1998_05 Insight May 1998

              InSide
Is that class
really needed?
Students learn to
petition classes.
Insight
California State University, Fresno ^L^^^W May 6,1998
Volume 2!), Number 12 ^^fc|^^^
InSports
Redshirts
Does a year off
make a difference?
Special
Section
Inside
Join us in the final
part of our special
series on the
problems that
make Fresno a
city in crisis.
Cherie Arambel reports on
Fresno's crime
predicaments
Derek Walter explains
the problems plaguing
the Lowell community
Ezra Danciu puts forth
solutions to Fresno's crises
Stephen Smith
discusses
Fresno's failing
education system
Rape Awareness rally unites
students, community leaders
by Marty Hubbard
Staff Writer
The young woman had no idea
who he was.
It was a public bar: she was
beautiful: and it wasn't the first
time a man had bought her a drink.
She entertained his charm for
an hour before they went their
separate ways.
She said good-bye to her
friends and found her way out the
door. She must have been thinking.
"What a strong drink that was," as
she started her long walk through
the dark parking lot.
Last Tuesday, feeling a little
dazed, this young woman never
made it to her car. The generous
man who bought her that drink
drugged it and was waiting for her
outside. The woman was thrown
into a van. beaten and raped by the
previously charming man.
True stories like this one and
the recent rapping's in the Valley
enraged students at Fresno State.
. Kalhryu Forbes, professor of -
Women's Studies at Fresno State,
challenged her students to make a
difference in the life of a rape
victim. Her class. Women's Studies
195. responded by putting an anti-
rape rally together.
"The class put the rally
together in one week." Forbes said.
"I was amazed at how quickly they
pulled together." "
Within days of the challenge,
the group had contacted guest
speakers such as Mayor Jim
Patterson. President John Welty,
Councilmen Gary Bredefcld and
Ken Steitz. the Fresno County
Sheriff's department and others.
The group informed all mediums in
the area and put up posters all over
the university.
The students decided to call
their rally "Defend Our Daughters."
The rally was supposed to
break though all social barriers
including race and sex. according to
Michelc Peabody. a student of
Forbes.
"It should be an important
subject to everyone because
everyone has a mother." Peabody
Everyone in the class was able
to attend at least part of the rally.
They could be distinguished by the
fresh white daisies in their hair and
the white ribbons over their hearts.
According to Peabody. the plucked
daisy represents the loss of innocence that is associated with sexual
assault. The white ribbon is worn to
show support for the victims, just
as the red ribbon shows support for
people with AIDS.
The rally began with a skit that
demonstrated the misconception
that a person's apparel or actions
make them responsible if they were
assaulted. The skit made it clear
that it is not the victims' fault.
"It was important to have men
speak at the rally," Forbes said.
"When a woman speaks, it's a
women's issue but when a man
speaks, it becomes a human issue."
Councilman Bredefeld and
program director of Fresno's Crisis
Intervention Center Kevin Black
spoke to show their support.
"Rape victims are not victims:
they are survivors," Black said. "It
is important to let them know it is
all right to be upset and that it is
not their fault."
After the rally, the student
organizers met to discuss the
outcome. They felt the goals were
accomplished. Within one week,
they brought a heightened awareness about sexual crimes to the
community around Fresno State.
"We came together as a group
and showed how easy it is to make
a difference." Peabody said.
The class was able to educate
the public by bringing in guest
speakers like Auwana Brown of the
University Police department. She
delivered statistics such as one out
of every four women will be
sexually assaulted in her lifetime.
The class felt that they were
able to break through sexual
barriers and show men that sexual
crimes should affect them as well.
Unfortunately, the class was
disappointed that Mayor Patterson
and Councilman Steitz did not
attend the rally.
The class gave themselves a
pat on the back for the great job
they did. But as they left the
classroom, they heard the ringing of
their professor's words. "We have a
rapist culture. If it hasn't happened
to you or someone you know, it
will." Forbes said.
Drug leaves victims helpless but aware
by Tammi Storey
Staff Writer
"Once you've been violated, there is no turning back," a date rape victim in her 20s from northern California said. "You will always be a little
more cautious, scared, and angry.
"Don't let it happen to you: be careful no matter who you are with."
Her story, however, is different from usual
date rape incidents because it involves an encounter with a new drug called Rohypnol. Because of
the circumstances, she did not want to give details or have her name revealed?5}
The typical scenario goes something like this:
Imagine waking up and not knowing if your
memories are real. You remember going out on a
date with a friend or acquaintance. You remember
returning to an apartment, but do not know what
else is real.
Drinking alcohol; seeing panties on the floor:
having sex. All of these thoughts are haunting your
mind. You are wondering which memory is real.
But this must not have happened because you don't
remember. Was I drunk? Did someone violate me?
Or am I just imagining things? Who do I go to?
Will anyone believe me? What should 1 do?
AH of this could happen if a woman swallows a pill named Rohypnol (pronounced ro-hip-
nol), also known as the rape drug. The drug is illegal and can be lethal.
•A growing number of date rapes are occurring with the use of Rohypnol. according to Sgt.
Tim McFadden of the Fresno Police Department.
He said he sees one to two cases per month. Most
of the victims are college-aged females.
McFadden also said that more than 200 rapes
occur each year in Fresno County alone. For ev
ery rape reported there are eight to nine that
remain a secret. Approximately one in four
women will be raped one or more times in their
lifetime.
Common sense and more cautious behavior could reduce these numbers. McFadden said.
Rohypnol has been circulating illegally in
the United States for about two years but has
not been publicly acknowledged as a serious
problem until recently.
One two-milligram pill looks similar to a
Tylenol pill. It is a small white tablet with the
name "Roche" and the number one or two in a
circle on it. On the other side of the pill is a
single plus or minus sign.
Rohypnol is legal and sold in 64 countries
by prescription only. It is used in the short-term
treatment of patients with severe and debilitating sleep disorders.
However, increasing reports show that
Rohypnol is being illegally imported into the
U.S. It is being smuggled in from Mexico and
other Latin American countries via southern
Florida and Texas.
"There are no warning signs," said Sgt.
McFadden. "It is usually put into sweet drinks
such as soda or even mixed alcoholic beverages,
like rum and coke, and it takes effect in 20 to
30 minutes causing a zombie-type state and an
altered mental state."
The aforementioned victim said she felt
like she had lost control of herself.
"You see what is going on." she said, "but
yet you don't understand and can't control it."
Strongest effects of the drug occur within
one to two hours and sedative effects can last
six to eight hours for one two-milligram pill.
That same pill can impair physical skills for up to
12 hours and cause severe memory loss.
At sufficient doses, amnesia may occur with
its use. according to information provided by the
manufacturer.
How did the young victim know what was real?
"I finally figured out after seeing myself and
cleaning up. I was raped." she said. "They took a
urine test (to determine presence of any drug) but
there was nothing."
Sgt. McFadden said there are only a few laboratories that can test for Rohypnol in urine and
blood. He said that one may open here in Fresno.
There is one problem with detecting the drug.
he said.
"Any signs of one pill are out of the body's
system four to six hours after the effects wear off."
he said.
Most victims who believe Rohypnol was involved in the crime report it too late. The drug is
out of their system.
Rohypnol can cause death if it is mixed with
alcohol, taken in too high a dose or mixed with other
narcotics or medications the victim may be using.
Wrapped in pharmaceutical packaging, one pill
carries a street price of S5. There are several street
names for Rohypnol. including Roachies. La Roeha.
Rope. Rib Roche (pronounced row-shay). Rooties.
Ruffies, Mexican Valium, R-2 . and Roach-2.
"Women need to make themselves less vulnerable by protecting themselves." McFadden said.
"The guy dews not have the right to do this. He is
committing a felony: he is violating them. But when
it comes to one-on-one situations and he's made up
his mind he's going to do that, he's probabl> going
to win out unless you're meaner and badder than
Council reviews
behavior codes
photo by Ryan Weber
Athletic Advisory Council chairman Vince Bloom addresses the
code of conduct at Thursday's meeting in the North Gym Annex.
New additions of
conduct, recruitment
codes clarify
expectations.
by John Sanders
Staff Writer
■ Potential revisions regarding
Fresno State's Code of Conduct
and Code of Recruitment were
adopted at last Thursdas s meeting of the Athletic Advisors
Council.
The revisions state more
clearly the meaning of the code,
and spell out the penalties for \ totaling it in greater detail.
The proposed rev isions now
go to coaches and the studenl-aih-
,    Mipil
Then the code
council before being sent top
dent Welt) for final approva
"One ofthe things that »
not in, ing to do is write the <
ofcond
CI lor
ix or eight people
that se
owed
up." said Vince
Bloom.
chaim
an of the Athletic
Advisor
y Council and a speech
commt
mean
>ns   professor.
"People
have
o recognize that
there are 5(H)
athletes on cam-
pus."
La
t    Se
ptember.   John
Shields
head
of the academic
senate.
iropos
•d a code ol con
On March 9. Shields told the
Academic Senate that the code
needed revisions. The Athletic Advisory Council appointed a subgroup to consider changes.
It consisted of Bloom and
Shields. Al Bohl. athletic director.
Diane Milutinovich. associate athletic director. Bob Knudsen. director of the Athletic Academic Services, and Tamika Louis, student-
athlete representative. They met
for a total of over seven hours to
discuss potential modifications in
the code of conduct and a code of
"I couldn't have been more
pleased.'' Shields said, speaking
about the council. "The main thing
is that we wanted to do what's best
tor the school. I'm hopeful that all
of these revisions will be
adopted."
The code of conduct, as cur-
s broken down into
ree major parts Responsible
itizenship [formerlj Good Citi-
nshipl Academic Responsibili-
;s. and Athletic Responsibilities.
mill;
ial i
t Res
. The r
added five more focti
Under the categ
citizenship two revisi
posed. Part of the i
paragraph read:
Good chamctfi
Shields' speech the Athleti.
visory Council pal a Coi
Conduct into effect. .
see CODE, page 2
Commuters drive near, far for school
Most students live within one hour of CSUF but
some travel even greater distances.
by Monica Lopez
Staff Writer
The 50-minute drive Carla Cuadra takes every Tuesday and Thursday
morning from Visalia to^resno State has been a ritual for iwo semesters.
As one of the many Fresno State commuters who travel Highway 99's
seemingly endless stretch through the Central Valley. Cuadra. in her trusty
1985 Volvo, cruises past the nameless drivers who travel up and down the
freeway everyday. She pumps up her favorite salsa and merengue music to
make the drive more bearable.
For Cuadra, commuting is a reality she has come to accept for a
degree in mass communication. The single mother wouldn't think of
giving up a quality of life in Visalia that she feels is suitable for herself and
her two sons. Commuting is a small sacrifice.
versil) datashr*
if the campus. "
transportation coordinator w
gram. But he said commutiii
years when Freewaj iWsi
Come the year 2000, the fre
exit just east of the campus,
nience thai will allow studei
Fresno State's parking lot
ov is as their places of resident
e students commute to Fresno
> half of the 6.122 live within
> Beddinglield. employe
o Suite's Rideshare Pro-
re common in the n
imeiinies," said Cuadra. a junior al Fresno Slate. "1 get
i\ing and besides that, it's two hours |round-trip| every
>ol that I could spend stud) ing or being with nn children."
s Fr<
t two
ip opens near the Fresno Slate campus,
winch runs north and south, will have at
aw and Chestnut Avenues—a convc-
, irtuallv exit the freeway directly onto
see COMMUTER, page 2