Volume 141, Issue #1
News
CATASTROPHES NARROWLY AVERTED OVER BREAK
BY
ELIZABETH PFEFFER
Editor
LESLIE HICKS / GUARDSMAN |
Downed cypress trees and a broken water line caused worry on Ocean campus in the weeks before spring semester began, but administrators were able to identify the cause of both problems, enabling classes to resume on schedule.
As a result of back-to-back storms packing heavy rain and 50 mph winds, three tall trees uprooted and fell over on Dec. 31, flattening a large section of construction fencing on Judson Avenue and damaging two bungalows.
The college took another blow when a pipeline in front of the Visual Arts building broke on Jan. 9, completely submerging the courtyard beside it with 1 foot to 16 inches of water.
The consequences of both incidents could have been far worse, said James Keenan, director of buildings and grounds.
One tree crashed into and penetrated the roof of Bungalow 218, obstructing its entrance and the entrance to Bungalow 217. After weighing the cost and effects of repair, the school has decided to tear down both bungalows.
Fortunately, new 700 bungalows were erected by the North Gym last semester, and Dean of Faculty Support and Scheduling Terry Hall was able to relocate the photography and foreign language classes originally assigned to the two damaged bungalows.
“If it weren’t for that (the 700 bungalows) we wouldn’t have had any place to put them,” Hall said.
Another cypress that fell near the Judson Avenue and Phelan Avenue Student Health Center construction area slammed branches and debris down into the street where students park and walk during the day.
Ocean campus was almost completely deserted the weekend of New Year’s, except for a few neighbors like Pauline Abert walking their dogs. But if trees were to fall on a school day, the outcome could be catastrophic if someone were injured.
LESLIE HICKS / GUARDSMAN |
After hiring a team of arbori-sts to identify any more dangers and consulting the Sunnyside Neighborhood Association, Chancellor Philip R. Day, Jr. sent out a press release on Jan. 18, verifying that all the cypresses on the north side of campus need to be removed.
Trees started to get cut down on Jan. 19, while landscapers draw up a new design for the area.
More people were on campus when the water main sprung a leak than when the trees fell, but the damage could have been costly had the wrong rooms filled with water.
The Visual Arts building was inundated by the flood, but Keenan said the damage was significantly less than expected. The computer lab, which was Keenan’s main concern, went unharmed by the water.
Keenan said the pipe pulled apart because of the pressure. The volume of water lost is uncertain, but it was enough to flood the courtyard, travel through the Visual Arts building, empty out near Batmale Hall and flow as far as the tennis courts.
"The good part was that it was draining right through the building," Keenan said. “But it’s a 4-inch pipe with 100 pounds of pressure so that’s a lot of water.”
Fire Station 15 from Ocean Avenue and Phelan Avenue was the first to arrive, and then the San Francisco Water Department turned off the water feeding through the pipe.
"The good news is class wasn’t in session, so everything was put away. It could have been a lot worse, but I don’t think it's ever good when this type of thing happens," said Dean of Liberal Arts Bruce Smith, who witnessed the flood.
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS HIGHLIGHTS ANNIVERSARY
BY
STEVE MOWLES
Editor
JACK KARP / GUARDSMAN |
As part of City College’s 70th anniversary celebration, respected alumnus W. Michael Blumenthal treated a crowd of about 200 to his wit and wisdom during a conversation with San Francisco Chronicle editor Robert Rosenthal on Jan. 11 at the Herbst Theatre.
Blumenthal, a native of Germany, spoke of fleeing the wrath of the Nazi Regime as a young Jewish boy, immigrating to San Francisco with just $60 dollars and working as an elevator operator by night and a City College student by day.
He has been a Princeton Scholar, and as Secretary for the United States Department of the Treasury, he has left an indelible mark on America: He has seen his signature appear on dollar bills. And he has forgiven those who tried to exterminate his people.
On the advice of a friend, Blumenthal began his college education at City College of San Francisco in 1948. “They’ll take anyone. You can get in,” he was told.
He didn’t have a specific plan, but he knew he wanted to study economics and international affairs.
“I had seen so much of bad government, I had seen so much injustice,” he said. “I wanted to understand how the world and how the economy works and who makes the decisions. Why was there war? Why was there so much Why was there so much injustice in the world?”
In three semesters, Blumenthal earned the grades to transfer to the University of California, Berkeley. He then received a scholarship to Princeton University where he earned two master’s degrees and a doctorate in economics.
Fourteen years after coming to this country as a stateless refugee, Blumenthal began his career in public service as former president John F. Kennedy’s Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs. He has also served as a U.S. Ambassador, and as Secretary of the Treasury under former president Jimmy Carter.
Blumenthal credits his success to hard work and luck.
“I remember being tired when I was at City College. I worked nights and I worked weekends. But if you have a dream, push it. It’s not going to be easy,” Blumenthal said. “But you also have to be at the right place at the right time.”
The native German speaker also suggested other methods for getting ahead “I cheated again and took a German course, that’s a trick for somebody.”
Of all his accomplishments, Blumenthal considers his work at the Jewish Museum Berlin to be the most lasting.
As director of the museum he feels it is important to tell young people about the importance of tolerance.
“Tolerance between different minorities and ethnic groups and religions,” he said.
The museum tells the over-2,000-year story of Jews on German soil. It contains everything from 1,756 iron crosses from German Jewish soldiers to a pair of Levis.
“What we actually have in the museum are not many valuable things, they are basically memorabilia,” he said.
“It looked for a while that this group of German Jews, who had lived on German soil for 2,000 years; some of them, they were gone, were wiped out. They would be forgotten,” Blumenthal said. The museum has restored their place in history.
“I often think of my parents and my grandparents. And I say to myself ‘If they were alive today they would be happy.’”
Spring 70th Anniversary Events
On Feb. 1, “The Smell of Camphor, Fragrance of Jasmine” will be available in room 305. The black comedy is about a film director who, after the Iranian Revolution, has not worked in 20 years. He is convinced his death is near and decides to make a film about his own funeral.
On Feb. 15, “Ten”, a film about an Iranian woman driving through the streets of Tehran, can be seen in room 305 of the Rosenberg Library. The driver has conversations with different passengers on issues such as sex, religion, divorce and love.
On March 9, the Diego Rivera Theatre will present “The Meeting,” a play about the meeting that should have occurred between Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. The play represents the philosophies and beliefs of both powerful icons.
On May 3 at noon, the East Meets West Author Event will take place at Rosenberg Library. Asian-American authors will be reading and discussing their works to celebrate Asian-Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Following the lecture, there will be a book sale, book signing and reception.
e-mail: metronews@theguardsman.com
CAMPUS POLICE AIM TO CARRY FIREARMS
BY JON GUNTON
Editor
DAN ELDRIDGE / GUARDSMAN |
A man suspected of assaulting a custodian was arrested at Ocean campus on Dec. 17, resurrecting old questions regarding the general safety of the City College environment.
Ronald Thompson was arrested in the Arts Extension building after campus police responded to reports of a wanted suspect roaming the campus. Thompson had an additional $10,000 in outstanding warrants.
“He is well known here,” said City College police Chief Carl S. Koehler. “He keeps returning to us.”
Thompson was wanted in connection with an assault on custodian Dennis Phan that occurred on Nov 22. Phan was not seriously injured.
Incidents like this have called into question the overall safety of City College. One of the solutions presented by campus police has the potential to stir some controversy.
“It is as busy as a medium-size city,” Koehler said. “We are also right in the middle of an urban area, responding to some of the same types of things as the SFPD.”
Now, due to a recent surge in cases involving weapons, campus police are asking the San Francisco Community College District to allow them to carry firearms.
All of the officers hired by the college police department are certified police officers who have graduated from the police academy. They are currently allowed to carry pepper sprays and batons, but are not permitted to carry firearms.
Koehler has begun to actively push the process through the college’s shared governance process. If approved by the several committees that make up the governance, the proposal will then go to the board of trustees for a vote.
“The proposal was passed along by the health and safety committee with a positive recommendation,” Koehler said. “It’s pretty big, and there is a whole college constituency that we must explain our reasoning to.”
However, the department’s proposal has raised more safety questions and concerns.
“I wonder if it really makes the campus safer,” student Bill Soellner said. “Or does it introduce a new element that wasn’t there before? I am worried it would lessen our safety.”
Koehler said he is mindful of these concerns, and noted that all officers would be retrained to fully adhere to a detailed firearm policy outlined by the district.
“We’ve gotten some positive feedbacks, and we’ve had some concerns voiced,” Koehler said.
A recent upswing in weapons-related cases in the last year has caused Koehler and the department to push for the policy change. Fifteen cases occurred in the last calendar year, one as recently as Jan. 10.
“The job here can be dangerous. Our officers do all the things that any other police officer in California does,” Koehler said. “You wouldn’t want to call a fireman who wasn’t allowed to use a fire hose.”
e-mail: citynewseditor@theguardsman.com
DEAN ELIZABETH BRENT, LONGTIME FACULTY MEMBER DIES
BY STEVE MOWLES
Editor
|
Elizabeth Brent, dean of Out-reach and Recruitment Services and founder of the African American Achievement Program at City College, died on Dec. 25. She was 63.
Brent worked at City College for 26 years as a teacher and administrator. She became dean of Outreach and Recruitment Services in 2000.
She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of California Berkeley with a master’s degree in social work. She applied her education to the youth mentoring programs she developed for City College.
In 1989, Brent and a group of faculty met to discuss the low enrollment and high dropout rate of black students, who at the time made up less than one percent of the student body.
To address the problem, Brent developed the African American Achievement Program and authored the original program manual, based on the motto “accept the challenge to excel.”
The State Chancellor’s Office funded the program with a grant in 1989. It was the first grant from the Extended Opportunity Program given for the sole purpose of assisting black students.
The three-semester program motivates students to improve their reading, writing and math skills, and to realize their full academic potential. It encourages students to learn about their heritage and their role in America.
The State Chancellor’s Office selected Brent’s idea as an exemplary program for its achievement in providing a solid foundation for students to succeed, not only in school but also in their personal lives. It has been duplicated by other community colleges and continues to assist students at City College.
Brent also served as coordinator for diversity relations at City College, supervisor for the Southeast campus and chairwoman for the departments of General Counseling and African American Studies.
She was a counselor in the San Francisco Assessment Cen-ter, the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services Depart-ment, the Women’s Re-entry to Education Program, the Women’s Resource Center and the Career Development and Placement Center.
Brent is survived by her two sons Brent Anthony Gobby and Christian Brent, as well two nephews. She will be missed by all of her relatives and friends.
e-mail: metronews@theguardsman.com
BY CLAUDIA NOVOA
Contributing Writer
LESLIE HICKS / GUARDSMAN |
For the first time, City College introduced winter intersession classes, offering eight classes at Ocean campus from Jan. 3 to Jan. 14.
“Although it was fairly small, I think it went pretty well,” said Terry Hall, dean of faculty support and scheduling.
Hall is in charge of scheduling and monitoring evening and weekend sessions. The program offered classes ranging from singing, to racism and sexism courses. Four special classes for probationary students were also offered as preparation for the spring semesters.
“We wanted to try it out so that people can get used to the idea,” Hall said. “It’s very hard to make a major change right away. You have to do it in increments, and this is a way of breaking people in and giving them exposure to something different.”
Howard Dukor and his wife Noriko are currently working on a musical comedy. Both said they benefited from the intermediate voice class.
“We are learning a lot of breathing and acting techniques. We are always open to learn more. We just want the information to be incorporated into our act,” Dukor said.
BY STEVE MOWLES
Contributing Writers
• Chancellor Philip R. Day, Jr. outlined the progress on all projects. Much of the work for improving the technology infrastructure of City College has been complete. All buildings and campuses have been wired, and the entire district has internet access and email. Fiber optic cable is being installed to improve connectivity within the district.
• Renovation projects on the Science Hall, the Downtown campus and the Alemany campus have all been completed. The seismic upgrade on the Evans campus is also complete.
• Ocean campus construction is under way for the Community Wellness Center and the Student Health Center. The Wellness Center should be complete in the fall of 2007; the Health Center should be complete in June of this year. The new facilities at the Mission campus are in the construction phase. The project should be complete in the fall of 2007.
e-mail: metronews@theguardsman.com
BY JON GUNTON
Editor
The NFL playoffs are what I live for, what I look forward to.
Some people wait for summer, some wackos for the holidays, but me, I pine for the pigskin post season.
Don’t get me wrong, I am no jock, the only sport I played in high school was running from the police, and the only athletic inclination I ever expressed was fully utilizing my lung capacity for six-foot bong rips.
However, I grew up in Cleveland, and one thing everybody has in common there (other than an inferiority complex) is the football team.
My fondest memories are of drunken adults shouting at the television at our beloved home team. Little did I know then that one day I would become one of those adults.
And what an adult I’ve become. Yes, our team hasn’t been in the playoffs for sometime, but as I matured I learned that wasn’t the only thing this glorious time of year is about.
Of course you want your team to be there, but if it isn’t, at least you have an excuse to hold four mind-numbing weekends of intoxication, one after the other.
I am not encouraging benders. In fact I discourage them. One of my playoff drinking marathons when I lived in another city ended with my buddy falling down the long staircase that led to a subway tunnel. The huge bruises told the story better than I ever could.
As I have crisscrossed the country in my young adult life, I have learned that one thread holds us together as Americans. Not our beliefs, or our freedoms, but our unabashed love of binge drinking. And some people like football too.
e-mail: citynewseditor@theguardsman.com
SAN FRANCISCO COMMUNITY COLLEGE POLICE DISPATCH
|
Dec. 19, 9:00 p.m.
Castro / Valencia Campus
An officer was dispatched to a report of a fight. The officer found a student with a swollen eye. The student said that he was in a verbal fight with another student. After a shoving match one student was punched in the face. Both students were referred to the dean of students for the incident.
Dec. 22, 10:28 p.m.
Ocean Campus
An officer saw a vehicle driving erratically in the reservoir parking lot. The officer stopped the vehicle and determined that the juvenile driver was illegally transporting other juveniles. The driver was issued a citation and his passengers were picked up by their parents. The officer discovered that one juvenile was in possession of an illegal knife. The knife was confiscated and the incident was referred to the San Francisco Police Department’s Juvenile Division.
City College at Large
Call or e-mail Steve Mowles with campus-wide news at: (415) 239-3446 or metronews@theguardsman.com
Evans Campus
On Jan. 27 there will be a six-hour motorcycle maintenance class. The class will provide a sampling of the motorcycle program offered by City College. The hands-on workshop will cover systems overview, tune-up and trouble shooting procedures, demos on brake bleeding, chain adjustment and oil change. There will be a free lunch provided by Arguello Catering.
Downtown Campus
San Francisco author Pamela Johnson will discuss her recent books, “From a Hard Rock to a Gem: A Memoir of a Lost Soul,” “I’ll Cry Tomorrow” and “The Trouble is I Fell in Love” on Feb.7, at 10 a.m. on the 8th floor. Johnson’s previous novels speak to the concerns of inner city residents. “I’ll Cry Tomorrow,” deals with the issues of people infected with HIV .
Mission Campus
A course is being offered called Ethnic Peoples in America: Nation Building To Nations Unbound. The six-week intensive survey course spans 600 years of U.S. culture and politics. The class, which began on Jan. 20, will explore how race has defined American concepts of ethnicity, class, gender and sexuality, and how it continues to shape the identity of many different people in the world today.
Alemany Center
The Associated Stu-dents / Inter-Club Council started a fund drive to benefit Hurricane Katrina victims. Students at the Alemany Campus donated $1,100 for the Community College of San Francisco Katrina Relief Fund. City College is participating in a state-wide community college effort.
Short Cuts
Parking Fee Increase
Parking fees in the reservoir went up to $2 on Jan. 23. From now on, campus police will issue citations to parking violators who neglect to pay the $2 fee. There will be no student parking on the east side of the campus during the day, and restricted parking after 5 p.m. Posted parking signs will describe limitations.
Late Night Studying
Based on a Princeton Review report, more than a third of students surveyed said that they do most of their studying between 9 p.m. and midnight, and 62 percent admitted drinking caffinated drinks to help increase focus and concentration while studying.
Marijuana Slows College Students Down
A study of 129 college students found that, for heavy users of marijuana, critical skills related to attention, memory and learning were significantly impaired. The heavy marijuana users were less able to sustain and shift their attention than the study participants who had used less marijuana. They also had problems in registering, organizing and using information. Someone who smokes marijuana every day may be functioning at a reduced intellectual level permanently.