1995_03 Insight March 1995

              '
P's and Q's
for Interviews
Page 3
The Children's
Hour': A tragedy
Page 5
'Dogs cash in big
against Las Vegas
Page 6
MARCH 22,1995
INSIGHT
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FRESNO
VOL. 26, NO. 17
Paul Ogden named CSUF's
outstanding professor for 1995
By Stephen Walsh
Staff Writer
Every semester, ihe wailing list for
one of Paul Ogden's introductory
classes is 150 to 200 names long. Students fortunate enough lo make the
roll sheet are literally speechless.
Ogden teaches deaf education. His
introductory sign language class is a
world of open eyes and closed
mouihs. Questions are asked, answers
are given, noi wilh the voice, but with
ihe hands.
A catalyst for improving the education and understanding of the deaf
community. Ogden has written 50
major papers and co-authored several
books Hc played a key role in the
development of the Valley Advocacy
and Communication Center.
His students are learning sign language For Ogden. it's not just another
class bul a way of life.
Ogden. 36 and deaf since birth, is
the Outstanding Professor for 1995 at
CSUF. Rather than being speechless.
Ogden said he is "signless" about the
Odgen. who was nominated by his
colleagues and University President
John Welty. believes he was chosen
because of his teaching style.
"I enjoy my job." Ogden said
through an interpreter. "I've learned
over ihe years that there are different
ways to leach. On a basic level, you
have to explain and demonstrate if
you wanl lo inspire."
Ogden maintains an almost electric
presence while not speaking a word.
Always by his side is Chelsea.
Ogden's signal dog. Chelsea, a
Lassie-size Belgian sheepdog, has
spent 10 of her 12 years wilh Ogden.
The two were introduced at Canine
Companions, an organization that
irains dogs lo aid deaf and disabled
persons.
Ogden's second book. "Chelsea —
The Slory of a Signal Dog" is the
story of Odgen. his wife. Anne, and
their relationship with the signal dog.
Since day one. Chelsea has served as
ihe ears for Ogden and his wife, who
is hard of hearing. Today ihe dog lies
quietly on a chair in Ogden's office,
apparently asleep but alert nevertheless.
While he is able lo read lips. Ogden
said it is best, when communicating
a lot of information lo a non-signer,
to have an interpreter present.
Michelle Goehring stepped into the
role of translator for this interview.
Goehring. like all translators, must
maintain herself as a translator
Spreading
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Photo by Kori Rtanda/1n»lght
Open-air evangelist Cliff Knechtle preaches during one of his three days on campus last week.
throughout the entire conversation.
Ogden prefers students who are translating not speak on their own behalf
because sometimes it is difficult to tell
who the translator is signing for.
Ogden joined the CSUF facultv in
1979.
Karen Jensen, professor of communicative sciences and disorders, said
one of ihe most fortunate professional
accomplishments of her life was recruiting Ogden.
"Time and again his students turn
to him wilh their personal and academic problems, knowing that their
concerns will receive careful consideration and professional confidentiality." Jensen said.
"At first, people on this campus
questioned my being here." Ogden
See OGDEN, page 4
Photo by Lilian Meza/lnslght
Paul Ogden teaches one of his deaf communication classes.
Future declared dim
for higher education
By Robbie Miner
Staff Writer
California's higher education is in a
stale of emergency.
That's the conclusion of a February
report from the California Higher
F.ducation Policy Center.
Tuition in California is skyrocketing, and so are enrollments, according to the CHEP report. Total grant
funding, on thc other hand, is increasing at a snail's pace.
Factor in these three issues and a
projected 450,000 new students by the
year 2006. and the future isn't bright.
"While other slates and regions of
the country face similar difficulties,
unique features of the California situation call for an exceptional response,
a recognition lhat California higher
education is in a slate of emergency."
David Breneman of Harvard University wrote.
How bad is the situation?
The numbers tell the slory.
Since the 1989-90 school year, slate
appropriations are down 13.7 percent
at UC campuses and 8.8 percent at
CSU campuses. In contrast, tuition
and fees have increased 124.9 percent
for UC and 89.5 percent for CSU.
In the case of community colleges,
state and local appropriations have
actually gone up 8.3 percent during
the last five years. Tuition and fees,
however, have risen 290 percent.
"Such a drastic rise in the JC tuitions
could cause a greater social gap."
CSUF Provost Alex Gonzalez said.
"For many minorities and low-income
families, even $5 is a lot of money."
In terms of future effect, the report
insisLs that to meet the rising enrollment
projections, the distribution of
California's general fund appropriation
must immediately become greater in
the area of higher education.
The California State Scholarship
Committee projected lhat by the year
2002, the current state university appropriation rate of 12.4 percent will
dip below 4 percent. If higher education is to meet the demands of future
enrollments, the percentage must increase to almost 20 percent, the committee said.
"The real issue isn't so much the
tuition but whether we'll be able to
meet the demands of rising populations," Gonzalez said.,
"CSU fees are about $1.700; that's
relatively cheap compared to the rest
of the country."
Donald Broyles, professor of political science, said the problem has been
overblown.
"California's been spoiled," he said.
"It has been one of the country's
cheapest modes of higher learning
over the last 50 years."
It's true that a college education in
California is cheaper lhan in most
other countries, but that doesn't mean
a problem docs not exist.
Tuitions rise, bul so does inflation.
The crisis exists in the luiiion/grants
and loans ratio. As mentioned, tuition
and fees have risen 124.9. 89.5 and
290 percent respectively, for the UC.
CSU and community college systems.
Meanwhile, total Cal Grant funding
has gone up only 37.3 percent.
And back to the issue of inflation.
When factored in, the percent of
change in constant dollars of tuition
and fees for CSU schools since 1989
is still up 63.4 percent.
"I think it's a problem, particularly
for those students who are really in
need." said CSUF President John
Welty.
Grams and loans are a federal issue,
so blaming Gov. Pete Wilson and his
administration for thai aspect of the
In addition. Welly said the Stafford
Student Loans are another one of
Congress' targets. These are loans the
federal government pays interest on
while students are in school.
"Of thc S51 million in financial aid
awarded to nearly 9,000 CSUF students annually, only $6 million is
state-funded. To make cuts in Washington and expect the states to make
up the difference is wishful thinking.
"To expect continued growth of a
college-educated work force is an
American daydream! Our future depends on an investment in our students." Welty said.
Gonzalez said the crisis is exaggerated, but hc also sees a problem with
federal cuts in aid.
"What the philosophy says is that if
you don't have the money, you can't
go to school. How can you afford to
take out a loan right now if you start
paying for it once you're in school.
It's a contradiction." Gonzalez said.
Thc state of emergency report pro-
Rise in tuition
fees since 1989
1 UC college system: 124.9%
CSU college system: 89.5%
[Community college system: 290%!
problem is unfair.
Nevertheless, it's an issue that needs
to be addressed and corrected, thc
California Higher Education Policy
Center insists in its report. This is especially true because the problem
seems to be getting worse.
Meanwhile. Congress is comets-
plating legislation lhat would deprive
students and their families of $20 billion in federal aid during the next five
years.
Welty said if Congress decides to
implement such proposals, there will
be a great effect on campuses such as
CSUF. He said these cuts would curtail, if not eliminate, campus-based
aid programs such as Perkins Loans.
Supplementary Education Opportunity Grants and Federal Work-Study.
The three programs combined serve
more than 2,000 students at CSUF
and provide more than $1.2 million
in aid
poses a plan of action made up of several small changes, none of which
would make a huge difference alone.
During a five to 10 year duration,
however, the council believes the situation may improve enough so the state
of emergency can be lifted.
One suggested action is to exclude
all out-of-state students and undergraduates from California public colleges and universities and allowing
student aid to transfer out-of-state,
enabling all students who wish to enroll outside of California to do so.
"Theoretically it sounds great, but
practically, it's not," Gonzalez said.
"You'd be eliminating foreign and
out-of-state students; part of the education process is to be exposed to different groups. It would be a pretty
bland education if everyone was the
See EMERGENCY, page 3
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