Vol. 167, Issue 3 | Feb. 20 – March. 6, 2019 | City College of San Francisco | Since 1935 | FREE
BRIEF
Board of Trustees seeks proposal to rename Balboa Park Station By Andy Damián-Correa acorrea@theguardsman.com
Members from the City College Board of Trustees are working on a proposal for the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) that requests a name change of Balboa Park Station to “Balboa Park /City College.” The resolution, spearheaded by board president Alex Randolph and trustees John Rizzo and Thea Selby, will be presented at the next board meeting on Feb. 28. “The San Francisco Community College District endeavor is to encourage people to use public transportation to and from the college,” Trustee Rizzo said in a statement via email. Balboa Park represents both a San Francisco neighborhood and a public park between Mission Street and I-280, north of Geneva Avenue. Prior to submitting the request, the District required public input to garner feedback about the proposal. BART staff members, who work closely with local community groups and officials throughout Bay Area counties, can make recommendations of station names to BART’s Board of Directors. According to a 1965 policy, 10 key factors should be considered when renaming a station, including brevity, distinctiveness, historical basis, geographical significance and overall helpfulness, Government and Community Relations Manager, Kerry Hamill said. For the 2019 fiscal year, the District estimates the cost to rename one station to be approximately $479,000, BART’s Interim District Secretary Patricia Williams said. BART has 45 stations that reside in four counties — Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and San Mateo. The primary purpose of naming a station lies in the overall helpfulness to BART commuters as they navigate the transit system. Cities that use nearby colleges to name railway stations include Los Angeles (Valley College station), New York (137th Street /City College station), Maryland (68th Street /Hunter College station), and others.
Ocean Campus students and facility continue to endure extreme room temperatures By Peter J. Suter
The buildings at City College’s Ocean Campus — most of which were suterjpeter@gmail.com built before 1970, the Science Building Dysfunctional indoor comfort dating back to 1940 — are some of the controls in City College’s aging oldest among community colleges in buildings have left students and the nation, said Superintendent of faculty enduring suboptimal room Facilities, Buildings and Grounds, temperature conditions during San Jimmy Kirk. Their facilities run Francisco’s coldest months. on antiquated systems that need “There are days when it’s an icebox, complicated maintenance fixes and days when it’s way too warm,” to address indoor comfort controls, Visual Media Design Professor Tim he added. Harrington said about the Visual “The older the building, the Arts Building. greater difficulty of mitigating the City College spokesperson Connie circumstances,” Kirk said. Chan attributed the problem to aging Since the beginning of the infrastructure, the need for capital semester, faculty in the Visual Arts upgrades and an underfunded building Building have experienced difficulties and grounds department meant to regulating the temperature of rooms. cover 2.2 million square feet between The building’s aging infraall of City College’s properties. structure includes a complex set “At Ocean Campus alone, 70% up of at least four different heating, of its facilities have been identified ventilation and air conditioning as poor facility condition,” said Chan. (HVAC) systems, installed in 1961.
Illustration by Chiara Di Martino
Each system requires individual care, Chief Engineer of Buildings and Grounds Mike Wilkins said. “A majority of the HVAC systems [at Ocean Campus] have exhausted their lives,” Vice Chancellor of Facilities, Planning and Construction Dr. Rueben Smith said. Visual Media Department’s Production Manager Colin Hall said that during his 14 years at City College, the room temperature has never been consistent, which has been the most common complaint from students. He then added that building and grounds engineers and staff have always been responsive and do their best to accommodate their situation. Complicating matters, professors have turned to space heaters for warming up cold classrooms, stating that a request to resolve the problem would take too long to fulfill. But according to the Buildings
Room temp. continued on page 3
Students unite to form action group “CCSF Students Rise” By Claudia Drdul claudiadrdul@gmai.com
Student organizer, Marcos Cruz, creates a working list of strategies for the new 'CCSF Students Rising' assembly on February 4 on Ocean Campus. Photo by Claudia Drdul / The Guardsman
In response to a plan developed by City College administrators that would eliminate hundreds of low-enrolled courses over the next seven years, a dozen student organizers gathered in the MultiUse Building on Feb. 4 for a public meeting that focused on student experiences and needs. Jennifer Worley, president of City College’s teachers union AFT 2121, responded to Chancellor Mark Rocha in an open letter that addressed faculty concerns. “Rather than issuing unilateral cuts to departmental schedules, we ask you to work collaboratively with faculty and department chairs to create a fall schedule that is not solely informed by the budget, but rather maintains and expands quality programs and access for students,” President
Worley stated. assembly, the first meeting of in the information provided. This semester, City College “CCSF Students Rising” was Following the deliberations students formed their own alli- called to order. of individual needs, students ance to combat what AFT 2121 The first priority was dedi- returned to group discussion and calls “draconian cuts to depart- cated to creating a master list delved into strategy and assembly mental budgets.” of issues students experienced goals. Those in attendance hope Student activists Marcos Cruz around campus, including poor to identify the needs of others and Mica Jarmel-Schneder, who building maintenance, under- on campus, build a community believe in the power of numbers, staffed departments, and a lack of centered around peer support shared similar concerns amongst basic resources such as free trans- and have more access to college their peers. They recognized the portation. Above all, the group and city money allocations. only way for students to be heard agreed that transparency is what Cruz believes the meeting by administration is to develop a City College students need most. served its purpose and hopes the space where students are able to After the first hour of general assembly gains more visibility to voice their concerns freely and discussion, the group broke into the community. find creative solutions. various focus groups to share their “We want people to know Together, they established struggles with registration, finan- about the space and once we “CCSF Students Rising,” a cial aid, and other pressing issues. have enough voices, we can start forum where students can discuss Students in one group organizing around more concrete campus concerns and receive expressed their concerns with the issues,” Cruz said. timely follow-up on the status seemingly decreasing number of The next “CCSF Students of such issues. staff members in the financial aid Rising” meeting will be held “Students want change in a lot office. As a result of long wait- on Mar. 4, in MUB. Students of ways so hopefully they’ll see ing times and lack of resources interested in joining the assemthe assembly as a good way start for international students, some bly can contact Marcos Cruz at that change,” Cruz said. individuals must visit multiple 2473marcos@gmail.com After days of promoting the advisors due to the inconsistencies