Spring Break
President fields questions from campus media
Staff Report
Issue date: 2/13/08 Section: News
San Jose State University's President Don Kassing answered a variety of questions from the Spartan Daily and SJSU's "Update News" at a conference in Tower Hall on Tuesday.
Q: How easy of a decision was it for you to suspend blood drives on campus?
A: We approached this thing, I think, in a very thoughtful way. We felt that based on what we learned (researching) that our discrimination policy needed to be adhered to. And that the FDA position on this has been controversial for at least 10 years - and that there is a pretty interesting scientific argument out there that the FDA needs to take a look at the policy. That's been advocated by a number of agencies and groups that I think need to be respected. …
… And what's been so interesting about this debate is that we get drawn in, or they draw us into, an argument about the blood supply. We're not telling anyone not to donate blood. In fact, I think we would say the opposite, 'Please donate blood.'
We would hope the FDA would change its policy at some point. The scientific arguments are considerable … they need to get on that and take a look at it … because we would argue it's discriminatory.
The experience we're having on this has been … a very strong anti-gay set of responses that are ugly, nasty kinds of things. We'll get people accusing us of being politically correct, which I would argue is a very shallow view of what we've done. The blood supply argument: that has substance. And people engaged in that side of the argument really, really care about it and are concerned. And then you would get what I would label as a very informed opinion and that's paid attention to this issue and understands … that the FDA could and should reconsider their argument.
Q: How quick of a decision was it for you?
A: We probably spent a good four or five months on this … maybe six months.
Q: What started the conversation (about banning blood drives)?
A: We had a complaint from an employee who expressed that he felt the blood drive violated the nondiscrimination policy.
Q: Did you ask when talking to the FDA officials: Why is that the focus is on homosexual individuals and not other communities of a high risk of HIV?
A: It really hits home on the issue. What really violates the nondiscrimination policy is that like-risks are not treated the same under the FDA's policy. And that's where the university's policy and the FDA's comes into conflict. And they don't have an answer to that.
Q: In your final months as SJSU's president, what are you trying to accomplish?
A: We've got to put a budget together. We are spending time on the new Student Union, Health Center and Rec Center. Every day there is something that comes up in this place.
Q: Does SJSU have any plans to put in new computer labs, like the ones in Clark Hall?
A: In the governor's budget … there is a bond issue, and if it passes, we plan to put in main renovations on Spartan Complex … and that's about a $30 million project.
Q: What's your take on the proposed Internet filters at the (King) library?
A: I understand where Councilman Pete Constant is coming from, and I share that concern of protecting children from pornography. You need to be very careful and not interfere with our research efforts or the effort you make as students. We're hoping that's recognized and doesn't disrupt the way the library works. I think it's an issue of moral security in the library rather than Internet filters. I know he feels strongly about it and cares about kids, and so do we. I hope we can find a different solution.
Q: The CSU system set an earlier freshman deadline for Feb. 1, have you seen a change in the number of applicants for the fall?
A: Yeah, we have seen an 8 percent increase even with the Feb. 1 deadline. We got our hands full, our applications are up, we're overenrolled about 1,500 students. We had hoped to be up about 3 percent.
Q: How do you help this problem?
A: We've opened more sections. We've hired more faculty.
Q: What's at the top of the list? What is the "must get done" by the end of the semester?
A: If we have a budget cut, we make sure we can manage it. I mentioned the Student Union, the Health Center, the Rec Center, and make sure those projects move along.
President Kassing's answers were edited for length.
Related Stories:
Feb. 13, 2008: University stands alone in blood policy
Feb. 13, 2008: Opinion: Making sense out of blood drive nonsense
Feb. 12, 2008: Controversy no longer local
Feb. 7, 2008: Plot thickens in wake of blood drive suspension
Feb. 7, 2008: Where to donate blood off campus
Feb. 4, 2008: President halts blood drives; policy questioned
Jan. 30, 2008: Blood drives stopped
Feb. 7, 2008: Opinion: This Queer Life: Bad Blood
Feb. 4, 2008: Opinion: Making a deadly situation worse
Poll: Do you agree with SJSU's blood drive ban?
Other Links:
Letter from President Kassing
Other links from the President's office
Q: How easy of a decision was it for you to suspend blood drives on campus?
A: We approached this thing, I think, in a very thoughtful way. We felt that based on what we learned (researching) that our discrimination policy needed to be adhered to. And that the FDA position on this has been controversial for at least 10 years - and that there is a pretty interesting scientific argument out there that the FDA needs to take a look at the policy. That's been advocated by a number of agencies and groups that I think need to be respected. …
… And what's been so interesting about this debate is that we get drawn in, or they draw us into, an argument about the blood supply. We're not telling anyone not to donate blood. In fact, I think we would say the opposite, 'Please donate blood.'
We would hope the FDA would change its policy at some point. The scientific arguments are considerable … they need to get on that and take a look at it … because we would argue it's discriminatory.
The experience we're having on this has been … a very strong anti-gay set of responses that are ugly, nasty kinds of things. We'll get people accusing us of being politically correct, which I would argue is a very shallow view of what we've done. The blood supply argument: that has substance. And people engaged in that side of the argument really, really care about it and are concerned. And then you would get what I would label as a very informed opinion and that's paid attention to this issue and understands … that the FDA could and should reconsider their argument.
Q: How quick of a decision was it for you?
A: We probably spent a good four or five months on this … maybe six months.
Q: What started the conversation (about banning blood drives)?
A: We had a complaint from an employee who expressed that he felt the blood drive violated the nondiscrimination policy.
Q: Did you ask when talking to the FDA officials: Why is that the focus is on homosexual individuals and not other communities of a high risk of HIV?
A: It really hits home on the issue. What really violates the nondiscrimination policy is that like-risks are not treated the same under the FDA's policy. And that's where the university's policy and the FDA's comes into conflict. And they don't have an answer to that.
Q: In your final months as SJSU's president, what are you trying to accomplish?
A: We've got to put a budget together. We are spending time on the new Student Union, Health Center and Rec Center. Every day there is something that comes up in this place.
Q: Does SJSU have any plans to put in new computer labs, like the ones in Clark Hall?
A: In the governor's budget … there is a bond issue, and if it passes, we plan to put in main renovations on Spartan Complex … and that's about a $30 million project.
Q: What's your take on the proposed Internet filters at the (King) library?
A: I understand where Councilman Pete Constant is coming from, and I share that concern of protecting children from pornography. You need to be very careful and not interfere with our research efforts or the effort you make as students. We're hoping that's recognized and doesn't disrupt the way the library works. I think it's an issue of moral security in the library rather than Internet filters. I know he feels strongly about it and cares about kids, and so do we. I hope we can find a different solution.
Q: The CSU system set an earlier freshman deadline for Feb. 1, have you seen a change in the number of applicants for the fall?
A: Yeah, we have seen an 8 percent increase even with the Feb. 1 deadline. We got our hands full, our applications are up, we're overenrolled about 1,500 students. We had hoped to be up about 3 percent.
Q: How do you help this problem?
A: We've opened more sections. We've hired more faculty.
Q: What's at the top of the list? What is the "must get done" by the end of the semester?
A: If we have a budget cut, we make sure we can manage it. I mentioned the Student Union, the Health Center, the Rec Center, and make sure those projects move along.
President Kassing's answers were edited for length.
Related Stories:
Feb. 13, 2008: University stands alone in blood policy
Feb. 13, 2008: Opinion: Making sense out of blood drive nonsense
Feb. 12, 2008: Controversy no longer local
Feb. 7, 2008: Plot thickens in wake of blood drive suspension
Feb. 7, 2008: Where to donate blood off campus
Feb. 4, 2008: President halts blood drives; policy questioned
Jan. 30, 2008: Blood drives stopped
Feb. 7, 2008: Opinion: This Queer Life: Bad Blood
Feb. 4, 2008: Opinion: Making a deadly situation worse
Poll: Do you agree with SJSU's blood drive ban?
Other Links:
Letter from President Kassing
Other links from the President's office
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