Lopez , see page 5

Volume 163, Number 3 Wednesday, October 20, 2010

IndexOp-Ed Page 2, 3,4

L.A. Law Page 5

News Page 6

Election Page 7

A & E Page 8

Food Page 9

Sports Page 10

District Speech Code Challengedby Lopez Again

By Marsha A. Perry

Nearly six months after the Los An-geles Community College District

(LACCD) purchased the Ma-jestic Golf Land lease for $24.6 million to build a new addition to LACC, the project is over budget by $500,000, according to Harris & Associates. The project is running over budget because of issues with the soil testing.

Construction for the proj-ect was awarded to a Costa Mesa company, SJ Amoroso. They in turn, hired MTGL, a geotechnical and materials en-gineering company based in Anaheim, to test the soil where the new Student Union will be built. However, MTGL did not have access to conduct a complete testing of the driv-ing range’s site, therefore, only a small portion was tested last spring. This produced incom-plete test results according to Harris & Associates.

When the tests came back, Harris & Associates made design changes to the physi-cal foundation where the new structure will be built, but they did not make changes to the Student Union “layout”. Har-ris & Associates is holding the contractor responsible for an incomplete soil report.

“There are no more funds coming for this project,” said Christopher Dunne, the pro-gram director for Harris & As-sociates. “We are slightly over budget right now ... Probably less than $500,000 on a $32 million dollar project ... In the end we’re not going to be over but at this moment, it’s in pro-cess and it’s not a done deal.”

SJ Amoroso’s Student Union design was based on a previous soil report that con-

tained “analysis” and “recom-mendations” of building codes from 2001, according to MTGL representatives.

“Originally Amoroso had bid the job to the design based on the previous soil report,” said MTGL Vice President of Engineering, Isaac Chun. “... We had a new building code we had to abide by and there were signifi cant changes to the pre-vious building codes ... When we came in this year we had to follow the 2007 code and the code was updated twice since the 2001 codes ...”

SJ Amoroso’s Construc-tion Director, Qasim Nawab, says that they are handling the Student Union project “very delicately”. Nawab spoke to the Collegian from his Costa Mesa offi ce.

“Different soil conditions were discovered during the de-sign phase that required an up-grade for the structural design ...,” Nawab said. “We had to go back and once we did that we had different geotechnical conditions.”

SJ Amoroso is requesting $780,145 to update the reports, according to Nawab.

“Their assumptions were wrong. They have asked for more money. We rejected their change request and we have to negotiate ...,” Dunne said. “Because they didn’t take the soil test as soon as they should have, we’re not agreeing with their standpoint right now and we’re not going to negotiate it out ...”

Green netting still tow-ers over the former driving range property that will house LACC’s future three-story, 72,000 square foot Student Union. In mid-September, LACCD’s Infrastructure Com-mittee and the Board of Trust-ees approved a budget to have the nets removed.

by Emanuel Bergmann

After years of construction and lingering controversy, the LACCD Van de Kamp In-novation Center in Northeast

Los Angeles opened its doors last week. In a well-attended opening ceremony, LACCD chancellor Dr. Daniel J. LaVista offi cially in-augurated the new building complex, which is housed in a former Dutch-style bakery, the Van de Kamp bakery. Among those present were Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former California State Senate Majority Leader Richard Polanco, Councilman Ed Reyes, as well as members of the Van de Kamp fam-ily and many others. Deputies of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department paid tribute to the fl ag of the United States of America and the California Republic. After the national anthem and the pledge of al-legiance, the audience heard from various speakers, including the mayor, who spoke of the importance of leadership and education. LACCD President of the Board of Trustees

Georgia Mercer gave the opening remarks."We are completing our promise to

the voters,“ Mercer said. "And now that the bakery is gone, we’re no longer producing cake and cookies, we’re producing wonder-ful opportunities for this entire community, for people of all ages, for decades to come to enhance their educational opportunities."

Sitting in a shaded area, the audience was well protected from the sweltering sun, if not the jarring noise of several balloons popping in the heat.

"Sometimes it’s simple statements that apply to obvious situations, and in this case I want to begin by saying: ‘Wow!’," Dr. LaV-ista said. "If you think about what happened here at the Van de Kamp Innovation Center, you have to have that kind of response. It has been a wonderful coming together in form-ing this great treasure for this community."

After the ceremony, Dr. LaVista had this to say about the persistent allegations of bond money misuse:

"It kind of puzzles me, to tell you the truth. Because here we are in a situation

where we have a signifi cant percentage of our workforce unemployed. We’re not look-ing to be patted on the back necessarily, but I think we are looking to be acknowledged as change agent, creating better opportunities for people to be more competitive for jobs when the economy does turn around. About some charges, you know, that we’re using the space improperly. Not so! Not so! This is very much at the center of our mission. In-deed, the ability to have some tenants allows us to pay our expenses here until we can step up, God willing with some better state sup-port to create a center."

The citizen’s group Van de Kamps Co-alition has named the LACCD as a defendant in three lawsuits they are currently fi ling. They are alleging misuse of voter-approved Measure A/AA bond funds used to built the center.

"We are confi dent that we’ll be vindi-cated in the courts," LaVista said. All these allegations of misuse of funds, or the kind of mission that we have here, we just don’t see how that could possibly go in any way but

Van de Kamp Innovation Center Opens in Atwater Village

Van de Kamp, see page 5Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa speaks at LACCD Van de Kamp Innovation Campus opening ceremony.

Student Union Runs Half MilOver Budget

Students Evacuated After Gas Leak Near Pool By Abimael Rivera

Plant Facilities Foreman

Alex Nelson reported a gas leak to campus police near the pool area of the campus on Thursday Oct. 7 causing an evacuation of the pool and the Men’s Gym af-ter sheriffs arrived in the early morning.

Swim instructor Chris-tine Tinberg was concluding a Lap Swimming for Fitness class when the sheriffs began to clear the area. Deputy Keith Johnson from campus security said sher-iffs arrived at about 8:30 a.m.

“We evacuated the Men’s Gym and plumbers shut the gas off and used fans to clear the air. No injuries and no one com-

plained of being sick,” Johnson said.

Tinberg wrote a work re-quest and reported the smell of gas to the Plant Facilities on Thursday, Sept. 30, a week prior to the pool being temporarily closed.

“The [lifeguards] were tell-ing me they were smelling it, so I thought well, I’ll send the work request,” Tinberg said. “A week later they showed up. Must have taken them a while to fi gure out where it was coming from.”

Tinberg’s morning class ex-ercises in the southern deep end of the pool and she said students had not complained about any smell of gas.

Gas Leak , see page 5

Photo by Luca Loffredo/ Collegian

Photo by Luca Loffredo/ Collegian

By Abimael Rivera

Jonathan Lopez the L.A. City College student who has fi led a lawsuit against the

Los Angeles Community Col-lege District (LACCD) and City College saying a speech profes-sor discriminated against him for his religious beliefs is on his way back to court.

A petition to rehear the case has been fi led after a panel of three judges of the U.S. Ninth District Court of Appeals threw out Lopez’s case in mid Septem-ber. Lopez claimed his speech professor, John Matteson, inter-rupted his assigned speech in class during the fall semester of 2008 and called him a “fascist bastard” after citing two Bible verses and a dictionary defi ni-tion of the word marriage.

Lopez then fi led suit against a sexual harassment policy he said violated his right to free speech and a federal court granted a motion to pre-vent the LACCD from enforc-ing the policy in the summer of 2009.

However, in the opinion written last month, three judges of the Ninth Circuit decided that Lopez did not have standing and failed to prove injury, since the college never enforced the policy Lopez had challenged. Still his lawyers say the policy diminishes students’ free speech rights.

Lawyers of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) fi led the petition for a rehearing two weeks ago. The ADF is a group of Christian attorneys who rep-resent Lopez.

“The decision disables stu-dents from challenging over-broad and vague policies that restrict their ability to speak on campus,” David J. Hacker, Lo-pez’s attorney from ADF, wrote in an email to the Collegian.

“Now, instead of being able to challenge those laws on their face in court, students will have to choose between speaking and risking punishment, or self-censoring their speech for fear of punishment. Everyone loses when speech is chilled like this.”

The Ninth Circuit’s deci-sion confl icts with two earlier cases from the Third and Sixth Circuits: McCauley v. Univer-sity of the Virgin Islands and Dambrot v. Central Michigan University. This creates a Cir-cuit split, according to the peti-tion written by Hacker.

In August of this year, the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Ap-peals ruled in the McCauley case that a portion of the Univer-sity’s speech code was unconsti-tutional and allowed a student to challenge the code. The deci-sion split between the Ninth and Third Circuits has the potential to create a problem in interpret-ing free speech laws, according to some legal experts.

“Two court of appeals ana-lyzing similar cases differently … creates incoherency in the law,” said Erica Goldberg, a Robert H. Jackson fellow from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a nonprofi t educational founda-tion based in Philadelphia. “At [the] most basic level, it means LACCD has an unconstitutional speech policy that the court is not addressing right now.”

FIRE’s mission “to defend and sustain individual rights at America's colleges and universi-ties” is in accordance with their Speech Code Litigation Project, an effort to end unconstitutional speech codes on public campus-es. FIRE has won cases at Texas Tech University, San Francisco State University and Citrus Col-lege among otherså.

FIRE’s fi rst achievement in bringing down a speech code considered unconstitutional was

By Mars Melnicoff

More than a year ago, administra-tors at LACC were looking for

ways to avoid cuts to academic programs. On Aug. 5, 2009, LACC President Jamillah Moore told the Los Angeles Commu-nity College District (LACCD) Board of Trustees that “sus-pending” intercollegiate sports at LACC would save $700,000, preventing academic programs from being cut, but some say that price tag is questionable.

Bruce Baron, former vice president of administrative ser-vices at LACC and current San Bernardino Community College District Chancellor, expressed his doubt about the money actu-ally saved by suspending sports during a deposition on Feb. 12,

2010 in the downtown Los An-geles offi ces of Ivie McNeil and Wyatt. While at LACC, Baron worked closely with the budget.

“At the end of the day,” Baron said, “I don’t think our savings was more than a couple hundred thousand dollars of costs that we could really save.”

He said that Moore worked with LACC Academic Senate President Ken Sherwood to put together the recommendation that was presented to the budget committee to eliminate athletics.

“I pointed out to them both – Moore and Sherwood – that there are – most of the – a large part of the costs are full-time salary and benefi ts,” Baron said. “There’s still a secretary, there was still a trainer, there was still an athletic equipment per-son and their benefi ts and that those people would still have to be given a job. So all you were

really saving was coaches, who didn’t earn any benefi ts, and supply and travel budgets.”

The deposition was given for a pending lawsuit that was fi led by former LACC Athletic Director Mike Miller. The suit names Moore, Sherwood, LACC and the LACCD as the defen-dants, claiming that Moore and Sherwood conspired together in order to get rid of Miller, and de-cided to chop sports to do so.

In his deposition, Baron described how the president de-cided to present the plan to fac-ulty. Baron was not exactly sure of the date, but testifi ed that she wanted Sherwood to present it to faculty.

“Dr. Moore said to me that, if we got rid of the entire athlet-ics program, that we’d be able to deal with the Mike Miller

Sports by the Numbers

Sport Budget , see page 10

Student Union, see page 6

November ElectionEditorial Endorsement

Page 2Fiorina vs. Boxer

Page 7

"School for Scandal"Opens today at 7:15 p.m. in the Camino Theatre and plays through Oct. 23. General admission tickets cost $12. Tickets for

sudents, seniors and veterans cost $8. For more information call 323 395-4000 ext. 2990.

From left to right: Lady Sneerwell (Kelsey Murray), Joseph Surface (B.J. Allaman) and Maria (Catherine Boily) perfom wearing elaborate 18th century hairstyles and costumes as the curtain goes up on the second production of the LACC Theatre Academy season .

School for Scandal , see page 8

School for Scandal

oPinion Los AngeLes CoLLegiAnWednesday, October 20, 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

Associate Editor: Briauna Holmes

Food Editor: Fallynn Rian

Opinion Editor: Emanuel Bergmann

Sports Editor: Mars Melnicoff

Photo Editor: Luca Loffredo

Arts & Entertainment Editor: Jonathan Filipko

Distribution Manager: Collegian Staff

Advertising: Tercius Bufete, Toi Troutman

Graphics: Tercius Bufete, Billy C. Monroe

Reporters: Matthew Ali, Emanuel Bergmann, Richard Chang, Emani Ellis, Layla Fernandez, Jonathan Filipko, Mary Hesse,

Briauna Holmes, Derek Lesnau, Mars Melnicoff, Mieesha Johnson, Virginia Nikoghosyan, Marsha Perry, Luis

Ponce, Fallynn Rian, Tristan Shaw, Toi TroutmanPhotographers: Claudine Jasmin, Luca Loffredo,

Jorge Ponce, Russ Mutuc

Illustrators: Edgar A. Gonzalez Aguilar "Bubbles," Billy C. Monroe

Digital Online Media Administrator: Russ Mutuc

Faculty Adviser: Rhonda Guess

Email: losangeles.collegian@gmail.comTwitter: @CollegianWired

Facebook add LACCBroadcast@gmail.com

Editorial / Advertising offi ces: (323) 953-4000, ext. 2831(Mon. and Wed., 1-4 p.m.)

The college newspaper is published as a learning experience, offered under the college journalism instructional program. The editorial and advertising materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff.

Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by virtue of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the Los Angeles Community College District, Los Angeles City College, or any officer or employee thereof.

© 2003 Collegian. No material may be reprinted without the express written permission of the Collegian.

NEXT ISSUE:

November 3

Editorial deadline:October 29

For all submissions including letters to the editor and publicity

releases.

Advertising deadline:October 29

Send materials to Collegian offi ce: LRC 200

EDITORIALMr. Durner is correct as he shares the frustra-

tion amongst many students on campus regarding counseling appointments. With nine full time coun-selors that serve 16,000+ students, this is without question an arduous task.

For clarifi cation, additional counselors in cat-egorical programs will meet only with students who are participants in that specifi c program. The student/counselor ratio has been a primary concern not only to our department but to the campus as a whole.

To help us meet this need, the administration has allowed us to replace some counselors who re-tired, two in General Counseling; one in OSS and one in International Students. By spring 2011 we will be introducing e-chat, online advising and on-line orientation. Although these would not replace a one on one appointment, they can be valuable paths to get the information you need.

Meeting with a counselor for a thirty minute appointment is still important and can be done ei-ther online or in person. The appointment book fi lls up quickly so students are encouraged to make their appointment early in the week.

However if appointments are fi lled for the week, you still have the option come into AD 108 and meet with a counselor for quick questions.

Ian, since you have been coming into Counsel-ing over a period of time, you are aware of the pro-cess that all students check in at the front desk. This allows us to view services rendered to students such as appointments, quick questions, prerequisite au-thorizations, picking up forms, etc. While you have expressed frustration over your experience in Coun-seling for three semesters in a row, our records in-dicate only one activity in December of 2009, when you met with a counselor.

While I appreciate your viewpoint, I would not want to dismiss the thousands of students we see who have met their goal of earning a certifi cate or AA/AS degrees and have transferred to the various CSU, UC and private four-year institutions. Like you, these students may not have gotten an appoint-ment on their fi rst try but were undeterred and con-tinued to move forward until they were able to see a counselor.

In response to rude service, that should not be accepted by any student. In my experience as Chair, I’ve observed counselors approach students in a helpful and courteous manner. Your experience is atypical and I am publicly offering that you contact me at pumphrrn@lacitycollege.edu and meet as a follow up to the disservice you’ve expressed.

Regards,

Reri N. PumphreyChair of CounselingCounseling Department

The editorial board and staff of the Collegian endorses Jerry Brown for governor. Perhaps refl ec-tive of voter mood in California, this decision was not arrived at lightly. Many voters – students in par-ticular – remain unconvinced that either candidate can signifi cantly change the political and economic climate in California. However, it is crucial that stu-dents vote and thereby help shape their own future. Each of the candidates and ballot propositions will have a tangible impact on students and Los Angeles City College.

On the Republican side, Meg Whitman is admi-rably focused on job creation and budget cuts, how-ever, her proposals don’t add up. The math is simple. Her proposed tax cuts are likely to deepen Califor-nia’s budget defi cit by upward of $2 billion, while her suggested savings, such as laying off 40,000 state employees, amount to little more than a politi-cal gesture.

“I have a very detailed plan,” Whitman said in the fi nal gubernatorial debate on Oct. 11, 2010, but where is it?

Whitman is vague on much needed reforms of the judicial system and the prison system, cost-ing the state of California upwards of $8.7 billion per year. She is opposed to a path to legalization of undocumented immigrants, resulting in an ever-increasing shadow economy and a strain on public fi nances, not to mention creating an intangible situ-ation for undocumented students here at LACC. She has pledged $15 billion in government savings, but has not offered any explanation where these savings are supposed to come from. She claims to support pension reform, but would exempt public safety unions – such as fi remen and police – from any cuts. Her campaign has been marked by internal inconsistencies.

Brown, in contrast, has offered detailed, in-depth proposals on many of the major issues. While voters may agree or disagree with individual points, the candidate is to be commended for making a transparent set of policy suggestions. This allows voters to have a clearer idea and make an informed decision. He has offered con-sistent proposals, in particular with regard to environmental issues, clean energy production and education. However, questions remain about his seriousness, his effectiveness and his willingness to take on entrenched union interests.

“I’ve been in the kitchen. I’ve taken the heat. She’s been in the bleachers,” Brown said during the last debate. This may be so. It re-mains to be seen if Brown could, in fact, deliver the lofty promises he’s made. What speaks for him are his years of experience within the California political system and the strength of his policy proposals. Whitman is running her campaign on “new ideas for a new Califor-nia.” Clearly, her campaign message of job creation resonates – this is what California needs right now. And although voters would wel-come a fresh approach, and although Whitman’s enthusiasm is obvi-ous, her policies remain vague.

Therefore, the Collegian endorses Jerry Brown for governor.

The Collegianwelcomes your comments!

However, we reserve the right to shorten letters and comments

if necessary.

Write to us at: losangeles.collegian@gmail.com

Just a short note to say I loved the October 6, 2010 Collegian. My eye was caught by an article by Luis Gil entitled “College Squatters Drain Valu-able Resources”.

By the title, I envisioned something about homeless people living on our campus, however, much to my surprise, he put forth a timely, short piece on something I have been saying for years.

We are being hurt by people who want to play school and as a result, the real students suffer in many ways. Please tell him I enjoyed his article and look forward to a follow up.

ThanksRay Hicks

Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor

Collegian Endorses Brown for Governor

Illustartion by Billy Monroe/ Collegian

Got Questions?

Got Comments?

GotOpinions?

GotPictures?

GotNews?

E-mail Us:losangeles.collegian@gmail.com

Advertising:CollegianAd@gmail.com

oPinionLos AngeLes CoLLegiAnWednesday, October 20, 2010 3

QUESTION: Are you voting in the upcomming election and why?

Compiled By Matthew AliPhotos By Jorge Ponce

Spencer SteebyTheatre“Yes, it is my duty as an American. I believe everyone should vote, I think it's their right, it's a privilege.”

Ani KolangianBiology“Yes. I believe every single vote makes a difference. I want my voice to be heard be-cause I have certain concerns that I want to be voiced in the upcoming election, primar-ily being the education and the budget cuts.

Chukwuneye AbanumComputer Engineering“Hopefully, yeah. We need change here in California. Right now, we’re in a lot of debt so we need to get the right person in Sacra-mento to get us out of debt.”

Charles Horn IIPsychology“Yes I am voting and I possibly have an im-pact on what happens in California.”

Jacob SimonUndeclared“Yes. I do. Why is it that most people vote? There’s issues that they believe are impor-tant. One that is of particular interest the pot initiative, I want to make sure that it doesn’t become illegal and possibly make it legal, even though it probably won't stick.”

Danuta TangalosPsychology“Yes, I always vote, If you don’t you have no right to complain about the government.”

By Derek Lesnau

Can you smell it? It smells like … like Proposition 19! For those who do not know yet, Prop 19 is the measure to legalize marijuana in the state of California. Yes, folks, it is coming! And if the ballot passes, you can expect long lines at the vending machines. We may even need a second taco truck.

In a nutshell, this bill would allow any person over 21 to legally carry up to one ounce of marijuana and grow up to 25 square feet of cannabis plants at home.

Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?I imagine it’s a good thing. The state could potentially save money by no

longer having to spend tax dollars on the war against marijuana traffi cking. And maybe, just maybe, the bodies will stop piling up. Another thing to consider is that our law enforcement will not waste their time dealing with petty marijuana criminals. They will be able to better concentrate on rapists, murderers and the like.

Surprisingly enough, there are many conservative Republicans who are in

favor of Prop 19. They share some of the arguments and opinions that I do. For-mer Superior Court Judge James Gray had this to say:

“Based on my 25 years on the bench, I have seen that the tougher we get with regard to drug crimes, specifi cally marijuana, the softer we get in regard to the prosecution of everything else. So we actually have robbers and murderers being prosecuted less severely, because we’re spending all of these criminal jus-tice resources on the prosecution of non-violent drug offenders.”

There are other conservatives who have made positive comments about the legalization of marijuana. These include Gary Johnson, the former governor of New Mexico and even television personality Glenn Beck. Online and telephone polls also show something interesting. About 52 percent of people are for Prop 19, with only 41 percent against it and the remaining undecided.

Well, that’s all for me. The power is in the hands of the voters. Which means you! How will you vote this November?

Legalization May Lead to New High

By Allison Farrow

Students at Los Angeles City College are not readily offered opportunities to supplement their daily routine with a health and fi tness regime, due to a lack of meal plans, constricted availability of the fi tness center, and the discontinu-ation of all athletics.

It has been determined that health and fi tness infl uence the wellness of ev-ery human being. The effect of a well-balanced meal has the ability to improve test results, sleep patterns, and thought processes. Combined with a vigorous fi tness routine, a person has the power to combat illnesses, muscular deteriora-tion, and the effects that stress has on the mind and body.

When researching about a cafeteria at LACC, there was not much infor-mation to be had. It turns out that students do not have a cafeteria facility on campus and therefore no meal plan can be provided.

LACC is not providing students with enough opportunities to make healthy choices. If there were a snack bar or cafeteria, students would have the chance

to take advantage of healthier diet options. When speaking to students about this, many opted for a meal plan. Many students felt that it would actually save them money. And if LACC installed snack bars or provided a fully stocked caf-eteria with breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, the meal plan packages would pay for themselves.

LACC is actually making fi tness a challenge for students, rather than help-ing to promote an active lifestyle. The college has been in existence since 1929 and at some point within those 81 years of operation, all of the athletic sports have been canceled. Not only are there no sports teams, but the fi tness facility is not open to all LACC students. In order to gain access, a student has to sign up – and pay for – the PE 630 or PE 635 classes, attend the necessary orientation and work out a minimum of 30 minutes each weekday. This creates unnecessary obstacles for students who want to work out at school.

The LACC health and fi tness program needs to be re-evaluated in order to promote better vitality and a stronger environment for students, so they can successfully thrive mentally and physically.

Is LACC a Healthy Place To Be?

oPinion Los AngeLes CoLLegiAnWednesday, October 20, 20104

By Jorge Cardenas Bustamante

All politicians promise reforms when they are running for office. What are the candidates for governor of California promising to do for the higher education system, especially for community colleges such as LACC? What can students like you and me expect?

Republican nominee Meg Whitman states

that “she supports policies that will not allow un-documented immigrants admission to state-funded institutions of higher education such as UC, CSU's and community colleges,” according to her of-ficial website. She declared her opposition against undocumented students. Whitman does not men-tion what she would do for the rest of the student population.

The Democratic nominee, Jerry Brown, states the need for “creating a new state Master Plan in education,” according to his official website. His plan focuses on community colleges and college credit transfers.

“Transfer courses should be closely aligned with, and accepted by, the CSU, UC systems," Brown states on his website. "Transfer student are often forced to take redundant courses to graduate from the CSU/UC system even though they have completed equivalent coursework in community college."

However, Brown does not discuss issues such as state budget cuts, financial aid, canceled or overcrowded classes and increased fees.

Both candidates are not promising much for college students like you and me. Not much is be-ing offered in terms of financial aid. So watch who you are voting for and who can best meet your educational perspective. In election times, it is easy to make promises, but when politicians are in office, it is a different story.

Meg Whitman: No State Funding for Undocumented Students

By Layla Fernandez

The current economic crisis affects not just people with college degrees, it’s even worse for those who only have a GED or never even finished high school. Some students are struggling to make ends meet, pay their bills and keep a high GPA. Students make every effort to acquire that much-needed college degree.

Speaking to my friends who are college gradu-ates, I’m told that a bachelor's degree is worthless now. They compare their current pay to the wages they where making as high school students, when

they had no education and no experience. They wonder if their hard work as students will ever pay off.

I see what a hard time they are having, jug-gling school and work. Especially considering the debt a higher education can incur. I wondered if it's all worth it. Is school really worth a mountain of debt, in a time of recession?

Still, I believe that higher education is one of the most important experiences. It’s not just about your career. It’s about the joy of learning and go-ing on a lifelong journey of discovery. A college degree can lead you to a better future. Education can open doors. And many people with little or no education are losing out on valuable opportunities.

Perhaps my ideals about higher education are wrong. I asked my peers and most of them are certain that a degree will pay off in the future. But when? No one seems to know.

When it comes to a higher education, money is the most common obstacle for my peers and for myself. I’ve heard motivational speakers say that money is not an issue, but when it comes to finan-cial aid, it is very much an issue.

I know an unemployed student who had a 3.5 GPA last semester and is currently only receiving $30 a month in financial aid. He plans his days to the second, often falls behind on his bills and nearly received an eviction notice. In his heart, he believes that school is worth it. Everyone tells him his efforts will pay off, but his aspirations and dreams have to take second place for now. The bills must be paid, or services will be cut.

I worry that all the time and effort I am putting into my education will not be enough to survive this economic crisis. I hope that I will be strong enough to make it through. I hope that financial aid will be there to help me finance my education.

Surviving Debt for a College Degree

By Richard Chang

I’m rich. I’m a crook. I hate schools, I hate the environment and I hate immigrants. As a registered voter in California, I thank God every day I have Meg Whitman to vote for in the 2010 gubernatorial election.

Or at least that is what Jerry Brown wants you to believe.

I’ve been a registered Republican since 2005. I moved to the city in the wake of a re-call election, the brink of a mayoral run off and the run up to a statewide special election. Arnold Schwarzenegger had been elected just a year before. It was as if Cal-ifornians were drunk -- half off of his refreshing brand of conservatism and half off the power they exercised by essentially overthrowing the govern-ment just 12 months before.

The love affair didn’t last very long. The governor called a special election in an attempt to make his proposed reforms law, but they were universally rejected. He learned the hard way that his experience as a bodybuilder wasn’t going to be enough to strong arm the state legislature. They had all the power.

Perhaps Arnold overestimated his popularity, or Californians were just voter fatigued. Whatever the case, there were powerful interests behind de-feating his propositions. The money came from cops, fi refi ghters, teachers, public employees and entrenched public offi cials. This isn’t a conspira-

cy theory. It’s a proud fact on the left that public unions defeated the governor’s reforms.

Students exercising their right to vote is more symbolism than action. It’s a coming-of-age act of independence, a judgment of cerebral and emo-tional values; outlined, bound and rewarded with a sticker. It’s an essential element of our democracy, just enough for us to handle, since the consequenc-es of our vote are rarely immediate.

Some people vote for issues, others base their vote on values, but the majority of voters vote down party lines. Since Democrats control the state legislature, it doesn’t matter if you vote for Brown or Whitman. Neither will fulfi ll the prom-ises of their campaign, they don’t have the power to legislate.

Whitman says all the right things, but state lawmakers don’t share her legislative priorities:

1. California spends more money than it col-lects in tax revenue. Spending has to be curbed.

2. California businesses are fl eeing for neigh-boring states with fewer regulations. We need to reform our laws to stay competitive.

3. The government payroll is bloated. It needs to be trimmed.

4. Investment fuels innovation and creates jobs. Reducing the capital-gains tax promotes a pro-business environment. This is essential to Cali-fornia’s economic recovery.

Those four points make sense to me. But the left turns them into a caricature of sociopathic greed and corruption.

I’m casting my ballot for Meg Whitman, but I’m not naive enough to believe half of her inten-tions will ever be realized.

From what I’ve seen of the California politi-cal process, all of the governing us students give a damn about is done at city hall, on school boards and in the state legislature. They control the bud-get. And although they care about our vote, they get elected in gerrymandered districts on off-year elections with very low turnout. They answer to their donors and their donors are the unions.

Whitman HasRight Values, ButWill It Matter?

Illistration by Bubbles/ Collegian

Illustration by Tercius Bufete/ Collegian

L.A. City LAw Los AngeLes CoLLegiAnWednesday, October 20, 2010 5

Choose from accredited degrees online or on campus.

ABOUT THE PROGRAMS• Complete your degree in less than two years.• Choose to earn your degree online, or attend class one night a week at

a location near you.• Applicants for the HDEV program must be at least 22 years old; BSOL program

applicants must be at least 25.

AZUSA | HIGH DESERT | INLAND EMPIRE | LOS ANGELES

MURRIETA | ORANGE COUNTY | SAN DIEGO | VENTURA COUNTY | ONLINE

CALL (626) 815-5301CLICK www.apu.edu/explore/capsEMAIL aps@apu.edu

LIBERAL STUDIES

The B.A. in Human Development (HDEV)can prepare you for a career in education. In less than two years, you could be on yourway to teaching in your own classroom.

LEADERSHIP

The versatile B.S. in Organizational Leadership (BSOL) makes it easy to take the next step in your career. You’ll learn relevant business strategies that can empower you to become an effective leader.

Find out about the next HDEV or BSOL programstart date. Contact us today!

10999

Complete Your Bachelor’s Degree with APU

10999_6X10_5:Layout 1 9/2/10 9:32 AM Page 1

Van de Kamps, from page 1

Van de Kamp: Chancellor Confident about Lawsuits

Photo by Luca Loffredo/ CollegianFacade of renovated Van de Kamp Innovation Campus.

The Pepperdine Advantage

· Lead the way by adding the prestige of Pepperdine University to your resumé

· Complete your bachelor’s degree in two years with evening and weekend classes, and earn your MBA in as little as one additional year

· Transfer to Pepperdine’s Graziadio School with a minimum of 60 lower-division units

· Guaranteed admission through TAG community college partnerships

Learn more by attending an upcoming Information Session.

West LA Campus: October 20 & November 3

bschool.pepperdine.edu

West LA, Irvine and Encino Graduate Campuses

Master the leader in you.The Bachelor of Science in Management

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

By Mars Melnicoff

A lawsuit brought by Mike Miller, the former LACC athletic director, was set to start on Oct. 20, but has been postponed. In a hearing on Oct. 6, the judge said he wants to go on with the trial but he can’t if there are arguments on both sides that have to do with the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), something that school administration must sort out before the judge can apply it to California law.

The lawsuit names LACC President Jamillah Moore, Academic Senate President Ken Sherwood, LACC and the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) as defendants and claims that Miller was discriminated against because of age, race and for being a whistle blower – and unfairly terminated.

Attorney Rupert A. Byrdsong of Ivie McNeil & Wyatt is representing Miller in the suit. Byrdsong argued that their case has to do with discrimination, not the CBA. He also stated that the defense is using the CBA in order to defend discrimination.

“This trial is not going to rely on those interpretations,” Byrd-song said. “The issue in this case is whether Mr. Miller was discrimi-nated against and retaliated against … the agreement doesn’t impact that analysis. Also, your honor, our complaint does not allege breach of any contract. It doesn’t allege any breach of the CBA.”

Judge Daniel J. Buckley agreed with this statement, but still felt uneasy about making assump-tions or decisions about district policy.

“I agree that your claim - when you summarize your claim it doesn’t refer directly to the CBA,” Judge Buckley said. “But there seems to be a direct overlap of issues and facts today. More importantly, you have raised them in your opposition. And so how do I deal with that? Let’s assume that there is, that we are at trial, the authority, the president versus the athletic director, of hiring and firing - isn’t that dic-tated by CBA and don’t I have to defer to whatever the administrative hearing decides?”

LACCD is requesting the case be postponed until an administrative hearing takes place. The district is looking to potentially put the trial off for several months while these proceedings take place.

“There is part of the law,” the judge said, “that I think both sides agree, is dictated by administra-tive hearing judge, not by me. … And I agree with you [Byrdsong] that they bring it to the table far more than you do, but even you sometimes lapse into a dispute with the defendant, defendants as to what obligations existed … pursuant the CBA, not California employment law.”

Miller’s attorney stood ground and argued fur-ther that the CBA is not the crux of the case, and may not affect it at all. He pointed out that part of the lawsuit deals with an issue that Miller was a whistle blower on, which involved release time that Sherwood received for “working” with a badmin-ton team that never formed. The CBA does apply to Sherwood’s release time, but not to the retaliation against Miller for being a whistle blower, Byrdsong argues. He said that, if the case was about Sher-wood, the CBA would apply. But, Byrdsong said, he sited different authorities for claims of retalia-tion.

“No, not at all your honor,” Miller’s lawyer said, “because we have a statement from two wit-nesses that the president removed the coach with

authority and we have pretext as to why she did that. We don’t need the CBA regarding her authority, she always has the authority, that’s not in dispute. But if she uses her authority in a discriminatory manner, we should be able to proceed on that. We don’t need the agreement to say whether she could or could not. That’s not the issue. An employer always has the authority to take adverse employee actions but the law says whether those adverse employment actions are illegal and whether we should have a redress in court. We don’t need the agreement to do that.”

The judge continued to say that he agrees with Byrdsong, yet he must first let administration take their stand, as has been the procedure in previous cases. Attorney Lester Jones, who represents the LACCD, puts another spin on things, claiming that the CBA will perhaps make or break his case.

“Inexplicably intertwined in the evidence of this case is my disposition where Dr. Moore’s de-cision not to re-appoint him [Miller] as head bas-

ketball coach, and to directly hire the head basketball coach without his approval brings into play article 14 of the collective bargaining agreement,” Jones said. “… the coach that had been hired previously was successful. Won the conference champion-ship, was selected coach of the year, and so she said he is going to be re-hired for the next sea-son.”

The coach that LACCD’s lawyer is referring to was stripped of his coach of the year title, and the team was stripped of its entire season of 22 wins because of athlete eligibility fraud. LACCD’s lawyer contin-ued, focusing on the CBA.

“His [Miller’s] position is that she was required to get his approval.” Jones continued, “… Well, the contract clearly states

that it’s the president who has the final author-ity and approval … the sanctity of the Collective bargaining agreement can only be preserved if the union and the district are involved in some admin-istrative process for those issues pending to be re-solved. That’s just one example. So I think the court is on the right track, in terms of deferring until the administrative proceeding is done.”

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) contract, article 14, states that the president does have the right to approve or disapprove a coach, but the athletic director is in charge of choosing the pool of applicants. Miller did not participate in choosing the coach hired by Moore.

Article 14 of the AFT contract reads:“Coaching and assistant coaching assignments

are temporary assignments offered and/ or termi-nated by the athletic director subject to the approval of the college president and may be terminated at any time by the college president. The reason(s) for termination shall be stated in writing.”

However, the question now is not whether the trial is necessary, but whether the district will be granted more time before the trial will begin. The judge ruled for another hearing on Oct. 20.

“What I’m asking you to do is tell me I’m wrong,” the judge said to Miller’s attorney, “That both sides aren’t bringing to the court issues relat-ing to the CBA. Ultimately I have to defer on some extent – I fully agree that you still have your case. I don’t think in any way that a decision by the ad-ministrative hearing judge takes away your case, it just clarifies as to the issues as to the CBA compli-cation.”

Hearing Stalls Miller Trial

our favor."Villaraigosa, when asked about allegations of un-

lawfully leasing the space to tenants such as the Alliance Charter School and the Worker Education and Resource Center (WERC) – which the Van de Kamps Coaltion re-fers to as his "pet pojects" – had this to say:

"I think what people have to understand is that hav-ing a charter school here that has an 850 A.P.I. [Academ-ic Performance Index] score where young kids can get a great education, that’s great for this community. Having a collaboration between the City, the community college and the school district for workforce development, the kind of efforts for getting people ready to work, I think is a good thing.”

Diane Factor, Director of Worker Education and Resource Center, expressed her excitement about the center. She claims that WERC’s tenancy at Van de Kamp is consistent with what an LACC satellite would offer to the community. According to Factor, the WERC pro-grams focus on “green”careers, as well as health care, partnering with local hospitals. They also offer for-credit courses that are transferable to LACC.

“We prepare people for not just a job, but a career,” Factor said. “There are adults we help prepare, so that they can be successful in college.”

against Citrus in 2003. Citrus had free speech areas that FIRE considered “small and remote”. After at-torney Carol A. Sobel sued on behalf of a student, Citrus dropped their speech code at the time.

“[FIRE] said [the speech code] was overly narrow because there should be no restrictions [of] free-speech on campus,” said Jeanne Hamilton, vice president of student services at Citrus. “It’s been rewritten a couple of times since our incident with FIRE … we haven’t had any complaints from students.”

Certain students at LACC feel that the current policy can become a problem to individuals who wish to express their opinions or personal outlooks on many controversial issues.

“If you can’t talk about it here, where else can you talk about it?” said Nathalie Villamarin, an

LACC student who majors in business administra-tion. “I think we should be given more freedom to be able to talk in classes and say how we feel as long as you’re not hurting or offending anybody else.”

Some students, however, have a different take on the situation, saying the professor acted appro-priately by giving students the choice to step out of class at the time Lopez gave his speech.

“I think everyone should have the option to leave if they feel uncomfortable,” psychology ma-jor Janne Zoladaz said. “I think the teacher should also have the right to free speech and he should be able to say if anyone wants to leave the class, then they can. People should express whatever opinion … if someone doesn’t want to listen, they don’t have to listen.”

Attorneys Say Code May Chill Free Speech

According to the lifeguards there has been a

faint smell of gas emitting from the northern area of the pool, where the shallow side is, since before the new Martin Luther King Jr. Library was built.

“We smell it all the time, we just don’t bring it up so much because it’s like ‘okay they’re going to come and fix it’ but until they realize it’s too strong … I guess they decided to do something,” said Jo-natan Galindo, one of the pool’s lifeguard.

Professor Jan McEveety had her afternoon class cancelled due to the building being closed. She also said that the scent of gas is noticeable in the northern area near the adjacent Men’s Gym Building.

“We’d smell gas on and off. This was nothing new to us. The smell last week was stronger than usual and that’s why it was reported,” McEveety

said. The leak was an inconvenience for instructors

who had morning classes in the Men’s Gym and came to campus to find that they had to conduct lectures outdoors. Hayward Nishioka, a judo in-structor and health professor said the building dates as far back to the 1930s and that the Physical Edu-cation department had been complaining about the leak for a long time.

“I had to conduct my class outside. We were supposed to take a test but we couldn’t because there were no desks and my test papers [were] in-side the office and I [could not] get inside,” Nish-ioka said. “Are you going to have a health class in a gas-filled room? I don’t think so.”

The Collegian attempted to reach Facilities Manager Bob Garcia but he was not able to respond. Nelson was away from his office for the week.

Photo from Collegian ArchiveMike Miller on the job in 2007.

Professors Claim Leak Ongoing Problem Gas Leak, from page 1

Lopez, from page 1

Once the project is com-plete, the new building will house the LACC Foundation, the Asso-ciated Students Organization of-fi ce, Student Life, Tully’s Coffee, meeting rooms, a food court, and the Books N’ More Bookstore. According to Dunne, the current design for the Student Union is slightly over budget while it’s in DSA but it is on schedule.

The Division of the State Architect (DSA), handles de-sign and construction oversight for schools K-12 and commu-nity colleges. It develops and maintains accessibility standards and codes for public and private buildings throughout the state of California.

There are three compo-nents that DSA reviews before permit approval: Access, Struc-tural, and Fire Liability. Access is the accessibility in and out of the building, as well as surround-ing the building. The structural component is the building’s ac-tual structure. The Fire Liability component must meet fi re code compliance.

DSA has approved the ac-

cess component for the Student Union project, however, the re-maining two processes are still pending approval.

“This is a design build proj-ect. With a design build project it’s awarded to a construction company from the get go,” Dunne said. “DSA has to approve it and it’s a matter as to how long it takes them to go through all of the drawings. So I have to give an approximate date as to when it’s gonna be started.”

If negotiations end in favor of SJ Amoroso’s request for ad-ditional funding, the budget will not increase, according to Dunne.

“... We will have to con-tinue to do value engineering ex-ercise, which means you look at the job and remove items or you swap out a more expensive item for a somewhat cheaper item to make sure it’s within budget ...,” Dunne said.

Funds for the new Student Union project were allocated from the passage of Measure J, which authorized the community college district in 2008 to issue $3.5 billion in bonds at legal in-terest rates.

In addition to the new Stu-dent Union, there are multiple

projects planned for the former driving range including a mainte-nance facility, a tennis court and an additional parking lot. ‘Hard costs’ for these projects which includes construction, is $32 million. This amount does not include ‘soft costs’ such as the designs; nor does this amount in-clude the $24.6 million LACCD spent to buy out the lease from former realtor and owner, Hee Cho.

The new Quad addition will be located behind LACC’s soon to be demolished Bungalows and adjacent to the Preferred Student Parking Lot number three, at Melrose Avenue and Heliotrope Drive.

Construction for the long waited LACC addition, is sched-uled for “early next year”. Be-cause a governmental agency has to permit the project, an ex-act date cannot be given for the launch of construction, according to Dunne.

“The design is complete. The project is in DSA on sched-ule [and] we expect to get it out of DSA on schedule and start construction early next year and it [Student Union] will be a beau-tiful building,” Dunne said.

news Los AngeLes CoLLegiAnWednesday, October 20, 20106

8 0 0 . N AT. U N I V | g e t in f o . n u . e d u/t ra n s f e r

N A T I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y ®

© 2

010

Nat

iona

l Uni

vers

ity 8

897-

50

At National University, we know how hard you’ve worked to get this far, and we want to help you get even further. As a community college transfer student, you’ll be able to take advantage of these great benefi ts. . .

>> Streamlined admissions>> No enrollment fee>> Flexible scheduling>> Unique one-course-per-month format>> Scholarship programs

What’sNext

For You?

The University of ValuesAn Affi liate of the National University System

LOS ANGELES CAMPUS5245 Pacifi c Concourse Drive, Suite 100 310.662.2000

Student Union, from page 1

Dunne Promises 'Beautiful' Student Union

Rendering courtesy of Harley, Ellis and Devereaux & Amoroso

Photo By Claudine Jasmin/ Collegian

News BriefsCompiled by Tristan Shaw

Free Flu Shots Available Get them while they are hot. Two-hundred fl u vaccines are available free of charge, courtesy of LACC Health and Wellness Center. These are available on a fi rst-come fi rst-served basis Tuesday through Thursday in Holmes Hall, Room 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. After the fi rst 200 shots are given, each additional vaccine will cost $15.00, so make haste!

Great Text Books on Sale The Math Department is having a book sale! Math books are going for $5 or less. Various science books are available, in addition to cook books, children’s books, languages, fi ction, and other literature. Head to Franklin Hall on the fi rst fl oor between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 25 and 26, and between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Oct 27.

By Richard Chang

Everyone has seen the headlines. The United States is suffering the worst recession since the great depression. California’s unemployment rate is currently at 12.2 percent, the sixth consecutive quarter in double digits, dating back to January 2009.

Even in bull markets California’s unemployment rate trends higher than the rest of the country, but it has not reached double-digit unemployment since 1992. Well into the second year of double-digit unemployment, Californians are searching for solutions. For those fortunate enough to be a student, LACC’s Career Center can point you in the right direction.

The LACC Career Center staffs counselors and assistants to provide students with career development planning. They offer services ranging from career assessments, to interview preparation to resume assistance and job listings. There are two job boards on campus. One is located in the Career Center, the other is outside in the Quad. The career center posts up to 50 jobs every two weeks. In addition to posting job opportunities, the Career Center has a handful of computers available to students to search for jobs online.

“Generally speaking, I have seen a decline in jobs... I’m encouraging [students] to go volunteer someplace. [Gain] internship experience, volunteer experience, anything that will make them stand out in their fi eld,’ said Emma Tiscareno, the Career Center Director, ‘ a lot of [students] are looking for any entry level position, as long as they are able to fi nd something, they are less selective than they were fi ve or six years ago.”

Seny Gonzalez is an offi ce staffer at the Career Center. She helps students when they come in and talks to them on the phone when they call to inquire about the counseling process. “I direct [students] to the computer [assessment] programs we have here,’ she said, ‘[but] we’re having a career fair, so most of my calls are about that.”

LACC is hosting a Career Fair in the Quad on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010. Seventy Los Angeles based businesses have already registered to sponsor what is marketed as an opportunity to introduce employers to the burgeoning workforce.

Beyond hosting the Job Fair and posting opportunities on the Job Board, the Career Center does not actively place students in any job or internship. Its primary function is guidance and career development. Where the

Career Center services fall short, the Employment Development Department picks up the slack.

Hollywood Work Source, located on the corner of Heliotrope and Melrose Avenue, functions as a staffi ng agency, but is government operated. Students, as well as L.A. residents, can make an appointment with EDD if they need help fi nding a job.

“Our major function is to allow people to come in and look for work. They can get on the phone, do e-mail and [search] job postings,” said Marjorie Gardner-Cruse, business service manager at Hollywood Work Source.

Hollywood Work Source receives bids from local businesses and fi nds applicants within their fi le to fi ll those positions. Gardner-Cruse continues, “We really try hard to meet the employers expectations.”

Since Hollywood WorkSource depends on government funding, each department has a monthly quota it must meet during each fi scal year. “We’re very good at fulfi lling our commitments,” says Gardner-Cruse.

For more information contact Dr. Tiscareño at (323) 953-4000 x2210 or Hollywood Work Source at (323) 454-6106.

Students Find Work at LACC Career CenterLACC offers career assistance to students struggling to fi nd work during the recession.

Financial Aid is available to those who qualify. Degree programs, delivery options, and start dates vary by campus. Argosy University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association (230 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604-1413, 1.800.621.7440, www.ncahlc.org).

argosytoday.com1.866.549.1972

Argosy University, aspire to be.

We are professionals learning to explore opportunity, acquire fundamentals and establish expertise.

Argosy University offers undergraduate degree programs that can help you reach your goals in education:

Fulfill your aspirations through your education

Business n Criminal Justice n Liberal Arts n Psychology

Right now, someone is looking up to you.

Argosy University, Los Angeles | 5230 Pacific Concourse, Suite 200 | Los Angeles, CA 90045Argosy University, Inland Empire | 636 E. Brier Drive, Suite 120 | San Bernardino, CA 92408

Argosy University, Orange County | 601 South Lewis Street | Orange, CA 92868

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)

Section: ROPSpecs: 6.5 x 5

Approved as is.

Approved with revisions.

Revise and resend.Initial _________ Date __________

By Briauna Holmes

Winning with 481 votes, Linda Louise Tong, a pre-vious ASO senator at City College was elected Oct. 8 as student trustee of the Los Angeles Community College Dis-trict.

LACCD held a second election for the student trustee position, when candidates Sheila Dharod, Alaina Howard and Tong claimed administrators in the LACCD were not following voting policy in the fi rst election last spring. Pre-vious Student Trustee, Rodney D. Robinson remained in offi ce until the re-election. Candidates campaigned a sec-ond time, on all LACCD campuses, including City College.

“So many people that I saw, as a poll worker, had just seen the candidate and just heard about the candidate, 10 seconds before they walked up to vote,” Sean Adamski, vice president of the ASO said. “ Is that a true, fair election? Is that really how democracy is suppose to run, fi nding 10 seconds before you vote, about the candidate? I would hope voters in the future would become more educated, because I doubt they know what’s actually going on.”

The Dean of Educational Support Services at LACCD Bobbi Kimble, announced Oct. 8 the election results. Dha-rod fi nished with 346 votes, Howard with 242 votes, and Tong won the election with 481 votes.

Tong’s agenda is building up as student trustee, al-ready addressing issues such as funding for the I Tap pro-gram, parking fees on campuses, and getting president reports from the Student Affairs Committee. Tong will be offi cially sworn in as student trustee, today, at the LACCD offi ce Board meeting.

Student Trustee Elections Put to Rest

Student Trustee of the Los Angeles Community College District, Linda Tong

“I am going to go for Barbara Boxer because she has the ex-perience, she has been there twenty plus years, she's worked with Fein-stein as well and they have been a good team... I am thinking she has been in that seat for that long of tenure do to her experience and skill. As for Carly I have heard reports of her doing some dirty laundering, giving jobs to peo-

ple over seas and not wanting to give those jobs to the people who are here, she wants to pay less for those jobs. So I am going to vote for Box-

er all the way.”

Julio Armondo LinaresSenator of Athletics

Kinesiology/Psychology Major

“As far as the U.S. Senate is con-cerned I am very much a Barbara Boxer fan, she is environmental ly friendly and I like the work she does. I am fi scally con-servative as an individual, I be-lieve conserving our fi nances more, maintaining our budget and more often then not, Re-publicans are very good at doing that. But also at the same token they are very good at

tax cut slippage and that's not really fair for the people and I know Carly Fiorina would be doing

that and I don't agree.”

Jaden Ledkins Senator of State and Governmental Affairs

Political Science Major

“The newer can-didates have really been run-ning on the same platform as the older can-didates. I don't think we are go-ing to have much of a change whether we have a new Senator, or if we keep the same Sena-tors we have now. Haven't we been down this road before, I don't think any-thing is going to change until we

put someone in there that is going to be about change and that really refl ects on the record.”

Leo White Senator of Membership Services

Political Science Major

eLeCtion 2010Los AngeLes CoLLegiAnWednesday, October 20, 2010 7

ASO SENATORS SOUND OFF

PROPOSITIONS

Compiled by Derek LesnauPhotos by Claudine Jasmin/Collegian

Compiled by Briauna Holmes

Proposition 22: Prohibition of Borrowing

State Funds

Proposition 25: Legislature Vote Requirement

Change

Proposition 24: Repeal of Recent Legislation

Allowing Businesses to Lower Their Tax Liability.

Proposition 27: Proposition 27: Consolidation of Authority for Redistricting with

Elected Representatives

Don't forget to check with

Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder

for location and times openfor your local poll place.

Restricts the state from borrowing or taking funds used for transportation, redevelopment or local government projects and services.

The Legislature's vote requirement to send the annual budget bill to the Governor would be lowered from two-thirds to a majority of each house of the Legislature.

Businesses will be less able to deduct losses in one year against income in other years, and businesses will not be able to share tax credits with related businesses.

Eliminates 14-member redistricting commission. Consolidates authority for establish-ing state Assembly, Senate, and Board of Equalization districts with elected

representatives who draw congressional districts.

Compiled by Tercius Bufete

A Q&A with the queen of commercials, part 2 of 2By Toi Troutman

A talented actress, Yvette Nicole Brown likes to knit and bowl and doesn’t think her hair and skin are fabulous. She enjoys her alone time and uses every product she promotes—all 40 of them. She talked about girdles and shopping at Target. Now she has branched out and fi lms the popular NBC sitcom “Commu-nity” right here at Los Angeles City Col-lege. On this day, she had just come from a voice-over recording session for her new animated series, “Pound Puppies”. Meet an ordinary girl, with an extraor-dinary career, as she takes a moment to talk to the Collegian.

So on “Community”, you work with Joel McHale and Chevy Chase. How would you describe the atmosphere on the set overall?

“It’s very joke-laden and naughty. They are dirty-joke-telling people. I’m a prude. I’m sort of PG-13 and I think the jokes have gotten naughtier because they want to shock me.”

Who is telling the dirtiest jokes, Chevy?

“No! Actually, it’s Donald Glover who plays Troy. He is very funny. I think he is going to be one of the great comedic minds of this generation. He’s very gifted.”

Why do they [Community] put you under a wig?

“Because my hair is curly. Curls don’t look the same from day to day. One day it’s beautiful, the next day it’s kind of frizzy, and the next day it’s stringy. When you have an episode and they shoot the same scene and they’re shooting it on different days, the hair won’t match. I do it for continuity

because my hair is pretty hearty. I don’t think it would be destroyed by the lights. I think it’s more because it won’t match.”

Do you actually use any of the prod-ucts that you promote?

“I use every product that I promote. I’m not saying I used them before I got the gigs, but my thought is if I’m the face of the product and I’m out in the world, someone is going to ask me about it. I need to know if DiGiorno is good. Is Mazola oil as non-stick as they say? You know, Fiber One Yogurt defi nitely works—I found that out the day I fi lmed the commercial. I try to use the product so that there is truth in advertising.”

What are your shopping habits? What do you fi nd yourself always buy-ing?

“Well I just recently got a shoe problem but it’s not out of control yet. I tend to binge shop. I won’t shop for two months, and then I’ll shop for three days straight—all day every day. Then I end up returning half the stuff because I never wear it. So it’s a really weird binge and purge cycle with the shopping. When I do shop just to shop, and I’m not like a maniac, I’m a Target girl. I could go to Target, walk down every aisle and fi nd something on awesome on each aisle. I also love the Gap and Macy’s…regular stores.”

What was your fi rst splurge?“I got my check engine light turned

off on my car. It was huge. At the time—I’m serious—the whole situation was like a $1,800 ordeal. I didn’t have the money, so when I booked “The Big House”, I fi nally had enough money to get that light turned off and there were a thousand things wrong with that car. I drove out of the mechanic shop and it [my car] was driving like new. That was my big splurge.”

How do you relax?“I love movies both in the theatre

and at home. I actually love just being home on my sofa with the temperature in the house just perfect and watching some awesome show on television or some movie that I’ve been waiting to come through on Netfl ix. I really do recharge when I’m by myself. Being by myself is relaxing.”

ARts & enteRtAinMent Los AngeLes CoLLegiAnWednesday, October 20, 20108

Photo by Luca Loffredo/ Collegian

Get to Know Community’s Yvette Nicole Brown

From left to right: Sir Peter Teazle (James Hurley), Lady Teazle (Gentry Collinis), Maria (Catherine Boily) and Charles Surface (Spencer Steeby) peform in the play's fi nale.

By Matthew Ali, Jonathan Fil-ipko

Antoine DodsonYes, the guy from Youtube.

He went from local news inter-viewee to viral video sensation. Dawn your red bandana, black tank top and rolled up bus pass. It’s inexpensive and is sure to get a few chuckles from onlookers.

AvatarYou know you want to be

a 10-foot tall ‘Smurf’ on ste-roids. It can be a tough one, but it will pay off if you do it right. If someone can pull off the whole ten-foot tall thing, they will no doubt be up for any party’s best costume award.

TronGlowing nerds from the

‘80s are getting revamped this year, so why not dress up like one for Halloween. It’s vintage and current all at the same time. It might take some work and a lot of glow sticks, glow in the dark paint and white or black spandex, but for hardcore “Tron” fans, it could defi nitely be worth ruining some of your wardrobe to sport this unique retro and modern costume combination.

Zombie Jersey Shore Char-acters

Go ahead, be a zombie with a killer tan. America loves zombies and they love the cast of “Jersey Shore”. Take one of your favorite clubbing outfi t and some ketchup and you’ve got it. Fast, easy and fun, just like the “Jersey Shore” cast. Besides, who doesn’t want to see a dead Snooki?

Anything You Make Your-self

Anyone can go out and buy a costume, but that is sim-ply boring and uninspired. Try and see what you can make with the things you have. It will be fun and you have freedom to be completely original. So go grab some sheets, curtains and an old frying pan and see what you can up come with.

By Tanya FlowersLady GagaIf you add a long blonde

wig, plus some crazy sunglasses and a ridiculous outfi t, the sum won’t always equal Lady Gaga. If you can’t afford to do this look well i.e, the bubble outfi t or mim-ic the haute couture looks, then simply don’t try this at home. This is not something that can be foraged together at the last mo-ment and chances are if not at-tempted correctly, you will look gaga and not as in Lady. Please leave this look to the profession-als, the real fashionistas.

Harry Potter“Harry Potter”? Hopefully

this spell has worn off. This year don't expect to cast a spell on anyone. Even though many peo-ple love the “Harry Potter” books and movies, let’s face it, the cos-tumes are so overdone. Please keep your inner wizard under the stairwell cupboards this year.

Teen VampiresThis trend has had the blood

sucked out of it. No more Bella Swan or team Jacob or Edward. There is no longer a twinkle or twilight around this overdone franchise. If you are still hung up on being a vampire, why not try an old school Dracula style costume. This classic garlic and wooden stake fearing vampire will defi nitely better your chanc-es of being “invited in” the party.

Michael Jackson No longer is Michael Jack-

son a “thriller” costume. Let the king of pop rest in peace. That’s all there is to say.

Anything BoughtYou can totally buy some-

thing, but it’s more about per-sonalizing your costume. Even if you decide to purchase a ge-neric pre-packaged costume, you should learn how to make it your own. To avoid carbon copies, start by customizing your look. Add sparkle, embellishments, anything that makes for a unique look. It’s worth the extra effort not to feel like a clone when you get to that Halloween party.

Serial KillersJason, Michael Myers and

Freddy, they’re all classics but can’t we just move past the ‘80s already? People, we are offi cially in the 21st Century so lets get new, fresh, bloody ideas for this genre. These century killers are now more about wolf in sheep’s clothing. If you want to be a psy-chopathic killer this Halloween it’s all about Christian Bale’s character in “American Psycho”. As a reference, think Dexter, the unassuming blue-collar serial killer.

Halloween Costume Do’s and Don'ts

By Jessica Johns

There were only a few people in the audience on Saturday’s dress rehearsal of “School For Scandal”, a new play opening this week at LACC’s Camino Theatre directed by Louie Piday. The play, set in 18th century London, boasts lavish and accurate period costumes and custom-styled wigs that rise sky-high-think Marie Antoinette at her most extravagant.

The comedic farce centers around high-society gossips, fi ghting over love and inheritance. The play demonstrates how people are not always what they seem and teaches that appearances can be deceiv-ing. For example, the wealthy high-society Lady Sneerwell seems hospitable and charming, but turns out to be rotten to the core. Young Lady Teazel takes money from her old husband, and tells him outright she’ll never love him and can’t wait to be his rich widow. In the end, though, it is Lady Teazel who fi nally tells the truth and exposes all the

lies and scandal.The main drama centers around brothers Charles and Joseph,

who are washed up after the death of their father, and who anxiously vie to be written into their Uncle Oliver’s will, whom they’ve never met. When their uncle shows up in disguise to see which is the more worthy nephew, he delves into a world of gossip and lies and he is appalled at their bad behavior, and at the disrespect they show to their ancestors. Joseph seems to be the obvious choice, until we learn he’s longing for Maria’s love while tempting Lady Teazel in hopes she’ll favor him when she becomes a rich widow. Charles seems no better, with his gambling ways, but in the end he proves himself a worthy nephew and husband...but pray tell to whom? Find out this week in “School for Scandal”, an elaborate and comical farce about what lies beneath the surface and the truth beyond the grapevine gossip. Who will end up happy and who will lose it all? The results are guaranteed to surprise!

“School for Scandal” Arrives with Opulence, Extravagance

Yvette Nicole Brown on the set of 'Community.'Photo courtesy of NBC/UNI