Southwestern Sun

Board dismisses director of EOPS

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

EOPS/CARE Director Robert Hill was terminated by the Southwestern College Governing Board at its May meeting. Though no official reason was given for the 3-0 vote, Hill had come under fire in March when EOPS suddenly stopped paying for EOPS students' books at the campus bookstore.

SWC considers text messaging response system

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Southwestern College students, faculty and staff are concerned because there is no effective system in place on campus to notify them of an emergency, according to a January survey. A solution might be as simple as a text message.

College authorities are discussing AlertU, a text message system that will allow administrators to disperse emergency notifications to thousands of students with the push of a button.

'Vote Green' wins majority of top seats

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Leticia Diaz was elected president of the Associated Student Organization, defeating Senator Derrick Dudley, 372 votes to 193. Fernando Medina was third with 166 votes.

Diaz led a slate of candidates calling itself the Vote Green party that nearly swept the seven ASO executive positions.

'Vote Green' slate overspent says ASO presidential runner up

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

A group of Southwestern College students has filed formal complaints charging that candidates who won six of seven executive positions in this month's ASO elections violated campaign spending rules. Vote Green slate members denied any violations occurred.

Members of the triumphant Vote Green slate exceeded the ASO's spending limits, according to ASO Senator Derrick Dudley, who finish second in the presidential race to Leticia Diaz.

Board backs Chopra's plan to half sabbaticals

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

A decision by the college president and governing board to half the number of sabbatical leaves the district will allow in the fall violates the contract between Southwestern College and its faculty, according to union leaders who have threatened legal action.

Dean is critical of the college's critical thinking

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

"To be or not to be? That is the question."

Hamlet had a lot of issues, but he was a good critical thinker because he formed his questions before he went out in search of answers.

American students usually have it all backward, according to Dr. Joel Levine, dean of Southwestern College's School of Languages.

College may spend $5M on updated technology

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

College administrators have spent months looking for ways to cut budgets ahead of a looming fiscal crisis, but recently proposed a plan to spend nearly $4.7 million on new technology.

SWC President Dr. Raj Chopra said the technology upgrade was essential because the entire system was at risk.

Unsigned

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Congratulations to the newly-elected 2008-09 ASO.
Southwestern College's Associated Student Organization does not always get the respect it deserves. Student government is sometimes unjustly dismissed as a popularity contest, but with the right members moving the school in the right direction the ASO can be a powerful force to bring about positive change to our under funded and under-appreciated community college.

SDSU slams door in students' faces

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

It looks like many Southwestern College students who were planning on transferring to San Diego State University, or any CSU for that matter, will be spending more time at SWC.

A statewide education budget cut of $386 million proposed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is going to affect students who were ready to transfer in the spring and also those who were planning on enrolling as freshmen.

Campus rich with hidden treasures

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

What you don't know will hurt you.

Here at Southwestern College most students go to classes then go home.

Many students view SWC as a low-budget college to get their lower division units out of the way. A temporary stop to a more glamorous college or university.

Growing old at Southwestern College

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Southwestern College is the South Bay's "University of Second Chances," but for too many drifting spirits it has become the haunted mesa of lost souls. Salvation may come with a quick visit to the Counseling Center.

Part of the problem in helping our students is that there are different kinds of students.

Climb every mountain

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Heroes walk among us. They are ordinary people who overcome huge challenges and do extraordinary things.

Gwenn Crittle, a Southwestern College sophomore, is a hero to many of her classmates and professors. She knows the hard-knocked life and has faced down many obstacles.

ASO leader to continue success story at UC Berkeley

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

More than a dozen college students gather in a room on Thursdays. They talk, they laugh and catch up with each other about the past week. One voice cuts through all the chatter, reflecting off the walls. All straighten up and go silent. Melissa Cervantes is ready to get down to business.

Going out on a limb to help amputees

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Caleb Stevens could not take his eyes off the one-legged man selling Chiclets. He hobbled through the traffic lane at the Tecate border crossing, politely asking people who clearly did not need the sugary gum if they would like just a few pieces.

Stevens, a transnational businessman for decades, had seen poverty's hands around the throats of tens of thousands of Mexicans, young and old.

Student novelist is on the right page

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Debra Fulton-White noticed the canary flower neatly tucked behind the ear of the girl who sat across from her.

The flower was only one of the things the writer noticed as part of the writing exercise she uses to be aware of her surroundings.

"As a writer you can have the most brilliant idea and it can be gone in a second," White said.

Jim Jones helps veterans leave battlefield, settle into student life

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

No Southwestern College Veteran left behind. That is the unwavering goal of Veterans Services Technician Jim Jones. He is a warrior for former warriors.

Jones is a foot soldier in a new battle to treat veterans of Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq better than the nation treated Vietnam vets.

Filipino club celebrates 40 years of culture

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

"Bayang magiliw, perlas ng Silanganan alab ng puso sa dibdib mo'y buhay." (Land of the morning, child of the sun returning with fervor burning thee do our souls adore.)

Southwestern College's Pagkakaisa club co-chair, Celina Santos, opened the 40th annual Gising Na event singing the United States and the Philippine National anthems.

Dancing on a Razor's Edge

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

"Dance Now, Die Later" promised to be a recital with attitude.

It was. And no one died.

Metallic and ballet was just one of the unique combinations presented at Southwestern College's spring recital, directed by Professor Mary Jo Horvath. Diverse and delightful, the show featured ballet folklorico, hip-hop and break dance numbers that were outside the box.

Event becomes sweet serenade for sweet mothers

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

It was the best gift any mother could ask for.

Southwestern College Mariachi Garibaldi showcased its talent once more in a beautiful concert dedicated to mothers.

The word Mariachi comes from the native language Otomí, meaning celebration. A rollicking Mayan Hall partook in plenty of that.

'Laramie Project' falls short

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

America's crucifixion came 2,000 years after the event that set modern history in motion. On a cold night in October 1998, on a windswept plain in Laramie, Wyo., Matthew Shepherd died for the sins of man.

Beaten unconscious for the crime of being gay, Shepherd was tied with barbed wire to a rural fence and left to die of exposure.

Gillis sits in and stands out

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Southwestern College's Concert Choir is singing a new tune.

SWC fave Ron Gillis was asked to substitute for Dr. Terry Russell, who is on a semester sabbatical leave.

"She said she just wanted a semester off so that she could do some recruiting because she is trying to bring a lot of local high school kids into the program," Gillis said.

SWC Afro-Cuban, Improv Jazz bands lay down a swingin' performance

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Drummer Fernando Gomez wasted no time putting an African beat into the music of the Southwestern College Afro-Cuban Jazz Ensemble. His opening solo on "La Murga" made it clear that the group could handle its namesake performance, "Rhythms & Jazz: Music From The Caribbean and United States.

Chamber musicians impressive

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Classical music has no lyrics. The music does all the talking. Our job is to listen well and hear what it has to say.

Vadim Bezkrovnijs and his musicians spoke volumes at the Southwestern College Chamber Music Recital. With three violins, a flute and a cello they played some of mankind's greatest music and had listeners in awe.

Going Deep

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Drew Westling is gone but not forgotten.

Southwestern College's stellar quarterback earned a full-ride scholarship to SDSU thanks to 14 touchdown passes, 2087 yards in the air and a 3.6 GPA. Maybe in three years his fans will see him in the NFL.

Westling knows it does not hurt to think big.

SWC wheelchair athletes bring the 'heat'

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

There are national champions in our midst.

Southwestern College students Raymond Daniel Zapata and Christian Rodriguez are two of six players who traveled to Kings Park, New York with the San Diego Heat to play in the Indoor Wheelchair Soccer National Championships.

Track women race ahead to league championship

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot." - Joni Mitchell from "Big Yellow Taxi." Tonie Campbell turned the parking lot back into paradise and the Southwestern College's women's track team turned it into the stomping ground of champions. Campbell's women grabbed a second straight Pacific Coast Conference championship and the men missed a championship by only eight points.

Freshman-laden tennis team finishes 3rd in PCC

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

A rookie team does not mean pushover. Susan Reasons and the Southwestern College women's tennis have proven that.

Sporting a 10-5 overall record and 8-4 in conference play, the Lady Jags earned third place in the Pacific Coast Conference.

"Who wouldn't be happy with a 10-5 record?" asked head coach Susan Reasons.

Talent pool makes splash debut

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Call it beginners luck for the Southwestern College swim and dive team if you will, but luck had nothing to do with it. SWC spells luck C-A-R-R-I-L-L-O.

In their first season competing in the Pacific Coast Conference SWC's men and women teams both took fourth place, and Juan Pablo Carrillo swam his way to a state championship.

Sex and the Sun

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Summer is approaching. It is usually filled with traveling, partying and the inevitable one-night stands. For the unlucky, a ménage a trios involving syphilis could leave you sun-burned. May marks a year since syphilis spread like a rash across San Diego State University.

Pass It On

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Life is a journey replete with new adventures and sweet goodbyes. After a great experience at Southwestern College, I have accepted a journalism scholarship to CSU Chico and a place on the staff of one of America's top-ranked university newspapers, the Chico State Orion.

The Right Note

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

It has been a long a winding road fellow arts lovers. It has been a fun and wild ride. With this column I will be bidding farewell.

I am hopeful this column has served its purpose of entertainment and reflection, the whole purpose was to enhance your life experience through art appreciation.

Inside the Stripes

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

It has been less than a year since I suggested that a military column run in the SWC Sun. Hesitant at first, the Sun staff has been supportive by allowing me to write about the military.

San Diego is home to one of the largest military populations in the world and there was a need to educate and inform SWC students, staff and the surrounding community about military life.

Southwestern College library, once a quiet area, is now a loud student arena

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

A few weeks back I was reading The Sun and saw a letter to the editor about people being loud in the library. He talked about how people were talking on the cells and having a full-on conversation with the person next to them. Well the last few times I was in the library I had the same thing happen to me.

Southwestern College is not a black hole, but a shining star

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Okay. Granted, I probably do drink too much coffee (though not often from Starbucks... Jason gets most of my coffee money). And, while I may be a mean-spirited, chest-thumping, attention-seeking "a**," these are matters of opinion.

Ad hominem remarks such as these miss the point! My point, though sloppily written and easily mis-interpreted previously, was this:

An education from Southwestern College is not substandard or inferior in any way, nor is SWC an academic "black hole!"

Countless students who began here have made amazing academic achievements.

Congratulations from the Congress

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

It is my pleasure to congratulate you on your recent success at this year's Journalism Association of Community Colleges Convention and at the College Newspaper of the Year Competition.

I was amazed to hear about the 28 awards you won at the convention in various categories and your 2nd place finish for Newspaper of the Year!

Your newspaper plays a very important role at your institution and in our community-and I am certain your publication will continue to serve as a forum for sharing of knowledge and ideas.