2009_0210_CT_v63i10

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Covering the San Diego City College community since 1945

Volume 63, Number 10

February 10, 2009

leo E. laurence City Times

City students flock to tutorial centers in record numbers Sonjiala Hotchkiss City Times The Tutorial Center and the English Center reported that they served record numbers of students for the fall 2008 semester.

Respective center directors Lance Soukhaseum and Chris Baron attributed the increase to support from City College “There are going to be some tough decisions,” Baron responded when asked about the expected budget cuts.

During phone interviews, Soukhaseum and Baron emphasized that they do not plan to cut services, They confirmed that budget cuts may result in reduced hours or other types of cost-reductions methods.

The Centers offer in-person tutoring, online tutoring, workshops and supplemental instructions as a free service to City College students.

Tutors are available for all subjects.

Laura Ferrise was one of the first tutors to be part of the supplemental instruction program.

She tutors biology at the Tutorial Center. With the supplemental instruction program, tutors are placed in the classroom with students in entry-level courses.

Ferrise said that the program worked so well because the tutor is there every class period which shows both their commitment to the program and insures that the tutor will understand the needs of the students better.

“These are my roots, man.

This is where I started,” speaking on why she continues to tutor at City College despite the fact that is now continuing her biology major at the University of Califor-

nia in San Diego.

Tiffany Farmer tutors all the English subjects at the English Center. Farmer began as a City College student, but has since completed a degree in ethnic studies and literature at UCSD. Farmer said that she thinks of City College as her home and that she enjoys tutoring here because there is a greater sense that City is a community learning environment.

Farmer also serves as a liason between the Umoja program at City, which focuses on AfricanAmerican culture issues, and the English Center.

Farmer and Ferrise separately cited the diversity of the student body at City College as a major reason they return to teach here.

Students sat one-on-one with students at the tutoring centers tables. Farmer and Ferrise believed students were comforted by the fact that the tutors were indeed their peers, and that the tutors had personal experience being in seats.

Farmer said that tutors are not necessarily smarter. They just have more experience.

“We’re here to give you what you need to do the work to the best of your ability,” commented Farmer.

Farmer said that she has seen a reduction in the drop-out rate among first-year African-American students since she has been a tutor and liason of the Umoja program.

Soukhaseum and Baron’s increased cooperation between the centers, student word-ofmouth, and student success also

Knights slam Comets in 83-60 victory

One-man scoring machine Malcolm Thomas puts away just two of his 35 points to go along with 13 rebounds Jan. 31. The men’s basketball team would go on to conquer the Palomar Comets 83-60 in a tough-fought battle at the Harry West Gym on Jan. 31. The dominance displayed by the men’s team was impressive, and keeps their hopes alive of maintaining the No. 1 position in their conference. Check out the full story on page 12.

See TUTORIAL, page 8

Keith Snow urges students to put down the paper Angie Otterbein and Marissa Stevens Contributors “Don’t read newspapers.”

This was the oft-repeated message journalist and activist Keith Harmon Snow had for a packed auditorium of City College students at Saville Theater Wednes-

Index

Take Note.................................2 News...................................... 3 Opinion................................... 4 Arts.......................................10 Sports................................... 12

day afternoon.

Snow’s multimedia presentation, “Consciousness and Responsibility in the Age of Genocide and Propaganda” urged everyone to question everything.

All topics discussed revolved around the questions: What is a person’s place in the world? What is compassion? What do people

believe and why? What is truth?

During the lecture Snow discussed the people of the Congo and the hardships they face by living in a land rich in raw materials such as diamonds and titanium, often being forced from their homes into refugee camps so that people in the industrialized world can enjoy products

Inside

Q ONGOING

Inside the renovation of the L Building

FOCUS / PAGE 6

such as cell phones.

Snow also touched on American charities that are set up as money-making corporations with those in need being marketed as a product. He cited C.A.R.E., an international humanitarian organization funded by Lockheed Martin, which is the United States’ main producer of bombs,

missiles and other wartime munitions.

Snow encouraged those in the audience to become more aware of what is going on in the world and to take part in fighting for justice.

“A fish doesn’t know water

See SNOW, page 8

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City Times

TakeNote

TAKE NOTE

February 10, 2009

Dance in the deep end By Emily Mather

Compiled by Shannon Kuhfuss Get your event or club meeting in the paper. E-mail us at citytimes@gmail.com or call (619) 388-3880

February

http://sdcity.edu/worldcultures

n Feb. 11 Lecture on protecting the ecosystem of the Oceans and our role in minimizing the dangerous impact of plastic pollution.

11:10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

D-121A/B

Information meeting for Spanish immersion study abroad program in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

12:00 p.m. - 01:00 p.m.

B-104

n Feb. 13 & 16 Holidays n Feb. 18 Emmy Award winning actress performs a Chataqua on the contributions of the Mother of Civil Rights in California. Saville Theater. Contact Elizabeth Meehan CoDirector emeehan@sdccd.edu

n Feb. 24

Fashion-naughta By Michele Suthers

n Feb. 25

“Bastards of the Party” film screening.

11:10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

D-121 A/B

n Feb. 28

City’s Greatest Talent Show 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Saville Theatre Tickets: $12.00

Facebook killing our social advancement Happy belated birthday, Facebook. On Feb. 4, the social networking Web site celebrated its success, since its creation five short years ago. Founder Mark Zuckerberg noted the hard work that went into making Facebook the largest social networking site, overtaking MySpace by about 20 million users. Its impressive results are just a minor aspect when considering just how much 11/18/2008 FacebookUSArmy.SDCC.4.9x7.7.BW.ai has revolutionized

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Perspective Remy Soni

communication.

Simply put, everyone and their neighbor are using Facebook.

Originally created for Harvard students, the Web site has gone on to access for everyone over the age of 13. Personally, I think 3:31:35 the PMstrides that Facebook has

made for keeping in touch with one another are massive, and the Web site is a helpful tool for college students, relatives across the world, co-workers and others.

However, it makes one wonder.

Whatever happened to talking to someone in person or even on the phone?

It seems that either one of these methods of communication is now associated with the Dark Ages. A couple of weeks

ago, I saw someone pushing buttons on her cell phone and thought that she was either trying to text message someone or was looking through her directory for a number to call.

Wrong. Her Web-enabled phone allowed her to access Facebook, have an instant chat and write on a friend’s wall.

Why not just use the phone to call your friend? It's amazing just how much we place convenience

over more personal interaction.

In some instances, it has gotten to the point where people would rather write on someone’s Facebook wall when they’re in the same room as that person.

Call me old-fashioned, but I’m really questioning the logic behind that.

Remy Soni is a columnist for the University of Illinois Daily Illini, distributed through U-WIRE

February 10, 2009

CityNews

City Times

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City College receives Exemplary Program Award Shannon kuhfuss City Times San Diego City College earned the Exemplary Program Award on January 20 at the first meeting of the 2009 California Community College Board of Governors in Sacramento.

The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) gave the award to City

College for its inventive faculty development program concurrent with Learning Communities.

The 2008-2009 state-wide theme was “Growing our Own: Showcasing Innovative Development Programs for Faculty.” The programs chosen are examples of what excellence in faculty development should look like in California learning institutions.

City was recognized for it’s

“Pedagogy of Love: Organic Praxis in Teaching and Learning.” It was one of four programs to earn an honorable mention statewide.

City College Academic Senate President Berta Harris said, “We now have on-going campus-based professional development opportunities where faculty and instructional staff engage in learning communities on the subjects of

student learning and success, pedagogy, and becoming a more culturally responsive institution.”

The program is associated to Learning Communities (LCOM), which concentrates on student retention and success. It also entails a UCSD university extension course for converting a classroom into a Learning Community, online training for faculty, professional development workshops,

and the advancement of integrated curriculum for LCOMs. “This faculty development program has served to revitalize instruction at San Diego City College,” said City College President Dr. Terrence Burgess.

Since the program’s initiation in 2006, it has produced a greatly increased number of faculty trained to teach in Learning Communities.

New studies show Obama effect may raise black test scores Alexandra Finkel Daily Northwestern San Diego (U-WIRE) — During his presidential campaign, Barack Obama promised change. According to a recent study, some change might have come overnight.

A team of researchers from three universities, including one from Northwestern University, discovered what they call the “Obama Effect” — the elimination of a performance gap between black and white Americans in an academic test — in the days following the Democratic National Convention and the presidential election.

Sei Jin Ko, a visiting professor in management and organizations at NU’s Kellogg School of Management, met David Marx, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, last year at a conference. Both specialize in the field of stereotyping and prejudice. The pair set out to find

the effect Barack Obama might have as a role model for black Americans.

Marx headed the study, which administered an academic test to 84 black and 388 white Americans, proportionate to the racial percentages in the United States, between the ages of 18 and 63.

The 20-question test was given in four time periods in 2008; two non-salient times — one week before the National Convention and one month before the election — and two salient times — the day following the National Convention and the day after the election.

“We found that in non-salient times, African-Americans performed significantly worse than white Americans on the test,” Ko said. “But during the salient times, we found that the gap was completely erased.”

Minorities may not perform as well because they feel they are intellectually inferior, Ko said.

“In some testing situations,

they experience a ‘stereotype threat’ and perform poorly,” she said. “It’s not that they don’t have the ability to do well, but they feel that if they don’t do well, they will perpetuate the negative stereotype and in turn, this worry makes them do worse.”

On the initial test last summer, whites scored an average of 12 out of 20 questions correct compared to 8.5 correct answers for blacks. But on the tests administered immediately after Obama’s nomination acceptance speech and after his election victory, black performance improved, eliminating the performance gap, Marx said.

Still, Gabriel Fuentes, a counselor at George Washington High School in Chicago, said he has not seen any change in the academic progress of his Hispanic and black students.

“No one has come into my office and said they wanted to go to college because of Barack Obama,” Fuentes said. “Test

Olivier Douliery MCT Campus

Reseach by SDSU professor David Marx and NU’s Kellog School of Management professor Sei Jin Ko indicates that President Obama’s election may have a positive effect on black test scores. scores and the number of students applying to college among minority students has remained stagnant for as long as I can remember.”

But for Ko, a positive minority role model like Obama changes everything.

“When you have a role model that is successful in a domain like academics, then that role model is clearly able to buffer the negative stereotype,” Ko said.

Marx has submitted the study

See OBAMA, page 9

KSDS and Cole’s do their part to keep music programs thriving Donna crilly City Times KSDS Jazz 88.3 and Cole’s Fine Flooring collect donations of musical instruments for the Music Matters program every February to give San Diego stu-

dents, who can’t afford their own, an opportunity to play an instrument.

People of San Diego are encouraged to donate dusty old instruments to the campus radio’s office or to any Cole’s Fine Flooring location by the

Deejays of Jazz 88.3 and by non-profit organization CCMSCommunity Council for Music in Schools.

According to Erica Calvert, education coordinator for Jazz 88.3, once the instruments are collected, CCMS fixes them

up and distributes them to the schools.

She also says that this is the fifth year KSDS is collecting instruments with 250 donations total and ninety-eight in the past year alone.

“Music makes a substantial

contribution to young people’s success,” says Mark DeBowsky, KSDS station manager. “It is important to the development of young people.”

Donations will be accepted until February 28th. For more information, visit www.jazz88.org.

San Diego State University professor withholds grades Editor’s note: The comments made by associate professor James S. Burns are essential to the clarity and fullness of this article.

Wendy Fry introduced herself as a journalist, and after the interview, Burns retracted his statements and requested we not print them.

Later, he questioned the accuracy, completeness and relevance of his comments. The Daily Aztec chose to include his initial comments to provide readers with the complete story.

Wendy Fry SDSU Daily Aztec SAN DIEGO (U-WIRE) ­­— Last semester, mechanical engineering students enrolled in

sections 514 and 312 at San Diego State University had to wait more than a month and a half to receive their grades. Associate professor James S. Burns delayed posting these grades until Feb. 2, causing some graduating seniors to miss job opportunities and stopping others from going to graduate school, because they couldn’t receive their diploma without these grades.

The chair of the department of mechanical engineering, Dr. Morteza Monte Mehrabadi, said during a telephone interview that he was still waiting for Burns to submit grades for the approximately 66 students enrolled in the classes.

According to the SDSU Fac-

ulty Handbook, “Faculty members are expected to submit final grades in a timely fashion ... Grading practices and patterns are expected to meet the highest professional standards of objectivity, fairness and accuracy.”

“He has not submitted the grades from last semester and he will not allow me access to the coursework to assist him in getting the grades submitted,” Mehrabadi said. “But, he has not refused to post the grades, he just keeps asking for a couple days of extension. I’m trying to work with him as much as possible to get the grades to the students.”

Later in the day, university officials reported that the grades were posted at approximately

3:45 p.m., but Burns told The Daily Aztec that he had already submitted the grades at 3:30 p.m., adding that he didn’t want to discuss the matter further.

The two classes are required for graduation in the department, but Burns is the only professor who teaches the courses.

“It’s completely unprofessional,” mechanical engineering senior Dale McComb said about Burns’ delay in posting grades.

“You have faith in your professors, and they’re supposed to be very moral and responsible, but if they pull something like this, it’s totally unethical.”

McComb said he was afraid Burns would retaliate against him by giving him a C in the class for

speaking with The Daily Aztec, but he wanted other students to know what was going on.

“I wouldn’t recommend him ever, but we’re forced to take his class,” McComb said. “He opens the textbook up and flips through it for class. And that’s just when he shows up.”

McComb said that Burns missed class the entire first week of school last semester, he didn’t teach the last week of school before finals and he missed about three to four other days of the semester.

Burns canceled his class Monday, and during an interview with The Daily Aztec, he repeat-

See GRADES, page 9

4

CityOpinon

City Times

Working on point A to get to point B I talked to a homeless woman on the bus the other day. I don’t usually make it a habit of talking to complete strangers but she initiated the conversation and was pleasant enough for me to continue it.

As much as I like social interactions I can be pretty distant and socially disconnected which at times can make me seem pretty unapproachable. That didn't stop the woman from striking a conversation with me though.

The homeless woman looked like she was once a pretty person in her past and youthful days.

Now, she looks dirty, with oily hair, messed up teeth and dirty hands and nails. She was dressed appropriately and didn’t smell so that was a good thing, especially considering the close proximity.

This woman was very pleasant and I wasn’t afraid of her and therefore continued the conversation. There are people that sometimes look at bums and feel sorry for them. Sorry for their state, their obvious homelessness, the idea of how sad their life might actually be.

I don't think I’ve ever really thought that way about a homeless person, as in feeling sorry for them, and while speaking to this woman, I realized that I didn't feel sorry for her.

What I noticed about this

woman, aside from her obvious looks, was that she had a smile on her face. She wasn’t afraid of exposing her teeth and she didn’t really look like she cared if people

Live and Learn Luis Bahena

looked at her.

The smile on her face made it impossible for me to feel any sense of remorse for her. She looked happy despite of being homeless.

It made me think, it made me ask, made me wonder: how did she get to where she is now?

What point in life caused her to end up homeless? How did her life lead her to this bus stop? To the very seat right next to me where we were both waiting for the bus to arrive?

Then, I asked the inevitable.

How did I get to where I was?

There, sitting in a bus stop bench, next to a homeless woman, waiting for the bus?

It’s funny how certain things in life will make you think about stuff such as your future or career or academics.

As the new semester begins, I find myself looking back at my life and wondering how I ended up where I am now.

So many things have happened since the ending of the fall semester and the beginning of the spring one. Life changing events, per say, that won’t make this next year any easier, at least in my case that is.

Yet still, we are students that do what we must to make it in this world. What’s that saying, “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going?”

For some reason, the homeless woman got me thinking of where I had been going with my life. I had been following a very different path than from what I had originally set forth.

But hey, life happens, we get caught up in the youthful debauchery, but that shouldn't be the reason to ignore our chances to grow with the New Year and the new semester.

It’s so surprising how one’s life can change in over the period of a few weeks … How one certain act or incident can turn your whole life around and make you

Vox Populi

Questions and Photos by Michele Suthers

February 10, 2009

How are the budget cuts affecting you?

“They are affecting me, but I’ve got my classes and my books.”

Francisco Garcia, 18 Undecided

“There aren’t as many classes to choose from. They keep shutting down sections.

The tutoring has been cut and they’re cutting tutors’ hours.

Schwarzenegger wants to keep cutting too.”

Patricia Law, unknown Art

“I get the BOWG and I just pay the health fees. If I didn’t have these options, I wouldn’t be able to attend school.”

Tariq Dehrab, 32 Arabic/History

See WORKING, page 8

Urbanalities By Michele Suthers “A lot of students are trying to crash and classes are filling up with 25-30 people.

I’m getting financial aid, so I’m getting $400 a semester and working full time, but it is hard.”

Leugim Reasonda, 19 Nursing

“The classes are very oversized and the quality of education because they weren’t able to add.”

Colleen Pointeck, 19 Art

CityTimes Volume 63, Number 10 February 10, 2009 www.sdcitytimes.com

Published as: The Jay Sees / 1945-1949 Fortknightly / 1949-1978 City Times / 1978Incorporating the newspapers Tecolote, Knight Owl and Flicks

How to reach us: City Times San Diego City College 1313 Park Blvd.

San Diego, CA 92101 Newsroom: T-316

Shevaun Brandom Editor-in-Chief

Shannon Kuhfuss Opinion Editor

Luis Bahena Copy Editor

Sonjiala Hotchkiss Online Editor

Carlos Maia Photography Editor

Michele Suthers Chief Illustrator

Evonne Ermey News Editor

Donovan Terblanche Sports Editor

Roman S. Koenig Journalism Adviser

Phone: (619) 388-3880 Fax: (619) 388-3814 E-mail: citytimes@gmail.com Program homepage: www.sdcity.edu/citytimes

City Times Staff

Tom Andrew, Heather Richards, Sophia Cancino, Roda Catapang,Donna P. Crilly, Romel Echon, Vanessa Gomez, Nathan Hipple, Leo E. Laurence, Joe Leonard, Emily Mather, Ariana Sanchez-Fierro, Kristin Tappen

Correspondents

Beza Beneberu, Regina Burton, Elizabeth Garcia, Dawnyelle Harrison, Michelle Kam, Antonio Marquez, Andrew Murphy, Amber Nadeau, Angie Otterbein, Samir Roy, Lindsay Tasior, Artur Witkowski

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.

District policy statement This publication is produced as a learning experience under a San Diego Community College District instructional program. All materials, including opinions expressed herein, are the sole responsibility of the students and should not be interpreted to be those of the college district, its officers or employees.

Letters to the editor Letters to the editor are welcome, 350 words or less. The staff reserves the right to edit letters for grammar, spelling, punctuation and length.

Memberships Journalism Association of Community Colleges Associated Collegiate Press California Newspaper Publishers Association

February 10, 2009

City Times

VOICE

5

Spare me the sappy love story details If I get asked what plans I have for Valentine's Day one more time, I swear I'm going to track Cupid down myself and tell him where he can shove those arrows.

I'm aware the only reason I’m being asked what I’m going to be doing is because the individual asking probably has some Cinderella-esque plans that they are just dying to rub in my face.

Who are we trying to fool here? Good for you that you’re happy. Don’t get me wrong, I fully support your joy.

Please don’t try to regurgitate your plans to me like mama bird to the baby bird.

You’re not going to get an “OOOOOO, AAAHHH!� out of me in regards to your perfect night.

Chances are I’m laughing to myself because I know that Valentine’s Day usually turns out to be a huge bust to those

Last Rant Shannon Kuhfuss

who dwell too much on it.

Instead of wreaking your brains to find the perfect gift/night for your significant other, how about treating him/her well all year round? What a strange concept!

Don't put all of your efforts into one day

when you could, I don’t know, appreciate your loved one all the time.

Too much pressure gets put on people to live up to the standards of the perfect Valentine's Day. By the time it gets that built up, it’s usually a complete flop anyway and you go to bed questioning why you’re still with your partner.

I'm also sick of the “ladies night!� because all that turns into is a larger group of intoxicated chicks crying to each other about being alone rather than dealing with it individually.

Just because I may be feeling lousy about my current relationship or lack thereof doesn’t mean five other lonely ladies feeling the same way will make me feel any better.

Whether I am single or in a relation-

ship, I do not see Valentine’s Day as a holiday that needs to be observed.

I think looking back at my track history that I have had better Valentine’s Days when I am single and keeping myself busy or distracted with something else.

Past boyfriends had been extreme failures when it came to this day. Something would always go awry after I had already expressed me disinterest in the Hallmark holiday. All it did was make me think, “I’m with you because..?� and it would all go south from there.

So lovers and haters enjoy your day of mixed emotions. I’ll be a girl in the corner with the headphones on completely ignoring you.

Shannon Kuhfuss is City Times’ opinion editor

Single awareness day rapidly approaches Aurora Mckeehan City Times It’s that time of year again. Hearts seem to be on steroids, the color red seems to exist in every direction, and couples seem to be doubling in number by the second.

Well, that is of course if you are one of the single folks in the world at this point in time, it feels as though someone invented this holiday in order to make everyone aware of singleness.

On the contrary, this time of year is another excuse to eat lots of calories, (also known as chocolate) get roses, and spend a nice night out on the town with the one you love most.

On the bright side of things, this Valen-

tine’s Day will be neither dreadful nor routine for any of you.

Due to the economic crisis, which includes an astounding loss of jobs, budget cuts, etc. there are plenty of way to make this holiday the best it can be, single or not.

Status: In a Relationship San Diego’s Balboa Park has plenty of exciting events that take place daily, and because of the nature of students’ empty wallets, it is assuring to know that many of the events that Balboa Park holds are free.

So get on out there and save money while having a fun night.

Skip out on the clichÊ’ dinner and movie night and do something for Valentines days that you’ll remember years down the road.

Status: Single Ladies, grab all your friends and have a singles mixer.

Better yet, let this be a ‘ladies only’ night on the town.

Now doesn’t that sound much better than sitting at home on Myspace all night long? Corvette Diner, located in Hillcrest gives you a fun environment and is very affordable in pricing.

Want to skip out on watching all the annoying couples hand feed one another in public? Rent a movie and stay in all night with all your friends. Whoever said being single was a bad thing anyways?

Aurora McKeehan is a City Times staff member

AURORA McKEEHAN City Times photo illustration

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City Times

CityFocus

February 10, 2009

Men at work

Contractors from a variety of trades are hard at work in order to finish new Academic Success Center by their May deadline.

This page, starting from top: Juan Medina cuts some threaded metal rods to the proper length. Medina will eventually pound each rod into the cement ceiling so that they can support all the duct work and piping for the new construction. Rene Lopez hands Carlos Alcaraz the end of the tape measure during the initial stages of the installation of the heating and cooling system.

Facing page from top left clockwise: Window installers Antonio Esparza and Erasmo Tapio caulk the opening of the doorway which will be followed by their coworker Martin Lopez and his nail gun. Brian Lustig and his superintendent go over blueprints for the front entrance of the construction area. Keith Burns cuts tile for the bathrooms on the main floor of the new Academic Success Center.

Photos by Carlos Maia City Times

February 10, 2009

City Times

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City Times

NEWS / VOICE

February 10, 2009

Snow Continued from page 1 until it discovers air,” said Snow in an attempt to challenge listeners to become more deliberate in their thinking.

Still, Snow warns people to be wary of where their information comes from. As an independent journalist, he insisted the audience not read the newspaper.

According to Snow, every widely published newspaper has interests behind them, interests with enough money to decide what can and cannot be placed in a newspaper, censoring people from the actual truth.

“Don’t read newspapers. You are just contributing to your own mental illness,” said Snow.

Instead Snow urged people to gain information from books like “The Road To Hell: The Ravaging Effects of Foreign Aid and International Charity” by Michael Maren.

He also recommended books by Thoreau and Tolstoy.

Adamant that citizens, not only think of issues in the world, but act out responsibly in accordance, Snow impels people to do what is right even though the act may go unnoticed.

“Often there is anger behind sadness and it is appropriate to be angry, but how do you manifest or take action?” asked Snow, “Let your feeling rise and realize you are a person with power.”

More information on Keith Harmon Snow can be found on his website, www. allthingspass.com City Times staff members Michele Suthers, Carlos Maia and Evonne Ermey as well as City TImes correspondent Michelle Kam contributed to this article.

Tutorial Continued from page 1 played a large role in their record student numbers for fall 2008. The English Center served 1,720 students, and the Tutorial Center served 1,381 students.

Tutors may still be needed at both centers as they plan to maintain or acquire tutors for all subjects. New tutors go

Working Continued from page 4 reevaluate everything, making you look who you were, who you are and who you are going to become, but more than anything, who you really want to be.

As another semester begins I look forward towards the challenges life and academia will throw my way as well as towards the opportunities in growth.

As I write, so many sayings are rushing in and out of my brain: “When life gives

Carlos Maia City Times

Independent journalist and activist Keith Snow (left) answers questions for the crowd after his presentation of “Consciousness and Responsibility in the Age of Genocide and Propaganda,” which took place Feb. 4 at the Saville Theatre. During his presentation, Snow urged students to be more aware of the suffering happening in the world around them and to take action where they can even if they know no one is watching. through training and orientation before being placed with students.

“It’s fun. It’s rewarding, and you enjoy it,” Ferrise said about being a tutor.

The English Center is located in room C-226. Their phone number is (619) 3883685.

The Tutorial Center is inside the library in room r-212. They can be reached at (619) 388-3685.

Students may show up to the centers as walk-ins or they may schedule appointments. you lemons, make lemonade,” or “Kill or be killed,” or “survival of the fittest,” and my all time favorite, “life is what you make it!”

As individals, we can’t really know where we'll end up, but as students, at least we are working towards where we want to go. I start this semester with my head held up high, and a destination in sight, and hope that I make it to the end.

As Heather Small put it in her song “Proud:” “What have you done today to make you feel proud? It's never too late to try!”

Luis Bahena is a City Times columnist

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February 10, 2009

NEWS

Obama Continued from page 3 to the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology for peer review. In the meantime, the professors are pursuing other research in this area including the effect that female

Grades Continued from page 3 edly requested the names of the students who had informed the newspaper about his failure to submit grades.

Burns has had more than a decade of research with plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, or PHEVs, according to www.signonsandiego.com.

City Times

9

role models have on the performance of women.

“We are currently studying how female role models may help women overcome the negative stereotypes that may have hindered them from performing at their best in certain academic domains like math and engineering,” Marx said.

Ko hopes the “Obama Effect” will

inspire ordinary people to become role models.

“Role models need not be just famous.

They could be professors in classrooms or parents in homes across the country,” she said. “It’s such a simple thing that can really have a huge effect. We could probably erase that performance gap once and for all.”

Marx said the “Obama Effect” may be one reason why NU received a 21 percent increase in applications from black students this year.

“It certainly sounds plausible,” Marx said. “Obama is really getting a lot of people excited and I could see how that could translate into more minority students applying to schools.”

Burns said that his “research endeavors have been terminated by circumstances within the university.”

Burns explained his actions by stating that he did not have an office at SDSU, that it took seven weeks for his e-mail access to be set up at the beginning of last semester and that he did not have a phone in his laboratory.

Mehrabadi said about five or six graduating students were drastically inconvenienced by the situation because they went

on job interviews and faced reviews for promotions without their final grades.

“The effects on the students were sometimes significant,” Mehrabadi said. “Some of them are going on job interviews. So I have to write something for each of them individually that they have satisfied all the requirements for their degree, but are waiting for the grades from one class to receive their diploma.”

Mehrabadi also added that some students were trying to begin graduate school

this semester but were unable to establish competency without their undergraduate degree.

McCombs reported that though he never received more than half of his graded coursework for the class, including two 25-page papers, a take-home portion of a midterm, a take-home portion of his final and a few homework assignments, he did receive an A. “We are hoping that this doesn’t ever happen again,” Mehrabadi said.

City feeling the squeeze: Enrollment grows as funds dissipate Editors note: This story ran incomplete on Jan. 27 due to a production error. It is being rerun here in full.

Evonne Ermey City Times City feels the squeeze as enrollment grows and funds dissipate.

Fewer class sections, larger class sizes, and shorter student service hours. The following are what students can expect upon their return to City College this semester as administrators do their best to trim fat off of bare bones in the face of mid-year budget cuts.

The cuts proposed in Governor Schwarzenegger’s 2009-10 budget would relieve the California public education system of some $6 to $10 billion in state funding.

City College president Terrence Burgess expects that City College’s share of that cut will be approximately $1.8 million.

With the implementation of a hiring freeze and the dissolution of 60 to 70 sections from the class schedule administrators hope to reduce this year’s expenditures by $915,000 dollars, leaving the remaining $811,000 deficit to be absorbed next year.

Cutting sections in a way that produces the least negative impact is the ultimate goal for administrators.

“Sections will be cut determined by a combination of enrollment patterns. What impact will cutting a section have on the program? How many total sections are there in the program that are loaded at 80%? If we cut one section will they have a good chance of getting into another sec-

tion? The big issue is fill rate and demand.

These things don’t usually change. These are trends,” said Richard Dittbenner, Director of Public Information and Government Relations for the San Diego Community College District.

Still, both Dittbenner and Burgess acknowledge that some students with inflexible schedules will feel the impact of the cuts. The only departments that have not been subjected to the knife are the Sciences as they are the most in demand.

As for the 2010 school year and the remaining $811,000 in reductions needed, “Frankly, we’re kind of running out of places to look for the other $811,000 there are only one or two things we can do. Reduce the class schedule further or reduce student services,” said Burgess.

Reduced services may come in the form of less library hours and the elimination of Friday classes from the summer intercession. The four week intercession option for summer has already been dissolved.

“We are doing scenario planning right now. It depends on what the state is going to do,” says Burgess.

Another challenge to the College’s emaciated budget comes in the form of rising

enrollment rates. College freshmen finding their plans to attend UC or CSU thwarted by cuts in freshman admissions this year have suddenly found themselves seeking higher education at Community Colleges.

This, combined with the rising enrollment that is a general symptom of economic turmoil, means less money and more students for City.

“Enrollment grew about 6 percent in the fall. Early numbers from last week show us running 15 percent over what we were doing last year,” said Burgess in a phone interview on January 16. “For us to cut community college funding at a time when we need them more than ever is shortsighted.”

“We’ve never experienced anything like this in California. Community colleges have never experienced anything like this.

We’ve never had a recession this deep in modern history,” echoed Dittbenner.

With the forecast for community colleges looking bleak, Burgess urges students to be proactive. “Students can be very effective in having a voice that is heard. I hope students will be motivated to contact their local government officials and senators.”

10

CityArts

City Times

February 10, 2009

Three criminals, an old man, and a Slumdog The red carpet is rolled out as the nominees are announced On Dec. 25, while most of America was waking up to open presents with their families, I walked into a theater with my friend. A movie was opening that I not only wanted to see but was sure would be a contender for an Academy Award. Every year, hundreds of movies and thousands of performers and production staff contend for a nomination. Only one from each category, however, will take home the 13.5 inch, eight an a half pound award, nicknamed Oscar by Shirley Temple.

The rules are simple. To be considered, a movie must run in Los Angeles County for 14 days between Jan. 1 first and Dec. 31 of entering year. Foreign films are entered by a committee from the entering nation. Then, the more than 6,000 members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) nominate and vote on the recipients. The true enjoyment of the awards is yours and mine. While most people don’t see all of the nominees, there are a few “Joe the Moviegoers,� who watch them all and make their own bets.

2008 was a year to go to the movies. With an economy in recession, weather that wasn’t always desirable, and a presiden-

Oscar Preview Andrew Murphy

tial election that was everywhere you looked, Americans needed the escapism that Hollywood provides.

The actors The acting categories are dominated by veterans who have either earned an award before or made their mark in great roles that are a part of Great American Cinema. Of course, there are also the rookies, breakout performers who have what legends are made of. The Supporting Actor nominations have amazing performances from every nominee. Josh Brolin, as George White in “Milk,� did not receive a nomination for his role as America’s 43rd president, but he garners a nod as the man who assassinated the first openly gay politician. Robert Downey Jr. plays an Academy Award winning actor playing a black soldier in “Tropic Thunder.� Phillip Seymour Hoffman delivered an amazing performance as a priest who comes under suspicion of

the Mother Superior in “Doubt.�

Michael Shannon plays the love interest of a disillusioned housewife in “Revolutionary Road.�

Finally, the performance everyone was talking about before the movie was released, Heath Ledger as The Joker in this summer’s “Dark Knight.� All of these performances were amazing and garner the acclaim they have received. Only one sends chills down my spine. Truly scary, dramatic, and beautifully executed.

Ledger’s performance made you not only feel for the villain, but also laugh and reflect on a talent lost so early in his career. Supporting Actress nominations were handed out to some of the most beautiful women in Hollywood today. They also have amazing talent that has gone mostly unnoticed: Marisa Tomei as a stripper in “The Wrestler,�

Amy Adams and Viola Davis as women of God in “Doubt,� Penelope Cruz in “Vicky Christina Barcelona� and Taraji P. Henson as an adoptive mother in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.� The wonderful Marisa Tomei has already won for her unforgettable role as Joe Pesci’s girlfriend in “My Cousin Vinny.� And while she does not disappoint in “The

AMPAS Courtesy Image Wrestler,� Amy Adams deserves the award for her portrayal of a Nun caught between faith and suspicion. Meryl Streep’s acting skills are unparalleled and unquestionable.

Her portrayal of a Mother Superior in “Doubt� who believes there

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is an inappropriate relationship between a priest and a boy has earned Streep her 15th acting nomination, of which she has won two.

Anne Hathaway gains her first nomination for “Rachael Getting Married,� playing a woman who leaves rehab for the weekend to attend her sister’s wedding. Kate Winslet delivers another stunning performance as a Nazi officer who falls in love with a 15-year-old Jewish boy. Melissa Leo takes a turn as a mother driven to great odds for the sake of her children. However, Angelina Jolie’s performance in “Changeling� of a mother who believes the child returned to her is not the one that was taken is sure to gain Jolie her second statue.

While every nominee is in fact a superb actor, calling anyone in the Best Actor category the best is unfair to the other four. Mickey Rourke plays a man who tries to live in the past while he corrects the mistakes he’s made in “The Wrestler.� Sean Penn takes on the role of Harvey Milk, America’s first openly gay politician, who was assassinated in 1979 after making giant steps in the gay rights movement. Frank Langella

See FILM, page 11

February 10, 2009

City Times

ARTS / SPORTS

Film Continued from page 10 takes on the role of Richard Nixon in “Frost/Nixon,” reminding us that those we bring to power sometimes abuse it. Richard Jenkins portrays a college professor with unwanted house guests in “The Visitor.” The performance that is most deserving is that of Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” Pitt’s portrayal of a man who ages backward was both sad and moving.

The movies The Best Picture award is always the most anticipated. There is no scientific way to decide who the winner is, but there are a few methods that have proven to be almost always correct. The winner of Best Director takes home the Best Picture award nine times out of 10. If Roger Ebert sees his shadow, the highest-grossing movie will win.

The only people who know are two auditors from PricewaterhouseCoopers.

This year, the members of the Academy are faced with a hard decision. All five nominees are unquestionably fantastic. “Milk” and “Frost/Nixon” touch on very sad times in American history. “The Reader” explores two kinds of forbidden love during the mass genocide of the early 1940s. “Benjamin Button” spans the last century and is told from a hospital bed in New Orleans on the night the levees broke

in 2005. “Slumdog Millionaire” tells the story of finding love no matter what the odds. The story of two brothers orphaned and homeless in the ghettos of Bombay unravels while the younger brother uses only the knowledge he has gained in the slums to win the Indian version of game show “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire.”

This movie is the best picture of the year.

I can’t tell you why. Trust me. While “Benjamin Button” had an entire movie theater crying on Christmas morning, “Slumdog Millionaire” shows you the side of yourself you forget you have – the survivor that’s in us all, that human instinct to care for one another that we are all born with.

With the Best Picture going to “Slumdog Millionaire,” director Danny Boyle will also achieve an award. With so many great films and nominees each year, the process of handing out statues to Pradaclad celebrities seems an almost ridiculous display. Many are overlooked. Many are overblown. America, as well as Hollywood itself, needs a bar set. Where would Martin Scorsese be if it were not for the influence of past winners John Ford and Frank Capra? A young Cate Blanchett may be a schoolteacher if not for the influence of Katherine Hepburn. And myself, I’m taking a vow of silence until the Academy recognizes the genius of Tim Burton and Matt Groening.

Hugh Jackman hosts the 81st annual Academy Awards, Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. PST on ABC. Andrew Murphy as a City Times arts writer

SportsLineup

WARNER BROTHERS Courtesy Photo

Late actor Heath Ledger is nominated for best supporting actor for what would be his last role as the Joker in “The Dark Knight.”

FOX SEARCHLIGHT Courtesy Photo

Jamal Malik occupies the hot seat as he prepares to answer the $20 million question in the Oscar nominated film “Slumdog Millionaire.”

Compiled by Shevaun Brandom / Submit events to e-mail citytimes@gmail.com, or call (619) 388-3880

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Men’s Tennis vs. Orange Coast at home 2 p.m.

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Women’s Basketball at South West 5 p.m.

Baseball vs. El Camino at home 10 a.m.

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11

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Softball vs. Rio Hondo at home 3 p.m.

Men’s Tennis vs. SD Mesa at home 2 p.m.

Badminton at Grossmont Tourney 10 a.m.

Women’s Tennis Cuyamaca 2 p.m.

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12

City Times

CitySports

February 10, 2009

Knights slay Comets 83-60 No. 1 ranked basketball continues to pounce every team in conference Donovan Terblanche City Times The men’s Knights basketball team played their arch nemesis the Palomar Comets in Harry West Gym on Jan. 31.

The opening minute was a case of finding balance, thereafter it was a complete annihilation of the opposition.

After the first 15 minutes the Knights were up by 39 points, and would go into the half leading 50-14. Streaking past Palomar continuously, it looked as though an embarrassing thrashing was about to be handed out to the fizzled Comets.

The final score was 83-60 and City ended up eclipsing any hope

of a Palomar victory.

At one stage it seemed as though the game should have had a PG rating, as the destruction rained down by the Knights on the Comets was almost too scary to watch, under the leadership of guard Marquintice Davis, whose calming presence and keen eye guided his team to a glorious victory.

The shining Malcolm Thomas headed up the score sheet with numbers of 35 and 13 rebounds.

Having the likes of Jamel McGuire with 16 points and 5 rebounds helping out did not hurt either.

The No. 1 ranked Knights play MiraCosta at home on Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.

CARLOS MAIA City Times

Badminton team coming back for four LEO E. LAURENCE City Times Guard Marquintice Davis (number 23) gets ready to hand off to center Myles Luttman (number 44), in their victory over Palomar Comets Jan. 31 at the Harry West Gym. The Knights would prove to be victorious over their competition by a score of 83-60.

Third-year coach Son Nguyen goes over backhand drills with Crisselda Vinluan in preparation for their first game at San Diego Mesa. Under Nguyen’s tenure with the Lady Knights, the women’s badminton team has gone undefeated in the Orange Empire Conference with complete shutouts three years running.

Three Ball State coaches follow Hoke to SDSU SAN DIEGO (U-WIRE) — Brady Hoke added three of his assistant coaches from the Ball State University football team to his new staff at San Diego State University, Ball State announced Monday.

Darrell Funk, Jeff Hecklinski and Mark Smith left for San Diego State to join Hoke - who became the head coach for the Aztecs Dec. 16, 2008, after being Ball State’s head coach for six seasons.

Funk will coach the offensive line for San Diego State after coaching Ball State’s offensive guards and centers in 2008.

Hecklinski coached at Ball State for five seasons and will now be the recruiting coordinator and running backs coach for San Diego State. He was the wide

receivers coach for Ball State from 2004-07 and was also the recruiting coordinator last season.

Smith was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Ball State for six seasons and will coach linebackers at San Diego State.

Hoke named Al Borges, the Auburn University offensive coordinator from 2004-07, his offensive coordinator in December. The former Cardinals’ coach also named Rocky Long, the head coach of the University of New Mexico the previous 11 seasons, as his defensive coordinator in December. He named Dan Ferrigno, who most recently coached wide receivers at the University of California in 2006 and 2007, the coach for special teams and tight ends at San Diego State last week.

CARLOS MAIA City Times

Victory 8-7 over the LA Pierce Brahma Bulls Third baseman Hilario Garcia of the City College Knights men’s baseball team is called safe after his commanding triple to center field. He would come in home off a triple by JT Taylor in their 8-7 victory over the LA Pierce Brahma Bulls.