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Feb. 15, 2016
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Issue 211.07
Students push to improve campus infrastructure
nance that occur on University grounds on a nightly basis. “We have a midnight crew who works from 10 o’clock at night to 8 o’clock in the morning in Salazar Hall and we hope that after Salazar Hall is done we will start on the Fine Arts building.”
| Photo by Gerardo Amezquita
CSUs anticipate potential 5-day CFA strike Taylor Preza
Production Manager As time draws near towards reaching a possible settlement, on Feb. 8th, the California Faculty Association (CFA) had announced that its Board of Directors have set dates for a potential strike in April. Faculty on all 23 California State University campuses have agreed to strike for five days if no agreement is reached with the CSU management. The five-day strike will occur between April 13-15 and April 18-19 unless the required statutory process yields an agreement. According to the CFA, if a strike takes place, all faculty work on behalf of the university will cease. “We’ve said all along that we don’t want to strike, but we will if we have to,” said Dr. Jennifer Eagan, CFA President and Professor of Philosophy and Public Affairs and Administration at Cal State East Bay. Within the past two years, CFA has waged a “Fight for Five,” a 5 percent General Salary Increase for faculty. However, according
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INSIDE: LA ONDA: RELACIONES AMOROSAS: SE DESTRUYEN O
Marcela Valdivia Contributor
Dirty bathrooms, messy chalkboards, broken desks, rusting doors, and filthy microwaves are only a few aspects in building maintenance that Cal State LA students want to see improvements on after a petition was signed by copious students. “The University looks beautiful from the outside, but from the inside it looks like a tornado just hit,” said junior Linda Du.
| Photo by Pablo De La Hoya
Buildings such as King Hall, JFK Library, and Fine Arts have been constructed several years ago and are some of the oldest buildings at Cal State LA that could use improvements in cleanliness and physical appearance. “There are a lot of broken desks sitting outside the hallways, a lot of old computers for teachers to use, ceiling tiles coming off, and everything just brings the campus image down,” said Mariely Pozuelos, Communications major. “As a school that is trying to be progressive and trying to attract
more students of a population of ethnic minorities there should be improvement to make the school look better.” Nevertheless, there is an understaffed number of custodians, a limited budget, and a waiting list of projects to fulfill these improvements. As a result, students are uninformed of the extensive process and the costs to enact certain upgrades on campus. In an interview with the University Times, Vice President Lisa Chavez spoke about the mainte-
The reason for the midnight crew is because the campus is empty. Throughout the day it is harder for custodians to actually work on these physical improvements. In addition, when there are breaks throughout the year they are fairly short and the projects take weeks to complete. Chavez is aware of the poor building maintenance on campus and has recruited fifteen more custodians. There are a total of sixty-six custodians currently on campus for all the buildings and she hopes to see improvement by fall 2016 with the small changes done on flooring and painting. The money for these projects strictly comes from state dollars. The Capital Outlay Program is a five-year capital improvement program that provides California State University (CSU) with money to fulfill one of their projects requested in order to enhance the building quality on campus. Continues on bottom of page 2
Best-selling author of The Soloist speaks at Cal State LA Hannah Jacobsen Staff Reporter
The University-Student Union Los Angeles Room was filled to the brim with people Thursday night, Feb. 11th, as the crowd gathered to hear Dr. Steve Lopez—an award winning L.A. Times journalist, a current professor at Cal State LA, and the author of this year’s ‘One campus, One book’ selection, The Soloist—speak about mental illness, homelessness, and the
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story of Nathaniel Anthony Ayers.
“One day, exactly 11 years ago, I was walking through Downtown Los Angeles, looking for a column, and I heard some music playing, some pretty good sounding music,” Dr. Lopez said. “I turned and I looked, and there was this gentleman playing the violin. As I looked a little closer, I realized that the violin was missing two strings.” As Dr. Lopez took in the missing pieces of the violin and a grocery cart of belongings labeled with a little sign spelling ‘Little Walt Disney Concert
Hall’ in magic marker, the column that he’d been searching for began to form together before his eyes.
“I thought, isn’t that a great little scene,” Dr. Lopez said. “This guy, his concert hall is a slab of pavement between Pershing Square and Downtown Los Angeles, and he’s playing with all his heart.” While his attempts to reach out to Mr. Ayers were at first met with suspicion and fear, Dr. Lopez slowly gained this homeless musician’s trust and friendship over a series of months. As this relationship built,
Mr. Ayers’ startlingly story, both tragic and joyous, unfolded. “One day, he’s scratching names on the sidewalk with a rock. Stephanie, and Andria, and John, and Richard,” Dr. Lopez said. “I asked him ‘who are they?’” These were Mr. Ayer’s old classmates at Juilliard. This man was once a musical prodigy, a success story. The son of a single mother in Cleveland, he discovered his love for music in junior high, and that passionate talent earned him a full ride to Juilliard after a year of
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Feb. 15, 2016
S.T.A.R.S. understands the struggles of student parents Thea Miller - the savior for student parents. Leyah Galindo Contributor
The Students Taking Action for Retention and Success (S.T.A.R.S.) hosted “Time Out! Self-Care and Balance for Students Who are Parents” on Tuesday, Feb. 9th, which provided information to parents and other students about self-care, parental resources on- and off- campus and time management. Thea Miller, graduate student and staff at the Cross Cultural Center, hosted the event as a mother of two and stepmother of one child. “When I first had my kids I was an undergrad at USC. My parents were getting divorced and I didn’t have financial aid so I just stopped going to school. I performed as an artist for a few years, so it wasn’t as bad and I didn’t feel so
Continued from cover The list is compromised by all twenty-three CSU campuses and is prioritized in an order of critical infrastructure and amount of deficiencies. “All our renovations of campus buildings are funded by the state so the state decides how much funding they will give us. We are in competition with twenty-three other campuses for every building. For next year 2016-2017, our first project is number twenty-two on the list, the system really does not give any additional money so I doubt we are going to get this renovation for the JFK library,” Chavez said. Other infrastructure improvement project plans on the list for Cal State LA is the Physical Sciences building built in 1972 for a seismic and building system renewal. In addition, a central plant chiller replacement is needed because the current chiller is several years old. The Administration Building built around 1967 also seeks a renovation in order to restore deficiencies. Biological Sciences and King Hall are on the list in order to upgrade mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Essentially, these building upgrade plans strive to enhance the
guilty. I did go to back to school to finish my undergrad, but it is much harder being in the grad program,” Miller said. Miller discussed a day in the life of a student parent, including the challenges of balancing both out. Audience members shared their daily routines and the challenges that come with it, including lack of time and support, overcoming guilt, and poor self-care. She suggested waking up earlier to start the day, eating healthy, drinking lots of water, and accepting that you are not perfect and adjusting to what is doable and effective. Miller also mentioned the “airplane rule” in which an adult must first put on their oxygen mask on an airplane and then put it on the child. She related this rule to parenting since parents must take care of themselves first, if they aren’t strong enough or healthy enough to get through life then their child will suffer. Also discussed were other support systems like informal
campus infrastructure to a greater quality. Chavez is well aware of the complaints from faculty and students about heat in the buildings and air conditioning problems in the summer. She knows that chillers need to be replaced, but there are a lot of other CSUs that are waiting for funding as well. “A chiller lasts about 20 years, so we just got funded for a chiller and we will be replacing the chiller soon. Yes, I understand it needs to be done and it’s in the works, but I am in line with other 22 other campuses,” Chavez said. Despite buildings such as King Hall, JFK library, Fine Arts and others that have been built several years ago they are very safe for students. All buildings go under review annually to make sure they are structurally safe for students and faculty in case of an earthquake. “We have a seismic review board and it is not CSU employees, it is structural engineers throughout the state of California and they go through and assess all the buildings on campuses. We always make sure that the buildings are as safe as possible,” Chavez said. Nevertheless, none of these future projects affect tuition cost. The projects will take effect with
encouragement from friends, family and neighbors and formal support including schools, churches, counselors, and professionals. In addition, she suggested online and in-person parenting groups. If student parents feel that they need more support, Miller suggested getting connected at school with Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Cross Cultural Center, and the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Each of these programs and services provide different support systems and tips for students looking for ways to be a better parent and student.
Photo by Leyah Galindo
Working full-time as a marriage and family therapist and being a mother, wife, and graduate student at the same time, Miller knows how important it is to enjoy her time with her children.
help cook dinner, I try to make any interaction special. When you’re busy and have no time or money to always connect with your kids, creativity is your best friend,” Miller says.
“I look for any interaction or any little moment where I share special moments with my kids. Whether we’re in the car stuck in traffic or having my middle child
Student parent Gladys Vasquez, 25, junior, Sociology major, stated that the event was very helpful.
the money the state gives to the school. The reason Cal State LA needs money is because that money can only be used for those projects. For example, the money Parking Services gets from parking passes is strictly for parking use only, same goes for the money from housing that is used to pay housing activities. “A couple of years ago I paid to have all of the parking structures looked at to make sure all of the parking structure were seismically fine and they are,” Chavez said, in regards to parking money. “We did upper lot 5 and it was a couple million bucks to redo it and that is why students will pay for parking because it has to pay for itself.” Students are not asking for drastic changes to be done in a matter of weeks, but they are asking to keep the old buildings well kept, while they are physically upgraded. Buildings like the Annenberg Wallis Integrated Science Complex, University-Student Union, and La Kretz Hall are newer buildings that give the campus a different vibe. At the end of the road, the newer generations that enter the campus see all these countless faults and simply want Cal State LA to have a better image.
“This informed me more on stuff and that I have to dedicate more time to myself. It is hard being a student and a parent because I have no time to study when my daughter is around. But my daughter has motivated me even more to succeed, without her I probably wouldn’t be doing as well or even finishing school because I dropped out of community college when I had her,” explains Vasquez. For more information about
the resources contact the Student Health Center, EOP or the Cross Cultural Center. The next S.T.A.R.S event—“Landing An Internship and On-Campus Job”—will take place Tuesday, Feb. 16th at 12:00 P.M. at the Alhambra room in the UniversityStudent Union.
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Lent begins in the liturgical calendar for Catholics. Nico Triunfante Copy Editor
Every year, Ash Wednesday of the liturgical calendar marks the start of Lent, a 40-day period in which Catholics prepare for the recollection of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday. The 2016 season officially began on Wednesday, Feb. 10th. Within this six-week period, Catholics are taught that this season is the time for selfreflection, fasting, penance, and remembrance of their Savior.
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Catholic students at the University who attended morning service received a crucifix shaped ash on their forehead, which is symbolic for the promise that each Catholic has made during the season. “It’s tradition and it’s a way to celebrate our faith into the Lent season,” said Angelica Duarte, Television, Film and Media (TVF) major. “It’s symbolic and I want to show other people my appreciation for God.” The fasting aspect of this season does not mean giving up
food entirely, but rather avoiding eating red meats every Friday. “It’s important not because you have to, but because by fasting we experience what Jesus has done for us,” said Aubrey Magalang, TVF major. “It’s a representation of His love.” In addition, each Catholic is challenged to sacrifice something for Lent. This sacrifice varies between materialistic wants, or certain foods that are regular in one’s lifestyle. Others strive for self-improvement during this time, as it potentially leads to a positive habit after the trial is over. “Aside from junk foods, I gave up hate; bad feelings towards other people and myself,” Magalang said. “I’m trying not to complain so much this Lent season and staying positive because loving is the absence of indifference.” When counting the days on a calendar, Lent actually takes up 46 days out of the year. Although the season is promoted as a 40day period, the sacrifices that Catholics make can be omitted every Sunday, as the Bible illustrates that this is the lone rest day out of the week. The official date for Easter Sunday, and the end of Lent, is on March 27th.
“Excuse me, I’m writing a column, for the Cal State LA paper on the finer things in life, and I was wondering if I could interview you?” - Adriana Hernandez
“Hey girl, you must be my final exam because I know nothing about you.” - Angel Valenzuela
“Are you a kinesiology major? Because I want to get physical.” - Ashley Gonzales
“Baby, are we in a drought because I’m thirsty for you.” - Andrew Beltran
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Feb. 15, 2016
‘Forum’ a slapstick comedy set to roll tears from your eyes Continued from cover attending Ohio University.
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Students in theatre take on a comedic play to entertain and escape from the real world. Pablo De La Hoya Web Editor
Cal State LA’s Dr. James Hatfield is taking the Tony Award-winning musical, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” to the State Playhouse, which was inspired by the farces of Ancient Roman playwright Plautus. This interactive play focuses on the life of a slave named Pseudolus, as played by Steve Sotelo. Sotelo expresses that this play and his lead role have been on his bucket list for a long time. “I did a part for this musical in a play back in high school and ever since then I knew I had to one day play that role.” Pseudolus believes he will obtain his freedom by his young master, Hero, as played by Anthony Karambelas, who seeks to win the heart of the girl next door named Philia. Philia is played by Emma Andreini, who faced a new struggle with this piece by singing in a soprano tone. “I’ve never done a soprano role and I had to work everyday in order to get where I am and a lot of vocal warm ups.” However, Andreini isn’t the only one in a first time position with this play. Jo Ann Mendelson is taking on her first play here at Cal State LA as Madam Lycus, a human trafficker, a role adapted for Dr. Hatfield's interpretation of the play. Though Mendelson enjoyed her experience meeting new people with this play, her biggest obstacle was playing a male role and what the character represents.
Erika Steele, who plays Domina, explains how Pseudolus’ constant struggles are a sight worth looking at within this play. With this being her first major role since high school, Steele felt that Dr. Hatfield was the perfect person for her development into her character. “He let us evolve into our characters and it’s a lot of fun as we transform.” Robert Decker, playing Senex explains that this play is an amazing comedy. “Comedy is hard. We have to take what’s on paper and perform it the right way to make it funny.” Decker hopes that the audience has fun with the characters and also relates to them personally. Dr. Hatfield is very proud of each and every single one of his cast members and they are all very excited to perform. Mary Ellen Wright created the costumes for the play and as seen in the image above they are beautiful. It is completely stunning to walk into the play and instantly feel like you are in a different era. The costumes help create that feeling and it will take the audience into their world. The stage also plays a big role in that feeling and stage manager, Melanie Martinez and her assistant, Amelia Gonzalez are very proud of the work that has been done. Martinez is very excited as this is her first play as stage manager and her assistant Gonzalez loves to work backstage and on the technical aspects of these plays. The setup truly seeks to involve the audience as the stage is actually pulled out three rows into the seating. Steele leaves a strong message summing up what to expect, “sit back, relax and enjoy the show, it gets weird.” The play is taking place throughout the month at the State Playhouse from Friday, Feb. 19-20 at 7:30 P.M., Sunday, Feb. 21 at 2:30 P.M., Feb. 24-27 beginning at 7:30 P.M.
“He did great in his first year and he did great in his second year, but his grades in the third year began to fall apart,” Dr. Lopez said. “What was happening was that Nathaniel was beginning to see and hear things that nobody else did, and he didn’t know how to describe that or who to tell. And so he was alone in his terror; imagine being alone, you’re mind out of control, you cannot tell what’s real or not.” What happened to Mr. Ayers, at the age of about 19 to 20, is not an exceptional story. According to the Mental Illness Research Association, the average age for the onset of major depressive disorders, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, to name a few, is in the early 20s. Mr. Ayers suffered through this alone, with no one to tell him what was happening or what to do about it. In his third year, he was carried off to a hospital in handcuffs, where he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. “This entire country doesn’t know what to do with the Nathaniel’s of the world,” Dr. Lopez said. “Skid Row is not an accident. We are ground zero in homelessness, in mental illness on the streets. When I started writing about Nathanial, we had 70,000 homeless people.” Many times, the policy enacted to “deal” with this issue reflects the lack of systemic support for preventing or treating the mental illnesses which may cause such desperate situations as the great crowds of sick and suffering people who line the streets less than fifteen
Growing up undocumented, Dreamers path to financial aid Dare 2 Dream offer financial aid opportunities. Ricky Rodas Contributor
On Wednesday, Feb. 10th, Part I of a three part series—Dare 2 Dream—was hosted by the Dreamers Resource Center on the 3rd floor of the University-Student Union in the San Gabriel room. The event was put together to provide undocumented students with the information necessary to succeed in their higher education aspirations at Cal State LA.
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Students who attended were taught about AB 540, a law that allows nonresident students to attend college in California and be exempt from paying non-resident fees. In order for a student to qualify, they must have attended high school in California for four years. This law gives a major opportunity for undocumented students to fulfill their dreams in the
country they call home. “Once you can get access to education, that’s when you realize how important it is for education to be a right and not a privilege,” said Luz Borjon Montalvo, Coordinator of the Dreamers Resource Center. These words echo the feelings of
minutes away from Cal State LA. Dr. Lopez speaks at college campuses to present the mental support systems that need to be established in the campus community. “It’s very important to have systems in place to have help, particularly on college campuses. I can’t emphasize this enough, and I’m gratified to hear that this has been addressed on this campus,” Dr. Lopez said, referring to the Mind Matters initiative. “It’s in some ways a difficult thing to address, because you have a fine line between what is just peculiar and what may be a sign of mental illness, but when you have people on campus who know the difference, and have access to professionals who can help, it can make a huge difference in someone’s life.” President Covino and his wife, through their Mind Matters initiative, are working to establish this institutional support. “What we’re focusing on is the inner wellbeing of our students, we’re recognizing that students at universities everywhere have a whole complex of challenges that they have to navigate through to be academically successful, personally successful, and professionally successful,” Dr. Covino said. “There are stresses and anxiety and sleeplessness, all these elements are mixed in as students try to figure it all out and succeed in classes.” Taking note of the sharp increase in anxiety and depression among college students, President Covino has led a movement for psychological health, which has included doubling the amount of psychological counselors available on campus and hosting people
many undocumented students, who work and study tirelessly for an opportunity to have a better way of life. “Most of our alumni are doing well. They’re out in the community, they’re working for nonprofits, they are doing their dream jobs…I have one student who’s designing cars in Michigan,” Montalvo said. There are success stories, but according to Montalvo, these students’ accomplishments do not come easy. “You’re new to this country, you’re new to higher education, you have to navigate all these immigration laws, and try to navigate the university system. That’s a lot going on, but people do it. That’s why I say this is a testament to a movement, a civil rights movement, and for that I’m just proud to be doing the work,” says
like Dr. Lopez to bring awareness to mental illnesses and the consequences that lie dying on Skid Row. “When I went out looking for Nathaniel on Skid Row, I was shocked and ashamed,” Dr. Lopez recounted. “There were thousands of people on the streets, there were people who were obviously severely physically ill or impaired, and there were people who were so obviously dealing with mental anguish. It was like this great human landfill, and I thought how could this exist? Down the street, there’s City Hall, you look to the west and there’s this multi-billion dollar skyline renaissance, the rebirth of Downtown Los Angeles right next to Skid Row. And here are thousands of people sleeping on the streets.” Mr. Ayers shows the potential for an alternative to L.A.’s habitual reaction to the homeless problem, what Dr. Lopez describes as the frequent arrest and jailing of the mentally ill homeless population. While Mr. Ayers will never be cured, he is now living under a roof and occasionally jamming with prestigious musicians because Dr. Lopez—and a whole network of individuals who donated time, instruments, and even simple violin strings—gave him a supportive community rather than isolation. “What a gift it was, that day I met Nathaniel. What a gift it was for him to let me know him well enough to tell his story,” Dr. Lopez said. “He’s not some crazy bum; he’s a poet, he’s a soul, he’s a son, he’s a brother, and he’s a friend who happens to be dealing with a mental illness. And he is all those other things first.”
Montalvo. Giovanni Benitez, TVF major and member of Students United to Reach Goals and Education (SURGE), echoes his frustrations with the system, but also his commitment to helping a disenfranchised community. “Not a lot of undocumented folks receive financial aid. Some of them qualify for state financial aid, but none at all qualify for federal financial aid. That’s why we try to give them scholarships to help them in their education,” notes Benitez. Part II of the Dare 2 Dream event is scheduled to be February 17th, and will show undocumented students step-by-step instructions on how to obtain financial aid. It will be hosted again at 3:30 P.M. on the 3rd floor of the Student Union in the San Gabriel room.
University Times
Feb. 15, 2016
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Emmy Award-winning TV journalist, Juju Chang, speaks to college students across the nation
not fall into something called the ‘imposter syndrome,’ an obsession that many people today have with trying to become someone different than themselves.
Cal State LA’s National Society of Leadership and Success chapter broadcast Juju Chang’s live speech for campus students. Hannah Jacobsen Staff Reporter
Cal State LA was one of many colleges tuning in last Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 9th, as Juju Chang, an Emmy Award-winning television journalist for ABC News; spoke to students at an event hosted by the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), America’s largest leadership honor society. Cal State LA’s own NSLS chapter hosted a live broadcast in the Golden Eagle Ballrooms as Chang discussed the importance of telling stories. Although Chang grew up in California, she was born in Korea. Her childhood in an immigrant family, and her current role as a Korean-American woman in a predominantly white industry, forms an integral part of who she is as both a person and a journalist. “I grew up with the classic immigrant story—small businesses,” Chang said. “My father ran a flower shop, an ice cream parlor, and we would crack eggs and make egg salads to sell the next morning. I often saw him being treated as ‘less than’ because he had a thick accent, because he looked different, because he acted different.” Chang found this difference in herself as well. She entered school
Juju Chang Photo Courtesy | http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/nightline-anchor-juju-changs-biography/story?id=23411705
as a rather shy kindergartener, due to not knowing English, and suffered extreme insecurity throughout her school years. However, her early awareness of these ‘differences’ allowed for a greater understanding of what she referred to as subtle racism. “One of the issues that we talk about a lot is racism, and as a woman of color in a largely mainstream white industry, I think about issues of race all the time,” Chang said. “I think that we’re all at a stage now where we realize that it’s not out and out racism that we face, but what we do face a lot of times is stereotyping and subtle racism.” As an example, she told students about a study done out of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Emails were sent out to 6,500 professors, containing the same message with the only difference being the sender’s name. “It could be Brad Anderson, Lamar Washington, Chang Wong. They were deliberately captioned to test the racial and gender biases of professor re-
Cartoon by Carlos Gomez
sponses,” Chang said. The white male names overwhelmingly garnered the most, and the most positive responses. Chang uses this example as one of the many forms in which women and minorities face inequality, not through outright and malicious racism, but through subtle biases that we are all guilty of. While Chang falls into both categories, she tells students that these potential biases and stereotypes can be countered by ‘showing up’ to that boss or professor, not necessarily to accuse, but to make sure that you are seen as an individual rather than a generalization. However, before one builds the inner confidence to confront these generalizations with individualism, it’s necessary to find out who that individual is. While Chang excelled in school and was accepted into the prestigious Stanford University, her first year was a struggle between what she was interested in and what she felt was expected of her. “I thought I was going to be
the next Steve Jobs,” Chang said. “I got into Stanford University and I took my first classes, I promptly got 27 out of 100 on my first physics exam. I felt like a complete loser, I felt for sure that my life was over. It was only then that I was also taking a political science class, and in this class I got an A+ and won a political science prize. I thought, huh, I could do something other than becoming the next Steve Jobs.” From this first freshman failure, Chang’s broadcast journalism career and her own individualism were born. She uses this experience to remind college students to
Continued from cover to the CFA, Chancellor Timothy White and the CSU management have repeatedly turned away the proposal and instead offered a 2 percent increase. “The gap between CSU management’s 2 percent offer and our proposal of a 5 percent general salary increase, plus an SSI, amounts to 0.8 percent of the CSU’s total budget and less than 1.4 percent of the net operating budget,” Eagan said. That is a 27 million dollar difference out of the 4 billion dollar budget between the proposals. “We must take a stand so that we can support our families, protect our profession, and provide high-quality education for our students,” Eagan said. Among those who are frustrated with the CSU management and failure to reach a settlement is Dr. Kevin Wehr, Chair of CFA’s Bargaining Team and Sociology Professor at Sacramento State. “They do not appreciate the value faculty provide to students even though 50 years of research shows that the most important factors in helping students succeed are the teachers devoted to that success.” Talks began in May 2014 and are now in the final stage of Fact-finding, where a neutral third
“If you measure yourself by other people’s wealth, or their cuteness, or their waistline, you will never measure up. It’s only when you kick aside that feeling that you have to add up to the guy next to you that you can gain a confidence in your own ability and start working your way up the right ladder,” Chang said. “I landed at ABC news ten days after graduating as a vacation relief desk assistant. I was the most tenuous hold on the bottom rung of the ladder that you could imagine.” Over the next twenty years, Chang climbed the ABC ladder from desk assistant to co-anchor on ABC’s Nightline while traveling around the world—from rural villages in Africa to hospitals in Tennessee—to do what she loved: telling stories. Her own story, from the daughter of struggling immigrant parents to an influential news personality, is a lesson for every college student that the path to success is not the paved road of the expected, but one of lessons learned and failures overcome. party is chosen to hear both sides. With a representative from each bargaining team, the third party writes a report that recommends how a settlement can be achieved. There is then a 10-day blackout period where the sides can study the report and potentially reach a settlement. After that blackout period, the Fact-finding report becomes public. The faculty will then have the right to strike. According to the California State University system, the CSU remains committed to reaching a resolution and the campuses are preparing for the possibility of a strike. “If a strike occurs, campuses intend to remain open. Many classes will be offered, and students should check with their instructors regarding the status of their classes,” stated the CSU system. As of this publication, according to the CSU system, the strike should not interfere with students’ status of completing their courses and graduating on time. The CFA represents more than 26,000 tenured and tenure-track instructional faculty, lecturers, librarians, counselors and coaches of the CSU system. The CSU is the largest system of senior higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 47,000 faculty and staff, and more than 470,000 students.
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Feb. 15, 2016
COLUMNA DE OPINIÓN A propósito del día de San Valentín…
INFORMATIVA LOCAL
Un pedacito de México en Los Ángeles La Placita Olvera es uno de los sitios más históricos
Por Marcela Valdivia La Calle Olvera mejor conocida como “La Placita Olvera” es destacada por su artesanía, comidas exquisitas, y tradiciones. Todo esto ha logrado consagrarla como uno de los lugares más importantes de Los Ángeles. Familias y turistas visitan este lugar por la cultura que encierra. Dicho sitio turístico cuenta con muchos puestos y tiendas donde se venden objetos tradicionales de México. La gente puede encontrar sombreros, ponchos, guaraches, vestidos, y bolsas hechas al fino estilo mexicano. Los puestos atraen la atención de los visitantes por sus colores vibrantes, papel picado, y música mexicana. Las cosas suelen ser costosas porque son exportadas de México. También hay restaurantes como La Golondrina, La Noche Buena, y Cielito Lindo. Se puede comer platillos auténticos mexicanos como enchiladas, chilaquiles, chiles rellenos, tacos. El mariachi toca los domingos en los restaurantes para hacer la experiencia más interesante. En el kiosco de la placita se encuentran vendedores de antojitos como los raspados, nieve y aguas frescas. Las celebraciones nacionales también se hacen presentes. Algunas de éstas son el Cinco de Mayo, Día de la Independencia, Día de los Muertos, las mañanitas para la Virgen de Guadalupe y Navidad.
Otros eventos gratuitos ocurren durante el año y cuentan con música en vivo y patrocinadores que regalan premios al público. Otro tesoro de la plaza son los edificios que la componen. La famosa casa Ávila Adobe fue construida por Don Francisco Ávila alrededor del año1820. Hoy en día es la casa más antigua en Los Ángeles y es conocida por el claro ejemplo de como era la vida en California en ese tiempo. El Instituto Cultural Mexicano antes era un consulado pero ahora es una exhibición de arte tradicional y contemporáneo. También cuenta con varios libros de literatura en español. Además, adentro de la Iglesia Metodista se encuentra un museo que revela historias del nacimiento de Los Ángeles. Asimismo, se encuentra un monumento del cantante Antonio Aguilar que es conocido por sus películas y canciones rancheras. Fue hecho en su honor por todas las noches que pasó durmiendo en las bancas del mismo lugar antes de saltar a la fama.
Fotografía | Crédito: www.bekiapareja.com
Las parejas que logran triunfar en el amor son aquellas que saben detectar la tormenta cuando se aproxima
Todo comienza con un beso, con un ronroneo al oído, con esas “dos palabras” que vendió Belisa Crepusculario al Coronel, en el cuento de Isabel Allende. Dos palabras que llegan como dardos al corazón, “te amo”. Esas palabras que desbordan las pasiones y hacen perder la cabeza.
Por Claudia Landeros
Las relaciones amorosas son diferentes en cada pareja. Algunos creen que se aman tanto que cometen errores y no se dan cuenta. El bienestar de la relación se debilita y comienza la tragedia. La tolerancia se acaba y la comunicación se rompe. Se asume una pertenencia del otro que provoca desajustes en las necesidades afectivas primarias.
Es el día del amor y todo se pinta de rojo pasión, vemos imágenes de corazones por todos lados tratando de manipular al subconsciente enamorado. La mercadotecnia hace lo suyo y comienza la vendimia de artículos alusivos a este día: flores, perfumes y chocolates son los más populares. En este día en particular, cupido hace de las suyas y ensarta corazones ambulantes que sensibilizados con la fecha, son presa fácil. Otros ya están en la trampa.
Hay una gran diferencia en cómo cada uno concibe el amor. Se confunde el sentimiento y el deseo de poseer a la pareja afectivamente, con la amenazante actitud de controlarla. No es lo mismo entregar el amor y el
corazón que entregar la voluntad. Esa no se entrega nunca porque se acaba la magia y la esencia del amor. Y ese día, los amantes se caducan. Tristemente se dan cuenta de que como compañeros de vida ya no tienen nada en común. Las relaciones patológicas son el resultado de personalidades destructivas y de autoestimas deficientes. Al final, las parejas no prosperan. Muchos factores como la rutina, la codependencia, las conductas compulsivas y los sentimientos obsesivos abren grietas en la relación. Pero aún con todos los obstáculos que la pareja tiene que sortear, las experiencias dejan un gran aprendizaje. Las parejas que logran encontrar el balance y frenan a tiempo las situaciones dañinas tienen más posibilidades de mantenerse en la relación y de prevenir problemas futuros.
NOTICIAS DE LATINOAMÉRICA
Alerta amarilla en Guatemala
La Asociación Americana de Planificación (APA) considera La Placita Olvera uno de los mejores 15 sitios en los Estados Unidos. APA asegura que es un “centro de importancia histórica, con la herencia española, mexicana y estadounidense ubicada en la parte más antigua de Los Ángeles”.
El volcán de Fuego podría hacer erupción en cualquier momento
La Placita Olvera está localizada en: 845 N Alameda St, Los Ángeles, CA 90012 Para más información visite el sitio web: olvera-street.com
El volcán de Fuego actualmente amenaza a las comunidades que lo rodean, especialmente los departamentos más cercas como Chimaltenango, Escuintla, y Sacatepéquez situados al suroeste de dicha nación.
Por Jessica Magaña
El experto y representante de la Coordinadora para la Reducción de Desastres, David de León, reportó a periodistas las probabilidades de la caída de cenizas que se elevan a 15,419 pies (4,700 metros). Estas “podrían caer en la capital y en la colonia Antigua” como mencionó De león a través de Univisión. A principios de febrero,
Foto del volcán de Fuego arrojando gases y cenizas. Fotografía | Crédito: www.paranoma.com
se reportaron flujos de lava de 6,562 pies (2,000 metros) que descurren hacia el sur a una altura de 12,345 pies. Por lo tanto, las autoridades intercedieron a que la Dirección de Aeronáutica Civil tomara inmediatas precauciones para evitar daños a los habitantes debido a la posibilidad de la caída de cenizas. Esta fase eruptiva se ha reportado como la tercera del 2016. La primera sucedió el 3 de enero, la segunda el 16 del mismo mes y la tercera el 10 de febrero. El año pasado, el volcán de Fuego
produjo una fuerte erupción que forzó a oficiales a clausurar el aeropuerto de la capital. De igual forma, la colonia de Antigua Guatemala fue afectada por la lluvia de cenizas. No se reportó ninguna pérdida humana. Por el momento no se ha impuesto ningún aviso sobre evacuaciones o método de desalojo. Sin embargo, el país guatemalteco mantiene la alerta amarilla en las comunidades aledañas al volcán para que estén preparadas para lo peor.
Contáctanos en nuestras nuevas cuentas de redes sociales : Puestos tradicionales en la Placita Olvera Fotografía | Crédito: www.roadtrippers.com
La Onda Cal State LA
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Feb. 15, 2016
University Times
How the President is elected, explained
Photo Courtesy | lib-interactive.com
101 on the Electoral College voting system. Eric Jernigan Contributor
The upcoming Presidential election has been dominating every news outlet for some time now, and will continue to do so till Election Day. Though it is common knowledge who is running for President and who are the frontrunners, many are still
confused with how the electoral process works for the United States. Our country elects the President through the Electoral College rather than through a direct popular vote. The Electoral College consists
of 538 electors who cast votes to decide the President and VicePresident of the United States. When voters cast their ballots at the polls, they actually choose which candidate receives their state’s electors. The process to choose the electors can be different for each state. Political parties often nominate their electors at their state conventions, and the electors are usually stateelected officials, party leaders, or people with a strong affiliation with the Presidential candidates. The candidate who receives the majority of electoral votes, at least 270, wins the Presidency. The number 538 comes from the sum of the 435 Representatives, 100 Senators, and the 3 electors given to the District of Columbia. The candidate who wins the majority of votes in a state wins that state’s electoral votes. However, Nebraska and Maine are exceptions to this rule. For these states, electoral votes are assigned by proportional representation. In other words, the top vote-receiver in those states wins two electoral votes, and the remaining electoral votes are apportioned congressional district by congressional district. With this system, it is possible for both candidates to receive electoral votes from Nebraska and Maine, while the other 48 states give all electoral votes to only one candidate.
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Surprisingly, neither the Constitution nor any federal election laws force the electors to vote for their party’s candidate. Because of this, a few rogue electors could throw off an election terribly. However, there are 27 states that have laws that require the electors to vote for their party’s candidate if that candidate gets the majority of the state’s popular vote. In 24 states, there are no laws to tell the electors how to vote, but the expected and traditional action is for the electors to always vote for their party’s candidate. If there is no presidential candidate who gets a clear majority of electoral votes, the election is turned over to the U.S. House of Representatives. The top three nominees will then go up against each other where each state casts a single vote. Whoever wins the majority of states then wins the presidential election. The same process is repeated to select the Vice President, but the Senate makes this decision. This system can seem a bit confusing, but proponents of it say that it ensures that all states, especially the smaller ones, are properly represented. Now, the next time you go to the poll to cast a vote, hopefully you have a better understanding of how exactly your vote is being handled.
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University Times
Feb. 15, 2016
EVENT CALENDAR MONDAY 15 th
Introduction to Note-Taking Presentation 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. JFK Memorial Library, First Floor, Palmer Wing, Room 1039
THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS
TUESDAY 16th Project Love Your Body
The Gay Second Generation: How Filipino and Latino Gay Men Navigate Sexual Identity in Schools 3:15 p.m. San Gabriel Room, 3rd Floor, U-SU
Men of Color Success Network Mixer: Dollars, Cents, and Developing Financial Literacy
Self-Love Open Mic: Healing From BodyShaming Culture 6:15 p.m. Los Angeles Room BC, 3rd Floor, U-SU
1:00 p.m. U-SU Plaza, U-SU
3:15 p.m. Los Angeles Room A, 3rd Floor, U-SU
FRIDAY 19th
THURSDAY 18th Out of the Gym and into the Streets: Fitness as a Feminist Issue - A Talk by Dr. Courtney Marshall 3:15 p.m. San Gabriel Room, 3rd Floor, U-SU Independent Visions: The Fat Body (In)visible and Jasad & The Queen of Contradictions 6:15 p.m. U-SU Theatre, 1st Floor, U-SU Election Workshop 5:15 p.m.-6 p.m. El Monte Room
WEDNESDAY 17th
Calstatelaut facebook.com/CsulaUT
Calstatelaut
FAB's Sports Day 1:00 p.m. Gymnasium A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum 7:30 p.m. State Playhouse