Column: Come now boys and girls, can’t we just get along
Erick Pirayesh, Staff Writer
May 10, 2013
Erick Pirayesh Boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider. Girls go to Mars to get more candy bars…. Ba dum dum chhh. That one was a playground classic. But please, please, don’t be so quick to criticize the intergalactic education system. This gender feud only gets better, sort of. We’re... Read More
Council supports smoking ban, trustees to vote May 23
Erick Pirayesh, News Editor
May 8, 2013
After a month of heavy debate, the College Planning Council voted in favor of a proposal to ban all smoking on campus. This 13-3 vote on Tuesday came after the Academic Senate and the Associated Student Senate also voted to support the proposal. The student senate’s was a split decision,... Read More
Number of international students to drop in coming semestersErick Pirayesh, News Editor
April 30, 2013
City College will reduce the number of international students accepted in the fall. As of last semester, City College hada total of 1,600 international students, nearly eight percent of the approximately 20,000 credit students on campus. According to the 2013-14 tentative budget, international... Read More
Column: We must take a stand to protect online privacy rights
Erick Pirayesh, News Editor
April 26, 2013
Big brother is watching you. Or at least, he’s trying to. Last week, in a touching act of bipartisanship, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act by a vote of 288 to 127. At long last, the wait is over, the seas have parted and Republicans... Read More
Summer construction projects to include snack shop upgradesErick Pirayesh, News Editor
April 26, 2013
City College is set to begin working on several summer construction projects that will cost more than $650,000. The projects include a new Pershing Park storage building, resurfacing parking lot 1B at the main campus entrance, English as a Second Language quad site improvements and modernization... Read More
SBPD attends council meeting to discuss armed officer proposalErick Pirayesh, News Editor
April 18, 2013
Santa Barbara Police Department representatives attended the April 16 College Planning Council meeting to discuss the controversial proposal for City College to hire a full-time armed police officer. Chief of Police Camerino Sanchez and Deputy Chief Frank Mannix joined the discussion to help... Read More
Proposal to hire armed police officer creates controversyErick Pirayesh, News Editor
April 4, 2013
The proposal to hire a full time armed Santa Barbara Police Department officer sparked a passionate debate at the recent College Planning Council meeting. The proposition, presented by Vice President of Business Services Joe Sullivan and supported by Superintendent-President Dr. Lori Gaskin,... Read More
Proposal would snuff out smoking on SBCC campus
Erick Pirayesh, News Editor
April 2, 2013
City College may soon become completely smoke-free with the removal of the campus’s designated smoking areas in the fall 2013 semester. The designated smoking areas, which have been a part of campus for nine years, may be removed after a proposal was made at the April 2 College Planning... Read More
Board to conduct taxpayer survey to value new bond
Erick Pirayesh, News Editor
March 15, 2013
The Board of Trustees gave Superintendent-President Dr. Lori Gaskin direction to begin a taxpayer survey to determine community support for a new bond measure during their meeting Thursday, March 14. The survey will help the board decide when to pursue the bond and how much it’s worth. The... Read More
Parenting workshops could lose funding if state budget passesErick Pirayesh, News Editor
March 6, 2013
The Parent-Child Workshops, which help student-parents learn basic childcare skills, might no longer be funded by City College if the proposed 2013-14 state budget is passed. A total of 80 percent of the workshop directors’ salaries are paid for by City College. According to the Human Resources... Read More
Board gets first look at response to accrediting commission
Erick Pirayesh, News Editor
February 14, 2013
The Board of Trustees received their first look at a Special Report directed toward the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and will vote on the report’s approval in two weeks. At a special meeting Thursday Feb. 14, the board was presented the 129-page document that... Read More
SBCC enters period of financial growth
Erick Pirayesh, News Editor
February 11, 2013
After years of a steadily declining budget, City College has finally returned to a period of fiscal growth. With the passage of Proposition 30 and an increase in revenue from international and out-of-state students, the college budget is up over 3 million dollars from last year despite a five... Read More
Humanities Building construction 40% completeErick Pirayesh, News Editor
February 8, 2013
Construction progress on the Humanities Building modernization project that began on Sept. 1 last year is only 40 percent complete. Continuing construction begins this week in the Humanities Building and across campus on waterline systems to improve safety in the event of a fire. Julie Hendricks,... Read More
Senate discusses potential extension to Thanksgiving break
Erick Pirayesh, News Editor
November 29, 2012
The Academic Senate is debating schedule changes for future Thanksgiving breaks. At the Nov. 28 meeting, the senate discussed prolonging Thanksgiving break after noticing many students didn’t attend their Wednesday classes before this year’s holiday. Possible options the senators considered... Read More
Council approves proposed emergency response positionErick Pirayesh, News Editor
November 21, 2012
The College Planning Council approved a revised proposal that would make Rob Morales the new Director of Administrative Services and Emergency Response. The proposal, which would restructure responsibilities in business services, will be voted on for final approval at the Dec. 13 Board of Trustees... Read More
SBCC prioritizes safety with new proposed position
Erick Pirayesh, News Editor
November 9, 2012
City College may be receiving a new full-time risk management faculty member for safety and natural disaster planning. Superintendent-President Dr. Lori Gaskin recommended a reorganization of the Human Resources department to pay for the new full-time position. The position would be in charge... Read More
SBCC reacts to Prop 30 victory
Erick Pirayesh, News Editor
November 9, 2012
With the recent approval of Proposition 30 on the Nov. 6 ballot, the shadow of budget cuts are no longer looming over City College. Governor Jerry Brown’s proposition to raise an estimated $6 billion a year in state revenue through a four-year, quarter-cent sales tax increase and a seven-year... Read More
Faculty openings to be replaced
Erick Pirayesh, News Editor
November 1, 2012
Seven departments at City College will be receiving a new full-time faculty position. On Wednesday Oct. 31, the Academic Senate took 12 educational departments with openings and ranked them in order of importance, with the top seven departments receiving a new full-time position. Biological... Read More
Board approves new classroom building
Erick Pirayesh, News Editor
October 25, 2012
City College will be receiving a new $18.7-million classroom building on West Campus to facilitate the removal of the East Campus portables. After months of discussion, the Board of Trustees voted to approve the proposal to utilize Measure V funds to finance the new building in a 6-1 vote at... Read More
Coastal Commission slaps SBCC with multiple violations
Erick Pirayesh, News Editor
October 25, 2012
City College is currently stuck in a legal process with the California Coastal Commission that is delaying parts of the Humanities Building remodel. The college submitted a proposal to the Coastal Commission this past April to gain approval of the Humanities Building renovation project; a proposal... Read More
College proposes new letter grade
Erick Pirayesh, News Editor
October 19, 2012
The Financial Aid office is proposing to start giving “FW” grades to replace the “F” grade students get when they stop attending class after the withdrawal date. The “FW” grade will still count as a zero, like an “F,” and for students receiving financial aid it will identify... Read More
East Campus portables considered unsafe
Erick Pirayesh, News Editor
October 10, 2012
City College will look to remove the East Campus portable buildings after a structural assessment deemed 22 of the 28 buildings unsafe. According to an assessment conducted in July by Kruger Bensen Ziemer Architects Inc., six of the 28 buildings installed in 2007 are in relatively good condition.... Read More
Board updates Prop 30 plan
Erick Pirayesh, Associate Editor
October 8, 2012
The Board of Trustees Fiscal Committee met on Monday, Oct. 8 to discuss an update on “what if” scenarios regarding the pass or fail of Proposition 30. The update included a Board of Trustees approved increase of $810,000 in health and welfare allowance for faculty insurance. The approved... Read More
International students keep SBCC afloat
Erick Pirayesh, Associate Editor
September 28, 2012
A growth in the number of international students and their cost of tuition has increased revenue at City College and allowed for fewer layoffs and budget reductions. According to the 2012-2013 adopted budget, local college revenue has increased $1.9 million, in part due to the addition of 200... Read More
Board approves Continuing Ed reorganization
Erick Pirayesh, Associate Editor
September 28, 2012
At Thursday’s Board of Trustees meeting, the board voted in favor of the highly controversial decision to restructure the Continuing Education division and form the Center for Life Long Learning. The board approved the proposal to form the center by a 7-1 vote, and approved the proposal to... Read More
President proposes $16 million dollar building to replace portables
Erick Pirayesh, Associate Editor
September 24, 2012
Superintendent-President Lori Gaskin proposed a $16 million building on West Campus at Monday, Sept. 24, Board of Trustees Facilities Committee meeting. The proposal is a result of a structural assessment of the 28 East Campus Classrooms, 19 of which were not found compliant with safety regulations. “These... Read More
Special board meeting tackles accreditation questions
Erick Pirayesh, Associate Editor
September 20, 2012
The City College Board of Trustees held a special meeting Thursday Sept. 20 to discuss a series of questions submitted by the Accreditation Task Force. After being placed on warning in March by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges for failing to adhere to self-appointed... Read More
Proposed reorder of Continuing Education could lead to lost jobs
Erick Pirayesh, Associate Editor
September 13, 2012
Because of the reorganization of the Continuing Education program at City College, 16 full-time positions will be eliminated, Superintendent-President Dr. Lori Gaskin announced at the Sept. 12 Academic Senate meeting. The senate approved the proposed reorganization, which calls for discontinuing... Read More
Master SBCC Professor Dr. Robert J. Cummings leaves packed classes to retire
Erick Pirayesh, Staff Writer
September 11, 2012
Leaning back in his chair and scanning the ocean view from his third floor office, Dr. Robert J. Cummings reflects on his past 40 years as a biology professor. “I never would’ve guessed in 100 years I wanted to be a teacher,” he said. The 67-year-old will lock the office door one final... Read More
Presidential finalist profile: David Viar—lawyer and CEO
Erick Pirayesh, Staff Writer
April 18, 2012
David Viar, who would not give The Channels his age, is a native of Illinois. He has served as the president of American River College since 2005. Viar attended Western Illinois University and went on to receive his doctorate in law from Drake University law school, Des Moines, Idaho. He went... Read More
Presidential finalist profile: Eloy Oakley—the environmentalist
Erick Pirayesh, Staff Writer
April 16, 2012
Eloy Ortiz Oakley, 46, joined the Long Beach Community College district in 2002 serving as the assistant superintendent/executive vice president of administrative services. He went on to be appointed superintendent-president in 2007. Oakley says that in many ways Santa Barbara City College... Read More
Federal appeals court shoots down Proposition 8
Erick Pirayesh, Staff Writer
February 14, 2012
As a conservative leaning straight male from Wyoming, my opinion on the recent ruling of Proposition 8 may not be too popular back home, but the federal appeals court made the right decision. The California 9th circuit court shot down Proposition 8, a voter approved ban on gay marriage, in... Read More
Abstract art debate persists in ‘Persistence’
Erick Pirayesh, Staff Writer
February 8, 2012
The abstract art show, “Persistence,” opened Friday night at the Atkinson Gallery, featuring paintings and sculptures from well-known Santa Barbara artists. “Santa Barbara has a long history of abstraction, and there’s been some internationally known artists who have lived and worked... Read More
Atkinson spring opening no mere abstraction
Erick Pirayesh, Staff Writer
February 1, 2012
The opening reception of the Atkinson Gallery’s latest abstract art show “Persistence” featured a collection of paintings and sculptures from local artists. Atkinson Gallery Director Dane Goodman entertained a packed house of guests ranging from City College art students, abstract art... Read More
