Daily Cal - Tuesday, September 20, 2011

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Higher Education

Students voice concerns about employment despite jobs bill Check Online

By Damian Ortellado | Staff dortellado@dailycal.org

www.dailycal.org

Although hiring trends showed a steep decline in college-graduate hiring following the economic recession of 2008, Democratic officials claim that college students worried about graduating into unemployment might find some comfort in President Barack Obama’s proposed American Jobs Act. The act, submitted to Congress on Sept. 12, would invest $447 billion in infrastructure, education and a payroll tax cut in the hopes of stimulating the economy and creating jobs. But despite the influx of funds, some UC Berkeley students wondered whether the act would do enough to make an impact in an economy where college hiring has been on the decline. “I don’t feel very good about (getting hired after graduation), especially with a bachelor’s degree,” said Daniel Libicki, a junior transfer student. The hiring trend can be shown statistically. Hiring for those with a bachelor’s degree dropped 39 percent between 2008 and 2010, according to a study on recruiting trends published by Michigan State University’s Collegiate Employment Research Institute. Democratic National Committee Chair and Rep, Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said in a conference call with reporters on Monday that the act would provide states with $1.5 billion to support summer job programs for low-income youth through the Pathways Back to Work Fund. According to the bill, the fund would benefit the 17.7 percent of youth ages 16 to 24 who are unemployed.

Damian Ortellado talks to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Berkeley students about the president’s proposed legislation, the American Jobs Act.

Although that money is targeted at summer jobs, Wasserman Schultz said that it would benefit current and graduating college students. “Right now, there is really a bit of a struggle that younger people have coming right out of college,” Wasserman Schultz said. “The way that the American Jobs Act concentrates on giving assistance and opportunities to young people is going to make it more hospitable ... for younger workers.” The act would extend the payroll tax cut next year, helping to increase the paychecks of 45.5 million workers under 30 years old, according to the bill. “I think it’s a great plan ... The investments in infrastructure will indirectly help unemployed college students,” Libicki said. But some students did not think that putting the money toward payroll taxes was the most efficient method for increasing hiring of college graduates. “Cutting taxes could help create more jobs in small businesses, but I don’t think it’s going to have a huge effect,” said Rudy Sanfilippo, a junior transfer student at UC Berkeley. UC Berkeley professor of public policy Robert Reich said the majority of the plan was allotted to tax cuts that people would use to pay off debts rather than invest in the economy. “The president would have done better with a plan that was big enough to make a real difference,” Reich said in his online blog. Damian Ortellado covers higher education.

Research & Ideas

Study deems state language test ineffective By Courtney Moulds | Staff cmoulds@dailycal.org

Check Online

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A study published Sept. 13 by the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Education suggests that the California English Language Development Test — administered to K-12 students who are supposedly English learners — is given to a higher number of students than is necessary and is not reflective of students’ English proficiency. The study, conducted by Lisa Garcia Bedolla, associate professor of education, and Rosaisela Rodriguez, campus academic coordinator of Leadership for Educational Equity,

Courtney Moulds explains the implications of the research on the kindergarten English test.

compared the number of kindergarteners who took the test with the actual number of English learners in each district surveyed. In more than half of the districts, the number of students taking the test was at least 20 percent higher than the population of English learners, according to the study. Only 12 percent of those tested were classified as proficient in English, almost guaranteeing that any test-taker will be classified as needing English language development

services, Garcia Bedolla said. If the Los Angeles Unified School District is excluded, 6 percent of students are deemed proficient. The study challenges the validity of the test and the Home Language Survey — used to determine whether children are required to take the exam — in classifying students as English learners. “I would doubt that most Englishspeaking students would be able to pass that test,” Garcia Bedolla said. According to Garcia Bedolla, the test is unrealistic for four- and five-yearolds regardless of their English proficiency because it includes reading and writing and is administered to children

Proficiency: PAGE 7

sean goebel/staff

With the passage of an initiative, the ASUC Senate plans to remove bottled water from all campus retail locations, including the Golden Bear Cafe, above, by 2014.

Complete elimination of bottled water on campus planned for 2014 By J.D. Morris | Senior Staff jmorris@dailycal.org

Check Online

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If everything goes according to the ASUC Senate’s plan, bottled water will be a product of the past on the UC Berkeley campus by 2014. More than five months after the passage of a student initiative calling for the campus to phase out its sale of bottled water, the senate voted unanimously in favor of a bill supporting “Take Back the Tap” — a national campaign promoting increased use of tap water run by the nonprofit Food & Water Watch. The bill also calls for the eradication of bottled water sales on campus within the next three years. “It’s going to be a difficult process, like anything is on this campus,” said Cooperative Movement Senator Elliot Goldstein, the bill’s author. “The smallest changes take a lot of different people coming to the table to figure out how that is going to work.” Under the bill, Food & Water Watch will provide a $500 stipend for a campus coordinator charged with organizing meetings to form proposals and communicating with the senate, the campus community and campus organizations about the campaign. The bill also creates a new Take Back the Tap Task Force, which will be composed of the campaign coordinator, at least three senators and “as many other students, faculty, and staff as is necessary to formulate sound policy and carry out a successful campaign,” according to the bill. The task force will determine if it needs funding and then request an amount from the senate. The goals of the task force build on those established in last spring’s ASUC General Election by the “End the Sale

J.D. Morris gives an update on the implementation of the initiative banning the sale of bottled water.

of Bottled Water” initiative, which asked voters if they supported the renegotiation of campus contracts to phase out the purchase, sale and distribution of bottled water. The initiative passed with 8,078 votes in favor, 1,511 against and 1,889 abstaining. Since then, the campus’s contract with Coca-Cola Co. expired and has been replaced by an exclusive beverage deal with PepsiCo. While a contract with Pepsi has not yet been signed, according to campus Beverage Alliance Chair Kurt Libby, the campus has begun to sell Pepsi products — including Aquafina bottled water. Though water bottles remain for sale on campus, demand for them has decreased significantly over the past few years. Bottled water sales in 2010 were down 48 percent from 2006 figures, according to Trish Ratto, Health*Matters wellness program manager for University Health Services. The reduction can be accounted for at least in part by the “I Heart Tap Water” campaign, according to Ratto. The campaign, a collaboration between four campus units, was launched in 2008 to promote tap water as the beverage of choice. But while she supports increased use of tap water, Ratto cautioned that there could be unintended health consequences of a complete ban on the sale of bottled water. “There needs to be some analysis to determine that there should be a 100 percent bottle ban, because then it pushes people to drink soda,” Ratto

bottles: PAGE 3

housing

Data show increase in sales over past year By Curan Mehra | Staff cmehra@dailycal.org

ASHLEY CHEN/STAFF

FIRKESELAM HABEBO/STAFF

FAITH BUCHANAN/staff

More homes in Berkeley were sold over the past 12 months than during the same period during the previous year.

As home prices declined, more homes were sold in Berkeley during the last 12 months than in the previous year, signaling a possible recovery for the city’s fragile housing market. Between September 2010 and August 2011, 27 more houses were sold in the city than during the same time period the previous year, a trend reflected in recent sales in both Alameda County and the larger Bay Area, according to DataQuick, an organization that provides real estate data for properties around the nation.

“The sliver of positive news here is that, no matter how you look at it, last month’s sales beat the yearago numbers, which were pretty lousy,” said John Walsh, president of DataQuick, in a statement. In Berkeley, incredibly low interest rates have primarily driven buyers to purchase in the last year, according to Deidre Joyner, a real estate agent at Red Oak Realty. Low rates make capital more accessible and, by that token, encourage entry into the housing market, she said. Glen Bell, a broker at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, said he expects these rates to be maintained for at least “a year or two.” Over the past year, the city has been building. In

data: PAGE 7

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News & Legals

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NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JUANITA JOHNSON CASE NO. RP11587816 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both of Juanita Johnson. A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Melvin Lofton, aka Melvin Lofton, Sr. in the Superior Court of California, County of ALAMEDA. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Melvlin Lofton, aka Melvin Lofton, Sr. be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows

good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows Oct. 14, 2011 at 9:30AM in Dept. 201 located at 2120 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704. IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within four months from the date of first issuance of letters as provided in Probate Code section 9100. The time for filing claims will not expire before four months from the hearing date noticed above. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code Section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner Robert K. Lane 3657 Grand Avenue Oakland, CA 94610-2009 Publish: 9/16/11, 9/19/11, 9/20/11

Student regents remain silent at board meeting JEFFERSON MEMORIAL LECTURES

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Student Regent Alfredo Mireles Jr. did not speak at last week’s board meeting.

When the UC Board of Regents met on Sept. 15, board members contemplated and discussed a multi-year budget plan — which included student tuition and fee increases of up to 16 percent — to cope with shrinking state funding. However, reporters in attendance from The Daily Californian noted that UC student regents did not speak during the discussion. Alfredo Mireles Jr., student regent for the 2011 – 2012 academic year, was silent while the board discussed a possible budget scenario that could send student tuition and fees to over $22,000 per year. ...

The Daily Clog ‘Here Comes Trouble’: Why was Michael Moore in Berkeley this past weekend? Was bowling, 9/11 or goats involved? These are very serious questions, which deserve even more serious answers, all on the Clog.

Clarifications Friday’s article “UC Board of Regents considers multi-year budget plan� may have implied that the amount of the fee increases discussed at the meeting could have been $22,000. In fact, the total tuition and fees could top $22,000 if the fee increase discussed at the meeting were to be approved. Last Tuesday’s article “Initiative proposes creation of online advising system� may have implied that the entire student advising system would be moved online. In fact, only the administrative work associated with student advising would be moved online if the plan is approved.

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Wheeler Hall demonstrators enter plea agreements Twelve of the arrested protesters from the March budget cut demonstrations at UC Berkeley entered plea agreements as of Monday. Four of the 17 protesters arrested March 2 in connection with the Wheeler Hall sit-in pleaded no contest Sept. 14 at the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in Oakland to a misdemeanor charge of disturbing the peace, with one additional protester pleading no contest to the same charge Friday. The plea that the four March 2 protesters accepted Sept. 14 has the possibility for dismissal after they complete 45 hours of community service. The plea the fifth protestor accepted Friday has the possibility for dismissal after the completion of 55 hours of community service. Six protesters from the March 2 protest have had their charges amended to disturbing the peace and waived their right to a jury trial in favor of a bench trial in front of Judge Gordon Baranco. Proceedings for that charge will reconvene Tuesday. Three of the Wheeler Hall protesters who were arrested at that incident did not have charges brought against them by the district attorney. The remaining three charged protesters from the Wheeler Hall sit-in face a trespassing charge plus an additional misdemeanor charge for resisting arrest and are scheduled to begin trial for both at the courthouse on Oct. 11. The March 2 decisions come after all seven of the ledge-sitters arrested March 3 pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor disturbing the peace charge Sept. 12 at the same courthouse. Per an agreement between the district attorney’s office and defense counsel, the ledge-sitters’ charge will be converted into an infraction if protesters complete 30 hours of community service by Nov. 18. — Sarah Burns

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The Daily Californian

OPINION & News

3

Sex on Tuesday

Bottles: Initiative’s author hopes process will start with Cal Dining

Longing for simpler times

From front

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y first sexual experiences happened in parked cars in the suburbs of Southern California. Usually a Strokes song was playing, my head would hit the roof at least five or six times and neither of us really knew what we were doing. On the drives back home, I remember dreaming of the day when I would finally be able to make love in my own room, on my own bed. Three years and many sexy rendezvous later, I have both a spacious room and a fluffy queen mattress. But lately I find myself strangely nostalgic for a back seat quickie. Car sex, by definition, is already sexy. Yes, the space is a lot tighter, but there seem to be many delightful advantages to having sex in a motor vehicle. I see the headrests not so much as hindrances but more as leverages, and the backseat as a sturdy couch perfect for getting on top while enjoying the ride. In a car, there will always be some form of music, and if you bring your iPod around everywhere like I do, you can get it on to your favorite sexy playlist. Also, one of the coolest aspects of a car is that you can transport your sexual escapade to a scenic spot like an ocean cliff or a canyon view. Inside the microcosm of a car, shortcomings and mistakes are overlooked. Awkward silences are replaced by the slapping of moist skin against steamy windows and hot groans from a new bruise. You go in expecting to exit with a battle wound or two, so you usually play more rough than usual. There are fewer pressures to strip entirely naked — although doing so is always welcomed. Because of the limited space, understated positions are played out thoroughly. There is always that possibility of getting caught or seen, and this risk intensifies how much you want the other person at that very moment. The entire affair, from making out to finishing, is sexy, dangerous and daring. verything is magnified in a car. Have you ever held someone else’s mouth right by your ear the entire time while making love? If you haven’t, try it and thank me later. You hear their breathing and moans at an amplified level. Bodies are much closer, and the chemistry is so electric it’s almost volatile. Best of all, there is no awkward conundrum of “to cuddle or not to cuddle.” There is no need to search for a bathroom at the end of a dark hall and absolutely no run-ins with roommates on the way out. There is no walk of shame. After-sex talk is generally lighter, and the topics are more whimsical and overall more entertaining. Although the sex itself is messier, everything else is, in fact, much less complicated. I find that with beds, there are

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Soojin Chang sex@dailycal.org actually more letdowns. When feeling cramped within the limitations of a car, I used to excuse any disappointments by assuming that with more space he would be much more affectionate and that I would be more sexual. However, because there is more room in a bed, there are also many more opportunities for awkward silences and more chances of exposure and vulnerability. In a bedroom, I feel the clashes between what sex is and what people conceive sex to be. Hollywood films and the orchestrated eroticism of the porn industry have a strong and constant impact on the expectations and standards that people bring when approaching sexual situations. ith more space and more time to think, I often find myself faced with a stream of questions instead of fully engaging and trusting my intrinsic carnal desires. Is it time to switch positions already? Is it humanly possible to look sexy while my face is squashed against the pillow? Am I moaning loudly enough? This feels good to me, but does this really feel good to you? The bedroom is also a critically vulnerable location for subconscious comparisons because it is haunted by past lovers and habitual expectations. It is easy to get comfortable with the ways of your last partner and to scrutinize different techniques that come your way. The key is to approach every intimate relationship free of idealizations and recognize each one as something that is incomparable and unique. Sex is not meant to be perfect and is oftentimes most beautiful for its messier qualities. Learning to revel in each individual experience, awkward silences and all, is a liberating lesson to learn. It is crucial to let go of the standardized notions of sex that have been shoved down our throats — no pun intended. I do love my bed, so I’m guessing that my recent sentimentality for car sex stems from being overwhelmed and bombarded by life. I am longing for a simpler time when the weight of the world was lighter. I could just pull my pants back on, jump to the front seat, roll down the windows and drive.

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said. Eliminating the sale of bottled water would also dovetail with the campus’s goal to achieve zero waste by 2020. According to the “I Heart Tap Water” webpage, it is estimated that less than half of the plastic bottles purchased on campus are recycled. But it will be up to the task force to work with the campus on actually phasing out bottled water, Goldstein

said. A good place to start, he said, would be with Cal Dining, which he said has been “very progressive with sustainability on this campus.” “What needs to happen is the campus needs to make a policy — Cal Dining doesn’t make independent policy for the campus,” said Shawn LaPean, executive director of Cal Dining. “We believe in environmental causes, but again, when it comes to out and out ban … we need

the campus to provide us guidance.” Where that guidance would come from, however, is a question in itself. Goldstein said he has received “a lot of symbolic support” from Chancellor Robert Birgeneau. “Maybe that can start turning into real policy-oriented support,” Goldstein said. J.D. Morris is the lead environment reporter.

Housing

Ordinance could revise relocation policy By Anjuli Sastry | Staff asastry@dailycal.org Berkeley tenants will have an easier time affording relocation to temporary units if the Berkeley City Council passes an ordinance at its meeting next Tuesday regarding unavoidable housing damages brought on by landlord negligence or disrepair that leaves the unit uninhabitable. The proposed revision to the city’s long-standing relocation ordinance — first passed in 1986 in order to provide renter stability and enforce the city’s housing codes — would make it mandatory for landlords to provide current renters with financial support for temporary eviction caused by damages. The change is an incentive for proper rental unit maintenance and minimizes the financial impact of damage repair on tenants, especially when relocation is necessary. “For a period of 90 days (under the current law), the tenant will be able to receive assistance,” said Igor

Tregub, commissioner for the city’s Rent Stabilization Board. “The landlord will have to provide cash assistance to help the tenant pay rent on a temporary unit where they are staying … (Under the proposed revisions,) the assistance will continue until the resident is ready to move back into the units.” If the ordinance is passed, it will affect all housing units in the city where damages occur, though public housing units owned by the Berkeley Housing Authority might have their own set of rules pertaining to relocation of tenants in relation to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines, according to Matthew Siegel, staff attorney for the board. Tregub added that there have been previous cases where landlords used the damages as a reason to permanently evict their tenants. “The premise was that the landlord was trying to get the tenant out so they could do long-term repair or capital improvement,” Tregub said. “In a couple of cases, there are some inscrutable landlords who used this

as a pretext to evict the tenant — just five to 10 days in advance — and the tenant would not be able to receive further assistance.” The board presented a letter regarding the ordinance issue at its meeting Monday night, which included discussion about whether landlords need to provide financial assistance for payment of security deposits on temporary housing units. Though the board’s first priority is for the council to pass the ordinance, it is also pushing for security deposit compensation that will come from a revolving loan fund. This fund could be provided by the city, but the rent board could also potentially fund it through a source not tied to landlord registration fees, Tregub said. “My understanding is that it was a funding issue from the city,” Siegel said. “The City Council may consider the loan program, but they don’t want it to delay passage of (the ordinance).” Housing staff and board members have been working on the ordinance

Landlords: PAGE 7

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Opinion

“

It’s almost second nature now to go to a fee increase. Students will have to look internally on whether they can stay in the system and how they can ... afford it.”

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

EDITORIALS

— Claudia Magana, UC Student Association President

Op-ed | Defending Public Education

Listen up, legislators UNIVERSITY ISSUES With a proposal that could raise UC tuition by up to 16 percent, we wonder why our legislators are not listening.

T

he outcry against tuition lators are responsible for repreincreases throughout the senting our needs and seeking years has been scrawled to create policies that support across this paper’s opinion page our best interests. Legislators and shouted from the steps of should at least acknowledge our Sproul Hall time and time pleas and hear what we have to again. say. We, California students, have The one state senator, Leland called upon Sacramento to take Yee, D-San Francisco, who has action. We’ve made compelling been outspoken about the uniarguments and exhaustive pleas. versity has misplaced his attenBut it seems our cries, now raspy tion, focusing a scrutinizing lens and hoarse, have fallen on deaf on the UC’s internal mechaears. Are state legislators listen- nisms rather than becoming an ing? effective proponent for increased Yet again, UC students are funding. Though we acknowlfacing further potential tuition edge the importance of honesty increases, this time under an and public disclosure within any incremental four-year plan that institution, his constant push by 2016 would push tuition over for transparency within the uni$22,000 — 81 percent higher versity will not save the UC from than the current $12,192 level. its financial struggles. The four-year plan for tuition Who then do we turn to for a increases proposed by the UC trustworthy voice? Where is Board of Regents last week Assemblymember Nancy Skinner, should make state legislators D-Berkeley, whose district squirm — it essentially pro- includes the campus? Where are claims that the UC knows that it our elected officials’ responses to cannot trust the state our cries? government for signifiwe see how We’ve made theInstead cant funding even as far state’s divestment out as four years into compelling has resulted in higher the future. Regent arguments ... education systems that Richard Blum said as increasingly place the much at the regents’ but it seems weight of funding eduThursday meeting, stat- our cries, cation onto its students. ing that he has “no faith Students are stranded, now raspy in Sacramento to ever unable to enroll in even and hoarse, community colleges — do the right thing.” But at least the plan have fallen this year, a staggering communicates to stu670,000 students were dents what to expect for on deaf ears. turned away from overthe next four years Are state crowded campuses. rather than surprising Collectively, the three legislators and outraging campussystems sustained a es semester-after- listening? $1.7 billion cut so far semester with new this year. Higher educaincreases. At least the tion institutions must proposal provides some stability further brace for potential trigger for students by informing them cuts midyear should state tax revof what to expect — a reassur- enues fall short. ance that the state, by continuThe tenets of access and excelally cutting from campus bud- lence proclaimed in the state’s gets each year, has not provid- 1960 Master Plan for Higher ed. Education, which defined the Students have shouted their roles of the three state systems, message to Sacramento until now seem far away. they are blue in the face: Tuition o legislators not see this, increases are painful. Raising too? We recognize that the cost of education limits there are political obstacles and accessibility, puts a strain on the deadlocks in the legislature that middle class and severely under- hamper progress as well as mines the posterity of the state. restrictions as to what can be But are our legislators paying cut. But if so, tell us. We want to attention? Who is taking action know. If there is no way out, on our behalf ? legislators should inform us. e need our elected officials Elected officials should converse to be our advocates. Just with us, explain to us why they as our representatives depend must cut from our education, on our votes to assume their but also strive to find alternapositions, we depend on them to tives. Instead of students again and be visible and vocal, open to our concerns and prepared to fight again taking buses and carpools to the state capital, Sacramento for our cause. Students must no longer be should come to us. We call on ignored. We are the future of state legislators as well as California — still one of the larg- regents to join in a conversation est economies in the world. We on campuses — come physically will assume responsibility for talk to student constituents the state when those currently about the budget crisis. See for in power become too old and yourselves the impact that over gray to continue their roles. As $1 billion can have across UC our elected officials, state legis- and CSU campuses.

Nicole Lim/Staff

What does the coalition stand for?

This summer, following the July Regents Meeting ­— at which student fees were raised by another 9.6 percent — a group of students, workers and faculty began meeting to renew our shared fight for public education and against the evisceration of the UCs. Since then, we’ve held large social gatherings and open meetings to begin building an effective, coordinated pushback against fee increases and worker layoffs. These attacks against students and workers are only intensifying: This past week, we learned that the UC Regents are considering a plan that could result in an 81 percent fee increase over the next four years. They will be voting on

this plan in mid-November. In collaboration with our allies in the labor movement, we are building for mass student walkouts on Nov. 9 and 10, which we hope will make it more difficult for the UC Regents and state politicians to carry forward their agenda to privatize California’s public universities and to slash spending on health and social welfare programs. In order to begin building for the November actions, we’re organizing a public forum on state austerity and budget cuts tonight, from 6 to 8 p.m. in 315 Wheeler. We’ve also called for and are organizing a day of action this Thursday, Sept. 22, which will begin with a noon rally on Sproul Plaza. We have collectively prepared the following statement in advance of next Thursday’s Day of Action, and hope that all students, workers and instructors on campus will join us in fighting for public education and against the destruction of the public

Editorial Cartoon

By Deanne Chen

By Amanda Armstrong Ricardo Gomez Special to the Daily Cal opinion@dailycal.org

sphere in California: We are a broad coalition of UC Berkeley students, workers, instructors and community members who are committed to fighting for universal, free and accessible education. As members of the campus community, we see university administrators and state politicians abandoning and blocking the realization of this goal. We are facing crushing levels of student debt from massive and increasing student fees, the intensifying exclusion of students of color and working class students, worker layoffs, departmental cuts that have damaged the quality of our education and futures constrained by devastated job markets. Meanwhile, corporations and the wealthiest individuals — including many UC Regents — continue to rake in increasing bonuses and profits, partly by speculating on our indebtedness. This destructive prioritization of corporate

coalition: PAGE 5

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The Daily Californian oPINION

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

coalition: Group calls for change, day of action for public education

5

op-ed | Standing Up for Tenants

From Page 4 interests is apparent at all levels of society: in our country, state and education system. We say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! We live in the richest society in the history of the world, and yet we always hear that there are no resources for accessible public education and decent public services. We, as a society, generate immense wealth. Trillions of dollars are currently directed towards warfare, incarceration and the enrichment of an already wealthy few. It is through collective actions that we must reclaim and redirect this wealth for the public good and the needs of the people. We support making corporations and the wealthy pay for free public education, health care and social services. Popular movements against austerity and oppression all across the world have occupied public squares and established popular assemblies where ideas can be exchanged and proposals debated. From Spain to Chile, these movements have revealed how education and consciousness-raising are far more effective when combined with a strategy of impacted communities mobilizing in the streets. As members of the UC community, we demand a complete reversal of recent fee increases; a revision of current admissions policies to lift barriers faced by underrepresented students of color and working class students; the re-hiring of workers fired as a result of budget cuts; a full investigation of the Regents’ conflicts of interest, especially their investments in banks and forprofit schools; an end to UC administrative and police surveillance, violence and intervention in political and academic activities; equal and full access to the university for undocumented students and workers; and the democratic control of the university by students, faculty and staff. In order to pursue these ends, we are committed to uniting with people and movements in all sectors of society who share our commitment to the empowerment of workers, students and the unemployed to create an equitable, compassionate society. Amanda Armstrong is a graduate student at UC Berkeley and Ricardo Gomez is a senior at UC Berkeley.

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Knowing tenants’ rights: Be aware of screening fees By Ancy Dow | Special to the Daily Cal opinion@dailycal.org We all know that looking for housing off campus is stressful, time-consuming and costly. From searching in a very competitive market and paying high rent, to finding roommates and moving and unpacking, the last thing on your mind is the fees that you pay just to fill out an application for an apartment. Many landlords charge tenants a screening fee when they apply for an apartment, sometimes called an application fee. The fee can only be used to cover the out-of-pocket costs to obtain and process credit and other information about someone who applies for an apartment. This is done so that the landlord can decide who to rent to. With students often applying to more than one apartment, those fees can quickly add up! Unfortunately, there have been cases where landlords have kept the difference, charged more than they are legally allowed or collected fees for an apartment after they have already selected a tenant as a way to generate revenue. As many students are moving into new apartments, some do not know that they have rights when it comes to the fees they paid to apply for their apartment. Not only does state law set limits

on screening fees and how the fees can be used (California Civil Code Section 1950.6), but earlier this year the city of Berkeley passed a new ordinance to require disclosure about tenant screening fee protections at the time someone applies for an apartment (Berkeley Municipal Code Chapter 13.78). We students shell out enough money as tuition and fees are constantly hiked, required text books become more and more expensive and rising rent prices outpace inflation. That’s why this year, the Berkeley City Council and the Rent Stabilization Board are working together to encourage students to learn of their rights as renters so we can protect ourselves and keep some much needed money in our pockets. Information is powerful and the key to ensuring that our rights are respected. Here’s a summary of screening fee rights you should be aware of: — The maximum allowable screening fee that can be charged by state law is currently $42.41. — The fee can only cover the direct cost of the screening. The landlord must provide you with a receipt of those costs, in addition to a refund of any and all unused portions of the fee. — You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report if one is obtained during the screening. — A landlord must provide a disclosure of your

screening fee rights either in the rental application or by separate disclosure prior to receiving a screening fee. Additionally, by following these few, easy tips, you can further protect yourself when you apply for an apartment: — Demand a receipt when you pay your screening fee, especially if you pay with cash. Having a record of what you actually paid is important should a cost dispute arise. — Request a copy of your credit report if one was purportedly used during the screening to ensure that a screening was in fact conducted. — Look over the required itemized receipt of how the screening fee was spent — be suspicious of any staff time or labor costs. The burden is on the landlord to provide proof of the exact staff time spent conducting the screening, and the time spent and cost has to be reasonable. If you think that a landlord has violated your screening fee rights, please contact the Rent Stabilization Board at 981-RENT (7368) or Councilmember Jesse Arreguin’s office at 510-981-7140. Ancy Dow is a Berkeley tenant, sophomore at UC Berkeley and was a policy intern this summer in Berkeley City Councilmember Jesse Arreguin’s office.

6

SPORTS

The Daily Californian

Field hockey

v.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

W 5-2

Bears flash past Kent State Monday with early scoring spree in 5-2 win

CHOOSE HOUSTON LAW THEY TOOK IT TO THE SUPREME COURT AND WON!

By Eric Lee | Staff etlee@dailycal.org On Saturday, the Cal field hockey team was able to overcome a lategame deficit and score the last two goals to cap off 4-3 comeback victory against No. 18 Virginia. On Monday, the No. 11 Bears didn’t have to come from behind — their offense started right where they had left off. Within the first three minutes, Cal had scored two quick goals against Kent State in a 5-2 victory on MurphyMellis Field in Kent, Ohio. All season, the Bears (7-1) have gotten off to early leads in every match except one — on Friday against Northwestern, Cal’s only loss of the year. With the defeat fresh in the Bears’ mind, coach Shellie Onstead made sure her team came out on the attack from the opening face-off against Kent State. “We put a big emphasis on setting the tone early today and the team responded to that really well,” Onstead said. “And obviously we went out and got two quick, high quality goals right away.” Sophomore forward Andrea Earle started things off with the first of her two goals on the day. Coming off a four-goal freshman campaign, Earle now leads the team with nine goals this year, earning her consecutive titles as NorPac West Offensive Player of the Week. “The team has been really supportive,” Earle said. “We’ve just been trying to get the ball in the circle and be more aggressive, and we’ve been improving every single game.” Less than a minute after Earle’s goal, sophomore forward Jordan O’Reilly added her fifth goal of the season, assisted by junior forward Rachelle Comeau.

tony zhou/staff

Freshman forward Lara Kruggel earned NorPac West Newcomer of the Week honors after scoring a goal in overtime to beat No. 18 Virginia, 4-3, on Saturday. The Berlin, Germany native has logged five assists and four goals this season.

Quick Look: A. earle: 2 goals R. Comeau: goal, assist M. Hand: 4 saves The Bears’ attack didn’t let up as they would add two more goals before the 12-minute mark and eventually take a 5-0 lead five minutes into the second period. However, from that point on, Cal’s offense slowed as the Golden Flashes (2-6) outshot the Bears 13 to 6 in the second half — likely a result of different strategies and player rotations employed by Onstead in the final frame. “The lead gave us an opportunity to work on some new things and play some new people which will help us going forward,” Onstead

said. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Courtney Hendrickson saw her second game action of the season, playing the entire second half after she replaced senior Maddie Hand who had shut out Kent State with four saves in the first half. The Golden Flashes would score two garbage-time goals late in the game, resulting in the 5-2 final score, Cal’s seventh victory of the season and their second win in a row after the Northwestern loss. “Anytime, you go on a three game road trip I probably would have been happy with two out of three games,” Onstead said. “I think the team played really well and if it wasn’t for the first 20 minutes at Northwestern, we would have had a good chance at a weekend sweep.”

Our students shepherded a case through the lower courts and on to the nation’s highest, stunning the immigration world with a unanimous decision. Hands-on training is a large part of what we do at the University of Houston Law Center. But it’s just part of what we offer. The Law Center combines the best of all worlds: t Excellence in education with multiple “Top Ten” specialty programs t Reasonable tuition and fees t A campus recognized as one of the most diverse in the United States We are a Tier One law school in a Tier One university. In addition, our home is Houston: the nation’s fourth largest city with a robust legal employment market and an affordable cost of living to make the most of your budget. There’s a lot to like about our school. Find out more at www.law.uh.edu.

The University of Houston is an EEO/AA institution.

TM

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The Daily Californian

landlords: Officials cite examples of relocation programs in nearby cities

News

Follow us on Facebook and Follow usus ononFacebook Follow Facebookand andTwi Tw Twitter to keep up-to-date on keep up-to-date onon campus keep upcity tonews. date campusand an campus and

From Page 3 since last January and pointed to re- the payment to the displaced tenant location service programs in the cit- and then pay a lien on the property to ies of Oakland and San Francisco as recover these costs. examples of how to update Berkeley’s “This is no chump change — ordinance. (whether) fixed- or low-income, According to Oakland’s relocation this can present an extraordinary services website, if the owner of the hardship for (tenants),� Tregub housing unit refuses to make the pay- said. Ma^ =Zber <Zeb_hkgbZg 3D<<H Anjuli Sastry covers housing. ment, the city may choose to make

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Proficiency: School districts receive money for each child who is tested From Front

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by complete strangers. Furthermore, the test is two hours long. Additionally, she described the Home Language Survey as being very vague. In most districts, if there is any mention of a language other than English being spoken at home, children are required to take the test. Barbara Vogel, a kindergarten teacher at John Muir Elementary School, said it is “ridiculous� that children are required to take the exam if another language is spoken at home, adding that some students who should take the test do not because their parents either do not understand the survey or are embarrassed to admit that they speak another language at home. Garcia Bedolla said too wide a range of students is put into English develop-

ment programs, resulting in students who really need attention not receiving it and resources being used on students who are already proficient. Districts have the incentive to classify students as English learners because they receive money for each child tested and for each child who is placed in an English development program. Furthermore, districts are perceived more positively if students originally deemed English learners are classified as proficient by the third grade. Debbi D’Angelo, director of evaluation and assessment for the Berkeley Unified School District, said the test is not too long and is crucial to show teachers how to instruct their students. However, she said there might be fault in the Home Language Survey.

August 2011, the quantity of construction permits issued by the city was 12 higher than the number issued in the same month last year, increasing from 192 to 204, according to a report from the city’s Planning and Development Office. The high quality of Berkeley residences has caused bargain-priced homes to frequently sell above list price, according to David Fickenscher, a real estate agent with Marvin EASY Gardens Real Estate. Over the past four months, sale price exceeded the asking price by half a percentage point, according to data from Multiple Listing Service. Bell said he foresees “a cumulative

appreciation of 15 percent� in home values by 2015. “The Berkeley area is a very desirable area, and as a whole it tends to do better than the country as a whole,� Bell said. Yet, nothing is certain, Joyner said. “There is no cookie-cutter formula to this housing market,� she said. The combination of decreasing home prices and diminished consumer confidence, a result of gloomy eco26. Run the engine # 26 nomic news from Washington, D.C., 29. Celtic soothsayers and Europe, places the city’s housing 32. Agreements markets in a critical position, Bell said. 36. Choir member “We’re probably hitting lows. We’ll probably be bouncing along the 38.bot-Plant part tom for a year or two,� Bell said. 39. Fictional captain

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@daily

Sports

“

She’s pretty crazy ... She’s a bit of a freak at times, but every one of us really loves her.” — Rosie White, New Zealand women’s national soccer team player, on Betsy Hassett

Tuesday, september 20, 2011 • dailycal.org/sports

C

urrently in the midst of the Rugby World Cup hosted in New Zealand, the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, has millions of eyes focused on it. Although they are the most decorated team in international rugby, the All Blacks are most famous for their haka — the pre-game war dance ritual involving vigorous foot stomping and thigh slapping from their indigeneous Maori culture — recognized by the most casual rugby observers. The New Zealand women’s soccer team — the Football Ferns — also has a haka of its own. It’s about a canoe, filled with the 21 different personalities, techniques and energies of each player. The canoe is an apt metaphor for the Football Ferns — a small but incredibly tight group that competes against dreadnoughts like the U.S. What the canoe wants — and needs — is a coxswain, someone to steer the Football Ferns to greater lengths than they had ever imagined before. That leader is Betsy Hassett. Hassett has been an energetic midfielder for the Cal women’s soccer team and coach Neil McGuire for the last three season, manning the middle of the pitch, setting up scores. She has been doing the same thing across the world for three years. She’s trying to lead her country, and her energy is helping to fuel the cause. At the Women’s World Cup in Germany, Hassett started all three group stage matches for the Football Ferns. As a 21-year old with 27 international matches under her belt, Hassett has established her position on an ever-changing squad. But for New Zealand head coach Tony Readings, Hassett is part of a bigger plan. assett is the foundation that Readings and New Zealand never had but always wanted to build around — a skillful, versatile midfield general that can play offense and defense effectively. “If the team is to perform to the best of their ability it is important that Betsy performs well,” Readings says. “The type of player Betsy is means that we will always be more dangerous when she is playing to the best of her ability.” The squad is finally rowing in the right direction. After decades of mediocrity, the Football Ferns have participated in the two latest Women’s World Cups and the 2008 Olympics. The soccer culture in New Zealand is undergoing a sort of revolution in which a bevy of talented young players is rising through the youth programs. And Hassett is in the center of it all. Young players like Hassett, who participated in the 2008 and 2010 under-20 World Cups, gained valuable experience for their senior counterpart in 2011 and dreamt big for this year’s Cup. “I was expecting us to reach the quarterfinals at the World Cup,” Hassett says. Most of these young players rose through the ranks together since their pre-teenage years. Through nearly a decade of year-round training and traveling, they all got to know Hassett. “She’s pretty crazy,” says Rosie White, Hassett’s national squad teammate and best friend. “She has a ton of energy within her and she shows it. She’s a bit of a freak at times, but everyone of us really loves her.” Hassett is known for her curiosity and endless supply of energy by her Cal and New Zealand teammates alike. Her energy knows no bounds — she surfs in the summer and snowboards in the winter. Her curiosity knows no end, from learning to skateboard to speaking Swahili. As the key player of the youth movement, Hassett is curious at the uncharted waters that the canoe is rowing towards. An inquisitive explorer at heart, she wanted to leave New Zealand to expand her soccer career. Instead of following her friends to Europe, Hassett chose to play in America, where she can study and play soccer. “I wanted to come to the West Coast specifically because it’s the closest by flight to Auckland (her hometown),” Hassett says. “I was supposed to go to Oregon State, but Neil (McGuire) offered me a scholarship at the last minute.” Despite her energetic personality on and off the pitch, Hassett speaks softly and quietly, emitting a surfer-type sense of coolness. She lets her engine run at full speed every match,

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emanating a passion that infects and inspires her teammates on the pitch. It’s all part of the plan for the Football Ferns. assett ran and ran in the World Cup, but passion and stamina couldn’t produce points. New Zealand lost to technically superior Japan and England in the first two matches by the same scoreline of 2-1, effectively eliminating the team. “After the England match, we were devastated because we were out of the t o u r n a m e n t ,” Hassett says. Against Mexico, it looked like the Football Ferns would go out of the tournament with no groupstage points like the previous two World Cups. The Mexicans scored two goals in the first half, and New Zealand had failed to find an answer. Hassett was substituted out in the 79th minute for the first time in the tournament. She tried to block out thoughts of going back home. In the face of elimination, she remained optimistic that she would be back in the next World Cup — with more experience and improved skill than before. In the 91st minute, defender Rebecca Smith headed in a corner kick to cut the deficit in half. The color analyst at the time commented the goal as a “consolation goal” from the Mexicans in the dying embers of the match. Minutes later, it was Mexico that needed the consoling. In the 94th minute, forward Hannah Wilkinson tied the match at 2-2. New Zealand had won its first group-stage point in World Cup history. Pandemonium from both squads ensued. Hassett and the Football Ferns ecstatically rushed towards Wilkinson, who was running around with no celebration in mind. “Everyone just sprinted onto the field when the goal went in,” Hassett says. “Usually we are the side that concedes these goals at the last minutes. But this time, we did it to another to win our first point ever in the World Cup.” Watching in Rhein-NeckarArena in Sinsheim after the match, one might have thought that New Zealand had won the match. As the Mexicans silently walked into the locker room, the Football Ferns celebrated in the center of the pitch. With the predominantly German spectators giving the Football Ferns a standing ovation after their hard-fought match, the Football Ferns decided to answer the crowd back in appreciation. Something of their own, something unique from New Zealand — the haka. They sang about a canoe made up of 21 unique women from a faraway place, and of the canoe’s journey to its first point in the World Cup. And in the middle of the players was Betsy Hassett, the future coxswain of New Zealand, rhythmically stomping her bare feet into the turf and raising her hands high in the sky. Next time, it will be her pass that sets up the goal, perhaps for New Zealand’s first victory.

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By Seung Y. Lee | Staff sylee@dailycal.org

ROCK THE BOAT

Betsy Hassett, Cal’s junior midfielder, is a starter on the New Zealand women’s national soccer team. She is the future of the Football Ferns.

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