1998_04 Insight April 1998

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California State adversity. Fresno ^^^^^^J        PpcU 29, 1998
InSports
Profile on Laura Berg
Everything you want
to know about Fresno
State softball player
Laura Berg.
Special
Section
Inside
Join us in part two
of our special series
on the problems
that make Fresno a
city in crisis.
Tim Bragg discusses
the effects of urban
sprawl on Fresno
and how it has
drastically affected
one Fresno County
man.
Luis Hernandez
chronicles the plight
of an unemployed
man and discusses
Fresno's baffling
unemployment
problem.
Jennifer Lugowski
talks to some of
Fresno's   . ,
empoverished and
explains why the
area is known for its
poverty problems.
NCAA umpires do more than just call strikes and foul balls
bv Marty Hubbard
Staff Writer
As the 3:15 p.m. bell rings on  ,
Friday at the elementary school in a
small community outside Hanfbrd.
sixth grade teacher Rick Saxon
wipes his seventh period study
question off (he chalkboard. He
wipes impatiently because he
knows he only has two hours before
he is expected at his second job. He
has packed all his equipment into
the trunk of his car.
No, he's not heading to a
tutoring session. Saxon is on his
way to Fresno State where he will
be standing behind the plate
umpiring the baseball game against
the Mustangs of Cal Poly, San Luis
Obispo.
Saxon is part of only one crew
that officiates for NCAA baseball
in the Valley. Officials execute
routines for game preparation and
mentally prepare for game situations, not unlike the players do. as
the anticipation swells for the
umpires, players and fans in the
lime just before the opening pitch.
5:35 p.m.: One and one-half
hours before game time. Saxon
arrives at Beiden Field, home of
Bulldog baseball.
Saxon, a 20-year veteran of
officiating NCAA baseball, sits
down in the locker room to prepare
lor the game.
Saxon picks up a can of actual
Mississippi mud. The mud. found
on the bottom of rivers in Mississippi, is used to prepare the
baseballs for the game.
"1 wipe the mud on the balls to
knock the shine off of them." Saxon
explains. "It keeps the balls from
being too slippery and helps with
the grip."
As Saxon continues to rub all
40 baseballs, he is joined by Bobby
Kahn. the second of his three-man
officiating crew.
"They whooped Webster."
Kahn tells Saxon, referring to his
daughter's high school softball
team. His excitement only prov ing
his love for the game. "She went
three for four, with six RBIs."
The two chat about different
high school softball and baseball
scores of the day.
5:50 p.m.: Don Wagner, the
first-base umpire, walks in. and the
crew is complete.
Saxon, plate umpire, is in
charge tonight. He begins to
explain rotations that should occur
in different situations.
"If there is a man on first and
there is a ball hit into right field.
Don. you follow the ball. I'll swing
to first, and. Bobby, you'll take the
play at third or if there is a throw to
second. It's your call."
6:15 p.m.: All the balls are
rubbed and situations are discussed.
Saxon and the other two put on
Virtual University offers alternatives
for summer students —-
by Allison Barnett
Staff Writer
If you are looking for a way to
get some extra units but don't want
to spend your summer in a classroom, the Office of Extended Education might have your solution.
Two classes being offered
through summer session arc being
conducted through Virtual University.
Virtual University offers general
education courses through distance
learning.
"This summer is the first time
we are offering two courses in Virtual University." said Susan
Hawksworth. marketing director for
the Division of Extended Education.
"We are just getting started. Both instructors, Bruce Blackerby and Mike
Botwin, offered to teach the classes
individually."
Students taking a course through
Virtual University will earn univcr-
Univcrsity as a whole offered Virtual
University lo all the campuses."
Hawksworth said. "Some of them are
like us and just starting out and some
have a much more elaborate schedule. But these are basically classes
that you don't have to show up in a
classroom everyday. For the most
part it is a self directed type of environment."
Virtual University is offering Introduction to Psychology, Psychology 10 and Geology I through the Division of Extended Education, the
same way,o1hcr summer classes do.
The courses will be divided into
15 modules thai will be presented in
an integrated learning package. Each
module is a video-taped lecture,
which includes still images. Power
Point presentations, demonstrations
and video clips to present the material.
All student interaction with the
instructor and other students will be
through the internet. This includes e-
mail. class discussions, group
projects, written assignments, study
guides and questions.
Students will also use text books,
work books and may be required to
participate on a field trip.
Some of the requirements for the
Virtual University courses arc that
students must have access to a VCR.
a computer with e-mail and access to
the World Wide Web.
Fees are $115 per unit plus additional costs for the course packet,
which includes the videotaped lectures and handbook.
"I think it is really exciting because there are a lot of people who
can't physically come to campus to
attend a class." Hawksworth said.
"Just by virtue of having a VCR and
a computer with e-mail and internet
access, students can take this college
level class without having to sit in a
classroom."
CSU students must pass placement
tests, state regulation says
by Ezra Danciu
Staff Writer
Fresno State students
needing remedial education in
math or English are now required
to enroll in a remedial course
immediately or they will not be
allowed to register for classes, a
new executive order<>tipulatcs.
This includes students who
need to take the Entry Level
Mathematics (ELM) or the
English Placement Test (EPT), as
well as those who have taken the
tests and scored in the lowest
quartile.
Previously, students had
been allowed to enroll before
taking the ELM/EPT exam with
the understanding that they ■
would have to take it at some
time. This has inadvertently led
to a glut of students approaching
graduation who still need to
fulfill the requirement.
State executive order No.
665, which takes effect in fall
1998 and includes the entire
California State University
system, requires that admitted
applicants must take the ELM/
EPT examination alter admission
and prior to enrollment.
Students who require remedial
education must be placed in
remedial classes during their first
term of enrollment and should
demonstrate proficiency by the end
of the first academic year.
■""The idea was to
beef-up English
and math.curricula
at the pre-college
—William Stock
University Test Officer
Admissions Officer Yolanda
DeLcon said this order came as a
result of the trustees' concern with
students that need remedial courses
were not being placed in them early
enough.
"We have made an all-out
effort to identify students who need
remediation and place them in the
classes that they need," DcLeon
said.
But DcLeon said that until
now. the university has had no
way of pressing these students to
test or to enroll in remedial
"The intent is to make sure /
students take what they need to'
take so they can move on with
their education." said Carole
Snee. director of the Learning
Resource Center.
The EPT was first instituted
in 1977 and the ELM in 1981.
with the hope that they would
only be needed temporarily.
According to William Stock,
university test officer, grade
inflation led to lower expectations in California high schools,
and eventually high school
grades were no longer a reliable
measurement of ability.
"The idea was to beef-up
English and math curricula al ihe
pre college level." Stock said.
"|The California Slate University I expected that the tests
wouldn'i be needed in five
years."
In an effort to serve continu-
see PLACEMENT, page 2
their uniforms.
"It's going lo be a cold one out
there tonight and I forgot my
running lighis." Saxon tells the
others. />
As Saxon puts on his protective
gear, he begins to look like a
Roman warrior preparing for battle.
He pulls his pants on. hiding the
plastic armor that guards his shins
and groin. The bulky black chest
shield that he pulls over his head is
too big to hide, so he puts an open
blackish-gray sports jacket that
bears the NCAA trademark, over it.
"Remember to take off your
rings." Wagner reminds him. "1
almost lost my finger last year
when I got hit in the hand. It
swelled up so quick the ring cut of
all the circulation."
Finally. Saxon is ready. He
continues to stretch and stay loose
since he'll be bent over behind
home plate all night.
6:50 p.m.: The three umpires
eagerly await the police escort to
the field.
"We get escorted to and from
the field." Saxon explains. "That
way we don't have to worry about
foolish or drunk fans."
While they wait, the group
continues to chat about botched
calls that they saw on ESPN the
night before. The play that most
interests them happened in the
Dodgers and Astros game. They all
agree that the officiating crew at
that game, made an exceptional
call, by putting the base-runner,
who was hit by a line drive, back on
base instead of calling him out.
But when the door opens, a 6-
foot. 2-ihch policeman walks in,
and the umpires' game faces
surface. It's time to go to work.
"Where's the blue crew?" the
officer asks.
6:55 p.m.: The blue crew
makes its entrance onto the field.
It isn't game time yet. though.
Saxon cleans the plate with a hand
brush, and is approached by the
coaches who hand him their
starting line-ups.
Kahn and Wagner check
helmets for cracks and bats for flat
spots which could increase hitting
percentages.
7:03 p.m.: The blue crew
members take their hat«/off at home
plate while the national anthem is
proudly sung.
7:05 p.m.: After all the pre-
game preparations, Saxon gives the
crew their final instructions as they
run to their positions at first and
third bases.
"Play Ball!" Saxon yells from
behind the plate.
At 7:07 p.m.: With the shout
of "Strike" and a finger point to the
right. Saxon has begun another
Fresno Stale baseball game at
Beiden Field.
Located behind the Joyal Building, the Allergy-Free Garden it home to almost 100 different varieties of trees and
shrubs that are sneeze free. Pete Miller Is the manager and lanscape architect who oversees the low-maintenance,
park-like area.
Minority enrollment increases at
Fresno State, decreases at UCs
by Maria A. Gonzalez
Staff Writer
April brings showers—and college acceptance tellers. This lime,
however, fewer letters will be raining down on African-American and
Hispanic high school seniors.
s California's largest universities,
the UnivbKil) of California. Berkeley and thell.niversiiv of California.
Los Angeles, have admitted fewer Al
rican-Ainericans and Hispanics this
year than last.
The reasons behind UC Berkeley and UCLA's drop, trace back to
November 5. 19% when California
voters passed Proposition 209. a ret
erendum banning Affirmative Action.
Under race-blind policies. VC
Berkeley accepted 66 percent fewer
African-Americans and 53 percent
fewer Hispanics lor the entering
freshman class. At UCLA. 43 percent
fewer African-Americans and 33 percent fewer Hispanics won freshman
admission under race-blind policies.
While both VC Berkelev and
UCLA's minority ♦enrollment
dropped, Fresno Slate'
African-American enrollme
rose from 4.3 percent in fall 1991
6.4 percent in fall 1997. Hispar
enrollment rose from 20.17 percc
in fall 1991 to 30.6 percent in f
1997.
■II I were at L'C Berkeley or
UCLA. 1 would be concerned about
the historical commitment to admit
students from all backgrounds." said
Vivian Franco, interm director of
Admissions. Records and Evaluations at Fresno Slate. "I think they
seriously need to go back and take a
look at the procedures and nol just
the policies."
.
Ill
■
fl t«'
i
—Vivian Franco
Interim Director of
Admissions, Records and
Evaluations
While two of California's most
prestigious campuses are accepting
lower minorities, oilier California
California. Riv erside and the University of California. Santa Cruz, have
seen increases in minority admis-
"It's a challenge for state institutions to keep our numbers up. but
we've been managing to hold our
own." Franco said.
Increases in minority enrollment
hav e also occured al private colleges.
Private colleges outside the state
use California's diverse population
and new ly enacted race-blind policies
to bolster their own minority demographics. One such school is
Willamette, a private college in Oregon, which actively recruits rr
IlV   s
Califoi
Since 1996, ihe college has
flown in a group of California students to visit ihe campus, a third of
V.llOll
rolled.
Besides taking lop students out
of the stale, a new concern has risen.
For Ihe pasi five vears. African-
American students have increasingly
chosen to go to private colleges out
Ol    N
•.   It.
. said.
I he'i
op inn
rollment
Prop ,209. franco won't agree until
"As a system, the California
State University has managed to
maintain representation of all ethnic
groups." Franco said.
On May 5. a hearing w ill be held
in Sacramento to discuss enrollment
drops and w hat should be done about