The Orion Vol. 74, Issue 12 by The Orion

Chico State’s Independent Student News Source since 1975 ARTS:

NEWS »Zingg: Students respond to the Chico State president’s medical leave of absence. A3

»Cammies: The Chico Area Music Awards kicked off last weekend, proving how epic the Chico music scene is. B7

SPORTS »Indiana Law: NCAA takes a stand against LGBTQ+ discrimination. B3 FEATURES »Biofuels: Turning waste into a profitable substance for chemistry department. B5 Caio Calado/The Orion

OPINION »Beauty: Opinion columnist discusses unfair beauty standards for men. A6

Theorion.com | Wednesday, April 15, 2015 | Vol. 74, Issue 12 | First copy free, additional copies 50¢

Tuition costs still pressure students

CHOOSE CHICO!

Joe Silva

Staff Writer

George Johnston/The Orion

The Chico State band played throughout the event. WREC showcased its dance class, en Fuego.

Fifth annual event highlights Chico State’s best qualities to woo prospective students By Michael Arias Staff Writer Thousands of future students and parents gathered at Chico State on Saturday to participate in the fifth annual Choose Chico! event. After acting President Rollin Richmond gave his welcoming speech, students and parents swarmed the campus to participate in the many events and informational tours that were offered. Live music was provided by the department of music and theatre outside the Bell Memorial Union. Groups and clubs promoted their name, offering information in the BMU atrium from their tables. Clubs and organizations present included the Gender & Sexuality Equity Center, Cross-Cultural Leadership Center, Study Abroad and Community Action Volunteers in Education, Challenge and KCSC radio station. The Wildcat Recreation Center also held a preview of its class, en Fuego,

in the atrium. CAVE program member Briana Howenstein stood at her table and informed new students about CAVE and what it had to offer as they passed by. “I’m loving it,” Howenstein said. “It’s nice to see all the new students almost overwhelmed with all the things to get into here on campus. CAVE is a good opportunity to get involved in the community and to help incoming students adjust to the Wildcat life.” Academic showcases of every department were held throughout the day to give families and students an opportunity to speak with the faculty and staff of their academic interest. The communication design department had an activity where students could make a video to take home of themselves using a green screen and computer software.

“It’s nice to see all the new students almost overwhelmed with all the things to get into.”

Angeles Zinzun-Ochoa was one of 4,200 students and parents.

With more than 4,200 admitted students at the event, assistant director of admissions and Choose Chico! coordinator Wendy Needels was pleased with the turnout. “The goal of Choose Chico! is to help attract students and to answer any questions for those that are already admitted,” Needels said. Logan Schwab, an 18-year-old student from Davis, stood over the creek with his dad as they looked at the scenery. “This campus is awesome,” Schwab said. “I literally just saw a trout in the creek.” Schwab, who is already admitted to Chico State and is looking forward to studying toward a major in biology, said he picked Chico for all the outdoor activities that the city has to offer and cannot wait to start school at Chico State in fall 2015. “I picked Chico because I know there is a bunch of stuff to do outdoors here, like fishing,” Schwab said. “And that’s what I like.” Michael Arias can reached Mikey Arias can be be reached at at newseditor@theorion.com or @theorion_news on Twitter.

-Briana Howenstein, CAVE volunteer

When senior Dominic Rosso first found out how much a semester of college would cost, he was surprised. “My first thought was that was a lot,” he said. “Like wow — this is really the worth of education?” While student debt is a regularly discussed problem that faces the U.S., rising tuition fees are rarely mentioned. Since 1986, student fees have risen by more than 700 percent, vastly outstripping the pace of inflation. While their parents could have made $3.35 an hour washing dishes and covered the cost of tuition in short time, students today would need to work for months in order to pay for a year’s worth of school. Rosso, a criminal justice major, is fortunate enough to have parents who pay his tuition. Bu many students have to work their way through school. According to MarketWatch.com, nearly 80 percent of students have a part-time job and work an average of 19 hours per week in order to help pay for their education. And while some parents help pay for

» please see TUITION | A3

Parking hassles spur union’s call for action Jenice Tupolo

Staff Writer

President Paul Zingg has been given a list of demands for reform by the California State University Employees Union, with parking space availability as a primary concern. If demands are granted, 200 additional parking spaces could be made available for the public. From Monday to Friday, student parking overflows Ivy, Hazel, Chestnut and Legion streets. Those arriving to campus in the early morning hours can park with ease, while others with later classes drive circles searching for an open spot. To avoid hunting for parking, some stuJESSICA dents look to purchasVERARDI ing parking permits as CSU Employees a solution. Union president Jessica Verardi, president of the CSU Employees Union, has a general permit and still struggles to find an available parking spot.

» please see PARKING | A3

Lyon Books closes its doors after a dozen years in Chico Brianne McEvoy

Staff Writer

The owners of Lyon Books on Main Street have announced that they will be closing their doors after almost 12 years of serving the Chico community. Owner Heather Lyon and her husband were inspired to open the store for their love of books. At the time they opened their store, Tower Books had just closed, which meant there were no independent book stores in the community and they wanted to fill that void. It has been a family operation where mother, daughters and grandmother have all worked. “The intergenerational aspect of it is that my daughters have grown up working in the store, so we would often have three genera-

tions of women in the store,” Lyon said. “That’s something we really take pride Lyon Books is a place local writers have in,” Lyon said. “You know, I really like to see been able to present, publish, sell and hold the best in people and see them grow.” book signings, Lyon said. The store always promoted “I think that we’ve really turned an ethic of hospitality. Reading what was already a community rich books can fill several roles, Lyon with writers into a writing commusaid, remembering a professor nity,” Lyon said. “I think now that who ordinarily reads serious they really feel like a family, like a books about history who would team more than ever before.” come in and buy romance novThe owners have been happy to els. be able to give some members of the “Books can be educational, community their first job. They’ve they can be entertainment, they HEATHER cherished experienced employees can be comforting, they could be LYON as well as the opportunity to have for the middle of the night when Co-owner of Lyon watched what its like for people to you have insomnia,” Lyon said. Books have co-workers for the first time, “There’s no best book in the Lyons said. Three of the shop’s emworld — there’s what’s perfect ployees are college students who have been for you at the moment.” there since high school. Lyon Books has decided to close because

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