Along with my talented colleagues, I have written some 35 editorials on this page. We’ve opined on safety, free press, new classes and programs, student apathy, parking, abortion and even endorsed a student government candidate.

In all, I’ve filed some 75 stories at The Channels.

This is my last.

In my finals days here, after tearing open acceptance letters from UC-Berkeley and University of Maryland, I’ve been thinking about “Student Success.”

Somewhere Jack Friedlander is smiling.

Teachers looking for ways to encourage students need look no further than City College programs. The road to “Student Success” doesn’t need to come with a $400,000 price tag. Help students discover their passions, and the rest will follow.

I stumbled into the door of Room CC-123 – The Channels lab – looking for a voice. After three semesters, I am hoarse. I’ve covered the board of trustees, academic senate, student senate and security.

I had the cell-phone numbers of everyone from the mayor and college president to Luckyiam.PSC from the Living Legends and the NBA’s 2006 Sportsmanship Award recipient Elton Brand. Elton has since changed his.

The Channels, advised by Patricia Stark and Zach Gillon, has served as my gateway to the journalism world.

But it has done much more for the college.

The staff this year explored everything from safety and sports to shows at the Garvin Theatre. We strived to be fair and balanced, and to maintain the highest level of professionalism. All the flowery stuff aside, we made this college a better, safer place to be.

We’re not the only ones committed to this goal. I respect administrators’ opinions and appreciate their hard work. I enjoyed their off-the-record phone calls peppered with Wednesday-morning quarterbacking.

But we didn’t always agree.

They didn’t agree that it’s not okay to have an incorrect, misleading crime log. That it’s not okay to discuss non-agendized items in the academic senate. And that it’s not okay to use Social Security numbers for student identification.

I hope we can agree that an independent, student-run newspaper is exactly what the college needs to keep the campus informed.

These stories and the college’s subsequent actions to fix the exposed problems underscore the argument.

As I let the CC-123 door hit me on my way out, I have several hopes for the students and college.

I encourage students to follow the lead of President-Elect Eric Borlaug and Student Trustee Jessica Schley. Get involved, attend a meeting and make your voice heard. I don’t want to read an editorial next year written by yet another cynical editor blasting hung-over students for their lackluster turnout at the polls.

I encourage environmentally cognizant students to join the Student Sustainability Coalition and pick up where co-founders Leif Skogberg and Shawn Jacobson left off.

Lord knows I don’t want to see another David Stone e-mail about trash buildup on his lawn.

I encourage students to join Student Labor Action Project and fight for student power with Shawn Tallant and Joey Williams.

I hope the Physical Science Building and Garvin Theatre get remodeled. I hope the Life Fitness Center gets finished and the SoMA Building gets built. I hope the dorms and parking structure don’t. And I hope the portable buildings – which former Superintendent-President Dr. Peter MacDougall hated ­­- disappear.

I hope the Community College Initiative, which I haven’t heard a peep about this semester, passes and student fees rollback to $20 per unit.

I hope the college hires a competent security director for Fall 2006. Let me give you my pick. Hint: He’s already sitting in the chair and his initials are E.F.

I hope the faculty senate succeeds in its Student Success Initiative. Where were the student-friendly rubrics in my classes?

I wish members of the board of trustees a nice flight as they pack for the Florida Keys.

I hope the college renews the Atkinson Gallery Director Dane Goodman’s contract and gives Cafeteria Manager Tammy Jensen a raise.

I want to thank the editors and staff for making this year the most successful yet. Sorry I can only name a few.

I want to congratulate Tracy Chamberlin on her two years at The Channels as an editor. I will not forget her absolute trust, diligent reporting and meticulous copy editing.

I want to thank Bethany Hopkins for her wisdom, dedication and support.

I want to thank Evan Parker for his crass humor, sweatpants and flowing hair.

I want to thank Ian Vorster, the best photographer and team player I’ve ever met, let alone worked with. Please don’t embarrass those guys at the News-Press.

And lastly, I want to extend a thank you to Jared Blankenship because he trusted me enough to learn something.

I leave my beloved paper in good hands.

You stay classy, Santa Barbara.