The Guardsman, vol. 169, Issue 1, City College of San Francisco by The Guardsman

Board Meeting Page 3

Undefeated Rams Page 8

“Artivism” Page 6

AFT 2121 Decries Proposal to Outsource Older Adults Courses By Caoilinn Goss cgoss2@mail.ccsf.edu

City College’s Faculty Union (AFT Local 2121) and many older adult students oppose Mayor London Breed and several city supervisors proposal to restore 17 of the 50 courses cut in November through partnership with non profits. The proposal would allocate $216,000 annually from the city’s Dignity Fund to fund courses that serve an estimated 1,000 students. Older adults are one of the fastest growing populations in San Francisco and nearly 30 percent of City College Students are over the age of 60, according to City College’s demographics data from 2017.

Union busting

Jenny Worley, president of AFT 2121, spoke out against what appears to be the defunding of public education in favor of private institutions. “We have created these programs, we have the infrastructure and the experience to run them,” Worley told SF Weekly when Mayor Breed first announced the plan. The courses would no longer be administered by the college, but by the individual non profits themselves, including Self Help for the Elderly, the Jewish Community Center, and YMCA Stonestown. The proposal does not provide assurances for the faculty whose classes have been cut. “The teachers are not being represented by a union, they don’t have a contract,” said Wynd Kaufmyn, Vice President of AFT 2121 and an engineering instructor at City College. “They’re going to have to buy their own liability insurance. They’re going to be making a lot less money and they’re not going to be accumulating toward their retirement. It’s just straight up union busting. It’s egregious.” Infographic by Claudia Drdul/The Guardsman

To many, the restructuring indicates what Peter Warfield, an older adult student and vocal organizer with Equity for Older Students, described as a “tug of war over what City College is for.” In December, Supervisor Shamann Walton proposed allocating $2.7 million from the city’s General Fund to comprehensively restore all the cut classes, yet Chancellor Mark Rocha does not support that proposal, claiming that the class cuts are part of a longer term plan to reshape the college and promote higher graduation rates. “As a College, our number one priority is graduating students, especially students of color,” Rocha stated in a Dec. 16 SF Examiner letter to the editor. “We are here to ensure that our students can continue to take the classes they need to complete their degrees, transfer to four-year universities or complete their certificates for employment.”

Ageism

Warfield believes this shift from a community resource to a junior college smacks of ageism. “The Chancellor is appearing to pit the older adults wanting their classes to continue against young students of color needing to graduate,” Warfield said. “To set one group against another is a really ugly thing to suggest.” Kaufmyn pointed to a larger systemic reason for the Chancellor’s prioritization of degree-seeking students. “This is coming down from the state. It’s the so-called Student Centered Funding Formula. This formula is different than the previous type of funding, which was really just based on enrollments. But now, they’re also going to consider how many people are graduating, how many certificates we get, and there’s other metrics that really disadvantage an urban, diverse community college,” Kaufmyn said. The Student Centered Funding Formula passed in the summer of 2018 and has resulted in budget slashes for community colleges across the state. “We as a community college have a much broader mission than that, and the state’s not going to fund it,” Kaufmyn said. “We need the city to fund it.”

BRIEF

Alan Wong Announces Candidacy for Board of Trustees By Tyler Breisacher tbreisac@gmail.com

Mar spoke highly of that work and said Wong City hall legislative aide Alan Wong was would bring his “commitment and dedication surrounded by a crowd of about 40 supporters to public service, and to public education in our including City College faculty and current and city,” to the role. former elected officials when he announced Trustees Thea Selby, John Rizzo, and Ivy his candidacy for the City College Board of Lee were present for the announcement, with Trustees on Jan.15. Lee giving a short speech in support of Wong. Wong, 32, has strong personal connections “More than anything else, Alan has shown a real to City College. He attended City College as a understanding and a commitment that City teenager and the classes he took contributed to College remains a community college,” she said. him graduating from UC San Diego at age 19. Wong said he was “excited and terrified His father took culinary classes at City at the same time” to be running for the board, College and worked as a hotel cook for two and framed the campaign as a continuation of decades. His mother took English as a second his prior work in support of City College.“I’m language (ESL) classes, and Wong said “her running for college board to continue my world had broadened” as a result of those classes. mission to help working immigrant families like Now, as a legislative aide to Supervisor my own,” he said. Gordon Mar, he has worked on bringing new A Department of Elections official said City College classes to the Sunset District, that Wong is the first person to file to run for making the Free City program permanent and the Board and that four trustees’ seats are up securing long-term funding for the college. for election this year: Alex Randolph, Ivy Lee,

Legislative aide Alan Wong files paperwork to run for a position on the City College Board of Trustees at San Francisco City Hall on Jan. 14, 2020. Photo by Franchon Smith/The Guardsman

2 | NEWS

Vol. 169, Issue 1 | January 8 - January 22, 2020

Campus Renovation and Construction Plans Seek to Modernize City College By Matheus Maynard mmaynar7@mail.ccsf.edu

City College’s Facilities Department has been working to modernize current structures and prepare grounds for the new upcoming buildings in the Facilities Master Plan (FMP). During the winter break, several infrastructure issues at City College were addressed. The facilities department is renovating current structures, demolishing spaces and constructing new buildings to “build a 21st century community college that meets the needs of students today and into the future” as it states in the FMP overview available on the City College website.

“

Build a 21st century community college that meets the needs of students today and into the future

Completed or ongoing projects for 2020: • Comprehensive bathroom renovations • Evans Center demolition and site preparation for sprung structure • Re-hydration Stations • Conlan bungalows/portables • Cloud Hall (various projects) • Bike lane(s) • Recycling center in Conlan Hall • Repair of heating system in Arts buildings • Ocean Campus sidewalk repairs

”

Projects which may be funded through Proposition A: • Performing Arts Educational Center

Since November, James Sohn has been the acting Senior Vice Chancellor of Facilities after the unexpected resignation of previous administrator Dr. Reuben Smith.

• Student Success Building • STEAM Complex • Childcare Center Replacements • Cloud Hall Modernization

Facilities Master Plan

• Science Hall Modernization • Student Union Reprogram

The FMP seeks to identify the infrastructure needs of all City College campuses and provides a road map for the facilities department to act upon. The first version, approved in 2004, addressed the development plans for that decade, and a new version approved in 2019 brings necessary updates to meet the sustainable standards according to state and municipal law.

• Bookstore Annex Renovation

The FMP has a five-year construction plan that would be mostly funded by Proposition A, which will be voted in March, and it would allow the district to sell $845 million in bonds to fund these much-needed renovations. The plan also follows a thorough analysis of energy efficiency for each building and provides solutions to improve energy efficiency throughout City College. The FMP also values sustainability and aims to create a sustainable infrastructure acknowledging the needs of sustainable standards for future generations. Around Campus Students who walk around Ocean Campus and other campuses will already see some of these renovations finalized or ongoing. One of the spaces that went through renovations was the cafeteria in Smith Hall. The cafeteria is a core space at City College since students enjoy the space to have their meals, study, relax and meet with classmates. First, all the chairs and tables were replaced by new fancy and comfortable with power outlets tables with chairs and sofas. Lastly, when the Spring semester initiated, several TV screens were set side-by-side. The Guardsman tried unsuccessfully to reach out to Sohn in order to acquire specific information regarding those renovation plans. Director of Sustainability for Kitchell Deeptika Patel, hired contractor, said that all these projects are designed to ensure the highest quality service to students, faculty, and staff. What the Future Holds The bond measure (Prop A) will allow many more projects predicted by the FMP during the five-year construction plan. To understand more about the FMP and the ongoing construction and renovations projects, information about all these projects can be found at the City College website. Proposition A will be on the March 3 ballot and will require a 55% majority to pass.

BRIEF

Student Activists Gather over Winter Break, to Plan For Upcoming Actions By Diana Guzman

dianaanaid.gf@gmail.com

Community activists stayed busy over winter break as they held a meeting on Dec. 29, composed of various student-led groups to discuss future action to preserve City College as a community college. Held at the Filipino Community Center in the Excelsior District, students and faculty members gathered to create demands to mobilize against the current state of education at the school. During the meeting they spoke of building cross-campus solidarity and focusing on issues affecting faculty, in addition to those affecting students, including the dozens of faculty layoffs that happened as a result of the class cuts last November.

Staff Editor-in-Chief Claudia Drdul

News Editor Tyler Breisacher

Culture Editor Jennifer Yin

Opinion Editor Caoilinn Goss Photo Editor Amal Ben Ghanem

During the previous semester, numerous mobilizations and protests were held to inform the student body of campus issues that directly affect their ability to obtain an education. This semester, students are planning to increase the creation of fliers, posters and other forms of artwork to inspire more students to get involved. Participants of the meeting seem to have lost trust in Chancellor Mark Rocha and are looking to replace him with a more student-centered chancellor. According to a report from Music Department Chair Madeline Mueller, “the college doesn’t need a ‘bandaid’ for the recent vicious cuts, we need a tourniquet and we need it immediately”. For more information regarding upcoming dates of campus events follow @ccsfstudentassembly on Instagram.

Sport Editor Meyer Gorelick Copy Editors Peter Suter AJ Bautista

Designer Director Nazli Ece Kandur Online Editor Matheus Maynard

Ad Manager Diana Guzman

Staff Writers Aminah Jalal Rachel Berning

Photographers Matheus Maynard Amal Ben Ghanem

Fran Smith Faculty Adviser Juan Gonzales

NEWS | 3

Vol. 169, Issue 1 | January 8 - January 22, 2020

BRIEF

Budget and Finance Committee Moves $2.7 Million Bridge Fund to Board of Supervisor Floor for a Vote Illustration By Jennifer Yin

BRIEF

College Students Bewildered by Military Draft Question on FAFSA By Diana Guzman dianaanaid.gf@gmail.com

Over the winter break numerous reports have been rolling out over the confusion of draft registration on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applications. There were concerns that various college students found out about how FAFSA could be possibly playing into their potential future military service. According to CBS News, “The Selective Service System said on Twitter, however, that there's no reason for panic. They assured Twitter users that there is no active draft at this time and that the department is conducting business as usual." Countless rumors have been spread on Twitter to a point in which jokes and memes have been shared all over social media. CBS News also mentioned, “FAFSA also tweeted out information on the subject, saying that the draft does not prioritize individuals who have applied for financial aid through the FAFSA application system.” In order to reinstate the draft, Congress would need to pass a bill, which then needs to be signed by law by the president of the United States. Although if the FAFSA application is submitted and ‘Selective Service’ is avoided, the college or state will most likely require that an individual is registered with Selective Service. For more information regarding this issue, you can go onto finaid.org/students/ selective service.

By Meyer Gorelick msggorelickgmail.com

A $2.7 million bridge fund to restore almost 300 Spring semester classes which were cut on the eve of registration in late November moved through the Budget and Finance Committee by a 2-1 vote on Wednesday, Jan. 15. The full Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on whether or not to approve the $2.7 million at a meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Supervisor Shamann Walton is confident that at least six supervisors will vote to approve, but is working to get eight on board to prevent a possible veto by Mayor London Breed, reported The San Francisco Examiner. “These cuts were made without proper community input and the way that City College handled the situation has brought us to where we are now,” Walton said at the committee hearing. “The City needs to step up to support our most vulnerable populations who would be disproportionately impacted by these cuts.” Former president of the City College Board of Trustees, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, was the one vote against the funding during the Wednesday meeting while Walton and Supervisor Sandra Fewer voted yes. Mandelman opposed funding the restoration and said that City College hasn’t officially asked for the funding. “City College needs to get its fiscal house in order,” Mandelman said at the hearing. City College Faculty Union, AFT 2121, Political Director James Tracy fears that rather than restore classes, the city will privatize them and have non-profit organizations offer the classes. This would dramatically reduce salaries and eliminate benefits for teachers of those courses, and also have a significant impact on curriculum. “We have to mobilize now,” Tracy said. “We need those votes and [Mandelman’s] vote is necessary,” AFT 2121 Vice President Wynd Kaufman said. “So he is somebody who has to be educated even more.”

College Trustees Review State Rules for Public Meetings By Tyler Breisacher

Several trustees expressed a desire to make sure that the public gets a chance to be heard, while also not wanting the public comment portion of the meeting to take so much The City College Board of Trustees met January 9 time that meetings run very late into the night. at the Chinatown Center for a training on California This is a particular concern for City College, whose laws relating to public meetings, and a discussion of their board receives more public comment than most other priorities and goals for the upcoming year. community college boards, according to board president Alex Randolph. At the December 2019 meeting, for Brown Act Training instance, public comment lasted about two hours, primarily Attorney Guy Bryant gave a two-hour presentation on focused on the hundreds of classes cut from the Spring 2020 the Brown Act, the California law that ensures boards such semester. as the Board of Trustees conduct their business in a way Trustees Thea Selby and Shanell Williams suggested that is transparent and allows for public input. that holding town halls might provide another way for “It’s your meeting,” he explained to the trustees, “but members of the public to express their thoughts to the it’s for the public.” Board of Trustees, perhaps leading to a shortened public The requirement to allow public comment elicited comment session during the board’s monthly meetings. plenty of discussion. The California Education Code says Randolph said that the board’s policies would be the board must allow for public comment on each agenda evaluated and updated by the policy committee, taking item as it is taken up for discussion, to ensure that members into account the Brown Act information and the related of the public, including City College students and faculty, discussion. are able to make their voices heard. Agendas for Board of Trustees meeting typically Looking Ahead to 2020 have one public comment section near the beginning of In the afternoon session, the board looked ahead to the meeting. Trustee Brigitte Davila said this was intended its 2020 meetings. One of the main topics of discussion to make it easier for people to participate, since many was the overall priorities or “north star” for City College. people, particularly students and single moms, may not When the college has financial difficulties and the board be able to stay late into the night, waiting to offer a comment is forced to make hard choices, a shared understanding on a particular agenda item. of priorities should help them decide how to proceed.

tbreisac@mail.ccsf.edu

Twitter @theguardsman Instagram #CCSFjournalism

Facebook @theguardsman

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The board generally agreed that they wanted to offer a broad range of classes to the community, in contrast to the state of California, whose new funding formula encourages its community colleges to shift towards being only “junior colleges,” pushing students toward certificates, degrees, or transfers to four-year schools. Public Comment In the public comment section of the meeting, Wynd Kaufman, Vice President of the faculty union AFT 2121, acknowledged the difficulty presented by changes in the funding formula, but said the Board of Trustees should fight against those changes at the state level. Faculty members Harry Bernstein and Kate Frei both spoke passionately about an email Chancellor Mark Rocha sent to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, in which he implied that the college did not need — and would not accept — $2.7 million in emergency funding proposed by Supervisor Shamann Walton. The fund was intended to restore the hundreds of classes that were cut from the Spring schedule last November. Bernstein noted that because of the chancellor’s unwillingness to accept financial help from the Board of Supervisors, people may lose trust in the leadership of the college, which could make it hard to pass Proposition A, an $845 million bond measure on the March 2020 ballot, for facilities upgrades. The next Board of Trustees meeting will be a regular meeting at Ocean Campus on Thursday, January 23.

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4 | CULTURE

Vol. 169, Issue 1 | January 8 - January 22, 2020

The Metamorphosis of Aliyah Dunn-Salahuddin By Jennifer Yin jyin4@mail.ccsf.edu

“The Strange Careers of the Jim Crow North,” features a chapter titled, “A Forgotten. Community, A Forgotten History: San Francisco’s 1966 Uprising,” written by former head of the African American department at City College, Aliyah Dunn-Salahuddin. Her chapter chronicles the events of 1966 and the activism of the Bayview Hunters Point community. (Photo by Amazon).

Over the course of her teaching profession at City College, former African American Studies department chair Aliyah DunnSalahuddin would tell her students, repeatedly, to utilize their education to attain institutional power. She often emphasized how in order to make a change they have to become entities within their governments, academic institutions or corporations. But even for her, it was difficult to leave her comfort zone at City College and apply to Stanford. She found her niche in San Francisco, serving as a college department chair and securing a downtown apartment for more than 18 years. However, after teaching at City College for eight years, she was unhappy. “The fact of the matter is that I was a woman leading a department, who was getting paid less than everyone else,” she said. “That’s a fact because I didn’t have a Ph.D.” To achieve her Ph.D. she would have to overcome her fear of rejection, making mistakes and letting her students down, but more importantly she would have to overcome the fear of leaving all things familial. Her fears dug deeper as time went on. “How could I be teaching about decolonizing the mind, but yet I am living in fear by not pushing myself to my fullest potential?” Dunn-Salahuddin said.

In due time she overcame her fears and listened to her own advice. She refused to sell herself short in her pursuit for a higher education. Her acceptance came with a whirlwind of emotions. She recalled teaching a lecture at Cloud Hall when she received the news of her acceptance. Although her overwhelming feeling of joy soon turned into doubts as to whether or not she would survive in an elite academy. She overcame her fears and accepted Stanford’s doctoral program to further her research of the Bayview and Hunters Point 1966 Uprising, and San Francisco’s history as a whole. However, with her acceptance meant leaving her apartment in downtown, the students at City College, her family in San Francisco, and all things familial to her. The transition into her first quarter was met with challenges, such as experiencing racism from campus police while she was working late one night. “They did not talk to me. They just shined their lights on me, and where I come from when law enforcement shines a light on you it is not a good thing. So here I am being criminalized in a place where I should be protected. You do not know how deeply internalized these ideas are. Even I, African American Studies Department Chair Aliyah, felt like I did not belong,” Dunn-Salahuddin said.

In addition to being racially profiled she had to overcome a symptom called imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is defined as a collection of feelings of inadequacy which persist despite evident success. She said how during her first quarter she felt similar to her students, who received their paper back with a series of remarks. The critiques made her feel inadequate as if she did not belong at Stanford. “The doubt I felt in myself and my self-worth was my own worst enemy, but I am trying to produce history. Stanford is trying to level you to a certain place beyond teaching history. This is about me creating history, so when students research Bayview Hunters Point or San Francisco there will be historical evidence for them,” said Dunn-Salahuddin. Overtime her lows became highs when she was offered to teach a panel titled, Nothing to Lose but Our Chains : the Black Bay Area and Beyond, at Stanford. The ability to conduct a panel came as a surprise to her peers. “What I was doing was probably hard for other graduate students, who came from a place of privilege where they are acculturated more than me. There are so many people, who are interested in history they never heard of. So hopefully my presence is making people aware of the richness of our local history in San Francisco,” Dunn-Salahuddin said. Dunn-Salahuddin will also be teaching a class relating to her chapter titled, A Forgotten Community, A Forgotten History : San Francisco’s 1966 Uprising, from the anthology titled “The Stage Careers of the Jim Crow North.”

Former head of the African American departments at City College, Aliyah Dunn-Salahuddin posed next to flyer with an image of Martin Luther King Jr., at Stanford University, in Palo Alto, on Jan. 10, 2020. Dunn-Salahuddin is currently working on her doctorate degree in the field of history at the university. Jan. 10, 2020. (Photo by Jennifer Yin).

Former head of the African American department, Aliyah Dunn-Salahuddin, pinpointed her photo on Stanford University wall of graduates on Jan. 10, 2020. “I think it is important to note how my photo was taken in Oakland. No one is going to know this information, but I though it was important to incorporate the Bay Area in my photo,” Dunn-Salahuddin said. Jan. 10, 2020. Photo by Jennifer Yin/The Guardsman

Her chapter is a historical overview of the events leading up to the 1966 Bayview Hunters Point Uprising as well as the activism of local community members against the forces of Jim Crow in the North, according to San Francisco Public Library. After she obtains her doctorate she hopes to build a bridge between City College and Stanford. The metamorphosis of Dunn-Salahuddin is self-titled as Aliyah the Scholar. No longer will she be called Aliyah an amateur historian she was once labeled as. “After I graduate I will be called Dr. Aliyah Dunn-Salahuddin, scholar, historian, and activist,” Dunn-Salahuddin said. “I want all the doors open for me without the glass ceilings and limitations. Once I get through this rigorous process then nobody could question anything anymore. I want institutional power to tell our stories with authority.” She closed the interview with a message for City College students as to not sell themselves short and to pursue what is best for them. In regards to the current relationship between students and administration she mentioned, “Faculty voices only go so far. Students need to speak up, and fight for what they believe in. It was students, who 50 years ago changed the course of education. But more importantly I want them to succeed so they can be in positions of power to create the change in the institutions. Become the chancellor, become the teacher, become the politician. Thats my hope.” Dunn-Salahuddin said.

CULTURE | 5

Vol. 169, Issue 1 | January 8 - January 22, 2020

Metal Arts Students Rebel Against College Downsizing

By Diana Guzman

Above: City College faculty members and art students share their testimonies about how class cuts impacted their careers and educational plans during the art show protest at Fort Mason Campus on Dec. 14, 2019. Photo by Amal Benghanem/ The Guardsman

Left: Artwork created by a City College student, exhibited at the art show protest in Fort Mason Campus on Dec. 14, 2019, expressing anger about class cuts. Photo by Amal Benghanem/The Guardsman

dianaanaid.gf@gmail.com

By the Fall semester of 2019, many classes and programs had been cut from City College including the Metal Arts program which is described on their website as, “rigorous while remaining very popular.” The Metal Arts Program is part of the Art Department in City College and is the only public institution in the Bay Area which offers jewelry, lost wax casting, and metal arts classes with a well-equipped studio. In addition, the program teaches students how to manage their hand-eye coordination. Jack da Silva, Chair of the Metal Arts program has been teaching Metal Arts since 1973 and has been with the college for approximately 20 years. “It is rather frustrating how Metal Arts had been cut. We deal with science, technology, engineering in this college. As far as art goes, we deal with personal aesthetics so each student can develop their own. The course teaches the history of art which opens the door to so many opportunities. We never had problems filling our classes,” Silva said. The cuts are also affecting student livelihoods including former Metal Arts student, Danielle Jackson. “I am really devastated because I had just discovered the program and found an amazing passion for the art to the point where I am considering moving forward with it as a career. So not being able to have access to those classes is really putting a damper on the dream. Private schools are very expensive and I can’t afford that,” Jackson said. “We have been protesting and getting the word out as much as they can. It is so awful because City College has always been a community based program, and its mission is to create accessible classes for poor working class people, who didn’t have prior education, elder folks, and all kinds of people.” Ted Redmond, 48hills founder, expressed his dismay at the loss of the Metal Arts program in an article titled The Death of Metal Arts at City College. “There are many, many programs impacted by the decision of the City College chancellor to cut a wide range of classes in an effort to move the school away from its historic mission of serving the entire community,” Redmond said. In addition to the coverage on 48hills, students, faculty, and members of the community have gathered together to help classes which were affected by protesting and spreading word as much as they could. Austin Price, a Metal Arts student said, “a few of us are running an Instagram to try to put our work out there to validate these classes, as a true art classes. These classes have value where students and artists could produce stunning work and to show off the skills they had learned to make something.” “We’ve been petitioning and sending letters to the Board of Supervisors and the chancellor to try and bring back at least one class. Also we participated in art shows to try and keep this program alive” he said.

City College Illustrator Combats Class Cuts Through Art By Jennifer Yin jyin4@mail.ccsf.edu

City College’s Portfolio Club illustrator, John E. Greene, presented his artwork during the Art Action’s exhibition titled, “(Not) Business as Usual,” at the Fort Mason Center on Dec. 14. The exhibition hosted artists who created their work in protest against the college’s massive class cuts also known as the Midnight Massacre. “I wanted to show my audience all the classes which were being cut including classes from dance, guitar, metal arts, Chinese brush painting, Tagalog, German, journalism, and swimming.” Greene, who applied to City College in 2000, is a continuing education student with a dream of becoming a cartoonist. However, his illustration class emphasizing in the illustration of live models, was cut before he could retake the course. “My art professor, Inna Razumova only had one semester with the class,” Greene said. “It was a perfect class for artists to learn how to transition between illustration and the practicalelements of learning the techniques.” He furthered explained how older adult students are dependent on their coursework because it grants them a new lease in life. “They come back a little stronger when they are a little older, which is one of the reasons why I was so upset with these class cuts,” Greene said. “When they get to be about 50 to 55 years old, they start thinking how they have done all the things they were supposed to do for other people. Now, it is supposed to be their time.” In addition to loaning his illustration to Art Action, he donated three of his art pieces to CCSF Collective, an art-activism organization, during their show titled “Crescendo.” However, Greene’s success in becoming a cartoonist came with a set of challenges and setbacks. During his childhood he grew up in a single family household in Hampton, Va. “We were known as the poor family in the neighborhood. So you know, that opens the door for a whole lot of bullying.” Greene said. “The owner’s rented us a garage, which is another signification that we were not of means. So it was the four kids, my mom, and her boyfriend.”

Greene was extremely shy due to being bullied. In order to overcome this obstacle, he found recognition from his peers through his illustration which then propelled his fascination in the arts. After high school, he was accepted into Virginia Commonwealth University of Arts (VCUA) on an undergraduate degree in 1983. “I wanted to apply next Spring because I was so nervous about setting off into a whole new world, but there I was with all my belongings packed,” Green said. “When I started college, it was an eye opener, it was hard, but there was growth. I had to deal with people, who culturally I never had to deal with before. In addition, you had to stand up for yourself in ways you didn’t know how,” Greene said. Eventually, Greene left VCUA and Virginia to focus on becoming a full-time cartoonist and chef. However, his career as a chef would overshadow his dream in becoming an artist. “Once you start working, it can be a dream killer. I tell people, especially young people, to follow your dream no matter how crazy it is. To get a job in the industry where you want to be in. Even if that means washing or sweeping the floors.” Greene said. In 1999, he moved to San Francisco to escape a broken heart. The nomadic artist eventually settled amongst the richness of art the city had to offer. Eventually he would apply to City College in his later years to further his education in jump-starting his entrepreneurial career. His dream is to one day own a Manga company, “Aziza Manga”, named after an African forest god. Greene closed his interview with a message to the City College administration. He said, “Cutting classes at a time where the United States needs as much innovative thought as we can to remain a power player and to not become a fractionated sectionalized class system. This is something you need to really think about, and the short term leadership does not benefit our long term gain.” John E. Greene holding a painting he created for his illustration class. Photo by Jennifer Yin/The Guardsman

6 | OPINION

Vol. 169, Issue 1 | January 8 - January 22, 2020

Just Another Cog in the United States War Machine

Journalism Department Not Immune to Cuts By The Guardsman Staff Opinion Editor: cgoss2@mail.ccsf.edu

Illustration by Nazli Ece Kandur/The Guardsman

By Claudia Drdul claudiadrdul@gmail.com

The United States government’s refusal to pull troops out of Iraq even after a parliamentary vote mandated it, is just the latest example of our country’s inability to follow the international policy it assisted in creating. Since its formation, the United States has forced colonial-settler relationships upon countless countries throughout the world, and as a result, our foreign policy today reflects our fear of the same destabilization we have inflicted upon others. According to Politico, “the United States still maintains nearly 800 military bases in more than 70 countries”, bases which our government uses to advance our ideological hegemony throughout the world. The rhetoric the State Department uses to justify sanctions and drone strikes upon these same nations is filled with surface level claims of bringing “democracy” and “peace” while our own military operations and economic meddling are what created non-democratic processes in the first place. Of course we began our streak of imperialism in Iraq in the 1920s through our allowance of US businesses to drain Iraq’s natural resource supply through shares in the Iraq Petroleum Company. Throughout the 20th century we assisted in Britain’s colonial endeavors in a country whose people wanted nothing to do with the repressive foreign regime. Iraq had its first taste of western manipulation of international “peace and security” organizations when the United Nations forced the 1997 Oil-for-Food Program upon the country, a scheme which forced the Iraqi government to pay for its own occupation through the sale of its oil on the world market. Today, the narrative of the United States defending itself, still holds strong, as President Donald Trump claims Iraq is “allowed to torture and maim our people. They’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people. And we’re not allowed to touch their cultural sites? It doesn’t work that way.” It’s absolutely egregious to claim the Iraqi government is the aggressor while our 2003-onward occupation of Iraq has directly contributed to the death of nearly 206,107 Iraqi civilians since 2003. Alongside the Iraqi people, we must demand no more civilian deaths, no more taxpayer dollars towards measures of war and no more occupation of sovereign nations.

HAVE YOUR SAY Goss

— Brandon Harris, Political Science

oilinn

Goss

“I was planning to take (photography) last semester, but I can’t take that class anymore because it’s gone. Hopefully it comes back before my semester is over. If not, I’ll just go to another city college. I’ve heard stories in class of how it affected other people. They had to go to another city, like Berkeley City College, to get their class.” — Biniam Berih, Sales and Marketing

oilinn

BY CAOILINN GOSS

“I have not been affected by the class cuts personally, but it’s kind of an issue that I think needs more attention. Especially since many students are not aware of this. How can you have a higher student retention when you have less classes? There’s this balance that is not being fulfilled.”

“HOW HAVE THE CLASS CUTS AFFECTED YOUR

While many of the programs that make up City College’s vital organs wait on life support for the $2.7 million Bridge Fund to come through, even departments who escaped the worst of it are experiencing painful and lasting damage. Journalism is no different. Jessica Lifland taught Photojournalism ( JOUR 37) for 15 years, but in the wake of November’s Midnight Massacre, she has joined the myriad of reeling part-time instructors whose classes were cut without warning. “I was speechless and shocked because it came out of left field,” said Lifland. More than 100 part time faculty have lost their benefits or even their jobs and a spokesperson for the college’s administration admitted to the San Francisco Examiner that they anticipate that more faculty will be affected in the coming months. The part time instructors are not the only ones who will suffer under these cuts. The long term strain on the surviving students and faculty will be staggering. “Jessica has connections within the industry, so by taking her away, we don’t have that anymore. We have to seek it outside of class,” said Jennifer Yin, Culture Editor of The Guardsman. Juan Gonzales, The Guardsman’s own faculty advisor and Department Chair, has taken up the mantle of the cut Photojournalism class. Reviving the course—while unquestionably a victory—will bring Gonzalez’s workload this semester to a whopping six courses, a significant increase from the already demanding four courses he taught in the Fall. While Lifland expressed relief that the course will continue, and that under the circumstances this outcome is the best thing for students, she added, “this whole situation is really unfair for him because he has been put in an impossible position.” In order to qualify for health benefits, part time instructors must teach at least half the number of the courses expected of full time faculty. For many part-timers, losing just one course can vastly affect their compensation and thus their quality of life. “Teachers’ working conditions are students learning conditions,” Leslie Simon, a Women’s Studies professor, told The Guardsman’s own Tyler Breisacher at the recent Budget and Finance Committee vote last Wednesday. This adage echoes across education funding battles throughout the country. “You have teachers that may be working two or three other jobs to make ends meet, that need more time to prepare their lessons, because they’re being taken care of on the front end,” said James Tracy, Political Director with AFT 2121. The Chancellor’s office claims these cuts are part of a larger vision for City College’s future, and yet they have not shared their vision with the community who will have to live it out. “There was no plan B for Jessica,” Yin said. “Look at the counselors last semester, they got a pink slip in the mail, that’s it. That’s the type of transparency you want with your faculty? That’s horrible management.” Lifland will continue to teach the Magazine Editing & Production ( JOUR 29) course for now, much to our relief here at the Guardsman. “I think she’s the reason there is a magazine class,” said Guardsman Sports Editor Meyer Gorelick, “If she wasn’t there, I don’t think we would be producing a school magazine.” Instructors like Lifland and Gonzales are our champions, and whittling away at their support systems has affected many graduation schedules and certificate programs in the short term, but the ripple effects will be felt for years to come. We urge the administration, give us back our champions and give us back our voice!

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Goss

“Class cuts gave everything more of a sense of urgency [during registration]. With the class cuts I feel like that limits everyone’s opportunities to explore different areas or classes. It may affect some greater than others but it limits everyone’s chances.” —Uziah Metcalfe, Kinesiology

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Goss

“[Tagalog] is one of those classes that unfortunately got affected by cuts. I know they’re trying to bring it back, but they completely removed the language program. There was a certificate that was offered that I was interested in getting.” — Joshua Villanueva, Computer Science

Vol. 169, Issue 1 | January 8 - January 22, 2020

COMMUNITY | 7

8 | SPORTS

Vol. 169, Issue 1 | January 8 - January 22, 2020

Undefeated Rams Neuter Bulldogs 119-72

SPORTS CALENDAR

Men’s Basketball

Wed. Jan 22, 7 PM @ Cañada Sat. Jan 25, 1 PM @ Ohlone Wed. Jan 29, 7 PM vs. Las Positas

Women’s Basketball

Fri. Jan 24, 6 PM @ Laney Wed. Jan 29, 5 PM vs Las Positas

Baseball

Fri. Jan 24, 2 PM @ Hartnell

Sat. Jan 25, 1 PM vs Hartnell Darrion Trammell, (2) freshman guard, breaks past midcourt in transition during the first half vs San Mateo on Jan. 15. Photo by Franchon Smith/The Guardsman.

Tu. Jan 28, 11 AM @ Contra Costa

By Meyer Gorelick

Sat. Feb 1, 4 PM @ Laney

msggorelick@gmail.com

The undefeated Rams throttled an overmatched San Mateo Bulldogs team on Wednesday Oct. 15 to improve to 17-0. After a sluggish start, City College began pulling away midway through the first half, stifling San Mateo with an aggressive press and putting up lots of points in transition. “We started off a little slow. We’re the number one team in the state, and we’re always gonna get everyone’s best game,” Rams Head Coach Justin Labagh said. Despite stumbling out of the gate, City College was obviously the bigger, stronger, more athletic team and knew that a dominant victory was inevitable. Miles Norris, a 6’10” sophomore who transferred to City College from University of Oregon to avoid sitting out a year as he would’ve had he transferred to another NCAA school, was literally head and shoulders taller than any San Mateo player guarding him. The highlight of the game was a two-handed poster jam that Norris stuffed on Bulldog freshman Irnes Sarvan after driving baseline. “It’s always good to get a nice dunk,” Norris said. “I try to get one at least every game.” Norris is bound for UC Santa Barbara next year, and wants to have a strong return to the Division One (D-I) level. His goal is to excel at Santa Barbara before entering the NBA draft and beginning a professional career. Several other Rams have scholarship offers from D-I schools. Sophomore guard Nate Robinson is going to play at Seattle University next year, and may be joined there by teammate Emeka Udenyi. Sophomore Quincy Urbana is signed to play at Grand Canyon University, meanwhile other players are fielding offers.

Freshman guard Kyree Brown excelled throughout the game from behind the arc striping seven triples and finishing the game with 29 points to leave all scorers. The game got chippy briefly in the second half, when Bulldog Oscar Pedzara after falling down intentionally tripped Urbana and injured him. “It was a real cheap play,” Labagh said. “The ref, he didn’t wanna call it for some reason.” Labagh commended the Bulldogs Head Coach Mike Marcial for benching Pedzara for the rest of the game after seeing the dirty play. Although he declined to comment after the game, Labagh was loud and vocal on the sideline about his frustration with a particular referee, whom he felt was missing calls.

Tu. Feb 4, 11 AM vs Laney

Women’s Tennis

Sat. Jan 25, 12PM Scrimmage Tu. Jan 28, 12 PM @ West Valley (scrimmage) Fri. Jan 31, 1 PM @ West Valley

Tournament

Swimming

Fri. Jan 31, 2 PM Quad Meet vs Chabot, San Mateo, Foothills

What’s Next

When asked if he thinks this team can finish the season undefeated Labagh said, “That’s the plan.” He said that this team is up there among the best in program history. “We’re ten deep and they’re all skilled. They all could start,” Labagh said. “They’re right up there. They’re really dominant and their smart.” The Rams followed up the Bulldog trouncing with another annihilation Friday Jan. 17, whooping the Foothill College Owls 73-41. The Rams take on the Cañada College Colts at home Wednesday night. For a full list of their schedule over the next two weeks reference the sports calendar.

Conference Standings Men’s Basketball

W-L

CCSF 4-0 Las Positas 3-1 Chabot 3-1 Foothill

2-2

San Mateo

2-2

Cañada

0-4

Ohlone 0-4 Women’s Basketball W-L Skyline

3-0

CCSF 2-1 Las Positas

1-1

Chabot 1-2 San Mateo Kyree Brown, freshman guard (4) during the first half against the College of San Mateo Bulldogs on Jan. 15, 2020 at Brad Duggan Gymnasium at Ocean Campus. Photo by Franchon Smith/The Guardsman.

Th. Jan 30, 7 PM vs Contra Costa

1-2

Ohlone 0-2

For live game updates follow

@CCSFathletics on Twitter

SPORTS Results

Men’s Basketball

Dec 20 @ Alameda 95-57 W

Jan 3, @ Gavilan 97-83 W Jan 8, @ Chabot 118-76 W Jan 10, vs Skyline 103-45 W Jan 15, vs San Mateo 119-72 W Jan 17, @ Foothill 73-41 W

Women’s Basketball

Dec 20, vs West LA 65-51 W Dec 21, vs East LA 67-62 L Dec 22, vs Skyline 59-54 W Jan 8, @ Chabot 69-68 W Jan 10, vs Skyline 70-64 L Jan 15, vs San Mateo 55-31 W Jan 17, @ Cabrillo 70-49 W

Baseball

Jan 15, @ Solano 13-5 W (scrimmage)