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Last-minute filers find help at post offices, online as tax day rapidly approaches By Stefanie Franklin Daily Titan Staff
Students showcase work at Kennedy Center, learn from seasoned professionals By Nicole M. Smith Daily Titan Staff
The spotlight will shine on four Cal State Fullerton Theatre and Dance Department students as they head to Washington, D.C., to participate in the Kennedy Center’s American College Theater Festival. Three design students, Devon Johnson, Mai Sakai and Matt Schleicher, who were recognized at the Region VIII festival for their design work on the fall production of William Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale,” will join Stephen Wagner, who was awarded top directing honors. The festival, running from April 18 to 24, will allow students across the nation to participate in workshops, interact with theater professionals and receive feedback on their work. “It’s wonderful. It’s great for everyone involved,” said Debra Lockwood, a design and lighting professor. “It shows Cal State theater
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A surfer braces himself on his board as he takes on a wave at Huntington Beach earlier this week. For many, surfing is about the soul. See full story on Page 5.
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April is National Kite Month, Stress Awareness Month and National Humor Month. However, some may not find time to fly kites, monitor stress or even spare a moment to laugh when April is also the deadline month for filing federal tax returns. Only one week remains to file taxes. For those who have yet to file, last-minute options are available for quick and easy filing. Copies of various tax forms are available for downloading at the IRS Web site, such as Form 4868 – used to request a filing extension. The site offers a wealth of information about tax filing with helpful features and directions for form completion, calculations, deadlines, publications and more. Pen and paper filers can drop off their completed returns at area IRS locations, or can mail them in. As long as the returns are postmarked by April 15, they are not considered late. Cheryl Hamilton has worked on taxes for 20 years and offers accounting help through the IRS customer service line. “The last day is busy with people constantly calling for extensions,” Hamilton said. “Though more people are filing online now, the phones are still open extra hours on April 14 and 15 from 7 a.m. to midnight.” Software proves helpful to many filers
who use the tax preparation programs to walk them through the e-filing process. Some tax preparation programs can be purchased and accessed online at company Web sites, with online advice frequently available. Online tax returns are typically registered with the IRS within 24 to 48 hours, Hamilton said. Liberal studies senior Katie Caiozzo said she has utilized tax software for the past two years and prefers it over other methods. “It’s a lot easier than doing it by yourself,” said Caiozzo, who used TurboTax for filing this year. “And it’s a lot cheaper than going to an agent.” Tax preparation offices are another option. Companies like Jackson-Hewitt and H & R Block provide tax preparation services by certified accountants. Many post offices, and IRS branches, are open late on April 15 for last minute filers. For especially time-conscious filers, tax returns can be dropped off with certain tax preparation offices, and in some cases, submitted online. Companies will sort, itemize, complete and file them for a fee, if drop-off services are available. If all else fails, those requiring extra time can file Form 4868, an application for automatic extension of time to file. According to the IRS, the form will automatically provide filers with extra time to complete their paperwork, but does not allow for additional payment time. People utilizing this option will need to estimate an accurate tax fee figure and pay at least 90 percent of the cost by April 15 to avoid a payment penalty fee, and interest will be charged on any remaining unpaid cost.
Summit organizers combat apathy Community awareness key part of all-day event, student activism By Nadine Hernandez Daily Titan Staff
Congresswoman Hilda Solis will be the first keynote speaker at the Social Justice Student Summit at Cal State Fullerton in the Titan Student Union on Friday. Solis’ main objective is to increase students’ awareness of the role they play in the community and as future leaders, said Benita Duran, deputy director for Solis. Solis would like to see more students take an active role in the community and create relationships with other individuals in making decisions for the future, Duran said. Solis will also encourage students to become mentors and positive role
models for others, and let them know that they too can make a difference in the community’s development, Duran said. The summit is an all-day event that will start at 9 a.m. and will run until 4 p.m., said Francisco Serna, assistant coordinator for CSUF’s Resources to Engage in Advocating Civic Transformation program. The main push behind the summit is to get students involved with the community by informing them about the tools to become involved, Serna said. “The summit intends to educate, empower and encourage students to act,” he said. Students will have a chance to hear about issues affecting students and the surrounding community and obtain information on how to get involved, Serna said. One way to get involved is to visit the Volunteer and Service Center at
CSUF. Serna added that when students get involved, they can establish a presence for themselves by becoming “civically engaged.” “One of the topics the summit will cover is human trafficking,” said Raquel S-Saboor, outreach coordinator for the event sub-committee in the Orange County Human Trafficking Taskforce. The Human Trafficking Workshop will teach students and the community about its presence on a global and local level in the first session. “We want to let people know that human trafficking is a modern day form of slavery,” S-Saboor said. Students, social service providers and government agencies can join in a collaborative effort to combat the issue, and encourage students to play a key role in influencing others, S-Saboor said. Organizers said the summit is not
intended to stir people up in a negative way. “We are not encouraging students to voice anger but allow both sides of the issue to present themselves,” he said. Another issue springing up at the summit is gay marriage, Serna said. On the topic of gay marriage, students need to know what is going on and become educated on the issue in order to make educated decisions when voting, for example, he said. By voting in general, students can become empowered, Serna said. Students can walk up to the registration table on Friday and register for free if they bring their own lunch. The $15 fee is for students who want to have lunch provided by the summit. “The point is to get as many students to the summit as possible,” Serna said. “I don’t want to bog them down with the cost.”
Fulbright Fellow shares Vietnamese research CSUF alumna strives to bring out voices of ethnic communities By Noura Al Anbar Daily Titan Staff
Trangdai Tranguyen, a Cal State Fullerton graduate and Fulbright Fellow, re-united with students and faculty on Tuesday afternoon in the Pollak library, where she presented her research on the Diaspora of people with Vietnamese ancestry around the world, and more specifically in Sweden. “With my experience as a Vietnamese-American, I try to bring out the voices and experiences of my ethnic community, however, at the same time I wanted to enlighten others about our communities and our experiences, so we can come together and build bridges of understanding and harmony.”
Tranguyen was recently awarded a five-year fellowship by Stanford University to complete her doctorate in social anthropology. This year, Tranguyen is spending a year at Stockholm University while concluding her research. Tranguyen is a great, active student with outstanding accomplishments at a young age, said Arthur A. Hansen, a former professor of Tranguyen’s and director of the Center for Oral and Public History at CSUF. “She was a very strong outreach person for us, and I think she finally found the field that’s best for her. She’s accomplished a lot since she’s been here: She logged thousands of volunteer hours in a lot of communities, most of it having to do with language and beyond.” Tranguyen has a bachelor’s degree in child & adolescent studies and three others in English, liberal studies and Asian-American studies. As an oral historian and director of many projects such as
the Vietnamese-American project, she said she hopes to uncover the history and interactions of people with Vietnamese ancestry with panEuropean cultures. “It’s very interesting to see the Vietnamese experience abroad, especially in Europe, because Europe is very different from America. In America, it is easier for one to feel a sense of belonging – even if we’re foreigners. In Europe, it’s more difficult,” said Imelda Lolowang, CSUF student and Fulbright fellow. “We need to develop our sense of consciousness and awareness about everything.” Tranguyen’s research presented on Tuesday focused on her methodology in gathering information and explored the subjects and countries she traveled to – as well as her experiences abroad as a Vietnamese-American. “The research Tranguyen is doing is interesting and very useful and valuable for the next generation,” said Brian Doan, a Vietnamese pho-
tographer. “It’s interesting to see the second-generation Vietnamese people who are born outside Vietnam who grew into a foreign and language and culture.” Tranguyen said her motivation to do her research emerged after her experiences during post-war Vietnam, and the loss of the Vietnamese history and records. In hope to collect her ancestors’ history, she continues to search for more answers and widen her research on the Diaspora of Vietnamese-ancestry people globally. “There is a certain level of freedom that I have here in America that I didn’t have in Vietnam and I want to celebrate that, even though democracy is an ongoing process, civil liberty should not be taken for granted. Also now that I have experience with the American democracy, I want to share that with the rest of the world, and of course my ethnic fellows in Vietnam,” Tranguyen said.
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Provided by Mike Bedford
Mike Bedford, an information technology consultant and self-proclaimed “Mac Daddy” helps students and faculty in the College Park Building.
Technicians chase E-problems away Unsung heroes help students, professors use campus computers By Mahsa Khalilifar Daily Titan Staff
When a Cal State Fullerton student struggles with computer problems in the College Park basement and loses a file, they don’t call “Ghostbusters,” they call the department technicians. “They help out tremendously,” said Ed Fink, the radio-TV-film chairperson. “Students can benefit directly from their assistance.” Receiving his master’s degree in communications from Stephen F. Austin State University, Mike Bedford, one of CSUF’s information technology consultants, has been with the university for about seven years. “When looking for work related to my experience and interests, my present position’s description was a perfect match,” Bedford said. “I enjoy working with students and
keeping up with the latest in computing hardware and software.” Bedford has many tasks at CSUF, which include maintaining the Communications Mac Labs and helping students with questions, and even instructing the instructors about the computer labs. Claudia Acosta, a CSUF graduate, is the informational support technician II for the RTVF Department. She provides and distributes equipment to the production students. Acosta, who has been at CSUF for five years, said that although she gets frustrated when instructors fail to teach their students about the basics of the equipment, she is always willing to help students – especially those in the Radio-TV-Film Department. “What I like the best is the fresh environment and positive energy [of CSUF],” Acosta said. “I am blessed to be able to see the talent of my students and witness their professional growth.” Others agree that the techs are helpful. Fink said the techs offer a constant technicians 3