Tuesday

April 14, 1998

Faculty members flirt with symbolic strike

CSUS' Faculty Senate may go on strike if President Donald Gerth fails to answer questions about the senate's role in university governance.

"My sense is that if we do not push to the limit and stand by principle, nothing will change, and all the time we spend in formulating policy and providing our best advice will be wasted," wrote senate member Juanita Barrena, author of a resolution calling for the suspension of all regular senate business.

The strike -- proposed in an e-mail message to senate members -- would not affect professors' teaching schedules.

Barrena suggested the strike after senate members engaged Gerth and Jolene Koester, provost and vice president of administrative affairs, in a heated exchange at the senate's March 26 meeting. The debate centered around the new policy for choosing which programs receive Lottery funds.

Gerth defended Koester's decision to bypass the senate in the Lottery fund proposal process -- condemning the senate for fighting the policy change.

But Barrena argued if decisions of this magnitude are being made without the senate's advice, perhaps the senate's role should be re-evaluated.

"It seems that the efforts of the senate chair and the senate to affect change in how the administration engages in consultation have been to no avail," the biological sciences professor wrote.

Barrena's resolution calls for the suspension of all regular senate business, "including making recommendations on faculty appointments to university committees, formulation and recommendation of policies pertaining to the instructional program and professional matters, and implementation of policy..."

The suspension of business would continue until Gerth responds to the senate's requests, which include his providing the senate with a clear definition of the senate's role in university governance and in making decisions on instructional programs and faculty matters.

If the resolution is passed, however, the senate will continue to convene to discuss the resolution and other organizational matters.

Three nonvoting seats added to ASI board

In an attempt to expand communication between Associated Students Inc., the community and other campus groups, ASI voted Wednesday to add three ex-officio seats to its board of directors.

The board voted unanimously to add input from Community Affairs and Alumni Relations, but was sharply divided over adding a representaive from the residence halls.

The proposal narrowly passed with Vice President Shannon Hughes' yes vote after the initial vote ended in a 5-5 tie.

"We speak for all students on this campus," said ASI President Sandra Schlemmer. "If the students in residence halls are not being represented, then we are not doing our job."

Jennifer Helms, director of Arts and Letters, agreed with Schlemmer.

"There will be no incentive to want to be (Residence Hall Director)," added Helms. "The person will not be able to vote and would just sit here with nothing to say."

Kim Shaw, director for Natural Science and Mathamatices disagreed, contending campus residents are different.

"Students who live on campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week are unique. Even if we talked with them, we will still never know how it is to live here," she said.

Dan Freschi, director of undeclared students, said dorm residents need to be represented in ASI. "The students who live on campus are the majority of the campus community," said Freschi, who authored the resolutions.

Alumni Relations Director Stephen Black said he was pleased with the board's idea for an ex-officio member from his association.

"The opportunities will be good," he said. "It will provide a better linkage and increase interaction between alumni and the ASI board members."

Despite already having an ASI chapter of the Alumni Association, the board felt the new position will allow ASI to increase its interaction with the entire association.

"This is good legislation," said Brian Cooley, vice president for university affairs. "It will be good to get alumni's opinions and ideas."

UTAPS official: Lack of parking spaces not an issue

Responding to what this year's ASI presidential candidates are calling CSUS' biggest problem -- parking -- a university official said some candidate solutions are feasable, but the problem is a matter of convenience, not spaces.

"We don't fill up the campus parking spaces. We haven't since the parking garage came on-line in 1992," said University Transportation and Parking Services manager Nancy Fox.

Fox responded to the principles set by ASI presidential candidates Gary Davis and Dan Freschi, saying University Transportation and Parking Services is open to expanding its Hornet Shuttle services to the campus community. However, to implement the proposals, funds to purchase additional vehicles and train new drivers are required, she said.

Currently, the Hornet Shuttle operates three routes with seven buses.

Four buses are spares when others need routine maintenance as well as repairs. Freshci, currently Associated Students Inc.'s director of undeclared students, wants to expand the three routes to take in more area, as well as operate the routes more frequently.

Doubling the frequency of stops from once every half-hour to every 15 minutes would require twice as many buses as UTAPS has, Fox said. She added Davis' night shuttle as a daytime tram would also require an additional vehicle.

"Maintenance would be an issue with one vehicle," she said. "You have to have more than just enough for maintenance. There are times when we have no extra buses."

Fox said if UTAPS were to buy additional vehicles, they would use compressed natural gas as fuel. The university paid $160,000 for its first CPG bus last fall. Added to the costs of vehicle purchases would be hiring additional drivers, fuel and other standard maintenance costs.

Davis has also proposed opening the residence hall parking lot in front of Foley Hall to all students. Davis said the lack of cars in the protected parking indicates its availability. However, Fox said it was not as easy as it might seem.

"Residence hall occupancy has a lot to do with parking lot utilization," she said. "They live here. The rest of us come and go."

Fox also said UTAPS uses the Foley Hall lot for special event parking.

Parking Lot 2, in front of the Playwrights Theater, was used for that purpose, even though the lot fills quickly.

Abandoned animals pose to pay off veterinary expenses

George the iguana and Barney the boa were the favorite animals chosen by students to pose for pictures together at the Field Biology Group's bake sale April 2.

"All the critters would like to thank the people who came out for their generosity," said CSUS biology laboratory technician Jana Shober.

The bake sale helped raise money for veterinarian expenses for the group's collection of animals, which have been given to them or abandoned on campus.

While the biology department has asked the community not to leave injured or sick animals with them, they have continued to care for the abandoned critters.

In addition to George and Barney, photo opportunities were available with Julius Squeezer, a python; Thumper the bunny; a couple of hissing cockroaches; a crawfish; and two baby turtles.

"These animals show the diversity in nature and help our understanding of biology," said senior biology major and club member Melinda Edwards.

The money raised and the donations given will be put into the Bio-Critters Care Fund. The fund is managed through the CSUS Foundation. Donations can still be given to the foundation to help pay for the animals' care.

Prizes given away in a drawing included a pet bed, aquarium kits and coupons for pizza and muffins. Petsmart, the Laguna Vet Clinic, and Petsplus donated these prizes. Camera Arts provided a photographer.

"This was more of a success then we anticipated. We were out here in the hope to make people aware that the biology department does not dissect animals, but rather gives students living examples in their classroom," said Shober.

In addition to caring for the animals, the Field Biology Group is an ASI-sponsored club that goes on trips such as snow skiing, kayaking and nature sightseeing.

There was a contest to guess the count in jars of jellybeans and malted candy eggs; if you guessed there were 1,113 jelly beans or 465 eggs, you won the jar.

You can blame it on the rain, just not Al Niño

(U-WIRE) COLUMBIA, Mo. -- It is hard to confuse a person with a global weather phenomenon, but that's exactly what has been happening to Californian Al Niño.

Since El Niño began changing weather patterns around the world last October, Al Niño, 75, has received hundreds of phone calls from people all over the country asking him why he's wreaking havoc with the weather.

"They want me to stop the rain," Niño said.

Niño says the funniest call he received was from a man who blamed him for taking his daughter's virginity. According to Niño, the caller said his daughter and her boyfriend were out for a drive when it began raining and their car got stuck in the mud. Unable to get help or go back home, the couple decided to spend the night in the car.

"He said I took his daughter's virginity," Niño said. "I told him, 'I stayed home last night, Mister.'"

There was also a call from a strawberry farmer who lives about 20 miles from Niño. When he told Niño the weather phenomenon was destroying his harvest, Niño promised to divert the rains. Three days later, the man called back to say the rains had stopped and he would bring Niño a carton of strawberries when they ripened.

"I'm still waiting for the strawberries," Niño said.

Niño said most of the calls have been in jest, but there have been a few people who were very upset.

"Most of the calls have been tongue-in-cheek," he said. "This is something they couldn't blame on the government, so they were just looking for someone to blame it on. Some have lost their homes, so they're pretty upset."

Niño said he tries to explain to people that neither he nor anyone else had any control over their homes being destroyed.

"I enjoy talking to people," Niño said.

There have been some unpleasant experiences, Niño said, such as people calling at 4 a.m. But overall, the mix-up has been a positive experience. Already Niño has appeared on "American Journal," been quoted in "Newsweek" and is the subject of an upcoming article in "People" magazine.

He also has been on "nearly every radio station in the country," and he was scheduled to appear on both "The Late Show" with David Letterman and "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno.

Leno sent a limousine to drive him from his home in Nipomo, Calif., to the studio in Los Angeles. But halfway to Los Angeles, bad weather, ironically enough, forced the limousine to turn around, and Niño was not able to appear on the show.

Letterman flew him and his grandson to New York for four days, all expenses paid, but the show ran too long and Niño was notñ able to appear. Still, Niño said it was a memorable trip.

"Mr. Letterman was very nice to me," Niño said. "The whole trip cost me $5.36."

Despite his brushes with celebrity, Niño says the best part of the entire experience has been reconnecting with old friends. After serving in the Navy for 33 years, including service in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, Niño said more than 50 of his ex-shipmates have contacted him as a result of his newfound fame.

"That's been the most positive thing," Niño said. "We're starting the process now of organizing a reunion."

With all the calls Niño has received about El Niño, one might expect him to be an expert on the phenomenon by now, but that is not quite the case.

"I don't know a thing about it," he said. "I'm not really interested."

Niño says he first heard about the reoccurring phenomenon in 1972, when a friend of his in Scotland sent him a newspaper article with the headline, "El Niño creates havoc in Ethiopia."

"I should have known then it would come back to haunt me," Niño said.

Through it all, Niño has tried to enjoy the experience. For a while, he said, he let his 11-year-old granddaughter answer the phone, and if callers asked her grandfather to change the weather, she would ask them, like Santa Claus, if they had been good or naughty the previous year.

In the past few weeks, Niño said the calls have been less frequent, and with scientists predicting the storm will end in May, soon the calls should end altogether.

"This is my 15 minutes of fame," Niño said.

ASI Elections '98

Candidates for President

Gary Davis

Major: Business-Strategic Management

Time at CSUS: Five years

Employment: Server at Max's Opera Cafe

School involvement: Chair of ASI student relations committee; member of Society for the Advancement of Management; member of university alcohol and drug steering committee; vice president of public relations for Inter-Fraternity Council; helping to re-establish Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol; member of Sigma Chi social fraternity.

Random bits: Davis was a reservist in the Marines for four years. "It was a challenge. Several times I wanted to just roll over and die." But he hung in there. "I realized I was the one who controls whether I get something done." And he learned a lot. "I now know that I can do anything I want to do."

Campaign slogan: "Let's do it."

Gary Davis overcomes adversity by getting up and trying again. Last year he won as ASI president, but was disqualified for violating campaign policies. The subsequent swearing-in of incumbent Sandra Schlemmer -- who was also found guilty of a campaign violation -- sparked a recall campaign.

"They took the votes of the students and threw them out," Davis says. "To simply put the runner-up in office is unheard of."

Davis returned to chair the ASI student relations committee and became involved in alcohol and drug awareness on campus.

"I didn't run away from ASI; I just rerouted my efforts and got involved with the university as a whole," he says.

Now Davis is ready to try again.

"I now know the ins and outs of ASI and how this university works. There is such potential for ASI; the results are there to be taken," he says.

Overall, Davis wants ASI to be more proactive, reaching out to students. "Students don't go up to the third floor of the Union. ASI needs to get out of its office and onto the campus."

Davis' agenda includes alleviating the parking problem, creating short-term loans and opening 24-hour computer labs.

He suggests giving empty dorm and faculty parking lots to students. Davis also wants to use the night shuttle vans to transport students from the overflow lots onto campus.

"Parking is not a problem as far as the number of lots. It's just that everyone wants a good spot," he says.

Davis used to work full-time and commute to school twice a week. Once he got involved on campus, however, he quit his job and changed his outlook on college.

"I feel I can relate to the entire campus community. The key is representation for all students on campus."

Dan Freschi

Major: Criminal justice

Time at CSUS: Three years

Employment: Forklift driver for Watkins Freight Lines

School involvement: ASI director of undeclared students; chairman of ASI Outlook newsletter work team; member of ASI student relations committee; member of Instructionally Related Activities fund allocation committee; serves on ASI student complaint hearing panel; member of Women's Resource Center advisory committee; Army ROTC cadet; vice president of Theta Chi Social Fraternity pledge class; co-hosts the Dan & Dave Show on KSSU 1580 AM.

Random bits: Freschi started as a business major. "My dream was to be a business owner like the rest of my family." But his grandfather saved him. "He said retail is a very competitive market right now." So he changed his mind. "I'm declaring criminal justice (as my major) next semester and I eventually will go to law school. I would love to work for the government as a federal prosecutor."

Campaign slogan: "Together we're the key to change."

Last summer, Dan Freschi did not know what ASI was. Then he got a flier in the mail advertising to fill positions on the board. He applied for director of undeclared students and was appointed in September.

"I love it," Freschi says. "ASI is one of the greatest things I've ever been involved with."

The year has taught Freschi a lot about ASI, and he feels ready to take the helm.

"I'm a student myself and everything I do will be for students. My ideas can help everyone," he says.

Freschi wants a 24-hour study hall, more campus jobs for students, and to solve the parking problem.

"I really want somewhere we can go to study away from home," he says.

Staffing the 24-hour study hall will increase student employment as well, Freschi says.

As for parking, Freschi says it's up to the university to build facilities. But there also things ASI can do.

"We should increase the number of bike lockers," he says. "We could also expand the Hornet shuttle routes or possibly get another shuttle."

Freschi also wants to increase student involvement on campus.

"I hate the word 'commuter campus.' I want a 'campus community,'" he says. "Sac State is fun. You just have to get involved."

"I want ASI to be more visible, more accessible for students," he says. "I'm a student, fighting for student issues, and that's why I want to be president."

Victor Som

Major: Criminal justice

Time at CSUS: Two years

Employment: Manager at The Good Guys

School involvement: Vice president of Sigma Pi Social Fraternity; vice president of Inter-Fraternity Council; driver and navigator for ASI Safe Rides; head of Greek Week planning committee; plays intramural soccer, volleyball and softball.

Random bits: He loves to listen. "Friends will call me in the middle of the night to tell me things." Which helps at work. "I get yelled at by customers all day long, but at least they leave happy." For him, communication is the key. "I have a pager, two cell phones and a home phone. Anybody can get a hold of me."

Campaign slogan: "Help make a difference."

Victor Som was reading a State Hornet article about the ASI elections in the Pub one day when his friend suggested he run for president. He thought about it all day.

"In the past, I've seen many ASI candidates make promises and not follow through. I believe that if you give your word, then you do it," he says.

Som has never been involved with ASI before.

"I have a unique perspective as an outsider," he says. "It seems like everyone in ASI has been there for a while; it always remains the same."

Above all else, Som would like to see more communication between ASI and the student body. He says ASI could make a much bigger impact on students.

"ASI needs to go to campus groups and ask them 'What can ASI do for you? How can we make our services better?'" Som says.

As president, he would increase the availability of ASI directors and other means of communication from ASI.

"They post a lot of fliers about events, but why not get a big sign and put it in front of the Pub, or near the dorms? A lot of people don't go to the Union (where the ASI offices are). ASI should go to the students," Som says.

If ASI communicated with students better, their needs would more likely be addressed, according to Som. One need Som has targeted is more counselors for students.

"Sac State should be about education. Students just want to take care of business and get their degrees," he says.

The point of ASI is to help students do just that, Som says.

"I haven't seen ASI fulfilling a lot of students' needs. I'm not a politician, but when I see things that need to be changed, I take it into my own hands."

Sean South

Major: Sociology

Time at CSUS: One year

Employment: None currently

School involvement: Community service representative for Sierra Hall in dorms; helping to establish Queer-Straight Alliance on campus, in which he will serve as vice president.

Random bits: He's been in local politics for five years. "In 1992 I ran for city council in Antioch. I did well, but I didn't win." So he became president of Citizens for Democracy in Contra Costa County."We've elected three city council members, two school board members, defeated five tax measures, participated in three recalls, and recalled one candidate." And he's still at it. "I'm now the senior political adviser and media consultant."

Campaign slogan: "All power to the students."

Sean South is outraged by the way the student government runs at CSUS. "There is a level of unwarranted arrogance among the board members," he says. "They have a $6 million budget and they have the mentality that it's their money to spend, not the students'."

Since he decided to run for president, South has been trying to research ASI's budget. But he says he's hit a wall.

"Being on the outside, it's so hard to find out the truth. I have a feeling in my gut there are problems," he says.

South realizes there's not much he can do about next year's budget if he takes office because most of the money will already be allocated. But he would like to see ASI invest in students' needs, such as better computer labs, more bike lockers and an efficient newsletter to inform students.

"The point of ASI is to inform students and apply pressure on the people who have the power. Unfortunately, our current ASI simply acts as a buffer between the administration and faculty and the students," South says.

"ASI needs to take their 'Students First' slogan and make it a reality," he says.

South believes being confrontational is the key to making change. When he read in Emerge Magazine last semester that CSUS graduates only a handful of its football players, he wrote letters to campus administrators to check it out.

"It was an area I thought was in need of being talked about," South says. He later received word that many athletes are now on the track to graduation.

"If something is happening you don't agree with, you have to do something about it," South says. "ASI should watch over what's going on on campus, let students know, and urge them to contact those in power."

Who's in the race

Vice President for Finance:
Devin Cook
Geoff Sakala

Vice President for University Affairs:
Kim Shaw

Director for Arts & Letters:
Stephanie King

Director for Business:
Enrique Acosta
Al Gambetti
Stephanie Parrish
Todd Stellmacher
Gary Waller

Director for Social Sciences and Interdiciplinary Studies:
Stephanie Johnson

Director for Natural Science and Mathamatics:
Maral Hagopia
Heather Tejada

Director for Undeclared Students:
Adele Gray

State Hornet Publications Board:
Richard Lucier
Elizebeth De Palma

University Union Board (One year):
Carmon Gonzalez