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 W E E K O F M AY 2 2 – 2 5 , 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 5 4
SPORTS
INTROSPECT
With 1-0 win Sunday, Titans baseball clinches playoff spot Page 13
Prayer and religion: An examination of worship, faith Page 18
Devoted to God’s Call
Grad Speakers Settle on Topics
Christen Nguyen says God called her to a life of service. A trip to Vietnam, her homeland that she fled as a child, spurred her to consider a religious vocation.
One keynote speaker will stress friendships, continuing education By Cristina Rodriguez
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Community and sacrifice are two core concepts that Cal State Fullerton commencement speakers Bill Campbell and Rueben Martinez look forward to discussing. Campbell, Orange County Supervisor, plans to address three topics. “My sons told me to keep it short. I will probably discuss continuing education, giving back to the community and the importance of friendships,” he said. “Those are my key points in discussing how to have a successful life.” Success is nothing new to the supervisor, who was first elected to the office of the Third District in January of 2003, which includes Anaheim, Brea, Irvine, Orange, Tustin, Villa Park, and Yorba Linda. “By virtue of serving on the board I attend quite a number of meetings and social gatherings,” he said. Campbell recently welcomed President Bush during his recent trip to Orange County. Campbell is a California native and received his bachelorʼs degree in electrical engineering from Loyola Marymont University. SEE SPEAKERS = PAGE 3
Phil Gordon/Daily Titan
FAITH AND EDUCATION: Sister Christen Nguyen tells of how her parents escaped Vietnam and came to America.
T
w e n t y - s i x - y e a r- o l d Christen Nguyen sits on a chair in the Titan Student Union, her hands grasping a bottled Starbucks Frappuccino. As her hand moves to twist the cap back on after taking a sip, there is a noticeable sparkle on her left hand ring finger: a simple, narrow silver band. Some young women her age would giggle shyly when asked about a ring on that hand, on that finger, remembering the boyfriend or fiance who gave it to them as a promise of undying devotion, or the husband who gave it to them as a commitment to a life together. Nguyen – a CSUF junior psychology major – neither giggles
Phil Gordon/Daily Titan
WARMING UP TO YOGA
Bikram yoga master Joe Vogt practices yoga manuevers in a room heated to 105 degrees in Downtown Fullerton. He believes improved stress management is a benefit of regular yoga execise. See full story on Page 6.
Great Park’s Future Comes into View With groundbreakings planned for the summer, disputed land takes shape By Sara Havlena
Daily Titan Staff Writer
After the closing of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, Orange County residents have been battling over what to do with the 4,700 acres of land. The Orange County Central Park and Nature Preserve Initiative was passed on March 5, 2002, which meant the land would be zoned for a park, not an airport. An online auction was held and the land was eventually purchased by a residential and community developer, Lennar Communities, for $649.5 million, according to the Orange County Great Parkʼs Web site. Lennar owns 3,700 acres, and the government kept 1,000 acres for permanent open space. Part of the purchase agreement states that the buyer of the base would
Irvina Kanarek/Daily Titan
CONSTRUCTION: Cones and signs divert traffic on a street near the Great Park. Roads are being widened to accomodate future guests.
give the city of Irvine 1,300 acres for a park and the rest could be developed for residential and commercial uses. That, of course, is a much greater financial deal than developing the whole thing as a park, said Marsha Burgess, manager of public affairs for the Orange County Great Park. The Great Park board of direc-
tors went through an international competition to select a designer for the park. The board wanted to have the community involved in picking the winner. The board encouraged residents and organizations to pitch ideas and held an online poll in which the public viewed and voted on the designs, Burgess said.
SPORTS
OPINION
ATHLETIC SUPPORTERS
PROPOSITION 82
Students donʼt make up much of the baseball teamʼs fan base
PAGE 13
SEE GREAT PARK = PAGE 8
INSIDE
Supporters and studies havenʼt made a case for raising taxes
PAGE 22
In January the board of directors selected the Ken Smith Landscape Architecture design team. The world-renowned New York-based firm, headed by architect Ken Smith, has several famous designs, including the East Pines Master Plan in New York, and Third Street Light Rail Project in San Francisco, according to the Great Parkʼs Web site. Development of the parkʼs design, borders, monuments, roads and look are underway. The plan should be ready over the summer, and a final presentation of the plan in November, Burgess said. Burgess said tentative ground breaking ceremonies are set for this summer, with construction beginning in the fall following the city of Irvineʼs approval of Lennarʼs development plans. But construction to widen the roads leading into the park has already begun. The key features of Smithʼs design include a canyon with a
MONDAY
By Julie Anne Ines
Daily Titan Staff Writer
nor calls attention to the unembellished piece of jewelry. Only when asked about it does she take the ring off her finger with little ceremony to reveal the message inscribed on the inside of the band: Jesus Christ Crucified. Nguyen is not married or engaged. She is a nun. She received the ring from a fellow “classmate” of hers who took her vows at the same time. She is not required to wear the ring. She just wears it to remind herself that she is “not available anymore” as she makes her way across campus – past couples holding hands or past fliSEE NGUYEN= PAGE 5
Boys & Girls Club Has Big Ideas for Its Home If all goes to plan, club’s facilities will be rebuilt at a site near current location By Dominic Kingdamo
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Big plans are in the making for the Placentia-Yorba Linda Boys & Girls Club. If things go accordingly, the land the current facility resides on will be sold to a private contractor and a new, state-of-theart facility will be built less than a mile away by December 2007. The current club is at the corner of Crowther and Bradford avenues. The new location is set to be just a few blocks north at Kraemer Memorial Park, which sits at the corner of Chapman and Bradford avenues. “The current building has been there since 1962, and while it was a good location at the time, there now are lots of commercial buildings in the area,” said Nathan Chappell, chief professional officer of the club. “The new location would have lots of green space for kids to run around in.” The current building is approximately 17,000 square feet, Chappell said, and the new building, which will cost $5 million,
will be approximately 25,000 square feet. The club will be getting $2.5 million for the sale of its current site but still needs to raise another $2.5 million to fund the new structure. “Weʼll be launching a development campaign on July 1, and weʼre working on getting a few sponsors in addition to hopefully getting help from the community,” Chappell said. The Boys & Girls Club organization has been helping to serve disadvantaged youth throughout the United States for the past 100 years. “From our humble beginnings more than a century ago, this great movement has guided millions of young people and transforming countless lives,” said Jim Caufield, senior vice-president of Boys & Girls Clubs of America in a press release. “Boys & Girls Clubs are, and must continue to be, one of the most unique and effective systems of informal guidance ever devised.” The current Placentia-Yorba Linda facility offers tutoring services, batting cages, arts and crafts, a drama stage, a climbing SEE CLUB = PAGE 5
WEATHER TUESDAY
Showers Mostly Sunny High: 69 Low: 56 High: 77 Low: 61
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY Mostly Sunny High: 78 Low: 62
Sunny High: 76 Low: 61