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SAN FRANCISCO FOGHORN 2130 FULTON STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118 NEWSROOM 415.422.6122. ADVERTISING 415.422.2657VOL. 105 ISSUE 12
TheFoghornOnline.comFebruary 5, 2009
FREEDOM AND FAIRNESS
OPINION
 P AGE4 
SPORTS
 PAGE 8
 NE WS
 P AGE 2 
Politics Professor Ste- ven Zunes discusses Nan-cy Pelosi’s view on the cri-sis in Gaza.Architecture majors sellValentines to raise money tocompete in a design contest.Space age psychobilly locals rock both nerds andmusic fanatics alike at SanFrancisco venue Slim’s.Men’s basketball picksup rst WCC victory of theseason.
Fire Destroys Students Apartment Over Break
FIRE:
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SCE NE
 PAGE6
CHELSEA M. STERLING
 News Editor 
Melissa Stihl/Foghorn
Over winter break a fire destroyed an apartment building near campus at Baker St. and Golden Gate Ave. where nine USFstudents lived. Some of the students have been temporarily relocated to on-campus housing on Lone Mountain.
BELIZE
: Continued on Page 2
LAURA PLANTHOLT
Staff Writer 
While some students were sleepingin late or buying textbooks duringtheir last week of winter break, threeUSF students escaped a house fire thatdestroyed most of their possessions,only three days before classesstarted. The house fire occurredon the early morning of Friday,Jan. 23. The two-unit apartment,at Baker Street and Golden GateAvenue, is still intact; however, theflames ruined most of the tenants’ possessions, turning them into ash.At the time of the fire, only threeof the 10 people living in the two-unit apartment were at home. Theother roommates were either attheir parent’s homes or on vacation.These three were able to escape, butone person suffered second-degree burns to his hands when he tried tosave his computer. The cause of the fire is unknown, but accordingto a report on ABC 7, KGO-TV,firefighters said that the cause of the fire does not look suspicious.Mark Wong, a senior international business major and resident of the burnt apartment, said that hesuspects the cause was electrical. None of the residents were inthe room when the fire started, butwere alerted when the fire alarmsounded. The fire then spread tothe upstairs unit, possibly by wayof a wooden deck with stairs. Inan odd coincidence, Wong said thata football had survived the flamesand that popcorn had popped andremained on the floor. Unfortunately,Homecoming is an annual traditionat USF that brings together students,alumni and faculty to celebratetheir school spirit. School spirit hasnot been considered one of USF’sstrongest points, but with the bestefforts of everyone from the alumniassociation, ASUSF Senate, CampusActivities Board, Residence HallAssociation, and of course athletics,homecoming just might be thetime to encourage enthusiasm evenamong the most spiritless Dons.One of the events studentsanticipate every year is the concert,in which a big-name act comes into perform primarily for the USFcommunity. This year’s performer,Lupe Fiasco, is a hip-hop artist.Having hip-hop artists perform has become a trend, with Wyclef Jean performing in 2008 and Commonin 2007. Campus Activities Boardhomecoming director Jenny Dinh saidshe was cautious in choosing an artistthat would please most students and“took into consideration” the fact thathip-hop had dominated homecomingfor the past few years. To assess whatgenre most students wanted to hear,Dinh and the homecoming committee performed extensive surveying,utilizing Facebook, USFConnect,OrgSync, and in-person questioning.According to Darren Pierre,coordinator of student organizations,about 650 students were surveyed,about 38.6 percent voting for hip-hop. Alternative came in secondwith 17 percent of the vote and rock came in third with 12.7 percent.Hip-hop, with a clear majority, wasthe genre they chose to look into.Dinh went to an agency and toldthem she wanted a hip-hop artist,and they gave her a list of available performers. Lupe Fiasco stood outto everyone, she said, because he is popular and his lyrics are in line withUSF’s mission. “He’s hip-hop, buthe’s not so degrading. His lyrics arereally positive and that’s unusual.”The cost of putting on this concertwas not small, the bill of Fiascoalone coming in at $50,000. Thismoney comes from the activity feeincluded in every student’s tuition.For this reason, it was important toDinh that students really enjoy it.But Dinh also wants everyoneto remember that homecoming isnot just about the concert. “It’s awhole week of events,” she said.“There’s the pep rally, the carnival,and of course the big game.”The pep rally, being hosted byASUSF Senate, will offer thecommunity a chance to meet membersof the basketball team as well as HeadCoach Rex Walters and will featurethe USF Pep Band, Spirit Squad, andLos Locos. Saturday afternoon isthe carnival, hosted by the ResidenceHall Association, which will featurecarnival-themed booths with variousgames, face painting, and a makeyour own Dons T-shirt station. Eachstation is hosted by a different campusclub or organization. The big game ison Saturday night, when the Donswill face the Santa Clara Broncos.SCHEDULE OF EVENTSThurs Feb. 1912:30 p.m. pep rallyFri Feb. 208:00 p.m. Homecoming ConcertSat Feb. 212-4:00 p.m. RHA Carnival7:00 p.m. Homecoming gameSun Feb. 229 a.m. Tom Caruso 5k run/walk Check out www.usfca.edu/alumnifor more schedule details
FOGHOR N
 ONLINE
For most of us, winter break involved lazy mornings in front of the television and crazy nights withold friends. For nine USF seniorsand graduate students, winter break carried them all the way to Belize,and into the lives of dozens of nativeschoolchildren. They are a partof Project Learn Belize, a specialUSF immersion program sponsored by the Department of Education.Belize, which neighbors Guatemalaand Mexico, is an English-speakingcommonwealth of Great Britain.Currently, Belize lacks a stable publiceducation system, and therefore muchof the population relies on privateinstitutions such as Sacred Heart,to educate their children. Volunteer  programs are especially crucial for thedevelopment of the Belizean youth.Here, Project Learn Belize steps in.The project made its first trip inJanuary 2008 alongside UniversityMinistry’s Arrupe ImmersionProgram. January 2009 marks the project’s first solo excursion. ProjectLearn Belize differs from similar immersion programs because of its predominant focus in education.To participate, students had to be dual degree seniors or Schoolof Education graduate students.“Students in a specific field areusing their expertise,” explains ElisaJennings, a Comparative Literatureand Cultures major. “The programwas perfect for me because of my interests in teaching, culturalimmersion and social justice.”For sociology and educationmajor Melissa Knave, “What madeProject Learn Belize so uniqueis that you had nine individualsstudying to become teachers withthe expertise and background toapproach teaching in a successfulas well as dynamic manner.”Project Learn Belize worked hardat Sacred Heart. Once there, “[We]were literally planning and leadinglessons and at times managing aclassroom.” USF students took on the role of teacher assistants,helping in any way they could.“The first week I led a lesson onshapes while other students taughtlessons on fractions and perimeters,”said Kanve. “I even worked withanother dual degree student … and leda physical education class in whichwe played fitness games such as redlight, green light and ‘cookie monster,cookie monster, are you hungry.’”
USF Student Teachers Work withImpoverished Children in Belize
MIMI HONEYCUTT
Staff Writer 
Students Vote Hip-Hopfor Homecoming Concert
Tom Nietzke, S.J./Foghorn
Katie Newman, an education grad student, puts her degree to work teaching Belizeanstudents during a recent immersion trip.
More photos from there at student apartment.
 
NEWS
San Francisco Foghorn
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FEBRUARY 5, 2009
Project Learn Belize ProvidesHands-on Teaching Experience
Davies Forum Remakes the News
The Davies Forum is back thissemester and has several speakerslined up who will share their experience in “Remaking the News”.The class will explore and learn howcitizen journalists have remade thenews to benefit citizens, journalistsand social movement groups. Inaddition, the 15 students enrolledin the class will create a conferenceand invite speakers from the BayArea that reflect their interests.Last spring, USF media studies professor and director of the ResourceCenter for Cyberculture StudiesDavid Silver taught the Davies Forumclass, which delved into the topic of digital literacy. According to Silver’s blog, www.silverinsf.blogspot.com,his philosophy for Davies studentswas to “log off before you blog off,”meaning to learn through handson experimenting before trying to blog and analyze a topic. Silver considers teaching the Davies ForumDigital Literacy class an honor.Each year, the opportunity is availablefor any professor to make a proposalto the committee regardless of his or her department. This year another media studies professor, DorothyKidd, will bring her documentaryfilmmaking experience and mediaknowledge to the course to tackle therecent surge in citizen journalism.Kidd said, “The old news modelis either dying or morphing.” Shesaid that we are “on the cusp of newsets of models developing.” Kiddis optimistic about the transitionof the news model because shesaid the mainstream media hasunderrepresented women’s groups,the poor and others who have been affected by global poverty.The 15 students enrolled in the coursewill be introducing and documentingthe speakers and participating in theconferences. A final project will bethe presentation of a documentary,or another media model, that willdiscuss new platforms in independent
CHELSEA STERLING
 News Editor 
The project helped Sacred Heartitself by introducing overhead projectors to the Belizean teachers, providing them with further toolsto enrich their classrooms. Withthe help of ITS, the project alsoinstalled over 30 computers.Much of the learning was mutual.Fr. Geoffrey Dillon S.J, a chief developer of the program, “workedhard to make Project Learn Belize atrip that truly allows USF students toexperience a different lifestyle, anddifferent culture. By the end of the twoweeks we all felt as though we were part of the Dangriga community,” saidKatie Newman, another participant.For Jennings, “The most valuablething that I learned is the level of importance that a moral focus hasover an academic one. Both areequally important to teach, butthrough my experience in BelizeI’ve learned that the former isa prerequisite to the latter. I’velearned the value of teaching whatthe situation demands, and that thisis not always what the syllabus says.”The success of Project Belize isonly the beginning. According toFr. Dillon, “In March, faculty and possibly students in the Schoolof Nursing will travel to Belizeto assess the health and medicalneeds of the wider community, andways in which future School of  Nursing programs might assist bothchildren and adults of Dangriga.”None of the participating studentswill forget their experience. “On mylast day, two students … brought metwo small wrapped packages. Insidethey had given me a few of their ownschool supplies and toys,” Newmansaid. “Many students at SacredHeart come from backgroundsof poverty, including these twostudents. I was incredibly movedthat two young girls would give uptheir own possessions to thank me.”One might find the future ina classroom, but memories like thosemade on the Project Learn Belize tripare found only in the present world. journalism and innovation.One advantage of the DaviesForum, Kidd said, is that it allowsstudents who are focused on whatthey are doing to go into depth inthe digital demo portion of the class.Steven Barnett, a former USFstudent who took the course lastspring, said, “I consider the classthe most influential and inspiringI have enjoyed in my collegeexperience because of the relevanceof the topic and the intimatesetting of our class discussions.”Chris Begley, a junior mediastudies major, described the currentDavies Forum class as close-knit.He said that he knew most of thestudents and that, while the classis open to students of all majors,most were media studies majors.Said Begley, “I am excited to hear their (speakers’) opinions of whatthe news today really looks like.”While the upcoming entrée of Wong’s belongings were not solucky. His clothing was destroyedand melted together, he said, andthe carpets were burnt and wet fromthe firefighters’ hoses. Walkingthrough the charred apartment,Wong said, “I mentally couldn’tremember the layout of the house.”Until Wong and his roommatesfind a new apartment, University Lifehas stepped in and offered immediatehousing, as well as other supplies.Mary J. Wardell, associate vice president of University Life and deanof students, said, “As soon as we foundout, our philosophy was that we weregoing to do whatever we physicallycould to support them.” This supportincluded temporary housing in LoneMountain, a $50 meal card for eachstudent, bedding, laundry detergentand toiletries. After meeting their  basic needs, Wardell said,“We[helped] them think through whatthey needed to do.” She also sent outa message about the incident to eachschool at USF in the event that oneof the students needed to miss class.The tenants did not have individualrenter’s insurance, but several of their parents have policies thatcould cover their losses. This on-campus housing is temporary andthe students are expected to betaking active steps to find permanenthousing. Although rooms on campusare in high demand, the transitionsthat occur at the beginning of thenew semester freed up some spacefor the fire victims. Wardell said thatthe students are all looking for a newapartment. In the meantime, Wong isliving at a friend’s house near campus.“I’m trying to stay positive,”
FIRE:
Continued from page one 
Fire Destroys Apartment
Belize:
Continued from page one 
DAVIES
: Continued on Page 3
Melissa Stihl/Foghorn
Sweets for your sweetheart(s): Sophomore architecture students Anna Munoz, Samora Deng, Dgenaro Pulido, and Bezabeel Balansell Valentines outside the cafeteria to raise money to attend an architecture design competition later this year. Architecturestudents will be selling Valentines, which they will deliver to campus and surrounding neighborhood addresses, until Feb. 12.
 
3
San Francisco Foghorn
FEBRUARY 5, 2009
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Summer 2009 Application Deadline:March 1, 2009Fall 2009 Application Deadline:March 15, 2009
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study abroad
Post Grad Opportunities: The MBA
While graduating from collegerepresents the end of an importantchapter in one’s education, it also presents a diversity of choices for postgrad study. And while undergraduateeducation incorporates a varietyof general education requirementsaimed at providing a well-roundededucation, graduate programs areoften highly specialized and designedfor specific careers or positions. For these reasons undergraduates shouldlook into graduate programs as early as possible to decide if, when and wherethey want to pursue an advanceddegree. This week, the Foghorn satdown with USF Associate Director for MBA Admissions Grace Tan todiscuss what doors an MBA can openfor students and what MBA programslook for when selecting applicants.An MBA, or masters degree in business administration, is typicallya two-year degree providingsubstantial coursework in well known business disciplines like accounting,finance, marketing, management andleadership. However, some MBA programs specialize in areas suchas entrepreneurship, international business and non-profit management,or provide unique experiences such asspending several semesters in foreign business centers. MBA programs areoften not as rigorous as some other graduate programs like law, medicalschool or many Ph.D programs;The hardest part about an MBA program is getting in, said Mark Lenhard, a graduate of Stanford’sMBA program, which does notrelease student grades. However,once enrolled, MBA students honeleadership skills and bond withclassmates who can prove valuable business networking contacts later on.Tan said that MBA applicantscome from diverse backgrounds andhave a variety of work experienceand previous education. Contraryto popular belief, the majority of MBA students did not study businessas undergraduates and studentsfrom the humanities and sciencesoften have the most to gain froman MBA program. UndergraduateGPA, GMAT scores and previouswork experience are often the mostimportant qualities to admissionsofficers, as is the case at USF, saidTan. The average number of yearsof work experience at most popular  programs is around five, and Tan saidapplicants need at least two years of experience to be competitive. Havingwork experience means studentswill be able to relate classroomlectures to real world experienceand provide unique perspectives,she said. In addition to completingan application, essay questionsand letters of recommendation,some schools require interviewswith prospective students.MBA graduates go on to careers,often in management, in a variety of sectors from investment banking jobson Wall Street to technology startupcompanies in Silicon Valley to NGOsin Africa, making an MBA perhaps themost versatile advanced degree. MBAgraduates from popular programsare sought after by top companiesand compensated with high startingsalaries, often in the neighborhoodof $100,000 or more, depending onwhat field they enter upon graduationand what school they studied at.
HUNTER PATTERSON
Staff Writer 
Students also benefit from havinga large network of business schoolalumni to reach out to for career andinvestment opportunities or advice.Many of America’s largestcompanies and most iconic brandswere founded or are led by MBAgraduates including Nike, founded by Stanford graduate Phil Knightand Berkshire Hathaway, founded byColumbia graduate Warren Buffett(who recently edged out Bill Gatesas the worlds richest man). The CEOof Intel, Paul Otellini, is a graduateof the UC Berkeley Hass School of Business and USF, where he studiedeconomics as an undergraduate.Tan said that current studentswho are considering going to anMBA program should try to take theGMAT exam while they are still inschool, as finding the time to studywhile working full time can beexhausting. They should also seek out meaningful work experiencewhere they can demonstrateleadership qualities, she said.The USF MBA program waivesthe application fee for USFundergraduates. More informationabout USF’s program is available byemailing mba@usfca.edu or calling415-422-2221. An admissionsadvisor is also available onlineevery Tuesday and Thursday athttp://www.usfca.edu/sobam/mba/ask_mba_admissions.html.Business Week also has a seriesof articles on their website called“Five Years to B-School,” outliningwhat students should do in eachof the five years most people take between finishing an undergraduatedegree and business school to be ascompetitive an applicant as possible.speakers includes representativesfrom independent media, like AlexGibney, Jose Vargas and Paul Jay,Begley expressed an interest inhearing from an anchor or personalityfrom a large news network.Kidd said that it is important for the students to have an opportunityto participate and select and arrangethe speakers for the final conference.“Young people think news is politicsand economics,” said Kidd. “It’s alsoabout culture, music, literature…stories that are important to share.”The first Davies Forum speaker isPaul Jay, from the Independent WorldTelevision and Real News Network.He will speak on Thursday, Feb. 19.This event is free and open to the public.
DAVIES:
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