Vol. 154, Issue 3, Sept. 19- Oct. 2, 2012
City College
of
San Francisco’s Newspaper
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Board says yes Radio station broadcasts open discussion about the looming fate of City College By Dalton Amador
THE GUARDSMAN / @SFBREAKINGNEWS / DAMADOR@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
Public radio station KALW, in collaboration with KCSF, hosted a forum Sept. 10 on public education budget cuts and City College’s looming accreditation status. The panelists openly discussed their views and sparked interest, as well as some controversy, from an audience comprised mostly of students. The two-hour program, titled Your Call, convened at 10 a.m. in Diego Rivera Theater on Ocean campus. Audience members were invited to participate and share their thoughts, as well. City College student Becca Hoekstra, who works for Your Call as an intern, organized the event which was split into two, one hour-long segments with separate panels. The first hour was sparsely attended, but the second hour was attended by a larger, more interactive crowd. Rose Aguilar, the host of the show, began the first half of the forum with a discussion on how budget cuts, combined with the lasting effects of the recession, FORUM: PAGE 2
INSIDE: NEWS: Filipino Club has open house Pg. 2 November election candidates Pg. 3 Q&A’s with Board of Trustees Pg. 4 OPINIONS: Politics and the drama that ensues Pg. 5 PHOTOSTORY: Barry McGee’s street art Pg. 6-7 CULTURE: Theater review Pg. 8 Historic gay bar preserved Pg. 9 Men’s soccer team undefeated Pg. 11 Rams win over Falcons Pg. 12
to special trustee Emotions run wild as students and Occupy take over, proclaiming themselves “the special trustee”
Above Left: Protesters and police officers clash after an emotional demonstration that disrupts the Board of Trustees at the Chinatown Northbeach campus annex in San Francisco on Sept. 11, 2012. No one was arrested and no citations were issued. Above Right: Kitty Lui’s speech is cut off during the Board of Trustees meeting by a police officer for speaking over the two minute time limit during public comment. Photos by Clarivel Fong/The Guardsman
Accreditation Timeline* 2006 • Previous evaluation. ACCJC says everything looks ok March 2012 • ACCJC visits City College and conducts an evaluation of the school July 6, 2012 • Commission releases its report and puts the school on its most severe sanction. School is threatened with potential closure Oct. 15, 2012 • Deadline for City College to submit a preliminary plan to the ACCJC March 15, 2012 • Deadline for City College to prove that it deserves to remain accredited *Educational institutions get evaluated by an accrediting commission every six years in order to received federal funding. Many schools also only accept transfer credits from other accreditted instituions
By Sara Bloomberg
T
THE GUARDSMAN / @BLOOMREPORTS / SBLOOMBERG@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
he City College community was shocked in July when the Accrediting Commission of Community and Junior Colleges threatened the school with potential closure but how to move forward is proving just as controversial. At a special meeting on Sept. 11, the Board voted 6-1 to invite a so-called special trustee to help get them through the accreditation process but a group of around three dozen students and Occupy supporters vehemently disagreed with the decision. They demanded the board reject any special trustee and, after the board voted, called for their resignations. PROTEST: PAGE 10
“If they really want to respond to saving our school (they should) say, wait a second everything going on here is illegitimate,” - Eric Blanc, student
Iconic gay bar reopens after redevelopment tussle By Marilyn Fernando
THE GUARDSMAN / @ESORNYLIRAM / MFERNANDO@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
The eerie and shuttered Eagle Tavern, once a hotbed of activity for some of San Francisco’s more alternative bar patrons, has established itself as an irreplaceable gay landmark and will soon reopen following months of
protests and complaints. Gay owners Alex Montiel and Mike Leon renewed their liquor license in late August, and expect to officially reopen the bar under a new name, The SF Eagle, sometime around Halloween. “I know the new owners and have seen them at community organization meetings. I’ve been
in touch with them during the whole upheaval. They’re great and open to having different events,” said Glendon Hyde, a City College student and member of the Entertainment Commission. Hyde is well known for his drag persona, Anna Conda, and is also president of the Harvey
Milk Democratic Club, which was a major player in the protests organized against the proposed purchase of the building by restaurateur Steve Englebrecht, who also owns Skylark Bar, and wanted to replace the bar with an upscale eatery. LGBT SPACE: PAGE 9
NEWS
2 | Sept. 19- Oct. 2, 2012 | The Guardsman &
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Editor-in-Chief Sara Bloomberg News Editor Emma Graham-Winkles Culture Editor Peter Hernandez Photo Editor James Fanucchi Sports Editor Lucas Pontes de Almeida Advertising Editor Peter Ho Advertising Assistant Cecilia Ren Layout/Design Assistants Hannah Armenta Stephanie Rauda Copy editors Alex Reyes Patrick Tamayo Staff Writers Becca Hoekstra Marilyn Fernando Ivan Huang Michael Hall Dannie Hawkins Jandean Deocampo Dalton Amador Staff Photographers Shane Menez Leslie Calderon Faculty Advisor Juan Gonzales Mail: 50 Phelan Ave Box V-67 San Francisco, CA 94112 Phone: (415) 239-3446 Advertising: advertising@theguardsman.com Online: www.theguardsman.com Twitter: @sfbreakingnews Facebook: facebook/theguardsman Youtube: theguardsmanonline Email: news@theguardsman.com
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The Pilipinos for Education Art Culture and Empowerment Club held an open house Sept. 9 at the Student Union on Ocean campus. Photo by Shane Menez/The Guardsman
Filipino club offers insight to their culture By Ivan Huang
THE GUARDSMAN / @IVANREPORTS / IHUANG@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
Clap! Stomp! Clap! were the sounds heard coming from the Student Union at Ocean campus as the members of P.E.A.C.E. warmed up with a traditional Filipino ritual called “Isang Bagsak.” The ritual involves clapping and stomping at the same pace. The student club held an open house on Sept. 7 in the upper lounge of the Student Union. Armando Borjal, who has been a member of the club since 2003, said that the club and open house are meant to educate people so they know what Filipino culture is all about. “The reason why we’re having an open house is to have some members join P.E.A.C.E.,” Borjal said. P.E.A.C.E., which stands for Pilipinos for Education, Art, Culture, and Empowerment, is a club primarily consisting of Filipino-Americans who attend City College. It’s focused on Filipino culture and community, as well as volunteering for events hosted by club members. The club was founded in 1998 when three Filipino students held discussions for an Asian American Studies course. The discussions later extended into serious talks about the Filipino community. “We have connections with the FCC, which is the Filipino Community Center in the Excelsior, and we usually plan events with them or they have events that they let us know about,” President Kirsten Santiago said. Some past events include “Shirt the kids,” a collaboration with an apparel designer to donate shirts to kids in the Philippines, as
well as food related events. The club plans on holding a basketball tournament as one of it’s events and is also planning fundraisers for the near future. The open house included newcomers and returning members of P.E.A.C.E. who talked about how their semesters were going so far. “What we usually do is introduce ourselves and say how our week went, have an ice breaker, and then we start checking back at events that P.E.A.C.E. was involved in the previous week, or even upcoming events,” Borjal said. The members of P.E.A.C.E. displayed a lot of chemistry with each other while participating in introductory activities. “My favorite part of this club is the community, everyone’s friendly, and very welcoming, everyone always treats each other like they’ve known each other a while, even when they’re new,” Santiago said. Their open-mindedness has to do with the way Filipinos are raised. “Our culture is very attached and family oriented. Once you become part of it, you don’t have to go through some initiation or something like that, in order to be part of it,” Alain Yu, events assistant, said. “We’re not a frat, we’re a family. We don’t do hazing. We may joke around but only as if we’re brothers and sisters.” “You don’t have to be Filipino to be part of this club,” Yu said. He has been a member of P.E.A.C.E. for two semesters. P.E.A.C.E. holds their general meetings from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Fridays at the Student Union in Conference Room 208 on Ocean campus.
READ OUR COVERAGE OF THE SEPT. 4 RALLY AT CITY HALL TO SAVE CITY COLLEGE EXCLUSIVELY ONLINE AT: WWW.THEGUARDSMAN.COM FORUM: FROM PAGE 1
have cultivated a dismal job market and an ill-prepared workforce to tackle it. “Ongoing budget cuts have led to higher tuition, the elimination of courses and services, and a freeze in enrollment,” Aguilar said. From the audience, Robin Ryan, an aspiring library technician at City College, explained how budget cuts have personally affected her. “The Bay Area is flooded with out-of-work librarians,” Ryan said. “Because of budget cuts, they had to cut the summer work study program,” and added that it is virtually impossible to find a job in her field without a series of internships. Despite the weak job market, the panelists acknowledged that there is reason to be optimistic. “The markets have improved quite a bit over the past few years, locally at least,” Alex Hochman, assistant director of career services at the University of San Francisco, said, They also discussed the value of education outside of employment goals. “I didn’t go to school to get a job,” Megan Corey, director of the paramedic program at City College, said, explaining that she, like her students, got into her field primarily to help people. The first segment ended with an evocative story from former City College student, Ana Fisher, who emigrated from El Salvador when she was 28. She took English as Second Language classes at City College and then transferred to San Francisco State University where she earned a master’s degree in childhood development. Fisher now teaches child development at City College. “(City College) benefits the low income minority groups,” she said. “We should be ashamed of these budget cuts.” The forum’s second panel discussed the accreditation threat that City College faces.
The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges demands that City College submit a plan by October 15 or risk losing its accreditation at the end of spring semester. The report was a surprise to students and faculty alike. “There’s been no precedent for the commission to go straight from ‘you’re doing okay’ to ‘you are on ‘show cause.’ Probation is what usually comes before that,” Karen Saginor, academic senate president, said. Saginor added that she believes City College is well equipped to pass its accreditation evaluation. “City College is not going away for sure,” Saginor said, earning her the audience’s first round of applause. Saginor’s certainty was countered by San Francisco Chronicle education beat reporter Nanette Asimov. “We don’t know (whether the college will close),” Asimov said and cited the example of Compton Community College, which lost its accreditation in 2006 and was absorbed into another district. Student Trustee William Walker received the loudest and most sustained applause throughout the show, often rendering the latter part of his comments inaudible. “I really wish the media would stop talking about the closure of City College of San Francisco,” Walker said. “We’re not going to close.” Dora Palacios, a student and activist at City College, ended the segment on the media’s portrayal of the accreditation issue with a raised voice. “You don’t know anything about what’s going on at City College,” Palacios said, directing her comments towards Asimov as the crowd burst into applause. “The students know what’s going on.” “You say City College might close,” Palacios said. “I say no.”
Ocean Campus Associated Students News Briefs By Oscar Palma
CONTRIBUTING WRITER / @SFBREAKINGNEWS / NEWS@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
Whole Foods, no jobs The lack of job opportunities for City College students at the new Whole Foods near Ocean campus is upsetting to some people, including former student Sam Jacoby, who talked about the issue at the Associated Students meeting on Sept. 5. “Students are in need of work,” Jacoby said, demanding that a hiring fair take place at City College when a new Whole Foods store opens in San Francisco. No posting zone Anna Burns, vice president of administration, talked about how students have illegally
posted some fliers in classrooms. “It has our names, our faces so please be careful,” Burns said. She also mentioned that a teacher had torn down some fliers in a classroom, arguing that they had been posted illegally. Smoke blows There is a proposal in the works to create designated smoking areas on City College campuses. “We’re willing to clean up, too,” Senator Joao Possagnoli said regarding the waste produced by cigarettes.
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November election candidates: Running for City Supervisor of District 11, BART Board in district 7 and 9, Board of Education and the Community College Board, candidates confidently campaign for themselves that money (for Mansell Street) from the Department of Public Works budget” and not from other departments such as Parks and early three dozen Recreation, Avalos said. community members filled a small conferBart Board ence room at the Tom Radulovich, district 9 Ingleside Police Station on Sept. incumbent and current vice-pres8 to hear a variety of candidates ident of the BART Board, talked speak at a forum hosted by the about his current projects. District 11 Council and District “I’m trying to extend the Fast 11 Democratic Club. Pass out to Daly City,” he said. The candidates in attenFast Passes allow unlimited dance that day are running in the Muni and BART rides only within November election for city super- San Francisco city limits. visor of District 11, BART Board He also acknowledged that in districts 7 and 9, the Board of the escalators at Balboa Park Education and the Community Station should have been fixed by College Board. now and addressed concerns that Alexander Mullaney, publish- there isn’t enough police presence er of the neighborhood newspaper in the stations. The Ingleside Light, moderated “The police tell us they’re the event. there,” he said. Having police on “We’re gonna participate in trains and in stations is “the most every San Franciscan’s favor- effective way to police.” ite pass time—democracy,” Maria Alegria, a challenger Mullaney said to the good- for district 7, said that one of her humored crowd. goals is to unify the regions in her Mullaney explained the rules district, which partially covers of the forum and asked both the several stations spread throughout audience and the candidates to be San Francisco and the East Bay, respectful. including Balboa Park. “No profanity. I know this Board of Education is District 11,” Mullaney said as All 11 Board of Education he playfully eyed the crowd, and candidates were present and are everyone in the room chuckled. vying for one of three open spots District 11 Supervisor on the seven member board. Incumbent District 11 SuperThey answered questions visor John Avalos kicked the that ranged from after school forum off. He is running unop- programs and the role of parents posed. to nutrition. “I’m confused how to run a In general, the candidates campaign unopposed,” Avalos agreed about the importance of said, but continued that his priori- such programs and priorities but ties include helping businesses the most controversial issue was grow and encouraging more Junior Reserve Officers Training affordable housing. Corps programs. He also responded to quesCommonly known as JROTC, tions regarding safety issues on it’s a high school program run by Mansell Street, vacancies on the the U.S. Army. Sunshine Ordinance Task Force Incumbent Jill Wynns and and the salaries of his legislative challenger Kim Garcia-Meza aides. both said they support allowing “I believe they need to pull the program in San Francisco By Sara Bloomberg
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THE GUARDSMAN / @BLOOMREPORTS / SBLOOMBERG@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
schools despite their personal beliefs about the military. Challengers Shamann Walton and Gladys Soto said they completely oppose the program, while incumbent Sandra Fewer said she supports allowing the program on school campuses but not as an actual class for credit. Challenger Paul Robertson suggested creating one central JROTC academy in the city for all the students, and their parents, who want it.
College Board
Three of the ten candidates running for the Community College Board were present, until about halfway through when a fourth candidate, incumbent Chris Jackson, joined in. They addressed City College’s accreditation crisis and also answered questions regarding the role of vocational classes at community colleges, the search for a new chancellor and the relationship of the school with the community. There was a general consensus that the governor’s tax proposal, known as Prop. 30, as well as a local $79 parcel tax measure known as Prop. A, will be important for the school’s finances but that more revenue still needs to be found. We can’t count on it, challenger Amy Bacharach said, but hopefully it will help. There’s wishful thinking and there’s reality, Rodrigo Santos said, and elaborated that there are no sacred cows. Santos was appointed to the board by Mayor Ed Lee in August to fill the remaining term of the late Milton Marks III. He has raised more than $113,000 for his campaign, more than any of the other nine candidates.
Clockwise from top right: Amy Bacharach, Chris Jackson, Jill Wynns, Tom Radulovich, Kim Garcia-Meza, Matt Haney, Beverly Ho-A-Yun Popek, Rachel Norton, Sam Rodriguez, Gladys Soto, Shamann Walton, Paul Robertson, Sandra Lee Fewer, John Avalos and Rodrigo Santos. Photos by Shane Menez/The Guardsman
4 | Sept. 19- Oct. 2, 2012 | The Guardsman &
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Q&A’s with the Board of Trustee Candidates There are and then,
four seats open on the board in this the Guardsman will publish a series of
November’s election. Q&A’s with all ten
Between now candidatdates.
Natalie Berg By Dannie Hawkins
THE GUARDSMAN / @DANNIEDOLL / DHAWKINS@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
Why do you want to be a trustee right now, in the middle of the accreditation crisis? I have a great historical memory with City College, weathered many, many storms, been through lots of stuff. I’ve been a trustee for 12 years. Prior to that I worked at City College as a teacher and adviser for the district. I am conversant with the college, so in some ways I’ve been there and done that already so I just want to see the college get stabilized. But I don’t plan to run again after this. What does your experience bring to the table? My experience with City College brings a lot because I’ve been a teacher, an administrator, a trustee. I’ve also served on the Board of Governors (since May 2011). I’ve had experience more advanced than what the college is going through right now.
Day 1: You’re a trustee, what’s at the top of your to do list? To get City College fully accredited. Is is daunting to represent a school of about 90,000 students? As a trustee I don’t look at it as representing 90,000 students, though we are certain that’s the case but we do our work but don’t get the day-to-day. Except for those rare occasions when somebody speaks up, we just don’t see that many. We’re not going to close this college, it’s way too big. It would be taxing to the entire city, including the entire workforce of San Francisco. City College trains a lot of the work force of San Francisco, most of those occupations can only be sought at a private institution. City College provides that training. I recently read that San Fran-
cisco is the fittest city in the US, and during your 30 years at City College you served as Dean of Health. What do you do to stay in shape? For a number of years I’ve walked three miles a day every morning at 5 a.m. What happens if Prop A and Prop 30 don’t pass? We will continue to raise money as best we can. We have great people constructing fundraisers, and a foundation that’s raising money for us. I’m also hopeful that the economy will turn around. This is not the state’s fault. I don’t have a problem saying that we may have overplanned, of course we put away money but it was not enough. I’m a homeowner in San Francisco. I’ll have to pay an extra $79, but to me it’s worth it. One in seven San Franciscans have a connection to City College,
Photo by James Fanucchi/The Guardsman
meaning out of the 700,000 people in this city, 100,000 have had contacts with City College. City College is very valuable to this city. There is something for everybody.
Do you read The Guardsman? When I can get my hands on it. Sometimes they’ll all be gone when I get there. But I think it’s an incredible newspaper, you guys do a great job!
Steve Ngo No, I don’t, but I want to be clear about who I represent. It is not just those immigrant students. It is also the rest of the student body who benefit from how we operate the college. The college is essential to our economy and our fabric. Whether you go there or know someone who goes there. We have an open, competitive system. It is a remarkable competitive advantage that we have at City College. I represent not just the students, but serve the taxpayers, the businesses and the families. Photo by James Fanucchi/The Guardsman
By Gina Sciabbala
THE GUARDSMAN / @SFBREAKINGNEWS / NEWS@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
Why are you running for re-election, particularly in the middle of an accreditation crisis? I ran in 2008 for the same reasons I am running now, which is I do believe fundamentally in the power of education to transform lives. When I took on this job in 2008 I knew there were challenges, but I wanted to expand the power of education to more families. I didn’t know how deep the challenges were and it was obvious to me it would take 6 more years. The accreditation committee’s decision is telling us that we have to push ahead with reforming the college and if people believe I am controversial because I am trying to change too much, guess what? The commission is telling us we have to change even more. What you are saying about needing more time in office to fix the problems facing CCSF sounds reminiscent of President Obama’s speech at the DNC when he said four years are not
enough. I made a commitment to address the challenge faced by the college. There is no way we are going to finish it by the time my term ends. If we had, I would not have run. The next two years will be pivotal because we are going to make the major decisions that will really get the college back on its feet and working in a healthier, more responsible, and accountable way. That’s why I am running for reelection. There is no other reason. So we can serve students better. What is your connection to City College? It transformed my wife’s life. She went to City College and then went on to Stanford University. My father took classes here. People like my mother benefited from the vocational training City College offers. Have you taken classes here? I have not. Do you find it challenging to represent a diverse student body of about 90,000 students?
I know you are an attorney. What does your experience further bring to the table for the Board? A couple things. As long as I never forget where I come from. That experience is invaluable being a first generation college graduate myself. I come from a household where the language spoken was not just English, but Vietnamese. I have a public policy background. I understand economics and public finance issues. That helps me understand the fiscal challenges we face. That has been reinforced with my actual experience with the budgets and the audits and the other fiscally related matters as the chair of budgets and chair of audits. Putting my lawyer hat on, I understand collective bargaining, understanding contracts, employment issues that come up, understanding the litigation process, the law. I use that knowledge to work effectively as a trustee. Day One, you are re-elected. What is at the top of your to do list? Execute the plan to remain
accredited. That’s it. There is no room for error. We have to keep the college open for our students and the city. We have to do whatever it takes. Even if that means we are inviting another trustee to come in and help us make that decision. What happens come if Prop 30 and Prop A don’t pass? Do you have a contingency plan? Yes, but we can develop a better plan. Fundamentally, 90% of our budget goes to salaries and benefits. Where else are we going to cut? I am not going to lie to you. That is exactly what we have to do. Many faculty members would probably disagree and become angry to hear that statement. How would you respond to them? I have another word that you probably heard during the Democratic National Convention. “Arithmetic.” I cannot make money. We are not the Federal government. I cannot issue debt. We have “a simple arithmetic problem.” 92% of our budget is going to salaries and benefits, ok? We have cut the other 8% pretty much to the bone. From someone who knows about this budget, there is money there that we have to cut. That we can cut. That we will cut that will not be as painful as it sounds. Where would you cut? I can’t tell you that because a lot of this is collective bargaining. What I will tell you is that with 90% of the budget, there are only certain options we have. I will leave that part to the negotiators. What is your astrological sign? I am a Virgo-dragon, proudly. I like to boast that I have an astro-
logical sign on the Asian side that is the only mythological creature in the sign. I am not a pig, or horse or rabbit. I am an actual mythological creature. What is on your Ipod? A lot of songs. I listen to electronica, Adele, Motown, Marvin Gaye, ‘80s rock. Rachel Yamagata. You created the Pham Fund in 2010 in honor of your mother who passed away of cancer. The fund has helped women who are dealing with domestic violence. Tell us more about it. It was created to respect the honor of my mother who found a vocation to work her way to some level of freedom and security for herself and her family. Last year was the first year. We raised about $3,300 in its pilot year. It pays for educational materials for survivors of domestic violence to get this type of training. We started with five people. Many are taking City College classes. ESL classes. Some are taking vocational classes at City College. It provides survivors with resources to basically pursue a degree or a certificate of some kind. They can get books and pay for tuition. Mainly it has been for textbooks and materials so far. Software if someone is taking a tech class. Last Question: Do you read the Guardsman? Do you read Etc. Magazine? Yes. I do read the Guardsman and Etc. Magazine.
OPINIONS
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| SEPT. 19- OCT. 2, 2012 | 5
Editor’s Note: The only thing we can be sure of is everything’s uncertain. By Sara Bloomberg
THE GUARDSMAN / @BLOOMREPORTS / SBLOOMBERG@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
The only thing we can be sure of right now is that everything is uncertain. Romney keeps shooting himself in the foot, which leads me to believe and hope that Obama will get elected to another term in November— despite the failings of the Democrats, the thought of a Republican in the White House scares me. But the election isn’t over yet and a victory for Obama, even in a Blue state such as ours, shouldn’t be taken for granted. Remember 1992? Clinton was a long shot and he won. Not to mention Gore v. Bush in 2000. Yes, that was Florida but what’s stopping election fraud from happening in any other state? Hanging chads and malfunctioning electronic voting machines have impeded electoral integrity since at least 2000. Now new voter ID laws have been springing up across the nation. How many people could become disenfranchised because they are no longer “in the system”? A Wisconsin judge overturned on Sept. 14 Gov. Scott Walker’s anti-union legislation, just as it looked like the Chicago Teacher’s Union strike was nearing an end. But as this publication went to press, the Chicago teachers have declared the strike back on. The struggle to preserve public education isn’t over. Preserve isn’t even the right word. Resuscitate is more accurate because it’s on the brink of asphyxiating—in California at the very least. City College is proof. The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges slammed the school in July for administrative and fiscal mismanagement without so much as a warning. Six years ago, the commission gave the school two thumbs up. In an op/ed published by the SF Chronicle on Sept. 14, former Deputy Under Secretary of Education Robert Shireman blamed what he considers to be City College’s impending doom on the system of shared governance used at community colleges statewide. He blithely predicts the school’s closure next semester—a call that is wildly off target. Even if the commission revokes the school’s accreditation this spring, classes will continue through the semester uninterrupted, all credits earned will remain accredited and an appeal of the decision will most definitely take place. During the appeals process, the school would
remain open and accredited. Now, the real problem here is that the fear of potential closure would very likely scare students away from enrolling. It happened to Compton in 2006. Less students enrolled means less financial reimbursements from the state, which complicates an already precarious fiscal situation. And that’s really the bottom line. City College wouldn’t be fighting for its life right now if the state fully funded public education. Yes, administrators drained the school’s financial reserves nearly to the point of bankruptcy but they chose to do that to save classes and jobs—for students, instructors and workers! What’s the point of having a “reserve” if you can’t use it? Private schools like Stanford have endowments that regenerate themselves. Public schools don’t. The only way they stay funded is through the state and federal governments. In a controversial vote on Sept. 11, City College’s Board of Trustees approved inviting a special trustee to the college to help guide them through the accreditation process. Special trustees are called into community colleges only during periods of fiscal insolvency. The quality of instruction at City College isn’t in question. While there are certainly other problems that need to be addressed, at the end of the day it’s all about the Benjamins. I’m certain that City College won’t close— not this spring, nor anytime soon. But what remains uncertain is whether Prop 30 and Prop A will pass in November—the school needs the revenue from both to prevent even more cuts. There will be scars from this battle that will last for years, possibly decades, but City College will heal and eventually public education will be viewed, once again, as an essential part of a thriving economy, as well as a human right. As a side note, Occupy celebrates its one year anniversary this week. The tangible effects of the movement might be difficult to see right now—it may very well take years to achieve the equity and social justice that underlies the movement’s seemingly fragmented demands—but sustainable change begins at a grassroots level. As our national consciousness evolves around issues of poverty and wealth, maybe the future will become more certain.
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If the local coffee shop offered the opportunity to work for them FOR FREE, would you take them up on the offer? I seriously hope not. So why are internships an exception? Becoming an intern is yet another mandatory step on the educational ladder that leads to a “good job.” According to the The National Association of Colleges and Employers, more than half of 2011 graduates had internships. They’re not exactly an option when almost every single job opportunity—from barista to registered nurse—requires 2 to 3 years of experience for an entry level position. (Which begs the question: if I had work experience, why would I even be looking for an entry level job? What sort of wacked out expectations has this poor economy led to?!) Internships require a fair amount of time and work—be it actual dream-job experience or, God forbid, delivering coffee. And yet, compensation for internships is increasingly rare. Nearly 47 percent of 1.5 million interns went unpaid last year. College students are taking unpaid work for months at a time during a period of incredibly high tuition and explosive student debt. Somehow this is considered normal. The morality or legality of free labor being acceptable just because it has the title “intern” slapped on it has become utterly pervasive in our cultural thought. And have I got an information bomb for you: most unpaid internships are illegal (unless you’re working for a non-profit.) The Fair Labor Standards Act sets guidelines for unpaid internships, such as: the internship provides training “similar to that given in an educational environment,” the intern “does not displace regular employees” and the “employer derives no immediate advantage from the intern’s work”. Meaning, if the intern is doing work they NEED to be paid. Employers are manipulating student’s desperation in order to procure free labor for these entrylevel jobs. And receiving college credit doesn’t free an employer from having to provide compensation—especially when these intern positions are most likely benefiting the company. Interestingly, these rules have not been altered or changed since 1947. And certainly haven’t been reinforced at all as of late. It’s time to demand some new legislation regarding the greed of commonday business practices and the exploitation of students. Seri-
ously, with an average of $25,000 of debt on our shoulders—a paid internship is the least we deserve. Unpaid internships are closing the door for many passionate, intelligent students who don’t have a large enough bank account to forgo making money over the summer or during the school year. Because these students like to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like eating and paying rent, they are missing out on valuable additions to their resume and potential job connections. This may mean they’ll never be able to achieve that high-paying, perfect job— but that kid with the yacht and dad with connections certainly can. So much for social mobility. I’ve spoken to other students who are terrified at the idea of asking to be paid. We believe that if we rock the boat, we will be immediately replaced by someone who has no problem working for free - and then we’ll be left with absolutely nothing, not even an extra line on our resume to make ourselves more hirable. Or worse, we’ll slam shut the door to our dream industry by earning ourselves a bad reputation of being too demanding. And yet, unpaid internships don’t actually lead to much job advancement, either. Studies show paid interns spend more time on career-related duties, while unpaid interns get to make copies. Job offers are given to 61 percent of paid interns and only 38 percent of those who are unpaid. Paid interns start off with higher salaries to begin with. So instead of taking several unpaid internships, up until your thirties, building that resume—it might be better to take a stand immediately, earn some money and show that you believe in your own selfworth. That’s what this is all about— believing YOU, and your time, are WORTH SOMETHING. So don’t take that internship without being offered minimum wage. Bring proof of the illegality of the whole situation, and don’t let some big-wig take advantage of you. Speaking from personal experience: when I asked to be paid during my internship at public radio station KALW, they didn’t let me go. They even reimbursed me for all the time I had worked unpaid. And now I pretty much work there. If we stand together, and inform each other, we can make it impossible for businesses to find students willing to work for free.
6 | Sept. 19- Oct. 2, 2012 | The Guardsman &
theguardsman.com
GALLERY REVIEW
Barry McGee: street art bec By Dannie Hawkins
THE GUARDSMAN / @DANNIEDOLL / DHAWKINS@THEGUARDSM
“Sellout” reads oversized, bleeding spray paint in front of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, where City College alumnus Barry McGee is exhibited. The exhibit is both an homage and a dissemination of the Mission District where McGee grew up and where his graffiti was inspired by gentrification and street culture since the 1970s. Hobo art in black paint represents the Mission District’s street culture, painted enormously along the bright red walls. Among other tools, McGee uses spray paint, acrylic paint, and even liquid markers to create his work. At 46, McGee’s mid-career solo exhibit feels like a retrospective, with the artist claiming a new voice in a rapidly-gentrifying culture that he intends to critique. McGee’s characters look anguished, depressed and frustrated with the lower class urban life of which they are a part. Some of his most sought-after work was created at 16th and Mission streets. Most were either purchased by collectors or painted over by the city. Attention from the Venice Biennale in 2001 significantly increased the worth of and demand for his work. Former fans called him a sellout. His critics reference private collectors shelling out between $25,000 to $500,000 for his installations, including those which have been put on display at London’s Tate Modern’s 2008 mural commission or the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles’ major survey of the street art movement in 2011, where his art was a centerpiece.
“Street credibility”
“Whenever I do stuff indoors, I always feel like I have to do 110 percent more stuff outdoors to keep my street credibility,” McGee said in a PBS Art:21 documentary. McGee’s “stuff indoors” easily channels the message of his modest beginnings. In a collection titled “Self and Others,” bare chested men scramble on their hands
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The Guardsman &
comes high art
Photos by Shane Menez
MAN.COM
THE GUARDSMAN / @MENEZSHANE / SMENEZ@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
and knees, their open liquor bottles beside hem, a look of both helplessness and somber desperation in their eyes. The exhibit’s installations are raw and unrefined, easily interpreting the street culture that inspired McGee’s work. McGee is also renowned for his immersive, interactive installations. One installation is a bail bond shop
“Sometimes a rock soaring through a plate of glass can be the most beautiful, compelling work of art.” - Barry McGee
made of wood, complete with dirty, wirecovered windows. Peering through an opening reveals an ntricate and unabashed slice of Mission District urban life. There is a desk strewn with papers, documents and dusty books. Frames featuring McGee’s bright, multi colored textile work dress the dinghy colored walls. There is even a beat up couch with a twitching loafer-clad foot peeking out of a blanket, giving the impression that someone sleeps inside. His famous hand painted signs featurng his monikers Twist, Ray, and Lydia
Fong can be seen on the floor of the exhibit as well as atop some of the installations. Street art is “like the highest art there is,” McGee said in the PBS documentary, dismissing conventional art forms. His street art has also included life sized, humanlike robots dressed in hoodies and dirty sneakers standing on ladders, painting graffiti on the walls. McGee is frequently quoted describing his Mission inspired artwork as “urban ills, overstimulations, frustrations, addictions and trying to maintain a level head under the constant bombardment of advertising.” One installation perfectly befits this description. A large mountain of television sets of various sizes are stacked upon one another as each screen plays a different scene. One screen displays gang violence, complete with gang signs and brutal beatings. Another screen shows a graffiti artist hard at work on an alley wall, another a bright, flashing montage of different characters created by McGee. He sheds a genuine light on the life of the Mission District even when it is a harsh one.
Lasting San Francisco roots
Despite his successes McGee’s heart has remained rooted in the city he calls home. The artist currently lives in San Francisco’s Mission District with his wife, artist Clare Rojas, their daughter Asha, and their dogs Pinto and Maddy. In his current exhibit, a glass display is filled with MUNI bus transfers, pictures of a bus and common Mission District remnants such as event flyers and bus stop signs. There are even cut-off dreadlocks. “Compelling art to me is a name carved into a tree. Sometimes a rock soaring through a plate of glass can be the most beautiful, compelling work of art I have ever seen,” McGee said in a book titled “Barry McGee: The Buddy System.” His art stems from real life. Not only has Barry McGee stayed true to his roots, he reminds us of ours.
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| Sept. 19- Oct. 2, 2012 | 7
CULTURE 8 | Sept. 19- Oct. 2 , 2012 | The Guardsman &
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THEATER REVIEW
Unusual Southern perspective delivers political, social zeal By Jandean Deocampo THE GUARDSMAN / @BANANAISAFRUIT / JDEOCAMPO@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
In City College theater instructor Susan Jackson’s newest production, a murdered waitress confronts her killer, a woman befriends a toy otter, and a marriage ceremony is attended by a basket of dolls, a Reverend in a rainbow robe and a bouquet of peaches. “4Mercy” is the latest installment of Southern Railroad Theatre Company’s “good ol’ Southern soap operas.” “4Mercy” is made up of five distinct short plays focusing on characters who are “beholden” to one another. The series debuted with previews on Sept. 13th and 14th. The formal run started on the 15th and will consist of nine performances. “The word ‘beholden’ means to be obligated, to be indebted,” Jackson said. “It goes beyond thanks. And it doesn’t always mean a good thing.” The word is appropriate. The plays largely focus on the struggles of a variety of Southern women, and the ways in which
they affect the lives of the people around them. These characters are “related by blood or marriage” throughout each play, forming one coherent saga. The production is charming, warm, and exudes Southern spirit with witty writing and wacky characters. Every aspect of the room, from the few costumes hand-sewn by Brown to the small, boxed stage, risers, and low lighting promotes an inviting and audience-oriented atmosphere. The first of the five “4Mercy” plays focuses on the emancipation of a slave girl by her former master and wife, to whom she is beholden. Posey, played by former professional dancer Margo Sims, is the troubled main character and former slave in “Heathen Part Two,” which starts with Sherman’s March to the Sea and ends in the Depression era. Adrienne Krug, New Englander and well-rounded Bay Area actor, plays the character of Lacy, an abandoned girl who grew up having to rely on herself and few others, and who eventu-
Left, Margo Sims plays “Posey” in “2Beholden,” directed by Susan Jackson. Right, a wedding scene from “2Beholden” featuring (left to right) Robert Cooper, Adrienne Krug, Diana Brown, Margo Sims, Anne Kuchins, Eric Nelson, and Susan Jackson. Photos by Leslie Calderon/The Guardsman
ally falls into a self-deception involving a childhood crush and a toy backpack. “Susan, is in our estimation, a great writer,” said Diana Brown, co-founder of the company and an actor in many of the company’s plays. “A lot of people have misconceptions of the South,” Jackson said, explaining that some think “Southerners are illiterate and moronic, right-wing religious zealots and racist. I want to show that this world of obsession with food metaphors and toys treated as real creatures can be compared to the West Coast’s obsession with food and social concern for the disadvantaged. Different approaches to dealing with life, but one is not necessarily better than the other.”
“It was the South that got Obama elected,” Jackson said. She plays Marion Peallin in “For I Am Not Breaking,” centered around a chance meeting at an airport bar and full of contemporary commentary, involving everything from sex changes to William Carlos Williams. “2Beholden,” the third in Jackson’s saga of four plays “4Mercy,” reflects all of these values and more. Stories of infidelity, independence, murder and growth are woven into a narrative of struggle. BBW3, the shorthand name of a character played by actor Robert Cooper, struggles with trying to attract the love of his life. Jenny, played by Brown, literally attempts to confront the skeletons in her closet. Characters embody the concept of being
CCSF EVENTS CALENDAR
Launch Your Creative Career Today
By Mia Manzano
THE GUARDSMAN / @SFBREAKINGNEWS / MMANZANO@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
Chinatown campus opening celebration hosted by Dean Minh Ta, will include speeches by dignitaries and college officials. Lion Dance performance and special guest Mayor Ed Lee. Sept. 21, 5:15 p.m., Chinatown campus. Food service for faculty and guests Students and faculty in the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Program present Broadway Hits Part 1 of the Piano versions with Madeline Mueller. Sept. 21, 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. in the CAHS Department.
New students may begin in September, January, March or June. Financial aid is still available. To request more information or apply, visit scad.edu/stilltime
ATLANTA · HONG KONG · LACOSTE · SAVANNAH · eLEARNING
Adam Floeck, B.F.A., animation, 2012, Metuchen, New Jersey
Open mic night: Forum Magazine is hosting an open mic with short stories, music, food and poetry. Sept. 25, 6:40 p.m., Ocean campus. SCAD offers the largest array of degree options of any nonprofit arts university in the U.S.
“beholden” in numerous ways, using everything from poetry to politics. One of the interesting parts of the production is the timing of the content in the play. Jackson didn’t expect her references to 9/11 and Clint Eastwood to coincide so neatly with current events. “It was simply fortuitous,” she said, referring to the timing of the recent, national political conventions. The whole production aims to honor the company’s goal of reflecting the true spirit of the South “one hush puppy at a time.” 2BEHOLDEN will run every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm during September at Royce Gallery, located on the corner of Mariposa and Harrison Streets.
The Women’s Resource Center will hold an open house advocating what it provides for students which includes spoken word, food, refreshments, music and special Honorees. Sept. 26, 12 p.m.-2 p.m. Art exhibit: Diego Rivera in San Francisco: The Past is Present & Shared Stories at the CCSF Gallery honors the trans-cultural significance of the radical couple. Sept. 19-Nov. 16. Reception Sept. 22, Madrone Art Bar, 500 Divisadero St., 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Latinnovating: Meet and greet with guest speaker Garcielo TiscarenoSato, the founder and Chief Creative Officer of Gracefully Global Group. Presenting the “Green Economy” and successful businesses. Oct. 1, 10 a.m.- noon, Downtown campus, Room 821 and Oct. 4, 12:30 p.m.-2
p.m. at Ocean campus, Room 304. Traded Moons Geri Montano is noticed for her multiracial contemporary art which emphasizes her Native American Heritage. She talks about her art profession and how to create an art piece. Oct. 10, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m., John Adams campus Auditorium. Global tuberculosis: Dr. Riley will discuss and ask how science can help control deadly pathogens. Oct. 12, 12 p.m.-1 p.m., Ocean campus, Science Building, Room 300. Science lecture: Human genetics and clinical trials about Alzheimer’s disease will be discussed by Professor Charles Glabe of the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at UC Irvine, who will look into the causal factors of Alzheimer’s and whether it can be reversed through therapeutic strategies. Oct. 19, noon-1 p.m., Ocean campus Science Building, Room 300. Photo professionals: Deanne Delbridge discusses portfolio techniques and strategies when breaking into the professional world. Oct. 15, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Ocean campus, Conlan Hall Room 101. First Annual DiverCity Festival invites students to come together and celebrate each other to enjoy the diversity of City College in respect to international cultures. Hosted by the office of Student Affairs. Oct. 20 and Nov. 1 at the Ocean campus Amphitheater Plaza.
The Guardsman &
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| Sept. 19- Oct. 2, 2012 | 9
The vacant Eagle Tavern located at the corner of 12th and Harrison Streets is under a new lease. The new tenants hope to open it by Halloween. Photo by Leslie Calderon/The Guardsman
Eagle Tavern 1906
40 years of history
Origins of building trace back to 1906
1981-1982
Opens as SF Eagle
Early April 2011
Eagle announces closure
April 20, 2011
First meeting with the Historic Preservation Commission
April 30, 2011
Eagle Tavern closes
June 1, 2011
Doug Hilzinger, 14-year Eagle member, urges investigation into historic significance
June 15, 2011
Historic Preservation Commission holds another meeting
July 1, 2011
The Eagle in Exile, the collection of the displaced employees of the Eagle Tavern recreate beer fundraisers at El Rio
Aug. 17, 2011
John Nikitopoulos, building owner, signs over liquor license to another bar
Feb. 14, 2012
Board of Supervisors meeting, Jane Kim attended
July 31, 2012
Board of Supervisors liquor and permit meeting is interrupted by Eagle Tavern supporters
July 22, 2012
Protesters crowd around Foreign Cinema in the Mission continuing to show support for the Eagle, one owner of Foreign Cinema was involved in new plans for the Eagle and accused of gentrifying it
Aug. 28, 2012
New owners Alex Montiel and Mike Leon sign the lease, own two liquor licenses and are hoping to be open by Halloween
PHOTO OF THE EAGLE TAVERN BY LESLIE CALDERON/THE GUARDSMAN; INFOGRAPHIC BY HANNAH ARMENTA/THE GUARDSMAN
LGBT CULTURE
Historic gay bar preserved after more than a year shuttered LGBT SPACE: FROM PAGE 1
Following a meeting in early April 2011, around 30 Eagle patrons protested outside the Skylark Bar on 16th Street. When it was announced the Eagle would close later that month, a group of the Eagle’s patrons—including Castro denizens, district leaders and Hyde— began attending a series of meetings with The Historical Preservation Committee. At a Feb. 14 Board of Supervisors meeting, Jane Kim, whose district includes SoMA, the Tenderloin and Treasure Island, commented on the debacle. “Small businesses are a core part of what makes San Francisco the city we all have come to love,” Kim said, “They define our city and our neighborhoods. In the recent past we have lost businesses like the Eagle Tavern... How can the City protect our existing small businesses from rising rent cost while maintaining neighborhood character and protecting jobs?” Kim said. Hyde and around a half dozen members of the Historic Preservation Commission attended a Board of Supervisors meeting in February to defend the Eagle. During public comment, Hyde proudly explained its historical significance and emphasized its status during the early 1980s, at the height of the AIDS epidemic. Hyde used to perform at the Eagle as Anna Conda, his drag
persona, which is best described as a bold, blonde, rock and roll Bride of Frankenstein creation adorned with vividly patterned costumes. “We started a Change.org petition, wrote a letter to Supervisor Jane Kim, organized protests and came in full force to keep the Eagle on everyone’s mind,” Hyde said. The reason for the Eagle’s impending closure was originally believed to be low attendance. Others speculated foul pay and back rent. Hyde believes the building’s previous owners, John Gardner and Joseph Banks, could have prevented the declining attendance. “They were resistant to change,” Hyde said. “There’s always been a loyal following on Sundays and Thursdays, but I’ve never seen a lot of new people or new events.” Gardner and Banks own another bar on Folsom Street, Hole in the Wall Saloon. Hyde speculates their interests were invested primarily in Hole in the Wall and left very little funding for the Eagle. Landlord John Nikitopoulos served Gardner and Banks an unlawful detainer complaint and accused them of owing him $18,000 in back rent. Nikitopoulos did not respond to The Guardsman for comment. Since the early 1980s, the
Eagle has been a popular meeting place for members of San Francisco’s leather community. The bar created a welcome space and an edgy alternative for those looking for a stiff drink and friendly conversation. “I’ve noticed the leather community has a tighter knit sense of community,” City College Anthropology Instructor Matthew Kennedy said. “In general, bars and gay culture have been essential to one another.” The Eagle’s exterior was once a contrast of maroon with a black roof, with one gay pride flag and one leather pride flag. An old school biker bar vibe complemented the leather clad patrons. Old motorcycle parts hung from the walls and ceiling. Posters of past events decorated the walls. In its 30-year history, the Eagle raised an estimated $3 million for various HIV-related non-profit organizations. The GLBT Historical Society, the Mission Neighborhood Health Center, Homobiles and St. James Infirmary are among the beneficiaries of their Sunday beer busts. El Rio, another popular Mission District bar, has extended a helping hand to their temporarily displaced neighbors and will be hosting monthly beer busts until the Eagle gets grounded.
MUNCH ON THIS
Eatery delivers trendy and fresh food By Valerie Demicheva
THE GUARDSMAN / @SFBREAKINGNEWS / NEWS@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
Chasing Lions Café seems to have teleported right out of the Mission District, with Four Barrel Coffee and re-purposed vintage finishings. The high walls are adorned with owner Keba Konte’s re-purposed ironing boards and headboards featuring fine stencil drawings of skaters that hang like trophies. Students prepare food in the open, red kitchen and a barista awaits your order at a chrome Marzocco espresso machine. An unexpected star of the menu is the soup of the day,
Above Left: Chasing Lions Cafe offers mini red velvet and carrot cake cupcakes (left), “Dirt Bomb”: snickerdoodle bread covered with cinnamon and white sugar (center), and glazed cinnamon buns (right). Above Right: Chasing Lions offers a Caprese sandwich (half size sample shown), consisting of tomato, pesto, mozzarella and fresh cracked pepper on a ciabatta roll. Full sized seasonal soups are available daily (sample size shown). Photos by Leslie Calderon/The Guardsman
created in weekly batches by Cynthia Toliver, former owner of Welcome Mat Restaurant. That week’s potato and purple broccoli soup was made from fresh produce from the Alemany Farmer’s Market. Soup made from yams, purple and green broccoli, sage ghee and too many spices to name are served in cozy bowls for $4.75 or espresso cups for $2.75. The café offers other afford-
able simple to-go options around $5, comparable to those at City Café on Ocean campus. Vinefresh basil leaves, mozzarella and roma tomatoes make an impressive but light caprese sandwich that is as fragrant as an Italian cucina, something unseen elsewhere on campus. The menu also offers a refreshing shredded beet salad with goat cheese and crispy almonds, but
the cherry tomatoes seemed out of place. It’s a healthy option that doesn’t require dressing. Fresh $3 pastries are expensive, but more inviting than similar goods up the hill at City Café that go for around $2. And Four Barrel, a Mission District staple, supplies espresso beans that accompany adorable heart designs on lattés and mochas—$4 for a drinkable
artwork. These are certainly drinks for those who love the strong and bitter aftertaste, but you’ll need gum or a toothbrush after this meal. Your classmates might not want to talk to you after stopping at Chasing Lions, but your satisfied tummy full of healthy goodies, and your lightly scathed wallet, will thank you.
10 | Sept. 19- Oct. 2, 2012 | The Guardsman &
NEWS
A bicycle at the Chinatown Northbeach Campus on Washington street displays a sign reading, “Occupy Everywhere!” Photo by Clarivel Fong/The Guardsman
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For live news coverage and breaking news updates, follow us on Twitter:
@SFBreakingNews
Occupy member Ali Oligny, spoke out at the Board of Trustees meeting which created an uproar causing officials to remove her from the board room for creating a disturbance during the meeting. Photo by Clarivel Fong/The Guardsman
City College student Alex Schmaus, speaks to the Board of Trustees regarding the potential issues by bringing in a consultant to ‘help with the accreditation process’. Photo by Clarivel Fong/The Guardsman
Opinions clash as public comment heats up PROTEST: FROM PAGE 1
If the board had voted no that night, the state chancellor’s office would have imposed a special trustee who would be given far greater powers to override the board’s decisions—a fate experienced by Compton Community College before their accreditation was revoked in 2006. Trustee Chris Jackson was the sole dissenting vote on the board that night. Although he isn’t opposed to a special trustee on principle, he expressed uncertainties about the process, including the cost to the school, the time frame of the contract and the role that the trustee would play. “I have some serious concerns,” Jackson said as the audience cheered. “I would like to know what the procedure is to remove the special trustee.”
Another way
Protesters insisted that there is a third option and denounced the presence of any special trustee as fundamentally undemocratic. “The responsibility of the Board of Trustees if they really want to respond to saving our school is to say, wait a second everything going on here is illegitimate,” City College student
Eric Blanc told The Guardsman before the meeting began. “We need to slow down and reassess how (...) we’re actually going to be able to save our school and what we need to do to fix the problems, including the funding problems, which are coming from the state,” Blanc said. After nearly half an hour of emotionally charged public comments, demonstrators initiated an Occupy-style “mic-check.” Police officers began shoving the demonstrators, many of whom were students, out of the room, while the majority of the board and the chancellor simultaneously fled out of the room for a recess.
The people’s court
Protesters took over the remaining vacant chairs and slammed down the president’s gavel and voted to commence a “People’s Board of Trustees.” Jackson and his fellow trustees Anita Grier and William Walker stayed in their seats and watched and listened as the protesters voted to appoint themselves as the special trustee. They also called for solidarity with the teachers’ strike in Chicago. “This is a very difficult decision I have to make. While I can’t do what I really want to do,
“Put your
attitudes in check. I don’t have time to fight folks that ain’t my enemy.” -Angela Thomas, SEIU representative
I certainly felt that I could stay and listen to what students were saying,” Grier told The Guardsman as the rest of the board and the chancellor filtered back into the room and reclaimed their seats. Even after the board reclaimed their seats to resume the meeting, protesters formed a semi-circle around them. They chanted “shame on you” after the board cast their votes and called for all of them, except those who they said had sided with students and workers that evening, to immediately resign. But not everyone agreed with their tactics that night.
Hard times
The audience eventually asked them to sit down, a request which they respected, and the board continued to discuss and eventually passed a new budget for the 2012-2013 fiscal year. SEIU Representative Angela Thomas spoke for nearly five minutes, ignoring the two-minute public comment rules, and yelled at the students as she accused them of being selfish and shortsighted. “Where were you when my people were taking cuts?” she asked them. “Put your attitudes in check. I don’t have time to fight
folks that ain’t my enemy.” “I got to get to March 15,” she continued, referring to the commission’s final deadline for the board to prove that the school deserves to remain accredited. “None of us here are happy. None of us.” The SEIU represents noninstructional workers, including technology staff, custodians and administrative assistants. In a moment of light-hearted banter, Board President John Rizzo offered Thompson an I.O.U. for staff raises.
Solidarity
Alisa Messer, president of the AFT local 2121 which represents faculty at the school, also spoke beyond her allotted two minutes and asked the protesters to think twice about their demands and tactics. “We support CTU,” Messer said, “but their situation is not simply our situation. It does however speak to what’s happening to public education and educators all over this country and we need to continue to work on that together” as instructors, workers, students, board members and San Francisco residents.
<---- In case you weren’t there, check out this video taken by former Guardsman reporter Joe Fitzgerald http://youtu.be/O25Xnjj4RmY
SPORTS
The Guardsman &
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| Sept. 19- Oct. 2, 2012 | 11
Men’s Soccer
Undefeated Currently No.1 in the State, Rams beat Bear Cubs 2-0, add another win to record. By Lucas Almeida
THE GUARDSMAN / @LPA_SFREPORTER / LALMEIDA@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
City College men’s soccer has maintained a winning streak every time they face Santa Rosa Junior College for the past four years and on Sept. 14 that didn’t change. The Rams shut out the Bear Cubs 2-0. Currently No. 1 in the state, the Rams added another win to their record, remaining undefeated (5-0-0) and heading strong to face their first conference game against Evergreen College at home Sept. 21. Despite the wins, they don’t take anything for granted. “Every win is important. It’s hard to come to Santa Rosa and get a win,” head coach Adam Lucarelli said and explained that the Bear Cubs are “a tough team, they’re physical. I think they outplayed us a little bit in the first 30 minutes of the game, they were more physical than us, then we started dictating the tempo and that’s what changed when we started playing our game, I think it went better for us.” As any home team, the Bear Cubs started the game playing offensively, conducting the game’s pace but they were not successful enough to find the right spots to penetrate the Rams’ defense and score. For the Rams, it took 35 minutes to wake up and find the net. After a quick transition, the Rams pulled a counter-attack when sophomore midfielder Alfredo Castaneda sent an accurate pass to sophomore Juan Palacio who kicked at the Bear Cubs goalkeeper’s far post, giving him no chance to block and putting the Rams ahead 1-0 before halftime. Happy he was able to help the Rams score their first goal of the match, Palacio said it’s important to keep the momentum rolling for them. “Right now we’re doing good, where the main thing is that we gotta keep it up with the defensive and the attacking going,” Palacio said. “We gotta give our all every single game, play like we never played before.”
When the referee whistled the start of the second half, the Bear Cubs came back to the game with the same attitude, pressuring the Rams but still not having solid opportunities. Their best one happened in the 52nd minute after a corner kick. Santa Rosa’s sophomore midfielder Octavio Estupian had a chance to tie the game but he headed the ball to the side of the Rams’ goalie just near the right post. The Rams’ response was quick. One minute later, sophomore defender Chris Franco had great game vision, sending sophomore forward Arnulfo Garcia a clinic pass. Garcia was fast enough to outrun past the defenders, just chipping over the Bear Cubs’ goalie putting the Rams up 2-0. “I just saw him (Garcia) making the run. I saw the place right behind him and I just sent it,” Franco said. Garcia’s second goal of the game, and his third of the season, was all the Rams needed to slow down the game’s pace enough to safely manage the game and they were able to pass the ball around to run the clock till the final whistle. The Bear Cubs didn’t give up and fought till the last minute but the Rams backline with defenders Andre Alverez, Lucas Machado, Edwin Garcia and Chris Franco was too solid for any harm left in the game. Proving their skills, so far the Rams defense have only allowed one goal this season. “Our backline all year has been really really good, probably one of the best backlines in Northern California,” Lucarelli said. “But I think collectively in the second half all of our players defended well even midfielders and that’s something we’ve been really proud of ourselves on, that’s why we’ve only given up one goal in five games.”
Sophomore Forward Arnulfo Garcia, on right, is greeted by fellow teammates after scoring the second goal for City College during an away game versus the Santa Rosa Junior College on Friday Sept. 14. Photo by James Fanucchi/The Guardsman
City College Sophomore midfielder Adan Martinez (21), retains possession of the ball after Santa Rosa Junior College midfielder Diego Vasquez (21) falls after attempting to steal the ball from Martinez in Santa Rosa on Sept. 14. City College Men’s Soccer won their game against Santa Rosa Junior College with a final score of 2-0. Photo by James Fanucchi/The Guardsman
Now the Rams prepare to face Evergreen Valley College on their first conference game of the season on Sept. 21. Kickoff starts at 3pm.
FOOTBALL SEASON Sat., Sept. 22 @ Fresno City College at 6 p.m. Sat., Sept. 29 @ American River College at 1 p.m. Sat., Oct. 13 @ DeAnza College at 1 p.m.
SOCCER SEASON MEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Fri., Sept. 21 vs. Ever-
Fri., Sept. 21 @ Canada
green Valley at 3 p.m.
College at 4 p.m.
Tues., Sept 25 @ Cabrillo College at 4 p.m.
Tues., Sept. 25 vs. Chabot College at 2 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 28 vs. West Valley College at 1:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 28 vs. Ohlone College at 4 p.m.
Santa Rosa Junior College Freshman forward Carlos Pecanha (22), and City College Sophomore defender Edwin Garcia (4), chase the ball for possession at the Santa Rosa Junior College soccer field on Friday, Sept. 14. Photo by James Fanucchi/The Guardsman
SPORTS
The Guardsman &
theguardsman.com
Another victory! Rams massacre Falcons 71-6, and give coach Rush 300th win in 35 years By Ivan Huang
THE GUARDSMAN / @IVANREPORTS / IHUANG@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
The City College Rams decimated the West Hill City College Falcons 71-6 on Sept. 15. It was head coach George Rush’s 300th win as the head of the football program. “I’m just happy for our team, happy for how they’ve played, and that means I’ve been at this college for a while,” Rush said. After the Falcons won the toss, the Rams started out strong, forcing them to a three and out, scoring right away after getting the ball. Then the scores just kept piling up for the Rams, who reached the end zone three times in the first quarter. After recording only 36 yards rushing in the Rams’ home opener against the Diablo Valley College Vikings, it became clear that the Rams had to step up their ground game in front of their home crowd. “It’s always good to get the run going, because the defense has to prepare for that, and it opens up for the pass,” Andrew Spivey, Rams starting quarterback, said. Spivey tallied 137 yards and two touchdowns. Rams starting sophomore running back Kristoffer Oglubode, who had a strong performance against Laney College on Sept. 7, punched in another strong performance, rushing for two touchdowns in the first quarter alone. “The offensive linemen did a great job of opening holes for me, so I just ran through ‘em,” Oglubode said. And run through ‘em they did, as the Rams for the entire game rushed for 299 yards and five touchdowns. With the score marking 41-0 at halftime, the second string, third string and even the fourth string players were getting looks. Above Right: The City College Rams celebrate a touchdown against the West Hill College Falcons at Rams Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012. Below: Rams Running Back, Freshman Daivon Ballard (41), safely grips the football after being tackled by three West Hill College Falcons at Rams stadium on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012 . Photo By Leslie Calderon/The Guardsman.
“At that point we just want to get everyone in the game and playing,” Spivey said. “Everyone on the team works so hard and it’s good to have games like this where everyone can get to play.” Not even giving the Falcons a chance to breathe, the Rams scored 30 more points in the second half with most of their starters sitting on the bench. “There’s a lot of guys that work hard besides the starters and my mindset is everyone gets to play, everyone gets up and showcase themselves,” Rush said. With Rush’s 300th win on the books, he is the winningest coach in U.S. community college history, with a record of 300-86-4. Rush has won seven national titles and 20 conference titles according to the San Francisco Chronicle. “I took over the program in 1977, so I’ve been here for a while, but I’ve just been really blessed that I’ve had such a terrific staff over the years,” Rush said. “The biggest thing is, you want each group of kids to come along to establish their own identity and be successful, because they can accomplish things that they can carry with them for the rest of their lives.” After a scare in the Rams’ home opener on Sept. 1, the Rams showed that they are still the favorites to win the National title this year, dismantling opponents on an average of 34 points each game so far this season. The Rams will take a road trip to face Fresno City College on Sept. 22. Kick off starts at 6 p.m.
| Sept. 19- Oct. 2, 2012 | 12 The City College Rams gear up for another winning football season. Check it out at: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=W75J0fOIjlc