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A.S. officer suffers downtown attack about the suspects, Chico police Sgt. Matt Madden said. “When victims show up the next day without any recollection of what actually occurred that night without any independent witnesses, those are difficult cases to do anything with,” Madden said. In hopes of preventing these types of attacks, Taylor wants to attend City Council meetings to lament the lack of south-campus area lighting, he said. More streetlights in the south-campus area could reduce the likelihood of attacks, he said. Getting students to unite will be key to getting the attention of City Council. “They’re not just going to listen to me,” Taylor said. Whitney Taylor, Erik Taylor’s sister and a
“I don’t walk home alone very often, but it is definitely something I will never do A SST. NE WS EDITOR again,” he said. Taylor went home and went to sleep but An Associated Students officer was was taken to Enloe Medical Cenassaulted while walking from a ter by his roommate later Sunday downtown bar to his south-cammorning, he said. pus area home about 2:30 a.m. Enloe Medical Center released Sunday. Taylor with five staples in the two The attack left Erik Taylor, cuts on his head, he said. current A.S. director of legislaA Chico police officer questioned tive affairs and president of the Taylor at the hospital, but there isn’t Chico State Democratic Club, much that can be done at this point, with a broken nose and cuts to Taylor said. the back of his head. ERIK TAYLOR The assault occurred someTaylor also had his wallet stolen, A.S. director of where between The Banshee he said. He suffered a concus- legislative affairs and West Fourth Street but Taysion and doesn’t remember being lor was unable to give police information jumped or anything about his attacker. Juniper Rose
senior business administration major, went to see her brother in the hospital as soon as she heard of the attack, she said. “It was a total shock,” Whitney Taylor said. “His nose was broken and shifted to the right — you could already see that he had two black eyes — and that was just seeing his face. I hadn’t even seen the cuts on his head.” Whitney Taylor, who also lives in the south-campus area, said she never walks home alone at night. “If a guy can get assaulted like that — what about the girls, what’s going to happen to the girls?” she said. Juniper Rose can be reached at jrose@theorion.com
Music education option put on yearlong hiatus
“
We can’t continue to teach all the programs we do and get students out of here on time.
“
JOEL ZIMBELMAN dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts
Kjerstin Wood STAFF WRITER
In the midst of Chico State’s 125th anniversary celebration, the music education program has been put on suspension for one year because of low enrollment rates. The program focuses on not just musical theory and performance but also on classroom management and the administrative duties associated with being a teacher, said Rose Love, a senior music major with the music education option. Students enrolled in the music education option of the music major were notified Friday, April 20 that incoming students would not be able to declare the option and that it was a “difficult decision,” according to an email sent to music education students from Keith Seppanen, chair of the music department. Although suspension means the program could eventually be reinstated, several
plans must be evaluated to get back to the point where the school could reopen admission, said Joel Zimbelman, dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. The two things that pushed the college into this situation are the $700 million cuts to the California State University system in the past year and the fact that even though the program has 25 students enrolled in the option, the majority are seniors, Zimbelman said. “We can’t continue to teach all the programs we do and get students out of here on time,” he said. Other departments and colleges will have to evaluate their own programs depending on state budget scenarios, said Joe Wills, director of public affairs and publications. Departments on campus will have to examine their programs the same way the music department did, Wills said. The expectation is that >> please see MUSIC | A4
GLOBAL FLAVOR An eclectic mix of cultures was on display at Chico State during the 38th annual International Festival Saturday. Read about the musical acts and food that were offered. Story B1 PHOTOS BY • EMILY WALKER
Errant elevators drop, trap riders Troubled river hot spot gets support from tubers, alumni Since an elevator in Butte Hall dropped a floor and jolted a facilities management employee to the ground, malfunctioning elevators have added up during the semester
Pedro Quintana STAFF WRITER
A person was left trapped in a Butte Hall elevator for 10 minutes Monday morning in the latest of a string of elevator malfunctions this semester. University Police was notified at 9:44 a.m. and the facilities management and services department was notified shortly after, said Sheri Sherwood, University Police dispatcher. The doors of the elevator would not open because the elevator wasn’t level with the floor, said Kathleen McPartland, senior communications officer for public affairs and publications. The facilities management and services department has taken Butte Hall’s center elevator offline after a this malfunction occurred within three weeks of the first. The previous incident included the elevator dropping a floor and causing a facilities management employee to fall. Officials also had to close two elevators in Meriam Library, because the center elevator doors were not closing correctly and the
THE ORION • FRANK REBELO
GOING DOWN Students enter elevator one in Butte Hall. A person was trapped in the same elevator for 10 minutes Monday. Elevator two remains offline. other was not aligning with the floor when stopping. The center elevator has been back in service since 4 p.m. Wednesday, said Joe Wills, director of public affairs and publications. The other will be fixed soon. The elevator incidents have students concerned about the safety on campus. The university should be more diligent about checking elevators, said James Kay, a senior history major.
INDEX >> World News
rescues on the river. John Scott was at first relucSTAFF WRITER tant to ask the community Hundreds of people attended for help, Shane Scott said. a fundraiser Sunday at Scotty’s He eventually did, because Landing to save the bar and Scotty’s Landing is in serious floating jump-off point from danger of being shut down and taken over. being shut down. If the business is John Scott, the SCOTTY’S shut down, access to owner of Scotty’s LANDING the Sacramento River Landing, was left with will be cut off, he said. $30,000 to $40,000 Restaurant and “He’s not somebody of his late brother’s bar at 12609 that asks for help,” debt when he died, River Road Shane Scott said. “He’s said Shane Scott, willing to give help all John Scott’s friend. Traditional the time he has.” The debt is in medical jump-off spot John Scott and bills, property debt, for tubers that his family have run taxes and more from takeoff from Irvine Finch Scotty’s Landing for the last year. River Access years, so having to ask Scotty’s Landing for anything is very provides vital access Rescue headhumbling for them, to the Sacramento quarters for he said. River for floaters and area agencies If Scotty’s Landing people who fish and were to close, the state kayak and is the only About $35,000 would take it over and bar in Chico with a in debt it would be heavily great view, Shane regulated like most of Scott said. The location also provides the river is now, Scott said. Floating would be very the quickest access for rescue teams to enter the Sacra- different for students and mento River, he said. John other people who know the Scott has made thousands of >> please see LANDING | A5 Natalie Eucce
“They shouldn’t wait until the elevator completely crashes,” he said. The Butte Hall elevators take a long time to operate, said Tiffani Yeager, a freshman liberal studies major who had class in Butte Hall in fall. Other students worry about those with disabilities who only have elevators to get to classes. The university should be serious about the safety of elevators and be smarter about resolving the >> please see ELEVATORS | A5
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