Ming-Tung “Mike” Lee, Ph.D., came out of retirement to serve as interim president of Sonoma State University following the resignation of former president, Judy Sakaki on July 31. Lee’s interim appointment began on Aug. 1 and will span the 2022-23 academic year.

On Aug. 24, the Sonoma State University Beaujolais Village fountain was vandalized by soap causing bubbles to grow and escape the fountain’s cement. This was an isolated incident however if the vandalism occurred elsewhere, these pollutants such as soap could be detrimental to the health of local ecosystems.

Under normal circumstances the fountain is a closed off water source, however the introduction of soap created bubbles which overflowed the base of the fountain, leading to potential runoff. With the presence of a vast irrigation system on campus, as well as life forms that utilize the various on campus ponds or the nearby creeks, potential runoff could have devastating effects.