Experts predict 42 percent CA

voter turnout in special election

SACRAMENTO (AP) – Secretary of State Bruce McPherson predicted Nov. 4 that 42 percent of the state’s 15.8 million registered voters will cast ballots in Tuesday’s special election. Massive amounts of campaign spending are raising interest in the eight statewide initiatives on the ballot, and several local ballot measures also are drawing voters’ attention, McPherson said. A Public Policy Institute of California poll last week found voters’ interest piqued by a barrage of radio and television ads supporting and opposing initiatives backed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and by get-out-the-vote campaigns. Poll director Mark Baldassare predicted turnout could reach 50 percent, while others have projected as little as 30 percent. In making turnout predictions, McPherson’s office takes voter interest into account along with trends in voter registration and absentee balloting, and even the predicted weather on Election Day. County elections officials had issued more than 4.5 million absentee ballots and had about 1.8 million ballots returned by mail as of Friday. More than 61 percent of registered voters turned out for the last special statewide election in 2003, when Gov. Gray Davis was recalled and replaced by Schwarzenegger. More than 36 percent of voters turned out for special elections in 1993 and 1979, and 47 percent voted in a 1973 special election. Schwarzenegger is promoting four of the eight special election initiatives, measures on teacher tenure, a state spending cap, mapping of legislative seats, and public employee unions’ political spending. Other initiatives address minors seeking abortions, re-regulating the state’s energy market and providing low-cost medications to the poor.

Two Don Dorsey mentoring award-winners to be named

Professor Gina Masequesmay of Asian American Studies and Frankline Augustin, Director of Science and Math Student Services Center/EOP, College of Science and Mathematics, were named winners of the 2004-2005 Don Dorsey Excellence in Mentoring Award. Masequesmay won the award for her work as a faculty mentor, and Augustin for her work as a staff mentor. The annual awards, presented by the Faculty Mentor Program, recognize faculty and staff who during the past academic year have made exceptional contributions to mentoring of past and present students; who take a holistic approach to mentoring, including academic and personal support; and who support the University’s commitment to the success of students of diverse backgrounds and communities, according to a statement. The two mentors will be presented their awards at a campus reception on Nov. 8 at the University Club from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Faculty Mentor Program and the Educational Opportunity Program established the mentoring awards in 1998. The awards are named after Professor Don Dorsey of Educational Psychology and Counseling who helped develop CSUN’s first mentor training program and devoted himself as a mentor to innumerable students.

CSUN panel to discuss religious

fundamentalism on Wednesday

Three professors will lead a panel discussion on religious fundamentalism on Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the Aronstam Library in Manzanita Hall 240. Jody Myers and Patrick Nichelson, professors in the Religious Studies Department, and Nayereh Tohidi, professor in the Women’s Studies Department, will discuss the origins of the term “religious fundamentalism,” the rise in religious fundamentalism worldwide, Christian fundamentalism, Jewish fundamentalism, and Islamic fundamentalism and women. The event is sponsored by the Department of Communication Studies, the Women’s Resource and Research Center, and the Center for Human Relations.

Corrections and Clarifications

In Thursday’s article, “Fraternities look to get chartered,” Delta Upsilon fraternity was described as a fraternity that does not have rituals, oaths or handshakes. In fact, while the fraternity does not have secret rituals, it still practices some rituals.