Nice try Hornet Staff, but this looks like you outsourced this column to Gonzalez. I find it ridiculous that the staff churned out such a cookie-cutter and superficial article, you might as well put Gonzalez's name above this one.

It's nice (and easy) to talk about "turning the corner" and mended fences, but the reality is that all this talk from Gonzalez, Fargo and Cervantes doesn't put asses in seats...probably because CSUS isn't building any new classrooms. If CSUS is to shake the "commuter school" label, then it must actually DO a few things. Gonzalez needs to ensure that money is not raided from instruction, as has been the case in previous years. Money needs to be set aside, if possible, to provide for more classroom space. Gonzalez seems adept at fundraising. Well, why not do some serious fundraising to build a nice, new, huge academic hall (Alex Spanos can even put his name on the front)? All the marketing and peripheral improvements at CSUS aimed at bringing more students in will be in vain unless there are actual seats and classrooms to accommodate them. An emphasis needs to be put on learning, research and campus community at CSUS, not just degrees that employers want. I could care less what Heather Fargo thinks about CSUS, all she wants is graduates in the Sacramento workforce, which is a good thing, but I also want students to apply what they have learned to better themselves and their communities to create positive social, political, economic change.

What Gonzalez and Fargo want CSUS to be is a degree factory with graduates who can immediately jump into an entry-level job in the Sacramento region. Great, jobs are good, a broad tax base is good, but California State UNIVERSITY, Sacramento should, above all, be an institute for higher learning, culture, debate, research, and a place to convert a student's passion for a particular subject into positive, tangible results that not only benefit that graduate, but the community.

I do not want CSUS to be a beacon for employers. I want to read about CSUS students that are achieving breakthroughs in alternative energy research, finding new treatments for HIV/AIDS, helping out disadvantaged communities in the US and the world, I want to see them becoming consumer advocates, elected officials (good ones), business leaders that care about their community, scientists, archaeologists, actors, musicians, social workers that make a difference...I don't want CSUS to just graduate employees for Sacramento, I want them to be cultured, open-minded and worldly citizens as well.

As a former opinion columnist for the Hornet, I expect a far more informed and critical examination of the direction this school is going and the fate of the students and staff...especially from the Hornet Staff. I am not saying the concentration needs to be on the negative; all I am saying is that Gonzalez has been "talking" for years now about improving this campus and has meanwhile wasted time, energy and hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to build a space and science center, a natural history museum and remodeling his own office. He did not support the faculty during contract negotiations and has not, until this past year, supported the students as they face increased fees yet again and budget cuts. Gonzalez should have been lobbying the CSU Trustees, the Governor and the Legislature from day one as President to stop cuts and increase funding (regardless if he was successful, at least he tried). That is what I expect from my school president. Instead, students and faculty led those fights. The CSU Trustees and the Legislature are ultimately to blame for not prioritizing CSU funding. The Trustees appointed Gonzalez to run CSUS as a business enterprise (The Bookstore is owned by a private, for-profit company, Follet, but "jointly operated" by UEI and Follet, there is a Wells Fargo symbol on our One Cards, UEI serves a slush fund for Gonzalez to throw parties and remodel his office, etc.) The State Assembly and Senate give a lot of lip service to higher education, but do nothing to ensure student fee increases are stayed. I understand that it is not as if Gonzalez has millions upon millions of dollars at his disposal and is only spending it on his pet projects, but he needs to show us, through actions, that he is fiscally responsible and manages and allocates funds with the student as the priority.

Okay, so let's turn the corner and move on. I understand true healing begins with conversation and understanding. However, Gonzalez and his administration will not have my confidence until "The Student" is once again made the priority and can one day not have to sit on the floor to add a required class.

We already have one Alexander Gonzalez, I would hate to see the State Hornet become a mouthpiece for his administration. You need to write with a sharp mind, but an even sharper pen...or, I guess a sharp keyboard.

This article reads more as: "We believe our expectations are being met because our expectations have been restated by the Administration" than "Sac State has turned a corner. Students are saying it, Teachers are saying it, and the Administration is rousing the campus community to act upon the enthusiasm."

If the latter is true, it was not shown. As a Sac State alumni who has to take your word on how campus is doing, I do not see the point you are trying to convey, I'm not convinced.

I have to agree with Scott. There was no sign of critique in this article.

An opinion article should address the issue with insight, with evidence, with something other than flowery language. Where is the proof of change? Where are the results?

For example, you say "People are happy and excited to be here." That's every year when the freshmen come in, and that's a darn good thing. But that's nothing special to this moment. Could you interview students who have been here for two years and would be willing to declare such?

What is the Memorandum of Understanding, what does it say, and how do you feel about it? Are the six points providing a credible plan? What are the six points? Even just a sentence listing what they are, a link that can show us where to find them.

You did throw a bone with the Bikle quote, that was helpful. Apparently the Administration is making sure to become more transparent, something that they claimed was necessary, and it seems they meant it. But incoming freshmen won't know that this transparency was a concession from the administration, that came out of a set of mistakes that put the school 6.5 million dollars in the whole, if you don't tell them.

The reason there is the possibility of cooperation is directly related to the faculty and students who were willing to stand up to the practices of business as usual. That is how a democratic institution should work.

I ask you to not just blow smoke up your own asses with your articles. Remember that power vacuums are formed and developed when people aren't paying attention. The State Hornet is the seminal student run institution equipped to identify problems with the status quo, and alert the populace about it.

Do not blink. Do not wince. Do not close your eyes. You are the lighthouse that can keep the ship from sinking. To wane is to lose pertinence, to stop prying is to stop being a journalist.