News

Interview with COM President David Coon

Feature

Page 6

Audiences loved I Hate Hamlet

Vol. 11, I. 10

College of Marin

May 10 2013

Page 13

For former COM student Terry Bozzio

The beat goes on

Page 4

College of marin

Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

News
Echo Times
College of Marin Kentfield, California Phone: (415) 485-9690 Learning Resource Center Room LC 32

Editor-in-Chief Nash Kurilko Managing Editor Kyle Dang Copy Editors Chelsea Dederick Kyle Dang Design Director Chelsea Dederick Photo Editors Chelsea Dederick Nash Kurilko Jim Gessner Writers Jasmin Demil Johnny Bransford Cecilia Jordan Nicholas Bischoff Nash Kurilko Austin Bodek Jim Gessner George Tapia Kyle Dang Lea Steinmann Lisa Kelly Dale Robertson Photographers Nash Kurilko Kyle Dang Chelsea Dederick Jim Gessner Cecilia Jordan Advertising Manager Kim Slater Office Manager Kim Slater Faculty Advisor Tom Graham

Photo by Chelsea Dederick Children in lion costumes pose for the upcoming summer course catalogue while raising awareness for the Marin Chinese Cultural Association.

New classes include cheese-making and history of the Pacific War

By Cecilia Jordan
ECHO TIMES

Summer classes announced

skills many students must be able to demonstrate in the workforce, and taking these classes in a relaxed setting with no test or homework allows students to receive the information without the pressure of a credit class. Lau says, Some employers are willing to pay the cost of the class, so their employees can become more involved in the operations of the company. One of the most popular classes is artisan cheese making. Students enrolled in these classes will gain a full introduction to cheese and how to make their own. For students interested in learning about the world outside of the Bay Area, some new classes being offered this summer include Latin, traveling to Cuba legally, Pacific War history and various musically appreciation class. For foodies out there, new classes include food and wine pairings, education on summer wines, red wines of the Mediterranean and desert wines. Along with cheese making some of the most popular classes returning this summer include surfing, water aerobics and yoga. All these classes are offered to give students the opportunity to learn something new or improve skills already learned.

Email us comechotimes@gmail.com Follow us: echotimes.wordpress.com

Marin Sun Printing prints the Echo Times using 40 percent recycled paper and 100 percent soy ink

In This Issue
Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

News: 2, 3 Opinion: 3, 5 Q&A: 6 First Person: 10, 11, 14 A&E: 8, 9, 12, 13 Sports: 16 Travel: 15

uring the summer most students want to be as far away from campus as possible. They want to enjoy the summer and maybe get the chance for a vacation away from the tedious life we live. But this is an invitation to do something a little differen to try a community education class offered here at the College of Marin. These non-credit classes are offered with a fee to students ages 13 to as old as 90, on a seven to eight week quarterly basis. Jason Lau, Director of Community Education Life Long Learning and International Education, encourages everyone to take advantage of these classes. Last year alone, the community education program at COM served over 10,000 students at the Kentfield and Indian Valley campus and Lau hopes with the addition of 16 new classes, this number will only go up. Many students dont see the benefit of taking classes not put towards their major. However, Lau points out that classes like Excel, PowerPoint or Photoshop [teach]

Visit our blog: www.echotimes.wordpress.com

This summer, Lau and the community education program are excited to present a partnership with the Marin Chinese Cultural Association, a non-political organization dedicated to spreading knowledge and understanding about Chinese Culture. With the addition of classes like Chinese brush painting or a walking tour of Chinatown with dim sum tastings. Students will learn new aspects of a culture maybe not well known to them. With the addition the Marin Mandarin Summer Camp, students can also start to learn Mandarin, one of the most spoken languages in the world. For parents looking for summer activities for their children, the community education program has also teamed up with Skyhawks, a company dedicated to summer youth camps across the country. They offer multi sport camps to children ages 4-13. Children will be in an active, fun and supervised setting from 9AM to noon Monday through Friday with the option of open swim after. For parents who work, this is a great option. 25 percent of the profits come back to the COM athletics department. On May 4, the International Society Club and Lau, who is the faculty advisor, are excited to present the Asian Pacific Heritage Festival; a free event for all from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Kentfield campus. There will be a lion dance presentation, Hawaiian dancing, capoeria, Aikido and more. There will also be workshops on making art such as origami, calligraphy and kite making. Everyone is encourages to come and participate.

Apr. 16 - May 5, 2013

ECHO TIMES

News/Opinion

ASCOM election results a mixed bag

By Jim Gessner
ECHO TIMES

he headline could have read: ASCOM election turnout unprecedented in recent memory, or Steven Petker wins ASCOM presidential election by huge margin, or perhaps voter turnout larger than expected. Any number of things that, while factually correct, miss the point entirely. While 494 ballots cast was an unprecedented turnout in recent memory last year only 176 votes were cast, it is an anemic count for a student body of 6,662. Whos to blame? We are. The students of College of Marin. The administration and faculty are not here to make us care about our future, they are here to give us the tools to make these decisions for ourselves. If we fail to use these tools, we have no one to blame but ourselves. This small scale demonstration of democracy should stand as an object lessonit solidifies the abstraction of governance into a tangible, participatory organism, but it only works if we do indeed participate. It is just as important as who gets elected to represent us in congress or even the White House. Higher education isnt simply job trainingit is the doorway through which we access our better selves. In college we learn to think

Photo by Jim Gessner Newly elected ASCOM President Steven Petker (right) outlines his agenda for fall 2013 during an interview in the Echo Times offices as Jim Gessner (left) looks on. The full interview will be available online starting finals week at echotimes.wordpress.com.

2011 and 2012 Total ballots cast and ASCOM president results 2011

2013 Student Government Official Election Results

Verified by Dr. Arnulfo Cedillo, Director of Student Affairs Total ballots cast: 494

Total ballots cast: 176 2011 Scott Blood 93 Lance Reyes 79 2012

Bold text indicates elected candidate. President # of Votes 329 87 # of Votes 146 (write in) # of Votes 9 (write in)

ASCOM Presidential race results

Steven Petker Kahlil Gray Vice President

Total ballots cast: 183 2012 Lance Reyes 119

Uncontested

Dawn McIntosh Treasurer Secretary

ASCOM Presidential race results

Michelle Grijalba Soroosh Pourmehraban Samantha Bernard Puyun Yen

critically. Through it, we are given the opportunity to mold the world into a better place. Why did so many choose not to vote? Apathy? Ignorance? Poor planning? Most likely its a combination of all three and then some. An all encompassing problem like this needs a holistic solution. We, the Echo Times could have held a debate. The candidates could have made a more concerted effort to make their agendas clearer. The voting process was confusing, it could have and should be made easier and clearer. How many students would have voted if only they knew how? How many just dont care? Still, the democratic process worked, congratulations to our newly elected student representatives.

9 (write in) # of Votes

Director of Student Services Director of Student Activities Michelle Gantos John Ware Director of Technology Director of Public Relations Alex Zavala Student Trustee Scott Blood

17 (write in) # of Votes 203 # of Votes # of Votes 39 (write in)

12 (write in) # of Votes # of Votes 229 201

College of marin

Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

Features

COM teacher receives volunteer of the year award

By Cecilia Jordan
ECHO TIMES

o continue to be selfless after retirement is not on a lot of average mens minds these days. They want to play golf or travel the world--things that were missed because of the long hours on the job. After serving the community as an attorney in Marin County, Oak Downing has spent his time continuing his service to the community. Originally from Chicago and went to the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where he studied law and met his wife of 50 years and they had two children. Together in 1973, the whole family picked up and moved to Marin. Three years later he had his own law practice in then same office on Fourth and A Streets for 31 years. Downing started with general practice law, but ended up working in estate planning and litigation. In 1990 he decided he needed to do something a little different. So I started doing legal terminology for court reporting students at College of Marin, he said. He has been teaching that here for 23 years. In this time he also received an AA in Dramatic Arts degree from COM, drama being one of his many passions.

Just before his retirement in 2008, Downing took a class put on by the County of Marin, that was used to educate police officers about elder abuse. And [he] really got into [volunteering] then, He said. Since then Downing has volunteered his time, protecting the elderly against fraud, abuse or neglect. In 2010, he joined the county program FAST, or Financial Abuse Specialist Team. Downing says FAST is a committee made up of a couple dozen people, from different fields ranging from law, county, real estate, insurance and nursing. Marin County uses FAST and its experts during police investigations. The volunteers dedicate their free time to going over files related to investigations. They try and build a paper trail to give clear evidence of theft or other wrongdoing and give law enforcement suggestions on how to build, if needed, a case against abuse. FAST also gives informational seminars all over the Bay Area to educate the elderly and their family members about criminals who target senior citizens. Sadly, a lot of the time these criminals are in the immediate family. The National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse says that is generally believed that 4-6% of the elderly

Photo by Cecilia Jordan Oak Downings commitment to volunteering has earned him Outstanding Civic Center Volunteer of the Year.

are abused. Downing is proud that FAST, through the education he and the other volunteers give out, is allowing people to be sensitized to this topic.

Downing is fearful that this problem is only going to get worse. With the recession and the increasing age of baby boomers, there is more of a need for people to be taken care of, he said. Downing believes an ounce of preventions is worth a pound of cure. For his efforts, Oak Downing is being honored as Outstanding Civic Center Volunteer of 2012-2013. He and fellow honoree Roberta Robinson are being recognized by the county of Marin and Marin Civic Center for their time and effort in battling and preventing elder abuse in the county. These two citizens, along with the other members of FAST, are an exceptional example of caring individuals in the community. Downing is hopeful that with this recognition, more people aware of the problem. He encourages students to get educated and involved in what ever they are interested. Downing adds, We are always looking for new [volunteer] members. Downing can be reached by email at roaklaw@gamil.com. He is a very kind, gracious man who has dedicated his life to helping the helpless. His willpower is a shining example of service to the community.

REALIZE YOUR DREAM AT MILLS COLLEGE.

Mills offers talented women who want a personal and exceptional education the opportunity to: Get the classes you need to graduate on time. Earn merit scholarships totaling up to $20,000. Transfer with no minimum number of credits. Transfer without completing your GE requirements.

ThERES STILL TIME TO AppLY fOR fALL 2013.

Financial aid and scholarships are available. Schedule a campus visit including a tour, interview, and a class visit now at www.mills.edu/campusvisit.

MAKING THE WORLD MORE . . .

Oakland, CA admission@mills.edu www.mills.edu/transfer

Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

ECHO TIMES

Join the Echo Times award-winning staff

The Echo Times is looking for skilled writers, editors, photographers and designers. Dont be shy! Sign up for JOUN 115 and JOUN 122 for the Fall. For more information, contact (415) 485- 9690.

START PLANNING
Dominican offers courses to fulll General Education and Major Requirements for current and visiting students

YOUR SUMMER!
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF:

On-campus and online course offerings 5, 8, and 10 week sessions Lower tuition rates Affordable campus housing
50 ACACIA AVENUE SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA 94901 415-457-4440 DOMINICAN.EDU/SUMMERCOURSES

Lessen your regular course load or reduce the time spent in school and join us this summer.

College of marin

Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

Q&A

President Coon on the state of the campus

By Kyle Dang
ECHO TIMES

he College of Marin Spring 2013 semester is fast coming to an end, and the campus is still buzzing with activity. Buildings all over the Kentfield campus are taped up, locked, and vacant. Teachers and staff are being moved from building to building, making it hard for them to settle down and focus on instructing students. The College of Marin Foundation, an independent organization tied to COM dedicated to distributing scholarships and grants, recently had its board resign in its entirety. Their resignation was in protest of an audit that would eventually prove their mismanagement of over $400,000. And all of these troubles are exacerbated by the colleges redline budget, which has forced cuts to both credit course offerings and faculty. However, these are hardly the end days for the College of Marin. COMs financial troubles are minor compared to some community colleges in California, such as CCSF. The COM administration made accreditation their top priority when the issue first arose, and now the college is fortunate enough to have been removed from the California Community College Accreditations watch-list. Without the threat of disaccreditation, the administration has been able to focus on other pressing issues, like our budget. The college has instituted a four-year budget plan meant to stabilize and pay off our deficit, and so far it seems to be doing its job. The chaos of campus construction is merely the start of a newer and more modern college, and many students are looking forward to the new buildings. It might be a little cramped for a few semesters, but as the faculty settle in to their new lodgings things should return to the status quo. Several of the new faculty are already student favorites. Those incentivized to retire were among our oldest faculty-members, and many were already thinking of retirement. It seems that for every problem, the COM administration has managed to find an agreeable solution. Through the trials of this past year, College President David Wain Coon has been the man in charge. At this critical time of change, his decisions affect COM in ways we may not realize for years. Luckily, Coons been around the collegiate block. Coon has 22 years of experience in the field of higher education, two of those as COM president. Coon agreed to sit down with the Echo Times, answer questions about the current state of affairs, and discuss his vision of the colleges upcoming years. Q: Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? A: My name is David Coon and I am the superintendent president of the College of Marin. Ive been here now over two years, I started December 1, 2010. Prior

Photo by Jamie Eichar President Coon is optimistic about College of Marins future.

to being here I was the president of the Evergreen Valley College in east San Jose. I was there for over 5 years and prior to that I was in Washington, Seattle for about 15 years. So Im finishing about my 22nd year in higher education. Q: How have you found the semester so far? Have you achieved any of the goals you set prior to the semester? A: I cant believe we are in April looking at the beginning of May. I always say that with May comes May madness, which is just nonstop end of the years activities and before we know it the end of the year is here. We begin the end of the semester with the [85th annual COM] commencement, which is exciting and of course at the commencement we have [Lieutenant Governor] Gavin Newsom to be our feature speaker. I am very excited about that. I think that what I like most about May is that its just all about the accomplishments of the students, and transfer celebrations and scholarships and the commencement, so its an exciting time. I think weve had a productive semester. We had a tough year relative to our budget challenge, and yet weve been able to meet the goals weve set for ourselves and at the same time move the college forward in a positive way. Q: Some numbers came out earlier this year that said enrollment rates dropped at COM have taken the largest dive since 2003. We are curious what the administrations plans are to boost enrollment for this upcoming semester. A: Well let me just tell you first of all that it was not a surprise to any of us that enrollment fell, and that is because we were offering fewer courses. And that was directly related to the need to reduce the budget, so that was not a surprise to anybody. So you take the converging factors of the fee increases which were huge, again 130% over a 5 year period of time, offering fewer courses, new financial aide rules going in to effect that basically

limits the number of times a student can repeat a course, you take all that together and it was no surprise we were down by 9 percent. As we look forward to fall remember we started this year off with a $2.9m structural deficit in our budget. We created a 4-year budget plan to mitigate the deficit, to close the gap. It would have been devastating if we had tried to make 2.9m in cuts all in one year. Part of what we did this year is institute about $500,000 worth of reductions to course offerings and some other areas. As we look towards next year, year two of our budget plan, we have another 1.5m reduction to take. Next year we are limiting that reduction to about only 17% direct student instruction so thats about $250,000, and about 28 less sections of courses that will be spread over the next year. Well continue to recruit [new faculty], but until were able to offer back more courses, there are only so many seats to offer. Longer term we are going to try and rebound from these challenges as our financial situation gets better. Q: Despite the cuts to classes, are there any new courses that will be available next semester? A: You know, I cant think of any brand new ones off the top of my head. The faculty are always creating and updating their curriculum, though I dont know of any examples off the top of my head. We are always going through the program review process trying to strengthen the programs we have, which means sometimes eliminating courses or sometimes adding courses. Thats a continual evolutionary process within the curriculum. Q: It seems like half the campus is boarded up. Which five buildings are being replaced? A: Right now, Olney Hall has been completely emptied. In fact, its basically been gutted. Business Center, same thing. Harlan Center is now empty, and the gutting process will begin there soon. Then the last academic building that will be vacated is the Administrative Center, which also houses the child development center on the lower level. The new child development center is done, but because were right at the end of the semester, the plan is to finish out the academic year and move the new child development center up the road, in to the new facility and then go in and do the work in the old Administrative Center. The fifth building is the one on the corner, the Taqueria that closed earlier this spring. Q: Is the construction on schedule? A: Today the bids came in for the demolition crews, which is the first step in the process. The tree-removal was to take place over spring break, and that was

successful and happened in just a couple of days. The next phase is the demolition, which happens over the summer, and then the site work begins. The project itself is currently being reviewed by the state architects office, which looks at the plans to approve them. Q: Will this be the last construction paid for by the Measure C Bond? A: Well theres some residual work happening in other areas. One of the categories of funding set aside was for ADA work, which is the American with Disabilities Act. For instance there are some buildings without a functional, [disabled] accessible bathroom. In Fusselman Hall, which is one of the oldest buildings on campus, theres going to be some work done, but there are no plans to demolish it. Right now the plan the board of trustees approved for the Austin science center is to keep the building. There is some question, however, as to the amount of work that would be required to make the science building safe and functional. So thats an evaluation process we are currently engaging in. The bottom line is, Im in this building [Austin Science Center], and I need to be for the next two years, and theres a bunch of other services in this building. Its needed for swing space. So we need Austin until the end of the bond measure and perhaps beyond that. Q: Do we have more or less classes this summer compared to what we had last summer? A: We have about half of last summer, and that was half of the summer before. There have been gradual cuts. Ill be honest. At one point in time, I thought we shouldnt have a summer session this year. And that was because I knew we had to bring down 5 buildings and I know theres going to be no easy way to deal with that. Then the faculty came back to me and said, you know what? Let us hit your reduction target, and they felt very strongly that certain programs in the summer session were essential. They convinced me that having a limited summer session was the right thing to do, because some students need that extra time during summer to keep on transfer schedules. So to reiterate, the previous summer it was half what it had been initially, so its about half that again. I dont know the numbers off the top of my head, but its a fairly small offering. Q: When you eventually leave COM, what would you like your legacy to be? A: You know I said when I interviewed here that Id like this to be my last stop. I think the 100th year anniversary of COM is within my professional lifetime, and I wouldnt mind being here at that 100year mark, celebrating 100 great years and looking forward to 100 more.

Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

ECHO TIMES

Features

Former student killed four years ago in Iraq

By Echo Times staff
ECHO TIMES

Part two of two-part series he 10th anniversary of the war in Iraq came and went in March, without much attention. Neither the media nor politicians appeared very interested in revisiting what has been described as one of the biggest intelligence blunders and most expensive wars in U.S. military history. Although the Iraq War may not be on many peoples minds these days, its impact continues to be felt by thousands of families throughout the U.S. and Iraq. Ask Susan and Robert Velloza of Inverness, who lost their only child, Jake, four years ago this month. They visit the Olema Cemetery every May 2, the date their son was killed. Jake is buried there with other members of his family who led full lives. On an early Sunday morning in May 2009, a woman in a military uniform knocked at their door. She was accompanied by a minister from their local church. Bob and Susan said they knew right then that something was very wrong. They had been watching TV before the visit, and had seen on the news that Jakes friend and fellow soldier Jeremiah McCleery had been killed. Jakes fiance Danielle called and said she hadnt heard from Jake yet. The casualty officer informed them that their son, Jake, 22, and McCleery had both been shot and killed by two Iraqi gunmen while on patrol in Mosul, 225 miles north of Baghdad. They opened the door a crack and started shooting, Jakes grandfather, Richard Velloza, told ABC News. [The gunmen] shot two dead, three were wounded, and one of them was our grandson. The attackers were apprehended and later discovered to be members of the Iraqi police. Jake was the second person from Marin to be killed in the war. Susan Velloza, who declined to be interviewed because of the emotional toll this time of year brings, indicated that the family was still struggling with Jakes loss.

Jake Velloza, a former COM student, was killed four years ago this month in Iraq.

The Tomales High School Booster Club will be hosting the first Jake R. Velloza Memorial Baseball Game at Tomales High School on Saturday, May 18th, 2013. Alumni over 40 years of age will be playing the Tomales JV Baseball Team at 4 p.m. Alumni under 40 years of age will be playing the Tomales Varsity Baseball Team at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/pages/FirstAnnual-Jake-R-Velloza-MemorialBaseball-Game.

Memorial baseball game

Operation Iraqi Freedom started on March 20, 2003. It was supposed to be a quick and bloodless campaign, but six years later Americans were still dying in Iraq. Jake was one of them. His family is one of almost 4,500 American families who lost a husband, wife, son or daughter in the war. The young men and women who lost their lives are only part of the story. For many, the war continues at home. For the dozens of vets committing suicide every day. For the bereaved. For the 100,000 injured. The 300,000 with PTSD. And for their families, friends and caregivers. Jake, a former College of Marin student, was a gifted athlete who pitched for the Mariners and studied photography here. Born in June 1986, in Santa Rosa, he grew up in Inverness and attended West Marin Elementary School in Point Reyes Station. Even as a youngster, Jake stood out as an athlete. At Tomales High School, he excelled in football, baseball and track, following in his father Roberts footsteps. As a defensive back, wingback, kick returner and kicker in football, Jake made friends with everyone on the team. This included his close friend Sean Pipkin. Jake and I played opposite-side defensive ends.I can still remember looking over at him, he looked at me and we just smiled at each other and we knew what to do on the next play. We were just hammering the other team and ended up making Tomales High School history shattering the schools quarterback sack record that particular game, said Pipkin about the match against a San Francisco high school team. The Tomales Braves later won the 2002 North Coast Section Class B championship with an 8-4 record. That was a great moment that we as team all shared equally with Jake, and none of us will ever forget it, Pipkin said. While on the varsity baseball team, Jake, a left-hander, pitched and played center fielder. He was not only known for his outstanding speed, but his team spirit and passion for the game.

He was very fast and athletic. He was a great teammate and a great friend, Pipkin said. He had known sincebefore graduating high school that he was going to join the Army to fight for me, you, and our country. He was a natural-born leader. Pipkin was both proud and supportive of his friends decision to go to war. Of course I was worried, but I also knew Jake and how strong and fast he was. I knew there was a great possibility of him getting hurt or killed in action, but I always put that in the back of my mind. Pipkin said, I thought no way. Not Jake. He can dodge any weapon the enemy uses against him. Pipkins younger brother informed him of Jakes death. I was completely devastated and still thought it wasnt true until the day of his service when I saw his lifeless body in that casket. COMs baseball coach Steve Berringer met Jake during the Fall 2005 practice season. He remembers Jakes gift as an outfielder and a first baseman. Berringer didnt get to know him as well as he would have liked to, and the last time they met was when Jake came to his neighborhood while doing work with the Marin County Water District. He remembered that Jake always seemed cheery. Coach Berringer found out about

Jakes death by reading the newspaper. He was a happy young man, Berringer recalled. Always a pleasure to be around. Jay Borodic, a University of Puget Sound graduate with a degree in International Political Economy, grew up in West Marin with Jake and played on the same teams throughout school. Borodic described Jake as a gear head. While in high school, Jake had built a motorbike which he rode all over West Marin. Being a long-time friend, Borodic knew that Jake would eventually join the Army. Jake told him he wanted to be the first among their friends to have a career, and to start a family. Borodic recieved news of Jakes death from a friend during his last week of college finals. He was caught totally offguard. While politically against the war in Iraq, Borodic doesnt blame the military for what happened. On the contrary, he says he has great respect for the armed forces. Susan Velloza said she planned to visit her sons grave on May 2nd, the fourth anniversary of Jakes death. Jakes family and friends know the impact of war. Its not something theyre likely to forget.

SANTA ROSA.
change the world from here

Graduate and undergraduate degrees available in Management, Nursing, Counseling, or Teaching

LEARN MORE AT AN

InformatIon meetIng
at the USF SANTA ROSA CAMPUS

may 15, 5:30 pm or may 30, 5:30 pm Learn more or to RSVP call 707.527.9612 visit www.usfca.edu/santarosa or email santarosacampus@usfca.edu

College of marin

Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

Arts & Ent

Terry Bozzio built his reputat

By Nash Kurilko
ECHO TIMES

n January, Rolling Stone named him fifth on their list of the greatest drummers in rock. Hes considered one of the preeminent drummers alive, but most College of Marin students dont even know Terry Bozzio honed his skills at the Kentfield Campus. Bozzio attended COM from 1969 to 1972. He would go on to play with some of the most famous names in rock, including Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, Jeff Beck, Billy Cobham, Niel Peart and Stevie Ray Vaughn. Today, Bozzio does gigs as a clinical drummer, musical instructor and touring artist. Born in 1950 in San Francisco, he lived in the city until third grade. When he was eight, the Bozzios moved to Fairfax. While watching TV as a kid, Bozzio was introduced to drumming. I can remember my first impressions of drumming were Cubby OBrien on the Mickey Mouse Show and Little Rickey in I Love Lucythat was the first time I saw children playing drums, and thats what began to get me interested, he said from his home in Austin, Texas. Between 1956 and 1962, young Bozzio produced ragtag drums-sets with coffee pots, broken arrow sticks, cooking pans and crumpled high-voltage signs. He enjoyed practicing to records by Tito Puente, the Beach Boys and Sandy Nelson and the Ventures. Two of his favorites were Wipeout by The Safaris, and Walk Dont Run by the Ventures. At the age of 13, Bozzio saw The Beatles make their televised debut on The Ed Sullivan Show, and knew he wanted to be a drummer. He begged his father for lessons. That summer he started taking lessons at Miracle Mile Music in San Rafael. At first, he trained with instructor Todd Fleicher, who had to back out of the sessions after suffering a spinal injury in a car accident. Instructor Ken Blewer took over. After six months of lessons, Bozzio had learned the basicsreading notes, practicing stick control and starting beats. As a freshman at San Anselmos Sir Francis Drake High School in 1965, Bozzio played in garage rock bands around Marin, including Blue Grass Radio, The Yarde, and Tamalpias Jungle Mountain Boys. By the start of his senior year in 1968, Bozzio really started focusing on improving his drumming skills.

Terry Bozzio, whos played with Frank Zappa and other rock legends, performs with his 50-piece drum set. Bozzio earned his associates in art degree a

So I got a good drum teacher by the name of Chuck Brown, and I started to take the music courses at school, he said. I got to play a school concert before I graduated. Just a few weeks after graduation, Bozzio attended summer school at College of Marin. He wanted to continue his musical studies, and trained with San Francisco Symphony percussionists Lloyd Davis and Roland Kohloff. At that point, I knew how to read rhythms pretty good, I knew how to read the names of the notes on the staff, the melodies, the harmonies. Id taken the Music Mind class in high school, which was basic music theory, he said. The Music Mind class had been taught by Charles Meechim, who was a Center Violinist with the San Francisco Symphony. He suggested that I join the College

of Marin Band, under John Myers. I did that, and played some concerts with them towards the end of summer. At the start of the Fall 1969 semester, he was still practicing with the COM band and its instructors. There was Dr. Estrom... and Dr. Wolf, who was the leader of the chorus. He used to do concerts with members of the San Francisco Symphony, and hed always get professionals symphonists, and after a year or so, he saw me play, and I got to do that too, he said. So I was very proud, [but] I never really saw my own talent. I always thought a lot of the other guys were better than me, but somehow I got the key to the percussion cabinet. I ended up playing with the symphony, the band and the orchestra. Bozzio credits much of his early musical development with playing in the COM band.

I was able to get six weeks with each instrument, and was able to get familiar with most of them, though I wasnt very good at violin, or brass, he said. As he became known among local rockers, he played drums with the Napa and Marin County symphonies. He received his Associates in Arts as a Commercial Music Major in the spring of 1972, which helped him get gigs in local musicals, including Godspell and Walking in My Time. He also played with Bay Area jazz groups alongside artists like Mark Isham, Peter Maunu, Mike Knock, Art Lande, Eddie Henderson and Woodie Shaw. Bozzio also partook in the Mondaynights Jim Dukey Big Band shows at the Great American Music Hall on OFarrell Street, in San Francisco. He did his first studio recording with Luis Gasca on the 1974 LP Born to Love You.

Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

ECHO TIMES

tertainment

tion by sticking to his drums

this gig. My audition consisted of reading a very difficult piece of music and [then] getting into the superimposed rhythms that Zappa is famous for. The notes were written with Xs up and down the staff, and I was supposed to imply the melodic curve, but you could make up your own pitches. Zappa and his bandmates were impressed, so they let him to play other pieces. After, Zappa spoke to his band manager, and then told Bozzio, I really like the way you sound, and Id like to hear you again after the rest of these guys. The band manager looked at the remaining drummers, some 25 in all, and received stony looks. He turned back to Zappa and said, Thats it, Frank. Nobody else wants to audition after Terry. Frank then turned to Bozzio and told him he got the gig, if he wanted it. And from 1974 to 1978, Bozzio played on some 10 Zappa albums, the first being 1975s Bongo Fury (Live at the Armadillo in Austin, TX), also with Captain Beefheart and George Duke. ...That was the last version of the Mothers. We came back [to LA], and George Duke and some other people had left, so [Zappa] wanted to start fresh. We did Zoot Allures at the Record Plant in Los Angeles, then we did Sheik Yerbouti and Zappa in New York. In 1978, he played on Studio Tan, and in 1978 they recorded Orchestral Favorites. By now theres probably 50 records put out by the Zappa Family Trust that Im on one or two of, Bozzio said with a bit of well-earned swagger. It was all done during that three year period. You know, it was really like a musicians boot camp. I would rehearse for eight hours a day for three months, then wed go on the road for six months. It was a lot of hard work, and I learned a lot, on a lot of levels. Bozzio left the Frank Zappa band in early 1978. Hed auditioned for CBS records in a band called Group 87, with a two other fellow COM alumni Mark Isham and Pete Maunu. [Group 87] got the deal and we immediately went to the first Zappa rehearsal of 78. I asked him the same question as when he hired meare you sure I can do this? Zappa could tell Bozzios direction was drifting into his own career, and that after the experience of landing a major deal, Bozzio wouldnt be into Zappas music enough to continue touring. Zappa told him, Yes, you got your record deal. Its time for you to go do your own thing. So Bozzio moved on. Throughout 1978-1979, he pursued projects and continued playing shows, including with the Brecker Brothers in New York. He auditioned for more groups, most notably Thin Lizzy. Bozzio married his first wife, former Playboy Bunny and budding singer Dale Consalvi, whom he had met while playing with Zappa in 1976. The 1980s got off to a good if not ambitious start. Group 87s self-titled debut LP was released in 1980, after which Terry and Dale Bozzio started the New Wave band Missing Persons. The group achieved one Gold record with October 1982s Spring Session M. Subsequent records didnt fare as well on the charts, and in 1986 Bozzio split with the group and began working as a clinical for both aspiring and trained drummers. Bozzio continues his clinical drumming work, which he says helps him further develop his style of orchestral drumming. Im attempting to make a musical statement on the drum-set itself. My current drum-set has eight bass drums which tune into the white notes of the piano, the right half of the drum-set is also tuned to the white notes, while the left half is chromatic. Its got a whole lot of gongs, percussion, three different banks of cymbals. Its orchestrally diverse, and has a lot of different colors and textures. I can play harmonically, melodically and rhythmically, at the same time. Towards the end of the year, Bozzio made his first solo tour in Japan, where he recorded his live LP Seven Nights in Japan. Upon returning to the U.S. to run drumchannel.com full-time, his marriage with Ev went into dire straights. In February 2008, they separated, and 10 months later, they agreed to divorce. Two years later, Bozzio was lovestruck again, this time with Mayumi Yoshimoto, from Yokusuka, Japan. After marrying in Ventura, Bozzio assumed the role of stepfather to Mayumis daughter, Marina Yoshimoto, who is also drummer. During the summer of 2010, Bozzio started hosting his own webshow, The Art of Drumming. It streams weekly on Tuesdays at 6PM. The show usually consists of a guest interview and then a drumming piece. Famous guests include Nick Mason of Pink Floyd and Beatles producer Ken Scott. I would love to [play in the Bay Area again]. Ive played at Bananas At Large before in San Rafael, Ill probably play there again, maybe for a master class. Id love to play College of Marin, too. I dont know what their budget is like, but my experience is that with a drum company sponsoring the event, things can happen. I know universities are just struggling for dough right now. Its awful compared to Europe and Japan, and other countries where theres just a little more emphasis placed on arts, and the development of the arts, he said. Overall, Bozzio says hes satisfied where he is in his with life. He continues to tour internationally, with more shows in Europe and Japan on the horizon. He also continues to find love, both his in his art and family. But mostly, he says hes content to continue following his passion: drumming.

Just a few weeks after he graduated from high school in 1969, Terry Bozzio continued his study of music at College of Marin.
drummer. This also coincided with his divorce from Dale. I was sponsored by my drummers cymbal company, and its basically a soloset and a seminar from me. I had total artistic freedom, he said. In 1988 he collaborated with Jeff Beck and together they won a Grammy for Jeff Becks Guitar Shop, after which they went on a few tours in support of the album. In the same year, he met Ev Kvamme, a young woman working at Capitol Records, and they were married late in 1988. The next year, he toured Japan with Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble. In 1990, Terry and Evs first child Raanen was born. He moved the family from L.A. to Austin, Texas. Up until 2002, Bozzio was regularly on the road, mainly in Japan and Western Europe. In February 2007, he agreed to codirect drumchannel.com with Oxnardbased Drum Workshop CEO Don Lombardi. The website is a drumming forum for theoretical discussion and the showcasing of educational performances,

Photo courtesy of Terry Bozzios website

at College of Marin in Spring 1972.

Around this time, L.A.-based Frank Zappa was looking for a new drummer and his management put out the call to neighboring cities. The Zappa band was familiar with jazz performer Eddie Henderson, who was working with George Duke on a project at the time. Both Henderson and Duke remembered Bozzio from Born to Love You, so Duke recommended Bozzio, who was unfamiliar with Zappas music. He bought the albums Live at the Roxbury and Apostrophe, liked what he heard, and flew down to L.A. to audition. And that was pretty frightening, Bozzio recalled. There were about 50 drummers auditioning, a huge drum set set-up on stage, and they were just dropping like flies. I saw a lot of good drummers go up there and fail. I thought to myself, Well, I owe it to myself to try, even though I dont think Im going to get

10

College of marin

Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

First Person

German student adjusts to life as a Tiburon au pair

By Lea Steinmann
ECHO TIMES

ovember 9th. Here I am, finally. Landed at San Francisco Airport, overwhelmed and excited and in the United States, The land of unlimited possibilities. I am Lea Steinmann, an 18 year-old au pair living and working in Tiburon for the past six months. After graduating from a German High School last summer, I was ready for something new, something completely life-changing. Travelling, improving my English, getting to know a totally new culture and becoming more independent. Led by those aims, I was ready to spend a year abroad. My journey started with leaving my hometown Babenhausen. Its a small city near Frankfurt, situated right in the heart of Germany. Saying goodbye to my friends and family was a lot harder than I thought it would be. However, receiving a warm and hearty welcome from my host family in the States made it much easier to let go. My new family consists of my singlehost dad David, who works as an attorney and his two little sweetie-pies Sonya, 9, and Anya, 5. I feel theyre more like a couple of princesses than little girls. Both are already accustomed to a privileged lifestyle, one that is totally at odds with my own childhood. Settling down as an au pair in Tiburon is certainly not something to complain about. Some of its many perks include an iPhone, an American Express credit card, a 2770 square foot dream house with an amazing view of the bay area to go with it. Not to mention driving a BMW X6 and first class flights to Mexico and to Daves second house in Hawaii during spring break and in summer. It seems like a perfect life, right? Some days it certainly is, however it is a real job and definitely no bowl of cherries. For most Americans, the international expression au pair is not immediately recognizable. Most people refer to us as just nannies, but it is much more than that. Theyre a live-in childcare provider and a full-time part of the family. Regulations by the US-government mandate that au pairs are required to be between 18-26 years old and have childcare experience totalling over 200 hours. There is a maximum of 45 hours work per week for a salary of about 200 dollars. Usual duties include getting the kids ready for school, preparing breakfast and lunch, picking them up from school, doing after-school activities, helping with homework, eating dinner together and bringing them to bed. Au pairs come from a number of various countries: France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Italy, Spain, Mexico and Australia just to name a few! The 17.000 au pairs who currently work in the U.S. arent only just female. According to the Wall Street Journal 10% of au pairs are male. Besides their work duties, every au pair has to earn 6 credits at a college to fulfill

Photo courtesy of Lea Steinmann Lea Steinmann had her work cut out for her while being the au pair of Sonya, 9, and Anya, 5.

their visa requirements. A lot of Marin County au pairs go to College of Marin, because it provides the most affordable solution for them. Unfortunately, the host familys financial support of $500 for education is not enough to cover the costs of most normal credit classes at COM. Luckily, there is still the option of attending community education. But the variety of classes is much less, which is an issue that

Hassan, 21, took surfing classes at COM last fall, I came to and love Marin County, because the Bay Area is a great place to go surfing. Doing this as a College course was awesome, she said. People always think that being an au pair means relaxing and having a lot of free time. They have no idea at all, how hard this job can be and that you need a lot of patience and energy for that. When au pairs actually have free hours

People always think that being an au pair means relaxing and having a lot of free time. They have no idea at all how hard this job can be and that you need a lot of patience and energy for it.
should be discussed and improved. Karin Nordqvist , 20, has lived in Marin County for the past nine months. Finding out about myself and my aims for the future was my main intention in spending a year as a Swedish au pair in the US., she says. On the other hand, I learned hot to think critically about different lifestyles and cultural traditions. My host family is very conservative in their behavior which is completely opposite to my democratic views. Another Swedish au pair, Lana or days, most of them save their money to travel through the country. On a single free day, they visit cultural sights, go to the movies or to restaurants. Typical American young adult activities. The main gathering point for a lot of Marin County au pairs is undoubtedly the cheesecake factory. Look out the next time you go to any of these kinds of spots, more than likely you will find a table full of au pairs! I know that when I return to Germany I wont be living in the wealthy world I am

in right now. This makes me want to enjoy this experience even more. Though living here in America with a host family might just be for one or two years, it creates a bond and relationship to those people that will surely endure for many years to come. Looking back on the past six months Ive spent here already, the life of an au pair definitely includes a lot of ups and downs. In the beginning I found myself in something of a honey-moon phase, very excited about this new lifestyle. But that excitement was quickly tempered by a profound homesickness. Struggling with two car accidents within two weeks was by far the most nerve-wracking moment here. But the strong bond to my new friends and host family keeps me from buying a plane ticket back home. Its those moments when I hear the girls say, Please dont leave us, or my first dream in English or a little girl asking me, Are you her mum? after walking hand in hand out of the gym with Anya, that has made my quality time in the States unforgettable so far. No matter what happens during this year, regardless of stress or exhaustion, it will have been a pleasure and a whole lot of fun. Whether trying to do well in College courses or even just navigating our way through the United States and everyday life, Karin, Lana and I totally agree on one point: This is the most exciting year of our lives!

Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

ECHO TIMES

First Person

11

From Marin to the Boston Ballet and back

W
ECHO TIMES

By Austin Bodek

hen I was seven years old I decided that I wanted to be a ballerina. I begged and pleaded to my parents for ballet lessons, and one day I got just that. When the music began, I felt every cell in my body buzz with excitement. Although I was only a small child, I knew in that moment I had discovered my passion, and that I would do anything to become a professional ballet dancer. So for the next 12 years, while my friends went to movies and parties, I trained 6-7 days a week on blistered toes so that I could achieve my dream. After one year of high school, I decided it was in my best interest to enroll in the independent study program at Independence High in order to fully dedicate my time to training at the San Francisco Ballet School. I rushed through my school classes, with little regard to grades or the thought of college. With envious eyes, I watched my friends socialize and enjoy the high school experience. I didnt go to my senior prom because of a performance the next day, and my graduation was nothing more than a diploma in the mail. But the rush of adrenaline from thousands of eyes watching me dance, and the standing ovations received after months of practice, made my sacrifices feel trivial, and my hard work worthwhile. My perseverance paid off when I turned 19 and was offered a professional ballet job with The Boston Ballet, which accepts 1-10 dancers out of thousands who audition per year. I packed my life up, said my farewells and headed to Boston, Massachusetts. I arrived in Boston at the end of summer 2009 to sign my one-year contract and start working. Having been born and raised in California, I was in for a harsh awakening as to what a real winter felt like. As the leaves began to fall, a cold wind picked up, and my schedule became busier and busier as our production of the Nutcracker grew closer. A typical day began with a warm up class, where the teacher gave exercises that became increasingly difficult as the class progressed. Dancers would start out holding a bar, and eventually move to the center of the room. Once class was over, we were ready to start a six-hour day of rehearsals, where we learned numerous ballets, and rehearsed these dances over and over until they were ready to be performed. The female dancers wear Pointe shoes for almost the entire day. Pointe shoes create a magical effect as the dancer goes on her tiptoes. What many people outside of the ballet world dont know is the irony of the shoe. It looks so effortless and graceful, yet can be utterly agonizing for the dancer. After wrapping your toes with toe tape, similar to a boxer wrapping his hands before a match, the shoes stays on the foot for many hours. At the end of the

Photo courtesy of Austin Bodek A still image of COM student Austin Bodek from Matt Nathansons music video Modern Love.

Photo courtesy of Austin Bodek Bodek signed a one-year contract with the Boston Ballet in the summer of 2009.

day I would take my Pointe shoes off, only to find purple swollen feet covered with blisters. By the time I was ready for bed, my entire body would throb, crying out with exhaustion. The athletic requirement that a ballet job entails is the same as for any other professional athlete. Ronald Smith, a University of Washington psychology professor and lead author of a new study published in the current issue of the journal Anxiety, Stress and Coping, said that the injury rate for ballet dancers over an eightmonth period was 61 percent. This is comparable to the rates found in other studies for athletes in collision sports such as football and wrestling. Smith

said, Ballet is physically grueling and the act that other dancers are competing with them adds to the physical stress. They often perform hurt and are afraid someone will take their place the level of precision required is comparable to that of an Olympic gymnast. With such a demanding schedule, keeping your body healthy and injury free is crucial. To aid its dancers, Boston Ballet provides healthcare, access to unlimited physical therapy, acupuncture, and massage. On the top floor of the ballet building, a gym and physical therapy room allowed the dancers to have easy access to equipment. After performing 42 shows of Nutcracker in November and December, my body was beat, and I was ready for a break. Our last show was on New Years Eve and then we were given a two-week layoff to see family, and heal our battered bodies. Coming home to California from freezing cold Boston made me truly appreciate how wonderful Marin County is. I missed the hills, the hikes, and especially Sol Food. Like a fish that feels trapped in his own tank, I had done everything in my power to get out of Marin. It wasnt until I was out of the water that I could appreciate where I had been. After resting for what felt like a millisecond, it was time to head back to Boston to prepare for our upcoming ballet season that would span over the next five grueling months. My second year with the Boston Ballet progressed in a similar manner to the previous year. It wasnt until the final months of the season that things

went terribly wrong. I was given a huge opportunity to go on a five-week summer tour with the company to Spain. Barcelona, Madrid and Granada are just a few of the locations where I would be performing. While practicing a dance, I spun around and jumped in the air. As soon as I landed, I heard a crack, and fell to the floor in agony. I knew right away that it was serious. I found out later the same day that I had fractured my heel bone, and it would take at least 10 weeks to heal. Completely heartbroken, I realized that I would not get to tour Spain. It wasnt until I was back in Marin that I realized breaking my foot might have been a blessing in disguise. I had been involved with ballet for basically my entire life, and I had never allowed myself to do anything besides dance. I felt this surge of desire to go to college, to learn how to play the piano, and to have time to socialize. I knew I wanted to achieve so much, but I felt like ballet defined me, and without it I didnt know who I was. As frightening as it was to leave ballet, I knew that by opening myself to opportunities, I would discover a whole new me. Its been almost two years since I left ballet, and I have created a completely new life. I decided to go to college, and now study Communications at College of Marin. I have taken up bartending in the San Francisco at the bar KTs, which has allowed me the opportunity to meet vast amounts of interesting people. Most importantly, I have learned that I am not defined by my job. What you do should be an extension of who you are, but should not confine you.

12

College of marin

Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

Arts & Entertainment

Private Road Paintings continues through June 28
By Jasmin Demil

ECHO TIMES

meritus Students was created in 1974 at College of Marin for older adults. ES was selected as a national model by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. The Emeritus program at College of Marin offers unique program designed to meet the needs of Marin Countys lifelong learners who already may have earned their degrees and who may be transitioningor have already transitionedinto retirement. Beside offering programs and classes, members of the Senior Emeritus at COM also have special events four times a year. A perfect example for such an event is the Private Road Paintings exhibit by Anna Ladyzhenskaya. Len Pullan, the chair of Emeritus College of Marin ( ESCOM) organized the event. Internationally known artist Anna Ladyzhenskaya was born in Moldova, in the former Soviet Union. She completed art school there, earning her credentials in both the practice and teaching of Art, before going on to get her Masters degree in Architecture. With over 30 years of experience in the art field, Anna works with all forms of media, from oils and pastels, to watercolor and colored pencils, to create works that are just as diverse as the materials she uses, ranging in areas of focus from landscape, to still life and portrait. She is a resident and active member of the Bay Area art community. The work of internationally known artist Anna Ladyzhenskaya is on display from April 1 through June 30, with a public reception that was a full success according to Len Pullan. The reception held place on April 24, and the music was delivered by guitar player Joao de Oliveira, who played his music quietly in the background. Anna and Len together created the transition from large colorful paintings to more clusters of landscapes. Pullan said that when you enter the Emeritus Gallery, Annas self-portrait greets you, her head tilted towards her latest work of realism, classic portraits, and female figures reminiscent of Gustav Klimt and the Austrian versions of Art Nouveau. Spring and Typhon, two of the larger paintings in this highly decorative mythology series, contrast with clusters of smaller plain air oils of the live oaks of Atherton, with its idyllic fields of quiet contemplation and muted color. Len said, It helps to soften the transition between the various styles. The series of pictures ends with three pictures of bowls of fruit, recalling life in Moldova where Anna grew up. Len said that if you missed the reception on April 24, she still urges you to see this stunning show, open Monday through Friday until June 28.

Photo by Nash Kurilko Anna Ladyzhenskayas female figures are reminiscent of Gustav Klimt and the Austrian versions of Art Nouveau.

Photo by Nash Kurilko Ladyzhenskayas work ranges from small muted pieces to brighter, large decorative paintings.

Photo by Nash Kurilko One of the larger paintings features Typhon, who was described in Greek mythology as the largest and most fearsome of all creatures.

Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

ECHO TIMES

Arts & Entertainment

13

Audiences love I Hate Hamlet

G
By Lisa Kelly
ECHO TIMES

hosts, Shakespeare, seances and sword-fights were the theme of the evening at the College of Marin drama departments production of I Hate Hamlet. Written by Paul Rudnick and directed by Jeffrey Bihr, the play takes place in the New York apartment of the late John Barrymoren (Chuck Isen), who was widely known for playing the role of Hamlet. Andrew Rally (Brendan Cobia) is a new rising television star who is encouraged to move into this apartment at the advice of his real estate agent Felicia Dantine (Floriana Alessandria), as Rally has just been offered the role of Hamlet in the Shakespeare show in Central Park. The play takes a fun turn when the ghost of Barrymore appears to Rally and teaches him to play Hamlet and ultimately seduce his innocent demure girlfriend Diedre (Amanda Eckstut). The show was held in COMs studio theater which lends to a more intimate feel than the larger James Dunn theater. With the dim candlelit setting and the quaint

This show is pretty hilarious overall. The whole cast had a really good chemistry.

Photo by Robin Jackson Deidre McDavey (Amanda Eckstut) pleads with Andrew Rally (Brendan Cobia) to continue his performance as Hamlet.

-- Lindsay John, audience member

feel of a vintage apartment its almost impossible not to feel like youre really there. Highlights included many special effects, such as smoke machines for when Barrymores ghost appears, as well as lighting effects during the seance to speak to the late actor. A fencing scene takes place just before intermission. Both Cobia and Isen had to take extensive lessons with fight choreographer Richard Squeri. Fencing was something Ive never done, but it was a great experience and it was definitely my favorite part of the show, said Cobia. The rehearsals for the play lasted about five weeks, which couldnt have been an easy feat for director Jeffrey Bihr. Working with Jeffrey was amazing. Hes so creative and concise. I feel like Ive grown as an actor by just working with him, and he has a lot to offer to the theater and it was an honor to be a part of his show, Cobia said. Audience member Lindsay John said, This show is pretty hilarious overall. The whole cast had a really good chemistry especially Barrymore and Rally. Every single aspect of the show worked, and I was never bored.

Photos by Robin Jackson The ghost of actor John Barrymore (Chuck Isen) tries to convince Andrew Rally (Brendan Cobia) to play Hamlet.

14

First Person

College of marin

Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

Analysis: five years of campus construction

By Dale Robertson
ECHO TIMES

hese photos of the new College of Marin Kentfield campus buildings are the result of the Measure C that passed with a 60% vote in 2004, and a five year long photo journalism project by a disabled sophomore student. As the spring 2013 semester ends, people are familiarizing themselves with the large brand-new Math Science Medical building. Why would anyone in their right mind, spend five years with no pay, wheelchairbound and challenged with numerous medical conditions, yet photographically documenting the College of Marin measure C construction project. A very serious person reveled with the relentless passion of any amateur shutterbug! Taking photographs and video footage before, in between and after classes, in every possible spare second of his time capturing the moments of this ongoing renovation project at the College of Marin Kentfield campus. I ask myself that question all the time. Why do I do this? My name is Dale Robertson, and this is my story. In 2004 the news came to Marin County communities the College of Marin had received a $249.5 million dollar fund through Measure C to undergo construction of several new buildings at the Kentfield and Indian Valley campus. At the time, I was well into finishing almost all of my architecture classes at the Kentfield campus. Being very fascinated about the process of out with the old and in with the new, I started taking pictures of this process. Ironically, at the time, professor Georgie Goldberg, a state licensed architect, asked all of the advanced design students, myself being one of them to design and build a model of what we think the new fine arts building should look like. Her direction to us suggested a strong emphasis not to worry about how much it cost because, the sky is the limit. The first thing I did to start my design

process, as any architectural design person would do, was some serious ground research. I interviewed students, professors, maintenance personnel and faculty to see just what they would really like to see incorporated into new architecture proposed for the College of Marin Kentfield campus. The responses were overwhelming. Art professor Tron Bykle teaches printmaking and life drawing classes, and said, I want to see a bigger workspace for all of the printers and my students in my printing class. In my design, I gave the professors an extra 20 feet in both directions, increasing the size of the existing classroom they had worked in for so many decades. Sadly, the new fine arts building had very little to offer for Tron and some of the other professors and instructors who were hopeful in gaining the extra space they were all rooting for. Fine arts office manager Olga Borissova said, I want to see more office space for the professors in our new Fine Arts Building. The office count went from 10 rooms in the original building to six very small rooms shared by as many as six people, in what looks like a walk-in closet space office hardly big enough to hold a desk with one chair, let alone students with parents and one professor. Former college of Marin student David Quinnly said he would like to have seen a larger art gallery in order for all the students to show their pottery work at once during a complete semester. To understand the process of how architecture takes place from print to the actual construction of the building, you have to be there to see it. So I chose not only to be there, but to also learn the process of demolition, excavation and handling of materials to affect the building of a new structure. But as the economy went over the cliff in 2008, I saw my architectural future going over with it. Architectural engineer and personal friend, the late Mario Compi,

Both the new Science, Math and Nursing building and the new Performing Arts building were in process during January 2012.

Photos by Dale Roberts

who had inspired me to take courses in architecture back in early 2000, the late Mario Compi, said to me: Dale! You should find another profession fast. The architectural business is going to take a hard hit, in its architectural hiring jobs market in the coming years. And he was right. Armed with this sad information bestowed upon me by a mentor of great architectural talent, I immediately switch to film-making as a major in communications. Film is something Ive always loved to do my whole life. I remembered a story from my drafting professor at the College of Marin, the late Mark Gorrell, who made a film about the Salk Institute, in La Jolla, California as it was being built. He described to his experience of the joy to be able to photodocument and film the event of such a great architectural accomplishment by none other than one famous architect, known as Lewis Louis Kahn. Mark explained to me, being an architect and engineer is a great thing, however to be able to photo-document the final results of ones work in itself is the most rewarding endeavor. Because, you

will find yourself paying more detailed attention to the actual structure, its beauty and its form in its entirety, admiring the completed work. It is been seven years since Mark told me that story about the film the made of the Salk Institute. I remember in 2009, the event in front college of Marin Kentfield campus. When everybody showed up to celebrate the breaking of the ground to signify the new fine arts building would be underway. I was there with my cameras. I have literally thousands of pictures and untold hours of video footage. All of the work Ive done will be donated to the College of Marin archive, once Ive finished making my pseudo-random time lapse documentary of the construction of the newer buildings for the college of Marin. The summer of 2013 is upon us. I have already started filming the demise of Harlem centers beautiful trees that once stood there. I also have to wonder where COM will hold its next student Film Festival without our Olney Hall. The Emeritus Center, perhaps?

In January 2012, the new Fine Arts Building was in process of being built while the old one was being torn down and raised.

Writer/photographer Dale Roberts.

Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

ECHO TIMES

Travel

15

West Marin Inn continues to attract hikers

By Nicholas Bischoff
ECHO TIMES

semester can be stressful and distracting, and sometimes students need a quiet escape leaving behind the tweets of twitter for the songs of a Swainsons Thrush. Located above the coastal fog line at 1,800 feet above sea level stands the last remaining structure of the Mt. Tamalpais & Muir Woods Scenic Railway, the West Point Inn. Recently recognized as a National Historic Place, the inn is a perfect get-a-way right in Marins own backyard. In just a few hours hike from College of Marin, one can be on top of the world at this historic mountain retreat. The West Point Inn was built in 1904 as a restaurant and inn along on the crookedest railroad in the world, to accommodate the increasing number of people wanting to stay on the mountain. It got the name because its location of being the most western point of the railway the inns location was a key trail hub for those who wanted to hike the mountain or continue on the stagecoach to Bolinas. It is the only standing structure left from the Mill Valley and Mt. Tamalpais Scenic Railroad, and one of two surviving inns on the mountain. The inn, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in late 2011, stands as an important part of Bay Area history. It is one of the last remaining landmarks of the early 20th century hiking culture on the mountain. People would come over in ferries from the city to get to spend the day or the whole weekend on the mountain. Organized hiking groups, such as the Sierra Club and also the Viennabased Nature Friends, which still has their clubhouse overlooking Muir Woods, created a strong hiking culture on Mount

Photo by Nicholas Bischoff The historic West Point Inn has greeted visitors on the mountain for over a hundred years.

Benefits of becoming a member are discounts on staying at the inn and being able to attend member events.
Tamalpais. The West Point Inn was a destination for many hiking groups. Over its hundred-year life, not a lot has changed in the inn. The building has kept its historic architecture with few add-ons over the years. There is still no electricity available, the lights of the inn are powered by propane gas. But having no electricity hasnt stopped the association from hosting events such as the recent, Tango on the Mountain fundraiser, where they had a live tango band and a hand cranked Victrola record player spinning in between sets. This recent event echos times past when one 1920s inn keeper, Martin Kliewe, built a radio and used it to broadcast programs from San Francisco for guest to enjoy. The inn was under threat to be torn down, but in 1943 concerned citizens organized and created the West Point Inn Club. Now named as the nonprofit organization, the West Point Inn Association, the inn is run and maintained by roughly 470 volunteers. Most of these members are from Marin County, board president Marilyn Skaff says, adding that there are also members throughout the Bay Area and even across the country. These members help maintain the building and grounds and make sure everything runs smoothly. People become members to support the inn, explains one member Allen Reynolds, Other benefits of becoming a member are discounts on staying at the inn and being able to attend member events. The inn has become so popular that the organization has to cap membership for the first time because members are having a hard time reserving nights at the inn, Reynolds explains. Becoming a member does have its advantages of staying in the inn, you can reserve a room a month before the general public and you can attend members-only events such as West Marin Inns Heritage Night, which this year will be celebrating a century of the Mountain Play. Although becoming a member does have its advantages, anyone is able to stay the night. There are also public events such as the inns very popular pancake breakfast. Starting at College of Marin, this six-mile route takes hikers above the towns of Corte Madera and Mill Valley with grand views high above the Bay Area. Starting at College of Marin, students can walk through the Kent/Woodlands neighborhood and up on to the Indian Fire Road leading you along the ridge to the Hookooekoo Fire Road, named for the band of Coastal Miwok who lived in the area. Once past the Hookooekoo Fire road, hikers cross the Double Bow Knot, which was part of the old train line that would take you up to the Inn, and continue along the Hookooekoo trail to Matt Davis Trail. Matt Davis trail is named after the eponymous trail builder, who had built a cabin on the mountain and was called the dean of trail workers by the Tamalpais Conservation Club. Following Matt Davis Trail, hikers will come to the switchbacks of Nora Trail, which will lead you to the West Point Inn. This hike has great views and a diverse plant life along its trails. You will find flora Madrone, Manzantia, Bay Lauel, Douglas Fir and Redwoods along creek valleys. In the spring time check for the array of wild flowers including the Indian Paintbrush, Morning Glory, and Iris that dot the trails. The journey from College of Marin takes hikers through a variety of plant communities and views of the Bay Area. This six-mile hike is worth the trek. Through Marins long hiking tradition and dedication to preserving this historic landmark, the volunteers of the West Point Inn Association has created a wonderful hiking and overnight destination on the mountain and a great quiet place to finish that final paper.

Photo by Nicholas Bischoff Visitors spend the afternoon relaxing in a common room of the West Point Inn.

16

College of marin

Apr. 16 - May 10, 2013

Sports

Mariners phenomenal run finally halted

By Johnny Bransford
ECHO TIMES

fter the Mariners posted one of their best seasons to date, winning the Bay Valley Conference and posting a 19-5 record against conference foes, their season came crashing down quickly after being upset in the Regional Playoffs. Heading into Regionals, the Mariners were placed with the #3 seed, squaring off against in-conference foe, #13 Solano College. In a best 2 out of 3 series, the Mariners believed they had what it took to extend their season, especially with home field advantage throughout the entire series. Playing their first game under the hot sun, the Mariners and starting pitcher, Ben Herrick were able to contain the Falcons offense while keeping their bats hot, posting 5 runs. The Mariners handily won Game 1 by the score of 5-2. The next day, it looked as if the Mariners would be advancing to the next round, until the game took a tremendous turn in the Falcons favor. In the 9th inning, the Mariners led 2-0, bringing in Tyler Ihrig to pitch the final inning, who had a school-record 17 saves this season. Ihrig who had been more than consistent this year, allowed 4 hits and 3 runs to concede the win for the Mariners. The series being tied, meant they had to enter into Game 3. The Falcons came in carrying momentum from the game before and nailed 6 runs on the board, while the Mariners could only muster up 4, losing the final game and becoming eliminated

Photo by Kyle Dang The Mariners have had a great run this season and set two COM records, but unfortunately lost in the Regional Playoffs.

from the playoffs. Though this was a hard hit to the club, head coach Steve Berringer, was still impressed by the season his team had. In terms of the regular season, it was great. Im happy and proud of our guys, we had a historic run considering we havent won the Bay Valley Conference since 2009. As for the playoffs, Im shocked and disappointed. We had high expectations coming into the Regionals; we planned on playing for the State Championship. But, overall we had great success this year and our sophomores are going to reap the benefits, receiving upwards of $20,000 scholarships and continuing their baseball

careers, said Berringer. Ben Herrick and Tyler Ihrig both set College of Marin records this year, and are both looking forward to what the future has in store for them in the coming years. The fact that COMs success came from their pitching is something the Mariners look to continue the next season. It was a tale of two seasons really. The first season was great, we were Conference Champions and they cant take that away. The second season sucked. Theres really no other way to put it. I think we were, and still are stunned. After Game 1 going the way it did, we felt invincible, said Jake Barron, starting of the third game. Thats

just baseball. They beat us. They strung hits together and were patient at the plate, they played good defense and threw strikes. Its the most disappointed Ive felt as long as Ive been playing, and I dont think Im alone. We can go back and point fingers at this guy or this play, but thats not the kind of group we have. Its just what happens when you get beat. Although the season didnt end in the fashion the Mariners were hoping for, they can take pride with the numerous players that had an outstanding year, and hope to continue this recipe into next years campaign.

Calendar
Resources and Events
College of Marin Transfer Recognition Reception May 23rd 2013 at 5:30 p.m. Student Services Cafeteria, Kentfield To RSVP(by May 16th), stop by the transfer & Career Center with a copy of your acceptance letter. For more info please call 415.485.9671, or email Cynthia.lavi@ marin.edu Improv Theater May 18th and 23rd 8 p.m. in the Studio Theater PA 32 Advanced Voice Class Recital In Praise of Mothers May 20, 11:10 a.m. Lefort Recital Hall, PA 72, COM Kentfield Campus Marin Oratorio: Judas Maccabaeus by George Frideric Handel Boyd Jarrell, director May 18, 8 p.m. May 19, 3 p.m. James Dunn Theatre, Kentfield Donation suggested: $20 general; $15 students, staff, seniors, and alumni Call 415.485.9687 for information and ticket reservations or purchase tickets online at www.marinoratorio.org Piano Repertoire Concerts Jean Alexis Smith, director May 21, 3:30 p.m. May 22, noon Lefort Recital Hall, PA 72, COM Kentfield College Chorus and Chamber Singers Gloriana Boyd Jarrell, director Jeffrey Paul, accompanist May 21, 7:30 p.m. James Dunn Theatre, Kentfield Fine Arts Department Faculty Exhibition Showcases the many art disciplines taught at College of Marin. Through May 25 Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fine Arts Gallery, Kentfield Campus (Performing Arts Building corner of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Laurel Avenue) Admission free. Open to public. 86th Commencement Exercises Friday, May 24, 6 p.m. Diamond Physical Education Center, Kentfield Campus Graduating students will begin checking in at 5:00 p.m. Report to the Diamond Physical Education Center. Follow directional signs to the graduate check-in area.

Softball
May 16 State - TBA May 17 State - TBA May 18 State - TBA

Men & Womens Track and Field

May 17-18 State Meet San Mateo - All Day

May 16 Last Day of Class before Final Exams May 17 - 5/23 Final Exams

Important Dates to Remember

May 18 Final Exam for Saturday classes May 27 Holiday--Campuses closed June 11 Final Grades Available: mycom. marin.edu