November 7 2011

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NATIONAL DEBT: $14.96 TRILLION Source: USDebtClock.org U.S. CASUALTIES: Iraq 4,483 / Afghanistan 1,831 Source: icasualties.org

New “Harold and Kumar” flick crude, but entertaining A&E Check out The Collegian’s website for a photo gallery of Saturday’s football game SPORTS Individual mandate is unconstitutional OPINION

monday Issue November 7, 2011 FRESNO STATE

COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU

California DREAM Act under debate

SERVING CAMPUS SINCE 1922

13 Occupy Fresno protesters arrested Sunday sheriff’s finally decided to take action, according to the group’s Twitter page. Over 30 sheriff’s deputies in riot gear invaded the camp, and after a few hours more than a dozen Occupy Fresno protestors were arrested. Avila, who is also a senior at Fresno State, explained that the group reached a general consensus to not reapply for a facility use permit, after their permit expired. “We originally applied for the permit

“I

expect this to go on, probably about another month. I don’t believe these movements ever die. They just take a new form of life in different ways.”

By Luke Shaffer The Collegian

Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law the California Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minor Act, also known as the DREAM Act. Opponents of the law have raised questions of the cost and effect of the bill. On July 9, Brown signed Assembly Bill 130 known as part one of the California DREAM Act, which will give undocumented students access to private scholarships and grants. The law will take effect on Jan. 1, 2012. The signing of AB 131 soon followed on Oct. 8 giving undocumented students access to financial aid at public universities and community colleges. The law will take effect Jan. 1, 2013. Fresno State student Alex Chavez said the California DREAM Act is not only an education opportunity but rather a benefit for the California economy. “New Mexico, which has their version of the DREAM Act, has granted in-state tuition and financial aid, [the state] has been quite prosperous,” Chavez said. Critics are concerned with the cost of the new laws. “The state has a big deficit. When did we get this extra money to give away?” Fresno State student and chairman of Fresno State College Republicans Matt Shupe said. The California of Finance estimates about 2,500 students will benefit from AB 131. The law will cost the state $14.5 million which is 1 percent of Cal-Grant funds. “I wouldn’t want to call it a cost but rather an investment,” Chavez said. “When we talked about American kids getting an education, we call that an investment but that’s not the case with undocumented students. “These are tax dollars that our parents have paid too and they are long over due,” Chavez added. Assemblyman Tim Donnelly in an opinion piece for the UC Berkeley newspapers stated that the California DREAM Act is an incentive for future immigrants. “Students who are in the country illegally cannot legally get a job in California.” So arguments that this is an investment are, at best, misguided,” Donnelly added. Donnelly, along with other opponents of the new law, have begun collecting signatures to overturn AB 131 which they see as unfair to California students. “Conservatives will argue that we (undocumented students) are taking seats and I believe that we’re not,” Chavez says. “I want to defend that by saying that I’m competing for my seat at this university just like everybody else who’s competing for their seat.” To qualify for this new legislation, students must meet certain requirements such as having attended and graduated from a high school after See DREAM, Page 3

Luis Sanchez, Fresno State student Sergio Robles / The Collegian

Over 30 sheriff deputies in riot gear arrested 13 Occupy Fresno protesters Sunday at 3 a.m. at the Courthouse Park in downtown Fresno. Protesters were arrested for operating without a permit.

By Samuel Cosby The Collegian About 13 Occupy Fresno protestors were arrested Sunday morning at 3 a.m. and were later released at 1 p.m. by Fresno Sheriff’s deputies, according to Occupy Fresno’s official Twitter. Since Tuesday, Nov. 1, the Occupy Fresno movement has been operating

without a facility use permit. The group received a final notice, or a “move immediately” notice, one of the protestors Steven Avila said. The eviction notice warned the group if they continued to protest in Courthouse Park downtown, they could be fined or possibly imprisoned. Sunday mor ning around 3 a.m.,

not expecting to get it,” Avila said. “We feel that showed an attempt to at least comply with the local or county laws.” Avila explained that after the group received their permit, the county office began tacking on multiple clauses and addendums. “They were basically telling us we have no say, and that they can put whatever they want on this permit,” Avila said. “Not anywhere does it say that we See ARRESTS, Page 3

Students and faculty unite for education rally

File photo by Matt Weir / The Collegian

Students and faculty got together on March 4, 2010 to protest tuition increases (above photo). Students and faculty will meet again Nov. 8 to “Rally for Education.”

By Samuel Cosby The Collegian Fresno State students, members of the California Faculty Association and other universities across California will band together Tuesday, Nov. 8, in order to “Rally for Education.” The rally is focused on getting student involvement in and recognition for the increases in student tuition, as

well as continuous pay cuts. Occupy Fresno is also working closely with the rally as the two groups have similar goals, Fresno State alumni and rally organizer Jesus Mendoza said. “We want to highlight the issues,” Mendoza said. “Including the $2.5 billion that students will see in budget cuts this December. “These cuts will be passed on to the students, families, parents and work-

ers,” he continued. “In general we just want to get this point across.” One of the students participating in the event is Camile Duria, a senior at Fresno State. “I feel like with the tuition increases, this is something that really affects me,” Duria said. “If the tuition keeps going up, I won’t be able to continue See RALLY, Page 3


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