Founded 1946
Palomar College
Volume 41 No.7
A Publication for the Associated Students
Friday, November 20, 1987
San Marcos, CA
Gallery exhibits cause controversy By Fred Tracey
Gallery director Louise Kirtland points out the symbolism in one of the controversial art works currently on display through December 19. Several works have been labeled "racist" or "pornographic" by one art instructor. (Photo by Sharon Richard)
Inside job alleged By Larry Boi!ijolie
Three television sets and a VCR were among items stolen from the Life Sciences and staff buildings on the weekend of October 30 through November 2 in what authorities speculate is an inside operation. The sets anl\ VCR have an estimated value of $1000 according to sources. Also stolen during the weekend were a number of portable radios and $100 in checks from the office of Richard Muchow. Boyd Mahan, Campus Patrol super-
Helicopter makes unscheduled stop But do they need a parking permit? That was one question asked by the crew aboard a Life Flight helicopter that landed safely in parking lot nine a .week ago Thursday night. There was no patient in the helicopter at the time of the landing and none of the four people on board was ilijured. Pilot Dave Boden, nurses Tory Boyle and Debbie Couillard, and paramedic Alan Norfolk made the unexpected 7:55 p.m. landing when Boden found himself low on fuel and unable to land at Palomar Airport because of fog. The craft, a medical transport helicopter stationed at Palomar Airport, was headed back to the airport after a late call to carry a cardiac patient from Jacaumba to AMI Hospital in El Cajon. At the time of the landing here they were already an hour past the scheduled crew change. The medical personnel were returned to the airport by automobile and the helicopter was moved after the fog cleared later that evening. Boyd Mahan, supervisor of the Campus Patrol, says he has no plans to issue the helicopter a parking ticket. "They can park here anytime they want to."
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visor, said no force was used to gain entry into the locked rooms. "I believe a key was used to get inside the buildings," he said. According to Mahan, at least two keys were used in the weekend's thefts. "A lot of people have keys, so it is not easy to pin down who might have gotten into the rooms. Our key rules are really very lax." Hardest hit by the burglaries was the Life Sciences Department which suffered the loss of the video equipment. "The TV's and the VCR were the property of the Life Sciences," said Ralph Ferges, head of the Life Sciences Department. "There is no money to replace the stolen equipment...it was not insured.n Ferges believes the crime was committed by someone who "knew what he wanted." "The equipment remains in the room at all times. Whoever committed the crime knew that it was there. They knew where to hit. n Gaining access to a master key is not unusual, commented Mahan. Many staff members and maintenance workers carry keys along with Campus Patrol personnel and custodians. In addition, a key may be lost or a staff member may inadvertantly leave his keys in the door. "It's possible that someone knows someone who has keys and used them to gain entry into the rooms," said Mahan. Also affected in the weekend's theft was Richard Muchow, associate professor of Business Education. Muchow, whose office was broken into, had over $100 in personal checks taken from his desk "The checks were from stuuents wishing to go on a field trip. I had to make up the lost money out of my own pocket," he said. In recent weeks other break-ins have been reported on campus. A highly sensitive electronic balance was taken from a laboratory in the Life Sciences Department. "The balance is very accurate and
burglary was probably taken to weigh drugs. It also has a good resale value," said Craig Johnson, laboratory technician for the life sciences. The cost of the balance was over $1000 and no sign of forceable entry was noticed at the scene of the crime. Some past experiences with theft on campus were due to unlocked offices said Mahan. "In this case (the most recent burglaries) too many rooms were hit. It is very doubtful that so many rooms were left unlocked." Mahan is turning the case over to the sheriffs office for further investigation. Locks will be changed in the affected areas to help prevent further thefts. Also taken were several transistor radios from staff offices.
Three exhibits in the Boehm Gallery have become part of a controversy involving claims from Art Department instructor Bob Freeman that the works are "racist" and even "pornographic." The works in question are part of the latest show in the gallery that has been set-up especially for Palomar College students. All of the works were done by current or graduate students from San Diego State University and University of California at San Diego. "I'm making this as a formal complaint as a private citizen," Freeman told The Telescope. "This (the art works) is an insult to me as a war veteran and as an American Indian. They don't have any business insulting me." The works in question are: a painting that depicts the American flag upside down, a series of black and white photos in a "totempole" like succession with black people on the bottom row, American Indians and Mexican-Americans in the middle rows and white people in the top row and a painting of a woman masturbating. Boehm Gallery director Louise Kirtland has suggested that Freeman is approaching the works on an emotional level and refuses to attempt to understand what the artists are trying to project in their works. "I'm trying not to be controversial. We're trying to get some understanding about visual art. It makes us use our brains," Kirtland said. Kirtland sees the controversy as being good for the campus. She said it will get students to engage in dialogue about the works and hopefully understand the artists intentions. Freeman has taken on the issue alone, but says that there are other faculty members on campus who agree with him. He would not name
Emotional works stolen from immigrant artist By Larry Boi!ijolie
Elizabeth Inwalski is a half a world away from her native Poland, but she carries memories of her far away home in her art. For weeks she labored to turn some of her emotions into a visual form.
ASG head resigns; cites lack of support By Tom Fitzpatrick Associated Student Government president Shawn Clark resigned at the end of the November 11 ASG Senatorial meeting, citing the lack of support from senate members and personal reasons. His replacement will be the third ASG presid ent since presidential elections were held last May. Clark refused comment, but members of the senate and Frank Hankin, advisor, expressed shock and disappointment. "I'm very surprised," said senator Cathy Freeman. "I didn't ever expect anything like this and I don't think anybody else did." "I think we lost something when we lost our president today," she said. Senator Andrew Gigliotti commented that he was "extremely angry bee <~ """' T iliiln't think it was
anyone saying, "They are in fear of losing their jobs if they come forward in support of me." Freeman's statement contradicts the Palomar College guidelines for communication, a policy instituted by the Governing Board. The policy states that any member of the campus community with a concern, complaint or a question is able to take their concern to any campus administrator, the Governing Board and even to the president of the college, without fear of reprimand. Freeman also reported that at least one veteran's organization and some churches plan to take some kind of action. to see that the works are removed form the gallery. Reaction from campus administrators and the Governing Board have been in support of the displays. The Governing Board took an impromptu tour of the gallery after their November 10 meeting and found nothing questionable about the works. "It's a basic judgment of freedom and expression," Dr. George Boggs, Superintendent/ President said. "It's also a matter of interpretation. It's probably good to have some controversy, it gets students engaged in dialogue." Most campus officials agree that Freeman is approaching the art works from an emotional front and that he should try and understand what the artists concepts are. Angelo Carli, dean of Community Education and the administrator in charge of the gallery said "She (Louise Kirtland) informed me about the rationale of the works. She certainly educated me on what the artists were trying to do. n But Freeman countered and said "We must draw the line at some point. They have the freedom to show what they want in the gallery, but I have the right to complain. I'm still mad. I'm going to fight this."
necessary." According to Hankin, Clark had spoken about quitting earlier. "I had a meeting with Shawn approximately a week and a half ago in which he had discussed the possibility of resigning," Hankin said in an interview held November 11. "He had some personal problems with some of the people in the senate that were causing some bad feelings. He told me at the time that he would not resign without letting me know about it." Senators Suzie Yankton and Mary Bagshaw refused comment on the resignation, while senators Chris Cl\ristman and Lisa Cannon could not be contacted by press time. Under rules of the constitution, form er ASG vice president Mary Reynaga became president. She is the third to hold the job, usually a yearlong post, in seven months.
Emotions like homesickness and loneliness were painstakingly transformed into art, so others could feel as she feels. But a new emotion was introduced to Elizabeth Inwalski, the emotion associated with loss. Three works of art created by Inwalski were stolen from a wall in C-4 on the night of November 10. Two of the pictures depicted feelings associated with Inwalski's homeland, loneliness and homesickness. The third work depicts what Inwalski feels now. Anger. "The pictures were outstanding," said Rita White, instructor for the Art 6 class in which Inwalski is enrolled. "I can't understand why anyone would take them." Student Mary Ellen Davis believed the pictures were taken for profit. "They were that good," she said. The entire class is organizing a fund to build a reward for information leading to the return of the artworks. "We will handle the situation in confidence if the person responsible steps forward," said White. "We'll take the pictures back with no questions asked." In the meantime, Inwalski ¡continues to wonder why someone would steal her works. The picture on homesickness held special meaning to her. "She's been literally crying buckets about it," said White. "I hope the person who took the pictures comes forward soon."