2008 09 15

SPORTS: Page 8

CSUF gymnasts raise the academic bar

Since 1960 Volume 87, Issue 7

FEATURES: Guests experience CSUF’s ‘Concert Under the Stars’, page 4 OPINION: Students face off over the drinking age, page 5

Daily Titan

Monday September 15, 2008

The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton

Campus Life Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 12-1 p.m. the CSUF Women’s Center is hosting “Life in South Africa.” Guest speaker Rosalina Camacho will meet with visitors in Room UH205 and speak about her recent five week stay in the African continent.

She plans to share “her adventure and perspective on her life changing experience,” abroad.

Mother steals daughter’s identity to become a high school cheerleader

Center renamed after $5 millon donation 2nd largest contribution in university history will help CSUF arts students

By Jesica Eastman

Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com

The Cal State Fullerton Performing Arts Center, which opened in January 2006, will officially be named the Joseph A.W. Clayes III Performing Arts Center by the CSU Board of Trustees this week, thanks to a $5 million donation – the second largest donation in the history of the university from the trustees for Clayes’ estate.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – A 33-year-old woman stole her daughter’s identity to attend high school and join the cheerleading squad, according to a criminal complaint filed against the woman.

Wendy Brown, of Green Bay, faces a felony identity theft charge after enrolling in Ashwaubenon High School as her 15-year-old daughter, who lives in Nevada with Brown’s mother.

According to the complaint, Brown wanted to get her high school degree and become a cheerleader because she didn’t have a childhood and wanted to regain a part of her life that she’d missed.

A school liaison officer started investigating after Brown only attended the first day of classes last week, the complaint said.

If convicted, she could face up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Clayes began attending CSUF woman said. in 1959 when classes were held at The soon-to-be Joseph A.W. Sunny Hills High. He served on the Clayes III Performing Arts Center campus’ first stuis not the only lodent council and cal facility named later as Associated after a member Student Body Presof the the Clayes ident, representing family.

Clayes’ about 1,500 stugrandfather, a dents on the new longtime principal CSUF campus – of Anaheim High then known as Or– Dylan Harlan, School, saw the ange County State high school stadiGrad student College. He also um, Clayes Field, personally signed named after him. the loan guarantee to enable CSUF’s The $5 million donation to CSUF first fraternity, Sigma Phi Omega, to will establish a scholarship endowhave a home adjacent to the campus, ment for arts students.

See CLAYES BUILDING, Page 2 Paula Selleck, university spokes-

“

In my opinion we have better faculty. But students go where the money is.

“

DTSHORTHAND

By John synco/Daily Titan Multimedia and Internet Editor The Cal State Fullerton Performing Arts Center, was officially renamed the Joseph A.W. Clayes III Performing Arts Center, after the university received its second-largest donation.

Alumni perform at CSUF

King James loses a game of horse to a trick shooting competitor

By Todd barnes/Daily Titan Staff Photographer Guests of CSUF’s “Concert Under the Stars” were treated to a fireworks show at the end of the performances, Thursday. The concert is an annual event. This year’s theme was Disney-inspired.

See the story on page 4

WEATHER

TODAY

High: 89˚ Low: 65˚ Partly Cloudy

TOMorrow High: 89˚ Low: 65˚ Partly Cloudy

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Test helps high school students prepare CSU’s Early Assessment Program gives students a better idea of their standings

By Muey Saephanh

Daily Titan Assistant News Editor news@dailytitan.com

The California State University system is implementing a program for high school students aimed at im-

proving their skills for college.

The Early Assessment Program is a test that students can take in their junior year of high school and provides information about their readiness for college. According to a CSU Chancellor’s Office press release, this test will help evaluate student’s skills and see if they are on track for the next four to five years of college.

This is the third consecutive year that the CSUs have seen an increase

in student tests scores, according to the Chancellor’s Office. The EAP requires students to write an essay and answer 15 questions in both mathematics and English. In 2008, 76 percent of 11th graders (356,169 students) in California participated in the EAP. CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed said that the purpose of the EAP is to serve as a wake-up call to students about whether or not they will be pre-

paring for college in the next year.

Jack O’Connell, state superintendent of public instruction, said in a press release that he is pleased to know that students are taking this opportunity to improve their skills and prepare them for college.

“California’s high schools are working hard in partnership with the CSU and many other organizations to ensure more students take and succeed in the rigorous courses

that will prepare them to succeed in higher education,” O’Connell said.

In 2008, EAP results showed that 17 percent of students who took the test attained college proficiency earlier than those who did not participate in the EAP. This is a two percent increase from 2006.

Approximately 50,000 first-time freshmen enrolling at a CSU are not proficient in math or English See EAP, Page 2

College Park design conflicts with communication CP emergency alarms are not connected to CSUF’s notification system

By Amy Dempsey

Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com

College Park, which serves as home to Cal State Fullerton’s College of Communications, was not originally built as a CSUF property.

It was designed as an office building with a unique security system, which is unlike any other security system on campus.

College Park enjoys custom maintenance and safety services, but some

emergency notifications are not electronically connected to CSUF’s communication network.

CSUF Emergency Management Coordinator Justin Hendee said the surveillance cameras in College Park are not linked to the campus police.

They are run on a closed-circuit system, which only the College Park security officers have access to.

The College Park burglar and fire alarms also are not linked, but in case of a fire or earthquake, a College Park security officer will determine if campus police need to be notified, Brian Barnes, University Police dispatcher, said.

According to eyewitnesses, the emergency alarm system in the Col-

lege Park building did not go off during last July’s earthquake, leaving some people in the building unsure

“

This time, I was like, am I supposed to stay or go?

“

David Kolb timed his shot perfectly. He banked the basketball off a wall and into the hoop, which was strapped to a fork lift spinning in circles in the middle of a warehouse. The shot won him a trip to California and an opportunity to play Lebron James in a one-on-one game of Horse.

Cub Cadet, a lawn equipment manufacturer, organized the event called Lebron’s Trick Shot Challenge. Competitors were told to film themselves making a trick shot and submit it to the competition.

The winner, who was chosen

by James, received $5,000 in Cub Cadet gear and the chance to play against James.

– Brenda Bautista, Student

of what to do.

During a previous fire alarm, “The system was really loud and it was pretty clear what to do,” said Brenda Bautista, a student who also

works on the third floor of College Park. “This time, it was like, am I supposed to stay or go?” she said, referring to the July 29 earthquake.

The “blue emergency phone poles” throughout campus are not an emergency resource for students at College Park. According to Barnes, if a student in trouble needs to reach campus police, assuming they have access to a cell phone in an emergency, dialing 9-1-1 would direct the call to campus police.

In case of an earthquake or fire, students should rest assured. They will be in the safety of their professors who have been trained on how to evacuate students from the building, Rick Pullen, dean of the com-

munications department, said.

“The building also has its own staff who would come out in red vests and direct students to safety,” Pullen said.

Pullen also said he is not worried about students finding safety in an emergency, but has asked Auxiliary Services Corporation, who owns the College Park building, repeatedly to improve the staircases to alleviate elevator congestion.

“The students will not take six flights of stairs to get to class, but they will take one,” Pullen said. “I would like students who attend class in the basement to be able to take the stairs.”

See COLLEGE PARK, Page 2

Page Two

2

September 15, 2008

IN OTHER NEWS college park: 24 hour security watch INTERNATIONAL

From Page 1

Tibet monk in hiding tells of interrogation

BEIJING (AP) – Jigme, a Tibetan Buddhist monk, says he had just finished having a pair of shoes mended when four uniformed guards jumped from a white van and dragged him inside.

Suppressing his calls to a passing nun for help, they shoved a sack over his head and drove him to a guesthouse run by the local paramilitary People’s Armed Police.

What followed, according to Jigme, was two months of interrogation and abuse over his suspected role in this spring’s uprising against Chinese rule across Tibet and a broad swath of Tibetan-inhabited regions in western China.

His telephone interview with The Associated Press on Friday gives one of the few detailed first-person accounts of the crackdown on the riots and protests that continue six months after the events.

Chinese authorities contacted by phone said they had no information about Jigme’s case, making his claims impossible to verify.

But the basic facts of his story correspond with testimony given by monks and nuns detained in previous campaigns and widely reported by credible overseas human rights groups.

NATIONAL

College Park’s clean and musical restrooms, 24-hour security, privately run custodial staff, surveillance cameras and hidden staircases are what make it different from buildings on the main campus, Pullen said.

“The building is different from others at Cal State Fullerton because of its purpose when it was first built,” said Bill Dickerson, executive director of Auxiliary Services Corporation. “After the tenants, whose lease is up in 2009 leave the building, we

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) – Rescuers searching the waterlogged streets and splintered houses left behind by Hurricane Ike said Sunday they had saved nearly 2,000 people many of whom then boarded buses to shelters without knowing where they were going or when they could come home.

More than 48 hours after the first direct hurricane hit a major U.S. city since Hurricane Katrina, authorities imposed a weeklong nighttime curfew on Houston, where electricity was scarce and downed trees and shattered glass made roads unsafe.

The storm also battered the heart of the U.S. oil industry: Federal officials said Ike destroyed a number of production platforms, though it was too soon to know how badly.

Ike was downgraded to a tropical depression as it moved into the nation’s midsection and left more harm in its wake. Roads were closed in Kentucky because of high winds. As far north as Chicago, dozens of people in a suburb had to be evacuated by boat. Two million people were without power in Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana.

The death toll from the storm rose to 13. Three were in the hard-hit barrier island city of Galveston, Texas, including one body found in a vehicle.

“That is so decent,” musical theater major Ashlyn Wray, said.

“Cal State Fullerton hasn’t been hit too hard by budget cuts, but typically the arts are the first thing to go. I am glad the price tag to name a building is $5 million.

Clayes had many ties to the university, Selleck said. “For instance, his father was William Langsdorf ’s college roommate.”

A self-made man, Clayes was a real estate and stock investor who also enjoyed opera, theater, and the

Top Calif. lawmakers say they have budget deal

SACRAMENTO – The state’s top legislative leaders say they have reached a deal to end California’s record budget impasse.

It was not immediately clear whether the tentative deal would be accepted

by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has said he would not sign a budget that failed to include long-term reform.

State Senate leader Don Perata said he was “100 percent sure” lawmakers had reached the compromise needed to end the stalemate, which reached its 76th day on Sunday.

During a hastily called news conference, the Democratic and Republican leaders of the Assembly and Senate said they closed the $15.2 billion deficit without borrowing or new taxes. They did not release details, saying they first had to brief their respective caucuses.

For the Record It is the policy of the Daily Titan to correct any inaccurate information printed in the publication as soon as the error is discovered. Any incorrect information printed on the front page will result in a correction printed on the front page. Any incorrect information printed on any other page will be corrected on page 2. Errors on the Opinion page will be corrected on that page. Corrections also will be noted on the online version of the Daily Titan.

Please contact executive editor David Carrillo at 714-278-5815 or at execeditor@dailytitan.com with issues about this policy or to report any errors.

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Copyright ©2006 Daily Titan

to CSUF. In 2030, the rent money CSUF pays will pay off the bonds with which the building was purchased, and College Park will be under CSUF ownership.

According to Dickerson, in 2000 only 25 percent of College Park was occupied by CSUF. The rest of the building was vacant or occupied by non-university tenants, but due to CSUF’s rapid growth, College Park was filled with CSUF classes within the first year of its purchase. There are two remaining non-university tenants in the building, whose leases are up in 2009

arts, Selleck said.

Many performing arts students expressed elation at the thought of such a large donation to the arts programs.

Because many musicians are being bought in the form of scholarships from schools like Long Beach State, this donation will help students stay at CSUF, Dylan Harlan, a grad student studying instrumental performance, said.

“In my opinion we have better faculty, but students go where the money is,” Harlan said.

The majority of art students are unable to get jobs because of their

rigorous rehearsal schedule and they are living on of financial aid.

Many of them also have class starting at 8:00 a.m and on-campus production work until 11:00 p.m., theater major Keelia Flinn said.

“We don’t have a choice. We don’t make any money, but we make the school money,” Flinn said.

“People want to be in the theater program but can’t because they can’t afford it. This scholarship will help everyone.”

Clayes’ gift can be traced to emeritus professor James D. “Jim” Young, founding chair of the campus’s Theatre and Dance Depart-

ment.

He met with the Clayes’ trustees and encouraged them to consider the gift. Clayes and Young had reconnected in 2004, at a reunion of early 1960s-era graduates and professors, according to Inside, the online magazine of CSUF. Students and faculty said they consider the gift to the arts program extremely valuable and have no qualms with the new name, which will undoubtedly be shortened to the Clayes Center.

“If he donates $5 million, I will name me after him,” Jimmy Bean, a musical theater major, said.

eap: csuf helps over 69 high schools From Page 1

STATE

“emergency only” exit to the first floor exterior exit route.

Business administration student Ashley Eichen has a class on the fourth floor in College Park.

“I didn’t even know there were stairs in College Park,” Eichen said.

“If there are stairs, I would not know how to get to them during an emergency. I’ve never even seen a sign telling students where stairs are located.”

CSUF began renting space in College Park in 1999, and in 2000 Auxiliary Services Corporation purchased the building and now rents it

clayes building: new name for p.a.c.

From Page 1

Nearly 2,000 brought to safety in Texas

will figure out if we will continue to operate College Park this way.”

Many students do not know there are stairs in College Park.

“Everyone has access to the stairs in case of emergency, but students do not usually take the stairs on a daily basis,” Dickerson said. “It would be easier to have a staircase, but the building was not conveniently designed.”

The staircase connects floors two through 10, but offers only emergency access to the exterior of the building on the first floor. In the basement, the staircase offers an

according to the press release.

This means that about half of CSU students must take remedial courses to put them at a college proficiency level. These courses can set students back a whole semester, because they do not count as college credit.

Students can show that they are ready for college by passing both the EAP and the CSU’s placement test and attaining a qualifying scores on the SAT or ACT. According to the press release, Hispanic and African American student-participation in the EAP increased more than three percent since 2006. Hispanic students who took the test increased five percent, from 72 percent to 77 percent in 2008. African American students had an increase of three percent, from 72 percent to 75 percent. The EAP results showed that the increase in participation increased college proficiency by one percent.

“It is desirable for the university to have students come in ready for university work,” Paula Selleck, spokesperson for CSUF, said.

Families grieve for 25 dead in train wreck Associated Press SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) – Atul Vyas scored in the top 1 percent on his medical school entry exams, but he was having trouble answering one question on applications to Harvard and Duke: Describe a hardship you’ve overcome.

“He said, ‘I’ve not had any, I’ve had a blessed life,’” Vijay Vyas said of his son Sunday.

Atul Vyas never finished the application, never came closer his goal of working in biomechanics. On Friday, he was among 25 killed when a Metrolink commuter train collided with a freight train in nearby Chatsworth. He was 20.

The accident was the nation’s deadliest rail disaster in 15 years.

Other victims included a yoga instructor, an aspiring clothing designer, an air traffic controller and a seven-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department.

The train, which was carrying 222 people when it crashed during afternoon rush hour, was headed north toward Ventura County from downtown Los Angeles.

Atul Vyas was sitting in the front car of the Metrolink train, on his way to visit his parents in Simi Valley, his father said.

Atul’s elder brother, who lives in London, was flying into Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon. His parents did not tell him why they were summoning him to America, only that there was a family emergency.

CSUF trustees and President Milton Gordon have been working hard to work with high school students to make sure they are ready for university course work.

“That is why there is an exit exam from high school and an entry exam for the CSU. We want students to be prepared,” Selleck said.

CSUF works hand-in-hand with 69 high schools in Orange County, Xiomara Melendez, EAP coordinator for CSUF, said.

These 69 schools are top feeders to the university. CSUF has annual conferences for high school teachers and also has workshops that students can take full advantage of.

“CSUF has expository reading and writing courses that help train teachers to help prepare their students for university courses,” Melendez said.

Over 100 Orange County teachers have completed ERWC training in the last three years.

“The goal of the EAP is to pro-

vide students with early signs about whether or not they are ready for the types of math and English courses they will be taking at a Cal State. In the end, if a student does well on the EAP it could potentially save them time and money during their freshman year because they will not need to take remedial courses, which don’t count toward their degree,” Teresa Ruiz, public affairs communications specialist from the Chancellor’s Office, said.

3

News

September 15, 2008

Cal State Fullerton takes steps to conserve water Some proponents of water conservation favor use of non-native xerophytic species of plants that adapt easily to semi-desert climate

In a Mediterranean climate that receives minimal rain only six months out of the year, private and public properties everywhere are tightening the faucet and replacing thirsty plants with those that require less water.

Cal State Fullerton has joined the trend called sustainable landscaping.

The biggest efforts are being made in the form of modern drip irrigation systems.

Emitters so small they are barely noticeable can be placed alongside

plants, Steve Dugas, manager of landscape services, said.

A Southern California native, Dugas said he saw the need several years ago for the university to scale back its water consumption because of California’s increasing demand for water from other states.

He began retrofitting the old sprinkler systems with newer, more water-efficient sprinkler nozzles.

Drip irrigation systems, however, are only installed when new landscapes are planted.

“I know water is scarcer. We shouldn’t be taking it for granted,” Dugas said.

Drip irrigation systems are in place with the plants on the south side of Lot I, south of the Engineering Complex.

There is also an area north of the Humanities Building that will feature drip irrigation soon.

In addition to reducing water use, Dugas has brought in certain types of plants (xerophytic plants, which are adapted to dry climates) that require small amounts of water.

Game designer and Red Cross team up for blood drive

CSUF alumnus Smith retires from Anaheim post

‘Dracula Blood Drive’ will promote ‘Dracula 3: The Path of the Dragon’

Greg Smith (‘75) went from stadium parking attendant to executive director

by allen wilson

Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com

by Christee Lemons

Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com

Free video games and the mythical, bloodthirsty Dracula will be used to lure people into donating muchneeded blood to the American Red Cross at a Halloween-themed blood drive next month.

In conjunction with Encore Software, the joint blood drive will take place on Oct. 3 and 4 and will promote the company’s first PC adventure game, “Dracula 3: The Path of the Dragon.”

The Dracula Blood Drive will take place at eight Red Cross locations throughout Southern California, including the Fullerton Donor Center.

“Dracula is a very iconic figure, and when you think of Dracula, you think of blood,” Ashley Crabtree, Encore spokeswoman, said. “We approached the Red Cross with the idea and they liked it and we were able to partner for this event. The Red Cross is always in need for blood, so if we can bring awareness, that’s what we want to do.”

Each donor center will be Halloween themed, and will include decorations and a costumed Dracula, Crabtree said. Each donor will be entered into the raffle and every 30 minutes one winner will receive a copy of the game, in addition to receiving other giveaways that have not been determined yet.

The blood drive will last for about five hours and donors must adhere to certain physical requirements before giving blood. Donors must be at least 110 pounds, 17 years old (16 with a parent or legal guardian) and in good health.

Before any blood is drawn, each donor must complete an extensive health history questionnaire and have a shortened physical, Teresa Solorio, American Red Cross public affairs manager, said. Participants cannot have any recent tattoos, traveled to a county with a malaria outbreak, or have taken any medication that will deter them from donating.

After the questionnaire and physical is complete, the donor is ready to give blood. The blood drawing process takes seven to ten minutes to complete, Solorio said. After each participant gives blood, they are directed to sit in a designated canteen or refreshment area for 15 minutes.

“We don’t want you to be lightheaded and pass out in the parking lot,” Solorio said. “The idea is that we want to make sure you don’t leave with any adverse reactions.”

The American Red Cross conducts blood drives year-round throughout the country. It needs to collect 15,000 units of blood per day in Southern California just to meet the needs of local hospitals, Solorio said.

Blood takes two days to process before it can go into the body, she said.

“If a major disaster happened like an earthquake, major pile up on the freeway with a lot of trauma, shooting, man made or natural disasters, we need to have the blood ready.”

Each donation center can hold many donors at once and the required appointment can be made at www.givelife.org.

by edgar rascon

Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com

Greg Smith, Anaheim’s Executive Director of Convention, Sports and Entertainment and a CSUF alumnus, will retire after a 36-year career that began in the parking lot of Anaheim Stadium.

Smith said when he started when Gene Autry was still the owner of the Angels and the stadium was averaging about 15,000 fans per game. He worked there part-time as a parking lot attendant. “It was just something to help pay for tuition and books. I wasn’t planning on turning it into a career,” Smith said. “I’ve been very fortunate.”

He graduated in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and went to work as an accountant for the stadium and convention center. He continued to move up the ranks and in 1995 was asked to serve as executive director of the newly formed Convention, Sports and Entertainment department.

While Smith was in Anaheim the city’s sports and entertainment industry has gone through a Cinderella-like transformation, to borrow a name from the city’s most popular attraction.

Smith has been a part of some major events, including Greco-Roman wrestling in the 1984 Olympics and the Billy Graham Crusade, an evan-

On the west side of the Kinesiology Building, Mexican Palo Verde and barrel cactus were planted when the building was constructed.

Though neither are native to Southern California, both originate from regions with a semiarid climate.

Desert plants can be attractive and conserve water, but they also require more care and knowledge, C. Eugene Jones, professor emeritus of biology, said.

Yet desert plants – especially native ones – require the most care and can be very pricey, Jones said.

Dugas however has said that he is leaning towards planting only those suited for the Mediterranean, or semi-arid climate.

Not everyone on campus is keen on the idea of non-native plants.

Darren R. Sandquist, associate professor of plant ecology, would like to see more native plants to foster healthy insect and bird populations.

In addition, he and Jones agreed that non-natives can be obnoxious weeds. Date palms in front of Langs-

gelical gathering, which attracted over 500,000 people in 1985, according to the Billy Graham Crusade Web site. “That was the biggest event I ever did,” recalled Smith.

He said he was also involved in the $150 million-plus expansion of the Convention Center, which is the largest construction project in the history of Anaheim to date.

According to the convention center’s Web site, the Convention Center is now the largest on the West Coast, and is a huge economic stimulus to the city. Smith said that there are plans for another expansion, including a meeting room complex with a capacity of 300,000, additional parking stalls, and a fourstar 600 room hotel with a total cost of about $400 million.

Smith was in charge of the renovation of Angel Stadium of Anaheim, which was completed in 1998. The stadium attracts roughly 40,000 fans per Angels game.

Smith was also there when Michael Eisner, then head of the Disney Company, petitioned the NHL for an expansion hockey team. He oversaw the construction of the Arrowhead Pond, now the Honda Center, where the Ducks call home.

“From the time I started, I wouldn’t say Anaheim was a sleepy town, but now we are on a national level with the Angels and Ducks competing with the big boys,” Smith said. His desire to help people become the best they can be personally and professionally is what friends and colleagues describe about him.

Time Mead, Vice President of Communications for the Angels, has worked with Smith for over 30 years.

“I think the most important thing

dorf Hall are a prime example of native plants on campus.

“A number of the drought tolerant ornamental plants sold at nurseries can be very aggressive invaders, such as fountain grass, which sadly was planted in front of Steven G. Mihaylo Hall just recently,” Sandquist said.

Other sustainability advocates support the xerophytic plants however, regardless of their nativity.

Chair of the Academic Senate and chemistry professor A. Scott Hewitt said he thinks the xerophytic plants are great for the campus.

Hewitt, leader of the Sustainability Task Force, an outgrowth of the Academic Senate formed this past spring, said he was concerned mostly with the water required for irrigation, from a sustainability standpoint.

Water loss from drainage remains an unaddressed issue, Hewitt said.

The large surface area of concrete on campus doesn’t allow for ground water to be replaced, and he would like to see the concrete replaced by porous surfaces to help prevent water

about Greg is the quality of his character,” Mead said. “He has an amazing ability to see both sides of a problem, and he is always fair.”

Smith’s official last day will be Oct. 16, although he has no plans of slowing down. He plans to work as a consultant to the city, advising on the convention center renovation.

The city announced a professional recruitment firm will be conducting a nationwide search for a potential successor.

“His influence has always been positive, and he has kept the city’s best interest at the forefront of all he has done,” Curt Pringle, Anaheim’s mayor, said.

Despite all his success, Smith says his most rewarding achievement is not solely a personal one.

“I think developing a staff of people at the convention center that is the best in the country is my proudest accomplishment,” Smith said.

By allen wilson/Daily Titan Staff Photographer Mexican Palo Verde and barrel cactus require little water. They are found on the west side of the Kinesiology building.

from draining away.

And roof plants would help cool buildings, according to Hewitt.

The campus features a catch basin northeast of the Engineering and Computer Science Building.

The basin, called a bioswale, col-

lects the runoff from the parking lot and even contains a few native species.

“Some people think its ugly when its brown, but in the summer the only maintenance is to keep it clean ... and a little water,” Dugas said.

Features

4

September 15, 2008

Disney music delights at ‘Concert Under the Stars’

By Jesica Eastman

Daily Titan Staff Writer features@dailytitan.com

On Friday, Cal State Fullerton hosted “The 25th Annual Concert Under the Stars, The Magical Musical World of Walt Disney.”

The event, which President Gordon said is the largest community event of the year, welcomed City Mayor Sharon Quirk, Orange County Third District Supervisor Bill Campbell, major CSUF donor Dan Black, and over 3,000 guests.

“Concert Under the Stars” is an annual tradition hosted by CSUF and is a celebration kick-off for the new academic year.

It was a town-gown evening with friends and colleagues from both the city and the university.

Huge events like the concert help CSUF, and in turn the city of Fullerton is able to sustain itself, Quirk said.

Every college was represented at the event, along with a large group of students from Tianjin University of Finance and Economics in the People’s Republic of China.

The outdoor concert was held on the field north of the Kinesiology and Health Science building, allowing students and community members to find free lawn seating.

Alumni Joe and Carol Thibault of Anaheim, who have attended the “Concert Under the Stars” since 1976, said “we like bringing our own picnic and staking out our own piece of grass.”

The festivities began at 6 p.m. with a picnic dinner.

The first evening’s performance featured the University Jazz Ensemble, musical theater students The Preeminents, and Vice President Pamela Hillman.

The Broadway and off-Broadwayexperienced Theatre and Dance Alumni began performing at 7:30

p.m.

The musical theater stage crew has “This is my first time at a big event, been preparing for this year’s show I listen to music and see shows, but since the close of last year’s concert, this, I am fascinated,”Peng Ma, vis- Stage Manager Graham Forden iting student from TUFE in China said. said. “I have never seen a show like The stage was rented from Brite this.”

Ideas, a company owned by CSUF The show began with the Univer- graduate Greg Christy (theatrical sity Jazz Ensemble playing the famil- lighting design, ‘84). iar music of Walt Disney with a jazz “The stage is literally a transformtwist. er of sorts, it unfolds from a semiThe Jazz Ensemble accompanied trailer to a flat stage,” Eric Hanson, Hillman on a sultry version of “My director of production design for Funny Valentine.”

Brite Ideas, said.

The Preeminents performed sevIt took a crew of 30 to make the eral musical melodies from favorite audio, video, lighting, and staging Disney classics. preparations for the show.

In matching polka-dot dresses Many of the hired crew were and three-piece suits, performers CSUF graduates who joked about Adam Sauceworking with their do, Alyssa previous professor, Marie, Carly Susan Hallman, who Wielstein, is now Chair of the Jesse Bradtheater and dance deley, Julianne partment.

James, Luke “There is something Jacobs, Anto prove,” Technical drew Roubal Director John Vasquez – Joe and Carol Thibault, said. “This is my and Christa Rower eneighth year doing this CSUF Alumni tertained show and it takes me the audience back to when I was at with songs such as: “Tale As Old As school here.”

Time,” from Beauty and the Beast; An audience favorite was Mari “Under the Sea” from The Little Davi’s performance with Chris Mermaid, and “Heigh-ho” from Chatman and The Preeminents singSnow White. ing, “That’s How You Know” from The concert also featured solo per- Enchanted. formances from theater department Donning a bright red flamenco alumni Mara Davi, Emily Mitchell, shirt, Chatman’s tango steps and giant grin encouraged half of the audiand Ryan Nearhoff.

Since graduation, the alumni ence to dance to the catchy tune.

In her fifth performance at “Conperformed in Broadway and offBroadway productions throughout cert Under the Stars” as an alumna, the country.

Emily Mitchell spoke of how fun it A 2007 graduate, Nearhoff was was to return to CSUF. surprised when CSUF invited him Mitchell sang selections from the to come back and perform. the Broadway hit, “Aida” and closed “It was a huge honor. I was really the concert as a soloist singing “Cirshocked,” Nearhoff said. “I had to cle of Life” from The Lion King. do a double take and then I had to Fireworks erupted at the conclucheck my schedule.” sion of the evening, but not without Nearhoff has toured nationally the audience joining the cast and as John Denver in an off-Broadway crew in singing the Mickey Mouse production of “Almost Heaven: The Club’s Alma Mater, which ended, Songs of John Denver.”

“Now it’s time to say goodbye to all He highlighted the night by play- our company/ M-I-C/ See you real ing guitar and singing “So Close” soon!/ K-E-Y/ Why? Because we like from “Enchanted.” you!/ M-O-U-S-E.”

“

We like bringing our own picnic and staking out our own piece of grass.

“

Professional alumni and CSUF musicians entertain the community with classic songs

By Todd Barnes/Daily Titan Staff Photographer Cal State Fullerton students enjoy great food at the Concert Under the Stars picnic before the main theatre performance.

By Todd Barnes/Daily Titan Staff Photographer The Preeminents performed many well known Disney songs at the Concert Under the Stars showcase Friday.

Opinion

September 15, 2008

Titan Editorial Providing insight, analysis and perspective since 1960

First Responders Finding the proper words to discuss a tragedy like the Metrolink crash last Friday can be a difficult task.

There is a fine line between sympathizing with the families and friends of loved ones lost and presenting unbiased news that must be delicately balanced.

These events inherently carry a somber tone, especially in the first few days when unanswered questions only lead to more questions.

Often overlooked until long after the sting has faded and families are well into the grieving process, is the story of the first responders.

Not the emergency medical technicians, police, firefighters or local paramedics, but the residents who dropped whatever it was they were doing to care for others in need.

First responders – not just local, but from all over – did their job last Friday, and stayed well past the sunset and the following sunrise to ensure the welfare of the survivors. But civilians also made an impact by choosing to help others when they didn’t have to.

These people ran from their homes, offices and cars upon see-

Letters to the Editor:

ing the crash and brought water, blankets and paper towels – anything that might help.

Some were taking care of those who made it out of the wreckage, while others tried to pull survivors from the train.

These are the people – the ones who run toward danger rather than away from it, thinking not of themselves, but others – who exemplify human compassion and show us that it still exists.

Far too often we become selfish and unaware or ignorant, of the world around us.

With every disaster, man-made or natural, there are people who put their life on pause to help others.

We thank these people for their efforts, whether they were great or little. They don’t take action for recognition or fame, but because they care. To go to the scene as quickly as they did was an instinctual reaction.

Maybe we all could use a little more instinct, and instead of remaining bystanders, we can be a little something more.

Instead of remaining bystanders maybe we could all use a little more instinct, and through that, maybe we can all be a little something more.

Any feedback, positive or negative, is encouraged, as we strive to keep an open dialogue with our readership. The Daily Titan reserves the right to edit letters for length, grammar and spelling. Direct all comments, questions or concerns along with your full name and major to Daily Titan Opinion Editor Austen Montero at opinion@dailytitan.com.

5

The great CSUF drinking debate

Pro: Lowering the drinking age may prevent underage drinking Con: Youngsters aren’t yet aware of the dangers of drinking

By Kelly Lamb

Daily Titan Staff Writer opinion@dailytitan.com

College presidents from 100 universities all over America are now calling for the drinking age to be lowered to 18.

Well, it’s about time, isn’t it?

One of the arguments for lowering the age is that having the legal drinking age at 21 encourages binge drinking on campus.

This debate has been going on for long enough with no resolution, so let’s just settle it already.

The point is that regardless of what the law may dictate, teens are going to find a way to get their hands on alcohol. They are then more likely to drink more than they can handle, simply because they finally have the opportunity to do so.

If that opportunity were to be given to them earlier, their appreciation for alcohol would have time to gel before they get to the big leagues of drinking – also known as college.

Somebody once said "everything in moderation," right? Give the kids the chance to drink a few beers and have some fun.

A few years won’t make them any more responsible or wise. Sure, they’ll get a little sloppy, but who are we to stop them? Just keep them off the roads when they’re drinking and let them decide for themselves about alcohol. Alcohol has become the way to have fun for most of the youth of America.

Drinking is considered a rite of passage and something to brag about on Sunday morning while you nurse your hangover. But if the drinking age was lowered and that image was taken from alcohol, I would be willing to bet that some of that culture would subside.

It’s not like the age barrier is stopping teens from drinking, anyway – it just puts their night on hold until they can find a buyer.

European countries do not see the need for an older legal drinking age

and neither do I. The only thing that separates us is our cultures.

If the drinking age in America had been lowered when the voting age was (by the 26th Amendment in 1971), then we would be used to it by now and this debate could end.

A friend of mine living in Ireland started drinking openly when he was 14. In the culture that he was raised in that is quite common and accepted. In fact, most countries don’t care how old you are.

I feel that the law that prevents people who are under 21 from drinking and the law prohibiting jaywalking are very similar.

If you break either of these laws you are usually only hurting yourself, and if you do either one in an educated and sane manner, no one gets hurt at all. These laws both go largely unenforced and rarely stop anyone from committing the crime.

Basically, if you are not hurting anyone or driving under the influence, why should the government care what you put in your body?

Why must they always try to regulate the small and commonplace things and leave the larger problems in society unchecked?

Let’s try and fix something that matters instead of busting a drunken 18-year-old kid who probably can’t do worse than drunk-dial his exgirlfriend.

By Dhawani Parekh

Daily Titan Staff Writer opinion@dailytitan.com

What is wrong with alcohol?

"Nothing," many would say.

Many of us have tried alcohol at a young age because of curiosity, peer pressure, or to feel good and relaxed.

However, not everyone has stopped to think how harmful alcohol is.

Now, 18-year-olds will join the drinking crowd if the age limit gets changed to 18 and up. If this law gets passed, bars and clubs will be open to 18-year-olds who will be getting drunk alongside the 21-andolder crowd.

It is understood that once someone is 18 they are legally a n

adult, but it's a transition period. At 18 people are still going through physical and emotional changes.

At such a young age, they do not realize that alcohol can be addicting.

Surgeon general Kenneth Moritsugu said last year that alcohol is the drug of choice for teens.

Teens start drinking for a variety of reasons. Soon enough, they become a regular drinker. Then a heavy drinker if they do not know how to control it. At 18, putting a limit on oneself is a very tough thing to do, especially when you have temptations that are difficult to resist.

Alcohol is a stepping stone to drugs and depression. When people have arguments or fights, they become depressed not knowing how

to solve the problem. In turn, they drink alcohol to forget the situation.

Soon, they start abusing alcohol.

At 18, a person's body is still physically making the transition from a teenager to an adult.

According to MADD, "a persons brain does not stop developing until they are in their mid-20s. During this development, alcohol negatively affects all parts of the brain, including coordination, motion control, thinking, decision-making, hand-eye movement, speech and memory."

Starting at a young age causes more risk for having health problems and becoming an alcoholic.

Why would anyone want to abuse their body by taking in this harmful substance?

Alcohol can also impair one's driving. When people drink and drive they are risking their lives and others lives. At a young age, driving judgment is not as great, and with alcohol added to that, it spells trouble.

In 2007, there were 12,998 alcohol-related accidents, compared to 13,491 in 2006, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. At age 21, the number of accidents is high, but it has been going down over the years.

What will happen if the age limit is dropped to 18? Most likely casualty rates will increase drastically.

Not only that, but if the age limit is lowered to 18, more money will be spent on law enforcement. This money could instead be used on educating young people about drinking and the consequences.

Some people argue that there are youngsters that do drink secretly anyway, so why not just bring the age down? However, there will always be that small amount of youngsters that will continue to drink secretly, even if the age was lower.

So why drop the age limit and open it up to everyone just to please a small percentage of youngsters?

Dropping the age from 21 to 18 will do more harm than good for society.

6

Opinion

The Gossip Girl

By Amy Robertson Daily Titan Columnist

Internship leads to the man of her dreams I almost died last night. Or, at least I felt as if I was staring death in the face.

My heart stopped, my throat closed up, and my body started convulsing.

If I had died, though, at least I would have died a happy and fulfilled woman because it was in that moment that I had met the most amazing singer alive.

“Don’t cry, Amy” is all I could tell myself (aloud, in fact) as I stood next to the sexiest man alive and felt his arm around my shoulder.

In fact, when I woke up abruptly at 3 a.m. this morning, I still couldn’t believe that meeting Jason Mraz was not a dream – it had actually happened.

If you don't know who that is, you should.

But, I must warn you – upon hearing Mraz's music, you will inevitably fall in love with the man behind all those beautiful words, dream of marrying him and mothering his babies, and you will wait impatiently until the day he realizes you two are meant to be.

Take it from me because I say it from experience. I’ve been pining after him for six years now, and what I couldn’t believe last night is how completely pathetic I was.

Thanks to my internship, I’ve

met a lot of famous people. I’ve talked to Scarlett Johansson.

I’ve interviewed Penelope Cruz.

I’ve gotten yelled at by Shia LaBeouf (that story is reserved for another column).

Yet, of all the people I’ve come in contact with, it was Jason Mraz who turned me completely incoherent and incapable of producing normal, complete sentences.

How sad am I? Although I could go on and on about how amazing Jason Mraz is and how unreal it was to just be able to touch him, I, instead, want to talk about fans and their interaction with their beloved stars.

With Mraz, he had just finished a near two-hour performance, and while most stars would have some covert operation planned on how to sneak out of whatever venue they just performed at, he simply walked out the side exit and continued down the street like he was this average Joe Schmoe.

Furthermore, instead of having a huge posse surround him while he made his way to whatever unmarked car was waiting to whisk him away, he strolled by, talking with fans along the way to a modest Jeep that was sitting at the side of the street.

Mraz, though evidently more famous than he was six years ago, is such a real and down to Earth guy.

And, I appreciate that so much.

If I had seen Justin Timberlake perform last night, the closest I would have gotten to him would have

been the nosebleed section seats I would barely be able to afford or from the oh-so-realistic dreams I’d have had of him that same night.

A lot of being a “celebrity” is being up on this unreachable pedestal. I don’t consider Jason Mraz a celebrity because he’s not.

He’s a singer and an artist, but not a star - stars are unattainable.

They’re gods that we idolize from magazine pages, computer monitors or TV screens.

However, whoever is to blame for this disconnection is about as unclear as the chicken and egg argument.

Are celebrities unattainable because if they weren’t, they’d get mobbed to death?

Or, do we mob them and idolize them so much because they are unattainable?

I guess I’m not the one to answer this because despite the normalness of Mraz, I still ended up running after him in an attempt to have our picture taken together.

But, for argument’s sake, he only had about half a dozen girls following him down the street after his concert, while J.T. would have had that multiplied by a hundred.

Plus, I’m going to marry Mraz someday so we had have to at least met before that happens.

September 15, 2008

TSU keeps drinkers under the radar

By Breanna Moore

Daily Titan Staff Writer opinion@dailytitan.com

With my 21st birthday finally around the corner (62 days left, and counting), it is only normal that drinking has been on my mind as of late.

Obsessively, I find myself pondering several important questions: Bar or restaurant? Vegas or New York?

Friends or trouble?

These aren't exactly the deepest of questions, but in a quest to make my birthday celebration the best that it can be, they're the ones I can't help but dwell on.

This isn't uncommon; alcohol doesn't often inspire deep or intelligent thoughts or questions.

However, we do sometimes find ourselves stumbling (drunkenly) over a good one.

For example, one of my friends recently asked, "Why are all the alkies banished to the basement of the Titan Student Union?"

I had never thought about it that way. In fact, put like that, it hardly seems fair. After all, when the only place on campus to get a drink is in a dingy pub hidden under ground, you might start to think that Cal State Fullerton doesn't like drinkers very much.

My first instinct was to rage at the injustice of it all, when the slightly more intelligent, less fun-loving, killjoy part of my brain kicked into high gear and showed me the answer.

The alkies aren't banished to the basement but rather are hidden away from the rest of the school so as to prevent jealousy among younger students.

And, of course, to prevent them from publicly embarrassing themselves in front of the non-drunken folk.

It seems that the difficult thing for drinkers to remember is that not everyone who attends CSUF is 21.

Think of the first-time freshmen who walk onto campus right out of high school. Young and green, they probably have no knowledge of the scandalous nature of a drunken night. They don't understand the

joys drinking can offer or the pains it can induce.

I'm currently going into my final semester at CSUF and I am not of legal drinking age. If we assume that a majority of students began some form of college right out high school at the age of 17 or 18, then we can also assume that many of the freshman and sophomores, at least, are unable to legally drink.

And in a day and age when college is presented to society through TV shows like "Greek" and movies like "National Lampoon's Animal House," drinking in college seems like the norm.

According to http://www.healthyminds.org, surveys indicate that 4 out of every 5 college students drink.

No wonder those poor freshman feel left out.

In the end, drinking has transformed. To many, it isn't even just the college norm anymore; it's also the cool, college thing to do.

By selling beer only in the TSU Underground, CSUF has ensured that students under 21 do not have to feel left out of the college experience.

There are plenty of other places to be on campus that do not involve drinking.

Though it is more likely that CSUF's reasoning was to prevent temptation for those students under the legal drinking age, they have also done them a great service by giving them the option of merely staying away from a place they might not know exists anyway.

And drinkers, for this you can also rejoice.

By putting your on-campus watering hole in a place where few students venture to by accident, CSUF has ensured privacy and a lower dosage of the aforementioned pesky freshman.

But if that doesn't work, then remember your days as an 18-year-old, surrounded by cool college students already old enough to drink, and have pity on their kind.

After all, they just want to be cool like you.

And in 62 more days, I will be too.

Index Announcements 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 2100

Campus Events/Services Campus Organizations Greeks Legal Notices Lost and Found Miscellaneous Personals Pregnancy Research Subjects Sperm/ Egg Donors Tickets Offered / wanted

Merchandise 2200 2300 2400 2500 2600 2700 2800 2900 3000 3100 3200 3300 3400 3500

Appliances Art/Painting/Collectibles Books Computers/Software Electronics Furniture Garage/Yard Sales Health Products Miscellaneous Musical Instruments Office Equipment Pets Rentals Sports Equipment

Transportation 3600 3700 3800 3900

Auto Accessories/Repair Auto Insurance Miscellaneous Vehicles For sale/Rent

Travel 4000 4100 4200 4300

Resorts/Hotels Rides Offered/Wanted Travel Tickets Vacation Packages

Services 4400 4500 4600 4700 4800 4900 5000 5100 5200 5300 5400 5500 5600 5700 5800 5900 6000

1-900 Numbers Financial Aid Insurance Computer/Internet Foreign Languages Health/Beauty Services Acting/Modeling Classes Legal Advice/Attorneys Movers/Storage Music Lessons Personal Services Professional Services Resumes Telecommunications Tutoring Offered/Wanted Typing Writing Help

Employment 6100 6200 6300 6400 6500 6600 6700 6800 6900 7000 7100

Business Opportunities Career Opportunities P/T Career Opportunities F/T Child Care Offered/Wanted Help Wanted Actors/Extras Wanted Housesitting Internship Personal Assistance Temporary Employment Volunteer

Housing 7200 7300 7400 7500 7600 7700 7800 7900

Apartments for Rent Apartments to Share Houses for Rent/Sale Guest House for Rent Room for Rent Roommates - Private Room Roommates - Shared Room Vacation Rentals

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1600

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Sigma Alpha Lambda,

a National Leadership and Honors Organization with over 75 chapters across the country, is seeking motivated students to assist in starting a local chapter (3.0 GPA Required). Contact Rob Miner, Director of Chapter Development at rminer@salhonors.org.

Sitters wanted.$10+ per hour.

Register free for jobs near campus or home. www.student-sitters.com Mothers helper. Help with picking up children from school, homework and afterschool activities. judylyn38@hotmail.com, 714-944-6782

Guitarists (lead, bass) needed for new OC Band! 21+ Contact ASAP; email Karen: kmri22@ sbcglobal.net

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Humorscopes Brought to your by humorscope.com

Aries (March 21 - April 19) This is not a good day to start a new romance.

Particularly not a new romance based on a personals classified ad in the back of Mad magazine.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) A package will arrive for you today, from a distant relative in Tibet. Scarlet-robed assassins will begin following you.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Try being entirely honest for a week. That’s a fine way to develop a clear conscience. Personally, I prefer my method, though -- a poor memory.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22) Your window of opportunity is rapidly closing!

Don’t worry too much, though - the screen door of possibility is still ajar.

Leo (July 23 - August 22) You will join a team, and have lots of fun. I’m not sure what sport it is, but the team name will be “The Screaming Weasels”.

Virgo (August 23 - September 22) Today you will turn over a new leaf. Good for you!

We were all getting a little tired of you, you know, as you were.

Libra (September 23 - October 22) You will be overly impressed by a commercial for a golf club, which describes it as a “weapon of incredible range and power”. You will make people nervous by referring to your pencil as “a weapon of incredible pointyness and surprise”.

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21) You will soon send off for plans to build your own hovercraft. Your scheme to disguise it as a giant floating eyeball is a bit silly, though.

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) You will notice an odd stone “egg” in an antique shop. Don’t bring it home. They’re very hungry right after they hatch.

Capricorn (December 22 - January 20) This might be a good time to decide what you want to be when you actually do grow up. I’m guessing that you’d be best off as either a yodeling oceanographer, or possibly a bovine pathologist.

Aquarius (January 21 - February 18) You may have to share a hotel room with a business colleague, to save travel expenses. Here’s a tip to keep them from talking all night: bring along a teddy bear, and punch it really hard in the head a few times at bedtime, screaming “Shut up, Mr. Teddy! Shut up!”.

Pisces (February 19 - March 20) You will become trapped in an elevator with the local Christian Karaoke Club. Look on the bright side - as with many hostage situations, you may end up getting a television mini-series out of it.

1T O

7

ALL

September 15, 2008

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sports

8

September 15, 2008

Balancing act lands perfect score Jessica Merriam’s committment to her sport and academics helps CSUF gymnastics rank No. 6 in nation

sports@dailytitan.com

Surrounded by sounds of squeaky springs, bodies thumping on mats, and the calls of coaches, girls in dark blue Under Armour boy shorts and white tank tops practice on the balance beam and the vault.

These are the members of the Cal State Fullerton women’s gymnastics team. Many students on campus do not know where they practice or that the team even exists, but they are a force to be reckoned with.

“If we stay healthy, I believe this team could be in the top three in our conference and qualify to regionals,” Head Coach Jill Hicks said.

Poised on the beam, Jessica Merriam and her teammates are oblivious to the camera. This discipline is evident in everything they do – including the team being ranked sixth in the nation academically with a

“

I always loved it (gymnastics), but I never thought I’d get this far.

“

By Eui-jo Marquez

Daily Titan Staff Writer

team grade point average of 3.5867 With her stellar grades and gym– Merriam’s leads the way with a 4.0 nastic ability, Merriam managed to GPA. land a scholarship to CSUF that She credits the time management covers tuition and books. In the 12 and discipline skills she has learned years since she began the sport, she in gymnastics for her academic suc- has come a long way. cess.

“My brothers did sports, so my “She is one of the hardest working mom thought it would be fun if I gymnasts we have. could have a girl’s She never gives up sport,” she said. and not only is a Her mother good example in found a coupon practice but also for four weeks of in the classroom,” gymnastics for Hicks said. $14, and MerMerriam, 20, riam moved up – Jessica Merriam, quickly through a junior studying Junior gymnast health science and the ranks. chemistry, moved “I always loved to Fullerton three years ago from it, but I never thought I’d get this Battleground, Washington. She had far,” Merriam said. worked with Hicks at her hometown Although she was good, she was gym and followed her to CSUF. sure she could not compete with “I (also) wanted to live in Califor- girls who started when they were nia because I like to surf,” Merriam younger than five years old. said.

“When I decided that I loved gym-

By Eui-Jo Marquez/Daily Titan Staff Photographer Jessica Merriam poses for a picture after practice. The junior helped the Titans rank No. 6 in the nation in GPA by getting a 4.0.

nastics and decided that I wanted to keep doing it, my whole goal was to get into college, and do it competitively in college,” Merriam said. “I figured that was more realistic than the Olympics.”

The CSUF team knows that academics come first. Hicks makes sure the girls both train and study hard.

“The girls who keep doing gymnastics tend to be very goal oriented and high achievers,” Hicks said.

“When they get to college it can be tempting to let the discipline go for the first time in their lives. That is why I require eight hours a week of study hall no matter if they are a 4.0 student out of high school.”

Merriam has gym practice four days a week from 8 a.m. until noon, then class until 7 p.m., and then she usually heads to the gym with her friends.

On the weekends she hangs out with her friends, reads, studies, and works online for her family’s business.

She said she loves learning as much as she loves gymnastics and plans on going to medical school after graduation to become an emergency room doctor.

“I think part of that has to do with the gymnastics; all the pressure,” Merriam said. “I enjoy the constant pressure. I volunteered in an emergency room this summer and it was really exciting.”

The way Merriam handles pressure doesn’t surprise her teammate, Alana Mouery. “(Jessica) has set high goals for herself, and I am confident she will achieve them,” Mourey said.

After graduation, Merriam doesn’t plan on doing gymnastics competitively, but knows it will be impossible to cut it out of her life.

She plans on continuing to work out in the gym, and thinks about coaching.

“It’s part of my life because I’ve been doing it for so long. I don’t know what I’ll do when I stop,” Merriam said.

The Chef ’s Special At what point do athletes need to realize that they just aren’t good enough to play the sport they love?

By Michal Olszewski

Daily Titan Sports Editor

molszewski@dailytitan.com

Athletes are taught to never give up, to work hard and to play until the final buzzer.

But at what point in sports, or any competition, does one simply realize that he or she just is not good enough to compete in a certain sport?

This isn’t a rhetorical question in the sense of a player clinging to a dream and not wanting to retire, or an athlete who has worked hard for their entire career and just can’t make it to the next level, but rather an entire team that has been continually embarrassed.

In the Olympic qualifying round for women’s ice hockey, the Bulgarian National Team was embarrassed … and then some.

The Bulgarians, with 37 registered women ice hockey players in the country of 7.4 million (according to Yahoo.com), were defeated in all four games they participated in by a combined score of 192-1, including an international record 82-0 beat down from the Slovakian national team.

As if the disparity wasn’t large enough, to put this in perspective, three National Hockey League teams – the Detroit Red Wings (179), San Jose Sharks (187) and Anaheim Ducks (184) – allowed fewer goals in an 82-game schedule last season.

The Slovakians led 7-0 after five minutes, held a 31-0 lead after the first period, 55-0 after the second period and outshot the Bulgarians, 139-0, for the game.

Not even one shot for an “Olympic” team.

The result begs the questions of, “why did the Bulgarians send a team to the qualifying round and why does the Olympic committee allow games to get out of hand to a point where there is no longer any point to playing the game?”

The wrong message of giving

up may be sent, but teams know when they cannot compete with the elite players and teams around the world.

At no point during the 82-0 game would Slovakia feel any better about its team, and Bulgaria, I’m sure, gave up pretty quick in its attempt to make the match competitive.

On the other hand though, should teams, such as Slovakia in this case, continue to salt the wound in order to exert its dominance over a weaker team in a runaway game?

Should a team that is likely to win a medal in the 2010 Olympics keep scoring every chance it gets or just play keep away after scoring their tenth goal?

On average, the Slovakians scored a goal every 44 seconds in the 60-minute game.

I know a lot of fans will say, “anything can happen,” but in a complete bashing like this, nothing will change the outcome of the game.

The two teams should have more respect for one another and not waste the time of people involved and put the sport to shame.

I’m not saying Bulgaria should never have a team, but at least hold the countries name out of the headlines by waiting to field a competitive team before showcasing the team’s “talent” at this level.

While it’s true that teams must play tougher competition to improve, when a team has fallen this low at the international level, then perhaps it should play another team at another venue that won’t embarrass the team and its country.