Tree Palestine' Protest Shut Down AS Express

^CStlSI Quarrel and Quandary —Page 13 SpOftS' Ladies' Golf Season—Page 18 | San Francisco FOGHORN THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO APRIL 18,2002 WWW.FOCHORNONLINE.COM VOLUME 98, ISSUE 17 ASUSF to Tree Palestine' Protest Shut Down AS Express Jessica Robles FOGHORN STAFFWRITER Uninformed and misrepre sented, many students are sur prised that their opinions were not sought prior to a recent decision by the University of San Francisco Space Committee to shut-down AS" Express in favor of building new lounges. AS Express, which opened as a student-run store in the fall of 1993, will be removed this summer with the construction of new lounge space. A member of the Space Com mittee and ASUSF President Carlos Menchaca said that although Space Committee members are students, no other USF students were polled, surveyed, or otherwise contacted in any way that would assess to what extent the student body might agree or disagree with the decision to close AS Express. "Polling did come up [at meet ings]," Menchaca said,"but it never happened." The issue of whether or not to keep AS Express was shared with the ASUSF senate, "but not the student body," he said. The Space Committee, which SHADI RAKIMl/FOOHORN orchestrated the discussions that Over 200 people gathered in Harney Plaza for Justice in Exile's "Free Palestine" protest on Tuesday, April 16. A march followed the rally. lead to this decision, was created "We're doing this for solidarity with the Palestinian people," Paul Aranas, Justice in Exile president, said. Protest Sparks: Page 5 AS Express: Page 2 Professors Fight for Equal Rights Benefit for USF Pride negotiating equitable benefits for domestic partnerships a Journey to South Africa Vrinda Normand feel second class," said media stud Julius and Terry Stoner from Human FOGHORN STAFFWRITER ies professor Dorothy Kidd, who is Resources also attended the meeting, Jazz, hip hop, acoustic guitar University of San Francisco soci a member of USF Pride, the gay, les according to Lendvay. and spoken word performances ology professor Nicole Raeburn is bian, bisexual and transgender alli At that meeting, the equitable raised over $350 on April 10 for seven and a half months pregnant. ance of faculty and staff. benefits committee gave the board the "South Africa Today" study Her child will be covered by the health USF Pride is backed by the USF an 80-page document covering vari abroad program, which enables insurance and other benefits that the Faculty Association in its push for ous aspects of the issue, including 20 University of San Francisco university provides for the families of equitable benefits. Recently, the fac data from other universities and in students to travel to South Africa its employees. ulty union requested that domes stitutions that have adopted equi this summer for six weeks. However, had Raeburn's partner, tic partner benefits, for same-sex table benefits successfully. who is apart ofthe family, decided to and opposite-sex couples, be in Lendvay says his committee had Julian Lute from hip hop group give birth to their baby, there would cluded in this year's contract with hoped the request for equitable ben "Rich in Souls," (right) performed be no such security for the child un the university. efits be approved after that meeting. along with senior Brandon Steppe der the current university policy, Negotiations resulted in ap When it was not, the USF Pride com on the saxophone (lower left). Se which does not include benefits for proval for a joint committee com mittee asked the full time faculty nior Mike Ausman (below) sang domestic partners. posed of three people appointed by union to try to include equitable and played acoustic guitar. "If my partner were pregnant, USF the university and three people ap benefits in their contract with the would officially turn its back on the pointed by the Faculty Association, University, which they did. baby. I feel personally hurt by that," Lendvay announced at a USF Pride "We are still in the process of try Raeburn said. "Do they mean what meeting on April 11. ing to explore and understand the they say about valuing me as a full hu According to the official docu components of this issue," Clark said. man being with dignity, or don't they?" ment handed out in the meeting, She stated that the issue was "impor Raeburn is one among many the purpose of the committee is to tant for the people that are affected." members of the faculty, staff, and ad "examine financial and institu She also said it was "too early" to say ministration who are fighting for eq tional issues associated with do what information the board needs in uitable benefits. "We're simply asking mestic partner benefits," and to order to accept or reject the request. that all spousal benefits and proof of produce a final written recommen Julius, the university negotiator, evidence showing a committed rela dation to the administration by said the issue deserves very careful tionship be the same for all individu February of 2003. The issue will study, and that the university took als," explained environmental science then be up for negotiation again. the matter "very seriously." professor Jack Lendvay. In October of 2001, a subcom Some think the committee is just "It's about creating an amicable mittee of USF Pride met with a way to postpone the matter. "A joint work environment in which I and any Maureen Clark of the Personnel committee has already been work Committee ofthe Board of Execu ing of staff, faculty, and administra- other faculty, whether lesbian, gay, BEXIE TOWIE/FOCHORN transgender, or heterosexual doesn't tives. University negotiator Dan Professors Negotiate: Page 2 San Francisco Foghorn NEWS April 18, 2002 Celebration of Filipino Culture Shazeen Moledina "I liked the attempts of the shells together. FOGHORN STAFFWRITER students to preserve the Filipino The three-hour show ended Over 450 people filled the culture," Lielel Zapanta, a fresh with a modern dance choreo Gershwin Theater on April 12 to man from the University of Cali graphed by Alexis Vergara. The watch Philippine American Stu fornia at Berkeley, said. "It was a event was dedicated to University dent Association Kasahmahan's good performance." of San Francisco junior Jennifer 29th Annual Barrio Fiesta. Performances also addressed Ramiro, who passed away on "We were trying to show what Spanish influence and colonial March 27. American history books don't ism in the Philippines. Tradi "I thought the show went re tell us," Glen Andag, the script tional dances, such as Tinikling, ally well as the actors and danc writer and emcee, said." We tried the Philippine's national dance, ers did their best and it was a fun to keep it factual and at the same were also perfomed. In the dance, time on stage and backstage," time entertaining." two long poles are held by two Albert Carrera, president of The festival began with skits people who alternately hit the Kasamahan, said. "The show re and dances about Filipino his poles on the floor and raise them ally gelled together." tory. Skits with characters learn while the dancer hops over and "It was a great success. They ing about the background of the outside the poles. dealt with important issues that Philippines and dances like A dance that amused the au are very relevant to us. It was a Ragragsakan, and Lumagen por dience was Maglalatik. Four men mix of serious matters and fun," trayed traditional Filipino cul with coconut shells on their said audience member Marissa BEXIE TOWU/FOGHODN ture in a time before Western backs, chests, hips and thighs, cre Reyez who came to support her Traditional dances and cultural history entertained a crowd of over intrusion. ated music by knocking their friends who performed. , 450 people at the 29 Annual Barrio Festival on April 12. AS Express Eliminated Without Student Input From Front Page at a Board of Trustees meeting in what they have to do." tinue using, Butler said. nience store like AS Express to con they can accommodate everyone." September 2001 to deal with the is "It seems pointless to say any There is also a plan to bring tact the Space committee or ASUSF. Broughton's main concern was sue of student space on campus, spe thing," said Aja Butler, the store's Jamba Juice to the campus and some The final decision, which is ulti whether she'd be able to find work. cifically regarding plans to make the general manager who has worked of the space that AS Express used for mately up to the administration, will "I don't feel really good about the University Center more of a student- there for two years. "I felt like they storage is supposed to be used even be made in the summer. fact that I might not have a job next centered and student-utilized struc wouldn't even consider another op tually for Jamba Juice freezer space, Butler projected that getting rid year," she said. ture, Menchaca said. tion, since they already turned down Butler added. of AS Express might be part of a Many students said that AS Ex The idea was to make sure stu the other ones. It was like the plan People who support this decision plan by Sodexho to replace it with press was important, and that other dents were being provided with a was to shut down AS Express all said students need more space on a new non-student affiliated store, options besides its removal would be "common, comfortable space" to along, but they wouldn't come out campus for club meetings and offices which might be able to sell items at better for the students.

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