“Because our prior president resigned, we just move up in order of succession,” Dixon said, regarding the process of vacant student government positions. “My goal is to best serve the students; it’s been my goal the whole time.”

Former ASG president Macias, resigned on Jan. 20 at an unofficial board meeting in the City Café. Macias was scheduled to appear at two judicial hearings on Feb. 4 and Feb. 11 regarding possible impeachment. Students on campus began a petition last semester to recall Macias based on the events of Constitution Day with the Genocide Awareness Project’s graphic anti-abortion displays and also for not completing mandatory ASG presidential duties.

At the Jan. 27 ASG board meeting, Dixon was unanimously affirmed by the board to be appointed the new ASG president of City College, while Justin Turner former commissioner of public relations was appointed ASG vice president.

According to ASG vice president, Turner, Macias was said to send a press release to the Express offices regarding his abrupt resignation, but no press release was ever received.

“From what he told us is he has too many things going on. [Macias] is involved with the California Republican Party very deeply, he also works on many campaigns, he’s also the chair of the Republican club here on campus now,” Turner said. “He wanted to leave, he had his personal reasons and he said he was spread too thin.”

The Express has placed repeated emails to Macias in order to request an interview about his sudden resignation as ASG president. However, Macias did not return any emails from the Express.

According to Dixon, the newly united board members are planning to move forward by having a reintroduction day in the quad where they will, “reintroduce the new board and put everything that happened last semester in the past.”

Kim Beyrer, ASG’s original faculty adviser, is back from a short leave of absence last semester and finds the group is moving in a positive direction. In her absence, Student Affairs Specialist Lee Weathers-Miguel advised the ASG.

“I feel really good about the future of this group,” Beyrer said. “Their motivation and desire to move forward, the way they have handled everything since Steve’s resignation, I think they’ve really

Related posts:

1. ASG president resigns
2. ASG President Steve Macias reinstated
3. Renee Worley elected ASG president

“We are going to be entertaining presidential nominations on our next meeting on Wednesday (Jan. 27), at noon,” Dixon said.

Dixon also said that she thanked Macias for his services during the unofficial meeting.

Macias has not yet commented on his resignation but said he plans to issue a prepared statement soon.

Related posts:

1. New ASG president and vice president appointed
2. ASG President Steve Macias reinstated
3. ASG president accuses City College of abortion activism

David Rasul was one of the veterans honored Nov. 11 by the City College Associated Student Government. Kristen Stauss

What is Veteran’s Day to you? Is it just another holiday? Is it a day to hunt the sales at the mall? For most people, Veteran’s Day is just another holiday to consume with recreation and fun to the fullest before the workday needs to forcibly return.

Or is it a day to remember those who have served our country, who have given of their time and their lives for us?

The City College Associated Student Government held a Veteran’s Day celebration Nov. 11 in the Student Center at noon in honor of the veterans at City College, serving sandwiches, chips and soda after a brief ceremony.

“Not too many people really appreciate what sacrifices the veterans truly make,” ASG Commissioner of Public Relations Justin Turner says, “so we just thought it’d be nice to offer free lunch, you know, to just let them know, ‘hey, you’ve got friends here at SCC.’”

Turner is a veteran himself and served for four years, spending 15 months in Baghdad.
Approximately 350 to 400 veterans attend City College, according to Zachary Turk of the City College Veterans Affairs office.

After the John F. Kennedy High School J.R.O.T.C. presentation of the colors and the national anthem, members spoke briefly

about what Veteran’s Day means to them and thanked the veterans who have served our country. ASG President Steve Macias proposed a moment of silence to honor those affected by the recent shootings at Fort Hood and said a prayer for them and all those who are serving or have served, as well as their families.

“Everyday, the thought of making it home to see our families and our friends got us through,” says Turner, speaking of the time he spent deployed.

City College President Dr. Kathryn Jeffery also spoke, reading the resolution passed in 1926 by Congress to commemorate Veteran’s Day and also shared her own thoughts.

“We have much to be thankful for,” Jeffery said. “And we have many people to thank for what we have in the United States.”

The ASG presented the veterans who attended the event with certificates signed by ASG members to show their appreciation. Six veterans, including Turner, went up amid applause to receive their certificates.

“Getting a certificate’s pretty cool,” veteran Jacob Franckiewicz says with a laugh. Franckiewicz served for three years, stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas.

Turk says one of the many difficulties veterans often face is transitioning to a world where no one is telling them what to do.

“It’s a real hard transition from active duty,” he says.

Turner says that the ASG hopes to repeat this celebration in coming years and improve it.
City College student Noel Yang says he appreciates the amount of time and effort those who serve put in.

“If you think about the nation as a whole and what we stand for,” Yang says, “if you think about that, then it’s really worth standing for in the end, and you wouldreally appreciate the armed forces and the men and women who stand for it.”

Related posts:

1. Honor society and service club unite
2. Veterans resource center opens to great fanfare
3. Die-hard veteran

Express file photo Allison Valenzuela

Associated Student Government President Steve Macias has been reinstated in full, following a failed recall attempt and a suspension approved by his fellow ASG members.

More than 600 students voted in the two-day recall election held on Oct. 27 and 28 and more than half voted to remove Macias and ASG Student Affairs Commissioner Monica Guzman from office, according to ASG Vice President Debby Dixon.

The election was declared null and void by City College on Nov. 2, however, due to a violation of an open-meeting law called The Brown Act under California Government Code Section 54954.2 which states:

“The agenda shall specify the time and location of the regular meeting and shall be posted in a location that is freely accessible to members of the public.”

The violation concerned the ASG’s failure to appropriately post the agenda for the special meeting that led to a vote to hold the recall election, ASG Vice President Debby Dixon admitted.

“I messed up the students’ voice,” Dixon said. “I forgot to put the time on the agenda set for the special meeting — just that technicality.”

The same day Macias survived the recall election results he was also suspended and stripped of his duties as president, according to City College Public Information Officer Amanda Hamilton.

“In the absence of his participation as president, the ASG Senate voted to suspend his duties indefinitely so that ASG activities can continue,” Hamilton said.

As quickly as Nov. 5, the suspension of Macias was overruled and he was reinstated in full, according to ASG Commissioner of Public Relations Justin Turner.

“A couple of the members of the ASG have began the process of impeachment,” Turner said. “President Steve Macias has broken constitutional bylaws such as … not being present at meetings, even prior to the recall.”

According to Hamilton, an application form to impeach Macias was submitted to the ASG Judicial Branch on Nov. 2.

As far as Guzman’s position as Student Affairs Commissioner, she has been officially voted out by the ASG board because of unexcused absences, according to Turner.

Guzman is being replaced with former Public Relations Commissioner Richard Martinez, who was nominated and accepted by the board.

“We have no idea where she is,” Turner said. “She had too many unexcused absences before the recall election hit. We just removed her and appointed someone new.”

Related posts:

1. New ASG president and vice president appointed
2. ASG president resigns
3. City College recall election results in limbo

A sign in the Quad draws a line for campaigners. Allison Valenzuela

The results of the recall election held against Associated Student Government President Steve Macias and Student Affairs Commissioner Monica Guzman are now in limbo.

The entire recall election has been found in violation of an open-meeting law known as the Brown Act, ASG Vice President Debby Dixon said on Monday.

“As of now, the recall election was invalid,” Dixon said. “I forgot to put the time on the agenda set for the special meeting — just that technicality. I will be going to see the chancellor about it.”

Macias reported the technicality to the Los Rios Community College District, which at this point is in favor of declaring the election void, according to Dixon.

“This discovery is not something that the administration simply discovered on their own; it was well known and ignored,” Macias said. “At the October 21st 2009, ASG meeting , the section of the Brown Act that the meeting was in violation of was read by myself and another ASG member only to be purposefully ignored by both the VP Dixon and ASG adviser Lee Weathers-Miguel. Luckily the district was able to catch on to this injustice before it progressed any further.”

For the recall election to have counted, 362 students needed to place their votes. According to Dixon, the minimum guidelines were met for student participation in the balloting.

“More students voted in this election than in the regular general election,” Dixon said. “We had 540 students vote in the general election, over 600 voted in this recall election; we topped the amount in the regular election.”

In an e-mail statement, Macias said Guzman, the other ASG candidate up for recall, accumulated absences after the recall petition for her seat had been started, so it is unclear to him why she was in fact recalled.

“The normal process would be for the board to simply vote to excuse an individual from their duties during a meeting,” Macias said. “This was known, but yet the recall moved forward for Ms. Guzman.”

Get the latest recall coverage by returning to SacCityExpress.com and read The Express on Nov. 10.

Related posts:

1. ASG President Steve Macias reinstated
2. ASG recall date set
3. Recall results postponed until Monday

Results of a recall election of Associated Student Government President Steve Macias and Student Affairs Commissioner Monica Guzman won’t be known until next week at the soonest, campus officials said on Friday.

City College Vice President Debby Dixon called the results “inconclusive,” adding that “we will know more on Monday.”

Dixon made the announcement on behalf of ASG and Student Leadership and Development Advisor Lee Weathers-Miguel.

Balloting took place on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Far left of the voting booth, Macias and members of the Sac City Coalition of Free Speech along with representatives from the Tea Party Patriots organization set up camp.

“I have to make it clear, today’s recall is not about abortion,” Macias explains. “Today’s issue is free speech, two groups on campus are trying to limit what is displayed on a college campus. They’re trying to say these things are unacceptable from our point of view so you can’t say them at all and if you want to say them, we’re going to kick you out of office, and that’s wrong; and that’s why this recall is a joke.”

Members of the Queer Straight Alliance club on campus had set up a table to the far right side of the voting station where they handed out flyers to passing students encouraging them to vote and hear both sides of the controversy.

Waiting in line to vote along with her puppy, City College History major Ashley Valdez expressed why she felt the need to place her vote in the recall election.

“It’s not about the abortion display, everything developed from there,” Valdez explains. “It’s mostly about him [Macias] not doing his job, I’m voting yes on the recall. Ideals will change; people will be more educated on what this is about.”

Standing by the Queer Straight Alliance table, a teary-eyed La Donya Reed, City College’s ASG Inter-Club Council, gives her opinion.

“When you lie to the board and deceit the board, that’s a separate issue,” Reed explains speaking of Macias. “You’ve generated all this energy for yourself, we could have been doing something else for the good of the students, and we are all focused on him.”

Related posts:

1. ASG recall date set
2. City College recall election results in limbo
3. EDITORIAL: Going, going, but never gone

The editorial board of the Express, in conjunction with dissatisfied and disappointed students and faculty, condemn the abuse of power and misrepresentation of the diverse City College population from Associated Student Government President Steve Macias. These actions merit an immediate recall and subsequent removal from office to avoid any future abuse to the ASG Constitution and its norms.

Macias has been trying to force a conservative political agenda upon student government. This is evident in an e-mail message he sent to Swtudent Affairs Commissioner Monica Guzman, where he says that Republican ASG members “need to band together and force the board to work as a unit.”

Macias has ultimately failed to comply with paragraph 8 on page 30 off the ASG Handbook that states, “Put the group above yourself. Sometimes you have to be more concerned with the greater good than your own opinions and wants. It means knowing what the ASG stands for and how to make that happen.”

On Sept. 16 and 17, Macias allowed an anti-abortion protest, the Genocide Awareness Project, on campus that stirred up debate and confrontation without ensuring his constituents were represented with opposing views. The GAP was listed in the ASG’s schedule of events for Constitution Day and was passed unanimously by ASG members.

According to Guzman, who is also up for recall, Macias was ultimately responsible for bringing the GAP on campus and earmarking them on the agenda. Many ASG members have stated that they initially thought the GAP would discuss issues like Rwanda and Darfur. However, abortion was never a topic for discussion, according to ASG Inter-club Council Commissioner La Donya Reed. Many ASG members now feel they were misled by what was presented on the agenda.

Macias has treated the governing student institution as a bully pulpit and has left no other alternative but for student voters to say, “Game over.”

Related posts:

1. EDITORIAL: ASG drops the ball with Constitution Day controversy
2. EDITORIAL: Going, going, but never gone
3. ASG President Steve Macias reinstated

SCC file photo Randy Briggs

Associated Student Government President Steve Macias and Student Affairs Commissioner Monica Guzman face a recall election Oct. 27 and 28.

A petition for recall was circulated by the Queer-Straight Alliance about a week after the Genocide Awareness Project held a graphic anti-abortion demonstration on the Quad. Controversial images seen in that Sept. 16 and 17 display included disfigured fetuses alongside lynching and Holocaust imagery and ignited debate across campus.

“The [QSA] group felt like Steve was misrepresenting the GAP group to the student population, and a lot of [QSA] group members felt that it was important that the ASG president follow the correct procedure for inviting groups on campus,” said Ash Pearson, president of the Queer-Straight Alliance.

The initial recall dates were Oct. 19 and 20, but those dates were approved only by the student senate and not the entire ASG board as required by the ASG constitution. The dates were changed to Oct. 27 and 28 and approved by the board in order to meet that requirement, according to ASG adviser Lee Weathers-Miguel.

Associated Student Government Commissioner of Public Relations Justin Turner said the ASG supports the student body’s right to recall.

“The events are unfortunate,” Turner said, “because there are many issues that we would rather be working on, but if the students have spoken then we will make their voice heard.”

ASG members Turner, Dina Kirben and Debby Dixon all expressed the opinion that the agenda description of the GAP display voted on in August by the ASG board for approval was misleading. Dixon stated that when she asked Macias what the event was about, he replied that it would feature nonpartisan speakers on constitutional issues.

According to the Ralph M. Brown Act, which governs the meetings of local legislative bodies, agenda descriptions “must not be misleading.” The Attorney General’s guide to the Brown Act states that the purpose of agendas is “to inform interested members of the public about the subject matter under consideration.”

Macias said he approved the GAP display on the principle of free speech.

“The student government isn’t here to legislate morality,” Macias said. “Allowing different groups to come on to the campus with controversial opinions doesn’t mean we endorse them.”

If Macias and Guzman are recalled, Vice President Debbie Dixon would take over as president.

Macias claims proper procedure for the recall has not been followed. In accordance with the ASG constitution, all petitions for recall must be submitted to the ASG Judicial Branch for signature validation. Macias claims this step was superseded, instead being submitted to and validated by faculty adviser Weathers.

“What do I do if my adviser’s against me?” said Macias. “If he’s the one breaking the rules, where’s my recourse?”

Weathers said that though there were some initial problems with the timing of the recall, he has followed procedure in his handling of the recall petition.

“My role has been to enact the will of student government who represents the student body,” Weathers said. “I just facilitate. I don’t influence or control.”

Weathers said that the recall petitions may not be valid in Guzman’s case, because the original petition did not meet the signature requirement and a subsequent petition did not include Guzman’s name. Her name will be included in the recall election, however.

“She’s pretty much off the board anyway because of her unexcused absences,” Weathers added.

Guzman was not available for comment on this article, but e-mails between Guzman and Macias obtained by the Express reveal that Guzman no longer supports Macias.

“I now see that the only interest you have is your own,” Guzman wrote in an e-mail to Macias where she expressed concern over “the events of Sept. 16 and 17,” the days of the GAP presentation.

“At this time I do not trust you,” Guzman wrote to Macias.

Related posts:

1. City College recall election results in limbo
2. New ASG president and vice president appointed
3. EDITORIAL: Going, going, but never gone

RE: “Anti-abortion display ignites debate on campus.” Sept. 29

While reading through your article, I couldn’t help but notice that you wrote that the Sacramento City College Health Services Department took sides and set up a booth to oppose the anti-abortion display on Sept. 17. The Express newspaper reported that the Health Department “felt that it was unfair that the group ran unopposed.”

While the Health Department claims to be fair in its presentation, the information provided at the table was clearly biased. In the campus-based Health Department’s one-sided exhibit, the pro-abortion views of Planned Parenthood are clearly endorsed. This is unlike the campus-based Associated Student Government, which has endorsed a position of neutrality on the topic, encouraging and vigorously defending the rights of each side to express themselves.

While the Health Department used taxpayer dollars to support a one sided abortion agenda, the ASG did not spend a single dime supporting either side.

The SCC Health Department’s Web site advocates that students use family planning services, such as abortion, from Planned Parenthood. The Web site directs students to four separate Planned Parenthood locations, and does not include even one alternative family planning service that does not support abortion.

I find it at least ironic that a public institution would endorse the use of abortion and then claim that other groups are being unfair by presenting a view that is not in support of abortion.

In the interest of fairness, the ASG has approved plans to invite both anti-abortion and pro-abortion groups onto campus. Will the Health Department do the same? The Health Department will cease to be biased when they provide information in support of abortion and also against abortion.

Steve Macias

ASG President

RE: “Anti-abortion display ignites debate on campus.” Sept. 29

I am writing you to take issue with the article entitled “Anti-abortion display ignites debate on campus.” I am glad that the Express did cover the story; however, I am disappointed that it did not cover the entire story and in so doing ultimately failed to convey the true concerns of the student body regarding the events in question.

One of the “missing” important items that I feel needs mentioning regards the physical threats that were made to students on the days of the events. Students were threatened regarding their sexual orientation, as well as regarding their religious beliefs. There is currently an open investigation on the part of the LRCCPD (Los Rios Community College Police Department) regarding the threats that were made that day.

Another “missing” item from the article regards the brochures that were handed out to students. These were handed out based on race. There was a brochure for those of African American descent, Latino descent, Asian decent and so on.

Finally, there is a lot of “talk” about the true intentions of our current ASG President, Steve Macias, regarding the event in question. There has been a lot of open conversation regarding his actions and his motives in his administration of the ASG.

Macias states in an email sent to ASG student affairs commissioner Monica Guzman, “You, as an ally along side Justin (Turner), Jeanette (Carpenter) and our other fellow Republican officers need to band together and force this board to work as a unit.”

It is my sincere hope that going forward, the Express newspaper will do whatever necessary to cover the entire story when it is of the magnitude that this story is. Thank you for your time.

Tiffany Lange

City College Student

Related posts:

1. ASG president accuses City College of abortion activism
2. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
3. LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Commemorative bricks will be placed at the base of the Panthers statue near the College Store. Engraving will begin once the 20-order minimum is met. Christopher Geanakos geanakc@imail.losrios.edu

City College and the Associated Student Government are selling commemorative bricks at the base of the Panther statue near the student bookstore.

The statue was installed last year by the ASG.  The bricks are at the base of the statue and include one line of up to 15 characters for the buyer’s name. They are priced at $30 for current City College students and $50 for non-students.

“It is a recognition gift that they will have forever,” City College Foundation Executive Director Mary Leland said. “They can come back and sort of see their footprint here — or paw print.”

There are 1,000 bricks available for purchase, and a minimum of 20 orders must be met before any of the bricks can be engraved.

ASG President Steve Macias said that the ASG has been slow to promote the sale because the plans were drawn up by the prior ASG administration.

However, he said there are plans for a full-fledged promotion.

“One of the things our ASG has talked to Mary Leland [about] is commercializing the statue itself, selling commemorative bricks to actual businesses to support the campus,” Macias said. “I feel like we put a lot of money into these local business, [so] they should give something back — right?”

According to Leland, the commemorative brick sale will continue until all 1,000 bricks are sold. She also said that even though the 20-order minimum has not currently been met, she is hopeful that it won’t be too long until every brick is sold.

Proceeds from the sales will go to repay City College and the ASG for the statue’s cost, which Vice President of Administration Robert Martinelli says consisted of about $8,000 contributed by the ASG and roughly $32,000 from the college.

For more information, contact the City College Foundation office at (916) 558-2197

Related posts:

1. Bricks under panther statue for sale
2. Leave a lasting impression at City College brick by brick
3. City College recall election results in limbo