——–

Dear City on a Hill Press,

It was no surprise that President Obama retained the language that prohibits spending federal funds on syringe exchange programs in the President’s Fiscal Year 2010 Budget. We had been receiving that message since the inauguration. 

Fortunately, Obama’s disappointing inaction is not the major loss it might appear. The main mechanism for removing the ban is Congress, and currently the U.S. House of Representatives. The timing for removal of the ban in the 2010 budget is now, as the Labor, Health and Education Appropriations bill, in which the ban lies, will be put together in the next couple of weeks. 

We have shown the support for its removal by getting co-sponsors onto HR 179, the Community AIDS & Hepatitis Act, and getting promises on votes from those who have not signed on but would support removing the ban in the Appropriations process. Obama says he supports lifting the ban, but has punted it back to Congress. Our response now is critical.

Truth is, we know there is no real organized opposition to syringe exchange, we won the debate long ago, and besides being the right thing to do, the political risk is vastly overstated. For Congress to believe us, they need to hear from more of their constituents. 

First, if your Representative has not cosponsored HR 179, send them a letter asking them to today. Visit http://salsa.democracyinaction.org to learn about the Harm Reduction Coalition and its initiative to gain support for HR 179. 

Second, call Rep. David Obey (WI) at 202-225-3365, Chair of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and ask him to take leadership to remove the ban in the 2010 Appropriations. 

Hilary McQuie
California Director
Harm Reduction Coalition
1440 Broadway, Suite 510
Oakland, CA 94612
Tel: 510-444-6969
Fax: 510-444-6977
www.harmreduction.org
mcquie@harmreduction.org

——–

We are eager to hear your opinions, so please e-mail editors@cityonahillpress.com. Letters should be around 250 words, and ideally will have to do with recent CHP content. We reserve the right to print, or not print, anything we receive.

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at Letters to the Editor

Last Thursday, Obama spoke at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. about America’s current visage regarding the moral authority surrounding our war on terror and use of torture, and the United States’ Guantanamo Bay detention camp, located in neighboring Cuba, was at the center of the discussion. 

The goal of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp was once to strengthen national security by placing suspected terrorists in high-security detainment. What actually came from the camp, however, was a different story entirely. 

Guantanamo is now widely considered a breeding ground for suspected abuse and torture against its prisoners, and controversies consistently arise over human rights violations taking place behind the camp’s doors. 

In 2003, Mohammed Naim Farouq was transferred to Guantanamo.  A January 2009 LA Times article reported that Farouq was stripped naked, put in a line, blindfolded and marched to a station while soldiers yelled and laughed, snapping pictures while prisoners were being issued new clothes, all the while claiming to have no ties to terrorist acts. Eventually, Farouq was found to have no links to the Taliban or to al-Qaeda.

But his case is hardly an isolated incident. 

The same LA Times article cited a Defense Intelligence Agency study, which found that one out of every seven terrorism suspects are suspected or confirmed to have returned to terrorism following a stay at Guantanamo. According to a newly released Pentagon report, one Guantanamo detainee claimed to have simply been a local security leader in Afghanistan when he was arrested. It was only after his detention and time in Guantanamo that he became a radical Islamist, famously stating, “I became a terrorist because of Guantanamo Bay.”

That sentiment, and many others like it, is precisely the reason that our country has been perceived as fighting its toughest battle — moral decay — not in the Middle East, but at home. The election of President Obama was meant to ensure a positive shift in values, with his mantra of change signaling a turn in how our country would be perceived worldwide.

In the battle to close Guantanamo Bay and restore the nation’s global appeal and ideological stability, Obama is out of accord with both parties. Republican patriots have balked against his order to close ‘Gitmo’, calling his plan “unstable and uncoordinated.” 

But it is the opposition he’s faced from his own party in Congress that has many questioning Obama’s decision. In January, at the height of Obama-inauguration fever, support for the proposed closing of Guantanamo was high, with many citing it as a decision that could potentially restore moral authority and strengthen the national security of the United States.

Last Wednesday, however, Congress voted 90-6 to deny the president’s proposal for funding to close the Guantanamo Bay facility until a more detailed plan of action is released, including information about where over 240 detainees currently held at Guantanamo will be transferred. 

In the throes of our current economic crisis, with overpopulation in American prisons already a problem, the request for more information is understandable. If there is anything we’ve learned from our prior administration, it’s that we need to know where our money is going.

$80 million has already been requested by the administration to pay for the relocation of the 240 detainees. In an effort to prevent the prisoners from proclaiming habeas corpus (unlawful detention), which could result in their being released on U.S. soil, the hope is that many of the detainees will end up in overseas prisons run by various U.S. allies. 

While this is a large chunk of money and the political and ethical debates surrounding relocation are heated, Congress should nonetheless be in larger and louder support of the plan in the spirit of making right one of our nation’s greatest wrongs. 

We have elected Obama at the height of our country’s mistakes to make the changes we deem necessary. Now, as the hypothetical becomes reality, our country’s two primary parties seem to have developed a “not in our backyard” mentality.

Yes, Obama needs to reflect the concerns of both Democrats and Republicans — and, for that matter, the people as a whole. A more domestic and fiscally conscious plan is a step in the right direction. But it’s time for Congress to dig up the support they abandoned after those gung-ho days of January.

The mistakes that we have made as a country require assessment and reconstruction, regardless of the price. We need to face the human rights violations committed at Guantanamo Bay. Electing Barack Obama was an election meant to show what we as a nation stand for — or, perhaps more importantly, to show what we refuse to stand for.

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at Guantanamo’ Money, Mo’ Problems

This Goodwill Industries International mannequin models the “layered” look to create a draped silhouette. Photo by Rosario Serna.

A mannequin in the Santa Cruz Goodwill location, dressed by local artists participating in the Smart Moms art show, demonstrates the concept for “reduce, reuse, recycle” with this dress made of recycled CDs. Photo by Rosario Serna.

The clothing culture in Santa Cruz has become infamous for reuse and thrift. Community members and students alike are often innovative and creative with pieces they already have. The hard economic times and rising student fees have inspired some new fashion-savvy trends and ways to do it yourself (DIY). The resources for an environmentally conscious wardrobe makeover are bountiful downtown and right here on campus. 

While “shopping your closet” may be a novel concept for shopaholics, it has been the quintessential article written about the fashion industry for 2009. It’s also the anti-consumerist approach to fashion, combining and reusing thrift and vintage pieces from local destinations to recreate individualized versions of today’s popular trends.

Goodwill: Goodway to Wear

For students whose closets are less-than-overflowing with treasures, Santa Cruz is a great source for vintage apparel, thrift shops and craft supplies. Pacific Avenue is a hub for alternative shop-portunities, where UC Santa Cruz students and the community can find essentials for less.

The Goodwill Industries International store on Union Street and the Salvation Army store on Pacific Avenue are two examples of international thrift stores that have become popular on local levels. Both locations sell a variety of goods, from home furnishings to active wear, offering inexpensive necessities for people on a budget.

Evelyn Matthew, the store manager of Santa Cruz Goodwill, said she sees UCSC students at the store all the time.

“We’re always aware of students because they’re a real market for understanding our message,” Matthew said. “It’s a real treasure hunt.”

Matthew said the chain’s mission statement expresses its commitment to ameliorating the lives of the most needy people in the community.

New shipments arrive every day at the local Goodwill location, and the store offers a 10 percent discount on purchases made by students with a university ID every Saturday.

The Salvation Army also sees many UCSC students in its downtown store, according to Scott Peterson, assistant manager of the branch. The store offers a treasure trove of discounted items and on the last Friday of every month, all merchandise is 50 percent off.

“Mommy and Daddy can’t pay for everything,” Peterson said with a laugh.

Peterson said that the quality of the merchandise available is better now than before these recent hard times. The number one item students look for? “Clothes,” Peterson said.

“This is Santa Cruz, people come from all over to have fun,” Peterson continued. “Santa Cruz is an expensive town and we sell inexpensive stuff. We’re all about helping people.”

Selling the Goods

Many drop off their donations at the Salvation Army’s downtown location after trying their luck at Crossroads Trading Co. across the street. Crossroads is a popular destination for UCSC students to sell their no-longer-wanted clothes and pick up inexpensive new finds — or cash — in return. Crossroads helps shoppers free some much-needed space in student-sized closets while making exchanged clothes available for others who want to wear them.

Michele Costa, store manager at the Pacific Avenue store, said that the store collects all brands ranging from Target attire to designer duds. Every day Crossroads sees a bevy of shoppers browsing the color-coded racks and a steady stream of sellers who can sit and thumb through magazines while they wait to find out the worth of their turned-in goods.

Like many UCSC students, Mia Renauld, a first-year anthropology major, has sold some of her clothes to retailers like Crossroads. 

“It is nice to bring old clothes in, get [a] percent of what they would sell it for in credit, or get even less money [back] in cash,” Renauld said.

Vintage for Less

Crossroads and Goodwill have more modern finds, but Santa Cruz offers many locations for those looking for clothes from a specific decade. While the stores do not buy clothes back from students, Moon Zoom and Retro Paradise on Pacific Avenue retail unique pieces from the ’70s and ’80s that some students are eager to add to their closets.

Leopoleo Santos, owner and buyer for Retro Paradise, said he finds most of the store’s content at flea markets and antique shows.

“We ended up buying more [clothes] last year, and sold less,” Santos said. “We bought more inventory and variety, but we didn’t have a huge sale. They were the same as previous years.”

As is the case at many vintage shops, 95 percent of the pieces lining the Retro Paradise rack are processed and cleaned before they are brought in, “and that costs money,” Santos said.

Minding students’ budgets, Santos tries to keep inexpensive costumes in stock for students and people in the community.

“Students go for party stuff, and theme stuff,” Santos said. “They’re not necessarily looking for vintage pieces. Only tourists go for those ’50s or ’60s garments.”

Terry Rayburn, the owner of Moon Zoom, also offers discounts on the store’s ’70s-era clothing. A room toward the back of the store holds items for 50 percent off, and a rack with items for $5 welcomes people to the store. 

“We have a fair number of people coming in for party clothing and people who like to wear it as everyday wear,” Rayburn said.

In light of the economy, Moon Zoom does not discourage shoppers from its unique and reasonably priced findings.

“We had a lot of people over the spring [season], but we definitely aren’t doing as bad as some other stores,” Rayburn said.

Kurios on Pacific Avenue proves to remain a popular destination for modern trendy clothing, having a wide selection of both frivolous buys and classic wardrobe staples for students.

Amy Price, the store manager, has noticed a shift in what customers are buying recently.

“Usually people [are] going full-force into spring, buying summer dresses and trendier stuff,” Price said. “But we can’t keep our basics in stock. Our prices are pretty reasonable, so most people come to us for basics.”

DIY Crash Course

UCSC students know that the school offers many unique classes to expand their minds. To expand their closets, the theater arts department offers the course “Costume Construction.” The course allows students to turn their sketches into actual wearable items.

Renauld took the course in winter 2009, which was taught by Christine Duncan, a UCSC lecturer focusing on fabric and costume construction development for theater. 

“Christine Duncan makes costumes for most of the school productions,” Renauld said. “It was a great experience to work with people who had never sewn before as well as experienced people.” 

Renauld said she learned to sew from her mother, who in turn learned from her mother. She remembers spending her summers doing projects with her mother, mostly putting together dresses.

“I would wear dresses every day if the climate was up to it,” Renauld said.

The theater arts department initially intended to offer the class more frequently throughout the year, but budget cuts have limited the offering to every other year and forced the class size to huddle at a modest 10 to 15 students because of space constraints and the number of sewing machines available. 

“We’re trying to offer [the course] as a part of the comprehensive theater major curriculum,” Duncan said. “Those interested in costume design can learn to create what they draw.”

Duncan said that the majority of students she sees in her class are theater majors, art majors or students who are just interested in learning how to sew.

Whether students want to spruce up what they already have or buy something new, Duncan finds that she gets the most enjoyment from things she makes herself.

“I like making clothes and I like teaching people how to make clothes,” Duncan said. “It’s becoming a lost art. I like making something and making it fit well.” 

Duncan said that people during the ’30s and ’40s had to make their own clothes, while most modern consumers prefer to just pick up new items at the store.

“There’s a difference in the quality between something you make yourself and the quality of something you buy off the rack,” Duncan said. “The difference is in the fit and the style. It’s a big part of sewing: making it your own.”

Campus Consumers

Old clothes get new beginnings at clothes-swapping events held on campus. Last Tuesday, Students Together Opposing Poverty (STOP) hosted the Conscious Consumers clothes-swap for the second year in a row. STOP is an on-campus club that meets every Tuesday night at Merrill College for weekly teachings on poverty-related issues such as worldwide hunger and the genocide in Darfur. This year the event was held at Merrill’s Baobab Lounge.

The purpose of the annual event is to learn about what it means to be a conscious consumer, said fourth-year Nathan Ellstrand, a history and politics double major.

The event consisted of a lecture from STOP members and UCSC students Cecily Wild and Robyn Perry on conscious consumerism and sustainability during the first hour, and the second hour was the clothing-swap.

“The clothing-swap goes well with [Merrill’s] theme, ‘Cultural Identity and Global Consciousness,’” Ellstrand said. “People typically bring in whatever they have left over or whatever they want to get rid of.”

Students unable to make it to the swap can still make a difference by visiting the Sweat-Free Communities Web site, where they can learn about several progressive clothing companies making a difference for workers’ rights worldwide.

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at Your Alternative Guide to Thrift, 831 Style

Photo by Dylan Chapgier.

Photo by Rosario Serna.

Photo by Phil Carter.

Photo by Rosario Serna.

As instructed, students closed their eyes and grasped the hands of the people next to them. Over the sounds of passing cars and occasional honks of encouragement, Students of Color Collective (SOCC) member and emcee Chelsea Johnson-Long spoke out to the crowd of hunger strikers and supporters who gathered at the base of campus Tuesday.

“Really feel their hands,” Johnson-Long said into a microphone amplified by bicycle-powered speakers. “How would you feel if that person could no longer be here? Isn’t their being here the most important thing right now?”

During this rare quiet moment at the sunny afternoon rally, Johnson-Long referenced the increases in tuition for working-class families and the university’s perceived lack of support for undocumented AB540 students, two of many issues that SOCC students believe are especially detrimental to UC Santa Cruz’s students of color. The event was designed to shine light on such issues as well as kick off SOCC’s hunger strike. 

“A hunger strike is probably one of the most extreme direct actions we can take,” Johnson-Long said. “[SOCC] chose to take this action because it is so extreme. This is the most effective way to show how urgent these resources are and how important it is that we fight for them.”

SOCC hunger strikers are hoping to negotiate a list of demands pertaining to students of color. These include hiring a director for the American Indian Resource Center and retaining the community studies program, among other diversity-focused demands. For many students, the decision to cut these programs and positions now calls for radical action.

Armando Mendez, an SOCC hunger striker in charge of researching hunger strike methodology and safety, hoped that the strike would initiate communication with the university.

“By denying our bodies, we’re telling the university how important this is,” Mendez said. “Every day that they don’t talk to us it’s going to get worse and worse.”

The length of the anticipated hunger strike varied among individuals. Many agreed to fast for 24 hours, while others strove to go hungry for “as long as necessary.” While the level of sacrifice wasn’t set, all rally attendees agreed to be respectful and nonviolent during the events.

In addition to initiating the hunger strike, the rally included speakers, performances and a traditional Native American blessing of the rally grounds. 

One of the speakers, feminist studies professor Bettina Aptheker, noted that strikes like this come from a long line of passionate protests throughout history. She referenced a hunger strike that took place in 1978 when a UCSC Native American professor was fired. 

Although those students were not successful in saving his position, Aptheker felt that their efforts were not in vain.

“We remember the efforts of those students,” Aptheker said to the enthusiastic crowd. “Now it’s time to pick up the torch, pick up the banner, pick up the drum, and keep on beating.”

Throwbacks to past hunger strikes popped up throughout the rally. Another UCSC hunger strike in 1981, led by the Third World and Native American Student group (TWANAS), fought to start up an ethnic studies department at UCSC. Twenty-eight years later, movement toward creating such a department has yet to be seen.

“There’s an irony in it being the 30-year anniversary of TWANAS,” Johnson-Long said. “For us, this is kind of a way to honor the people who started this struggle by continuing it and hopefully with a little more success.”

Jazzed by the efforts of past revolutionaries, rally-goers felt that connecting with one another was also essential to making their efforts successful. Johnson-Long was happy to say she could turn to fellow students of color when outside support dwindled.

“My major is being cut, my resource center director is being cut, there is nothing that the university does that tells me I’m valuable here,” Johnson-Long said. “The fact that there are so many students that are down to talk about these things and stay up until 4 a.m. writing a proposal, that’s what keeps me here.”

With this supportive group of strikers, Armando Mendez plans to camp out at the base of campus as a means of drawing attention to the cause. He understands the potential legal consequences and agreed not to put up a fight.

“We’re not sure how the university and police are going to react come sunset, but we all agreed to be nonviolent,” Mendez said. “If we are evacuated, we’re not going to fight. But we’ll be here the next day at 6 a.m. to do it all over again.”

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at Students Strike

Dean Sheldon Kamienieki speaks to students at the Academic Budget Forum on April 29th, 2009. Photo by Conner Ross. From CHP Archive.

Several UC Santa Cruz programs and departments, including but not limited to community studies, may be at risk of disestablishment. According to Student Union Assembly (SUA) and Academic Senate officers, deans and division administrators are consulting with committees of the Academic Senate to determine whether the most recent budget cuts will fundamentally change the curricular stability of any of the programs affected. 

“If in fact the budget cuts are so severe that they involve the disestablishment of a major, then we have to embark on a different process,” said Academic Senate chair Quentin Williams, a UCSC earth and planetary sciences professor. 

If the cuts are found to be detrimental to a program to the extent that the university’s ability to offer that program as a major is impaired, the Academic Senate requires that the policies and procedures outlined in the Academic Planning Guide be observed. 

Changes that drastically alter a major or program are subject to restrictions. If the budget cuts effectively phase out a major or program, the division must propose a disestablishment plan and remove the program through a set of procedures other than financial strangulation. 

“There are actually consultations with different senate committees about the effects of the budget in almost every division,” Williams said.

These consultations are a manifestation of shared governance, a policy which requires administrators to discuss, among other things, significant program alterations with the Academic Senate.

SUA officers recently became aware that faculty members from many departments are concerned about whether proper consultations with the Academic Senate are being conducted, and resolved to take a stance in support of the committees’ anticipated verdict.  

“We want to make sure the policy is followed and if that means the process is longer, that’s OK,” said Matt Palm, commissioner of academic affairs for SUA.

Although Williams concedes that there is some room for interpretation in a discord like this, the instructions laid out in the Academic Programs and Departments Guidelines for Establishment and Disestablishment, a document conceived in July 2006, provide clarification.

The point most relevant to these circumstances, where the budget threatens the integrity of several departments, discusses the process by which a major is disestablished. For undergraduate majors, the document instructs, “In cases where the discontinuance is motivated by fiscal considerations, the decision is made by the campus provost in consultation with CPB [Committee on Planning and Budget] and CEP [Committee on Educational Policy].”

So, in the event that the budget cuts effectively devastate the fundamental principles of community studies or any other program facing cuts, administrators cannot simply pull the financial plug and must instead propose disestablishment.

But the question — whether these fiscal challenges threaten the community studies curriculum or the stability of a major — remains. 

“Are we cutting something so fundamental it forces curricular change?” Palm asked. “If so, those decisions would have to be vetted by the appropriate faculty and not just the dean.”

Williams said the Academic Senate is responsible for protecting curricular integrity and enforcing protocol. 

“The Academic Senate is charged with ensuring that the curriculum of the campus can be offered,” he said. “It’s a matter of ensuring, whatever changes are being pursued, that the proper procedures are being followed and appropriate senate consultation is occurring.” 

SUA is charged with enforcing the verdicts of those consultations. 

“We want to make sure to take a really solid stance on what happened and stand behind the recommendation of the committees,” said third-year Kalwis Lo, SUA chair. 

The degree to which these consultations are enforced varies. According to Williams, shared governance is a policy applicable to many of the decisions executed at the administrative level, but it is most often enforced when someone finds those decisions objectionable. He said that those concerned with the administration’s recent actions may be exaggerating the implications of recent decisions. 

“A violation of shared governance, phrased that way, is the way that many people might phrase any conflict between the administration and any department on campus,” Williams said. 

Williams added that the Academic Senate is not always at liberty to interfere in administrative action. 

“If things do not impact the curriculum of a specific program there is no purview there,” Williams said. 

Professor emeritus William Friedland left a job at Cornell University 40 years ago to come to UCSC, where the community studies program was founded based on his model. At its conception, the intent of the department was to create the opportunity for students to learn through experience, ultimately resulting in the establishment of the field study element of the major.

While the field study is only one among many victims of the budget cuts, cutbacks proposed by Social Sciences Dean Sheldon Kamieniecki have many worried that the end result will be the destruction of the entire community studies major.

Friedland is currently drafting an article entitled “Community Studies Curriculum: History of Origins and Evolution.” Though still in its early stages, the research discusses the vitality of the field study experience to the community studies curriculum. 

His intention is to provide people who have not been involved with the program since its inception with the perspective necessary to realize the relevance of the model as it exists. 

“Unlike the dean,” Friedland said. “I think what he is proposing will kill the department.”

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at University Government Investigates Administration’s Actions

Photo courtesy of Jesse Cheng.

Photo courtesy of Jesse Cheng.

Jesse Cheng, a third-year Asian American studies major at UC Irvine, was nominated by the UC Board of Regents Special Committee as the candidate for the 2009-10 student regent delegate.

The committee met on May 20 in Santa Monica to nominate Cheng. Their choice was not public until the following Friday because of a protocol which mandates that the UC President and chairman of the board of regents be notified first.

On June 30, the Board of Regents will vote Cheng or one of two other student regent finalists into the office. Though the regents have voted in accordance with the Special Committee’s nomination in nearly every election, nothing is certain until that date.

As of July 1, the current student regent designate, Jesse Bernal, will become a voting member of the board and the new student regent designate will assume the responsibilities of that position.

Cheng’s résumé is laden with political experience. He has participated in several university organizations including serving as external chair for the Asian American Students Union at UCI, Academic Senate representative for the Council for Educational Policy, chair of the Student Fee Advisory Committee, an administrative intern for the College Cultural Center, and a summer intern for the UC Student Association.

If elected, Cheng will be the first undergraduate student regent in more than five years. As an undergraduate, the student regent nominee said, he will bring a new point of view to the board.

“Being an undergrad really affects what I bring to the table,” he said. “I want to be very cognizant that I bring all perspectives.”

The student regent nominee opened up to City on a Hill Press about his plans, aspirations and reservations serving as student regent designate.

Why did you want to be a student regent?

When I first applied, I applied because one of my mentors had told me to apply. It was kind of on a whim. As the interviews went on, you grow a more developed reason you want to become a UC regent. The decisions we make in the next few years are going to shape the model of the university for the next few decades and I want to be part of that. I want to preserve the quality of education we find here at the UC system.

What are your top priorities as a student regent?

There’s a lot to learn about the UC system. In my lifetime of experiences there is no way to understand the complexity of the University of California’s history. I don’t really have an agenda. I want to be able to have a broad perspective as a regent.

How will you represent the students at your school and the other UC campuses?

I cannot claim to represent every student in the UC system. I am not necessarily a representation of all the students in the UC system. What I do have is my perspective, my perspective as a UC student. Through that perspective, that’s how I say I serve the UC. I have a shared experience of many students. I would like to believe that I have shared values and shared beliefs.

What is the first step you’d take to solve the UC budget crises?

Maybe we need to think more broadly than fee hikes. How we address these cuts will affect our model for higher education for decades to come. Even if we increase tuition it’s not going to answer back.

The problem is very complex but I think we need to take a step back. They’re much more complex and nuanced than raising tuition. My issue for tuition increases is accessibility and affordability.

I don’t want the public to de-invest from the University of California. We need to be able to explain to the state that this is still a public institution for everybody and a vehicle for social mobility.

Are you nervous about the appointment?

Oh yeah. That’s why I’m being careful about what I’m saying now. Not that there’s a misrepresentation of what I’m saying. I just want to be cognizant of what I’m saying and how I’m saying it. Part of me is very hesitant about putting out something that I may later regret when I have more information or I have a new perspective.

I stand for what I stand for. I spoke [at the May 7 regents’ meeting] because I believe in accessibility and affordability. I know where my values stand. I know what I’d like to do and what I want to do. It’s a level I’ve never had to operate at before. I’d like to believe that my values won’t change when I get to that level, but maybe my information will.

Many people are talking about privatization and adopting a model like that used at the University of Michigan. Do you think that’s a good idea?

I’m really deeply invested in the idea of the UC as a public higher institution model. The idea of being a part of public higher education is really what has made the university so great. If the UC were to go private I think we’d lose something that really makes us special.

How do you think the state should reprioritize taxes and ballot initiatives to fund public education?

It’s a system that’s so much larger than whether we increase or decrease tuition. It says something about how drastic these cuts are, and how dire the budge situation in the state of California is, when the university is saying they can’t absorb all the cuts in one year.

The history of propositions build up to this time. Our solutions must be very fundamental and deep, and a solution will take just as long as the legislation has to get us to where we are now.

How do you plan to act as a liaison between the regents and the students?

A part of me really believes that they want to do the best for the students. They want to do the best for the University of California. That’s the role of the student regent — to bring the student perspective to the regents and bring the regents’ perspective back to the students. For me, it’s about understanding that these regents are here voluntarily. They want to do good by the university.

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at The New Voice of UC Anticipates his Election

Photo by Olivia Irvin.

Photo by Olivia Irvin.

With Memorial Day weekend behind us, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk summer season has officially begun. And while our parents’ generation may fondly reminisce about the crowds, rides and bouts of childhood rebellion that took place at this local landmark, it seems that many UC Santa Cruz students have dismissed it as a congested tourist trap. However, the Boardwalk has lots of new and exciting features to discover as the summer months approach. This is your guide to the bustling and jubilant atmosphere that can be found this summer on Beach Street, for both tourists and natives alike.

1. You can ride a historic landmark. The Giant Dipper roller coaster and the Looff Carousel, built in 1924 and 1911 respectively, were declared historic landmarks in 1987. A letter from then-president Ronald Reagan, written June 2, 1987, is posted on the back wall of the second floor of Neptune’s Kingdom to prove it. The Giant Dipper’s 85th birthday celebration will be held June 13, with an accompanying fireworks show that night.

2. You can support a local green business. Despite the common perception of theme parks, the Santa Cruz Seaside Company, the company that owns the majority of the Boardwalk area, was honored with both a State Ecotourism Award and many California Waste Reduction Awards. The company has also won a few local and regional recycling awards.

3. You can see a free concert. A large constructed stage overlooking the ocean holds two shows every Friday night, June 19 through September 4. Enjoy acts like Eddie Money and Santana’s original lead singer, Gregg Rolie, while sinking your toes in the sand.

4. Planning a picnic? A sunny beach deck is available and open to the public, with lines of festive blue and pink picnic tables aboard a wooden deck. It’s a perfect spot to feast and watch the ocean waves and festivities without getting sand in your sandwich.

5. Vegetarians are welcome. The boardwalk offers numerous (edible) vegetarian options, unlike many theme parks. You can get a garden burger at the Barbary Coast Restaurant or a veggie fajita pita at World Grill, just to name a few.

Photo by Olivia Irvin.

6. The less health-conscious can seize the opportunity to indulge in rare fried foods. The Boardwalk offers hard-to-find options such as deep-fried Twinkies and cheesecake, and the somewhat healthier deep-fried artichoke hearts.

7. Planning a shotgun wedding? The Boardwalk offers a ballroom in Neptune’s Kingdom, where many lovers have tied the knot. The Cocoanut Grove can also hold wedding receptions and is equipped with a kitchen that accommodates up to a thousand guests.

8. You can learn to appreciate tourists. Being caught in a tourist’s snapshot can actually be refreshing and a reminder to be grateful that you live somewhere worthy of countless visitors. Plus, you can show off your knowledge of Santa Cruz when they ask the way to downtown. 

9. Interesting entertainers abound. Lining up the walk across the beach are festive acts to inspire a quirky atmosphere. From a man with two parrots on his shoulders and a one-man band, to a sidewalk artist shaping roses and animals out of balloons, there’s sure to be an act to enjoy.

10. Pirate-themed miniature golf offers a fantastic escape. Be sure to adjust your eyes when entering Neptune’s Kingdom to view the glittering volcano in the midst of an oceanic mural on the wall. A realistic mechanical pirate climbing up a rope that reaches the ceiling welcomes you to a mini-golf adventure.

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at Boardwalk Bits

Actors wait outside the Barn Theater before one of the Chautauqua performances. Shows began on May 14, and this weekend will feature the festival’s final performances. Photo by Morgan Grana.

The audience waits in anticipation at the Barn Theater as the lights dim and the television sets flicker. Characters on the screen tell them that this is the 30th anniversary of Chautauqua. 

So began Chautauqua 2009, and the audience appeared full of enthusiasm. Amid the hollers and applause, the stage lights brightened to reveal the first play of the evening.

“Chautauqua is a theater festival of all student-written plays, produced by students, directed by students, starring students,” first-year Josh Benson-Merron said. “It enables students to get involved in every aspect of theater and lets student playwrights see their work performed onstage.”

The festival incorporates all-student writing, acting, technical theater, directing and organization into one five-unit class. The oddly named festival is attributed to a series of theater festivals held in Lake Chautauqua, NY, over a century ago. 

Preparations start at the beginning of spring quarter. Chautauqua students learn every component of theatrical productions and work to have their original creations showcased.

Benson-Merron acted in the play “A Scene,” as well as coordinating the set and props for another play.

“Everyone in Chautauqua is required to complete multiple jobs to meet the standards of the production,” he said.

Running  through closing night this Sunday, May 31, Chautauqua hosts 10 different student plays over the course of nine showings. Each weekend provides a new batch of entertainment. 

One of these productions was the comedy “Melting Point,” written by Brian Billard and directed by Holly Nichols.  “Melting Point” chronicles the day when a homeless man predicts the end of the world. 

“Melting Point ran during program B,” said first-year Spencer Fortin, a member of the “Melting Point” cast. “I played a rather snobbish guy who encounters a very vocal homeless man while I’m waiting to go on a date.”

One distinctive feature of Chautauqua is the ability for students, particularly first-years, to get their first taste of theater at UCSC. By participating in Chautauqua students can learn the ropes of the theater department and use their experiences in future theater productions at UCSC and beyond. 

“I’m considering joining Chautauqua next year because the show that I went to was so good,” second-year Sarah Brown said. “It’s getting me excited to get back into theater, and [Chautauqua] seems like a good outlet to do so.” 

All students who sign up for Chautauqua during class selections are admitted entry to the program. An acting part in one of the plays requires an audition. 

Chautauqua is held in the Barn Theater at the base of campus May 28 through 31, for those who want to catch the final set of performances. Tickets are free and all are welcome to attend. 

“Chautauqua is important,” first-year Spencer Fortin said. “It has given me a lot of opportunity to act and work in theater. And plus, it’s free.”

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at Chautauqua 2009 Takes Over Barn Theater

Performers Serena Fennell, Kansten Mueller and Brent Adams pose before taking the stage in the 418 Project’s fourth annual “What is Erotic?” fundraiser, which shows May 29 and 30. Photo by Conner Ross.

Performers circle the perimeter of the room. A jester serves mango and a masked woman swings a sword and drags it across the necks of audience members. People sensually kiss and hug and it becomes difficult to tell who is actually a part of the show — it seems everyone is.

A sign on the bulletin board of the 418 Project details its income, totaling $105,615, while its expenses have reached $127,000. It is clear that some monetary stimulation is necessary. The annual “What is Erotic?” fundraiser is intended to provide just that.

Now in its fourth year, the interactive performance raises money for the 418 Project, a nonprofit community center located in downtown Santa Cruz.

“The 418 is really a place where diversity lives,” center director Ana Elizabeth said.

The 418 serves over 1,000 people per week, and is an all-ages, alcohol-free venue and rehearsal space for various music, dance and theater events.

“We’re a place where new and up-and-coming artists can present and explore different works without spending a lot of money in a supportive community,” Elizabeth said. “We’re not stuck on tradition.” 

Composed of local artists and volunteers, the performance pushes the envelope of the topic of eroticism.

“I think eroticism is about suggestion, tension, passion,” said Phoenix Toews, an interactive digital artist. “It’s that moment of whiteness as the climax approaches.”

Toews collaborated with fellow artist Serena Fennell on a piece entitled “Being with the Divine.”

“This type of thing is a question of the personal aspect of [eroticism] — what the performers personally find erotic — so it becomes a dialogue,” Toews said. “It’s a celebration of the extremity of life.” 

Waiting for the opening-night performance to begin, volunteer and attendee Rosie Stone said that her personal curiosity, as well as the name of the show, drew her to the event.

“I hope that they interact with the audience,” Stone said. “I’d love to participate.” 

The festivities began with an erotic salon pre-show. Upon entering, attendees kicked off their shoes and proceeded to lounge on the futon-covered floor. In the first row of chairs in the back sat a woman with her husband and teenage son. The woman, who would like her family to remain anonymous, said her son is “old enough” for the show.

Sitting between his parents, the teen was approached by a female performer who offered him a chocolate-dipped strawberry and proceeded to slowly hand-feed it to him. Moments later, the mother was given a blessing, in which another female performer lightly caressed her head and hummed in her ears. The father was also soon teased with a strawberry.

The event also featured a confessional booth, complete with a priest, who was “open to hear your sexual fantasies.” 

It was announced that, “The best fantasy will be acted out by the cast.” The teen suggestsed a fantasy of porno and aliens to his mother, while the dad joked, “Where is the cow?” 

With more than 50 people in attendance, the main event began. Among the several works by local volunteer artists, dancer Shelly Adams performed a piece called “Sometimes.” It began and ended with her saying, “Sometimes I like to eat raspberries.” Following her performance, raspberries were served to the audience.

Adams, who teaches dance at  local public schools and is an energy medicine practitioner, spoke of her inspiration for the piece.

“I received an invitation from someone to explore what is erotic to me,” Adams said. “The exploration ended up being like everything from the mundane, everyday eating of a raspberry, all the way to something that’s hotly sexual — and everything in between.” 

Fundraising through events like “What is Erotic?” is crucial to the longevity of the 418, which relies heavily on its income from renting out the studio for performances and classes, as well as to the attached Jumping Monkey Café. 

“If we lost one of our major studio renters, we would be in trouble,” Elizabeth said. “We don’t have a big cushion to lean on. We don’t have a lot of grants to support our programming.” 

Laura Bishop, lead director and co-producer of the performance fundraiser, explained how the center is surviving.

“Most nonprofits rely on just a donor base to get their money,” Bishop said. “We’re still open because we creatively use the space. It’s a lean year, so we definitely need the support. We’re doggy-paddling along.”

In the midst of the interview, Bishop, dressed in a corset, lingerie and top hat, spanked one of her co-performers in the lobby as she explained why it is important to pose a question like “What is erotic?”

“We have to ask it because in this culture people don’t,” Bishop said. “It deserves to be asked out loud at least once a year — and in a really juicy way.”

“What is Erotic?” will be held May 29 and 30 at the 418 Project on Front Street (across from the Metro Center). Tickets are on a sliding scale of $20 to $25. VIP tickets are $25 and include a foot massage. 

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at Annual Fundraiser Asks, ‘What is Erotic?’

Photo by Phil Carter.

There was seemingly no escape from the litany of e-mails, text messages and automated voice messages sent out through the new CruzAlert system to the students and faculty members of the UC Santa Cruz community reporting a “suspicious device” near the campus main gate on May 21.

The solid kick in the pants provided by this “suspicious device” potentially looming just outside our collegiate bubble opened our eyes to the many unexpected dangers the world has to offer. It also allowed us to revel in the splendors of Bay Street as traffic moved in an appropriately sluglike fashion. 

But most importantly, receiving multiple text messages, e-mails and phone calls in rapid succession shined a light on the men and women who work hard to keep us safe. The recent scare allowed us to test out the current CruzAlert system, take a moment to be thankful that the aforementioned device was not a bomb, and thoroughly prepare ourselves in case we’re not so lucky next time.

The prompt and concise nature of the system as it was executed last Thursday morning was valued, yet the brevity of the message and unclear directions on what to do left students in the dark.

The three-phrase alert seemed oversimplified. The successive messages did little to inform students on an appropriate course of action and could have caused confusion and panic had this been a real emergency. 

Students were not told whether or not to attend class, what to expect in terms of traffic, or what to prepare for in general. When those in confusion are left without practical information, the situation feels volatile and frightening. It is important that those behind CruzAlert put an emphasis on not only alerting and protecting students, but also on making sure they feel safe and informed. 

Problems with a general lack of transparency in all things administrative at UCSC can’t be solved overnight. But when it comes to the safety of students, faculty and staff, we cannot compromise the quality and clarity of information. 

A strong relationship with police and those handling emergency situations is extremely important to UCSC students. We’re less likely to run off and act irrationally if we feel we’re in the loop. Students who are confident and well-versed in emergency protocol can be counted on to make wise decisions if, or when, disaster hits. 

It’s obvious that the situation was unclear and possibly scary even to those who were assigned to inform us. We are thankful for their promptness, hard work, and dedication to student safety. We’re even more thankful that it was not actually a dangerous situation and we suggest that our university takes this opportunity to work out the kinks in the CruzAlert system.

Related Story

“Suspicious package” on Bay and High St. a false alarm [SlugLife]

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at You Dropped A ‘Suspicious Device’ On Me, Baby

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at Slug Comics

The Men’s Tennis team relishes in the success of their seventh NCAA national championship and shows off their hard-earned hardware. Photo by Melissa Abel.

Photo by Melissa Abel.

The UC Santa Cruz men’s tennis team has gone through the whole season with one thought constant in their minds: End the season with no regrets.

“[It’s helped] our teams be successful for years and years,” head coach Bob Hansen said a few weeks ago. “I’ll feel happy if we have no regrets at the end of the season.”

This frame of mind proved to be the right one this season as the men’s team cruised through the NCAA playoffs, winning their two regional championship games 5-0 against Whitman and Claremont College. 

They then defeated Williams College in the quarterfinals and Emory College in the semifinals 5-0 and 5-4, respectively. This all led up to their 5-0 defeat of No. 6 Amherst College to officially be named the 2009 Division III National Champions.

Though currently ecstatic, the players on the team are quick to point out that this season has been anything but a trip down “easy lane.”

“We’re all super excited,” senior Ilya Gendelman said. “But I’m glad that this roller-coaster of a season has finally paid off.”

Men’s tennis opened up the season with two bad losses to Santa Clara and Fresno Pacific, but battled back to get their record up to .500 going into the ITA DIII National Team Indoor Championships, where they won once and lost twice.

The team then went on a six-game winning streak, beating notable teams such as UC Davis and reassuring high hopes from the beginning of the season.

“We’re on a great stretch right now — we’re confident,” head assistant coach Bryce Parmelly told City on a Hill Press at the time.

Then came the bumps. The Slugs lost to Azusa Pacific in a heartbreaker, 5-4, and continued to trade wins and losses until their April 18 match-up with Colorado College. 

The defeat of Colorado College sparked a seven-game winning streak that the Slugs would enjoy through the rest of the season. They  topped off their winning streak and season with the defeat of Amherst in the NCAA finals.

Going into this highly anticipated match-up, the men’s team understood the magnitude of what was within their grasp. 

“Coach told us that winning a championship is one of the best things that can happen in your life,” senior Jared Kamel said.

Leading the charge, Kamel and junior Marc Vartabedian won their doubles match, as did seniors Max Liberty-Point and Ilya Gendelman. Seniors Max Ortiz and Colin Mark-Griffin also won, to give the Slugs a commanding and important 3-0 lead.

“If we hadn’t swept the doubles there’s a good chance we would have lost,” Kamel said.

Next the Slugs continued their powerful display of dominance in the singles competition. Mark-Griffin won his matches 6-4 and 6-2, and Liberty-Point completed the clean sweep of Amherst, winning his match 6-3 and 7-6. Up 5-0 overall at that point, the Slugs were declared the victors and claimed the seventh NCAA title for the UCSC men’s tennis team. 

This year’s championship team has five seniors on the roster, meaning that next season the younger players will be expected to step up their play. 

And though nothing is set in stone, some of the seniors — like Gendelman and Liberty-Point — might try their hand at professional tennis, while for others this might have been the last official tennis game they ever played. 

Nonetheless, right now members of the team are content in enjoying the feeling of having accomplished their most important pre-season goal. 

“I feel better than ever,” Gendelman said. “We definitely ended the year with no regrets.”

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at NCAA Tennis Champions: Slugs Defeat Amherst College 5-0

Illustration by Joe Lai.

Graduate students will soon be seeing a decrease in their medical services if plans to cut their healthcare coverage follow through.

Earlier this month, Lisa Sloan, dean of graduate studies and professor of earth sciences, asked the Graduate Student Association to approve cuts to current levels of coverage for the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan (GSHIP). 

Graduate student Patrick Madden is part of a coalition called “Protect GSHIP,” a student coalition made up of about 20 students working to prevent these cuts from happening. 

“What’s on the table is basically a cut to the quality of healthcare,” Madden said. “There’s clearly a budget crisis, but we simply don’t make enough money to shoulder those burdens.”

These cuts could increase the cost of co-pays for doctor visits and emergency care, decrease lifetime coverage limits and increase co-pays for prescription drugs, including those taken on a regular basis for chronic conditions. The effect will be an increase in out-of-pocket expenses for prescriptions. 

“We get about $5,000 a quarter and healthcare,” Madden said of the salary graduate students receive. “That’s $15,000 to $20,000 a year, and it’s a [medical coverage cut] that’s directed towards a group of people that aren’t being paid much to begin with.” 

Madden said that the issue came about in early spring when Blue Cross/Blue Shield, the medical insurance company with which UC Santa Cruz has a contract, informed the university that in order to maintain the same level of coverage, rates would have to go up 33 percent.

The university refused to raise all rates by 33 percent and decided instead to contact the graduate program and ask them to decrease their coverage, Madden said.

The main concern for Protect GSHIP are the graduate students who need continuous health maintenance or coverage in a medical emergency.

“The worry is for people that have serious chronic problems and people who may need surgery or emergency medical care,” Madden said. “We just don’t make enough money to take that chance.”

Diane Mesa, insurance assistant for the UCSC Health Center, said that as of right now, grads and undergrads receive almost identical insurance plans.

“Grads and undergrads have the same plans,” Mesa said. “But for psychological services, grad students get about 36 visits and undergrads get about 24.” 

As well as receiving more coverage for psychological services, graduate students receive dental coverage, something that undergrads do not receive in their plan.

Mesa also discussed some of the other future changes to the graduate student healthcare plan.

“Next year they will be raising doctor visit co-pays and raising out-of-pocket expense,” Mesa said. “They will be changing the reimbursement from 85 percent to 80 percent and raising the ER co-pay from $50 to either $100 or $150.” 

Madden said that with these changes and more, UCSC’s population of approximately 4,000 graduate students, compared to about 12,000 undergrads, should not be responsible for carrying this weight on their shoulders.

If the administration follows through with its plans to alter the graduate student health plan, co-payments for doctor visits will rise, regardless of whether the student is covered by Blue Cross.

“There will be a decrease in the lifetime limit for coverage, and an increase in co-pays for out-of-network doctor visits and in-network doctor visits,” Madden said. “We don’t want to get lost in statistics. We feel that we simply can’t be asked to give up our meager levels of compensation.”

Members of Protect GSHIP hope to meet with vice chancellor David Kliger and graduate studies dean Sloan sometime soon, although their previous attempt to meet with Kliger earlier in the month was not successful.

Madden brought up the apparent disparity between administrators’ salaries and benefits extended to the student population.

“[Kliger] makes about $250,000, and Dean Sloan makes 10 times what a grad student makes,” Madden said. “That’s where the money is, and a lot more can be cut from the top than from people who are already making poverty-level wages.”

Kliger and Sloan earn $257,166 and $152,400 respectively, according to the Sacramento Bee.

Protect GSHIP is part of a larger coalition known as the New UC.  So far, the coalition has collected 300 signatures in petitions against the potential healthcare changes. However, it was simply not enough to grab the administration’s attention, Madden said.

Mesa pointed out the option of turning to the Santa Cruz Medical Foundation, located off campus. Also covered by Blue Cross, the SC Medical Foundation charges less out-of-pocket than the Health Center, because they charge only for procedures.

“Santa Cruz Medical Foundation is like an umbrella,” Mesa said. “They just charge for the X-ray, not the physician reading the X-ray.”

Although the Santa Cruz Medical Foundation provides slightly cheaper out-of-pocket expenses, Mesa said that given the number of students at UCSC, the Health Center provides much easier and more reasonable access.

According to Madden, all the coalition wants is for its cause to be acknowledged by both the administration and their peers.

“We’re trying to just let people know what’s going on,” Madden said. 

Protect GSHIP is resolved not to go down without a fight, regardless of the outcome.

“You can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip, as the saying goes,” Madden said. “When it comes to their money, apparently we’re not all in this together.”

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at Graduate Students Fight for Fair Healthcare

Illustration by Rachel Edelstein.

Spring is here and the goats are out.

As nature flourishes during the warm months leading up to summer, brush-clearing goats have descended upon Santa Cruz as a form of eco-friendly landscape management. 

“By its nature, goat grazing is the environmentally friendly form of vegetation management,” said Terri Oyarzùn, co-owner of Goats ‘R’ Us, a local company that raises a herd of up to 6,500 goats. “My statistics show that about 300 goats can clear one acre in a day.”

Private property owners and city departments are enlisting the herbivores to clear brush and remove weeds that invade many fields throughout the community, eliminating huge amounts of growth that would potentially be susceptible to fires during the hotter season. 

A family-owned grazing company based in the Bay Area, Goats ‘R’ Us started in 1995 using their goats as a means of clearing brush from fields. 

However, company growth came when they incorporated specialized vegetation management programs, targeting invasive species otherwise difficult to remove.

“Using goats as a means of grazing is useful because they eat almost anything,” said Karen Holl, professor of environmental studies at UC Santa Cruz. “Star thistle, for example, is a species found in ranch land in the western United States, but other grazers, like cows, don’t like it.”

In addition, goats eat other species such as poison oak, which can be hard to remove because it does not appeal to cows and is harmful to humans.

Open-space parks prefer goats to cows because they have less of a physical impact on the landscape, Oyarzùn said. 

Jim Gibbons, the field supervisor for the west zones of Santa Cruz, including Neary Lagoon, relies primarily upon Living Systems Land Management. The San 

Francisco-based goat-grazing company provides services in field management.

“They’ve done a pretty good job for us,” Gibbons said. “The cost is usually between $5,000 to $6,000 for three acres of land, but that varies between spring and fall grazing.” 

While many companies provide grazing services that use animals as alternate means of clearing fields, Goats ‘R’ Us is distinguished by the treatment and care they provide the goats that work for them.

Goats ‘R’ Us never sell or kill the goats that work for them, providing them a lifetime guarantee of healthcare and a retirement program, Oyarzùn said.

“The goat you see in the field this year will be the same one you see next year,” Oyarzùn said. “They’re not disposable to us. We’re really like a team.”

While business continues to grow along with a world that’s becoming more environmentally conscious, Oyarzùn hopes to keep the company in the family for it to be passed on to their children and grandchildren in the future. 

“Actually, I hope the company doesn’t expand,” Oyarzùn said. “But we’ve been doing this for almost 15 years now and we’ve started to gain more popularity as people have continued to become more aware about the environment, so I do hope we continue to be a part of that.”

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at Goats Graze the Way

Two athletes race to the finish line at the Special Olympics 2009 Spring Games at Gunderson High School in San Jose. Photo by Olivia Irvin.

19-year-old Wendy Serrano is nurtured physically and emotionally through Special Olympics. Photo by Olivia Irvin.

Judith Serrano can’t escape the voices — she is haunted by the cupped-hand whispers and blatant stares that follow her like silhouettes as she walks down supermarket aisles and through shopping malls, holding her daughter’s hand. 

As she sits under the deep blue of a cloudless May sky, she speaks solemnly when describing the way people act toward her mentally disabled daughter. “People look at my daughter differently when we take her shopping and they whisper to each other,” Serrano said. “Sometimes I get mad and I say, ‘Shut up, stop talking about my daughter.’”

Serrano’s daughter, Wendy, is a 19-year-old Special Olympics track and field athlete with mental retardation. She is one of 13,000 Special Olympic athletes in Northern California and one of 49 million Americans with a disability, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She is also one of many special-needs persons who has fallen victim to human ignorance and found comfort and confidence in participating with Special Olympics of Northern California.

How It All Started

Special Olympics is an international nonprofit organization that conducts competitive sporting events for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It began in 1968 as a day camp in the backyard of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of former President John F. Kennedy and mother of current California First Lady Maria Shriver. 

Now a global campaign promoting awareness and acceptance of persons with disabilities, the program offers 30 Olympic-style sports in nearly 200 countries. 

In Northern California alone, there are 15 different sports that athletes can compete in, including everything from long-distance running and gymnastics to roller-skating and powerlifting. There are six different regions, each encompassing several counties with one or more teams per county. Santa Cruz has two teams that compete in several different sports, including basketball, aquatics and track. 

Coaches, parents and athletes agree that there are many wide-ranging benefits from these different opportunities to participate in Special Olympics, both for the athletes themselves and the volunteers who coach them. 

Audrey Bright, a Cabrillo College student and Special Olympian, receives a medal. Photo by Olivia Irvin.

Audrey Bright is a Cabrillo College student who has been competing in Special Olympics for the past eight years. Her father, Michael Bright, lists the benefits that the organization has held for his daughter.

“Socialization, the sports aspect of it, the fact that she can feel a sense of accomplishment and it gets her out in the community a lot,” Bright said. 

Brittany Guest, a fifth-year health sciences major at UC Santa Cruz and a Special Olympics coach of five years, says the organization helps athletes build confidence and meet people with  conditions similar to their own. 

“It’s a great opportunity for them to be involved and hang out with people that are like them that are dealing with disabilities,” Guest said. “It makes them have more confidence — a lot of these kids are really dependent on their parents and when they have a couple hours to go out with their friends, they socially blossom.” 

For 50-year-old Matt Freeman, a Special Olympics track and field athlete on the Santa Cruz team, building friendships has been the biggest upside.

“I like meeting people, and the coaches are great — you can’t beat ‘em,” said Freeman, who has been with Special Olympics since 1973. 

Guest adds that she gets a lot out of coaching the athletes as well. 

“Honestly, they just bring me so much joy,” she said. “If you’re in a bad mood they’re gonna make you smile. They’re so incredible and high-spirited and so accepting of you and everything about you.” 

Intensive Preparation

Athletes compete in a variety of events, including swimming. Photo by Olivia Irvin.

While Special Olympics athletes may not have the same physical athleticism as their professional Olympian counterparts, the preparation they endure for events is no less intense. They have the same look of concentration on their faces, with a mix of determination for the task at hand as well as pride for what they’ve already accomplished. 

The athletes train for eight to 10 weeks through weekly practices with their coaches before going to a regional competition such as Spring Games, held each year in May. Based on the results at regionals, athletes are then chosen to compete at either the Summer Games or Championships. 

Cindy Blyther, the sports and competition manager for Special Olympics Northern California, said the competitions are what she enjoys most about her job.

“The competitions are where the athletes get to show off their talents,” Blyther said. “This is where all the hours in the office make it worth it, to see the athletes having fun and enjoying themselves at the competitions.”

President Obama’s Blunder: Ignorance is Not Bliss

It happened two months into  President Obama’s term, during his appearance on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno.  He began joking about his bowling skills, or lack thereof.

“I bowled a 129,” Obama said with a smile as the audience cheered and applauded. After Jay Leno sarcastically remarked, “No, that’s very good, Mr. President,” Obama delivered his foot-in-mouth remark, replying, “It was like the Special Olympics or something.” 

Although Obama was quick to apologize — he released a statement before the show even aired that night — many politicians and media outlets were just as quick to criticize. Alaskan governor and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, whose youngest child has Down’s syndrome, attacked Obama for his comment. 

Special Olympics chairman Timothy Shriver, son of founder Eunice, released a statement that expressed disappointment in Obama’s comment but also said it could be used as a learning experience. 

“Using ‘Special Olympics’ in a negative or derogatory context can be a humiliating put-down to people with special needs,” Shriver said in the statement. “This is a teachable moment for our country. We are asking young people, parents and leaders from all walks of life to engage in conversation and help dispel negative caricatures about people with intellectual disabilities.” 

Parents and coaches of Special Olympics athletes expressed similar sentiments about the president’s gaffe. 

“I was mad,” Judith Serrano said. “It hurts a lot of people, especially parents because we already deal with a lot of people, and when the president makes that kind of comment it’s weird.” 

David Cunningham, assistant aquatics coach for the Special Olympics team at Gunderson High School in San Jose, says that while he doesn’t think that the president meant to say anything hurtful, it was unfortunate that Obama showed his naïveté.

“I don’t think the president of the United States realizes the level of competition and effort put into it,” Cunningham said. “I think we need to get him to some games so he understands the level of competition.” 

Rising Recognition

Ivan Rodriguez, a Special Olympics athlete, stands proud while he receives his award from a San Jose police officer. Photo by Olivia Irvin.

Swimmers receive medals for competing in the 2009 Special Olympics Spring Games in Northern California. Photo by Olivia Irvin.

Many people still remain unaware of Special Olympics of Northern California, despite the fact that they continue to grow in publicity and number of participants. 

UCSC student Guest has been coaching one of the two local Special Olympics teams throughout her entire college career, and said that people on campus are generally unaware of this chance to volunteer in the community. Guest feels this lack of recognition still translates into an overall level of ignorance for persons with disabilities. 

“It’s really hurtful and painful to watch when so many people generalize or make fun of people with disabilities,” Guest said. “They get so much judgment passed on them but they’re usually just so welcoming … and I just wish people would be more accepting.” 

Serrano, whose daughter attends Mission High School in San Francisco, says school has been the biggest challenge for Wendy. 

“The first year she didn’t want to go to school because she didn’t know the people,” Serrano said. “A lot of people were mean to her … her mind is like a 7-year-old and she’s 19, so people made fun of her.”

Jeff Hillgrove of San Carlos says that with his autistic son Ben, it may come down to people not being patient enough to understand.  

“With autism, everything has to be broken down in steps,” Hillgrove said. “Typical kids don’t have the patience for that. … I don’t think they realize how to deal with him.” 

Despite the various obstacles facing public awareness of persons with special needs, many are hopeful that ignorance is gradually diminishing.

“I think [awareness] is getting better because of how prevalent [disabilities are],” Hillgrove said. “I think the public is becoming more aware because it’s hitting them in the face.”

Guest also believes that the public is becoming more understanding and knowledgeable, and she points to a new class being offered at UCSC that may play a significant part in this. 

The upper-division psychology class PSYC 171, titled “Childhood Psychopathology,” explores the developmental and social contexts surrounding various disabilities, and it includes a mandatory volunteering component.

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at The Spirit of a Special Olympian

Illustration by Justin Martinez.

As the national economic downturn rattles Santa Cruz, local residents got the chance to dictate exactly how local services should be affected. 

Last week the City Council held an emergency community forum on the current budget crisis facing the city of Santa Cruz. Since 2002, the city faced a General Fund budget cut of over $14 million, and over 100 people in the city workforce have lost their jobs. 

The meeting was a reflection of city leaders’ willingness to work with residents through these tough economic times.

City manager Dick Wilson explained where citizens’ tax money goes within the city.

“We are much different from other cities with 60,000 people, because we maintain our own landfill, beaches, boardwalk and parks,” Wilson said. 

City Councilmembers are looking to the residents and taxpayers of Santa Cruz for advice on how they should curtail $8 million from the city. City leaders explained that the bulk of the cutbacks, totaling $2.3 million, will affect the Santa Cruz Police Department. The majority of the 80 city employees expected to be laid off will be from the police department as well.

Ten police officers and a records clerk received notices of dismissal from their jobs on Wednesday based on a system of seniority. The layoffs will go into effect June 26.

“Losing officers is the last thing any police chief or community would want to face, but we recognize that no one is exempt from this and we too are required to shoulder the burden of this unprecedented budget crisis,” police chief Howard Skerry said. 

Wilson said he is not entirely sure how the cuts in the police department will influence the city crime rates in the future.

“We are worried about how the cuts will affect the police department, but the council cannot predict how things will unfold,” Wilson said.

Much of the concern expressed at the meeting was centered on the potential closure of the Civic Auditorium on Church Street due to budget cuts being made to the Parks and Recreation department.

Eve Smith, of local roller derby team the Santa Cruz Rollergirls, pleaded to the City Council to keep the civic center open so that her team could still have a location for practices and games.

“On behalf of my organization, I beg you to please think before shutting the doors on the Civic,” Smith said. 

Some positive news also came out of the forum. The city has seen a 50 percent increase in hotel room sales, Wilson said. 

Joe Collins, a Santa Cruz resident for 21 years, stepped up to the podium to emphasize how important it is to give back to the city.  

“If people love the city, they should try thinking of the city as a charity and [their] taxes as a donation to the city,” Collins said. “This city is worth supporting.”

---- (C) 2011 City on a Hill Press. All Rights Reserved. View online at Looking to Citizens for Advice on Budget Cuts