1996_11 The Daily Collegian November 1996

              THE DAILY
^ COLLEGIAN
Z*      Monday, November 4,1996
Opinion
Letter to the Editor
Former senator
defends budget
I feel it's necessary to re-
j spond to Mr. David John Chavez
and his column in La Voz in last
Friday's edition of The Daily
{ Collegian. I am not going to de¬
fend Ms. Martinez because it is
great to live in a country where
we have-freedom to express such
stupidity like Mr. Chavez did.
Instead, I am going to defend
against his, as well as Associated
Students, Inc. Legislative Vice
President Ms. Richardson's,
charges that the ASI budget is
racist.
Fist of all it is not racism. It
is called fiscal responsibility! I
am tired of last year's budget
committee, which I was on, be¬
ing accused of racism. If any of
these people ever took the ini¬
tiative of coming to the ASI and
maybe asking for an explana¬
tion, insteadiof jumping to con¬
clusions, maybe this campus
will be better off.
There seems to be some
people of the Chicano popula¬
tion on this campus that are up¬
set that the CYC wasn't funded.
Well, let me explain the budget
and clear up any misconcep¬
tions. The budget was based on
an $8-a-semester-per-student for
a grand total of $274,000. For
starters, $46,100 (17 percent) of
the budget was for administra¬
tive expenses. That excludes the
stipends that this year's execu¬
tives are chasing so passionately.
Programs and Services, such as
insurance, legal and accounting
fees, take up $60,485 (22 per¬
cent). Campus-wide, which in¬
cludes intramurals as well as the
University Lecture Scries, takes
up $52,215 (19 percent) which
everyone was begging not to be
cut. Then come everyone's fa¬
vorite. The Daily Collegian. The
Collegian is subsidized $49.500
every year [sic].
So what's left? We have
$30,000 to give to school joint
councils, which makes up 11
percent. After all this is paid,
how much of the budget is left
to give to the rest of the clubs
and recruitment conferences?
Four percent, $11,600, of the
ASI budget. How much did the
CYC ask for? They asked for
$6,250 — almost abolishing
what was left to give the rest of
the clubs. The African Student
Union requested $7,150. What
about the Indian, Armenian and
Asian clubs? They didn't get
anything because they didn't
have the pull the CYC does! So
why is it fair for Mr. Chavez to
[complain] about not getting
enough money. What does he
propose we do with it? Exactly,
no stake to his claim! Mr.
Chavez, before you go about
making irrational statements
about kids dying of thirst and
starving to death, why don't you
take the initiative to find the
truth? Why don't you become
involved if you are so con¬
cerned!?
Last year's ASI was not out
to starve kids and take away
lunches. If Mr. Chavez is so con¬
cerned about this campus, let's
have the pride in our own as you
suggested. Let's not give money
to recruitment conferences to
students who are not even here
when we cannot even provide
educational necessities for those
who are here in the first place.
How about more computers for
the library or improving our
computer labs and more books
for the library?
Mr. Chavez should have been
doing all along what they are do¬
ing now. Join this capitalist so¬
ciety and make your own
money. Quit relying on the stu¬
dent government to fund you.
People study and work hard be¬
cause it will benefit them later
in life. Mr. Chavez should try
that approach and get off the ASI
welfare system.
— Larry Farnsworth
Former ASI senator
Propositon 209 may not
be what you think
Proposition 209, the ballot ini¬
tiative constitutional amendment
entitled "Prohibitions Against Dis¬
crimination or Preferential Treat¬
ment by State and Other Public
Entities" is a potentially far-
reaching measure with specific
potential impact on the Califor¬
nia State University system.
Also informally called the
"California Civil Rights Initia¬
tive (CCRI)." this measure if
successful would jeopardize
years of progress to provide
equal opportunity for students
and programs designed to cor¬
rect historic
underrepresentation.
Much of the debate on this
measure has described it as an
initiative which would elimi¬
nate "affirmative action" pro¬
grams. Debate on affirmative action
has often assumed that the term
meant hiring or recruiting unquali¬
fied people through "quota" sys¬
tems. As the California Business
Roundtable has pointed out. how¬
ever: "affirmative action, properly
implemented, is neither a system of
mandatory quotas or set-asides. It
is not about employing unqualified
people, it is about opening up the
system to all and providing a cli¬
mate where everyone has a chance
to succeed according to their efforts
and abilities. And. opening the sys-
We are hiring the best
qualified people while
maintaining goals to ensure
that our workforce reflects
our communities. Rather
than closing opportunity,
our goal is to open up
opportunity for all.
— Dr. John Welty
tern to all and providing a climate
where everyone has a chance to
succeed according to their efforts
and abilities. And. opening the
system to alk may require recruit¬
ment and training efforts especially
for those historically denied oppor¬
tunity."
This is what we have tried to do
in the California State University
system. We have worked hard for
many years with the goal that the
CSU student body and workforce
will reflect the diverse makeup of
our region and our state. The term
"student affirmative action" has
meant recruiting qualified stu¬
dents from all racial and ethnic
backgrounds and from both
sexes. The same is true of our
faculty and staff hiring. We are
hiring the best qualified people
while maintaining goals to en- .
sure that our workforce reflects
our communities. Rather than
closing opportunity, our goal is
to open up opportunity for all
While it may be tempting to
buy in to the simple description
of CCRI. I urge you to read it
carefully and consider carefully
— its potential impact. I am per
socially opposed to the proposition
because I believe it will inhibit our
ability to provide educational and
employment opportunity to those
historically underrepresented I
hope you will carefully consider
the arguments both in favor of and
against this proposition in exercis¬
ing your voting franchise this No¬
vember..
— Dr. John Welty
'And now the other side of the coin.,
STOP/   iT's 0-ust    .
FWETHtVMy fT l5.
—v—
Daily Collegian
 — California State University, Fresno	
Sports Editor
Tom Sepulveda
Web Production
Jason Maggini
Production Manager
Monica Stanford
Editor in Chief
Jevon C. Swanson
Managing Editor
Robert Bilvado
News Editor
Jim Ward
Ad Manager
Paul McCauley
Business Manager
Kari L. Scott
Photo Editor
Paul Martinez
Copy Editor
Elena Langdon
Staff Writers:
Matt Kreamer. Matt Hart.
Heather Hartman. Rosanne Tolosa.
Hadi Yazdanpanah. F.laina Conroy
Stacy Harter
Photographer:
Ryan Weber
Sports Writers:
Luis Hernandez. Erik Pfeifle. Gary
Chapla, Matt Lievre. Woody Miner,
Patrick Craig. David Childers
Ad Reps
Erinn Reed, Bobby Bliatout
Circulation:
Elena Langdon
: l« Daily Collegian is published fise
times a week for and by the students ol
California Stale University, Fresno
^Opinions expressed in the Collegian
are not necessarily those of the entire
Daily Collegian staff The editors reserve
the right to edit letters for length and
darity. To be considered for publication.
Idlers must be typed and should not
exceed 250 words   v
Telephone Directory:
Editor: (209)278-5732
News. (209)278-2486
Spons: (209)278-5733
Advertising (209)278-5731
FAX:       t (209)278-2679
WWW:
http://www.csufresno.edu/Collegian
.
•   *