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Calif. students take capitol
Smears mar ASI election By Thaddeus Miller The Collegian
An estimated 15,000 students from universities across California made their way to the State capitol in Sacramento Monday to voice their concerns with a March on higher education. Nine students from Fresno State participated in the march. Associated Students, Inc. President Jessica Sweeten led the bus trip from Fresno State, which made one stop at California State University, Stanislaus, before continuing to Sacramento. The event was organized by the California State Student Association and Student Senate for California Community Colleges in efforts to give higher funding priority to public institutions of higher education. The marchers protested a “scaledback public investment in California’s premiere institutions of public higher education.� A press conference and rally included remarks by Fresno State student Russel Statham, a CSU student trustee, on the North Steps of the Capitol, according to a press release from Fresno State news.
As the elections began Tuesday, negative campaign fliers could be seen around campus. The Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) elections kicked off March 23 at 8 a.m., and unknown culprits had placed fliers near and in the McKie Fisk, McLane Hall and Speech Arts buildings. Some of the fliers told voters who not to vote for, while others made accusations about candidate ideologies. Article XII, the Election Code, of ASI’s bylaws makes no mention of negative campaigns of any kind. It does, however, state, “A copy of all campaign materials used by a candidate must carry stamped approval by the Associated Students, Inc. Office before Distribution.� Gary Nelson, the advisor to ASI, said slanderous or smear campaigns may have to be dealt with through future See SMEARS, Page 6
Kevin Blair / The Collegian
Antiquated textbooks sent overseas By Aaron Warn The Collegian Two campus organizations are striving to find a good home for unused books and textbooks from the Kennel Bookstore. Ron Durham, director of the Kennel Bookstore, said books that no longer have any value to the school are donated to one of two campus organizations. William Rice of the marketing and logistics department heads one of them. Rice took it upon himself to collect unused books from the Fresno State campus and ship them internationally. “Just a few months ago we shipped about 7,000 books to Armenia,� Rice said. In all, Rice said he has been able to distribute about 60,000 books to Armenia. Armenia is the main recipient of Rice’s donations, but the country is not the only one. Rice said he tries to focus on countries that may not have these resources otherwise.
“It isn’t just Ar menia though,� Rice said. “I’ve also shipped thousands of other books to places like Ethiopia and Kenya.� Rice, who has been involved in this process for 15 years, is not only in charge of collecting the books that might be of good use to other cultures, but is also in charge of finding a way to get them to these countries. In doing this, he finds different airlines that are willing to transport the textbooks into their home countries to be used in schools and libraries. “I try to go through them and find books that might have value to specific cultures and ship them out to those specific countries,� Rice said. After Rice has sorted through the thousands of books that no longer have any value to the school, there is still a large amount that needs to find a home. Books that Rice does not collect are given to the Golden Key International Honour Society. From there the books are
Online voting for ASI elections underway By Brian Maxey The Collegian
tion did its research and d e t e r m i n e d t h at B e t t e r World Books would be the necessary recipient of the donated books. “They just do such great work with places all over the
O n l i n e vo t i n g fo r t h e Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) elections began Tuesday as planned, but not without a setback for some students. A second wave of e-mails containing unique passwords and user names for eligible voters was forced out following an internal service error that delayed notice to some Fresno State students. The messages were supposed to reach approximately 18,800 eligible students. The e-mails provided a link and access infor mation to Votenet, the online e-ballot voting system ASI has contracted to tabulate the votes. This is the second year that ASI has used the e-ballot system. The ASI Faculty Advisor, Gary Nelson, said last year when the online voting system was launched, they experienced no problems with the
See TEXTS, Page 6
See VOTE, Page 6
Illustration by Michael Uribes / The Collegian
shipped to Better World Books, a for-profit social enterprise that collects used books and sells them online to raise money for literacy initiatives worldwide. Eric York, local president of the Golden Key Honour Society, said his organiza-
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Opinion The
Collegian
That’s What the People Are Saying
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Opinion Editor, Tony Petersen • collegian-opinion@csufresno.edu • Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Page 2
On passage of the health-care bill
his country is in the position of a freespending family careening toward bankruptcy that at the last moment announced that it was giving a gigantic new gift to charity. You admire the act of generosity, but you wish they had sold a few of the Mercedes to pay for it.” — David Brooks, The New York Times
Op-ed
Keep on marching, students By Michael Becker
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he March 4 rally at Fresno State and the office occupation in Joyal that followed are parts of what is emerging as a major student movement that is international in scope. There are two common themes in student actions from Athens to Los Angeles. First, there is a rejection of policies that shrink the public sector while promoting dramatic and rising inequalities in income and wealth. Significant tax reductions for the wealthiest Americans and deregulation, especially of the financial sector, have resulted in an unparalleled upward redistribution of wealth. In California, tax giveaways to wealthy individuals and corporations are locked in by supermajority vote requirements for raising taxes and passing budgets. Given these facts it is not surprising that students reject the claim that money is unavailable to fully fund higher education. The reality is that student fee increases, firing faculty, canceling courses and eliminating or consolidating programs is the price we are made to pay so that hedge fund managers can continue to pay a 16 percent tax rate on “earnings.” For many
in this movement, funding education through increased taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations as well as shifting money from prisons to schools are primary demands. But the crisis in the university is as much a campus problem as a state or federal government problem. In tandem with the corporate monopoly of the economy a corporate mentality and power structure has come to pervade the university. This is evident in the explosive growth in the number, salary, and benefits of the administrative managers that have taken over campuses and in the erosion of democratic governance. Elections that occur on campus are for committees and legislative bodies that have only advisory powers. This advice is rejected at will by unelected university presidents and trustees and a coterie of senior managers who make all meaningful decisions for the university. Few of these people have served recently in academic positions, and their priorities reflect that. Whether in the University of California or California State University, rising student fees are pledged as collateral for various bonds used to purchase real estate or build non-essential facilities. Addressing authoritarian campus governance
structures is the second common thread in various student actions. On the one hand, given the failure of dialogue between student activists and administrators, escalating tactics are to be expected. On the other, his criticism goes to the core of meaningful political participation. No effective social movement has ever achieved its goals without civil disobedience. The various statues in the “No Justice No Peace” garden attest to that. But we dishonor the memories of Ghandi, King and Chavez if our dedication to them comes only in the form of annual garlanding ceremonies. Is this is the appropriate time for nonviolent resistance? Thoreau, whose pamphlet gave rise to the phrase “civil disobedience,” left that decision to each individual: if, he argued, the law requires you to participate in machinery of injustice then, he said, “break the law. Let your life be a counterfriction to stop the machine.” Michael Becker, PhD, is a lecturer in the political science department at California State University, Fresno
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If you’d like to contribute an Op-ed to The Collegian, send it to collegian-opinion@csufresno.edu
Letters to the Editor To the editor: Thank you for printing the article entitled “Laptop rental hits record” in the March 15 edition of The Collegian. Since 2005, ASI has been proud to provide nearly 150 laptops to the program. Currently, ASI is in a three-year lease with Dell to keep the inventory of laptops technologically current, as well as to provide a steady laptop stock to the program. ASI spends approximately 6 percent ($30,000) of its annual budget on the ASI Library Laptop Loan Program because ASI recognizes its popularity and its growing necessity to students as campus computer labs are decreasing their hours. Based on the high usage of the laptops, ASI spends about 20 cents for each time a laptop is loaned to a student—an excellent value for students, ASI and the entire Fresno State community. ASI appreciates the Madden Library’s management of the ASI Library Laptop Loan Program, as the Library coordinates the rental, maintenance and overall sustainability of the program. ASI works closely with the Madden Library in developing new procedures to enhance the ASI Library Laptop Loan Program, such as discussions regarding licenses with Linux to extend laptop usage hours. ASI is proud that it can finance such a wonderful program, and is equally as proud to be partners with the Madden Library. Lauren M. Johnson ASI Vice President of Finance
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To the editor: This campus is right in the middle of ASI elections, and it’s a time of heightened awareness of student issues and student voice. This year we’ve heard a lot of great things about diversity in the campaign cycle. We’ve heard about the importance of multicultural education that teaches tolerance and understanding. We’ve heard about respecting different clubs and organizations and embracing their diversity. We’ve heard about coming together as a group of concerned students despite our differences. Which is why I was surprised to see a poster that read “Do not vote for…” and proceeded to list five student’s names. I challenge whoever posted this flyer to really think about what they preach. Does this really represent tolerance and understanding? Does it represent working together despite differences? I don’t think so. I think its rude, disrespectful and an embarrassment to this campus. Whether we have conflicting opinions or ideas, whether we have different majors and interests, whether we are running against each other or not, we are all students! We are all Bulldogs and that should come first. The campaign cycle should be about sharing your ideas and reaching out to students, not putting them down. Selena Farnesi Student Affairs Senator
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.
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To the editor: The recent article “Senator resigns” is a malicious misrepresentation of ASI’s repeated intimidation and belittling of Senator Jamie San Andres. It portrayed her as bailing on her duty to the students. In actuality, San Andres has been the most responsive member of ASI, in regards to listening to student complaints and acting in their best interest. Large groups of students and faculty are concerned with the blatant disregard by ASI of injustices experienced by students at Fresno State. To see the extent of the ASI intimidation of San Andres, you merely have to watch the videos of the ASI meetings. They are available online. Having watched these meetings, it is clear that most ASI members don’t care what students want, especially the Executives. They are more concerned with pleasing the Administration in order to further their personal, selfish interests. San Andres broke the status quo. Sitting quietly was not an option. She stood up for what was right, when everyone was against her. She did it for the students. ASI members are supposed to be acting on behalf of all students. They should not be an extension of the Administration. San Andres fought for the benefit of her fellow students and against the oppressive policies dropped down from Administration onto ASI’s obedient lap. Kulraj Dhah
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
Maui, here we come Setting it Straight Denton Dubbels
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
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housands of college students flock to Mexico every year during spring break in an attempt to get as drunk and/or high as possible every day, and sometimes end up getting themselves into trouble. A March 4 article on CNN stated: “More than 16,000 people have died in Mexico since President Felipe Calderon declared war on the drug cartels shortly after assuming office in 2006.” That’s startling. No wonder Fresno State has issued warnings to students about traveling to Mexico for spring break. I guess they can do something right after all. There are many Web sites offering travel packages to Mexico, tailormade for students. Upon visiting one of these user-unfriendly sites, studenttravelservices.com, I was able to read through what some of the packages offer. In their lists of destinations, airfare was never tied directly to a package. However, the packages included food, parties and entertainment. To me, it sounds like a kids club on a cruise, except with liquor. If I found prices for travel packages, they were usually in the higher hundreds of dollars, and some packages cost as much as $2,500. I thought students could barely afford tuition, books and materials and were marching two weeks ago about escalating fees. I guess there’s always some spare cash for a good time. If you have the extra money to spend, why not go to Maui instead of Mexico? Hawaii offers the same tropical atmosphere, but with one major difference: you’re still in the US. Imagine five nights on Maui, with airfare for $1,300, as quoted on orbitz.com, and that’s with booking the trip five days before departure. Though not all places in Mexico are as dangerous as depicted, it’s still a risky place to go. Why go to a foreign country to potentially be shot by a drug lord? That can happen to you here in Fresno. It’s not my dream vacation. Going to another place like Hawaii is a much better alternative. We all know that America is facing tough economic times, especially in the travel industry. If you have the money to travel during spring break, help out by keeping your money here in our country.
Local Advertising Manager Advertising Coordinator National Advertising 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 Joel Perez Brandon Ocegueda Edgar Vargas Savannah West Anthony Samarasekera
Virginia Sellars-Erxleben Jan Edwards Reaz Mahmood Don Priest
Wednesday, March 19, 2010
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 “Eats, Shoots & Leaves” subject 6 Interim measures 14 James teammate 15 Provided home security, in a way 16 Cousin of danke 17 German version of GQ? 18 Section reserved for a German composer? 20 Freshman, probably 21 Lubricate 22 Back in 23 Car parked next to a German sedan? 30 Place follower 31 Put out 32 Comrade 35 Germans living in the fast lane? 40 Acidity-level symbols 41 Manitoba tribe 42 Prolific auth.? 43 Give a German philosopher the third degree? 47 Relish 50 Bossy remark? 51 La __ Tar Pits 52 Former German chancellor’s coffee sweetener? 59 Causes for alarm in the West German capital?
Puzzle by Dan Naddor
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PUZZLE SOLUTION: http://collegian.csufresno.edu Copyright 2009. Tribune Media Services, Inc.
61 Excessive 62 In a tight row 63 Paris bisector 64 Relieve, as of mistaken ideas 65 Searches for DOWN 1 Search thoroughly 2 Ready to serve
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3 Cougar or Sable, briefly 4 Speed ratio 5 “The Nowhere City” author Lurie 6 Subway Series stadium 7 Suit material? 8 Couple’s word 9 Afterthoughts, briefly 10 Go-__ 11 So far 12 Not as flushed
13 Dictator’s assistant? 17 Prefix with pad 19 “Sprechen __ Deutsch?” 22 Univ. recruiter 23 Quickly, in memos 24 “Don’t think so” 25 Bitmap components 26 ‘40s flag-raising site, briefly 27 “The Maids” playwright 28 Pinafore letters 29 Short life story? 32 2003 A.L. Manager of the Year Tony 33 Fabric finish? 34 Bobcat, e.g. 36 Support spec 37 “Chances __”: Mathis hit 38 Men 39 Sam-__ 43 Amounts 44 Little rascals 45 Hugs, in letters 46 Easy to use, in adspeak 47 Subsided 48 Rice-__ 49 Ministers 52 Place 53 Coffee servers 54 Ancient Persian 55 Place for a pad 56 Comic strip dog 57 Adonis 58 19th-century military family 60 “The Gift of the Magi” gift
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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
Singletasker Opposite of multitasker, a singletasker is one who only takes upon one task at a time, and follows it through to completion. Often used sardonically when someone is bragging about their supreme multitasking skills. Source: UrbanDictionary.com
Arts & Entertainment The
Collegian
Page 4 • Arts & Entertainment Editor, Danielle Gilbert • collegian-features@csufresno.edu • Wednesday, March 19, 2010
The Collegian’s guide to
home going e r a u yo ng an hether s, taki t n e r a p your t your p with i r t to visi ith d a g up w me ro atchin rite c aweso r o s o iend our fav best fr k and y ew unique r o w e f hom re a o here a tions t show— eak destina d avoi . br spring and a few to er consid
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Photo courtesy
Michelle Furnier / The Collegian
The not to-do list Don’t poke your Facebook friends in real life. Don’t forget to start that assignment due on April 6.
Don’t sign your name on any official looking documents such as marriage licenses and reality show release forms. Don’t jump off a balcony into a swimming pool.
Don’t drink and drive.
Don’t spend your entire paycheck on alcohol.
Don’t waste your entire break sleeping.
Don’t be a fool, wrap your tool. Be safe.
Don’t sit on the couch the entire time eating potato chips and watching TV.
According to the U.S. Department of State Web site, try to stay away from going to certain cities in Mexico and be cautious if you do go.
The to-do list Yosemite Cost: $20 per car Temperature: mid to low 60s More information: www.nps. gov/yose or call (209) 372-0200 Why you should go: This season is the best time for waterfalls because the snow starts to melt. This doesn’t mean that it might not still be the occasional storm so taking tire chains is advisable. While Tioga and Glacier Point roads are closed, Yosemite Valley, Wawona and other parts of Yosemite are still open. Melodrama in Pismo The Great American Melodrama and Vaudeville Location: 1863 Front St., Oceano, Ca, 93445 Tickets range from $18-$22 For more information: www. americanmelodrama.com or call (805) 489-2499 Why you should go: Sawdust covered floors, “honkytonk” music, cabaret tables and slapstick stories are all it takes for The Great See BREAK, Page 4
of Danielle Gil
bert / The Colle
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Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Collegian • Features Features Editor, Michelle Furnier • collegian-features@csufresno.edu
BREAK: What to do and what not to do CONTINUED from page 4 American Melodrama to put a show on. Their recent show, “Lumberjacks in Love� features a story of four lumberjacks who, after getting a little tipsy one night, respond to a mail order bride advertisement. Thrift Fresno Goodwill Locations: Fresno (6437 N. Blackstone Ave.) and Clovis (239 W. Shaw Ave.)
Salvation Army Locations: Fresno (6754 N. Blackstone Ave.) and Clovis (121 W. Shaw Ave.) Rasputin Records Location: 5611 N. Blackstone Ave. For more information call (559) 435-4371 or go to rasputinmusic.com Why you should go: They have new and used records. They also carry hundreds of used and new CDs and dvds. Spinner Records Location: 639 E. Olive Ave. in
the Tower District For more information go to spinnerrecords.com or call (559) 441-1525 Why you should go: They sell vinyl LP’s in a variety of genres. They also sell used and refurbished turntables, amplifiers and speakers. Collectigues Location: 140 E. Olive For more information call (559) 441-1252 Why you should go: They sell juke boxes, slot machines, radios, antiques and art. They also have a huge record section. Fresno State game Softball: Fresno State v. Boise State Location: Bulldog Stadium at the corner of Cedar and
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Bulldog Lane Date: April 2 Time: 6 p.m. Why you should go: Great way to support your local athletics team and get out of the house. Movies Clovis Towne Center 8 Location: 2301 Villa Ave. Why you should go: Plays films that are out of the main theater and not on video yet for $3. Skydive Monterey Bay Cost: range from $159-
$259 Location: Marina Municipal Airport in Marina, CA For more information visit skydivemontereybay.com or call 888-229-5867.
Page 5 Why you should go: Skydive Monterey Bay holds the world record for the highest tandem jump at 18,000 ft. The seaside company deducts $10 for active duty military as well as groups of 4 or more. Jumpers also receive $10 off when paying in cash. Art vs. Art DeRouchey Creative Design Studio Location: 1803 S. Van Ness Cost: Free Time: 5 p.m. Reception at 6 p.m. Why you should go: Nine student artists will showcase photography, graphic designs, printmaking and many others. The venue provides hors’ d’oeuvre as well as a classic guitarist.
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The Collegian • News News Editor, Thaddeus Miller • collegian-news@csufresno.edu
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
SMEAR: Student Court OKs removal of fliers
VOTE: A unique username and password aid security
CONTINUED from page 1
CONTINUED from page 1
bylaws. In the meantime, he said, finding the culprit will be difficult. “It’s hard to identify who may be doing that,” Nelson said. The Student Court, which hears cases on campaign violations, ruled Tuesday that election candidates and their associates are allowed to remove negative campaign fliers if they do not carry the name or slogan of a candidate. The court also found a candidate, accused of putting such fliers up, “not at fault.” Johnathon Thompson, ASI senator for the College of Science and Mathematics, said he was contacted by one of his constituents concerning a potential smear campaign. Thompson said that he was notified by another student at around 10:30 p.m. Monday that a 6-foot tall blond male was seen in the Speech Arts building with a stapler and fliers. “He asked if any of the candidates would have done this,” Thompson said. “I told him the only person who would have fit that description was Cole [Rojewski].” Cole Rojewski, presidential candidate and ASI’s Chief of Staff, said he had no involvement with any of the posted fliers, and came to campus after he received a call about the fliers. “It’s sad to see it on campus,”
Rojewski said. “We want the elections to be spirited and uplifting, and fun for all students. This isn’t it.” Rojewski said the court’s ruling was just, but that ASI needs stronger bylaws that curb smear campaigns. He said he didn’t anticipate that the incident would affect his campaign. Pedro Ramirez, presidential candidate and the senator at large for parking and safety, was the victim of many of the posted fliers. He said he was targeted because he has a viable chance to win the nomination, and that the culprits felt threatened by him. “I’m flattered that they went to this great length,” Ramirez said. ASI elections have had its share of snags in recent history. In April 2009, a slate of candidates was disqualified for a slew of violations. Alex Andreotti, presidential candidate and executive vice president of ASI, said she would prefer that candidates not campaign negatively. Cody Madsen, presidential candidate and the senator at large for residence, said he hoped that the signs did not come from one of the other candidates. “I’m a little disheartened that people my age are taking part in this kind of politics,” Madsen said.
TEXTS: Books sent abroad to countries otherwise without CONTINUED from page 1 world,” York said. “It was an easy decision as far as I’m concerned. They do an amazing job at getting resources to places that really need them.” One of those places is Haiti. In an attempt to overcome its educational challenges in the aftermath of January’s earthquake, Better World Books announced on March 2 that they will begin the “Rebuild Haiti” initiative. This will combine immediate aid with long-term efforts to fund the restoration and equipment of schools, teacher training and improvement of the quality of education and literacy in Haiti. Better World Books has already made an initial donation of $10,000 to help rebuild Haiti. “As soon as we heard about the earthquake’s destruction in Haiti, we knew we could leverage our powerful fund-
raising machine to help,” said Better World Books CEO David Mur phy. “After Hurricane Katrina, people donated an enormous number of books which raised over $100,000 for the New Orleans Public Library. We know people want to respond the same way to the Haiti crisis. We intend to see this initiative through, as long as it takes.” Fresno State is one of about 1,800 college campuses that Better World Books has accepted book donations from. In total, they have collected more than 25 million donated books and raised $7.3 million in funding for literacy and education. “It’s just good to see that these unused books are going towards a good cause and not being wasted just because we can no longer use them,” Durham said.
system. “It worked well last year,” Nelson said. “We did make some changes this year. Primarily because we wanted to avoid possibilities of problems.” Last year, Nelson said, ASI sent students an e-mail after they voted. This served two purposes: to acknowledge the students who voted and it served as a safety net to catch potential voter fraud. “Even though we got nothing like that last year, we still wanted to prevent any problems that were a possibility,” Nelson said. Tara Powers-Mead, director of university affairs for Associated Students, Inc., said that the university switched to online adapted voting because it is a full-proof method. “It is an easier process on our end,” Powers-Mead said. “There is no human error when counting ballots.” Powers-Mead also said that the online system saves ASI a lot of paper and labor. From the switch, ASI was able to donate thirty tree seedlings to Sustainable Harvest International, a relief organization that fights Central American deforestation and poverty. “In the previous years, students voted by going on to the site and logging in with their e-mail address and student identification number,“ she said. With the online system, students are locked out after they vote, eliminating the chance of voting twice. Despite precautions employed to protect against voter fraud in previous years, it was brought to ASI’s attention that some students were able to access the PeopleSoft ID numbers of other students and possibly alter the results of the election by voting on that student’s behalf. Powers-Mead said when students petition, they have to gather signatures. Signees are required to provide their ID number to validate their status as a student after signing a petition. Powers-Mead said this presented a potential flaw within the older structure. “This information was not as secure as we would have liked it,” PowersMead said. “That is why this year we decided to dedicate an individual user ID and password to every eligible voter.” Yet, this did not come without its flaws. A message was sent to students’ e-mails Tuesday morning stating technical difficulties had prevented some ASI election e-mails from reaching their destinations. The message also stated that voting can only be done during the set polling dates and times
which take place on Tuesday, March 23 at 8 a.m. through Thursday, March 25 at noon. Jim Michael, associate director for information and technology services (ITS), said they were notified that some of the messages had not gone through because of the university’s spam filters. The filters classified the incoming messages from Votenet as a “top Spammer,” which prevented some students from receiving the messages. The ITS staff fixed the technical problem between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Tuesday morning, Michael said. The messages that were undeliverable were patched through the system and reached their destinations. Sophomore Yesenia Velazquez, 20, said she received the e-mails prompting students to visit the Web site and now plans on voting. “It’s important because it is the only way we can speak and be heard,” she said. Despite the delay in the election notification and subsequent delivery of the unique username and password, Powers-Mead said that the election period will not be extended past Thursday. According to ASI, all voting will be tallied by Votenet. In a 2004 article that ran in Education Week, the company’s director of elections software Raj Naik said the Votenet system is not flawless. “With Internet software it’s like owning a trucking company. I can say I can get your goods there in time, but there’s always the chance of a traffic jam,” he told Education Week. Still, there are some additional oversights in place for student voting. Liz Shields, a member of the League of Women Voters and faculty in the Business and Finance Law department, said since the election process went online last year the League has involved itself with the tabulation of the results. “We take the counts from the online program and process the final tallies,” Shields said in an e-mail interview to The Collegian. “Even when the league monitored the voting process for many years, the ultimate responsibility for the conduct of the election rested with the Election Commissioner and his/her committee.”
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COMMENT: The Collegian is a forum for student expression. http://collegian.csufresno.edu
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Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Collegian • Sports Sports Editor, Brianna Campbell • collegian-sports@csufresno.edu
Page 7
Photo Courtesy of Rudy Sanchez
Rudy Sanchez established a life goal of fighting in a match with spectators looking on. Now Sanchez has acheived his goal and so much more.
Sanchez lives his nickname by entering the ring to the song “Braveheart.” By Rory Carlberg The Collegian Imagine waking up in the morning to the thought that before you lay your head to rest that night, you will engage in a battle against another human being looking to destroy you. On Friday, March 5 that thought was a reality for accounting major Rudy Sanchez. Four years ago, the 21-yearold started boxing and established his life goal. “I’ve always wanted to do a match in the ring with people watching,” Sanchez said. “As Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) exploded I said, ‘man I want to get in the cage’.” From that point on Sanchez has been set on acquiring the skills necessary to become a mixed martial artist. The first stop on his mission to becoming a fighter was
training with jiu-jitsu fighter Royce Gracie. Sanchez was drawn to the gym because the Gracie name is synonymous with jiu-jitsu greatness. When Sanche z lear ned that the three-time Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) champion and legendary jiu-jitsu practitioner Gracie would soon be holding a seminar at the gym, he walked out the door as a student with a signed commitment to the gym. As Sanche z trained he became more focused on his goal. “My one goal with jiu-jitsu and training was to get in the cage one time, and have my hand raised one time,” Sanchez said. As time passed, Sanchez trained hard and competed in boxing, kickboxing and jiujitsu tournaments to test his technique in a competitive
environment. Sanchez’s anxiety grew as time drew nearer to his first step in the cage. He maintained a strong belief in the plan that was set forth for him by his trainers. Sanchez was overwhelmed standing back stage waiting for his match in front of more than 3,000 people. “If you at least have some other smaller experiences to draw upon, you won’t be as overwhelmed,” Sanchez said. Sanchez had his first fight scheduled at the first Playboy Fight Nights event, in Visalia, against Jaime Valdez, who had more than 11 years of boxing experience and a seven-inch height advantage. Weeks prior to the fight, Sanche z be gan a rigorous diet and training regimen. He stuck to a strict diet of protein and foods with little carbohydrates, sugar, and fat content. “Sticking to that was probably t h e h a rd e s t t h i n g , ” Sanchez said. Sanche z also worked to improve his stamina and focused on training in jiu-jitsu, muay thai, wrestling and boxing. He credits his boxing
instructor Hector Alatorre for the insight he shared on what to expect from his experienced opponent. “I told him he has the power to drop you, but he also has we a k n e s s a n d c o u l d g e t dropped,” Alatorre said, “So, I told him stay out of his reach at the end of his punches, get inside, get in close and be smart.” Before the fight Sanchez shared Alatorre’s mindset: “I don’t quit, I’m not going quit, I’m not a quitter. This guy’s going to have to kill me, if he wants to win he’s going have to kill me.” Sanchez said that he planned on breaking Valdez’s will. “What I’m bringing into the cage is going to be too much for this guy to handle,” Sanchez said. “My skills, whether it’s on the ground or standing, are going to be one thing but my heart is going to be the hardest thing for him to deal with.” This characteristic earned Sanchez the nickname Braveheart. Finally the moment arrived. The theme from the movie “Braveheart” began and Rudy “Braveheart” Sanchez made his approach to the cage for
the first time, his face plastered with a look of determination. “The way I look at it is the nerves are going to be there regardless. If I try to avoid it, if I try to run from them, they’re just going to hit me harder,” Sanchez said before the fight. His opponent, Valdez made his entrance and the two warriors finally met face to face, and the referee gave the signal to commence. Sanchez fired out quickly with two fast leg kicks, the second nearly knocking Valdez off his feet. Sanchez then quickly shot in and secured a takedown. Wi t h Va l d e z d r o p p i n g punches, Sanchez kept his composure and was able to stand back up after performing a scissor sweep. Sanchez then quickly executed another take down and established the full-mount position, one of the most dominant positions in mixed martial arts. “As soon as I mounted him I kind of hesitated for a split second, only because I was worried about my position because he was really, really strong,” Sanchez said. After securing the mount Sanchez rained down with a flurry of violent punches. After Sanchez punished Valdez with about 14 clean punches to the head, the referee ended the fight 1:55 seconds into the first round. Sanchez was declared victorious by TKO. “Once I got that first punch in, that’s when the killer instinct in me took over and I just finished him,” Sanchez said. Sanchez erupted off of his fallen opponent and let out a monstrous scream after finally realizing a dream that he worked so long and hard for. “That was all emotions. It was everything I worked hard for. For the four years that I’ve been training, everything, all in that one scream, all in that one fight,” Sanchez said. After the fight Sanche z thanked everybody who supported him. “I just want to thank everybody who has got me to this point,” Sanchez said. “This fight is dedicated to my grandfather. Everything I have to be thankful for is for him.”
Sports The
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Collegian
March 24, 1980 42nd NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: Louisville beats UCLA 59-54
Sports Editor, Brianna Campbell • collegian-sports@csufresno.edu • Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Football over lawsuits
Ben there, done that Ben Ingersoll
F
Today in sports history...
or those of you who know me, it comes as no surprise when I say I am obsessed with Oregon Ducks football. For the many of you who don’t, the secret is out; I bleed green and yellow in the fall. I love to watch the Ducks so much, that in September I drove 11 straight hours from Fresno to Eugene, all through the night, to watch Oregon shock the Cal Bears 42-3. I own more Oregon merchandise than Fresno State gear, and I’m usually not ashamed to wear it wherever and whenever. See that flattering mug of me up there? I was wearing a black sweater with a giant yellow “O” on the chest. In my mind, there are few teams that can hang with the Ducks on the field. That goes for the ‘Dogs as well. But also in my mind, I know that off the field, Fresno State puts the Ducks, and other top programs, to shame. Recently, the biggest names who don the countless Duck uniform combinations, such as former running back LeGarrette Blount, quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and star running back Lamichael James, have all found themselves in a laundry list of trouble with the law. So rather than celebrating Oregon’s recent run to the top of the Pac-10 conference, I have to watch my favorite players stand in front of a judge and plead guilty to serious criminal offenses. Never have I been so proud to shelve my Oregon gear and replace it with some Bulldog red. In the two football seasons I have been on this campus, not one Fresno State football player has stepped that far out of line, and no signs point to this changing. Something tells me you won’t see Ryan Colburn in cuffs anytime soon. And it’s not just happening at Oregon. Florida, who owns two of the last four BCS National Championships, has seen more than 25 players arrested since the beginning of 2009. Fans can cheer, whoop and holler for the best teams in college football all they want, but the Personal Conduct National Championship goes to schools like ours, who don’t have to worry about jail sentences and probation periods casting a shadow over the program. Some like to argue that off-the-fieldissues are obviously helping teams, based on arrest records and win-loss records. Really? To that I say good luck trying to get an interview when football is all said and done and your rap sheet is longer than your resume. So although Fresno State football has seen its fair share of troubles with busting into the BCS madness or beating our rivals from up North, at least the Bulldogs who represent us on Saturdays seem more focused on football than hiring an attorney.
Game day preparation Athletes look to game day superstitions for victory over their opponents By Megan Morales The Collegian Some people may not believe in rituals, superstitions or routines, but for many athletes they’re a vital element that more than likely determines the outcome of their personal performance. Whether it’s a lucky meal, exercise regimen, nap, or even nail polish, some Fresno State athletes admit they need some type of physical reassurance that luck is on their side. Fresno State softball player Haley Gilleland admits her routine may not be comprehensible to those off the field, but it serves its purpose for her come game day. “I run one to two miles then eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” Gilleland said. “I know it’s weird, but it makes me feel faster.” Gilleland said she doesn’t consider herself very superstitious, but finds herself sticking with certain routines before every game. “I catch myself wearing the same fingernail polish if I played well and we won,” Gilleland said. Along with pregame rituals, Gilleland said her nerves are settled by performing a step-by-step routine when she steps into the batter’s box. “Before I hit, I sweep out the box starting from the front line to the back,” Gilleland said. “I never take warm up swings in between pitches and when I’m on deck I lift my bat over my head and stretch then swing the bat in circles starting with my right arm, then my left.” While some of these routines may seem strange and somewhat excessive, Fresno State linebacker Ben Jacobs thinks personal rituals are a major factor in piecing together his pregame mindset. “Before every game, about an hour before k i c ko f f , w h e n w e first get to the locker room, myself, T r av i s B r o w n and Eric Brown will all go out to the field and
we’ll play sting punt,” Jacobs said. Sting punt is a game the special teams unit uses to practice pinning the opponent deep in their own territory. Brianna Campbell/ Collegian File Photo As for more seriSophomore Paul George writes his nephew’s name, Devin, on the ous pregame rituals, Jacobs said he follows tape on his wrist as well as “victory” and “price.” the same time and preparation schedule before every game. “I always go straight to the training in his game, and ever since then I’ve room and get taped. Then [ I ] go to a been telling him, ‘that’s what did it’,” meeting, and then I come back and Patel said. put my shirt and my shorts on and my As for Patel and his personal rituals, cleats,” Jacobs said. “I do the same he said he doesn’t have any. However, thing every time. It never changes.” that may change soon. Sophomore basketball standout Paul “I don’t have any,” Patel said. “That’s George relies on a more casual routine a good idea though. I think I’ll have to before he takes the court. come up with something.” “I always take a nap. I think that’s While Patel jokes about being nonimportant,” George said. “We’ll have superstitious, for now, he and George our shoot around, and when we finish will stick to their friendly lunches and we have about two hours until we have hope that it continues to give George to meet back up at the gym. That’s the boost he needs in his basketball when I usually take my nap, let my career. body rest and take my mind off basketball.” In addition to his relaxing nap, George looks to his nephew for written words of encouragement for support. “Every game I wrap my left wrist with tape, and write my nephew’s name, which is Devon, and the words “pride” and “victory,” George said. Georg e, shares a unique friendship and meal preference with another Fresno State athlete. Golf player Bhavik Patel and George consistently dine at a local restaurant, Teriyaki Don, at least three days a week. “The first time we went to Teriyaki Don he had 30 points
Short-stop Haley Gillelad has her special routine every time she steps in the batters box. Matt Weir / Collegian File Photo
Linebacker Ben Jacobs sticks to his routine every time without fail. Brianna Campbell / Collegian File Photo