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TUESDAY March 20, 2012 Volume 97, Issue 93 W W W.T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M

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SDSU’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT N E W S PA P E R SINCE 1913

INDEX:

Lama Tenzin heralds April visit The Venerable Lama Tenzin Dhonden speaking to a gathered group of students and non-students last Wednesday at the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center. | ANTONIO ZARAGOZA, PHOTO EDITOR

Kevin Smead assistant news editor On Wednesday, San Diego State opened its doors to the Venerable Lama Tenzin Dhonden. Lama Tenzin, personal peace emissary for His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s spoke at the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center. Lama Tenzin’s lecture encompassed several different topics, from the basics of Tibetan Buddhism, such as the Four Noble Truths, to more universal issues such as the

cessation of suffering. After the brief lecture, the floor was opened for questions. Many in attendance, students and non-students alike, had difficult questions for Lama Tenzin, which yielded difficult answers. Most were curious regarding happiness and how one truly achieves it. “Find what makes you angry and do the opposite of that,” Lama Tenzin said, making a joke in response to one student. However difficult the questions and answers were to process, many students left feeling fulfilled. Justin Ancheta, a double major in sociolo-

gy and religious studies, said the most important question asked was “How do you get rid of the ego?” Ancheta said Lama Tenzin’s response, that as human beings no one can ever get rid of the ego, was a “crucial point” in the discussion. John Davidi, a second-year political science major, said Lama Tenzin had “a lot of wise words” to offer students. “He made things sound simple, but also so complex,” he added. Lama Tenzin’s visit to SDSU is a precursor to a three-day San Diego visit from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in April. The Dalai Lama will

speak at SDSU, UC San Diego and the University of San Diego. Melissa Henss, assistant director of presidential events for SDSU, said Lama Tenzin “felt it was important to come and lecture with our campus community, to educate people on ‘Compassion Without Borders,’ what that means, and really just to answer any questions people might have before His Holiness’ visit in April.” The Dalai Lama visits SDSU at 9:30 a.m on April 19 and will deliver a lecture about “Upholding Universal Ethics and Compassion in Challenging Times.”

Despite rain, students explore SDSU Stephanie Saccente staff writer San Diego State held its annual Explore SDSU Open House event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. It invited prospective students to explore what life could be like as an Aztec. Brandon Benson, a prospective student for this fall, was impressed with the overall presentation of the event and everything SDSU has to offer. Although Benson is still unsure if he will be attending the school in the fall, the event helped him put things into perspective. “It was great to see how much hard work the faculty and students put in to create such a wonderful event for all the prospective students,” Benson said. “Even in the pouring rain, clubs and affiliations tabling all over campus still put their best foot forward and made students feel welcome. My

Prospective students walking through campus Saturday. | ANTONIO ZARAGOZA, PHOTO EDITOR

favorite part of the day was touring a fraternity house and learning more about Greek life on campus.” Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity and Alpha Chi Omega Sorority were two of the houses selected to give house tours on the day of the event. In addition to guided tours of Greek housing, a tour of the campus, residence halls and the Aztec Recreation Center were also offered.

Parents accompanying their children at the event were also pleased with the organization of the open house. “Before attending the event, I wrote down a list of questions I hoped to get answered at the open house. By the end of the day all my questions were answered and I was even provided with more information I hadn’t thought about,” Sean Benson, father of prospective stu-

dent Brandon Benson, said. “If this event is any indicator of how this university is run on a daily basis, then I will be more than satisfied if my son chooses to attend this school.” In addition to the tours and information sessions, live entertainment and family-friendly activities were also offered. SDSU alumni were welcomed back to attend the event to reconnect with their favorite programs and departments and explore all that has changed on campus. Emily Barkenbush, an admitted outof-state student, highly recommends attending Explore SDSU to future students interested in the school. “I really encourage students to come check out SDSU Explore Open House. It really helped me to see what the university is like. They shared a lot of information giving me a better understanding of the classes and requirements for the major I am interested in,” Barkenbush said.

OPINION

A fan defends Franklin’s gametime use of his middle finger.

Listen, number one priority: Fix those self esteem issues. Soon it’ll really start to sink in, become another layer of your skin. Epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous tissue, then below that, low self-worth. B A C K PA G E

W E AT H E R : SUNNY HIGH: 66 LOW: 49 SUNSET: 7PM