Spring 2014 - Issue 7

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 57, Issue 7

theswcsun.com

April 7 ­­- May 25, 2014

Ricasa demoted, but remains employed

By Lina Chankar Senior Staff Writer

Court releases letter former vice president wrote, but denied existed

EOPS Director Arlie Ricasa has been demoted to staff counselor following her admission of guilt in the South Bay Corruption case, but for the time being remains an employee of the college.

Governing board members voted 5-0 in support of an administrative recommendation to demote Ricasa, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of filing a false instrument in the sweeping corruption case that rocked the South County in December 2011 when armed officers raided the homes of 15 Southwestern College and Sweetwater Union High School

District officials. Ricasa was charged with 33 counts – 16 felonies – by the San Diego County District Attorney. Her guilty plea helped her to avoid prison time, but forced her to resign her seat on the Sweetwater board of trustees.

College administrators initially rallied around Ricasa, but public outcry over her refusal to resign from her $125,000 EOPS directorship pressured college leaders to reconsider. A February poll conducted by The Sun found that 82 percent of district voters surveyed favored termination of Ricasa, while 4.5 percent said she should retain her administrative position.

About 20 Ricasa family members and supporters sat in back of the boardroom. Some addressed the board and said her demotion was unfair. Former SWC student Joe Feria spoke in support of Ricasa.

“Arlie taught me adult responsibility,” he said. “She taught me to be accountable for the actions I take and to consider the people that those actions may effect.”

Several speakers disagreed, including Associated Student Organization Executive Secretary Elizabeth Negrete and ASO PresidentElect Sayaka Ridley, both of whom sternly

called for Ricasa’s immediate termination.

“This person took gifts without reporting them,” said Negrete. “This person is the face of corruption. This is the burden the ASO still carries. Many people do not trust the ASO because of the actions of Ms. Ricasa.”

Ridley agreed.

“Where do we draw the line between what’s right and what’s wrong?” she asked the board.

“We have a corrupt administrator on campus and people wonder why Southwestern College please see Ricasa pg. A3

ANOTHER CLOSED MEETING

Sayaka Ridley elected new ASO president

New 16-week SWC semester calender gains faculty support

By Jaime Pronoble News Editor

Sayaka Ridley was elected ASO president in a close race with Steve Whiting, winning the college’s top elective student office by just 65 votes.

“I was so shocked,” said Ridley. “I was so terrified because Steve is also a good candidate and it was very close.

He was doing the best that he could to campaign. It was very intense.”

Not everyone was happy with the results.

Whiting appealed to the Elections Committee, filing multiple grievances against Ridley’s Ridley G o l d Te a m , most of which we re re l a t e d to campaign p o s t e r s . Hi s appeal was denied.

“I told the elections coordinator about the Whiting violations of (the Gold Team’s) posters on wood in two different locations, which is in violation of the elections code,” said Whiting. “They were not told to take them down. They stayed there until the end of the elections.”

Whiting also said members of the Gold Team covered up his Blue Team posters.

Ridley denied the allegation.

“In the beginning of our campaign, we agreed that we weren’t going to do anything wrong,” she said. “We were going to follow the rules and do everything clean. All this hearsay and people trying to make us look bad, that’s on them. Gold Team didn’t do any of that.”

Whiting is not the only one with qualms. Matthew Schimmer, the ASO Vice President of FinanceElect, said Ridley was pressuring him to step down before he is sworn in. please see Election pg. A4

Ricasa

By Martin Loftin Staff Writer

Rick Flores/Staff

SECRETIVE PROCEEDINGS — Dean of Student Affairs Mia McClellan expelled reporters from an ASO Elections Committee meeting called to discuss grievances filed by Steve Whiting. ASO officials condemned the decision and called for full transparency.

Student reporters banned from ASO election meeting

By Rick Flores Staff Writer

ASO leaders joined the editorial board of the Southwestern College Sun in condemning Dean of Student Affairs Mia McClellan and ASO Elections Coordinator Felipe Huicochea for barring student journalists from covering an impromptu, unposted meeting of the ASO Elections Committee.

Huicochea convened the meeting to discuss a protest lodged by Steve Whiting, who had run for ASO President. Sayaka Ridley was declared the winner by a margin of 52-43 percent, but Whiting appealed the results because of what he said were violations of campaign rules.

Reporters from The Sun routinely cover ASO meetings. Huicochea, however, asked all members of the public, including journalists, to leave the room so the committee could meet in closed session. Sun staff initially refused to leave and attempted to make the

INSIDE:

“Just like you cannot be around for the vote counting, you can not sit in on this closed session.”

Mia McClellan Dean

case that they had a statutory right to cover the meeting.

“I understand your need to report accuracies,” said Huicochea. “However, we need time to discuss this without any outside influence.”

McClellan asked Sun staff to exit the meeting because the committee needed to meet and deliberate privately.

“Just like you cannot be around for the vote counting, you can not sit in on this closed session,” she said. “The elections board does not fall under the Brown Act and you do not have to be in here.”

After repeated requests by reporters from The Sun that they be allowed to remain in the room, McClellan said the reporters could leave a recorder.

“You are welcome to leave a recorder in the

A campus movement to compress the traditional semester calendar from 17.5 weeks to 16 is picking up support among students and college employees.

Implementation, however, still may be years away.

Academic Senate surveys show 81.5 percent of students, 87.7 percent of faculty and 81.4 percent of classified employees and administrators prefer a 16week semester. These numbers are much higher than previous surveys and it shows more people are warming up to the idea of a shorter semester.

Instructional time will not change.

Classes will be a few minutes longer each day and will continue to meet state requirements. Many universities are on 16-week calendars or even shorter schedules.

“The compressed schedule will help SWC align with other colleges and have students be better prepared for transferring to a faster paced environment,” said Academic Senate President Randy Beach. please see Calender pg. A4

Faculty debates removal of extra degree requirements

By Thomas Baker Senior Staff Writer

A lively debate in the Academic Senate did not produce a position on one of the touchiest topics on campus, the proposed elimination of local requirements for Associate’s degrees at Southwestern College.

Some faculty said the point is moot and the decision would likely be made for the college. Other faculty senators said there was not enough relevant data to make a decision, so the vote was postponed until Oct.14.

Title V of the California Education Code

please see Banned pg. A2

Administrator’s lies reflect badly on college.

Viewpoints, A5

Former news anchor inspires a new generation.

Campus, A8

Baseball team falls just short of championship tourney.

Sports, B1

please see Debate pg. A4

Student Art Show is dazzling.

Arts, B6

A2

April 7-May 25—Vol. 57, Issue 7

NEWS

Parking in neighborhoods draws fire

By Gabriel Sandoval Staff Writer

Southwestern College has several official parking lots on campus and a large ad hoc lot across the street in the middle of the College Estates neighborhood.

Therein lies the rub.

Hundreds of SWC students admit that they park in residential areas and walk to campus to save $20-$40 per semester for a parking permit. Homeowners have said they support the college, but are frustrated with speeding, parking violations, trash, congestion and in some cases mean and disrespectful students.

Resolution seems to be far down the road.

Pilar Anaya has lived on Gotham Street since 1993. An otherwise friendly, soft-spoken woman, she said she hates students parking in front of her house.

“They’re annoying,” she said. “They block my driveway, they clutter.

Sometimes I can’t even get out of my driveway because I cannot see cars coming.”

Rick Evans, a retired teacher and 40year resident of the neighborhood, said he does not mind students parking in front of his house, except when he takes his boat out.

“I put trashcans out to save the spot and people move them. That I don’t appreciate,” Evans said. “One gal told me flat out, ‘I’m going to move the trashcans every time. You don’t have the right to do that.’”

Residents ease curbside headaches in different ways. A few have painted curbs red and others have put out orange caution cones.

Bob Muff, a 30-year resident, puts out a sign. It reads: “No Parking: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.”

“I’ve been fighting it for four years,” he said.

In 2010 Muff organized a meeting to discuss the neighborhood’s parking situation. Representatives from the City of Chula Vista and Southwestern College attended, along with more than 40 residents and members of the media.

In the years since the meeting, Muff said, the parking problem has gotten worse.

“The impacted areas are up Yale, up Gotham, up Elmhurst, (across) Fordham, the short street where the old fire house is, then up Columbia,” said Muff. “Those are the main areas.

There are about 250 homes that are impacted.”

Arturo Beltran moved into the Karen Tome/Staff neighborhood four months ago and CURB APPEAL — College Estates residents are asking SWC and the Chula Vista City he said he has already noticed “mucho Council for help with students who park in the neighborhood. Some residents said they have problema,” namely “basura.” had problems with students.

Maria Santa Cruz, a six-year resident of a corner house in a highly impacted area, said SWC students do not bother SWC student Irene Palomino said she resident-only parking pass, which would her at all. was not aware of the problem. make it illegal for students to park in “I actually feel bad for them,” she said.

“Honestly, I just park and I just the neighborhood enforceable by fines “I see them looking and looking, and it’s come on campus,” she said. “I don’t do and towing. hard for them to find parking.” anything else.”

Another proposal would be to make the Most students interviewed said they Other students said they could afford purchase of parking permits mandatory park in college because they did not have permits, but refused to buy them. Joel and including them in the fees students money for parking permits, including Herrera said he is determined to park pay during registration.

Adam Stark. He said he could not afford for free.

Muff said the college needs to stop a campus permit, but can empathize with “I’m not trying to pay the college any ignoring the problem and do something. upset residents. more than I absolutely need to,” he said.

“We’ve tried to be good neighbors “I completely understand,” he said. “It Both residents and students agreed and engage the college in a friendly, is their homes that we’re parking in front that free on-campus parking would neighborly way,” he said. “That has not of. They pay for their homes. That kind resolve the problem. worked. Nothing has been done. That of demands respect.”

Some home owners have proposed a is not right.”

Jaime Pronoble, editor Tel: (619) 482-6368 E-mail: news@theswcsun.com

Banned: Journalists expelled from ASO elections hearing Continued from Page A1

room,” she said. “They just need time to deliberate amongst themselves.”

McClellan said in the closed session that the elections board is exempt from the Brown Act. “For clarification, the Brown Act does require the ASO to post agendas of their committees,” she told the committee.

“This board does not fall under the same guidelines.”

ASO President Laura Jessica Del Castillo disagreed. She issued a statement later that day condemning the actions of McClellan and the elections board. Del Castillo cited the ASO Bylaws and Constitution requiring the elections board to follow parliamentary procedure and state meeting laws.

“Let me be very clear in stating that in order for the Election Board to hold meetings there must be an agenda posted, there must be space for public comment… and most definitely all meetings must be held in open session,” wrote Del Castillo.

“For our organization, closed meetings are ILLEGAL. I am extremely disturbed and disappointed that these rules have not been followed.”

She expressed her disappointment at the elections board for violating these rules and for ejecting journalists from the meeting.

“As a body of the ASO having violated these regulations, please apologize to the students that were involved in this misunderstanding, including members of the public, ASO officers, ASO candidates, and the Southwestern College Sun newspaper,” Del Castillo wrote.

President-Elect Ridley said the Brown Act applies to all ASO meetings and committees, and that by barring members of the community and the student media the ASO gives the impression that it is not transparent. She said she plans to dedicate her term in office to improving transparency of the ASO to the public and restoring trust.

“ASO needs to be more transparent and let the community know what is going on,” said Ridley. “Actions like these hinder the ASO from showing transparency.”

Once the closed session ended, two Sun staff members returned to recover the recorder and were told by Huicochea and McClellan that anything recorded during the closed session could not be used in the newspaper.

“We have to tell them that they cannot report what was said,” said Huicochea.

“We did not take an official decision on anything.”

McClellan told a Sun reporter that nothing official was decided at this meeting.

“No official comments were made in this closed session,” said McClellan. “They can not report anything since no actions were taken.”

Another ASO committee meeting was held later that day and Sun staffers were admitted without incident.

SWC Sun Editor-in-Chief David McVicker said he was “very disappointed” that an ASO committee would exclude student journalists and that McClellan had given students “some very bad advice.”

“Student government is funded by taxpayer dollars and fees paid by students of this college, therefore the public has the right of access to ASO meetings at every level,” he said. “Nobody will remember in five years that the ASO Elections Committee had a meeting, but they will remember that, once again, Dean McClellan and some members of the ASO do not honor transparency and open government.”

McClellan was at the center of a California Public Records Act controversy in the fall when she refused to release documents related to the college’s new online parking registration program.

After three months, a CPRA request and direction from supervisors, McClellan released the documents.

Southwestern College has been severely criticized within the last four years by the San Diego County Grand Jury, San Diego County District Attorney, the ACLU, FIRE and numerous news media organizations across America for Brown Act violations, secretive meetings, lack of cooperation releasing public documents, and other First Amendment and CPRA violations. In 2010 the Thomas Jefferson Center named SWC one of the nation’s worst First Amendment violators.

Governing board members Tim Nader, Norma Hernandez, Humberto Peraza and Nora Vargas all pledged as candidates to improve transparency at the college and improve public trust. President Dr. Melinda Nish also pledged to move the college toward transparency when she spoke at a candidate’s forum before she was hired.

McVicker said The Sun will continue to serve in a watchdog role.

“This college we all love is still working to restore its reputation,” he said. “This sort of thing does not help.”

NEWS

The Southwestern College Sun

April 7 - May 25, 2014 —Vol. 57, Issue 7

A3

“(Ricasa) is the face

of corruption. This is the burden the ASO still carries. Many people do not trust the ASO because of the actions of Ms. Ricasa.”

Elizabeth Negrete ASO Secretary

“She taught me to be

accountable for the actions I take and to consider the people that those actions may effect.”

Joe Feria Former Student

“We have a corrupt

administrator on campus and people wonder why Southwestern College has a bad reputation. Don’t demote her, remove her, permanently, please.”

Sayaka Ridley ASO President-Elect

Ricasa: College board demotes but does not fire administrator Continued from Page A1

has a bad reputation. Don’t demote her, remove her, permanently, please.”

Ricasa’s demotion is the most recent development in a turbulent spring semester of court appearances, reversals by college administrators, threats against student journalists by Ricasa’s family and a college vice president caught in a lie about Ricasa’s standing at the college.

During Ricasa’s April 9 sentencing her attorney, Allen Bloom, incorrectly told Judge Ana España that Ricasa had already been demoted from her director position and would suffer a $16,000 pay cut. Bloom said in open court that he gave the judge a letter from SWC Interim Vice President of Human Resources Lynn Solomita that said Ricasa had been demoted.

Solomita adamantly denied the existence of any letter and said Ricasa had not been demoted.

Following publication of an account of the court proceeding in The Sun, Solomita wrote an email to The Sun criticizing the coverage and again denying the existence of the letter.

“I am appalled that the SUN chose to run two pictures and two statements that Ms. Ricasa had been demoted and that a letter had been sent to the court AFTER I specifically denied to Ms. Chankar that any such letter or demotion had taken place,” wrote Solomita on April 22. “I acknowledge that Ms. Chankar did print my denial; however, the pictures are prominent in the article and are not representative of the facts.”

“It appears that the paper and/or Ms. Chankar is more interested in sensationalism than in the facts. I would hope that the SWC journalism program has more integrity than what was demonstrated in that article.”

A records request submitted by The Sun to the Superior Court, however, turned up a letter in Ricasa’s case file signed by Solomita.

Dated March 13, 2014, the Solomita letter said the college was planning a disciplinary hearing and was considering “amended charges” against Ricasa.

“PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Southwestern Community College District (“District”) is issuing an Amended Notice of Charges and Recommendation for Termination of Academic Administrators Agreement and Demotion to Faculty Position (“Amended Charges”) to you,” read Solomita’s letter to Ricasa. “A copy of the Amended Charges and exhibits is enclosed with this letter.”

Solomita did not return phone calls seeking clarification of her conflicting statements. Solomita signed her letter with the title J.D., juris doctorate, indicating she has a law degree. A check of California Bar Association records showed that Solomita had resigned from the bar in 2008 and is no longer eligible to practice law. The reason for her resignation was not disclosed. Bar Association officials refused to comment on Solomita’s status and the reason for her resignation. Solomita is no longer employed by the college and was replaced by new Vice President of Human Resources John Clark in April.

In February Tony Ricasa, Arlie Ricasa’s brother, verbally threatened a student journalist outside the governing board meeting room and repeatedly flashed a camera in her face at point blank range,

temporarily blinding her. At the May meeting Tony Ricasa stood alone in an aisle after his sister’s demotion and glared at board members and members of the audience for several moments before he left, but there were no other confrontations.

Ricasa was sentenced by España to 33 months of probation, a $4,589 fine and 80 hours of community service. A district attorney affidavit included fax and email records of Ricasa asking construction contractors for money while she was at work in her office in the SWC Student Center. At the time Ricasa was director of Student Affairs and supervised the ASO. District Attorney records show that Ricasa accepted thousands of dollars in unreported contributions and gifts from construction firms bidding for Proposition O contracts with Sweetwater.

After she was charged by the District Attorney, Ricasa received six months of paid leave from the college. When she returned to work, she was removed from the Student Affairs office by college officials who said they did not want her associating with students or handling money. She swapped jobs with Aaron Stark, the EOPS Director.

Stark, who was unhappy with the job swap, has since left Southwestern for a position at another college.

Ricasa has cancelled or failed to show for several appointments with reporters from The Sun and has not returned phone calls. Bloom, her attorney, has not returned phone calls to his law office.

Ricasa is one of seven current or former Southwestern College officials who have pleaded guilty to crimes in the South Bay Corruption Case. Former superintendent Raj Kumar Chopra was the first to plead guilty. He was joined by former Interim Superintendent Greg Sandoval, former Vice

ASO stipend proposal goes down at polls President-Elect opposed the ballot measure to pay student gov. officials

By Adriana Heldiz Assistant News Editor

Rick Flores/Staff

NEW EVIDENCE SURFACES — Former Interim Vice President of Human Resources Lynn Solomita adamently denied the existence of a letter related to the possible demotion of Arlie Ricasa. A search of court records, however, turned up a letter written by Solomita herself (top).

President of Fiscal Affairs Nickolas Alioto, former facilities director John Wilson, and former trustees Yolanda Salcido and Jorge Dominguez. Henry Amigable, the former college liaison for SGI Construction who gave money to SWC officials, also pleaded guilty.

Current SWC Trustee Terry Valladolid cooperated with authorities and was not indicted by the District Attorney even though she accepted considerable amounts of campaign funding from SGI and other construction contractors indicted by the District Attorney. Sandoval has yet to be sentenced.

Guilty firms return some Proposition R funds

By Jaime Pronoble News Editor

An architect anwd two construction companies that pleaded guilty to crimes in the South Bay Corruption Case will return some of the Proposition R money they were paid by former college officials who also admitted to crimes.

BCA Architects, Echo Pacific Construction and Seville Construction Services agreed to refund $642, 000 of taxpayer-supported Proposition R funds to the Southwestern Community College District, although it is unclear how much each company will pay.

The settlement is a small fraction of the Prop R funds already paid to the firms during the administration of Raj Kumar

Chopra. The firms won lucrative contracts after providing tens of thousands of dollars of cash and gifts to former college officials.

BCA Architects was given a $3.1 million contract in 2010 to design Southwestern College’s corner lot gateway project.

Echo Pacific Construction’s project had a budget of $55 million, though a discrepancy in in construction documents listed the budget as $59 million, which meant a $1.475 million fee paid to the firm. Echo Pacific lavished expensive trips, gifts, alcohol and dinners on former SWC Vice President of Fiscal Affairs Nicholas Alioto prior to bidding. A short time later Alioto awarded the contracts to Echo Pacific. He later lived in a guesthouse on the Poway property of Echo Pacific exectutive Chris Rowe.

Seville Construction Services was awarded a $2.7 million contract to work with SWC’s Proposition R program.

It was later discovered the president of the company had an insider wining and dining SWC administrators and board members before it was officially bid. SWC officials accepted expensive sports and theatre tickets, wine and liquor, lavish dinners, bribes and other gifts, according to San Diego County District Attorney affidavits.

Most of these contracts were terminated in 2012 after an investigation and prosecution by the San Diego County District Attorney.

SWC Trustee Humberto Peraza said he was happy the college was able to get a

portion of the money back, even though it was a very small percentage of what was paid out and lost.

“I’m glad we were able to work out something were we got some money back for the taxpayers,” said Peraza. “It’ll go back to Proposition R to help build more projects.”

Several college officials were charged with felonies and later pleaded guilty to felonies or misdemeanors, including Chopra, Alioto, John Wilson, Yolanda Salcido, Jorge Dominguez, Arlie Ricasa and Greg Sandoval. Ricasa and Sandoval were SWC employees when they committed crimes related to the Sweetwater Union High School District where they were trustees.

Serving in student government will remain a voluntary choice following the defeat of a ballot proposition to pay ASO officials a stipend.

Although 61 percent of the 698 student voters cast ballots to approve the proposal, the two-thirds threshold was not met. Had the proposal passed, elected and appointed ASO officials and executives would have received a monthly stipend.

SWC’s ASO President would have received $300 per month and the Executive Vice President would have received $250. Other executive officers would have gotten $200 and the senators would have received $100.

Stipends would have totaled almost $40,000 annually.

Payments would “offset the financial burden of s e r v i n g … “I’m here regardless because of financial means,” and I want to “s e r v e a s a serve, not symbol of appreciation for because I the sometimes want to get difficult nature paid.” of their duties,” according to Sayaka Ridley the policy.

President-Elect ASO Senator Steve Whiting said the stipend would have raised expectations for ASO members.

“If you’re not going to your meetings, you’re not getting paid, ” he said.

“We’re going to be held to a higher standard.”

Film Major Luis Gutierrez is an outspoken opponent to the proposal.

“The appendix is extremely flawed,” he said. “Nothing is defined.”

ASO President-Elect Sayaka Ridley said officers should join the ASO for the experience, not for an income.

“I’m here because I want to serve,” she said, “not because I want to get paid.”

A4

Jaime Pronoble, editor

NEWS

April 7-May 25, 2014—Vol. 57, Issue 7

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

Financial Aid TV aims to make applying easy Innovative video series created to assist students without making them wait in line

By Kayla Hall Staff Writer

Rick Flores/Staff

CONTESTING THE RESULTS —Steve Whiting appealed his second-place finish in the ASO Presidential campaign, alleging illegally placed posters by his opponent. Sayaka Ridley, the winner, denied any transgressions and an appeal board ruled in her favor.

Election: Runner-up is not successful in overturning results Continued from Page A1

“During work Sayaka came in and accused me of working for the opposing team and saying I wasn’t committed to her campaign because I had other obligations,” he said. “She said I should reconsider my priorities.”

Ridley said she did not intend to come across as hostile. She said she was concerned Schwimmer would be overworked if elected.

“I was concerned with him because

Calendar: Compact 16-week schedule gaining support Continued from Page A1

Last year, the Academic Senate passed a resolution to support the change to compressed schedule, he said.

“The research, the anecdotal and qualitative evidence suggests that shorter semesters help students succeed in their goals,” said Beach.

“Shorter semesters have shown to improve students’ retention rates.

There’s less time to procrastinate.”

John Mullen, a consultant to the SWC Calendar Committee, said student proficiency is a high priority.

“This committee is working together toward one objective, to make this college work well for students and to do it in a way that efficiently makes good use of the services and staff,” he said.

Mullen and Beach led open forums to discuss the compressed schedule proposal with students and faculty.

He presented the most recent drafts of the compressed calendar and block schedule, answered questions and those who attended voice their concerns.

“We can read about other places, we can look at the successes and failures of other Beach schools, we can theorize about what’s going to happen based on study and examination,” said Beach, “but until we actually do it, we can’t be 100 percent sure what’s going to happen.”

Beach said SWC should keep an open mind about the schedule and its overall benefit for students Ana Raymundo, a biology major, said she thought the compressed calendar was a good idea.

“I feel it is a more efficient way to teach and it will be easier for teachers and students,” she said.

Raymundo said, however, that she was concerned a compressed calendar might hinder science majors.

Students in her science classes were

he wasn’t helping with the campaign anymore,” she said. “He stopped helping, he stopped advertising and I was concerned that the fact he wasn’t helping anymore meant he was too busy.”

Schwimmer, like Whiting, said there is a lack of policing by the ASO Elections Committee.

“My biggest qualm are not the a foreme n ti o n e d gr i e van c e s ,” s ai d Schwimmer. “I am more upset that I have attempted to get one of these problems resolved through the ASO Election Committee, but this was fruitless. I feel that the Election Committee has been less than effective in policing the ASO campaign.”

Elections Coordinator Felipe Huicochea

already strained for time, she said, and this semester two labs were dropped from one of her classes for lack of time. She said if there is less time for science labs, then fitting in the current number of labs into a shorter schedule would be more difficult.

“If they do it right, it will be the saving grace for science classes,” she said.

Although the compressed schedule is required to have 54 contact hours per semester like the current traditional schedule, the shortened semester requires longer classes as well as some classes being held on Saturdays.

“Students at other districts have taken a lot to Saturday classes,” Mullen said.

A class on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 8:50 a.m. would meet from 8 a.m. to 9:25 a.m. under the compressed schedule. But there is not a concrete formula for translating the old schedule into the compressed version. Some classes meet three times a week might now only meet twice. The realignment of a traditional schedule to compressed is not an exact science.

Charleena Rogers, a nursing major, said she felt the compressed calendar would be beneficial for students who are working on graduating quickly.

“I would only take a Saturday class if I was one away from graduating,” she said. “I would totally commit to it.”

Rogers said Saturday classes would be great for really dedicated students, but important classes should be held on weekdays.

“If science labs are longer and there are less labs during the semester, than science classes will be more difficult,” she said. “But if some labs were offered on Saturday, then it would help.”

College hour at SWC is currently held from 11a.m. to noon every Tuesday and Thursday, but many intersect College Hour so some students do not get to participate.

A new College Hour is proposed for 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

ASO President Laura Jessica Del Castillo said she was opposed to the change because it could potentially hinder club activities and fundraisers.

With contribution by April Arrondo

defended the work of the committee and said Schwimmer failed to file a grievance after Ridley’s alleged hostility at his place of employment.

“I wasn’t even aware that this is something that could be brought up,” said Schwimmer. “I thought that was just internal muscle trying to throw their weight around.”

Schwimmer said he was confused with how the Elections Committee supervised the campaign. Huicochea said all candidates were thoroughly briefed.

“We clearly said that they had any concerns or issues, they should come up to us,” said Huicochea. “Even if they weren’t sure.”

Patti Larkin is already in charge of financial aid, veterans services and evaluations. Now the busy administrator is also the producer of Financial Aid TV. A web-based program, Financial Aid TV was designed to provide a better understanding of the process through short, informative videos.

Larkin said she hoped this new series of clips could prove to be useful and potentially cut back the time students spend waiting in line on campus.

“We have really been looking at how to do this in the fastest, most efficient, student-centered way,” she said. “We don’t want people waiting. Students need to know what they need to know as quickly as possible because you guys have to make decisions quickly.”

Larkin said she and her staff are constantly working to develop ways to make the financial aid process easier and more user friendly.

Financial Aid TV videos cover a variety of topics, she said, including e l i g i b i l i t y, s t a t e a n d f e d e r a l programs, veterans benefits, IRS forms and scholarships. A number of the clips are also available in Spanish.

One of the more notable features of the new website is online counseling, Larkin said, which will enable SWC staff to create custom videos. Workshops that are only held on campus can now be held online resulting in better attendance.

“For students who are disqualified for financial aid because of academic progress, one of the requirements is that they have to attend a workshop

to inform them about it,” she said.

“The problem is the workshops are only in person, they’re only here and they’re only during the day. We’re going to be able to create an online workshop, so if they get disqualified for financial aid and they have to attend this, they don’t have to physically come to the building to do it.”

SWC student Kyle Erdely said Financial Aid TV is a “great idea” but he does not expect it to make of an impact.

“People aren’t going to use it much,” he said. “No one likes to read up on how to do this stuff, so why would they bother to watch the video? They will still flock to the financial aid desk to get information from an actual person.”

Erdely commended Larkin and her staff for their efforts to make the financial aid process easier for students.

“Students should utilize what is offered to guide them to a better understanding of the system in place,” he said.

Abríl Huerta, an English literature major, had a similar position.

“The website is a useful tool for people who need a more visual aspect of the overall procedure, however, I don’t believe it will ease the traffic at the financial aid office because there are a good number of students who like to be taken through the process in person,” she said.

Huerta said the college should not do away with human interaction.

“The website should only be kept as a resourceful tool,” she said. “Not as a means to lure students away (from the Financial Aid counter).”

With contribution by Aydan Lopez

Thomas Baker/Staff

SHOULD THEY STAY OR SHOULD THEY GO? — Professor Corina Soto makes a case for retaining SWC’s local requirements, which are extra classes required for certificates and Associate’s degrees. Academic Senators were divided on the issue, which the state may decide.

Debate: Faculty divided on local requirements for Associate’s degrees Continued from Page A1

allows colleges to require additional courses for an Associate’s degree. SWC students are currently required to take three extra courses, one each in health, computer literacy and exercise science.

“This is an incredibly contentious issue for this campus,” said Academic Senate President Randy Beach. “Contention that is well meaning and well intended on all parts.”

Professor of Psychology Dr. Chris Hayashi spoke in favor of eliminating the local requirements. He said even though there is no local data to examine, there is plenty of state and federal data which could be used to shed light on the issue. He also said students pursuing an Associate Degree Transfer (ADT) are exempt from the extra courses.

“In a sense, if we were to keep these local requirements, we are creating two groups of students,” he said. “This does also overlap with the issue of how our FTES is spread across the college. So all of these issues need to be thought of as a whole.”

Counselor Ed Cosio also called for

eliminating the extra requirements. He said the SWC score card for transfer is “horrendous” and the extra requirments are not helping. SWC students are spending a lot more money, he added, because they have to pay for 10 extra units.

“At San Diego City (College) their success rate is 62.7 percent,” said Cosio.

“Ours is 43.5. Can that be directly corollated to the extra requirements? I don’t know. But something has got to go.”

Head football coach Ed Carberry spoke in favor of keeping the extra courses because they promote a healthy lifestyle, especially in these times of high health insurance costs. He also said there was no data on the number of petitions by students to waive the requirements, which signifies a need and desire to keep the classes.

Professor of Reading Corina Soto spoke against the removal of the extra units. Soto said financial aid covers the extra courses. She also said exercise science courses are required in all the K-12 schools in the South Bay to battle obesity, an enormous issue for the area.

Soto also said there are ways to waive the classes.

“They can challenge, by exam, the health class,” said Soto. “If they’re taking an ADT they do not need to take it anyway. Computer literacy is also

waivable. A lot of P.E. is waived by our military because of the DD 214.”

ASO President Laura Jessica del Castillo argued SWC should keep the requirement. She said most of the cost of the courses comes from the cost of textbooks.

ASO President-Elect Sayaka Ridley said the extra courses are redundant and should be eliminated.

“We are already required to take two years of PE in high school, we already have to take a health class in high school as well as computer literacy,” she said.

“I’m sure everybody in my generation knows how to use a computer. It’s too much for us. Why should we add extra requirements when we don’t need them?”

SLO Coordinator Dr. Rebecca Wolniewicz said there are new state standards coming which aim to streamline the process for transfer students.

“Certificates should only be 30 units,” she said. “An Associate’s degrees should only be 60 units. By the time somebody gets their BA or BS it should only be 120 units. So it’s not our local community, it’s our state and federal government that are looking at this.”

Wolniewicz said the decision to remove or keep the extra requirements is no longer a choice Southwestern has.

“We will have to make some of these changes.”

April 7 - May 25, 2014 — Volume 57, Issue 7

VIEWPOINTS

The Southwestern College Sun

A5

Editorials, Opinions and Letters to the Editor

The mission of the Southwestern College Sun is to serve its campuses and their communities by providing information, insights and stimulating discussions of news, activities and topics relevant to our readers. The Staff strives to produce a newspaper that is timely, accurate, fair, interesting, visual and accessible to readers. Though the “Sun” is a student publication, staff members ascribe to the ethical and moral guidelines of professional journalists.

ANNA PRYOR

Fake orgasms can leave the wrong impression

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

David McVicker SENIOR STAFF

Lina Chankar Serina Duarte Nickolas Furr NEWS

Jaime Pronoble, editor Adriana Heldiz, assistant Jason O’Neal, assistant VIEWPOINTS

Anna Pryor, editor Joaquin Junco Jr., assistant Alyssa Pajarillo, assistant CAMPUS

Fernanda Gutierrez, editor Liliana Cervantes, assistant Wendy Gracia, assistant

Wendy Gracia/Staff ARTS

Daphne Jauregui, editor Saira Araiza, assistant SPORTS

Nicholas Baltz, co-editor Colin Grylls, co-editor Lee Bosch, assistant ONLINE

Mason Masis, editor Kimberly Ortiz, assistant Aydan Lopez, assistant PHOTOGRAPHY

John Domogma, editor Karen Tome, assistant STAFF WRITERS

Jose Luis Baylon

Andrew Perez

Evan Cintron

Gonzalo Quintana

Zayda Cavazos

Paulina Quintero

Adrian Gomez

Ana Raymundo

Cesar Hirsch

Gabriel Sandoval

Victoria Leyva

Marianna Saponara

Martin Loftin

Angela Soberanes

Irving Moya

Romina Serrano

Maricela Murillo

Stefanie Tellez

Balkis Nasery

Kasey Thomas

Reena Ocampo

Steven Uhl

CARTOONISTS

Dan Cordero Kimberly Garza Gabriel Hernandez Andrea Munguia PHOTOGRAPHY

April Abarrondo Madeline Cabrera Rick Flores Kayla Hall Alejandra Rosales Pablo Gandara ADVISOR

Dr. Max Branscomb AWARDS/HONORS

Student Press Law Center

Society of Professional

National College Press

Journalists

Freedom Award, 2011

National Mark of

National Newspaper

Excellence, 2001-14

Association

First Amendment Award,

National College

2002, 2005

Newspaper of the Year, 2004-14

San Diego Press Club

Associated Collegiate Press

Excellence in Journalism

National College Newspaper

Awards 1999-2013

of the Year

Directors Award for Defense

National Newspaper

of Free Speech, 2012

Pacemaker Award,

Journalism Association of

2003-06, 2008, 2009, 2011,

Community Colleges

2012

Pacesetter Award 2001-14

General Excellence Awards,

General Excellence Awards,

2001-14

2000-14

Best of Show Awards, 2003-14

San Diego County Fair

Columbia University

Media Competition

Scholastic Press Association

Best of Show 2001-03,

Gold Medal for Journalism

2005-2014

Excellence, 2001-13

American Scholastic Press

California Newspaper

Association

Publishers Assoc.

Community College

California College Newspaper

Newspaper of the Year

of the Year, 2013

San Diego County

Student Newspaper

Multicultural Heritage

General Excellence, 2002-13

Award

The Issue: Lies by VP underscore a much larger problem with college leadership, which continues to be an embarrassment.

editorial

Our Position: Our governing board needs to put an end to mendacious, anti-faculty behavior and make changes in the administration.

Weak administration needs to change

Former Interim Vice President of Human Resources Lynn Solomita is a liar.

Bold statement? Yes, but a true one. She was caught red handed when the Superior Court turned over a document she vehemently denied existed.

In one of the more brazen acts of mendacious behavior this institution has seen since the criminal trio of Raj Chopra, Nick Alioto and Yolanda Salcido slithered among us, Solomita has once again embarrassed Southwestern College and forces us to wonder if it is time to make sweeping changes at the top of the college leadership chart. SWC, like the Sweetwater Union High School District and San Ysidro School District, may have reached the point where it can only be saved by state intervention.

We have lost faith in our administration to lead us competently and to behave ethically.

Solomita not only flat out lied to this newspaper and denied that she had written a letter about Arlie Ricasa’s employment status at the college, she also played our governing board like chumps. Our board was apparently kept in the dark about Solomita’s shenanigans and members expressed disbelieve at the existence of a letter from Solomita that ended up in a court file. Solomita, thankfully, left the college before she could be fired or given six months paid vacation like Ricasa.

Where does college president Dr. Melinda Nish keep digging up incompetent and manipulative senior administrators who do not understand that the last thing this institution needs right now is a return to the secretive and unethical behavior of the pay-for-play era? We wish we could say that Solomita is an outlier, but, sadly, she is actually a typical Nish appointee.

Our president’s administrative hiring record is abysmal. Ex-VP of HR Albert Roman came and went after failing to break the faculty union and succeeding in tearing apart the campus with his divide-and-conquer strategy that hurt our classified employees. Fiscal VP Steve Crow seems to be a nice guy, but is not ready for prime time. He has made blunder after blunder after blunder with the college’s budgets. (Don’t take our word for it, ask Nish, who screams at him in public). Lest we forget, an elected trustee resigned because he said he was not getting accurate budget information. Turns out William Stewart was right.

Many administrators live in a delusional bubble built on Nish’s obvious dislike of faculty. Some administrators who won’t have a courageous conversation with Nish are joining in the anti-

Online Comments Policy

faculty chorus and ostracizing managers who don’t follow along. This is a very troubling situation for an institution of higher learning where, bottom line, the most important people are students and teachers.

Everyone else – including college administrators – play a supporting role in the learning process. If you hate teachers and don’t care about students, you shouldn’t be working here. Period.

Our administration has displayed jaw-dropping cluelessness and unmitigated gall. After years of pay cuts to our lowest-earning workers, threats of layoffs (including faculty layoffs), protracted attempts to wring a pay cut out of faculty, cuts to academic budgets, and failure to keep the campus clean and safe, our shameless administrators tried to sneak a pay raise for themselves past the governing board.

Again, trustees professed to not being unaware of the scheme, which Solomita tried to slide on through on the consent calendar. Embarrassed and angry trustees pulled it from the board agenda and no vote was taken. It will be interesting to see if administrators try again to sneak it through during the summer.

If Southwestern College were a Major League Baseball team there would be administrators sent to the minors or given their outright release. There is no excuse for keeping under-performing, misbehaving managers on the payroll, especially with our college struggling academically and financially. People like Michael Cash, Ricasa, Solomita, Mia McClellan and others like them would not last a week at a well-run corporation.

Our governing board has been very patient with our inexperienced administration, and rightfully so. Everyone deserves time and a fair chance to figure things out. But enough is enough. Our management team has had years to get up to speed and has failed to do so. Our board needs to start holding administrators accountable for their actions.

Our board needs to raise expectations for people sitting in leadership positions and drawing hefty sixfigure salaries funded by taxpaying members of this working class community.

Why can’t Southwestern College get its money’s worth from our leaders? Why can’t we be a highperforming college like others in San Diego County?

When will trust and respect be restored? When will professionalism and service to the community drive decisions?

This we do know, we cannot get there without smart, ethical, trustworthy leadership. It is time to make some changes around here.

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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.

Fake it until you make it, right?

Wrong.

According to the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, 85 percent of men said that their partner had an orgasm during the last time they had sex.

Only 64 percent of the women reported actually having one.

That is more than a few orgasms that are not being accounted for.

These men think that women are having orgasms because that is what they are led to believe.

Lying about having an orgasm is not doing either party any favors.

When a man believes that what he is doing is working, he will continue to do it. If he is told what is not working, improvement can be made.

Most men appreciate and work off of the feedback. They are not able to improve if they do not have a little criticism. This cannot be done if the communication is not there.

Letting a partner know what is and is not working leads to a better sex life. For those not in a committed relationship, letting the other person know if something is not right or if it could be done better is still just as important. Be confident is asking for what you want.

Lying about getting off is simply not healthy. Orgasms are a gateway to a plethora of benefits such as improved sleep, immune system and concentration.

Unfortunately, these may be the reasons keeping women from finishing in the first place. Stress is often the culprit of not being able to get off, although stress can be subdued by orgasm. It would seem to be a catch-22, but luckily there are other ways to eliminate stress that also contribute to more satisfying sex. Basically, when in doubt, sweat it out. Exercise is a great way to improve sexual experiences. When exercising, the brain releases endorphins, giving a sense of pleasure or a rush, much like the feeling that is sought in the bedroom. Both cardio and strength training are great for fixing the factors that stunt achieving the big O. With roots that date back many centuries, yoga is a tried and true example of using exercise to improve sexual gratification. Yoga postures can increase blood flow to the pelvis, strengthen muscles and improve flexibility. Benefits can help with the frequency as well as intensity of orgasms.

A big factor that not many are aware of is that some women can simply not achieve an orgasm through vaginal penetration. In reality, only 25 percent of women consistently reach their climax through vaginal intercourse. Intercourse alone is not the only way to get to the finish line.

In other words, when things are not looking up, go down. Most women need to be stimulated through the clitoris and intercourse a l o n e d o e s n o t a l w a y s p rov i d e enough friction.

Women fake climax for reasons that cannot be confined to just wanting it to stop. It may be painful, they may want to boost their partner’s ego, they may be insecure or they may just not know how to have one.

Whatever the reason may be, stop.

If sex is not enjoyable find the fix for it. Exercise is not the only way.

Learning about body awareness is important. Know what works for you and be able to communicate it to your partner. The results are worth it.

Anna may be reached at sexandthesun@theswcsun.com

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Males can be feminists, too

By Alyssa Pajarillo A Perspective

“For every girl who is tired of acting weak when she is strong, there is a boy tired of appearing strong when he feels vulnerable. For every boy who is burdened with the constant expectation of knowing everything, there is a girl tired of people not trusting her intelligence.”

– Nancy R. Smith Poet There is much controversy with the F word. It is enough to make people cringe or turn away in

Anna Pryor, editor

VIEWPOINTS

April 7 - May 25, 2014 — Vol. 57, Issue 7

disgust. Men think that it is highly unattractive. This F word is feminism.

Feminism is not just a women’s issue.

Feminism is a gender issue. Both sexes can be feminists because both need feminism. Feminism is the stance against sexist exploitation and oppression.

Some men are quick to speak out about racism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination, but are hesitant to speak out against sexism. They fear being labeled as a feminist.

Society has given feminism a bad connotation. Men and women have been misinformed on what feminism actually is. Because of this, feminism has become synonymous with Rush Limbaugh labels such as man-hater and femma-nazi.

Feminists can be either sex. Their goal is to eliminate the stereotypes that have been assigned to genders. People should not be limited by archaic

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standards.

Some men hide behind phrases like “I am not a feminist but…”, followed by an idea that is very much feminist.

Some men fear that if they call themselves a feminist, other men will not see them as strong and masculine.

This constant need to feel masculine and strong is the very reason why men need feminism.

Society teaches boys from a young age that they should not cry when hurt, for the simple reason that they are a boy.

Men are both outright and subliminally told that they must be able to provide for their family, be strong, not show any emotions, be physically fit and excel in sports.

Gender roles created by society keep men and women from enjoying their humanity and expressing who they are.

Boys need to be given the chance to thrive as who they are and not worry about societal rules when it comes to behaving how boys should act. They need to be taught that it is okay to feel emotions as they happen and be sensitive, or simply enjoy the color pink.

Gender violence is created by the same society that breeds violent men.

Both genders need to put down their arms when it comes to the battle of the sexes, that they have been forced to fight since a young age. Men who care about feminism but do not speak up is not enough.

Men need to stand up to their male peers and make it known that sexist jokes and discrimination will not be tolerated. By standing up to their peers, men will lead by example and others will soon follow.

Tel: (619) 309-7908 E-mail: viewpoints@theswcsun.com

Do you think that monthly stipends for ASO members would have been a good idea?

Kevin Vazquez Criminal Justice Major I would be fine with it as long as we know where the money is going.

Bianca Farias English Major I don’t think that it’s something you should get paid for.

Nicole Rezzetti Culinary Arts Major People who do want to be a part of the ASO would not be signing up for the right reasons.

Margarito Alvarado Communications Major For me it’s ok if the president gets paid, but the rest of the guys I don’t think they deserve it.

Rosa Lopez Child Development Why should they be getting paid? It’s just a club like any other at school.

Compiled by John Domogma and Karen Tome

Low transfer rates plague Afro students

By Evan Cintron A Perspective

Kim Garza/Staff

Extracurriculars and internships fuel success

By Stefanie Tellez A Perspective

With job markets flooded with qualified applicants, demonstrating e x p e r i e n c e b e yo n d t h e c o n f i n e s of academics has never been more important. Although having extra pocket change is nice, sometimes not being paid to work and volunteering instead has a much deeper effect.

Having real world experience in the professional world is the best way to succeed in the long run. Internships are a great example, but they are not the only one. Volunteering even at a local church is more effective than a part-time job.

Students who reach out to the community and show a sense of passion by contributing their time will go farther than those who only have part-time jobs. Part-time jobs are still essential for those who need the money, but they should still dedicate a few hours to the community or an internship.

Research shows that students who volunteer will have a much greater

chance of excelling in their career after graduating. Students who actively participate in the community have a higher chance of getting hired because they will have a polished resume with more extracurriculars.

Each year, 48 percent of employers make full-time offers to student interns and these numbers are increasing. Doors open for interns. Employers appreciate the effort put into working free of charge. Students need to be sure to stay in contact following an internship or volunteer program. Networking is important and the contacts that are made can last as a lifetime of good references. This is a huge benefit and will only be given to those who sacrifice their time.

Students may be content with a minimum wage job, but working at a fast food joint will not impress companies as much as applicable experience.

Providing for the community shows true passion. Time is valuable, but spending that time volunteering or interning is time well spent.

So u t h w e s t e r n C o l l e g e p r i d e s itself on being the top producer of Associate’s degrees for minorities.

Unfortunately, African-American students population are severely underrepresented in graduation and transfers rates.

Knowledge is power, but AfricanA m e r i c a n s a re n o t g e t t i n g t h e education they need to empower future generations and boost transfer rates. It is a vicious cycle.

Rates have fluctuated in the past few years, but the numbers remain extremely low for black students.

There are currently a little more than 1,000 African-American students at Southwestern College. California Community College’s Chancellor studies show that only 14 AfricanAmerican students transferred from SWC to a CSU last year. A more surprising number is 70, which is the total number of African-American students who have transferred in the last four years.

Black females are more likely to

complete college than men. Only 68 percent of black males who start college graduate within six years.

Colleges and African-American students need to accept joint reasonability and work together to improve the situation and succeed. It takes effort from the student. There are many scholarships for assisting African-American students that are not taken advantage of. There are plenty of opportunities to attend events and be a part of clubs for extra support. With 70 clubs on the SWC campus, there is something for everyone to choose from. Building a support network within the school increases success.

African-American participation on campus is almost as low as the transfer and graduation rates. When the opportunities present themselves, no body chooses to attend.

There are solid support foundations on campus and a group of faculty that has invested interest in AfricanAmerican students.

Professor Stanley James and Dr. Rachel N. Hastings have developed

a new initiative called The C.A.A.L.I. (Communication Arts and African American Leadership Institute) Project. Former director of Student Development Aaron Stark also put a lot of effort into helping organize events for African-American students. He was one of the panel members this year at the 5th Annual HUBU (Hermanos Unidos Brothers Un i t e d ) c o n f e re n c e . H U BU i s specifically designed to help and encourage African-American and Hispanic male students to succeed in their academic lives, as well as their personal lives.

Donna Arnold, dean of School of Arts and Communication, works hard throughout the year to host special ceremonies and events for African-American students. She also puts together a ceremony at then end of the year for African-American students who are transferring.

Students of color were not always allowed to attend college. People fought hard for the right. Instead of taking opportunities for granted, take advantage of them.

Joaquin Junco Jr./Staff

VIEWPOINTS

The Southwestern College Sun

April 7 - May 25, 2014 — Vol. 57, Issue 7

A7

Slavery is at all-time high

By Dan Cordero and Kasey Thomas A Perspective

Dan Cordero/Staff

C o n g r e s s p a s s e d t h e 1 3 th Amendment abolishing slavery in 1865, but worldwide slavery levels are at an all-time high. Human trafficking is the weed growing in the community garden of progress.

Human trafficking is the second fastest growing crime and rakes in $32 billion every year. It is estimated that there are 20-30 million people living as slaves in the world, with the odds of rescue being 1-in-100.

It is a despairing truth that children are being subjected to extreme brutality at the hands of pimps and handlers who represent the lowest form of humanity.

In the sex trade 80 percent victims are under the age of 24, with some being as young as six. Victims may be forced to have sex 48 times a day while pimps make up to $200,000 per child annually.

Many of these victims are between the ages of 12 and 14 who ran away from home. One out of ever y three runaways will be lured into prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home.

Turning a blind eye to human

trafficking is unconscionable.

Given its proximity to the world’s busiest land border crossing, San Diego is on the Department of Justice’s top 20 human trafficking jurisdictions in the country.

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis recently announced that the number of human trafficking cases have jumped from nine cases in 2009 to 46 in 2013. Pimps and handlers look at large multiday events as a way to triple their money and will bring in more girls from other cities. San Diego Comic-Con brings human traffickers booming business and an opportunity to lurk for new prey. Without proper education, many young women are sitting ducks during open season.

Not much is being done to educate students on the dangers of human trafficking. An organization that is working to promote awareness is the A21 Campaign. Its “Bodies are Not Commodities” campaign offers a free downloadable curriculum for teachers who want to educate their students on human trafficking.

There needs to be more of a m ove m e n t t o p re ve n t h u m a n t r a f f i c k i n g b e f o re i t h a p p e n s rather than trying to fix it when

it does. It is important that people educate themselves about this crime. Citizens need to urge their legislatures to take a stand against human trafficking by proposing laws to combat it. State Senator Marty Block is an active advocate against human trafficking.

“Human trafficking is among the most despicable and odious of crimes because traffickers treat victims as property to be used and sold,” he said.

Sex trafficking has pulled in victims from every background w i t h o u t d i s c r i m i n a t i o n . It i s because of this that ultimately the burden of lessening these startling statistics and keeping people from falling into the clutches of this type of slavery rests on the shoulders of everyday citizens as much as it is the responsibility of the government.

It is imperative that people learn to recognize the signs of various human trafficking in order to stay safe and potentially save others.

For more information or to make a report call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at: (888) 373-7888.

Homeless need, deserve our help

By Balkis Nasery A Perspective

San Diego’s homeless are present in almost every community, yet they go virtually unnoticed. They are the living ghosts of the street, exiled to extreme poverty.

Many people turn a blind eye out of second-hand embarrassment or disgust, and choose to ignore homeless rather than lend a helping hand. Our societal lack of compassion for our fellow humans needs to change. Voices of the homeless need to be heard.

San Diego County had a reported 8,879 homeless people in 2013. Little less than half were s h e l t e re d a t n i g h t or in cold weather.

In Januar y 2012 an estimated 633,782 people across America were homeless. These are fathers, mothers, sons, daughters and friends. Many homeless are mentally ill and do not know how to seek help. This is an unacceptable situation for an advanced and wealthy nation.

It is easy to assume that the whole of the homeless population is lazy and does not want to work. Assuming that all homeless are drunks, addicts, dangerous or lazy only perpetuates the stigmas. Many homeless are educated, capable people who have bad luck such as a layoff, foreclosure, divorce, hospitalization or some other economic catastrophe.

San Diego County residents need to hear the stories of homelessness. It is a complicated situation with many causes. Understanding the root of a person’s plight is a significant starting point in resolving the unsolvable.

There is no universal bandage that will cure a society of homelessness, but change is possible.

Change occurs when the needs of the needy are heard and met. Elected officials must hear the issues f r o m t h o s e who have the issues themselves. Statistics and numbers mean less than the faces behind them.

Instead of brushing the homeless aside we need to help. Ignoring them is not a long-term solution.

We should examine innovative solutions from other parts of America, such as individual housing. In Wisconsin compact homes are built to house the homeless. They were built in the style of small communities and give residents their own place.

These homes are cheaper than shelters and could have communal bathrooms and community centers where they could learn to socialize

and write or learn a marketable skill do not return to prison. San Diego’s homeless could also benefit from counseling, medical care, expanded social services, and more news media coverage that is fair and empathetic.

Homeless people are people and worthy of respect, compassion and assistance. Southern California needs to do a better job helping its homeless. San Diego County should lead the way.

Joaquin Junco Jr./Staff

Relationship with Qatar condones misogyny

By Jason O’Neal A Perspective

and get on their feet again.

Education is another cure for many homeless. Prisoners who learn to read Aydan Lopez/Staff

Under the cloak of secrecy, but in broad daylight, Southwestern College cut an education deal with the fascist monarchy of Qatar.

A tiny oil-producing country in the Persian Gulf that wields an economic battle axe on the world stage, Qatar is scheduled to start sending students to SWC as part of a joint venture with EC English La Jolla and the Maritime Institute, two for-profit schools in San Diego.

This groundbreaking deal was so important to SWC it was buried at the end of a list of announcements made by campus president Dr. Melinda Nish last November. It was also included in the president’s report to the governing board in December.

Dr. Nish referred to the Global Peace Index, a think tank report card prepared by the Institute for Economics and Peace, that ranked Qatar as the 19th most peaceful country out of the 162 countries surveyed. This would be impressive if not for two factors—the United States is ranked 100 (one position ahead of the People’s Republic of China) and Qatar is a police state.

Civil liberty violations aside, Qatar’s exposure in the world press is a public relations nightmare.

Since they were awarded host country status for the 2022 World Cup, Qatar has been increasingly criticized for its use of slave labor from neighboring countries to build

soccer stadiums. Workers are not permitted to possess their passports and visas while working in Qatar.

Their bosses keep them until the work is done.

Another embarrassing foreign policy decision by Qatar was to sponsor the Syrian rebels for the past three years in their attempt to overthrow the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Rebels have now joined with cells of al-Qaeda in the bloody civil war that has killed more than 100,000 people.

But the final straw is that this program has excluded Qatari women from participating. In a day and age of promoting equality, this campus has condoned doing business with a country that persecutes females.

Dr. Nish lauded this partnership as a major accomplishment when showcasing the SWC campus to Mahmoud Sabri, the director of academic affairs for the Qatari Embassy’s Security Attaché office.

Sabri is not an academic, he’s a security official for a totalitarian government.

Do l l a r s i g n s fro m p o t e n t i a l revenue are blinding the ethical stance of the campus. Perhaps an informed campus would have elected to take a different path and rejected the offer from Sabri and the royal family of Qatar. We have enough problems here already.

We should not get into bed with a totalitarian, misogynistic police state.

A8

April 7 - May 25, 2014, Volume 57 Issue 7

The Southwestern College Sun

CAMPUS

Voice eterans

CArl bailey

Veterans have much to offer younger college classmates

After 30 years of service in the U.S. Navy I am now a full-time student at Southwestern College. It was my privilege and honor to serve this great country as well as the SWC Student Veterans Organization (SVO).

It has been quite an adjustment to go from Master Chief in the Navy to a student on a community college campus.

I am learning a lot, not just from the professors, but from my classmates and fellow veterans.

One of the things that struck me right away is the diversity. Like my time in the Navy, working with such a diverse group of young people has given me invaluable experiences. My peers have fully accepted the “old guy” sitting in the back of the classroom. Aside from a few “old guy” jokes, I believe we all learn from each other and benefit from being together in a learning environment.

I believe students at SWC offer a wide range of viewpoints and ideologies.

Most importantly they respect each other. This always makes for a great classroom where different ideas and lifestyles co-exist and thrive.

We, the veterans at SWC, add to diversity by bringing our life experiences to the mix and adding valuable perspectives to this school and community.

It all started in 2007 when Jim Jones, Veterans Services Specialist, saw a glaring need for more student-veteran involvement in student affairs on campus and in the South Bay community.

As a graduate of SWC and SDSU, coupled with his experience as a Marine, Jones knew that a club comprised of student veterans, active duty military, their family members and community advocates, was exactly what our studentveterans needed. SVO was born and the roots of official veteran advocacy on campus were planted.

Jones teamed with faculty co-advisor Dr. Chris Hayashi to form a club that served veterans on campus. It became a platform that enables student veterans to support those in need throughout Southern California.

U.S. Army veteran David Bonafede became the first president of the organization. VSO was awarded SWC Club of the Year for academic years 200809, 2012-2013 and 2013-14.

Retired Marine Tim Walsh is the current president and he had an outstanding year.

“There were many tremendous contributions by Southwestern College leadership, faculty, staff and student veterans,” Walsh said.

“We honor those who served and continue our veteran advocacy on campus and in the community.”

There are some really sharp, experienced veterans who are experts on the workings of the armed services, here at the SVO who enjoy sharing about their service experiences. You never know, maybe one day you might be interested in joining one of the services. Use us as a valuable resource to gather good information.

Walsh agreed.

“The Student Veteran Organization is comprised of individuals who possess integrity, passion and purpose,” he said. “These three characteristics are ever present in the way in which we carry ourselves on campus and in our neighborhoods. The camaraderie fostered within the SVO mirrors that which is forged during military service. The common shared experience of veterans is an important component of how the SVO accomplishes our goals. This is our campus and just as iron sharpens iron, at Southwestern College veterans serve veterans.”

We in the SVO would like to thank SWC for accepting us as valued members of its team. We are ready and willing to help this school grow and become better. We look forward to our continued interactions with our fellow students and staff and are ready to help make this institution of learning a better place for all.

Breaking The News Courtesy Photo

Courtesy Photo

Former NBC journalist, CVPD PIO scores big ratings with SWC students

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Rick Flores/staff

LIVING IN THE LIGHT — Journalism instructor Bernard Gonzales is a philosophical and richly-experienced former anchorman and reporter in San Diego and Los Angeles. Among his favorite interviews were Mother Teresa and Jimmy Stewart.

Story by Saira Araiza / Assistant Arts Editor

ernard Gonzales wanted to be a baseball player when he was a kid, but in college he traded the bullpen for the ink pen.

Journalism was the big winner.

Gonzales said journalism is more than passion and good words, it is a conviction.

“A journalist is someone who is curious about their world enough to go out and find out more about it without bending the rules, violating trust or misrepresenting what they find,” he said. “[They] shouldn’t take the first answer as the only answer. A journalist should be willing to dig deeper. Good journalists dig deeper.”

He said being a journalist is being in two of the best things of school — field trips and recess.

“In journalism, you get to talk to people that you never at the beginning of the day would thought you would have the opportunity to talk or meet,” he said. “Not only that, you get the opportunity of interviewing them in such a way that you can ask them one of the most impactful, meaningful and deepest questions you can possible think of and they answer you.”

A shovel, a flashlight and a pen should be the symbol for journalism, Gonzales said. “[Journalists] are suppose to shine the light in dark places and we’re supposed to show what is special about the light that does exist,” he said. “People find inspiration in things that have light around it and they find meaning when the darkness is exposed so we should be willing to go both ways — in the light and the dark.”

A television production class at CSU, Long Beach changed his life. His professor, Victor Webb, an associate

director at CBS television in LA, introduced Gonzales to his first news job.

After two months working in news at KCBS, Gonzales said the internship was coming to an end and he decided to look for other positions in the station.

“I was bitten by the bug,” he said. “A production assistant job was available in the newsroom, so I applied for that and I got it.”

A broadcast news career blossomed from there.

After being production assistant for Channel Two, he got his first reporting job at KSPY news in San Luis Obispo.

Three months later he was named the Santa Maria bureau chief. Just six months after that Gonzales worked for NBC 7/39 in San Diego.

During his second year working for NBC 7/39, he got the opportunity to work for LA FOX News where he stayed for 10 years.

“By the time I had worked at FOX, I had been the Orange County Bureau Chief, and anchored the weekend news,” he said. “When I left they offered me the morning reporting position on the number one rated show, but I didn’t want to do it anymore.”

With a new dream of becoming a teacher, he returned to San Diego.

“I was hired at San Diego State, but I only taught there for a year,” he said. “KNSD offered me their anchor morning position, so I left San Diego State.”

Gonzales worked at KNSD for four years, then changed course. please see Gonzales pg. A10

Globe-trotting citizen of the world now home at Southwestern

By Aydan Lopez Staff Writer

Dr. Maria Jelaca-Tavakoli has lived in eight countries, has three degrees, several loves and one great career at Southwestern College.

Je l a c a - Ta v a k o l i , p r o f e s s o r o f anthropology, came to the United States from Serbia when she was 16 to visit a childhood friends. She said she identifies as a Yugoslavian as a personal statement over the division of her former homeland.

“Yugoslavian simply means I’m not really interested in the recent political and religious division that they were pushing,” she said. “Here in America, you are identified by where you were born. I was born in Germany. I spent one chunk of my life in Bosnia, another in Serbia, but I’ve also spent a great deal of my life in Croatia, Slovenia,

Macedonia and Montenegro. So for my particular experience, it’s a very complex classification.”

On her last visit to the U.S., JelacaTavakoli said she fell in love and decided to start anew with her husband, an American.

“It was a complete serendipity,” she said.

“It was nothing planned. I didn’t come here to stay here and I didn’t come here to escape.”

After unsuccessfully trying to validate her Serbian chemistry degree in the U.S., she attended San Diego City College and fell in love a second time – with biological anthropology.

Dr. Erin Browder, Jelaca-Tavakoli’s mentor and instructor at in Mesa College, said she admires the steps her former student took to restart her educational career.

“She’s an exceptional icon of people who start over,” Browder said.

“Maria overcame a large obstacle that would have discouraged most people after going as far as she had.” please see Tavakoli pg. A9

Karen Tome/staff

OLD WORLD ROOTS, NEW WORLD DREAMS — Professor of Anthropology Maria JelacaTavakoli is an Erin Browder protégé who has won a legion of admirers at SWC for her intellect and passion.

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CAMPUS

The Southwestern College Sun

April 7 - May 25, 2014—Vol. 57, Issue 7

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Phoenix of San Ysidro celebrates 25 great years

By Liliana Cervantes and Jason O’Neal Staff Writers

SAN YSIDRO—On July 18, 1984 the eyes of the world turned to San Ysidro and for all the wrong reasons.

Thunderous gunfire roared through the summer air on a Wednesday afternoon at a border town McDonald’s restaurant. A place usually filled with joyous laughter and smiles exploded into the terrifying scene of the most gruesome mass murder of its time.

After hundreds of rounds of ammunition were spent in a shootout that lasted for more than an hour, a police sniper took down the lone gunman, but not until he had killed 21. It was the worst mass murder in American history prior to the Oklahoma City bombing. An impromptu shrine festooned with hundreds of photos blazed with thousands of candles.

Months later the site was razed and the land donated to the city of San Diego by McDonald’s owner Joan Kroc.

Hope and rebirth slowly sprouted through the dark soil of tragedy. One of Southwestern College’s greatest-ever achievements, the Higher Education Center at San Ysidro, was built over the killing grounds to serve a vibrant but challenged community.

A row of 21 pale pillars are dedicated to the people who lost their lives there almost 30 years ago.

Almost 25 years later a radiant glow of community pride eminates from the Center.

HECSY’s 25th anniversary celebrated the triumphant victory of the San Ysidro community so battered by the McDonald’s Massacre of 1984.

S W C P r e s i d e n t D r. M e l i n d a Nish spoke at the event.

“These visionaries found a way to bring hope and promise to this community because from this tragedy rose a center that has now served more than 60,000 students and families over the last 25 years,” she said.

HECSY Dean Silvia Cornejo said the center has helped students ove rc o m e b a r r i e r s a n d p rov i d e d

them with opportunities. Its small s i ze a n d we l c o m i n g a t m o s p h e re contributed to its success, she said.

“This center helps the students who have the most limitations accessing higher education,” said Cornejo. “A lot of our students are first-generation college students. They do not have that family support to navigate college. Here it’s a small staff so anyone can walk you over to a person who can help you.”

Patti Bartow, director of the Child D e v e l o p m e n t C e n t e r, a g r e e d .

“When you have a disadvantaged b a c k g r o u n d , y o u d o h a v e m o re hurdles to overcome,” she said. “To have a college in the middle of this community is a comfort for them.”

County Super visor Greg Cox declared May 8, 2014 as HEC at San Ysidro Day in San Diego County.

“In recognition of all the great things done in the past that will continue to be done in the future,” Cox said.

San Ysidro alumnus Mark Rosilio said having the center in his neighborhood gave him and friends access to higher education.

“It was here at SWC where I learned about college,” he said. “It is here where my adult life started. SWC and the center at San Ysidro gave me the foundation and support I needed to complete the journey a n d f o r t h a t I ’m g r a t e f u l .”

At the center’s grand opening in the fall of 1988 it served 355 students.

Today more than 2,300 students are enrolled. San Ysidro achieved “center status” from the state last yar and a $1 million funding boost.

“What we are missing that would be beneficial would be to have science labs,” said Cornejo.

“A lot of our students that come can take the bio lecture course, but they can’t take the lab here.”

A child development center and more classrooms for general education classes are also needed, she said.

Cornjo said she feels fortunate to be working at HEC in San Ysidro and part of the 25 th anniversary celebration.

“This is a tribute to those who passed and a promise to this community to offer opportunities to a better life.”

Photos by April Abarrondo

CELEBRATING REBIRTH — (top) College president Dr. Melinda Nish praised “the visionaries (who) found a way to bring hope and promise” to San Ysidro. (above) County Supervisor Greg Cox declares “HEC at San Ysidro Day.”

Well-traveled ex-Marine a stellar campus leader

Tavakoli: SWC

By Liliana Cervantes Assistant Campus editor

Continued from Page A8

Tim Walsh led the charge for a new SWC Veterans Center and more scholarships Ex-Marine Tim Walsh has straddled elephants in Thailand, scaled Machu Picchu, defended U.S. embassies in Kenya and Uruguay, and now lives in Tijuana.

His favorite corner of the world, though, is the new Veterans Resource Center at Southwestern College.

Walsh, president of the Student Veterans’ Organization, helped open the new center last semester. He said he is very happy student veterans now have a quiet sanctuary on campus.

Patti Larkin, director of Financial Aid Evaluations and Veterans Services, s a i d sh e is glad to ha ve Wa lsh.

“He is the kind of president that we had always hoped to have for the SVO,” she said. “He is intelligent, disciplined, talented, dynamic and enthusiastic. He is a real leader.”

Fall 2013 was a momentous time for the SVO, said Larkin. Besides the grand opening of the Veterans C e n t e r, t h e S W C Fo u n d a t i o n dedicated its fall gala to veterans scholarships and raised $15,000.

“Becoming president of the SVO was a wonderful opportunity,” Walsh said.

“There are always going to be opportunities presented to you in life. How you take advantage of those opportunities determines your level of success.”

Walsh said he did not expect to like college and had avoided it since high school in the suburbs of Centreville, Virginia where he played football.

“School was a challenge that never i n t e r e s t e d m e ,” h e s a i d . “ No w I am in community college using my Marine Corps professional experience to help other veterans.”

Walsh enlisted in the Corps and enrolled in the Marine Security Guard program to provide security for U.S. embassies. He served in Montevideo, Ur u g u a y a n d N a i r o b i , K e n y a .

Although it was dangerous work, he said, his training prepared him well.

“Everything was a heartbeat away from becoming mortally dangerous,”

Karen Tome/staff

ETERNAL VIGILANCE— Student Veterans Organization President Tim Walsh protected diplomats and State Department professionals in foreign lands. Later he guarded the rights and defended the futures of Southwestern College Veterans during a notable year of leadership on campus.

he said. “However, most of the things we dealt with were drunken protestors, anti-American sentiment and foreign intelligence officers trying to recruit us.”

Walsh said he found these experiences a n d t h e n e w c u l t u re s t h r i l l i n g .

“I was looking for something different to what life would be like in Ohio,” he said.

It was in Uruguay that he met UCSD graduate student Elizabeth Esparza.

Walsh befriended her and kept in touch over the years. After she finished school and he was discharged from the Marines, they were married.

Espa r za s ai d s he an d Wal s h are proof that opposites attract.

“He was this fun, wild, outgoing guy while I was more shy, reserved, a n d i n t r o v e r t e d ,” s h e s a i d .

“We grew up together and matured.

We are both at a time in our lives where we have found comfort in stability. Our idea of a good time now is walking our dogs on the beach.”

After the Marines, Walsh moved to Washington D.C. and worked for the State Center for Strategic Counterterrorism, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration. Esparza worked for the U.S. State Department a s a f o r e i g n s e r v i c e s o f f i c e r.

They eventually moved to Tijuana, where the Virginia native was introduced to Mexican culture by Esparza’s family.

Walsh confesses to a wild side and has a love for underground metal bands like Tool, Pig Destroyer and Deafheaven.

After this semester Walsh will leave SWC and Tijuana for an undisclosed location due to his wife’s job. He said he will miss street tacos, tortillas, the beach, his favorite spot in Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe wine country and the friendly, diverse people of Tijuana and San Diego County.

“I really felt like a part of this community.

I think that says something more about the South Bay than about me.”

mentor helps professor bloom

After graduating from City College, Jelaca-Tavakoli transferred to UCSD and earned a Bachelor’s degree in forensic science and a P.h.D. in forensic anthropology.

After earning her doctorate she contacted SWC and began working as an adjunct instructor.

“Some of the professors here used to be my professors, so you can imagine – contacting your professor and asking for a job – they know how well you did during the time you were a student,” she said.

After seven years, Tavakoli became a full-time tenure-track professor and said she intends to become a fixture at SWC. Anthropology is a challenging subject, Jelaca-Tavakoli said, but SWC students are capable of exceling in the field.

“A lot of students are afraid of math, for example,” she said. “It all depends on how you present it to them. Good science is simple. It shouldn’t be complicated and if it is it’s probably presented in the wrong way.”

Dr. Mark Meadows, dean of the School of Social Sciences, Business and Humanities, said Jelaca-Tavakoli completely embraces her role as an educator.

“When I’m walking by, I always see her with students just about every day, talking to them in some way,” he said.

“More often than not, I see her walking with a student.”

Jelaca-Tavakoli urges students to succeed as she did. Her greatest educational achievement was her doctorate in anthropology, she said.

“Once you achieve that, you have so many opportunities,” she said.

“No opportunity has to be the very last thing, either. You can always seek something else. Within what you achieved, try to focus and narrow it down and kind of carve it a little bit more into something that fits your personality and what you want in life.”

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April 7 - May 25, 2014—Vol. 57, Issue 7

CAMPUS

Gonzales: Brainy, philosophical former anchor live at SWC

Debate at the Border an international incident

Continued from Page A8

SAN YSIDRO— North America’s best debate yet on the volatile issue of immigration reform was not in the Senate, House or C-SPAN, but at San Ysidro Middle School.

“Debate on the Border” was the first series of public debates organized by the International Debate Education Association (IDEA).

Southwestern College students and students from Universidad La Salle Noroeste in Sorona, Mexico debated SB 744, which focuses on border and immigration issues.

Irena Kotikova, IDEA U.S. executive director, said members of her organization work to promote teaching and learning.

“We’ve been doing debate workshops in schools and community organizations,” she said. “I was surprised by how important this issue is to everyone who lives in this area. We knew that coming in, but actually being here and interacting with everyone and hearing the stories of how this issue personally impacts everyone, that was very powerful.”

Kotikova said IDEA has allowed her to follow her passions.

“Debate is something that is very close to me personally, it has really influenced my life in my home country (The Czech Republic),” she said. “Often people feel like they have one particular opinion, so this is also a way to help people understand that there are two sides to each issue.”

IDEA reached out to SWC because of its proximity to the border and the direct impact immigration has on its community.

Professor of Speech Jordan Mills, advisor for the SWC Debate Club, said it was a unique opportunity for his students.

“I liked how it was a bilingual debate, we’ve never done that before,” he said. “I think we are the only college that could have pulled that off without a hitch. I was really impressed.”

Mills said the topic is less important than the activity.

“It’s not as much about the content of the debate as it is about forming coalitions between the students,” he said. “No matter which side of the debate you’re on, it really doesn’t matter as long as we have this productive conversation on both sides of the border.”

Both teams were randomly assigned a position to defend. Team U.S.A. argued in favor of the bill.

Team U.S.A. was made up of Mills’ students. Each debater gave an introduction defending their team position, followed by a cross-examination.

SWC student Arlo Elizarraraz represented team U.S.A. He said his experience gave him a new perspective on the issue of immigration.

“I have family both in Mexico and the U.S.,” he said. “Surprisingly, I’ve been changing my view on this topic lately and I believe I’m getting close to understanding it better.”

Debate opens up the mind of the debater and the public, Elizarraraz said, challenging commonly held assumptions.

“We have to educate the people,” he said.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about undocumented workers that are simply not true.”

Nallely Valde, a student from Universidad

“I got a tremendous opportunity to work for the Chula Vista Police Department as the public information officer,” Gonzales said. “Then I was laid off because of the budget.”

After a year packed with work and zero breaks, Gonzales moved across the street where he worked as the senior council aide for Chula Vista Councilwoman Mary Salas.

Salas said she had a great experience working with Gonzales.

“He was very professional, but he was a lot of fun, too,” Salas said. “When you are a candidate it is important to have people on your staff that know the community and Gonzales already knew it.”

Salas said she recommended Gonzales to SWC President Dr. Melinda Nish because journalism students would benefit from his experience.

“He is professional, he knows journalism from practical experience and he has a passion for teaching,” she said.

“When you have passion for teaching, you can transmit it to the students and motivate them.”

Interviewing is the essence of being a great journalist, Gonzales said.

George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and numerous murder suspects are among the many individuals Gonzales interviewed during his career, but it was a five-foot tall woman who made the 6-2 journalist feel tiny.

Gonzales said interviewing Mother Theresa was the highlight on his career.

“Doing the interview with her was one thing, but feeling the power of her presence was another,” he said. “I’d never experienced it before or since, but her aura of goodness was so strong that I could physically feel it and so could my photographer.”

He met Mother Theresa when she was visiting one of her orders in Tijuana. She gave Gonzales a small medal.

“I told her thank you, Mother, I appreciate that,” he said. “I’m going to give it to my grandmother. Then she gave me another one and said ‘You need one too.’ I was struck by that and by her caring, compassion and concern about me. That was very powerful.”

Gonzales also interviewed the great film actor Jimmy Stewart. He said he met Stewart while working as a production assistant at KNSD. “He had the same aura of goodness that Mother Theresa had,” Gonzales said. “He was more concerned about you than you were about him. He ended up asking more questions about me than I asked about him.”

Now, at SWC, Gonzales is working in accomplishing his new dream —bringing together the pen and the computer.

“When I left journalism, one of the things that really bothered me was the melding of the Internet and broadcast journalism,” he said. “We’re being told how to do things by people who didn’t know about journalism, but know a lot about computers. It was very frustrating, at least for me.”

Working on his digital journalism Masters’ at National University, Gonzales said he is looking to expand SWC’s journalism department.

“Great things have already happened in terms of print,” he said. “We don’t have a broadcast component here at the school and that’s an area where there is a lot growth potential. I’d love to be part of broadcast sports program.”

Donna Arnold, dean of School of Arts and Communication, said Gonzales has a lot of journalism experience and a great personality.

“When I first met him, came across as very confident,” Arnold said. “He has worked in San Diego State and he had a breadth of experience, so I said, what a great model for students.”

Journalism is a network and fieldwork job, Arnold said, and Gonzales is a way for students to develop out those important skills.

“It is always good to bring new people and new perspective to the college,” she said. “I think students can learn and benefit from Gonzales’ experience.”

Gonzales said community colleges are special and thanks to them, he could continue his education.

“At Orange Coast College I met people who were supportive, who were understanding, who took me under their wing and gave me a second chance in education,” he said.

Two semesters at SWC has convinced Gonzales that he would not want any where else.

By Nicholas Baltz Sports Editor

La Salle Noroeste, gave an impassioned final speech for Team Mexico to sway the judges and crowd alike.

“A fence is not going to fix immigration,” she said. “We have to accept that.”

Although her arguments during the debate did not directly represent her opinion, Valde said the topic hit home.

“For me, being a person who lives by the border, it’s important,” she said. “We need to make real solutions for the people living in the U.S. that do not have a way to get a better life.”

Debates provide a voice for people, Valde said.

“The debate gives a chance to all of us who want to say something but don’t know the way,” she said. “Debate empowers the young, their dreams and their concerns.”

Enrique Morones, executive director of Border Angels and a national immigration reform activist, gave out the results and closing remarks.

Morones commended both teams for an excellent debate, declared Team Mexico as the winner and shared his own experience with SB 744, having just visited the graves at Holtville Cemetery, where more than 600 unidentified migrants are buried.

Morones said he received a personal call from President Obama regarding SB 744.

Obama told Morones he wanted to get this bill passed with two amendments, double the size of the wall around the border and double the size of the U.S. Border Patrol.

Morones told the President he did not support either amendment.

“This is not an immigration bill, this is a security bill,” Morones said to the audience.

Morones said the debate students are on the right track.

“I think it’s important that the young people get involved early on these types of issues,” he said. “So what will happen with this group here is, maybe a couple of them will really get involved in this issue, you never know. You see the difference in the passion of these people. I think they

Karen Tome/staff

BORDERING ON GREAT — Debate teams from Southwestern College and Universidad La Salle Noroeste engaged in a scintillating debate about immigration and border issues. The Mexican students were declared the victors, but both sides were winners. (top, l-r) Nallely Valde, Marcela Batiz and Javier Albarran of ULSN with their champions medals. SWC’s Arlo Elizarraraz scores points with his arguments.

all did a nice job.”

It was a positive and enlightening experience for all those who attended, but at the end of the day the issue of immigration remains a major national controversy.

“Everyone in the country agrees that it’s broken, we need to fix it,” Morones said. “Every day we don’t have humane immigration reform, two people die and that’s not what America’s all about.”

Public safety assistants ready to lend a hand

By Lee Bosch Assistant Sports Editor

Public Safety Assistants at Southwestern College are mostly known for two things, driving pick-up trucks and writing tickets.

That is not all PSAs are trained for.

A largely-untapped campus resource is just a phone call away. PSAs can jump-start vehicles, assist students locked out of their cars, control traffic and escort students to their vehicles.

SWC does not have signs or emails promoting PSA services, but they do exist.

Office clerk Aaren Phoenix said students should use the service.

“Students might think there is a service charge but there is not,” he said.

PSAs are not bound to the campus. In correlation with the Chula Vista Police Department, they also help with closing off neighboring streets or searching for missing people. Students with car trouble relatively close to campus may also receive help as long as they have their SWC ID. This job is not for the faint of heart.

Jess Chaloux, 24, joined as a PSA earlier this year. He said PSAs need to be cool and thoughtful.

“That’s an important thing about the job,” she said. “Knowing how to stay calm and collected during certain situations. During traffic control, people could get nervous

kim Garza/ Staff

in front of all the moving cars and they’re depending on you. It can feel like too much responsibility.”

Chaloux said she and her coworkers are not intimidated by the job description and take full control of the reigns.

Applicants are thoroughly reviewed, she said, to make sure they have what it takes.

Isai Castillo, 20, is a field training officer and has been on the team for more than two years.

“When I first got hired, there was a big change in command,” he said. “The hiring process became extended by doing more background checks and it was more strict.”

Castillo also said he had never experienced

or heard of a PSA officer getting into a physical altercation on campus, despite students that become upset after receiving a ticket.

Before calling in a tow truck or walking alone to your car after a night class, find a PSA officer and they will be more than happy to give you a hand, Castillo said.

Fernanda Gutierrez, editor

CAMPUS

April 7 - May 25, 2014—Vol. 57, Issue 7

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

Festival of Nations is a global phenomenon

By Angela Soberanes Staff Writer

Hundreds of Southwestern College students traveled around the world without passports, vaccines or full body scans. Festival of Nations celebrated SWC’s cornucopia of cultures and no one had jet lag.

Members of the Book Club, Laulima Hulahui and Pagkakaisa set the tone, dressed in the traditional clothing of the countries they represented as they prepared traditional foods.

Three winners were chosen for best presentations at the festival.

L a u l i m a Hu l a h u i r e p r e s e n t i n g Guam took third place, Pagkakaisa representing the Phillipines was second and the Spanglish Club and their representation of Peru won first place.

An ASO panel honored the Child

Development Club with the award for best booth for its representation of Mexico and their market-style cantina used to give out food and drinks.

Rafelyn Garcia, 20, a dance major, said the Festival of Nations is important. “ It h e l p s t o d e ve l o p c u l t u r a l awareness so that everyone will know the different cultures around here because it’s very diverse,” she said.

Spanglish Club advisor Evelia Talamantes prepared a spicy Peruvian chicken, similar to adobada, served with potatoes, rice water and Chicha Morada, a sweet juice consisting of purple maize, pineapple, lemons and apples.

Book Club members dressed in kimonos and Japanese cosplay with

purple wigs, tiny hats and huge bows as origami birds floated around their booth. Members welcomed students saying Kon’nichiwa and thanked them arigato as they reached for sushi and chocolate covered bananas.

An aroma of sweets and spices filled the air as students from Muzek Crew prepared Korean BBQ. Bulgogi, savory streak marinated overnight, was the main dish served over a cup of steamy white rice.

Pagkakaisa represented its Filipino culture with a traditional Tinikling dance in which women wore balintawak (traditional Philipino dresses) and men were decked in barong tagalog (Filipino dress shirts) while sliding two large bamboo posts on the ground for the Filipino folk dance.

Laulima Hulahui, representing Gu a m a n i a n c u l t u re , m a r i n a t e d chicken kelaguan. Diane Canilang said she was proud to be part of the Festival of Nations. “ We w e re i n s p i re d b y Gu a m because we incorporate some of their Polynesian dances in our club,” said Canilang.

Members of the Cinematic Arts and Media Club represented the United States. They gave out chicken wings and had a trivia bowl about the United States. Scott Felix made a super soldier costume and gave out American flag pencils.

ASO leaders called Festival of Na t i o n s a t r a n s b o rd e r s u c c e s s .

Students saw the world and no one was late for class.

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Chef Haro memorial dedicated Family, friends honor popular cafeteria legend

By Irving J. Moya Staff Writer

Raul Haro was a chef, not an Asian holy man, but he likely created more good karma than many monasteries.

Even years after his tragic death from pancreatic cancer, Haro’s kindness and love for his coworkers at Southwestern College still resonate.

Thelma Llorens Corrao, administrative secretary II at the Higher Education Center Otay Mesa, organized a ceremony to dedicate a memorial for Haro.

“This was a way to bring us back together and think about Raul,” she said. “Have a moment of silence and remember all the goodness and services he provided to us as a family.”

Haro’s many friends and family members shared a favorite memory.

They celebrated Haro’s uplifting spirit. He was a passionate cook who cared for his customers. His laughter illuminated an entire room. He treated college employees and students like family. He was friendly. He was a great chef.

Ja c k i e Wa t t s , s u p e r v i s o r o f the Food Services Department, remembered Haro as a hard working employee.

“Raul never once complained about any customer,” he said. “He loved everyone. Out of all the employees I have had, he was the only one that never complained.

He was the best.”

Aside from being a top-notch employee, Haro was always kind, said Ursula Morris Williams, SWCs Facilities, Leasing and Events Coordinator.

Williams said when she began working at SWC, Haro got her addicted to his pancakes.

When Williams got sick during a pregnancy, she stopped ordering food at the cafeteria for a while, but Haro kept making her delicious pancakes.

Haro made everyone feel special in his own unique way, Williams said.

Haro also had a four-star secret menu, said Martha Campa, a secretary at School of Counseling and Personal Development. Many employees ordered huevos rancheros even though they were not on the menu.

“He always had a big smile,” Campa said. “He genuinely cared about how people felt. He made you feel like you had a special bond with him.”

Gloria Haro said she was delighted to know her husband worked with such a wonderful staff.

“He was a very, very courteous and happy man,” she said. “He constantly was trying to please everybody by the way he cooked for us. I did not have to cook at home, he cooked. He made sure that I had a healthy meal and that everything was delicious.”

Haro’s passion for food was passed on to his son Raul Jr. Raul Haro Jr. said he and his father planned to open a taquiza called Harito’s, inspired by the family’s last name.

“It was an idea we had together,” he said. “He talked about having a taquiza business, taco catering. Unfortunately, it did not happen. We had the capital, we had the ideas, but it’s okay, he’s in a better place now.”

Raul Jr. said he started the business he and his father dreamed of. He has incorporated many of his father’s special cooking techniques.

“We’re three years strong now,” he said. “We’re moving into Brewery, where we are selling tacos. We do private catering, birthday parties, weddings and any type of event,” Carrao said the Haro family lost a father and husband, SWC lost a great chef, but heaven received a kindly angel who can whip up a mean huevos ranchero. Pass the salsa, St. Peter.

A12

April 7 - May 25, 2014—Vol. 57, Issue 7

BACKPAGE

The Southwestern College Sun

L ege ndary

b a s eball c oac h retires af t er 39 year s and a grandsl am o f a f i n a l se ason

“Heroes are remembered, but legends live forever.”

Babe Ruth

By Colin Grylls Co-Sports Editor

erry Bartow did not go out a state champion, but he went out a role model, a source of inspiration and a hero.

Southwestern College’s iconic baseball coach is likely the bestknown Jaguar in America and probably the most beloved. Mention the colorful, irascible coach and grown men will cry.

“Forty,” as his players know him, is retiring after his 39th season as one of only three coaches in California community college baseball history to have recorded more than 900 wins.

His players, however, are more likely to remember his quirks than his records. Bartow is known for his ability to whistle as loud as a tugboat, his ritual of sliding headfirst into home after victories as a septuagenarian and his colorful vernacular that combines Yogi Berra and Bob Uecker.

“He did some things that you just never forget,” said Joe McWilliams, who played for Bartow in 1991 and 1992 and was on his coaching staff in 1994 and 1995. “The whistle, the heat, the slide into second, he was just that guy. Forty will always be remembered.”

Courtesy Photo Mike Dole played for SWC in 1993 and 1994. He said he had many memories of Bartow.

“We learned about business, customer service, how to carry ourselves on and off the baseball field,” he said. “I’ve got a million stories. If you had 20 pages we could fill that newspaper up.”

Rudy Bautista, the varsity pitching coach at West Hills High School and SWC player in ’91 and ’92, recalled a game against Pima Community College of Tucson, Arizona.

“Play at the plate,” he said. “[Bartow] believed [the umpire] called it wrong. So Forty storms out to the field and lays into him. He literally came around third base and did a hook slide at home plate to show how the runner had eluded the tag in that situation.”

Members of Bartow’s current team agreed that they are proud to have played for him.

“I look up to Forty,” said freshman pitcher Deandre Simpson. “He’s a wise old man and I appreciate everything he does for us. I really love him.”

Sophomore centerfielder Chris Allen agreed.

“He’s just such a positive guy,” he said. “It’s so infectious when you come to the baseball park. It’s hard to feel bad when you are around him. He’s just such an awesome, loving guy. He’s just amazing.”

This year’s team used Bartow’s looming retirement as motivation during their playoff run. It made it all the way to the Southern California Sectionals, just one round away from the Final Four.

“I’ve been putting number 40 on my tape,” said outfielder Daniel Macias.

“Just to think that I have to do it for him, for his last games. It’s been a hell of a rollercoaster with him. It’s been good.”

In honor of his “victory slide,” Bartow was presented with second base, signed by his current players and many former players at Bartow’s last Saturday home

Russell Scoffin/Staff

Collin Grylls/Staff

Southwestern College Bids Farewell to Baseball Legend

CHANGING OF THE GUARD— (far l) Jerry Bartow pitches for Washington State University in the College World Series in 1956. (center) Bartow watches a reliever warm up in the bullpen. Bartow (l) shakes a boy’s hand before a game against Rio Honda. Bartow was presented with an award before the game.

game. SWC cheerleading advisor Patti Moore has been going to baseball games for 21 years and worked with Bartow when he was the instructor of record for the cheerleading squad. She said she was excited to see so many of the players return.

“I think it’s amazing, he’s so deserving of [his player’s admiration],” she said. “He’s put so much into the school and his players, above and beyond just being a coach. He means so much to them that they come back for him.”

During Bartow’s final home game against Mt. San Jacinto there was another surprise. Head football coach Ed Carberry led his team to Jaguar Junction and started cheers of “Forty! Forty! Forty!”

“We knew it was his last home game and I just wanted to give him a bit of a good send off and some respect for all his hard work,” said Carberry. “With everything that goes on in the world today it’s going to be hard to see anybody coach for 40 years.

Probably not going to happen very much in the future.”

Bartow’s co-head coach, Jay Martel, said he believes one of the reasons for Bartow’s longevity is his relationship with players.

“Players love to play for him,” he said. “He does a lot of things for the players to put them in a position to do well on the field and to make sure that they had baseballs, oranges and apples. He made sure that when they came to Southwestern College it was a very enjoyable time for them.”

Bautista said he is most impressed by Bartow’s integrity.

“The one major thing I remember about him is that he’s always a man of his word,” he said. “And that’s something he taught the rest of us.”

Ken Salazar played for the Apaches from 1990-93 and coached the Jaguars in 2011 and 2012. He said Bartow has been near retirement for years.

“It’s funny because when I was playing here it was supposed to be his last year,” he said. “It was always his last year every year. He just kept on coming out here because was never happier than when he was on the baseball field.”

Bartow said he genuinely appreciated that so many alumni players stopped by to visit him this season.

“It makes tears come to your eyes to see all of the former players we had over the years,” he said. “They date back from all the teams I’ve had here. Some of them were Apaches, not Jaguars. A lot of them came from when I used to have that teepee up on the roof. It makes you kind of think back through all of the years.”

Hundreds of players have laced up their cleats under Bartow. Some went on to play professionally, many moved on to play at four-year universities, and others saw their careers end at Bartow’s field of dreams. Salazar said the 79-year-old coach left a lasting imprint on all of them.

“He used to always say, ‘You know guys, one day you’re gonna be gone and you’re gonna miss it,’” said Salazar. “‘You’re gonna wish you worked hard. You’re gonna wish you played like it was your last day. It’s gonna happen.’ And I can honestly say I didn’t have many regrets because I know I always worked hard just like he told us to.”

April 7 - May 25, 2014—Volume 57, Issue 7

The Southwestern College Sun

SPORTS

B1

Storybook finish falls short as Jaguars miss state tourney

By Colin Grylls Co-Sports Editor

The Sun’s Pitcher of the Year

One! In a bit of a cliché, the Southwestern College baseball team huddled together in the dugout after each game and shouted the team’s name in an act of solidarity, on three of course.

Two! SWC finished 29-14 on the season and its 15-9 record in conference play was good enough for second in the Pacific Athletic Coast Conference.

Three!

Regular season victories against playoff-bound teams like Orange Coast, El Camino, Palomar and East L.A. helped SWC earn an at-large bid into the state playoffs.

Apaches!

SWC changed its nickname to the Jaguars in 2001, but for the majority of head coach Jerry Bartow’s career, SWC’s athletic programs were known as the Apaches. So while the jerseys read Jaguars, the players tried to channel the energy of Bartow’s career and write a storybook ending for their retiring coach – a state championship. Unfortunately, their two losses against Orange Coast in the Southern California Sectionals left them one round shy of qualifying for the Final Four.

Kevin Ginkel 2.76

ERA (7th PCAC)

58

Strikeouts (2nd PCAC)

8

Wins (T-2nd PCAC)

90+

mph fastball The Sun’s Hitter of the Year on pg. B2

please see Baseball pg. B2

Colin Grylls/staff

SLIDE TO THE LEFT — Freshman pitcher Kevin Ginkel throws a slider during his complete-game shutout against Rio Hondo College. SWC won 3-0 to secure a berth in the Super Regionals, but just missed the finals.

Dean seeks funds for tennis, volleyball team

Southwestern College athletes moving out across the country Illustration by Wendy Gracia

By Nicholas Baltz Co-Sports Editor

Basketball (women’s)

Illustration byby WW endy Gracia Illustration endy Gracia

Gabby Robledo – William Penn University

Cross Country

Football

Khaalid Abdullah – Humboldt State Kevin Bowen – East Central University David Clark – University of Sioux Falls Ed Felix – Benedictine University Frank Foster – North Carolina A&T Jason Gaines – East Central University Tyler George – Benedictine University Alfonso Hampton – University of Idaho Dorian Hardy – Arizona State University Khari Kimbrough –University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Lafaele Paselio – MidAmerica Nazarene University Andrew Perez – Missouri Western State University Rashad Ridley – South Dakota Tech Vicente Stafford – Chowan State University Richard Thorne – Waldorf College Jalal Yousafai – Southeastern Louisiana University

Softball

Jessica Thompson – Southern Nazarene University Sydni Toilolo – Southern Nazarene University

Miguel Lopez – UC-Berkeley

Baseball

Chris Allen – Campbellsville University Kevin Ginkel – University of San Diego Miguel Solano – Campbellsville University Brandon Lozier – Arizona State University Tyler Martinez – William Penn University Nicholas Quintero – SD Christian College

Soccer (women’s)

Carolina Arana – San Diego State University

Track & Field

Branden Greene – University of Mississippi Michael Hendricks – Point Loma Nazarene Justin Smith – Texas A&M-Kingsville

Volleyball

Victoria Atkinson – Grand Canyon University

Women’s tennis, historically one of the college’s most successful programs, may return from the dead thanks to pressure from the community and a better state budget.

Men’s volleyball may also come back to life if college leaders approve a request by Athletic Director Terry Davis to resuscitate both teams in 2014-15.

Davis said he has requested the funding.

Although he said he is optimistic, he warned it is not a done deal.

“We have a tennis center, there is huge interest in the community,” he said. “A lot of high schools play on it and there’s interest from (SWC) students.”

With a championship-rich history dating back to 1971, the Lady Jaguars tennis team was cut in 2009 during the Chopra/Alioto era for what was promised to be a short time, said coach Susan Reasons.

“It was originally only supposed to be two years,” she said. “Every spring is difficult. I still get kids who ask me, ‘Why don’t we have a tennis team?’”

Reasons always fielded a strong team and provided excellent opportunities to her athletes, many of whom earned full university scholarships.

Reasons’ players included Viridiana Martino, California Community College Scholar/Athlete of the Year for 2007 who later graduated cum laude from USC. “When my team got cut it broke my heart,” Reasons said. “I had two girls the year before who were top players in the state looking for scholarships and they didn’t get that chance.”

An SWC Hall of Famer, Reasons built her life around the Jaguars tennis program.

“I knew I wanted to do this in high school when I picked up my first tennis racquet,” she said. “It’s just who you are. Once you’re a coach, you’re always a coach.”

Reasons has been forced to the sidelines in recent years, but said she is still ready.

“I’m not a selfish person and I’ve sat on my hands for five years,” she said. “The community can benefit from tennis. These courts are always full and it’s inexpensive to run.”

Factors in determining which sports to fund include travel, number of students, breakdown of gender and popularity, said Davis.

Tennis is an inexpensive sport, said Reasons.

“There are no referees or umpires,” she said. “Players call their own games and coaches help to resolve any disputes. Home matches are free of cost other than tennis balls.”

She said she even has brand new uniforms waiting to be worn.

Reasons gives tennis lessons in the afternoon to about 50-60 kids a week.

SWC is a rare self-sufficient program.

Reasons’ community programs pay for all of the equipment, lights, her salary and even make a profit for the college.

“Kids that go through all make it onto their high school teams,” she said. “Some of these kids have been here 7-8 years.”

SWC recently played host to the PCAC men’s tennis championships with help from Reasons and SWC athletic trainers despite not fielding a team of its own.

Scott Strange, the REASONS Grossmont College men’s tennis coach, said that was a shame.

“This conference, this year, the PCAC was the toughest conference in the state of California,” he said. “We would like for Southwestern to rejoin our conference as a men’s tennis program. We’ve been waiting for five years.”

Even if a return of women’s tennis is in the cards, the men’s tennis team may not be so lucky. Davis said men’s volleyball is a more viable option.

“Volleyball is a sport that we’ve never had for men,” he said. “We always want to serve the greatest number of students possible.”

This past season students created a volleyball club that practiced and competed on their own time.

Angela Rock, an Olympic medalist, has coached women’s volleyball at SWC for seven seasons. She said the club proved there is a strong interest in the sport.

“We have about 25 guys who are regulars,” she said. “The club was both men and women so we had about 45-50 (total). It was a really popular club.”

Rock said she hopes to coach both teams.

“I would love the opportunity to coach the guys,” she said. ”I know these guys from years of playing with them in my classes.

For me it does not feel like work, it’s fun, it’s where I want to be.”

B2

SPORTS

April 7 - May 25, 2014—Vol. 57, Issue 7

Nicholas Baltz & Colin Grylls, co-editors Tel: (619) 482-6368 E-mail: sports@theswcsun.com

Greene soars to wondrous heights, defends high jump championship

By Nicholas Baltz & Madeline Cabrera Staff Writers

What if someone wagered, with a running start, they could jump over Shaquille O’ Neal without touching him?

Jaguars’ high jumper Branden Greene could win that bet. He owns the school record, 7-feet 1-inch.

Greene’s leaping ability was on full display at the California State Championships at Mt. San Antonio College. He won his second consecutive state title in the high jump with a height of 6-feet 11-inches.

“Overall a win is a win,” said Greene. “I’m glad I got the gold, the height doesn’t really matter afterwards.”

Greene also holds the school’s long jump record. A natural talent, he did not join the track and field team until his junior year at Bonita Vista High School.

Coach Tonie Campbell said a good staff is a key part of developing successful athletes like Greene.

“The coaches I have are some of the best you’ll ever find,” said Campbell. “They are passionate about track and field, but also well versed in the newest technologies and theories.”

Jumping coach Kuba Wasowski said his job is easy with athletes like Greene.

Baseball: Playoff push ends in Orange County Continued from Page B1

Still, said sophomore center fielder Chris Allen, they were proud of their deep playoff run.

“It’s not where we wanted to end,” he

“He’s a motor genius,” he said. “You teach him something, you tell him to do something and he applies it right away, which is rare.”

At the high jump state championships Greene took multiple attempts with the bar at 7’3” despite only needing a jump of 6’11” to defend his title. Wasowski said he was satisfied with Greene’s accomplishment.

“You can’t ask for anything more as a coach,” he said. “The way he’s been jumping at that 7’3” height, it’s just a matter of time before he gets it.”

Late in the season Greene jumped another barrier and signed a scholarship offer to the University of Mississippi.

“So much weight came off,” he said. “ That’s all I was worried about this year, finding somewhere to go and Ole Miss offered me a full ride.”

Sophomore jumper Dominique Fuqua said Greene set the bar for teammates as well.

“He’s made me better in long jump, I started the season at 21 (feet) and have passed like 23,” he said. “At first I never thought I could get that far, but training with Branden has pushed me to go a lot further.”

Fuqua is in the all-time SWC Top 10 leaders in long jump and triple jump. He is still considering multiple schools to be a kinesiology major, but said it would be hard to leave California.

Pa u l a A l e m a n was another top contender for SWC. She won the SoCal Championship in the

400-meter hurdle and said she entered with sights on the gold. Aleman finished the race in third, but realized she had accomplished a tremendous feat.

“It just wasn’t my time to win, but I gave it my all and I’m happy to say I won SoCal,” she said. “I’m a champion and I’m third best in California, so you can’t ask for more.”

Her great career at SWC is over, but Aleman’s future has never been brighter.

“I had a great season, I broke my school record over and over again,” she said. “I can basically pick any school I want to go to, but it’s hard. I haven’t made a decision.”

George Martinez made an excellent transition this season from the cross-country team. He finished third in the 10,000m run (6.2 miles) with a time of 32:21.44. He also competed in the 5,000m and finished 10th.

Martinez has accepted a scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley.

Sophomore pole-vaulter Korin Chapman finished a strong season as 7th in the state and owns the women’s school all time record.

Sophomore Justin Smith also did well for the men’s pole vault, he is number two on the school’s all time list.

Breakout freshman heptathlon athlete Maria De Jesus Garcia finished 9th in the SoCal Championships and broke another school record, but it was not enough to move onto the state finals.

Reflecting back on the season, Campbell said it was like riding a wave.

“Sixteen school records in one season,” he said. “It’s been amazing. It’s a collaboration of coaching and motivated athletes that have talent.”

said. “It’s not how we wanted to go out, but it was a great season, probably the most fun I’ve had in a long time. I made some new brothers, met a lot of great people and it was just an awesome year.”

As the ninth-seed in the playoffs, which re-seed the remaining teams in each round, SWC had to travel each week. Against Rio Hondo in the

Regionals, the Jaguars/Apaches won the series opener 12-3 and finished the sweep with a 3-0 victory the next day.

Freshman pitcher Kevin Ginkel threw a complete-game shutout and kept the score tied 0-0 until the bats woke up in the seventh inning.

“You don’t really want to think of (the close score) too much because once

The Sun’s Hitter of the Year

Chris Allen

12

Doubles (1st PCAC)

21

Steals (T-1st PCAC)

35

Runs scored (2nd PCAC)

.389

Avg. (2nd PCAC)

Colin Grylls/staff

JAGUAR’S BIG BAT — Fleet sophomore centerfielder Chris Allen hits the second of two sacrifice flies in a 10-1 win against Mt. San Jacinto College.

Photos by John Domogma

SEVEN UP— Branden Greene successfully defends his state high jump title with a 6’11” leap (officials had the incorrect height on the board) at the California State Track and Field Championships at Mt. San Antonio College. (l) George Martinez finished third in the 10,000m and 10th in the 5,000m at the State Championships. (below) Paula Aleman sprints to a third-place finish in the 400-meter hurdle event.

you start thinking about that, mentally, your brain is just going everywhere,” he said. “That’s when your pitching mechanics start to get flawed and you’re not your usual self.”

Santa Ana hosted the Jaguars in the Super Regionals, where the teams split the first two games of the series to force a winner-take-all game three.

In the top of the eighth inning, freshman right fielder Roberto Lucero stepped up to the plate after third baseman Anthony York tripled. Santa Ana, trailing 4-1, pulled the infield in to stop the run. With just one out, Lucero bunted the ball in the air, past the charging first baseman Daniel Martinez.

For a double.

Martinez could only watch as the ball hit the dirt in fair territory and bounced over first base. Second baseman Joshua Vargas, who was wheeling over to cover first, hesitated, hoping that first base umpire John Visciglia would call the ball foul.

“Fair ball!”

Lucero, who finished the season third in the PCAC with 19 steals, flashed his wheels when he saw the ball trickling away from Vargas and was already halfway to second base when Vargas rifled the ball to shortstop Garret Brown. Lucero beat the throw with a headfirst slide.

“It was a crazy play,” he said. “It was a ball outside and I think I shouldn’t have bunted that because it was a ball.

I’m glad it turned out ok. I just saw the ball going through and took the opportunity to go to second base.”

Bartow said he had never seen a play like that in any of his 39 years coaching at Southwestern.

“It was awesome,” he said. “I’ve gotta get Lucero a milkshake. I didn’t want to, but I’m gonna have to. I always tell him, ‘Push the ball! You run so well, just push the ball then they can’t get you!’

And he did. I tell him that every day.”

Bartow was quick to give credit where it was due after the 6-2 win.

“Pitching is the name of the game,” he said. “(Dylan McDonald) had control of the game today. Strikeouts,

flyball outs, he had control of the thing.

Did a nice job. The big key was the guy on the mound.”

McDonald allowed just two runs and struck out six in the complete-game victory.

“In the beginning of the game, I kinda felt like I wasn’t throwing as hard as I could’ve,” he said. “As soon as my arm loosened up in about the seventh or eighth inning, I felt like I just turned it on then and I was able to throw my changeups and curves a lot more nasty and get them chasing stuff.”

McDonald could not have timed his performance any better. His win clinched a berth in the Sectionals on Mother’s Day. His mom, Ronda Collatta, said she could not have been more proud of her son.

“When he was growing up, I never missed a practice,” she said. “I never missed a bullpen, I’ve never missed a game. I’ve always been there for him and this makes me happy. The most important thing is I want this kid to be happy and baseball makes him happy.”

Collatta’s focus on her son’s happiness was shared by Julianne Allen, whose son Chris had an RBI in the game.

“It’s very exciting, but the biggest thing is that he’s doing what he loves and it’s nice to be here to share it with him,” she said. “It proves that hard work pays off. He’s been working hard for many years and it’s nice to see it come out and he loves it.”

It looked as if the Jaguars were destined to send Bartow out on top when they left Santa Ana, but a heartbreaking 5-4 loss against Orange Coast, followed by an 8-0 thrashing the next day, knocked them out of the playoffs and ended Bartow’s career.

Although his honorary Apaches did not make the Final Four in Fresno, he said he was still proud of his team.

“I wanted to go to the final four if I could make it,” he said. “But the cards weren’t in our way, it’s the way it goes sometimes. But I didn’t want it to be the last time I put my shoes on, I wanted it to be in the raisin country, but it’s one of those deals. But they did a good job.”

SPORTS

The Southwestern College Sun

April 7- May 25, 2014—Vol. 57, Issue 7

Professional wrestler ready for a new act

By Maricela Murillo Staff Writer

Sweat fills the eyes of the stripped down gladiators and the nostrils of the frenzied crowd. Two men drenched in their own blood crouch on the top rope of a wrestling ring. Anticipation silences the crowd and then both combatants crash into a pile of barbed wire.

Willingly.

Professional wrestler Todd King lives for these moments.

“A s a k i d m y f a m i l y w a t c h e d (wrestling),” said the Southwestern College alumnus. “I watched it, so I was always hooked.”

King’s career started in August 2004, when he was 20, under former World Championship Wrestling’s (WCW) Mike Rapada. King became part of the Southwestern Alliance of Wrestling and his first order of business was creating a character, Matt Twizted.

“I guess it is just the chance to be someone you are not. It is almost like

Edwin Castillo/staff

GRAPPLE THEM INTO THY SOUL — Todd King, a.k.a. Matt Twizted, is a popular professional wrestler and SWC student.

an alter ego,” he explained. “Like, he gets autographs, I do not.”

King has wrestled in San Diego, Arizona, Mexicali and Temecula, but one match stands out.

“It was the finish that really got the people up,” he recalled. “It was what they call a ‘death match,’ and both of us ended coming off the top rope and landing into barbed wire. The people were just going nuts.”

King is no stranger to blood and barbed wire.

“In wrestling, the blood is very real but we make ourselves bleed,” he said. “So we have razors and we cut ourselves.”

His arms bear very real scars.

“That one was from barbed wire,” he said, pointing to his left bicep. “And I have another one back here from barbed wire.”

Nester Bustos, a former opponent of Kings’, has been wrestling for 12 years and has known King for nearly 10 years. He considers him a true friend.

“It is not until you start wrestling a certain person numerous times that you get to become friends,” he said.

“Todd is one of those guys where I got to know him inside of the ring before I got to know him outside of the ring.”

Bustos considers King one of his top five opponents.

“I love to wrestle with him every chance I get just because we know each other so well and we both have different styles inside of the ring,” he said.

Pr o f e s s i o n a l w r e s t l e r V i n c e n t Michael Arreguin has also competed against King, whom he met in middle school. “ I saw him at a show at Kobey’s Swap Meet and he recognized me and brought me into (wrestling),” said Arreguin.

Like Bustos, he considers King a top opponent.

“He is fun to work with, knows his stuff, whenever we go out there we have a blast,” he said.

Wrestling with opponents like Bustos and Arreguin was a way for King to escape a tormented personal life.

“It was my stress relief,” said King.

“I could go out and get my ass kicked or kick someone else’s ass.”

But things have changed since 2004.

A series of losses made King lose his heart for the sport.

“Almost four years ago, my best friend passed away. We were like brothers,” he said. “Two years after that, my grandmother who raised me passed away.”

Just a year and a half later, his uncle

suffered a fatal stroke. Then his longtime girlfriend broke up with him.

“It was like death, death, death and then a breakup, which just killed me,” he said.

King said he realized that wrestling was no longer an escape. The sport lost some of its meaning for him, but he continued competing with New Wave Pro Wrestling, SoCal Pro Wrestling and, most recently, Fans United Wrestling.

Jon Allen is the announcer, booker a n d p ro m o t e r f o r Fa n s Un i t e d Wrestling that started this March. He said he has known King for five years.

He said King was his top choice when recruiting wrestlers for the company.

“Todd is phenomenal as a wrestler,” he said. “He is a very good talker as well. He has a wealth of personality and I think at times he actually does not give himself enough credit for that.”

Despite his success, King plans to retire from wrestling this year.

“I gave myself a time frame when I first started,” he explained. “After 10 years, if I had not gotten to either a certain point where I should be or I deserve to be, then I was going to stop.”

Bustos had mixed feelings when he heard the news.

“I am excited and happy that he is going to start a new page of his life, but at the same time I am very, very bummed,” he said. “If I could wrestle Todd for the rest of my career, I would. He is one of those opponents that you want to wrestle every night because you know he is going to bring out the best in you.”

Arreguin was also affected by the news.

“I feel bad,” he said. “He is one of my best friends I have known him for a long time and the fact that I will not see him at shows anymore, or at least that much, makes me sad.”

Allen said he hopes King will reconsider.

“I believe he still has a lot to offer (Fans United) and I know it would be a huge loss to his fans if he were to go that route,” he said.

King is planning on re-enrolling at Southwestern College this fall. He is going to experiment in the liberal arts, and take some drawing and theatre classes.

“In high school I took animation for three years, so I have always been into art,” he said. “It is just something I am drawn to.”

He promised to leave the barbed wire at home.

A pair of gold medals for special SWC athlete

By Gonzalo Quintana Staff Writer

Steam rose from the sienna track before the start of the Special Olympics 4x100m relay, but it was sprinter Janice Brooks who was smokin’.

Brooks, a custodial assistant at Southwestern College, blistered around the turn and handed off the baton and a huge lead that her team held on to for the gold medal.

Her smile grew wide as she playfully boasted.

“I ran so fast,” she said. “They couldn’t stop me.”

They also couldn’t out throw her. Brooks won a second gold medal in the shot put, one of four the gregarious young athlete took home from the 21st annual Special Olympics regional track meet at Point Loma Nazarene University.

Brooks said she has been a Special Olympian for six years and plans to take part in the 2015 World Games in Los Angeles.

She acknowledges a competitive spirit, but does not lose sight of the true purpose of the events.

“It’s about having fun with people,” she said.

Jessica Lanier is Brooks’ coach and a teacher of special education at Greg Rogers Elementary.

“She is very encouraging, not only to her brothers but to the rest of the athletes,” said Lanier. “She’s like a champion for everybody.

She wants everybody to win, to have fun and to be happy.”

Brooks, born and raised in Chula Vista, has an affinity for rock music. She said she has seen Van Halen, Aerosmith, Poison and Mötley Crüe in concert.

“I like to scream my lungs out for the band and sing with them,” she said.

Brooks also said she likes getting her nails done every month.

“It takes the stress away,” she said.

Roseanna Blake, job coach at SWC,

Karen Tome/staff

SPEED AND POWER — Custodial assistant Janice Brooks medals in the 100m sprint during the 21st annual Special Olympics regional track meet. She won gold in the shot put and 4x100m relay.

said Brooks works well with the rest of the cleaning crew.

“She’s always willing to help her coworkers,” said Blake. “She gets along with everyone.”

Lanier said Brooks is always inspiring to those around her.

“Janice is a fun-loving girl,” she said.

“She always has a smile on her face.”

Though Brooks said she absolutely loves working at SWC, she has long-term goals.

“I’d love to be a Special Olympics coach,” she said.

Until then, Brooks has another challenge – finding room to di s p l a y a l l h e r t ra c k a n d fi e l d awards.

With contributions by Karen Tome

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Athletes enshrined in SWC Jaguar Hall of Fame

By Evan Cintron Staff Writer

A Major League Baseball star, a college coaching legend and an international softball sensation led six inductees into the Southwestern College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Claude Gilbert, the iconic SDSU and San Jose State football coach, was inducted into his third Hall of Fame. His 40-year old career began at SWC in 1966.

Miranda Bleisch emigrated from the Netherlands and attended SWC, where she first began playing softball in 1999 and was First Team AllConference. In 2002 she transferred to Point Loma Nazarene, where she set multiple records. Bleisch later pitched for the Dutch National Softball Team and enjoyed success as a studentathlete and an ambassador for softball in her native land.

Anthony and Lena Walker were the first brother-sister duo inducted into the SWC Bleisch Athletic Hall.

Anthony had a stellar baseball career at SWC and played Major League ball for the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates. He runs Art of Baseball Company in Vacaville, California, where he and other former players teach the next generation.

Lena Walker began her basketball career at SWC in 1979 and led the college to a Pacific Coast Conference Championship. In 1981 she received a full scholarship to Utah State University and was selected to the NCAA Regional Women’s Basketball Team. She was also named Utah State’s Best Defensive Player.

Karen Day Cravens has been an Exercise Science Professor at SWC for 32 years and coached the women’s Apache and Jaguar intercollegiate volleyball teams from 1981 to 2004. She coach three teams to Mission/ Pa c i f i c C o a s t Conference Lena Walker Championships.

Enshrinement holds a special place in her heart, she said.

“I’ve served on the committee for nine years,” she said. “We originally decided the primar y reason for establishing this event was to connect with those who have achieved so much through athletics. We are able to look back at outstanding athletes and coaches who did amazing things no one remembers and to acknowledge them and say thank you for what you have done for Southwestern.”

Brad Platt is the exercise and fitness specialist coordinator a t S WC a n d was a recordbreaking quarterback for the Apaches i n 2 0 0 1 . He Anthony Walker received a full scholarship to SDSU, where he was the starting quarterback for two years.

Current Jaguar student-athletes and coaches were also honored.

Sophomore soccer defender Celine Ibarra and sophomore runner Carlos Ponce were SWC’s Academic Athletes of the Year. Athlete of the Year was awarded to sophomore softball first baseman Sonia Mazon, sophomore jumper Brandon Greene and sophomore linebacker Khaalid Abdullah. Women’s basketball coach Darnell Cherry and men’s soccer coach Cem Tont won Coach of the Year awards, while football coach Pete Tauvela was named Assistant Coach of the Year.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

The Southwestern College Sun

April 7 - May 25, 2014 — Volume 57, Issue 7

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four former Olympic athletes coach at Southwestern: DR. DURO Agbede (Nigeria), ANGELA Rock (USA), TONIE Campbell (USA), philam Garcia (Guam).

SWC’s women’s Cross Country team has dominated CALIFORNIA DURING THE 21ST CENTURY. Dr. Mark Van Stone is a leading global expert on Mesoamerican cultures.

Dr. Terry Russell’s brilliant vocal ensembles have performed at Carnegie Hall and throughout the world.

SWC’S Dental Hygiene Program graduates highly paid professionals.

Jason’s Cafe has the south bay’s best coffee, coolest baristas and most generous owner.

Southwestern’s app is a welldesigned tool for the 21st century. Helpful and easy to use.

Dr. jeff nevin’s mariachi garibaldi is the world’s best collegiate mariachi, and has represented swc in russia, china, mexico, and europe.

Raj Chopra fired SWC’s web designer Eli Singh, and the college’s online presence has been a train wreck ever since.

our college’s brilliant improv troupe is popular throughout the county for creating humorous and thoughtful theatre on the spot.

Baseball coach Jerry Bartow built a Field of Dreams AND MENTORED LEGIONS OF YOUNG MEN.

Only one in four SWC remedial math students complete an AA or transfer.

bathrooms are filthy and smell, But Rather than replace custodians, SWC hires more administrators.

—

During 15 years of wrangling over the corner lot, more than two dozen board members and administrators have confessed to crimes or resigned, but nothing has been built.

SWC and the SWC foundation HONOR 20 outstanding SCHOLAR/ACTIVISTS/ARTISTS eVERY YEAR WITH THE STUDENT OF DISTINCTION AWARD. trigger-happy cop Michael Cash is a national laughing stock.

Raj k. chopra set in motion an administration built on arrogance and selfishness rather than service to students and our community.

Hell’s Kitchen should be shot in SWC’s unpopular cafeteria.

Arlie Ricasa confesses to criminal activity, much of it committed on campus. but gets a pass from her cronies in administration. too many swc students are apathetic enough to be zombies in "the walking dead".

Dan Cordero, Kim Garza, Wendy Gracia, Gabriel Hernandez, Joaquin junco Jr., Andrea Munguia/Staff

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The Southwestern College Sun

> REVIEW

April 7- May 25, 2014 Volume 57, Issue 7

ARTS

New help for arts transfers

Jazz

Resurrection

By Victoria Leyva v Staff Writer

Like fine wine, jazz musicians improve with age. SWC’s Big Band and Jazz Improvisation ensembles featured geriatric players with great talent and considerable fluency.

Billy Strayhorn’s “Take the ‘A’ Train,” the opening number, sounded like what a black and white New York movie looked like. It was easy to imagine the music in a Woody Allen movie from the 1970s. Trumpets were loud and vibrant, but kept a fine balance that did not overpower the other instruments. One trumpet soloist in the back row stood to perform his solo, but was nearly inaudible over the complex and rapid piece. Each note was performed with gusto and it was impossible to find any section of the band that had fault in their musicianship.

For such an energetic piece it was surprising to see that the big band was compiled of men who were balding, bespectacled and bored. It was evident that the older men had the upper hand on youths playing jazz until they had to lean forward to their music stands and squint to read from the program.

Singer Mitchell Horne and the band plunged into “Sway” by Pablo Beltran Ruiz. Horne stood by the piano clad in a crisp black suit looking all the part of a young jazz singer. Although executed exceptionally, the cheesy lyrics and style made the piece drag. Musicians tapped their loafers and played background as Horne sang. Although he sang on key and had obvious talent, he appeared bored and stiff.

Walking out into the spotlight draped by a sparkly sequined shawl, Jean Davis’s smile lit up the entire auditorium.

Performing Alan Lerner’s “Almost Like Being in Love” the songstress’s talent shone as vibrantly as her personality.

She snapped, tapped and danced on stage as a saxophonist performed a scintillating solo. His hands danced along the length of his instrument as it weaved together a complex piece of

music driven by passion. Davis’s voice was rich and velvety, and transformed her into a seductive jazz singer.

Sparking off with Duke Ellington’s “Caravan,” the big band created an image of big city life. Cars raced along a boulevard fueled by the high hat and pulsating drums. People jostled down a crowded sidewalk powered by the frantic exchange between the brass. The only moment the song faltered was when a trumpet soloist in the back row stood and began to play but did not push enough air into his instrument. Not deterred by the mistake, he powered through the remaining solo with such spirit and skill that any remnants of his weak opening dissipated.

At intermission the big band of older gentlemen filed off of stage while the SWC jazz improvisation band, consisting of more older gentlemen, came on.

Pe r f o r m i n g G e o r g e G e r s h w i n’s “ Su m m e r t i m e ,” v o c a l i s t M . A . E . struggled. She was picked up by her band when the musicians took the spotlight back and the song began to swell with energy. One by one soloists stood and breathed new life into the old standard.

A 79-year-old guitarist set free the magic with his aged hands and fiery spirit with each note he silently moved his mouth as if he was speaking to his instrument. Every time he hit a difficult high note, his shoulder and head would spike up as if he was possessed by his own music. He showed the younger generations represented in the band how to create great art on the spot.

Miles Davis was smiling from Heaven and the audience was keeping time in their seats on Earth. Jazz, as it always has, found a way to connect the terrestrial with the divine.

> REVIEW

Deeply creative Student Art Show is a wonder

By Gonzalo Quintana Staff Writer

College leaders wrestling over the design and mission of the notorious “corner lot” ought to start making it a habit to attend visual and performing arts events. Our corner lot ought to highlight our college’s strong arts programs with performance and exhibition spaces for our elite Mariachi, Concert Choir, ceramics and 2-D arts programs.

The arts — particularly theatre and vocal music — used to be the face of the college. With some foresight, the arts can lead Southwestern College out of its decade of darkness.

This year’s Student Art Show is a perfect example of the power of art to lead and inspire. Talented students filled the Southwestern College Art Gallery with an array of emotional and provocative creations that challenged the mind and spoke to the soul.

Draped in a blood red veil, the woman’s

eyes in the painting “Constrained” by Marina Correa, are covered. Lace patterns conceal her state. Her arms are wrapped tightly around her torso, either to comfort or restrict herself, perhaps both. Her posture seems to signify suffering.

Rosemary Puente’s “Weeping Time Traveler” is a drawing of a man in a suit sitting hunched over on a bench. His hand covers his face as a pocket watch dangles.

Clocks of different sizes behind the traveler are all curiously stuck at or around 8:20.

This piece demonstrates our societal obsession with time as we are inclined to dwell either in the past or future, instead of focusing on the present.

With lips slightly puckered and hair strands hanging across her face, the subject in an untitled drawing by Pauline Ortiz captures the true beauty of femininity.

Her wide eyes captivate and peer back at those who stare. Her face is both sensual and innocent.

Simulating a wondrous dream state, one please see ART pg. B8

Serina Duarte/ Staff

MAKING A SPLASH — “Dream Collage” by Francisco Ros was an impressive standout at an excellent Student Art Show.

By Wendy Gracia Assistant Campus Editor

Getting a little academic guidance can be tough at Southwestern College. Counselors are hopelessly outnumbered, outgunned and often outdated.

SWC’s student-per-counselor ratio is 1,200 to 1, one of the worst in California. Even more troubling for art students, most of our over-worked counselors are underprepared to help creatives.

Faculty at SWC’s School of Arts and Communication are looking to change that with a new push to provide counselors with the information art students need to transfer.

Professor of Photography Micajah Truitt, chair of the Visual Arts Department, and other full-time faculty, are working on putting together a list of possible transfer schools with visual arts programs.

“We decided that we want to try and work with counseling better and work with students better to try and show them what kind of opportunities they have,” he said. “Especially beyond just SDSU. Each program or discipline within visual arts is working on its own list of schools and we’re trying to do local, statewide and national.”

Truitt said he is working to put together a list of schools with particularly strong multimedia, and photography, programs.

“I’ve got a short list for people who are looking more industry versus nonindustry,” he said. “You have to know what your student wants to do.”

Students looking to transfer to schools with strong art programs should be receiving just as much information and guidance as students looking to transfer to a UC and USC, he said.

“In the end, students are going to make their own way however they do it,” said Truitt. “The most common path, and the best path usually to help them down the road, is going to be to finish their bachelor’s somehow.

So getting them to transfer somehow, some way. They may not end up in art, they may end up in something else.”

Nikko Mueller, Assistant Professor of Art, is contributing to the project.

He said his emphasis is based on academic prowess, which relates more so to two-dimensional art, such as fine arts and painting.

“My hope is that the end of this term, my list will be a part of a document for everybody to put input in based on their specific areas of expertise,” he said. “The idea is that everybody will compile their stuff together and then we will pass that along to the counseling staff.”

By organizing this list, the visual arts instructors faculty hope to support students and counselors, said Mueller.

“I’m a believer in arts education being a part of a broader education,” he said. “I don’t think that everybody who studies art will or should or needs to become an artist, professionally speaking, but I think there’s important critical thinking and I think there is creative problem solving that is applicable beyond the field.”

Professor of Art David Quattrociocchi has had his own personal list of s c h o o l s h e h a s re c o m m e n d e d to students for many years.

He visited Art Center in Pasadena on his own time to verify its quality.

“You go there and you complete your three years, you come out essentially an art director,” he said.

“Then you’re in LA, which is a much better market place for work as a graphic designer.”

Los Angeles is a large hub for artists and art students, with galleries and art schools throughout the region, including powerhouses like Otis College of Art and Design and CalArts.

Quattrociocchi said he hopes students take the opportunity to “go away” to study, develop their independence and develop their new, adult lives.

“If you want to be a designer, basically you’ve got to leave San Diego county,” he said. “There’s not much opportunity for artists to live and make it in San Diego.”

Daphne Jauregui, editor

ARTS

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

April 7 - May 25, 2014 Volume 57, Issue 7

> REVIEW

‘Reluctant Doctor’ can still tickle the funny bone

By Gabriel Hernandez Cartoonist

If laughter is really the best medicine, “The Reluctant Doctor” should be on everyone’s health plan.

“The Reluctant Doctor,” a relatively short play performed in Mayan Hall, capitalized on its own ridiculousness with even more ridiculousness.

Updated to be wackier than the already-ridiculous 1966 original, director Michael Schwartz coaxed funny, if uneven performances from his cornball cast.

Sganarelle, (Trevor King) a good-fornothing woodsman posing as a worldrenown physician, attempts to fool folks with highly-embellished and hilariouslyinaccurate medical advice. King frequently dropped out of character and seemed mechanical between lines, yet when he was engaged he was a croud-pleasing comedian.

Ge ro n t e ( Ky l e L o rd ) a n d t h e unaccredited Grim Reaper were a sidesplitting comedic team. Lord was amusing

as the sickly man who snapped to attention and took his medication when he saw the Reaper lurking.

Other cast members in their acting debuts delivered lively performances.

Cierra White was a standout supported

by Olajuwon Tatum. Juan Palomino portrayed Monsieur Robert with a puppet, that was cheeky and delightful. Juan Covarrubias and Cynthia Galaz Ochoa also turned in fine comedic performances.

Music complemented the ridiculous nature of the show. One song featured the entire cast playing kazoos under the direction of Austin Aragorn. A catchy French soundtrack kept the audience energized and humming along between scenes. Some of the cast though, seemed uncomfortable with the musical interludes.

“The Reluctant Doctor” was relaxed and captured a simple and goofy feel throughout that delighted its smallish audience.

Playing doctor, it seems, can be fun.

Photos

by

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> REVIEW

Orchestras, Concert Choir a magical mix

By Cesar Hirsch Staff Writer

“Night on Bald Mountain” has never been so hairy. Mozart was a Wolf (gang) in sheep’s clothing. Hays’ “Requiem” could wake the dead.

All in all a good gig by three of the South County’s most talented musical groups.

“A Night of Instrumental Music” was a harmonious blend of the Southwestern College Orchestra, Concert Band and Concert Choir that brought the curtain down on the semester’s concert season with style.

Under the graceful baton of director Deborah Nevin, the Concert Band featured an array of works by classical composers like Clare Grundman, Danny Elfman, Norman Dello Joio, Gary Gilroy, Mark Hayes and Robert W. Smith.

Grundman’s “Fantasy on American Sailing Songs” was a robust and lovely medley of folk songs. Joio’s “Satiric Dances” was filled with discordant wonder and unexpected, cacophonic pronouncements. Violent rhythms and percussive teasing were met with wild applause.

It was a less tempestuous journey for the slick SWC Symphony Orchestra.

Dr. Jeff Nevin conducted “Allegro con brio” from Mozart’s Symphony No. 25 in G Minor and gave an eerie glimpse into the troubled side of Amadeus an appropriately stormy performance by the orchestra set the audience on edge and challenged members to forget about magic flutes and explore Mozart’s genius in all its forms.

Popular Jaguar singer Jesus Jimenez rocked Mozart’s “Turkish” Concerto.

His bracing account brought a breath of energy to an overplayed staple in violin literature. It was a sweet musical dialogue between the orchestra and soloist as Jimenez masterfully guided the orchestra through Mozart’s playful melodies. Wolfy would have howled with delight.

Southwestern’s esteemed Concert Choir crept on to the stage for Hayes’s melancholy “Requiem.” Refusing to play mood, it had a hopeful narrative and an incandescent finish, thanks to Dr. Terry Russell’s brilliant vocalists and Debra Nevin’s skillful Concert Band. Words and music, man, they need each other.

Southwestern’s musical programs are a point of pride for this community rocked by scandals and controversies in our K-12 and community college systems.

Music at Bonita Vista High School and Southwestern College have lifted our community’s weary gaze away from the crass and toward the sublime.

K aren Tome

THE DOCTOR IS NOT IN THE HOUSE— (clockwise from above ) Martine talks to her husband, who is impersonating a doctor, with Valere (Andrew Woodend) and (Braulio Fernandez). Sganarelle (Trevor King), the drunken woodcutter-cum-fake doctor. Monsieur Robert (Juan Palomino) and his puppet get ready to rumble with Sganarelle.

Multi-talented theatre artist famous for funny, excels at edgy

By Andrew Perez Staff Writer

passion for theatre knows no bounds.”

After a couple of years at Southwestern, Bryant Hernandez is famous for playing a Hernandez said he worked as an Associate sheep, but he is anything but sheepish. His Intern at the George Street Playhouse in recent play “Tricks,” was a bold revealing New Jersey and The Blue Heron Theatre look into relationships in the in New York. He also studied gay community. theatre at the University of North “We Hernandez has always Carolina, where he earned a BFA bucked convention. He is an constantly degree.

SWC theatre rat and alumnus “I moved around a lot,” he said. have to with a rich list of dramatic “All these jobs helped me to hone fight for achievements. my craft and better understand In 1995 Hernandez and the dedication that theatre people our right some kindred spirits snuck have for their job.” to be who into Mayan Hall for top-secret In 2006 Hernandez moved operations late one Thursday we are, to back to Chula Vista where he night. Janitors and campus was hired as a teaching artist at love.” police looked the other way The Old Globe Theatre and a as Hernandez and his band development associate at the La of boardwalkers who called Jolla Playhouse.

Bryant themselves “The Delta Psi Hernandez wrote the criticallyHernandez Omega” rehearsed and created acclaimed “Tricks,” staged by the until dawn.

Chronos Theatre Group at the “It was very bohemian,” he said. “I am in Tenth Avenue Arts Center in Downtown great debt to the janitors who left the doors San Diego. Set in New York, the play open for us and most of all to Bill Virchis features Daryl (Jacob Narcy), a young man for giving us the incentive to work harder.” who is kicked out of his parent’s house in Virchis, former SWC Professor of California for being gay.

Theatre, remains a fan of Hernandez. He Daryl hitchhikes to New York, where he directed Hernandez in many productions, earns money from the tricks he turns in a including the very popular Christmas park. He meets Hank, played by Hernandez, musical “La Pastorela” at the Old Globe and a married father who is wrestling with his San Diego Repository Theater. sexuality. Despite Hank’s persistence and “Bryant has this incredibly infectious money, Daryl refuses to provide service energy that comes through whenever he because he can only supply sex, not the love writes or acts or directs,” he said. “He was that Hank so desperately wants. the best actor in our Pastorelas and his Sandra Ruiz, the director of “Tricks,” said

Karen Tome/ Staff

COMEDIAN AND GAY RIGHTS WARRIOR — Critically-acclaimed playwright, director and actor Bryant Hernandez is a comic whiz as Crespo the Sheep in “La Pastorela” and Memo the Latino Angel in “Journey of the Skeletons,” but he writes and directs hard-hitting plays about gay rights and LGBT issues in America.

she first met Hernandez while performing in “La Pastorela” at the Old Globe. She portrayed the deadly sin Greed and Hernandez was Crespo the Sheep.

“We quickly became the best of friends,” Ruiz said. “He is a wonderful, loving human being and we share a passion for theatre that connects us creatively.”

Theatre is where Hernandez said he truly feels at home.

“I grew up in a Mexican Catholic family and as a gay person I am not really accepted,” he said. “Theatre is different. Our art demands all of us to be vulnerable and more open hearted.”

Hernandez said that despite the growing

acceptance of gay culture in society, coming out will not get any easier.

“There will always be that struggle,” he said. “We constantly have to fight for our right to be who we are, to love. And society still tries to take that away from us. But until then, there will always be hope that things will get better.”

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April 7 - May 25, 2014 Volume 57, Issue 7

ARTS

The Southwestern College Sun

> REVIEW

Serina Duarte/ Staff

BLOOD ON THE TRACKS — Crystal Plascencia’s shocking photo “You Wouldn’t Understand” was a conversation starter.

ART: Show is a brilliant display of rich student talent Continued from Page B1

of three works named “Dream Collage”

by Francisco Ros, a graphic image, exhibited a person caught in a fiery SunMoon hybrid and falling from an ocean in this dream world’s sky.

“Big Brother” is an intriguing sculpture

by Vida Mercado. This half face has but one eye, its left one, that is a rounded mirror. A handheld camera directly behind the eye records all it sees. The focus of this work is a small person who sits atop the bridge of the face’s nose, chained by its ankle and attached to the larger piece.

“You Wouldn’t Understand,” an eyecatching photo by Crystal Plascencia, shows one woman in two different poses.

Dressed in a black bra and shorts, she is covered in blood. In one position, she is crouched down on the ground, cell phone in her right hand, a gun in her other, pointed to her head. In a closer shot, her bloody hand reaches out in a call for help from the viewer.

Sometimes some things only make sense to the artist. Sometimes we need time to reflect, like Don McLean’s “Vincent,” his tribute to van Gogh.

“Now I think I know what you tried to say to me.”

Tough axe to follow

By Mason Masis Online Editor

Two of the college’s best-kept secrets let the world know that the cat is officially out of the bag.

Concertgoers were treated to a delightful double bill as the SWC Guitar Ensemble and Latin Jazz Band nearly caved in Mayan Hall with breakout performances.

Ushers should have issued hard hats.

Dr. Jorge Pastrana conducted a well-strung showcase of his bands and even sat in for a few bars to remind his students why he is called doctor.

Pastrana’s Guitar Ensemble melded perfectly, playing with a tone and legato seldom heard from the world’s most misunderstood instrument. A running bass line was full and rich, though heard more than felt, which occasionally upturned the pyramid of sound.

Rudy Marquez stole the show with his impressive solos throughout the evening, most notably his wicked jazz guitar solo during “Gentle Rain.” His acoustic sang like lightning with a sound that seemed to move the air through the theater. Pastrana joined in shadowing Marquez to evolve the solo into a memorable duet.

“Trio Facil for Trois Guitares” by

Leonhard von Call showcased the bands’ technical guitar skills and attention to direction.

It had a tough act to follow by the Latin Jazz Band sang, jammed and burned the house down.

“Chega de Saude” featured vocalists Sandra Baker and Alan Luna singing in English and Portuguese, seamlessly blending Caribbean-inflected jazz with Brazilian master. It was as Frank Sinatra meets Desi Arnez.

Alto saxophonist Alfredo López, guest tenor saxophonist David Castel de Oro, and trumpeters Mike Garcia and Patrick Moreno were featured soloists who created original art on the spot while respectfully honoring the greats who had come before.

“Land of Make Believe” by Chuck Mangione brought some funk and fun to the performance and capped the night with a reminder that jazz, in all its vast forms, is music that belongs to the musicians shared with the audience.

Pastrana’s students did the most important thing musicians can do and sent the audience out into the evening air dancing and singing.

Moreover, they sent a message to the college’s more well-known ensembles – clear some space at the head table, cats, we’ve arrived.

John Domogma/Staff

HAIL CESAR— Cesar Carrillo rips through a solo over the steady beat of Roberto Melara.

Superstar anthropology professor is the doc who rocks Interested in plays, music, art galleries?

By Aydan Lopez Assistant Online Editor

Dr. Erin Browder rocks.

Literally.

And rocks hard.

Browder is the Clark Kent of college professors, mild-mannered anthropology teacher by day, rock star at night. Her colleagues profess to being in awe, including SWC Anthropology Professor Dr. Maria Jelaca-Tavakoli, her former student and mentee. Browder, she said, is a top-flight anthropologist.

“I think she’s amazing,” Jelaca-Tavakoli said. “She’s got excellent training and learned from some of the best in her field. She’s one of the best professors I have ever had.”

Browder also has considerable musical chops, said Jelaca-Tavakoli.

“She’s great, I have no idea how she does it,” Jelaca-Tavakoli said. “Usually people begin to falter in one singular area, but she hasn’t lagged in either of her jobs. Each job keeps growing and blossoming in quality.”

Browder graduated from Bonita Vista High and attended California Polytechnical University at Pomona where she pursued animal science as her major. She said she was not exactly sure what she wanted as a career until she had taken her first anthropology courses.

“I knew I wanted to study,” she said.

“At the time it was hard to choose. I love animals, so I thought I wanted to be a veterinarian, but careers are sometimes just serendipity.”

Browder transferred to UC Berkeley where she earned a Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D. in anthropology. She began working for Southwestern College shortly after and soon landed a professorship.

During her time as a college student she started playing the cello for fun.

“When I got into music, I perfected my skills with the cello and loved the sound,” she said.

Browder said she played classical cello music for personal enjoyment.

A chance encounter with high school acquaintance Drew Douglas changed

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JOUR-200-01, April Abarrondo/ Staff

FOR SHE’S A JOLLY GOOD CELLO — Cellist Dr. Erin Browder jams with grampadrew at the North Park Festival of the Arts.

that. Douglas, the lead singer of the band Grampadrew, told her about his dream band.

“I casually mentioned that my ideal band would have a cellist instead of bass,” Douglas said. “She told me she used to play but was out of practice. I pretty much told her on the spot that she should get in shape to play, because as far as I was concerned she was already in my band.”

Douglas said he had many mutual friends who knew Browder since high school but did not get to know her well until she joined the band.

“It just seems like she has always been out on the periphery of my life somehow until we finally partnered up to make

music,” he said.

Douglas said playing alongside Browder has been a breath of fresh air.

He had performed as a solo artist for years, he said, but could not shake the chill of working alone.

“That can be a lonely feeling,” he said.

“Before that I had left music entirely because having a band is like having four girlfriends. That kind of drama and tension can fuel some bands creatively, but more often than not it is a tiresome distraction from the process of making music.”

Grampadrew’s sound is a mixture of country, punk, indie rock and folk.

Browder herself did not exactly know what to call the band’s genre, but she said

it was most comparable to Americana.

Joining was an adjustment she said.

Douglas agreed.

“Being classically trained and playing contemporary music are very different beasts,” Douglas said. “I’m stylistically all over the place, but none of it is classical so I keep her on her toes.”

Browder continues to dig through history via anthropology and continues to dig the future through her music.

She and the band play gigs throughout the county, and she continues to inspire students in her anthropology classes.

Grampadrew will play soon at The Tin Can May 30. Browder will hand out diplomas on June 3. Both gigs are music to her ears.

“Newspaper Production” for the fall semester.

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Theatre icon returns to the stage Celebrated director and humanitarian dentist to receive SWC honorary degree

By Andrew Perez Staff Writer

William Virchis has dedicated his life to making stars. He made stars out of bashful students who had never dared to try theatre. He made stars out of writers who never had a chance to express themselves. He made a star out of Southwestern College.

On commencement day Virchis will have his own moment to shine.

SWC’s much-loved professor emeritus of theatre will receive the college’s highest recognition, an honorary degree.

More than 100 plays and musicals have graced the SWC stage thanks to Virchis, including memorable productions of “Hair,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “Grease” and “The Who’s Tommy.”

“Southwestern College has been a part of my life every day since 1962,” he said.

“I was a student back in the day and I was on the first wrestling team and I was a cheerleader.”

Virchis earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from SDSU, and came back to the college to teach theatre in 1971. He retired in 2001.

Virchis said his 30-year career was magical.

“The theatre department of SWC was internationally known and was the leader in innovative programs and productions,” he said. “They were known as the Golden Years.”

Bryant Hernandez, a successful actor and playwright, said he remembers his former mentor fondly.

“William Virchis helped pave the way for me into the profession,” he says. “He taught me to create and learn from my failures.

To continue despite falling down on my face.”

Actress Sandra Ruiz is also a Virchis fan.

“I love how Bill creates pictures on stage,” she said.

“He always makes these memorable touching images that tell the story without any words and his enthusiasm Photos Courtesy for theatre is MEN OF HONOR— Honorary degree recipients Professor Emeritus William Virchis (l) and Dr. Irv contagious.”

In 1989 Virchis Silverstein, DDS. Virchis is being recognized for his continued dedication to bringing inclusive performing co-founded Teatro arts to San Diego County, Dr. Silverstein for his efforts to provide dental care to low-income communties Máscara Mágica across the globe.

(Magic Mask), San Diego County’s first professional him, like a wrestler on the center of the the La Jolla Playhouse that opens June multicultural theatre company. TMM mat.”

11. The popular piece explores how gives voice to plays that celebrate Latino, Virchis overcame a debilitating birth Latino families struggle to maintain African-American and Asian-American defect that crippled his lower legs and Mexican cultural traditions in the cultures among others he said. TMM is feet to become a CIF champion wrestler United States. Hernandez has a lead best known for its critically-acclaimed at Chula Vista High School. He has part in the production.

“La Pastorela,” an annual holiday musical coached wrestling for 30 years at CVHS. Virchis said he is very honored to be now in its 24th year.

Virchis was honored by the Sweetwater this year’s degree recipient.

Aside from theatre work, Virchis loves Union High School District last year and “It is really nice that people at wrestling. had the district’s visual and performing Southwestern thought of me, I “The theatre to me is a metaphor for arts department named in his honor. appreciate that very much,” he said. wrestling,” Virchis said. “An actor stands His current project is a production of “Southwestern will always have a alone on the stage with a cast behind the comedy “Journey of the Skeletons” at special place in my heart.”

Capturing old Mexico before it fades away art comes to you, much like love,” he said.

Cavada said he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after high school and discovered his passion for photography.

“I started by taking pictures of the guys who wanted to send photos to their sweethearts back home,” he said. “I eventually began shooting weddings and other events. I got sent to Vietnam and there I would take pictures of everything until the night that we got blasted by a rocket.”

Shrapnel burned in his leg and enemy fire rattled the area, but Cavada made sure to grab his camera.

“As I made my way to the hospital, I was taking pictures of my leg, the ambulance, everything that was April Abarrondo/staff going on,” he said. “I always had my PURPLE HEART AND A HEART OF GOLD— Photographer Memo Cavada is a brilliant artist, historian and human rights camera with me.” activist. His Southwestern College exhibits draw thousands of viewers.

Cavada returned home with a leg injury and a Purple Heart inspired to pursue his studies at the Glen

By Cesar Hirsch time you admire one of his pieces,” Emeritus of Theatre, is a long-time Fishback School of Photography in Staff Writer she said. friend of Cavada who admires his California.

Me m o C a v a d a i s a C h i c a n o Cavada said he has romped through devotion to La Causa.

Working alongside legends like Ansel revolutionary and a human rights festivals and celebrations with his “Memo has always been in touch Adams, Cavada said he immersed warrior, but he has no beret and no camera, to capture every detail of with the human condition of those himself in the wonder of photography anger in his heart.

Mexican tradition. He has who have been unfairly and distilled his knowledge into a more His formidable battle armor is his climbed mountains and underserved,” Virchis refined, perfected essence. Adams was camera, a relentless clarion of truth backpacked through deserts said. a huge force in his development and “My and social justice. to eternalize a tradition C a v a d a’s f r i e n d s helped shaped his voice as an artist.

“My battleground, my weapon is that, in his eyes, is slowly battleground, call him a “peaceful “I got to work close to him in his my photography,” he said cheerfully. vanishing. warrior” who never darkroom and his influence on me was my weapon “As you get older your weapons “My whole mission in life backs away from a quality,” Cavada said. is my change.” is to preserve the cultures righteous fight.

From Adams he learned to preCavada said his intention is to and traditions of Mexico “Once in Mexico, visualize his scenes and study them photography. chronicle the truth and hidden beauty for future generations,” he while walking through meticulously in terms of structure and As you get of a world, particularly Mexican said. “I think if you don’t a desert, I ran into composition. traditions that flourish out of the sight capture it, all of the sudden a lady holding her Cavada also considers himself a older your and minds of most of humanity. it disappears, little by little.” child,” he said. “I could historian. He works to capture hope. weapons “The whole world seems to be A mission that is portrayed feel the bond she felt “An artist has sensors and I use mine change.” changing people’s lives and I capture in his upcoming book “The towards him and so I not to capture the terror in life, but that,” he said.

Spirit of Mexico,” which looked at her and said love and emotion – the good parts of Cavada’s work was showcased encapsulates a decade of his ‘I feel the love you life,” Cavada said.

Memo Cavada recently at an exhibit at the Centro work traveling all around have for your kid.’ That “You have to have compassion for Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park. Mexico, and is due to come same second I tenderly your work, “ he said. “If you don’t have His vivid colors and touching scenes out in the fall of 2015. Every drew my camera and compassion, you don’t capture it. You transported 21 st century Chicanos page drips in color depicting the captured that moment. I show love have to feel what you’re capturing. You and multicultural San Diegans to the richness and radiance of Mexican to get a reaction.” cannot photograph art if you have any wonders of Madre Mexico. culture.

In his daily life Cavada shows the hate in your heart.”

Centro co-curator Marisol de las “The intent of the book is to cover same tender spirit in coping with his Sincerity fuels excellence, Cavada Casa said she felt a deep connection all the cultures and traditions of artistic frustrations. said. with Cavada’s work.

Mexico,” Cavada said.

“There are days were I don’t capture “To be a true artist, you have to be “Your heart simply drops every William Virchis, SWC Professor anything, but I remind myself that a true person.”

Faculty leader recounts an ‘amazing’ year

By Balkis Nasery Staff Writer

Eric Maag’s friends joke that he has worn more hats this year than Pharrell Williams, Elton John and the Sweetwater Valley Little League combined.

Better toss in Queen Elizabeth and Johnny Depp.

SWC’s caffeine-fueled multi-tasker served as president of the faculty union, chair of the communication department, professor of communication and fiancé. One student went so far as to call him “The Jesus of education.”

Maag modestly denied that he can walk on water, but he acknowledged that he has had “a rather amazing year.”

He is still one of the highest-rated professors on Ratemyprofessor.com. One of Maag’s Communication 103 students wrote, “This guy is the Jesus of education. Simply an amazing person. Teaching skills are excellent.

Definition of a perfect teacher? I think so.”

His colleagues largely agree and selected him for the Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award last year.

He lead the faculty through a tense labor negotiation that included a campus protest over potential cuts to a faculty Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). Faculty stared down the college’s initial offer of a five percent pay cut and ended up with a 1.57 percent COLA paid by the Maag state. The faculty negotiated a $400,000 health, welfare and benefits boost, a five-day leave of absence without loss of salary and stipends for faculty with doctorates.

“Our protest was low-key, but firm and it sent the message that the faculty is united,” he said.

Prior to his union leadership, Maag was known across America as head coach for the brilliant Southwestern College forensics team. Against all odds (and against some of the nation’s best universities) he coached national champions.

Maag was previously a grievance officer in the faculty union and was eventually talked into running for vice president. That was a fateful decision. While Maag was V.P. the union president got a new position as an administrator at another college. Maag became the interim president. A special election followed and Maag was elected president. Shortly after, in December 2012, union cornerstone Phil Lopez died unexpectedly of a heart attack on the eve of his 65th birthday.

“That was a huge blow to all of us,” said Maag. “There were so many people who loved Phil as a friend. He played such a huge role, the bedrock for the union for so long. I was pretty devastated on a lot of levels.”

Maag’s constant motivation to serve well as president is due to the turbulent history of the school, and the role of it unions and faculty members in saving it.

“I have been so lucky to have this job and be a part of the institution,” he said. “You definitely get a lot of criticism, but you also get a lot of praise.”

Maag said his biggest accomplishments during his term as president were the COLA negotiations and the 200-person faculty protest against a district effort to cut COLA and vesting rights for part-time faculty.

Maag’s message to students is to get into extra curricular activities that connect students to the college at a deeper level, he said. Students should also be involved in the dialogue about SWC’s future.

“We are going through a lot of changes and we really need feedback from students, what is working and what is not so that we can move in the right direction,” he said.

Maag encourages students to express their ideas with one another, talk to faculty and attend governing goard meetings. Great ideas come from students, he said.

This summer Maag will continue teaching, serving as department chair and getting married. He said he needs a new hat, husband.

“It’s been a great year,” he said “And it’s only getting better.”

2

Commencement Edition 2014—Volume 57, Special Edition

GRADUATION

The Southwestern College Sun

2013 Fall Graduates

• Andrea Acosta • Shaun Adame • Joe Aguirre • Melissa Aguirre • Jorge Agundez • Alexis Alarid • Francine Alba-Menchaca • Mervin Alfonso • Joshua Almada • Jon Alva • Nytza Alvarado • Mercedes Alvarez • Andrea Alvarez • Wilbure Anderson • Maria Anguiano • Alejandto Angulo • Hilda Araiza • Michelle Armendariz • Jacqueline Arrieta • Omar Asfar • Mary Kay Audencial • Oliver Austria • Cynthia Avalos • Michelle Aviles • Leonardo Ayala • Kristoffer Babadilla • Sarah Bagasan • Dean Barrows • Jenia Bautista • Veronica Becerra • Mary Beck • Chantal Bedros • Ashley Beltran • Diana Benavidez • Ana Bermudez • Robert Bermudez • Blanca Blas • Roberto Bonilla • Linda Borunda • Catherine Brandt • Gary Briles • Benjamin Broida • Anthony Bui Jorge Cabrera • Romulo Cachuela • Mardino Calantoc • Ruby Carr • Roda Cercado • Jonelle Chansky • David Collins Jr • Joseph Cordero • Giovanni Coronel • Hector Corral • Joshua Corrao • Marina Correa • Jon Cortez • Jeremy Costales • Monaliza Cruz • Rafael Cuadras • Francisco Curiel • Cynthia Curry • Zachary Danford • Jireh Jane Datuin • Rick Daugherty • Melissa Davila • David De Leon • Alberto Decima • Chona May Dela Cruz • Michele Denoyer • Noemi Diaz • Karla Diaz-Parga • Kelly Dirks • Yahaira Dominguez • Isela Dorame • Gavin Doudna • Charles Dowe • Jacqueline Ellis • Rolando Enriquez • Ghelenn Espanto • Bianca Estrada • Esther Fabian • Veronica Faz • Monica Fernandez • Cindy Fernando • Lance Fickas • Fiana Finau • William Frisch • Bertha Garay • Samuel Garcia • Pablo Garcia • Laura Garcia • Matthew Geary • Yair Gersten • Miriam Goff • Kisai Gonzalez • Juan Gonzalez • Stephanie Gonzalez • Maria Elena Googins • David Grable • Wendy Gracia • Mistee Granpil • Monica Green • Mark Griego • Claudia Grijalva • Victoria Grojean • Genevieve Guarnes • Ana Guerrero • Lorena Guerrero • Oliver Gutierrez • Arely Guzman • Olga Haley • Matthew Hendricks • Luz Elena Hernandez • Katherine Heuss • Anna Hidalgo • Jeffrey Hillman • Eugenio Hinayhinay • Graciela Hinojosa • Charlene Hinton • Stephanie Hoffman • Javonlee Honrada • Christopher Hubilla • Wayne Humble • Miriam Hurtado • Lucia Ibarra • Sergio Ibarra Perez • Gerald Izaguirre • Michelle Jones • Krystle Jones • Michelle Kajanus • Tanya Kamminga • Dalton Kassab • Cheryll Kidd • Anthony Labrum • Marina Lacayo • Michael Lalor • Marycruz Lepe • Briana Lewis • Angelo Limpin • Natalia Lizarraga • Fabiola Lopez • Alisa Lopez • Jessica Lopez • Norma Lopez • Edgar Lopez-Ruiz • Rut Loya • Angie Lu • Carla Rose Lumanlan • Teresa Luna • Jesus Ma • Maria Leonisa Magno • Kristin Mahaffey • Michael Mahnke • Russell Malapha • James Malloy • Theresa Mao • Carlos Martinez • Jaime Martinez • Brandon Meier • Samuel Mejia • Sarah Mendez • Christianna Mendez • Emilio Mendieta • Philip Merghart III • Destiny Merritt • Brenda Miguel • Ezequiel Montesdeoca • Alvaro Morales • Hector Morales • Lizbeth Morales • Maria Morett • Derrick Mosley • Albert Munguia • Rafael Munoz • Lauren Murray • Lizette Nava • Diego Nicasio • Ivan Nuno • Claudio Ocano • Maria Lane Ocular • Richard Oliver • Louis Olmeda • Amia O’neal • E lizabeth Originales • Edyth Originales • Petra Ortega • Kristine Ortiguerra • Veronica Ortiz • Maria-Angelica Pedriquez • Evana Peinado • Mayra Pena • Juan Perez • David Perez • Patricia Perez • Monica Perez-Isaac • Marie Pierre • Emmanuel Pompa • Natalia Ponce • Marc Poynter • Devin Price • Ashleen Quicho • Enrique Quijada • Kevin Rabuco • Fernando Ramirez • Vanessa Ramirez • Laura Ramos • Romer Ramos • Henry Raygoza • Edgar Razon • David Reeves • Luis Rementeria • Rashad Ridley • Richard Rinker • Yvette Rivera • Jonathan Rocha • Richard Rodriguez • Rene Rodriguez • Danielle Romero • Manuel Romero • Jessica Romero • Tanya Romero • Chantha Ros • Jeremy Ruiz • Steven Rumney • Chris Larenz Santarin • Cory Santeliz • Julissa Santoyo • Heidi Schouten • Jasmine Shannon • Julian Silvas • Barrry Smith • Carlos Soto • Neil Spackman • Kevin Stanzione • Angelique Street • Jose Sustaita • Sharelle Swift • Mia Rose Tabuena • Blanca Talbott • Vonn Albert Tan • Brian Thai • Talitha Thompson • Riana Tilford • Veronica Tovar • Veronica Trejo • Hether Troncatti • Shannon Tunks • Tanya Urias • Gilda Valdez • Giovanna Valencia • Elvira Vallecillo • Arianna Vargas • Mitzi Vazquez • Eugene Velasquez • Sandra Velasquez • Magaly Vera • Richie Villafuerte • Kathryn Villamor • Marielena Villavicencio • Ronald Visconti • Lee Visconti • Brittany Warner • Jaimie Wood • Ricky Yin • Raymond Zapata • Nadine Zuniga

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Congratulations 2014 Spring Graduates

• Priscilla Abedoy • Paris Bertiz Abujen • Karina Rubi Acedo • Maileen Itzl Acevedo • Andrea Acevedo • Jeffrey Hernandez Acosta • Rochelle A Aguayo • Samantha Diaz Aguiar • Vanessa Aguilar • Daniela Ivana Aguilar • Damian Aguilar • Salvador Librado Aguilar • Kimberly Kaye Aguilar • Andrew James Aguilar • Miriam I Aguilar • Patrice Marie Aguilar • Jorge Alberto Aguilar Jr. • Angelica Magalit Aguinaldo • Amanda Lorena Aguirre • Silvia Aguirre • Sajdah N Ahmad-Shelton • Yadira Ahumada • Linda Josephine Ajero • Iman Nur Al-Kudsy • Jessica Alejandra Alarcon • Michelle Alatorre • Mayela Alatorre • Adonis Nicholas Albright • Roxana Sabid Alcaraz • Hammam Aldais • Hammam Mamdouh Aldais • Judith Fernandez Alegado • Bernard Philip Alexander • Edith Nallely Alfaro • Ericka Algandar • Hena Ali • Itzel Alonso • Charlye Alonso • Kaysie Cruz Alonzo • Diana M Alonzo-Frutiz • Rosaleen Alva Alvarado • Miroslava Mahali Alvarado • Salvador Alvarado • Margarito George Alvarado • Elizabeth Yajaira Alvarado • Jaime Fulgencio Alvarez • Brenda Esmeralda Alvarez • Andres A. 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Hernandez • Miriam Hernandez • Evelyng Hernandez • Omar J. Hernandez • Eunice Elizabeth Hernandez • Valeria Aimee finish school Hernandez Blake • Samuel Herrea • Edgar Herrera • Andrew Herrera • Berenice Herrera • Bethany Suzanne Herzog • Loren Hicks • Angie P. Himaka • Danny Ho • Alysha Nicole Hodges • Lynn N. Hollinger • Christine Corado Holman • Tamara Sharatz Holstad • Your WaY! Yunuen A. Hoover • Omar Horta • Felicia G House • Sylvia J Howes • Sylvia Jimenez Howes • Elba O. Hoyo • Luowen Hu • Rocky Dale Huber • Lelya Avila Hulse • Charlina Ann Humerick • Nicole Leeann Hunnicutt • Lucia Elpidia Ibarra • Jennifer Guadalupe Ibarra • Javier Ibarra • Liacel Ibarra • Roxanna Abigail Ibarra • Sergio Anthony Ibarra Perez • Ramika Iem • Oscar Enrique IribeMora • Amanda Raquel Islas • Roberto Manuel Islas • Marian Camitan Jaberina • Daniel Yousaku Jackson • Melissa Anel Jacobo • Colton Lee Jett • Sandra Lizette Jimenez • Christian Jimenez • Francisco Javier Jimenez • Justin Jimenez • Priscilla Carolina Jimenez Molina • Benjamin Jacob Jo • Ylva M Jogoleff • Veronica Rose Johnson • Shanell Ashlie Johnson • Susana Johnson • Katerina Jones • Luz Marina Jones • Tai-Lynia Margret Jones • Wayne Anthony Michael Jones • Wayne Anthony Michael Jones Ii • Elexys Rishelle Juric • Katlynn Elizabeth Justus • Michelle Kajanus • Chanphirum Kan • Chan Phirum Kan • Jason Randolph Kane • Cindy Kasi • Sameel Khaliq • Kyral Edward King • Raven Berlin Kinsler • Audrey Genevieve Kocerha • Farah Krayem • Denny Keith Kremer Iii • Kristine Veronica Kruger • Danny La • Llewelyn Tan Labio • David Labonte • Katarina Cassidy Labuguen • Armando Laguna • Chandarong Shawn Lam • Anakaren Lambarena • Maria Elouiza Dejesus Landero • Katy Anne Lane • Katherine Gail Lardizabal • Carlos Alexandro Larios • Katie Elizabeth Lasswell • Naomi Nichole Lathan-Phillips • Tran Nam Le • Brittni Nicole Leblanc • Gabriella Melissa Ledezma • Elsa Berenice Ledezma • Katrina Nikkole Lee • Jin Hwa Lee • Donna Rose Legaspi • Jacalyn Leigh • Jesus Manuel Leon • Rocio Leon de Lopez • Lucia Victoria Leon-Demartinez • Julia Beatriz Licea • Nga Ngoc Lieu • Angelo Soliman Limpin • Anjanette Lisa Lively • Ismael Lopez • Jannet Lopez • Evelyn Lopez • Jose Alberto Lopez • Tisha Ann Lopez • Laura Lopez • Paulina Lizbeth Lopez • Edgar Lopez • Julian Victor Lopez • Daisy Lopez • Angelica Bernebea Lopez • Elva Denisse Lopez • Gabriela Lopez Serrano • Mariel Lopez-Cotero • Jonathan Albert Lowe • Maria Ofelia Lozano • Graciela Lugo • Denisse Ann Luna • Erick Joseph Luna • Alejandra Monique Luna • Jorge Giovanni Luna • Talanoa Kealiihopeole Lutu • Elizabeth Gutierrez Macias • Dominique Yvette Mackson • Wesley Georgina Maddocks • Dustin John Madole • Vanessa Roberta Madrid • Jenna Christine Magallanes • Carlos Omar Magallanes Jr • Alejandro Magana • Sophia Magana • Khareza Malubay Magno • Gian Majarais Magpayo • Michael Paul Mahnke • Jeannie Mai • Ricardo Maldonado • Marco Maldonado • Joy Ortega Malibiran • James Michael Malloy • Jonathan Kaleookalanieli’i Malo • Elaine Vergara Manalo • Alyssa Capri Mancillas • Shonna Marie Manges • Fernando Manjarrez •

SWC 2014 Summer Graduates

Mohammed Abuamer • Karina Rubi Acedo • Erick Santiago Acosta • Abril Aguayo • Jose Ventura Aguayo • Gabriela Aguila • Rosalinda Aguilar • Mayela Alatorre • Bernard Philip Alexander • Sergio Alfaro -Barron • Jorge Rousseau Alfonso • Diana Alonzo-Frutiz • Manuel Alberto Alvarado • Elizabeth Yajaira Alvarado • Amanda Ines Alvarez • Lance Anthony Ambourn • Fausto Andrade • Olan Brion Andrews Jr • Michael Antunez • German Aparicio • Karem Jeannine Araujo • Michelle Arias • Diego Fernando Arias • Rocio Bobadilla Armenta • Yamerot Lemma Ashagre • Oliver Orogo Austria • Luz Aurora Avalos • Alexis Avila • Chelka Melina Avila-Huerta • Christian Ayala • Sandra Ayala • Maharba G Baez • Maharba Guadalupe Baez • Leticia Edith Balbuena • Juan Carlos Balderas • Martha Balk • Sheridan Ballou-Crawford • Ileana Banda • Royd-Derrik Suero Barlis • Hector Hugo Barreda • Michelle Barrera • Angelina Jennifer Barrera • Ilene Batalla • Vanessa Isabella Beatie • Dennis Valdez Becerral • Mary Emily Beck • Chantal Bedros • Ana Elena Bermudez • Luis Servando Berumen • Christian Daryel Blake • Martha Patricia Bolado • Lidia Angelica Bonilla• Jovani Raul Bramblia • Nadia Paulina Briceno • Linda Viridiana Briseno • Benjamin Daniel Broida • Marlene Sophie Brooks • Jennifer Odalie Brown • Amy Joi Buckingham • Anna Therese Pascual Bugarin • Shai Raul Buloran • Breana Christina Byrd • Denrick Abad Cabogason • Karen G. 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Enal • Alfonso Victor Erdmann-Baltazar • Devin Taylor Eshelman • J uan Luis Espinoza • Alina Marie Felix • Jayleen Victoria Fierro • Javier N Flores • Antonia Flores • Karen Flores • Jessica Elena Florez • Robert Alan Friedman • Amy Fulford • Karen Leticia Galvez • Nikka Gamalinda • Christopher Tiatco Garcia • Nallely Garcia • Matthew Allen Gardner • Stephanie Taylor Garner • Taja Iman Gilbert • Jessica Ann Golden • Andrea Luisana Gomes • Anna Gomez • Kathlyn Toledo Gonzales • Lydia Anna Gonzales • Estela Gonzalez • Kenneth Gonzalez • Isaac Gonzalez • Victor Manuel Gonzalez • Antoio Alberto Gonzalez • Ivan Gracia • Juan Manuel Guerrero • Amber Nicole Gutierrez • Martha Selene Gutierrez • Alfonso Demond Hampton • Silvia Cristina Hermosillo • Jessica Gilda Hernandez • Andrea Rae Hernandez • Loydiceli Hernandez • Rosalinda Hernandez Hernandez • Jesus Herrera • Delia Hewett • Beniko Hirosawa-Bates • Victor Mark Holland • Javonlee Agustin Honrada • Manuel Vicente Infante • Maria Cristina Inniss • Dorian Daniel Iribe • Priscilla Jimenez • Justin Jimenez• Brianda Denise Jimenez • Kyle Edward Johnston • Hannah Naomi Jones • Christian Aramiz Juarez • Sarah Elizabeth Kalentermidis • Rio Kamimura • Evelina Mae Kean • Kristin Claudia Keidl • Kelby Erin Klein • Sherrie Ann Kolb • Denny Keith Kremer III • Liana Estaris Landingin • Jeannette R Ledesma • Isaiah Nigel Ledonne• Kathy Mae Manalo Legaspi • Donna Rose Legaspi • Mara G Lemus • Manuel Alejandro Leyva • Raymund Florendo Lim • Samantha Kristina Lindstrom • Justin Gomez Liwanag • Eden A Longines • Christian Kelly Longo • John Paul Lopez • Jesse R Lopez • Rose Marie Lopez • Shawnie Alyss Lopez • Eduardo Lopez • Raul Espinoza Lopez • Britany Leana Lopez-Haw ® • Maria Magdalena Lott • Jonathan Andrew Lotta • Lorena Lozano • Cynthia Luna • Robert Keith Lunt • Khareza M Magno • Dante Monton Marcial • Joyce Jennifer Marin • Rudy A Marquez • Elided S Martinez • Anthony Joseph Martinez • Guillermina Martinez • Jorge Martinez • Luis Enrique Martinez • April N. Martinez • Krisna Dominique Mateo • Maritsa Lynn Mccoy • At National University, we know you can’t sit in class David Anthony Medina • Elias Emmanuel Melendrez • Brian Christopher Melgar • Diego Mendez • Rachel Merlos • Jeffrey all day or lock yourself in a library—you’ve got work, Angeles Mikesell • Michele Francine Millard • Ryan Michael Mingo • Danielle Diane Moher • Nicole Nannette Montano • Dolores Xochitl Montano • Ishmael Andrew Montiel • Shasta Penelope Montiel • Zelenne Evy Mora • Javier Morales • Silvia family, and friends. You’re transferring because you Moran • Maria G Munoz • Oscar Manuel Munoz • Carolina Munoz • Elizabeth Negrete • Victoria Emiko Nelson • Nika want to finish your degree and move on into a new Luong Nguyen • Johanna J Torres Noriega • Johanna Jeannette Torres Noriega • Michael Norton • Michael Nunez • Alejandro career. National University makes that possible.

Nunez • Sean Nunez Serrano • Arianna Mariel Ordonez • Israel Perez Ornelas • Rosa Esmeralda Osuna • Jessica Marie Pacheco • Diana Padilla • Tresilla B Pangelinan • Cinthya Lizeth Paredes • Maria Soledad Perez • Armando Ward Pesigan • Yahaira Catalina Pickens • Mario Armando Piedra • Nayeli Pina • Paulina Pineda Severiano • Michael Robert Pinedo • Ana Clariz Dagoc Pinpin » streamlined admissions • Jovana Irene Pinzone • Michael Lawrence Poteet • Ryan Christopher Pua • Ligia Fernanda Quijada • Jaja Villa Rabot • Sylvia » no enrollment fee Radillo • Carlos Enrique Ramirez • Reyes Ramirez • Lizeth Ramirez • Marisela Ramirez Galvan • Moses Abraham Rangel • » flexible scheduling Carolina Anthea Ratinoff • Isla Reyes • Rocio Ausutl Reyna • Elizabeth Madlyn Gene Richardson • Marissa Marie Ritchie • » a unique one-course-per-month format Frida J Rivera • Elizabeth Irene Rivera • Ibtehal Hermiz Rizzo • Rigoberto Robles • Efrain Rocha • Viviana Andrea Rodriguez • Jakheline Rodriguez • Jed Bohdi Rodriguez • Diana Elsa Rodriguez • Marisol Rodriguez • Laura Rodriguez De Beltran • » scholarship programs Roland Gregory Roman • Manuel Albert Romero • Jazmin Romo • Janet Arlet Rosales • Ashley Nicole Ross • Ana Avila Ruelas • Veronica Elizabeth Ruelas • Jorge Armando Ruiz • Ernest Marcos Saenz • Ignacio Aquiningoc Salas • Anthony Salazar • Valerie Salazar • Abraham Salcedo • Ivan Abelardo Sanchez • Michael Sanchez • Laura Sanchez • Cindy Guadalupe Sandoval • Yolanda 18 coNveNieNt Verenice Sandoval • Alfonso Sandoval • Ricardo Sandoval • Darvin Santana • Aaron Bladimir Santoyo • Jacqueline Sarabia • sAN diego locAtioNs Jeanette Abigail Saucedo • Carolyn Louise Severns • Jasmine Nicole Shannon • Jamaal Tyrel Simmons • Richard Cesar Simon • Bryan Anthony Solis • Ana Karen Solorzano • Kevin N Stanzione • Charmaine Laprell Strayhorn • Kathrine Marayag Talamayan • Eva Ivette Talavera • Dianna Taya • Aaron Anthony Thompson • Johana Torres Chavez • Cesar Torres Medrano • Ismael Toscano • Sofia Gabriela Urban • Annabel Valdez • Krista Valdez • Anthony James Valdez • Israel Valdivia • Christian ValdiviaCasas • Miranda Lee Varela • Mirna Vargas • Laura Karen Vazquez • Sayetzy Vejar • Diego Roberto Velasquez • Ian Olazo Velez • Yessica Vanesa Venegas • Janine Ilustre Venturina • Magaly Karla Vera • Michelle Vergara • Hector Manuel Villa • Edmundo Alba The UniversiTy of valUes Villa • Abigail Villela • Lee Alexander Visconti • Andrew Lee Warren • Brittany Renail Whittaker • John Christopher Wysocki • Jalal Yousofzai • Diego Emanuel Zapata • Juan Carlos Zapata-Magana • Pamela Zazueta • Emmanuel Zazueta • Karla Zepeda • Jennifer Irene Zuniga

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800.Nat.UNiv | getinfo.nu.edu/transfer

STUDENTS OF DISTINCTION

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Commencement Edition 2014—Volume 57, Special Edition

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Students of Distinction earn a place of honor Southwestern’s chosen few were presented the college’s highest student honor, the Student of Distinction Award, given to just 20 of the college’s 20,000 students every spring. Honorees are selected based on academic achievement, leadership, contributions to the campus and activism in the community.

This year’s SODA recipients received an $875 scholarship and a medal to wear at commencement. Most important, they have earned themselves a place among SWC’s greatest all-time students.