CityTimes
www.sdcitytimes.com
Volume 61, Number 11
Knights on top
Two teams take first place in PCC Sports, page 12
Covering the San Diego City College community since 1945
May 8, 2007
Student Center fee fails despite voter support ASG falls 634 total votes short of the 2,838 needed for a valid election, but get 67 percent approval By Scott Landheer City Times
Rebecca Saffran / City Times
March for immigration amnesty starts at City College Approximately 400 immigration activists gathered on May 1 in front of City College and marched to First Street and Broadway in Downtown. On the May Day anniversary, supporters shouted slogans such as “Aquí estamos, no nos vamos” (“Here we are, and here we stay”) as they marched the streets of Downtown, escorted by San Diego Police.
The proposed Student Center fee failed because not enough students voted on either side of the issue to make it a valid election. The fee would have cost students $1 per credit (up to 10 credits) per year. In order to even be considered, 2,838 students would have had to cast their votes on April 24-26. According to Gail Rodriguez, Student Affairs assistant, 2,204 voted. Of those who voted, 1,493 voted yes and 711 voted no. That adds up to 67.74 percent saying yes, and 32.26 percent no, which would have been enough to pass the measure had 634 more students voted and those percentages held up. “So it makes it even more heartbreaking,” said Rodriguez. E-mails went out to all students who have a valid e-mail address registered with the college on April 20 and again on April 24 reminding students of the special election. Clemente Valdez, ASG media representative and current presidential candidate,
Officers arrest theft suspect
Campus safety can start with student action and understanding By Mariana Lima Contributor The idea “it will never happen to me” never protected students from shooters when they attacked their classrooms. On the other hand, constant fear and panic on campuses do not stop gunmen from firing their guns. After the Virginia Tech massacre, Constance M. Carroll, chancellor of San Diego Community College District assured
in one e-mail that the college’s top priority is security and that City College has well-trained police officers available 24/7 in case of emergency. “I don’t feel in danger, there is a pretty good (number of) security guards,” City student Eduardo Salgado said. However, colleges are not safe from experiencing future massacres even if well secured because human beings can trig-
See SAFETY, Page 2
said they have learned from this election and will be able to put that knowledge to good use next time around. “I’m very proud of all of the very hard work that everyone put in,” ■ Campuswide Valdez, smoking ban on said of ballot, Page 3 the effort to get the ■ ASG candidate word out statements, Page 11 a b o u t the campaign, including working 16-hour-days for a couple of days. “You couldn’t turn a corner without seeing a Student Center flyer.” He said he is also proud that a record number of students voted in this election and that they got the two-thirds approval they would have needed. Next semester, when the Student Center fee is planned to go to vote again, they are going to make a few changes to get even more students out to vote. The election will be held over five days, instead of three. Student government will also be asking faculty to take a more active role in getting students to the polls, including taking classes on “field trips” to the cafeteria to cast their votes.
By Stephen Burgers City Times
Stephen Burgers / City Times Officers place a suspect in the back of a police car on April 18 after he was arrested on suspicion of stealing a student’s laptop.
Earth Day 2007
City College hosts fair in Gorton Quad to raise awareness of the issues affecting the planet News, page 3
A man was arrested in Curran Plaza on suspicion of theft on April 18 at 5 p.m. The observations of a City student led to the man’s apprehension after she said she saw him stealing a laptop that had been momentarily left unattended by a student purchasing food.
See ARREST, Page 2
Index
Calendar ....................................2 News .........................................3 Opinion .....................................4 Life ............................................6 Arts ...........................................9