THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014
Volume 95, Issue 37
Pledge policy divides Greeks National fraternity’s ban on pledging draws mixed reaction MICHAEL HUNTLEY Daily Titan
animals. He said people invest in businesses because of why they were created. “My game plan going into this pitch is to not really so much sell my business, it’s to tell a story about how this business can solve a problem that many Americans face,” Royston said. “There’s not a lot of properties that are completely pet-friendly; there’s a lot of people who have pets.” According to the American Pet Products Association, 62 percent of American households have at least one pet. This means pet-friendly property owners have more than double the pool of potential tenants than landlords who do not accept pets.
The Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity recently made a controversial decision to ban the pledge process for all of its chapters nationwide to prevent hazing, a problem that has plagued Greek organizations. Newly admitted members of the fraternity go through a pledge process to learn the history of the fraternity, develop character and get to know active members. However, the process has been marred by a history of brutal and humiliating rituals in order to prove the loyalty of a new member or test his resolve. “As an organization, we have been plagued with too much bad behavior, which has resulted in loss of lives, negative press and large lawsuits,” SAE’s top official, Bradley Cohen, said in a statement shortly after the ban was finalized on March 7. “We have taken our bloodline for the fraternity—our new members—and treated them as second-class citizens.” SAE is the largest fraternity to pass a policy banning the process, and the decision was met with divided reactions. Some felt the policy would be effective, and others felt it would simply push hazing underground. “I think it could definitely reduce their incidents of hazing,” said Quinn Royston, a senior business major and member of the Sigma Nu fraternity at CSUF. “And I think in a lot of ways it’s progressive and can be very beneficial.” CSUF has a zero-tolerance policy for hazing in Greek organizations and all student groups. The policy bans any type of hazing, including paddling, sleep deprivation and forced nudity. Universities in the United States have closed or suspended at least 15 SAE chapters in the past three years. SAE’s Cal State Fullerton chapter closed in 1990, when it was banned from campus for noise complaints and frequent police visits to its fraternity house. In recent years, universities and Greek organizations have cracked down on hazing. Under a California law enacted in 2006, an act of hazing that does not cause bodily harm can result in a maximum fine of $5,000. Anyone who personally engages in hazing that results in bodily harm can face up to a year in county jail.
SEE BUSINESS, 3
SEE HAZING, 2
ELEONOR SEGURA / Daily Titan Students craft “no-sew” blankets as part of a charity event hosted by the Cal State Fullerton branch of Alpha Phi Omega and CSUF Planetshakers in the Quad Wednesday. The blankets went to the Project Linus charity, and students also made friendship bracelets to be donated to the Boys and Girls Club.
Crafting for charity As part of the Community Service Inter-Club Council Day Wednesday, the Cal State Fullerton branch of Alpha Phi Omega and CSUF Planetshakers hosted an arts and crafts
event to create materials to be donated to charity. Students made “no-sew” blankets by tying knots at the corners and edges of each individual piece.
The blankets will be donated to Project Linus, named after the popular, blanket-carrying character in the Peanuts comic strips and television specials. The charity donates hand-made blankets
to children who are critically ill. Additionally, volunteers crafted friendship bracelets. The bracelets will be donated to the local branch of the Boys and Girls Club.
Group dances to an urban beat CSUF alumnus forms Prime.D, a creative dance group TROI MCADORY Daily Titan
With sharp and in synch choreography, Prime.D has grown and morphed into an organization that allows young adults to express their creativity through movement. Founded in 2010 by CSUF alumnus Martin Delgado, the team has quickly made a name for itself in the urban dance world. Rhythm, passion and soul move these college dancers to present a story for their audience. Showcasing their hard work and energy, they represent various backgrounds and dance styles with triumph. The name originated
from the simple need to focus solely on dance. This led to the name Primarily Dance, or Prime.D for short. Delgado kicked off the Prime.D dance team with the help of friends who were already heavily involved in the underground dance scene. Delgado loved dance since he was a child, gaining a lot of inspiration from Michael Jackson. He watched the entertainer as a muse to create his own dance style, though he wasn’t serious about dance until high school when he was exposed to various dance genres. Originally, he did not like choreographed dance because he came from more of a freestyle background. SEE DANCE, 5
Courtesy of Prime.D Prime.D was founded in 2010 by CSUF alumnus Martin Delgado. The team has made a name for itself in urban dance scene.
Courtesy of Cal State Fullerton Center for Entrepreneurship The business plan competition is hosted each year by the Center for Entrepreneurship. The finals will include three distinct teams who will pitch their own business plan.
Building the best business Final round of annual competition down to three teams KYLE NAULT Daily Titan
In a battle to see who has the best business concept among Cal State Fullerton’s student body, three teams of contestants will present their 15-minute pitches to a panel Friday as part of the final stage in a business plan competition. Judges will grade pitches based on criteria that includes the opportunity the new business plan offers, the financial viability of the product and challenges the team could face. “It is extremely tough (to pick a winner) and there is going to be a diversity of
opinion, even with a sixjudge panel,” said Travis Lindsay, the coordinator of the Mihaylo College Center for Entrepreneurship. The judges will choose between finalists Cordomi Rentals, Eagle Eye Engineering and White Light Medical, all of whom possess different focuses for their respective businesses to earn top recognition. “Every team that has made it to the finals really believes that they are going to start a business and they are really dedicated to making it successful,” Lindsay said. Quinn Royston is the founder and CEO of Cordomi Rentals, a company that will provide a mobile application and website to easily assist people in finding rental properties that welcome different breeds of
INSIDE WAVE RESEARCH CSUF professors and students use the LIGO detector to learn about gravitational waves FEATURES 5 FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @DAILY_TITAN
TITANS HIT ROAD CSUF baseball team will travel for Big West Conference clash with UCSB Gauchos SPORTS 8 VISIT US AT: DAILYTITAN.COM