By THE EDITORIAL BOARD

The California Aggie’s Editorial Board met with Chancellor Gary May and administrators via Zoom to ask questions about the quarter. Attendees also included Faculty Advisor to the Chancellor and Provost Ari Kelman, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Dana Topousis, Associate Chancellor and Chief of Staff Karl Engelbach, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Life, Campus Community and Retention Services Sheri Atkinson and Vice Chancellor for Finance, Operations and Administration Clare Shinnerl.

The Editorial Board meets with administrators every quarter and shares the full transcript online afterward — if you have a question you would like us to ask for the fall 2024 quarter, you can submit it to editor@theaggie.org. 

Below is a transcript of the meeting that has been edited for length and clarity.

Editorial Board: This quarter’s ASUCD elections saw a 23.7% voter turnout — a fairly significant increase from prior quarters, and one that enabled The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) to pass. What do you think contributed to this? How can the administration continue this momentum and further increase student involvement in elections?

May: I think obviously we are all very supportive of the increased turnout in this election and hopefully others to come. It’s an encouraging sign that students voted and enough voted for TGIF to finally pass, I think after the fourth or fifth time [of TGIF being on the ballot]. I would give most of the credit to the students and student leadership in ASUCD for increasing turnout, but I know that the administration has also been very supportive of those efforts. There was additional signage promoting QR codes to encourage the voting; the voters were incentivized with $10 CoHo gift cards; the voting period was extended from three days to five days [and there was] lots of social media promotion, a raffle [and] prizes. Then we promoted it on “Checking in with Chancellor May,” “Thursday Thoughts,” the UC Davis Life newsletter, social media, student housing communications and support from IET staff on the Schedule Builder navigation menu with a vote button. We’re always eager to do whatever we can to support the voting on campus.

Atkinson: As Chancellor May has said, the students in ASUCD were very organized this year and did a lot of promotion and had a lot of these different ideas. Their idea of having a [raffle] drawing [for] coffee with the chancellor was one of their ideas to increase voter turnout. The students were really motivated, and then we supported their efforts as Chancellor May mentioned. 

Editorial Board: What has your reaction been to the ongoing PULP encampment for Palestine in the MU Quad? What is the state of negotiations and what has this process looked like? 

Topousis: I’m just going to jump in here, if the chancellor doesn’t mind. I know that [the Editorial Board] has submitted at least three questions, maybe four questions, about [the encampment]. We’ve made a public statement on May 15 and that’s going to remain our public comment on the situation. I hope you understand we’re just preferring to not undermine the ongoing engagement process and the communication that we’re having with the students. We’d rather just leave our public comment to what it was on May 15 for all.

Editorial Board: So just for clarification, you guys will be making no comment on those questions for today?

Topousis: We’re making the comment that this is our statement, we don’t want to undermine the engagement process with the students, so we are going to keep to the message that we put out on May 15 as our most recent statement.

The Editorial Board reviewed all the prepared questions regarding the encampment to give the campus leadership an opportunity to provide additional information on any of them. These are the questions that the Editorial Board asked: 

The group has five demands, one of which is for you to step down from the executive board of Leidos or resign as chancellor. Have you considered this demand and communicated your stance with the protesters?

If the protests continue to go on, does the university have a plan on how to address them outside of the negotiations? Will/has the university considered police enforcement? If not, is there a line when the university will consider authorizing the use of police? 

How has the UC system as a whole been reacting to the effects of encampments at campuses across the system? Are administrators collaborating with each other to address violence that has occurred at campuses such as UCLA and UCSD?

If the UC did divest in part or in full as requested by protesters, what would the most likely impact be in terms of decreased scholarship availability, changes to campus operations funding, etc.? What moves could UC Davis make to minimize any negative impacts?

After going through these questions, Topousis responded as follows. 

Topousis: I think the ones about their demands, their requests and what the universities are doing in the process are the same [in that] we don’t want to undermine the discussions we’re having with the students, and we don’t want to say anything that might undermine that process.

I would say the UC has made a statement about their reaction to the system. On April 30, UC President [Michael] Drake did issue a statement about freedom of expression. We can certainly point to that, but that’s probably the most we can say there. I will turn to the chancellor related to the president’s comments [and] if there’s anything further we should say about the UC system.

May: Only that there’s been an investigation opened at UCLA to find out a little bit more detail about what exactly happened and why. We’re waiting to see how that investigation unfolds. [The Editorial Board] asked if we are collaborating, and the chancellors have a regular monthly meeting where we do talk about various issues happening on our campuses. This is certainly an important one that we have been discussing. I don’t know if I would call it collaboration, but we’re certainly sharing information.

Topousis: I’ll just also clarify our not wanting to undermine the process. The statement that we released on May 15 [was reviewed by] students that we’re talking to […] before we released it. We’re really trying to respect each other and respect their role in this as well. That’s why we don’t want to say anything without them being part of the table.

Editorial Board: With violence continuing overseas and tensions rising at college campuses across the country, what is the university’s plan to make Jewish, Muslim and Arab students feel safe and protected from discrimination? Is the university’s current approach to addressing these types of issues different from in the past? 

May: I’ll just start by saying the events in Gaza and Israel have been heartbreaking and have created a really challenging environment for our campuses, both in the UC and across the nation. I believe that Student Affairs here at UC Davis has done a tremendous job of working with our students on all sides of the issue and the student organizations that represent them to provide the necessary resources and support. 

I want to make it clear that whenever the university receives any sort of complaint about antisemitism, islamophobia or any type of intolerant or offensive behavior, we immediately reach out to the affected parties to provide support and resources using HDAPP [Harassment and Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program] and other resources of similar type. We review each allegation and compare it to the university’s anti-discrimination policy and then take action appropriately.

We’re always looking for ways to improve. If there are ways that the campus climate can be improved to ensure that every student is not restricted in their participation in our programs and activities and most importantly, their classes, we want to make sure we take those suggestions for improvement and develop an environment where every student, faculty member and staff member can feel welcome and thrive.

Atkinson: We take any kind of report very seriously in Student Affairs. We will work with individual students to review their case, help them navigate any challenges they might be facing and help them find the resources that they need. We have done this with various groups of students to hear their concerns and talk about them. It’s definitely something that we’re very concerned about, and we want to support our students in having a positive campus climate.

Shinnerl: I can just add that we have teams of professionals here to help with safety on campus. I think one of the areas we’ve been pretty busy with is vandalism and removing offensive language quickly when it’s reported so that it does not damage property, but also does not hurt people. 

Editorial Board: UAW 4811 has just authorized a strike in response to the UC’s “unprecedented acts of intimidation and retaliation directed at [their] rights as academic employees to free speech, protest and collective action.” UAW has listed various concerns to negotiate and discuss with university leaders, such as the right to free speech, divestment, disclosure regarding university funding sources and investments and amnesty for students and faculty who were arrested or faced disciplinary action due to protests. How does UC Davis plan to address the strike and demands of strikers, as well as the potential interruption to education posed by the event? 

May: The strike [in 2022] was a difficult situation for the entire campus community, and we always hope that any strike activity does not meaningfully disrupt teaching or learning or campus operations. It’s the position of the University of California system that this strike is illegal and violates the collective bargaining agreement that was reached in 2022. There is a contract that has been in place since that collective bargaining was concluded, and it specifically says in that contract that the UAW will not strike during the period the contract is in place.

The university has asked the Public Employment Relations Board [PERB], per an injunction, to stop the UAW from striking and we await that outcome. I will say that many of the same issues that are raised by the UAW and their strike authorization vote were raised by the encampment students and others, and we do think that that’s a constructive conversation to have. We just don’t think the strike is the appropriate way to have the conversation.

Kelman: I was disappointed to see this is a so-called “stand-up” strike — which is to say that the strike happens at different places at different times, and our campus has been constructively engaged with the leadership of the encampment on the quad. I was surprised to see a stand-up strike on our campus based on its reasons for striking. I would say further that the strike is creating additional stress for students, for faculty and staff. We recognize that we’re in the process of considering ways that we can try and mitigate some of those issues. We’re going to, as we did during the previous strike, find ways to [provide] additional support for faculty who might need help because they’re facing significant additional work around grading, leading sections [and] otherwise maintaining the integrity of the curriculum.

We had some unfortunate activity the other day [where] some classes were disrupted. The Student Affairs team has reached out to students who were very uncomfortable because of some of the ways in which those events transpired. More broadly, students who are facing impacts because of the strike can reach out to case managers and others in Student Affairs for a variety of different kinds of support.

Editorial Board: Governor Gavin Newsom’s new budget proposal will decrease the amount of financial aid students receive – around 300,000 students receive the Middle Class Scholarship every year, which is losing funding. In addition, this new budget will potentially harm many low-income students. Is there any plan to ensure that students will have enough opportunities for financial support throughout their education? 

May: The UC firmly supports the Middle Class Scholarship program’s goal of making the entire UC education, as well as CSU education, debt-free. To that end, we’ll continue to support President Drake’s debt-free program for our lowest income students. We were always going to rely on the Middle Class Scholarship program to make the rest of our students debt-free. Unfortunately, the proposed cuts would mean a delay in reaching that goal and likely an increase in borrowing by students. The Learning-Aligned Employment Program was also a key program for our debt-free goals, which provides high quality employment opportunities for UC students, so that’s another area of disappointment. 

I would just add that the UC has done its part to achieve the debt-free goal by setting aside 45% of new tuition revenue under the Tuition Stability Plan that was passed a few years ago. That money is already needed to fund UC’s debt-free program [and] we were unable to make up for the loss and potential middle class scholarships from that source, so the budget is not final. The legislature and the governor will still be negotiating the budget for the next two or three weeks. We hope that there’s some possibility that the Middle Class Scholarship will get placed back in the budget, or at least some portion of it, but that’s all we can say at this point.

Editorial Board: As you know, the Arboretum is undergoing restoration. What has been the administration’s role in facilitating this process and can you tell us a little more about the set timeline or when it will be fully restored?

May: We’re supportive of the project. We’ve contributed $2.5 million in deferred maintenance funds as a match to a grant that we received from the California Natural Resources Agency for the project — that grant was $5.4 million. The Arboretum and Public Garden staff have really worked closely with partners in Finance, Operations [and] Administration, which was led by Clare [Shinnerl]. This includes collaborating with campus planning, environmental stewardship, design and construction management [and] utilities, as well as various academic contributors across UC Davis to implement the project.

As far as the timeline goes, construction occurs over 2024 and 2025, and mainly from April to November of each of those years, and we expect to be complete by winter of 2026. The construction will begin at Lake Spafford and extend this year. It’s always somewhat frustrating to have disruptions in any kind of campus construction project, so we appreciate everyone’s patience as we try to make things better for the Arboretum.

Shinnerl: I don’t have much to add other than that this Arboretum, you know, it’s a lake, right? It doesn’t have a source and it doesn’t have an outlet, so algae was really building up there. It’s disruptive, but we absolutely had to make these repairs to keep our campus looking great and healthy for the Arboretum to be healthy. I do have a fabulous video [which] tells a really great story that this work will be well worth it.

The video can be found on the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden Youtube channel. 

Editorial Board: UC Davis SHIP rates are increasing next year — what went into this change, and how will it affect students? Are there any plans to subsidize this rate increase for students who need it?

May: So UC SHIP is a self-funded plan, which means that the annual premium is based on the members’ overall utilization of the plan. During the last half of last year, 2022 to 2023, UC SHIP had experienced significant increases in planned use when members came back after the pandemic and began using services, and the pandemic wound down. The use was so high that the UC SHIP program had to pull about $75 million from its reserves to cover the claims above what the actuarial team had forecasted for last year. By the time these claims were submitted and processed, the premium for this year had already been set. It was too late to adjust the premium for this year. 

Over the past several years, SHIP insurance premium increases have stayed pretty much in line with state and national insurance plan costs. The increases that students will be expecting next year are not unique to UC SHIP. Plans across the country have seen dramatic increases in demand similar to what I described in the last half of 2022 to 2023, and we expect that might continue.

Some adjustments were made to the planned benefits for next year to help mitigate the increase in premiums: The emergency room copay, the annual out-of-pocket maximum and the copay for special medications were all standardized across campuses that participate in the program. These changes in discontinuing services brought down the premium increase by about 5%, so there was some relief there.

In terms of subsidizing, Student Health allows students to waive the UC Student Health insurance program cost if they have approved health insurance coverage, such as from their parents or from some other source. Annually, approximately 40% of the undergraduate population here at UC Davis opts out of SHIP. We also offer gift aid to cover the full cost of SHIP for our neediest students, [and] of those students, about 50% of those were enrolled in SHIP — that’s 6,443 students as of fall 2023. That financial assistance that was provided totals about $20 million.

Lastly, I’ll just note that a 17% increase in the number of undergrads who qualified for SHIP coverage for fall occurred compared to 2022. There’s a couple of things happening: the increase in the number of students that we have to serve, as well as those premium increases. 

Shinnerl: I can add that this is now a national trend for all health premiums. We, as employees, had gigantic increases this year. You’re seeing rising healthcare costs everywhere for a lot of reasons.

Editorial Board: With commencement coming up soon, can you tell us what the process of choosing commencement speakers is like? Why were this year’s speakers chosen? 

May: We start by advertising the opportunity to apply to be a student speaker for the undergraduate commencements, and that’s advertised throughout the general UC Davis community. We get typically 25 to 35 applications to be student speakers each year. The selection committee that [selects student speakers] is about 12 to 14 people, [and] that includes faculty, staff and students. 

To apply, the students submit a draft copy of the speech and a one minute video that demonstrates their presentation style. There’s a scoring rubric which is used to move the applicants through the various rounds of the selection up to the live auditions, which are conducted in mid-May. Once the five speakers have been selected, Student Affairs, Marketing and Communications works directly with the students to help them prepare to give the speech. All the speakers get to rehearse the speech at the Golden One Center a few days before the commencement ceremony.

Engelbach: I’ll speak to our faculty speakers. We actually reach out to college leadership and ask for nominations about the most outstanding faculty among their peers within a respective college, and we make selections of one faculty speaker for each of the five separate ceremonies. We added faculty speakers for the first time last year, and we received feedback from both students as well as parents that they appreciated hearing faculty voices as part of the commencement ceremony. 

Finally, we have an advisory committee for our undergraduate commencement ceremonies, including student faculty, staff and administrators. That advisory committee made recommendations about external speakers that we might consider inviting to serve as speakers at the upcoming undergraduate ceremonies. This year, our undergraduate student representatives suggested Sacramento Kings Head Coach, Mike Brown. We reached out to him, and he provided remarks [via video] that will be shown at all five of the ceremonies. [We are] happy to answer any other questions [students] might have about speakers at commencement ceremonies, whether student, faculty or external.

Editorial Board: There seems to be a construction site being set up near Young Hall. What can you tell us about this project and its timeline?

May: So that would be my statue that’s going up. No, I’m kidding. We’ve started the construction at Young Hall. It’s going to be one of six existing buildings on campus that get funds for mandatory seismic improvements that we do as needed. UC has policy requirements that drive those improvements and will provide some increased seismic capability and accessibility for students, employees and the public. This project will deliver those seismic improvements [in] Young Hall for the roof, floor, column reinforcement, lab renovation, some interior lighting upgrades, restroom upgrades and some enhanced safety requirements. Access to the building is going to be limited during construction, so detailed plans for temporary relocations for affected faculty, staff and students have been developed. The target for completion is summer of 2026.

Editorial Board: There were some changes to the questions asked in this year’s Undergraduate Experience Survey — what are you hoping to learn from the questions related to artificial intelligence, and how will you apply this knowledge?

May: There are many emerging technologies that are reshaping education, research and everything we do at the university — AI is certainly a big part of that. We want to understand how this tool is being used today. The new questions related to AI were understanding how often students use the generative AI tools that are available, how they use those tools, how often they go beyond what instructors have allowed in using those tools and understanding how faculty in their courses explain the use of AI. We think that understanding how students use the generative AI tools will also help faculty provide better guidance on academic honesty, citations and their own scholarship to protect students. One of the goals of doing this is to reduce the AI referral rates for academic dishonesty claims.

I will also add that we’ve just kicked off a campus-wide AI council that just met this week, [which is] going to not only include some of the things I just talked about, but also research anything you can imagine where AI might impinge upon what we do at the university. There are two students on the council: a graduate student and an undergraduate student.

Atkinson: I think there’s a lot of exciting potential with AI and a lot of discussion about how we can make sure we’re using that in ethical ways. I think the survey questions will be an important piece of the student voice in informing how we move forward with AI and what that looks like on our campus here at UC Davis.

Editorial Board: Just to clarify, did you specify when the experience survey results would be released?

Atkinson: It’s maybe late fall or winter quarter of the following year. There needs [to be] time for analysis, so that’s my best guess.

Editorial Board: The one-year anniversary of the stabbings in Davis was a few weeks ago. Do you have any reflections as this time marker passes, in regards to mental health resources on campus, lighting/student safety and resources for unhoused residents? 

May: We continue to have deep sympathy for the victims of the stabbings, in particular our own Karim Abou Najm and his parents, who are, I’m sure, still grieving in terms of what we’re doing. Aggie Mental Health is ending its second year of that program. One of the significant updates this year was obtaining student feedback to revamp the Health  e-messaging system to make it easier for students to make their counseling appointments. We have a new Academics and Mental Health webpage designed to help those students struggling academically or mentally navigate the complex university system. We have the Aggie Mental Health ambassadors that continue to do outreach to students — they’re running a promotion in May for Mental Health Awareness Month for students who take a free suicide prevention training course called QPR. There’s a “Let’s Talk” mural at the CoHo that was installed in the winter to encourage and affirm students as they connect in that space. We also have Health 34 and other mechanisms available to assist students who are in crisis.

Shinnerl: I’ll say that with the chancellor’s approval, we have $20 million to spend over the next few years on infrastructure improvements, which includes lighting, cameras, call boxes and access cards. [Students will] see a lot of work over the next few years to improve the infrastructure on our campus.

I’ll [also] point out that some of you have gone on the lighting walk. We hold them usually once a year, but the last year we’ve held them twice, and 94% of the identified fixes have been repaired. I think that’s a really good success rate. At night, [community members] walk around, tell us which paths they go down and help us identify areas that are dark and where improvements are needed.

Atkinson: I can chime in on the housing piece. Aggie Compass has a lot of information, it’s outlined on their website, for resources available for unhoused students — I’ll highlight a few of those now. We have a rental assistance program which provides emergency financial assistance, rent, food and housing and security deposits. We have a college-focused rapid rehousing program which provides safe and stable housing for houseless students, as well as a meal plan and case management to help provide that holistic wraparound support as well. We [also] have some emergency and short-term housing options for folks that may be facing struggles.

Editorial Board: The fifth and sixth floors of the Hutchinson Parking structure, a popular place to watch the sunset for students, have been closed for a little over a week and marked with ‘No Trespassing signs.’ What can you tell us about the decision behind this closure, and what is the plan moving forward in terms of reopening?

May: It’s not only a popular place to watch the sunset, it seems to be a popular place for partying. What’s the thing to do with cars? The spinning thing and other things that are dangerous [drifting and donuts]. That’s really the motivation for the closure.

Shinnerl: It’s really a safety measure. We’ve had things thrown from the top that could hit people. I will also let you know that this is a permanent fix. So, the temporary fencing is there now, but we are going to be doing some permanent fencing that looks a lot nicer. We can open the top garage areas when there’s a big event or if a student group wants to reserve the top and has supervision, that’s really different. We’ve just had too many incidents.

Editorial Board: So there’s no plans to reopen it just for people to go up there? 

Shinnerl: No, we’re going to help all the students find an alternative place for their celebrations.

Topousis: It’s also true that I think it’s a lot of high schoolers and people from Sacramento who come up there, and it becomes a really dangerous place sometimes. It’s not necessarily our UC Davis students.

Editorial Board: What advice do you have for graduates, since many of us and many other students are graduating soon? 

May: I would say this is an exciting time in your life, and you’ve received a great education that’s prepared you to really do great and wonderful things in your careers. Follow your passions [and]  find something to do with your life that feels like you’re not working. There’s an old saying, “If you enjoy what you do, you never work a day in your life,” and that’s not completely true, but it’s somewhat true. I would say congratulations to the graduates.

Topousis: You’re starting a new chapter in your lives, but this time in your life should also be about just enjoying the freedom as much as you can. You have your whole lives to have all kinds of obligations and commitments. Do those things that you really want to do, if that’s pursuing a graduate degree or if that’s doing something else. Just don’t take everything too seriously, because life just gets really complicated the more you get into decades and decades. Enjoy the time that you can to do the things you want to do, without a lot of the obligations that might hold you back later.

Shinnerl: Don’t forget about UC Davis, we’re also a really big employer. A lot of people forget that we are the second largest employer in the entire region, second only to the State of California. [There are] a lot of jobs here [and] a lot of opportunities, but most of all, be super proud of your accomplishments here. I’ll also say lean on each other — I’m going to my reunion next week at UC San Diego [and] I’m still in close contact with a lot of them, and it’s a prized network.

Atkinson: Definitely take this moment to really pause and take in this achievement because you all have worked really hard. I know the hustle and bustle can sweep time by, but just take in the moment that you’re experiencing and know that the journey continues. [With] life after college, you’ll continue to grow and learn about yourself. 

Engelbach: You may discover you’re going down a path, and the path isn’t exactly the one that you thought it might be. It’s okay to say, “This isn’t working, and I’m going to do something different because now’s the time to make those decisions.” When you get to your mid[dle-aged] years, it’s not quite as easy to make those changes. Seize that opportunity to make the change for yourself because life is short and you need to be happy.

Written by: The Editorial Board

The post The Editorial Board meets with Chancellor May, UC Davis administrators — Spring 2024 appeared first on The Aggie.

By CLAIRE SCHAD — cfschad@ucdavis.edu 

For many students, attending college would not be possible without financial aid and scholarships. Luckily for myself and many others, California has been a leader in the efforts to make college more affordable to all students. 

However, in early May, a shadow was cast over California’s progressive approach to financial aid when Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a revision of the state budget which included many cuts and limits to higher education grants and scholarships. 

For many years California has been one of the few states to acknowledge and act on the increasing burden that paying for college has on not only low-income families but also middle-class families who had previously been left out of financial aid opportunities. The disproportional rise in college prices in relation to income has made paying for college more difficult for the middle class, who were once defined by their ability to pay for their children’s college. Now, many middle class families struggle to afford the price of college without spending an outrageous and often impossible amount of their income on tuition. 

Unfortunately, the revolutionary Middle Class Scholarship program, which is designed to alleviate financial stress for middle-income families, was hit hardest in Gov. Newsom’s May budget revision. Since its founding in 2013, the Middle Class Scholarship has provided financial assistance to over 300,000 students attending the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems, as well as California Community Colleges (CCC) that have a household income of less than $217,000. 

If the newly unveiled budget revision is finalized in June, the Middle Class Scholarship will undergo cuts totaling $510 million, affecting students as soon as next fall. This means students who currently receive the scholarship could see their award amount reduced by as much as 80%. This will undoubtedly create issues and increase financial strain for eligible students at UC Davis and across the state, who currently receive anywhere from $500 to over $7,500 per year from the scholarship. 

Additionally, if approved, Gov. Newsom’s proposed budget revision would also put a halt to the promised yearly expansion of the Cal Grant, which provides support to over 350,000 students, with awards ranging from $1,000 to upwards of $15,000 yearly. In 2022, Gov. Newsom signed AB-1746, the Student Financial Aid: Cal Grant Reform Act, saying the state would increase the reach of the Cal Grant each year, allowing more students access to the program and increasing the amount of aid many students receive. This promise helped modernize the Cal Grant system, which hadn’t been updated in nearly six decades, allowing the expansion of access to the Cal Grant and making the California financial aid system more equitable and inclusive overall. However, Gov. Newsom’s signing of AB-1746 came with one important condition: the expansion of the Cal Grant would only occur if the 2024-2025 budget year allowed it. This very condition is why we are now grappling with the proposed cuts to financial aid. 

Despite this, the governor has made it clear that he doesn’t want to make cuts to public education funding, saying it ultimately boils down to the fact that California has “a math problem,” referring to the state’s $27.6 billion deficit.

Ultimately, whether Gov. Newsom likes it or not, cuts to financial aid will have lasting negative effects and are not the solution to the state’s budget problems. If these cuts are implemented, thousands of students will see their financial aid reduced next fall, placing more strain on families and forcing students to take on more loans that will take years to repay. California’s budget deficits are undeniably problematic, but cutting spending for financial aid programs that will fund the education of our future leaders is not the answer. 

Written by: Claire Schad — cfschad@ucdavis.edu 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

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By THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Fast fashion has revolutionized the clothing industry with the mass production of trendy items, appealing to a wide range of customers for its convenience and affordability. The business model gets its name from the rapid design, production and marketing of clothing, allowing them to be sold as soon as the demand arises. The industry is quickly growing due to the continuous cycling of fashion trends and the rampant consumerism in today’s society.

The allure of fast fashion can be attributed to the ability to buy stylish (albeit low-quality) items at cheap prices, allowing customers to try the latest styles without the buyer’s remorse. As a result, many of these items are bought at the height of various social media trends, leaving them to be quickly discarded when they fall out of fashion. 

Individuals are often drawn to popular fast fashion brands like SHEIN, Cider and Zara because of this purchasing power. However, they may not be entirely aware of how their support of these companies contributes to numerous harmful effects, including environmental damage, animal endangerment and the exploitation of laborers. Despite their budget-friendly price tags, the affordability of these items comes with a different type of cost. 

Every year, around 11.3 million tons of textile waste are deposited in U.S. landfills. The manufacturing process leads to extensive greenhouse gas emissions, contamination of water from dye waste and the build-up of non-biodegradable microplastics from synthetic fibers. This type of clothing production also requires the use of hazardous chemicals like phthalates, parabens and formaldehyde, which can pose significant risks to the environment, human health and wildlife safety. 

The industry employs millions of laborers making unlivable wages who may be forced to work up to 16 hours per day. Fast fashion is also heavily reliant on child labor; the vulnerability that comes with their age means they are often subjected to poor working conditions and little compensation, affecting their education, free time and health.

It’s understandable that so many people fall into these buying habits, especially when the social nature of college often encourages people to buy a single-use costume for each day of Halloweekend, or a new dress for every occasion. But buying less and local is easier and more rewarding than you think.

It’s fun to experiment with your style, and there are many ways to do so while shopping sustainably. Downtown Davis is the perfect place to peruse thrift stores and support local businesses to find pieces that won’t be gathering dust in the back of your closet a few months down the line. 

On campus, the Aggie Reuse Store is a student-run thrift shop that offers free items to students with the help of community donations. If you’re looking to exchange items, you can participate in a clothing swap organized by The Aggie Trading Post. Furthermore, investing in a few high-quality wardrobe staples will ensure that your clothing lasts a long time and won’t need to be replaced after a few wears.

Before you make a purchase, ask yourself: Do I need this item? Will I still be using it a year from now? Do I actually like it, or is this a classic case of FOMO? It’s important to take a step back and consider what you already own, what you actually want and what you really need. By considering a more ethical approach to fashion and engaging in conscious consumerism, the planet (and your closet) will thank you.

Written by: The Editorial Board

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By ALLISON KELEHER — adkeleher@ucdavis.edu 

UC Davis is a well-known, acclaimed university with esteemed faculty and plenty of research opportunities. However, it’s also known as “cow town.” Every freshman who is accepted into this fine institution is selected based on their knowledge that the cow goes moo. 

Unsurprisingly, the freshmen in the Tercero dorms love visiting our dairy friends due to their close proximity. The smell is also a good reminder that they’re there. During cow enrichment time, the freshmen will be the silly little gooses they are, and the cows are always watching. 

However, lately, these freshmen have been spending FAR too much time with the cows because the cows have picked up some weird behaviors. One of my sources told me that she saw a cow wearing a silver chain around its neck. Investigations are still ongoing, but I predict that this was a gift from a freshman. Investigators are in possession of the chain, and they say they’re hopeful of finding the rightful owner soon. 

During investigations of the chain, I noticed that the cows were looking a little on the skinny side. My sources in the dairy farm tell me that they are getting proper nutrients, so that’s not the problem. After returning for further investigations, I noticed that it was mainly the cow’s faces that appeared to be skinnier. I noticed this because the jawlines have become very prominent. 

These cows were exhibiting weird behaviors to the point that I thought they were ill. My insider sources tell me that the veterinarians are concerned, too, because they haven’t discovered a diagnosis yet. 

To help out my veterinarian friends and against the police instructions, I conducted a night stakeout of the cows. I hid in a bush nearby with a bunch of snacks and my water bottle. I also brought my iPad for enrichment. I dozed off for not that long when I woke up to faint noises coming from the cows. “Bye bye…”

It took me a second to get a hold of my surroundings since I woke up with drool and crumbs on my face. I stumbled to grab my binoculars and once I got a good look, I saw the freshman huddled around a cow with their flashlights beaming from their phones. 

I almost had a heart attack when I saw the cows. The chain was back around its neck, and now I finally understood what was happening. The cows were mewing. As the audio looped over and over again, I began to question my priorities in life since I was sitting in a bush watching cows mew. 

Putting my existential crisis aside, these cows were actually getting pretty good. Those jawlines were looking sharp. Case closed. Bye Bye. 

Written by: Allison Keleher — adkeleher@ucdavis.edu 

Disclaimer: (This article is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fictional. The story and the names of “sources” are fictionalized.)

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By MAYA KORNYEYEVA — mkornyeyeva@ucdavis.edu

Ah, a lecture hall. The setting of so many power naps, failed microphones, unexpected quiz announcements and powerful waves of midterm stress. 

Beyond being the central setting for learning, a lecture hall should be designed for comfort for both the lecturers and the students and serve as a place that inspires creative thought and conversations. With this in mind, here are some of my thoughts, critiques and compliments regarding some of UC Davis’ most famous lecture halls. 

Rock Hall: This one holds a surprising amount of students, which is achieved by trading in comfort for the capability of squishing as many STEM majors into a single room as possible. The lecture hall contains a classic “slope down” seating arrangement, where about 400 student eyes are directed downward onto the (poor?) professor. Arrive early, because getting a seat right before the start of class will mean clambering over a whole row of annoyed students. Lastly, bring only the essentials, as there’s no way you’ll be able to fit your coffee, computer, notebook and phone onto the teeny tiny desk. 4/10.

Art Building: The best graffiti on campus (the talent level is insane) and great proximity for a ruminative stroll through the Arboretum (extremely necessary when your art final gets heavily critiqued in front of the entire class). 8.5/10.

Cruess Hall: I may be biased as a design major, but this is one of the best halls on campus. Featuring a mini design museum curated by students as well as a makerspace and tool room (with everything your creative soul could ever hope for), Cruess is catered directly to students working in the arts. The two main lecture halls are brand new and are relatively spacious with great projection screens and interior lighting. It’s like sitting in a movie theater! Finally, there are “Cruess Tattoos,” the adorable wall decorations that adorn the Cruess walls, ceilings and floors. Start exploring and you won’t be disappointed. ∞/10.

California Hall: So incredibly big!! So spacious!! So difficult to hear the professor when the mic goes out!! The best part of the hall is the two long vertical windows at either end of the room out of which you can watch clouds float by (while listening to the lecture obviously). 7/10.

Ann E. Pitzer Center: Just seats, no desks, but audio quality slaps. Very theatrical lighting. A perfect place for professors to invite guest speakers. 7.5/10.

Giedt Hall: You can’t get lost, but you may fall asleep because it does get pretty dark and dreary in there. 6/10.

Teaching and Learning Center (TLC): Recently built, this hall contains both classrooms and lecture spaces that are designed for students by students. It includes unique study areas scattered throughout the building and lots of outlets to plug in your devices, and there’s plenty of natural lighting. The architecture and color choices are inviting and thought-provoking, and the location is also pretty much perfect — situated right next to the Silo Bus terminal, the Silo, Latitude and the food trucks. 10/10.

Olson Hall: During orientation all those (two) years ago, I was told that Olson Hall had ghosts. Can confirm. It’s basically a maze of cement and poorly maintained classrooms: one of the windows of my discussion classroom remained broken and boarded up for the entirety of the quarter. 2/10.

The Death Star: Speaking of a maze of cement, that’s exactly what this is. Avoid having a class here unless you love getting lost or feel like wandering around in circles endlessly. The architects who built this place obviously had ulterior motives. -3/10.

Student Community Center (SCC): Personally a big fan of the computer lab and South Coho. A great place to chill and watch whatever cooking show is on the big TV on the first floor. 9/10.

Wellman Hall: This is your standard lecture hall: the water filters are always on red, the bathrooms are mid and the lighting is best fit for corporate offices. “Well man, I don’t know how to break it to you… but this one’s pretty average.” 5.5/10.

Written by: Maya Kornyeyeva — mkornyeyeva@ucdavis.edu

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

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By JOAQUIN WATERS — jwat@ucdavis.edu

“You might not like what you find.” These are the words spoken to Charlton Heston’s marooned astronaut in the 1968 film, “Planet of the Apes.” He is told not to go looking for answers about the ape-ruled world he is trapped in. Sure enough, Heston falls to his knees upon discovering the ruins of the Statue of Liberty, realizing that this supposedly alien planet run by super-intelligent apes is, in fact, Earth thousands of years into the future. “You maniacs!” Heston cries, “You blew it up!” It is an ingenious, thought-provoking sci-fi twist ripped straight out of “The Twilight Zone” (in fact, the original “Apes” was penned by “Twilight Zone” creator Rod Serling), and it is one of the most iconic moments in film history. 

Unfortunately, the scene’s iconic status now means that practically everybody sitting down to watch the film today knows it’s coming, even if they know nothing else about the movie. It’s a problem shared with most of the great film twists: everybody knows that Bruce Willis is dead the whole time in “The Sixth Sense,” that Norman Bates is the killer in “Psycho” and that Darth Vader is Luke’s father (apologies if you didn’t know, but come on, you totally do). 

These twists have a diminishing effect on their respective stories. When the surprise ending is the whole point of the movie, watching it with that knowledge tends not to be nearly as rewarding an experience. So, understandably, the “Planet of the Apes” film series languished for decades, plopping out the occasional limp sequel in the 1970s and an ill-fated attempt at a remake in 2001. None were very successful because, well, where can you go from there?

At long last, an answer was found. In 2011, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” was released. “Rise” is the seventh “Apes” film, but chronologically, it is a prequel set in (at the time present-day) 2011, explaining the origins of the super-intelligent apes and the circumstances behind humanity’s downfall. Already, this was a strong decision: rather than exploring the aftermath of the original, tackling the loaded implications of the iconic “it was Earth the whole time” reveal allows the series more freedom and intellectual weight. 

The film more than lives up to that promise. Rather than a campy action schlock-fest like most previous attempts at continuing the franchise, “Rise” is a slow-paced, thought-provoking and frequently depressing sci-fi parable about human hubris and animal cruelty. It takes its ludicrous premise (talking apes taking over the world) as seriously as possible. 

A scientist in San Francisco is trying to discover a cure for Alzheimer’s by testing a brain-enhancing viral drug on apes. The drugs work on one — a chimp named Caesar, who is adopted by the scientist only to wind up in a cruel animal shelter. Waking up to the injustice of how humans treat primates, Caesar stages a rebellion among his ape brethren, gradually increasing his intelligence. Meanwhile, further attempts at getting the viral drug to work on humans result in a deadly pandemic that wipes out 90% of the human race. It’s seriously grim stuff, not to mention unapologetically political — as all great sci-fi should be. Rod Serling would be proud.

Even more important than the writing (although the writing’s quality cannot be overstated) to “Rise’s” success is the great Andy Serkis as Caesar. Serkis is a motion-capture wizard best known for bringing Gollum to life in the “Lord of the Rings” films, but as far as I’m concerned, “Apes” is his best work. While the early films occasionally used hokey makeup and prosthetics to bring the apes to life, “Rise” and its sequels use motion capture, which, to the uninitiated, involves filming actors on set and layering a Computer Generated Image (CGI) character over their performance. The influence of the modern “Apes” films on motion capture cannot be overstated. The “Apes” films legitimized the craft. The entire team who worked to bring Caesar and his ilk to the screen — actors and VFX artists alike — deserve Oscars, especially Serkis himself, whose powerful, layered acting as Caesar is one of the great on-screen performances of the modern age, CGI be damned.

“Rise” was a sleeper hit, resulting in two sequels helmed by acclaimed director Matt Reeves: “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” released in 2014, and “War for the Planet of the Apes,” released in 2017. These three films chart the life of Caesar, from precocious child to grizzled old simian statesman, as he attempts to make peace with the fractured remnants of humanity in “Dawn” and begrudgingly battles them in “War.” The trilogy unfolds like a Greek tragedy, with each installment adding new layers to the foundation “Rise” built — from Biblical imagery to allusions to the rise and fall of Ancient Rome (fitting, given Caesar’s namesake), to the American slave trade, all coming back to the same central question: can intelligent beings live together in peace, or are even the best of us doomed to repeat the same cycle of war and tyranny for time immemorial? It’s dark and heady material, punctuated by thrilling action sequences and truly astounding VFX. It is, in short, a perfect film series. So why isn’t it discussed more?

For what it’s worth, these films are not languishing in obscurity. They are big-budget mainstream Hollywood productions that have received rave reviews with each passing installment. But they seem to fade from public consciousness far too quickly, never making as big a cultural mark as their immensely high quality suggests they should. The modern “Apes” films are a genuine contender for the best film franchise of the last 30 years. Yet, they are rarely mentioned this way and often brought up only in passing statements like “Hey, those movies are surprisingly good.” 

The latest installment, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” released just this month and set hundreds of years after the previous three, continues that tradition. It has received rave reviews and a solid box office, yet it still sits in the vast shadow of other recent hits like “Dune: Part Two” and “Civil War.” It’s just as well. Time will tell how the “Apes” films are remembered, and I suspect their reputation will vastly grow with time. Until that day comes, I will continue to espouse the gospel of Caesar: watch “Planet of the Apes.” You will like what you find.

Written by: Joaquin Waters — jwat@ucdavis.edu 

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By AUDREY ZHANG — aurzhang@ucdavis.edu

The first time I came to UC Davis, a turkey blocked my path to the information center. I looked into its eyes. In them, I saw rage, a brutal tragic past and a thirst for first-year blood. I saw my death. But there is nothing to be afraid of. UC Davis is full of wonderful animals and they have all only hurt me a little bit. 

Cheeto is my favorite — he’s the chonkiest little orange cat anyone has ever seen, and you can usually spot people spoiling him by the Physics Building. I remember the first time like it was yesterday: his fur was so soft, his paw pads were so squishy. He rolled onto his back, and the cuteness overwhelmed me. Then there was The Betrayal. I reached out to give belly rubs and he snapped. Respect everyone’s personal space. I wear these scratch marks with pride as a lesson well learned. 

Ducks are everywhere, and so are their adorable ducklings. You can usually spot them in the Arboretum, but my favorite pair is the couple hanging out at the fountain in Voorhies Hall’s courtyard. I’m their biggest fan. I’ve got about a hundred photos of the cute couple napping in the sun, though they haven’t been back since someone decided to drain the water from the fountain. How dare they get rid of the ducks’ date spot. I hope the two haven’t broken up.

Turtles dwell in the Arboretum too, though I can’t blame you if you haven’t noticed. Even a leprechaun would look at the water and say it’s way too green. A shark could be in there for all we know, and we wouldn’t be able to see it through all that algae. Maybe that’s why we have so many mosquitos. They’re my least favorite animals on campus, and the only ones that find their way into my apartment. I would cry if Cheeto graced me with his presence but no, I get discount Dracula here with a side of malaria.

Horses don’t deserve to be mentioned. Someone, not me, had to stand behind them during the Picnic Day parade. They thoughtfully left lovely brown landmines for the poor performers to dodge. Feel free to visit the Horse Barn and enact vengeance.

Last but not least, there is the humble cow. I don’t need to mention anything more. They get enough attention here as it is. 

Written by: Audrey Zhang — aurzhang@ucdavis.edu 

Disclaimer: (This article is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fictional. The story and the names of “sources” are fictionalized.)

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By MOLLY THOMPSON — mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu 

The Kennedys — a family so quintessentially American that Olivia Rodrigo sang praises of their “class and integrity.” But the proverbial black sheep of the group, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is set to be on the presidential ticket this fall without the support of the rest of his famously heralded kin. In fact, the rest of the Kennedys have come out in public endorsement of President Joe Biden.​​​​ 

This wasn’t a surprising move, given that RFK’s political stance is quite misaligned from the rest of his family. He’s running as an independent  — though he initially entered the race as a democrat — and has been vocal about how he views the American two-party system as “rigged.” He’s focused his platform on environmental action, “transforming” the police, ending U.S. involvement in proxy wars, border control and immigration restriction. He’s also loudly anti-vaccine and even started a non-profit organization that spreads anti-vaccine messaging: the Children’s Health Defense. In the past, he’s spread COVID-19 conspiracy theories and misinformation as well. He’s also very focused on taking down large corporations. He blames “the corrupt merger of state and corporate power” for… a lot of the issues he identifies as central in the US today such as unhealthy food, immigration, chronic disease and more. 

The big question now is whether or not RFK’s involvement in the general election will affect the outcome; is he going to throw a wrench in the race? Historically, third parties aren’t often successful. But that’s not to say they don’t make a difference — third-party candidates often act as election spoilers, which happens when they draw enough votes away from major party candidates to affect the outcome of the election. 

One of the most notable election spoilers in recent U.S. history is Ross Perot, who won nineteen percent of the popular vote in 1992. His participation has been cited as a defining reason for Bill Clinton’s win, as experts suspected that his votes might have gone to incumbent President George H. W. Bush if Perot hadn’t been on the ticket. 

Projected votes for this year’s general election didn’t initially paint RFK as a spoiler. But as we approach November and campaigns begin in earnest, there seems to be a possibility that he could actually affect the outcome. 

The Washington Post polled four states that flipped in the 2020 election (Trump won them in 2016, Biden won them in 2020) — Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania — to gauge the likelihood that RFK sways their outcome this year. It’s important to note that Kennedy is not currently on the ballot in all states, but he is working fervently to get his name on the ballot across the country. He recently announced his running mate to be Nicole Shanahan, which is expected to accelerate the petition process. What the Washington Post’s study found was that in two of the four states (Wisconsin and Pennsylvania), adding RFK to the mix changed the winner. In both states, polls that excluded Kennedy were evenly split between Biden and Trump, but once Kennedy was included Biden pulled ahead in Wisconsin and Trump pulled ahead in Pennsylvania. In Georgia and Michigan, Trump won in both polls but by slightly different margins. 

Disclaimer: Because we are currently still quite far away from election day, these polls are going to change dramatically. As we get closer to November, predictions will get more accurate, but they will always still be only guesses. This is especially true in today’s political climate, where the contest is so close that the outcome is incredibly difficult to predict. In fact, it’s the very reason that the race is so neck-and-neck that RFK even stands to be a spoiler. When we’re talking about just a couple of percentage points being the deciding factor, any votes cast for Kennedy that take away from one of the other candidates can make a real dent in the outcome. 

This is also only true because of our plurality winner-takes-all electoral system — we can only have one winner, so it doesn’t matter how large of a percentage the winning candidate gets as long as they get more than the other candidates. In a system of proportional representation, a minor party wouldn’t be able to sway the race one way or another because parties would win legislative seats proportional to the number of votes they received. It wouldn’t matter if a minor party took a few of the votes; the majority of the population would still be represented by the top-winning candidates. 

But in our system, the “first past the post” of 270 electoral votes wins the whole race. In an atmosphere where, for example, Biden won states like Arizona and Georgia by 0.3% of the vote in 2020, any candidate taking any small percentage of the vote can sway the race. 

RFK hasn’t been taking votes away from one candidate in particular (though some sources have cited him to be impacting one party or another more at certain points in time), and it remains unknown whether or not he’ll dig more from the voters that would have otherwise supported Biden or Trump. His following is relatively small as of today, but as we know, that’s all it takes to affect an election in our current political climate. 

So will Kennedy be a spoiler in the 2024 presidential election? We don’t know. But there’s a very real possibility that he could, a much more likely possibility than was initially posed. As frustrating as it is, the consensus is maybe. But maybe is significant — maybe is all it could take. 

Written by: Molly Thompson — mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu   

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