Davis provides insight for AS
MONDAY April 9, 2012 Volume 97, Issue 100 W W W.T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M
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SDSUâS INDEPENDENT STUDENT N E W S PA P E R SINCE 1913
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Congresswoman Susan Davis meeting with A.S. Executive Board members and Lobby Corp representatives. They discussed a range of CSU related topics. | PETER
Amy Williams staff writer Associated Students representatives met with 53rd District Congresswoman Susan Davis on Wednesday to discuss the recent financial cutbacks to education. A.S. Executive Board members and Lobby Corp representatives spoke with Davis to gain a Washington perspective on the cutbacks and to share their own views. Davis opened the meeting with the comment, âThereâs somehow this belief (in Washington) that if we give students too much in the way of helping them out with student fees, it will only increase tuition in universities and colleges,â as administrators will think students have more money
to give. âWe know that thatâs not true; there are many reasons today that costs go up.â Davis said the âcompetition for the best and the brightestâ is one of the main driving forces of fee increases. Universities feel pressure to constantly spend more on the most innovative technology, best-looking buildings and most qualified staff. While those investments do benefit students, âYou can leave your students behind by doing that. Trying to give them the best (is good) but at the same time can make it less accessibleâ by adding costs. âAccessibility is next,â A.S. Vice President of External Affairs Krista Parker told Davis. âThatâs terrifying for students who have worked their whole lives to get into a college and now
canât even get into a state school.â Davis mentioned a lack of political pressure as another reason for the decreasing federal funding. She compared the United States to countries such as South Korea, Finland and Singapore, which have noticeably increased their math skills. âWhen they looked at their students and their scores globally, they determined they would have a strategic plan and would do everything possible to make certain students were succeeding at higher rates and teachers were prepared,â Davis said. The A.S. representatives also brought up the lack of communication between students and legislators. Parker told Davis students are becoming politically active again and want to know whatâs going on, but itâs difficult for them. According to Lobby Corp Chair Nicole Ganz, âThose who
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need the most support (are the ones who) go to night school because they work all day. They donât have the time to meet with legislators or become socially active in campaigns.â A.S. President Cody Barbo emphasized to Davis the importance of social media in informing students. âWe really are looking at new ways to reach out to students that donât live on campus.â When 20,000 students live off campus and arenât involved in extra-curricular activities, âSocial media is our best form of communication,â he said. He advised Davis to increase her social media activity. After the meeting, Parker said she appreciated the time Davis took to meet with the representatives because Davis understands students, despite her limited amount of time able to devote to communicating with students.
OPINION
Require labeling of GMOs by food companies in the U.S.
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âKONYâ sequel released Latest Invisible Children video addresses criticisms Ilgin Karlidag staff writer Last Thursday, Invisible Children released âKONY 2012: Part II Beyond Famous,â its sequel to the viral video âKONY 2012.â The release comes despite worldwide criticism and the recent breakdown of the activist groupâs co-founder, Jason Russell. In an attempt to address the criticism âKONY 2012â has faced, such as the Lordâs Resistance Armyâs current inactivity in Uganda, Invisible Children explains in the second video that the LRA is still actively terrorizing areas of the Central African Republic, which borders South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
âIn the four weeks since âKONY 2012â launched, the LRA has reportedly abducted 57 more,â narrator and CEO of Invisible Children, Ben Keesey, said in the sequel. Similar to the previous video, the filmmakers urge viewers to take action and make their voices heard to policy makers. The video reminds viewers to take part in the âCover the Nightâ movement in which supporters and members have planned to take to the streets on April 20 to spread the word about ending LRA violence. Billy Hamlin, a computer science student at San Diego State, was involved with Invisible Children in high school. Hamlin reports becoming disillusioned to the goals of the organization. âThe day after doing research I realized I wasnât in support of the goals; Iâm not saying theyâre bad, but I donât agree with the goals theyâre seeking to get there, such as
The release comes despite worldwide criticism and the recent breakdown of the activist groupâs co-founder, Jason Russell.
direct military action,â Hamlin said. âThe biggest thing to do is to educate people in general. When people watch the video they need to do more than just watch. There are other possible scenarios and results that could come from it.â Sarah Nader, a business administration student, said the sequel doesnât give an in-depth analysis behind LRA violence. âI was aware of the atrocities against the people of Uganda and Central Africa before watching the first video,â Nader said. âBut after watching both âKONY 2012â videos, I still havenât learned much about the political history and relations between the LRA, Uganda and Central Africa.â Nader said what made the previous âKONY 2012â go viral was the emotional appeal used by Russell by including his son in the video. âThe video encourages viewers to become active, but before you fight for something you need to know its historic background. You need to know the cause and effect of what youâre fighting for.â Nader said. âI think it is precisely because of both the videosâ lack of in-depth political and historical analysis that they have begun to lose steam.â
N AT I O N A L N E W S Navy plane crashes in rural Virginia On Friday, a struggling Navy twoseater F/A-18 jet crashed into five apartment buildings in Virginia Beach, Va. The two pilots, the only passengers aboard the plane, ejected safely and sustained only non-life-threatening injuries. Four others were also taken to the Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital with minor wounds. The aircraft was not carrying live ordnance and crashed 2.2 miles away from the runway after a faulty takeoff, a senior Defense Department official told CNN. After the wreckage site was extinguished, rescue crews prepared to complete a thorough search for others who may have been injured or killed Virginia Beach Fire Department Battalion Chief Tim Riley said. Luckily the pilots spilled the jetâs fuel prior to the crash landing, thus minimizing the inevitably fire-stricken landing; otherwise the wreck could have likely caused even more destruction.
âCompiled by Copy Chief Kristen Caldwell
THROUGH OUR LENS
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They share their silence while the television flickers on one side of the room. She reaches for the glass of water again. This time it seems closer. She almost has it when the television cuts to black ... everything expands ... B A C K PA G E
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