After the War By Ryo Eugene Kondo On April 9, 2003, coalition forces made their way to Iraq’s capital city of Baghdad. Although they have reached the political center of Iraq, there are still pockets of resistance, particularly in northern Iraq. U.S. Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfield warns: “There's a lot more fighting that's going to be done. More people are going to be killed, let there be no doubt. This is not Courtesy: Pentagon over, despite all the celebrations on the be the largest postwar rebuilding since the street." Although the War in Iraq seems far Marshall Plan in Europe after World War II.” from over, the initial steps of reconstruction have already begun. The initial tasks of rebuilding Iraq including: menial tasks such as replacing damaged Much of Iraq’s infrastructure is in disrepair windows and doors, and more complicated due to the current war, the previous war, and undertakings such as repairing roads and imposed economic s a n c t i o n s . bridges, rebuilding five airports, ensuring the Approximations differ on exactly how much availability of potable water, and dismantling the cost of completely rebuilding Iraq will be. and neutralizing any chemical or nuclear The United Nations Development Program facilities. The first round of contracts—up estimates that costs will be up to $30 billion to $900 million—has been awarded to only for the first three years. Other experts say US companies. The contracts have been the total cost of rebuilding will be anywhere given to some of the largest and most from $25 billion to upwards of $100 billion. politically connected businesses. Examples According to the New York Times, “it would are: Halliburton—formerly headed by Dick
Cheney—which has received a $30 million contract, Washington Group International, Parini Corporation, and Fluor Corporation which have all won $100 million contracts. A $680 million contract was awarded to Bechtel. Incidentally, the Fluor Corporation runs some of the operations at SUA, AV, the credit union and maintenance to name just two. The Bush administration plans to allot funds through a supplemental appropriation soon to be submitted to Congress. This bill may face opposition in Congress as a reaction to the administration’s negligence to consult it before beginning the bidding process to private companies. Although the Bush administration has stated that U.S. and allied forces will play the dominant role in rebuilding Iraq, they ensure that the UN will have a vital role regarding the humanitarian effort and possibly suggesting people for the Iraqi Interim Authority. The interim authority will serve as a temporary administration that will be replaced by an independent government once
Open Forum Held On Academic Freedom By Victoria Kraus and WuLa Dawson
The first ever student-faculty forum was held on Tuesday, April 1st on the topic of academic freedom. Panelists and participants discussed a wide range of issues not limited to academic freedom. Seven professors on the panel spoke, followed by an open discussion moderated by SSGA Vice President Gonzalo Obelleiro. Discord among professors was brewing beneath the panelists’ comments and finally manifested in verbal argument. The panelists’ comments ranged from interpretations of the concept of academic freedom to current policies in the faculty handbook. Proposals to protect academic freedom at SUA in the future were presented Ryo Kondo
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Letter from The Pearl Staff Before hitting that “reply all” button, it is important to consider what your intention is. And if you’re angry, maybe you should take a deep breath and count to ten before you write an emotional email and take it out on the rest of us. If you can’t take the time to hit every person’s name in the “to” list of an email, you shouldn’t send it. Mass emailing is inconsiderate and antithetical to dialogue. When SUA, AV first opened, Scott Cowdrey shared the simple mass email rule, “send an email as you would leave a phone message.” Would you be willing to call everyone on campus and leave the same message? No. We didn’t think so! Mass emails are bothersome to students who are here to study; to staff who are here to work; and to faculty who are here to teach. Disrupting their day with frivolous emails makes it harder for everyone to perform their job well at SUA. Everyone is entitled to his or her freedom
of speech; however that freedom comes with responsibility, a responsibility to use the “reply all” button prudently. Shame on those who send emails with mindless errors and then send corrections a few minutes later. Check your emails carefully in order to avoid looking foolish and wasting the time of your fellow colleagues. If it is important enough to be a mass email then take the time to have someone look over it. Use the spell-check! It does exist! What about the constant email reminders, like those from the Financial Aid Department or our most recent offenders in the Study Abroad Office? Information overload! If we are aspiring to become world leaders, you would think we would be able to get our applications in on time. And if we don’t, let us suffer the consequences! We’re here to learn! Period. And what about all of those emails that don’t pertain to 90% of the readers? Example: “I left my psychology book in Psychology Class.” This is why we have Prometheus. Can you seriously not remember
everyone’s name in your class? Go to Prometheus. If you lose something, go to Lost and Found; if you find something, go to Lost and Found; call Security (ext. 4100) or visit them in the basement of the Student Center. They’re nice, get to know the people who find laptops in the cafeteria, backpacks in the library and sweaters at the gym. Or maybe, you can take some responsibility in taking care of your own possessions. Come on people, we’re in college, leave your elementary school behaviors behind. With the incoming freshmen class, how will this affect the megabyte limit of our inbox? If we have problems now, just wait until the mass emails triple. (Hint, hint: Use a phone, get a life, make a flyer, had enough?) Or write to The Pearl! Some of us might be too young to remember the old days when people had conversations, spoke face to face and took responsibility for their actions. Call us old fashioned.
Gee Whiz! I never thought about writing for the paper!
Ever….? ...wanted to have a column all to yourself?
...wanted for the longest time to be the cover boy or cover girl for a newspaper? ...written for your High School newspaper and want to continue writing ...thought that the news didn’t reflect your view of the world?
Gosh It sounds tough, but I can do it! THEN JOIN THE PEARL 2
...just thought writing was fun and wanted to do it more often?
S TA F F A N D W R I T E F O R U S !
A Soka Spring in Japan By Victoria Kraus By Nathan Gauer I was able to attend the graduation ceremonies for both Soka High School and Soka University of Japan this past spring break. Our University Founder, Daisaku Ikeda, delivered a lecture during both ceremonies. In addition to observing him speak in person, students visiting from SUA received several personal messages from Dr. Ikeda while in Japan. The meticulous personal attention and consideration exhibited by Dr. Ikeda left a powerful impression on my life.
There is popular saying that, “God is in the details.” I would add to this idea that people are in the details as well. Behind the mundane details of committee work, festival planning, and club activities exists the toil of individual people. In his message to our second annual student festival, Dr. Ikeda said, “I am fully aware of all the unstinting efforts you have made in preparing for today’s festival, taking time out from your busy study and work schedules, determined to create a proud history for the future students who will follow after you.” I believe this quote brims with a deep sense of appreciation for each person’s experience and effort. There are so many students at SUA who work as hard or harder than myself, but because I am a member of SSGA, I often receive thanks and appreciation for my efforts. I believe that the unceasing efforts of the students who have labored to raise the foundation of SUA without recognition are far more admirable. In a sense, as members of SSGA, we have no choice but to work hard everyday. We might be impeached if we become lazy! Students behind the scenes, however, have no pressure holding them to their course. They choose to exert themselves solely out of the determination to improve their lives and contribute to the lives of others. That is a beautiful spirit to have. It is a spirit I am determined to embody when I return from my study abroad program next year. Thank you all again for helping to create SUA and congratulations to those of you who helped create such an unforgettable student fes-
On March 19, the eighteen of us arrived on the Soka University campus in Hachioji, a town similar to Aliso Viejo for its housing and quietness. There was a different atmosphere at the SUJ graduation, a more mature feeling. A total of 2,826 students graduated on March 19th inside the Ikeda Auditorium. All graduates included PhD, Masters, Bachelors and Correspondence students with 408 graduates from the Soka Womens College.
Eighteen students, including myself, represented SUA, Aliso Viejo at the Soka Junior High and High School (Soka Gakuen) and Soka University of Japan graduation ceremonies in Tokyo on March 16th and 19th. Each attending guest could see the months of preparation students, faculty and staff put into each ceremony. All students volunteered in some way to help with traffic, seat guests, pick up trash, and everything else you could possibly Dr. Ikeda also attended the graduation ceremony imagine. and delivWherever ered a we went, speech a student discussing was there several to help. points directed D r . to both Daisaku the facIkeda atulty and tended students. the cereMost relem o n y vant to with his c u r r e n t wife KaWula Dawson i s s u e s neko. He addressed all graduates with a speech discussing appreciation: ap- included the importance of integrity preciating their parents for sending and confidence we must all have for them to the Soka Gakuen; appreciat- the sake of Soka University. The ing their teachers for giving them a founder shared that many of the top good education; and appreciating the universities around the world, includkitchen staff for preparing their food. ing Harvard and Columbia, use his To the high school graduates, Dr. writings in their curriculum. His adIkeda advised them to be the best in vice to the young graduates was to their fields of study becoming shining always be able to distinguish the truth examples of Soka education. Among from falsehood when they enter the the guests were alumni of the Soka real world. Gakuen whom Dr. Ikeda honored for receiving their doctorates representing Among the distinguished guests were all fields of study. Currently, 158 doc- five presidents of the top business cortorates have been attained by gradu- porations in Japan including Toshiba, ates of Soka High School; coinciden- All Nippon Airways, Japan Travel BuAmbassador tally the same number of honorary reau and Mitsubishi. doctorates our founder has received Anwarul K. Chowdhury, United Nations Under-Secretary-General also from universities around the world. (Continued on page 6)
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Cult Rock…Rocks! By Michael O’Malley
Courtesy: Polyphonic Spree
Maybe I’m just a jaded American rock fan, but when I see a band 25 members deep sporting white robes and shameless grins, preaching, “reach for the sun,” I think “cult.” But if the Polyphonic Spree is a cult, then count me in! Though they are to The Flaming Lips what Interpol is to Joy Division - a shameless repackaging of a once original musical styling— their level of commitment to their band and to their message is almost as deep as someone’s level of commitment to religion—that in it self is original. The leader of the spree, Tim DeLaughter, has nothing going for him; he can’t sing well, he’s certainly not a looker, The Flaming Lips could sue him for copyright infringement, he ripped off the idea of having a 25 member group that sings contemporary pop song from the musical “Hair”(in fact, they could probably do a seamless cover of “Age of Aquarius”). The only thing he’s got is the balls and charisma to put together a 25 piece “pop orchestra” in a small town in west Texas. Not even David Koresh or L. Ron Hubbard, actual cult leaders, could pull something like that off. This is why the Spree isn’t like Interpol, The Ravonettes, The Moony Suzuki and all of the other post-punk, pre-modern, post-polka, pre-britpop, copycat bands, because they act like they have a purpose. They convince the listener they have a message that is beyond comprehension. They have an unreasonable sense of enthusiasm. On stage they seem so committed to a cause that it’s powerful, it’s inspiring. In these turbulent times this is the exact type of group the world needs—a harmless cult rock band that expands our generation’s sense of possibility. A cult rock band that reminds us we can still dream when the world tells us we can’t. So instead of criticizing the Spree for shamelessly copying past groups, I say lets whip up some kool aid, give up our daughters, and shake it down like there’s no tomorrow.
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Security Cameras By Elizabeth Kurita
A man in a position of discipline once said, “Locks are for keeping honest people honest.” Security devices are utilized to assure that a person’s valuables are safe. In our university there are locks on every door. In addition to our new age locking mechanisms (mmm… Soka Onecard), our school is littered with security cameras. Are security cameras for keeping honest people honest? Or is it a way to keep us in constant contemplation of whether what we are doing is honorable? Reservations about whether this aspect of campus security is a necessity or an intrusion has been contemplated! When no one is around, what do you do? Do you talk to yourself or pick your underwear out of your bottom? Or do you find it necessary to deface property and urinate in public? After spending a day surrounded by people, we are our most natural when we are alone, and at times it can be a relief. One thought that video surveillance brings up is that we are never alone. You will always be the feature of another man’s entertainment who sits behind a screen. Tonight on the television program ‘Big Brother,’ five drunken college students attempt to play billiards in ‘the game room..’ (There happens to be two cameras in that room in case one did not notice.) At the same time, perhaps these are protective measures as the owner of the brand new Lexus would be none too thrilled if key marks had been scored into the passenger side door. In that same parking lot, the victim of sexual assault would be unhappy as well. Perhaps these safety measures are meant to display for us those people who are less than first-rate. Would we find comfort in having the morally corrupt sought out for us? Do we really want to know who they are, if they exist? And once we knew, what would we do about them, or possibly to them? There is a man in Manhattan, New York, that gives walking tours of hidden cameras that are planted in the streets. Self-declaredly, he is not paranoid, although he believes those behind the cameras must be. He finds it a service to those who live in the city to inform them of the cameras’ locations. Would anyone here find such scrutiny to be so problematic that they would take on this role? Granted, we are comparing our institution consisting of two hundred to a major city, but do we have a right to know the locality of cameras? Whether it is for the school’s aesthetic sake, the schizophrenic who sits on the receiving end of the camera, or for the safety of the students, these contraptions will continue to
be present. Look up the next time you walk past a building or are inside of a room. There is sure to be one on the façade or mounted on the ceiling. Despite one’s feeling about them, security cameras are likely to remain. Although if we truly believed we could remove the obligations of the night security watchman, remove the cameras and rely upon the inherently good nature of mankind, then there would be no problem.
Model United Nations Conference in Germany By Sinan Salar
On March 21St, four delegates of SUA’s Model United Nations (MUN) club left for Germany to represent SUA at World MUN, Heidelberg. The 5-day conference was organized by Harvard undergraduate students. We prepared extensively before the conference and learned much about international politics. The delegates in a Model UN conference are all students. Every school represents a country or an NGO. The students defend their assigned country’s stance on different world issues. During the conference, the participants negotiate with other delegates, give speeches, and try to pass resolutions. The Model UN experience enables students to learn about the inner workings of the UN and familiarizes them with power relations in world politics. Moreover, it improves their public speaking and debating skills, thus building self-confidence in human relations. The students who met in Germany for this conference had very different backgrounds. The fact that they represented different countries also added to the diversity of opinions on the floor. It was a challenge to be able to negotiate and find common ground. This challenge enabled me to better comprehend that working for peace is a task that should be taken seriously. After my experience, I felt grateful to everyone who has helped and supported us; the SUA administration, our advisor Lisa MacLeod, fellow Model UN club members, and everyone else who has supported us along the way. I believe that diplomacy and politics are things that SUA students should constantly be aware of. Thus, I give great importance to our clubs’ activities, and we encourage the participation of all SUA students.
Scotland Student Demonstrations By Cassandra T. Rorie
During Spring Break, I took a relaxing trip to Scotland with friends, though both the United States and the United Kingdom were on the brink of war. On Tuesday, March 18, the British Parliament voted to back Prime Minister Tony Blair in his pursuit of war, allied with the U.S. While watching this historic event on BBC 3 in our hostel, my friends and I wondered what implications this war had to us as Americans in a foreign country. When we arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, the next day, we found Cassandra Rorie
out. Within British law there is a loophole that prevents anyone under the age of 16 from being arrested at a demonstration. The schoolchildren of Edinburgh took advantage of this as they went to the streets, striking from school and protesting the war. We could not estimate their numbers as there were large and small groups scattered all over the city, stopping traffic and talking to people about peace. Princes Street, one of the city’s main avenues, was blocked off for the entire day.
large open area in the middle of the city). About half an hour later, the group was on the move and the streets of Glasgow were halted as about 2,000 people marched through the streets protesting the U.K.’s involvement in the war with Iraq. There were many groups with banners including the Scottish Communist Party, the Socialist Party, and the Anarchists. Even more surprising was the number of trade unions, educators’groups, schools, Quakers, and various communities within the city that marched against the war.
The next day, March 20, the students took to the streets again, joined by people of all ages and social classes. We encountered their end -of-the-day rally and watched as they sat down in the middle of Princes Street and talked of stopping a war with Iraq. On both days the police of Edinburgh went to great lengths to protect the students and protestors, as well as protecting motorists and public property. They calmly surrounded the protestors wherever they went and redirected traffic out of their path.
Although the three of these marches were relatively small in comparison with others throughout the world, they did give us a sense that the people of Scotland were not backing Prime Minister Tony Blair. I got the sense that people had begun to oppose the war more because of Tony Blair’s unilateral action, and actions against the wishes of the British people, than the war itself. In any case, many children of Scotland, and many others, not only see war as a bad answer to the current problems of today but have also taken action against it. Because of this, I feel we may still have a bright future.
On Saturday, March 22, we went to Glasgow, the second largest city in Scotland. As we exited the train station, we ran into a huge anti-war rally in George Square (a very
APC Update:Graded PE and Writing 90!? By Lisa Kawai, Erika Meers, and Tetsushi Ogata
The Academic Program Committee (APC) met on March 12th, Wednesday, and discussed the two proposals submitted to the APC regarding the physical education grading policy and the writing program. The first proposal was to make changes in the academic status of the Physical Education curriculum. Keith Shackleford, Director of Athletics & Recreation, and Director of Physical Education, initially raised an issue that students lack commitment to their PE courses and because of students’ lack of participation in those courses, the Physical Education program faces trouble maintaining its academic integrity and hiring instructors. A Sub-committee on PE within the faculty discussed this issue and made a proposal – make each of the PE activity classes and Wellness class a graded course. Rather than P/NP as a mandate, the courses could be graded on the normal A-F scale with no credits assigned. The Faculty Forum approved the proposal, and its decision was brought to the APC for final ratification. The APC had a lengthy discussion about
whether to approve the proposal or not. The main arguments boiled down to the fact that PE programs were initially designed to cultivate students’ physical fitness and wellness, free of grade pressure, but the consequence has been students’ declining commitment to PE courses. In response, the faculty unanimously agreed that letter grades would remedy this problem, aligning the importance of PE programs with other General Education requirements. However, it was stressed that students would not have to worry about their GPA being affected, because no credits would be assigned to PE courses. After a course of discussion, the APC voted to amend the initial proposal, and the APC’s amendment was handed back to the Faculty Forum: leave non-instructor PE courses P/NP (not counting toward four P/NP that students can choose), and courses with instructors graded as in the original proposal. The Faculty Forum approved the proposal amended by the APC, and it will become practice from the Fall 2003. Therefore, if students choose to take P/NP for PE with instructors, they have to use one of their three P/NP (one already used for Core I).
discussed the issues regarding the writing program. The central issue was that students asked to take Writing 10 would have to withdraw from the university upon two consecutive failures. The Academic Committee (AC) conducted a survey in regard to the central issue raised at the APC meeting. Based on the results of the survey, the Faculty Forum made the following amendments to the writing program: (1) The course number of Writing 10 will become Writing 90; (2) Students taking Writing 90 would be given credit for the course, but those credits would not count toward the current graduation requirement; (3) A committee would be set up to review each case in which a student failed Writing 90 twice. If there are extenuating circumstances, the student might not be obliged to leave the university; (4)Writing 301x will be reviewed after two years to determine whether it is still needed, because Writing 90 was not offered for the current two classes. After Writing 90 is offered for the incoming freshmen, it is hoped that Writing 301x will be unnecessary.
On the same day, the 12th, the APC 5
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informally by professors. References to specific incidents between faculty and administration were also made. Professor of World Religions David Chappell’s broad interpretation of academic freedom created the platform for him to bring up the controversial issue of the former arts professor who was dismissed before students came to SUA in 2001. Speaking on behalf of this professor and the three others who left SUA voluntarily in 2001 and 2002, he said that one of the professors who was deemed unfit felt as though they had received a death sentence. He continued to say, “academic freedom ended when we [faculty] said anything that might offend superiors like Dr. Balitzer.” Professor of Economics Hong-yi Chen explained that faculty do not have 100% academic freedom in the classroom because with freedom comes responsibility. The second panelist to speak after Professor David Chappell, she said, “As an educator, we cannot just promote our own beliefs in the classroom.” The classroom is not a place for professors to teach their opinions, Professor Chen explained, but a place to give students different perspectives on issues so they can develop their own ideas. Professor (Continued from page 3)
spoke praising our founder Dr. Ikeda for his efforts toward peace. Six SUA students who remained in Japan until Sunday, March 23, were invited by the founder to attend his dialogue with former Russian president, Mikhail Gorbachev at the Seikyo Shimbun building’s seventh floor special dialogue room, similar to the main room in the Athenaeum at SUA. As we watched them reunite, Gorbachev commended Ikeda for the hundreds of buildings he has founded in Japan and all over the world where Gorbachev only has one building in Russia. Dr. Ikeda replied that it is not the number of buildings there are, but the people. Without the support of people, there would be no foundation and buildings would crumble. Dr. Ikeda invited us to sit in on this dialogue as a learning experience so that when we meet such people, we are prepared. At each of these events, we could see the 6
of Japanese Hari-Kanta Ogren agreed with Professor Chen stating that “educators have a responsibility to be clear about all perspectives” when it comes to teaching in the classroom and protecting the academic freedom of both student and teacher. Professor of Political Science David Shirk stated that both religious discrimination and violation of academic freedom have occurred at SUA. While he did not give any specific incidents, for confidentiality reasons, Dr. Shirk gave an example of professors who try to manipulate other professors’ syllabi as a violation of academic freedom. Professor Shirk gave three suggestions for strengthening institutional forces: 1) To make changes in procedures in the faculty handbook, 2) Rethink the contract system for faculty because it can scare the younger faculty and also allows for abuse of authority, and 3) Improve the lack of access to information (budget, hire and dismissal processes.) Most of the panelists following Dr. Chappell responded to his comments. Most outspoken was Professor of History Jay Heffron who said, “half truths are worse than lies,” clarifying that only one professor was fired while the other three left under personal circumstances.
unity of the students simply from looking at the students’ faces. All of the graduating students at SUJ, from what we saw during the ceremony, understood what the founder expected of them for the future of Soka education. It seemed as though students put all of the politics, gossip they’ve heard, and anything else that would be potential to stir up controversy on campus, aside. Students were replying to the founder together and doing their best to fulfill the mission of Soka University. There was clearly more unity among the students than there was from the faculty. Dr. Ikeda was constantly praising the students for their hard work in supporting the institution de-
In the discussion following the panelists, there was a disagreement about whether to limit the scope of the discussion to academic freedom. Several participants, including students, brought the discussion back to the former arts professor fired by Fred Balitzer back in 2001, neither of whom were present. The forum lasted over two hours with most questions coming from students. Several questions regarding administrative policies were answered with uncertainty due to the still underdeveloped constitutional framework of our 2-year old institution. Acting Dean of Faculty Michael Hays encouraged the audience to ask their questions directly to the individuals involved because many of the issues discussed at the forum were based solely on individual opinions. Director of Environmental Health and Safety George Wesson ended the forum on positive note. He held the floor for several minutes urging everyone on campus to stand behind President Danny Habuki to realize the dream of SUA, which so many of us including himself came such long distances to fulfill.
spite the allegations several tabloid magazines and newspapers have printed about him and the Soka Gakkai International, of which he is president. Let us, as individuals, understand the founder of Soka University through our own efforts as students in our short four years here at SUA.
Wula Dawson
The Future of a Global Citizen
Voices of Hope and Victory
I want to write. A story. About a girl who looked around, and instead of being overwhelmed, she took a step forward, saying, "I'm going to change this. I'm going to fix it. I'm going to make it all better."
We Come! We have come!
By Cassandra Rorie
And then my daughter came up to me and said, "Mommy, what did you do in college?" About a girl, who looked around, and put her hands to her head and screamed at the insanity of it all. The suffering of every individual piercing her heart until there was nothing left. But there was still something there, something that cared, and something, that despite all the pain, found a path, found a way. The girl stepped forward, took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, held her chin up, ignoring the tears, and said, "All right. I'll do it. I'll change it." "I crocheted. Read lots of books, some good, some bad. Ate lots of food. Met people from all over the world. Learned some things, lost others." About a girl, who looked around, sat down and cried. The corner was cold and wet, the rain hard and persistent. The people moving by didn't even realize the pain they were in, the pain they were causing, the pain of everyone else. She was soaking wet, a puddle of humanity, watching the river flow by. Slowly, she got to her feet, looked around again and sighed. No one else knew, no one else saw. She sniffed back the approaching cold, gazed at the tall buildings around her, and said, "They'll never know, but if I don't do something, nothing will ever happen. I have no choice. I will do it. I will change this." She smiled and nodded, then grinned at me like the little mischief-maker she was, "But what about becoming a global citizen? I thought that was what your college was all about." About a girl, who refused to look around, knowing what she'd see. Her eyes were pasted to the pavement, afraid of everything but her own shoes, though even those gave her shudders. The garbage floating by in the gutter was gut wrenching, the cars splashing dirty rain water, heart squeezing. The people too were far away, too close, too much more for her strained senses. But there was no where to run, no where to hide from mass of suffering surrounding her. Her heart broke into 12,000 tiny pieces, but she held it together with industrial strength duct tape. Finally, she looked up, trying to ignore the pain that tensed every muscle in her body. What could she do? She turned the corner, walked down the street, and said, "I don't know. I'm cold, wet, and afraid. But there are others out there with less, with more, and I can't leave things like this. I have to do something, but I feel like I don't have the strength to do it. I don't even know what I can do, what I should do. But, I can't leave it like this. I have to do something. I have to change i t s o m e h o w f o r t h e b e t t e r . "
By Gail Thomas Amos
From all paths, in all colors, singing a different note; Yet, we blend, our voices eliciting the sound of hope. We crawl, we walk, we run … never an easy road. We laugh, we cry, we dance … sometimes with a heartfelt load. Still, we come! We come! With minds focused, opened, and heads held high; With courage, hope, and dreams far beyond the sky! Sometimes, we trip, now and then we fall. With friends and faith to catch us, we rebound and stand tall! No time for gossip, or divide, for we’ve a mission to achieve. It is ours! We can do it, if only we believe. It’s the mission of peace; it’s ours to pursue. We cannot resist it, no matter what we do. So, let’s move on, not in front, or behind, but together, let’s go! When they ask if we are afraid, with confidence, we’ll say no! For we’ve come this far with hope as our lifeline. So, let’s not stop until we claim victory as yours and mine!
I smiled knowingly at her. Turning to a bookshelf, I take down a story I once wrote, about a girl, a girl who looked around in spite of herself. I hand it to my daughter, wishing she could understand, but knowing that this space is purely my own and no one can share this bubble with me. "The answer, the truth, your mother, is in here." She looked around, examining the world anew. Her mother had tried to make change, as had her mother, and her mother before her. It was then she realized that the world will always change, but only she could change it to the vision she had, the way it could be, should be. Would Be. 7
Admission Results for Class of 2007 Entering This Fall 2003 By Eric Hauber
Tetsuo Motoi
SSGA President
Emily Aoyama
SSGA Vice-President
The Office of Enrollment Services (OES) Admission Committee has successfully completed the review of applications and the mailing of acceptance letters for the Class of 2007 that will enter this coming August 2003. Letters were mailed to all applicants on March 14, 2003. Financial Aid award letters were mailed shortly thereafter. The total number of applications received slightly exceeded last year’s number. OES staff worked with the students and their high schools to bring just under 200 of them to completion. These were then evaluated for acceptance by the Admission Committee. Keeping in mind SUA’s goal of about 100 students in the entering class, the university offered admission to 122 students. A small number of students have also been put on the wait list.
Tales from the Old Folk By Ryo Eugene Kondo
Raymond Elliget
SSGA Attorney General
Harusa Ma-
Photos courtesy of SSGA
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Think you can impress SUA professors with your stories of political protest and demonstration? Think again. Many of our professors have their own tales of protest that span the globe from China to Germany to Japan to the US – exploits that put ours to shame. Michael Hays is one faculty member with such a story. Michael Hays spent a little more than three years of his youth living in Germany working a variety of jobs and studying at several different schools. In 1968, there were continuing protests against the war in Vietnam and also against newspapers of right wing fanatics that suggested activists of the left should be removed. One reader took that suggestion to heart and attempted to assassinate student leader, Rudy Dutschke. In reaction to this act, 2,000 people orchestrated a demonstration at the Free University in Berlin. Michael Hays was one participant. During the protest, police diverted
Nobuko Oyama SSGA Secretary
Although the demographics of the accepted student pool will change as the entering student roster is finalized, early statistics show that 53% are domestic students from the United States with approximately 40% of them from California. The international students represent 14 countries, 3 of which are new to SUA: Hungary, Kazakhstan and Spain. Although the entering class is not yet finalized, it is already clear that the qualifications of this new class are as good as the earlier two classes. GPAs and SAT scores and TOEFL scores are all higher for this accepted student group. The members of the Admission Committee are pleased with these incoming students. Of course, they show great academic promise, but their personal essays and their letters of recommendation also point to their character, richness of experience, identification with Soka’s mission and values, and that they are interesting and nice people. We can’t wait to greet them on campus!
protest marchers into an alley where more police were waiting in ambush. The protesters who were caught in this trap—Michael Hays included—were arrested for “auflaut” or more officially, “refusal to obey the thrice repeated commands of the police.” He and the rest of the group were imprisoned for 3 days and later released without charges, including Peter Brunt, the son of a former German chancellor. When asked about his thoughts on it now, Dr. Hays immediately replied “I’d rather be here than there,” but then added more seriously that, “I did what I thought was appropriate at the time.” Michael Hays isn’t the only faculty member with stories like these. One faculty member was nicknamed the “Godfather” for allegedly being the mastermind of student activities on campus. Another person lived in China during the Tiananmen Square incident. Two other faculty members were arrested in the US for separate occasions. Want to find out who these people are? Just ask around.
Behind the Scenes: Gonzalo, WuLa, Ryo (Photo-Voyeurs); Tetsushi (Food Opportunist); Nicole & Eddie (Kinky Support); Michael Hays (Consultant); Andrew Reker (Layout Pimp); Jessica Webster (Print Goddess); Ryo (Asleep) Editors: WuLa (News); Vicki (Perspectives); Cassie R. (Life); Nicole Chu (Arts)