Daily Titan - Monday, Jan. 28, 2013

DAILY TITAN The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton T

Volume 93, Issue 1

NEWS 5

College Park entrance nearly complete OPINION 8

Many sides valid in gun debate DETOUR 15

The Heavy Guilt live at Becker, Wed. SPORTS 17

Mai hopes for ‘Grand Slam’ exit

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MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2013

Trustees weigh budget options

CAMPUS | Emergency response

Police continue search for fifth robbery suspect IAN WHEELER Daily Titan

More than a month after a police pursuit and campus-wide lockdown brought an ordinary Wednesday at Cal State Fullerton to a grinding halt, the last of five men suspected of robbing a Moreno Valley pawn shop remains at large.

Authorities are still following leads on the fifth suspect, whom they believe escaped through Steven G. Mihaylo Hall after bailing out of a getaway car just off campus at around 3:45 p.m. on Dec.

12, according to Sgt. Lisa McConnell of the Riverside County Sheriff ’s Department.

Three of the suspects, Damine Banks, 30, Jerome Allen, 23, and Traevon Vidaud, 24, were arrested hours after the Dec. 12 robbery— Banks and Allen shortly after arriving on campus and Vidaud after allegedly carjacking a student and leading police on a second pursuit, which ended in Watts, Calif.

The fourth suspect, Roosevelt Fernandez, 26, was arrested Dec. 26 in Long Beach.

SEE LOCKDOWN, 4

LOCAL | Crime

WILLIAM CAMARGO / For the Daily Titan

Gov. Jerry Brown talks to board members during day one of the Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday at the Chancellor’s Office in Long Beach.

Day 1: Brown presides

Day 2: Units limited

NEREIDA MORENO

ERINN GROTEFEND

Daily Titan

The California State University Board of Trustees met Tuesday under the watch of Gov. Jerry Brown, who made another rare appearance at the Chancellor’s Office in Long Beach to ensure Proposition 30 funds continued to be put to good use.

Looking ahead at the new budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year, representatives of the various committees and boards of the CSU asked the trustees for money, either for lower income students, mental health services or salary increases for faculty and staff.

During the meeting, both Brown and Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom sought explanations for every dollar being spent by the CSU. The passage of Proposition 30 in November enabled the CSU to avoid a $250 million “trigger cut” for the 2012-13 fiscal year. This al-

lowed for Brown to allocate money recovered from last year’s budget cuts and reimburse the CSU for the upcoming year.

Brown’s proposed budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year calls for $125 million to the CSU in a four-year plan. There will be no tuition increase for four years combined with a roll back on fee increases, as guaranteed in Assembly Bill 1502.

“Governor Brown’s budget provides much needed relief to the CSU system, which was forced to cut thousands of jobs, increase class sizes and raise tuition due to drastic cuts in its budget the last five years,” said Pedro Ramirez, vice president of legislative affairs for the California State Student Association in a statement.

SEE BROWN, 3

Daily Titan

The California State University Educational Policy Committee voted to make 120 units the limit for most bachelor’s programs at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday.

The board moved to carry changes to the unit limit, called Title 5, regarding baccalaureate degree units. This limit could be exceeded only if it is allowed by Title 5 definition or if the chancellor grants an exception based on strong justification.

Title 5 makes it possible for the chancellor to intervene if necessary, but the expectation is that campuses will carry out the work on their own.

However, the 120-unit limit will not be imposed on every program. Under Title 5, some programs have a higher unit limit. It does not limit the amount of units students are allowed to take or

force students to attend full time or graduate in four years.

Trustee Bernadette Cheyne disagreed with the Title 5 change because it would give the chancellor authority to make unsupervised curricular changes.

“There was no consultation regarding changes to Title 5,” said Cheyne.

“There was some discussion about the value of attempting to reach a 120unit maximum whenever possible, but changing Title 5 and affording curricular authority to the chancellor was never discussed with the faculty.”

Cheyne proposed the trustees look at the degree programs, see what can be accomplished and then revisit the agenda item at a later time. She also suggested a consultation with the Academic Council and Academic Senate.

SEE UNITS, 3

SPORTS | Jim Donovan

New Athletics Director comes home JUSTIN ENRIQUEZ Daily Titan

If home is where the heart is then Jim Donovan has found himself right where his heartbeat began, in Orange County. In a press conference on Dec. 13, Donovan, 53, ensured his stay at home as he was named as Cal State Fullerton’s 11th athletics director.

He is no stranger to campus of Cal State Fullerton as he used to help drop off his father as he was taking classes to complete his master’s degree in system engineering, which he completed in 1970. Donovan recalls waiting for his father’s classes to end at night while parked on Nutwood Avenue.

“He (Donovan’s father) would walk across the street, get in the car and go home. So he would talk to me about his classes, and I didn’t understand, it was system engineering so it was way over my head,” said Donovan while laughing.

Donovan was raised in Anaheim and recalls it as being one of the nicest places to grow up in the country.

Sports also became a big part of his life at an early age as he began competing in pop-warner football.

“Through my participation in sports, I really enjoyed being a part of a team and a bunch of people working together for a common cause, common goal,” Donovan said.

Eventually he attended Servite High School and continued performing on the athletic field there. He said that from an athletic standpoint, the school emphasized discipline and the players there were fortunate enough to have experienced coaches. However, Donovan believes that not only athletics were important there but also an emphasis on academics.

“Often times I finished practice at 6:30 or 7 (p.m.) and I’d be doing homework until 10:30 or 11 at night ... so it really helped me be successful in college both athletically and academically and the whole experience has helped me become successful in life,” Donovan said.

SEE DONOVAN, 18

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Fullerton crime stays ‘average,’ stats show TIM WORDEN Daily Titan

While Fullerton has a crime rate below the United States average, the city’s overall crime is on a slight uptick, according to police data.

Fullerton has two burglary and theft hotspots: Placentia Avenue near the Yorba Linda Boulevard and Harbor Boulevard near downtown.

The city scores an “average” crime index level and the city is well below the national average in violent and property crimes, according to CityData.com, an independent city demographic aggregate.

There were 147 robberies, 746

residential and commercial burglaries, 823 vehicle burglaries, 373 auto thefts and 889 vandalism reports in 2012, according to crime stats released by the Fullerton Police Department. Three of the five categories—robbery, residential and commercial burglary, and vandalism—are up from 2011. Modest declines in vehicle burglary and auto thefts were made, however.

Among the 61 homicides in Orange County in 2012, only one was in Fullerton, according to Donna Meyers, a research analyst at the Orange County Coroner’s Office.

SEE STATS, 5

LOCAL | Health care panel

Experts chew over Obamacare RAYMOND MENDOZA Daily Titan

The College of Business and Economics hosted an in-depth look at the specifics of the Obamacare health care reform act and its effects on business.

The panel was held at the Radisson hotel in Newport Beach on Friday as a way to clear up the myriad of misconceptions that have arisen from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.

Karen Nixon, founder and President of Nixon Benefits, moderated the event by asking the guest panelists questions specific to their field

and how Obamacare would affect the status quo of California and the nation as a whole.

The panel guests were also prepared to clear up any misconceptions about Obamacare as well as specific questions relating to business owners such as minimum standards, deductibles and penalizations for fraud.

The first topic discussed was the need for preventative care and regular doctor visits rather than an individual relying on emergency care, in addition to the cost of giving this privilege to anyone.

SEE HEALTH, 4

ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan

Anaheim native Jim Donovan assumes role as CSUF athletics director.

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JANUARY 28, 2013

MONDAY

NEWS

PAGE 3

THE DAILY TITAN

BROWN: Trustees review CSU spending CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The CSU Board of Trustees formed the 2013-14 budget in November to capture the needs of their students and faculty. They requested $371.9 million over the current baseline budget that includes state funds, tuition and systemwide fees.

Brown called the CSU budget more of a dream than a reality. As an ex officio member of the CSU Board of Trustees and University of California Board of Regents, Brown has the honorary right to vote.

“We’re in a relatively better spot because of Proposition 30, so that gives us some breathing room,” said Brown. “(However,) the University was looking for three times more money than I’m proposing, and so we’re going to have to do some … very thoughtful, very caring adjustments.”

The trustees addressed a number of issues in their initial budget proposal, including providing more courses, providing additional advisement and making room for more students on CSU campuses.

“Every single one of these items that we listed in our budget proposal to the state of California was meant to be something that benefited the students either directly or indirectly,” said Erik Fallis, media relations manager for the CSU. Though the trustees have yet to focus on specific needs, Fallis said it is a discussion that will take place over the next several months.

Part of the $125 million proposed in Brown’s budget would be geared toward online strategies to assist students through “bottleneck” courses. These are defined by the CSU as lower-division general education requirements, prerequisites for majors and high demand classes.

One of the proposed strategies to help students complete their degrees on time is Cal State Online. It is the CSU’s system-wide effort to centralize marketing and support for fully online degree programs.

The program is going to live within the university, as would any individual campus organization. Cal State Fullerton began

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offering online degrees in business administration in early January. Online degrees will soon be offered by Cal State Dominguez Hills and Monterey Bay. Cal State East Bay, Northridge and Fresno will begin to accept applications later this year.

“What I care most about is getting more kids into Cal State, getting them better prepared before they get here, and being able to get out at a reasonable time by getting them the courses they need and not having them hang around for seven or eight years,” Brown said.

CSUF President Mildred García is an open supporter of the new program.

Garcia said that while the CSU is being flooded with applicants who are being turned away, the online program will allow CSUF to serve more students.

“Our role as a California State University is to educate the citizens of California,” said García.

“For me, it’s about access to low income and other represented students in a Cal State system that has a superb faculty and staff to

offer students a wide range of programs throughout the CSU.” The trustees resolved to add Section 40203 to Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations.

This authorizes Cal State Online to support the delivery of online curricula offered by degree-granting campuses, such as CSUF. Brown will have another shot at proposing a budget during the May revise. The governor will make any adjustments to his initial budget proposal based on feedback from agencies, the public and discussions with legislators who offer any adjustments in the state revenue forecast.

The state legislature is scheduled to adopt a budget in June that will be in place for the next fiscal year. “(The board) gives advice to the governor … but ultimately it’s the decision of what the state is going to allocate falls on the lawmakers in Sacramento,” Fallis said. “In order for the budget to go through, however, it must pass in the legislature and be signed by the governor.”

UNITS: Chancellor assures no ‘arbitrary decisions’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Newly appointed Chancellor Timothy White said he would seek advice from faculty and experts in the content area if there were a case he needed to make a call.

“I’m not going to sit in my office and decide in a vacuum,” said White. “I think the comfort that I can provide is that there will be faculty voices on the exceptions; not to worry that I’m not going to be sitting there making arbitrary decisions in my administrative role.”

Consultations with various constituencies in campus administration personnel began in September. The board was presented with the final changes of the proposed Title 5 in November.

The idea to reduce the number of units for a high-unit program will theoretically allow more students to graduate in a shorter period of time.

This in turn allows access for new students to be admitted into the CSU. According to Christine Mallon, assistant vice chancellor of academic programs and faculty development, one in five students are enrolled in a high-unit program.

High unit majors typically take longer to complete, postpone graduation and delay access to future students.

Mallon added that each year, 5,000-6,000 eligible applicants to the CSU are denied and could be admitted if resources and enrollment space were available.

Cal State Long Beach President F. King Alexander focused on the student’s cost for high unit programs.

He said this year Pell Grants have seen an unprecedented drop from 18 semesters to 12 semesters of availability. This means students who decide to go past six years lose their eligibility.

Alexander said there is national

and state pressure to reduce these course credit hours to match trends seen around the country at other state university systems.

“It doesn’t allow (students) to hit the job market running at the same time, in the same manner, that many of their peers do in the state of California and nationally,” he said.

A delayed graduation also means a delayed entry into the workforce.

Each semester of postponed employment costs a student $22,000 in lost wages, said Mallon. She added that the state spends $4,000-$5,000 each year a fulltime student is enrolled.

Humboldt State President Rollin C. Richmond said majors requiring more than 120 units for graduation need to undergo scrutiny to assure the student’s and the states’ resources are being used effectively.

Humboldt State administration is not revising the curriculum but asking faculty in high-unit programs to examine and justify the resources necessary to achieve learning objectives.

“If by carefully examining and restructuring the curriculum, a student can achieve the learning objectives of the degree program with fewer units then this is how we know we have high quality programs and still use our resources wisely,” said Richmond.

A common concern among the trustees was to make sure a reduced unit count does not diminish quality or reputation.

In terms of quality, Mallon said it is ensured through faculty integration of student learning outcomes across the curriculum and not necessarily with unit counts.

“We need only to look back at our own history to see that reducing unit requirements does not mean that academic rigor and quality will lose out,” said Mallon.

WILLIAM CAMARGO / For the Daily Titan CSUF President Mildred García supports the proposed Cal State Online program.

CAL STATE STATS • 2,780: Number of bachelor degree programs and concentrations • 18%: Require more than 120 Units

• 58%: 121-129 Units

• 42%: 130 or more Units

• $22,000: Cost per semester for postponed employment • 5,000-6,000: Applications denied per year Source: CSU

WILLIAM CAMARGO / For the Daily Titan Governor Jerry Brown (left) sits with the new Chancellor Timothy White (right).

Cal State Sacramento President Alexander Gonzalez used the college’s business curriculum as an example of undergoing dramatic review.

This high unit program went from 12 concentrations to three.

In addition, the school’s faculty senate is engaged in a review and

possible revision of general education requirements and graduation requirements.

“Some of them will not be 120 units but the vast majority of them should be,” said Gonzalez. “In the end we will be serving our students in a much better and effective way.”

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NEWS

PAGE 4

THE DAILY TITAN

JANUARY 28, 2013 MONDAY

LOCKDOWN: Suspects’ court date this Friday CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

JOHN PEKCAN / Daily Titan

The financial aspects of health care reform and its effects on business was the hot topic discussion for the panelists.

HEALTH: Treatment provided to all

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

While it might seem hazardous to wait until an illness becomes an emergency, Dwayne Logan, CEO and medical director for Atlantis Eyecare, noted that even though emergency room treatment is excellent, the goal is to give citizens the option of regular doctor visits to circumvent the need for an emergency room visit in the future.

“In our system currently, there are many patients that access our health care through emergency rooms,” said Logan. “These patients will now, with this new Affordable Care Act, have access to care.”

Logan said that while the patient load for a doctor might increase due to newly insured individuals as a product of Obamacare, health care professionals need to do their part in helping with the well being of the nation.

“We all have to have the attitude of caring and trying to do more for our fellow man,” said Logan.

The hot topic discussion for the panelists centered on the financial aspects of health care reform and the affects it could have on businesses, as well as what happens when a business does not provide health care according to Obamacare.

Panelist Marilyn Monahan, owner of Monahan Law Office, said that both small and large businesses can save money by offering plans with higher deductibles and changing dependant coverage costs. She also said that some employers are reducing employee work hours to part-time.

However, Monahan cautioned that an employer should be aware that Obamacare has limits as to how high a deductible can be and to speak with an employment lawyer before downgrading a workforce to part-time.

Monahan outlined that the government’s health insurance exchange can provide easy options for businesses that can range from modest to a higher level of complete coverage.

“If you have under 50 employees, you are eligible to purchase coverage on the exchange,” said Monahan. “The exchange offers different levels of plans; they call them the metal levels: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. So employers can make decisions as to how generous they want their plan to be.”

While opponents of Obamacare argue that the act is going to end up driving up the cost of health care, Regional Medical Director of HealthCare Partners Keith Wilson said that the cost has already been driven upwards due to

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population growth and the amount of people becoming eligible for Medicare.

“I think the cost of health care would continue to rise whether in fact we had the affordable care act or not because the primary drivers of health care cost are the same drivers that forced (Obamacare) enactment,” said Wilson.

The event closed out with a short round of questions from an online Twitter feed, but not before CSUF alumni Steven Scott, vice president and general manager of Large Group for Anthem Blue Cross, answered a question dealing with America having a healthcare system similar to Europe. (Large Group is defined as a health plan for companies with 51 or more employees.)

Scott voiced his concern that health insurance providers must be willing to create a high level of customer satisfaction or they will eventually lose to government controlled health-care.

“If the private health insurance industry does a good job and continues to provide value at a better level than what can be provided by the federal government, then that won’t be our future,” said Scott. “If the private health insurance industry fails to provide value to consumers at a good level, then I think that our future is insecure.”

All four have pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including attempted murder, and are due back in court Friday.

Because the investigation is still ongoing, details on the search for the remaining suspect remain confidential, McConnell said.

The arrival of potentially armed gunmen at CSUF prompted University Police officials to transmit several emergency messages throughout the evening, urging those indoors to take shelter and those outside to leave the campus immediately.

Though thousands of students and faculty at CSUF barricaded themselves in various places for more than seven hours on Dec. 12, the campus was not technically a under “lockdown,” according to University Police Capt.

John Brockie.

A lockdown, he said, is a term used primarily at K-12 schools, where students are minors and are the responsibility of school administrators.

On a college campus made up primarily of adults, however, the only time police can force someone to follow instructions are when officers have reasonable suspicion that a crime had occurred, is occurring or is about to occur.

During the Dec. 12 incident, students and faculty were asked to “shelter in place,” but were actually free to leave against police recommendations.

However, doing so may have put them in danger, Brockie said.

“With adults, we can recommend the best thing to do to remain safe, but there are only certain times where we can take someone’s freedom away from them … this was not one of those situations,” he said.

Sue Fisher, emergency management coordinator for University Police, said the language can be confusing, and that many still tend to use the word

ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan

Emergency messages were sent to students and faculty from University Police.

“lockdown” to describe securing students and faculty during active-shooter situations on any campus.

“But some concept of that is correct—you want to get in someplace where you can lock the door and protect yourself, but it’s not like the campus itself is locking you in a room,” said Fisher. “At the university, since we’re all adults, we don’t lock anyone down.”

Because many students feared being caught in the crossfire and disobeying police orders, many refrained from leaving their shelters, even to use the restroom.

Though one report came in that a gunshot was heard near the Education Classroom Building, Brockie confirmed that no shots were ever fired— at least not by officers.

Fisher credited the day’s positive outcome to the campus’ emergency notification system and the training of law enforcement officers.

“There were good lessons learned in what to expect if it were a more serious situation,” Fisher said. “We were sheltering in place for a very long time, and I know for a lot of people it made them very anxious to get home—to get away from campus.”

Students are advised to carry a bottle of water and some food with them at all times for these types of situations.

As the night wore on, some students simply emerged from their shelters and left.

“Inevitably, in a cross section of people, you’re going to get some that do whatever they do,” Fisher said. “Generally speaking, people were very cooperative; they understood that it had the potential of being a very serious situation and they complied.”

Brockie said student and faculty response can always be improved, but overall, the department was pleased with the campus’ reaction to the incident.

Students should make sure that email addresses and phone numbers are up-to-date in their student portals, Brockie said, so emergency messages sent by University Police are received in a timely manner.

Information on “shelter in place” has been available on the University Police website for years, he added.

The Dec. 12 ordeal served as an effective reminder that students and faculty should use the information provided by the campus’ emergency notification system should another emergency occur, Fisher said.

“People want information, and I think as a law enforcement agency you’re in a constant balance of trying to put most of your effort into the specific response,” she said. “But then you’ve got the other obligation of trying to provide information to the campus that’s timely, and giving enough information so that you can still keep people safe.”

NEWS

JANUARY 28, 2013

MONDAY

DTBRIEFS Fullerton officers charged in beating Two ex-Fullerton police officers await trial for the controversial beating and death of mentally ill homeless man Kelly Thomas.

The two former officers, Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli, are charged on accounts of second degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, respectively.

An Orange County Superior Court judge has set the trial to take place in June, according to the Associated Press.

“They could literally write novels on this case with the amount of information they’ve had. So now it’s a stall game,” said Kelly’s father, Ron Thomas.

Another ex-officer involved in the death of Kelly Thomas, Joe Wolfe, faces charges of involuntary manslaughter. Wolfe does not have a set trial date. All three officers pleaded not guilty to the killing of the 37-year-old schizophrenic. The video that sparked several protests shows a panicked Thomas being beaten by six Fullerton police officers in July 2011.

Kelly died just days after the beating from injuries.

Brief by KYMBERLIE ESTRADA

Man sets fires then invades apartments Jose Baca Jr., 36, was charged Thursday with lighting fires at apartments in Irvine and Fullerton to distract residents and break into homes, according to the Orange County Register. He is accused of setting fires and alerting residents of the blaze in order to gain access to their homes to steal items.

Baca was arrested Tuesday by Fullerton Police under suspicion that he started a fire in a Fullerton apartment carport two days prior. After a fire at the AXIS 2300 Luxury Apartments in Irvine was extinguished, a tenant returned to his apartment to find a man stealing his belongings, police said.

The Orange County District Attorney’s charged Baca with three felony counts of arson of another’s property, four felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, two felony counts of arson of an inhabited property and one felony count of possession for sale of a controlled substance, grand theft, and receiving stolen property.

Baca could face up to 18 years in prison, and prosecutors requested he be held on $1 million bail.

Brief by SAM MOUNTJOY

STATS: Slight increase in crime CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The crime report comes on the heels of Police Chief Dan Hughes’ permanent appointment as police chief, a position he has held in an interim basis since January 2012.

The Fullerton City Council voted 5-0 to appoint Hughes to the position Jan. 15.

While many, like City Manager Joe Felz, said Hughes’ appointment can bring Fullerton forward, others disagree, citing that Hughes played a role in the Kelly Thomas incident, the police killing of a homeless man in 2011, as the officers’ supervisor.

“There’s really a pattern of abuses in that department. I don’t think that promoting someone who was overseeing (the Kelly Thomas case) is going to lead to any sort of solution,” said Travis Kiger, a former city councilmember.

Kiger was elected to the City Council at the June recall election when three council members were ousted over the Kelly Thomas case.

At the City Council meeting where he was appointed, Hughes said he will deal with officers who

engage in brutality in the future and said the department has lacked direction without a permanent police chief, which it had not had for 17 months.

“We are going to make sure that when a police officer in Fullerton has a badge, that if they betray that badge and that oath that they payed, they are going to pay a price for that,” Hughes said at the meeting.

While Fullerton crime trends varied, Cal State Fullerton suffered across-the-board crime increases in 2012 compared to 2011. The campus had a heavy wave of bike thefts last year, said University Police Capt.

John Brockie.

CSUF reported 129 stolen bikes in 2012, nearly triple the number from 2011. There were 46 bike thefts in 2011, according to University Police crime data.

The dorms attract the most bike thefts, recording 33 stolen bikes last year, according to the 2012 crime report.

Out of 17,000 police patrols and area checks on campus last year, about 2,000 were to the dorms, the highest police check

and theft-prone area.

Brockie said campus police have recognized the crime uptick at the dorms and plans are being made to create a University Police substation designated as a community resource cente “We’re trying to get a semi-permanent location over there and using the community-oriented policing model, have that accessibility, build the relationship with the housing residents over there so there’s a comfort level to report things to us and have conversations that will hopefully prevent crimes,” said Brockie.

Brockie said the department’s crime prevention unit and community service officers will use the sub-station, which does not have a location or timetable set.

There were 305 total crimes, mostly thefts, at Cal State Fullerton last year, a slight rise on the past two years. But the campus reports very few violent crimes, like assaults, and has not had a homicide on campus since at least 2009. There was one on-campus suicide in 2012, but the victim was not a student, Brockie said.

Brockie said the CSUF campus has

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THE DAILY TITAN

FULLERTON CRIME

2010:

148 robberies 366 vehicles stolen 955 vandalism reports 696 burglaries

2011:

110 robberies 385 vehicles stolen 823 vandalism reports 654 burglaries

2012:

147 robberies 373 vehicles stolen 889 vandalism reports 746 burglaries Source: Fullerton Police Department

always been safe against violent crimes.

“I think it’s very safe (but) there’s always room for improvement unless you have zero crime stats. But if you

look at the crimes against people, assaults and stuff like that, our number’s very low compared to other campuses our size,” Brockie said.

Construction expected to be complete in two weeks ADRIAN GARCIA Daily Titan

The construction in College Park is coming to a close as the project to convert the faculty parking lot into a safe walkway for students is expected to be completed in about two weeks.

The project, which is estimated to cost nearly $750,000, has faced several setbacks throughout its construction, according to Jim Alexander, director of property development for Auxiliary Services Corporation (ASC) of Cal State Fullerton.

Alexander said problems arose when reaching proper compaction for the concrete being placed on the patio. Inspectors tested the compaction and deemed it unstable, forcing the workers to spend additional time fixing the problem.

Along with the issues of compaction, Alexander said the recurring rain affected the workflow as well.

“We’ve had some opportunities in the form of rain which has slowed us down,” said Alexander. “Yesterday, we were pouring concrete in the rain to complete this and get it done.”

Alexander described his vision of College Park to invite students to congregate in a friendly environment. The walkway will lead to a patio full of tables and benches with Wi-Fi accessibility.

The palm trees and lights placed along the walkway are the same as those placed in front of Langsdorf Hall, creating a pattern between the two buildings. Alexander said the project also reduces potential dangers of accidents caused by students

walking through the parking lot.

“We felt the need to eliminate pedestrians and cars meeting each other,” Alexander said.

David Glenn, contractor of David E. Glenn Construction, said the majority of the construction will be completed Monday.

The main and west entrances will be open to students, though the cul-de-sac will still be fenced off to prevent students from entering dangerous work areas.

“It has nothing to do with blocking students from traveling, I don’t want them to trip in the hole,” said Glenn.

Alexander said the renovations to College Park are the first step to the development of the CollegeTown project. The CollegeTown project is a joint venture between CSUF, Hope International University and the city of Fullerton to provide a better student atmosphere around the neighboring campuses.

Alexander said the hope for CollegeTown is to attract more students by creating a center for students complete with restaurants and nightlife attractions.

He said the school is currently having meetings with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) about the closure of Nutwood Avenue. This is an ongoing project that will be completed in a few decades, added Alexander.

“It’s not a turn around, it takes a long time,” Alexander said. “You have a lot of different property owners and everyone needs to come together.”

ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan The estimated $750,000 project has faced several setbacks throughout the construction period including the recent rain.

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PAGE 6

THE DAILY TITAN

OPINION

MONDAY

‘Sharing’ a little too much

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

JENNIFER NGUYEN

CAMPUS HERO REMEMBERED

Daily Titan

There are some people who work in a big institution that you see everyday, but don’t really know except for a wave, a nod and brief conversation.

But it is their smile and their courtesy and general good nature that enlivens you as you pass, knowing the day is a little bit better for that brief encounter.

George Fagin was such a man. A security guard at the College Park building, he died suddenly over the Christmas holiday. Today his loss can be felt in the lobby by his post.

Where once there was cheer, now there is siCourtesy of Peggy Bockman lence.

I don’t think there is a student, administrator, professor or staff member who wasn’t greeted by George. He stood vigilant in a tidy white shirt that streamed over his thin frame. His hair combed back, eyes ever alert, George watched over the building with a sense of pride and responsibility. Yet, he always radiated good will and helped make everyone welcome at College Park.

George had a knack for names and greeted his flock as they entered and exited his building. Sometimes you got pulled into conversation, lured by his engaging smile. Sometimes you just walked by, catching snippets of his husky voice. Sometimes you listened as George assisted a student or helped a visitor with a problem.

In an institution where administrators and professors often pass by, too preoccupied to talk with anyone, George had time for everyone. This was his special gift and for this he will be missed. I don’t think I ever passed by the guard station without him acknowledging me by name.

The journalism students I teach loved him because he looked out for them and knew the Daily Titan staff by name. When the campus was locked down recently, George looked the other way as student journalists—told to evacuate College Park—stayed in their office on the sixth floor. Someone else may have been officious like a typical security guard or played by the book.

Not George. He went out of his way to help the students.

Those of us who work in the building were shocked by his death. Students choked up upon hearing the news. They had lost a friend who cared about them. A colleague who was visibly upset told me of his death. The university has many employees of high stature and advanced degrees. They take pride in their education and their position. As a security guard, George stood at the bottom of the pay scale. I doubt he graduated college; he told me he was drafted during the Vietnam War and served in Germany. George was pure working class.

Yet he stood out as a model teacher.

What he gave to the students, what he exhibited by doing his job, was a lesson in courtesy, cheer and character. It is something he shared with Aristotle.

College Park has lost a good soul with the passing of George.

Remember him when you walk by his post.

JEFFREY BRODY Communications Professor

CONTACT US AT: OPINION@DAILYTITAN.COM

JANUARY 28, 2013

Since the unveiling of Facebook’s new Graph Search feature, there has been a whirlwind of mixed reactions regarding its intended purposes as well as what it could be used for. It’s either pretty darn cool or not so cool at all depending on who you ask, but to many users, like myself, this tool is has some unpleasant implications.

Described as the “third pillar” of Facebook—the other two being the news feed and timeline, Graph Search will allow users to search their friends based on all the info they have shared on the site, such as where they live, what school they go to, and their favorite TV show. An example of a search I could do within my circle of friends could be something like: “My friends who live in Anaheim who go to California State University, Fullerton and like American Horror Story.”

This doesn’t just apply within your circle of friends, though.

Graph Search makes public searches possible as well, where one could search, for example: “People who live in La Habra who go to Fullerton College and work at Knott’s Berry Farm.” And, if you wanted to get more specific search results, you could replace “People” with “Males” or “Females.”

Yes, as you may have figured out already, this is where privacy concerns lie for many people, despite Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg stating that the company took that issue into consideration as they worked on this project.

According to Anthony Wing Kosner, a contributor to Forbes magazine, he has what he calls “content friends.” Every kind of web site we use are for different purposes. As far as personal information goes (both private and non-private), we share different

things about ourselves to different people. Most of us use Facebook to keep in touch with those we actually know, and we’ll often share things with them that we normally would not share on, say, Twitter, as Kosner mentioned. Social media sites like Twitter, or just simply discussion boards or forums, are where we’re most likely sharing things that pertain to the main focuses the site revolves around, basically little communities where our “content friends” are at.

“The lesson we could ... take in here is to keep your ... online behavior in check.”

I am no different than Mr. Kosner here. The things I post on my Facebook don’t have any business being on a Lakers forum board I’m active at; or on LinkedIn, which is strictly intended for professional networking.

Furthermore, in order for this Graph Search to work up to its potential, it needs all the information it could get to produce the best search results possible—tons of it.

Facebook’s new tool surely makes it much easier for phishers and scammers to do their dirty work; the more information, the better.

They could use all the data they could get to write personal messages to their targets, complete with details that the potential victims themselves would recognize right off the bat.

For example, Ruth Winter, an author and consumer advocate, recently fell victim to a scam that all started on Facebook. A con artist was able to find her phone number and called her, claiming that

her grandson was in jail and that he needed bail money as soon as possible or else he won’t ever be released. Winters believed it, and ended up wiring $1,900 to Peru.

If it’s not phishers and scammers you’d be worrying about, Graph Search could be seen as fodder for stalkers. If one were to “follow” you long enough and know where you regularly “check-in,” they could figure out your weekly schedule and make their move to the nearby 24 Hour Fitness you go to every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening after work around 7:30 p.m.

Perhaps far-fetched, but definitely possible.

Obviously, you always have the option to edit your privacy settings, but who will and who won’t? I always have, but with Graph Search who knows how long such a process may take it could take me? You’d have to to go through all the things you ever ‘liked’ or posted and hide them.

According to John Sileo, author of Privacy Means Profit and an identity expert, it will take someone about 90 minutes to go through their privacy and security settings to adjust what they need to adjust to ensure that they are safe.

Ninety minutes is sure a lot, and I suppose Facebook is aware that few are going to take that much time out of their day just to edit their privacy settings.

I most likely won’t, but then again, I don’t even recall “liking” or sharing anything on Facebook that I wouldn’t want my mother or an employer to see, so we shall see once I get to check out the beta version very soon.

I suppose the lesson we could truly take in here is to keep your own online behavior in check. After all, it’s a lesson we all should have learned a long time ago, but for those who haven’t, this new Facebook feature might get this point across for them.

JANUARY 28, 2013

MONDAY

OPINION

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THE DAILY TITAN

Shouldering the cost of education The preferred method of payment really does depend on the student RICARDO GONZALEZ Daily Titan

Another semester of college begins, and with it comes the inevitable mountain of fees. From classes to books to parking permits and everything in between, returning students know the extent to which a higher education weighs on the wallet and freshmen are just discovering that weight.

Regardless of the monetary pressure, however, we must all deal with it in one way or another.

The seemingly luckiest among us have parents willing to shoulder that burden for us.

At least this would be the typical rationale. According to a new study by Lauren Hamilton, a sociology professor from UC Merced, students who receive any kind of financial support from parents tend to do worse in their classes than those who are personally invested in their studies.

Using five nationally representative data-sets, Hamilton’s study revealed that the effects were never so great that students found themselves flunking out, but sub-par grades in comparison to what the supportive parents expected were regularly recorded.

While Hamilton’s study seems to fly in the face of traditional parental thought processes—indeed it contradicts the sense that if a student has fewer extra-curriculars to worry about, they focus more on school—there are contradictions in her own study.

For example; although GPA was higher for students who pay their

own way, their graduation rate was actually lower. Furthermore, the general effects of the lower GPA was less so at elite institutions.

This would appear to only further complicate and contradict matters, but only if we completely ignore the human element in all this. Regardless of how one wants to think of it, this is still a matter in which young adults are at the core; young adults with different motivations and desires.

Now, when thought of like this, it most certainly seems to make sense. After all, if one has a personal stake in something, then they are much more likely to feel, well, invested in that pursuit. It might be a little odd to think of education in this way, but education is ostensibly an investment in one’s own future.

Even the fact that students who self-fund have higher GPAs, yet a smaller chance for graduation has a very easy to understand rationale behind it if we do not lump all the students that classify as selffunders under a single umbrella.

Imagine it like this: Two students are entering college with no monetary support from their parents. Both are self-motivated, but whereas one already has a fairly well-paying job and actually still receives free housing from their parents, the other has just entered into a low-level position and is also attempting to provide herself with housing. Try as they might, that second individual is always going to have a smaller chance of staying in school based solely on their financial situation.

On the flip side, someone who is having their education “taken care of ” for them will likely fall into a couple of categories and

#THIS

RICARDO GONZALEZ

‘Following’ false idols

Photo Illustration by ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan In a study published in the American Sociological Review, Professor Lauren Hamilton revealed that students who recieve financial support from their parents have slightly lower GPAs than those who pay their own way through college.

thought-processes themselves.

Since they have no actual “real” stake in it themselves, their motivation instead falls on how beholden they are to their parents and how important education is to their perceived future.

If anything, that’s what can be gleaned from Hamilton’s study, and what she ultimately did conclude in her findings; social context and motivation are important when discussing (or even when

deciding) what is the best way that we students can approach the ever-looming issue of student financials. Ultimately, those with no parental financial support would likely not begrudge some, and those who do get a “free ride” from mom and dad most definitely do their best to make it if that well were to ever dry up.

Regardless of the approach, we’re all in the same boat just trying to steer it into port.

The problematic post-Prop. 30 proposals Gov. Brown’s discourse is helpful, but some of his solutions need more work ANDIE AYALA Daily Titan

The passing of Proposition 30 left many excited. It was the passing of a dream proposition for many: students were behind it, many teachers were behind it and Gov. Jerry Brown was behind it.

But in the aftermath of the celebration, the proposition left some jittery awaiting the outcomes the governor’s promises.

Jerry Brown, in his recent State of the State address, outlined his goals for California’s public institutions of higher education and offered solutions to what he thought were the greatest problems in the UC, the CSU and California community college systems.

He said revenue received from Proposition 30 would help students graduate faster.

As much as I’d love to believe that Proposition 30 would be a great fix for problems in public higher education, it seems to me that funneling more money into higher education doesn’t necessarily aid in students graduating faster.

Brown proposes a unit cap on students to force them to graduate sooner, but as far as graduation rates there are other factors to consider when reviewing reasons why students take longer to graduate.

High costs in tuition and lack of classes are a main cause of the problem of lengthy graduation rates, and adding more sections of classes would be a step in the right direction. Students would be able to take the classes they needed quickly, and wouldn’t be left stranded for extra semesters waiting for certain sections to open up.

However, a lack of resources to

“It would be inaccurate to say that the solutions... are going to be a win-all, fix-all for the state.” help students find focus in their careers leaves a lot of students

jumping from major to major without being able to decide. This causes issues such as duplication of courses, which leaves many students behind. There needs to be a greater focus on remedial courses if we wish to prevent repetition of courses and shorten time to graduation.

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, Brown wants to focus more money on online education to save schools money.

While online education may help move towards that goal, it could just as easily reduce the quality of education that students are working very hard to pay for—often balancing both school and work.

These students may face a disadvantage after college if their education doesn’t hold up to that of students who worked in classrooms.

Not that online classes can’t teach students adequately, but in my experience, students who regularly excel in the classroom often don’t do as well in online courses.

Perhaps because they added the course as a way to balance work and other responsibilities, or they don’t have time to devote to the class.

There’s also a significant disad-

vantage to testing students online.

Outside of a classroom environment, students cannot be monitored as closely, meaning making sure that their “knowledge” does not come from a quick search of Google becomes a more arduous task.

Current online classes do have some safeguards to prevent cheating, but relying heavily on these types of courses as a solution really takes away from students and would give them less for the money they are investing in their education.

In his newest budget proposal, Brown boosted funding for both the UC and CSU by $250 million each, but both systems are very independent.

If any change is going to come to California’s education system, it will have to be decided by the schools and not by Brown.

And while it is good to know that the governor is being so actively involved in improving higher education in California, it would be inaccurate to say that the solutions coming in the wake of Proposition 30 are going to be a win-all, fix-all for the state. Public higher education won’t magically get fixed.

Even if someone does not immediately come to mind, it can be said with some certainty that most everyone has their idols; those people that we look up to and admire for one reason or another. Though we might not be proud to admit it, there are persons on this Earth that we’d likely go to great lengths to get the attention of.

When it comes to actually interacting with such people the methods of doing so have actually changed drastically and, in many ways, dangerously.

It may be scary for some to remember the days of pre-Internet communication but, in the case of idol worship, here is an instance where social media might just do more harm than good.

The trend—or rather trending topic—I’m referring to occurred just a few weeks back on Monday, Jan. 7. Only a week into new year, the hashtag #Cut4Bieber trended worldwide, receiving some 26,000 mentions in 12 hours according to Topsy.com, a site that does tracking and analytics for social media.

Seeing a top trend involving Justin Bieber is not exactly something new or surprising; Bieber did just dethrone Lady Gaga for the person with the most followers on Twitter and his fanbase can be conservatively referred to as loyal. However, #Cut4Bieber referred to the (let us hope defunct) practice of slashing one’s wrists in an attempt to get the pop idol’s attention—often accompanied by grisly photos of the act.

The New York Daily News reported this came in the wake of allegations that Bieber regularly smoked marijuana, the hashtag supposedly being fans’ way of “voicing” their disapproval.

Thus, something that in a time prior to social media would have been a solitary cry for help produced from young and immature minds seeking guidance instead became a social event. Selfharming, rarely justifiable in its own right, was seemingly encouraged via its popularity on social media..

The New York Daily News points out that the trend did not originate from Bieber fans—rather from malicious Internet trolls—and that tweets both expressing concern as well as

ridicule to those taking part in the self-harming contributed to it staying among the top trends, but that is beyond the point.

Again, before Twitter pervaded the lives of so many young people, cases of unhealthy obsession were contained.

For example; imagine if a young woman were to idolize Ringo Starr back in the 1960s (say to the level of sending him a life-size painted portrait of himself), her fandom would lead to a couple of logical endpoints; one introverted, the other extroverted.

With social media, introversion can actually come with a level of extroversion. People are now allowed to be obsessive about peoples and things and where they once might be forced to confront such issues by themselves, now they have an entire virtual community to reach out to for support.

And though that support can oftentimes be the most positive thing in the world, sometimes the lack of social responsibility that comes with “supporting” something on the Internet is the least helpful thing there is.

Now, do not misread me and believe I think fandoms are a bad thing.

I reiterate that it’s perfectly fine to have heroes and idols whom we look up to—I most certainly am guilty of attempting to get a reply or a retweet from one of my idols on Twitter. The sheer ability to directly mention these types of people, even if it is just much like shouting at them from across a crowded plaza, is part of what makes social media and the future of interaction as a society so exciting.

However, we should maintain the difference between a healthy admiration and a dangerous obsession: Supporting one and squelching the other.

More than that, it is imperative we recall that this “plaza” is often occupied by the young and impressionable. It is filled to the brim with the sensitive and the innocent and this is as apparent with the daily trending of One Direction just as much as it with those few hours in which #Cut4Bieber was unfortunately visible on just about everyones’ timelines.

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OPINION

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JANUARY 28, 2013 MONDAY

To keep state’s schools strong, we need to test Proposals to cut down on testing destroy our ability to find effective teachers LAUREN HARRITY Daily Titan

In a global report by Pearson, the United States ranks 17th in the world in education. Closer to home, California recently failed an evaluation of public schools.

This is not new information. For many years, the U.S. and specifically California have lagged behind many other countries and territories like the United Kingdom and Hong Kong in education standards.

Many attempts have been proposed in hopes of raising our ranking and giving our children a better education. A greater emphasis on testing has been a controversial method proposed in the past but now, starting in fall 2014, new methods in the way students are tested will be introduced in testing in K-12 classes— not all of them ideal.

The state has proposed some changes to make testing more effective, such as having students explain how they arrived at their answers, testing students throughout the year rather than just at the end and using computer programs to gage what a student has learned and what they need further help with. Using these new methods will be an effective tool for teachers to understand which subjects the students are effectively learning and which ones they need more emphasis on.

As a student, I generally do more studying in the days leading up to an exam and I usually only study the areas that I know I will be tested on.

Many other students have the same approach to studying. However,

if tests are conducted throughout the year, then students will have to study throughout the year and will have a better chance at retaining the information than they would if they were to just “cram” before a final or midterm exam.

Also, if students have to explain how they arrived at their conclusions, they are applying the information they have been taught in their own words rather than just taking a lucky guess or regurgitating memorized answers.

“Students of effective teachers perform better ... the (tests) that education rankings are based on.”

And while some feel testing is not a good measure of a student’s knowledge, it has in fact been supported in a recent study by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. The study concluded that standardized testing is, perhaps obviously, the best method of identifying effective teachers. In other words, students of effective teachers perform better on tests—like the ones that education rankings are based on—than those with ineffective teachers.

Other proposed solutions to aid California’s education are far less promising.

Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, is pushing for a reduction in testing because of

CONTACT US AT: OPINION@DAILYTITAN.COM

the cost required to test students.

However, making an investment in student education is the best investment the state could make; an investment in the future of the country.

Additionally, countries that performed well in education rankings had a culture that placed a high emphasis on the importance of education. The Pearson study notes that the two highest-ranking countries, Finland and South Korea, may have different teaching methods but have a shared belief in the importance and purpose of education. By cutting back on testing because of the cost, California would be sending a message that education is not the most important thing.

Education is the first step in securing a person’s future. Regardless of what someone ends up doing in the future, their journey usually begins in the classroom.

As Victor Hugo said, “He who opens a school door, closes a prison.” While there may be a constant debate as to what the most effective method of teaching and testing is, the one thing that should always be held up as a truth is the importance of education.

Photo Illustration by JOHN PEKCAN / Daily Titan Following several mass shootings, most recently the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting in December, aggressive pro and anti-gun activism has solidly divided the nation on the need and constitutionality of adding more gun control laws.

Time to start a conversation Guns are a heavy topic with who not only disagree, but just as a myriad of views, but we firmly believe that my plan would must be able to discuss it simply increase the chances for MATT ATKINSON Daily Titan

Gun control.

Judging from the past few weeks (and my Facebook newsfeed), I’d say these are two of the dirtiest words in America right now. They certainly seem to be among the most virulent. Mentioning guns at the moment is just asking to start an argument.

But it’s an argument we need to have.

No matter what your stance is, it’s safe to say we’ve collectively ignored the issue of gun violence in this country long enough. Even though there are many different opinions for why that is, it’s time for all of us to act like adults and have a civil discussion about what we can do to change it.

The problem lies in the myriad of directions we could take from here.

When I first decided to write this article, I realized instantly that it couldn’t be so simple as a “yes-orno, black-and-white, gun controlor-not” opinion.

That’s because there aren’t two sides to this story. There aren’t even five sides. If only it were that simple.

Let’s cut to the chase: I firmly believe this nation has a problem with gun violence, and I also believe that this violence could be reduced— though not eliminated—by restricting the sale of certain firearms and magazines, and by enforcing heavier regulations on who is allowed to own them. Already I will have made a few enemies simply with that statement alone.

But, and this is a big “but,” I recognize that there are people

gun violence. We can’t both be right, but that doesn’t mean we can’t discuss it.

There are some facts that need to be recognized. Facts that support both sides of the argument.

There have been 61 mass shootings in the U.S. since 1982. In just under 50 of those incidents the shooters obtained weapons legally.

America is a more violent country than the rest of the world, but violent crime rates have been decreasing since the late ‘70s. Yet, in 2011 more people were killed with knives, hands, feet or clubs than any kind of rifle at all. High gun ownership does not equal more shootings, but states with stricter gun control laws have fewer deaths from guns per capita.

And this: more U.S. civilians have been killed since 1968 by guns than soldiers in every war this country has fought since its inception. I am not making that up, it’s from a study published by the Congressional Research Service.

In reality, gun control is not the perfect solution. It’s a piece in a larger puzzle of violence that needs to be understood before it can be fixed. Many people, including myself, were incensed upon learning that Vice President Joe Biden was meeting with leading video game industry executives about this matter.

But fine! Do it!

Look at every angle, examine every stone, find out why in this country we have such a tendency for violence. I don’t think the answer is there, but let’s examine everything: Guns, movies, video games, education, living conditions and mental health. They’re all parts of this.

A gun by itself is not an evil

thing. Millions of law-abiding Americans own guns, and I’m not suggesting those should forcibly have their guns taken away. But a gun is also a weapon; that is its primary purpose. It’s something that can do great damage, and thus

“There aren’t two sides to this story. There aren’t even five sides. If only it were that simple. something we should limit access to only those that can be determined responsible.

There’s so many other problems that feed into this issue. Mental health is an obvious and key one.

Criminal background checks are another. No normal person should be upset to have those things examined when attempting to purchase a firearm. And for those who are sick, we need better ways to help them, before they turn into another news icon and crime statistic.

But no, in all practicality, we will probably go back to petty squabbles.

No side will admit they have an ounce of responsibility in the matter and will deflect the blame to others instead. Obama wouldn’t answer a question asking why he hadn’t done anything about this matter before, and the NRA declared that video games are to blame and the solution is buying more guns.

They might not be, but let us please try, try, to have a civil discussion.

JANUARY 28, 2013

MONDAY

FEATURES

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THE DAILY TITAN

Playa gives a taste of sunshine Playa del Carmen is a Mexican getaway cheaper than Cancún beaches ANDIE AYALA Daily Titan

I walk into a small cafe and choose a table in the corner.

I nod as the mesero and I complete our routine.

Yes, I would like the usual.

As he leaves I can see that it will be another morning like the others: warm and beautiful, but too easy to get used to.

How slowly time passes as I drink my coffee and my soul drinks the sunlight; it is 9:15 a.m.

The generous servings of sliced papaya and huevos rancheros are the only thing that distract my view of the white sand beach with grains so white they resemble the salt on my plate.

The only noise louder than the crashing of the waves is the sense of victory and pleasure that this meal and this morning cost me a

PLAYA DEL CARMEN TRAVEL IDEAS Cuisine

• Oh Lala

Thai, French and Indian dining. Serves breakfast, brunch and dinner. Reservations recommended.

little under $4.

It’s easy to indulge your thoughts and get lost in a paradise like Playa del Carmen, a lesserknown beach to us in the United States.

It’s even easier to forget where you’re sitting as you sip on delicious, fresh piña coladas in the comfort of a beach chair that indicates time passing with every inch it sinks into the sand.

What Cancún is to American spring-break-crazy-college-adolescents and elderly retirees looking for a warm place to escape below freezing temperatures, Playa del Carmen is for Europeans.

Only an hour from the renowned tourist spot, Playa del Carmen has its similar charms: clean, beautiful beaches and nearby ruins in a denser environment, much more catered toward European tourists.

That being said, you can expect to find something of a replica of Nice on “La Quinta,” the nickname lovingly given to the town’s fifth avenue, where most of the shopping and fine dining occurs.

The long street is only blocks away from the shore and features restaurants with tables outside a la Europe, countless restaurants specializing in Americanized imitation Mexican food and familiar chains such as Ben and Jerry’s–– and of course the ever so popular McDonald’s.

As a Mexican, I would highly recommend steering as far away as possible from La Quinta if you’re looking for good Mexican food.

Most of it is highly priced and not authentic.

I asked a waiter there (who worked at a restaurant on La Quinta) where I could find good food nearby in Spanish and he directed me five blocks away from the street where I found delicious home-made Yucatecan specialties.

For all its charms and beauty, I regret to inform anybody reading this that even though it’s a lesser known area in the U.S., Playa del Carmen remains a tourist trap.

There are Euro/Dollar ATMs throughout the town, the universal language is English and there are a plethora of side trips all catered towards foreigners, highly organized and planned, clean-cut like a Disneyland visit.

If you’re looking for a safe place different from Cancún yet still accessible to many of the treasures the Yucatec peninsula has to offer (i.e. Tulum, Chichen Itza), then Playa del Carmen is your best bet.

If you’re young and you want to make a lot of European friends for relatively cheap in a nice place, then Playa del Carmen is your best bet.

But if you are a real traveler and hope to find any authenticity pertaining to the Mayan culture, learn anything or truly absorb authentic Mexican culture at all, then refresh your Expedia page right now, (just kidding, don’t use Expedia, widen your search to something like SkyScanner.com) and book a flight/hotel to Merida or Tulum.

You’ll be grateful you did.

ANDIE AYALA / Daily Titan

TOP: A mariachi performer donning tradional Mexican attire provides entertainment to beach goers soaking up the sun.

BOTTOM: Los Voladores de Papantla prepare to fly overhead in one of the traditional spectacles of Playa del Carmen.

• La Casa del Chocolate

Desserts such as various chocolates, cakes and milkshakes.Sandwiches on fresh baguettes available for lunch.

•Fusion Bar and Restaurant

Food and drink on a beach setting. Dine with live music in the afternoon and at night.

Entertainment • Nightclubs

Dance the night away at one of these popular clubs: Tequila Barrel, Playa 69 and La Fé.

• Xel-Ha

A natural aquarium and popular snorkeling destination where the ocean combines with the freshwater currents of springs and underground rivers.

• Sky diving

Those who are searching for a thrill can take a plunge high above Playa in a tandem sky dive. For more info visit Skydive.com.mx

• Shopping

Popular shopping destinations include Ambar Mexicano, Artes Taxco, Artevelas and Plaza Las Americas.

Sightseeing • Tulum

Known for white sand beaches that tells of Mexico’s history through murals painted on the walls of some ancient buildings.

•Coral Reef Park of Morelos A great coral reef located in Puerto Morelos that currently has over 600 marine species.

• Granja de Tortugas

Giant turtles lay eggs from May to September each year on Playa’s white sands.

• Isla Contoy

A bird sanctuary located 45 minutes north of Isla Mujeres.

This sight gives a panoramic view of the Mexican Caribbean. Several excursions available daily.

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FEATURES

PAGE 10

THE DAILY TITAN

JANUARY 28, 2013 MONDAY

Homecoming celebrations welcome students into spring Festivities begin Tuesday at noon and continue until Saturday’s basketball game ASHLEY RUIZ Daily Titan

New pens and pencils, blank paper, a planner and binder that has yet to be filled.

It’s the start of a new semester and for some that means a new “welcome,” others a “welcome back,” but to all, a “welcome home.”

While stepping foot on campus after winter break may be difficult, Titan Tusk Force has made the return easier by preparing a week of activities and events for students to feel at ease and more at home.

Titan Tusk Force, a group part of Associated Students Inc., has been planning homecoming week since the end of fall semester and throughout winter break.

“Our ultimate goal for the event is to bring as many students to the game as possible on Saturday, support our athletic programs on campus and pump up school spirit,” said administrative director Rachel Hanners.

“All of the events are free, in fact anything with the ASI logo is free for students. Our mission is to provide free activities for students to get involved on campus and have fun,” she added.

Homecoming week will kick off Tuesday with a pep rally in the Quad from 12-1 p.m.

Tiffany Santana, marketing and recruitment coordinator for Titan Tusk Force, said the cheer team, dance team and band will make an appearance in Tuesday’s pep rally.

“All of the events take place from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. because it is a time where we are able to make as much noise as we can on campus, many students have break during that time and the music and entertainment attract people,”

said Santana.

On Wednesday, there will be a fashion show in the Quad from 12-1 p.m. featuring student models wearing Titan gear from Titan Shops.

Hanners said the fashion show will include opportunity drawings for students to win prizes, free food and an appearance from a special guest.

Thursday’s event will turn the Titan Walk lawn into a carnival from 12-1 p.m.

Booths will be set up with food such as popcorn and nachos, a photo area, a caricature artist and games.

Friday’s event will give students living on campus a chance to socialize in the residence halls from 5-7 p.m.

There will also be a pre-game festival outside the Titan Gym at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Activities before the game will include an activity zone where students can take part in crafts, face painting, carnival games, a photobooth and more; there will also be dance performances and give-aways.

Titan Tusk Force partnered with many other on-campus organizations and community organizations to put on the pre-game festival, Hanners said.

The festival will offer a balloon artist, crafts, games, live performances from the band, spirit squad and dance team.

In addition, there will be appearances by Tuffy the Titan.

Tip-off time for the game is at 8 p.m., as the Titans take on Hawaii.

Jasmine Gonzalez, 20, a child development major, said although she is not an avid college basketball fan, she would not miss the homecoming game.

“I am a Lakers fan, but it’s more fun going to support a team where I actually go to the school,” Gonzalez said. “I feel like I know the team more personally and it’s more fun that way.”

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ASI Productions will hold a student-only dance after the game on Saturday in the Titan Student Union Underground at 10:30 p.m.

Information booths and sign up sheets for this week’s events will be set up throughout campus today at the Student Recreation Center, the Quad, the Titan Walk and student housing.

The booths will run from 9-10 a.m., 12-1 p.m. and 5-6 p.m.

“We tried to enhance this year’s homecoming events and make them even crazier ... We only have one semester left, so why not have fun with it,” Hanners said.

For more information on how to purchase tickets to the game, visit Fullerton.edu/Homecoming.

Courtesy of CSUF Alumni Association RIGHT: A variety of ticket packages will be sold before the game, similar to last year’s homecoming festivities.

BOTTOM: A student gets a caricature done at last year’s game. A caricature artist will also be available this year.

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Volunteers conduct survey about local homelessness ‘Point in Time’ is a national poll taken to attract funds for homeless individuals ADREANA YOUNG Daily Titan

Standing under the awning of a park building to shield himself from the rain, a young man stands alone near his bike. A young woman named Stephanie Gutowski, a volunteer with Families Forward, a non-profit organization, and Kaz Hirama, a student at The Village of Hope, approach the young man.

“Do you speak English?” Hirama asks him. He shakes his head no.

Gutowski briefly speaks to the young man in Spanish then hands him a gift card for McDonald’s, and walks away. Hirama pulls out a clipboard he’s been holding from under his arm to protect it from the drizzling rain, and checks “male,” “20 to 25.”

“I was such a loser, and my justification was just ‘poor, poor me.’”

KAZ HIRAMA Student at The Village of Hope Gutowski and Hirama are two volunteers working on a nationwide survey to count the homeless.

The “Point In Time” count is meant to establish a base number of the homeless population residing in Orange County in order for homeless services agencies to gain Housing Urban Development funds to help reduce homelessness, according to the Orange County Point In

Time website.

Before the sun came up, teams of volunteers were sent out from one of the five deployment centers set up throughout Orange County.

Volunteers were sent to designated hotspot locations where many homeless are known to stay.

After a few days of rain, the wet ground was a bed for little to no people on the early morning of Jan. 26.

Living out of his car for two years, Hirama said he knew all too well that many of the homeless would not be around that damp morning to be surveyed because of the rain.

“I would drive around and just crash at parks, I did that for a long time,” said Hirama.

“After I lost my unemployment, I lost everything. I was such a loser, and my justification was just ‘poor, poor me,’” Hirama added.

Hirama now stays at The Village of Hope, a transitional hous-

ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan TOP: Todd Spitzer, Orange County third district supervisor, looks behind a bush while volunteering at the Point in Time count.

RIGHT: Spitzer speaks to homeless women in their van to conduct a survey that will help allocate Housing Urban Development funds to help reduce homelessness in Orange County.

ing program for the homeless. He works on the kitchen staff and said he has found his gift in cooking and juicing for the other students and staff.

Hirama said he was 8 when he started cooking, and he now focuses on raw foods and juicing as a part of a healthier lifestyle.

He said he hopes one day to manage a kitchen.

In addition to counting unsheltered people and people staying in shelters throughout the areas, the Point In Time count surveyed homeless individuals to get a sense of “who the homeless are,” said Julia Bidwell, deputy director for

OC Community Services for Orange County.

“We were doing surveys today as well as a count. Even though a count may go down we may still see an upward trend in family homelessness, maybe veterans, maybe youth. It’s a tough economy right now and so we want to take those trends and invest and try to end homelessness,” said Bidwell.

Funding for homeless services does not only rely on the number of individual’s counted, but from the demographic information gathered by the Point In Time count as well.

“So even if the count goes up or down there’s still those demo-

graphic statistics we could use to help place funding,” Bidwell said. “(Then we) build a report and use that to look at the funding we have and (see if it’s) meeting what the demographics say.”

According to data collected by the Point In Time count in 2011, homelessness is decreasing in the United States.

The total number of homeless people in 2010 was 649,917 and declined to 636,017 in the 2011 count. The 2011 numbers also show that 63 percent of homeless people

were individuals, and 37 percent were homeless families.

Bidwell said that this year’s volunteer turnout was the largest it has ever has been.

“This is the most number of volunteers that we’ve had. (It was) a great effort from the faith-based community, from schools, and from our shelter providers. So, it’s been a great year for volunteers,” Bidwell said.

For more information on volunteering and helping to reduce homelessness, go to OCPartnership.net.

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Training prepares Titans for wreckage Student employees endure emergency simulations and CPR lessons at SRC YVETTE QUINTERO Daily Titan

The sound of fired gunshots sends students running in every direction. One sprints and jumps the exit hurdle; about 15 others follow him.

Some run straight into the basketball gym, retreating to the safety of a locked equipment room where they shelter in place.

Fast forward 30 minutes and the scene changes.

About 120 students congregate around a door.

Six of them huddle together to formulate a hasty plan to take down the shooter.

Three students hide by the door, ready to tackle the perpetrator.

Meanwhile, the others shuffle to a corner and prepare to throw whatever they can to distract him.

The door flies open to reveal an armed man—donning a red padded suit, holding a brown plastic rifle.

He is suddenly attacked by a series of balls and pool noodles before being tackled to the ground.

Wreckage Weekend, a leadership training event for student employees and professional staff of the Student Recreation Center at Cal State Fullerton, was held Friday and Saturday.

Friday was dedicated to lifeguard training and Saturday to emergency response training for remaining staff.

Training was led by SRC professional staff and focused on teaching employees about CPR, first aid and how to respond to emergencies.

The day began with a video that included graphic footage of sports injuries and the Columbine High School shooting to make students aware of possible emergencies they

can face while on the job.

SRC professional staff briefed students on the events of the day and urged students to be active participants.

“When asked to take action, take action,” said Alison Wittwer, SRC safety and aquatics coordinator.

During the first hour on Saturday, University Police conducted a training program developed by Capt.

John Brockie and Sue Fisher, emergency management coordinator.

Brockie said the SRC contacted University Police and asked them to put together a training program to coincide with the event.

Brockie served as one of the main instructors teaching SRC employees and student leaders the concept of “run, hide, flight” through a emergency simulation in which a shooter enters the SRC. The concept tells students to run to a safer place if possible, hide and shelter in place, or prepare to fight off the shooter.

“If you can escape the area safely, then do that, if you can’t then hide and that’s where the shelter in place comes to play,” said Brockie.

University Police took students through all parts of the concept.

During the first part, gunshots were heard through a loudspeaker in throughout the building and students were instructed to run outside or to a safe place inside.

Hide, the second part, took students to the equipment room and pool area where Brockie and Fisher briefed students on sheltering in place.

The last part, fight, took students to participate in an exercise where they would devise a plan to take down the “shooter”—an officer wearing red protective gear and holding a plastic weapon—when he came through a door.

“Everyone, as an adult, they get to make a decision. They can act or

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ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan TOP: Carly Jones, a senior communications disorders major, leads the attack against an “armed gunman” at the Student Recreation Center during a training program developed by University Police.

RIGHT: Chris Upchurch, 21, a junior kinesiology major practices, CPR on a dummy during the CPR training session of Wreckage Weekend held to train SRC employees in emergency response.

be passive and take their chances with what the shooter decides,” Brockie said.

Paige Polichetti, a child and adolescent studies major, is head lifeguard at the SRC. She said the event sought to prepare SRC employees to handle all types of disasters or emergencies likely to occur at the recreation center.

As the head lifeguard, Polichetti helped train attendees during the event.

She said her role was to assist one of the lead trainers in testing people on CPR and first aid and to assess peoples’ ability to react in emergency situations.

This is the second year that the event is held to train SRC employees. Polichetti participated in the first Wreckage Weekend last year which, she said, was a great success.

“Even though it’s a little stressful, it makes you feel way more prepared in actual emergencies,” Polichetti said.

Patrick Seckington, a business major, works the rock wall at the SRC. He said participating in Wreckage Weekend has helped him be more prepared for a real life situation in which someone needs help.

“I felt a lot more comfortable after this, if I needed to help somebody right away,” said Seckington.

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Boiling Pot bubbles with racial tensions The everyday racism and discrimination of today’s world are closely examined RAYMOND MENDOZA Daily Titan

Courtesy of MCT The 2012 adaptation of the classic Victor Hugo novel, originally published in 1862, is nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role.

Musical theater prevails with Hooper’s adaptation ALEXANDRA SOTO For the Daily Titan

Les Misérables As hushed hearsay infiltrates the public of a movie adaptation of a stage musical, theater fans are conflicted as to whether to sob into the nearest pillow or re-sync the soundtrack to their playlist.

The release of Les Misérables on Christmas day caused an eruption of criticism and praise (often backhanded) from the oh-so-refined theater patrons. In this elite, cultured bubble, isn’t it always the case that they could have cast it better themselves? Directed it better themselves?

Of course they could. But until they breakthrough into Hollywood, and cast and direct their first movie, only subjects of actuality will be discussed.

Les Misérables tells the story of Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), an honest gentleman living as a convict for breaking his parole.

Valjean, forever scampering from the reach of police officer Javert (Russell Crowe), promises Fantine (Anne Hathaway), a former employee on her deathbed, to help her daughter, Cosette.

Valjean adopts the child and a later, grownup Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) falls in love with student revolutionary Marius (Eddie Redmayne) in the moments leading up to Paris’ surge with chaos and violence in the anti-monarchist uprising of 1832.

The 1,488-page Victor Hugo novel, originally published in 1862, has surfaced in four film adaptations—including director Tom Hooper’s 2012 interpretation—and since the re-opening of Les Misérables’ musical adaptation in 1980, it has secured its title as the world’s longest running musical.

Amid all the negativity surrounding the film, what cannot be dismissed as lack of achievement in Hooper’s adaptation of the stage musical is the film’s striking visual impact.

No stage set, even if conceived by the most brilliant of set designers, can contest the visually staggering, gothic-esque feel of the 2012 film.

But a common gripe with Hooper’s film adaptation of the musical is its overwhelming intensity and forcefulness—vocal cord-straining, vein-bulging performances caught in a series of close-ups as to better inform the audience of that which is important and, perhaps less deliberately, familiarize them with each actor’s foundation-teemed pores.

There is truth to theater’s beauty in its nature as a less-governed presentation. The live toured performances of Les Misérables afford greater accommodation to individual interpretation of the grimly emotive tale.

But, alas, film is not the stage, and a director’s creative license is in limbo when working on such an adaption. Pressure mounts to create a discernable resemblance to prior productions while straying enough to give the project a purpose.

Those familiar with the story of Les Misérables told in the musical production must be familiar with its misery and gloom.

The story is based on the dismal conditions of early 19th-century France when the destitute, the ailing and the progressive were cast beyond society’s bounds into the abject and rendered social mutants.

Presumably, 19th-century France as a story’s setting would qualify on most accounts as “intense.” And the intensity of the characters’ misery is merely captured by a camera that can expose what a view from a fourth-row seat cannot.

Another unrelenting grievance is from audibly-offended musical-lovers.

But the mediocre vocal performances aren’t shocking—although an expectation of greatness is. Big names bring in big audiences.

Why does that need to be clarified?

And, more importantly, why did we expect these actors to have the vocal abilities to match their stardom?

If unrecognizable vocalists from the theater were cast would the film have done so well in the box office?

As a formerly trained singer, I am familiar with the musical and its ballads. And, yes, more than once I found myself yearning for a “mute” button – specifically when faced with Amanda Seyfried and Russell Crowe.

But overlooked in essentially all damning reviews of the film is its significance to those shielded from the world of musical theater and those unequipped with the $53 needed to secure a single, why-even-bother seat at the 2013 Les Misérables tour.

Found in the responses of those generally unfamiliar with musical theater, two common themes arise: the film’s approval and a hint of boredom embedded in the viewing experience.

I’ve heard incessantly since the movie’s release: “It drags at times, but I found the film pleasurable overall.”

The film was created to reach a mass audience and the endorsement of the average moviegoer is confirmation of the film as a respectable interpretation of this classic story.

The story starts with a young black man being dragged through a wooded area after a vicious beating, which culminates in his lynching death by four university students.

He is then left to hang as a morally reprehensible sign of the times.

Yet, this hate crime did not take place during the civil rights era,or during the time of slavery in America.

The setting is 2008 and the movie is called Boiling Pot. An indie film directed, produced and co-written by Omar Ashmawey about the toll that racism has on the everyday American citizen.

“I think the first step to solving any problem in society is to admit that it’s there. ” OMAR ASHMAWEY Boiling Pot director Omar and his brother, Ibrahim, whom is also producer and cowriter of the film, managed to secure some major talent by casting actors such as M. Emmet Walsh (Blade Runner), Louis Gossett Jr. (An Officer and a Gentleman), Danielle Fishel (Boy Meets World), Davetta Sherwood (The Young and the Restless) and Sayed Badreya (Iron Man).

The synopsis to Boiling Pot is

simple: the story of modern racism has no protagonist or antagonist.

The people involved in the film have both good qualities and bad, and once a person is pushed to a certain point, their actions could bring out a primal instinct of discrimination and prejudice.

The main plot of the story was created by the Ashmawey brothers in 2010 and is meant to take an honest look at the multiple views of racism and the lack of communication due to social stigma.

“I think the first step to solving any problem in society is to admit that it’s there, recognizing that it exists,” said Omar Ashmawey.

“That’s the biggest problem that we have today; people don’t recognize that racism is still a thing.”

The basis of the movie is told through many character’s perspectives.

Both Ashmawey brothers were adamant in mentioning that each character has formed some type of bias or prejudice based on their personal upbringing and environment.

“I think it has to do with upbringing and society as a whole,” said Ibrahim Ashmawey. “We may know that racism is bad and on the outside you’re acting like it, but if you’re put in a situation where you’re attacked by someone in a different race: deep down inside something bad is going to come out.”

Fishel plays Valerie Davis, whom Fishel herself describes as a representation of the average white person who typically fails to both deal with and comprehend the racial tensions of society.

Fishel says her character is naive to racial tensions and the fact that racism still exists.

“Over the course of the movie she finds herself in certain situations where she’s feeling the effects of racism, she’s engaged to a man who is Egyptian and so she feels (racism) from her family and she

feels it from other people on campus,” said Fishel.

She also comes face-to-face with some of her own racist ideas.”

Fishel also mentioned that she found many connections between herself and the character of Valerie Davis, since she is not typically the victim of racism.

However, Fishel agrees that it is important for everyone to realize that they have social and racial biases and how important it is to overcome them.

“I think it’s important to have self awareness,” Fishel said. “I think being self aware means being able to take an honest look at yourself and some of the racial biases that you have.”

While the plot of the movie plays a serious tone, the production of the film has had a more lighthearted atmosphere.

There was a high level of camaraderie between the cast and crew.

Actor Emmet Walsh handed out 1943 silver pennies and $2 bills (a tradition that Walsh has been doing supposedly for decades).

“I truly believe that I have the best crew in Hollywood. Period,” said Paul Salmons, director of photography for the film. “When you get to do what you love and send a message through film, there’s nothing more you can ask for.”

Salmons mentioned a day when surprise rain would have normally ruined or destroyed lighting equipment.

The entire cast and crew helped by moving the lights and placing sandbags to prevent water damage.

“It’s like no other set I’ve worked on before,” Salmons said.

Though the movie is still in production, the Ashmawey brothers are hoping to play the film in theaters as well as entering the movie in various film festivals.

Visit Facebook.com/boilingpotmovie for more information, production photos and contacting the crew.

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JANUARY 28, 2013 MONDAY

Film forecast for 2013 Whether you love action, comics or Ron Burgundy, you won’t be disappointed DEANNA TROMBLEY Daily Titan

You’ve survived the end of the world and made it to year 2013 packaged with several promising and highly anticipated films to look forward to.

There’s something for everyone, so here’s your personal guide for the notable upcoming movies of 2013.

Spoiler: It’s going to be a great year for film.

Books, books, and oh look, more books: Nothing motivates fans to delve into a book faster than a feature Alist film, and luckily for us, there are still plenty of book-to-film adaptations waiting to be released.

Some highly anticipated young adult book-to-film adaptations include The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, set to come out Nov. 22.

Ender’s Game comes to theaters Nov. 1. And a treat for supernatural fans is the first of a new series, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, which hits theaters Aug. 23.

For fans of classic literature, Oz: The Great and Powerful is set for March 8, and The Great Gatsby is due out May 10.

With the leaps and bounds made in lighting technology, the new adaptation for Gatsby will not include the cast sweating in every scene, as they did in the 1974 version.

That’s something to look forward to since sweating profusely was not mentioned in the book.

After all, people like it when a movie stays true to the book.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is set for Dec. 13.

Since Peter Jackson decided that roughly every 100 pages of the story would get its own three-hour film, fans can look forward to the immersive details of middle earth, as Bilbo’s adventure journeys on.

Comicbook heroes continue to save the day: Women love him, men want to be him and babies want him as their father. On May 3, Tony Stark comes back in Iron Man 3. If you’re not a fan of Robert Downey Jr.’s one-liners, you have a darker and far more epic storyline to look forward to.

Thor: The Dark World comes out Nov. 8. There has been great clamor about a team-up between Thor and Loki to take down the Dark Elf, Malekith the Accursed.

Loki has already attempted to steal the throne, so if anyone else dares to take it, he or she will have the god of mischief to answer to.

Comic fans also have the DC reboot of Superman, Man of Steel to look forward to. Directed by Zack Snyder and set for June 14.

Rounding out the comic releases, Wolverine travels to Japan in the sequel to the story of the beloved X-Man in The Wolverine, set for July 26.

Manly action flicks… and Bruce Willis: If you like action, things that go boom and Bruce Willis, you can see all three in G.I. Joe: Retaliation set for March 29.

The Die Hard series also continues with these three elements in A Good Day to Die Hard where John McClane reunites and kicks some serious ass in Russia with his son, Jack, played by Jai Courtney. Hitting theaters Valentine’s Day, take your sweetheart to witness the carnage.

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Ron Burgundy gets his own category because he’s Ron Burgundy: The talks of a sequel to Anchorman have been made official. Ron Burgundy and his news crew will be back in action in Anchorman: The Legend Continues Dec. 20.

Will Ferrell and cast are back to keep the holidays (specifically in San Diego) classy. Kristen Wiig, who is rumored to be in the film, would bring a new level of humor to the Anchorman saga.

Movies in space: Star Trek Into Darkness has created plenty of buzz with a dark and dramatic trailer that reveals Benedict Cumberbatch as the new villain. Fans can catch this May 17.

Gravity, directed by Alfonso Cuaron, stars George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, an unlikely combination that will draw in fans Oct. 18.

The end of the world: World War Z stars Brad Pitt and a hoard of zombies. If that combo isn’t enticing enough, I don’t know what is. Catch it June 20.

For more comedic relief about predicted doom, see This is The End, set for June 14. Actors, including James Franco, Jason Segal, Emma Watson, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd and many more play themselves at the end of the world.

If you prefer British comedy, dynamic duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost reunite in The World’s End, which doesn’t have a scheduled release date but is set for sometime in 2013.

Give thanks the world didn’t end; we proved the Mayan calendar wrong.

Sit back, relax and pry into this 2013’s most highly anticipated movies.

Courtesy of MCT The League star will give audiences an ironic and bizarre look at today’s reality obsessed culture in his new comedy show with his colorful cast of characters including Robby Bottleservice, El Chupacabra, Rich Dicks and Fabrice Fabrice.

The Kroll Show’s unique blend of classic sketch comedy and reality TV SIMA SARRAF Daily Titan

Although Nick Kroll may not be a household name like more seasoned comedians like Will Farrell or Steve Carell, his star has only been rising since his days of performing improv in college nearly a decade ago.

With the taste of life on stage, Kroll was hooked and fell in love with the art of comedy.

Since his improv days of hosting low profile events to gain exposure, he has since guest starred on Parks and Recreation, Community and Portlandia among many other shows.

Kroll has also dipped a talented toe in the water of comedic writing as well.

He has written for I Love the ‘30s, a TV series short titled Shutterbugs, and his own array of characters for Comedy Central standup specials, such as Fabrice Fabrice and Bobby Bottleservice.

Kroll, along with his college friends, even managed to sell a story to the highly successful Comedy Central show Chappelle Show.

It was a storyline about a white family whose last name was spelled “N-i-g-g-a-r.”

“We sold them that idea, they then turned that into the sort of the Leave it to Beaver ‘50s mold, which was so, so smart,” Kroll said.

Kroll continues his career in comedy as a member of the hit FX show The League, which follows a group of friends obsessing over

their fantasy football league, teams and trophy.

As if that isn’t enough, Comedy Central premiered Kroll’s new sketch comedy show Jan. 16 that he created, wrote and stars in.

The Kroll Show gives viewers an honest reflection about current pop culture trends and situations, particularly the reality TV obsession.

Although you can likely guess who inspired some of his bizarre characters, you’ll never hear him name names.

“We wanted to make something that felt relevant and completely current, but without being tied to references to people and things that will not feel important in six months,” Kroll said.

Although it may be hard to imagine that all of Kroll’s unique characters have been drawn from pop culture references, a deeper look will give viewers a huge laugh about the overall message of his show.

One character, Dr. Armond, is a canine plastic surgeon who literally lacks any type of facial movement aside from the occasional flick of his eyebrow.

Kroll said that he likes to think of his show as “a bunch of miniseries” that will have something to appeal to everyone.

Another similarity, other than the one between his characters and our reality TV-based culture, is that between almost all of his characters.

“It seems as though a lot of my characters like to think that they’re

very important when they’re not,” said Kroll. “I guess there’s something funny to me about that, people who aren’t self-aware.”

Although a character like Liz may be physically uncomfortable for Kroll to play simply because she’s a woman, there may be other awkward times on set when the jokes about a character or situation become clear.

And although Kroll is not one to shy away from awkward situations, he says that he will never use shock just for shock’s sake.

“Part of it is the joy of sitting in the awkwardness,” Kroll said.

“There’s a lot to be learned from those awkward moments, and I tend to enjoy that.”

“I guess there’s something funny to me about that, people who aren’t self-aware.”

NICK KROLL Actor

Regardless of the awkwardness, viewers can expect wit and idiocy in a beautiful combination with all of the characters and situations that are depicted on Kroll Show, as well as a slew of surprise guest appearances.

Kroll says that among the many things he loves about his job and the industry he’s a part of is the collaborations and friendships made along the way.

“The comedy world is an incredibly collaborative world and I think a real model for how artists can create their own material and also participate in other people’s material … the water really rises,” Kroll said.

Regardless of being on two TV shows, one of which is named after him, the comedian does not expect to be a paparazzi target anytime soon.

He jokes that “they’re not really interested in me, I’m not handsome enough.”

But if this is as far as his star is meant to rise, he appears to be satisfied.

“If this is what the career is, then I’d be over the moon about it,” Kroll said.

Viewers can watch the Kroll Show Wednesday nights at 10:30 p.m. after Workaholics on Comedy Central.

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Style guide: From nails and sheers to manly must-haves KYMBERLIE ESTRADA Daily Titan

Gals

Guys

Winter Jackets

Animal motifs

Nail art grows up

DIY nail art has become popular in the past year. Cartoon characters and holiday-themed nail designs have tired out, but it was fun while it lasted.

Now that the talent level is there with Instagram pictures to prove it simple but more refined nail designs are now possible. Stick to two and at most three colors and a design that’s both elegant and clean.

Peekaboo pieces

Good news fellas. Skin is in.

Cut-outs appeared at major stores early last year, but this trend has received a makeover incorporating more detailed and intricate shaped designs.

Rather than just back side cutouts, which were popular in 2012, this trend is expected to take it up a few notches to flaunt abstract patterns while revealing more skin.

won’t leave you looking like you just got out of bed. Capture this sporty look by throwing a windbreaker, rugby polo or sweatshirt atop boot-leg jeans or slacks.

It’s apparent more men are paying attention to their fashion choices.

While fur is pushing it, trendier coats are becoming popular at men’s retailers. Parkas with fur-lined hoods are fashion forward and great pieces to layer with sweaters and hoodies.

Pea coats and military style coats are essential for winter wardrobes.

Chinos

Courtesy of Rebecca Joelson

Ever been asked if you were an animal what would you be? Often, your outfit depicts how you’re feeling that day. Feeling courageous? Channel your inner lion by wearing it proudly, literally. Wolf and dog print sweaters became a hit when Givenchy debuted its rottweiler print last fall. This year, an array of animals are expected to be released on runways and on the street.

Canvas backpacks

Whether you’re going for a casual stroll around the park or working your charm on bachelorettes at a wedding, chinos provide versatility in putting outfits together.

Dress them up with a button-up and tie or dress them down with a hoodie and sneakers. Although khaki is the popular color men tend to purchase, these pants come in just about every color. Maroon and olive colored Chinos are a great way to experiment with color and are neutral enough to pair tops with.

Athletic accents

Accessories aren’t your thing, and a satchel, better known as a “man bag,” may shy away a few honeys. A canvas backpack is a masculine solution when pockets aren’t enough to store the essentials.

Part ways with your high school Jansport bag and upgrade to a more sophisticated and durable backpack.

Sk8r boy grows up

Tomboy shorts

Part ways with last year’s highwaist denim cut-offs and say hello to long-time friend, the bermuda short. Although they hide more skin, it’s a refreshing chic look that’s both comfortable and stylish for spring.

Celebrity fashion icons Rachel Bilson and Alexa Chung have transformed this former tomboy look into nautical inspired outfits. Pair bermudas with a striped tee and navy blazer to achieve this sailor ensemble.

Bold stripes

College guys are famous for putting together the “half-assing it look” which includes casual basketball shorts and a formal button-up.

This year, the athletic schoolboy look will undergo a transformation that

This year the skater boy trend gets revamped and coasts to urban streetwear. Camouflage, graphic tees, cut offs and straight fitted pants are trend essentials. Accessories like logo caps, beanies and high socks complete the look.

The six-piece indie rock band from San Diego is first to brave the outdoor amphitheater in a series of weekly Wednesday concerts. Students and faculty can anticipate an hour-long amped-up performance between the TSU and Pollak Library.

Heavy Guilt to scale down Becker stage SIMA SARRAF Daily Titan

As another semester begins for students at Cal State Fullerton, so does another series of weekly concerts at the Becker Amphitheater.

Every Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m., the stage of the outdoor music venue will be taken over by a new band to provide an hour of amplified entertainment for the campus.

The first band to seize control of the amphitheater is The Heavy Guilt, a San Diego-based rock ‘n’ roll band.

From an array of musical backgrounds, this six-man band is approaching the release of its third while continuing to aspire toward the ultimate music haven: a record deal.

Alfred Howard and Josh Rice were former members of the funk band K23. In 2008, when the rise of gas prices and vocal exhaustion made touring more difficult, the band called it quits.

When Howard and Rice were once again ready to pursue music careers, an email brought them exactly who they were looking for,

singer Erik Canzona. From there, phone calls were made and friends joined together, thus creating The Heavy Guilt.

Today the band consists of Alfred Howard (writer), Josh Rice (keyboard), Erik Canzona (lead vocals), Jason Littlefield (bass), Sean Martin (guitar) and Jenny Merullo (drums).

With a sound that is part rock ‘n’ roll, indie and Americana, the band will release its self-titled album showcasing their new amped up sound, due sometime in April.

There is no doubt that their sound has evolved from the first two albums. Their first album, Lift Us Up From This, was released in 2009, followed by 2011’s In the Blood.

“Truth be told, playing slow brooding folk songs in loud bars on weekend nights is a challenge that our amps and attitudes rose to,” said Howard. “To eclipse the whiskey warmed conversation of a Friday night dive bar we needed to be louder and more engaging.”

He adds that for now the quiet ballads that shaped much of their early career will be played only

“when people are familiar enough to care.”

The upcoming album will only show the evolution and progress made by the band and according to lead singer Canzona, it is the best work they have done yet.

“It combines the simplicity and richness of the first album with the live energy of the second,” said Canzona. “It’s the album I’ve always wanted to be a part of.”

With the new year, The Heavy Guilt has a new agenda and a new album. They plan to hit the road in support of their forthcoming album and gain more exposure outside of their hometown.

For those attending the live show at Becker Amphitheater, you can expect their rustic Americana folk rock sound, only amped up for the enjoyment of a live audience.

“It’s kind of like our albums on steroids,” Canzona said.

The show at the Becker Amphitheatre is free for everyone and takes place between the Titan Student Union and the Pollak Library. For more information on the band, visit their website: TheHeavyGuilt.com.

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Then there’s the recurring trend of stripes each spring. In 2013, wider and bolder stripes will be a subtle, but daring change to the way stripes are worn.

But beware of colors in the rest of your outfit. Stick with two stripe colors and balance them throughout your outfit. Want to be more daring? Pair wide stripes with thinner stripes—just use your best judgment to avoid a prison-like outfit.

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Sheer

Although this trend may have your parents sending you back to your room to put on more clothes, sheer fabrics are a projected hit for the warmer seasons of 2013.

The weightless flowy fabric is perfect for beating the summer heat without having to bare all.

It balances romantic and edgy.

Pair the look with simple black or a sheer maxi skirt.

Then complete the outfit with boots or heels to help give your legs a pretty silhouette.

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DETOUR

PAGE 16

THE DAILY TITAN

Images courtesy of MCT

ETHAN HAWKES Daily Titan

Django Unchained Excessive violence, copious amounts of swearing and multiple narratives that freely jump around are all tropes typically found in Quentin Tarantino films. The famed director’s latest movie, Django Unchained, certainly has gratuitous amounts of gore and a lot of language one wouldn’t use around their mother, but has one of the most straightforward narratives yet, and is better for it.

Instead of a narrative bouncing around the timeline, the movie purely focuses on recently freed Django’s (Jamie Foxx) struggle to get his wife back.

It’s a refreshing change of pace and much kinder to the viewer’s train of thought than most Tarantino’s flicks.

This is not to say the movie doesn’t make the viewer think; on the contrary, the lack of a maze-like narrative gives the viewer more time to concentrate and dissect the characters them-

Courtesy of MCT

DEANNA TROMBLEY Daily Titan

The last quarter of the film has a jarringly different feel from the rest.

A majority of the film, while exaggerated, feels somewhat grounded in realism until the last quarter, which throws all reality out the window and turns into more of an excuse to watch Jamie Foxx cause ridiculous destruction. This wouldn’t be a problem if the movie ended after the third quarter.

Instead, audiences are subjected to a few scenes that don’t add any emotional or meaningful impact to the story.

Django Unchained still works as an entertaining pulpy popcorn flick filled with interesting characters, well crafted tension and a talented cast and crew. That being said, it is also set in the single grossest and most disgusting periods of American history, and could deliver a really powerful and profound message, but fails to deliver anything deeper than slavery is bad, really bad, don’t do it again.

TARANTINO’S TOP THREE

1. Reservoir Dogs: “All you can do is pray for a quick death, which you ain’t gonna get.” - Mr. Blond 2. Pulp Fiction: - “That’s a pretty f***ing good milkshake. I don’t know if it’s worth five dollars but

it’s pretty f***ing good.” - Vincent Vega 3. Inglorious Bastards: “You probably heard we ain’t in the prisoner-takin’ business; we in the killin’ Nazi business. And cousin, business is a-boomin’.” - Lt. Aldo Raine

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MONDAY

FILM: A mediocre mobster’s tale

FILM: A slave’s vindication selves and allows for tension to build.

But that delightfully uneasy tension wouldn’t be possible without the brilliant acting performance from the cast.

Christoph Waltz, as usual, steals the show as the bounty hunter who frees Django from slavery in hopes that Django will aid him in finding a particular set of outlaws. From the very first scene, considered one of the best and violent hooks of any movie this year, all eyes and ears are captured by the Austrian actor.

Waltz’s character is so intriguing and well played that he overshadows the rest of the supporting cast. While other supporting actor, and antagonist, Leonardo Dicaprio certainly had his moments, particularly the scene with a runaway slave. He does not have as much screentime as Waltz, which in turn didn’t give him as much of a chance to draw in the audience.

On the other hand, Samuel L. Jackson was fantastic in his role as an old slave who was somehow funny and sinister all at the same time.

The single weak spot in the cast was, surprisingly, Jamie Foxx. It was odd that Django kept saying he cared about his wife since his words felt hollow.

When the protagonist appears to lack any drive, it is hard to care about the character and his plight. Luckily the fascinating depiction of America at one of its darkest times, and stylistic directing, keeps it interesting.

Even the dialogue-heavy scenes are a wonder to watch with the creative shots done by the director of photography Robert Richardson and the clever writing by Quentin Tarantino.

But the writing isn’t all up to snuff.

JANUARY 28, 2013

Gangster Squad Gangster Squad hit theaters Jan. 11, offering a vivid depiction of the ultimate good cop-bad cop scenario popularized in 1949 when cold-hearted gangsters like Mickey Cohen ruled the streets of Los Angeles.

Although Gangster Squad isn’t a gangster film classic, director Ruben Fleischer offers an interesting enough story to delve into.

Emma Stone is a doll as Grace Faraday, and Ryan Gosling plays the slick young cop, Sgt. Jerry Wooters.

The more memorable role was played by Robert Patrick as Officer Max Kennard, the “cowboy cop” of the group who has the fastest gun skills of the squad.

Patrick’s character would have done some serious damage if he were found in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained.

If you’re looking for a fun flick with great comedic relief, vigilantes and

1940s Los Angeles, then Gangster Squad will not disappoint.

If you are looking for something that will make you cringe and have you sitting at the edge of your seat, then there are plenty of films to fulfill that sensation like Goodfellas, Reservoir Dogs, Road to Perdition or Donnie Brasco (The Godfather and Scarface are both givens).

If you’re looking for something more modern, but just as stomach churning, The Departed would be excellent.

Historical depiction is an interesting aspect where Gangster Squad doesn’t fall short in. Sean Penn took on the role of Mickey Cohen beautifully.

He’s cold hearted, ruthless and ambitious to the point that if anyone stands in his way, damage will be done.

The real Mickey Cohen had those exact qualities. A hustler at heart, Cohen began his criminal career delivering moonshine at the age of six.

A major part of Cohen’s life was boxing. Sean Penn as Cohen watches old boxing videos of himself to blow off steam from the stressful lifestyle that comes with being in the Mafia.

As a prizefighter, Cohen’s vicious fighting talents are what initially sparked the interest of many outfits in the mafia world. Cohen also worked with other infamous mafia kings such as Al Capone in gambling rackets and Ben “Bugsy” Sigel in the streets of LA. Cohen is so rough around the edges he has been often considered to be the “darker half” of Bugsy, a known sociopath.

But if you’re looking for Bugsy in Gangster Squad, you won’t find him. The movie takes place after Sigel’s death that caused Cohen’s promotion as the mob’s West muscle.

Still, Sean Penn holds his own impressively. The most intense scenes of Gangster Squad include Cohen’s hotheaded monologue and otherwise dropping whoever got on his bad side.

Mickey Cohen controlled west coast drug trafficking, gambling, unions and even politics.

Although he controlled drugs and alcohol, he never partook in them.

Money was his main focus. He owned cops, bribing several to keep him out of trouble.

In 1961, he was sentenced to 15 years in Alcatraz for tax evasion, of all things. There he received an intense beating from an inmate with a lead pipe (no, the inmate’s name was not Colonel Mustard; his identity remains unknown) resulting in partial paralysis.

Cohen was released on parole in 1972, and lived a quiet life until his death in 1976.The more exciting part of his life is featured in Gangster Squad, the era when he was the boss of Los Angeles, untouchable by the cops and unstoppable with his ambition.

Who doesn’t like a good vigilante story? Gangster Squad is the story of a group of cops that become fed up by the broken system.

Sgt. O’Mara possesses the “fight until death” mentality acquired from his involvement in World War II. In efforts to fix the broken system, the squad is formed by a band of misfits to put an end to Cohen’s monopoly.

If you want to know if they succeed in their mission, you’ve got to go see the movie. It’s entertaining, amusing and even has a bit of a history lesson.

Catch Gangster Squad while it’s still being shown in theatres and start off your semester with a bang.

JANUARY 28, 2013

MONDAY

SPORTS

PAGE 17

THE DAILY TITAN

Titans’ steady break TAMEEM SERAJ Daily Titan

ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan

Tiffany Mai, a fourth-year health science major, holds her dependable racquet by her side. The senior has accumulated a winning record during her time at CSUF and is a true leader, taking charge of many team-bonding events away from the court.

Tennis star makes a ‘racquet’ Senior Tiffany Mai credits teammates with enhancing her passion for the sport ANGEL MENDOZA Daily Titan

Perhaps no major sport in the world other than golf relies on its individual stars more than tennis.

It’s defined by personal competition and glory. Cal State Fullerton senior Tiffany Mai, a health science major and a captain of the women’s tennis team, is an exception—the camaraderie of a team is a huge factor in her love for the game.

Mai first began playing tennis at the tender age of seven and a half and was put into tournaments about a year later, learning the game from her mother who had an active role in the sport and encouraged young Tiffany to play and compete. Tennis wasn’t her first love, however.

“I actually started swimming when I was three and later on I qualified for the junior Olympics,” said Mai. “Eventually, I got a little burned out from swimming, but I loved tennis. I was better at swimming but it came down to it that I had to choose between the two and I ended up choosing tennis. I’ve stuck with it ever since.”

The senior ended up leaving swimming behind not because she had lost her love for the sport, but because of the limited interaction with other athletes. She found her social outlet with tennis.

“At tennis tournaments every weekend, I would meet so many new people. The tennis community is big and they become like your weekend family because you see them so

much. I also played it with my parents a lot too,” Mai said with a smile.

These weekend tournaments that Mai became a part of were put on by the United States Tennis Association (USTA). Mai feels the competition the USTA provided was extremely beneficial in her development as a player. The exposure she received was second to none.

“I knew about Tiffany (Mai) way back when she was in the 12-yearolds division in the USTA,” said Bill Reynolds, head coach of CSUF’s women’s tennis team. “I was one of the coaches of the team she was on and right away we knew that she had special talent. You could see exactly what she was going to be on court and off court even back when she was 12. She’s a natural.”

Going into high school however, Mai felt her love for the game waning quite a bit.

From the age of 12 to 14, tennis was all she knew. Anything that didn’t involve tennis, Mai was not a part of. The constant pressure from her mother to compete at a high level also weighed heavily on the younger Mai. “My mom is into it more so than other tennis fans I think,” Mai said.

“She pulled me out of school for a semester and I would play tennis for like six hours a day and had a really good year, but I never got to do anything else. Right when I hit high school, I pretty much quit.”

Mai would hit every now and then throughout her time at Westminster High School in Westminster, Calif. until her senior year when she got a call from CSUF assistant coach Chico Bonner asking to practice and hit around. Being on the courts and practicing finally felt good again.

Her love for the game was back.

Bonner encouraged Mai to start thinking about playing college tennis and helped with her letters of intent. Eventually, she felt CSUF was the best fit and where she would be the happiest.

“Words can’t even really describe my experience here at Fullerton,” Mai said gleamingly. “Most of my memories are going to be from being on the team and playing for this school. Your best memories are from your teammates and your coaches because you play with them everyday. It’s been the best experience of my life.”

Throughout her time here at CSUF, Mai says the relationships she’s built with her teammates and coaches is what she’s going to cherish the most.

Morgan McIntosh, co-captain of the tennis team and one of Mai’s best friends, knows just how important Mai has been to the team these past four years.

“I don’t know how the team would be without her. She’s always happy, always cheering the team on, she’s very organized and always a step ahead,” said McIntosh.

Reynolds knows Mai has elite talent but praises her off-court exploits just as much.

“She’s a natural team leader. She organizes team-bonding events, leads those and just keeps the team’s chemistry strong,” he said.

With her career at Cal State Fullerton coming to an end at the culmination of this semester, Mai feels tennis will still be a part of her life regardless.

“Most players still pick up a racquet. It’s not something you can just let go of completely,” Mai said.

While most students were leisurely relaxing during winter break, the Titan men’s basketball team was hard at work.

The Titans have posted a 6-4 record since finals week, improving their conference record to 4-4 and overall record to 11-9. They currently sit in third place in the Big West standings and are 5-3 at home, 4-6 on the road and a perfect 2-0 on neutral courts.

The Titans were at home for two games the week following finals and won both, one each against Hope International University and UC Santa Barbara. Hope International suffered an 87-65 thumping on Dec. 22. CSUF Freshman guard Jared Brandon posted a career-high 20 points and added six rebounds in the win. The Titans then edged UC Santa Barbara 86-79 on Dec. 29. Senior forward Sammy Yeager poured in 30 points and grabbed four rebounds, and senior guard Kwame Vaughn added 27 points and six rebounds to lead the Titans.

The team then set out for the road for their next three games.

They dropped the first game of the trip on Jan. 3 against Hawaii on a buzzer beater in a tightly contested 90-88 game. Vaughn led the way with 26 points, five rebounds and five assists.

“This time of year I think guys bodies start to break down...”

ANDY NEWMAN Head Coach

Two days later the Titans bounced back to put on an offensive clinic against Cal State Northridge putting up 105 points to the Matadors’ 86. The Titans shot a scorching 58.6 percent from the field and senior guard D.J. Seeley had a career high 37 points and added 4 rebounds and three assists in the win.

The Titans closed out their trip on Jan. 9 with a win against CSU Bakersfield, 74-62. Yeager had game highs of 18 points and eight rebounds.

Three days later the team returned home for a three game stretch. The first game against UC Riverside was decided in the closing seconds as Vaughn hit the game winner to give the Titans a 71-69 victory. Seeley paced the team with 18 points, five rebounds, six assists and five steals.

At this point the team had played four games over a nine day span, and Head Coach Andy Newman was worried about fatigue and injuries. The team had been regularly playing with only seven players.

ALEX CALISH / For the Daily Titan Senior Kwame Vaughn drives the ball to the basket looking to make a play. The Titans managed to go 6-4 over the winter break, improving their overall record to 11-9.

“This time of year I think guys bodies start to break down, you start to see nagging injuries that they are able to play through earlier in the year but now it starts to affect the guys’ play,” Newman said. “Our depth has been rattled with injuries so we are asking players to log a lot of minutes during games.”

The Titans looked fatigued as they dropped their next two home games. UC Irvine shot a blistering 56.5 percent from the field and outrebounded the Titans 41-25 in a 92-65 rout on Jan. 17. It was a similar story two days later against Long Beach State. The 49ers had 51 rebounds to the Titans 31 and shot 47.4 percent during the 8171 loss. Newman was not pleased with the effort that weekend.

“We were going great until the Irvine and Long Beach week. We stumbled a little bit and did a poor job defending and rebounding,” Newman said. “We didn’t have a

great effort that week and so that was disappointing.”

After a few lackluster games, the team was back on the road for their next two matches. They bounced back after what Newman said was the best week of practice and rallied from eight points down in the second half to beat UC Davis with the help of 32 points from Seeley.

The Titans had a crucial game Saturday as they traveled to Stockton to take on the second place Pacific Tigers. The Titans trailed by as much as 11 in the second half but made a charging comeback that fell just short. The Tigers won 71-67 despite a game high 23 points and seven rebounds from Seeley and 19 points and six rebounds from sophomore guard Alex Harris.

As for the game plan for the next match, Newman said, “We are just going to play Titan basketball. We are going to defend and we are going to rebound.”

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SPORTS

PAGE 18

THE DAILLY TITAN

JANUARY 28, 2013 MONDAY

Women’s basketball ready to put an end to losing skid

After winning five of first six games over break, CSUF goes down in three straight GABY MARTINEZ Daily Titan

ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan In a press conference on Dec. 13, Jim Donovan was named as the new Director of Athletics by President Mildred García

DONOVAN: Homecoming CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

After Servite, Donovan attended Santa Ana College then went on to the University of Hawaii at Manoa where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in geography. At the time, it was one of the top 20 geography departments in the country.

He also was a student-athlete at the university as an offensive lineman in the 1981 and ‘82 seasons. They had winning records in both years and at one point in the ‘81 season were ranked 16th in the country.

Shortly after graduating, Donovan started out as a facility manager for the baseball stadium at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He did that for three years then moved on to sports marketing which he did for six years. Then he began supervising the ticket office, business office and marketing, and worked his way up to the No. 2 position where he ran much of the administrative side of the department.

He then left the university to work for ESPN for about six years. In 2008, Donovan came back to the University of Hawaii at Manoa but this time as the Director of Athletics. With the position, he was overseeing a 21-sport operation with a budget of more than $30 million from 2008-12.

Just four years later, in 2012, Donovan was placed on an indefinite paid administrative leave then ultimately not reinstated as the Director of Athletics. In December, Donovan found himself at the next stage of his career as he was named the Director of Athletics at CSUF. “I always will love Hawaii but I really appreciate the opportunity to

come back and be the Athletics Director at Cal State Fullerton because that’s where I grew up and I really understand Orange County,” Donovan said.

When compared to the University of Hawaii, it would appear that the athletics department at CSUF is much smaller; however, he believes that the concepts are still the same.

Aaron Tapper, assistant athletics director of facilities, said that he thinks Donovan has done a great job with the transition as he is going right after all the wants and needs from the different areas of the athletics department and university. Tapper also said that Donovan has many traits that will help the athletics department moving forward.

“He likes to look at the big picture and he’s very motivated, very customer service oriented. I think it’s going to benefit greatly. He also wants to be a collaborator on this campus and work with all the departments on campus and get Titan athletics to where it should be,” said Tapper.

Donovan said he has many reasons for his return to Orange County, the first being that his parents still live in Anaheim while in their late ‘80s and he’s excited to be closer to them. He also said another great reason to be at Cal State Fullerton is because of the area being one of the best recruiting areas in the country. Lastly, he said that both President Mildred García and Berenecea Johnson-Eanes, vice president for student affairs, understood the value of athletics to a university.

“When you have that top level administration understanding why athletics is important and what role it plays for the university. You combine that with being able to come back to an area that I know, with the potential and

CONTACT US AT: SPORTS@DAILYTITAN.COM

with the support in the administration, it just made a lot of sense to take this job,” Donovan said.

A big focus that he has had in his short tenure as the athletics director has been something he calls the “Titan Top Ten Musts” list which he has shared in the athletic department’s first full staff meeting, his supervisors, donors and the state basketball booster club. A big theme in the list is a focus on customer service, which he feels is a key component in running a successful business.

Chief of Operations David Forgues said he believes Donovan’s goal is the same as everyone’s for student-athletes to be successful both on the field and in the classroom. Forgues is also familiar with the “top ten” list and thinks it’s great for the athletic department.

“I think that it shows the level of expectation that he will have for all of the folks in athletics. I think that is really good and I think people have really appreciated hearing very directly from him exactly what he expects and exactly what direction he wants the program to go in. I think that’s just a great way to start things off,” said Forgues.

Donovan said his passion comes from seeing student-athletes graduating and becoming successful in life. He believes that there are various components and tools that a student-athlete can take from their competitive experience and apply them to all facets of life.

“Being a part of a team, having a game plan, reaction to adversity, belief in yourself, belief in others, paying attention to detail and by the way winning, winning is a very important component in life. So those are all the things they get taught here, seeing them graduate and be successful in life that’s my passion,” Donovan said.

The Cal State Fullerton women’s basketball team has been busy over break by practicing and playing a total of nine games. Since the campus recessed for winter break, the team is 5-4 overall, and 3-4 in Big West action.

Amidst those games, the Titans had some excellent wins, some close games, and some tough losses.

Fourth-year Head Coach Marcia Foster described some of the key games, both wins and losses, that have occurred for CSUF women’s basketball during the break.

“We had one after exams against San Jose State and won a onepoint game, which was good. We beat Columbia at home after our Christmas break. We had a great first half in that game, and had an inconsistent second half, which is one of the things we are working on,” said Foster.

On Dec. 22, junior forward Mya Olivier had her best scoring game of the season as she scored 13 points with eight rebounds to help CSUF defeat San Jose State, 60-59. On Dec. 31, CSUF triumphed over Columbia University by 61-49. In that win, Chante Miles and Tailer Butler led the team in scoring with 12 and 11 points respectively.

“We started conference a couple of days later with a great win over Hawaii. Hawaii is one of the top teams in the conference. We played

well, and we shot well, so that was a good thing,” Foster added.

On Jan. 3, CSUF women’s basketball defeated the University of Hawaii by a score of 83-74 to open conference action. Butler once again led the Titans in scoring with a career-high 27 points.

She made seven three-pointers that night, just one short of the CSUF school record. The Titans then suffered a one point loss to Cal State Northridge on Jan. 5. In that game, they had an opportunity to put the game away, but fell short in the second half.

The Titans then went on to win a big game on the road against UC Riverside.

Unfortunately, sophomore point guard Chante Miles fractured her nose, and as a result, freshman point guard Annie Park played in the following two games against UC Irvine and Long Beach State.

“It was different without Chante (Miles), but it was good for Annie (Park) to get the experience of playing in a game. She started and led us to a nice win against Irvine,” Foster said commenting on Park’s play. “Long Beach State we were okay for most of the game. It was more challenging than Irvine for her in that game; we played against bigger guards and trapping zones. Annie was in a challenging situation, but the experience is invaluable for her.”

With Park playing, the Titans won their game against UC Irvine 65-51 on Jan. 15, but lost to Long Beach State 45-39 on Jan. 19.

On Jan. 24 against UC Davis, both Park and Miles played as the Titans lost 88-44 to the Aggies.

“We were pretty bad against UC

Davis. There were no excuses for that. It was uncharacteristic of us to not play better defense,” Foster said. “Offensively, we have struggled at times. Chante was in her first game back, and we played her for a little. We weren’t in a rhythm.

It just wasn’t a great game for us.”

In their last game on Saturday, the Titans lost to one of the top teams in the conference, the University of the Pacific Tigers, 6755. They had a strong push in the second half, but it was not enough to get a win. Junior guard Brianna Barfield led the team in points with 12. The Titans faced a tough opponent in the Tigers who are currently 6-1 in conference play.

“This conference is a conference in which anybody can win. Everybody is right in the position to do something,” Foster said.

Although CSUF is 3-4 in Big West play with a .429 winning percentage, they are still in a good spot to make it to the playoffs. Currently, they are tied for fourth with UC Davis in Big West standings.

With 11 games still to play, CSUF still has plenty of time to rack in some wins and make it to the postseason.

“This team prepares. This team plays hard to be successful. We still have a lot of season left,” Foster added. “There is a lot of good stuff we can do, so I’m going to count on us doing those good things. We just need to play some good ball.”

The Titans are looking to snap their three game losing streak Thursday against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo at Mott Gymnasium.

For more information about women’s basketball, visit FullertonTitans.com.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NEXT FOUR GAMES: Jan. 31st (Thursday) @ Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Recent games: Jan. 26 (L, 80-70), Jan. 24 (L, 61-43), Jan. 19 (W, 66-47), Jan. 12 (W, 96-95 3OT) Key Players: Ariana Elegado (guard) 11.9 PPG, Molly Schlemer (center) 11.4 PPG

Feb. 2 (Saturday) @ UC Santa Barbara

Recent games: Jan. 26 (W, 51-50), Jan. 24 (W, 56-37), Jan. 19 (L, 66-47), Jan. 12 (W, 58-43) Key players: Sweets Underwood (forward) 11.4 PPG, Nicole Nesbit (guard) 86.2 FT percentage

Feb. 9 (Saturday) vs. UC Riverside

Recent games: Jan. 26 (L, 61-49), Jan. 24 (L, 85-56), Jan. 19 (W, 68-67), Jan. 17 (W, 50-49) Key players: Tre’Shonti Nottingham (guard) 18.3 PPG, Brittany Crain (guard) 13.2 PPG

Feb. 14 (Thursday) vs. Long Beach State

Recent games: Jan. 26 (W, 71-61), Jan. 19 (W, 45-39), Jan. 13 (L, 65-57), Jan. 9 (L, 73-52) Key players: Alex Sanchez (guard) 10.9 PPG, Bianka Balthazar (guard) 146 PTS

19

January 28, 2013

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ACROSS 1 Paper used for envelopes 7 Teensy kitchen invader 10 Thick-bodied river fish 14 Lessened 15 Critical hosp. area 16 Take down with a wrecking ball 17 Trade for cash 18 Musical based on ABBA songs 20 Golfer Snead’s nickname 22 “I don’t care which” 23 Naval petty officer 27 Lasting mark 30 __ and gown 33 John, Paul, George or Ringo 34 Go without food 36 “True __”: Wayne film 39 CFO’s degree 40 One on a board 43 Swiss peak 44 Gas in a sign 45 Knocks for a loop 46 Scallion relative 48 Space-saving abbr.

50 Team statistic 51 Finale 54 Selling fast 56 Whale or dolphin 63 Campbell’s soup slogan, and a hint to the puzzle theme found in 18-, 20-, 40- and 56-Across 66 “Seinfeld” woman 67 Albany’s canal 68 Actress Hagen 69 Sticky-toed lizards 70 Tadpole’s breathing organ 71 LPGA star Se Ri __ 72 Be agreeable DOWN 1 Red planet 2 Ill-fated Biblical brother 3 Diddly, to Dalí 4 To-do list entry

1/28/13

By Gareth Bain

5 Oscar winner for “Cat Ballou” 6 Part of FDA: Abbr.

7 Gets in one’s sights, with “at” 8 Campus sports org.

9 Tot’s belly 10 Tot’s drawing tool 11 Clumsy actor 12 Special forces weapon 13 Arthur who played Maude 19 Marseille Mrs. 21 The Big Apple, initially 24 Latin ballroom dances 25 Orange-yellow gemstones 26 Gets warmer, in a game 27 Taken in a breakin 28 Slept next to the trail, say 29 Upper limb 31 Sales rep 32 Opposite of post34 Weighing device 35 Somme summer 37 Global currency org.

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

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38 Stretch the truth 41 Bathwater tester 42 Dairy farm sound 47 Late-night host Jimmy 49 Revolutionary Guevara 52 Inveterate faultfinder 53 Word with hug or therapy 55 Alpha’s opposite 57 Teensy amount

Welcome back Titans!

Horoscope

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Aries (March 21-April 19) Back to work, big time, especially for the next phase. Maintain objectivity. And ignore fear, or at least use it to your advantage.

There will be resistance, and you’ll be stronger for it.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Be cautious where others are impetuous. Your creativity helps you solve the problem. You’re entering a cuddly phase. Things fall together for you today and tomorrow.

Sudoku

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Gemini (May 21-June 20) The next few days are good for domestic projects, but don’t rush into making choices. Double-check data and make sure a partner agrees. Compassion goes a long way.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You’re even smarter than usual.

You may have to decline an invitation, but consider your decision carefully first. Take future appreciation into account.

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Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Reconsider a risky move, especially around finances.

Resist the urge to break things, no matter how justified you feel, and end up on top. Take deep breaths, often.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Assertiveness works well now, but be patient. It works here to have low expectations. Let yourself be surprised. Make a travel or educational plan that fits the budget.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Too many choices can overwhelm and even paralyze. Don’t stress about getting the decision right. Trust your intuition, and give yourself permission to change your mind. Be careful traveling now.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) The task ahead seems challenging and maybe even impossible, but you can handle it with a little help from your friends. Consider family opinions, too.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Open communication and risk-taking produces better results. If at first you fail, be patient. You’ll get there soon enough. Tinkering is required. Be nice to everyone to avoid jealousies.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) As you travel the twisty road, look into the distance to see obstacles ahead. Save out some for unexpected expenses.Arebellion flares and your direction may change.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Don’t buy trash; it’d be a waste of money. Invest instead in ideas that make the world a better place. Plant a seed through dialogue. You’ll figure out the costs.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Family matters vie with work for your attention. At the end, your relationships count double. See that your actions support your environment in the long run. Add love.

How To Play: Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9: and each set of boxes must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

1/28/13

58 Fargo’s st.

59 Apples with screens 60 Karaoke prop 61 Many a folk song, composer-wise: Abbr.

62 “__ we forget” 63 Ryan of “Sleepless in Seattle” 64 Hosp. scan 65 1,000 G’s