THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1999

49er yearbook promises campus buzz

By Elizabeth Curry

On-Line Forty-Niner

Many students recall the final weeks of high school when they would scramble furiously to get the signatures of fellow students and teachers in their yearbooks.

But does the traditional yearbook exchange occur at Cal State Long Beach? This question has proven to be the biggest frustration of the 1998-99 CSULB yearbook staff.

The five-member staff has spent the past year trying to publish "The Gold Mine Yearbook," and spark the interest of organizations and students. Editor-in-chief Jerome Boroff became involved with the publication last fall when he contacted Cindy Hale, CSULB faculty advisor.

Hale was the only person on the production staff, so Boroff's presence helped dramatically. Eventually, the staff grew to include three more students.

The staff has been working hard to improve this year's yearbook. From campus organizations to athletic teams, the staff hopes the yearbook coverage will attract students to purchase one.

"This year we wanted to make it look more like a high school yearbook," Boroff said. "Like it was created by a staff, not just one person."

This year's theme, "The University of Choice," will reflect the reasons why thousands of students choose CSULB based on the natural beauty of the campus, the diversity, the location, and the academic and athletic programs.

According to Boroff, the year has not been an easy one. He said his most memorable moment was when he knew he had a permanent staff.

The staff works at the Lois Swanson Leadership Center, and until recently, they did not have a printer cable which forced them to do all the layouts by hand. The group has been putting the finishing touches on the yearbook this month, which is scheduled to be completed by May 21.

Boroff, who hopes to be the editor-in-chief throughout his time at CSULB, said plans for next year's 50th anniversary book are already underway. The staff is already deciding on the layout and image of the 1999-2000 yearbook. The group will try to recruit more students earlier next year in hopes of producing a bigger yearbook and receiving more funding.

"The Gold Mine Yearbook" will be shipped in late August to students who have placed orders.