Volume 154, Issue 1, August 22- September 4, 2012
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TheGuardsman.com
What will City College do?
As 90,000 students return for fall semester, the school fights for its future. Milton Marks. Photo by LUKE THOMAS/FOG CITY JOURNAL
College board member dies just before new semester begins By Sara Bloomberg
THE GUARDSMAN / @BLOOMREPORTS / SBLOOMBERG@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
Hundreds of mourners filled a bright, yellow memorial hall in San Francisco on August 12 and as the pews filled up, dozens of people resorted to standing along walls and sitting on the floor for a chance to honor the life of Milton Marks. Only three days earlier, City College Board member Milton Marks III died after suffering from a brain tumor for the past couple of years. He was 52 years old. The service began with a traditional Jewish prayer, or Kaddish, and the sounds of English, Yiddish and Hebrew interminged as Rabbi Micah Hyman reflected on Milton’s life. “He was heroic. He was dignified. He was the mensch we all knew he was,” Hyman said. More than a solemn service, it was a celebration punctuated with humor and fond memories as multiple speakers talked about his childlike curiosity, goofiness, unconditional loyalty and humble manner. “Even at the end of his life,” Milton’s wife Abby said, “he was still joking around.” She teared up as she spoke about their love, their life and their three young sons. “He gave them (our boys) so much in such a short time,” she said, and recalled how Milton was MEMORIAL: PAGE 2
INSIDE: Chancellor Search on hold Pg. 2 Students speak up about accreditation Pg. 3 Photo Story: Football gears up for a new season Pg. 4-5 What’s the best crepe in town? Pg. 6 Meet Will Walker, the new student trustee g. 7
Students rush to class on the first day of fall semester at City College’s Ocean campus on Aug. 15, 2012. Photo by SARA BLOOMBERG/THE GUARDSMAN
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By Sara Bloomberg THE GUARDSMAN / @BLOOMREPORTS / SBLOOMBERG@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
irst it was budget cuts — in the last fiscal year alone, the state cut $17 billion from City College’s coffers. In order to keep the school running as close to normal as possible, college administrators dipped into its financial reserves, which saved many classes, jobs and benefits for workers. Then just as summer session began, the Accrediting Commission of Community and Junior Colleges put the college on sanction for not having sufficient financial resources, among other things, and gave the Board of Trustees approximately eight months to make an effective plan. If the college doesn’t present a solid plan within that time frame, the commission may revoke the school’s accreditation — a require-
“We’re not gonna let our school get privatized!” -Shannel Williams,
Associated Students president, Ocean campus
ment to receive federal funding, which would render the college’s degrees worthless. “If the school wasn’t here, I wouldn’t be able to help myself... help myself,” said student Jamel Burrell, 45, at a speakout in Ram Plaza on August 15, the first day of classes. Associated Students President Shanell Williams emceed the speakout to bring attention to the issues facing the school. “You all need to get active,” Williams said over the sound system as students buzzed around, to and from their classes. “We’re not gonna let our school get privatized,” Williams continued. “Wake up.” Just a few hundred feet away from Ram Plaza, a handful of Occupy Bay Area supporters stationed themselves near the base of Ocean campus and passed out fliers against what they consider austerity measures that the state is imposing on the college.
CITY COLLEGE: PAGE 2
Women’s soccer returns determined to win State Championship this year By Lucas Almeida
THE GUARDSMAN / @LALMEIDA / LALMEIDA@THEGUARDSMAN.COM
Jojo Smyth dribbles down the Ocean campus soccer field during a preseason practice on Aug. 15, 2012. Photo by JAMES FANUCCHI/THE GUARDSMAN
With the 2012 season only a few days away, City College’s Women’s soccer team has been preparing since the beginning of the summer and has a solid group of returners. The Rams’ head coach, Gabe Saucedo, recruited a blend of freshmen and sophomores that will give this year’s team the perfect chemistry and combination of skills to win the State Championship.
Key returning players are forward Stephanie Barragan, who scored eight goals and had one assist last season, and Antonella Carrera, who also scored eight goals and had four assists. The 2011 season had a heartbreaking ending when the Rams were defeated by Santiago Canyon 2-0 in the State Final four. Despite that loss, last year’s season was also the Rams’ best, under Saucedo’s direction. They won the Coast Conference North Division undefeated (13-0) and had an outstanding
overall season (20-2-2). Saucedo holds a winning record of (42-1510) and is going into his fourth year as head coach. The loss against Santiago Canyon was a lesson in what it takes to win the State Championship, which is their main goal for this year, he said. “The talent is there, our skill is there but we need to get stronger, we need to get faster and we need to get closer as a group and that’s what this summer was all about,” he said. “Having most of WOMEN’S SOCCOR: PAGE 8