THE GUARDSMAN
Vol. 158, Issue 1, Aug. 20 - Sept. 2, 2014 | City College of San Francisco | since 1935 | www.TheGuardsman.com | @SfBreakingNews | IG: Theguardsman | FREE
Accreditation
Restoration policy may be last chance to maintain accreditation By Samantha Dennis @sfbreakingnews sdennis@theguardsman.com
The Guardsman
City College has applied for restoration status and if granted, would allow them two years to comply with accreditation standards and keep the school open and accredited. Chancellor Arthur Tyler spoke to approximately 30 people Aug.14 at the Chinatown/North Beach center about the plans he has to get City College back on track. “We didn’t have all the systems in place,” Tyler said. “We didn’t have all the administrative practices that really great colleges should have and we’re in the process of changing that.” Restoration status was recently created by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges to give City College the time they had requested to meet the standards to maintain accreditation. Restoration differs from the previous option of candidacy status because it allows the school to remain accredited during the process. “The restoration process City College Chancellor Arthur Tyler gestures during a media briefing on the school’s accreditation at the Chinatown center, is going to be lengthy, probably Thursday, Aug. 14, 2014. Photo by Santiago Mejia/The Guardsman two to two and a half years, but “Over the last few months, thought they could become,” Tyler College faces ahead. and is a major factor in the success throughout that period we’re “There are definitely strug- of City College. there has been a heroic effort by said. going to remain an accredited Tyler mentioned new changes gles ahead for City College and Lightman spoke highly of City institution and were going to our faculty and our staff and our to the enrollment process as well I don’t believe our battles with College and expressed the support remain loyal to the legacy that as being more student centered the accreditors is over,” Mandel- for the school is not only within was started almost 80 years ago,” for the graduation process. This man said. “Whether because of the community, but statewide. Tyler said. will allow students to know they all the fine work that the folks at “I hear it across the state, Tyler agreed to apply for the are on a path towards something the college have done or because everyone is rooting for this instistatus despite his doubts. The and are aware they are close to of the city attorneys lawsuits or tution,” Lightman said. “Even ACCJC will analyze City Colleges graduating. because of the simple fact that of though it’s still a bumpy road, self-evaluation report on Nov. Accompanying Tyler at the political community have shown you have to know that you are not 16 and determine in mid Janupress conference was Rafael they will not allow City College alone and we at the faculty assoary whether or not to grant City Mandelman, a member of the to close, City College is open and ciation are fighting for you.” College restoration status. If Boards of Trustees and Jonathan here to stay.” Tyler finished by showing his denied, City College has no right Lightman, executive director of Along with the San Francisco thanks and expressing his positive to appeal. the Faculty Association of Cali- city lawsuit that has kept City thoughts towards City College. Along with the submission College open, there have been a “City College is not too big to for restoration status, there’s an administrators to continue to fornia Community Colleges. Mandelman spoke on behalf number of protests including one fail, it’s too important to fail,” Tyler ongoing lawsuit filed by City move the institution forward and Attorney Dennis Herrera against help students achieve not only of the 90,000 people who elected in Sacramento. The overwhelm- said. “It’s your college and I’m here the ACCJC with a trial set for what they want to become but him onto the Board of Trustees ing support from the community to tell you we’re gonna continue to October. perhaps beyond what they ever and discussed the obstacles City has made an impact on the college be here for a very long time.”
“City College is not too big to fail, it’s too important to fail,” Tyler said.
2 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | aug. 20 - Sept. 2, 2014
news
Smoking in designated areas only
New policy sets course to smoke-free environment By Alex Lamp
@sfbreakingnews alamp@theguardsman.com
The Guardsman
Editor-in-Chief Santiago Mejia Managing Editor Alex Lamp News Editor Samantha Dennis Culture Editor Elisabetta Silvestro Sports Editor Patrick Cochran Photo Editor Nathaniel Y. Downes Multimedia Editor Elisa Parrino Production Manager Madeline Collins Online Content Manager Ekevara Kitpowsong Advertising Manager Calindra Revier Staff Writers Gina Scialabba Patrick Cochran Samantha Dennis Calindra Revier Charles Innis Elisabetta Silvestro Staff Photographers Ekevara Kitpowsong Elisa Parrino Khaled Sayed Contributing Illustrator Olivia Wise Faculty Advisor Juan Gonzales Mail: 50 Phelan Ave Box V-67 San Francisco, CA 94112 Phone: (415) 239-3446 Advertising: advertising@theguardsman.com Online: www.theguardsman.com Twitter: @sfbreakingnews Instgram: theguardsman Facebook: facebook.com/theguardsman Youtube:
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A new smoking policy took effect Aug. 18 as City College moves towards becoming a smoke-free environment. Ten designated smoking areas replace the “smoking within 20 feet of a door or window prohibited” policy at the Ocean campus. According to the policy, cigarettes (tobacco), e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookahs, water pipes, vapor and vapor-less equipment are banned outside designated smoking areas. In addition, any other smoking type device may be added to the policy by a campus administrator or appropriate designee.
“A tobacco-free campus creates a healthier environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors,” read an email by a City College official to the college community, explaining the policy. Policy affects all City College centers The Airport center has one designated smoking area located in the rear parking lot. The Civic Center center has two located at the North and South parking lots. Evans center has one in the front patio area and another in the rear parking lot area by the back gate. The John Adams center has one in the front patio and another at the North-side rear area under the back stairwell. All other centers forbid smoking entirely such as the Mission, Chinatown and Downtown centers.
Enforcement Campus police said that citations will not yet be given out for smoking outside of designated areas. “We’re going to give this program a little time to be introduced to give people an opportunity to learn about it and know about it,” City College Campus Police Officer Tiffany Green said. Repeat offenders will be asked to move into designated areas and if necessary will be referred to the dean of student affairs, Samuel Santos. “The campus is trying to move toward a smoke-free campus. This is a step in that direction with some accommodations. We have a lot of folks who do smoke, and we don’t want to restrict them or have them feel like they’re not welcome,” Green said.
Elliot Leon, English major, smokes regularly around campus. He has heard about the new smoking policy, but doesn’t know much about it. “I smoke almost a pack a day, usually in between classes, and I usually smoke next to the Creative Arts building,” Leon said. Leon hasn’t heard about or seen the the areas that have been designated to smoke in. “I smoke where ever I am and no one really bothers me.” Leon said. “If someone tells me to move away, sure thats fine, i’ll just put it out.” Students who would like information and support regarding smoking cessation can contact the City College Student Health Services at 415-239-3110 or www.ccsf. edu/stuhealth.
The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | Aug 20 - Sept. 2, 2014| 3
news
Pacific Islands Studies certificate now offered
Professor David Ga’oupu Palaita. Photo by Nathaniel Y. Downes/The Guardsman
By Calindra Revier
@sfbreakingnews crevier@theguardsman.com
The Guardsman
This semester marks the beginning of the first certificate program to be offered in Pacific Island Studies, not only at City College but the first in the nation outside the region and states of Hawaii. Program Coordinator Profes-
sor David Ga’oupu Palaita is offering this17-unit program with a choice of an elective. The program is for all students wishing to study and celebrate the “ocean” culture and participate in something that is first of its kind. “The key question in our course is the concept of ocean. For islanders the ocean is central. In fact it is the organizing principle of their livelihoods, their lives, their cultures and the communi-
ty,” Palaita said, reflecting on the ocean inspired curriculum. During the completion of the program Palaita explains that students will explore other themes such as what happens to culture when it’s transplanted from the Pacific to the U.S. mainland and how things like race and gender affect the Pacific Islander community as well as how islanders are perceived in the media. Highlights of the program also include being published in an end of semester anthology titled “Mata (to see, vision) Mai (to summon, bring in).” The anthology can also be found published in Hawaiian press(Checking on name). Although Professor Palaita and many other key faculty members are facilitating the program, he emphasizes that this has ultimately been a studentdriven certificate. The certificate has been advocated by students as far back as the year 2000. Emani Herman Ilaoa, a student at City College, looks forward to completing the program at the end of the fall semester. He is majoring in Communications and Pacific Island studies. Ilaoa stresses the importance of having this program happen now.
“Our kids need it. Our kids are different now, they’re challenges are learning to survive amongst a western civilization as well as balance the cultural responsibilities,” he said. He added that a big struggle is having students aware that the program is offered. “It is the only program outside of Hawaii that is established on the continent of America. So not only is it a big deal to us, but it is historical on its own,” Ilaoa said. The importance of community at public events, often teaming up with Poetry for the People throughout the semester including an incorporation of live performances. Ilaoa explains that all the gatherings are open to the community and they encourage community members to come and see what the Pacific Islanders program have been doing. Among those students who helped advocate and ultimately create this groundbreaking certificate, four have passed away while attending City College. Rachel Fisi’iahi and Virginia Mancenido have received their honorary certificate degrees while plans are in the works of the same recognition for Bree Gutu and Samuel Elekiko Afoa. “This certificate means more
than just our accomplishment of getting something like this in our college. This certificate is recognizing those that have also passed away and given so much to our college and to our community,” Palaita said. “As a college, as a department, as a teacher, I am so happy that we have been able to fulfill this for them.” Congressman Eni Faleomavaega applauded those who worked to have the program enacted at City College. “I extend my gratitude and best wishes to CCSF faculty, staff, allies and community members on the launching of this pioneering program,” Faleomavaega said. “I have every confidence that the Certificate Program will be met with success and will assist CCSF in increasing success rates among our Pacific Islander students for years to come.”
Courtesy of David Ga’oupu Palaita
Budget continues to hold despite enrollment drop
Illustration courtesy of MCT campus.
By Patrick Fitzgerald
@sfbreakingnews pfitzgerald@theguardsman.com
City College’s budget of nearly $199 million moves forward towards final approval from the Board of Trustees by Sept. 15. The budget provides a blueprint for operations during the 2014-15 fiscal year. The tentative budget is predicated on 2012-13 enrollment levels of 33,119 full-time equivalent students, a recent high mark.
Since then enrollment has fallen, believed largely due to an ongoing accreditation controversy. “As we prepare our budget of fiscal year 2014-2015 we face great uncertainty and risk,” said Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration Ron Gerhard in a budget memo dated Feb. 13. To mitigate this risk, three budget scenarios were developed, factoring in enrollment decline to plan for an orderly downsizing of operations if funding and/or
accreditation issues develop. The first scenario assumes no access to an outside funding sources and an enrollment decline of 4,000 full time equivalent students resulting in a budgetary shortfall greater than $18 million, approximately nine percent of total revenue. Subsequent operations and personnel reduction, including faculty, would be implemented to balance the budget. The second scenario projects the same enrollment decline but
assumes access to outside funding to make up the $18 millionplus shortfall. The third scenario optimal, where enrollment equals or exceeds 2012-13 levels and the college resumes normal fiscal operations while working to resolve the outstanding accreditation issues. Last year, the college was permitted to access stability funding from the state, offsetting an enrollment decline and resultant financial shortfall. It provided additional funds to match operating expenses. As confirmed by Chancellor Arthur Tyler and according to the Governor’s May California Budget for 2014-15 posted online Aug. 4, access to stability funding will continue for at least another two years. How heavily City College will rely on outside funding will depend on fall enrollment levels. Admission and Records declined to comment on preliminary Fall 2014 enrollment figures. The tentative budget builds in a contingency fund of $7.5 million to meet unforeseen expenses as a further buffer. The budget assumes a deficit of $2.8 million. The planned shortfall will be resolved through efficiencies and focused cost savings measures as opposed to reducing department budgets proportionately. City College must achieve enrollment levels equal to or
greater than 2012-13 levels to regain financial independence. The College has been working on the accreditation issues, having reportedly resolved 94 percent of the alleged violations. The administration continues making substantial progress toward removing the cloud of uncertainty hovering over the school‘s future. Chancellor Arthur Tyler explains in his tentative budget letter dated May 19 that this year’s planning cycle as the first under the new Board Policies 8.01 and Administrative Procedures 8.01. These are guiding planning documents. Two chief criterions are that the budget supports the College’s educational mission and another specifies the final budget to be balanced with revenue equaling expenditures. Other items of note in the proposed budget are that dollars allocated for faculty positions are projected to decrease across all categories; one category, Faculty Regular Hrs PBL, by over $4 million from 2013-14 level. Health plan costs are to increase by almost $1.7 million as well as contributions to San Francisco retirement system by $873 thousand. Overall, total figures are projected to remain flat in comparison to last year’s budget.
4 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | Aug. 20 - sept. 2, 2014
culture
Spotlight
Instructor wins international TESOL award
ANNOUNCEMENTS · AskCCSF, an online information service, is now available. It allows students and faculty to ask any question and in any language. Take a test drive on the CCSF homepage (www.ccsf.edu).
· For MUB 140 reservations obtain the forms from Kimberly Ng at kng@ccsf.edu/B213. If your event is outside of the Monday-Friday 8-5 p.m. timeframe, you will need to fill out the application for use of district property form. You can obtain the application from Brian Tom (btom@ccsf.edu/ 239.3547). The form needs to be submitted at least two weeks in advance.
· AFT/2121 needs volunteer speakers who can answer questions about what’s going on at CCSF for community presentations. If you are available, contact Athena Waid at awaid@aft2121.or or 406-531-0503.
· To honor her husband and former Trustee and President of the Board of Trustees of City College of San Francisco, Dr. Natalie Berg is establishing the Peter Finnegan Scholarship Fund in the CCSF Foundation. Donations can be sent to The Foundation of City College of SF, P.O. Box 40488, San Francisco, CA 94140.
EVEN TS CALENDAR Th e G u a r d sm a n C alendar is a free se r vic e t o ca m p u sc l u b s and other non-profit orga n i za t i o n s. I f y ou w ish to have an ite m posted p l e a se k e e p it to 50 w ords and ema il to al am p @ t h e g u a r dsm an,com . D eadline f or the n ext i ssu e i s A ugust 27 at 12 noon. We r e se r ve t h e r i g h t n o t t o print a submission at our discret i o n .
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CLASSIFIED ADS
Students and faculty: First 50 words are free. 10 cents/word if you want to repeat the ad. A new program for The Guardsman 2014 Fall semester. Send ads to crevier@theguardsman.com. Ad deadline for the next issue is Friday, Aug. 29, 2014. Items must be sold by owner. Note: We reserve the right to deny publishing of classified ads at our discretion.
Ann Fontanella, right, is celebrated Tuesday, May 6, 2014, at the City College Downtown campus for winning the TESOL award. Photo Nathaniel Y. Downes/The Guardsman
By Elisabetta Silvestro
@sfbreakingnews esilvestro@theguardsman.com
The Guardsman
City College ESL instructor Ann Fontanella has been awarded Teacher of the Year by TESOL International Association. Students and teachers celebrated the event May 6 2014 at the Downtown campus. Fontanella has been teaching English as a second language at City College for 16 years and she is deeply admired by students and colleagues. “I think the TESOL picked exactly the right person,” ESL Department Chair Greg Keech said. The award honors exceptional English language teachers at all levels. It was presented by TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) International Association and National Geographic Learning. Any teacher throughout the world with at least three years of experience who didn’t win the award before was eligible to apply for the recognition. When she found out she was the winner, Fontanella was “very moved, surprised and honored.” Fontanella was officially awarded in March at the 2014 TESOL International Convention and English Language Expo, where she delivered a presentation about instruction for student engagement and community leadership. As an American with Italian
origins who also lived in Saudi Arabia, Italy and Japan, Fontanella said she has always been surrounded by people who spoke different languages. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Italian with a minor in Spanish and a master’s degree in comparative literature, Fontanella got another master’s degree in
“I think the TESOL picked exactly the right person,” Greg Keech said. teaching English to speakers of other languages from San Francisco State University and started doing what she is still doing today – teaching ESL. Approximately 100 people between faculty and students attended the event hosted in the conference room of the Downtown campus. “I’m very thankful that I have Ann as my former teacher,” student Yanhui Li said. Thanks to Fontanella, Li said, she became passionate about learning English and went from noncredit student, to credit student, to volunteer for the Project SHINE (Students Helping in the Naturalization of Elders), which Fontanella used to coordinate. More than 10 people spoke
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about Fontanella’s positive qualities, both as a teacher and as a person, during the two-hour-long event concluded by refreshments. Bouchra Simmons, president of the Associated Students Council of the Downtown Campus, said Fontanella has a special gift. She doesn’t just teach English, she helps students find their way in life. “Teaching is not about credentials, is about connection,” Simmons said. Maricel Santos, TESOL professor at San Francisco State, attended the event proud of having their graduate achieving this recognition. “(Fontanella) dignifies this profession,” Santos said. “She shows you what is possible with language.” City College’s ESL instructor Kathleen Berkov said Fontanella is an inspiration for the students and for all the teachers. “She finds the joy in impacting other people’s lives for the good,” Berkov said. Some attendees sang and danced, while Fontanella’s students put together a video in which many of them talked about how she helped them achieve their objectives and even changed their lives. “We wanted to do something special for her because she did something special for us every day,” student Olga Tsibulina said. Fontanella described the event as “beautiful and moving.” “This award is the result of all of that you’ve given me,” she said. Basketball Hoop
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The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | aug. 20 - sept. 2, 2014 | 5
culture
Ken Light and Lou Demmatteis featured
City Hall hosts City College instructors’ photo exhibit Photo and Story by Nathaniel Y. Downes
@shuttertospeak nydownes@theguardsman.com
The Guardsman
The Valley/El Valle: Photo-essays from California’s Heartland, the current photo exhibit hanging in City Hall was put on by The San Francisco Arts Commission Galleries and curated by Ann Jastrab, Rayko’s gallery director. The exhibit highlights the work of nine photographers, two of which are City College instructors. Ken Light who is teaching Business Practices of Photography this semester and teaches Documentary Photography in the spring shows selected works from his recent book Valley of Shadows and Dreams (Heyday 2012). Lou Demmatteis teaches Intermediate Photojournalism at City College shows a photo essay taken March 2, 1975 that features a march of United Farm Workers of America led by Cesar Chavez. On Tuesday, Aug. 12, Ken Light and five other artists spoke about their work at the Koret Auditorium in the San Francisco Public Library Main Branch. The photos can be seen at City Hall on the ground floor and in the North Light Court. The exhibition is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until Sept. 19. There are also 40 kiosks downtown featuring many of the photos included in the exhibit.
Charlotte Niel’s landscapes are shown in City Hall’s North Light Court.
One of the 40 kiosks with poster-sized prints of selected images from the exhibit is located on Market Street at Powell Street and holds the work of Lou Demmatteis.
Ken Light discusses his work at a panel discussion at the Koret Auditorium in the San Francisco Public Library Main Branch.
Charlotte Niel’s landscapes are shown in City Hall’s North Light Court.
Ken Light and Lou Demmatteis’ work can be viewd on the ground floor aat City Hall.
6 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | Aug. 20 - sept. 2, 2014
culture Spotlight
Chorus Director Patricia Wynne wins Joe Hill Award
Patricia Wynne poses for a photo Aug. 11 with her Joe Hill Award and new book entitled “Singing Out and Fighting Back.” Photo by Nathaniel Y. Downes
By Charles Innis
@sfbreakingnews cinnis@theguardsman.com
The Guardsman
City College Labor Studies instructor and chorus director Patricia Wynne took home the Joe Hill Award on June 21 for her work with the San Francisco Bay Area Labor Heritage/Rockin’ Solidarity Chorus. The Joe Hill Award, given annually by the Labor Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC, is awarded to persons based on their activism and commitment towards labor, labor arts, culture and history. “It shines a spotlight on the cultural workers who give us music, movement, visual art, spoken word and song to lift our collective spirits so that we can do the work before us – bringing about economic, political and social justice for all,” Elise Bryant, Executive Director of the Labor Heritage Foundation told The
Guardsman through email. Previous recipients of the award include folk singer and activist Pete Seeger and LatinoAmerican civil rights activist Cesar Chavez. “In the tradition of Joe Hill, Pat uses contemporary popular music to raise consciousness around labor and human rights’ issues,” Bryant said, “You can see in her choral directing that she brings her whole self to this work.” On the same day of receiving the award, a personally autographed copy of her book of performance pieces “Singing Out and Fighting Back” was inducted into the Library of Congress, an experience she recalls with glowing enthusiasm. “You have no idea how happy that makes me,” Wynne said. Wynne directs the Labor Heritage/Rockin’ Solidarity Chorus through City College’s Labor Studies Department, where she instructs introductory, intermediate, and advance
performance tiers. “In one way it’s sort of a service organization—we perform where people want us to. They request us to perform at labor unions, nonprofits, marches, protests, pick-it lines, you know,” Wynne said.
membership could be problematic for a chorus if certain people can’t hold a tune, but Wynne bypasses such obstacles by including speaking parts. “Not everyone is a solo singer, but with a performance piece then people can be narrators or
These departments, with histories stretching back to the civil rights era, are out of marginalized people’s struggles, not gifts from administrators. For the chorus members, it functions as a way to learn labor history through song. Membership isn’t exclusive to City College students. Anyone in the San Francisco Bay Area can join, regardless of vocal talent. This open-arm approach to
characters or what not,” Wynne said. In her pieces, characters perform short skits relating to a labor or civil rights topic while choral interludes, consisting of mostly four-part harmonies, break the scenes up with song.
Her book “Singing Out and Fighting Back” holds about 80 songs and covers a range of topics, including immigration, globalization and the blunders of Capitalism. The book was also designed by City College students in the Computer Design Department and assembled over the course of 3 semesters. Wynne has been involved in the labor movement in some fashion for her entire life. A considerable amount of her inspiration comes from the political environment she grew up in. “My father was a great unionist and he was very inspirational to me. I also grew up in a sort of political oriented summer colony as an early child,” Wynne said. She admitted that winning an award for her life’s work was something she had never imagined. “It wasn’t a great or huge step for me to do this,” Wynne said, “This is like part of my growing up, you know. It’s who I am.”
The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | aug. 20 - sept. 2, 2014 | 7
opinion
Editorial cartoon courtesy of Nate Beeler/MCT Campus.
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8 | The Guardsman & theguardsman.com | aug. 20 - sept. 2, 2014
sports
Rams prepare for regular season By Patrick Cochran
@sfbreakingnews pcochran@theguardsman.com
The Guardsman
City College football only has one goal for the 2014 season, conquering another state championship and adding to the legacy of winning at City College. Football is a team sport, but it is undeniable the quarterback is one of the most important positions on a team. Last season the Rams were led by Turner Baty, who is now playing at University of CaliforniaDavis. Finding a good replacement for Baty is crucial for the Rams this season. The race to replace Turner Baty at quarterback during the spring football practices seemed to be a two-man competition between Anthony Rodriguez and Jeremiah Peralta, but now it appears that a new competitor has entered the race. Zach Masoli, a freshman who played at nearby Archbishop Riordan High School and is the younger brother of former City College star player Jeremiah Masoli, could end up starting for the Rams. The coaching staff is still undecided about who be under center for the season opener. Head coach George Rush still hasn’t made up his mind on who’ll be the Rams’ starting quarterback when they play their first game against Sierra College on Sept. 6. “We have had some good competition at the quarterback position so far,” Rush said. “Anthony has the most experience, and has a good arm. Zach is a great athlete and can throw the ball.” During the spring it looked as though Rush would have to decide between Rodriguez and Peralta, but Masoli’s enrollment at City College has given him another option. “We are close to the family. When Zach didn’t get the offers he wanted we had him come here,” said offensive coordinator Dan Hayes. Jeremiah Masoli played at City College in 2007 and he helped lead City to a state and national championship. After that season
City College football players set up at the line of scrimmage during a Monday, Aug. 11, practice at Ram Stadium. Photo by Nathaniel Y. Downes/The Guardsman
Masoli was a highly recruited junior college quarterback and he went on to be the starting quarterback for the University of Oregon, going all the way to the 2009 Rose Bowl. But prior to the 2010 season Masoli was kicked off the Oregon football team for the season because he was convicted of second-degree burglary. One of the key returning players for the Rams is running back Jaray Hayes. The sophomore is the leading returning rusher, and the coaches are happy to see Hayes in such great shape. “Hayes came in at 220 pounds. He is looking really strong out on the field,” Rush said. “We expect him to have a big season.” Hayes will be running behind a veteran offensive line unit.
Hayes said that the line is one of the strongest parts of the team. “We have three or four Division 1 prospects on our offensive line. I really believe this group will be better than a year ago, and last year we had three guys go D-1,” Hayes said. The team is hopeful the defense will be as good as last years if not better. The team has a number of returning starters, led by Oregon State commit Shalom Luani. The unit has coach Rush excited. “Our front seven is real good. Shalom Luani is as good of a safety to ever play at City. Top two or three safety. He is the crazy glue that holds this team together,” Rush said. Luani is a superior athlete who
helps out the team in defending both the run and pass. He is the type of player just as likely to stuff a running back behind the line of scrimmage as he is to pick off an opposing quarterback. On top of being a playmaker, Luani is also an important team leader. After team practices Luani can be seen giving advice to other members of the defense. “We’ve been working hard all off-season. We’re learning some new things for both sides of the ball, but also a lot of just getting better at the things we already do,” Luani said. “We only have one goal this year and that is to add another title to the board.” Working extra hard to overcome last year’s shortfall seems to be a common goal throughout
the 2014 team. For a program accustomed to winning state and national championships, finishing the season 8-3 was seen as a failure. “Everyone on the team is using that as motivation,” Rodriguez said. “We know 8-3 is not enough, and that we have to win.” Rush couldn’t agree more. “You only play for one trophy, and that is the one they give to winners,” he said. “You won’t see any runner-up trophies in our case.”