MORE BLOOD DRIVE TALK His story in colors Richard Tuker, 61, a former SJSU Policies, principles, protests ... student, speaks through oil on can- and Rip Van Winkle vas about his life, love and culture. See OPINION, page 5. TOMORROW in the Spartan Daily VOLUME 130 ISSUE 12 Spartan Daily 63˚ / 39˚ thespartandaily.com MOSTLY SUNNY SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2008 FREE SINCE 1934 With the grace of a swan Extracurricular Students choose MySpace, fl iers Ballet San Jose prepares to bring a classic to the stage over SJSU.edu to post events By CHRIS BAUSINGER have to get their events approved for Staff Writer the calendar. The organization must fi ll out a one-page form that is sub- Since Sept. 17, 2007 the Student ject to review and approval. Involvement Web calendar has listed “Most students don’t go to the four events. SJSU Web site to look for clubs,” said The lack of student events is not a Stephanie Jwo, a senior psychology result of clubs not hosting any events, major and member of Tau Delta Phi. but instead because student organiza- Tau Delta Phi spreads information tions often choose not to post their about its events by handing out fl iers events on the Web calendar. in front of a table outside the Student Events on the calendar ranged Union as well as through their own from academic integrity week to stu- Web site. dent organization fairs. Other student organizations feel According to the Student Involve- the same way about the Student In- ment Web calendar the last event to volvement calendar and have created be posted by a student organization and managed their own Web pages was the Associated Students’ bar- separate from the SJSU Web site. beque on November 15, 2006. Swaphil Mehta, a graduate stu- Instead of using the calendar, dent majoring in mechanical engi- organizations use fl iers and online neering and member of the Indian groups, such as MySpace and Face- Students Organization said, “We put book, to provide information to peo- all our [event] dates on our own Web ple interested in their programs. Ak- site and use Yahoo groups,” as a way bayan SJSU and the Muslim Students of keeping members informed. Association of SJSU are example of The Akbayan Pilipino Ameri- groups with Facebook pages. can Organization of SJSU also uses Some organizations have their online methods to keep students in- own Web sites but are not the same formed of events. as those listed on the Student In- Christine Abriam, a senior inte- volvement SJSU Web page. rior design major and member of Ak- Information that is on the fl iers and bayan said, “We use a Yahoo group, organization web pages are events stu- weekly e-mails and our Web site.” dents would miss if they were looking The organizations that commented for them on the Student Involvement were at tables outside of the Student ARTHUR MARKMAN / SPARTAN DAILY Web calendar. These events include Union. Each organization has certain poker nights, barbeques and cultural times during the week that they are During the fi nal day of its rehearsal, Ballet San Jose practiced at its local studio for a performance of “Swan Lake.” Th e company will dance workshops. available for information. showcase at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts at 255 Almaden in San Jose. See the story on pages 2 and 3. “Student Involvement will be re- The low number of event listings moving its calendar within the next in the last year may be the reason the month due to lack of student usage,” calendar has been phased out. Student said Director of SJSU Student In- organizations are looking for their volvement Richard Kelley. own space to develop memberships The decrease in usage may come and inform prospective students of University stands alone in blood policy from the way student organizations their events. Other institutions keep quiet about SJSU’s decision to suspend donation drives By JOHN HORNBERG calls, while offi cials at San Francisco system, said it does not have a uni- FDA POLICY Staff Writer State University and Stanford Univer- form nondiscrimination policy for UPCOMING EVENTS: ightLife off Crusade for Christ N sity also did not return phone calls. its 23 campuses, a fact echoed by Men who have had sex with Spartan Squad Spring Sports Kick (Valentines Celebration) Despite having policies with Student publications, though, SJSU’s Associate Vice President of other men, at any time since 1977 Get a fresh start on the 2008 Spring Every Thursday, students from all walks similar language against discrimi- have reported on blood drive sus- Public Affairs Larry Carr. semester! of life unite for worship, prayer, Biblical (the beginning of the U.S. AIDS y 13, 2008 ellowship. Wednesday, Februar teaching, and f nation, other local universities thus pension, but have not presented an “If you look at them, you might y 14, 8pm at Spartan epidemic) are currently deferred as 7:00pm - 8:00pm Thursday, Februar far have remained silent regarding opinion about it. fi nd that they are all similar,” he uad Campus Village Q Memorial SJSU President Don Kassing’s pro- Despite the steps taken by SJSU, said. “But each one is different.” blood donors. This is because men 9269, Contact: 408.924. reo Project Awards: hibition of blood drives. it was never the president’s intention The UC system has a nondis- who have had sex with other men [email protected] sjDANCEco’s Cho cert of original works No local university or college to push his values on other institu- crimination policy that covers all are, as a group, at increased risk for A great Con VEMENT FOR 2, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. has taken similar action to address tions, he said at a news conference 10 of its campuses, according to the YES!+: A YOUTHFUL MO Friday, February 2 HIV, hepatitis B and certain other OBAL CHANGE 0 p.m. the Food and Drug Administration’s SUSTAINABLE GL Saturday, February 23, 2008 at 9:0 on Tuesday. media relations offi ce at UC Berke- e, SPX 219, SJSU, 1 infections that can be transmitted SJSU Art of Living Club SJSU Dance Theatr lifetime deferral for gay men from “President Kassing’s intention is ley. Last updated by the UC Board 08 at 6:00 a.m. by transfusion. Tuesday, February 19, 20 Washington Square donating blood. to take care of the SJSU campus and of Regents in 2004, the UC policy ersity du San Jose State Univ tact: 408.924.5041, [email protected] Other universities chose not to at Con community,” said Pat Lopes Har- covers “admission, access, and The policy is not unique to the Contact: [email protected] comment on Kassing’s actions, or ris, a representative for the univer- treatment in University programs United States. Many European coun- their own nondiscrimination policies. sity. “It isn’t his intention to create a and activities.” tries have recently reexamined both SPARTAN DAILY Offi cials from UC Berkeley and movement.” Discrimination based on gender Santa Clara University did not return Paul Browning, a representative the science and ethics of the lifetime Facebook contains listings, such as the ones above, of student events e-mail questions as well as phone for the California State University See DISC, Page 6 deferral and have retained it. that have not been posted on SJSU’s Web site. INSIDE ATHLETE the SPOTLIGHT President fi elds questions from campus media Records, medals and a chance for Daily STAFF REPORT about this debate is that we get drawn more. Standout swimmer Brie Marhenke leads the swimming in, or they draw us into, an argument NOW ONLINE TOWER HALL — San Jose State team into the WAC championships. about the blood supply. We’re not University’s President Don Kassing See SPORTS, page 4 telling anyone not to donate blood. • Watch the news conference answered a variety of questions from In fact, I think we would say the op- at thespartandaily.com and the Spartan Daily and SJSU’s “Up- posite, ‘Please donate blood.’ leave comments about what date News” at a conference in Tower We would hope the FDA would Hall on Tuesday. SJSU president Don Kassing change its policy at some point. The scientifi c arguments are considerable said Tuesday. Q: How easy of a decision was … they need to get on that and take a • Kassing addressed campus it for you to suspend blood look at it … because we would argue building updates for the drives on campus? it’s discriminatory. Student Union, Spartan The experience we’re having on this Complex and other projects. A: We approached this thing, I think, has been … a very strong anti-gay • The ban on blood drives in a very thoughtful way. We felt that set of responses that are ugly, nasty dominated the conference, as based on what we learned (research- kinds of things. We’ll get people ac- cusing us of being politically correct, COURTESY OF SJSU ATHLETICS Kassing and staff explained ing) that our discrimination policy needed to be adhered to. And that the which I would argue is a very shallow the reasons behind the FDA position on this has been con- view of what we’ve done. The blood INDEX HUNGRY AND decision and what ignited troversial for at least 10 years — and supply argument: that has substance. POOR the conversation. that there is a pretty interesting scien- And people engaged in that side of Classifieds..........................4 Students point to the cheapest • With his retirement set tifi c argument out there that the FDA the argument really, really care about it and are concerned.