Curiosity is quelled with answers. Like a wise grandmother, Cal State Fullerton has an answer for everything, although one may have to wait 48 hours for a response.
The "Ask the Titans" feature on the university Web site was developed to answer any inquiry anyone may have regarding the campus and its inner workings. The feature also accepts comments. The link can be found under Quick Links on the campus home page or at www.fullerton.edu/ask.
"It's a service of a department we call 'New Student Programs,'" said CSUF Dean of Students Kandy Mink Salas. "One of the parts of their mission is student information services -- helping students get information by running information centers, sending out e-mails and doing newsletters, especially for new students because they're the ones that really need it and 'Ask the Titans' is just another way we do that."
The NSP staff has answered questions ranging from hazing and locker rental procedure to academic advisement and space requests from vendors.
"The weirdest question I have received would be when someone asked if I (Ask the Titans) knew their friend that went here," said Holly Tripp, a Radio-TV-Film major and NSP employee. "The most common question I receive is from students who are interested in joining a club or creating a club and don't know how or where to start."
Tripp, 21, initially fields questions, then gives answers to questions she can answer readily. If the inquiry is too complex, Tripp receives help from other NSP employees.
"I also get a lot of questions from prospective students or high school students asking basic information about the university, sometimes it's for their class project or just for their own information," Tripp said. "I also receive questions from students who lost their IDs or pins. We cannot provide them the information, but we can let them know the process of how they may go about getting that."
The amount of questions varies depending on where in the semester they fall.
"On average, I get about 10 questions per week," Tripp said. "But at the beginning and end of each semester I find that the questions become much more frequent, as much as 20 a week."
The "Ask the Titans" feature is the brainchild of former Dean of Students Loydene Keith and was launched in January 2001.
The online form simply requires people to submit their name and e-mail, choose if a response is desired or not, declare their type of involvement with CSUF and choose the nature of the message.
Problems occur, but they are seldom. When a situation arises, the culprit is usually the absence of the inquirer's e-mail.
"When that happens, there is no way for me to respond to them," Tripp said. "There is no tracking information when they send an inquiry via 'Ask the Titans.' "
Assistance does not end with the Web site. Inquiries may also be answered in University Hall Room 178 and Titan Student Union Room 235. The NSP also hires students to work within the program and those interested may inquire in either of the two offices.
"We hire students to be campus tour leaders," Mink Salas said. "[We also hire] for new student orientation staff and it has extensive training in the spring semester and then you're working most of the summer on orientation programs."
Once students are hired, chances to move up into senior-level positions are possible.
"At that point you're a student who is supervising other students," Mink Salas said.
In May 2007 Tripp gained control of the student coordinator information services position. The Fullerton local is set to leave her position at the beginning of this summer and is currently training a new student coordinator.
"Holly is very knowledgeable about campus information," Mink Salas said. "She's not hired specifically to do this, she has a whole big job that helps coordinate campus tours and new student orientations, this is just part of her job."
The job is usually open to student assistants since they have proper training and are familiar with the office, Tripp said.
"In order for somebody to apply for the position, they must have extensive knowledge of Cal State Fullerton," Tripp said. "They must be able to work independently under minimal supervision."
The new student training to clutch the "Ask the Titans" reins is Trisha Smith, 21. She said the feature is important for students interested in the campus, but who may not be fully committed yet.
"It's a good way for them to obtain information," said Smith, a health science major. "It's a valuable feature."
Smith said she realizes not every student has used, or even heard of, "Ask the Titans."
"I have not [used 'Ask the Titans'], so actually being on the answering end of the questions should be interesting," Smith said. "I hope to look over the questions [Tripp] has received and then formulate my own answers to the more common questions that come through."
Smith said the majority of students take advantage of finding the information on their own, while other students find the office phone number and simply call.
"I think maybe for the students who are a little more shy they'll go through 'Ask the Titans,'" Smith said.
Dedication is key when working on campus, but Tripp realizes that strictly working on campus is not sufficient.
"I work from home, usually answering 'Ask the Titans' questions," Tripp said. "I am not in the office at school every day."
Student involvement on campus is an extremely important aspect while earning a college degree because there is more than simply learning inside the classroom, Tripp said. However, Tripp admitted to learning a tough lesson regarding involvement -- Do not take on too much.
"I learned that the hard way," Tripp said. "There is so much I want to do here, but it is impossible to do everything. When I put too much on my plate recently, I realized that I needed to give up a few things and focus my efforts in [fewer] areas so I [could] give 100 percent."
Tripp said she has gained a lot of valuable experience since getting involved in the academic milieu. Professional development, public speaking skills and writing skills are just a few of her improvements attributed to campus involvement.
"You gain a lot of valuable experiences and come across great opportunities that will bring you a step ahead [of] other graduates when you're ready to leave college," Tripp said. "Another benefit is that you feel more a part of the campus, like it is your home and you belong."
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