New arts and sciences building approved for construction at City College

pus, and just making it more accessible so people are really able to take advantage of the support.

think it’s really cool that it's going to be through school now, so people who may be too young or may not have documentations are able to reap the benefits,” said Livi Grace, a student at City College who is studying early childhood development to become a teacher.

Campos agreed. “I think we really need it [abortion medication],” she said.“I think we need that service, because like I said, we already have pregnancy testing, we already have these kinds of basic services, why not add one more thing to help college life be easier, because sometimes you can’t go to any of the hospitals in the city and try to get back to class in time.”

By Ann Marie Galvan Email agalvan1@mail.ccsf.edu

Construction for City College’s new STEAM building was approved by the California Division of the State Architect (DSA). Funded by Proposition A, an $845 million bond passed by voters in 2020, the groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 15, at 9:30 a.m., according to Brigitte Davila, president of the board of trustees.

The currently unnamed STEAM building, which stands for “sciences, technology, engineering, arts, and math,” will be a multidisciplinary classroom building that will bring updated facilities and resources to campus, with bigger rooms to accommodate larger classroom sizes. The impact report submitted to the city by City College in 2020 states that the STEAM building will be four to five stories and will be built “on the west side of Frida Kahlo Way.” nia,” Trustee Thea Selby said in a video released by City College. Originally built in 1935, about 70% of the buildings on Ocean Campus need renovations according to the board of trustees, as reported by The San Francisco Chronicle in 2020. front, so from the street you can see the Diego Rivera mural. We expect that when we give campus tours, they’ll meet there, at the performing arts center.”

The STEAM building is one of a few new proposed buildings for the campus. Other buildings include a new student success center, a performing arts center, and a child care center. “Conlan Hall is going to be torn down. The new student center is going to go there. Counseling, financial aid, everything’s going to be in that one,” Rizzo said.

The glass, according to Davila, will be a “special glass” that won’t fade Rivera’s mural, and “whether you’re inside the building or outside, you’ll be able to see this absolutely incredible piece of art that City College owns,” she said.

The new performing arts building will also be equipped with the proper equipment to accommodate students in their educational pursuits. “They’ll have practice rooms,” said Madeline Mueller, chair of the music department, in the college’s release video. “We aren’t able in the music department to offer a transfer degree because we don’t have the proper facilities,” she added.

Under the bill’s legislation, students will have to pay for the abortion medication itself. Senate Bill 24 only funds its availability on campuses.

“We’re playing catchup with this pandemic,” Cervantes said. “I haven’t been in conversations about access to this [abortion] medication yet. I don’t know how ready we are to work on that yet,

“It’s easier to get those services in your community,” she added.

Several Women’s and Gender studies courses WGST 25, WGST 54, and WGST 55, “offer a curriculum that addresses reproductive rights, reproductive freedom, and reproductive justice,” Harrison said. Health department course HLTH 25 is also valuable in this area. “If you want to learn about women's health, particularly related to reproduction, I think the women's health classes would be a great resource for students,” Harrison added.

“Our facilities are really old and inadequate. The lack of heat, the leaky roofs. These [new] facilities are going to be great. It’s like it’s going to be the Ocean Campus reborn. It’s going to transform the campus,” said John Rizzo, vice president of the board of trustees.

“We’re one of the oldest community colleges in Califor-

A new performing arts center is also slated for construction, although the plans have not yet been submitted to the DSA, according to Rizzo. Planned to be directly across the Science Hall, it will also be next to the new STEAM building “because the arts inform the sciences, and vice versa. Both are very creative areas,” Davila said.

The performing arts center will also be the new home for the Diego Rivera “Pan American Unity” mural that is currently on display at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

“That’s going to be the centerpiece of the campus,” Rizzo said. “It’s going to have a glass

It’s currently unknown if construction will begin by the end of the year. “I think it’s possible,” Rizzo said. “It depends on what you define as construction because they start staging and moving in, and they put in trailers for engineers and the managers.” He added that the campus may see workers put up construction fences.

With plans to tear down Conlan Hall, administration will also need to find a new home.

DSPS continued from page 1 expression is very important to me, whatever project we do, I’m looking for ways to personalize it and make it more meaningful and age appropriate,” she said. class in how much the students can participate.

Throughout the class period, Ane Voong who has attended the theater arts classes since 2005 and has taught her own yoga class at the ARC, feels free to be self expressive. She executed beautiful lines, in a ballet-like dance as she gracefully glided throughout the spacious, wheelchair accessible room 109.

Goodman is rehearsing with her Friday class for the performance “In The Heights.” Most of the students participate fully. Their eyes concentrate on the scripts and are fully engaged. Goodman also looks at their attention span and receives enjoyment from her students wanting them to be engaged without being prompted.

There is a huge amount of diversity within the class in how much the students can participate. It is a collaborative effort between Goodman, the support staff, the students and the caretakers.

There are some students who have limited mobility and others who have intellectual disabilities. In the Friday class, most students can read from a script although if they are lacking in those skills, support staff is available and eager to help them with the lines.

The classes are very well thought out and run very efficiently. For many of the students, there is comfort knowing there are classes to look forward to each week.

Both virtual and in person theater classes start with the opening circle where it feels like a joyous celebration, a dance party. This may be the funniest part of the class and the most inclusive. The Friday class danced to Van Halen’s “Jump,” Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop That Feeling,” and Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off.”

In the opening circle, each student gets to have the spotlight put on them. The whole class is supportive, clapping for their classmates as the student enters the circle to showcase their creative expression. There are shouts “Go Danny, go Paul, go Raymond, go Kerry, go Tyler, go Sally, go Anna, go Jessica.” Getting into the opening circle is not easy for everyone although every student contributes what they can. The students with limited mobility go into the circle and dance, maneuvering their wheelchairs or their caretakers lift them and walk them into the circle where they can be spotlighted.

The students show compassion and patience for each other's disabilities. This was demonstrated when one student got emotional during the opening circle. She started to cry thinking about her birthday that was soon approaching. The whole class went into an impromptu singing of “Happy Birthday” with the guidance of Goodman and the volunteer pianist, Paul Griffiths.

Goodman receives respect and admiration from her students. They respond positively to her teaching style, giving her full attention. The scenes move swiftly as many students are pushed to leave their comfort zone. Each class she aims to complete four or five scenes.

Goodman believes in her students' potential. “I see growth in their ability to portray a part other than themselves, project their voices and overall selfconfidence to perform on stage,” she said.

Monday and Friday theater classes have a different format. On Mondays, the class is done virtually.

Hannah Thomason, Assistant Supervisor-Adult Day Services for Pomeroy Recreation & Rehabilitation Center(PRRC) is a supporting staff in the virtual class and likes seeing the students participate in a meaningful and creative way.

Lanier Green is a middle aged student, who takes theater arts classes virtually on Zoom. Thomason describes Green as someone who has been attending PRRC for the last 46 years. He takes a variety of classes both virtually and at PRRC that focus on encouraging self expression and promoting personal achievement. For Green, taking classes leads to greater independence.

Green said, “Dancing and movement are my favorite parts of the class.”

For Green and many other participants, the quality of their lives are improved by having these classes available to them. “I look forward to it,” Green said.

For Green and many other participants, the quality of their lives are improved by having these classes available to them.

In the Friday afternoon class, Goodman leads the class in voice exercises where they practice projecting their voice and articulating their words. The class repeats after Goodman, “Dominican Republic, barrio, fashion designer, abuela.” The class shows enthusiasm for this exercise. For many students, saying the more difficult words is a good challenge.

Paul Griffiths has a multitude of titles. He is the volunteer pianist in the class whose piano playing uplifts and energizes the class. He is also a support staff and transports a few students to the theater class from the agency, Work Link.

Griffiths enjoys seeing the growth of the students. “The program is really good for giving people confidence in reading and public speaking. You can see people blossoming. It’s amazing to watch the play all come together. I love to contribute something myself personally. The music kind of knits everything together.”

There is a lot of enthusiasm in the opening act when the whole cast says, “Welcome to Washington Heights”

Goodman, Griffiths and the students added a little San Francisco flair to the musical with their original song, “In the Heart of the Mission.” Goodman wrote the chorus and the students contributed individual lines about the Mission. Griffiths composed the music.

To get ready for the big performance the students practice singing, dancing, learning the rhythm to a song, reciting a rap poem and rehearsing different acts.

When asked about leading roles, Goodman said, “It’s all ensemble based and all students play multiple parts.”

There is a lot of enthusiasm in the opening act when the whole cast says, “Welcome to Washington Heights” and then the narrator says, ”This is the story of a family, a community of unity.” Then in unison, projecting their voices, the whole ensemble repeats it back.

As Goodman is figuring out a scene, an “aha” moment occurs. Goodman said to the class, “Isn’t it so much fun to sing together in person after so much time on Zoom?”

Both Kris Moser and Richard Downing accompanied their daughter Anna to class. Downing lifted Anna from her wheelchair and brought her into the circle during the opening circle. Downing was good at projecting his voice and appeared to enjoy participating in the rehearsals for the musical.

Moser brought Anna into the circle during her scenes. Anna’s talker is programmed to say her lines. In the class everyone gets to participate. When it was Anna’s turn, Moser directed Anna to touch the square on the screen. Anna participated to the best of her ability which was a source of pride for Anna and her family.

“Free community classes are so vital for socialization, community building and preventing isolation. Isolation is often a precursor to health problems,” Fitch said.