January 29 2010

The

Collegian Sports Find out how women’s basketball fared in the midseason report card, Page 8

Fresno State | Serving the campus since 1922

Arts & Entertainment Learn how to relieve stress through meditation, Page 4 January 29, 2010 | Friday

collegian.csufresno.edu

CSU sets graduation goals Senator points Fresno State currently ranks ninth among the 23 CSU campuses in six-year graduation rates.

This graph represents the average six-year graduation rates as of May 2009, according to the IRAP report.

Average 6-year graduation rate of CSU insitutions

By Mike Boylan The Collegian

Despite budget reductions and cuts to academic resources, university officials have proposed plans to graduate more Infographic by Michael Uribes / The Collegian Source: Institutional Research Assessment and Planning

Rideshare

One company offers a bike sharing program to colleges

By Mike Hamlin Jr. The Collegian A bicycle-sharing program aims to aid students while reducing carbon emissions.

T h e C o l l e g i a t e B i cyc l e Company (CBC) offers customizable bike-sharing programs to colleges and universities across the nation.

According to Jonathan Sobin, director of product marketing for the CBC, the automated ridesharing programs do not involve renting or owning a specific bicycle. The bicycles are shared among all participants.

“For every mile traveled on one of our bikes, a pound of carbon emissions is saved from the atmosphere,” Sobin said. “The program also allows for less traffic on or around campus and allows for more parking spaces to be available because less people will be driving to their classes.”

As part of the program, stations would be erected around campus to hold bicycles.

Participants would swipe ID cards to check out a bicycle for an allotted amount of time before returning it to one of the stations.

Sobin said the cost of the program for students is cus-

fingers

tomizable and varies according to the university. He also said that the automated ridesharing program would cost the university $3,500 p e r b i cyc l e a n d the university can choose how many bicycles to purchase for their campus.

Sobin also said the program offers many benefits to the students and the university.

Recently,University of California, Irvine adopted the ridesharing prog ram ZotWheels. ZotWheels is an automated bike-sharing program with four on-campus bicycle stations. There are a total of 30 bikes at UC Irvine and membership costs $40 per year. If the bike is severely damaged or not returned within 24 hours, the user must pay a replacement fee of $200.

Lynn Harris, the program manager for ZotWheels at UC Irvine, said the university adopted the program because it was a great addition to their other sustainable means of transportation.

“We wanted to give the stu-

students out of the California State University system with less funding.

The CSU Board of Trustees adopted See GRADUATES, Page 6

cally increase once we actually advertise the program and the weather improves. All in all, the program has been an incredible success and our members are very happy.”

Amy Armstrong, public infor mation officer for the University Police Department, said that Fresno State has looked into ridesharing programs in the recent past.

“We have looked at a lot of different companies,” Ar mstrong said. “[CBC] of fers a really good prog ram, but it is just too costly right now, espec i a l ly w i t h t h e budget cuts and all. Right now we Matt Weir / The Collegian are working with dents an alternate form of [Associated Students Inc.] to transportation while reducing figure out what students really our GHG [green house gas] want.” emissions,” Harris said in an Sobin said that a ridesharing e-mail interview. “In addition, program would be financially it is a health benefit to the beneficial in the long run. users.”

“The program is very cost Harris said the program efficient,” Sobin said. would benefit the students, Sobin said the average cost faculty, university and envifor one new parking space is ronment, no matter the size of $15,000 to $20,000. the university. She also said the “Plus the users will pay their program has experienced great yearly fees and this can also success since its inception in allow a university to not have November 2009. to build, say, a new parking “We already have 50 memstructure or lot if they are low bers and that number is steadion on-campus parking spaces,” ly growing,” Harris said. “We Sobin said. expect the number to dramati-

Tensions ran high Wednesday during the first Associated Students Inc. (ASI) senate meeting of the spring semester.

In the midst of a roundtable debate on whether or not committee applicants for next semester should be required to make themselves available on a specific day and time, senator Jamie San Andres decided to voice her displeasure with the conduct of ASI and its senators.

“The history of ASI, and my experience here as a senator, has demonstrated that ASI executives are employees of administration that take pleasure in being reminded of the marionette positions that they have chosen for themselves,” she said. “As for the knit group of friends and family, which is a clear conflict of interest, who cannot think for themselves, I will not name you for you know who you are.”

Senator San Andres also added that a group of senators are making a point to devise policy without adequate consultation with their fellow senators.

“The reason why I bring this up is because I have rapidly lost faith in this organization,” San Andres said. “To cite the example of the senator expectations policy and the multicultural research that has been going on for less than a week, has demonstrated that ASI executives and their knit group of friends devise policy without the consultation of us, their fellow senators.”

San Andres left the room after her two minute speech.

In an interview with The Collegian after the meeting, senator San Andres said one of her main concer ns was the manner in which certain policy research is conducted, particularly the possible elimination of the Multicultural/ International general education requirement that she said will adversely affect already underrepresented programs, such as the social sciences and women’s studies.

After San Andres’s departure from the meeting, senator Selena Farnesi addressed the remaining ASI senators, stating that the policies were not yet up for vote.

“It’s obvious that we all have different opinions on this issue, and I think that’s great and [it’s] what being a Senator is about, but since we are not even voting on this See ASI, Page 6

Opinion The

Page 2

Collegian

That’s What the People Are Saying On the state of the Union et’s try common sense. Let’s invest in our people without leaving them a mountain of debt. Let’s meet our responsibility to the people who sent us here.”

“L

— Pres. Barack Obama

Opinion Editor, Tony Petersen • collegian-opinion@csufresno.edu • Friday, January 29, 2010

Respect for others religions?

The 20th century journalist and social critic H.L. Menken once said, “We must respect the other fellow’s religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children are smart.”

As a student, you may have been asked by a professor to respect classmate’s opinions, beliefs and suggestions. If you have taken a course on religion, you certainly have. If at any point you questioned why it is always appropriate for this to be asked of you, you are not alone.

The realm of immunity from rational and reasonable criticisms society affords to religious belief, its dogmas, its leaders and institutions is rather peculiar; and if you push me hard enough, I would argue it is both illadvised and unconscionable. So, allow me to object to these societal mores, with all due respect.

Religious belief is not simply belief in a creator; it makes much greater and more ambitious claims than this. It makes unquestionable claims through revelations that God has illuminated his omniscient and omnipotent capabilities, while making moral prescriptions on matters including what we may eat, how we should treat our enemies, how and who we should have sex with and what we can and cannot do with our own genitalia, with a promise of judgment day in which those who have defied his sacred canons will experience an eternity of

With All Due Respect Mike Boylan pain and misery. Yet, they say, God loves you!

These claims are implicitly endorsed by society’s demand for our unwavering respect.

In every other domain of discourse, we humans are typically only willing to respect other people’s beliefs, even though we may disagree, if they are based on merit. We do this if we feel we are given good reasons. This is why we choose not to respect those who deny that the Holocaust happened, or those who believe the world is flat.

If I were to stand in front of a classroom, and profess my belief that all men are not in fact equal and some are fit to be my slave, or that women as anything but obedient homemakers is an abomination, and attributed divine warrant for this declaration as a specially chosen prophet, NOBODY would be burdened with the obligation to RESPECT my belief.

A last ditch rebuttal to those who will inevitably say that I cannot evaluate all religious persons and beliefs

based on a very small sect that evoke religious dogma to commit the most heinous acts, I will simply say that I do not do this; I do not need to. All I can do is judge these doctrines on the merits of its pretensions; it is against this that I hold religion accountable.

If we were free to call a spade a spade, we can rather easily conclude that those who presuppose theological prescriptions pertaining to morality and the human condition as eternal paragons belong at the margins of our society. This would be no different than how we appropriately dismiss astrological claims that the alignment of certain planets has direct implications in the outcomes of interactions between human beings.

One thing is clear. If I am wrong about this, I am bound for the gates of hell. I admit this without recourse.

However, my inclination to publicly espouse these concerns in the wake of possible eternal damnation, demonstrate just how inadequate I find reasons for being religious are.

In the same manner in which Mr. Menken suggests, I will gladly allow the religious person to speak and make their point known, while also standing by their side in support of everyone’s freedom to believe and worship anything that may suit their fancy. But as far as “respecting” their religion’s intemperate and immoral claims, well, I suppose society will have to wait until I am provided with good reasons.

Letters to the Editor To the editor: One of the great things about our university is its openness to new ideas and free speech. However, accuracy is also important, especially if we are to have a fair discussion of serious issues.

Let me clarify one major point which was incorrectly reported in the article recently published by The Collegian: students have a meaningful and substantial role on the CSU Board of Trustees. Two seats on the board are reserved for students.

As a second-year student trustee, I have the full rights and powers of all appointed trustees, including a vote.

Students are at the table when fee increases, academic policy changes, personnel decisions or other initiatives are considered. This shared governance also extends down from the board to Fresno State, where President Welty has time and again invited students to the table through student appointments to boards throughout the campus.

These appointments are made by the elected leaders of the Associated Students, Inc. Instead of symbolically “declaring independence,” I invite students to be participatory in shared governance. We should make the most of the voice we have on this campus and in this system in order to make a truly positive change from within.

Russel Statham Student Trustee To the editor: In the article, “Academic Independence” published by this paper on Jan. 27, 2010, I read about a group of students who are unhappy accepting things as they are – a group of people dedicated to questioning authority and increasing student involvement. As an Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) senator and as a student, I could not be happier that my peers take their education seriously enough to want to make a change! Any inspired student interested in making a difference on this campus could (and should) come to their student government, ASI, and ask to be placed on a campus wide committee. You can fill the application out online at asi.csufresno.edu or come into the ASI office, University Student Union (USU) 316. ASI appoints students to six committees and over 85 campus-wide committees including University Budget Committee, the Academic Senate and the Student Success Task Force. What’s more, students who sit on these committees VOTE! So it is not only as an ASI senator, but also as a concerned student that I ask all students interested in making Fresno State a better university to continue speaking out, but also, to consider speaking up by putting a vote to your voice in a campus-wide committee.

Selena Farnesi Student Affairs Senator

THE

Collegian

The Collegian is a student-run publication that serves the Fresno State community on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Views expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or university.

The Collegian California State University, Fresno 5201 N. Maple Ave., M/S SA42 Fresno, CA 93740-8027 News Line: (559) 278-2486 Business Line: (559) 278-5735 http://collegian.csufresno.edu

Letters to the Editor (collegian@csufresno.edu) All letters submitted to The Collegian must not exceed 250 words in length, must be type-written, and must be accompanied by a full name and phone number to verify content. The Collegian reserves the right to edit all material for length, content, spelling and grammar, as well as the right to refuse publication of any material submitted. All material submitted to The Collegian becomes property of The Collegian.

Each member of the campus community is permitted one copy of The Collegian. Subscriptions are available for $25, on a semester basis. Staff positions at The Collegian are open to students of all majors. Contact the Editor in Chief for details.

All content Copyright © 2009 The Collegian.

Editor in Chief News Editor Features Editor Arts & Entertainment Editor Sports Editor Opinion Editor Photo Editor Multimedia Director Webmaster Presentation/Graphics Developer Online Features Reporter Online Sports Reporter Videographer Editorial Board

Brian Maxey Thaddeus Miller Michelle Furnier Danielle Gilbert Brianna Campbell Tony Petersen Matt Weir Anna Jacobsen Elisa Jimenez Michael Uribes Lacee Solis Allie Norton Sergio Cortes Brian Maxey Tony Petersen

Local Advertising Manager Advertising Coordinator National Advertising Executive Business Development Executive Art Director Assistant Art Director Distribution Manager Accountancy Assistant

Business Manager Advertising Faculty Adviser Editorial Faculty Adviser Online Faculty Adviser

Tatiana Dindia Shadia Salem Landon Reda Andrew Cabal Brandon Ocegueda Edgar Vargas Savannah West Anthony Samarasekera

Virginia Sellars-Erxleben Jan Edwards Reaz Mahmood Don Priest

Page 3

The Collegian • Arts & Entertainment Arts & Entertainment Editor, Danielle Gilbert • collegian-features@csufresno.edu

The daily crossword

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis Los Angeles Times

ACROSS 1 Poet Edward and a king 6 “Like Mike” actress 11 Make on the job 15 When Polonius says “brevity is the soul of wit” 16 Outdoor seating area 17 Old knife 18 Equatorial African country 19 Lindsay’s “Bionic Woman” role 20 Thompson in the Theater Hall of Fame 21 Notable period 22 Scrooge’s visitors 24 “Ta-ta!”

25 “L.A. Law” extras 27 City near Provo 28 Chaos 29 Swipe again?

31 Found, as tabloid fodder 33 Rec. label across the pond 34 The duck, in “Peter and the Wolf” 36 Liver oil source 37 Home of the Big 12’s Cyclones 38 “Be careful what you say,” and a hint to a feature shared by this puzzle’s perimeter answers 43 Thought patterns, briefly?

44 Guitar cousin 45 Shade 46 Latin I word 47 It’s not on the level

Puzzle by Don Gagliardo

C

PUZZLE SOLUTION: http://collegian.csufresno.edu Copyright 2009. Tribune Media Services, Inc.

49 Oceanic phenomenon that affects weather 53 Baroque composer JeanPhilippe 55 Jump in a rink 57 Unbalanced 58 Ever 59 Lens holders 61 Back talk 62 Erosive force 63 Like candied fruits 64 Revolutionary Chopin

Friday, January 29, 2010

piece?

66 Play to __ 67 Dull 68 Where gobs go 69 Wine industry reference point 70 Tough test metaphor 71 Promise DOWN 1 Shoe co. founded in Venice

Beach 2 French card game similar to whist 3 Casey’s turns 4 Ipanema’s city 5 Do a number 6 College choice 7 Undid 8 Adequate, and then some 9 CD-__: computer inserts 10 “You __ what you eat” 11 Blue book entry 12 Object of loathing 13 Mahdi, in Islam 14 Close one 23 Frequent Pro Bowl site 24 Sitter’s offer to a tot 26 Garbage haulers 28 Casey’s team 30 Org. for 25-Across 32 Bearded butter 35 Nevada city on I-80 37 Health Net rival 38 Like some football jerseys 39 Iron ore 40 Dorian Gray’s flaw 41 Like exes 42 Bambi relative 47 __ Paradise, “On the Road” narrator 48 Parimutuel bet 50 Mishandling 51 Shrugger’s comment 52 Show up 54 Respected one 56 Arab potentate 59 Tightening target 60 Jazz sessions 63 “Today” rival, briefly 65 Haul

C

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

SOLUTION: http://collegian.csufresno.edu

Word of the Day

iPhone effect Shortly after one person in the group brings out their iPhone, the rest follow suit, ultimately ending all conversation and eye contact.

Source: UrbanDictionary.com

Arts & Entertainment The

Collegian

Page 4 • Arts & Entertainment Editor, Danielle Gilbert • collegian-features@csufresno.edu • Friday, January 29, 2010

Kings of Leon

Manic Monday?

Techniques to a peaceful state of mind on campus

By Ann Powers McClatchy Tribune

C

aleb Followill will be trembling in his black leather ankle boots when the Record of the Year prize is announced Sunday night at the Grammy Awards. “Use Somebody,” the hugely popular power ballad by Kings Photo courtesy of www.KingsOfLeon.com of Leon, is nominated in that category Kings of Leon on tour for their thrid album, “Because of the Times”. and three others. That gives the 28-yearold singer, songwriter and guitarist four chances to get up on stage and deal for $15,000. We were making $5.50 soulful,” said Paramore’s lead singer, choke. an hour, and we thought, we could live Hayley Williams, “All Caleb’s vocal “Our family gets to see it. That’s the for a year off of that! And he would lines are extremely soulful. It could only reason I go to the Grammys,” play us his music, and it was horrible! almost be any genre. And that versatilsaid Followill during a wine-soaked We used to sing in church, and ... so we ity really shined when we were interview at Giovanni Ristorante, just started writing. I was in college, able to strip the song across the street from his recently Caleb and them were living in another down acoustically. It purchased Nashville luxury town, and I would go home on the didn’t affect the power e th apartment, a week p in weekends and we would write just silly, of the lyrics or anyu w ro he before the awards t g , bubblegum stuff.” r thing because good u a o c ceremony. hen y eat of a . It Being in Nashville seemed like fate to art is good art no s n Family is importhe elder Followill. “It’s the songwritback r televisio o you matter how sometant to Followill; ing capital of the world, so we were one translates it.” you ere d the other members ow is out, ‘Wh mind?’” d like, ‘It’s a sign,’” continued Nathan, All the praise n i b w r of the Kings are who’s as frank and enthusiastic as his makes Caleb just a with you s , a l w his older brother o wil Followill uncomg o l brother is emotional. “This is our sign. l o o t F Nathan on drums, his want We’re gonna go out there and we’re Caleb s of Leon fortable. He’s — younger brother Jared King recently taken to just gonna get a record deal, you know. on bass and his cousin We’re going to get like the biggest pubtelling journalMatthew on guitar. “The lishing deal ever.” ists that he wants to Grammys are a scary Instead, the Followills met the pow“shoot himself in the head” place for me. I fight panic erhouse manager Ken Levitan, who when he hears “Use Somebody” he’s attacks, so it’s not a fun helped convince them that rock, not sick of it and prefers to listen to late time for me. If we win and we have country or pop songwriting, was their Texas troubadours such as Townes to go up there and talk I probably won’t best natural fit. They also started workVan Zandt and Blaze Foley, whom he say a word. I won’t be able to.” ing with songwriter Angelo Petraglia, claims as a current main influence. Yet Followill is given to declarations like who’d spent time in Boston’s lively New he admits that he hit on something spethis one, somehow both modest and a Wave scene in the 1980s before relocatcial when he followed through on the bit overblown. They complement his ing to Nashville. He became a mentor. phrase he first uttered to his siblings persona, which persuasively melds the “Caleb and Nathan were doing a much on a desolate night during a long tour. hedonistic bravado of macho guitar different thing when I met them,” said “It’s kind of a hook,” he said. “When slingers with the insecurities of sensiPetraglia in a phone interview. “I was you see it on paper and you think, ‘It’s tive indie-rock types. hearing them as this Southern soul Kings of Leon, he’s going to be talking Kings of Leon has become the Everly Brothers. They shared a lead about some one-night thing.’ But really emblematic band of the new decade by vocal. They had the sibling harmony, it’s just the opposite of that. resurrecting the sound and spirit of and it wasn’t a rock band. It was a At the end of the day rock’s classic era for a generation that duo, and they just knew how no matter who you are, doesn’t view the music as necessarily t was to sing together. I you’re gonna have heroic or transformative. Combining sur vi turned them those moments when f o v r a l of t the fi the blues strut of the Rolling Stones Now on to ‘Exile on you need someone to h r e st tw were with the jitters of post-punk bands o rec fittest Main Street’ help you out.” w t o e ’re ord the such as Joy Division and, more and the Velvet Kings of Leon had with a lot mor point w s. recently, the reach of U2, the Kings Underground a story before they here e com our i nstru of Leon do what great pop does they and the Clash, were a band, and ment fortable transcend any specific root or subs.” and they were it took some time culture to make something universal. like, ‘Wow.’” for the group to —N And “Use Somebody,” with its churchy The two twenmake music that athan chorus and what Caleb calls its “double F lived up to it. tysomething King ollowill meaning” of mercenary lust melting s of L Raised on the road Followills enlisted eon into loneliness and soul hunger, was a by a traveling Pentecostal their teen kin, assignperfect anthem for a troubled year like preacher and his home-schooling ing Jared the bass and 2009. wife, Caleb and his older brother “kidnapping” Matthew Taylor Swift, Beyonce and Lady Gaga Nathan, 30, weren’t allowed to indulge to play guitar. From those early days might wind up trumping the Kings for in much popular culture as kids only onward, Kings of Leon grew up in pubGrammy statues, but “Use Somebody” the occasional Stones or Neil Young lic, developing their style in front of an stands as a song that’s crossed borders cassette that their dad played while audience especially in England, where and made many unlikely fans. It’s one driving. “When you grow up in the the four handsome boys were quickly of only four rock songs in recent histoback seat of a car, the window is your labeled “the Southern Strokes” and ry to top four Billboard charts at once, television,” said Caleb. “It was just became a sensation. including the mainstream and alternaabout, ‘Where do you want to go with “It was survival of the fittest for the tive Top 40 tallies. your mind?’” first two records,” said Nathan. “Now Artists can’t stop covering “Use The land of pretend gave way to musi- we’re to the point where we’re a lot Somebody.” Nick Jonas and Nickelback cal collaboration when the Followills’ more comfortable with our instruboth perform it in concert; English soul parents divorced and the family settled ments. We kind of feed off of each songbird Pixie Lott, avant-pop chandown outside of Nashville. Nathan other, so I think that for every bit of teuse Natasha Khan (Bat for Lashes) Followill, who spoke in a separate nervousness we have, we’ve got twice and Jay-Z protege Bridget Kelly have interview at his house nestled in the as much excitement, just because we’re recorded it; Nashville emo band trees above the Music City, said that the honing our skills, we’re better musiParamore scored a YouTube hit after road seemed obvious then. cians. We’re in the best musical shape performing it live for the BBC. “(Caleb and I) were working in the of our lives right now.”

“It was a perfect song for us to cover mall, and this guy came in talking because I enjoy singing anything that’s about how he had just got a publishing

“W

“I

McClatchy Tribune

By Leanna Serns The Collegian There is free mediation instruction available on campus for students looking to reduce stress.

Instruction is offered every Monday at noon in the conference room in the Thomas Administration Building.

Dr. Leslie Weiser, a psychologist at the Health Center, is in charge of the mediation session. The focus of the class is mindfulness meditation, she said.

“Being aware of what’s happening with your mind helps to relax your mind and body,” Weiser said.

The class begins with instruction on how to meditate. Weiser teaches students how to breathe properly.

“You have to breathe from your belly,” Weiser said, “and never stop focusing on your breath. If you feel yourself getting lost in the chatter of your mind, you have to come back to your breathing and focus.”

Weiser said Meditating takes practice and people may find it difficult to block out the chatter of your mind and focus on the now.

“The first time I came to the mediating class it was harder than I thought it would be to focus on breathing and blocking out the thoughts in my mind,” Fresno State junior Luis Belman said.

“It has helped me a lot,” Belman said. “I’ve learned how I can control my thoughts, and it’s helped me reduce stress.”

Weiser said she has noticed an increase in the number of students she sees because of stress related issues. “I think people are more stressed this year with financial troubles and academic worries,” Weiser said.

Weiser said it is important to learn how to meditate and control your thoughts because it gives you peace of mind and clarity.

“It helps students increase the focus of their mind to have greater control over the experience caused by thoughts and feelings.”

On average four students attend each session.

Fresno State senior Marisa Wheelock said she had never heard of the service before.

“I’m going to check it out with my roommate because I know she could use all the stress reduction she can get,” said senior Marisa Wheelock.

Friday, January 29, 2010

The Collegian • Features Features Editor, Michelle Furnier • collegian-features@csufresno.edu

Page 5

Little known facts about the library The Henry Madden Library has several sources that go unused each semester because students are unaware they exist.

Librarian Ross LaBaugh said, “A lot of students don’t know how to use the library. They can function and survive but not use all of its capabilities.”

LaBaugh said that he sees the staff as the most unused source in the library.

The Music and Media Center houses thou-

• •

•

• •

The Music and Media Center is one of the largest media libraries out of the 23 campuses in the California State University system.

The media center has hundreds of video recordings in DVD and VHS format. The music library has education films, documentaries such as Michael Moore’s “Sicko,” foreign films and popular movies like “Lord of the Rings.”

The music library has thousands has thousands of CDS, dozens of cassette tapes and records. The library holds close to 21,000 CDS and more than 40,000 records.

The library has the entire Beatles collection on CD as well as all the Tupac Shakur albums.

The music library has two group viewing rooms that contain a large projector screen that includes a DVD/VCR player, a Blu-ray player and iPod docking. These rooms are generally intended for groups of students and people but anyone can use them.

sands of CDS and movies for students to watch and listen to in the library or check out and take home with them.

Rick Chacon, outreach counselor for the Lyles College of Engineering said, “I think it’s very good because there are a lot of foreign movies that I enjoy.”

Like Chacon, anyone can use the library and media center for educational reasons or for just personal enjoyment.

• • • • • • • • •

The library has individual viewing and listening stations.

Students can check out headphones at the front desk of the Music and Media Center.

Students can check out five media items for a week.

The library has a record player.

Fresno has more than one million books that students can check out.

It only takes five minutes to evacuate the library.

The Learning Resource Center provides supplemental instruction where a tutor will sit in a class to help students in study groups for an entire semester.

The library conducts one fire drill per semester.

There are special collections that include literature, artifacts and memorabilia of subjects like old Fresno politicians and Japanese internment camps.

Vongi Yang, Angie Lozano and Chris Collins contributed to this report.

Bryan Cole / The Collegian

Scientists work to decode the genetics of chocolate

By Marciel E. Presilla McClatchy Tribune No one who loves chocolate needs to be told that it is experiencing a golden age. The very fact that the names of illustrious cacao types like Venezuelan Porcelana have made their way onto chocolate-bar labels shows a deepening hunger for vivid cacao character and careful artisanship.

On the scientific front, biochemists are unraveling chocolate's hearthealthfulness and archaeologists are gaining insight into its ancient ritual uses, but plant geneticists are engaged in the most exciting research. Their project to decode the cacao genome holds promise for farmers, manufacturers and chocolate lovers alike.

Florida scientists are playing a vital role, and the geneticist who leads their efforts, Dr. Raymond Schnell, spoke Saturday at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden's Inter national Chocolate Festival.

At Chapman Field, the Subtropical Horticultural Research Station of the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Schnell coordinates two programs aimed at constructing an overall genetic picture of Theobroma cacao: the Inter national Marker System Selection Program and the Genome Sequencing Program. Funded by Mars, the project also involves scientists at five other sites.

South Florida's role in chocolate research dates to the 1950s, when the USDA established a quarantine station here to stop the movement of cacao diseases among the Americas,

Asia and Africa.

After disease decimated the cacao crop in Bahia, Brazil, in 1998, threatening Mars' supply, the company offered to fund USDA efforts to develop disease-resistant plants to broaden the dangerously narrow genetic foundation of cacao plantations in Africa, the world's largest producer.

This program gave rise to far-reaching efforts to collect and _ just as crucially _ accurately identify cacao specimens. As Schnell told me when I visited his research station last year, this is no mere academic exercise.

DNA testing has revealed that some of the world's great germplasm banks are full of mislabeled specimens - a hindrance to any breeding program meant to exploit a particular cultivar's qualities, from subtle flavor nuances to disease or pest resistance. For the past decade, Schnell's team has been systematically examining germplasm from many collections, trying to set the record straight.

The Coral Gables research station sits on property that once belonged to horticulturalist and tropical plant explorer David Fairchild. Looking at the weathered gray stone walls that enclose the cacao collection, I felt transported to a Maya temple ruin. My tour guide, agricultural research technician Mike Winterstein, told me that had been just what Fairchild wanted.

In 1933 he had the garden enlarged as part of a Civilian Conservation Corps project, cannibalizing paving stones from a military airstrip to construct the thick walls. Fairchild knew that unimpeded Gulf Stream breezes made

the spot several degrees warmer than surrounding areas. This slight boost plus the absorbed heat the walls radiate back at night raises the temperature in the sheltered garden by 5 to 7 degrees _ enough for cacao and other tender tropical plants to survive this far north.

Among the scientists working on the mapping project is Venezuelan-bor n geneticist Juan Carlos Motamayor, who has shed light on the complexity of genotypes within the species Theobroma cacao. There are 10 known genetic clusters, all native to South America, and the number may grow as Motamayor examine cacao samples gathered in Bolivia and Peru.

When the project is complete in two or three years, it will help clarify the genetic origins of cacao and the relationships among its types. It will also allow scientists to select cultivars for farmers that are smaller, faster-growing, easier to prune and more resistant to pests and disease.

In the end, more accurate knowledge of genetics will tur n cacao into a moder n crop. The payoff for chocolate lovers will be a secure source for their favorite food and, perhaps, an even richer flavor palette.

Craig Kolhruss/ McClatchy Tribune

Friday, January 29, 2010

The Collegian • Features Features Editor, Michelle Furnier • collegian-features@csufresno.edu

ASI: Tensions run high

GRADUATES: Board of trustees calls for more graduates CONTINUED from page 1 an initiative Wednesday that would increase the percentage of students who complete four-year degrees.

Trustees stated during their meeting in Long Beach that the long-term initiative would boost the rate of graduates throughout the 23 CSU campuses by eight percent by 2016.

At the moment, approximately 46 percent of students graduate within six years of entering college. The goal, according to CSU of ficials, is to increase the graduation rate overall by 54 percent.

"The goal of this initiative is to not only increase the number of students who complete their degree, but to also help those from traditionally under represented communities who may need additional support to finish,� CSU Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Jeri Echeverria said in a press release.

The initiative also outlines plans for how the CSU will improve graduation rates for traditionally underrepresented ethnic groups.

In an e-mailed response to the initiative, University President John D. Welty said that Fresno State plans to increase the six-year graduate rate for first-time freshmen and transfer students by six percentage points within the next six years. “Our official goal is 51 percent, but we’re working to exceed that,� Welty said. “An additional goal is to reduce the graduation rate gap between traditionally represented and underrepresented groups by half.�

Several programs will be implemented to reach this goal, according to Associated Students Inc. president Jessica Sweeten.

The graduation initiative at Fresno State, Sweeten said, will include efforts such as: implementing a student success plan; restoring one on one mentoring between faculty and students; mandatory academic advising for students whose grade point averages fall below 2.0; and faculty-student collaboration on research projects.

The Student Success Task Force, a student committee cochaired by Provost William A. Covino and Vice President of Academic Affairs Paul Oliaro, will develop the plan for the campus and focus their attention on this year’s entering freshman.

Board of Trustees member Russel Statham said that the initiative is still in the decision making phase, but he is hopeful that the final proposal will help students graduate. “I am pleased with [the CSUs] progress,� Statham said. “A number of proven techniques have been explored in a comprehensive fashion and can be a part of the larger solution.�

The initiative to graduate more students corresponds with President Barack Obama’s call for an overhaul of the educational system in the United States in order to remain competitive in the global economy.

Page 6

Corrections:

CONTINUED from page 1

• In a front page story that ran on Monday, Jan.25 of The Collegian, it was incorrectly referenced the department responsible for distributing yellow parking passes. As of November 2009, the Office of Student Involvement and the Office of the Vice President for Administration approves the list of eligible students. Parking permits have also been restored to several student groups. • In a front-page story that ran on Wednesday of The Collegian, the role of a Board of Trustees member was incorrectly stated.

Two student board members are appointed with one assuming full rights, including the power to vote. •In an article that ran Wednesday, Jan.27 on page 9 of The Collegian, a quote was incorrectly attributed. The correct attribution should have read: "on behalf of the university."

issue at this time, we should probably move the discussion along and maybe take the next couple of weeks to talk to the people we represent and come back informed on the issue,�

Farnesi said.

Senators also voiced differing opinions about the merits of proposing a policy that will explicitly declare on senate and committee applications that senators must be available during a specific time.

Some senators took the stance of supporting the policy because there had been instances concer ning the availability of certain committee members that made it difficult for committees to arrange meetings.

Senator Mathew Todd stated that specified days and times would be convenient for the senators, but may put committee members in a bind. “Speaking for my college, we have a majority of our labs held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays,� Todd said. “For example, I had to drop a class in order to be here, and these

labs are offered maybe once a year, or sometimes once every two years. We’d lose out on a lot of applicants. I understand that leaving the whole week open is too broad, but allowing an entire day will be able to meet people’s needs.�

In response to the senator San Andres, a couple of senators were empathetic to her situation.

In an e-mail interview after the meeting, senator Pedro Ramirez praised San Andres. “Not many people have the backbone to stand up to a board in which they serve.

Her sentiment reveals the sentiment of the student body.

Students are frustrated with the way ASI and the administration run the university and that is why it is important to voice your opinions and vote during elections.�

In an e-mail interview after the meeting, senator Farnesi said, “ASI is made up of many unique individuals that bring different perspectives to the table. We value the diversity of the ASI senate and their respective opinions.�

3DLG $GYHUWLVHPHQW

&DUHHU 2SSRUWXQLWLHV DW WKH 86'$ )RUHLJQ $JULFXOWXUDO 6HUYLFH )$6

6SRQVRUHG E\ $6, +61$ +%6$ 86'$ )$6 DQG WKH 86'$ +6, 1DWLRQDO 3URJUDP

0RQGD\ )HE WR S P

)UHVQR 6WDWH .UHPHQ 6FKRRO RI (GXFDWLRQ %XLOGLQJ 5RRP

/LQNLQJ 8 6 $JULFXOWXUH WR WKH :RUOG 86'$ )$6 ZRUNV WR LPSURYH IRUHLJQ PDUNHW DFFHVV IRU 8 6 SURGXFWV EXLOG QHZ PDUNHWV LPSURYH WKH FRPSHWLWLYH SRVLWLRQ RI 8 6 DJULFXOWXUH LQ WKH JOREDO PDUNHWSODFH DQG SURYLGH IRRG DLG DQG WHFKQLFDO DVVLVWDQFH WR IRUHLJQ FRXQWULHV

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

3L]]D DQG 5HIUHVKPHQWV ZLOO EH SURYLGHG

Friday, January 29, 2010

The Collegian • Sports Sports Editor, Brianna Campbell • collegian-features@csufresno.edu

Page 7

Spring sports in full swing The Bulldogs get ready to start the season

By Ben Ingresoll The Collegian

Baseball Baseball season is now less than a month away, and the Diamond ‘Dogs are looking to extend their Western Athletic Conference tournament championships to three straight and once again enter national title contention.

With stars such as slugger Tom Mendonca and ace Holden Sprague now out of Bulldog uniforms, head coach Mike Batesole will have to turn to his young, but tested squad.

Preseason All-American selections Danny Muno, junior, and Dusty Robinson, sophomore, will lead a team looking to improve on a 32-20 2009 campaign.

Fresno State will be gin its 2010 season on Feb. 29 at home with a four-game series against Nebraska. The Bulldogs will also host a four-game series against Oregon beginning on March 5. In all, the ‘Dogs will host 35 home games with KMJ Radio airing 42 games total.

Jan. 23.

The win marked the first of the season and the first of four straight home meets to open the spring season. The Bulldogs will host Stanford on Feb. 6, and compete in the Best in the West Tournament starting on Feb. 20.

So far, the ‘Dogs have had strong performances from freshman Chelsea Stone, who took home MVP honors in the UC Davis meet, and Lisa Wells who posted a team best score of 86 in the meet.

Fresno State is currently ranked No. 10 in the country in the most recent coach’s poll.

Beginning on April 15, the Equestrian team will travel to Waco, Texas in the three-daylong Varsity Equestrian National Championships.

Lacrosse

Matt Weir / Collegian File Photo

late April, the ‘Dogs will head to Mesa, Ariz. for the WAC Championships.

The Fresno State lacrosse team began its official practice on Jan. 18 Track & Field in preparation for the second year of Fresno State’s men’s track and field team opens its the program’s history. indoor season on Feb. 5 as they host the Run for the Head coach Sue Behme’s squad will Dream meet inside the Save Mart Center. not begin regular season play until The ‘Dogs are looking to improve on their 2009 they travel to Philadelphia to take on fourth place finish at the WAC Championships, and La Salle, but will host two exhibition will have to do so with a strong throws section headed Matt Weir / Collegian File Photo home matches against the Fresno Softball

by Peter Krumeich and Time Greene, both 2009 NCAA Men’s Club Team on Feb. 6, and will Regional qualifiers. host an alumni game on Feb. 20. In all, the ‘Dogs will Bulldog softball still has more than two weeks until The women’s track and field team had a recordhost six regular season games. the 2010 season opens, but that is not stopping the breaking 2009 season and will look to do much of the Fresno State returns 10 players from last year’s team from grasping national recognition. same when they also open in the Run for the Dream team. Leading the way is the inaugural season’s leadFresno State’s preseason top-25 national ranking meet next Saturday. The Bulldogs ing scorer in junior Heather Jack. has generated plenty of hype and well-deserved recwill have a tough time replacing AllThe Bulldogs had a rough premier ognition on campus.

American thrower Sharon Ayala, but season in 2009, losing all 14 games.

Leading the way in 2010 will be pitcher Morgan returns All-American and record-setThe team will travel to Denver, Melloh who has already collected an abundance of ting hurdler Latrisha Jordan.

Colo. on April 29 to compete in the awards in her career. The junior lefty is on the 2010 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation preseason watch list for the 9th Annual USA Softball Conference Championship.

National Collegiate Player of the Year award. This is her second consecutive nomination.

Men’s & Women’s Tennis Head coach Margie Wright’s No. 24 of 25 ranked Men’s & Women’s Golf The Fresno State men’s tennis team softball squad will open the season with a home doubegan the second portion of its seaMen’s and Women’s golf wrapped ble-header against Santa Clara on Feb. 12. son 2-0 with a WAC doubleheader vicup fall play in October and November, tory over Idaho and Nevada at home but will continue the second half of Equestrian on Jan. 24. their seasons very soon.

The No. 46 Bulldogs are 3-0 on the On the men’s side, spring play will The Bulldog equestrian team began its second half season and will look to remain perfect open on Feb. 1 in Tuscon, Ariz. for of the season with a 20-1 home win over UC Davis on today in College Station, Tex. as they the Arizona Intercollegiate take on Texas A&M. The ‘Dogs are and will compete in the anchored by No. 20 doubles partners WAC Championships held Mirko Zapletal and Taylor Leiby. in Las Vegas starting on On the flip side, the women’s tennis May 5. team is also dominating on the court, The men’s team is lead by now ranked No. 15 in the country in senior Grant Doverspike and freshmen Bhavik Patel Matt Weir / Collegian File Photo the International Tennis Association rankings. Head coach Simon on the course. Doverspike is Thibodeau boasts one of the nation’s strongest perthe reigning WAC Player of the Year, while formers in No. 4 singles player Anastasia Petukhova.

Patel completed his fall campaign as a 2009 Like the men’s squad, the women have already begun U.S. Amateur semi-finalist. their spring session, starting on Jan. 22 in Berkeley The women’s team opens the second stint for the California Winter Invite. They will host Ohio of its season on Feb. 13 in Las Cruces, State this Saturday.

N.M. for the Peg Barnard Invitational. In www.peacecorps.gov | 800.424.8580 | brai@peacecorps.gov

Classifieds Are you waiting for each print edition to read the newest classifieds? Check them out 24/7 online at: http://collegian.csufresno.edu Click on classifieds.

The Collegian is not responsible for nor does it assume any liability for its advertisers. We caution our readers to check out the legitimacy of all advertisers before doing business with any of them.

HELP WANTED STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid Survey Takers Needed In Fresno. 100% Free To Join! Click On Surveys.

SERVICESV Banana Republic at Fig Garden introduces everyday savings exclusively for students and teachers 15% of your purchase. See stores for details.

Sports The

Page 8

Collegian

Sports Editor, Brianna Campbell • collegian-sports@csufresno.edu • Friday, January 29, 2010

Lady Hoops Midterm Exam Bulldogs continue to dominate in the WAC conference play

By Chris Aguirre The Collegian The Fresno State women’s basketball team is once again dominating the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). In the pursuit of their third straight title, the Bulldogs have had a great season thus far.

The Bulldogs have all the gears running as they have won eight games in a row and 14 out of their last 16 games.

With Head Coach Adrian Wiggins at the helm, the ‘Dogs are in position to win their third straight conference title and make their third trip to the NCAA tournament in as many years.

Junior Jaleesa Ross, who is the back–to–back WAC tournament MVP, is the first person to ever garner that accomplish twice and is one of many reasons that the bulldogs are the team to beat in the WAC. Now that Fresno State 16-5, (7-0in the WAC) are through more than half of their season it’s time to give the team its midterm exam.

Bulldog rackets reign supreme

Midseason Report Card Grade A– Offense

B+

C

A

Defense

Rebounding

Newcomers

Returnees

A+

A+

Comment

Subject

Coaching

It seems the Bulldogs are able to score at will in the WAC. They are third in the conference in scoring averaging with 71 points per game. The Bulldogs are lead

by Jaleesa Ross who is averaging 17.5 points per game.

The only thing holding the Bulldogs back from an A+ is their free throw percentage, at just 69 percent.

The ‘Dogs have the third ranked defense in the WAC, giving up about 61 points per game. They are seventh in the conference, allowing the opposing teams to shoot almost 41 percent a game. They rank second in the league in steals, but last in blocked shots.

The Bulldogs are ranked in the middle of the pack in both offensive and defensive rebounding. Jaleesa Ross leads the team pulling down six rebounds a game. That proves that the Bulldogs are an average rebounding team when they have a guard leading the rebounding category.

Fresno State has had many contributors to their wins this season, however, one newcomer has made an impact on the team this year. Rosie Moult, a freshman from Australia, is averaging six points per game but contributes small stuff that goes unnoticed. She is second on the team with 3-point field goals made with 32.

The Bulldogs have no problem when it comes to experience and leadership from returning players. With nearly the entire team returning from last season. Senior JohTeena Felipe is becoming a presence in the post; Hayley Munro is the second leading scorer, averaging 10 points per game.

Head coach Adrian Wiggins has led Bulldogs to the programs first two WAC championships, 2008–09, and first two appearances in the NCAA tournament. He is the only Fresno State coach in the 44-year history to not have a losing season and averaging 22 wins per season.

Men’s Tennis continue the season dominating in doubles and singles

Photo Illustration By Matt Weir / The Collegian

By Sara Almario The Collegian

the ITA, Mirko Zapletal and Taylor Leiby, dominated Pacific’s Vegerd Veskimagi and Fernando Ristow 8-3, and Bulldogs Siddharth Alapati and Tejesvi Veerepalli defeated Karl-Erik Paaro and Renan Delsin Currently ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis 8-3.

Association (ITA) as no. 46, the Fresno State’s men’s “I was really happy to come out in doubles,” tennis team defeated the No. 71 Pacific Tigers on Udwadia said. I thought all three teams played well.”

Thursday.

In the singles matches, The Bulldogs were 3-0 all Bulldogs won against in doubles competition except for Zapletal who and 5-1 in singles. struggled against Pacific’s Te n n i s C o a ch Jay avid has a good heart and is a good Gramma 6-1, 6-0.

Udwadia said, “Pacific hard worker.”

In his singles match, de is a very solid team, so Villiers overpowered his we started well with the — Jay Udwadia, opponent Garcia-Castro, doubles and we carried but almost did not make a it all the way through the Men’s Head Tennis Coach sweep when he was forced singles.” to a tiebreaker in the secThe competition startond set. ed with the doubles “He [Garcia-Castro] was matches when the no. 36 missing a lot of balls and I was missing a lot of balls, ranked team in the country, Rikus de Villiers and Remi so I knew in order to win I have to hit my ball better Boutillier, played against the Tigers’ Artem Gramma than he does,” De Villiers said. “I think tactically, I and Ivan Garcia-Castro. De Villiers and Boutillier played smarter than he did.” won 8-2.

The only ranked Bulldog in the singles division of “They’re a good team, so we wanted to get out there the ITA is newcomer David Ayoun, who ranked no. and show them how we’re better than they are,” De 83. Ayoun came weeks before the fall season started Villiers said. “I think we did a good job of getting our and now has been recognized as one of the top singles offense out from the start.” players in the country.

As the No. 34 doubles pair in the country, de Villiers “David has a good heart and is a good hard worker,” and Boutillier said their focus is more on winning Udwadia said. “We really developed him as far as his matches, not on the rankings. volley game and serve, and we also let him do doubles “We don’t really like to look at that, we just keep play so he can be a well-rounded player. He’s done a playing and giving our best in every single match,” good job of it and so far the results are showing.”

Boutillier said. “It’s good to be ranked, but it’s not the The Bulldogs’ next event will be at Texas A&M’s main thing. We want to go to every match, one-by-one, court, where they will be vying for a spot in the ITA’s and take all of them seriously.”

National Team Indoors Championship.

In the other doubles matches, the no. 20 team in

“D

Brianna Campbell / Collegian File Photo