C A L I F O R N I A INDEX
C alendar & B riefs O p i n i o n S ports
VOLUME 66, ISSUE 50
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The
Daily
U N I V E R S I T Y ,
has given California education a huge budget increase next year. By JOAN HANSEN Daily Titan Staff Writer
It seems Santa arrived in Sacramento last week toting a bag full of money and Gov. Pete Wilson is handing out goodies, mostly to education. Last week Wilson announced that education will receive a huge budget increase next year. Officials credit California’s booming economy and strong stock market to the financial goodie bag that the administration said increased the 1998-99 tax revenues by $4.2 billion. CSU Chancellor Charlie Reed told the Academic Senate Thursday it’s time to “reinvest in human capital.” Wilson agreed in a May 14 statement that committed most of the revenue
increase to all levels of education. “This revenue allows us to invest wisely in the future. It enables us to improve people’s lives,” Wilson said. But Wilson’s gifts have strings attached. Sacramento will dictate where the money is spent. Most of it is directed at meeting the state’s higher learning standards. Currently California public schools spend $5,414 per pupil a year but the May budget revision commits $5,728 to educate each student—an increase of $324. The UC and CSU portion will pay for deferred maintenance on existing structures, new construction, improved computers technology, library books and teacher education. The K-12 funding, which consists of 41 percent of the entire California General Fund budget, will enhance teacher training, purchase books that meet new standards in reading and math and offer
remedial reading summer programs. Low income high school students pursuing college will be offered Scholastic Aptitude Test programs—which cost between $500-$700 in the private sector—in an attempt to reduce the 50 percent remediation rate in math and English. Officials earmarked money to expand teacher preparation programs, believing that improving student performance depends on ongoing teacher training. Another program will pay teachers a one-time salary bonus of $10,000 to obtain National Board certification. Only 70 California public school teachers currently hold this certification. A new teacher program, Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment, allows all 20,000 new teachers’ enhanced training to ensure a good start and keep them in the profession. Funds going to higher education will invest in the future. CSU and UC will
INSIDE
BASEBALL: Titans slide headfirst into regionals. —See Sports, page 6.
M AY 1 9 , 1 9 9 8
Where will the money go?
$85 million $17.8 million $11 million $2 million
each receive money to spend on deferred maintenance of aging buildings and new construction. The CSU Chancellor’s office has anticipated a “Tidal Wave” of new students to state universities in the next 10 years. Other money earmarked for higher
Deferred maintenance, replace/repair instructional equipment, upgrade computers and library materials. Provide the CSU faculty with a one percent salary increase, begin to compensate for salary lag. Expand teacher preparation programs. Statewide informational/recruitment campaign to expand students’ interest in pursuing a career in education.
education will repair and replace instruction equipment, upgrade computer technology and stock library materials. The 1998-99 revised budget squeezes out a one percent pay increase for CSU faculty, currently claiming to be lagging behind comparable universities by 11
percent. Negotiations between the CSU and its faculty are ongoing. Economists forecast 800,000 new jobs during the next 18 months, with personal income and job growth in California continuing to outpace national levels.
n ACADEMICS : Students on
percent of these first-time freshmen on academic probation failed to register for the Spring semester. The percentage of CSUF students on academic probation remained between eight and 10 percent between 1994 and 1997, according to the Office of Analytical Studies and the Office of
Dropping grades change attitudes probation receive help by programs like TOAP in reassessing their priorities. By LAURIE SCHULTZ Daily Titan Staff Writer
FRANK C. DIAZ/Daily Titan
Arutro Jasso, professor of Foreign Languages, literature and poetry, performed a flamenco recital and sang Spanish love songs for the audience at the Festival Culturo Latino American in the Titan Student Union.
Latino festival shows it has class n DIVERSITY: ”El Delan-
tal Blanco” brings light to class roles in Latin America; reflects social attitudes overseas. By FRANK C. DIAZ Daily Titan Staff Writer
FRANK C. DIAZ/Daily Titan
Vanessa Squadrito as “La Senora” is restrained by Monica Luna and Carlos Campos as they perform in “El Delantal Blanco.”
Arms waving madly, legs kicking in frustration, the woman dressed in a maid’s uniform was carried offstage screaming, “I’m the Senora. I’m the Senora.” No one listened. Playing the part of “the Senora,” a wealthy matron who has temporarily switched rolls and attire with her maid, Vanessa Squadrito was outraged when her maid refused to change back. The play, El Delantal Blanco (The White Apron), was written by Mexican playwright Sergio Vodanovic and depicts the social and class distinctions which still plague most of the Latin world. Part of the “Festival Culturo Latino American,” it was presented by the joint efforts of the Foreign Language and Literature department and the Spanish Club.
“In some countries like Guatemala and Peru, the social distinctions are still important,” said Lydia Velez, academic sponsor of the Spanish Club and a native of Puerto Rico. “Last names are like a pedigree, having prestige. Everyone knows where they’re from, their history.” Such class distinctions are slowly eroding as economic development increases in Latin American countries, Velez said. Countries which have seen greater economic growth and diversification of economic resources within the population have had the distinctions between social classes diminish as the middle class has expanded. Education also plays an important factor, Velez added. “Nowadays, the access to education is bringing a larger middle class and economic improvements contribute to that,” Velez said. “Of course, the people have had to struggle to achieve that.” The play, which satirizes the distinctions among classes, portrays a wealthy member of the ruling class
Copyright ©1998, Daily Titan
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F U L L E R T O N
T U E S D AY
Schools see the money
n EDUCATION: Gov. Wilson
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Titan
S T A T E
see PLAY/ 5
A 20-year-old Cal State Fullerton student is one of 588 CSUF first-time freshmen on academic probation this semester. “I knew I had to make a drastic change,” said the student who asked to be called “Nate.” “I had to change certain activities not regarding school like hanging out and partying.” Students are placed on academic probation when their collegiate grade point average falls below 2.0. Often there is a stigma of failure attatched to academic probation. However, Nate views being placed on academic probation as a positive thing. “I needed something to wake me up. Otherwise, I’d fall into the same pattern. If I looked at it negatively, I’d give up, get kicked out of school. I’d have the attitude can’t stop- won’t stop,” he said. More than 28 percent of first-time freshmen are on academic probation this semester, said Robert Belloli, coordinator of undergraduate studies. Eighty
Number of students of academic probation by school, 1997
Business Administration and Economics: 730
Communications:
151
Engineering and Computer Science:
128
Human Development and Community Service: 182
Humanities and Social Sciences:
502
Natural Sciences and Mathematics: Arts:
145 66
Admissions and Records. The university academically disqualified about 5 percent of CSUF students each year between 1994 and 1997. In 1997, the School of Engineering
see PROBATION 2
Fulfillment of an American dream n PROFILE : Omar Ortiz-
Velazquez, soon-to-be graduate, will have earned two degrees in four years while making a name for himself in naitonal politics.
By JOE FLORKOWSKI Daily Titan Staff Writer
Omar Ortiz-Velazquez originally came to America to learn English. On his journey, he has met world leaders, worked in the Department of Commerce, and written speeches for Vice President Al Gore. Suffice to say, things have not gone exactly as planned for the Cal State Fullerton student. Ortiz-Velazquez left his family in Mexico City for America at the age of 12. In America, Ortiz-Velazquez
has been staying with family friends for the past ten years. “They’ve been a tremendous support. Without them, I’d be in the streets,” said Ortiz-Velazquez. The 22-year-old said that it was fairly hard to adjust to a culture that was a lot less affectionate then he knew. When Ortiz-Velazquez came to South Gate Junior High, he only spoke Spanish. Fortunately for him, his junior high had ESL programs. Two years later, he was out of ESL and taking the same courses others who had spoken English all their lives were taking. Ortiz-Velazquez says he rushed through ESL classes because he wanted to get back home to his family as soon as possible. Ortiz-Velazquez began looking to his future while attending South Gate High School. He was South Gate’s valedictorian in 1994 and
see VELAZQUEZ 5