Opinion
Sports
Former Major Leaguer Garry Templeton looks to bring Fullerton second title 6
Video game soundtrack composer shows another side of musical talent 4
C a l i f o r n i a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y, F u l l e r t o n
We d n e s d a y, M a y 1 8 , 2 0 0 5
ASI passes ‘05-06 budget
Daily Titan w w w. d a i l y t i t a n . c o m
CSUF faculty discuss salary discrepencies
The Life Aquatic
Staff questions issues of morale related to inconsistent wages
$500 cap on travel for ICCs implemented for next academic year
By STEFANIE FRANKLIN Daily Titan Staff
By JAIMEE FLETCHER Daily Titan Staff
After six weeks of deliberation, Associated Students, Inc. at Cal State Fullerton approved its budget for the 2005-2006 school year at Tuesdayʼs meeting, which includes a $500 cap on travel for Inter-Club Councils, leaving some ASI board and ICC members dissatisfied. Nima Moradian, an ASI Board of Directors representative for the College of Natural Science and Mathematics, proposed an amendment to the $500 cap, which would increase it to $625. Moradian asked the board to take into consideration that each ICC has different needs for the travel money and some clubs may need to utilize more money to fulfill their goals. “We should increase the cap to $625 because each school has its own needs and [ICC members have] their own ideas and purposes,” he said. Amy Roberts, a board representative for the College of Engineering and Computer Science, said if the travel cap is increased, the ICC would not be aware of the financial problems ASI is facing. “They need to know our current fiscal situation,” Roberts said. “The money isnʼt going to be there forever.” While Moradian said he agreed that students should be made aware of the deficit that ASI is facing, he said he thinks placing a cap on their travel budget is not the way to do it. “We do need to inform the ICCs about our current situation,” Moradian said. “ But I donʼt see how enforcing a budget cap sends the right message,” Zehra Syed, a board representative for the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, said she noticed that most groups didnʼt go over the $500 cap and said she thinks an increase may be acceptable in special circumstances. “Itʼs just for those few instances,” Syed said. “I donʼt think [if you increase the cap that] everyone is going to start spending that money.” Overall, Moradian said he thought ICCs should be able to use their funds according to what they think is important for their specific clubs, however Ross McCollum, the vice-president of finance, said he disagreed with this idea. “Itʼs ASI money,” McCollum said. “ICC doesnʼt have the responsibility to manage their money.” Various ICC members have been present at the last six meetings to voice their concerns about the travel cap, including David Kilgo, the chair of the Council of Honor Societies and a gerontology representative to the Humanities and Social Sciences ICC, who was present at Tuesdayʼs meeting. Kilgo said he thinks this cap will drastically hurt the groups. “[Many] HSS members are required to attend conferences,” Kilgo said. “And most of our conferences are on the East Coast.” Kilgo also said he thinks each ICC should be able to decide how to spend its own funds. At the end of the discussions, the amendment to increase the travel cap to $625 was denied in an 8 to 5 vote. Shortly after, ASI passed the budget, ASI 2
Vo l u m e 8 0 , I s s u e 5 2
SUZANNE SULLIVAN/Daily Titan
Prapat Apisaksirikul lays down in the submarine that he helped create with Thomas Lam (left), and Debbie Blake (not pictured) while Professor Jesa Kreiner looks observes on Tuesday. See story page 3.
Morale problems were the buzz at a recent faculty forum, as issues that affect Cal State Fullerton faculty were raised. Of the various concerns voiced by faculty and staff, salary was a repeated issue. Compared to other state institutions and many other schools nationwide, the CSU system pays faculty almost 17 percent less than comparable schools, according to a report on faculty salaries by the California Postsecondary Education Commission. The gap has grown for the 2004/05 school year, from around 13 percent, compared to 11 percent and 12 percent the year before. The University of California system also has a salary gap of about 14 percent, compared to comparable national universities. What exacerbates the issue is that California housing costs are some of the highest in the nation, and out-of-state schools or private California institutions are able to attract frustrated faculty by offering them bigger incentives. The California Faculty Association recently proposed a resolution on faculty salary equity issues. CSUFʼs CFA-sponsored proposal was presented at an Academic
Senate meeting a month ago to University President Milton A. Gordon and the other senators for a vote. It proposed that CSUFʼs salary inequity issues could be addressed using the $600,000 in funds typically appropriated for the University Initiative Program. A large problem is in hiring. It has proven difficult, with budget cuts and rising housing costs, to recruit and retain faculty. According to a faculty profile for CSUFʼs Institutional Research and Analytical Studies, due to a budget freeze last year, for example, CSUF was able to hire only nine new tenure-track faculty members, whereas 49 had been hired the year before, and 64 the year before that. In order to secure employment offers, the school has had to offer higher salaries to new staff, CFA Fullerton chapter and Academic Senate member, Gangadharappa Nanjundappa said. Current faculty and staff hired three, two and even one year ago are upset about the discrepancy between their pay and newer colleaguesʼ salaries, he said. Some of the faculty at the recent forum meeting noted that theyʼd be happy to receive more pay, but other incentives may add to the value when money isnʼt available. They offered commute-cost subsidizing, additional training for professional development, skill-based rewards and better benefits packages as ideas for more successful faculty SALARY 3
‘End of Late Fees’ may offer costly proposition Blockbusterʼs latest return policy falls flat with some customers By KIM ORR Daily Titan Staff
Renting a movie inevitably comes with the often more difficult task of returning it—a potentially costly proposition, considering that late fees can exceed the sale prices of
the movies themselves. Blockbuster was one of the first companies to eliminate late fees with its “End of Late Fees,” a policy put into effect January of this year. Blockbusterʼs new policy aims at eliminating its stringent late fees, but what some customers fail to realize is that the company still retains the right to charge for longoverdue movies; the catch being that customers are now permitted to keep their movie rentals. The new return policy has gained
attention, especially amidst the companyʼs history surrounding late fees disputes. Before the “End of Late Fees,” Blockbusterʼs late fee policy consisted of a midnight due date for each movie and a late fee charge of the full price of an additional rental. Customers who returned movies even one hour after midnight were still charged with the full late fee, said Walde Mejia, the assistant store manager of the Blockbuster on State College and Chapman Avenue.
Some have expressed frustration with the storeʼs return policies. “We returned one movie on time and [Blockbuster] didnʼt think we returned it and tried to charge us $50 or $60 in late fees,” said Yussuf Obaid, a marketing major. “We had to argue with them that we did return it so we wouldnʼt be charged.” Rentals still need to be returned if customers wish to avoid additional fees. “Every rental still has a due date, but we allow a seven-day grace
period with no further charge,” said Mejia. “After the eighth day, Blockbuster assumes you want to buy the product for the pre-viewed price minus the rental fee, but you have a 30-day period to return the movie with a one-time restocking fee of $1.25.” “Part of the strategy behind the new policy was to relieve the stress between the employee and the customer,” said Mejia. “With the late BLOCKBUSTER 4
El Toro helps students celebrate Deconstructing David Campus will hold event to honor its graduating class By DENNIS OLSON Daily Titan Staff
Cal State Fullertonʼs El Toro Campus will recognize graduating seniors who attend the satellite campus with a Graduation Recognition Event today. The event is for students and their friends and family to celebrate
their accomplishments before the had a campus in Mission Viejo but Commencement ceremonies on the ceased when El Toro opened in the CSUF main campus the following fall of 2002. Since then, the weekend. amount of space The ETC It’s always nice to on campus hasnʼt Student Affairs have your peers changed. The numand Administration recognize you. ber of students, are organizing the however, has conevent. While this is Mary Collins tinued to increase, the first time this El Toro Student prompting the inauevent will happen gural celebration at the campus, it wonʼt be the first time an event like today from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the this has been held at a CSUF satel- courtyard. lite campus. A similar event was EL TORO 3 held each semester when CSUF
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Workshop aims to ‘Maximize Rewards’ Professionals provide business students with essential information By JESSICA ESCORSIA Daily Titan Staff
The Family Business Council met on Tuesday to discuss acquisitions and mergers in a workshop titled, “Growing Your Family Company Through Strategic Acquisition:
Maximizing the Rewards, Minimizing the Risks.” The council is part of Cal State Fullertonʼs College of Business and Economics and functions as an outreach to the community of family-owned businesses through the university. The council was founded in 1994 to provide opportunities for education, interaction and information tailored to the needs and concerns of business students, according to a press release.
A variety of people involved in Orange County business showed up for the workshop, from companies such as Mar Vac Electronics and OʼConnor Mortuary. The introductory speakers were Margaret Shanley and Allen Suderman from RSM McGladrey, a business consulting, accounting and tax firm. Other speakers included Kim Ha, from the Union Bank of California; Steve Paulin, from BUSINESS 4
MEGAN DANGERMOND/Daily Titan
Students walk past the broken statue of David on campus near the Pollak Library on Tuesday.
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The Titan Student Union will be open for All-Night Study for the remainder of the semester. For more information, call (714) 278-4219. Grad students Ryan Ross and Anita Sinclair will have some sculpture pieces on display in the Atrium Gallery until the end of May. For more information, please call (714) 278-3915.
Iranian minister makes historic Iraq trip BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iranʼs foreign minister made a historic trip to Baghdad on Tuesday, pledging to secure his countryʼs borders to stop militants from entering Iraq and saying the “situation would have been much worse” if Tehran were actually supporting the insurgency as the U.S. has claimed. Iranian envoy Kamal Kharraziʼs trip – two days after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice paid a surprise visit to support the war-ravaged countryʼs political process – was the highest-level visit by an official from any of Iraqʼs six neighboring countries since Saddam Husseinʼs ouster two years ago.
The “Fall of Empire” exhibit will be on display in the Main Art Gallery of the Visual Arts Building from noon to 4 p.m. The exhibit features a glass installation by Einar and Jamex de la Torre.
Nation Cuban detained, linked to 1976 bombing MIAMI – Under growing international pressure, U.S. authorities Tuesday seized a Cuban exile accused by Fidel Castroʼs government of masterminding a 1976 airliner bombing that killed 73 people. He had been seeking asylum in the United States. Luis Posada Carriles, a 77-year-old former CIA operative and Venezuelan security official, was taken into custody by U.S. immigration authorities, the Homeland Security Department said in a statement.
Soldier gets 6 months in Abu Ghraib case FORT HOOD, Texas – An Army reservist who appeared in several of the most infamous abuse photos taken by guards at Abu Ghraib prison was sentenced Tuesday to six months in prison for her role in the scandal that rocked the U.S. militaryʼs image at home and abroad. The sentence for Spc. Sabrina Harman came a day after she was convicted on six of the seven counts she faced for mistreating detainees at the Baghdad lockup in late 2003. She faced a maximum of five years in prison, though prosecutors asked the jury to give her three years.
Local Great Park planner quits in protest IRVINE – Orange County Great Park board member Richard G. Sim, a key player in construction of the Irvine Spectrum complex, has quit, alleging those overseeing redevelopment of the old El Toro Marine Corps base are squandering money. The Irvine Co. executive, who spent 18 months on the nine-member board and was the only member with experience in largescale development, said the Great Park panelʼs priorities are muddled. Sim said the fate of the old Marine base should be shaped by more than one city. What happens at the Great Park, he said, should be watched by people across Orange County, not just in Irvine. The project could include up to $1.4 billion in developer fees and taxes paid on formerly public land. The redevelopment plan calls for about 2,500 acres of open space, parkland, roads and other uses to be developed by the city.
OC teacher claims sexual harassment HUNTINGTON BEACH – An elementary school principal filed a sexual harassment lawsuit claiming an Ocean View School District board member spread false rumors that she had sex with the superintendent to get school modernization money. Roni Ellis, principal of Harbour View Elementary, filed the Superior Court suit Friday against trustee Barbara Boskovich as well as Superintendent James Tarwater because he allegedly failed to quash the rumors. Boskovich and Tarwater declined comment. Boskovich, allegedly unhappy that Ellis didnʼt support her re-election campaign, told Ellis sheʼd heard a rumor about Ellis trading “sexual favors” for funding, which she repeated to other officials, according to the suit. Ellis, who is seeking unspecified monetary damages and a public apology. 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 ©2005 Daily Titan
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The owner of a ‘74 Camero does a burnout at the California Speedway in Fontana on Saturday. Smoking tires are a common sight on the quarter-mile dragstrip. For full story, visit www.dailytitan.com.
Events
1733: England passes Molasses Act, putting high tariffs on rum and molasses imported to the Colonies from a country other than British possessions.
May 16
May 18
IN HISTORY
1988: U.S. Supreme Court rules trash may be searched without a warrant. 1985: Michael Jordan named NBA Rookie of Year. 1968: Earthquake kills 47 in Japan. 1965: Spaghetti-Oʼs first sold.
May 17
1989: Longest cab ride ever: 14,000 miles cost $16,000. 1983: Israel and Lebanon sign a peace treaty. 1975: Musician Mick Jagger punches a restaurant window, gets 20 stitches.
Word on the Web Comics on campus deliver humor despite meager crowd. Armando M. MartinezCruz wins Dean’s Award for Outstanding Teaching 2005. Street racers find home at California Speedway.
1992: Supreme Court rules states could not force mentally unstable criminal defendants to take anti-psychotic drugs. 1983: Senate revises immigration laws, gives millions of illegal aliens legal status under an amnesty program. 1942: New York City ends night baseball games for rest of WWII. 1852: Massachusetts rules all school-age children must attend school.
May 19
1992: The 27th Amendment is ratified, prohibits Congress from
ASI
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including the $500 cap in a 10 to 2 vote. In other business, the Titan Student Union will be hosting All Night Study, a program for students who are trying to prepare for finals. The TSU will be open 24 hours so students can study in a quiet environment at all hours. Jaime Nangpi, the elections commissioner, proposed to the board some ways to make next yearʼs elections more popular among students. Some of her ideas included more
raising its salary. 1988: Carlos Lehder Rivas, of Colombiaʼs Medellin drug cartel, is convicted in Florida for smuggling more than three tons of cocaine into the United States. 1921: Congress sharply curbs immigration, setting a national quota system. 1848: First department store opens.
May 20
1995: CBS News fires co-anchor Connie Chung. 1990: Hubble Space Telescope sends first photographs from space. 1926: Thomas Edison says Americans prefer silent movies over talkies. 526: Earthquake kills 250,000 in Antioch, Syria. Compiled from brainyhistory.com
advertisement, pamphlets for potential candidates about what being on the board entails and better communication with the Daily Titan. ASI approved the revision of the by-laws for the International Communication Association, which included new information on how to become a member of ICA. Syed was elected summer chair of ASI. She plans to meet with various ICCs over the summer to discuss the upcoming year and to encourage the executive staff to have good communication with new board members about next yearʼs goals.
Students who want a break from studying can get a free workout through the Drop-In Fitness program. Tonight from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in KHS 268 there will be a Kung Fu class. From 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. there will be a Reebok Spinning class in KHS 264 and at 7:30 p.m. students can workout in Cardio Dance in KHS 264. All classes are free to CSUF students with valid student ID. In the Plaza Gallery of the TSU the exhibit “37 Truths and 10 Lies” will be on display through May 27. Featured art by Melanie Donegan includes a series of drawings blended with sculpture modeling the Japanese Momoyama Oribe style glazing technique. Check out the exhibit from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. 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
FORECAST
Wednesday, May 18 Mostly Sunny Low 59°
78°
Thursday, May 19 Mostly Sunny Low 60°
80°
Friday, May 20 Partly Sunny Low 60°
82°
Compiled from The Weather Channel
Correction
The headline for Tuesdayʼs Page One story about Graduate Studies Director Gladys Flecklesʼs retirement spelled her name incorrectly. The Daily Titan apologizes for the error.
NEWS
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EL TORO
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Rob Flores, the assistant coordinator of Student Affairs at El Toro, said holding the event in the courtyard will provide those in attendance with a family-like atmosphere. “Weʼll have a small intimate setting that will make everyone feel close to one another,” he said. Along with advertising the reception throughout the semester, Student Affairs sent out invitations to graduates who have attended El Toro at some point during their CSUF careers. Students are encouraged to bring friends and family to help them celebrate. The event will have a Mexicanstyle theme, complete with catered food and a Mariachi band. Flores said both current and former El Toro students, as well as all CSUF students are welcome to come. “The reception is for anyone who has attended El Toro and is now graduating,” he said. “It is also open to all students and the graduatesʼ families and friends.” Non-graduates who have received scholarships from El Toro will also be honored at the reception. Mary Collins, a liberal studies major, will be one of the students recognized for her student leadership. She is also a mother of three and looks forward to the event. “Itʼs a real sense of accomplishment,” she said. “Itʼs always nice to have your peers recognize you.” Erin Fisher, a child and adolescent studies major, plans to attend the reception and commend the graduates while she enjoys the music and food before her afternoon class. “I am going to get to campus as early as I can so I check out the event,” she said. “I am very happy for them.” Flores hopes for a turnout of about 100 graduates. The deadline for graduates to RSVP was May 13 but Flores said they will still be able to take part in the festivities. “The reception is open to everyone to come and have a good time while recognizing the El Toro graduating class,” he said.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005 3
Titan engineers brace to sink or swim
Students test humanpowered submarine to see if efforts pay off
materials like fiberglass and balsa wood, while the front of it is made of Plexiglas. The team utilized computer software programs like AutoCAD, ANSYS and Pro/ENGINEER to help in the design process. A lot of the teamʼs efforts while building the vessel can be attributed to the help provided by Terry Price, the chair of the Composite Training Center at Cerritos College, and Adam
Shawula, another mechanical engineering student who put time into the submarine project even though he had to be working on a project of his own. Lam cited safety issues as the main reasons they did not get to test the vehicle. He said the vessel must be easily escaped in a case of emergency, something the three werenʼt comfortable with quite yet.
Time constraints also delayed its first underwater excursion. The submarineʼs set-up alone requires 30 minutes and the team was only allotted one hour in the CSUF pool, Lam said. “We want this to be a fun and safe experience,” said Blake, the teamʼs leader. The team members agreed that not only did they learn valuable engi-
neering and design skills in this process, but they also learned the value of teamwork and strategic planning. “You have to believe in yourself and trust in each other,” said Apisaksirikul, the team member who will eventually ride inside the hull and power the submarine. “Itʼs in the attitude … you have to stick together.” Blake said emotions ran high and problems arose as deadlines came and went. “This was the hardest team project for all of us … it gets personal,” Blake said. “A lot of emotions tend to go into this. We had to learn to compromise a lot.” The project was one of four that graduating mechanical engineering students participated in this semester. One team transformed a Fiat with a regular engine into an electric-powered car. Another built a mini-Baja, and yet another created a bio-medical surgical instrument. In order to graduate, these students must complete the engineering design capstone project and have a working design by the end of the semester. The submarine team, although not able to test the torpedoshaped vessel in the pool before the semester ends, has indeed made the grade. “They passed it,” Kreiner said with a smile. The team expects to have the submarine ready for its maiden voyage sometime during the summer or the beginning of fall, at the latest. “Itʼs not complete until itʼs in the water, for me,” Lam said.
Kerr, who works in the Career Center. Academic Senator and sociology professor Barry Pastnernack would like to address the faculty salary issue through a substitute motion over the CFA-sponsored resolution. “The money for fixing faculty salary inequities should come from all funds,” he said. “And not just from the Initiative Program.” Additionally, the program is a one-time fund, he said, and salary equity is something that should be assessed every year. Pasternackʼs substitute motion intends to pull from various avail-
able funds to close the salary gaps. It would also require the university vice president to address the senate annually with information on how many faculty requests there were for salary increases, and how many were actually fulfilled. Currently, faculty and staff can and are still submitting equity increase requests. Per the CFA and CSU collective bargaining agreement, faculty will always have this option to request an increase, and despite budget restrictions, some will be approved. Salary increases can also be obtained through a market increase,
where a professor or faculty member can show proof that they would be paid a higher rate at a comparable school for the same job. For retention of the faculty member, CSUF can match the offer. There is also an annual costof-living salary adjustment which CSUF faculty and staff are eligible to receive. This is typically a small increase that adjusts their salary within the typical market. Unfortunately, with the recent budget freeze, they have not received this adjustment for the past three years.
And while Pastnernack and Nanjundappa disagree over how to fix the salary inequities, both concur that the university needs to do something, and soon. Of current faculty, Nanjundappa said, “If this issue is not resolved, well-qualified and experienced junior faculty will leave.” “Over 50 percent of our professors and faculty are over 50,” said Pasternack. “When they retire and we canʼt recruit new faculty to replace them, then what? Theyʼll have to cut classes or hire additional lecturers. The focus now needs to be on the long-term effects.”
By AMANDA PENNINGTON and JOSEPH SANTOS Daily Titan Staff
After an arduous semester, three Cal State Fullerton mechanical engineering students set off to test their human-powered submarine design in the CSUF pool. With the pressure that “If it doesnʼt work, we donʼt graduate” resonating in their minds, the students encountered safety problems and thus had to remain on dry ground for a little while longer. Debbie Blake, Thomas Lam and Prapat Apisaksirikul, the three graduating seniors who designed and built the machine, were happy they had come so far, even though they had not yet been able to test the submarine underwater. Professor Jesa Kreiner guided the students through their struggles and accomplishments during the semester. “Theyʼve done a good design and had imaginative and creative approaches to some problems,” Kreiner said. “They spent untold hours on this.” The vessel is like an underwater bicycle because it is propelled by pedals. The person inside the hull must be a certified safety diver and must be wearing full scuba gear. The hull itself is made from composite
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recruitment and retention. The current level of faculty morale at the forum was characterized as generally good, but very fragile. One attendee said faculty seems to be facing a larger workload due to understaffing, with no extra pay. Another agreed, saying “I donʼt see any light at the end of this tunnel.” “CSUF needs to hire better or improve current staff with an incentive: money,” said attendee Karen
SUZANNE SULLIVAN/Daily Titan
Prapat Apisaksirikul (pilot), Debbie Blake (team captain) and Thomas Lam (navigator) show off their submarine outside of the Engineering Building on Tuesday.
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Final Fantasy takes it to a new level Vocalists, musicians give videogame fans a concert to enjoy By NICK COOPER Daily Titan Staff
Listen up videogame fans, thatʼs not just music accompanying your fight sequences – itʼs also part of an international sensation gaining ground in American pop music. On Monday, May 16, “More Friends, Music from Final Fantasy,” a new concert based on the popular game franchise and comprised of the more emotional music from the game series, was performed at the Gibson Amphitheater. The music, created by Nobuo Uematsu, was performed by the World Festival Symphony Orchestra and The Black Mages and was conducted by Grammy award-winning conductor Arnie
Uematsu said. “I wanted to come Roth. Japanese vocalists Emiko back.” Among the many highlights of the Shiratori and RIKKI, Cal State evening was the Fullerton Singers American debut and featured of Uematsuʼs pop opera vocal... when I compose ists Stephanie band The Black Woodling, Chad Mages, which I don’t have much Berlinghieri and transforms battle confidence in how Todd Robinson music from the it will be recieved. added vocals to “Final Fantasy” [Then] when I get the music. series into a rock positive feedback “I see the audipresentation. it gives me confience get excited,” The event Uematsu said. brought many dence. “They are happy U.S. debuts and to see my music fans of the game Nobuo Uematsu and that gives me franchise. Composer happiness and The opening pleasure.” song “Bombing It was an easy Mission” from decision to return to Los Angeles, “Final Fantasy VII” was performed said Master of Ceremonies James live for the first time in the United Arnold Taylor, who is also a voice States along with Japanese vocalist actor. RIKKI, who sings the theme song “One year ago we performed of “Final Fantasy X, Suteki Da Ne in LA and were well received,” (Isnʼt It Wonderful?).”
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fees, we had many more customer complaints.” Since the implementation of the new policy, customer satisfaction has noticeably increased, leading customers who had previously sworn off Blockbuster rentals to return, as well as increase the amount of movies customers rent at a time, Mejia said. But the new policy hasnʼt quite been the utopia some expected. Some customers know little about Blockbusterʼs new policy, except that it advertises the “End of Late Fees” but still charges fees for movies that exceed a certain time limit. “They have a little pamphlet that tells you about the new policy but I havenʼt picked one up yet,” said Steven Martinez, a business
and marketing major at Cal State Fullerton. “It just seems like a way for [Blockbuster] to get more money by deceiving people about ʻNo late fees.ʼ” But the biggest problem with Blockbusterʼs new return policy seems to be the lack of movies available for rental. During the first few weeks of their releases, movies like “Sideways” and “Ray” were virtually unobtainable because customers, without the fear of looming late fees, took more and more time to return their movies. Not to mention the dozens that were never returned and instead kept for purchase. “Blockbusterʼs [return] policies are okay, I just donʼt like their selection,” said Sarah Migliorini, a comparative literature major at CSUF. “During an eight-hour shift, I usually hear eight to 10 complaints [about movies not being in stock],” said Mejia. “The customers donʼt seem more upset [than before the “End of Late Fees”]. They just seem frustrated because it sucks when you come in here on a Friday night hoping to rent a movie and itʼs not
There were many guest speakers at the event, but it was evident through crowd reaction that the majority of people were there to see Uematsu and “The Black Mages” The CSUF Singers were selected for the event because they are one of the more respected choral groups in the area, said a representative of Square Enix, Inc. The CSUF Singers performed during the encore presentation alongside the World Symphony Orchestra and The Black Mages in an emotional blend of rock and instrumental. “I really have nothing to say about the ʻFinal Fantasyʼ concert,” CSUF conductor John Alexander said. “They called, contacted us to do the performance, and we accepted.” The night was a mix of rock, pop, operetta and orchestral, all stemming from the mind of Uematsu. Scenes from the “Final Fantasy”
series were displayed on several large screen monitors above the orchestra. The song “Swing de Chocobo” brought laughter to the crowd as scenes of Chocobo riding were displayed from the early Nintendo days to the now current PlayStation 2 game platform. “I love music and I am fortunate to have this kind of a job,” Uematsu said. “It gives me lots of pleasure. [But] when I compose I donʼt have much confidence in how it will be received. [Then] when I get positive feedback it gives me confidence.” Uematsu has produced a diverse mixture of music for the “Final Fantasy” series over his career. “The year I entered into this industry I planned on getting married,” he said with a big grin spread across his face. “I needed money to support my wife. I didnʼt plan on staying. It was a one time tentative thing, now itʼs been 20 years.”
here.” Business Week Online reported Blockbusterʼs long-time rival, that in the beginning of May the Hollywood Video, is a popular company announced a nearly $58 retreat for customers who are fed million loss, in large part due to its up with Blockbusterʼs late fee poli- decision to eliminate late fees; a fact cies and dwindling which CEO John selection. F. Antioco called a “We get a necessity in order It just seems ton of people in to compete with like a way for here who hate Netflix.com and [Blockbuster] to Blockbuster,” said other online companies. Nicole Akers, the get more money B l o c k b u s t e r, assistant manager by deceiving which before at the Hollywood people about ‘No received 20 perVideo on Yorba late fees.’ cent of its revenue Linda Boulevard. from late fees, has “People will say, now been forced, ʻItʼs cheaper but Steven Martinez under its new we come here Fullerton Student return policy, to because you guys search for alternaare nicer.ʼ” Migliorini said she prefers tive programs to compensate for lost Hollywood Video because of its revenue. “By the end of summer, customlarger selection of movies, saying that Blockbusterʼs fees tend to be ers should start seeing more movies in stock,” said Mejia, in regards to too much of a hassle. Akers said Blockbusterʼs new the companyʼs plans to alleviate late fees policy has had little affect its current problems. “I think [the on Hollywood Video and that she “End of Late Fees”] is better for doubts that any other company will the customers, whether they want to believe it or not.” follow in Blockbusterʼs footsteps.
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SullivanCurtisMonroe, an insurance brokerage firm; and Robert Schult, from the Shansby Group, an investment group. The workshopʼs topic was acquisitions and mergers, which involves transactions like companies buying other companies, the combining of companies and small businesses going public. Mike Trueblood, the director of the council, stressed the noticeable contradiction of the topic in comparison with the goals of the council. “The reason why we chose this topic, despite us focusing on keeping family-owned businesses in the family with the council, is because there seemed to be a response from the members,” he said. “They seemed to want to hear about the topic, for in the future, they might be dealing with the issues of acquisitions and mergers.” A number of methods were employed by the speakers to show different ways to look into buying a company beforehand, so they donʼt buy into something that isnʼt compatible with their company. Shanley spoke in detail about a hypothetical company and the ways to tell if it was a good company to buy. “You also need to look at accounting methods and if theyʼre being too aggressive before you decide to buy the company,” Suderman said. Cindy Ayloush, a participant in the workshop, owns HydroFlow, a company that manufactures aircraft components in Fullerton. “I usually get really good ideas from these workshops that I can take back to my business,” she said. “Dealing with the topic of acquisitions, my company bought another small company some time ago, and it didnʼt work out very well,” she said. “If Iʼd had a company like the ones who presented today to help me choose a company to buy, I would have been much better off.” Trueblood is teaching a course in the fall semester titled “Family Business Dynamics.” The course will teach junior-standing students (and non-CSUF students with the professorʼs approval) how family businesses operate and their importance to the economy, he said.