SDSU to host climate change expert

Courtesy of Richard Somerville

On the night that Al Gore accepted the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, he shared the spotlight with 2,500 unnamed scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. A lead author for the IPCC report, Dr. Richard Somerville will be coming to San Diego State today to discuss an inconvenient truth of his own.

Somerville will talk about his award winning book “The Forgiving Air: Understanding Environmental Change,” which is his own unique addition to the climate change discussion.

With the subject of climate change never hotter, Somerville is considered an important voice in the debate, professor and Chair for the Department of Mathematics and Statistics Samuel Shen said. Shen called the event a great opportunity to engage the subject of global warming with a man who has been on its front line for many years.

Questions abound concerning climate change, and Somerville’s talk entitled “Global Warming: What Do We Know and What Should We Do?” will go straight to the heart of the issue.

“I want to give a nutshell summary of what scientists have learned about climate change — what we know, what we don’t know and so on,” Somerville said. “After that I want to talk a bit about the policy options, what can we do, what should we do.”

Somerville’s work as a theoretical meteorologist focuses on computer simulations in the atmosphere. Somerville is the professor emeritus at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego. Somerville earned his Ph.D. in meteorology from New York University.

While local and state governments have instituted climate change initiatives, Somerville described the federal government as “foot dragging” on the issue. Somerville credits the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize with bringing world attention to climate change, also emphasizing the importance of young people becoming informed about climate change.

“I think it is critical,” Somerville said. “There are things that the world can do and should do to reduce the dangers of future climate change. The question is ‘can the world muster enough political will to make a decision?’ Whether (the world) decides to take action … that is really in the hands of young people.”

The first edition of Somerville’s book was published in 1998 and is now widely used in colleges around the United States. Somerville said he has waived the royalties and all profits will go to benefit the American Meteorological Society.

The event is scheduled for today in Love Library Room 430. An afternoon reception will be held at 3 p.m. and Somerville’s lecture will begin at 4 p.m, followed by a book signing at 5 p.m.

A.S. BRIEF: 11-18-08

New Green Love proposal
The Green Love initiative brought some new proposals before Associated Students during its council meeting last week.

The green commissioner for A.S., Erica Johnson, outlined a pledge for A.S. members to sign that would target three areas. Students would pledge to recycle whenever possible, use reusable bags instead of plastic bags and use reusable water containers instead of water bottles.

Executive Director of A.S. Dan Cornthwaite asked about the financial effect that such a pledge would have on Aztec Shops. Aztec mountain spring water is a popular product with students, Cornthwaite said, and Aztec Shops will take a financial loss if students start abstaining from plastic water bottles. Johnson said she would take the proposal before Aztec Shops to receive its input.

No vote was taken and A.S. will be giving its feedback on the plan in the weeks to come.

IRA Fee questions
Yet another student spoke out against the proposed Instructionally Related Activities Fee increase. Amir A. Shoja, a political science graduate student, called on A.S. to reconsider the IRA Fee proposal and to create a new committee in order to further study its effects. Shoja said many students opposed the fee increase and asked why A.S. had not offered a student referendum that would allow students to vote on the matter. A.S. has not met its goal of adequately informing students about the fee, Shoja said.

A.S. executives responded by saying a wide segment of the student body had been well informed through alternative consultation. Executives cited student votes taken at various forums in which 50 percent of students had voted in favor of the fee increase, 38 percent of students voted against it and 12 percent of students abstained from voting. Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan representative Jazmin Lua said she heard many students who attended the forums were athletes, which could potentially affect the vote in favor of the fee increase.

Global Brigades visits Honduras

Courtesy of Jimmy Camacho

Those wanting to combat poverty and hunger may be turned off by the length of the commitment. Some organizations such as the Peace Corps require months and even years of involvement.

Jimmy Camacho of the Global Brigades is asking for just one week.

The San Diego State chapter of Global Brigades is part of a network of university students who travel to Central America to do projects ranging from environmental awareness to water development.

“Basically, the main goal is to organize a group of students to go to Honduras during Spring Break 2009 for a week in order to do multiple projects,” SDSU Global Brigades student chapter president Camacho said. “The cool thing about the Global Brigade is that it is all student led. I think everyone is under the age of 25 for the major leadership. It’s a young team.”

The Global Brigades break down into specific brigades such as the Medical Brigades which provide medical services or the Water Brigades which teach villagers about drip irrigation. The Business Brigades are a new idea which would form a sustainable organic business that would then be given back to the community. The Environmental Brigades teach environmental sustainability.

In September of last year, Camacho, an urban studies senior, traveled to Honduras with eight other SDSU students and joined with 60 students from Northwestern University. There the brigades focused on different projects such as medical and water, depending on their specialties.

Global Brigades travel annually to one village for five years, professor SDSU chapter faculty advisor Diana Richardson said. The organization is currently working with the rural village of Los Pajarillos.

Los Pajarillos is a three-hour drive from Tegucigalpa, the capital city, but it is impossible to find on a map. Traveling from Tegucigalpa to Los Pajarillos should take only 20 minutes, but the uphill journey was along a small, rocky road which was difficult to navigate. Camacho and Richardson described the village as 200 scattered houses “buried in the vegetation.”

The students operated out of a property run by Sociedad Amigos de los Niños, a separate host community of small buildings, which is structured like a school. Sociedad Amigos de los Niños is a philanthropic organization founded by Sister Maria Rosa Leggol, a very established name in Honduras, Camacho said.

The students are planning their next trip March 28 to April 4, 2009, during Spring Break.

Camacho is encouraged by the buzz surrounding Global Brigades, saying that 31 students are interested so far and that the organization recently brought in $2000 in donations within a week and a half.

The memories from the seven-day experience last forever, Camacho said.
“The particular community that we worked with … they were very thankful and grateful that we were there and that were working with them,” Camacho said. “Up to this day, I am still learning about things, ways that it’s affected me. It’s given me something I want to do after I graduate.”

For more information, contact Camacho at camacho.jimmyt@gmail.com.

A.S. BRIEF: 11-10-08

Interim Dean of the Library Jon Cawthorne spoke at last week’s Associated Students meeting. He updated A.S. on new features offered by the Malcolm A. Love Library. Council members eagerly offered him suggestions of how to better improve the library.

Current improvements include longer hours of operation, more group and quiet study rooms and more study space in the Reserve Book Room. Also suggested were updated furnishings and artwork to enhance study spaces.

Vice President of External Affairs Daniel Osztreicher announced that Rock the Vote had accomplished exactly what it had set out to do: Rock the vote.
Osztreicher said that on Election Day, San Diego State had the largest polling place in the county.

More Instructional Related Activity Fee endorsements are beginning to trickle in. The College of Arts and Letters has decided not to endorse the fee, while the Panhellenic Association and the College of Health and Human Services have endorsed the fee.

MEChA demands resignation

Karli Cadel/Staff Photographer


Shouts of “Down with Poet” echoed around the council chamber while members of Associated Students were trying to conduct a meeting last week. The Latino student organization Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan showed up to demand the resignation of A.S. President James Poet.

MEChA members spoke during the public comment time, but when they were rebuffed by the council, a MEChA member took possession of the microphone after the public comment time had closed and interrupted the meeting. As the group left, another member twice cried out “Down with Poet,” in Spanish.

Poet was arrested by the San Diego State Police Department on Oct. 17 for allegedly driving under the influence and possession of marijuana. During the council meeting, MEChA de SDSU chair Hugo Gonzalez informed the council that his student organization had taken a vote of no confidence in Poet, and called on Poet to resign from office.

“In light of the recent arrest of Associated Student body President James Poet, MEChA at SDSU demands that he step down from his position,” Gonzalez said. “MEChA demands that A.S. council hold James Poet accountable for his actions as any other student or as he would be. MEChA bluntly expresses our discontent with his irresponsible actions.”

Poet offered to attend a MEChA meeting to speak with members about their concerns. Gonzalez made it clear that such an action was not good enough.

“I’m not only asking for you but the whole A.S. council.,” Gonzalez said. “I’m going to hold the whole A.S. council responsible and accountable for your actions.”

In a show of support for Poet, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Student Union representative Bryan Morelock, immediately proposed a vote of confidence in Poet. Other A.S. members were also quick to close ranks around Poet.
Professional Studies and Fine Arts representative Daniel Brown said that he had full confidence in Poet and that he was the best person for the position of A.S. president.

Gonzalez said that Poet was a vocal role model for SDSU’s image. After Operation Sudden Fall last semester, SDSU’s image has suffered again because of his actions.

MEChA members charged A.S. with favoritism, saying that it was not treating Poet as a normal student.

Vice President of External Affairs Daniel Osztreicher told Gonzalez to keep the debate polite.

“You asked us to have respect, so please have respect for us,” Osztreicher said. “You sound like you’re kind of talking down (to us). Let’s make sure we are on the same respect level.”

The council debated postponing any vote until more information was revealed, but Poet urged the council to not delay the matter.

“In order for me to continue, I need to know whether you guys want me to continue or not,” Poet said. “I know I have confidence in myself and I know I can still be effective in my job, but I am responsible to you guys and you guys are responsible to the student body.”

By a majority vote, A.S. approved the vote of confidence in Poet. One council member said it was important in order to “show the gallery of our school that we still have confidence in our current A.S. president.”

University President’s Designee Dr. Timothy Quinnan said that Poet was being treated as any other student. Quinnan said that the legal process was underway and being done by the book, but that the university’s findings would be confidential. He also said he did not know how long the process would take because of the number of factors involved.

A.S. BRIEF: 11-3-08

IRA fee approved
A.S. has officially endorsed the new Instructional Related Activities fee that would raise student tuition by $80 a semester to comply with Title IV requirements. The decision came after an hour-long blistering debate that included comments from skeptics and supporters in the gallery.

International Student Association representative Dea Roesdha admonished her fellow council members to keep the discussion civil and respectful. Several council members said not enough information on the IRA fee was available and more time was needed to study it. College of Arts and Letters representative Ignacio Prado responded by saying council members had two weeks, which is more than enough time to inform themselves about the issue. Professional Studies and Fine Arts representative Ronni Leonard said the fee increase was important for promoting Aztec pride.

A central question of the debate was whether or not enough students were informed about the fee. Another council member said this was the wrong time for a fee increase because of the nation’s financial woes.

Senior accounting major Gagandeep Singh wanted to know exactly where all the money would go.

“What I do have a problem with is that there is not enough transparency, transparency in the numbers,” Singh said. “The facts are not being made available to all of us. I’m hearing an extremely biased opinion of this.”

Executives said detailed facts have been made available but also admitted that some financial details would only be cemented after the fee was implemented.
Meaghan Poland of the water polo team spoke in favor of the IRA fee.

“It’s really not just about the athletes,” Poland said. “ I just think it is really going to keep our spirit and our college life really good. Tier one is a big thing.”

Associate vice president of Business and Financial Affairs Scott Burns said that, at the time of the meeting, 18 IRA presentations had been made to students. Of the students surveyed during the presentations, 139 were in favor of the fee and 121 were opposed to it. Fifty-one students abstained from voting.

Even with an A.S. endorsement, the final decision to pass the fee increase rests with President Stephen L. Weber. On the A.S. Council, 21 voted for the fee increase and 17 voted against it while four people abstained from voting.

Halloween fun
Halloween came early for Associated Students last week.

Council members dressed in costumes ranging from Nurse Betty to Mickey Mouse. The executives planned both tricks and treats for their audience. A half-naked Spartan waving a sword interrupted the public comments by shouting “Sparta will rise again!” Vice President of Finance Grant Garske and Vice President of University Affairs Tim Velasquez masqueraded as 7-foot-tall basketball players on stilts. Velasquez, in a fake accent, joked that “The good neighbor program will now be called the great neighbor program.”

Homecoming recap
This year’s jungle-themed homecoming week is being touted as a wild success Homecoming Chair Michael Zamudio said. The event more than lived up to its goal of being “bigger and better.” Zamudio said Cultural Arts and Special Events enacted a publicity blitz to get Greeks, alumni, faculty and university departments involved.

Other points of discussion
A.S. Executives will be undergoing the 360 feedback survey process, in which they will be reviewed by anonymous council members and receive constructive criticism.

Weber has approved a new minor in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender studies. The minor will be an interdisciplinary program. Vice President of External Affairs

Daniel Osztreicher announced more than 5,000 new voters have been signed up for the election tomorrow.