News October 19, 2009 by Michelle Wiebach

el Don

STYLE: The good, the bad, the ugly, Saturday Night Live has seen it all. Look behind the scenes that have made NBC’s Late Night sketch comedy standard a classic. 11

13 SANTA ANA COLLEGE

PROP

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2009 • VOLUME 87, ISSUE 3

LIFE: Go green to save green with these helpful tips on recycling, reducing and reusing around the house.

SPORTS: Former trainer George Curtis joins six others as they are inducted into the 2009 Athletic Hall of Fame.

Budget cuts dim lights on theater CAMPUS: Reduction in funds forces less props, more hope in Philips Hall By Michelle Wiebach el Don News Editor It’s 6 o’ clock, an hour before call time, and there are only two people in the theatre green room. They sit in the center of the room at the gray oval table with two different kinds of blue-green and gray chairs. One by one, actors walk through the door, sign in on the call sheet, sit at the long table and dig into whatever food they decided to have for dinner that night. It varies from spring rolls to fast food to home made sandwiches. “Do you want to try this?” Sophomore Natalie Andrade said. “It’s pomegranate raspberry frozen yogurt from my work.” She says this while she scoops up a spoonful of magenta yogurt with raspberries and offers some to her fellow cast members. Some try it, others pass, and some share other food between one another. “Do you want some fries? I’m not going to eat them all,” lead actress Guadalupe Correa said.

Please see THEATRE, Page 5

Furlough days spark strikes at campuses

STATE: Lack of funds causes financial uproar at various levels of schooling By Felipa Penaloza el Don Staff Writer

Story By Meg Faulkner • Photo Illustration By Michelle Wiebach

EXAMINING THE DECLINE OF HIGHER EDUCATION Once upon a time, there was a state called California, where the public colleges were among the nation’s finest. Students could afford to attend them or get aid through state grants. Classes and services were plentiful, and students could hope to graduate within five years and even find a job afterwards. Sounds like a fairy tale, doesn’t it? Today, students are fortunate if they can get into classes at all, as budget cuts eat into course offerings. Overcrowded public universities forestall transfer

hopefuls, forcing them into longer stays at community colleges, delaying graduation dates and delaying California’s economic recovery. The outlook for the state’s IN DEPTH educational system is bleak PART 3 even as the rest of the nation begins to recover. Why? How did California’s education system fall victim to gridlocked state government? Every fairy tale has its dark side. In the pre-Reagan era, California’s property Please see PROP 13, Page 3

University students, faculty and staff across the state organized against higher tuition fees, layoffs, and furloughs, proposing legislatures reprioritize higher education. Tuition for undergraduates has risen to $4,800 a year at California State University Fullerton and $10,300 at University of California, Irvine. Students are still getting less education than they are paying for because of the establishment of furlough days. This means all 47,000 CSU and UC employees face 11 to 24 days a year without pay in order to preserve jobs. None of this matters to the 40,000 CSU applicants being denied enrollment within the next two years because the CSU Board of Trustees says there is not enough money for them to reach higher levels of education. “Why is it that in one of the richest states in the richest country, with one of the richest economies in the world, we don’t have the money to provide adequate education?” asked Dennis Lopez, a UCI English graduate student. “Public education is a

Please see STRIKE, Page 5

NEWS

SANTA ANA COLLEGE el Don • MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2009

COMMUNITY PROFILE

HITTING THE SPOT

Restoring a sense of community in community college By Dawn McDougall el Don Staff Writer

ANDREY MIRANDA el Don

Fries, large coke and a side of calculus: study time at the new student lounge.

After two years in the making, the new student lounge finally opened Sept. 23 at U-121 in the Johnson Center. At the grand opening, students awaited the much anticipated ribbon-cutting, while Associated Student Government President Alex Flores spoke about what The Spot represents. Flores said the lounge will be a friendly environment where students can meet and utilize resources the campus has to offer. “We want students to know their government is here for them,” Flores said. The space is equipped with an air hockey table, pool table, foosball table and a video game system. Besides games, The Spot has several sitting areas in which to socialize, do homework or even play a game of chess. Affordable snacks and drinks will soon be available. “Students want a sophisticated environment — not a Chuck E. Cheese game room,” said Student Services Vice President Sara Lundquist. The Spot

is the first building under Measure E solely for students, designed by students, Lundquist said. In 2002, voters approved Measure E, an obligation bond, to approve construction at SAC and Santiago Canyon College campuses. Measure E allowed for new buildings and renovations at SAC, but it also meant the temporary closure of the student game room. Since then, the ASG has worked to make the room bigger and better for students. As a two-year college, SAC is considered a commuter campus. We come, we learn, we go home. The connection is lost somewhere in between. Flores said students who spend more time on campus have a stronger sense of entitlement, and thus a stronger interest and concern about what goes on at their school. The Spot offers an open area for communication where students and clubs can have meetings, forums and even dances. A communal area also gives students the opportunity to meet classmates or run into old friends. “This is a new chapter in academic and social life at SAC,” Lundquist said.

CAMPUS, LOCAL & STATE

News You Can Use LATIN FILMS

NATURE CARE

HOMECOMING

A new mural in the Fine Arts building promotes the SAC Gallery’s current exhibition called the Artists of Art Forum. The students in Art 124, gallery production, spent a week on their project. Based on the gallery, fine arts major, Bailey Francis, drew the sketch for the mural called “Restoring Pieces”. It depicts Mother Nature blowing individual puzzle pieces of new life into existence. The message: to be environmentally conscious. “You can survive off nature,” Francis said, “The world can get ugly if you don’t take care of it.”

Join SAC President Erlinda Martinez for a pre-game Homecoming reception when the Dons host the Fullerton College Hornets at Eddie West Field. The annual Key to the County game will kick off at 1 p.m. while the reception will take place beforehand at 11:30 a.m. Refreshments will be served and seating will be provided. To reserve a seat, contact the SAC President’s office at (714) 564-6975 or send an e-mail to vega_kennethia@sac.edu. - Hugo Pacheco

-Dawn McDougall

GREEN JOBS

Santiago Canyon College celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month this October with its annual Latin American Film Festival. On the Road to Fame was first shown Oct. 16. The second film, Viva Cuba, will air Oct. 23. The final film, Sleep Dealer will show Oct. 30. All films are in Spanish with English subtitles and will be screened in D-101 at 6 p.m. and are open to the public.

Is your major undecided? Take another look at the Green industry. A 2008 Centers of Excellence study reported that the green economy sector will see growth in the next few years. -Michelle Wiebach Renewable energy is expected to show the largest increase in jobs and earnings. The COE conducts research specific to community colleges and regularly updates information to keep students aware of new ecological developments. For more information visit coeccc.net/green

MUD FUN Get your hands dirty for a good cause at the 2009 Irvine Lake Mud Run, Oct. 25 at 9 a.m. This year, runners will raise money for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s effort to clean up the Pacific SLAP SHOT Ocean. Race individually for $35 plus a $5 You don’t need to wait registration fee or as a for a contract from the team for $140 plus a $10 Anaheim Ducks to experiregistration fee. There’s a ence hockey at a profeskids’ mud puddle race for sional level. $10. To register and for The Science of Hockey more information, visit at the Taco Bell Discovery irvinelakemudrun.com. Science Center lets you explore the physics -Allison Lujan and chemistry of the sport with interactive exhibitions. Try scoring against Ducks goalie J.S. Giguere’s virtual image, or switch roles and be the goalie yourself. Visit the Penalty Box, where you have to answer four hockey-andscience related questions.

-Dawn McDougall

-Michelle Wiebach

AROUND THE WORLD

EDIBLE TREATS

SAC’s annual International Festival is Nov. 4 between 11-2 p.m. Students will display exhibits, food and entertainment from various countries. For more information call 714-564-6047.

What exactly is SAC eating? Find this slip-up on the south side of the fine arts building by the vending machine. -Allison Lujan

-Allison Lujan

NEWS

values were tied to market values — as

SANTA ANA COLLEGE el Don • MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2009

PROP 13: California education still struggling

Continued from page 1

lower-income areas. “You started to see ‘equalization measures,’ where the idea would be to redistribute wealth. That has a certain familiar ring to it, I suspect.” “If local agencies had honored the theory that Prop 13 had in mind, everything would be great. There would have been a gradual reduction in expenses, and maybe in services, to line up with tax revenues generated by each community. But that didn’t happen. Two years later, they all headed to Sacramento to get bailed out.” Tax Break for Business, Too? Writers of Proposition 13 provided a tax break for all property owners, without differentiating for use of properties. While the elderly stayed in their homes without tax hikes, business owners stayed in their properties, too. Communities redeveloped older business areas and maintained commercial districts, but property taxes weren’t increased to raise capital for improvements, resulting in a drain on public funds that couldn’t be replenished with tax revenue. While Prop 13 was intended to benefit homeowners, it has had the converse effect of placing the property tax burden more heavily on residential home owners versus business property owners. Because sale prices increase over time and residential properties change hands more often than business properties, residential property taxes have risen more rapidly than business taxes over the years. Now referred to as a “split-role,” the notion of increasing taxes on

values climbed, so did taxes. The victims of this scenario were California’s elderly. Widows and retirees on fixed incomes were unable to keep up with escalating property taxes, often forcing them from their homes. Enter Howard Jarvis, an anti-tax crusader who, in 1978, championed Proposition 13, the “People’s Initiative to Limit Property Taxation.” Jarvis’ formula was simple –taxes would be fixed to acquisition values; that is, property taxes would be capped at 1 percent above the level at which they were when the property was purchased, even as home values increased. California voters passed the initiative overwhelmingly, amending the state constitution and reducing property taxes by about 57 percent. Three decades later, many point to Prop 13 as the beginning of the Golden State’s unhappy ending. While the amendment had its desired affect of protecting homeowners, it triggered side effects that have left California in a quagmire. Local Governments Rely on Sacramento Don Gilchrist, former chief of staff to Senator John Lewis (CA-R), was involved in local politics prior to the passage of Prop 13. Now in his 80s, he recalls a time when local governments and school districts would adjust taxes annually based on community needs. This “resulted in certain inequities,” Gilchrist said. Wealthier areas with higher tax revenues could provide better opportunities than adjacent,

N A T I o N A l

business properties is opposed by the business community. Two-thirds Majority for Tax Increases When the writers of Prop 13 established tax limitations, they included a provision that would make it difficult to reverse them – the two-thirds majority rule. It now requires two-thirds majority of voters to enact a tax increase. Budget initiatives must appear on voter ballots, slowing down the process, making it all but impossible to pass laws that increase tax revenue. As a result, initiatives on ballots present piecemeal changes to the budget, so balancing the budget becomes bogged down in political process. What’s next? Not everyone agrees that Prop 13 is the villain in the story of California’s ailing economy. Taxpayer watchdog groups, especially The Howard Jarvis Taxpayer’s Union, fight the measures that would counter or overturn Prop 13. In a recent blog, Jarvis union president Jon Coupal said, “And what would life be like if Proposition 13 were not enacted to stabilize property taxes and revenues in California? How many people would have lost their homes and businesses during the last real estate spike when property values quickly - and artificially - skyrocketed? Conversely, how much worse off would the state be if, during this real estate plunge, it could not count on base value property taxes ensured by Proposition 13?” Whether or not Prop 13 is to blame, the current shortage of rev-

enue and immobilized state legislators have forced players on both sides of the political divide to recognize the urgent need to restructure the state’s tax system. Governor Schwarzenegger created the Commission on the 21st Century Economy to examine the current tax situation and recommend improvements to ensure long-term economic growth. The Commission released its report Sept. 30, outlining a plan to get California back on track. The plan considers property taxes, but does not recommend changes to the current property tax system. Instead, the plan focuses on increasing and stabilizing tax revenue by shifting the tax burden from personal and corporate income taxes, which provide most of the state’s revenue, to businesses through the creation of a Business Net Revenue Tax. Education now accounts for 52% of the state budget, with 40% of the general fund guaranteed to K-12 education and 12% allotted to higher education. The commission addresses the education shortage by seeking to bolster the state’s general fund. The Commission wrote the plan as a long-term solution, recommending “detailed analysis” of specific measures before implementation. Proposed changes would not be implemented until 2012. So, while The Commission’s report appears to be a step towards a healthier California economy, students in community colleges and state universities today are not likely to benefit from proposed tax reforms before they graduate.

BY THE

NUMBERS

52%

Of the state budget comes from education

40%

Of the general fund is guaranteed to K-12

12%

Is allotted to higher education

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NEWS

SANTA ANA COLLEGE el Don • MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2009

Governor approves more funding cuts College stands to lose millions in deferred dollars Story By Lourdes Serrano

FACTLINE •The bill defers $100 million to colleges to go to Highway Users Tax Account •SAC loses $16 million from the state between March and May 2010 •Already at 10 percent, cuts will most likely increase in the next year.

In the closing hours of the last session, legislators passed a surprise bill that will cause Santa Ana College to lose millions. It was a rush bill named ABX3 37, and it was signed into law Sept. 30. The law defers the disbursal of payments of General Fund moneys to community colleges, up to $100 million, for March 2010 until May 2010. About $16 million will be deferred from this district, which means more class reductions and further budget cuts to rapidly disappearing programs. Four athletic teams were already cancelled this fall and class offerings fell 10 percent from last semester. “We will load up every classroom as much as we can, and it will stay like that for at least two to three years,” said Vice-Chancellor of Business Operations Peter Hardash. Community colleges are funded by Proposition 98, which entitles state colleges to receive 12 percent of the state budget every year. If the state has budget problems, then colleges have problems. “We are not making budget cuts because we don’t have enough money, but

because the state keeps owing us money,” Hardash said. “Unfortunately, when the state is broke, the college has to turn down students,” Hardash said. However, many districts have been forced to borrow from outside sources to supplement their budget, and end up paying double the money they borrowed, as a result of high interest rates. Between 2003 and 2004, a budget shortfall affected all 72 districts and $200 million was deferred from community colleges. “Legislature usually gives us two options,” Hardash said “take cuts or make deferrals; at this point we have no choice.” Students will now have to worry about whether or not they will get the classes they need to transfer. “I wish the state thought a little bit more in-depth of their impact their decisions will make in our future. We are supposed to be the ‘tomorrow’ of this country,” said psychology major Maria Martinez. “Students should work harder so that they don’t have to repeat any subjects because there will be a reduced amount of classes available,” said Vice-President of Academic Affairs Norm Fujimoto.

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NEWS

SANTA ANA COLLEGE el Don • MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2009

Theatre: cast unites for all-star production Continued from page 1 Correa is like the loving older sister, sharing her McDonald’s french fries and admitting to craving them in the first place. She shows some similarities between herself and Esperanza Cordero, the character she portrays in this year’s theatre production, The House on Mango Street. Like the house on Mango Street the theatre is a house, or more like a home to many who take part in the inner workings of the theatre. The actors, set designers, make up artists, directors, costume designers, and back stage crew all work together to produce one big show. They share each other’s food. They bicker with one another like siblings, and they can sit next to each other and talk for hours. They are a unit. They are a team. They are a family. Like any family, they get upset when they hear disappointing news. So when the theatre department found out about major cuts to their program this year, they did not take it lightly. For them, it’s like California’s debt has demolished a part of their home. They don’t know when and how soon this setback will get fixed. “I think it’s funny how they want to save the arts, but then when they make cuts, art is the first thing to go,” Andrade said.

This year the SAC Theatre Department will only have one major production, as opposed to three to four plays in the past years, as well as a children’s production. Dean of Fine and Performing Arts Sylvia Turner said that during her time at SAC, she has seen some reductions, but nothing as severe as to what is going on now. Since the major production takes place this fall, that leaves theatre students next semester without a principal play and fewer students will be able to participate. Cutting three to four plays a year might be compared to cancelling several popular television shows. It leaves a gap. “What will happen when the arts go?” junior Max Erhler said. “What will people do for entertainment?” The Theatre Arts Showcase will take the place of a major production in the spring. Students will be able to participate in smaller plays in the intimate setting of the Black Box Theatre. Sets for the showcase will be downsized. Large and older sets will be torn down, recycled, and built into new. Props hidden away in storage will be resurrected. Theatre is just one of the programs facing deep cuts, but like the meaning of Esperanza’s name, everyone in the department has hope for a better opportunity next academic year.

BLANCA VALDIVIA el Don

The ensemble cast performs in a group scene conveying their character’s emotions.

Esperanza, Rachel, and Lucy smile and laugh as they impersonate Tia Lupe.

BLANCA VALDIVIA el Don

Strike: teachers take action

Continued from page 1

social good. It’s a right for the many.” Subcontracted workers are denied the most basic union wages, benefits, and legal protection. At the beginning of the term, 27 UCI janitors received resignation letters. “Giving this letter to the people, is not giving the letter just to one person, it’s giving the letter to the whole family,” said single mother Alma Zygovia, a janitor at UCI. Last month UC professors, students, and workers had enough, crying out for change through a

statewide walkout organized by the University Professional & Technical Employees. The main target for the day was UC President Mark Yudof. Yudof ’s budget plan will aid in privatizing the UC system, according to the UC Students Association’s Resolution Letter. The walkout focused on creating change as a group. “We are here as a community to resist the budget cuts and an attack on one is an attack on all,” said Fernando Chirino, a fourth year grad student. “We are here to

defend the University of California and the values it represents,” said Catherine Liu, the Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies at UCI. The CSU and UC values have shifted from the 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education, which had promised all Californians access to free tuition for college education. “When I went to school there wasn’t as much student debt and credit card debt,” said Liu. “People are profiting from the indebtedness.”

NEWS FEATURE

SANTA ANA COLLEGE el Don • MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2009

BLANCA VALDIVIA el Don

ECOGORGEOUS By Maria Gonzalez el Don Staff Writer

Jacky Acosta, a budding fashionista, funds her education in a crafty way — benefiting the environment. At 20 years old, Acosta is already a successful entrepreneur. Strapped for cash and unable to receive financial aid, Acosta, a veteran knitter, took to repurposing plastic grocery bags into tote bags and wallets. By cutting bags into long strips, she crochets the patterns bit by bit, taking about a day to finish a purse. Word about her environmentally conscious accessories spread quickly. “People would ask me where I got my bag, so I started taking special orders,” Acosta said. She dubbed her line “Plast*Eco,” a play on the Spanish word plastico, combining her Latin heritage with her eco-friendly mindset and attitude. The Go Green fad has helped popularize Jacky’s items. Plastic bags are one of the top

pollutants found during coastal cleanups. “When I heard that it takes plastic bags 20 to 500 years to decompose, I wanted to make a difference,” Acosta said. Acosta’s Plast*Eco bags were a hit in the SAC Transfer Center. “I am very proud of her for taking a skill she has and being creative with it,” Kathy Patterson, a SAC professor, said. Jacky’s colorful totes and wallets are customizable, with different designs and colors. “I definitely feel like I’m getting more creative with the bags,” Acosta said. She has embroidered everything from colorful flowers to bubbly whales, bees to Calavera skulls and added embellishments such as sewn on buttons and peacock feathers. Her prices range from $12-$40. Acosta, a former SAC student, is pursuing her degree in psychology at UCI. She hopes to continue with Plast*Eco to raise funds for AB540 students.

Setting a trend and reducing her carbon footprint

Trash to Cash the New Bag Lady Two-tone flower hairpin embellished with faux jewels

A peacock feather accents a gold-lined checkbook holder

A Day of the Dead Calavera adorns a cotton-lined coin purse

PHOTO ESSAY

SANTA ANA COLLEGE el Don • MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2009

The Firewheel Trees can be found around the fountain in the middle of campus.

HIDDEN CAMPUS

Unseen beauty

Story By Felipa Penaloza Photos By David Dayfallah • Erica Silvas You may not be able to see the loveliness this campus has to offer, but if you take the time to wander around, you can discover interesting flora and fauna from various parts of the world. Surrounding the Thomas M. Hartnett Fountain are Firewheel Trees, native to Northeastern Australia. If you walk by at the right time, you might spy a hummingbird feeding off the nectar. In the midst of the Exercise Science Building is a garden pathway leading up to a cartwheelgarnished tree that creates a sense of serenity for those in need of a Zen moment. If you’re in a tropical mood, the Plumeria plant, found between Hammond Hall and the Technical Arts Building, can arouse your senses with beach scenes. Though usually symbolic of Hawaii, this five-petaled plant is native to Mexico and many South American countries. Instead of rushing to a computer to log on to Facebook, take a stroll around campus and discover these tranquil areas, which might help you relieve some tension during midterms.

ABOVE: The cartwheel -garnished tree is located amongst the Exercise Science Building. RIGHT: The garden pathway leading to the cartwheelgarnished tree adds pizzazz to the campus.

The Plumeria plant is found between Hammond Hall and the Technical Arts Building.