Scores of angry parents — their young children in tow — jammed the cafeteria of a San Ysidro elementary school recently to complain to the school board about dysfunction, corruption and poor education in their challenged community hanging onto the very corner of the United States. Despite the clamor, trustees seem bored, there are no reporters or camera crews from commercial media, and even many of the red-faced parents and teachers acknowledge that this kind of noisy outpouring is nothing …

Vandalism of a poster inviting students to a meeting of the Gay-Straight Alliance is being investigated by college officials as a hate crime. Club members found a handmade poster hanging near the campus pool vandalized with disparaging anti-gay words just before spring break. Tammy Nguyen, vice president of the GSA, said a member drew purple hearts around the hateful words then brought it to Nguyen’s attention. “When I got over there, I saw people staring at it,” Nguyen said. “They …

There is something new on the Internet and it is not more cat pictures. Southwestern College’s website was updated for the first time in years and the reviews are mostly positive. Vision Internet was paid $34,975 to redesign the website in 2009 following the controversial dismissal of web designer Eli Singh by former president Dr. Raj K. Chopra. A newer version was unveiled this semester. Online instructional support specialist Larry Lambert said the website was in need of an update due to its age. “It’s a completely new website,” he said. “We had to do something because the server it was on was old. The whole thing was just completely out of date so we had to go get another …

TAG, you’re no longer it. First-year UCSD chancellor Dr. Pradeep Khosla announced he is ending the 29-year-old Transfer Admission Guarantee program which ensured UC transfer to students who maintained pre-agreed criteria. He is replacing it with University Connect, a program he insists will better serve South Bay students. Mae Brown, UCSD Vice Chancellor and Director of Admissions, called it an upgrade for community college students of the southern region. “University Connect is meant to serve the San Diego and Imperial …

Southwestern College journalism students were presented with the American Scholastic Press Association 2013 Community Service Award for its defense of free speech, support of diversity and coverage of campus corruption during the Chopra administration. El Sol magazine, produced by students in the Campus Newspaper Production class when budget permits, was honored by the College Point, New York organization this month. SWC’s student newspaper, The Sun, was also honored, and was named America’s best community college newspaper. “The Southwestern College El Sol magazine has been a clarion for the power and light of diversity by highlighting examples of multiculturalism at work and creating understanding through education,” read the ASPA statement. “El Sol…has created awareness of other cultures, and built tolerance and …

Longfellow wrote, “The best thing one can do when it rains is let it rain.” John Brown doesn’t buy it. He said the best thing to do is to fix the leaky roof. Southwestern College’s Student Center has not been giving visitors shelter from the storm in recent months due to a roof that lets a little rain in sometimes. Like most cases of a glass ceiling, this one is a tough fix. “It is not like someone can walk up there and patch it,” said Aaron Starck, director of student development and health services. “We’re dealing with what we have to at this point.” Starck recently inherited the problem when he switched places with Arlie Ricasa, who has been …

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At Thursday’s special governing board meeting, a total of 12 applicants presented their qualifications for the Seat #1 vacancy. The applicants were narrowed down to six.   …

Former Southwestern College superintendent Raj K. Chopra appeared in San Diego County Superior Court today, his first public appearance since the district attorney began serving search warrants and issuing indictments in December 2011. Chopra arrived with a small group that included his driver, his son and his attorney, Michael Attanasio. Chopra joined 11 other defendants in court this morning for the final steps of the arraignment proceedings in the trial now known as the South Bay Corruption Case. Each defendant …

Citing frustration over college administration’s threats of layoffs and his inability to get accurate budget figures, Southwestern College Governing Board Member William Stewart resigned on March 1, only four months after he was elected. His resignation sent a shockwave through the campus community. Board members, administrators, faculty and classified employees expressed disbelief, disappointment, confusion and anger in the sudden and unexpected decision by the board’s newest member. Stewart informed The Sun that he was resigning out of frustration with district …