramatic, and distinctly musical theater.

    Director Michael Thomas is looking forward to what will hopefully be a live, in person performance of “Something Rotten” in April.

    “People should come see it because it’s a fun, silly evening,” said Thomas. “It’s full of action, it’s colorful and upbeat.”

  • Not all masks are made equal

    Not all masks are made equal

    According to Cal Poly Humboldt regulations, face masks are required everywhere on the campus, and at all school functions. Amid the predicted peak of the Omicron surge, mandated masking is a key part of the university’s strategy to prevent widespread transmission of COVID-19.

    Humboldt County Health Officer Ian Hoffman has confirmed that the Public Health Department has been in contact with Cal Poly Humboldt with regards to the university’s COVID-19 regulations.

    “We, as Public Health, have continued to offer, you know, clear guidance on how to make public spaces safe, which includes things like masking, distancing, testing, vaccinations – they are doing all of those things at HSU [Cal Poly Humboldt], and we have been in communication with them,” Hoffman said. “So, I think the ultimate decision is up to them.”

    Graphic by August Linton

    Not all masks offer the same amount of protection, to the wearer or to those around them.

    According to the CDC, NIOSH-approved N95 masks are the best, followed by KN95s and surgical masks. Cloth masks rank the lowest, although it is noted that layered, finer fabrics are more effective than loosely woven or single-layered varieties.

    Whatever type, it is important that masks be well-fitted, with no gaps around the nose or edges. A surgical mask underneath a cloth mask may resolve fit problems.

    County Health Officer Hoffman suggested double-masking for all types except N95s. He also cautioned against masks with one-way vents.

    “Those vents … protect the person wearing it, but they’re not protecting anyone around them,” Hoffman said.

    Despite their efficacy, Cal Poly Humboldt does not currently require that students wear N95s.

    “The reason N95 Masks cannot be mandated on campus is that there are some situations where N95 masks can exacerbate medical conditions for the wearer,” the university stated in a Campus Ready email update. “The campus community is encouraged to wear N95 masks if they are able.”

    Free N95s and surgical masks are available at College Creek Mailroom, JGC mailroom, UPD, Welcome Center, the Library, and the SAC.

  • Traveling as a student during COVID-19

    My whole life I’ve been told to “travel young,” “travel while you still can,” and “travel now because it only gets harder as life goes on.” I gained my love for travel my freshman year of high school when I had the amazing opportunity to go to Mexico with my aunt and uncle. Since then I have gone three more times. I have also been to Dallas, Texas and California’s bordering states. Traveling is one of the things that I love to do most. I was supposed to go to Costa Rica in 2020, but like many other people that year, I had to cancel my trip due to COVID-19 rapidly spreading through our world.

    When I went to Dallas during the summer of 2021 for two weeks, it showed me how much I missed traveling and seeing new places, people and cultures. Right now, the only thing that has been holding me back is school.

    The pandemic has been hard to navigate as a young adult and as a student, but I try to find silver linings in everything. With most courses still online, I have been able to adjust my schedule so that the majority of my classes are on Zoom or are completely asynchronous, which gives me the opportunity to travel this semester.

    Keeping up with school while traveling is a whole monster in itself. Operating in a different time zone has its challenges. You have to figure out what time it is at home versus wherever you are and keep track of what time classes meet. Trying to discover new places while having class also presents a challenge because your time management skills have to be at a peak level, not to mention the fear of contracting the virus in the process and not being able to get back to the US if you leave.

    During this school year, I have been able to go to Mexico twice. Yes, I am privileged to do this since I work for an airline, but what can I say? This is a field where you can mix business and pleasure. The first time was only for two days, so I went to the class that took attendance and was able to do my homework in the airports. This last time, however, was for a week and I was able to attend the first week of classes online. One of the struggles of starting the semester abroad is not having access to textbooks, but I found a way to survive.

    Even as a full-time student, I have managed to find a way to travel and see the world. It is difficult but it is so possible and so worth it. I encourage you to try and see the world. Stop staring at your computer screen in your apartment trying to get an education. Do the same thing on a beach somewhere, or in an Airbnb a few hours away. Just live your life.

  • Free iPads pop up at HSU

    Free iPads pop up at HSU

    Humboldt State University set up tents in front of the library and gave out free iPads to incoming freshman and transfer students on Jan. 19.

    The iPads were provided by the California State University Connectivity Contributing to Equity and Student Success (CSUCCESS) Initiative. CSUCCESS was created by the CSU in partnership with Apple. It debuted at HSU’s campus last fall and returned this semester.

    Oceanography junior and transfer student Angelina Mayo got an iPad from CSUCCESS. She just transferred from Shasta College, where she worked as a tutor while attending school. A student that she tutored during the time used an iPad to take notes.

    “I think it was just an incentive, and I wanted to try it because I saw a student at Shasta College use it and help keep her organized,” Mayo said. “She was more prepared for our tutoring sessions than some of my other students because of keeping her files together.”

    HSU Library Student Assistants adorned the cardboard iPad boxes with HSU stickers. Stickers that are free for the taking at the Information Technology Services desk on the first floor of the library. Mayo stuck a green ‘H’ sticker on the h-button of her keyboard.

    Photo by Alexis Valtenbergs | Apple Senior Account Manager Jenni Beck (back) helps transfer student Angelina Mayo (front) set up her free iPad outside the library on Jan. 19.

    “I signed up for EOPS and got ‘swag,’ that’s what they called it,” Mayo said as she typed in her HSU ID and password on her new iPad. “And amenities.”

    One of the amenities that Mayo opted for was the free iPad.

    The goal of the CSUCCESS Initiative is to make technology more accessible to higher education students in the CSU system, especially in the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that relegated students and faculty alike to remote Zoom classes.

    “The biggest reason for that is to ensure equity and access,” Apple Higher Education Senior Account Manager Shawn Vandergriff said. “To provide the same level of technology to every student.”

    According to Vandergriff, HSU has provided iPads to approximately 700 HSU students since CSUCCESS came to campus last semester. His goal is to bridge what he referred to as the ‘digital divide’ in higher education, which is often overlooked.

    Eligible HSU students get to keep their free iPad throughout the duration of their academic career at HSU. Apple Care insurance will cover up to two instances of breakage, according to Vandergriff.

    The CSUCCESS program is expected to return to HSU again in the fall.

    “As long as we have a budget to do that, I can see it happening into the future,” HSU Customer Care IT Consultant Andy Pierce said.

    To learn more about CSUCCESS at HSU, visit its.humboldt.edu/csuccess.

  • 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.

  • University requires booster by January 23

    University requires booster by January 23

    Starting Jan 23, students, faculty, and staff must be fully vaccinated to use campus facilities. This Humboldt State announcement was made in December shortly after students left for break. Anyone not able to receive a vaccination or booster can submit for an appropriate exemption. Following an updated certification date, the university said the likelihood of infectious spread in the classroom will be low given vaccination requirements, mandatory testing, masking, and other efforts made by the school.

    In a press release sent to all students earlier this week, HSU clarified full vaccination status as ”attesting that you are fully vaccinated (including a booster if eligible) or have submitted for the appropriate exemption.” Recipients of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are eligible for boosters five months after completing their initial series. Johnson & Johnson recipients can get a booster two months after their initial dose.

    The university asked that those who have already received the booster should go into their student portal and complete the attestation about vaccination status. Students can do so by logging into their Health Portal at myhumboldt.edu. To find a vaccination clinic in your area, visit My Turn California (myturn.ca.gov). However, clinic availability in some areas is limited, including Humboldt County.

  • New roommates and COVID concerns

    New roommates and COVID concerns

    Spring semester has begun, and like many other Humboldt State students living on-campus, the lone twin XL mattress in your room has probably been filled with a randomly selected roommate during your last few weeks of the fall semester.

    Before I get into any details, this is not some big scheme I have to get my three new roommates out of my apartment or to make anyone feel unwelcome here at HSU. If you’re paying tuition, who am I to say you aren’t welcome in my shared apartment, which is technically school property.

    The issue is that I’m scared of my roommates and I think many other students feel the same. I’m not terrified at the fact that three more people in an apartment I already shared between two other girls may cause some bathroom lines, extra dishes in the sink, and more people to be noise-conscious of. I actually am looking forward to the company. I’m terrified of how easy it is to spread COVID-19 or Omicron, or whatever variant has sprung up since this has been published at the rate the virus has been mutating.

    My campus apartment is small. It holds one room for our one toilet and one shower. There are three rooms all shared between six of us with a tiny kitchenette. I don’t know much about my new roommates yet. Where they’ve been, who they’ve seen, if they are immunocompromised, or what. I also don’t think I have the right to ask or know. I just have to cross my fingers and hope to God when I move back that they’ve taken the precaution to get tested before they move in so we all don’t end up in isolation our first two weeks of the semester getting late bagged meals delivered to our door.

    Still, who am I to be wary when the concern goes both ways. They know nothing about me, where I’ve been, who I’ve seen, if I’ve been tested or not, and they probably assume it may be inappropriate to ask as well. We’re all sleeping with one eye open, peering over at the possible positive COVID-19 test our roommates or myself can easily become.

    Soon enough we’ll begin interrogating each other at the door about who we’ve seen and where we’ve been to avoid a repeat of March 2020, where the fateful email to flee our residence halls came because of the lack of isolation rooms on campus and influx of cases.

    Sounds pessimistic but could easily be our reality as it has been before. Humboldt State is not being transparent enough to its student body, especially those paying to live on campus and eagerly moving up to Arcata for their first taste of on-campus classes. These are exciting times and I wish my new roommates could experience them COVID-free but the risk is far too high to do so. HSU needs to implement stricter testing for anyone moving back to campus and rethink the possibility of in-person classes soon to make those living on campus and those entering campus for classes feel safer and to avoid another COVID-19 breakout.