Do you know how the Ringling Brothers Circus used to train elephants? I didn’t, until about a week ago. For the first six months of their lives, baby elephants would be restrained with steel chains and forced to stand on concrete floors for up to 23 hours a day. After months of attempting to escape these tethers to no avail, the elephants would give up and assume they would forever be restrained. As they reached adulthood, much weaker tethers were put in place; however, the elephants did not attempt to break free from them because of the traumatic failures they ensued when trying to escape previously. Does this resonate with anybody else right now? With time feeling frozen and the future feeling so uncertain due to coronavirus, it is no surprise that many friends and family I have spoken with are ruminating on the past more than usual. Memories of trauma, weakness, and hopelessness tend to move to the forefront during periods of distress, causing us to hone in on the scars we received when we felt chained to the concrete floors of our own psyches. Some people have newly-healing wounds after just recently gaining freedom from hardship, and others are feeling currently restrained at the hands of a global pandemic. There have undeniably been days throughout my quarantine thus far where my head has tried to convince me that old steel chains have returned under these new stressful pretenses - and by days, I mean weeks. However, I’ve started to remind myself that the chains linking me to my traumas have indeed weakened over time, and will continue to weaken; they may never disappear, but they will never be as heavy as they were at the start. No matter the state of your restraints - no matter if quarantine is bringing up memories of painful times past, or causing you to feel entirely new types of agony - the negative effects of our traumas can often lead us to forget the ways we grow and change as we heal. Former President Barack Obama gave a commencement address to the United States’ high school seniors this past weekend. Aside from the relief I felt to hear a leader speak in coherent sentences again, his words echoed my perspective on the broad scope of managing trauma and overcoming hardships. “Don’t be afraid. America’s gone through tough times before - slavery, civil war, famine, disease, the Great Depression, and 9/11. And each time, we came out stronger, usually because a new generation… learned from past mistakes and figured out how to make things better,” said Obama. Obama’s message can be interpreted both on a national and personal level. Individually, every time you persevere in the face of adversity, you are growing into a revised “generation” of yourself. This growth can result in a more mature mindset, in a healthier coping mechanism, or in simply learning not to repeat bad behavior. Collectively, we as a college, we as a community, and we as a nation can all look toward history as an example that chains of oppression and inequality do weaken. Yes, some chains require force while others simply loosen over time, and some are historically harder to break than others. But, we can all learn from our missteps and struggles. Instead of looking to the past with rumination and shame, we can reflect and take note of the lessons we have learned, the ways in which we have grown for the better since, and the steps we can take now to avoid falling into the same patterns as before. For Santa Monica College (SMC) students graduating this semester, know that your disappointment in losing a traditional commencement into adulthood will not weigh down on you forever. For any person who feels like they are regressing into old behaviors and harmful thought patterns, remember how you broke free before and how entirely capable you are of doing so again. And for our nation’s leaders, please, look toward history and take note. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Except for circus elephants. They’d probably be better off if they forgot about the chains altogether.
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SMC Nursing Program Resumes In Fall Chrissa Loukas | Staff Writer All Santa Monica College (SMC) clinical nursing classes were cancelled for Spring 2020 semester due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) leaving students working toward their nursing degrees falling behind. The SMC Nursing Program will gradually restart clinical classes that allow nursing students to practice, and will continue all theory-based classes online this fall. In the meantime, new applicants are still standing by for admission. “Without any visual teacher instruction, whether that be on Zoom or in person, it is very hard to obtain a good grade in the class. Nursing students may have to push off their classes another semester, and not be able to take clinicals in person,” said SMC Registered Nursing major Mushka Cunin. “Being in the healthcare profession and taking healthcare classes does not work online-simply because you need in person and proper instruction.” Eve Adler, the Associate Dean and Nursing Program Director of the Health Sciences Department, confirmed that students are able to enroll for fall classes at the moment, however, the schedule is subject to change according to their hospital affiliates availability. Timing is important for nursing students, according to Adler, as classes are only available in either eight-week or fourweek periods and students are required to be present for their classes four days per week. This year the nursing program postponed
the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) during the spring semester, due to the pandemic. This exam allows SMC students to become Registered Nurses and receive an Associate’s Degree in Science, while they are prompted to transfer for a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. “I feel that since SMC has canceled a few nursing classes, it has definitely hindered the progress of current nursing students from passing and taking the NCLEX, having to push that off and take it at [a] later date, basically putting their progress and goal on hold,” Cunin said. “This doesn’t directly affect me in the nursing program but it did affect me from finishing my prerequisites on time.” “Nursing takes a lot of self-motivation and let me tell you there is no ‘spoon feeding’ when it comes to nursing classes,” said SMC nursing major Marisa Elkin. “To be a nurse you must be willing to put yourself in very uncomfortable situations. You must know how to take direction and not to panic. Nursing is a very challenging and intense job, as a nurse you must learn and act as an advocate for the patient.” SMC is working with the California Board of Registered Nursing and with hospital facilities in order to enable the nursing students to return to their practicum classes as fast and as safely as possible, according to Jennifer Merlic, Vice President of Academic Affairs. “We are absolutely committed to our nursing students -- to ensuring their health
Santa Monica College (SMC) nursing student, Marisa Elkin, on the SMC main campus, on Monday, May 18, 2020. (Marco Pallotti / The Corsair)
and safety, to ensuring they are able to graduate with as little delay as possible, and to help the health of our community by continuing to graduate cohorts of highly skilled, empathetic nurses,” Merlic said. “Hospital facilities are slowly reopening their doors for pre-licensure students to practice. This means many of our clinical courses may be able to resume,” Adler said. Current Nursing Program applicants are still waiting to take the Nursing Pre-Admission Exam RN (NLN PAX RN), a necessary entrance exam for prospective nursing students, for admission. Students were told their applications are “frozen in time,” according to a follow up email that Elkin received on May 14 from one of the nursing program’s counselors. “As of now they have no date in which they will let students take the NLN PAX exam. This means that I will not be starting until possibly spring [2021]; from my understanding the nursing program needs to
be able to graduate their existing class in order to bring in a new cohort,” Elkin said. Under these circumstances, she is also looking at private options in order to accelerate her graduation as a nurse. “I think the hardest part for me, and probably for the rest of the college’s leadership team, is making decisions that impact our college community so profoundly while so much is unknown to us,” Merlic said, while affirming that decisions about courses and activities may not become definitive until the fall semester. “I am so very proud of all of our nursing students,” Adler said. “They have been thoughtful, creative, and eager to help during this pandemic. We are trying our very best to make sure they stay on track, complete their education, and join the ranks of registered nurses who are among the healthcare providers taking care of our nation during this challenging time.”
International Students Grapple With SMC’s Transition to Online Classes for Fall Karoline Berg & James Shippy | Staff Writers When Santa Monica College (SMC) made the decision that the spring semester was going to be completely remote through the summer, some international students made the decision to travel back to their home countries whereas others decided to stay. International students in the United States now lead an uncertain future as SMC among other schools, announced the fall semester will be online and the US borders are still closed due to COVID-19. Sociology major Maria Paulsen from Norway has been at SMC for two years and decided to move home during the pandemic. “What I noticed before, Norway was a little bit ahead of LA as it got worse [in Norway] quicker, but when I was in LA I was kind of following up with my family in Norway, seeing how everything was there, everyone was just panicking. So that kind of made me feel like I should go home because
I felt like it would come to LA sooner or later.” Paulsen also said that things in Norway are almost back to normal again after the first wave of the coronavirus. Paulsen originally planned on coming back to Los Angeles this fall, but now she is uncertain if she wants to. “This is actually something I’m still kind of thinking about, but I think I’ve made up my mind of not going online for the next semester and just waiting and see if they open again after that. I want to get the full experience of being in a classroom and everything, because I learn better when I can be there and participate in the real world,” Paulsen said. “I’m definitely going to focus a lot right now on finding a job so I can get some money to go back again. Living in LA as an international student isn’t cheap.” A student who was unable to go home is Sharon Thet, an English major from Myanmar, a nation in Southeast Asia formerly known as Burma. When she attempted to travel home in March, her flights were cancelled. “[I] totally regret being here during this time.
I wish I could be with my family back home,” she said. Thet has had a hard time with quarantining in LA, “I feel sad to know that it can be a long time until I can see my family and friends back home again with all this uncertainty.” In terms of classes and the future, Thet explained that her plan is to get home to Myanmar and take her online classes from there. “I feel like paying a chunk of money to the school just for online classes plus rent money is a waste when I’m not even physically required to be here,” she said. SMC alumnus Lea Yang, who is now a public relations major at California State University, Fullerton also regrets staying in LA during quarantine. “My country, Taiwan, has managed to have no new coronavirus cases for 43 days and it’s still counting. Everything remains open and people’s [lives] are still functioning normally.” She explained that the reason she decided to stay was the immigration uncertainty, and fear of border closures. Although she wishes she could be in
Taiwan, Yang feels like her online classes are going well. “Switching all classes into online mode is a bit hard at first since you don’t feel like you’re going to school. You feel less motivated somehow. But after a week or two of getting used to it, now I’m doing pretty fine,” Yang said. Julian de Bri, a business major from Sweden that The Corsair previously spoke with about the fallout of the coronavirus, has one more semester to finish before transferring to a four year university and has no plans of leaving even though classes will remain online in the fall. “I am planning to continue to study at SMC,” de Bri said. “I want to finish my associate’s degree.... in a recessionary economy, getting jobs is tougher overall and therefore education becomes more valuable.” To listen to the recorded podcast with Maria Paulsen, visit The Corsair’s website.
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The Last Wave of Bioluminescence Kiran Baez | Staff Writer After nearly a month of lighting up shores from Baja California to Santa Cruz, the bioluminescent waves have faded. The phenomenon, which drew national media attention, entertained thousands of people eager to see the rare spectacle despite California’s beaches being closed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Along several beaches, some local police gave up trying to enforce beach closures due to the large crowds. At the beaches of Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, and Malibu, groups of people ranging from large parties to solos flocked to see the lights. Prolonged by chaotic and scarce parking, most were soon tempered by the enigmatic waves inviting onlookers to quiet contemplation and meditation. “Last night was truly one of the most magical nights of my life,” wrote Patrick Coyne, a Los Angeles based photographer who helped bring major media attention to the phenomenon. The source of the ethereal blue light is millions of tiny dinoflagellate phytoplankton known as Lingulodinium polyedrum or L. Poly, which measures less than 35 micrometer in diameter. The occurrence appears as algae bloom, which can often have harmful effects upon the local marine life. When disturbed, the L. Poly emit a faint blue light that acts as a protection mechanism, guiding larger predators to the location of their would-
be demise, and also scaring off any unwanted and unprepared assailant. Whilst red tide and what creates it is not completely understood, an increase of nitrates and iron in the water - quintessential elements to the survival and growth of plankton - often act as a major factor. As the levels increase, larger populations can be supported, allowing the algae to explode in density to the point of visibility as red tide. Sudden changes in nutrients in the water can often be traced back to human pollution, commonly from fertilizer runoff, though red tide happens around the world naturally as well. This particular algae bloom, which was first reported in Newport Beach, may have originated from storm drain runoff caused by heavy rain a few days before the first sighting, though the true origin has yet to be confirmed. Whilst many red tides are toxic to humans, California’s L. Poly does not produce sizable amounts of Yessotoxin, the primary component in the poisonous cocktail produced by many algae blooms, though L.Poly does mildly irritate human skin, prompting many surfers and swimmers to dive into the waves for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Though algae blooms are not uncommon along the California coast, not all are bioluminescent, and few reach the size and scale of the one currently being experienced, making it an incredibly rare experience. In 2018, bioluminescent waves along a 15-mile
A spectator takes a video glowing waves caused by bioluminescent waves in Marina Del Rey, California, on Friday, May 1, 2020. (Kiran Baez / The Corsair)
strip of the coast were reported in national media; this month’s occurrence consistently ranged from Baja California in Mexico to Los Angeles; with some sightings as far south as Acapulco, Mexico, a distance of over 2,100 miles, according to Michael Latz, an authority on bioluminescence from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at University of California, San Diego. Though scientists consistently stated that they were unable to accurately predict when the phenomenon would end, its signs of the awesome waves’ of imminent demise were equally dramatic; the once deep rust-colored water has now lost much of its intensity, with some patches entirely returning to a normal blue-green color. Along the beaches and in the Venice canals, scores of dead fish have appeared,
common after the end of a red tide due to dangerous chemicals released by the algae’s decay. In addition, a thick stench of sewage was reported up and down the Southern California coast, another sure indicator of the phenomenon’s sudden departure. “When [red tide] reaches its final phase, then it’s going to die off. The organisms, as they break open and die, they’re releasing organic material into the water,” said Latz. “There are bacteria that are feasting on that organic material, and they’re releasing odors.” The stench of decomposing algae reached as far as a mile inland. The beginning of the end coincided with the reopening of Los Angeles’ beaches on May 13, increasing the frenzy of people hoping to catch the last glimpses of the surreal and ephemeral light in the darkness.
Xenophobia Amidst the Global Pandemic James Shippy | Staff Writer When President Trump labeled COVID19 the “Chinese Virus” in late March, he initially received opposition from Chinese officials and those connected with WHO (World Health Organization). Although Trump eventually walked back his comments, xenophobic fears towards people of Asian descent have continued to persist as a product of the coronavirus. When LA’s “Safer-at-Home” orders began, LA resident of Filipino descent Anthony Galang was harassed at a grocery store as he was leaving, which he posted about on Facebook that day, “Was leaving the store and some guy starts yelling at me ‘it’s because of yalls coming to our country spreading these diseases.’” Galang recognizes that Trump has walkedback his “Chinese Virus” comments but said, “I think the damage is already done. How he’s handled the situation is appalling. His comments of trying to take it back doesn’t really change the fact that people are still facing hate. People are still facing bigotry because of his comments.” Galang also expressed that in the past if
he ever experienced xenophobia, strangers would usually step in to condemn the actions, but when no one intervened during this incident, “it kind of opened [his] eyes that this is the world we’re living in now. It’s scary.” Xenophobic beliefs have been deeply rooted against immigrants during America’s history. Dr. Leslie Kawaguchi, a Santa Monica College (SMC) history professor, describes America’s history with Japanese Americans during WWII. “Franklin Roosevelt did nothing to stop the anti-Japanese sentiment and signed Executive Order 9066 allowing military commanders to choose who they saw as dangerous and remove them from ‘sensitive areas.’” Kawaguchi explained that during this and other examples of immigrant xenophobia, “the presidents did little to quell the suspicions of people regarding the loyalty of the groups.” Even abroad, xenophobia has become more prevalent. In France, French-Asians started the Twitter hashtag #Jenesuispasunvirus (“I am not a virus”) in late January to speak out against xenophobic rhetoric towards Asians. Mi Kwan, an actress and French citizen, did not face any personal discrimination directly, but said, “there’s a rise in
racism against Asians in France, [including] even parodies of Disney movies with defamatory comments insulting Chinese…it kills me.” Nox Yang, a film student at the University of California, Los Angeles, is taking a different approach when it comes to xenophobia. She is working on a documentary about the Chinese experience. “People don’t understand how huge China is. We have 1.3 billion people, 56 provinces, with different traditions, dialects, food…I want to show people that Chinese are a diverse community, we’re doing different things, we have different experiences, we are not all [viruses], or have the virus. I want to show them the individuals in this community. To humanize this community by telling personal and individual stories.” One of the students (who preferred to remain anonymous) in Yang’s documentary helped activate the Chinese Student Association in North America in late January. “They donate the money, ask more people to donate money and use the money to buy medical resources and supplies to send back to China. They are doing great things while also managing their schoolwork,” Yang said.
When asked about our current rising xenophobia due to COVID-19 and its similarities from the past, Elham Gheytanchi, an Iranian-American sociologist at SMC, expressed that public fears of the “other” should have evolved by now. “We’ve [had] plague, MERS and ’yellow peril,’ which people assumed originated in Asia. Back then the public expression of xenophobia was prevalent. What is different now is that we should have zero to low tolerance for racism or xenophobia in our lives…We need not fear the other as we now share a more globalized world where we are all connected through travel, social media and our interconnected economies,” Gheytanchi said. As the global crisis of COVID-19 has caused xenophobic actions towards people of Asian descent, Gheytanchi also spoke of the psychological and sociological risks for society. “Xenophobia brings fear and lack of trust,” Gheytanchi said. “Whenever we have these two things, we become a good target for dictatorship, tyranny and sabotage our laws.”
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Cal State System to Close Its Doors and Go Online for Fall Semester 2020 Damaris Galeano | Staff Writer A question on many California State University (CSU) transfer and current students’ minds about what is going to happen for the fall semester was answered on Tuesday, May 12. CSU Chancellor Timothy White announced that CSU institutions will be holding most of their fall classes online and keeping nearly all their classrooms closed, with a few exceptions. CSU is the nation’s largest four-year public university system with: 23 campuses, 53,000 faculty and staff and 482,000 students. According to the CSU’s official website, half of the CSU’s students transfer from California community colleges. They are also the first major American university system to announce that they will not be able to physically return to campus for the fall. “Retaining the current closures is necessary because of unknowns about the coronavirus pandemic and how it will play out in coming months,” said Chancellor White
in his statement. The exceptions include, but are not limited to, clinical nursing training courses, some engineering courses, and science courses with laboratory classes. However, the exceptions will only be in effect when, “there are sufficient resources available and protocols in place to assure that rigorous health and safety requirements are in place.” This pandemic has already had a huge financial fallout, not only for students, but colleges and universities as well. At Santa Monica College (SMC) alone there have been over 9,000 students who have dropped one or more of their Spring 2020 classes, with SMC seeing a 25 percent decrease in summer classes and a 22 percent decrease in fall classes from non-residential students. Even the $14 billion federal help passed by Congress to help schools stay afloat will not be enough for some universities, which continue to face declining enrollment. The draw for many students is the in-person experience as many students thrive in classroom settings.
However this new, grim reality has not deterred all students from re-enrolling. Marisa Flores, a full-time Digital Designs major at the California State University, Northridge, who had decided to take a semester long break this spring, is deciding to return. “I am okay with starting my classes online with the eventual transition to a physical campus. The downside for me would be lack of access to a space other than my own home to do my work,” Flores said. “However, I’ve noticed some students struggling with the concept of solely online classes as some thrive more in physical settings. It would be helpful to the students who are struggling to have the option to halt their studies without penalty.” Maria Rivas, a Nursing major at California State University, Los Angeles and another full-time student, agrees with Chancellor White’s decision. “Although it is not ideal for classes to be online during the fall, I agree with the decision that has been made. I understand that it is a safety precaution and in our best interest to avoid classes being
on campus,” Rivas said. Despite some colleges and universities planning on going back to in-person classes for the fall, White told the board of trustees that the risk was just too great and that classes would remain virtual as much as possible. “Our university, when open without restrictions and fully in person, as is the traditional norm of the past, is a place where over 500,000 people come together in close and vibrant proximity with each other on a daily basis,” White said. “That approach, sadly, just isn’t in the cards now.” Although a difficult transition for most, Rivas is “happy for the opportunity to continue classes online rather than delaying graduation for a year,” which was something she was concerned would happen. “I know that I will be safe at home rather than being at risk in school. Having classes online allows me to have my health in my own hands.”
California Community Colleges File Lawsuit Over CARES Act Aid Aleah Antonio | News Editor California Community Colleges (CCC) filed a federal lawsuit this past Monday against the Department of Education and Secretary of Education Betsy Devos over the eligibility requirements of receiving emergency funds provided to educational institutions through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. “It is our hope that we stop the US Department of Education from enforcing… arbitrary eligibility restrictions on relief funds that Congress approved,” said CCC Chancellor Eloy Oakley in a press conference on May 12. The CARES Act, signed into law on March 27, provides higher educational institutions emergency funds to disburse to their students through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). Only students who are eligible to receive federal financial aid are entitled to the funding. This excludes students who are non-citizens, including international students and recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), as well as students without a high school diploma or GED equivalent. The HEERF allocated approximately $12.5 billion towards higher education institutions, $580 million of which went towards
community colleges in California alone. There are approximately 70,000 undocumented students who attend a school within the CCC system. The chancellor believes as many as 80,000 students can be deprived from the emergency aid. “These funds, while [we] appreciate the funds that have come down from the federal government, certainly don’t even begin to deal with all the need that’s out there,” Oakley said. Devos had originally stated in the cover letter of the CARES Act that institutions may independently determine the process in which they allocate funds to their students. “I would like to encourage the leadership of each institution to prioritize your students with the greatest need,” Devos said, “but at the same time consider establishing a maximum funding threshold for each student to ensure that these funds are distributed as widely as possible.“ There are no eligibility guidelines included in the CARES Act, in which HEERF falls under. The outline for eligibility for HEERF came from a subsequent “Frequently Asked Questions” issued by the Department of Education which gave this clarification. The lawsuit claims that the Department of Education “[failed] to consider the ramifications of its eligibility limitations.”
California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley talks to student media about a lawsuit filed Monday by the school system against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, in an effort to “stop the Department of Education from what we feel are arbitrary [restrictions]…and enforcing the limitations of the CARES Act aid.” Oakley argued that, “It was an arbitrary decision by the Secretary of Education to make that decision.” The Tuesday, May 12, 2020, meeting took place for roughly an hour over Zoom, allowing community college journalists across the state to ask questions of Oakley, as well as California Community Colleges Executive Vice Chancellor Marty J. Alvarado. (Michael Goldsmith / The Corsair)
“Our situation can be as bad as any student’s… I didn’t receive help before, but I had to reduce my course load this semester so I can pay for essentials,” SMC student Ireney River said. “Leaving [these students] out can indicate that they are not worthy of bettering their future.” Should the court rule in favor of Oakley and the other plaintiffs, educational institutions would be allowed to “exercise flexi-
bility at the local level to determine which students should receive the aid and open it up for essentially all students, depending on their need now,” according to the Chancellor. Oakley and the Board of Governors for the CCC are joined by five community college districts, including the Los Angeles Community College District as plaintiffs of this case, represented by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
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The L.A. Philharmonic Hosts Digital Open Mic Melissa Trejo | Staff Writer For the first time in 98 years, the Hollywood Bowl is cancelling its summer season. The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, who operates the venue, announced in a press release on the 13th that, “In response to the latest guidance of public health officials and in an effort to protect our artists, audiences, staff, and community from the spread of COVID-19, we are canceling the 2020 season at the Hollywood Bowl.” There is no doubt that summer in LA will not be the same without the sound of music echoing from its iconic amphitheater. However, not all is lost as the LA Phil launched their first ever digital Open Mic Night on May 7. The interactive experience allows student insiders who are artists and music lovers to stay connected with each other by talking, listening, or playing music. One of the overseers of this digital ex-
perience, publicist Lisa White, has tackled this project in the midst of the last two stressful weeks the association has encountered. She states that the LA Phil hopes to keep people connected in music. “We hope Open Mic Night helps keep this community connected while we can’t present concerts and events for students and young professionals at our physical venues,” White said. While nothing can compare to the experience of a live concert, this open mic night offers an alternative way for people who are quarantining at home to still enjoy music. The advantage is that they will be able to connect with music lovers around the world. There is no date when the LA Philharmonic will open their doors again, but White states that if the students want to continue the online open mic night, that they will continue with it in some form. The theme of the first open mic centered around the interpretations of differ-
Bing Wang performs her personal favorite piece, “Méditation” from Jules Massenet’s opera Thaïs. Collaborating with for the first time on piano,is her son Andrew Gong. (Photo courtesy of LA Phil’s YouTube account)
ent scores from films. While there isn’t any footage saved from the first open mic night, the LA Phil offers other at home performances of the Watch&Listen section of their website. The performance theme for this week is the Three B’s, which includes Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and any artist with names that begin with “B.” The upcoming May 21 event will be
held through Zoom at 7pm PT. They are currently accepting performance and audience sign ups; those that are interested must be 18 years or older. A link to the Zoom call will be emailed to the performers and audience the day of the event. The LA Philharmonic Association hopes to encourage students to participate in these events and remain connected music lovers, though stuck at home.
Teaching Tragedy (or not) Remotely
Tatiana Louder, Aleah Antonio, James Shippy | Corsair Staff When socio-political issues come in the form of a tragedy, such as the evolving Ahmaud Arbery case, colleges and universities often provide a breathing ground for expression and discussion. Santa Monica College’s (SMC) staff and students are supposed to act in accordance with the items outlined in the “Freedom of Expression at Santa Monica College” document, drafted by the Office of Student Life. The document both protects freedom of speech for students, and puts limitations on specific actions that violate t h e safety or peace of other students. “Generally, expression may not be banned or restricted because of its content (what is said),” the document’s preamble reads. “However, the time, place, and manner of free
expression can be regulated.” It normally can, but nouveau Zoom mockups for classes offer a new challenge for expression and any relief it provides. Students and staff are weathering the storm of processing violent tragedies in the virtual classroom environment with the recent death of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery, who was, according to police reports, unarmed and fatally shot while out for an evening jog. “I haven’t had any teachers speak about the case at all,” Lidell Montague, a Black Collegians Officer, said. For Black Collegians, a program at SMC that is focused on “black scholar excellence and community,”
tragedies can be learning opportunities. “I would say Black Collegians’ response to this hate crime was great, especially in this time of social distancing. Providing students with counselors that they can speak to in regards to any feelings of anger or sadness that they may be having. Also, having Zoom meetings to speak about what happened with fellow peers,” Montague said. With SMC offering critical thinking and speech courses (Politics of Difference, Speech and Debate, Argumentation etc.), and college essay prompts that push professors and students to ponder “real world issues,” there are multiple classroom platforms that give extended opportunities to practice free speech. When classes are physically in session, Club Row on the main campus, and other student-lead meetings, act as a means of student education, a direct path for involvement in world issues, and a support group. “The student leaders of [Black Collegians] club develop topics that...relate to the African American experience,” Sherri Bradford, Black Collegians program leader, said about the would-be meetings that the club prides themselves in. “The club meetings in particular have been a space where our student leaders, myself and our counselors would
have led a discussion about situations such as this to help students process.” Some high schools in the Santa Monica area are also taking steps to foster conversation to their students. New Roads School junior Mateo Buadu Colbert talked about the case of Ahmaud Arbery in class last week, saying his school often encourages the discussion of current events. “In my history class, students are required to bring a current event to class… What ended up happening was that people wouldn’t just get the [assignment] requirement and stop, so conversations continued to happen.” Colbert said. However, with the recent transition to online remote learning, fluid and in-depth conversations are becoming harder to host. “Before online classes, we’d often have some time allotted to speak about current events, and it would bloom into a larger conversation,” Colbert said. “Now I think that is a bit harder to hold a class-wide conversation via video chat.” Still, without the usual means of student support for the cultural trauma that comes with apparent hate-based crimes, the choice is up to the teachers and the students themselves to seek out information that behooves their safety. “Black Collegians has always been about keeping black students aware that they are [at] high risk for hate crimes, and how to conduct yourself to be less of a risk,” Montague said. “So seeing us react to the Ahmed case is no difference. We understand that could have been any of us. So we continue to fight for a change.” Illustration by Dana Binfet
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The Arts Are Contagious Tatiana Louder & Chrissa Loukas | Culture Editor & Staff Writer The already-vulnerable world of the arts is taking more hits per COVID-19. Viruses thrive from crowds, as do arts and culture. According to documentary “Influenza of 1918,” quarantining may still operate much the same as it did a hundred years ago, when the world faced an H1N1 influenza pandemic following “World War I”, when “all the schools, and public places, and everything was closed.” The art world, however, is experiencing this virus differently than previous pandemics, while still acting as a mirror for current events. “Art has always had a way of illustrating the times,” Taneka Washington, Art History Professor at Santa Monica College (SMC), said. Edvard Munch’s “Self Portrait After Spanish Influenza’’ is exactly that. Completed in 1919, the painting shows the artist wrapped in a blanket, uncomfortably mouth-breathing. He survived. However, Hollywood’s heartland for music paraphernalia lovers, Amoeba Music, is still building it’s immunity to Coronavirus.
“Unfortunately, this virus got here before a proper send off of the Sunset location,” Scarlet Vasquez, a former Amoeba employee, said of the Hollywood landmark’s French exit. “Fortunately for Amoeba, they will continue to flourish in their new home (6200 Hollywood Blvd) thanks to the support of all the music lovers out there. I have no doubt that Amoeba will thrive in the future because small businesses with heart typically do, despite LA rent.” In the store, fans can normally enjoy live music shows of every genre and a variety of other niche events in addition to shopping for, say, a Dexy’s Midnight Runners vinyl or a Terminator 3 Mug. While sales continue online at Amoeba.com, the in-store experience and culture are amiss to those attracted to the normal hive of activity. Today, Vasquez uses her music know-how (remotely) at Epitaph Records. “Our boss was pretty quick to send us to work from home, and we’re actually able to do a lot from a business standpoint. There’s the other side where artists who might be depending on money through touring are hurting right now,” said Vasquez. Support from music fans has been largely expressed through their
buying merch and music directly from artists. “This is definitely the time to create, as weird as that may be,” she said. On the student front, SMC arts majors are also experiencing a different kind of community. “COVID is without a doubt revolutionizing art and the way we consume it,” SMC music major Andrew Rudy said. “I’ve seen many artists, those whom I know personally and those whom I don’t, utilize features like Instagram live, Zoom conference calls, even Minecraft, to interact with their fans and give virtual concerts.” “Many of the studio classes have had to overhaul, as they were on-ground only,” Washington said. “SMC studio professors have rose to the challenge to meet the needs of our students to still provide a number of quality studio art courses. Luckily, SMC already had a number of online art history courses, so there has not been much change there.” Conceptual arts courses have proven an easier online learning culture than more physical ones. Even the seemingly-banal things have their place in documentation and expression. “It will ultimately illustrate what we went through. I know people are making photo
collages of things they see on a regular basis, now people selling masks, pictures of out of stock signs from stores, pictures of empty freeways, etc,” Washington said. While this pandemic has made the means of accessing art span mediums, the role art plays remains the same. “I find that the role of art is doing what it has always done: it is helping us relate to one another and cope with whatever hardships we are going through,” Rudy said. Art has been a major distraction amidst his experience of the pandemic. “At the core of it, I think that the art’s role hasn’t changed, but rather the implementation and delivery of the art has changed to adapt to the current situation.” Meanwhile, art persists and resists this pandemic, continuing to grow in the necessary ways to always be the hope for humanity. “I don’t think anything can completely overthrow the arts. Art comes from every human experience, whether that be pain, happiness, and anything in between,” Rudy said. “Art is just as essential to the people in hospitals as their doctors are. It gives us hope and happiness, and now is a time more than ever where we need that...I think disease can actually lead to more art.”
A Crash Course In Protective Equipment
Drew Andersen | Staff Writer
Sponge Bob Square Pants would be in danger today because of the COVID-19 virus. Not because the virus would kill him, but the new demand sponge foam would strip his cartoon identity, as would the shortage of elastic that holds up his underpants.The high demand for making personal protection equipment (PPE) is depleting elastic, sponge or foam, and clear plastic around the globe. The PPE shortage has inspired community innovation. CrashSpace is a collection of volunteer hackers, programmers, builders, makers, artists and people who generally like to break things and see what new things they can build with the pieces. The group of innovators hit the ground running to provide solutions to meet the shortfall in hospital PPE gear. The non-profit collaborative research organization is located in Culver City. They embrace people who are interested in a variety of topics ranging from art, technology, and electronics. “We find new things that can be built from parts.” Steve Goldstein, a CrashSpace volunteer and Santa Monica College (SMC) graduate with 22 patents to his name, said. A clear plastic face shield or visor is essential PPE for a medical worker attending an infected patient, according to Jerrod Jones, R.N., serving at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center . The shields cover the entire face. It protects against
contagious splatter when the patient sneezes, coughs, or projects fluids. A basic shield has a plastic visor clip that fastens to the skull like an eyeglass frame made from an on-site 3-D printer, an elastic headband to hold the device firmly to the head, foam for cushioning between the forehead, and the clear visor. There is a search for PPE materials as the pandemic ravages the country with elastic typically being used for underwear, foam for weather stripping, and plastic for notebook covers. “The demand for the essential materials— elastic, foam, and clear plastic — is depleting supply from traditional manufacturing sources,” Goldstein said. Contagious COVID-19 patients are growing with hospital intensive care units especially in major cities like New York and
Illustrations by Drew Andersen
Los Angeles. There is life-saving PPE for frontline workers— physicians, nurses, and hands-on intensive care staff. Medical workers risk infection without adequate eye and face protection according to Ben Sax, CrashSpace volunteer who supervises the design to hospital specifications in producing the face shields. CrashSpace organized a PPE assembly operation at Covenant Presbyterian in Westchester, Los Angeles. A series of tables are set up to assemble components with social-distanced community volunteers in a wide open, well-ventilated work space. Rigid precautions are required before helping out. The volunteer’s temperature is taken, hand
sanitizer used, face mask, face shield, and gloves worn. CrashSpace locates scarce basic materials. “We look under every rock to see who still has the product. Grab it before someone else does,” Goldstein said. The mix of assembled components are built-to-design as specified by the medical centers, fast enough that face shields are shipped at the rate of 150-200 face shields a day. CrashSpace’s PPE is being shipped to Cedars-Sinai and University of Southern California-Keck medical centers. Student volunteers may serve this hands-on effort by heading to Crash Course’s official website, linked on The Corsair’s website.
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A man canoes along an quiet marina. In the initial weeks of the coronavirus, boat traffic decreased greatly in Marina del Rey, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2020. (Photos by Kiran Baez / The Corsair)
A man cleans his boat, docked in Marina del Rey. While actual boat traffic has decreased, many have taken the time to clean, repair, and relax on their docked boats. Friday, March 27, 2020.
A beachgoer runs a kite on an empty beach - closed under Los Angeles Cou
unty’s “Safer at Home” order enacted to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Friday, March 27, 2020.
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A man plays ‘Round Midnight, a jazz standard written by Miles Davis, on Sunday, April 10, 2020.
A Slower Life Kiran Baez | Staff Writer As the effects of the coronavirus set in and California began instating “Safer at Home” orders, life has been dramatically transformed. The effects have been particularly apparent on the now peaceful streets of Los Angeles. Long gone is the constant bustle of crowds, infamous Los Angeles traffic, and obnoxiously loud phone calls; this has all been replaced by quiet solitude as Angelenos seek out fresh air and an escape from home. In Marina del Rey, the rituals of boatwork and fishing - once reserved for a rare lazy day off - are now commonplace. Lighter traffic from large vessels has resulted in an increase in sightings of marine life rarely observed previously, including stingrays, turtles and even squid. Santa Monica’s sandy beaches, only weeks earlier filled with tourists and locals alike, now lay undisturbed - save the occasional person unwilling to sacrifice their love for the
sea during these unusual times. The wearing of masks is officially required by law; however, many residents remain maskless, able to easily distance themselves from others in the open and empty streets. Throughout the Marina, a low silence fills the air, accompanied by the rustle of wind and distant sounds of cooking pots. Normally polluted by conversation and parties, the quiet is now only interrupted by the occasional eruption of barking seals. On occasion, music fills the air. Sitting on a bench along the main channel, someone works through a list of Miles Davis songs. As the musician begins ‘Round Midnight, a handful of onlookers gather, armed with video cameras. This quiet solitude now hangs on a string, with the gradual re-opening of the city beginning in the previous days beginning and reaffirm a commitment to the life led before the coronavirus. The question now remains: will it last?
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People on Ocean Park Beach, in Santa Monica, Calif., wait for the USAF Thunderbirds air demonstration team to fly over, on Friday, May 15, 2020. Hundreds of people were on Santa Monica be Thunderbirds’ flyover. (Photos by Marco Pallotti / The Corsair)
After it became known the USAF Thunderbirds air demonstration team would not be flying over, people began to disperse, on Ocean Park Beach, in Santa Monica, Calif., on Friday, May 15, 2020. The Thunderbirds rerouted and did no originally planned, leaving many of the beach-goers disappointed.
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No Thunderbird Flyover for Santa Monica Marco Pallotti | Photo Editor
eaches on a hot afternoon to see the
ot fly over Santa Monica beaches as
Skies were empty over Ocean Park Beach, in Santa Monica, Calif., on Friday, May 15, 2020, after the USAF Thunderbirds air demonstration team rerouted and did not fly over Santa Monica beaches as originally planned.
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OPINION
Snake Oil Selling in the Age of Coronavirus Michael Goldsmith | Staff Writer Snake oil selling is nothing new here in America, but the country’s dramatic descent into a public health epidemic has highlighted the dangers of disinformation and the rejection of scientific facts. With deaths from COVID-19 climbing into the tens of thousands across the country, new attention is being focused on the dangers of misleading the American public. Many in the media have been at the forefront of promoting dangerous false information. Rush Limbaugh, the longtime radio personality, has continually claimed without evidence that the coronavirus is simply the flu being used as a political weapon. Fox News host Sean Hannity initially cast doubt on the reality of the virus, saying the “media mob” was hyping up this “new hoax.” Nine days later he falsely claimed he had “never called the virus a hoax.” Many professional doctors have also utilized the media to mislead the public with dubious or outright false claims, including Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Marc Siegel, and Dr. Drew Pinsky. Politicians have also contributed to misinforming the public. The president has repeatedly made factually incorrect statements since the beginning of the pandemic, calling it the Democrat’s “new hoax” while falsely touting unproven treatments. Multiple administration officials have misled the public by declaring that
COVID-19 was “contained” here in America during February and March. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) has repeatedly contradicted pandemic experts, saying, “If you’re healthy… it’s a great time to just go out, go to a local restaurant.” Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) mocked the deadly virus by wearing a gas mask on Capitol Hill. Several myths have circulated on social media in recent months regarding the coronavirus. Some have pushed the conspiracy theory that the virus is actually a government created bioweapon, being used to take away individual freedoms. Others have suggested without evi-
dence that the virus is caused by 5G phone technology and infected toilet paper. Many have falsely stated that warm or cold weather protects against the virus. Fake cures have also spread like wildfire. From eating garlic to blow-drying your nostrils, snake-oil salesmen have taken full advantage of Americans’ legitimate fears regarding COVID-19. Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and others have used the pandemic to profit financially, peddling untested and unproven supplements; while others outright claim they have proven vaccines. There is no existing coronavirus vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention. Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, Vice Provost of Global Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, put it bluntly on MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber”. “Don’t believe hucksterism,” Emanuel warned. “Snake oil salesmen come out of the woodwork all the time in these kind of circumstances… It’s very, very important that you listen carefully, but only to trusted sources of truth and science.” Political division and long standing distrust in institutions has placed America in a difficult situation. A train engineer recently derailed the freight he was operating in an attempt to ram the Navy medical ship USNS Mercy at the Port of San Pedro, in an effort to raise attention to what he believed was an effort to start an authoritarian “government takeover.” As the pandemic stretches from weeks into months, more Americans will be inoculated to facts with the nonstop deluge of misinformation. Healthcare experts recommend getting information from proven sources, and making sure not to trust what you see on social media without first verifying it. As Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious disease, recently put it on Showtime’s “Desus & Mero”, “Social media can really be advantageous for the spread of important information. But it certainly can be damaging for the spread of a lot of garbage.” Illustration by Carolyn Burt
COVID-19 Through a Person of Color’s Lens Kodi Mabon | Staff Writer As we move forward and learn to adjust with new social norms of COVID-19, it has brought a new concern when it comes to what it means to be a person of color (POC) in America. California now has placed a ruling that in order to receive and get service you are required to wear a mask in all public places. This includes stores, medical offices, and anything that has remained open to the public. This may seem like it’s not that big of a deal, besides the fact that it causes the inconvenience of wearing a mask when we’re all used to going outside as carefree as we want. It draws a bigger concern when it comes to the lives of people of color when dealing with racial profiling. It’s hard enough living in a world that already has such a racial prejudice against you. People of color, including myself, are making conscious decisions everyday about the way that we present and show up in the world and how we are perceived by others, especially the police. When we look over the years, such as with Trayvon Martin and the many others whose names shall not be forgotten, these cases exempli-
fy just how racial profiling and black male stigma help perpetuate social inequality and injustice for black men. It wasn’t until my stepdad, along with most of my friends, expressed how they all feel uneasy as people of color wearing homemade masks and bandanas, that are often associated with perpetrator sketches and with store security camera footage of masked assailants. Something as simple as a mask can spark up a lot of stereotypes in people’s minds. This has brought a lot of feelings of fear and being unsafe around being a POC and wearing a mask. My friends have brought up a lot of interesting perspectives that I wish for a lot of reasons that they didn’t have to feel or think. “Me being a POC, I feel like I always had a target on my back before the pandemic due to the way society portrayed me due to the color of my skin, I’m viewed as a ‘thug’ and someone who ‘steals,’” Elijah Smith, an essential worker and former SMC student, said. “...I’m constantly watched by authorities no matter where I go due to my skin, and these masks won’t help my situation….So I try to dress in a way I feel is less ‘threatening” to society.’”
Similar feelings also came up among women as well. “No matter the distance, white people always made it a point to show me how uncomfortable they were being around me. I had seen their chest get tight and their eyes bulged out of fear,” my friend Jessica Hilton said. “I had seen husbands pull their wives closer as they stared me down. I had curious eyes look at me while their mothers pulled their arms to look the other way. This is the most belligerent racism I have experienced in my life.” This also doesn’t stop with our essential workers, unfortunately. Ken Knight, an essential worker at a grocery store, addressed similarities in picking up on the microaggressions at and outside of work. “It feels like I have a uniform advantage because people see me in a mask and see the store logo,” Knight said. “But it’s when you keep getting asked if you’re ‘finding everything okay’ by the same associate who happens to keep popping up in the same aisle as you, or the weird stares on your way to get coffee that made me realize that we are unfortunately still perceived to host criminal intentions over $2 imported trinkets.”
The new mask ruling also shows a complete irony in the sense that before COVID-19, if anyone of color were publicly wearing a mask, it would be seen as suspect or linked to criminal activity. Now, it is required of everyone. This poses many questions for me. What changed? What makes you look at me and fellow POC differently without the ruling? What in this mask makes me a suspect? Where did we learn to adapt and affiliate these stereotypes with the mask that it changes your whole perception of the person underneath it? Being black in a pandemic has just in all brought up issues that were no doubt already present. My issue and fear is not of the mask, but the representation that the mask holds. It’s a symbol of a bigger and more complicated problem. “I think we’re living in a really important period of time where a lot of issues with today’s society can be brought to life racial, economical, societal,” Knight said. “So many of us want to make progress and change for the better but so many of our country’s people in power are concentrated on short term gains. It’s unfortunate that we are living the way we are.”
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Let’s Get Digital: Santa Monica Boxing Studio Goes Online
Carolyn Burt | Digital Editor
As people across the country are searching for ways to stay active in quarantine, Santa Monica based fitness studio, BoxUnion, has found a way to bring their classes straight to their community members homes. When Safer-at-Home protocols were first put into place, the local boxing studio was one of the first to take initiative and began hosting bi-weekly Instagram Live classes taught by their coaches. After seeing the positive response from the “BoxU Fam”, as the community calls themselves, the studio made the shift to their own platform, “BoxUnion Digital.” The streaming service, which is available as both a website and app, provides a reliable way to view the classes, compared to Instagram Live which often has users experiencing buffering and technical issues due to its surge in popularity. The studio offers classes in cardio, strength, recovery, and mindset, but it’s their signature boxing classes that brings their audience in. The class style is unique compared to other boxing classes. Instead of just throwing the punches, class-goers box to the beat of the music, finding their rhythm as
they throw each punch. Aware that many aren’t able to store a punching bag in their home, the studio also offers shadow boxing classes, which mimic the boxing style without needing any equipment. The structure of each session is set up as similar as it can be to an in-person class. It begins by teaching newcomers the boxer stance and reviewing the six punches. From there it’s a mix of learning the combination of the day: a set of different punches laid out by the coach, as well as incorporating body strength and core moves between rounds, such as squats, shoulder taps, and planks. With the livestream format, coaches are able to maintain the sense of community by periodically checking the chat room to see how members are doing throughout the workout. With this function coaches can continue to highlight important moments in the BoxU Fam, such as wishing happy birthdays, congratulating soon to be graduates on completing their finals, and shouting out new members for making it through their first class. Being online has also allowed BoxUnion to expand their community outside of Los Angeles, with people from across the globe able to tune in. “After moving out of LA last
Illustration by Carolyn Burt
year, I have been not so subtly begging the team to open a studio in TX and in a selfishly beneficial turn of events, the curse of 2020 has almost forced my dream to be reality - digitally at least” user MaddieGHawn said. “I have not found any other service that feels like you’re genuinely showing up to class and feel seen, heard and supported.” BoxUnion knows how important their classes are to the community, not just physically but mentally. Founding and Master coach Kyle Shneider communicates this periodically through classes. “We are only as strong as our mindset,” Schneider said during a shadow boxing class. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, for the month of May BoxUnion has released a new design of wrist wraps,
strips of fabric used to protect the wrists while boxing, with all proceeds being donated to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). In addition, 10 percent of all digital revenue will be donated to NAMI, with BoxUnion matching the donation as well. While nothing can beat the satisfaction of punching a bag in a class full of peers eager to take on a new challenge, BoxUnion’s box-to-the-beat classes shine in this digital format. They have managed to stay true to their core teaching style that has made boxing an attainable goal to their community. To learn more about BoxUnion, you can read the Corsair’s article on the studio with Master Coach Kyle Shneider.
California Governor Gavin Newsom Indicates Reopening Sports as Early as June Deshawn Pouper | Sports Editor As stay-at-home orders ease, California Governor Gavin Newsom has given Californians an indication of when professional sports can reopen. In a statement by Gov. Newsom, he announced that pro sports could make a return as early as the first week of June without the attendance of fans. With the prior announcement of the National Basketball Association (NBA) allowing teams to reopen facilities on a limited basis, the Los Angeles Lakers reopened facilities Saturday May 16, and the Los Angeles Clippers reopened Monday May 18. As for the Golden State Warriors, their reopening is delayed until May 31 because of more strict stay-at-home guidelines in San Francisco. Although teams are starting to be permitted by the NBA to reopen facilities, they are to do so with limitations such as, only allowing a maximum of four players at a time in the practice facilities to work with one strength and conditioning coach, or athletic trainer. Head Coaches and assistant
coaches are prohibited from instructing workout. As for the National Football League (NFL), they’re allowing their teams back into facilities as early as May 19, but they are to do so “under governing state and local regulations, in compliance with additional public health requirements,” according to a statement provided by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. This gives teams such as the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers access back into their facilities as they have already made the shift to virtual at-home workouts. The NFL set guidelines for teams to follow if they do go back to their facilities including, allowing a maximum of 75 people at their facilities with head coaches and assistant coaches being prohibited to join. For reference, the average NFL team roster is 90 players. With Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Hockey League (NHL) going through proposals, MLB is having problems getting their players to agree on reduced salaries with notable stars like Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Blake Snell saying “a pay cut
is not happening”, while also acknowledging the risk/reward of playing during the pandemic. One of MLB’s biggest star players, the Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper, agreed with Snell. The NHL is having complications finding a location to host their games, with California allowing sports to reopen it is fair to wonder if California which is home to three NHL teams, will be an option to play here. For the NBA, the goal is to have some sort of regular season before they head into the playoffs so they can fulfill television contracts, and help playoff teams get into “game shape”. Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers, who were among the top teams in the Western Conference, can get back to pushing for the chance to become 2020 NBA Finals champions. The Golden State Warriors on the other hand who were dead last in the Western Conference face a unique situation as they have nothing to play for. Steve Kerr, the Head Coach for the Warriors, said in an interview with reporters on April 28, that
the team is already in “offseason mode.” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on the other hand has encouraged teams that are out of postseason contention to return, even if they “have nothing to play for.” Division I college sports are further away from making their return as the NCAA has encouraged the Power Five conferences to not return to sports, especially if campuses are closed and classes are remote. For sports at the community college level Director of Sports Information and Communication of the California Community College Athletics Association (CCCAA), Mike Robles said in a brief statement, “Unfortunately, at this point we don’t have a lot of information to share. There is a lot of information gathering taking place and a lot of discussions forthcoming. No decisions on fall sports have been made.” Colleges will face a tougher obstacle especially community colleges in California. The CCCAA currently oversees 108 schools, and finding a location while figuring out logistics for all those programs is at the forefront of coaches’ minds across the state.