College, Disney Develop Course

Officials at Cal State Fullerton say they worked together with the Walt Disney Co. for a year and a half to develop a new entertainment and tourism course of studies.

The program, a concentration in the field rather than a separate major, will be available through the arts, communications and business management departments, officials said at a recent kickoff with Walt Disney Attractions President Paul Pressler.

As Disney prepares to open a second Anaheim amusement park in 2001 and hire 5,000 new workers, Pressler said recruiting talented workers for the new park and throughout the company is among his biggest worries, along with the economy and keeping pace with the Internet.

Disney is paying $500 bonuses to Disneyland employees who recruit managers for its Anaheim expansion and $50 for recruiting line workers. It even has given employees information cards about opportunities at Disney to hand out when they come across likely candidates.

Disney and university officials made it clear that their priority is grooming students for careers. But Anil Puri, dean of Fullerton’s school of business administration and economics, said he expects to conduct new research into entertainment and tourism.