W EDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2014
Volume 95, Issue 5
CSUF hosts first Student Success Initiative open forum at Irvine Campus CYNTHIA WASHICKO Daily Titan
With the first of six planned open forums, the Student Fee Advisory Committee continued the rollout of information and
OLLI marks 35 years at CSUF
collected student feedback Tuesday on the proposed Student Success Initiative. The new fee, as currently proposed, would add $240.50 in mandatory student fees per semester, unless spending priorities are changed through feedback
given online and through forums like this one. Revenue gained from the new fee would go to student services by funding additional courses, increased athletic scholarships, improved athletic facilities and expansion of student
services. The forum promoted the theme of student involvement in the fee decision process. After a short presentation detailing areas that would receive funding from the fees, students were asked to fill
out surveys agreeing or disagreeing with various elements of the fee package and could offer their suggestions. Seven students completed and submitted those surveys Tuesday. As of Monday night’s meeting of
the committee, about 450 students have completed the surveys so far during small meetings with students conducted in recent weeks. SEE FORUM, 3
F. Scott Hess: Retrospective Five decades of Austrian artist’s work currently showcased at the CSUF Begovich Gallery SEE DETOUR, 5
Institute continues to offer education for seniors to enjoy REBECCA HARDMAN Daily Titan
Cal State Fullerton’s program for lifelong learning for the retired and semi-retired is celebrating its 35-year anniversary this year. Since opening their doors under a different name in 1979, what is now known as the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) has grown into a community of more than 1,500 members who engage in intellectual discussions, social interactions and physical activities on campus. The volunteer organization has been located in the Ruby Gerontology Center since 1988, when a six-year, $2.5 million fundraising campaign funded its construction, becoming the first privately funded building on campus. Today, up to 22 classes are held there daily. OLLI encourages members to collaborate and share their life experiences, knowledge and genuine interests across a wide spectrum. Participants are able to share their expertise in particular fields, both academically and professionally, among other members. Michael Stover, OLLI’s president, said the institute is intended to provide “a continuing learning experience” for the community and its members. OLLI offers 143 different classes this spring, Stover said. “Your brain doesn’t retire,” Stover said. “To remain intellectually stimulated as well as socially connected, as well as physically active, are the ingredients for successful aging.” Almost one-third of OLLI members are retired teachers and educational leaders. Many other members consist of retired engineers, business managers, attorneys, healthcare professionals and government administrators. “OLLI is a good mix of people in various fields, education, science,” said retired aerospace physicist Bill Armstrong, 58. “They are all a good influence.” SEE OLLI, 2
BRANDON HICKS / Daily Titan Figurative oil paintings, along with sculpture installments by artist F. Scott Hess, will be displayed in the Begovich Gallery until Feb. 27. Hess’ works portray satirical tales of the human experience through vivid colors, use of light and shadows and detail-oriented emotive images.
Student group protests fee increase One member of ASI Board of Directors vows to oppose Student Success Initiative KYLE NAULT Daily Titan
During the public comment portion of the Associated Students Inc. Board of Directors meeting Tuesday, Ryan Quinn, a graduate student, asked board members to sign a petition against the proposed $240.50 fee increase called for by the Student Success Initiative. Quinn, a member of the Cal State Fullerton chapter of the statewide student advocacy group Students for Quality Education (SQE), convinced one board member, Travis Morgan, to take him up on his offer and sign the petition. Morgan represents the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “It’s labeled the Student Success Initiative, but what it’s really doing is throwing student success on the back of students,” Quinn said. The Student Fee Advisory Committee is made up of both students and administration, including the Dean of Students, Tonantzin Oseguera, and ASI President Rohullah Latif, who were both present at the meeting. Quinn, who is studying history, said the committee may have a narrow majority of students—seven of the 13 voting members are students—but the administration and faculty on the committee are not paying the bill for this new fee. As a result, he said, those members are more comfortable with having students pay more. “It takes a lot away from the legitimacy of the committee to
MARIAH CARRILLO / Daily Titan Ryan Quinn, representing Students for Quality Education, asked ASI Board of Directors members to pledge against raising student costs through the Student Success Initiative. So far, one board member has agreed.
basically up the fee of students,” he said. Quinn said he is hopeful that the sky’s the limit in terms of how many petition signatures he can obtain in opposition of the fee increase with the backing of SQE and other organizations in the next few weeks. In the public comment portion of the meeting, Quinn presented his petition to the board. A few members, including ASI Board Chair Jonathan Kwok, acknowledged Quinn’s concerns. “Ryan has a point; students don’t know that this fee is going
ART EXPRESSION Dean of the College of Arts recalls students’ accomplishments in OLLI speaking series
advising and upgrading university Wi-Fi networks and other related technologies. ASI Chief Governmental Officer Harpreet Bath, also a member of the advisory committee, explained the steps ASI Lobby Corps has been taking to advocate for students. “This year, Lobby Corps has made it their function to make sure that we are advocating on behalf of our 38-plus thousand students,” Bath said. SEE ASI, 3
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up,” Kwok said. “I think a lot of us believe that it is the university’s responsibility (to inform us of the increase) since they’re asking for us to ask for this money; why aren’t they providing for it?” The need for an increased amount of revenue for student services is identified as one of the main goals in CSUF’s strategic plan from 2013 to 2018. Among the improvements discussed in relation to the proposed initiative are a 24/7 library during finals week and possibly other times of high student demand, expanded academic and career
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