Golden Gate Xpress Fall 2012 Issue 1 by Golden Gate Xpress

After more than a decade of service, Charles B. Reed is leaving the university with a history of innovation BY ALEX EMSLIE | aemslie@mail.sfsu.edu

END OF AN ERA: CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed announced his retirement after a 14-year term. Photo by Nelson Estrada/ Special to Xpress

Chancellor Reed retires amid budget crisis Retiring California State University Chancellor Charles B. Reed will leave behind a sharply polarized legacy when the CSU Board of Trustees names a replacement for the highly decorated and often criticized administrator. Reed, who served as chancellor at the State University System of Florida for 13 years before starting his 14-year stint as CSU chancellor in 1998, is lauded by fellow higher education executives, politicians, leaders of corporate educational institutions and some student organizations for a history of innovation and inclusion at the CSU. “As a former associated student executive officer, alumnus of the CSU system, and current chair of the Latino Caucus, it has been my pleasure to work with Chancellor Reed,” California State Assemblymember Ricardo Lara wrote to the CSU following Reed’s retirement announcement in May. “I thank him for his commitment and dedication to our

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students and celebrate his leadership in cultivating one of the largest and most diverse university systems in the country.” Others — like the California Faculty Association, politically active SF State students and at least one California senator — see Reed’s legacy as one tainted by corruption, inflated administrator pay and a fundamental disregard of the CSU’s mission to provide top-quality, affordable higher education to the state’s working people. “Chancellor Reed leaves behind a legacy of corruption,” Paul Murre, president of the California College Democrats and SF State political science major, said. “There was no accountability for continued pay increases in times of increased financial duress in the CSU.” Reed was paid a $254,000 annual salary when he was hired in 1998, according to CSU salary schedule documents. Since then, the CSU Board of

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Trustees has approved seven salary increases for the chancellor, bringing Reed’s current salary to $421,500 per year, plus provided housing and a $30,000 yearly expense account. The board also approved nine undergraduate tuition hikes since 2001, raising the price to attend a CSU from a yearly $1,428 to $5,472, according to the CSU budget office. “Why is the chancellor of the CSU making more than the governor of California or the president of the United States?” asked Phil Klasky, an SF State lecturer and member of the San Francisco State University’s CFA Executive Board. “They have lost any modicum of dedication to quality public education. It’s outrageous.” SEE REED ON PAGE 2

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VOLUME LXXXXIV ISSUE 1

Bookstore makes shift for profit The SFSU Bookstore has gone corporate after more than half a century of nonprofit management BY BRAD WILSON | bradw949@mail.sfsu.edu

OR THE FIRST TIME IN 58 YEARS, the SFSU Bookstore has gone from a nonprofit to being managed by Follett Higher Education Group, a family owned corporation. The University will maintain ownership of The Bookstore while Follett is used as a contractor for management. Every year a percentage of the total revenue will be paid by Follett back into SF State. There is no fixed percentage. “It takes the risk away from the University,” said Agnes Wong-Nickerson, associate vice president of fiscal affairs at SF State. “It doesn’t matter what the expenses are, we still get a share based on the sales number.” This contract also includes a minimum guarantee clause. According to Wong-Nickerson, who also works as UCorp chief operating and financial officer, estimates around a $700,000 share after expenses are taken out for the first year of partnership. This formula creates a steady stream of revenue for the school. Follett will also contribute $10,000 to a scholarship

CHANGING HANDS: Students line up in the student center to get inside The Bookstore, which is beginning its first semester of management by Follett Corporation, a for-profit organization that owns nearly a thousand campus bookstores across the country. Photo by Virginia Tieman

fund every year, allowing SF State to decide how to distribute and award the scholarships. Details about where the money will go have not yet been worked out, according to Wong-Nickerson. Speculation about outside management returned June 2011, when the now defunct Franciscan Shops learned about the request for proposals issued by UCorp. Follett announced this new partnership in June and officially began management July 1. Follett operates bookstores on 10 other CSU campuses and more than 930 nationwide. The budget crisis and economy played a role in the decision to bring in outside management, said Robert Strong, general manager of The Bookstore, who has been with Franciscan Shops since the ‘70s. “The University is starving for cash. The budget crisis is looming and it affects every corner of the campus,” Strong said. “So the University has been turning over every rock looking for every possible opportunity for revenue to supplement the shortages in the general fund which is what pays for the salaries for the teachers that teach the classes.” The way the marketplace is now would not allow a drastic raise in textbook prices, according to Strong. This

new contract would not allow Follett to go outside of its profit margin and start raising prices. “Textbooks increase in price every year,” Strong said. “You might be looking at the textbooks this fall, and look at it a year ago and say ‘Hey, how come Follett is charging more?’ Well, textbooks on average for the last 20 years have exceeded inflation.” Pam Parsons, the store manager at Sacramento State University, which is also managed by Follett, said that her university has held to its contract agreement and has not tried to price its textbooks based on any other criteria. “We’ve seen Follett consistently search for programs that will add value and savings to our student bookstore,” Parsons said. “For instance, it has been with Follett that we’ve been able to introduce alternative text options like e-books and text rentals to our schools.” Follett recently launched a new program called includED, which offers textbooks with tuition or a single fee. Students can opt into this program and pay a fee SEE FOLLETT ON PAGE 15

OTHELLO: MOOR of VENICE SEE TRAGEDY PAGE

SURFACED THEMES: Brett Hunt plays Othello in this student-directed retelling of the classic “Othello: Moor of Venice.” PHOTO BY Sam Battles

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SF STATE SPEAKS OUT What advice would you give to an incoming freshman?

STEWART MERRITT, 26 HUMANITIES MAJOR

Get out of the little bubble that is San Francisco State. Go check the real town of San Francisco and try to get yourself integrated into that scene a little bit.

LUPE DÍAZ, 25

LIBERAL ARTS MAJOR

Leave your iPods at home, or at least take them out of your ears. Socialize. Don’t just talk to people in your own race; it’s very diverse here so interact with different people. And study abroad!

STEPHANIE RITTEN FINE ARTS MAJOR

Speak up when they’re not happy with the way the system is going and with what’s happening with the CSUs. Be socially active and participate in the community.

GUTHRIE ALLEN, 22 SOCIOLOGY MAJOR

Be weary. Don’t walk slowly. Get the most important classes you need out of the way as soon as you can, or you won’t get them ever. Or just don’t go to class, stay home and let me get out of here. Reporting and photos by: Jeff Sandstoe

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Year 1997-1998 1998-1999 1999-2000 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012

Reed leaves mixed legacy to CSU CSU Chancellor Compensation

Tuition

$254,004 $266,700 $285,360 $305,340 $311,448 $316,692 $316,692 $362,500 $377,000 $421,500 $421,500 $421,500 $421,500 $421,500

Reed led the CSU system through an era of cuts to the university’s state funding. In the past four years alone, Sacramento legislators have slashed more than $1 billion from the university system’s coffers, according to the CSU’s budget history publication. At the same time, enrollment in the CSU system has grown, adding 100,000 yearly students since Reed took office in 1998. The chancellor pioneered programs reaching out to California high school juniors and military personnel. He oversaw the development of an educational doctorate degree and worked with the state’s community college system to streamline the transfer process. He is credited by several orga-

$1,428 $1,572 $2,046 $2,520 $2,520 $2,772 $3,048 $4,026 $4,440 $5,472

nizations serving Latino/a and Asian and Pacific Islander populations with increasing the diversity of the CSU’s student body and upholding the university’s goal of providing an elite education to underserved Californians. Reed received numerous accolades throughout his career. But the final few months of Reed’s administration were embroiled with controversy. A KCBS Los Angeles investigation in May uncovered thousands of dollars spent by the CSU on high-end catering and dining for administrators, including nearly $2,000 in wine alone, at least some of which was funded by taxpayer money. And the CSU spent more than $1 million remodeling homes provid-

ed to campus presidents over the past year, according to an Associated Press report. It’s not the first time that the CSU chancellor’s office has been accused of misusing taxpayer funds. A California State Auditor report released in late 2009 found that an unnamed high-ranking official in the chancellor’s office received $152,441 in improper expense reimbursements between 2005 and 2008. The state auditor charged that the official was not adequately supervised and that the university “failed to follow long-established policies and procedures designed to ensure accuracy and adequate control of expenses.” The chancellor’s office response pointed out that, although the cost of the dinner was charged to a CSU credit card, the entire cost was reimbursed by the private David and Lucile Packard Foundation. “The KCBS investigation was full of inaccuracies that misrepresented the work of Dr. Reed and the chancellor’s office,” CSU spokeswoman Liz Chapin said. “To infer an abuse of taxpayer money speaks to a lack of journalistic integrity that is prevalent in that KCBS story.” The chancellor’s office has instituted close to $49 million in cost saving measures over the past few years in response to massive cuts in funding from the state, according to Chapin, and the KCBS report focused on small costs that were instituted as part of that larg-

er cost-saving effort. Spokesman for State Senator Ted Lieu’s office Ray Sotero said he would not be surprised if the senator introduces legislation concerning CSU administrator spending in the next legislative session. Despite the controversy surrounding the end of his term, Reed looked back fondly when he announced his retirement May 24. “I have been honored to sign more than a million diplomas. I take great pride in the CSU’s mission to serve California’s students, and I am proud to have played a role in carrying out that mission during these critical years,” Reed wrote in his retirement announcement. Murre and Klasky will not miss Reed’s leadership of the CSU. “The next chancellor has to be an advocate for education,” Klasky said. “The next chancellor has to have a strong orientation in social justice and be willing to go to the legislature and advocate for public education.” The Special Committee for the Selection of the Chancellor, comprised of eight members of the CSU Board of Trustees, expects to finalize its selection sometime this fall, said Stephanie Thara, spokeswoman at the CSU Office of Public Affairs. Thara confirmed that Reed will serve as chancellor until the committee selects a replacement. The CSU continues to seek public feedback through its website.

Campus employment offers connections, experience BY VIKRAM SINGH | vpsingh@mail.sfsu.edu

“Now Hiring.” The phrase can be both a blessing and a curse. These words, especially when posted on the internet, lure many lost, confused and discouraged job seekers into possible scams and inevitable dead ends. Fortunately for students, SF State offers solutions to unemployment that can give students professional experience for the future. “I enjoy working here,” said Garrett Deese, a 29-year-old senior marketing major and marketing manager for the student center. “The center gives students a laboratory to apply the skills learned in class in the morning to real life in the afternoon. The entire staff is very supportive and well-versed on how to deal with students. They know how to give students the freedom to express their ideas but also give them direction to get the work that needs to be done, done.” Outside of the student center, many departments around campus are looking for students to assist with special projects. One such project, the International Education Week put on by the Office of International Programs, can bolster a student’s reputation within a department. Employees can benefit from written recommendations from University staff and professional ties once they graduate. Gina Caprari, a 24-year-old graduate student in English literature who works as the administrative office coordinator for the anthropology department, maintains that tenacity is the key to employment. “Don’t just settle for GatorJOBS,” Caprari said. “Even if you think you might not qualify, you should still apply, because many of you really are (qualified). You never know.” The J. Paul Leonard Library is another source of employment, according to Byanka Fontes, a senior psychology major who works as a barista at Peet’s Coffee & Tea in the library. “It’s a fun job, but sometimes you have to wake up at like 6:30 a.m.,” Fontes said. “You make great tips though and it’s convenient

CRIME BLOTTER

Quasi-truthful events that happen at SF State

06.02 through 08.29 By Brad Wilson and Cassie Becker

WORK IT OUT: SF State psychology student Byanka Fontes works on campus as a barista at Peet’s inside J. Paul Leonard Library. Photo by Tearsa Joy Hammock

because it’s on campus.” Before Peet’s, Fontes worked for the department of child and adolescent development for the College of Health and Social Sciences as a receptionist. Part-time and full-time jobs are available, but internships can be a vital link between ‘freelancing’ and employment. Hunter Smith, a communications studies major and senior, experienced the value of the SF State Career Center and GatorJOBS websites firsthand. “GatorJOBS worked out for me during the summer. I found internships for two summers. I never actually went to the career center, but the website helped out,” Smith said. When a publicity project manager position opened up at the student center, 21-year-old Smith jumped at the opportunity. Now, he looks forward to working with staff and promoting activities at the student center. For students who haven’t found the right job yet, the University will hold a job fair Thursday, Sept. 6 in the quad from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a graduate school fair Oct. 4 in the quad from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tearsa Joy Hammock contributed to this report.

Go Big or Go Home Officers stopped a subject under the influence at Gonzalez Drive Aug. 9. When police searched the vehicle, officers found the subject was in possession of marijuana, cocaine and hashish, likely gearing up for a party worthy of National Lampoon. Probably issuing the same lame excuse of “I don’t know how that got there, bro,” the subject was taken into custody and transported to SFPD Mission Station for a blood draw and the vehicle was towed. Way to harsh the buzz.

Let’s Pedaddle A bicycle was stolen from the Thornton Hall bike racks between 1:45 p.m. and 4:05 p.m. July 2. Police reported the subject’s total loss was $1525. Dear hipster bicycle connoisseurs, remember to purchase a bicycle lock that no one has ever heard of instead of one from Buffalo Exchange. Not only will a thief not be able to break it, your hipster self will still be far away from the mainstream. In the meantime, drown your sorrows in some PBR.

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4 CAMPUS

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Les Wong: In his own words Among the new faces on campus this semester will be Dr. Leslie E. Wong, SF State’s new president. Golden Gate Xpress Editor-in-chief Kale Williams sat down with him to discuss adapting to city life, executive compensation and Wong’s vision for the future of SF State. SF State spokeswoman Ellen Griffin also sat in on the meeting. The following are excerpts from the interview. GOLDEN GATE XPRESS: How has the transition to San Francisco gone so far and what are your favorite and least favorite parts of city life so far? LESLIE E. WONG: It’s been a little easier because it’s coming home for me, even though I was raised on the Oakland side in the East Bay. Certainly getting used to parking, parking, parking. No matter where you go, on campus, downtown. Luckily my driving skills haven’t gone away so that’s been an easy adjustment. I am thoroughly excited by the diversity on campus. It’s wonderful to go into Cesar Chavez center and hear Spanish, Chinese, Mandarin, Cantonese, to hear other languages. It’s a good reminder that an education is for the world. It’s not just for you or for your family, although that is important, but it’s about understanding the world and being a part of it. I’ve really enjoyed that part of it.

behind a legacy of campus expansion here at SF State. What do you hope to leave as your legacy? LW: My world begins and ends with the student experience and if I’m able to leave a legacy of a dynamic curriculum where our students are on every continent, in every state and making a difference in all the local communities, and we have as many students winning humanitarian awards as winning All-American awards, I’ll be a happy guy. For me, the whole student experience is about becoming a great citizen and knowing that somewhere along the line in our lives, yours, there is going to be a first grader who

GGX: What is a typical day like for you? LW: I readily admit that I am not a morning person, so I usually try to get in to campus somewhere between 8 and 8:30 and the meetings start pretty soon thereafter. One of my habits is, I really plan for an hour in the middle of the day just to think through things, issues that address the student experience and faculty. Sometimes it’s good to get away from the phones and technology and all of that stuff and just say “Am I thinking straight about certain things?” And then the meetings start again. I’m trying to get around to meet department heads, unit heads. There are certain departments that have wonderful reputations, which is almost every department on campus, and just trying to get close to meeting those folks that do such a great job.

It really is about me making sure I am a catalyst for a new vision for San Francisco State.

GGX: President Corrigan left

“ Les Wong, President of San Francisco State University

is going to say “I want to be like you.” When you’re the editor of a newspaper or off doing important things, some young person is going to say “That’s the job I want.” GGX: What would you say is at the top of your priority list as you get started here in your first year at SF State? LW: In March we’ll be meeting with our accreditation people and we’ll be talking about the fu-

ture and how that finds some reality in the strategic plan. I want to talk with everyone about their aspirations. When I met with the provost council, that was my first comment to them, you have to make sure that I understand the future that you guys see. I’ve asked the enrollment management people, I’d like to know who our aspirational peers are because, with accreditation, they typically benchmark you against your traditional peers. For me that’s not good enough. I want to know who we think represents best practices and lets benchmark ourselves against that group. Students should also be thinking about “How can we can contribute to campus life now?” It’s less about me defining the vision, and it really is about me making sure I am a catalyst for a new vision for San Francisco State. GGX: There was quite a bit of criticism of the CSU trustees when they approved a 10 percent raise that you got over President Corrigan. I’m wondering what your response is to that criticism? ELLEN GRIFFIN: Can I just correct, that it was actually 9 percent. LW: San Francisco State is one of the most prestigious campuses in the country. When they asked if I would consider applying, I did. I interviewed. They offered me the job and I took it. I don’t do things for money and I just said “Be fair.” In today’s world executive salaries are competitive. So I’ll just leave it at that. I understand the controversy because students are paying more. My commitment is that we’re going to work really hard to raise money for students. We’re going to make sure that access and affordability remain at the forefront of every decision we make. So I can understand the controver-

A NEW DIRECTION : Following a 24-year term served by Robert A. Corrigan, University President Leslie E. Wong, former president of Northern Michigan University, has recently begun his first year at SF State. Photo by Sam Battles

sy, but for me, there are a lot of different things that represent whether the compensation for a president meets the expectations. GGX: What is your stance on the tax initiatives that will be coming up in November, specifically Proposition 30? LW: California is going through a budget reduction in two years that, in Michigan, took nearly nine. It interferes with how we plan, how we make decisions about the size of the freshman class. I think Prop. 30, I hope people are informed about it, I hope students get informed about it. It has a lot of ripples in terms of course availability. It has a lot of ripples about access. I don’t tell students what they should or shouldn’t do because one of my tenets is that students ought to own their own mind. I feel very good about what we did in Michigan to make sure that every legislative battle that we supported or not in some way enhances the student experience. Sometimes that required students to get out and vote as well. I hope students get informed and I hope they vote. The chips will fall where they ought. It’s one of those things where Prop. 30 needs to be well understood. GGX: So if Prop. 30 doesn’t pass and the trigger cuts go into effect, what is your contingency

plan to deal with a further reduction in state funds? LW: I’ve already asked the vice presidents, in that event, let’s think through “What do we do if it doesn’t pass?” We protect the curriculum to the best we can. Let’s try to contain costs the best we can. This will sound odd, but how entrepreneurial can we be? To create and support revenue streams that will help us with the first two items, to help students and to keep our costs down. You don’t often hear that from college presidents, but I think the new economy is asking us to be entrepreneurial and to ask our students to be that way as well. GGX: Do you have any sort of general statement that you want to pass along to our readers? LW: I hope that students will see that I’m really about their experience. That I can honor their work by being present. I’ll be at volleyball games, I’ll be at theater presentations. When I was young and playing baseball my father worked his buns off creating opportunity for us, and for him to be dog tired and to show up to watch me play baseball, that was all I needed. To read the entire interview with Dr. Wong, visit www.goldengatexpress.org.

Faculty union one step closer to ratifying contract with CSU

“

BY CRISTINA RAMOS | cjramos@mail.sfsu.edu

Members of the California Faculty Association are currently voting on a tentative conOther changes to the agreement will affect short-term lecturers providing them with tract agreement with the California State University. The association agreed not to strike if the more job stability. Lecturers who have taught for six years and received positive feedCSU Board of Trustees ratifies the contract at its meeting in September. back will receive three-year appointments instead of one-year. AdditionIn May, the CFA announced that 95 percent of all CSU faculties ally, lecturers with one-year appointments will be given preference over were in favor of striking if the contract did not fulfill their requests candidates who don’t have appointments. regarding compensation and workload. “You can’t hire and fire,” Klasky said regarding lecturer job security. After two years of negotiations and the fear of all 23 CSU cam“This will ensure higher standards for teaching and for students.” puses participating in a rolling strike the CFA and the CSU reached a An issue that has been talked about previously is the difference in pay tentative agreement July 31. between instructors with seniority and newly-hired instructors. The new agreement will run through June 2014 once the CSU and The equity pay program allows pay raises and deductions to instructors the CFA have ratified it. who have been teaching longer than those recently hired. With the tenta“I was so relieved,” SF State lecturer and CFA member Phil Klasky tive contract, the campus president will have authority over this provision. SF State should said in regards the tentative agreement. “The last thing we want to do SF State President Leslie E. Wong agreed the tentative contract agreebe very proud of is fight the administration. We should be working together.” ment was a success for faculty, administration and students. itself. We stopped The agreement left out any salary increases for 2010-11 and 2011“I also think that a tentative agreement allows both sides to get behind the administra12, but will open up the possibility of raises for 2012-13 and 2013-14. Prop. 30 with a unified voice to address the public’s concerns about access tion from take“The tentative agreement acknowledges the time we’re in and recand affordability and thus pass the initiative to avoid further cuts,” Wong aways that would ognizes our economic situation,” CSU spokesman Erik Fallis said. said in an email. have degraded In addition to recognizing the financial status of public education, The CFA members are voting on the tentative contract agreement public education. changes to instructor evaluations will include moving the process through Aug. 30 and the CSU Board of Trustees will discuss it at the Sept. from paper to online. 18-19 meeting where they take up ratification of the contract. Phil Klasky, “It’s important for the CSU to catch up with technology and this “SF State should be very proud of itself. We stopped the administration SF State lecturer and CFA will allow online evaluations to faculty and courses,” Fallis said. from takeaways that would have degraded public education,” Klasky said. member

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THE INS & OUTS A WEEKLY SEX COLUMN BY CASSIE BECKER

Going for a second round not always as easy as 1, 2, 3

DON’T KNOW ABOUT EVERYONE else, but summer left me recharged and ready to go for round two of this delicious column. And so we’ll begin the semester with a little discussion about round two sex. Let’s take a moment to recap what happens toward the end of round one. An orgasm takes you in a delicious release of endorphins, you spend a few seconds floating in euphoria, and then fall back to the world to meet a fuzzy cloud of post-climactic bliss. Here’s where plenty of couples reach an issue — while women tend to be good to go again almost immediately, men can be sated, sleepy and ready for a break. This is because men and women have different biological responses to orgasm. “Blood is propelled out of an erect penis during the spasms of orgasm via a concentrated network of veins. There is no such single concentrated vein pathway from a woman’s erect clitoris and labia, so blood flows in and out of her erectile tissues more readily, facilitating repeated

orgasms,” according to Cathy Winks and Anne Semans in “The Good Vibrations Guide to Sex.” What this basically means is that after an orgasm, women are still biologically set up for another orgasm and are still sexually aroused — so you lucky lesbians pretty much never have to stop. But SF State peer sexual health educator Deirdra Bridgett says that this is not the case for every woman. “Some women can and some women can’t. It just depends on the woman,” she says, referring to the differences in each woman’s sexual appetite. Regardless, “most women don’t need a refractory period. In fact, refractory period is not associated with most women.” Instead, a refractory period — the recovery period of time following an orgasm in which it is impossible to have another orgasm — is associated with men because, as the “Guide to Sex” says, the blood leaves the penis during an orgasm. This means the penis is really sensitive following an orgasm and he can’t get another erection until after the refractory period has run its course, which could be anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.

But don’t despair, horny ladies and gents! There’s an abundance of activities to kill time. If your guy is the type who gets turned on by an intimate connection, feel free to cuddle and caress your way through the refractory period — but make sure to avoid the sensitive genital region. If round one was hard and fast, this approach could be especially welcome. Also try an intense make out session or let him spoil you with oral or manual sex. Or experiment to your libidos’ content. No matter what, most guys will eventually find themselves rearing to go — and the refractory period teasing will have you both begging for more. Since breaking up with her inner prude, Cassie Becker has done it all. Her interest in sexual exploration has led her to write several blogs and break even more beds. She’s extensively researched and written about it - all with a sexy smile.

6 CITY

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SFMTA may add parking meters to streets around T SF State

FEED ME: Aaron Ghandi, 27, post-baccalaureate medical student inserts coins into a meter on Holloway Avenue. With the possibility of more parking meters coming to SF State and the surrounding neighborhoods, students may have a harder time finding free parking. Photo by Jeff Sandstoe

Agency looks into the possibility of installing meters to encourage use of public transportation

BY ALEX EMSLIE | aemslie@mail.sfsu.edu

HE SAN FRANCISCO MUNICIPAL Transportation Agency could use streets around SF State as a future site for additional parking meters, but it’s unlikely drivers will be willing to pay for what are now free parking spaces anytime soon. “We have no concrete plans to install the meters at SF State, but are certainly vetting the concept with various stakeholders and soliciting input,” said SFMTA spokesman Paul Rose in an email. The SFMTA did not respond to requests for the review, and did not clarify how the agency is considering the concept with stakeholders. There are currently 61 full-size metered parking spaces and 22 motorcycle metered parking spaces near SF State campus. All are clustered on the southern side of SF State, on Holloway Avenue and Tapia Drive. Of the full-size metered parking spaces, 20 have a 30-minute time limit. The other 41 have a 2-hour limit. Both types of metered spaces have the same rate – $2 per hour. “The meters aren’t even worth it because of the time limits,” SF State international business major Tawfiq Kaileh, 31,

BART gives cyclists a trial period BY CRISTINA RAMOS | cjramos@mail.sfsu.edu

Many Bay Area commuters will be relieved to see the BART bicycle pilot program end Friday, Aug. 31, while others believe the program will support cyclists and the environment. Throughout August, BART conducted a pilot program that lifted the restriction of bringing bicycles on board during commuting hours each Friday of the month. However, the usual restrictions regarding bicycles on crowded trains and in aisles or doorways remained in place during the pilot program. “We wanted to remove the restrictions in a controlled way and find out what everyone thinks,” BART spokesman Jim Allison said. The bicycle pilot program was designed to see how traffic and commuters are affected by bicycles on board, especially during heavy commuting hours, according to Allison. August was chosen for the program due to lighter summer traffic. According to Allison, the motivation for the program started a year ago when Grace Crunican was appointed general manager of San Francisco BART. Crunican wanted to look into lifting bicycle restrictions since it was an issue that was frequently brought up by commuters. As a result, BART teamed up with both the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and East Bay Bicycle Coalition to design a pilot program that

“ The bikes make it very crowded. The cyclists are angry and the commuters are angry. Pema Guyalpo Commuter on BART

said, adding that more parking meters would greatly affect his ability to get to class. “Public transportation isn’t an economical option.” Kaileh, who commutes to school from Belmont, Calif., would pay $11.60 per day in combined BART and Muni fares, compared to the less than $8 he spends per day in gas getting to and from school. He would still have to drive from his home to the nearest BART station. The possibility of adding parking meters around the campus was the result of an SFMTA city-wide review of on-street parking regulations, Rose said, insisting that idea was not a revenue-driven one, but would instead be an attempt to encourage greater use of public transportation. SF State business administration major Jimmy Kim, 23, said he doesn’t like the way the SFMTA targets drivers and doesn’t believe the agency’s services justify increasing fares for public transit users like himself, and increased parking fees and tickets for drivers. Kim said he spends about $60 per month riding the Muni M line to SF State. “I disagree with almost everything the SFMTA is doing,” Kim said.

TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS: Arian Solberg commutes to the East Bay with his fold-up bicycle. The August program allowed cyclists to bring bikes on board during rush hours. Photo by Tearsa Joy Hammock

would help bicyclists commute. “I’m from Chicago so I think it’s good. It helps people with commuting and cutting down on pollution,” Cornel Buckner, a BART commuter, said. Buckner said it hasn’t affected his commute and doesn’t mind sharing a car with cyclists. However, not all commuters agree. Pema Guyalpo commutes on BART almost every day. He said it’s difficult traveling with bicycles on board because they tend to block doorways. “The bikes make it very crowded. The cyclists are angry and the commuters are angry,” Guyalpo said. The agency had already received approximately 3,000 comments by the third Friday of August through the BART website. “We are encouraging people to do the survey,” Allison said. According to Allison, the surveys will be calculated by BART’s research team and they expect to have completed evaluations sometime in November. As of Sept. 1, the agency will go back to enforcing its bicycle restrictions during heavy commute hours.

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8 ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

08.29.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG

The Fashion Blueprint Fashion connoisseur Bryan Vo outlines ways to avoid the fashion walk of shame. It’s true, you are what you wear and for him, every day is a runway.

Effortless fall fashion for the first impression It’s not easy pulling a figure-flattering outfit from a messy closet when you’re late for school. Don’t decide between your dad’s vintage button-up and your mom’s snagged knitted sweater. Drop those garments and step back. This weekly style consultant is here to help you make a good impression the first week of school. Here’s a cheat sheet to study for basic back-to-school trends. Let’s keep it bold and basic. Nothing says effortless better than simplicity. Monochromatic looks made up of one color scheme are sleek and sharp. Ladies, a casual floral tank with some high-waisted white denim is fresh and easy. Not only is it simple, it’s bright enough to make it to class without looking like a dingy mop. Want to make your outfit scream? Nothing yells out “Look at my pants!” quite like a pair of jet-black leggings or some colored denim, especially when topped with an oversized mesh sweater. This will give a more polished look that still keeps a breezy summer vibe — without looking clammy. Tribal patterns — a series of geometric shapes, lines and colors in a rippled form — are something you can’t avoid. It’s been huge this past season and the trend continues. Don’t own prints? Opt out for a knitted tunic. Go for solid knits for a more luxe look. Gentlemen, please save the graphic tees and the shabby pullover sweater for a rainy day. Don’t blow it on the first day with a wrinkled shirt you have yet to iron. Plaid shirts and button-ups are pleasing to the eye. Even a basic pocket tee tucked into fitted chinos will transform you from a dinghy to a dreamboat that all the ladies will be clamoring to board! Or try black or heather-grey henleys. Throw on a destructed jean jacket to add some style without looking stale. This is an outfit guys can put in their regular rotation — fast, cool and comfortable. Plaid shorts, rhinestone graphics and the loose-fitting baggy jeans are fashion fails for both genders. These are tacky looks whose time has come and gone — there’s a reason why they should stay in the past. Push your style boundaries and try something different. Show some color, rock those textures and don’t lose that high-octane shot of style. Get ready for a stylish semester.

LEFT: April Fritz (left) portrays the misogynistic Cassio and Michael Zavala (right) plays the deceitful Iago in this post-apocalyptic version of “Othello: Moor of Venice.” Photo by Sam Battles RIGHT: Cassio’s same-sex relationship with mistress Bianca, played by Tricia Brooks, raises new themes. Photo by Adrian Rodriguez

THEATER

Web of lies spins motifs BY ADRIAN RODRIGUEZ | arrodrig@mail.sfsu.edu

OR THE PEOPLE OF VENICE AND Cyprus — the survivors at least — only a void existed. Civilization was abandoned and brutalized by a catastrophe capsizing everything familiar. In this post-apocalyptic world, hope lay within the gentle Moor, Othello, but the unknown consumed him. With his heart distressed by an infectious jealousy that challenged his masculinity, evil seeped deep within him, rotting out all that was good. One of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies, “Othello: Moor of Venice” is as timeless as it is classic and SF State grad student Steve Bologna revs up the department of the theatre arts’ fall season with his version of the play showcasing the poet’s relevance in a contemporary fashion. “The idea that I had was if we had a chance to start over, given some sort of world decimation, what choices would we make,” Bologna said. In his collegiate directorial debut, the 36-year-old Bologna chose “Othello” as his master’s degree creative project. Surfacing new themes by pulling elements from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Otello” and Niccolo Machiavelli’s “The Prince,” Bologna places his Othello in an unknown future where the senate is controlled by women, and the most intelligent warrior, Cassio, is also a woman. “It creates some interesting issues,” Bologna said. “(Cassio) being a womanizer in fact and having a woman play that role breaks down certain barriers.” Bologna explained that before he held auditions, he knew this was a theme he wanted to explore. He intentionally sought out a female actor to play the misogynistic Cassio, portrayed by SF State alumna April Fritz. Juliana Lustenader, a senior who plays Desdemona, said the women in Bologna’s version challenge the “typical Elizabethan female” who is normally associated with Shakespeare’s characters. The fact that Cassio is a woman creates a new level of jealousy for Othello when he questions the relationship between his wife Desdemona and Cassio. “Instead of it being, ‘My wife is cheating on me with another man, my wife is cheating on me with a woman! What does that say about me?’” Lustenader said. Bologna also stresses the theme of Machiavellian rhetoric that is enhanced through his use of the character Iago, played by senior Michael Zavala. “(Iago) illustrates his tactics very clearly and that is a type of psychotic personality that is very unique and probably even more scary than someone that is just plain old-fashioned evil,” Bologna said. “That got me very excited about what he talks about and how he talks about how he manipulates people on stage, but at the same time he is manipulating an audience.” Assistant director Andrew Akraboff, who also plays Brabantio,

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said, “It’s sort of that high-class opera being torn down by this post-apocalyptic world that we are setting it in.” Akraboff said that manipulation is a highlighted theme pulled from the Machiavellian idea. “There’s a lot more focus on Iago and how he’s playing everybody to get his ends and everybody’s just sort of a fly caught in his web of lies,” he said. Bologna said it has been a blessing to be able to come back to SF Sate. He has the freedom to work on projects like “Othello,” where he is researching, directing and inserting his own criticism. Since Bologna finished his undergrad at SF State in 2004 and received a bachelor’s degree in theater with an emphasis on performance, he has been up and down the West Coast working for various film and production agencies from Oregon to Los Angeles. He has worked as an actor in semi-professional and professional environments and though he has more than 20 years of experience under his belt, Bologna found it necessary to return to SF State to finalize the academic career he started. “Part of the benefit of master’s of arts in drama is that it’s very attractive to community college theater,” said Bologna, describing how he would love to teach at the community college level. Hitting the acting circuit and resurrecting his old production company are two of his goals, but teaching theater is his true passion. “I wanted to help actors like myself get transferred and make them very technically prepared for four-year programs and in turn be more prepared for master’s programs,” Bologna said. Thus far in his master’s program, Bologna works with the intention of earning his degree in drama with an emphasis on directing. Therefore his master’s creative project, “Othello” is his creation and vision where he gets to teach, direct and learn from his fellow students. Stage manager and senior Sara Ramos said Bologna has really made the production a collaborative effort that the entire cast and crew benefits from. “Working with Steve I tend to forget that it’s really even a student production because he is really on top of his stuff,” she said. “It’s nice to have someone who I can work well confidently with and ask questions and get sort of a rapport with.” Bologna wanted to create a fun environment but also ensure professionalism. After auditions and casting last spring, rehearsals started mid-July to ease the transition into the student production. “It was very important to me to make sure that this project had either recent graduates or people that were still in the student body,” said Bologna. “I wanted to ensure that (I was) educating at the same time which is my primary focus.” “Othello” opens Thursday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. and runs through Saturday, Sept. 1 and will be performed in the Studio Theatre in the Creative Arts Building at SF State. Admission is $5 and free to all theatre majors.

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Cinema student’s Wonderland waltz BY SEAN REICHHOLD | spreichh@mail.sfsu.edu

CINEMATIC: SF State transfer student Chandra Reyes wrote and directed the award-winning short film ”Behind Shattered Glass.” Photo by Godofredo Vasquez

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YOUNG WOMAN with painted-black hair awakens inside a square, checkerboard room — and she is not alone. She is being watched by an anthropomorphic hare, a young man wearing a white waistcoat and a tall, top-hatted man who looks decidedly mad. We know this young woman’s name is Alice, but not because she has told us. We might be able to guess what is in store for Alice during her time in this place, but this Wonderland seems frightening, aloof and disinterested in her wandering. This is no typical Alice, and she is not in a typical Wonderland. This is “Behind Shattered Glass,” and it is a personal vision written and directed by SF State transfer student Chandra Reyes. Reyes has always wanted to be involved in something theatrical. From working on the sets of stage productions to directing her own award-winning short film, Reyes continues her journey of artistic expression studying film at SF State this fall. Reyes, a 24-year-old Orange County native, recently won Best of the Festival at the CCSF City Shorts Film Festival for her short film, “Behind Shattered Glass.” The film is Reyes’ personal interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” The film, which clocks in at roughly nine minutes is a monochrome, calculated and surreal waltz through a forested Wonderland, and features an older, matured Alice who seems to be in search of something lost rather than trying to find a way out. Out of more than 80 submissions to the community college festival, 10 were selected for screening, and Reyes’ film took the top prize. “I’ve loved movies ever since I was little,” Reyes said. “I’ve been very into storytelling and sharing my ideas about things, and I feel that movies are the best way to do that.” Laura Chenault, Reyes’ director of photography for her last two projects, said, “(The film) was a lot of fun to make. It’s a very common story told in a different way, told as a love story.” Reyes said she has obsessed over Alice her whole life.

“I feel that everyone has their own take on ‘Alice in Wonderland’ inside of them, and this is my take,” she said. Chenault enjoys working with Reyes due to her focus, communication skills and demeanor. “Ask anyone in her crew and they’ll say so. She’s inspiring,” Chenault said. Reyes grew up in La Habra, Calif., where she was involved in theater until she moved to San Francisco where she has lived and studied for the past five years. She chose film as the focus of her education shortly after she enrolled at City College of San Francisco, where she graduated last spring. She will continue her film education at SF State this fall with the aim of earning a bachelor’s degree in cinema. Last semester, “Behind Shattered Glass” was produced for an advanced film production class at CCSF taught by instructor Dina Ciraulo. She was specifically worried about the special effects and technical demands of Reyes’ ideas and whether they would be realized within two semesters. “I was a little nervous at first when Chandra told me about the scope of the project,” Ciraulo said. “But when we saw it, it blew everyone away; it was so good.” Reyes does not plan on utilizing SF State for just a degree, but also for networking opportunities given the University’s reputation for producing alumni who are successful in the film business. After college, she plans on finding stable and rewarding work in the film industry and is particularly interested in film editing. But no matter her role, Reyes still plans to write and direct her own films. “If I could only do one film every five years, that would be amazing,” she said. “Just to be able to continue creating something.” Reflecting on the time spent instructing Reyes, Ciraulo identified vision as Reyes’ key — and ambition her clutch. “She’s not only going to do well at State, she’s going to do well period,” Ciraulo said. “She has what it takes to be successful in the film industry.” Reyes is currently submitting “Behind Shattered Glass” to various film festivals in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. Updates on the film can be followed on the “Behind Shattered Glass” Facebook page.

Wood Shoppe built organically BY MATT SAINCOME | saincome@mail.sfsu.edu

Six hip looking 20-something-year-old guys load their gear onto the stage of the empty Brick and Mortar Music Hall. Under the club’s high arching ceiling stands mid-tempo indie band NO. Juxtaposed by the band in white, the front man wears a black jacket while moving equipment, casting an echo through the venue as he quietly sings to himself. Within an hour and a half the club is filled with college-aged fans for the monthly free event that takes place the first Tuesday of every month, Wood Shoppe. Organized by Wilson Zheng, Robin Kim, Acacia Newlon, Abby Sprague, and Zach Cepin, staffers from the booking agency High Road touring, the event is growing in popularity in only its seventh month. “I would like it to get off the ground where it does 250 to 300 people every time,” said Cepin, band manager at High Road Touring and founding member of Wood Shoppe. He reached that goal Aug. 7 with just less than 300 people attending the three-band show. Cepin, a 2007 graduate of the communication studies program at SF State and the oldest member of the group at 29, uses the lessons learned from past mistakes — like the first show he booked when he was 18 and lost a chunk of money — to guide this event into its maturity. He said it takes a while for people to recognize the first Tuesday of every month as the night to go to Brick and Mortar. The band Foxygen, closing act at Wood Shoppe for the month of August, liked the fact that the event was free, but also loved that it was 18 and over. “I think all shows should be 18 and up,” Sam France, lead vocalist for Foxygen, said. “I really don’t like the 21-and-up thing. I don’t think music should be based around drinking.” Bradley Hanan Carter, lead singer of NO, which also performed at the August event, enjoyed the energy in the crowd. “We’d love to try and come back to do the event again,” Hanan Carter said. And he wasn’t alone in looking forward to returning to Wood Shoppe. “I didn’t know anything about who was playing tonight, but NO was rad,” Jenna Welch, an audience member who came to the event with some of her friends, said. “I would come back next month.” The event spawned organically and was influenced by one of Cepin’s friends who booked a similar night, “School Night” in Los Angeles. The first place that popped into his mind when venue hunting for Wood Shoppe was Brick and Mortar. “(Brick and Mortar) had only been around for about six months at the time and it’s in the Mission,” Cepin said. “I knew most of our target audience probably lives in the Mission or hangs out in the Mission.” Luckily, the venue agreed to take a chance on the event and open its doors for free, hoping to sell liquor to the crowds. The event’s two liquor sponsors, Sailor Jerry and

DISCOVER MUSIC: Bradley Hanan Carter, lead singer of indie band NO, performs during Wood Shoppe at the Brick and Mortar Music Hall during the August event. Wood Shoppe is a free showcase of bands the first Tuesday of every month at the Mission District venue. Photo by Godofredo Vasquez

Trumer Pils, help Wood Shoppe pay touring bands. Abby Sprague, 2009 SF State graduate from the communication studies program, takes care of the publicity for the event. “(It’s about) helping people discover new music and bringing out a full crowd where people can hang out with like-minded people and meet new friends,” she said. Like Cepin, she mentioned there isn’t much money involved in the event and considers it a labor of love. Sprague and Cepin say one of the biggest influences in their current music endeavors was Dr. Frederick Isaacson, assistant professor of communication studies at SF State, who guided them toward their employment at the band management company High Road Touring, where they both started as interns. Their experience there has given them accessibility to a wide range of bands. Next Tuesday, Sept. 4, Wood Shoppe will be doing a country night. It will include the Tumbleweed Wanderers who performed at the final day at this summer’s Outside Lands Festival. The night will also feature The Ferocious Few, Brent Amaker & The Rodeo and DJ Britt Govea of (((folkYEAH!))). Adrian Rodriguez contributed to this report.

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WRITE US A LETTER The Golden Gate Xpress accepts letters no longer than 200 words. Letters are subject to editing. Send letters to Laura Savage at:

POTENTIAL PITFALLS UNITE STUDENTS

F STATE CAN seem somewhat socially fractured at first glance. Every week, tens of thousands of students travel to campus from every corner of the Bay Area — and sometimes beyond — go to classes, then return home, leaving behind a school that struggles to define itself as a community. Some of us come from wealthy backgrounds and never have to worry about how we’re going to pay for school. Some of us need to work, sometimes more than one job, and still subsist on mostly Top Ramen. Many of us fall somewhere in between, able to afford college through loans and grants, but still anxious about what those loans will cost us down the line. We come as Bay Area natives, Southern California transplants, rural folks from the Central Valley, Northern Californian mountain types and from countless places beyond the borders of our state and country. Our student body ranges from the wide-eyed freshmen struggling to find their way around campus to the jaded super-seniors who just need three more units to get their diplomas signed. But on second glance it’s clear that we are bound together by the diversity that defines SF State and turns us into a community. In all the hustle and bustle that is San Francisco and the Bay Area, it’s easy to forget that our University is larger than many towns that make up California, and even the United States. No matter what else is happening in the world, we all come together every week and become SF State. We will see significant changes this semester and could be impacted by even more. We begin this semester under the new leadership of University President Leslie E. Wong, who has just come to us from Northern Michigan University, and shows a willingness to engage with both students and faculty that hasn’t been seen in this foggy corner of San Francisco for many years. We look forward to what he has to bring to a University in need of such engagement. At some point during this semester, we are likely to have new leadership of the entire California State University system, as a special committee searches for a replacement for Chancellor Charles B. Reed, who announced his retirement in May. Whoever fills that position will inherit a system of of 23 campuses badly in need of strong leadership, advocacy and empathy. Our chancellor is the most powerful voice we have when it comes to lobbying our state legislators for funds — and we have never needed stronger representation in Sacramento than we do now. We all face some important decisions in the voting booth come November on the federal, state and local levels. The country will decide who will occupy the oval office for the next four years. San Franciscans will choose their representatives on the Board of Supervisors. But none of that is new. Here’s what we’re keeping a watch on: Proposition 30, perhaps the most important outcome of the elections of 2012 to students. Its passage or failure will have ramifications for the entire state of California and the higher education system that has been a benchmark of our

ART BY TOM PARSLEY | tparsley@mail.sfsu.edu

state’s innovation and success for decades. If Prop. 30 succeeds our sales tax in San Francisco will increase, as will taxes paid by the wealthy, in an admirable attempt to keep the CSU from sinking further into the fiscal abyss. Failure will initiate a $250 million trigger-cut to a system that has already been slashed to the bone, which is likely to cause the size of classes to grow, their availability to shrink and tuition to escalate even further. What we already think is bad will get unbearably worse. Other Bay Area newspapers aren’t concerned with the new University president, but we are. We care about student loans, privatization of campus entities and city politics — and what it means for you, our reader and fellow community member. We know it’s a busy life. Xpress is made up of students, people with jobs and significant others, who choose to devote their time to giving this campus a voice and informing everyone what is going on. As the sole news outlet that consistently covers our campus, we know it is our responsibility to present the issues that define us as a community in the context that they occur. While we may not always do it perfectly, we always try our best. Look forward to an exciting semester!

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ABOUT XPRESS The Golden Gate Xpress is a student-produced publication of the journalism department at San Francisco State University. For more information or comments, please contact Kale Williams at: kale@mail.sfsu.edu

CORRECTIONS FOR XPRESS PRINT EDITION 5.16.12

In the story, “Econ professor taught for school and life” we incorrectly identified Richard Henry Embusch as an economics professor. He was a professor in the accounting department.

We regret the error.

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PLAYER

KELLY OSTELLO

WEEK

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

of the

Sophomore Kelly Ostello has been chosen as the Xpress Player of the Week. Ostello racked up 12 kills in a scrimmage against Dominican University of California on Friday. She is ranked fourth on the team with an average of 1.94 kills per set. This was a great start for the Gators — who took four of the five sets — even though the games will not count in the team’s overall record at the end of the season.

PHOTO BY TYLER DENISTON/SF STATE SPORTS

From mid-field player to sideline coach

TOP: SF State women’s soccer team assistant coach Robin Bowman, left, talks to players during a practice at Maloney Field in San Francisco. BOTTOM: Robin Bowman returns to Cox Stadium where she hopes to lead the Gators to a successful soccer season. Photos by Godofredo Vasquez

SF State alum Robin Bowman returns to assist the women’s soccer program to victory BY CAITLIN BYRNE | cmbyrne@mail.sfsu.edu

T STOLE HER HEART AT A YOUNG age and to this day remains her one true passion. She moved on for a period of time, but her infatuation with it kept calling her back. The love of her life: the game of soccer. After spending three years working for a behavioral health program that dealt with criminal justice populations, Robin Bowman, 25, is back at SF State to assist head coach Jack Hyde to another successful women’s soccer season. “You can’t take the soccer out of me,” Bowman said. “You can stop me from playing, but you can’t take the soccer out of me.” Bowman previously wore the purple and gold, and graduated in 2009 with the highest honors and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Although her academic career is complete, her love and passion for the game and the program has brought her back for more time at the University. After being named the Gator’s Most Outstanding Student Athlete of the year and NSCAA All-West Region First Team in 2008, Bowman, who played mid-field, has plenty to bring to the table. She also has experience coaching high school and various club soccer teams. With that knowledge and experience under her belt, she feels ready to step into the world of collegiate coaching. “You know once I had a great time here as a player. I

G AT ORS’ SP OR T S SCHEDULE

enjoyed the school, I enjoyed their soccer program,” Bowman said. “So coming back as a Gator — kind of once you’re a Gator, you’re always a Gator. And to work under coach (Jack) Hyde, I thought it was going to be a great fit for myself.” Hyde could not agree more and is happy to see one of his former players step back onto the SF State field. “I am very pleased that Robin is back at SFSU and involved again with our women’s soccer program, this time as a coach,” Hyde said. “She knows what it takes to be successful at this level and I know she will be able to communicate this to our current group of players.” Team captain and SF State senior Nicole Vanni believes the coaching change has raised the bar for the team. “If anything it has brought a new dimension,” Vanni said. “That has probably raised the level a little bit, and Robin has played here before so she is totally familiar with the team and league.” With Bowman’s prior experience as a student athlete, she hopes to instill in her players a sense of balance in their lives, which is what led her to success during her own collegiate career. “It is the balance between your academics, your soccer and even your social life, and if you don’t have all three in balance there is going to be problems,” Bowman said. “Since I did it, it has more meaning coming from someone

FRIDAY (8.31) WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL SF State vs. University of Alaska Anchorage 1:00 p.m. (Seaside, Calif.)

SF State vs. Minnesota State University 5:30 p.m. (Seaside, Calif.)

MONDAY (9.03)

that says ‘Hey, it’s possible.’ There is no excuse.” Although soccer has been a major component of Bowman’s life, she has learned over the years to separate herself from the game and lay her trust in her players on the field to get the job done. “For game days you always want to jump in and do it yourself, but you know that it is not your role anymore,” Bowman said. “But during practice is when you get it all out of them, because if you do your work in practice, hopefully during game days you can sit back and relax a bit.” Heading into the 2012 season, Bowman is keeping her overall expectations and hopes high for the team. With past rivalries and tough competition ahead for the Gators, she hopes to help lead the team to success through their love for the game. “I definitely learned the love of the game pretty early and that is one of my biggest goals is to instill that in my players,” Bowman said. “It is always the best when you know your players love the game as much as you do because then you can get the most out of them.” As for leaving her criminal justice career path behind, Bowman said it’s ultimately soccer that drives her life and hopes to one day take on the role of head coach at the collegiate level. “I had the best of both worlds, and the world I chose was soccer.”

TUESDAY (9.04)

WEDNESDAY (9.05)

MEN’S SOCCER

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

MEN’S SOCCER

SF State vs. Notre Dame de Namur University at 1:00 p.m.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL SF State vs. Seattle Pacific University 7:00 p.m.

SF State vs. Academy of Art University 7:00 p.m.

(Belmont, Calif.)

(San Francisco, Calif.)

| 08.29.12

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Follett deems changes necessary

for all course materials. “According to the CalPIRG and Greenlining Institute, both of these nonprofit institutions have been publishing figures like textbooks cost an average between $550 and $700 a semester. On the face of it, the $280 looks like a good deal. This is very preliminary because it is a small sample, but keep in mind this is before a lot of students are going to add classes later,” Strong said. David Hellman, who was a chosen representative for Franciscan Shops, has been a longtime advocate against outside companies taking over management and is passionate about independent bookstores. He does not feel this program pays off. “If you think about it, there’s a lot of students in liberal studies and they don’t necessarily pay $280 a semester for books. It’s not going to benefit them,” Hellman said. As of today, the program is only available for incoming freshman, with hopes of it being offered to other class standings in the spring. “Being an independent store, you hear all these stories and accounts where Follett or Barnes & Noble took over a store and there was this mythology about how they let everybody go and jacked up the prices; none of that

has happened here,” Strong said. Strong has been the general manager since 1983 and has said that the new management has not negatively affected him. “We’re all doing the same thing we did before,” said Strong. “We have different policies but the bottom line for the business is we want to cover our expenses and Follett wants to make a profit that will keep the company running, but you can’t do that unless your number one focus is on the customer and delivering excellent service and that hasn’t changed. Follett breathes these values.” Hellman does not share Strong’s optimism. He found it curious that a decision regarding something as important as The Bookstore was not left up to incoming University President Leslie E. Wong. “It would be very interesting to ask President Wong what his opinion might be,” Hellman said. “A nonprofit really represents what this city and campus are about. It behooved me why they would bring someone from outside to run an operation which had been run successfully for more than 50 years.” Hellman also said that the Gator Rewards program has disappeared. The Gator Rewards Club allowed students to earn $25 gift cards to

The Bookstore, Healthy U and Lobby Shop after spending $350 on items in the store. “The motivation at Franciscan Shops was not to make a lot of money — that’s Follet’s,” Hellman said. “To call it a bookstore is an insult to those who truly love books.” Ken White, who ran the trade department of The Bookstore resigned because he felt it was not a bookstore anymore, according to Hellman. The trade department was also reduced, which decreased the number of non-textbooks available for purchase. White declined to comment for this story. Kristina Gonzalez, a recent SF State graduate who has been working at The Bookstore for seven months, said she’s noticed more women’s apparel and backpacks being sold. Parsons also said that certain departments have grown in the time since Follett took over. “As time went on and sales histories were created, our departments did change,” Parsons said. “The most noticeable difference is in our computer department, which was a small counter when we were campus operated, and is now a large Apple Store that encompasses about 800 square feet.” Strong hopes that students will at least take the time to a check out the new operation

“ We have different policies, but the bottom line for the business is we want to cover our expenses and Follett wants to make a profit that will keep the company running. Robert Strong Bookstore Manager

and not allow the negative stigma of a corporation to dictate their decisions.

08.29.12 | GOLDENGATEXPRESS.ORG