Los Angeles Collegian Spring 2014 Issue 1

Collegian Los Angeles

Wednesday February 26, 2012

Volume 172 Number 1

The Voice of Los Angeles City College Since 1929

Walton Exhibit Reflects on L.A.’s Black History

Photography student Henry Walton captured social, spiritual, political, and economic changes through his camera lens in a decade spanning from 1965 to 1975. History comes rushing back in Walton’s exhibit entitled, “My Old Familiar Places” at Da Vinci Gallery. Students can witness a cultural shift in time by seeing snapshots of ten years of South Los Angeles history. By Gloria K. Lee

Photographer Henry Walton describes an image he captured in the late 1960s titled “Youth Arrested in Park,” at Da Vinci Gallery on Feb. 18.

Inae Bloom/COLLEGIAN

Renovations Begin on Holmes Hall By Jessica Brecker Chain link fencing and wooden scaffolding is the look for spring at Los Angeles City College. The words “Learning Resource Center” peak out from over the green canvas that covers the chain link which is currently blocking a good portion of the south side of the quad, as well as access to the parking lot from the Cesar Chavez Administration Building on the west side of campus. “Monroe Street will continue to be partially blocked with construction fencing but will continue to provide narrow access to the main campus,” faculty was informed in a recent written announcement from Renee D. Martinez, President of LACC. “The noisy heavy demolition is expected to start the middle of March and last through April. Please be prepared for these necessary activities,” Martinez’s announcement stated. According to the LACC November 2012 Building Program Monthly Progress Report there will be construction of a new three-story Student Services Building on the footprint of the old Martin Luther King Junior Library (currently labeled The Learning Resource Center), that will house administrative offices for the campus Admissions & Records, Assessments & Orientation, Business Office, Cub Card, Financial Aid, Student Assistance, and Transfer and Counseling functions. LACC students will have to bid goodbye to their old library and hello to a much louder campus. The Learning Resource Center is better known as the “old MLK library,” and its majestic columns have been a fixture in the Quad since it was built in 1936. Dorothy Fuhrmann, school Librarian, remembers the old MLK Library well. “I liked the building, but if we See Holmes Page 7

INDEX OpEd .............................. 2-3 A&E ................................... 4 Scholarships ..................... 5 News ............................. 6-7 Campus Life .................. 8-9 Sports ..............................10

Los Angeles today is in the same location on the world map as it was 50 years ago, but the times have changed. Walton grew up in South Central, also known as the Watts neighborhood. It is famous in L.A. history for the Watts railroad station, Watts Tower, and the 1965 Watts Riots. The 1965 Watts Riots is also called Watts Rebellion. It was a six-day riot that resulted in 34 deaths and 3,438 arrests. According to

historians, the riot was a response to the frustrations of Americans who suffered bombings, cross burnings and inferior living conditions to that of their fellow Americans because of skin color. “I didn’t realize it at the time that what I was recording was going to be a part of history,” said Walton. “To me, it was my daily life. Looking back 50 years, you can see the pattern. At the time it was just the way things were.” Walton’s work consists of black

and white photographs of his friends, neighbors, and landscapes in South L.A. His work captures pivotal moments like stark images of bullet holes in windows during the Black Panther movement. It also shows silent scenes of a young woman holding her infant son on her front porch steps. “I love Henry’s documentary style photography. He has a phenomenal eye for capturing the whole of See Walton Page 4

Journalism Department Hosts LAUSD Conference By Clinton Cameron For the past four years, the Los Angeles Unified School District has collaborated with colleges, press organizations and publications in a joint effort to enhance journalism education in the city’s urban areas. Originally funded in part by a grant from the Chicago Times, the LAUSD Journalism Collaborative is currently lacking funds but still continues to operate on a shoestring budget with the generosity of supporters. This year, with the support of the dean, LACC’s Journalism department hosted the event. LACC has participated as one of nine collaborators since the program began in 2010. During the 2014 winter session, students from L.A. high schools participated in workshops and attended a conference with superintendent John Deasy where they were allowed to asked questions like real journalists. Lydia Ramos is the head of public relations and the program director for the LAUSD Journalism Collaborative. She expresses how a press conference can act as professional experience contributing to high school students' educational experience. “We brought several groups of high school students from throughout the Los Angeles Unified School District to really have a real world experience today and hold a press conference with our superintendent,” Ramos said. “The students asked him questions as well as any professional journalist would ask at a particular press conference.” The collaboration with LAUSD has the support of LACC’s President Renee Martinez, who also attended the event. “We’re working to give these students an experience in the journalism field,” Martinez said. “This is a great way of mentoring our high school students and getting them to stay in the fields of journalism and photography.” During the press conference, the topics of focus were the Common Core State Standards and the donated iPads the district received recently for students to use. “They asked about our Common Core Technology Project where we have tablets in the classroom,” Ramos said. Rancho Dominguez Prep High School student, Kirby Hales sees getting iPads into schools as a high See LAUSD Page 6

Illustration by Jose Ramon Tobar/COLLEGIAN

Loans Give Students Run For Their Money By Clinton Cameron Students aged 30 and under are the largest demographic group by age in debt due to student loans at 33.9 percent according to website www.Liber-

tystreeteconomics.newyorkfed. org. Their 2011 chart shows the second largest group was 30 to 39 years old at 32.8 percent. With this financial reality in mind, students may be considering how they are going to finan-

cially contribute to society and pay off student loans at the same time. Octavio Camacho is 44 years old. He attended Los Angeles City College more than 20 years ago, but it wasn’t until he attend-

ed El Camino that he started taking out loans. “I wasn’t trying to get a loan at Los Angeles City College,” Camacho said. “You needed to See Debt Page 7

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Opinion & Editorial

Wednesday February 26, 2014

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

Collegian

editorial

Editor-in-Chief Wes Smith

"It's Very American to Say, 'This is Not Right'"

Managing Editor Inae Bloom Multimedia Producer Dave Martin Richard Martinez Will Robertson News Clinton Cameron Opinion & Editorial Denise Barrett Arts & Entertainment Gloria K. Lee

As Black History Month comes to a close, the legacy of the fight for equal rights remains at the center of the celebrations and remembrances. It is about what has been overcome. Most think of the civil rights movement as a struggle about race in America. But it was about more than color lines here; it was a battle for human equality that resonated around the world. On the frontlines of these battles were students, professionals, parents, daughters, sons, grandparents ... They used their bodies and minds, pens and cameras, advanced degrees and street smarts. They died, lost jobs, were blacklisted ... If technology existed then as it does now, they would have been targeted in many other ways. They gave up their personal comforts because they believed in the Constitution, and because they believed they could change the laws that prevented the most basic of its rights from being fulfilled regardless of a person’s race, class or beliefs. Today there is still a fight to fulfill the promises of that most famous document. Rich and poor, blacks and whites, Latinos, Native and Arab Americans, homosexuals and others have all taken to the streets in protest at some point; it is a very American thing to do. Every step of American history is laced with the footprints of fighters. This nation began with people who took to the battlefield to fight for their worth. Slavery and Jim Crow were ended by the same means. Women’s suffrage, the ongoing struggle for equal pay, the labor union movement and that of Main Street versus Wall Street have all played out in one form of battle or another. LACC’s student body has not seen too many battles lately. Perhaps the activist spirit has been lost amid coursework, family responsibilities and jobs necessary to just eek by. The campus is not alone in its apathy. The country seems stalled by it too. But as citizens, we have to ask, what are we willing to give up in that silence? If there is just one lesson from the many generated during the civil rights era, it has to be that these fighters, not always viewed as American, not always treated as human beings, were perhaps the “most” American of us. They engaged the very heart of this nation, the First Amendment to the Constitution, to say racism, classism and other violations of an individual’s rights were unacceptable in the world’s most awe-inspiring democracy. They dared to say, “This is not right.” Nothing is a sure thing, no battle a guaranteed win. Certainly the freedom fighters throughout our history knew that and still they chose to make a stand. If it is very American to say, “This is not right,” what say you?

Campus Life Rocio Flores Huaringa Sports Jake Carlisi Graphic Designers Denise Barrett Rocio Flores Huaringa Gegham Khekoyan Wes Smith Illustrators Jose Ramon Tobar Jaleen Wedlow Steffen Williams Photo Editor Wes Smith Photographers Denise Barrett Inae Bloom Jessica Brecker Dave Martin Reporters Felicia Allen Jessica Brecker Krystle Mitchell Rashid Pineda Daniel Rodriguez Lorenzo Quintana Advertising Inae Bloom

Illustration by Steffen Williams /Collegian (Based on historical photo)

Own Every Word You Sing By Jessica Brecker Hollywood's new Knitting Factory had opened up and Odetta was going to be there. I idolized this woman and could not believe my luck … I was there! The first thing I noticed when she arrived on stage was how small she was! She was not playing her trademark guitar. It did not matter. Her voice was just as powerful as the voice on her records, the records with a very big, and might I add, beautiful, AfricanAmerican woman on the cover. I am not African-American, but I really dug her versions of songs like, “Midnight Special,” and my favorite, “Chilly Winds,” which she wrote herself. The lyrics are so incredibly simple: “I’m goin’ where those chilly winds don’t blow…” It was her voice that connected me to her songs and, sometimes, gave me a reason for living. “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,” she sang and I felt there was light at the end of the tunnel. I also knew it might take me a while to get to it. The chilly winds of the air conditioner where bothering Odetta that night. I had just bought a navy blue hand-knit poncho with a nifty design. It looked great on me, but I knew it would look better on her. I really wanted her to have it. Perhaps I needed to give back. I was painfully shy back then, but I waited at the backstage door along with some autograph seekers. I didn’t need an autograph, looking into my idol’s eyes was more than

Collegian Los angeles

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enough. I hoped that somehow someone would see me looking pathetic and open the door. It was just my luck that Odetta’s friends saw me there, with the poncho in my hands and no albums to autograph like the few others around me. I explained what I wanted to do; this was looking like it was going to happen! I began to tremble. I almost ran away. The door opened, I broke down and Odetta held me for what seemed like forever. When she let go, her eyes were tearing up too. Now came the hard part, the words. Was I a musician? No. In fact, at 24, I had accomplished very little, but I told her I was an artist. I then told her something I am sure she heard a million times before. “I listened to your records and they helped me get through the hardest times in my life,” I said. She felt she had to give me something … even though she had already given me everything, so she had someone grab her new CD from the bin (I already owned a copy) and she autographed it for me. If only I had known back then that she and I went to the same school, Los Angeles City College! I had dropped out, but she had attained a degree, something not easy to do in 1950 as an African-American woman. When I write now, I think about Odetta, and how she owned every word she sang. When her manager, Doug Yeager, released the announcement that she was ill and in the hospital, I wrote her a letter. I had it stamped and in my backpack when I heard the news. It was too late, she was gone. But I felt I had said goodbye. Though I never sent it, I suspect she somehow got the letter.

Adviser Robin Guess Deadline Schedule NEXT ISSUE: March 12, 2014 Editorial deadline: March 5, 2014 For all submissions including letters to the editor and publicity releases send materials to Collegian office: Chemistry 207 losangeles.collegian@gmail.com For all insertion orders and advertising questions. Email: pr.collegian@gmail.com The college newspaper is published as a learning experience, offered under the college journalism instructional program. The editorial and advertising materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff. Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by virtue of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the Los Angeles Community College District, Los Angeles City College, or any officer or employee thereof. Collegian © 2013. No material may be reprinted without the express written permission of the Collegian.

Opinion & Editorial Art Programs At Risk City Views

Wednesday February 26, 2014

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

By Jaleen Wedlow

Do you think LACC does enough to celebrate its multi-cultural heritage?

Compiled by Denise Barrett Photos by Denise Barrett

Andy Urena - Finance “Yes, it does enough to celebrate. It’s definitely a good thing. It shows other students there is diversity. It’s a good thing; it’s one of the things I like about LACC. You learn about other people’s point of view and how they see things differently.”

Hunter Ambrose - Undecided

“It’s very important. Everybody wants to be recognized and appreciated. It’s a diverse nation; we need to be able to be in diverse environments—that’s the world.”

Patricia Green - Music and Business “No, I don’t think so. It’s February, Black History Month, and I don’t see anything up. It’s inspiring to know what our ancestors gave to us and the opportunities we have in life. I’d like to see more decorations and appreciation…people talking about it, putting their own experiences on it.”

While most people focus on the latest music- or sports-related news, my concern for the art world sticks out like a sore thumb. When I was in high school, there was a nice art program for the youth community. It was one way to escape the insane realities of education and the world I lived in. Since the state’s series of budget cuts from 2007 to 2012, the program was terminated. It was a huge loss because it offered a multicultural experience for every student on campus. “Art Saves Lives,” “Make Art, Not War,” and “Art is Life” are a few sayings that really define the effect art can have on our lives. Art is among us all day, everyday. It is in the streets, on the walls we drive or ride past; in museums and courtyards; even on billboards and in magazines. It can make a difference for someone who has been abused or is hurting in another way. Instead of using weapons of mass destruction, how about using a pencil and sketchpad or a paintbrush and canvas to

help ease the pain? There are so many talented people in this world. Their voices—either verbal or visually expressed on paper or canvas—need to be known and given a chance to reach their true potential. I am glad that the No Child Left Behind Act includes the arts as one of the main subjects to graduate; these programs are extremely important for the youth. Art may not solve the math equations on an exam, but it helps to liberate the mind and to find the inner spark that may have been left dormant over the years. It is disappointing that secondary and elementary schools are slowly taking art classes away because of a lack of funding or because students are ruining the supplies. I believe that the imagination begins when you are a child; it can help determine a person’s future. If budgets are a concern, budget properly. To save money, fund people who actually want to take the courses and put in place strict laws to prevent art materials from being wasted. Art is necessary to free the mind and the spirit. Too bad “the pockets” fail to see the value in that.

Alan Garcia - Music

“Yes, though I don’t hang out enough to see. There’s definitely value in it. It gives [campus] a sense of unity when they do all these things, especially since it’s so diverse. You gain a lot more tolerance celebrating other cultures. There is nothing to lose, especially these days.”

Illustration by Jaleen Wedlow/Collegian

White is the New Black By Brianna Leigh Recently I watched a spoof of the Netflix series, "Orange is the New Black." The video begins with a white woman new to prison, taunted by Black inmates. It takes a turn when she develops a bazaar fascination with the Black inmates and their culture. By the end of the video, she transforms into a Miley Cyrus look-alike with a group of similar girls in hoodrat attire and the words, “White is the New Black” appear. From Elvis to Miley, to Macklemore, white people massproducing Black culture is nothing new. Miley Cyrus however has successfully created a “soft

ghetto” suburbia and it is everywhere, from beanies stitched with "Compton" and "Ratchet," to the twerking pandemic. Rapper Nicki Minaj explains, “It’s like if a white girl does something that seems to be Black … white people think she must be cool, she doin' something Black, but if a Black person do a Black thing, it’s not that poppin.” In 2013, no Black artist had a number-one single on Billboard’s Hot 100 charts. You can’t mention the 2014 Grammy’s without mentioning Macklemore stealing Best Rap Album of the Year from Kendrick Lamar. Billboard clarified that they create their charts based on digital sales, but shouldn’t it

CHRONICLES OF A NOBODY Transition

Jennifer Arevalo - Undecided

“Diversity gives others the opportunity to get an education and to learn from other cultures…[shows] how other people achieved many things. The recognition helps us to see the progress people make.”

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Illustration by Jose Tobar/Collegian

By Byron Umana Bermudez When I was five years old, the most exciting moment of my life was the premiere of a new awesome kid's show called, “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.” I remember rushing to my TV after school, making sure I ate all my vegetables, did all my homework and cleaned my room. I made sure there was no excuse for me to miss this premiere. The first show was awesome and everybody at school was taking about it. The most popular question was who was your favorite character (i.e., color)? All the boys would say the Red Ranger and the girls said Pink Ranger. I actually liked the Pink Ranger and even the Blue Ranger. Before I could say I liked the Pink Ranger, I questioned if I should say it. I ended up saying the Blue Ranger. It is funny how one color could determine everything about a person. I didn’t say Pink because

I didn’t want people to think that I was feminine or gay. In a way this little white lie determined how I dealt with the idea of transition, something we all go through. Everyone believes that transsexuality or gender reassignment does not relate to them. This is the white lie we tell everybody to secure our insecurity. When we are kids, we don’t really experience gender questions. Many people can come to agree that babies do not worry whether or not they are acting like or want to be a girl or boy. It is society that tells us we should get a boy blue things and a girl, pink. That first transition usually occurs during pre-school, when we realize that girls and boys have different bodies. That is when we are told that boys play with toy cars and girls play with Barbie. I never got into Barbie, which I know many people think is weird because they have this general view of gay people. But, my brother, who is straight, would play Barbie

be reflective of what each demographic actually listens to? Hip-Hop stations play Lamar, M a c k l e m o re, not so much. Author Keli Goff says, “It’s much easier to sell a Macklemore, an Eminem, a Justin Timberlake to mainstream audiences than it is to sell a Jay Z. It is still a preferred feeling in mainstream pop culture that if we can find an attractive white act to do it, why not?” So was this true? I reached out to our own diverse campus to get their take. When asked did Macklemore’s win of Best Rap Album of the Year represent rap, some people said sure; most people said no; and others didn’t know who Macklemore was. One

with my cousin … living proof that we all go through transition. School has embedded the idea to not question our gender. I never question if I was meant to be boy or girl. I just assumed I was a boy that liked boys. Why shouldn’t it be the norm to question our gender? Why are people who question their gender considered mentally unstable? I usually try to understand a person’s state of mind by drawing parallels to my personal life. When thinking about how a person feels who questions their gender, I think about how I felt when I realized I was gay. It’s not like one day I woke up and realized, ‘oh I am gay.’ It may have happened to others this way, but it was not like that for me. It was a progression. I started to find an emotional connection with males and developing feelings for males. It was similar to how a straight male develops feelings for a girl. At times I tried to have feelings for a girl, but suppressing my “gayness” didn’t feel right. I would imagine a person who feels they were born in the wrong body must feel the same way. Imagine you were abducted by aliens and their technology somehow inserted your brain into the opposite sex’s body. How strange would it feel? How different would your own body feel? This is what I’ve been told by transitioning transgenders or transsexuals. The funny thing is transition isn’t just feeling strange in your body. Webster's defines transsexual as “a person who strongly identifies with the opposite sex and may seek to live as a member of this sex especially by undergoing surgery and hormone therapy to obtain the necessary physical appearance (as by changing the external sex organs).” It defines transgender as “of, relating to, or being a person who identifies

student understood Macklemore’s win saying, “I think Macklemore won because he broke through and captured a wider audience, differentiating him from Kendrick Lamar’s appeal which is more relevant in an urban market.” Is white really the new Black? Learning and embracing new cultures is a beautiful thing, appropriating a culture for market success, however, is where things get touchy. Maybe in a post-racial society Black trends really are cooler than Black people.

with or expresses a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to the person’s sex at birth.” Given these two definitions, the question of how you truly define gender comes up. At City, many of us look at what may seem to be a “boyish” girl and “flamboyant” boy and come up with sub-categories to define their behavior. It is as if we have to label this person so that we can understand them but we are actually categorizing our mentality by judging theirs. For example, if a person were to look at a male crying, it is deemed OK to tell the guy to man up. This makes the general assumption that men don’t cry and girls are overly emotional. So if you are a male and cry then by some part of Webster’s definition, that person is transgender. The only difference is that the person may not define himself as transgender. Who are we to judge a person on the basis of how they view themselves? Many of these people who question their gender or sexuality are bullied, and society has allowed them to fall into the shadows and be pushed aside. Society has made these people into nothing, into nobodies. What is also surprising is the lack of education on the issue. Not many people know that transsexuality and transgender is not new, that in the old world it was not only acceptable but valued. If we want to take that next step of evolution, we must not only force ourselves to identify with our sexuality and gender, but embrace the possibility that sexuality and gender is not so black and white. It is outrageous to believe we should have power over another person’s life. Aren’t we living in the land of the free? How can we truly be free if we limit ourselves to primitive ideals?

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Wednesday February 26, 2014

Arts & Entertainment

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

ODETTA:

History Singer

77-year-old Odetta’s heart and kidneys were failing, but she had been looking forward to singing at the presidential inauguration for Barack Obama all of her life. She rehearsed her set in her mind as she stared at the poster of Obama that hung over her hospital bed. In her mind, nothing of this earth could stop her. By Jessica Brecker

O

detta left this planet on December 2, 2008, a little over a month too early to make her gig on January 20, 2009. She did not get to see her country elect its first African-American president. However, she left satisfied, because not in her wildest dreams did she think she would see “a white woman and black man running for President of the United States” in her lifetime. Odetta got her start at Los Angeles City College, and she seems to have been almost forgotten on the campus since her heyday in the late 1950s and 1960s. It has not always been this way at City College, as the numerous photos, articles, ads and announcements for her shows in Collegian back issues attest. LACC was proud of their Odetta Felious. “She was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but was raised in L.A.,” proudly wrote Collegian Executive Editor Bennett J. Mintz in his November 1954 Collegian column, “Mintzing Words.” “Odetta’s last name, obscure as it is, remains Felious,” wrote Mintz. “Her voice can be soft and sensual, or high pitched and exciting like the rush of a train. She has qualities of Bessie Smith, Leadbelly, Josh White, and Richard Dyer Bennet all wrapped up

in one.” Odetta was a black, overweight, young woman competing and winning in a field dominated by men, yet she was garnering the same amount of respect. Less than a decade before, that had not been the case. In the late 1940s Odetta found herself working as a housekeeper to pay for her education while going to LACC and studying voice by night. She, like students today, was self-conscious of her looks, her hair, and her weight. “When I cut my hair, it was called an Odetta. Until then, I had swallowed lock, stock and barrel the uptightness of this society -- feeling ashamed of ‘black,’ ‘fat,’ ‘ugly.’ Looking back, the path to self was paying attention to my intuition, feelings and thoughts. I now include my needs along with what others need or want from me.” She managed to earn an associate degree in Classical Music and Musical Comedy. “There was a time,” she later said, “when if it wasn’t classical, I wasn’t interested. I was interested in oratorios and art songs and lieder.” After leaving City College, Odetta took a trip to San Francisco to perform in a musical, "Finian’s Rainbow," and fell in love with folk music. Odetta once said, “School taught me how to count and taught me how to put a sentence together. But as far

as the human spirit goes, I learned through folk music.” “Examine the folksong lyrics of the Civil Rights movement, the ones she so embraced, and apply that to what’s happening at LACC today,” said LACC Professor of Journalism, Joe Dojcsak. “From a historical standpoint, what she stood for in the 1950s and 1960s is fundamentally no different from what she would embrace today from an educational standpoint.” “I learned things about the history of black people in this country that the historians in school had not been willing to teach,” Odetta said in a 2008 interview. “The folk songs were the anger, the venom and the hatred of myself and everybody else and everything else. They were liberation songs! You’re walking down life’s road, society’s foot is on your throat, every which way you turn you can’t get from under that foot. And you reach a fork in the road and you can either lie down and die, or insist upon your life.” She got herself a worn-out, 12string guitar, the same type of guitar her hero, African American protest singer Leadbelly, would play, and she began to sing and play prison songs and slave songs in a very deep and powerful contralto. In the 1960s, Odetta’s career really took off. She had made her powerful voice into a sharp weapon for black

Walton exhibit

Arts presented to her in 1990. She is a Kennedy Center Honoree and holds the Library of Congress’s Living Legend Award. Her final album, a live recording called “Gonna Let It Shine,” was performed when she was 74. She performed at least 60 shows the final two years of her life, touring in a wheelchair.

“It’s from their forebears, and it’s an alternative to what they hear on the radio,” said Odetta of protest music. “As long as I am performing, I will be pointing out that heritage that is ours. These songs come out of difficult times, and since the difficult times haven’t been fixed, the songs are still here for us.”

AutoPLAY Performs at Kennedy Center Festival Leslie Ferreira, Los Angeles City College’s Theatre Academy professor, was presented the 2013 Excellence in Theatre Education Award during The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) on February 15.

(continued from page 1) Alegria. “It all works out amazingly. If you look at each of his pictures, even sometimes accidentally and purposefully, he really captures the whole of the scene. There’s a lot of emotion in his pictures. And you really feel like you have a piece of time when you look at his work. The coloring, the printing and his composure of his black and white photos are amazing. He’s obviously got a lot of experience under his belt. That’s what you can feel when you look at his photographs.” A former LACC student, Walton has returned to LACC to complete the photography classes he began in the ‘60s. “Henry took a photography class at LACC in the ‘60s,” said media department chair Dan Marlos. He received a D in the class. “He took a photograph of a young black woman and his instructor told him that it was not acceptable because film wasn’t designed to capture dark skin tones, which caused him to drop out of school.” Professor Marlos and Dean of Admissions William Marmolejo are working together with Walton to make certain that he is given an honorary degree for his photography. Most Southern Californians would find it hard to imagine a racially segregated Los Angeles, since today it is one of the most racially mixed cities in the world. Los Angeles City College reflects the rich cultural diversity of the city. Yet in the ‘60s and ‘70s, life was absolutely different. The city of L.A. was a place geographically segregated by politics, highways, real estate, and unjust school systems. Ethnic minorities were excluded from 95 percent of the city. Race determined where one lived, studied, and worked. Police brutality was commonplace in a culture of racial discrimination. Walton said that he wants for LACC students to know that amazing things equivalent to what happened in his time are happening all around them right now. “Your life is history and you should pay attention. We’re in the middle of history. We’re a part of it,” Walton said. The Henry Walton photography exhibit is located in Da Vinci Gallery. It will continue through March 14, Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Photo Illustration by Jessica Brecker/COLLEGIAN

equality, and her music has been called the “soundtrack of the protest movement.” In 1963, during the March on Washington, Odetta sang from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and it was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that introduced her as “the Queen of American Folk music.” Odetta had the National Medal of

By Clinton Cameron

T

Inae Bloom/COLLEGIAN

“My Old Familiar Places,” an exhibition by former LACC student Henry Walton, is showcased in the Da Vinci Gallery.

Scan the code for exclusive coverage of the Henry Walton exhibit.

he Latino Theater Company hosted the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival at the historic Los Angeles Theatre Center from Feb. 12-15. Students performed plays selected for review by judges. Participants involved in various aspects of the theater craft were judged in competitions ranging from playwriting and acting to set and costume design. AutoPLAY was selected as the festival’s choice to be judged as representative of LACC’s work. Theater major and scholarship winner Jai Pellerin explained part of the process. “AutoPLAY is in the portion of the festival for the competition which judges four categories,” Pellerin said. “Each play is competing in those categories within the region and in different ones of the entire festival.” AutoPLAY was a unique production in which actors performed 10-minute vignettes in three rows of cars while the audience was ushered from one performance to the next. It was well-received in LACC’s Quad last year and was given a comment of admiration by Alejandro Rodriguez, who was one of the judges and hosted the awards ceremony Saturday, Feb.

Dave Martin/COLLEGIAN Students perform a vignette from “AutoPLAY” at the Kennedy Center Festival on Feb. 15.

15 at the L.A. Theatre Center. “AutoPLAY is the most unique play the festival has seen in a very long time,” said Rodriguez while handing out plaques for all of the participating plays at KCACTF. Over the course of four days, including dozens of auditions and activities, the excitement of a nomination can be as exciting as winning. “Oh my God! It meant the world,” said Iesha Coston, nominated for the Irene Ryan scholarship for her role in AutoPLAY. “I’m from Chicago, Illinois. You don’t really get a lot of opportunities, especially in theater and acting. To be nominated for an Irene Ryan… people recognize that you are talented and they believe in you.” The day before the festival ended, AutoPlay was performed before judges and peer audience members in a parking lot two buildings north of the L.A. Theatre Center. Each row of cars had their own audience and set of challenges. The students had to develop 15

original plays with 37 actor playwrights. While other plays used lights, sound and scenery, AutoPLAY used 15 vehicles and no lights. Sound scores were used inside some of the vehicles. Alexus Jackson participated in the festival and came to see AutoPlay in support of her fellow Theatre Academy peers. “I’m here to support my fellow thespians, to take part in the festival, and see what is has to offer,” Jackson said. “I’m sad though; I don’t want it to be over.” As part of Region VIII of the festival, two LACC Theatre Academy students were awarded scholarships and two others continued as finalists in the Irene Ryan Competition for Acting. Irene Ryan Scholarship nominee Riley Dandy and her scene partner, Anna Gion, are continuing as finalists in the acting category. A $700 scholarship for acting was awarded to Jai Pellerin. Teddra Nixon was awarded a full scholarship to the CSU’s summer Arts Program.

Silent Auction Raises Scholarship Funds Amid budget cuts, the silent auction provides welcome student aid. By Rashid Pineda Running until March 1, LACC’s art department is hosting a silent art auction in order to raise funds for student scholarships. Although auctions have previ-

ously been used to promote the arts, budget cuts have recently turned them into a necessity. “Last year we were pretty much told there was no more scholarship,” said Alexandra Wiesenfeld, an instructor and full-time faculty member from the art department. Wiesenfeld urges students to apply for scholarships because of the financial and professional assistance they provide. Wiesenfeld says they are competitive, but earning an art scholarship, when funding for the arts is often neglected, demonstrates excellent merit on resumes.

Receiving an art scholarship is no walk in the park, but completely removing the opportunity is much more daunting and limiting for students. “I’ve been here for almost three semesters, and art supplies don’t come cheap,” Jovial Agito said. “I won the Gay Johnson Award my freshman year at LACC,” said Natalja Sundseth, a student of three years. The scholarship was named in honor of a professor who passed away from breast cancer in 2000. Sundseth added that although the See Auction Page 7

Scholarships

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

Wednesday February 26, 2014

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44 Scholarships Available through LACC Foundation Learn about the following scholarships offered by the LACC Foundation. Now the application has become paperless, and students can apply for scholarships through an online process. By Rocio Flores Huaringa In an effort to match students with scholarships opportunities, the LACC Foundation started using an online system to improve the way students are matched up to scholarships. Students will have to fill one common application

half-time (6 or more units) during all terms in which the award remains active • Applicants must have a minimum 2.0 GPA • Student must have received a CCC Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver • Awards will be adjusted based on enrolled status.

•Applicants must attach: o A copy of their unofficial transcript and registration receipt. o A copy of their Board of Governors Fee Waiver o Student must submit either the Expected Family Contribution Form from the FAFSA or the award letter from LACC’s Financial Aid Office

approved student members of the LACC Theatre Academy. Must demonstrate financial need. Additional requirements: Students must secure a Theatre Academy faculty endorsement and a signature from the Department Chair.

Must have a GPA of 3.3 or above. Must be a student who is preparing to transfer to a four-year university. Must be a California resident. Demonstrated leadership.

Stein Josephs Scholarship

Milton Lipschutz Award

Eligibility: U.S. Citizen or permanent resident with a green card. Must be majoring in accounting. At least 5 units of accounting. Current enrollment in 12 units of classes at LACC, three of which should be in accounting. Successful completion of at least 25 units of transfer courses within the last three years. At least a 3.0 GPA.

Osher Scholarship Eligibility:

Photo by Wes Smith/COLLEGIAN Students brave through long lines and paperwork at the LACC Business Office during Welcome Week.

ASG Community Service Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be a current fulltime student at LACC (12 units minimum). Must have a GPA of 3.0 or above. Must have completed a minimum of 12 degree-applicable units at LACC. Must be a student intent on transferring to a four-year college or university. Must be a member of ASG. NOTE: Not available to current ASG senate members

ASG Leadership Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be a current full-time student at LACC. Must have completed a minimum of 12 degree-applicable units at LACC. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or above. Must be a student intent on transferring to a four-year college or university. Must be a member of ASG. Demonstrated leadership and involvement in the school. NOTE: Not available to current ASG senate members

Asian Heritage Scholarship

Eligibility: Minimum 3.5 GPA. Full-time student at LACC. Completion of at 24 degree-applicable units at LACC but no more than 60 units. Completion of a minimum of three units in Asian Language and Culture . Must be a transfer student to a four-year college or university.

CAOT Retired Faculty Scholarship

Eligibility: Must have completed a minimum of 24 units toward a CAOT certificate or AA Degree. Must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 in all classes completed at LACC.

Charles J. Cramer Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be a full-time student at LACC. Must have completed a minimum of 24 degree-applicable units and not more than 75 degree-applicable units. Must have a GPA of 2.75 or above. Must be a California resident. Must demonstrate financial need.

Classified Employee Myra B. Siegel Excel Scholarship

Eligibility: Designated to recognize classified employees who have completed their transfer requirements at a community college. Applicant must be a California resident. Have a cumulative 2.5 GPA. Must be a transfer student to a fouryear university or college and present proof of acceptance.

Douglas Blasdell Outreach Scholarship

Eligibility: LGBTQ or straight-allied. Applicant must be a California resident. Must have a minimum 3.0 GPA for all units completed at LACC. Must be a full-time student at LACC. Must have completed at least 24 degree-applicable units and no more than 75 units.

Evelyn (Evie) Hoffman Scholarship

Eligibility: Women preparing to re-enter the workplace. A 3.0 GPA

of all units completed at LACC. Completion of at least 24 units at LACC, of which 12 units are transfer credits. A full-time student. Must be a California resident.

Gregory MacGregor Award

onstrated leadership and involvement in the school and/or community.

LACC Foundation Latino(a) Hispanic Heritage Honors Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be a current fulltime student at LACC. Low income as determined by Board of Governors' fee waiver. Must have completed a minimum of 12 degree-applicable units and no more than 75 degree-applicable units at LACC. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or above. Must be a California resident. Major in social sciences, music or engineering.

Eligibility: Must be Latino(a) or of Hispanic heritage, or a student who supports Latino/a or Hispanic students. Must be a current full-time student at LACC. Must have completed a minimum of 24 degree-applicable units and no more than 75 degreeapplicable units at LACC. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or above. Must be a California resident. Demonstrated leadership and involvement in the school and/or community.

Hollywood Chamber of Commerce/LACC Foundation Book Award

LACC Foundation Retraining the Unemployed Scholarship

Eligibility: Must have completed a minimum of 12 semester units at LACC. Must have at least 2.5 GPA. Must be a full-time student at LACC. Must be a California resident.

Jerry and Carol Goldsmith Music Scholarship

Eligibility: Minimum 2.5 GPA. Full-time student status at LACC. Must be on track to transfer to a four-year school. Must be enrolled in performance classes at the time of application. Must have completed at least one semester as a music major at LACC.

Johnny Grant Scholarship

Eligibility: Student must have completed a minimum of nine semester units. Must have a minimum 2.0 GPA. Must be a California resident. Additional Requirements: Must demonstrate financial need submitting either the Expected Family Contribution Form from the FAFSA or the award letter from LACC’s Financial Aid Office.

LACC Foundation Allied Health Sciences Scholarship

Eligibility: Applicant must be a California resident. Must have a minimum 3.0 GPA.Must be a fulltime student at LACC. Students must be verified as participants in either the nursing, radiologic technology or dental technology programs; students taking prerequisites will not be considered.

LACC Foundation Foster Youth Scholarship

Eligibility: Applicant must be a California resident. Current or former foster youth. Must demonstrate financial need. Have a minimum 2.5 GPA. Must have completed a minimum of 12 semester units at LACC. New LACC students without an established GPA must be full-time student.

LACC Foundation Honors Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be a current fulltime student at LACC. Must have completed a minimum of 24 degreeapplicable units and no more than 75 degree-applicable units at LACC. Must have a GPA of 3.5 or above. Must be a California resident. Dem-

Eligibility: Applicant must be unemployed. Must be a California resident. Must have a minimum 2.5 GPA. Must be enrolled as a fulltime student at LACC. New LACC students without an established GPA must be full-time students.

Louise Snyder Johnson Fitzgerald Scholarship

Eligibility: Completion of at least 24 units at LACC. A minimum 3.2 GPA in all units completed at LACC. A full-time student. Must be a California resident.

• Students must have completed 24 or more degree-applicable semester units (or the equivalent) at the time of the initial scholarship disbursement. • Student must be enrolled at least

Eligibility: U.S. Citizen or permanent resident with a green card. Minimum 3.2 GPA. Intention to major in CSIT with a college transcript showing satisfactory progress in completing the requirements of that major. Current enrollment in 12 units of classes, three units of which should be in CSIT at LACC; a maximum of two units of Learning Skills and Library Media classes can be used to fulfill the requirement. Completion of at least 25 units of courses at LACC, five units of which should be in CSIT.

Moon Collins Ealy Scholarship

Eligibility: Minimum 2.5 GPA. Full-time student at LACC. Must be a Social Science major. Completion of not more than 90 units. Transferring to a four-year university or college.

National Notary Foundation Scholarship

Eligibility: Being a full-time students in the Honors Program and/ or students committed to a career in teaching. Minimum 3.0 GPA. Full-time student at LACC. Minimum of 24 and maximum of 75 degree-applicable semester units completed. Transferring to a fouryear university or college.

Eligibility: Student must demonstrate academic merit and financial need. The student must be a fulltime student at LACC. Candidates must be U.S. citizens and California residents. Demonstrate leadership, a diversity of extracurricular activities and community involvement. Minimum 3.0 GPA. Minimum 24 units but no more than 75 units. Additional Requirements: Recipients must agree to provide the following information to the NNF no later than three months after receipt of the scholarship: a brief sketch of his/her background, personal and academic interests, plans and aspirations for the future.

Madeline Chirico Award

Opportunity Award

Louise Snyder Re-Entry Scholarship for Women

Eligibility: Must be a California resident. Must be between the ages of 25 and 55 and in financial need.

Lucille Schwartz Scholarship

Eligibility: Student must have completed a minimum of nine semester units. Must have at least a 2.0 GPA.

Marvin Hoffman CSIT Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be a CSIT major. Must be a full-time LACC student. At least 12 units completed at LACC. At least four units of CSIT completed. Currently enrolled in at least four CSIT units. At least 3.5 GPA, including current semester’s work

Mary Magdalene Scholarship

Eligibility: Student must have completed 24-degree applicable units (and no more than 70 degree-applicable units) with a minimum GPA of 3.5. English 28, 31 or 101 must have been completed with a grade of C or better prior to application for the scholarship.

Mennes Theatre Academy Scholarship

Eligibility: Candidates must be

for 43 different scholarships and a separate one if they are interested in applying for the Osher Initiative for California Community College Students.Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on March 28. For additional questions, visit the Foundation offices located on the third floor of the Student Union Building.

Rose Snyder Accounting Scholarship

Spanish American Institute Scholarship (SAI)

Eligibility: Must be a full-time student at LACC. Must have completed a minimum of 12 degree-applicable units and no more than 75 degree-applicable units at LACC. Must have a GPA of 2.5 or above. Must be a California resident. Hispanic as defined by the Federal Register. A willingness to interact with SAI as a scholarship recipient.

Schlessinger Excellence Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be a current fulltime student at LACC. A copy of current registration as proof of enrollment is required. Must have completed a minimum of 24 degree-applicable units and no more than 60 degree-applicable units at LACC. Must have a GPA of 3.5 or above. Must be a student who is preparing to transfer to a fouryear college or university. Must be a California resident. Demonstrated leadership and involvement in the school and/or community. Preference given to political science majors.

Simmie Lewis Sanders Scholarship

Application Criteria: Student must have completed a minimum of nine semester units. Must have at least a 2.0 GPA. Must be a California resident. Demonstrate financial need.

Eligibility: Students must be of African-American heritage or be in support of, or advocate for, AfricanAmerican students. Students must have completed at least 24 but not more that 85 degree-applicable semester units. Minimum 2.5 GPA. Must be a current full-time student at LACC. Must be a California resident.

President's Scholar for High School Students

Sonia Ghani and Monica Hyon Math Award

Eligibility: Must commit to attend LACC as a full-time student for at least two years. Must have a high school GPA of 3.75 or above. Must be a student who is preparing to transfer to a four-year college or university. Must be a California resident. Demonstrated leadership and involvement in the school and/ or community.

Ralph Bunche Program Honors Scholarship

Eligibility: Must be a member of the Ralph Bunche Scholars Program. Must be a current full-time student at LACC. Must have completed a minimum of 24 degree-applicable units and no more than 75 degree-applicable units at LACC.

Eligibility: Completion of 30 units at LACC, at least half of which are in math courses. Must be a fulltime student at LACC. Must have at least 3.5 GPA in both all math units completed at LACC and for the comprehensive GPA.

Sophia J. Kim Korean Studies Award

Eligibility: Must be a full-time student at LACC. Must have completed a minimum of 20 degree-applicable units and no more than 60 degree-applicable units at LACC. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or above. Must have a major in Korean with the goal of earning an AA in that discipline and transferring to a four-year institution.

Eligibility: Applicant must be a California resident. Have a minimum 2.5 GPA. Must have completed at least 24 degree-applicable units. Completion of English 28, 31, or 101 with a grade of “C” or better.

Student Leader Myra B. Siegel Excel Scholarship

Eligibility: Applicant must be a California resident. Have a cumulative 2.5 GPA. Must be a member of ASG and participate in extracurricular activities.

The Constitution State Health Sciences Scholarship

Eligibility: Completion of 24 units at LACC, but not more than 75 units. A full-time student at LACC. At least a 3.5 GPA in all units completed at LACC. Students must be on track to transfer to a four-year college or university. Strong preference given to students majoring in life sciences. Must be a California resident.

Union Bank Foundation Award

Criteria to Apply: Must be a fulltime student at LACC. Must have completed a minimum of 24 degree-applicable units and not more than 75 degree-applicable units. Must have a GPA of 2.5 or above. Must be California resident.

Veterans Scholarship

Eligibility: Must have completed a minimum of nine semester units. Must have a GPA of 2.5 or above. Must have verified veteran status. Demonstrated campus leadership, civic involvement, commitment to helping others, etc. Must include a copy of the DD214 member #4 with Honorable Discharge status.

Wells Fargo Scholar

Eligibility: Must be a current fulltime student at LACC. Must have completed a minimum of 24 degreeapplicable units and no more than 75 degree-applicable units at LACC. Must have a GPA of 3.5 or above. Must be a student who is preparing to transfer to a four-year college or university. Must be a California resident. Demonstrated leadership and involvement in the school and/or community.

William Henry Snyder Scholarship

Eligibility: Completion of 24 units at LACC, at least half of which are in general education transfer courses. A full-time student at LACC. At least a 3.6 GPA in all units completed at LACC. Completion of not more than 90 units of college credit. Have yet to reach 40 years of age. Must be a California resident. Must demonstrate financial need.

To apply or learn more, visit laccfoundation. scholarships. ngwebsolutions.com

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News

Wednesday February 26, 2014

LAUSD Conference By Clinton Cameron For the past four years, the Los Angeles Unified School District has collaborated with colleges, press organizations and publications in a joint effort to enhance journalism education in the city’s urban areas. Originally funded in part by a grant from the Chicago Times, the LAUSD Journalism Collaborative is currently lacking funds but still continues to operate on a shoestring budget with the generosity of supports. This year, with the support of the dean, LACC’s Journalism department hosted the event. Los Angeles City College has participated as one of nine collaborators since the program began in 2010. During the 2013 winter session students from Los Angeles high schools participated in workshops and attended a conference with superintendent John Deasy where they were allowed to asked questions like a real journalist. Lydia Ramos is the head of

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

public relations and the program director for the LAUSD Journalism Collaborative. She expresses how a press conference can act as professional experience contributing to high school student’s educational experience. “We brought several groups of high school students from throughout the Los Angeles Unified School District to really have a real world experience today and hold[ing] a press conference with our superintendent,” Ramos said. “The students asked him questions as well as any professional journalist would ask at a particular press conference.” The collaboration with LAUSD has the support of LACC’s President Rene Martinez, who also attended the event. “We’re working to give these students an experience in the journalism field,” Martinez said. “This is a great way of mentoring our high school students and getting them to stay in the field of Superintendent John Deasy visits Los Angeles City College for a press conference made up of high school participants in the Journalism Lab 207. Dave Martin/COLLEGIAN

Finish Your Bachelor’s Degree at Azusa Pacific University

Student Union Awarded Gold Prominent judges in green construction gave LACC’s Student Union a LEED Gold designation this past January for its green design, construction and maintenance.

Jemel Thomas ’12

By Denise Barrett

B.S. IN ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a rating system of the U.S. Green Building Council, an independent organization of builders setting the benchmark in sustainable building practices. Ratings of Silver, Gold or Platinum are awarded based on points earned from a checklist of

Earn your accredited degree in as little as two years.

building program. Under this initiative, the district invests in projects that help reduce water use and air pollution, and uses recycled materials on all new construction projects. The $6.2 billion program has completed 175 of 359 projects planned for its nine campuses and satellite locations. More than 88 new projects are currently underway. Among them, 12 are rated Gold, nine Silver and one campus

6, more than two months behind schedule, and the field above the parking structure opened Oct. 2013, 10 months late. The new pool is complete, but awaits Department of Health certification. Delays are partly due to errors. According to Dunne, new doors were ordered for Kinesiology North after it was discovered they were not wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs; glass

Azusa Pacific’s accelerated programs can help you complete your bachelor’s degree and advance your career. Take classes in a streamlined sequence as you progress toward graduation day with a community of peers. CHOOSE FROM :

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It only takes 30 units of transferable credit to get started.

Take the next step. Contact us today! (626) 815-5301 • aps@apu.edu • apu.edu/go/degreecompletion School of Adult and Professional Studies 701 E. Foothill Blvd., Azusa, CA 91702 LACC's Student Union recently received LEED Gold certification. AZUSA | HIGH DESERT | INLAND EMPIRE | LOS ANGELES | MURRIETA ORANGE COUNTY | SAN DIEGO | VENTURA COUNTY | ONLINE

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features that consider resources, water efficiency, energy performance, sustainable building materials and indoor environmental quality. Project manager Harris & Associates oversaw construction of the $41 million, 65,000 squarefoot Student Union designed with features like drought-resistant plants, solar and concrete panels for better energy efficiency, and included grates that capture dust and dirt particles upon entry to reduce the stress on the ventilation system. “The Student Union sets the precedent,” Harris & Associates project engineer Eric Waite said. “We’ve never gotten Gold on campus, and there is not another one in the district.” The building was designed as part of LACCD’s sustainable

received the Gold Campus rating. “LACCD requires all new buildings to be LEED certified,” said Chris Dunne, Vice President, Construction Management at Harris & Associates. “Every college is different. It’s up to the client to decide where they spend money. The more you do, the more likely it is to cost.” With a budget of $568 million funded by Proposition A/AA, Measure J and state and federal grants, LACC has completed 17 building projects. Sixteen more are either under construction, or in design or planning stages. The Gold designation is a highlight for LACC in what has been a construction schedule bombarded with numerous setbacks. The new $25 million Kinesiology North facility opened Jan.

Wes Smith/COLLEGIAN

was replaced to meet the fire code; and the locker room drains need repairs. Even with the problems, Kinesiology North is expected to receive a LEED Silver or Gold rating. The campus renovations matter to students like music major Bryant Woodart. “I did a semester at [Santa Monica College], and it looks like a university,” said Woodart. “One reason I didn’t want to come here was because it looked raggedy and you equate that with poor instructors, right or not. It looks like a different school on the backside [because of the newer buildings]. It needs a facelift badly.” With more changes to come, LACC’s new face is taking shape with the environment in mind.

News

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

Wednesday February 26, 2014

Holmes Hall Renovations

Silent Auction

had a fire, we would have all burned up in it,” said Fuhrmann about the classic building which evidently has a difficult-to-navigate interior. Former Alumni, Jack Neff remembers the library from when he attended from 1979-1980. “It sort of reminded me of the 32nd Street Library in New York City,” Neff said. Neff appreciated the wide stairways and classy columns of the facade but he does not have fond memories of studying inside. “It couldn’t have been laid out worse for browsing the stacks,” Neff said. Scot Tedisco, Project Manager for the school’s design planning and architecture company, Harris and Associates, explained that the 1936 Learning Resource Center had an add-on done in the 1960s, which could account for its more modern look compared to Holmes Hall, which was built in 1938. One could also speculate that the remodel holds responsibility for the building’s wonky interior layout. Holmes Hall, which has housed the Law and Psychology programs in the past, will remain standing, and keep its current exterior look. However, it is out with the old and in with the new when it comes to the building’s interior. “We are going to gut the mechanical, put all new in,” Tedisco said. There will also be a new lobby in front of the lecture hall. What students will get in exchange for months of inconvenience is a new Student Services Center with brick similar to Da Vinci Hall and a fancy glass curtain wall that will let in lots of light. Both Holmes Hall and the Learning Resource Center were built shortly after the Long Beach Earthquake of 1933. During the quake more than 230 school buildings collapsed, suffered major damage, or were unsafe to occupy. The California State Legislature passed the Field Act on April 10, 1933 which mandated that all education buildings must be earthquake-resistant. This meant that the cement and brick buildings of LACC were built under much stricter regulations than most 1930s buildings of a noneducational nature. “All of those buildings, Holmes Hall, built in the 1930s, have seen how many earthquakes?” asked Tedisco. He said the buildings have only suffered insignificant cracking in all those decades. Fuhrmann and fellow librarian, Barbara Vasquez (Department Chair at the time) recall when they moved out of the old library back in June of 2008. “It went pretty well I think,” Fuhrmann said of the move. “We had a really good planner, and we started way beforehand. We worked for five or six months, planning.” The new building is located on the north side of campus near the subway station and the Science and Technology Building. The old library is now sporting a sign that reads Learning Resource Center. Astronomy Professor Dean Arvidson, who holds class in the ultramodern new Sci-Tech building, explained the struggle in obtaining the needed funds. “That’s when the land was rented out as a fundraiser,” Arvidson said. “There was going to be park-

(continued from page 4)

Student Debt (continued from page 1) be trying to get into a degree program to get a loan.” Once Camacho started taking school seriously and entered a degree program, he transferred from El Camino College to Pa-

scholarship was helpful, the assistance is short-lived due to the relatively small amount the department can manage to award. “The problem is getting the word out for the rest of the students and faculty,” said Shejan Ledezma, a student of two-and-a-half years. “The instructors inform the students about the scholarships, but the rest of the campus is completely unaware of what goes on in the art department.” Wiesenfeld says it’s still too soon to get an idea of how much money has been raised, but she is confident that this and perhaps next year’s scholarship funds are secured. She An artist's rendering of the future Holmes Hall building, which began construction this spring. ing. We got a little revenue and no parking space. But we bought out Majestic Golf Land and reclaimed that land. Harris and Associates moved in. They are doing a much better job.” New tennis courts are planned for this area. First Plan A was passed, but it did not provide enough funds. “The plan was to get Prop AA passed,” Arvidson said, “I remember them telling us there was no way to get AA.” However voters approved it. “We realized the school was still short of funds and managed to push for Measure J. We got around 6.2 billion total, and LACC’s slice of about $570 million,” Arvidson said. LACC has received exactly $568,909,237 altogether. Over the years the funds have provided for the school’s new library and new Child Development Center. The school also has a beautiful new cutting-edge Science and Technology Building, and Franklin Hall has been renovated. While many can’t wait to switch to the new, some nostalgic professors and students are feeling a bit melancholy. “I hate when they demolish old buildings,” said Health Instructor Rob McKinley. McKinley recalls an old mini clock tower that was located at the top of Jefferson Hall (southwest corner), that he has always adored. “It’s gone, they took it out, you can still see some holes and weathered marks,” McKinley said. After he recently bought a 1920s Spanishstyle house nearby, and replaced all the old light fixtures with modern sconces, he regrets that decision. “I wish I would have just stuck

with the old,” McKinley said. Even Arvidson, who teaches a subject that relies on cutting -edge technology, misses some of the simpler luxuries. “The Physics Department used to be in Franklin Hall (before that hall was renovated), and the building was really quite a good one,” said Arvidson. “One simple example: The chalkboards in Franklin Hall were made from slate, which is a high quality material that erases and cleans very easily and takes a chalk mark nicely.” Since all the slate boards have been replaced with plastic, Arvidson now carries his own dry erase marker kit everywhere he goes. Some students around the Quad are looking forward to change. “I think it’s probably going to be good because it might attract more students,” said screenwriting major Talbot Lin, “it’s nice to see change if it’s good.” Others, while excited for the changes, are confused as to why so much is happening simultaneously. “The school has improved in the last three years,” said student Jerome Thompson, “but I think it’s bad planning, they have all these different projects going on at once.” With so many projects on the horizon, students and faculty will have to put up with the inconveniences associated with these projects for some time, as they patiently wait to enjoy the benefits.

Construction in currently underway for Holmes Hall, located on the south side of the quad. Jessica Becker/COLLEGIAN

cific Oaks and began taking out loans. “I’ve been paying my student loans longer than I’ve been paying my mortgage,” Camacho said. “I should be done paying them off in maybe five to 10 years.” Camacho admits he does not know how much more he owes to settle the debt. “I don’t even know,” he said. “I should check.” He claims to be paying $200 a month.

Other students have not begun making payments. The general rule for most companies is that payments start once a student graduates or becomes employed. This can vary depending on the institution where the loan is issued. David Stamp is taking illustration at Los Angeles City College. He is in his early 20s. His loans are through the university he attended before LACC. “It’s sort of a vague amount of stress knowing I’m going to have

Courtesy Harris & Associates

Skill Certificates Help Students Reach Goals

Photography students hold award certificates signifying their successful completion of credits. Photo Courtesy Luca Loffredo By Lorenzo Quintana Besides receiving your degree when you graduate, how often is the time you put into your schoolwork recognized? Students work hard in class and besides the letter grade, not very often are they acknowledged for it. The photography department has recently started awarding students with certificates after completing the required nine units. These Skills Certificates do not go on a student’s transcript but are intended to acknowledge a student’s success and hard work within the subject. Last fall, 53 students were awarded with Skills Certificates: 24 Darkroom Photography Skills Certificates and 29 Digital Photography Skills Certificates, each of which was signed by the LACC president. Of the 53 students, 29 have returned to take more photography classes, many with the goal of obtaining a degree. “We believe that acknowledging a student’s progress when awarding a Skills Certificate provides incentive for the student to continue studying photography with the goal of earning a certificate of achievement or a degree,” says Daniel

$50,000 more-or-less to have to pay back once I get out,” Stamp said. Steve Ferrer is a veteran. He is attending LACC to work on his second associate arts degree after graduating in 2011. His loan is through American Finance. “With the vet, the stipulation is they won’t bother you until you start working,” Ferrer said. “I’ve accumulated no debts in the last 10 years except for my student loans.” For students attending LACC

Marlos, Chair of the Media Arts Dept. An example of how the Skills Certificates can encourage students is Stacey Gutierrez. Gutierrez is the first person in her family to go to college but found the experience to be trial and error. She took only photography classes and accumulated 40 units before meeting with a counselor to find out which academic courses to take. Receiving the Skills Certificate encouraged her to continue. “I was excited. It was more motivation to actually graduate with applied associates in photography,” said Gutierrez about being awarded. Other photography students were very ecstatic about receiving their certificates. Angel Diaz and Karin Gonzalez are passionate photographers who felt redeemed for finally having their work acknowledged. “I love photography and it was the first formal recognition I got for it,” says Karin. Angel says that his goal has been to obtain a degree but the Skills Certificate “can really push people to succeed.”

who may be concerned about their loans, there are counselors available in the Financial Aid Office who can help check the status of loans. The Financial Aid Office was not available to comment at the time of this article’s publication.

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has volunteered to auction her own artwork, along with collections from Raoul De la Sota, Burke and Peggy Burnes, and several other local artists which include LACC alumni. To be in the running for the scholarship, students are required to submit eight of their best art pieces for consideration. Submissions are accepted April 14-16. The gallery, located at 131 N. Avenue 50 in Highland Park, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m everyday except Monday. The showcase will run through March 1, at which point the final bids will be accepted no later than 1:59 p.m. Visit www.avenue50studio.org for more information.

LACC Crime Report By Daniel Rodriguez New technology in the hands of law enforcement has allowed for more accurate tracking of crime statistics. The sheriff’s department is using new crime mapping technology to mitigate the threat of violence and keep the campus safe. It allows the sheriffs to refocus their attention and efforts on spots that have high-recorded crime rates in real-time. Students who were asked how the school could improve campus safety at night felt more lights and more sheriffs patrolling the campus would help. Mildre Morales, 20, expresses concern about the unsettling atmosphere. “At night, I either walk with someone or be really cautious, because it’s not the students that scare me, it’s the people around,” Morales said. According to Detective Darren Inara, who has worked at LACC for over seven years, the neighborhood crime rate is much higher than the crime rate on campus, which leaves students concerned about outside criminal activities finding their way onto campus. Preventing firearms from being carried on campus is a concern as well. To enforce the recent gun-free LACCD policy, the sheriffs are doing all they can within the confines of the law. If there were reports of a gun on campus, an immediate investigation and necessary action would follow. The sheriff's department does not condone unlawful searches and seizures. Nancy Escalante, 19, agrees with the measures the sheriff's department is taking. “It’s not an arbitrary system. With the high volume of students it would be very difficult enforcing searches without harassing students,” Escalante said. According to the 2010 to 2012 Clery Act Crime Statistics Report, there have been three forcible sexual offenses and two counts of aggravated assault during the two-year span. In that same time frame there were also three robberies and 16 burglaries. This is one of the lowest recorded amounts of criminal activity. Detective Inara has credited the low statistics to the men and women of the LACC sheriff's department. “The low crime rate on campus is a testament to the officers and cadets that serve Los Angeles Community College.” Inara said.

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Campus Life

Wednesday February 26, 2014

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

Aid Available

at ASG Resource Center

Jasmine Barruga, left, and Jasmine Marquez, right, greet students with welcoming signs during Club Preview days.

Wes Smith/COLLEGIAN

Preview Days Offer Glimpse into Club Life By Felicia Allen Club Preview Days gave students a look into what student government and community service looks like at the start of the spring semester during Welcome Week. According to the Associated Student Government’s (ASG) website, it is their mission to “recognize, represent and support the diversity of needs and views of students.” There are more than 34 active clubs at LACC, each one showcasing their diversity. Club officers say that clubs engage students academically and socially, and foster a sense of community. “We offer students a home,” said LaTosha Haynes, Black Student Union (BSU) president. “The BSU is a place where students not only get support for their classes,

but where they can come together like a family.” Not being of African-American descent will not exclude potential members from joining. “They accepted me as an individual, and I’m not black, “said Andrew Lucus, music major at City. “I’m a veteran, and they offered me a place to grow as an adult and fit in.” Club Preview Days have typically been located near the Student Union Building, but the event has been relocated to the wide-open Main Campus Quad Area in hopes of attracting the students who travel walking through it in between classes. From the Dead Philosophers Society to the Circle K Club, Cubs browse around the Quad asking questions like “what do you all

do for students?” and “why should we pick you?” When Phi Theta Kappa Honors Club members were approached by students asking if their club was strictly concerned about students’ scholastic success, Judith Sorto, vice president of the club, quickly offered up a response. “Yes, we are an honors club, but you don’t have to be an honors student to join,” Sorto said. The honor society prides itself on working with students in and around the community to help them be successful in all of their endeavors. Sporting a bright yellow Pikachu hat, Anime Club President Tashanay Scott says her club’s aim is to bring some excitement to college life.

“Anime [Club] gives students the opportunity to dress up as their favorite character and socialize with people who find anime fun,” Scott said. “Academics are important but making new friends and being a wellrounded student is equally as important.” Many older students tend to not take part in club life. Charles Horn, a student at City College, says this occurs because older students have “been there and done that.” “I’m on a different pathway now, more into personal development,” Horn said. “I’m looking for more of an opportunity to do something in the community … but I think clubs are good for younger students, because they can get together in person.” Club Preview Days give students an opportunity to become involved in campus-wide social, academic and community efforts.

Workforce Aids Student Success

Star Sightings on Campus

By Krystle Mitchell

By Jessica Brecker Few colleges can top Los Angeles City College when it comes to star alumni, but the ones that have been here the longest continue to shine high above campus, and they don’t plan on graduating anytime soon. It’s not necessary to know the right people or join an exclusive club to see them, although you might consider joining the astronomy club for the opportunity to see the stars up close. Currently the club is making their own telescopes. Good viewing locations are scattered about campus. However, the top floor of the Student Union, the parking deck roof, and viewing deck of the Science and Technology building are all good locations to spot them. Although, like many stars of the Hollywood variety, they only come out after dark on clear nights. Currently the sun is setting at 5:45 p.m., but stars will not be really visible until 6:10 p.m. This week the asterisms to look for are The Big Dipper and the Little Dipper, part of the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. They will be located to the north just above the hills. Look for Orion’s belt, part of the asterism Orion, overhead and slightly to the south. The belt is pretty easy to spot, just look for a straight line of three stars. For those not in the know, the scientific term for what is commonly known as a constellation is asterism. Scientifically, a constellation is the name for the space the asterism resides in. Planets in the night sky include Jupiter. The moon is also visible and is in its waning phase, so it will look like a crescent. The twinkling red star just to the left of Orion’s belt is a red giant by the name of Betelgeuse. For more information on the location of these stars, visit stellarium.org. To know more about the astronomy club, email club president Soma Ali at soma_sus@yahoo.com. The club also has a Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/LACC-Astronomy-Club/130517720338970.

By Lorenzo Quintana Since being a student is neither easy nor cheap, the Associated Student Government has put together a resource center for City College students in an attempt to alleviate some of the financial burdens facing them. The center is open to all LACC students, whether they are ASG members or not, to receive or donate goods such as food, clothes, school supplies and books, most of which come for the ASG’s collection efforts last semester. Students only need to sign in at the front desk with their student ID to participate. ASG Vice President of Clubs Karl Resurreccion played a big part in the resource drive. As a former environmental science major, Karl says he sand by the “reduce, reuse, recycle” adage. He says he hopes that the ASG can set up more booths and donation boxes on campus so students can easily contribute to the drive. “The Resource Center really speaks to the fact that ASG is looking at students more holistically,” said Shaina Campbell, ASG president. “They know that if students don’t have clothes to wear or food to eat, they’re not going to be academically successful.” Apart from helping students with the Resource Center, the ASG and its board are looking to spread awareness about their services and benefits to all LACC students by handing out flyers and setting up booths on campus. In an effort to spread awareness and improve campus morale, ASG leaders are handing out informational flyers and setting up booths to make sure students know about the services they offer and the benefits that come with ASG membership. “We know that when students are more engaged in their campus, they tend to do better in classes and they’re more likely to graduate,” Campbell said. “So, ASG is a good example of how to get more involved on campus.” LACC student David Mentor wasn’t an ASG member until this semester but he says he wishes he would have joined sooner. “I used to pay $20 for parking. But now that I’m in ASG, I get parking, cheaper printing and other stuff. It’s only [been] the first week, but it’s worth it.”

Up: The asterism The Big Dipper as it looks in the sky. Left: Orion is easy to identify with the naked eye. Right: The moon in its waning face as it will be seen this week.

Photos courtesy of Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons.

Workforce is a program at L.A. City College that aims to help individuals succeed by education, work and training that will hopefully allow that person to make a competitive splash upon entering the workforce. The program is structured so that individuals receive classes and certification upon mastery of a particular skill. Then, the choice becomes either to continue in their education or use that training to get a job. Students attending LACC can choose from a variety of courses from ESL to Microsoft suite classes. Current and prospective students looking to further their skills can sign up for the courses through the registration portal on the LACC website. “We help people around the neighborhood by conducting an outreach and passing fliers out to church members about the benefits we offer to help promote them in their work, education, or prepare them for the citizenship test,” said David Chomchuenjitra, a Workforce career guidance assistant. The Workforce program brings many students in by word of mouth. According to members anyone that is looking to advance in their career and education is

welcome to join. “For a long time I did not go to school,” said Maria Recinos a workforce participant. “I heard about the Workforce Program here at LACC that helps grant you citizenship through friends that took the course, and I was eager to sign up and change my life and others. I can’t wait to begin the offered computer classes once I pass my citizenship test.” Recinos is says she is really excited to begin her next phase in life now that she is about to complete the training. After having great success with her current professor, she has says she recommended the program to other friends and people she comes across looking to further themselves and accomplish their educational goals or computer skills. Having the chance to return to school and get a degree is her main goal. Without the program, she wouldn’t be able to accomplish any of her goals. To speak with a representative of the Workforce program visit the EWD building, once the old bookstore, located right beside the Faculty Staff Center and behind Da Vinci Hall. For more information about the courses that are offered, visit the school’s website and click the For Students Link followed by the Workforce Education link on the menu to the left.

Campus Life

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

Wednesday February 26, 2014

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Black Caucus Spends Weekend on Campus African-American students and professionals came together to commemorate Black History Month and participate in the 13th Annual Black Caucus Leadership Conference addressing community issues from education to incarceration. On the second day of the Black Caucus of California Community Colleges Conference, attendees participate in a harambee, a traditional african rally cry on the third floor of the multi-purpose room at Los Angeles City College last Saturday.

By Clinton Cameron Last Saturday, in acknowledgement of Black History Month, the Black Caucus of the California Community Colleges (BCOCCC) presented the 13th Annual Leadership Conference in the Student Union at Los Angeles City College. This year, the conference centered on the state of the AfricanAmerican community in education, economics, health and wellness, and incarceration. It was the second day of the two-day festivities

and more than a dozen events were scheduled for the day, including workshops, seminars and keynote speakers. Upon arriving, conference attendees were asked to ponder the following question: “Why are African-Americans the only ethnic group that does not pool their money together to create wealth?” They were then encouraged to share their thoughts at the end of the day and was a common theme for many of the workshops throughout the day. “Too many of our entrepre-

neurs create businesses that are only good for one year,” said John E. Brown, executive vice president of The Bedford Group, a real state firm specializing in urban infill development. “You don’t want to be a part of building things that are inefficient.” Issaac Taggart, a City of Oakland reentry employment specialist spoke to a group predominantly made up of high school-aged boys about self-determination and education. “There are people coming to

Volunteer Opportunities Compiled by Rocio Flores Huaringa

Volunteering is an excellent form of giving back to our community. And it is a good way to gain experience in different areas of expertise. In addition, employers and scholarship committees like to see community service listed on resumes and scholarship letters. LACC Office of Special Services (OSS) Recruiting tutors to assist disabled students in their classes. Tutor any class starting from Math 105 or English 20, or a different subject if you received a B or better. Minimum hours required per week: 2. Contact Susan Matranga (x2273), or visit the OSS from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Location: Student Services Village, in front of the library. LACC Programming Board Seeking students to help organized events on campus. Get involved in campus events and improve your leadership skills. Minimum hours required per semester: 40. Visit the Office of Student Life for more information. Location: Second floor of the Student Union Building. Peer2Peer Mentor Program Looking for mentors to help new students achieve academic and personal goals. Make a positive impact on new students. Requirements: Minimum 3.0 GPA, been enrolled at LACC for at least one year attending at least 10 units, and have a flexible schedule. Contact Daniel Puerta at the Office of Student Life. Location: Second floor of the Student Union Building. FoodForward Volunteers needed to collect boxes of fresh produce from local farmers to donate to people in need. Harvest food at the Larchmont Farmers Market and build community to fight hunger. Requirements: Must be 12 or older. Volunteers under 18 need to be accompanied by a guardian. Visit foodforward.org or register at foodforward.org/events/signup-form/?id=1628

America everyday who are competing for these jobs,” Taggart said. “This is why we need you to get an education, so you can speak for yourself and others. It’s not just a Black [thing]. This is a human thing.” Nyric Hinton was one of the high school students who attended the event on Saturday. He is a sophomore at Fresno high school and has aspirations working as a physical therapist for the NFL. He said he found the whole experience inspiring.

“It’s more people that can push you to help you succeed in your goals,” Hinton said. “When you see other people doing things right, it makes you want to succeed.” Nehasi Lee, secretary of the Black Caucus Student Compton Community Educational Center describes how she sees the future of the BCOCC. “The Black Caucus of Community Colleges is a expanding, growing organization that looks forward to finding its way onto ev-

Inae Bloom/COLLEGIAN

ery California Community College with students and organizations of African decent,” Lee said. The following day was scheduled for elections. However, to increase demographic diversity among attendees, elections were moved to April as part of California Community Colleges student Advisors Association. “We wanted more diversity,” Price said. “Because there were so many students from Northern California we’re going to hold them [the elections] there.”

10

Sports

Wednesday February 26, 2014

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

Sports Bin

Fewer Games Can Improve the NBA By Jake Carlisi

Opened for classes this Spring, Kinesiology North Building remains unfinished business after 14 years of planning, construction and delays.

Kinesiology Building Weathers Growing Pains

On the surface, it appears that the newly constructed Kinesiology building and its surrounding grounds are fully up and running. What’s beneath that surface is poor construction, mechanical glitches, non-functional equipment, and a pool that has yet to see a swim student. By Felicia Allen

If you have ever stepped onto the campus in the last two years, it would be impossible for you to miss the construction of the new state-of-the-art Kinesiology North building sitting next to the Women’s Gym. For many years, students have been promised a new facility where gym classes can take place and fitness and sports programs can be played. Faculty began meeting some time ago to discuss the need for a new facility which would house the growing number of students interested in taking physical education courses. The group of faculty members called themselves the User Group and was lead by Jan McVeety. “Yeah it was back in 2001 when we all began meeting and planning for the new facility,” McVeety said. There have been many promises and several dates of comple-

tion given to staff, but the reality has taken over 14 years for it to manifest. “You won’t get me to say anything negative about this project,” said Dan Cowgill, Chair of the new Kinesiology Department. “I am about positivity, and student success. Having a positive attitude about everything is how I choose to deal with this and so does my staff.” One of the changes this year is the combination of disciplines that are now housed in one building. According to staff this has been the goal of the department since before construction began. Many of the issues are out of sight to students visiting for the first time. However, students who thought they would be playing in the new gym the first week of school were sadly mistaken. Further investigation revealed the lines were not correct on the floor and the holes for the badminton and volleyball poles were placed incorrectly. The pool still remains uninhabitable, along with the expensive state-ofthe-art equipment in the weight room, which can only be used on a limited basis because the wrong flooring had been laid. Students also had to assist a staff member stuck between the closing elevator doors. The sensors on normal elevator doors retract upon making contact with resistance, but the lobby elevator had to be pried open and held to get the staff member safely

through while carrying gym equipment. When asked who is responsible for the issues in the building, Tanya Geddes, an employee for the department, refused to speak ill of the chair. “Everyone wants to blame the chair, but it’s not his fault,” Geddes said. “He’s a nice guy who is really working very hard to fix the problems.” It is apparent that the chair and staff were not responsible for the construction of the building. They are teachers and support staff who are not contractors, plumbers, electricians or maintenance staff. Community colleges in the district have received taxpayer bond money to pay for these projects, and they must be carried out to the specifics of that bond. “We have had a few construction companies on this project, but Harris & Associates seem to really care about us,” said Cowgill. “They care because we care.” Despite the issues, students come and go without many complaints. During a weight training class, instructor Wiliam Becktel shows students the proper way to use the equipment but instructs them that some equipment cannot be used for safety reasons because it cannot be bolted down to the current flooring. The Collegian learned that the floor will have to be replaced and could take upwards of a month to fix. Instead of not allowing stu-

Jessica Brecker/COLLEGIAN

dents to use the weight facility and prolonging the project until repairs are made, staff allows students to use the equipment that doesn’t pose a safety hazard and continues with business as usual. Mr. Becktel lets students know that if the flooring is to be replaced, classes will continue in the old Women’s Gym. According to Education Portal.com, there are more than 25 California universities and state colleges offering an undergraduate and graduate degree programs in kinesiology. Most of these campuses have had new buildings, tennis courts, all-weather tracks and pools for years but building codes and paperwork have kept LACC running behind. “There are some hiccups with the facility. We’re not denying that,” Cowgill said. “But, look at this place. This is better than anything we have ever seen before. So the flooring needs to be redone. The cabinets need to be bolted down. We are staying optimistic about our facility,” Cowgill said. With the signing off of the project less than six months away and Harris & Associates still in the construction and fix-it stage, questions remain about whether the project will be completed with success or if there will be loose ends to this expensive project left undone long after the workman are gone, and the cement trucks and tools have been packed up and disappear.

Students face limits on how and when new top-of-the-line gym equipment housed in Kineosiology North can be used, the result of construction errors in the flooring of the weight room. David Martin / Collegian

Spring 2014 Schedule Collegiate Sports Canceled

Things are changing in the NBA. There is a new commissioner in town. It is as good of a time as ever for the NBA to implement a change that has been needed for decades now, that being a less intense schedule. Every year each team plays 82 games in one season. That’s more than enough. Teams are forced to play multiple back-to-back’s, often four games in five nights. Pro athletes are certainly compensated well for their efforts; this isn’t a sob story for a group of people making millions upon millions of dollars. The issue is in the suffering of the product as a result of so many games. Not only do players get injured at an alarming rate that could be lessened with a less rigorous schedule, but the games are also less entertaining when certain teams are beat up or tired. How often are potentially marquee games ruined because one team is playing on a road backto-back? How often do teams not compete at the highest level because of reasons related to the enormously long schedule? Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is famous for resting healthy players to preserve their legs, and it is only a matter of time before that becomes common practice amongst more and more coaches. Like many things, the reason for the intense schedule can be traced back to the money. The revenue generated on a game-by-

game basis is huge. In terms of television profit, every team essentially has the opportunity to put on a season of programming with 82 episodes. That’s obviously unheard of for any other genre of television show, and as long as professional basketball delivers ratings, the profits derived through television programming will remain. But even looking at the game from strictly a financial perspective, will the long-term effects of a less rigorous schedule necessarily be negative? The idea is that with fewer games the product would not just improve, but improve tremendously. Every game would have the opportunity to be played with the competitive fervor that the NBA prides itself on. The likelihood of players falling to injuries goes down, meaning the superstar players that the NBA in particular uses to advertise the product are less likely to miss games. A term too often heard around the league is “schedule loss,” a loss that comes not from the quality of the opponent but simply from when the game takes place in the season. The NBA should look to eliminate the “schedule loss” entirely. The players certainly want it; the fans would also want to see basketball played at the highest level possible. But as with any business, money talks. Until the NBA doesn’t view fewer games as fewer dollars, things are likely to remain unchanged. Hopefully we can get to a place where better basketball results in higher profits.

Gay Athletes Educate Teams, Public By Jake Carlisi Last semester I wrote about NBA player Jason Collins being the first openly gay athlete in any major American professional sport. I wrote about his courage and him being a trailblazer in his field. While all of that still holds true, Collins has yet to find an NBA team and the story has dwindled. Recently however, NFL draft prospect and Missouri player Michael Sam recently announced he was gay before entering the draft. While the announcement was certainly inspired by Collins, Sam’s story was even bigger news simply because football is the biggest sport in our country. . For most Americans, it seems as though something as significant as the winter Olympics is merely a placeholder to keep them occupied between the Superbowl and the NFL draft. Michael Sam is by all accounts expected to make a team and become the first openly gay NFL player in history. It has of course sparked the tired debate about whether an openly gay man belongs in a locker room and if his teammates and the public are ‘ready’ for a gay athlete, the same discussions that always pop up when people try to mask their bigotry. What seems to be lost in the discussion is the fact that Sam’s teammates at Missouri were aware of his sexual orientation, and that it essentially remained a non-issue. Sam told The New York Times: “Some people actually just couldn’t believe I was actually gay. But I never had a problem with my teammates. Some of my coaches were worried, but there was never an issue.” With the possibility of a few outlying opinions, the student athletes were fine despite any ap-

prehension from the elders: 131 players and more than two dozen coaches and administrators managed not to leak the story for nearly six months. That’s not a minor miracle -- it’s proof that Sam’s sexual identity was entirely incidental to the team’s larger ambitions. This didn’t happen by accident -- education matters. Last spring, the ‘You Can Play Project’, which educates amateur programs and professional franchises on how to create an environment where gay athletes are accepted and can flourish, led seminars for teams at Missouri. “Mizzou used our model to put together their own diversity discussions, as we frequently encourage schools to do,” said Patrick Burke, co-founder of You Can Play. “They talked to all their athletes about how performance is what matters, and how homophobic language and a negative culture can hinder an athlete's performance. Obviously, Michael took that discussion to heart, and I imagine it helped inspire three of his teammates to appear in the Mizzou ‘You Can Play’ video. Michael’s experience at Mizzou simply emphasizes the effectiveness of starting open conversations, which is our only goal at You Can Play. Ignorance and confusion can be fixed with education, and education is what we do best.” There will always be people who remain discriminatory despite being educated. For most however, there is simply a misunderstanding and a lack of knowledge. Education is always important, but it is especially important here. There are gay people in sports, always have been and always will be. The sooner those athletes feel comfortable living openly the better, and that begins with education.