C a l i f o r n i a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y, F u l l e r t o n
THE DAILY TITAN T H U R S D AY, M A R C H 3 , 2 0 0 6
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OPINION
No. 7 Titan baseball team hits the road, heads to Houston Page 10
Dating & Mating: Oral pleasure? Oh, Please! Page 6
Students Fire Alarm Startles Students in TSU Lounge Compete in Math, Science By Courtney Bacalso & Phil Fuller
Daily Titan Editors
High school students use problem-solving skills to win contest
As she reported for work in the Mainframe Computer Lounge in the Titan Student Union, biology major Tanya Samra heard a strange sound. “Everyone started looking around and saying ʻWhatʼs that?ʼ ” she said.
It happened that an electrical shortage in a drinking fountain triggered the fire alarm, forcing the evacuation of students and staff from the TSU Wednesday, Lt. Will Glen said. Samra gave exit instructions to the 30 students in the lab, and then she evacuated the building. The Fullerton Fire Department was dispatched to the scene, but the call was can-
celled while they were on route, Battalion Chief Mark Huckabey said. Junior Ho Tran, 20, was sitting in the cafeteria when the alarm when off at 12:44 p.m. “Everyone didnʼt know what to do. But a loudspeaker came on and told us to evacuate and the workers helped escort us out,” Phil Gordon/Daily Titan said Tran, who had to wait about 10 minutes REMAINING CALM: Crowds of students exit the before being allowed back into the TSU. TSU during a lunchtime firedrill
Name Calling, Catfights No More
By Paolo Andres
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Mousetrap racers zoomed and catapults of PVC pipes soared as future engineers flooded Cal State Fullerton for an engineering contest Wednesday. The Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement program hosted the all-day event where high school students competed against other schools in math and science. “The students have been preparing for this day all year by working on various projects that utilize engineering, science and mathematic skills,” program coordinator Vonna Hammerschitt said. From building paper and balsa wood bridges to creating multipurpose vehicles from mousetraps and CDs, the team of high school students competed in events that pushed the limits of their math and science capabilities. Other teams built balsa wood gliders and homemade medieval catapults, which were judged based on their projectile trajectories. A few teams even competed in different problem-solving and public speaking contests. Winners of the events received medals and were given the opportunity to compete in the regional competition on April 22 at CSUF where they would face off against other students. Many of those who participated realized the implications of having such an engineering event occur so early in the studentʼs academic pursuits. Problem-solving skills the students exercised in the competition hold top priority in math and in civil disciplines, said Tom Glenn, Saddleback High School biology teacher. But he also tried to emphasize the importance of enjoying the task at hand. “Sometimes it can be stressful and I tell them, ʻWhat do you expect from it? Have fun.ʼ ” Glenn said. But despite the pressures and the strain of competition, many students found the prospect of building enjoyable. “Engineering is a lot of fun. Itʼs probably one of the most fun of professions,” said Alex Krochman, a Costa Mesa High School freshman. “Who wouldnʼt want to sit around all day and design stuff to be built and help [people]?” The program hopes the students will carry the lessons learned from the competition with them. “We hope that theyʼll realize that there are real world applications to math and science,” Hammerschitt said. “And we hope that some of them will be excited enough about math, science and engineering that they would like to pursue that for their major.”
Lecture encourages female harmony as kickoff to Women’s History Month By Jessica Escorsia
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Junnun Quazi/For the Daily Titan
TOGETHER THEY STAND: Students, parents and Muslim leaders gather outside the Crystal Cove Auditorium at UC Irvine Tuesday night to protest the unveiling of contraversial cartoons of Islamʼs last prophet, Muhammad.
Muslims Protest at UCI
Protestors gathered in response to a forum showing cartoons of Islam’s Muhammad By Julie Anne Ines
Daily Titan Staff Writer
O
range County Muslims, UC Irvine student groups and their supporters gathered at UCI Tuesday evening outside the Crystal Cove Auditorium to protest a forum that featured a showing of the cartoons depicting Islamʼs prophet Muhammad.
in dialogue that some people are not engaging in,” said Jesse Petrilla, founder of the committee. The committee is a “non-partisan movement of concerned Americans, promoting awareness of threats from within its borders,” according to the committee Web site. Kristin Lucero, a senior at UCI and the president of the club, said the unveiling of the cartoons had nothing to do with provoking the Muslim community, but rather its goal was SEE PROTEST = PAGE 4
SEE LECTURE = PAGE 3
Court Refuses to Hear Case First Ammendment rights debated in college publications By Lisa Chung
Daily Titan Staff Writer
F
or decades, college campuses have experienced issues where First Amendment rights have been strongly exercised. Flags have burned, protests have erupted and students have changed the systems in this country. One of the most consistent ways that young, educated adults
U.S. MILITARY DEATHS IN IRAQ
2,295 As of March 1, 2006; up from 2,270 on Feb. 16 2006 Numbers compiled from The Associated Press
The forum -– which was hosted by the UCI College Republicans and sponsored by the United American Committee -– hosted four speakers including Abed Jlelati, a Cal State Fullerton alumnus and president of the California chapter of the Free Muslims Coalition. Lee Kaplan, a spokesman for the committee; Ted Hayes, committee board member; and Jesse L. Peterson, a conservative minister, also spoke on the panel. Titled “The Unveiling of the Cartoons and a Discussion to Confront Terror,” the protest aimed to “really engage
N
ame calling, comparisons, dishonesty and an underhanded agenda to out-do other females were themes discussed on campus Tuesday at a lecture titled “Catfights and Competition Between Women.” The lecture commenced a series of events held for womenʼs history month in March, sponsored by several groups including the womenʼs studies program, Womenʼs Center and the Womenʼs Studies Association. Leora Tanenbaum, author of “Slut!” and “Catfight,” spoke about how women are aggressive in competing with each other. Although itʼs such a common issue among women, the topic is rarely discussed even among the closest friends because the subject may be taboo, Tanenbaum said. But an extremely big problem like this should be addressed she said. “We need to talk about things we donʼt usually talk about,” Tanenbaum said. Tanenbaum focused on four main areas where women are found to be more competitive: beauty, dating,
are voiced is through the studentrun media on these campuses. Last week that legacy came into question. The Supreme Court opted not to hear the case of Hosty v. Carter. This case involved a student publication, The Innovator at Governors State University in Illinois. Articles critical of the school administration were published, which prompted Dean Carter to demand review of the paper prior to publication. When student editors refused, the publication of The Innovator was halted and has not resumed since.
INTROSPECT
SEE AMENDMENT = PAGE 3
INSIDE
PLASTIC SURGERY Connecting the dots between beauty and technology
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The case has made its way to the 7th U.S. Court of Appeals, and the decision in Haelwood v. Kuhlmeier was applied. This 1988 decision limited the First Amendment rights of high school and elementary school publications. Extending the same paradigm – from high schools to colleges – has angered many people. The general student feel on the CSUF campus is that the decision of the seventh circuit is unfair and that
Irvine Campus to Host Blood Drive By Sara Havlena
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Cal State Fullerton students and faculty can help save lives by participating in the Irvine campus Red Cross Blood Drive. It will be held Tuesday March 7 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the Irvine Campus at 7320 Trabuco Road. Students who participate will receive a free Vans Warped Tour CD and music download
scratch-off, as well as saving up to three lives with their donation. The blood will go to one of the 175 Southern California hospitals in need. To schedule an appointment, call Irvine student affairs at (949) 936-1650 or go online at www.givelife.org using the sponsor code: csufeltoro. Walk-ups are welcome but appointments are appreciated, as they need a minimum number of participants to hold the event.
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