The Guardsman, Vol. 164, Issue 2. City College of San Francisco by The Guardsman

Vol. 164, Issue 2 | Sept. 13, - Sept. 27 , 2017 | City College of San Francisco | Since 1935 | FREE

Parking crisis raises Balboa Reservoir Project concerns Increased enrollment impacting parking across campus By Bethaney Lee blee@theguardsman.com

The Guardsman photographed the usage of the parking lot in contention with the Balboa Reservoir Project (BRP) every hour on Aug. 28, and concluded it was used consistently throughout the day, it was highly impacted at peak class hours and the surrounding neighborhoods and streets cannot support the amount of vehicles displaced by the removal of the lower parking lot. Tensions first arose after the BRP reported its goal was to repurpose the lot into mixed-income level housing. In October 2016, Nelson Nygaard released the Balboa Area Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan which was used to identify transportation needs for the Balboa Park area. The report identified limited roadway space, transit infrastructure and financial resources as three primary problems. “Yet despite the obvious fact that the elimination of student parking and the addition of new Reservoir residents will increase demand placed on limited transportation resources, the Balboa Reservoir Project Team proposes no amelioration for adverse impacts other than TDM,” Professor William McGuire said in an email sent in early January 2017. The Guardsman’s observation took place over the course of several weeks, and the research provided legitimacy to Professor Rick Baum’s fears that the project could “interfere with efforts to increase student enrollment.” In an email, sent in late August to the Board of Trustees’ President Thea Selby, Baum asked Selby to explain “how the housing project, that might be built on the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) section of the reservoir, could possibly serve the needs of CCSF’s students?” Additionally,

Balboa Reservoir continued on page 3

View of far end of Balboa Reservoir parking area at 9:30- out of frame portion is full on Aug. 28 2017

View of far end (near Ocean Ave) of lower parking lot, showing significant increase in parked cars over one hour on Aug. 28 2017.

Lower parking lot (Balboa Reservoir) at 11:30. on Aug. 28 2017

qjohnson@theguardsman.com

President Donald Trump announced the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program on Tuesday, Sept. 5. DACA previously protected children who were illegally brought into country from the threat of deportation. A program that also provided permission for legal employment. Following President Trump’s executive order, City College Chancellor Mark Rocha said in an email that the college’s response is “unequivocal.” “We are a sanctuary college within a sanctuary city. We do not identify DACA students or

any other students by status. All students at City College of San Francisco are supported to continue their studies in safety,” Rocha said. According to City College’s Board of Trustees’ letter to President Trump, about 800,000 people qualify for DACA and the Board urged Trump, as of Sept. 1, to preserve the program. “The high-achieving young people in DACA contribute in many ways to our nation,” Rocha said on behalf of the Board. “Preserving their status while your administration and Congress work on a permanent solution is the humane way to respond to the situation these innocent young people are facing.”

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City College’s support of DACA is ‘unequivocal’ By Quip Johnson

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Balboa Reservoir parking at 12:30 as classes get out. on Aug. 28 2017

Photos by Otto Pippenger

2 | NEWS

News Briefs

Calendar Events

Contact The Guardsman for featured events.

Upcoming Events

Hurricane hits home for City College students

September 2017 Sun

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Vol. 164, Issue 2 | Sept. 13, - Sept. 27 , 2017

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Eid Al-Adha Celebration ◆ Tues. Sept. 12 2:00pm-3:30pm Ocean Campus 203 Batmale Hall Come celebrate the Festival of the Sacrifice with Middle Eastern food and music! Learn more about this important Muslim holiday and about the Certificate program in Critical Middle Eastern/SWANA Studies. (SWANA stands for Southwest Asia and North Africa, another way to describe the region.) Sponsored by Interdisciplinary Studies and the CMES/SWANA certificate program. Please see the attached flyer for additional details.

Know Your Rights Workshop ◆ Tues. Sept. 12 6:30pm - 8:30pm Mission Center, Rooms 107 & 108 1125 Valencia Street San Francisco CA The National Lawyer’s Guild (NLG) San Francisco Chapter will present a Know Your Rights workshop for the VIDA community at CCSF, open invite. Following the Know Your Rights workshop, NLG will run an Immigration Court Observation Project (ICOP) training program intended to bring community into the courtroom and advocate for due process for immigrants in the judicial system. Please see the attached flyer for additional details.

VIDA Open House ◆ Thurs. Sept. 14 11:00am - 2:00pm SU, 104A Chancellor Rocha will visit VIDA. Also expect great food, good company, and the opportunity to network with campus staff and faculty.

18th Annual Animation Show of Shows ◆ Fri. Sept. 22 7:30pm - 9:30pm, Ocean Campus, MUB 140

Featuring techniques ranging from hand-drawn to stop-motion to the latest computer-generated imagery, the 17 extraordinary films in this program were created by animators from the U.S. and around the world. Their themes range from gay issues and civil rights, to deeply felt personal stories, to the wacky human that animation does so well. Many have garnered awards from prestigious festivals around the world including the Academy Awards. The presentation will include a livestream Q&A with festival organizer Ron Diamond. Admission is free for all students and faculty, but attendees should RSVP via Eventbrite

Business Card Orders Due ◆ Fri. Sept. 29, The Visual Media Design Dept. is now accepting orders from City College employees for business cards. There is a $20.00 charge for 200 cards to cover the cost of materials. Orders are due by Friday, September 29 and will be returned to you via campus mail during the week of Monday, October 30. Please fill out and return the attached application, along with payment, to Box V49. These cards are produced entirely by the students in VMD 200, Emerge Studio. This project is meant to be a learning experience for our students.

Hurricane Harvey, Irma and now Jose have inflicted fear upon people throughout the country; City College students are no exception. The need for student resources became clear after reviewing emails exchanged between Professor Abigail Jill Bornstein and Professor Leila Easa. “I had a student in my class this evening who is having a very difficult time with the events in Texas due to Hurricane Harvey,” Bornstein’s email read. Bornstein explained the student had lost contact with family from the affected area. She suggested her student stop by the Student Health Center (SHC), but when they did, they found the center had closed at 3:45 p.m. and during later attempts they were told an appointment was required. Professor Bornstein asked City College faculty where her students could go for help, and Professor Easa replied with information from a previous flex day. Easa’s email advised students in distress to contact Cecilia Nepomuceno, be walked over to the SHC and be given an assessment. After the assessment, the SHC “may be able to work with [the student] for six to eight sessions if it’s something [the center] can deal with,” or they will be referred to higher-care. The official college statement, released by Chancellor Mark Rocha on Sept. 11, said City College “will continue to develop college-wide responses to assist our colleagues in Florida and other areas.” Rocha also reported the Harvey Help Campaign, which ended Sept. 8, resulted in a total of five bins of new clothing and $200 dollars in donations. Rocha said the donations will be shipped to former Vice Chancellor Samuel Santos. -By Bethaney Lee

Don’t miss the ‘Show of Shows’ The Visual Media Design Department, in part with the City College Concert and Lecture Series, is presenting the 18th Annual Animation Show of Shows (AASS) on Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m. in Multi-Use Building Room 140. Created in 1998 to showcase award-winning animated short films and inspire younger generations of animators, the 18th AASS has been organized by the founder of Acme Filmworks, Ron Diamond, and will feature 17 films focusing on various civil liberty themes. The show will also include a live stream question and answer session with Diamond. Admission is free for all City College students and faculty, but potential guests are asked to respond via the Eventbrite page to register for a ticket. The screening is to last 102 minutes and will feature the following films: • STEMS by Ainslie Hendersen (Scotland) • SHIFT by Cecilia Puglesi & Yijun Liu (U.S.) • PEARL by Patrick Osborne (U.S.) • CRIN-CRIN by Iris Alexandre (Belgium) • MIRROR by Chris Ware, John Kuramoto, Ira Glass (U.S.) • LAST SUMMER IN THE GARDEN by Bekky O’Neil (Canada) • WAITING FOR NEW YEAR by Vladimir Leschiov (Latvia) • PIPER by Alan Barillaro (U.S.) • BØYGEN by Kristian Pedersen (Norway) • AFTERNOON CLASS by Seoro Oh (Korea) • ABOUT A MOTHER by Dina Velikovskaya (Russia) • EXPLOOZY by Joshua Gunn, Trevor Piecham, & John McGowan (U.S.) • INNER WORKINGS by Leo Matsuda (U.S.) • CORPUS by Marc Héricher (France) • BLUE by Daniela Sherer (Israel) • MANOMAN by Simon Cartwright (U.K.) • ALL THEIR SHADES by Chloé Alliez (Belgium) - By Bethaney Lee

Phelan Ave. to take on new namesake The seemingly innocuous Phelan Avenue, named after former San Francisco Mayor James D. Phelan, holds a shameful history which may result in changing its name to honor world-famous, Mexican artist Frida Kahlo instead. Phelan was xenophobic and believed Asian Americans posed a threat to the city. During his campaign, he lobbied to “keep America White.” According to the Examiner, protests at the University of San Francisco (USF) earlier this year resulted in the former Phelan Hall being “renamed Toler Hall in honor of the first Black NFL referee and USF alumnus Burl Toler.” With the nation debating whether to remove monuments commemorating prominent proponents of racist ideologies, a decision must be made regarding Phelan Avenue’s name. One suggested replacement is Frida Kahlo Way, after the spouse and peer of Diego Rivera, whose own artwork, the Pan American Unity Mural, is currently housed in the Diego Rivera Theatre. -By Adina J. Pernell

For further questions, please contact Colin Hall at x3082 or chall@ccsf.edu.

Staff Editor-in-Chief Bethaney Lee News Editor Quip Johnson

Culture Editor Adina Pernell

Sports Editor Patrick Cochran

Lead Copy Editor Victor Tence

Online Editor Laurie Maemura

Advertising Manager Diane Carter

Opinion Editor Otto Pippenger

Photo Editor Julia Fuller

Design Director Karen Sanchez

Staff Writers Barbara Muniz Donald Ades Sarah Berjan

Social Media Editor Liliana Sanchez

Sta Bra Elen Pho Sas Gab

Learning Assistance Center services uncharged despite budget cut By Otto Pippenger opippenger@theguardsman.com

The tutoring services offered by City College’s Learning Assistance Center (LAC) now begin one hour later than previous semesters after a $40,000 lab aid budget cut. LAC Chair and Coordinator Elaine Avrus says despite this and other challenges in securing tutors, no further cuts are known to be forthcoming, and students will find the same amount of tutors and instruction time as previous semesters. Within these reduced overall operating hours, Avrus says the same amount of student tutors will be offering roughly same amount of hours in any given subject by condensing previous gaps and offering more student tutors at the same time when possible. “We’re not cutting [the overall hours of tutoring available] and would like to expand...we are maintaining our [tutoring] hours because we know our students need us,” Avrus said. City College’s Business Office

will reevaluate the $40,000 cut at the end of this semester. Avrus is hopeful that with Free City College and an uptick in students utilizing tutoring services, the cuts may be rescinded, especially since funding is in part determined by student usage of LAC services, saying, “Historically, student usage of our services has been declining in recent years, but this semester definitely feels more active already, though the numbers aren’t in.” “We also need faculty support,” says Avrus. “We need them to send students to us, and if a student feels they aren’t getting enough support in their department, a teacher may not feel confident sending them to us.” Avrus also highlighted the distinction between tutoring and the LAC’s computer lab, which students have been making less and less use of due to the steady increase of computer ownership and internet access among City College students, which Avrus feels should be taken into consideration in any evaluation, saying

“computer lab use has decreased majorly” while she feels that tutoring demand is more consistent. Students may be under the impression that cuts are more severe than they are in reality. It is still early in the semester, and the LAC, which typically hires between 60-85 student employees in a semester, currently employs 65 and is in the process of hiring ten more. Many students also transfer or graduate, and despite hiring a roughly consistent number of tutors each semester, the amount of tutors in each given subject may vary, leading to the impression that hours are in serious decline. “If students came in and noticed ‘wow they used to have 20 hours of chemistry, now they only have 15,’ that is because of the expertise and availability of the individual student tutors,” Avrus said. The LAC currently needs more chemistry, math, and physics instructors as well as professional instructors of all types. Avrus urges any groups who want more

Photo by Gabriela Reni/ The Guardsman

tutoring in a particular subject to contact her or the LAC directly, in Rosenberg 207. Additionally, the LAC is no longer open on Saturdays, but it was only open on Saturdays for the six weekends before last semester’s finals as part of a pilot program initiated by a student petition. Avrus says she believes it could be reinstated with another such petition and went in to say that “we wish it were year-round.” While the future of student demand for tutoring services looks promising, Avrus is most concerned about attracting sufficient student tutors in the coming years. “One of our greatest challenges is what we pay our student tutors- just a little over $10 an hour, which is not a living wage. I would love for the student body to take initiative with the district or board for a higher wage. I would be happy to support that as LAC Chair,” Avrus said. All student tutors must have passed the course they will instruct with an A, as well as undergo certification and work under supervision at a maximum of 15 hours per week. Therefore, attracting tutors will always present difficulties as the pay and hours are both low. Student tutors like Charlene Tran, who is in pre-med and works long hours in a hospital as part of her training ,who therefore only work a few hours a week, generally

have specific needs which lead them to take the job. Math tutor Klesti Muzhaqi said, “As an international student, this is one of the only jobs I can take,” but was quick to add, “I help people and they help me. I certainly recommend it; the satisfaction of students thanking you is great.” Both student tutors agreed the LAC’s student workers, like almost all City College student workers, would like higher pay, and with the difficult requirements for becoming a tutor it would be desireable to have better incentives to take the position. “Most students who tutor here do so because it is convenient around their schedule and because it helps with courses. Some have not returned this semester because they transferred schools, but we do all want higher pay,” says Tran. “I’ve been a tutor for two years with no wage increases. It would be nice to make minimum wage. I didn’t know that CCSF’s student workers made below city minimum wage when I started.” The LAC is currently working to coordinate with the in-department tutoring available at City College to offer more comprehensive listings of all tutoring available. “We’re trying to collaborate right now with with the other departments to better serve their wonderful students,” Avrus said. “Overall, I think we’re doing okay.”

Balboa Reservoir continued from page 1 because many students must commute by car and use the controversial section of the reservoir for parking, Baum asked if Selby could “please explain how... any student [would] even be able to afford to live in the housing being contemplated?” With inquiries stretching as far as potentially using the land for the voter approved Performing Educational Arts Center, Baum

gave voice to what many people from Ocean Campus have already been talking about. In response, Selby issued an email to the community on Aug. 24, 2017, which said, “City College is a vital partner to this project as it moves forward over the next several years.” For more information, visit the Balboa Reservoir Community Advisory Committee website.

City College Language center located in the fourth floor of the Rosenberg Library

Photo by Otto Pippenger/ The Guardsman

ager

NEWS | 3

Vol. 164, Issue 2 | Sept. 13, - Sept. 27 , 2017

A sign looms over cars in the lower parking lot requiring permits to be purchased on Aug. 28, 2017. Staff Illustrators Brandon Whiting Elena Stuart Photographers Sasha Volz Gabriela Reni

Peter Wong Faculty Adviser Juan Gonzales Designers Zaruhi Avagyan

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4 | CULTURE

Vol. 164, Issue 2 | Sept. 13, - Sept. 27, 2017

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CULTURE | 5

Vol. 164, Issue 2 | Sept. 13, - Sept. 27 , 2017

A visual depiction of the lifestyle of inbetweeners By Laurie Maemura lmaemura@theguardsman.com

A young couple in love, third generation commercial crab waterman carrying a bushel and a woman baptized in Chesapeake Bay with members from church, were some of the nineteen images showcased just to name a few of the working-class living in the seaside community. Over 50 students from a beginning photography and watercolor class were in attendance at a gallery opening on Wednesday evening, September 6, 2017. The focus of the event was an artist talk by Preston Gannaway. “I spent a lot of time waiting. 15-20 minutes or so,” Gannaway responds to an aspiring and eager students’ question to getting the perfect shot. Seemingly, most of her images exhibited in the gallery of the Visual Arts Building on City College of San Francisco’s Ocean Campus perfectly depicted a variety of lifestyles and colorful, bizarre characters of a changing neighborhood called Ocean View in Norfolk, Va. Taken by Virginia Beach’s geographical seven-mile neighborhood of beautiful landscape, Gannaway worked as a professional photographer for newspaper The Virginian-Pilot for five years. An appreciator for “working with the parameters of reality,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning documentary photographer and artist didn’t have to think twice; composition

came naturally. City College student and illustrator Jen Peterson was immediately attracted to the composition of Gannaway’s group shot images. “I’m drawn to the baptism image with the woman’s arms pointed outwards,” she said as she imitated the direction with woman’s arm. “In a way, it’s geometric.” As the title of the exhibit might suggest, “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” refers to a sailor’s idiom: a literal symbol of geography – interaction of people to water and life – and a metaphorical symbol – improvements and complexity of two situations. And unbeknownst to the aspiring students, a famous Louie Armstrong song. For five years, Gannaway explored the transitioning neighborhood of Ocean View from the sight of whale carcasses on the shore to strip malls inland and its history of the “Coney Island of the South.” She also taught herself how to connect the rock and the sea. She learned how to forge relationships and gain trust quickly, and how to act comfortable and uncomfortable with new people. After the artist talk and knowing more about Gannaway’s purpose, a few of the students returned to the gallery, looking more intrigued and ponderous. Flipping pages of Gannaway’s visual essay book also called “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea,” City College student Rebecca Diablo stared at

an image of a whale carcass and bloody pieces washed up on the shore. One might feel disgusted but Diablo didn’t put the book down. “I’ve never been there [Norfolk, Virginia] but she brings the town alive and captured the bizarre characters through the photos,” she said, as she continued to stare at the bloody image. Charleston Pierce was one of the few remaining photography students staring into the photos post-talk. “It draws your mind to the little things we take for granted,” Pierce noted. In a soft spoken and calm demeanor, he saw what Gannaway wanted to provoke to her viewership: “A variety of lifestyles, moods, flow, emotions, compassion.”

Photo by Laurie Maemura/ The Guardsman Rebecca Diablo stares at a whale carcass photo in Preston Gannaway’s visual essay book, “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” on September 6, 2017.

Photo by Laurie Maemura/ The Guardsman Pulitzer Prize-winner Preston Gannaway stands in front of her exhibition held on City College’s Ocean Campus on September 6, 2017.

New pianos for the music department, Pianos in the new By Julia Fuller Hooray, the pianos are here! After a long wait and a lot of effort, the Music Department has finally acquired their new Yamaha pianos for the 2017 fall semester. Twenty new pianos have just been installed in the department’s Vart building, which is located at the Ocean Campus of City College. The piano collection has been a staple of the department for years and has needed an update since the early 2000s. The update has finally happened this

semester and it will benefit students by adding more seats to the classroom, in addition to enhancing the experience provided by the department’s courses. For the music department, updating the collection has been an expensive and complicated process. A typical Yamaha piano lab can cost up to $100,000 and despite the fact that City College was able to take advantage of a discount, the department was still faced with the task of raising $70,000 in funding to acquire these instruments.

Many City College budgeters tended to divert funds elsewhere, paying no mind to this much needed update to the music department. The college eventually managed to raise the money for the piano lab by soliciting a variety of City College general funds and siphoning money from other areas of the music department that were under budget and had dollars to spare. Some funds were also raised through program review requests for equipment purchases. Another huge benefit to updating the instruments is that

the pianos can now be worked on and repaired with modern day equipment. The instruments that were replaced are so woefully obsolete at this point that they are difficult to repair. The tools necessary are antiquated and difficult to procure. So this piano update isn’t just making the music department a better place to learn, it is also making maintenance and upkeep of the instruments cheaper and more convenient. “Now we are happy! There is still some work to be done in positioning various wiring especially

involving headsets, but meanwhile everyone is thoroughly enjoying these new Yamahas. Plus students and teachers no longer have to endure the high pitched squeal of piano innards wearing out,” Department Chair of Music,Madeline Muellar said. With new sights ahead the teachers and students are excited to learn with new materials, even the old pianos are being recycled to music theory classes for continued use. Go check out the new pianos or even consider taking a course!

Photo by Julia Fuller /The Guardsman

The class sits attentive as the piano instructor arrives and begins to set up on August 23, 2017.

Students prepare for their first day of piano class with new Yamaha pianos. They test out the keys as they wait for the professor to arrive on August 23, 2017.

6 | OPINION

Vol. 164, Issue 2 | Sept. 13, - Sept. 27 , 2017

Closed: Chasing Lions cafe expands business to Oakland By Sarah Berjan City College’s students were dismayed to find that Chasing Lions Cafe, the popular coffee shop embedded in the Multi-Use Building would not reopen for the Fall 2017 semester. The space that founder and owner Keba Konte once filled with music, food, and CCSF community members of all sorts is shuttered and dim. While another business will most likely soon fill its niche, Chasing Lions Cafe was not only a peaceful place to spend an hour between classes but a minority owned and employing business. Even if its successor exhibits the same level of ambiance and quality, it would be a tremendous loss if CCSF does not make a commitment to finding a vendor whose profits and paychecks benefit underserved communities. The lack of diversity isn’t a new topic. Minorities are constantly battling for recognition at all levels of society. Too often, society overlooks the importance of representation in the ownership and operation of businesses as well as in our civic life and culture. Consumers too deserve the right to learn about where the proceeds of their purchases are being sent, and the democracy of consumer choice is vital as a supplement to legislative efforts at achieving parity. It is also important to emphasize diversity in businesses to build

a greater sense of community. Chasing Lions Cafe was widely known by students for their artisan coffee, specialty drinks and for its prominence within an already diverse community. The shop represented an array of cultures that reflected the intentions of the owner. It also directly reflected the community with it’s green standards an evocative collection of decor, seemingly composed of the inhabitants of the neighborhood. It captured the zeitgeist of the community it surrounded; City College, home to an array of ethnic, religious, political and sexual backgrounds under one roof. Konte has expanded his business ventures to Red Bay Cafe, located in Oakland, where underfunded communities are benefited through the accessibility of well paying jobs. A trend can follow with higher presence of minority owned businesses to set examples of social justice in efforts of constructing better opportunities. It may be easy to dismiss the intentions of businesses as money hungry through over priced products made to lure hipsters into the rat race that is capitalism. But for business owners willing to forgo offering the lowest possible wages to their employees, proprietors can effect change in a society whose minimum wage increases slowly if at all by offering wages that they feel are fairer.

We are evolving as a society to a greater sense of personal responsibility for the protection diversity and toward advancements in every way possible, particularly in light of recent changes in our national political climate. Having more business establishments with a greater degree of representation for diverse groups of people is beneficial and would provoke newfound ideas in the market place. In addition, developing diversity within businesses allows for the elimination of preconceived stereotypes in the reputation of individuals, by giving proprietors the ability to represent themselves directly in our culture and economy alike Previous customers have described the Chasing Lions cafe to have a different mood from the competing businesses in the area. Phrases such as “different”, “welcoming”, “eclectic” were used in their descriptions. Perhaps it was the mixture of people which gave the cafe a homely feel. We search for a little slice of home in the places we visit. Fostering diversity in our immediate community can do just that. San Francisco is celebrated for its diversity, but there is a need for more locations to welcome and even celebrate our multidimensional society. By committing to diversity in City College contracts, we move away from mere appearances and into a reality of equality and self determination.

Photo by Otto Pippenger/ The Guardsman Closed doors of the now empty Chasing Lions cafe on Aug. 28, 2017.

San Francisco monuments honor all the wrong people By Patrick Cochran pcochran@theguardsman.com

Since the tragic death of Heather Heyer in Charlottesville there has been increased pressure to tear down statues commemorating Confederate leaders and historical white supremacist politicians and rename the streets, schools, and parks named after them. Much of the focus has been on the South, where in the former Confederate states these types of monuments are numerous but they are everywhere, even in San Francisco. From afar San Francisco seems like a beacon of equality and progressiveness but for people who knows its history know that it does in fact have a long past of bigotry, prejudice, and inequality; it might not be as prevalent or blatant as other locales but it exists. Two locations that come to mind are Justin Herman Plaza and City College’s very own Phelan Avenue. Justin Herman plaza is located on the Embarcadero right across from the Ferry Building and the extremely stark Vaillancourt Fountain in the center. Its namesake M. Justin Herman was in charge of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency from 1959 to 1971 and before that the Housing and Home Finance Agency. Under his direction San Francisco decimated the historically black Fillmore District and Western Addition, along with other neighborhoods, displacing tens of thousands of residents. In 1970 Herman said that “this land is too valuable to permit poor people to

park on it”. Thomas Fleming a columnist for the San Francisco Sun-Herald said in 1965 that “victims of a low income generally regard Herman as the arch villain in the black population of the city.” The process of displacement that Herman helped create is still alive and strong today in San Francisco. It might not be caused by official government action like in Herman’s era but each year thousands of residents are forced to leave because of rising rent. To name such a prominent public plaza after a man who displaced thousands of people of people is disgraceful. City residents have begun the process to rechristen the plaza after local photographer/civil right activist David Johnson which is a worthy cause. The Board of Supervisors signed onto a resolution in July to support renaming the plaza. Phelan Avenue wraps around City College’s west and north side. Most of the students probably never stop and think about whom the avenue is named after but if they knew in whose honor it’s named after they would be revolted. James D. Phelan was the United States Senator from California from 1915 until 1921 whose favorite topic to bring up to get votes was the supposed “Yellow Peril”. Phelan was especially prejudiced against the Japanese and campaigned on the slogan “Keep California White”. He lobbied hard to restrict immigration from Japan and other Asian countries

and was instrumental in passing the California Alien Land Law of 1913 which prohibited Asians in California from owning or holding long-term leases on farming land. Before that he was on the committee that was tasked with rebuilding San Francisco after the 1906 Earthquake which advocated for the expulsion of the Chinese from Chinatown and force them to move to the area that is now Hunter’s Point. Both of those locations should be renamed immediately. Renaming Justin Herman plaza after a noted photographer/civil rights activists David Johnson is

completely appropriate. Herman does not deserve to have such a prominent place, let alone anywhere, named after him. To this day San Francisco is losing black residents and to the ones that stay Justin Herman plaza is a slap to their face. Phelan Ave. should be renamed for a noted Asian civils rights activists, especially one with roots in San Francisco. San Francisco is 33.3% Asian as of the 2010 census and to have a street named after a politician who was obsessed with the “Yellow Peril” is just plain wrong. The City should follow in the footsteps of the University of San Francisco which

this past spring renamed a dorm that Phelan’s name used to adorn. Taking his name off of the avenue and replacing it with someone like Yuji Ichioka or Nellie Wong, two famous San Francisco Asian rights activists, would be a great first step in beginning the healing process. San Francisco and especially City College are diverse places where people of every backround should feel welcome. Having things named after bigoted and divisive historical figures like Herman and Phelan is unacceptable. If we truly want to be the beacon of equality that we view ourselves as then we need to rename those right away.

Photo by Patrick Cochran/ The Guardsman

The stark Valliancourt Fountain sits in the center of Justin Herman Plaza

OPINION | 7

Vol. 164, Issue 2 | Sept. 13, - Sept. 27 , 2017

Food for thought

A look at food insufficiency at two year community colleges By Diane Carter Food insufficiency at two-year community colleges is dangerous because lack of proper nutrition thwarts optimal physical and mental energy needed for the mastery of new academic skills. At City College of San Francisco, we are dedicated to the development of educational programs for economically challenged students, so if some of these students are food insecure, they may not reach their highest potential academically. Our new Chancellor, Mark Rocha has said “we have a large amount of homeless students so…I’ve been not just a strong advocate for diversity but for social justice, for actually giving everybody a real opportunity at equality and higher education.” Real opportunity at equality and higher education is undermined when community college students lack reliable access to sufficient quantities of affordable, nutritious food. Professors in sociology and in social justice often find a correlation between community college and four-year college students who are homeless and those who are food insecure. City College along with other community colleges have approximately 13.3 percent of students who experience some degree of food insecurity. This statistic comes

from a recent research project by the Urban Institute. The new study reinforces an earlier perception that community college students and four-year college students all over America go hungry at times in order to pay for rent, tuition, books, and family emergency needs. According to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) “food insecurity is defined as the lack of access at times, to enough nutritious food for (self) and all household members.” Sara Goldrick-Rab, professor of higher education policy and sociology at Temple University in Philadelphia, surveyed 3,800 college students at 34 community and/or four year colleges across twelve states finding that about 22 percent of the students surveyed had various levels of food insecurity. These students worry about their food running out before they get money to buy more, and they also worry that the amount of food that they can afford to purchase, will not last from paycheck to paycheck. Many people in America think that a well off nation like ours need not have 22 percent of its community and four-year college students experiencing reduced access to optimal diets and ideal nutrition. However, access to healthy food and sufficient nutrition is a major economic and social policy issue in

the United States. The new statistics on food insufficiency represent hardships experienced at the present time by college age students in both rural and urban environments. Increasing awareness of hunger and food insecurity on college campuses has triggered a national conversation about how to overcome the challenges. It will require joint action by administrators, policy makers, and government agencies to get the problem solved. It will also require legislative approval of funds for economically challenged post-secondary students. Solutions for students who are food insecure including the 13.3% at City College of San Francisco most of whom are low income students include: Changes to the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to approve food grants to part-time college student workers, especially those who work for less than twenty hours per week. Consistent assessment of the nutritional needs of our homeless and or transient students so that none of these learners suffer from lack of sufficient food for themselves or their families. Recognition by lawmakers and politicians of food insecurity issues especially among ethnic populations at community colleges like City College. A unified post-secondary

approach to nutritional concerns driven by the needs of homeless and low income students at our college and at community and four year colleges in many states. City College pays attention to the needs of its low income and homeless students. This is demonstrated by the fact that we subsidize the cost of meals to qualified low income and/or homeless students. Tannis Reinhardt, Chair of the Culinary Services Department, was asked about subsidized food options available to needy students at various City College campuses. She spoke about the Harts program that subsidizes low income and homeless students attending City College and also mentioned the Extended Opportunity Program and Services (EOPS). According to Tannis, the Culinary Department receives $28,000 from the Harts program and another $28,000 from the EOPS program. Distribution of the funds is controlled by the Harts and EOPS administrators subject to the guidelines of the two programs. According to Tannis, The Culinary Services Department issues nutrition cards to qualified students and the students can use their card up to the amount of money they are approved for. I am not sure of the number of students who are part of the above programs, but I assume that each student in these programs gets about $200 for food if they are

eligible. This monetary aid is, in my opinion, too low for students who live in San Francisco and already suffer from lack of food security. The price of food in local grocery stores has increased in the last four months. Consequently, students with children may need even more money to supplement individual and family nutritional needs. Also we must consider the fact that enrollment at City College is higher this semester, and it is likely that the “free city” tuition option in progress for the Fall 2017 and Spring 2018 is going to bring additional low income students to our college. I believe that the amount of money in both the Harts and EOPS programs, in light of the higher enrollment, ought to be recalculated based upon additional students who might be eligible for either of the two programs. I also think that we are gaining students from the San Francisco Unified School District who were receiving either a reduced lunch program or free lunch because they qualified under the San Francisco Unified School Districts nutritional programs. Students who previously qualified for reduced or free lunch programs should continue to have such options open to them if they are residents of San Francisco and citizens of the state of California.

Illustration by Elena Stuart

SPORTS | 8

Vol. 164, Issue 2 | Sept.13, - Sept. 27 , 2017

Rams melt against Laney in seasoning opener By Patrick Cochran pcochran@theguardsman.com

It was a long afternoon for the Rams in the scorching 103 degree heat. Playing cross-bay rival Laney at home in weather more attuned to Phoenix than typically cool San Francisco, the Rams struggled to get going on offense and ended up losing their season opener 17-14. The Rams started the game strong and took an early lead midway through the 1st quarter when running back DeShawn

Collins dived his way into the endzone on a two-yard run. The offense only had to drive seven yards for the touchdown because the defense forced a fumble and gave the offense prime field position. In the 2nd quarter Laney tied the game up when their running back Ahmari Davis burned through the Rams defense for a 55 yard touchdown. Seconds before the half ended the Rams regained the lead after a masterful 9 play, 59 yard that was

capped off by a one-yard rushing touchdown by quarterback Zach Masoli. Masoli got the snap and dove through the gap his offensive line created for the score. The Rams made key plays on the drive, including runs of a 9 and 11 yards by running back Isaiah Floyd and a beautiful pass by Masoli to wide receiver Kevin Shaa for a gain of 24 yards. The 2nd half was a rough one for the Rams. The offense had the ball six times and ended punting on five occasions and threw an

Photo by Peter Wong/The Guardsman

interception on their final drive of the game. Inability to execute the offense, especially in the passing game, along with penalties decimated the Rams. Laney had more success on offense in the 2nd half. They tied it up in the middle of the third quarter on a five-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Andrew Ve’e to receiver Ronald Thomas and took the lead on a 23 yard field goal later in the quarter. Neither team scored in 4th quarter and the extreme heat began to take a toll with numerous stoppages in play for injuries, some of which appeared to be heat related cramps. “The heat threw us off a little bit. We knew it was going to be hot and yesterday was hot so we knew it was coming,” wide receiver Kevin Fox Jr. said. After the game head coach Jimmy Collins seemed to be taking the loss in stride. “First games are always tough,” Collins said. “We just didn’t but the ball in the end zone enough, we missed some key opportunities. I thought our defense played very hard. It was one of those games where two really good teams battled for a long time and one team made more plays than the other and we were on the short end.” Despite losing, the Rams still had some very impressive performances on both sides of the ball. On offense running back Isaiah

Floyd had a very effective afternoon rushing for 76 yards and a touchdown. On defense there were many standout efforts including star safety Joey Banks who a total of 17 tackles and a forced fumble and defensive tackle PJ Johnson whose sack/forced fumble in the 1st quarter allowed the Rams to score a touchdown on the subsequent drive. Collins and his players were on the same page on what they needed to work on this week before their game against College of Siskiyous. “We have to work on getting the ball in the endzone,” Collins said. “We are going to work hard on executing a little better and making plays.” “We have to stay consistent. We had a lot of good drives but undisciplined penalties and little stuff killed our whole momentum,” Isaiah Floyd said. Although a loss to start the season is certainly not what the Rams hoped the season is long and they have plenty of time to fix their problems. “We got to keep fighting,” Floyd said. “We have to capitalize on offense. Defense was making plays for us but those guys get tired they can’t stay on the field forever, so offense has got to make plays.” Collins knows that it won’t be easy but it is certainly doable. “Anytime you got to right the ship it’s tough but I think we can do it,” Collins said.

Running back Isaiah Floyd (number 22) jukes his way thru Laney defenders.

Sports Schedule Sept.16 .........1:00PM ...... vs. American River Sept. 23 .........6:00PM .....................@Chabot Sept. 30 .........1:00PM ........................ @Butte

Sept. 16 .........11:00AM .................vs. Lassen Sept. 19 .........4:00PM ......................@Solano Sept. 23 .........11:00AM ........ @Feather River Oct. 3 .............4:00PM .................... @Cañada Oct 6 ..............4:00PM ................... vs. Chabot

Sept. 15 .........4:00PM .............vs. Lake Tahoe Sept. 19 .........4:00PM .......... vs. Contra Costa Sept. 26 .........4:00PM .................... @Cañada Sept. 29 .........4:00PM .................... @Gavilan Oct. 3 .............4:00PM ....................@ Ohlone Oct. 6 .............4:00PM ....................@ Foothill

Sept. 15 .............................. Las Positas Invite Sept.16....................... San Mateo Invitational Sept. 23 ............................Lou Vasquez Invite Sept. 29 .............................Modesto JC Invite Oct. 6 ........................... Toro Park Invitational