2006 04 11

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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 U E S D AY, A P R I L 11 , 2 0 0 6

w w w. d a i l y t i t a n . c o m

Vo l u m e 8 2 , I s s u e 3 1

SPORTS

OPINION

Titan coach, alumna Eugenia Rycraw bids CSUF farewell Page 6

A close-up account of an immigration rally in LA Page 4

Local Pro-immigration Protestors Take Action By Dominic Kingdamo

Daily Titan Staff Writer

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rally was held at the Federal Building in Santa Ana yesterday as part of the National Day of Action for Immigrant Justice. The day of action was conceived by the National Capital Immigrant Coalition, which sponsors the Web site www.april10.org. Events were organized by grassroots organizations across the nation, according to the Web site. Santa Ana city councilman Jose Solorio spoke to the crowd at the event. “Weʼre at a point in time where something does need to happen with respect to immigration,” Solorio said. The rally, the latest in a series of protests, marches and walk-outs around the city and country, was a peaceful demonstration held so people could speak out against proposed immigration legislation. Blanca Salinas, 32, waved a large Mexican flag in support of the demonstration. When asked why she was attending the demonstration, she replied, “papers,” referring to legal documentation to remain in the country. “We are not criminals. We are not terrorists. We are working people. We are paying taxes,” Salinas said. Salinas, a twelve-year employee of Albertsonʼs in Mission Viejo, missed work to attend the event. “I have 16 years in America,” Salinas said. “My children were born in America. We need papers.” Solorio spoke in support of border enforcement but

Songha Lee/Daily Titan

RALLYING TOGETHER: Benjamin Ramirez, left, and Yolanda Guzman Leon shout in protest for immigration rights Monday afternoon in front of the Federal Building in Santa Ana. Hundreds of demonstrators joined the rally to protest against the proposed immigration bill.

Science Symposium in a ‘Clast’ All Its Own Third annual event hosted by Natural Sciences, Mathematics Inter-Club in TSU today By Kirsten Alto

Daily Titan Staff Writer

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or eight hours on Wednesday students will meet and greet, show off research and prepare for their future at the third annual Science Symposium in the Titan Student

Union. The 9 a.m. event, hosted by the Natural Sciences and Mathematics Inter-Club Council and Associated Students Inc., designed the symposium with three goals in mind. “The first [goal] was to offer the natural sciences and math undergraduates and graduates a way to prepare for professional conferences theyʼll be attending off campus,” said Brian David, council chair.

“The second goal is to give back to the CSUF community and show the quality of our studentsʼ work,” he said. The third objective is to enlighten people stopping by to see the work, he added. “All students will gain a better understanding of how the research conducted on campus has an impact on society in general,” council advisor Rochelle Woods said. Not only do they want the biology, chemistry/biochemistry, geology and math club students to learn from and meet other students, they encourage students from other majors to attend the event. “I know people from our organization will be there, and I hope we also get people from outside our group,” vice chair Van Buzzo said. The club members hope to meet people who might have an interest in the subject matter at hand even if they arenʼt interested SEE SYMPOSIUM = PAGE 2

Latina Organization Empowers Students By Noraly Hernandez

For the Daily Titan

Four women hold hands and form a square around two other women who unexpectedly jump up and trigger someone to shout, “Toaster!” causing the room to explode with laughter. Welcome to the successful ice-breaking portion of the Hermanas Unidas de California State University, Fullertonʼs

weekly meeting. Hermanas Unidas provide a support group for students who look to excel academically, through networking. Founded approximately three years ago, Hermanas Unidas is a chapter of a California organization for college students. The group reaches out to Latina women, providing members with a “healthy transition to and from the university,” as its constitution states. “I would describe Hermanas Unidas as

Free Money, No Takers By Melinda Alvarez

For the Daily Titan

Not many people would pass up an offer for free money, but thousands of college students do it every year. Scholarship money is offered in various branches

of learning that require certain qualifications, allowing college students to apply and win money to contribute toward their college education. However, many students are reluctant to apply for scholarships.

By Sean McCormick

For the Daily Titan

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ountless sets of eyes gaze each semester at computer screens, as college students ask themselves the same question: Which professor will pass me as painlessly as possible? Cal State Fullerton is one of the largest users of RateMyProfessors.

com, a Web site that allows students to share their experiences and rate professors in categories including: easiness of a course, helpfulness and clarity of a professor and whether or not the professor is “hot,” according to statistics on the Web site. CSUF is the 15th most frequent user of the program with 22,254 ratings. The Web site contains ratings for 5,793 schools and 736,561 professors, and it has more than 5 million total ratings. Students arenʼt the only ones using RateMyProfessors.com. CSUF professors, too, visit the Web site to see what students are saying about them. Some are skeptical about what they

find, but none seems to take the ratings too seriously. “Student opinions are valuable, but what fits one person does not fit another,” Sally Romotsky, a professor of English, said. Communications Professor Carolyn E. Johnson trusts that students will view the site much in the way she does. “I take it with a grain of salt,” she said. “Students are smart enough to know that the site is not always legit.” Also, the university has other ways of rating its professors. At the end of every semester students are asked to fill out an evalu-

OPINION

FACULTY FOCUS

JEFF KLIMA

SANDRA FALERO

Barroom pick-ups, physical contact, it all counts

SEE MONEY = PAGE 3

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ation of their professors, which is then used to make up a confidential profile in the universityʼs records. Professors are permitted to look at the feedback. “I donʼt think itʼs something for teachers to take stock in, particularly because every class is evaluated in a more professional way,” said American studies professor Allan Axelrad. “Every department has forms that address what is really going on, and those you get on a regular basis every semester have

SEE RATE = PAGE 3

INSIDE

CSUF American studies professor teaches, works on Ph.D.

a Latina-based organization that focuses on empowering and encouraging young Latinas, or anyone for that matter be it women or men, to become intelligent, strong, compassionate, well-rounded individuals,” said Jackie Romero, Hermanas Unidasʼ alumni liaison. Hermanas Unidas, which translates to “sisters united,” not only focuses on academics, community service and socializaSEE UNIDAS = PAGE 3

Wildlife Santuary Off-campus Resource Nature preserve open to public, interactive canyon tours offered By Jessica Horn

Daily Titan Staff Writer

Professors Graded For Classroom Performances Web site provides forum for students to glorify, gripe about instructors

SEE RALLY = PAGE 3

Cal State Fullerton is a strong advocate of providing an education in environmental and scientific studies. Case in point: the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary – owned and operated by CSUFʼs College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics – a 12-acre nature preserve located in Modjeska Canyon, approximately 24 miles from the main campus. The sanctuary is often used as a resource center for CSUF students, but is open to the public for use as well. Biology, geology and environmental studies majors utilize the sanctuary for handson experience but other majors are welcome. “Iʼve been a couple times, not so much to research, but more to get a general knowl-

edge of the area and its wildlife for my own satisfaction,” junior Heather Tomilowitz said. Academic tours of the sanctuary are offered to students from kindergarteners to high school seniors. Education tours are also provided for the public. Academic tours follow the requirements of the California Standards for Science Education, allowing the sanctuary to educate children in a more interactive and unique way than in the classroom. School tours range from two to three hours, said Karon Cornell, director of the sanctuary. Sanctuary tours trek hikers through nature trails where observers can experience the plants and animals of the canyon in their natural habitat. “Our facilities include a little natural history museum, two ponds, a small birdwatching porch and a small amphitheatre,” Cornell said. SEE TUCKER= PAGE 3

WEATHER

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY Partly Cloudy High: 69 Low: 50

Mostly Sunny High: 74 Low: 55

Partly Cloudy High: 81 Low: 56

FRIDAY Rain/Thunder High: 70 Low: 54


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