INDEX:San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1913

TTOODDAAYY @@ SSTTAATTEEPeace Corps info session

career services4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Job search strategiescareer services1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

opinion ... 2 sports ... 4 entertainment ... 6 classifieds ... 7 backpage- ... 8

Read about the evolvingdynamics of immigration policy in the U.S. page 2

DREAM ACTThe rivalry between SDSUand BYU comes to an end atthis week’s game. page 5

RIVALRY GAMEHilary Swank and SamRockwell’s newest flick hitstheaters next Friday. page 6

CONVICTION

dailyaztecTuesday, October 5, 2010 Vol. 96, Issue 22 www.TheDai l yAz tec .com Tw i t te r : TheDa i l yAz tec

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Students at San Diego State are uniting andforming a group to protest The Koala duringthe publication’s next distribution day on campus.

According to its website, “The Koala is astudent-run humor publication at San DiegoState University.” It publishes “about once a

month or three times a semester, except in the summer.”

The publication, which is not a registeredstudent organization, is well-known for itsgrotesque humor at the expense of stu-dents, professors, student organizationsand the Greek system.

On a typical distribution day, The Koala gen-erates discontent on the SDSU campus for a dayor two, but its distribution during the first weekof this fall semester caused students to cometogether to drive the publication off campus.

“Everyone has been so frustrated with iton our campus,” Associated Students VicePresident of External Affairs Laura Schofieldsaid. “It’s a freedom of speech issue and it’sabout where we draw the line between free-dom of speech and hate.”

The Free Speech Steps in Aztec Center arecommonly recognized as an area affordedprotection by the First Amendment, but theentire SDSU campus is a free speech zone.Because of this, the university, A.S. nor theSDSU Police Department have any legal rightto simply ban The Koala from SDSU.

Because students have no legal right tooust The Koala, they are attacking the publi-cation through peaceful protest and raisingcommunity awareness.

“I think this is such a great opportunitybecause so rarely do we (students) get thatchance to find a common ground, and I thinkthis is something that everyone agrees onthat just needs to stop,” Schofield said. “Wetried to devise a way that we could get asmany people involved with this as possible.”

A group of A.S. Council members met twoweeks ago to create a plan that aims to effec-tively halt The Koala from future publication.

“We decided to go with a two-prongedprocess where we would contact anyone thathas submitted an ad with them in the past oris in the local area,” Schofield said. “Themost effective way to do this would be tohave our team go out and visit these busi-nesses personally. The idea behind this is ifwe stop their advertising funding, they can’tpublish anymore.”

The second part of the process involvesstudents meeting and confronting The Koalaon the next day of its distribution.

The group intends to start a text messageand e-mail system to alert students when andwhere to meet during the protest.

“When we notice they’re on campus,we’ll blast everyone that’s on the list,”Schofield said. “What we’ll do is when TheKoala is passing out on the steps, we’ll beover nearby with paper shredders and whenpeople get a Koala, they can walk by andshred it with our shredders.”

The group can’t walk up to The Koala’sdistributors and grab a stack to shred with-out being charged with theft, but Schofieldstressed that once a paper has been handedto a student, what they want to do with it is their choice.

“Once they hand you a paper, it’s yourproperty and you have the right to do what-ever you want with it,” Schofield said.

The SDSU Panhellenic Association has putforward the idea of gathering all of its organi-zation members to walk through AztecCenter to obtain copies of The Koala to shred.

She also said the group is out to make apoint and they’re not just going out there toshred newspapers for a day.

“We don’t just want to shred the paperand be done,” Schofield said. “It’s got to bean educational process. Making sure thatstudents understand why we’re doing thisand why it’s so hurtful to have this kind of(newspaper) on campus and the effect ithas on people.”

In an attempt to obtain comments fromThe Koala regarding its perspective about theupcoming A.S. protest, editor Alex Gauthierdeclined to offer a response.

To obtain further information or to jointhe protest group, contact Schofield atas.vp.ext@sdsu.edu, Amanda Pascoe atas.vp.fin@sdsu.edu or Channelle McNutt atas.diversitycommissioner@gmail.com.

AANNTTHHOONNYY BBRROONNSSOONNS TA F F W R I T E R

A longtime San Diego State professor diedunexpectedly last week.

Joan Miller, an anthropology professor,died in her home Sept. 28. She is survived byher husband Kelly Miller, her son Karl, 24; herson Glenn, 22 and her daughter Diane, 18, allof whom she spoke of often.

Department of Anthropology Chair Dr.Seth Mallios informed students and facultyabout Miller’s passing via e-mail the followingafternoon. Mallios said in the e-mail that thedepartment was shocked by her passing anddeeply saddened by the loss.

This semester, Miller was teaching fourclasses and was also the College of Arts andLetters adviser for Associated Students.

For more than 20 years, Miller was a full-time lecturer at SDSU. She specialized inbiological anthropology and also taught acultural film class.

In the Spring 2008 semester, Miller took atemporary leave of absence because of healthreasons. She returned after a few months toteach summer classes and had taught each falland spring semester since.

Outside of the classroom, Miller was anactive member of the Save the Chimps founda-tion. The nonprofit dedicates itself to rescuingchimpanzees from being used in films and

medical experiment facilities. Miller made anannual trip with her husband to the organiza-tion’s headquarters in Alamogordo, N.M. todonate supplies she collected throughout theyear from her students.

Miller also supported two chimpanzeesfinancially through an adoptive program. Hergraduate student assistant Marcos Flores saidshe was trying to raise funds to transport themfrom the temporary facility in New Mexico topermanent independent housing in Florida.

Flores spent the past three semesters learn-ing from Miller after she handpicked him to beher teaching assistant.

“My first impression of her was she seemedlike such a cool lady,” Flores said. “She had asmile that could light up an auditorium andmade me feel at ease.”

Flores enjoyed watching Miller teachbecause she would engage her students withclever anecdotes and vivid demonstrations.

“She loved teaching and she loved herstudents,” he said. “She was both a mentorand a friend.”

Flores is thinking about taking the trip tothe Save the Chimps headquarters in NewMexico this year in memory of Miller.

Other students have also expressed theirsadness with the tragic and unexpectedloss. Miller taught multiple general educa-tion classes, many of which had more than100 students.

Julia Gross, an anthropology senior, said she thought Miller was a wonderful professorwho made learning enjoyable.

“I would have liked to take another classwith her,” Gross said. “She was awesome.We’re all sad she’s gone.”

According to the anthropology department,a scholarship fund will be established inMiller’s honor.

The memorial service will be held at 10 a.m.on Oct. 9 at Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints located at 6767 51st St.

SSAARRAAHH GGRRIIEECCOOM A N AG I N G E D I TO R

Members of A.S. plan to shred issues of The Koala the next time the alternative newspaper is distributed. Ryan Lowy / Staff Photographer

Anti-Koala protest planned by AS

Death of beloved anthropology professor

Professor Joan Miller, who taught at San Diego State for more than 20 years, died unexpectedly last week.Photo courtesy of Marco Flores