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CSU rises above the rest
Start your engines
Graduation, retention rates prove better than the national average By Mark Meyers Daily Titan Staff
A recent study placed California State Universities at the top of the class in terms of retention and graduation rates when compared to the national average. The report, which concluded in January, showed first-year retention rates and six-year graduation rates of CSU students. First-time freshman entering the CSU system in 1997 graduated at
a rate of 54 percent in the six-year time period – 10 percent higher than the national benchmark of 44 percent, according to the study. The report also showed that the first-year retention rate for first-time freshman stood at 79 percent as compared to the national average of 70 percent. “This analysis suggests that CSU campuses are providing students with the kinds of instruction, campus climate and services that are similar or better than those provided by other universities serving similar students,” said David S. Spence, CSU executive vice chancellor. Over three decades, CSU sixyear graduation rates have grown dramatically. In 1977, the number
was at 38 percent, in 1987, it grew to 47 percent, and has now grown to 54 percent. With so much growth, Spence said that averages in the 60s and 70s are not too lofty a goal. The study showed that Caucasians, blacks and American Indians are all enrolling at CSUs in proportion to their high school graduation rates. Latinos were found to be underrepresented, while Asians, Pacific Islanders and Filipinos were overrepresented. The report showed a continued disparity between the CSU eligibility standard and black and Latino eligibility rates. The CSU standard is a 33.3 percent eligibility rate, while the black rate is at 21 percent
and Latinos stand at 18 percent. However, the black and Latino eligibility rates in 2003 have grown since the study began in 1997. The black pool has grown from 13 percent to 21 percent, while the Latino pool has grown from 13 percent to 18 percent. The study also showed that freshman proficiency in English and mathematics has an impact on graduation rates. Namely, students who require remediation in their first year take longer to graduate. Annual CSU proficiency evaluations have shown that there are English and mathematics gaps by race and ethnic background as well. graduation 4
Land for faculty housing OK’d University Heights complex to be built on three acres in Fullerton By Courtney Salas Daily Titan Staff
James Carroll/Daily Titan
CSUF students participate in a radio controlled NASCAR race in the Quad Monday morning. The event was set up by ASI Productions.
Plans for University Heights are progressing. Cal State Fullerton’s latest faculty and staff housing community will be built on three of the six acres that the Fullerton Elks Lodge currently occupies. Paula Selleck, a university spokeswoman, said the new housing community will be located on Harbor and Brea boulevards. The Elks Lodge will be completely demolished and rebuilt on the same
Discovery Science Center hosts BubbleFest, magician World record holder keeps audience in awe while performing show By April Miller Daily Titan Staff
He emerged from the shadows dressed in black. With a single sweep of his wand, thousands of bubbles floated toward a group of children seated on the auditorium floor of the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana. With viewers’ eyes fixated on Fan Yang, a nine-time Guinness World Record holder, he transformed soap and water into works of art. His first creation was a
bubble within a bubble. Then, taking a puff from a cigarette, he took a soapy straw and blew smoke into the middle bubble, making a white-clouded ball within the clear bubble. With the skill of a lion tamer, Yang fanned the double bubble upward with his hands until the outer bubble popped. The clouded bubble lingered mid-air before bursting and leaving only a puff of smoke. “I love the bubble,” Yang said. “I don’t smoke, but smoke makes bubbles visible.” He used a smoke machine and two foot-long, clear, plastic tubes to fill his bigger bubbles. As his creations floated away and popped, soft music filled the air and a rain-
bow of lights flickered as he set up for his next demonstration. Yang sprayed water on a small round table he had pulled to center stage. Then, he built a set of bubbles resembling a bunt cake on the table. The rainbow of lights flickered from red to green to yellow, making the sculpture radiate with color. “Smoking is bad for your health,” said Yang as he filled the bunt cake bubbles with smoke and added another smoke-filled bubble on top. Next he poked a hole in the top of the bubble mound, turning the creation into a smoking volcano. “Let me guide you into a world of imagination,” said Yang as he continued to make a bubble within
side of the new housing community, Selleck said. “The Elks Lodge was looking for a developer who could develop a portion of their property, but also provide the means for them to obtain a replacement lodge for the present one, which is over 50 years old and in need of major repair,” said Bill Dickerson, executive director of the CSUF Housing Authority and the CSU Foundation. After University Heights was approved last September, Cal State University’s Board of Trustees started looking for a prime location. Eventually, they found the Elks’ land. “The Elks’ desire was to remain on the current site, but nearly all developers were not interested in sharing the six-acre site. We proposed the
purchase of a little over three acres of their property and the construction of a new lodge on the remaining portion, which they accepted,” he said. Dickerson said the new Elks Lodge will be located on the southeast portion of the existing site. Selleck said the new housing complex, called University Heights, will be the second housing community available to faculty and staff members. She said the first housing community, University Gables, was the first housing community available to CSUF faculty and staff members. This current community is located in Buena Park and is fully occupied. “University Heights will be more expensive than University Gables, yet attractively priced below the current market price in Orange County, about
April Miller/Daily Titan
Fan Yang showers the crowd with thousands of bubbles at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana. Yang is a nine-time world record holder. His longest bubble is 156 feet. He will be performing through April 17. a bubble and filling the inside one with smoke. This time, Yang dazzled the audience by putting his soapy hand inside the outer bubble and pulling out the smoke-filled one without
popping either bubble. After making a few beach ballsized bubbles, Yang dipped his giant bubble hoop in the soapy
By Stefanie Franklin Daily Titan Staff
The fall of 2006 will welcome another new class of college freshman as each autumn does. The only difference is that this freshman class will have been admitted to Cal State Fullerton based on scores from a new Scholastic Aptitude Test. The SAT, which has been in affect since 1926, is a reasoning test used as one of several tools for student admissions into college. According to the College Board Web site, the SAT is a standard way of measuring a student’s ability to do college level work. “It was first established at 12 different northeastern colleges,” said
Caren Scoropanos, a spokeswoman The main difference is that the for the College Board. “They want- new SAT will have a section for a ed a standard way of comparing student essay. students across the country because There will also be new content high school education and grades from third-year preparatory math varied.” classes and addiWhile the exam tional short and is different each long reading pasI think it’s going to school year, and sages, and quantibe easier. I’m different versions tative comparisons better at writing are administered and analogies have so the essay will throughout the been removed from probably help my country six to seven the exam. times each year, Scoropanos said score. the SAT has been the last time the Lauren Kittle High School Student entirely revamped test was changed for 2006. According was in 1994 when to the Web site, calculators were versions of the test are generated permitted for the math sections. through a statistical process called Experts and educators who com“equating.” This ensures the equiva- prise test development committees lency between test versions. develop the test questions. Potential The new 2005-06 school year exams are sent to a second comversion will be a whole new exam, mittee of college and high school though with much of the same con- faculty and admissions for review tent. and recommendations for improve-
“
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ment. Some questions are submitted directly from educators. There will also be an un-scored section that allows test-designers to try out new questions with students for future test versions. The College Board Web site states that the new SAT will likely be required by universities for students graduating in 2006, though some schools may still accept the 2005 version. “If a student gets a 1600 on the old exam, they wouldn’t force him or her to take the new one,” Scoropanos said. “But students should check with the universities to determine the specific policy regarding the SAT.” A student concern about the exam is that it may be more difficult with the addition of the higher-level math questions and an essay portion. Though the writing portion was proposed back in 1990, the essay portion was only implemented
housing 4
Plans for Fox set in motion
Saved historic theater to open by 2010 after extreme renovations By Michael Ocampo Daily Titan Staff
recently with the advance of technology to score the 2.3 million essays, said Scoropanos. The writing pieces will be scanned into computers and administered over secure networks to professional readers who will score the essays. The Web site indicates that the new SAT will be different, but not necessarily harder. The test will still measure reasoning and problem solving ability like the old test, and though potentially more advanced math questions have been added, the Web site clarifies that there will be only a few. Mission Viejo High School student Lauren Kittle will be in the first class of students to take the test as a senior next year. “I think it’s going to be easier,” she said. “I’m better at writing so the essay will probably help my score.” Scoropanos said the College
Five months ago, the Fullerton Historic Theatre Foundation was at its wit’s end. On the losing side of a race against the clock, the foundation scurried to raise funds to purchase a piece of Fullerton before it would be torn down and an apartment complex erected in its place. Despite a grant from the city, numerous extended deadlines and aggressive fundraising, the foundation – a non-profit historic preservation group – was still $684,000 short of purchasing the dilapidated building, which was once heralded as “The Showcase of Orange County.” But after what one college paper dubbed “a holiday miracle,” – an anonymous $1 million donation – the foundation met and surpassed its goal of $3.5 million and bought the Fox Theatre on Harbor Boulevard and Chapman Avenue. Now that it dodged the wrecking ball, two questions remain: When will the Fox open? And once reopened, will the historic movie house succeed? The foundation and the city have an agreement to reopen the theater
sat 3
Fox 4
bubble 3
Revised SAT format adds essay, loses analogies Higher math, written portion now included in renowned exam
$100 to $150,000 below,” Selleck said. “This is the best deal in Orange County and provides a great proximity to Cal State Fullerton for faculty and staff members.” Selleck said the housing units are single-family homes, which will be built close together. There will be twin homes and condo style homes in the community as well. “This could make the difference for faculty members from out-of-state deciding to move to California for a job,” Selleck said. “Homes are more expensive in California compared to other states, so this community will be great for prospective faculty members.” However, not all faculty members
2 Tuesday, April 5, 2005
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Today
Glass Master Joe
April 5, 2005
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Come support the men’s baseball team tonight on the field at 6 p.m. Our Titans will be playing the Loyola Marymount Lions. Get there early to get a good seat. Today is the ASI Board of Directors Meeting. The meeting is open to the public and will take place in Legislative Chambers I and II beginning at 1:15 p.m.
Multitudes pay final respects to pope VATICAN CITY – Falling silent, whispering the rosary and clasping their hands, tens of thousands of pilgrims paid their final respects to Pope John Paul II on Monday after his body was carried on a crimson platform to St. Peter’s Basilica. Incense wafted through the church where he will be laid to rest Friday in an ancient grotto holding the remains of popes through the ages, immediately after a funeral to be attended under heavy security by President Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and dozens of other world leaders.
Elahe Amani, BFA Student Financial Services, will be speaking about her experiences with women leaders in Afghanistan today. The presentation, “Afghan Women are Ready to Participate in Building their Democracy,” will take place in the Women’s Center, UH 205, from noon to 1 p.m.
Nation
New pope should push for change
If you are ready to shed the pounds you gained during Spring Break, check out the Rec Sports Fitness Lab today from noon to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Students can work out with a valid CSUF ID.
WASHINGTON – Most Americans – Catholics and non-Catholics alike – want the next pope to allow priests to marry and women to join the priesthood, a major break from church rules and the judgment of Pope John Paul II, according to an Associated Press poll. The charismatic pontiff was held in high regard by a majority of Americans and most Catholics, with many suggesting that John Paul will be remembered as one of the greatest popes. For many, the man who led the church for 26 years is the only pope they know.
“Learn the #1 Secret to Job Search Success” will be presented on campus today in the Career Center, LH-210G. The event will take place from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
N.J., Conn. conduct anti-terrorism drills HILLSIDE, N.J. – The biggest anti-terrorism drill ever held in the United States got under way Monday with a mock biological attack in New Jersey and a simulated chemical-weapons explosion in Connecticut. Named TOPOFF 3, the $16 million, weeklong exercise is meant to find weak spots in the nation’s emergency planning
State
Shannon Anchaleechamaikorn/Daily Titan Photo Editor
Court upholds domestic partner law SACRAMENTO – California’s domestic partner law, which gives registered partners many of the same rights and protections of marriage, does not conflict with a voter-approved initiative that defined marriage as between a man and a woman, a state appeals court held Monday. The law, which was signed in 2003 by former Gov. Gray Davis and went into effect Jan. 1, represents the nation’s most sweeping recognition of domestic partner rights after Vermont’s recognition of civil unions for gay couples. It grants registered couples virtually every spousal right available under state law except the ability to file joint income taxes.
Local
Lap dances still a no-go in La Habra LA HABRA – A federal appeals court refused to reconsider a January ruling that upheld La Habra’s so-called “two-foot rule” banning lap dances. Strip-club owner Badi “Bill” Gammoh, challenged La Habra’s 2003 ordinance that requires dancers to keep at least two feet away from customers. Strippers also joined the suit, saying the law cost them lucrative earnings. The suit claimed the ordinance was vague and illegally curtailed their freedom of expression. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a unanimous opinion Jan. 27, said the ordinance did not improperly limit Gammoh or the dancers’ protected freedoms. The appellate court on Friday denied another hearing. Gammoh attorney Scott Wellman said the appellate court ruling doesn’t mean the fight is over, and he suggested his client may simply ignore the rule at his Taboo Theater. Because of the ruling, Los Angeles officials said they may revive a similar ban proposed in late 2003 but abandoned when it drew strong opposition from the adult-business industry. Reports compiled from The Associated Press
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The Daily Titan is a student publication, printed every Monday through Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSUF System. The Daily Titan has functioned as a public forum since inception. 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 Daily Titan allocates one issue to each student for free. Copyright ©2004 Daily Titan
Glass blowing instructor, Joe Cariati, demonstrates how to form a vase out of molten glass in the Visual Arts Building to his class on Monday afternoon.
Did you
know?
Japanese inmates get an expert makeover TOKYO – Japan is to try to improve morale among its swelling prison population by giving inmates more attractively colored uniforms and bedding. Experts have advised the government that the clashing orange and green striped bedcovers prisons have been using for more than half a century could make prisoners nervous and aggressive, Kyodo news agency said. The color psychologists recommended bedding in warm colors such as brown for a good night’s sleep. Black and white striped pajamas and yellow-green uniforms were also criticized as “lacking bright-
ness.” The psychologists recommended they be replaced with mint green and pale blue outfits, to give prisoners a more positive outlook, Kyodo said. Japan is rethinking its treatment of its more than 60,000 prison inmates after uncovering incidents of fatal abuse by guards at Nagoya Prison in 2001 and 2002. British airport security no longer threatened by cutlery LONDON – Passengers flying from British airports will be able to dine with metal cutlery again when anti-terrorism rules banning sharp objects on board are relaxed later this month. The British government banned all such objects on airplanes after Islamic radicals used box-cutters to hijack planes in the September 11, 2001 attacks. Now improved in-flight and airport security means the rules can be relaxed, transport chiefs say. “We’ve revised the list of objects
you can bring on board. Cockpit doors have been strengthened and are locked at all times and airport security has improved,” said a spokesman for Britain’s transport department. Security at Britain’s three busiest airports -- Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted -- confiscated 15,000 sharp objects from passengers in the first 12 months of the ban, said BAA, the UK’s main airport operator. But from April 25, passengers flying from British airports will be able to carry on board knitting needles and scissors, with blades shorter than 3 cm. Other items like penknives remain banned. British Airways welcomed the move, saying improved cabin security made the ban unnecessary and that rescinding it would increase passenger comfort. “We have been urging the government to look at these rules again for some time,” said a spokeswoman. Compiled from Reuters
Sound
bites
“I do not want to end up with an American style of politics with us all going out there beating our chest about faith.” -British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, discussing the role of religion in his country’s politics. “The people here are suffering. We have to eat bananas from the jungle. We get rice provided by the government, but it is not enough.” -Mahayati Inadiman, Indonesian woman, 27, in the aftermath of an 8.7-magnitude earthquake that killed more than 500 people in Sumatra, which had barely recovered from the December tsunami.
The Intramural Sports men’s and women’s softball league begins today. The men’s game will be from 11:50 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the women’s game will be from 3:50 p.m. to 5 p.m. Both events will take place at the Intramural fields. If you’ve got something to say, you can head Underground at the TSU for the Tuesday Open Mic Series. From noon to 1 p.m. students can sing, read poetry and tell jokes. All events are free and on campus unless otherwise indicated. If you would like to have a specific entry put in the calendar section, please send an e-mail to news@dailytitan.com.
Weather
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Tuesday, April 5 Sunny Low 54°
79°
Wednesday, April 6 Sunny Low 52°
77°
Thursday, April 7 Partly Cloudy Low 52°
73°
Compiled from The Weather Channel
“We used to be under sanctions and the economic conditions were dire, but never was the city so ugly. Between the chopped trees and the burned houses, it’s a total mess.” -Fadhila Dawoud, Iraqi schoolteacher, on the physical state of Baghdad. “Despite sincere and altruistic motivation, the Legislative and Executive branches of our government have acted in a manner demonstrably at odds with our Founding Fathers’ blueprint for the governance of a free people-our Constitution.” -Stanley Birch, a conservative judge in Atlanta’s federal appeals court, rebuking the President and Congress for behaving like “activist judges” in intervening in the Terri Schiavo case. Compiled from Time magazine
News Students find themselves lost in translation Daily Titan
Tuesday, April 5, 2005 3
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Instructors’ accents may cause educational barriers in classrooms
Cal State University Chemistry Department Co-Chair Mark Filowitz said of teachers, “Our number one goal is to teach.” However, some instructors’ teaching efforts at Cal State Fullerton may be lost to students. For those professors whose native language is not English, communication can serve as an educational barrier. Kristin Kligaman, a junior criminal justice major, said language was the main reason she did poorly in a math class. “The course was pretty difficult and even more so because the teach-
er’s accent was so heavy,” she said. “I probably could’ve gotten a better grade if I had understood [what the professor was saying].” Christina Goode, a chemistry professor, said her department is aware of potential communication issues. She said half of the chemistry graduate students are non-American nationals. “When we look for new faculty, we see a large pool of non-natives,” Goode said. “Sometimes the highest qualified faculty members are not necessarily English speakers.” Paul Deland, the mathematics department chair, said approximately 60 percent of CSUF students do not speak English as their first language. CSUF’s affirmative action policy also encourages a diverse body of faculty. Documented in University Policy Statement 210.1, this goal “will be attained through aggressive recruit-
ment, establishment or professional development and retention oriented programs with special emphasis placed on the participation of women and minorities in these activities, and the timely monitoring of selection and promotional processes.” “The department tries to maintain diversity,” said Filowitz, who also teaches chemistry. “We don’t look at someone’s accent as a hiring tool; you can’t assess the impact.” But senior communications major Chris Coloma indicated that language was an issue in a management class he took. “I ended up dropping the class,” he said. “There were other factors that made it a terrible class, but the [professor’s] strong accent played a large role.” Filowitz said the problems students come to see him about are sometimes language related. “It can be an accent barrier,” Filowitz said. “But often there
sat
bubble
people exited to the Gazillion Bubble Pavilion where children of all ages were making bubbles from hoops, straws and bubble toys with help from the staff of the center. “There are three reasons bubbles pop,” said Janice West, a staff member working in the pavilion. “The first reason is because the air is too dry, the second reason is because the bubbles get too thin and the third reason is because bubbles don’t like to be disturbed.” The best way to make big bubbles is to use a lot of soap and to move in slow, fluid motions. If people look at the color of a bubble, they will see that “the color is related to thickness,” West said. There is a rainbow of color in a thick bubble. When a bubble is about to pop, it will lose its color, West said. West has a recipe for making a good bubble solution — one gallon of water, one cup of dish soap (blue Dawn or yellow Joy dishwashing soap) and one-quarter cup of glycerin, available at drug stores. People who want to be amazed or inspired by Fan Yang can visit the Discovery Science Center and see shows daily through April 17.
By Stefanie Franklin Daily Titan Staff
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Board has had positive feedback. “We’ve been very pleased with the responses from both students and educators,” she said. As posted on the Web site, the new essay may be used for university admission and even placement into English composition courses. Other schools may assess essays right now for research purposes only, as there will be no comparative score information available until the next senior class takes the SAT. Nancy Dority, CSUF’s interim director of admissions and records, said the university would be responsible in waiting for additional comparative data on the essays in determining student’s achievements. “The CSU wants to get a feel for the translation of the essay scores for course placement in the future,” Dority said. “At this point, it’s still too new.” The first new SAT was administered last month to juniors who will be part of the 2006 graduating class.
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mixture and, with magician’s flare, pivoted, making an 18-foot bubble. That may seem impressive, but only until people learn that one of his Guinness World Records was creating a 156-foot bubble. Yang has been making bubbles for 22 years and said he got interested in the science of bubbles when someone gave him a bubble gadget as a gift. He was curious about why bubbles pop. “Bubbles like humidity,” he said. The humidity is why he sprays water on the table and sometimes into the air. Bubbles at a science center may seem like foolishness to some, but according to a sign at the Bubble Pavilion, bubbles always form a sphere no matter what shape the bubble wand is. The 9th annual BubbleFest is the most popular event of the year, said Roxy Nava, the manager of exhibit operations. When Yang’s show was over,
are other problems involved, and it’s hard to detect language-only issues.” According to CSUF’s University Policy Statement 211, departments and their chairs are responsible for selecting personnel, and determining when to enfranchise new faculty. “Our department makes efforts to actually see new professors teach,” Filowitz said. “We owe it to students to pre-screen candidates in mock classroom settings. If we can’t understand them, no offer [will be extended].” He said new faculty members are reviewed closely. Additional University Policy Statement documents outline CSUF guidelines surrounding reviews of tenured faculty. Goode explained that if students experience a communication issue, they could meet with the instructor to seek additional help. If that doesn’t work, they can address a
letter to the department chair with their concern. She said the concerns could be explored through various means, including requesting faculty members to sit in on the instructor’s class to review the potential issue. Mentors are assigned to new faculty and can look at student assessments of the course and professor if a problem is identified, Filowitz said. Deland said all mathematics department professors are subject to peer review, and especially new instructors. He said students are also able to transfer into a different course section if the student has an issue early in the semester. Goode said students should notify the department if there is a significant language problem affecting their education. “Nothing can be done until the department is informed,” she said. Deland said that out of 6,000 to
7,000 students in math courses each semester, there are only a handful of students in his office with languagerelated concerns. “It’s not a non-issue,” he said. “It’s just not a big one.” He indicated that sometimes it’s not clear if the problems students have with courses are just language issues or different matters, or a combination of both. It might just be a discrepancy between instructor teaching styles and student learning styles. “Occasionally, someone’s ear doesn’t tune into someone’s voice,” Deland said. “But many students are forgiving and the ear sort of adapts.” Shemol Ahmed, a political science and criminal justice major, said the people who complain are those that rely solely on lectures. “If you do the reading, you know what the professors are talking about.”
Get a grip
Suzanne Sullivan/Daily Titan
Coach Theresa Ragland helps Destiny Gonzalez climb up a rope at the Titan Jrs. Gymnastics practice at the Kinesiology and Health Science Building at CSUF.
News Prisoners clash with guards at detention facility 4 Tuesday, April 5, 2005
Suicide bomber blows up near Abu Gharib, injuring four civilians The Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Prisoners at Iraq’s largest detention facility protested the transfer of several detainees deemed “unruly” by authorities, throwing rocks and setting tents on fire in a disturbance that injured four guards and 12 detainees, the military said Monday. Friday’s protest at Camp Bucca – which holds about 6,000 prisoners, nearly two-thirds of all those in Iraq – caused only minor injuries before being brought under control, authorities said. It was the third major incident at an Iraqi prison in three days. Murtadha al-Hajaj, an official at radical Shiite cleric Muqtada alSadr’s office in the southern city of Umm Qasr, near Camp Bucca, said several al-Sadr supporters were wounded during the confrontation. He said they were protesting a lack of access to medical treatment and claimed U.S. guards opened fire, although he did not know if they
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by 2010. During that time, the theater will be seismically retrofitted, brought up to code and redesigned. Todd Huffman, president of the foundation, estimated the project would cost around $12 million, though he stressed the number was only an estimate. The question of where this money will come from was recently brought center stage. Last month, the city council denied the Fullerton Civic Light Opera, a theater group, a grant to help it cope with its $400,000 deficit. This year, the group overspent its $1.6 million budget by $50,000 with its performance of “Miss Saigon,” according to The Los Angeles Times. “I don’t see where there are
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wounded prisoners. U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Guy Rudisill said he did not know if the guards opened fire, but he denied that any detainee was deprived of medical treatment. Last month, the U.S. military said guards discovered a 600-foot tunnel – dug with makeshift tools – leading out of Camp Bucca. The tunnel reached beyond the compound fence, with an opening hidden beneath a floorboard, but no one had escaped, authorities said. News of the Camp Bucca clash came the same day a suicide bomber driving a tractor blew himself up close to the infamous Abu Ghraib prison, wounding four civilians in the second insurgent attack around the prison in two days. Al-Qaida in Iraq said 10 of its fighters died in an assault on the same prison Saturday, while the U.S. military put the insurgents’ casualties at one dead and about 50 wounded. Forty-four American soldiers and 13 prisoners were injured in the fighting – the latest in a series of large-scale attacks by insurgents in Iraq. In an Internet posting, Al-Qaida in Iraq claimed about 20 militants scaled the prison’s walls and one
of them reached a prison tower and yelled: “God is great!” It said two of its fighters were wounded and 10 were killed, including seven suicide bombers. The statement, which appeared late Sunday, was impossible to independently verify, and it conflicted with the U.S. account. The U.S. military denied anyone got inside the prison and said no inmates escaped. It said only one suicide bomber participated, while others fired assault rifles, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades. Rudisill said he did not believe any attackers were captured. He said the wounded insurgents either escaped on their own or were dragged away by other militants. The military said the insurgents staged simultaneous assaults on multiple locations at the prison, focusing on two guard towers and then using a car bomb to try to penetrate a gate. Combat helicopters helped push back the attack, which was the largest at Abu Ghraib since insurgents fired mortar rounds into the compound nearly a year ago, killing more than 20 detainees and injuring nearly 100. Rudisill said prison officials
heard an explosion Monday, but he said it wasn’t close enough to cause any damage. The blast killed the tractor’s driver and injured four Iraqis, police 1st Lt. Akram alZubaeyee said. Abu Ghraib was at the center of the prison abuse scandal last year after photographs were publicized showing U.S. soldiers humiliating Iraqi inmates, including having them pile naked in a human pyramid. The United States holds nearly 3,500 prisoners at Abu Ghraib and about 7,000 elsewhere in Iraq. Also, the military said a detainee evacuated from an unnamed facility to the 115th Field Hospital died Monday after suffering gunshot wounds two weeks ago during an attack on U.S.-led coalition forces. The incident is under investigation, the military said in a statement. Some Iraqi lawmakers have called for the release of the prisoners at Abu Ghraib, and the National Assembly’s newly elected speaker, Hajim al-Hassani, told Al-Jazeera television the topic will be among the first discussed by lawmakers. “There are some problems regarding the security issue and troubles concerning Abu Ghraib detainees,” he said. “These issues will be the
main subject we are concerned about in the National Assembly.” President Bush called al-Hassani on Monday to congratulate him on becoming parliament speaker. “The two leaders expressed confidence that democracy will succeed in Iraq,” White House press secretary Scott McClellan said. “The president reiterated our commitment of continued support for Iraq as they move forward.” Iraq’s interim prime minister, Ayad Allawi, also congratulated alHassani, saying his election was “a hopeful sign as you begin the assembly’s tasks, including laying down the constitution.” The selection of al-Hassani, a Sunni Arab, ended weeks of bickering and cleared the way for the formation of a government more than two months after Iraq’s first free election in 50 years. Legislators next meet Wednesday, when they plan to name Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani as Iraq’s president. Defense Minister Hazem Shaalan said Monday that most of Iraq’s neighbors – including Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabia – are helping Iraq’s government fight terrorism. “The terrorist attacks have been limited now because of the coop-
eration of the neighboring countries,” said Shaalan, who previously accused Iran and Syria of supporting insurgents in Iraq. He also welcomed an edict issued Friday by Sunni clerics that called for Iraqis to join the police and army. “The Iraqi army will accept the new waves of volunteers,” Shaalan said. The edict, read by a cleric in the Association of Muslim Scholars, instructed enlistees to refrain from helping foreign troops against their own countrymen. It said Sunnis should join to prevent the police and army from falling into “the hands of those who have caused chaos, destruction and violated the sanctities.” On Monday, a bomb exploded at a cafe in the northern city of Talafar, killing two civilians and injuring 13, local official Salem al-Haj Eissa said. He speculated the bomb was intended for Iraqi army soldiers who frequent the cafe but said no soldiers were thought to be there. In the same city, on Saturday, an American soldier was killed and another was wounded by insurgent gunfire, the U.S. military said Monday.
any funds to give,” Mayor Shawn Nelson said to the Orange County Register. This leaves critics of the foundation – and their goal of restoring the Fox to its former glory – asking who will be left holding the bag. Some are asking how an old single-screen movie theater can be viable when another community entertainment enterprise can’t – and more importantly, who’s picking up the tab? “It’s tough to compare the Fox and the FCLO,” Huffman said. He said the difference lies in their revenue streams. Whereas the opera relies on ticket sales and costume and set rentals, the Fox owns, and can rent out the 17,500 sq. ft. of surrounding shops in addition to movie ticket sales and venue rentals. “Many people don’t realize that there’s an additional income of
$450,000 to $600,000 [annually in rent],” Huffman said. “That could almost support the whole theater operation itself.” Griff Duncan, head of the opera, said he is aware of the Fox’s surrounding shops. And though he wants the Fox to be “a viable entity downtown,” he said he still had his doubts. “I’m skeptical that it will support itself,” Duncan said. However, David Cole, executive director of the foundation, said the Fox could and would support itself. He cited a 2002 study that showed that theater patrons spend an average $23 – excluding ticket prices – on food and drinks in the surrounding downtown areas. “It’ll bring in so much money,” Cole said. “It’s not just a boom to us, but to [the city’s] economy.” Cole, who has been a real estate
developer for 25 years, has already completed three restoration projects. Most recently, he was a consultant for the restoration of the American Film Institute’s Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, Md, which opened in 2003. Though Huffman estimated restoration would cost around $12 million and would take five years to complete, Cole said his initial estimates were much higher and that he could restore the Fox in three years. He declined to give his own estimate until he finished consulting with his architect, marketing consultant and engineers - the principle people whose input would ultimately decide the estimate. “The second I know [my estimate], I’ll start a fundraiser,” Cole said. Chris Thompson, a Fullerton resident and vice president of a print-
ing company, also wants the Fox to succeed — just not at the expense of taxpayer dollars. He’s still upset that the city’s Redevelopment Agency gave the Fox foundation a $1.65 million grant last year. “We have a $120 million infrastructure shortfall,” he said. “You don’t drop millions on a theater that very possibly won’t ever be fixed up. You just don’t do it.” City Councilman Leland Wilson said that the Redevelopment Agency funds come from different sources than funds used for infrastructure. “Redevelopment money comes from only the property owners in the redevelopment geographic zone,” he said. “Ninety-nine percent of the city doesn’t contribute to redevelopment funds.” He added that the city was working to improve the infrastructure deficit.
Rob Zur Schmiede, executive director of the Fullerton Redevelopment Agency, said he understands critics’ concerns. But he said that if the public, minus a few disgruntled citizens, favors preserving the downtown community, then it is the agency’s job to uphold that request. The Fox was built in 1923 by the Meyer and Holler firm, the same firm that designed Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. It was originally named The Alician Court Theatre. Since then, the name and ownership of the theater have changed hands several times. Once re-opened, the Fox will serve as a movie house, showing contemporary, vintage and independent films; a theater venue; and a location for civic, corporate and private gatherings, according to the foundation’s Web site.
housing
opportunity for faculty members of all types to purchase property in Orange County. Selleck said University Gables had income restrictions because it was built on public land, purchased from the Orange County Flood Control. “University Heights will not have any income restrictions on them, but the minimum income will be set by who will give the buyer the loan,” Selleck said. “It will probably require two incomes and one member of the household will have to have a direct
connection to Cal State Fullerton.” Dickerson said the cost of the community has not yet been determined. He said the Cal State Fullerton Housing Authority will be taking out a loan from a bank, which will be repaid through the sale of the homes. “These faculty members will purchase homes at fire sale prices much lower than most homebuyers,” Selleck said. “The University Heights community will be a reminder of the way communities used to be [in the past].”
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are ready to pack up and move. “I am aware of the housing projects for faculty, but wasn’t very interested in them because I already own a home in Orange,” said Susanne Gaskins, a part-time history professor at Cal State Fullerton. Selleck said University Heights, unlike University Gables, won’t have the same restrictions for buyers. This provides the
graduation
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Asians, Pacific Islanders, Caucasians and American Indians don’t require as much mathematics remediation as Latinos and blacks, while Caucasians and American Indians require less English remediation than blacks, Latinos and Asian Pacific Islanders, according to the study. Wacira Gethaiga, chair of the Afro-Ethnic Studies Department, said college-level remediation may not be the answer. “Remediation at the CSU level is a little late,” he said. “They come in not prepared for college and take six to seven years to graduate, they feel like they are wasting their time.” The CSU system has stepped up its efforts to close the gap on proficiency and eligibility standards. For starters, high school teachers will have to go through a professional developmental program to better prepare their students for college eligibility, and students preparing to become teachers will have altered English programs to focus their attention on critical reading and writing, according to the study. Lindsay Nunn, a recent graduate of the CSUF Secondary Education program, said there was some change throughout her college career. “I don’t have a huge frame of reference, but I do know that a lot of focus was put on developing the ways we as teachers could help students raise their proficiency in reading and writing,” she said. California public schools, in conjunction with the CSU, are now giving high school juniors the opportunity to assess their English and math skills so they can fix any problems during their senior year and raise their stock as potential college students.