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Gas prices soar, Titans look for alternatives As fuel costs hit record highs, riding trains and carpooling save money By Christina Schroeter For the Daily Titan
At a commuter-school like Cal State Fullerton, a sudden increase in gas prices greatly affects students, faculty and staff. Many students are on a tight budget, but must pay for gas to get to and from school. “It’s a 30-mile commute one way from Pasadena,” CSUF political science major Alex Rincon said. “If I could afford a new car, I would drive a hybrid.”
The greatest single factor in the price of gasoline is the cost of crude oil. Last week, the cost of crude oil per barrel was a record high $58.28 according to the First Energy Web site, marking the sixth consecutive week of increases. However, gas prices can also be influenced by supply, demand and competition. According to CSUF economics professor Morteza Rahmatian, one reason for the increase in gasoline prices is that gas stations are buying each other, creating more of a monopoly than ever. “Exxon is now Exxon-Mobile. Chevron is now Chevron-Texaco,” Rahmatian said. “Gas stations have more control over the prices of gasoline. These companies are having a heyday and they can do
whatever they want.” Another reason gas prices are going up is because demand is too high. “The gas prices will go up, but in the long run, the prices definitely will come down because it’s the nature of the industry,” Rahmatian said. “People will buy smaller cars and their lifestyles will have to change. It cannot stay high like this forever.” CSUF offers many alternatives to help save students and faculty a significant amount of money and will eventually lower gas prices. One option is to carpool with other students and faculty. Carpoolers can take advantage of the carpool lane, ensuring a faster commute to gasoline
By Araseli Cuevas Daily Titan Staff
In the chaotic world of cell phones, term papers, professors, jobs and love woes, some college students may ignore the social issues that exist today. And though some might think that students do in fact ignore politics, or that they don’t get involved in community issues, and that students just don’t care, two Cal State Fullerton Titans are trying to shatter that perception. With the aid of the Volunteer and Service Center, Veronica Galvez and Felipe Salazar have come together to address some of the issues that they believe have long been ignored. Galvez and Salazar have started a campus community outreach program called Resources to Engage in Active react 4
Commuter students fill up their tanks with high-priced gasoline before getting on the freeway at the Mobile Station on the corner of Yorba Linda Boulevard and Associated Road on Wednesday.
Tax month could cause rise in stolen identities
CSUF called into action REACT student group addresses important community issues
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Manuel Irigoyen/Daily Titan Production Editor
Improper disposal of important documents can lead to high risk By April Miller Daily Titan Staff
Julie Kim/Daily Titan
Quang X. Pham talks about his book on the Vietnam War at the George Golleher Alumni House at CSUF on Wednesday.
Writer offers new perspective on war Son of P.O.W. kicks off 20-city book tour at Cal State Fullerton By Julie Kim Daily Titan Staff
The Vietnam War – one of the most prolific and controversial struggles ever documented – is depicted in about 3,500 books, but hardly anything in the mainstream press is written from the Asian
point-of-view, said Quang X. Pham, a Vietnamese refugee. So he decided to write one. In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Cal State Fullerton’s Public Affairs and Government Relations hosted the first stop of a 20-city book tour by the former U.S. Marine Corps pilot on Wednesday, April 13 at the George Golleher Alumni House. “A Sense of Duty: My Father, vietnam 3
With income taxes due, throwing out unnecessary papers with personal information printed on them makes it easy for someone to steal your identity. Your identity can be stolen in a matter of minutes and you might not even know it. A pay stub is tossed carelessly in the trash along with pre-approved, unsolicited credit card applications. Mix in customer copies of credit card receipts or ATM slips and you have the perfect recipe for identity theft. “Identity theft is the number one growing crime world-wide,” Fullerton Detective Jason Schoen said. “Everyone is getting hit hard.” One out of seven people will be affected, he said. With just a few pieces of personal information, these thieves can get a credit card in your name, make minimum payments until the card is maxed-out, and then quit paying, he said. That’s when the creditors start calling you, demanding payment on a card you didn’t even know existed. Schoen said people may not even know their identity has been stolen until they go to refinance their house
or make a big purchase and see items on their credit report that they never knew existed. It used to be thieves would break into cars and 1. Do not carry your Social steal stereos, now they Security number break in to get person2. Get a free credit report al information, Schoen said. The parking lots at once a year gyms or movie theaters 3. Shred everything—junk are the best targets for mail, bank statements, credit thieves. Typically, peocard offers and unused tax ple are away from their information cars for an hour or two, 4. Remove your name from giving the thief time to mailing lists search cars, he said. 5. Get a Post Office box or “If someone wants have a mail slot that goes into your car, they will directly into your house get in,” he said. “Don’t 6. If possible, pick up checks leave anything personal in your car.” at the bank Identity theft is a 7. Don’t answer e-mails “wobbler” crime, Schoen requesting personal informasaid. It wobbles between tion, instead make a call and a misdemeanor and a confirm that the company felony. Law enforcehas really sent you an e-mail ment must prove the identification was stolen with the intent to use it. Obviously, if someone has a front small claims department. seat full of credit cards and licenses, On this site, the definition of identhere’s a good chance this person tity theft is “any instance where a has the intent to use them illegally, person uses someone else’s identifihe said. cation documents or other identifiers At the Fullerton Courthouse peo- in order to impersonate that person ple inquiring about identity theft for whatever reason.” are referred to the Orange County According to the site, people Sheriff’s Web site, www.ocsd.org, identity 3 said Sandy Smith, supervisor of the
Tips to keep your identification safe:
Linguistics Student Association hosts symposium Hold that pose Four internationally acclaimed speakers will attend 14th annual event By Nadine Hernandez Daily Titan Staff
The Linguistics Student Association has invited professionals from around the country and Cal State Fullerton students to speak at the 14th Annual Linguistics Symposium in the Titan Student Union, room 119, on April 18 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Linguistics Student Association is mainly an academic association for people who like linguistics, said Colleen Davis, vice president of the association. “If you love language, [the Linguistics Student Association] is a place where you can share your passion for languages and meet like-minded people who read the dictionary for fun,” Davis said.
For those who don’t know what linguistics is, it is the science of language, she said. Linguistics involves a lot of rules and formulas, much like those found in mathematics, but far more complex, Davis said. The main theory is that if man created computers in his image, man has to tell the computer brain what to do, she said. However, in order to do that, he or she has to understand what the human brain is doing when processing language. “If you can understand what arithmetic is, you can tell a calculator what to do. So, if we want computers to process language, we need to understand human language processing,” Davis said. On that note, the Linguistics Symposium is a unique opportunity to come and hear four internationally acclaimed linguists, said Alan Kaye, CSUF professor of linguistics and welcoming speaker of the event. The four speakers are Salikoko
S. Mufwene from the University of Chicago; Elizabeth Closs Traugott from Stanford; Joseph Pickett, editor for the American Heritage Dictionary and Brian Joseph from Ohio State University, Davis said. “Students might benefit by getting to know professors from other universities, who might offer fellowships for graduate study,” Kaye said. Also, Kaye encourages students to attend the event to support the graduate student presenters on the event’s program. “This is an active bunch of real intellectuals,” Kaye said. The association consists of over 100 CSUF students, with undergraduate and graduate students combined, Davis said. Shawn M. Johnson, president of the Linguistics Students Association, said he too has spent some time reading the dictionary for fun. “But linguistics is far more encompassing even than what is in the dictionary,” Johnson said. “As linguists,
we study the language from every angle you can imagine.” The association arranges events that are culture or language related, Johnson said. “Events we’ve had so far include a cultural movie night, language games and events with other clubs, and dinners at various ethnic restaurants,” he said. The annual event “also gives students an opportunity to present research as a speaker and to meet famous linguists from around the country,” Johnson said. “Every CSUF student is invited to attend, and everyone attending is sure to enjoy the experience.” Johnson also encourages everyone to take a course in linguistics. “Language is something we all have […] but seldom examine in great depth,” Johnson said. “Linguistics provides a unique opportunity to observe and study language in ways that are very revealing, which leads to greater understanding and appreciation for language and human nature.”
Elizabeth Zuluaga/Daily Titan
Yoga lovers enjoy a 90-minute class of a variety of poses along with relaxation in a 105-degree heated room at Bikram Yoga in Downtown Fullerton on Wednesday.
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Getting ready to graduate? Don’t forget to view the “Graduate With Titan Pride” video on Titan Online. It’s the only way graduating students will be able to claim their commencement tickets for friends and family.
Bush says diplomacy with Iran is best
It’s still Greek Week on campus. Events will take place starting from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. today. Greek Week is an event which brings together fraternity and sorority chapters through athletic competitions to raise money for Camp Titan. For more information, please call (714) 278-3211.
WASHINGTON – The Bush administration on Wednesday reaffirmed its commitment to diplomacy as the best way to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon while Israel’s leader ruled out a military strike to destroy Tehran’s nuclear program. The White House also sought to play down differences with Israel over the urgency of the threat.
Kidnapped American shown on video
BAGHDAD – An Indiana man, scared and clutching his passport to his chest, was shown at gunpoint on a videotape aired by Al-Jazeera television Wednesday, two days after he was kidnapped from a water treatment plant near Baghdad. The station said he pleaded for his life and urged U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq. The United States said it would maintain its policy of not negotiating with kidnappers.
Nation
Over 400 students sued for file sharing WASHINGTON – The Recording Industry Association of America said it will file federal lawsuits against 405 students at 18 colleges with access to the Internet2 university research network. The recording industry said it found evidence of illegal activity at 140 more schools in 41 states and sent warning letters to university presidents. Internet2 is used by several million university students, researchers and professionals around the world. The recording industry said the lawsuits also pierce the perception that Internet2 researchers operate in a closed environment that entertainment groups can’t monitor. Internet2 officials said they were unaware how the entertainment companies traced the purportedly illegal activity on their network.
FDA panel for lifting breast implant ban WASHINGTON – Federal health advisers Wednesday recommended allowing silicone-gel breast implants to return to the U.S. market after a 13year ban on most uses of the devices. Mentor Corp. persuaded advisers to the Food and Drug Administration that its newer silicone implants are reasonably safe and more durable than older versions. The 7-2 vote came just one day after a rival manufacturer, Inamed Corp., failed to satisfy lingering concerns about how often the implants break apart and leak inside women’s bodies.
Rudolph pleads guilty in bombing
ATLANTA – A defiant Eric Rudolph pleaded guilty Wednesday to carrying out the deadly bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and three other attacks, saying he picked the Summer Games to embarrass the U.S. government in front of the world “for its abominable sanctioning of abortion on demand.” “Because I believe that abortion is murder, I also believe that force is justified ... in an attempt to stop it,” he said in a statement handed out by his lawyers after he entered his pleas in back-to-back court appearances, first in Birmingham, Ala., in the morning, then in Atlanta in the afternoon.
Local
Man to stand trial for child molestation CHULA VISTA – A Chula Vista man will stand trial on charges he molested two preteens enrolled in a child care center run by his wife, ruled Superior Court Judge Wesley R. Mason on Monday in the case against Antonio Fortanel Osuna. Osuna, 39, faces 21 counts of molesting 12- and 13 year-old girls. He admitted the molestations in a Jan. 26 interview with police, Chula Vista Police Detective Ruth Hinzman testified. Osuna’s wife’s childcare center was closed following the arrest. Osuna faces up to 315 years to life in prison if convicted, according to prosecutor Harrison Kennedy. Reports compiled from The Associated Press
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Fresh carrots were just one of the many vegetables on sale at the Farmer’s Market in Fullerton on Thursday. The Farmer’s Market is held every Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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Geology professor Kelly Bovard makes complex concepts easy By Desdemona Bandini Daily Titan Staff
United States Geological Survey Scientist and CSUF Geology professor Kelly Bovard could easily be mistaken for a student rather than a professor. She is as young as many of her students, has a toned body from years of dancing and is a female geologist in a traditionally male dominated field. As an undergrad, Bovard was an undeclared liberal arts major, and like many students she had no idea what kind of career she wanted. Though good at math and science, she didn’t like either and she avoided the subjects. It was not until she took a required geology class, that just happened to fit her schedule, that her interest was piqued and her career path started. “Geology is more of science that fits into every day life. It is more quantitative than qualitative. I discovered I really liked geology and that was the direction I wanted to go. I also ended up in all of those math and science classes I wanted to avoid,” Bovard said. Bovard has a reputation for being hard when grading students, but she
also has a reputation for making complex concepts easy to understand. She sympathizes with students who have busy schedules and have less time to devote to the subject, but she also knows it can be done. Bovard worked three jobs while in college, one as a waitress and two as a clerk and live stock auctions for dairy farmers. “My family were dairy farmers and I would work on the auction blocks tagging the numbers on goats, sheep, pigs and cows,” Bovard said. She put all of her time into her studies and said she knows what it’s like to sacrifice and sometimes she feels like she had to give up some of the college experience. She contends that being a good student is a choice, and one that she knows can be done, because she did it. At UC Riverside she got into geomorphology, which is the study of surficial processes, river systems, glacial activities, active processes in the Mojave desert that shape the coastline, and was the only female in the geology department. One of her teachers and mentors was Lewis Owen. He recommended her for a job at the USGS [spell out proper name please] as a physical science aid. She began a side job as a teacher’s assistant and found she loved teaching. She went on to work with him on a project in India and completed her master’s. You could say Bovard has been lucky in her life. She met her future husband when she tried out for a dating show and a fellow contestant introduced her to a friend. She got one teaching job after another when professors left suddenly that led her to CSUF. Her experimental work
Eric Tom/Daily Titan
creating digital maps of where debris flowed and landslides might occur has been proven successful by the recent rains. “I have always said I was not lucky, I was prepared. If I didn’t complete my master’s I could not have taken the opportunity to teach. If I had not been a good student with a 3.95 GPA, I would not have been recommended,” said Bovard. Her maps have been used by engineering firms to better understand if it is safe to build on soil and in the area. Bovard said when she and her husband bought their house, he liked because it was pretty, but she made sure it was on good land. Bovard would like to see more students take an interest in geography. “I would like to encourage more students, especially women to get into geography. It is a different science, you go out into the field instead of number crunching and you do not have to be great in math to be a geologist,” said Bovard. “It’s really interesting work.”
The Fullerton Community Services Department’s “Camp Hillcrest Spring Day Camp” for children 5 to 12 years of age will be held this week. The camp offers arts and crafts, games, enrichment clubs and excursions to desitnations such as Knott’s Berry Farm and a picnic at Ralph B. Clark Regional Park. Fees are $100 to $160 per child per week. For more information, please call (714) 738-6575. It’s all about art appreciation in the Titan Student Union as two students feature some of their work in an art display in the Atrium Gallery. The display will be up until the end of April and for more information, please call (714) 278-3915. Chuck Jones, the man behind famous cartoons such as Looney Tunes characters Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, is showing an art exhibit called “Master of Animation.” The exhibit is being held at Newport Beach Central Library located on 1000 Avocado Avenue in Newport Beach. The exhibit is free and is on display from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. For more information, please call (949) 717-3870. 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.
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FullerFone service considered outdated Internet, city Web site cause termination of 20-year-old system By Courtney Salas Daily Titan Staff
Modern-day Internet service providers have wiped out the city of Fullerton’s automated telephone information system. FullerFone, which started in 1985, was assigned as a 24-hour automated telephone information system for Fullerton residents, said Tim Campbell, the senior administrative analyst for the city of Fullerton’s
vietnam
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My American Journey” chronicled Pham’s life, from his beginning as a 10-year-old refugee, who escaped just before the fall of Saigon, to his subsequent life in Southern California. The memoir also paid homage to his father, a pilot in the South Vietnamese Air Force, who stayed behind and eventually became a prisoner of war. “Most of the Vietnamese people are afraid to step out of the box,” biochemistry junior Thao Do said. “I came out to support someone who did.” Public Affairs associate Susan Katsaros said 22 percent of the CSUF community consists of Asians and Asian-Americans. And appropriately enough, the April 12 publication date of “A Sense of Duty” came near the 30th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, which is at the end of the month, Katsaros added.
Maintenance Services Department, who monitors the system. “FullerFone was a great information system, but has been completely overtaken by the Internet,” Campbell said. He said the 20-year-old telephone system will be taken out of service on July 1 due to increased Internet popularity and the use of the city of Fullerton’s Web site. FullerFone gave information on over 200 subjects, such as city documents and permits. Residents could also obtain information on how to get an item placed on the city council agenda. It consisted of recorded messages on various topics concerning the city of Fullerton. FullerFone
also provided answers to questions frequently asked by Fullerton residents. “If someone wanted a building permit in the city of Fullerton, FullerFone would provide information on what steps he or she needed to take in order to obtain one,” Campbell said. “FullerFone also had fax capabilities, in which you could request to have a blank permit form sent to you.” There has been a 75 percent decrease in the number of calls to FullerFone in the past two years, Campbell said. “After FullerFone started in 1985, we averaged about 2,000 calls a month,” Campbell said. “Now
we receive less than 100 calls a month.” Campbell said he found that people grew impatient with FullerFone and often hung up after the introductory recording without listening to the other helpful options. Even though FullerFone has been up and running for 20 years, there are many Fullerton residents who are not aware of the automated telephone information system. “I live in Fullerton and am not aware of this information system,” said Megan Crissman, a radio, TV and film junior. “I would rather use the Internet for such information than the phone.” Santina Robles, an undeclared
sophomore, said the Internet is a much better tool for obtaining such information. “I have never heard of FullerFone and have lived in Fullerton for over two years. Even if I knew about it, I would still use the Internet over the phone. I like how you can click and look without listening to recordings and waiting for phone options,” Robles said. The Internet has become such an important factor in our modern-day society, Campbell said. He said Fullerton residents prefer to logon the city of Fullerton’s Web site for much faster access to the city’s information. Campbell said with technology
such as the Internet, there is no shock to find a large number of Fullerton residents lacking the knowledge of this telephone information system.
The 40-year-old resident of Mission Viejo, who first learned how to write in English from his schoolteacher mother, fought off publishers who wanted ghostwriters. He even quit working full-time as the founder/CEO of Lathian Systems, a medical software company, and an executive at QTC Medical Services. Yichin Shen, a professor of English and Comparative Language, brought her Asian-American Literature class to the lecture. Although her class wouldn’t be reading the 260-page book this semester, she wanted to meet the author in person. The Vietnam War was interesting for several reasons, history Professor Laichen Sun said. “It was the first war America didn’t win … and also the first televised war.” It dramatically impacted foreign policy, he added. When North Vietnam’s communist regime won, about a million people in the South Vietnamese government and the military, like Pham’s father, were sent to prison camps. It took almost two decades for
Pham and his father to be reunited. The memoir depicted many aspects of the war that the Vietnamese elders have refused to talk about, he said. “It was also my way of channeling my anger and resentment for the United States pulling out of the war.” Pham eventually came to terms with it, fulfilling his dream of being a pilot like his father and serving in the Marines for 10 years. “Mine was in the Vietnam War, too,” said Chuck Kissel, operations manager at Titan Shops. “I never asked [my father] about it before … but I think I will after I read the book.” Pham, a self-described baseball aficionado, said he was proud to kick-off his tour at CSUF – home of the 2004 NCAA collegiate-baseball champions. He will head out to Little Saigon, Dallas, New York and Salt Lake City to promote the book. “All I wanted was an opportunity and not a guarantee,” he said. “I just wanted to offer one more piece in the puzzle that is Vietnam.”
identity
until they are tossed carelessly in the trash or shredded. Kathleen Carroll, director of Classified Personal at Fullerton School District said the district was concerned with people giving out their Social Security numbers and eliminated that requirement. The number is required for employment, but once a person is hired, the number is changed into a code. The school district gets thousands of applications each year, which sit in storage and years down the road are sent to a shredding company, she said. Other businesses may not shred their documents. Some dispose of these papers in the regular trash, which is open to dumpster divers, who pick through trash to obtain numerous pieces of information. “What we are seeing more of is a friend or relative getting a job, having access to files with personal information and passing the information along to someone who will use the information illegally,” Schoen said. The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 requires the three major credit agencies - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion - to give people free credit reports once a year upon request. Another problem is called phishing. Fake e-mails pretending to be from a company you may use pop-up, and without much thought, many people answer questions asked and hit send.
The information goes straight to an identity thief. AOL’s Web site says to “be suspicious of urgent requests for personal information.” These e-mails ask for urgent updates of personal information and once they have it, they can use it. The best thing to do is call the company and verify the need for information. Schoen said people spend hundreds of hours and a lot of money trying to fix their ruined credit. With a few simple strategies, people can keep their information safer.
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should protect personal information: address, driver’s license, mother’s maiden name, Social Security number and birth date. Along with a name and address and a combination of the above personal information, thieves can get credit cards, rent apartments and establish utility services in the credit holder’s name. Smith said it is important to keep information safe. The personal hazards of becoming a victim are ruined credit, a revoked driver’s license and garnished wages. “Identity theft can happen to anyone,” Cal State Fullerton Professor Barbara Laguna said. “All information you share with your employer, school or any business is only as secure as these organizations are willing to protect it. At CSUF, we have had not once, but twice faculty information compromised. How can we protect ourselves? Be diligent. Keep tabs on your finances, your school records and government records yearly,” she said. How many applications and forms does the average person fill out a year—credit card, employment, loans, dentist, doctor and college registration forms? What happens to those applications? Many times they are filed away, never to be seen again
Even though the removal of FullerFone is designed to save the city of Fullerton money, it will only save the city an estimated $12,000 a year in maintenance fees, Campbell said. Campbell said the city of Fullerton’s Web site will undergo changes to improve the accessibility of city information for its residents. “FullerFone was once a very popular information system,” Campbell said. “But I haven’t had one complaint over the removal of it…in fact no one has even called.”
Contact information for free credit report Equifax P.O. Box 740256 Atlanta, Georgia 30374 1-800-525-6285 Experian P. O. 1017 Allen, Texas 75002 1-888-397-3742 TransUnion P. O. 6790 Fullerton, CA 92834 1-800-680-7289
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Civic Transformation. For their effort in social change and community involvement Salazar and Galvez have recently been awarded with the “Seeds of Change” award, after being nominated by Sabrina Sanders, coordinator of the Volunteer and Service Center. “These students have done some pretty cool things out of the kindness of their own heart, and because of their own interest, not because of some assignment they have to do. They saw a need and they addressed it,” Sanders said. The award is a national prize for students involved in community transformation, and the recipients participate in a weekend-long conference where they can learn more on how to spark civic change. For the two, the award was very humbling. “I’ve gotten so use to what I do that it’s strange that it’s such a big deal,” said Galvez. “This doesn’t seems that great, what I do, but I got to keep doing what I am doing,” Salazar said. Though both had long been involved in small community projects such as mentoring and tutoring, the eye opener came after the viewing of the documentary film “Unprecedented.” The film discussed the corruption and fraud of the 2000 election. Feeling empowered and enraged, they decided to dialogue about the disenfranchised minority and the various forms of oppression they suffer. The first issue was the lack of young people voting, hence, they began to get students to register for the 2004 election. This began
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and from campus, and with a proper parking permit, they may park in CSUF’s carpool zone. CSUF’s Parking and Transportation Web site contains a message board where students can find other students looking to carpool. The OCTA U-Pass is a fast, easy
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to trigger different more ambitious types of projects. “They realized that there were many things that affected the community, but no one addressed them,” said Sanders. Sanders said the two were very aware of the limited resources and outlets in the campus community and they wanted to make those resources available. In order for Galvez and Salazar to help students transform society, they first saw it necessary to educate them. “Educate, Empower and Act, that is the method to our madness,” said Salazar with a smile. One of the ways the two accomplished this was by organizing a one-day student summit in which many social issues where addressed. The topics raged from globalization, to the women disappearing in Juarez, to labor issues. “Sometimes it’s not that students don’t care, its that students don’t know,” Galvez said. “ We want to help student to help.” The two grew up witnessing social injustice and participating in the attempts to change it. Galvez attended James A. Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, a school that has a history of demonstrations and walkouts going back to the 1960s. Her mother, after working for a company for more then 20 years, was fired. Now she has to endure various pains from her labor. She taught Galvez to work hard and never give up. “When you grow up in that atmosphere, it’s hard to ignore it,” she said. Salazar was influence by the social struggles of his family, he learned to always ask for change and that cycles of oppression must be broken. Next semester they are eager to begin monthly events in which they
will be addressing different topics, by educating students, empowering them and encourage them to act on the issue. Since some of the challenges were getting the information to the masses, they hope that they can host some of the events in the quad in order to attract more people. Another obstacle they faced in starting REACT was beginning a project from scratch. They need to get other people’s attention and get volunteers and other clubs on campus involved. “Sometimes as people we also tend to get caught up in our struggles as minorities and there is a lack of community,” said Salazar. When discussing the topic of inter racial relationships, Salazar believes that students will see a need for an umbrella organization, but fear it at the same time. “We need to learn how to support each other with out having to believe that we are sacrificing our own individuality or that of your group,” he said. He and Galvez hope that they can help students see that REACT can open the door for involvement in various issues without having to give up those issues you most identify with. At the end, they say the goal is not to become a melting pot, but rather a tossed salad, in which we all are part of the whole, but maintain our individuality. The two have more upcoming projects, such as making their student summit and annual event, monthly educational programs and a newsletter that addresses the items not discussed in the mainstream media. They both look forward to the promises and changes it will bring. “Volunteering is the most political act and social act you can do,” Salazar said.
Undeveloped acreage blossoms within city
and free way to get to and from campus without the hassle. Students, faculty and staff all ride the bus free with a swipe of a valid TitanCard. CSUF also offers a variety of train transportation options. Students who are enrolled in 12 or more units are eligible for a discount on Metrolink 10-trip or monthly pass. “I actually do sometimes take the Metrolink to school,” CSUF Sociology professor Tamatha
Esguerra said. “For one month, I purchased a train pass and rode the train for the entire month.” Commuting by car from San Diego to Fullerton several times a week, Esguerra estimated that she spends $70 on gas weekly. “The rising cost of gasoline is definitely affecting me as it is taking a significant portion of my income,” Esguerra said. By altering their driving habits,
CSUF students and faculty can easily save money on gas and contribute to lowering gas prices. “I drive a lot and the high prices have a big impact on me,” CSUF Political Science major Josh Galvan said. “Although my car gets good mileage, I’m considering carpooling to save money.” For more information on CSUF transportation services, please visit parking.fullerton.edu/transportation.
Friends of Coyote Hills conduct monthly hikes in wilderness By April Miller Daily Titan Staff
It’s easy to miss the Nora Kuttner Trail sign and ignore the cactuscovered hillside spotted with yellow flowers while zipping along Euclid Avenue in Fullerton. To promote the trail, Friends of Coyote Hills conducts nature hikes every second Saturday at 8 a.m at the Fullerton Recreational Center. Across Euclid Avenue, a group on one of these hikes stopped in the parking lot of the Sunny Hills Church of Christ, which butts up to the Robert Ward Preserve. Here’s where the lessons on native plants and the 600 acres of undeveloped land surrounded by civilization began. Annik Ramsey, a nature guide and graduate student at Cal State Fullerton, pointed to a poisonous castor oil plant hanging over the fence, dividing the preserve and the parking lot. These plants are not natives of California, she said. The hills of the preserve are covered mostly with low vegetation, with a few taller intruders mixed in. “Landscaping jumps the fence to the natural area,” said Ramsey, as she pointed out the plants whose seeds have hopped fences from people’s
gardens. This is what I call an elf forest, she said. “If you were an elf, it would be big.” Bicyclists flew by as the group started up the rutted trail with chain link fence on both sides. The bicyclists seemed to be hiker-friendly and most of them slow down. Bicyclists, hikers and equestrians all share the trails of this fenced off trail. Most of the area is covered with prickly pear cactus, with a smattering of coastal sage scrub, yellow flowering Spanish Broom and orange monkey flowers. It’s also home to coyotes, skunks, raccoons and birds. Fullerton College biology professor, Harold Plett pointed out birds along the way. “You should bring your binoculars next time,” Plett said, pointing out a purple-headed finch as it sat on top of a cactus like it might have done a couple hundred years ago. The area is presently in much the same condition as Gaspar de Portolo found it and the Gabrielino Indians before him found it in 1769, according to the Save Coyote Hills Web site. Herds of sheep from the Bastanchury family grazed here years ago and more recently the Chevron Corporation drilled for oil. But when the property went up for sale, green signs popped up all over the city reading, “Save Coyote Hills.” But many don’t know exactly where Coyote Hills is located or why it needed saving. “The builders want to pick a dry
year, so they don’t see all the plants,” said Helen Higgins, guide and fundraiser for the Coyote Hills group. “They can’t get an accurate survey of the 130 species of plants when it’s dry.” Chevron donated about 72 acres to Fullerton 30 years ago. This is the parcel named after Robert Ward, former mayor of Fullerton, which hasn’t been touched since. It’s adjacent to the Chevron property, rich with native plants, which may become houses in the next few years. “Some of the plants jumped a big ocean to get here,” said biology master’s student Shawn Bert from Cal State Fullerton, who joined the group up the trail carrying a plastic bag for picking up stray beer bottles scattered along the trail. He said many of the plants now in California came over as seeds stuck to cattle hide and other animal’s fur. Along the way, guides stopped to tell a brief history about a few plants. The Spanish Broom plant was really used for brooms, Bert said. And the bedstraw plants, with microscopic yellow flowers, were used for bedding because they stuck together, he said. Hikers, Sarah and Bob Bergstrum, have been on the trail before. “We are seeing totally different things because of the rain,” Sarah Bergstrum said. The hike is about two hours long. Good walking shoes are needed for the slippery, gravely inclines. A bottle of water, camera and binoculars aren’t a bad idea either.