Campus Briefs
Sign-Ups Begin for Spring Break Program
The Baja Program offered at Santa Clara is gaining momentum every year as more students are becoming interested. Due to the popularity of the curriculum, it is restricted to juniors and seniors with either a biology or environmental science major. There are 16 sign-up spots available for the spring break trip . Sign-ups for next year's session have already began this week for eligible students.
"My objective is to provide a rigorous academic field experience to students where they are learning natural history," said Professor John Farnsworth, leader of the Baja Program. "And it seems like the more demanding we make the program, the more fun they have."
Students must be fully committed to participate in the program. There are two required courses students must take in the winter prior to the trip. While in Baja, students are constantly active, whether they are snorkeling, hiking, kayaking or writing about their experiences. A couple days are spent in the mountains near the Tropic of Cancer, where there is a diverse array of ecology and many waterfalls. Later, students spend a week in the desert island of EspirÃtu Santo.
"The ocean is full of life there," said Farnsworth. "This past year, we had a pilot whale swim under some students' boats, we paddled along with a pod of 75 bottlenose dolphins and we saw hundreds of mobula rays leaping out of the water. It's the real deal."
Aven Satre-Meloy, a prior participant of the program, said, "As a student of natural history who spends 10 weeks learning how to distinguish the color, shape, texture, smell and (sometimes) taste of natural geography and wildlife, the trip often leads to a sensory awakening."
Farnsworth recalls this year's expedition, mentioning that the students collectively identified and wrote about over a hundred organisms while circumnavigating Isla EspirÃtu Santo in Baja California Sur.
Student Apprehended
The Santa Clara Police Department shut down an off-campus house party in the Varsi Place cul-de-sac shortly after 11 p.m. on Saturday, according to police reports and witnesses.
A Santa Clara student was taken into custody "for disorderly conduct," according to a report from Campus Safety Services.
Numerous witnesses claim police used a stun gun to subdue the student, who was later transported to O'Connor Hospital.
A police report on the incident requested at the SCPD main office was not immediately made available. Both the student and his attorney declined to comment.
From staff reports. Email news@thesantaclara.com.