Union
Weekly spoof misleads students
By
Melissa Duque
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
The April Fools’ Day edition of the Union Weekly caused confusion among
students and caused congested phone lines at the Department of Parking and
Transportation Services during the week of April 3.
Every year around April Fools’ Day, the Union Weekly becomes the Daily
69er, a spoof newspaper featuring satirical stories, that is meant to look
like the Daily Forty-Niner. This edition went on stands April 3 and by early
morning had already garnered attention.
“
My friend told me about an article in the paper that said we would be getting
our money back,” said Loren Edwards, senior kinesiology major. “At
first I thought she must have misunderstood and then I thought it’s an
April Fool’s Joke but who would do an April Fools two days after the
day.”
The satirical article, “Parking Services to refund students $75,” reported
CSULB’s Parking and
Transportation Services would be “reimbursing students for a large portion
of the cost of the semesterly parking permit.” The article went on to
quote Parking and Services Director G. B. Lincoln saying, “All they need
to do is line up in the same way as they would to buy their pass, only instead
of paying money, they’ll be receiving it.”
The real Senior Director for Parking and Transportation Services is Tom Bass
and there is no refund.
“
We had a lot of people walk with the 69er and their permit up to the building,” said
Pete Taase, service delivery coordinator for Parking and Transportation Services. “We
were still receiving calls about it 5 days after it went on stands.”
A photograph also accompanied the story in which next to the parking services
building there is a taped 8.5x11 paper that indicates where the line for refunds
starts. The caption underneath gives the dates and times of where to go and
get the refund, and has a contact number for students to get more information.
“
I was walking by parking services and there were these huge signs up in front
of the entrance,” said Rodolpho Duriez, freshman English major. “Then
when I read the Union I understood what was going on.”
The signs in front of Parking Services stated, “Unfortunately we are
not giving out special refunds for parking permits.” The signs were up
by 7:45 a.m. Monday according to Taase.
The number directs students to the offices of the Daily Forty-Niner.
The Daily Forty-Niner received more than 160 calls throughout the week from
students and faculty inquiring about their refund, according to Katie Plourd,
managing editor of the Daily Forty-Niner.
“
We told callers that the story was a spoof put out by the Union and there was
not really a refund,” Plourd said.
According to Plourd students reactions ranged from embarrassed and humored
to over all confusion.
“I had a few callers that just didn’t get it,” she said. “I
had to explain it to one caller, who sounded like a faculty member, for a good
15 minutes.”
This is not the first time the Union’s April Fools joke has caused commotion.
The paper, according to an article written by Amanda Parsons of the Union Weekly,
have been writing an April fools’ edition since April 1, 1997 with that
one announcing a 20-percent tuition rebate.
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