STUDENTS ASK,
Scan with your smartphone to watch a broadcast piece on the Theatre Bootcamp over spring break.
Theatre Academy Responds: ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ Arrives
Collegian Los Angeles
The student voice of Los Angeles City College since 1929
Wednesday April 17, 2013 Volume 169 Number
NEWS BRIEFS
AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES
Compiled by Diana Nakayenga
Collegian Sponsors Poetry Contest Students wishing to have their poems published in the campus magazine can send in their work on or before midnight April 20, 2013 at the Chemistry Building, Room 207. The poem must be unpublished and original and touch on the topic of “inspiration.” The top five picks will be published and a first place winner will be announced. The first place winner will receive dinner and movie tickets for two. For more information, email bumana.collegian@ gmail.com
UCLA Arranges Transfer Conference The Student Transfer Outreach & Mentorship Program (STOMP) at UCLA is conducting a conference for students interested in pursuing a higher education at the UC system. Topics will include strategies and resources for a successful transfer. The conference will be held on April 26 at the Ackerman Grand Ballroom from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. RSVP online at www. admissions.ucla.edu/stomp/
Scholarship Workshop at Student Union A scholarship workshop will be held on Thursday April 25,at 10:50 a.m. on the second floor conference room in the Student Union Building. Students will learn about where to find scholarships, how to request letters of recommendation and more! RSVP no later than April 23rd at 323.953.4000 ext 1253 or email hernanne@ lacitycollege.edu
Fade to Black?
Photo by Giles Spencer/Collegian
Photo by Jorge Ponce-Illustration by Beatrice Alcala/Collegian
Concerned LACC students and faculty members say that classes in African-American studies are being cut for no reason in spite of student demand.
After months of intense investigation and sting operations, the Department of Transportation has successfully reduced the amount of misused disabled parking placards in the metered parking around City College, but what can help curb the problem completely?
By Marsha Perry
By Matthew Mullins
Students are upset that the availability of African American Studies courses and class offerings at City College has decreased this spring. While cutbacks at City College do not follow any trend within the district, the online schedule of classes for Valley College, Los Angeles Mission, East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles Harbor, Southwest and Trade Tech all show the same level of offerings in African American studies as those of last spring. While many LACC students enroll in African American Studies through the Social Sciences Department to earn a certificate, other LACC students say that they enroll to learn about the impact and contributions of African Americans to U.S. history. African American Studies has been a staple of the LACC curriculum since the fall of 1969, according to a source in the admissions office. While other courses within the Social Sciences department at LACC are available to students, the class schedule archives show African American Studies class offerings are on the decline. Psychology major, Christopher Martinez has taken two African American courses to get a bet-
ter understanding about African Americans who made significant contributions in U.S history. “I took both African American 4 and 7 classes … to know the real history not what is told [because] some information is left out,” Martinez said. “I feel very disappointed when I heard that the [classes were] being cut, because I took great information that I was never told about African Americans in other history [classes]. I hope that the class will be put back the following semesters.” Several faculty members voiced their concerns to the Collegian about recent cuts to their disciplines within the Social Sciences department this semester and the effects that the cuts will have upon the students’ educational and career goals. Professor Henry Ealy, has taught at City since 1972 and became an adjunct professor after retirement in 2004. Ealy calls the cuts to the African American studies unfair and says that the courses are essential for students who want to pursue the course to earn a certificate. Ealy also added that Social Science Department Chair, Wendel Eckford Ph.D., did not give an explanation or proper notification of the class cuts beforehand. See African American Studies Page 6
Suspect caught on camera after allegedly exposing himself to a student in campus Parking Lot One last Monday at 4:11 p.m.
Former Professor becomes Assembly Member Shirley Nash Weber, a former professor at City College became a Member of the California State Assembly on Dec. 8, 2012 in a ceremony held in San Diego. Weber was elected on Nov. 2012 to represent California’s 79th Assembly District. She is the first African American to be elected to be elected to office south of Los Angeles.
Placard Abuse Rates Drop at City in the Wake of Stings
Man Exposes Himself in Campus Parking Lot By Regine Simmonds A man allegedly exposed himself to a student at campus Parking Lot One last Monday at 4:11 p.m. The student in question was resting in her car after class waiting for traffic to slow down before driving home, when she noticed a male with a black and red Nike shirt and tattooed arms walking near her car. “I thought maybe he was just resting or something. I thought that it was a normal pedestrian passing by,” she said. A few moments later, when she looked over to check her surroundings, she saw that the man was still there and was now looking at her while aroused. She says he then exposed himself to her. “He signaled with his hands to call for my at-
tention. This happened repeatedly. It was [the] third time in which he told me ‘I want to talk to you,’ while trying to open my door … he was showing me that he was aroused,” she said. At that point she picked up her smartphone to record him in what she says was an attempt to scare him away. In the video, the man is seen posing and displaying his covered erection. She says he tried to open the door to her car. “I wasn’t afraid of him,” she said. “If he came any closer to me, something would have happened to him.” After the man tried opening her car door, she stopped recording. See Man Exposes Page 6
For the past few years, some students have been using the metered parking as their own personal reserved parking, free of tickets and free of charge, but the Department of Transportation (DOT) has gone to great lengths to cut down on the problem. DOT has continued random sting operations as recently as Monday, April 8. “They [DOT] called to let us know they were here last Monday for a sting. They are definitely helping with the problem,” Cadet Flores said. Using data collected over the past year, the amount of disabled placards sightings has decreased from 45 to around 12 daily. This opens up more of the 55 spaces around City College for legally parked vehicles and truly disabled drivers. Legislative changes and a new system are needed to curb the misuse completely. Donald Shoup is the Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning at UCLA, he is also Chair of the Department of Urban Planning and Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies. Shoup is considered the authority on all parking issues and offers several ideas to city planners to help stop many types of parking problems. Shoup’s article, “Ending the Abuse of Disabled Placards,” explains the problem and how it affects city revenue. He writes, “A research team from UCLA observed a block with 14 parking meters for a full day, and most of the curb spaces were occupied most of the time by cars with disabled placards. For five hours of the day, cars with placards occupied all 14 spaces. The meter rate was $4 an hour, but the meters earned an average of only 32 cents an hour. Cars parked free with placards consumed $477 worth of meter time during the day, or 81 percent of the poten-
tial meter revenue on this block.” That data only applies to one block in Los Angeles. Shoup also looked at ways that placard abuse was solved in other states. In Virginia, cities like Arlington and Alexandria attached “All May Park, All Must Pay” signs to many of their parking meters and also added specific meters for disabled drivers in easily accessible spaces. There are no price cuts at all. This removes the problem entirely and creates an evenhanded policy that generates far more revenue for the cities. Shoup goes on to say that the system is flawed and not helpful to handicapped drivers at all. “Spending the full subsidy to provide paratransit services or taxi vouchers for everyone with disabilities seems much fairer than wasting 90 percent of it to provide free parking for ablebodied placard abusers,” Shoup said. Some states have figured out other systems to help prevent placard abuse. Michigan adopted a two-tier system in which drivers with severe disabilities are allowed to park free at the meters, but parking fees are not waived if your condition is temporary or not debilitating. Census details from Michigan show the DMV had issued 500,000 disabled placards before the new system was in place, allowing all disabled drivers to park for free. After the new system was introduced only 10,000 drivers applied for the placards allowing free parking at meters. According to the DMV, up to 40 percent of disabled placards are fraudulent in any area under investigation in Los Angeles. DOT will continue to enforce the metered parking around City College and random sting operations will be set up for an undetermined amount of time – until a new system or legislative changes take place.
Index Page 1,6 Page 2,3 Page 4,5 Page 7 Page 8
News Opinion & Editorial Campus Life A&E Sports