1995_10 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper October 1995

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HYE SHARZHOOM
Armenian Action
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October 1995
VoL 17, No. 1 (51)
Supplement to The Collegian
New Armenian Students Organization: ASO'95
By Karen Karabian
The Armenian Student Organization begins the 1995 school
year with a new outlook, a new
attitude, andanew group of people.
The club is striving for a social
atmosphere in order to attract those
who are outgoing, creative, and
energetic. Anyone who is willing
to participate in fund-raisers,
dances, pizza parties, cultural
events, and social meetings is welcome.
The members of ASO represent the Armenian community with
pride and dignity. This year the
club is committed and determined
to be recognized as an active participant on campus as well as in the
community. The club hopes to
reach out to students who want to
learn more of their Armenian heritage while having a wild and fun.
time making friends. They represent a large group of people who
want to see their culture and traditions kept alive at Fresno State.
This time it's so much more
than business meetings and tiresome agendas. Members can all
look forward to mountain cabin
trips, billiards, and movie nights.
Just come and see. To be involved
in ASO means you are involved at
Fresno State and have taken on a
rewarding commitment.
The club is looking to "spice
things up and groove in a new way,"
to use the words of its new president, Raffy Khorozian. So ASO
needs attitude, character, and members with a wide range of personality. The new executive officers are
as follow: President-Raffy
Khorozian, Vice Presidents-Tina
Attashian, Crissi Jelladian, Aznive
Tchapadarian, Secretary-Karen
Karabian, Treasurer-Mike
Pogosian, and Historian-Greg
Tchaparian.
Crissi Jelladian, who ran for
office during her first ever ASO
meeting, said, "Joining the club
sounded like a fun way to get involved with my Armenian heritage."
ASO '95 Executive. From I. to r., back row: Treasurer, Mike
Pogosian; Historian, Greg Tchapadarian; President, Raffy
Khorozian; VP, Chrissi Jelladian. Front row: VP, Aznive
Tchapadarian; Vice President, Tina Attashian; Secretary, Karen
Karabian
As an active member of the
Armenian Student Organization,
Mike Pogosian offers a look at the
then and now club, "All it can do
now is get better. I have seen the
club improve, especially this year
with all the new faces and the variety of Armenians that have united."
This year everyone looks forward to seeing the members of ASO
grow as do they anticipate large
participation during all activities.
The future of this club and the future of Armenian recognition lies
in the hands of the students so your
time and effort is greatly appreciated.
Tina Attashian adds, "The executive board is illuminating with
enthusiasm and dedication. We are
all ready to listen to one anothers
ideas, advice and concerns. We are
a great team. Plus, the members are
just as hyped up. I really believe
this year is going to be an amazing
year for ASO. It's filled with new
challenges, more learning experiences, fun activities and new friendships." H
Dr. Haak's Journey, a Stranger in a Familiar Land
By Sean Clark
It is a trial of willpower to face
oppression and obstruction and
continue onward because you hope
someday it will change. Such is the
temperance that Dr. Harold Haak,.
President Emeritus of California
State University Fresno, found during a faculty exchange to Armenia
last spring. Working through a sister university relationship between
California State Polytechnic
Pomona and the State Engineering
University (SEU) in Yerevan, his
task was to follow up and further
advise on practices Armenian administrators learned from a previous journey to the United States.
Also he was there to make recommendations for future American
advisors, lecture to students, offer
suggestions from a western point
of view, and to enjoy the hospitality of the country and its pebple.
He stayed in Yerevan at the Arme
nian Hotel which, "Always had
electricity and for two hours a day
had hot water." His first impressions of the three months ahead of
him were, "I have great admiration
for Armenians doing the best possible in terribly difficult conditions."
Dr. Haak's agenda was certainly consuming of his tour. Split
between two universities in
Armenia's capital city, he was challenged to meet the needs of different institutions. The State Engineering University, formerly the
Polytechnic, drew from his administration and governing experiences
while Yerevan University
benefitted from his leadership skills.
SEU is hoping to break away former
Soviet administration models in
favor of a more western approach.
Using his background as former
president of California State University Fresno, Dr. Haak worked
alongside SEU staff to initiate such
programs as alumni associations,
entrepreneurial fundraising, program budgeting, and setting up a
board of trustees. "These are radical changes, the idea of having a
board of trustees between the institution and the State is something
the Sovietapproach didn 't include."
Yerevan University, about
twenty minutes across town, is well
established but looking to make
subtle changes. Here Dr. Haak was
able to spend more time with faculty and students becoming involved in Armenian university life.
"Yerevan University is interested
in building curriculum that stimulates and influences the country's
growing market economy." From
his own field he was also able to
lecture on political science —
American style. Armenian political science is theory based reflecting Soviet influence, American
curriculum draws from historical
reference.
These opportunities allowed
the differences between American
and Armenian student culture to
manifest themselves. "I literally
had to stop,and tell them to be
quiet." It seems young Armenians
so enthralled to be in university
have no inhibition to exchange ideas
with each other even in the middle
of the lecture. Remarking about
how dressed up students came to
class Dr. Haak was told that because city night life is so limited the
university has become a social
meeting center as well. All of this
however has not kept either university from educating and nurturing
the bright and competitive minds
for which Armenia is historically
famous.
Something that could prohibit
this generation of mathematicians,
scientists, and researchers is the
current information blockade that
surrounds thecountry. Cut off from
former contacts in Western Europe,
the faculty do their best despite the
lack of journals, travel and internet
access. "Armenians are survivors,
See HAAK, Page 8
Inside...
Armenian Chefs 4
Visitors from
Armenia 5
ASO Calendar. 8