Opinions
6
www.Daily49er.com
Monday, August 19, 2013
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Freshmen will find CSULB in a transitional phase Change is something that Cal State Long Beach has been all too familiar with recently. Following the departure of former CSULB President F. King Alexander, it’s clear that the upcoming academic year will be a bold, new experience, particularly for incoming freshmen. As ur iew most students know, CSULB and higher education have undergone a series of changes in the past year that will undoubtedly have an impact on the student body this year. For one, the recent change in student loan interest rates has left us worried. After being signed into law by President Barack Obama on Aug. 9, House Resolution 1911 retroactively lowered student loan interest rates from 6.8 to 3.9 percent. Although this change will help students temporarily, we think the drawbacks of the plan far outweigh the benefits. Since student loan interest rates will now be tied to the national economy, rates could rise to a cap of 8.25 percent for undergraduate loans. The unpredictable nature of interest rates may harm incoming freshmen since it is likely that their loan rates will fluctuate over the course of their time at CSULB. Given the possible increase in interest rates, it’s extremely important that freshmen watch where they spend their money, starting now. CSULB and the Cal State University system are familiar with fee increases and tuition hikes, which is why saving money anywhere you can is especially important during these tough budgetary times. According to the Cal State University website, in-state tuition plus fees for full-time CSULB students was $2,362 in 2003. The rate has more than doubled to $6,240 for 2013. Although the history of the CSU’s budget hasn’t been all that great in recent years, there’s hope that we will recover.
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Thanks to funds from Proposition 30 and additional state funding provided by Gov. Jerry Brown’s budget, the CSU is in a better financial position than it was last year — but we’re not in the safe zone yet. The system is recovering from millions of dollars in cuts, which means limited class availability and unit caps for students still exist. But who knows? If the CSU’s situation continues to improve, or at least doesn’t worsen, future students may not see a unit cap. Challenges of the coming year will often be tough and unexpected, but we’re certain that if we’ve made it this far, we can make it through another tough year. After all, not all change is bad. There will be new on-campus shuttles this fall, complete with changes in routes and perimeter
seating that can accomodate 32 passengers. We’ll also have some stability in administration. Even though our president and others have left CSULB, other campus members have filled their shoes to keep us going in the same direction. We’ll also see the return of last year’s Associated Students Inc. president and vice president, who could help add to that stability. Regardless of what happens this year, we hope freshmen will come to campus eager to join the CSULB community. The best way to become a 49er is to get involved. So join a club. Make a trip to the Student Recreation and Wellness Center. And if you’re nearby, stop in the Daily 49er newsroom. We’re here to serve the students, and we value your input.
Middle East peace will come when human rights are recognized The recent violence in Egypt and ongoing conflicts in Syria represent a larger symptom plaguing government and politics in the Middle East. As protesters convene in Cairo, the Egyptian military has gained the authorization to open fire on protesters, bringing the country back to where it was two years ago when the first protests began. Recent Egyptian protests began on June 30, when the military asked former president Mohammed Morsi to change his unpopular ways. By July 3, Morsi was ousted and replaced by Interim President and Head of the Egyptian Supreme Constitutional court Adly Mansour. Since then, protests from pro-Morsi supporters have rocked Egypt, with the military answering orders to shoot at protesters with live rounds. The result of which has left hundreds dead and thousands wounded.
Daily 49er Kristine McGowan Editor in Chief eicd49er@gmail.com (562) 985-7998 Courtney Tompkins Managing Editor Rabiya Hussain News Editor Daniel Serrano City Editor Donn Gruta Asst. City Editor Andrew Spencer Asst. City Editor Shane Newell Opinions Editor Asst. Opinions Editor Jovanna Madrigal Asst. Opinions Editor Nicolas Rodriguez
As Egypt continues to fight for legitimate authority, unrest is sure to follow by what some in the country might feel is a military coup instigated by Mubarak-era Egyptian elites. Until human rights are universally recognized, the Middle East will continue to destabilize. Meanwhile in Syria, the situation has grown worse as the rebel opposition increases its power. The rebels have icolas entrenched themselves along the northern and eastern parts of the country, while the government maintains control along the coast and to the south near Lebanon. When the Syrian civil war began in March 2011, President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime began a bloody crackdown on government protesters. The protests began as a result of the human rights abuses the country suffered since the
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government established emergency rule in 1963. Basic rights such as the freedom of expression were controlled and alternative political parties were banned. Accusations of government corruption surfaced as the protests grew, until the government began the brutal crackdown by arresting protesters and torturing prisoners. odriguez Since the conf lict began, more than 100,000 deaths have been reported, according to a U.N. estimate released in June. The violence has raised the stakes to new heights in the struggle for power in Syria, as foreign countries fund both sides and refugees begin to spill into neighboring countries like Jordan and Turkey. With U.N. Security Council members Russia
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and China funding pro-government forces in Syria, there seems to be no end in sight for the ever-increasing international conflict. Fighting has now turned to indiscriminate bombing and attacking of contested areas. As long as innocent Syrians are caught up in the civil war, human rights will not be respected. Until human rights are respected, lasting peace will not be possible, as protests will rise once again which repeats the cycle once more. With Egypt currently undergoing a transition in government of its own, it remains to be seen if the violence will escalate or if the country can undergo a more peaceful transition. If Egypt continues to crack down hard on protests, it is likely to destabilize much like Syria did. Nicolas Rodriguez is a senior political science major and an assistant opinions editor at the Daily 49er.
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