1983_03 Insight March 1983

              [Centerpiece
'Frogway'
performed
Insight
'Dog Daze:
Commentators
ogled
Vol. 15. No. 20
California State University, Fresno
March 9. INS
Controversy
Dorm RA
selections
troubled
ELLEN VAN CUREN
Intight reporter
Interviews are underway to the
dorms to select 30 resident advisors,
with some new procedures it—igiaaat
to eliminate some of the pest con-
Resident advisors (RAs) are
students living in tbe residence halls
who serve as counselors to tbe other
members of their floor. For this tbey
receive a single room and 19 free
meals a week — a value of about
•UOO.
But with as many as 140 residents
trying for the position each year, problems arose to the way the RAs were
chosen. Last semester a committee
was formed to carefully study the process and recommend any changes
they thought were necessary.
One of the biggest areas of controversy dealt with RAs who were vying for a position after serving one or
more years on the staff. They could be
hired as Senior RAs, who delegate
responsibility to other RAs as well as
-     >, or they could be
When 18 members of tbe 1981-82
staff applied for positions on the
196243 staff and only 10 were rehired,
there were allegations of preferential
treatment for RAs who had spent a lot
of time with the housing staff.
Charlie Miller, assistant director
of residence life, makes the final hiring decisions. He would not comment
directly on the allegations but said
that hiring operates on a "team concept"
'•Someone who Is a dynamic
leader on the floor but didn't work
well with tbe (housing) staff would
pose a problem,'' be said. "And someone wbo was dynamic with tbe
staff but did not work well with the
floor would pose a problem. Tbe project creates a team concept "
To alleviate any contrtagersy.the
applying, for Senior
y could app-
etime.
-'hopes this will
hat would develop
quality candidates to tbe roles tbey
were applying for." He also said the
number of returning RAs, not Including tbe five Senior RAs, will be
limited to two.
The process used to select RAs
was also criticized last year. Students
applying for the first time had to participate to a second Interview with
'Soaring'
The CSUF Portable Dance Troupe performs a modern dance piece entitled "Soaring." Tbe Troupe
performed at the Hotel Fresno Monday afternoon. Tbe dancers are: Gwen Smith, Keltic Landers,
Debbie Qoagba. Diane Sherman and Debra De Rosa. (SEE RELATED STORY ON PAGE 3.) -
Fee holdouts
get reprieve
TONIM
Insight reporter
CSUF students who have not paid
the 964 fee
imately two weeks before tbe "day of
"' said Wllham Cor
ed notices now have a two week exten-
''Usually the financial mod is
over much more money," said Corcoran, referring to non-resident
shadents who pay $ 105 per unit.
"I've had no eipsakine with
ients whose financial bind revolved around the 984 Increase," said Cor-
and said, 'It's been nice knowing you,'
and then rode off into the sunset,"
said Corcoran.
Financial aid recipients are having their financial aid packets reworked to cover tbe increase to fees, said
Corcoran, adding that some of these
students may be included in the 500 to
M0 who have not yet paid the $M.
semester concerning money.,
Students withdrawing from the
university are required to give a
reason for withdrawal and many of
these students list "financial"
Corcoran said there are roughly
500 to 550 students who have not paid
the 984 Increase and added that be
would be surprised if "these students
are students who have not paid
because they can't pay."
"The vast majority of students
simply paid tbe 964 as part of the fees
prior to tbe 18th," said Corcoran. But
students who were unable to pay will
not be denied enrollment, If at all
possible, simply for the sake of 964, be
added. rasa
"The university has been very   said Corcoran. Whether or not this It
sensitive to the issue," said Corcoran,    the actual c
adding that the university will work   ed.
with  Individuals  to help  locate As of Feb. 18, 411 s
finances to cover the increase. withdrawn from CSUF for various
The two-week extension and   reasons, said Corcoran, which is no
emergency student loans are two    "real deviation from normal.''
ways a student can avoid a financial Because  tbe  university  must
bind,  said  Corcoran,  adding  that   adhere to a uniform reporting format,
"there* is a way" students can find a   a deadline is necessary,
means of paying the 964. "It's not as if we can arbitrarily
"   Corcoran is aware that 984    say'ra«y it svhen you can,'" said Carta substantial amount of    coran, but he said he would be surpris-
students, be says   ed if the 184 made the d~
Foreigners pay more
CSUF music student sues state
over thumb crushed by piano
ANNETTE MARGARITE
Insight reporter
If you were worried by the 25 percent tuition fee increase at the beginning of the semester, consider the
plight of the foreign student at CSUF:
It costs each o" *
Those 48 and the reapplying RAs com
peted for the 25 RA positions.
The questions to the first Interview were "too subjective," according to many wbo participated in ■
RAs' complained that interviews
were a large burden on them during
tbe weeks they were held in February
and March.
To help with those problems, tbe
housing staff "strongly" rerommend-
See RAs. page S
ALEX PULASKI
Insight reporter
A CSUF music education major
whose thumb was crushed beneath
the lid of a recital hall grand piano has
filed a claim against the state of
California for $250,000.
Jack Jarvls, 28, claims the
piano's lid was taken off and improperly replaced by a university
employee. Each time Jarvls glances
down at bis hands on the keyboard, be
sees tbe reminders of surgery on his
right thumb: the swollen and
misshapen joint, and tbe scars from
rebuilding the joint and torn ligament
with a tendon taken from his wrist.
His claim was reviewed by the
State Board of Controls Tuesday. Attorney John Jarvls Jr., Jack's father,
is handling tbe case and predicted be
would "get a form letter in a week or
10 days saying the claim is denied."If
that happens, Jack says be will take
the only road open to him. He will file
At about 9 p.m. on Dec. 2 of last
year, Jarvis decided he wasn't happy
with the sound he was getting from
the Mason & Hamlin grand piano in
tbe CSUF recital hall. He bad propped
the lid up and was strumming the strings, recording the sounds through a
microphone for a class in electronic
music.
The lower notes were coming out
fine, be said, but be needed to tower
the lid to "trap" the high notes. When
Jarvis took the lid's weight off the
prop, the lid rushed down, forcing his
right thumb against tbe back of bis
band.
He freed his hand and walked out
of tha recital hall, looking for someone
to help him load tbe expensive recording equipment toto bis car. He found
Greg Taylor, and when they went
back inside the hall they discovered
why tbe lid slammed down.
•We noticed the lid was off the
piano at an angle," Jarvis said. "That
was when we examined it and found
that tbe pin was missing from one of
the hinges. At that point I said 1*
was bullshit."
Jarvis, his thumb still throbbing
with pain, went out to find another
witness "wbo wouldn't think I was
crazy." He found Mike Caldwell, and
more importantly, he found John
Ralph.
Ralph had helped replace the
piano lid earlier in the day, and
remembered that the pin for one of
the two hinges was missing.
He and Karl Rubrecht, who is to
charge of departmental recitals, had
put the big, bulky lid back on following a redtal by the Sinfonia musk
fraternity.
"One   pin   just  wasn't-, there,"
See Jarvis. page •
f them around 910,500
i to 'three times tbe
amount a resident student pays for his
stay and education.
A«rording  to Zahir Ahmed, a
attending  CSUF.   Most of  those   Student
As then
abroad rises — and a 10 percent increase is expected by 1990 — so will
tbe problems. "Lifestyle is a major
has different expectations not only for <
their schooling here in tbe states, but ._
toward the culture, attitudes and dif-
ing, agriculture and business. The re-
toto the
president of the Lebanese
Association, wbo is studying
i, said his group is for the
student wbo wishes to be In-
of the TOEFL (Test
of English for Foreign Language) and
fees required for their registration.
"Conservatively, the foreign student wiD pay about 910,500 per year
which Includes tuition, housing, food.
"The  association  discusses
said Ahmed. "This brings a substan-
tial revenue of 97 million per year to
the Fresno area atone. In fact, foreign
students bring rouj"'
dollars into the U.S. <
&."
world relations to local news effecting
the students and people of the community. "Our main objective," said
Ahmed, "Is to make the press and
American people and appreciate their
way of life t
See Foreigners, page •
Alpha House offers treatment for alcoholic women
JILLKOROT1E
Insight reporter
—One-third to one-half of the nation's 10 million problem drinkers are women.
- Alconoiism is deadlier for women than men. Women
alcoholics die 10 years earlier than their male counterparts.
—Women to their 20s and 90s have more alcohol-
related problems than women to any other age group.
These statistics are cited by Nancy Ferry, a program
coordinator and counselor for Alpha House, as she
discusses the "unique problems that alcoholic women
face." Alpha House Is a residential alcohol treatment
center exclusively for women.
"A double standard exists to this country," Ferry
said. It is glamorous for a woman to drink, but disgusting
for her to be drunk.
"Red Skelton gets drunk on TV and everybody thinks
it's hilarious," Ferry said. "You will never see a woman
drunk on TV. Women are not supposed to be.
"Women are caUed Invisible alcoholics. Because their
families protect them, tbey don't seek help. A woman
could be drinking her bead off and nobody says anything.
"The toss of self-esteem is predominant. Women lose
children, don't have jobs, and have lost families. Women
come to here and think tbey are sluts and whores because
of their guilt from drinking."
7 thought I was going crazy and didn't
realize it was alcoholism. —Cindy
Some women have a difficult Ume discussing their
problems to a mixed group, such as Alcoholics
Anonymous, Ferry said.
"Women can't talk in a mixed group. Many of the
women are victims of rape, incest or battery. A woman
only feels safe with a group of other women."
Alpha House is the only residential alcohol treatment
center for women between San Francisco and Los
Angeles. The nearest treatment center for women is to
San Mateo. Nationwide, only eight percent of the alcohol
ttes that there are 13,000 alcoholic women
to Fresno County. With a budget of 975,887 Alpha House
can only accommodate 12 women at a time to the white
clapboard house that serves as a treatment center to
southeast Fresno.
Externally, there are no signs that Cindy has been
drinking for IS years. She is young-looking, attractive and
bright-eyed. She falls into the category that Ferry
described as an invisible alcoholic.
"I don't know what I would have done without this
place," Cindy said of Alpha House. She found out about
Alpha House through the Alcohol Recovery Center at
Community Hospital. As with most alcoholic women, Cindy didn't recognize her problem with alcohol.
"I freaked out one day," she said. "I was sent to the
psychiatric ward at Community Hospital for 'neurotic
behavior.' " Her addiction to alcohol was not apparent until, four days after she had been admitted to the hospital,
her blood samples Indicated she was still legally drunk.
"I thought I was going crazy and didn't realise It was
One of the 12 is Cindy.
A resident of Alpha House for four months, Cindy, at
age 27, has a history of drinking since she was 12 and taking drugs since she was 15.
The hospital referred Cindy to Alpha House after she
completed their 28-day alcohol treatment program. Cindy
said that the advantage of Alpha House over other programs Is that you don't leave until you are ready. "It took
15 years for me to get like I was and 28 days to get sober Is
not enough.
"I was the real assertive, outspoken person when I
was drinking, but none of it was real."
The major problem that Cindy encountered with other
treatment programs was that she was "overwhelmed by
men."
"Guys think that it is just a dumb broad drinking,"
she said. "There's so few women to those programs to
comparison to men, and very little support.
"The attitude I met with was: 'Women don't do that.
Mothers don't do that' How could I tell men that I have a
drinking problem when they have that attitude?"
Cindy has a son. She got married when she was la high
school. She managed not to drink when she was pregnant
(Researchers are still studying the full effects of alcohol
on the fetus.)
Cindy's husband got custody of their son. She said that
her son learned to do housework and take care of himself
while she drank. "HedidUundry and cleaned bourne at the
age of six He's a very well-behaved boy. I'm lucky."
Cindy said she realizes the importance of explaining
to her son what she Is facing. "He luu Hved thinking that
it'sOKtoUe-tonotUIkalaouttheproblem.IhavetoteU
him that it's not OK to he."
A woman has to be strong to face and tackle her
aktabobsm, Cindy said. "You have to be strong to do It.
Women aren't supposed to be that strong.