Vol. 91 Issue 19 March 6, 2012 Titans Win Over Utah Valley The Cal State Fullerton baseball team defeated the Utah Valley Wolverines in game two of their three-game series. Watch the Daily Titan News in 3 Get up- Scan to view Scan to view ONLINE dailytitan. EXCLUSIVES to-date com/?p=51975 coverage on dailytitan.com/?p=51981 top campus news stories. dailytitan.com The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton CAMPUS | Grading scale THOUSANDS MARCH ON CAPITOL FOR EDUCATION Plus and minus affect final GPA CSU policy states campuses may use plus and minus scale, but it is not mandatory ISABEL LLONTOP Daily Titan Many Titans are familiar with Cal State Fullerton’s plus-minus grade system; it either works to the benefit of students or against them. However, the grade of a C- is a 1.7 grade-point average and is not considered passing for a student’s major classes. A traditional grade of a C takes into account a percentage grade ranging from 70 to 79. According to Executive Order No. 1037 of the California State University policies from the Chancellor’s Office, no other grading symbols besides the traditional grades of A, B, C, D or F can be implemented. Special authorization for the use of non-traditional grades of A, B, C, NC or CR-NC can be approved by the executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer. The executive order also states, “To the extent permitted by Section 40104.1 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, each (CSU) campus may use plus and minus designations in combination with traditional letter grades of A, B, C and D.” The plus and minus grading system is not mandatory, but an option faculty has. Cal State Fullerton’s Admissions and Records WILLIAM CAMARGO / Daily Titan website shows how a B+ or C+ grade creates a minimal boost up to 0.3 towards the semester GPA. ANDREA AYALA California Student Association, the gathering in higher education and pay attention to However, final grades of A-, B-, C- and D- can Daily Titan included a representative population of the struggles faced by students as a result of cause inconveniences for students. Nearly 10,000 people were expected students from California Community Colleges budget cuts. “Where it helps some that are close to the grade, to represent public higher education in as well as students of the California State The protesters also asked other students it also shows that some people really didn’t make the California, gathering around the state Capitol University and the University of California and the public to become aware of the issue full grade … So it kind of works both ways depending in Sacramento Monday to protest increases in campuses. The protest began at approximately of budget cuts for higher education public on your personal situation,” said Melissa Whatley, tuition at the higher education levels. 10 a.m. and included a walk down Capital systems in California and to contact their university registrar. Organized by the California State Student Street towards the state Capitol building. representatives to demand an end to budget According to University Policy Statement Association, the Student Senate of California In a peaceful gathering, protesters held up cuts, reminding them that investing in higher 411.201, the four core competency courses — Oral Community Colleges and the University of signs urging government officials to reinvest education is an investment in the state’s future. Communication, Written Communication, Critical Thinking and Mathematics — require a grade of a C (2.0) or better. The policy states, “A grade of C- (1.7) or below will not satisfy this General Education SPORTS | Fencing team requirement.” Other courses depend on the department and/or faculty level. Fencing team breathes new life Collin Innes, a business communication professor, has always thought the plus and minus grading system Competitive team gets “A friend of mine, Jessica Newton, There was an attempt by students said Gopar, a Spanish major with a is a good idea. He said it shows an accurate reflection put together by the and myself took Brendan’s fencing class and athletics to save the team, but minor in anthropology. However, he of students’ GPA. at CSUF last year,” said Chehabi. the movement did not receive enough didn’t have a chance to get involved “There’s a fallacy that people think it always fencing club and class “Both of us were new to the sport support to survive. until he took a class at CSUF. operates against you. It doesn’t,” said Innes. after being cut in 2006 and had an interest in furthering our The new team is made up of fencing The class interested Gopar into Although faculty is free to have the plus and skills beyond the classroom setting. We club and fencing class members who doing more fencing. When he was told minus grading system throughout their individual JAMESON STEED had heard that CSUF formerly had a were interested in joining when the about the new team, he jumped at the courses, Linda Li, 23, a business human resources Daily Titan fencing team and were curious about team was in its early stages. opportunity to join. management major, believes the system has more of Members of the Cal State Fullerton what it would take to bring it back. They don’t have many members, but “My fencing skills are getting better. a negative aspect. Fencing Club have resurrected the The two of us joined forces and made all are dedicated to the sport and are I’m getting healthier due to the great Li said she isn’t so fond of the plus and minus schools competitive fencing team. it happen.” enjoying their time. exercises that fencing brings,” Gopar grading system due to the pressure it puts on herself The team’s rebirth comes from The original NCAA fencing team, Eric Gopar, 22, a member of the said. and others in comparison. fencing team president, Nasreen which had existed since the early fencing team, has been fencing for Chehabi, 24, a biology major, who got 1970s, was cut after the 2005-2006 about a year. See FENCING, page 8 See GRADING, page 2 the idea this past year. season due to school budget cuts. “I wanted to try it since a long time,” POLITICS | Higher education Education not a ‘luxury’ to Obama President urges state everyone in America to go to college. engineering major. “As long as the governments to give more What a snob,” said Santorum, according student is willing to try to get that attention to colleges to Reuters. education and achieve their goal to get Obama said he doesn’t think this a good job, it should be available to MATT ATKINSON should be a partisan issue. anyone.” Daily Titan “It’s an economic imperative that Pamgan takes advantage of federal aid every family in America has to be able to further his education. At a White House meeting with state to afford,” Obama said. “I have student loans from FAFSA,” governors last week, President Barack According to Reuters, White House Pamgan said. “It sucks that I’m not Obama made a strong declaration of spokesman Jay Carney claimed that eligible for any Cal Grants or anything, the importance of higher education, Obama’s message was a broad speech but loans are good enough considering confronting opponents’ views on the on the overall stance of education, but I’m going to school right now. Hopefully, matter. many Americans wouldn’t consider it I can get a good job afterwards.” “We can’t allow higher education to arrogant to want the best education for According to the National Center for be a luxury in this country,” said Obama. their child. Education Statistics (NCES), tuition The comment comes off the back While nothing has been officially prices have been steadily increasing of a statement made by Republican promised by Obama or the federal over the last 10 years. From 1999-2000 presidential hopeful Rick Santorum. government, the president urged and 2009-10, prices rose 37 percent for The former senator of Pennsylvania governors to give more attention and aid public institutions nationwide, adjusted claimed that Obama’s focus on higher to higher education. for inflation. education alienated him from other “(College education) should be Americans. available to anyone who wants to See OBAMA, page 2 Photo Illustration by ANIBAL ORTIZ / Daily Titan “President Obama once said he wants try,” said Geoff Pamgan, 21, a civil Tuition nationwide rose 37 percent in the last 10 years, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Contact Us at [email protected] 2 March 6, 2012 NEWS OBAMA: Costs make it difficult CALIFORNIA STUDENTS UNITE DTBRIEFS students at public schools graduated ...Continued from page 1 within six years. With budget cuts increasing Google Captures In November 2011, the California pressure on school systems, it can be Private Moment State University Board of Trustees harder to register for classes. voted to increase tuition for the fall “Students are having a harder Google may be in trouble after a 2012 semester by 9 percent. In the last time getting classes, which obviously Frenchman sued the company for decade, tuition at Cal State Fullerton makes it harder for them to graduate a picture posted on Google Street has gone from about $1,500 to more on time,” Hernandez said. “And with View that depicts him urinating than $5,000. Campus-based fees have the costs going up it does present a in his front yard, according to increased as well, according to the big financial strain and stress for the MSNBC.