Local media respond to Daily Titan editorials News Thursday April 30, 2015
Mad Mike takes on Wiz Khalifa cancellation
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The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton
Opinion
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Volume 97 Issue 48
Raising awareness, Bus pass one shirt at a time program to
exclude OLLI
Changing OCTA policy to restrict use of U-Passes DREW CAMPA & MARICELA GOMEZ Daily Titan
AMANDA SHARP / DAILY TITAN
T-shirts hang in the quad Wednesday for the “Clothesline Project” event to raise awareness of gender violence.
‘Clothesline’ event brings attention to gender violence DREW CAMPA Daily Titan Hundreds of brightly-colored and decorated T-shirts hung in the Quad to raise awareness of the grim
realities of sexual violence Wednesday. The WoMen’s Center, in conjunction with the Orange County Community Service Programs, hosted a local version of the nationally recognized “Clothesline Project.” As part of the project, women affected by gender violence decorate a shirt to express their emotions, and then hang the shirt on a clothesline to allow others to view it, according to
the project’s website. A prism of colors drew attention to different forms of violence. White shirts stood for deaths related to violence, while yellow and beige represented battered or assaulted women. Red, pink and orange shirts were associated with survivors of rape and sexual assault, and blue and green were associated with
survivors of incest and sexual abuse. Purple and lavender stood for those attacked because of sexual orientation and black was for women attacked for political reasons. Xochitl Morales, an anthropology major, took time during a three-hour gap between classes to closely examine some of the shirts. SEE CLOTHESLINE
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An institutional loophole that allowed senior citizens to ride for free throughout the county on Orange County Transit Authority buses will be closed for financial reasons come May. OCTA, in conjunction with Cal State Fullerton, will now strictly enforce its policy that allows free rides for students through the U-Pass system. That means that Osher Lifelong Learning members, who have had access to free transportation, will now have to finance their trips to and from Fullerton by other means. “It is not a change in policy but a tightening of the existing policy to ensure the best use of taxpayer dollars,” OCTA Media Relations Specialist Eric Carpenter wrote in an email. “Moving forward, to use the U-Pass, users must show a valid Titan card along with the U-Pass.” “OCTA coach operators will continue to accept Osher Lifelong Learning Institute identification along with the U-Pass until the end of this semester in May,” Carpenter said. The total number of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute members affected by this policy adjustment is not known. Inquiries for a clarification of the university’s and OCTA’s policy made at the institute offices at the Ruby Gerontology Center and with parking and transportation were forwarded to the school’s Strategic Communications office. Christopher Bugbee, a CSUF media relations officer, said that because of the relatively inexpensive costs of senior bus passes, there shouldn’t be an issue. “I would remind you that the senior OCTA fare is $0.75 one way or $1.50 roundtrip—not exactly a deal breaker, even for someone on limited income,” Bugbee said in the
email. The distinction between passes is a result of the distinction between undergraduate students, faculty and staff and the OLLI members, who do not pay the same fees, Carpenter said. “In conversations between OCTA and (CSUF), we agreed that U-Pass is geared toward undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at the university, as well as faculty and staff,” Carpenter said in an email. “While members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute program take classes on campus, they do not pay full student fees,” he said in the email. “Therefore, it was determined in meetings between OCTA and (CSUF) that (OLLI) card holders are not the intended audience for the U-Pass.” Part of the confusion regarding transportation for OLLI students comes from conflicting information provided by the school. On the latest OLLI membership application, there is no mention of access to a U-Pass. Members are, however, entitled to one parking pass as part of the program, according to the application. However, an OLLI benefits webpage that was last updated May 15, 2014 instructs members to “go to the Parking and Transportation Office ... to pick up an OCTA U-Pass.” The U-Pass card system is free to students at CSUF, while faculty and staff are entitled to a similar E-Pass. A U-Pass card is offered per semester and can be picked up at the Parking and Transportation Office. OLLI members are seniors 60 years and older who take part in various activities on campus. As part of the program, they receive an OLLI membership card, which differs from a student identification card. Like students, OLLI members enroll in classes, take part in activities and group work and volunteer on campus. Members also pay fees, although they are significantly less than general student fees. SEE OLLI
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MEGAN MENDIBLES / DAILY TITAN
Part-time lecturer Jack Mierop is a Cal State Fullerton alumnus and life coach. Mierop is working with local homeless shelters by offering motivational workshops.
A professor’s quest to motivate Jack Mierop, a life coach, is working to help the homeless. MEGAN MENDIBLES Daily Titan Certain homeless shelters in Orange County can add workshops that focus on well-being to the list of services provided, thanks to one Cal State Fullerton professor.
Jack Mierop, part-time lecturer for the department of Human Communication studies and motivational speaker, is reaching a new audience at homeless shelters. Since 2014, Mierop has provided semi-monthly life coaching classes at the Homeless Intervention Shelter and House in Placentia. More recently, Mierop presented his life coaching class at Colette’s Children’s House to
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mothers in Placentia. The classes started after a former student, who currently works with the shelter, recommended Mierop come to the shelter to help give guests a new perspective. “It goes anywhere from me teaching a lesson to us just talking about how their week went and the bad stuff that happens and how to process that … it’s almost like therapy,” Mierop said.
The economic crash in 2008 is what Mierop credits as the kickstarter for the creation of his website, JackUpYourlife.com, to promote himself as a motivational speaker. Also, as the start of the creation of his first book in 2013 titled, Becoming… . Mierop has been a Titan since his days as an undergraduate and as a graduate student in the 90s at CSUF. SEE JACK
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