The State Hornet Broadcast: ASI Children’s Center, Antisemitism Investigation, Sac State’s budget deficit and sports

Skylar Findlay • April 15, 2025

Madison Flewellyn, Minh Anh Tang, Jada Portillo, Cynsere Kelly, Jonathan Santiago, and Cristian Gonzalez

Students raised frustrations over the discovery of asbestos in lecture halls on campus. Last November, Sacramento State’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety announced that over half of the lecture halls and various buildings on campus contain potentially harmful levels of asbestos. Officials have no plans to remove the dangerous mineral because, unless disturbed, it does not pose a health risk for the campus community.

Sac State students presented their opinions and concerns at President Luke Wood’s “Ask Me Anything” forum in the University Union on March 4. At the forum, Wood discussed how the university will face the $37 million budget cut and other financial concerns, such as the proposed new stadium.

The California State University Employee Union held a rally in the Library Quad in support of ASI employee unionization, amidst alleged labor abuse. On March 4, CSUEU leaders and other activist groups protested in response to an employee’s suspension and allegations of racial discrimination at the ASI Children’s Center. ASI worker Jason Cortright was suspended for allegedly discussing unionization, while Children’s Center Director Sherry Velte has been accused of racial harassment.

Sacramento State, alongside 59 other schools, was warned by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights for alleged antisemitism. The DOE will investigate schools who could have violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits any federally-funded institution from discriminating based on race, color and national origin. The university could face a loss in federal funding if the investigation finds it has failed its obligation to protect Jewish students on campus.

Former ASI Children’s Center employees accused the program’s director, Sherry Velte, of alleged racial discrimination, intimidation and mistreatment. Two former employees claim the director created a hostile work environment that caused distress, amongst other issues. ASI claims they have hired an independent investigator to investigate the allegations against Velte.

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About the Contributors

Skylar Findlay, Multimedia Editor

(she/her) Skylar Findlay is a fourth-year journalism major with a minor in marketing. Skylar is graduating in the spring of 2025 and hopes to pursue a career in broadcast journalism as a news reporter or anchor. The past two semesters at The State Hornet she was a multimedia staffer and she returns this semester taking on the role of a multimedia editor. In her free time she travels to see her friends and family, but her all-time favorite place to be is the beach.

Madison Flewellyn, Multimedia Staffer

(she/her) Madison Flewellyn is a third-year journalism major and a film minor. She is entering her first semester at The State Hornet. Madison hopes to purse a career in broadcast journalism after graduation.

Minh Anh Tang, A&E Staffer

(she/her) Minh Anh Tang is a Vietnamese student majoring in journalism. She has a huge interest in music and wants to pursue a media career in art and culture in the future. Her homeland, Vietnam, plays a major role in defining who she is. With her time here at The State Hornet, she would like to promote the art and culture of the Vietnamese and Asian community here in Sacramento.

Jada Portillo, Digital/Newsletter Editor

(she/her) Jada Portillo is a transfer student from Delta College where she wrote for the Collegian. She is currently on her third semester at The State Hornet where she is the digital/newsletter editor. In the future, Portillo hopes to earn her master’s degree in journalism.

Cynsere Kelly, Sports Staffer

(he/him) Cynsere Kelly is a transfer student from Fresno State majoring in journalism. This is his first semester with The State Hornet and is joining as a sports staffer. His primary goal is to cover a lot of sports on campus to gain knowledge to further pursue a career in the sports media field.

Jonathan Santiago, Multimedia Editor

(he/him) Jonathan Santiago is in his fourth semester at The State Hornet, returning as the multimedia editor. He is an economics major and hopes to work as a financial analyst. During his free time, he spends time with his loved ones and family.

Cristian Gonzalez, Multimedia Editor

(he/him)

Cristian Gonzalez is the multimedia editor for The State Hornet. He is a political science and journalism major and has collected AAs in hospitality management, math, and physical sciences on his way to Sac State. He is interested in incorporating his love for local music, art and food into his work.