[ Golden Gater Online - February 20, 1997 ]
Sharon Lerman
Staff writer
|
The other 10 inductees to the 1996 Alumni Hall of fame
are listed below. Former inductees include actress
Annette Bening, Mayor Willie Brown, actor Danny Glover
and journalist Pierre Salinger. Dave McElhatton -- (B.A. liberal arts, 1951) Attending broadcasting classes the second semester SF State began offering courses in the department, McElhatton worked for San Francisco's KCBS Radio for 25 years before making the transition to television. As a news anchor for KPIX Channel 5, he guest-lectured in the BECA department until the mid-1980s. Last semester, he was honored by KPIX for his 45-year career in broadcasting. The "roast" in his honor was aired from BECA's Studio One. In April, McElhatton will be the keynote speaker at BECA's 50th anniversary event.
Vernon Alley -- (attended 1940s) A local musician who has played with Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. R. Paul Butler -- (B.S. chemistry, 1986; B.A. physics, 1985; M.S. physics, 1989) Using equipment they built in a Thornton Hall chemistry laboratory, Butler and SF State professor Geoff Marcy discovered the first two planets found orbiting a star outside the solar system last year. Priscilla Ebersole -- (B.S. nursing, 1971) After graduating, Ebersole pioneered geriatric nurse-practitioner programs and authored geriatric nursing texts. John Judd -- (B.A. business administration, 1968; M.A. economics, 1972) Vice president and associate director of economic research at San Francisco's Federal Reserve Bank. George Miller -- (B.A. political science, 1968) Has represented the 7th district of California in the House of Representatives since 1975. Robert Pastorino -- (B.A. international relations, 1964) U.S. ambassador to the Dominican Republic. Bob Toledo -- (B.A. kinesiology, 1969; secondary teaching credential 1969) Head football coach at UCLA and 1967 Northern California Player of the Year. Weslia Whitfield -- (B.A. music, 1971) A vocalist and recording artist who has performed at the White House, Carnegie Hall and with the San Francisco Symphony. |
And while he was studying rock formations and seismic patterns for his geology final last semester, Alumni Association board members were casting their ballots to honor him as an "outstanding alumnus."
In a ceremony held last week at the Seven Hills Conference Center, Lau was inducted into the university's Alumni Hall of Fame along with 10 other former students. Gold-trimmed photographs of 43 alumni chosen in the past three years hang on the J. Paul Leonard Library's "Wall of Fame."
"We look for people who've really distinguished themselves in an area we think is significant," said Jack Anderson, chair of the 1996 Hall of Fame Committee. "We want to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates."
But six of the alumni did not graduate from SF State. When Lau was selected, he was still three credits shy of his bachelor's degree.
The association's criteria for nominating alumni requires candidates to have "attended SFSU for two or more years," not that they hold a degree. But Anderson said he thinks only graduates of the university should be eligible.
"We have so many exemplary achievers who graduated," he said. "Why extend that to everyone who ever attended?"
He added that he hopes to convince the association's board members to change the rule.
According to Registrar's Office information, Lau applied for graduation Jan. 8, exactly one year after Mayor Willie Brown appointed him chief of police in his first official act of business.
Less than two weeks after Lau was appointed, Jack Davis, a San Francisco political consultant who worked for Brown's campaign, accused Lau of lying on his resume. Davis pointed out that while Lau's official police biography stated he was an alumnus of SF State, he hadn't graduated from the university.
Brown rushed to Lau's defense, saying, "I don't know anybody who didn't lie on their resume."
And last Thursday Lau said university President Robert Corrigan had sent a letter to Brown defending his use of the word "alumnus." Dictionaries define an alumnus as a person who attended or graduated from a school.
"I looked at the word very, very carefully," said Lau. "There was never any intention to deceive ... (but) I understand now how it could have been misleading."
Some newspaper reports last year, citing Lau's police biography, indicated he had graduated from SF State. Karen Johnson-Brennan, an emcee at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, mistakenly said Lau had received his bachelor's degree in 1996 and would graduate with a master's degree in 1997.
Lau said he dropped out of the university in 1971 to join the police force. He recalled that in 1969, his first year at SF State, he participated in student strikes and was "chased around by some of the people who (now) work for me."
Now, nearly 30 years later, he said he will participate in SF State's commencement ceremony if his work schedule allows it.
"I didn't realize how good it would feel to finally complete something that's been haunting me all these years," he said. "I wanted to get rid of the stigma, to finish up so there's no question."
[ Golden Gater - February 20, 1997 ]