City College Board of Trustees Faces Overwhelming Testimonies to Restore Classes and Laid-off Faculty
By John R. Adkins jradproduction@gmail.com
M
ore than 100 City College students and faculty members converged on the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, Oct. 24, to demand a halt to class cuts and restore the college's enrollment.
This was the last Board of Trustees meeting ahead of election day, and a key moment before class scheduling for the spring semester was finalized.
The crowded room overflowed with impassioned community members and signs that read “Students Need More Classes!” and “Meet Student Demand!”
Since 2019, City College has faced teacher layoffs and class cuts, leading to hundreds of students being turned away each semester due to limited class availability. According to a press release sent out by the teachers union AFT 2121, for this fall semester alone, 270 students were turned down from English 1A, 200 from Chemistry 32 and approximately 1,700 from English as a Second Language.
AFT 2121, who was responsible for organizing the rally, stated that the Board has not yet reinstated laid-off faculty, despite unanimously passing a resolution to do so last year.
Given the long list of speakers and the contentious issue of access to classes, Vice President Anita Martinez motioned to extend the time for public comment to 60 minutes.
Board protest continued on page 2
Members of City College’s The Guardsman Walk Away From NorCal Regional JACC Conference With an Abundance of Recognition and Valuable Insights
By Kyra Young kyrajyoung@gmail.com
Members of The Guardsman and City College’s journalism program walked away with a heft of awards after the NorCal Regional Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC) Conference on Saturday, Oct. 26, at San Francisco State University (SFSU).
Founded in 1955, the JACC is a nonprofit that brings together students, educators and publications, by providing networking and educational events to inspire members at every stage of their journalism career. This fall’s NorCal conference included a full day of on-the-spot contests, meetings and workshops taught by well-regarded professionals in the field for some 150 students hailing from 14 different community colleges in the region. Representatives from SFSU, San Jose State, Cal State Fullerton and a number of other fouryear transfer institutions were also present to answer questions about their journalism and mass communication programs for prospective students.
Students were welcomed with an array of baked goods upon check-in as the day kicked off, followed by an outline of the day’s events by Associate Professor and SFSU Journalism Department Chair Jesse Garnier, who then JACC continued on page 3
CCSF Journalism Department representatives hold up awards won at the JACC NorCal Regional Conference 2024 on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024 held at San Francisco State University Journalism Department. Photo taken by Darcy Medows of The Experience, Los Medanos College.
Tracy Burt, a professor in the Childhood Development and Family Studies department, stresses the need for more fulltime faculty at City College to support students. "We have so many faculty showing out for students going above and beyond, but we’re not going to be able to do it forever. We’re all losing a lot from not having enough full time faculty, and the people suffering are our students." San Francisco, Calif. Oct. 24, 2024. Photo by Kyra Young/The Guardsman.
Staff
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Gracia Hernandez-Rovelo
Elena Chiaruttini
News Editor
John Adkins
Feature Editor
Julia Chong
Op-Ed Editor
Issac Ortiz Dominguez
Sports Editor
Cooper McDonald
Social Media Editor
Juliana Parente
Photo Editor
Bob Kinoshita
Illustrator Editor
Cindy Chan
Copy Editor
Ellen Yoshitsuga
Gabrielle Chagniot
JT Wildfeuer
Writers
China Young
Rae Daniels-Henderson
Max Leonard
Kyra Young
Photographers
Nick Mueller
Tiffany Sainz
Videographer
Rachel Church
Illustrators
Isis Cordova
David Thomas
Production
Linda Liu
Sebastien Thugnet
Xiaoyi Yu
Advisor
Juan Gonzales jagonzal@ccsf.edu
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"I’ve had to wait two semesters to get into key english classes I’ve needed to complete my degree"
"I’ve had to wait two semesters coming back to City College to get into key english classes I’ve needed to complete my degree.," said Denis Toldeo at the Board of Trustees meeting during public comment. Toldeo is currently pursuing a degree in early childhood education, but has experienced numerous issues with class availability and registration dating back to 2005. "There is a challenge and a shortage of teachers to support children on the spectrum in the city and these classes are vital to filling that void." San Francisco, Calif. Oct. 24, 2024. Photo by Kyra Young/The Guardsman.
Outside the Multi-Use Building, members of CCSF HEAT (Higher Education Action Team) protested with signs taped to windows, while faculty from the music department played songs over a PA system. The rally platformed mayoral candidates and other community members to speak to the preservation of City College.
CCSF Heat’s list of demands included scheduling more classes for the spring 2025 term.
“You should be able to go out to the airport to learn to work on planes or head over to Fort Mason to work with watercolors; this is the reach that City College used to have,” said Ed Stering, who taught Spanish at the college for over 30 years and had turned out to show his support for the movement. “It helps the health of the city because these classes expand people’s social circles and puts them into a community,” Stering said.
Inside, the board worked through the list of over 100 names that had signed up for public comment. Each one was given two minutes to speak, but many continued to voice their concerns beyond the allotted time. Staff organizers from the teacher’s union AFT2121 looked over their own lists of submitted names to ensure everyone would have a chance to speak.
“As recently as 2020, we offered 11 ceramic classes, now we’re down to four,” said Janet Lohr, who has taught ceramics at City College since 1975. “Fewer classes equals fewer students, which equals less money from the state; it’s just math.”
Torrie Lyn, a chemistry instructor of 17 years, addressed the shortage of Chemistry 32 courses.
“We are still understaffed from the 2020 layoffs … adding to the urgency, the department will have a retirement at the end of the school year. We need to replace this retirement to maintain even the inadequate number of classes that we currently offer. Students are being driven away from the college and away from our programs due to difficulty getting their prerequisite chemistry classes … We need two full-time chemistry faculty positions
City College’s Board of Trustees listened to over two hours of public comment by current and former students and faculty at the meeting on Thursday afternoon. From right to left: Vick Van
approved as soon as possible.”
As time wore on, the participants still gripped their signs and held their ground before the Board. A motion was passed to extend the time for public comment for a second hour. The police officers assigned to monitor the protest sat on a bench outside and waited for the room to thin out. Some attendees had to leave before their turn, passing prepared speeches onto others to ensure their concerns were heard.
“We are still understaffed from the 2020 layoffs"
“We have so many faculty going above and beyond for students, but we won’t be able to do it forever,” said Tracy Burt, a Child Development and Family Studies instructor for 20 years. “The people suffering most are our students, and that’s why we’re here.”
Student Jess Wynn, who has been struggling to finish her degree since 2018 due to class shortages, was moved to tears while she addressed the Board. “If you guys think this is a hard decision to make, then get out of your seat,” Wynn said. “Give it up and give it to someone who actually believes in education. This school is supposed to educate students, not prevent us from finishing degrees.”
After more than two hours of public comment, Interim Chancellor Mitchell Bailey acknowledged the impressive turnout during his report. “That level of engagement by students, our student leaders, our faculty and staff and members of our community, is what makes City College, City College. It is indicative of the community we have created and the level of activism and engagement that we expect.”
The meeting finally adjourned at 11:30 p.m., nearly seven hours after it began.
“We wanted to follow up with the Board because, yes, they did add those five last-minute English classes in the fall, but we still had 270 students turned away from English 1A. We need 10 to 12 more classes added to the schedule,” said English instructor and AFT 2121 member Lizzie Brock.
Individual board candidates expressed their support for the college's “slow growth” before the elections. Alan Wong, Vick Van Chung, Susan Solomon, and Anita Martinez all argued for reinstating the laid-off faculty months prior.
“We understand their dilemma because we’re funded right now by what’s called Hold Harmless, and we will not get any more money for students for the next couple of years until we grow, so we’re working with a limited short-term budget, but we need to leverage so that we can start to grow to get off of Hold Harmless,” Brock said.
Hold Harmless is a provision of the Student Centered Funding Formula (SCFF), which temporarily protects funding levels despite enrollment declines like the ones seen during Covid. This provision, extended through 2024-25, gives colleges time to adjust to new funding formulas.
“The idea is that if we start to grow and get up to a certain level, we’ll get much more money from the state sooner. So we need smart growth soon — not crazy out-of-control growth, but smart growth in particular places so that we have an on-ramp to this new funding formula,” Brock explained.
Interim Vice Chancellor David Yee, responsible for spearheading the Enrollment Management Plan, met with AFT 2121 representatives on Nov. 8 to discuss a plan to add more course sections. While the administration expressed a willingness to add more classes, AFT 2121 emphasized the need for tenured faculty rather than part-time temp hires.
“We’re pleased the administration is engaging with us, but we need to see actual results,” Brock said.
Chung, Susan Solomon, Alan Wong, Anita Martinez, Aliya Chisti and Luis Zamora. San Francisco, Calif. Oct. 24, 2024. Photo by Kyra Young/ The Guardsman.
introduced keynote speaker Candice Nguyen, a Peabody Award-winning investigative journalist with NBC Bay Area.
Nguyen's speech also commenced the day’s five on-the-spot competitions: newswriting, opinion writing, copyediting, social media content creation and feature photography. Participating students went off to put their skills to the test to accurately capture, record and report on her presentation to submit their piece for the day’s 1 p.m. deadline.
Eleven workshops were held throughout the day, providing tangible tools and techniques for students to advance their own reporting, photography and storytelling skills. A lunch break provided over 200 Subway sandwiches and snacks, followed by the opportunity to participate in a speed networking session with four-year college transfer representatives, as well as a tour of the SFSU campus for interested students.
The end of the conference brought all students full-circle into the auditorium once again for an awards ceremony, celebrating not only the contest winners of the day, but also awarding publications for their broadcasting and podcasting; publication formatting; online presence; sports stories and sports action photos; profile feature; and newswriting and news photos, to name a few.
The Guardsman publication and its contributing members earned 14 different awards from the conference.
Those in attendance at the Journalism Association of Community Colleges NorCal conference, hosted at San Francisco State University, could network with students from other schools and speak with representatives from four-year transfer institutions regarding their journalism and communication programs. San Francisco, Calif. Oct. 26, 2024. Photo by Kyra Young/ The Guardsman.
The Guardsman writer Kyra Young holding her award award won at the JACC NorCal Regional Conference 2024 on Saturday Oct. 26, 2024 held at San Francisco State University Journalism Department. Photo by Franchon Smith/The Guardsman.
The Guardsman staff Max Leonard (l) and Co-Editor-in-Chief Elena Chiaruttini (r) after receiving awards won at the JACC NorCal Regional Conference 2024 on Saturday Oct. 26, 2024 held at San Francisco State University Journalism Department. Photo by Franchon Smith/ The Guardsman.
Photojournalist and SFSU instructor Kim Kominich (l) with CCSF department chair and instructor Juan Gonzales (r) at the JACC NorCal Regional Conference 2024 on Saturday Oct. 26, 2024 held at San Francisco State University Journalism Department. Photo by Franchon Smith/The Guardsman.
Keynote speaker and award-winning investigative journalist Candice Nguyen speaking about one of her investigative projects at the JACC norCal Conference at San Francisco State University on Oct. 26, 2024. Photo by Franchon Smith/The Guardsman.
Dia de los Muertos: A Vivid Celebration of Latin American Music, Art, and Tradition
A celebration of Latin American music and culture at the SF Symphony building on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in San Francisco. The program featured traditional music with contemporary works honoring the rich heritage of this ancient holiday and lobby installations. The event was curated by longtime collaborator Martha Rodríguez-Salazar. Diego Rivera’s mural Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central was the inspiration for this year’s festivity. Catrinas, historical figures, and artists like Rivera and Frida Kahlo mingled with guests in the lobby before the concert, conducted by the Mexican conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto. Photography by Juliana Parente/The Guardsman.
The projection of the animation Coco, with live scores by the SF Symphony, opens the celebrations for Dia de los Muertos at Davies Symphony Hall on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, in San Francisco. PHoto by Juliana Parente/The Guardsman.
The Latin GRAMMY-winning vocalist Lila Downs performs a special night of music at the Paramount
atre, in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday Oct. 12, 2024. The concert was part of the program promoted by
The-
SF Jazz. Photo by Juliana Parente/The Guardsman.
UMOJA/African American Scholastic Program Rebuilds, Inspires at CCSF
By Cassandra Young cyoun140@mail.ccsf.edu
At City College of San Francisco (CCSF), the UMOJA/African American Scholastic Program (AASP) is more than just a group on campus – it is a vital component of African American students' development, advocacy, and support. AASP, established in the early 1990s and joined UMOJA in 2017, operates under the statewide UMOJA Community to offer a comprehensive support system. Under the direction of co-coordinators Carlos Webster and Patricia Castillo, the program has recovered, even though the pandemic significantly impacted its momentum and necessitated restructuring.
"UMOJA is not a club. The African American Scholastic Program is a part of this statewide organization,” Webster said. The program has changed over the years, going from thriving to almost nonexistent, before resuming its dedication to helping children. Like many other orga nizations, AASP experienced abrupt disruptions and had to work remotely when COVID-19 struck. During this time, two counselor coordinators retired due to health concerns, leaving only one remaining counselor when in-person activities resumed in the fall of 2022, who also retired at the end of that semester.
When things became difficult, Webster was approached by Department Chair Lisa Romano, who offered to co-coordinate UMOJA/AASP. Recognizing the program’s importance to African American students and others at CCSF, he jumped at the chance to take the helm. "I knew how important this program is to our African American students and other students," he said.
Starting almost from scratch, Webster and Castillo began signing up students, initially recruiting 15 to 20 participants in early 2023. In just one year, their efforts helped the program grow to around 180 students, a remarkable achievement considering the setbacks it faced. “We are still a work in progress,” Webster said, noting that they’re actively working to meet the require ments of the UMOJA memorandum of understanding. Joining the UMOJA Community has provided critical grants from the state, which are essential to the program’s growth and future.
the Rights of Passage Ceremony is an occasion that honors the academic accomplishments of our UMOJA students with an Afrocentric flair. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, In the late 1990s and early 2000s, AASP became the first and only community college program in the Bay Area to host such events, encouraging family and community involvement while motivating
UMOJA/AASP has distinguished itself over the years with noteworthy occasions and initiatives. Its most impactful programs include the Rights of Passage Ceremony, HBCU college fairs, and tours of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). According to Webster,
to the position of Chair in the Department of African Studies.
The path to rehabilitation and expansion for AASP and UMOJA has been difficult, but Webster is not giving up. "We've had to rebuild from forty students since COVID; today, we have 155 active students," he said. African American students at CCSF and the community at large are looking forward to a bright future trusting the program's tenacity and dedicated leaders.
Last Remaining French Teacher brings Job Opportunities to her Students
By John R. Adkins jradproduction@gmail.com
For the first time, City College students interested in the French language had an opportunity to network with French businesses and cultural opportunities.
On Monday, Oct. 28, individuals with “Bonjour, Je m’appelle” name tags wandered through room 140 of the Multi-Use Building which had been overtaken by murmurings of “enchanté” and “Comment ça va?”
Thanks to Isabelle Motamedi, City College’s one and only French language instructor, the Department of World Languages and Cultures received a grant from the Embassy of France to host the Francophone Job Fair. The job fair served as a unique opportunity for students interested in the French language to connect with businesses in the Bay Area from the hospitality and culinary sectors. While Motamedi already teaches all four French courses at City singlehandedly, she worked for months with the help of the French-American Chamber of Commerce to organize the event.
The Culture and Education Division of the French Embassy, Villa Albertine, “enhances the quality of French programs and enrollments” with its French in Higher Education grant program.
Although primarily working by herself, Motamedi explained she did feel supported throughout the organization of the event, especially by Dean Maureen Harrington.
Waiting at the entrance to the job fair was Employment Training Specialist Guillermo Turcios, who advised students on strategies for navigating the tables. “Scan the room, see who’s here, and make a plan for who you would like to talk to,” Turcios said to the meandering students.
Businesses and organizations that tabled the event that afternoon were The Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay, Enchante Boutique Hotel, Petit Pot, Four Seasons Hotel, Chandon, ESA Paris, Alliance Francaise and culinary recruiter Leslie Dollet.
General Manager of the Enchante Boutique Hotel, Christian Nabizadeh, said the 18-room hotel in Los Altos was looking to fill culinary positions in the kitchen.
Thomas Blair, former chair of the Languages Department at City College and now director of the European Studies Association, was there to promote the summer study program in Paris, where students can live in dormitories near the Louvre in Paris and earn academic credit for their experiences.
“We typically send around 80 to 100 students every summer, and they stay right in the heart of Paris by the Seine River,” explained Blair.
Sandwiches and refreshments were provided as students continued to file in and out of the room and crowd around tables to practice their conversational French.
“I think it was a success considering it was the first one,” Motmaedi said. “I received some positive feedback from the businesses and one of the hotels asked if I could connect them with the head of the culinary department, so it already connected students to more work opportunities.”
Motamedi added that despite her success, there isn’t much recognition for her work.
“I'm left alone, and there is no one to cover for me if I’m sick. I’m unable to teach all the classes that my students wish I did. Our tenured professor Dr. Jacques Arceneaux was laid off back while the program was actually doing well.”
Montamedi explained that as the last remaining vestige of City College’s French curriculum, the potential for her program to have opportunities like the Francophone Job Fair tends to be overlooked.
“I worked two jobs for four months to make this happen but was paid for one. However, I am trying to organize another event, as I feel these opportunities are essential for students here,” Motamedi said.
Head of Human Resources Manon Rapicult, right, and Yann Konikoff of the marketing team represent Petit Pot, an organic dessert company that crafts both classic and plant-based French desserts, like pot de crème, in reusable glass jars for sale in grocery stores. “What we’re really looking for are brand ambassadors that can help us grow the company,” Rapicult said. San Francisco, Calif. Oct. 28, 2024. Photo by John Adkins/The Guardsman.
Eight different Bay Area businesses and organizations from the hospitality and culinary sectors came to represent themselves at the Francophone Job Fair in the MUB Building. The event was organized by Isabelle Montamedi, City College’s only French language instructor, with the support of the French-American Chamber of Commerce. San Francisco, Calif. Oct. 28, 2024. Photo by John Adkins/The Guardsman.
A Wave of Shoegaze Hits the Bay
By Isaac Ortiz Dominguez isaacortiz117@gmail.com
Wisp, a 19-year-old artist from San Francisco, is taking the alternative scene by storm with a melancholic drone spiral. With growing virality from platforms like TikTok and Instagram, she’s growing monumentally with her shoegaze sounds.
Within the last year, I’ve noticed a trend of Shoegaze songs blowing up on social media. Songs like Scars by Novulent, Blank by Glare, Leave Me Behind (alt version), and Your Face by Wisp see a skyrocketing of streams due to a sect of meme culture using the power of shoegaze to enhance their posts. Other moody and ethereal songs are being rediscovered by a new generation of music listeners. Songs like Sex Tape by Deftone are given a new life by meme culture. Another song totally revitalized by memes is Duster’s Me and the Birds, initially released on August 22, 2000. Natalie R. Lu, also known as Wisp, has graced the platform with her waves of distortion and euphoric voice. She stands out as a prospect in the new age of the Shoegaze renaissance. In the U.S., shoegazer is taking over as a new staple in new indie music, except they hold a sort of bravado not typical of the big Shoegaze bands. She played at Outside Lands this year, and a clip uploaded on her YouTube channel shows her playing her single Enough For You.
Enough For You has been my favorite song from her so far, with a driving droning guitar, her edgy lyrics possess you in a heavenly state. “Why can you need me like I need you?” might not seem captivating on its own, but accompanied by her ensemble of guitar tones, it adds layers of waves crashing down on you. Despite not having an official album yet, Wisp has released a strong EP and very exciting singles. She blends the strongest attributes of each shoegaze band before her and makes it her own: heavenly vocals, trance-like lyrics, heavy distortion, reverb, and a layer of delay.Her most streamed song You're Face with over 80,000,000 streams on Spotify stands out as a staple in the new generation of Shoegazers. Her sentimental lyrics, whispered voice and wall of distortion pour out like a waterfall or the fog of the Bay Area. Mimi is a single that fools you at the beginning, reminding me of a song of Slowdive’s Pygmalion and then this tsunami of distortion overwhelms you and her lyrics give me goosebumps! “Beneath your neck that captivates and leaves me wanting more.”
Wisp stands out in the history of San Francisco's latest talents; she seems to be akin to other bands based out of San Francisco like Sweet Trip and Red House Painter. Pandora, a six-song EP fleshes out her limbo-esque sound, with sentimental songs of romantic obsession, yearning, and romanticism. It may get repetitive if she doesn't evolve lyrically, but her sound is impeccable for this early in her career and life. wwOnce then we’ll be free stands out as a track that sonically and lyrically gets her out of her repetitiveness. She’s not too heavy on the distortion and leaves the drums and bass to breathe. It feels fasterpaced compared to her other songs and the guitar is slicker and just due to the distortion not being so thick. The bass is fun too, bouncing off her vocals and propelling the song between verse and chorus.
Have Your Say: Campus Resources
By Ellen Yoshitsugu ellenyoshi@gmail.com
“I would say I use the library a lot," says Ezra Zimmer, a prospective environmental science student. "It’s mostly a study space around other people - that’s the thing: a conducive social environment, ya know? I cannot work at home. It’s hard to focus. I’ve also done a little tutoring, but not much. I’m looking into student employment as well.”
Tiffany Chen is a mechanical engineering student at City College. “I go to the collab center a lot - the Collaboratory,” says Chen. “It’s a MakerSpace where you can talk and work with other people in the library. It gives me a place to concentrate on my homework. I struggle studying at home.”
“I use the photo lab a lot for their equipment,” says Rika Murakami, a student enrolled in visual arts classes. “I have access to the software at home, but I like using the lab. The equipment is always available for me to use when I’m on campus.”
“I also use the math lab in Judson Village and the computer science department on the third floor of Batmale Hall. I go to EOPS (Extended Opportunity Programs and Services) a lot - they’re very helpful, as well as DSPS (Disability Services and Programs for Students)... I get help with classes and extra time on some tests. EOPS covers a lot, they help with transportation, covering the cost of books, there are snacks in there, there’s a space to study….. They also have their own set of counselors that can help you out throughout your time at City College if you’re a part of EOPS.”
I use the student union lounge to relax - they have table tennis in there too, and that’s fun sometimes,” says Neche Okeke, a computer science major. “I use the STAR center on the 2nd floor of the library - I use several places in the library honestly: the Collaboratory, the study rooms on the 3rd and 5th floor. I like that those are available.
“The library hours are a bit awkward. The Collaboratory opens up much later in the day, while the library is open much earlier - I wish it closed later, but the Collaboratory closes later so that’s nice.
“I also use the math lab in Judson Village and the computer science department on the third floor of Batmale Hall. I go to EOPS (Extended Opportunity Programs and Services) a lot - they’re very helpful, as well as DSPS (Disability Services and Programs for Students)... I get help with classes and extra time on some tests. EOPS covers a lot, they help with transportation, covering the cost of books, there are snacks in there, there’s a space to study….. They also have their own set of counselors that can help you out throughout your time at City College if you’re a
part of EOPS.”
Ezra Zimmer, a prospective environmental science student. Photo by Kyra Young/ The Guardsman.
Tiffany Chen, a mechanical engineering student.
Photo by Kyra Young/The Guardsman.
Rika Murakami, a student with the visual arts program. Photo by Kyra Young/ The Guardsman.
Raina Shrimali, a psychology student and womens volleyball player at City College. San Francisco. Photo by Kyra Young/The Guardsman.
Neche Okeke, a computer science student. Photo by Kyra Young/The Guardsman.
Water Polo Wins 14-11
By Ellen Yoshitsugu ellenyoshi@gmail.com
Thewomen's water polo team beat the visiting San Mateo Bulldogs 14 to 11, on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. Rachel McCarty led the scoring with six goals, followed by Keianna Pineda and Serawit Ezra with three each, and Cristina Bracamontes and Remy Dizon with one each. Goalie Shanagh Dely made 15 saves. Assistant Coach Ally Bakos said the team is in the middle of the pack and unlikely to make it to the championships, but "you never know!"
Rams Serawit Ezra (7) passes to Rachel McCarty(5) in the first half against the San Mateo Bulldogs on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in San Francisco. McCarty scored six goals this game and Ezra three. Keianna Pineda (6) also made three goals.
Photo by Ellen Yoshitsugu/The Guardsman.
Remy Dizon (9) and Christina Bracamontes (3) on defense for the Rams in the first half against the San Mateo Bulldogs on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in San Francisco. Dizon and Bracamontes scored one goal each this 14-11 win for the Rams. Photo by Ellen Yoshitsugu/The Guardsman.
Rams water polo coach Phong Pham talks with the team during a break in the game against the San Mateo Bulldogs on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in San Francisco. Photo by Ellen Yoshitsugu/The Guardsman.
Rams Keianna Pineda (6) ready to make a shot on the goal in the second half of the Rams 14-11 win over the San Mateo Bulldogs on Oct. 25, 2024, in San Francisco. Pineda scored three of the Rams' goals this game. Photo by Ellen Yoshitsugu/The Guardsman.
The Rams Dominate the Mustangs in Their First Win
By Brett Abel babel2@mail.ccsf.edu
“It’s a good day to be a Ram!” freshman defensive back Kalique Cheeves yelled as he entered the locker room. “It’s a great day to be a Ram!”
The City College of San Francisco football team ended its five-game losing streak to start the 2024 season with a 31-0 home win over its first conference opponent, a winless San Joaquin Delta College, on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024.
CCSF interim coach Eduardo Nuño said before the game his plan was to run the ball — and he did. Ten Rams ball carriers ran the ball on 48 of 70 offensive plays for 391 yards, almost double their average of 209 yards per game, and three touchdowns.
“The offensive line did a fabulous job. Running backs, everybody played,” he said.
As Nuño walked off the field after the game, soaking wet because his players ceremoniously and victoriously emptied an orange 5-gallon Gatorade cooler over his head when the first win was official, he pointed to the sign at George M. Rush Stadium listing the many CCSF championships over the years.“I won a lot of games in 32 years before this. I’m happy for the kids. It’s been tough,” he said.
Quarterback Christian Banks, who made his first season start, said, “We started 0-5 and the hardest part, honestly, was staying in, mentally.” Banks replaced Eric Waugh in the first quarter of the Rams’ last game, at Sierra College, and had a bye week to prepare for the start against Delta.
After the win, Nuño said, “We feel good about
ourselves, positive. We’ll build on what we’ve got. I’m excited for what we’ve got.”
The Rams (1-6 overall, 1-0 Coast Conference) will play at Laney College (2-4, 0-1) on Friday, Oct. 27, and have three games in November to complete the season.
“We kind of struggled to find an identity,” Banks said. “Teams respect our run game now.”
He and running back Daytuawn Pearson led the Rams’ rushing attack with 96 yards each on 10 and 11 carries, respectively, against Delta (0-6 overall, 0-1 Coast Conference).
Sophomore running backs Luis Contreras and Nathan Iskander each had a touchdown on five carries for 49 and 41 total yards, respectively.
Richard “Juice” Washington, the Rams’ go-to shortyardage ball carrier had six carries for 37 yards and a touchdown. But he also sparked energy in the team on the field and the sidelines with his improvisational playing style.
With the ball at midfield about halfway through the third quarter, Washington was struggling to run up the middle on a third-and-4. However, he avoided a tackle for loss when he lateraled the ball back to Banks, who bounced out to the left and ran down the CCSF sideline for an 18-yard gain and a first down.
Washington’s alertness and athleticism essentially guaranteed the win at the end of the quarter when he found the end zone.
On third-and-6 from the Delta 13-yard line, Washington followed a blocker behind the offensive line. The 5-foot-10-inch, 240-pound bulldozer of a ball carrier went from right to left, hurdled a would-be defender and
trotted the last few yards into the end zone to put CCSF up 24-0 with 1:24 left in the third quarter.
Washington said every time that play is called, he expects to score. And when he did this time, almost ensuring his team’s first win of the season with a little more than one quarter to go, “everybody was hyped.”
“Today, everybody put it together,” he said. “We’re coming for everybody.”
The Rams’ running game was so dominant that it made up for many of the shortcomings in the rest of the offense.
Passing, Banks was 5-19 for 69 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. The offense also lost one of its six fumbles, four of which came from bad shotgun snaps.
And the Rams committed nine penalties for 99 yards, giving up three first downs to the Mustangs.
Overall, however, the CCSF defense was strong and got help from drops and overthrown passes from the Mustang passing game.
The Rams tallied four sacks, forced three turnovers, shut out the Delta offense — a first this season for both teams — and held the Mustangs to 24 rushing yards on 21 carries.
Delta quarterback Ubedei Mcgautha was 22-42 for 157 passing yards and two interceptions. Wide receiver Jayden Mimmitt had 10 catches for 52 yards. Link Rhodes had a game-high 80 yards, with a long of 21, on six receptions.
“[This win] means a lot. We’re win-or-go-home right now,” CCSF freshman defensive back Chikala Warden said. “We needed this [shutout]. It’s big for us.
“We’re a good team,” he said. “[We can] get on track now.”
Rams DB Kalique Cheeves (22) and OL Logan Tucker (56) lead the way onto George M. Rush Stadium to play the CSM Bulldogs on Saturday, Nov. 02, 2024, in San Francisco. The Rams 2-0 in conference games battled for first place in the Coast Conference against the visiting College of San Mateo Bulldogs. The Bulldogs, also 2-0 in the Coast Conference League, made it 3-0 with a decisive 51-7 win over the Rams. Photo by Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman.
Rams WR Bryson Waterman (2) receives a kickoff from the opposing CSM Bulldogs on Saturday, Nov. 02, 2024, in San Francisco. Photo by Bob Kinoshita/ The Guardsman.
Rams QB Christian Banks (15) on a quarterback keeper against the CSM Bulldogs on Saturday, Nov. 02, 2024, in San Francisco. Photo by Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman.
Rams RB Richard Washington (3 ) hurdles CSM defenders at the George M. Rush Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 02, 2024, in San Francisco. Photo by Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman.
Rams QB James Mertz (12) scans the field for an open receiver against the visiting CSM Bulldogs at the George M. Rush Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 02, 2024, in San Francisco.
Photo by Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman.
Women’s Soccer Suffers Tough First Loss in 13 Game Streak to Skyline College
By Kyra Young kyrajyoung@gmail.com
The top-ranked Rams women’s soccer team suffered a tough 0-1 loss to San Bruno’s Skyline College on Friday, Nov. 1, serving as a humble reset for the team that has remained undefeated for 13 straight games – a streak dating back to the beginning of September.
“Soccer can be cruel,” said Head Coach Jeff Wilson reflecting on the match. “But that’s just the way this sport is sometimes. You can have all the better chances and take lots of shots, but it might just not go your way that day.”
In a pregame interview, Wilson acknowledged the match would prove itself to be a tough test. “We played them twice last season – tied them in the regular season and then won against them in the first round of playoffs,” he said. “It’s always gonna be competitive because they’re a local rival. I’m expecting a good game, a good challenge.”
Wilson admitted that the game had a little more at stake, as Mike Sharabi, head coach of Skyline’s women’s soccer team, is a former athlete of Wilson’s from his time coaching at Skyline.
Heading into the 2024 season, Wilson ramped up the schedule for the Rams to face some of the best the league could offer, upholding his intention to battletest his squad. One could argue the tactic has proven itself successful – the team has not only held an undefeated 13-game streak this fall, but has earned the No. 1 rank for the California Community College Athletics Association (3C2A) Coast-North Conference. The latest poll for United Soccer Coaches’ Junior College Division III Rankings has the squad placed at No. 4 in the nation.
“We’ve made some preseason goals, and we’re matching up with all those goals,” Wilson said. “The key is finishing out the conference schedule strong and trying to win a tenth conference championship.”
As the match versus Coast-North’s No. 3 Skyline approached, Wilson reaffirmed the roster’s depth of talent and how it has made for a seemingly overflowing cup when faced with last-minute hiccups, fatigue and injury throughout the season. The squad’s four captains – Arpan Bahia, Naré Avetian, Paige Pineda-Aliamus and Nadia Barron Santiago – have each served as great leaders throughout the season. Bahia, a central defender, has secured herself as the team’s “rock” in the back line despite her recent ankle sprains, while Pineda-Aliamus, a forward, is the Rams’ leading scorer with 17 goals under her belt so far this season.
Freshman goalkeeper Bailey Perales has also had a standout first season with the Rams. In the last eight games alone, Perales has only let in one goal. “She’s come up big – been very vocal, made some great saves,” remarked Wilson. “It took her some time to adjust, but she’s been great.”
The mild and sunny Friday made a great afternoon for a match as City College began trekking onto the turf to face their local rival. As players began warming up, Bahia was getting both her ankles wrapped alongside teammates Carmen Hinton and Julieta Juarez-Mendoza.
“We want to get an early lead,” replied Bahia when asked about the vision for the game. “We want to keep our high position in our rankings right now.”
Hinton, a center-back alongside Bahia in the defensive line, agreed. “We want to communicate and move it up through the middle – but we’re prepared. We have an idea of how they’re going to play and how we’ll approach them.”
The Rams held possession from the first minute on, finding easy switches of control from left to right, offense to defense and back again. Bahia and Hinton calmly held the back line and provided a reliable reset, building momentum off the outside movement of Kendall Carr and Daniela Del Carlo, who each found runs down the sideline and dumped the ball into the box multiple times.
The technical control of both Avetian and Sydney Grundland Lanuza in the center made for endless distributions through the middle and up the line to the offensive threats of Ashley Rabara, Angelina St. Denis, PinedaAliamus and Catherine Cordova Bobadilla.
Within the first 15 minutes of the game, the Rams had managed a handful of attempts on net and even more opportunities in the box – Pineda-Aliamus knew exactly where to be, head and foot, with every delivery from the outside and through the center, but Skyline’s defense proved to be a difficult barrier to penetrate. Both PinedaAliamus and Barron Santiago had several shots on goal throughout the game to no avail.
It was in the second half when Bahia went to clear a ball but it bounced off the opponent, landing almost perfectly for one of Skyline’s forwards to advance the ball to their teammate and tap it by Perales, giving Skyline a 1-0 lead over the Rams.
“We call that a run against play,” Wilson reflected in a post-game interview.
For the remainder of the second half, the Rams fought hard and again found an abundance of chances, including a shot in the last five minutes that found the fingertips of Skyline’s keeper, ricocheting off the crossbar. But Skyline held a low line of pressure and maintained their defensive line, preventing the Rams from finding success in the back of the net. The game came to a close with a loss for the Rams, bringing their current record to 12-2-2.
It’s always gonna be competitive because they’re a local rival. I’m expecting a good game, a good challenge.
“Obviously you never want to see that happen,” remarked Wilson on the loss, who did not think the team could have done anything differently in the second half. “If you look at every stat line in that game, we dominated – except for goals. We didn’t finish early chances and it gave the other team the opportunity to organize themselves.”
Despite the sting of a loss on their home turf, Wilson acknowledged the silver lining. “The way I look at it is… it could be a good thing because it wakes us up and gets us refocused on what we need to do to reach the goals we have. This gives us an opportunity to look at how we can play against teams that might try and do that to us. We’re still in line to win a conference championship. We just need to take care of our own business,” Wilson said.
The Rams have three conference games ahead of them – a home game against Foothill on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 3 p.m., which will serve as their sophomore day to honor the hard work of their 14 second-year upperclassmen. They will then go on to play Las Positas on their home turf on Friday, Nov. 8 at 12:30 p.m. and a final game away at Cañada on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 12:30 p.m.
Sydney Grundland Lanuza (15) battles for the ball with a Skyline defender during the game against Skyline College on Friday, Nov. 01, 2024, in San Francisco. Photo by Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman.
Chelsea Sandoval (23) passes the ball during the game against Skyline College on Friday, Nov. 01, 2024, in San Francisco. Photo by Bob Kinoshita/ The Guardsman.
Ashley Rabara (33) and Skyline College defenders track the ball during the match in San Francisco, on Friday, Nov. 01, 2024. Photo by Bob Kinoshita/ The Guardsman.
Rams player Catherine Cordova Bobadilla (8) passes the ball during the game against Skyline College on Friday, Nov. 01, 2024, in San Francisco. Photo by Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman.
Paige Pineda-Aliamus (16) takes a head shot on goal during the game against Skyline College on Friday, Nov. 01, 2024, in San Francisco. Photo by Bob Kinoshita/The Guardsman.
City College of San Francisco Journalism Classes | Spring 2025
JOUR 19: Contemporary News Media
Recommended Prep: Readiness for college-level English or ESL 188. 31193 831 Onl Asynchronous 01/13-05/21 Online
Instructor: Alex Mullaney
This class is part of CityOnline and is 17.5 weeks. JOUR 19-Sec 831 has no scheduled in-person meetings and requires the use of Canvas. All coursework is completed on Canvas using an internet enabled device. For course details, students must check the instructor’s website (https://sites.google.com/mail.ccsf. edu/mullaney). This course meets the requirement for the AA and AA-T degree in journalism and the Certificate of Achievement in Data Journalism. For more information about CityOnline, please visit the CityOnline website (https:// www.ccsf.edu/academics/online-learning/cityonline). CSU/UC/CAN
JOUR 21: News Reporting and Writing
Recommended Prep: Readiness for college-level English or ESL 188. 35385 001 Lec TR 09:40-10:55AM 01/14-05/21 CLOU 230 Ocean
Instructor: Juan Gonzales
This course meets the requirement for the AA & AA-T degree in journalism. It is also required for the Certificate of Achievement in Data Journalism, Editorial Management & Design, and Entrepreneurship & Innovation in Journalism. CSU/CAN & CSU. The course training also includes an opportunity to produced stories for publications like The Guardsman and neighborhood newspapers.
JOUR 23: Copy Editing
PREREQ: JOUR 21.
35901 501 Lec R 06:10-09:25PM 01/30-05/21 MIC 217 Mission
Instructor: Molly Oleson
This is a late start in-person course at the Mission Center. For more information, please contact the instructor Molly Oleson at moleson@ccsf.edu
This course is responsible for producing the campus newspaper The Guardsman. This course meets on the Ocean campus in Bungalow 615. Contact the instructor at jagonzal@ccsf.edu prior to the start of the semester for added instructions. This course meets the requirement for an AA degree in journalism and the Certificate of Achievement in Editorial Management & Design. CSU
JOUR 31: Internship Experience
PREREQ: Approval of the Journalism Department Recommended Prep: JOUR 24.
33770 W02 Work Hours Arr 01/13-05/21 Ocean
Instructor: Juan Gonzales
This course requires placement in a media setting with the consultation of the instructor. Contact the instructor at jagonzal@ccsf.edu prior to the start of the semester. CSU
JOUR 35: Data and Multimedia Journalism
Recommended Prep: JOUR 21.
33692 501 Lec T 06:10-09:00PM 01/14-05/21 MIC 217 Mission
Instructor: Molly Oleson
This course meets the requirement for an AA degree in journalism. It is also required for the Certificate of Achievement in Data Journalism and Entrepreneurship & Innovation in Journalism. You are advised to contact the instructor at moleson@ccsf.edu prior to the start of the semester for any last minute instructions . CSU
JOUR 37: Introduction to Photojournalism
Recommended Prep: PHOT 51 or demonstration of equivalent knowledge. 34149 501 Lec W 06:10-09:00PM 01/15-05/21 MIC 217 Mission
Instructor: Jessica Lifland
This course meets at the Mission Center in Room 217. You are encouraged to contact the instructor at jlifland@ccsf.edu prior to the start of the semester. This course meets the requirement for an AA & AA-T degree in journalism. It is also required for a Certificate in Data Journalism, Editorial Management & Design, and Entrepreneurship & Innovation in Journalism. CSU
