The recent measles case in SLO is one red flag in a much larger public health problem. Measles cases in the U.S. have reached their highest level in 35 years, while vaccination rates for measles in kindergartners has dropped from 95.2% to 92.4% since 2020. These numbers point to an unsettling reality: people are beginning to take the protection that vaccines provide for granted. As the fear of preventable diseases grows more distant, misinformation and distrust can make evidence-based medicine seem more dangerous than the disease it prevents.
Category: Opinion
Posted inOctober Print '26
The semester transition isn’t over
While Cal Poly’s transition from a quarter to a semester system has lowered stress for many students and faculty, concerns remain regarding whether the university’s academic culture will truly shift away from its history of prioritizing heavy workloads.
Posted inTop Stories
No Kings: Vote Early event prioritizes educating and engaging with San Luis Obispo County voters
The No Kings: Vote Early event, hosted by Indivisible San Luis Obispo County, educated and engaged with voters on Oct. 17. The event was split into two parts: an educational presentation titled “What’s on the Ballot” from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and a sidewalk rally from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Indivisible San Luis […]
Posted inOpinion
Don’t shop Shein this Halloween
Shein may seem cheap up front, but it has hidden costs. Before you click deliver, check out a few other places. The perfect accessory can often be as nearby as your own closet. You’ll avoid exposing yourself to cancer-causing chemicals and that awkward moment when you realize you’re wearing the exact same mermaid net skirt as everyone else.
Posted inSatire
A day in the life of Jeffrey Armstrong: Halloween edition
Jeff woke up with a headache. Things weren’t going well. The students and staff hadn’t loved the lemon grove idea like he thought they would. He didn’t understand — his plan involved everything students could possibly want. The super mall was even going to have Hooters and In-N-Out.
He got out of bed, disgruntled, and tried to put these distressing thoughts aside. He had bigger things to contemplate.
Halloween was coming up, and he still hadn’t picked a costume.
Posted inOpinion
The conservative roots of ‘skinny culture’
We are in a time where the far right has become increasingly mainstream. I am not saying all thin people are conservative, or that every conservative person promotes thinness. Rather, skinny culture fits into conservative gender norms treating bodies, especially women’s, as something to be controlled and disciplined. Deeper than that, skinny is a system, a market. Women idealize thinness, so they diet, then they try weight loss drugs, eventually they are thin and weak, exactly the ideal woman for conservative men.
Posted inOpinion
Campus rape culture demands action, not just awareness
Rape culture treats sexual violence as inevitable, excuses harmful behavior, doubts survivors and protects reputations instead of people. It is not reversed by a single training or an awareness exhibit. The normalcy of sexual assault cannot be dismantled through isolated reform but through sustained cultural transformation. We need to commit to facilitating a culture that doesn’t just hear about sexual violence and move on.
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Why being a Christian means I have to vote Democrat
Nutrition student Josh Hooey argues that his Christian faith aligns him with the Democratic Party due to its emphasis on compassion, social justice and helping the less fortunate.
Posted inSeptember Print ’26
Dear Malia Monday
In a satire column titled The Manure, Malia Mundy provides humorous and absurd advice to various Cal Poly students regarding relationships, academics and campus dining.
Posted inOpinion
I listened to the Campus Preacher for an hour. Here are my thoughts
The campus preacher’s goal is not genuine conversation. He is making a very loud and hateful attempt at fearmongering college students into listening. His message depends on conflict, and every person who engages becomes part of the performance. Choosing not to engage does not mean agreeing with him; sometimes, it means refusing to give a provocative person the audience reaction they depend on.
Posted inSeptember Print ’26
Sharks love nuclear power — and so should you
Educating the public on the science and safety of nuclear energy is essential for addressing California’s energy crisis and managing the future of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant.