May 24, 2013

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Managing campus fire extinguishers is no easy feat

Managing campus fire extinguishers is no easy feat

Rocky Twitchell inspects, maintains 6,000 a year

Written by ERIN MIGDOL
Features Editor
Published on May 14, 2012
Filed under Features, Front page story, Top Stories

For Rocky Twitchell, every building at UC Davis has a number. The Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center is 125, for example. Chemistry Annex? More than 200. Giedt Hall, a particular favorite of Twitchell’s, is a merciful four. “Meyer has way too many,” he says emphatically driving past the rectangular hall on a busy Friday afternoon. He’s no mathematician, but there is a common denominator in this numerical puzzle: fire extinguishers. As the UC Davis Fire Department’s only physical plant mechanic, it is Twitchell’s job to monitor and service the 6,000 extinguishers spread throughout campus, as well as teach students, faculty and staff how to properly use them in his fire prevention classes. It’s tedious work that he admitted often goes unnoticed by students and staff — but you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone more enthusiastic about those cylindrical red canisters. “People say, ‘I’m not going to worry about [fire extinguishers]’, and that’s good — get out if there’s a big fire. But by the time we get there, people could... ...

Davis Dozen pleads ‘not guilty’ to U.S. Bank blockade charges

The Davis Dozen, 11 students and one professor who allegedly instigated the closing of the U.S. Bank in the Memorial Union, pled ‘not guilty’ at their second arraignment, Thursday, May 10. A trial date will be set during a trial setting conference on Friday, June 1. The case was assigned to Judge Reed in Department 6 at 1:30 p.m. at Yolo Superior Court, said Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney, Michael Cabral. The Davis Dozen were offered a plea deal of 80 hours of community service, should they have pled guilty. Over 20 counts of obstructing movement in a public place and one count of conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor were charged against them on March 30. “I think that the DA’s office knows it has a weak case and that is why they floated a plea deal, leaking it to the media well in advance of the court date. I think they wish this case would go away, but that they are being pressured by [Linda P.B. Katehi's] administration to... ...

ASUCD faces 1.52 percent tax from University Office of the President

ASUCD faces 1.52 percent tax from University Office of the President

The UC Office of the President recently decided to place a university-wide 1.52 percent tax on the expenses of ASUCD units. In the past, money from individual campuses was centralized at the UC Office of the President before being redistributed. This new tax, however, will allow campuses to maintain control over their individual revenues while paying the 1.52 percent tax. “It’s a 1.52 assessment from the Office of the President and is UC-wide. In the past, the Office of the President used to get all of the money, but now they are flipping it and every campus retains their own money,” said ASUCD Business Manager Brett Burns. The decision was made by UC President Mark Yudof and it has been said that it was not an easy decision. Money from the tax will go to funding the UC Office of the President. Yudof left it up to the chancellors of each campus to choose where to find the funding for the tax. Specifically at UC Davis, the ASUCD Coffee House... ...

Plans begin for Memorial Union remodeling

Plans begin for Memorial Union remodeling

The Memorial Union (MU) is expected to receive a renovation sometime in the near future with the hopes of bringing new life to the facility. Plans are currently being put forth for the remodeling of the East Wing, which now houses the Post Office, Campus Copies/Classical Notes and the Information Center. The project also includes a wayfaring initiative to improve the entrance to the MU from the bus terminal. Designs are barely in the development stage, and definitive decisions have yet to be made regarding what will be added to the wing. Ideas include additional lounge space and outdoor seating, an area for live entertainment, more retail space and a pub. The project aims to be as student-oriented as possible in order to satisfy the desires of the general population. “The more student input, the better,” said Brett Burns, Business Manager of ASUCD. According to Burns, leaders from greek, intercollegiate athletics and various other organizations will have input on the plans. Two student representatives will sit on the Memorial Union... ...

Campus cashes in on big music

Campus cashes in on big music

This past year has been especially exciting for the Davis music scene with prominent artists like Ke$ha, LMFAO, Cake, Drake, Bon Iver, The Shins and Steve Aoki gracing the stage and wowing the crowds at UC Davis venues. Getting these artists to perform on campus is no small deal, however. From poster printing to the final act, the entire process involves serious finances. The Entertainment Council, ASUCD’s student-run programming board, is responsible for bringing these big name acts to campus and is currently in the business of making sure students can foot the bill. Several months before the actual performance, Entertainment Council undergoes extensive research to ensure that large performances would be good investments that would be financially feasible to the students. “Checking out artist’s fan pages is actually a really great way to get an idea of how big the artist is because it says how many fans, or ‘likes,’ they have,” said Henry Chatfield, senior psychology major and director of Entertainment Council. “So Radiohead has almost 8 million... ...

Republican presidential candidate stops by UC Davis

Republican presidential candidate stops by UC Davis

Thousands packed the Quad last Thursday evening to attend the campaign rally of Dr. Ron Paul (R- Texas) where he spoke about the “fight for liberty.” The republican presidential candidate’s emphasis throughout the night was promoting liberty and reducing the power of the government. ”We really need a revolution because we are not moving in the right direction. This country has drifted off so it’s time to change the direction. We have to argue the case for freedom,” Paul said. For 45 minutes Paul criticized the war in Afghanistan, the Federal Reserve, the Patriot Act and the actions of the Drug Enforcement Administration in overriding states’ drug laws. “Federal Reserve is an instrument for the growth of big government, as well as an instrument for undermining liberty. The more government does, the less liberties we have,” Paul said. Paul also spoke about the need to repeal the Patriot Act — stating that American citizens should not have to sacrifice liberty for safety. Paul was received with cheers of “President Paul”... ...

Legislation plans to lower federal Stafford Loan interest rates

Adding to the increasing levels of student loan debt in the United States is the possibility of having federal, or subsidized, Stafford Loan interest rates double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent on July 1. In a report, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said student loan debt has surpassed the nation’s credit card debt, fueling a nationwide debate on keeping college affordable. Congressman Joe Courtney, D-Conn., introduced House Bill 3826 (H.R. 3826) on January 25. The bill potentially caps federal student loan interest rates by the July 1 expiration of the 2007 legislation that capped student interest rates for five years. According to the Stafford Loan website, federal Stafford Loans are one of the most common and inexpensive ways to pay for tuition. Congressman Gary Peters, D-Mich., the first co-signer of H.R. 3826, is working with Courtney on lowering interest rates. “He thinks college education is key to helping our country survive,” said Vicki Christner, Deputy Press Secretary for Congressman Peters. “We have the most educated workforce in... ...

Dorm residents find ways to beat the heat

Dorm residents find ways to beat the heat

After an unexpected heat wave the weekend of Picnic Day, Student Housing had to make some adjustments to accommodate residents. “We try to make sure that we do everything we can to keep the residents comfortable. I was personally here both days on Picnic Day. The sudden heat wave just caught us off guard,” said Dave MacKinnon, assistant director of Residence Hall Maintenance. Each residence hall building has a separate air conditioning system. The buildings’ air conditioning is adjusted in an attempt to attain peak efficiency. “The way that our systems work is that they can only do heating or cooling, but not both at the same time. We base the changeover on the weather forecast. We were worried about more cold weather and needing to keep the residents warm,” MacKinnon said. As with any major mechanical system, the first time it is turned on during a season, it may not run properly. Student Housing has to turn on many cooling systems while making sure they work properly. “It is... ...

Fundraiser keeps KDVS afloat in the sea of sound

Fundraiser keeps KDVS afloat in the sea of sound

KDVS 90.3 FM completed its annual fundraising event on Sunday, raising $44,669 to sustain a tradition of alternative broadcasting for radio and online listeners. The station held its annual fundraiser from April 23 to 29, hoping to meet an ambitious $64,000 goal. KDVS increased this targeted amount from $60,000 last year to $64,000 in preparation for its 50th anniversary in 2014, according to Neil Ruud, KDVS general manager and senior political science major. “KDVS was formed by students in 1964, so that’s where the ‘64,000’ comes from,” he said. “In two years we’re celebrating the 50th anniversary and we’re trying to ramp up the programming.” Donations received during the fundraiser week have exceeded $60,000 before, but pledges collected this year fell short of the targeted amount, reflecting similar shortcomings in recent years. Though the official fundraiser ended last Sunday, KDVS urges listeners and supporters to contribute much-needed donations throughout the entire year. At $140,000, the operating budget for KDVS is the lowest among UC-sponsored college stations. ASUCD contributes approximately $40,000,... ...

Aggie Cash to be a meal plan requirement

Aggie Cash to be a meal plan requirement

Class of 2016 first-year students are in for a significant change in the Dining Commons meal plan options for the upcoming 2012-13 academic year. Meal plans will now include Aggie Cash, a supplemental cash plan to the regular “swipes” meal plan, which can be utilized at convenience stores located on campus, the Silo, and participating restaurants and businesses in downtown Davis. “By adding Aggie Cash to the meal plans, this will allow the students more flexibility with their meal plan. Currently we have 50 percent of our students purchasing Aggie Cash,” said Director of the Office of Student Development Branden Petitt. Purchases with Aggie Cash are both tax-free and said to be discounted by 10 percent off the purchase price. “We are hearing from our students that they like the ability to have Aggie Cash available to spend as they are on or off campus and just cannot get back to the dining commons for meals. They like the fact that they can use it on campus to grab a... ...

Davis Dozen arraignment set for this Friday

Davis Dozen arraignment set for this Friday

Nearly three months after U.S. Bank announced its withdrawal from the university campus, 12 protesters have been ordered to court for an arraignment on Friday at 8:30 a.m. The 11 students and one professor face up to 11 years in prison on the charges of the obstruction of movement in a public place and conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor by Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig. While protesters were allegedly blocking the entrance to the bank, several citations were issued that notified them of California Penal Code Section 647C, for public passage obstruction. No arrests were made during that time. If convicted, the protesters, dubbed the “Davis Dozen” or the “Banker’s Dozen,” could pay up to $1 million in damages. The bank cited the university responsible for terminating the agreement, while stating they were “constructively evicted” in the termination letter to school officials. According to a press release from the Occupy UC Davis Antirepression Crew, supporters argue that the University targeted the group of demonstrators in an attempt to limit... ...

Whole Earth Festival approaches, planning is in full swing

Whole Earth Festival approaches, planning is in full swing

From May 11 to 13, the UC Davis Quad will become home to the 43rd annual Whole Earth Festival. For this event, which is a unit of ASUCD, a variety of local food vendors, performers, alternative-living educators and more will gather to both entertain and educate students about the values of living sustainably. Although there are several activities meant to entertain the festival-goers such as arts and crafts booths, live musicians and even massage tables, at the core of the festival is the goal of preserving the planet. “Both on campus and off campus we try and bring people together who are linked by the common goal of wanting to keep the earth a long-lasting place for us,” said Willee Roberts, a senior international relations major and Karma Patrol Supporter for the festival. As a Karma Patrol Supporter, Roberts is partially responsible for the recruitment of the group of 400 volunteers, dubbed the Karma Patrol (KP), needed to work in the event’s various areas, including the performance stages, the kids’... ...

Goodwill makes plans to build new donation-only site in Davis

The Yolo County Board of Supervisors met on April 16 to discuss revoking their decision to endorse Goodwill’s use of public bonds to fund a new Davis donation site. On April 10, the board voted 5-1 to approve the building of Goodwill donation centers in West Sacramento and Davis. The board was asked to make a finding that the Goodwill center was in the public interest. If that finding had been made, Goodwill would have been eligible to issue tax-exempt bonds. The subsidy comes in the form of not charging taxes for financing, which means California taxpayers would be subsidizing that location. Supervisor Don Saylor requested reconsideration of the Davis location based on “unanswered questions about Goodwill’s operations,” said Supervisor Jim Provenza at the April 16 meeting. “It didn’t seem that proper notification had been made with the existing resale nonprofits in Davis,” Saylor said. “Right after the meeting on April 10, I talked with All Things Right & Relevant and the SPCA about what they thought might be the... ...

UC Davis student Thomas Matzat to be readmitted under certain conditions

UC Davis student Thomas Matzat to be readmitted under certain conditions

Recently, junior art studio major and Occupy UC Davis protester Thomas Matzat and his attorney spoke with the College of Letters and Science about lifting his expulsion. The Davis Vanguard said he will be reinstated if he follows conditions that are currently unspecified. Matzat was arrested on March 17 with felony vandalism to campus property. He was charged with five felony counts of vandalism that exceeded $400, 14 misdemeanor counts of vandalism less than $400 and one misdemeanor count of possession of tools with the intent to commit vandalism. In turn, he was not able to attend his finals and faced expulsion. In response, students and fellow Occupy protesters held a sit-in in the office of the Dean of the College of Letters and Science. Students also attended Matzat’s April 20 arraignment. Yolo County District Attorney Michael Cabral reviewed Matzat’s case and filed the charges. He said they were able to determine who Matzat was based on security cameras. On Facebook events campaigning for Matzat’s readmission, students voiced he was... ...

Picnic Day 2012: Then. Now. Always.

Picnic Day 2012: Then. Now. Always.

It’s that time of the year that everyone in the Davis community has been waiting for. The one Saturday that students actually look forward to waking up early is here. That’s right, Picnic Day 2012 has arrived. Picnic Day is back this April 21 to celebrate its 98th anniversary. Throughout the year, a board of 16 undergraduate directors has worked to plan and put on this one-of-a-kind event to showcase everything that UC Davis has to offer. “Picnic Day is just a day for everyone to come together,” said Picnic Day chair and senior environmental toxicology major Jennifer Mappus. “It’s a day where community members, university officials and staff and students work together to put on this amazing event and have a good time. It’s truly amazing to see everyone come together to put on such a great event. It’s all about Aggie pride and UC Davis.” The day kicks off with opening ceremonies at 9:27 a.m. on the North Quad. The annual Picnic Day Parade follows shortly after, beginning... ...