The Guardsman, Vol. 167, Issue 5, City College of San Francisco

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Vol. 167, Issue 5 | March 20 – April 10, 2019 | City College of San Francisco | Since 1935 | FREE

City College breaks promise to student lab aides

BRIEFS

Vice Chancellor of IT resigns By Peter J. Suter suterjpeter@gmail.com

Daman Grewal, vice chancellor of information technology, informed City College of his decision to leave as head of the IT department, effective Mar. 31. “I have learned much in the last few months and will always think fondly of my ITS family,” Grewal said. The former chancellor will be leaving after a tumultuous semester of online registration problems. Meanwhile the college still faces many IT problems. Vice Chancellor of Human Resource Diana Gonzales directed staff and faculty to see the new organizational chart for any IT related issues. Staff can also contact Tom Danford with CampusWorks. Faculty can continue emailing Bill Frownie for issues regarding Banner 9.

Student lab aide San Bhujel prepares materials and solutions needed for biology lab classes on Mar. 15, 2019. Photo by Casey Ticsay / The Guardsman

By Casey Ticsay cticsay@mail.ccsf.edu

Behind closed doors for authorized personnel and up a narrow staircase to a biology department storeroom, student lab aide San Bhujel prepares the tools and solutions needed for upcoming laboratory classes. “It’s sad in a way to not be working with friends that used to work here,” Bhujel said. “It adds on more stress to students and lab aides who are currently working here, which are not many.” City College’s biology department

operated with 14 student workers last fall but as of January, the computer science major is one of five remaining lab aides caught in the middle of a slashed budget. Student work hours were also cut from 10 to 4 hours each week. To make up for lost labor, Biology Laboratory Manager Nicola Burrows assists student workers in lab preparations and clean up. “I can only do so much,” she said. It takes six months to train new biology lab aides, many of whom professors recommend to Burrows as potential hires. “We have great students here, and they need to be made first. We do need to support

them, and supporting them is helping make sure they live,” Burrows said. “We can give them free classes, but if they can’t afford to live in San Francisco it’s a problem.” The responsibilities of each student worker vary by department and center. Students may qualify for Federal Work Study (FWS), a federally funded program that determines qualifications based on financial need. Grants and CalWORKs positions are funded at the state level and available to welfare recipients. The Office of Student Employment Lab Aide continued on page 2

All-gender restrooms added across campus, issues with vandalism go unreported By Lisa Martin lisamartin.562@gmail.com

In a move to increase inclusivity and address the needs of non-binary students, City College’s facilities department implemented all-gender restrooms throughout college campuses and centers, but while students and faculty in the LGBTQ community welcome this change, issues with reporting vandalism have yet to be resolved. As mentioned in an email sent to the college community on Mar. 1, all-gender restrooms benefit those who are gender non-conforming, accompanying children, or need assistance in the restroom. For transgendered people, however, using gender-specific restrooms in public can mean risking harassment. In a 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, the National Center for Transgender Equality found 24 percent of respondents had their presence in a bathroom questioned or challenged in the past year. 59 percent had avoided using a public restroom out of fear for their safety.

A gradual roll-out go up permanently by the end of spring. All public single-occupancy restrooms Caitlin Cuffe, who works at the Queer in San Francisco must be designated for all Resource Center, was happily surprised genders and be equipped with proper signage to see the new all-gender restrooms. Non as required by a 2016 law. A similar law at binary student Hold Sall Vesselenyi shared the state level passed in 2017. the same feeling. According to Dr. Reuben Smith, Vice All-gender continued on page 3 Chancellor of Facilities, Planning and Construction, City College “fell far short of compliance.” Jennifer Dawgert-Carlin, Natalie Cox and Matt Pevey, members of the all-gender bathroom subcommittee, helped advise the school on transitioning its existing restrooms to be more accessible to all-genders. By October 2018, facilities had a final list of recommendations. Signage implementation began early January despite numerous delays during fall semester and winter All-gender restroom signage on the third floor of Batmale break. Several signs remain Hall remains intact on Mar. 15, 2019. Photo by Casey temporary but are slated to Ticsay / The Guardsman

Confusion over $32 million projected deficit explained By Peter J. Suter suterjpeter@gmail.com

The February board of trustees meeting left City College trustees, top administrators and the larger college community dismayed and confused about how the institution’s projected budget deficit swelled from $11 million to $32 million. Vice Chancellor of Human Resources Dianna Gonzales said the projected budget deficit of $11.5 million for the 2018-2019 fiscal year is currently supplemented by one-time funding adjustments. The budget deficit is projected to increase to $32 million since those funds will most likely be depleted next fiscal year, she said. The depleted funds include the college’s Parcel Tax funds, expected to run out this fiscal year; the Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan, an incentive package projected to save the college $7.7 million; and the college’s capital outlay funds, which are precariously low. City College must maintain 5 percent of its unrestricted fund (U-fund) reserves to avoid triggering a warning from the State Chancellor’s Office. Administration emphasizes the need for structural changes to the schedule to ensure long-term cost savings.

Cause of $20 million increase Vice Chancellor of Finance Luther Aaberge said that during this fiscal year, the college spent as if it met its projected enrollment numbers, which predicted to Budget continued on page 3


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