Golden Gate Xpress Spring 2012 Issue 5

CAMPUS MINIMUM WAGES MUCH LOWER THAN CITY

BY KALE WILLIAMS | kale@mail.sfsu.edu

MINIMUM WAGE for San Francisco

$ 10

San Francisco median rent in the city Many school employees are paid is one of the most is more than $1,200 expensive places to below the city-prescribed wage a month. Students because they work on state property. live in the world, often need to work to and consequently supplement financial has one of the aid, but some students country’s highest minimum wages, but due to who work on campus are getting paid less than an exemption in state labor law, many students their citywide counterparts, with some making working at SF State make significantly less as little as $8.82 an hour, $1.42 less than the than the $10.24 an hour mandated by the city. city’s mandated minimum wage.

California State University students now SEE WAGES ON PAGE 3 pay more than $6,000 a year in tuition. The

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MINIMUM WAGE for SF State employees

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MINIMUM WAGE for California 7 2006

2007

2008

2009

STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER PROUDLY SERVING THE SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY SINCE 1927.

2010

2011

2012

// 02.22.12

VOLUME LXXXXII ISSUE 5

STUDENT FEES TO INCREASE FOR FUTURE REC CENTER ACTIVE LISTENER: Chancellor Charles B. Reed writes notes as students, teachers and faculty speakers voice what they are looking for in the next SF State president during the open meeting Monday. Fewer than 10 students attended the meeting. Photo by Nelson Estrada

The LONG

Students, faculty spoke to the CSU advisory board in the only public meeting slated in the search for a replacement for Robert A. Corrigan.

search for president

BY ANGELA RAIFORD | araiford@mail.sfsu.edu

SMACKDOWN: SF State senior Samantha Rogers (left) goes up for a spike in a scrimmage during Thursday’s women’s volleyball club practice. Photo by Sam Battles

BY SEAN DUFFY | scduffy@mail.sfsu.edu

Student fee increases are nothing new, but this semester a newly-approved fee requires students to pay for a campus recreation center that will not be completed for several years after most students have moved on from the University.

The $35 per semester fee was approved March 2010, effective this academic year; it will gradually increase each year until it reaches $160 each semester in 2014. Construction will not begin until 2015, with a target completion date sometime in 2017. Even though current students will be funding the center, their future access has yet to be guaranteed.

SEE REC CENTER ON PAGE 10

The only opportunity for students, administration and faculty to directly express their opinions on SF State’s presidential selection with the California State University Board of Trustees was met with snide remarks, high expectations, unanswered questions and disproportionately low attendance.

Only about 15 people spoke during public comment in a crowd of approximately 70, a majority of them administration and faculty, in the Seven Hills Conference center Feb. 20. Currently, this was the only open meeting slated to take place during the selection process.

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak before you leave in your luxury cars and get chauffeured to your next destination,” said Lalo Gonzalez, 23, a criminal justice major. “My question is, how do you expect the next president to actually fight for the students and the current fees, and not become another puppet in the current system?”

The committee did not answer him, but asked for other input in relation to the SF State campus and its involvement in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area.

While a lot of focus was spent on the board’s decision-making process, Roberta Achtenberg, CSU trustee and committee chair, noted that faculty, staff

and student input will be taken alongside committee members in what they would like to see in the next president.

“You (the audience) can be skeptical,” said Achtenberg. “I believe these committee members will attest that they were free to exercise their judgements.”

Administration and faculty in attendance stressed the importance of having a president interested in research initiatives, diversity awareness and community involvement.

“Within our mission of teaching, we also need a president who is a big supporter of research for our faculty. We don’t want our faculty teaching what they learned in graduate school 10, 20 years ago,” Sheldon Axler, dean of the College of Science and Engineering and member of the University research council said.

“They need to be teaching cutting-edge material, and particularly in science and engineering. The faculty member who hasn’t learned anything new in five or 10 years is completely out-of-date and not bringing to our students the things they need to know.”

Philosophy Chair Anita Silvers said that the next president should be focused in maintaining SF State’s international presence.

SEE FORUM ON PAGE 4

02.22.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

2 CAMPUS

SF SPEAKS OUT WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE NEW RECREATIONAL FEE INCREASE OF $55?

Fifty-five dollars? That’s my gas right there! Oh my God, I could drive for a long time, actually for like a week. I don’t think it’s necessary, not one bit.

EILEEN XU

24, BUSINESS MANAGEMENT MAJOR

I think $90 is a little high.

I understand that the University is between a rock and a hard place in terms of funding, but charging students who aren’t going to be able to use the facility doesn’t seem like the right move.

MICHAEL LICHTENSTEIN 21, CINEMA MAJOR

I’ll utilize all those things if they make it better, but don’t ask for more money and then leave it the way it is.

CSU PRESIDENT PAY INCREASE CAPPED AT 10 PERCENT New order will prevent incoming University presidents from earning wages that exceed budget boundaries.

BY KALE WILLIAMS | kale@mail.sfsu.edu

The California State University Board of Trustees officially adopted a policy that will place a limit on the compensation newly-hired campus presidents can receive.

Under the new policy, CSU presidents are only able to receive 10 percent more than their predecessors’ base pay.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean the president that comes in will receive a 10 percent increase... that is just the limit,” said CSU spokesman Erik Fallis.

The CSU is currently looking for presidents for four of its campuses: Cal State Northridge, Cal State San Bernardino, SF State and the California Maritime Academy. The new compensation policy will be implemented for the incoming presidents.

The new policy comes in the wake of a decision by the board to grant a $100,000 raise to incoming San Diego State University President Elliot Hirshman, which was criticized by Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislative Analyst’s Office.

SF State President Robert A. Corrigan is currently eligible to make up to $298,749 for the 2011-12 academic year. That means whoever replaces him next year could receive a $29,000 bump in pay.

The move is a step in the right direction, according to Wei Ming Dariotis, president of the SF State chapter of the California Faculty Association, but the timing was unfortunate.

“I’m glad that the Board of Trustees responded to public pressure and agreed to put a cap on executive compensation,” she said in an email. “I do wish, however, they had decided to do this before hiking student fees 12 percent on the same day that they voted to increase the salary range for campus presidents by $20,000.”

Some students agreed that the cap was a good place to start.

“It could be a lot worse,” said Marion Brown Jr., a liberal studies major. “We’re getting all these cuts and all these tuition hikes. If the new president is going to be making an extra $30,000, hopefully they’ll do a better job.”

Others are conflicted about the potential pay raise.

“If they are just going to be sitting in their office all day, that seems like a lot,” said Morgan McGehee, a nature of conflict major. “But if they are actually working to make the educational experience better, I say we give them as much as they need.”

But McGehee’s opinions are not shared by everyone at the University.

“The CSU has forgotten its mission,” said Bobby Farlice, an Equal Opportunity Program adviser. “The trustees are businesspeople; they aren’t educators.

The president of a university should never be making more than the president of the United States.”

The policy was recommended by CSU Board Chair Herbert Carter.

“The new compensation limits and more relevant tiered list of comparator institutions will give stakeholders a good benchmark of where presidential compensation will be set as we move forward,” said Carter in a press release. “Our continued goal is to recruit and compete for the best leadership possible, but also within articulated budget guidelines.”

CSU EXECUTIVE PAYROLL 2011 TO 2012 COMPENSATION SUMMARY

CAMPUS

HOUSING STIPEND

PRESIDENT

SALARY

BAKERSFIELD

Horace Mitchell

$285,000

$50,000

CHANNEL ISLANDS

Richard Rush

$275,000

$60,000

CHICO

Paul J. Zingg

$279,500

$50,000

DOMINGUEZ HILLS

Mildred Garcia

$295,000

Housing provided

EAST BAY

Leroy Morishita *

$285,000

$60,000

FRESNO

John Welty

$299,000

Housing provided

FULLERTON

Milton Gordon

$295,000

Housing provided

HUMBOLDT

Rollin Richmond

$297,870

$50,000

LONG BEACH

F. King Alexander

$320,329

Housing provided

LOS ANGELES

James Rosser

$325,000

$60,000

MARITIME ACADEMY

William Eisenhardt

$258,680

Housing provided

MONTEREY BAY

Diane Harrison

$270,315

Housing provided

NORTHRIDGE

Jolene Koester

$295,000

Housing provided

POMONA

Michael Ortiz

$292,000

Housing provided

$295,000

$60,000

SACRAMENTO

Alexander Gonzalez

SAN BERNARDINO

Albert Karnig

$290,000

$50,000

SAN DIEGO

Elliot Hirshman

$350,000

Housing provided

SAN FRANCISCO

Robert Corrigan

$298,749

$60,000

Mohammad Qayoumi

$328,200

Housing provided

SAN LUIS OBISPO

Jeffrey Armstrong

$350,000

Housing provided

SAN MARCOS

Karen Haynes

$270,568

$60,000

SONOMA

Ruben Armiñana

$291,179

$60,000

STANISLAUS

Hamid Shirvani

$270,000

$50,000

SAN JOSE

*Morishita will make this until his final pay is decided in March.

FATIMEH KHAN

20, BIOLOGY MAJOR

CRIME BLOTTER

A PIRATE’S LIFE

I could pretty much buy a monthly bus pass. That could buy a ticket home.

It could buy a lot of food.

Ninety bucks for a gym I don’t even go to?

MATTHEW BLITZ,

20, LITERATURE/EDUCATION MAJOR REPORTING BY JUAN DE ANDA PHOTOS BY MELISSA BURMAN

02.13 through 02.15

A female student reported her vehicle was burglarized while parked on 19th Avenue Feb. 15. Presumably, the robber was so obsessed with pirates in the urban jungle that he captured and ran off with $130 worth of booty from the woman’s car. A lesson to everyone: never assume that your pirated Madonna and Drake CDs, used cherry lip balm and a cup holder full of pennies are not of value.

Someone’s trash is another pirate’s treasure. Arrgh.

NO HARM, NO FOUL?

Compiled by Juan De Anda

A student reported her vehicle was hit while parked at SF State’s Lot 20 on the fourth level. The incident occurred Feb. 13, and we are to assume that since the student was not present, she missed out on her long-life dream to reenact the theme park experience of bumper cars on a real-life scale. She reported the incident to University police two days later, probably because she was so shocked and distraught at missing out on the once-in-alifetime opportunity.

MASTERS OF TRASHY ART

Lot 20 seems to be an extremely popular place for crime and shenanigans. The poor area’s rusty and tired elevators were victims of vandalism Feb. 15 with spraypainted and permanent marker graffiti. Presumably, the urge of these young taggers-in-training to represent the 415 inspired them to create art masterpieces of statements that don’t express full thoughts, use poor grammar and have misspellings of the most basic of words. Clearly, they’ve missed too many of their English 114 classes.

CAMPUS 3

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Student wages don’t measure up to city pay CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Although the University is non-profit, has employed only required to abide by the more than 2,000 students state’s minimum wage ordinance in the last five years, and of $8 an hour, the exemption given more than $1 milwhich lets them pay less than the lion to SF State over the local minimum wage seems to same period, according to go against the spirit of such labor its website. laws, which are intended to guarIn 2006, the last time antee low-paid workers a certain Xpress reported on the standard of living. problem, the minimum Because the University is a wage on campus was state-run institution, city offi$8.80, compared to the cials don’t have the authority to city minimum wage of enforce the San Francisco mini$8.82. Since then, the mum wage, according to Richard city minimum wage has Waller, supervising compliance increased by more than officer with the San Francisco 16 percent, to $10.24, Office of Labor Standards Enwhile the minimum wage forcement. on campus has barely “The city has no power to risen at all, going up impose its laws on other govby only two-tenths of a ernment entities,” Waller said. percent to $8.82.

“California state law just has a To some, the $1.42 superior position.” students are missing out Though Waller said the on may not seem like OLSE’s reach doesn’t legally much, but it can add WORKING TO LIVE: Sheyda Mostafazadeh works in the SF State Bookstore. Many Bookstore employees earn less than the San Franextend to SF State, there is no up. If a student works reason they couldn’t be given the maximum of twenty cisco city-mandated minimum wage because as a state property, the University is not subject to city regulations. Photo by Andrew Lopez that power. hours a week, that $1.42 “There is nothing to prevent a translates to more than the kids who work in the restaurants on at the bookstore, defended the wages they change in the law except a lack of political campus make more than $10 an hour,” she pay. $450 of lost wages over the course of a will,” he said.

16-week semester. said. “The bookstore feels like the heart of “State-run entities are subject to a Hana Haber, a 20-year-old business Daniel Marroquin, an urban studies the campus, but we don’t get treated like different wage scale than the local wage major who worked at the campus bookit.” scale,” Erciyes said in an email. “Our cur- major at SF State and intern at the Living store for nearly six months, said she was Richard Hogan, a political science rent starting pay for our student workers is Wage Coalition, thinks many students originally drawn to student work because are complacent because they come from major who works at the recreation depart$0.30 more than the University’s starting of the ease with which she could land a places where low wages are common. ment, thinks the current budget crunch wage, and currently our average pay rate job.

“I know some people come in from at SF State has a lot to do with the low for our student workers is $10.72.”

“I applied for the job because it’s out of town and are used to making less wages paid to student workers.

The bookstore is also seeking approval almost guaranteed,” Haber said. “I looked than $8 an hour,” he said. “But with all “I feel a little bit wronged by the to increase its starting wage, according to for jobs for eight months on Craigslist. the tuition increases and program cuts it’s salary I get,” he said. “But I understand Erciyes.

At the bookstore, you basically turn in an ridiculous that the school can’t even pay that the school is working with a limited “They can say that they’re exempt application and you get a job.” minimum wage.” amount of money. I don’t have a problem because the University is a state entity,” Despite the availability of jobs on Haber agreed. “The bookstore says all with it if the money I’m missing out on is said Karl Kramer, campaign co-director at campus, and the discounts promised with this stuff about being a non-profit and how going to help the school, but I’m worried the San Francisco Living Wage Coalition. a position at the bookstore, Haber was dis- that it’s all going into the ridiculous salary “But there is no such language in the (San they give back to the campus, but they appointed when she got her first paycheck. we pay the administration.” don’t even pay the students enough to live Francisco) minimum wage ordinance.”

“I mean, the job isn’t that hard, but all on,” she said.

Husam Erciyes, director of marketing The bookstore, which is run as a

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4 CAMPUS

Few participate in campus president meeting CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“It is very important for this campus’ health for us to have a national and international profile and a president who understands that we have that capacity,” said Silvers, who was a chair of the Senate during the presidential search that selected Corrigan. “We have students all over the world right now — I can never tell where my students are in any semester.”

During the forum, CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed discussed the issue of asking potential candidates to come to campus before finalizing their bid for president. He said that in order to get a feel for the campus, every candidate will visit the campus. In previous searches, candidates went incognito to campuses, because they have been unwilling to identify themselves to protect their relationships and future at their current institutions.

“Later on in this process is where I think this advisory committee needs to make that decision,” Reed said. “If they are doing a really good job, have a good relationship with their board and their chancellor, then it’s putting their future in jeopardy. The reason is, if you have three (final candidates) only one of them can get the job, and then the other two are doing damage control.”

E T A T S IN SF IH STORY ives

From ress arch p the X

Philosophy major Terence Yancey explained that he has no interest in a presidential candidate who is from the corporate world or afraid to show themselves to their potential new campus.

“As far as the confidentially, if the candidate for president is not proud to say that they are a candidate for San Francisco State University, does not want to be here above all else, and is not willing to say this is their first choice and put everything else to the side, then personally, I don’t want them as my president,” he said. “I want the person who’s here to want to be here above all else.”

Although the committee prepared for a large turnout with three overflow rooms, limited publicity of the event contributed to poor attendance; only a handful of students were present. Prior to the forum, the only publicity of the event included two tweets from the SF State news page, a campus memo, which is sent to faculty and staff, and a press release on the SF State website issued Feb 7.

As the sole student voice of the advisory committee, Andrew Gutierrez III, president of Associated Students, Inc., mentioned that the publicity of the event was deliberately minimal after a decision by the administration, due in part to fears of a demonstration that could jeopardize future presidential

visits.

“It’s 10 a.m. on a Monday morning,” Gutierrez said prior to the start of the meeting. “Of course there aren’t any students here. They (the advisory committee) were concerned about a student demonstration at the meeting.”

Nicole Henderson, SF State alumna and administrative coordinator of the Academic Senate, would like to see more staff and students working collectively to send and receive important information such as the open presidential meeting.

Henderson believes that the lack of student attendance at the meeting is not only the fault of the SF State administration, but the students themselves.

“We have the student body president sitting on the committee,” said Henderson, 28. “When do the students of San Francisco State University take responsibility? I could have told five people, but there could be a poster in front of your face and you could still not attend.”

According to Achtenberg, the advisory committee has already received recommendations for the president, but no selections have been made yet. A review of applications is the next step, which will be accepted until March 16, followed by resume reviews in a closed meeting March 23.

MARCH 1, 1988

SEPT. 15, 1988

Former SF State President Chia-Wei Woo was highly critical of a survey of nearly 400 universities that found that a “typical” University president placed more importance on public relations and fundraising than academic progress and student affairs.

The study’s results also indicated that input from faculty members would hinder campus improvements, with which Woo vehemently disagreed. The survey, which appeared in The New York Times, illustrated the quintessential president as a white Protestant male in his early 50s who worked approximately 67 hours a week. Woo was the country’s first Chinese-American president of a major university.

Newly-elected SF State President Robert A. Corrigan was received by faculty members with mixed reviews. While some professors applauded the Board of Trustees for following their recommendation, others worried that Corrigan, formerly an English professor, would pay more attention to humanities than the sciences. Despite an early resignation from the University of Massachusetts following an internal audit, SF State faculty was confident in his capabilities, as long as he remained Researched by sincerely dedicated to the University.

Tamerra Griffin

If the legislation passes, students can expect mobilized food and increased meal diversity for lunch pit stops on campus.

ROLLING OUT: Poking her head out a vintage Airstream Land Yacht, Sylvee Danger Eskimo takes an order from her a food truck. Current planning codes prohibit food trucks from conducting business in noncommercial areas like SF State.

Photo by Juliana Severe

FIGHTING FOR FOOD TRUCKS

F

BY CAROLYN COPELAND | carolync@mail.sfsu.edu

OOD TRUCKS HAVE GROWN rapidly in popularity in San Francisco during the last few years, so it is no surprise that people throughout the city have requested more access to them. And they might have it soon.

San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener introduced legislation recently that would dismiss the planning code that prevents food trucks from selling their products on college and hospital campuses. This means that with the approval of the University, students may be able to visit food trucks on campus.

“All I can say at this point is that we’re working to bring food trucks and markets like Off the Grid to SF State,” said Horace Montgomery, director of programs and services of Associated Students, Inc. “Right now, I don’t know when it would happen or where on campus we might put it.”

Wiener said that as long as everything goes smoothly with the Planning Commission, this new legislation could go into effect within the next four to six months. The

current planning code only allows mobile food vendors to operate in commercial areas. Wiener’s proposed legislation would make it legal for colleges and hospitals not located in commercial areas to rent to food trucks.

“I think food diversity and giving people more options of where to eat is a good thing,” said Wiener. “Food trucks provide the option of different, interesting and low-cost food. It used to be that food trucks weren’t very healthy food, but now there’s a lot of different kinds with better quality.”

Montgomery suggested bringing food trucks to the University two years ago as the farmers market started growing in success, but was told the competition between vendors would be too intense.

“The on-campus vendors already pay rent, so I can see how they would think their toes are being stepped on,” he said. “But as long as there’s no competition with the farmers market on Thursdays, I think it could be a great thing for students.”

Kevin Nguyen, a criminal justice major, has enjoyed grabbing lunch from food trucks on several occasions.

Already tired of the restaurants on campus, he said the possibility of having more places to eat is exciting.

“The variety of food choices would be fun to pick and choose from,” he said. “The prices are also very cheap for

a college student.”

Since it is illegal to have food trucks in many areas of San Francisco, the locations where they are permitted are often over-concentrated. Wiener said he proposed this legislation in part to prevent the overpopulation of food trucks in downtown areas. He acknowledged the growing competition that some restaurants may have with food trucks, but still believes people should have more choices of where to eat.

Erik Small, a food truck vendor at Donna’s Tamales, which is a regular at the weekly SF State farmers market, thinks it is important for people to have more variety, but it hasn’t helped his business in the past.

“When I worked at the Ferry Building on Tuesdays, it used to be just us and another burger stand,” he said.

“Now there’s pizza, a Jewish deli and a ramen noodle place. We used to do pretty well there, but having these extra places has cut our business in half.”

Although the decision to add more vendors on campus is not definite, Small has considered what he might do if it affects sales.

“We usually sell out whenever we come to SF State for the farmers market, but if having extra food places here affects our business at all, we might have to pull out,” he said.

CAMPUS 5

| 02.22.12

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Cinema professor breaks onto big screen

BY MÓNICA QUESADA C. | mquesada@mail.sfsu.edu

Film instructor perseveres through professional and personal setbacks to produce a female-centered piece.

S

OMETIMES LIFE IMITATES ART. Sometimes, art and life become so intertwined, it’s hard to tell which is imitating the other.

Britta Sjogren, SF State cinema professor and award-winning filmmaker, finished the production of her fourth film, “Beyond Redemption,” about bouncing back from difficulties last September.

For Sjogren, overcoming the difficulties in making the film went hand-in-hand with overcoming her own difficulties.

“Everybody has had a traumatic experience in their lives, when you think ‘How can I go on?’ But most of us do go on,” Sjogren explained.

The first two attempts to produce the film were halted; first by a lack of funding, and then by the filmmaker’s health.

“I can’t say that I didn’t have moments of great OFFICE HOURS: Cinema professor Britta Sjogren in her office looking for various photos from her film in her office in the Fine Arts building. Sjodespair,” Sjogren said, “but I’m glad now that I didn’t gren employs the same techniques to her films as she does to her teaching. Photo by Mónica Quesada C./Special to Xpress make it then because I think it is a better film now.”

Soumyaa Kapil Behrens, the film’s producer, has been part of this process since pre-production, and looks “I want to make films that have women protagonists who are complicated, who are back with admiration for what Sjogren and the entire production team achieved. Behmultifaceted, who don’t just represent a political agenda and where their strength and rens helped Sjogren stretch a $200,000 budget to cover the cost of bringing to the set a freedom are very much at stake for their journey,” she said. cast, crew and two horses, to create the Western look of the movie.

Sjogren said that her experiences as a filmmaker and teacher have shown her that The budget will also cover the post-production of the film. persistence is key to success.

“What we did would normally need four to five times our budget,” Behrens said.

She sees how young and talented filmmakers might give up too soon or settle for Sjogren has been an SF State professor for 12 years. She is an adviser and instructor good enough, keeping them from rising to a higher standard. She encourages her stufor graduate students in the cinema department, and said that they teach her as much as dents and all filmmakers to look for projects that they care about with passion so they she teaches them. don’t give up in the process.

As a feminist and filmmaker, she advises young women to “feel entitled to go for “Britta is the kind of professor who really makes you think deeply about what you their passions and to believe that their ideas are worth expressing, and not let anybody are trying to accomplish,” Behrens said. “I have seen her really critical of people in tell them differently.” class to try and make them answer tough questions.”

“I learn things from my students all the time,” she said. “They challenge me.”

Lex Sloan, an SF State masters of fine arts student, had Sjogren during her first year.

Through the years, Sjogren noticed that women tend to be more hesitant to call “She has pushed me harder than pretty much any professor I have had (but) as hard as themselves filmmakers, unlike men. she pushed us, she always gave feedback to make the story better,” Sloan said.

“I have never met a man yet who wasn’t willing to call himself a filmmaker, even if Sloan also worked on the production of “Beyond Redemption.” he made a one-minute film,” Sjogren said.

“Britta gave me and other students at State the opportunity to see the theory put into Her feminist outlook has also played a part in her films. Sjogren said she has always practice,” Sloan said. “Every film I will do in the future will be better because of what I had a clear focus in creating the main characters. learned in her shoot.”

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6 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Tech: Blogging on beat NOE VALLEY Noe Valley’s clean-cut image and wide variety of bistros and coffee shops make this neighborhood a quiet and quaint haven away from the hustle of the city. With Victorian homes and upscale restaurants lining its streets, there’s no better way to absorb Noe Valley’s food scene than to dive into one of its finedining eateries.

SWEET TOOTH

LOVEJOY’S TEA ROOM

HINT: Tea and crumpets seem to be made for each other. Pair their Afternoon Darjeeling, which is a black tea that carries hints of clover honey and currants, with their fluffy crumpets served with a sweet lemon curd.

1351 Church St.

CHEAP EATS

NOE VALLEY DELI

HINT: Despite the word “deli” being tacked onto the name, this place also serves affordable Mediterranean cuisine. For $7.25, you can get a hefty shawarma wrap stuffed with hummus, pulled chicken, tomatoes, lettuce and all the fixings. A deli that sells falafel?

This is a no-brainer.

4007 24th St.

ROMANTIC

BACCO RISTORANTE

HINT: With made-to-order risotto, this authentic Italian restaurant would make any date a success. Be sure to come in during truffle season when the restaurant serves their famous white truffle risotto. It’s creamy with an abundance of rich flavor.

737 Diamond St.

WILDCARD

PASTA GINA

HINT: Balancing Jewish and Italian cuisine with perfect zest, from their homemade kugel to their lasagnas and fresh pastas, this deli and restaurant is perhaps best known for its tiramisu, which has a slight give without being too mushy.

741 Diamond St.

AN XPRESS GUIDE TO DINING IN THE CITY. COMPILED BY EAST BAY DWELLER AND VORACIOUS FOODIE MATT MAXION, WHO ENJOYS WRITING ABOUT THE BAY AREA FOOD SCENE. HE IS ALSO THE SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR FOR THE GOLDEN GATE XPRESS.

PLAY: Electronic music producer Moby sits down with Techibeats.com for an interview recently before his recent show at Vessel. The website, founded by local students, is rapidly expanding along with the music scene they promote. Photo courtesy of Grady Brannan/ Special to Xpress

W

BY MATTHEW MAXION | mmaxion@mail.sfsu.edu

HEN RICHARD ZONA CREATED a music blog as an assignment for class, he didn’t expect for it to turn into a corporation that now spans the country, garnering more than 100,000 views in as little as five months.

Zona, who is a 21-year-old student at the Academy of Arts in San Francisco, launched Techibeats.com, a music site for the growing electronic fan base, last September. Within a few weeks he chose a team of six vice presidents for Techibeats, including SF State students Beau Noonan and Grady Brannan, as well as University of San Francisco student Gregory Sills.

“With electronic music coming up right now, it’s kind of like the hot thing,” said Noonan, a 21-year-old broadcast and electronic communication arts major at SF State. “You have all these artists remixing Afrojack and things like that, so we wanted to really hit the college demographic as hard as possible.”

Within a few months, Zona used his network of friends to expand the site to six other states - Michigan, Wisconsin, New York, Oregon, Colorado and Arizona. Each state has two district managers who are in charge of their own group of writers, all of whom are college students.

“It first started with just me, Beau and Gabe,” said Zona.

“Now we’re at 32 members across the country. We really had no idea it would get to this point. Now that we do, we’re just going 110 percent.”

Techibeats churns out daily stories about all things electronic music, as well as interviews with established electronic artists from Gregori Klosman and Fatboy Slim to up-and-comers like Pierce Fulton and Stereotronique. But getting these big names to agree to talk is a huge feat, Brannan said.

“It’s basically a big cat and mouse game between us and publicists,” said Brannan, a 21-year-old business marketing major at SF State. “And publicists are not the easiest people to work with, so it’s always a constant struggle, and we always bounce ideas off each other.”

Last Thursday, Noonan conducted an in-person interview with

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Moby, who has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide and is arguably one of the biggest names in the electronic music industry. Noonan said this was probably his biggest accomplishment since being a part of Techibeats.

“When you get out of class, you make that phone call that you need. You call that production person. You call that booking agent. You call that press agent to confirm something. You go back into class, send out emails,” said Noonan. “That’s constantly happening throughout the day.”

Next month, they’ll be flying out to Puerto Vallarta to cover Electrobeach, a six-week electronic music event sponsored by College Travel Experts, as its official partners. Two Techibeats representatives from the University of Arizona are also planning a monthly DJ competition.

“The coolest part is probably being able to interact with the artists themselves,” said Gabe Stansbury, a representative of the University of Arizona’s Techibeats branch.

But managing a music site in six other states that is consistently expanding does take its toll. It’s still a struggle finding a balance between business and a social life, Zona said.

“It’s addictive. I’m honestly addicted to this job,” said Zona.

“I actually just lost my girlfriend just because I worked on it too much. I work on it 12 hours a day. I don’t stop. I wake up to calls from other countries at different times of the night.”

Even with a managerial staff of 32 people across the country, the Techibeats team keeps in contact daily and considers themselves a huge family despite having not met a majority of the nationwide representatives in person, said Brannan.

“I have friends now at different colleges across the United States. It’s just kind of something cool we built out of our friendship,” said Brannan.

Once Techibeats creates a larger following, Zona said they’ll start to manage DJs, which will hopefully lead to the creation of their very own record label.

For Zona, music, particularly electronic music, has always been a huge part in his life.

“When I was in middle school, I would burn CDs and sell them to kids. It’s always been such a huge passion,” said Zona.

“Now, I’m just taking it to a whole other level. I feel like I’m doing the same thing in middle school, but way bigger.”

NOISE POP PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW THURSDAY, FEB. 23 5 P.M. FREE 1314 GRANT AVE.

THE GROWLERS FRIDAY, FEB. 24 6 P.M. FREE THE DEPOT THE POLAR PLUNGE: SPECIAL OLYMPICS BENEFIT SATURDAY, FEB. 25 11:45 A.M. FREE CRISSY FIELD

CHOCOLATE AND BOOKSTORES CRAWL SUNDAY, FEB. 26 NOON FREE 506 CLEMENT ST.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 7

| 02.22.12

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Bad films and good laughs

Every Sunday night in the Mission District, cinema fans gather to poke fun at fantastically terrible films, from cult classics to superhero flicks.

BY DEVERY SHEFFER | dsheffer@mail.sfsu.edu

P

Upcoming this year are films starring Steven Seagal in March, REDICTABLE PLOTS, “The Fast and the Furious” series lousy special effects in July and vampire movies in and obvious overacting October. are just three of many “If you are coming looking elements that make for for the well-choreographed or a waste of money at the generally socially acceptable movie theaters. But at comedy, we are not it,” said The Dark Room, they are all welcomed comedian Mikl Em, who hosts with cynicism and open arms for Bad Bad Movie Night on a regular Movie Night. basis. “We’re rag-tag and totally During the week the small venue on unpretentious.”

Mission Street hosts a variety of shows, When Em is hosting, he’s but has been a temple of terrible filmmakimprovising and usually hasn’t ing Sunday evenings since March 2005. seen the movie before. He enjoys “That’s what we used to do, sit around interacting with the other hosts and make fun of movies, and we thought and the audience as they yell out it would be fun to turn it into a party and their own crude comments. invite an audience to do it too,” said Jim For Em nothing is taboo, sayFourniadis, co-founder of The Dark Room. ing that Whiney Houston referThe event is modeled after the cult ences were the go-to joke nearly television show “Mystery Science Theater right after her death. According 3000” in which three hosts with microto Em, celebrity misfortunes phones sit at the front of the room, where B-Listed: Audience members watch a movie at Bad Movie Night at The Dark Room on Mission Street. The weekly event always make for great commenthey heckle and mock the movie along showcases movies that are notoriously bad to give fans a chance to make fun of them. Photo by Mihail Matikov tary at Bad Movie Night. with the audience. Ira Emsig has been a “We have very black humor part of that audience almost every Sunday at times,” Em said. “God bless for the past three years.

“The movies that are the most fun for us are the ones Gary Busey; he’s a wreck of a man and it makes for in“One of the reasons I’m into this so much is I used to that are goofy and take themselves seriously at the same teresting mockery. Ultimately, we are all sort of raging at watch ‘Mystery Scicene Theater 3000.’ I still have video time,” Connelly said.

Hollywood and how ridiculous and overblown it can be.” tapes from taping it off cable,” Emsig said. “That’s where Bad Movie Night usually draws in a crowd of about Bad Movie night takes place every Sunday night at 8 this comes from, that snarky love to make fun of stuff.”

10 to 20 people, but some movies sell out all 49 of the p.m. in The Dark Room, located at 2263 Mission St. with A decade after getting her degree in film from SF venue’s seats. “Red Dawn” and “Snakes on a Plane” both tickets costing $7. This week will wrap up the superheroState, Sherilyn Connelly, a self-declared film lover, took packed the theater, and in March 2009 the 1980 musical themed month with “X-Men: First Class,” and a compilaover as curator for Bad Movie Night. Her job is to gather “Xanadu” brought in a full house, much to the surprise of tion of humorous spoofs and commentary clips about the the bad movies, arrange them into categories and plan Connelly. movie compiled by Connelly plays 30 minutes before when they will show.

Each month has a new theme or genre of films. showtime.

Casting melody with memory

BY BARBARA SZABO | barbaras@mail.sfsu.edu

A

YEARBOOK IS NORMALLY A BOUND publication of photographs, documenting memories to look back on years down the road. But the Musical Yearbook captures memories in a different way.

This new online venture is a social media forum for people to submit recorded essays about music and the personal memories associated with them.

REMEMBERING: Founders of Musical Yearbook (from left to right): Phil Lang, Zachary Ryan, Sonia D. Pina and Brock Alter in front of The format is split up into four time frames: first impressions, 8th their studio. The online project is a forum for discussing songs and the memories connected. Photo by Juliana Severe grade year, college age and the present. People can submit a story that falls within one or more of these time frames, focusing on the The four founders will present the Musical Yearbook Project at the Noise Pop Culpersonal impact of a specific musician, song, album or musical experience. ture Club, a series of panels by artists in the music, film, design, art, food and technolThese recordings are featured on the Musical Yearbook website as a series of ogy communities, Feb. 25. podcasts. The point of each episode is to describe music as it evokes feelings without “We have a number of Noise Pop artists who are going to participate, and that playing the music itself. The site also has tips for inspiration to facilitate the process of is sort of the springboard for getting the website together and getting it out to more writing a story and guidelines for how to record them. people,” said Ryan.

“Certain songs put you in a specific time and place,” said SF State alumnus ZachMusicians Minna Choi and Annie Phillips of Magik*Magik Orchestra, Thao ary Ryan, one of three founders of the project. “You don’t realize the strong connecNguyen of Thao With the Get Down Stay Down and Caleb Nichols of Churches tion you have with a musical moment until you start writing about it.” are scheduled to read their personal music essays and memories at the panel. These Ryan and fellow founders Phil Lang, Brock Alter and Sonia D. Pina invite people recordings will mark the beginning of the on-going project that Lang, Alter, Pina, and of all ages, backgrounds and professions to participate in the project.

Ryan hope will draw in as many participants as possible.

The four also work at the music company Bamm.tv filming independent musicians “The motivation behind Culture Club was to get the fans and audience members live performances, editing the footage and streaming it online. They started recording to interact with artists on a creative level,” said Noise Pop marketing director Dawson a series of podcasts to promote bands they had worked with or recorded in the past.

Ludwig, one of the organizers of Culture Club.

The social audio platform SoundCloud featured one of these episodes, and the immeThe ultimate goal for the founders and the Musical Yearbook itself is for people to diate positive reaction sparked the idea to combine music and memories. be able to compare their own reflections with other people’s stories.

“The first feature on SoundCloud got over 1,000 hits,” said Ryan. “We had done “At the end of the day, I don’t know if it’s music recording our lives, or our memothis podcast for several months on a bunch of different topics, and Musical Yearbook ries forming with the music, but all I know is that there’s a very strong connection was the first one to kind of hit with everybody.” between the two, and it’s a connection that matters,” said Lang.

02.22.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

8 CITY

THE INS & OUTS

TRANSPORTATION

A WEEKLY SEX COLUMN BY CASSIE BECKER

Plan B shouldn’t be plan A There’s nothing quite as nervewracking as a pregnancy scare, frantically questioning if you might have made a baby during your intense, passion-filled lovemaking last night. Plan A was using a condom, which didn’t happen. That’s why there’s Plan B. Everyone loves this widely-available little pill that erases all those potential problems you’d have in nine months. But have you ever stopped to consider what damage it might do to a woman’s body?

Lucky for us all, there really aren’t any risks, at least with moderate to light use. The key is not using an emergency contraceptive in lieu of another method of birth control, according to SF State peer sexual health educator Brianna Williams, 21.

“It’s not the alternative for not having safe sex, but it is a good alternative if something does happen that’s why it’s called emergency contraceptive is because it should be used in case of an emergency.”

Emergency contraceptives Since breaking up with her inner prude, Cassie are designed Becker has done it all. to prevent the Her interest in sexual release of an egg exploration has lead or stop sperm her to write several from meeting blogs and break even more beds. She’s the egg so that a extensively researched pregnancy that and written about it would normally all with a sexy smile. happen, doesn’t.

Plan B can also prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterine wall.

It’s most effective when taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex - the sooner, the better.

According to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Plan B reduced the likelihood of pregnancy by 81 to 90 percent, and 5.1 million women aged 15 to 44 reported using an emergency contraceptive at least once between 2006 and 2008.

Although no deaths or serious health complications have ever been directly linked to the use or overuse of emergency contraceptives, Williams says that pumping such an increased dose of specially-formulated hormones into the body designed to prevent a pregnancy isn’t a good decision.

“If you’re having to take it very often that’s not good for your body because you’re just taking in more hormones and more; so if that’s the case and it’s not used as a regular birth control, you should get on regular birth control because that would be the better solution,” Williams said. “It certainly isn’t healthy to keep putting things in your body that shouldn’t normally be there.”

No matter what, she says being on a regular birth control method is better than having to get Plan B in a hurry.

“There’s all kinds of anxiety that goes along with that as well as taking these hormones in at the same time so safer sex or a birth control method are more than a better substitute for taking Plan B five times a month,” Williams said.

Emergency contraceptives are available at the SF State student health center through the FamilyPACT program for those who qualify, Planned Parenthood and other pharmacies around San Francisco and the Bay Area.

But remember it doesn’t protect you against sexually transmitted infections, that’s what condoms are for. So don’t be a fool, just wrap that tool!

NEW DESIGN: The projected design of the new BART trains, which will most likely be primarily built by foreign manufacturers. The trains will be built over the next 15 to 20 years. Photo courtesy of BART

BART CARS COMISSIONED TO FOREIGN BUILDERS

BY KATHERINE YAU | kyau202@mail.sfsu.edu

The new Bay Area trains being manufactured overseas have raised controversy, but experts say locals don’t have the ability to compete.

C

OMMUTERS TIRED OF BART’s carpet-lined compartments have a lot to look forward to in the coming years as the transportation service begins shopping for a firm to build new trains, though the consideration of foreign firms to construct the cars has caused some controversy.

The 40-year-old train car fleet will be completely replaced by one of three foreign firms over a 15 to 20-year period for $3.2 billion dollars, according to BART spokeswoman Luna Salaver. Eighty percent of the cost will be paid for by the federal government, and 20 percent by BART, Salaver said. BMW DesignworksUSA are making initial designs for the new train cars, designs which will be refined for engineering details, and manufactured by a car building firm overseas.

According to Salaver, BART solicited bids from firms through ads in international transit magazines. French firm Alstom, Canadian firm Bombardier, and Korean firm Rotem are the finalists being considered. A decision will be made in March.

Although some might look upon hiring a foreign firm unfavorably in this time of financial crisis, SF State Assistant Professor of economics Lisa Takeyama said the employment of a firm outside of the U.S. is no surprise, as it is a consequence of the country’s ailing competitive market.

“The U.S. simply does not have a comparative advantage in producing these vehicles. The fact

that none of the contract bidders were U.S. firms reflects that,” Takeyama said. “It would not be in our best long-term interest to subsidize or promote industries in which we have no competitive advantage.”

SF State civil engineering professor Ghassan Tarakji agreed that train building technology in other countries has surpassed that of the United States.

“We ignored trains for a long time, and so most companies ship away their train business,” said Tarakji, who specializes in transportation.

Additionally, BART intends to use federal funds to pay for the billion dollar project. Federal Transit Administration law stipulates the assembly must take place in the U.S., although priority cannot be given to a local manufacturer, according to Salaver.

“If BART intends to use federal funds to help pay for these much-needed new cars, we cannot give preference to a car builder who says they are going to assemble the cars in California or even the Bay Area,” Salaver said.

According to Salaver, companies that offer to use more than the required 60 percent domestic material will be given priority.

To those who would question the pricey overhaul of BART’s trains, Salaver assures the replacement is desperately needed.

“We do need to replace all of our trains. We have the oldest train car fleet in the nation,” Salaver said. “It’s not only harder to find replacement parts, it takes more time and labor to keep them running.”

Wherever they will be made, some commuters will welcome any improvements to the BART trains. Fransina Savusa, a senior studying political science, recalled an instance when she saw excrement on the train ground, and expressed support for newer replacement trains.

“It’s pretty gross,” said Savusa, who commutes on BART nearly every day for work and school.

“It’s time for a change.”

CITY 9

| 02.22.12

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

Ruff restrictions for dog walkers

BY ANA PREZA | acpreza@mail.sfsu.edu

C

OMMERCIAL dog walkers in San Francisco are apprehensive about a newly-approved city ordinance that will limit them to walking no more than eight dogs at a time in all city parks and will require each walker to obtain a city permit.

The measure, recently passed by the Board of Supervisors, will be enforced starting Jan. 1, 2013 and will require every dog walker to pay an annual fee of $250 for a city-issued permit, which will go to the Animal Care and Control Department. Each walker will also be required to have a leash for every dog being walked, have access to first aid kits for the animals and carry enough water for each dog.

The ordinance will also require new applicants for permits to have 20 hours of approved course training in various areas such as dog park etiquette, safety and fight protocols or complete an approved apprenticeship of at least 40 hours of practical experience working with another dog walker.

Dog walking business owners are hesitant about the ordinance, but think that it does address some valid issues.

Julia Frink, owner of Dogwalks, said the dog limit is understandable but she does worry that each of her dog walkers will need a permit.

“I am happy to pay a permit fee for park use but strongly feel the business owner should own and be able to distribute these amongst their dog walkers and not that each individual dog walker will need a permit,” said Frink.

Frink said she was concerned about apprenticeships

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becoming a problem for established businesses.

BARK PARK: Dog walker Jean Kind takes her client’s pups to Sigmund Stern Grove. Starting in 2013, professional dog walkers “I feel will need to limit the number of canines they walk at one time as well as require dog walkers to obtain a $250 annual permit. people will Photo by Cindy Waters use businesses as mine to get Kwant was not concerned about the requirements to certified, largely at the company’s expense, and then start get a permit because any responsible company would their own dog walking services, essentially putting comhave their walkers well-trained. He said the main people petitors in business at my expense,” said Frink. representing dog walkers, like Angela Gardner from the Some were concerned about the effectiveness of Professional Dog Walkers Association, fought hard trying walking multiple dogs. to get the highest possible number of dogs to be permit“I welcome dogs in our parks,” said Supervisor John ted at a time.

Avalos before the Board approved the proposal. “But I Residents who live near dog parks were persistent in think there are limits a person who has eight dogs can do trying to get the limit as low as possible. Some neighbors in taking care of them.” wrote letters to several supervisors explaining that they Avalos said that on a daily basis he and his children have to deal with constant barking for several hours every have to watch where they step all around the Excelsior day. Neighbors also wrote that dog walkers should be Playground. held accountable for the trash and feces they fail to pick “We have a problem in this city that I don’t think this up. high number of dogs per walker really is able to address,” Mandy Smith, 20, a pre-nursing major, said she never said Avalos. saw a lot of dog walkers when she lived in the city. She Other commercial dog walkers were concerned about said she understood the city’s point of view but thought it the dog cap and how it would affect their businesses. was up to each individual’s personal responsibility as to Rob Kwant, co-owner of Who Let The Dogs Out! how many dogs they should walk.

Dog Walking company, said his main concern was the “It’s however many that person can handle,” Smith limit being proposed because a reduction of dogs being said. walked means a reduction of revenue, which significantly Avalos said at the meeting that he had reservations affects their livelihood. about the number of dogs per walker but felt the rest of He said their revenue goes back into the local San the ordinance was strong.

Francisco economy and community, which would also be “I think the rest of this legislation is really strong, affected.

02.22.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

10 S P O R T S PLAYER

AJ ALMAREZ

WEEK

BASEBALL

of the

Junior infielder AJ Almarez has been chosen as the Xpress Player of the Week.

In the last two games against Cal State Dominguez Hills, he had three RBIs and drove in six runs to contribute to the Gator’s consecutive wins. At the plate, Almarez was five for six and scored three times.

PHOTO BY TYLER DENISTON/SF STATE SPORTS

GATORS’ SPORTS SCHEDULE

STUDENTS WON’T SEE COMPLETED REC CENTER SCORES FROM THE LAST WEEK OF GATOR SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 22

SOFTBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SF State vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills at 5:30 p.m.

(San Francisco, Calif.)

MEN’S BASKETBALL SF State vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills at 7:30 p.m.

(San Francisco, Calif.)

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SF State vs.

Cal State LA at 5:30 p.m. (San Francisco, Calif.)

MEN’S BASKETBALL SF State vs.

Cal State LA at 7:30 p.m. (San Francisco, Calif.)

SOFTBALL SF State vs. Cal State San Diego at 12 p.m. (San Francisco, Calif.)

SATURDAY, FEB. 25 SOFTBALL SF State vs. San Diego State at 11 p.m. (San Francisco, Calif.)

BASEBALL SF State vs. Chico State at 11 a.m.

(Chico, Calif.)

SUNDAY, FEB. 26 BASEBALL SF State vs. Chico State at 11 a.m.

(Chico, Calif.)

Feb. 17 vs. Cal State San Bernardino 6-7

LOSS

Feb. 18 vs. Cal State San Bernardino 1-11

LOSS

Feb. 18 vs. Cal State San Bernardino 7-8

LOSS

FRIDAY, FEB. 24 BASEBALL SF State vs. Chico State at 2 p.m.

(Chico, Calif.)

LOSS

SHARED SPACE: SF State’s men’s volleyball club coach, Eric Ballelos, jumps up for a spike in a scrimmage. The team has limited time to play in the Gym, as they share the facility with the numerous sport activities. Photo by Sam Battles

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“No final decisions have been made about who will have access to the building beyond students,” said Ajani Byrd, director of campus recreation.

“Ideas (dealing) with alumni, faculty, staff and community members have not been established yet.”

The administration recently chose the current site of the Sutro Library over the currently abandoned School of the Arts site after the University determined that the Annex was too expensive to tear down.

“Sutro allows for outside components nearby to be built,” said Guy Dalpe, student center managing director. “The visual components are nice, you can see the ocean.”

The various groups spearheading the project still have some major decisions to make in the upcoming years. After selecting the Sutro Library site, the next step is to hire an architecture firm to design the center, after which the various amenities and recreation and wellness rooms can be determined.

According to Byrd, the student fees are final and the total projected cost will be between $80 million and $93 million. Future student enrollment, labor costs and the price fluctuation of various materials will affect the ultimate price tag.

“It’s around a $90 million building,” Byrd said.

“We have a budget, and we have to work within it or (students) vote to raise the fees.”

Franko Ali, vice president of university affairs for Associated Students Inc., said the project is 100 percent paid for by the student fee. The recreation department has put up the bond for construction and the money is a part of the student center account, held by the University.

“The only funding is from the student fees,” Ali said. “And in that way, it will be run by students.”

The fee proposal originated as a petition formed by the students who brought it to an advisory committee. Campus recreation, ASI and the student center got involved by working together to create a series of questionnaires before Fall 2010 to find out student interest in creating the center.

After a student poll approval, the advisory committee brought the proposal to President Robert

A. Corrigan, who approved it for the Fall 2010 semester.

Despite the additional costs of building the center, students who participate in club and intramural teams generally feel that additional space is needed and would allow a wider array of physical activities.

“I’m excited. I’d rather pay for this than a lot of other things because our facilities are really old,” said Samantha Rogers, the 22-year-old president of the women’s club volleyball. “But I’m sure a lot of people are not looking forward to the extra (fees).”

Others students feel that the money would be better served abridging some of the negative effects of the current budget crisis.

“I feel like that’s going to be a lot of wasted money,” said 21-year-old Mindy Gaines, a creative writing major. “Hell, we could just not have that fee increase at all.”

Though the center is still in the developmental stages, there are some features that are likely to be included. The current plans allocate 8,084 square feet for a multi-activity court that can be used for basketball, volleyball and other indoor sports.

Additionally, 18,000 square feet are committed to a weight and fitness space and 5,500 will be allotted for three multi-purpose group fitness studios, according to the most recent site analysis report.

“Nothing is finalized yet. We’re still in the early stages,” Byrd said. “A lot can change between now and 2015.”

In addition to recreational and wellness-based features, the plan allows for 13,180 square feet for events, including floor space and a stage.

“I want a place where students can socialize and have that student experience, a chance to get away from academics and take a break from studying and enjoy physical activity,” said Ryan Fetzer, intramural and sports club coordinator.

Dalpe maintains that many of the decisions will ultimately come down to the students because they expressed a need for a new recreation center.

“The reason this fee is in place is because we did listen to students,” Dalpe said. “You’ll be paying into it but you won’t have the luxury of using it.

Students have to extend themselves for the future of (the) campus and students.”

WIN

Feb. 17 vs. Cal State San Bernardino 5-2 Feb. 11 vs. Cal State Monterey Bay 57-76

MEN’S BASKETBALL WIN

Feb. 17 vs.

Humboldt State University 82-75

LOSS

Feb. 18 vs.

Sonoma State Universtiy 61-77

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL LOSS

LOSS

Feb. 16 vs.

Humboldt State 34-51 Feb. 18 vs.

Sonoma State University 43-46

BASEBALL LOSS

Feb. 17 vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills 4-11

WIN

Feb. 18 vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills

WIN

Feb. 19 vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills

| 02.22.12

O P I N I O N 11

GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

KELLY GOFF

Recreation center an arbitrary indulgence

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF kgoff@mail.sfsu.edu

SARA DONCHEY

ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR sdonchey@mail.sfsu.edu

STAFF EDITORIAL

SCOTT GRAF

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR sgraf99@mail.sfsu.edu

GODOFREDO VASQUEZ

MEDIA EDITOR gvasquez@mail.sfsu.edu

ART BY SARA DONCHEY | sdonchey@mail.sfsu.edu

NATALIE YEMENIDJIAN ART DIRECTOR nataliey@mail.sfsu.edu

MICHELLE OLSON

ONLINE COPY CHIEF maolson@mail.sfsu.edu

CASSIE BECKER

PRINT COPY CHIEF cassbeck@mail.sfsu.edu

TAMERRA GRIFFIN

CAMPUS EDITOR tgriffin@mail.sfsu.edu

LISA CARMACK

CITY EDITOR lcarmack@mail.sfsu.edu

HUNTER MULICH

A&E EDITOR hunter@mail.sfsu.edu

KC CROWELL

OPINION EDITOR kcrowell@mail.sfsu.edu

KEALAN CRONIN

SPORTS EDITOR kealancronin@mail.sfsu.edu

KRISSA STANTON

BREAKING NEWS EDITOR kstanton@mail.sfsu.edu

HENRY NGUYEN

PRINT PHOTO EDITOR nenhenry@mail.sfsu.edu

GIL RIEGO JR.

ONLINE PHOTO EDITOR griegojr@mail.sfsu.edu

JUAN DE ANDA

ASSISTANT CAMPUS EDITOR juand@mail.sfsu.edu

ELISSA TORRES

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR elissat@mail.sfsu.edu

MATT MAXION

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR mmaxion@mail.sfsu.edu

RACHELE KANIGEL

FACULTY ADVISER kanigel@mail.sfsu.edu

While President Robert A. Corrigan’s new pet project, “Student Voices,” enjoyed frontpage publicity last week in the San Francisco Chronicle as a way for students to voice their frustrations about CSU fee increases, another forgotten conflict over fees quietly continued its path through student pocketbooks.

The Student Recreation and Wellness Center, a student-funded project that will increase the space for club athletic groups and student use, was initially approved by Corrigan in March 2010 after a much-protested proposal by Associated Students, Inc. The complex, which currently carries an estimated price tag of $80 million on the low end and $93 million on the high end, is being funded by a gradually increasing fee that will be generated solely by students. For this year, students paid $35 each semester. That will jump to $90 each semester for the next academic year, and an appalling $160 each semester by the fall of 2015.

The process of approving the fee was met with resistance in 2010.

There was heated discussion surrounding the way that ASI sidestepped a student referendum to approve this fee. This argument has passed its expiration date. However, it is still worth debating what can be done to repair the damage and drop these fees.

According to those spearheading the current plan to construct the building on the site of the still-functional Sutro Library, the fee is set in stone.

That is not entirely true.

The fee was approved by President Corrigan after meeting with an advisory board comprised of ASI members, the Cesar Chavez Student Center and Campus Recreation representatives. This campus-based fee is enacted at the president’s discretion. What those involved fail to mention is that President Corrigan has the opportunity to repeal this fee.

According to the SF State Catalog, the University president may revisit campus-based fees either upon the suggestion of an advisory board or other sources if he so determines.

We’d like to step in and advise the president on this matter.

While the idea of a new center to support student health and wellness is an admirable goal, students simply cannot afford it right now.

It’s time to revisit this fee before we break ground on a project that is simply beyond our means (and wallets).

If you have been saving up for a new car and lose your job, guess what? That new car fund is suddenly re-named the rent fund.

For students who are so strapped for cash that they are willing to walk out, protest and write their legislators in anguish over a $500 tuition increase, an increasing fee that will in short time amount to $320 a year is just too much.

Additionally, when ASI proposed this project, it was said that alumni would have access to the facility, perhaps with a nominal fee attached. Now, even that access is in doubt.

Now we’re paying for something that most students currently attending the University won’t even see to fruition.

Mr. President, while we know that you are reaching the end of your tenure, please take a moment to think about what this money means to students, and reexamine this luxury that we cannot bear the burden of paying for.

This is simply just too much.

KEN KOBRE

PHOTO ADVISER kobre@kenkobre.com

JUSTIN OROZCO

CIRCULATION jaorozo@mail.sfsu.edu

ARUN UNNIKRASHNAN I.T. CONSULTANT arun@mail.sfsu.edu

KEEPING STUDENTS OUT OF THE LOOP

STAFF EDITORIAL

EVA CHARLES

ADVERTISING & BUSINESS echarles@mail.sfsu.edu

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SF State seems eager to find new ways to yet again fail to include students in the new presidential search.

SF State hosted the first and only public forum to discuss the selection of presidential candidates Monday, Feb. 20.

For an event with this kind of significance, it is more likely that the 31,990 students that missed out did so not because they did not care, but because they did not know about it.

According to California State University spokeswoman Stephanie Thara, it is the school’s responsibility to publicize the event.

If you ask the SF State University communications department whose responsibility this is, you will get another story.

Spokeswoman Nan Broadbent noted that, “The chancellor’s office’s job is to run the entire search. The chancellor’s office does everything.”

Broadbent also expressed that the University “felt good” about the efforts that were made to publicize the meeting, stating, “we felt we had covered all the bases.”

“My understanding is that the measures we took were the right measures to take,” said Broadbent.

If administrators consider a turnout of 10 students out of 32,000 a success, they would probably struggle to pass basic math classes at their own universities.

SF State’s feeble attempts to “publicize” this important gathering

included sending an email to faculty and staff, posting a bulletin on the University website and sending a few sentences to a local wire service, who chose not to publish the story.

You cannot call yourself a communications department if you are unwilling to communicate.

There are a multitude of things the University could’ve done to make the meeting more visible and accessible to students.

The University chose to host the meeting in the Seven Hills Conference Center, a very removed and little-known part of campus, instead of selecting a central and visible campus venue like any of the various conference accommodations in the Cesar Chavez Student Center.

There should be some attempt made to reach students directly, and SF State already has the tools in place to do so.

During a brief power outage Feb. 17, students were inundated with emails, texts and voicemails from the University alerting them of the issue. For this event that affected a mere 30 minutes of students’ lives, the University unleashed an arsenal of information. But for a decision that could change the face of SF State for the next twenty years or more -- silence.

The University cannot blame this failure on student apathy if students were never given a chance to be apathetic in the first place.

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