February 11, 2010
Vol. 87 Issue 6
Gymnastics perseveres despite uncertain future The CSUF gymnastics program is still in financial trouble caused by budget cuts, despite multiple fund-raising efforts. The team raised $25,000 during an event co-sponsored by the UCLA gymnastics team and Olympic gold medalist Nastia Liukin. SPORTS, Page 10
THURSDAY
Thao with The Get Down Stay Down bring folk fusion to Costa Mesa
‘Don’t ask, Don’t Tell’ must be repealed OPINION, Page 6
SOUND-OFF, Page 4
UNDERGROUND SOUNDS: Downtown Fullerton when you’re single
Opportunity for Placentia parking structure explored
SOUND-OFF, Page 4
NEWS, Page 2
The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton
Professor battles slavery Jeffrey Kottler spreads freedom through knowledge by educating the underprivileged in Nepal By Juanita Vasquez
Then his attention was drawn to a deeper issue found in Nepal’s beautiful mountains – young girls being sold into sex slavery out of monetary necessity. It is estimated that 7,000 Nepalese girls are kidnapped and sold each year as sex slaves, some as young as 8 years old. “It’s so emotionally overwhelming to see the conditions in which these girls live in – there’s always somebody crying,” Kottler said.
Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com
Just last week, Jeffrey Kottler was somewhere among the snow-capped peaks that rise out of the small country of Nepal, nestled between India and China. However, his trip wasn’t exactly one of rest, relaxation or sightseeing. Every winter, Kottler travels to Nepal to deliver monetary donations and prevent young girls from being sold by their families as sex slaves. Kottler, a professor of counseling at Cal State Fullerton, makes this annual trip to visit the children that his nonprofit foundation helps. As a counselor and psychologist, Kottler first traveled to Nepal to instruct health workers on how to use counseling techniques and concepts in their work.
Leah Brew, chair of the counseling de- where we devote our time and energy,” partment, said when Kottler discovered Kottler said. “it’s just horrific to think that there were girls who were faced with that a 9-year-old girl is going to be sold the prospect of going into sex slavery, he into slavery, work in a brothel and be immediately tried to find a way to better raped.” their lives. The Madhav Ghimire Foundation According to Brew, Kottler found has provided, and continues to provide, out that for a very small scholarships to needy amount of money, he children from rural It’s so emotionally could significantly imvillages in Nepal. prove the quality of life overwhelming to see the Members of the of one girl by helping her conditions in which these foundation raise attain an education. In girls live in – there’s always funds to provide chilthis way, she would not somebody crying. dren with academic be faced with the option uniforms and – Jeffrey Kottler fees, of sex slavery. supplies needed for counseling professor “If they could afford an academic year. to go to school then they In addition to the wouldn’t take that path,” monetary assistance Brew said. these children receive, the volunteers The new options created for these girls and team members working with the are in part made possible by The Madhav foundation pay visits to each child and Ghimire Foundation. Along with Kiran their families several times each year. Regmi, an obstetrician in Nepal, and “To me, Jeffrey just represents what Digumber Piya, a community activist Americans do – reach out to the world and philanthropist, Kottler co-founded when they need help,” said Lori Phelps, an organization that would a human service lecturer. “It’s wonderful help provide educational to have someone of Jeffrey’s notoriety opportunities for those here,” she added. girls who had been neKottler, the author of over 60 books glected by their own in the subjects of psychology, education country. and counseling, was one of Phelps’ idols. “I don’t “I used to teach counseling at a private think it school sometimes on the weekends and I m a t - used Kottler’s books,” Phelps said. “He’s t e r s very reachable and you know, human.” His colleagues and co-workers acknowledge that Kottler’s dedication and passion for the things he does is one way in which he mentors and teaches his profession. “The man never stops working,” said Alison Quigley, administrative support coordinator at the department of counseling. “When he’s here on campus he’s teaching, he’s writing a book, he’s helping somebody else or he’s running his foundation,” she said. “He loves what he does. He loves being there,” Quigley said. “Now it’s just a part of Photo courtesy jeffrey kottler his life.”
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Jeffrey Kottler with Inu, the first girl to receive a scholarship from Empower Nepali Girls. After nine years of support, Inu will be attending college in the fall.
Language programs at risk of being cut By Melissa Hoon
Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com
Interested in studying a foreign language as your major, or considering an emphasis in international business? You might have to reconsider. On Oct. 15 of last year, Dr. Ephraim Smith, vice president of academic affairs, sent an informal proposal to discontinue the following Modern Languages and Literature (MLL) department programs: French (M.A., B.A. and minor), German (B.A.) and Portuguese (minor). The German program has had consistent low enrollment since 2003, so many
MLL students and faculty were not surprised. The Portuguese program will most likely be kept, as it doesn’t affect the university budget-wise to keep the few courses required to complete the minor, said Dr. Hélèn Domon, coordinator of the French program. However, the MLL Department was in shock to hear that the successful French program might be cut. “The (MLL) Department had no warning,” Dr. Domon said. Trials with various committees have taken place once each month since the Photo By NICK MARLEY/Daily Titan Photo Editor October proposal of discontinuance. A full class of modern language students, one of the recent departments facing cuts, await See LANGUAGES, Page 3
their instructor’s lecture on the third floor of the Humanities Building.
Esteemed former professor laid to rest By Oscar Romero
Daily Titan Staff Writer news@dailytitan.com
Photo courtesy spencer klein
Retired Cal State Fullerton economics professor and former Outstanding Teacher Award winner Sidney Klein passed away Jan. 10, 2010, at the age of 86. Klein arrived to the CSUF community in September 1968 as head of the department of economics. During his 23 years of service, he managed to achieve CSUF’s highest honor in 1977, the Outstanding Teacher Award, for his work with students.
“He was an excellent teacher,” said his son, Spencer Klein, in his eulogy. Professor Klein was also the recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award in 1976, given out by the Western Economic Association. Along with his various accomplishments, the professor influenced many students who went on to achieve academic success. Klein was very passionate about the economics classes he taught, said economics professor Robert Mead. Klein was born on July 23, 1923, in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, N.Y. He was the youngest of five children to Sam and Beckie Klein, Jewish
immigrants who arrived to America in the late 1800s from what is now Ukraine. As a young boy, Klein spent plenty of time helping in his parent’s shoe store. “He didn’t want to spend his whole life working in a shoe store,” said Spencer Klein. Klein embarked on his higher education studies at City College of New York. As the United States began involvement in World War II, Klein’s education took a backseat as he signed up for military service in 1943. See KLEIN, Page 3
Chair proposes to change RTVF department name A proposal to change the name of the radio-TV-film department to the Department of Film-Television-Media was submitted to the dean of the college By Zam Anwar and Charles Purnell
Daily Titan Staff Writers news@dailytitan.com
Radio-TV-film Department Chair Edward Fink has submitted a proposal to College of Communications Dean Rick Pullen to change the name of the RTVF department to the Department of Film-Television-Media. The proposed name change is still in its early stages, and it is possible that it might be rejected, Fink said. He added that most people in the communication department are just getting to know about the proposal and it is too early to speculate. Changing the RTVF department’s name is not a good idea, said broadcast journalism major Will Soistman. It is easier to tell the difference between RTVF and communications journalism when the two are separated, he added. “But once you have (Department of Communications) and you have film-TV-media, you’re kind of like, ‘Aren’t those the same thing?’ It’s kind of confusing to people,” Soistman said. “I think if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. It has worked very well the last couple of years, I’m assuming, because there have been people who came out and have been successful from this school being radio-TV-film or broadcast journalism majors.” On the other hand, Gabriel Mendoza, 25, broadcast journalism major and a SOAR-CICC representative for the Society of Professional Journalists, said the name change is a good concept because RTVF is in the media. This would be one step closer to total convergence where radio, TV, film, broadcast journalism, print journalism and the new media (the Internet) would be taught under one major – communications media, he added. “I understand we’re kind of scarce on resources, but if anything, we should be trying to work together. We’re all trying to do the same thing pretty much, to inform or entertain,” Mendoza said. “As for students, you have to be able to do everyPhoto Courtesy CSUF thing.” Dean Kazoleas, asEdward Fink, chair of the sistant professor of radio-TV-film department public relations, said that he has mixed feelings about the name change. “I think the new name is a better descriptor and reflects on what the film department is doing here at CSUF. But it is also important that we be differentiated,” Kazoleas said. Many faculty members in the communication department feel that changing the name could cause confusion within the two departments, said Kazoleas. Kazoleas even had a suggestion for a new name for the Department of Radio-TV-Film: “Department of Film TV and Media Arts.” It would be a fitting name for the department, he said. “I believe that film making is an art.” Kazoleas said that since the proposal was still in its early stages, it would be hard to tell what could happen. A number of communications faculty, including Department of Communications Chair Anthony Fellow, public relations professor Diane Witmer and entertainment studies professor Coral Ohl declined to comment, saying they did not yet know enough about the proposal. When asked about the proposal, College of Communications Assistant Dean Irene Matz directed queries to Pullen, who was unavailable until Thursday.
INDEX
News ........................................................ page 2,3 Sound-Off .................................................. page 4,5 Opinion ..................................................... page 6,7 Classifieds .................................................... page 9 Sports ..................................................... page 8,10
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