FEATURES
February 18, 2008
Rental market SLOing down Staff Writer
Real estate companies, rental owners, and apartment managers are bracing themselves for what could be the worst local rental market in recent history. “I know of several landlords that have noticed a real fall-off in demand in SLO, even right outside of Cal Poly, and are not used to having vacancies, let alone having to drop prices,” said a property manager who did not want his name used. Many real estate managers and landlords are planning to offer incentives to current tenants, lower rents, and be as student-friendly as possible to encourage students to use their rental agencies or sign leases with their rentals. As leases begin to come up for renewal, the market will begin to flood and this summer should be full of numerous open rentals. Ellie Malykont, the property supervisor for CaliforniaWest Properties, said they are going to “focus on retaining current tenants.” She mentioned incentives, and possible price drops depending on what the rest of the market is going to do. She said it is hard to project what is going to happen and that students are most likely just going to have to wait and see what happens. Malykont then said that California-West was going to
Poly Canyon and the economy are making landlords rethink their rental strategies try to be as student friendly as possible, produce a competitive product, and keep everything at a fair market price. Last fall Cal Poly opened 2,700 dorm/apartment spaces in the Poly Canyon complex and is scheduled to open 900 more spaces this coming fall. With a total of 3,600 beds, the complex will have an effect on the local rental market. In addition to Poly Canyon the falling real estate market may cause prospective home sellers to become landlords. “Most likely there will be more supply than demand,” said Malykont. Prices are bound to drop as landlords realize what is happening.
The anonymous property manager and Malykont agree that if prices drop, students who resorted to other local rental markets like Morro Bay, Los Osos, Pismo Beach, and Atascadero, will soon be migrating back to San Luis Obispo, and possibly filling some of those empty beds and houses. Students may have the odd option of being able to shop around a little bit when it comes to their new homes this fall. The market flood should help penny-pinching students find some new digs without breaking the bank. Renters may be able to bargain hunt and keep a little extra cash in their pockets.
Fall 2009 will add another 900 beds to the already massive Poly Canyon complex.
Spencer Wright/Cuestonian
By Matt Maltbie
Cuestonian
McGee receives award Mathematics instructor recognized with Teaching Excellence Award By Barbara Rosenblatt Staff Writer
A longtime Cuesta College instructor has received the 2008 Teaching Excellence Award from the California Mat hemat ic s C ou nci l of Community Colleges. The award was presented to Barbara “Bobbe” McGee, a 20 year veteran of the mathematics department, at the Council’s math conference in December. McGee, who has taught a variety of courses from arithmetic to differential equations, was nominated by her colleagues in the mathematics department. According to Marie Larsen, Mathematics Division Chair, McGee is an outstanding instructor. “She has a way of getting the students actively engaged in their learning while creating a positive and supportive environment,” Larsen said. McGee works to help students overcome anxiety over math. Her biggest challenge is to “explain something in the way that everyone in the class can understand, while not boring those who do understand.” Trying to keep math relevant, McGee appreciates that newer textbook authors use realistic problems with real life applications.
Barbara Rosenblatt/Cuestonian
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Barbara McGee
Larsen stated McGee is a valuable member of the department. She serves on numerous committees, including the Textbook Selection, Course Development and Student Learning Outcome Committees. “Bobbe is a team player and is always willing to ‘step up’ and help the division in any way she can,” said Larsen. McGee had a career in economics and teaching junior high school before discovering her true passion. The first job she really liked was teaching mathematics, economics and computer science at a private two-year college in Southern California. Since relocating to the Central Coast, McGee has enjoyed her years at Cuesta. “The students are good-natured, my colleagues are brilliant, and math lives and grows at Cuesta College,” McGee said.
A lurking danger for women By Jayne Poulos Staff Writer
Although most women who are diagnosed with cancer are middle-aged or older, there is still a chance, however small it is, that young women may be diagnosed with cancer as well. “There are more t ha n 250,000 women aged 40 and under in the U.S. living with breast cancer, and over 11,100 young women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the next year,” said Young Survival Coalition, a breast cancer organization for young women. Breast tissue is denser in young women, which makes mammograms much less effective in screening for cancer. Since there is not an effective way to screen for breast cancer in women under 40, it is important for young women to take the time for breast selfexaminations. However, it’s hard to notice any change in your breasts if you aren’t sure what is normal. A growing breast cancer organization titled ‘Feel Your Boobies’ recommends that women -- young and old -- ‘feel their boobies’ on a daily basis so they get in the habit of knowing what is normal. Cal Poly student, Cassie Bustos was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 18. Her advice: “When it comes to doing self breast exams you should go to the doctor and have them show you how to properly do them on your own.” Young women may be less at risk for the cancer, but those
Young women at risk for breast cancer who are diagnosed tend to have breast cancer that is more aggressive and responds less to treatment than in older women. According to researchers at the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, young women’s breast cancers share different genomic traits than the cancers in older women. “The breast cancers we see in women under the age of 45 tend to respond less well to treatment and have higher recurrence rates than the disease we see in older women,” said Kimberly Blackwell, M.D., a breast oncologist at Duke. Breast cancer cannot be prevented, yet, but early detection and treatment can significantly increase the chance of survival.
What to look for: • A lump or thickening in an area of the breast • A change in the size or shape of a breast • Dimpling of the skin • A change in the shape of your nipple, particularly if it turns in, sinks into the breast or be comes irregular in shape • A blood-stained discharge from the nipple • A rash on a nipple or surrounding area • A swelling or lump in your armpit For more information, here are a few links: www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/ default.asp?page=3283 www.webmd.com www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/ types/breast