Volume 142, Issue #5
News
ACTIVIST'S TALK COVERS FAMOUS LOGGING PROTEST
BY
JOHN SERVATIUS
Staff Writer
Julia "Butterfly" Hill lived in a tree she called "Luna" for two years to prevent loggers from cutting it down. GUARDSMAN |
The Diego Rivera Theatre overflowed when Julia “Butterfly” Hill, the iconic environmentalist, made her scheduled appearance on Oct. 5.
Outside the entrance, and before the crowd entered the lobby, “Diamond” Dave Whitaker, City College’s vice president of cultural affairs, introduced Jorge Molina of the Native American Study Organization and Christopher Gomora, also known as "He Who Stands Alone and Leads." They led a blessing to honor the indigenous peoples of the world with an explanation of the meaning of "The Seventh Generation" — the rise and influence of native peoples and their movements around the globe since 1492.
Hill, who perched in a 1,000-year-old coastal redwood named Luna for two years in the late '90s, spoke of her solitary mission against Pacific Lumber Company's logging practices in Humboldt County.
Dressed simply in jeans and a blue t-shirt, she said that the company tried to force her down by cutting trees near her roost, by hovering helicopters 75 feet above her head to create a 300 mph downdraft, and using security guards and search lights for 10 days to starve her out.
Pacific Lumber was eventually sanctioned with more than 250 violations of the California Forest Practices Act.
"When the world looks away, all I see are fallen trees," Hill said.
Since the initial action, Hill has become one of the world's preeminent conservationists. While cradled in Luna's branches, she founded The Circle of Life Foundation which is dedicated to her philosophy of personal responsibility to the environment. Hill supports her work by conducting events and through the sales of her book, "The Legacy of Luna."
"If you don't like what I do or say, compost it,” she said. “Leave here more alive than when you came," she said.
e-mail: jservatius@theguardsman.com
EGYPT'S U.N. CONSUL CALLS FOR REFORMATION
BY JOHN GOINS
EDITOR
In a visit to City College on Sept. 27, Egyptian Consul Khaled Elshazly of the United Nations voiced his opposition to the United States’ invasion of Iraq, stating it had harmed the Iraqis and destabilized the Middle East.
“From the very beginning, in Egypt, we thought that the U.S. invasion of Iraq was not the proper tool. The tool of sanctions should have been used,” Elshazly said to an audience of about 30 students in the United Nations class.
The invasion harmed the sovereignty and unity of the Iraqi people and its neighbors, Elshazly said. “America needs a schedule to withdraw. That would be very helpful.”He also spoke about the current showdown between the United States and Iran over nuclear weapons.
“We oppose nuclear weapons not just in Iran, but throughout the Middle East,” Elshazly said. “We’re not opposed to nuclear power. It is Iran’s right to have that.”
He also told the class that he believes the U.N. needs to be reformed.
“The U.N. General Assembly is very important and needs to be strengthened because we’ll never get rid of the veto of the Security Council. And Africa has to have a just representation within any new formulation of the Security Council,” Elshazly said.
“The president of Egypt called for a world conference on terrorism under the umbrella of the U.N. long before Sept. 11,” Elshazly said. “But we don’t want the participants in the conference to confuse terrorists with any religion or legitimate group fighting against occupation.”
e-mail: asstnewseditor@theguardsman.com
PROPOSITION F ACTION RAISES RUCKUS ON OCEAN CAMPUS
BY NINO BOLES-KING
STAFF WRITER
KAREN M. KINNEY/ GUARDSMAN |
"Germ" Naiomi Makanura attacks student Paul Weihert to demonstrate how easy it is to get sick. The event was organized to gain support for Proposition F, which is on the November ballotCity College students and members of San Francisco-based Young Workers United held a demonstration at Ocean campus Oct. 4 to influence more votes for Proposition F, a city measure that could increase paid sick days for approximately 160,000 workers.
“At this point we are just trying to get people to vote for it," student and program member Dante Grant said.
The organization has been working on this project since May. Most of the preliminary organizing consisted of endorsement meetings and talks with the Board of Supervisors, according to Grant. The group is now focusing on voters.
"This kind of representation is a way to reach young and overlooked voters," program member Chris Jackson said. "We really hope this action has a positive effect on San Francisco.”
Clad in a germ costume made of a lime cloak splotched with yellow dots and oversized eyes, Matt Garon stormed into the cafeteria at noon and ran circles around the tables of students eating lunch.
"My purpose is getting people sick so they have problems at work,” Garon said. “My goal is to be a public health hazard."
"I hate healthy people," Garon screamed as he ran after fellow program members on both sides of the dining room. The students were confused at the sight of a human-germ chasing people. Garon eventually attracted campus police.
Immediately, the group moved outside to the Rosenberg Library, where student Paul Weihert acted as the antagonist germ. Students were handed Proposition F fliers as they passed by Weihert who tackled his fellow program members to the concrete.
"Now you're sick, and you're not getting paid," Weihert said to whomever he tagged.
e-mail: nboles-king@theguardsman.com
SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINES SWITCH TO FALL ONLY
BY
KAREN M. KINNEY
STAFF WRITER
The City College scholarship office has decided to only accept general scholarship applications during the spring semester, instead of both spring and fall semesters.
The change was made in order to give students more time to prepare personal statements, write required essays and obtain letters of recommendation, according to Robert Gabriner, vice chancellor of instructional advancement.
"The process itself should be as efficient and effective as possible by compressing the turnaround time for both submission and ultimately informing the students, without having to go through a long drawn-out process," Gabriner said.
The first phase of change will move all general and a few departamental scholarship deadlines to March 2007, while a selected few department scholarships will remain available in the fall.
According to Gabriner, the scholarship office now handles qualification for financial eligibility and scholarship readers can concentrate on the written material of the applications.
"The reader can stick to the substance of essays, personal statements and a streamlined recommendation form from faculty members," Gabriner said.
Although the general scholarships are only available in the spring, hard copies of the application are available now to review, accroding to Karen Grant, senior management assistant at the scholarship office.
Gabriner thinks the task of the scholarship office is to get rid of paperwork and have an electronic-only application process and notification system by spring 2008.
"This is the part of a larger change towards trying to make the student scholarship process as visible to as many students as possible and as efficient as possible in terms of allocating the awards," Gabriner said.
e-mail:kkinney@theguardsman.com
SEPT. 11 AFTER-EFFECTS STILL FELT
BY MARCO A. GUTIERREZ
Staff Writer
ANNABELLE DAY / GUARDSMAN |
These nine flags, located in the office for the institute for International Students, represent about 10 percent of the countries students emigrate from to study at City College. International students’ enrollment at City College is still far behind what it was five years ago before the Department of Homeland Security tightened inspection standards and visa procedures for immigrants, following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
“The process of applying for a visa became very strict and I had to explain why I wanted to come here,” said Kotoe Kijima who emigrated to the U.S. three years ago. She is currently taking her general education courses in preparation for becoming a registered nurse.
During the 2001-02 school year, City College had 1,613 foreign students enrolled, according to the Research Planning and Grants archive. Currently, the college has over 1,200 foreign students from over 90 countries, according to the International Students Program.
In January 2003, all schools approved for admission of international students had to apply for an INS review and become registered in the Department of Homeland Security’s electronic database, the Students Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). The database has a record of all of the international students in the country.
According to the Institute for International Students, SEVIS is used by the federal government via the Internet. “SEVIS is a tracking system that monitors students whereabouts [i.e.] where they study, what they study and for how long,” Louise Y. Louie, program coordinator of the City College’s Intensive English program said.
“Students’ vital information is put into the system automatically when they register at school,” Louie said.
Louie said the college would be in violation of federal law if it failed to provide this information and that it would lose its accreditation of enrolling international students.
e-mail:mgutierrez@theguardsman.com
CELL SITES MAY TOP TWO CAMPUSES
BY DESMOND MILLER
Staff Writer
NINA ROBINSON / GUARDSMAN |
Student Rosario Englis checks her phone in front of Science Hall, which may host Verizon Wireless networking equipment. Verizon wireless has approached City College with the proposition of putting wireless phone equipment on top of two of the schools buildings, according to Chancellor Philip R. Day, Jr. The board of trusties is still waiting for the final proposal from Verizon before they vote on the issue.
“Adding the dish and the tower would bring much needed funds to the school and it would cost the school nothing to put either into effect,” Chancellor Day said. “Verizon would pay the school $2500 a month for each, as well as the instillation cost.”
According to Chancellor Day, Verizon is interested in placing a receiving dish on the existing tower on top of the Science Building, and a new tower with equipment on top of the new four- story building being constructed for the Mission campus. Chancellor Day said the company was interested in those locations because of they are the tallest points in both areas.
Andrew Brown, a student, said the plan sounded good.
“Seeing as we are in an electronic age and people rely more on their phones, faxes and personal computer; I feel that it would be a boon for the school, especially, if the school is able to get some money from this,” Brown said.
According to Chancellor Day, even if the board of trusties says yes to Verizon, they still need to go to the city of San Francisco to get the final approval because it is the city that gives the permits for the installation of new wireless equipment in the city.
“Verizon still has a lot of planning to do before anything can be done on this project. I suspect that we won’t see any new towers on any campus for at least another 6 months,” Chancellor Day said.
e-mail: dmiller@theguardsman.com
City College at Large
Call or e-mail Chris Albon with campus-wide news at: (415) 239-3446 or newseditor@theguardsman.com
Chinatown/North Beach Campus
Free vocational office training is available at the Chinatown/North Beach campus, 940 Filbert St. The training program includes instruction in business English and other areas of communication, telephone skills, filing, 10-key and computer skills. The program also offers instruction on workplace culture and job preparation. ESL level six and basic keyboard knowledge are prerequisites. A new training cycle starts in January. For more information, call the counseling office at (415) 561-1853.
Fort Mason Campus
Learn to frame pictures at a workshop on Wednesdays, Nov. 1 to Dec. 13, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Fort Mason campus, Building B, room 205. Learn how to make beveled cuts on mat board, pick out the right frame for any picture, mount and attach art and tips to frame like a professional.
Downtown Campus
A one-day "Electronic Commerce and Web Design" class will be held Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Downtown campus, Room 426. The class is designed to teach students how to put their businesses on the Internet and maintain them sucessfully. Students will learn how to accept credit cards, secure electronic commerce and link Web sites to online shopping malls, as well as basic information about designing and promoting a Web site. Cost is $45.
Castro/Valencia Campus
An ongoing Tai Chi Chaun class is offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 1220 Noe St., in the gymnasium. Tai Chi Chaun is a form of thought and movement that incorporates meditiation with motion. The course emphasizes the basic Tai Chi Chuan forms.
GULU WALK
A walk sponsored by Gulu Walk will be held to raise funds for the education and future of the children of northern Uganda on Saturday Oct. 21, starting at the Marina Green and ending Justin Herman Plaza.
During the last 20 years, over 30,000 children have been used as child soldiers, sex slaves and porters, Gulu Walk reported in its press release.
“To escape capture, mutilation or death, thousands of children flee their rural homes and march tens of miles each night to seek safety in the streets of Gulu,” Gulu Walk reports.
Gulu Walk can be reached online at www.guluwalk.com. Registration for the event begins at 8:30 a.m. at Scott Street and Marina Boulevard.
DISABILITY AWARENESS FAIR
The Disabled Students Programs & Services will sponsor the Disability Awareness Fair at three City College campuses in October. All students, staff and faculty are invited to learn about: “software programs and adaptive equipment, how to protect your hearing, community services for people with disabilities, famous people with disabilities and basic American sign language.”
Contact Karen Rachels at 415 452-5785