Volume 103 Issue 34
The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton
Thursday April 12, 2018
ASI election validity in question following illegal meetings Associated Students was advised by legal counsel to hold an open meeting to ratify the results of eight closed sessions; disqualified candidates may appeal the council’s decision. BREANNA BELKEN Asst. News Editor
KYLE BENDER Editor-in-Chief
AMANDA TRAN / DAILY TITAN
The Associated Students Elections Judicial Council met eight times during the spring 2018 elections to hear complaints about all three candidate teams. No agendas were posted for the meetings.
Cal State Fullerton Associated Students may need to redo its presidential elections if the two disqualified candidates, Celine Moubayed and Colin Eacobellis, decide to appeal the outcome of ASI’s Elections Judicial Council (EJC) meetings. The council failed to post agendas and hold its meetings openly, violating the Gloria Romero Open Meetings Act, a California law regulating student governing bodies. As a result, the candidates will have an opportunity to appeal
the decision in an upcoming meeting that will ratify the decisions of the illegal meetings. “The thought was that these were conduct hearings, much like you might see in student judicial conduct,” said Dave Edwards, executive director of Associated Students. “In hindsight, it’s clear now that they should have been open meetings.” Edwards said it was the first time the EJC held complaint hearings during an Associated Students election since its
conception just before the spring 2017 election. During the eight closed meetings, the council heard a total of 60 complaints against all three candidate teams, with each team receiving at least one complaint. Moubayed and Eacobellis, who were disqualified by the council on March 14 for sending campaign emails considered spam, said they still feel they have been wronged by the actions of the council and are seeking help from the administration. They said they are in contact with Berenecea Johnson
Eanes, vice president of student affairs, to discuss their treatment during the election. “As of now, we’re just kind of up in the air on what the next steps are,” Eacobellis said. After the Daily Titan reported the open meeting violations, the Associated Students Board of Directors, following advice from its legal counsel, decided to hold a new council meeting to review all 60 complaints in an open session. SEE RESULTS 4
Men’s basketball invited to tourney
The Titans will participate in the inaugural Myrtle Beach Invitational in November against eight other universities following their best season in 10 years. JARED EPREM Sports Editor
Cal State Fullerton men’s basketball will participate in the inaugural Myrtle Beach Invitational during the 2018-2019 season, ESPN Events announced Wednesday. The Titans are one of eight teams to play in the invitational. The only other team participating in the invitational to play in the 2018 NCAA Tournament is West Virginia, who were one of the final 16 teams in the tournament. “We are excited for this opportunity to be on the stage with some of the best programs in the country. It is great for our ball club to compete, learn and grow at an early stage in the season,” Titans Head Coach Dedrique Taylor told CSUF Sports Media.
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We are excited for this opportunity to be on the stage with some of the best programs in the country.
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DEDRIQUE TAYLOR Titans head coach
With one team yet to be announced, the Titans will potentially compete against Saint Joseph’s, University of Central Florida, Valparaiso, Wake Forest, West Virginia and Western Kentucky. The early-season tournament will take place November 15, 16 and 18 at Coastal Carolina University’s HTC Center. Pete Derzis, ESPN senior vice president of college sports programming and ESPN Events, expressed his excitement for the new event. “After collaborating with Visit Myrtle Beach and the city of Myrtle Beach to move last year’s Puerto Rico Tip-Off to the area due to the effects of Hurricane Maria, we saw first-hand the community’s outstanding facilities and passion for college basketball,” Derzis said in a release statement. Coming off of the seventh 20win season in school history, a Big West Tournament championship and its first March Madness appearance in 10 years, CSUF is the only West Coast team named to play in the invitational.
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The conservancy protects rare species like the nearly extinct bird Ridgway’s rail.
PRISCILLA CARCIDO / DAILY TITAN
Golleher Alumni House hosts habitat restoration experts
Newport Bay Conservancy provided CSUF with educational resources. PRISCILLA CARCIDO Staff Writer
It is a rare feat in California to find a place untouched by cement and asphalt. A concrete jungle of homes, schools and businesses
have taken over the natural habitats of many animal and plant species, often forcing them to find new homes. Mallard ducks, brown pelicans and kingsnakes are just a few of the many wildlife animals that call Upper Newport Bay their home. For the last 50 years, the Newport Bay Conservancy has dedicated its time, resources and efforts to ensure the Upper Newport Bay and
its wildlife doesn’t see the same cement and asphalt-filled future. “Not only are there fish in danger, there’s birds, there’s coyotes, there’s bobcats that are losing their homes due to overdevelopment here in Southern California,” said Nicholas Moreno, senior public relations student and MANTA Communications member. SEE PROTECT 6 VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM