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New sounds and funky beats are about to hit the air waves. Find out who will be the next stars of the music world.
Should we increase taxes on cigarettes? Shall we ban horse burgers? Is it wise to build more houses along 1-15? Do we want to increase Indian gaming? We've got the answers to these questions. Page 5
Women's soccer is on the verge of a first place finish. Last week they romped San Diego City 7-0.
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TILE: FRIDAY,
OCT.
30,
1998
PALOMAR
Comet Radio may sign off Jessica Long Co-Editor in Chief
Plans to liv en up Palomar College's student-run radio station may no longer be necessary if Palomar's Governing Board goes ahead with its intent to se ll the rights and disband KKSM-AM 1320 next month. Reasons cited for the potential cancellation include lack of funding for a fulltime station man a g e r , expendit u r e s exceed generated revenue and the Leta Bowen property Chief Engineer w h i C h houses the station's transmitter is being sold. KKSM-AM 1320, which has recently been renamed to Comet l 320, acquired the AM signal two years ago courtesy of a donation made by the Par Broadcasting Company. The Palomar Community College District has operated the signal as a non-profit radio station interrogated into the radio programming instructional courses offered on Palomar's main campus. Leta Bowen, chief engineer of Comet 1320 pleaded with members of the board to allow four weeks time for her and others fighting for the station to put together a portfo lio of options the board could accept in lieu of selling the AM rights. "I believe there is additional information the board and others may want to review for recommendations and voting on this valuable aspect of Palomar College, " Bowen said. Over the next four weeks, Bowen said she plans to formally address every reason cited by the board in favor of disbanding Comet 1320. To com bat the issue of insufficient funding, Bowen said she has already spoken to a community member who has agreed to set up an e ndowm ent to keep the station run ning . The station manager co uld be
filled on a volunteer basis and the lease Palomar has signed with the owner of the property housing the station's transmitter does not end until April in the year 2000. Financial problems have been an ongoing problem with Comet 1320, according to General Manager and Palomar faculty member Rob Branch. "I, too, am disturbed by this. The problem is we sometimes get students who aren't necessarily so interested in revenue, so we have peaks and valleys of revenue." Branch , who has been acting station manager for the station in addition to his faculty position as General Manager/ Adviser to Comet l 320 and profe ssor on campus said, "(The station) requires a lot of work and I can't keep up with two jobs even though I'd like to. I really love this station but there is a point where we have to be realistic." "We can't do a patchwork fix on this. If there is a so lution , it has to be a real one," Branch added. If the proposal to disband Comet 1320 goes through, it is still likely that students will be able to broad cast on COX Cable FM 92.3. Students will still be offered classes in broadcasting but their work will not be applied in a live radio station . Gene Jackson, dean of Arts and Languages said, "It was a very strong program before we had the AM station and it will remain a very strong program. Rob can't do two jobs at once and the instructional program is sufferi ng from having to play the role of station manager." "I don't think this is going to make a significant difference to the community," Jackson told the board. North County Broadcasting Corporation's Director of Engineering and Operations , Bob Royster disagrees with Jackson. "I was absolutely floored, shocked and dismayed Lo hear of this potential loss," Royster said. Royster told the board that since March he has hir ed half a doz en Palomar students to work for his company because of the real world exper ience they hav e gained through working on Comet 1320.
COLLEGE
SAN
MARCOS
VOLUME
HERE COMES CONTACT
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NUMBER
Education bill eases financial burdens Rebecca Gresh Staff Writer
The Comets offensive and defensive line prepare during practice drills. The two units played well in the Comets 56• 7 victory over Golden West College on Oct. 24. The Comets next action is at home agai,-ist Riverside College, kick•off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
First alumni reunion set to coincide with Homecoming '98 Sharon Palladino Staff Writer
Palomar's Alumni and Friends are joining the Homecoming weekend festivities with special events planned for alumni . All alumni from 1946 to the present are invited to attend this Homecoming weekend. The events begin on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 10 a.m . with an inform al gathering under the the clock tower. This will give everyone a chanc e to catc h up and reminisce. This may be the first time that former students have seen or spoken to each other in many years . The main lib rary will also be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for those interested in reviewing old Mirror publications and Telescope editions. The Mirror was an annual publication for alumni of the ongoing activities and acheivements at Palomar. Old yearbooks may also be glanc ed over, as well as scrap books , ca talo gs and newspaper clip -
pings from 1946 to present. At noon on Saturday, Palomar president, George Boggs, will greet those in attendence. There will also be a picnic lunch under the tower. At 1 p.m. Palomar's football team will play Santa Ana College at San Marcos Hi gh School. During half time alumni will be reco gn ized. Alumni are also invited to the Chamber Singers concert of Gypsy music at 8 p.m. At 9 p.m., the Homecoming Dance, sponsored by the Associated Student Govemement will commence in the Student Union. On Sunday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. Peter Gach, Artist in Residence , will perform a piano recital featuring the last sonata of Franz Schubert. Even tho se who did not graduate are invited to the reunion , and Alumni and Friends hope that current students will attend. Business Professor and reunion chairperson Tom Humphrey believe s that the eve nt will be exc iting for alumni.
"One will find that not a lot is known about Palomar's history. This history is quite intersting and well worth knowing," Humphrey said. Two years ago there was a 50th Anniversary party and in May of this year, the class of 1958 attempted a reunion of their own. These were the first attempts at getting alumni together. The first graduating class in 1946, had just three graduates. At this time, the students had been attending Oceanside/Carlsbad Junior College. These students tranferred over to Palomar af ter its incorporation , and the students made history. Now, in 1998, there are over 25,000 in attendence. Palomar officials are hoping that more alumni will attend but the turn out may be dissapointing. "There has not been a tremen dous number of reservations made as of yet," Humphrey said, "We are hoping for many more in the next few weeks."
President Clinton signed the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 on Oct. 7, lowering interest rates on student loans and raising the maximum amount for Pell Grants. The bill also takes steps to improve teacher preparation, monitor college costs, report campus crimes, monitor hate crimes and discourage drug or alco hol abuse . Despite the Clinton issues dividing the house, Congress compromised to form this piece of legislation. "We put the progress of the country and the people of the country ahead of our partisan differences and reached a principled resolution of the matters in dispute," Clinton said. 'That's the way America is supposed to work, and that's the way the American people want us to work." Nearly nine million students receive close to $49 billion in stuctent financial aid annually. Lowering interest rates will make it easier and less costly for college students to pay back interest payments. The new law requires inter est on student loans be no higher than 8.24 percent. According to Robert Greene from the Associated Press , a student who borrowed $12,000 for four years of college would save $650 over a typical I 0-year repayment period. Graduates start ing to repay loans will also benefit. The interest rate for gradua tes has lowered to 7.46 percent the lowest interest rate in 17 years. The authorized amount for Pell Grants has also increased and will continue to do so in steps until 2004. From 1999-2000 the maximum amount will increase from $3,000 to $4,500 per year and will reach $5,800 by the end of 2004. Teacher educa tion will also improve due to $300 million that has been aut hori zed by the bill. Incentives are provided for new
See GRANTS Page 7
Palom.ar's governing board debate highlighted by candidate's com.plaints Shigehiro Kondo Staff Writer
The Palomar College gove rnin g board candidates' forum last week was marked by one cand idat e's constant allegation that the board hasn't comm uni cated ade quately with the ·student body. Several times during the forum, candidate David Rockwell, a former paralegal student at Palomar, acc used the board of not allowing students' voices to be heard in its decision -makin g process. When asked by mod erator Robert Hahns , president of First National Bank of North County, what uniqu e attributes he brings to the board, Rockwell said, "l would enco urage students to come up and talk to me .... That's some thin g I've never seen in any of the board members." Also regardin g a question about the
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role of student trustees in the governing board, Rockwell sugges ted that the board should listen to them mor e frequently. At one point during the forum, incum bent candidate Dr. Robert Dougherty partly agreed with some of Rockwell's allegations. "I hav e to agree that the ideal participation by all has not been reached. I think that administration has a fairly stro ng voice, and faculty docs. But classified staff is often overlooked ...and the same is true for students," Dougherty said . Rockwell 's attack was directed not only at the board but also at Palomar President/Superintendent George Bo ggs. Rockwell referred to a recent newspaper article which reported that Boggs sa id he had considered seek ing a restrainin g order against Rockwell after hearin g some college emp loyees' grieva nces
against RockweJl's behavior and persis tent requests for info rma tion in their offices . "I ca n be a bit of butthead, no doubt about it. However, I just speak my mind. And quite frankly , George, I think you owe me an apo logy for making the statement ," Rockwell said directly to Boggs, who was among the audience at the forum. Regarding Rockwell's remark, Boggs said, "I don't see any reason to apo log ize beca use it's a fact that several emp loy ees have been harrassed by hi s behavior. " Rockwell's accusations were incessant and there was littl e opportunity for the two incumbents , Dougherty and Harold Scofield, to directly respond to him . The format of the forum prohibited cross -talk
See DEBATE Page 3
Tom Chambers/ Tl,e Telescope
Debate mediator Bob Hahns (far right) asks the candidates about the role of the student trustee. As Dr. Robert Dougherty (left) and Dr. Michele Nelson (middle) prepare to respond during the Governing Board Candidate Debate.