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Adults ASI memo stirs controversy spend instead of save Dissatisfaction over allocation of funds sparks disagreements By ISAAC FABELA Daily Titan Staff
Twenty-somethings use money for leisure, not future security By LAURA BEYER Daily Titan Staff
As students dance around the tiny dance floors at clubs and drink their paychecks away at bars, it might be safe to say that they are thinking more about tipping the bartender than saving and investing in their futures. “Sometimes I like going to a bar on the weekend because I can have a drink and relax and sometimes I like to go to a club because I can have a drink and people-watch or dance,” Brian Parks, a 23-year-old from Anaheim, said. “I spend on average $30 to $75 per weekend.” For those who prefer the club or bar scene, most of their money goes to club entrance and drinks. “It costs like $10 and up for the entrance fee for the clubs that are popular and then the drinks can be $4 and up,” Gina Stevens, 26, of Costa Mesa, said. Stevens said she spends an average of $40 to $60 in a weekend. Many students and young adults enjoy the good times of their youth but donʼt think about investing money for retirement. With the future of Social Security uncertain, more young people are urged to invest their money for retirement. “I hear my dad talking about investing all the time, but itʼs just hard to put the money away,” said Mark Fedorow, 25, of Newport Beach. According to a financial adviser for Merrill Lynch, one of the worldʼs leading financial firms, a 25-yearold putting $8.20 per day or $3,000 per year into a Roth IRA could have $1,159,560 by the time they are 65 years old. Another plus is that this money can be withdrawn tax-free at the time of retirement. The average drink at local clubs and bars ranges between $4 and $8. Added to the $10 to $20 entrance fee, the cost of entertainment can add up pretty fast. If the money is put toward investment instead, it could turn into a good amount of money for the future. Some life insurance policies also allow people to earn money as well as having the benefit of life insurance. “Whole life insurance gives the advantage of having insurance as well as giving the benefit of having a cash value, almost like a savings,” said Andrea Cesena, a financial and insurance agent for New York Life Insurance Company. Young people donʼt necessarily need to look to life insurance for investment. However, it can make life for others a lot easier. “Life insurance for young people is not the best decision for pure investment,” Cesena said. “But if a student has a lot of loans it can take the pressure off family who might have to inherit their debt and can also pay for all funeral expenses.”
SHANNON ANCHALEECHAMAIKORN/Daily Titan
Walter Ruigu and David Kilgo, both on the ASI Board of Directors and members of the Ambassadors Club, speak at Tuesday’s ASI meeting about their recent trip to Chicago where both were participants at an American Model United Nations Conference. ASI funded the trip.
Associated Students Inc. President Philip Vasquez recently criticized the ASI Board of Directors for allocating funds to the Ambassadors Club for an American Model United Nations conference in Chicago during Thanksgiving break. The decision to fund the trip caused concern for some of the executive staff because two members of the board, David Kilgo and Walter Ruigu, are participants in the Ambassadors Club, which also includes Daily Titan Executive Editor Marti Longworth. Vasquez said members of the board unethically used their connections in ASI to obtain funding for a trip that he didnʼt feel was necessary. In a public memo sent on Nov.
18, Vasquez expressed his disapVasquez said there would be no proval of the act, stating that the apology and stands by his statement. boardʼs decision at the Nov. 16 ASI Kilgo said he feels that Vasquez meeting violated his professional may have grossly underestimated ethics. Vasquez was unable to attend the impact of his accusations. “Blanket condemnation of the because he was at a California State University Board of Trustees meet- board is unacceptable,” Kilgo said. “I believe Philʼs ing. accusation of “ASI elevates you unethical behavto a more advanced This is a public document that level of opportunity ior and misapwill haunt us, that is to be recogpropriation of which is why I nized, but not violatfunds is a very, will not go ed and dissected to very serious quietly on this. the point of misapallegation.” propriate allocations Kilgo also David Kilgo of funding,” Vasquez questioned ASI board member wrote. “A violation of Vasquezʼs conthis value and belief is viction. clearly demonstrated “If he truly to me in the action of feels the board the ASI Board of Directors, which I acted unprofessionally and unethicannot professionally or personally cally, he is duty bound by his posisupport.” tion as president to veto the action,” Kilgo responded to the memo, Kilgo said. saying Vasquezʼs accusations were Vasquez stated in the memo that “patently unfair and inaccurate,” even though he disagrees with the and demanded Vasquez issue a forASI 3 mal written apology.
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Bush’s homeland security secretary resigns Tom Ridge says United States is safer than before terrorist attacks The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, whose name became synonymous with color-coded terror alerts and tutorials about how to prepare for possible attack, resigned Tuesday, saying he was confident the United States is significantly safer than
before the 2001 terrorist strikes. Ridge, who has warned that the country may face increased terror risks around the holidays and the Jan. 20 presidential inauguration, said he will remain on the job through Feb. 1. He submitted his resignation to President Bush on Tuesday morning after attending a daily threat briefing with CIA and FBI officials. As the nationʼs first chief of the new Department of Homeland Security, Ridge presided over a collection of 22 disparate federal agencies and 180,000 employees. He
Study shows religion relates to self-worth
acknowledged he could not prove the enormously expensive and complex security measures put in place since 2001 have foiled any terrorist attacks inside the United States but said he was certain America was safer. “I am confident that the terrorists are aware that from the curb to the cockpit weʼve got additional security measures that didnʼt exist a couple years ago, that from port to port we do things differently with maritime security,” Ridge said. “I am confident they know the borders
are more secure. I am confident they know we have developed and are sharing information with state and local law enforcement.” Ridge said terrorists know that because of the changes, “America is a different place to work and operate in.” Among those mentioned as possible candidates for Ridgeʼs replacement are Bernard Kerik, interim Minister of the Interior for Iraq and former New York City police commissioner, former Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Joe
Allbaugh, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Mike Leavitt and White House homeland security adviser Fran Townsend. Others are also believed to be interested in the job, including Asa Hutchinson, undersecretary for border and transportation security in the Homeland Security Department. At a news conference, Ridge defended the departmentʼs efforts to warn the public of possible terror threats, saying it preferred to disRIDGE 3
Mind your own beeswax
UCLA finds spiritual students have lower distress, less anxiety
percent of students who were not religious had high levels of extreme psychological distress while only 20 percent of highly-religious students have the same type of distress. Results show that some students By KYLE McCORY Daily Titan Staff regularly attend church groups because the support they gain from A recent study by UCLAʼs Higher other students makes it easier for Education Research Institute has them to cope with their problems. found college students with high According to the study, students levels of religious involvement tend who do not attend religious serto have higher self vices, compared to esteem, consume those who attend less alcohol and frequently, are If [God] created are less likely to more than twice the entire become depressed as likely to report universe then he compared to those feeling depressed. can surely get who are not reliAlso, oneʼs me through my gious. sense of spiritualterm papers and The research ity, believing in final exams. studied 3,680 spiritual beings Celeste Lonson third-year stuand the sacredCSUF senior dents at 46 colness of life, is also psychology major leges across the correlated with nation and found better self-esteem those with a strong and sense of selfsense of spiritualworth, the study ity reported better emotional and shows. mental health. Benjamin Hubbard, a comparaThe study also showed that tive religions professor at Cal State undergraduates tend to become Fullerton, said he believes in the more depressed during their col- importance of spirituality. lege years due to high stress, lack of “I think all human beings should exercise and increased alcohol con- cultivate a spiritual life, whether sumption. As juniors, 77 percent of they are formally religious or not, college students reported feeling even if they are atheists,” Hubbard frequently depressed compared to said. “Cultivating spirituality 61 percent of freshman students, involves being aware of the wonaccording to the study. FAITH 3 The study also reported that 34
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DAVID PARDO/Daily Titan
Joseph Fellerman, a Cal State Fullerton biology major, walks around campus on a hunt for bees on Tuesday. If his search is successful, he will use the captured insects for observational purposes.
CSUF develops online source to assist students facing problems
New University Blues Web site offers help to Titans needing support By LINDA HO Daily Titan Staff
Students have many places to turn to when they are in need of assistance. The Womenʼs Center, the Counseling and Psychological Services and the Health Center
are just a few of the on-campus resources that are readily available to students who encounter difficulties and who need help dealing with their problems. Whether a student just needs someone to talk to, or needs counseling or health care, such resources can be vital in order for a student to function better in college. Stress, depression, eating disorders and personal relationships are a few of the topics detailed on the University Blues - “Whatʼs got
you blue?” -Web site. The recently developed www. universityblues.org, which was funded by an on-campus retention grant, was created to help students with anxiety-related issues and to help them stay in school, said Barbara McDowell, the director of the Womenʼs Center. The projectʼs goal is to address emotional needs that might occur BLUES 3