KICK ASS

Published in the district Jan. 23, 2008.




You're the miserable deviant who decided it was necessary to kick and destroy the side mirrors of multiple vehicles down Broadway in Belmont Shore on a Friday night.

Did your Neanderthal friends hoot and holler while your ogre foot, like a pestilence, blighted private property?

You're a chancre on the foul dick of misery. My Christian mother would advise me to forgive your selfishness, but unfortunately for you I'm a sinner and I curse your foot.

I "pray" it falls off one day.

Catch balero fever

Did you say you pulled the first part of this trick Jeff?

You weren't standing up were you?

Explanation.

Roughly two years ago I visited Rosarito, Mexico. I spent a few days drowning my liver.

By the end, I felt the need to buy something to remember my morning pain.

I found this toy wrapped in plastic. I might have recognized it from my childhood or something, but an impulse made me buy it - maybe it was God.

Two years and a few baleros later, I'm still playing.

Some of my friends have caught the fever too.

Two Thousand Eight

Happy New Year

hi koo

Friday Harbor trip

Lavender Farm while blighted
Purple flower pie

'Project Safe' presentation shown at ASI Senate

Published in the CSULB Daily 49er newspaper Dec. 13.

The last Associated Students, Inc. Senate meeting of the semester on Wednesday was void of any public comments and senator nametags, but fully stocked with holiday sentiments and sugary treats.

Immediately after approving last week's minutes, choosing Sen. Jeff Yutrzenka as senator of the month for November and the realization by ASI Chairwoman and Vice President Lucy Montano that ASI President Mark Andrews was absent for the reading of his report, the director of the Women's Resource Center Marcela Chavez addressed the Senate in a time-certain presentation regarding "Project Safe."

The project is funded by a grant from the Department of Justice's office on Violence Against Women, and is a resource for understanding and preventing relationship violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campus, according to Chavez.

"We are really bonded to educate our student body, from students all the way to the president, about personal responsibility and how we address the issue about rape by an acquaintance," Chavez said.

Chavez also presented a new, but unapproved, brochure specifically geared toward faculty and staff.

"We find that a lot of faculty do not know what their resources are on campus," Chavez said. "We're trying to get faculty to do more. The brochure will be dispersed once it is finalized."

The brochure also states that all Project Safe services are free and all direct services are confidential and culturally sensitive.

In other Senate news, ASI Executive Director Richard Haller read a report that included the rationale behind withholding information from the Daily Forty-Niner regarding the acquisition of correspondence on BlackBerries used by ASI officials.

Haller said legal counsel was sought before the decision was made to withhold information, and after legal consultation there were concerns that the release of certain information, like e-mails and phone numbers, violated privacy rights.

"Plus, I don't have access to all the information that was requested," said Haller, following the adjournment. "All we get is the billing statement from Verizon."

Walking around CSULB

I'll be leaving Cal State Long Beach soon. Come January, I'll be a student at Cal State Fullerton.

I took these pictures one day while strolling around campus. Most of them are from the Japanese Garden.

Senate examines disabled access initiatives

Published in the CSULB Daily 49er newspaper Dec. 6.

An attempt to transform Cal State Long Beach into a fully compliant campus for disabled students is being made by the Accessible Technology Initiative Committee.

Vice President of Student Services Doug Robinson addressed the Associated Students, Inc. Senate Wednesday to offer an explanation and presentation of the initiative originally ordered by CSU Chancellor Charles Reed back in December of 2004.

"This is a system-wide initiative that our campus is heavily engaged in," Robinson said. "It provides disabled individuals with equal access to instructional materials. It also benefits those with different learning styles."

The initiative aims to eventually conform all aspects of university life to allow for equal learning opportunities for everyone. Everything from architectural barriers to the design of Web sites will be taken into consideration.

"Universal design is an overarching principle and it suggests that products and services must be usable by the greatest number of people - including individuals with disabilities," Robinson said. "We found that through the removal of architectural barriers, that when you make it better for disabled people, you make it better for everyone."

There's also a possibility for lawsuits against the university if the campus fails to address these issues, according to Robinson.

"There was a $2 million complaint made at Cal State Fullerton," Robinson said, "because the university didn't move in a timely manner to provide accessible instructional material."

Recently, Cal State San Bernardino lost an $11 million to $12 million lawsuit due to architectural barriers, according to Robinson.

"CSULB will provide support for building accessibility, establish accountability and documentation, and we will communicate how alternative forms of access will be provided," Robinson said. "[Our vision] is to create a culture of access for an inclusive learning and working environment for everyone."

In other Senate news, senior political science major and ASI Associate Justice Erin Adams addressed the Senate to announce that the CSULB undergraduate law journal is open for submissions from any major.

Upgrade

Goodbye.











Hello.

Horses Continued

I was probably 9-years old when my grandfather hoisted me up on to the back of his horse. We were in Oklahoma. This was the red Caballero skateboard with patchy grip tape days.

As soon as I situated myself, that fucking beast did what was natural and bolted toward his buddy.

The leather belly strap stabilizing the saddle to the mass of muscle and spine below my ass snapped - then gravity took over.

I hit the dirt floor with my head first and then my body followed. I remember tumbling for a second.

I was told later that one of the rear hoofs came inches from crushing my skull. I guess I almost died.

Anyways...Halloween horse masks from Japan are cool.

New feedback survey distributed to ASI Senate

Published in the CSULB Daily 49er newspaper Nov. 29

Communication between Cal State Long Beach teachers and students is rated poor compared to other universities across the country, according to the National Survey of Student Engagement.

George Del Hierro, a CSULB Student Services employee, addressed the Associated Students, Inc. Senate Wednesday to hand out surveys, which will attempt to gather information regarding student experiences on campus and with teachers.

"Last year I got involved with the director of general education and her research on faculty and student communication," Del Hierro said. "We participated in the survey, along with hundreds of other institutions across the country, and we found at Cal State Long Beach [that] our biggest problem is faculty and student communication."

Within all the research and literature compiled so far for CSULB, students are found to be unconnected with the teachers, according to Del Hierro.

"If the students do feel connected, and find faculty or staff they can connect with, or relate to, then they are more likely to stay in school and graduate," Del Hierro said. "Hopefully with the work of this research and the partnership of the administration at Cal State Long Beach, we can work toward addressing this issue, and eventually improve our graduation and retention rates."

The senators were given packets of surveys to present and distribute to fellow students in class for the next two weeks. The survey will ask students to share information regarding the previous teacher they had.

"They shouldn't be answering the questions about the professor that's standing there in front of them," Del Hierro said. "The questions are personality questions, personality characteristics of the professor [and] of the class in general. Last year was a pilot study and this is the real thing now."

After the information is obtained on Dec. 14, the data will be crunched and analyzed, then a plan will be created to address the issue, according to Del Hierro.

ASI Chairwoman and Vice President Lucy Montano said, "The survey is kind of long, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy - and some students will try to get out of it."

Montano also said, "They shouldn't comment on their current professor because it might put the professors in an uncomfortable situation."

In other Senate news, the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Program coordinator Ralph Davis gave a brief overview to the Senate.

"The program is the result of a 2001 drinking death at Cal State Chico," Davis said.

The incident prompted the entire CSU system to create alcohol education programs.

"Here at Cal State Long Beach, we built a comprehensive global view program where we look at the issues of students and drinking from all different angles," Davis said.

Huell and I

A simple conversation with Huell Howser elicits fantasies of wind-whipping coastal strolls with camera crews in tow.

The moment he said, "Well hello there and what school do you go to?," I realized he's just as crazy and animated in real life.

I was tempted to complement him on his TV show.

I also wanted to confess to the substance abuse necessary to fully dig an episode.

But I restrained. He was just too damn happy and I was painfully sober.

Disabled Student Services rep. Addresses ASI Senate

Published in the CSULB Daily 49er newspaper Nov. 15.

The director of Disabled Student Services David Sanfilippo addressed the Associated Students, Inc. Senate Wednesday to review the progression of services for disabled students since the 1970s.

Sanfilippo also discussed the upcoming decision the Senate will make regarding the bylaw amendment, which will possibly add more positions to the ASI president's cabinet.

"Students have a great amount of power to be a voice," Sanfilippo said. "We trust you'll do the right thing. This board has never failed my belief in that."

Following his speech, Sanfilippo said the Disabled Student Services will begin organizing awareness days. Part of the education will include putting ASI President Mark Andrews and senators in wheelchairs in order for them to experience what some students deal with every day.

"If they decide whether or not it will be a committee or commission, I trust there will always be a voice for our students," Sanfilippo said.

After his departure, the Senate passed a vote to send the bylaw amendment to the newly formed Committee on Bylaws, created by ASI Chairwoman and Vice President Lucy Montano.

Currently, the Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs, the Committee on Disabilities Affairs and the Committee on Women Affairs fall under the umbrella of Campus Diversity Relations.

"The secretary for Campus Diversity Relations is concentrating a lot on cultural diversity," Montano said after the meeting adjourned. "Having a disability doesn't make you part of a culture."

Montano said she is aiming to move the three committees out from under the umbrella in order to isolate them and allow them a stronger voice.

"I want them to be on their own, and maybe having a secretary position isn't the correct place to be at, but I don't want them to be under anything," Montano said. "That's why the [ASI] president and I don't agree, because he's OK with putting them under a big umbrella."

The new committee will debate and solve the issue, then bring its decision back to the Senate for additional discussion and a vote.

"Basically, instead of having 20 people argue, we're going to have six people argue," Montano said. "They get to decide how it will get fixed."

Happy birthday dear...what the fuck?

I spent my 31st birthday meeting people like Huell Howser and the guy who writes the "Ask a Mexican" column for the OC Weekly.

But when I ended my night at Jackie's Bar in downtown Long Beach, I realized nothing would ever be more exciting than a public display of primate ass furrow.

How's that for a picture El Jefé.

ASI Senate at odds over new amendment

Published on the CSULB Daily 49er's newspaper Web site Nov. 8.

The Associated Students, Inc. Senate was at odds Wednesday when the first reading of a bylaw amendment, which will increase secretary positions for some under-represented groups, passed.

The amendment attempts to add secretaries to the Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs, the Committee on Disabilities Affairs and the Committee on Women Affairs. The Committee on Women Affairs currently has a secretary, but has been in violation of the ASI bylaws for three years, according to ASI President Mark Andrews.

The amendment will attempt to add more positions to the ASI presidential cabinet, although Andrews wasn't fully involved in the making of the decision.

"The executive branch was wrongly kept out of the loop in regards to the development of this position," Andrews said. "I believe action should be taken, but the cabinet may not be the right place for it."

ASI Vice President and Chairwoman Lucy Montano co-sponsored the amendment, along with College of Health and Human Services Sen. Greg Lim, and was met with criticism and support from the Senate and the public gallery regarding her actions.

"I'm really disturbed that this issue is being brought up the way that it is," said James Davis, the ASI chief of staff. "The only thing I see here is the creation of positions for the heck of it."

Davis told the Senate that Montano walked in to the office and announced her plan to reconfigure the ASI president's cabinet without prior discussion.

"There was no time for dialogue," Davis said.

Apparently she asked for opinions, but later Andrews told the Senate that he thought she disregarded his suggestions.

"It's kind of a slap in the face," Andrews said. "It was all kind of sprung on me."

Montano later defended herself by informing the Senate and Andrews that she was under the impression she didn't need the ASI president's approval for such an issue.

"I was never told the president had to agree with every word," Montano said. "I understand that it's up to [the Senate]."

Technically there's nothing in the bylaws that states she is forced to report on what she's doing, according to Andrews.

"But we have executive meetings every Wednesday morning," Andrews said. "Why didn't she bring this up to me? I could provide some direction on this because I do kind of oversee the cabinet - that would make sense."

Representatives from each of the three groups addressed the Senate to show support for the amendment, but some disagreed whether or not it was necessary to separate the groups and vote on the amendments individually.

Sen. Megan Miller from the College of Health and Human Services stated she was against the separation due to the possibility of inequality among the groups.

Sen. Denise Wright from the College of Natural Science and Mathematics said, "Maybe they don't need to be treated equal. Maybe one group does deserve more recognition than the others. I honestly feel that not all of [the groups] needs to be on equal playing fields."

The second reading regarding the amendment will take place Nov. 14.

In other Senate news, the water conservation resolution passed the third reading with no opposition. Now the Senate will attempt to conform Cal State Long Beach's water usage to Long Beach city's regulations.

Also, student Vanessa Lopez was elected for the assistant secretary for systemwide affairs position and student Joan Mace was elected for the secretary for academic affairs. In addition, both were voted in as representatives for the Athletics Committee.

ASI President appeals to Senate to pay CSSA dues

Published in the CSULB Daily 49er newspaper Nov. 1.

Associated Students, Inc. President Mark Andrews addressed the ASI Senate Wednesday to discuss the possibility of paying dues to the California State Student Association again, but that the resignation of its executive director must first become a reality.

Andrews said stability is non-existent within the CSSA and wouldn't consider paying dues again if its director, Susana Gonzalez, remains in office.

"I really believe that an executive director provides stability year in and year out," Andrews said. "There needs to be a change in that position."

The CSSA is a statewide organization that represents students of the California State University system, and for two years Cal State Long Beach has opted out of paying dues. It has instead decided to allocate that money to fund scholarships.

"It's a worthwhile organization that's broken right now," Andrews said. "I believe if we're going to ask for a drastic change to be made, mainly for the resignation of the executive director, we'll have to be willing to pitch in a little bit."

Andrews said he wanted the Senate to consider paying dues again. He also said he isn't the only one who desires a change in the position and that many other colleges want to see additional changes.

"Right now, the organization is in large financial trouble," Andrews said. "The recent audit that came out was not good."

Sen. Ruben Cordova from the College of Business Administration asked Andrews what the actions were that caused this issue, to which Andrews answered a disliking for Gonzalez's attitude and work ethic.

"I've noticed her not having a competency in her work," Andrews said. "Basic accounting errors have been made and there's a mismanagement of money. [Gonzalez] says [the CSSA] is in a financial crisis because campuses have pulled out of paying dues, but [the CSSA] was going down hill before we pulled out."

Gonzalez said she had no idea about the complaints.
"I'm really shocked that CSULB would accuse us of mismanaging money," Gonzalez said in a phone interview Wednesday after the Senate meeting, "even when the audit didn't have any findings."

Gonzalez is the second executive director in CSSA history and has been with the organization for five years. The first was in the 1980s, and she said there was a time they didn't have one.

"I'm really shocked and heartbroken," Gonzalez said. "I think there's a misunderstanding and I would have thought the ASI president would have called me to talk about these issues."

According to Gonzalez, the dues to be a CSSA member cost 60 cents per student.

The CSSA works with a $400,000 budget.

ASI Executive Director Richard Haller said the fees depend on the population of the campus and that CSULB decided to stop paying because there was not enough of a direct benefit to justify paying dues.

ASI faculty representative and journalism professor Chris Burnett said he thinks the CSSA serves a useful purpose.

"I feel as a faculty member the CSSA has potential to offer good experience for students who want to know what's going on in state government," Burnett said. "I'm hoping they can work out the funding and political situations."

In other Senate news, the second reading of the water conservation resolution, which will attempt to conform CSULB's water regulations to Long Beach city's standards, passed with no opposition. The third reading and the vote to pass the resolution will take place Nov. 7.

Sen. Marilei Denila was elected as the second student representative for the International Education Committee, and the confirmations of Vanessa Lopez for assistant secretary of systemwide affairs and Joan Mace for secretary of academic affairs were postponed until Nov. 7 because both were not in attendance Wednesday.

Campus security and water issues discussed at Senate

Published in CSULB Daily 49er newspaper Oct. 25.

A petition to increase the presence of campus security at night quickly morphed from a simple request to the Associated Students, Inc. Senate for support into a multi-layered resolution, heaving the Senate into confusion and disagreement Wednesday afternoon.

The resolution was eventually passed during the Senate meeting and the petition's author, communications major Caroline Chen, will now meet with CSULB President F. King Alexander and present her case with the backing of the Senate and over 2,000 student signatures.

"I wasn't prepared for the fight it turned out to be," Chen said. "But I'm glad to experience this."

The confusion that followed the petition dealt with possible inaccuracies written in the resolution sponsored by College of Liberal Arts Sen. Raul Preciado, College of Business Sen. Ruben Cordova and Sen. John Blowers. A disagreement with wording regarding sexual assaults on campus and the attempted expedition through the process - which requires three readings in multiple sessions, not three readings in one sitting - was the cause to the first postponement.

Wednesday's meeting almost saw another postponement because ASI Chairwoman and Vice President Lucy Montano didn't agree with doubling campus security.

"I understand this is urgent and we need to vote on it, but I don't think we need to double the amount of people working," Montano said. "I think we need to push for more carts.

"There's not enough carts to take people places, and I'm confused with what exactly they want to do."

During a break after the resolution passed Montano said, "I was confused. I thought that we were really trying to make an impact, but I realized we were just trying to support the petition."

Montano also said she was sad that some of the information in the petition is not exactly what they're trying to get at, like doubling security at night.

"But I'm happy it passed," Montano said. "At least the message will get across."

In other news, a water conservation resolution sponsored by College of Health and Human Services Sen. Megan Miller and Sen. Jeff Yutrzenka passed the first reading with all the Senate in agreement.

"We're facing a water crises throughout Southern California," Yutrzenka said. "I think we should pass this. It's important. It's vital."

The need to support the water conservation plan is critical under the premise that the three Northern California reservoirs - which supply half of Long Beach's water - have been recorded at their lowest levels in 15 years, according to the resolution.

Executive Director of ASI Richard Haller said, "The university land is considered state property and not obligated to follow Long Beach city's regulations. Everyone in Long Beach is following the water conservation regulations but the university."

This resolution will attempt to force the college to conform to Long Beach's regulations.

Pres. talks as NBC news cameras roll

Published in the CSULB Daily 49er newspaper on Oct. 18.

Student loan debt in America is a growing concern, especially in the Northeast, but according to CSULB President F. King Alexander, the issue is spreading to the West like some sort of disease.

With an NBC news crew from New York present, Alexander addressed the Associated Students, Inc. Senate Wednesday to inform the students that a fight is being held in Washington to lift the current $23,000 student loan cap to allow for a $7,000 increase.

"Right now there's a bunch of higher education organizations and other agencies wanting to lift the cap," Alexander said. "What that means is the institutions that can raise tuition fees readily may rapidly escalate those costs, and will at a pace we don't even think of in the state of California."

Alexander also said NBC is gathering information for a story regarding this issue.

"They're here to talk about and get the nation to face the reality that student loan debt is an important crisis in American higher education," Alexander said. "And it matters where you grew up."

With an average debt of $6,200, 30 percent of graduates are leaving CSULB in debt, according to Alexander. The national average is higher, with 62 percent of students leaving college carrying an average debt amount of $21,000.

"If these loan caps go up, students go into greater debt," Alexander said. "Also, we don't want our peers raising their fees or tuition, because then they put us at a significant disadvantage in the higher education market place."

Alexander called on the Senate to help fight this issue in the future and told the students that it's "an important economic impact on your lives, on what you're hoping to achieve, and maybe even on the career you're pursuing."

The president said he was pleased to have NBC present and bringing attention to the story. He also said that he hoped some of the senator's faces were shown on national TV.

"We want our campus highlighted, we want this fight highlighted, we want these issues addressed at the federal level and we want to make sure these caps are kept on these loans so that these institutions and others won't shove a greater number of students into debt," Alexander said. "Quality doesn't equal the cost of attendance in the United States."

Alexander continued by mentioning that the more people who understand this, the more parents and students will realize that they don't have to spend $30,000 to $50,000 a year on higher education.

"Too many parents and too many students are misled into believing that," Alexander said.

The Senate didn't ask any questions at the end of Alexander's speech.

In other news, Sen. of the College of Liberal Arts Raul Preciado attempted to pass a resolution for a petition concerning campus safety, which will extend the hours of campus escorts and heighten security.

"This is an important resolution," Preciado said. "We have students that have taken action to make sure everyone is safer on campus, and I think the Senate should support them."

Preciado and Sen. of the College of Business Ruben Cordova attempted to have the resolution voted on and passed in one sitting when, according to ASI Executive Director Richard Haller, normal procedure calls for new resolutions to be read three times, then voted on.

The resolution proposed by Preciado and Cordova contained information that some senators disagreed with. The main focus of discussion fell on whether or not the resolution should read that there have been at least four sexual assaults and an attempted kidnapping.

According to Associate Vice President for Student Services Mike Hostetler, there were only three sexual assaults and one attempted kidnapping. Although there were four reported, one was found to be a false claim.

Due to possible inaccuracies, the resolution will be voted on in the next ASI Senate meeting on Oct. 24.

ASI Senate addresses lighting fund withdrawal, campus retention rates

Published in the CSULB Daily 49er newspaper Oct. 4.

The Long Beach City Council voted against the plan to add additional lighting along the outskirts of Cal State Long Beach, according to President Mark Andrews of the Associated Students, Inc. Instead, the money was allocated toward after-school programs, a snow day and Halloween parties.

"Councilman Patrick O'Donnell made a motion to re-allocate the lighting money toward other programs," said Andrews while addressing the ASI Senate Wednesday. "There was an 8-1 vote, with Councilman Gary DeLong being the person that voted for us."

The Senate was also addressed by Catherine Pittet, the ASI public defender, who reminded the group about "Light Up Our Nights," which is a rally on campus today from noon to 2 p.m.

"The rally is in response to recent attacks on campus," Pittet said. "I hope it makes a big difference, because students are fed up."

The rally will include speakers such as City Councilman Gary DeLong, CSULB President F. King Alexander and Jack Pearson, the chief of police.

"We're putting together a town hall event for students, by students," Pittet said. "Hopefully this will have more of an impact, because students feel a connection with other students."

Students Caroline Chen, Kelly Janke and Sonia Esquibel also addressed the Senate regarding a safety petition in which they said they hope will extend the hours of the security escort patrols around campus.

"This petition is for campus safety," Chen said. "We want to increase the number of security officers during the hours of 6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m."

Chen said they also want security guards patrolling each parking lot.

"My friends have told me about experiences they had when they called the campus escort service," Chen said. "They say they wait for 20 minutes, alone in the dark, while they wait for someone to arrive. It's ridiculous - anything can happen in that amount of time and I don't know why nothing has been done about it."

Janke said, "Daylight savings is going to be ending soon, so it will be getting darker earlier, and that means more opportunities. Plus, it's not just the women on campus who are scared. I've heard men are, too."

In other news, Andrews informed the Senate that CSULB is below the national average in graduation rates.

"This is something that affects the university's reputation," Andrews said. "Fortunately, the college has been working on this."

Andrews said the college's retention rate has climbed two percent this year, which will bring graduation rates up, but CSULB is still below the average.

"I don't want to be behind Cal State Fullerton," Andrews said. "Everyone who knows me knows I hate Fullerton. I'm not content with being the national average - I want to be above."

Andrews announced his creation of a new executive committee on student success. There will be at least two student senators on the board.

"We need to make this one of our biggest pushes this year," Andrews said. "Everyone should be working on it together."

President comments on newspaper, lighting

Published in the CSULB Daily 49er newspaper Sept. 27.

Cal State Long Beach President F. King Alexander announced to the Associated Students, Inc. Senate Wednesday that the print version of the Daily Forty-Niner would not be terminated and restricted to an online audience and version only.

This came after Bradley Zint, Daily Forty-Niner editor-in-chief, addressed the Senate to update and inform the group on the current situation at the newspaper.

"The Daily Forty-Niner is in trouble," Zint said. "I wouldn't be speaking to you all in a tie for just any old reason."

Zint reiterated the current issues, which have been making headlines nationwide, like the proposition of a feasibility study to see if the Daily Forty-Niner would be suitable as an online-only publication and the recent dismissal of journalism department chairman William Babcock.

"The chairman, who publicly disagreed with the College of Liberal Arts and Dean Gerry Riposa on the idea of having an online-only Daily Forty-Niner, was just fired as department chairman Friday afternoon," Zint said. "An interesting sequence of events, to say the least."

Zint explained the reason why there is talk about eliminating the print version, saying budget issues and a lack of income are to blame.

"[The newspaper] has overspent despite not having the ability to pay two-thirds of its 20-some person editing staff or all of its team of writers, many of whom work full-time for the paper, nearly 40 hours, five days a week, for free," Zint said. "It has overspent despite being thrifty to nearly every degree possible...we sometimes steal pens and most of our equipment is either donated or hand-me-downs."

Zint ended his speech by urging the senators to talk to their constituents about the situation, and to attend the planned campus wide town hall-style meetings regarding the future of the Daily Forty-Niner.

Alexander said he has made it clear to the editors that the print version will not be eliminated.

"I like a paper. I carry it around with me and I read it when I can," Alexander said. "What we're going to do is make the paper functional in paper form. That's my commitment to you."

Alexander also said, "One thing I won't do, however, and I've been asked to since April of last year on numerous occasions, to unilaterally impose a $4 fee on students. I am not going to impose a fee on the students after they overwhelmingly voted not to provide the fee for the funding of the newspaper."

Alexander said, however, he is willing to work with the newspaper and others to stress the value and importance of a daily printed publication.

"We're looking at lots of different options on how we can generate more revenue for the newspaper, and that's what we hope to do," Alexander said.

ASI faculty representative Chris Burnett, who is also a journalism professor, said, "As a faculty member, I think it's important for both students and faculty to know more about the issues. I think students are confused. We need more information."

Burnett also said it was good to hear the president back the newspaper.

Along with issues surrounding the print version, Burnett also addressed the journalism department accreditation situation.

"I strongly favor working to get [the journalism department's] accreditation back and keeping that a priority in our department," Burnett said. "I think it's something that will help us draw the best students."

Richard Haller, executive director of ASI, said after the meeting, "As a former student and as a long-term employee of the campus, I can't imagine there not being a daily newspaper in the stands. It's just unfathomable to me."

Haller also said he doesn't read things online even if he sees something interesting.

"I have to print it out," Haller said. "The lack of advertising revenue that you would generate by going online is going to make the situation even worse. It doesn't seem very well thought out; there's got to be other options to this then going strictly online."

In other Senate news, Alexander announced that the lack of sufficient lighting on the edges of campus is still in the works.

"We're not giving up on this. In fact, we're going back to the city council," Alexander said. "We have a number of wonderful supporters there on lighting Bellflower, Palo Verde and around our campus."

Alexander also announced that President George W. Bush might sign an important provision in the next couple of weeks that will give everyone going into teacher education in high demand fields a grant called Teach Grant.

"It's a $4,000 a year grant that will go directly to those students as long as they are pursuing teacher education," Alexander said. "All they have to commit to is teaching four years in high-demand areas. It's pretty broad what they defined as being high-demand fields."

Senate hears updates on campus projects

Published in the CSULB Daily 49er newspaper Sept. 20

After the clamor of a standing ovation subsided, a former Associated Students, Inc. Senate adviser grasped the lectern and spoke in the chamber dedicated to his 30 years of service to CSULB students.
Dean of Students Emeritus Stuart Farber attended Wednesday's ASI meeting with camera operators in tow. He will be inducted, along with three others, into Long Beach City College's Hall of Fame during a Nov. 2 luncheon.
Farber served as director of Student Life & Development, assistant dean of students and assistant vice president for Student Affairs, according to Richard Haller, executive director of ASI.
"I worked with Dr. Farber as a student leader in the '80s," Haller said. "He had a significant impact on the development of my leadership ability as a student and was one of the people who encouraged my choosing the student services profession as a career."
Haller also said Farber is the largest single donor to the ASI, with contributions exceeding $65,000.
Farber greeted the Senate and briefly reminisced about the '60s and the building of the University Student Union.
Farber said, "It was just a vision back in the '60s, but the street running through the middle of the campus was demolished and the Union was built."
Farber's main message to the Senate was vision and how to go about accomplishing goals. "I wait to see what your legacy will be," Farber said.
In other news, former Associated Business Students Organizations Council President Juan Carlos Mariano addressed the Senate to express, on behalf of ABSOC, opposition regarding the tanning salon.
"We're strongly opposed to such a measure," Mariano said. "We're preparing letters in the hopes to change minds."
Mariano said the salon doesn't cater to everyone and that resources could be better allocated.
"My presence here today is to inform you guys regarding this issue on behalf of ABSOC," Mariano said. The Senate refused to comment on the issue.
In a special order of business, Thomas Kenna, the senior director of Parking and Transportation Services, updated the Senate on parking issues. Kenna said his overall goal is to make parking a simple process because students have more important things to do.
"I'm the new parking director, not the enemy," Kenna said.
"We have about 300 more cars this year than last year," Kenna said. "It's been an interesting few weeks." Kenna announced the extended service of the off-campus shuttle, which travels to the Marina parking lot. The new hours are Mon. - Thurs. from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
"The hours are subject to change since parking seems to taper off the longer we get into a semester," Kenna said. "So far we haven't really seen riders past 7 p.m. - 7:15 p.m."
Kenna formerly held the same position at USC and regarding safety on campus, he pleaded with students to use good judgement.
He also addressed breaking ground for parking structure three, a $27 million endeavor, in December or January.
Don Penrod, the general manager and CEO of the 49er Shops, Inc., updated the Senate on current construction operations and future planning.
"Our mission is to enhance and support the education process at CSULB," Penrod said. "We have a $2 million payroll and hire 500-600 students a year."
Penrod said construction on the Chart Room was a "project gone bad" and by Oct. 1 the contractors should be out, turning over the space to the school. He said new bathrooms will then be constructed.
Penrod also mentioned plans to build another Starbucks, which will be located in the dining plaza and the possibility of a Second Street retail shop providing the community access to apparel and other university specific merchandise.
"It's way out there, but I think it's coming," Penrod said. "We're working with real estate owners and trying to come to an agreement. It may happen in six months, a year or two years, it depends on finding a landlord."