Vol. 103 Issue 08

VOLUME 103 ISSUE 8 APRIL 18, 2012 first copy of the corsair is free. each copy after is 25¢

Future of Contract Ed Uncertain

Sal Guerra Corsair Santa Monica College President and Superintendent Dr. Chui L. Tsang, prepares for the Board of Trustees emergency meeting, concerning the recent pepper spray incident and the postponed implementation of the College's contract education program on April 6.

Andy Reismeyer Staff Writer Though two weeks have passed since students protesting the “Advance Your Dreams” program were pepper-sprayed by police at a Santa Monica College Board of Trustees meeting, tensions remain high on all sides of the issue.

The Board of Trustees said that adding 50 selffunded classes at $180 per credit to the 700 statefunded ones at $46 for the summer session was a “creative solution” to financial woes—namely a state funding cut of 23 percent last year alone.

But that Friday, the Board unanimously voted to postpone the Contract Ed program and shelve the measure until it can be vetted through the shared governance process at the college, primarily through the District Planning and Advisory Council.

Pressure upon the Board came from student activists, public commenters, and a call from California’s Community College Chancellor Jack Scott, who said that the employment of the selffunded education program would “be a little out of line with [community colleges’] mission.”

At a DPAC meeting on April 11, members of the board, faculty, and the Associated Students agreed to review the proposed self-funded education program with their constituencies in hopes to make a formal recommendation to the board.

According to SMC administrators, the school may be forced to axe the entire winter 2013 term and 350 sections from Spring 2013 without Contract Ed, resulting in less teaching hours and possible layoffs and furloughs for staff. However, Faculty Association President Mitra Moassesi said her group is officially against the measure in a statement at Friday’s Board meeting.

Other opponents, like Associated Student President Harrison Wills, say that fallout from SMC’s austerity measures could be worthwhile. “It’s okay if we have to shrink for a few semesters if we can change the entire state,” he says.

Wills believes that should Contract Ed pass, it would create a precedent for the state to allocate fewer funds for community colleges. To remedy this, Wills says that community organizations can apply pressure on the state to give more funding to public education.

He adds that it challenges the structure of the community college. “It’s taking away the social equalizer which is open access at the college,” Wills

said. “It allows students who have money to cut to the front of the line.”

But it seems opinions may be changing in light of the possible ramifications if the school can’t find a solution to the budget crisis by the end of the year. “We could be for Contract Ed if we could make it equitable,” said Cameron Espinoza, Associated Students Director of Student Outreach.

Protesters received a resounding endorsement from union activist Delores Huerta, who spoke at the college on Tuesday, April 17.

“Congratulations for stopping the two tier program,” she said. “It was unfair and wrong.”

Despite the encouragement, many Carrie Jessenovec Corsair protesters are still Santa Monica College student David Cooper confronts members of the Student Organizing leery of Contract Ed Committee protesting at the office of the President on April 5. Though the divisve selfreturning, and vowed to funded education program known as "Contract Ed" has been posponed by the Board of continue to organize and Trustees and axed for the summer, opponents are still nervous about its possible return. demonstrate according to statements released on their Facebook pages.

A flier distributed in the weeks leading up to the Members of the Student Organizing Committee protests by the Student Organizing Committee and the Associated Students have spent time trying claimed that “the Contract Education program will to address accusations that they have been spreading charge students ~ 200 / unit.” misinformation, specifically that all tuition will be But Wills placed most of the blame on the increasing to $180 per credit hour.

Board themselves. “The fact that there was this At the board meeting, Trustee Louise Jaffee said she misinformation out there is just indicative of the fact feared the original intent of the program had been that the administration did such a poor job in getting clouded by misinformation. the information out,” he said.

“It was additive and never subtractive,” she said.

Repeated requests for interview with members of “We were never going to raise tuition across the the SOC have been made by The Corsair, but have board.” so far been unsuccessful.

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2|CONTENTS

WEDNESDAY APRIL 18, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

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Lynda Konde Corsair A group of curious students and faculty members watches Turkish painter Gulsum Cifcti while she create a beautiful painting at the "eat sweet, talk sweet" event at Santa Monica college in Santa Monica, California on April 3, 2012

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NEWS|3

WEDNESDAY APRIL 18, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Renowned union activist speaks at SMC

Andy Riesmeyer Staff Writer Dolores Huerta, union activist and cofounder of the United Farm Workers Union, spoke to a full house at Santa Monica College's main stage Tuesday.

Huerta co-founded the UFW with activist Cesar Chavez to lobby for better working conditions for farm workers in 1962. SMC President and Superintendent Chui L Tsang presented Huerta with an award for her 50 years of service at the union.

Huerta, 82, spoke for an hour about income inequality, social injustice and education reform. “There's a war against the poor, and working people," she said. “And there is a war on education.”

Huerta addressed this month’s protests and congratulated students on their efforts to stop the Contract Ed program.

“It was good you ended the two tier system, it was wrong,” she said.

"Privatization of education is very dangerous. Cuba and Venezuela have free education and free medicine. There are social programs there and no one goes hungry."

Other topics included women’s rights and a push for more gender equality.

Carrie Jesenovec Corsair Dolores Huerta, a Latino civil rights leader, spoke to Santa Monica College students and faculty about human rights and police brutality yesterday in the Mainstage Theater.

“We’ve got to educate women not to be victims,” Huerta said.

Huerta also attacked homophobia and racism with a call to action for Latino communities to be more accepting of the LBGT community. “The same people promoting hate for homosexuals are those promoting hate towards immigrants and people of color,” she said.

The speaking engagement was sponsored by SMC's Associated Students, MECHA and The Latino Center. "We're honored to have her here," said Marian Martinez of The Latino Club. "It's the 50 year anniversary of the UFW, she's a living legend," she said.

Martinez said that she had expected a big crowd citing increased interest in social activism after protests at the college earlier this month.

"It's just a coincidence that she'll be here after the incident; we've been planning it since December," she said.

Huerta was portrayed in SMC's 2011 staging of Cesar and Ruben, an Ed Begley Jr. musical about Chavez that was performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Martinez says Huerta attended the play at the college last fall.

A.S. Directors Not Resigning On Second Thought Fatou Samb News Editor Associated Students directors William Sun and Yian Chen, who announced their resignation earlier this month at a special board meeting, said Monday that they will be retaining their positions as Director of Academic Support and Director of Budget Management, respectively.

“I’ve decided to remain on the board,” Chen said at the A.S. public board meeting.

“My resignation decision was based on my co-workers at the Associated Students; it was not based on the people that I should put first—the students that I was elected by to represent as director of budget management, and my commissioners.”

Sun and Chen’s positions were marked vacant on the A.S. Board of Directors’ Monday agenda. But Chen maintains that her resignation was not official, and that there was a misunderstanding among board members as to what the student government protocol was for a legitimate resignation.

“There are no official documents in the A.S., in our constitution or bylaws, about resignations; so it was just based on every director’s [perspective] and what they think is official,” Chen said.

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“The directors resigned,” Cameron Espinoza, Director of Student Outreach, insisted at the meeting. “They changed their minds, and they have the right to do that.”

A polarizing discussion among A.S. directors, regarding contract education and the attempted impeachment of DJ Davids, Director of Publicity (Davids avoided impeachment by a narrow margin), was what initially led Sun and Chen to an emotional stepping-down during the special board meeting on April 4.

“I apologize for our actions on that day; it was totally based on emotions,” Sun said at the Monday board meeting.

“We are supposed to represent the whole student body. We cannot let our emotions get in the way.”

Prior to the meeting, Chen and Sun told the Corsair that they were upset about Davids’ attempted impeachment. They believe Davids’ behavior did not warrant sanction, and that the board members’ use of peer pressure to make him quit was unfair.

According to Sun and Chen, the charges against Davids, which included failing to communicate properly with his counterparts and creating a volatile

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environment in the office, were gratuitous.

“Those charges can be used against any directors on that board,” Sun said a few days after the failed impeachment.

“Not everybody did a perfect job,” Chen continued. “Everybody has contributed to creating the environment that the A.S. have right now; there’s a very clear division within us.”

However, A.S. President Harrison Wills says several board members pushed specifically for Davids’ impeachment because of “his removal from Alpha Gamma Sigma, his intimidation of other members, and his failing to perform his duties,” among other issues.

Davids maintains that some A.S. directors attempted to impeach him because he has been the “most outspoken board member against them,” and was a strong supporter of contract education, which the student government voted against last month.

“It was just an attempt to get rid of me after I spoke out in favor of contract education, which they are all so passionately against, as you saw tears flying at some of these meetings,” Davids said after the Monday board meeting.

“The impeachment attempt stems off of emotion.”

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Wills refutes those claims, and states that the attempted impeachment of Davids was not based upon his support of contract education, nor on his outspoken character.

“Him being outspoken has nothing to do with why we would impeach him,” Wills said. “Our entire board is made of outspoken, impassioned, and politically active members. So that’s irrelevant!”

Wills later on stated that frustration and tension among A.S. directors sometimes arise when there is a lack of a “cooperative setting,” and that some members fail to do their job.

But he insists that some directors’ decision to chastise Davids was not emotion-driven.

“I think he’s very capable,” Wills said, “we can move past our differences on these issues, and work together to create a healthy collaborative working environment.”

Espinoza believes that differences among board members leading to resignations and attempted impeachments creates a distraction from the more important matters the school is currently facing.

“I’m so tired of all this passive aggressiveness going on,” Espinoza said to her counterparts at the meeting. “Let’s try to work together, because there are bigger issues.”

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4|NEWS

WEDNESDAY APRIL 18, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Attacks against A.S. president leadership raise Major construction continues at SMC as outdated facilities are rebuilt or replaced tension at Monday A.S. board meeting Fatou Samb News Editor The Associated Students public board meeting turned hostile on Monday when President of Alpha Gamma Sigma honor society, Ernie Sevilla Jr., confronted A.S. President Harrison Wills on his alleged fiery political rhetoric, which Sevilla said contributed to the April 3 pepper-spraying incident.

“Will you care now to explain in front of everybody what you whispered in my ear?”

Sevilla said to Wills at the meeting.

With much hostility, Sevilla pressed Wills to divulge to the audience that he had allegedly told Sevilla during the April 3 protest to “force” the boardroom doors open, and told him “to keep it that way no matter what it takes.”

“Why did you say that to me?” Sevilla heatedly said. “What was your intention there?”

Wills declined to immediately comment as tension began to build.

In response to those allegations, Wills later on stated during the meeting that the accusations thrown at him for engaging students to protest in an erratic manner are not true.

“We asked the officer at the door to please go ask for a bigger room,” Harrison said. “We weren’t going in to be violent. Everything has been blown out of proportion.”

Wills then addressed criticism over his active participation in the ongoing protests, and said it was nonsensical since he “campaigned on being a student activist.”

“I told everyone during the [campaigning] process that I will put on a suit, go to these meetings, try to represent the students’ concerns, and fight for equity and equal access,” Wills said, “but if our concerns are not being heard, I, in a video, say I will be on the streets protesting.”

Ongoing protests at SMC have been revolving around contract education, a contentious pilot program that would have offered 50 optional classes at a higher fee, in addition to 700 state-funded classes, school officials say.

Critics say that contract education was unfairly postponed due to political pressure created by the Student Organizing Committee and other student activists, without giving a chance to the rest of the

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Peter S. Cheng Staff Writer Some of Santa Monica College’s outdated facilities are to become newer, greener, and more technologically advanced.

The constructions are on their third and final stage, known as the “Career and Educational Improvements.” Projects under this stage will be mostly funded by a $295 million Bond Measure AA that was approved

by Santa Monica voters in November 2008, according to the SMC bond projects website.

Some students may wonder why so much money is being allocated towards construction projects amidst the recent budget cuts and fee hikes that plague SMC. SMC Director of Facilities Planning Greg Brown explains that these funds were voter approved, specifically for necessary reconstruction projects, before California’s budget woes became so apparent.

Because of the structure of bond measures, these funds must be used for capital construction projects, not for faculty and staff salaries or other education programs.

This final phase of construction will include replacing the old and dilapidated temporary structures that currently serve as the school’s math department. The new math department will be moved to the science building. This will provide room for some of the science classes, which are currently scattered around campus, to rejoin their department.

Brown states that the increase in classroom space will be minimal. “This project is about modernizing classrooms and labs,” he said.

The new facilities will be equipped with the latest technology available.

All of the new classrooms will be built as “smart” classrooms, containing a variety of technologically advanced class presentation equipment, including touch screens as well as Wi-Fi access. This new structure, known as the “Replacement Math and Science Extension Building,” is scheduled to be completed in December 2016.

Brown believes the biggest difference on the main campus will be the new Health/PE/ Fitness/Dance building that will also contain a central plant to help provide some power and cooling to other facilities.

The building will be filled with brand new training equipment that will include an indoor rock-climbing wall.

Athletic Projects Director Joe Cascio believes the state of the art facility will not only benefit the sports programs, but the school as a whole. “It will help us recruit better athletes,” Cascio said, “but we also

student body to look deeply into the pros and cons of the program.

“In recent years, the college has gone into its reserve pool significantly,” student David Cooper said at the meeting. “Contract education was a new partial possible solution, whether you agree with it on an ideological level or not.”

But Wills says contract education is nothing new. It was proposed, last year, as measure AB 515 by the State Assembly member Julia Brownley and the Board of Trustees.

“There’s video footage of me at a trustee meeting, a year ago, speaking out against contract education in the form of AB 515,” Wills said. “This is not new. The board of Associated Students last year also opposed AB 515, which was essentially contract education.”

According to the California Teachers Association website, “AB 515 would authorize a community college district to offer extension courses for credit,” and “the classes would have to be self-supporting, open to the public, developed in conformance with the Education Code.”

Wills says he wrote a resolution about his opposition on contract education, which was endorsed by Region 7, a member of the English Council of California Two-Year Colleges representing over half a million students.

Critics of the protests allege that some protest organizers contrived the pepperspraying incident by provoking the SMC police force., and that they brought milk to prepare for possible retaliation. A video taken by someone at the protest shouting, “We got pepper sprayed! We won!” was posted on YouTube.

Wills refutes some of these claims. “The assumption or accusation that we brought milk to the protest is a lie,” Wills said. “We have receipts. Several friends of mine bought milk after we were pepper-sprayed because they knew that milk was the best way to help.”

Wills says students were upset because they were not being heard. “Our society is at the point where we are demonizing people who are fighting for equal access in education. It’s really sad,” Wills said choked with emotion.

“Its absolutely astonishing. You fight for equal access to education and you’re the crazy person.”

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have an outstanding campus outreach program that brings hundreds of students, not just athletes” on campus tours.

Cascio believes potential students “may see the state of the art facility and decide to come (to SMC), even if they never step foot on the playing field.” The $40 million project is projected to reach completion by the end of 2014.

New constructions are not happening only on the main campus. The Academy of Entertainment and Technology campus will receive a new “Media and Technology Complex.”

SMC’s digital arts, media, communication, and broadcasting programs “currently reside in ’50s era buildings that cannot support the modern infrastructure necessary for digital and online programs,” according to the bond projects website.

The facility in AET will also house the new KCRW studio; Brown says it was designed “to bring related fields of study together.”

The constructions are not only designed to improve the effectiveness of learning facilities, but also to improve the environmental sustainability and structural stability of SMC properties.

According to a July 2002 facilities assessment report conducted by the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee, only five of the 32 SMC buildings have a Facility Condition Index of less than ten percent. This means only five SMC buildings are considered to be “in good or fair condition.” The remaining buildings are in poor shape.

All the new SMC facilities will use some form of alternative energy, usually in the form of roof-mounted solar panels with the exception of the athletics complex, which will utilize solar energy for its hot water supply.

Brown says all buildings will have at minimum a silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating with the U.S. Green Building Council. The LEED rating classifies facilities by nine key areas ranging from water efficiency to the materials used in construction.

Although students and staff will have to deal with some day-to-day disruptions due to the construction and temporary relocation of some of the facilities, the school will greatly benefit from this rehabilitation, says Brown.

He believes that by the end of 2016, SMC should be a leader in technology and sustainability among California’s community colleges.

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OPINION|5

WEDNESDAY APRIL 18, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Letters To The Corsair Regarding Contract Ed

T

he Best of Intentions - The goal of adding extra classes was to meet the unprecedented demand for additional classes just when the state was drastically cutting back on our budgets.

Given that it is not believable that the state will be putting in extra funding for classes in the next 3-5 years, we are faced with a choice: (a) figure out a way to fund the classes ourselves, or (b) reduce our classes to the amount funded by the state (and SMC has offered more classes than we were state funded the last few years).

In either case, we will continue to press for more state funding, but in the present economic and political climate, we can’t afford to roll the dice with our present students’ futures while we wait for California’s budget crisis to right itself.

So, the administration – guided by the Board and working with various campus constituencies (although not everyone was fully included, it now seems obvious) – put together a plan to charge the actual costs for these extra classes.

The plan entailed NO REDUCTION in statesubsidized classes (i.e., no classes at the state credit rate would be eliminated).

Rather, there would be MORE choice for students; if you didn’t get a seat in class at the state-subsidized rate, it was purely an extra option for a seat at the actual cost-rate. Better to have a seat at a higher rate than no seat at all. (And, our “at-cost” rate is cheaper than for-profit colleges and universities, so we felt that this was offering a better alternative to students we would normally simply lose to the for-profit institutions.)

Because we were worried about the fairness issues, the Board was NOT satisfied with this plan. Many of us felt it simply didn’t feel “like Santa Monica” to us. We

directed the administration to build in scholarship opportunities, financial aid, and waivers (like BOG waivers) in order to make the plan one that would be open to ALL STUDENTS, not just ones who could afford to pay the “at-cost” rate. We were intending that those students who could afford the higher rate would pay it and those that could not would pay a lower rate, through a combination of scholarships, waivers and financial aid. And, our belief was that the students who could afford the “atcost” rate would end up subsidizing the students who couldn’t. Thus, the program was intended to be a “Robin Hood” program.

The foremost issue for the Board was to create a program that matched the progressive ideals of the institution we all care about, while not abandoning a generation of students just when they need us most.

Rather than privatization, we felt this was FIGHTING THE PRIVATIZATION of education because without our plan, students could only turn to the for-profit schools.

We want to work with all groups to make sure we address students’ needs, so we are eager to engage in the dialogue with all campus constituencies to find a solution to the crisis in education we face. But, simply hoping for more money from the state is not a solution; it is wishful thinking.

Moreover, it’s not fair to the thousands of students we have turned away to merely say we aren’t funded enough by the state (or to say we are going to lobby for more money we know the state won’t appropriate) when we could do something right now to give these students the classroom opportunities they crave.

Rob Rader is a member of the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees.

T

he hallmark of democratic decisionmaking has its basis in an involved and informed citizenship. Therefore, we should under no circumstance tolerate leaders who mislead us. The leaders of the recent protests have used dishonesty to gain support for their movement, treating many uninformed protesters as means to their own ends.

Whether you agree or not with contract education (personally I do not completely), there is no way to justify the misinformation that was spread. Most significant was the rumor that all summer classes were being raised to $180 per unit, when in fact only 1/15 (7.5% or 50 classes out of 750) were going to be raised to this figure.

Harrison Wills, the Associated Students president, arrived at the Inter Club Council meeting last Thursday to deliver a message. Harrison explained why contract education was an intolerable policy. After addressing the ills of privatizing education, Wills personalized his arguments by saying, "I don't know about you all, but I personally can't pay $180 a unit." His statement misleadingly ignored the fact that there are still 700 statefunded classes available to Mr. Wills and all the students of SMC. Video footage narrated by the Corsair’s Andy Riesmeyer shows that a segment of the student protesters do not fully understand the Contract Ed measure. No one involved with the protest leadership, including those in the student government, bothered to dispel any false conceptions pertaining to the program.

Furthermore, protest leadership attempted to classify contract education as an assault on poor students.

Political Science Professor Christine Schultz has a very different opinion. As she explains, students need to get classes and complete their degrees and certificates. The 50 classes that were going to be added by the two-tier system will not be funded by the state.

So the protestors won us a subtraction of fifty classes, and no classes gained. Secondly, and most importantly (in my opinion—not hers), the twotier system will reward students

N AT I O N A L U N I V E R SI T Y

who are making progress toward their educational goals while also providing a second tier opportunity for students who have withdrawn from classes and not done well in others.

This is the way it could work. The state is requiring that community colleges have in place strict enrollment guidelines and, in fact, SMC already has them in place.

Students with the highest grade point averages and with the greatest number of completed units have the earliest enrollment dates and best access to cheap, state funded classes. Students who have low enrollment dates due to numerous withdrawals and low grade point averages will, as they do with or without contract education, have less access to these classes.

The two-tier program is not attempting to disadvantage unwealthy students; it is attempting to give a second chance to students who have performed poorly. I would have had more respect for the protest leadership had they been willing to address privatizing education on principle, and not displayed contract education for something it is not. It is not a war on poor students, and most certainly does not mean that all classes would be raised to $180.

An example of their misinformation can be found in Michael Pronilover, who called contract education a part of some “right wing agenda.”

Give me a break. Members of the Board of Trustees are paid a volunteer stipend of $400 a month. They are by no means CEO’s.

In the end, what we as a campus decide to do may be less important than HOW we do it. To base policy on ignorance and without a fair airing of what the true alternatives are is foolish at best and dangerous at worst. Our student leaders have won a "victory" by stopping contract education, at least for the moment, but they have failed the true test of democratic leadership: Mr. Wills used people’s ignorance to advance his own political agenda.

This is especially disappointing coming from a self-proclaimed populist.

David Cooper is an SMC student.

C

ontract education has been a vital component of Santa Monica College since its establishment in 1993. The initial purpose of the program was to “provide assistance and customized training support to employers (...) and increase the productivity of their workforce,” according to SMC’s website, but never the mind.

This program has always been, and was always intended to be, a separate entity from general student education, which is, as public education goes, funded by and accountable to the public.

As a student, I enjoy this separation. Education is more than training. A school’s mission should be to create an environment in which you can learn and think for yourself and create. Over the years, presidents have had different ways of going about this mission.

President and Superintendent Dr. Chui L. Tsang felt “Achieve Your Dreams” to be such a program and a way in which he could combat budget cuts without having to deal with the state.

But as we have come to learn in recent weeks, this program was not the “dream” the Board of Trustee’s and Tsang possibly intended it to be. Just as a dream is on the second tier of consciousness, self-funded classes are on the second-tier of equity, which is something that can never be compromised when it comes to vital education needed by the public. There is also the issue of how progressive such a program could be. As a community, by not pursuing any sort of action on the state level, we are on a dangerous path that leads to the total obscuring of the dignity of public education forever.

Ever since our special meeting, and collective “pause,” I see eyes dancing back and forth with nervousness, and I feel an omnipresent fear from students, administration and faculty, as we are all in this limbo state and addressed with the question: “Where do we go from here?” This standstill was not the calming force it was intended to be, because the world, the state, and our depleting budget are still depleting at an exorbitant rate.

To start, I would think it to be profitable to look to the past. The California Master Plan for Higher Education in 1960 banned tuition. The state recognized the value that post-secondary education had for people, and how important it is that only individual proficiency limits a student—never finance. It seems as time has gone on, we as a state and nation have been extracting from this vision, amending it, degrading it, and cutting it to the point where its entire purpose and “dream” have been almost completely obscured.

Tsang stated that, “We can starve all of the programs until it gets to the point where no one can stand it anymore, and the state is forced to react—or we do something now.” But is doing “something now” necessarily the right thing?

Why, as one of the largest and most innovative community colleges in California, is settling for “something,” in a world where education is everything, even considered a possibility?

1960 was not an ancient time or an alternate reality. It was a time when we used phrases like “government guarantee,” and “student rights” when it came to education, not “personal financial choice,” “responsibility” or, worst of all, “something.”

Cameron Espinoza is AS Director of Student Outreach.

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6|PHOTOSTORY

WEDNESDAY APRIL 18, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Timeline of C

TOP ROW (L TO R): •SMC students, led by the Student Organizing Committee and Associated Students leadership, march around campus on March 22. Students are trying to garner support to top overturn the Board of Trustees edic •Members of MECHA and supporters file through the library during a silent march on March 28. Michael Price Corsair •Students listen to a speaker on March 29 LOCATION. Michael Price Corsair

MIDDLE ROW (L TO R): •Santa Monica Police and Fire Department attend those pepper-sprayed on campus on April 3. Michael Yanow •Students try to enter Board of Trustees meeting in protest of recent tuition changes at Santa Monica April 3. Michael Yanow Corsair •Santa Monica College students protest before the SMC Board of Trustees meeting on April 3. Michael Yanow Corsair

BOTTOM ROW (L TO R): •Santa Monica College student Christine Deal shows off her handmade t-shirt, it reads, "I got pepper-sprayed & all I got was this lousy t-shirt," on April 4. A press conference was called after students were injured b board of trustees’ decision to go forward with contract education. Carrie Jesenovec Corsair •Santa Monica College student Xavier Washington gives his thumb of approval to fellow students marching east on Pico Bl meeting in campus theater in Santa Monica, Calif. on April 6, 2012. Tha board voted to postpone contract education. Santa Monica College faculty member, Amber Katherine shows her support of shared governan

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PHOTOSTORY|7

WEDNESDAY APRIL 18, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Contract Ed

ct to implement contract education. Michael Price Corsair •Qing Lin walks across campus as handwritten messages calling for support against contract education on March 27. Michael Yanow Corsair

a College and are fought back by a police officer at Santa Monica College on April 3, 2012 Amy Gaskin Contributor •Santa Monica College students crowd the hallway outside the Board of Trustees meeting on

by pepper spray outside the SMC Board of Trustees. Michael Yanow Corsair •Santa Monica College students march on Pico Blvd. to the district offices on April 5. Students marched in protest of the SMC lvd to the offices of the Santa Monica College District office on Thursday, April 5, 2012 in Santa Monica Calif. Michael Yanow Corsair •Members of Santa Monica College Board of Trustees hold emergency nce at emergency meeting of the Board of Trustees on April 6, 2012. The board voted to postpone contract education. Michael Price Corsair

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8| HEALTH + LIFESTYLE

WEDNESDAY APRIL 18, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

To juic e or not to j uice

Christina Sziatinszky Staff Writer One of the most recognizable proverbs regarding health is “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Eating fruits and vegetables is undoubtedly nutritious for the human body, but drinking them, especially as part of prolonged restrictive juice cleanses, may not provide the same benefits.

“Clearly, there is an abundance of medical evidence that the uneducated use of any type of severely restrictive diet can be ineffective, and very dangerous at worst,” says Santa Monica College health

professor Denise Rees. “A brief change in diet—one to two days—may be acceptable for individuals without health conditions.”

On recent episodes of Dr. Oz, as well as The Oprah Winfrey Show, it has been said that, while juicing can provide the benefit of consuming a significantly greater amount of fruits and vegetables, there are concerns about the absence of fiber in juices.

Fiber is found in the pulp of fruits and vegetables, and juice extractors that remove the pulp remove the fiber as well.

Juicing fruits and vegetables, rather than eating them, can also increase sugar intake.

“Fresh juices may contain more sugar

Jeff Cote Corsair Adrian Martines awaits the next customer at Better Life Cuisine on Broadway Boulevard in Santa Monica. Though the raw vegan restaurant also serves fresh juices, health professionals maintain that it is healthier to consume whole fruits and vegetables such as kale and avocado rather than juicing them.

Starbucks under fire for use of bug-derived extract Mai Sims Staff Writer

While enjoying a meal outside on a sunny day, many would cringe or even scream out loud if a bug landed on a crouton in their Caesar salad, or became a tiny corpse in their chardonnay. Who wants bugs in their food?

Over the past few weeks, Starbucks has been scrutinized for its use of cochineal extract, a color additive which is derived from what many find unappetizing—bugs.

“Cochineal extract is a commonly used ingredient, and is a natural, FDA-approved colorant found in a wide variety of food and beverage products in the U.S.,” says a Starbucks media relations spokesperson, who wished to remain anonymous in accordance with company policy.

Starbucks uses the ingredient in several pink and red colored foods and beverages as an alternative to artificial colorants.

“We use the extract in the strawberry base for our Strawberries and Creme Frappuccino blended beverage, Strawberry Smoothies and three food items—the Birthday Cake Pop, Mini Donut with pink icing, and Red Velvet Whoopee Pie,” the spokesperson says.

According to the Starbucks representative, however, the widespread backlash against the use of the extract is prompting the coffee giant to reconsider its use.

“While it is a safe product that poses no health risk, we are reviewing alternative natural ingredients and will likely

than a bottled beverage,” says Rees.

When making a cup of juice, more of the product is required, which means more sugar is consumed. The United States Department of Agriculture’s website illustrates these differences.

One cup of raw strawberries has seven grams of sugar, whereas a cup pureed berries yields a little over 11 grams. The same concept holds true for vegetables, as a cup of carrots contains five grams of sugar, and a cup of carrot juice contains nine grams.

Sugar and fiber are not the only concerns regarding juice diets. If juice is continuously substituted for meals, it can potentially be harmful.

“You’ve got to do it for a couple of days; not longer,” Dr. Oz told viewers on Oprah. He explained that other nutrients that come from meat, fish or soy must be accounted for, and living solely on juice cleanses can lead to malnutrition.

“Maintaining adequate intake of nutrition is difficult on a restricted diet of any kind,” says Rees. “The long-term outcome of restrictive diets [like juicing] is malnutrition, and may result in nasty side effects. Mild-to-moderate side effects may be poor sleep, hair loss, bone fragility, and dried, cracked nails.”

In order to attain their full nutritional value, entire fruits and vegetables have to be consumed, which includes seeds, skin and stem, if edible. According to Livestrong’s website, the outside layers of oranges and bananas should not be eaten, but the inside white layers carry the most nutrients, mainly vitamins and fiber.

“It is best to have foods whole, closest to nature, with the least amount of processing,” says SMC nutrition professor and registered dietitian Yvonne Ortega.

“Juicing is a way of processing our plant foods.”

The use of juicers, mixers or blenders powerful enough to finely puree or chop entire fruits and vegetables would produce juices that are more nutrient-dense.

“Fresh juice will contribute fiber from the pulp, however not as much fiber as the whole fruit or vegetable could contribute,” says Ortega.

Pressed Juicery, located on San Vicente Boulevard, sells bottles of freshly pressed juices, each designed for a specific purpose.

The store uses a hydraulic press that minimizes oxidation and releases vitamins, minerals and enzymes that are typically not yielded from traditional juicers.

“Our juices are raw, unpasteurized and produced on a hydraulic press which extracts the finest produce straight from the pulp,” says Cissy Huang, an employee at Pressed Juicery.

According to Huang, the possible health benefits of cleansing include weight loss, increased energy and stamina, healthy hair and nails, strengthened immune system and a regulated, cleansed colon.

“Juice cleansing is an optimal way give our bodies the break they deserve, while keeping ourselves energized and nutritionally satisfied,” Huang says.

But the merits of juice cleanses are still debated among health professionals.

“I would not recommend a juice detox diet to anyone,” says Ortega.

“We seem to believe that offsetting the balance of too much of a food group could actually lead to deficiency diseases, even if the food groups are fruits and vegetables that we deem as healthy. The key to a healthy diet is moderation, even with our healthy foods."

including anaphylaxis.

The FDA now requires “that all foods that contain cochineal extract or carmine specifically declare the presence of the color additive by its respective common or usual name, ‘cochineal extract’ or ‘carmine,’ in the ingredient statement of the food label.”

Karas says that the disclosing of the ingredients “will allow consumers who are allergic to these color additives to identify, and thus avoid, products that contain these color additives.”

Even if the mere thought of consuming crushed bugs is repulsive to some, others

are not as opposed to the idea of an organic source as a coloring additive.

“I think it needs to be shown on a product, in case someone is allergic,” says Santa Monica College student Ewa Glowacz.

“But it’s organic, and bugs can be good for you.”

However, purists like Glowacz often avoid consuming anything that has been colored, thus bypassing the cochineal conundrum.

“From Starbucks, I only drink the double espresso,” says Glowacz. “People should not be drinking stuff with coloring in the first place. Food is not about being entertained; it’s about nutrition.”

reformulate,” the spokesperson says.

Repeated attempts for comment at three Santa Monica Starbucks locations were unsuccessful, as baristas claimed they were not allowed to speak for Starbucks.

Cochineal bugs originate from Mexico and South America, and are used to create cochineal extract and carmine, which tint various products red, orange and pink. Carmine and cochineal extract differ in the way that they are processed, but they both originate from the same insect, and both must undergo pasteurization or other treatment to extinguish microorganisms.

According to an FDA report, carmine is “obtained by an aqueous extraction of cochineal,” while cochineal extract “is the concentrated solution obtained after removing the alcohol from an aqueous-alcoholic extract of cochineal.”

All products from makeup to Hostess Sno Balls are now forced to disclose the crawling ingredients to customers.

Only since 2011 did the FDA call for the use of carmine and cochineal extract to be specifically indicated on ingredient lists, according to the FDA’s website.

Marine Gaste Corsair According to Douglas Karas, an Illustration of a Strawberries and Creme Frappuccino containing cochineal extract at a Starbucks store in Los Angeles.

FDA representative, the change occurred due to a response to reports of severe allergic reactions,

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HEALTH + LIFESTYLE|9

WEDNESDAY APRIL 18, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Surgeon-scientist teaches students to “have a dream” Susanna Svensson Staff Writer Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is often referred to as one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known.

His way of addressing a crowd, and captivating the attention of hundreds of thousands, is a model that public speakers and future leaders strive to emulate.

At a Santa Monica College lecture on April 5, surgeon and UCLA professor Dr. F. Charles Brunicardi told King’s story in the context of leadership principles, but angled the ideologies in a way that would relate to the student crowd.

“You can teach leadership if you start with fundamental principles,” Brunicardi said during the lecture. “I think it’s like teaching music and teaching sports. If you break it down to fundamental principles and you teach it, and a person practices it, Lynda Konde Corsair they will get better at it.”

Surgeon, scientist and UCLA professor Dr. SMC community relations F. Charles Brunicardi speaks on April 5 at his director Judy Neveau is in "Leadership Principles of Dr. Martin Luther King charge of the Distinguished Jr." lecture, the second of the spring Distinguished Scientist Lecture Series, Scientist Lecture Series at Santa Monica College. which is sponsored by the “I believe the way to success in SMC Associates and life sciences and the United States is in your higher physical sciences departments.

“It was a different kind of talk for education,” Brunicardi said. “I think a science lecture,” Neveau said of one of the keys in facing all these Brunicardi’s lecture, the second in challenges is to understand leadership this semester’s series. “He’s a very principles. If you follow these principles, accomplished scientist, but he chooses to talk about this because it’s more you can become better leaders in your field.” global.”

Brunicardi is chief of the Santa “The first principle is whatever you Monica-UCLA General Surgery are going to be in charge of, whether Group, and vice chair of the Department of Surgery for Surgical it’s your own education, or a large Services at Santa Monica-UCLA health care organization, or whatever Medical Center and Orthopaedic you go on to do, you have to have a Hospital. vision,” Brunicardi said.

He started the first leadership program “Usually the vision is based on a for surgeons in the country, based on principle.

It might be graduating Jim Collins’ “Level 5 Leadership: The Triumph of Humility and Fierce college, and the principle is you believe Resolve,” which was published in the in higher education, and the education Harvard Business Review. will benefit those around you.”

“Level 5 is special; it’s someone that Explaining the same idea in King’s builds enduring greatness,” Brunicardi said. “There is no greater example perspective, Brunicardi referred to of level 5 leadership than Dr. Martin King’s famous “I Have a Dream” Luther King Jr.” speech.

Brunicardi expressed how leadership “[King’s] vision was that all people skills can help overcome some commonly faced challenges of the should be equal,” Brunicardi said.

21st century, such as the 50 million “He had a very powerful vision, based uninsured people in the U.S., the cost of upon principles of Christian love and health care, the quest for treatments for non-violence, and all you needed to cancer and heart disease, personalized genomic surgery, education, and participate in it was a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love.” diversity.

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10|ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Santa Monica remembers Gloria Stuart's 100 years

Mai Sims Staff Writer Many remember Gloria Stuart for her portrayal as the aged version of Rose DeWitt Bukater, who told the story of how she met, and fell passionately in love with Jack Dawson in James Cameron’s “Titanic”.

On April 5, Gloria Stuart’s 100-year life was celebrated at the Santa Monica Public Library’s main branch with a screening of a documentary produced by her grandson, Benjamin Stuart Thompson, and a reading from her great-granddaughter, Deborah Thompson’s memoir.

The documentary, The Secret Life of Old Rose: The Love and Art of Gloria Stuart, featured five years of footage with various appearances by Stuart, and interviews with “Titanic” producer Jon Landau and actress Frances Fisher, among others.

“The whole idea is to try to get young people, and old people to understand that there are many ways to accomplish what they want,” said Stuart Thompson said.

Stuart Thompson explained that his documentary is not necessarily a story about one special person, but a story about a special attitude, spirit of rebirth and reinvention.

Jacob Blackoff A+E Editor Mike Mitchell stands at about 6'2” tall, he sports a sun-speckled light-brown beard, with a humble temperament and a proud plaid button-up.

Sixty five sets of large, round, cartoon eyes gawked through custom engraved frames, from the walls of Gallery 1988 as a revolving batch of guests came to appreciate some of Mitchell's newest work in Hollywood on Friday, April 6.

The show, entitled “just like us,” presented a whole line of new prints, [produced in the six months prior] in a style, youthful enough to hang in a child's room, but equally appealing for mom and dad.

Born in 1982, Mitchell creates for and caters to a generation that remembers The Ninja Turtles, Viewmasters, and Seinfeld.

With an over-riding pop culture theme, boisterous detail, and comic-like design, “just like us” falls nothing short of 'a la mode.'

“I wanted to do something fun and something that wasn't going to be stressful for me,” said Mitchell.

“I am really into pop-culture and sort of putting a spin on that genre.”

The 65 eye-level prints were created

WEDNESDAY APRIL 18, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

A Santa Monica native, Gloria Stuart graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1927, before moving on to study drama at UC Berkeley; the only ‘UC’ in California at the time.

In 1932, Stuart performed in Chekhov’s ‘The Seagull’ at the Pasadena Playhouse, where she was spotted by a talent scout from Paramount, and another from Universal.

At that time, Stuart signed with Universal, but when her seven-year contract ended, she declined to renew it, as she didn’t care for the roles he was offered.

During Stuart’s career, names like Ingrid Bergman and Greta Garbo were being cast in fascinating leading roles that drove the story of their films, but Stuart was never offered these kind of roles.

“She did not want to be like everybody else, she had a notion of being rebellious,” Stuart Thompson said, regarding his grandmother’s acting career. “She did not like being cast as a beautiful woman.”

Aside from acting, Stuart was also a bonsai master and an artist. It was during one of Stuart’s art book creations that her grandson suggested his daughter Deborah assist her with cutting and gluing, as an apprentice.

After an informal audition, Thompson worked with her great-grandmother, whom she nicknamed ‘Great Gloria,’ on a butterfly shaped collection of poetry and art, for six years before Stuart passed away.

“Until that moment, when I lost her, I was just living the experience,” Thompson said.

Thompson recalled how her greatgrandmother helped her develop from a shy outsider, to a courageous and confident

young woman during, her senior year in high school.

“The butterfly book itself, is a metaphor, butterflies go through this unbelievable metamorphosis from a caterpillar to this thing with wings that can fly,” Thompson said. “I felt like a little green caterpillar going to work with her.”

Thompson’s book, Butterfly Summers: a Memoir of Gloria Stuart’s Apprentice was released as an e-book on April 5, and conveys the story of Thompson’s relationship with her great-grandmother during their time working on the butterfly book together.

Guests at the screening were shown a couple of clips from the post-production stage of the documentary, and Thompson read a passage from her book, on the same stage ‘Great Gloria’ Stuart had performed in the past.

“She’s been here several times,” said librarian Judith Graham. “She was a big supporter of the library.”

Graham remembered working with Stuart on many occasions, and spending time with her during art programs.

“One of my first programs with her was in 2001,” Graham said. “She was such a dear lady, we just really hit it off. We both had kind of wild spirits.”

Gloria Stuart accomplished many things during her 100 years, and people who knew her recall a warm, loving and humorous woman, always ready to make everybody laugh, and who affected their lives in many ways.

on transparent paper with transparent ink, so as to make the colors pop off the page, generating a double layer impression similar to an animation cel.

Texturized backgrounds were composed of cotton rag paper, without the acidwhich Mitchell stated would ruin the piece over time.

Cliches aside, Mitchell pointed out the importance of perseverance and hard work, illustrating his own inspirations as an art student . “I emailed James Jean in art school, asking for the key to success.”

Mitchell said with a chuckle. “He was like 'you know, bust your ass.'''

Jean's illustrious words have followed Mitchell throughout his own career, and he portrayed that same message to other aspiring artists- a bit more mundanely.

Originally a graphic designer, Mitchell drew guests from vastly different demographics.

Passer-byes, other distinguished artists, tumblr-follwers, celebrities, $1,400 Prada bags, scuffed shell-toes, hoodies, and pretty much anyone else with a smart phone came to support the rising talent- and grab some free beer.

Gallery1988 co-owner and co-curator, Jensen Karp must keep his finger on the

art-world's pulse.

“With someone like Mike, we saw where the swell was going, so it was only reasonable to ask if he had an idea for a full show,” Karp explained. “Mike is popular without us; it's not us doing this, he is prevalent on the internet, so it was mutually good business for us to offer him a solo show.”

Almost 6 years ago, Mitchell got his start exhibiting his work in a group show at Gallery 1988- he was one out of about 100 other featured artists.

“We do different shows every three weeks, all very pop-culture themed, we work with artists generally between 20 and 35-yearsold,” said Karp, encouraging young artists to pursue their careers.

“We look for submissions all the time, emails of 3-4 jpg. or a website link- and we put people in these large group shows.”

Before “just like us,” Mitchell's most acclaimed works were an “I'm with Coco” parody add campaign featuring television host Conan O'Brian, as well as an anti-oil conglomerate propaganda poster depicting SpongeBob submerged in oil, aimed at protesting the BP oil-spill of 2010.

Graphic designer, Allie Baldwin found out about Mitchell's show by following his

Corsair Calendar “The Last Days” documentary Free screening of the outgrowth of Steven Spielberg’s 1994 Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation.

April 19 @ 7 p.m. - HSS 165 Contact: Josh Kanin for reservations (kanin_josh@smc.edu) “The Front Page” theater production SMC production of Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur’s 1928 Broadway hit.

April 20-29 Fridays and Saturdays @ 8 p.m.

Sundays @ 2 p.m. (extra showing @ 2 p.m. on Sat. 4/28) Theater Arts Studio Stage 1900 Pico Blvd.

Tickets: $11 (310) 434-4319 www.smc.edu/theatre “artLA.com Grand Opening” April 21 @ 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave. (D5) “Daybreak Designs” art sale 4/27 @ 11 a.m.-7 p.m. & 4/28 @ 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

OPCC Cloverfield Services Center 1751 Cloverfield Blvd.

Contact: (310) 450-0650

Mike Mitchell is 'Just Like Us'

tumblr; “Mike has a style all of his own, he's been posting about his new showing, so I knew I had to come,” she said. Baldwin took the thirty minute drive down from the San Fernando Valley to display her admiration and purchase a print for her own collection.

A boyish Bob Ross, sobbing, and holding a puny christmas tree, was cuddled under Baldwin's arm as she exited the gallery onto the chilly Hollywood street.

“Parks and Recreation,” and “House of Lies” actor, Ben Schwartz was amongst the melange. While he didn't stay very long, Schwartz offered some insightful words on his friend; “Hilarious, talented...” (there was a ten second pause) “...and plaid shirt.”

Appraising Mitchell in three simple words, while entertaining, was actually very genuine of the Hollywood-star.

Mitchell's art is simple and bold, and beholds a a strong sense of humor, that his fans and colleagues can see.

Gallery1988 will be showcasing Mitchell's work through April 28 at their Melrose location: 7020 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, Ca, 90038.

Original prints are also available to purchase through the gallery's website: www.nineteeneightyeight.com.

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SPORTS|11

WEDNESDAY APRIL 18, 2012 - SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Corsair swimmers stroke through spring break

Santa Monica College swimmer Julietta Giner competes in the women's 200 yard individual medley.

Santa Monica College swimmer Aaron Clements is congratulated by a teammate after competing in the men's 400 yard individual medley relay.

Photos by Michael Yanow Corsair Santa Monica College swimmer Aaron Clements swims the breaststroke in the men's 400 yard medley relay at the Santa Monica Swim Center on April 6. SMC won first place.

Luana Kasahara Staff Writer While the rest of Santa Monica College was on spring break last week, the SMC swim team suited up, jumped in the water, and practiced daily for the upcoming Western State Conference Championships at Bakersfield College starting this Thursday and lasting until Saturday.

“We’re trying to get the team to swim faster than they have ever swam in their lives, and we’re getting there,” said Head Swim Coach Steven Contarsy. “They are exhausted and tired, and that’s exciting.”

Liu led the pack at the Pasadena Invitational on Saturday April 7, and placed first in four events; the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:14.13, the 50-yard backstroke with a time of 28:69, the 100 freestyle with a time of 53:58, and the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:00.33.

“We had pretty good swims,” said Contarsy. “My breaststroker Aaron Clements won with a 1:01.70 on the relay and that is pretty fast. When we start getting to the point where we’re going to break a minute, that’s a pretty solid time.”

Both men and women won the 400 medley relays with times of 3:43.16 and 4:25.54 respectively taking first place in the SMC quad meet held on Friday, April 6.

Other SMC swimmers that won first place for their individual events include: Clements with a time of 4:26.86 for the men’s 400 medley, Patty Salgado with a time of 57.10 for the women’s 100 freestyle, Juju Allison with a time of 1:04.33 for the women’s 100 backstroke, Katya Shatalova with a time of 5:21.39 for the women’s 500 freestyle, and Tucker Hopkins with a 2:26.27 for the men’s 200 breaststroke.

“Aaron Clements is up and coming, and Patty Salgado is making a big run, “ said Contarsy. “Christian Savaria is getting close and Katya Shatalova is right there as

a distance swimmer. Juju Allison is right there at state cuts, and our relays are pretty close to qualifying. There are five relays on the men’s side, and five relays on the women’s side. I’m pretty excited about that.”

Contarsy was satisfied with the overall performance of the team commending swimmers who came close to the state qualifying times at SMC’s quad meet on Friday, April 6, and who did well at the Pasadena Invitational the next day.

“We had some times that are approaching the state qualifying time from people who haven’t qualified for state yet,” said Contarsy. “So that was the goal today, prepare for tomorrow.”

Some SMC swimmers like Liu and Jeff Lum were unable to attend the meet on Friday due to class scheduling conflicts, but Liu participated on Saturday at the Pasadena Invitational.

The goal of the SMC Swim team is to place in the top three teams in the upcoming WSC Championships.

The prelims of the WSC Championships begin Thursday, April 19th at 10 a.m. at Bakersfield College with the top 16 swimmers returning for the finals at 5 p.m. each day in an intensive competition lasting through Saturday.

Diving Brief

SMC’s diver Noah Nevins injured his hand in a car door and was unable to compete in the diving championships last weekend at El Camino College.

Nevins last competition was at LA Valley College, Mar. 23, where he got first place in the three-meter of the men’s division.

According to Contarsy, on the following weekend after the LA Valley meet, Nevins slammed his hand in a car door and broke two fingers.

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