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News
Campus Hosts Security Forum Students voice concerns over ‘knife incident’ Demands for justice and for the resignation of Associate Vice President and Dean of Students, Jeffrey Klaus, rang out through the University Student Union Ballrooms on March 10. “This is the open discussion we want to have, for you to be heard,” said Dr. Carmen Taylor, Vice President of Student Affairs. Heated questioning continued on for the most part without a response from a facilitator or panel member. In line with demands from the CSULB Black Student Union, the female student allegedly threatened last month by the male student who brandished a knife during a sociology class on campus was in attendance and made a formal statement at the podium. “…Can they be certain he is not a threat?” she asked. “Why is he allowed to [be on campus]? How is it safe for an alleged violent male to be allowed on campus and [into] our classes?” “Who are you trying to fool?” said Justin Bradley, president of the BSU. “We are not stupid, don’t sit here and act like we are stupid […] come straight forward with the answers or else, like, justice or else.” Kevin Clinton, a member of the BSU, requested that Police Chief Fernando Solorzano leave the stage and stand in the back of the room, stating that he felt “unsafe.” Solorzano agreed to appease the students but was almost immediately called back to the stage to answer another female student’s questions about campus safety. “The conflict is that the young man works for me, he is a student and he is a
[Campus Security Officer],” Solorzano said, after being prompted to clarify claims of a conflict of interest. Grunts and sarcastic laughter from the students in the audience filled the ballrooms. Dr. Jose F. Moreno, chair of the department of Chicano and Latino Studies, was one of the few on the panel to speak, reading a written correspondence on both the department’s and his own behalf. “The department of Chicano and Latino Studies wishes to extend our support to our fellow CLA colleagues and the students who were affected by the classroom incident,” Moreno said. The meeting ended promptly after the BSU and the Sociology Student Association stood as one group and walked out of the forum stating lack of answers to be “bullshit.” “I don’t know how much can be answered when you have feelings around anger and hostility and lack of understanding,” Taylor said. “So, I just let it roll. I didn’t want to contain it. You gotta let it get out, so get it out. Hopefully, in the next steps we are able to do more.” Dori Levy, mentor of Students for Quality Education and member of the Executive Board of the California Faculty Association, spoke in a small group after the forum ended saying, “...I don’t feel safe for my students. I mean, how do I know that this kid isn’t sitting there next to another student in one of my classes? I want him out. Every faculty member on this campus wants that kid out, and I want Jeff Klaus gone.”
Talk Politics to Me
The day is March 10 and Americans gather around their TVs, just one night after watching former Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton duke it out, to watch former Senator Ted Cruz repeatedly use the term liberal Democrat. As if there existed some other kind of Democrat. Yes it was a big two days for debates, but luckily CSULB has made them available to us the voters. All thanks to the efforts of two people, Hillside President Judah Peralta and Elizabeth Wolf. The event was located in the USU: an almost excellent venue. For parts of the Democrat’s debate there was not enough seating, many people had to sit on the ground or stand. There was also a heated game of Ping-Pong going on behind the TV at all times. The winner of that game will go unreported as I did not get his name, he does deserve credit for valor though. But it was his indifference to our hearing the debate that really won it for him. I may critique, but the event was a success. Peralta prior to the event said, “I intend to bring politics to the students of Long Beach
Primary debates screened at USU By Augustus Krider Contributor
By Amanda Del Cid Social Media Manager
Members of the Black Student Union and the Sociology Student Association voiced their concerns regarding campus security and the ongoing police investigation (Amanda Del Cid/Union Weekly)
State and to promote political awareness around campus.” I think it is fair to say he did. Furthermore I had wondered if the seating issue would be resolved on the second night, and at the beginning of the Republican debate I was still on the floor. However it was not an issue for long. Trump had decided not to yell at anyone, making the debate rather boring. So by the halfway mark, most people left, but it did free up a seat for me. As for the Democrat’s debate, Sanders and Clinton seemed to hold the audience together much longer. Event attendee Shannon Dow said that, “It was nice to hear the candidates discuss immigration, personally I feel it is a tricky issue. It is very helpful to hear it debated, and I’m glad that I could watch the debate here with other students on campus.” The name Let’s Talk Politics was slightly misleading; I was asked to be quiet several times by other students during the debate, and there was no discussion after the debates ended. Many other amenities were provided though, for example, lots of diet coke. The
ASI was also advertising their upcoming elections, and people were present to aid in voter registration, you know like for voting in the real world. Buffalo Wild Wings catered and I was likely the only liberal democrat to notice there was no strong vegetarian option save some delicious potatoes. The radical bleeding heart liberal vegan Democrats obviously had to pack their own lunch. The most exciting thing to happen over both nights was a life sized Jenga set falling behind the spectators; causing a crash that startled a crowd already on edge after hearing that Marco Rubio would like our generation to retire at seventy. Boring as it may have been, it is important that people see these debates. And though the event is as imperfect as our presidential candidates, I do hope that it is done again with more seating and salad come the next election cycle.