Day of the Dead honors many
Bruin Walk Wednesday became a path commemorating the passing of those who have died crossing the U.S.-Mexican border, with UCLA student group Conciencia Libre setting up its exhibit, Día de los Muertos: Death on the Border.
Co-leader of Conciencia Libre, Tonantzin Esparca, a fourth-year theater student, said the day of the dead, – a day celebrating the death of loved ones – now honors the lives of 738 individuals who, she said, have died crossing the border for a chance at freedom.
Marked by 120 white crosses, individuals who have lost their lives crossing the border in 2001 are remembered, according to Esparca.
Their group also set up three illustrated borders, each describing the stereotypes and the realities held by Americans and Latinos about the United States and Mexico.
“(This) puts a face on the dead. They are human beings, not animals,” said Andy Ramirez, a second-year English and Chicano studies student.
Members of Conciencia Libre planned to camp on Bruin Walk Wednesday night to prevent acts of vandalism on their exhibit.
Student starts taxicab business
CHICO, Calif. — A new taxicab service in Chico, Calif., hopes to establish itself by getting its customers around town in luxury automobiles.
Juan Gonzalez, a history student at CSU Chico, is the owner of Golden Cab, a taxicab service he started two months ago to offer Chico State students and other community members a luxury service for affordable prices.
“I feel we have the best competitive prices in the market right now,” Gonzalez said.
Golden Cab provides a Jaguar and two Lincoln Town Cars for customers to ride in at prices ranging from a minimum of $3 for every fare to $10 if the destination is near the downtown area. The taxicab service will take its customers anywhere in the city and to places outside the city such as Sacramento International Airport.
Customers choose to ride in Golden Cab’s cars because they would rather ride around town in a car that is meant for luxury and not in a car that is meant just for transportation, he said.
Changes made to studying abroad
VILLANOVA, Pa. — With the arrival of the 2002-03 academic year, the study abroad policy at Villanova University will change.
Currently, students pay tuition to the overseas program or university they attend, but next year, students will pay Villanova tuition instead. According to Lance Kenney, acting director of International Studies and Overseas Programs, the Office of International Studies changed its tuition policy because of disparities existing within the current policy over non-transferable scholarships and grants.
Most university scholarships and grants awarded to students do not cover study abroad tuition, so even those students with full four-year scholarships had to pay for their own study abroad semesters.
Under the new policy, the excess revenue of students paying full tuition for study abroad will go back toward student financial aid, covering study abroad opportunities for students with scholarships and grants.
Briefs compiled from Daily Bruin staff and wire reports.