THE COLLEGIAN WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015
FRESNO STATE'S STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1922
FRESNOSTATE.EDU/COLLEGIAN
Academic Senate airs concerns over growing student population By Megan Ginise @SimplyMeg13
In its first meeting of the semester, the Academic Senate addressed on Monday campus enrollment and how to maximize student success. Fresno State provost and vice president for academic affairs Lynette Zelezny spoke about the need for a campus di-
alogue about overcrowding on campus. Speaking with the executive senate of the budget committee, and the California State University Chancellor’s office, Zelezny had to apply for approval for a dialogue to take place on the Fresno State campus. “We have been watching our student numbers, knowing that we have more students that we
are serving on campus than we are getting funding for,” Zelezny said. “We need to be thinking about the future. Many colleges have come forward to create a dialogue for impaction, and we are now one on the list,” she said. The chancellor’s office has established a timeline for the campus dialogue, that will occur within the next two months. An internal dialogue between
staff, as well as an external dialogue within the community will take place, Zelezny said, so that all sides will have a voice in the process. “It could be a proposal that says something like the college of engineering would like to have more control about what kind of math classes they want their students coming into the
See SENATE, Page 3
‘EVERY VOICE MATTERS’
NATIONAL SIGNING DAY
AIMING HIGH FOR CLASS OF 2015 National Signing Day is a day full of drama and suspense as high school players make their decisions on where they will play college football. Future members of the Fresno State football program will be revealed this morning by head coach Tim DeRuyter in a press conference. This year’s class could be coach Tim DeRuyter’s strongest at Fresno State. Headlining the 2015 class is quarterback Chason Virgil, a four star prospect out of Mesquite, Texas.
›› Visit fresnostate.edu/collegian for Fresno State signing day coverage.
Politi Garden earns state recognition By Manuel Gutierrez @TheCollegian
Photos by Paul Schlesinger • The Collegian
Fresno State President Joseph Castro hosted more than 100 students in a question-and-answer forum Monday in North Gym Room 118. Castro said more student forums would be held in the future.
Students speak with Castro on campus issues By Royce Dunn @TheCollegian
More than 100 students gathered in the North Gym auditorium Monday to voice suggestions and concerns on campus safety and student resources at a forum hosted by Fresno State President Joseph Castro. "Every voice matters, and every one of you matters," Castro told Monday’s crowd. Courina Hughes, a fourthyear criminology student, was the first of many students to give the university president input. She thanked Castro for hosting the forum -- the first of many to come, Castro said, before telling him many sidewalks and streets on campus, particularly the ones near the Kremen Education Building, were in need of repairs. The issue hit home for Hughes, who said she tore ligaments in her right ankle catch-
ing her foot in a cracked area of sidewalk the first month of her freshman year in 2011. Castro told Hughes those sorts of campus repairs, part of the university’s greater effort to repair its antiquated infrastructure, were high on the university’s to-do list. "This is an issue that's the very highest level in terms of priority. That's our infrastructure to support all of you," Castro said. Many students brought up issues such as priority registration, extending library and department hours, having more access to science and engineering labs, department funding and other student resources. Castro said some of the more readily achievable solutions -- some of which are already underway -- included improved lighting on campus, more technology aid and hiring more certified instructors. But he also said some solutions related to funding would
Fresno State business student Eryk Martin asks Castro about course credit transfers for students also enrolled at a community college.
be long-term, asking students to be patient. "The most important thing for me was to hear where the challenges are, and for the whole cabinet, many of whom are new to the positions that they hold, to hear that with me so we can fix any problems that exist," Castro said. "In some
of these cases, we can fix them right away, and other cases, it'll take some time." Students at the forum said they appreciated Castro taking the time to listen to them. "I've seen such great change since he's started," said Nimat
See FORUM, Page 3
The Leo Politi Garden at Fresno State won two awards Tuesday from the California Garden Clubs, Inc. for outstanding use of a small area and landscape architecture. Designed by Fresno State’s consulting landscape architect, Robert Boro, the garden was nominated and reviewed by three landscape consultants. “The garden beautifies space that otherwise would just be concrete leading to a door,” said Denise Sciandra, founding president of the Arne Nixon Center. The garden was created as a tribute to Leo Politi - -a local artist internationally recognized for his children’s illustrations and stories and his long-standing friendship with Arne Nixon, who was a children’s literature professor at Fresno State. In conjunction with the Politi family, the garden features reproductions of Politi’s work, including sculptures, mosaic tiles and fountains. “It was a 10-year labor of love,” Sciandra said. Because of the extensive cost of $150,000, Sciandra said, the garden was funded entirely by donations. She came up with the idea for the garden when she went to take a tour of Los Angeles with Politi’s family. “I’m thrilled with the award,” said Jennifer Crow, curator of the Arne Nixon Center. “It’s thrilling to see students enjoy the garden.” Crow remembered seeing children from the Arne Nixon Center enjoying the garden, and said that it honors the memory of both Politi and Nixon.