1993_11 Insight November 1993

              November 3,1993
Insight/California State University, Fresno
Page 3
Fresno not where heart is, survey shows
By Julie Johnson	
StaffWriter
Fresno is a town without pity, according to a national survey of "helping behavior" by a campus psycholo-
gisL
Robert V. Levine, professor and
chairman of CSUF's psychology department began on-ihc-strcci field experiments deal ing with urban kindness.
The research concluded that Fresno
ranked 33 overall, in acts of kindness,
trailed only by Los Angeles, Patcrson,
New Jersey, and New York City.
Thecxperimcnt was a collaborative
project including Professor Levine and
CSUF students such as Todd Martinez,
Gary Brase, Kerry Sorcnson, as well as
other who volunteered.
The students spent much of their
summer vacations traveling nationwide
conducting these experiments.
The research cost litdc. Two students, who already had plans io iravel
Ihc country during Ihe summer, were
able to make the experiment part of
iheir trip.
When Levine was asked why he
was interested in the experiment he
said, "I'm interested in the psychological quality of life, and how places differ
in this quality of life."
"The way people treat strangers in
public places is part of thaL"
Past experiments of Lcvinc's include the pace of life and punctuality
between cities and countries.
Todd Martinez, who gathered data
in both New York City and Los Angeles, was very aware of the differences
between ihc two cities.
"Los Angeles was ihc only city thai
I worked where I found myself getting
frustrated and angry when people didn 't
help.
"In New York, for some reason, I
never took it personally.
"People looked like d*ey were too
busy to help.
" It was as if they saw me, but didn't
really notice me or anyihing else around
ihem," Martinez said.
"I hated doingL.A. People looked at
mc but just didn't seem to want to
bother," he said.
"For a few trials, I was acting the
hurt-leg episode on a narrow sidewalk
with just enough space for a person to
squeeze by.
"After I dropped my magazines, one
man walked up very close to me,
checked oul the situation, and then
sidestepped around mewithoutaword."
In each city, researchers asked for
change or dropped pens hoping someone would retrieve them. Some pretended io be blind or injured and in
need of help.
Finally.rescarchers left stamped and
supposedly "lost" letters on car windshields.
Success was measured by how many
letter were mailed and thus returned to
researchers.
Fresno ranked last in two categories and very low in three others.
The city ranked second in the
hurt leg survey.
Levine said ihe survey doesn't
cancel Fresno's reputation as a
friendly lown.
"It addresses how people behave in a certain situation—like
when they're approached by a
stranger.
"And the results are worth dunking about," he said.
Ya'acov Ahlmelr, Parliament correspondent and chief editor and anchorman of Israeli TV
News, spoke about "The Peace Process from the Streets ot Israel: A Journalist's Perspective,"
at the Satellite Student Union on Oct. 26. The lecture was sponsored by the Jewish student
organization Hillel, The Jewish Federation of Fresno and the Israeli Project of San Francisco.
Fresno's own Dr. Doolittle
By Tim McGarry
Staff Writer
Il is midnightand the insistant knocking
continues as he struggles from the covers.
He dresses, throws the door open, and
leaps into irw. waitine waeon. speeding to
ihe farm.
After arriving, he is led to his patieni, a
sick cow lying in the straw. A calf is gently
nuzzling her in a vain attempt to coax her
up.
The life of a veterinarian today is much
like ihc scene just described.
Techniques and medicines may be mod-
cm, but a large animal doctor's day docs
not end at dusk.
Vcicrnarians arc slaves io their telephones.
Yet, the long hours and harsh conditions
do noi seem to dauni new siudcnLs.
In fact, veterinary enrollment has continued io increase.
This causes great concern to Dr. Robert
Crenshaw, veterinary surgeon, consultant,
and former instructor al ihc University of
California, Davis.
A 1950 graduate of Michigan Siaic via
ihe G.I. Bill, Crenshaw started as a veterinary assistant in Chowchilla, a small farm
ing community about 25 miles north
of Fresno.
He eventually moved lo Orland,
Calif, another small community located between Sacremcnio and Red
Bluff, where he eventually started his
own practice.
Bored with his practice, Crenshaw
jumped from career to career, finally
sculing in a long distance consulting
business.
His job lakes him through much of
the United States, advising farmers
on how to better their herds.
Travel may sound tiring io some,
bul ai 72, Crenshaw still enjoys his
irips.
Crenshaw said veterinary medicine
is a growing industry; an industry
dominated by practicing doctors, but
one thai realizes die value of research
and its applications for both humans
and animals.
Artificial joints, screws, and pins
arc just a few examples of knowledge
attained through veterinary research.
Along with research, many other
alternatives await the young graduate.
Small animal practice, exotic ani
mals, nutrition,and consulting arc
all growing areas in the industry.
In ihc future. Crenshaw foresees a different type of veterinary
medicine, one more like its human counterpart
Animal hospitals, mobile small
ammai clinics, and vactu-auuii
clinics will take the place of
today's clinics.
Changes must be made because
of environmental concerns, such
as proper needle disposal, drug
use, and many of ihe same issues
facing human hospitals today.
New jobs will also be opening
outside of the traditional field.
Biological companies inventing new drugs will need competent sales people.
Researchers will be needed in
ihc fields of marine biology and
icthcology, die study of fish.
According to Crenshaw,
women will be leading die charge
into veterinary medicine's future.
The number of female veterinary students is increasing, wiih
See CRENSHAW page 7
Woody playing a new tune as council member
CSUF dlumni   and ' outnusilcd my opponent,"    said, was thai all oflhc members were    his full attention lo his official duties. In the five months since he took    voters. He works very hard ir
CSUF alumn
aspiring m usicia n
now a Fresno politician.
By Chris Branam	
StaffWriter
While siudcnLs al CSUF arc hopeful of finding a job soon aficr graduation, most wouldn't consider holding a political office as an entry-level
occupation.
But Michael Erin Woody did.
A 1991 graduatcofCSUF. Woody.
26, became disillusioned with whai
he considered governmental bureau
cracy in city politics, so two months
aficr graduating he decided to run for
ihc Fresno Cily Council's District 6
scat in las! November's elections.
Although Woody had no prior political   experience—he was a
civil engineering
"I outnusilcd my opponent.'
Woody said. "Lowry thought there
was no way this kid wiih long hair
could beat her, an established politician. They goi lazy and didn't run a
creative campaign."
Woody started gaining momentum
among political observers aboul a
month before the run-off.
"I picked him as a dark horse candidate two weeks before the election,"Council member Bob Lung said.
"And you just knew something was
going to happen. I'm friends wiih
Kaihy Lowry—I told her she was in
big trouble."
Sporting a mane of hair thai flows
below his collar and a preference over
bluo jeans and dress shirts lo slacks
and lies. Woody had to move beyond
an image of a novelty candidate.
"You just have lo be straight with
people," he said. "People might dis-
ilh you, but if you say exactly
aid, was thai all oflhc members were
college sludents who were focused on
ihcir schoolwork.
"I remember when wc played at
The Wild Blue," he said, "and we
were backstage in the dressing room
doing homework for our classes."
Whjlc his musical career has
waned—he claims he still plays a
little at home -Woody has devoted
full attention lo his official duties.
David Provosu professor of political science at CSUF, said he is impressed with Woody's work on the
council. "I was rather surprised that
he won at 26," Provost said. "I don't
live in the district he ran in, so I'm not
familiar with hiscampaign, but he has
performed admirably in his time in
office."
In the five months since he took
office. Woody has endeared himself
to fellow council member Lung. "We
don'tagrecon toomany issues." Lung
said, "bul he's a great guy io be
around."
Lung said he has been impressed
by Woody's honesty. "Sometimes he
lakes me by surprise," he said. "He
feels he represents ihc wishes of his
voters. He works very hard in
being the representative of that
district."
He hasn't exactly endeared
himself, though, to some of the
city's wealthiest developers.
He rccendy voted against developer Jon Thomason's request
See WOODY page 7
High School. Woody went to UC
Irvine wiih thoughts sei on a career in
medicine.
His plans soon changed.
"I decided il wasn't for me on the
day we had to cut into fcial pigs," he
said. "I don't like cutting into things.
election
came down
to iruslwor-
thiness.
"The approach I
took was
simple," he
said, "I
ihoughi
aboul why
Michael Erin Woody
someone, and 1 vole for honcsiy and
integrity. The people in District 6 arc
intelligent, college-educated people.
They don't trust fluff."
While he focused on honesty and
integrity. Woody also had an intangible bonus ihat any politician works
Two years later Woody transferred    hard to achieve—name recognition
lo Fresno and focused on civil engineering. After graduating, he soon
became frustrated wiih the political
gridlock in Fresno's city government.
"In civil engineering, you have lo
work wiih building codes and officials," he said. "After working wiih
what wc had then. I fell there had lobe
a belter way."
During his campaign, he raised
S25.208, which included S 12,000 of
his life savings, to run for the District
My lasi name is perfect for name
recognition," he said. "Il's a nickname, it's catchy, and il's ihc guy on
'Cheers.' I made my lasi name as big
as possible on my signs."
Woody said he applied most of his
public relations activities from his
days at CSUF playing electric bass in
a rock band.
"In many ways, 1 did ihe same
tilings to get ihc word oul," he said. "1
posted fliers, and went door-io-door.
6scat,comparcdioiheSKl*.K30raiscd    I really never ihoughi aboul il, bul I
did many things the same way."
Woody also was able lo parlay his
love of music inlo a spot playing
by Lowry.
Woody said he felt Lowry underestimated his campaign aficr she won
39 of the 45 precincts in ihc general
election.
Lowry was a long-time employee
of die city who was at one time an
assistant jo Rod Anaforian, who
Woody replaced on the council.
Anaforian, ironically, supported
Woody.
•lcctric bass in a band wh ile at CSUF.
"1 feel fortunate in mat I've done
things dial no one ever w ill gel lo do
in ihcir lifetimes." Woody said. "I
was able to play music in front of
large amounts of people, and I've
held political office."
The best aspect of ihc band. Woody
California State University, Fresno
University   Lecture   Series
Presents
Linda Chavez
For Ticket Info.
call 278-2078
Tickets on sale NOW!!
CSUF Students must show
Student ID at the door.
Education and
the Politics of
Hispanic Assimilation
Linda Chavez is author of Out ofthe Barrio:
Toward a New Politics of Hispanic Assimilation (1991).
which chronicles the largely untold story of the Hispanic
progress and achievement while addressing the implications
cf the bilingual education, voting rights, immigration policy,
and affirmative action. As a John M. Olin Fellow at New
York's Manhattan Institute. Ms. Chavez currently heads the
Center for the New American Community. The Center seeks
to foster a renewed commitment to a common American
civic culture. A firm believer in assimilation, Linda Chavez
questions the validity and effectiveness of U.S. policies
toward Hispanics, including the promotion of bilingual
education.
Ms. Chavez has held a number of political positions,
including Staff Director of the U.S. Commission on Civil
Rights (1983-1985) and the White House Director of Public
Liaison (1985). She is currenUy the U.S. Expert on the
United Nations Subcommission on Human Rights. Linda
Chavez regularly appears on 'To the Contrary" and "Crier &
Co.." and writes for a variety of publications, including USA
Today. Fortune. The Wall Street Journal. The New Republic.
The Los Angeles Times. The New York Post, and The Houston Chronicle.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1993
at 7:30 P.M.
SATELLITE STUDENT UNION
CSUE Students $2
General Admission $10
The University Lecture Series is funded in part by the Associated Students, Inc., the University Student Union Board,
and the Office of Ihe Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.