2006_0905_CT_v61i1

CityTimes

www.sdcitytimes.com

Volume 61, Number 1

Fair to the last drop Campus cafes change to new coffee vendor News, page 3

Serving the San Diego City College community since 1945

Sept. 5, 2006

$870M bond set for ballot

By Josie Salazar City Times

Scott Landheer / City Times Michael Decandia of City College’s Pacific Nautilus team makes adjustments to the team’s underwater vehicle during competition.

Competing with the big fish

City students match marine wits with major universities

By Scott Landheer City Times City College faced top schools such as MIT, Cornell and Duke University and became the first community college to compete in the annual AUVSI and ONR Unmanned Vehicle Systems International Competition Aug. 2-6.

To enter the ninth annual competition, the team spent nearly three years and $5,000 building an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle. Team captain Christopher Carter knew it wouldn’t be easy when they began, but he was up for

the challenge.

“We knew community college students have as much potential as their 18- and 19-year-old counterparts at four-year universities,” Carter said. “We could prove to ourselves and others that we have what it takes.”

The first year of the project was spent studying all of the team journals from the past seven years of competition. After that the team got to work designing their submarine. The first design was made from two trash cans, while another was 6 feet long and had to be filled 90 percent full of water to sink.

Twenty designs later, and about a year before the competition, the team decided on the final model. It was much smaller than the first design and a lot lighter. It weighed less than 25 pounds and was one of the lightest in the competition.

The machine the 11 students on team Pacific Nautilus built is designed to sense its surroundings and respond accordingly. It was not controlled by a remote, so once it went into the water, it was all up to the machine.

Once a machine is launched, it has 15

See FISH, Page 4

The Board of Trustees on July 25 approved an $870 million bond measure for upgrading City College buildings, to be placed on the Nov. 7 general election ballot.

College and district officials say City College’s old and ailing buildings are currently unable to support the demands and resources for newer technology from students and educators.

City College has an “outdated infrastructure,” said Barry Garron, the district’s director of public information and government relations.

The board’s decision is in response to district-wide completions of long-term facilities master plans that provide detailed redesigns for upgrading City College and other district campuses.

“We want to do this now as we are a growing college with most existing buildings approaching 50 years of age,” said Terrence Burgess, president of City College.

“All new and renovated buildings will have built-in technology for Internet access, computer projection, and even satellite downlink in some cases,” Burgess added.

The new bond measure,

See BOND, Page 4

Governor signs bill securing college press rights

By Scott Landheer City Times Student journalists at colleges and universities in California will be guaranteed the same freedom of speech enjoyed by professionals when a new law banning censorship takes effect Jan. 1.

California became the first state to pass a bill of this type when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed it into law on Aug. 28. The bill passed the state senate by a 31-2 vote on Aug. 10 and was unanimously approved by the California Assembly in May. “Having true freedom of

the press is essential on college campuses and it is a fundamental part of a young journalists training for the real world,” Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, assemblyman and sponsor of the bill, said in a statement.

“Allowing a school administration to censor is contrary to the democratic process and the

Trio-Aspire aims to inspire

Program helps students overcome personal challenges to successfully move on to some of the nation’s top universities News, page 3

ability of a student newspaper to serve as the watchdog and bring sunshine to the actions of school administration.”

City College assistant professor of radio and TV Laura Castañeda said college students are not always treated with the same respect as professionals and have to face obstacles

they wouldn’t encounter in the real world. Although she’s not expecting “miracles at the get go,” she said it sends a message that budding journalists who are learning the trade of journalism are supported and is glad to see that the issue was

See RIGHTS, Page 2

Index

Arts ...........................................2 News .........................................3 Got a news tip for City Times?

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ARTS / NEWS

City Times

Sept. 5, 2006

CityTimes Auditions Sept. 9 for production of ‘Grease’ Volume 61, Issue 1 September 5, 2006 Published as: The Jay Sees / 1945-1949 Fortknightly / 1949-1978 City Times / 1978Incorporating the newspapers Tecolote, Knight Owl and Flicks Join us!

City Times seeks dedicated staffers for the fall semester.

Join the newspaper production lab, Journalism 210-A, this fall T/Th 11:10 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.

City Times is published twice monthly during the semester. Signed opinions are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily represent those of the entire newspaper staff, City College administration, faculty and staff or the San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees.

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By LeAnn Alvarez Contributor San Diego City College Performing Arts Department announces auditions Sept. 9 for its fall production of “Grease,” to be performed at the Saville Theatre.

The original musical “Grease” debuted in 1978 and was an instant hit at the box office and captivated a variety of generations. “Grease” tells the story of good girl Sandy and greaser Danny falling in love over the summer. But then they unexpectedly discover they’re now in the same high school, and face different obstacles preventing them from rekindling the romance they had over the summer.

Artistic Director June Richards’ goal is to recapture the

musical hit with the students of the Performing Arts Department.

“We are looking for students that not only can dance, but can sing as well,” she said.

Richards said the musical is known as one of the best of all time, and it has set a very high standard for what the department will be looking for. At the time of auditions, emphasis will be placed on coordination, talent, musical performance and choreography.

The production process will take about two months to complete. There are plenty of costumes, props and choreography that will have to be mastered in that time.

Alicia Rincon will work sideby-side with the students teaching them the choreography.

“I have over 20 years of expe-

rience teaching dance, and yet with every new project it still brings me delight to work with students,” she said. “All the hard work definitely pays off for both students and faculty when you see the production complete and successful.”

Robert Norberg is the technical director and will be in charge of the stage lighting.

“Believe it or not the stage lighting plays an important role during performances,” he said. “Every movement on stage along with scene changes must be followed closely or the lighting will be off.”

Duane Gardella is the scenic director and will be responsible for the background setting of the musical. Carol Whaley is the costume designer and will be creating the costumes for the production along with

Picture yourself with us ... Rights Continued from Page 1

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addressed.

City College President Terrence Burgess said he very much supports the bill but doesn’t think it will change things on City’s campus. During his six years with the school, the policy has been to not censor student work.

“Students have been very professional and responsible and I’ve been very pleased with the accuracy of quotes and accuracy of articles,” Burgess said. “I trust that students will be responsible and faculty will be as well. We’re very scrupulous about protecting folks’ rights.”

Since becoming the faculty adviser for the City Times in

make-up.

“It’s always fun to create costumes for productions and the students always enjoy my final creations,” she said.

Auditions will be held on Sept. 9 at noon. Students interested are encouraged to bring music to sing and clothes to move well in. Auditions usually run all day so plenty of bottled water is suggested along with snacks.

“Grease” will be performed at the Saville Theatre Oct. 27-Nov. 12. Performances are scheduled Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m., with Sunday performances at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the general public and $10 for students, military and senior citizens.

The Saville Theatre is located at San Diego City College, 1313 Park Blvd. Call (619) 388-3676.

the fall of ’03, journalism professor Roman Koenig said he has never had a problem with the administration trying to censor student work or stop an article from being printed.

While there may not have been a problem at City College, the bill eliminates the uncertainty created by a recent court ruling in a case brought up at an Illinois university after an administrator stopped the printing of an article that was critical of the school’s administration.That administrator later created a requirement for the administration’s approval of articles in the student newspaper.

Although that ruling only affected three states in the Midwest, it raised concerns with student press advocates who feared it could lead to free speech restrictions in California as well.

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CityNews

Sept. 5, 2006

City Times 3

Campus cafes go Fair Trade with coffee

By A.J. Graybill Contributor

Josie Salazar / City Times Joan Holloway makes a drink for a customer Aug. 29 at City College’s cafe, which recently switched to Seattle’s Best as its coffee brand. The change is in response to customer demand for Fair Trade coffee.

City, Mesa and Miramar colleges began selling Seattle’s Best coffee instead of Millstone coffee as of Aug. 11 in response to requests for certified Fair Trade coffee in the campus cafes.

“In addition to changing product and equipment, the employees will also receive training in brewing, pulling espresso shots and making coffee drinks according to Seattle’s Best recipes,” said Gayla Pierce, the district’s food service supervisor.

The new coffee stations will offer two certified Fair Trade coffees including dark and light roasts. The Seattle’s Best blend,

which is the most popular and described as being mediumroasted and medium-bodied while being deeply aromatic, will also be offered in a decaffeinated blend.

Along with their traditional blend, Seattle’s Best will also offer a variety of flavored coffees including Javanilla, Hazelnut Creme and Cinnabon.

Since the change to Seattle’s Best at San Diego City College on Aug. 8, the heavy coffee aroma has drawn a very interested crowd of students and staff.

“Seattle’s Best is awesome.

It’s much better than the Folgers or whatever they had before,” said John McCarthy, also a Mesa College student.

“We have been getting a lot

of compliments,” said Selena Holloway, who works the register at the City College cafe.

“I have a customer that always complains about everything in the cafe and he actually came back to apologize to me because the coffee was so great. I was shocked.”

In addition to changing the coffee, the cafe will also be making the change from Styrofoam cups to paper cups with sleeves in response to customer requests.

“Seattle’s Best is a premium coffee with great aroma and taste. We feel that this upgrade in product is a logical next step in the continued development of the espresso operation,” Pierce said.

SAT scores are lowest in 31 years

By Whitney Gruenloh and Stephanie Fees University of Virginia Cavalier Daily CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (U-WIRE) — The College Board recently released its average 2006 national SAT test scores, showing the largest decline in combined test scores in 31 years. This year also marked the first time the new format of the exam, featuring higher level math questions, a writing section, and the omission of analogies, was administered.

The national average scores dropped five points in critical reading and two points in the math section according to College Board data.

However, Caren Scoropanos of the College Board said the decline in scores is not related to the new format of the exam.

Scoropanos said the decrease in scores could be explained by a variety of factors; however, she speculated that the decrease may be due to a reduction in the average number of times students took the exam.

“This year, there were three percent fewer students taking the test more than one time,” she said, adding that when a student takes the SAT for a second time, their score generally rises by about 30 points.

“So, therefore, (students that only took the exam once) did not benefit from the 30-point gain,” she said. “So when you average that in, that accounts for a lot of the decline.”

According to Virginia Dean of Admissions Jack Blackburn, the SAT is not the sole factor that determines acceptance to a university.

“It’s one of many factors with the most important being the academic record in high school,” he said. “The SAT or the ACT can help, and we strongly recommend any SAT IIs.”

Josie Salazar / City Times Counselor Cathy Lopez (left) and tutor Kate Wilson work Aug. 29 in the Trio Aspire program, which serves about 200 students a semester.

Aspiring to succeed

Program helps disadvantaged students reach goals

By Sarah Guthrie Contributor

I

n a cramped room at San Diego City College, Yvonne Fernandez stares intensely at her math paper as her tutor walks her through the fine points of a pre-calculus problem.

At 54, Fernandez dreams of completing her community college requirements and transferring to San Diego State University, where she hopes to earn a bachelor’s degree.

To help her achieve that goal, she has come to Trio Aspire, a program on campus that is helping hundreds of students overcome personal challenges and successfully move on to some of the nation’s top universities, including Harvard and UC Berkeley.

“Working with the Trio Aspire tutors has enabled me to pass my courses,” Fernandez said. “Trying to study at home was hard. There were too many distractions. Trio gives me a space where I can stay focused.”

Students accepted into the Trio Aspire program, which operates from room L-128, receive one-on-one counseling, access to computers, tutors and a comfy environment that includes a couch, tables and desks. College pennants and motivational posters hang on the walls.

Trio Aspire has a special counseling program for students who have disabilities and little income. The program also helps the students who are the first in their families to receive higher education. Trio Aspire also offers special

activities such as going to the Old Globe Theatre and listening to speeches to enrich the minds of students.

Two counselors at the center, Cathy Lopez and Katherine Kraffart, work intensely with about 200 students a semester on transferring out of City College to the university of their choice.

Lopez says that a typical day in the office consists of several appointments with students, academic advising, career counseling, registration counseling and even personal counseling. The program also helps with scholarships and college applications. The counselors write volumes of letters of recommendation.

“The benefit that the student receives is that there is continuity with the coun-

See SUCCEED, Page 4

4

NEWS

City Times

Sept. 5, 2006

Bond Continued from Page 1 called Proposition N, follows another bond measure, Proposition S, which passed in 2002.

Proposition S, at the time it was passed, was due to a new state measure, Proposition 39. Proposition S was limited to only $685 million, and constrained the district by this amount to include a list of facilities that were urgently need, although the need was greater, according to district Chancellor Constance Carroll.

However, “Proposition S also provided funding for the campuses to develop, under the directions of architectural firms, complete master plans for their total build-up,” she said.

“Proposition N will focus on the buildings that are identified in the campuses’ new master plans,” she said.

If proposition N passes, among the list of City College buildings to be upgraded are the A, C, D, M and L buildings as well as the Learning Rescore Center.

There will also be new build-

Josie Salazar / City Times Demolition crews work Aug. 31 at the site of future parking and buildings for City College. The site is on C Street at the corner of 16th and 17th. ings for Humanities, Business Technology, Engineering Technology and science.

Both Propositions S and, if passed, N will support construction for a 10-level student parking structure.

Already in progresses is a surface parking lot on C Street, between 16th and 17th streets, capable of providing 170 spaces.

Its completion date is said to be October, according to Carol Dexheimer, vice president of

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administrative services.

“It is very exciting,” said Dexheimer in response to the new proposed projects.

“Construction planning could begin immediately and construction would most likely

Fish Continued from Page 1 minutes to pass through the validation gate and then complete three tasks.

At the first station, the machine has to “dock” with a light, which means it must come in contact with the light and push it over. It then has to drop markers into designated bins, and finally, it must surface in the center of one of two octagons. The inner octagon is worth more points than the outer.

Being their first year in the competition, the team’s goal was to make it through the validation gate.

City College aerospace engineering student Michael Decandia was closest to the action when the team reached their goal. Power on one side of the submarine had given out and he was on the dock making adjustments until the final seconds of the team’s 15-minute time allotment. When the submarine finally made it through the validation gate, the crowd cheered.

“I’m very happy, I’m very happy,” Decandia said as he walked up to his supporters and the rest of the team who built the “ultimate underdog.”

“That was exciting,” he said.

Succeed Continued from Page 3 selor,” Lopez said.

She said she is proud of the Trio Aspire students who succeed. One became editor of the City Times on campus and was very active in student affairs.

“Only 8 percent of community college students who apply to Berkeley actually get in,” Lopez noted “She was one of them.”

Lopez also recalled a young man who seemed lost and overwhelmed as a freshman, but after participating in the Trio Aspire program, he gained confidence and was able to transfer to San Diego State University.

Freddy Richards, the program director at City College, said the students

initiate in 2008,” said Burgess about the projects to be supported by Proposition N. Summer journalism student Lebby Khemmanivong contributed to this story

‘This is a great achievement for community colleges.’

— Christopher Carter, Pacific Nautilus team captain The team wrote letters, contacted companies and appeared on the news to raise the money they needed to create their machine and enter the competition. Many teams were powering their submarines with a $5,000 Doppler Velocity Meter, but the team had to try and recreate it for $60.

“As an urban community college, our programs and students are financially challenged in ways the larger schools like the universities of Texas or Florida or MIT do not have to consider,” said team adviser and City College professor Dr. Michael George.

After a three-week-break, the team will start working on their design for next year, but for now they are enjoying their accomplishment of making it to the competition this year.

“This is a great achievement for community colleges, and it is our hope that we will inspire others to do similar things,” Carter said.

benefit from the camaraderie of being in the program.

“The big thing about Trio Aspire is that successful students are hanging out with one another,” he said. “It’s the assimilation process.”

Kate Wilson, a student who helped tutor other students in math, science and English this summer, said that “the great thing about Trio Aspire is that students become another resource to help get through school. A close-knit group develops in the fall and spring semesters ... In the school year, I’m here sometimes from 7:30 a.m. to 10 at night.”

Trio Aspire is funded by a $272,585 grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The program is available at other campuses as well as City College, and most transfer students continue with Trio after the transfer process.

For information on Trio Aspire, call (619) 388-3407.