1995_03 The Daily Collegian March 1995

              -the Daily Collegian     Wednesday, Mard\ 1.,1995
Editorial/Opinion
News Not Worthy
By Shannon Wentworth
Women's Herstory Month
celebrates all women
) Today marks the beginning of Women> Herstory
MontnTlt is a^month-long^KleJbration of the contributions
of famous and not-so-famous, but equally important,
women. -
Why do women need a month of their own? In our
history books and courses, the contributions of women
are relegatedjto footnotes. They are defined by their
conrtect?ons to famous men and the things toey were abler
to achieve inspite of their biology.
Women, historically, have been defined by their roles
in subordination to men: mother of, wife of, daughter of.
This month is devoted solely to women. It attempts to
tell their story through a series of lectures, films, rallies
and other events.
In recent years the focus of Women's Herstory Month
has strayed from simply reciting the history of famous
women like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady
Stanton who made important contributions to the em¬
powerment of women, but also had social, economic and
political advantages to accomplish their goals.
The month nervy focuses on improving the emotional,
spiritual and political lives of all women, regardless of
race, class, sexual orientation and religion.
It has become a more inclusive month that celebrates
the blue collar workers with as much enthusiasm as it
celebrates theJ£ulizter Prize winner.
This month's theme is "Women's Empowerment."
Women empowering women. Women supporting each
other.    t ~
This theme is extremelyNtimely and relevant.
In this supposedly "pefct-ferrunist" era where
worrten's issues have been "resolved" and "equality"
reigns) or^sb the story goes, it is exceedingly important for
* women to empower each other, to pay attention to the
world around them with its institutionalised sexism,
racism and homophobia. _,
Women need to continue to stand up for ourselves
and each other, rather than accept the gains we've made
as a sorlof benign stasis like "it could be worse." Because
if we stancl together, it could also-be a whole lot better.
TneHVomen's ResourceCenter and the Women's
Alliance present "Women in Power" today at University
Student Union, room 312, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and
"Racism, History and Lies" from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Bud Girl Massacre
As advertised in The Daily Collegian, the Bud Girls
will be making their last "live" appearance on Friday.
After mat, the Bud Girls will be given a draughtof Bud .._
Light and Cyanide in a sort of Budtown massacre-type
thing.
They will then be embalmed and preserved in all
their Dustiness forever- and ever. .
The next time you see the Bud Girls they won't be
signing autographs, but you will probably be allowed to
put your soiled hands on the Charmin as long as you
don't squeeze too hard and let all the Potpourri out
Don't miss mis opf»rturtity to hear your favorite Pud
Girl's high-pitched banter for the last time because they
are going fast and after Friday they will be gone.
Money cuts off communication
'DearDr.Welty,
I am writing to you
regarding my concern over
the proposed fee to be
assessed against students for
y computer accounts that
provide electronic mail(e-
mail) and Internet access.
Although I am a computer
science student,' and so am
provided a free account'by
the Department of Computer
Science, I believe charging
students who must acquire
an account through Comput¬
ing, Communications, and
Media Services(CCMS) may
be unwise.
The world is moving
forward at an astounding
rate, which in large part is
V due to the increased speed
and efficiency in which
people communicate with
each other.
For example, when I am
conducting research and
need to acquire published
works, my first source is the
Internet. .
Through the Internet I
can quickly access, review,
and determine which papers
will help my work.
The alternative, provid-
' ing these papers are not in a
publication currently re¬
ceived at CSU, Fresno, is to
make inter-library periodical
requests.
These requests require
the associated cost and
intervention of library staff.
Copying and mailing, and
relative to accessing the
reports electronically, are
slow to be received.
Furthermore, after
receiving and reviewing the
article, I may discover that it
does not meet my require¬
ments and all costs relatedlo
retrieving the article is
wasted.
Here is a list of addi¬
tional points I believe should
be considered prior to
levying a fee for* student
computer account:
Your Name Here
IO
Letters to the Editor
c/o The Daily Collegian
Keats Campus Building
Mail Stop 42 £
Fresno, CA 93740-OOp
E-mail: SLW02©mondrian.csiifresno.edu
• Any communication
medium can only be effective
if the majority of people use it.
Charging students for e-mail
accounts will ensure that only
some people will be accessible
by electronic mail.
• Some academic schools
may try to provide e-mail and
Internet access free of charge to
their students internally, by
passing CCMS, and as such
delivering a fragmented
approach to providing these
• Information regarding
the university and some
academic programs is already
being provided on the Internet.
Prbviding easily accessible
information on the Internet
reduces the requirements for
questions to be answered by  «
CSUF faculty and staff, while
providing a consistent mes¬
sage. Limited access to this
information will only ensure
over-utilization of staff to
answer basic questions.
• Only students who are
already indoctrinated to the
benefits of the Internet will be
inclined to pay for access. This
is assuming that the student
can afford the computer
account fee in addition to  ->
yearly student fee increased
which have been common of
late.
• The Internet is a global
community which will give
students an^wareness of the
social, cultural, and academic
viewpoints of people from
different segments of the
world.
• The Internet provides
thousands of news groups
and associations that help
people acquire more tailored
information to meet indi¬
vidual requirements.
In conclusion, it is my
belief that charging students
for access to computerized
knowledge is the 1990s
equivalent to charging a
student for access to a library.
I do not believe that
anyone would disagree that a
library is an integral require¬
ment for the educational
process of every student I
would argue that access to the
Internet is no less significant a
requirement in our fast-
changing and information-
intensive world.
It is in the best interest'of
the university and every
student that a charge not be
made for e-mail or Internet
accounts.
Rather, a concerted        r
attempt should be made to
ensure all students avail
themselves of these services as
a basic ingredient of the
educational resources pro-
vided by this university.
, If ydu would like to      ,
further discuss this subject or
^ I can be of any assistance,
please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Alan J. Hay
'
■^C»"  /
The Daily Collegian
California State University, Fresno
Staff Writers: Lisa Alvey, Paulo Albuquerque, David
John Chavez, Brian R. Fisher, Adrianne Go, Lucy Her,
Ken Koller, Belinda Lee, Maria Machuca, Draecer
Martinez, David Mirhadl Erin Smtth, Steve Walsh.
PnorocRAPHEss: Erik a Bustamante, Ken Roller, Zia
Nizami, Todd' Warshaw, Hadi Yazdanpanah.
Advertising: Chris Baxter, Dennis Claborn, David
Fakhri, Nina Momjian, Brad Wilson.
\
Advertising:
News:
Editorial:
Arts & Entertainment:
Fax:
20# 2785731
209/278,2486
209/2785732
209/2782556
209/278.2679>
Printed on Recycled Newsprint
U
Edttor in Chef. Shannon Wentwqkth
Managing Editor: Joe Rosato Jr
Photo EorroR: Steve R. Fujimoto
Sports EDrroK Doug Stolhand
Entertainment:    Shelly Silva &Leah Perkth
Advertising Manager: Pochard Ntxon
Production Manager: Rusty Robson
Business Manager: Jamie Wilcox
CopyEdttors: -*       ChuiM*>gAnc
Christine Malamanig
.  ^~^ ' Stacey Dennehy
Or Orty Cc*gm fe pubUahtd <iv«tmr»jw«rttor and by ttw atudtnt* of
California Stat* Univwtity. Frrtno. Opiiuon* nprtaatd in TW Dmiy
CoUffwm ant not ntoc— irHy thoa* of I h* mti n? OaWy CdUfm Waff. Tht
tdilor MM *• rijht to«di« kM«r» forItngtfeand clarity. To be considered
far publication. Wttttt must b* typed jnd wwuId not rxowd 230 word*