The Guardsman, Vol. 149, Issue 7. City College of San Francisco

GREENING THE BLOCK Multi-Use building slated to get environment-friendly furnishing. Page 2

Volume 149, Issue 7

www.theguardsman.com

April 28, 2010

Stats prompt SFPD to assist City College

By Alex Emslie and Estela Fuentes THE GUARDSMAN

Ingleside officers have been conducting undercover “sting” operations at Ocean campus since January due to the new requirement that local police departments answer for crime statistics in their district.

Property crimes at Ocean campus totaled 35 for March, Ingleside Station Captain Louis Cassanego said, and accounted for 27 percent of the Ingleside district’s total.

“Since City College is part of the Ingleside district, their statistics add on to ours,” Cassanego said. “That’s why it’s a big concern for us.”

Under the new system, officials from each station attend monthly meetings where “the chief

puts the captains on a hot seat,” grilling them about statistical increases or decreases, San Francisco Police Department Sgt. James Miller said.

CompStat, a program initiated five months ago

by SFPD Chief George Gascón, collects crime statistics from reports generated all over the city.

Police officials then analyze the data and use it to deploy patrols more efficiently. CompStat emphasizes quick and thorough investigations, accountability, and consideration of social issues that affect crime, according to the SFPD website.

Miller, who leads the Ingleside Station Special Problems Unit in charge of the undercover operations on Ocean campus, estimated a 75 percent drop in property crimes since his unit began conducting stings at City College.

Third successful Ingleside police undercover operation at Ocean campus nets suspect Plain-clothed San Francisco Police Department officers arrested a City College student in connection with the theft of a laptop from the fourth floor of the Rosenberg Library on April 20 at 2:33 p.m.

The arrest of Tyler Soohoo, 21, was the result of the third successful undercover operation conducted by Ingleside Station officers on Ocean campus.

The officers observed Soohoo take the laptop and walk out of the building. Officers arrested him outside the library.

Soohoo was booked for theft from a building.

He did not confess to any other crimes on campus. He does, however, have a pending case with SFPD for theft from a vehicle in the Park Merced area on March 7.

INGLESIDE: Page 4

Protesters move from the streets to the chambers

By Jessica Luthi THE GUARDSMAN

CHLOE ASHCRAFT / THE GUARDSMAN

A crowd of nearly 3,000 protesters gathered in front of Sacramento’s capitol building to protest California’s budget cuts to public services on April 21. A handful of activists attended subcommittee meetings inside the capitol.

California activists demanding more funding for a broad range of public services, rallied in front of the state capitol on April 21.

Nearly 3,000 demonstrators convened around midafternoon at Southside Park in Sacramento, joining a small group of marchers in the “last mile” of their 365-mile march from Bakersfield to the capitol.

The group’s route through the Central Valley was modeled after the 340-mile United Farm Worker’s march led by César Chávez in 1966, according to event coordinators.

The rally and march were intended to draw attention to the negative impact of budget cuts on public education. Their timing coincided with a public joint hearing of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 and the Assembly Higher Education Committee, which discussed the Governor’s 2010-11 budget proposals for higher education enrollment, funding and student success.

A small group of roughly 40 individuals from City College attended the event. While most just observed the hearing, Ryan Vanderpol, associated student president for the Ocean campus addressed the committees.

EDUCATION: Page 4

Public Service Announcement Elections for the 2010/11 Associated Student Council and student trustee are happening now. Polls opened on April 27 and will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on April 28.

All voting is done online at www.ccsf.edu and students will need to a valid City College ID to participate. For more election information and full candidate profiles visit www.ccsf.edu/aselections or call the Associated Students at (415) 239-3108.

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THE GUARDSMAN

News

APRIL 28, 2010

Obituary

City College employee Debra Porter dies

By Alex Emslie THE GUARDSMAN

Deborah Kay Porter, a devoted City College management assistant and longtime Service Employees International Union member, died April 8 after an eight-month battle with lung cancer. She was 56 years old.

More than 400 people attended a memorial service held for Porter on April 20 at the Ocean campus Diego Rivera Theatre.

“She hitchhiked here from Indiana when she was 15,” Porter’s son Omar Brown said.

“She started here with nothing, and she created everything she left behind for us.”

Porter joined City College in 1995 as a senior clerk typist in the art department. Her personal and fair way of dealing with people from every level of the college precipitated two promotions throughout her career. She was promoted in 1998 to the School of Liberal Arts and Castro/Valencia campus dean’s office. She was promoted again to management assistant in the same office in 2006.

“She was a mother to lots of students,” said Bruce Smith, dean of the school and campus Porter worked for.

Her passion for helping didn’t stop with the City College student body. She served SEIU, Local 1021 in the offices of secretary, bargaining team member and Chief Steward — a position that allowed her to help fellow union members resolve issues with their supervisors.

After joining the union “she blossomed,

COURTESY OF BRUCE SMITH

Deborah Kay Porter December 14, 1953 - April 8, 2010

she looked for lots of different opportunities, and there were so many wrongs that she wanted to right,” SEIU member Patti Tamura said.

Porter often served as a mediator concerning “problem cases” including students, staff and faculty at City College, Chancellor Don Griffin said.

“We called her, in a very positive way, ‘the social worker,’” Griffin said, adding that Porter was so skilled in mediation that she could have taught a class on the subject.

Porter was a voracious reader who also loved movies and discussing them with colleagues and friends. She was a lifelong student who often enrolled in classes at City College. She liked to arrive early to work so she could chat with her good friends George Cardoza and Brenda Cruise at the Crown Catering food truck outside the Visual Arts Building.

To many who knew her, it seemed she alone had “a 15-day week,” as she was able to juggle so many professional obligations and hobbies and still never turn down a friend in need.

“Debbie was only vulnerable if you asked her to dance, the only thing that she could claim to call a social phobia,” retired art department Chair Ray Holbert said.

Along with making herself indispensable to her colleagues, Porter’s professional relationships always bloomed into friendships, Smith said.

“We’ve all lost someone special, and I lost my best friend,” retired art department instructor Michael Ruiz said.

Porter is survived by her children — Shenqua, Omar and Kalief Brown; sisters — Jeanne Porter, Amanda Whittier and Leslie Dyra; stepchildren — Gabriel and Dejanae Brown, Sunseria Pierce and Dionna Noguera; and grandchildren — Tamia Brown, Jaden Marcel, Dominic and Donovan Noguera.

E-mail: aemslie@theguardsman.com

Officials stretch cash to furnish Multi-Use Facility

By Estela Fuentes THE GUARDSMAN

City College is looking to reduce its carbon footprint at Ocean campus with the new Multi-Use Facility scheduled to open this fall.

Although the college was allocated $64.7 million to construct and furnish the building, it’s been difficult to find sustainable furniture while staying within budget, Kathy Hennig, City College’s purchasing manager said.

“Its about a third of what we need,” Hennig said. “So I’m really working hard to stretch it as far as I can to accommodate what we need to get up and running. But I want to make the building look nice too.”

Classrooms in the new building will have adjustable tables and chairs instead of traditional chair desks so students can be comfortable.

Some of the countertops going into the building are made of Paperstone, which is 100 percent post-consumer recycled. The chairs going into the ESL labs are green certified and are made out of 97 percent recycled content.

All instructor desks going into the new building will be made of 78 percent recycled content.

Sustainable furniture is a lot more expensive than regular furniture, so Hennig is working hard to find creative solutions.

“Fifty of the office chairs are actually recycled chairs. We bought them used, and I’m having them steam cleaned and tightened up,” Hennig said.

She also bought used cabinets that will be repainted to match the new furniture and said she even searched through Craigslist to save money.

Dean of Scheduling Terry Hall said that although the Multi-Use Facility will be ready for use next fall, the original plan of sharing the space with San Francisco State is still undetermined.

“SF State, if they plan to offer classes here, will be renting classes from us,” Hall said.

“But they don’t have anything scheduled.”

The building will house a number of classes as well as department offices and student services.

“The primary occupants will be the health education department,” Hall said. “The child development department will have all their programs in there.”

The new facility will also house the financial aid office, counseling and the Ambassador Program among other student services.

“The building is a classroom building so we’ll have all types of classes in there: math classes, ESL, foreign language and English,” Hall said.

Both Hennig and Hall hope that students

News Briefs Summer School

A Board of Trustees resolution from the March 25 board meeting indicated that there will be a 2011 summer session, but only about 40 percent of the 2009 number of classes will be reinstated.

“It’s not even an option about having a summer,” Chancellor Don Griffin said about the 2011 term. “Without the summer we cannot generate enough enrollment in fall and spring to maintain the solvency of the college.”

City College eliminated the 2010 summer session due to massive budget shortfalls.

Evacuation Drill

A district-wide emergency evacuation drill will take place on a random day and time during the week of May 3.

Everyone on campus is expected to stay calm and evacuate the campus in a safe and orderly manner at the first sound of the alarm.

Building monitors, along with faculty and staff, will be present to help people leave through the appropriate evacuation locations.

Personal belongings should not be left behind, and traveling against traffic in the stairwell is not advised.

All injuries should be reported to building monitors or emergency officials.

For an evacuation map visit http://www.ccsf.edu/ News/EmergEvacBook_ v1.pdf, or for more information call the campus police 415-239-3200

Fee Hearings

ROBERT ROMANO / THE GUARDSMAN

Multi-Use Facility receives finishing touches for expected move in by City College students for the fall 2010 semester.

enjoy the finished and fully furnished building next semester.

E-mail: efuentes@theguardsman.com

Students are encouraged to attend a May 5 meeting at the state Capitol to testify about student fees.

The California Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance will hold hearings beginning at 4 p.m.

City College representatives will take a 12:30 p.m. train from the San Francisco Ferry Building to Sacramento.

News

APRIL 28, 2010

THE GUARDSMAN

Students plea for public education money Turnage, assistant vice chancellor for “As you walk through the halls the first the CSU system’s budget. He added that day of class, the halls are inundated with campuses are over capacity and struggling students who can’t get into classes,” Vander- to keep up with the costs of education while pol said. “Teachers are being asked by trying to provide students with services.

“Current enrollment levels cannot be students ‘hey can you get me on the roll?’”

Vanderpol added that because it’s diffi- sustained at the current funding level,” cult for students to get into classes, often it Turnage said.

Many impacted programs at CSU and puts them behind almost an entire academic UC campuses require additional applicayear.

At City College, the summer 2010 tions and documents, which makes transfer from a community college semester has been completely more difficult. eliminated and classes have The on-going struggle to been reduced. Additionally, the Online: secure funding for education amount of services students More on California public education has inspired cooperative action receive has decreased including actions between students, faculty and shorter library hours, and less www.theguardsman. classified staff on campuses com/caledprotests counseling and administrative across the state, which maniservices. fested in the General Assem“The crisis that education is bly formed at UC Berkeley in facing is hard amongst all the October, 2009. The GA has students, faculty, and teachers,” since organized high-profile said Dora Palacios, 48, a City protests such as the Day of College student and General Action on March 4.

Assembly member. “All of them While she encourages students to stand are getting hurt.”

Patrick Lenz, UC vice president for up and be heard, Associate Vice Chancelbudget and capital resources said funding lor of Government Relations Leslie Smith education should be a top priority to ensure is also hoping students will learn to better understand the legislative process and student success.

Activists are demanding that the legis- become participants in it.

“Now is the time to cross the line from lature increase funding for programs and services on all levels of public higher educa- marching, get into the Capitol and see the tion — UCs, CSUs and community colleges. exact arena where the decision process is “We are here to bring awareness of the made,” Smith said. “The idea is to move cuts to classes, faculty and students,” UC them beyond the march — beyond the yelling.”

Davis student Chris Kortright said.

Smith is planning another trip up to Colleges and universities are over their enrollment caps because large numbers of Sacramento on May 5 to get students familstudents have been admitted, said Robert iar with the decision-making process. The EDUCATION: from front page

THE GUARDSMAN

Two Senate bills were heard on April 21 that directly combat future tuition fee increases in post-secondary schools.

Limits would be put on growing tuition hikes imposed every year at some California higher education institutions.

Neither of the new bills protect community colleges, as SB 1199 originally had.

The tuition hike limits will only affect the UC and CSU systems. Public post-secondary education costs have been increasing over all three tiers of California campuses.

“We have never taken a position to support any fee increases,” City College Dean of Governmental Relations

Leslie Smith said. “Our position will remain to support no increases.”

SB 1199 and SB 917 requires that student tuition fees cannot increase by a yearly percentage or set the maximum roof for increases to be 10 percent more that the previous academic year at UCs and CSUs. “At present there is no statutory guiding policy on student fees beyond fiscal conditions and the stated needs,” according to background analysis in SB 1199 that was provided to the committee.

“Community colleges as a system have never supported a similar policy and we will fight to keep the fees low,” said Smith.

The community college level will continue to have no

‘City College Three’ await preliminary hearing date

By Hannah Weiner THE GUARDSMAN

CHLOE ASHCRAFT / THE GUARDSMAN

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, addressed the crowd of protesters in front of the capitol on April 21.

trip will not be a march or rally but a chance for students to sit in on a public hearing to grasp a better understanding of the decisionmaking process, she said.

Students, faculty and staff that are interested in participating in the trip can visit: www.ccsf.edu/sm for more information.

E-mail: jluthi@theguardsman.com

Senate fights growing tuition fees for UCs and CSUs

By William Chamberlin

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guiding policy. Current tuition per unit is $26 for resident students. California community college tuition was free until 1985 when it jumped to $5 per unit. It has increased 420 percent since then.

If legislation had been passed in 1985 to have a maximum cap on the tuition for students at 10 percent from the previous year, today City College students would be paying over $50 per unit, at a fixed 10 percent increase every year.

Sen. Leland Yee, who represents the 8th District, which include San Francisco and San Mateo counties, is co-author of SB 917. Yee aims to limit the UCs and CSUs power in the decisions and amounts to raise fees.

City College continues to

stand behind its conviction to fight for no new increases. City College Board of Trustees Vice President John Rizzo wrote a special board resolution passed at the March 25 board meeting specifically opposing a recommendation by the California Legislative Analyst’s Office to increase community college rates to $40 per unit.

The guidelines of the trustee powers in raising tuition for CSUs and UCs may affect all students who are planning to transfer to those schools from the community college system.

“Increases may be inevitable, but they should be gradual and predictable,” said Los Angeles County Sen. Carol Liu in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle.

E-mail: wchamberlin@theguardsman.com

A status hearing concerning the misappropriation of funds case involving former City College Chancellor Phillip Day Jr. and former Associate Vice Chancellors Stephen Herman and James Blomquist revealed April 14 that the trial continues to be delayed.

“Right now we’re still reviewing the documents and doing legal research,” Doron Weinberg, Herman’s attorney said. “We informed the court that we had not made progress to make a resolution, but we want to continue to try.”

The District Attorney’s office began the investigation after the San Francisco Chronicle published an article addressing some of the transactions made.

“Those transactions ended up forming the basis of the charges,” prosecutor Evan Ackiron said.

The defense hopes to avoid a trial and instead come to a settlement.

“We think it’s a case that shouldn’t have been brought in the first place,” Weinberg said. “These are not criminals who deserve to be punished. These are people who believed they did what was necessary to help a public institution.”

Ackiron made no comment about the defendants’ motives but said that if convicted, “Day and Herman face a maximum of nine years and Blomquist faces a maximum of three years.”

The next stage in the legal process is to set up a preliminary hearing.

“It’s really just a question of when the defense is ready,” Ackiron said.

Once the preliminary hearing happens, court officials will set a start date for the trial.

E-mail: hweiner@theguardsman.com

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News

THE GUARDSMAN

Data analysis from CompStat helps spotlight crime trends District captains now required to answer for crime statistics

A summary analysis of City College’s crime logs given to the Ingleside Problem Solving Unit confirmed what Miller already suspected: Most property crimes on campus are crimes of opportunity.

INGLESIDE: Page 4

‘Everything comes back to money’

“It’s not just collecting the data, it’s doing stuff with the data,” Miller said of CompStat, adding that SFPD is trying to be more proactive in responding to crime trends using data collected by officers over the years.

Though it’s new to San Francisco, CompStat has been effectively used by other metropolitan police departments for more than a decade.

The New York City Police Department pioneered the program in the mid-90s and experienced a dramatic drop in crime.

Armed or assault-type robberies near Ocean campus have greatly diminished after violent crimes spiked approximately two years ago, City College Police Officer Rachele Hakes said. SFPD aided City College police in bringing those violent crimes under control.

“There are very few forced break-ins,” Miller said.

“Violent crime, cross our fingers, is at a minimum there.

It’s almost non-existent.”

The City College Police Department had attempted its own undercover operations before the beginning of the spring semester when Ingleside officers started taking a more active role on campus,

Online: More on Ingleside operations at Ocean campus www.theguardsman. com/stings

but they were unsuccessful.

“It takes three to five officers to handle a sting operation,” Hakes said, adding that at times as few as three City College officers are on duty.

“So we’re relying on Ingleside to step in and pick up where we can’t do it.”

While reducing crime stats attributed to their district was the main impetus for Ingleside’s more active role on Ocean campus, Hakes said City College budget constraints were also a factor.

“Everything comes back to money,” she said. “Training, hiring more officers, any kind of overtime to handle special details and stuff like that.”

City College PD is operating with minimal staffing because of unfilled positions, medical and military leaves, said Hakes, who doubles as one of the departments two public information officers.

Other officers are shouldering administrative duties like compliance with the Clery Act, a federal law requiring educational institutions to report campus crime in a timely manner.

“Right now, everybody’s budgets within the college are pretty frozen,” Hakes said. “We have very little as far as equipment and supply budgets.”

While a poor economy is impacting the college’s public safety budget, Cassanego doesn’t believe it is driving up crime.

“In general, a bad economy does not drive people to commit crime,” he said.

“Criminals are just criminals.”

APRIL 28, 2010

City College theft and burglary trends An 8-month overview of the number of thefts and burglaries occuring on Ocean campus.

40 35 30

April**

Stats for the current month are not yet finalized.

25 20 15 10 5 Sept.

2009

Oct. 2009

Nov. 2009

Dec. 2009

Jan. 2010

Feb. March April 2010 2010 2010

Sources: City College Police Dept. Crime Log, **San Francisco Police Dept. CompStat Crime Maps JESSICA LUTHI / THE GUARDSMAN

Ingleside officers are currently analyzing the summary of crime reports from City College PD and looking for ways to make the Ocean campus location safer.

“The unfortunate thing is that, by the time we get this whole thing finalized, the school year will be ending,” Miller said. “But when we start anew next school year, Ingleside Police

Department and City College Police Department should be much better prepared to deal with that criminal activity.”

E-mail: aemslie@theguardsman.com efuentes@theguardsman.com

Online textbooks promoted as low-cost alternative

By Tania Cervantes THE GUARDSMAN

The City College Textbook Affordability Task Force has launched a campaign to promote the use of free open-source textbooks for professors and students at the college.

Through a Creative Commons license, open textbooks are free of charge when downloaded from the Internet and are low cost when purchased in print.

“When looking for ways to make textbooks affordable, we came across free open textbooks,” Bookloan Coordinator and Task Force member Deena Samii said.

“We want teachers to know that free textbooks are an option.”

Currently, there are over 450 community college textbooks online, ranging in subjects from mathematics to biology.

Professors from various schools including

New York University have reviewed some open textbooks.

Textbook advocate for CALPIRG, the California Public Interest Research Group, Nicole Allen, works with students to bring textbook campaigns to college campuses.

She said more than 2,000 professors have signed a statement of intent which means they will consider using open textbooks.

“The thing with open textbooks is that it empowers the faculty to customize the content in order to meet the students needs,” College Open Textbook Director Jackie Hood said.

Because open textbooks are licensed under Creative Commons they can be rearranged to better fit a curriculum.

Chapters may be taken out, and depending on the license and format, books can be combined.

“The most that the Academic Senate

can do is support the campaign, but it is ultimately up to the departments and professors,” City College Academic Senate President Hal Huntsman said. “We can encourage them, but we can't make them do it.”

Professors may choose not to use an open textbook if they don't consider it to be the best book.

“When you choose a book, it’s a big deal. The best book may be $500, but if I can find a good book for $75 then I might just choose that one,” Huntsman said. “But I cannot choose a book just because it’s free. I have to examine the content first.”

Hunstman, who is also a math instructor, said he has looked at some of the open books and found some that are good and some that are not so good.

Ultimately, it would be the professor’s task to examine the book and find those which can be used.

While there are many models to make the books free and affordable, the most common way has been through the use of grants, Hood said. Some professors have also written textbooks during their sabbatical.

“Change is never easy and the idea of open textbooks is new,” Huntsman said.

“We just have to get the word out so professors know that these are real options and that there are some really good things.”

Several colleges have already incorporated open textbooks. California schools using them include Foothill College and De Anza College. Nationally, North Seattle Community College in Washington and St. Petersberg College in Florida have also integrated them.

E-mail: tcervantes@theguardsman.com

News

APRIL 28, 2010

THE GUARDSMAN

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Court decision jeopardizes equal Internet access Columbia Circuit ruling was a reversal of action taken by the A U.S. court of appeals over- FCC in 2008 when, in response ruled the Federal Communi- to customer complaints, the cations Commission policy to commission ordered Comcast to protect “network neutrality” on stop blocking users from BitTorrent, a peer-to-peer sharing appliApril 6.

The court’s decision allows cation.

Supporters of net neutrality, Internet service companies to including FCC Chairman Julius block or slow specific sites, Genachowski, seek to require while at the same time potencompanies to give Internet users tially charge other sites to deliver equal access to all content, even content faster to users. if some of that Network content uses a neutrality is large amount the idea that of bandwidth. websites should “Network neutrality Comcast, be delivered the nation’s is the only thing that to Internet largest cable subscribers at ensures that Internet provider, accordequal speed for service providers can’t ing to the New the same price, decide whose voice will York Times, thus ensurand other major ing freedom be heard.”

ISPs argue they of access and must reguauthorship on — Langford Poh late sites that the Web. KCSF Production Director use excessive “Network bandwidth as neutrality is part of their the only thing network mainthat ensures tenance. that Internet service providers “The problem is that, the can’t decide whose voice will backbone of the Internet itself, be heard,” said Langford Poh, we all own that because it’s paid production director at the City for with taxpayer money,” City College radio station, KCSF. College broadcasting instructor “We are an independent station.

Cecil Hale said.

“Private compaIf Clear Channel or some other nies like Comcast, At&T and the big media company were to say rest of them are trying to moneto Comcast ‘I will pay you X tize it.” amount of dollars to ensure that According to the New York my radio stations are given prefTimes, some consumer advocates erence over all others,’ there’s no have urged the commission to way that we could compete.” reclassify Internet service from its The United States Court current designation as a commuof Appeals for the District of

By Angela Penny THE GUARDSMAN

ROBERT GIROUX / MCT CAMPUS PHOTO

(L-R) FCC Commissioners Mignon Clyburn, Michael J. Copps, Chairman, Julius Genachowski, Commissioners, Robert M. McDowell and Meredith Attwell Baker listen to a panelist during an FCC open meeting January 20, 2010 in Washington, DC. The meeting included a report on the status of the commission’s plan to expand high-speed Internet service.

nications service, over which the FCC has limited regulatory authority, to a utility category like telephone service, which the agency has the clear authority to regulate.

Genachowski told a congressional panel the FCC plans to broadly expand the country’s high-speed Internet service. He refused to say if the commission would try to overcome the court decision by reclassifying Internet service as a utility.

“I have the philosophy that it’s better to have a parent at a kid’s birthday party handing out

pieces of cake, rather than let all the kids dive in face first to get as much cake as they can.” City College broadcasting instructor Misha Antonich said.

He said the decision might primarily affect students’ experience with the Internet when using it at home. At this point, there is speculation that ISPs may institute a tiered system where customers would pay more to receive information faster.

Comcast, however, claims it is committed to the FCC’s open Internet principles.

“We will continue to work

constructively with this FCC as it determines how best to increase broadband adoption and preserve an open and vibrant Internet,” Comcast stated following the decision.

Representative Michelle Bachman, R-Minn., attacked net neutrality on an April 19 Fox News broadcast.

“The Democrats want to censor everything on the Internet that does not serve their purposes,” she said.

E-mail: apenny@theguardsman.com

Gmail accounts strengthen collaboration between students and faculty

By Jessica Luthi THE GUARDSMAN

City College will begin to use student Google mail accounts for all official correspondence between students and the college starting June 1.

Currently, City College delivers mail to personal e-mail accounts, but not all messages can be delivered, said Doug Re, director of Information Technology Services.

“More than 10 percent of all student-supplied e-mail addresses are undeliverable,”

he said.

The switch to the Gmail account is intended to insure all students receive important messages from City College, including notices for class registration.

The student e-mail accounts are powered through Google Apps Higher Education Edition, which boasts a package of applications that includes e-mail, word processing and chat at no cost to City College.

GoogleTalk, GoogleCalendar, GoogleSites and GoogleDocs are all included with the e-mail

accounts. These services allow students, faculty and other Gmail users to share documents, presentations and calendars. Users can also chat and create websites with Google Apps.

Re said the additional services can be beneficial tools, allowing students and instructors to collaborate more effectively.

Gmail information can be found by logging onto WebStars on the City College website under the student services and financial aid tab, which includes

the user name, e-mail address and temporary password.

Google Apps must be accessed separately at www. google.com/a/mail.ccsf.edu.

There, students can change their password and setup e-mail forwarding, which will allow them to have all their City College notices delivered to their personal e-mail addresses.

Political science student, Larissa Espada is not sure about the switch to Gmail.

“I think students should be able to choose an e-mail of their choice for use,” she said.

“I personally don’t like having to check more than one e-mail.”

Students can get more help and information about the City College Gmail accounts at www.ccsf.edu/gmailfaq or can by calling the Gmail help desk at (415) 239-3987.

Carlos Silva contributed to this article.

E-mail: jluthi@theguardsman.com

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Opinions&Editorials

THE GUARDSMAN

THE GUARDSMAN City College of San Francisco’s Newspaper Since 1935

Editor in Chief Alex Emslie

News Editors Don Clyde Greg Zeman

Opinions & Editorials Editor Matt Gomez

Cultures & Trends Editor Jen Houghton

Sports Editor Aaron Turner

Sports Consultant Bontã Hill

Features Editor Fleur Bailey

Calendar Editor Hannah Weiner

Online Editor Jessica Luthi

Photo Editor

Ramsey El-Qare

Assistant Photo Editors Chloe Ashcraft Robert Romano

Chief Copy Editor Angela Penny

Copy Editors

Don Clyde Alex Emslie Jen Houghton Alex Luthi Liska Koenig Atticus Morris

Production Editor Jessica Luthi

APRIL 28, 2010

Bristol Palin PSA puts price on motherhood

By Angela Penny THE GUARDSMAN

The ninth annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is May 5th, so get those Hallmark cards ready.

This year Candie’s shoes produced a public service announcement with Bristol Palin hypothetically portraying what her life as a teen mom would be like if she “didn’t come from a famous family,” adding “it wouldn’t be pretty.”

Candie’s approach would have been far more effective had it not glamorized such a serious social issue.

As Palin talks, stuff disappears from the apartment set she’s standing in and her clothes change. By the end it still doesn’t look all that bad.

In jeans and without makeup, she’s standing in a freshly painted medium sized apartment with hardwood floors, a window, a comfortable couch and a lamp.

Her plump toddler is standing nearby wearing only a diaper. At this point she delivers the care-

fully crafted catchphrase, “pause before you play.”

The slogan, which substitutes word-play for meaning, seems purposefully ambiguous.

As Bristol explained on “Good Morning America”, “It could be pause and go get a condom ... or it could even be pause and wait until marriage.”

Both options involve more action and time than inferred by the word “pause”. And deeming “play” as a new code word for sex seems dangerous — like using the word “candy” as a substitute for cocaine.

Most teenage mothers have a better chance of appearing on “The Maury Povich Show” than guest-starring on a prime-time TV show. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy reports that 30 percent of US girls get pregnant at least once before the age of 20.

“Pause before you play” tries to appease both religious conservatives who believe in abstinence-only and those who say prevention education is key.

Many attribute the increase

in teen pregnancy to abstinenceonly sexual education limitations.

In 2009 the younger Palin told CNN that telling young people to be abstinent is “not realistic at all.”

The quality of a teen mom’s experience does not depend on the fame of her family. It depends on whether her parents are willing to assume responsibility for helping to raise the child; it depends on whether she has a place to live and the quality of her education.

Upper middle-class teen moms have a hard time — they miss prom, don’t get to go away to college and find it more difficult to develop a romantic relationship — but many have it far harder.

There currently is an epidemic of teen pregnancy among former foster youth. Almost half of women under age 19 who spent time in foster care have at least one child, according to a Time magazine article published last July.

“Having a child is a way to create a family that they don’t have, or to fill an emotional void,”

University of Chicago researcher Amy Dworsky said in the article.

Most teenage girls assume that they’ll have a baby, marry the father and live happily ever after. Only after the child’s birth do they realize how idealized the fairy-tale perception they had envisioned was.

When you’re 16 years old, forever is a foreign concept.

Babies aren’t toys or puppies; they’re people. And it’s really not fair for a baby to be born to people that can’t take care of them by themselves. That feeling of undying love and an unbreakable bond with another is universally tempting, but part of growing up is learning how to establish a relationship with oneself. It’s not fair to have a baby for your own emotional neediness.

Those who are born into less than ideal emotionally supportive situations need to break that chain by becoming fully independent and learning to love themselves.

A baby isn’t the answer.

E-mail: apenny@theguardsman.com

Online Staff Alex Luthi

Staff Writers

Tania Cervantes William Chamberlin Dominick Delgadillo Estela Fuentes Bontã Hill Liska Koenig Atticus Morris Carlos Silva Hannah Weiner

Photographers Chloe Ashcraft Ramsey El-Qare Joseph Phillips Robert Romano

Production Staff Hannah Weiner

Advertising Manager Jessica Luthi

Faculty Adviser Juan Gonzales

California Newspaper Publisher’s Association Journalism Association of Community Colleges To advertise in our newspaper please contact our Advertising Manager Jessica Luthi at advertising@theguardsman.com

How to contact us: Mail: 50 Phelan Ave Box V-67 San Francisco, CA 94112 Phone: (415) 239-3446 Fax: (415) 239-3884 E-mail: email@theguardsman.com Online: www.theguardsman.com

City budget crunch threatens free local jewel

By Liska Koenig THE GUARDSMAN

The San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum has been open to the public since 1940. Known for its collection of about 100,000 plants, among them more than 300 of which are extinct or endangered in the wild, its special exhibits and individual theme gardens, it remains one of the city’s few free attractions.

Unlike Powell and Market Streets or Fisherman’s Wharf, the garden is not overrun by seedy con-artists or celebrity impersonators, riddled with drug addicts or teeming with mediocre street musicians trying to earn a quick buck.

This world famous garden is much more than a bunch of pretty plants. The arboretum serves as a resource for locals and tourists alike.

Spread out over 55 acres, the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society offers educational walks, teacher workshops, and special events for school children and the general public. More than

23 carefully planted gardens like the Redwood Grove, the Garden of Fragrance and the Japanese Moon-Viewing Garden awaken the interest of even the most casual visitor.

However, anyone who can’t prove residency within city limits might soon have to fork over up to $7 to enter this sanctuary. This is to help curb what could be a record budget deficit for San Francisco — up to $750 million for the 2011-12 fiscal year.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and his posse are channeling the spirits of greedy robber barons and cooking up new schemes to fill the disastrous hole in the city’s budget.

In a communal effort to shoulder the burden, all city departments are expected to contribute.

Unfortunately, nature lovers are getting the short end of the stick.

City officials argue these measures are required to keep the area up to par. The annual budget for the garden is $3.2 million, with $1.4 million coming from the city and $1.8 million from the nonprofit Botanical Garden

Society. City officials have even threatened to diminish the number of gardeners, according to the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society website.

Brilliant idea — maintaining a landscape as extensive as this is labor and cost extensive — cutting down staff will eventually lead to the deterioration of plants.

Charging people hard cash to visit a once-great, but now mediocre garden is a surefire way to turn the this local gem into just another San Francisco tourist trap.

Alternatively, volunteers could be recruited to help with the daily challenge of maintaining such an extensive collection of plants. This would keep the cost down and possibly eliminate the need to restrict free access to those who can’t afford to pay a fee.

Parks should be free for anybody to enjoy, including tourists or anybody who can’t prove residency in areas with the “right” ZIP code. It is wrong to scare people away from one of the few remaining free city attractions by forcing them to pay a fee.

The Japanese Tea Garden and the Conservatory of Flowers already charge admission and it certainly won’t be beneficial to include the arboretum in this line up.

Tourists and visitors provide a major source of income to the city. In 2009 San Francisco had about 4.9 million visitors, who spent more than $7.8 billion of their hard earned dollars here.

Hotel taxes alone collected $146.8 million dollars, according to statistics by the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau.

It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee — the tourism industry is one of the city’s life-lines. How does it make sense to piss off the people who bring money to the city by inventing exclusive fees to see local attractions?

For more information or to sign a petition to keep the Arboretum free for everybody go to http:// www.sfbotanicalgarden.org.

E-mail: lkoenig@theguardsman.com

Features

APRIL 28, 2010

THE GUARDSMAN

|7

By Fleur Bailey THE GUARDSMAN

Allergy sufferers feeling the unpleasant effects of pollen in the spring blooms may now find some relief in the form of local honey, which will be sold from a stall at Ocean campus.

Allergies have been out in full-form this month, and sufferers don’t always find relief from over-the-counter medicines for coughing, sneezing, runny nose, itchy and watery eyes.

The good news is there is a simple and effective way of keeping allergies under control — local honey. Marshall’s Farm, which produces honey from the San Francisco Bay Area will be selling their honey from a stand on the Ocean campus of City College at a local farmers’ market.

The CCSF Green Corps and the Associated Student Council, began holding a farmers’ market at Ram Plaza on April 19, featuring locally grown organic produce and organic food.

“A farmers’ market is a focal part of community life,” said Zen Trenholm, vice-president of finance for the CCSF Green Corps. “There is no other farmers’ market close by, so we want it to be as much shocking as it is educational, to buy local fresh produce.”

Rokas Armonas, a foreign exchange student from Lithuania who studies beekeeping management and works for Marshall’s Farm said consuming locally grown organic raw honey works best for helping combat allergies.

“Fresh honey that is still alive builds an immunity to the pollen outside,” Armonas said.

When the bees gather the pollens they bring them to the hive and are blended with the honey that they produce. Consuming honey produced within a 50-mile radius from where you live and work, harvested in the present season, helps the body’s immune system build up a resistance to the pollens that are causing the allergies.

There are many other benefits of honey, alongside helping to prevent allergies. According to Benefits-of-honey.com, honey

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Rokas Armonas sells honey from Marshall’s Farm at the Ram Plaza April 19.

also has antiseptic, antioxidant and cleansing properties. It can help with weight loss and cholesterol, sleeplessness, stress, and many skin ailments including acne, athlete’s foot and eczema.

Honey contains a wide variety of vitamins, including B6, B1, B2 and B5, and minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, sodium and zinc, as well as anti-oxidants and amino acids.

“We want to provide education about local honey and how it helps,” Armonas said. “We harvest honey every week and

bring it fresh. We would like to see the response and how it works.”

Trenholm said so far they have around 12 other local farmers interested in participating in the market at City College, which typically sells field-ripened fresh fruits and vegetables; freshly baked breads and pastries; flowers, gourmet appetizers and gifts; fresh fish, nuts, mushrooms and more.

The next farmers’ market will be held at the Ocean campus Ram Plaza from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. on May 3.

E-mail: fbailey@theguardsman.com

8|

Culture&

THE GUARDSMAN

Fashionistas — City College off-campus runway shows begin

By Jen Houghton

A

THE GUARDSMAN

mong glowing blue lights and a photographer’s flash, models strutted an L-shaped runway to a mix of live rock and electronic music, drawing attention from pedestrians outside the large windows at Sugar Cafe on April 19.

“From Dusk Till Dawn” was organized and executed by a team of students in the fashion coordination evening class.

It was the first of many studentorganized, off-campus fashion shows coming up in the following months.

“We’re one of the only schools in the state that produce our own fashion shows,” fashion department chair Diane Green said.

The teams work throughout the semester on the production.

They secure a venue, clothing, models, a DJ, hair and makeup artists, as well as a videographer and photographer. All services are donated to the department.

“We were the first group, so we had the shortest amount of time,” said group leader Syeda Lee, who booked the venue and solely drafted the proposal to get materials and volunteers.

Mercedes Briancesco secured a photographer and, in cooperation with Ariana Casanovas, found volunteer models.

Alexandra Cazares landed hair and makeup artists as well as a videographer to capture the event. Ibrahim Brahama was in charge of queuing, making sure the models’ timing to enter and leave the runway was perfect.

Danielle Bilanko, Ashlyn Jones and Briancesco obtained clothing and accessories from friends and local stores including Dema, Sway, House of Hengst, Wasteland and Goodwill.

Many of the fashions included dark fabrics, metallic accessories, short hemlines and tall heels.

“For this show we were thinking, good girl gone bad,” Lee said.

The models, all volunteer, ranged from amateur to experienced.

Alexis Gibney was visiting from San Diego and hadn’t planned to be modeling.

“I’m not much of a fashionista,” she said. “Four girls pulled out at the last minute. I’d do it again to help a friend out.”

Others, like Leanna Chavez, have walked in City College fashion shows before.

“It’s an adrenaline thing,” she said. “When you’re on the runway, you can feel it go through you.”

The show was fast-paced behind the scenes but ran smoothly in front of the audience.

“It’s definitely intense,” model Chane Rodgers said.

To close the show, the team stepped onto the runway to accept applause. Afterward, models posed for photographs and Sugar Cafe began bustling with attendees and participants, all excited and some relieved, many already talking of future endeavors.

“This summer is when I want to make stuff happen. I really just want to gain more experience,” Lee said. “Seeing it all come together was the best part.”

E-mail: jhoughton@theguardsman.com

Upcoming show info:

Belle Epoque

When: May 25 Pre-show: 7 p.m., Runway Show: 8 p.m.

Where: Wellness Center Tickets: $10 for students, $15 for general public

&Trends

APRIL 28, 2010

|9

— a department at large Students prep for annual formal fashion show

By Estela Fuentes

C

THE GUARDSMAN

ity College fashion students are getting ready to present their end of the year fashion show “Belle Epoque,” meaning beautiful era, on May 25 which will have a theme of 1920s underground Paris.

After deciding on a theme, the class was broken up into four different groups: production, sponsorship, fashion house and marketing.

For production, design students were assigned to one of five design categories -- La Femme, The Shining, Out Of Africa, In Black and White and Tribal. Each student made a series of designs and the fashion department determined which would fit best into each category of the show.

Students in the sponsorship group have been working hard to get funding from businesses in San Francisco.

“The hardest thing I found was going up to a complete stranger, asking them for money and to take interest in your work and to sponsor you,” fashion student Brittaney McCreavy said. “With the help of our professors, we learned how to network within the city and find people.”

The fashion house group, in charge of choosing models, held an open casting session on April 20.

With the help of fashion instructor Natalie Smith, students in the

marketing group reached out to modeling agencies throughout the Bay Area, as well as advertised the audition to City College students.

“I have relationships with a lot of modeling agencies in the city, so I personally contacted them to let them know I was teaching this class,” Smith said. “I encouraged them to send their new faces, so their models can gain experience on the runway.”

Models were asked to submit a head shot, but were also required to present two different walks.

Judged on a scale of one to four, all auditioning models were assessed based on appearance, how they walked and the energy they could bring to the runway.

The marketing group has also been spreading the word through social media, online and in print.

“This is a really passionate group of students,” Smith said.

“They are really eager to get a good basic foundation on what it takes to produce a fashion show.”

Belle Epoque will be held May 25 at 8 p.m. at the Wellness Center, with a pre-show reception from 7 - 8 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for the general public. They can be purchased at the Ocean campus bookstore annex, the fashion department in Batmale Hall room 210, the Downtown campus bookstore or the Mission campus bookstore.

E-mail: efuentes@theguardsman.com

PHOTOS BY ROBERT ROMANO / THE GUARDSMAN

Tiana Lee, 19, poses during model auditions April 24.

Models were chosen based on energy, their walk and experience.

10 |

Sports

THE GUARDSMAN

APRIL 28, 2010

Track and field

Maurice Compton Invitational previews NorCal

By Aaron Turner THE GUARDSMAN

In their final invitational of the season, the City College track and field team headed into Merritt College on April 17 in preparation for this week’s Coast Conference Trials with the hopes of finishing strong.

In perhaps a preview of coming attractions for those competing, the Maurice Compton Invitational was a showcase for many of the Rams’ top competition in Northern California.

“Our main goal was to make sure everyone felt and ran well,” head coach Doug Owyang said following the meet. “We felt this was the perfect tune-up for our guys, and it allowed them to get a good look at what they will be facing in the Conference and NorCal Trials.”

Sophomores Trevor Rogers and Carlos Proctor and freshman Norman Terea led the way for the men’s sprinters, while sophomore twins Mark and Luke Frazier, along with Benny Willers and Fernando Diaz, finished among the top five in three separate distance events.

In the men’s 200-meter dash, Rogers took fifth overall, while Tarea and Proctor were right behind in sixth and ninth. Rogers and Proctor would then team up once more in the men’s 100 to finish sixth and ninth, respectively, while Chen finished 24th.

Luke Frazier and Willers also claimed the top two spots in the

men’s 3,000 steeplechase, while Diaz and Mark Frazier placed second and eighth in the men’s 1,500 run.

“I think everybody has improved all year long,” Willers said. “So we all felt pretty good running out there. This is a good chance to see where we’re at at the end of the season and where we are going into conference.”

On the women’s side, sophomore Agnes Silvestro and freshman Stephanie Cano took fourth and sixth overall in the 1,500 run, while sophomore Lydia Offord took seventh in the 400 dash and eighth in the 200 dash.

“My goal was to make sure I felt good running, but also try and get my best times,” Offord said. “The coaches are still pushing me to work on my form and my running style, to get ready for Coast and NorCal.” The Rams field side also had two top finishers. Rogers took first place in the men’s long jump for his third event of afternoon, while freshman Daniel HarrisLucas took fifth overall in the men’s shot put.

“I went in trying to make sure I was well prepared,” Lucas said.

“This also helped the team to be focused and ready to go once conference begins.”

The Coast Conference Trials are set to take place April 28 at San Jose City College, followed by the Coast Conference Finals on May 1. The team will then have six more days before heading to American River College in

Sacramento on May 7 to compete in the Northern California Trials.

The Northern California Finals are on May 14.

To qualify for the May 21 State Championships, runners must finish in the top six for their respective events.

“Our team is really prepared this season for both Conference and NorCal,” Owyang said. “I think depending on the runner, for some NorCal will be their last event of the season, while for some, they will be looking to go even further.”

PHOTOS BY ROBERT ROMANO / THE GUARDSMAN

Top: City College sprinters Darrell Jackson (4) and Dave Ramirez (1) sprint during the men's 100-meter dash at the Maurice Compton Invitational in Oakland, Calif. on April 17.

Left: Sophomore Agnes Silvestro finishes 4th in the women's 1500m race during the Maurice Compton Invitational

E-mail: aturner@theguardsman.com

Baseball

Rams waste pitching gem, fall in extras at home

By Aaron Turner THE GUARDSMAN

After pitching a complete game victory over San Jose City College in his previous start, Rams sophomore Jared Freitas took the mound April 24 against visiting San Mateo (18-4), hoping to get his third consecutive victory and help the Rams earn a late season upset.

Despite allowing only two earned runs in nine innings, a 10th inning RBI double by the Bulldogs off Eric Lara forced Freitas to take a no-decision, as the Rams fell 4-3 in 10 innings at Fairmont Field in Pacifica, dropping their record to 5-17 in the Coast Conference.

“Jared’s last three starts have been excellent,” Rams head coach John Vanon-

cini said. “He pitched well enough to win the game today, for sure.”

Freshman Mark Johnson got the Rams on the board early against San Mateo starting pitcher Josh Trejo, as his first inning RBI single put them up 1-0. Jeremy Pratt led off the fifth inning with a double, before being driven in by Oli Meheula for the second run of the game. Meheula would eventually come around to score on a sacrifice fly by catcher Anthony Oropeza, for the third run of the inning.

“We’ve really been playing some good baseball,” Freitas said. “Our bats are finally coming around and we’re playing as a team. There is not a lot of negativity in the dugout.”

San Mateo was able to break through against Freitas in the seventh inning. Sophomore Steven Riddle got the Bulldogs

on the board with a one out RBI double, before being driven in himself the next at bat by Pat Burford.

After allowing a third consecutive hit, Freitas worked his way out of the jam with an inning-ending double play.

“I felt like I had all my stuff today, and I felt like every pitch was working,” said Freitas, who entered Saturday’s game with a 3-4 record. “I got ahead. A lot of first pitch strikes, only one walk, and that’s really good if you’re making them earn their way on the bases.”

The eighth inning turned rocky for Freitas and the Rams, as he hit the leadoff batter Jarrod Hopper, who wound up coming all the way around to score on a throwing error after he attempted to steal third base.

The Rams had their own rally thwarted

in the bottom of the ninth. Mark Johnson led off with a single, and Freitas reached first safely on a throwing error off a sacrifice bunt. Vanoncini decided to have Johnson steal third, but he was called out on a disputed play. Freitas was picked off at first base and the Rams failed to score in the inning.

“We had some bad luck late in the game,” Vanoncini said. “We guessed right on a steal and their guy misses a tag but they still call him out, so we just didn’t get it done.”

The Rams will play their home finale against De Anza on April 29 at Fairmont Field in Pacifica. They will then head to Mission College on April 30 to wrap up the season.

E-mail: aturner@theguardsman.com

Sports

APRIL 28, 2010

THE GUARDSMAN

Soccer field construction still delayed

By Angela Penny THE GUARDSMAN

Progress has not been made on a new soccer field that was promised to both City College soccer programs two semesters ago.

Last August, The Guardsman reported that construction of a new soccer-only facility adjacent to Batmale Hall had begun and would be finished by December 2009. However, almost nine months later, there is no evidence that any construction has begun.

“The project is still a go,” women’s athletic director Peg Grady said. “The plans are on hold in the California Division of the State Architect. Once the plans are approved, the project can move forward with the design.”

This was confirmed by the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Peter Goldstein.

“The project is on hold until the State Architect approves the drawings, which should occur within the next few weeks,” Goldstein said.

The field will be partially funded by nearby Lick-Wilmerd-

ing High School.

“We’ve been completely left out of the loop,” men’s soccer head coach Adam Lucarelli said.

“I talk about the new soccer field when recruiting players, and then when it doesn’t happen, my credibility is put in question.”

He said he was told the plans were postponed twice, but the reasons were never clear.

Lucarelli also said all the other teams in the Coast Conference have beautiful fields, and not having a soccer field prevents them from having a “home-field advantage.”

“We play on three different venues for home games,” Lucarelli said. “We have been very successful, even without the field, but having one will make our lives much easier.”

Grady agreed that the process has been very frustrating.

“Our teams have continued to play off campus and at two different sites,” she said. “We look forward to the day when we can both practice and compete on our own campus. It will definitely cut down on travel and field rental costs.”

Women’s soccer head coach

| 11

Sports Briefs Swimmers place third

RAMSEY EL-QARE / THE GUARDSMAN

A sign stating the completion of a field in fall 2009 currently hangs in front of the future construction site adjacent to Batmale Hall.

Gabe Saucedo, who is heading into his second season with the program, is more content with the current situation.

“We get to play at the brand new facilities at Crocker Amazon, which are five minutes away by car,” Saucedo said. “Since other teams from the community practice there it helps spread the word about our program.”

Former athletic director and current head football coach

George Rush said construction plans require the building of a retaining wall at the north end of the facility and confirmed that the school anticipates construction plans to be approved within the next couple of weeks.

“If all goes well we hope to have the field built and ready for play by October,” Rush said.

E-mail: apenny@theguardsman.com

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The women’s swim team finished third overall in the Coast Conference Championships, which were held at De Anza College on April 22-24.

Roselin Sretpisalsilp won the 100-yard backstroke, while Alyssa Stember won the 50-yard backstroke. Neither swimmer was able to qualify for the State Championships however, as they were unable to meet the time standard required.

Online: More on City College Sports Briefs www.theguardsman. com/sportsbriefs

12 |

Sports

THE GUARDSMAN

The Water Cooler

By Bontã Hill

APRIL 28, 2010

tunity to announce men’s basketball games here at City College, the chance to get to work with the prestigious football team and the chance to meet all the great athletes and coaches from all the athletic programs.

As I continue my journey through college as a bona fide sports junky, life just won’t be the same without The Water Cooler.

Idiot of the Week

Miscellaneous After wearing egg on my face about my infamous Super Bowl prediction, I’ll go out on a limb by predicting the San Francisco Giants will not make the playoffs.

It’s tough, since Giants fans have the feeling this team could be great. And they can, if they can figure out a way to produce some runs on the board.

I just can’t help it, considering the offense is filled with free swingers of average speed and minimal power — with the exception of Pablo Sandoval. Yes, the Giants pitching is by far one of the best in baseball, but until they get a legitimate offense, they simply won’t be able to hang with the Colorado Rockies.

It pains to write what I have just written about the Giants, but I’m a realist, and the Giants are the second-best team in the National League West.

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Transferring?

Finish School Your Way!

© 2010 National University 8605

There has been no shortage of sporting news since I last talked to you.

The NBA Playoffs have gotten off to a hot start, and the San Jose Sharks made it to the second round and look serious about bringing the Stanley Cup to the Bay Area.

And 49ers fans everywhere have to be imagining big things for the upcoming season since the team beefed up their roster at the past weekend’s NFL draft.

Also, with the super fight between Sugar Shane Mosely and Floyd Mayweather Jr. coming up, there’s no reason for me to get off my couch.

With that said, I can’t help but think about how this is my next-to-last column ever in The Guardsman. That’s right folks, The Water Cooler is down to its last two cups of water.

It’s a bittersweet moment indeed. My time boring you, hurting your eyes and making you use this paper as a fly swatter has been a great experience.

The Guardsman has provided me the opportunity to speak my mind on one of the few things I love in this world — sports. It’s also been exciting, stressful and time consuming.

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade this experience for a 99-cent bag of sour cream and onion Ruffles (those who know me know I run through two bags a day. I’m so addicted.)

I am proud to give The Guardsman credit for opening a lot of doors for me. It gave me the oppor-

There was a slew of pathetic acts this week, but I can only admit one person into the Idiot Hall of Fame, so some hopefuls will probably be disappointed. But in a wave of stupidity that could qualify him for the Idiot of the Month, this edition is admitting Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This comes following his six-game suspension by commissioner Roger Goodell after a 20-yearold girl from Georgia accused “Big Ben” of sexual assault. Although he was not charged because prosecutors did not have enough evidence, this is the second time in two years a woman has come out accusing Roethlisberger of foul play.

Now, not only has Roethlisberger’s wild nights cost him six games of his season, it will probably cost the Steelers a playoff berth. With his reputation scarred and his giving the NFL attention for all the wrong reasons, Big Ben is a fool to keep putting himself in danger due to ridiculous judgments.

Welcome to the I.H.O.F. Ben.

E-mail: bhill@theguardsman.com

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The University of Values

Culture&Trends

APRIL 28, 2010

THE GUARDSMAN

| 13

Literary treasures hidden near campus

By Greg Zeman

No, they do not Recently a reader approached me and asked if The Guardsman pays for my expenses — for instance, a mediocre $13 martini in a crummy, depressing hotel bar. To this I could only reply bitterly: no, The Guardsman does not pay for any of my expenses, alcohol-related or otherwise.

The newsroom does have two utterly unhygienic coffee pots which I avail myself to in emergency-only situations. For example, the morning after my research for the first installment about the Tonga Room. There’s also a bottle of Excedrin, so thanks, I guess.

Excluding the one time my editor covered my brunch ticket – thank you Jen – I have paid for all my frivolities using my own illgotten gains.

Because you’re reading right now...

I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that you can both read and understand what you are reading, and have learned to do so at least partially from some teacher along the way. So, thank a teacher when you get a chance.

In the meantime, allow me to recommend a form of entertainment not dissimilar to the one you are currently using: books.

Those of you who hate books and only want to read about booze can just skip down to the next subhead; I promise we won’t make fun of you while you’re gone.

Books are great because once you learn to enjoy them you can pretty much do so anywhere — unlike other delightful and socially unsavory things that are, sadly, still limited to certain spaces.

Having a book, and being able to enjoy it, is the ultimate form of empowerment in the face of boredom – even the DMV can’t keep you down if you have two books.

So why have I gone all “Reading Rainbow” on you?

Because tucked away behind an unassuming storefront near the corner of Faxon and Ocean Avenues, there is a treasure chest of literary obscurities waiting to be explored.

Ocean Avenue Books is not a well-organized bookstore in the traditional sense. This is not where you go to find a specific title or even something from a particular author or genre. Honestly, some areas of the store resemble a hoarder’s home library.

But if you love books and discovering new titles, this place is calling your name. It’s an excellent place to kill a few hours, learn about things you never knew existed and maybe take home books about those things for as little as $3 each.

I went to Ocean Avenue Books looking for a Jefferson Bible, and left four hours later with a copy of “The 100th Monkey.”

Those of you conditioned by iPhones for instant gratification will hate this place; you will

complain that you couldn’t find the installment of the “Twilight” series you were looking for and that there was no coffee lounge in which to be seen typing your screenplay on your laptop.

Those who understand that good bookstores are supposed to be cramped, confusing, dimly-lit hallways overfilled with obscure and ancient titles you can look through for hours at a time without recognizing anything, will freaking love this place, the way I love this place.

Now, back to stuff that only requires the use of our lizardbrains to enjoy.

Verdict Ocean Avenue Books: 4/5

Pissed Off Pete’s: 6.5/5

Hey buddy, sorry to keep you waiting Pissed Off Pete’s, baby!

Yeah!

They’ve got a pool table, Olympia in the can for $1.50, Jim Beam Rye in the bottle and Journey on the jukebox; I would take my Strong Island uncles here anytime.

E-mail: gzeman@theguardsman.com

Brass Tacks: Ocean Avenue Books Where: 1735 Ocean Ave between Dorado Ter and Faxon Ave.

Pissed Off Pete’s Where: Mission St. between Norton St. and Excelsior Ave. Cost: Cash only

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14 |

Calendar

THE GUARDSMAN

Calendar for April 28 - May 11

WED

28

THUR

29

FRI

30

SAT

1

Moodswing and May Day! Dance Lessons Events schedat the de Young uled throughout San Museum Francisco.

50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive San Francisco, CA Track Coast Free 31¢ Scoop Conference Women’s tennis 5:30 - 8:45 p.m.

Night at Baskin Finals at SJCC NorCal TournaRobbins Time: TBA ment at Santa Rosa 570 Battery St. (all day) San Francisco, CA 4/29 - 5/1 Free Comic 5 - 10 p.m.

Book Day at Jeffrey’s Toys 685 Market St. San Francisco, CA 12 - 5 p.m.

5

Cinco de Mayo

Free Cab Rides on Cinco de Mayo in the Bay Area 3 - 11:59 p.m.

THUR

6

FRI

7

City College Last day to submit fashion show: late add forms “Star Dust” at Ocean campus cafeteria 12 - 12:30 p.m.

Track NorCal Trials at ARC Time: TBA Women’s tennis State Tournament at Newport Beach (all day) 5/6 - 5/8

SAT

8

Arj Barker at Cobb’s Comedy Club 915 Columbus Ave. San Francisco, CA 18+ Ticket info: (415) 928-4445 8 p.m. & 10:15 p.m.

SUN

MON

2

Cinco De Mayo Parade and Festival at Discovery Meadow E. San Carlos Street and Woz Way San Jose, CA Free 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Classifieds

Community Events

Campus Events

Track Coast City College Conference Trifashion show: als at SJCC “A Timeless Classic” Time: TBA at Ocean campus cafeteria 12 - 12:30 p.m.

WED

APRIL 28, 2010

TUES

3

Last day to choose Faculty Web Grading option

4

Looking for a female student to study with. Must have at least 60 units completed. If interested, please contact Eric at (415) 518-9080.

City College fashion show: “The Visions of Wonderland” at Ocean campus cafeteria 12 - 12:30 p.m.

City College fashion show: “Lipstick Language” Free Admission at the Marriott Asian Art Day at the Con55 Fourth St. Museum Free servatory of Flowers Admission Day: Tar- San Francisco, CA in Golden Gate Park 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. get Sundays at the John F Kennedy Asian Art Museum Dr. & Conservatory 200 Larkin Street Dr. W. San Francisco, CA San Francisco, CA Free 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

SUN

MON

9

The 11th annual “How Weird Street Fair” 600 Howard St. San Francisco, CA $5 12 - 8 p.m.

Classified Ads

TUES

10

Womanhood: Art by Tenderloin Women Artists North of Market/ Tenderloin Community Benefit District 134A Golden Gate Ave. San Francisco, CA All ages Free 5/10 - 5/31

Got a classified ad? You could see that ad here. Contact our Advertising Manger for more information about rates and publication deadlines at (415) 239-3446.

11

50 cents per word. $5 minimum for commercial advertisers. City College students, staff and faculty qualify for one free classified per semester. Multiple ads not accepted. Must show current student ID. Commercial ads not accepted from students. Acceptance of ads at the discretion of The Guardsman.

City College fashion show: “Revive Retro” at Ocean campus cafeteria 12 - 12:30 p.m.

Article Submissions To submit tips on stories contact: Editor in Chief (415) 239-3446 Fax: (415) 239-3884 editor@theguardsman.com

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Culture&Trends

APRIL 28, 2010

THE GUARDSMAN

| 15

Four Ocean Avenue shops serve bold flavor

By Robert Romano THE GUARDSMAN

Coffee and college students — a combination that will live long after any current City College student graduates.

Ocean Avenue has many coffee options, but which one is worth the walk — or coins in the meter? The following is a rundown of the four most popular cafes near the Ocean campus, making a good cup of coffee easier to find.

Java Jitters At Java Jitters, not only is the coffee strong but the people are friendly.

“It’s a good coffee shop, one of the better ones I know,” City College student Luis Padilla, 20, said.

Java Jitters, located at 1125 Ocean Ave., is the closest cafe to Ocean campus.

Inside, there are two couches and eight tables — just enough room to do some studying between classes.

During the week, don’t expect anything lively, but on every other Friday it’s a different story, when Java Jitters hosts open mic nights for all types of performers.

And if you’re hungry for a burrito, the cafe shares its doors with La Parrilla.

While their coffee is not free trade or organic the prices are average, $1.75 for a small and $2 for a large. Refills are $1.

Java Jitters is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. except every other Friday night when it’s open until 10 p.m. for the open mic event.

Caffe D’Melanio The centerpiece at Caffe D’Melanio is a large antique coffee roaster, roasting 18 different types of coffee.

“This is our spot,” said Anna Centendo.

“Our group of friends comes here two times a week.”

“I come here for the strong coffee,” City College student Heather Day said.

“And it’s the most quiet place I can find to study. Even quieter than the CCSF library.”

Caffe D’Melanio hosts live music throughout the semester.

A small coffee is $1.25, and a large $1.60. Refills are $1.

Caffe D’Melanio, located at 1314 Ocean Ave., is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Thursday and from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Java on Ocean The trek from Ocean campus to Java on Ocean is well worth it. All the food is organic and the coffee is free trade. Java on Ocean even serves locally-made bread and most menu items are homemade.

“We don’t go low. I can buy the cheap food but I don’t,” owner Hossam Kaddoura said.

The space has a lot of natural light and comfortable outdoor seating. The decorative plants, singing caged birds and very courteous staff all add to the warm atmostphere.

Java on Ocean also provides two free hours of wireless internet for customers.

ROBERT ROMANO / THE GUARDSMAN

1985 City College alumnus and cafe owner Hossam Kaddoura along with employee and City College nutrition major Elizabeth Sanchez serve customer Tony Yang at Java on Ocean March 6.

A small coffee is $1.75 and a large is $2.25. Refills on a small coffee are 99 cents and $1.75 for a large.

Java on Ocean is open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m..

King’s Coffee Of these four cafes, King’s Coffee is the farthest away from Ocean campus, located at 1901 Ocean Ave. The distance makes it a good place to get away, for those who need less distraction to study.

“I think it is one of the better coffee shops around the area,” said Ken Liu, 20, a political science major at City College.

“I study here three to four times a

week.”

King’s Coffee offers free wireless service for customers.

A small coffee is $1.35 with refills at 60 cents. A large coffee is $1.60 with refills at 80 cents.

King’s Coffee is open 6:30 am to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

With four great coffee shops within walking distance to school, Java on Ocean is my favorite, not only for its free trade coffee, but for its lively environment — great for both studying and socializing.

E-mail: rromano@theguardsman.com

Art gallery displays juried works from students

By Tania Cervantes THE GUARDSMAN

The City College Annual Juried Student Exhibition Art Show has begun and will be open in the City College Art Gallery at Ocean Campus through May 19.

The exhibition allowed students to submit up to two pieces in any media and compete in a professional setting to have their work showcased in the gallery. A professional in the field is in charge of judging the artwork.

CHLOE ASHCRAFT / THE GUARDSMAN

Laura Lannon’s oil on canvas painting, “Myth of Strength,” is on display in the City College Art Gallery.

“The point of this juried exhibition is for students to get an understanding of what it’s like in the real world,” art professor and gallery manager Nancy Elliot said. “It’s good practice to learn how to handle rejection.”

Elliot said the Art department makes it a point to hire a critic from outside the college.

David Hoff, coordinator and curator for Pro Arts Gallery in Oakland, was the juror this year.

“So far people visiting have really enjoyed the exhibition. It is very colorful, I think it has a good balance,” gallery attendant and art student Miguel Paez said.

Paez, whose artwork was accepted into the exhibition, said past jurors have favored gray or black and white pieces.

His piece consists of black china paint, which he scraped with a metal tool to form a landscape.

“I wanted to do something nocturnal,” he said.

Elliot said students do not really know what the juror is looking for during judging. Some try to do research beforehand, but ultimately it is the juror’s choice.

The judging process involves assessing the art’s quality and whether technique has been used effectively.

“In that sense it is not subjective. Once the artwork has been sorted, then the juror will choose according to taste.

He also made an effort to make the exhibition cohesive,” Elliot said.

CHLOE ASHCRAFT / THE GUARDSMAN

Graphic design major Paul Williams examines Matthew Ronan’s photographic work titled “She Taught Me About Walls and Chiasms.”

The art department traditionally organizes the Juried Student Exhibition as the final show of the academic year.

Students have the option to submit rejected pieces in next year’s competition.

“If their piece was not accepted it is not to say it is bad,” Elliot said. “You just have to grow thicker skin.”

E-mail: tcervantes@theguardsman.com

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THE GUARDSMAN

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APRIL 28, 2010