A N AT I O N A L PA C E M A K E R AWA R D N E W S PA P E R
n o i t i d E l a i Spec
Volume 56, Special Edition May 2013 Commencement www.theswcsun.com
National City, San Ysidro given center status, funds
WRITER RETURNS A
“Babylon 5” creator J. Michael Straczynski receives honorary degree By Nickolas Furr Senior Staff Writer
shows, “Babylon 5,” “Crusade” and “Jeremiah” as well as numerous TV movies – winning multiple Hugo and Writing legend J. Michael Straczynski Emmy Awards. As a screenwriter he has has created many heroes and superheroes worked on five movies that earned more who fight for freedom and justice in his than $1 billion worldwide, including television shows, motion pictures, stories “Thor,” “Underworld Awakening,” and and comic books. the upcoming “World War Z,” starring Then he became one himself. Brad Pitt. He earned a British Academy When a prior Southwestern College Award screenplay nomination for administration ordered the student “Changeling,” which was directed by newspaper to stop printing right as it was Clint Eastwood and featured Angelina about to break a story about corruption Jolie. He has written more than 300 involving construction comic books, developed contracts, Straczynski flew “Where is his own line of comics, into action. He paid for and earned Eisner and the entire September 2010 it written Inkpot Awards. For issue of The Sun and the that all our a decade he was the roots of the massive South creative force behind Bay Corruption Case found dreams must Spider-Man comics. public light. Though ridiculously be small When Southwestern busy, he said it did not College students celebrating ones?” take long to decide their commencement - J. Michael to accept the SWC accept their associate honorary degree. degrees, they will be Straczynski, “ Te n s e c o n d s ,” joined by honorary degree Straczynski said. “Nine awardees Straczynski and Babylon 5 of which were taken up South County Economic by typing, ‘Yup, I’m Development CEO Cindy Gompper- honored and will happily attend.” Graves. Awarded by the SWC Academic Straczynski fans span generations. Senate and approved by the governing SWC student Alberto Apalategui is one. board, the honorary degree is the “I enjoy his unique ability to charge college’s highest honor. the characters in his comics with plenty A Chula Vista kid made good, of feelings, making them much more Straczynski has become a revered figure relatable to readers,” he said. “I read as a science fiction writer across several ‘Superman: Earth One’ and felt so much media. He is a 1974 SWC transfer compassion for Clark Kent because I student and an SDSU grad with degrees felt like I could relate to his alienation. in psychology and sociology. He was We’ve all been there before at some point recently named one of “SDSU’s All- in our lives.” Time Coolest Graduates” by the San Pete Herrera, professor of mathematics, Diego Union-Tribune. is also a fan. Probably best known as “‘Babylon 5’ came at a time when our the creator of the seminal world entered the uncertainty of the science fiction television post-Cold War era, delving into many s h o w “ B a b y l o n 5 ,” of the socio-political issues we faced,” Straczynski has flourished he said. “Through all the conflict, there in numerous careers. He was always hope for peace through began as a journalist, publishing building a community that transcended more than 500 articles. As our differences – culture, race, power, a TV writer he penned and economics. ‘Babylon 5’ is without more than 300 produced a doubt among the finest science fiction episodes, including ever created.” “Murder, She Wrote.” In September 2010 Straczynski put He created his own on his own hero uniform to save the Southwestern Sun student newspaper. Following two contentious years where former president Raj Chopra and ex-VP Nicholas Alioto lashed out against jour-
By Thomas Baker News Editor
Nickolas Furr/Staff
HOMETOWN HERO - J. Michael Straczynski signs copies of his new comic book “Ten Grand” at Yesteryear Comics in Clairemont Mesa. Straczynski has written numerous ground-breaking comics, TV shows, screenplays and created “Babylon 5.”
nalism students and faculty — which included menacing threats of arrests of several Sun staffers and their advisor by armed campus police— the staff of The Sun was preparing an issue with an investigation that included shocking evidence of corruption by Alioto and governing board members. In a desperate bid to block publication, Chopra and his vice presidents unearthed a never-used 20-year-old print bidding policy and ordered the newspaper advisor not to print The Sun. The advisor refused to comply with the order. The staff decided to find private funding and print at a secret location. At that point Straczynski began to hear stories from Sun staffers, SWC library employees, faculty members and fellow SWC graduates. “I hate tyranny and I hate bureaucracy,” he said. “When I found out what was going on, and the way an obscure rule was being used to suppress the truth and repress the right of the students to publish… well, no way was I going to let that stand.” Straczynski wired the money to the printer and paid for the entire issue. “If the only way to ensure that the truth got out there and the issue came out was for me to pony up the cash for that to happen, then so be it,” he said. “What’s life it you don’t stand up for something from time to time?”
Former Sun Editori n - C h i e f Ly n d s a y Winkley initially contacted Straczynski. She said his response w a s “s w i f t a n d gracious.” “ I w a s b l ow n away,” she said. “ He w a s s o passionate about our cause. His fervor for freedom of expression was inspiring and motivating for myself and the rest of the staff.” Straczynski said the cause was just. “I think it’s important in every circumstance to confront bureaucratic stupidity, cupidity, deceitfulness, malice, intimidation and manipulation, especially when it’s being done deliberately to either repress the truth or stomp upon the First Amendment freedom of the press,” he said. “In this case, the abuse was so obvious, so offensive in its deliberateness, that it practically demanded response.” A superhero team of Spider-Man, Captain Sheridan and Thor could not have rescued free speech any better than that.
STRACZYNSKI Q&A WITH NICKOLAS FURR
VISIT THESWCSUN.COM/STRACZYNSKI
photos courtesy of Marvel Entertainment and Babylon Productions
SWC looks to receieve funding windfall from state By Thomas Baker News Editor
For the first time in several years the California May budget revisions appear to offer substantial funding increases to Southwestern College. Though college administrators and employees all seem to agree that the figures released by Gov. Jerry Brown represent good news for SWC, they diverge on how much new money is coming and how it should be spent. Restoration funds from the state will be about $1.1 million, according to SWC Vice President of Business and Fiscal Affairs Steve Crow. This would add about 260 Full-Time Equivalent Student (FTES) funding units to the FY 13-14 budget, he said, on top of the 14,731 already set as the base FTES for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Higher FTES means money for additional classes, he said. Funds for Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) may equal 1.57 percent, said
Crow. SWC’s share of the COLA could be to three percent. Confidentials have the nearly $1 million. same agreement, administrators have the Classified union president same agreement. There is no Bruce MacNintch said he is negotiated agreement with the cautiously optimistic about district and faculty, so therefore the news from Sacramento. right now, the faculty would “We would like to see a not be entitled to any of that.” COLA increase,” he said. Faculty union president Eric “We haven’t had one since Maag agreed the May revise is 2007. So we’re keeping our good news for SWC. He said eyes open to see what the negotiations have not reached legislature decides on that.” a point where talk on faculty MacNintch said his union COLA could commence. MacNintch has an agreement with the “It’s actually more money district to receive half of any state COLA than (the college) anticipated getting,” he increase. He said the COLA would only be said. “So it’s really good news, especially with for the groups that made salary concession the offsite center campuses receiving status deals with the district earlier this year. and funding. It looks like we’re getting close “There is nothing in the faculty contract to between $5-$6 million of new money for that entitles them to a COLA,” he said. “It’s Southwestern College.” the same with the money from the center Throughout the year SWC administrators (see adjacent story.) We have an agreement have told employees that the college faced that says with the monies from the center a $5.8 million deficit in fiscal year 2013our pay cut goes from five percent down 14. Crow said the tentative budget would
include about $2.2 million in additional funding following the state’s decision to grant center status to the San Ysidro and National City satellite campuses. The tentative budget will reflect partial salary restoration based upon achieving center status, Crow said. “COLA will not be included in the tentative budget,” he said. “Hopefully, the state budget will be approved on or around June 15th. At that time the approved COLA rates will be included in our revised tentative budget and all triggers of agreed salary restoration related to the COLA.” Crow said the tentative budget would reflect a smaller deficit than the original $5.8 million projection. “The business office is currently loading operational and personnel expenses into the system,” he said. “Please remember the tentative budget is a starting point as we work together to build a final adopted budget in September.”
An intensive two-year campaign to have the National City and San Ysidro satellite campuses granted state educational center status has succeeded and a $2.2 million funding bonus may follow. Steve Crow, vice president of business and financial affairs, said the new revenue would be added to the unrestricted general fund and would be used to reduce the deficit and serve more students. Normally stoic SWC President Dr. Melinda Nish was effusive. “Our chancellor, Brice Harris, spoke very eloquently in favor of approving our centers and spoke to the board of governors members about the efficacy, efficiency and value of having centers,” she said. “It was a unanimous vote and we wanted to jump and yell right then and there, but we weren’t able to because we were being videotaped and they were still meeting.”
$2.2 million in new funds come with state center status
There was disagreement among college leaders as to how the $2.2 million will be dispersed. Some union officials said they expect part of the windfall to be used to restore salary reductions. Management, classified and confidential employees agreed to a five percent salary reduction for two years in February to prevent layoffs. In March, following the surprise resignation of trustee William Stewart, the governing board voted against layoffs. Classified union president Bruce MacNintch said his unit’s contract with the district stipulated that the five percent cuts from academic years 2013-14 and 2014-15 would be lowered to three percent if both campuses were granted state center status. College spokesperson Lillian Leopold disagreed. She said that 50 percent of the new center status revenue ($1.1 million) will be used to reduce salary cuts taken by most staff, but not faculty. Management, classified and confidential employees would get a percentage of the $1.1 million based upon their percentage of the total number of employees. According to Leopold, classified staff comprises of 31 percent of the SWC’s total employees, so they would receive about $341,000 to restore salaries, management and confidentials comprise roughly 22 percent and receive about $242,000. She said the remainder would have been used to restore funding to any concessions to faculty, had its union come to an agreement. “It is the college’s commitment to use a portion of the funding to partially restore pay reductions for the three units that have reached an agreement with the college: classified employees, management and confidentials,” said Leopold. “The remaining $1.1 million and the funding not going to a faculty agreement will be used for programmatic purposes at the two centers. Understanding that the largest portion of program expenses are for salaries, that funding will most likely be used for salaries for maintaining and expanding programs at the two centers.” Randy Beach, Academic Senate president, said revenue from center status will be spread around the district to support classes, programs and services for students. He said center status is good news and will help provide more classes for students in the communities the centers serve. “It’s a psychological victory as well,” he said. “Many people have worked very hard to achieve this goal and it couldn’t come at a better time than now when we’re struggling with how to handle a significant structural deficit.” Beach said he believes the revenue from center status will help students throughout the district. “It supports more stability in budget planning and allows for us to restore access to classes and student services that have been lost in the recent years of declining revenues and apportionment cuts,” he said.