The Guardsman
The Search for a Permanent Chancellor Begins
By John R. Adkins jradproduction@gmail.com
TheAssociation of Governing Boards (AGB), just closed their 10-day window of listening to the community's desires for what they’d like to see in a new City College chancellor.
On Sept. 6, the recruitment firm responsible for seeking a new chancellor sent out an email notifying the college of the beginning of their nine-month-long search process that would include “multiple opportunities for participation.”
A link to an online survey was provided as well as the notification of eight scheduled “listening sessions,” whereby AGB representatives would listen over Zoom and take notes on what was said about the search process. However, the question remains how many students actually participated or had knowledge of the survey opportunities.
“I didn’t know about the survey, I would’ve liked to have known what we can suggest. I actually think there’s room for improvement for students being able to provide feedback to
City College Non-Citizen Students Could Soon Have Voting Rights
By Cassandra Young Cyoun140@mail.ccsf.edu
San Francisco’s City College non-citizen students may soon gain the right to vote in campus elections, following a proposal by Trustee Alan Wong. If approved by the Board of Supervisors, the resolution would grant non-citizen students the ability to vote for the College’s Board of Trustees, giving them a voice in decisions that impact their education.
Non-citizen student Diana Martin praised the proposal. “This initiative aligns with the progressive values of California and San Francisco,” Martin said. “Our city is home to educational institutions filled with students from around the world, many of whom are non-citizens. Voting gives them a chance to be heard and seen as agents of change.”
City College serves a significant non-citizen population, who make up roughly 15% of San Francisco’s population, and supporters of the measure argue that extending voting rights to these students would increase their engagement and sense of belonging in the college community.
“The sense of belonging to an institution should not be determined by nationality,” Martin said, adding, “All students should have the right to participate in decisions that affect them.”
Wong proposed the measure after the California Court of Appeals voted to uphold Proposition N earlier this year. Proposition N allows non-citizen residents who are parents or guardians of children under 19 and living in the city to vote in board elections.
The proposition was threatened after last year’s election when voters recalled school board members Alison Collins, Faauuga Moliga and Gabriella Lopez. The election had the highest participation of non-citizen voters since the program was implemented.
The court ruled that Proposition N is permissible under the state’s constitution and City Charter.
Wong introduced the non-citizen student resolution at the Board of Trustees meeting on April 25. Trustee Chisti suggested amendments that would expand voting rights to incarcerated individuals and lower the voting age to 16. After discussion, this amendment was dropped and it was suggested that it be brought up as a separate resolution. Another amendment, accepted as a clause to the resolution, requested the Board of Supervisors to financially support the measure if there were cost implications.
Marlene Grant, a first-time student from Jamaica, expressed optimism about the impact the new voting program would have on the community.
“This is good for people like me,” Grant said with a faint smile. “This will give us a voice. Many of us come here for a better life, and sometimes it’s hard to feel heard. With these changes, I believe more people like me will be able to speak up and find their place here.”
The Board of Trustees voted unanimously on April 25 to accept the resolution and submit it to the Board of Supervisors for consideration as an amendment to the city charter.
the administration,” student David Kon said.
From Sept. 9-13, a total of eight listening sessions were conducted by AGB search consultants Jeanne Jacobs and Pam Krepchin, who kicked off the sessions with brief introductions before asking a series of questions.
The questions posed during the listening sessions were mostly identical to the questions presented in the online survey:
“What are 2-3 of the most important talents, skills, and attributes that the successful candidate for the chancellor position should possess?”
“What are 2-3 of the most important opportunities that await the new chancellor?”
“What are 2-3 challenges that the new chancellor will face in this role?”
“What priorities should the new chancellor focus on in the first year?”
“What do you value most about City College?”
“What does your fantasy campus look like?”
“We look to the college to better understand what's important to you, but also learn about the culture at City College. While we have a starting point that shifts a bit and gets informed by the opinions and perspectives
that we hear from others,” Krepchin explained, adding, “ I think experience in education is very important as a starting point, and understanding community colleges as well is important, because different education institutions operate differently.”
AGB made it clear they try not to come into the search with a pre-determined perspective.
“It’s very important to us to hear the input from the broader community because you all know what kind of a leader we need more than we do. So it's our role to listen to that, and to distill some themes from that to create the ‘leadership profile.” Krepchin said.
It was made clear that the combination of surveys and notes from listening sessions are distilled to create the leadership profile. The leadership profile is then passed on to a screening committee to guide their search.
The screening committee is made up of people at City College, so AGB’s role is to help facilitate the process, but the decision is ultimately made by City College and the Board of Trustees.
Once the leadership profile is created in Chancellor search continued on page 2
Student Enrollment Gets New Plan of Attack
By John R. Adkins jradproduction@gmail.com
TheChancellor announced his plan to address the issue of student enrollment, a document now known as the “Student Enrollment Management Plan”.
The plan is co-led by Vice Chancellor Lisa Cooper Wilkins and Interim Vice Chancellor David Yee, who are expected to have the plan finalized by Oct. 31.
An overview of this document’s plan was presented by Yee on Friday, Sept. 13, to the Associated Students Executive Council.
Three “key features” of the student enrollment management plan were outlined as follows:
The first of which is that the plan builds upon existing documents and the work that has been done by the enrollment management committee in previous years. Examples include the committee’s spreadsheet of ideas on how to grow enrollment, as well as taking into account
things like the City College mission statement and the education master plan.
Second is that the plan will be focused on the “student experience.”
Finally, it will integrate with the enrollment management committee so it involves the participatory governance process.
Additionally, it was stated this document will have two pieces, strategic objectives, and the actual items that come out of it.
The strategic objectives are broken down into four areas, all of which are based on the “student experience.”
1. Recruitment of students
2. Retention of students
3. Completion of student degrees
4. Partnerships
Ideas that people have in terms of growing enrollment will now be mapped to one of those four focus
Student enrollment continued on page 2
Interim Vice Chancellor David Yee addresses a room of students during a meeting in the Student Union building to discuss an enrollment plan on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. Photo by Elias Gutierrez/The Guardsman.
Illustration by David Thomas/ The Guardsman.
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Chancellor search continued from page 1 conjunction with City College, AGB will then advertise the role and conduct the search. The screening committee will review applications and determine which individuals they would like to interview. From there, that subset of candidates will visit City College campus and have final interviews.
Typically a survey is then sent out to everyone who met with the candidates on campus. The screening committee chair and the committee will then review that feedback and determine how to progress with the candidates. Ultimately the decision is finalized by the Board.
AGB expressed the importance of community feedback because they provided examples of past searches where the screening committee had disregarded their selections in favor of the community’s preference.
The first of the listening sessions had only a handful of individuals expressing their opinions. The final session was populated with the attendance of the Associated Students' Executive Council. The council only discovered the opportunity after Advisor Amy Coffey notified the council that the session was taking place, and provided the organization for council members to participate via Zoom during their regularly
scheduled meeting.
“I had no idea they were asking for feedback. If I, as a student would’ve had the opportunity to give my opinions on the search, it would've been nice to know. It affects us more than anyone else since we are the ones that are studying here,” student Marcus Gonzales said in response to the window for survey responses being closed on Monday, Sept. 16.
At this time, all members of the screening committee have been filled and will begin their work of interviewing candidates in the early spring semester.
areas, and then the enrollment management committee would be responsible for looking at items in terms of, “what is the focus for that year.”
This document aims to be a means of tracking data on different focus areas to see what is working and what isn’t. The enrollment management committee can then look at the actions taken each year and decide on different directions based on the data from previous actions.
“One of the problems with enrollment is everybody wants to grow it, but then everyone is going in different directions, and given our limited resources we need to make sure we’re focusing our intention,” Yee said.
The full structure of the Enrollment Management Plan document remains to be seen, as well as what impact it might have on enrollment in the years to come.
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Crime at City Raises Concerns Over Safety
By John R. Adkins jradproduction@gmail.com
City College Police Department warns students to ‘walk in groups’, and ‘be aware of surroundings’ after a student was assaulted and robbed by two men at Ocean Campus on Thursday, Sept. 12.
At approximately 9:30 a.m., a student was followed off SFMTA bus No. 29 at the intersection of Ocean Avenue and Howth Street by two young men dressed in dark clothing. As they approached the Ocean Campus Wellness Center, the suspects started a fight with the student. The attackers snagged a gold chain from around the student’s neck while they were fighting on the ground. The suspects then took off running westbound on Ocean Ave toward the bus terminal on Frida Kahlo Way. The student sustained minor injuries from the attack.
“In light of recent incidents on campus that are regarding safety, I just wanted to reassure students there are other people in the community that are concerned. I would just try to stay positive, be aware of your surroundings and stick together because we’re strong in numbers,” Ellen Estrada, senator of Ocean Campus, stated in a public comment on Friday.
Thursday’s robbery marks a new trend in crime activity as it is the third criminal incident reported by campus police since the beginning of the semester. Last fall, only one incident was
reported to students and it occurred off-campus. Now students and faculty are opening their emails to find as many on-campus criminal reports in the first four weeks of classes as there were throughout the entire 2023-24 academic year.
On Friday, Aug. 30, a man in a black ski mask cut through the construction site of the new Student Service Center. When asked to leave the premises, the man lifted his hoodie to brandish a glock handgun tucked into his waistband. He then continued through the construction site before crossing Frida Kahlo Way towards the bus terminal.
Just one day prior on Aug. 29, at around 8:50 p.m., a student was attacked while waiting in his vehicle in the Wellness Center driveway. When idling at the stoplight to exit onto Ocean Avenue, a man in his 40s, with dirty blonde hair and a black jacket, charged at the student’s driver side window and began pounding the blade of a knife into the glass.
The student escaped westbound on Ocean Avenue with the attacker in pursuit on foot. The suspect then stopped chasing the driver and disappeared back onto Ocean Campus.
Multiple other incidents were reported by students that were not reported by the Campus Police Department. On Aug. 29, the San Francisco Police Department was engaged in a chase that led to a search for the suspect on Mission Campus. Classes were interrupted around 6:30 p.m. by police officers asking if anyone had seen a man with
a mask running through the building. Students who showed up late to class reported they were barred from entry as all doors had been locked down while police searched the building.
Petrina Pledger, president of Chinatown/ North Beach Campus, also reported a “frightening incident” in a downtown fashion class on Thursday, Sept. 12. That night, a former fashion student with mental health challenges unexpectedly visited class. The faculty were able to remove the individual, but not without leaving many of the students feeling scared.
“I had some students come up to me that were concerned about safety [in response to Thursday’s Ocean Campus robbery], and I just said, try to stay positive and stay close to each other,” Senator Estrada explained.
Students are reminded that in the event of an armed robbery, “don’t resist, hand over valuables to the suspect.”
If anyone ever feels they need security walking to or from a class on campus, The Guardsman has been made aware that you can call campus police for an escort to or from class. Campus Police also stated they are willing to offer rides to and from the BART station between the office hours of 6:30 a.m. and 12:30 a.m.
Anyone with information regarding any of the incidents is requested to contact CCSF PD at (415)-239-3200 or on the cell phone line (415)-279-9001.
Student enrollment continued from page 1
Interim Vice Chancellor David Yee makes a point about an enrollment plan during a meeting in the Student Union building on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. Photo by Elias Gutierrez/The Guardsman.
First 100 Days: New Interim Chancellor Makes Himself Known
By John R. Adkins jradproduction@gmail.com
I
nterim Chancellor Mitchell Bailey kicks off his tenure at City College with a novel approach: Making himself available to students.
Bailey has been putting in the effort to make in-person appearances and answer questions that anyone might have. Long-time students at City College hope this marks a change in tone for the chancellor’s office.
“I basically never saw any of the previous chancellors at any meetings, they always seem to be standoffish and stuck on top of their ivory towers,” remarked T.J. Lee-Miyaki, a former student from 2019-22. Lee-Miyaki graduated with four associate degrees with honors and served on the Associated Students Executive Council as a senator, VP of community resources and president.
On Sept. 5, at the first Participatory Governance Council (PGC) meeting of the year, Bailey quietly crept in to not disturb the speaker and pretended to hide behind the cabinets, bringing a chuckle to the crowd.
When it was time for the chancellor’s report, he wasted no time saying exactly what was on his mind.
“So, we’re going to have deficits in future years; It’s going to keep getting worse and worse until we do some things to correct them, so we’ve got some difficult decisions ahead to make,” Bailey said.
He went on to reassure the PGC that they would have a key part in making budget decisions, but they would have to work together to reprioritize programs.
“We can do anything we want to do, but we can’t do everything we want to do. So it’s figuring out how we're investing within our means and investing in what matters.” Bailey explained.
Adding to the chancellor’s newfound transparency, he announced that he would be conducting a series of four different budget
workshops throughout the fall semester and is encouraging the entire college to participate so that everyone, not just the chancellor, can better understand what is in the budget. The goal of which is to start the decision-making process in January, and avoid a period of confusion between when school starts and September when the budget for the subsequent fiscal year is finalized and people are scrambling to find out what is in the budget.
“I want everyone to leave at the end of graduation knowing what’s in the budget. And having had a hand in helping create the budget … or at least having had a good fight about things that should be in the budget,” Bailey said.
The first budget workshop in the series is expected to take place on Oct. 6. The first two workshops are scheduled for October as well as one workshop per month in November and December.
“Transparency is important to me,” Bailey said, “but visibility in the budget is more important.”
When Vice Chancellor Lisa Cooper Wilkins thanked Bailey for his visit he jokingly replied, “3D is always better.”
“In the past, Chancellor Martin would fulfill the report with a pre-recorded video. Sometimes it makes sense when there isn’t a lot to share that’s changed, but that also makes the chancellor unavailable to answer people’s questions, so it would make a lot of council members upset, “Lisa Wilkins explained. “I was aware that he had a lot of work to do before finalizing the budget with the Board of Trustees (on Sept. 12), so I was very pleased that despite that he still showed up in person.”
Next on his list of public appearances was the Mission Campus open house event on Sept. 17, where he could be seen mingling among the crowd of students and was seldom without someone to talk to. He made a brief announcement to kick off the event before rejoining the crowd to shake hands and answer questions
Mission Center Community Convenes for Open House Fair
On Tuesday, Sept. 17, around 300 students and faculty members gathered for the Mission Center Open House event. Interim Chancellor Mitchell Bailey and Interim Vice Chancellor David Yee, along with other representatives from the school's administration, were all in attendance to celebrate the community. Various academic departments, including Journalism, Visual Media Design, and Child Development and Family Studies, promoted their programs. Student services also had tables and were able to answer questions, including various legal services for immigrant students. Some prizes were given out and the open house was catered with free burritos.
“It reinforced to me the importance of our centers, and the connection of our centers to those communities they serve,” Chancellor Mitchell Bailey said upon reflection of the event.
that any student who bumped into him might have had.
“I have been with the college for just over 100 days now, and I continue to be impressed by the full breadth of services that we offer to all of our community. This college is a mirror of this city. You open up any of our classrooms, open any of our doors, attend any of our centers, and you’ll see our friends, our neighbors, our families, and that is a great representation and a great point of pride for this college.” Bailey announced.
Bailey has already started to gain support in the community in his first 100 days, as many individuals have had the opportunity to meet
him face-to-face. This is an opportunity the City College community may have been lacking in previous years.
“It’s like night and day, really, compared to previous chancellors we’ve had. He’s what I would call a modern-day educator, just in the way he talks to students and seems willing to meet them where they’re at,” former student Lee-Miyaki said.
Bailey’s next appearance was at the Associated Students Executive Council meeting on Sept. 20, where he shed light on his key areas of focus and answered questions from students regarding issues such as accreditation and the preservation of “Free City”.
Students gather to learn about available services at the Mission Center Open House Event on September 17, 2024. Photo by Gregoria Cahill/The Guardsman.
Interim Chancellor Mitchell Bailey speaks to students and faculty at the Mission Center Open House. San Francisco Calif. September 17, 2024 Photo by John Adkins/TheGuardsman.
Financial Aid department answers questions at the Mission Center Open House Event on September 17, 2024. Photo by Gregoria Cahill/The Guardsman.
Child Development and Family Studies Department represented at the Mission Center Open House Event on September 17, 2024. Photo by Gregoria Cahill/The Guardsman.
Larry June’s Doing It For Me – Not Quite Doing It For Me
Score: 6/10
By Isaac Ortiz isaacortiz117@gmail.com
L
arry June’s new album comes up short of being enjoyable. Known for his nonchalant style, the San Francisco rapper does exactly that. Coming off a career-high with The Alchemist collab album The Great Escape, I was expecting Doing It For Me to be a spiritual successor to that and The Night Shift, but I was met with a mixed bag of tracks.
Lyrically, he’s pretty diverse on this album. He definitely keeps strong to his themes of being a rap “finance bro”, niche flexes, love, sex, still being tapped into the streets and having a healthy lifestyle. This lyrical variety both works and doesn’t. He gives you a lot to ponder about and, at the same time, leaves you a little confused.
I find he’s most interesting when he’s in the finance bro mentality. He alludes to diversifying your investments/portfolio and real estate deals. On another track, he talks about not-panic selling stock and holding while high. This lyrical focus makes him special amidst an ocean of rappers who stick to drugs, sex, and violence. It breathes a new life into flexes and making money without really alluding to being a drug kingpin or generic flexes.
The first five tracks play well to his style. Twangy guitars, a funky bass holding it down, and steady/ tight drums. The reggae-inspired guitar in “Magnum PI” has a very seductiveness to it that glues the track together quite well. The lyrics play well into his street mentality.
A Little While seems to be one of the most distinct tracks of the album. It’s a very sweet and playful R&B track. He does a really good
job with the chorus and once the verse hits it becomes a good payoff just because the chorus alone could be a song.
The biggest problem with the album is that it’s very incoherent stylistically. The beat selection, in terms of energy, seems to peak in the middle of the album in tracks like Real Talk, Pt. 2, Three Piece, and Where I'm Going. The problem comes when his energy does not match the beats, and it feels like a major deviation from the first leg of the album. His chill delivery just comes across like he’s drowsy. While I was listening to the album on the first listen I thought my phone was on shuffle because I thought it was a completely different album.
Where I’m Going is a track that feels like Larry just phoned it in, he’s not saying a lot. It all just goes out of my ear. I’d regard this kind of rap as what you’d play in your car with your friends but aren't paying attention.
I'm just puzzled as to why he included those three tracks, they didn't add any interesting dynamic and took away from the other tracks. He also seems to be deviating lyrically from the previous tracks and generally his whole financial guru mentality. They’re not bad songs by any stretch of the imagination, they just don't do much.
I wasn't excited for the rest of the album It didn't seem as redeeming. That being said, Meet Me in Napa feels like an appropriate interlude to taking the album back on track. The Orchestral aspect of the song builds a sense of grandeur as to why Larry June is so special in the first place.
Breakfast in Gold Coast capitalizes on the previous track, with luscious string samples and a catchy chorus. The producer does a fantastic job of creating a cinematic atmosphere. While June is not the
strongest lyrically on this track, he makes up for it on the delivery-- he’s dialed in.
Imported Couches is my favorite track off the album, the production on this song sounds like a perfect in-studio performance. If I was mistaken I’d think it was an NPR Tiny Desk performance. The strongest aspects of the production come together well: soft keys, reverb/ twangy guitar, gentle strings, steady
bass and a reliable snare. Lyrically, he’s sharp and stays focused on the subject matter.
Cleaning My Spot, which is the actual interlude, does a fine job of getting the listener to the last three songs. The wind section is phenomenal! The track sounds like the personification of a perfect get-away vacation.
Like a Mack and Dreams seems like an improvement of the middle
of the album, but not by a lot.
The Closing track, Money Bag, is a meditation on the perils of being rich; navigating the snakes and bad actors in his life. These lyrics embody the track mentality “The money bag will make a dirty nigga sing clean”. June goes into how money has changed the people around him, and I appreciate this song because it contrasts his victory laps and financial deals.
CCSF Alumnus Nominated for 2024 Ignatz Award
By Rae Daniels-Henderson rdanie16@mail.ccsf.edu
City College alumnus Desmond Miller is one of Small Press Expo’s “Outstanding Anthology” 2024 Ignatz Award nominees for his collaborative comic book We Belong.
The comic book is an all-Black, all-LGBTQ+ sci-fi and fantasy anthology created by over 20 comic creators. Editors Viktor T. Kerney and William O. Tyler won the 2024 Kinnard Better Future Award for their work on the book.
Miller graduated from CCSF in 2014 with his Associate of Arts degree in Communication Studies, although he originally wanted to be an entertainment journalist.
While studying at CCSF, Miller served as editor-in-chief for The Guardsman and also wrote for Etc. Magazine.
Desmond Miller has been writing for around 17 years and has always been interested in comics, “I have been reading comics since I was a little boy,” he said.
Miller “came to illustration recently,” when he could not find an illustrator for his pages in We Belong in enough time, so he put himself to the test and did it himself. He taught himself how to use ProCreate on his iPad. “It was a nightmare and there were times I wanted to give up, but I didn’t and it worked out,” he said.
It was Miller’s first paid gig as an author and writer, seven months later the comic was published by Stacked Deck Press. “ I wrote and drew six pages, colored, and lettered it,” he said.
Miller’s comics focus on black, brown, and LGBTQ+ characters and feels that there is still a “lack of POC voices in fantasy.” So, he has many more stories to be told.
Miller finds inspiration everywhere and is constantly creating stories, “I am a writer and fledgling artist.” He has created and is continuing to create a wide range of projects from child adventure stories, mythology, and more.
When asked about his past projects, he enthusiastically remembered, “Oh, and I made a movie!” The “semi autobiography,” is titled “Souls of Splendor,” and can be found on YouTube.
He has made a children’s adventure book based on one of his nephews titled, Between Here and the Lint Trap, which can be found on rltpress.com.
Three issues of Hansel and Gretel: Agents of the Coven, illustrated by Jon Spencer, The Foxhunters, which is based on ancient Japanese mythology.
One of Desmond’s favorite projects that he has worked on was Robinson Crusoe in the 6th Dimension, about an AfricanAmerican protagonist who gets trapped on an alternative Earth. This story was Miller’s first published panels.
Some of Desmond Miller’s current projects include a live Podcast every Thursday called The Geek Chat, another anthology, but this time about Queers in sports, types of stories with inspiration from “Wicked,” and short fiction Queer slasher, horror stories.
Talking about his long and beautiful list of accomplishments, Miller advises anyone else to “make art for your own sake, don’t worry about who you look up to, just do it.”
When he feels a spark of inspiration, he acts on it, even while commuting on places like BART. Miller’s constant creative journey is an inspiration, in 2007 he created his own comic book publishing company, Slumberland Press.
What is impressive, it’s that he did all of this while working full-time and going to school. What you can take from Desmond is doing what you love is a “good outlet,” and that there can be a sense of fulfillment from “not talking down about yourself and getting out there and doing it.”
Miller’s positive message is that he wants us all to take from his work, no matter the obstacles, trials and tribulations– it can be done.
Doing It For Me album cover by Larry June. Courtesy of Spotify.
Desmond Miller pictured on Market Street on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. Photo by Elias Gutierrez/ The Guardsman.
Partner Resource Days
Join SparkPoint CCSF Basic Needs Center in a meeting with EOPS, WuYee, Student Health, and Student Employment to learn how they can support the personal and educational needs of City College’s student body.
1 p.m. - 2 p.m. | Ocean Campus, S-127
“Personifications” by Steven Raskan
Until Oct. 17, Gallery Obscura will feature a solo show by CCSF’s Photography Professor Emeritus Steven Raskan.
1 p.m. - 2 p.m. | Ocean Campus, Visual Arts Building, Gallery Obscura
45 Years of Fine Art Printmaking
Until Oct. 28, the San Francisco Airport Museum will feature the 45 years of fine art printmaking at City College’s Fort Mason campus.
1 p.m. - 2 p.m. | San Francisco Airport Museum, Harvey Milk Terminal 1, Departures Level 2, Gallery 1A
“Bursting at the Seams: Inside Philippine Detention Centers” by Rick Rocamora
Until Dec. 13, CCSF’s Journalism Department will feature Rick Rocamora’s national and international award-winning solo photo exhibit.
11 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Ocean Campus, Bungalow 615
Centering Teachers Workshop Series: Honoring Our Lived Wisdom: Embracing our Personal Journeys and Healing as Critical Educators with Oriane Ides
10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. | Virtual | RSVP at teachforthebay.com
Centering Teachers Workshop Series: Meeting the Moment, Changing the System & Sustaining for the Long Haul with Dixie Carranza, Dr. Rebecca Cheung, Don DavesRougeaux, & Dr. KO Wilson
10 a.m. - 11 a.m. | Virtual | RSVP at teachforthebay.com
Budgeting Like A Boss
Join SparkPoint CCSF for a Financial Wellness Workshop with community partner and sponsor, Patelco Credit Union.
1 p.m. | Virtual | RSVP at bit.ly/FA24FW
Listen & Learn Series: Homeless At-Risk Transitional Students (HARTS) Program
Learn more about CCSF’s HARTS Program, which provides services to students who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, housing insecurity.
12 p.m. - 1 p.m. | Virtual | RSVP at bit.ly/FA24LL
Centering Teachers Workshop Series: How to Make Sure Teaching Remains Your Dream with Dr. Jacquelyn Ollison
10 a.m. - 11 a.m. | Virtual | RSVP at teachforthebay.com
Resume & Cover Letter Workshop
Learn best practices for creating resumes and cover letters. The workshop will go over formatting, guiding questions, and any questions students may have.
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Ocean Campus, S-127
Employer Spotlight Wednesdays
All students are invited to connect with employers from education, mental health, and the nonprofit sector to learn more about career options.
3 p.m. – 4 p.m. | Virtual | RSVP at tizhong@ccsf.edu
Centering Teachers Workshop Series: Voices from the Field
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | Virtual | RSVP at teachforthebay.com
Listen & Learn Series: Student Life & Leadership
Learn more about student life and leadership opportunities available on campus.
12 p.m. - 1 p.m. | Virtual | RSVP at bit.ly/FA24LL
Building & Improving Your Credit
Join SparkPoint CCSF for a Financial Wellness Workshop with community partner and sponsor, Patelco Credit Union.
1 p.m. | Virtual | RSVP at bit.ly/FA24FW
Interviewing Strategies Workshop
Need to prepare for your next interview? Join the next Interviewing Strategies Workshop to learn essential tips, answer common questions, and hone your skills to set yourself up for success. Come ready to practice in a mock interview.
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Virtual or Ocean Campus, S-127 | RSVP at bit.ly/ FA24WW
Community Advocacy Resources Empowerment
(C.A.R.E.) Training
Join the Accompliceship/Allyship Trainings with the C.A.R.E. Collective. Open to all students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
4 p.m. – 5 p.m. | Ocean Campus, Location TBD after RSVPing at CCSF.edu/events
Handshake & LinkedIn
Learn more about jobseeking platforms, Handshake and LinkedIn. Attendees will learn how to best navigate these sites, as well as open accounts.
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Virtual or Ocean Campus, S-127 | RSVP at bit.ly/ FA24WW
Protect Your Financial Information in The Digital World
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Ocean Campus, S-127 or Virtual | RSVP at CCSF.edu/events
Prioritizing Your Mental Health: Active Minds Speaker
Sponsored by The Office of Student Equity, Student Health Services, and the Asian American, Native Hawai ian, and Pacific Islander AANHPI) Student Achievement Program, this monthly series helps students learn more about how they can prioritize their mental health.
12 p.m. – 2 p.m. | Ocean Campus, MUB140 | RSVP at bit.lyccsfaanhpisap24
OCTOBER EVENT
HAVE YOUR SAY
In light of the recent uptick in crime activity on campus premises, how safe do you feel coming to, leaving from, and moving about on City College campus? If you could suggest how campus safety could be improved, what would that be?
By Kyra Young kyrajyoung@gmail.com
Dyamond Rogers Biology
“I always have people here that I know, and I don’t come here at night, so I feel pretty safe. But not everybody has that. I definitely think it could be a lot safer for people who come at night and later in general.
I think using IDs to get into buildings would be a good measure – I feel we shouldn’t be able to get in and out [of campus buildings] as easily as we do. I also think there could be an increased security presence across campus – the closest security is all the way in Judson Village. I don’t think they’d make it all the way over here [Wellness Center] in time if something happened.”
Cortland larned Visual Arts
“I’m only here two days a week during the day. I’ve felt safe here. I haven’t run into much trouble out here in comparison to other parts of the city. Since I’ve been at CCSF I’ve felt safe.
I’ve had a couple of incidents getting on the K … there've been some shenanigans. But it’s probably the same thing as any other bus route in a city. I guess it just depends.”
Cam King Economics
“I’ve felt pretty safe, but I’m here only a few hours a week. I haven’t noticed much.
Other campuses can be in areas with more trouble but that’s not necessarily in CCSF’s purview to change that. In regards to this campus … I haven’t experienced too much – if I’ve experienced anything, I run into more situations while in transit to campus.
Jada Skyy Biology
“I feel … medium safe. Anything can happen, and stuff has been happening, so it’s a little scary. It depends – especially for night classes though, then it’s a little freaky. But during the daytime I feel a little more safe. Maybe we should be able to use keycards or our student IDs to get into campus buildings. The buildings are a little too open to anybody.”
Jozelyn magallon Nursing
“It’s my first year here, so far it hasn’t been an issue. But knowing of recent events now it definitely makes me want to be more mindful of what’s going on.
As for suggestions, I’m not really sure what I’d say - maybe we could have more posts available where you can contact campus security.”
Jada Skyy, a biology student at CCSF, says she feels somewhat safe on campus in light of a recent uptick in crime on and around the campus premises - more so during the day than at night. San Francisco, Calif. September 17, 2024. Photo by Kyra Young/ The Guardsman.
Cam King, currently studying economics at CCSF, says he feels safe on campus, but runs into more situations on public transit to campus. San Francisco, Calif. September 17, 2024. Photo by Kyra Young/The Guardsman.
Dyamond Rogers, a biology student at CCSF, says she feels relatively safe on campus because she always has someone she can meet up with. However, she believes an increased presence or availability of campus security could help uphold a sense of student safety. San Francisco, Calif. September 17, 2024. Photo by Kyra Young/ The Guardsman.
Cortland Larned, an arts student at CCSF, says he's felt safe on the Ocean Campus, but for the other campus locations around the city, it could be a different story. San Francisco, Calif. September 17, 2024. Photo by Kyra Young/The Guardsman.
Jozelyn Magallon, in her first year at CCSF, intends to be more aware of her surroundings in light of recent crime activity on and around the Ocean Campus. San Francisco, Calif. September 17, 2024. Photo by Kyra Young/ The Guardsman.
We All Need a Third Place – Here’s Why You Should Find Yours
By Kyra Young kyrajyoung@gmail.com
With years of customer service under my belt, I’m terribly familiar with the concept of a “regular” – a customer I’ve built a sense of familiarity with who comes in on a consistent basis. I might just know their order by heart or the names of their three kids and six-year-old chihuahua-pitbull mix. We wouldn’t consider each other friends, but a familiar, friendly face in a big city is something to appreciate.
Now enrolled in another semester of classes, I’ve adopted the label myself, buckling down to do work at a nearby cafe as I struggle to focus in my apartment. The baristas recognize me – it turns out we have a mutual friend. Beside me sits a group of older gentlemen I’ve come to know as regulars, who always gather with their coffees and crosswords. On the outside parklet sits a number of friends and strangers enjoying the warm afternoon sun. Someone plucks their guitar while chatting with a couple and their dog. A few friends grab a post-skate beer. Several students from the nearby high school come in to grab a bite to eat, backpacks slung over their shoulders.
Where do you go when you want to get out of the house (the first place) but don’t need to go to work or class (the second place)?
This cafe would be considered a “third place.” Where do you go when you want to get out of the house (the first place) but don’t need to go to work or class (the second place)? The answer for some may be “nowhere,” which is indicative of a number of influences we face today, like the rising costs of living, social media in our back pockets and lingering anxieties associated with the pandemic.
Third places aim to answer this question. The term was coined by Professor Ray Oldenburg, an American urban sociologist who studied and wrote about the importance of these
informal gathering spaces in the overall functioning of a civil society, democracy and civic engagement. They present themselves like the community’s living room, a place of refuge for people to develop a sense of belonging there.
Simply put, third places are informal spaces that offer a retreat from domestic and professional responsibilities and present opportunities for connection, socialization, and selfexpression. Parks, bars, coffee shops, malls, libraries, churches, a city’s “Main Street”, and even bookstores are common examples.
They play a critical role in a community’s well being and support the neighborhood’s vitality and local economy. Third places exist as cornerstones where we build the community’s social capital – a sort of generalized trust that strengthens our willingness to collaborate with one another and expands our access to resources, while also supporting our ability to withstand hardship and crisis.
But when the world exists in your back pocket via social media, it may be easier to stay home and check in with technology instead. Society’s fundamental shift to the internet with on-demand services and online-only commerce, as well as social media’s replacement of face-to-face interaction, is actively taking quality time away from the irreplaceable human-to-human experience.
When I first moved to San Francisco, I was finishing my degree via online, asynchronous classes. Being new to the city and knowing no one my age, I longed for collaboration with the world around me and away from the screen, anxiously ready to attempt making new friends. With a flakey attention span at my bedroom desk, I regularly dragged myself out of the house to study in new places – not only for a change in scenery, but to put myself out there and see what could happen.
The park culture was one of the first things that enamored me about San Francisco, but the abundance of cafes, libraries, bars and other community-centered places within walking range was a novelty for someone from a car-reliant suburbia. The simple abundance of people out and about, free to congregate within such spaces on their own two feet, was something I not only felt happy to observe from afar, but wanted for myself. I began to understand why regulars became regulars – be it a park bench or a worn cafe couch, it’s nice to have a reliable spot where you’re treated well. We’re all a bit lonely sometimes in this big world. A sense of belonging can be hard to find, but
feels considerably special when you do.
Whether there’s a semester ahead or not, these local haunts play a crucial role in our work-life balance and we deserve to have one. Students today balance a dizzying array of responsibilities – atop a newfound sense of independence comes work, homework, relationships, finances and a generally heightened awareness of trends to squeeze into. To have a leveled space separate from it all where you can simply exist with and amongst others, where you identify a sense of belonging despite a divisive time for society, reminds us that we are each a thread in the fabric.
third places are informal spaces that offer a retreat from domestic and professional responsibilities and present opportunities for connection, socialization, and self-expression.
As I’ve expanded my community ever so slowly in this “big small town,” I’ve come to appreciate having familiar faces in the neighborhood. My beloved third places have introduced me to other artists like myself, different minds, backgrounds and livelihoods I may have never met had we not both been sitting at a table to share an outlet for our computer. Simultaneously, the “six degrees of separation” theory is very, very real. I sit in this cafe, both a free agent and a strand in an intricate web. There are pictures on the wall of this cafe being a community hub to many in years past and I wonder what their conversations sounded like, what it felt like to live in San Francisco before the pandemic and the behemoth of the tech industry. Covid temporarily took these places away from us and now they’re back in declining numbers, but their value remains untouched – if anything, they only gained importance. If you haven’t found your third place yet, I implore you to do so.
A number of community members flock to the sunny parklet of Simple Pleasures Cafe, a neighborhood favorite and a gem of a third place in the Richmond District since 1978. San Francisco, Calif. September 12, 2024. Photo by Kyra Young/The Guardsman.
San Francisco City College Still Has No Baseball Field
By Cooper McDonald cjknowledge301@gmail.com
City College of San Francisco has been without a dedicated home field diamond for its baseball team for the last few years.
This issue has become troubling not only for the coaches and players of the City College baseball team but also for the fans and families of the team.
Trying to find answers has not been an easy process for the coaches which leads everyone involved to beg the question: why are they not using Balboa Park as their home diamond? The park is located across the 280 freeway from the Ocean campus.
For the past few years, the City College of San Francisco baseball team has been commuting and holding their “home field” games at Fairmont Field, located in the north part of Pacifica, barely a mile from Serramonte.
Being a seven-mile drive from the Ocean campus, it takes about 15-20 minutes to get to the Fairmont baseball diamond on a traffic-free day.
The Fairmont Field baseball diamond has been used primarily by St. Ignatius College Preparatory for their home baseball and field hockey games. However, sharing a primary baseball diamond between a Community College and a preparatory school has come with its challenges.
they always give me the runaround and always say they don’t have any finances to get a field
Multiple CCSF baseball games were sometimes canceled, other times moved to different local fields or delayed due to St. Ignatius having their home baseball games interfere with CCSF’s scheduled games.
The question of why CCSF isn’t utilizing Balboa Park has been most likely overlooked because of its
poor and uneven conditions. The field is rarely managed.
Mario Mendoza, the head coach of the CCSF baseball team, has had concerns over the matter of trying to get a dedicated home field for his team now for years.
I’ve no idea why we don’t have any facilities. I’ve been fighting this for years
“No, I still haven’t heard anything about getting a home field or if we’ll ever use Balboa Park,” Coach Mendoza said.
In the past, Mendoza said he’s tried many different times to bring this issue up to the Administrative Faculty and the Sports Department. “They always give me the runaround and always say they don’t have any finances to get a field,” he said.
“I’ve no idea why we don’t have any facilities. I’ve been fighting this for years,” Mendoza said. It has been quite an inconvenience for the team to have to commute from the main Ocean campus in the Ingleside neighborhood to the baseball field in Fairmont. “It’s been a major inconvenience to commute to that field,” Mendoza said.
Fairmont, being a small, hilly, and quiet, tightly enclosed suburb of the 280 Freeway, is very difficult for a 35 to 40 feet team bus to navigate through the right streets with the street parked cars, making it hard to make turns at certain intersections.
The field is nestled at the lowest elevation point of the neighborhood and is located at the bottom of a hill at the corner of Edgewood Drive and El Dorado Drive.
There are still questions to be answered about why CCSF does not have a dedicated baseball field that have yet to be answered by the City College Facilities Board.
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Rams Men’s Soccer Team Kicks Off Season with Dominant Performances
By Cassandra Young cyoun140@mail.cccsf.edu
The City College of San Francisco men’s soccer team is off to an explosive start this season, showcasing both offensive firepower and defensive discipline. With two commanding victories, the Rams are quickly establishing themselves as a team to watch in the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) this year.
The Rams began their season in style, securing a 4-0 win against Contra Costa College on opening day. It was a statement victory, displaying their strategic sharpness and ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities. The standout of the match was sophomore Xavier, who stole the show by scoring three of the Rams' four goals. His tactical finishing and ability to navigate the opposition’s defense proved crucial in dismantling Contra Costa’s backline.
Not resting on their achievements, the Rams followed up their opening win with another dominant display, this time against Napa Valley College. In a 3-0 triumph, Xavier again led the way, scoring two of the team’s three goals. His dynamic play has been key to the Rams' early success.
However, the team’s strong start is not solely due to Xavier’s goal-scoring heroics. The Rams defense has also been rock solid. The defensive stability, coupled with an explosive attack, has made CCSF a force to be reckoned with.
The Rams' smooth ball movement and high-energy pressing have suffocated their opponents, leaving them with little time to mount sustained attacks.
As the season progresses, the Rams will look to build on this momentum. Their cohesive team play and standout individual performances have made them a formidable opponent for any team they face. While it’s still early in the season, CCSF’s dominance in these first two games suggests that the Rams have the potential to be serious contenders for the conference title.
There’s no denying that Xavier’s goal-scoring prowess has been a highlight, but the Rams overall team effort is what truly sets them apart. From the backline to the forwards, each player has contributed to the team’s success. The Rams balance of offensive talent and defensive grit has given them the edge in both of their matches, making them a well-rounded team capable of handling different types of opposition.
With these early victories, the Rams are building a foundation for what could be a highly successful season. Their ability to score goals, control the central field, and defend as a unit has been a recipe for success so far. The team’s cohesion and discipline, both on and off the ball, have allowed them to control games and force their opponents to play on the back foot.
Consistency will be key if they hope to make a deep run in the postseason. While it’s still too early to predict the full scope of their success, the Rams have certainly made a strong case as one of the top teams in the region.
In conclusion, the City College of San Francisco men’s soccer team is off to an exceptional start this season, powered by a combination of goal-scoring brilliance and defensive resilience. The Rams have shown that they are a force to be reckoned with. If they can continue to play at this level, there’s no telling how far this team can go.
The Rams baseball team boards vans for an hour ride to a home game in Santa Clara, Calif. on March 4, 2024. Bob Kinoshita/ The Guardsman