El Vaquero
www.elvaq.com
Glendale College
FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2006
In This Issue
Photo by Chris Matalone
El Vaquero Fourteen wins for staff at state journalism convention. Page 2
Photo by Alison Geller
NOROOZ Persians celebrate the new year. Page 7
Photo by Jane Pojawa
ART GALLERY Jody Smith curates student work. Page 10 NEWS................... 1-6 FEATURE................. 7 SPORTS.................. 14 ENTERTAINMENT ....10 CALENDAR . .......... 15
Glendale hosted its first track meet in more than 10 years on Sartoris Field, Friday. Competing against the Vaqueros in the Western State Conference were Allen Hancock, Los Angeles Valley, Santa Monica and West Los Angeles Colleges. Here, Carl Adams wins second place in the pole vault at 12 feet, 6 inches. See related story on page 16. Photo by Isaiah Marmol
Volume 89 Number 3
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Friday, April 7, 2006
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NEWS
El Vaquero Receives Accolades at State Journalism Conference By Olga Ramaz
EL VAQUERO ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
E
l Vaquero brought home a total of 14 awards from the annual Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC) conference that took place in downtown Los Angeles at the Wilshire Grand Hotel March 30 through April 2. The staff managed to hold its own among more than the 50 plus California community colleges that competed at the convention. El Vaquero received accolades in mail-in categories as well as in the bring-in and on-the-spot competitions. The mail-in entries were sent out prior to the conference and awarded Friday night while the bring-in and on-the-spot awards were handed out Saturday night. On-the-spot competitions
are intended to give journalism students an opportunity to experience the pressure of deadline as well as an opportunity to polish their reporting and or photographic skills. For the team feature event, a reporter and a photographer were sent out to Chinatown and asked to come up with a story and an accompanying photo to go along with the article. Writer Pauline Guiuan and photographer Sumaya Mehai received an honorable mention for their piece on bargain shopping in Chinatown. “Coming up with the story was a real struggle because hardly any of the shop owners understood English,” said Guiuan. “It was a real challenge doing that feature, which made winning and beating Citrus College all the more worthwile.” Guiuan entered four on-the-spot
competitions and was able to take home an award in every category. Guiuan took home second place for broadcast news writing and honorable mentions in the feature story and copy editing contests. “It’s an unexpected honor, considering how many contenders there were,” she said. “Actually, the whole competition was a winning experience in itself.” Also winning big at the statewide convention was Editor in Chief Jane Pojawa who snagged seven awards for front page layout, student designed advertisement, bring-in photo illustration and photo info graphic, and team feature. “Obviously, I’m thrilled to have won so many awards; two years ago, I barely knew what Photoshop was and these are skills I acquired at GCC,” said Pojawa. “But what I am most
Photo by Liane Enkelis Team feature winners Sumaya Mehai, Pauline Guiuan, Olga Ramaz and Jane Pojawa.
proud of is my staff; they’ve become more than just talented writers and photographers - they truly are a news team.” The staff also received a general excellence award for the newspaper’s online Web site. Aside from competitions, the students who attended the conference were presented with an array of workshops geared to help and encourage them in their future journalism endeavors.
Tours of the KABC studios and the Los Angeles Times were also offered. The JACC state conference is held every year in the spring and alternates between Los Angeles and Sacramento. The Southern California convention is held in the fall at Cal State Fullerton, competition which involves only community colleges from Southern California. [See Journalism, page 5]
El Vaquero Glendale Community College
editor in chief
Jane Pojawa staff members
Michael Alpert Jason Castro Alison Geller Kasia Faughn Pauline Guiuan Stephen Hotchkiss Ramela Isagholian Anna Margaryan Rachel Mills Olga Ramaz Carlos Villarreal online editor
Michael J. Arvizu design adviser
Charles Eastman photography adviser
Liane Enkelis
faculty adviser
Michael Moreau mmoreau@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000, ext. 5214
advertising
Heather Glenn hglenn@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000, ext. 5606
El Vaquero accepts story ideas in news, features, profiles, sports and entertainment from the public. To submit an idea or an article, e-mail the editor at Jane_Pojawa@elvaq.com or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349. Send Letters to the Editor Letters may be reproduced in full or in part and represent only the point of view of the writer, not the opinion of El Vaquero or Glendale Community College and its district. Letters must be signed and typed and include the full name and address of the writer. El Vaquero is a First Amendment publication.
EL VAQUERO
1500 N. Verdugo Rd. Glendale, CA 91208 (818) 240-1000 ext. 5349
Member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges
Send E-mail to: jane_pojawa@elvaq.com
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Friday, April 7, 2006
3
NEWS
Administrators Amend Free Speech Policy By Pauline Guiuan
EL VAQUERO NEWS EDITOR
“T
he Glendale Community College district is committed to maintaining an educational environment that fosters the free exchange of thoughts and ideas.” This is the first statement in Board Policy 5410, the document that deals with free speech on campus, which was revised by college administrators and reviewed March 20 by the college Board of Trustees. The Board also approved the amended Administrative Regulation 5410, an extension of the policy passed by Student Affairs, on the same day. The policy, titled “Freedom of Speech: Time, Place and Manner,” derived from Education Code Section 76120, was first adopted in 1973 and was last revised in 1995. According to the Dean of Student Services, Paul Schlossman, this document “protects rights to free speech activities” on campus while at the same time “makes sure that these activities don’t interfere with classes and normal campus business.” Schlossman and Vice President of Student Services, Sharon Combs, are two of the administrators who drafted changes to the policy with the college’s legal counsel Warren Kinsler. “This is a very broad policy that covers a lot of areas,” Schlossman said. “It doesn’t just regulate speakers [on campus], but also [regulates] events and activities like posting, distributing print material and setting up booths.” Schlossman explained that the review and revision of the document is done every few years in order to remain updated with “different changes in the law, current law cases and legal precedents” dealing with free speech. “This makes the college better equipped to deal with any free speech issues,” he said. The dean emphasized the policy revisions “do not restrict the content of speech activities. In the law, as it applies to colleges and universities, it allows us to place restrictions on the time, place and manner of speech activities, but we stay away from content.” But just as the Constitution mandates, the college may restrict any speech that is
considered “obscene, libelous and slanderous.” This was one revision made to the policy. Administrative Regulation 5410 is a similar document that discusses the regulations of the board policy more thoroughly. It lists specific rules on the time, place and manner with which free speech may be exercised on campus. Revisions to this document were approved by the college Executive Committee on March 14, while the Board Policy went through a first reading on March 20 and will receive its approval after a second reading at the next Board meeting. “What happened in the last two weeks was that the committee was willing to fix problems [in the administrative regulation],” said Mike Allen, Executive Committee member and President of the College Guild, a committee composed of 850 faculty members, referring to the first two weeks of March. The Guild first reviewed the document in January before taking it to the executive committee. According to Allen, proposals to revise the regulation were triggered by “problems on campus with groups that tried to convert students to their political views last year.” Allen was referring to the Larouche followers, who interrupted a class in order to express their political beliefs last year. “They were disruptive,” Allen said. “They interrupted classes and teachers. Existing policies don’t outlaw that.” He also referred to the need for restrictions on time, particularly with activities that were done “too early in the morning or too late at night.” Schlossman added that other concerns included students
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posting ads on “glass or painted surfaces” or distributing leaflets excessively, which could both cause trash and maintenance problems. Allen said that several aspects of the regulation needed to be “rewritten.” For instance, one section used to say that the designation of areas on campus that are considered “public forums” or “free speech zones,” where organizations and individuals can engage in public address, would be decided on by the college president only. The same was true for the time designations for public address “We felt that this puts too much power in one person’s hands,” Allen said. “[The regulation] was revised so that these [free speech] areas can be chosen by consultation with the Executive Committee.” Allen admitted that the committee is concerned about “putting power in the hands of someone they don’t know,” now that the college is in the process of hiring a new president. An additional public forum was also listed on the revised
document. Aside from Plaza Vaquero, which was originally the only public forum on campus, the San Gabriel Plaza by the Milky Way Café was designated as a second free speech zone. Another change was made to the section on distribution of free speech materials, which originally could be done only in free speech zones. “We made it so that print materials can be placed on racks everywhere on campus so that they can easily be picked up by the students,” said Allen. Restrictions will also be placed on the solicitation of donations by groups on campus who “solicit money while sharing beliefs,” Allen said. However, exceptions will be made for nonprofit organizations. Another aspect of free speech that the revisions cover is the “means of amplification” students use to make speeches and announcements. The original policy stated that any sound amplification that “creates a noise or diversion that disturbs” was not allowed on campus. The revisions allow for means
of amplification as long as it is not done “in a manner that disrupts… instructional activities taking place at that time.” Former regulations stating that posted materials needed to be stamped with its posting date from the Student Affairs office were changed to say that any materials posted on bulletin boards are subject to removal according to a cleaning schedule. Any group, whether from inside or outside the college, is currently free to use campus facilities for the expression of beliefs and opinions, and the content is not regulated. The policy revisions will help “strike a balance between interests” represented on campus, Schlossman said. “These policy changes preserve the right of people to express their opinion,” he said. “But we also have a responsibility to the campus community to make sure that free speech activities don’t interfere with normal campus activities.” Pauline Guiuan can be reached at Pauline Guiuan@elvaq.com
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Friday, April 7, 2006
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NEWS
Parking Lot Closures Plague Staff By Anna Margaryan EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
A
s GCC embarks on a massive construction project this spring to relieve the parking shortage faced by students, staff members are left bearing the burden of a parking problem of their own. Construction of the multimillion dollar parking structure is set to begin on Monday, but the structure that is designed to alleviate parking problems is stirring up new problems on campus. The new parking structure, which cost the college an estimated $25,000,129, according to the Glendale College Master Plan/Measure G Review, will be located on the site of Lot B, on the hill above the college. The multi-story structure, which will add 850 new spaces may come at a cost to GCC staff members who will be losing access to Lot 32. GCC has tried to accommodate the students, who will lose 350 spaces on Lot B due to construction, by opening the staff lot to students in order to alleviate some of the parking problems that may result due to construction. Giving students full access to lot 32 will give GCC students an additional 44 parking spaces. The staff, which currently uses Lot 32, located across the street from campus, will be shuttled back and forth from campus from a designated locations throughout the community. Stacked parking will also be utilized in Lots 30, 31, 32, 34 and what remains in Lot B in order to relieve the parking shortage. This method of parking allows parking attendants to help students find space and park multiple cars behind those cars already parked in marked spaces. According to Nidal Kobaissi, Specialist of the Office of the Chief in the GCC Police Department, students who park in stacked parking must leave their keys with the attendants and must pick up their keys before 4:30 p.m. each day. Stacked parking has frequently been used during periods when parking is in high demand as is the case in the first weeks of school and when the civic auditorium parking structure is closed. Utilizing stacked parking will
generally increase the available parking by 20 percent, said Kobaissi. It seems that parking is a major issue this semester, particularly in April with several scheduled parking structure closures. On Wednesday, the Civic Auditorium parking structure will be closed from noon to 10 p.m. and students will be directed to Lot 31 where they can park from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. On April 24, the parking structure will be closed from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on April 27 Lot 31 will be closed from noon to 10 p.m. Despite the upcoming parking closures, the college insists that students will not lose any parking throughout the duration of the project as the college tries its best to accommodate current students while planning for the needs of future GCC students. With student parking taking priority, staff members are now facing a parking shortage as members of the classified and classified management staff are losing their parking spaces in order to free up more spaces for students. This new plan to shuttle support staff back and forth is stirring some heated debate and elevating tensions between the union, governance committees and staff members who feel they are being unfairly targeted. The plan requires 125 staff members to park off campus and be shuttled to and from campus everyday at the risk of being late for work and not being compensated for the inconvenience of spending extra time waiting for the shuttle. The decision was not well received by staff members impacted by the alternate parking plan who feel that their voices were not well represented by the unions during the decisionmaking process. This issue is causing divisions amongst faculty members, staff and those selected to represent them at a time when the college is facing a major period of transition and growth. The college is caught between a rock and a hard place as it tries to improve conditions for students while attempting to accommodate staff. “Our decisions have been seemingly perfect thus far, and they are in line with our institutional ideal of keeping
students first,” said Professor Michael Dulay, assistant chair of the Division of Social Sciences, of GCC’s plan to build the parking structure in order to meet the growing demand. “However, we may have been negligent in our consideration of the impact that parking also has on the staff who work at the college.” The bitter controversy over
the new parking arrangements may have been fostered by the college’s abrupt decision to reassign parking to classified staff members only, but the root of the problem is embedded in the staff’s relations with the representatives of their union. “Building a parking lot takes a long time to plan,” said Hoover Zariani. “However, the planning
for alternative parking seems to have happened just that way overnight.” The tensions ignited by the college’s most recent decision may come as a shock to some, but anger seems to be growing amongst staff members who believe the decision was unjust and not well thought out, for [See Parking, page 6]
Off-Campus Parking Burchett Parking Structure
Burchett Parking Structure: 127 Burchett St., Glendale
First Congregational Church
First Congregational Church, 2001 Cañada Blvd., Glendale
Burchett Parking Structure
Verdugo Park and Ride, 1919 Verdugo Blvd., La Cañada
To the College
From the College
The shuttle will leave the structure and drop off at Circle Drive in front of the AD building at the following times:
The shuttle will leave Circle Drive from the front of the AD building at the following times:
6:45 a.m. 7:15 a.m. 7:45 a.m. 8:15 a.m. 9:15 a.m. 9:45 a.m.
3:15 p.m. 3:45 p.m. 4:15 p.m. 4:45 p.m. 5:15 p.m.
10 a.m. 11 a.m. noon 1 p.m. 2 p.m
5:45 p.m. 6:15 p.m. 6:45 p.m. 7:15 p.m. 7:45 p.m.
To the College
From the College
The shuttle will leave the church and drop off at Lot 32 at the following times:
The shuttle will leave Circle Drive from the front of the AD building at the following times: 3:15 p.m. 5:45 p.m. 3:45 p.m. 6:15 p.m. 4:15 p.m. 6:45 p.m. 4:45 p.m. 7:15 p.m. 5:15 p.m. 7:45 p.m.
6:30 a.m. 7 a.m. 7:30 a.m. 8 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 9 a.m.
9:30 a.m. 10 a.m. 10:45 a.m. 11:45 a.m. 12:45 a.m. 1:45 a.m
To the College
From the College
The shuttle will leave Verdugo Park and Ride and drop off behind the Sierra Madre Building at the following times
The shuttle will leave Circle Drive from the front of the AD building at the following times:
6:30 a.m. 7 a.m. 7:30 a.m. 8 a.m.
2:15 p.m. 2:45 p.m. 3:15 p.m.
8:30 a.m. 9 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10 a.m.
The Shuttle will leave the Verdugo Park and Ride and drop off at Lot 32 at the following times:
The shuttle will leave from behind the Sierra Madre building at the following times:
10:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.
3:45 p.m. 4:15 p.m. 4:45 p.m 5:15 p.m. 5:45 p.m.
12:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m.
6:15 p.m. 6:45 p.m. 7:15 p.m. 7:45 p.m.
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Friday, April 7, 2006
NEWS
Library Assisted by ASGCC Funds By Stephen Hotchkiss EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
A
fter leaving the Glendale Public Library on a Sunday afternoon, disgruntled by what he believed to be excessive noise, a Glendale man turned to GCC to provide him with a quiet place to study; however, his search for a silent, study-friendly environment was further thwarted as he found out the college library is closed on Sunday. The man, a community resident, is not a student at GCC but felt the college library should be accessible for community members on Sunday. During the fall and spring semesters the GCC library is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday is currently the only day of the week that the library remains closed, however the request to open the library on Sunday is being considered
by library and learning resources and the Associated Students of Glendale Community College (ASGCC.) Currently the ASGCC provides funding to keep the library open for an extra hour, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and all four hours on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The estimated cost to open the library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday would be approximately $1200 according to the ASGCC. David Arakelyan, Vice President of Finance, estimated that the ASGCC spent approximately $40,000 last semester to cover budget shortfalls for the library, and that the cost of keeping the library open on Saturdays and after hours was $1,300. Linda S. Winters, associate acting dean of library and learning resources at GCC, said that the library’s foremost obligation is to support Glendale students. According to Russell Beckett, library public services manager, during the school week the library sees an average of 2, 346
Staff Shines at JACC
patrons with 195.5 visits per hour, compared to Saturday’s average of 238 patrons with 59.5 visits per hour. The shortened schedule on Saturday is reflective of the lack of student demand for the library on the weekend. While the number of students who use the library on Saturday, as compared to the number of students who use the library on a weekday is, “quite a few less�, according to Winters, there does not seem to be an extensive amount of GCC students who would require the library to open it’s doors seven days a week. The library provides registered students with access to a number of online resources and databases that can be accessed from the library’s website, www.glendale. edu/library Also, the library can be contacted by telephone at (818) 240-1000, extension 5586 for circulation, 5577 for reference and 5581 for reservations.
[Journalism, from Page 2] El Vaquero received 20 awards at the Fullerton convention, an all time high for the staff. Some of the winning categories included copy editing, opinion writing and feature photo. JACC has been in existence for well over 50 years. GCC has been participating in conferences for five consecutive years and has stood well against colleges who have been participating for a longer time. The staff of El Vaquero did particulary well, considering the small staff they currently have, compared to other colleges that have a much larger journalism program. Staff members Michael Alpert, Kasia Faughn, Alison Geller, Guiaun, Stephen Hotchkiss, Ramela Isaghoulian, Olga Ramaz; photographers Emanuel Belviz, Christopher Matalone, Mehai; and Editor Pojawa attended the convention.
Stephen Hotchkiss can be reached at Stephen_Hotchkiss@elvaq.com
Bring-in infographic- Jane Pojawa
Olga Ramaz can be reached at Olga_Ramaz@elvaq.com
AWARDS Honorable Mentions Sports profile story- Violeta Arrazola Front page layout tabloid- Jane Pojawa and Olga Ramaz Bring-in photo illustration- Jane Pojawa (2 HM)
[See Awards, page 6]
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5
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Friday, April 7, 2006
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NEWS
ASGCC Contemplates Block Scheduling Vote By Michael Alpert
EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
T
he Associated Students of Glendale Community College (ASGCC) debated the issue of block scheduling Tuesday, and whether or not it should come into effect when voted on. Block scheduling is a form of academic scheduling where students have fewer class per day for a longer period of time. “It would be more user friendly,” said Armineh Dereghishian. The one hour classes will all be an hour and a half and most students will only come two days a week and can be done with their school day by noon if they start classes at 6:30 a.m. There will be more classes starting at this time. “With block scheduling we can have our noon hour activity time five days a week,” said Dereghishian. The block scheduling proposition may come into
Triumph for GCC [Awards, from Page 4] Copy editingPauline Guiuan Feature storyPauline Guiuan Team featurePauline Guiuan and Sumaya Mehai
Places Online photoCynthia Perry, First place Student designed advertisementJane Pojawa, Second Place Bring-in infographicJane Pojawa, Fourth Place Broadcast news writingPauline Guiuan, Second Place Team featureOlga Ramaz and Jane Pojawa, Fourth Place Online journalismEl Vaquero Staff General Excellence
effect because of possible state regulations not being followed by GCC. “The district needs to change its timing for classes,” said Thomas Dryden, Vice President of Administration. “ASGCC will vote on the block plan in the next couple of weeks. It will then be passed on to the Board of Trustees to vote on by the end of 2006.” “Last time block scheduling was brought up, ASGCC [officers] were against it and it wasn’t implemented,” said Dryden. In addition, the talent show was cancelled because of the rain and has not been rescheduled. Upcoming events include the IOC Olympics, which will take place from April 11 to 13, and Dr. John Davitt’s retirement party at the Universal Sheraton on May 13. Tickets are $100.
Michael Alpert can be reached at Michael_Alpert@elvaq.com
Parking Causes Grief for Staff [Parking, from Page 4] themselves, the college and the students. Tuesday’s faculty meeting served as a forum for staff members to voice their concerns about this hot button issue. Concessions were made in order to satisfy the interests of staff members. According to Larry Serot, a third shuttle will be added to accommodate staff parked off-campus from 6:15-7:30 p.m. and they would have an additional 20-minute grace period for the shuttle. If tensions persist, the college is facing 15 months of bitter resentment and discord amongst its staff, faculty and governance bodies.
Anna Margaryan can be reached at Anna_Margaryan@elvaq.com
Jocelyn Heaney Brings a New Twist to English Department By Michael Alpert
EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
J
ocelyn Heaney knows what it is like to go back to school after taking a break. After working for a few years, she decided to go back to school at age 25, attending Santa Monica College before transferring to UC Berkeley. She went on to obtain a Master’s of Fine Arts degree in writing at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Heaney has been teaching English at Glendale College since the winter intersession of 2005. “I was surprised when she told me the other day that she had only been teaching here for a year,” says Rosie Achabahian. “The way she taught felt like she had been here for a while.” Achabahian, 20, took Heaney for English 101 in spring of 2005. “I really enjoyed her laidback thoughts about English literature. She brought many real life examples in to compliment what she taught
in class.” Jennifer Loffredo also liked Heaney’s use of diverse tactics for educating the class. “I enjoyed when she separated the class into groups for further discussion,” said Loffredo, 28, who took Heaney’s class in the winter intersession. “She interacts with the students and makes the subject interseting, which is very important.” Heaney cites Vladimir Nabokov, author of “Lolita” as one of her favorite authors, as well as writer James Joyce, author of “Ulysses.” A few of her favorite poets include Frank O’Hara, Rainer Maria Rilke and C.B. Wright. Heaney also admires English Department Chair Michael Ritterbrown. “I feel lucky to be at GCC because of the intelligent and supportive English department,” says Heaney. “Her talents haven’t gone unnoticed, she’s very popular with students and faculty alike,” said Ritterbrown. “Jocelyn is a uniquely talented instructor and wonderful individual. We are very proud to have her as part of
our English department.” Heaney enjoys using books for her classes that are not normally used in education. “I really liked Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried,”” said Achabahian. “It was a good presentation of what men in the Vietnam War went through.” Heaney also likes the assortment of people on campus. “I love the diversity of the school,” she said. “All the people at school have such different life experiences.” Although Heaney is an adjunct professor, many of her students want her to be here full time because of the way she teaches and her desire to help students succeed. According to and Achabahian, Jocelyn should be here forever.
Michael Alpert can be reached at Michael_Alpert@elvaq.com
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Friday, April 7, 2006
7
FEATURE
Persians Celebrate New Year By Pauline Guiuan
EL VAQUERO NEWS EDITOR
C
olorful balloons, white tents and Persian rugs lined Plaza Vaquero at noon on March 30. Students and guests danced energetically on the grass to funky Iranian music. The scent of kabobs and the sound of laughter filled the air. It was a festive day on campus as the college’s approximately 800 Persian students and faculty celebrated the Persian New Year, Norooz, with the rest of the school. “This is the biggest cultural event on campus every year,” said Paris Noori, college counselor and Persian Club adviser. “It shows different aspects of the Persian culture.” The annual campus event, planned and organized for months by the Persian Club, is the main feature of a 13-day celebration. “We start preparing for this at the beginning of the semester,” said Persian Club president Farinaz Sahabi. “We get some families and businessmen to donate [money and Persian products].” Booths were set up at Plaza Vaquero, and these sold Persian products such as rugs, jewelry, clothes and food, and also displayed various cultural items such as paintings, silverware and musical instruments. A tearoom that served Persian coffee, tea and pastries was also set up. The event was attended not only by GCC students and faculty, but also by many guests from outside the campus, according to Sahabi. It was also covered by local newspapers as well as by several Persian radio and TV stations. “It brings the college a lot of publicity,” Noori said. “There were four TV stations on campus last year and three of those were international. The event was shown in Europe and Iran via satellite.” According to Noori, the New Year is one of the biggest celebrations for Persians all over the world. According to www.glendale. edu/persianclub, in traditional Persian culture, the Norooz or Noruz celebration includes Khaneh Tekany or spring cleaning; the Chahar-Shanbeh Suri or Wednesday Feast; the SeezdahBedar which families celebrate with picnics on the 13th day; and the setting of a Haft-Seen, which
means “Seven S’s” and consists a special table with seven edible items whose Persian names start with the letter S. “These seven items are the symbols of something,” said Noori. The food is said to bring good things for the New Year, such as abundance, fruitfulness, love and affection. A large, elaborate Haft-seen table was set up under a tent on Plaza Vaquero last week. Another custom typical of the celebration is the appearance of the Haji Feerooz, a traditional symbolic figure dressed in red. A young man dresses up in a traditional red costume, colors his face black and parades around the celebration dancing, singing and telling jokes – the Persian version of a court jester. His purpose is to bring joy to families. “I remember when I was a kid [in Iran], we would see him on the streets,” Noori said with a smile. A Haji Feerooz also made a jovial appearance on campus during the event, drawing smiles from most students and inviting them to dance. Noori adds that the Persian New Year is especially enjoyable for children. “They go and visit older people in the family. The older people give children money.” The tradition of visiting is called the Deed-o-Bazdeed, and this prompted some students and faculty to bring their children to the college to meet friends and relatives. One of the guests on campus was Persian artist Badri Borghei.
Venues Cater to Hungry Students By Rachel Mills
EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
A
Photo by Alison Geller
Persian artist Badri Borghei displays work at the Norooz celebration.
“This celebration represents Persian culture very well,” said Borghei, whose miniatures and coffee table book containing her paintings were on sale in one of the booths. “It’s a very wellorganized event.” For Noori, the best part of the Norooz celebration on campus is the dancing. Students, whether they are Persian or not, apparently
enjoy congregating on the grass and dancing for hours to Persian music every year. “It’s beautiful to see them united,” Noori said. “That’s an important part of our mission with the Persian New Year. We try to promote cultural diversity on campus.” Pauline Guiuan can be reached at Pauline Guiuan@elvaq.com
round campus there are at least 11 places where a person can acquire sustenance. The real question is where they should get it. Keep this article handy and one is sure to do okay. The first place on a culinary expedition of GCC would begin across from the auditorium at Café Vaquero. The café is simply a small booth set up to serve coffee beverages and small pastries. This establishment is optimal for those who need a quick caffeine fix right before they go to class. While the food and beverages are okay, their cash-only policy and expensive prices make the café a hassle to deal with when one doesn’t have cash. Still need the caffeine fix but have a credit card? Look no further than across the street from campus and you’ll find the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. This establishment has been around for less than a year and already it is a nexus for students to hang out and enjoy their beverages. Staff members at the Coffee Bean are friendly, even at the early hours when one is usually just waking up and after two or three weeks of visiting they know your usual order. The pure chocolate ice blends are tasty, rich in flavor, and are sometimes even worth the almost $5 they cost. They are also extremely proud of their kosher practices and display their signs in many locations in the store. Unlike the café, which does not provide indoor lounging, the Coffee Bean offers a warm and peaceful
Photo by Alison Geller
A special table setting of Haft-Seen, seven edible items whose Persian names begin with the letter S, makes Norooz a festive holiday.
[See FOOD, page 13]
8
Friday, April 7, 2006
www.elvaq.com 9
POLITICAL FEATURE
One of These Finalists Will Be New College President Dr. Audre Levy
Dr. Sharon Kaye Dyer
Dr. Bonita C. Jacobs
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D
J
evy is the President of Los Angeles Southwest College and has a doctorate in institutional management from Pepperdine University. She received her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and has three master’s degrees: one from the University of Michigan, one from Cal State Long Beach and one from Cal Sate Dominguez Hills. Dr. Levy could not be reached for comment. According to Dan Walden, Director of Institutional Planning and Research at Southwest College, There were 6,912 students enrolled for Fall 2005 of whom 66 percent are African American, 28.7 percent are Hispanic, 1.4 percent are Asian, .7 percent are Caucasian, .6 percent are “Other,” .2 percent are Pacific Islander, and Native Americans make up .2 percent of the student body.
yer has been the President at Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest, Calif., since 2002 and has a doctorate in educational leadership from Gonzaga University. She received an associate degree from Clark Community College in Vancouver, Wash., a bachelor’s degree in speech and a master’s degree in speech/theater/community college teaching from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash. Dyer has also helped her school grow. She helped pass a Measure G bond that allowed the college to install a seven-acre solar field to offset energy costs, plan a new science center, a new art building, a new nursing facility and remodeled the entire main classroom building. The college has also applied for matching funds for a new media center and a new performing arts building. Dyer is a supporter of online students. According to her biography, “Dr. Dyer has a strong commitment to distance education to reach time bound and place bound rural citizens.” They have all student services that are available on campus available online. Demographic information for Cerro Coso College was not available by press time. Dyer is married to a fifth grade teacher. She has one daughter, two grandchildren and a Harley Davidson.
acobs has been the Vice President for Student Development and Assistant Professor of Counseling, Development and Higher Education at the University of North Texas, since 1998 and has a doctorate in educational administration with an emphasis in higher education from Texas A&M University. She received her bachelor’s degree in Spanish and history as well as her master’s degree in counseling from Stephan F. Austin State University with additional studies in Morelia and Monterrey, Mexico. With Jacobs at the helm, there has been a vast amount of construction at the campus of North Texas. It has built a Student Recreation Center, a Health and Career Center, five sorority houses, an outdoor pavilion, a tennis complex and five intramural fields. She has also overseen the NT-DC Project, a program that helps students obtain internships in Washington with congressional offices and governmental agencies. Jacobs is the founder and a fellow with the Institute for the Study of Transfer Students. According to her biography, she regularly entertains student groups in her home for dinners or pool parties because she understands the importance of connecting with students. According to Leslie Odom, the Senior Research Analyst of the Office of Institutional Research and Accreditation from the University of North Texas, the demographics for the Fall 2005 semester were 32,047 registered students and approximately 67 percent were Caucasian, 11 percent African American, 10 percent Hispanic and 11 percent were categorized as “Other.” Jacobs is married and has three grown children.
Dr. Willard Clark Lewallen, Vice President of Student Services at Victor Valley College
Dr. Willard Clark Lewallen
Dr. Audre Levy, President of Los Angeles Southwest College
T
he college community will be able to meet the four finalists in the yearlong search for a replacement for President John Davitt at a public forum that will be held on Wednesday in the GCC Auditorium at 1:30 p.m. Each finalist will have 45 minuntes to talk to the audience and answer questions. The candidates are Dr. Audre Levy, Dr. Sharon Kaye Dyer, Dr. Willard Clark Lewallen and Dr. Bonita Jacobs, one of whom will assume the post Davitt has filled for 21 years, in July. The announcement of which candidate will be the new school president will be made in May. “I am so pleased and grateful to the Board of Directors Advisory Hiring Committee,” said Anita Gabrielian, President of the Board of Trustees. “They have done a lot of fine work and I know that their time spent on this is a great investment in our community. The Board of Directors will now do their due
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diligence in the next step which includes thorough background checks, site visits, interviews, etc.” Each of these finalists has distinguished themselves in the academic community and elsewhere. For purpose of comparison, some biographical and professional information is listed for each candidate, including demographic statistics for the campus communities they serve. For the Fall 2005 semester GCC’s demographics, according to Edward Karpp, of the Institutional Research Department at GCC, included 15,407 registered students of whom approximately 33 percent were Armenian, 24 percent Latino/Hispanic, 16 percent Anglo, 11 percent Asian/Pacific Islander, 5 percent Filipino, 3 percent Black/African American and 6 percent were categorized as “Other.” Alison Geller can be reached at Alison_Geller@elvaq.com
By Alison Geller
EL VAQUERO FEATURES EDITOR
Graphics by Jane Pojawa
Dr. Sharon Kaye Dyer, President of Cerro Coso Community College and supporter of online students.
Dr. Bonita C. Jacobs, Vice President for Student Development and Assistant Professor of Counseling, Development and Higher Education at the University of North Texas.
ewallen is the Vice President of Student Services at Victor Valley College and has a doctorate in education from UCLA. He received a bachelor’s degree from Cal State Polytechnic University at Pomona and two master’s degrees from Purdue University, one in exercise physiology and the other in counseling. His biography makes frequent reference to his commitment to physical fitness. He has also completed the Los Angeles Marathon. Although Lewallen’s biography makes no mention of campus construction projects, he was involved in the information technology service training for faculty members. He has made two presentations this year, both regarding a compressed calendar. One was at the 2006 annual conference of the Association of California Community College Administrators entitled “Best Practices for Implementing and Managing a Compressed Calendar.” The other was at a member panel at Citrus College entitled “Compressed Calendar Symposium.” According to Mark Clair, the Institutional Research Coordinator from Victor Valley College, the demographics for the Fall 2005 semester were 11,237 credited students and approximately 50.5 percent were Caucasian, 27.5 percent Hispanic, 12.2 percent African American, 2 percent Asian, 1.6 percent Filipino, 1.1 percent American Indian/Alaskan Native, 0.5 percent Pacific Islander, 1 percent were categorized as “Other Non-White” and 3.7 percent were either uncollected or declined to state. Lewallen is married and has three children.
10
Friday, April 7, 2006
www.elvaq.com
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Artist’s Vision Illustrates Fruits of Hard Work
Story by Olga Ramaz
EL VAQUERO ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Photo by Jane Pojawa
Hailing from the state of Texas, Jody Smith packed his belongings at the age of 30 and headed to San Diego in search of fulfillment and a break in the arts.
H
e manages to capture a rainbow with every brush stroke of paint, and in his paintings, vibrant colors, imaginative scenarios and peace ridden expressions. He makes up his own rules for work, life and especially his art. Jody Smith paints what he feels. “My heart is in the simplicity and beauty of people and their surroundings,” said Smith. He started drawing at a very young age. According to his mother, he was born with a crayon in his hand. It was not until first grade that Smith started getting notoriety for his unusual approach to simple art projects, projects which he transformed into original works of art. “We had to do papier-mâché animals and put them in boxes,” he said. “Some kids did a horse with a farm background, some kids did a zebra in a zoo. I did a psychedelic squirrel in a toy store.” Before pursing art full time, Smith spent a year in beauty school. He later found himself working as a hairdresser in his hometown of Houston, Texas, working for a company called Visible Changes. For nine years Smith was a part of the artistic team that would travel to Europe and New York, among other places, and style hair at various hair shows. He claims to have
been a hardcore stylist, managing to cut and style 20 people per day. Two years after Smith started working at Visible Changes, he started taking some art classes, for disciplinary reasons. He felt that his art was lacking something. “Every art class I’ve taken, I’ve walked away with a lot of knowledge,” said Smith. “Whether it is something that I use directly in my artwork or not, I’ve learned immensely from every teacher.” Unfortunately, styling hair was not bringing the fulfillment that Smith was looking for. By the age of 30, Smith knew that he needed to leave Texas. On a total whim, Smith packed his belongings and moved to California for the first time in 1995, settling in San Diego. Although he loved San Diego, Smith was not able to make things happen for him there. He quit his job and headed to Indiana. He did not know anybody, only his partner and his dog. But little did Smith know that the town of Hogansburg would bring forth a new opportunity, one that would open doors for him when he returned to California yet again. Back in Indiana, Smith started working with special needs students. He volunteered for the Special Olympics and started to work with a girl who suffered from Down syndrome. She loved
to color, which led Smith to focus on art once again. His return to California from Indiana in 1999 was triggered, for the most part, by a close friend who was suffering from AIDS. Smith’s partner was very encouraging when it came to his artwork. He helped Smith get art jobs while Smith himself was active at getting a job working with people with special needs. He soon landed a volunteer job in Reseda at Therapeutic Living Centers for the blind (TLC). Smith immediately saw a need for an art program at TLC and within a month he was promoted to art instructor. As an instructor for an adult day program, he helped these special needs adults gain a sense of confidence and fulfillment in the arts. His stint at TLC triggered Smith’s return to academia. “Eventually I realized that even though I loved my job, I was driving really far and I was never going to make any more money than I made,” said Smith. “They’re [TLC] very strict on moving up, you had to have a degree and I didn’t have one. I decided that I would go to school full time and get painting jobs to help pay for school.” He started attending GCC as a part-time student in 2002. Now, Smith takes on a full load of classes. He is in a hurry to move forward.
Aside from classes, Smith is also deeply involved with the art gallery on campus. His title is officially that of a student worker, but he is actually more than just another student worker at the art gallery. Gallery director Roger Dickes considers him a gallery assistant, which in turn places more responsibility onto Smith. “He is immensly helpful,” said Dickes. “He goes above and beyond the call of duty.” Between his duties at the gallery and his duties as a student at GCC, Smith is constantly on the go and does not seem to stop. But, being a gallery worker does afford Smith a variety of experiences. “It’s different everyday,” he said. “There are days when I sit with a textbook and study and there are days when I’m running around.” Working at the gallery has also given Smith the opportunity to mingle with other artists, some of which have been featured in past gallery exhibits, opportunities which he believes would have not happened if he was not working at the gallery. He is surrounded by art on a regular basis, in and out of school. Smith is currently working on three art pieces for collector Kevin Buxbaum. All three pieces will have the Smith touch, vibrant colors and
people, but they will also have world globes. Buxbaum travels a lot and he wanted to make sure that Smith incorporated this detail in the paintings. Smith said that if he was not so busy with the gallery and school work, the Buxbaum’s paintings would be in near completion. Smith said that some of the art pieces that still hang in several locations throughout Los Angeles, like at the L.A. Healthcare Credit Union and the labor and delivery unit at the Good Samaritan hospital, only took a day to complete. His devotion to the art gallery is obvious, so much that it caused some sort of confusion in one of his gallery co-workers. “He is so dedicated [to the art gallery],” said Narek Babayan. “At first I thought that he was the director of the gallery because he was there all the time.” Dickes said that the gallery would not be thriving as it is without Smith’s help. During the summer of 2005, Smith and Dickes worked feverishly to renovate the gallery. Dickes said that without Smith’s help, he would have quit. Smith also single handedly renovated a space in the gallery and turned it into the Gallery Annex. Smith is in charge of scouting talent and exhibiting their works in this space as an addition to the concurring exhibition. “[The Gallery Annex] is a perfect example of what Jody is all about,” said Dickes. “It’s great for him to be able to put together a show within the school community.” His other responsibilities range from overseeing basic gallery duties, directing fellow gallery workers, to taking part in creative processes when it comes to setting up the main exhibits. “You can tell he loves what he does,” said Babayan. “He drags you into it [work] and makes you love what you do too.” Although Smith is just on the verge of transferring, at 41 he does not think that it is too late to accomplish even more things than he already has. “I’m sure my achievements are small in comparison to what I’d like them to be, but I have just begun,” he said. “What I’ve done at this point is basically the frame work. I’ve built a frame and the picture is coming next.”
Olga Ramaz can be reached at Olga_Ramaz @elvaq.com
www.elvaq.com
Friday, April 7, 2006
11
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
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Year Future’s ‘First World Fever’ Unleashes Massive Audio Assault By Carlos Villarreal EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
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os Angeles should be proud to know that there are still bands within its sprawling metropolis that are more concerned with their music than their hairstyles. L.A.’s Year Future takes the rest of the watered-down, bubblegum pop bands flying under the punk umbrella and kicks them in the teeth, with their full-length debut, “First World Fever.� The band’s third release, following 2003’s self-titled EP and 2005’s “The Hidden Hand� EP, “First World Fever�
showcases a politically sassy band that breathes a new life into L.A. hardcore. The quartet, founded in 2003, includes former Angel Hair, The VSS singer, Sonny Kay on vocals, guitarist Rockey Crane (formerly in Dead and Gone), with new bassist Pete Lyman and current Moving Units drummer, Chris Hathwell. Drawing comparisons to early post-punk acts such as the Dead Kennedys and Bauhaus, Year Future holds their own, bringing to the table a melodic and high energy punk hybrid. The 11-song album assaults the listener with Kay’s sharp and harsh vocals, while Crane’s fierce,
atmospheric guitar riffs meet Lyman and Hathwell’s chaotic and unrelenting rhythm section. Tracks like “The Hidden Hand� and “Vehicular Baptism� captures the passion and intensity of a band that has more aspirations than being signed a major label or making the play list on MTV2. For tour dates and more information, visit yearfuture.net and goldstandardlabs.com
**** Four stars out of four Carlos Villarreal can be reached at Carlos_Villarreal@elvaq.com
A throwback of Dead Kennedys and Bauhaus, local L.A. talent, Year Future, release their full-length debut, “First World Fever.�
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12
Friday, April 7, 2006
www.elvaq.com
OPINION
Freedom of Expression in a Global Village By Ramela Isagholian EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER
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illions of Muslims around the world voiced their displeasure in rallies against newspapers that have printed the cartoons of Mohammad, the prophet of Islam. From a Muslim’s point of view, these cartoons are not only offensive, but are “unforgivable insults” that should be punished with death. Those rallies are accompanied with death threats, attacks on European embassies and the torture and persecution of nonMoslems in Islamic countries. According to the CNN article “Gunmen shut Eu Gaza office over cartoons,” printed on Feb. 2, protesters at a demonstration in Britain carried signs such as “Butcher Those Who Mock Islam” and “Europe Take Some Lessons From 9/11.” As seen from Western democracies where freedom of expression is cherished, such a reaction over some drawings does not seem reasonable. Muslims strongly believe the statement made by the Vatican that includes “The freedom of thought and expression, confirmed in the Declaration of Human Rights, cannot include the right to offend religious feelings of the faithful… this principle obviously applies to any religion.” This brings the question of rights and authorities back to one’s mind. How are the “religious feelings of the faithful” more important than another’s life who has been given the right to live and express himself freely? If, indeed, a person’s religion is of such great importance and that statement really “applies to all religions,” why are Baha’is, Jews and Christians being persecuted in Islamic countries? A conclusion drawn from all the violence and unrest is the nauseating effect of people’s excessive fervor for religion and how it could turn them to such terrible wickedness and hatred. As objections and threats of reprisal are heard around the Islamic world, the Vatican joins Muslim countries like Turkey in “condemning the cartoons of the prophet,” reports Gareth Jones, a Reuter journalist. This condemnation does not only defend the right of the
“faithful” but takes away the freedom of expression from the writers and journalists whose reason of being is to educate and inform the nations of the world. It also gives individuals the right to make statements such as, “We should have killed all those who offend the prophet and instead here we are, protesting peacefully,” in a rally in Britain, reports the international site Spiegel. According to CNN, the editorial director of France Soir, Jacques Lefranc was fired after he ran the cartoons under the headline, “Yes, one has the right to cartoon God.” The publisher of France Soir, Raymond Lakah explained that Lefranc has been fired to show “a strong sign of respect to the intimate convictions and beliefs of each individual.” Meanwhile, despite press apologies, Iran’s president
Ahmadinejad said, “The caricatures show the impudence and rudeness of western newspapers,” reported Spiegel. As one assumes, he too is insulted by the cartoons of the prophet of Islam, but has he not also insulted nations by wiping their countries away from the map of the world? In other Islamic countries, religious leaders offer millions of dollars for beheading the cartoonists. It is a wonder that there are many poor Muslim people in the world, while so much money is suddenly available for abhorrent violent actions against the writer of a silly cartoon. Certainly, not all Muslims around the world agree with the current situation and they may understand that perhaps the misinterpretation of the cartoons led many to the rallies organized by Muslim leaders. In fact, many
Muslims in Europe insisted that the cartoons have been misinterpreted by their leaders. “The cartoonists treated Islam the same way they treat Christianity,” explains Flemming Rose, editor of Jylland-Posten, the Danish newspaper which published the cartoons in January, “[Because] we are integrating you into the Danish tradition of satire because you are a part of our society, not strangers.” The Jyllands-Posten didn’t intend to insult and disrespect Islam. But respecting one’s authorities does not mean accepting his demands and orders. Flemming adds, “When I visit a mosque, I show my respect by taking off my shoes. I follow the customs…But if a believer demands that I, as a nonbeliever, observe his taboos in the public domain, he is not asking for my respect, but for my submission.
And that is incompatible with a secular democracy.” However, the religious insult must have been way too heavy for some individuals to bear and a few souls must be sent away to the underworld to calm the anguish. Consequently, freedom of expression has been damned in the Middle East and the global village is going down at a rapid rate in the Western world. However, whatever the consequences may be, one must not forget that freedom of all kind among which is the freedom of expression should be given to all humanity. One has the right to live freely, choose freely, act freely and express himself freely.
Ramela Isagholian can be reached at Ramela_Isagholian@elvaq.com
www.elvaq.com
Friday, April 7, 2006
13
FEATURE
Venues Around Campus Offer Food Options to Students [Food, from Page 16]
seating area. Still need something more than just a cup of coffee in the morning? Well there is another option available for breakfast. Cross the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf / Quiznos parking lot and you will find The Great Grill. The Great Grill is a Mom and Pop burger joint. Its dining room, even with all the plastic chairs, remains clean and well-kept by the staff. For the breakfast crowd, the restaurant offers a few different platter combos. One contains one egg, two pieces of breakfast meat, and two hot cakes. They also offer various drinks. Try the milkshake, which is prepared to order. It consists of milk, the ice cream and the flavor of choice. For more typical fastfood McDonalds is located close to campus, on Cañada Boulevard. Since all McDonalds restaurants are more or less identical, the menu, prices and décor should be familiar to students looking for a fast meal with minimal monetary outlay. Nutritional and epicurean considerations aside, the drive-through might be considered an amenity by some. Tasteful and appetite-
As for beverages the eateries Casa Ortega and Subway. They pleasing lunch options abound both on and off-campus. The all across campus serve a small have an inexpensive breakfast menu and serve grill favorites Quiznos Toasted Subs next to soda that’s less than a dollar. For those who went to at lunch. One thing that makes the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf offers a rather tasty menu. The a Glendale Unified school the cafeteria unique is their prices are commensurate with and who want the cafeteria salad bar, which is charged at the other local eateries. The atmosphere back a great 30 cents per ounce. Food options good, bad, best value is a combination, a suggestion would be to try the sandwich served with a drink cafeteria which is right next to expensive, and inexpensive; all the Student Center and above are located on or near campus. and choice of chips or dessert. The soft chocolate chip Restaurant Hours of Operation Contact cookies are worth Breakfast hours trying. A healthier Cafeteria Monday thru Friday Extension 5600 choice is the salad. 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Back on campus, Fresh from the Grill 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Extension 5600 lunch options Monday thru Thursday abound. The Casa Ortega 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Milky Way Café, Extension 5604 and Subway Friday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. located under the planetarium Monday thru Friday close to the Sierra Coffee Bean and 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (818) 956-8303 Nevada and San Tea Leaf Hours Saturday 6 a.m to 9 p.m. Gabriel Buildings, has a good selection Monday thru Friday of sandwiches Quizno’s 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (818) 241-0995 and hot dogs. Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Unfortunately, they Monday thru Friday also have a cash7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. McDonalds (818) 553-1812 only policy and Saturday charge 10 cents for 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. a cup of water. Monday thru Friday Only have a 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Great Grill (818) 507- 8810 dollar? Don’t Saturday worry, there are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. options located Monday thru Thursday at Casa Ortega, Milkyway Café 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Extension 5638 which serves Friday 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. original tacos and Monday thru Thursday bean and cheese 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. burritos that are Café Vaquero Friday 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. no more than 99 Saturday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. cents.
This guide has hopefully made people aware of what those options are and this writer encourages people go out and explore for themselves what the options are. Rachel Mills can be reached at Rachel_Mills@elvaq.com
Location Sierra Madre 2nd floor Sierra Madre 2nd floor Sierra Madre 1st floor
College Plaza
College Plaza
1544 Cañada Blvd., Glendale, CA 91208
1525 N. Verdugo Road, Glendale, CA 91208 5638 Science Center
In front of San Rafael
Campus Comments What Are You Planning to do for Spring Break? Gus Rodriguez 20 FINE ARTS
“I’m going to drink a lot of beer and enjoy life.”
Cassy Vasile 18 JOURNALISM
“I’m going to be at school everyday practicing track and field, then go to Laker games and cheer for Sasha Vujacic.”
Jaron Williams 19 BUSINESS
“I’m going to the beach; sittin’ on the beach with no shirt on and everyone is going to be lookin’ at my sexy body.”
Anna Yurel-Castel 21 DANCE
“I am going to rehearse [dance], choreograph, hopefully sleep and pig-out on nachos.”
— Compiled and photographed by Carlos Villareal
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Friday, April 7, 2006
www.elvaq.com
SPORTS
TRACK & FIELD Glendale made it a clean sweep Friday in its first home meet in over 10 years by winning the men and women’s portion of the Western State Conference meet against Allan Hancock, Santa Monica, Valley and West Los Angeles. The women totaled 61 points paced by sweeps in the 800 and 1500 meters. Maribel Cespedes was a double winner in the 800 in 2:26.87 and in the 3000 meters in 11:29.4. She also placed second in the 1500 meters in 5:03.29. Lilly Hernandez won the 1500 meters in 5:02.2 with Maria Castaneda finishing third in the same race in 5:09.5 and Anna Rodriguez was fourth in 5:17.4 meters. Hernandez was also second in the 800 meters in 2:30.32 and Castaneda was third in the same race in 2:30.34. Other winners were Lourdes Loyola in the discus at 85-feet, 8 inches and Kristina Dartyan in the pole vault at 7-feet, 6 inches. Loyola
also finished second in the shot put with a distance of 29-feet, 6 inches and Cassy Vasile was also second in the discus with a throw of 85-feet. Julissa Camacho finished second in the 400 meters in 1:03.3 and fourth in the 200 meters in 28.07. The 4 x 400 relay team of Sandra Martinez, Anne DeLeon, Lilly Hernandez and Maria Castaneda took second in4:41.55. For the men who totaled 52 points, Luis Castaneda was a double winner in the 800 meters in 1:57.7 and in the 1500 meters in 4:02.6. Michael Esquivel was also a double winner in the pole vault at 14-feet, the discus at 118feet, 4 inches and finished fourth in the long jump at 19-feet, six inches. Chris Marshall won the 100 meters in 10.7 and finished second in the 200 meters in 22.7. Ray Vasquez won the 3000 meters in 8:50.4 and took third in the 1500 in 4:05.6. Carl Adams was second in the pole vault at 12-feet, six inches and Dipak Patel was third with a
leap of 10-feet. Tomas Aguirre was third in the 800 meters in 2:01.3 and Oscar Larios took second in the 110-meter high hurdles in 17.8 and was third in the 400 intermediate hurdles in 59.2. Ivan Perez was second in the 3000 meters in 9:23.38 and fourth in the 1500 meters in 4:13.6. The 4 x 100-meter relay team of Gerald Biggers, Jamal Rashad, Ricky Davis and Chris Marshall finished second in 43.7 and 4 x 400-meter relay team of Tomas Aguirre, Biggers, Davis and Castaneda finished second in 3:20.2. The Vaqueros compete in the Meet of Champions Saturday at Azusa Pacific.
baseball The Vaqueros fell to Canyons 11-6 Sunday in a game that was rained out Saturday to fall to 722 overall and 2-11 in the WSC South. They had byes Tuesday and Thursday. Glendale played at Canyons Tuesday, hosted Valley Thursday at Stengel Field at 2:00
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p.m. and plays at Valley Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
SOFTball Glendale dropped three games in the Ventura Tournament Sunday to fall to 8-13-1 overall and 4-7 in the WSC Blue Division. Saturday’s games were rained out. They lost to Cypress 8-0, 30 to Long Beach and 4-3 to Cerritos. The Vaqueros hosted Valley in a doubleheader Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. and Citrus Thursday at 2:30 p.m. All home games are played at Scholl Canyon Park. .
men’s tennis Glendale defeated Pierce 81 Thursday to improve to 6-1 in WSC and 6-6 overall. Tuesday’s match against Hancock and Friday’s match against Bakersfield were postponed and will be made up later. In the win over Pierce, Lew DeLeon, Sergy Vagramian, Hakop Tadevosian, Norik Otuzbiryan, Derik DerMegerdichian and Craig
Strazzeri helped the Vaqueros sweep in singles and they won two in doubles with wins from the teams of Otuzbiryan and DerMegerdichian and DeLeon and Strazzeri. The Vaqueros had a bye Tuesday and played Ventura Thursday at 2:00 p.m.
women’s tennis The Vaqueros beat Santa Monica 9-0 Thursday to improve to 5-7 overall and 3-6 in WSC. Tuesday’s match at Hancock was postponed until April 18. In the win over Santa Monica, Debbie Martin, Anna Alicia Araujo, Martina Vassileva, Ofelaya Abramhamyan and Maria Bagaforo and Jennifer Chung swept all six matches in singles as did the doubles teamsoAraujo and Martin, Vassileva and Bagaforo and Abramhamyan and Chung. Glendale’s home match Monday against Ventura was rained out and they hosted Cuesta Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
Home Field Track Meet [Track, from page 16]
Lourdes Loyola finished first in he discus throw of 85-feet, 8 inches with her teammate Cassy Vasile claiming second place. Loyola also finished second in the shot put with a distance of 29feet, 6 inches. Distance runner Lilly Hernandez ran away with the 1,500 meters finishing with a time of 5:02.2. Hernandez was also second in the 800 meters in 2:30.32. Kristina Dartyan came out on top of the pole vault competition with a high jump of 7-feet, 6 inches. The men’s team followed the women’s lead as they dominated the distance events and fared well in the field competitions. Distance runner Luis Castaneda was a double winner; he took the 800 meter in 1.57.71 and the 1,500 in 4:02.6.
“I wanted my friends and family to be proud of me,” said Castaneda. “Running here gave us energy.” Ray Vasquez finished first in the 3,000 with a solid time of 8:50.40 and took third in the 1500 in 4:05.6. All around athlete Michael Esquivel contributed with two field victories for GCC. He won the pole vault, with a jump of 14feet and the discuss throw of 118feet, 4 inches and he also finished fourth in the long jump at 19-feet, six inches. Sprinter Chris Marshall won the 100 meter in 10.7 and placed second in the 200 in 22.73. The Vaqueros compete in the Meet of Champions Saturday at Azusa Pacific. They look to repeat as the Western Southern Conference Champions and continue their winning trend.
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Friday, April 7, 2006
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On Campus performances Phanatics — An informal performance by the student dance club of works in progress will be held Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Sierra Madre Dance Theater at 8 p.m. Free, but early arrival is suggested because seating is limited. No children under 5 admitted. “Something’s Missing” — The Theatre Arts Department students and visiting director Lani Harris present “Something’s Missing” by Ken Gray. The play tells a story of an abducted child’s return to his parents, his relationship with his family and the man he becomes. The play opens on April 20 at 8 p.m. in the Auditorium Studio Theatre. General admission is $10, student and senior tickets are $8, and tickets for groups of 10 or more are $6. For ticket information, call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5618. For more information on the Theatre Arts Department and the production visit www. glendale.cc.ca.us/theatre/ “Hay Fever” – The GCC Theatre Arts Department and visiting director Kim Mowrey present “Hay Fever” by Noel Coward. The play opens on April 27 at 8 p.m. in the Audito-
rium Mainstage Theatre. General admission is $10, student and senior tickets are $8, and tickets for groups of 10 or more are $6. For ticket information, call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5618. For more information on the Theatre Arts Department and the production call (818) 240-1000, ext, 5618, or visit www.glendale.cc.ca.us/ theatre/
exhibitions “Call of Japan” — The GCC Art Gallery presents an exhibition of sculpture by Christie Frields and photographs by Jessica Rath. The exhibitions relates to the Japanese tradition of Ikebana and will run through May 18. Gallery opening hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Admission is free. For more information, call (818) 240 - 1000, ext. 5663 or visit www.glendale.edu/artgallery/
lectures • “Reclaiming Rivers and Creeks in Los Angeles” — The lecture will be presented by Joe Linton, from the Friends of the L.A. River, at noon on Monday in Santa Barbara building, Room 243. This event celebrates the
GCC Eco Fest. • “Converging Storm: The Crises of Energy, Environment and the Global Economy” — The lecture will be presented by history professor Lisa Lubow on Thursday at noon in Kreider Hall. This event celebrates the GCC Eco Fest. • “The Cassini Mission” — Bob West from JPL will speak about the latest discoveries and photographs of the Cassini Mission to Saturn. The lecture will take place on April 25, in the Santa Barbara building, Room 243. • “Personal Safety” — The GCC Police Department offers a safety workshop led by Samir Abou-Rass on Thursday at noon. The workshop will take place in the San Fernando building, Room 117. The workshop is free and open to GCC employees, students and guests. • “Emergency Preparedness by Chief Steven Wagg ” — The Chief of the GCC Police, Steven Wagg, offers an Emergency Preparedness workshop on April 27 at noon. The workshop will take place in the San Fernando building, Room 117. The workshop is free and open to GCC employees, students and guests.
FILMS • “The End of Suburbia: Oil
Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream” — A documentary film about Americas’ dependence on oil will be screened on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Student Center. This event celebrates the GCC Eco Fest.
sports Women’s Tennis — • The GCC team faces Hancock at GCC Tuesday at 2 p.m. Men’s Tennis — • The GCC team meets Hancock at GCC on Tuesday at 2 p.m. • The GCC men play Cabrini at GCC on Friday. Time to be announced. Men’s and Women’s Tennis — • GCC men and women compete at the Western State Conference Tournament from April 20 to April 23. • GCC men and women play at the Ojai Tournament from April 27 to April 30. Baseball — • The GCC team meets L.A. Valley at L.A. Valley on Saturday at 1 p.m. • The GCC baseball team competes at the PCC/Vaquero Classis Tournament on Wednesday at 6.30 p.m. • The GCC baseball team competes at the Vaquero Classic Tournament at Stangel Field.
• The GCC baseball team plays Citrus at Stangel Field on April 18 at 2.30 p.m. • The GCC baseball team faces Citrus at Citrus on April 20 at 2.30 p.m. • The team meets L.A. Mission at Stangel Field on April 22 at 1 p.m. • GCC baseball team faces L.A. Mission at L.A. Mission on April 25 at 2.30 p.m. • The team plays against Bakersfield at Stangel Field on April 27 at 6 p.m. Softball — • The team meets College of the Canyons at Scholl Canyon Park on Thursday at 11 a.m. • The team plays Bakersfield there on April 18 at 2.30 p.m. • GCC faces L.A. Mission at Scholl Canyon Park on April 20 at 2.30 p.m. • The GCC team meets East L.A. at East L.A. on April 22. Time to be announced. Men’s and Women’s Track and Field — • The GCC team competes at the Meet of Champions at Azusa Pacific on Saturday. • The GCC team competes at the WSC Prelims at Santa Barbara on April 22 at 9 a.m.ot To submit a listing e-mail the El Vaquero at calendar@elvaq.com.
Around Town exhibitions “Small Works” — The Brand Gallery presents an exhibition of artworks by Barbara Lai Bennett, Penny McElroy, Jane Smith and Magumi Wallech. The works will be on display until April 21. The Brand Galley is located at 1601 W. Mountain St. Opening hours are Tuesday and Thursday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call (818) 548-2051.
performances “Over The River And Through The Woods” — The play opens on Wednesday and will run through May 20. Performances
are Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and at 3 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are from $16.50 to $20. For ticket information, call (818) 244-8481, or visit www. glendalecentretheatre.com. “Wizard of Oz” — The Alex Theatre, in association with the American Theater Arts for Youth, presents special performances of the “Wizard of Oz”. There will be two performances on April 27 at 10 a.m. and 12.15 p.m. Individual tickets are $10.50. Group tickets are $7.25 per person. Armenian Legends — The Alex Theatre presents Armenian music legends in concert. Levon Sevan, Rayisa Mkrtchian, Artashes Avetian and Papin Poghosian will perform on Friday at 7.30 p.m.
Tickets are $25 to $100. For information, call (818) 234-ALEX, or visit www.alextheatre.org. “Arms and the Man” — A Noise Within Theatre presents “Arms and the Man,” a comedy by George Bernard Shaw. The play presents the life of the Petkoff family and the events that follow the appearance of Bluntschli - “Chocolate Cream Soldier.” The play will run through May 20. Performances are at 8 p.m. Tickets are $45 on the opening night, $36 on Fridays and Saturdays, and $32 on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings. “The Tempest” — A Noise Within Theatre presents William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” The play will run through May
21. Performances are at 8 p.m. on weekdays and at 2 p.m. on the weekends .Tickets are $45 on the opening night, $36 on Fridays and Saturdays, and $32 on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings. For ticket information, call (818) 240-0910, ext. 1, or visit www.anoisewithin.org
perform Mozart’s work on Good Friday, April 14, to celebrate the composer’s 250th birthday. At Pasadena Presbyterian Church, 585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Free, with donations accepted. For information, call (626) 793-2191.
“As You Like It: A California Concoction” — An adaptation from Shakespeare that pays tribute to the original in madcap fashion. Runs through April 16 at the Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. Tickets are $38 to $60 with group discounts available. For information, call (626) 356-7529.
“The Armenian Genocide” — Anthony Goldberg’s documentary about the Armenian genocide will be screened continuously at the Hollywood’s Egyptian Theater on April 17. This one-hour documentary focuses on the Ottoman Empire’s role in the genocide against more than one million Armenians during and after World War I. For more information contact the Egyptian Theater at www.egyptiantheatre.org/
Mozart’s Requiem — The Kirk Choir and Claremont Chorale
other events
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Friday, April 7, 2006
www.elvaq.com
TRACK AND FIELD
First Track Meet on Home Field in Ten Years
Kristina Dartyan won the pole vault at 7 feet, 6 inches.
By Jason Castro
EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR
Michael Esquivel won the pole vault with 14 feet, won the discus throw at 118 feet, 4 inches, and finished fourth in the long jump at 19 feet, six inches.
Photography by Isaiah Marmol Isaiah Marmol can be reached at isaiahmarmol@yahoo.com
Maribel Cespedes, left, won the 800 and 3,000 meter races. Lilly Hernandez won the 1500 meter even and placed second in the 800 meter.
T
he Glendale men’s and women’s track teams felt right at home when they hosted their first home meet in more than 10 years. Competing in front of friends and family on Friday, the track and field stars made them proud. “We just wanted to put on a good meet,” said Eddie Lopez, the men’s and women’s track and field coach. The Vaqueros exceeded their coach’s expectations. The men’s and women’s teams were both victorious in the conference meet. GCC recorded 61 points for the men’s event and 52 overall points for the women’s events to end up on top. The five-team meet also featured Allan Hancock College, Santa Monica College, L.A. Valley College and West L.A. College. “It was great for our athletes to compete here,” said Alex Leon, GCC’s Sports Information Director. “It was an overall big success.” The new track facility at Sartoris field has proven to be an excellent venue for future meets. “We knew the quality of the track would hold up,” said Leon. “The other schools felt comfortable competing here.” “We look forward to hosting future events.” said Leon With an overcast draping the
sky, the weather cooperated and the rain didn’t fall until the end of the meet. All of the events went accordingly with the exception of the javelin competition, which was scratched out the last minute. The Vaqueros were favored in the distance events, but they also fared well in the sprints and field competitions. It was a well-rounded victory for the track and field squad. For the women, Maribel Cespedes dominated the track with two solid wins. She won the 800 meters in 2 minutes and 26.87 seconds and the 3,000 in 11:29.43. She also placed second in the 1500 meters in 5:03.29. [See Track, page 14]
Oscar Larios took second in the 110meter high hurtles in 17.8 and was third in the 400 intermediate hurtles in 59.2.
Emery Curtis was way ahead of the pack in the 200 meters.