The Guardsman, Vol. 175, Issue 2, City College of San Francisco

The Guardsman

Students Continue Fight for Affordable Public Transportation

Call for State Subsidation

By Jade Leonardo charlottejadeleonardo@gmail.com

On Jan.10, student leaders from City College, alongside Chancellor David Martin and members of the administration, traveled to Sacramento to fight to keep a subsidized transportation program available to California college students.

Student Chancellor Heather Brandt was there and said there was a lot of discussion and while state legislators understood the need for subsidized public transportation for students, the persistent issue is finding the funding.

Students were able to present the idea of subsidized public transportation as a “win all the way around,” for students, colleges, transit agencies, and more – emphasizing that student attendance would improve and stress levels would decrease due to students not having to worry about paying for public transportation.

A 2021 study done by Temple College stated transportation is a “barrier to college completion,” and

lowering transportation costs for students is a “promising strategy for increasing the likelihood that students will: remain enrolled one semester and one year later; complete a greater number of credits; and, earn a credential.”

City College of San Francisco’s students also attested to the fact that transit agencies could use a “bailout” due to hardships from the pandemic. Students mentioned a transportation program would be beneficial to the environment and overrun parking situations –students would likely take public transportation instead of driving to class, if a subsidized program were in place.

In addition to the trip to Sacramento, City College student leaders presented a resolution to the Associated Students Executive Council meeting

on Jan. 27 where they were able to acquire sponsorship to move to the Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC). This resolution is to urge the SSCCC to make subsidized public transportation “a legislative priority on behalf of students at all 116 community colleges across the state.” When asked if the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is actively seeking to work with college administrators on transportation programs for students, Deputy Spokesperson of Communications, Marketing, and Outreach Division Stephen Chun responded that the SFMTA has engaged with several colleges, including City College, over the years to discuss the SFMTA’s Class Pass Program. Through this program, students would pay a semester fee, $128 per student, for a transit pass that covers four months.

Transportation continued on page 2

Impact of Layoffs and Class Enrollment

The culmination of layoffs and program consolidations have caused major challenges for educators and students alike

By Renée BartlettWebber rbartle8@mail.ccsf.edu

“Class cuts” is a common term during the beginning of the semester because there are often cuts due to low enrollment each

'None of the faculty knew what the college was trying to do with the non credit ESL students. They kept cutting our classes and enrollment, yet our enrollment is not bad.'

semester. But this spring, “class cuts” has a much more biting connotation.

In the wake of the layoffs of 38 teachers as well as the consolidation of the English as a Second Language (ESL) program last year, the term “cut” stings deeply at City College.

Canceled classes can prevent students from reaching their

Meet the New Trustees at City College

Look to Fulfill Their Campaign Promises to Rollback Administrative Takeaways

By Renee Bartlett-Webber rbartle8@mail.ccsf.edu

City College is at a turning point in its history. The school is currently facing declining enrollment, enhanced accreditation monitoring, teacher layoffs and program consolidations. Amidst these challenges, there are now three new faces on the Board of Trustees: Anita Martinez, Susan Solomon and Vick Van Chung were elected as a unit on a platform to roll back some administrative decisions.

As candidates, they campaigned to rehire faculty who were laid off and emphasized

restoring the English program.

“We’re sad to see that City College has slowly descended into a two-year college for transfer students only, away from the community college that I was always intended to be,” Vice President Martinez said in a video featuring the three candidates.

As vice president of the board, Martinez brings 28 years of experience across three community colleges. She admits that, like many new students, she will face a learning curve to get up to speed as this is her first time serving on a board. “I welcome input from everybody, all the campus constituencies, but

the people I welcome input [from] the most are the students, because I was a teacher. We exist as a college for the students.” Martinez encourages students to reach out to her at anitamartinez@ccsf.edu and (415) 239-3921.

Trustee Solomon has been an active teacher and union organizer for many years and just recently retired as president of United Educators of San Francisco. She is passionate about facilitating participatory governance to ensure that the college functions for the students. “We were elected to do a job, and so we are responsible to our stakeholders” Solomon said Trustee continued on page 3

academic goals. For some, it could discourage them from continuing their education at all, either at City College or any other institution. This in turn could have an impact on the administration because the college is dependent on enrollment for funding and maintaining accreditation. City College is currently under “enhanced monitoring” by the accrediting organization primarily due to financial deficits and a 38% decline of full-time equivalent students (FTES.)

The Numbers

During this year’s Flex Day, Chancellor David Martin shared that there were 154 fewer credit classes between fall 2021 and fall 2022. Overall, the school gained more part-time students but there are still material losses in the number of classes that students are engaging in. This has resulted in a decrease of 567 FTES, the metric California Community Colleges uses to grant funds to schools. There are many factors that affect enrollment, so further analysis needs to be done.

Impact continued on page 2

Photo by Ian Fuller. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ianfuller/207019976/

Photo credit: https://martinezforcollegeboard.com/"

Illustration by Renee Bartlett-Webber

'the students in this program are impacted when they age out'

"Ghost Students" Haunt California Community Colleges as Fraudulent Applicants Steal Financial Aid and Class Spots

The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office has taken measures to reduce fraud, such as upgrading its admission portal and improving technology to more quickly identify cases of fraud

By Ann Marie Galvan agalvan1@mail.ccsf.edu

City College and the California Community Colleges system is facing a years-long problem with "ghost students," who are either fake applicants looking to obtain a ".edu" email address, or applicants who receive financial aid but never attend classes. These fake students can clog class rosters and prevent real students from enrolling.

In a conversation with The Guardsman last year, Mark Johnson, the executive director of the department of marketing, communications, and public relations at Peralta College, said that “ghost students” commit fraud at two different levels: fraud “at the enrollment and application stage” is for financial gain, while application fraud at CCCApply, the online admission application center used by all 116 of California’s community colleges, is for the “.edu” email address, which can be used for free or discounted products and services. Community colleges grant the “.edu” email address at the time of application and not at payment and registration, unlike four-year schools.

The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) has installed software to reduce the number of automated applications, but still more than 60,000 fake students applied for financial aid in 2021, resulting in the distribution of hundreds of thousands of dollars of financial aid money to bots, according to the Los Angeles Times. The CCCCO said that the “ghost student” phenomenon is “pandemic-induced” in a memo from January 2022.

Fake students also enroll in classes, filling up rosters and taking spots away from real students. Molly Oleson, journalism instructor at City College, said that her Data and Multimedia Journalism class was over-enrolled with 36 students, but 15 of those students were fraudulent. “I thought the class was over-capacity. I had a couple students on the waitlist who really wanted to take the class but weren’t able to get in because of the fraudulent students registered,” she said.

She did not know for sure the students were fraudulent

until the first few classes when they did not show up, she added. While the “ghost students” at City College aren’t always noticeable by their name, there are other signs. Oleson said that “they don’t have pictures on their student ID and usually their ID number starts with ‘WA299.’” Oleson said she was instructed to look out for students registered with that number, although she thinks it’s possible bots are now registering under a different number.

The CCCCO, who maintains the admission portal for California community colleges, are aware of the issue.

“We’re in the middle of upgrading CCCApply,” Dr. Aisha Lowe, vice chancellor for educational services and support at CCCCO, said. “We made lots of improvements to our technology, to be able to more rapidly identify cases of fraud.”

The CCCCO has updated their “system-wide technology infrastructure” that allows colleges to share suspected fraudulent applications and suspend or block accounts from enrolling, “effectively protecting all other colleges automatically.”

Additionally, the system now requires two-factor authentication, and while not every bot is caught, this reduces the number of malicious application attempts.

different number.

The CCCCO, who maintains the admission portal for California community colleges, are aware of the issue. “We’re in the middle of upgrading CCCApply,” Dr. Aisha Lowe, vice chancellor for educational services and support at CCCCO, said. “We made lots of improvements to our technology, to be able to more rapidly identify cases of fraud.”

The CCCCO has updated their “system-wide technology infrastructure” that allows colleges to share suspected fraudulent applications and suspend or block accounts from enrolling, “effectively protecting all other colleges automatically.”

Additionally, the system now requires two-factor authentication, and while not every bot is caught, this reduces the number of malicious application attempts. According to Lowe, transparency with data is a priority for the CCCCO, who reports any instances of fraud to the federal government. Students experiencing registration difficulties caused by bots overloading class lists are encouraged to contact the CCCC

Illustration by Sarah Clayson for the Guardsman.

Trustee continued from page 1

Board member Chung served as student trustee from 2020-2021. As a child of refugees, Chung is passionate about helping low-income, marginalized communities of color. They have been a student at and advocate for City College for the past four years. “While I hope students see me as an additional student voice on the board, more importantly, I hope my experience encourages more students to get involved at the college and deeply engage with the resources available to them.”The three members shared some of their goals with The Guardsman.

Participatory Governance

Trustee Chung has “met with Dr. Martin weekly all in an effort to build collegial trust and effectiveness amongst board members and our administration.” Trustee Solomon wants to “make sure

Impact continued from page 1

However the college has not provided the requested data before the deadline of thispublication. As a result, information on cut or consolidated classes is primarily anecdotal.

Layoffs Wreak Havoc

The layoffs in May 2022 have drastically impacted 14 departments who in turn have had to make cuts to their own class offerings and even to change the requirements to graduate. Faculty member Steven Brown described it as “an atom bomb in the college” during the last board meeting.

Dana Jae Labrecque, chair of the broadcast electronic media arts department, addressed the board on Jan. 26, explaining why she thinks her program will not last another year. “Unfortunately, now that we are dripping one intermediate course out at a time, it’s impossible for students to even finish in two years.”

First Semester Without ESL Classes on the West Side

In addition to class cuts due to layoffs, many students are struggling to recover from the elimination of ESL classes at the John Adams Campus. After City College announced this change in December 2022,

Transportation continue from page 1

that constituent voices are heard and the participatory governance system is actually working to its full capacity. There can be a difference between making space for voices and letting those voices inform the work.”

Enrollment & Registration

Martinez is excited that a Request for Proposal (RFP) is going out to hire a firm who will address registration issues. “We have to make sure that we have the curriculum in a college that will attract the students and we have to have the services that will help the students do everything they need to register and start their classes.”

Budget

Both Martinez and Solomon are on the budget committee. “It makes more sense to align a budget to goals than align goals to a budget,” said Solomon.

demonstrators filled the Mission Campus in protest. The school is still fielding outrage from students as the first semester without any ESL offerings on the west side of San Francisco begins.

“The concern that I have is that by eliminating ESL classes from the John Adams Campus, it will prevent some students from ever attending,” new trustee Susan Solomon told The Guardsman. “Students who live on that side of town may not drive, if they have a car, or take a bus ride across town to take a class and then get back home and somehow take care of their families.”

Fanny Law, an ESL instructor, told a reporter that of the almost 200 students who were at John Adams in the fall, only one-fourth returned this semester. She went on to say that the administration “did not use any data to give us any rationale as to

Accreditation

Martinez is looking forward to meeting with the visiting team of the accreditation commission in the fall. She remains optimistic that this will provide a positive outcome.

Facilities

As chair of the Facilities Board, Solomon hopes to get back some of the custodians that were laid off last year. “It really just feels like there aren't enough now to take care of the grounds in the buildings.”

While the newest members of the board have expressed their goals for City College, only time will tell how their intentions will come to fruition. With just a few weeks on the board, many at the college anxiously await how these trustees will put their campaign promises into action.

It is still unclear exactly why the ESL program was consolidated. Faculty have said that the administration made these decisions unilaterally. There is some talk that the John Adams Campus will be used as a specialized campus, but currently the classrooms that were used for ESL sit empty. The chancellor has not responded to any of The Guardsman’s requests for comments.

Looking Ahead

Whatever the reason for any class cut or consolidation, it raises serious questions about how City College can stay true to their vision to “provide a sustainable and accessible environment [to] support and encourage student possibilities by building on the vibrancy of San Francisco.”

why the consolidations were made official. And so far, the classrooms at the Mission Campus are not ready for teaching. I try to come up with some reasons. Honestly, I’m not able to.”

Median Income.

The new faces on the board, Solomon, Anita Martinez and Vick Chung, ran on a platform calling for the roll back of layoffs and program cuts. “I want to see the viability

According to Chun, “this program requires all students to pay this fee, regardless of whether they utilize the service, thus providing a discount for those that do.”

In response to this proposed fee, Associated Students Executive Council Treasurer Emily Oryall commented, “…this is a lot of money for community college students to pay, especially since many CCSF students go to CCSF specifically because it is free/ low cost.” She also stated that the “$128 per semester is almost five times the approximately $29 that students pay in registration/health/ representation fees per semester.”

Brandt also commented on this fee, “This is steep and a huge ask for students who lack the funds in the first place to have to pay this upfront with no option to opt out, particularly for our students who are paying out-of-state or international tuition, not to mention our non-credit students.”

The SFMTA does offer programs such as: the Lifeline Pass program which offers a 50% monthly pass discount, the START Clipper program which offers up to a 50% discount on single ride fares on most Bay Area transit areas for individuals at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, free Muni for all youth 18 years and under regardless of income status and free Muni for Seniors and People with Disabilities for individuals at or below 100% Bay Area

While Brandt believes the free Muni program for youth is a “great program,” she stated it does not meet the needs of a majority of City College students, as they are not youth 18 years and under. She also believes “the students in this program are impacted when they age out” and they face “a barrier to accessing their education that they didn't previously have.”

Students will then have to “juggle figuring that out, even at times not attending every class (which impacts grades) due to cost or not paying for every trip.” Brandt concluded her comment by saying, “This is the reality when you have to choose between eating or attending class.”

The City College student leaders hope to continue conversations with the SFMTA in an attempt to find a fair solution for all parties involved. They are also in communication with many local, state, and federal leaders with an aim to make transportation for California college students a priority. Furthermore, these students are discussing the potential of a Basic Needs Listening forum at the end of February, as well as another trip to Sacramento in the near future. For more information on these efforts, Brandt can be reached at studentchancellor@mail.ccsf.edu.

'The full time layoffs have created a huge problem. I think of it as an atom bomb in the college.'

'The concern that I have is that by eliminating ESL classes from the John Adams Campus, it will prevent some students from ever attending'

City College Struggles with Inadequate Heating, Leaving Faculty and Students in the Cold

City College is facing cold classroom conditions due to broken boilers causing discomfort and hindering learning conditions with temperatures in the rooms as low as the 50s

By Ann Marie Galvan agalvan1@mail.ccsf.edu

City College has endured cold classroom conditions since at least October 2022, according to an AFT 2121 blog documenting the problem. Classroom temperatures can be as low as the 50s on the Mission, Ocean, and John Adams campuses. To combat the cold, the administration has proposed two solutions: using space heaters or moving to different classrooms. Both suggestionsare “inadequate half-measures,” said the union.

A known problem

Heating has been an issue for “years”, Mary Bravewoman, AFT 2121 faculty union president, told The San Francisco Standard in December 2022.

The boilers on the Mission and John Adams campuses are broken and the district “is in the process of getting bids to have them replaced,” said Chancellor David Martin, in a Feb. 1 briefing with AFT 2121. However he did not offer a clear and definite schedule of when this would happen.

cold. It’s hard to concentrate. You can’t stay there very long. Your hands start getting numb,

Currently, there are several known issues with the heating for buildings on Ocean Campus. The “highpressure steam piping” in the Science Hall needs to be replaced and will require external assistance. The heating system in the Arts Extension is “obsolete” and needs a new boiler and a “full reconfiguration.” This “$1 million plus project” is currently being designed. Finally, the “geothermal well system” in the Multi-Use Building has been replaced, but some of the equipment is not working properly, causing inconsistent temperatures.

Martin said, on City College’s Jan. 13 Flex Day, that the Visual Arts building on Ocean Campus should have heat by fall 2023, according to the AFT 2121 blog. Campus

Heating Problems Impact Faculty

Monique Comacchio, a Visual Media Design Department instructor on the Ocean Campus, said that after

six hours of teaching the eight space heaters in her room can help with the cold, but they are not sufficient.

“Everybody’s cold. It’s hard to concentrate. You can’t stay there very long. Your hands start getting numb,” she said. “It’s hard to write. It’s hard to punch on the computer.”

Comacchio is concerned for her students’ ability to learn. The frigid conditions are hard for the students, who can spend hours sitting in classrooms. “What can I say?” Comacchio said. “It’s not like we’re doing calisthenics. It’s not like we’re a P.E. class. Have you ever spent time in a cold room for hours on end?”

The cold facilities also impact how Comacchio can teach, and she has had to cut down some of her curriculum. She also wears layers to try to keep warm. “I’m wearing long underwear. I’m wearing a couple of shirts. I’m wearing a sweater, wool socks — a couple pairs of wool socks.”

Hindered Learning

Comacchio has been trying to get the broken heat addressed with little success, and said that the lack of communication about a “serious and profound problem with our facilities” is frustrating. “I just don’t understand how this is even possible, legally, to force people to work in environments that are in these conditions,” she said.

After repeated attempts to contact the chancellor’s office, she was eventually contacted by a representative who offered to provide jackets for her students as a solution for the cold. “I was really frustrated and angry,” Comacchio said.

classes and can spend up to nine hours on the Mission Campus. She added that all

'I’m wearing long underwear.

I’m wearing a couple of shirts.

I’m wearing a sweater, wool socks — a couple pairs of wool socks.'

her classrooms are cold, and often it is colder inside than it is outside.

Health Impacts

She was wearing a flannel long-sleeve shirt and a thick sherpa jean jacket over a warm base layer, as well as insulated pants and boots as she spoke to The Guardsman in class on a Friday morning in February,

Viktoriia Serohina, another student in the same class, said that she also wears layers to keep warm. Serohina was wearing a heavy yellow parka and a fleece sweater, and she said that she wished the room had heat.

The classroom had one small space heater in the back of the room, but it was insufficient to heat the entire space.

Instructor Benjamin Finateri said there are no more available space heaters on Mission Campus to check out for the classroom, and that the space heater they had was the last that was available.

Student Guisela Kaisen said that she has complicated health problems that are made worse by the room’s low temperatures. She always dresses warmly and brings a scarf, she said, but she still often suffers from a runny nose.

Responsibility of the Administration

room?”

City College’s Office of Facilities and Capital Planning did not offer comment for this story.

Inadequate Heating Causes Discomfort and Hinders Learning for Students

The frigid conditions make it hard for students to learn. Juliana Izquierdo, a student in an ESL class on Mission Campus that meets Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m., said that she finds it difficult to concentrate because of the cold and she can’t do as well as she wants in class, although she does the best that she can.

Izquierdo is taking three

Comacchio said that AFT 2121 wants to make adequate heating in the buildings a bargaining issue, but she thinks that the administration should handle it without negotiation because “it is the job of an administrator to provide a functioning work environment.”

Comacchio questioned the delay in updating the facilities at City College and believes the college should prioritize students and faculty and evaluate where its values lie. “Do we not live in San Francisco? What kind of economy do we live under that they can’t even provide heat in a public

'Everybody’s

'it is the job of an administrator to provide a functioning work environment.'

Black History Month at City College Highlights “Black Resistance”

Gracia Hernandez Rovelo ghern140@mail.ccsf.edu

In honor of Black History month, City College will host special events throughout February, as it has done for many years prior.

Starting Feb. 1st, the college community is invited to partake in the yearly remembrance of Black History. During the first week of the month, there will be a series of highquality film screenings, presented by the Rosenberg library, that speak to the resistance and emancipation of Black people in the Americas.

“Quilombo,” an independent film that takes place in northeast Brazil, narrates the journey of a group of enslaved black Brazilians from Palmares led by their Chief Ganga Zumba to form self-governing communities. Michele Mckenzie, a media librarian at City College, explains, “this film brings in the stories of black Brazilians and the experience of black people in Latin America. I included a few books that give more information about the struggle of Afro Brazilians and Black Brazilians that tell a little bit more of Africans in Latin America and the Caribbean, which is important for people to understand that connection,” said Mckenzie.

Among other great picks, the library will be showing “How it feels To Be Free” which features six African

American women who are artists and performers.

“This was a film that was made by a Black woman and it's looking at the intersection of art and Black women entertainers and how they used their art for activism. It’s an interesting way to look at Black resistance through these women and their art,” said Mckenzie.

The opposite of love is not hate; the opposite of love is indifference

Another film put on by the Rosenberg library related to the Black arts movement in the 60’s is “BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez.” This is a film presented in seventeen segments, showcasing the life and work of the poet, educator and activist, Sonia Sanchez.

“W.E.B Dubois: A Biography in Four Voices” will also be shown in honor of the life of Dr. William Edward Burghardt (W.E.B) Dubois, who lived from 1868 to 1963. The film highlights his contributions to the empowerment of African Americans as well as his legacy.

The theme for Black History month this year at City College is “Black Resistence,” which explains the choice in avaliable film screenings.

“Films and programs are taking you through this journey through African American history and giving you samples of different types of resistance from the arts, through intellectual and actual physical fighting of colonists,” said Mckenzie.

Dorian A. Brown, Chair of the African American Studies Department, said City College’s Black History month events help us “look at things from different perspectives,” he said.

“I am excited about all the events and films in the calendar, they all have something to contribute, they involve a lot of different subjects in chronological order, including the history of African American music and culture, and women in hip-hop,” said Brown.

“The opposite of love is not hate; the opposite of love is indifference,” said American actress and activist, Beah Richards in “Beah: A Black Woman Speaks (2004)”.

City College encourages participation in the events put together to inspire, honor and celebrate Black History. Watch films presented by the Rosenberg library via Zoom, here: https://library.ccsf.edu/aahm/ streaming

The calendar also provides a selection of hybrid events and off-campus community events involving nationwide exhibitors.

Capturing Glimpses of City College Life

City College Calendar of Events for Black History Month: Credit to Dorian A. Brown, Chair of the African American Studies

'The opposite of love is not hate; the opposite of love is indifference'

Open door welcoming students back to class. Far end of Science Hall Building, tile mural with "Give me a base and I move the world" quote. February 7, 2023

(Photo By: D. Eric Bean, The Guardsman)

City College student browsing the New exhibit at the Rosenberg Library called Amplifying Sanctuary Voices, a storytelling initiative led by East Bay Sanctuary Covenant. February 7, 2023. (Photo By: D. Eric Bean, The Guardsman)

Bob Burgers," an Animated Sitcom, has a San Francisco Connection -- Meet Sirron Norris

Jade Leonardo charlottejadeleonardo@gmail.com

If you watch the animated American sitcom “Bob’s Burgers,” you may wonder who designed the original backgrounds, such as the ones with the classic Victorian houses. Meet Sirron Norris,a well known illustrator and mural artist in San Francisco who uses the knowledge gained throughout his career to educate aspiring artists in the Mission District and in the general San Francisco community.

Norris always knew he wanted to be an artist. Having had what he calls, “above average drawing skills” as a child, Norris focused on his illustrations throughout high school. Originally, his goal was to work for another artist and to have a body of work that was seen by more than just his local community.

After graduating from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Sirron Norris moved to San Francisco in 1997 and began painting murals two years later. Having never depended on galleries to promote and sell his work, Norris describes his career as “not cookie cutter.” He worked hard to build his own brand and do what felt right to him.

Blue Bears and “Bob’s Burgers”

Before “Bob’s Burgers,” Sirron Norris was known for the blue

bears he included in his murals. His blue bears and other characters stemmed from his love for cartoon literalism, which he describes as “a series of characters (where) each character means a certain thing.” When he began creating his own characters, Norris chose a blue bear to represent love because just like love, bears have a certain duality. Love and bears can both be seen as scary or as approachable. He made the bears blue because at the time he created the character, he was not in a relationship and had a negative view of love. The blue bear continues to be a staple in Norris’ murals and other artwork.

About eight years into Norris’s career as a mural artist, Loren Bouchard, the creator of “Bob’s Burgers,” approached Norris. Bouchard was in the planning stages of creating an animation series he planned to call “Bob’s Burgers” and was looking for someone to illustrate the show’s backgrounds. It was Norris’ first ever mural, which pictured a mix of San Francisco landmarks, people, animals and futuristic machines, that intrigued Bouchard. He offered Norris the opportunity to work on the show. Bouchard’s studio was located a few blocks from the mural, which has since been repainted by Norris and titled, “The Disruption.” Norris and Bouchard worked along with the show’s writer Nora Smith for over

a year to develop the pilot episode of “Bob’s Burgers,” which aired on FOX and runs weekly on Sunday nights, though it has not yet been confirmed if the show will return for a fourteenth season. Norris was initially hired to create the show’s original backgrounds, he also assisted with character design.

A New Art Form

Since Norris completed his work on “Bob’s Burgers,” in 2008, he continues to work on his murals. His visibility is growing, particularly where most exist, in the Mission District. He also offers seasonal art camps, weekly classes to children and other community focused events such as a guided bike tour of his murals.

Norris hopes to move his art in a more personal direction. While he still sells art for commissions and teaches various art classes Norris also pours his time and creative energy into passion projects, such as the whimsical landscape painting that currently hangs on the wall in his studio. This painting does not contain Norris’ signature characters nor Victorian houses. Instead it features colorful windblown trees placed on various sized islands that sit in a seemingly multidimensional stream. While this painting is not representative of Norris’ “typical” or more established mural work, it still represents the voice of an experienced artist.

Norris respects his students and

Spring Time at the Ocean Campus

believes in their abilities. During his classes, he walks around the room inspecting each student’s work. He encourages them and gives constructive criticism. His teaching style leads to confident, capable students as well as parents who believe in Norris’ mission. He has created a “community environment that is inspiring to adults and children,” says Marie Autophen, a parent of one of his students while waiting to pick up her child from one of Norris’ classes.

Norris advises art students to take classes they might remotely be interested in in order to test things out and see what they might really care about. He believes trying out a specific art form is the best way to know if a student would actually be fulfilled in pursuing that art form. In order to develop as an artist, Norris insists that students must “pay their dues.” They cannot and should not expect to be able to jump in and expect immediate success. They must simultaneously set long term goals that are bigger than themselves, and set short term goals that they are capable of reaching in a reasonable amount of time.

If you would like to follow along with Norris’ career you can find him on instagram @ sirronnorris and his website, www. sirronnorris.com. His studio and gallery can be found at 2860 24th St in San Francisco.

Artist Sirron Norris stands beside several pieces of his artwork in his studio, which together show how diversely talented Norris is as an artist. February 7, 2023 (Photo By: Jade Leonardo, The Guardsman)

Looking down at the football stadium / practice and surrounding neighborhood from the City College library building. February 7, 2023

(Photo By: D. Eric Bean, The Guardsman)

Plant and flower gardens filled with life and color after many months of covid and drought. Garden at the bottom of the hill near the science Hall building at City College. February 7, 2023.

(Photo By: D. Eric Bean, The Guardsman

Image of the front steps in front of the Science Hall building at City College on a sunny day during the beginning of the spring semester. February 7, 2023 (Photo By: D. Eric Bean, The Guardsman)

Have Your Say - How do you feel about the end of the mask mandate on campus?

By Renee Barlett-Webber rbartle8@mail.ccsf.edu

City College’s Board of Trustees voted to repeal the mask mandate on campus at the Feb. 6 Board of Trustees meeting. Masks are no longer required anywhere on campus. The Guardsman asked students their opinions about it the same day the repeal went into effect. Check out what they had to say.

Aaron Gonzales

Yeah, I received an email a couple of days ago. I think every situation is difficult, I think it depends on what information they got. If they got information saying that it's safe, I understand that. And if it's not, people are able to do what they are able to do, wear masks. But my personal opinion, I feel like if they got some good information saying that it's safe, then we should be fine, But obviously, it should be encouraged because, obviously, it's still an ongoing thing.

Carlos Navaez

I don't really mind. I stopped wearing a mask in public a long time ago. I just respect the rules that we have here. I think going forth, I might continue wearing my mask just out of respect for everybody else.

Estefany Cantarero

This is my first time hearing about it, because today a teacher said that you need to wear masks. The teacher was mad. There were some people who came and they were like, ‘I don't have a mask.’ And she was like, ‘here.’ Thank you for telling me. If I'm with a lot of people, like, for example, if I go to the gym, I’ll wear a mask, but it depends. If there's too many people, I'll wear a mask.

Lauren Waqa

For me, personally, I don't mind. I think it's just up to the students if they want to wear it, because I

Call For Submissions

The Guardsman is looking for writers and illustrators to express their opinions! Submit an opinion editorial, letter to the editor or a political cartoon!

The Guardsman wants to hear from you! Write an opinion piece about current events, create a political cartoon, write a letter to the editor, or send us ideas. We are always looking for new voices to diversify the content and perspectives in our journalism.

The campus and the city of San Francisco is filled with experts on a wide variety of subjects and it’s important for the community to hear from those living the stories. Your opinions on what’s happening locally, nationally, and internationally is important and we want to provide a platform for comment. From health, politics, and economics, to music, theater and fine art, we are looking for your voice.

Each article should be between 500-700 words and will be edited by the publication’s staff. Editors will work with authors to ensure the article aligns with the newspaper’s style and ethics. The Guardsman does reserve the right to choose articles that are most appropriate and relevant for the community. If your submission is selected, it will be featured in the Opinion Section of The Guardsman in both print and on the web with your byline.

There are many ways to share with us. Contact Renee Bartlett-Webber with proposals, articles, letters or questions at rbartle8@mail.ccsf.edu.

like wearing it, but I don't mind if other students don't want to. I get sick really easily and through the pandemic, I haven't really had much contact with people. I find that whenever I get back to class, for me, I just like a mask on for safety.

Paul Wilson Jr.

I was in the Air Force for eleven years, so I've been a part of an organization much larger than myself and contributes to something bigger than me, so I understand sacrificing for the greater good. So personally, I think wearing a mask shouldn’t be an option. I think people should wear them because this disease is killing people. People are all about individuality, but it’s unfortunate because we’ve moved away from what’s best for everybody. I'm fully vaccinated, and I don't want to get it, so I wear it as a choice. I understand that City is part of the San Francisco Unified, so they have to do what high schools are doing and that dictates more of what we do than the other way around. So I get it. But to each be their own. I'm going to wear a mask as a choice because I don't want to catch it. And if I do have it, I definitely don't want to spread it. My parents are part of a vulnerable population, so they have predispositions. I'm sure there was pressure somewhere, that's the reason they chose to abolish it. Somebody always answers to someone else. It is what it is. But as far as I go, I choose to wear it. Do you have a question to ask the community? Tell us! Contact Renée Bartlett-Webber at rbartle8@mail.ccsf.edu.

California Mass Shooting: Where Are Solutions?

By Courtney Baker courtneybaker802@berkeley.edu

Mainstream media, such as the New York Times, should offer solutions rather than doubling down on language conveying helplessness while reporting on mass violence. This opinion piece is in response to the Jan. 24 version of the New York Times article, “California Mass Shootings: Half Moon Bay Killings Add to State’s Grim Toll of Gun Violence”. Note that the original Times article has been updated since the writing of this opinion editorial.

The article delves into two California shootings that occurred within 72 hours of each other: one on Saturday, Jan. 21 in Monterey Park, and the second on Monday, Jan. 23 in Half Moon Bay. It covers the first shooting, moves onto the second shooting, jumps to California officials’ response, then to gun control issues before returning to details of the first shooting. Finally, it ends with an outline of eight mass killings that have happened at the hands of gun violence “recently.”

The article does a great job of distinctly outlining the events of both shootings, despite the startling similarities in the profiling and unknown motives of the suspects. I believe it does this in order to delve into the history, detail, and current state of the neighborhoods in which both tragedies occurred. A story was created – you could clearly picture the old ballroom dance studios catering to an older Asian community in Monterey Park as easily as you can imagine the slow-paced, agricultural town on Half Moon Bay that is a sanctuary nestled in between tech-dominated cities of the Bay Area. By creating distinct portraits for their readers, it allowed for the crimes to not get confused as the article progressed.

After outlining the shootings themselves, the article then focused on more broad topics of gun laws in California. Whether the gun used in the Monterey Park shooting was legal, as it was able to hold more than ten rounds, came into question. The article then quotes different sources that lead readers to an “it’s illegal but also sometimes not” answer which made me feel as if this portion of the article was filler. The article divulges that “the complexity of California’s gun control laws and when they went into effect make determining the legality of any given person’s possession of weapons difficult to resolve.” It also quotes one source who states , “We have no right to be surprised when these things happen.” As the article inched toward a conclusion, it continued to offer little solace to distraught readers. One final frustration – the absolute final words are the most discerning: a list of eight recent shootings. Ending on such a hopeless note crystallizes the seemingly gridlocked, murky gun laws, leaving the reader feeling helpless and frustrated about the rampant mass violence in our country.

If the article’s last points were mirroring a country that is frustrated, unsure, and mostly directionless on how to create change in this area, I suppose this portion was not “filler”,

but instead some sort of meta-commentary on our nation’s overall psyche at this moment. The article leaves us with no clear answers, no motive of the shooters, and a reminder of devastation that gun laws do not equal clear restrictions in America. However, maybe asking if the gun was legal with no definitive conclusion was not a productive way to end this story. The article could’ve asked us something different. Perhaps it could have ended with a call-to-action – giving its readers something to hold onto during a terrifying time, or at least something more profound to think about other than our muddled firearm laws and a reminder of the tragedies with which we are, unfortunately, already all too familiar.

Student Aaron Gonzales speaks about the mask mandate repeal on Feb. 6. Photo by Renée Bartlett-Webber/The Guardsman

Student Carlos Navaez speaks about the mask mandate repeal on Feb. 6. Photo by Renée Bartlett-Webber/The Guardsman

Student Estefany Cantarero speaks about the mask mandate repeal on Feb. 6. Photo by Renée Bartlett-Webber/The Guardsman

Student Lauren Waqa speaks about the mask mandate repeal on Feb. 6. Photo by Renée Bartlett-Webber/The Guardsman

Student Paul Wilson Jr. speaks about the mask mandate repeal on Feb. 6. Photo by Renée Bartlett-Webber/The Guardsman

CCSF Women’s Basketball Team Fly High on the Road to Playoffs

Gracia Hernandez Rovelo ghern140@mail.ccsf.edu

Rams women’s basketball team locks a 9-0 overall in conference play on Friday February 10th against San Mateo Bulldogs with a 60-52 victory.

During the first period of the game, San Mateo took a 7-point lead halted by a quick response from the Rams who took over the lead. The Rams fueled their game performance with a series of [36] rebounds, [20.0%] three-pointers and [13] assists.

Rianna Lee (2) led the Rams with 21 points total, assisted by Talo Li-Uperesa (23) with 11 points and Amira Lama (30) who had 9 points. Derek Lau, head coach of the CCSF Rams was very happy about the teams’ performance highlighting player Lee (2), “she was solid today, she played both ends and I am very proud of her”. While San Mateo stood close

to a second half comeback, the Rams showed superiority “we had to battle through it, so far this is the closest game we played, and I am happy we were able to pull it out,” said Lau.

“I feel great, this is my second season playing with the team. We have played San Mateo a couple times already which makes it kind of hard to play them again because they already know our game but we won and it makes it easier since we play so well together as a team,” stated Lee.

Li-Uperesa (23), the player with most assists in the game said, “It feels good to win today,we could’ve done better in certain areas, defensively mostly, but we are working hard on it.”

With one more game ahead, facing Ohlone on Wednesday, February 15 th at 5 pm, the Rams prepare for regional playoffs.

Up and Down Rams Defeat Skyline 10876

Onyx Hunter onyxhunter@gmail.com

After losing by two points to Chabot College on Feb. 1, the City College Rams men’s basketball team came home 2 days later and blasted Skyline College 108-76.

The Rams kept Skyline at arm’s length throughout the first two quarters, leading by as much as a dozen points and finishing the first half ahead 54-45.

Rams Never Back Down in 88-67 Win Against San Mateo

Onyx Hunter onyxhunter@gmail.com

In the Ram’s Feb. 3 108-76 thrashing of Skyline College the theme was modest defense. On Feb. 10 it was an adamant offense by the CCSF Rams men’s basketball team to achieve another rout, 86-67, at home against San Mateo.

City College in the first half stayed focused on point men, harassing them into making mistakes.

Rams players became walls between San Mateo and goals, with San Mateo players slipping over themselves in the face of stalwart defense.

Within the first few minutes San Mateo earned numerous fouls crashing into the Rams, more than once being forced to turn over the ball to the Rams, who were both careful and decisive in their guardianship of the court.

One Ram would corner San Mateo’s point man every round, locking the ball

on San Mateo’s side of the court.

The Rams were simultaneously immovable and mobile threats that could flip the ball’s ownership. Perhaps wary of committing more fouls and mistakes, San Mateo allowed the Rams to get into their personal space and block them aggressively.

San Mateo’s defense was flawed and the Rams would break for it collapsing on openings in the sides. Running and cutting like knives gliding through meat, the Rams scored many field goals because of misallocated defenders.

San Mateo’s synergies were poor here and the Rams capitalized on it, owning the court with a 52-30 lead at the end of the first half.

It was a slam dunk that could not be forgotten; the Rams earned their horns today.

The Rams have two games next week facing off against Ohlone and Foothill, two teams they dominated. Foothill may yet prove they can beat City College if they take on more players in the coming weeks; otherwise the Rams stand far more than running chances against the teams we’ve beaten before.

Rams CJ Hardy, a 6’2” freshman from Los Angeles who was top scorer as a reserve in the recent loss to Chabot, started against Skyline and was again tops with 23 points.

At the heart of the Rams’ game was impeccable defense. While Skyline attempted to cut through Ram lines to confuse players, the Rams stayed on track. Maintaining proper rotations they gave Skyline few openings to break through. With keen spacial awareness City College perfectly thwarted Skyline at the three-point line.

Taking no risks after their close loss at Chabot the Rams hammered out a convincing 108-76 victory.

It was a slam dunk that could not be forgotten; the Rams earned their horns today.

Rams head coach Derek Lau during the game against College of San Mateo at Brad Duggan Court at Ocean Campus. Feb., 10. 2023 Photo by Franchon Smith

At the heart of the Rams’ game was impeccable defense.

24-Willie William III striding into San Mateo territory 44-Nathan Ilunga anticipating how to support a Field Goal after 44-Willie's pass to the edge of the three point line.

Photo by Onyx Hunter 2/10

Talo Li-Uperesa shoots a free throw during the game against College of San Mateo. Feb.10, 2023. Photo by Franchon Smith