Spring 2013 - Issue 5

A N AT I O N A L PA C E M A K E R AWA R D N E W S PA P E R

Volume 56, Issue 5

theswcsun.com

Nora Vargas appointed to gov. board

March 5 - April 30, 2013

Chopra arraigned

By Kasey Thomas and Jaime Pronoble Staff Writers

Nora Vargas, the vice-president of community engagement at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, was unanimously appointed to the Southwestern College Governing Board to fill the seat vacated by the March 1 resignation of William Stewart. In a 4-0 vote trustees welcomed the long-time community advocate and SWC alumnae, who was chosen from an original pool of 15 applicants. Vargas will serve until November 2014, at which time she would have to stand for election for the remainder of the term, which runs through November 2016.

Vargas said she wants to reach out to form relationships with the community.

“I think one of the strengths I have is being able to build and connect strategically,” she said. “I feel very strongly about that and being able to connect with folks and supporters and donors.”

Vargas said that her new position embodies great responsibility.

“With experience comes being thoughtful of the experience,” she said, “making sure that you are not just imposing your views, that everyone has different leadership styles, that it is important to listen to those other views and perspectives and figuring out how to Vargas build consensus and build agreements for what you want to accomplish.”

CSEA President Bruce MacNintch said he was impressed by all of the applicants, but for him Vargas stood out.

“They were all good candidates,” said MacNintch. “I was really impressed with the quality that we got this time around, but she just gave fuller answers and I think she’s more labor friendly than the impressions I got from a couple of them based on the things they said.”

Vargas and five other finalists underwent a public interview to answer questions posed by the board and constituency groups.

Questions included four “core” questions

By Nickolas Furr and Lina Chankar Staff Writers

Former Southwestern College superintendent Dr. Raj K. Chopra appeared in San Diego County Superior Court on , his first public appearance since the district attorney began serving search warrants and issuing indictments in December 2011. Chopra arrived with a small group that included his driver, his son and his attorney, Michael Attanasio.

Chopra joined 11 other defendants in court for the final steps of the arraignment proceedings in the trial now known as the South Bay Corruption Case. Each defendant or their representative attorney pleaded “not guilty” and denied all allegations.

Chopra missed a total of three court dates in January and February. His lawyers cited “depression” and “ill health” for his absences.

Attanasio said that Chopra is ready. “ Dr. C h o p r a l o o k s forward to his day in

please see San Ysidro pg. A8

please see Chopra pg. A6

please see Appointment pg. A5

Poster vandalism investigated as hate crime

By Nickolas Furr Staff Writer

Nickolas Furr/staff

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By Erika Luna and Rick Flores Staff Writers

Scores of angry parents — their young children in tow — jammed the cafeteria of a San Ysidro elementary school recently to complain to the school board Analysis about dysfunction, corruption and poor education in their challenged community hanging onto the very corner of the United States.

Despite the clamor, trustees seem bored, there are no reporters or camera crews from commercial media, and even many of the red-faced parents and teachers acknowledge that this kind of noisy outpouring is nothing new.

Welcome to the San Ysidro School District, where rowdy board meetings, patronage politics and stumbling academics converge at an international crossroads like no other on Earth. Sadly, say teachers and parents calling for progress. Beleaguered San Ysidro has been a bastion of hijinks, pettiness and backwards thinking since the 1980s.

It is also a community that is part of the Southwestern Community College District and one that sends thousands of students to SWC. Educational leaders from other San Diego County districts shake their heads sadly when asked about the latest round of controversy in the nine-school district with 5,500 students. A former superintendent of a nearby district called San Ysidro “one of America’s most dysfunctional school districts of the last three decades. I feel sorry for the kids there. The so-called grown-ups who run the place just can’t get along and consistently fail to do the right thing.”

San Ysidro was recently pulled into the South Bay Corruption Case pursued by the San Diego County District Attorney. San Ysidro board member Yolanda Hernandez and the recentlysevered superintendent Manuel Paul have been indicted on a number of

Former SWC superintendent charged with 13 criminal counts

CAMPUS REJECTS HATE SPEECH — Students and administrators have condemned the vandalism of a Gay Straight Alliance poster. More than 130 students attended a rally supporting GSA and gay students at SWC.

Corruption case strikes San Ysidro

Vandalism of a poster inviting students to a meeting of the GayStraight Alliance is being investigated by college officials as a hate crime.

Club members found a handmade poster hanging near the campus pool vandalized with disparaging anti-gay words just before spring break.

Tammy Nguyen, vice president of the GSA, said a member drew purple hearts around the hateful words then brought it to Nguyen’s attention.

“When I got over there, I saw people staring at it,” Nguyen said. “They had nothing to say. They just looked at each other, then back at the poster.”

The poster was taken down and brought to club members’ attention when classes resumed following spring break. Nguyen said several the members and the advisors had something to say about it. The GayStraight Alliance, an ASO-sponsored organization, exists to provide a safe

place for LGBT students and their allies to meet and raise awareness of the issues surrounding them. One of those is the issue of anti-gay sentiment and harassment.

Diana Cortes is the president of the Gay-Straight Alliance.

“It’s frustrating,” she said. “We’re on a college campus where people should be grown up. They should be mature enough to know things aren’t high school. They should realize that this was a childish thing to do.”

Alan Wade, one of the club advisors, said it turns his stomach whenever he hears of things like this occurring.

“I think it’s sad and that is says more about those who wrote on our sign than it does us,” he said.

Nguyen said this kind of hate speech at SWC was unusual.

“I’ve been in GSA for over three years and I’ve never seen anything like it,” she said. “I’ve seen our posters please see Hate Crime pg. A8

ue to funding cutbacks in recent years, Southwestern College has reduced funding to academic programs, including the printing budget of the Southwestern College Sun. Printing of this issue was paid for by contributions from the superintendent’s discretionary fund, the La Raza Lawyers and SWC Sun alumni. We thank you! Issue #6, the traditional SODA and graduation edition, was cancelled due to insufficient funding.

Journalism students hope to print more issues next year. Please send contributions to: Journalism Trust Fund, c/o Eileen Zwierski, School of Arts and Communication, Southwestern College, 900 Otay Lakes Road, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Contributions may also be made at theswcsun.com/donate.

Amanda L. Abad Editor-in-Chief

Students give new website good reviews

By Kasey Thomas Associate News Editor

There is something new on the Internet and it is not more cat pictures.

Southwestern College’s website was updated for the first time in years and the reviews are mostly positive. Vision Internet was paid $34,975 to redesign the website in 2009 following the controversial dismissal of web designer Eli Singh by former president Dr. Raj K. Chopra. A newer version was unveiled this semester.

Online instructional support specialist Larry Lambert said the website was in need of an update due to its age.

“It’s a completely new website,” he said.

“We had to do something because the server it was on was old. The whole thing was just completely out of date so we had to go get another one.”

Lillian Leopold, chief public information officer, said cyber safety concerns contributed to the update. Mindful of the Mitchell Kapor wisecrack, “Getting information off the Internet is like taking a drink from a fire hydrant,” Leopold said ease of use was a priority.

“The previous website was developed a long time ago and it’s not using the same kind of intuitiveness that most people are looking for when they are looking on the website for something,” she said. “It was using an old code that we could no longer support. It had issues with security because we could not update it with such old code.”

Leopold said she thinks the new look of the please see Website pg. A5

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The Southwestern College Sun

VIEWPOINTS

March 5 - April 30, 2013, Volume 56, Issue 5

Editorials, Opinions and Letters to the Editor

Opinions expressed in the Viewpoints section are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily represent the views of The Sun Staff, the Editorial Board or Southwestern College.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Amanda L. Abad PRODUCTION MANAGER

David McVicker

AMANDA L. ABAD

ART DIRECTOR

Ernesto Rivera

Eating disorders affect men as well as women H

SENIOR STAFF

Ana Bahena Serina Duarte Albert Fulcher Nickolas Furr NEWS

Thomas Baker, editor Kasey Thomas, associate Jaime Pronoble, assistant VIEWPOINTS

Michael Stinson, editor Saharai Salazar, assistant Jacob Harris, assistant CAMPUS

Lina Chankar, co-editor Daniel Guzman, co-editor Joaquin Basauri, assistant

xxxxxxxxxxxx/Staff

ARTS

Daphne Jauregui, editor Rick Flores, assistant

Joaquin Junco Jr./Staff

SPORTS

Amanda L. Abad, editor Steven Uhl, assistant Nicholas Baltz, assistant ONLINE

Anna Pryor, co-editor Ernesto Rivera, co-editor Mason Masis, assistant Fernando Garcia, videographer PHOTOGRAPHY

David McVicker, editor COPY EDITOR

Enrique Raymundo Margie Reese STAFF WRITERS

Robert Aguirre Itzel Alonso Saira Araiza Lee Bosch Patrick Bromma Melissa Burciaga Despina Coca John Domogma Ashley Dykes Christine Galvan Maria Gutierrez Jose Guzman Nicole Hernandez Alma Hurtado Erika Luna Osiris Morales Kimberly Ortiz Brianna Perea Gonzalo Quintana Ana Raymundo Marianna Saponara CARTOONISTS

Alisa Alipusan Victor Ballesteros Joaquin Junco Jr. Adrian Martinez Michelle Phillips PHOTOGRAPHERS

Marshall Murphy Kristina Saunders Karen Tome BUSINESS MANAGER

Amanda L. Abad ADVISOR

Dr. Max Branscomb

Honors

Student Press Law Center National College Press Freedom Award, 2011 National Newspaper Association National College Newspaper of the Year, 2004-12 Associated Collegiate Press National College Newspaper of the Year National Newspaper Pacemaker Award, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 General Excellence Awards, 2001-12 Best of Show Awards, 2003-12 Columbia University Scholastic Press Association Gold Medal for Journalism Excellence, 2001-12 California Newspaper Publishers Assoc.

California College Newspaper of the Year, 2012 Student Newspaper General Excellence, 2002-12 Society of Professional Journalists National Mark of Excellence, 2001-13 First Amendment Award, 2002, 2005 San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards 1999-2012 Directors Award for Defense of Free Speech, 2012 Journalism Association of Community Colleges Pacesetter Award 2001-13 General Excellence Awards, 2000-12 San Diego County Fair Media Competition Best of Show 2001-03, 2005-2012 American Scholastic Press Association Community College Newspaper of the Year Community Service Award San Diego County Multicultural Heritage Award

editorial The Issue: Southwestern’s Office of Student Affairs consistently fails to protect students.

Our Position: Administration needs to make meaningful changes before tragedy strikes.

SWC fails to safeguard vulnerable students Southwestern College is perpetrating a myth that its students are safe.

Recent events illustrate that is clearly not true.

Instead of joyfully strolling to class, chatting with friends and planning the day’s activities, some students are trapped in an endless cycle of crippling fear and intimidation. They battle harassment, mistreatment or stalking by others, disrupting their academic performance and quality of life. Some quit SWC out of fear, abandoned by the administrators who are supposed to protect them.

Unfortunately, when threatened SWC students turn to school officials for protection, they seldom get any. Worse, they often end up being hassled by the very school officials who are supposed to protect them. In case after case, the Office of Student Affairs does little about serious and possibly violent situations on this campus. A time bomb is ticking.

Federal and state laws require educational institutions receiving federal funding to adopt and implement policies and procedures concerning harassment, intimidation, stalking, assault and battery. A power of swift and fair justice is left in the hands of the administration. SWC’s plan is outlined in the Standards of Student Conduct Procedures and is available at the Office of Student Affairs. It spells out steps that school officials must take when presented with a grievance or complaint. Preliminary Action Procedures are identical throughout the process. A student may submit a grievance under specific circumstances. If the circumstance is a crime, then the responsibility falls on campus police.

Unfortunately, the current leadership of Student Affairs interprets these policies to mean that perpetrators of harassment and stalking have rights that supersede those of the victims. Often students who report crimes and threats find the tables turned on them while the perpetrators are given de facto carte blanche to continue their threatening behavior.

If Student Affairs administrators handle the procedure, expect all talk and no action. Steps one and two include an “informal consultation” between the student, the Dean of Student Affairs, and other parties involved. Step three is a completion of a “Report of Grievance.” Step four, another redundant conference with the student to attempt to resolve the issue. This weak, ill-conceived slog inevitably ends with a cliff-hanger – maybe a slap on the wrist and often not even that. Most often

bragging by the bad guys about how no one at SWC can touch them.

Disciplinary Action Procedures are measures taken when student misconduct is exposed. A vague, indifferent attitude is evident throughout the steps.

Repetitive, fruitless discussions with the misbehaving student are the only avenues of action, and if a charge is filed, sanctions are weak and ineffective.

Verbal warnings, written reprimands and disciplinary probation pale in comparison to the harsh penalty of immediate expulsion for students caught plagiarizing. Lift some Shakespeare, you’re outta here, threaten a teenage girl, let’s chat.

SWC’s Dean of Student Affairs was unwilling to meet with staff members of The Sun to discuss her office’s irresolute practices. It is easy to see why.

The California Sex Equity in Education Act requires educational institutions to have written policy on sexual harassment and distribute it to students and faculty. This document is never distributed during the academic year. SWC adopted a new plan in January, allegedly separating student grievance procedures from grade disputes. This new proposal is shrouded in secrecy, hidden from students by apathetic school officials who concentrate their efforts on penalizing literary theft rather than tangible dangers.

Safety is a very serious matter. Threats reported to administrators need to be taken seriously. Murders, rapes and beatings on college campuses have terrified students from Virginia Tech to San Diego City College.

SWC needs to adopt and execute a fair but firm grievance policy to ensure the safety of its students and employees. Disciplinary actions must be swift, strong and fitting with serious offenses. A casual discussion and slap on the wrist are not enough to keep a harrowing delinquent at bay. Issues left unresolved after the initial meeting call for immediate charges and reprimands. Filing a formal report should be the first step that administrators take when presented with a complaint to ensure the accuracy of details and prevent recurrent offenses.

Subsequent measures should include immediate suspension for repeat or severe transgressions, as well as follow-up consultations with the student to guarantee the effectiveness of the actions.

Student safety is a matter that requires the full attention and energy of the administration. One slipup can mean the difference between life or death.

Online Comments Policy

Letters Policy

The Sun reserves the right to republish web comments in the newspaper and will not consider publishing anonymously posted web comments or comments that are inflammatory or libelous. Post web comments at theswcsun.com.

Send mailed letters to: Editor, Southwestern College Sun, 900 Otay Lakes Road, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Send e-mailed letters to southwestern_sun@yahoo.com. E-mailed letters must include a phone number. The Sun reserves the right to edit letters for libel and length and will not consider publishing letters that arrive unsigned.

ere’s the skinny—Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents.

No longer just the scourge of women, eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating are on the rise in the male community.

“One-third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting and taking laxatives,” according to a study by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD).

Boys as young as 10 years old are being diagnosed with eating disorders.

Many are falling victim to today’s societal obsession with being thin and the overbearing emphasis to eat healthier. Increased cultural and media pressure on men to have the ideal physique contribute to the increased numbers of males suffering from anorexia, bulimia and binge eating.

Boys with eating disorders also show the same types of behavioral, physical and emotional signs and symptoms as girls, according to the National Institutes of Health. As with any disorder, it is important to catch the symptoms early.

Today’s increased focus on childhood obesity is also a factor of boys suffering from eating disorders. In schools, children are being told to limit their fat intake and to change their diets, instead of being educated on how to lead healthier lives.

With more men acknowledging their eating disorder, treatment can still be hard to find. Most of the research on eating disorders has focused on the female population—a factor that causes many of the males to feel like less of a man and become more ashamed of their habits, which in turn can cause them to become sicker than their female counterparts and harder to treat.

Once considered a female-only issue, research has shown that “10 to 15 percent of those who suffer from anorexia or bulimia are male,” according to a study published in the Canadian Medial Association Journal.

The numbers are higher for men in the gay community, with 14 percent of gay men suffering from bulimia and more than 20 percent suffering from anorexia, according to ANAD. Women often start with dieting and move to exercise, however, “men start with excessive exercising and then move to extreme dieting,” according to the National Eating Disorder Information Centre in Canada.

In the United States, at least one million males are battling an eating disorder, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. “One in four people suffering from anorexia or bulimia are male,” according to a study

by Dr. James Hudson in 2007.

Patients and doctors may not realize that they need to treat an eating disorder, therefore making treatment difficult. Because of the assumption that eating disorders are feminine problems, men who are suffering from anorexia, bulimia or binge eating are too ashamed to find help causing the eating disorder to become more reinforced into their daily thinking due to prolonged behavior. Also, the fact that there are not many support groups or eating disorder facilities in every county for males suffering from anorexia and bulimia make it hard for men to get help.

Got a burning question? Sex and The Sun can be reached at sexandthesun@gmail.com.

VIEWPOINTS

The Southwestern College Sun

March 5- April 30, 2013 — Volume 56, Issue 5

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Supreme Court should approve gay marriage

By Patrick Bromma A perspective

Southwestern College may be America’s most diverse college, teaming with variety that conjures the stars in the sky. SWC embraces everyone, but California voters, when they had a chance, did not. Proposition 8 basically said “come back when you are not gay.”

Proposition 8, passed in 2008, is easily one of the most controversial voter initiatives ever. It banned gay marriage and ended the “Gay Spring” ushered in by the city of San Francisco.

It was divisive, mean-spirited and confusing (post-election research showed that about seven percent of people who voted for Proposition 8 thought they were voting to support gay marriage, not ban it).

Gov. Brown has refused to enforce the ban and in March the U.S. Supreme Court heard testimony and is expected to hand down a ruling later this year.

Students and young Americans are at the vanguard of the Gay Rights Movement. The younger generation is pushing to end injustice and legalize same-sex marriage. A March report from the Pew Research Center said 70 percent of people born after 1980 endorse the legalization of same-sex marriage. SWC’s Latino Catholic majority was a little slow to climb aboard, but now the student body of this campus is holding down the southwest corner of the country in the Gay Rights Crusade. SWC’s Gay-Straight Alliance hold rallies to show support and solidarity for the LGBT community. SWC students staged a production of “The Laramie Project,” a play that depicts the impact of the torture and murder of the gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard. Students are speaking out in support of their gay brothers and sisters. When a

knucklehead vandalized a GSA poster with anti-gay hate speech, more than 100 students (and nearly the entire staff of The Sun) attended a rally in support of the GSA and gay SWC students.

Academic Senate President Randy Beach who is in a domestic partnership, said he feels attacked by Proposition 8. Beach said he was unsure what the Supreme Court ruling on Prop. 8 would look like but hoped for clarity.

Beach said he is optimistic about America’s turnabout on same-sex marriage.

“Eventually we are going to see a much broader acceptance that gay marriages can provide the same fabric for society that traditional heterosexual marriage has provided,” he said.

What happens now is in the hands of the Supreme Court. It could be an epic ruling or a narrow one.

Proponents of heterosexual-only marriage need to own up to the fact that man-woman matrimony is in shaggy shape. More than half of American marriages end in divorce.

Public figures are getting caught cheating on their spouses so often we take it for granted. Allowing same-sex marriage can only make things better.

Domestic partnerships between gay couples are just like “traditional” marriages. Domestic partners speak the same way, eat the same way and even fight the same as people in a “traditional” marriage – the only difference is that the love same-sex couples have for one another is not recognized by 39 states.

Our conservative Supreme court needs to do what conservative Supreme Courts have done in the past when there is no holding back a social movement. Justices need to shed old prejudices and do what is right for our nation. It is time to legalize domestic partnerships. It is time to allow gay marriage.

Victor Ballesteros/Staff

Arts cutbacks weaken education

By Ana Bahena A perspective

“The last few decades have belonged to a certain kind of person with a certain kind of mind— computer programmers who could crank out code, lawyers who could craft contracts, MBAs who could crunch numbers. But the keys to the kingdom are changing hands. The future belongs to a very different kind of person— creators and empathizers, pattern recognizers and meaning makers. These people— artists, inventors, designers, storytellers, caregivers, consolers, big picture thinkers— will now reap society’s richest rewards and share its greatest joys.”

— Daniel Pink, “A Whole New Mind” Brace yourself, humanity, the 21st century belongs to the creative rightbrainers. Too bad Southwestern College has not gotten the memo. As math, science, accounting and computer jobs are being shipped off to India, China and Brazil, right-brained thinkers with arts educations are on the ascent.

Many in the old guard stubbornly argue that in order to prepare students for life after community college, the visual and performing arts are not as important as math or English or any other traditional “core” classes.

They are correct— the arts are way more important. Empirical research has consistently shown that arts education improves academic achievement, raises SAT scores, improves retention, improves completion rates, enhances memory, improves coordination and greatly improves concentration. And that is just the quantifiable stuff. Arts education also explores the most important of all human questions: How did we get here? Why are we here? What should we do with our existence?

Funding for SWC art classes has been drastically cut since the Chopra Era. Art professors have to literally scavenge the trash for supplies and beg for donations for materials. Theater faculty do small shows because there is not enough money for large ones (which SWC used to be famous for). SWC’s Mariachi Garibaldi— the best college mariachi on the planet, no fooling!— has been nearly grounded from its mission as college ambassador due to travel budget cuts.

Budget cuts may only be an excuse for our traditional-thinking, left-brain administration to tear down art sections

Thinking Out Loud

Do you feel safe on campus?

Sameel Khaliq, Political Science “There is a good amount of diversity at SWC. People can be white, black or gay, and they’ll be safe.”

Walt Justice Health Professor “Yes, I feel safe because college campuses are safe communities of people because there is no gang activity on campus.”

Elide Martini, Nursing Victor Ballesteros/Staff

because art cannot be “tested,” so it is not worth being offered. Our leaders need to realize how art is useful and important to students and change their attitudes before it is too late and our college becomes obsolete. SWC is already heading that way. Students taking only “core” classes should be required to learn Mandarin, Hindi or Portuguese and get a passport because their jobs won’t be in this country.

Many students attend SWC only for the excellent performing and visual arts classes. Maybe they know that SWC has sent thousands of students into successful careers as actors, singers, musicians, visual artists, designers, architects, writers and theatre technicians. SWC’s legendary painting alumni are world-renown from Chicano Park to Berlin. California’s most produced playwright is an SWC alumnus, as in the great J. Michael Straczynski, creator of “Babylon 5.” Straczynski has also written “Spider-Man” comic books and co-authored the “Thor” screenplay.

Some uninformed folks will say that what a student learns in art class is not useful in the real world. That Reagan-era propaganda has long been debunked.

Also discredited is the cliché of the “starving artist.” Many of America’s top earners of 2012 were artists and creative people rewriting the old paradigms.

Bruce Springsteen is not starving, nor is Oprah, Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Lawrence or Stephanie Meyer.

Where did SWC get the design for the renovation of DeVore Stadium?

Probably from an architect or designer who majored in art. Who designed the logo for our college? An artist. Landscape artists created the Botanical Garden and our beautiful grounds. Out in the real world right-brain thinking has a hand in everything, including business, marketing, building, design, training, medicine, biotechnology, sustainability and government. Whichever path a student chooses, art is a driver.

Our administration needs to recognize that arts education informs America’s future. Cutting art classes and funding is societal suicide. We do not want to be the next China, India or Brazil doing copy cat work and performing menial tasks.

We need to be the next United States, the right-brained, creative, innovative U.S. of the 21st century.

“The campus police are always going around the campus to make sure everyone is safe.”

Steve WhitinG Telemedia “I do not feel safe because there is too much separation between the students.”

Joshua Grojean Astronomy “I feel safe. People are always on campus studying or participating in school activities.”

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Michael Stinson, editor

VIEWPOINTS

Tel: (619) 482-6368 E-mail: viewpoints@theswcsun.com

Some students must work harder

March 5 - April 30, 2013 — Volume 56, Issue 5

Excellent online staff needs better support

By Jacob Harris A perspective

Joaquin Junco Jr./Staff

By Saharai Salazar A perspective

Transitioning between community college and a four-year university can be a complicated, intimidating change. Many students welcome the new arrangement with a focused attitude and great determination, confident that their former education equipped them with enough groundwork to excel in this new frontier.

Southwestern College offers many challenging and stimulating programs that instill the necessary skills needed for students to succeed in top universities.

Other students are not so lucky, struggling and disenchanted by unfamiliar obligations of university life, wondering what went wrong in their lower-division coursework.

College students must be adequately primed and ready to face the major leagues, not left behind and unprepared to fend for themselves.

Many students switching from SWC’s semester structure to the quarter system of most University of California schools struggle to keep up with the rapid pace.

Instead of having a month to complete a five-page term paper, university students are responsible for understanding tons of material and thrown into midterms by week four. For many science majors at universities such as San Diego State, a fouryear education plan would comprise of taking an average of 18 units per semester in addition to summer school. There is little time to squander at a university and succeed. Courses progress swiftly and financial expenses are considerably higher.

SWC, on the other hand, has become an island of lost souls, a place students attend classes for the sake of going to school, without any definite plan to transfer in an acceptable amount of time.

An obvious lack of drive and purpose afflict jaded students, and instructors are partially to blame. Many teachers accept late work or make-ups on exams, a policy that is unacceptable in many upper-division classes. This strategy is far too lax and causes students to develop

sloppy, apathetic work habits. Instructors are enabling their students by accepting mediocre, complacent behavior, essentially disabling them.

Expectations are higher at a four-year institution, and the quality of work produced should reflect that. A failing grade on a research paper started the night before is often the first rude awakening. A second is often the staggering realization that reading the course textbook is mandatory instead of skimming through it to cram hours before a test. Instead of coasting through college by attending class, paying attention periodically and completing a handful of homework problems, students are shocked at the amount of reading, studying and critical thinking that is required at a university to maintain a high GPA and graduate on time.

University courses often mean less personalized attention and more independent studying, a skill that SWC needs to foster in its students. Prolonged, exhausting hours reviewing material are a norm at universities. Libraries and 24-hour study rooms become second homes to many students, a notion that many community college students find daunting.

Greater emphasis is placed on midterms and finals, and homework is not always graded. Many students at SWC rely heavily on these exercises to boost their grades, but fall short in applying what is learned to their exams, ultimately hampering their final grade. University professors will not hound students for a missing assignment or a less than satisfactory grade on a midterm, they will simply fail them.

Community college students are often stunned to learn that lower-division classes are not taught in a tiny room with 30 students and ample amount of personalized time with the instructor, but in a massive auditorium with 400 pupils and 12 teacher’s assistants. Attendance is seldom taken, and professors simply do not have the time to sit down with every student to assess their personal learning

requirements. Office hours may be the only face-to-face individual time between a professor and their students and are absolutely vital to a student’s success at a four-year institution, an arrangement that many students at SWC fail to take advantage of.

SWC students who have studied at different San Diego community colleges such as Grossmont, Mesa and City Colleges continuously express their frustration with the sluggish pace of lessons as well as a widespread lack of enthusiasm from their fellow SWC classmates. A considerable segment of the student population scores below average on Math and English placement exams, placing them in elementary-level classes and forcing them to stay longer in order to transfer. This is an unacceptable circumstance when free study guides and practice tests are available on the school website.

Open-note and open-book tests are common practice at SWC, a custom that gives a false impression that studying and comprehension are not obligatory in order to obtain a degree. Some instructors screen meaningless films, give students exam questions ahead of time and overload them with time-consuming inane assignments.

Instead, they should offer a stimulating curriculum that nurtures a desire to learn and instills valuable skills such as good study habits, time management and a responsible attitude.

Students should be inspired and driven to reach their true potential and challenged by difficult answers to complex questions.

Instead, many are dragged through weeks of material that they already know, forced to review old information instead of learning something new.

Community college students should develop an endless thirst for knowledge and a desire to achieve their occupational and professional dreams. Average is simply not good enough. SWC needs to create students who will not only survive the university life, but excel in it.

Evolution never stops. Neither does progress. Professors adapt the way they educate students, transitioning from the traditional note-taking exchange and into the digital world.

But, like biological evolution, change in the classroom is a sluggish process. Slow and steady may be the right pace for tortoises in the Galapagos Islands, but unacceptable in a fast-moving world.

Southwestern College’s online educational evolution starts with Blackboard, an online learning resource that can, if properly implemented, revolutionize a s t u d e n t ’s i n t e g r a t i o n o f t h e i r education onto the Internet.

Blackboard’s potential is virtually limitless, allowing student access to Powerpoint presentations, notes, practice exams, lectures and projects as well as direct communication with professors using message boards.

Some professors do not integrate their class into the system. Worse still, the entity responsible for Blackboard is drastically underfunded and understaffed. Just two people run the massive network.

SWC’s Online Learning Center is a major component of academic success.

Rather than hiring additional support for a service that is both practical and widely utilized, Blackboard relies on one full-time administrator, Larry Lambert, and his part-time assistant, Todd Williamson. Two people run a system that manages 1,880 active courses, nine active organizations,13,081 active users, and supports an average of 157,187 page views per day. Lambert and Wi l l i a m s o n a re g o o d — re a l l y good – but even the supermen of cyberspace cannot be expected to do the impossible much longer.

This is detrimental to student success. A resource that is so widely implemented should not be undersupported, especially when it serves 80 percent of the student population.

The future is already here and it is Blackboard.

“The faculty needs to change the paradigm between face-to-face and online education,” Lambert said.

He is absolutely right.

When both face-to-face education and online education are being downsized, this leaves an institution of higher education to ponder what it can offer. One cannot be considered more important than the other because while face-to-face interaction is important, online classes offer a chance to learn to those who would not have it otherwise.

There is a clear trend showing that online education allows working students to pursue their education.

Surveys conducted by the Online Learning Center indicate that 21.3 percent of students said that taking

online classes allowed them to continue t h e i r studies.

Students have also shown a trend that they are satisfied with their online education.

Almost 70 percent of t h o s e surveyed expressed satisfaction with their o n l i n e experience while 5.3 percent claimed dissatisfaction. A common complaint expressed in the survey was that the server would crash, a problem caused by a shortage of staff monitoring the system.

Regardless of a staff shortage, SWC has become the #4 institution in Online Education in the state of California, according to Instructional Te c h n o l o g y C o u n c i l . It has integrated more than 50,000 users into the Victor Ballesteros/Staff system and allowed students suffering the burden of a busy schedule to pursue their education in their free time.

Such rapid growth has a price. At one point, the department had eight employees running it. Not anymore.

With its current funding, the Online Education Department has hit what Lambert calls a “glass ceiling.” Growth is in sight and attainable if given ideal conditions, but with the resources the department brings in being diverted to such an extent, the department is left struggling.

Increasing funding for a resource that provides both essential and widely-utilized services for the school is not only smart, but also common sense. SWC’s quality of education will greatly improve when online education is augmented rather than stripped down.

Students need to stop blaming counselors for slow transfers

By Michael Stinson A perspective

“By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin Complaints about Southwestern College’s counselors are as common as complaints about parking. It can be tricky just getting an appointment. Waiting several weeks for an appointment is the rule, not the exception.

Students are often flummoxed after an appointment and blame the counselors for not meeting their needs. Results can range from taking an unneeded class to spending another year on campus, all because of a counselor’s bad advice.

There is plenty of blame to go around.

SWC is a robust campus with more than 20,000 registered students. There are not enough counselors for the student body, leaving them overworked and rushed.

With the budget in shambles, hiring more counselors is out of the question. Their time has never been at a higher premium.

College prepares one for careers, the springboard to independence. While counselors occasionally give bad advice, the responsibility lies on the student for success.

Time is valuable and neither the student nor the counselor should waste it.

Research should start before students register for their first class. Even if the

student has not declared a major, a core selection of general education classes is needed for associate’s degrees and those wishing to transfer. This information can be found in the catalog on the SWC’s website.

Many go into an appointment groping blindly, waiting for the counselor to lead them to safety. Time is spent answering simple questions that could be easily researched online in the catalog. Appointments should be used to check your education plan for errors, not for basic inquires.

Research is paramount to success before and after your appointment. SWC’s counselors are well-trained, but not infallible. Many will give students the tools to do assessment and double-check their work. Counselors craft an education plan, a blueprint that must be double checked. A transfer or associate’s degree qualifications can be found in the catalog online, but transferring to a four-year university is more complicated.

Whether one plans to go to a California State University (CSU) or a University of California (UC), the best tool is www. assist.org. This essential resource allows students to verify which SWC classes transfer to both CSU and UC schools.

Each major’s qualifications can be checked and students can avoid taking unneeded classes. Prospective students can check to

Adrian Martinez/Staff

see if elective credits transfer to the CSU and UC systems, saving on time and money.

Another asset for the student is the SWC Transfer Center, which offers appointments and workshops to help applicants transfer to colleges across the country and globe.

Students should get on the mailing list and hear about campus tours and changes in

admission requirements and dates. Linked through the www.swccd.edu website, the Transfer Center has tips from essay topics used at various colleges to a last-year checklist so one will not get sidelined due to an unexpected delay.

It is disappointing when life is put on hold because classes are full or even worse,

because of poor advice or shabby class selection. While students cannot control the waitlist, they can control class selection.

There is plenty of blame to go around, but ultimately the students suffer. It is time for students to take the reins and steer their own path through college, with the counselors as educated wingmen.

NEWS

The Southwestern College Sun

March 5 - April 30, 2013 — Volume 56, Issue 5

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Transfer admission guarantee program with UCSD to end

By Rick Flores Staff Writer

David McVicker/staff

PULLING THE PLUG ON TAG — UCSD Chancellor Dr. Pradeep Khosla said he will terminate the 29-year-old transfer agreement with SWC and replace it with a program that he said would better serve South Bay students.

Appointment: Vargas has rich experience in politics, public service Continued from Page A1

followed by 10 others on a variety of topics.

Before the interviews started, Vargas approached the board to tell them that she had resigned from the Board of Directors of PIQE, the Parent Institute of Equality Education to avoid any perception of conflict of interest.

During the interview Vargas spoke about her plans for revenue generation.

“One of the great things about being a trustee is that it no longer becomes about the I but about the we,” she said. “I think being

very clear about our values as an institution and an organization is the first key.”

Vargas said she thinks of herself as openminded.

“I try very hard to make sure all of the different opinions are at the table,” she said, “that people will know at times I will agree to disagree with them, but I always will be fair and I always will be open.”

Vargas said she has 15 years in executive management roles and more than 20 years as a volunteer commissioner at the city and state level. Vargas has developed, overseen and managed budgets of more than $60 million, she said, and worked on the California Master Plan for Higher Education.

“I am ready to step into the role of a beneficiary agent of Southwestern College,”

TAG, you’re no longer it.

First-year UCSD chancellor Dr. Pradeep Khosla announced he is ending the 29-yearold Transfer Admission Guarantee program which ensured UC transfer to students who maintained pre-agreed criteria. He is replacing it with University Connect, a program he insists will better serve South Bay students.

Mae Brown, UCSD Vice Chancellor and Director of Admissions, called it an upgrade for community college students of the southern region.

“University Connect is meant to serve the San Diego and Imperial Valley areas,” she said, “whereas TAG was meant to serve the entire state.”

Students and counselors said they had she said. “In addition, I know how much transparency means to this public body and I fully understand the (Ralph M. Brown Public Meetings Act) and have general understanding of shared governance.”

Academic Senate President Randy Beach said Vargas showed she was up to date on college issues.

“She stood out among the candidates by demonstrating a good knowledge of where we are as a college and what our recent planning endeavors have been,” he said.

“She had really done her homework and has made herself aware of the challenges and the potential that we have as a college.”

Faculty union president Eric Maag agreed.

“She has a pretty fresh perspective and a policy to say what she thinks and that’s something we’re looking forward to,” he said. “(She is) someone who can stand up for their position and able to advocate their opinion in the group. (She seemed) able to have good dialogue and back and forth with the other governing board members, but at the end of the day to hold her own opinion and not to be swayed by outsiders’ opinions.”

Maag said he was also impressed by her experience with budget.

“She’s got good experience with Planned Parenthood,” he said. “She has over sighted big budgets which is one of our primary concerns at the union, to find governing board members who are willing to really look into the budget, understand it, ask the right questions and uncover some of the issues.”

mixed feelings about the demise of TAG. “It has been a positive relationship between Southwestern College and UCSD since TAG was implemented,” said counselor Norma Cazares. “UCSD implemented TAG to give students a chance of getting an education as well as reflect the demographics of the area.”

SWC Superintendent Dr. Melinda Nish said students from SWC have greatly benefited from this program in the past and have been successful. Many of the students who were in the TAG program were firstgeneration college students.

“In 2005-06 Southwestern College had 88 students transfer to UCSD and in 201112 we had 146 students transfer, our highest number yet,” she said.

Khosla said he has made it a goal to help students in the South Bay get into UCSD. He said he wants to open the doors to SWC

students and University Connect is the best option.

“I believe it is important for UCSD to have strong ties with the South Bay community,” said Khosla. “UCSD should truly represent the community it is in and one step towards this is by helping South Bay students get to UCSD.” Since he began his tenure as UCSD Chancellor in August, Khosla has visited different parts of the county and has spoken at an SWC reception organized by governing board member Norma Hernandez.

“There will be an increased number of students admitted into UCSD,” he said.

“It is UCSD’s goal to give a chance for South Bay students to get into a good university. University Connect would be a big step for UCSD towards building strong ties with SWC and the South Bay community.”

Marshall Murphy/staff

OFF TO A STRONG START — Nora Vargas was the unanimous choice of the SWC board to replace William Stewart. Her appointment has been hailed throughout the community. Vargas promised to “listen well” and “work super hard.”

Vargas said she wants to give back to the community that gave her so much.

“Being a community college student can be such a daunting process, but I went through it and look at where I am at now,” she said. “Being able to give back to my community is really empowering, important and I feel like it is a big responsibility but I am excited about it.”

Governing Board President Humberto Peraza said he was impressed by the applicants, particularly the six finalists.

“I think they were great,” he said. “It takes a lot of courage to put your name out there.”

Trustee Tim Nader agreed.

“Every one of the candidates who applied had something they brought to the table,” he said. “It showed a commitment to the community, to this college and I think that should be commended. I hope every one of them find ways to be involved in the college.”

Besides Vargas the other finalists were David Diaz, Michael Tracy Lamb, Rosa Maria Robles, Griselda Delgado and Eloy Villa. College officials said the appointment saved the $1 million cost of a special election.

Enrique Raymundo contributed to this story.

El Sol wins ASPA community service award

By Sun Staff

Southwestern College journalism students were presented with the American Scholastic Press Association 2013 Community Service Award for its defense of free speech, support of diversity and coverage of campus corruption during the Chopra administration. El Sol magazine, produced by students in the Campus Newspaper Production class when budget permits, was honored by the College Point, New York organization this month.

SWC’s student newspaper, The Sun, was also honored, and was named America’s best community college newspaper.

“The Southwestern College El Sol magazine has been a clarion for the power and light of diversity by highlighting examples of multiculturalism at work and creating understanding through education,” read the ASPA statement.

Website: College unveils student friendly redesign to very solid reviews Continued from Page A1

site will please students.

“We spent a lot of time transferring over old documents that were in the old website and compartmentalizing them more,” she said.

“I think the last site may have been more for adult needs. Now it is really aimed at what the students need.”

Community members have reacted well to the remodel, said Leopold.

“People have been really patient,” she said.

“They realize this is a big project and we are doing our best with the staffing we have. I have gotten a lot of help from the departments, students and feedback saying it is easier to navigate and that was our goal.”

Some of the old documents are still being transferred over and have become ineffective and are being edited, according to Leopold.

“There are still some things that we need to move over from the old site,” she said.

Leopold and a team of Interns from SWC’s Computer Information’s Systems (CIS) program are working hard to combat the problems being reported.

“The search bar, in particular, is still not

“El Sol…has created awareness of other cultures, and built tolerance and respect in misunderstood South Bay communities… and has demonstrated leadership in multicultural journalism.”

SWC journalism students have won nearly 150 state, regional and national awards so far this year, including the Pulitzer Prize of collegiate media, the Pacemaker Award, presented to The Sun by the Associated Collegiate Press in Chicago. The Sun and its website also won national excellence awards from the ACP. Earlier this year The Sun was named National College Newspaper of the Year by the National Newspaper Association at its convention in Charlotte, South Carolina. Recently the National Society of Professional Journalist named The Sun the outstanding non-daily student newspaper for large institutions in Region 11, which includes California, Arizona and Nevada,

at its convention in Phoenix.

Southwestern swept the top awards at the Journalism Association of Community Colleges Convention in Sacramento. The Sun won the Pacesetter sweepstakes award, and top honors for each of its three publishing platforms, The Sun newspaper, El Sol magazine and theswcsun.com web publication.

Journalism students have also been recognized this year by the San Diego Press Club, Patriot Press Awards, San Diego Association of Black Journalists, California Newspaper Publishers Association and Western Association of Publishers, among others. Five journalism students won SWC Student of Distinction Awards and nearly 30 won campus or industry scholarships.

Seven journalism students are currently interning for regional or international print and broadcast media organizations.

functioning correctly because there are still things on the old website,” she said. “Student interns from the CIS program go through and check every single link to see which ones aren’t working so we can fix them all. Once they are all fixed we can activate the search button.”

Leopold said from a technical standpoint, things are much simpler.

“It is a lot easier for people to update it because it is not written in that old code,” she said. “If you know how to use a Word document it is pretty much copying and pasting. You can add photos to the documents and I think it has been working pretty well so far.”

While the new website has been targeting students, some, such as student Alejandra Espinosa, have reported problems.

“I noticed that the Blackboard link on the website doesn’t take you to the actual Blackboard website like the old one used to,” she said.

Lambert addressed the issue.

“As far as getting to the online classes, it looks a little different and I have had a lot of complaints about students not being able to find the login to get to their online classes,” he said. “It melds into the background and it’s not big enough and it’s just not convenient enough. Your eyes don’t go there, so I have already gone in there and changed that and as soon as the website approver approves that, it

will go on there.”

Glitches can be reported through the website. Every page of the site includes a feedback button that students and staff can use to report things they see. Leopold receives emails when feedback is provided.

CIS students said they work hard with Leopold in order to fix such problems reported by the feedback buttons.

“Sometimes navigating the site can get kind of confusing,” said CIS student Angela Tam. “One of the jobs my fellow interns and I were tasked with was to go to through the entire site checking for broken links. Since we were each in charge of different sections, there were many times when I’d suddenly find myself doing work in another intern’s section. A perfect example would be the governing board, though listed under About Us in the navigation menu, it is actually part of human resources.”

Lambert said he is optimistic about the future of the website.

“I look forward to the time when we move out of this particular website,” he said. “Because in my opinion this is not going to serve our needs for very long, maybe a few years at most.

Then we are going to be at work. We are going to out grow it pretty quickly. So, we are looking forward to the time when can update and have another iteration of this website. So we can really grow it out, really make it robust.”

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NEWS

March 5 - April 30, 2013 — Volume 56, Issue 5

South Bay Corruption case

Continues to Chopra: Former SWC president shows up to April arraigment Continued from Page A1

court,” Attanasio said, “and looks forward to having the opportunity of presenting his side of the story.”

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has filed 232 criminal charges against 15 elected officials, school administrators and contractors in three different school districts, in what she has called the largest corruption case of its kind in San Diego County history.

Charges include multiple counts of extortion, accepting bribes, perjury, conspiracy to defraud, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Defendants with SWC connections include Chopra, former trustees Yolanda Salcido and Jorge Dominguez, former vice president of business and finance Nicholas Alioto, former facilities director John Wilson, former interim superintendent Greg Sandoval and current director of EOPS Arlie Ricasa.

Sandoval is currently an administrator at Moreno Valley College.

Sandoval and Ricasa both also have even stronger ties with Sweetwater Union High School District, and both have been indicted for crimes related to actions committed there. Sandoval is a former trustee and Ricasa is a current member of the board.

Also on trial are SUHSD trustees Jim Cartmill, Bertha Lopez and Pearl Quinoñes, former superintendent Jesus Gandara, former San Ysidro School District superintendent Manuel Paul, SYSD trustee Bertha Hernandez, Jeff Flores, president of Seville Construction Services, a firm once contracted by both SWC and SUHSD, and financier Gary Cabello, who helped to finance municipal school bonds for both districts and calculate the interest and impact on district taxpayers.

The San Ysidro School District accepted Paul’s resignation last week.

Paul, who has been on paid leave since January 15, tendered his resignation March 18. Carol Wallace, president of the San Ysidro Education Association, said the community was upset after learning about Paul’s admission to the district attorney last June of taking $2,500 from a contractor in a parking lot.

“Community members and teachers’ groups put pressure on the board members to have Mr. Paul removed from the school,” Wallace said.

The board voted 3-2 to accept Paul’s resignation. Hernadez was one of the two.

Wallace said that Paul will still receive a retirement package.

With Sandoval, Ricasa, Cartmill, Lopez, Quinoñes, and Gandara all under indictment, the entire 2006-2010 SUHSD governing board and its former superintendent is on trial.

Alioto, a resident of Wisconsin, did not appear. Neither did Hernandez or Cabello. Flores appeared in a separate, later arraignment hearing.

Judge Ana España set the trial date for each of the 15 defendants to begin on Feb. 18, 2014. She will preside over the trial itself and readiness conferences on

July 17 and Oct. 29, at which time she will likely hear and decide on pre-trial motions.

With the trial now taking place in the much larger courtroom of Department Five, España also heard the defendants’ motion to seal grand jury testimony, which runs to over 4000 pages and 27 volumes.

Marc Carlos, attorney for Quinoñes, argued to keep the testimony sealed. In a written argument he claimed that the testimony would prejudice people of the South Bay against his client. He specified the high volume of media attention.

España said she believed that the potential jury pool is large enough to find “12 honest people,” and the nature of the publicity surrounding the case has not been prejudicial, though it has been extensive. She also pointed out that much of the testimony is already public knowledge, being part of the initial search warrant affidavits submitted by the district attorney’s office.

However, she did agree that some of the language in the testimony included some prejudicial and inflammatory statements. She said some of it was “possibly inadmissible” and that some of it featured information regarding “unindicted co-conspirators.”

España denied the request to seal the grand jury testimony, but instead gave counsel until May 17 to submit proposals for redaction. This gives the attorneys a chance to identify and attempt to remove any problematic language. Attorneys from both sides will meet May 25 to hear the court’s decisions.

España also heard a pre-trial motion from Flores’ attorneys. Flores was involved with several construction projects on the SWC campus. He is the former employer of Henry Amigable, who has already pleaded guilty to a pair of misdemeanors during the first round of indictments.

Flores’ attorney, Anita Alexandra Kay, filed a motion to demur, a request to challenge the pleading and dismiss the case on the grounds that there is no legal basis to bring the case to trial. Kay argued that there is no legal precedent with this kind of bribery case that has been upheld.

Kay also said that criminal counts against Flores do not specify the timelines and exact whereabouts of Flores.

“Based on that, the demurrer should be granted,” Kay said.

España, however, overruled the motion for demurrer.

Frederic Ludwig III, deputy district attorney, said the judge’s decision ended one round of challenges by the defendants.

“By entering pleas, the right to demur has expired,” he said. “There will be no more demurs. There will be other challenges, but the demur is an animal unique to the pleading stage. That stuff is now done.”

Kay said she was not surprised by the judge’s ruling, but had some concerns.

“I still think that there are some issues with the way the indictment was filed,” she said.

Kay said that there are more motions to file, such as motion to dismiss and motion to set aside.

“There is still a lot to go through and we’re still at the infancy stage,” she said.

Unfold

OCTOBER 2011 | San Diego County District Attorney raids the Pasadena office of Seville Construction.

The Southwestern College Sun

AUGUST 2007 | Raj K. Chopra hired as superintendent of Southwestern Community College District.

SEPTEMBER 2010 | Southwestern College Sun newspaper blocked from publication by order of Chopra days before it was to run story of payfor-play charges against Alioto.

JULY 1, 2009 | Chopra hires Nicholas Alioto as Vice President of Business and Financial Affairs.

JUNE 2011 | Trustee Nick Aguilar resigns from board, citing health reasons stemming from abusive treatment.

AUGUST 2011 | Humberto Peraza appointed to board on a 4-0 vote to serve the remaining 17 months of Aguilar’s term.

A7

JANUARY 2011 | Denise Whittaker selected interim superintendent by the governing board. Job one is to address the corruption and Proposition R issues.

NOVEMBER 2010 | Norma Hernandez and Tim Nader defeat Yolanda Salcido and Dr. Jorge Dominguez, respectively, in a Southwestern College Governing Board election.

Incumbent Terri Valladolid named the winner three weeks later following a recount.

Chopra resigns the day before the new board majority can assume office. He receives a $100,000 severance settlement from board led by Salcido.

Trustees Valladolid, Dominguez and Dr. Jean Roesch support the Chopra payment.

FEBRUARY 2011 | Alioto resigns, receives $60,000 separation settlement but no district-funded legal guarantees.

March 2012 | Nish cancels all Proposition R construction contracts involving firms under indictment.

JANUARY 28, 2013 | South Bay Corruption Case moves to Chula Vista Courthouse.

The San Diego District Attorney raids the homes of Dominguez and Salcido.

DECEMBER 2011 | San Diego County District Attorney raids homes of Wilson, Ricasa, Sandoval as well as Sweetwater board members and superintendent.

JANUARY 7, 2013 | First arraignment in the South Bay Corruption Case at downtown San Diego Courthouse.

JANUARY 2012 | Dr. Melinda Nish assumes position of superintendent of Southwestern College.

Nish places Arlie Ricasa on administrative leave. District Attorney warrants say Ricasa used SWC email and fax machine on company time to solicit gifts and campaign contributions.

District Attorney arraigns Sandoval, Ricasa, Quiñones, Gandara and contractor Henry Amigable, charging them with multiple felonies.

Judge Timothy Walsh pushes the date back to allow time for documents to be read.

Chopra and Alioto fail to show up.

April 12, 2013 | España sets trial date for February 18, 2014 and readiness conferences for July 17 and October 29 to hear and decide pre-trial motions.

February 15, 2013 | Judge Ana España assigned to the case. España pushes the date back for a third time.

Chopra makes his first appearance in court.

Chopra again fails to appear in court. His lawyer cites ill-health and depression.

JANUARY 30, 2013 | Judge Stephanie Sontag pushes back the arraignment date again to determine where the trial and arraignment will take place.

Alioto shows up to court but Chopra does not.

February 5, 2013 | Judge Walsh orders corruption case to remain in South County, where most of the defendants reside.

To be continued...

April 13, 2013 | DA spokesperson says more raids and indictments possible.

Case could expand.

Dr. Raj K. Chopra

Yolanda Salcido

Jorge Dominguez

Nicholas Alioto

John Wilson

Arlie Ricasa

Greg Sandoval

Former SWC Superintendent

Former SWC Governing Board Member

Former SWC Governing Board Member

Former SWC Vice President of Business and Financial Affairs

Former SWC Director of Business and Operations

SWC Director of EOPS/ SUHSD Trustee

Former Interim President/ Former SUHSD Trustee

13 counts, including perjury, receiving a bribe and conflict of interest.

13 counts, including accepting a bribe by member of legislature, perjury and wrongful influence.

15 counts, including conspiracy to commit a crime and accepting a bribe by member of legislature.

12 counts, including conspiracy to commit a crime, conspiracy to defraud, receiving a bribe and perjury.

16 counts, including conspiracy to commit a crime, conspiracy to defraud and receiving a bribe.

34 counts, including extortion, conspiracy to commit a crime, accepting a bribe by member of legislature, receiving a bribe and perjury.

33 counts, including extortion, conspiracy to commit a crime, accepting a bribe by member of legislature and perjury.

?

District Attorney says more raids and indictmments could come as investigation continues.

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San Ysidro: Students, teachers and parents speak out against board Continued from Page A1

corruption and conspiracy charges.

Other recent controversies in San Ysidro include: •A charge that Paul accepted an illegal cash campaign contribution for a San Ysidro board candidate in the parking lot of a Chula Vista steak house.

•Outrage that the governing board gave Paul a $10,000 raise after the steak house transaction came to light and just before asking for his resignation.

•Raises of $10,000 given to some administrators shortly after the district closed schools for a week of furlough.

•Rapid promotions and hefty raises for the son of a governing board member who is an SYSD administrator.

•A takeover of district finances by the San Diego County Office of Education to stave off a more drastic state takeover.

•A $4 million deficit for fiscal year 13-14 requiring a 13 percent cut from its budget. County experts say the district will have to cut another 18 percent in FY 14-15 and FY 15-16.

These recent headaches come on top of reports that San Ysidro has the lowest student success rate in the county (and one of the lowest in the United States), and a dispiriting low number of students from the community who graduate from college. Most who do graduate never come back.

Marianna Sopanara/staff

ANOTHER SAN YSIDRO CONTROVERSY — Students from Ocean View Hills Elementary school speak to the San Ysidro School District school board asking for the rehire of supervisor Patricia Pimental who was fired by Principal Matthew Pardes.

San Ysidro’s bare-knuckle educational politics stem from many factors, a c c o rd i n g t o e d u c a t o r s , b u t a n overarching cause may be that the school board is the only elected political body in the community. Most of San Ysidro is within the city limits of San Diego, even though the community is several miles away from the southern edge of metropolitan San Diego. Years ago San

Diego grabbed control of San Ysidro and its world-famous international border crossing, by annexing a oneinch thick stripe of land out into the ocean and down to the border, thereby claiming that the San Ysidro region was “contiguous” and legal to annex. The result is a completely cut-off, isolated and poverty-stricken community out of the limelight, out of sight and out

Tel: (619) 482-6368 E-mail: news@theswcsun.com

of mind.

San Ysidro does have a San Diego City Council member to represent it, but historically the District 8 councilmembers have been overwhelmed and outvoted by members from metropolitan San Diego. Most District 8 councilmembers serve one term then either run for a different office or call it quits. At least three in recent memory have been driven from office for corruption or other illegal activities.

“San Ysidro has been taken advantage of by so many people for so many years,” said the former superintendent.

“It is a difficult place to be a teacher and work. There are a lot of really dedicated teachers down there that are working hard to make a difference and many of them do. Those teachers are really the soldiers on the front line. It is too bad they don’t have better leadership and support.”

Jeff Scarlett, a 25-year teaching veteran in San Ysidro, said that young San Ysidro students need not only excellent teaching – more than 90 percent do not speak or write grade level English – but also need help to see “the bigger world.”

“A l l t h e c l a s s r o o m s a t Su n s e t Elementary are named after colleges,” he said. “Why? To get the kids into college. We take field trips to San Diego State so the kids get to walk around to see how cool it is.”

Most field trips have been cut, h owe ve r, t h e v i c t i m o f f u n d i n g shortages. Parents acknowledge that the state of California has pared down

educational spending, but many insist poor leadership and outright corruption drain even more funding away from the classrooms. Olga Espinoza, whose children attend Smythe School, said too much of the district’s general fund goes to lawyers, investigators, paying fines and giving undeserved raises to district leadership.

“Our board seems to put money towards paying the legal fees of an openly guilty board member rather than into the kids’ classrooms,” she said.

“Such a waste.”

Carol Wallace, president of the San Ysidro Educators Association, said meaningful change must come soon or the district will continue its downward drift.

“Teachers in San Ysidro and all employees in the San Ysidro School District deserve better than having an admitted felon come back to be their educational leader,” she said.

Wallace said San Ysidro has lost its way and the people with the power and responsibility to turn things around lack the ability and integrity to do so.

Rudie Thomas, a parent of a San Ysidro student, said the district is strangled by a culture of corruption even worse than Southwestern College and Sweetwater Union High School District have endured in recent years.

“What we need to do is change that level of corruption, to end it,” he said.

“We need to take the power away from these people and put power back into the hands of good people and our schools. That’s the only way things will change down here.”

Student center roof leaking

Hate crime: Students, administration show support for GSA Club

Admin. insists it is still under warranty Patrick Bromma Staff Writer

Continued from Page A1

torn down, I’ve seen other things, but not this.”

Nguyen said the vandalism, though disturbing, was also timely.

“We’ll talk about this during Day of Silence,” she said. “Hopefully that will bring more awareness to the campus.”

Wade said college leadership needs to do more to protect gay students – something he said he has brought to the college’s attention again and again. “[This vandalism] demonstrates a need for a permanent safe space on campus for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning and intersexed students, and our student allies,” he said.

Cortes said going public about the vandalism will be more effective than getting the administration involved.

“Really, what can [the administration] do?” she said. “It’s not like there’s a camera that saw what happened. We’re not going to be able to find out who did this. It’s better to bring this up then, or bring it to people’s attention during other events.”

L i l l i a n L e o p o l d , S WC ’s c h i e f public information officer, said the administration is taking the vandalism seriously.

“Southwestern College does, in fact, consider this a hate crime and it is stepping up its efforts to fully investigate this incident,” she said. “The safety and protection of all members of the Gay-Straight Alliance, and with all student groups on campus, is priority one.”

Leopold said members of the administration would be in contact with the club’s officers and advisors to explain procedures regarding the college’s Standards of Student Conduct.

She said SWC has a written policy in place to deal with situations like these.

“The Administrative Procedure for Policy 5500 addresses hate crimes,” she said.

Item 12 in Policy 5500 describes this as a violation of standards of student conduct: “Engaging in harassing or discriminatory behavior based on race, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, or any other status protected by law.”

California Penal Code 422.6 PC also forbids hate crimes. State law treats the act of damaging, defacing or destroying property as part of a hate crime is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in a county jail, a maximum fine of $5,000 and up to 400 hours of community service.

Nguyen said the feeling created by the vandalism was “overwhelming.” She said the poster itself was harmless and could not have offended anyone.

“It was just advertising a regular meeting,” she said. “I’ve spoken to people on campus who aren’t members of the GSA and they can’t believe things like this still go on. It’s such a diverse campus and a lot of people were really

Thomas Baker, editor

NEWS

March 5 - April 30, 2013 — Volume 56, Issue 5

David McVicker/staff

CAN’T HOLD US BACK — GSA Club President Diana Cortes said the support extended to her organization shows that hate toward gay students is no longer acceptable.

surprised.”

Wade said anti-gay vandalism was inexcusable anywhere, but particularly egregious on a college campus.

“College is a place where our differences are hashed out via meaningful dialogue rather than cowardly vandalism,” he said.

Nguyen said the campus needs to know this happened.

“I wanted this issue to be something that people should be aware of,” she said. “And it’s still going on. We need people to be aware that hatred of gays is still a problem.”

Leopold said open, honest dialogue

would be necessary.

“The most effective way to combat intolerance is through education and advocacy,” she said. “It is a matter of having students, faculty, staff and administration continuing to work together to ensure a safe learning environment.”

Cortes insisted that anti-gay sentiment would not stop the GayStraight Alliance.

“This isn’t going to hold us back,” she said. “It’s going to make us stronger.

We’re not going to give up. We’re going to keep putting up our posters and making ourselves noticeable.”

Longfellow wrote, “The best thing one can do when it rains is let it rain.”

John Brown doesn’t buy it. He said the best thing to do is to fix the leaky roof.

Southwestern College’s Student Center has not been giving visitors shelter from the storm in recent months due to a roof that lets a little rain in sometimes. Like most cases of a glass ceiling, this one is a tough fix.

“It is not like someone can walk up there and patch it,” said Aaron Starck, director of student development and health services. “We’re dealing with what we have to at this point.”

Starck recently inherited the problem when he switched places with Arlie Ricasa, who has been indicted for multiple felonies in the South Bay Corruption Case. The roof has been leaking since 2008.

Oldcastle Glass Engineered Products was hired to repair the roof, but college administrators are having trouble getting any previous contractors to take responsibility.

In order to continue repairs the administration is meeting with the contractor to go over the latest incident of leaks said Brown, SWC’s director of facilities.

Brown said the leaks are due to glass panels that are not snug against each other.

“Maintenance, on each occasion,

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contacts the vendor who sends a representative out to go on the roof and find any gaps or cracks and repairs,” he said.

In addiction to leaking, the roof is suffering from “fiber bloom” which caused yellowing and darkening of the panels. Brown said the college’s position is that the roof is under warranty and the original contractor is responsible for repairs.

Brown, who was hired after the completion of the Student Center, said there was that an out-of-court settlement he needs to review before he can proceed with repairs.

SWC President Dr. Melinda Nish said the college is working toward a solution.

“I am aware of warranty issues, ” she said. “We clearly have some issues with that roof and my understanding is that we’ve had some issues since when it was done.”

Some students said they are upset that raindrops keep falling on their heads.

“The roof needs to be fixed, right now,” said Amanda Shelton. “I have been hanging out at the Student Center for three semesters now and every time it rains, puddles are created and signs are posted, but no repairs have been made.”

Students may not be singing in the rain, but Brown assured them warm, dry days are ahead—rain or shine.

March 5 - April 30 , 2013, Volume 56, Issue 5

CAMPUS

Palau an island of dreamers (and a SWC dream maker)

By Enrique Raymundo and Thomas Baker

Copy Editor and News Editor

P

alau is an island paradise right out of “South Pa c i f i c ” t h a t i s s o beautiful and so tranquil that it seems no one would ever want to leave.

But Palauans were leaving, particularly the young ones with good educations and bright futures. Most of the very best students would transfer to universities in other countries

to earn degrees and never return home. Palau was exporting talent and getting nothing in return.

A visionary Palauan homeboy and a feisty Southwestern College Latina are working to stop the brain drain.

Assistant Professor of Reading Dr. Sylvia Garcia-Navarrete went to Palau in 2011 to teach the island nation’s teachers about the innovative thinking

Internships help students pave the way to success

Ernesto Rivera/Staff

REAL WORLD LEARNING — Cyrill Maclan speaks to journalism students about the importance of internships and her experiences interning for the UCSD Cancer Research Center. Maclan recently traveled to Washington D.C. to present her research at the annual American Association for Cancer Research.

By Kimberly Ortiz and Itzel Alonso Staff Writers

Cyrill Maclan began her internship as “a nervous Southwestern College girl” and ended it presenting her cancer research in Washington D.C. She said an internship opened her eyes and opened the doors.

In the hyper-competitive job market of 2013, students need every edge they can

get. Internships are the not-so-secret weapon that have helped many Southwestern College students get a precious “in.”

Maclan, a math major, completed an eight-week paid internship course last summer at UCSD in the Creating Scientists Program. During the 40-hour-a-week internships, students did hands-on work in labs, and ended their day with lectures and presentations by UCSD professors

curriculum she helped to develop.

Even after she left Palau, a piece of the island stayed in her heart.

“My initial impression of Palau, just hearing the word, was magical,” she said. “But my concern was for their educational problems, which are similar to our own problems. Students were coming out of high school underprepared with a lot of please see Palua pg. A10

and scientists.

“For you to be able to be working in a lab hands on and then meeting with different professors and doctors, it is interesting,” said Maclan.

Funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Cancer, the Creating Scientists Program funds interns for a year to work with an appointed doctor, professor or scientist at UCSD for 10 hours a week. These interns are later given the opportunity to present their findings to the American Association for Cancer Research.

The Pathways Internship Program gives students the opportunity to join NIH in a career position that accentuates long-term training and development. Maclan is still working at UCSD and said she is planning on transferring there in the future.

NIH only accepts 20 students every semester. Applicants have to be at least 16 years of age. Student must be enrolled or plan on enrolling in classes, and have a GPA of 3.0 or above.

Internships are offered anywhere and for every major.

Lyndsay Winkley, a former SWC student, built networking bridges in her various internships and is currently working for the U-T San Diego.

“You aren’t going to get a job without an internship,” said Winkley.

Winkley was editor-in-chief of The SWC Sun in the spring of 2011. She joined the U-T in July 2012 as a North County reporter. She now covers the Del Mar area.

Before working for the U-T, Winkley said she worked with Patch.com. She earned dozens of journalism awards from local

and national organizations, including the Society of Professional Journalists.

“Internships are a valuable source to networking, expanding knowledge and experience,” said Winkley. “They are a form of showing initiative and responsibility.

They look great on resumes and can lead to future jobs.”

English major Josh Macarenas had the opportunity to intern at Hedenkamp Elementary School in Chula Vista.

“Knowing the kids do better because I help them makes me feel great,” he said.

“I want to become an English teacher and this internship helped me establish the fact that this is really what I want. I enjoyed being able to interact with other English teachers, review student’s homework and help the teacher.”

Macarenas advises other students to take advantage of local internships because they are a great source of networking and building up your resume.

Neiser Dizolon, business administration major, interned at a Macy’s in Chula Vista as an assistant manager. He said he learned how to manage employees’ time, maintain a well-balanced register and had the opportunity to network with different Macy’s branches.

“Balancing school and my internship wasn’t hard because I provided them with my availability, balanced my time and made sure to limit the internship time to four to six hours on weekdays, giving me time to do homework,” he said.

Maclan and Winkley agreed that internships require energy, commitment and time management. The payoff, though, can be huge.

The Southwestern College Sun

A9

la Visionaria ANA BAHENA

SWC clubs incubators of leadership A

good college experience is more than sitting in a classroom. Developing intellectual power is just one part of the college mosaic. Students should also develop their leadership skills.

Southwestern College has many clubs and organizations waiting for eager students to join. Too many students just come to class and leave right when the clock says class is over. Good students should also be good citizens who give back to the community.

Students sould heed the words of Philanthropist Laura ArrillageAndreessen.

“Giving is a universal opportunity,” she said. “Regardless of your age, profession, religion, income bracket and background, you have the capacity to create change.”

More than 50 clubs shape the student life at Southwestern College. There are academic clubs and community service clubs as well as clubs and organizations representing a number of majors and interests on campus. These clubs were created for students to provide a variety of resources and bring together people with common interests. Leaders are born within these groups. Members of different clubs can be spotted around campus, either at an event or putting up posters. These are the student leaders who will land better jobs and smash the competition when applying for universities.

Get to know them because you may be working for them some day.

Employers look for well-rounded individuals with skills like being a team player that works and communicates well with others. Club activity teaches students how to plan an event, raise funds, manage finances, run a meeting, be punctual, dress, act and speak professionally. They also encourage fairness and listening skills. These are the great characteristics of a leader.

Giving back to the community is also a big part of student life. Many of the groups on campus go out and give back. Volunteering at walks, homeless shelters, beach cleanups, food drives and fundraisers for other organizations are just a few of the different ways students can give back through the clubs on campus.

There are many options to explore at SWC. Keep an open mind and attend different club meetings to get a feel for them. Go out of your comfort zone to meet new people and experience new things.

Students have an array of activity choices with clubs on campus. Some of the larger organizations on campus are Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA), Puente Project, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), Southwestern Veteran Organization (SVO), Math Engineer Science Association (MESA), Associated Student Organization (ASO), Abilities Beyond Limitation through Education (ABLE), International Studies/Study Abroad program and The Southwestern College Sun newspaper, to name a few.

If you’re up for a bigger challenge, try joining one of the many great programs or clubs SWC has to offer. You’ll meet interesting people, experience new things and better yourself for the future. There is nothing more rewarding than giving back to your school and community, while learning to become a great leader. Visit the Student Center for information about clubs to get started.

Reach Ana Bahena by email at ana.alicia.bahena@hotmail.com.

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March 5 - April 30, 2013 — Volume 56, Issue 5

Daniel Guzman and Lina Chankar, co-editors

CAMPUS

Tel: (619) 482-6368 | E-mail: campus@theswcsun.com

ROCKING THE SOUTH PACIFIC Palau’s famous rock islands are reminants of volcanic matter eroded at the base by tidal action and topped by vegetation.

Palau: SWC critical thinking curriculum has new home in the distant South Pacific Continued from Page A9

second language learner issues.”

Dr. Patrick Tellei, the president of Palau Community College, agreed. He was so impressed by Garcia-Navarrete’s teaching techniques that he came to SWC to meet with her last year with the interest of bringing greater access of modern western education to his native Palau.

“Though the Interwork Institute we were able to host Garcia-Navarrete, who did some extremely important work on reading,” said Tellei. “I am hoping that your college can send a student or two to spend a semester at our institution.”

Palau been in “free association” since 1994 when it gained its independence from administration by the United States

dating back to World War II. With about 20,000 citizens, it is only slightly more populous than SWC. Palau Community College confers associates degrees in 26 disciplines, but until recently no baccalaureate or graduate degrees. This fueled the brain drain Tellei and GarciaNavarrete want to help stop.

PCC has a partnership with San Diego State University’s Interwork Institute, whereby Palauan students are able to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees without leaving Palau.

“Dialogue is important,” said Tellei. “I hope that this meeting today will lead to future relations with other colleges.”

Garcia-Navarrete said her main focus is to help raise the quality of education in Palau’s K-12 schools and community college.

“I hope we can start something with PCC within the next year,” she said.

SDSU’s Interwork Institute put Palauan students into cohorts, or small groups of students that would graduate with one another. These cohorts would go through two years of

courses together in hybrid classes that included online and face-to-face coursework. Garcia-Navarrete said the program allows students to stay in their communities and contribute to their country.

Garcia-Navarrete helped to develop Our Reading Toolbox, a critical thinking intervention that has been very effective with American Latino students who are second language learners. Garcia-Navarrete helped instructors at PCC create their own courses that actively engaged students.

Tellei said that ESL is a big need in Palau as students are required to learn Palauan until grade four and then transition to English. Our Reading Toolbox also attracted the attention of teachers from the nearby island of Chuuk.

Several traveled to Palau to attend Garcia-Navarette’s classes.

Garcia-Navarrete said she hopes to travel there someday.

“The teachers from Chuuk were great,” she said. “They were all really interested in learning any strategy that would help their students.”

SWC President Dr. Melinda Nish said she was optimistic about the potential partnership between Palau and SWC.

Photos courtesy of Dr. Sylvia Garcia-Navarrete

WASSUP FROM PALAU— Students from the developmental reading class at Palau Community College learned the techniques of the Our Reading Toolbox curriculum developed by Dr. Joel Levine, Dr. Sylvia Garcia-Navarrete and Yuki Yamamoto.

ISLAND TREASURE— SDSU and SWC hosted Dr. Patrick Tellei (second from r), the president of Palau Community College. He was joined by (l-r) SWC Dean Dr. Joel Levine, Dr. Sylvia Garcia-Navarrete and SDSU Dept. Chair Dr. Caren Sax.

Palau

Source: Google Maps

CAMPUS

The Southwestern College Sun

March 5 - April 30, 2013 — Volume 56, Issue 5

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Getting a jump on grad school

Toast to SODA students

Anthropology Club students conduct, present research

By Sun Staff

By Ana Raymundo Staff Writer

David McVicker/Staff

FIGURING IT OUT— Computer science major Luke Carpenter and Mathematics Adjunct Instuctor Raul Soto decipher complex algorithms in the MESA office.

MESA Club continues to buck the odds and produce future-thinking science Ana Raymundo Staff Writer

MESA was math and science before math and science were cool. It lived the life of pi before Robert Parker hit the scene.

Southwestern College started a Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement center (MESA) in the 1970s before STEM classes became PC during the Reagan Administration.

SWC’s long-running and highlysuccessful MESA Center in room 396 provides support for under-represented students in a studious yet relaxed environment with support from tutors.

MESA has a legion of successful alumni. This year MESA students make up a small percentage of the campus population, but account for 35 percent of Southwestern College’s Student of Distinction Award (SODA) winners. (Journalism students are second with 25 percent). Raul Soto, MESA Club advisor and tutor, is one of the success stories.

“Through MESA I was able to get my stuff together and I ultimately transferred in the fall of 2007 to San Diego State,” he said. “In large part because the MESA program requires you to see your counselors, get your plan ready and get prepared to transfer.”

Soto now works as a math adjunct at SWC and is working on his Master’s degree in peer mathematics.

SWC’s MESA program suffered daunting cuts that not only nearly wiped out its budget, but is also threatening its existence. Last year, the MESA program changed from a categorical fund to a competitive fund, meaning it was no longer guaranteed money from the state and had to compete with 35 other schools for allotments. SWC and five other schools

received no funds for tutors, interns or any other state support.

Program director Dr. Raga Bakhiet said she hopes funding will eventually improve. SWC has been a constant ally to MESA, she said. “(Southwestern College) never stopped (funding MESA), and I’m very grateful for that,” she said. “I have the support of the leadership all the way up.”

Bakhiet is working to bring more support to the program through writing grants and donations from the community.

“I am waiting to make sure that everything is done legally,” she said. “I like to play things safe, no matter how long it takes.”

This semester the MESA Club held fundraisers to pay for markers, printing paper and other basic supplies. A book

sale raised more than $100 and the Pi Day bake sale held on March 14 (or 3/14, the first three digits of pi).

MESA Club member Alfredo C a l de ro n s p o k e a t t h e ME S A orientation for prospective members about the club’s goals.

“We want to raise funds to help the MESA program a little bit, in what little way we can do it,” said Calderon.

MESA President Jireh Imperial said the organization is a powerful support group.

“We’ve become a family – you’re striving together for one purpose, you’re helping each other out, you really get to know each other, so I think of the MESA Club and the MESA program as a family,” she said.

“We’re all there for each other and it’s helpful to have that family to help you out.”

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Southwestern College students who want to get a taste of graduate school get to sample a full menu in the Anthropology Club. No GRE is required.

Ancient human skeletons, the origin of language and genital mutilation are some of the topics club members are exploring in a rigorous, intellectual manner of a research university. Advisor Dr. Maria Jelaca-Tavakoli is working to instill “the beauties of research” in students.

“A lot of students don’t get these types of opportunities unless they’re in graduate school,” she said.

“We’re not talking undergraduate, we’re not talking community college kids, we are talking at least three years up.”

Eager students get a glimpse into the professional f i e l d o f anthropology, with a strong emphasis on adhering to the extensive standards of published researchers.

Workshops will let students per form h a n d s - o n experimentations similar to those seen on professional excavations.

Members can get into the sort of work that gets them noticed. In Spring 2012 s t u d e n t A l i n a Bi l a l presented alongside Jelaca-Tavakoli at the American Association of Anatomists’ convention in San Diego. Her work was presented in Experimental Biology alongside academics from around the country.

Bilal is now preparing to publish her research in the American Association of Anatomists journal.

On May 14 members will present their studies to the campus at an openair science fair outside Mayan Hall.

Professional grade posters with outline research topics from the anthropological fields of culture, biology, archeology and linguistics.

Each deceptively simple research poster can take hours of research and effort. Bilal’s work took more than 40 hours to compile. Tavakoli’s poster was the culmination of 500-plus hours.

Isaiah Ledonne, Vice-President of the Anthropology Club, will focus his research on traits “ What I’m going to be doing specifically is researching within the college campus and seeing if there’s a genetic trait that’s more prominent or where it comes from or how it came that way or why this trait is more prominent,” he said.

Student Priscilla Silva “I want to research the parts of the human body that are considered beautiful in the Latino culture,” she said. “Also I want to look into cultures that consider obesity beautiful. I want to focus on beauty in different parts of the world.”

Xayn Nazerally focuses on gender identity, a deeply personal subject.

“People view us very differently, and I want to break down those barriers.” “But I also want to get an understanding of how people can move forward, and how people can change and better their lives.

If I can change at least a life with my research, then I’m satisfied.” orientation and kinks.

Hold the champagne, Southwestern College’s most elite students of 2013 will be toasted with SODA. Student of Distinction Awards will be presented to 20 students at the annual Student Awards and Scholarship Ceremony, May 14 at 5:30 p.m. in Mayan Hall.

SODA is the institution’s highest student honor and comes with a medal and a $750 scholarship funded by the Southwestern College Foundation. The ceremony is open to the public.

T h i s y e a r ’s w i n n e r s a n d their majors are Alberto Juarez (biotechnology), Alfredo Calderon (physics), Bazz Youssif Khurship (mathematics), Cecilie Prestrud (art), David McVicker (journalism), Ernesto Rivera (journalism), Hector Diaz (psychology), Ivan Garcia (engineering), Jose Hernandez (management) and Jesus Rodriquez (engineering).

Other winners are Lina Chankar (business administration), Laura del Castillo (political science), Maria Haro (paralegal studies), Marissa Stratton (hospitality), Melody Sycks (biology), Michael Stinson (history), Nickolas Furr (journalism), Nicole Montano (accounting), Stephanie Castuita (biology) and Vanessa Hidalgo (English).

SODA students are nominated by faculty and staff, and selected based on scholarship, community service, leadership and academic g o a l s e t t i n g . Jo u r n a l i s m h a d the most winners this year (five students), followed by science (four) and engineering (two).

Nominators this year were Dr. Raga Bakhiet, Joann Um, Karen Cliffe, Alexander Juden, Raul Soto, Ed Cosio, Dr. Max Branscomb, Mary Jo Harvath, Dr. Angelica Suarez, Rusty Nichols, Danielle McAneney, Laura Ryan, Vern Jorgensen and Noreen Maddox.

Former SWC Dean Dr. Virginia Hansen dreamed up the SODAs in 1995 as a way to recognize we l l - ro u n d e d , h i g h - a c h i e v i n g students. Previous SODA winners have become recording artists, international journalists, elected officials, academics, researchers, military officers, doctors, human rights advocates, businesspersons, actors and law enforcement leaders.

In addition to SODA recipients, the awards ceremony will honor more than 125 SWC scholarship winners. Following the ceremony, scholarship recipients and their families will be guests of honor at a dinner in the quad outside of Mayan Hall. The Southwestern College Foundation is the sponsor of the awards dinner.

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March 5 - April 30, 2013, Volume 56, Issue 5

BACK PAGE

The Southwestern College Sun

Southwestern College’s 7th Annual

Festival Story by AMANDA L. ABAD Photos by DAVID MCVICKER Design by ERNESTO RIVERA and DAVID MCVICKER

T

he allure of a woman has the power to leave a lasting impression, even if it is written in

chalk.

Powerful images of powerful women came to life when SWC hosted its 7 th Annual Street Painting Festival in celebration of Women’s History Month. For the first time in three years the chalk artists were not threatened by rain and their dusty masterworks attracted thousands of views over the two-day festival.

Students, faculty and community members made on Jaguar Walk a

concrete canvas to create temporary testimonies to women who changed the course of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Some artists even used plastic wrap that was stretched across two trees to form a high-tension medium. These artists used spray paint to create temporary murals that included the words “hope” and “beauty,” themes of the event.

Spectators, music, sunshine, rows of vendors and a blend of multicultural food choices surrounded the artists but nothing distracted them.

“Above all,” wrote Nora Ephron, “be the heroine of your life, not the victim.”

Chalk up another win for the ladies.

CONCRETE CONNOISSEURS — Southwestern College students, faculty and South Bay community members come together to create majestic works of art paying homage to the influential women in history. More than 20 murals were created at the two-day festival by amateur and professional artists.

March 5 - April 30, 2013, Volume 56, Issue 5

The Southwestern College Sun

ARTS

Pillars of Culture

By Rick Flores and Despina Coca // Staff Writers

Chicano Park now officially a national treasure

M

ichael Schnorr may be gone, but his trio of iconic Chicano Park murals live on. In fact, thanks to an ambitious cleaning and restoration project, his towering masterpieces under the Coronado Bridge are brighter and more beautiful than ever.

Schnorr ended his life in a tragic jump from the same Coronado Bridge last summer.

His suicide shocked and saddened human rights activists and artists around the world.

The brilliant and enigmatic professor of art had recently retired and had told friends he was looking forward to working on the restoration of his world-famous murals.

Todd Stands, an SWC adjunct photography instructor and accomplished artist, helped restore the murals and chronicled the process with his camera.

“I saw how old and new artists came together to restore the murals and decided to document the project,” he said.

Another original artist that returned to assist with the restorations was Armando Nuñez.

“The 1970s was a time of social change and I could feel the magic in the air while working on the project,” he said.

Plans to restore Chicano Park murals have been brewing for more than a decade.

Restoration started a year and a half ago.

A grant of approximately $1.6 million provided the restoration group enough for almost every aspect of restoring Chicano Park. Hundreds of artists came to take part in the community action.

Photos by Serina Duarte/staff

LIVING HISTORY— Chicano Park’s newly-restored murals are brighter and bolder than ever before say artists and afficionados from around the world. Painted on the pillars of the Coronado Bridge, the murals form the largest and most visited outdoor collection in the United States. Former SWC Professor of Art Michael Schnorr painted three of the murals, including the iconic “The Undocumented Worker.”

Chicano Park is now an official California Register of Historical Resources site.

Stands photographed the entire 18-month restoration, often climbing three-story high scaffolding to get the right position. He also helped to retouch Schnorr’s murals “Undocumented Workers,” “To the Stars Breaking Down Walls” and “Thoughts of Change.”

SWC students and alumni pitched in.

“Helping restore the park was such an amazing experience,” said Montserrat Granados, 24, an art major.

Students worked on “Undocumented Workers,” inspired by one of Schnorr’s trips to Afghanistan. He related the immigrant issues of Central Asia and the Middle East to those of the U.S.-Mexico border.

All of the artwork is very symbolic and most paintings have an explanation at their feet. Each composition is meant to express a universal message, said Stands.

“Schnorr was always videotaping and documenting,” he said. “He had tons of footage, most of which is unedited.”

Immigration was the subject of much of Schnorr’s work. His creations include a mile-long Dia de Los Muertos display on the Mexican side of the border fence and “portable” representations of graveyards of migrants who died crossing the border.

Stands said he did not alter designs out of respect for Schnorr. He said he enjoyed the process and the people.

“The artists were full of life and so much fun just to hang out with,” he said. “A genuine good time.” please see Chicano Park pg. B6

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March 5 - April 30, 2013 — Volume 56, Issue 5

ARTS

The Southwestern College Sun

Frozen

DANGERS Hypothermia • Temperatures in the Arctic Circle range from minus 22 F to minus 90 F. Human skin will freeze and die on contact.

Call of the Wild

Former professor, filmmaker preparing to make an epic winter time trek to the trecherous North

By Mason Masis Assistant Online Editor

S

anta Claus is about to get visitors – unless they are eaten by polar bears and orcas.

Former professor of anthropology Jose “Pepé” Aguilar has spent the past 16 years preparing for an epic journey to the North Pole. He will be joined by SWC film student Carl Thiessen to document the adventure.

Aguilar is a veteran of the frigid north. He has made five trips into the Arctic Circle, alone and unsupported, using only a pair of skis and what he could carry. An added companion only increase the danger.

Thiessen said he approached Aguilar last year and asked to join the expedition with the intention of documenting the entire trip. Aguilar said he has been asked to take others before but always said no.

“I trust Carl with my life,” said Aguilar.

“We aren’t going with a huge group,” said Thiessen. “If one of us gets hurt we don’t have a helicopter.

If we call in a rescue it’s gonna be a good $10,000.”

Thiessen is no stranger to the cold, he said. He has made numerous trips into the mountains of British Columbia where temperatures can plunge to polar levels.

Challenges abound, but the first is to raise $150,000 to support the two explorers. In addition to travel expenses, Aguilar’s team must purchase special jackets, camera equipment and astounding amounts of food to combat the caloric burn associated with Arctic travel. He said he has always run a small operation, paying for most of his trips with his own money or with donations from relatives. Thiessen said the duo has to have certain items for survival, but will not be extravagant.

“We are not working on a National Geographic budget,” he said.

Temperatures could reach minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill that will make it feel like minus 130 degrees Fahrenheit, Aguilar said. At these temperatures the filmmakers will need to know special techniques such as when to remove lenses and how to acclimate cameras so condensation cannot destroy the internal structure. Even a photographer’s icy breath could badly damage cameras at Arctic temperatures.

Jose Aguilar

Carl Thiessen

Arctic Wolves • Traveling in packs of 2-20, they can chase down caribou and sever a leg in one bite.

Fissures in the Ice • Explorers have disappeared in snow-covered cracks and fissures. Unexpected lakes of frigid water can force explorers to canoe over or sled around them.

Storms/weather Former SWC professor, expedition leader Members of the expedition will also be dragging about 300 pounds of Arctic gear and food in sleds as they cross-country ski toward the North Pole. A delicate balance of weight and clothing must be maintained in order to keep from sweating, Thiessen said, because perspiration can ruin the gear and cause death by hypothermia.

Aguilar said if the team members do not take enough food they will not be able to replenish the 7,000 to 10,000 calories burned daily in the Arctic.

“I remember a trip I took where the cold temperature re-broke ribs that had been broken and healed well before the trip,” said Aguilar “,Pain killers will constipate you and I just had to push through it.”

Dangerous wildlife in the Arctic is also a real problem. Aguilar will be armed with a shotgun to protect the team from polar bears which may see members as food. He said he had to abort a previous solo expedition because his bear alarm stopped working.

“It’s necessary because after skiing all day with all your gear you will not wake up until it is too late,” He said. “I have never encountered a polar bear on any of my expeditions, (but) orcas have been known to break through ice and take people.”

That last part was new information to his comrade he said with clear consternation.

Aguilar said the team plans two practice runs to Northern Canada before their assault on the North Po l e .

SWC film student, documentarian Explorers must travel in the dead of the Arctic winter when the ocean region that is the North Pole is frozen over. Practice runs will test how team members interact with each other in challenging conditions and if the filmmakers will be capable of dealing with the environment. Rehearsals are important because they test the team for the complete journey.

“If we all get an A we are good, if we don’t, we will need to rethink things,” said Aguilar.

“A n n o y a n c e s w i l l o n l y b e compounded in the Arctic.”

Intense training is necessary to bulk up for the journey, he said.

Footage of Aguilar training on the beach with tires and weights to simulate the load he carries in the Arctic will be shown in the documentary. So will an Arctic right of passage.

“We are going to the Franklin Expedition grave site,” he said.

British knight Sir John Franklin and his entire team of 128 died on King William Island in 1845 on what is now the far north of Canada.

It is considered one the great tragedies of modern exploration and was all the more gruesome when evidence of cannibalism surfaced. Searches for the Franklin party gripped British and American citizens for decades and evidence of ships, equipment and human remains were discovered over a period of 150 years.

Though the journey to the graves of this failed expedition can be done with a tour guide on snowmobiles, getting there on cross-country skis is a bucket list must for Arctic explorers. Danger and intrigue are fueling the team, Thiessen said.

It still won’t be easy, Aguilar said.

“A n g u i s h i s t h e name of the game.”

• Blizzards, whiteout and hurricane force winds in complete darkness have doomed the hardiest men.

Polar Bears • Plant Earth’s most fearsome hunter is the King of the Arctic ice.

Orcas • Forget Shamu, orcas can break through 10 feet of ice to ambush prey.

Equipment Failure • Damaged or lost clothing, sleds and food can be fatal.

Walruses • This ain’t the oldies station or a psychedelic Beatles classic. The tempermental behemoths can weigh 2,600 lbs. and will crush humans who get too close.

Exhaustion • Arctic explorers typically burn 7,000-10,000 calories a day. An average American man burns 2,000.

Design by Ernesto Rivera and Mason Masis Photos courtesy of Jose Aguilar and the National Science Foundation

The Southwestern College Sun

ARTS

March 5 - April 30, 2013 — Volume 56, Issue 5

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> REVIEW

World’s best collegiate mariachi remains a South Bay jewel

By Osiris Morales Staff Writer

Mariachi Garibaldi can turn any room into a fiesta. Raise the bows, raise the horns then raise the roof.

S o u t h w e s t e r n C o l l e g e ’s world-renown mariachi looked magnifico in charcoal suits outlined with cherry colored embroidery. It sounded even b e t t e r. El i z a b e t h Me e k e r’s ensemble was transcendent at the 2013 Mariachi Showcase.

Sweet violins, brilliant trumpets and the thumping guitarrón gave voice to the heart and soul of Madre Mexico. Always focused on its audience, the musicians played “Las Mañanitas,” a soaring birthday song. Encouraging the audience to sing along was unnecessary. Mariachi Garibaldi was the perfect host, passing around musical chips and salsa that were crunchy and delicious, as comfortable as dinner at la casa de los abuelitos.

Mariachi music is bold and colorful, and Las Garibaldistas painted a picture of culture like Diego Rivera painted murals.

With their repertoire as their canvas and their instruments as their brushes, musicians freed the melody and rhythm of all great artists who came before.

Audience members were swept away by Mariachi Garibaldi’s saucy cover of “Volver,” accepting the implied invitation to sing passionately along with the band. Low parts were lost in sadness, then quickly brightened with smiles as contagious as the propulsive rhythm.

Mariachi Garibaldi showed once again why it is considered

by Mexican professionals to be the planet Earth’s best collegiate mariachi. This community has a cultural jewel.

Photos by Serina Duarte

MAGNIFICO MARIACHI! — Even with its advisor on sabbatical, Southwestern’s Mariachi Garibaldi is sublime at the 2013 Mariachi Showcase. (top) Adjunct instructor Elizabeth Meeker doubles as director and trumpet player alongside Francisco Espericueta. (r) Lilo Aparazio and (above) Noemi Zavala paint their vocals in the bright primary colors of Madre Mexico.

> REVIEW

Sculptor carves beauty into the hearts of viewers

Photos by David McVicker

BRONZE BEAUTIES — Manuelita Brown’s richly-detailed “Nikki” (l) and “Les Croisses” moved viewers at a brilliant exhibit in the college art gallery.

By Daphne Jauregui Arts Editor

Manuelita Brown does something few mortal humans can do. She freezes time.

A gifted sculptor, Brown shaped the minds of viewers with her memorable bronze sculptures portraying women at an exhibit in the Southwestern College Art Gallery.

A mother supporting her pregnant belly makes promises to her unborn child.

Although the sculpture was small in size, the emotion is enormous.

“Nikki,” a sculpture of a young woman sitting with her legs crossed, was the embodiment of purity in youth. With her eyes closed yet looking up, it was enough to feel Nikki’s meditative state. Intricate details of her face made the piece come alive.

“Boxed In,” a small piece portraying a frazzle-haired woman trapped inside a box, showed the vulnerability of women. Her body curved and her legs bent where the edges met, making her seem as though she was trapped with no escape. Restricted by the space, untouched by the outside, this woman seemed to be caving in from the rest of the world. It was one of the strongest – and saddest – pieces in the room.

A former math teacher, Brown is known

for her local works such as the bronze dolphins at University Towne Center mall, the “Triton” at the UCSD and the “Child” of Encinitas.

She retains her mathematician’s respect for accuracy and exactitude. Every wrinkle, every hair in her sculptures was purposeful and organic.

“Verity 1” was the shape of a woman standing looking down, but with her hair tied up and away from her face. On top of a bronze square, this piece had the texture of a light green polished stone slowly integrating itself with the bronze bottom.

Smooth features were done and though the face seemed expressionless, her sight facing the ground was enough to make an impact.

All of Brown’s work had a great mix of emotions, a sign that this talented woman poured herself into her art. Strength, beauty and different aspects of femininity came alive. Every body type was well represented. Her work was enough to stir up some excitement outside the student art gallery.

Brown’s admiration for women was deeply felt in every piece. Her next project is a large-scale sculpture of Sojourner Truth.

Much like Truth, Brown, is unstoppable, her hands and creative soul finding their own unforgettable truths.

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March 5 - April 30, 2013 — Volume 56, Issue 5

> REVIEW

Jazz Café is a talent showcase

By Anna Pryor Co-Online Editor

Southwestern College’s Jazz Café celebrated the Sinatra-era Rat Pack with star power, but did endure some cheesy moments. Ol’ Blue Eyes would have given the show a front-table thumbs up, despite a bumpy number or two.

Designed as a menu with designated prices for songs, members of the audience were able to order meals in the form of music showcased by the SWC Jazz Vocal Ensemble.

Fittingly categorized as the Chef ’s Favorite, “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” sung by Nicky Garcia, stole the show. With her fiery red dress and silky voice, Garcia radiated. Special guest B.J. Robinson complemented her alluring alto, adding texture to the tasty song.

J.P. Acosta blew it out of the water with “Beyond the Sea.” Acosta was a knockout with his pleasant demeanor and playful presence.

Esmeralda Gonzalez sang “Stormy Weather” and it was a stormy performance that was powerful but pitchy. A talent to be reckoned with, Gonzalez needs to get more locked in during rehearsal and avoid temptation to stray on stage.

Alex Lira dazzled on “Come Rain or Come Shine.” Lira’s voice honored the genre. Keeping theatrics to a minimum, his voice carried the number.

From the moment the gifted Stacey Barnett started singing “Witchcraft” it was magic. A sublime soprano, she was spellbinding with every verse.

Eva Flores had a tough act to follow with “Honeysuckle Rose,” but her rose nearly smelled as sweet. Her performance could have been improved by more movement and a better feel for the stage.

Act One sizzled, but Act Two fizzled.

While there were diamonds in the dirt, the best was not saved for last.

“Yardbird Suite” was not sweet, but the concert was redeemed by “Night and Day,” a stunning collaboration by the whole pack. The beauty of it was not lessened by “Audience Blues,” an impromptu lyrical thank you to the crowd. Forgivably awkward at points because of the improvisation, the ensemble harmonized well together.

Holding things together nicely, the house band could have played a concert alone. David Castel de Oro accompanied each song perfectly on the piano. Shining alongside him were Gus Villada on drums, Juan Medina on bass and Benjamin McDonald on guitar.

SWC’s Jazz Vocal Ensemble put on an excellent show for a full-house that enjoyed itself immensely. Director Tracy Burklund-Becker earned herself a spot as a 21st century Rat Packer. Frank and Sammy say you’re alright, kid.

Chicano Park: Students worked on restoring murals by Schnorr Continued from page B1

Stands said many original artists who could not help restore the murals themselves came to watch or had family and friends assist. Sometimes as many as 15 artists worked on a mural. During the project they decided to add important faces. Schnorr’s face is included on a mural, as is the cheerful visage of legendary Chicano recording artist Ramon “Chunky” Sanchez of Los Alacranes.

“I would like to see young up-andcoming artists try to find their voice support and create more art on the empty walls,” said Stands. “Mexican descent is not a necessity. Schnorr was not Mexican.

It is more about the message and issues that the people are trying to bring up.”

Nancy Curry, a Mexican-American Studies teacher at San Ysidro High School, said she was inspired by the experience.

“I love taking my students to see the amazing murals,” she said. “I am proud to say some of my former students went and helped with the restoration.”

Chicano Park mural restoration projects were honored with the Grand Orchid Award last fall at the annual Orchid and Onions Awards ceremony at the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Arts.

Daphne Jauregui, editor

ARTS

Tel: (619) 482-6368 E-mail: arts@theswcsun.com

All the world’s a stage for versatile SWC director

By Itzel Alonso Staff Writer

Ruff Yeager’s father, an evangelical preacher, knew how to put on a performance to inspire an audience.

Yeager has the same skills, but prefers to perform on stage.

SWC’s busy adjunct theatre instructor and director has staged some of the best works seen in Mayan Hall in the past five years. He has inspired scores of students and thousands of audience members with his bold but disciplined work.

“I care for my students and want them to succeed in the theatre department without them making fools of themselves,” said Yeager. “So either they go big or they go home.”

Andre James Gonzales, an SWC communications major, has been in four Yeager productions and will appear in his production of “The Laramie Project.”

“He is always there to help the young actors whenever they ask for it,” said Gonzales. “He is a great director and a great professor, and he’s extremely patient.”

“The Laramie Project” was the seventh play Yeager directed at SWC and the 18th of his career. He brought life to Moises Kaufman’s Tony Award winning reflection on the murder of Matthew Shepard, a University of Wyoming student. Yeager said it was an economical play and a compelling story.

“Apart from it having an inexpensive set and costume design, it is a play that has an excellent structure and captivating plot,” he said.

Yeager recently performed at UCSD in an opera by Anthony Davis titled “Lear on the 2nd Floor.” He is currently appearing on the production “Gray Gardens” at Ion

Theatre.

Yeager studied communications at Evangel University, a private Christian university in Springfield, Missouri. About 25 years later he earned his Master’s in theatre and dance from Missouri State University. Soon after Yeager returned to San Diego County to be part of the Playwrights Project where he taught, directed and was a writing mentor from spring 2004 through spring 2011 at secondary schools. He found himself at SWC helping his son, Jeoffrey, in the play “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” portraying Dr. Frank N. Furter.

“At a summer festival in 2008 the SWC Theatre Department approached me and graciously offered me a teaching job, so I took it,” he said.

Yeager began teaching Elementary Acting II in 2009 as an adjunct instructor and directed “You Can’t Take it With You.” “Directing, composing and acting brings the component of all those things to the concept of teaching,” he said.

At SWC he has taught Theatre Workshop, Studio Performance, Elementary Acting I, Elementary Acting II, Introduction to Dramatic Scriptwriting and Survey of Drama.

Assistant Professor of Theatre Design Mike Buckley arrived at SWC two years ago. He and Yeager became great friends and colleagues, he said. They have collaborated on five plays, including “The Laramie Project”.

“He always prepares and puts in a lot of hours for his productions,” said Buckley.

“He does his research for each play he directs, and is always concerned on what he teaches and what his students are learning.”

In May Yeager will be departing to Utah.

“For four months I am going to be part

David McVicker/staff

TRIPPINGLY ON THE TONGUE — Southwestern College theatre instructor Ruff Yeager entrances students during an impromtu performance of a monologue from “The Laramie Project” at a Gay Straight Alliance rally.

of a theatre festival about love, labor and loss,” he said.

When he returns Yeager said he will direct the show “She-Rantulas from Outer Space” with his friend Phil Johnson, who wrote the play.

“The show will be about what would happen if gay people took over the world in the ‘50s,” he explained.

Rehearsals will be commencing on September and the play will open before Halloween.

Yeager composes, acts, sings, plays the piano, directs, and retrieves items from high shelves and cabinet tops, he said.

With all that talent it is surprising that a big city theatre in New York or Los Angeles has not scooped him up for the big leagues. He said he hopes to one day be part of a Shakespeare festival and direct and appear in more Tennessee Williams plays, but for now his goal is to teach.

Shakespeare and Williams would surely approve.

March 5 - April 30, 2013, Volume 56, Issue 5

The Southwestern College Sun

SPORTS

B5

Devore Stadium still a work in progress Give The

and

Go

DANIEL GUZMAN

Football is headed for extinction F

David McVicker/Staff

Pablo Gandara/Staff

College athletic department is getting a $50 million makeover to lead off Proposition R

By Gonzalo Quintana Staff Writer

DeVore Stadium has been footballfree since Aug. 1, 2012. Yellow hard hats have replaced golden helmets, steel-toe boots trod the surface instead of cleats, construction bosses are barking orders rather than coaches.

Renovation of DeVore Stadium is the most visible and ambitious project in Phase 1 of Proposition R projects.

A 40,000 sq. ft. building will house faculty offices, a weight-lifting facility, locker rooms, an auditorium and four classrooms. Synthetic turf will be installed to replace the natural grass. These features are included in the central plant, field house and fields project, which amount to $49.5 million, more than half of the $90.2 million provided for Phase 1.

The central plant alone will cost at least $35 million. Practice fields are included in the project, which means the renovation of DeVore Stadium, the field house and synthetic turf totaling approximately $14.5 million.

Prop R is a $389 million project passed by voters in November 2008.

March 31, 2014 is the target completion date for the stadium.

Terry Davis, dean of the school of health and athletics, said completion of football facilities will create a domino effect. “ W h e n w e ’r e f i n i s h e d , o u r (existing) area will be given to the math and science depar tment,” he said. “And the School of Social Sciences, Business and Humanities will move to the Math, Science and Engineering area.”

Governing Board President Humberto Peraza said many current board members were not holding office when the original decisions about stadium renovations were made. He said improvements to academic facilities are a priority.

“I’m very excited about Math, Science and Engineering getting its own facilities over there (where the gym and P.E. buildings now exist),” said Peraza.

Head football coach Ed Carberry said he likes the idea of his players not having to run back-and-forth from class to class.

“The entire health department is gonna move there instead of being please see Construction pg. B6

David McVicker/Staff

Pablo Gandara/Staff

DOWN AND DIRTY— Renovation of the football stadium began with the removal of the main seating area and south bank. (above) College president Dr. Melinda Nish and members of the governing board at the August 2012 ground breaking ceremony. March 14, 2014 is the target completion date.

or some, it is a way of life— a religion. Teeter tottering between sobriety and indigestion, football Sunday–or simply referred to as Game Day–is church for the diehard, where homes become cathedrals and big-screen TVs are shrines of prayer.

When Joe Namath signed the first million-dollar contract the fuse was lit and professional football would explode and crumble baseball’s pedestal as America’s favorite pastime. Beyond the glory days of the National Football League are darker, more ominous times. A day may come when America’s gridiron guardian’s will stand by and watch while white war paint is stripped from the fields of our favorite coliseum’s. Jerseys will be packed off to museums and helmets will go cold while pigskin picketers pray for mercy. The rapture is coming. The end of football is nigh.

Professional football’s sustainability has come into question. Popularity and cultural significance aside, health risks associated with the NFL have revealed serious integrity flaws deeply rooted in the core structure of this corporate giant. Concussion and brain related injuries–have toppled the clumsy giant in its track.

More than 4,200 retired NFL players have filed a class action lawsuit against the league for deliberately concealing the dangers of head injuries. Although the league has attempted to dismiss some of the allegations and judges will decide, evidence of the health risks are well-documented. While the suit is still under litigation, findings in favor of the retired players would be catastrophic to the league as more veterans will pursue justice for the long-term damage done to their bodies and brains.

Parents around the country -even in states like Texas and Florida where peewee football is a right of passage for young boys -- are beginning to say no.

Medical Professionals and even former NFL players have publicly stated that football is too dangerous for young kids and should be banned in high school immediately.

Although they call for drastic measures, a retired New Hampshire doctor said the call to action to ban high school football is not drastic and further predicted it is inevitable.

“We have the moral imperative to at least begin the process to ending this game,” said Dr. Paul Butler to ABC News. “The literature is clear, this is a dangerous game for children to be playing.”

Banning of high school football would surely seal the fate of the sport, as the production of players would come to an immediate halt.

Etching the final letter on the NFL’s tombstone. Football will go the way of gladiators, jousting and dueling -- ”sports” that withered as sophistication increased.

In recent years the NFL has acknowledged the health risks and attempted to make the game safer for those risking their bodies.

Fining players for dirty hits with the helmet, seeking equipment technology and launching a campaign to re-teach the fundamentals in the pigskin youth stages are steps the NFL is taking to create a safer environment.

Given the tragedies of Andre Waters, Junior Seau and others, the league has its back against the wall and unless a miracle occurs those diehard football fanatics will have to find another way spend sundays.

The Give & Go can be reached at TheSWCGiveandGo@gmail.com.

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March 5 - April 30, 2013 — Volume 56, Issue 5

SPORTS

The Southwestern College Sun

Lady Jags nudged from the playoffs Softball team’s 24-win season not enough for competitive Pacific Coast Athletic Conference

By Steven Uhl and Gonzalo Quintana Assistant Sports Editor and Staff Writer

Softball coach Yasmin Mossadeghi promised to improve the offense when she took over at Southwestern College. She has kept her promise.

Hard hitting and hard charging, the Lady Jaguars scored a lot of runs this season, but gave up a few too many to reach the playoffs.

Despite a solid 24-16 overall record and the stellar play of multi-talented Gabrielle Beasley, they are staying home from the playoffs this year.

An eight-game winning streak near season’s end made it interesting, though.

Lady Jag bats were booming in a 13-0 Photos by Marshall Murphy trouncing of Imperial Valley College and A MIGHTY CUT— (above) Freshman infielder Erika Forget pulls the trigger against Palomar 9-5 thumping of San Diego City College.

College. (upper r) Pitcher Gabrielle Beasley fires a fastball past a Palomar College batter. SWC fell Mossadeghi said it was the type of play to the Comets 9-0 on their home field.

SWC is capable of replicating and that

Construction: Devore Stadium scheduled for completion in ’14

Renovations were long overdue, according to Davis, since the athletics department was left out of the Prop AA bond more than 10 years ago.

“At some point you just have to build new,” he said. “And why not do it now when we have funds for it Continued from Page B5 and it was approved?”

Davis said the auditorium will be scattered all over campus,” he said. used for guest speakers, conferences, Carberry said DeVore Stadium p l a y s , r e c i t a l s a n d m u s i c a l renovations will serve the performances may also entire district. be a possibility. He also “We’re all gonna benefit,” “This is the said the facilities will s a i d C a r b e r r y. “ We ’r e beginning be used for generating supposed to be here, as a of what revenue through sporting community college, for the Southwestern events, graduations and community.” concerts.

Although the term “field College can Pe r a z a s a i d c a r e f u l house” is synonymous with be.” planning must precede sports, Davis said it will any building. serve many purposes.

“A lot of the stuff we Terry Davis “Our facilities are used do is going to be based not only by students, not Dean of health, on data,” he said. “We exercise science, only by athletics, but by athletics and are not just going to the community,” he said. applied technology blindly put something “I always thought the field out there and say, ‘yup, house to be an educational that’ll work.’” building sitting on a Davis said the spring football field. All our facilities are 2014 unveiling of the athletics used for exercise science, which is structures will be exciting. a transferable class to a four-year “This is the beginning of what college. We get double the use by Southwestern College can be,” he using it for athletics.” said.

could lead to a promising 2014.

“The team focused on goal setting and on the little things such as quality at bats during the eight-game winning streak,” said Mossadeghi.

SWC got lots of good at bats in a 13-0 trouncing of Imperial Valley College.

Outfielder Alex Gallegos said the slugfest helped to create momentum.

“It was a great way to boost our confidence and get the ball rolling in our direction,” she said.

Following a 4-2 loss to the San Diego Mesa College Olympians, the Lady Jags came home to beat San Diego City College, 9-5. Monica Armas clubbed a three-run home run to tie it at 4-4, then she smoked a solo shot in the sixth to give the jags a lead.

Outfielder Crystal Corona launched the winning assault in the seventh, followed by singles from Jessica Ramirez and Gabrielle

Beasley. Shortstop Ariel Bockniak lined a two-run triple and Nikki Berumen singled her in for the ninth run.

“I knew I needed to get the job done and just make contact and start the rally,” said Corona. “I knew my teammates would follow.”

A late-season stumble prevented a return to the playoffs in the highly-competitive Pacific Coast Athletic Conference. SWC would have made the playoffs in any other Southern California conference, but Mossadeghi said she has no regrets and wants the Lady Jags playing against the highest level of competition.

No one played a higher level this year than Beasley, the gifted and tenacious shortstop/pitcher/slugger who was named PCAC Softball Player of the Year as well as Southwestern College Female Athlete of the Year. Beasley has a scholarship to play at CSU Fullerton in 2014 and she said she looks forward to playing on a bigger stage.

Sonia Mazon joined Beasley as first team All-PCAC. Berumen and Bockniak were second team selections.

Amanda L. Abad, editor

SPORTS

Tel: (619) 482-6368 E-mail: sports@theswcsun.com

March 5 - April 30, 2013 — Volume 56, Issue 5

B7

David McVicker/Staff

ON THE LINE—Sophomore Catcher Cody Sos connects with a fastball to drive in freshman infielder Miguel Solano. The Jags went on to beat Palomar College 2-0 and end their season 20-13.

‘Frustrated’ Jaguars swing and miss the PCAC playoffs

By Nicholas Baltz Staff Writer

A late-season stumble kept a talented Jaguars baseball team from the playoffs despite a solid 20-win season.

A f t e r s w e e p i n g a t h re e - g a m e series against Imperial Valley, the Jags (15-7) lost two of three against league-leading Palomar and never recovered their momentum. Palomar and Grossmont both slid by at the end to claim playoff berths.

SWC feasted against IVC, winning 6-0, 8-6 and 3-0 with three quality

starts and a timely save by reliever Matt DeRosier.

“It’s tough right now because we can’t afford to lose any ground in the standings, but this team just keeps finding ways to win,” said DeRosier.

In the first matchup Kiki Medina threw eight innings and allowed just one earned run, but the Jags almost let a 8-3 lead get away in the 9 th until DeRosier closed it out, 8-6. In game two Agustin Lopez dominated, striking out six and throwing a complete game shutout. Not to be outdone, Juwan McCray threw a shutout eight innings and allowed

just one hit as the Jags cruised to a 6-0 victory to sweep the series.

The Jags entered the Palomar series with both teams holding a 4-1 Pacific Coast Athletic Conference record.

Palomar’s only conference loss came at the hands of SWC in a 9-8 thriller back in February.

Palomar took two straight one-run victories, but the Jags grabbed the third with a crucial 2-1 victory that evened the season series at 2-2.

Jaguar’s shortstop Sheldon Gabriels came up big with a two out single that scored catcher Cody Sos and gave SWC the lead for good. McCray had

a huge outing, throwing eight and one thirds innings, allowing just one run on five hits. DeRosier closed out the 9th and head coach Jerry Bartow could finally breathe a sign of relief.

“We have all the talent, we just haven’t been getting clutch hits,” he said. “We’ll get better, though. If we caught a break or two we might have won the last three.”

The Jags lost a nail-biter in the second game at Palomar, 1-0. SWC had 10 hits, but left 12 runners on base. Lopez pitched eight great innings, allowing just one run on six hits, but it wasn’t enough.

Bartow was frustrated with the lack of

offense after the game.

“What can you do when a guy only gives up one run all game and we can’t even score one?” he said.

In the series opener, the Jags let one slip away at home. SWC took an early 3-0 advantage in the 2nd inning following RBI from Montes, Sos and outfielder Justin DiStefano, but the Jags did not score again. Medina held the Comets to one run through seven innings, but they rallied to score two in the 8th to tie it up, 3-3. Palomar scored again in the top of the 9th and held on for the comeback win, leaving the Jags frustrated.

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SPORTS

March 5 - April 30, 2013 — Voume 56, Issue 5

The Southwestern College Sun

Photos by David McVicker

Gifted SWC softball star sweeps post-season awards Beasley is SWC’s Female Athlete of the Year, Pacific Coast Conference Player of the Year

By John Domogma Staff Writer

G

abrielle Beasley is a softball t r i p l e t h re a t . Sh e’s a n intimidating pitcher, a slick shortstop and excels in the classroom.

Her numbers are huge. Averaging eight strikeouts per game, she leads the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference with a total of 181. She leads all short stops in fielding with a .945 mark. Best of all,

her GPA is north of 3.0.

Southwestern College head coach Yasmine Mossadeghi said when she saw Beasley dazzling opponents at Steele Canyon High School, it was softball love at first sight.

“When I first saw her play I knew I had to have her and I was pretty much willing to do anything to get her,” Mossadeghi said. “Her wanting to win comes from within and you don’t need much to motivate her because it is in

ARMED AND DANGEROUS — Southwestern College Female Athlete of the Year Gabrielle Beasley has enjoyed success both in the classroom and on the field. Beasley will play next season on scholarship at CSU Fullerton, where she will study chemistry.

her everyday nature.”

Beasley has lived up to her coach’s expectations. She was named the Most Valuable Player of the PCAC after her freshman season, National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association All-American and Southwestern College’s Female Athlete of the Year for 2013.

With help from Beasley, the Lady Jags earned a spot in the Southern Super Regionals for the first time in school’s history. Her success in the sport has been the direct result of a lifetime of dedication and practice, according to her coach.

“One of the things that has helped her become the player that she is today is that she has prepared at an early age,” said Mossadeghi.

Beasley said her dad introduced her to softball when she was three and she played travel ball for the San Diego Fusion at the age of 12.

Outfielder Alex Gallegos, winner of the 2013 California Community College Academic All-American Award, said she was amazed with Beasley’s game.

“When I first played with Beasley I was impressed by her ability to play so calm and with such confidence,” said Gallegos.

Beasley said she spends her offseason developing her softball skills with Mossadeghi and working out with her dad at home. She also shows up early for practice and spends about 20 hours a week on softballrelated activities outside school.

Forget about the sophomore jint, she said.

“Freshman year we competed well and we went far,” she said. “I am hoping to go farther this year because we have the talent.”

Beasley brings heat to the classroom as

well. A chemistry major, she has already been recruited by CSU Fullerton’s softball team.

She plans to become a pharmacist following her softball career.

“I have always been good at math and science, so I decided to pursue a career in that,” she said.

Mossadeghi said Beasley was a rare find.

“Gabrielle is an athlete that you rarely come across at the community college level,” said Mossadeghi. “She is definitely in my top five percentile I have ever coached at the community college and division one levels.”

Mossadeghi said Beasley’s hard work was paid off.

“Because of that constant involvement and practice to get better every day, she is reaping the benefit,” she said. “Sooner or later it is going to come and for Gabrielle it has come now.”

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