Bright Hall

The Future of Student News

BH Staff — 2009-04-29T10:53:00+00:00

Filed under: Politics, Small Campus, Big Story, Media

Bright Hall has evolved, has a new home and a new name. We are now part of Politics Daily, "a political news magazine for the general reader updated every day, throughout the day...offering a thoughtful take on events." We're honored to be a part of this adventurous and forward-thinking site launch.

Henceforth, we will be know as The Cram, but our purpose remains consistent:

"The Cram is opinion and analysis from accomplished student writers at higher learning institutions across America, where the future of politics is taking shape every day over collegial debate and caffeinated study. Join us as we break down the news cycle with an eye on campus issues and enough energy to conquer any syllabus."

You will find your favorite writers and new faces on The Cram, as well as a beat on the topics that interest you most. This week we've covered the continued controversy over Notre Dame's selection of President Obama as this year's commencement speaker, how the New York State budget is aversely effecting the state's student population, the continued towering tuition increases at our nation's universities, an exclusive speech made by the Bush Administration official who deemed waterboarding legal, and, right now, we're tweeting live from Obama's "100th Day" town hall in St. Louis.

We hope you'll continue to follow us in our new form. We promise to deliver the same brand of insightful campus coverage that you came back for.

The Editors

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

'Waterboarding Memo' Author Speaks to College Republicans

Joshua Sharp — 2009-04-26T00:36:00+00:00

Filed under: Politics, Small Campus, Big Story, USC

Joshua Sharp is now a contributor for The Cram, a student news arm of the newly launched PoliticsDaily.com. To follow his future work, click here.

Former Bush Administration official John Yoo, author of several Justice Department memos determining waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation techniques" to be legal, addressed the California College Republicans as the keynote speaker at their statewide convention in San Francisco this weekend.

Author's note: In addition to political commentary, I'm a member of the USC College Republicans. Views posted here are my own.

Two dozen protesters gathered outside the Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf hotel where the convention was being held, holding signs calling Yoo a war criminal as they chanted, "Jail John Yoo!"

Yoo was actually remarkably soft-spoken compared to the protesters outside. He described his background and his support of key Bush Administration policies, saying, "Sometimes in war, you have to take pre-emptive action to stop someone from trying to harm our country." He pointed out that al-Qaeda had deliberately targeted civilians on Sept. 11, not combatants or military troops.

Putting perspective on enhanced interrogation techniques, Yoo said the United States interrogates detainees "not because we're trying to get a confession [for use in the courts], we're trying to get information to prevent the next attack."

Yoo closed with a question: "Were those policies successful?" It's been almost eight years since 9/11, he said, and our nation has not seen another domestic terrorist attack "because of the Bush Administration's counterterrorism policies."

Yoo also encouraged young conservatives to "have the courage of your convictions" and engage in free speech and open debate with "the people who would shout you down."

Earlier in the day, hundreds of College Republicans took to the streets of San Francisco for an anti-bailout "Tea Party" protest, holding signs with slogans like, "You keep your Hope, I'll keep my Change."

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Conservative Filmmaker Tries To Get Arrested, Succeeds [Updated]

Joshua Sharp — 2009-04-17T18:45:00+00:00

Filed under: Politics, Small Campus, Big Story, USC

John Ziegler is an idiot.

The conservative filmmaker/activist managed to get himself arrested Wednesday after trying to rile up opposition to a journalism award given to Katie Couric for her Sarah Palin interview. Now he's pushing a 20-minute video of his antics and subsequent arrest, claiming anti-conservative bias.

As a senior at the USC Annenberg School for Communication, I know almost everyone featured in the video, including the university officials, event organizers and campus police who Ziegler claims "literally abused" him. Not too surprisingly, Ziegler is wildly exaggerating what really happened:

In the days leading up to the event, Ziegler had announced his intention to protest the award. USC provided a gated space near the entrance of the event for demonstrators, but Ziegler and his film crew were the only ones to show up. So Ziegler started calling himself a journalist and demanding full access to the event.

Conveniently enough, a film crew is on hand to document Ziegler's plight, either brought by Ziegler or hired for the occasion. Ziegler, microphone in hand, repeatedly tries to get university officials to say something controversial, pouncing at every opportunity and offering slanted commentary to the camera.

Meanwhile, Zeigler still refuses to move to the area provided for visiting demonstrators, ten feet away. After putting up with Ziegler for nearly an hour, campus police tell Ziegler that he's made his point and is no longer welcome on campus. Of course, the university is well within its rights; Ziegler is standing on private property.

Ziegler cries foul and resists arrest, grunting, "You guys realize you're breaking all sorts of constitut-- I'm not gonna move!"

He's promptly escorted off campus. Feigning outrage, he went to Greta Van Susteren and Fox News for a softball interview so one-sided that it insults the journalism profession far more than any award.

The Drudge Report did its part by posting a link to the video, and Ziegler's website now reads: "I am simply shocked and horrified by what happened here, as should every freedom loving American. I did absolutely nothing wrong and I was handcuffed, detained and literally abused by law enforcement at the event."

What a joke.

Yes, the award was silly. But its actual title was "Special Achievement for National Impact on the 2008 Campaign." Though I don't think Couric deserves an award, it's a bit ridiculous to protest Annenberg for recognizing the national impact of the Couric interviews. Let's remember, Palin botched interviews on plenty of other occasions.

As I've said before about Zeigler, claims of liberal bias can usually be substantiated with the facts. As a registered Republican, I'm usually sympathetic to these claims. But Ziegler seems more intent on generating publicity stunts and manufactured outrage than actually serving any legitimate public interest.

It's an embarrassment to fellow conservatives.

* Update: USC Annenberg professor Marc Cooper writes on his personal blog that campus police responded poorly, but Ziegler showed up "hoping to goad the cops into action." Cooper also links to a revealing April 2005 profile of Ziegler in The Atlantic, which confirms some nagging suspicions about Ziegler's mental stability (remember the Nate Silver interview?).

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

College Seniors Leaving Jobs to Search for Employment

Joshua Sharp — 2009-04-12T22:06:00+00:00

Filed under: Small Campus, Big Story, Featured Stories, USC, The Economy, Recession on Campus

Bright Hall explores the far-reaching effects of the financial crisis on the youth and campuses of America. Click here for the full series.

In an e-mail to fellow student workers in a university office, my colleague penned a letter which was at once both sad and terrifically ironic.

"I'm having a much harder time finding a full-time job after graduation than I anticipated," my friend, a senior majoring in print journalism, wrote.

"Unfortunately, I am going to have to cut back on my hours ... in order to dedicate more time to the job search," she said, asking if anyone could pick up her Friday shift for the rest of the semester.

The mood among campus seniors hinges on whether one has plans for after graduation. With final exams approaching and graduation ceremonies only a few weeks away, a sense of anxiety is increasingly apparent -- and it's not just the print journalism majors who are struggling.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 13.9 percent of adults between the ages of 20 and 24 were unemployed last month, well over the national average of 9 percent. Adults ages 25-34 face similar odds, with 10 percent unemployed.

The New York Times today rightly points out that even though older Americans have lower unemployment rates, they face longer periods of unemployment and are paid substantially less in new jobs.

But breaking into the job market is proving to be an especially difficult task in the current economic climate. Many college seniors have already completed one or more unpaid internships, and the idea of beginning another -- a common piece of advice -- is both unappealing and often financially impossible.

My friend's on-campus job is her third part-time position this semester, in addition to a full class schedule. With her apartment lease ending, she's searching for a new apartment, in which city she knows not, and faces dauntingly high security deposits upon reaching a decision.

Perhaps sleeping on the parents' couch in the interim isn't such a bad idea. But for graduates of an elite institution, the prospect of temporary unemployment despite a hard-earned four-year degree is only now fathomable in the incredulous minds of students.

And so, some seniors are cutting hours at their campus jobs ... to spend more time searching for employment.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Bishop to Boycott Obama Commencement Speech at Notre Dame

Kaitlynn Riely — 2009-03-25T00:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Politics, Small Campus, Big Story, Culture, Religion, News, Local, Media, Notre Dame

Bishop John M. D'Arcy, who presides over Indiana's Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese, which includes Notre Dame, announced Tuesday he will not be attending Notre Dame's May 17 Commencement, since President Barack Obama will be speaking.

"Can I have the Bishop's ticket?" my friend posted on the Web site Twitter.com.

D'Arcy has clashed with Notre Dame in the past, most significantly when University President Fr. John Jenkins issued a statement in 2006 allowing The Vagina Monologues to be performed on campus. Now it's Obama's pro-choice stances and decisions, rather than vaginas, that have gotten D'Arcy's Irish up.

Notre Dame and the White House announced Friday that Obama would be speaking at Notre Dame's May 17 Commencement ceremony, with Jenkins following up Monday clarifying that asking Obama to speak, and awarding him with an honorary doctor of laws degree, does not signify support of his policies. Most students, from my observations on campus, seem to be supportive of and excited about hearing Obama speak. But a vocal student minority, as well as alumni and unaffiliated pro-life groups, have protested the decision vehemently.

In his statement Tuesday, D'Arcy said Jenkins informed him of Obama's acceptance shortly before the announcement was made. D'Arcy said it was the first time he'd been told about the invitation. This May is the 25th Notre Dame graduation since D'Arcy became bishop, and for the first time, he said, he will not attend.

"After much prayer, I have decided not to attend the graduation," he said. "I wish no disrespect to our president, I pray for him and wish him well. I have always revered the Office of the Presidency. But a bishop must teach the Catholic faith 'in season and out of season,' and he teaches not only by his words -- but by his actions."

He added: "My decision is not an attack on anyone, but is in defense of the truth about human life."

I understand that D'Arcy has major disagreements with Obama over abortion and stem cell issues. But isn't he giving up a unique opportunity to pull the president aside for a moment and voice his concerns? It may not make a difference in Obama's stances, but when else will D'Arcy have the ear of the president?

I'm unimpressed with D'Arcy's leadership. The pro-life movement's sign-carrying, march-making approach hasn't worked so far, and I doubt the Bishop's boycott will make any difference in abortion policy in the United States. It just distances the Catholic Church from the decision-making process.

Too bad. I wish D'Arcy had been a bit braver and seen the opportunity, rather than ask whether Notre Dame has "chosen prestige over truth."

D'Arcy's ticket won't go to waste. Notre Dame seniors, who are only guaranteed 3 tickets each for graduation, have been posting on Facebook asking those who don't want Obama to speak at Notre Dame to give away their tickets.

Security itself on graduation day promises to be intense. But already, with two months to go, life in the Notre Dame bubble is becoming surreal. Leaving the gym this afternoon, I stopped by a television because a woman from a local television station was delivering a report from my campus.

When I got back to my room, a friend told me Notre Dame was on CNN.

Does this controversy have the momentum to last two months? Pro-life groups will certainly try their best. Everyone here has a viewpoint on the Obama drama.

My favorite opinion of the day came in a letter to the editor published in Notre Dame's student newspaper, The Observer. The author of the letter is a student at Saint Mary's, the all-women college across the street from Notre Dame, who asked whether the Notre Dame "administration considered the impact such an important political figurehead will have on the travel plans of the other schools graduating that weekend."

I imagine potential traffic congestion is the last thing Jenkins is thinking about this week.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Debate Over Obama Notre Dame Commencement Address Heats Up

Kaitlynn Riely — 2009-03-24T01:03:00+00:00

Filed under: Politics, Small Campus, Big Story, Culture, Religion, Breaking News, News, Local, Notre Dame

The White House and Notre Dame announced last Friday that President Barack Obama would be the main speaker at the May 17 Commencement ceremony and would be awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree, a decision that has caused controversy among many in the Catholic community.

Though many students and alums of the University are pleased to have the president speak at Commencement, those opposed to the decision have been far more vocal, as students, alumni and people not affiliated with Notre Dame voiced their protestations loudly throughout the Internet and in Notre Dame's student newspaper.

Fr. John Jenkins, the president of Notre Dame, gave an interview to The Observer, the student newspaper, Sunday in which he responded to the criticism and said he did not "foresee" circumstances in which Notre Dame would rescind the invitation to the president. (Full disclosure: I work for The Observer.)

"We have invited the president and he's honored us by accepting," he told The Observer.

There's been an uproar about the decision, judging by letters to the editor, blog posts and petitions, due to Obama's pro-abortion stances. Jenkins defended his choice, saying the invitation to Obama does not signify an endorsement.

"The invitation of President Obama to be our Commencement speaker should in no way be taken as condoning or endorsing his positions on specific issues regarding the protection of life, such as abortion and embryonic stem cell research," Jenkins told The Observer.

The protestations against the choice of Obama have been very loud, especially in the opinion section of The Observer, but it should be noted that in a mock election held by Notre Dame's student government last October, Obama won 52.6 percent of the vote compared to McCain's 41.1 percent.

Not everyone is protesting Obama coming to campus; many are thrilled. A Facebook group titled "We Will Be Honored To Have President Obama at Notre Dame" has 1,389 members. Several Facebook groups, however, have been created to protest Obama as Commencement speaker.

All I wanted was a nice, quiet, peaceful graduation day, a time to celebrate with my family and friends, without posters of aborted fetuses. Such a simple request. But it won't be so.

Already, pro-life activists are making plans to come to South Bend to protest.

A Web site called notredamescandal.com has set up an online petition to ask Jenkins to rescind the invitation, saying it is in violation of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' 2004 document called "Catholics in Political Life," which states that "those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles" "should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions" by Catholic institutions.

The Web site, launched by the Cardinal Newman Society, claims it has nearly 48,000 signatures. The Cardinal Newman Society, established in 1993, is "dedicated to renewing and strengthening Catholic identity at America's 224 Catholic colleges and universities," according to its Web site.

National Review Online, the Web site of the conservative magazine, asked various commentators to give their views on Notre Dame's speaker choice.

It's become popular in American discourse to invoke Hitler when making a point about something one views as egregious. On National Review's Web site, Fr. George W. Rutler, a Catholic priest in New York, skipped that tiresome cliche and brought back an oldie:

"If a Midwestern school seeks attention by granting Obama an honorary doctorate in law, the next logical step would be to grant Judas Iscariot posthumously an honorary doctorate in business administration," he wrote.

This is only day three of the Great Obama Debate; there is no end in sight. Outside the Notre Dame bubble, I'm sure, no one is talking about the Obama Commencement speaker choice. But it's hard to see reality beyond the bubble while on campus. Here, it is the primary topic of conversation.

Anecdotally, I'd say most seniors I've talked to are excited about Obama coming to speak at graduation. But those who are against Obama speaking are making a lot more noise in the student paper and on the Internet.

My advice to Fr. Jenkins is to fire Charlie Weis and re-hire Ty Willingham. There's nothing like breaking football news to change the topic of conversation at Notre Dame.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Obama To Give Commencement Address at Three Colleges

Kaitlynn Riely — 2009-03-20T17:25:00+00:00

Filed under: Politics, Small Campus, Big Story, National News, News, Local, Notre Dame

I thought the biggest thing that was going to happen at Notre Dame this week was St. Patrick's Day. I was wrong.

According to an Associated Press report, President Barack Obama will deliver the commencement address at Notre Dame's graduation May 17. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs made the announcement Friday that Obama will speak at my school, as well as at the Arizona State University and the U.S. Naval Academy graduation ceremonies. Notre Dame's media office issued a news release saying Obama will also be the recipient of an honorary doctor of laws degree.

The Facebook statuses of many Notre Dame students were all about the news Friday afternoon. There hasn't been this much buzz since freshmen year when rumors swirled that U2 was coming in for the ND-USC game.

I think Obama's gotten bigger than Bono.

Many people seem excited, but undoubtedly, there will be protests, especially by those who see Obama's stance on abortion as contrary to Catholic teachings. This is Notre Dame. We protest for weeks on end when students put on productions of The Vagina Monologues.

Obama will be the ninth U.S. president to be awarded an honorary degree by Notre Dame and the sixth to be Commencement speaker, according to the news release.

And don't forget, Notre Dame also graduated the nation's best fake president, West Wing's Josiah Bartlett.

President George W. Bush delivered his first presidential commencement address at Notre Dame in 2001, four years before I was a student here.

It's not a bad way to graduate, with the president stopping by to send us out into the collapsing job market with some soaring rhetoric. I'm guessing that he'll tell us "we are the ones we've been waiting for," that "hope is the bedrock" of our future, and that "yes, we can."

While we have him on campus, the University administration should convince Obama to swing by South Bend in the fall to give some pep talks to our football team.

We'll have the teleprompters ready and waiting in the locker room.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Carly Fiorina "Considering" Bid to Oust Barbara Boxer in 2010

Joshua Sharp — 2009-02-21T19:36:00+00:00

Filed under: US Elections, Politics, Small Campus, Big Story, Breaking News, USC

SACRAMENTO, CA -- Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina indicated today that she might seek the Republican nomination in 2010 to challenge incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).

In a meeting with California College Republicans, Fiorina acknowledged that she is "considering a run for Barbara Boxer's seat" in the U.S. Senate. The room of young Republicans erupted with applause at the mention of Boxer's name. The Senate Democrat is a staunch liberal and the subject of much ire in conservative circles.
The California Republican Party Convention this weekend is playing host to a number of 2010 hopefuls. The halls are covered with competing campaign posters for California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, both of whom have started exploratory committees for a possible gubernatorial primary bid.

Poizner also spoke to the College Republicans, calling California's special-session budget deal "one of the worst pieces of public policy" in recent history and citing his own record of cutting the insurance department's budget by 10 percent.

The mood at the convention is a combination of angst and optimism. Two others who spoke at the College Republicans meeting, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (who has declared his candidacy for Sen. Boxer's seat) and California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring, engaged in a friendly competition over who had more Facebook friends and Twitter followers.

DeVore is ahead, with over 1,500 Twitter followers and almost 3,000 Facebook friends, but the anecdote speaks to the Party's understanding that a technological revolution is necessary to secure electoral victories.

Meghan McCain will be pleased to know that all is not lost.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

College Seniors Facing Tough Decisions

Joshua Sharp — 2009-02-07T17:48:00+00:00

Filed under: Small Campus, Big Story, Featured Stories, USC, The Economy, Recession on Campus

Bright Hall explores the far-reaching effects of the financial crisis on the youth and campuses of America. Click here for the full series.

A line of 50 students, dressed in business attire and clutching thin binders with carefully-prepared résumés, wove beyond the line of tiny booths at USC's annual career fair Thursday and stretched onto an adjacent cement walkway.

The students were waiting to talk with a single company. I didn't recognize the company's name, but it looked like a consulting or engineering firm. The scene was indicative of the overall mood among graduating seniors at the fair, which included roughly 115 companies (down from nearly 200 last year) and students of all majors. Appropriately, the normal Southern California sunshine temporarily gave way to looming dark clouds and strong winds, though rain didn't fall until later that night.

With the economy in swift decline and jobs disappearing at a disturbing rate, many college seniors -- myself included -- are casting as wide a net as possible in our job-hunting efforts.

And while college career fairs can often be nerve-wracking, with prospective employers scrutinizing every detail and anxious students over-analyzing every aspect of the event, there seemed to be a particular sense of urgency this year. Many of the employers had no positions available, instead recommending unpaid internships to get a foot in the door.

Surprisingly, some recruiters didn't have students lining up. They just stood in front of their booth, waiting. The busiest booths were for engineering, corporate consulting and information technology, though that could be partially attributable to USC's highly competitive students in each of those degree programs.

I visited a small handful of booths searching for openings in communication/press offices, but it was admittedly a slow grind. With job offers being retracted in some parts of the country, the only option is to blanket the planet with a catchy appeal and forget about being picky.

Stay tuned for more campus updates throughout the spring semester.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Students Pack Classrooms and Coffee Shops

Joshua Sharp — 2009-01-20T11:10:00+00:00

Filed under: US Elections, Small Campus, Big Story, Breaking News, USC

Joshua Sharp is reporting live from the University of Southern California as students gather to watch today's inauguration ceremonies. Check back throughout the day for more updates and student reactions.

8:10am PST / 11:10am EST
The student coffeehouse Ground Zero is serving as the main watch party for USC students willing to wake up at this unseemly hour, and the room is already packed to capacity. USC professors Dan Schnur and Roberto Suro are opening a discussion at 8:30am, with a huge projection screen displaying a C-SPAN feed of the inaugural festivities. There is a palpable feeling of nervous excitement in the air.

Other watch parties are being held around campus, in apartments and in my COMM-375 Nonverbal Communication class. Next update coming from there...

9:06am PST / 12:06pm EST
Our 9:30am class has opened early to host a live watch party. A few chuckles after Obama stumbled through the oath of office, but his speech delivery is almost flawless so far... lots of proud smiles around the room.

9:45am PST / 12:45pm EST
Laughter in the classroom as CNN displays the temperature in Washington, D.C.: 28 degrees Fahrenheit, feels like 17 degrees.

Los Angeles today is overcast with a high of 75 degrees. It's a bit chilly inside for us, too, though: Someone left on the air conditioner...

9:52am PST / 12:52pm EST
It's odd to see President Obama and former President George W. Bush walking side-by-side as they exit the inauguration ceremonies. As I remarked in an earlier post, Dubya was the first president that my generation of college students have really ever known. Times, they are a'changing...

My initial reaction to Obama's succinct, powerful inaugural address? Three parts of the speech really stood out to me:

"Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things ... "

An early challenge to his critics:

"... [T]here are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done ..."

And, a passage that could easily be voiced by Bush 43:

"We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."

Share your comments below, and stay tuned for instant student reaction over the course of the day.

11:56am PST / 2:56pm EST
Either "The Speech" was overhyped or Trojans are just hard to impress, because my conversations with students and staff around campus indicate a lukewarm, almost indifferent reaction to Obama's inaugural address today.

"It was good," shrugged Tyler Deutsch, a senior majoring in communication who watched Obama's speech over the Internet while at work.

Other students and staff members said the speech wasn't exceptional, but that they felt at least "satisfied" and more interested in seeing how the Obama Administration's policies actually develop. One student said she still hadn't watched the speech, but would after classes today.

Everyone expressed awe at the historic nature of Obama's presidency, but the tepid responses to his speech surprised me. We knew the immense hype surrounding Obama's inauguration would make it difficult for Obama to match expectations, but my impression was that he delivered a sharp, forceful address and met all of his objectives. Post your thoughts in the Comments section below...

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

University Stops Accepting Applications... Three Weeks Early

Joshua Sharp — 2009-01-17T04:08:00+00:00

Filed under: Small Campus, Big Story, USC, News, Local, Recession on Campus

Budget constraints in California have caused Fresno State University to close its freshman application period -- three weeks earlier than the posted deadline. Per the NYT:

"The first I heard of it was an e-mail yesterday morning, when we got back from vacation," said Ron Howard, a college counselor at Redwood High School in Visalia, Calif., where about a quarter of the senior class applies to Fresno State. ...

"... [W]e hustled, hustled, hustled to get kids to file," said Diana Rodriguez, a counselor at Sunnyside High School in Fresno. "I really feel that if we'd known this Jan. 9 thing was coming, we could have saved more souls of kids who are falling through the cracks, but our district was on break until the 12th, and we had no idea this final slam-bang deadline was coming."

Vivian Franco, director of admissions at Fresno State, defends the unwelcome surprise by citing a disclaimer on the university's website that the application date was subject to change. She says most applicants submit by the priority deadline of Nov. 30.

But Franco's casual and dismissive comments completely disregard what her university means for thousands of young adults in California's Central Valley, where I lived for all of my life before attending college.

Fresno State is the most popular four-year university in the socioeconomically depressed valley, which relies on migrant labor to harvest a wide variety of crops. Overwhelmed guidance counselors in struggling public schools are limited in how much support they can offer individual students. Many high school students in the Valley don't consider a four-year university within their reach, and most don't apply to any type of college outside the region.

Those who do apply to a four-year school, usually apply to Fresno State. For many, the university is a real shot at "making it" in the world.

Fresno State just slammed the door in their faces.

I understand the California State University system is under pressure to help close a colossal budget deficit. I understand that those applicants who ignored the early deadline might not all be top-tier candidates.

But some of the would-be applicants may have been qualified students with real potential, and to cut them off without more reasonable advance notice is to deny thousands of students a chance at higher education. Many students are often intimidated, due to a lack of money and lack of support, to apply to colleges outside their region. If Fresno State doesn't take their application, some students just won't apply to a four-year school this year. It is not easy to move away, and minimum-wage jobs are tempting in today's economy.

I know why Fresno State did what it did. But they are sending the worst possible message to underprivileged graduating seniors: "Don't even apply."

Give those kids a chance.

See also:
- Fresno State's Cinderella run brings hope to local youth

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Here's to 2009: End the BCS

Joshua Sharp — 2009-01-07T20:04:00+00:00

Filed under: Small Campus, Big Story, Sports, USC

This season could be the boiling point for opponents of the much-maligned Bowl Championship Series, despite similar pressure seen in previous years to no avail.

Irrespective of the outcome of the BCS championship game tomorrow night, a handful of teams are insisting their squad is the best in the country. Similar disputes have marred the vast majority of the BCS system's 11-year history, with no consensus method to resolve these perennial contentions.

No other major sport faces the endless uncertainty of college football, which is why all college football fans should hold our collective breath for Utah attorney general Mark Shurtleff's potential anti-trust lawsuit against the BCS alleging a conspired monopoly.

Utah finished an undefeated season this year with a 31-17 upset of fourth-ranked Alabama, yet is unlikely to garner a share of the national championship ahead of Florida or Oklahoma -- two one-loss teams with an arguably tougher schedule who won the coveted opportunity to play in the BCS title game.

My USC Trojans trounced eighth-ranked Penn State in a record-setting Rose Bowl performance, but an early-season loss to Oregon State overshadows the Trojans' late-season dominance. No. 3 Texas edged out No. 10 Ohio State in the final seconds of the Fiesta Bowl, leading some to say the Longhorns should have a shot at the national title.

That's not to mention previous BCS controversies in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008, most of which had national title implications.

I won't stir the pot by arguing for the team I feel is best in the country, though you can probably guess which team that is. The point is, none of us can speak with certainty until the top teams play head-to-head.

The need for a playoff system is obvious, but with millions of dollars on the line, a powerful few is unwilling to change the current system voluntarily. President-elect Barack Obama has expressed support for an eight-team playoff, but he's a little preoccupied with the economy, Gaza and lunch.

So here's for a national playoff system brought about by an anti-trade lawsuit or any other catalyst. Have USC play Utah. Let Texas take on the Florida-Oklahoma winner. Give this football-obsessed nation something to agree on, because while a playoff system wouldn't squash all debate, it sure would come several first downs closer.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

College Students Feel the Recession, Too

Megan Baker — 2008-12-06T18:17:00+00:00

Filed under: Politics, Small Campus, Big Story, Featured Stories, St. John Fisher College, The Economy

By now, everyone is well aware that the United States is in a recession. Things are obviously getting really bad when executives are forced to sell their private jets and settle on driving their six figure cars. (Poor guys!)

But a serious problem that continues to grow is the affordability of college for Americans.

According to a study released by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, the cost of attending college has risen nearly three times the rate of the cost of living.

"College tuition continues to outpace family income and the price of other necessities, such as medical care, food and housing," the center said. The report also said that in order for students to stay enrolled in college, they are putting themselves in more debt than ever before. The report stated that borrowing has more than doubled over the last decade.

The National Report Card on Higher Education yielded the same results for 2008. Not only are families spending their incomes on increasingly more expensive necessities like food and housing, but family incomes have remained flat (assuming people still have jobs) as the cost of higher education continue to rise.

President Donald Bain of St. John Fisher College recognized this problem, as he sent a letter out to the faculty and staff of the College expressing his concern.Fisher is a school that depends primarily on student tuition to cover costs. And at $33,000 a year for tuition and room and board, Bain has reason to be a little nervous.

"Since Fisher is primarily a tuition-driven institution, with over 90 percent of our revenue coming from tuition and room and board, the impact of lower enrollment would result in a decrease in revenue. Lower revenue would, in turn, force us to take decisive action to modify our spending patterns and adjust our budgets," Bain wrote.

In order to help students save money, the College has potential plans to forgo private borrowers and allow students to borrow directly through the school.

"We continue to monitor scholarship funds and are planning to become our own direct lender allowing students to receive federal aid directly through the College thus eliminating the middle-man which will save students money," Thomas O'Neil, Fisher's vice president for finance and business said.

In light of the economy, the College has decided to initiate a hiring and capital project freeze until spring of 2009, when it is known how many students will be enrolling for the fall.

President elect Barack Obama has promised to create a new American Opportunity Tax Credit worth $4,000 in exchange for 100 hours of community service, according to the Obama-Biden Web site. He also says he will help streamline the financial aid application process by enabling families to check a box on their tax form.

Well, even though I probably won't be able to get a job out of college in May, at least I won't have to worry about applying for anymore college loans.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

McCain Aide: "We're Very Jealous"

Joshua Sharp — 2008-11-22T17:47:00+00:00

Filed under: US Elections, Politics, Small Campus, Big Story, Breaking News, USC

As co-chair of USC Students for McCain, Joshua Sharp joined advisers from the Obama and McCain campaigns, and top editors and reporters from Politico for an election debrief this weekend on the USC campus.

After two days, six panels and dozens of speakers, the conference concluded with a revealing look at the technology gap between the campaigns. The theme: This year, the McCain campaign was simply out-manned.

'We're very jealous'

Becki Donatelli of the McCain camp said Rick Davis and others were drawing up ambitious campaign technology plans way back in late 2006, but never had the money or personnel to realize those plans' full potential -- as the Obama team eventually did.

"We're very jealous. We loved your iPhone application," Donatelli told fellow panelists from the Obama tech team, Joe Rospars and Sam Graham-Felsen. "We had it sketched out. We had it planned and no way to get it done."

Donatelli also noted that the demographics of McCain's base had changed. Younger voters, especially moderates, believed McCain had become too conservative since 2000 and were energized behind Obama. As a result, fundraising e-mails and other Internet efforts didn't brings the results the campaign was hoping for.

Looking forward, McCain campaign creative director Rob Kubasko said the GOP's infamous 72-hour get-out-the-vote model from 2004 has become "completely obsolete" due to the rise in early voting.

"This election was lost 3 weeks before election day," Kubasko said. "Now you need to put out your final argument a month out."

MORE... Halperin on 'extreme pro-Obama' media bias

TIME magazine's Mark Halperin sharply criticized the media's "extreme pro-Obama" bias in this election cycle, citing as an example New York Times' articles in late October on Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama.

"The story about Cindy was vicious," Halperin said, while the article on Michelle Obama was "like a front-page endorsement."

McCain adviser: "It just wasn't happening"

Obama's grassroots movement guru Steve Hildebrand said new voter registration efforts in nine states provided the electoral edge.

McCain-Palin political director Michael DuHaime: "We spent a lot of money on registration [too], and it just wasn't happening."

Did they have a chance?

McCain advisers talking about the campaign's trajectory defended the vigor of their efforts, noting that after the Republican convention, their candidate was ahead in the polls.

The campaign had bumps in the polls sporadically, and was just hoping to jump at the right time, aides said. Given the "Bush albatross" hanging around their necks, with an increasingly bad economy, it was an extreme challenge, they argued.

Risky candidate

DuHaime: "After the economic crisis, [voters] felt like they were more at risk with John McCain. They were so afraid of more of the same."

Also: "We could never be more unlike Bush than Sen. Obama," DuHaime says.

What are those Politico guys like, anyway?

Sightings: Politico's Jonathan Martin ("JMart") posting the final entry on his GOP blog. And Mike Allen, dutifully, taking a picture with his BlackBerry to capture the moment.

Green room, 9:45am: Being on the first panel, I sauntered into the holding room early Friday morning. What I saw was a little hilarious... laptops everywhere with the likes of Ben Smith still hard at work, typing away. These Politico guys never take a break.

Funny man: You could never know it from his articles, but Jim VandeHei is a funny guy. On one panel, VandeHei asked the Obama campaign if they responded to McCain's "fundamentals of the economy are strong" comment by saying, "Whoo!" ... and asked the McCain campaign if they just said to themselves, "Oh, crap."

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Did This Newspaper Cross the Line?

Megan Baker — 2008-11-20T18:45:00+00:00

Filed under: Small Campus, Big Story, Featured Stories, Sports, St. John Fisher College

Megan Baker, the news editor of the Cardinal Courier, is not writing this to attack or defend the motives of herself or the staff of the Cardinal Courier, but to pose the question of whether the story involved was fair game for a college newspaper.

One of the most prominent players on the St. John Fisher College men's basketball team decided to quit. The Fisher newspaper, the Cardinal Courier, decided to cover the story, getting exclusive reports from the head coach and the player that decided to quit.

Was this good journalism or was it taking advantage of a situation? That's the question a lot of Fisher students have been discussing today, the day after the story broke on cardinalcourieronline.com.

St. John Fisher is a Division III school with a successful basketball program, but over the past couple years, the seasons have not been going as well as usual. And with one of the team's leading scorers deciding to quit after just one game, the state of the team has been on the minds of many Fisher students.

When the Courier learned that junior Chris Baltz would be leaving the team, sports editor Mike Spier approached Baltz, who consented to an interview. Coach Rob Kornaker also contacted Spier to offer his thoughts on the situation.

Once the story hit the web, students had mixed feelings on whether or not they felt the story was appropriate or even ethical for the Courier to pursue. Being a Division III school, some felt that this was unimportant and that Baltz should have been left alone. Others felt that the Courier was writing to its audience, the students of St. John Fisher.What many students felt was that it was something the Courier should not have covered, with many asking why it was not covered when other athletes had quit in the past. (Many times athletes quit because of a lack of playing time, but with this situation, that was clearly not the case).

Students flocked to Cardinal Courier Online to comment on the coverage.

One user who went by the alias Fisher Athlete commented, "This is an internal issue between the coach, Baltz, and his teammates... all of whom I imagine are hurt and confused. I don't think we need to involve the entire campus or outsiders on these types of issues, it ruins our rep with the community and prospective athletes. How about a feature on something more positive. Leave the negative for the athletic department to deal with in an enclosed manner."

On the flip side, a user named Fisher Honors Student said, "I don't think that people on this campus understand the business of reporting sports. This is a big story, and it has been carefully crafted. This is how it's done on bigger campuses where my family and friends go to. We can't just go to the games and not see one of our best players there and try and figure out what is wrong... If this story was not put up, everyone would be complaining that the sports page did not do their job."

So, here is the question posed to you student journalists (and journalism enthusiasts) out there: was this story fair game, or should it have been left alone?

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

4 Reasons Why California Banned Gay Marriage, Again

Joshua Sharp — 2008-11-06T14:08:00+00:00

Filed under: US Elections, Politics, Small Campus, Big Story, USC

California voters on Tuesday passed a controversial constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, reversing a state Supreme Court decision made in May of this year. The success of Proposition 8 has sparked tears and protests from opponents of the measure. Here are a few theories how it happened:

1. It was all about the children.

The majority of Californians personally don't care if Joe and Steve want to get married. But parents do want control over how, and when, their children learn about homosexuality. The "Yes on 8" campaign was remarkably successful in shifting the focus from marriage rights to future implications. When a first-grade class made national headlines for a field trip to their teacher's lesbian wedding, the fear appeals employed by Prop 8 supporters became much more plausible in the minds of undecided voters.

2. No on 8 didn't respond in kind.

In response to these "what about the kids" ads, opponents of Prop 8 should have shown centrist voters an alternative hypothetical: what would happen if Prop 8 did pass. The pictures of same-sex couples devastated and crying, like we've seen in the last few days, is nothing to celebrate. I think if Californians had gone into the voting booth with that image in their mind, the proposition would have been defeated.

Imagine a TV ad with two older women, sitting on a living room couch, talking directly to the camera about what Prop 8 would mean for them. Talking about how the day they were allowed to legally marry was the happiest day in their 36-year relationship. Talking about how devastated and hurt they would be if Prop 8 passed. Then the tagline comes up, "No on Prop 8. Don't eliminate marriage rights for anyone."

This approach would have been risky but effective.

3. The method by which gay marriage became legal.

In 2000, sixty-one percent of California voters supported a proposition defining marriage as between a man and a woman. Repeatedly over the last few years, the Democrat-controlled Legislature passed legislation legalizing gay marriage, only to have Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger veto the measure every time, citing Californians' vote in 2000. San Francisco's I-don't-give-a-damn mayor Gavin Newsom began officiating same-sex weddings in 2004, and though the marriages were later annulled, the question of marriage rights eventually wound up in front of the state Supreme Court, where four justices made gay marriage legal.

Swing voters didn't like the way four judges overruled the statewide vote from just eight years earlier. Gay marriage is a touchy subject, and the perceived judicial activism caused a backlash especially among moderate Republicans who otherwise were indifferent on the subject.

4. Yes on Obama, Yes on 8.

According to exit polls, 70 percent of African-Americans in California supported Prop 8, even though they voted for Democratic nominee Barack Obama by a large margin. Fifty-nine percent of Catholics supported Obama, while 64% of the same group supported Prop 8.

The irony is that the overwhelming electoral landslide which propelled the first African-American into the presidency could also be responsible for reversing a court-ordered right to same-sex marriage. Democratic volunteers pushing for every Obama vote possible may have unwittingly helped the Yes on 8 campaign's Get Out The Vote efforts, and caused the high court's decision to be overturned.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

USC Buzzing With Election Activity

Joshua Sharp — 2008-11-04T18:51:00+00:00

Filed under: US Elections, Politics, Small Campus, Big Story, USC

In addition to political commentary, the author co-chairs USC Students for McCain. Views posted here are his own.

USC students of all political persuasions are gathered in the "Annenberg Election Center," an on-campus hub for Election Day phone-banking and other volunteering. Many volunteers are using the candidates' websites to phone voters in swing states, and dozens of laptops and cell phones are plugged into surge protectors and extension cords strewn around the room. Both campaigns, Students for Obama and Students for McCain, are using the room, in addition to volunteers supporting state ballot initiatives.

As a co-chair of USC Students for McCain, I'm phone-banking, following the progress here in the Election Center, and monitoring polling locations. I'll be updating throughout the day for Bright Hall, giving you an insider's perspective on the campus-level activity.

UPDATE: 12:31 PM

I am drenched in sweat right now.

The response among students has been overwhelming. When we opened the Election Center at 8am, we had to bring in additional tables to make room for incoming volunteers. Both groups -- Students for Obama and Students for McCain -- have a healthy and consistent flow of student volunteers, as six flat-screen TVs on the wall behind them track election coverage on the main cable networks. Food and coffee are being provided for all volunteers throughout the day.

Despite one of USC's largest election-season information campaigns, with more than a half-dozen campus organizations helping to spread information about precinct locations, there has been a lot of voter confusion about where students go to vote. The USC campus is divided into a few different polling locations and multiple zip codes, and as a result, many students try to vote at the wrong polling location. One precinct is already almost out of provisional ballots, used to allow citizens to vote when their name is not on the voter roll. Their voter registration status is then checked before the ballot is counted, to ensure those people do not vote multiple times. The polling locations today have been swamped by massive youth turnout.

I've also noticed a huge get-out-the-vote campaign for "No on Prop 8," which I wrote about yesterday. I've seen over a dozen volunteers around campus, handing out "No on 8" flyers.

UPDATE: 1:21 PM

Phone-banking tables are overflowing. See picture at right.

UPDATE: 3:51 PM

... just got out of my 2pm midterm in Campaign Communication (what kind of professor schedules a midterm on Election Day? McCain's national communications director from 2000).

The tables are still overflowing with volunteers for the two campaigns. McCain and Obama t-shirts and other campaign materials are everywhere, and the six TV screens are tracking national Election Day activity.

I'm off to check the polling locations. The youth turnout so far, at both the volunteer phone banks and at the polling locations, has been nothing short of astounding. Young voters are energized.

UPDATE: 7:49 PM

The Election Center here closed down around 4:30pm PST to become an election watch party, but McCain volunteers kept phone banking at tables outdoors until two hours after Students for Obama closed up shop... "like the band playing as the Titanic went down," as a fellow volunteer put it while watching election coverage.

Students for Obama have a vocal following in the Election Watch, so the McCain volunteers are watching results come in at a local Republican Party event. The mood is pretty low-key...

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

LA Times' Hidden Obama Tape Sparks Protests

Joshua Sharp — 2008-10-30T21:21:00+00:00

Filed under: US Elections, Politics, Small Campus, Big Story, USC

In addition to political commentary, the author co-chairs USC Students for McCain. Views posted here are his own.

A reignited election-year controversy gained new traction Thursday as dozens of protesters gathered outside the front steps of the Los Angeles Times' headquarters in downtown L.A. today, including myself and other students from the University of Southern California campus just a few miles away. Demonstrators were protesting The Times' refusal to release a videotape of Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama honoring Rashid Khalidi, a former Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) spokesman and outspoken critic of American policy toward Palestine, at a private reception in 2003.

The Times referenced the tape in an April 2008 article discussing why supporters of Palestinians are optimistic about Obama's candidacy despite his public declarations of support for Israel.

"... [T]he warm embrace Obama gave to Khalidi, and words ... at the professor's going-away party, have left some Palestinian American leaders believing that Obama is more receptive to their viewpoint than he is willing to say," The Times' Peter Wallsen wrote in April.

"Their belief is not drawn from Obama's speeches or campaign literature, but from comments that some say Obama made in private and from his association with the Palestinian American community in his hometown of Chicago, including his presence at events where anger at Israeli and U.S. Middle East policy was freely expressed."

The Times has refused to make the tape of the 2003 event public, saying they made a promise to their source not to do so.

The journalist in me can appreciate this assertion, but given that we are electing a President, voters deserve to have the full range of information in front of them. For all we know, the tape could contain little controversial content and actually help Obama by being released; but based on the description in Wallsen's article, the event is actually an affirmation of Obama's nuanced, conciliatory approach to diplomacy. (This is the same person who told Georgia to "show restraint" toward Russia, after all.)

Regardless of whether the LA Times releases the tape or not -- I'm willing to bet they won't -- these protests add another layer to McCain supporters' closing argument in favor of their candidate. With the polls tightening and Joe the Plumber still around, the results of this election could still tilt in either direction.

It ain't over 'til it's over.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Ground War: The Final Days

Joshua Sharp — 2008-10-25T10:05:00+00:00

Filed under: US Elections, Politics, Small Campus, Big Story, USC

In addition to political commentary, the author co-chairs USC Students for McCain. Views posted here are his own.

With 10 days left of campaigning, the ground troops of all campaigns are out in full force -- not just volunteers for John McCain and Barack Obama, but also for Senators, Representatives, state ballot initiatives and more.

For Republicans, it's a matter of plugging holes and re-allocating resources. Make an neo-McCarthy-sounding statement, like Rep. Michelle Bachmann, and you're probably not going to be as well-funded by party coffers, because there is only so much to go around.

The Republicans have been forced to defend more of their own turf than they would like, but the message among McCain volunteers now is that the most lethal weapon facing the campaign is a loss of enthusiasm among volunteers based on some of the national polls. Ground efforts continue today, where I will join a group of my classmates campaigning jointly for Sen. McCain and a Republican Congressman.

Over the next ten days, USC Students for McCain and our Democratic rivals are scheduling phone banks, "flyering" outreach efforts, a concert featuring Common and The Klux, and an on-campus Election Day headquarters for students to volunteer between classes. Both groups are working together to help students know their precinct location and get their sample ballots, after problems developed in both areas.

I'll be posting updates and pictures in the coming days on Bright Hall, giving you an insider's perspective on the get-out-the-vote ground war. Onward!

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Campus Watch: WU Debate Day Happenings

Sam Guzik — 2008-10-02T15:32:00+00:00

Filed under: US Elections, Politics, Environment, Small Campus, Big Story, On Campus, Washington University, News

As the nation's eye turns to Washington University, students, campaign supporters and the media are rubbing shoulders and sending sparks flying. Among the highlights from the day, in coordination with Student Life:

Outside a live MSNBC broadcast at Washington University middle-aged volunteers from the McCain campaign edged out students showing support for Obama. Members of the group said they were volunteers from Illinois, but would not give details about how they gained access to campus. Earlier in the week, the McCain campaign had solicited local fraternities with offers of cash for support.
A man wearing a green shirt and green pants quoted Mark Twain, giving a speech from a tree branch near the MSNBC booth against imperialism and war-mongering. The student did not come from an organization, nor did he seek to advance any specific cause, or provoke a reaction.
Major national and international media outlets have claimed that their reporters, who were assured credentials weeks ago, are not being let into the media filing room. The Commission on Presidential Debates has said that those reporters who have shown up today may not get credentialed.

For photos from the day, check below the fold.
Chao Yang, a graduate student in chemistry, made a button for herself at the CNN first time voter table.

Alex Fine, a sophomore at Washington University, carries a nine-foot windmill to advocate for sustainable energy. She represents the Washington University chapter of power vote, a national organization looking to encourage voters to consider the environment.

Check back throughout the day for more updates and profiles of protesters.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments