The Guardsman, Vol. 172, Issue 1, City College of San Francisco by The Guardsman

$22.5 MILLION DEFICIT

BLACK POINT PARK

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THRIVING STUDIO

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Delta Variant Surge Leads to Mandate By Annette Mullaney

Trustee John Rizzo advocates for vaccine mandates at HEAT’s COVID-19 Press Conference on Aug. 16. Photo by Max Hollinger/The Guardsman.

annette.mullaney@gmail.com The City College Board of Trustees approved a vaccine mandate Thursday, Aug. 12. The mandate requires vaccinations before Oct. 1, 2021 or when at least one COVID-19 vaccine received final Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, whichever is sooner. Currently, the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have emergency authorization, with the New York Times reporting that Pfizer may receive final approval in early September. In the meantime, the Fall ‘21 semester will start without any vaccination requirements. According to the College, 25% of class offerings will be in-person for the Fall ‘21 semester, with the rest continuing to be remote. The resolution cited the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) July 27 recommendation for all community colleges to adopt vaccine requirements. The mandate will apply to all students, staff, faculty, and any members of the public on any City College campus without an approved exemption. While the resolution does not detail what will be considered grounds for exemption, it does reference the CCCCO’s recommendation for mandates to include “flexibility … due to medical conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs." That nod to flexibility was

echoed in an Aug. 16 press release from the College about the mandate resolution in which Interim Chancellor Dianna Gonzales described the mandate as “not prescriptive, but one that is flexible enough to accommodate exemptions." For those that are not vaccinated by the deadline, they will be required to wear masks on campus and present weekly negative COVID-19 test results. Further details about the mandate will be presented at the Aug. 26 Board of Trustees meeting. Many aspects of implementation, such as how vaccine status will be confirmed, remain to be worked out between the administration, faculty, and staff. An Aug. 11, 2021 press release from faculty union AFT 2121 said, “We have to make sure that faculty are not required to be the vaccination cops. We will not interrupt our classes to check the vaccination status of our students, nor determine medical exemptions.”’ An AFT 2121 survey of faculty found that of those who responded, 84% were in favor of City College instituting a vaccine mandate for faculty, and 78% were in favor of one for students. Many faculty, including the Higher Education Action Team (HEAT), a faculty activist group, had been calling for a vaccine mandate for months. In an Aug. 9 press release, HEAT demanded the college institute a vaccine mandate, Delta Variant continues on page 4

Down To 3

Industrial hygienist Charles Rachlis speaking in a personal capacity on Aug. 16. Photo by Max Hollinger/The

College Hopes To Seat a New Chancellor by Oct. 1 By JohnTaylor Wildfeuer

jt.wildfeuer@gmail.com On Oct. 1, a new Chancellor will be seated. The screening committee has narrowed the finalists to three candidates, each of whom are participating in forums via zoom this week. August 24 3:30-4:30pm Dr. David Martin August 25, 3:30-4:30pm Dr. Kristina Whalen August 26, 3:30-4:30pm Dr. Christopher Villa

Steve Zeltzer beside colleague Rick Baum who speaks passionatelyfor community safety on Aug. 16. Photo by Max Grey Panther advocates for older students on Aug. 16. Photo by Max Hollinger/The Guardsman. Hollinger/The Guardsman. Instagram: @mxwsh

be provided to attendees by way of a survey. The search has been a focal point for a matter of years as the Board of Trustees has sought permanent leadership following the controversial early retirement of Mark Rocha. Rajen Vurdien, who followed Rocha as President of Pasadena City College, took over leadership of City College from the same in July 2020 and finished his 12-month appointment at the end of June 2021. His successor, Deputy Chancellor Dianna Gonzales was appointed City College’s Interim Chancellor on July 1. Gonzales, who also served

Candidates will be presented with identical questions and an opportunity for direct feedback will Chancellor continues on page 5

2 | NEWS

Vol. 172, Issue 1 | Aug. 16 - Aug. 25, 2021

College Board of Trustees Returns To Tackle Continued Pressing Issues By JohnTaylor Wildfeuer and Skylar Wildfeuer

jt.wildfeuer@gmail.com skylar.wildfeuer@gmail.com On June 24 the City College Board of Trustees met for the last time this fiscal year. Several items were not addressed and have been set for the first meeting back from the Board’s summer hiatus, including detailed updates on the permanent chancellorship, use of real estate, the administration of the oath of office to Student Trustee Malinalli Villalobos, and specifics on how much money the college will receive from the state of California to balance its budget and how that money will be spent. The first meeting of the Board of Trustees of the 2021-22 school year takes place tomorrow, Aug. 26. In their final meeting of the 2020-21 school year on June 24, the Board of Trustees attempted to tackle several of the pressing issues facing the college. The Budget Prominent among issues raised by public commenters at the June 24 Board meeting was frustration over the passage of a budget with incomplete calculations for next year and promise of a report in August. Vice Chancellor John al-Amin described the current budget to meeting attendees as a temporary, fluid document designed to maintain compliance with Title V of the California Code of Regulations. It met the requirements of a balanced spending plan by allocating only currently available resources. “This is a placeholder budget while we continue to refine and resolve our revenues,” said al-Amin. A currently unknown amount is expected to come from the state. Other sources of revenue include outside contributions and reductions of the college’s expenditures. Trustee John Rizzo asked for

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clarification about necessary items in the budget that were allocated no funding. The vice chancellor explained that those items will be funded when more money has been made available. To have passed an unbalanced spending plan would have left the school vulnerable to an unfavorable audit finding which would lead the college closer to state takeover or a loss of accreditation. According to city and state representatives, it is the current task of the college to prove it has the ability to manage its own finances. Trustee Thea Selby expressed frustration with the state of California for deferring on giving money to the college, as did a private development company renting space owned by the college, leaving City College to attempt to prove fiscal responsibility with funds it does not have. She expressed hope that Supervisors Hillary Ronen and Gordon Mar and their colleagues will be able to negotiate funding from the city for the college. Trustee Selby also praised the transparency of the document presented by al-Amin and asked both Gonzalez and al-Amin about the planned process to develop the “placeholder” budget into the final budget. Selby said, “I am asking of the interim chancellor and yourself that we work together to create a budget we believe in.” Vice Chancellor al-Amin expected remaining decisions and data about revenues to materialize over the summer. The next Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for Aug. 26. The deadline for the finalized budget and the conclusion date of the statewide budgetary planning period is Sep. 15. If al-Amin is equipped to present a complete list of revenue at the former, there will be twenty days left to deliberate how to allocate before the latter. The Partnerships John al-Amin presented to the board a request from Integral Communities, a real estate development company, for a deferral “of no more than twelve months” for $100,000 of rent owed on college owned property at 33 Gough Street. In public comment, Instructor Abigail Bornstein pointed out that Integral also requested to refinance their debt on the property. Trustee Alan Wong suggested

an amendment to the motion to allow the deferral on condition that interest be charged. This was approved unanimously by acclimation.

“I want your assurance

Abstract map of the 33 Gough St property of City College of San Francisco by Skylar WildfeuerThe Guardsman.

that we the Trustees will

Trustee John Rizzo. The change from in-house counsel took place under Chancellor Vurdien’s leadership in an effort to cut costs. Legal counsel may prove an important tool in negotiations to come, both with the delicate balancing act of budget and faculty and with new and changing federal health guidelines governing campus policy.

hear about it, and that it will be made public. There will be no coverups of cases resulting from people attending City College classes.”

The Facilities

In an interview with The Guardsman, Wong expressed interest in collaborating with compatible nonprofits for student and city benefit, saying, “I would support renting out some of our facilities to nonprofits that have a shared vision with the college.” This would not require a charter amendment but merely an innovation in facilities policy. The Board also approved the renewal of a contract with legal firm Atkinson, Loya, Ruud, and Romo for “an amount not to exceed $600,000.”

“I am asking of the interim chancellor and yourself that we work together to create a budget we believe in." Trustee Wong and Davila described a lack of accessibility of legal counsel and expressed concern over the lack of clarity regarding who they represent. Trustee Brigitte Davila, speaking from her experience, expressed concerns over the ability of one firm to represent both the Board and City College administrators saying, “My point is that sometimes the board members will have a different angle on something than administrators. Well, does this same firm then represent us?” Several other trustees described satisfactory experiences contacting legal counsel, including Trustee Tom Temprano and

According to Facility Committee Chair Alberto Vasquez, the college will be upgrading its campus air filters from ones with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values (MERV) score of 8 to new MERV 13. These will be better able to remove dust, smoke, and finer particulates. Vasquez committed at the June 24 Board meeting to monitoring and replacing the MERV 13 filters

on a regular basis. Issues were raised by both Trustees Rizzo and Wong regarding plans to return to campus in some capacity, and the safety risks and legal liabilities that may follow. In the event that a case of Covid-19 were to appear on campus Trustee Rizzo says, “I want your assurance that we the Trustees will hear about it, and that it will be made public. There will be no cover-ups of cases resulting from people attending City College classes.” Dianna Gonzales, who was later elected interim chancellor by the Trustees, replied, “Yes. Unequivocally, yes.” The Board of Trustees will meet again on Aug. 26 and the conversation about the future of City College between the board, the administrators, the faculty, the facilities staff, the students, and the city of San Francisco will continue.

NEWS BRIEF

Trustees Seek To Promote Campus Diversity and Equity

By Casey Michie

cmichie1@mail.ccsf.edu The Board of Trustees unanimously passed a resolution on June 24 aimed at increasing and expanding checks and reviews to promote diversity and equity on campus. Trustees resolved to three steps towards that end which consisted of enacting district initiatives, participation in biannual implicit bias and cultural competency training, and annual reviews of compliance to the California Education Code Equal Employment Opportunity standards and to those outlined in the Chancellor's Office Certification Form. Trustee Davila introduced resolution 109 “Affirming San Francisco Community College

District Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” which received vocal support both from Trustees and public commenters. The resolution, which is considered by Trustee Davila a starting point, is not specific as to which District initiatives might be implemented, or how, and while it does cite City College's diverse student population and resolves to review "procedures for addressing diversity throughout hiring steps and levels," it does not outline figures on faculty make-up. “This resolution recommends implementing some of the many ideas that are in the statewide publication regarding [diversity],” Trustee Davila notes, “this [resolution] gets the ball rolling, that is what it is designed to do.”

Staff Editor-in-Chief JohnTaylor Wildfeuer

News Editor Annette Mullaney

Sports Editor Kaiyo Funaki

Illustration Editor Skylar Wildfeuer

Photography Editor Skylar Wildfeuer

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Culture Editor Casey Michie

Layout Editor Skylar Wildfeuer

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Illustrators Erin Blackwell Yuchen Xiao

Staff Writer Angela Greco

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NEWS | 3

Vol. 172, Issue 1 | Aug. 16 - Aug. 25, 2021

City College Faces $22.5 Million Budget Deficit and Threat of State Take Over By Sarah Berjan

sberjan@mail.ccsf.edu The prospect of government takeover looms over City College of San Francisco due to a projected budget shortfall of $22.5 million as it enters the 2021-22 Fiscal Year. State auditors in early April warned the California Community College Chancellor’s office to act quickly in order to remain independent, deeming the college “not currently stable,” citing its ineffective attempts at reducing its costs necessary to supplement the 35 % enrollment decline over the past eight years, which resulted in the college tapping into its reserves.

"Our state leaders... want to see structura change at our college. They were not receptive to more funding." Furthermore, a total of 93% of City College’s budget is composed of salary and benefit expenses, prompting the college to consider laying off 163 instructors to compensate last spring. According to a statement released by City College on March 9, this deficit is the result of several factors, including retiree health care liability costs of almost $11 million, a 5% cash reserve need of $9.2 million required by the state, projected employee health and welfare increases which range from $750-$900k, and collective bargaining agreement obligations for step and column increases of $1.8 million. The college has been deficit spending for at least 10 years, and there are currently no emergency funds left according to the notice. "I just want to be very candid, we heard very clearly from our federal leaders, our state leaders, that they want to see that structural change at our college," Board of Trustees President Shanell Williams said during a May 10 meeting, adding, "They were not really receptive to providing funding." More than $25 million in state and federal COVID-19 emergency funding was offered to City College in the past year through initiatives like the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) and the CARES Act. These funds have so far been used for technology, protective

equipment, and other costs associated with the pandemic, including more than $3 million to patch a hole in the budget created by a loss in projected sales tax revenue. Vice Deputy Chancellor John al-Amin, who has warned in the past about the cost to the college of misusing government aid, reported [date], “COVID-19 has impacted some programs and services in terms of executing all of their deliverables. But in a lot of these cases, we have the ability to rollover funds.” These constraints, and the nature of the college’s deficit which long predate the pandemic, are part of what lead administrators to suggest, and the Board of Trustees to approve, the distribution of layoff notices on March 3 to 163 faculty members and 34 administrators, despite the ready availability of relief funds. On May 10, however, the Board of Trustees approved a contract with City College faculty union AFT2121 for the 2021-22 school year that would cut fulltime base faculty pay over $30 thousand by 14.4%. It should be noted that AFT2121 states on their website that all other pay is subject to a 4-11% reduction as well. Trustees expressed their gratitude to instructors for their sacrifice, which is estimated to have saved the college $8.5 million, during the meeting. Trustee Alan Wong said of the contract, “This is a one year deal and City College will continue to have a structural budget deficit,” adding, “Immediately after approving this tentative agreement we must turn our attention to long term funding.”

"Immediately

"COVID-19 hasimpacted some programs... but... we have the ability to rollover funds." Trustee Aliya Chisti noted during the meeting that the declining enrollment is mirroring the sharp decline in enrollment across community colleges in California and during the pandemic. Board of Trustees Vice President Tom Temprano said, “We

all should agree that additional resources to support our students and provide more services ... to help students walk through our various registration ... and access various support services."

"The existence of the College is at stake." Temprano added,“Due to the reality of our fiscal situation, we are not able to offer them. And I also do not think it is at all outrageous in this moment of crisis for the city and county to step up and to provide us additional funding to help support an institution that is the economic and in many ways cultural engine of this city.” For several years the college has relied on one-time funds to cover expenses. In the last fiscal year, the college withdrew $21 million from its Other PostEmployment Benefits (OPEB) Retiree Trust to fund annual retiree costs for two fiscal years; 2019-20, 2020-21, and is currently facing a year end deficit of $5.5 million

after

approving this tentative agreement we must turn our attention to long term funding." The contract will, for one year, help to preserve courses and programs at City College, including many non-credit language courses. This is especially important to preserve language and further communicate with the monolingual cantonese community of San Francisco where, during the pandemic, anti-Asian crimes skyrocketed. City College administration released on March 9 a statement Illustration by Erin Blackwell/The Guardsman. which read, “We stand in solidarity Instagram: @blackwelldrawingfool.

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Faculty Advisor Juan Gonzales

with our college community that the funding model for community colleges must change. Calling on our labor partners, our elected representatives, and the San Francisco community to work with City College through this financially difficult time. The existence of the College is at stake.” Over the last year there has been an increase in registration by 13%, Trustee John Rizzo reported during a Board of Trustees meeting on June 24, despite the overall downward trend.

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according to the March 9 statement. Additionally, the current audit confirmed the college ended the 2019-20 fiscal year with an operating deficit of $1,033,952 and a district cash reserve of negative $461,951. At the June 24 Trustees meeting John al-Amin said of the prospect of city funding, “This is not the first time that we actually have made that request. In fact, we have [been making] requests to the city ... I believe since 2009 the amount has ranged from ... 30 million to a high of 55 million."

"I do not think it is at all outrageous in this moment of crisis to... provide us additional funding and support." The Vice President added, “then of course we had the legislation passed, which gave us additional funding authority and support from the state,” noting, “last year, fiscal 19-20 year, we made a request for up to $15 million dollars in credit.” A likely impact of this is the reduction of classes offered as well as student services. As it stands the college plans to offer 4,500 class selections next year. Details on what specific offerings will be cut or reduced, and to what extent, will not be available until the Board of Trustees ratifies a more detailed budget for the year as details on funding is made available by the state of California. Classes currently offered in the fall serve students seeking to obtain an Associate Degree, transfer to a 4-year school, become certified and employed across a range of careers, finish a high school diploma, or take noncredit classes, such as English as a Second Language (ESL). Vice Chancellor Tom Boegel explained at the June 24 meeting that students would be able to identify between online and in-person classes by way of a “big note next to the scheduled classes.” “Please do stay in touch,” Boegel added to students in attendance, “reach out to your instructor and stay in touch with your instructor. They'll be able to provide you some specific details about exactly how things are going."

Deficit continues on page 5

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4 | NEWS

Vol. 172, Issue 1 | Aug. 16 - Aug. 25, 2021

Salary Cuts Buy Time for Fiscal Solution By Annette Mullaney

annette.mullaney@gmail.com A last-minute deal between City College administrators and faculty union AFT2121 in early May averted layoffs of 163 fulltime positions, hundreds of part-time positions, and drastic cuts in classes. Under the deal, faculty agreed to take 4-11% salary cuts, saving the district $9 million. In return, the district kept all of the 163 fulltime faculty who had received notices of potential layoffs earlier in the year. The district also agreed that the schedules for Fall 21 and Spring 22 will be at least 89% of their Fall 2020 levels, roughly 11% larger than the initial schedule published in February. Student services will also be retained at 100% of their Fall 2020 levels. Union members approved the deal with 82% in favor, with 79% of members voting. If the smaller schedule and layoffs of full-time faculty had proceeded, AFT2121 calculated that 477 part timers would have lost their jobs. The minimum schedule guarantee means that fewer part-time faculty will be cut, though final determinations will not be made until the fall schedule and 2021-22 budget is finalized. Currently, the college’s Fall 2021 schedule lists 307 fewer credit and noncredit courses than Fall 2020. According to AFT2121 President Malaika Finkelstein, 11 ESL part-time teachers and Delta continued from page 1 particularly in light of “increased concern over the highly infectious COVID delta variant." The press release also called attention to the fact that 29 other community colleges in California had already adopted vaccine mandates. The Delta variant was referenced three times in the board’s vaccine mandate resolution, noting the increase of cases and hospitalizations in San Francisco due to the highly contagious variant. At an Aug. 16 HEAT press conference held on the steps on Conlan Hall at Ocean Campus, Trustee John Rizzo said he has been pushing for a vaccine mandate for three months. “Our concern is this Delta variant. We don’t even know the implications of it. We don’t know what the long-term effects are,” he said, adding, “This is serious, serious, deadly stuff. Our number one priority at City College has to be to have a space that is safe and healthy for everyone.” Rick Baum, Political Science instructor at City College and

Madeleine Mueller, speaks about the particulate matter effectiveness of donated N-95s and the importance of adequate filtration at press conference at Conlan Hall on Aug. 16. Photograph by Max Hollinger/The Guardsman. Instagram: @mxwsh

37 in other departments have not received assignments for the fall. “Our agreement was a major win,” said Finkelstein in an email. “But I don't want to paint too rosy a picture. We did not guarantee work for everyone who needs it, and there will still be layoffs.” The cuts are intended to partly close a $22 million budget deficit. Faculty, representing 59% of personnel costs, agreed to shoulder HEAT member, said that the adoption of the vaccine mandate was late, coming “Weeks after it was done at hundreds of other colleges.” He added, “Those in charge at City College have not taken timely steps to protect people’s health.” Labor organizer Steve Zeltzer called out the lack of COVID-19 testing on City College’s campus. “You would think after a year of this pandemic there would be testing available,” he said, comparing that unfavorably with Stanford University’s mass testing for students, faculty, and staff. HEAT is also calling for the administration to release details on the college’s building’s compliance with CDC recommendations for ventilation and other COVID-19 safety measures. Music Department Chair and HEAT member Madeline Mueller said the college’s facilities committee will be meeting Aug. 23 to get updates “building by building.” “The campus has older buildings,” Mueller said, “the HVAC systems are different than other schools. We have to get this up to snuff.”

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59% of that deficit, or almost $13 million. $4 million was reduced through retirements, leaving $9 million in salary reductions. City College administrators will also have their salaries reduced by 9.4%, according to a May 21 press release from the college. When potential layoffs were announced earlier in the year, the

district had cited a $35 million budget. However, during negotiations with AFT2121, the administration accepted adjusting that estimate down to the $22 million figure. In a May 11 press release, the college said that the prior higher estimate was because the College had “proceeded very conservatively with its budget estimates.” At the May 10 Board of Trustees meeting where the deal was approved, Finkelstein called attention to the adjustment, saying, “Next time, and there will be a next time, remember whose numbers were reasonable and whose numbers were inflated.” The faculty’s salary concessions will save jobs and classes for the 2021-22 academic year. However, the agreement may only delay layoffs and cuts by a year as they do not address the college’s structural budget deficit. “It plugs an immediate hole, but there will still be a need for ongoing funding,” said AFT2121 in a statement on its website. “It's a one year agreement,” said Trustee Alan Wong in an interview with The Guardsman. “We're going to be in the same budget issue again, next year.” The union thinks the budget deficit could be adjusted down further after accounting for a state cost of living adjustment and increased local sales tax. Finkelstein estimated the deficit is actually around $16 million with these revenues and other

Michael Lyon, former physiology instructor, speaks out regarding City College's poor ventilation system and COVID ramifications on Aug. 16. Photograph by Max Hollinger/the Guardsman. Instagram: @mxwsh

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adjustments. The college is also seeking additional funding, to close the gap. Trustees and City College administrators have been in talks with Supervisors Gordon Mar and Hillary Ronen, and submitted a request for $30 million over two years in emergency funding from the city through the city’s Workforce Education and Emergency Fund (WERF). The board has also passed a resolution urging the city to provide the needed funds. “The board has gone on record in support of additional city funding for City College of San Francisco, and we all are working very hard on those efforts,” said Board of Trustees Vice President Tom Temprano. Faculty, students, and community members, meanwhile, have made videos asking supervisors to support WERF, which Finkelstein will submit to the Board of Supervisors during public comment.

NEWS BRIEF

Union Wins Class Size Concession By Annette Mullaney

annette.mullaney@gmail.com Faculty union AFT2121 negotiations with the City College administration resulted in classes size minimums remaining at 15 for Fall ‘21. The administration, in light of the college’s ongoing fiscal issues, had proposed raising the class minimum to 20. An AFT2121 email announcing the results called the rollback a “major win” on an issue that is “one of the most difficult to negotiate." As a result, credit classes have two weeks to build to an enrollment of 15, while non-credit classes have four. The negotiations also resolved an ongoing issue around whether faculty residing out of state could have their assignments changed. It was determined that there is no policy requiring instructors to reside in-state and that their assignments should not be changed. As the college continues to provide remote classes, faculty and students are not necessarily in the Bay Area. Medical benefits for part-time faculty with reduced loads, which had been established during negotiations last year, will not continue into Fall ‘21, with the college administration citing a lack of funds.

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NEWS | 5

Vol. 172, Issue 1 | Aug. 16 - Aug. 25, 2021

City College has changed leadership in the role of Chancellor ten times in the last decade, twice under current interim Chancellor Dianna Gonzalez, roughly five times over the recent state average. Infographic by JohnTaylor Wildfeuer/The Guardsman.

Deficit continued from page 3 According to Wynd Kaufman, Engineering Instructor & Faculty Adviser to WISE, the Academic Senate unanimously adopted a resolution expressing an ongoing lack of confidence in the college's budgeting process which included recommendations to address the ongoing crises, not just with its budget but with enrollment and registration. Kaufman, who referred to City College as an “amazing, creative, starved survivor with PTSD” at the June 24 meeting added in public comment, “Work with us, don't ignore faculty recommendations. Respect our voice, I know that you all care about the future of this college and are committed to keeping it a community college.” “What I'm saying,” Kaufman went on, “is that if you want the chance to rebuild the city college to the robust community college that it needs to be ... then listen to your faculty, listen to those who are committed to students, and to the vision of a community college.”

Chancellors continued from page 1 during last year’s three-month gap before Vurdien’s chancellorship following then-Chancellor Rocha’s resignation, was elected to the role once again by a ranked choice vote amongst the Board of Trustees from a pool of six candidates who met the position's qualifications standards. Ahead of the vote Trustee Alan Wong said, “We had a diverse group of candidates that interviewed with us both externally and internally, with broad ranges of experiences all across the country.” Farewell, Dr. Vurdien With Dr. Rajen Vurdien’s year as Interim Chancellor concluded, City College and the community it serves prepare to enter new territory as they navigate complex spending plans and explore potential futures. In his closing remarks, outgoing Interim Chancellor Vurdien said, “[City College] is a very creative institution, people have plenty of ideas, people create new programs, people work with students … these are places where

the community demands a lot of the college,” and added, “very often, the college cannot deliver.” Closing with well wishes and optimism that a “united front with a unified request for funding” might yield more support from city and state officials, Dr. Vur-

"The academic senate had a vote of no confidence in the budget process. Whoever you choose should be wary...." dien re-entered retirement with a promise to show up as a commentator at future meetings of the Board of Trustees. Looking Ahead In public comment on the chancellor search in the special Board of Trustees meeting on Jun. 22, music instructor Harry Bernstein said, “The [interim chancellor] should be capable of independent thought. The academic senate had a vote of no confidence in the budget process. Whoever you choose should be wary of the budget process and make sure they get adequate information.” Many have expressed a desire for consistent leadership of City College, which has changed hands ten times in the last decade, passing twice under the interim leadership of current Chancellor Dianna Gonzalez. Board President Shanell Wil-

liams said of the appointment, “We feel strongly that Interim Chancellor Gonzales can provide the transitional leadership and continuity for City College ... as we continue the process of selecting our next permanent Chancellor." Looking Back Since 2010 City College of San Francisco has been led by Don Griffin, Pamela Fisher, Thelma Scott Skillman, Art Tyler, Susan Lamb, Mark Rocha, Dianna Gonzalez, Rajen Vurdien, and, as Deputy Chancellor Gonzalez resumes her role as interim, the Board of Trustees consider City College’s next candidate to permanently fill the role. This trend is less than onefifth the mean tenure length, 5.2 years, of California chancellors, superintendents, and presidents community college chancellors in California according to a 2018 study by the Community College League of California. The Next Step Attendees of upcoming Chancellor Candidate Forums will have the opportunity to contribute directly to the selection process by registering their opinions and impressions directly to the Board of Trustees through surveys distributed during the Aug. 24, 25, and 26 Forums, each of which will begin at 9 a.m. and is expected to end at 4:30 p.m. each day.

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NEWS BRIEF

Poll Showed Faculty Hesitant About Face to Face Instruction By Casey Michie

cmichie1@mail.ccsf.edu An update on City College’s return to campus plan showed continued hesitancy to a return to in-person classes. This hesitancy, presented over the summer at the June 24 Board of Trustees meeting, comes well before the emergence of the more contagious Delta Variant that now accounts for over 90% of cases in the United States. The Spring 2021 Employee Survey, unveiled during the report, found that as of June 7 86% of City College Staff were vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus. However, 49% of employees reported being “somewhat uncomfortable” or “very uncomfortable” with returning to in-person instruction. Top responses given by employees on factors that would improve comfortability with a full return to campus include the full vaccination of employees and students, improved ventilation, and continued mask wearing. Tom Boegel, Vice Chancellor of the College, noted, “[City College’s] plan for the Fall 2021 semester addresses each of these concerns.” As the Delta Variant has wrought more uncertainty to the safety of in-person classes in recent months, City College has since announced a vaccine mandate as of Aug. 12. This move is intended to protect people on campus as 30% of students return to in-person classes this semester.

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6 | CULTURE

Vol. 172, Issue 1 | Aug. 16 - Aug. 25, 2021

California Poppies overlook the newly completed Black Point Historic Gardens. The Gardens will be open to the public Aug. 25. Photograph by Ryan Curran White/Parks Conservancy.

SanFranciscoCelebratesOpening of Black Point Historic Gardens By Casey Michie

Confederate ships through the Golden Gate during the Civil War, the American military seized the land to build an installation. Black Point remained in the American military’s possession until the 1970s, when it was transferred to the management of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. For more than 50 years, the area sat dormant, fenced off and left to the devices of invasive plant species. That is until 2017, when the Park Conservancy and National Park Service began a years-long project to restore the point into its former natural glory. A team of dedicated volunteers led by garden project managers, Shelagh Fritz and Natalie Korengold, worked tirelessly to restore the grounds. However, the work to restore the park to its natural state was met with unforeseen setbacks of the current times. "I hope Black Point “The biggest challenge of working at Black Point historic Historic Gardens will gardens was not having volunteer help during the restrictions of impact the community COVID-19. With only two staff, it was a struggle to see progress,” by providing a welcom- Fritz notes, “COVID also greatly impacted our funding for the ing green space right purchase of plants. We received a generous donation of native in the middle of a busy grasses but we are still in need of more plants to provide colorful area in the city." blooms.” Despite the challenges, the appreciate all those that walked hard work is already paying off as the same slopes generations before residents express excitement about them. the new recreational addition to The rich history of Black Point the San Francisco waterfront. transcends eras. Protected from the Michael Wurm, a resident westward winds that howl through of the Marina District, notes, “I the Golden Gate, Black Point was have spent years walking by this originally home to the Ohlone area, and I am excited to see this people. As years passed Spanish land finally opened to the public. settlers, hopeful 49’ers, and both It will be a great addition to both the Mexican and American mili- our community and the City of San tary occupied the point. Francisco.” A notable resident of the area, Fritz similarly expressed John C. Fremont, one of the first content with the hard work her senators of California, lived on a team has dedicated to the garden, farmstead at Black Point along noting, “The biggest highlight [of with his wife, Jesse Fremont. the project] was seeing the wildHowever, fearing an invasion of flower seed mix bloom this past

cmichie1@mail.ccsf.edu On an east facing hillside along San Francisco’s northern waterfront sits Black Point Historic Gardens, the newest addition to San Francisco’s long list of renowned recreation areas. Upon the park’s opening on Aug. 25, guests will be able to gaze out across the San Francisco skyline, expanses of the Bay Bridge, bustling Fisherman’s Wharf, and the meandering boats across the bay; all from a vantage point closed to the public for over 50 years. Nestled between Fort Mason and Aquatic Park, the one-acre Black Point Historic Gardens will also offer guests much more than views alone. A stroll along the restored pathways will offer visitors an opportunity to marvel at an array of plant species and

spring, covering the hillside with yellow and pink flowers.” Managers of the garden hope the area will serve as a place to teach people about the local ecosystem and the challenges it faces due to climate change. “I hope Black Point historic gardens will impact the community by providing a welcoming

green space right in the middle of diverse gardens, or a chance to a busy area of the city,” Fritz notes appreciate San Francisco history, on the magic of the area, “We aim Black Point Historic Gardens to host volunteer programs to care offers something for both residents for these gardens and to interest and tourists alike. As Beatrice future garden guests in horticul- Kilate, Media and Communication ture, climate change and urban Specialist for Golden Gate pollinator habitat.” National Park Conservancy, writes, Whether you are searching for “There’s history underfoot in the views of the city, a stroll through gardens: come make your way.”

Concrete stairs frame the terraced landscape of the Black Point Historic Gardens. Beginning Aug. 25 the public will be able to visit the hilly Historic Gardens. Photograph by Ryan Curran White/Parks Conservancy.

CULTURE | 7

Vol. 172, Issue 1 | Aug. 16 - Aug. 25, 2021

The Challenge

Art Instructors and Students Hone the Art of Perseverance By Skylar Wildfeuer

skylar.wildfeuer@gmail.com Seventeen months into the ubiquitously traumatic pandemic experience, determined instructors and engaged students find consolation in the interpersonal and communal practice of teaching, learning, and art. City College’s extensive art offerings include ceramics, metal work, printing, sculpture, and several types of painting, by instructors of caliber. Instructor Ming Ren has been teaching Chinese Brush Painting at City College for thirty two years and his work has been exhibited in museums all over the country and the world. City College offers one of the only college courses in Chinese Brush Painting in the United States, and though students attending colleges all over the Bay Area sign up, the program has since its

correct technology, and the current long-distance instruction technology used by the college is simply not set up for studio art instructors. Ren said, “I was struggling with a new program and also working very hard to make sure our education will be able to carry on.” It has also always been a communal space. Ren said he has always facilitated a warm atmosphere in his classes, and is able to extend that to even more people while not limited to the physical confines of an in-person classroom. Despite the distance, Ren believes in the studio class as cultural engagement as much as ever. He encourages students to compete only with themselves and celebrate their progress over the course of a semester. He is proud of his painting class as a meeting point for different cultures in a diverse region. He is very proud

Blue Green Mountain. Painting by Jeannie Wong, 2020.

inception been not just for college students, but for everyone at every age, to enrich their lives while they work, or after they retire. Ren spoke of the herculean adjustments undergone by the art department as they translated studio classes to online courses. Instructors have poured hours and effort into distanced demonstrations of their techniques. Now, everything must be written or planned, whereas, normally in a studio class, as Ren says, “We just talk with the students to share the knowledge in our minds directly.” There have been difficulties in purchasing and implementing the

of the work that his students were able to produce. He said that the time stuck at home and the necessity of home studios actually facilitated significant progress. Ren's student Jeannie Wong characterized her pandemic experience as restrictive, that she was “Not free to go anywhere without second thoughts about being safe.” Another of Ren’s students, May Lee, articulated pandemic life as being, “Isolating, stressful, boring, terrifying.” Those four words resonated heavily with me. The “bizarre world of the pandemic” as Lee put it has had a wild variety of impact on different

people but has inspired many of us to be vigilant about safety and focused on extreme practicality. Vigilance fatigue leaves us disoriented and exhausted. “Attending [Instructor Ren’s] class allowed me to meet with my friends,” Lee said, “attending class was normalizing.” The class seems to have provided Lee both social and emotional stimulation, “Practicing calligraphy calmed me down almost like meditation;mistakes didn’t matter and were sometimes funny.” I am so glad to be able to share Lee and Wong's paintings from Ren's class with you. I've so enjoyed sitting with these beautiful works over the past few days. Fellow student Wong said of her experience, "Focusing on Chinese painting has helped me to preserve my sanity because it requires focus, concentration and consistency," adding that when she produces a god work she is "thrilled," and, "when it's not good, I'm determined to work at it." I am not an artist or art student, but I am an audience and consumer of art. I was able to return to the SFMoMA post-vaccination this summer (the museum itself does not regulate). I viewed an exhibition there titled “Close to Home: Creativity in Crisis'' containing bodies of work from seven bay area artists produced in response to, and in the throes of, the upheaval of 2020. I was most impacted by the titles of florals by Tucker Nichols, a painter who sends his florals in the mail to people who were sick on behalf of their loved ones, a project entitled Flowers For Sick People. In an interview with the museum, Nichols said that, “Increasingly, the requests I’m getting are … related to the virus and people who are suffering from the virus, so it’s really this portrait of what people are going through and how cut off they feel from the people who they’re trying to take care of.” Of course, the scale is changing. Nichols realized he could not send flowers to everyone who deserves them. “So,” he added, “I started posting images of flowers … as sort of tributes to segments of the population at large… and then also ones that were kind of about everyone’s experience of being inside.” He says that these flowers are an attempt to connect about a common experience in isolation. The titles of Nichols’ works were comforting like missives addressed exclusively to me. I first saw “Flowers for Anyone Who Has Mastered the Proper Order of Mask,

Work Life Balance. Painting by Max Hollinger in 2020. Instagram: @mxwsh

Glasses, Headphones, Hat” which paralleled my personal pandemic experience, as did the next, “Flowers for the Radius of A Sneeze.” “Flowers for George Floyd” brought memories of shock and rage that I had not yet connected specifically with the pandemic itself. “Flowers for Those Who Didn’t Make It to the Hospital” and “Flowers for the Inconsolable” shoved me back into my grief. “Flowers for the Realization that Generally Speaking Humans Like to Be Around Other Humans” is an obvious observation, but I have missed humans this past year, and it was cathartic to see my loneliness expressed by another. San Francisco State University student and artist Max Hollinger experienced that loneliness as well. Their first description of their own pandemic experience was as a service industry employee in San Francisco. “As a worker fundamentally you are being used, [but] when it came to the pandemic … the stakes were my life, to keep a business afloat. That’s complicated: a lot of livelihoods were linked to that business. The only choice I could make was to stop working, and not everyone can do that.” This pressure and perilousness has been profound for most of us. Hollinger mentioned “Being totally out of my depth.” Vigilance fatigue compounds with sheer bewilderment at extreme aberrance. They said they felt utterly unprepared. The artist explained, “That’s really the emotion behind the void behind the hand. And then, the composition: I’m underneath and supporting, and the cocktails look weird and ominous in that space,” and added, “When I made this I was really angry and scared and I felt vulnerable. And I love this painting. I stand by it.”

While the pandemic itself has been isolating for Hollinger, having quit their job and lacking in-person classes, art making is a way to connect. “Making art during a time period defined by an event is working collectively.” Hollinger said they felt connected to everyone, and even more motivated to create, “Because the pandemic felt like the end of days, art making felt both more futile and more important than ever. I felt like I had a responsibility as someone who makes art to express and archive my headspace at the time.” Asked what it would mean to know that a work they had made represented another’s experience, they said, “I’d feel emboldened,” and that their sense of purpose in their work would be renewed. Nichols’ work and the rest of “Close to Home: Creativity In Crisis” will be on exhibit at SFMoMA until Sept. 5. Instructor Ming Ren continues to offer a world class education in Chinese Brush Painting in four levels from beginner to advanced at City College. Instructors will continue to cultivate the internal development and communal life of the people of the Bay Area for as long as the state provides funding. Art students will find community and learn to create beauty. Artists will continue to express for us what we knew but could not say.

Girl With Deer. Painting by May Lee, 2020.

8 | OPINION

Vol. 172, Issue 1 | Aug. 16 - Aug. 25, 2021

The Vigil

Mayor London Breed's Ethic Violations Reflect the Pure Irony of Our Justice System By Ava Cohen

avaocohen@gmail.com Mayor London Breed was fined a total of $22,792 for ethics violation on several counts of misusing her title for personal gain; including accepting money for car repairs by the former head of public works department Mohammed Nuru, buying herself two floats in the city’s 2015 Pride parade, and sending a letter to former governor Jerry Brown requesting her brother be released from prison early. Breed claimed that her brother, Napoleon Brown, had turned his life around in prison and that he should receive some leniency regarding his sentence (44 years for robbery and manslaughter). Personally, I fully believe that anyone can turn their lives around with enough effort and support, to decide to make changes in how they conduct themselves, and so I have no issue with this. My frustration lies in the fact that Mayor Breed is willing to make an exception for incarcerated family members while doing little to support other folks who have been incarcerated and are making an effort to turn their lives around. Breed proposed a whopping $689 million budget for the fiscal year 2022-2023 for the San Francisco Police Department, which is around $21 million more than the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2021-2022. Why are we continually investing more in policing when we could be investing in long term solutions like housing, mental health resources, and rehabilitation? Breed recently launched a program called the Dream Keeper Initiative to support African American folks in the city, but the proposed budget is $121 million, less than one fifth of the police department’s proposed budget. Black and Brown communities are disproportionately affected by policing and the carceral system, and to consistently invest more in a demonstrably biased, unjust system is counterproductive to making actual change. According to the census from 2019, only 5.6% of San Francisco was Black (10.1% counting those who claimed two or more races) and yet Black/ African American folks made up 42.6% of the total suspects list for the police department from April 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020.

So if Mayor Breed also believes that incarcerated inmates are more than capable of turning their lives around, why is she not doing more to provide people with resources to do so rather than warehousing them in a system that sets them up to fail? San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin also has an incarcerated family member and he has consistently voiced that incarceration does more to create generational trauma than to reduce crime. This mindset has bred friction between himself and SFPD as well as other wealthy San Francisco residents who feel protected by the police and the criminal justice system, so much so that there is a GOPbacked campaign to recall him. And Breed has yet to utter a word of public support to Boudin, and is even allied with some of the very politicians that are leading this campaign. And how ironic is it that polished figures who work in city hall are able to pay off their fines for illegal activity without a dent to their finances while folks are incarcerated for simply trying to make ends meet? An estimated 13 million misdemeanor charges push people into prison for actions as simple as sitting on the sidewalk (something unavoidable for homeless folks, it should be noted). It’s an endless, vicious cycle that grabs people by their necks to store away in prisons, all to continue the illusion of safety and justice under capitalism, an economic shield for white upper and middle class America, and a bludgeon against the rest. I do have to give Mayor Breed some credit though, as the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2021-22 for homeless resources was increased to almost $672 million. Breed has promised multiple programs that would help homeless San Francisco residents; such as sites with parking spots exclusively for those living in their car, the reopening of emergency shelter beds after COVID-19, and investing in 800-1,000 new units of permanent supportive housing. Homelessness and incarceration in San Francisco are monumental problems that will take years to fix, but investing real money in actionable sums in the safety and wellbeing of those struggling would be a huge step in the right direction.

Illustration by Yuchen Xiao/The Guardsman.

What the "Damn Shot" Taught Me By Erin Blackwell aesthetricks@outlook.com If we want to get back on campus and enjoy the presence of new friends and old, many college students across this great state and country are being told to roll up our sleeves. Many already had. Some of us even got a QR code on our cell phone, thanks to the state’s database and a flouting of patients’ rights. City College of San Francisco has not yet imposed this prerequisite to resuming warm-bodied learning, if and when they reopen our school. Is it fair? Is it legal? Is it good for your health? I don’t have the answers. I can only say I have never seen such eager compliance to restrictions on personal freedom. Oh, yes, I have! At the movies. Think back. Spring Break 2020, the annual fertility ritual erupting on beaches on both coasts, was suddenly being denounced — not as a shameless rut, but as a health threat. Why not let the virus run its course through a healthy population,

since viruses adapt to become more infectious and less lethal? Besides, who wants to deprive a generation of their hormoneinduced rite of passage involving alcohol and sunshine? I could not understand it, any more than I can understand why City College allows a weeklong hiatus to morph into a permanent closure of our campuses.

I was witnessing the town and people I knew turn into doppelgängers whose familiarity was mere façade. On March 13, 2020, the last day CCSF was a freely accessible public institution of higher learning, my Diego Rivera mural talk to Art History 105 was cancelled. I went instead to its sister establishment, the Legion of Honor, to revisit an eerie mini-museum-within-a-museum built like a stage set. Its mirrored

façade, displaying nonidentical duplicates of prints, paintings, and sculpture, was backed by a rough wood wall, creating a circular backstage path. Alone with the dissimilar doubles, I took uncanny glee in circumnavigating this simulacrum of a parallel universe, little knowing this was a foretaste of the real-time simulation to come. Soon I was struggling to adapt to the New Abnormal twins Zoom and Canvas. I missed my peeps. I could not shake the impression that those Sci-Fi Horror flicks I was raised on, that we later laughed at, were prophetic. The terror and panic of The Blob (1958), the unsettling calm of The Stepford Wives (1975). I started researching online, taking notes. Each question sprouted 100 more. There was densely compacted vocabulary to unpack, and scientific papers. I began to see the backstage story not being told in the media glare. I learned to ignore the scary fever charts of new infections and the incessant calls to panic. As weeks turned into months and the maskings of Fall 2020 became the vaxxings of Spring 2021, my film of reference became Invasion of the Body "Shot" continues on page 7

OPINION | 9

Vol. 172, Issue 1 | Aug. 16 - 25, 2021

"Shot" continued from page 8 Snatchers, the original 1956 blackand-white cult fave shot on location in Marin. Like lead actor Kevin McCarthy, I was witnessing the town and people I knew turn into doppelgängers whose familiarity was mere façade. Helpful Talking Heads Now I too am a doppelgänger, having been hollowed out by the restrictions, confusions, and suspicions whipped up into a psychotoxic mousse by corporate media. We’re all under a spell, in the throes of a mass psychosis, no longer relying on our common sense or social reflexes. Check out German psychologist Franz Ruppert’s online dissection of the emotional trauma from fear, isolation, and stress. Mark Crispin Miller, professor of Media Studies at NYU, calls it simply “a masterpiece of propaganda.” Why else would we submit to having our immune systems reconfigured at the whim of the technocracy? The healthy, the asymptomatic, the uninfected, the survivors, the

Novelist and journalist Joan Didion obsessively warned us against the Narrative. I never really understood what she meant until now. naturally immunized — and those never at risk — are being urged, incentivized, and shamed into taking a needle full of experimental gene therapy without the safety net of manufacturers’ liability. Vaccine companies have long sought to immunize themselves against lawsuits after the big payouts in the 1970s and 80s. This unprecedented implementation of untested injections could only proceed without legal protection for the human guinea pigs. By writing these words I lay myself open to some version of the abuse suffered by all conscientious objectors to the global rollout of mask’n’vax. Microbiologist Dr. Judy Mikovits, child welfare activist and environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and alternative medicine guru Dr. Joseph Mercola — to name but three — have had their reputations ruined and livelihoods threatened by a media corrupted by pharmaceutical cash. Rather than give up and go away, these three champions of public health continue to counter the drug dealers’ narrative. Each has now separately written a book on Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) since 1984, the man in charge of vaccines and the gain-of-function research behind them. Gain-offunction (making pathogens more virulent) was called bioweapon research until President Nixon outlawed it in 1970, but the renamed work goes on. Dr. David Martin, the bow-tied talking head of the film Plandemic 2, viewable online, is a somber source of legal argument. In a re-

cent online interview with German lawyer Reiner Fuellmich, Martin rigorously details the series of U.S. patents filed for gain-of-function viruses since 1999. The existence of these patents proves the virus is synthetic (or it could not be patented), the motive is profit, and it’s nothing new. To grasp the secrets of U.S. bioweapons research labs and their catastrophic effects on public health, you must dive into the mysteries of microbiology, nanotechnology, and bioengineering. Worse, you must confront systemic corruption of regulatory agencies by the industries they were designed to regulate. This journey into shady, unfamiliar realms can be daunting, but for me it’s proven enlightening. I heartily encourage you to follow my trail of breadcrumbs. Yes, There is Treatment I’m not a doctor. I haven’t written a book. I’m just a CCSF student nostalgic for free physical enjoyment of the classes, campuses, and camaraderie that humans — the most social of all social animals — need in order to grow and learn. Inoculation with unregulated gene therapy that induces cells to produce toxic spike protein can be lethal, and should not be imposed on any student body as a prerequisite for public education. An actual vaccine — based on attenuated (weakened) virus, not gain-of-function bioengineering — would only be justified if there were no treatment, but there is. The big pushback to the so-called “vaccine” has come from doctors treating their patients with a cocktail of over-the-counter drugs that stops viral replication in the early stages and prevents hospitalization. These include vitamins C and D, zinc, and quercitin. Those doctors with higher profiles, like Dr. Peter McCullough, have been vilified by so-called “fact checkers” and deplatformed, even as they save lives. Dr. Vladimir Zelenko is another treating physician — meaning he sees patients, unlike Dr. Fauci — who lost his job, but saved his patients. Dr. Gerald Hoffe was put under a gag order by the Canadian government after reporting blood clots in over half his patients post-shot. Anyone who’s ever sat through a Hollywood film knows the overwhelming pull of narrative. Novelist and journalist Joan Didion obsessively warned us against the Narrative. I never really understood what she meant until now. Now I know. It’s not a happy feeling. Where are we going with all this, and why? There is no logical explanation for injecting experimental toxins into people not at risk. People under age 45 without comorbidities are not at risk. In order to give our informed consent, we first need to inform ourselves. THE GUARDSMAN OPINION SECTION IS A SPACE FOR CONTINUED DIALOGUE!

SHARE YOUR OPINIONS WITH US AT JT.WILDFEUER@GMAIL.COM WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Fall Events Academic Deadlines August 27

Last day to drop: Full-Term Credit 100% Refund

September 3

Last day to add: Full-Term Credit Courses

September 4-6

Holiday: Labor Day Weekend (No Classes)

November 16

Last day to drop, withdraw or reduce course work to qualify for 50% refund: international and nonresident student tuition and capital outlay fees

December 9

Absolute last day for students to fulfill requirements to remove an Incomplete notation received in the Fall 2020 semester.

December 9

Final examinations for day and evening classes

December 10-13 Final examinations for weekend classes December 17

Last day to file for AA/AS Transfer Degrees

Board of Trustees Meetings

August 26 September 23 October 28 November 16 December 9 Chancellor Forums

August 24 August 25 August 26

10 | COMMUNITY

Vol. 172, Issue 1 | Aug. 16 - Aug. 25, 2021

COMMUNITY | 11

THE GUARDSMAN NEEDS YOU TELL US WHAT YOU THINK OF THE CANDIDATES FOR CHANCELLOR

12 | SPORTS

Vol. 172, Issue 1 | Aug. 16 - Aug. 25, 2021

Full Fall Schedule Brings Normalcy, Excitement to Athletics Department By Kaiyo Funaki

kaiyo.funaki@gmail.com For the first time in nearly 18 months, City College athletics are officially back, with the fall schedule set to feature a full season from seven teams. Men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s volleyball and water polo, and football will each have the chance to play a standard schedule along with a shot at the postseason, an opportunity they didn’t get after the COVID-19 pandemic halted everything in March 2020. Both men’s and women’s soccer, as well as water polo, did play an abbreviated schedule earlier in the spring, but their scrimmages didn’t count and were ultimately treated as more of a tune-up than anything else. To ensure that the season proceeds as smoothly as possible, coaches, athletes, and other department faculty still get tested once a week via a saliva PCR test, wear masks when not participating in physical activity, and maintain social distancing whenever possible. There is no interaction between the different teams either, as each sport has a designated block of practice time that prevents them from running into each other. Men’s basketball coach and newly appointed athletics department chair Justin Labagh said that the department as a whole is, “according to the trainers, right around 85% immunity." The department also submitted an R2C, or a return to campus form, in the hopes of allowing

Alyssa Forsman looks for an open teammate in a match against Santa Rosas College on September 13, 2019. Photograph by Eric Sun/The Guardsman.

Labagh Steps Up As New Department Chair By Angela Greco

a_greco511@yahoo.com NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen famously said, “I’m always ready to step up and take that shot.” Some may call it arrogance, but given his track record, you could more eloquently call it confidence. Enter new department chair, Justin Labagh. The man who reluctantly stepped up to the plate when duty called, with pedigree to boot. With the athletic department recently shrunk due to cuts, men’s basketball coach Justin Labagh has gracefully taken on an additional role as department chair. Previous chair holder Dan Hayes announced in May of this year that he was stepping down amid his retirement. Of course, this news happened to fall on the heels of an unprecedented pan-

demic year; a year of poor numbers due in part to no in-person classes, which ultimately resulted in cuts to both budgets and staff. When asked how the decision came about, Labagh simply said, “Someone had to do it.” There had been a vote, one that seems to have been based on trust, transparency and lack of anyone else as willing to do it. Hayes stepped down in May. By June 1st, Labagh started what he called a “whirlwind of craziness.” After the vote, the ballot was counted, collected and passed on to human resources. After pushing through a year filled with uncertainty, the tight-knit group of instructors, trainers, and coaches that make up what is left of the department had unanimously fought for a return to campus, along with someone willing to fight for that request.

“Overwhelmingly, every single one of them wanted to come back. So then I just went to work,” Labagh said. Labagh said the hardest part is actually getting everyone back, with the additional challenge of meeting new protocols put into place from the COVID-19 pandemic. One challenge was form-

"Every one of them just wanted to come back." ing an “R2C” (return to campus) plan and adapting to a seemingly endless onslaught of obstacles that continuously fluctuate based on the ever-changing restrictions Labagh said. Yet, Labagh recognized how resilient the sports department is and continues to be so during this

fans to attend home games this season, which Labagh is confident will pass. Nonetheless, the fact that City College could prepare for this upcoming season was all thanks to the countless hours the staff put in over the summer. "Our athletic directors, a lot of coaches, ran towards the fire and went to go try and put this thing out and give our student-athletes the ability to come back and compete this fall and spring,” Labagh said. “There’s people here that put in 30 hour weeks throughout the entire summer without a paycheck to make sure that we get our athletes back.” These efforts weren’t lost upon the student-athletes either, who appreciated just how much went into making this season a reality. “I think our training staff, Sara Golec and Emerald Molina, did a good job of working hard,” sophomore quarterback Jack Newman said. “Behind the scenes, there's a lot of people who helped out and have been doing everything they can to help us get back on the field ... without their efforts, we wouldn't have the possibility of playing.” Even while the threat of the Delta variant looms large, coaches and athletes alike believe that City College has created an environment where everyone feels as protected as possible. “... We're pretty optimistic about our ability to persevere through this year, but we're not naive to the fact that what's going on with the Delta variant is not just real, but very dangerous,'' football coach Jimmy Collins said. “... but because of the way we mask, because of the way we social distance, because of our constant testing, because we do essentially everything outdoors, we're very confident in what we do on campus that everyone is safe.” Sophomore forward Megan Celillo of the women’s soccer team

offered a similar opinion from the perspective of a student-athlete. “The City College program has done an extremely good job at trying to control it, and having a really good plan. Right now we're being tested every Monday, so if an outbreak does happen, we can catch it right away before it spreads to too many girls,” she said. “... With the new variant, I feel like if we’re diligent enough to stick to what the guidelines are, it should be fine.” With the clarity that a full season and a safe environment provides, the student-athletes can now focus on their excitement for real competition and building the camaraderie that plays such an important role in team sports. “It's been 18 months, and that first game, just getting on the

time. They are a department with natural tenacity, one which comes with a good worth ethic and a strong desire to win. Labagh said, “I’m dealing with a lot of competitive people here. All the faculty in our department that were granted classes were like, ‘let’s go through it and see what you can get done.’” Men’s basketball associate head coach Adam D’Acquisto has faith that the morale of the department is on the up and up, despite coming off a frustrating year. In a sense, they are hoping that this is as low as things get so at this point it can only get better. “Obviously the cuts are very frustrating, the administration cutting the wages of people is very frustrating,” D’Acquisto said. “But we can either sit around and complain about it or keep plugging through and fol-

low Justin’s lead and have faith that we’re gonna get back into a better position.” One area that Labagh is not worried about is obtaining his current role as the men’s basketball head coach. Not only is there a strong level of trust within the staff, but he and his coaching staff have been together since the day Labagh took over the coaching program more than twenty years ago, calling them a “well-tuned engine.” One of Labagh’s greatest challenges will be defining the athletic department’s strategy going forward. However, as a traditional hotbed of innovation and ingenuity, there are expectations that he will guide the City College program with renewed optimism and vigor. Through adversity comes opportunity, and we remain a beacon of light in a dark time.

"Behind the scenes, there's a lot of people who have helped out and been doing everything they can." field and knowing it's finally back will be really exciting. But aside from that, I'm just looking forward to every day trying to get better, doing what we can, and hopefully getting the most out of the talent and our potential as a group,” Newman said. Sophomore forward for the women’s soccer team Iliana Sanchez doesn’t know if she’ll play organized soccer after this season, so the ability to play alongside her teammates for potentially the last time is something she doesn’t take for granted. “I’ve been playing since I was five years old,” she said. “I'm just looking forward to being competitive … and I’m super excited to be playing with these girls and playing at a high, competitive level.”