Daily Titan

45thAnniversary

California State University, Fullerton Nov. 3, 2005 2 2002 – 2005 Cal State Fullerton Daily Titan continues dedicated news tradition

By TOM CLANIN great amount of risk involved. We In Fall 2004, Marti Longworth Daily Titan Adviser decided that going in as a unilateral took over with the newly created wasn’t a good idea. title of executive editor. Longworth, This fall marks my seventh Pierceall contacted the Defense like Pierceall, ran the paper in both semester as the Daily Titan’s adviser. Department about getting an fall and spring semesters. She and In those three short years the editors, embed posting and to my surprise, elections coordinator Rudy Gharib reporters and photographers have the Defense Department agreed to coordinated coverage of the local covered a war half way across the embed Ron. He became the only and national elections. world, protests and confrontations college newspaper reporter traveling We continue to look beyond the on and off campus, and natural with U.S. troops when they invaded campus. In September, the Daily disasters in this country. Iraq. After the Los Angeles Times Titan published a photo essay by The editors in the past three ran a story on Larson before he left, student freelancer James Carson years have made a concerted effort local TV crews started visiting the on how evacuees from Hurricane Daily Titan reporter Ron Larson was embedded in Iraq in the spring of 2003. to look beyond the campus for newsroom to interview Larson and Katrina are coping while living the news relevant to the university Pierceall. It was MTV Goes to War. inundated with letters attacking him country to cover a story. Reporter Houston Astrodome. community. Larson was assigned to an and the paper for opposing the Bush Tommy Purvis wrote a five-part The newsroom has continued In early 2003, Ron Larson, a engineering company, and he wrote administration. One editor resigned series on Operation Gatekeeper the Daily Titan’s long tradition of graduate student in history who had about their work and interaction in protest. The next week we ran a and how the 10-year-old border- garnering regional and national freelanced for the Daily Titan the with Iraqi civilians. These and full page of letters attacking us. protection program affected people recognition. The paper and previous fall, approached editor- other soldiers working behind the Becker’s editorial page won an in both Mexico and the United staff earned some 30 awards in-chief Kim Pierceall and me front lines did not get much media award from the Student Society for States. in the last three years. We’ve about going to Iraq to cover the attention, and we received e-mails News Design. Tommy spent many hours received recognition from the U.S. invasion that we knew was from around the country from He took over as editor-in-chief the interviewing border patrol agents, Hearst Journalism Awards imminent. people thanking us for showing a following fall, when the Daily Titan smugglers and other people living on Program, Columbia Scholastic I contacted Daily Titan alumnus different aspect of the war. actively covered Gov. Gray Davis’ both sides of the border. He won the Press Association, Associated Walt Barringer, who has traveled On the day of the invasion, the recall and the election of Arnold Society of Professional Journalist’s Collegiate Press, Student Society much of the less-traveled parts of Daily Titan published an editorial Schwarzenegger. We covered both Mark of Excellence award and an for News Design, Society of the world for The New York Times, by Opinion Editor Ben Becker that party headquarters on election award from the California College Professional Journalists, Los about how to get into Iraq and what fairly mildly explained why it was night and published staff photos Media Association for his series. Angeles Times, California College to expect there. Walt explained a bad idea. The editorial ran in the the next day of Schwarzenegger’s Assistant photo editor Lisa Hart Media Association and California what route to take, who to bribe middle of an open page with no victory speech and Davis’ speech accompanied Purvis on some of Intercollegiate Press Association. and how much to bribe, and the other text on the page. Becker was admitting defeat. his trips across the border, and her I’ve received my own rewards Melissa Chavez, who wrote photos were very much a part of the these past six semesters. I’ve the lead election story that night, story. Other organizations posted on watched budding journalists hone took over as the editor-in-chief in their Web sites links to the stories their skills and move on into the AILY ITAN the spring of 2004 and guided the and photos on the Daily Titan’s professional world where they’re D T Daily Titan’s coverage of the March Web site, and people who usually finding jobs they enjoy. And, I’ve primary elections. do not read a college newspaper made some good friends and hope 45TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION Melissa also sent staff out of the were reading the Daily Titan. their friendships are long-lasting.

Contributing editors:

Nicole M. Smith EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kim Orr MANAGING EDITOR Manuel Irigoyen PRODUCTION MANAGER Suzanne Sullivan PHOTO EDITOR Nick Cooper ASST. PHOTO EDITOR

Advertising staff: Can Sengezer Derrick Salatnay Emily Alford Vanessa Rumbles Keith Hansen Rich Boyd Andy Marsh Sarah Oak Dan Herchek Victoria Scott Jackie Kimmel Leanne Saita Kimberly Leung Dan Beam Lesley Wu Santana Ramos

Faculty: Tom Clanin DAILY TITAN ADVISER Robert Sage BUSINESS MANAGER

special thanks to Jim Drummond Daily Titan 1993 – 2002 3 Student journalists perpetuate professionalism

By JEFF BRODY excused them, that they were free hallmark of the Daily Titan. When about a state audit that showed on to distinguish himself an Orange Former Daily Titan Adviser to leave, but if they wanted to be dozens were injured in a Placentia discrepancies in university finances. County Register reporter. journalists, as their adviser I would train wreck, staffers made their way Human-interest stories included the The Daily Titan has always had During my nine years as adviser stay with them and help put out the around barriers to capture images saga of a female track star turned its wild side, whether a game of to the Daily Titan, I took a lot of paper. and interviews that were the envy stripper who was kicked off the nighttime bowling or baseball in kidding about the newspaper and The professionalism the students of the mainstream press. Special team, the tragic tale of a foreign the Humanities Building, a music heard a sizeable amount of smug exhibited that day earned them a editions focusing on technology, exchange student who committed fest or a wrestling match in which criticism about the “Daily Typo” first place award for special edition campus growth, immigration and suicide in despair and a profile of a one student dislodged another’s from other faculty members. at the annual National College diversity, for example, helped forensic anthropologist on campus belly-button ring. I was not around I learned to brush aside their Media Convention in 2002. The students understand campus and whose work with skeletal remains to witness the midnight action, but ignorance, for in my heart I knew prestigious Poynter Institute selected social issues that were pertinent to helped solve crimes. in my early years, Terry Hynes, my that an instructor couldn’t find a their front page coverage of Sept. 11 their lives. Along with the powerful first chair, served as the unofficial group of more dedicated, committed for publication in a commemorative The decision to allow students investigative articles and in-depth night-side adviser. “I saw the and passionate students at Cal State book and display on its Web site. to cover events outside campus led features that won awards came the Titan students running around the Fullerton than those at the Daily The response of the students on to enterprise stories from across “learning experiences.” halls at 1 a.m.,” she would say. A Titan. Sept. 11 epitomizes my experience the globe. One spring semester, Early in my career, the decision workaholic, I prayed she would On Sept. 11, 2001, when our as adviser. two photographers flew to the to allow students to go off campus never enter the dark room. country came under attack, the In my first semester as a new Philippines over Spring Break at came back to haunt me when The students always blamed Daily Titan rose to the occasion. faculty member in the fall of 1993, their own expense to cover an Easter two students decided to become equipment for why they stayed That grim morning when classes fires raged through Southern celebration in which participants restaurant critics. Their review so late. And no matter how the were canceled and the university California. The homes of faculty, flogged themselves and conducted became Fullerton taco stand included technology improved over the years, shut down, every student on the staff and students burned in mock crucifixions. Later, one of a string of scatological references the paper never seemed to get done Daily Titan stayed to produce a the canyons and in Laguna the photojournalists went on to and such literary allusions as cuisine on time. When the students used special edition of the newspaper. Beach. The Daily Titan staff photograph the wars in Bosnia fit for Jeffrey Dahmer. I suggested Mac Classic II’s, they said Power The entire university was deserted mobilized and traveled beyond and Iraq. He told me it was his that if they were serious about their PCs were the answer. After Power except for the newsroom in the the confines of campus to experience on the Daily Titan that grades, they would go back and PCs, they screamed for G3s. Then College Park building, which publish a special edition that helped broaden his international write a professional review. G4s. Then a network and a server. remained in operation, true to Daily included a first person account view. But the next day the Daily Titan By the time I left, a newsroom that Titan tradition, way past midnight. of a student who raced the blaze Also, there were investigative received a letter from an attorney looked like a museum of ancient I remember standing in the in Laguna Beach to rescue his stories about campus . The sharp representing the restaurant owner, anemic Macs had been transformed newsroom and telling the editors, grandmother – only to find her eyes of an executive editor noticed threatening to sue. The review was into a network of linked computers photographers and reporters, who sipping a martini as flames hundreds of official-looking now a First Amendment issue. In my with access to the Internet. were numbed and shocked by the approached her hilltop home. documents in a dumpster. He opinion, there was no question the The online Daily Titan started event, that the university The ability to respond to retrieved the papers, which students had the right to publish the when a freshman walked into the h a d breaking stories became a turned out to be a treasure trove of review; the university had to stand newsroom and asked the executive confidential material. The story he behind the Daily Titan. I advised editor if the paper had a Web site. wrote prompted the university to the students to stay put and the He replied, “No.” She asked, “Mind enforce its dormant document university fended off the lawsuit. if I start one?” The next week the shredding policy. Daily The incident reminded me that Web site was up and running; it Titan staffers also wrote when a history professor’s student marked a creative blend of dazzling detailed makes a mistake, it’s a private graphics, photographs and text. The articles matter. But when a Daily Titan Web site caught the attention of student makes a mistake, it’s a alumni around the world and won a public issue. I was faced with generous amount of awards. a moral dilemma when I can’t claim credit for the online an editor called me Titan, but I can claim credit for the for job reference creation of Tusk Magazine. A group regarding one of of students wanted a forum where the students. they could write longer, broader Should I tell magazine-type stories. Tusk him about Magazine has provided an outlet D a h m e r ? for students who want to go beyond I gave the AP newspaper style and work in the student a break magazine industry. and remained The move from the Humanities silent about Building to College Park in 2000 the review. was a tactical victory for the Daily He went Titan. With the blessing of

BRODY 15

Daily Titan 1981 – 1992 5

The now-defunct Cal State Fullerton football team, led by Head Coach Gene Murphy, played many “body bag” games throughout the ‘80s, hoping to raise money for the rest of the athletic program. A football stadium was completed in time for the 1992 season - the team has been undefeated ever since.

Reporters look back on ‘The Golden Era’ fondly By JAY BERMAN there was an entertainment section ‘80s, we still used typewriters, and Associated Students was misusing Former Daily Titan Adviser called “Back Pages” after a Bob Dylan photographers took pictures with film, student funds and an AS board song, and there was an iguana named which they developed in a darkroom that didn’t like having its activities There were stories about hotels and Terry who graced Page 2. with chemicals and trays. questioned. homicides, about gaining a football The Daily Titan occupied Room The Daily Titan and student We covered the 1983 football team, stadium and losing a football team. 213 of the Humanities Building in the government had the sort of adversarial which won the PCAA championship There was talk of “The Golden Era” 1980s and ‘90s. As it is now, it was relationship that exists on many before we knew just how golden it was, published four days a week. In the early campuses: A newspaper that thought BERMAN 10

Daily Titan 1973 – 1978 7

Edward Charles Allaway, cen- ter, who killed seven people in a shooting rampage at Cal State Fullerton on July 12, 1976, is led into the Orange County courthouse two days later. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty for Allaway, but a jury found him not guilty by reason of insanity, and he has been confined to a mental institution ever since.

College newsroom becomes national bureau By RICK PULLEN of them, including Steve Becker, son authorities, namely President L. and car license plates (to protect the Former Daily Titan Adviser of Ernest Becker, the first Daily Titan Donald Shields. Shields found such guilty). adviser. The Daily Titan newsroom attacks inappropriate and frequently I was fresh out of graduate school The Daily Titan era of 1973- became a news bureau for reporters called me, a rookie adviser, to express fall of 1973 and needed the guidance 1978 was relatively calm compared from newspapers around the world as his dissatisfaction. of executive editor Ray Estrada to to the preceding years of Vietnam they covered the massacre. In 1977, Student protests on campus were break me in to the Daily Titan culture. War protests, draft card burnings and Allaway was found not guilty by replaced with “streaking,” which Estrada and David Osterman, a jack- student writers wanting to use the reason of insanity and has since been became a national fad. Coverage of-all-trades journalist, helped me paper as their personal soapbox to confined to Patton State Hospital in proved to be a challenge for campus become acquainted with the editorial blast all authority. However, this era San Bernadino County. Daily Titan journalists, especially photographers. process and introduced me to “Hal,” did mark Orange County’s worst mass reporters and editors worked long Daily Titan reporters were up to the the temperamental computer, which murder. hours to publish a special edition, challenge. At times, fully clothed spit out the yellow tape that produced On July 12, 1976, Edward Charles which won a number of awards. student reporters and photographers the columns for pasteup. Allaway, a campus custodial worker, A few reporters who worked on the jogged alongside campus streakers, Osterman, a favorite of Daily Titan went on a shooting spree in and around paper during the 1973-74 academic interviewed them and published photos the library. He shot nine, killing seven year continued to object to university that required air brushing of body parts PULLEN 15 8 1960 – 1968 Cal State Fullerton

Student newspaper expands campus coverage By JIM DRUMMOND hot lead-molded, tabloid-sized pages was an exciting place to work, a home outlets contacted college offi cials Former Titan Times Editor speak, some say, of a more innocent to many students as they learned the and newspaper editors about a story time in American society. mechanics of day-to-day journalism, showcasing old-fashioned, ‘60s-style Nearly two generations have passed From the very beginning, the formed lasting friendships and, student antics. since this newspaper’s pre-Daily Titan newspaper’s growth in size and sometimes, married their co-workers Elephant races were held for a few era, the period from the fi rst issue frequency of publication refl ected the before taking their fi rst steps into the more years, but the only remnants of on Jan. 4, 1960, through the spring growth of the college, an institution “real world.” those times are a few small pictures semester of 1969. grappling each semester with record- Naturally, early reporters mainly on a wall in the student union, stories In this one decade, the student breaking enrollments, constant covered college beats, from the fi rst and photographs on old library newspaper grew from a two-page, construction and, of course, the usual intercollegiate elephant race to the microfi lm, brittle Titan Times morgue twice-monthly summary of campus parking problems. placement of a time capsule behind a copies and, of course, Tuffy Titan, the news events to a thriving, thrice-weekly Titan Times became the Titan granite slab marked “1963” at the front campus’ elephant mascot. journal of news and commentary with and, fi nally, the Daily Titan, as the entrance to the Letters and Science Reporters and editors also gained lively exchanges from readers on the institution morphed through Orange building, since renamed McCarthy experience covering political events, Letters to the Editor page. County State College, Orange State Hall. because all sorts of politicos running Poring through the past issues of the College, California State College at A formal event on May 11, 1962, for federal, state and local offi ces then-named Titan Times is like looking Fullerton and, fi nally, California State gained nationwide exposure for a stopped by the campus to deliver their at old black-and-white photographs University, Fullerton. fl edgling Orange County State, as of long-gone family members. The Then – as now – the newsroom many print and broadcast media DRUMMOND 13 Daily Titan 1968 – 1973 9 Turbulent protest years transform publication

By WAYNE OVERBECK Former Daily Titan Adviser

A major transition began in 1968. The college was rapidly becoming a university and the Communications Department was growing. Editor Paul Attner and his staff decided to drop “Times” from the newspaper’s name (and add “The”) and publish “The Titan” three days a week. A year later editor Bill Schreiber and his staff changed the paper’s name to the “Daily Titan” and adopted a four-day-a-week publication schedule. That was also the year that the paper moved into the then-new Humanities Building and settled in Room 213, the Daily Titan’s home for the next 32 years. And 1969 marked the beginning of on-campus typesetting and production. When the Daily Titan was launched in 1969, there was unprecedented turmoil here and at hundreds of other colleges and universities across America. Students protested against the Vietnam War and the military draft, campaigned for justice at home and challenged authority as never before. Colleges nationwide experienced huge protests after four students were killed by national guardsmen during a demonstration at Kent State University in Ohio. Gov. Ronald Reagan responded by ordering all University of California and California State University campuses to close on a Wednesday for an extended weekend – or perhaps longer. Even the Daily Titan staff was ordered out of its office and typesetting facility, forcing the staff to publish a very abbreviated edition, a highly unusual 8 ½ inch by 14-inch two-page newspaper that was printed at a local copy shop. Normally the Daily Titan, then in its first year of daily publication, was a standard-sized four to eight page Top: In one of the more colorful instances of student activism, a protester dumps a half gallon of milk on Russ Keely, director of campus security. Above center :This is what greeted students in newspaper. the McCarthy Hall breezeway more than once in Spring, 1970. Above right and left: Probably the thing that led to the worst confrontations at Cal State Fullerton was an appearance at an aca- At one point, professors were demic convocation by Gov. Ronald Reagan on Feb. 9, 1970. His talk was disrupted repeatedly by hecklers, including a child in the bleachers who made a famous gesture of contempt. Disciplinary told to assign grades based on actions resulting from that event triggered a semester of campus protests. work completed up to that time instead of attempting to finish their courses. Some professors said that hecklers, including a child in the visit. enclosed with grid structures to offending partisans on both sides. was unfair or simply impossible bleachers who made a famous At times photographers in the prevent suicides. Fall 1973 marked the end of and gave nothing but “A” grades single-finger gesture of contempt. upper balconies of the Humanities At least 40 students and two one era and the start of another. I as a protest. Eventually the campus As the unrest reached a climax, Building recorded the violent faculty members were arrested on left California State University, was reopened and some final exams law enforcement sweeps cleared the confrontations between police and campus during the unrest in 1970. Fullerton, for a few years and were held as scheduled. campus of thousands of students students. If anything like this were Many other students and faculty Rick Pullen arrived to take over as Probably the event that led to and faculty who were protesting not to happen in the Quad today, it would members received what appeared to faculty adviser. Pullen was adviser the worst confrontations at Cal only out of concern for the larger not be possible to take such photos be unduly rough handling by police. until 1977 and served as head of State Fullerton was an appearance issues of the day, but also about for two reasons: The trees have The chant, “pigs off campus,” was the journalism sequence until 1991, at an academic convocation by alleged abuses of their rights during grown so large that the planter area heard often. when he became associate dean Gov. Reagan on Feb. 9, 1970. His previous campus demonstrations, is hardly visible from the balconies, The Daily Titan tried to cover and then dean of the College of talk was disrupted repeatedly by including the protest of Reagan’s and the upper balconies have been the news objectively – thereby Communications. 10 Daily Titan Cal State Fullerton Matters’ state teaching exam. He In the spring of 1986, Daily Titan and simple,” Editor Joyce Garcia He was right. BERMAN was caught.) reporter Dollie Ryan learned that said. In 1985 and 1986, the Daily from page 5 On Oct. 16 of that year, a student Tom Metzger, a television repairman Then-President Jewel Plummer Titan won more awards than any named Minh Van Lam shot science who had been a member of the Ku Cobb threatened “an appropriate other college paper in the annual and played in the California Bowl. professor Edward Cooperman to Klux Klan and a group called White response” to the endorsement, California Intercollegiate Press We covered the baseball team, death in his campus office and then Aryan Resistance, was taping a saying the Daily Titan “exercised Association competition. which won the 1984 College World went to see a movie. Some thought public access cable show on campus. extremely poor judgment.” Reporters who joined the paper Series. And we covered basketball Cooperman’s death was the result The show, “Race and Reason,” held Nothing came of it, and the issue toward the end of that period heroics when the Titans upset of a right-wing plot because he was white supremacist views. After the died a quiet death. jokingly – almost mockingly heavily favored UNLV. On Feb. providing scientific aid to Vietnam. Daily Titan broke the story, student Walt Baranger, managing editor – referred to that period as “The 24, 1983, the Runnin’ Rebels were undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the country when CSUF knocked them off, 86-78, in Titan Gym. Along the way, the Daily Titan also covered campus police, parking problems, the Arboretum Lam was convicted of involuntary protests forced him to take his show and whatever else came along. manslaughter in a case that was as elsewhere. “We didn’t even have to Then, on May 3, 1984, a man bizarre as it sounds. think,” longtime Daily Titan staffer named Donald Lee Matters was The Marriott Hotel was proposed Walt Baranger pointed out recently. killed, and philosophy professor in 1984. Daily Titan editorials “We had major stories coming at us in the spring of 1985, recalled Golden Era.” Richard Smith was arrested. It was a opposed it because it was going to from everywhere.” recently that an accreditation team In 1987, construction began on classic love triangle, and Matters’ ex- be a privately owned business on It was also in 1986 that the Daily visiting the campus in the mid- the Gerontology Center, the first wife, Consuelo, was its third corner. state university land, taking more Titan ignored a state law, which ’80s had talked with several Daily building on campus funded solely Smith’s attorney testified that the than 1,000 scarce parking spaces. A prohibited student newspapers from Titan editors and reporters and by contributed funds. It opened the crime was committed “on behalf of student group opposed the hotel and making an endorsement in national noted that many were working part- following year. God.” He entered an insanity plea, filed a suit, which delayed things for or state elections, by endorsing Los time at the Los Angeles Times, the It was also in 1987 that two CSUF but Smith was convicted of murder a while. But Marriott was given the Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley for Orange County Register and other football players were involved in a and was sentenced to 17 years in contract to build the hotel in 1985, governor against incumbent George newspapers. brawl at a nightclub near campus, prison. construction began in 1988 and it Deukmejian. “We could put together quite a which resulted in the death of an El (Dressed in women’s clothing, opened in 1989, as we all knew it “We did it for First Amendment paper with this staff,” Baranger told Toro Marine sergeant. The Orange Smith once tried to take Consuelo would. [freedom of the press] rights, pure me at the time. County District Attorney said there was insufficient evidence to file charges against the players. Campus construction continued. The first on-campus dormitories opened in 1988, and work began Daily Titan 45 Years 11 on the Computer Science Building. Gene Murphy was forced to take Terry. “Terry the Mighty Iguana” At the same time, the departments his team to distant locations in was a daily comic strip drawn by of communication and speech what became known as “body bag” Rich Nicholls from 1984 through communication merged to create games to raise money to support 1986. At various times through six the School of Communications, Cal the rest of the athletic program. semesters, Terry worked as a lounge State Fullerton’s seventh school. The Titans lost to No. 5-ranked lizard, encountered his evil twin, In the spring of 1989, when Andre Louisiana State University in Baton thought he was disco Meunier was executive editor, the Rouge and then, the same year, also performer Tony Orlando, Titan ran a four-part series detailing lost at Florida. Scores in such games interviewed God on a TV talk how the School of Business (now the were blowouts, usually of the 56-10 show and used his own strip to College of Business and Economics) variety. pitch “Terry the Mighty Iguana” had nearly lost its accreditation. The Cobb, the university president, T-shirts. series was a College Intercollegiate said revenues from the Marriott Several hundred were Press Association winner that year. Hotel would, in part, be used to pay sold. That was also the year the for construction of a new football Once, while watching Mission Viejo campus opened and stadium on campus. Finally, in unsuccessful television the Computer Science Building was 1990, construction began. It was pilots, Terry saw “Four’s completed. completed in 1992, with alumnus Company,” whose No reference to 1989 would be Kevin Costner throwing out the first premise was that complete without mention of the ball at the baseball facility, which Charles Manson, basketball team’s Feb. 5, 93-92 was built at the same time. Sirhan Sirhan, overtime win over Jerry Tarkanian’s Murphy coached the 1992 team Mark David heavily favored UNLV team, for a in the new Titan Stadium, the first Chapman and second time. true home stadium it had ever had, John Hinckley The Daily Titan was on top of and then left Cal State Fullerton had been countless other stories during those after the season when the university p a r o l e d years: Campus suicides that led eliminated the football program, and shared an to the addition of metal gratings ostensibly to save money. apartment in New on outside stairwells; allegations Murphy went on to coach at York. of a golf team fundraising effort Fullerton College, which plays Perhaps surprisingly, that strip for a tournament that was never most of its home games at Titan -- unlike the one in which Terry held; an alcohol-related fraternity Stadium. Ex-Daily Titan reporter interviewed God -- drew no angry suspension; a gymnast stabbed to Ryan Blystone noted recently that calls or letters. I was faculty adviser death by a teammate; countless Murphy “finally got what he wanted to the Daily Titan from July 1981 features on students, faculty [an on-campus stadium]. Only he until October 1992. It was a solid, members and administrators. had to be a JC coach to enjoy it.” long run, one that continues through During the 1980s, football coach I mentioned an iguana named many close friendships today.

Daily Titan 45 Years 13 the controversial conflict on our ignored during these years due to DRUMMOND country and the world. the “beat system,” which assigned from page 8 Newspaper editorials also news reporters to specific coverage pointed out some inconsistent responsibilities. stump speeches, including two behavior on the part of campus Thus, the initial successes of the sitting governors: Pat Brown and professors. Once, a history debate and basketball teams, the Ronald Reagan. professor barred a reporter from birth of sororities and fraternities, The first student protest covered attending an organizational meeting upheavals in student government by the newspaper was probably of the Students for a Democratic and rowdy nights at the Othrys a gathering opposed to the name Society, even though the meeting Hall dorm (now a part of Hope change from Orange State College had been advertised in a previous International University) all to California State College at edition of the Titan Times as “open received acknowledgement in the Fullerton. “A mouthful of words,” to all interested students.” news columns. complained one student, who was And the first anti-Vietnam war A long list of honors also began quoted in the Titan Times story. advertisement, printed in a 1965 during the early years. The fall 1965 Other protests quickly followed, edition, was attacked by some issues won the newspaper’s first many as a result of the Vietnam members of the Associated Student major statewide award, a second War. The newspaper was criticized Body government. They seriously place in general excellence from the for its coverage of pro-war events, discussed – certainly not for the California Newspaper Publishers such as a student-faculty march last time – cutting the newspaper’s Association in competition with through campus and into downtown meager student-funded budget. dailies and weeklies. Fullerton, supporting “our fighting War and politics were not The fall 1966 issues again won a men.” the only matters covered and second place, but in a new weekly Also criticized was coverage commented on in the pages of the category. The three-times weekly of various anti-war speakers, Titan Times. Free love, interracial 1968-69 issues merited first place, including faculty members. Even a relationships, open housing, civil this time in competition with the photograph of two students handing rights, gender roles, drug laws, dailies. out literature from a “No War Toys” sexual stereotypes, fluoridated Of course, future editors table near the Quad came under water, obscenity, freedom of and reporters would have equally attack because of alleged bias and speech and press, among dozens memorable experiences. But the prejudice in the photo’s cutline. of other issues (some now quaint pre-daily era, including the 1960 The growing war, the high draft vestiges of an earlier era) were biweekly, the 1960-1965 weekly, calls and the increasing casualty common topics. the 1965-1968 twice-weekly and count brought many retorts to While the exciting political times the 1968-69 three-times weekly, the Letters to the Editor section. and the changing social climate were always will be highly valued by the Titan Times covered “The First Intercollegiate Elephant Race in Human History” on May 11, Students and faculty used the paper reflected in the newspaper’s pages, hundreds of participating staff 1962, which spawned Tuffy Titan, the college’s mammoth mascot. to vigorously debate the impact of ordinary campus events were never members. 2 1920 – 2104 Cal State Fullerton Daily Titan 45 Years 15 designers, the hard-charging continued through the years. Many locked gate one night and was BRODY reporters, the gifted writers, the PULLEN went on to outstanding careers at caught by campus police. He was from page 3 artistic photojournalists and all from page 7 local, regional and national papers. eventually released from custody. the students in Communications Serving as sports writers and editors Carolyn Howerton and Peter the dean and campus president, 338. They were the team that put editors and writers, graduated in were Steve Grimley (Orange Hecht served as editors during the the Daily Titan spearheaded the newspaper, online edition and 1974 and then joined the sports County Register), Jim Ruffalo 1976-77 academic year. Strong the deployment across campus. magazine together, staff at the Orange County Register. (Orange County Register), Peter writers including David Ferrell, For volunteering to go first, the I always had faith in their He died in 1999 after a long and Schmuck (Orange County Register Scott Harris, Anita Snow, Pat newspaper received new furniture abilities and the greatest respect for distinguished career. In the spring, and Baltimore Sun), John Strege, Tashima, Cathy Lawhon, Tony and the pick of the offices on the their efforts. In my last semester as Susan (Sawtelle) Vanderpol took (Orange County Register), Paul Long, Jeff Golden, Michelle Cleary sixth floor. While other professors adviser, Spring 2002, the staffers over the editorship and continued Gelormino (Los Angeles Times and Susan Contreras ensured that were moaning about the move and gathered in San Diego for the to lead a team of quality reporters and Portland Oregonian), Dennis the Daily Titan would continue to complaining that their lives would California Intercollegiate Press and editors: Elliott Almond, Russ Peck, (Orange County Register and win awards of excellence in regional never be the same, my students Association Contest. The Daily Schach, Darrell Santschi, Greg Portland Oregonian) and Osterman. and national competitions. grabbed a room with a view. The Titan has always done well at the Johnson, Penny Moffet and Amy This tradition continued beyond this After three years, I gave over the Daily Titan planted the flag for the contest. The onsite competitions Lagmay. Glenn Shiozaki and Mark period. advising responsibilities to James College of Communications. meant the most to me because they Boster led the photo team. Geno Effler came to the Daily Fields, a journalism professor who In this brief review, I have were blindly judged. That semester Daily Titan reporters and editors Titan after a solid high school had significant writing and teaching deliberately avoided naming names. my students placed first in four out were successful in the California journalism experience and served experience. Dennis Peck served I have done so because I believe it of the five-onsite writing contests. Intercollegiate Press Association as editor in 1976. He sparred with as editor in the fall of 1978, under would be a mistake to single out They placed third in the fifth. To competition each year. Cal the student government, as did most Fields. a few people. To do justice to the sweep the events, beating Berkeley, State Fullerton hosted the press of the editors during this period. However, Fields suffered a history of the Daily Titan, I would UCLA and the Cal Polys marked association’s 1975 convention, Several student body presidents serious injury in a fall and was have to honor every one of my a fitting triumph for my era at the which was held at the Quality Inn sought to control content and unable to advise the Daily Titan 20 executive editors, the brilliant Daily Titan. in Anaheim. asked for front-page space for an the spring of 1978, the semester Editor during fall 1974 was Ed Associated Students, Inc. column. the Titan basketball team made the Zintel, who may have been the first In fact, the Daily Titan budget, final eight in the NCAA playoffs. sophomore editor. Two years later, provided by the ASI, included The Titans lost to the University of Sherry Angel was named editor her language in 1975 that a specific Arkansas. sophomore year. Angel also finished amount of inches had to be devoted I resumed advising first in the nation in the Hearst to covering student government – in responsibilities that spring and Journalism Awards newswriting a positive way, of course. was assisted by former editor Bob competition, and went on to the One of the more infamous Rohwer, who was working on his write-offs in San Francisco, where incidents during this period, known teaching credential. she picked up a second place award as the “cupcake incident” took place Editor during spring of 1978 was among all writers. in 1975. Daily Titan writers believed Steve Nill, who was assisted by Bob Rohwer, both an that ASI government leaders were John Millen, until Millen resigned entertainment and sports writer, sneaking into the snack bar in the his associate editor position to served as editor spring 1975, and Letters and Science Building (now run for and win the election for later came back in 1978 to serve as McCarthy Hall) basement at night student body president. Millen’s my teaching assistant. after it had been locked up and were departure caused some controversy The Daily Titan had an especially stealing cupcakes and other snacks. given the fact that he was jumping strong cast of sports writers during To illustrate that this was possible, from the journalist’s camp to the this period, a tradition that has writer David Daffern scaled the government’s camp. 16 Daily Titan Cal State Fullerton News staff remembers past

By JIM DRUMMOND Maxwell returned from Peru to week,” Alexander said. Former Titan Times Editor advise the spring 1961 newspaper, Alexander also said that he and he continued as adviser until and Maxwell spent much of their The first two professors hired the spring of 1968. He oversaw the time visiting the local community to teach journalism courses during weekly publication until 1965 and colleges to recruit students for then-Orange County State College’s the twice-weekly paper through the their fledgling journalism program, second year also spent considerable spring of 1968. which was adding faculty at the time recruiting students and advising The Titan Times began publication rate of one or two individuals per student publications. Jan. 4, 1960, when classes were held year. The Journalism Department That’s the recent remembrance in the science wing at Sunny Hills was renamed the Communications of Jim Alexander, who was the first High School in Fullerton. Ernest Department in 1965. journalism professor to advise the Becker, the college’s longtime Dean “The Anaheim Gazette print college’s early newspaper, the Titan of Students, advised. Eight biweekly, shop printed the four-page tab Titan Times. two-page issues were published Times. This was the home of the Alexander and J. William during that first year, under editor oldest newspaper in Orange County, Maxwell were hired to teach the Chuck Loyd and a small staff of established in 1870,” Alexander said. first journalism classes in the fall of juniors and seniors. “Just visiting there reminded me of 1960, Alexander said. The newspaper began weekly working on a weekly in Sunland- “Bill Maxwell, who had been a publication during Alexander’s Tujunga, when I was in college.” visiting professor at UCLA in 1960, semester as adviser, when the college With its hot metal operation, the was hired to chair the department,” moved to temporary buildings on the Gazette shop was “quite a contrast Alexander said. “In turn, he hired current Cal State Fullerton campus. to the current newsroom of the Daily me from Glendale College in the The staff consisted of transfer Titan,” Alexander said. spring of 1960, where I was teaching students from newspaper staffs at The current newsroom is located journalism.” several of the area’s community on the sixth floor of the College “A few weeks later Maxwell colleges. Park building, across the street from won a Fulbright award to teach “Because we had such a small the main campus. fall of 1960 in Peru. [First College] staff headed by excellent journalism The Daily Titan newsroom was President [William] Langsdorf students Don Anderson and Carolyn named in Alexander’s honor when A typesetting machine operator runs the tape through a Compugraphic 2961 phototypesetter, thought it would honor our university Bridge recruited from Santa Ana it opened for the fall semester of which reads the tape and uses a strobe behind a rotating film strip (one size, one type style to have this recognition, so he asked College, I decided that I would 2000. The dedication took place per film strip) to expose light-sensitive paper. A nice single-family home near the campus me to advise the student newspaper pick up proofs and return copy just before the newspaper’s 40th could be purchased for the price of three Compugraphic 2961s--and this was a very low-end for fall 1960,” Alexander said. and proofs during each publication anniversary banquet. typesetting machine.