Thursday, September 3, 2009 Serving San José State University since 1934 Volume 133, Issue 6 [[A & E]][OPINION] SPORTS Henry’s offers a spicy Mexico legalizes small Spartans face daunting and tangy taste of the past amounts of drugs challenge against Trojans Page 4 Page 7 Page 5 Federal stimulus funds fail to reach SJSU student workers $200 million may have gone to other schools with first-time, work-study programs By Leonard Lai time to earn money toward their Staff Writer college education. “It’s a little early in the semes- resident Barack Obama’s plan ter to tell if the number of stu- Pto bolster the Federal Work- dents who would want to join Study Program from his econom- the work-study program would ic recovery plan, by supplying an increase,” Bettencourt said. “It is additional $200 million, has not a very popular program.” reached SJSU. Students can look online on “We have not received any of the Career Center’s Web site to see the extra stimulus funds,” said An- which job openings are still avail- thony Bettencourt, student servic- able, Bettencourt said. es professional and work-study co- He said he isn’t expecting the ordinator. “We have received our number of students in the pro- full allocation for the fall 2009 to gram to change, because it has spring 2010 school year.” averaged 500 students for the past He said that SJSU has not several years. received the funds, because the “If we do get additional funds money may have gone to some- though, one of two things could where else. happen,” Bettencourt said. “We “Certain schools are receiving would get new employers to of- the work-study program for the fer more jobs or increase variety of fi rst time, so they may have got- jobs off ered. Work-study students ten the money.” Bettencourt said. can choose jobs that are both on “Or other schools that received campus and off campus and still smaller allocations are now getting earn the same amount of money.” more money.” “Th e Student Union takes [ Chad Ziemendorf / Spartan Daily ] He said the university currently great pride in hiring as many fi - SJSU Jamba Juice employees Cesar Benito (left) and Eric Chin prepare a smoothie for a late-afternoon patron Monday in employs around 500 students on nancial aid students as the fund- the Student Center. Benito is a junior art major who has worked at Jamba Juice for more than two years, while Chin is a the work-study program, a pro- senior recreation therapy major in his fourth year behind the counter. gram where students work part- See WORK STUDY, Page 8 Advisers to push superseniors Echo Pass usage continues Events planned toward commencement exit for 9/11 National to rise among SJSU students Day of Service By Elisha Maldonado forced to look at students with a and Remembrance Senior Staff Writer high number of units, typically known as superseniors. By Marcos Blanco n an attempt to minimize the What they found, he said, Staff Writer Inumber of prospective SJSU were nearly 5,000 students who students declined admission in had more than the 120 units JSU will be holding a couple the coming years, the univer- needed for a degree. And, re- Sof community events next sity has implemented a plan that garding the “supersuperseniors,” week leading up to the 9/11 would require intrusive advising he said, most had three or more National Day of Service and Re- for students with a high number semester’s worth of work than is membrance. of units. required for them to graduate. Th e Center for Community Whether it is the 120 units “Th at’s 5,000 students for Learning and Leadership and needed for a bachelor’s degree, or three extra semesters that didn’t the Cesar E. Chavez Commu- 20 percent more than required get to come here because the nity Action Center will be hold- for a degree, university offi cials people already here were just ing their sixth annual nonprofi t say it is a must to intrude on stu- spinning around, for whatever Community Connections Fair dents’ academic path to ensure reason,” Jaehne said. next Th ursday and Friday. progress is being made to fulfi ll Th e university’s intrusive Michael Fallon, associate di- degree objectives, and to allow advising plan, developed by rector for the Center for Com- other students a chance. members of the advising coun- [ Chad Ziemendorf / Spartan Daily ] munity Learning and Leader- “Enrolled students who are cil, would combine advising by Pathik Shah, an electronic engineering graduate student, boards the VTA light rail in ship, said the purpose for the not making progress toward a advisers within departments and downtown San Jose as he said he has every day for the past year. event is to connect faculty, stu- degree in the current environ- those in academic advising and dents and organizations to com- ment clearly keep other students retention services. By Angela Marino Zonobi, a transportation solutions manager. munity needs, using available from having an opportunity for Phillips said some students Staff Writer “Th ere is new negotiation of the Eco Pass resources. higher education,” said Veril would not be permitted to enroll working with Amtrak,” he said. “We are in the “It enables our students to Phillips, vice president for stu- themselves in classes, “but will ore students are using their Santa Clara works to give a 20 percent discount to SJSU help in a myriad of ways,” Fallon dent aff airs, in a June e-mail to be required to have an adviser MValley Transportation Authority passes, students.” said. “Th ere is a genuine need to faculty and staff . “We are turn- from the advising and retention according to the Fall 2008 SJSU Student Com- Th e Eco Pass saves students money but also be involved in helping the great- ing away a signifi cant number center register them with input mute Survey Report. can help improve the environment, according to er community.” of well-qualifi ed applicants for from major advisers when ap- Th e commute survey states that ridership has the commute survey. Fallon said he expects to have admission.” propriate.” increased 4.9 percent since Fall 2007. “Th e environmental benefi t for using an Eco more than 35 nonprofi t organi- Dennis Jaehne, associate vice Th ough for some students, Some benefi ts for students include new dis- Pass is to reduce your carbon footprint,” Zonobi zations including AmeriCorps, president for undergraduate such as Reena Vandra, a senior counts with major transportation companies, said. “Also you save money.” Sacred Heart Community Ser- studies, said the California State biology major who said she is according to the transportation solutions Web “I use the Eco Pass everyday, the pass is easy vice and “Veggielution” for this University system is turning crossing her fi ngers and hoping site. to use,” said Lidya Lidya, a senior graphic design year’s event. Fallon said the eco- away 40,000 students next year. to graduate in an extra year and “Th is year Transportation Solutions has major. ”You don’t have to have cash and don’t nomic crisis and budget cuts In order to make sure the uni- a half, the university intruding signed a contract with Altamont Commuter have to fi nd parking.” have aff ected the organizations versity and its students operate Express to give a 50 percent discount to stu- effi ciently, he said offi cials were See SENIORS, Page 8 dents and employees at SJSU,” said Eyedin See VTA, Page 2 See SERVICES, Page 2 Visit us @ theSpartanDaily.com 64 The Spartan Daily will not Video Two people came to class with H1N1 flu last be printing on the week. See how other students are preparing. following days: 83 News Blog Why you should be a nosey neighbor Don’t Google your favorite celebrity Sept. 7, 8 spartandailynews.wordpress Virgo Photo Blog Our next issue will be hit the stands F SATAT SUNUN M spartandailyphoto.wordpress.com Wednesday, Sept. 9 77 76 75 78 Sports Blog spartandailysports.wordpress.com 2[]NEWS Spartan Daily Thursday, September 3, 2009 Images anymore,” said Tiff any Rodri- Campus VTA guez, a sophomore business ma- From Page 1 jor. “I used it a lot during my fi rst semester, because it was conve- VTA passengers of buses and nient without the hassle of park- light rail are 29.8 percent of the ing — now I live near campus so, student population. About 44 I am able to walk to class.” percent of the students on campus Th e commute survey states use an alternate mode of transpor- that 38.4 percent of students tation, including buses, light rail, drive alone to campus, includ- Caltrain, ACE, bikes, etc. ing driving to a Park and Ride. According to the VTA Web Th e percentage has decreased site, fees for riding public trans- compared to Fall 2005, when 52 portation will increase on Oct. 1, percent of students were driving 2009. to campus alone, according to “Th e ridership for VTA has the survey. decreased outside of the SJSU Th e commute survey for Fall students — SJSU is the second 2009 is currently being pro- largest purchaser for VTA in cessed. Santa Clara County,” said Sarah Th e Transportation Solutions Bronstein, Associated Students Web site states that the Eco Pass director of community and en- is valid on VTA buses, VTA Light vironmental aff airs. “VTA is not Rail and AC Transit buses. Th e seeing a student perspective in Eco Pass is not valid on ACE, the fee increase.” Amtrak, BART, Caltrain, High- [ Chad Ziemendorf / Spartan Daily ] “Th e fee increase would way 17 Express, Dumbarton Three of the SJSU Society of Automotive Engineers members sit with their formula cars during the fi rst week of cost the Associated Students Express and Monterey-Salinas fall semester in an effort to promote Spartan Racing and SAE in general.