1996_11 Insight November 1996

              In Focus
November 20, 1996 I
Air filters and toilet paper
in cost-cutting measures
■ $451,600 savings
seen in campus
economy moves
by Jevon Swanson
Staff Writer
More is always better—especially
when it comes to toilet paper.
The university estimates it will save
about $30,000 at the end of the 1996-
97 year by adding an extra roll of toilet paper in each stall.
Toilets acrbss the campus are having the plain-metal, jumbo single-roll
toilet paper-holders upgraded to a
new plastic, dual-roll dispenser with
a plastic cover.
Savings aren't being torn off just
with toilet paper, though.
Of the several cost-cutting measures taken in the last couple years,
the measure that had one of the greatest impacts to students, and one ofthe
largest savings, was the use of an installment payment plan for tuition
instead of accepting credit cards.
Fresno State still accepts Visa and
Mastercard, but only for Extended
Education classes and parking per-
The university estimates that the installment plan saves about $60,000 a
year in credit card merchant fees.
Credit card companies usually
charge companies about 2-3 percent
of the amount a customer puts on a
credit card to cover processing costs
and thc cost of the card-reading
equipment.
Fresno State eliminates these
charges by offering its own installment payment plan.
Full-time students using the installment plan pay $540 up front at the
time of their STAR registration deadline and can defer the other $396 for
about six weeks.
Students using thc plan are charged
a $33 non-refundable fee. however.
The fee was imposed to cover costs
associated with bad checks and
money the state loses by not collecting interest on the full amount of tuition, according to the Spring 1997
Schedule of Courses.
Heating and cooling savings
And while pennies are pinched in
the bathrooms and at the cashiers
window, the university is also trying
to squeeze money out of the air.
Plant Operations is expecting to
save as much as $10,000 by using a
new type of air filter.
Boyd said the new air filters used
in heating and air conditioning units
in campus buildings last as much as
60 percent longer than the filters used
prior to 1995-96.
Plant Operations estimates that the
filters have reduced labor costs associated with changing filters by 60 percent and also claim the new filters are
"The fact that we could use
the clear smokey look to it
meant we would b.e able to
use the jumbo rolls and be
able to see when, in fact,
the tissue was almost out,
saving a little bit of labor."
Robert Boyd, CSUF facilities director
responsible for a drop in equipment
failures.
More savings plans
Other cost-cutting measures taken
last year, which are expected to total
about $451,600 in savings, included:
• New policies in the Accounting
Services office that are expected to
save $125,700 this year, including
$12,600 saved by including the sale
of parking permits in the standard registration process.
• New equipment and procedures
in the office in charge of buying supplies that are supposed to save
$120,000 by eliminating steps and
paperwork in the ordering process,
allowing the school to more accurately track inventory and spending.
• T|ic use of current employees for
certain custodial and construction
jobs on campus, instead of outside
companies, and more preventative
maintenance on buildings. Also, better training for Plant Operations employees, in addition to the new toilet
paper dispensers and air filters, is expected to save $ 162.400.
• The elimination of an administrator level position in the Environ
mental Health and Safety office, as
well as new policies for screening
hazardous waste disposal contracts, a
new key tracking system, the installation of new emergency phones and
surveillance cameras. Better scheduling in the police department is also
supposed to save the public safety
office about $43,500 this year.
The cost-cutting measures were
contained in a Sept. 11 memo from
Jo Ann Collins, special projects director for Administrative Affairs, to Ben
Quillian, vice president for administrative affairs.
The memo was submitted along
with several other memos from administrators in response to a report
issued by an Academic Senate special committee investigating university fiscal practices.
700 dispensers installed
Merely changing toilet paper roll
dispensers was a bigger task than
some might imagine.
Dave Lawson. custodial manager,
said the new James River dual roll
dispensers, in addition to saving
money, will improve availability of
product and reduce the waste of the
"stub" roll — that small amount of
paper left on the roll that isn't quite
big enough to leave in service, but also
not enough to just throw away.
"The change was utilized by reducing costs. The fact that we could use
the clear smokey look to it meant we
would be able to use the jumbo rolls
and be able to see when, in fact, the
tissue was almost out. saving a little
bit of labor," said Robert Boyd, facilities director.
Over 700 new dispensers have been
installed so far, Lawson said, but he
added that Plant Operations, the office in charge of maintenance, is still
trying to figure out how many more
dispensers the school will need to install.
The new dispensers arc free to the
university, as long as the university
continues to buy the single-ply 500
foot "maxi" rolls of paper used to
stock the dispensers from the James
River company.
Under this same agreement, the installation ofthe dispensers is also provided by the company, leaving the
54.5 custodians (the ".5" is a part-time
employee) on campus free to simply
worry about keeping them stocked.
HELP, from page 1
"Eighty percent of students who take
the class say that they've gained more
than they expected," Fiorentino said.
The course attracts Fresno Slate students like Herrera, who began as a
freshman and continued three years
later to become a nominee for the local "Student Volunteer of the Year"
award, given by the Volunteer Business
Bureau.
Herrera has bee* involved with various organizations such as: Hispanic
Business Students Association
(HBSA), where he helped to create
scholarships through fund-raising, as
well as the Blood Drive, Central California Hispanic Chamber and Ruiz
Foods educational conference, which
helps high school students enroll at
Fresno State. He also assisted with
scholarships in the south Valley.
Through these experiences. Herrera
plans to get his master's degree in business management, and hopes to be
president of thc National Hispanic
Scholarship Foundation.
The rewards of community service
are "to make something positive out of
their lives, to get involved and accept
challenges, meet great people and get
good references," Herrera said.
Starting in 1986. Students for Community Service began as a result of a
United States bill, the^'Human Corps
Law."
The state of California wanted college students to do 15 hours of community service each year.
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Chris Fiorentino assists a student in the SCS office.
Various groups from downtown
Fresno, and 35 people from the university, met and decided there was a
need to get involved.
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Leonard Salazar. 55, mapped out a plan
for Fresno State.
"You can get elective credit and
scholarship opportunities. Students will
not gravitate to service because it is
important to them. Companies require
that you have some record of
volunteerism," Salazar said.
"Around the country faculty integrate
volunteerism into curriculum, linking
service with learning. This works and
has an impact on how students leam."
Salazar said.
President ofthe National Honor Society in Psychology Robyn Williams,
22, works in the English writing center on campus.
Volunteering time as a high school
student at the Poverello House, she
started her involvement with community service at a young age.
She has been a rape counselor for
one and a half years at the Rape Counseling Services.
With 40 hours of training, she was
able to respond to hospital calls and
counsel rape victims upon request.
Williams also trains police cadets on
how to handle rape, domestic violence
and child molestation calls.
Williams is a member of Youth CAN
(California Action Network).
Once a month. CAN members volunteer one weekend to a variety of
projects.
"With rape counseling. I know that
my time and effort is well spent. I feel
really good and can see the effects of
what I do." Williams said.
Life on the farm's fine
- low rent, rich odor
■ Ag students gain
experience living
close to work
by Ee-Yen Phun
Staff Writer
Thc smell is unmistakable and
the stench is almost unbearable.
However, the smell goes unnoticed for students like Katie
Westerfield.
"The smell is strong,"
Westerfield said. "It's funny but
when you're out here for a little
bit, you get used to it."
Westerfield. a sophomore,
works and lives at the swine unit,
located on the east side of the
Fresno State campus.
She is in charge of the fan-owing house, where the piglets are
born and spend the first months
of their lives.
"I mainly help breed the pigs
and feed them every morning and
night at the farrowing house."
Westerfield said.
Westerfield has worked at the
swine unit for a year and a half
and finds that the work there
doesn't get too routine.
"There is a bunch of different
stuff to do. Sometimes there will
be a sick pig to take care of."
Westerfield said.
The nature of her w ork also includes assisting other swine unit
employees in managing the stages
of production for the hogs, hosing down the pens, washing out
waste materials and cleaning out
the barn daily.
The 19-year-old Bakersfield
native, an animal science major,
was brought up in a city.
Wcstcrfield's family moved out to
the country when she was seven
years old. That was when her interest began.
"I bought my first pair of pigs then
and raised them for the local county
fair." Westerfield said.
She increased her herd to eight
sows by the time she was in high
school.
At Fresno Slate. Westerfield started
working as an intern and continued
to work at the swine unit for extra
money.
"I get paid. It's just like any job. I
make some money and go to school.
I enjoy that." said Westerfield who
works there part-time.
Westerfield is paid S5.75 per hour
and lives in a one-person room next
to thc farrowing house.
There are five student- living quarters on campus for ag studenis.
The requirements lo live there are
an agriculture major and S16 a monlh
and 10 hours of labor.
Students do not pay for electricity,
heat or air-conditioning.
"I really enjoy working here. It's a
really good atmosphere. People thai
work here are friendly and nice."
Westerfield said.
"I've worked with pigs for 11 years
and you'd think after that long you
would know a lot. Then you get out
here. I don't know anything. There is
so much lo learn." Westerfield said
with a smile.
According to Westerfield. there are
advantages to working at the swine
unit.
"I get a lot of experience — like
going out-of-state on trips, meeting a
lol of people involved in ihe industry
and making a lol of good connections." Westerfield said.
The contacts made through thc
swine unit will help in creating employment opportunities after gradu-
ating. she said.
The pigs raised at the unit are sold
for meal as well as for project pigs.
The money collected either goes to
(he school or back to the producers at
the farmers' market.
Jennifer Grant, another sophomore
at Fresno State, also works at the
animal units. She is a herdsman
and lakes care of the sheep.
"I'm happy for the opportunity
to work here." she said.
Grant is not required to work
at thc unit for her major but took
advantage of the opportunity to
gain expereince in the sheep industry.
The position is offered through
thc Agricultural Foundation for interested candidates who want the
experience of working with animals.
The reason Grant likes her job
is the combination of needing
work and finding affordable lodging.
"I have the opportunity to live
comfortably because I can afford
it. And it gives me the experience
and great opportunity as an ag
major." Grant said.
Grant works full-time at the
sheep unit, seven days a week.
Grant cleans the sheep pens once
every week, stacks hay. feeds the
sheep every morning and night and
checks the flock.
"I have had some previous experience. I took a production class
and they |her employers] probably
[would] rather have someone with
experience bul not necessarily."
Grant said.
"I have dealt with several species of livestock before so I knew
a little about animals." Grant said.
Grant has worked at the sheep
unit for three months and already
sees the benefits of the job.
"I like it a lol." Grant said.
"It's really a learning experience. Because I don't know everything going into production and
being able to work out here really
is helping me to leam about the
ag industry." Grant said.
Like Westerfield. Grant is
unboihered bv the odor.
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