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Vol. 155, Issue 7, April 24-May 7, 2013
Labor
Chairs agree to pay cuts
Theater Review
Jesus Christ Superstar:
Tentative agreement saves jobs
Inspired retelling pops on stage
By Lavinia Pisani
The Guardsman/ lpisani@theGuardsman.com/ @laviniapisani
business venture, she has been able to reduce her hours at work to 18 hours a week. “I think it’s great that they’re
As City College waits for the accrediting commission to render a decision about the school’s future, the Department Chair Council is negotiating with the Board of Trustees to save its members’ jobs and the programs that they oversee. The council and the Board of Trustees have agreed to a tentative agreement that would save the school around $1 million annually and save all 61 chair positions, according to the SF Examiner. “It shows how committed they are to students and the broader college community,” Darlene Alioto, president of the council, told the Examiner. “I’m so proud that the membership would accept these substantial cuts in compensation but maintain their role as chair.” Previously, the administration proposed cutting many department chairs and transferring their responsibilities to a much smaller number of deans, as part of a restructuring program intended to cut costs in the name of saving the school’s accreditation. Many of the smaller departments, known as the Diversity Collaborative, feared that without a dedicated chair their programs would be at risk of being targeted by cuts in the future. The Diversity Collaborative expressed their concerns at a media briefing on April 9 at Mission campus, several days before the tentative agreement was announced in the Examiner. “The current interim CCSF administration and Board of Trustees is trying to dismantle the successful department chair structure at the college,” the collaborative said in a prepared statement,
Market: page 2
Chairs: page 2
Zachary Bukarev-Padlo portrays Jesus Christ in the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar presented by the Theatre Arts and Music Department at the Diego Rivera Theatre on April 19, 2013 . Photo by Santiago Mejia/The Guardsman
By Alex Reyes
The Guardsman/ areyes@theGuardsman.com/ @reyesanfrancis
The revolutionary spirit of the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” was on full and glorious display on Opening Night April 19 at Diego Rivera Theatre on Ocean campus. The Theatre Arts and Music Departments’ ambitious production features an energetic performing cast of 33, a 12-piece
orchestra and a strong production staff which includes six insanely inspired costume crew members. From the time it first appeared as an album in 1970, and then again a year later as a Broadway musical, “Jesus Christ Superstar’s” version of the final days of the “Son of God” has offered audiences a radical reintroduction to how such an uncommon man might have led his very human life in the midst of great social oppression. This production dazzles the senses as the audience witnesses
a society dominated by a fascistic Rome ruled by decadent and decayed emperors and their devilish black-cloaked high priest supporters, a weary Jesus comforted by a prostitute named Mary Magdalene and a healer so overwhelmed by the appeals of lepers in straitjackets that he challenges them to “heal [themselves].” Set Designer Patrick Toebe’s land of Galilee has a heavy industrial feel, evoking a Benito Mussolini-led Rome as much as its millennia-earlier imperial rule.
A nearly stage-wide, fourstep, steel colored platform is at the center of the stage. Square “go go” dance platforms are set on either side of the stage in line with the stairs. The platforms lead to a high walkway that lines the rear of the stage. A diaphanous crepe curtain covers the far rear of the stage, partially concealing a 12-piece orchestra. Smoke wisps across the stage Theater: page 8
Business
Entrepreneurs show off their goods
Café hosts DIY market on campus By Jackson Ly
The Guardsman/ jly@theGuardsman.com/ @lyjacks
Chasing Lions Café has gained a reputation as a great a place to grab food on Ocean campus since it opened in Spring 2012, but it has also become a place where students can get real-life business experience. The café’s owner, Keba A. Konte, chose the lion symbol because it represents something larger than himself. “To me, it means chasing after success, taking a risk and pursuing your dreams,” Konte said. Wanting to extend this metaphor into something real, he hosted a Student Made Market
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at the café on March 20 to give City College students a chance to exhibit their own products. “They need an avenue to make money all year long,” Konte said. Christine Maalouf, a secondyear business student, has sold Grandma’s Homemade, her family’s homemade jams, at farmer’s markets before, but she says her customers there are usually 40-50 years old. “When I heard about the market, I’m like ‘oh my god, I need to do this,’” Maalouf said. Using the Student Made Market as an opportunity to market to a younger generation, Maalouf invites students who enter the café to try out her jams before buying them. She handed out free samples of her jams, which include Black Mission Figs, Calimyrna Figs with Walnuts, Quince Jam, Pumpkin
News: DJ spins beats on solar powered turntable for Earth Day
Preserves and Chia-Apricot. All of Maalouf ’s ingredients come from a 50-mile radius: strawberries from Watsonville, apricots from Modesto, figs from Fresno, quinine from Nevada City and pumpkins from Half Moon Bay. “I love meeting the people and making connections. That’s why I do farmers markets,” Maalouf said. Second-year criminal justice student Shanalee Gallagher also had a table at the market, selling alternative medicinal products and supplements for people seeking holistic solutions. Enrolled in 18 units each semester, Gallagher used to juggle school and working 35 to 40 hours each week. “My GPA went from a 3.90 to a 3.40,” Gallagher said. Since she started her small
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Christine Maalouf sells homemade jams at the Student Made Market, hosted by Chasing Lions Café on Ocean campus. Photo Courtesy of Susan Berston.
Q&a: SF Chronicle reporter Nanette Asimov talks about accreditation
9
opinion: Social media has two sides
2 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | APRIL 24-May 7, 2013
news
College Briefs Transgender woman explains experience
City College students were exposed to firsthand knowledge of the life of a transgender person when student Tracey Gonzalez spoke to the LGBT 9 class on Ocean campus on April 12. Gonzalez described her experiences as a male to female transgender Latina and gave detailed explanation on what her life entails. She focused on issues faced by transgender people living in a society that is unable or unwilling to view transgender people for who they are. The presentation touched on the tribulations faced by Gonzalez, the reactions of her family when she came out, the details of
sex reassignment surgery and her decision to move to San Francisco. The presentation was open to those that wanted to learn more about the transgender community and the struggles they go through. Frisco Day The San Francisco Unified School District held the annual Frisco Day at City College’s Ocean campus April 21. About 1,000 high school seniors attended. Students were able to choose from various workshops to attend and had the opportunity to speak with City College counselors. City College faculty and students volunteered for the event.
City Hall supports Proposition A
Three
supervisors
have
World Briefs Boston
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was charged April 22 in connection with the Boston marathon bombings that left 3 people dead and over 180 injured. Tsarnaev, 19, could face the death penalty if convicted.
Surveillance cameras allegedly captured the suspect slipping the backpack that reportedly contained the explosive device off his back and placing it where the second bomb exploded. The other suspect Dzhokhar’s older brother Tamerlan, 26, was
proposed a nonbinding resolution for City College to use Proposition A funds to fund more classes rather than building up its financial reserves. Proposition A is a parcel tax approved by voters last November that will produce $16 million in revenue every year for the next eight years. City College officials approved a plan in February to invest in technology and maintenance at City College as well as replenish the school’s reserves. After being placed on “show cause� in July by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, City has been trying to comply with the commission’s recommendations, including rebuilding the reserves.
FRISCO Day
The San Francisco Unified School District held the annual FRISCO Day at City College’s Ocean campus April 21.
killed in a police altercation April 18. The younger brother was captured April 19 in Watertown, Mass. where he was found hiding in a boat. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition. (USA Today)
Texas
An explosion at West Fertilizer Co. in West, Texas killed at least 14 people and left more than 200 people injured.
Around 1,000 high school seniors attended “FRISCO Day� at Ocean campus. Illustration courtesy of Sirron Norris.
About 1,000 high school seniors attended. Students were able to choose from various workshops to attend and had the opportunity to speak with City College counselors.
City College faculty and students volunteered for the event. “FRISCO� stands for Friday Successful College Options.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation but officials say there is no sign of criminal activity. The blast destroyed dozens of homes and buildings nearby. A memorial service will be held April 25 for those who died in the explosion.(USA Today)
least 189 people and injuring over 11,000. The government mobilized thousands of soldiers and sent in relief teams to search for survivors. A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck April 9 close to a nuclear power station in Iran. The quake killed 30 people and left 800 injured, but the power plant remained unharmed. (Huffington Post, CBS News)
Earthquakes
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck around 8 a.m. on April 20 in Sichuan, China, killing at Chairs: from front page
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and want to replace chairs with “overworked, outsider and out of touch deans.� They are worried that eliminating chairs will make smaller programs vulnerable to cuts— including African American Studies, Asian American Studies, Disabled Students Programs and Services and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Studies. “These deans would soon call for additional staff to do the work formerly done by the chairs, doing away with any supposed cost savings,� according to the statement. “The deans’ lack of discipline expertise, community connections and supervisorial time would doom the diversity departments to quick irrelevance.� Despite having relatively small enrollment numbers when compared to larger programs
such as English and math, these departments have a huge impact on students. “As a queer woman of color, I heard repeatedly that I wasn’t normal or OK and that I had to prove I wasn’t a lazy immigrant,� Maria Morales, a City College student, said at the briefing. “Diversity courses helped me understand that all those lies are called prejudice and that I could achieve my goals.� The Board of Trustees will discuss the contract negotiations during their closed session meeting on April 25. The administration declined to comment for this story. A rally organized by the Save CCSF coalition will be held on April 25 at Ocean campus at 5 p.m. before the Board’s 6 p.m. open-session meeting. For more information check saveccsf.org.
market: from front page
supporting the students and their business,â€? Gallagher said. “They’re giving us an opportunity to sell things on school ground.â€? Business instructor Susan Berston said that the market is profoundly important because it builds community. “Just everything about that cafĂŠ is a model of how small businesses can promote themselves by engaging the community,â€? Berston said. “It’s not just a cafĂŠ where you grab a cup of coffee. It’s a community.â€? Berston encouraged her
students in her Small Business 135 class to attend the market. “I brought the whole class so they can get involved as future small business owners,â€? Berton said. “They can get ideas and participate in the next Student Made Market.â€? Chasing Lions CafĂŠ will host another Student Made Market on May 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, visit Chasing Lions CafĂŠ on Facebook or visit Multi-Use Building Room 198 to sign up for a table.
The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | April 24-May 7, 2013 | 3
news
Earth Day
Solar power fuels celebration
Editor-in-Chief Sara Bloomberg Managing Editor Gina Scialabba News Editor Madeline Collins Photo Editors Leslie Calderon Santiago Mejia Sports Editor Ivan Huang Advertising Manager Cecilia Ren Layout/Design Consultant David Hackett Copy Chief Patrick Tamayo Copy Editors Alex Reyes Dalton Amador Illustrator Anthony Mata Staff Writers Jandean Deocampo Dalton Amador Alex Reyes Cecilia Ren Lavinia Pisani Madeline Collins Alex Lamp Mckenna Toston Cassandra Hendry Dan Harrington Jackson Ly Julio Moran Zack Tobita Minter McHugh Staff Photographers Clarivel Fong Juan Pardo Francesca Alati Shelly Scott 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.com/theguardsman Youtube: youtube.com/theguardsmanonline
General contact: news@theguardsman.com California Newspaper Publisher’s Association Journalism Association of Community Colleges
Participants enjoy fresh beats and juice
By Jackson Ly
The Guardsman/ jly@theGuardsman.com/ @lyjacks
A sunny morning at City College provided all the energy needed to power two turntables and an amplifier via solar energy, kick-starting the April 18 Earth Day event as the DJ blasted electronic beats outside the Multi-Use Building at Ocean campus. Co-President of the CCSF Green Corps Dominik Zelichowski, also known as DJ Dom, controlled the turntables powered by four solar panels provided by Hitesh Soneji, a faculty member in the engineering and technology department. “We need to educate the community. We want solar panels everywhere. We want sustainable offices,” Zelichowski said. “It’s sexy to be green.” The organization hosted organic fruit vendors and provided organic juices, food trucks, live musicians, jewelry vendors and environmental activist groups. Katherine Howard, a City College alumna and member of the Steering Committee at SF Ocean Edge, said Earth Day at City College is a good way to meet students who are bright and committed to the environment. “It’s really important for students to get involved because they are the future,” Howard said.
Students visit the Earth Day celebration held at Ocean campus on April 18, 2013. Photo by Shelly Scott/The Guardsman
Anastasia Fiandaca, City College’s counseling-sustainability liaison, said that the first step is to stay educated about the environment and to be aware of individual choices. These include driving less, biking more, and turning off the lights. “It’s a wonderful way to be environmentally conscious because you’re taking cars off the road,” City Car Share staffer Amelia Avila said. “For every one car you share, we’re taking away seven cars.” A prototype of a solar oven was on display, using the greenhouse effect to generate power, which is similar to how the inside of a car heats up during a hot day. The purpose of the oven is to reduce local environmental pollution and increase public safety.
City Legislation
Board of Supervisors representative John Avalos spoke about his commitment to the environment by calling on students to contact the Board of Supervisors to support his proposed divestment resolution next week. “I am also putting forward a resolution that will be voted on next week at the full board to divest part of our $15.6 billion in retirement funds from fossil fuel companies, which will include Shell,” Avalos said. Avalos was one of eight San Francisco Board of Supervisors who voted last year in favor of CleanPowerSF, a program that will compete with PG&E by purchasing clean power from Shell Energy, according to the San Francisco Bay Guardian.
Calling all hungry writers, photographers, designers and social media wizards!
Obituary
Barbara Bell, 1936-2013
Taught passionately for three decades
By Jackson Ly
The Guardsman jly@theGuardsman.com @lyjacks
Instructor Barbara Bell remained devoted to City College and her students even after her retirement in 1997. She lectured with authority, inspired female students and participated in campus politics. Barbara died at her Berkeley home on Jan. 19. She taught one of the first women’s humanities courses, as well as English and interdisciplinary classes full-time for 30 years. Barbara applied her professional training as an actress in London to deliver lively lectures to her students, English teacher William McGuire, who worked with Barbara for 22 years, said. Humanities teacher Dennis Hendrickson worked with Barba-
ra in the 1970s. “She was on a mission to make sure that the young women in her class were listened to and paid attention to,” Hendrickson said. Barbara brought art, recordings, videos and posters to her students, English teacher Loren Bell said. The two are not related. The teachers worked together on a project in 1995 commemorating the bicentennial of poet John Keats’ birth. Barbara was featured as a reader. Barbara spent three practice reading sessions that lasted about two hours each to prepare John Keats’ “Ode to a Nightingale” for the students. “Barbara recited from memory Keats’ entire poem “To Autumn,” event organizer Abdul Jabbar said. Barbara was serious about teaching and campus politics. “She fearlessly confronted corrupt administrations face-toface,” McGuire said. Barbara joined students in occupy movements, campaigning against budget cuts and equality by camping overnight with
Astro Turf
In response to a proposed seven acre artificial turf soccer complex with 150,000 watts of sports lighting next to Ocean Beach, the Sierra Club and SF Ocean Edge teamed up to stop its construction. The organizations want to preserve seven acres of natural grass in The Beach Chalet fields in Golden Gate Park. Instead of replacing the field with turf, they proposed the idea of renovating it by adding grass turf to accommodate moles. “The Coastal Commission will be taking up our cause in the next two weeks,” Chapter Director of the San Francisco Bay Sierra Club Michelle Myers said.
Barbara Bell. Photo courtesy of CCSF faculty.
students near the City College flagpoles. Barbara dreamed of creating her own salon, where artistic talents in the Bay Area would meet and discuss politics, theories of art, sculpting, architecture, philosophy and novels, Hendrickson said. Barbara left behind her husband, Charles Kittel, two brothers, a niece and a nephew, according to a San Francisco Chronicle obituary. A memorial will be held on Friday, May 10 from 12 - 1 p.m. at the Rosenberg Library.
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Email news@ theguardsman.com for more info
4 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | APRIL 24-May 7, 2013
news Department News
Journalism students win awards at state convention By Julio Moran
The Guardsman / jmoran@theguardsman.com / @guardsjulio
City College’s Journalism department won 18 awards in both individual and team competitions at the Journalism Association of Community Colleges State Convention held in Sacramento from April 11-13. The Guardsman and Etc. Magazine each earned the convention’s General Excellence Award. “That says a lot because there are 60 members of the JACC in the state,� said Juan Gonzales, journalism department chair at City College. “When you’re in the top five or 10, that’s pretty impressive.� Nearly 500 students from 41 community colleges from Northern and Southern California attended the competition. “This year’s competition wasn’t dominated by just one or two or even three schools. It was pretty spread out,� Gonzales said. “There was a lot of talent this year at JACC.� The state convention was an opportunity for students to acquire knowledge and advice from professionals in different journalism fields. Speakers included working journalists for mainstream publications such
City College journalism students attend a state journalism conference in Sacramento on April 13, 2013. Photo by Jessica Lifland/City College Faculty
as The Associated Press and The New York Times. For most City College journalism students, it was their first competition. “Winning Honorable Mention, that’s very good,� said Guardsman and Etc. illustrator Anthony Mata. “Especially since it was my first time.� The opening night keynote speaker was reporter Erica Perez, who focuses on higher education issues for California Watch, an investigative news organization. She spoke about milestones in her career and told several stories about her experiences in journalism .
She took questions from the audience and gave advice on journalism practices and techniques. The majority of competitions occurred on the second day of the convention. Competition categories included writing, editing, photography, illustration and multimedia presentations. “Overall the journalism department is a shining light in the school,� said Ms. Bob Davis, City College dean of the School of Liberal Arts. “They’ve done excellent work. We’re the model for many schools around the state.�
Mental Health
Suicide rates outnumber homicides By Dan Harrington
suicides a year.� He explained that the homicide rate is around half that, even though it might seem otherImagine the impact to the City wise. College community if half the “Homicide is dramatic, while current student body disappeared. suicide is silent. It is a major health Certainly their peers would try to concern,� he said. keep them from leaving. Caucasian and Native AmeriIn reality, nearly that many can males show a higher propenAmericans die every year by sity for suicides than other groups, taking their own lives. especially as they age, according Mark Stalnaker, suicide to the statistics presented. Veterprevention coordinator of the San ans also make up a large percentFrancisco Veterans Affairs Medi- age of suicides. cal Center, spoke to veterans and “Roughly one in five Ameriguests at the Veterans Lounge in cans who commit suicide are Cloud Hall at City College’s Ocean veterans,� Stalnaker said. “22 campus on April 18. He was invit- veterans die a day of suicide.� ed by the City College Veterans Research shows that men have Resource Center. a much higher rate of completed “Suicide is the 10th lead- suicides, while women make     Guardsman ing cause of death in the whole more attempts. That is because U.S. population,� Stalnaker said. men are more likely to use more “There are 37,000 to 38,000 The Guardsman / dharrington@theguardsman.com / @sfbreakingnews
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTING FEDERAL CRIMES (for 29 years)?
by Leland Yoshitsu -     1.  You  are  purchasing  an  eBook  (or  paperback)  that  contains  a  collection  of  historic  and  legal  documents  which  PROVES  THE  FACT  that  the  US  Federal  Government  and  a  major  American  Corporation,  NBC,  have  COMMITTED  A  NUMBER  OF  CRIMES  AGAINST  A  US  CITIZEN,  Leland  Yoshitsu,  to  secretly  and  intentionally  DEFRAUD  him  from  receiving  and  obtaining  TRUTH  AND  JUSTICE.
NBC
STOLEN MAIL, CONSPIRACY, MAIL FRAUD
4.  Has  President  Obama,  as  the  Head  of  Law  Enforcement  in  the  US  Federal  Government,“FAITHFULLY  EXECUTED�  THE  LAWS  for  TRUTH,  JUSTICE,  and  “EQUAL  PROTECTION�? 5.  Can  President  Obama  “PRESERVE,  PROTECT,  AND  DEFEND�  the  US  Constitution  (Supreme  Law  of  the  Land)  against  Corporate  America  (NBC)? see:  www.lelandyoshitsu.com  &  facebook.com/leland.yoshitsu
lethal means, such as firearms, than other ways such as drug overdoses. Stalnaker encouraged the audience to ask caring but direct questions of someone who might be contemplating suicide and encourage them seek support. “Decades of research shows that asking about suicidality doesn’t cause someone to commit suicide any more than asking about chest pain causes heart attacks,� Stalnaker said. City College student and Army veteran Arthur Gotera thought the discussion could be helpful to students. “Some people might need resources for stress from school, how to approach it and reduce it,� Gotera said. “The consultation process and resources on and off campus can bring out some awareness for stress conditions.� Aundray Rogers, president of Veterans Resource Center and the CCSF Veterans Alliance, suggested people also take a look at an online presentation at www. thenextchallenge.net for more information about suicide prevention in the veteran community. For immediate help, San Francisco Suicide Prevention offers crisis assistance in several languages at (415) 781-0500.
Crime
Assaults at Wellness Center By Alex Lamp
“This is a very safe campus and 99 percent of our students go in and out without issues,� Chief of Police Andre Barnes said. “At this point the two robberies appear to be similar. The weapons were different, so there is a possibility that they are connected but nothing is confirmed.� Campus police and administration have met and discussed the implementation of additional safety measures around the Wellness Center. Patrols have also been beefed up in an attempt to be more visible and “the administration is also trying to secure the locker rooms and close them down at certain times of less than high usage during the day,� Barnes said. A crime alert bulletin has been posted around the Wellness Center by City College campus police. As of now, the posted bulletin is the only security enhancement that has been put into effect at City College. Students can find three to four of these bulletins posted on both main entrances to the Wellness Center. “We’ve put up new signs to try to limit behavior,� Goldstein said. “We need to reign things back in so that we can extend freedom once more.� He did not elaborate on what he meant. Board of Trustees student representative William Walker said that the measures taken thus far have not been effective. “You can’t put a bulletin on poles and expect the campus to be safer,� Williams said. The three incidents are still under investigation. Information regarding the names of the suspects and victims was not readily available from the San Francisco Police Department. The City College campus police station is located in Cloud Hall in room 119. The office’s telephone can be reached from 5:30 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. at (415) 239-3200. For further inquiries, the City College campus police can be reached via e-mail at police@ ccsf.edu. For safety tips log on to www.ccsf.edu/police.
The Guardsman / alamp@theguardsman.com / @guardsmanLamp
Violent crimes against City College students at the Wellness Center and the surrounding neighborhood that occurred in March and April were a brief topic of discussion at the College Participatory Governance Council under-enrollment meetings on April 17 and 18. There were three separate violent incidents committed against six City College students. “We had a female student who was assaulted in the women’s locker room, followed by three student athletes who were held up at gunpoint a block away from the Wellness Center, and then we had a student held up in a bathroom in the Wellness Center,� said Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance Peter Goldstein. On March 9 at noon, a woman was assaulted in a shower stall of the women’s locker room in the Wellness Center. According to a campus crime bulletin, the suspect was hiding in a stall next to the victim when he entered the victim’s stall and grabbed her. The victim fought off her attacker while he tried to cover her mouth. The suspect absconded the area after the struggle. On April 4 at approximately 2 p.m., three male student athletes were approached on Howth Street near City College by two suspects who asked if they had drugs for sale. They proceeded to rob the students at gunpoint and made them look away before making their escape. Two days later, on April 6 at approximately 11 a.m., two male students were held up at gunpoint by two suspects in the men’s locker room at the Wellness Center. The students were asked if they had marijuana for sale, and then told to give up their phones and money. The students were then ordered to turn away and wait five minutes while the suspects got away.
Officer involved shooting By Christine Nishite
Contributor/ news@theguardsman.com / @sfbreakingnews
Members of the San Francisco Police Department lead a town hall meeting April 19 in Potrero Hill regarding an officerinvolved shooting that happened two days before. The incident occurred April 17 at around 9:40 p.m. on the 900 block of De Haro Street. Emergency dispatchers received a call from a man who said he had just stabbed his brother-in-law with a machete. The suspect was identified as Dale Wilkerson, 60.
Wilkerson was shot and killed after he charged at responding officers with a claw hammer. THe suspect was ordered to drop his weapon but refused and continued toward the officers. One officer shot Wilkerson twice in the upper body. Both men were transported to San Francisco General Hospital. The victim suffered significant cuts to the head, upper body and arms. However, he is expected to make a full recovery. Wilkerson was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | APRIL 24-May 7, 2013 | 5
news
Exclusive Q&A:
Nanette Asimov
Higher education reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle
O
n March 25, we sat down with Nanette Asimov to talk about the accreditation crisis and her coverage of City College for the Chronicle. This is part one—part two will run in the next issue, along with an analysis of stories in the Chronicle that have been published about City College since July 2012.
By Gina Scialabba
and down the state. I revealed that and it was removed. That was in the mid-2000s.
The Guardsman: Are you the niece of the famed science fiction writer Isaac Asimov? Nanette Asimov: (Laughter) He was my dad’s brother, yes. I’m very glad more than 20 years after his passing people still want to know that. That makes me happy.
TG: How do you go about choosing the stories you cover? NA: There’s a lot of ways. Sometimes, like today, I am going to go back to my office and the Public Policy Institute is issuing a report. It looked like a pretty good report. So they came to me, and I am going to write about that for tomorrow’s paper. Other times I get a tip.
The Guardsman / gscialabba@theguardsman.com / @Journalist_gina
TG: How long have you been the San Francisco Chronicle’s higher education reporter? NA: I’ve covered higher education since 2009. Prior to that I covered K-12 education all around California for 20 years. TG: Why did you choose education reporting? NA: I didn’t. It chose me. I had been covering features for the Chronicle in the old “People” section, and I decided that I was more interested in the hard news. So I asked to be a part of that news team, and when I joined I came armed with my 10 story ideas I was going to do that day. I sat down at my desk and they put a stack of test scores on my desk and said, “You. Do something with that.” Pretty much I’ve been doing education ever since. TG: Where did you go to school? NA: I have a master’s in journalism from Columbia University. I went to Queens College for my undergrad in sociology. TG: What’s been either your most challenging or one of your favorite stories? NA: I really love the potential of journalism to look at what may not be going right and shine a light on that, and, if possible, laws change and people change... because I am exposing something. I’ve been lucky enough where I’ve had that happen a few times. I’m thinking of charter school laws that were changed as a result of reporting in the Chronicle. We discovered that public money was going to religious education against the law. That was exciting. I wrote a story about how Scientology had an anti-drug program called “Narconon” and that it was in public schools up
TG: What is your personal relationship to City College? Have you taken a class here? NA: I have taken a class here, actually. I took a great biology class in the ‘90s because I felt that I didn’t have a great biology background. I took a night class after work and I learned a lot. TG: As the education reporter, what, in your opinion, are the primary issues that have led to where City College is today? NA: I’m not going to give you my opinion on that. I am going to tell you what I read in the ACCJC report and the FCMAT report and what I’ve learned from interviews. In general my understanding is that City College was very generous and interested in maintaining their employees. They have good contracts. Not the best contracts employees would be the first to say, but perhaps better than other contracts. For example, part-timers are able to get full-time benefits. That is a pride here. There was not advanced budgeting. In general, the college did not keep pace with the realities of California budgets. Another thing, in 2006, the accrediting commission came and verified the accreditation of the college. Then, in 2009 ... I think what they did was give a long list of things they had to repair. That was during the time of [former City College of San Francisco Chancellor] Phil Day and he had a lot of other things on his mind. Then, in 2009 during the interim report, City College verified that it had made the repairs
or done a number of them. The accrediting commission accepted that. It did not do a verification visit in the interim because that is not what they do. It was not until 2012, when they returned and made a visit, that they found that many of the things hadn’t been achieved. TG: Do you think City College had enough of a warning before it got the “show cause” sanction? NA: I have interviewed the ACCJC, and they say that six years is enough time. I don’t know what was going on with the 2009 report, but apparently that is an inadequate procedure if they were not able to determine that things were going to their satisfaction in 2009. I can also tell you that the U.S. Department of Education, which oversees the accrediting commission, put the screws on them and said, “Look, you are being too lenient. You have to hold your member colleges to the six-year limit and not give them additional time.” So maybe that was part of it as well.
“City College is a complete gift to the whole region, not only San Francisco .” --Nanette Asimov
TG: What are the biggest changes you have seen taking place at the college as a result of the crisis? NA: There’s a lot being done. I think the college is very proud of the student learning outcomes piece of it and Kathryn Reese is the professor who has taken on this job. She has recognized as the college recognized that they need to measure how effective their teaching is. They have overhauled what they teach, the way they assess their teaching. That’s a huge thing, and it answers a big piece of the accrediting requirements. They have also started looking ahead at future budgeting. They are doing something called “Enrollment Management.”
San Francisco Chronicle Higher Education Reporter Nanette Asimov. Photo by Sara Bloomberg/The Guardsman.
It is an attempt to match what is going on at the college with what is happening in the state budget and how much money they have which is huge for them. They had never really done that before. With students, I was told that a big problem is redundancy. Students were not getting the courses they needed because the college was offering too much of one type and not enough of what they needed. Nobody in the college was paying attention to what the students really needed but more toward what they felt like teaching. Evidently, that is changing. TG: It sounds like, from what you are saying, a lot of problems come from fiscal mismanagement on one end, and just a general mismanagement from the Board or administration. NA: The word “mismanagement” can mean a lot of things. Nobody has found any cheating or nefarious activity or pocketing of funds. Last time that happened it was several years ago and that’s been legally taken care of. That isn’t going on now to my knowledge. When we look at the fiscal side of things, it’s been an unwillingness to do proper accounting. Maybe proper is the wrong word. To just do it in a way that matched the funding. You might call that “mismanagement.” “Poor management” might be a better way of thinking about it. TG: How much do you see budget cuts from the State as playing a role in the problems the college is facing? NA: It’s a huge role because it is the driver of the problem. There are 112 colleges in the community college system in California. Every single one of them had to look at the declining state funding, called the “plunging funding,” and say, “What are we going to do about this?” That’s a starting point. If everything was flush, I was told, the problems would still be there, but they would be more hidden because there would be more of what everyone needed and wanted.
Maybe that’s what’s been going on. There was more money. Now there’s less. So problems get unearthed. TG: What do you perceive are City College’s strengths? NA: City College is a complete gift to the whole region, not only San Francisco. It’s a treasure because you go here and learn stuff and change your life. So many people work and live in the region have learned and gotten their degrees and certificates here. TG: What challenges will City College face in the coming years? NA: I am going to assume it will survive. Let’s just start there. TG: That’s a good starting point. Will the college survive? NA: We will find out in June/ July. Suppose it does as we think it might. Then, whatever it did this year to achieve that, it will have to keep that up. TG: Will the college have to downsize its course offerings and overall mission to achieve accreditation? NA: Yes and no. I have been interested in that question myself. Just listening to people made me write in the paper that the college is going to have to shrink. It is and it isn’t. It’s already shrunk in the sense that the noncredit, free classes are fewer. There used to be far more non-credit students than credit students. That has flipped to the dismay of many people, and the reason is because that is changing all across the state. That’s the reality of finances. Hopefully non-credit classes and older adults and people who want to take enrichment classes, those will be somewhere else. Or maybe they will offer them here, but they will have to pay. I think that the number of courses has shrunk because enrollment has recently shrunk, but the college wants to improve that. I’m told they plan to add more classes if the new budget for 2013/2014 goes in.
youtube.com/bloomreports
6 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | APRIL 24-May 7, 2013
culture
Movie Review: “Twenty Feet From Stardom ”
Backup singers get recognized By Gina Scialabba
The Guardsman / gscialabba@theguardsman.com / @Journalist_gina
Carole King. Lynyrd Skynyrd. Mick Jagger. Frank Sinatra. Michael Jackson. Elvis—all household names. All musical geniuses that possessed sheer, raw talent. No wonder they were “discovered,” right? The Blossoms. Darlene Love. Merry Clayton. Lisa Fischer. Tata Vega. Also musical geniuses. Who, you ask? Exactly the point of this brilliant new documentary by director Morgan Neville. The names and faces of the artists featured in “Twenty Feet From Stardom” may not be widely recognized, but it’s safe to say their voices will be familiar to most pop music fans. The film explores the obscure history of backup singers, including their highs and lows in a cutthroat music industry. The point of the film is simple. Just because you are immensely talented (sometimes more than the lead singer), doesn’t mean you will be a “star.” Chances are, you are familiar with the adroit musical talent
of these artists, most of them women. Take a listen to Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life” and you will hear Darlene Love. Carole King owes thanks to backup singer Merry Clayton for her blockbuster album, “Tapestry.” Oh, you know that little tune you sometimes hum, “Sweet Home Alabama.” Yeah, Clayton’s on that too. The movie beautifully weaves the heartbreak that accompanies undiscovered talent amidst a backdrop of archival footage. Not only is it a music lover’s paradise (I found myself tapping along to the soundtrack several times), it highlights a pervasive issue of happiness and letdown. Of following your dreams, even if you never get noticed or recognized. The vocalists, all with powerhouse voices, spent their careers in the background, blending their voices to match the lead singer, and, in essence, losing their individual identities. Many struggled throughout their lives to do what they loved— sing. While artists such as Mick Jagger and Ray Charles enjoyed unbelievable fame and fortune,
A movie still from “Twenty Feet from Stardom.”
these women didn’t. They just wanted to sing. Some took odd jobs such as housekeeper or teaching Spanish. Others stopped singing altogether. Perhaps the most haunting scene involved Michael Jackson’s backup singer, Judith Hill. Her vocals are angelic. We see footage of Hill singing alongside The King of Pop on stage. Both voices are melodic and soulful. The movie then cuts away to a blurred out image of a person at a piano. Close your eyes and you would swear it was Michael singing. Only, it was Hill. It’s like watching an undiscovered talent on American Idol.
I had the feeling I was in on “a big secret.” This girl is going far, I thought. Yet, she still hasn’t. Barely scraping by to make ends meet. When I left the theater, I began paying attention.
I listened to music differently. Suddenly, I heard backup vocals everywhere. Go see this movie. You will too.
If you go... Running Time: 90 minutes Genre: Documentary
Release Date: January 17, 2013 Rating: PG-13
Directed by: Morgan Neville
Movie Review: “To the Wonder ”
Plot falls flat in new Malick flick By Dalton Amador
The Guardsman / Damador@theguardsman.com / @sfbreakingnews
It’s impossible to talk about “To the Wonder” without bringing up Terrence Malick’s previous film, “The Tree of Life.” The ever-reclusive Malick has with each film he’s both written and directed, six in total over the last 40 years, further refined his unique style of emphasizing soft-spoken and introspective overhead narration and stationary shots of an idle outdoors over traditional plot and characterization. This vision was taken to the extreme with “The Tree of Life,” a story ostensibly about a young boy growing up in 1950s Waco, Texas, that also contained a scene with dinosaurs. The film succeeded in spite of its many plodding segments precisely because it also had scenes of breathtaking beauty. “To the Wonder” is more abstract and avant-garde than its predecessor, but without the dinosaurs. The maximalist vision, which proved evocative, is jettisoned. And all that’s left is the tedium. Neil (Ben Affleck) and Marina (Olga Kurylenko) are lovers in Paris.
Neil invites Marina and her daughter to move back with him to his home in Oklahoma. An old fling from Neil’s past, Jane (Rachel McAdams), reappears. Father Quintana (Javier Bardem), a disillusioned priest in Neil’s town, gives sermons on love and its relation to Christ. Neil and Marina’s relationship endures strife as Marina and her daughter experience difficulty adjusting to the uneventful flatlands of Oklahoma after living in metropolitan Paris. Every character goes unnamed throughout the film, only to be revealed in the credits. Affleck says about twelve lines of dialogue, despite being the film’s most prominent onscreen player. Events are muted and suppressed, revealed without exposition through the obfuscating prism of a bystander. Dialogue from various residents of the Oklahoma town— most often degenerates visited by Father Quintana—is inscrutable, and sometimes downright schizophrenic, because it is delivered without a semblance of context. Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki returns for “To the Wonder,” employing the same techniques he used in “The Tree
Ben Affleck (left) stars in “To the Wonder.” Courtesy of Magnolia pictures.
of Life.” Sweeping shots and close-ups of various body parts as characters meander and frolic avoid being awkward thanks to Lubezki’s grace with the camera. Characters become backdrops for the environments themselves. Even Oklahoma looks romantic and idyllic. But despite the superlative camerawork and photography, the fragments tenuously stitched together provide little interest. Reports say that the work is semi-autobiographical, the retelling of Malick’s failed marriage to a French woman. The audience is given only the most minimal of details, though,
and thereby the most minimal reason to care. But the film never devolves into anything vapid or insubstantial, and retains a striking human element. It’s just really boring.
“To the Wonder” is a film more suitably appreciated than enjoyed. Only the most patient filmgoers, or die-hard Malick fans, will find reward.
If you go... Running Time: 113 Minutes
Rating: R
Genre: Drama/Romance
Directed by: Terrence Malick
Release Date: April 12, 2013
Stars: Ben Affleck Olga Kurylenko Rachel McAdams Javier Bardem
Journalism Department www.ccsf.edu/journal
Fall 2013
City College’s award-winning students
photo by James Fanucchi/the guardsman
Students (L-R) Carolina Orozco and Sara Bloomberg from the Journalism 24 Newspaper Laboratory class work on stories and edit photos in The Guardsman student newspaper office on the Ocean campus.
Professionals share experience with eager journalism majors
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he journalism department at City College dates back to 1935. For more than 75 years, hundreds of our students have pursued successful careers in the news media. Many of them got their start on our award-winning campus publications. Our students consistently do well in statewide journalism competitions, which speaks to the quality of the education that they receive here. The campus newspaper and magazine have won numerous awards for writing, editing, photography and publication design. They have been recognized by the Journalism Association of Community Colleges as among the top student publications in the state. The faculty itself is comprised of professional editors, writers, photographers and designers. They teach from first-hand experience. News Writing and Reporting, Feature Writing, Photojournalism, and Contemporary News Media will be offered this spring, as well as editing and production courses on the campus newspaper and magazine. In addition, an introductory course will be taught in Fall 2013 in public relations.
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Guardsman staffs (L-R) Lucas Almeida, James Fanucchi, and Santiago Majia covered the varsity soccer team’s state championship game in Walnut, Calif.
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Students receive state’s top recognition for journalism C
ity College journalism students won 32 awards at the Journalism Association of Comuntiy Colleges regional conference in Sacramento in October. At a state conference earlier this year, students on the campus newspaper and magazine won a combined 20 awards. The Guardsman, Etc. Magazine and The Guardsman Online all captured general excellence awards. The Guardsman received recognition for news and feature writing, news photos, photo illustrations, editorial cartoons, information graphics and layout. The Guardsman Online won an award in the audio slide show categlory. “Students worked very hard to strengthen their skills and it showed,” said Juan Gonzales, chair of the department and adviser to the student newspaper. Etc. Magazine also won top writing awards in the profile, feature, opinion story and photo essay catagories, as well as recognition for its layout, cover and illustrations. “Our students work extremely hard to produce a consistently excellent publication,” Etc. Magazine adviser Tom Graham said. “The stories they produce are good enough to run in any magazine.” TheGuardsman.com/Journalism-Dreams. “I feel really proud of the work that my crew put in to make that happen,” said Guardsman Multimedia Editor Joe Fitzgerald said. “My crew made the decision that they weren’t going to be journalism students. They were going to be journalists.”
Journalism Department Chair and Guardsman Adviser Juan Gonzales is surrounded by students who won awards at a recent Northern California journalism conference at Sacramento State University.
To join The Guardsman, email Juan Gonzales at: accionjg@aol.com The Guardsman is available online at: www.theguardsman.com To join Etc. Magazine, email Tom Graham at: tg_journalist@comcast.net Etc. Magazine is available online at: www.etc-magazine.com
Journalism Association of Community Colleges awards The Guardsman
JACC Pacesetter Award
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By Jandean Deocampo
The conference room looked more like a war room scene from a movie than the site of a City College Board of Trustees meeting. Cameramen checked their machines. Soundboard technicians busied themselves over dials and switches. They were all waiting. Waiting for the hush, the brief silence that would signal Board President John Rizzo to announce the beginning of the Jan. 24th meeting. A crowd of 20 consisting of spectators, faculty, students and journalists gathered behind the elevated red seats and square tables reserved for the Board and their guest, California Community Colleges Chancellor Brice Harris. Harris attended the meeting for one reason: engaging with local leadership in a conversation on the issue of accreditation. “Please stand,” said Rizzo, CHANCELLOR: PAGE 2
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State Chancellor optimistic about the future but warns City College is not ‘too big to fail’
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DR. BRICE W. HARRIS, CHANCELLOR OF THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES SHOWED HIS SUPPORT AND WILLINGNESS TO SAVE CITY COLLEGE BY ATTENDING THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY JAN. 24, 2013. “THIS FAVORABLE OUTCOME WILL ONLY COME THROUGH URGENT AND FOCUS ACTION ON YOUR PART” HARRIS TOLD THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. PHOTO BY JUAN PARDO/THE GUARDSMAN.
Students in dark about accreditation Forums held in Ram plaza to educate campus community By JennVerzosaaand JacksonLLy THE GUARDSMAN / NEWS@THEGUARDSMAN.COM / @SFBREAKINGNEWS
As the deadline for City College’s Show Cause and Closure Report looms, Student Trustee William Walker organized two town hall-style forums Jan. 24 at Ocean Campus’s Ram Plaza to educate a student populace largely in the dark about the facts surrounding the school’s precarious accreditation status. Around 30 students gathered for the first forum at noon, with the second one drawing a much smaller crowd—less than a dozen— including Walker, Associated Students President Shanell Williams and Vice-President Melanie Ortanez. The crowd’s size appeared to have no effect on Walker’s appar-
“I don’t know what to believe. The SF Chronicle is telling us one thing, and our professors are telling us another.” -student Griffin Robbins ent fervor, who eschewed the traditional question-and-answer format in favor of singling out participants to see what they knew about City College’s accreditation. “I don’t know what to believe,” second semester student Griffin Robbins said. “The SF Chronicle
Non-resident fees might increase this summer By Cecilia Ren
THE GUARDSMAN / JCREN@THEGUARDSMAN.COM / @RENCECILIA
and Junior Colleges. In its evaluation report, the commission made 14 recommendations that detail areas in which the college needs to make improvements.
Not even a month into the new semester, City College has already proposed its plans to increase nonresident fees at the beginning of 2013 summer session. An open meeting that addressed a possible out-of-state tuition increase was held on Jan. 29 inside the Associated Student Body building. About thirty students attended the meeting to voice concerns. Staff members from the International Students Department, as well as the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration, Peter Goldstein, spoke at the event. “By law, all California commu-
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SHANNELL WILLIAMS, PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATED STUDENT COUN CIL CCSF ANSWERS SEVERAL QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE “SHOW CAUSE REPORT” AND THE SAVE CCSF COALITION DURING THE STUDENT FORUM THAT TOOK PLACE THURSDAY JAN. 24, 2013 AT THE RAM PLAZA. PHOTO BY JUAN PARDO/THE GUARDSMAN.
is telling us one thing, and our professors are telling us another.” Currently City College is a fully accredited community college, but it was found to be in “substantial noncompliance” with the regulations of the Accreditation Commission for Community
INSIDE: NEWS: How to stay healthy against the flu Pg. 3 NEWS: Construction begins on bus station Pg. 4 NEWS: City Currents will never look the same Pg. 4
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Grammy nominee Pg. 5 VOICES FROM CCSF’S PAST: Alumni speak up Pgs. 6-7 CULTURE: How to be a good date on St. Valentine’s Pg. 8
OPINION: UC Regent whines over “small” salaries Pg. 10 SPORTS: Baseball season swings into action Pg. 11 SPORTS: A slam dunk for basketball Pg. 12
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Frequent questions about the journalism program What is so special about City College’s journalism program? Our program offers a state-of-the-art computer lab, two award-winning publications, instructors who are working journalists, a coaching program for students, internship opportunities and a curriculm that keeps pace with the changing needs of today’s newsroom. Does the journalism program offer transferable courses? Yes. Three courses in our program are transferable to four-year institutions. The three courses are Journalism 19 (Contemporary News Media), Journalism 21 (News Writing and Reporting) and Journalism 37 (Introduction to Photojournalism). Do any of the courses in the department fulfill general education requirements? Yes. Journalism 19 (Contemporary News Media) meets the GE requirement in humanities.
Can I get a degree or certificate in your program? Yes. The department offers an AA degree in journalism that takes about two years to complete and leads to transferring to a four-year college. A Certificate of Award in Journalism is also available for those students wishing to gain journalistic skills for possible employment within an 18-month period. If I complete two years of study in your program and want to transfer to a fouryear college, is that possible? Yes. It is possible to transfer to a four-year institution. Students in our program have enrolled at San Francisco State University, UC Berkeley, San Jose State University, Humboldt State University, and UC Santa Cruz, to name a few. Will I encounter any problems enrolling in one of your courses? No. Enrollment is our deparment is easy.
Class size averages about 20 students per class, which allows for plenty of opportunities to interact with terachers, advisers and fellow students. What kinds of jobs can I qualify for once I complete your program? The program prepares students for entrylevel positions in news writing, copy editing, photography, and newspaper design and pagination. Does the department offer any scholarships? Yes. The department has a $100 scholarship for continuing students. The application deadline is April 1. The department also makes avaialble information on journalism scholarships offered by local and statewide organizations. Are internships available to students in the program? Yes. The department has working relations with numerous neighborhood newspapers
and some alternative publications in the area. Instructors in our department also have connections with the two dailies: the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Francisco Examiner. Are there any other resources offered through the department? Yes. The department sponsors a mentoring program, a student press club, a media career fair, and a “Brown Bag” lecture series. It also has an extensive library of mediarelated books and videos. If I need to talk to a journalism adviser is there someone I should see? Yes. You can contact Department Chair Juan Gonzales, who has been with the program since 1985. Call (415) 239-3446. The Guardsman campus newspaper is available online at: www.theguardsman.com Etc. campus magazine is available online at: www.etc-magazine.com
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Journalism Department
Working journalists share skills, experience with students Juan Gonzales Jessica Lifland W ith a career in journalism dating back to 1970 as a reporter and publisher, City College Journalism Department Chair Juan Gonzales draws upon his varied professional experiences to instruct his students. As the founder and editor of El Tecolote, a biweekly, bilingual newspaper published since 1970 in San Francisco’s Mission District, he continues to cover issues that affect the neighborhood. Gonzales was honored in 2012 by the Mission Language and Vocational School with a Community Media Award for outstanding commitment to journalism, education and social justice. He was also presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism Education by the
Juan Gonzales, instructor, student newspaper adviser
California Journalism Education Coalition in April 2011. Gonzales is project director of Voices for Justice: The Enduring Legacy of the Latino Press in the United States, which documents
Tom Graham
Tom Graham, student magazine adviser, instructor
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t took Tom Graham six years to walk every street in San Francisco. All 2,612 of them. He wrote about it for the San Francisco Chronicle, where he worked for 22 years as a feature copy editor. A former City College student and editor of The Guardsman, Graham has taught journalism here for 25 years. In addition to serving as student adviser for Etc. Magazine, Graham teaches courses in Contemporary News Media (Jour. 19), Magazine Editing and Production (Jour. 29), and Public Relations (Jour. 26). At the Chroncile, he edited, designed and paginated the daily Datebook, Pink, Style and Review sections. He wrote numerous cover stories for the Chronicle, including a popular series called “Walk-
200 years of Latino journalism through film, a companion book and an interactive Web site. In 2010, El Tecolote celebrated its 40th anniversary. For those years of service, Gonzales was honored by the Society of Professional Journalists with its “Distinguished Service Award.” Similarly, he received a “Heroes of Excellence” award from KGO-TV. In 2009, Gonzales was inducted into the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Hall of Fame. He was also honored by KQED-TV as an “Unsung Hero” in the Latino community. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom also recognized Gonzales as a Latino media leader during Hispanic Heritage Month in September.
Gonzales serves as adviser to the campus newspaper, The Guardsman. He is a member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges, the San Francisco Newspaper Association and the New American Media. Gonzales has an associate degree in journalism from San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, a bachelor’s degree in journalism from San Francisco State University and a master’s degree in mass communications from Stanford University. He worked as a reporter for the San Francisco bureaus of the United Press International and the Associated Press. You can reach Juan at: accionjg@aol.com
Jon Rochmis ing Man,” which documented his quest to walk every street in San Francisco. Some of his stories appeared in the Outdoor section, including first person pieces about bungee jumping, backpacking the 212-mile-long John Muir Trail, skydiving out of a plane, and rock climbing in Yosemite. Before joining the Chronicle, Graham was editor for the Pulitzer Prize-winning Point Reyes Light newspaper in West Marin. He also worked as managing editor for the California Farm Bureau in Sacramento. Earlier in his career, he was editor of the Mountain Messenger newspaper in Sierra County and worked as a reporter for the Tahoe World in Tahoe City. In addition to City College, Graham has taught journalism at College of Marin, Solano Community College, the University of San Francisco and San Francisco State University. He received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from San Jose State University. This semester, he will be adding a course in Public Relations, which he says, is “The art of winning friends and influencing people. It’s is something everyone should learn.” You can reach Tom at: tg_journalist@comcast.net
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on Rochmis has been teaching at City College since 2000. Among the courses he has taught are News Writing and Reporting, Advanced Reporting, Feature Writing, Copy Editing and Internet Journalism. In addition, he has been a lecturer at San Francisco State and at Skyline College, where he taught News Writing and Mass Communications. With more than 25 years of experience in Bay Area journalism, Rochmis has been an editor and reporter in sports, news, business, technology and feature departments. After graduating with a degree in journalism from UC Berkeley, Rochmis began his career at the Berkeley Gazette/ Richmond Independent. He then covered sports, news and business at the Oakland Tribune for nine years, with six years as the beat writer for the San Francisco 49ers. Following his 15-year stint in newspapers, Rochmis was a
Jon Rochmis, instructor
book/magazine editor for a small publishing house in downtown San Francisco. In 1995, he jumped online as the first editor at SF Gate.com, where he helped conceive and administer the tone and presentation of one of the first news sites on the World Wide Web. Rochmis also helped launch BayInsider.com as senior content producer, and then worked for three years as content editor and then executive editor at Wired News. Currently, Rochmis is a marketing writer with a marketing/communications agency that specializes in high technology. “I’ll be teaching Newswriting (Jour. 21) and Feature Writing (Jour. 22) this spring,” Rochmis said. “Don’t ask me why one is one word and the other is two. But if you ask me about the future of journalism, I’ll tell you it’s infinitely exciting.” You can reach Jon at: jrochmis@ccsf.edu
Mentoring program links students with professional journalists “It’s an outstanding way to learn the business from the inside.”
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he journalism department’s mentoring program has helped many students network with professional journalists and photographers. “You look at these mentors and they are top-flight. They’re names in the business,” said journalism instructor and writer Jon Rochmis. Department Chair Juan Gonzales attributes the succes of the program to the support it receives from the Bay Area’s
media. The mentor program encourages students to take advantage of the Bay Area’s large population of professional journalists. Students learm how to pitch story ideas like a pro and have an opportunity to talk one-on-one with writers, editors, photographers and designers. Gonzales believes being mentored can improve a student’s ability to get a job. KGO TV news anchor Cheryl Jennings knows just how hard it is to break into journalism. She was rejected by 19 of the 20 television stations she originally applied to. “I think the program is an outstanding way to learn about the business from the inside,”
Jessica Lifland, instructor
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essica Brandi Lifland is a San Francisco-based freelance photographer. Her work is represented by Polaris Images and appears nationally and internationally in USA Today, The London Times, The New York Times, The Toronto Star, Newsweek, Time and Le Monde. Lifland earned a BFA in Photography and BA in Art History from Cornell University in 1991 and her MA in Photojournalism from Ohio University in 2002. She was a staff photographer at the Contra Costa Newspapers and at the Evansville, Indiana Courier & Press prior to her freelance career. Her work has taken her all over the world including West Africa, the Middle East, Kosovo, Burma and Haiti. She has worked with the non-profit Operation Smile since 2007, where she documents their medical missions. Lately she has been working on a long-term project documenting the lives of the cowboy poets of the American West in affiliation with the Western Folklife Center, which she hopes to make into a book. She has won numerous awards and participates in exhibitions around the country. Prior to becoming an instructor of photojournalism at CCSF, she taught photography at the University of Southern Indiana, and at San Francisco State University. She is the founder and former director of San Francisco’s monthly Photonite. To view her work, go to www.jessicalifland.com or www. jessicalifland.wordpress.com
Fall 2013 Advising Hours Meet with Juan Gonzales, journalism department chair, to discuss opportunities in the field of journalism.
Ocean Campus 50 Phelan Ave. Bungalow 615 Monday / Wednesday 11 a.m. – noon Tuesday 1 – 2 p.m.
Journalism instructor Tom Graham critiques students’ work at a recent journalism conference in Los Angeles.
Jennings said. “I would highly recommend it. I wish it had been in place when I attended City
College. It makes me re-evaluate what I do every time I explain the business to a student.”
Thursday 10 a.m. – noon For an appointment, call (415) 239-3446
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Where have all our graduates gone? Jennifer Balderama
Fall 2013 Journalism Classes Classes start January 14, 2013. To register for courses go to www.ccsf.edu/schedule
Jour 19: Contemporary News Media 3.0 units 71182 001 Lec. MWF 9:10 - 10:00 a.m. BNGL 713 Gonzales 72540 551 Lec. T 6:30 - 9:20 p.m. Mission Campus/Rm. 217 Graham Introduction to modern mass communication, with an emphasis on development of news media, analysis of the credibility of the media and its impact on daily life. CSU/UC/CAN Jour 21: News Writing and Reporting 3.0 units 71704 001 Lec. MWF 10:10 - 11:00 a.m. BNGL 715 Gonzales 72308 551 Lec. T 6:30 - 9:20 p.m. Mission Campus/Rm. 218 Rochmis Techniques of newspaper reporting, developing and writing and a news story, training in information gathering and interviewing sources. PREREQ: ENGL 94. CSU/CAN Jour 22: Feature Writing 3.0 units 72111 551 Lec. R 6:30 - 9:20 p.m. Mission Campus/Rm. 218 Rochmis Fundamentals in feature writing for magazines and newspapers with special empahsis on profile and interpretive news features. Practical experience in interview and in-depth research techniques. Training in how to write a freelance story for publication. PREREQ: ENGL 93 or 94 or PLACEMENT IN ENGL 96. CSU Jour 23: Electronic Copy Editing 3.0 units 72311 551 Lec. W 6:30 - 9:20 p.m. Mission Campus/Rm. 218 Rochmis This course is for writers, working editors, and those considering a career in editing or copyediting. Students learn to edit newspapers, magazines and web site articles for accuracy, style and organization. The writer-editor relationship, and ways to keep it healthy, is emphasized throughout the course. PREREQ: JOUR 21, JOUR 22, and GRPH 25 CSU Jour 24: Newspaper Laboratory 3.0 units 71185 001 L/L MWF 12:10 - 1:00 p.m. BNGL 615 Gonzales Advanced newspaper laboratory course focused on the publication of the college paper, The Guardsman. Plus four lab hours TBA. PREREQ: JOUR 21, JOUR 22, AND GRPH 25. CSU Jour 26: Fundamentals of Public Relations 3.0 units 74606 551 Lec. W 6:30-9:20 p.m. Mission Campus/Rm. 217 Graham Prepares students to create an effective public relations campaign which includes writing media releases, “pitch” letters, public service announcements, managing media outlets, coordinating mailings and designing leaflets and posters, as well as setting up news conferences. Special attention given to in-house public relations duties for corporate and non-profit entities. ADVISE: JOUR 24 PREREQ: GRPH 25 Jour 29: Magazine Editing & Production 3.0 units 71437 551 L/L M 6:30 - 8:20 p.m. Mission Campus/Rm. 217 Graham Students will study the editorial, business, graphic, and production skills required for publishing a campus magazine. Course is appropriate for students interested in creative writing, graphic and fine arts, photography, business, and journalism . PREREQ: JOUR 21 AND JOUR 22. CSU Jour 30C: Selected Topics in Journalism 2.0 units 74607 NP1 Con HOURS ARR 08/14-12/19 Gonzales Special research, assignments, or experimental projects with faculty supervisions. PREREQ: LIBR 57 Jour 31: Internship Experience 2.0 units 72312 001 Exp HOURS ARR BNGL 615 Gonzales Supervised on-campus or off-campus employment in a branch of journalism or a closely allied field to which the student shows him/her self to be best adapted. PREREQ: JOUR 24. CSU Jour 37: Intro to Photojournalism 3.0 units 72310 551 Lec. W 6:30 - 9:20 p.m. Mission Campus/Rm. 211 Lifland Emphasis on concepts of news and feature photography. Must have an SLR camera. Digital SLR preferred. Most assignments involve taking pictures of people, telling stories and conveying information. ADVISE: PHOTO 51 OR EQUIVALENT EXPERIENCE. CSU Jour 38: Intermediate Photojournalism 3.0 units 74608 551 Lec. R 6:30 - 9:20 p.m. Mission Campus/Rm. 211 Lifland Emphasis on concepts of news and feature photography. Must have an SLR camera. Digital SLR preferred. Most assignments involve taking pictures of people, telling stories and conveying information. ADVISE: JOUR 37. CSU
Book Editor New York Times
Tim Ball
Designer Washington Post
Johnny Brannan News Writer Honolulu Advertiser
Tim Brown
Reporter New York Times
Colleen Cummins Photographer The Appeal Democrat
Alex K. Fong
Deputy Design Director San Jose Mercury News
Mario Fortson Page Designer S Examiner
Glenn Gullmes
Publisher West Portal Monthly
Cheryl Jennings News Anchor KGO-7 News
Paul Kozakiewicz
Publisher Richmond Review and Sunset Beacon
Orlando Molina
Sports Writer Contra Costa Times
Alexander Mullaney Publisher The Ingleside Light
Rob Nagle
Page Designer San Francisco Examiner
Jim Powell
Copy Editor Los Angeles Times
Lubna Takruri
Copy Editor Associated Press
Dan Verel
Reporter North Bay Business Journal
The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | APRIL 24-May 7, 2013 | 7
culture
Sights and Sounds:
Southeast center stands tall
The Chutney Express A column about my travels through India
The mural of the founders of the Southeast campus decorates the main entrance of the building on April 19, 2013 in San Francisco. It is entitled “Southeast Community Facility Founders: Espanola Jackson, Eloise Westbrook, Ethyl Garlington, Alex Pitcher, Harold Madison, Shirley Jones,” and it features compelling portraits of each founder surrounding students along a multi-colored pathway. Photo by Clarivel Fong/The Guardsman
Murals express community’s commitment for access to education By Alex Reyes
The Guardsman / areyes@theguardsman.com / @sfbreakingnews
City College’s Southeast campus is living proof of a village of people joining together to take care of their own. Southeast is an academic campus, to be sure, but it is so much more than even that noble endeavor. The first signal that the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood location is more than the sum of its parts is seen on a sign near the top of the Oakdale Avenue entrance reading, “Southeast Community Facility Commission.” The commission was the result of an ordinance by the Board of Supervisors in 1987 to oversee the Southeast facility, which was built after an agreement in 1952 between the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and the Bayview-Hunters Point community. The PUC wanted to build a massive sewage treatment plant in the neighborhood—which now extends from LaSalle to Evans Avenues and from Palou to Rankin Avenues—and agreed to build the community an educational facility as an attempt to
mitigate the negative effects of the sewage plant. The commission’s goal, according to the City of San Francisco’s website, is to “further the gainful employment of residents in the Bayview-Hunters Point community; create opportunities for them to participate in educational programs, establish and expand opportunities for children’s day care; and provide information and resources for the enhancement and growth of the community as a whole.” The commission’s mission is validated by the message, “Southeast Campus/Where Education and Employment Connect,” which is written in white lettering on a green wall leading from the front lobby to an atrium. Effervescent City College student Robyn Buckins, who staffs the campus’ front desk, read through the roster of organizations that rent office space in the building alongside City College, which occupies the fourth floor. CalWorks, the state welfare program. Girls 2000, a nonprofit organization. Hunter’s Point Family, another nonprofit. Head Start, a daycare center run by San Francisco State University. San Francisco government’s Human Services Agency. Renaissance, a youth employment organization that works closely with the Human Services Agency’s One Stop Career Center, which is also located at Southeast campus. Buckins introduced me to Jeff Williams, a worker in the Career
Center, who told me they are attempting to establish a General Equivalency Degree training program at Southeast campus. Williams then introduced me to Center Manager Edwin Florentino. We looked down onto the ground floor of the atrium where 35 to 40 people were participating in a Step Forward employment program meeting. Florentino said that Step Forward, which helps unemployed people on public assistance to find work, is a result of the federal Jobs Now program embedded in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. “We were able to tell employers that we would pay 100 percent of the salary for one year for those who were hired through this program,” Florentino said. “The employers were so grateful. In the first year 4,000 people were hired.” Florentino walked over to windows looking out at the Alex Pitcher Jr., Community Center while one-on-one conversations were taking place at tables set along two walls of the hall. “People are being interviewed at the tables,” Florentino said, as he pointed out representatives for San Francisco’s Department of Public Works and the city’s Park Rangers. “Sometimes the employers compete for the same prospect.” Florentino said approximately 2,000 people found work in 2012 through the program and talked about the GED training program. “It makes sense,” Florentino said, shrugging. “Doesn’t it?”
I told myself a hundred times I wouldn’t cry on my last day. I never cry. Why should I now? It’s not like I fell hopelessly in love with a man who lives on the other side of the world, who I’ll probably never see again. It’s not like I left pieces of my heart scattered around India. A piece in the streets of Kolkata. A piece In the temple of Madurai. In the rice fields of Hampi. In the slums of Mumbai. In the Ganga along Varanasi. In the mountains of Darjeeling. And a piece in the hands of the most beautiful man I’ve known. Yeah, I cried. A lot. After 22 hours on a plane, a million questions from eager friends and family, a dozen subpar Indian-American dishes later, I’m still crying. I can’t even tell you how many I times I’ve checked plane tickets to Kolkata since I got back. I miss everything about India. Well, almost everything. I don’t miss feeling disempowered as a woman. Now that I’m home and able to see things clearer, I’ve realized that while in India, I felt more disrespected and objectified than ever. As a woman, I was constantly stared at, verbally abused, and sometimes even physically harassed. And when explaining that I don’t see myself becoming a traditional housewife, I was confronted by comments like “a woman’s place is in the home,” or “you must serve your husband.” To which I would promptly reply, “No, it’s not,” and “No, I don’t.” Complete and utter confusion was the usual response. “You want to have a career and travel the world solo? Have you gone mad?” I was more than willing to voice my belief that a woman’s life is her own, and she should be free to do what she wants with it. Sometimes that went over well. Most of the time, it didn’t. In addition to the belittling comments, being interrupted was a recurring incident. I often felt as though people were talking at me, and not with me. I was constantly fighting for my voice to be heard, sometimes even with Sonu. This is not to say that the same issues don’t exist here. I’ve been groped in a club in the
Mission, and verbally offended by plenty of people. But on a completely different scale. It was a regular occurrence for me while in India. Of the many lessons I learned while away, perhaps the most valuable is to be grateful for the freedom I have. Especially in San Francisco, where I am free to date people of all genders without being questioned. In India, homosexuality was illegal until 2009, and remains a taboo subject. I learned quickly to keep my mouth shut regarding identifying as bisexual. A European traveler I met in Varanasi put it perfectly, “San Francisco is like a fairy tale.” And now that I’m back, I couldn’t agree more. As I settle back into the Sunset, I am reminded why I was reluctant to leave in the first place. Good friends. Great coffee. Beautiful beaches. Chill vibes. A variety of amazing food and beer. What more could I ask for? I realized just how happy I am to be back when I reunited with the children I’ve spent the past two-and-a-half years with as a nanny. I’ll never forget the smiles on their faces when I stopped by to deliver gifts I picked up for them on my adventure. As my craving for an authentic plate of rice and dal subsides, along with my desire to take a walk down Park Street in Kolkata, the stubborn and overwhelming longing to pass my days with Sonu refuses to subside. I’ve dreamt about him every night since I left him. We Skype often and talk about our plan to see each other again. But the reality of it is that he doesn’t have the money to come here, and I don’t have the time to go there. At least not until I graduate. I’m not sure what will come of our relationship. Maybe we’ll slowly forget each other, or be swept away by new loves. Or maybe we’re soulmates and will end up spending our lives together. I’m hoping for the latter. I have a feeling he is, too. For now I am trying to focus on my life in San Francisco. I just have to get used to having a big piece of my heart in India. If it becomes too painful, I’ll have to go back and get it.
8 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | APRIL 24-May 7, 2013
culture
EVENTS CALENDAR April 19-28 Jesus Christ Superstar - City College Theatre Arts and Music Departments present the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. Directed by Deborah Shaw and musical director Michael Shahani. Diego Rivera Theater. Ocean campus, 8 p.m. April 26 & 27, 2 p.m. April 21 & 28. Tickets $15 at the door, $10 for students. For more information email mshahani@ ccsf.edu. April 24-25 AS Elections - Associated Students elections for student Trustee, President, and Senatorial body. Cafeteria. Ocean campus 9 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information visit http://www.ccsf.edu/NEW/ content/dam/ccsf/documents/ Student_Activities/elections/ Voter_Guide.pdf. April 25 Board Meeting - City College Board of Trustees meeting. Multi-Use Building Room 140. Ocean campus, 6-9 p.m. For more information email participatorygovernancecouncil@gmail.com. April 28 Dance Festival - Folk Dance & Blossom Festival . Wellness Center Studio 301. Ocean
campus, 1-3 p.m. & 3:30-6:00 p.m. Free admission. For more information call 415-4525697. May 2 Student Market - Second annual student market. Students will be selling their own products. Chasing Lions Cafe. Ocean campus, 10 a.m.2 p.m. To sign-up for vendor tables stop by Multi-Use Building Room 198. For more information visit https://www. facebook.com/chasinglionscafe. May 3 Celebration - Party hosted by The Freedom Socialist Party and Radical Women to celebrate Clara Fraser: The Original Socialist Feminist. New Valencia Hall. 747 Polk Street, 7 p.m. Tickets $3 at the door, $2 for students. Dinner buffet $10 at 6 p.m. For more information contact 415-864-1278. May 4 Presentation - Powerpoint presentation and discussion on the Memento mori theme in art. Visual Arts Building Room 114. Ocean campus, 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. For more information email ccsflife@ mail.ccsf.edu.
Theater: From front page
throughout the production. Metallic hissing and wave sounds become prominent at key times. The cast is decked out in regalia that evokes everything from Belle Epoque bordello and cabaret life to the down-and-outers of Damon Runyon Depression-era tales to the blackness of Orwell’s “1984.” But even this attempt to describe the outfits to be seen in “Jesus Christ Superstar” stops well short of describing the nearly unbridled imagination unleashed by a six-member costume staff led by Ralph Hoy. Zachary Bukarev-Padlo’s clean cut, goateed Jesus Christ wears a long light blue tunic with five large buttons along the right side. A partial, cotton-and-leather apron is secured by a diagonal black strap over the left shoulder. This Jesus wears matching blue pants, canvas shin protectors and brown shoes. Bukarev-Padlo’s fine tenor voice easily evokes the fear and foreboding of the seemingly doomed lead character. BukarevPadlo also easily reaches the shrieking tones first recorded by Ian Gillan on the 1970 “Jesus Christ Superstar” recording. Jenneviere Villegas’ Mary Magdalene’s red hair is matched with a red velvet bustier with an organza peplum, pink bloomers and thick high-heeled boots. Mary also sports a delightfully embellished fascinator hat. Villegas’ strong, pure voice powers through such songs as “Everything’s Alright” and “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.” The latter song’s lines, “He’s a man/He’s just a man/And I’ve had
so many men before/In very many ways,” combined with the singer’s costume, offers clear evidence of Mary Magdalene’s sketchy history. David Peterson’s characterization of Judas Iscariot, one of history’s greatest tortured villains, is well played. A full beard and mustache, long coat, pale green vest, a necklace and watch fob amplify Peterson’s dramatic looks that include long dreadlocks. Judas is nobody’s dummy, but he is doomed to sell out a man he loved for 30 silver coins by a force he cannot understand. Peterson gives ample voice to Judas’ anguish, confusion, hatred and love of the man he chose to follow. Again, Peterson’s shrieks match those first heard on vinyl by Murray Head in 1970. The three lead singers are an impressive group, but “Jesus Christ Superstar” also includes showstoppers the likes of Pontius Pilate and Herod. Ron McCan first appears as Pontius Pilate two-thirds of the way into the first act, singing the song “Pilate’s Dream.” Pilate was the Roman prefect who tried Jesus Christ and, rooted on by a mob, ordered his crucifixion. Pilate’s throne, which looks as if it’s a wooden version of a chair designed for executions or shock treatments, matches the discombobulated nature of McCan’s Pilate. Pilate’s attire, featuring a luxurious bed jacket and pajamas, a fabulous studded long coat and, ultimately, a metallic head garland, may befit an emperor, but Pilate’s soul seems to have left his body, which moves in an odd, disconnected manner. McCan’s
N ATION A L UNI V ER SIT Y
exit across a darkened stage after singing “Pilate’s Dream” is a tour de force. Spencer Peterson’s Herod is another high point, as much for the costume and makeup as for the great song and dance number, “King Herod’s Song.” Another Roman ruler, Herod, struts onto the stage as a decadent dandy, face made up lightly in white makeup, bare-chested and wearing a shining red waistcoat and codpiece. Herod’s three “Soul Girls” follow, and soon all four are dancing up a storm. Peterson gives a performance worthy of Tim Curry as Dr. Frank N. Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” or as Herod in “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Bass-voiced David Richardson, in the role of the high priest Caiaphas, is another singing standout. At times, Richardson’s voice reaches depths from which return seems impossible. Caiaphas’ black, leathery high priest costume, as well as his fellow priest’s authoritarian garb, is marvelous, if marvelous is the right word to describe the spot-on absolutistic attire of Caiaphas and his council. Council members also wear fanciful eyeglasses full of wacky wiring, distorting the perspective of the wearers. City College’s “Jesus Christ Superstar” dazzles and delights in so many ways. You owe it to yourself to see this production.“Jesus Christ Superstar” plays April 26-27 at 8 p.m. The final performance is April 28 at 2 p.m. All performances are at Diego Rivera Theatre.
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The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | APRIL 24-May 7, 2013 | 9
culture
Staff Editorial
Cartoon Corner
It’s important to use restraint with social media
Illustration by Anthony Mata/The Guardsman
REALIZE YOUR DREAM AT MILLS COLLEGE.
Last week was a lesson in the power of social media and how it can expose truths and help perpetuate falsehoods at the same speed. News of explosions at the Boston Marathon, which killed three people and injured more than 180, went viral and investigators quickly appealed to the public for pictures and videos from the area that might have helped identify the suspects. Amateur sleuths on the popular website Reddit jumped on the opportunity to help identify the two suspects after the FBI released photos of them. Reddit got it wrong and “identified” an innocent man as the perpetrator. Several major news outlets— including CNN and the Associated Press—also got it wrong when they prematurely reported that an arrest had been made in the case. Once again, in the race to break the news, a few organizations jumped the gun. The FBI was not happy. “Since these stories often have unintended consequences, we ask the media, particularly at this early stage of the investigation, to exercise caution and attempt to verify information through appropriate official channels before reporting,” the FBI said in a statement on its website. The suspects have now been identified as two brothers, one of whom was killed during a confrontation with police and the other, currently in custody and hospitalized with a gun wound to the neck. There are already conspiracy theories brewing about what actually happened, but it’s important not to jump to conclusions. We should treat both the investigation and the conspiracy theories with skepticism. Undoubtedly, citizen journal-
ism can be used for the greater good. Bostonians recently banded together to catch a criminal. They were each armed with the only weapons necessary to protect themselves: a smartphone, an iPad or a camera. Within hours, photographs of Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, and his brother Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, 19, were widely circulated. People were blogging, tweeting and writing about the two brothers. There was hardly a person around who didn’t know what the two suspected terrorists looked like. It eventually led to their capture. People slept more soundly that evening. What if this type of technology was around on Nov. 22, 1963 when JFK was fatally shot while riding in his motorcade? Would pictures of Lee Harvey Oswald have been circulating on Facebook? Would we have hard evidence, such as a photograph or video, of Oswald firing his weapon from the book depository? Would we have been able to dispel the theory that Oswald was acting in concert with others? The future of citizen journalism is unclear. How the media will continue to evolve and use the power of social media wisely is still unfolding. Journalists live by a code of ethics grounded in transparency. They should seek truth and report it, minimize harm to others, act independently and, arguably the most important part, be accountable. Being the first to break a news story means nothing unless it is fact-checked and grounded in solid evidence. Both professional and citizen reporters need to keep this guiding principle in mind. People’s lives and reputations count on it.
REALIZE YOUR DREAM AT MILLS
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10 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | April 24-May 7, 2013
sports Calling all hungry writers, photographers, designers and social media wizards!
Softball City suffers letdown
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baseball April 24, 2:30 p.m. @ De Anza
track & field April 26, 12 p.m Conference Finals @ Chabot College May 4, 12 p.m. NorCal Trials @ American River College May 11, 12 p.m. NorCal Finals @ American River College
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April 30, 3 p.m. vs Skyline College May 2, 3 p.m. vs. Mission College @ Fresno City College
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May 17-18, 12 p.m. State Finals @ College of San Mateo
A day of clear skies and warm temperatures turned overcast as the City College Rams softball club fell 7-1 to the Foothill College Owls on April 18. “Our bats weren’t there. We had one inning where we had a few hits, but we were dead the rest of the time,” City College head coach John F. McGuire said. The Owls took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after back-to-back RBI doubles by Foothill catcher Aaliah James and first baseman Kelsey Moore. Starting pitcher Monica Volz advanced to second base on a ground out by Owls shortstop Christina Mendoza. Volz scored on a double by James which was immediately followed by another RBI double in the inning from Moore. In the bottom of the third inning, City College second baseman Maribelle Dela Merced committed two errors which led to a two-out, two-run double by Owls sophomore second baseman Kayla Igou giving Foothill a 5-0 lead. “It was pretty exciting to take a bigger lead, it gave us more comfort on defense,” Igou said. Foothill came up with two more runs in the sixth inning. “Anytime you get up early in
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a game, it gives you the momentum and puts the other team on their heels,” Foothill head coach Collin Pregliasco said. Although the Rams missed the playoffs the team has improved to double-digit wins from an 0-29 record the year before. (Minter McHugh)
Track and Field Runners head for state
Chabot College hosted it’s “Last Chance” track and field meet in Hayward on April 18 and April 19, that saw three Rams place in the top five in the men’s 100-meter dash Sophomore Alex Simmons came in first in 10.81 seconds. Freshman Robert Batis finished third in 10.95, followed by sophomore Deondre Anderson in 11.03. City freshman runners held their own in the men’s 800. Adrian Perez crossed the finish line in first place in 1:57.08 and Isaiah Reed came in fourth in 1:59.18. In the women’s 100, freshman standout Atiya Harvey put in a strong performance finishing third in 12.03. Conference finals are April 26 at Chabot College. (Julio Moran)
Baseball More than a win
The optimism of the early baseball season waned for many fans through several City College losing streaks in 2013. The Rams roster featured nearly all first-year college players with a lot of raw talent, but little experience in the Coast Conference. The flickers of promise broke through numerous times during this season, and on April 20 the Rams took care of business against nemesis Mission College, besting the visiting Saints 5-4 at Fairmont Field in Pacifica. Rams freshman Tyler Scharnow pitched with a heavy heart, dedicating his start on the mound to a best friend lost in an automobile accident four days earlier. Scharnow stymied a team that had handed the Rams three lopsided losses earlier this season, by 15-0, 16-3, and 7-2
margins. “In my opinion, it was the gutsiest performance I’ve seen in 17 years at City College,” head coach John Vanoncini said. “He was dominating.” Scharnow threw all nine innings, allowing only four hits with two walks, while relying on his defense to make plays after having just one strikeout for the day. He faced off against Mission starter Ray Fuentes, who allowed two earned runs in five innings, and three Saint relievers. The Rams offensive menu featured a heap of freshman outfielder Albert Taleroc III, who singled twice, tripled, scored once and drove in three. City College designated hitter and base speedster Ben Ladner was 2-for-3 in the contest, also stealing third and scoring one of his two runs on an errant throw by the Mission catcher. Freshman outfielder David Jimenez stole his team-leading 19th base, as he and freshman infielder Dominic Sebastiani each went 1-for-3 with a run scored. The Rams led 5-1 heading into the ninth. An extra serving of grit was needed to deliver a win, after an infield error prolonged the game. Vanoncini stuck with Scharnow after a walk, a batter hit-by-pitch, and two-run blooper to the outfield by Mission substitute Reed Kienle that brought the Saints within a run. Redemption came when a Mission grounder to short was handled for a fielder’s choice to end the game, and the Rams finished on the winning side of a one-run game. “The team knew about what Tyler went through this week,” Vanoncini said. “They respected him and appreciated his effort.” On April 24 the Rams end the season in a non-conference game versus De Anza College in Cupertino at 2:30 p.m. One Rams player will change landmarks from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Corn Palace in 2014. Ladner has received a scholarship to continue his studies and play baseball at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, S.D. (Dan Harrington)
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The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | APRIL 24-May 7, 2013 |11
sports
Athlete Profile
Basketball player has the ‘Wright’ stuff With a brother in the NBA, star guard is ready for the next level ByIIvanIHuangIand Zack Tobita
The Guardsman / news@theGuardsman.com @sfbreakingnews
Sibling rivalry sometimes starts before the second child is even born, and continues as kids develop and compete for everything from toys to attention. After leading City College to its first undefeated regular season, sophomore Delon Wright rivals his older brother, whose day job just happens to be playing for the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers. As a member of the Golden State Warriors, big brother Dorell Wright led the NBA in threepointers made in the 2010/2011 NBA season with 194. “I came to City because it’s one of the top junior colleges, and I wanted to be closer to my brother and his family,” Delon said. When the Warriors were in town, Dorell would occasionally stop by City College to catch his younger brother in action. Wright attributes his older brother for getting him into the sport that he has so much passion for. “I got into basketball when I used to watch my older brother play,” Delon said. Living in the shadows of Dorell, who is six years older, serves as motivation to 20-yearold Delon. “When I was younger people told me I would never be as good as my brother,” Delon said. “My high school coach would always tell me ‘you’re just the younger brother’ in an attempt to motivate me.” Delon, who attended Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, Calif. just as older brother Dorell did, felt he had something to prove. “It made me realize from then on that I no longer wanted to be in his shadow,” Delon said.
Playing with the pros
Delon proved that he could compete with elite talent when he played in the Drew League, a Los Angeles basketball summerleague, last year. The league featured current and former NBA players. Some of the NBA Stars that have participated in the Drew League include; LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, James Harden, John Wall and Russell Westbrook, who is also a Leuzinger High School alumnus. “[Westbrook] and I are cool,” Delon said. “I can talk to him about anything.” Having a three-time NBA AllStar one call away doesn’t hurt, but Wright says he models his game after Miami Heat guard Dwyane
Delon Wright (left) and the Rams defeat Santa Rosa College 88-54 at Ocean campus on March 9, 2013. Photo by Santiago Mejia / The Guardsman
Wade. “I see myself as a ‘D-Wade’ (one of Wade’s nicknames) type of player,” Delon said. “I try to slither around the court.” Delon got the opportunity to meet Wade while Dorell was a member of the Heat team from 2004-2010. “Sometimes I call [Wade] to see how he’s doing,” Delon said. After playing in the Drew League with his brother, he feels that a matchup today between the two would have a surprising outcome. “I think I could beat him,” Delon said of older brother Dorell. “In the summer [during the Drew League] we played and he couldn’t really score on me.” Delon was highly touted by Rams assistant coach Adam D’ Acquisto earlier in the season. “He’s a pro,” D’Acquisto said. “He has a better feel for the game than anyone we’ve ever had.”
Undefeated season
D’Acquisto’s strong statements were validated this past season when Delon led the Rams to the school’s first undefeated regular season at 28-0 and consecutive playoff appearances during his tenure at City College. The Rams won three playoff games this past season before falling to Chaffey College in the CCCAA (California Community College Athletics Association) semifinals. “I feel bad about it,” Delon said
of his final game. “I didn’t play as well as I should of. Most of it was on me … I didn’t step up.” After he was awarded the Coast-North Conference MVP for a second consecutive year while leading the state in steals with 4.1 per game, Delon showed selflessness by taking the blame for their playoff loss.
Leading by example
Delon was looked up to by his peers for what he did on the court during his time at City. “He was a good leader,” teammate Byron Jones said. “He took the game in his own hands if things weren’t going our way.” Head coach Justin Labagh’s perception of Delon is no different. “He wasn’t a vocal leader. He just led by example,” Labagh said. “He just competed in every single practice and every single drill.” It’s safe to say that Delon has come a long way since he came to City where he was able to be part of an exciting run. Early in his sophomore year Delon committed to the University of Utah where he will be joining the Utes basketball team in the 2013-2014 season. “I think he’s going to do very well,” Labagh said. “He’s a really smart player. He’s quick, can anticipate a lot, and he fixes things really quickly.” Teammate Gabriel Aguirre, who spent the last two seasons with Delon on the Rams squad,
thinks Delon’s flexibility will help him contribute to the success of the Utah basketball program.
“He’s in the top five of the best players we’ve had here.” --Head coach Justin Labagh
“He will succeed at the Division I level due his ability to do different things on the court [at] a high level,” Aguirre said.
The Utes finished near the bottom of their conference this past year, but head coach Larry Krystkowiak is looking forward to adding Delon to their team. “We are very excited to have Delon sign with our program,” Krystkowiak said, according to the University of Utah’s official athletic site, utahutes.cstv.com. “He is a versatile player ... and is a playmaker. He is a winner and comes from a great family with a basketball pedigree.” Bonta Hill, who has been the public-address announcer for City College’s home games for five years and has followed Delon’s progression believes that he will play a pivotal role in Utah. “He’s going to have the ball in his hands,” Hill said. “If he gets in the weight room he could be a nice player.” With top-tier competition in the Pac-12, Delon will get a chance to make a name for himself on a national stage. Labagh had high regards for Delon when he was asked to rank him among City’s greatest basketball players. “He’s right up there,” Labagh said. “He’s in the top five of the best players we’ve had here.” Delon brought an exciting style of basketball to City College over the last two seasons, and has left a legacy that marks his place in history among the finest student athletes to come out of the school’s sports program.
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