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Patriot Act history revealed
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New text policy to help disabled
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Studentʼs complaint prompts faculty to order books early By ASHLEY HEGLAR Daily Titan Staff
Fullerton professor provides context for controversial measure By DAVID BARRY Daily Titan Copy Editor
A white cowboy hat sits upside down on the rectangular brown conference table. The hatʼs owner stands to the left of the table, addressing an audience about the Patriot Act — the controversial legislation intended to aid agencies such as the FBI in monitoring and apprehending terrorists. If the owner of the hat were President George W. Bush, surely the hat would be on — signifying cowboy decisiveness for the red states and cowboy unilateralism for the blue states. However, the speaker is Gordon M. Bakken, history professor at Cal State Fullerton. Bakken didnʼt immediately tip his hand on his personal view of the Patriot Act to this audience of about 85 in the Ruby Gerontology Center last Thursday. His lecture was the last of the Continuing Learning Experienceʼs Fall Political Series. CLE consists of retired and semi-retired members from the local community who meet regularly for classes and lectures. The first half of Bakkenʼs lecture was the back-story to the Patriot Act — from Americaʼs historical responses to foreign and domestic terrorists. Bakken spoke about the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, which Congress passed to protect America from “a threat of war.” “The Alien Act allowed the president to deport any alien considered dangerous,” Bakken said. “Now, let us just remember in 1798, who were the dangerous people? They were called Democrats.” Bakken continued, “The Federalists were afraid of the Jeffersonian Republicans, and weʼve come to call them Democrats. Now, a lot of these Democrats happened to be aliens, mostly French.” He spoke of a long history of suspicion of foreigners in the United States toward the French, Irish, Italians, Chinese, Japanese and, most recently, Middle Easterners. Bakken teased the audience that Anaheim was founded by German Socialists, people some might see as being “dangerous people.” Teasing aside, Bakken let the audience know that despite his concerns about the publicʼs right to privacy via the Fourth Amendment, he supports the Patriot Act. He said the controversial provisions of the Patriot Act allow law enforcement agencies to obtain search warrants with lower standards than probable cause; to “sneak and peek” in suspectsʼ homes and delay notification for up to 45 days afterward; to examine records from bookstores and libraries; and to expand the scope of wiretapping activity. “On the law enforcement side, a lot of this stuff works,” Bakken said. “You hate to say it — it works,” also citing statistics of FBI success stories in apprehending terrorists since Sept. 11 by using the expanded powers of the Patriot Act. PATRIOT ACT 3
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Junior Adam Eastham splashes outside of the Kinesiology and Health Science Building during Sunday’s rain. With the small amount of rain that Southern California receives, many streets are not constructed to hold the excess water creating puddles like this one.
In an attempt to amend a complaint made by a Cal State Fullerton student in regards to the timeliness of getting textbooks for disabled students, the university has made adjustments with the Office for Civil Rights. The university will implement a new process for purchasing and ordering textbooks and class materials in order to better serve students with disabilities, said Ephraim Smith, vice president for Academic Affairs. After the complaint was made, the student was told that CSUFʼs Disabled Student Services did not have access to course reading lists before each semesterʼs beginning. According to federal and state laws, textbooks and course materials must be provided in alternate formats, such as Braille, large print, audiotapes and electronic text for students who have special needs. The
law also states that these alternatives are to be the same in quality and as readily available as the materials provided for other students. One change that will go into effect, according to a letter sent out to all faculty and department chairs in August, will be that prior to each semester the vice president of Academic Affairs will set a deadline for faculty to submit course material lists. The vice president will then set another date requiring department chairs to forward lists electronically to a convenient Web address provided by CSUF Information Technology, according to the letter. This policy will include all faculty members and will be implemented in spring 2005. Information Technology will assist Academic Affairs in creating a system that will allow suitable student access — through the online class schedule — to a list of all textbooks and materials required in all classes. CSUF administrators said they want to make it easier for disabled students to obtain course materials, therefore the university is working with other CSUs to arrange an electronic source for adaptive materials.
Paul Miller, director of Disabled Student Services, said the process will involve a lot of work and needs to be done in a timely manner. He also said that a lot depends on how many books are required from each professor each semester. Miller said that competition from surrounding bookstores will be impacted by the new process since, for example, Titan Shops and Little Professor Book Center have been controversial competitors for years. “The posting of instructorsʼ text lists would only allow Titan Shops to duplicate our orders, contrary to the request of those professors who order from Little Professor. Duplicate orders could force us out of business,” said Michael OʼConner, owner and manager of Little Professor Book Center located on Placentia Avenue. University officials said they hope the new process will help disabled students understand their course material better and more thoroughly. “I and the university have no choice in this matter … I had to assure the Office [for] Civil Rights that these students have access,” CSUF President Milton A. Gordon said.
New ASI board representatives look to future Elected leaders will help allocate student funds, set policies By ISAAC FABELA Daily Titan Staff
The student body of Cal State Fullerton recently elected a new group of representatives to sit on the Associated Students Inc. Board of Directors during the spring 2005 semester. The 14-member board will consist of eight new representatives as ASI looks toward the new year with optimism and excitement. The ASI Board of Directors is made up of two elected representatives from each of the schoolʼs
academic colleges and those elected serve one-year terms. In the spring, elections will be held to decide the remaining six representatives. The board is in charge of setting policies for ASI as well as allocating funds for student programs and services. The executive staff and the board meet publicly every Tuesday at 1:15 p.m. ASI President Philip Vasquez said he is excited to see new faces on an already productive board. “Iʼm not really familiar with some of the newly elected members,” Vasquez said. “Iʼm looking forward to meeting them and having a very productive spring.” Executive Vice President Mona Mohammadi said she hopes her
experience will allow her to hit the ground running next year. “Iʼm really looking forward to next semester,” Mohammadi said. “Now that I got more of a feel for my job, I think weʼll be able to get a lot more done.” Over the winter break between semesters, ASI members will work to get the new board members up to speed on the procedures they abide by, helping them be as productive as they. Courtney Patterson, ASI director of statewide affairs, said she is looking forward to next semester with the new members of the board. “Itʼs a good thing whenever students are interested enough to get involved in student leadership,”
Patterson said. “Weʼre doing a lot of things in this office next semester to get students involved around campus as well.” During the next semester, ASI will put programs into action that they have been planning during the fall. In the spring, ASI members said they hope to get out on campus to show the students of CSUF what they have to offer and what they have been doing for them. One way they plan to accomplish this goal is with a program titled: “What is ASI, and what can it do for you?” With the new program, ASI members said they plan to show students where their fees go, as well as letting them know the scholarships
and programs available to them. Informing students about ASI has been one of the biggest challenges for the corporation over the past few years. Along with the many events coordinated on campus, ASI also runs Rec Sports, the Childrenʼs Center and Titan Student Union. Despite recent disagreement between some members of the board and the executive staff, Vasquez said he believes it will not erase what has been a good working relationship between the two entities. “I feel the relationship between the board and the staff is heading in the right direction,” Vasquez said. “Weʼve been working well together and weʼre on the right track.”
CHOC raises funds Local for holiday charities shelter Proceeds from brunch, silent auction, raffle opens will benefit children doors By KELLY HICKMAN Daily Titan Staff
In 1962 a group of Fullerton women formed the Mother Goose Guild that gave money and support to a health care facility for children; two years later, the Childrenʼs Hospital of Orange County was born. Fast-forward 40 years to Dec. 5, when some of the guildʼs founders were in attendance with others to benefit the 43rd annual Christmas Tree Brunch at the Coast Anaheim Hotel. “Itʼs almost like the whoʼs who of Fullerton that attend,” said Meghan McGarvey, a senior public relations major at Cal State Fullerton and the CHOC vice president of Ways and Means who was responsible for putting the event together. All of the proceeds the event receives from the silent auction bid, brunch and raffle tickets go to benefit CHOC. “Since 1962 our guild has raised
about $1.2 million for CHOC,” McGarvey said, adding that former Fullerton Mayor Buck Caitlin, as well as some of CSUFʼs former faculty, are frequent patrons. “Iʼm always amazed by the number of people that put on their holiday attire to help benefit the boys and girls of CHOC,” said Jim Blackburn, the master of ceremonies and former director of Admissions and Records for CSUF. Blackburn said he has emceed the brunch for at least the last 15 years. “It marks the beginning of the Christmas season for me and my wife,” Blackburn said. Others agree that the brunch brings out the holiday spirit in them. “Itʼs a great way to start off the holidays,” said Elizabeth Sezonor, a senior public relations major who assisted McGarvey with the event. Guests sipped champagne while placing $1 opportunity tickets in a box of their choice for a chance to win a Christmas tree custom-decorated by guild members and sponsors. Several of the Christmas trees were decked out with snowflakes and CHOC 3
Fullerton Armory provides comfort, food for homeless By RAQUEL S-SABOOR For the Daily Titan
The doors are now open at the Fullerton Armory for anyone who might need shelter, a meal or a shower; and those in need have been coming through those doors since they opened on Dec. 1. About 80 people rested on pillows and mats placed on the hard, cold concrete floor of the armory, located at 400 S. Brookhurst St. in Fullerton, on the second night of the armoryʼs opening. Itʼs part of the cold weather program managed by Saint Vincent
RAQUEL S-SABOOR/For the Daily Titan
Robert Barker, 61 years old, has been coming to the Fullerton Armory for about 14 years. De Paul and is open every year from December through the end of March. It opens at 6 p.m. and closes at 6 a.m. The armory provides shelter for men, women and families. Iris Walker and her 5-year-old son Thomas have been homeless for almost two months. Thomas is not attending school, but she is teaching him how to read and write. Thomas said he loves to play sports and hopes to play football when he goes back to school. Walker and her son were living in low-income housing, but when the lease was up they wouldnʼt allow her to renew. She said that her and her son have been staying
at shelters since. Alex Marquez, 43, has been homeless for about three years. “I got real sick, couldnʼt control [the] illness, and [couldnʼt] collect very much for disability,” he said. He said this is his first year coming to the armory and he likes that he doesnʼt have to sing or attend church service before he goes to bed. “[The staff and volunteers at the armory] are really nice here,” Marquez said, adding that he has made many friends along the way. “The people are neat in the sense that theyʼre from all walks ARMORY 3