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plexes at other CSUs have cost students a fraction of CSUF’s proposal. By NATHAN ORME
Daily Titan Executive Editor New fitness complexes like the one proposed by Cal State Fullerton’s own Associated Students have received mixed reactions at other Cal State campuses. CSU campuses at Long Beach, Fresno and San Diego have each
“Students didn’t want to pay for it and leave and not have it before they left.” Gary Nelson program advisor, Fresno State
had recent experiences with new recreation facilities that have certain parallels to the referendum now facing CSUF students. Students here will vote March 24 on a $150 fee increase—far more than any amount paid by students at the other CSU campuses that were contacted. CSULB students attend basketball, volleyball and other events at the Pyramid, which was completed in 1994. The building, which contains workout facilities and offices as well as the arena, was paid for by the state through a referendum passed by California voters in 1989. The building has cost about $17 million so far, and Bill Schumard, the athletic director at CSULB, estimates that when the inside is completed it will cost $22 million. The state paid $11 million and Schumard said the university is raising the rest of the money. When students at Fresno State and San Diego State were asked to pay for new recreation facilities, the reactions were mixed. Students in San Diego clamored for new recreational facilities while the students in Fresno rejected it for reasons reflective of the Fullerton referen-
F U L L E R T O N INSIDE
TENNIS: Titans fall to Loyola Marymount. —See Sports, page 7
WEDNESDAY
Proposed fee higher than at other CSUs n FITNESS CENTER: Com-
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dum. Last semester, fall 1997, a referendum to raise student fees by $75 to build a fitness complex was voted down. Gary Nelson, program advisor for the Office of Student Life and Development at Fresno State, cited several reasons for the students’ negative vote. “Students didn’t want to pay for it and leave and not have it before they left,” Nelson said. “Even though we offered them a free year for every semester paid in.” Heith Rothman, CSUF’s AS president, said that if the referendum here passes, students who pay the fee for the complex will get to use it for free for as many semesters as they pay into it as a student. The logic behind this, according to Rothman, is that a large percentage of CSUF graduates stay in Orange County after graduation. Nelson also said Fresno students were concerned with the location of the proposed center. One possible site would have required taking out land used by students in the agricultural department. Another site would have taken out student parking, though Nelson said that a parking structure would have been built if the referendum had passed. The referendum was also challenged by children, Nelson said. “There was some opposition to it
n AS: Board members vote
to eliminate the Judicial Commission, claiming it unnecessary. By STEPHEN RUBIN Daily Titan News Editor
“This campus at the time of the referendum was sadly lacking in recreation facilities,” John Kolek, associate director, San Diego State AS
from child care because they wanted to pass their own referendum,” Nelson said. The referendum put forth by Rothman is not being opposed by toddlers, but there are still questions about location. The only site that has been discussed, according to both Rothman
RON SOLIMAN/Daily Titan
Bikers with a mission Bryan Wierzchucki, left, and Matthew Kafka will ride cross country this summer.
By JOE FLORKOWSKI Daily Titan Staff Writer
Bryan Wierzchucki and Matt Kafka can expect to acquire sore butts and sunburns this summer. Cal State Fullerton students Wierzchucki and Kafka are going to see the United States, but unlike most traditional road trips, they will not
be taking a car. They are traveling by bicycle. The two members of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity will be cycling across the nation to help people with disabilities. They will be joined by 59 other members of the fraternity from chapters across the country. The members are cycling across the nation for PUSH America, a private non-profit organi-
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What purpose does the Associated Students Judicial Commission serve? That is exactly what AS wants to know. The commission has not acted on any serious election complaints since the spring 1995 contest. Committee members rarely meet. As of yesterday, the chief justice position remained vacant.` Citing the committee’s apparent lack of relevance, the AS Board quietly eliminated the commission at Tuesday’s meeting. “Until an election starts, there’s nothing for them to do,” said William Archer, AS director of administration. AS envisioned the commission as an independent body that could ensure election policies and procedures were in sync with the bylaws. The commission never came close to embodying a neutral “third branch” of government said AS President Heith Rothman. “We’re getting rid of a committee that didn’t work,” Rothman said. “It hasn’t worked for four or five years. They’re all political appointments anyway. It creates this fake sense of balance.” Rothman said the AS election commissioner will pick up the slack left by the commission. The duties evidently were not substantial enough to warrant keeping the committee. Cutting out the commission merely cuts out the middle man, according to Archer and Rothman. But axing the commission begs the question “is there not a conflict of interest if the AS Board hears complaints made against it?” “They were never an independent body,” said Rothman, referring to the commission.
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Car crime at CSUF declined in 1997
n CRIME: Auto thefts drop
below recent records. By NICK BRENNAN Daily Titan Staff Writer
Car Crime Statistics
The number of stolen cars and thefts from motor vehicles at Cal State Fullerton decreased during 1997, according to Public Safety figures. Thefts from cars dropped from 157 in 1996 to 98 thefts last year. In addition, 30 fewer cars were stolen in 1997 than the previous year. Even if a car has an alarm, it is 160
not completely safe from becoming a statistic, Public Safety Chief Bill Huffman said. “Half of the cars stolen have alarms on them,” Huffman said. “They are taken for their stereo systems and then dumped.” Being close to the freeway is an advantage to thieves who steal cars from CSUF, Huffman said. Those who typically prowl the campus lots are the same people who stake out malls, Fullerton College and other local schools, he said. Several years ago, two cars with “The Club” were stolen from cam-
Thefts from cars
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pus, he said. The anti-theft devices in those cases were not locked to the steering wheel. Now, he said, it doesn’t matter what protects the car. “If someone wants your car bad enough, they are going to take it,” Lt. Jess Lopez said. As an example, Lopez referred to a radio commercial that mentions a car with five different anti-theft devices installed being stolen. So far this month, three cars have been stolen while parked at school, and there have been 16 reported burglaries. Huffman attributes the decrease to the officers who patrol the lots and the blue emergency lights located throughout campus. “Students are very helpful with stopping thefts and calling when they see something suspicious,” 98 Huffman said. On one occasion, a student called Public Safety to report four men standing around a truck with its hood up looking at the engine, Huff23 man said. When asked why the stu1997
Graphic by Maryanne Wardlaw
JEFF CHONG/Daily Titan
Clockwise from left, Ronald Rietveld, TKE CEO Tim Murphy, TKE president Edgar Khalatian, and TKE alumnus George Woolery gather during the fraternity open house on Monday evening.
TKEs open house doors, few enter
n FRATERNITIES: Fullerton
City Council members were no-shows at an open house. By DENISE CARSON
Daily Titan Assistant News Editor
Neighbors have been complaining for months. They took their grievances to the City Council and the mayor. They even got Tau Kappa Epsilon kicked out of the neighborhood, only to have them readmitted. But when given the opportunity to face the object of their frustrasee CARS/ tions, no one showed up. Copyright ©1998, Daily Titan
University officials, fraternity alumni and parents of fraternity members were the only ones to accept the fraternity’s open house invitation on Monday. Those who have been complaining about loud parties and drunken college students roaming the streets chose to be a part of the fraternity’s attempt to improve community relations. The TKEs held the open house to begin improving their community image after the city of Fullerton granted them a second chance with its conditional-use permit. The fraternity invited members of the community to witness the
changes made to their home environment. University and community members congregated at the house to express their support towards the TKEs about issues surrounding the reinstatement of the CUP. Not many members of the community were present to oppose or support the TKE house. City council members responded to the invitation and were expected to attend but failed to show. A handful of parents were present but only one spoke regarding what the TKE’s lifestyle promoted towards the young. Doug Hansen,
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A GUIDE TO WHAT’S HAPPENING
BRIEFS
Business Week
The Cal State Fullerton School of Business Administration and Economics and the Business Inter-Club Council are hosting the annual Business Week Feb. 24-26. The event, which includes a career day, is designed to have companies share information and employment opportunities. It will provide students with an indepth look at the business world from industry leaders such as the presidents of Nordstrom and In-N-Out Burger. Pete Nordstrom is this year’s keynote speaker. Among the other scheduled speakers are Gordan Hilton, vice president of information resources at Toshiba American Information Systems, Joe Rooney, executive director of marketing for Cox Communications and Francisco Valle, western regional vice president of Aramark Corp. The Business Week activities will be held in the Titan Student Union. Career day will be held on Thursday from 12:30-4:00 p.m. in the Titan Student Union, Portola Pavillion B. For more information, speaker schedules and activity schedules, call Irene Matz, assistant dean for SBAE, at 278-4577. Society for the Advancement of Management to Honor President Gordon President Milton Gordon and Ajay Myer, plant manager for 3M Dental Products in Irvine, both will be honored as Managers of the Year by the Orange County chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM). It is the oldest executive
organization in the nation. This award is presented annually by the local chapter. It marks the first time in the 31year history of the honor that cowinners have been chosen. Tickets are available at $50 per person, or $35 each for students. The event will take place on Thursday, March 5, at the Hyatt Newporter, which is located at 1107 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach. The reception will be at 6:15, with a dinner following at 7 p.m. For more information contact Cliff Doubek at 637-3235.
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Nathan Orme Joe Chirco Jeff Tracy Stephen Rubin Denise Carson Annette Wells Dena Fargo Keith Mason Erin Whiteside Kerry Murray Gina Alexander Erick Wong Ron Soliman Brian Dieriex Steve Muise Lori Anderson Daniel Almasy Maryanne Wardlaw Barbara Chen Veronica Duran Heather Leonard Rachel Ng Jeffrey Brody Editor 5813 News Sports/Photo
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS Career Development Consultant Elaine Morris will discuss "Changing Jobs or Careers" at 7 p.m. today at Borders Books in Brea. For more information contact Mike Gibb at 672-0136. Associated Students Productions presents Zoomer on Wednesday at the Beck Amphitheater at noon. Admission is free. "Carboranes at Work and at Play" seminar will be held by Professor M. Frederick Hawthorne, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, on Thursday. The lecture will be held in McCarthy Hall, room 468, at 4 p.m. Chrome Addicts bring their
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The Daily Titan is a student publication, printed every Tuesday through Friday. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises. The mail subscription price is $45 per semester, $65 per year, payable to the Daily Titan, Humanities 211, CSUF, Fullerton, CA 92834.
rockabilly sound to the Pub, lower-level of Titan Student Union, at noon on Thursday. The Patrons of the Library will present "An Evening with Dickens Scholar George Newlin" on Thursday at 7 p.m. Admission is free to library members; a $5 donation from non-members is suggested. For more information contact Zack Tucker, director of development, University Library, 2782590; or Gail Matsunaga, Public Affairs, 278-4851. The Visual Arts Center presents "Last Dreams of the Millennium.” The 22-painting exhibit will be on display until March 12. Gallery hours are noon-4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday
and Thursday, 3-7 p.m. on Wednesday and 2-5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information call 278-3262, or call 278-2037 for a recorded message. The University Leadership Conference, sponsored by Associated Students and the Student Leadership Institute, will take place Saturday, March 14. For $7, participants get workshops, speakers a hypnotist and a free lunch. The registration deadline is Friday. For more information, call 278-3295. Department of Theatre and Dance presents its Spring Dance Theatre coordinated by Gladys Kares. It will be held at the Little Theatre at CSUF
between Nutwood Avenue and State College Boulevard from March 19-22. It will include a collection of dance works set by student and faculty choreographers. Tickets are available at the Performing Arts Center box office, 2783371. Advance sales are $8, $6 for students or seniors. At the door, all tickets are $8. For more information contact Jim Volz at 278-3538. Caregivers Group meets every Monday at noon in the University Hall, room 205. Participants discuss concerns about aging parents and about being a caretaker. For more information contact The Women's Center/Adult Reentry Center at 278-3928.
Cyberstalking peeping toms and plagiarizers Cyberspeak
Steve Muise
Cox Interactive Media needs interns Cox Interactive Media is hiring interns for its new online news and entertainment informtaion service for Orange County. There are openings for the spring and summer semesters. Interns should count on reporting, writing, digital photography, light HTML composition, office tasks such as answering phones, photocopying, fact checking, and database updating. Applicants must have these qualifications: Good newsgathering skills, knowledge of Internet and basic HTML, strong initiative and self-reliance, with the ability to work as a member of a team. The internship pays $6 an hour for up to 20 hours a week, and offers an excellent chance to get in on the ground floor of a cutting-edge news industry. Applicants should send clippings and resumes to: Mack Reed, news producer, CIMedia, 2381 Morse Av., Irvine, CA 92614, or via fax to (714) 5530477.
February 25, 1998
Cyber Stalking The days of peeping in through windows and listening at doors are long gone. There may be the shiftless few individuals who still climb fences and dig through trash. But in the age of technology, a stalker or a private investigator trying to dig up the dirt would hardly have to leave their desk. A computer, a phone and a modem are the tools of the trade for the 21st century. Finding out per-
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zation that serves the needs of people with disabilities. Kafka, 22, explained that he has helped people with disabilities in the past, so the event has personal significance for him. “It’s a real honor for any rider to do this,” he said. “I’m willing to rise above and beyond.” PUSH America was founded by Pi Kappa Phi to help improve the lives of people with disabilities. For more than 20 years, PUSH America has raised over $3 million from members of the fraternity. They will start their journey in San Francisco on June 10 and complete it in Washington, D.C. Their “Journey of Hope,” as it is named, will last 63 days. After each stop, the members will take part in many activities related to their cause, sometimes meeting with those with disabilities.
sonal information doesn't take any hacking skills, or require an illegal act; you just need to know where to go. If someone wants your phone number, or your address, or your e-mail account, it's simply a matter of doing a search for your name at one of the many directory search engines (for example, www.switchboard.com). Someone can also find your Social Security number, FBI files, credit history, plus anything you may own of value—real estate, cars, planes, etc. Worried yet? This is only the beginning. There are government officials trying to consolidate all this information into one big database, which would only make it easier for the average person to gain critical personal information on other people. There are groups trying to fight
this, and there are groups that want to put even more information on the Internet for all to see. If this interests you, go to Glen Robert's Stalking Home page at http://www.glr.com/stalk.html.
The riders may travel more than 75 miles per day, often getting up very early to travel 110 miles to the next town. In order to prepare for the trip across the United States, Kafka practices as much as possible. He goes on rides four times a week, traveling wherever he can on bicycle. Another reason Kafka travels by bicycle is, as he explained it, “I don’t have a car.” He has enjoyed riding since he started at 14. Kafka has traveled across America before, but that was in a car. Traveling across the tough backroads and highways of the states by bicycle is going to be more difficult. The riders have to anticipate repairs and problems along the way. “We have to fix our own repairs,” Kafka explained. He also said that riders will take at least 15 inner tubes and an extra set of tires. In order to participate in the “Journey of Hope,” each team member must raise a minimum of $4,000. So far, Kafka has raised
about $1,000 and expects that he will make it to the goal by the time of the event. He also said that Wierzchucki was at about the same level of contributions as he was. Riding across America will also force Kafka to make some sacrifices for his journey. Normally, he would have a summer job in order to help pay for school, but he will not have the time this year. In addition to problems with paying for school, Kafka also has to save money to pay for food and supplies for the trip. Kafka also explained that he may miss out on some of his fraternity’s social events and will be separated from his family for two months. However, his family will be waiting for him in Washington, D.C. when he completes his journey. Individuals or groups interested in making a tax-deductible contribution to PUSH America can contact Bryan Wierzchucki at 990-9272, or Matt Kafka at 449-0058.
Plagiarism Computer Science is a difficult degree to earn. There are many long hours spent learning codes, languages, memory handles, not to mention actually making the program do something, without error. Many students tough it out to learn the ins and outs of each new language, but then there are the few who are looking for shortcuts. A problematic trend among universities across America is computer science students who are trying to borrow programming codes from someone else, turning the work in
as their own. This is not new among students. Everything from book reports to English papers to masters theses have been turned in with someone else's name on it. But now the computer science professors are fighting back. A series of programs have been developed for faculty, allowing them to search databases of codes and find possible cases of plagiarism instantly. To read more about this go to: http://www.wired.com/news/ news/email/other/technology/ story/10464.html. Steve Muise is the Daily Titan's "tech guy." His column runs every week. Send comments and questions to the Daily Titan c/o Steve Muise, 800 N. State College Blvd., Fullerton, 92834. Or e-mail Steve at: sm008299@student.fullerton.edu.
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dent thought they were trying to steal the vehicle, he replied it was his truck. Despite the help of students, most burglaries occur because something of value is left out in plain sight— maybe a wallet, a purse or a briefcase. Lopez advises students to lock things up or take things with them. Do not just put items under the seat or on the floor of the car, he said. No one lot is safer than the other, Huffman said. Even the parking spaces in front of Public Safety have been prone to vandalism. Lopez said his car was once keyed in front of the building. When he started at Cal State Fullerton 19 year ago, Volkswagen Bugs were the hot car to steal. Then small trucks and high-end Toyotas were popular. Today, recreational vehicles are the prime target of car thieves, he said.
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and acting AS Administrator Harvey McKee, is west of the current Physical Education building where student parking Lot B currently sits. Rothman has stated several times that a parking structure is on the CSU Board of Trustees’ master plan and that if a new complex is built, the parking problems will be taken care of. Another parallel between Fresno and Fullerton is that students will not be able to see blueprints of what the facility might look like, which Nelson said also caused concern at Fresno. Though a written outline of what Fullerton’s facilities would include has been drafted, Rothman says that no drawings can be commissioned until a referendum is passed. This was not the case in San Diego, however, according to John Kolek, the associate director of the San Diego State AS. According to Kolek, it was the students who pressured the student government to put forth a referendum to improve recreation facilities. Students there were able to see drawings before
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whose son is a member, said things were different when he was a TKE. “When I was growing up people weren’t gun crazy and there wasn’t as much violence,” he said. “My son is going to have to go through problems in his life and this is just good training.” The fraternity’s past record over the past few months has scarred their reputation. Their track record includes rape allegations, underage drinking, and activities ranging from police harassment to gun-shots fired at their house during a party. “These men were given a second chance, to show they can mend their ways and live up to their promises made to the community,” said Bob McMurphy, TKE chief justice. “If they violate the CUP, and more
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they voted on the $47 per semester fee increase, though changing earthquake safety regulations resulted in a design change after the students voted. “This campus at the time of the referendum was sadly lacking in recreation facilities,” Kolek said. The voting turnout for the referendum was the largest in history at San Diego State, according to Kolek, and it passed by an overwhelming two-thirds majority. San Diego’s referendum, passed in 1988, was not impacted by the CSU Board of Trustees’ policy requiring one-third of new fees to go to financial aid. Fresno’s was, however, and the referendum failed at $75, half the cost of the Fullerton referendum. Another important fact to note is that students at CSULB, who have paid nothing extra for the Pyramid, and at San Diego State, who pay $47 per semester for the new Cox Arena, pay a monthly fee if they want to use the exercise facilities. CSUF’s referendum, however, will impose a mandatory fee on all students whether they use the new complex or not.
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Engineering student Ricardo Lemus relaxes infront of the T.V. at the Games & Recreation area of the Titan Student Union. importantly, if they violate the fraternity rules, I will pull their charter before the city gets to them because I am the enforcer of those rules.” He said university officials are skeptical of the fraternity’s past record, but they also see a group of men willing to overcome the past. “I think we have had a few rough spots but I am optimistic,” Vice President of Student Affairs Robert Palmer said. The university expects the fraternity to improve their relationship with the city and most importantly to treat the police with courtesy and respect, he said. “We want these young men to hold true to the creed and values that are inherent in their organizations,” Palmer added. “The fraternity concept is really a beautiful concept that can contribute to the quality of life on a university campus and beyond.” Out of all the fraternity’s chaos
a link in the chain between the university and community was created. The Community Advisory Board was developed to open a forum of discussion on a variety of issues relating to the university and surrounding community. “I think (the board) is vital,” Palmer said. “We can’t separate ourselves from the community because we are a major player in this community.” Palmer casually wandered around the TKE house. He said the university had placed the house on probation until the end of the spring semester, at which time he will re-evaluate the fraternity based on behavior and conduct. “Often times with fraternities there is a shroud of mystery, what are they all about?” said Tim Murphy, executive vice president and CEO of TKE. Murphy traveled from Indiana to
visit the Fullerton fraternity house and other chapters in California. He said on these visits he meets with university officials and other TKE fraternity officials, enabling him to see what the house is accomplishing with respect to the university. The men opened a wing of their house to answer questions and exhibit a museum showing their history, their brightly painted rooms and their name-plated bathrooms. Their hall of fame brought about names and faces they were honored to speak about. “This is a good way to show the university and the community the vitality of Greek life,” he said. “I think these young men are learning that they have great support mechanisms in developing good relationships with community and univer-
sity. It is teaching them to be a good neighbor after encountering strained relations with the important public.” Lt. Jess Lopez, of Public Safety, showed up in support of the TKE members in his yellow rain gear covering his dark uniform and badge. “We are concerned and need to understand what is going on with the fraternity row,” he said. “Each one of us plays a part in bridging the gap between the university and the community.” Fraternity row is not under the jurisdiction of the university police because it is city property. As a result, Fullerton police make first response calls, he said. The university police play the role of support. In turn when extra help on campus is needed, the city police respond.
“They are a part of us and we are a part of them,” Lopez said. Community member Paul Hunter, 73, helps the fraternities on the row recycle. The fraternity invited him to help in recycling and keeping the neighborhood clean. “So here is an old gray-haired you-know-what, making friends with these young guys,” Hunter said. “They all say ‘Hi Paul’ when I walk through the neighborhood, and that is very encouraging to an old man. “If they have a dark side, I haven’t seen it,” Hunter added.
Opinion
Feb. 10, 1998
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Reaching out and pitching in: schools work for community By Kris Lane
College Press Service When Jennifer Taillon arrived at Sacred Heart University for the first time, she was somewhat surprised. Although Sacred Heart, located in Fairfield, Conn., resides in one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, immediately across the street is a very different reality. Bridgeport, the largest city in the state and one of the poorest in the country, is in the university’s back yard. “My mom wasn’t sure she wanted me to stay at Sacred Heart, and I didn’t expect to be living so near poverty,” Taillon, a freshman, said. Taillon’s story is testimony to the belief that communities surrouding campuses, often stricken by poverty and crime, need help. To answer this need, schools across the country have implemented community development programs. Although the specific natures of programs vary, they generally involve stu-
dents, professors, and administrators, who volunteer their time to tutor children or clean up city blocks. As they unite schools and communities, these programs prove mutually beneficial. Communities benefit from volunteer work, and students learn about important issues like poverty and education. Sacred Heart University’s Service-Learning Program, established in 1994, integrates community service into the curricula of 22 courses. “This semester I will enroll between 200-240 students in Service-Learning classes. And 95 percent of those placements will be in Bridgeport,” explained Phyllis Machledt, Sacred Heart’s director of Service-Learning and volunteer programs. A liaison between the school and the community, Machledt matches organizations with courses. “The professors and I ask the Bridgeport community what its needs are — we don’t just go in and explain what we want to do,” she said. “By tak-
ing this approach, we are actually meeting their needs and effecting change.” And, since the program started four years ago, things in Bridgeport have changed. According to Machledt, crime is down 40 percent and gangs are becoming less prominent. Students and faculty, once hesitant to venture into Bridgeport, spend numerous hours volunteering there every week. And residents who were once afraid to speak to each other are becoming friends, working together to improve their environment. Jennifer Taillon tutors a second grade class at an inner city school in Bridgeport. She recently got involved with Service-Learning through her sociology class. “My volunteering has helped me decide that I definitely want a career in social work,” Taillon said. “I love the kids I work with; I have their class picture up on the wall in my room. I know this is an experience I will use and remember for the rest of my life.” Taillon credits Service-
Learning with helping her embrace a community she was once unsure of. At York College in York, Pa., the Student-Neighbor Safety Task Force was created in 1991 to generate awareness and promote personal safety on campus and in nearby neighborhoods. “This program has opened an avenue of communication between the city and the campus,” said Joseph Merkle, dean of student affairs at York. “Representatives discuss important issues and give each other useful feedback. This way, different groups have a heightened awareness of one another, and everyone works together.” The Task Force promotes several different safety initiatives, including Neighborhood Watch and AdoptA-House. Residents and students participate in Neighborhood Watch, holding monthly meetings to discuss safety issues. The police department consults the group, offering advice and encouraging participants
to take a proactive stance against crime. Every semester the student senate contributes time and money to Adopt-A-House. The students use $40,000 (raised by the senate) to purchase a condemned house. After spending several weeks renovating the house, the students sell it to a needy family for $40,000. “This project is important, because it allows a family in need to buy a nice home at a low price. It shows residents and students coming together, and that is the goal of the Task Force,” said a spokesperson for York College. Students at York agree that the Task Force has been a success. Junior Jennifer Noel Carroll, a member of the Task Force and co-president of the Greek Council, believes York’s programs foster lasting relationships between students and neighbors and lead to a safer environment for everyone. “The Task Force is a chance for residents to see us as responsible college students who want to help, not just as kids who are partying
A little something to Alternative endings to ‘Titanic’ get off my chest ... By Corey Moss Iowa State Daily
By Sue Markert
Orange Source, Syracuse University “Hey, you shouldn’t have to wait for beer,” the blond guy said to my chest. He grabbed my empty cup, and passed it over dozens of people to the keg. In a moment, I had my beer, and I walked away, self-consciously rearranging the four pairs of socks stuffed in my bra. I don’t consider myself small by any means; I was pleased to read in a Glamour poll last year that most women want to be my size, 34C. But hey, it was a Halloween party that provided the perfect opportunity to, um, accentuate my positives. Besides, my cheerleader costume absolutely screamed for a bloated chest and big hair. So I grabbed a couple pair of shoulder pads, an oversized bra and eight socks, and I went to work. I intended for my breasts to be so big they would obviously be a part of my costume, like a head wound or an extra arm. Not a chance. Most of the women I met immediately knew they were falsies, but many men had no clue. You’d think my bumping into walls with my chest would have been a good indicator that I usually carried less baggage — but many guys still didn’t get it. Aside from my new spatial boundaries, I realized big-breasted women get a lot more attention. A lot. Maybe this was just because I was attuned to it, but I noticed I got a lot more suitors than on a typical night of partying. I would walk down the stairs, down the hall, in a
crowd, and men would call to me or stop me. One guy pulled me aside and asked me to sign his mask. This suited me just fine. I figured the more attention, the better. But having these big breasts took work. I had to sneak into the bathroom twice to rearrange, prompting those outside to wonder aloud, “What the hell is she doing in there?” I also noticed that for opti-
What about my cute looks, my sparkling personality? Was my attractiveness confined to a sock drawer?
mum bustiness, I had to constantly keep my shoulders back and stomach sucked in. Try it. To make matters worse, when people—male and female—found out about my socks, a couple felt the need to grab me. Still worse was that my friend kept telling people, “You know, those aren’t Sue’s real breasts. She has four pairs of socks in there!” When she said that, some men, er, boys drifted away and lost interest. One even groped me, then left. It made me wonder why I was getting all this attention. What about my cute looks, my sparkling personality? Was my attractiveness confined to a sock drawer? I got a phone number that night. I didn’t tell him about my experiment and hoped the rest of me had made a good enough impression. I feared my socks had written a check my real breasts couldn’t cash.
“So have you seen ‘Titanic’ yet?” my barber asked me the other day. Or was it my dentist? Grandma? Mistress? Dog? Whoever it was, my point is, you can’t take a pee these days without the guy in the urinal next to you talking about “Titanic.” I heard one lady say last week (not at a urinal of course), ‘I don’t want to sound dorky, but it was so good I couldn’t sleep the night I saw it.’ (See, Mom, I told you I wouldn’t mention your name.) But one man made a comment that stood out above the rest: “I really don’t have a desire to see a movie that I already know the ending to.” I think he has a point. There are a lot of reasons to see “Titanic” aside from the ending — a beautiful love story, phenomenal ship-sinking scenes, Kate Winslet naked — but just imagine how much better the movie would be if you had no clue how it would end. “Titanic” writer/director/producer James Cameron is such a genius, I can’t believe he didn’t think of changing the movie’s ending. He could have attracted even more people and made even more money. He could even have set
us up for a “Titanic 2.” Cameron, more than anybody, should have learned with “Terminator” that sequels can make twice as much money as originals. Hmmm. So how could Cameron have changed the ending? Below are some of my ideas. Titanic never hits an iceberg. (OK, so this is the obvious alternative ending, but Cameron could have been creative with it.) The boat is shipwrecked after avoiding the iceberg. Passengers discover a nearby island where they decide to live for eternity, sleeping in straw huts and drinking out of pineapples. It’s a massive “Gilligan’s Island” with social class separation, love affairs, false rescues, the whole deal. Rose and Jack become mermaids. Take it from the scene where Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) is handcuffed to a pole in the flooding basement of the ship. Instead of Rose (Winslet) coming to his rescue and cutting the handcuffs with an axe, she misses and cuts off his fingers. Rose feels so bad she decides not to leave Jack, and the young lovers sink along with the ship. But much to their surprise, gills grow behind their ears, and they are able to breathe underwater.
Rose and Jack have so much fun with their new features, they decide to stay in the boat and happily paint nude portraits of each other for the rest of their lives. Fabrizio saves the day. Remember Jack’s friend, who came onto the boat with him but was left completely in the dust when Jack hooked up with Rose? Well — it’s payback time. Seeing as how he has nothing to do since his only friend dissed him, Fabrizio is chilling on the dock the night the ship is about to hit the iceberg. But Fabrizio sees the iceberg before the watchmen do and is able to get into the control booth and turn the boat in time to avoid diasaster. He then becomes the ship’s hero, and Rose decides to dump her loser artist boyfriend and hook up with him instead. Rose and Fabrizio (who eventually changes his name to Fabio) live happily ever after, and Jack has no one to paint naked ever again. Catch my drift here? The next time you’re standing at a urinal, getting your haircut, or walking the dog, and someone asks you about “Titanic,” float them your idea for an alternative ending.
or making a lot of noise,” she said. “Residents see that something is being done about their concerns, and that’s important.” Carroll has had some very valuable experiences as a result of her volunteer work. One of these experiences came about last Halloween. After residents questioned the safety of trick-or-treating, sororities and fraternities responded by offering a Halloween Safety Party to neighborhood children. Children enjoyed candy, games, and a haunted house while under the supervision of the students. At the end of the night very appreciative parents thanked the students. “Seeing the looks on the parents’ faces was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had. It made me see that we really can make a difference,” Carroll said.
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How could the commission’s members, appointed by the board, be impartial if they continually ran for office? They were not, said Rothman. So basically, there never has been a neutral body overseeing election bylaws, according to the AS president. The two board members voting against scrapping the commission were John Beisner, the university president’s representative, and Evan Mooney. The committee gave the election process balance it needed, Mooney told his colleagues. “How can (the board) be considered a neutral commission?” Beisner asked before his motion to postpone action on eliminating the commission failed decisively. Beisner doubted whether an outside candidate would feel comfortable filing a complaint against the entire board to the board itself. Rothman did not entirely dismiss the notion that an appearance of impropriety will exist without a judicial commission. Archer said if a losing candidate charged a particular board member with election fraud, the accused member would not vote on the complaint. Rothman said eliminating the commission will speed up the appeals process should a complaint be filed at any time.
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Campus news from Preparing for plunge into the working world around the nation By Bernard J. Milano College Press Service
Students nabbed In $10 million gambling ring
College Press Service NEW YORK — A student at Columbia University and another at New York Law School were among 16 people arrested for their involvement in what New York police say was a $10-million-a-year gambling ring. Joseph Della Pietra, a junior majoring in economics at Columbia, and William Basso, a third-year law school student, are alleged “runners” for the ring. Police say both men took bets from students and distributed money to winners. Police have issued search warrants so they can rake through Della Pietra’s room in the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity house, where they suspect he took bets from more than 30 students and stashed gambling records. They intend to do the same to Basso, who, according to police, had more than $200,000 in his bank account. The alleged ring—based in an apartment in Queens, N.Y., and in the back room of a pizza restaurant in Massapequa, N.Y.—took bets averaging $45 each from bettors in nine states. Each of the 16 people arrested faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
Student murder in Kenya sparks riots College Press Service NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyatta University was forced to close after thousands of students rioted to protest the politically motivated killing
of a fellow student, according to news reports. The school, about 10 miles north of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, was shuttered because of “anti-social acts of some students and threats to some students and members of the staff,” the university’s vice chancellor told the Associated Press. The closure happened Feb. 6 after students had taken to the streets the previous day with logs and stones to protest the killing of a classmate in a nearby province.
UC Berkeley tested employees without their consent College Press Service BERKELEY, Calif. — A federal appeals court ruled Feb. 3 that a laboratory at the UC Berkeley acted inappropriately when it conducted genetic tests on employees without asking for permission. The lab tested employees for pregnancy, sickle-cell anemia and syphilis. Laboratory officials say they may appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, insisting it was within their rights to identify conditions that could have limited or restricted employees from doing the jobs for which they were hired. Yet some plaintiffs argued that the tests were racially motivated — a claim the laboratory denies. One employee testified that the lab informed an 18-year-old that she was pregnant. The girl, unaware of her pregnancy, left in tears and never returned.
February is almost gone, and graduation is quickly approaching for you seniors out there. Many of you, I’m sure, either have jobs lined up or are confident that you will have accepted offers by May. I’d like to take some time now to run through various points you’ll want to keep in mind when you make the jump from student life to the business world. It’s a major change for you, and the way you handle yourself on your first job can affect the rest of your career. As I’ve said in previous columns, you don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression. I can’t over-emphasize the importance of starting off on the right foot by bringing your best effort to your first job. The initial impression you make
on your employer can mean a lot down the road—even if you don’t stay at that first firm. Having positive references will show future employers—as well as graduate schools some of you might apply to —that you entered the working world as a mature and confident adult. It goes without saying that if you do stay at your first company for a long time, the impact you make as a new recruit can be extremely helpful in the subsequent years. There are a number of examples. For instance, most employers keep good records on their employees, and these records become vitally important when employees are up for promotion. Also, the lower-level superiors you’ll have as a new employee will more than likely move up in the firm ahead of you, remaining above you. They’ll remember the kind of work you did, and can prove to be
powerful allies in your own climb up the ladder. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes in your first year. It’s inevitable, and there isn’t anyone in the business world who didn’t stumble in his or her early years. It really is true that you learn from your mistakes, so pick yourself up and move on. Equally important is avoiding being a blamer. Not many people are impressed by the ability to also show that a mistake was someone else’s fault. It’s understandable for recent graduates to want to have their own living arrangements, or perhaps live with friends, rather than move back in with their parents. However, if you do have the chance to live at home and commute to your job, consider doing so for a while. The money you save by not paying rent can add up, and will come in useful when you finally do move. Too often, students put them-
It’s a major change for you, and the way you handle yourself on your first job can affect the rest of your career.
selves through unnecessary hardships in the name of independence. I’ll leave you with the best advice of all: enjoy yourself! Work hard and demonstrate that you’re a competent and diligent worker, but also enjoy this interesting part of your life. You’re embarking on a new adventure, so make the most of it. Much like college itself, many people look back fondly on their first few years in ‘the real world’ as a very special point in their lives.
Pac Man grows up, moves out, goes to college
By Kelli Moses
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa Remember when Pac-Man was considered high-tech, and video games were for kids who wanted to rot their brains and ruin their eyes? Even if college students somehow missed the video game craze of the 1980s, they know now that it’s nearly impossible to avoid games on campus. Marketing studies indicate that video games have become a permanent fixture in the American family, and players are getting older and older. “I always thought my older brother was a freak because I outgrew video games by the time I was 14, but he kept on playing well into college,” said Vanessa James, a freshman at the University of Ala-
bama. “Now, I see he was just a little ahead of his time. I feel a little guilty for ragging him all those years for playing ‘kids’ games when he just landed an $80,000-a-year job designing new games,” she said. Video games are rapidly losing their “child’s play” stigma, and the market is beginning to target older audiences more aggressively, according to a recent study published by Stanford University’s department of advertising. College students, who frequently spend more than $65 on the latest, greatest games hitting store shelves, are also big supporters of the flourishing “new-game” market, the study indicates. Richard Sloan, a marketing executive with an electronics corporation based in Birmingham, Ala.,
said he isn’t surprised to see a distinctly adult market for video games emerging. “It only makes sense to target the consumer group with the most money,” he said. “Games are just another form of entertainment, like sporting events or movies, but they can be enjoyed from the privacy of home.” Sloan also noted the increasing levels of difficulty found in new games, which, he said, are aimed directly at more educated and mature players. “It’s really a brilliant marketing strategy because not only can your average, middle-aged working stiff come home and challenge himself off the clock, but he’s allowed to have fun at the same time,” Sloan said.
College students make up a large portion of the regular customers “Jeff,” an employee at one multimedia entertainment store, said he sees. (He works for a national chain that would not allow him to use his full name or its name in this article.) Students — “regular gamers,” he calls them, purchase an average of one game each week, he said. While he has never taken an exact count, Jeff said he sees more than 100 repeat customers each week. “Each game floats at about $20 to $55, and these are the main, hard core gamers I literally see in here every day,” he said.
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Wednesday, February 25, 1998
Titans running strong
Fans fail for game attendance
n TRACK: Strong individual
performances anchor Titan running and field events. By ERIC TERRAZAS
Jeff Howe
Daily Titan Staff Writer The upcoming track season appears to hold a good deal of promise for several key performers returning. Titan Head Coach John Elders said he feels the team can put together a good 1998 season. “We are optimistic,” Elders said. “We feel the highlight for this year will be the individual performances. We have a few people who are capable of making the nationals.” However, Elders said that he was concerned with the team’s overall depth. “We have good quality individuals, but we are a little thin,” he said. “So we are concerned with receiving points in a dualmeet situation.” On the men’s side, the Titans return quality talent in several categories. “In the sprint and hurdles, our top returners are Omar Anderson, Shaheed Qaasim, and Joey Moore,” Elders said. Anderson finished sixth in the Big
MARY LOU GLINES/Daily Titan
Titan George Evans practices tossing the hammer as the team prepares to open the season Feb. 28 at the Titan Track at 1 p.m. West last year in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles. Qaasim placed seventh in the 110 meter high hurdles and Moore may also be a potential decathlete. Gary Charles, a transfer from Fullerton Junior College, will join the team in the middle of next semester. Quincy Sims returns as the top triple jumper. Last year as a freshman, Sims
placed fifth in the Big West Conference. Elders also said that the team plans to convert Jason Pfaff into a decathlete. “He is an excellent prospect in the decathlon this year,” he said. “Jason has the potential to place in the top 10 in the javelin.” Another key returner is Gary Van Sluis, who set a Titan record last year in the pole
vault. In the long distance events, Elders said that the team has a good crew led by Francisco Vazquez, Stuart Gonzalez, Josh Slater, and Jason Manhart. “They are all potential Big West scorers
in their respective events,” he said. Phil Sitner and David Picha lead the middle distance runners, who will be joined by promising newcomer Angel Romero, a transfer form Riverside Junior
see TRACK/8
Screaming crowds. Loud music. Powerful athletes striving to be the best. Sports is a unique world. So unique, in fact, that people will “live it.” How many people have said “sports is my life?” Looking around the TV dial, it is amazing how many all-sports channels there are to choose from. ESPN, ESPN2, Fox Sports West, Fox Sports West 2, ESPNews, The Golf Channel, the list goes on. Sports are truly amazing. People will skip work or class to spend the day at a baseball game. Attendance at major sporting events is exploding, even if the Anaheim Angels don’t agree. But even if a baseball team is not doing well, they can still expect more than 10,000 fans in the seats for a mid-week afternoon game. Ramblings on sports? Perhaps. But if
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Fencing prepares for regionals after women win ten in a row n FENCING: Small sport on
campus gears up for season.
By JEREMY SCHERER and KEITH MASON Daily Titan Staff Writers
This weekend at the California Institute of Technology, the women’s fencing team improved their winning streak to an impressive 10 wins. Cal State Fullerton faced Cal Tech and UC San Diego on Nov. 22, so Saturday’s tournament was a rematch for the Titans. At the first meet, both men’s and women’s teams won the tournament. Unfortunately, the men’s team could not repeat their performance, but still showed strongly in the men’s Epee division. ‘’Our top fencers did well,’’ Titan Head Coach Heizaburo Okawa said. The men’s Epee fencers took the top
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The Titans fell to LMU 7-2 on Tuesday, with doubles partners Amy Medlin (above) and Debbie Vonusa picking up one of the two Titan vicories. They defeated Laura Gross and Mara Colaizzi 9-8. Eleanor Luzano slipped past Lia Bunker 3-6, 75, and 6-2 providing the Cal State Fullerton with its other win. Deanna Mendibles, who holds the school Elders said that the team will return a record at 5-5. Promising newcomers join- strong group of distance runners, which ing the team include Stephanie Wettlin, are led by Sarah MacDougall and Alison n from page 7 Loren Gualco, and Monica Potter, who is Livermore. Carrie Garretson, a promising College. a transfer from Mount San Jacinto Junior transfer from the University of Alabama, Vazquez said that he feels optimistic College. will join the team in mid-season. about the season. Wettlin also said that she has high “Wettlin and Gualco both jumped “I think we will have enough people to higher than our school record when they hopes for the upcoming season. be good in each event,” Vazquez said. “If were in high school,” Elders said. “I feel “I feel we will be pretty strong,” Wetwe could get Josh Slater, Jason Manhart, that high jumping will be a strong part of tlin said. “We are going to be really good and Stuart Gonzalez back for the track the program.” in certain areas. We have a lot of good season, then we will be strong in the disAnother key returner is triple jumper high jumpers, sprinters, and hurdlers this tance events.” TraShawn Banford, who made the final in year. I think we will make a strong showThe women’s team also returns key the Big West meet last year. Banford holds ing at meets.” The first meet of the year will be at the performers, especially in the high jump the school record in that event. Titan Track where CSUF will face three event. The high jumpers are led by
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there are in fact sports nuts out there who can’t go for more than a day without the latest box score, where are they at Cal State Fullerton? Probably at Off-Campus Pub watching SportsCenter. Attendance for the season thus far has been very low. Perhaps I have a different view since I cover women’s sports— which, unfortunately, draw worse crowds then the men—but overall, the fans just aren’t there. The attendance numbers from last season can be a little strange. Baseball always seems to draw well, averaging 1,185 per game over 27 home dates. The capacity at Titan Field is 1,750. The big draw can be attributed to the team winning the 1995 College World Series. Plus, baseball is a very popular sport on this campus. But what of the others? Softball was national champs in 1986 and also draws well, averaging 571 for 17 home games in 96-97. That is pretty good, but take a look at soccer, both men’s and women’s. Both teams
three spots. Jesse Carlson has won 28 of his 30 matches in his first season. Foilist Ellen Mao improved her season’s record to 38-2, winning the women’s foil competition in last weekend’s tournament. Mao said she is excited about the remaining matches this season. “I guess maybe by the time I get there (regionals and nationals) I will be nervous,” Mao said. “Everyone performed very well compared to last year,” Mao said. “Last year, as a team, we didn’t do that well.” The CSUF women’s foil enters regionals ranked second. Mao said the team may have lost first place by only one bout. Not to be outdone, Ariel Reyes won the men’s foil division to raise his personal record to 26-4. Okawa was very pleased with the results of the weekend’s tournament.
Okawa said the men’s team was shaky at the start of the season, but the Titans have come on strongly in the last few tournaments, improving rapidly. Okawa feels that with the team doing so well as of late, it should be prepared for the NCAA Western Regionals at Stanford March 7 and 8. Dianne Ho, part of CSUF’s women’s Epee team, praised some of the fencers who will travel to Stanford next month. In only her second competitive season, Ho scored fifth at the Cal Tech matches this past weekend. She missed the fourth spot by one point. Ho explained that she had hoped to finish higher. “There is always a higher level,” she said. “The competition was pretty tough. I did try pretty hard.” Ho expressed optimism for next season. “ I think the team will get better.”
play in Titan Stadium,with 10,000 capacity. However, the men and women only averaged 567 and 401, respectively. Where the best example of apathy lies is with the indoor sports: basketball, volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics. Playing in Titan Gym, with a capacity of 3,500, the men’s basketball team averaged 1,265 last season, while the women only drew 154 per game. This season is no different. I have been to women’s games at home where there were only about 200 people in the stands. But these sad figures are not endemic to CSUF. I also noticed low crowds during basketball games at UC Irvine and Long Beach State. LBSU even has that impressive Pyramid. There really are no rhymes or reasons for the lack of bodies in the bleachers. Ticket prices are not outrageous—for everything except men’s basketball, prices are $5 for adults, $3 for youths and seniors. For men’s basketball, the prices are a little higher at $12.50 for seat-back chairs, $10 for bleachers and $5 for youths and seniors. But what every student here should realize is that anyone with a valid CSUF identification
card gets in for free. Try to say that about The Stadium Formally Known as The Big A. Baseball has just started the season, softball starts a tough tournament at home on Thursday and women’s basketball made a great comeback and clinched a Big West Tournament spot. These teams feature tomorrow’s stars. Remember Phil Nevin and Mark Kotsay? They both were baseball players here, both on championship teams and now both play in the major leagues. Players on CSUF teams are our friends and classmates. They spend so much time preparing for their respective sports—as well as on schoolwork—that they have had to sacrifice so much. Wouldn’t it be better to play in front of thousands of screaming fans, intently watching your performance. Knowing that people on your campus, people who may not know you, care deeply about what you do on that court or on the field? When there are only 200 people in the stands—and most of those are probably family and friends—it makes an athlete wonder.
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