Volume 163, Number 5 Wednesday, November 17, 2010

INDEX Op-Ed Page 2 - 3 News Page 4 -5 A & E Page 6 Feature 7 -8 L.A. Law Page 9 Sports Page 10

By Marsha A. Perry

One hundred eighty-fi ve winter session classes are scheduled to return to City College on Jan. 3, 2011. It has been nearly 17 months since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget cuts forced the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) Board of Trustees to unanimously vote to cancel the 2009 summer classes at Los Angeles City College, that ultimately led to the cancellation of winter sessions as well.

LACC is among fi ve of the nine colleges within the LACCD that will offer winter classes. East L.A., Trade Tech, Pierce, and L.A. Valley will also offer winter sessions on their respective campuses.

LACC classes are expected to fi ll up fast. Prompt registration is advised. Enrollment for continuing LACC students can be completed online at www.lacitycollege.edu. LACC’s Child Development Center will offer childcare during the winter semester, further details can be answered by the department directly at (323) 953-4000, ext. 2220.

“I’m excited that we’re offering the winter session,” said LACC’s Dean of Student Enrollment, William Marmolejo. “... Not all schools in our district are offering winter and it’s a nice position to be in. So this year we’re one of the fi ve schools that are offering winter so it feels good and I like that students are

happy. ... It.’s been several years since we’ve had this many classes available to our students. ... This year we kind of planned our year so that we would be able to offer a relatively large winter session. ... I’m really, really happy.”

The elimination of LACC’s 2009 summer classes was expected to affect more than 35,000 students and more than 1,600 classes were cancelled due to the state budget crisis and the college defi cit estimated at $4 million dollars, according to an LACCD May 2009 news release. Marmolejo said that he is very hopeful and optimistic for a 2011 summer session, however, he has not received confi rmation that summer classes will resume.

Summer and winter sessions at LACC have been cancelled since the second summer sessions of 2009 and many LACC students have enrolled at other campuses for those needed class sessions. Rabin Woods, a psychology major at LACC, said that he is happy that he does not have to travel to a different school to take classes this winter. Woods said that he had registered for classes at West L.A. College this past summer, but the classes were full.

“I saw someone with a brochure for LACC winter classes, so I enrolled for English and math this winter session,” Woods said. “I also found out that my fi nancial aid for this semester has to roll over to the winter session, so basically you don’t receive any extra money for going to winter classes, but I’m still

happy.” LACC Cinema major, Catrina Gaston

attended summer and winter classes at West L.A.

“I felt that if we would have had classes here it would have been better than commuting to a different school,” Gaston said. “I had problems with my fi nancial aid when I took classes at West L.A. ... And that was not a good experience. I think that it is a great idea that winter is back.”

LACC Nutrition major, Samanthia Aiken said that it is great that winter classes are back because she encountered problems with her fi nancial aid payment disbursement.

“I found out two weeks ago about winter sessions. I really appreciate that it is back because it cuts out the fi nancial aid confusion,” Aiken said. “I attended summer class at East L.A. College. and I applied for a grant there but I didn’t get the money until after the summer. Because I am an LACC student, the paperwork got delayed.”

A decrease in expenditures such as classes, purchasing, travel and a hiring freeze was implemented to help the district to save more than $20 million dollars, according to a May 2009 LACCD news release.

There is no guarantee that LACC will be able to offer future winter sessions, due to the current economy, according to Marmolejo. The winter session will end on Feb. 6, 2011.

Winter Classes Return after One-Year Hiatus Classes Filling Fast

Students fi ll the halls of Clausen with jazz tunes.

Page 6

Moonlighting: Professorfi nds her voice.

Page 7

The Studio Jazz Band performed at Clausen Hall last week in the latest offering of the music department's concert series. The concerts are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon. There are 17 performances remaining this semester.

Illustration by Edgar Gonzalez/ Collegian

By Matthew Ali

More than 60 years ago LACC launched the nations first jazz program. Now in 2010, a more than six decades old tradition continues in the soon to be renovated Clausen Hall. Room 247 was a full house, the Studio Jazz Band, directed by Barbara Laronga performed live on Nov. 9 at noon. “It was good,” said Emi Okabe, a music ma-jor. “It seemed like they were having fun. The musicians only saw the music a couple of times

before playing.” The performance was well received by stu-dents. The audience was composed of nothing but students; there were no recognizable alum-ni present. It has been estimated that there were around a hundred people in attendance. “It’s always a learning experience,” said Jason Richard, music major. “It’s amazing to learn from the veterans of the band; they are very professional.” The traditions of the LACC jazz program are going to be carried on for a long time to come

with new renovations being done to Clausen Hall. “In July 2011 Los Angeles City College will begin renovating the Music Department build-ing,” wrote Dr. Daniel Wanner, music depart-ment chair, in a press release. “The $13 million construction budget---part of the bond program that has funded recent renovations and the con-struction of new buildings on campus---allows for upgraded systems, seismic upgrades, and renovated classrooms and practice rooms.” The renovations are planning to improve

many portions of the music department, in-cluding the jazz program. The department has also started a fundraising campaign, to help the scope of the project be fully realized. “The project is going to give us a bigger and better recital hall,” wroteWanner. “We hope to attract more students, publicity and acknowl-edgement.”

Kalifa Madden and Becky Patterson contrib-uted to this story.

Photo by Jorge Ponce/ Collegian

oPinion Los AngELEs CoLLEgiAnWednesday, November 17, 20102

Media Arts Department, Learning Resource Center 200Los Angeles City College

855 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90029

Editors-in-Chief: Tercius Bufete, Abimael Rivera

Food Editor: Fallynn Rian

Opinion Editor: Emanuel Bergmann

Sports Editor: Mars Melnicoff

Photo Editor: Luca Loffredo

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Distribution Manager: Collegian Staff

Advertising: Tercius Bufete, Toi Troutman

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Reporters: Matthew Ali, Emanuel Bergmann, Jesse Billings, Britney Blake, Emani Ellis, Layla Fernandez, Jonathan Filipko, Tanya Flowers, Mary Hesse,

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Russ Mutuc, Jorge Ponce

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Pressing IssuesBy Curtis Strain

Student Photo Editor Luca Loffredo is going beyond the call of duty these days, having been left in charge of the print man-agement duties of the LACC Collegian by a bureaucratic nightmare of memos, useless bid-ding practices, and strange allegations.

It all started when the Los Angeles Com-munity College District decided to submit an RFP (request for proposals) to find a new printer for the college newspaper, in August. This process is used to create a bidding struc-ture for services rendered to the District. The decision was made to post an ad for two days in the Los Angeles Daily Journal.

When American Foothill Publishing Co.,

Inc. (AFP) bid for the job, they were awarded a three-year contract. The previous printer, who worked with the Collegian for more than 40 years, including numerous award-winning issues, was never notified of the bidding pro-cess.

The real fun started when professor Rhonda Guess objected to the lower paper quality, lower ink ratios, and higher prices for spot color. Reliable sources tell us that both Mt. Sac and Pasadena City College pay $50 for spot color printing per page, while LACC is being charged $150 for the same service. Instead of admonishing AFP for their lower standards and unfair prices, Vice President of Administration, Paul Carlson, finalized the contract with American Foothill, and mentions

professor Guess (whose students create the newspaper) as being not to the liking of the printer- in the contract itself.

The current agreement stipulates in as patronizing a fashion as possible that the Col-legian and AFP must work smoothly together. Yet the faculty adviser, professor Guess must not have any communication or contact with the printer, who prints the newspaper she is responsible for.

This, of course, leads us to think we should bid for the job repaving all the cracked cement and asphalt around campus. If anyone complains about our overpriced, subpar work we can always get V.P. Carlson to give them a backhanded reprimand in our contract.

City College Creates Positive FuturesBy Kalifa Madden

I have been subjected to a lot of complaints from my peers since enrolling here at LACC. It’s my fi rst semester in attendance after registering in May, and while I do empathize with a lot of the gripes of the student body, I must say my experience contra-dicts a lot of the sob stories heard thus far.

After being away from school for fi ve years, I am now a returning non-traditional college student. I have no more time to waste and I am here to make the best of my opportunity. With that outlook, I have been able to see the benefi t in my endeavors here. I have benefi ted from both the fi nancial aid and student counseling departments without any major glitches, aside from the inevitable wait for assistance. I rec-ommend exercising patience and persistence when dealing with those aspects of our academic path.

I am currently taking an Improvisational acting class, Hatha Yoga Skills and Journalism 101, along with a few other classes. The learning experiences have positively enriched my life, with astounding re-sults. The yoga teachings are based on fi nding one’s true self and centering your mind to achieve higher levels of consciousness.

In my Improvisation class, I am taught ways to express myself, broken down into acting styles instructed by Professor Dan Green, who has quite an impressive IMDB resume. The facilities here are also not as sub-par as one might expect as a conse-quence of the affordable tuition. I use the gym on a regular basis and while I would suggest a little more maintenance and cleaning up over there, it is still something extra I am offered as a student of this school. The computers, copiers and printers in the library also work fi ne and get the job done. I would, however, like to express the need for a scanner and a fax machine.

In previous issues of the Collegian, on the front page, it said the Dental Technology program was the best in the nation, which is additional proof this college offers a worthwhile curriculum and that we have something to look forward to as we invest our time here.

I have been enjoying every minute of my jour-ney at LACC this semester, and with the information I learn, I hope to someday use it to affect the lives of others positively. I will always refl ect with gratitude and pride on the fundamental education I received at Los Angeles City College.

Dear Collegian,

I’m writing to inform you about a story I think deserves to be published on the Collegian for student awareness.

Friday October 15, I came to the campus by bike to tutor Math at Trio from 9am to 1pm. I locked my bike in one of the most popular areas on the campus between Eopns and Financial Aid, directly across the lounge ve-randa of the Tully Café.

As I ended my shift I walk toward my bike to fi nd out it was gone. I searched the area were I locked it to fi nd my lock cut left on the ground.

I immediately fi led a report with the Sheriffs. They shared with me information regarding some interesting dynamics of bike thefts cyclically occurring at our cam-pus.

I had a recurring thought in my mind, a tag line from something I read in a magazine: “When something is stolen from you, you have a 24 period to fi nd it before the chances of loosing the item forever increase expo-nentially”. A strong gut feeling told me to look for it until the end of the day. I asked the Sheriffs for their direct line and begun the search around campus.

Less then two hours later I had a strange hint that I saw my bike. It was more a blurred image in the distance, something that resembles a déjà-vu mixed with a power-ful adrenaline rush.

I slowly walked toward this place acting as if I was just a regular student going home from school. I pulled out my cell phone and acted as if I was calling my pick-up, but on the other end I had the sheriffs. Sixty sec-onds later two cars came to meet me with three offi cers. Throughout this time my eyes stayed glued onto my bike from the other side of the street; throughout these very slow 60 second a sheriff remained on the phone and he asked me to describe to him what was happening.

The Offi cers walked in the store and spoke Spanish to the people inside. One offi cer positioned by the en-trance waived at me to go inside the fence describing the perimeter of this outdoor Mexican tienda.

They were selling sun glasses, headphones, t-shirts, cheap jewelry, calling cards, cell phone plans, Internet services and about a dozen bicycles. It was set up like a farmers market with several desks and a person behind each one probably owner of the merchandise. Some of the bikes were painted over, poorly, or sanded to some-what avoid recognition.

The owner of the tienda explained she bought my bike from a young kid that morning for $25. The Sheriffs and I didn’t press charges, but the owners of the store were worn and I had my bike back!

I have to express my gratitude to the Sheriffs at campus; they dealt with my case gracefully and extreme-ly professionally.

In conclusion, here are my tips to everyone riding a bike to campus:

1) Don’t assume your expensive lock can’t be opened. Use more than one lock. Multiple locks = more time to steal your bike.2) Take pictures of your bike and store them, thisway you’ll have a reference to show if somethinghappens.3) Keep your bike receipt. A $400 value or more inconsidered Grand Theft and that = to jail.4) Mark your bike “where the sun don’t shine” witha unique mark in a unique place you and only you know about.5) Store the campus Sheriff Department number on your cell phone.6) Be vigilant. If you think someone is up to nogood contact the Sheriffs immediately.

My bike was stolen in one of the most popular plac-es on campus; this guy had to pull a big ranch from his back pack to cut through the lock, but nobody seems to have witnessed the event. If we, the students, start look-ing after for each other properties less thefts are going to be unsolved.

7) If your bike is stolen report it immediately to the Sheriffs, but don’t panic. Walk to the south-west corner of Santa Monica and New Hampshire -that is one block north of our Martin Luther King library,- your bike may be for sale at that outdoor tienda! If so don’t try to re-cover it yourself, let the Sheriffs do their job for you.

Fom Andrea Bari

Letter to the Editor

By Matthew Ali

Due to budget cuts, LACC had to cut its winter session in recent years. Now, in 2011, the winter session returns.

While it only offers a limited selection of classes, the winter session really does help students better pursue their quest for higher education. The alternatives, such as having to sign up somewhere else and attending several schools, are a hassle. Not having a winter quarter meant a great deal of inconvenience for a lot of people. Many of us felt betrayed by LACC. Now that the short semester is back on track, students can take a class or two, inching them a little further toward their goal.

Among the available subjects are English and Math, as well as many others. This will help a lot of students, not only moving them forward, but also keeping them in a student’s mindset. I think that the winter session is as important as the fall and spring semesters.

Cutting the winter semester was a poor choice, and indicative of administrators putting our education last. Of all the things to sacrifi ce for our budget, I think the winter session was the wrong thing to give up. It was a decision that slowed down the education of many students. For many of us, this can make the difference between success and failure. Therefore, I applaud the decision to re-institute the winter quarter. This allows us to focus on what’s important: our education, our goals and our future.

oPinionLos AngELEs CoLLEgiAnWednesday, November 17, 2010 3

QUESTION:

Compiled by Emani EllisPhoto By Russ Mutuc

Nicolas Alfalo Graphic Design

“Yeah, I’m happy that the winter session is back. I’m taking sign language, because I want to be an interpreter for the govern-ment. So, in the winter, I can hurry and get the classes over with and start working.”

Cody Griffi sTheatre

“I’m planning to take a stage crew course, which is a requirement for the Theatre Acad-emy in the winter. I was kind of bummed that the winter course wasn’t available last year, but I’m glad that its available now.”

Jung KimIndustrial Design

“I may take physics. Oh, I’m glad that they did bring it back, because it was kind of holding me back from transferring out, so it’s taking me to the next level.”

Mary M. BoschArt

“I’m signing up for math in the winter, be-cause math classes fi ll up quickly. I decided to take math for the winter session, because I hear its shorter, but I’ve never taken a winter class. [It will] be good that its back, because then the spring classes won’t be as full, that’s what happened last year. So yeah, I’m glad we got funds back to have winter classes again.”

Eddie PinedaEngineering

“Well, I’m glad that they’re offering classes in the winter, compared to no classes last year, [it will] help me advance in completing my degree.”

Eric BurksLaw

“I plan on taking a speech class and maybe an English class. I chose to take a class in the winter, because it was fi ve weeks and even though it may be tough, I could get a basic class out of the way. Glad its back, because anytime you have an opportunity to complete a program, it’s kind of good, I want to transfer to UCLA, so with the winter session back, I can kill two birds with one stone.”

LACC’s Winter WonderlandIs Back on Track

By Jesse Billings

I’ve been living in LA since 2007, long enough to allow for a unique perspective; one of admiration and a larger awareness about the world I’m living in. Depending on where you’re coming from, moving to LA and being a student at LACC can be a culture shock, as well as a breath of fresh air. For me, it’s more of the latter. I grew up in Springfield, Oregon. It’s a beautiful state. It’s very green, there’s lots of great food and lots of hippies. It’s also very white. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just that unless you grow up in Portland, which is pretty much the only exception, you’re not surrounded by any

ethnicity other than Caucasians. California, and Los Angeles in particular, seems to be on the cutting edge of everything. Yes, the economy is terrible, along with the rest of the country, but California seems to be first when it comes to a whole range of issues, whether it’s tech-nology, culture, politics, etc. I think you notice this even more when you’re a transplant like myself. Many people living outside of Los An-geles or New York City don’t seem to consider those cities the “real world”. In a sense, they’re right. Just a few months ago, I had the privilege to travel around the country for a year, doing children’s theater, going to mostly small towns and cities. I’ve been to New York as well, and I have to admit, the rest of the country does not reflect the culture and pace of life that the coasts represent. That’s also what makes Los Angeles so exciting. This country is deeply divided. California, specifically Los Angeles, represents the future of our country. You could apply the usual labels to describe this change: progressive, liberal, etc. But whatever people want to call it, it is a natural evolution. And that’s not something that can be reversed. It is only a matter of time before gay marriage, marijuana, and other “controversial” issues will be part of mainstream culture. There are people who said we’d never have a black presi-

dent. But it happened. It’s real, and I think it’s pretty amazing. Some people in America are say-ing things like, “I want my country back!” Well, your country hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s chang-ing, it’s growing, and hopefully, minds are ex-panding. You can’t stop progress. It’s been said that within a few decades, Caucasians will actu-ally be a minority. Being Caucasian myself, I’m fine with that. America was built by immigrants. Somehow people forget that. Whether your born and bred here or you came from somewhere else, it’s pretty amazing to live in LA, go to LACC, and to quite literally be on the cutting edge of where the country is going.

LACC Offers Diversity

By Britney Blake

As a student at more than one college campus, I’ve noticed that organization is a huge factor in keeping students satisfi ed and learning well. Being a fi rst time student here at LACC, I’ve noticed that

the Financial Aid Department here seems very disorganized and behind schedule.

I’ve been a student at a CSU campus, as well as one other junior college. After being here at LACC for the fall semester, I’ve had a bad experience with the Financial Aid Offi ce. During my time at CSU, I always received my fi nancial aid information long before school started. Here at LACC, I was very disappointed to know I wasn’t going to receive the information on how much I would receive or when I would get my fi nancial aid until the second month of the semester. That really put me behind, because I was expecting my fi nancial aid to help purchase books, as well as pay for a place to live.

I also noticed that the Financial Aid Department here at Los Angeles City College never has an answer for you. It’s always “come back next week, it should be updated.” They said this to me for months.

I can say that my time here would have been a more positive experience if I had seen more of an effort from the staff. It is very different from the experience one generally fi nds at a CSU campus.

Financial Aid Needs to Work Faster

nEWs Los AngELEs CoLLEgiAnWednesday, November 17, 20104

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AD PROOF: (BLH)Proof Due Back By: 08/05/10 5pmAd #: P06374-b-12819-6x5Deadline To Pub: 08/06/10 5pmFirst Run: 08/09/10Publication: Alloy Media (College Newspapers)

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Revise and resend.Initial _________ Date __________

Police WireCompiled by Tu’Lisha Predom

10/04/10 6:50 p.m.: Student injured on bus prior to arrival at loca-tion; student denied transportation to hospital at Wilshire Center.

10/05/10 4:45 p.m.: Staff member sick denied transportation to hospital in Parking Lot #4.

10/05/10 6:10 p.m.: Unknown object caught fi re in microwave in DaVinci Hall vending area.

10/06/10 9:10 a.m.: Student injured; slipped on fl oor in Clausen Hall.

10/11/10 11:20 a.m.: Sick staff member denied transportation to hospital in Administration Building.

10/13/10 2:20 p.m.: Student warned and advised regarding line cut-ting in Financial Aid Offi ce.

10/14/10 8:20 a.m.: Student felt sick; paramedics responded denied transportation to hospital at Wilshire Center.

10/15/10 5:30 p.m.: Welfare check on student in restroom for an extended time in Administration Building Men’s Restroom.

10/18/10 6:10 p.m.: Assisted student stuck in elevator fi re depart-ment responded and assisted in the rescue at Wilshire Center.

These are the most updated statistics available from campus sheriffs.

News in Brief

Jesse McGee, Jameson Young and Suellen A. Cunningham are veterans who are providing special care packages fi lled with snacks, energy bars, shaving kits and tooth brushes to send to Iraq and Afghanistan, in time for the holi-days. The deadline for donations has been extended until Thursday. Take items to Clausen Hall Room109.

Phot by Jorge Ponce/ Collegian

Compiled by Dominic Buted and Tristan Shaw.

Serving Free Thanksgiving Meals:

Food on FootLocation: 1625 N. Schrader Blvd. Hollywood, Los Angeles.

Time and Date: Nov. 11, 21, and 25 at 3:15 p.m.Phone: (310) 442-0088

Food on foot is offering meals, one free sleeping bag, and four free bus tokens that will directly benefi t those in need. Sign up online at

Foodonfoot.org.

Otay Group Charity’s Annual Giving Thanks ProjectLocation: Los Angeles Region

Date and Time: Nov. 27, from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.Information: Otaygroup.org

Email: otaygroup@gmail.com Road Stoves and Otay Group Charity will be dropping off meals throughout Los Angeles. They need volunteers to help with the food

drop or donations such as monetary, blankets, shoes, food, etc.

Westside Community CelebrationLocation: Santa Monica Civic Auditorium

at 1855 Main St., Sant MonicaDate and Time: Nov. 25 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Phone: (310) 394-3153Volunteer to donate uncooked turkey [defrosted already please] or your time to roast it by Thanksgiving morning from 8 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Pumpkin pies are also accepted.

Fred Jordan MissionLocation: Skid Row, Downtown Los Angeles.

Date and Time: Nov.25 at 10 a.m.Phone: (626) 915-1981

Be a part of the Fred Jordan Mission’s Thanksgiving event by serving a traditional turkey dinner at Skid Row. You could also make a dona-tion; monetary, clothing or food. Involve your group or tell friends about

the opportunity to volunteer.

Gobble Gobble GiveLocation: The Echo Night Club

at 1822 Sunset Blvd. Los AngelesDate and Time: Nov. 25 at 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

From store bought, to homemade turkey and stuffi ng. You’re asked to bring a dish of food, fi ve toiletry kits (toothbrush/toothpaste, soap, and shampoo) and any piece of used clothing or blankets. There are volunteer titles to set up the day called the Early Birds. You could also be among one of the kitchen crew, conveyor belt crew, boxers, vehicle

coordinators, drivers and or cleaners.

Alcoholics AnonymousStudents interested in joining a campus chapter alcoholics anonymous are encouraged to attend. The meetings are Monday from 11 a.m. to noon and on Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. in Franklin Hall B 02.

Winter 2010 Faculty ShowDa Vinci Gallery will host an opening reception on Nov. 30, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The show will feature ceramics sale and postcard art-works by LACC students. There will be live music by the LACC Music Department and DJ Octopus PHD.

Volunteer for World AIDS Day 2010Volunteer on Dec. 1 to release 99 red balloons in memory of victims of AIDS. Organizers hope that fi lling the sky with balloons will make peo-ple look up and contemplate relationships, friends, HIV/AIDS and Life awareness. For more information contact Dan Tyler at dantyler2010@yahoo.com

Meals and Volunteeringthis Thanksgiving

Collecting Treats for Troops

By Marsha A. Perry

Pretty, funny, talented, helpful and smart are just some of the qualities that LACC Professors used to describe LACC student, Jade Rizo-Soto; who was found murdered in her apartment on Oct. 11. LAPD detectives from the Rampart division are woking on the investigation, but have not shared any information on the case. At LACC, members of the college community remembered Soto.

“She was the light of the class,” said Spanish Professor, Yelgy Parada about Rizo-Soto who was a student last spring. “She joked a lot and everyone was always happy to see her. She always helped everyone. She spoke Spanish and was always helping people when they needed help with Spanish. She also had a gift for

performing. For Foreign Language Day, she opened the ceremony with her dance. You could just see that she enjoyed life. She’s already missed.”

At Rizo-Soto’s home on the day of the murder, water was heard running in on the main-fl oor apartment from around midnight on Oct. 9 until the next evening when management arrived to investigate. The apartment also had a broken window, possibly in the bedroom or the living room area, according to a witness who lived at Rizo-Soto’s apartment complex

“She was a pretty girl,” said a witness who did not wich to be indetifi ed, and has lived in the Virgil Square apartment complex for several years where Rizo-Soto was murdered. “I have seen her with her two small, white dogs, and we cordially spoke. There are a lot of single women in the

complex and there has been previous break-ins and robberies with the most recent incident [occurring] in the past two to three months.”

The Collegian has followed up numerous times with detectives in the Rampart Division for more details about the case, but calls have not been returned.

“She was my French I and French II student when this happened,” said LACC French Professor Guirguis Menes. “She was detail-oriented and she liked to ask questions. She was very curious about the French language. She was funny, smart, and always willing and available to help anyone in class. She was the mother of all virtues – very humbled and charitable toward others. We’re going to miss her.”

LAPD Investigates, College Community Remembers Murdered Student

By Mieesha Johnson

There are now opportunities for club members to show their leadership skills in ASO. Shawn Adamski, execu-tive vice president of ASO announced last Tuesday that there are many senator-positions available.

The senate-positions include: Senator of Cultural Di-

versity, Health and Safety at-large, Recruitment, Activities and Planning, Disabled Students, International Student Af-fairs and Parliamentarian. They are all open to club repre-sentatives. Students signing up must show a lot of interest,

ASO Senate Positions Available

See ASO on page 7

nEWsLos AngELEs CoLLEgiAnWednesday, November 17, 2010 5

By Tanya Flowers

Cub Café hosts a student-run dining experience in room 202 of the Administration Building where faculty and staff receive a delicious lunch that is specially prepared by the talented students of the food preparation class of the Dietetic Program.

These imaginative students come together to develop menus, prepare magnifi cent meals and provide optimal food service.

“This is food production, and what we do is prepare and process the food,” said dietitian student Mallary Watson. “Every week, teams get to pick managers; we organize people into groups and make dinner. Today’s theme is Mardi Gras and we have some jambalaya with rice, Caésar salad and a tart. Our group decided on Jambalaya because we wanted to do something different, it’s a meal that has never been done in food prep before.”

Food gets a new spin, thanks to last week’s theme. The smell of the soon to

be devoured cuisine, the sound of rich Louisiana music and the sight of tables draped in vibrant colors brought the Café to life. Taste buds danced to the delectable music as dinners enjoyed the carnival for the palate.

Patrons were served a Cajun inspired Caésar salad appetizer, a main course of New Orleans style chicken and sausage jambalaya served over white rice with a side of sautéed squash

and a fl akey buttermilk biscuit. For dessert, faculty and staff enjoyed a warm southern style peach tart served a la mode and choice of lemonade, Louisiana sweet tea or coffee.

“The last couple of times I had eaten at [Cub] Café it was very good. I think it’s a great teaching activity and good trade operation that helps to give students experience,” said U.S. History professor, Peter Sheridan as he sat down about to enjoy his meal.

The experience of running Cub

Café once every week has provided the dietitian students with an unparalleled learning experience.

“I am studying to be a dietetic supervisor,” said Peter Carriszo, a food production student as he carefully prepared the Caésar salad. “I think I am learning a lot, it’s a wonderful program, [and] I am getting hands on experience and I am learning about placing and food handling. I am very satisfi ed with what we learn here.”

Students Bring Taste of Louisiana to City

Scholars Program Helps Students Join Ivy League Ranks

Photo by Luca Loffredo/ Collegian

Lous Cavral and Claudia Delgado, both majoring in family and consumer studies, team up to assemble individual peach tarts for the Mardi Gras luncheon on Nov. 9.

“ I think it’s a great teaching

activity and good trade operation

that helps to give students experience.”

-- Peter Sheridan, U.S. History professor

By Layla Fernandez

Students at Los Angeles City College are encour-aged to take advantage of one of the college’s reward-ing programs—the Ralph Bunche Scholars Program—named for American political scientist and diplomat Ralph Bunche. This honors program focuses on the development of college students, and encourages them to excel in school and sets them on a path to pur-sue higher learning at Ivy League schools. Any stu-dent at LACC with a grade point average of 3.25 is wel-come to enroll

The Director of the Ralph Bunche Scholars Pro-gram, Dr. Danielle Muller, is eager to recruit new ap-plicants for next semester. The students at City who take advantage of the pro-gram go on to apply to uni-versities like UCLA, USC, UC Berkeley and Columbia University to name a few. The program is also affi liated with the Honors Transfer Council of California, which has a full list of other schools that might interest stu-dents.

Students also have the opportunity to show their research papers at conferences at UC Irvine, making them more competitive.

“Every student who is thinking of transferring and has the minimum G.P.A. should apply,” Muller said. Especially in today’s world where it’s very competitive, it’s really cutthroat.”

One of the students who transferred from LACC to Columbia University in New York City is John Butler, who is an

American Studies major. He says his experience as

part of the scholars program had a major impact on his ability to transfer to Columbia University from City as a freshman.

“Being part of the Ralph Bunche Scholars Pro-gram is the reason that Columbia took notice of me,” Butler said.

He feels that the program challenged him and be-came a stepping-stone for a future at Columbia. His life experiences are the kind of experiences that colleges like Columbia are looking for.

“Four year universi-ties are very interested in our very diverse student population and the various experiences that our stu-dents have gone through, for example Columbia University comes here to recruit our students, ” Muller said.

Students like Butler are all around school waiting to be challenged. All it takes is three letters of recommendation, a 3.25 G.P.A and 12 units completed at LACC to be part of the pro-gram.

“I never in a million years thought that I could get into a school like Columbia, I was a terrible high school student. So I never thought because of hard work and [the] Ralph Bunch Scholars Program I could make it here,” Butler said.

For more information on the program and re-quirements, visit the Ralph Bunche Scholars Program website at http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/hon-orsprogram/index.html. Students can set also set up an appointment with professor Muller through email or by calling her in her offi ce.

“I never in a million years thought that I could get into a school like Co-lumbia, I was a terrible high school student. So I never thought because of hard work and [the] Ralph Bunch Scholars Program I could make it here."

-- John Butler LACC Transfer Student

John Butler, who transferred from City College as a freshman to Columbia University in New York is majoring in American studies. He credits the Ralph Bunche Scholars Program for his success.

Photo provided by John Butler

Attention Astrologers!Share your forecasting talents in the upcoming Spring semester for

the Collegian Times magazine.

Email:losangeles.collegian@gmail.com

Arts & EntErtAinmEnt Los AngELEs CoLLEgiAnWednesday, November 17, 20106

By Jonathan Filipko

Psychological thrillers have always been popular among movie buffs, but with recent blockbusters such as “Inception”, “Shutter Island” and even the upcoming “127 Hours”, this mind-twisting movie genre has reached a much larger audience. Personally, thought-provoking movies have always had a huge impact on me, but it wasn’t until those blockbusters shook up audiences worldwide that I realized almost everybody enjoys getting their mind stretched.

After talking to people about the ideas presented in these movies – such as dreams, the power of the human mind and many others – I realized that many believe there is a significance to the inexplicable.

To most people, dreams are more than just a random compilation of sub-conscience

thoughts, occupying your mind while you sleep. And some believe that there is no such thing as coincidence. They couldn’t have met a certain person just by chance. There must be some greater meaning in something that happened to them.

This way of thinking can probably be described in many ways, but I like to call it faith.

To me, faith is not only a healthy thing to have, it is also human nature. I believe that we as humans seek, and will always seek, an explanation for the unexplainable.

“Inception” and “Shutter Island” were such blockbuster hits because they dealt with ideas that there is no answer to. Mankind has resolved so many questions that when something is unknown, it makes us feel vulnerable. And this feeling of vulnerability seems to be becoming more common in recent times.

Perhaps these movies are gaining in popularity due to the state of our society. With unemployment at a record high and a large number of people having trouble finding a job, the average person’s life seems more a matter of chance and less in the hands of the individual themselves. This uncertainty can sometimes seem surreal. Maybe it is because of the economic hardships we are currently facing that audiences relate to this trend of movies dealing with the uncontrollable, with dreams and with insanity.

By Tu’Lisha Predom

About 20 people from all walks of life blended together on stage dressed in black and white for the LACC Studio Jazz Band performance on

Nov. 9. Almost every musician had a solo piece where they played lovely music from their guitar, drums, trum-pet, piano, trombone, saxophone or bass. The clapping and cheers that went up from the members of the audi-ence showed their satisfaction. At times people would stand and cheer for the musicians, pleased at their per-formance.

Selections like “Pressure Cooker,” “One O’ Clock Jump,” and “Red Buttermilk,” got amazing reactions from the audience. The cheers in the hall would go up after every selection without any sign of a lull. If you didn’t hear clapping, then you saw the amazed expres-sions that were on the audience’s faces as they listened to the soft tunes that flowed through the room. It left them in awe as they awaited the end of the selection to begin their applause.

One could see the passion in the musicians’ expres-sions, as they closed their eyes and swayed to the music, which made the concert even more delightful. Most of the selections performed were the kind of music that made you want to get up and dance. “Fernando’s Get-away” brought a different sound than the other music that was performed. If it had not been announced, peo-ple would not have known that the musicians had only seen the charts four times. The way they played would give one reason to believe that they had been practicing longer. It showed that they were committed to giving a great performance and that they did.

Musicians Jazz Up Clausen HallStudio Jazz Band infused City College campus with melodies during the concert series in Clausen Hall.

Photo by Jorge Ponce/ Collegian

By Tanya Flowers

Tyree Arnold isn’t your typical gangster rapper, he’s an entertainer. With tattoos etched on his skin, enough street cred to last a lifetime and the ability articulate a sick free style rhyme at the drop of a dime, Tyree is far from ordinary. The “misunderstood” rapper sets himself apart by taking his inspirational music to the people, and his skills as an entrepreneur to a whole new level. He knows better than anyone that nobody likes a copycat. Tax Free is far from it. His music pushes boundaries with lyrics that reach many venues.

How did you get into music?I got into music because I grew up dancing. I got more

involved into free style when I was a little younger, just listening to different varieties of music form Michael Jackson to hip hop, then I got incarcerated in the year of 1992 and that’s when I found my gift, which is the inspiration to write music. From 1992, all the way to now, I’ve been into music. It’s like a release. I express myself more through my music.

How old were you when you first started dancing and

free styling?I started dancing when I was about 5 years old. I would

imitate Michael Jackson. I would do the moonwalk, pop locking and break dancing. Every dance that came out, I was a part of, always trying to do it. I started free styling I would say when I was 8 or 9 years old.

Who are your influences?My mom and my aunt influenced me a lot. They used

to always throw parties and would call me out to the dance floor. I would be on punishment and they would say “Tyree come on out here and dance for us, do the Michael Jackson.” I remember I would always go and get my Michael Jackson on for three to two hours. I felt they saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself until I started growing up.

Who are your musical inspirations?I really like Bone Thugs and Harmony. I knew all their

lyrics word for word. My favorite out of the group is "Busy Bone". Some of my favorite hip hop artists would be Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Ice Cube, Digital Underground, Tupac, Wu Tang Clan and Scarface, just to name a few.

If you could compare your sound to someone who would that be?

I don’t sound like anyone musically. As artists you need to find your own niche in music. That’s how people don’t last long, they sound like everyone else, you don’t want to hear the same lyrics over and over again, nobody likes a copycat. I have an original sound.

Are you more of a rapper or an entertainer?I am an entertainer. There is a difference between rapping

and entertaining. The entertainer will get the crowd into it. They want to involve the whole crowd. The rapper will rock, but not like an entertainer who will give you the whole show. They bring out the full package. Entertainers come out and do their thing.

How do you feel about groupies?Where would we be without them? I like groupies, but all

groupies aren’t good groupies. Some people are just out to get you, so you have to be careful.

What are you future goals?I am a business major, so I like to sell. I want to start my

own label and I am a club promoter so I perform at a lot of the clubs I promote. I sell it like a package. There is a lot of talent in Los Angeles that remains untapped.

What is your message to the people?Whatever you set your mind to you can achieve. Whether

you want to go to school to get an education, it doesn’t matter if you’re 50 years old or a toddler; you can do whatever you set your mind to. You could be a doctor, a lawyer, an actor or a basketball player. You can do it. Don’t listen to these haters out here.

Where can we find more information about you?I am always doing shows. I have a couple of performances

coming up. You can get my album called New Jerk City on iTunes with hot singles like “U SO Hot”, “I’m The Bomb”, “Never Say Good Bye”, and much more. You can also visit my website for my upcoming shows.

For more information about Tax Free, visit his website at

Taxfreemusic.at.ua.com

No 'Inception'For Reality

Yaron Spiwak plays the tenor saxophone during the Studio Jazz Band performance at Clausen Halll on Nov. 9.

“There is a difference between rapping and

entertaining.”-- Tyree Arnold aka Tax Free

FEAtUrELos AngELEs CoLLEgiAnWednesday, November 17, 2010 7

'Genome' Pigeons Roost on CampusBy Emanuel Bergmann

Drew Lobenstein, an LACC speech professor, has a passion: Fancy pigeons. In a presentation to his class, Lobenstein, an avid pigeon breeder, explained more than most laymen would have ever thought possible about the ubiquitous bird. 35 students were listening with rapt attention, as Lobenstein pulled out one pigeon after another from a cage on his desk.

“Man and pigeons go back to the very fi rst human settlements,” Lobenstein said. Citing from Charles Darwin’s 1868 book “The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication”, Lobenstein explained that the modern pigeon is derived from the Blue Rock Dove (Columba livia).

“The pigeon is the single most perfect example of evolution,” Lobenstein said. He went on to explain more details about evolution, mutations and selective breeding.

“Ninety-eight percent of mutations are destructive,” Lobenstein said. However, there are some mutations that are benefi cial, he explained. Breeders mate specifi c birds for certain attributes.

“There are many characteristics to be aware of when doing selective breeding,” Lobenstein said.

For example, whereas many of today’s 300 recognized breed of pigeons have only 12 tail feathers, breeders have managed to create breeds with as many as 40 tail

feathers, forming a stunning and majestic fan. Lobensteins students gasped with delight at the sight of this bird.

Lobenstein’s claim to fame is breeding a unique variant of the so-called Jacobin pigeon, a favorite of Queen Victoria, named after the distinctive hoods of the Jacobin monks of France. Their gorgeous feathered hood makes it hard to see their head, and the birds would probably not survive in the wild for very long. Lobenstein bred them specifi cally for competitions, but his research helps advance knowledge at the University of Utah’s Pigeon Genome Project, and is also used for veterinary medicine at UC Davis. There are only 12 of these pigeons in the world right now, and they all live in Lobenstein’s attic.

Lobenstein’s enthusiasm for pigeons is obvious. He is frequently forced to confront the misconception that pigeons carry

diseases, a piece of misinformation that he claims was spread in the 1950s as part of a pigeon extermination campaign. In front of his class, Lobenstein extolled the virtues

of his feathered friends. Pigeons have traditionally been used to carry messages over thousands of miles, he explained, and are still used in search-a n d - r e s c u e operations. A homing pigeon named Cher Ami, Lobenstein explained, fl ew messages across enemy lines during WWI, and helped save troops in combat. It is now enshrined at the

Smithsonian. Lobenstein’s students were clearly

enthralled. For the most part.“Yeah, but they poop on my car all

day,” one of the students said.Photo by Luca Loffredo/ Collegian

Photo by Luca Loffredo/ Collegian

Professor Drew Lobenstein holds the Jacobin pigeon with its unique feather collar.

Professor Drew Lobenstein illustrates the breading pro-cess from an ordinary pigeon to a sophisticated selective breed.

Moonlighting from the Classroom to the Stage By Jonathan Filipko

Most LACC students only see their teachers in one light, but just like many students, there are some professors who hold down two jobs.

One professor who leads a dual life can be found in City College’s music department located in Franklin Hall. Professor Lori Ann Piscioneri teaches voice here at LACC, but when school isn’t in session she can be found performing anything from opera, to musical theater and some recital work.

“It’s kind of like [being] an actor, where you go where the work is,” Piscioneri said. “I’ve sung with L.A. Opera, I got my start in Chicago, I do some traveling on my off-time. I fi nd performing jobs when I’m not teaching, like on weekends, or I’ll take a semester off to go do a show somewhere.”

Piscioneri’s passion is singing and she says that although she enjoys both teaching and performing, the potential big bucks are to be made by getting gigs.

“I make way more money performing than I do teaching, but it’s not as

consistent you know. Teaching is more consistent. I enjoy doing both, it’s my passion, it’s my gift.” Piscioneri said.

Piscioneri has taken part in a few of the free concert series offered here at LACC on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the music department. Some of her other recent performing jobs have been, “The First Lady World Premiere Opera”, which took place at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Piscioneri played the character of ‘Daisy Suckley’, where she not only showed off her vocals, but her acting talents as well. She also performed in “Orchestra Unleashed Mirrors of the Soul Concert”.

Although Piscioneri usually gets paid more money when she is getting frequent performing jobs, sometimes she volunteers her talents to less prosperous theaters and orchestras, even if the pay isn’t as alluring.

“Last fall I did a show for very little money, but it was the art and artistic expression and also I grew a lot doing it. It was ‘HMS Pinafore’, so I had to learn a British accent; it was a lot of acting and a lot of singing,” Piscioneri said.Professor Lori Ann Piscioneri of the music department doubles

as an opera singer while teaching at City.

Photo by Claudine Jasmin/ Collegian

commitment and responsibility to be eligible for the positions.

Twenty-two senate-positions are open every year for election in the spring semester. When the elec-tion takes place, not every previous elected offi cer returns from the spring semester, so it leaves other students who were not there before unable to run. They can apply however and be nominated.

The application can be retrieved from the ASO front desk. Students must include their GPA and an essay that explains why they should be se-lected as offi cer for the position on the application.

Once submitted, the ASO Presi-dent and other advisors of the senate then evaluate it. If the application is acceptable, the president then nomi-nates the student to be interviewed by the Board.

If the interview with the Board turns out to be successful, the student is then immediately senator of the ap-plied position. They are then given re-sponsibilities that must be completed while in offi ce for a year. Senators also have to attend a meeting every Tuesday from 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. Their offi ce hours are fi ve hours a week and two hours every other week.

"It’s a huge undertaking to be a senator because you have so many re-sponsibilities,” said Shawn Adamski. “While it is important that we have senator-fi lled positions, it is also im-portant that we don't let anyone in because these people are representing the school. We want the absolute best on campus.”

Offi cers who fulfi ll their tasks may be nominated by the senate or self-nominate for a stipend of $100. The senate will decide which offi cers will receive the award based upon their efforts and achievements. The stipends would be paid out at the end of each semester during the senator’s term in offi ce.

"We highly encourage students to claim the senator-positions while they are available, “ said Jay Cortes, president of the ASO. This is a great opportunity and experience."

Being an offi cer is a non-credit course, even though it will appear on the transcripts. The workload of the course equals fi ve-credits.

ASORecruits

Continued from page 4

FEAtUrE Los AngELEs CoLLEgiAnWednesday, November 17, 20108

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_068492-4-LA City Ad-02.indd 1 10/4/10 10:43 AM

By Alina Kuzmina

She is sitting in a kitchen. A cup of noodles is on the table. She is smoking YUXI cigarettes. She will not go out tonight, she does not do it anymore.

A few years ago, Yilin Ye was a totally different person, living in

Singapore and studying at EASB College. Who knew back then that she would live in Los Angeles with no friends and no family, nobody with whom to share secrets.

At 18 years old, she arrived in Singapore to study. She dreamt of becoming a hotel manager. However, the university she chose was not that ordinary. Only children from rich families studied there and they changed her life.

“I was spending all my time with them,” Ye said. However, their lifestyle differed from hers. “They went to clubs all the time, they bought expensive clothes.”

Ye started to change. She went to parties almost every night, stopped attending every single class in the university and started smoking and drinking. What is more, each and every single free min-ute she spent shopping.

“It was fun, really fun, but only for a couple of months. You can’t live like this for a long time,” she said starting a second cigarette.

After a few months she got tired of a life with such shallow inter-ests. After four years her mother came to rescue her.

She called Ye and said it was time to go home to Beijing in Chi-na. Ye was surprised because she was almost ready to graduate from the university in Singapore. She had only two years left to get her di-ploma. However, her mom saw what was going on with her daughter and that she was under a bad infl uence.

“My mother just gave me tickets to Los Angeles and said that I was going there to study at LACC,” Ye said.

Ye did not know what LACC meant. However, she had no choice. So, she packed all her clothes and fl ew to the USA.

Now she studies at LACC and lives in a tiny apartment with two roommates. She spends most of her time studying English, as her mother wants.

“My family told me that they will give me money only if I have excellent results in my classes,” she said. Ye does not go to clubs any-more; she does not go shopping every day. She studies now.

“It can be hard to live like this as I’m not used to it; and starting everything from the beginning at 22 is kind of hard too,” she said.

In spite of all the diffi culties and adjustments, she is happy to live her life simply again. No more shallow life.

“I think I couldn’t take it anymore, it was too much. I felt like [I was] losing myself, “ she said of her life in Singapore where she had fun all the time and did not care about anything. Sometimes she thinks that her life here is the price she pays for her restlessness in the past.

“You have to pay for everything. I had fun then. I study hard now. I lived in luxury then. I live in a shared tiny room now. I de-served what I got. No work, all play, what a mistake,” she said sitting in the kitchen with a cup of noodles on a table and an empty box of cigarettes in her hands.

Student Finds Refuge at City

Photo Illustration by Claudine Jasmin/ Collegian

By Tanya Geddes A woman carrying a shovel, a man wear-

ing a shredded shirt and a bowtie, and three ladies carrying photography equipment, are walking across LACC campus past Holmes Hall. The procession stops just east of the building at a plaque, which reads, ‘How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!' The Merchant of Venice Act 5 Scene 1." The next line reads, "Dr. Harvey Lile Decker, Professor of Psychology 1933 to 1967, collected and de-veloped these hybrid iris. This garden stands in his memory."

Upon close inspection, one notices rose-mary, hedges, four rocks, four logs, and a large eucalyptus tree with swaying leaves, but no irises. This is where Professor Daniel Marlos comes in, the man in the bowtie and the chair of photography at LACC.

"I saw the plaque and I became obsessed with it," Marlos said. The result of this obses-sion has come to light - Marlos has brought the future of the Harvey Lile Decker Memorial

with him in his bag today. He pulls out what looks like an abandoned bird's nest, but what are, in fact, iris bulbs acquired from his own garden.

The woman with the shovel is Dr. April Pavlik, a recent addition to the full-time fac-ulty of the LACC Psychology Department. Marlos noticed a watercolor of irises in her offi ce and invited her to join in on the project.

She has her own reasons for wanting to plant the fl owers. She believes in "students learning about well-being through garden-ing and well-being through caring for living things," and Pavlik plans to give extra credit to her students who spend some time tending to these fl owers. Plus, she added: "Playing in the dirt is amazing!"

After posing for portraits and making jokes about their resemblance to "American Gothic", (there was a resemblance in the fi rst serious pose, but Pavlik, though blonde, is far too young, and Marlos has a full head of curly hair...), Marlos began to dig a new home for the irises.

David Ambrose, the executive director of the LACC Foundation, walked by and said that there was one iris still left.

"There's no iris here," Marlos said."Yeah, there was! It bloomed in spring, I

watered it," Ambrose said. Examination of the ground-space showed no signs of it.

"Oh they picked it out - yeah, they got rid of it," Ambrose said.

No one present knew anything about Dr. Decker. A search of the Collegian archives produced no immediate results, but more sleuthing may uncover some history.

The hole was dug, but closer examination of the bulbs revealed that they had dried up during their time in Marlos's offi ce. A week later, Marlos and Pavlik planted fresh iris bulbs from Marlos’s yard.

The two plan to meet on Thursday after-noons to continue work on the project.

A Shovel, A Dirty Bag and a Dream

Photo by Karina Herrera/ Photo DepartmentDr. April Pavlik and professor Daniel Marlos tend the Dr. Harvey Lile Decker Memorial Garden.

L.A. CitY LAWLos AngELEs CoLLEgiAnWednesday, November 17, 2010 9

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Coach on Deck for Court Date By Curtis Strain

Allegations ranging from fraud to rac-ism and sexual harassment litter the pages of a “Complaint for Damages” filing officially dated Aug 21, 2008, in Superior Court of the State of California in Los Angeles County. From February 2006 to August 2008, Sel-wyn Young alleges that he suffered or witnessed re-peated sexual harassment, racial discrimination, nepo-tism and fraud at LACC. The charges will finally be brought before a jury in Jan-uary of next year. The complaint spe-cifically charges: different punishments for white stu-dents than minorities; coach-es hired for no-show work, receiving pay fraudulently for work that was not performed; sexual ha-rassment by former Basketball Coach

Michael Miller, including lewd text messages; mismanagement of funds by Miller and Dr. Steve Maradian; and botched hiring practices

on the part of the athletic de-partment regarding assistant coaches Russel Ramsey (Mill-er’s step nephew) and Daniel Cowgill. Perhaps the strangest twist in the case is found on page 9 of the 18 page filing. It is here that Young claims Mill-er tried to have Young fired for installing batting cages at LACC, which were not only approved by the Department Chair, Hayward Nishioka, but were only necessitated by Miller’s failure to pay fees at the Griffith Park Stadium in a timely fashion, according to the lawsuit. The suit names, but is not limited to LACC, the

LACCD, Miller, and Cowgill, among others.

City College Legal Briefs

Photo from Collegian archives

Selwyn Young

No Comment on Sexual Harassment Case

A sexual harassment lawsuit was fi led against Former LACC president Dr. Steve Maradian in 2008. Past Associated Students Organization (ASO) President Ryan Hall-Allen fi led a lawsuit against Maradian for sexual harassment, negligent hiring, retention and supervision, intentional infl iction of emotional and negligent failure to comply with school policy, according to court records on fi le at Western Division Federal Courthouse in downtown L.A.

The case started in L.A. Superior Court and was moved to federal court but the case was settled out of court a day before the hearing.

The Former LACC president recently got a job as president of Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) located in Northern California and will reportedly be paid $160,000 his fi rst year. The Collegian’s phone calls to the president’s offi ce at LTCC were not returned.

Murder Case Still Holding For Insanity Verdict

The hearing for the case of former fi nance instructor Ronald Leroy Berg, who

stands accused of murdering his wife is still delayed. The court is still deciding whether the defendant could be considered clinically insane during the time of the murder. The next pre-trial hearing is set for later this month. The Collegian will report on the case as it unfolds.

LAPD Shooting of Autistic Student Still Under Investigation

Former LACC student Steven Washington was shot in the head and killed by a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) offi cer on May 5, 2009. Offi cers reportedly responded to a “loud sound” as reported by the Los Angeles Times and shot Washington because he was not responding to their commands and seemed to be reaching for his waistband.

The offi cers say they feared for their lives, but were unaware that Washington suffered from autism. According to latimes.com, the offi cers involved in the shooting, Allan Corrales and George Diego have both been reassigned until the homicide investigation is complete.

Compiled by Jonathan Filipko

sPorts Los AngELEs CoLLEgiAnWednesday, November 17, 201010

Sports Calendar

Baseball - Cancelled

Volleyball - Cancelled

Soccer - Cancelled

Badminton - Cancelled

Football - Cancelled

Golf - Cancelled

By Tanya Geddes

I feel super lucky to be back at Los Angeles City College and to once again have the opportunity to take classes taught by phenomenal teachers. After completing a dis-appointing stint at a U.C., it’s nice to be back where some of the in-structors are passionate about what

they teach. This semester, I’m fortunate to

be in the social dance class taught by world famous tap dancer, big band leader, choreographer, stunt-man, fi lmmaker, and humanitar-ian, Chester Whitmore. Our class is learning Lindy Hop right now, a dance that started in the late 1920s and was based on the Charleston, It's terrifi c fun, and Mr. Whitmore can teach it and dance it upside down and sideways. He reminds the followers to 'shine', the leads to accentuate their duke step, and for everyone to avoid rubbery spaghet-ti arms. He just recently returned from accepting the Gregory Hines award and playing sold out shows at the Apollo Theatre in New York, but since he used to go to school here, he likes to come back:

"Yessiree Bob, and I’m here, teaching here! After 35 years lat-er…I started dancing here with a

lady named Nancy Nolan, and Ms. Harunk, and Ms. Reisch … I'm glad to be right back here at LACC teaching American jazz dance, from tap to swing, whatever you want me to teach," Whitmore told the class.

He mentioned that in the past, students would perform on campus and work together with the music and theater departments. It would be cool to see that happen again! In the meantime, we need a few more followers in the social dance class--we're heavy on the leads!

Hopefully he'll stay for spring semester as well. He's a stunning dancer and teacher, and obviously loves doing both. You can read more about him online and there are some swell performance videos on You Tube. We now have liberal arts major at LACC, so of course classes with Chester Whitmore count toward that degree.

By Yaron Spiwak

While many LACC students enjoy the weekend by going to movies, parties and preparing for the next week of

school, math professor Juliet Salazar passes her weekends running, cycling or swimming, compet-ing to be the next Iron Woman.

Salazar discovered her passion for triathlons by accident. After studying math day and night, and achieving her goal of earning a graduate de-gree in mathematics from UCLA, she realized she had kept one bad habit. She had an unhealthy diet -- she ate and drank lots of sugar and caffeine -- a habit she had developed in her former life as a student.

“Wow, I had a goal in mind,” Salazar said. “I wanted to get my graduate degree in math, and I got it. Now I needed to do something about my life because I didn’t want to be gaining more weight.”

After reaching that conclusion (to get back in shape), Salazar very gradually started running by herself at Griffi th Park, and day by day, she began to get better and better.

“In the beginning senior citizens would pass me in the park, where they would run a lot faster than me,” she said. “I remember one day after a few weeks of going to the park where I would try running each day a little longer, I was eventually able to catch up with one of the seniors. I was so happy, it was a highlight of my life!”

Once achieving this personal victory and set-ting new goals, Salazar researched online and found a local running club for beginners. It of-fered training for marathons and triathlons. Peo-ple around her thought she was going crazy. But she was fueled with a passion and determined to pursue a healthy lifestyle and “run for it”, even if

it took the rest of her life. The triathlon sport consists of three events;

swimming, which is in open waters like a lake or the ocean, bicycling and fi nally running. There are various competitive degrees of diffi culty with the most strenuous one called "Iron man” because of its total distance of 140.6 miles and taking up to 14 hours to make it to the fi nish line as the ulti-mate challenge.

Training for such a competition takes around six months, and it is very structured, much like doing homework -- to be successful on an impor-tant exam. A special trainer is hired to help con-dition the body, with the athlete working out six days out of a week, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, working on two of the three dis-ciplines each day.

Triathlons are not only challenging, but they can actually be very dangerous. While in train-ing for her fi rst triathlon, Salazar said there were many obstacles to overcome. Riding the bicycle for a triathlon requires special pedals with clips on them that lock into your shoe. When Salazar was fi rst learning how to use them, she fell many times on the gravel and even bumped into a car.

“I taught class the next day, and being all bruised, I could feel the suspense in the air and the student’s big eyes staring at me. At one point to break the ice, I had to tell them that I was just training on my bicycle and that I’m not a domestic violence victim,“ Salazar said laughing.

Salazar also had a near death experience dur-ing the swimming event at her fi rst “Iron Man” triathlon. The contenders are not alone during the ocean swim event. In addition to the participants swimming next to each other, they swim around fl oating trash, other living creatures such as dol-phins and sharks and against the current.

“First time I competed in the ocean, I got

trapped in a huge wave,” Salazar said. “My heart was pounding so fast, and I was sure I wasn’t go-ing to survive. In these moments I remembered being at peace with it, knowing I was doing some-thing that I loved and facing my fears and goals. As soon as I accepted it, the wave spat me out and I just continued competing.”

When it gets to the marathon portion, Salazar uses her mathematics skills and distance formulas to calculate the right rhythm to fi nish the race. On the 25th mile of the competition, you can hear her whispering, “Damn the Queen of England,” as the rules were changed a few years ago, and the fi n-ish line had an additional 1.4 miles added as the Queen wanted the fi nish line to be right down un-der her window.

As Salazar drags her way to the fi nish line, her

tired feet almost betray her and not once has she "hit a wall” wondering why she is doing this. But once crossing the fi nish line, she says the rush is indescribable, and by the next week she is looking for the next triathlon in which to compete again.

Today Salazar is an experienced athlete with many triathlons under her belt. While in the past there used to be a lot of people who at fi rst thought she was crazy to take up this sport, now she has also gotten her husband addicted to triathlons and they are both training and competing together.

“Things are not always easy in life and there are a lot of challenges and obstacles thrown in the way. It’s up to us how we want to live our lives and either base them on fear, or we can look at the obstacle as a challenge and go for it,” Salazar said.

Doing the Math: Professor Gets Fit, Becomes Iron Woman“First time I competed in the ocean, I got trapped in a huge wave. My heart was pounding so fast,

and I was sure I wasn’t going to survive.”-- Juliet Salazar

Math Instructor

Image provided by Juliet Salazar

Sports BinInstructor Elevates Hearts and Minds

World Famous Tap Dancer brings passion to a lackluster sports landscape at City.

It’s exercise time for students seeking a physical outlet.

Mourning the Death of Sports,What We Are Really Missing

By Emani Ellis

Sports, what every school needs and wants. The tryout pro-cess, the games, the uniforms, the crowds and most of all the “wins.” I have never seen a school with-out sports or some kind of school spirit, until I came to LACC. City

College is the only campus in the Los Angeles Community College District without any sports. Where does that leave students who want to be a part of something as fun, as amazing and as uniting as sports?

School sports is something so dynamic that every school should want to benefit from the experi-ence. It is understandable that at this time City cannot afford such things and most would say that sports is considered a “want” and not a “need”. However, at City, it is needed and wanted.

The fact that there is not one sport here available to students, does not sit well with me. Sports should be a part of every school and that is something that should go without saying. Being that sports did somehow survive in

the past, let us bring them back. There are many students who want to experience what it is like to be a part of a team and have a good time too. Students also want to at-tend these games and support their friends and classmates

On the other hand, you have the expenses and time it takes to put together and run a sports team, that’s understandable. But sports is what forms a school, what keeps students running. School spirit mo-tivates students and instills pride.

At the end of the day, it is not fair to deprive us of sport. Bring back sports, so that in the future, something like winning a game can unite and create a wonderful experience.

Math professor Juliet Salazar races on her bike. Discipline and a positive attitude have led her to compete in multiple Iron Man competitions.