Corsair The Santa Monica College
Volume C, Issue 1
AS president Tiffany Inabu looks to the year ahead
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S.W.A.T.’s all the fuss about?
By Miles Arnold Staff Writer
By Jonathan Bue Staff Writer
[See AS, page 3]
KCRW stalwart Will Lewis switches off his mike one last time With a lifetime in journalism behind him, Lewis brings to an end his illustrious career.
New AS president Inabu discusses the main focuses of her government this year.
The continued service of Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus system, a culture garden, more student involvement, and a new Associated Students website top the list of priorities for newly incumbent AS President, Tiffany Inabu. Currently, Santa Monica College students with an SMC ID and current AS sticker can ride the Big Blue Bus for free through the “Any Line Any Time” program. However, with a looming fee increase this semester, Inabu plans to work closely with the district and college to maintain the program she describes as beneficial. “I really want to make sure that it continues, and I want to make sure we have a good hold on what needs to get done for that,” said Inabu. Last year’s board also oversaw the establishment of a campus culture garden which will be located on the main campus near the Arts complex. The garden has been years in the making through past AS administrations. Inabu, who sat on the previous board as the Director of Budget Management, plans to see the garden come to a completion. The garden also comes at a time of increased sustainability efforts on campus. “We are one of the leaders in sustainability,” said Inabu. “And we want to keep that integrity.” Inabu points out that SMC’s
Wednesday, Septemeber 8, 2010
Sammy Soliman Corsair Banner wielding Erica Montelongo, a member of S.W.A.T. (Student Worker Action Team), protests on the campus quad. As a member of S.W.A.T., she was protesting the recent cuts made to public education.
By Ariana Masters Staff Writer On Tuesday, Aug. 31, Santa Monica College students made their feelings known about recent cuts to the California education funding by airing their grievances in a public protest that took place across the main college campus. Orchestrated by the Student Worker Action Team (S.W.A.T.), an organization actively opposed to further hikes in tuition costs, a small but vociferous band of protestors rallied against the recent cuts to student services, rising tuition fees and cuts to the numbers of classes offered across Californian campuses. “The reason that we’re all here is to get an education,” said George Gordillo, protest leader and political science student. “We’re trying to better ourselves and promote higher learning. But I feel, and we feel, that we are not given the best opportunity or
atmosphere to do so. “ Gordillo continued, “There should be more money spent on books, on hiring teachers and more classes should be opened up. Hopefully we will spread like wildfire.” S.W.A.T., whose inception was in response to the 2009 decision by the UC Regents to approve a 32 percent hike in tuition fees, have been active throughout a number of University campuses. As the start of the new fall semester, and with it a more urgent call for students to crash classes, they have taken the opportunity to spread their message to disenfranchised students. One of those was Maron Sanmartin, 19, and an electrical engineer major at SMC, who said, “I do have two classes, but that isn’t enough to fill up my roster to go to UCLA.” Sanmartin’s sentiments were echoed by fellow SMC student Angela Gelich. “We are students
trying to organize other students and workers in SMC and throughout LA to demand that our public education isn’t privatized and that we have a quality free education for all,” said Gelich Not all who came in contact with the small group were in agreement. One of those was Anthony Ortiz, an SMC student who loudly voiced his opposition to the content of S.W.A.T.’s argument. “The only I problem I have is that you guys are chanting ‘Education should be free,’” said Ortiz, “and I think it should not be free, but maybe should be cheaper. “ Ortiz continued, ”Look, like I’ve had to crash courses, but if you say it should be free, I don’t think so. Teachers need to be getting paid more and if we make going here free, then they will be getting paid, what, like thirty grand a year? That’s just not enough.” S.W.A.T. will continue their efforts at SMC with another protest scheduled in October.
After almost 33 years at KCRW, public radio legend Will Lewis has decided to call it quits. This comes nearly forty years after he began his tireless effort to transform southern California public radio, and KCRW in particular, into not only a local but national hub for various news, music and cultural programming. “We wanted to make public radio important”, said Lewis, “Listeners wanted current news stories and NPR was not broadcasting updated headlines.” During his earlier days in broadcasting he not only worked in radio but taughwt radio and television news at the University of Florida between 1958 and1963. During this time, his students would actually produce and anchor a nightly news television broadcast. After his stint at Florida he moved to Boston University where he taught broadcasting and served as the general manager at radio station WBUR Boston. In 1967, he and his fellow board members of National Educational Radio successfully lobbied Congress to include radio in the pending Public Television Act. Lewis and other board members of the National Association of Educational Broadcasters were then invited by President Johnson to witness the signing of the Public Broadcasting Act in the White House. Lewis had many high points during his career at KCRW, one
[See Lewis, page 3]
Students stumble into fall with a crash By Zuliema Alvarado Staff Writer
Valerie Serrano, a secondyear student at Santa Monica College, is on the road by 7:30 a.m. to be dropped off at college by 8:30 that morning. Despite her expectations, she nears the campus only to find herself stuck in traffic about four blocks away. “I expected there to be traffic the first day, but I didn’t expect to be stuck in traffic for 20 minutes without even moving an inch,” Serrano says, who leaves the car and decides it’s better, and faster, to get to school by foot if she wants to
make it to class on time. As Serrano walks into her classroom, she notices an excessive amount of students all hoping to “crash” the class. “It was hectic, more than half of the class was trying to crash,” Serrano says. August 30, marked the first day of classes for the Fall semester at Santa Monica College, but for many students, like Serrano, it also marked the first day of crowded classrooms, long lines and chaos. Martha Quiñones, a first year student at SMC, was able to enroll into all her classes, but not everyone was as lucky. “Some of my friends were trying to crash some classes with me.
Some, [who are] even in their second year, couldn’t get in,” Quiñones said. According to Quiñones, with rising tuition costs at CAL State and UC colleges, SMC was the place to go. She believes that with SMC being affordable for many students, it makes sense that in this current economy many of them choose community colleges for their further education, all the while saving money. “Some of my friends rushed here [to SMC] as a last resort,” Quinones said, keen to stress that some of her friends weren’t able to enroll in some classes. According to Jeff Shimizu,
[See Crash, page 3]
Albany Katz Corsair Santa Monica College students Raquel Wilson and Micaela Johnson stand in line at the Financial Aid Office on Sept. 2 . Wilson and Johnson said that they had been waiting in line for an hour and half.