CityTimes
www.sdcity.edu/citytimes
Volume 59, Issue 10
Fair beans
Students have new choice in café coffee News, page 3
Serving the San Diego City College community since 1945
April 19-May 9, 2005
Write-ins win seats in ASG election
HOPE SHAW 1935-2005
Student rep fee passes; voter turnout increases for second year in a row
Photo by Elizabeth Eross A poem was one of several items, including candles, photos, artwork and flowers, set up at a memorial outside the Communications building the week of April 11, following the death of longtime radio/television Professor Hope Shaw (pictured inset).
Remembering Hope ...
City College mourns radio/television department pioneer By Erin Resnick City College lost one of its most valued contributors, Communications faculty member Hope Shaw, when she died at age 70, leaving the campus community too soon to none other than the life that she loved. Those who knew Hope Warren Shaw would easily argue that she was not only a teacher at City College,
but a mentor and a friend through all walks of life including the many people that she stumbled on through her travels and adventurous lifestyle. It was indeed this adventurous lifestyle that took Mrs. Shaw on April 6 in La Paz, Mexico. While vacationing at one of her favorite places, Mrs. Shaw drowned when she was too weak to confront the rip current that
was sweeping her away, according to accounts. Mrs. Shaw was on her way to attending a BINACOM meeting in Mexico with her fellow colleagues and students. Mrs. Shaw was one of the cofounders of BINACOM, the Binational Schools of Communication,
By Christopher Young The results are in for this year’s Associated Student Government elections, and the student rep fee measure passed by a landslide 279 votes. The polls closed on April 14 with 619 ballots cast, about 100 more than the previous year, which marks a steady incline in turnout, returns show. The Associated Student rep fee is a proposition put forth by the ASG that would allow them to ask each student, upon registration each semester, for a contribution of $1 to a student activities fund. The contribution would be voluntary for the benefit student clubs and oncampus activities. It passed 390 to 111 votes. The presidential race went to Francisco Fabian, who campaigned on a platform of greater communication between students and administrators. Fabian’s 200 votes led his closest contender, Brandon Robinson, by 58. Jason Frye, the third-party candidate who campaigned for “more fun and free food,” received 107 votes. Sara Hernandez won vicepresident, hoping to affect some fiscal policy changes, including avid support of the rep fee. Mirona Constaninescu, the candidate called for free-trade coffee in City College’s café, was
See HOPE, Page 5 See ELECTION, Page 5
City Times
NEWS
April 19-May 9, 2005
ASG members lobby Congress to keep higher eduction funds Don’t wait for success National University, Division of Extended Learning
By Cindy J. Wimer This past March, five members of the City College Associated Student Government attended the National Conference on Student Advocacy in Washington D.C. While there, they had the opportunity to lobby Congress regarding the Bush Administration’s recent proposed budget cuts to education. In the Capitol Hill offices of Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-San Diego, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, and Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-California, members of the ASG spoke about their concerns to top aides in education. They supported the recently passed $5.4 billion Kennedy Amendment to the Higher Education Act, which will be paid for by the closure of corporate tax loopholes. The amendment calls for restoring the Bush budget eliminations of TRIO, GEAR UP, LEA and Perkins loans as well as increasing the Pell Grant maximum to $4,500 a year. According to ASG Vice President
Anne Jacobs, “Elimination of programs like Perkins could have a detrimental impact on City College. Many of our students here at City will be affected by these cuts.” The TRIO lab is one of City College’s most valuable programs. It assists students who are the first in their families to attend college and students with financial or physical hardships. Most of these students are from diverse backgrounds, and the TRIO program provides them with counseling as well a safe place to learn. The delegation proposes that if a compromise must be made, they would rather reduce the Pell Grant increase in order to keep the Perkins Program. “It is important that all of our workers are well-educated to sustain a positive economical balance,” said student Sen. Janet Clarke in a written statement. “The investment towards education can continue to improve the workforce and our country’s potential.”
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CityNews
April 19-May 9, 2005
City Times
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End might be in sight to Xerox controversy Business director credits City Times story for start of talks
FAIR TRADE Courtesy photo
Thanks to student, café patrons can buy coffee with a conscience By Keriann Bryan Mirona Constantinescu has been working hard to bring a new coffee option to City College students through the City Café. Described as having “a deep, satisfying coffee taste and, at the same time, a subtle jasmine aroma,” many coffee drinkers may drink it just for the quality, but some City College students plan to request it for other reasons – Millstone Coffee’s Mountain Moonlight Coffee is designated Fair Trade. Constantinescu hopes City College students will choose the new coffee because of that. “I think everyone who doesn’t already know what Fair Trade is, once they understand will support it,” she says. A coffee certified Fair Trade means that the farmers who grew the beans were paid a designated “fair market price,” assigned by the Fair Trade Labeling Organization. According to the TransFair USA Web site,
“The Fair Trade price means that farmers can feed their families and that their children can go to school instead of working in the fields.” Fair Trade functions like a minimum wage for international farmers. Coffee not bought through Fair Trade is subject to international market fluctuations and coffee bean farmers are not guaranteed a profit at the end, sometimes receiving less for their crop than it cost to grow it. In developing nations, the results are far reaching, and include child labor, debt slavery, drug cultivation, starvation and violence. Students like Constantinescu have organized across more than 300 campuses, including Harvard and UC Berkeley, to bring Fair Trade options to their schools. Bringing Fair Trade products to City College is important for Constantinescu because, “It makes me realize the interconnectedness of everyone, it makes me feel like I am making a positive difference, it makes me feel like I am taking responsibility.” And by choosing Fair Trade coffee in See COFFEE, Page 11
By Donna Maranto For the first time in two years, students might be looking at a reduction in the cost of printing and copying services on campus, according to Carol “Dex” Dexheimer, business manager for City College. Last year, controversies stirred over the Xerox contract as the Associated Student Government questioned their price of 15 cents per copy at all service centers, loss of upgrades and printers in the computer business training classes, as well as inconveniences caused by the plastic cards necessary to use the equipment. “What actually happened is that one day after the City Times released the May 417 (2004) issue talking about how President (Terrence) Burgess was considering ending
the contract with Xerox, they called me to set up a presentation of what changes could be made and what could be available,” Dexheimer said. “So, on June 8, 2004, all three colleges convened at a meeting in the Xerox Mission Valley Headquarters, where the large topic was about printers, mostly used by the institutional programs and the Learning Resource Center.” Xerox did an analysis of the volumes of printing at each campus. Dexheimer explained that since both Mesa and Miramar own their own printers, the statistics that were pertinent applied mostly to City College. “It was City’s need for the printers that necessitated the cost at 15 cents because the cost is based on a collective volume to them, and because the volume for printing was so low, in order to cover copy expense - even at 15 cents per See XEROX, Page 10
Rising fees a hardship for non-resident students By Jessie Zechnowitz Many non-resident students at San Diego City College are finding it increasingly difficult to afford classes. With a basic enrollment fee of $26 per unit and an additional fee of $160 per unit for non-residents; out-of-state students may be struggling more. For many students leaving homes in other states for San Diego and City College, these high prices are making it more and more difficult to obtain higher education on a community college level. When asked what scholarships are available for nonresidents, Administrative Technician, Carmen Ruffo answered, “None, there are
no scholarships” for non-residents available at City. She explained that most scholarships offered at City are aimed towards resident aliens (students with green cards) and US citizens living in the state of California. This is because most scholarships are state-funded, thus they are accessible to residents only. Ruffo further explained that ‘scholarships’ are a completely different entity a part from ‘financial aid.’ “Basically, non-residents do qualify for aid,” said Gregory Sanchez, director of financial aid; however, only on a federal level. He explains See FEES, Page 11
4 City Times
CityTimes Volume 59, Issue 10 April 19-May 9, 2005 Published as: The Jay Sees / 1945-1949 Fortknightly / 1949-1978 City Times / 1978Incorporating the newspapers Tecolote, Knight Owl and Flicks Sandi Garcia Editor-in-Chief Manny Lopez Managing Editor Kimmy Humes Opinion Editor Lauren Ciallella Erin Resnick Arts Editors Christopher Young Sports Editor Michael Sullivan Photography Editor Keriann Bryan Copy Editor Jordan Banks Circulation Manager City Times Staff Tim Benson, Christopher Burt, Shane Crumrine, Jermaine Davis, Elizabeth Eross, Amanda Ewell, Angel Hernandez, Donna Maranto, Terris L.S. Patterson, Jonathan Pivar, Jeffrey Seinfeld, Les Swazzo, Alex Tolhurst, Maribel Veaz, Jerry Weber, Cindy J. Wimer, Jessie Zechnowitz, Chris Zimmerman Roman S. Koenig Journalism Adviser
City Times is published twice monthly during the semester. Signed opinions are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily represent those of the entire newspaper staff, City College administration, faculty and staff or the San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees. How to reach us: City Times San Diego City College 1313 Park Blvd. San Diego, CA 92101 Newsroom: L-125 Phone: (619) 388-3880 E-mail: citytimes@gmail.com Member: Journalism Association of Community Colleges, Associated Collegiate Press and California Newspaper Publishers Association
CityVoice
April 19-May 9, 2005
Bolton: Just one more shock His mirthful grin belies a man who has been called by one North Korean spokesman “human scum and (a) bloodsucker.” Maybe. Maybe not. He is, however, known as a neoconservative, is a member of Project for a New American Century (PNAC), and a staunch vilifier of the United Nations. He actually said, “There is no such thing as the United Nations. There is only the international community, which can only be led by the only remaining superpower, which is the United States.” He also stated that, “The Secretariat building in New York has 38 stories. If it lost ten stories, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference.” In their own words, the PNAC stands for American global leadership, which is defined by this call to arms: “Does the United States have the resolve to shape a new century favorable to American principles and interests?” I’m not sure. Can we force them? Can we shove them, and push them, and hurt them, until they bow to our American “principles and interests?” It’s neoconservatism in a nutshell. Or, you might gain further elucidation from the phrase, “global
Perspective Kimmy Humes domination.” PNAC currently has its members saturating the Bush administration. If given the opportunity, it goes without saying that they would try squeezing the government into unilaterally pursuing U.S. (err, PNAC) interests all over the world. My friends, no longer am I afraid to make correlations with the “F” word: Fascism. A few chief neoconservatives include Vice President Dick Cheney; Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith; David Frum, former speechwriter for George W. Bush; and Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, now a member of the World Bank. I think the “saturated neo-inner circle” is flagrantly clear. Bush has nominated Bolton, the man who famously despises the UN, the United States’ very own ambassador to the UN. So ... what does a president do if he has a bone to pick (or the whole
backbone) with the United Nations in a move he knows will reveal a nasty Manifest Destiny-ish motive? He hires John Bolton! It’s like dropping something delicate into a bullpen. Of course, Bolton will antagonize the UN and possibly wreck United States ties. Wow. I’m a Christian who is having an outrageously difficult time supporting the president. I am concerned by this outrage and the fact that so many people, and yes, Christians, are so afraid to critically investigate the Bush administration. All leaders, even professed God-fearing ones, must be accountable for their actions and the people they surround themselves with. There was a time, I’ll admit, that I didn’t care. But things really have gotten out of control. Either Bush has been completely fooled by those around him or he is a snake. People, open your eyes. We have to do something about this. Why don’t you say what you really think? I dare you. Kimmy Humes is the opinion editor for City Times
Take a learning vacation this summer Last summer I took an amazing class through City College. It was my third semester of Spanish, but I learned 10 times as much in that month than I had in my three years of high school Spanish. Where is this amazing class? It took place every day for one month — in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Before attending this class, I had been in bigger language classes where I did my homework and only spoke when I was unfortunate enough to be called on. I thought, even though I was getting As, I would never be able to communicate anything but “Where’s the bathroom?” in a horrible accent. I was excited to be living in Mexico for a month, and I was ready for a vacation of just one intensive class, rather than my usual full-time class load and fulltime work, but I admit, I didn’t realize how much learning was going to be crammed in over those four weeks. I stayed in an absolutely gorgeous home with a wonderful host family, ate great food every day, and it was all part of the package, but the most rewarding part was my Spanish class.
Perspective Keriann Bryan I took Spanish 201 with other students from around San Diego. There were six of us, which is actually a really large class compared to the others, but we had some students who transferred up or down to match their skill level. From 8 in the morning until 1:10 in the afternoon, we spoke and heard only Spanish, and then we went home to our host family, or out on the town, and spoke mostly Spanish. The first week, I thought my brain was going to explode, but eventually the hardest part was making myself sit and do homework when there was so much to see and so many people to talk to. Besides learning Spanish, I got to climb pyramids and view Diego Rivera murals. For my free weekend, I hung out on a beach in Acapulco. Our teachers taught us history and culture, and we experienced it every day. I can’t remem-
ber a boring moment, but I do remember being exhausted almost every night. By the end of just four weeks, not only had I completed a five-unit language course, I was actually speaking, writing and understanding the language. I couldn’t wait to get back and have a real conversation with my neighbor instead of my stilted “buenos dias” every morning. I was hoping for Spanish-speaking customers all day at work because now I could actually help them. I had new found confidence in my communication skills because I had learned to use them. I recommend study abroad for anyone studying a language. Go where it is spoken and challenge yourself to use it. Learn about the culture, see amazing sights, learn a language faster than you thought possible and have the time of your life doing it. Keriann Bryan is the copy editor for City Times
April 19-May 9, 2005
Election Continued from Page 1 Hernandez’s closest runnerup with 221 votes. All but four of our newly elected officials did not campaign or even have their name on the ballot, some having missed deadlines and other simply late starters. Kate Wilson had been on the ballot for president but lost with only 80 votes. However, she won the Public Relations Officer seat as a write-in candidate with four votes. Write-in candidates won four other uncontested races; the secretary and webmaster received the highest amount at 67 and 60 write-in ballots respectively. Five senators were elected, including Julia Maund, who is returning for a second term. Senators Maund and Mayra Jordan Alpert Aguilar are joined by three write-in candidates, although the total still falls quite short of the 10 senators that are supposed to be serving.
City Times
NEWS
Hope
munications that I can think of off the top of my head, and she’s also the reason that I Continued from Page 1 have my job today,” says close friend and colleague Laura connecting students in the Castaneda. “She loved this U.S. with communications department. Looking back, I students at universities in think it’s safe to say that she Mexico. She had a great love was preparing the communicafor the Mexican culture and tions department for the next saw the need for more cultural generation. Hope is my role diversity in the world of com- model, she worked very hard munications. for the nine months out of the Mrs. Shaw was a prominent year dedicated to school, and figure in the world of com- then she traveled in between. I munications, winning count- hope to live my life that way.” less awards for her work in Mrs. Shaw never let any television production, broad- challenge or limitation stop casting and radio program- her. In 1962, while vacationming. She produced many ing in La Paz, she asked her programs aired on television fiancé what kind of gift she and received many awards should return with for him. for her work in both TV and He jokingly insisted that she print journalism. Among her bring back an ajolote, a very vast amount of achievements rare two-legged lizard that is and contributions, Mrs. Shaw very hard if not almost imposCollege taught the very first TV pro-SD City sible to come across. While duction class ever offered at in La Paz, 10.25 Mrs.x Shaw NYE404200e 6.417 bought City College in 1968, and had time on a local radio station 2 270214 ars/cb been the department chair offering rewards to anyone several times following. who could bring her an ajo“Hope is directly respon- lote, and before she returned sible for the careers of at least home she had not one but 11 12 people in the world of com- to choose from. Their wedding
Columbia University's School of General Studies invites you to an information session: APRIL 26TH • 4:00 – 5:30 PM
A partial list of awards and events: ■ 1968 - Teaches City’s first TV production class ■ 5 first place and 1 second place award in radio from Sigma Delta Chi; 3 first place awards for radio programming from Sigma Alpha Iota; 4 first place and 1 second place award from the USC school of journalism Donations can be made to: ■ Helen Woodward Centre in Rancho Santa Fe — Animal Adoption ■ City College Hope Shaw Scholarship Contact City Times for more information at (619) 3883880 or citytimes.gmail.com.
19, 2005 band was April made in the shape of the two lizardsnawrapped up face to face. COLUNIV001 na After her recent retirement, Mrs. Shaw continued teaching part time at City College until her death. She was involved in the communications world
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for more than 40 years and a faculty member in the Radio and Television department for about the same amount of time. Mrs. Shaw’s undying love for adventure and people, and her need to live life to the fullest, showed up in many ways. Among the many hearts that she touched, she will be most definitely missed by the Nguyen Family as she helped them in their departure from Vietnam and took them under her wing after the war to get resettled and safe in San Diego, according to her sister, Rosalie Byard. “She always had a tremendous gift for understanding who people were and what needed to be done next,” Byard says. “She helped a lot of people.” “Her students should know how tremendously committed Hope was to all the things that she taught them and all the things that she stood for,” Byard adds. “She would’ve expected them to carry on, so it is my deepest hope that they will.”
San Diego City College Building B, Room 103 San Diego RSVP: (800) 895-1169
Continue your story... Whether you’ve set your career goals or are still contemplating your future,The School of General Studies (GS) – Columbia University’s college for returning and nontraditional students– makes it possible for you to complete your degree at one of the finest institutions in the country. In fact, Columbia is the only Ivy League college to fully integrate returning students into the regular undergraduate curriculum. As a GS student, you’ll take the same courses, be taught by the same faculty, and earn the same degree as all other Columbia undergraduates. And you’ll have a wide range of choices – we offer more than 60 majors and you can attend part- or full-time.You’ll also have full access to all of Columbia’s extraordinary resources and our beautiful campus in the heart of New York City. Our administration is supportive, understanding and flexible, so you’ll be able to reach your goals in a time and manner that works for you. Because GS is specifically designed for people just like you – dedicated, creative individuals who believe life will be enhanced by acquiring a liberal arts education. So visit us at our next information session, and begin the next chapter in the story of your life...
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6 City Times
CityArts
April 19-May 9, 2005
Photographic Reflections: An interview with Reg E. Gaines
Interview by Jermaine Davis ■ Center photo by Manny Lopez Additional photos provided by George LeBeaud
T
he camera never lies. Any picture that a camera produces is an accurate depiction of whatever is in front of it at the time. All of the beauty and pain of life is reflected off of the lens and reproduced for the world to see. Reg E. Gaines’ poetry echoes this occurrence. Everything he has experienced in life he focuses into words. Sometimes confrontational, sometimes hauntingly beautiful, but most of all his works are an honest reflection of his life experiences and the things he sees around him. Recently, Gaines visited City College’s Seville Theatre to participate in
a show put on in honor of Black History Month. The show was entitled “F: Stop,” referring to the diameter of a photograph in response to a lens. Joining Gains on stage were Professor D.J. Watson of City College and poet Bennie Heron. Together, in front of a backdrop of photos showing interchanging scenes of inner-city life and African-American heroes, the poets shared stories of loss, hope and innocence with the audience. Gaines, a former City College student, is today a critically acclaimed poet and writer. He has been featured on HBO’s “Def Poetry Jam” and was nominated for a Tony Award for the
play “Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk.” The proceeding interview was done after the “F: Stop” performance. Gaines reflected on his attending City College, his poetry, and the future of his poetic endeavors. So how does it feel to be back at City College? It’s like I never left. I was on the tennis team; I was involved in student activities. So doing something like this (F: Stop) is nothing new. I’m just a lot better at it now. It changed a little; it’s a little more conservative than was now. Conservative, like how?
Attitudes, minds, When I was here in the early ’80s people were more open to conversation and exchange of ideas. When I walk into the cafeteria today, its more segregated than it was when I was here. That’s what I mean when I say this place is conservative. And I say conservative because that’s a “safe” word. I don’t want to say racist or biased, I just think that it is more conservative, as in more conservative thinking going on. How did the F-stop show come about? It’s something that D.J. asked See GAINES, Page 8
April 19-May 9, 2005
CityFocus
City Times
Classmates Vicki Entreken (left) and Maureen King work side by side during their Composition in Painting I class. Angelina Rodrigues (left) and Alene Dahne work at easels during their Composition in Painting class.
Jordan Gregory works on a still-life painting of a mannequin during his Composition in Painting I class.
Cherry Mason works on a project as part of her Ceramics III class taught by Yoonchung Kim.
Siobhan Lozada holds one of her pieces, a teapot gecko, waiting to be completed in the baking kiln.
Composition in Painting I student Elizabeth Clements works on a project in which students paint still-life objects of their choosing.
The Artistic Touch
Creative City College students work with brush, canvas and clay Text and photos by Mike Sullivan
Laura Benavidez works on a clay jar while seated at a throwing wheel during her ceramics class taught by Yoonchung Kim.
Around lunchtime on March 8, students were hard at work on their latest assignments. They were not solving complex mathematical equations or writing essays exploring post war economics. These students were more concerned with color, shape, composition and form. Enrolled in professor Hulgin’s composition in painting class and Professor Kim’s ceramics class, their projects revolved more around light, texture and design. Some were exploring their creativity through their chosen medium for the first time. Others displayed the skill and ability that comes as a result of years of study and dedication to their craft. But to some extent all were experiencing what it means to be one who creates — an artist.
Ceramics student Emily Aust works on a project during her ceramics class taught by Yoonchung Kim.
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ARTS
City Times
April 19-May 9, 2005
‘Anything Goes’ does what it’s supposed to well — entertain Surely you’ve noticed the flyers and advertisements around campus for the theater department’s production of the Cole Porter musical “Anything Goes,” which runs April 8-24 in the Saville Theatre. You must be wondering if it was any good. Though still an amateur production, the play did it’s job — it entertained. The vocal performances were top notch with “Anything Goes,” “Blow, Gabriel, Blow” and “Don’t Fence Me In” as standout numbers. All ensemble numbers were well put together and the cast appeared to have a firm hold on the general feel and comedic ambiance of the play. Jennifer Purviance was the highlight of the night as Reno
TheaterReview Jessie Zechnowitz Sweeney, as she displayed perfect pitch and the flair of a seasoned comedienne. The show looked like a great hands-on experience for theater majors, providing all aspects of professional theater. Even the costumes seemed expert. The play may have been more effective had the actors displayed more full movement while speaking to one another and during some of the dances. Though opening-night jitters seemed apparent at the beginning of the production, they calmed as the night went on. Altogether, I would recom-
Gaines Continued from Page 6 if I would be interested in and of course I said yeah. We had one rehearsal, and I never saw all of the photographs projected. But all of the Jazz elements came out good. When all of the elements come together then it’s going to be dope. How do you feel about Teachers such as D.J. Watson putting things like this together on campus? I think teachers like her have got the power in schools. I was sitting in on a class today and she was empowering people that would otherwise never get any attention at all because someone else might see them as knuckleheads or unreachable. So she has power, and everyone that can do that has the ability to change everything. When did you realize you wanted to be a full time poet? At first I was just doing little stuff for black history month dealing with black literature. The teachers awakened me to culture but I was still trying to do other stuff. It wasn’t until somebody came up to me who used to be married to Etheridge Knight (a famous black poet). His widow came up to me when I was in Boston for a poetry competition after I had finished my set. She shook my hand and said, “ that was great,
mend the show to students as it’s a great display of hard work and gives one (especially the inexperienced theatergoer) an idea of what musical theater is all about. The selection of “Anything Goes” was adept in that the overall feeling of the show is lighthearted, thus one doesn’t experience any feeling that the characters are being melodramatic. Everything is breezy and good for a laugh. The audience leaves the theater with a smile — and that’s the point, right? Jessie Zechnowitz is a City Times staff writer
Etheridge would have loved that”. I said Etheridge who? She said, Etheridge Knight, I’m Mary Knight. I had been studying him for a year and a half and he was my favorite poet. When she said Etheridge would have loved my poetry I realized the path I was traveling was the right one. At the time hip-hop was what was banging in the streets but nobody was really hearing Etheridge or Baraka (Amiri Baraka, a black poet) like they should be. So I decided that I should contribute and keep the movement alive. How do you feel about the state of spoken word poetry getting more exposure and its emergence in Americas mainstream? It’s just the exploitation of it all. A lot of poets that get on television think that the appearance will get them somewhere. I just tell them “You write poetry, where do you think you are going from here?” They think they are going to read a twominute poem and get an acting job or write screenplays. My only job when I hit that stage is to shut everything down. I want people to stop what they are doing and just look at me and think, “What the f**k is this man doing and why am I thinking about it so much?” I’m surprised and humbled every time someone gives me money to read my poetry. These words are a vehicle to change peoples thinking. It becomes a creative cliché after a while but that is exactly how it is.
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April 19-May 9-2005
City Times
ARTS
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City College literary press dedicated to local writers By Jordan Banks The best-kept secret at City College is its progressive literary community. A lot of people around campus have no idea that City College is home to San Diego’s only literary press dedicated to publishing local writers. In 2003, some of the faculty editors of City Works, the college’s literary journal, saw a need in San Diego for a non-profit vehicle to give local writers a chance to be free from the narrow bottom line and exclusionary ethos of academic and corporate presses. So, with a do-it-yourself attitude, a group of City College faculty along with writers and arts supporters from all over the region came together to form the San Diego Writers Collective. With no institutional funding from City College, the Collective opened a non-profit account at the San Diego City College Foundation and began raising funds. In 2004, the venture went in a solid direction when the American Federation of Teachers matched the collection’s initial seed money. Later that year, Jazz 88 (KSDS 88.3) decided to become a major contributing spon-
sor. Out of these crucial ingredients came City Works Press, committed to promoting innovative and ethnically diverse local writing, according to their mission statement. There are far too many people contributing time and money to list them all. But a few recognizable names from around the campus are Chris Baron, Nancy Cary, Gwyn Enright, Hector Martinez, Donna Watson and Jim Miller. They comprise the City College creative writing faculty, who also produce the literary journal each spring with the English 249 creative writing class. Since all revenue generated from sales goes directly back in to subsequent projects, “no one’s making any money,” Miller said, adding that the rewards are purely personal satisfaction of cultural growth in San Diego. “We want a modest literary press that focuses on City College students and local writers to give a non-postcard image of San Diego,” Miller said. “The grit and the glory.” According to Miller, the purpose of City Works Press is not only to publish
County fair offers opportunity for students to showcase their talents By Chris Zimmerman The 2005 San Diego County Fair opens on June 10 and runs through July 4. This year, the fair will be the place for several opportunities to showcase City College students’ talents. ■ The second annual Hip Hop Dance contest is inviting groups of three or more to submit applications. Each group will be judged on their technical skills, showmanship, creativity, rhythm and costume. ■ Talented amateur vocalists, ages 9 and over, are invited to enter the San Diego County Fair SuperStar contest. Winners will receive a cash prize, trophy, an appearance on "Fox in the Morning-Fox 6 TV,” and more. ■ The 2005 San Diego County Fair has partnered with FOX ROX to find the best band in San Diego in the Battle of the Bands competition. Bands consisting of three or more members are welcome to participate. Contestants will be judged on vocal and instrumental performance, stage presence, originality and fan reaction. ■ The fair is accepting entry forms for participation in various competitions for everything from photography to flowers and more. If you are interested in entering, please
■ Chapbook winner Luis Omar Lopez will be honored at this year’s City Works reading on April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in room B-103. Next up for the press is the Ben Reitman Award. The winner gets up to 200 pages of their poetry, fiction or non-fiction published and distributed with an initial 500-1,000 copy run. The deadline June 1. first chapbooks (a pamphlet-sized collection of creative writing about 20-40 pages) by City College students, but also novels, creative nonfiction and collections of short fiction and poetry by local professional writers. The deadline for the annual student chapbook contest was in December. The contest’s first winner was Luis Omar Lopez, and he will be honored at this year’s City Works reading on April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in room B-103.
Next up for the press is the Ben Reitman Award. This is a cross-genre competition for emerging writers who have not yet been published. The winner of the award gets up to 200 pages of their poetry, fiction or non-fiction published and distributed with an initial 5001,000 copy run. The deadline to submit entries for the Reitman Award is June 1. Another goal of the press is to attract professional writers with some notoriety from around the country to come in and talk to classes and teach their own work. “We want to bring those voices to campus, let them know it doesn’t always have to be a four-year college (they speak at),” Miller said, adding that he wants to get a real literary stew going at City College. The whole endeavor is student and writer centered and all City Works Press writers maintain the rights to their work. For more information on submitting original work to the journal or City Works Press, go to www.cityworkspress.org.
Money for College Are college expenses eating a big hole in your wallet?
check our website at www.sdfair.com/ entry, or call the Entry Office at (858) 792-4207, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Some deadlines for entry forms and fees are April 29. With the exception of the fair’s general competition, the deadline for entries is May 13. For more information and application requirements, visit the fair’s special events Web site at www.sdfair.com/specialevents or call the contest hotline: (858) 7941059.
Financial aid could put some of that money back. Don’t guess. Get the facts. Find out now if you qualify. Visit the Financial Aid Office, A-113 Call 619-388-3501 or visit www.sdcity.edu Financial aid can be used for fees/tuition, books & supplies, living expenses, transportation, child care.
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NEWS / SPORTS
City Times
April 19-May 9, 2005
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Continued from Page 3 copy, Xerox claims that they are losing money on the contract,” she said. However, on Feb. 14, another meeting was held on campus. The representatives present were both from the district and from Xerox. Melissa Anderson, Xerox representative, presided. Bruce Cable with Xerox in Louisville, KY, contributed via conference call. During the meeting, several positive issues were brought forward, including the need to lower the 15 cents page price to 10 cents per page if possible and the need to rescale dollar perspective since Xerox assumed old contracts and is losing $47,000 per year. Anderson’s recommendations included switching copiers from analog to digital bookmarks, upgrading all printers to digital and changing some areas from four trays to two. The district is interested in hearing about equipment upgrades and finding out what a print management solution is. The current contract with Xerox expires in December, and with that in mind, other options have been explored. One of those would be to purchase the equipment and begin a nonprofit system. However, in response to this possibility, Dexheimer responded, “No, that idea is no longer a consideration, since now Xerox has responded with the possibility of a few new programs, maybe with the price going as
low as 10 cents per copy.” In an online demonstration that took place on March 26, a company called Jamex was included, with the plan of providing additional services along with Xerox. The idea is not to have expensive copiers being used as printers, but asking Xerox’s price per copy be based on aggregate copy usage across campus. They referred to “customized applications” in which Jamex vending would provide the vending units, hard cards, coin/currency and also a piece of equipment called a “release,” and other card software which would direct or send to release mail equipment. In regards to other problems not being addressed, such as reimbursements on damaged cards, Dexheimer advised that it would be appropriate to come to her office in the Administration building, or call (619) 388-3428 to voice a complaint. With the close of the current Xerox contract around the corner, Dexheimer said she is optimistic that Xerox has begun cooperating with the district about these problems. “We think that now a viable solution is at hand, one which would solve the printing costs and at the same time offer us reasonable upgrades to the equipment,” she said. “Students are very interested in it, and for the first time there is a glimmer of hope. Progress has been made for a viable and reasonable copy solution.”
SOFTBALL ROUNDUP
Knights fighting tough season
By Alex Tolhurst Playing at home against Mesa College under the gloom of impending rain, the City Knights softball team wasn’t able to put a good game together. In the first four innings the Lady Knights had trouble fielding the ball and were unable to make a round on the bases and giving Mesa the opportunity to take a commanding lead of 8-0. Then, in the top of the fifth with the rain getting harder, the game was suspended with the final pitch hitting a Mesa batter in the foot causing a limp to first base and a runner being forced to second. The game resumed on March 30 at Mesa, with the women making a valiant See SOFTBALL, Page 11
April 19-May 9, 2005
Coffee Continued from Page 3 the café, she hopes students will gain “clear conscience, better quality than we currently have because it is certified-organic, meaning it is free of pesticides and harmful chemicals, better taste and satisfaction.” Constantinescu wants students to know, “We can benefit the world just by doing what we do already (buying coffee).” Getting Mountain Moonlight coffee into the café has been a long road. Constantinescu began by speaking with
Fees Continued from Page 3 non-resident students in need of aid must fill out a Free Application For Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA form. This is an all-encompassing form which allows students to apply for various forms of aid. These include the Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Sup-
Baseball Continued from Page 12 the 9-3 victory over Imperial Valley. First basemen David Dennis led the offense, going two for four with a tworun home run. “Today’s pitcher, J.J. Devilliers, is a freshman and every time we’ve handed him the ball he’s done a fantastic job,” Brown says. “He is a guy we’ve started going to after we’ve had a couple of down performances, we’ve gone to J.J. and he has done a real good job, along with Eric Billings, another freshman.” During their next contest, the Knights continued their dominance over Imperial Valley, winning their second game in a row. After winning two in a row, Palomar College returned the favor, beating the Knights in two
Softball Continued from Page 10 comeback but still falling short of a win, winding up in a loss of 8-10. Three days later, the Lady Knights found a win against Skagit Valley College by a score of 6-1, but was followed by a string of losses mostly taking place on the road, including games against fellow conference teams Palomar and Mesa. Back-to-back wins came on April 2 against San Bernardino Valley
NEWS / SPORTS
City Times
11
the café manager about Fair Trade options, and when he was supportive, she researched brands that were available at a “cost-effective” price. Millstone Coffee, the café’s supplier, didn’t offer a large enough bag, and City has a contract with them, so Constantinescu started e-mailing Millstone to see if they would sell their Fair Trade coffee in a larger bag at an affordable price. With the café manager’s help, she was able to negotiate a “special order deal” so that the café could get the coffee at a price that would not affect the current price per cup, and now she is waiting for it to appear on the menu. Students concerned about where
their coffee comes from will know Millstone’s Mountain Moonlight Fair Trade Certified Coffee is “100 percent organic coffee grown by democratically organized farmer cooperatives in the mountains of southern Mexico.” Throughout her campaign, Constantinescu, an international business major, has drawn support from Resistencia Estudiantil. The City College Philosophy Club and Phi Theta Kappa have contributed “thank you” cards for the café, and Spanish Club, NSBE, Arabic Club, World Crisis Organization, LGBTSU, SHPE and SEEDS have also pledged their support. Soon, City College students will be able to show their support, too. As Con-
stantinescu says, “The most important part about having this option at our school is choosing it.” She continues, “Fair trade is not just a ‘flavor,’ it is a socially responsible, economically equitable trade agreement in which both producers and consumers benefit. This is why we should have all of our coffee fair trade.” Currently, Millstone does not offer an espresso blend designated fair trade. Constantinescu can be found working with the Trio program on campus, and will be marching with other City College students in the April 20 budget-cut walkout and march to the governor’s office downtown.
plemental Educational Opportunity Grant (or SEOG), the Federal Works Study (where students work off tuition costs at school) and the Federal Direct Loan (in which students begin to pay back the loan six months after graduation). He also explained that several private parties, accessible by internet, may offer aid. When asked how she felt about the absence of scholarships for out-of-state students, non-resident and City stu-
dent Rebecca Massoud said, “I don’t think it’s fair, how should we pay?” She went on to add that often the FAFSA does not provide sufficient aid for students who are still partially dependent upon their parents. Non-residents are not the only City students with financial woes, even residents are experiencing difficulties due in part to a 64 percent increase in community college enrollment fees around the San Diego area for the 2003-2004 school year, and costs have continued to rise this year. All military veterans receive 100
percent of their tuition paid for. However, students currently in the military must go through the same application procedure as every one else.
straight games. After winning two games against the Compton Community College Tartars during the San Diego City Classic, the Knights have gone three and three. The Knights split two games with Southwestern, then lost two disappointing games against Mesa. In one of the games against Mesa, the Knights rallied back from an 8-4 deficit to take a one run lead in the top of the seventh inning, only to give up the lead and let the eventual gamewinning run come home on a balk with a man on third base. The Knights did not let the frustrating play get them down; they showed good resolve in their next two contests taking two consecutive from Grossmont. Lorenzo Church pitched a complete game in the second game of the series, giving up three runs on four hits and recording ten strikeouts. College with scores of 10-2 in the first game and 9-6 in the second, followed by another win against Orange Coast College to make it three wins in a row, bringing their total record to 5-19 and leaving their conference record at 0-9. Off the field, there has been big news for the Lady Knights this season. Lead team hitter Jen Gomez hit a tworun home run, making it the first ever on home turf. Centerfielder Caroline Soria was nominated as the Pacific Coast Conference’s Athlete of the Week for her batting average of .324 and almost no defensive errors.
Non-residents will only have to pay these additional fees for one year following their move to San Diego. If the student can provide proof that they were in San Diego a year ago, and that they had intent to stay (which can be substantiated by an apartment lease or driver’s license), than they will be deemed “resident” and from then on, will be free of all additional fees.
CitySports
12 City Times
April 19-May 9, 2005
BASEBALL ROUNDUP
Knights coach optimistic despite uneven season By Shane Crumrine With 10 conference games remaining through April, the young San Diego City baseball team is 13 and 11 overall and 6 and 9 in conference play. However, with 19 out of the 26 players being freshmen, expectations are still high as far as their head coach is concerned. “Actually, you know what, we’re playing well this year,” says head coach Chris Brown. “You can’t expect a club to go the entire season without a couple highs and lows, that’s what makes this game such a great game because ... it’s a game of ups and downs and usually it’s the team that is able to handle the downs as well as the ups that winds up finishing pretty strong.” In their first conference game, the Knights wiped the floor with Imperial Valley, beating them 13-4. Led by switch-hitting shortstop Pedro Robles’ two-run homerun and five RBI, the Knights went on to an easy victory. Things were not so easy in their next
game when the Knights lost to leagueleading Palomar on March 1. Frustrations continued the following game at home against Southwestern, losing 9-3. Starting pitcher Ben Gingery struggled early, giving up three runs on six hits in his two innings of work. The game stayed close until the eighth inning when fielding errors by the Knights led to five Southwestern runs. The following Saturday, a contest against Mesa was postponed until March 9, when the Knights were beaten away from home. The team had also lost their previous game against Grossmont. Facing a five-game losing streak, the team looked to 18-year-old pitcher J.J. Devilliers to be their stopper. Ask, and you shall receive. Devilliers came out and pitched a complete game, giving up three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts in See BASEBALL, Page 11
Softball loses against Palomar Photos by Mike Sullivan
City College’s Knights softball team lost to the Palomar College Comets on April 1. Top photo: City College shortstop Jennifer Gomez successfully steals second base against the Palomar College Comets on April 1. The Knights went on to lose the game 13-1. Middle photo: Knights pitcher Brooklyn Cowan delivers to the plate. Story, Page 10.
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