WEEKLY PRINT EDITION
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 – TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017 VOLUME 103, ISSUE 25
SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1913
W W W . T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M
H USING ISSUE
Court rules on Title IX CSU reassures SDSU ‘fails to provide fair hearing’ for accused student JAMIE BALLARD MANAGING EDITOR ____________________________ A San Diego court ruled on Feb. 2 that San Diego State violated procedural fairness in a Title IX investigation, by failing to provide a student accused of rape with a fair hearing. In April 2015, a student (identified as Jane Roe in court documents) filed a Title IX complaint alleging that a fellow 19-year-old student, identified as John Doe, sexually assaulted her after a party at Theta Chi Fraternity. Director of the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities Lee Mintz investigated the claim and found that Doe had committed sexual assault. He was expelled in November 2015. San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel Wohlfeil ordered the university to dissolve Mintz’s findings that Doe was guilty of what Mintz called “sexual assault” and “rape”, although Doe’s expulsion is still valid. Wohlfeil wrote in the court’s minute order that Doe was “fundamentally deprived of a fair hearing” because he was not provided with an adult advisor. He alleged SDSU had not granted him a fair trial, and brought charges against the university. Mintz, who the court called “a skillful, trained and experienced advocate,” both investigated the claim
undocumented students, faculty JOCELYN MORAN SENIOR STAFF WRITER ____________________________
AIDAN PREHATNY, GRAPHIC DESIGNER
and ultimately served as an advocate for Roe in the university hearing. Alternately, Doe was required to speak on his own behalf, without a similarly qualified advisor though the court notes he did have the chance to consult with an attorney. “The disparity of these circumstances is enough to shock the Court’s conscience,” Wohlfeil’s minute order reads. “In contrast to the support system respondents (SDSU) provided Jane, petitioner (Doe) was required to speak on his own behalf and did so, with one exception, throughout the hearing...The Court wonders how, given petitioner’s youth, infant stages of his postsecondary education and the seriousness of the charges, petitioner was able to conduct himself as well as he did,” the order reads.
The order also clarifies that the school did not have an obligation to provide a lawyer as defense, but an “adult advisor” with similar skills, training and experience as Mintz in order to ensure a fair trial. Wohlfeil also wrote in the order, “This case is about a well-intentioned, but deeply flawed, administrative system to investigate and review complaints of student misconduct.” John Doe isn’t the first student to file a case against the university for mishandling a Title IX investigation. In 2014, Francisco Sousa was arrested on charges of false imprisonment and forcible oral copulation, and suspended
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As immigration raids occur across the country, California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White said in a statement sent out on Feb. 22 that the CSU will not enter agreements with law enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws. Following it, San Diego State Student Affairs Vice President Eric Rivera sent out a statement on behalf of SDSU reminding the community SDSU is committed to establishing “a safe and welcoming environment for all students, faculty and staff.” Both statements acknowledged that the CSU is examining how federal immigration policies can potentially affect university campuses. Chancellor White’s statement also said university leaders supported state and national officials in requesting that President Trump reconsider his immigration policies. Center of Intercultural Relations Director Edwin Darrell said the statements reinforce SDSU and the CSU system’s values and attempted to ease student’s minds who
are impacted by the new administration’s legislation. On Feb. 21, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly issued two memoranda, implementing President Trump’s executive orders entitled “Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States” and “Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements.” Both executive orders were issued on Jan. 25. The implementations allow for immigration laws to be enforced more aggressively and Immigration Customs Enforcement to go after illegal immigrants who have committed criminal offenses. Some of these include minor offenses, such as not leaving the U.S. after an order of removal or abusing a program related to public benefits. One of the criteria for being detained is if an immigration officer determines the illegal immigrant poses “a risk to public safety or national security.” Darrell said ICE does not need permission from the university to come onto campus, but it does need permission to get information on students.
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The do’s and don’ts of apartment hunting
JULIANNA RESS SENIOR STAFF WRITER ____________________________
Now that San Diego State students are finally getting comfortable in their spring semester routines, many are starting to think about living situations for next year. While some may be happy renewing their leases, others have been counting down the days to look for a new place. Maybe students are annoyed with their roommates, want to live closer to campus or they are ready for apartment life after spending a year in the dorms. No matter what the issue is, apartment hunting is confusing, stressful and overwhelming, especially for
complexes a little more manageable, so it must be step one. Talking to parents can also be educational on the leasing process as a whole, which can sound like a foreign language to first time apartment hunters.
the first time. Here are some do’s and don’ts of apartment hunting to make the whole process easier. Do calculate a budget and learn about the leasing process.
Before asking to live with friends and heading out on apartment tours, calculate a personal price range, because it may differ from potential roommates. Apartments are not cheap, so discuss a budget with parents and friends before wasting time touring a complex that ends up being too expensive. Calculating a budget is what allows students to set up a
Ask questions beforehand to avoid getting lost in the jargon and technicalities of a lease.
blueprint of what they want and what they can realistically afford. It forces them to prioritize and makes a sea of daunting apartment
“The first time around I wish I knew more about the leasing process,” journalism sophomore Megan Cheung said. “We had to rely on asking our parents or roommates for a lot of it and I think it made
the whole apartment hunting process a lot more stressful.” Don’t assume everything is included in the rent.
It is an immediate red flag if an apartment’s rent seems outrageously cheap, so it is extremely important to ask what is included before receiving a bill twice the anticipated amount. Liberal studies sophomore Samantha Willis believes this is the most important part of the entire apartment hunting process, because it is crucial to find the apartment that offers
APARTMENT continued, P14 GRAPHIC BY CHRISTINE WHITMAN