The Guardsman, Vol. 159, Issue 4. City College of San Francisco

THE GUARDSMAN VOL. 159, ISSUE 4, MAR. 4 - MAR. 17, 2015 | CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO | SINCE 1935 | WWW.THEGUARDSMAN.COM | @THEGUARDSMAN | #THEGUARDSMAN | FREE

State Chancellor acts

Brice Harris appoints new special trustee

By Michael Burkett

@theguardsman mburkett@theguardsman.com

the guardsman

State Chancellor Dr. Brice Harris announced Dr. Guy Lease as new special trustee with extraordinary powers at a Wellness Center press conference on Monday, Feb. 23.

Seated inside were state chancellor Dr. Brice Harris, Dr. Guy Lease, Board of Trustees President Rafael Mandelman, and Chancellor Arthur Tyler. Standing behind Mandelman were four other trustees, Brigitte Davila, Amy Bacharach, Steve Ngo, and Thea Selby.

The conference was initially open to only credentialed press, but, Tim Killikelly, president of the American Federation of Teachers local 2121 questioned why faculty, students, and other interested parties were excluded.

“It’s OK. Let them in,” Harris said.

Fifty plus people filed in and

(L-R) Lalo Gonzales, president of MECHxA and three City College students, Alondra Aragon, Itzel Cminth and Imiry Rizas protest in front of the Chancellor Dr. Arthur Tyler, Board of Trustees President Rafael Mandelman, Dr. Guy Lease the new special trustee and State Chancellor Dr. Brice Harris, during a press conference in Room 103 at the Wellness Center on Monday, Feb. 23. (Photo by Khaled Sayed)

held up two banners painted with “no new special trustee with extraordinary powers” and “Save CCSF Coalition.”

The conference started with Harris reading Lease’s qualifications;

President Fresno City College, president, superintendent and dean at Lake Tahoe community college, Las Positas community colleges, Fresno City college, as well as Assistant Superintendent San Jacinto Unified

School District.

Harris said, motioning to Dr. Guy Lease on his left, “He is well qualified to support the board of trustees as they assume governance responsibilities.”

An immediate uproar began denouncing the need for a special trustee, demanding democracy, as well as the return of the elected

continued on page 3

Judge Curtis Karnow delivers final injunction on People v. ACCJC

By Michael Burkett

@theguardsman mburkett@theguardsman.com

the guardsman

San Francisco superior court judge Curtis Karnow ruled in favor of City College against the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges on Tuesday Feb. 17.

Karnow ordered ACCJC to resubmit documentation justifying disaccreditation to City College and allowing City College to respond, unless City College opts out.

Chancellor Arthur Tyler’s letter dated Feb. 27 on City College’s website, ccsf.edu, clearly states that City College is not opting out.

“This letter serves to officially notify ACCJC that City College of San Francisco is opting in to the Injunction Process.” Tyler wrote.

Karnow found in his tentative ruling “significant unlawful practices” by the ACCJC. ACCJC’s press release regarding the final injunction lists that only two federal regulations were

Illustration by Serina Mercado

violated. These violations regarded ACCJC’s improper notifications to City College during the sanctioned discreditation.

The final injunction does not deny revoking disaccreditation or the Restoration Status ACCJC granted City College. Restora-

tion Status was granted on Jan 15., two days before Karnow’s tentative ruling.

After the final injunction, Kaufmyn angrily said, “It’s outrageous! This whole process is outrageous!”

African American studies

department chair, Dr. Tarik Farrar said, “It is my understanding that we (City College) have come into almost full compliance with all issues listed.”

One area that Farrar noted in particular was City College excelling in its Student Learning Outcomes.

Theater production

Men’s basketball

“A Flea in Her Ear” coming soon

Rams win nail-bitter by one point

Page 3

Page 5

Page 8

Inside

PAEC Kicker: controversy New plan Construction to shit cla not a priority bla for college

Not only did City College come into compliance with this deficiency, but they excelled in implementing it. The evaluating ACCJC team observed that City College’s approach could be used throughout California.

President of the board of trustees, Rafael Mandelman, wrote in an email, “Of course like a lot of people I would have liked to see Judge Karnow grant a broader remedy than he did, but I also appreciate his reluctance to usurp the role of the accreditor.”

In the past, Mandelman has been critical of the Board of Governors, ACCJC, Dr. Tyler, and the state chancellor Dr. Brice Harris.

“Karnow crafted a narrow remedy to correct specific areas where the accreditor had broken its own rules,” he continued.

City College is now in “Restoration Status,” created in June 2014 with approval of the Department of Education and granted to City College in January 2015. Restoration Status was nonexistent before the dispute with City College.

2 | THE GUARDSMAN & THEGUARDSMAN.COM | MAR. 4 - MAR. 17, 2015

news Mayor in search for city college board member

Editor-in-Chief Alex Lamp

News Editor Marco Siler-Gonzales

Culture Editor Patrick Cochran

Sports Editor Shaleisa Daniel

Opinion Editor Matthew Patton

Photo Editor Ekevara Kitpowsong

Multimedia Editor Nathaniel Y. Downes

Production Manager Elisabetta Silvestro

Online Content Manager Khaled Sayed

Design and Layout Matthew Patton Khaled Sayed Elisabetta Silvestro

Advertising Manager Calindra Revier

Staff Writers Dina Boyer Michael Burkett Steven Ho Otto Pippenger Yesica Prado

Staff Photographers Dina Boyer Jon Brooner Natasha Dangond Otto Pippenger Yesica Prado Khaled Sayed Franchon Smith

Illustrators Serina Mercado

Contributors Gina Dettmer Robert Jalon

Faculty Advisor Juan Gonzales

Social Media

Mayor Ed Lee is reviewing candidates to take over the position of City College veteran board member Natalie Berg, whose resignation was announced in December.

Berg served in City College faculty and administrative positions before she was first elected to the board in 1996. SF Examiner reported a nearly 50% turnover for elected board members in novembers election.

Three new trustees and one incumbent were elected despite the board of trustees’ loss of power to a special trustee with extraordinary powers in 2013. State Chancellor of Community College Brice Harris recently announced the Local Board is expected to regain power in july of 2015. There is no deadline to which Mayor Ed Lee must find a board member replacement.

Vice chancellor of academic affairs announces retirement

Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Susan E. Lamb announced her plans to officially resign as of June 30, 2015 in an email sent to the City College Department Chair Council (DCC).

Lamb’s announcement responded to the DCC’s request that she reconsider her decision to leave. “this decision is complex and involves both professional and personal considerations,” Lamb said. “It is with a heavy heart, that I reaffirm my decision to leave.”

In her email, Lamb commended the efforts of City College faculty and administration to meet the accreditation standards. “I have tremendous respect for the courage and hard work of the faculty and department chairs who have stepped up to work on accreditation standards, Title 5 issues, student learning outcomes, curriculum, new budget development and position control processes, prerequisites implementation, credit pathways…” Lamb said.

Lamb was recommended to assume position as vice chancellor of academic affairs by State Chanpaid advertisement

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Board of Trustees move closer to full empowerment

State Chancellor of Community College Brice Harris announced that the City College Board of Trustees (BOT) will start to regain power by March, 2015.

In a press release from Vice Chancellor Paul Feist, Feist outlined a timeline for the BOT’s full restoration to power. Starting with student services and academic affairs and assuming full financial responsibility by july of 2015.

As of June 30, Lease will no longer hold his extraordinary power.

Lease will retain veto power over any BOT decision not deemed in best interest of City College’s accreditation.

the disaccreditation decision, the ACCJC appointed a five man commission to remand the case back to ACCJC for further consideration.

In June of 2014, the US Department of Education wrote a letter approving a new procedure for the ACCJC called “Restoration Process.”

Under this process any school that was sanctioned by ACCJC are given up to two extra years to come into accreditation compliance.

On Aug. 22, 2014, San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrara filed a lawsuit against the ACCJC (People v. ACCJC) for it’s disaccred-

itation of City College. Superior Court Judge Curtis Karnow decided in the favor of the People, affirming that ACCJC broke its own rules in discrediting City College.

Restoration status was granted for City College two days before the tentative ruling in People v. ACCJC was issued.

Good luck on your midterms!

Accreditation crisis timeline

The Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges announced revocation of City College’s accreditation in 2013, effective July 31, 2014.

After consulting Mayor Ed Lee, State Chancellor of Community College Brice Harris appointed Dr. Robert Agrella as special trustee with extraordinary powers and suspended the elected board of trustees.

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THE GUARDSMAN & THEGUARDSMAN.COM | MAR. 4 - MAR. 17, 2015 | 3

news Delayed Building Project

Diversion of bond monies dismiss PAEC as a priority

By Marco Siler-Gonzales @theguardsman mgonzales@theguardsman.com

the guardsman

The Performing Arts Center Coalition (PAC Coalition) and City College administration are at odds over the use of bond monies voted to fund the Performing Arts Education Center (PAEC).

The PAC Coalition continues to press the administration to move forward with the construction of the PAEC. Although San Francisco voters passed bond measures to fund the project in 2001 and 2005, college spokesperson Jeff Hamilton said the majority of these funds have already been spent on maintaining City College buildings.

Former special trustee Robert Agrella sparked the PAEC controversy when he canceled the project on Sept. 17, 2013.

“When Agrella reviewed the status of the buildings, he said we are not going to build the Performance Arts Center until we fix the existing buildings,” Hamilton said. “We have one-third of a billion dollars of deferred maintenance needs.”

On February 27th, PAC coalition leaders met with Chancellor Tyler and President Virginia Parras to discuss the future of the PAEC. PAC Coalition later reported the administration had a positive outlook on the plans for the PAEC. Although the administration is in favor of building the PAEC,

New special trustee continued from page 1 board.

“It is a pleasure to be here. I have 32 years experience working with city colleges,” Lease said. “I, like you, am a product of community colleges and I really believe in local control.”

Lease was referring to graduating from Del Mar community college Corpus Christi, Texas.

“I hope to work myself out of a job very quickly.”

At this point protesters shouted, “Start today!”

“I worked as president Fresno City College…,” Lease stopped as the shouting became louder and realized he wasn’t being heard as protesters shouted “CCSF is for us!”.

Engineering instructor with Save CCSF Coalition Wendy Kaufmyn, Killikelly and president of MECHxA Lalo Gonzales with the help of 50 plus protesters drowned out the panelists. Dan Choi, a former board of trustees candidate, led students in song.

Harris has stated there would be no need for a special trustee once the accreditation crisis is over. Many faculty and students see the problem as resolved and question the further implementation of a special trustee.

Once the uproar died down Harris said, “We appreciate all you

Hamilton said the future of the facility is a matter of prioritization.

“The Performing Arts Center proposal, the Gough Street problem, the Civic Center issue and every other building with capital needs is going to be put into a planning process so we can prioritize things,” Hamilton said. “There’s only a certain amount of money to address these issues” Music Department Chair Madeline Mueller, regarded as the historian and record keeper for the PAEC, said the current administration has no planning records for the PAEC project.

“We have another copy of them, they’re huge. All of the details we do have, but we were wondering why don’t they?” Mueller said.

The performing arts faculty and members of the Performing Arts Education Coaltion have tried to create a dialogue with the administration regarding the future of the PAEC. “The relatively new administration claims to have no information on this project, which is very concerning,” voice Instructor Judy Hubbell said. “They do seem to be supportive in some ways. They talk to us. That is at least progress.”

Aside from the voter approved bond measures, additional state matching funds of $38.27 million were granted in 2010, Mueller said.

The PAEC was supposed to break ground by June of 2014 in order to retain these state funds.

There is growing concern now that

Courtesy of LMN and Tom Eliot Fisch, A Joint Venture

this deadline has not been met, the money will go back to the state, according to Mueller.

“If it somehow went away that would be terrible,” Mueller said. “If this project doesn’t get completed, then San Francisco has lost nearly $40 million.”

The lack of communication between the administration and the PAC Coalition has led to an unclear dispute. Hamilton spoke on behalf of Chancellor Tyler’s plan to form a capital planning committee, comprised of faculty, students and administrators to debate these issues and create a better-informed populace.

As for the PAEC, Hamilton said the administration’s obligation

to spend the taxpayer money as they intended also applies to maintaining the buildings.

So, does Hamilton’s justification for the variation of bond measure spending uphold the taxpayers trust?

In a letter addressed to City College President Virginia Parras, Mueller articulated that having fulfilled all California community college procedures for capital construction, the state has warned the PAC Coalition that the project cannot go backward at this point.

“If the Performing Arts Education Center is not completed soon, San Francisco will lose millions of dollars, but more importantly, S.F. voters will lose faith in the college’s ability to keep its promises,” Muel-

ler said.

Hamilton disagreed, saying the diversion of funds will maintain voter trust.

“When people start to see these buildings that got built 20 and 30 years ago are not being maintained properly -- that’s also a trust issue,” he said.

The miscommunication between the administration and the PAC Coalition regarding the purposes set forth for bond monies has created confusion on both sides. Hamilton’s words, although bleak, (ironically) put it clearest, the money isn’t there. w

“I hope to work myself out of a job very quickly.”

-Guy Lease being here and we’d appreciate if you would allow the speakers to complete.”

Harris then introduced Mandelman.

“I am going to say something that will upset you more. I am going to thank outgoing trustee Bob Agrella.”

“Boo! Boo!” Gonzales and four students, Alondra Aragon, Itzel Cminth and Imiry Rizas descended on the panelists.

The room was tense as Gonzalez shouted, “What this campus needs is not another dictatorship!...What this campus needs is an actual board that will listen to the students!”

During the entire student confrontation, Lease maintained a calm demeanor.

Killikelly stepped up and asked for everyone to be heard and the four students moved away from the panelists.

Tyler concluded the panelists speeches, stating City College has met 90 percent of the ACCJC’s required accreditation standards.

Lease will draw a salary of $216,000 and will remain until the Board of Governors and Chancellor Harris see no need for a special trustee.

New Special Trustee Dr. Guy Lease leaves the press conference escorted by campus police out of the Wellness Center, Ocean Campus, Monday, Feb. 23. (Photo by Khaled Sayed)

4 | THE GUARDSMAN & THEGUARDSMAN.COM | MAR. 4 - MAR. 17, 2015

culture Unity Day

Campus clubs come together to gain City College student’s interest The Associated Students Union hosted their biannual Unity Day on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015. Unity Day is a prime opportunity for the clubs and organizations to recruit members.

At this year’s event, students showed up for the free food giveaway, dance performances, impromptu line dancing and demonstrations presented by the math club, engineering and science clubs. The clubs represent a wide range of interests,

including ones structured around academics, religion, culture, sports, military and health. Of the 52 registered campus clubs, approximately 45 - 50 were in attendance according to Inter Club Council Assistant, Kelly Kuang.

The Associated Students offered free tacos to participants who filled out the survey, which asked students to provide information about 3 clubs. After retrieving the club information, the students would

turn the survey back to the Associated Students booth, then received a ticket that would be redeemed for a free taco. Ms. Kuang also stated that out of 300 surveys, A.S received about 250 in return.

Students interested in joining any of the 42 registered clubs at City College can contact the Inter Club Council through Student Activities at ICC@mail.ccsf.edu, 1-415-2393872 or visit the ICC office located in Room 209 in the Student Union.

Photo story By Franchon Smith Contributor to the Guardsman fsmith@theguardsman.com During the Associated Students sponsored Unity Day held Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, Pacific Islanders club members shake hands after they exchanged information about the club. The P.I.C.’s purpose is to “Bring people together to celebrate culture” said president WeiLala Sema, visual arts major.

During the Associated Students sponsored Unity Day held Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, Student Health Services staff members George Martiniano, Jr. (l) and Jonathan Li (r) speak to nursing student Melanie Larkin about the services offered to students, staff and faculty.

Hosted by Associated Students, Unity Day was held at the amphitheater Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015. Approximately 42 registered clubs came to provide information about their purpose and services.

events

March 4 - 18 THU/5 Pop Up Exhibition Leica Store and Gallery San Francisco is hosting a promotion for City College photography instructor Ken Light’s upcoming self-published book, “What’s Going On: America 1969-1974.” The event will be held at 463 Bush St. from 6-8 p.m.

FRI/6 Photography Exhibit Rock, Paper, Scissors Collective is hosting the photography exhibit “Individualism,” which features work by five artists. The event will held at 2278 Telegraph Ave. in Oakland from 6-10 p.m.

TUE/10 Financial Planning Workshop Learn about credit, budgeting, savings, student loans, and taxes in workshop hosted

by One Stop. Space is limited; call Allie Fasth at 415-239-3266 to reserve a seat.

March 10: 2-3 p.m., MUB March 19: 3-4 p.m., MUB

SAT/14 Coastal Photography Exhibit 81 Bees Photo Collective is holding an opening reception for “Coastal,” which features photographs of California’s coastal zone.

The event will be held at McLaren Lodge, 501

WANT YOUR NEXT EVENT IN THE CALENDAR? EMAIL THE NAME, DATE, TIME, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF YOUR EVENT TO SHO@THEGUARDSMAN.COM

Stanyan St., from 1-4:30 p.m. The exhibit will be on display until April 10.

Women’s History Month MON/9 The Russian section of the foreign language department will be celebrating Women’s History Month at Smith Hall Cafeteria from 12-1 p.m.

TUE/10 There will be a performance and discussion on “Etty,” a diary by a young Dutch Jewish woman in the 1940s. The event will be held at the Rosenberg Library, room 305, from 5-7 p.m.

THU/12 There will be a screening for “A Path Appears,” a film about women across cultures struggling against gender-based oppression.

The screening will be shown at Rosenberg Library, room 305, at the following times and dates.

Thursday, March 12: 5-7 p.m.

Thursday, March 19: 2:30-4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 14: 5-7 p.m.

TUE/17 The Women’s Resource Center is holding its annual Intersecting Identities Conference.

This year, it will be about women overcoming sexism and more in science and technology.

The event will be held at the MUB, room 140, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

THE GUARDSMAN & THEGUARDSMAN.COM | MAR. 4 - MAR. 17 , 2015 | 5

culture Upcoming Theater Production

“A Flea in Her Ear” set to provide endless laughter

By Steven Ho

@theguardsman sho@theguardsman.com

the guardsman

City College’s Theatre Arts Department is excited to premiere their spring play the comedy “A Flea in Her Ear,” at the Diego Rivera Theatre.

Director John Wilk and the show’s 14 actors have been rehearsing since the second week of January for the play this Friday.

“A Flea in Her Ear” is a play about a man with erectile dysfunction.

“The man’s wife suspects that he is cheating on her because he is no longer functioning in bed,” Wilk said. “So, she concocts a story to get him to go to a brothel to meet with her under the disguise that she is someone else.”

Subsequently, a series of misunderstanding follows, and the characters experience the complications of mistaken identity.

“It is like a two hour episode of the 1980s show Three’s Company. People are coming in and out of doors and missing each other,” said Robert Ayala, who plays Don Carlos Homenides De Histangua.

Tatiana Prue, who plays Lucienne Homenides De Histangua, said, “I like how crazy all the characters are. Everyone is nuts and that’s what I like about it.”

“It is just one of the funniest plays ever written. It has got to be in the top five funniest plays in theatre history,” Wilk stated.

Wilk said, “Right now here at City College we need a good laugh more than anything. It is nice to just sit there and laugh.”

The play is approximately two hours and 15 minutes long and features three different acts.

The performance is being held in the Diego Rivera Theatre at Ocean Campus. Tickets are available online at brownpapertickets. com/event/1238611 − $10 for students and seniors and $15 for general admission.

(L-R) Brad Robertson, playing “Dr. Finache”, and Mark Stockbridge, playing as “Camille,” at a dress rehearsal for “A Flea in Her Ear” at City College’s Diego Rivera Theatre, Ocean Campus on Tuesday, Feb. 24. (All photos by Natasha Dangond)

Cast member Genevieve Perdue rehearsing as her character, “Raymonde”, during a dress rehearsal for “A Flea in Her Ear.”

Play director John Wilk at a dress rehearsal for “A Flea in Her Ear.”

ALALA engages CCSF

By Michael Burkett

@theguardsman mburkett@theguardsman.com

the guardsman

The playscript for “A Flea in Her Ear,” performed

by City College’s Theatre Arts Department, which will be held at Diego Rivera Theatre, Ocean Campus on Friday, March 6 and 13 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 7 and 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 8 and 15 at 2:00 p.m.

Miguel Garcia and deCoy Gallerina presented “ALALA Radical Medicine Music,” on Thursday Feb. 26, 2015 at City Cafe on Ocean Campus which was sponsored by the Nelson Mandela Multicultural Resource Center with vice president Slava Ustinov introducing the performers.

Alala was the female goddess from Greek Mythology who personified the female war cry.

Garcia and Gallerina were representing the Apache Nde (the people) Native Americans.

A lively and engaging show with electronic music and instruments as well as singing by Garcia and Gallerina ensued. Gallerina danced, finishing with a coyote tale demonstrating that community is bigger than any one person.

The presentation ended with Oscar Peña, president of associated students council speaking to the importance of education, especially what is found at City College. deCoy Gallerina encourages attendees to participate in a Coyote story (Photo by Nathaniel Y. Downes)

(L-R) Miguel Garcia and deCoy Gallerina were a band performing electronica Native American music at City Cafe on Ocean Campus, Thursday, Feb. 26. (Photo by Nathaniel Y. Downes)

6 | THE GUARDSMAN & THEGUARDSMAN.COM | MAR. 4 - MAR. 17, 2015

opinion

What do you think of President Obama’s recent stance on immigration?

We should embrace the sudden influx of our new countrymen

By Robert Jalon contributor

“Our nation is the enduring dream of every immigrant who ever set foot on these shores, and the millions still struggling to be free. This nation, this idea called America, was and always be a new world – our new world.” George H.W. Bush One day in the near future, you might wake up and find that you have approximately 4.9 million new countrymen. At least that’s what could happen if all goes smoothly for President Obama’s executive action immigration reform plan.

The President announced this past November his ambitious plan to overhaul what he calls “a broken system.” The four point plan calls for increased security and resources at our borders, an emphasis on deporting felons not families of

U.S. citizens, streamlining legal immigration, promoting naturalization to boost our economy and lastly: increased accountability for 4.9 million undocumented workers to “play by the rules.” Or more accurately to “integrate and assimilate.” The “4.9ers” are granted a temporary stay in the U.S. if they have been here over five years, pass

of the shadows. President Obama contends that modernizing and improving immigrant and nonimmigrant visa programs will allow our economy to grow and create jobs.

With these measures, the President also hopes to keep hold of the best minds and highly skilled workers that otherwise be lost.

Mr. Obama’s plan isn’t without

“You might wake up and find that you have approximately 4.9 million new countrymen.” a background check and pay taxes.

More importantly, it provides them with a path to earn citizenship, keeps families together and gives them the right to call themselves “American.”

In one fell swoop, millions of undocumented workers and their children would be able to come out

detractors. House Republicans have failed to vote on the bill for more than 500 days and have threatened to introduce a bill that would choke off funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Obama in turn has said that he will veto any such bill from GOP leaders that attempt

to undermine his amnesty order.

Texas governor-elect Greg Abbott, along with Republican governors from 27 other states have also sued the Obama administration to prevent executive actions from “causing harm” to the U.S. Constitution.

Abbott says that “immigration policy is broken and should be fixed

by Congress, not Presidents.” They charge that the President’s “executive amnesty” will increase illegal immigration that would cost states “in the billions” and leave them with even bigger burdens.

All this posturing begs the question of whether or not what Obama is doing could be considered constitutional. That is for wiser heads, the courts and time to decide. What I do know is 24 years ago, a year before my own parents became U.S. citizens, a younger me would’ve been ecstatic that “Mommy and Daddy would be American just like me and sister.” Maybe not right away, but

the opportunity would be there; the stigma and fear gone as well as the opportunity to live right by the law.

Amid the politics and partisanship, the most important question for me is “is it consistent with the America we’ve always known?”

The answer is a resounding yes.

By opposing this reform and providing no alternative, Republicans risk further alienating an already disenfranchised Latino voter base. Once, as young politicians and before certain ideologies took hold, it’s not a stretch to believe they would have applauded the bravery it took to leave everything behind to seek the “enduring dream of every immigrant.” So too should we applaud President Obama for trying to promote the ideals of Ellis Island and Lady Liberty: a fair shake, the land of opportunity, equality for all and the chance to call yourself an American.

Let’s treat the undocumented with respect until a solution is found

By Gina Dettmer contributor

“The difference between you and me is you have a visa and I don’t.”

That was as far as either of us would go towards acknowledging the gulf of inequality that existed in our friendship. It didn’t even need to be said that I didn’t need a visa to visit her: Honduras isn’t worried about me coming to stay.

It was in that same week back in November during my stay with Angela (my host in Honduras) that President Obama issued an executive order that would provide protection from deportation to four million undocumented immigrants here in the United States. Critics of Mr. Obama’s executive order insist that we’re being invaded by illegal aliens. Angela didn’t call me an “alien” or “illegal.”

Over the past summer, after the influx of Central American children

across our border made national headlines, one gentleman called NPR (National Public Radio) to express his concern that some of the children were being detained near his home. Interestingly, his concern wasn’t for the conditions in which the children were being held, nor for their psychological states being so far from their families and facing uncertain futures. No, his great fear was that the spawn of “aliens” might stain his beloved hometown. Perhaps the fellow was unaware that the aliens themselves, unable to apply for work permits, were undercutting the minimum wage and providing him with cheap services and food, as well as time to call in to NPR and complain.

Why put ourselves into anyone else’s shoes when being self-righteous is enough? We have only to ask ourselves: would we judge someone if they gave up on their children, if they sat at home unemployed while their children suffered from malnutrition? If they didn’t prevent those children from joining gangs

or being killed by them? Would we judge those parents if they didn’t risk their lives for a chance at a different fate?

Rest assured, Angela has no intentions of boarding La Bestia and risking bullets and worse to come to the land of opportunity. Her aunt did, and succeeded – married a U.S. citizen, earned legal status for her

woman I have ever met (we are the same age), but I wonder if her efforts will fall to the wayside if she ever has to provide for a husband and kids of her own in addition to her extended family.

Ester, 14, and Brennie, 12, are more desperate in the next neighborhood over. They giggle as they aim imaginary machine guns at

“The difference between you and me is you have a visa and I don’t.” children – only to die in Los Angeles of liver failure. I can only speculate on the cause, and why she did not receive a transplant in a city that leads the world in health care.

No, Angela is succeeding right where she is in Honduras. Her three jobs pay for her grandmother’s doctor appointments and a recently purchased three-wheeled motor taxi for her younger brother, so he too can contribute to the family income.

Angela is the most driven young

imaginary immigrants. Ratta-tattat-tat. I tell them not to do it, flinching at their imaginary gunfire.

It isn’t worth it. Ester’s grin verges on manic. Her rotting front teeth send shivers down my spine as she turns the gun on me.

“Maybe they’ll kill us,” she whispers.

I want to tell the girls that they can be just like Angela, that if there are only two jobs left in all of Central America, they will be the ones

to get them. I want to tell them that their country is beautiful, that it values the things I am looking for in life, like having a sense of community and taking time to talk and listen.

I want to tell them that the United States does not necessarily equate happiness, that it is a place of isolation and exploitation, of people who fear and hate because of which side of geographical line they were born on. I want to tell them that the United States is a country of immigrants who have forgotten what it means to be one.

But they wouldn’t hear me. For them, the life portrayed on the television set looks far better than the life they were born into. I can’t stop them. I can only hope that if and when they come over, we will have laws in place for their protection and that we will have the grace to welcome our weary travelers.

THE GUARDSMAN & THEGUARDSMAN.COM | MAR. 4 - MAR. 17, 2015 | 7

opinion

Opinion Column

Stewart’s eventual absence underscores pivotal issue in today’s news

Digital artwork by Matthew Patton

How many of you watch the HBO show “The Newsroom,” Aaron Sorkin’s overly optimistic

(and idealistic) view of what the news is, and most importantly, what it should be? About how life would be inside a major news organization if it was truly dedicated to upholding the altruistic ideals of journalism?

You know, doing the news, informing the masses of what’s really going on and not letting advertiser dollars influence what content goes on the airwaves?

I love that show. It’s a damn shame that it was seemingly cut short, because beneath the sometimes annoying preachiness of Sorkin’s dialogue, there was always the underlying truth that the mass media directly influences the opinions of the masses, and that that is a huge responsibility that is often underplayed from those that have to deliver the message to those that receive it. And for those of us on the receiving end (which is essentially everybody), we are at a significant crossroads when it comes to who you trust to tell you what’s going on in the world.

If you haven’t heard, Jon Stewart, of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” is calling it quits after 17 years. This came on the heels of the National Broadcasting Company’s (NBC) most famous news anchor, Brian Williams, being suspended for six months without pay for exaggerating situations he experienced while deployed with troops in Iraq in 2003.

This is incredibly significant.

These two things, one happening almost right after the other, underscore a small fact when it comes to news in this country: we can’t trust the news media the way we used to.

Now, I don’t mean to paint this picture with a broad brush and imply that every news anchor of every major (or minor) news organization gets in his or her chair and lies to the viewing public. I’m sure most of them don’t. But what does

it say when the news of Stewart leaving “The Daily Show” is almost immediately (borderline instinctively) juxtaposed with Williams’ six month suspension? Stewart, a comedian that pokes fun at sociopolitical blunders, in the same sentence as a news anchor (Williams) who seriously reports on the serious events of our time? Doesn’t it strike you as odd that the two would even be compared?

It shouldn’t. It shouldn’t strike you as odd because if you watched either person’s broadcast, there was really only one striking difference between the two: one made you

of the nonsense.” He even went so far as to say that Stewart had more credibility with the younger generation than most other conventional news programs did.

That represents a fundamental problem. Who do we trust to give it us straight, to not color the facts according to whatever political leanings pay the bills of any particular network? A lot of that falls on us as individuals. We can’t rely on a comedian to be consistently brilliant enough to dissect and humorize the idiocy that permeates our governing body, and we can’t always assume that the high-paid news anchors of

“We are at a significant crossroads when it comes to who you trust to tell you what’s going on in the world.” laugh, the other didn’t. At least not intentionally. One simply reported the facts, while the other made fun of the facts. Humor aside, we still got the news. If anything, what Stewart did was even more impressive, because as time went on, more and more viewers tuned in to his broadcast to see him joke about factual happenings and sayings in our political system. In fact, it was during a 2012 Rolling Stone interview with President Obama that he revealed that he was a fan of Stewart’s ability to “cut through a bunch

big networks will always adhere to telling nothing but the truth.

We’re at a point where we need to decide for ourselves what is true and what is not. And with the advent of social media, where everyone is a reporter, everyone is a photographer, everyone is a critic and everyone certainly is a subject matter expert, this could end up being a very scary time for some time.

The 6000 unit rumor started because of a flyer created by SFBarf (Bay Area Renters Federation) which has no connection to the Planning Department or to any city agency. SFBarf’s mission statement from its website states: “SFBARF are people who believe SF’s housing crisis can be mitigated by increasing the housing supply. We organize renters to testify in favor of new building projects at neighborhood meetings and hearings.”

I urge the Guardsman not to rely on (false) information from other newspapers.

job of vetting the information we received from the Examiner and put it out there in it’s proper context. We need to keep in mind that just because something is published in a professional medium does not mean it’s always correct. We need to do better.

Thank you for your input, and I hope you continue to read and write in.

THE 4TH ESTATE by matthew patton serina mercado

[To the Editor] I have been an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor at CCSF since 1991, almost all of that time at Civic Center (formerly Alemany) Campus. I was happy to see that The Guardsman covered our recent closure; happy, that is, until I read it. What kind of a paper publishes such venomous remarks from an “anonymous” source calling our school “badass,” suggesting that our students are on probation, and stating that it isn’t a regular school but “therapeutic”?

Let me tell you who our students are. They are people from over 50 different countries, speaking more than 30 different languages, aged from 18 to 80+, many of them struggling to make it in this expensive city. Our students were farmers, doctors, monks, factory workers, and accountants. They are Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Buddhists. Some are disabled, some have been tortured. But they have all ended up together in a building in the Tenderloin in San Francisco where they have become friends, where they support each other, where they have become a community. Yeah, that is pretty badass.

Denise Selleck Dear Denise, As primary reporter on the closure of Civic Center Campus, I was saddened to learn that my piece had caused any offense. Your point regarding unattributed state-

ments is well taken. The quote was intended to raise awareness of the campus’ laudable availability to students whose opportunities have been limited by the justice system, and to the disservice that the closure has done to them amongst many others, not to generalize the broader community.

Otto Pippenger Reporter The Guardsman To the Editor, I was disappointed in the Guardsman newspaper’s perpetuation of misleading information from the SF Examiner’s coverage of the January 21 community meeting. I attended that meeting, and not only was there no such proposal, when community members brought up the possibility of 6000 units, the Planning Department representative said that idea was “insane, totally ridiculous!”

Matthew Patton Opinion editor The Guardsman

Susan Boeckmann Classified Staff 415-317-0265 Dear Susan, We here at the Guardsman are always striving to achieve the highest levels of journalistic integrity, and on occasion we screw up. You’re right: we should have done a better

We reserve the right to edit any and all submissions to the editor(s) for length and clarity.

8 | THE GUARDSMAN & THEGUARDSMAN.COM | MAR. 4 - MAR. 17, 2015

sports

Men’s Playoff Game

Rams survive thriller to win in overtime, 80-79

By Shaleisa Daniel

sports calendar Badminton Mar. 17, 3 p.m. @ De Anza

Baseball Mar. 5, 2 p.m. @ San Mateo Mar. 7, 12 p.m. @ West Valley Mar. 10, 12 p.m. @ Ohlone Mar. 12, 1 p.m. vs Chabot @ HOME Mar. 17, 2:30 p.m. @ Gavilan

Softball Mar. 5, 3 p.m. @ Chabot Mar. 7, 2:30 p.m. @ Ohlone Mar.12 vs Chabot @ HOME Mar. 17, 1 p.m. vs Hartnell

@theguardsman sdaniel@theguardsman.com

The Guardsman

What started with the Rams trailing by 10 points at halftime, proved to be an exhilarating first regional playoff game with a nail biting 80-79 win for City College at home against Sierra College on Feb. 28.

The first half of the game began with the team having difficulty penetrating Sierra’s defense and showing very little post presence against their opponent’s offense, with the Rams momentarily lagging by 14 points and ending the half down 10 points, 35-25.

In the second half, guards Troy Williams and Vincent Golson both made key plays to push the team ahead— with Golson answering a three-point shot from the opposing team with two threes of his own at the beginning of the half, and Williams hitting a three to tie the game with 6:21 left.

The Rams took the lead by five points with five minutes remaining in the game, but a relentless Sierra College found a way back in, pushing the game to overtime at 73-73.

Overtime was ultimately decided by a series of free throws, with

Mar. 6, 2:30 p.m. vs Solano/Las Positas @ HOME Mar. 13, 10 a.m. @ De Anza Invitational

Tennis

For the game against Merritt, Coach Labagh has three goals in mind: “take care of the ball, keep

them off the glass, and stop them in transition.”

Rams narrowly escape Laney, 67-63

By Shaleisa Daniel

@theguardsman sdaniel@theguardsman.com

The Guardsman

Rams’ guards Kelly Wong and Chanel Malone each scored 12 points leading the women’s basketball team to a 67-63 victory over Laney College on Feb. 28.

The Rams dominated the first half offensively with more efficient ball handling movement than their opponent, ending the half with a 10 point lead.

In the second half, the Rams drew a series of fouls that allowed Laney to come back momentarily.

But the team quickly responded with a successful zone defense that jammed the Laney offense, preventing them from taking the lead for more than a short period of time.

“We just had to stay focused,” Head Coach Derek Lau said about the win. “Our thing is just kind of shaking it off, not thinking behind but thinking ahead, so we just had to keep shaking it off and stay composed—the girls did a great job and they finished it.”

Mar. 10, 2 p.m. @ Cabrillo College

(L- R) Women’s Track and Field Coach Douglas Owyang, City College Chancellor Dr. Arthur Tyler, student athlete Jalen Jones, City College President Virginia Parras and her special assistant, Grace Esteban, posing proudly with their trophy after winning the halftime “free-throw shootout,” Friday, Feb. 20. (Photo by Khaled Sayed)

Coaches vs. Cancer fundraiser a success

Mar. 13, 2 p.m. vs De Anza

By Shaleisa Daniel

@ HOME

@theguardsman sdaniel@theguardsman.com

Mar. 17, 2 p.m.

The Guardsman

vs Mission College @ HOME

Track and Field Mar. 7 vs Beaver Relays @ Sacramento

All baseball/softball home games are held at Fairmont field in Pacifica, Calif.

Sophomore point guard Vincent Golson (20) drives to the basket during the first round playoff overtime victory against Sierra College at Brad Duggan Court on Ocean Campus, Saturday, Feb. 28. (Photo

by Nathaniel Y. Downes)

Women’s Playoff Game

@ HOME

Swimming

Golson being fouled and sent to the line where he would make one of two free throws to tie the game.

As the clock reached 1:15 in overtime, Golson was fouled and sent to the line again, sinking both free throws and giving the Rams a one point lead.

The Rams then called for a partial timeout followed by a full timeout by Sierra with 12 seconds left in overtime. Sierra took possession of the ball, but failed to make a shot as time on the clock expired.

“We just took it one possession at a time,” said Head Coach Justin Labagh after the game. “We told the guys, we’ve beat this team twice if we get up by one point we’ll win the game—and that’s how it ended” Golson was the team’s top scorer with 23 points in a clutch performance down the stretch.

When asked what was going through his head when shooting the last free throw to win the game, Golson simply stated, “Just make the free throw. I’m a 90 percent free throw shooter in the league so I knew I was going to make it.”

The team’s next game is scheduled at home on Mar. 4 against Merritt College (22-6), and if won, the Rams will continue on Mar. 7 against the winner of Foothill College(12-16), and San Joaquin Delta (18-9).

City College Freshman Cassidy Chan (10) trying to break through Laney College defense, Saturday, Feb. 28. (Photo by Khaled Sayed)

A City College campaign to raise funds for the fight against breast cancer took center stage at the Feb. 20 men’s and women’s basketball games netting some $3,000.

The campaign titled “Coaches vs Cancer” involved the selling of pregame “Rams Believe” t-shirts that included free admission to a game.

Also participating in the effort were Student Health Services, d3 Rally Factory, T&B Sports, Sports Basement, and City College, and the Strong Pulse dance crew.

At both games, halftime featured

a performance from the Strong Pulse dance crew, a layup contest, and a free throw and three-point contest involving City College students and faculty.

Among some of the captains whose teams won the women’s halftime contests were Adam D’Acquisto, Dan Hayes, and Chief of Police Andre Barnes. All took home trophies for their teams.

For the men’s basketball halftime contests, Vince Paratore, Centers President Virginia Parras and women’s basketball coach Derek Lau all took home the gold for their respective teams.

All the proceeds from the “Coaches vs Cancer” event were donated to the American Cancer Society.