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U N I V E RS I T Y ,
F U L L E R T O N Review of Cafe Tu Tu Tango at the Block in Orange
INSIDE NEWS: New Vietnamese course 3 noffered on campus
—see Detour page 5
SPORTS: Commentary on the firing of 7 nIndiana University Coach Bobby Knight
T h u r s d ay
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S e p t e m b e r 14, 2000
Office aids foreign students with nCAMPUS: The workshops are held to teach foreign students about INS rules dealing with working in the United States By Magda Liszewska
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Mayra Beltran/Daily Titan
Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush signs autographs for supporters after rally in Asian Gardens Mall.
Bush visits Little Saigon
nPOLITICS: Candidate spoke to thousands of supporters at rally By Fermin Leal
Daily Titan Executive Editor An estimated 3,000 people gathered at the Asian Gardens Market
in Westminster’s Little Saigon Wednesday afternoon for a rally to support presidential candidate George W. Bush. The gathering, reminiscent of a high school pep rally without the cheerleaders, brought together several local leaders along with a diverse portion of the community. The Texas governor, who made his first official campaign stop in Orange County, gave an enthusiastic speech to the crowd.
“It’s good to be back here in the state of California,” Bush said when he greeted the audience. “I am coming here for a reason and I intend to let the citizens know that I plan to win this state. “They keep asking me if I have a chance in California and I answer, I do,” he added. Bush drew some of the loudest responses from the largely Vietnamese crowd when he said, “This is a state of many citizens
and many cultures. I am honored to have the people of Little Saigon welcome me into their community.” There are currently more than 300,000 Vietnamese in Southern California and about 1 million in the state, according to Joe Tran, representative of the VietnameseAmerican Voters Coalition. Bush also took the opportunity
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International students had an opportunity to clarify their confusion about employment in America during two workshops sponsored by the International Education and Exchange Office last week. During and after the presentations, the second of which ended yesterday, employees of the Career Planning and Placement Center, International Education and Exchange Office and Center for Internships and Cooperative Education addressed the questions of 15 students who attended the workshops. The workshops, called “Working in the USA on an F-1 Visa,” are organized every semester to educate international students on Immigration and Naturalization Services regulations regarding employment in the United States. According to INS laws, F-1 students are allowed to work up to 20 hours on campus. They are eligible for up to two semesters of part-time internships and an optional practical training (a one-year full-time job) after graduation. Valora Blackson, associate director for employer relations in the Career Planning and Placement Center, began last Wednesday’s workshop with a presentation on resume writing. Blackson, who is the Career
Planning and Placement Center liaison to the International Education and Exchange Office, said that many international students come to the center looking for help in getting a job. “It seems to me that more and more international students want to stay in the United States and work, so they come to see what resources we have that they can take advantage of,” she said. Students often express interest in the Recruiting Program, which they are usually not eligible for because most participating employers require legal work authorization, such as permanent residency or U.S. citizenship. “International students must launch a self-directed job search, and be aware of the challenges they will face in the process,” Blackson said. When students are not fully aware of INS limitations, Blackson refers them to the International Education and Exchange Office. Following Blackson’s presentation, Sally A. Cardenas, director of the Center for Internships, discussed the services offered by the center and explained the curricular practical training, which is another term used for internships for F-1 students. Depending on their major, most students are required to complete at least one internship before graduation. However, aside from going through the process at the Center for Internships, international students have to get an approval from the International Education and Exchange Office. Last semester, 28 students applied for curricular practical training.
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Soapbox returns for enthusiastic nCAMPUS: The forum was used as a stage for rapping, singing, even stand-up comedy By Marlayna Slaughterbeck Daily Titan Staff Writer
Expletives abounded and rap ruled as Associated Students brought back the Student Soapbox to the Quad at noon on Wednesday. The soapbox began last spring as an open-forum event geared toward providing students with the opportunity to express whatever might be on their minds. Encouraging the initially hesitant
group of onlookers, Elliot Sacks, Associated Students’ director of statewide affairs and the man behind the Soapbox concept, assured students they could say anything they wanted, intellectual or otherwise. “The Soapbox is uncensored,” Sacks assured them. “You can say anything you like, we’re not gonna bleep you out.” Responding to the call, one student who preferred to be identified simply as “Hawk,” took the initiative to get things moving. In fact, compared to other reluctant onlookers, he was so eager to grab the microphone that Sacks jokingly expressed some hesitation. “Wow, this guy’s awfully enthusiastic, he’s making me a little nervous,” Sacks said, chuckling as he handed him the mic. Hawk did not disappoint those in
the crowd who were hoping to hear an alternative point of view. “Who wants to touch my butt? ” he asked an unsuspecting female student who hurried past. “Come on up here and I’ll let you! Aw, c’mon, it’s real nice!” Several other students stepped up to the wooden box following Hawk’s lead and 15 minutes after the event began, there were several microphones simultaneously in play. Free-style rappers grabbed the attention of a growing crowd of curious onlookers with their impromptu rap commentary. Next, Miles Gregley, a junior TV/ film major, attempted to change the tone and slow the pace. “This one’s for the ladies,” he said. “My mind’s tel-lin’ me no but my body says yes,” he belted out, a la Marvin Gaye.
Another participant, Khalid Muhammad, a junior business major, did an impromptu comedy bit and heckled several passersby — some for the fun of it, others in hopes of garnering a phone number or two. At one point he turned his attention to a police officer passing by. “Hey, I like the uniform, it’s a little tight, though,” he joked, remarking that it was pretty hot today and that the officer should perhaps look into wearing some shorts. “You know, one of those little shorts sets,” he explained, making many in the growing crowd laugh hysterically. Lest the officer feel unfairly targeted, Sacks took a microphone and offered him the opportunity to have his say. Informing the crowd that the
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Trisha insheiwat/Daily Titan
Miles Gregley takes advantage of open forum to speak his mind.
Titan
Students treated to free Barbecue by Engineering and Computer nLUNCH: ECS dean of students grills hamburgers and introduces students to clubs in the department and on campus By Damian Calhoun
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Alison Gubler/Daily Titan
The engineering department held an open house with food.
As the barbecue grills blazed and hamburgers were flipped and grilled, the College of Engineering and Computer Science officially welcomed its students back yesterday with an outdoor open house. Students were introduced to the clubs and organizations on campus but also to the different clubs within the
department during this open house. “It is a welcome back for the students,” Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Yuri Betancourt said. “We’re trying to get the students to feel as if they are a part of the college. We ask the student leaders to mingle with the students about what being involved is all about. This serves as an overall orientation to the College of Engineering and Computer Science.” The current form of this event started three years ago. “This is a real good way to get students involved and get the faculty involved,” Dean of Engineering and Computer Science R.D. Rocke said, after taking time off from cooking hamburgers. “I look at this as a morale builder for the rest of the semester. A get-to-know-each-day.” “We have another one of these in
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the spring called Engineering and Computer Science Week, which takes place during National Engineering Week,” Rocke added. The clubs that joined the festivities yesterday were the Association for Computing Machinery, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Society of MexicanAmerican Engineers and Scientists, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers and National Society of Black Engineers. They all took time to enjoy the sunshine and the food while setting out to promote their clubs and to recruit students to join their clubs. “We’re out here to get students to
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