PALOMAR COLLEGE, SAN MARCOS, CALIF.
MONDAY NOV. 3, 2008
FOCUSED ON PALOMAR
VOL. 62, NO. 8
the-telescope.com
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
Late professor’s domestic partner suing Palomar MAGGIE AVANTS THE TELESCOPE
PETER TYLOR | THE TELESCOPE
Headstones commemorate lives lost at the Day of the Dead inauguration service held at the Palomar library on Oct. 21.
The domestic partner of a former Palomar accounting clerk is suing Palomar college, one of employees and Palomar’s Hartford Life Insurance for failing to pay out on a life insurance policy, according to court documents. His complaint for damages includes breach of contract, bad faith, breach of obligation, negligence and unfair business practice. In the lawsuit, Donald Clark contends that his long-time partner Michael Barber, who passed away from lung cancer in November 2007, had two life policies totaling insurance $130,000 through his employment at Palomar College that were active at the time of his death. Clark, who was named as Barber’s sole beneficiary on his
death certificate, will and insurance policies, has yet to receive any disbursement of funds from Hartford Life Insurance. making several “After attempts to resolve this out of court,” said Jack B. Winters, Jr., attorney for Clark, “my client had no choice but to file a lawsuit.” Winters explained that because Palomar College is a government entity, claims always have to be filed before a lawsuit can be entered into. “It is unfortunate that the school and the consortium didn’t come forward sooner and settle this thing,” he said. According the court documents filed at the Vista courthouse on Oct. 2, Barber, an employee of Palomar College’s accounting department for over 20 years, signed a life insurance policy through the school’s consortium
Movement attempts to make campuses smoke free Political economy days draw student interest
CYRILA RICHARDSON THE TELESCOPE
The American Lung Association launched a campaign to make college campuses smoke free. Currently one in every five college students smokes, which means a little over 19 percent of Palomar students smoke on a given day, a percentage that is likely to increase, according to the American Lung Association (ALA) in an article called, “Big Tobacco on Campus.” “I started smoking because of peer pressure,” Palomar student Lee Woods said. “It’s become a social thing and I like the buzz it gives me.” The tobacco industry invested over $1 million a day for pro-smoking events at colleges and universities, according to a recent study conducted by the ALA.The study explores the impact tobacco industries have on college students. According to the article, the tobacco industries’ goal is to encourage college students to believe smoking is a social norm. To counteract the pro-smoking advertisements of the tobacco industry, the ALA encouraged colleges to initiate anti-smoking programs on campus. They urge campuses to prohibit tobacco use at all facilities, stop selling tobacco products on campus and refuse all funding from tobacco industries. Along with San Diego County, the ALA developed a list of the different programs that colleges use to discourage smoking. TURN TO SMOKING PAGE 9
OPINION
MELISSA RAYMOND THE TELESCOPE
YUKIE ZUILL | THE TELESCOPE
Tae Yu, a business major freshman, takes a smoking break between classes Oct. 29.
ENTERTAINMENT
Prop. 4 may endanger minors
PAGE 4
TURN TO DOMESTIC PARTNER PAGE 3
HSM3 delights audiences PAGE 7
Some students did not have to attend class on Oct. 22 and 23. Those students, though, did have to attend at least one session of many guest speakers who were invited to Palomar College for its Political Economy Days. The two-day event covered a range of topics from the 2008 financial crisis to the election and health care to micro-lending, desegregation of schools and the environment. Political Economy Days are presented every fall and spring semester by the Palomar department of Economics, History and Political Science. Other topics covered were included women’s role in the election, race and class, the feminist movement, party platforms and relations between Iran and the US. The event gave students an opportunity to learn about several issues. With the presidential election on Nov. 4, they decided on an election
theme for the event. Some Palomar students, like Timothy Morton, 19, felt that Political Economy Days “broaden your horizons (and) gives different views and opinions.” Another Palomar student, Jaimie Walsh, 19, had similar thoughts. “I think it is a good idea, because we are out of class with a new teacher,” she said. Each of the topics was presented by those with a specialization in the area. The majority of speakers were Palomar faculty and professors from nearby universities. Other speakers were from various areas and specialties such as a comedian, a politician, a delegate at the Republican Convention, an attorney and the California director of the Republican Jewish Coalition. With the elections coming up students had this to say: “I think it is important to get a TURN TO POLITICAL
ECON PAGE 9
SPORTS
FOCUS Democrats versus Republican PAGE 8
Basketball season begins PAGE 12