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news
Diploma
path differs for handicapped
By Phil Witte
On-line Forty-Niner
After years of
toiling through endless classroom lectures, tedious homework
assignments and bewildering mid-term and final exams, graduation
is as much of a reward to students as it is an accomplishment.
More than merely
getting a diploma, walking with one's peers across the stage
to shake hands with the campus president, a graduation ceremony
is a rite of passage cherished by students.
But while everyone
takes the same path to earn the diploma, not every student
takes the same path to receive his or her diploma.
Specifically, students
who use wheelchairs are not able to walk up the steps the
same way every other student does.
At last week's
Associated Students Inc. Senate meeting, Faith Fickett-Fontan,
coordinator of support services at the Disabled Student Center,
presented A.S.I. with a resolution designed to provide equal
access for all to graduation ceremonies.
At Wednesday's
meeting, the Senate passed the resolution by an 11-0 vote.
A survey conducted
by the Graduation Accomodation Committee of CSULB students
found that nearly 80 percent of surveyed students and alumni
favored the use of ramps during graduation ceremonies.
Also at last week's
meeting, Dianne Piastro, who is in a wheelchair, spoke about
not wanting to go through the ceremony when she received her
master's degree for fear of being the only one that would
hold up the proceedings.
The resolution
asked for the construction of ramps attached to the stage
used for commencement ceremonies, ensuring all students take
the same path to meet CSULB President Robert Maxson to receive
their diploma.
In past ceremonies,
a ramp located at the rear of the stage was used to raise
graduating students who use wheelchairs.
The procession
of students is halted while a student was raised to the stage.
The student then approached the podium from the rear. The
student would have to take the same path to the back of the
stage to take the same chair lift down before the procession
continued.
The resolution
also asks that the Graduation Accomodation Committee be consulted
regarding accessibility issues in future ceremonies.
Also at the meeting,
A.S.I. Executive Director Richard Haller presented the 2002-2003
operating budget to the Senate.
Haller said that
in putting together this year's $4.5 million budget, four
areas were given special attention.
"We wanted
to strengthen student advocacy role in student government,
by providing full funding for California State Student Association,"
Haller said at the meeting.
The CSSA represents
all the students of the California State University system.
Also included under
that heading was $5,000 for the creation of a campus office
of Lobby Corp., an organization that attempts to create grass-roots
coalitions on college campuses from which students can lobby
elected officials.
The new budget
also calls for increased funding for student media operations
on campus.
"We realized
that it was impossible for student operations to be self-sufficient,"
Haller said. "During past budget shortfalls, we tried
to force them into business models that we now know they cannot
operate under."
While the A.S.I.
uses the University Student Union and provides some services,
it currently does not provide any funding for the maintenance
or operations of the building. The budget calls to provide
money for the building, which will allow it to remain open
during the summer.
Also taken into
account will be preparations for upcoming year-round operations,
including staffing of the Maxson Center and the Beach Pride
Center during the summer.
The new budget
also provides for some new positions within A.S.I.
The position of
A.S.I. historian will be created, as well as positions for
a marketing intern and graphic artist to help provide publicity
and promotional material for A.S.I.
During the treasurer's
report, Rosa Hernandez provided a list of more than 50 student
organizations that have not spent their funding allocated
for the current budget.
If the organizations
do not file with her by Friday, monies allocated will be transferred
to next quarter's grant fund.
In procedural matters,
Adam Anderson, a junior chemical engineering major, was approved
as a senator-at-large. Anderson is currently running for the
position of senator in the College of Engineering.
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