Courtesy of the Aggie

The UC Board of Regents meeting was held in conjunction with a two-day joint advocacy event that allowed UC students and regents to lobby Sacramento lawmakers. UC President Mark Yudof delivered a State of the University address after nearly 13 UC medical union workers were arrested by police for holding a sit-in protest at the onset of the meeting. Another topic of concern included rising professional degree supplemental tuition (PDST), which is not addressed by Governor Jerry Brown’s May Revision of the state budget.

Assembled by multiple UC labor unions, systemwide medical workers demonstrated to condemn the stalled contract negotiations over pension reform. Unions, such as AFSCME 3299, plan to strike from May 21-22. Yudof announced that while the university administration is open to dialogue with the workers, it is seeking a legal injunction to minimize the effects of the strike.

“Let no one in this room be unaware that this is a threat to the safety of the patients,” said Yudof. “It would cost the university $10 million dollars a day, and of course it would cost the employees money—those who participated.”

Yudof emphasized that all current employees retain all their benefits under the current pension plan. He reminded the audience members, many of whom were members of the strike, that pension reform was needed for maintaining UC fiscal stability.

Riverside campus recognized through UC President’s Award

After a final call for negotiation on pension reform, Yudof then proceeded to announce the winners of the UC President’s Award for Outstanding Leadership. UC Student Association (UCSA) President Raquel Morales and Jonathan Lee, the University Affairs Committee Chair of UCSA, accepted the award on behalf of UC We Vote. UCR’s Healing Highlanders was the second recipient. The group’s founding president, Mariel Bello, along with president-elect Fabiola Escobedo, accepted the award on behalf of its efforts.

“Our student organization is very proud to receive this award [for helping] students in recovery from addictive disorders [because] students feel that they can be a part of that home,” Bello said.

Public comment period results in 13 arrests

During the public comment period, six UC medical workers delivered heated speeches regarding pension reform. According to UC spokesperson Peter King, the UC Regents were temporarily forced to evacuate the premises after a brief protest broke out, which resulted in the arrest of 13 people.

Kathryn Lybarger, President of AFSCME 3299 and one of the arrested protesters, condemned the misappropriation of resources from patient care to company executive benefits.

“We’re about to see hundreds of thousands of new patients come in to UC medical centers as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) comes on line,” Lybarger stated. “Yet on the brink of this, we are seeing decisions being made by UC executives that are only bad for patients.”

UCSF medical employee Brenda Turner also referenced the ACA, saying that it will increase the number of eligible uninsured patients, but medical centers such as UCSF will be too understaffed.

“[The UC wants] to cut 300 full-time career positions at UCSF medical center … That is going to adversely affect patient care [so] give us a fair offer and we will settle. Ninety-seven percent of our membership voted to strike because we haven’t gotten one yet.”

After the public comment period, audience members began to shout slogans and chants such as “patient care!”

UC Board of Regents Chair Sherry Lansing asked the group to settle down, giving them three warnings before she stated that they would have police clear the room. The regents were forced to evacuate the room, and the protesters were apprehended.

UCSA President communicates student concerns

After returning from recess, UCSA President Raquel Morales delivered a presentation on campus climate, the UC’s proposed financial aid policies and the possibility of increased PDST levels, which will be decided upon during the July regents meeting.

Morales referred to the recent campus climate survey, which revealed tensions among ethnic groups and low tolerance levels on a systemwide level, and questioned how effectively the regents will use the results to enact system-wide changes.

Switching topics to PDST, Morales expressed concerns about the shift from academic to professional programs. Additionally, students may be shut out of dialogue dealing with PDST since it is scheduled to be voted upon in July when most students will be out of school.

Earlier on in the meeting, UC Student Regent Jonathan Stein shared similar sentiments about PDST. “In reality, we’ve been able to hold undergraduate and PhD tuition constant and professional school tuition has continued to rise,” he said.

Governor Brown seeks faster graduation rates

After returning from a lunch break, UC Provost Aimee Dorr delivered an academic performance indicators report which depicted UC freshman graduation rates, Pell grant recipients and undergraduate satisfaction on UC campuses.

Based on the bi-annual UC Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUE) in 2012, 82 percent of UC undergraduates reported having a positive overall academic experience. But the survey also revealed that only 60 percent of undergraduates believe that the value of a UC education equates to the price of tuition.

UC Riverside was reported as having the second-highest percentage of Pell grant recipients behind UC Merced. “Eighty percent of our freshmen who entered in fall 2005 and received a Pell grant graduated in six years … while students who entered without [them] graduated at 84 percent,” Dorr said. Pell grants are awarded to families that earn less than $50,000 a year.

Governor Jerry Brown attempted to gain a better understanding about the solutions offered through the statistics on graduation rates. He hopes college campuses will achieve an 80 percent graduation rate within four-years

“I don’t get excited about six years. To me, four years is the norm,” Brown said. Regent Richard Blum responded that certain majors such as engineering may hold stricter and more numerous requirements compared to other majors.

Regent Eddie Island emphasized that increasing graduation rates also requires increasing faculty and class sizes. Island reasoned that the survey results should not lay groundwork for stringent graduation requirements, which may end up limiting academic accessibility for underrepresented minorities.

In UC President Yudof’s State of the University address, he presented his assessment of the UC system over his six-year term in office, which included the UC’s above-average acceptance of first generation and low-income students.

“The numbers do underscore the university’s rare and defining ability to serve vast numbers of disadvantaged students, while still producing research of world-class quality,” Yudof said. “Many universities can achieve one of these two results. But it’s quite rare to achieve both.”

Wesley Ng/HIGHLANDER

On a sunny, bright day in Riverside, the sidewalks of UCR were filled with jovial children and adults alike all filing into the Student Recreation Center Arena. With the arena near capacity, the occasion was monumental for the university as it played host to a WNBA preseason game between the Los Angeles Sparks and Tulsa Shock. The Sparks, who begin their season on May 26, were defeated by the newly revamped Shock 82-67 in a game that featured amazing basketball moves on the court.

The Sparks opened the game on fire offensively as the team’s two star players, Candace Parker and Kristi Toliver, scored eight of the team’s first 10 points to give the Sparks a 10-7 advantage. Tulsa, who was playing without its third overall draft pick Skylar Diggins, received an 11-point quarter from Candice Wiggins as the Shock finished the first period ahead, 22-18.

The Shock exploded to start the second quarter, outscoring the Sparks 14-4 in the opening minutes to push the lead to 36-23. Sandwiched in between the Tulsa run, Toliver pulled off a tough between-the-legs, behind-the-back pass to a cutting Nneka Ogwumike that sent the crowd into a frenzy. A Parker coast-to-coast layup and Ogwumike jumper brought the Sparks to within eight points, 39-31, before a pair of Shock free throws closed the first half with Tulsa leading by ten, 41-31.

Following intermission, the Shock continued to build upon their lead with timely shooting and huge scoring bursts from the duo of Glory Johnson and Wiggins. Johnson, who finished the game with 22 points, capped off a 10-3 Tulsa run with a three-point play before a Roneeka Hodges 3-pointer moments later pushed the lead to nearly twenty, 66-47. With the crowd singing along to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing,” Los Angeles pulled within 17 points following a Briana Gilbreath jumper, 71-54, but Wiggins immediately made a 3-pointer to sink any chance of a Sparks comeback as they eventually fell, 82-67.

While the game was one-sided, the entertainment presented to the audience was nearly flawless. During halftime, the crowd was treated to the dance moves of a 40-year-old plus cheerleading team called the “Ole Skool Crew.” Women of a certain age hyped up the audience as they shimmied around the court drenched in purple and gold, the official colors of the Sparks. UCR women’s basketball guard Brittany Crain even joined in on the fun as she squared off against one of the spectators in a dance-off. From T-shirt giveaways to friendly half-court competitions, the game produced a warm and inviting atmosphere that filled the arena.

The UC Riverside Athletics Department’s hosting of the game built a solid base that introduced new sports fans to the university and advertised UCR on a broader scale. Events such as the Sparks-Shock game and soccer’s Chivas de Guadalajara Legends have fueled interest in UCR while adding another dimension to the university’s athletic program.

The “campus carry” bill passed May 6 by the Texas House of Representatives would allow citizens with a concealed handgun license to bring their weapon to college campuses. The “campus carry” bill will also allow students to carry their concealed firearms in classrooms, as long as they are 21 years old and have a permit.

Despite an unfortunate January shooting at a Texas community college, in which three people were shot by a 22-year-old man, the Texas House of Representatives managed to pass this particular bill and send it to the state Senate.

President Obama is trying to take action in enforcing and enhancing the gun control laws throughout the United States. One of these changes is reforming the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act so states can share information regarding mental health issues among potential gun purchasers, strengthening the background check system.

Like many other states, Texas requires its citizens to have a clean criminal and mental health record, as well as pass a gun ownership course to obtain a permit to carry a concealed weapon. It was reported in 2011 that Texas had a firearm assault rate of 58.28 per 100,000 people, compared to California’s 45.39. According to the New York Times, states that implement fewer regulations on gun usage are also the states that have the highest death rates by guns. Texas is number 23 on that list; California is the 40th.

It is necessary to check one’s criminal and mental health history, as it is a risk factor for the horrid incidents of Sandy Hook and Columbine. However, a spotless record may not be enough to allow us all to sleep soundly at night. There can be just one person, who despite having a squeaky-clean background check, who may still have dangerous internal thoughts of committing mass murder.

Jack Levin, professor of criminology and sociology, says, “Many gunmen have a clean criminal history—they are just having a really bad day.” While committing mass murder because of a bad day may seem ridiculous, Levin is correct. A potential shooter may have a clean psychological and criminal record at the time of the gun purchase, only to go on a shooting rampage after he or she has passed the background check and bought a gun.

President Obama is correct to augment current gun laws, but this alone is not enough. Obama would essentially keep the process the same, except with stricter guidelines. Instead of simply purchasing a gun and walking away, extra steps should be added onto the process of obtaining a firearm.

Like numerous products that require a trial period, guns should also have the same requirement. Wisconsin and Connecticut, among other states, implement waiting periods before the gun owner can physically be in possession of his or her weapon. Such waiting periods should be the case for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Those who successfully obtain a firearm after passing both the background check and the gun courses should be required to adhere to a certain trial or probation period to which the gun owner proves that his or her intentions of owning the weapon are not destructive. The trial period must be universal for all states, and if the agreements are broken, the consequences must be more severe.

These checks must be applied to those who wish to possess concealed weapons on college campuses in Texas. Though the gun carriers may feel safe and secure while carrying their weapon, those who do not own a gun may feel uneasy and frightened. Look back on the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007 and the horrible destruction caused by shooter Seung-Hui Cho. The very thought of a similar shooting can cause fear in students.

Those who want to protect both themselves and others are admirable. However, we all must think about the dangers of possessing any kind of weapon on a college campus. Gun purchases are not always sold with a background check. In fact, up to 40 percent of gun purchases are sold without a background check because they are purchased from private sellers or gun shows. Not only can someone with ill intentions obtain a gun from an innocent individual, but they can often purchase them without a license.

Imagine if the same bill were to be proposed in California. How would it affect UCR? Although student gun owners would be required to own a permit, that alone is not enough to keep students safe. The Riverside and the University of California Police Departments would have to be on an exhausting, never-ending high alert for any suspicious activity or potentially dangerous situations.

The frightening notion is this: If a student is permitted to possess a firearm, the fear of an incident immediately extends to the campus environment because the weapon is no longer relegated to a school in another state or country, but right next to you in a lecture hall. The campus cannot know the name of everyone who owns a firearm.

All law-abiding citizens have the right to bear arms. However, because mass murders are prevalent within schools and university campuses, guns should not be present at all. Therefore, the “campus carry” bill should not have been passed in Texas, as it creates fear within institutions of higher learning, instead of determination to learn. The “campus carry” bill does not protect Texas citizens and students from harm, but increases the potential for another shooting that could render the same devastating consequences as Newtown and Aurora.

The conflict between California and the federal government should slightly subside due to a unanimous decision by the California Supreme Court to allow municipalities throughout the Golden State to decide whether or not medical dispensaries can set up shop in their districts. The issue that arises from this progressive step is that it may cause a stir between state and local governments. The court’s ruling puts all the power in the hands of California’s cities and counties, which can then ultimately determine the fate of medical marijuana and its proprietors. The court’s decision is controversial, but one that is ultimately valid and beneficial for people.

Although municipalities have been granted final say on the presence of medical marijuana in their jurisdiction, some will argue that the state, which made medical marijuana legal to begin with, should give the final word on whether or not cities actually have the right to ban the product. For the sake of convenience and to provide an easier way for the public to hash out the issue, I am all for putting the decision in the hands of the municipalities.

State law does override municipal law and the Tenth Amendment does grant powers not controlled by the federal government to state governments under the Constitution. But a state’s supreme court decision beats out state law. So if California does decide to draft legislation instituting a law that medical dispensaries are permitted everywhere, it will be void.

This is not to say that individual cities have the right to essentially nullify state laws that they disagree with. Rather, in this specific case, if the majority of people in a certain municipality want to see the eviction of medical dispensaries, then they have the right to ban medical marijuana dispensaries despite medical marijuana still being legal. The choice to condense the power down to municipalities is a rational decision because it provides a better glimpse into where medical marijuana is wanted or needed, providing a better perspective into where the product can be profitable and medically beneficial.

As a result, accessibility to medical marijuana may no longer guaranteed, and traveling to dispensaries will now be a big issue for patients. The ruling also means that there is the possibility of seeing a complete disappearance of clinics in California, and would basically imply marijuana’s illegality even if establishing a dispensary is still legal under state law. On that note, if majority rules, it is hard to argue with the consensus.

There are many options to keep medical dispensaries in certain municipalities; one possibility is to establish an opportunity for residents to vote on the issue within their cities. A popular vote would provide for solid representation and allow for the appropriate action to be taken. A second option would be to petition the prohibition, if one were to be instated. Some municipalities have already instituted a ban, including Riverside. There have been complaints, but if medical dispensaries truly are wanted, there are ways to reinstitute the policy. The third suggestion is to create legislation that would force the state government to determine which areas are most suitable for medical marijuana dispensaries. From that point, citizens can vote on whether or not the state should be able to regulate the clinics and determine their location.

Letting the cities and counties of California have control over the regulation of medical marijuana dispensaries is not a poor decision. The ruling allows for a better way to provide medical marijuana to populations that are most in need of it. Some municipalities have higher rates of crime and could use the ban to lower criminal activity in their neighborhood. Others have residents in need of more medical attention. The Supreme Court’s ruling is an effective way to encompass the best interests of the people that are better represented by a condensed and organized plan.

There will be a slight uproar from those who protest the ban, but medical marijuana is not illegal everywhere and there are opportunities for change. As simple as it may sound, the truth is that the cities who want their marijuana can have their marijuana.

Photo by Vincent Ta/HIGHLANDER

At the beginning of each year, we must determine the way we will live as UCR students. To live on campus or to commute is one of the most financially impactful decisions we face, due to the high price of housing. Dining plans, overseen by Housing Services, are currently required for residents, without giving students the option to change plans once accepted. But the mandatory and strict nature of dining plans may discourage students from choosing to live on campus, even though research shows that students can benefit from doing so. In order to better UCR and its students’ experiences, Housing and Dining Services should make meal plans cheaper and more convenient.

UCR currently requires each resident living in Lothian, Pentland, Aberdeen-Inverness (A&I) and Glen Mor to have a meal plan. Meal plans are broken down into five options, each with a different amount of dining dollars. Prices listed on the UCR website do not differentiate between housing and dining expenses, but one can see that living in a residence hall with a meal plan costs anywhere from $13,480 to $16,180 for one year.

UCR’s Housing FAQ states, “All Residence Hall residents must have a Dining Plan as part of their living package.” However, no explanation is given for this rule. Perhaps the price is justified by UCR Policies and Procedures, which says, “Auxiliary or self supporting enterprises should attempt to charge their customers the full cost of providing the good and/or service.” If this is the case, Dining Services simply requires meal plans for students living on campus so it can make the “full cost of providing the good.”

Another possible reason for forced dining plans is the notion of convenience for first-year students. According to the UCR Housing Services website, benefits of living on campus include no cooking, cleaning or shopping. But whether mandatory and unflexible meal plans intend to benefit Dining Services or students, they still burden students.

Many students may agree that having food readily available between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. almost every day is a good deal. However, the cost of these plans can also create hardships for students. Second-year business major Janice Aceituno states, “After financial aid covered all expenses, I got a refund check that was not enough to buy even one book that I needed for class. To pay for the books, I had to take out another loan.”

When students cannot afford to purchase academic items because of inflated living expenses, the “first-year experience” becomes problematic. If students in this situation were able to live on campus without a dining plan, they could use that money to purchase food more effectively, allowing them to use the remainder of their finances for other essential products.

Meal plans also create inconveniences for residents who wish to lower their meal plan. Currently, students are not allowed to lower their meal plan after signing a housing contract. Last year, sociology major Ana Martinez purchased the Highlander-180 plan, a middle ground option for students, allowing students to swipe for 180 meals and 125 dining dollars quarterly.

She soon realized that it was not the best choice for her. “I wasn’t able to go to the [dining hall] all [180] times,” Martinez related. She regretted choosing that plan, which was covered by student loans. When Martinez attempted to change her meal plan at the beginning of the second quarter, she was told she could purchase a more expensive plan, but not a cheaper one. In order to avoid expensive meal plans altogether, Martinez has since moved into an apartment off campus.

Residents with the Highlander-Unlimited plan also yearn to change their plan after discovering its ironically limited setup. These students may swipe at A&I or Lothian Dining Hall as many times as they wish throughout the year, but are restricted from swiping at the Culinary Chameleon and Lo’Go! Cafe.

Prior to this year, students had unlimited swipes at these campus restaurants. According to second-year Dining Services employee Christine Muñoz, this privilege was rescinded due to students “abusing the power” by providing meals for multiple people. Though that may be true, students paying the most for their dining plans deserve to have the most options. Dining Services could prevent exploitation of these high-cost services by allowing one swipe per meal time—the current setup for the Highlander-120 and Highlander-180 plans.

Dining Services should consider the current inconveniences of its meal plans if it wants to increase on-campus residency and thereby improve academic performance. According to the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, on-campus residents perform better academically than off-campus residents. Strategic Academic Research and Analysis reports that 69% of UCR undergraduates lived off-campus in 2012.

UCR is dissatisfied with this statistic, evident in last year’s “You’re not really going to UCR unless you’re staying at UCR” marketing strategy. But the unappealing system implemented by Dining Services discourages students from wanting to live on campus past their first year. Students already pay dining fees at the beginning of each quarter. Allowing a student to change their meal plan at this time should not dramatically affect the processing of these payments. Making dining plans optional and flexible would increase students’ willingness to stay on campus, benefiting students and UCR Housing and Dining Services.

Alex Suffolk/HIGHLANDER

A Weekend in Amsterdam

May 9-15

One of the greatest things about Germany would have to be its location. With its position smack-dab in the middle of Europe, you are only some hours away from a multitude of other cultures in every direction. As such, I found myself in Amsterdam for an extended weekend.

My friend and I exited our night train from Berlin groggy, but excited. We were met with an astounding first sight of the Netherlands’ capital: great crowds of people splitting off into three wide streets, many of which were bearing neon signs promising Heineken beer or a plethora of souvenirs. Then, of course, there were the bicycles. Just outside the central station was an area which must have held thousands upon thousands of bikes, and each street had something like eight lanes which included a sidewalk, car lane, tramline and a bike lane for each direction.

Our first bit of exploration was through a multitude of shops. The palpable vibes of counterculture and tourism were strongly reminiscent of Venice Beach and Las Vegas, with all the magnets, clothing and knick-knacks sporting imagery of either pornography or pot leaves and cartoonish characters with bloodshot eyes professing their love for the stuff. The word “cannabis” was printed on just about everything from vodka to energy drinks, nearly all of which admitted in fine print that there was no actual THC in them, proving that many of these shops were just out to profit from the city’s biggest stereotypes.

However, the complete openness of the sale of certain items was definitely surprising. In every single one of these shops was a corner devoted entirely to cannabis candies and cookies, and next to that was almost always a fridge selling manufactured packets of magic mushrooms and startup kits to grow your own. I could have even been the proud owner of my own little peyote cactus for only 15 euro. Of course, across from the “soft drugs” there were bound to be genital-shaped candies, porn videos, human breast stress balls and sex toys.

Afterward, we decided to have a look at a few of those notorious coffee shops that Amsterdam is known for. They all varied in decoration with some looking more or less like a standard café. Some had a look influenced by Hindu deities or East Asian aesthetics and one even looked as though it were a cave underground, with each seat and table being a mushroom. However, the procedure and vibe was pretty universal. You’d walk up to the counter, prove you are 18 or over, and are then given a menu of delicious coffees as well as a menu for different marijuana strains—a list usually two to three times as long as the food and beverage list.

Lounge music ranging from hip-hop to more energetic Punjabi tunes could be heard pumping before you even enter. The dank skunk scent would creep into your nostrils as soon as you got past the doorway and you could see groups of people, most of them men in their late 20s to early 30s, huddled together in clusters. They’d either be smoking out of bongs that the shop rented for free or some of the fattest joints I have ever seen. The smoke would snake upwards from each little cluster of customers, eventually pooling together into a narcotic smog layer that hugged the ceiling.

After that, we found a stand with a considerably long line and a sign boasting that it had the best French fries in all of Holland. I got a cone of thick, fresh potato slices—crispy, straight from the fryer and only lightly salted and smothered in Fritessaus, a special kind of mayonnaise. I sat down with my little wooden fork and chowed down. Vince Vega in Pulp Fiction was entirely wrong—the mayo-fry combo was immensely satisfying. And after having enjoyed fresh French fries as a meal unto itself, I don’t think they’ll ever be the same to me as just a side dish.

We began to wander some more and eventually walked around the Old Church, the oldest and one of the most impressive buildings in the city. After that, not a minute went by when we were met with the image of a young woman in nothing but her underwear standing outside in the cold wind. Before I could even process this pleasant “WTF” moment, it occurred to me that we had found ourselves in the legendary red-light district, De Wallen. I don’t think there is a greater symbol of the amalgamation of culture and tolerance of the city than the fact that the oldest and holiest building is smack-dab in the middle of its most sinful area.

However, De Wallen is hardly what one expects. Instead of a network of seedy and run-down avenues that come to the mind when hearing “red-light district,” it is actually made up of three gorgeous canals with tightly-packed houses of old Dutch architecture along each side and thin alleyways connecting them. Most of the buildings had two floors consisting entirely of closet-like rooms with glass doors, and behind each of these doors was a woman in a bikini, lingerie and the like. Such a neatly lined-up selection was eerily reminiscent of an aisle of Barbie dolls that you could find in any toy store.

Each lady would either dance or alternate poses, frantically tapping the glass to get your attention as you pass. In all their eyes was a combination of a sad puppy wanting attention and a hungry tiger locked onto its prey. If one smiles at them, as I couldn’t help but do, they would crack open the glass door, stick out one hand and crook a single finger while saying “Come here! Come here!” As I was walking around, I would see the occasional middle-aged man peek his head through a glass door and then walk in. Then the lady would pull some curtains and you can imagine the rest.

However, Amsterdam deserves to be known for much more than a den of open indulgence. Throughout my stay, I was blown away by how international it was, and how English was the most spoken language throughout the entire city. The Dutch are all perfectly fluent in English and use it as the default language in every shop. British schoolboys could be found ogling the ladies on display and sniggering, Americans could be found laughing their asses off in almost every coffee shop and in one bar I even found a Canadian branch of the Veterans, a biker gang. Yes, apparently Canada has biker gangs.

The city is surprisingly small, with only an hour’s walk to get from the Central Station at the north end to the collection of museums and “I Amsterdam” sign at the south end. The sheer amount of museums (52 in one city), art galleries, music venues and options to navigate the canals were astounding. In the following days, I went to the Heineken brewery and learned how to properly pour and drink a beer. I also saw more Van Gogh paintings than I even knew existed. I watched a fantastic hip-hop artist live, learned about the history of cannabis at the marijuana museum and learned a tremendous amount of the city’s history at the Amsterdam Museum. Even after all that, I still feel like I barely scratched the surface of such a dense hub of culture.

Four days later, I was sitting on the train back home to Germany with a camera full of pictures and a bag full of Heineken-labeled goods, a block of homemade Dutch cheese and a little bottle of absinthe. And though I was sad to leave such a wonderful place, I am now left with a deep lust to travel and experience even more wonderful places.

Photo by Vincent Ta

The first annual Media and Cultural Studies Student Film Festival and Competition proves that UCR is making strides in its attempt to fill the crippling need for a true film major. But while the evening seemed successful because HUB 302 overflowed with prideful and excited attendees, there was confusion on what the event should have been.

The film festival had a formal dress code, and many attendees showed up in gowns and suits. However, the staff broke the theme of formal wear with the inclusion of popcorn and hip hop performances by their sponsor, Hip Hop Congress. The popcorn was a nice touch since it is the cliché movie snack that most everyone loves, but the hip hop performances felt completely out of place.

Although Hip Hop Congress’ sponsorship justified the organization’s presence, that does not mean that hip hop should take up almost half of the event’s time, during which the MCS department could have screened other student film submissions. Lasting around 20 minutes each, the three performances were not the best that I have seen and often had too much happening at once. The highlight of the night was Amber, a member of Hip Hop Congress, who sang Lauren Hill’s “Doo-Wop (That Thing).” However, the two songs she sang were ruined by the deafening volume of inconsistent speakers.

The event was structured professionally with a big emphasis on awards, but is this the best way to structure a student film festival? The night did not feel very student-centric and was not fair to all submissions by only screening a select few.

The seating arrangement was typical of any awards show, with circular tables and food that consisted of sandwiches and popcorn––of which they ran out immediately. For a film festival, circular seating was a terrible choice. Certain people’s views were blocked and others had to twist their bodies or chairs in order to get a half decent view of the screen. A better arrangement would have been to organize rows of seating, similar to stadium seating that is typical of any movie theater.

With all the distractions, the event coordinators seemed to lose sight of the film aspect of a film festival. Not all submissions were shown and the audience was left with no knowledge whatsoever of how the MCS department made their choices for awards, or what the winners’ competition was even like.

The event was far from perfect, which is expected of a first-time event, but it could have been better. The festival was a mess of things thrown together that caused much confusion and disappointment for filmophiles.

“First Person Polluter” by Kris Parker
Rating: 3/5

Directed by Kris Parker, the first film of the night was a documentary that discussed the significance of the first-person shooter video game genre. The visuals were an infusion of interviews with former and current military personnel, real-life war videos and video game screen capture. The documentary proved to be extremely informative and taught me quite a lot about the genre, but other than that, it did not impress me.

The way everything was cut together was unprofessional and amateurish. Some parts of the documentary were reminiscent of picture slideshows, leaving the audience uncertain how to feel; the information was great, but the presentation lacked flair. Parker’s work with the microphone was inconsistent in its varying volumes of the interviews and missed the crispness that was expected in parts of the narrative. Overall, the documentary was okay, but failed to keep me interested because the visuals felt too juvenile to come from a college MCS major.

“Liewec” by Adam Antoun
Rating: 2/5

The second award went to Adam Antoun for his film, “Liewec,” which was honored with the Best Cinematography award. This short film was a confusing mess with subpar cinematography. The story was confusing and did not make much sense; it seemed to be about a man who is confused with life and tries to reinvent himself. For a film chosen for best cinematography, it was decent but not color-corrected, ruining the look of the film and leaving me wondering why it even won in that category.

“Liewec” had no real story to it, even though it was nominated for the Best Narrative award; it flowed illogically from one shot to another with a mixture of semi-nude scenes that were not remotely necessary. The film set a serious tone, but then added hints of comedy that distracted from the main point and ruined its overall tone and message. The music effectively set the mood for peace and tranquility, but oftentimes the songs jumped from one to the other, creating a choppy, unappealing musical flow that was not easy on the ears.

“Used Books” by Alexander Gardels
Rating: 4.5/5

The highlight of the evening was the short film, “Used Books,” which presented a surprisingly pleasant experience. “Used Books” was directed by Alexander Gardels and was about a down-on-his-luck man suffering from unemployment and a recently-ended relationship. He finds a book that tells him what he should do to improve his life and find happiness.

The story was a little cliché, but the twist of events was interesting, and the actors really portrayed their characters well. The shots, editing and settings all worked together to make the film look great and intriguing with a high level of skill in filmmaking. The comedy in this film was spot on––it was cheesy, but not overtly so, setting an overall humorous tone that worked just right. However, there was some bad microphone work at certain parts; during a conversation with the main character’s sister, she slams her hand on the table and the sound was way too loud to be acceptable. But overall, the film was very successful in proving that it was worthy of the Best Narrative award.

“Homeless” by Blind Republic
Rating: 4/5

The next award was given to “Homeless” for Best Music Video, directed by Blind Republic. The song and most of the video seemed to be about homelessness in America, but then went on to show images of violence and war, which detracted from the main point of the video; was it about homelessness, or feeling homeless in America because of corruption and war? The music video was extremely well-composed, but confused the audience with images of police brutality, war footage and homeless people. Do they really all directly relate to each other? Other than the directionless mesh of different topics in one video, the cinematography was great and well-edited, and touched upon many important topics in current American society.

“The : 951” by Sarkis Ter-Minasyan
Rating: 4.5/5

The last student film of the evening was Sarkis Ter-Minasyan’s  “The : 951,” a docudrama about the life of Faze Lucciano, a man who lives in Moreno Valley and has seen the effects of gang culture. The film discusses the prevalence of gangs and gang violence in the Riverside and Moreno Valley area. The docudrama strongly blends Lucciano’s life experiences with real interviews with former gang members. The unseen world outside of the UCR campus and the dangers that lie just a mile away shocked audiences. The docudrama was informative and adequately conveyed the dangers of gang involvement in Riverside County.

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Overall, the event was standard, but fell short as a student film festival because of the unequal attention given to all submissions and the amount of inconsistencies in the quality of the event. The food ran out before everyone arrived and there was not enough seating. The films were shown off a student-controlled laptop, which led to many mistakes in volume control. The mouse was seen several times wandering about the video while films were screening, eliciting laughter from the audience and setting an unprofessional mood.

Some of the films were good, some were bad, but the biggest mistake that the MCS department made was its decision to not show or even really acknowledge all the other films in each category. I had high hopes that this film festival would be a safe place and a starting point for student filmmakers at UCR, but it lacked way too much. As an amateur filmmaker, I am actually reluctant to even attempt to submit a film for the next year’s film festival. Better luck next time, MCS department. I hope you appreciate more student films next year.

Photo by Cameron Yong

When I arrived to Wednesday night’s show at the Barn, I immediately saw a long line of people anxiously waiting to enter the venue. The topic on everyone’s lips was trying to meet the night’s talented headliner: indie artist Matt Costa.

Inside the Barn, the stage was lit up with a mixture of red, blue and yellow lights as the opening act, Hindu Pirates, made their way to their instruments. As the band began to play, lead vocalist and keyboard player Austin Ferreria sang “Nothing At All” while the other members bobbed their long hair back and forth to the steady rhythm of the guitar chords. After playing a few songs, guitarist Giuseppe LoBasso made the first interaction with the crowd. He announced, “This one is going to be a banger,” as they began to perform “Sweet Tooth.”

Hindu Pirates emerged into the surf rock genre as a talented quintet with a vintage feel to their music. The band used typical instruments, such as the guitar and drums, but the synthesizing keyboard contributed a unique sound that gave their songs an electric, space-age tone.

The atmosphere of the Barn drastically switched gears to a soft and mellow tone as Matt Costa took the stage and opened up with one of his most recognizable songs, “Mr. Pitiful.” The track has been used in multiple films, such as “I Love You, Man” and was also featured in the trailer of “Youth In Revolt.”

Costa is known to be a talented multi-instrumentalist and vocalist. During his song “Ofilia,” he managed to strum the chords on his guitar, sing vocals and play his harmonica simultaneously.  Throughout the night, Costa would switch his elaborate instruments around and go from playing the keyboard, to the tambourine, to the guitar.

The highlight of the night occurred during Costa’s popular tune, “Miss Magnolia.” In the middle of the song, Costa disappeared offstage and burst onto the ground floor, dancing playfully around the Barn. He made his way to the very center of the crowd where he got up close and personal with the audience. The crowd was definitely enthusiastic about Costa’s spontaneous actions as we all gazed upon the musician with starstruck eyes and big smiles. Costa finished up his song surrounded by his many fans and returned back to the stage.

Costa successfully got the crowd involved by teaching us the chorus to his enjoyable song “Good Times Are Coming.” After the audience learned the lyrics, everyone was able to loudly sing, “Good times are coming, those good times are coming / Good times are coming to an end” right along with him.

Afterwards, Costa played another one of his notable songs, “Sunshine,” which has more of a whimsical and elegant tone. Costa’s quiet voice consumed the Barn as the entire audience listened in awe to his soft, whispering vocals. The crowd sang along softly, but when the song came to an end, everyone erupted in applause.

In between songs, the audience shouted out their song requests for his beloved hits. Costa took into consideration what the audience was begging for and even played one of the requested songs, “Sweet Rose.” The crowd was excited to know that he was listening to them and showed their appreciation by clapping to the steady rhythm of the drums and the flowing chords of the guitar.

Costa interacted with the audience and would tell us his inspirations hidden behind his song lyrics. According to Costa, one of his closing songs, “Laura Lee,” was intended to feel like a fairytale. As he began to play his song, I became lost in the short yet fanciful story about this mysterious Laura Lee character.

During his last song, “Clipped Wings,” Costa’s quiet and mystic vocals filled the Barn and created an environment that gave me chills after his performance. As the concert came to an end, I was left wanting to hear more after witnessing Costa’s amazing live performance. His interaction with the audience and cool demeanor made the concert a memorable experience, and I left the Barn a much bigger fan of Matt Costa than when I first arrived.

My first thought after leaving the theatre is that “Star Trek Into Darkness” is not as good as J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot. Although Abrams has an obvious appreciation for the series, “Into Darkness” is simply not as well-crafted as its predecessor. With that said, the newest installment in the series is still a wild ride and I had fun all the way through.

Both Trekkies and critics alike have complained that the modernized take lacks the deep insight of original Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry. On the contrary, “Into Darkness” does promote its thematic elements, incorporating a clear commentary on the risks of uninhibited militarism––a theme that leads to interworld conflict and acts of terrorism, a threat widely discussed today. It is true that there is a comparative lack of social commentary sewn into the new film, but I did not pay admission to see an art house flick with philosophical undertones. I paid my six dollars to see the captivating Chris Pine barely make it out alive of heart-stopping sticky situations.

When the movie begins, audiences are immediately thrown into a foreign planet where a nearby volcano grows angry as Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) attempts to outrun primitive extraterrestrial life forms. Kirk has no problem tossing a few of Starfleet’s guidelines in the trash in order to save himself and his crew, but he does suffer a temporary demotion from captain to first officer.

Pine is fantastic all the way through, from fistfight to fistfight, moments of sentimentality and even a threeway with two aliens. As the great Captain Kirk should, Pine radiates charm and is always waiting for a moment to reveal a slight smirk. Of course, Captain Kirk would be nothing without his trusted First Officer Spock, the restrained Vulcan gearing up for a chance to preach the need for logic in all dire circumstances. Zachary Quinto does great work as Spock, whose sharp glares invoke nothing but the utmost seriousness.

The relationship between Spock and Kirk is one of the most notable points of the film. Kirk, being the spontaneous adrenaline junkie he is, engages in many arguments with his Vulcan pal. But even though there is friction, there is a clear yin and yang aspect to the two, who maintain balance in a strange, but effective, fashion. Their bromance and mutual respect ultimately forces them to take drastic steps in order to save each other’s lives. Without Kirk, Spock would have been engulfed by the lava in the volcano. Without Spock, Kirk’s life would be in the hands of Khan, a familiar villain who catches the USS Enterprise off guard.

Khan, also known as John Harrison, is a name known by dedicated Trekkies or those who saw “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.” Powerfully played by British star Benedict Cumberbatch, Khan is a conniving character and masterful combatant who possesses superhuman intellect and strength. The crew goes to hell and back on the planet of Kronos in the Klingon territory in order to hunt him down, and his agenda is perfectly played out due to some unfortunate sabotage upon the crew of the Enterprise.

Although he knows how to easily take out members of the Klingon race, Khan surrenders himself to Starfleet. The reason for Khan’s willingness to raise the white flag becomes clear later on when the brilliant villain’s plan comes into fruition. Until then, Cumberbatch gets to voice Khan’s seemingly sympathetic, but scheming monologues from the safety of a cell. His diatribes from inside the cell are well-crafted and conniving, making him out to be one chilling villain.

In no time, controversies erupt and a battle emerges in space and back on Earth. The exhilarating action scenes and phenomenal special effects alone are worth the ticket price, especially as the Enterprise dazzles in all its glory. Not only are the fights in space exhilarating, but watching the Enterprise and its foe’s spacecraft tumble through Earth’s atmosphere will blow you away. Khan’s destructive plan should not be missed, especially since they take place in familiar locales like London and San Francisco.

“Star Trek into Darkness” is pure blockbuster entertainment, all while being supported by a wonderful cast. The comical Scotty (Simon Pegg), Zoe Saldana’s rough and tumble Uhura, John Cho’s Sulu and the sexy new addition to the Enterprise family, Carol (Alice Eve), all have some good moments here. Zoe Saldana is particularly good as the badass communications officer who is brave enough to approach a gang of Klingons, even in the midst of a love feud with Spock. Eve is nice on screen, but audiences really don’t get to see enough of her until her role becomes absolutely necessary to shove the plot forward.

Trekkies may think that “Into Darkness” hardly lives up to what the franchise should be, but Kirk driving a 1966 Corvette off a cliff in the first film was no subtle metaphor. We see the version meant for today’s audience, which does not completely abandon Roddenberry’s centermost thematic perspective on uninhibited militarism.

Either way, “Star Trek Into Darkness” is a thrill ride and two compelling hours of worthwhile entertainment.

Rating: 3.5 stars

After her career with Disney ended, Demi Lovato’s struggles and triumphs came to a head in 2011 with her heartbreaking single, “Skyscraper.” Although the Disney star had difficulties with eating disorders, self-harm and a painful breakup, “Skyscraper” was definitely an artistic and passionate song that reflected her growth as a person. Her new album, “Demi,” doesn’t quite live up to her single’s transformative depth. The album is probably nothing you will be dying to listen to again and again, but it definitely has a few pop tracks that could be included on your playlist for days at the pool or just hanging out with friends.

The first single, “Heart Attack,” is a common pop song with a catchy beat and easy lyrics, which become comical as she sings about playing with boys like a “Ken doll.” The song is upbeat, fun and something you will hear on the radio way too many times in a day. As Lovato describes herself trying not to fall in love, she says, “Cause I don’t wanna fall in love / If I ever did that, I think I’d have a heart attack.” I’ve never heard of anyone comparing this stage of a relationship to a heart attack, so I thought it was an entirely unique approach to the feeling. However, her lyrics “Make me wanna act like a girl / Paint my nails and wear perfume” are super cliché and show that Lovato is actually trying to impress this guy. It’s also annoying to hear that she has to try and make herself look prettier in order to be good enough for him.

“Made in the U.S.A.” has a promising intro as Lovato sings about her love interest, with cutesy lyrics such as “You always reading my mind like a letter / When I’m cold, you’re there like a sweater.” The song is a bit more childish than I expected; it sounds like it would be sung by a girl in high school rather than a maturing adult. The chorus celebrates her budding romance by singing that their love was “made in the U.S.A.” which doesn’t seem very romantic in any significant way. On top of that, the chorus sounds bland and useless after the second time it is repeated. Lovato doesn’t mention anything significant about the USA that would relate to the importance of their love. Many of her other songs have the same kind of misplaced terminology that does not really fit in with the rest of the lyrics.

Her album is definitely a mix between bittersweet melodies and pop dance tunes that are easily overlooked, but tend to have at least one or two meaningful lines of lyrics in them. “Neon Lights” and “Fire Starter” both follow the same kind of rhythm and have a fun dance beat––but again, they are forgettable because the beats to several of the songs are too similar and the lyrics are repetitive.

“Warrior” is one of the more tragic and melancholy songs on the album. The song tells the typical story of a girl experiencing her first broken heart, and although it sounds like it tries to be as heartbreaking as Adele’s “Someone Like You,” it doesn’t quite make the cut. Much like Adele’s song, Lovato sings about someone who both changed and hurt her, but “Warrior” doesn’t give any real meaning to that person’s significance. Other melancholy songs include “Nightingale” and “Two Pieces,” which are sad in a whiny teenage girl kind of way. Her lyrics, “These dark clouds over me / rain down and roll away,” don’t possess anything remarkable, and Lovato simply uses them to repeat the fact that she’s been hurt repeatedly .

Lovato does have a soft, feminine voice, and parts of “Demi” allows the listener to hear her compassion in her changing tones. Her creativity and originality, though, isn’t quite there yet.

Parts of “Demi” allow the listener to hear Lovato’s compassion in her changing tones and soft, feminine voice. Her creativity and originality, though, isn’t quite there yet.

Rating: 2.5 stars