DAILY TITAN
NEWS 2
Corpse found in rooftop water tank OPINION 4
Maximizing aid with minimum wage FEATURES 6
Veterans transition into student life
The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton T
Volume 93, Issue 9 STATE | College
SPORTS 8
Basketball tries to end losing streak
dailytitan.com
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
CSUF WELCOMES KOREAN DIPLOMAT
Advances on transfer program SAMUEL MOUNTJOY Daily Titan
Representatives from the California State University system and California Community Colleges System discussed updated progress in the implementation of a new associate transfer degree by fall 2014 on Wednesday. California Community Colleges deputy chancellor Erik Skinner expects every community college student graduating after fall 2014 to leave with a transfer degree. The 18-month old transfer degree program was the result of Senate Bill 1440, enacted in 2010. The bill mandated that the CSU and community college systems work together to streamline the transfer pathway between the two systems. Community college presidents have been given a goal by the community college Board of Governors to have 80 percent of degree pathways available by this coming fall. Community colleges in California began rolling out the new degrees in 2011, starting with majors at each school with the most students. The 112 community colleges in California are offering 557 transfer degree programs. Upon completion of requisite coursework, a student is granted admission to the CSU system. According to Skinner, transfer degrees will grant the applicant admission to at least one CSU. It will not guarantee successful transfer to any or every campus. Students who earn a transfer degree will also receive a bump in admission priority to impacted schools and majors in the CSU. The new degree should cut down on unnecessary classes being taken at the community college level by standardizing the classes needed to be admitted to a school in the CSU. This change will allow about 40,000 more students into the state’s community colleges, Skinner said. Graduates will enter the CSU as juniors with 60 units, leaving 60 additional units of upper-division coursework to be completed. SEE DEGREES, 3
CAMPUS | Funds
Researchers endowed $11 million in funding YVETTE QUINTERO Daily Titan
concerns over North Korea and discussed his visit to the country. His plan to stop North Korea’s ambitions to create nuclear facilities includes placing harsh sanctions on them when they are not using their foreign aid to help the country. “To freeze (North Korea’s bank) accounts would make it much more difficult for North Korea to have the hard currency necessary in order to expand, further expand, its nuclear program,” said Royce.
Faculty at Cal State Fullerton were awarded more than $11.25 million in federal, state and local grants during the first quarter of 2013 to support research and projects. In total, 68 faculty in a variety of fields were listed as grant recipients for the first quarter of the fiscal year. Grant awards will be used to fund research in areas such as chemistry and biochemistry, as well as focused programs like college preparation programs. Heading each grant is a principal investigator (PI), who takes responsibility for completion of the funded project, directs the research and reports to the funding agency. “Those who seek a grant will usually research granting institutions, then contact the granting agency which is interested or has funded, in the past, similar projects in their area of interest,” said Angela Della Volpe, Ph.D., dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. In cases where the project is not fully funded or only partially funded, Della Volpe said, researchers just carry out the best possible while continuing to seek other grants. “A grant not only allows for the project to be funded and carried out but it also bestows on the awardee the acknowledgement that the research is meritorious,” Della Volpe said. Della Volpe was the PI for a grant for Fullerton International Resources for Students and Teachers (FIRST) project. FIRST is an interdisciplinary project that emphasizes history and social sciences when look at in a larger world context. It was awarded a grant of $32,333 from the Regents of the University of California. Michael Bridges, Ph.D., an assistant chemistry professor, is requesting a Research Corporation grant, a private funding institution.
SEE ALLIANCE, 3
SEE RESEARCH, 2
WILLIAM CAMARGO / For the Daily Titan
Korean Ambassador Y.J. Choi visits Cal State Fullerton to commemorate the 60-year anniversary of the alliance between the United States and South Korea.
‘Friendship created on the battlefield’ Ambassador discusses North Korea’s plan to expand nuclear facilities KEVIN BLACKBURN Daily Titan
South Korean Ambassador Y.J. Choi visited Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday to commemorate the 60year alliance between the Republic of South Korea and the United States. Along with Choi, CSUF President Mildred García, U.S Representative Ed Royce and Fullerton Mayor Bruce Whitaker were in attendance as guest speakers.
According to President García, Orange County houses the second largest Korean population of any county in the U.S. She added that there are more than 200 international Korean students studying at CSUF and since 2008, 50 students have studied abroad in South Korea. Nearly 100 people attended the commemoration at Steven G. Mihaylo Hall. While the audience included foreign exchange students from South Korea, many people were there to see the ambassador and learn more about the U.S-South Korean relationship.
Whitaker began the celebration by presenting a framed resolution to Ambassador Choi, commemorating six decades of cooperation and friendship. “It’s a friendship that was created on the battlefield,” said Choi. The U.S. and South Korea formed an alliance in 1953 after an armistice agreement was established and a cease fire was implemented in South Korea during the war. Royce said he believes the alliance between the U.S. and South Korea is an example of how two countries can benefit off one another. The congressman also voiced his
SPORTS | International guests
FEATURES | Music
Japan Toyota benefits off Titan errors
Alumnus bangs his way to Drum-Off final CHRISTINA BENAVIDES Daily Titan
SERGIO GOMEZ Daily Titan
One bad inning was all it took for the Titans softball team to fall to the visiting Japan Toyota of the Japanese Professional League, 8-1, in an exhibition game on Wednesday. The Titans, coming off a 6-0 loss to Oregon on Sunday, came out strong defensively, holding Japan Toyota scoreless for three innings, anchored by the lights-out pitching of freshman right-hander Jasmine Antunez. “(Antunez) has it in her, she gets the game, she’s strategic, talented and what I’m most impressed with is her maturity,” said Titan Head Coach Kelly Ford. “She handles anything out there and I think the defense really plays behind her.” Antunez pitched just three innings but left her mark with four strikeouts, zero hits and no runs allowed. “I just wanted to have fun out there,” Antunez said of her performance. “I just remember when I was
ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan
Yukimi Chikyu of Japan Toyota’s softball team beats the throw home to slide for a score on Wednesday.
little watching them play and actually getting to face them was pretty cool so I just wanted to have fun out there.” As impressive as Antunez was, team Toyota matched her every move defensively as their right-handed pitcher, Yuka Nakamura, shut down the Titans in her three innings of work, allowing
just one hit on zero walks. Team Toyota drew first blood in the fourth inning after a single by designated player Nozomi Nagasaki put pressure on Ybarra, who came in to relieve Antunez. After a wild pitch that advanced Nozomi to second, Japan’s Haruna Sakamoto hit a shot to second
that Titan sophomore second baseman Carissa Turang couldn’t handle and scoring on the error was Nozomi. Ybarra finished the game with one strikeout on two base hits and one unearned run. SEE SOFTBALL, 8
In a showcase of his heavy-hitting drum talents, Cal State Fullerton alumnus Aric Improta took to the Guitar Center’s Drum-Off stage with a bang on Jan. 19. He performed a rattling fiveminute drum solo in front of approximately 1,500 spectators and a lineup of celebrity judges. Out of 4,000 drummers across the country that showed interest in the Drum-Off competition, Improta was one of a handful that made it to the final round. This was Improta’s fifth consecutive year in the Drum-Off playing for the grand prize. Although Improta ignited a standing ovation, second-time grand finalist Juan Carlos Mendoza from New Jersey took home first place that night. “The guy that won was the nicest guy alive, hands down,” said Improta. “He’s technically just amazing. On the level of all the
requirements that the Drum-Off asks, the guy killed it.” During his freshman year at Cal State Fullerton, Improta’s parents decided that it was time for him to do something more with his talent and talked him into entering the Drum-Off. Improta said he was extremely hesitant to enter because he was afraid of being told he wasn’t good enough. He said he attempted to get himself disqualified by bringing a few unallowed items to the first round. “I brought a whistle and a tambourine and at the very end did a backflip and blew the whistle thinking, ‘alright I’m for sure gonna get kicked out,’” Improta said. However, the judges saw past this and moved him to the next round. He took part in the competition every year from then on, getting one step closer to the championship every time. SEE DRUMMER, 6
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NEWS
PAGE 2
THE DAILY TITAN
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN ORANGE COUNTY December 2012:
6.8% Forecasted average for 2013:
7.1% Forecasted average for 2014:
6.5% • Orange County payroll jobs can be expected to grow by 22,300 jobs in 2013. • The largest gains would be in administrative and support services, leisure and hospitality, construction, and professional, scientific and technical services.
Source: LAEDC
FEBRUARY 21, 2013 THURSDAY
Modest economic gains expected for OC Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties will lead modest improvements in several areas of Southern California’s economy in 2013, according to a report by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC). The report predicted that local financial activities and government spending will continue to trail, while high-tech manufacturing and services, tourism, entertainment and construction will pick up. The LAEDC also projected that California’s growth will outpace that of the rest of the country with strong signs that boosts in certain sectors will cause the state’s 9.8 percent unemployment rate to fall to 8.9 percent in 2014—faster than that of the country. The LAEDC predicted that Orange County’s unemployment rate will fall from 7.1 percent this year to 6.5 percent in 2014. The current national unemployment
rate, 7.6 percent, is expected to fall to 7.3 percent in the same time. Orange County is also expected to add 22,300 payroll jobs, a 1.6 percent growth, by the end of the year. Irvine ranks No. 28 in the United States for industrial jobs, with several high-tech manufacturing firms concentrated around the Irvine Spectrum, according to Manufacturer’s News. The city also hosts the North American headquarters of several major international companies, such as Kia, Mazda and Toshiba. Moderate growth will continue for the U.S. as a whole if the threat of inflation remains low, the report said, but is faced by risks like economic uncertainty in Europe, the fluctuation of oil prices and the ongoing political disputes concerning the federal budget and national debt. Brief by IAN WHEELER
FOR THE RECORD It is Daily Titan policy to correct factual errors printed in the publication. Corrections will be published on the subsequent issue after an error is discovered and will appear on page 2. Errors on the Opinion page will be corrected on that page. Corrections will also be made to the online version of the article. Please contact Editor-in-Chief David Hood at (805) 712-2811 or at editorinchief@dailytitan.com with issues about this policy or to report any errors.
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An anesthesiologist was sentenced to six months in jail Wednesday after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting three unconscious female patients, according to the Orange County Register. Yashwant Balgiri Giri, who worked at Placentia-Linda Hospital, will lose his medical license and must register as a sex offender for life. A hospital employee witnessed Giri fondling an unconscious woman’s breasts as she underwent an operation. Three victims had allegedly been fondled and touched from 2009 to 2011. The Orange County District Attorney’s office said the 60-year-old should face jail time because he violated his position of power. The hospital was fined $50,000 by the state Department of Public Health this month for failing to immediately report Giri to police. Giri was placed on bail after his 2011 arrest. He had initially plead not guilty to sexual battery to an institutionalized victim and sexual penetration by a foreign object of an unconscious victim during his first arraignment at the North Justice Center in Fullerton.
Obama announces cybertheft prevention
E ditorial David Hood Ian Wheeler Erinn Grotefend Nereida Moreno Adrian Garcia Sam Mountjoy Bevi Edlund Angel Mendoza Justin Enriquez Gaby Martinez Tameem Seraj Ricardo Gonzalez Matt Atkinson Yvette Quintero Adreana Young Ashley Ruiz Sima Sarraf Kymberlie Estrada Deanna Trombley Ashley Isordia Julie Edgington Blanca Navarro Ann Pham Tim Worden Peter Pham Chris Konte Julia Gutierrez Robert Huskey Rae Romero John Pekcan Vanessa Martinez Ethan Hawkes David McLaren Raymond Mendoza Andie Ayala
Doctor convicted of sexual assault
Brief by SAMUEL MOUNTJOY
DAILY TITAN Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor News Editor News Assistant News Assistant News Assistant Sports Editor Sports Editor Sports Assistant Sports Assistant Opinion Editor Opinion Assistant Features Editor Features Assistant Features Assistant Detour Editor Detour Assistant Detour Assistant Multimedia Editor Layout Editor Layout Editor Layout Assistant Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Copy Assistant Photo Editor Photo Editor Photo Assistant Photo Assistant Web Editor Webmaster Senior Staff Writer Senior Staff Writer
DTBRIEFS
RESEARCH: IT-Catalyst grant meant to create opportunities for women CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The foundation grant, Bridges said, was relatively competitive. “This grant is only available to researchers at primarily undergraduate-serving institutions like ours,” said Bridges. Upon applying for the grant, Bridges submitted a budget detailing what he planned to do with the funds. He put aside money for equipment, supplies, a stipend for himself and allocated funds for student salaries.
“This grant is only available to researchers at primarily undergraduate-serving institutions like ours.” MICHAEL BRIDGES Chemistry professor Bridges was awarded $35,000 for his research on equilibrium dynamics binding kinetics of intrinsically disordered cancer proteins by electron paramagnetic resonance. Intrinsically disordered proteins do not have a native fold or natural fold, whereas normal proteins fold up. Parkinson’s disease, mad cow disease and Alzheimer’s disease all are
A new strategy to prevent theft of U.S. trade secrets was announced Wednesday by the Obama administration after reports surfaced of the Chinese military operating a cybertheft circle, according to USA Today. The Strategy on Mitigating the Theft of U.S. Trade Secrets was presented a week after President Obama signed an executive order, which was intended to improve U.S. computer networks against the attacks. More than 140 U.S. companies accused Chinese military of cyber attacks against them. The new plan includes working with industries in the best of their conveniences to protect their trade secrets, diplomatic contacts with nations where trade secret theft rate are higher, and strengthen the prosecution of business espionage. The government of People’s Republic of China did not admit the involvement in the cyber attacks. The Chinese government claimed those attacks were traced back to U.S. “Trade secret theft can cripple a company’s competitive advantage in foreign markets, diminish export prospects around the globe, and put American jobs in jeopardy,” said Victoria Espinel, the U.S. intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, according to USA Today.
Brief by MIMI HUNG
Corpse found in hotel water tank
ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan
TOP: Michael Bridges stands by an Electron Paramagnetic Resonance machine. BOTTOM: Matthew Kirby studies soil samples inside his lab on campus.
caused by misfolded or unfolded intrinsically disordered proteins. Bridges said his research focuses on a particular intrinsically disordered protein, Stathmin, which has been related to cancer. He said no one has looked at Stathmin in much detail. Jennifer Faust, Ph.D., associate vice president for academic affairs, was PI for a grant alongside Susamma Barua, associate dean of engineering, and Dorota Huizinga, associate vice president for graduate studies and research, for the CSUF ADVANCE IT-Catalyst project. They received a grant of $95,740 from the National Science Foundation (NSF), a federal agency. “The NSF has an interest in seeing more females in STEM fields—science, technology, engineering and math,” said Faust. The IT-Catalyst grant given by
the foundation is meant to help universities get started on transforming an institution to create more opportunities for women in STEM fields. She said part of the grant is to conduct a self-assessment and start a conversation to address issues like underrepresentation or deficits. Faust said activities on the grant have already begun, including writing a survey to send to faculty, and holding a discussion on campus about faculty diversity. She added that there is a lot more work to be done but they have already started. This project began in October 2012 and is primarily aimed at female faculty. “We’re hoping that by increasing the number of female faculty, we will also increase the number of female students in STEM,” Faust said.
A corpse was found Tuesday in a rooftop water tank at the Cecil Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles where guests drank and bathed from. The body of Canadian tourist Elisa Lam was discovered by a maintenance worker when the hotel received complaints about the water, according to CNN. Lam was last seen at the hotel Jan. 31, police said. Her body had most likely been decomposing in the tank for more than two weeks. Officials struggled throughout Tuesday to remove her body from the tank’s tight space. Guests said the water was black when the tap was first turned on and had a bad taste. Hotel management instructed guests not to drink the water while they looked into the finding. Tests to determine whether or not the water posed a health risk to guests has not been returned from the Los Angeles Public Health Department. Detectives are currently investigating the cause of death.
Brief by SAMUEL MOUNTJOY
FEBRUARY 21, 2013
THURSDAY
NEWS
PAGE 3
THE DAILY TITAN
DTCRIME Police identify shooting victim The first victim in a shooting rampage that spread across Orange County early Tuesday, was identified by police on Wednesday. Courtney Aoki, 20, of Buena Park, was shot multiple times in a Ladera Ranch home Tuesday morning, according to the Orange County Register. The shooting spree began as suspect Ali Syed, 20, allegedly killed Aoki inside his family’s house around 4:45 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Syed then fled north on the 5 Freeway toward Santa Ana. He allegedly killed two other people off the 55 Freeway, in Santa Ana and Tustin, before killing himself in Orange, police said. One of the victims, construction worker Jeremy Lewis, 26, lived in Fullerton. Police have not identified the motive in the killings as well as Aoki’s relationship to Syed. Police believe his only weapon was a shotgun. On Wednesday, police released two 911 calls from Syed’s parents soon after the incident. In the first, Syed’s mother is heard with an alarm sounding in the background, according to the Register. His father called soon after. “I think they got into a fight or something,” he told police, according to the Register. Syed was unemployed and attended Saddleback College part-time, police said. An ExploreTalent.com profile lists a Courtney Aoki, age 20, from Los Angeles, as an actor and model. A Courtney Aoki residing in Buena Park was also mentioned in a 2010 Los Angeles Times article about a summer high school arts program at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, though it is not confirmed that the woman in the article is the same person. “I’ve always wanted to be an actress, and this is helping me towards my goal,” she said in the article. Brief by TIM WORDEN
Anaheim murder suspect charged A man has been charged with murder after being found by police in an Anaheim hotel room with his dead wife, according to the Orange County Register. The Staybridge Suites hotel in Anaheim called the police to investigate the room after Bruce Ohlwine, 48, delayed checking out of the room. Police found Ohlwine suffering with an abdomen injury while his wife Saori Ohlwine was dead inside the hotel room. Officers arrested Ohlwine on suspicion of murder after taking him to a hospital for treatment. Police told the Register that Ohlwine allegedly used a knife in the slaying of his wife. He is facing a sentence enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon. Authorities have not commented on Ohlwine’s motive. The couple had a record of run-ins with the law. The Orange County Superior Court records show both were charged with felony pimping and conspiring to commit a crime last year. Ohlwine is scheduled to return to court for his arraignment March 8. Brief by MIMI HUNG
ALLIANCE: South Korea engages in international free trade CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Royce said North Korea’s future is unpredictable but positive changes are beginning to happen. He said that some North Korean citizens have access to technology, allowing them to receive news from outside their country for the first time. Choi said North Korea’s ambitions to create a nuclear arsenal would not bring salvation to poor living conditions in the country. He said North Korea takes the funds it receives in foreign aid and
spends it towards its nuclear research rather than improving the poor living conditions its citizens suffer from daily. Choi also spoke about how free trade was instrumental in the success of South Korea over the last six decades. He said that engaging in free trade with other countries is essential to a countries economic success, as it has been a strategy South Korea has used for decades. By depending on other countries for trading imports and exports, South Korea has become the seventh larg-
est exporter and tenth largest importer in the world. The ambassador said countries that choose to be independent from free trade struggle to last, compared to countries who are dependent with one another. He added that North Korea and the Soviet Union are examples of how the independent route does not work to build a country’s economy. Choi also said the United States’ relationship with China can be strengthened by the countries engaging in free trade with each other.
WILLIAM CAMARGO / For the Daily Titan TOP: South Korean Ambassador Y.J. Choi visits Orange County to commemorate the 60-year alliance between the U.S. and South Korea. President García spoke briefly on the importance of his visit to CSUF. BOTTOM: Ambassador Y.J. Choi speaks to a crowd of more than 100 people at Steven G. Mihaylo Hall on Wednedsday.
DEGREES: Lower-division unit requirements streamlined CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Lower division unit requirements for transfer admission previously varied among campuses in the CSU. This caused students to take more classes than necessary in order to improve their transfer prospects to multiple schools. The first wave of 120 transfer degree recipients came to the CSU in fall 2012. They were the only students accepted as transfers after the CSU decided to close spring transfer admission as a result of budget cuts. Fullerton College is one of the top schools to implement the transfer degrees. They currently offer 18 transfer degree programs, with more on the way. Community college students who have been working on an associate degree during this transitional period should be able to parlay their completed courses into the new degree without difficulty. “Senate Bill 1440 and the new associate degree for transfer are initiatives aimed at making sure our transfer function works exceptionally well for our students, but it isn’t the only thing we do,” said Skinner. Other functions of the community college system, such as vocational and basic skills training, should not be affected by the new program. In the wake of devastating budget cuts at the community college level, students at that level have been coping with an overcrowding of required classes due to a reduction of course sections. Cal State University executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer Ephraim P. Smith hopes the transfer degree, along with an improved state budget, will increase CSU enrollment. Enrollment to the CSU has been down in recent years, according to the vice chancellor. “We have two forces working
here, one would be an improved state budget and the other would be the associate degree for transfer,” said Smith. “If they both come at the same time, we should be able to accommodate all of these students.” The passage of Proposition 30 has helped community colleges this year with a funding boost of nearly $210 million, though schools around the state are still struggling after having more than $800 million in cuts in recent years. Hundreds of thousands of students have been turned away the semesters following the cuts. Those who can get into classes are faced with a larger class size, and are paying more per unit than they were just a few years ago. The transfer degrees come as a response to a trend found by the California Legislative Analyst’s Office. A 2010 study revealed that transfer students generally graduated the CSU with more than 40 excess units. Former chancellor Jack Scott pointed out that taxpayers spent $28 million on these excess units.
ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan
A Fullerton Community College student walks the bridge over Chapman Avenue in Fullerton on Wednesday.
COLLEGES IN FUNDING CRISIS Prop. 30 yields $210 million $210 million were injected into California community colleges when Prop. 30 was passed in November
Community college funds down 12% California has cut $809 million from the community college budget since 2009
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Cashier - $11.13 - $17.64 per hour Closing Date: Mon., March 11, 2013 at 5:00 p.m., or when 150 apps. are recieved.
Cuts in staffing, increases in waitlists California Community Colleges showed cuts in staffing at 87 percent of schools, 80 percent report waitlisted classes
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OPINION
PAGE 4
THE DAILY TITAN
A boost to those in need of it
FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE
Daily Titan
Daily Titan
Out of the many issues that President Barack Obama mentioned during last week’s State of the Union address, a solution to provide more income for poverty-stricken Americans, was among the more controversial. He proposed a plan to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $9 an hour as a means to, hopefully, defeat the continuing growth in income inequality. Obama mentioned that a family with two kids earning a minimum wage is still going to be living below the poverty line as an example of why the minimum wage should increase. While his plan certainly won’t bring an end to poverty in America once and for all (according to the New Yorker, the minimum wage annual salary will rise from $15,080 to $18,720, which is still not enough to elevate a person out of poverty), it is definitely a step in the right direction. Also, keeping the minimum wage where it’s currently at is simply unfair to those that are forced to live off of it. When Obama announced the proposal, roughly half the people in the room watching his speech erupted into applause, while the other half sat quietly. U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner was a part of the latter. “When you raise the price of employment, guess what happens? You get less of it,” said Boehner. However, a little research proves that this isn’t necessarily the case. Studies done by the Center for Economic and Policy Research found that since the early ‘90s, the minimum wage has little to no impact on the employment prospects of low-wage workers. This is quite the opposite from the claim that
Source: Department of Labor
Federal minimum wage has experienced three significant increases since 2007.
Boehner had attempted to make. Another issue is the question of who the increase in the federal minimum wage affects. Certain stereotypes exist that perpetuate minimum wage workers as teenagers with part-time jobs. Opponents of the proposal use this as a counter argument, claiming that raising the minimum wage isn’t going to reach lower-income Americans like it’s intended to do. However, this assumption is a bit of a slap in the face to those that are doing their best to make ends meet with the low salaries that they make. The fact of the matter is that there are other demographics that work at minimum wage jobs that aren’t just trying to save up their money for prom. According to the New Yorker, “nearly nine out of ten workers who would benefit from a rise in the minimum wage are at least twenty years old. More than half of them work full time; over a third are married; more than a quarter are parents.” It seems necessary, then, to raise the minimum-wage, at the very least to help provide these families with additional funds to get by in such a tough economy. And while we’re on the subject of
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our faltering economy, raising the federal minimum wage could be one of the answers that might help improve it. A 2012 study by the National Women’s Law Center found “most minimum wage workers need this income to make ends meet and spend it quickly, boosting the economy.” It is morally reprehensible not to allow those who make such low income the additional cash to help them provide more necessities for themselves, especially if it could have a positive effect on the way our economy functions. The desire for this change is long overdue for those struggling to get by, since, as the New York Times reports, “The $1.75 increase in the minimum wage would be enough to offset roughly 10 to 20 percent of the increase in income inequality since 1980.” If this ends up being the case, then this is a wholly necessary step in the right direction, especially when we look at an increasingly yawning gap in income inequality. If the federal minimum wage ends up getting the increase it deserves, then the families that Obama mentioned as scraping by might finally be able to get ahead.
THURSDAY
Proposition 35 rendered unconstitutional CRYSTAL CHAVIRA
ANDY LUNDIN
FEBRUARY 21, 2013
Proposition 35 is under fire. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation have jointly filed a suit against the proposition supporting two plaintiffs—currently anonymous—arguing it infringes on First Amendment rights. For those unfamiliar, Proposition 35 expands the requirements to monitor registered sex offenders. A report from the McGeorge School of Law from the University of the Pacific in November 2012 stated, “Changes to Section 290 California Penal Code, Sex Offender Registration Act, anyone convicted of human trafficking, ‘labor’ or ‘sexual’, to register as a sex offender.” The CASE Act, as it is known, is retroactive and applies to all people convicted of human trafficking since July 1, 1944. Registrants will now have to report their Internet providers and identifiers, user names and email, to local law enforcement. Registrants are also required to report any comments or blogs posted. ACLU argues that this directly infringes registrant’s right to anonymous free speech. Although it is not specifically outlined this way in the Constitution, there are many previous cases pertaining to this topic. “Requiring people to give up their rights to speak freely and anonymously about civic matters is unconstitutional,” says Electronic Frontier Foundation attorney Hanni Fakhoury. This rule applies to all sex offenders, regardless if it was something minimal like indecent exposure, which doesn’t always involve another person. The organizations argue that to put harsh sentencing such as your right to free speech,
based on classification of a single group, is a slippery slope. Punishments like these that include blanket assumptions need to be done on a case by case basis pertaining to circumstantial evidence. Another angle to view the changes made upon the Sex Offenders Registration Act would be to argue that Proposition 35 is breaking the Single Subject Rule; defined as “An initiative measure embracing more than one subject may not be submitted to the electors or have any effect.” Proponents may argue that the two topics between human trafficking and requirements of registered sex offenders are interweaved and count as one. In fact, in 2011, legislation failed to change requirements to registered sex offenders very similar to the changes made in the CASE Act.
“Put simply, Proposition 35 is unconstitutional and riddled with negligence of lawmakers.” Proposition 35 also expands the definition of human trafficking, but the changes made to the definition are too vague. The 14th Amendment prohibits federal or state legislatures to enact laws that violate the Fair Notice Requirement in the Due Process Doctrine, “An enactment will be void-forvagueness if its prohibitions are not clearly defined.” The expansion made to the definition of human trafficking now includes acts like sex with a
minor, prostitution, pornography and “sexting.” Sharing any materials displaying naked photos or sex acts can also be considered human trafficking. Non-coerced prostitution and pornography can be considered human trafficking and, even worse, it can expand to their family members as well. The new definition expands “punishment to any who shares in proceeds of trafficking.” If these acts are deemed as human trafficking than anyone who is supports a convicted “trafficker” may be convicted as a sex offender as well. On top of all this, the Act also prohibits the defense of using any prior history of victim’s convictions of prostitution or sexual conduct during court proceedings. This revision restricts a defendant’s right to a fair trial as outlined in the Due Process Doctrine in the 14th Amendment. Defendants will no longer be able to use consensual sexual history, or the victim’s sexual history for defense which may be crucial evidence needed to pursue their fundamental right to freedom. The problematic undertow that precedes Proposition 35 has yet to gain a volume of attention. This may be due to people and organization’s resistance to speak out for fear of bad publicity regarding such a touchy subject. Although the measure means to do well and we can all agree to harsher punishment for these crimes; it does not give state legislature right to bypass the steps set forth by the founding fathers to get it. Put simply, Proposition 35 is unconstitutional and riddled with negligence of lawmakers. If it is not revised, it is a fair assumption that the pending cases, opened after merely two days of enactment, will not be the last to emerge.
FEBRUARY 21, 2013
THURSDAY
FEATURES
PAGE 5
THE DAILY TITAN
Snowfall blankets weary traveler Silence proves calming at 4,800 feet up in Sierra Nevada winter wonderland DAVID HOOD Daily Titan
WINNIE HUANG / For the Daily Titan
Robert Perez, a Transfer Center advisor at Cal State Fullerton, helps transfers with the Next Steps checklist.
Transfers adjust to Titan life
On-campus resources like the Transfer Center seek to welcome new students KRISTEN CERVANTES Daily Titan
For new transfer students, the process of transitioning from a community college to a university can be overwhelming because they need to adjust to a new school system. Many students arrive early to find a parking spot, locate their classes on time and attempt to process what needs to be accomplished over the course of the semester. Frances Cacho, 22, a kinesiology major, transferred from Mt. San Antonio College and wandered around campus with a “bigeyed deer look” during her first day at Cal State Fullerton. “My first day was almost that (of ) when you go from junior high to high school and you’re like, ‘I’m in the big school now,’” said Cacho. Cacho said she noticed a difference in the quality of professors during her first year at CSUF. The professors are teaching in their field of study and that’s their passion, Cacho said. Another transfer student, Shayla Ragone, a senior in graphic design, felt like “a small fish in a big pond” on her first day on campus, but to this day remembers her very first class: history of jazz. “Once you finally get there (to the university) it’s like, ‘OK, I’ve achieved part of my plan, now let’s achieve the other half,’” said Ragone. For Ragone, the biggest difference between a community college and a university was the type of people that attended each school. She said the students at her community college, MiraCosta College, were generally older and kept more to themselves, while students at CSUF are more “cliquey” and community-based. Ragone said she is excited to finish her degree at CSUF after nine years of being in both schools.
Many transfer students deal with the anxiety of getting used to another campus, new professors and meeting new people, after the initial excitement of being closer to the finish line of graduation wears off. New transfer students can take advantage of the many opportunities CSUF provides to feel more comfortable at their new home for the next couple of years, such as joining a club or becoming a part of student organizations. Cacho said she utilized the student tours and was able to navigate her way through campus.
“You end up meeting ... other transfer students that might know things you haven’t figured out yet.” FRANCES CACHO Transfer student
She also joined the largest organization for women at CSUF, the Panhellenic Council during her first year at CSUF and is now the vice president of judicial affairs. She said her experience with the council helped her make new friends and build herself up as a student leader. Getting involved on campus was a huge help in adjusting to a new school, Cacho said. “You end up meeting people who can help you with that transition and you end up meeting people who have been here for a couple of years or other transfer students that might know things that you haven’t figured out yet,” Cacho said. Sometimes transfer students
find they need to get information on their own in order to adjust successfully. Ragone said she knew before arriving at CSUF the importance of seeking information about the transfer process. She decided to take matters into her own hands by getting information on financial aid and made sure she was accepted. Ragone said she felt empowered by all of the knowledge she gained. Another way transfer students can easily adjust to their new campus is through visiting the Transfer Center. The center provides students with the opportunity to become familiar with CSUF before and during their university experience. Robert Perez, a peer advisor for the Transfer Center, assists students who are going through the process of transferring by using the Next Steps checklist. The list includes attending student orientation, paying fees and meeting with advisors. He said transfer students are strongly encouraged to meet with academic advisors and get involved with the school to make sure they have the best experience at CSUF. “It’s completely up to them what their college experience will be and they have tremendous power in creating that,” said Perez. The Transfer Center answers any questions students have about transferring and is also there for all sorts of support. “We reinforce the accomplishment of what they’ve done,” Perez said. Looking back, Ragone said she missed her friends who went off to a four-year college after high school, but appreciates how much she has matured at CSUF. Ragone advised new transfer students to seek help and use professors as a resource. “Instead of looking at them as teachers, look at them more as a role model in something that you strive to do,” Ragone said.
Silence. All was still at 5,000 feet in late December high above the din of traffic and normal going-ons of regular life in the Sierra Nevada’s Stanislaus National Forest, save the quaint flurries drifting and dampening all sound. Before that tranquil moment, snow had only fallen on my head and around me once before in Washington, D.C. for about an hour for a grand total of about two inches. But it wasn’t the crunch, slosh or refreshing nature of icy precipitation that captured my breath among the towering redwoods. It was the silence. The absolute absence of sound as far as my ears could detect gave me the meaning of tranquility as snowflakes, big or small gently congregated on the treetops and forest floor. I grew up on a 12-acre ranch on the Central Coast of California with a relatively vacant highway at a far distance. There were more stars that littered the sky than city lights from a vista traveling eastbound on the 118 Freeway above Los Angeles. And I thought I knew the meaning of quietude. But I was wrong. I never felt more alone and crowded at the same time before snow begun to descend from the colossal cumulonimbus clouds above. It was a spiritual moment, really: the immense trees of Calaveras Big Trees State Park looming above in commanding solitude whilst tiny flurries floated around, painting God’s creation a pure white like a reset button was hit to renew the forest’s integrity and my troubled soul. Psalm 46:10 says (in part), “Be still and know that I am God.” The meaning of the passage is viewed in a number of ways, but I believe the Hebrew meaning is to express the overwhelming peace entrenched in God’s character often highlighted by nature. Such was that moment in the snow when I felt the presence of God and an unexplainable peace settle all around, as if He was telling me to be still, be in awe of the glory of nature and know the gentle facet of His nature represented in the scenery. Beyond the silence and transcendental moment I was enveloped in, like a child. I was fascinated like most are during their first encounter with the dipping and swaying bits of snow from the sky. I munched on snow (after I checked the color first), sucked on icicles and practiced chucking
DAVID HOOD / Daily Titan
Calaveras Big Trees State Park provides a retreat for those looking for peace away from the business of life in the city.
snowballs at my dad, walking further up the trail.
“And like a child, even at 22 years old, I stood in awe of the majesty of the big trees.” As I was told by my friends from Alaska, who treat snow like Southern Californians treat sunshine, the weather was surprisingly warm for the snowfall-like precipitation. Most precipitation comes about via warm fronts in the atmosphere where the edge of a moving mass of warm air rises over and replaces a withdrawing mass of cooler air.
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, as the the warm air rises, it cools and the water vapor in it condenses, usually forming steady rain, sleet, or snow. So as it fell at a constant rate, the weather was warm and comfortable. At one point, I dove into a mound of fresh powder and closed my eyes, verging on the edge of a nap that would have soothed my aching muscles after a long-fought snowball fight with my dad and brother-in-law. And like a child, even at 22 years old, I stood in awe of the majesty of the big trees, attempting to catch snowflakes on my tongue and making snow angels on the ground. But again, the most important thing I kept in memory was the refreshing and placid atmosphere high in the Sierra Nevada mountains that provided peace after a long semester.
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FEATURES
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THE DAILY TITAN
FEBRUARY 21, 2013 THURSDAY
DRUMMER: Solo merits ovation CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Days before the competition, Improta was in Portland, Ore. recording for progressive/post-rock band Night Verses’ full-length debut. While in Portland, he balanced his time between recording and planning for the competition by practicing for the album for about three hours a day, then for his drum solo for two. The morning of the competition, Improta practiced his solo twelve times, which he said happens to be his lucky number and just about the number of times he believes he can practice the physically demanding solo without risk of getting hurt. When Improta plays, he said he aims to put on a performance that will not only impress drum aficionados, but entertain everyone in the audience. Improta arrived to the venue hours before check-in with time to explore the place, something that helped calm his nerves. He warmed up for the performance as one would for a football game, backstage running in place for about twenty minutes and doing push ups, anything he could to get his blood flowing. Finally, it was Improta’s turn to share with the audience the solo he had been practicing for months. In his worn-out pair of lucky Converse, he walked on stage filled with adrenaline. He said he usually jumps in with a bang, but this time, he allowed for a steady build-up. Finally, Improta reached the end of his performance thinking he only had 30 seconds left, but he felt a tap on his shoulder which meant he had one minute left. “I was like ‘Oh my God!’ I real-
ized that I had totally sped it up because I was just so hyper and so in the moment,” Improta said. With extra time left, Improta ended up freestyling the end of the solo to an awed audience, receiving his standing ovation. Reilly Herrera, Improta’s bandmate, said that when he plays, he plays really hard. He said Improta’s music is loud and chaotic, but that’s what makes it as cool. “Ultimately what comes out is a really intense, technical dude that puts everything into it, so it’s kind of like a show and slightly like an experience to watch him because you can tell he really means what he’s doing,” said bandmate Reilly Herrera. Improta may not have won first place, but he said he gained a lot from the experience. Herrera said his bandmate made a big impression on the many people in attendance during the DrumOff competition. “It was nothing but a positive experience for him, and he’s the first person to realize that,” Herrera said. After the competition, Improta met and talked to several influential drummers including Travis Barker from Blink-182, Adrian Young from No Doubt, and past winners. According to Improta, a highlight of the night was when Darren King, drummer for the band Mutemath, approached him and told him he had his favorite solo. “The biggest thing that Aric should get credit for is that he is very passionate about what he does, he really does put everything that he has, both emotionally and physically into what he does,” said Nick DePirro, Improta’s bandmate.
ABOUT ARIC IMPROTA • He is the drummer of progressive/post-rock band Night Verses. • He performs in a pair of lucky Converse. • Before performing he exercises to get his blood pumping.
CONTACT US AT: FEATURES@DAILYTITAN.COM
ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan
Peter Weiman, left, and Sergio Lopez, right, are two veteran students working through the transition between military and student life.
IDENTITIES: Veterans incorporate the past with the present ADREANA YOUNG Daily Titan
For six years, Peter Weiman spent his days in a Navy submarine watching over the torpedos. The Torpedoman was stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii for four years and completed two Western Pacific tours of duty to Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Guam where he would practice loading exercises with the submarine’s missiles just in case he had to fire one on someday. “If we screw up everybody dies,” said Weiman. “It’s having to make those choices and doing your job could result in people dying. So, it’s a different mentality of the repercussions of what you do.” Today, Weiman, 30, works in the Veterans Student Services (VSS) office at Cal State Fullerton and is president of the Student Veterans Association at CSUF. He is a marketing major and is planning on graduating this spring. Weiman is a student veteran working through the transition between military and student life. Joining the Navy right out of high school, Weiman’s life experiences differ from the average student on campus. He said many people on campus classify veterans as non-
conventional students because they are usually transfers and, like in Weiman’s case, are typically older. “I’m 30 ... so coming back you’re in a different place in your life than the students you’re with,” Weiman said. However, VSS coordinator Catherine Ward said there is a common misconception surrounding student veterans. She said many of the challenges that veterans do face are ones not only specific to veterans, many of them resemble adult reentry students. “(What) we hear in the media and other outside sources certainly influence our perception of who the veteran is,” said Ward. “I think that the stereotype right now is that the veteran is a war veteran, a combat veteran, and that because of that they have to be operating under some sort of distress ... and that isn’t the case. That’s not always the case.” Ward said many people believe that in general student veterans struggle once they re-enter school and that they, “somehow have deficits because of their experience in the military.” Yet, Ward said she believes that for many the military is a positive experience and aids in
their time in college. For Sergio Lopez, 22, his time in the Marine Corps instilled in him a drive and dedication that he said many students his age don’t have. “(I’ve been) able to translate my work ethic. I have that still, so I’m just trying to convert that into doing homework,” he said. “Like I woke up this morning at 6:30, so that way I could start reviewing for a quiz that I had. And I don’t think an 18-19 year old would do that, wake up early for an 8 o’clock class to study.” The mechanical engineering major served in the Marines for four years, and deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. Lopez said his time in the Middle East wasn’t as dangerous as some would assume. “I was an engineering equipment mechanic,” said Lopez. “The situational awareness was higher, but I mean I was a maintenance marine, it’s not as dangerous as people think for my particular job, but for someone else’s job it could have been a different experience.” Weiman’s time in the military offered a more high pressure experience. In working with explosive torpedos on a small enclosed space filled with people, Weiman said it
was about quality assurance. “That was really hard for me when I was getting out (of the military) was dealing with people (saying) ‘Oh, that’s good enough.’ No it’s not. Some people take it as you’re too by the book, but when you have people’s lives in your hands it’s a little different mentality,” he said. “That was the hardest part, I was tuned to working one way and then having to adjust.” Lopez and Weiman’s stories are not uncommon in that the student veteran population is a growing one. Weiman said they have about 100 to 120 veteran students who come into their office regularly. The VSS office, at University Hall Room 230, offers the veterans on campus a place to interact with other veterans. Ward said the veterans center allows for the comradery that veterans engaged in while in the military to carry on. She said one of her goals with the center is to provide a place for veterans to build a community and not only identify themselves as a veteran, but as a student as well. “(Veteran students) come from a different culture, but they were also civilians before they were veterans, and sometimes we forget that,” Ward said.
SPORTS
PAGE 8
THE DAILY TITAN
FEBRUARY 21, 2013 THURSDAY
Titans hope to end long losing streak Women’s basketball will travel to take on Big West foes Pacific and UC Davis ANGEL MENDOZA Daily Titan
This Just In JUSTIN ENRIQUEZ
Mourning the loss of a Los Angeles titan It’s hard to believe that a child of the Depression raised by a single mother in Wyoming could change the cultural landscape of the second biggest city in the U.S., but he did. Dr. Jerry Buss’ “rags to riches” is what makes this country great and he is as good a representative of the “American Dream” as I can think of. As my parents were first generation Filipino-Americans striving to obtain their version of the American dream, they were passionate about three things; family, success, and the Los Angeles Lakers. Buss made that possible, he changed the culture of the team and created an aura surrounding the organization that resulted in one of the most glamorous teams in the sporting world. Soon enough, rooting for the Lakers is what defined a person as an Angeleno. Dr. Buss made the organization the purple and gold standard in Los Angeles and through the shared experience of rooting for the home team aided immigrants like my parents to assimilate in Southern California, thus becoming real Angelenos. In 1979, Dr. Buss bought the team in as part of a package deal with former owner Jack Kent Cooke that included the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL, the Forum sports arena located in Inglewood, and Cooke’s California Ranch. The entire pack-
age was purchased by Buss at $67.5 million, which the New York Times called “the largest single financial transaction in the history of professional sports.” The “Showtime” Lakers of the 1980s changed not only matched the star-power of Hollywood but also had success on the hardwood. In fact, the 1979-80 Lakers won the NBA title in Dr. Buss’ first year of owning the organization. The team featured NBA superstar and all-time points leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, future hall-of-famer Jamaal “Silk” Wilkes, and then rookie and Michigan State star Earvin “Magic” Johnson. The Lakers are estimated to have costed Dr. Buss about $16 million in 1979 and as of January, the team has been valued at $1 billion by Forbes Magazine. His implementation of “Showtime” and changing the cultural landscape surrounding the team is not more apparent than in the fact that courtside seats were only $15 at the time of his purchase. Nowadays, those seats are rarely available and sell for $2,600 a game and usually are reserved for Hollywood A-listers like Lakers superfan Jack Nicholson. Los Angeles is often referred nowadays as a basketball town and it goes without saying that Dr. Buss bringing 10 championships to the city has
much to do with that. Everybody loves a winner. Despite the glitz and glamour surrounding the organization, Dr. Buss had a simple solution to who would take over for him after his death by keeping it in the family. His son Jim has been seen as the heir to the Lakers throne for years now and will oversee basketball decisions with General Manager Mitch Kupchak. His daughter Jeanie is vice president of business operations and most of the other four siblings have a place in the Lakers organization. Yes, the second biggest organization in the NBA will still remain to be a family business as Dr. Buss wanted. Dr. Buss was widely considered to be the best owner that the NBA has ever had and possibly greatest in all of professional sports. The loss is echoed in the fact that his death not only made headline news in Los Angeles, but national news as well. The influence and presence of Dr. Buss will be felt for many years in the Lakers organization and entire NBA, but most important of all, in the city of Los Angeles. I will always remember Dr. Buss as the mustachioed ladies man that gave the city that I love the greatest gift it could possibly receive; a standard of excellence to live up to and a team to be proud to root for.
The Cal State Fullerton women’s basketball team (7-17 overall, 3-9 in Big West) will look to get their season back on track as they take on the University of the Pacific on Thursday and UC Davis on Saturday. The Titans are currently riding an eight-game losing streak, their last win coming over a month ago. The Titans’ most recent loss came by the score of 43-39 at the hands of a lowly UC Irvine squad. The Titans’ undoing came in the latter part of the game against the Anteaters as Fullerton converted on just four of 27 second-half field goals for an underwhelming 14.8 percent. Despite the inconsistent shooting performance, the Titans still had a shot to win the contest, as they led 39-37 with two minutes left to play in the game after sophomore guard Chante Miles made a steal at half court then took it the to the basket for two points. That would be the last points the Titans would score however, as the Anteaters went on a 6-0 after the Miles layup to seal the win. When the final buzzer sounded, CSUF ended up shooting 12-50 for the game for just 24 percent. The basketball team will travel to Stockton, Calif., tonight and take on a reeling Pacific team. Although the Tigers are 19-6 this season and 9-4 in Big West play, three of those losses have come in their last four games. Senior forward Kendall Rodriguez is leading her team this season, scoring 12.5 points per game (ppg). She is also shooting 80 percent from the free throw line and just over 36 percent from three point
JOHN PEKCAN / Daily Titan
Guard Tailer Butler looks for the perfect moment to exploit the defense. The sophomore is averaging 6.5 ppg and 3.8 rebounds so far this season.
territory. Sophomore forward Kendall Kenyon and junior guard Gena Johnson have also provided the squad with some valuable minutes on the court. Kenyon is averaging 11.6 ppg this season and is shooting a staggering 57.3 percent from the field. The sophomore is also a stalwart on defense, bringing down 10.7 rebounds and averaging 1.7 blocks a game. Johnson has also scored 11.5 ppg and has a 42.7 percentage from the field. On Saturday, the Titans will then go to Davis, Calif., and tip off against a 10-14 Aggies team. UC Davis is just 5-8 in the Big West and 1-4 in their last five games. Their most consistent performer thus far has been sophomore forward Sydnee Fipps, averaging 16.8
ppg and shooting over 82 percent from the free throw line. She also has accumulated 42 steals. Senior guard Courtney French has also played well, averaging 11 ppg and is second on the team with 3.5 rebounds per game. As a team, the Titans have not shot well all year. Their field goal percentage is at 31.1 thus far and shooting 25.7 percent from the three point line. Sophomore guard Chante Miles has been their most consistent player this season, averaging 10.6 ppg and 2.2 steals per game. Junior guard Alex Thomas has also given CSUF some valuable minutes, scoring 8.6 ppg and shooting 75.0 percent from the free throw line. For more information, visit FullertonTitans.com.
SOFTBALL: Errors costly for Titans
ROBERT HUSKEY / Daily Titan
Cal State Fullerton pitcher Katey Lagan throws a pitch to a batter of the professional softball team Japan Toyota.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Then came the sixth inning and everything changed for the Titans as Japan put up seven runs alone in the inning on a few mishaps by Titan senior right-hander Katey Laban. It all started with a double down the left field line by Japan’s Yukimi Chikyu. After advancing on a wild pitch by Laban, Yukimi was able to score on a ground out. Laban then walked Midori Kamiyama who then advanced to second base on a passed ball by the catcher. After an error by the Titans to put runners on the corners, a double steal by Japan extended the lead to 3-0. Japan’s Haruna Sakamoto hit a shot over the center fielder to put one more run on the board with a double. After a pair of hits and a double by Japan’s CONTACT US AT: SPORTS@DAILYTITAN.COM
Asako Mabuchi, the game was out of reach as the Titans fell behind 8-0. CSUF didn’t go quietly as Ybarra did not let the Titans go down in shutout fashion. In the bottom of the inning with Fullerton junior catcher Ariel Tsuchiyama on first base after a walk, Ybarra hit a shot over the right fielder to finally put the Titans on the board with a double but it proved to be the lone run for CSUF on the evening. It was a dream come true to many of the Titan players just to get a chance to face Team Toyota, back-to-back champions of the Japan Softball League, who travel to the United States annually to play collegiate and professional teams to gear up for their season. “It is a good atmosphere and everything and a great field,” said head coach Itushi Fukuda through transla-
tor Miyako Ikuhara. “It was a little bit cold but a lot warmer than Japan.” Although they did not play, Team Toyota features two USA olympians, Monica Abbott and Natasha Watley. “It’s every girls dream to pitch and play against (Team Toyot)],” said Titan sophomore left-handed pitcher Desiree Ybarra. “It was a great experience facing them and it’s something you don’t get a chance to do everyday.” It was a tough challenge but the Titans were able to hold their own for a while against a professional team. “These are professional athletes, these guys train every single day for eight hours, even today they practiced for three hours before then came here for their pre-game practice,” Ford said. “It was really amazing for our athletes to see that level of professionalism.”