Jazz Day with Conrad Herwig: Famous
Relationships:
Lee Haggerty: Saddleback
Men’s Baseball:
The pros and cons of being in one. Page 4
trombonist played on campus. Page 5
Gauchos defeat San Diego City College Page 6
instructor and club advisor shares his aspirations. Page 3
Vol. 43 No. 14
28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, California
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
South Orange County CC District put on notice again Colleges, district have until October to address concerns by rating agency
J
MARYANNE SHULTS
ust when it appeared that the South Orange County Community College District was cleaning up its act, its historically controversial board has received yet another pointed warning about how it conducts business. Last week, the district announced it received a warning notice from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges to both Saddleback and Irvine Valley Colleges following accreditation visits in October. Since that time, several significant leadership transitions have taken place including several new trustees and new board leadership as well as a new chancellor. Chancellor Gary Poertner, who took over from Raghu Mather in December, said he was proud of the 11 commendations the two colleges received in the reports, but acknowledged there are concerns to address. “We have some important work ahead of us to correct the deficiencies,” Poertner said. “We take the commission’s recommendations and warning very seriously.” Warning is issued when the commission finds an institution has pursued a course of action which deviates from the commission’s eligibility requirements, accreditation standards
Photo Illustration by Oliver Yu
REPORT: District gets more bad news. Reccuring issue just won’t seem to leave SOCCCD alone. or policy to an extent that raises concern regarding the ability of the institution to meet standards, according to a letter dated Jan. 31, sent to Saddleback College President Tod Burnett. The district has until October to resolve six recommendations for the ACCJC, most of which address better planning, synchronicity and communication. During this warning period, both colleges continue to be accredited institutions and this will not immediately affect students. Accreditation is a voluntary process for evaluation used in higher education communities. This peer-based quality assurance process sets standards and provides a checks-and-balanc-
es system. All colleges must complete an accreditation self-study every six years. The listed recommendations are that SOCCCD develop strategic plans inclusive of planning at the colleges that are directly tied to district resource allocation for all entities, develop and implement an open and inclusive resource allocation model, and develop a communications process among district entities on key issues of concern. The board of trustees must communicate results of an annual self evaluation process and use this as a basic for improvement and develop a clearly defined policy for a code of ethics which includes dealing
with violations of said code. Lastly, the team recommends the district provide clear delineation of its functional responsibilities. The district should perform a regular review of committees and assess and communicate decision making processes and effectiveness of services to the colleges. Both colleges also received commendations. Saddleback was complimented for their positive campus climate, physical renovations, academic senate’s development of student learning outcomes, and planning. Special mention was made regarding the college’s dedication to its distance education program and its transfer center. “I am very proud of the com-
mendations earned…and look forward to working with our new chancellor and the district to address the commission’s recommendations,” Burnett said. The commission emphasized that IVC must develop a better relationship with district leadership and the board, adding the positive statement that the constituent groups at the college have developed a cordial working relationship with President Glenn Roquemore “with new optimism.” “While we have been placed on warning, I’m proud of our faculty and staff and how we came together,” Roquemore wrote in a staff memorandum. “I know going forward we will continue to build on this momentum. I’m certain we are committed to working together and moving forward on meeting the recommendations.” Both colleges will assemble task forces to strategically address the recommendations. Chancellor Poertner will work with both colleges and will assemble a joint task force. “We are committed to resolving the commission’s recommendations so our colleges can become accredited,” Poertner said. “It is imperative the colleges and district work together to collectively correct any deficiencies and strive for continual self improvement on behalf of our students.” Poertner brings a breath of fresh air to this district and pledges to seek better cohesiveness throughout the district and to address the issues head on, saying he perceives this as both a challenge and an opportunity. mshults0@saddleback.edu
Protests evoke emotion for Egyptian student
T
CARMEN ULLOA
he current strife facing Egypt hasn’t been lost on Saddleback College students like Nuraldin Muhammed Ali. Ali, 18, international studies, was born in Cairo and has family there. He said he hopes these times of turmoil will serve as a transition period for Egypt – transition that results in sustainable peace. “Egypt mother of Civilization must be more than just a saying,” Ali said. “It must be practiced through order, cleanliness and respect.” Egyptians have been demonstrating in the streets of major cities for weeks, demanding a new government in which President Hosni Mubarak and his supporters will not rule. Mubarak, 82 pressured by the riots and chaos in the streets of Cairo, dissolved his cabinet and appointed Omar Suleiman vice president Jan. 29. Egypt had not had a vice president since Mubarak took office in 1981. Suleiman is Murabak’s former Chief of Intelligence and well- known in the political arena in Egypt and internationally. Egypt’s next presidential election is to take place in September. However, Egyptians refuse to wait until then to have Mubarak removed from his position. In the mean time, the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s most or-
District claims defeat in invocation lawsuit
A
CARMEN ULLOA MARYANNE SHULTS
ccording to a court ruling, the South Orange County Community College District apparently is within its rights to hold invocations at events held on its campuses. Or is it? Two sides battling over prayer in the public district are claiming victory following the release of an apparently narrow ruling Friday by District judge R. Gary Klausner. It’s unclear how far Klausner’s opinion goes. A college district spokesperson announced in a press release that the Jan. 28 ruling said that “such speech...does not violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.” The district’s attorney feels confident about the case. “Every federal court to consider plaintiffs’ primary challenge in this case, whether nonsectarian invocations delivered at significant public college and university events violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, has upheld the constitutionality of such speech,“ said John A. Vogt. “The federal District Court’s decision last week in Westphal v. Wagner is the latest block in this wall of precedent.” But Ayesha N. Khan, legal director for Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the lead attorney representing opponents of invocation, said the court’s decision was far more balanced than the district’s press release suggested. “The court ruled that the trustees have twice violated the Constitution by making religiously hostile presentations, and the court ordered them not to engage in any such behavior in the future. Kahn said. “So the district actually lost a significant portion of the case.” Meanwhile opponents, who have waged a seven-year battle to halt invocations at district events, vowed to continue fighting. “It’s not over,” said outspoken district critic, Irvine Valley College philosophy instructor Roy Bauer, in a lengthy blog. The issue came to light initially in the spring 2004 at Saddleback’s scholarship ceremony when mathematics instructor Karla Westphal, an atheist, requested a moment of silence in lieu of formal prayer. See INVOCATION Page 2
Photo by Mona Sosh/flickr:CC BY 2.0
Index
GRAFFITI: A military tank in Cairo moves around the city with slogans on the side saying, “Down with Mubarak the dictator.”
News.....................2
ganized opposition movement, has been invited by Suleiman to meet with the new government as part of a national dialogue with all parties. Previously, the Muslim Brotherhood had been considered a threat by government authorities despite their peaceful means. Conservative pundits in the United States have scoffed at its involvement in talks, with some warning the move in Egypt will ultimately lead to a world takeover by the Muslim faith.
Life.......................3
In California, students from different colleges and universities gathered outside the Federal Building in Westwood to empathize with their compatriots. Despite difficulties communicating with their families due to the country’s temporary loss of network, they were able to get organized through Facebook and express their support. The Egyptian Flag has been the emblem used by most during the protests. According to CIA World Factbook, the band
colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black), overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white). Ali said that, until recently, protests of this nature would not happen in Egypt. He lived in Cairo before moving to the U.S. and said America’s freedom is taken for granted. In Egypt, people must watch what they say at all times. “My cousins had friends who
disappeared overnight, to be found in jail the next day,” Ali said. “I am opinionated and like to get involved.” But Ali said he had to learn not to express his thoughts for fear of being arrested. Unlike others, Ali said he had no problems communicating with his family. However, his relatives are limited to their homes since the streets are in constant danger. culloa0@saddleback.edu
Opinion.................4 Arts . ....................5 Sports...................6 www.LARIATNEWS.com
Find us on