The Guardsman, Vol. 154, Issue 6. City College of San Francisco by The Guardsman

Vol. 154, Issue 6, Oct. 31- Nov. 13, 2012

City College

San Francisco’s Student Run Newspaper

since

1935 | TheGuardsman.com | @SfBreakingNews

Editorial cartoon

ILLUSTRATION BY MISSION MINI-COMIX CREW: RIO ROTH-BARREIRO (CITY COLLEGE ALUMNUS), MIKE REGER, AUDREY SOFFA AND JUSTIN GORSKI (CITY COLLEGE STUDENT)

Culture

Sports Analysis

Artists protest Exhibit stands up for the future of art classes By Dannie Hawkins

THE GUARDSMAN / @DANNIEDOLL / DHAWKINS@THEGUARDSMAN.COM

While some students aggressively protest City College’s accreditation crisis at board meetings, others in the college community are quietly asserting themselves through a menagerie of artwork. A plea for life-long learning, Accreditate This is a sprawling mixed media exhibit that opened on Oct. 22 in the Visual Arts building on Ocean campus and closes Nov. 5. It showcases the variety of

talent produced by City College students and faculty, as well as two alumni, Chris Johanson and Laurie Reid. “It seems that when cuts are being made, the arts are the first to go,” art instructor James Torlakson said. “When Hitler took over, he alienated arts first because he didn’t want innovative, creative thinkers.” Art department Chair Anna Asebedo said that students avoid a lot of debt by attending City College rather than an art school. The students of the visual arts department want to announce that it is thriving, helping students get in touch with their craft and assisting them in reaching their goals. “I started here,” Chris Johanson, now an internationally known

They did it again! Giants sweep world series win from Tigers, 4-0 By Ivan Huang Student artwork from the exhibit, “Accreditate This!” is currently on display in the corridor of the Visual Arts building of City College’s Ocean Campus. Photo by Leslie Calderon/The Guardsman

artist, said. “City College has a very professional art program. The teachers are great. I learned through osmosis.” Some pieces were made specifically for the event, while others are a favorite from class. EXHIBIT: PAGE 8

THE GUARDSMAN / @IVAN REPORTS IHUANG@THEGUARDSMAN.COM

Now that the Giants swept the Detroit Tigers on Oct. 28 to win the World Series, they are on top once again. But this year’s ultimate victory raises a question. Which World Series team was better? The Giants of 2010 or 2012? The two world championship efforts mirror each other, as both teams overcame struggles that transformed them from underdogs into world champions. The 2010 Giants were certain-

ly a team to remember—that season, they barely made the playoffs and only caught fire late in the season to topple the San Diego Padres from first place in GIANTS: PAGE 11

Giants fans celebrate in the Mission District following the 2012 World Series victory on Sunday, Oct. 28. Photo by Santiago Mejia/ The Guardsman

INSIDE: NEWS: Rooftop star-gazing at Science Hall Pg. 2 NEWS: Special Trustee hired Pg. 2 NEWS: Schools collaborate on sustainability Pg. 3

Q&A’s with candidates for the Board of Trustees: William Walker, Hanna Leung, Amy Bacharach and George Vazhappaly Pgs. 4-5 ELECTION 2012: From President to Supervisors Pgs. 6-7

OPINION: Don’t cut the department chairs Pg. 9 SPORTS: Rams Football remains number one Pg. 11 PHOTOSTORY: Cross Country competes Pg. 12

2 | Oct. 31- Nov. 13, 2012 | The Guardsman &

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News

VIDEO: FIRES RAGE ALONG MISSION STREET AFTER THE GIANTS WIN THE WORLD SERIES OCT. 28: YOUTUBE.COM/THEGUARDSMANONLINE

News Briefs

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 Wez Ireland Santiago Mejia 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

California Newspaper Publisher’s Association Journalism Association of Community Colleges

Photo by James Fanucchi/The Guardsman

Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight

It was a mild fall evening with clear skies, and students, faculty, staff and community members were invited Oct. 17 to observe a starry show ontop of Science Hall on Ocean campus. The rooftop event, called Astronomical Night, was sponsored by the Faculty Association. Around two dozen people mingled and munched on snacks while waiting for a turn to gaze into the powerful telescopes to get a view of the stars and planets as the Earth rotated through the Milky Way from about 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Attendees also had the opportunity to view a planetarium show. The evening was both visually entertaining and informative, as attendees were taught how to spot particular stars and constellations. (Leslie Calderon)

frustrations about what’s happening, but I also want ideas and solutions,” Santos said. Santos also explained that the school is required to put together a closure report, in addition to the final accreditation self study due on March 15, which will act as an insurance policy in the unlikely event that the school loses its accreditation. The closure report tells the accreditation commission how the college plans to take care of students who have made significant progress toward their degree and will also decide the future of CCSF’s assets. In addition, Santos reminded students that the accreditation workgroups are still meeting and he urged that any students who felt disconnected from the process to meet with him and he would be able to discuss with them what was going on. Interim Vice Chancellor of Student Services Ed Shenk will be at the Student Union, room 208 on Oct. 31 at 12:30 p.m. to hear directly from students about how they would like to be included in the accreditation process. (Matthew Ching)

Job fair brings opportunities

Students want to be included

Many students feel they have been left out of the whole accreditation process, even those who have attended some of the workgroup meetings. Concerns were raised at the Associated Students meeting on Oct. 17, when a member of the audience said that students looking to join the workgroups since June were not contacted by the administration until August, and by then much of the work had already begun. Associate Dean of Student Activities Samuel Santos told the students that they were not left out intentionally and that even many faculty members weren’t around to participate because the workgroups formed during the summer. “I’m all about sharing your

Photo by Guardsman

Shane

Menez/The

About thirty students showed up to a job fair last Wednesday on Ocean campus to get information and meet recruiters from UPS and Wells Fargo. The event was hosted by the Career Development Counseling Department. Accounting student Gabriel Cuneta said that a teller position with Wells Fargo would be a great fit for him to gain experience, since it relates to his major. Wells Fargo recruiter Julie

Cottle said the people they look for should have at least one year of cash handling experience, as well as face to face customer service experience. Cottle said a lot of their employees that start out as tellers as promoted to managerial and personal banking positions. She also provided students advice for interviewing, such as wearing the proper clothes and not hesitating to ask questions the interviewer questions. Student Laura Smith took an interest in UPS for its package handling position. “If I was 18, I would sit down and work on a computer,” Smith said, but added that right now she prefers a more physical job. “I enjoy doing physical work.” Smith is searching for a second job to help pay for her son’s college tuition. Career center staff member Josephine Ubungen said the career center on campus is open for students, where they provide many career related services, including help developing resumes. (Shane Menez)

New administrators named

City College has several new administrators, including a new interim chancellor and a special trustee. Thelma Scott-Skillman will leave her post as interim-vice chancellor of Student Services on Nov. 1 to take over the responsibilities of the current interimchancellor, Pamila Fisher. The Board of Trustees decided to delay hiring a permanent chancellor while the school is working towards securing its accreditation. Robert Agrella was hired on Oct. 25 as the new special trustee. He was recommended by the state chancellor’s office and will have the ability to veto decisions made by the board but since the board voted to invite a special trustee to the college, Agrella will not assume all powers of the board. According to his contract, he will be paid $1,000 per day of service, will receive either a rental or leased car and be reimbursed for any other work-related expenses. Agrella said he estimates that

he will have to work four days a week. He also declined to accept any housing expenses and will commute from his home in Santa Rosa, instead. (Sara Bloomberg)

Photo by Guardsman

Shane

Menez/The

Flu shots to family planning

A serpentine line formed inside the City College Student Health Center at Ocean Campus on Oct. 17, where up to 40 students at a time waited to see the volunteer staff at the annual health fair. The event was funded by community donations, as well as the Associated Student Council which paid for 300 doses of the flu vaccine that were made available for free to credit students and $20 for non-credit students. Services provided that day also included information about asthma, family Planning and Reproductive Health, Medi-Cal Program Information, Self Breast Exam/Self Testicular Exam, Sexually Transmitted Infections, Hepatitis B Free Campaign, Smoking Cessation, and Psychological Services Information. The fair was staffed by volunteers from the Registered Nursing Program, the Health Information Technology Program, and the Medical Evaluation Assistant Certificate Program. “The most popular test is the Body Mass Index,” Department Chair Paula Cahill said. “All of the students were really interested in that.” Other free screenings included: Anemia, Blood Pressure, Carbon Monoxide, and Blood Sugar. The Complete Cholesterol Panel was available for an extra $10. (Valerie Demicheva)

Business experts explain their craft Exclusive talk extolls the importance of saving and staying debt free By Jandean Deocampo THE GUARDSMAN / @BANANAISAFRUIT / JDEOCAMPO@THEGUARDSMAN.COM

Applause thundered from students and faculty in the Multi-Use Building on Oct. 12, signaling the start to an exclusive finance presentation on the importance of saving, the game of investing and finance and how to master it. The Undergraduate Investment Group, a club comprised of students from City College and San Francisco State University, invited financial experts and business partners Ted

Janus and Bryan Bradford to share their knowledge with the community. Janus has over 20 years of experience and is a Business Administration graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. Bradford focuses on financial services and is the founder and chairman of Libertad Bank SSB, a community bank in Austin, Texas. “I think the American dream is right here in front of us,” Janus said. He explained that everyone can benefit from a little knowledge of investment; the old notion of the American dream can be realized through these financially conscious people. The event topics were presented at a Master’s in Business Administration Finance level. For an hour and a half, Janus and Brad-

ford gave advice based on personal experience in a world of high stakes and careful choices. The presentation focused primarily on investment strategies, with advice on various aspects of financial health, but it was clear that it wasn’t meant to apply only to the finance savvy. It was relevant to people of all ages because it focused on the importance of investing money securely, a lifelong attitude of entrepreneurship, high energy, responsibility and optimism. They presented case studies, showing the many factors related in making good investment choices. Popchips, a health food staple in most BUSINESS: PAGE 10

News

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VIDEO: SAN FRANCISCO GOES NUTS AFTER GIANTS SWEEP THE WORLD SERIES FROM TIGERS ON OCT. 28: YOUTUBE.COM/BLOOMREPORTS

Voter drive launches Organizers seek to register thousands before November By Cecilia Ren

THEGUARDSMAN / @SFBREAKINGNEWS CREN@THEGUARDSMAN.COM

On a busy, sunny Monday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., students at City College of San Francisco set up tables for another voter registration drive at Ram Plaza in an attempt to register 10, 000 people to vote, and to advocate for Proposition 30 and Proposition A. The Student Registration Drive was launched on Sept. 25 and headed by Ocean Campus Student Union President Shanell Williams and Student Trustee William Walker. The drive’s purpose was to educate students about the benefits that state Proposition 30 and local Proposition A would bring to City College, and to obtain the goal of registered voters City College’s student leaders had pledged to attain by Oct. 22, the California state registration deadline. “It takes more than just one person or a small group to organize and collect the amount of voters that we’ve pledged to do,” Walker said. “City College is a large institution and we need everyone’s help.” However when the drive ended, only 10% of the goal was met. Walker said he had about 100 paper forms collected at Ocean Campus and Williams estimated that there were a total of approximately 1,000 students who had registered during the drive from

| Oct. 31- Nov. 13, 2012 | 3

all nine City College campuses. For the first time, California allowed eligible voters to register online, as well. The City College Information Technology Services department also reported that 460 clicks were made on the college’s main webpage, which directed all voters to the state’s online registration website, bringing the total estimated people registered to more than 1,500. As the drive continued in Ram Plaza, some students were approachable and seemed engaged in the issues while others were nonchalant and distant. “Some students walk around the campus as if these issues have nothing to with them, but they’re wrong,” Student Senator “Diamond” Dave Whitaker said. “These issues will affect them as much as they will affect the institute itself.” Student Union members spotted the plaza with bright red shirts featuring the word STAND, which they wore to advocate voter registration. The colorful members swooped back and forth as they ushered students to register while they passed out bilingual registration forms. Over the course of the drive, Student Union members emphasized that if Proposition 30 passes, statewide public schools would receive a $6 billion grant from the government, and that City College alone would gain $10.3 million toward summer school, classes, financial aid, and other funds needed to alleviate other current administrative crises. If VOTERS: PAGE 10 ADVERTISEMENTS

Colleges seek sustainability City College adds its voice to the conversation By Madeline Collins

CONTRIBUTOR / @SFBREAKINGNEWS NEWS@THEGUARDSMAN.COM

Berkeley City College hosted the Emerald Cities Initiative on Oct. 18 for the launch of their Community College Sustainable Development Program, a partnership between the collaborative and three urban community college systems throughout the nation that promote campus sustainability, community education, and other key factors in environmental preservation. “Campus sustainability is at the core of what we want to accomplish,” Denise G. Fairchild, president and CEO of the Emerald Cities Collaborative, said. The Emerald Cities Collaborative is a national network of nonprofit organizations working together to advance a sustainable environment. They have set out to create “Emerald Cities,” which are metropolitan areas set to achieve the lowest levels of toxic emissions and greenhouse gases throughout the nation. They have built a 23-campus initiative with city community colleges throughout the country, including City College. “It is really great, at a time of diminishing resources that education is having, to see a project like

Emerald Cities come up with this public/private partnership. It is a very positive development,” John Rizzo, president of the Board of Trustees at City College, said. The collaborative feels it is vital to partner with community colleges to engage students and faculty in an effort to make campuses green and strengthen workforce development. Interim President of Berkeley City College Dr. Deborah Budd explained their partnership with the the collaborative will lead to a partnership with local businesses and help shape the curriculum to better prepare students to enter the workforce. “It is an incredible time to build these partnerships, and for community colleges to position ourselves as the anchor for the workforce developments,” Budd said. Program participant Dr. Michelle Fox works nationally as the chief strategist for Education and Workforce Development at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “Education and workforce training are facing critical challenges with unskilled workers,” Fox said. She emphasized the importance of “closing the gap between educators and employers” as well as improving training to adequately prepare students for the transition from the classroom

to the workforce. Fox hopes to incorporate new learning tools and technologies to reach these goals, as well as reduce the focus from state testing to the use of more meaningful, onsite assessments. Local community colleges have already made great strides in creating environmentally sustainable campuses. City College of San Francisco has a waste management strategy that promotes using less and recycling more. “We are partnering with Emerald Cities to further these programs and our ecofriendly progress,” Peter Goldstein, Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration at City College, said. Color coordinated bins are placed throughout the campus for compost, recycling and waste. There is also a plan to reduce water usage and perform energy audits on the campuses to gauge energy usage, according to Rizzo. “The environment and education are my two great passions, and I try to bring them to work hand in hand,” Rizzo said. Berkeley City College has also made strides to be ecofriendly. They have an extensive curriculum in biotechnology and launched Green Career Pathways, “an Environmental Literacy learning cohort for disadvantaged students” between the ages of 18 and 24, according to Berkeley City College’s 2011-2012 Accomplishments website page. “Green requires having a new vision to see how we can do things smarter,” Victor Flint, outreach coordinator at Berkeley City College, said. “If we don’t make choices now we will be left behind.”

Milton Marks remembered San Francisco pays tribute to advocate for change By Madeline Collins

CONTRIBUTOR / @SFBREAKINGNEWS NEWS@THEGUARDSMAN.COM

Family, friends and colleagues filled the luminous South Light Court at City Hall on Oct. 19 to remember the late Milton Marks III, who died of brain tumor just days before the fall semester at City College began. He was 52 years old. Marks had been a member of the City College Board of Trustees since 2000. He continued serving on the board even after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor in December 2010. Marks is survived by his wife Abigail and their three young sons. More than 100 people were present to commemorate Marks as an honest, passionate and humble person, and to give their blessing

Photo courtesy of Luke Thomas/ Fog City Journal

to Marks’ family, who organized the tribute. Milton Marks III was born and raised in San Francisco, together with his sister Caro and brother David, in a very active and well-known political family. His father, Milton Marks, was a California assemblyman, judge and senator and his mother, Carolene Wachenheimer, served on the state’s Commission for the MEMORIAL: PAGE 10

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Election 2012

This is the final installment of a series of of Q&A’s with all ten candidates vying for one of four seats on the City College board.

Hanna Leung

for 26 years. I feel that I’m an asset on the board. I have ideas on decreasing deficits and increasing the balance of the male and female (makeup of the) board, and reducing temperament and increasing negotiation. I think it’s important that we have oversight on administration and ensuring academic freedom. Photo by Guardsman

Shane

Menez/The

By Peter Hernandez

THE GUARDSMAN / @MILESOF / PHERNANDEZ@THEGUARDSMAN.COM

Why do you want to be a trustee right now, in the midst of the accreditation crisis? I’m a workers’ compensation attorney and I’m familiar with the work that City College has been doing. Many of their services are very useful for my clients. I’m good at working with people, I’ve been in this business

Day One, you’re a trustee. What’s at the top of your to-do list? As a trustee, it’s working with the chancellor, it’s all the items on the agenda. I’d like to increase revenues for the college. I’ve already put a program in place that should bring in steady income for the college. Hopefully, people can continue with the changes in the department chairs. I’ve been working with the department chair of Disabled Services and she’s been helpful with putting a program together with vouchers for insurance companies to give to disabled

Amy Bacharach By Ivan Huang

THE GUARDSMAN / @IVANREPORTS / IHUANG@THEGUARDSMAN.COM

Why do you want to be a trustee right now, in the middle of this accreditation crisis? Well, I started running almost a year ago. My goal, my motivation for running initially was I basically went from high school dropout to Ph.D. in less than 20 years. I feel like I’m a walking example of all the opportunities higher education gives to people, so I really wanted to make sure that City College stayed available and accessible and affordable to everybody in San Francisco. Once the accreditation report hit, I felt more encouraged to run as opposed to less encouraged and only because I feel this is so important for the city. I think that we’re all committed, I think it’s important to have people on the board to have experience with the accrediting agency and who have experience with meeting the requirements of the accrediting agency and I have those requirements. What does your experience bring

to the table? I’ve been a poly researcher with the state court system, working mostly in juvenile delinquency issues, collaborative justice issues, drug courts, veterans’ courts, things like that. I do outcome measures. I live, eat and breathe data driven decision making, which is exactly what the accreditation board is asking for. I’ve also been an adjunct professor for seven years. I bring a faculty perspective, and while I was in graduate school getting my Ph.D., my school went through a similar accreditation process that City College is going through now. At the time I was a student government representative for 7 campuses, 2 of them international, so I’ve worked with the board president, I was basically the voice of the students during that process. I feel like I have a very unique combination of experiences. What’s your connection to City College? Well, I grew up in Philadelphia, so I didn’t have a connection to San Francisco City College up until I moved here. But I did

workers if they’re injured and return to their jobs. They can use these vouchers in class. These vouchers are normally unused. These workers usually don’t know what they’re for. I explained how they work, and it took a few months because it’s not as easy as it sounds. Each voucher is worth $5,000$6,000. I think it can be a steady income to the college. What’s your connection to City College? A lot of my clients have gone to City College. I was talking to one lady who was in immigration hold, in prison, and I represented her. We went to court and had a trial, she was released, and after she was released I helped her set up an apartment. And she went to college for ESL classes. Now she works in a large department store in Union Square with a union job and union

attend classes at Philadelphia Community College and then I also went to a Pennsylvania state school, so public education all the way. And then when I came to San Francisco, I just see that City College really fuels the entire city. It’s been around for so long, so many students are affected, the entire community is affected by City College. Is it daunting to represent a school of about 90,000 students? Not at all. What happens if Prop 30 or Prop A don’t pass? Honestly, I think that our decisions, our actions, our behaviors have to be the same whether Prop 30 or Prop a pass or not. I’m strongly encouraging people to vote for both, because it is surely needed. But at the end of the day, even if Prop A passes, it really brings us back to zero. We have to make decisions based on our reality right now. We can’t make decisions based on any funding that may or may not materialize at any given time, particularly funding

George Vazhappaly By Michael Hall

THE GUARDSMAN / @SFBREAKINGNEWS / MHALL@THEGUARDSMAN.COM

Why do you want to be a trustee in the accreditation crisis? There’s 90,000 students here at CCSF. I want to make an impact on the education rate. If you don’t have education, it’s hard to get a job these days.

Photo sourced via SmartVoter.org

What does your experience bring to the table? I worked for different companies before, now I work for myself. Business brings money to the city, and you need someone who knows how to generate

wages. Is it daunting to represent a college of 90,000 students? It would be daunting for anyone to represent a school that big. I think it’s the largest community college in the U.S. I have presided over various nonprofit organizations, definitely not of this magnitude, but I feel confident in my ability to do it. What happens if Proposition A and Proposition 30 don’t pass? The strategy is that we have to be even more aggressive to generate revenue. We do have to cut, and everyone recognizes that there will be very painful cuts. We need to have a long-term perspective on our actions today, whether it’s cutting or adding programs. It’s the lack of foresight that brought us to today’s situation. Even though we’re cutting, we should think about retaining

quality faculty and teachers. If we don’t do that, we might have a balanced budget but we won’t have much quality. We might have to take some painful short-term cuts, but with hope that in time we can return some of the services later. What’s on your iPod? I love music, but no, I’m not one of those people who have an ear bud in my ear. When I’m in my car I listen to public radio. I usually work till very late and I like to work out. I go to concerts and symphonies and operas and I like to go to Broadway shows. Do you read The Guardsman? I do read it from time to time. I usually go online. I really enjoy that video section of The Guardsman because you can pull things up and it’s always quite interesting to me.

that is reliant on voters. What’s on your iPod right now? I listen regularly to Pink Martini, a lot of indie stuff, and Train, of course. What is your astrological sign? It’s Capricorn but I have no idea what that means Since you’re from Philly, what is your favorite place for cheese steak? It really burns my buttons to hear people fight over Pat’s or Gino’s, because I think they both really stink. I think their both tourist traps and really awful. I usually go,when I’m in town, I go to either Jim’s on South Street (in Philly) or Tony Luke’s.

Photo by James Fanucchi/The Guardsman

What did you study in community college? I took a number of general education classes, so I think I did all my science requirements and my math requirements, things that I knew would transfer to my four year school

Cupcake.” It’s on the last Monday of every month, so I love baking, I love cooking, although I haven’t had a lot of time to do any of that. I’m passionate about traveling, so I’ve traveled pretty extensively around the world. I’ve lived in Mexico City, and I’ve lived in France, so I love travel. So I think in that capacity, I have a weird fascination with maps and cartography, so I like studying that as well, as well as language and culture and things like that.

What are your hobbies? Well I compete in a monthly cupcake baking competition. I love baking, it’s called the “Iron

Do you read the Guardsman? I do occasionally. I didn’t start reading it until I was running for the College. I love the writing.

money.

that here.

If you were to start today, what is first on your to-do list? Get the financials moving properly. Not all nine campuses are being utilized to full potential. Why do we build these campuses that no one uses? We can invest in a bus system to help students if these campuses can’t generate money. If I win, my plan is to bring in money from private sponsors for our buildings, like UCSF and UC Berkeley do. They’ve gotten millions of dollars in private money, and we can do

What happens if Prop 30 doesn’t pass? If it doesn’t, you’re in trouble. I think it will pass, people aren’t heartless. I’m in for Governor Brown’s plan, invest money in the right places and nobody loses. What gives you an advantage over other candidates? Most of the candidates work for someone, I work for myself. I’m much more prepared in the financial field. How has the board mishandled

money in the last few years? The Board of Trustees wasted money on administration and the vice chancellor. None of those things involve education. At one point, the school suggested that partial tax money should be given by the state because they knew they wouldn’t have the money. What’s your view on how the media is handling the accreditation crisis? At this point, I would say they’re discussing it appropriately. City College is in trouble right now.

The Guardsman &

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William Walker 9 units. The same problem I faced in 1997 was still going on in 2011. I thnk that the college would benefit from having a student that faced a lot of the same struggles that students are continuing to face.

Photo by Santiago Guardsman

What does your experience bring to the table? I think that my experience serving on three nonprofit boards and as a staffer for two different boards, LA MTA board and Student Advisory Council for San Francisco School Board, is valuable. I’ve been a graduate of K-12 public schools in San Francisco and here at City College. I’m running to ensure that one of the votes on the board will be cast on behalf of the students.

Mejia/The

By Jandean Deocampo THE GUARDSMAN / @BANANAISAFRUIT / JDEOCAMPO@THEGUARDSMAN.COM

Why do you want to be the student trustee during this time? I started here in 1997, and my main issue was that I couldn’t get a full load. The financial aid line was always so long, that I’d have to miss work to go. That was 15 years ago. I’m sitting in an accreditation work group and I’m listening to the administrator tell a story about how she had a difficult time passing a regulation to give priorityegistration to first-time high school City College students. They did an analysis and found that those students were only able to enroll an average of

Who

What is on the top of your priority list? Ensuring that we fulfill the requirements as stated in our Show Cause Report and meet the March 15 deadline to fulfill everything we promised to meet in the Oct. 15 special report. Additionally, I think we need to adjust the achievement gap for minorities. What that would entail is looking at counseling and

are all the

candidates?

Ten people are running for four open seats on the City College Board. Read all the Q&As in issues three through six of The Guardsman:

Natalie Berg

Incumbent / Issue 3

Steve Ngo

Incumbent / Issue 3

Rafael Mandelman Challenger / Issue 4

Chris Jackson Incumbent / Issue 4

Nate Cruz

Challenger / Issue 5

Rodrigo Santos* Incumbent / Issue 5 *Santos

was appointed in

August

to fill the remain-

ing term of the late milton marks

Hanna Leung

Challenger / Issue 6

Amy Bacharach Challenger / Issue 6

George Vazhappaly Challenger / Issue 6

William Walker** Challenger / Issue 6 **Walker

is currently the student trustee and his

vote on the board is advisory.

increasing transfer and graduation rates. Those are all important to me. Another is making our campus more sustainable: reducing the amount of cars parking in our campus, getting a bus pass for all students. Really strengthening the overall college program to make sure that we are meeting our enrollment goals and providing appropriate levels of service to all of our campus sites. Making sure that we’re fiscally solvent. Creating a schedule that encourages productive enrollment which will overall increase the revenue that comes into our college. Is it daunting to represent a school of 90,000 students? It’s a challenge. It’s not only the students, but the number of campuses we have. All of their needs are very different. There are a lot of English language learning classes, vocational programs, arts and contract education at all these different campuses. There are a lot of different types of students with different needs. It’s your first day as a trustee.

What is first on your to-do list? The first thing would be to promote support for Prop A and Prop 30. Beyond Nov. 6, I would probably tell people that they should invest in City College. Investing in City College isn’t just supporting Prop A, it’s coming down to the college and seeing what’s going on, it’s taking that exercise class you probably need to take. Be present. Know what’s going on here. Cherish the fact that there’s not really another school like City College, definitely not in California, possibly not in the world. What are your thoughts on the special trustee? I don’t think we would need a special trustee if we did as we were told in 2006. Not only did we not address the eight recommendations then, we now have six more to deal with. Do you have any hobbies? I like to jog or hike. I like outdoor stuff. I listen to music. I listen to dance, hip-hop. I worked at a variety radio station for about 5 years, so I listen to anything from Native American music to Folk,

even Country. I’m pretty eclectic. I bike a lot and do what everyone else does. Hit up Dolores Park or a club. I’m pretty normal, I think. What’s a day at City College for you like? If it’s Monday or Tuesday, it starts off with coming in to the Student Union, checking in with the student council folks, with the advisor. Because of all the changes in the college, I’ve been dropping my different meetings for clubs, and I often drop by different classes. Typically, I talk about Prop A and the importance of participatory governance, the system that is replacing shared governance. Really just finding out ways to support the college. On a Monday or Tuesday night, I’m spending a couple of hours in my GIS class. Do you read The Guardsman? I do. I read every issue. I’ve never seen so much coverage from The Guardsman on student government and just on the governance as a whole in the College. You seem to be everywhere I go.

Diverging views clash at debate By Dalton Amador

THE GUARDSMAN / @SFBREAKINGNEWS / DAMADOR@THEGUARDSMAN.COM

As the candidates for City College’s Board of Trustees debated on Oct. 12, their comments revealed underlying fractious divisions and stark philosophical differences on how best to tackle the accreditation crisis and the fiscal challenges the school now faces. The moderator, Emil Guillermo, declared the debate a “malarkey free zone.” New America Media hosted the debate, which escalated into personal attacks and outright accusations among the candidates, particularly between incumbents Chris Jackson, Steven Ngo and Natalie Berg. When given the chance to question a fellow trustee, Ngo asked Berg why she had rescinded the salary cuts to top administrators, which he had introduced amid strong support from both the faculty and the public alike, noting that he “had been meaning to ask (her) this question for a while.” Berg replied that the means by which Ngo had passed the measure were “undemocratic” and thereby had to be reversed. Berg found herself in another scuffle when she accused Jackson of not supporting students paying for tuition. Jackson denied the accusation, saying that he had simply said that going after students who had forewent tuition in the past would be more costly than to just let it go, and that he would be in favor of requiring students to pay tuition at the beginning of

the semester, rather than allowing them to pay at the end, which is City College’s current policy. That policy may soon change. The Board voted on Oct. 26 to find a more efficient way to collect fees from students, which could require fees to be paid at the time of registration.

Challenger Amy Bacharach said that though a national single payer health care system would be ideal, full health benefits for part time employees were ultimately fiscally unsound. “I don’t know of any institution where a part time person gets those kinds of benefits,” she said, and added that part time employees could take advantage of San Francisco’s Healthy SF option, which subsidizes certain uninsured individuals in an attempt to achieve universal health care within San Francisco Nanette Asimov, a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, asked why voters should re-elect incumbents, given that the school came close to bank- Nanette Asimov, ruptcy under their watch. San Francisco Chronicle reporter After a bit of collective laughter, Rodrigo Santos—who was appointed by Mayor Lee to fill the remainder of the late The debate also highlighted Milton Marks’ term—said that different opinions about what he would do whatever is necesconstituted fiscal responsibility, sary, no matter how unpopular, a notable example being wheth- to solve the crisis. er part time staff should receive Also prominent was the full health benefits. question of what to do with Jackson was strongly in lifelong learning classes, which favor of keeping the benefits, include free and non-credit citing a personal history with the classes like English as Second matter as his reason. Language and classes that teach “My mother had a stroke people how to stave off demena day after Mother’s Day and tia. she was a retiree,” he said. “If Also running are challengshe didn’t have health care, she ers Rafael Mandelman, Hanna would have had to foreclose on Leung and current Student her house just to be able to pay Trustee William Walker, who for all the services for her stroke. doesn’t have a vote. Candidates God forbid a part time faculty Nate Cruz and George Vazhapmember would actually have a pally declined to attend the medical issue, they would lose debate. their house, they would lose a lot of other stuff.”

Why should voters re-elect incumbents, given that the school came close to bankruptcy under their watch?

6 | Oct. 31- Nov. 13, 2012 | The Guardsman &

ELECTION

theguardsman.com

REPUBLICAN PARTY

KEY

THEY ARE COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN EVERY PART OF CALIFORNIA. TO ACHIEVE THIS, THEY ARE WORKING TO CREATE JOBS, IMPROVE SCHOOLS, KEEP COMMUNITIES SAFE AND IMPROVE THE STATE’S HEALTH CARE AND ENVIRONMENT.

REPUBLICAN

• •

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ELECTORAL VOTES FOR ALL STATES IS 538 270 ELECTORAL VOTES ARE NEEDED TO WIN PRESIDENCY CALIFORNIA HAS 55 ELECTORAL VOTES, DETERMINED BY POPULATION

ELECTION DAY: NOV. 6 POLLS WILL BE OPEN FROM 7 A.M. TO 8 P.M.

HOW TO FIND POLLING STATION: ENTER YOUR ADDRESS TO SMARTVOTER.ORG AND IT WILL DIRECT YOU TO THE NEAREST POLLING STATION

DAVID E. LEE SHERMAN R. D’SILVA ERIC MAR*

DISTRICT 3 MARC BRUNO F. JOSEPH BUTLER DAVID CHU* WILMA PANG

VICE PRESIDENT

•

PAUL RYAN

•

UNITED STATES SENATOR

• •

ELIZABETH EMKEN

ELECTORAL VOTES •

DISTRICT 1

GOALS INCLUDE

MITT ROMNEY

MAIL IN VOTING: • AN OPTION PROVIDED FOR REGISTERED VOTERS WHO PREFER TO VOTE EARLY OR NOT GO TO A POLLING PLACE • LAST DAY TO APPLY FOR VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT: OCTOBER 30 • MAIL BACK TO COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICE, SUBMIT TO POLLING PLACE ON ELECTION DAY, AN AUTHORIZED PERSON CAN SUBMIT ON YOUR BEHALF IF YOU CAN’T SEND IT YOURSELF • MUST BE RECEIVED BY 8 P.M. OR VOTE WILL NOT BE COUNTED EARLY VOTING: NOVEMBER 3 & 4: WEEKEND EARLY VOTING AT CITY HALL ON SATURDAY: 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. *SUNDAY: 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M

LONDON BREED JULIAN DAVIS DANIEL EVERETT ANDREW “ELIARD” REIGNATO HOPE JOHNSON CHRISTINA OLAGUE* JOHN RIZZO THEA SELBY

“THE BEST CHOICE FOR REASONABLE GOVERNMENT.” MEMBERS ARE IDENTIFIED AS SOCIALLY TOLERANT AND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. THEY BELIEVE INDIVIDUALS SHOULD DECIDE HOW THEY RUN THEIR LIVES, FINANCES, EDUCATION AND FAMILY.

THEY BELIEVE IN LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL UNDER GOD. THEY WANT TO KEEP AMERICA INDEPENDENT AND SAGE. THEY’LL PROTECT THE FAMILY, MARRIAGE AND WORK. THEY BELIEVE IN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY AND FREE ENTERPRISE. THEY OBEY THE CONSTITUTION AND PROMOTE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE PRINCIPLES.

PRESIDENT

GARY JOHNSON

THOMAS HOEFLING

VICE PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENT ROBERT ORNELAS

JAMES P. GRAY

GOALS INCLUDE:

GOALS INCLUDE: • • • •

INCREASE INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY AND RESPONSIBILITY SHRINK GOVERNMENT, REDUCE TAXES LIBERATE EDUCATION, COMMERCE AND PERSONAL CHOICE THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 87,000 MEMBERS

•

PROTECT THE RIGHT TO LIFE AND STRENGTHEN FAMILIES SECURE THE BORDER AND ENFORCE IMMIGRATION LAWS BALANCE STATE BUDGET THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 397,000 MEMBERS IN CALIFORNIA

• • •

GREEN PARTY

THEY STAND FOR EQUAL RIGHTS AND A GOOD STANDARD OF LIVING FOR EVERYONE. THEY BELIEVE IN PROTECTING THE EARTH, PROMOTING PEACE, AND DEFENDING RIGHTS. THEY WORK UNDER DEMOCRACY AND COOPERATION AND WANT TO USE THE COUNTRY’S WEALTH TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR EVERYONE.

STANDS FOR PEACE, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE, NONVIOLENCE, GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY, RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY, WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT. GREENS ADVOCATE PRACTICES THAT PROTECT THE PLANET, ITS PEOPLE AND PROMOTE PEACE.

PRESIDENT JILL STEIN

PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENT

ROSEANNE BARR

CHERI HONKALA

VICE PRESIDENT CINDY SHEEHAN

GOALS INCLUDE:

•

• • • •

SAN FRANCISCO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

AMERICAN INDEPENDENT PARTY

LIBERTARIAN PARTY

PEACE AND FREEDOM PARTY DISTRICT 5

PROMOTE AN ECONOMY THAT CREATES NEW JOBS REFORM EDUCATION AND PENSION SYSTEMS PROTECT TAXPAYERS---FORCE GOVERNMENT TO BE ACCOUNTABLE THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 5,228,000 MEMBERS IN CALIFORNIA

THE BASICS:

DEMOCRAT

* = INCUMBENT

PRESIDENT

BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW PROVIDE GOOD JOBS AT HIGHER PAY TAX THE RICH TO GIVE HEALTH CARE, HOUSING AND EDUCATION FOR ALL THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 57,000 MEMBERS IN CALIFORNIA

• • •

LIVING WAGES, HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATION FOR ALL CLEAN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT ELECTION REFORM AND ACCOUNTABILITY THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 113,00 MEMBERS IN CALIFORNIA

DISTRICT 7

ANDREW BLEY FRANCIS XAVIER CROWLEY JOEL ENGARDIO MICHAEL GARCIA LYNN GAVIN JULIAN P. LAGOS GLENN ROGERS ROBERT J. SQUERI NORMAN YEE

DISTRICT 9 DAVID CAMPOS* BUD RYERSON

DISTRICT 11 JOHN AVALOS*

Election information compiled from sfelections.org, smartvoter.org and easyvoter.org; The statements about the party platforms

N 2012

The Guardsman &

DEMOCRATIC PARTY THEY BELIEVE THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT IS TO PROVIDE QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL CITIZENS, PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS, INCLUDING A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO CHOOSE AND ENSURE A STABLE PROSPEROUS SAFE NATION WITH A STRONG, EXPANDING ECONOMY BENEFITTING ALL AMERICANS.

PRESIDENT

GOALS INCLUDE

BARACK OBAMA

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN

UNITED STATES SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN

• • • •

EXPANDING JOBS THROUGH ECONOMIC REINVESTMENT IMPROVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE END WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 7,553,000 DEMOCRATS IN CALIFORNIA

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| Oct. 31- Nov. 13, 2012 | 7

SAN FRANCISCO IS COMPRISED PRIMARILY OF DISTRICT 12, WITH SOME SOUTHERN AREAS OF THE CITY REPRESENTED BY DISTRICT 14

Presidential debate recap ByDDaltonAAmador and MatthewCChing THE GUARDSMAN / @SFBREAKINGNEWS / NEWS@THEGUARDSMAN.COM

Widespread liberal sensibilities were excited during the second presidential debate which left students galvanized by what they felt was a victory for Obama. Obama’s debate triumph came as somewhat of a surprise after his troubled performance in Denver. He was described as inattentive, aloof, and oddly on the defense when at the time he was wildly outpolling Romney after the 47 percent video became public. Romney, by contrast, was described as assertive and appearing presidential. CNN released a snap poll showing that 63% of registered voters felt that Romney won the debate. Polling composites over the next week showed that Romney, for the first time in months, was leading by appreciable margins in the swing states Colorado, Virginia, and Florida. The Rosenburg library hosted the debate watch which attracted about 20 student from City College Campuses, all of whom were rooting for Obama. Raja Sutherland, 22, a senator on the Associated Students Council on Ocean campus, organized the event. After the first of three technical difficulties that cut CNN’s stream of the debate, he told a groaning audience, “At least Obama’s back,” referring to

DISTRICT 19 PHIL TING

Obama’s much criticized first debate performance, which he said “shocked” him. Obama’s humorous quips, from “(My pension) isn’t as big as yours,” and “Can you say that a little louder Candy?” earned him laughs from the student audience. Cheers accompanied Obama’s rebuttals of Romney’s accusations regarding supposed reductions in domestic oil drilling and tax hikes for the middle class. City College student Leo Mickulich, 26, cited LGBT issues and Keynesianism as his primary motivations for supporting Obama, the latter referring to the empirically backed idea that expansionary fiscal policy can help alleviate otherwise unyielding economic malaise. He admitted his bias, but still believed that Obama won the debate. Mickulich’s assessment proved prescient when CNN released a snap poll showing that Obama won the debate by a 37-30 margin, even though the sample was +8 Republican. Obama’s victory was underscored further by a Public Policy Polling directed at uncommitted voters in Colorado, a key swing state, which showed an Obama victory of 58-36. The last of the 2012 Presidential Debates between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney focused on foreign policy and was screened on the evening of Oct. 22 in the Rosenburg Library to an audience of 14 people.

DISTRICT 19

MICHAEL BREYER

s don’t represent the views of The Guardsman and The Guardsman staff

Attendance was relatively low, due in part to the Giants baseball game, which happened to be airing at the same time as the debates. The audience was silent and attentive during most of the showing, but made no effort to stifle ample applause when Obama made clever remarks toward Romney’s responses. Overall, the audience could be described as having a very positive attitude toward Obama. “Obama has helped me out. I was homeless at one time, and he funded a program called Shelter Network,” 29-year-old international studies major William Lloyd, said. “That not only helped me get a new place, but it also helped me subsidize my rent,” Lloyd said. “And that helped me to stay in college.” Obama maintained a confident stride throughout the match and made sure the audience felt that he would be the victor of the night’s debate. “I think Obama won the debate because he talked about what he was going to do, on top of talking about what he has done so far. He exposed that Romney, his opponent, didn’t have a concrete plan,” Lloyd said . Democracy Now streamed an alternative debate for the third party candidates to respond to the same questions in real time. All of the candidates are campaigning their hardest to win the 270 electoral votes necessary to win the election.

DISTRICT 17 TOM AMMIANO

Infographic by Emma Winkles

UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVES

DISTRICT 12

DISTRICT 14

NANCY PELOSI

JACKIE SPEIER

JOHN DENNIS

DEBORAH BACIGALUPI

DISTRICT 17 JASON P CLARK

CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY

Culture 8 | Oct. 31- Nov. 13, 2012 | The Guardsman &

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CCSF EVENTS CALENDAR

By Mia Manzano

THE GUARDSMAN / @SFBREAKINGNEWS / MMANZANO@THEGUARDSMAN.COM

OCT. 30 - NOV. 1 Festival: City College’s First annual DiverCity Festival will provide a space for students to come together and celebrate each other. There will be ethnic foods, music, poetry, readings, dance performances and international films to enjoy and experience. Oct. 30-Nov. 1, Noon-2 p.m. at the Ocean campus Amphitheater, Ram Plaza and Student Union. NOV. 6 Election 2012: The polls are open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Prior to Election Day, familiarize yourself with your voting rights and voter information. For early voting and other information, call the Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE or visit sfelections.org. Find your polling place at: http://sfelections.org/tools/pollsite/ NOV. 6-8 Fall Harvest Buffet: The Educated Palate presents A Cornucopia of Fall Delights to showcase the skills students develop in the culinary program. Nov. 6-8, seatings from 11:15 p.m.-1 p.m. at the Downtown campus. Cost $22.50 for the general public. Senior citizens and City College students and employees receive a 20 percent discount. For reservations, contact Chris Johnson 415- 267-6599 or email cjohnson@ccsf.edu. (Put “Fall Buffet Reservation” in the subject line.) NOV. 7 Music: A master class in Vocal Techniques presented Evelyn Mandac. Come and watch her work with prepared students so that all present can improve

their technique. 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Ocean campus Creative Arts Building, Room 133. NOV. 9 Biology Seminar: Orphan Inherited Genetic Diseases: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention presented by N. Matthew Ellinwood, D.V.M., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Companion Animal Genomics in the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University will review these disorders from the perspective of lysosomal storage disorders. The comparative medical genetic impact on veterinary patients will also be discussed. Fri. Nov 9, Noon to 1 p.m. Ocean campus Science Building, Rm 300. NOV. 13 How accreditation affects you as a City College student! The Office of Student Affairs’ LEAD speaker series will focus on the accreditation issues that City College is currently facing, why they are important and how they affect you. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Ocean campus Rosenberg Library, Room 305. NOV. 14 Film: Default: The Student Loan Documentary. Filmmaker Serge Bakalian’s documentary chronicles the stories of borrowers from different backgrounds affected by the student lending industry and their struggles to change the system. 7 p.m.-9:45 p.m. Ocean campus Cloud Hall, Room 246.

VIDEO: CCSF FLASH MOB OF MICHAEL JACKSON’S “THRILLER” HITS DOLORES PARK: YOUTUBE.COM/THEGUARDSMANONLINE EXHIBIT: FROM FRONT PAGE

The vast array of techniques of the art department are seen through a surplus of mediums including charcoal, watercolor and spray paints. Even brown paper bags crinkled to resemble a man’s face line the hallway. “It’s about consumption,” fine arts major Bonnie Nahmias said in reference to the sculpture she created using an everyday material. Seven courses were cut from last semester’s offering. “Our goals are to educate people, to be creative thinkers,” Asebedo said. “Through the years of reduced funding, we’ve kept it going.” Johanson studied graphic design, art history and fine arts at City College and says that his experience was an invaluable one. “I didn’t have the option to go to art school,” he said. “City College was the perfect place.” Students are taking similar courses at the Academy of Art, which costs $765 per unit. City College, by contrast, costs $46 per unit. “I’d be curious to see what the one percent thinks about this,” Johanson said. “They have a lot to do with it. City Hall, the state, the supervisors need to understand, without City College, they’re taking away the rights of a whole section of the Bay Area, editing society in general. It’s totally unacceptable.” Over six weeks, students Julian Demark, Ramon De Santiago, Mike Kavanagh, and Dave Vizena curated the event. The student curators received about 68

submissions, and included at least one piece per artist in the show. Student testimonials line the hallway. While Demark credits City College for advancing his artistic career, 70-year-old student Cecelia Wamfach, who has taken numerous City College courses, commends the school for improving the quality of her retirement. Wamfach said she is amazed by the knowledge of the instructors and enjoys getting to know young people and learning about their lives.

Art student Julian DeMark stands before a selection of his displayed artwork. DeMark is not only an art student at City College, but is also responsible for curating and organizing the exhibit “Accreditate This!” Photo by Leslie Calderon/ The Guardsman

“City College always comes up first when you search for undergraduate art programs,” Vizena said. “The education here is excellent.” The works on display in Accreditate This range in emotion. An untitled watercolor piece by Kavanagh shows bleak-eyed citizens protesting with vibrant yellow signs that read, “Keep the community in community college,” one of a few pieces that

NOV. 15 Board of Trustees Meeting: Open session begins at 6:30 p.m. MultiUse Building, Room 140.