We need some good news out of Sacramento State. Time and time again, Sac State is making national news, including a handful of times in the past year. The trouble is that these sources of recognition, with the exception of hosting the Olympic track and field trials on campus, are all bad.

There was the news a few months back that a terrorist, who is now sentenced to die, attended Sac State and told prosecutors that he converted to Islam while enrolled here. In December, Sac State?s winter graduation was interrupted when the audience listening to a speech by Janis Heaphy, the publisher of The Sacramento Bee, erupted in a chorus of foot stomping and booing. Media all over the country picked up this story, and the incident made Sac State a poster child for not wanting to hear new ideas.

Over the last few years, the men?s basketball program has received recognition for not graduating black athletes. The Black Collegian Magazine had Sac State on its list of one of the top schools not graduating men?s basketball players. More notoriety, but for the wrong reasons.

During the Spring 2000 semester, Sac State received national recognition from an arrest at a football game on campus. The hype came when the then editor in chief of The State Hornet correctly refused to give up any photos or notes after being ordered to surrender them by a judge. Stories of that night, which included a murder in the parking lot, and discussions of racism, were told around the country.

The women?s basketball program has also received recognition this year. However, it is the result of being the only team in Div. I, out of more than 320 teams, not to win a single game.

There have been opportunities to earn some positive recognition, but they have passed the school by. A prime example was the men?s basketball NCAA tournament games, held at Arco Arena two weeks ago, that were hosted by the University of the Pacific. As noted in a sports column in this paper on March 20, Sac State never even applied to host the major, national event.

Now the saga of Sarah Dutra, a senior who was arrested in connection with the murder of Sacramento lawyer Larry McNabney, adds to Sac State?s tradition of negative exposure. A huge national scandal, involving murder, lies, escapes from police and tons of money, can?t go away without Sac State attaching its moniker to the story.

What is it about this school that makes all news bad news? Surely the sports programs have a lot to do with this, since sports is a good way to get national attention. Sacramento City College, for example, boasts the most alumni currently being paid to play baseball professionally. The only recognition major programs at Sac State get is for losing. Sports is one avenue, but not the only way to get positive recognition.

For instance, why not boast about Sac State?s extraordinary criminal justice program, and the easy access to real world experience, with the state capitol building just down the road? Perhaps this school can build a bigger drama program, where each new play will immediately be the talk of the whole area. There is no reason that Sac State shouldn?t do everything it can to ensure that Governor Gray Davis stops by campus to speak and listen to students once or twice a year. I have never seen him here, although he works down the street.

These kinds of moves could put Sac State in the news for positive reasons, while also building stronger community and national ties.

Maybe next time Sac State is in the national news, it won?t be embarrassed. One can hope.

Should Sac State seek out better press? Give Russ Edmondson your opinion at [email protected].

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