The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton
Wednesday May 9, 2018
Volume 103 Issue 49
Students struggle to find on-campus prayer spots
Plans are underway for a designated interfaith prayer space in the Pollak Library. JENNIFER GARCIA Staff Writer
Looking for a place to pray on campus is a daily struggle for Maisune Elhaija, a Muslim graduate student. “It was really difficult. I’ve literally prayed in my car a lot,” Elhaija said. “I’ve had friends tell me they’ve done the same thing before.” Common tradition in Islam is to pray five to six times a day. Prayer can be done from anywhere, but requires little distraction and can be more easily practiced in a quiet place. While there is a meditation room located on the upper level of the Titan Student Union, Elhaija said that given the size of its space and location, the room isn’t as accessible for all students. “If I’m doing my classes at College Park, I am not going to walk that far so I can pray for five minutes and then come back,” Elhaija said. Anthony Davis, interim associate dean of the library, said he was in Pollak Library one day when he noticed students wandering near the Graduate Student Success Center. Davis said that when he asked if he could help the students, they told him “We’re just looking for a place to pray.” Prior to his March firing, Clem Guthro, former Cal State Fullerton library dean, had stated the need for a designated safe space for students of all religions and faiths in a revised Libraries of the Future Plan, which is currently underway to bring the library into modernity. Davis said plans for a multifaith prayer meditation space are still in place, though it is unknown where it would be. Elhaija said she sees the lack of prayer space available for religious students like her is a “lack of support” from the university. AMANDA TRAN / DAILY TITAN
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Anthony Davis, interim associate library dean, said a majority of the religious CSUF students who seek a dedicated prayer space are Muslim.
Former reality television actor returns to Fullerton
After leaving CSUF in 2002, Graham Beightol is back to pursue a degree in film. TRICIA LASHA Staff Writer
JASON ROCHLIN / DAILY TITAN
More money is being allocated to the Tuffy’s Basic Needs Center in an effort to increase the center’s visibility.
More funding will go toward Tuffy’s Basic Needs Center
Associated Students also approved changes to board member recall policy. JASON ROCHLIN Asst. News Editor
The Cal State Fullerton Associated Students board of directors approved 20 items at its last meeting of the 2017-18 academic year Tuesday, including a $12,000 contingency fund for the Tuffy’s Basic Needs Center and a change in bylaws, making it easier to remove some student leaders from their positions.
Board Chair Nicholas Jakel said Tuesday’s meeting was one of the more “exciting” meetings he has attended. “I don’t think we’ve ever had an agenda with that many action items on it,” Jakel said. “I’m glad to leave the year on a positive note just serving students the best way we can.” The money being allocated to the Tuffy’s Basic Needs Center is an extension of what was provided last year by the board, as there is more of a demand now that the new site has opened, said Elizabeth Perez, director of the College of Humanities and
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Social Sciences. Funding will go toward “increasing the visibility” of the center, which opened in February but has only seen minor use, and creating more emergency grants to support students, said Carmen Curiel, associate dean of students. Joshua Borjas, director of the College of Communications and incoming Associated Students president, said the Basic Needs Resolution stood out as one of the most important things at the meeting. SEE ACTION 2
In 1999, Graham Beightol came to Cal State Fullerton as a theater major but moved to New York to pursue a career in Broadway. After gaining experience in television and having an interest in film, he came back motivated to finish what he started 17 years ago. Now 36 years old, Beightol is graduating this year with a Bachelor of Arts in cinema and television arts and, like many students, he isn’t quite sure where he wants to end up after college, but he’s open to anything that comes his way. “I’m more of a freethinker. If someone says, ‘Hey I have this great opportunity and it’s in Algeria,’ I might go... That’s where I’m at, just living in the moment,” Beightol said. Because he’s been to places all over the United States, the biggest question on Beightol’s mind is where he wants to live. In addition to living in New York after he left college to audition for Broadway shows, Beightol grew up in Covina before his career took him to Los Angeles and Seattle. Beightol said his high school drama teacher, Laura Holbrook, a CSUF alumna, was instrumental in pointing him toward becoming a Titan, but his choice to come back to CSUF years later was due to his desire to continue his education and earn his degree. Holbrook was influential in
helping improve Beightol’s confidence, as he remembers himself being quiet, nervous and reserved. “I wasn’t outgoing or really driven and I didn’t do anything. Through theater and friendships, I ended up becoming a stronger person with a better personality,” Beightol said. In December of last year, Beightol appeared on a reality television show called “Encore!” which aired on ABC Network. The show, produced by Kristen Bell, was about a group of people who performed a musical show in high school and reunited years later to do it again; the musical performed was “Into the Woods.” “I got to reconnect with eight of my friends from high school, some of them I haven’t seen in 20 years,” Beightol said. Beightol said he will always love that he took part in reality television but wouldn’t recommend it to anyone as he considered it “happy jail.” “They want every interaction to be on camera. When taping is done, you get into a separate car, you go to separate hotel rooms and you’re not allowed to talk to anybody until the next day,” Beightol said. Through the series, he got to showcase his performance abilities and get a behind-the-scenes look at how television works, ultimately leading him to become a cinema and television arts major. Beightol can now be found every month at the Stage Door Repertory Theatre in Anaheim doing improv shows with his team Fancy Hobo. SEE REUNION
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