1994_10 Insight October 1994

              October 5,1994
IN FOCUS
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY. FRESNO
Page5
INSIGHT
Students celebrate Ghandi's spirit
INSIGHT
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
said he wanted to live to be 125 years
old. He said it would take this long
to bring world peace.
Unfortunately, he did not bring this
about. He was born on Oct. 2, 1869
and died Jan. 30,1948.
On Friday Oct. 30, CSUF faculty,
staff, administration and students
gathered in the Peace Garden to celebrate his 125th birthday and keep
his spirit of peace alive.
"The garden was chosen as the location for the statue, because it is in
the center of the campus," said Bob
Fischer, a professor in the department
of sociology.
CSUF also has a large, diverse
population, so a symbol of peace was
nceded.which is what Gandhi represented, Fischer said.
Joy Vincent-Killian, a member of
the Women's International League
for Peace and Freedom and a candidate for cily council in District 1,
opened the ceremony with Gandhi's
esteemed words of peace.
During the ceremony, sunlight Tom Nadelin, coordinator and su-
beamed onto Gandhi's bust, which pervisor forCCAN, invited speakers
had been cleaned and waxed the day to talk about world peace,
before by the Cross Cultural Aware- "The organizations represent a
"He was a man who believed
in the humanity and dignity of people.
He looked at the individual,
no matter their station in life."
—Susan Vasquez
ness Network (CCAN).
The sign, "Our strength, our
progress depends on our diversity,"
formed a backdrop against the bust.
On the marble base where his bust
stands, the words read: "My life is
my message."
"They mean he lived what he
taught," Fischer said. "Because during his lifetime, Gandhi demonstrated to the world that social movements could be accomplished with no
violence."
broad spectrum of Gandhi's spirit,
and of peace and non-violence," he
said.
Twenty-six-year-old Harold
Kilinian. a junior majoring in pre-
med, said he came to the ceremony,
because he felt it was important.
"The world would be a different
place if there weren't people like
this," he said. "Things would get out
of control."
Therefore, honoring them is showing them respect, Kilinian said.
Susan Vasquez, a spokeswoman for
Housing Opportunity Through Education (HOPE) and director of the
university lecture scries, said she regards Gandhi as a role model.
"He was a man who believed in the
humanity and dignity of people," she
said. "He looked at the individual, no
matter their station in life."
This is what HOPE believes, too,
she said. "We believe that life is sacred and even if we only touch one
life, lhat individual is sacred."
To end the ceremony, Vincent-
Killian read while the children from
the campus children's center put a
garland made of baby's breath, fem
and daisies around the base. Each
attendant was also given a carnation
to put on ihe statue.
People in the Hispanic and African-
American communities hope to have
the statues of Martin Luther King. Jr.
and Caesar Chavez in the peace garden, too next year.
"I'm looking forward to the day
when Chavez will be in the garden
with Gandhi, a man he loved and
admired," said Lea Ybarra. acting
associate provost for academic planning and student services.
Christine Mirigten/INSIGHT
Shelly SUVa/INSIGHT
Anti-abortion protestors line Shaw Avenue.
Michelle Henry
INSIGHT
A number of men women, and
children volunteered for a peaceful, anti-abortion demonstration
Sunday. Members from 20 local
churches met Sunday afternoon
between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. holding signs that read "Abortion Kills
Children." This annual event happens nationwide, the first Sunday
in Oct. The volunteers form a
human cross to symbolize their
belief in God.
"It's a non-violent, peaceful,
family way of saying abortion is
still killing children." David
Bonnar, a representative from
Community Bible Church remarked. "We get a good turn out.
About 10% of each church shows
up to give their support."
People's Church member Ellen
King has volunteered for this demonstration the past six years.
"Every child is a wanted child.
I think if people read these signs
100 or 200 times they might think,
what good are these people doing,
but it may have an effect on them
later if they have a family member that faces this dilemma. The
problem today is that girls think
that there's no other choice," King
said.
Everything from obsceneties to
cheers could be heard, resulting in
a successful demonstration for it
proved that abortion is still an important issue.
Chinese professors teach students about life
INSIGHT
Marco Polo traveled thousands of
miles to learn the wisdom of China.
Now Zhiling Yang and Bing Lin have
traveled thousands of miles to share
their knowledge of China with CSUF
students.
CSUF is a member of the USA
Sino-Consortium. an exchange program between Chinese and American
universities. Yang and Lin are from
Beijing University.
Lin likes to call himself an "IBM"
(Indonesian Born Mandarin). Yang
grew up in Shanghai. The two have
been colleagues since 1959.
Yang and Lin's presence has
prompted the arrival of other Chinese
educators. On Sept. 21, eight delegates studied Fresno's education
system, grades K-12. They represented a private school being built in
the special economic zone across
from Hong Kong, Shenzen.
This semester Yang and Lin are
teaching three classes together:
Women in Other Cultures, Comparative Education-East/West Perspectives and Chinese Calligraphy. They
will teach here for one year.
The Women in Other Cultures class
has full enrollment and focuses on the
different roles Chinese women have
played throughout history. The other
two classes, however, have a combined enrollment of nine students.
Lin said the women's studies class
is successful, because it fulfills a general education requirement. The
other classes do not and are not in
the fall '94 Schedule of courses .
"This is not a male-bashing
course." Yang said in a gentle voice,
a shy smile always on her face. "In
the last 40 years, Chinese men have
done much to gain independence for
Chinese women."
While making this remark, Lin
raised his arms triumphantly. "That's
why I'm here, men," he laughed. "
To defend you!"
Lin keeps student interest high with
frequent jokes.
The 1949 Cultural Revolution
changed the role of Chinese women.
Arranged marriages were abolished
and. for the first time, women were
able to initiate divorce proceedings.
"American women have more opportunities in their education and occupation," Lin said.
"However, a recent American survey showed Chinese women earn
higher wages than American women,
more equal with their male peers,"
Yang said.
"There is also a higher percentage
of Chinese women in the work force
than American women," she added.
The Chinese government dictates
that 30 percent of all local and national congressional candidates must
be female. If a man and a woman run
for the same office, the woman receives priority.
Twenty-nine percent of China's
National People's Congress, the highest elected office, are female.
Both professors said they find
American students lo be more vocal,
critical and independent than Chinese
students.
Yang and Lin say Chinese students
work harder than their American
counter parts. They must pass a grueling three-day-long exam to enter the
university. Only 26 percent make it.
Yang and Lin have both periodically
taught in the United State since graduating from Kent State University in
1982. They were the first Chinese nationals to receive doctorate degrees
from an American University since
China's communist revolution.
"Since the economic reforms of the
1980's, China is not strictly communist," said Lin. "China is now a socialist society at the primary level."
During the 1989Tiananmen Square
uprising, Yang and Lin donned white
medical gowns and covertly rode in
an ambulance, sirens blaring, past
government blockades into the
square.
Lin advised them to proceed with
caution to accomplish as much as
possible.
"Chinese culture is based on feudal roots," said Yang. "Nothing will
happen in China overnight,"
The professors found their coming
to Fresno was friendlier and less dramatic than entering Tiananmen
Square. Berta Gonzalez and Robert
Monke, assistant dean of Education
and Human Development, found unfurnished apartments for them close
to campus.
Gonzalez obtained furniture
through donations.
"Everyone pitched in." she said.
"Professors, staff members and students gave what they could. My mom
gave us a set of dinncrware."
Gonzalez also stocked Yang and
Lin's apartments with food.
"We were overwhelmed by their
generosity," said Dr. Yang. "It was
beyond all our expectations."
Both professors have families in
Beijing, whom they visit once a year.
They stress the importance of their
work and say the rewards of teaching here are worth the drawbacks of
family separation.
"If you want to accomplish something," Yang said. "You can't have
everything."
Shuttle Endeavor photographs Fresno life
Thomas Purcell
INSIGHT
Fresno County residents will be
able to see the Space Shuttle Endeavor as it passes overhead on its
mission researching local fields,
farms and urban areas between Oct.
3 through Oct 6.
The Endeavor will pass over the
valley sky from the southwest to the
northeast taking radar photographs.
The shuttle uses two radar imaging
systems called the Spaceborne Imaging Radar and the X-Band Synthetic
Aperture Radar.
During the 10-day mission, hundreds of radar images will be taken
of all parts of the world. Local valley land features, extending from
Coalinga to Fowler and most of
southwestern Fresno County, will be
part of the radar imaging study that
takes place from the cargo bay of the
Endeavor.
The total image path starts west of
Pismo Beach in the Pacific Ocean
and extends into Wyoming. The radar photos will measure density of
trees and forests and other land features.
When the shuttle passes Fresno at
an altitude of 120 miles above the
earth's surface, it will be in sunlight
while the valley is still in darkness.
If the skies are clear, it can be seen in
the southwest sky moving in a northeasterly direction. The shuttle will be
brighter than any star or morning
planet in the sky.
Fresno students, from kindergarten
through college, will be taking part
in the mission. Students in geography 105 at CSUF, aerial photography
and interpretation, will be comparing
the information from the radar photos to the actual measurements on the
ground.
"These photos should help us see
how fast trees grow as well as how
fast they are cut down." said Dr. Jack
F. Paris, professor of plant science
and director of 'CSUF's
Geolnformational Technology facil
ity. He added, "We arc using the local orchards as model forests. It is not
known to NASA how well this
project will turn out."
"This radar is unique, because it can
scan images in the dark and through
clouds," Paris said.
Some area schools are placing reflectors to be able to mark their location in the space photos. Selma High
School has placed reflectors in the
shape of the big dipper.
"It's fun for the kids to get involved," said Paris. "It gives them a
sense that there is more to the world
than their local community."
Tomorrow will be the last time to
view the shuttle at 5:28 a.m.
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INSIGHT
A California State University in another country? Not so hard to believe,
according to the office of International Programs at CSUF.
The Study Abroad program offered
on the CSUF campus allows students
to study in another country while
earning credit towards a degree.
Students have the choice of studying in 16 different countries from
Australia to Zimbabwe. Credits can
be earned in a variety of majors.
"Mexico is the most popular country," saitfCarol Munshower, counselor for International Programs, "because cost-wise, Mexico is very reasonable."
Students in the program pay regular CSU student fees. However, other
costs vary from country to country.
Student activities, round-trip transportation, room and board and personal costs are all factored into the
total cost for each country.
The standard budget for a single
student off-campus attending CSUF
is $8,608. The estimated cost to
study abroad varies from $9,000 to
$17,000, depending on the country
chosen.
Most of the financial aid that a student obtains on a CSU campus can
be applied towards the study abroad.
"That's how I paid for mine," said
Rita Huitron, alumni assistant for International Student Services, who
studied abroad in Mexico.
"Our numbers are tiny," said
Munshower. This year there are only
three students from this campus in
the program. We really have to work
hard to recruit students."
"My major was liberal studies before I left," said Huitron," but when
I came back, I had completed everything for the Spanish major, so I
changed my major to Spanish."
Information or applications are
available in the International Programs office (Joyal 211).
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