Trustees Alexander and Weeks receive fond farewell

Group photo. Moving right from kneeling student trustee Christopher Enders are Joan Alexander, Rick Alexander, Deanna Weeks, and Dr. John Weeks.

By William Dudley

CUYAMACA COLLEGE– It was “the end of an era” according to Dr. Cindy L. Miles, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.

November 16 marked the final day of a combined 26 years of service for two Board trustees of the GCCCD: Rick Alexander, trustee since 1990, and Deanna Weeks, trustee since 2004. Both chose not to stand for office in the recent election.

Their contributions were celebrated at a special reception prior to the regularly-scheduled board meeting on November 16. Both events were held at the Cuyamaca College Student Center, a building that did not exist when Alexander and Weeks first joined the board.

Grossmont loses game, gains bowl berth

 By William Dudley

GROSSMONT COLLEGE–The Grossmont Griffins have one more chance to conclude the 2010 football season with a win.

 Their last regular-season game was a hard-fought loss to the Palomar College Comets last Saturday at Escondido High School. Grossmont clawed back from a 27-14 deficit to take the lead 28-27 in the third quarter, only to fall behind again. A second comeback fell short, leaving the final score 35-43.

But Grossmont had the last laugh becaused they finished with a 6-4 record — enough to be bowl-eligible, while Palomar finished 5-5. And on Monday it was announced that Grossmont is going to the Beach Bowl. They will play Santa Ana College (8-2) at Santa Ana Stadium on November 20 at 6 p.m.

Grossmont wallops Pasadena 69-34

 

 By William Dudley

Running back Darrin Alix breaks a tackle in the first quarter of Saturday's game against Pasadena City College. (Photo: Andy Wilhelm)

GROSSMONT COLLEGE –The Griffins finished the home portion of the 2010 football season with a satisfying flourish, thumping the Pasadena Lancers 69-34 at a blessedly cool Mashin-Roth Memorial Field.

The victory ended a three-game losing streak, marked Grossmont’s first football win over Pasadena in seven tries, and kept hopes alive for a bowl game and playoff run.

It also featured many strong plays by second-year students playing their last game at Grossmont College.

As has been the case in many of this season’s wins, the Griffins ran up a big lead early. Quarterback Ryan Woods and receiver Roland Brookes connected on a 72-yard pass play to open the scoring early in the first quarter. A 2-yard run by Helix High product Patrick Arize and an 18-yard Woods pass to Adrian Ferguson, combined with a sack-happy Grossmont defense, created a 21-0 first quarter lead.

Two new faces elected to college district board

By William Dudley

EL CAJON–The Republican wave sweeping over the United States in last Tuesday’s elections did not reach the Grossmont-Cuyamaca  Community College District Board. Voters elected Deborah Justeson and Edwin Hiel to the GCCCD Board of Governors, rejecting two Republican-endorsed candidates in the process.

Hiel was elected to Seat 1 with 52.19% of the vote, defeating Leland R. Ping and Ryan Lee Baker. He will take Seat 1 being vacated by Deanna Weeks.

Justeson won Seat 2 with 55.83% of the vote over Orrin Kole, and will replace Rick Alexander on the Board of Governors.

Incumbent Gregg Barr ran unopposed for Seat 3.

Events told for Oct 18-23 Spirit Week on Grossmont campus

GROSSMONT COLLEGE — The Associated Students of Grossmont College (ASGC) is sponsoring a series of contests and other events during Spirit Week, which this year will run from October 18 to October 23.

Events Monday through Thursday will run from 11-1 at the Upper East Quad (the grassy knoll near Sodexo’s new location).

Monday will have a hula hoop contest and a root beer pong contest, as well as music and prizes.

Tuesday will feature a mini-soccer game and a water balloon toss, as well as music and prizes. Students are also encouraged to support the Grossmont women’s soccer team at their 1 pm game on the football field.

On Wednesday students can play mini-volleyball, compete in a 3-legged race, and buy (at “non-Sodexo prices”) hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, water, and lemonade at the student-sponsored BBQ. Proceeds will go towards a Grossmont student scholarship fund. 

Thursday is “Wear Green and Gold” day. The action moves to the Main Quad, with the BBQ and musical entertainment by “Republic of Letters” and “Yung D.“ Benefit sticker holders are eligible for a gift card drawing.

On Friday morning donuts and coffee will be sold at the Upper East Quad.  The Woman’s Volleyball team will play Southwestern at the Gym at 5 pm.

Finally, on Saturday, the football Griffins battle Mt. Sac at 1 pm on the football field, in a battle of top-ranked teams.    – William Dudley

Flood outlines relationship between Sodexo and Grossmont College

Grossmont VP Tim Flood displays cover of Sodexo action plan

William Dudley

GROSSMONT COLLEGE — What is the relationship between Sodexo and Grossmont College?  As controversy swirled on campus about the quality of Sodexo’s service, the man in charge of food on campus, Tim Flood, Grossmont’s Vice President for Administrative Services, graciously took a few minutes to answer some questions

Flood chairs the Food Service Advisory Committee that meets periodically to discuss food-related issues. 

He said that Sodexo is the latest on a long line of private vendors. Flood recalled Aeromark as the food vendor when he started at Grossmont a decade ago. That was followed by Fresh ‘n Natural, Aztec Shops, and finally Sodexo.

The process of selecting a food vendor is an exhaustive one.  The GCCCD calls for private companies to submit bids (RFPs), which are then reviewed by the district. A committee of staff, faculty and students do taste tests, visit other colleges or sites the vendor serves, all to make a recommendation for whom to select. Then the district has to negotiate the contract itself. The process can take months.

Sales are significantly down from last year. Flood said that the disruption caused by construction undoubtedly has a role. He also said sales last year may have been abnormally  high because faculty and staff did not park on campus at all (during parking lot construction) and were shuttled in instead, leaving them even more “trapped” on campus and dependent on Sodexo for lunch. Grossmont is affected by this because Grossmont College makes money off of Sodexo food sales. According to the current contract, the first half million in “net sales” that Sodexo earns in a year is theirs to keep. Grossmont gets a 6 percent commission, or $30,000, on the next half million, and a 7 percent commission, or $35,000, for the following half million.

ASGC responds to student complaints about campus food

ASGC VP Edwin Cruz examines letters about Sodexo's service

By William Dudley

William Dudley

GROSSMONT COLLEGE — When Grossmont students get hungry, can they find adequate food choices and service on campus? Not according to some students, including board members of the Associated Students of Grossmont College (ASGC).
The ASGC has been receiving complaints about campus food and Sodexo, the French multinational corporation that is contracted by the college district to operate most eateries at both the Grossmont and Cuyamacca campuses. In response, the student association has set up information booths to educate students and solicit input on their food experiences with Sodexo. ASGC plans to make student concerns heard at the next meeting of the Food Advisory Committee, scheduled for October 21 at 3 p.m. at the College Conference Center.
ASGC Board member Sikarra Devers has collected and read some student complaints and has noticed several themes. One is that students are dissatisfied with the food choices available, especially the absence of fresh and healthy food (an issue covered by the Summit here). Students taking evening classes have complained that there are even fewer choices available to them because of Sodexo’s limited hours of operation.   
 
Students have also complained about the lack of value for money. ASGC Vice President Edwin Cruz estimates that while five dollars can buy enough food to feed two or three students at a place like Fresh ‘N Easy, it can barely buy enough to feed one person from Sodexo facilities. But many students, according to Devers, say that going off campus to eat is not an option because of class schedules and parking hassles.
 
Another complaint has been how students are treated by Sodexo employees, with some students saying customer service has been poor and even rude, and that employees who did provide good service have been let go.
 
Roger Stillman, who arrived a few weeks ago as the interim  general manager for Sodexo operations at Grossmont, stated that Sodexo “is aware there have been concerns raised,” saying further that “we are working the best we can with what we have.”

El Camino forfeit turns Grossmont into an undefeated team with 5-0 record

By William Dudley

William Dudley

GROSSMONT COLLEGE — A rules infraction by El Camino College has resulted in its football team forfeiting its first four games, including its Sept. 11  game against Grossmont College.

What had been Grossmont’s only loss thus far is now an official 1-0 win.

The California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA), the governing body that makes and enforces rules for intercollegiate athletics, determined that El Camino had used an ineligible player for its first four games. 

In an e-mail sent to members of the Southern California Football Association Monday evening, Oct. 4,  SCFA commissioner Jim Sartoris announced that because of the rules violation, “their games are forfeited as per Article 7.4.12.3 of the CCCAA/COA Constitution.”

Cougars’ errant long snaps aid Griffins’ 36-18 football victory

By William Dudley

William Dudley

SANTA CLARITA — The Grossmont College Griffins combined six fumble recoveries, excellent team defense, steady leadership  from QB Ryan Woods, and encouraging signs of life from its running game to craft a convincing 36-18 victory over the College of the Canyon Cougars in Saturday evening’s road game in Santa Clarita.

I should also mention Grossmont’s long snapper, whoever he may be (Matthew Poulin, a freshman from St. Augustine in San Diego, is listed as such in the Grossmont roster), even though neither his name nor his snaps were mentioned by the game‘s radio announcers while I monitored the game from my home in San Diego County.

The long snapper — the person who throws the football between his legs to a target yards behind him for punts and field goal kicks and such — generally prefers anonymity because he has one of those jobs that is only noticed when something goes wrong.

Grossmont’s snapper achieved this desired anonymity, as the only time the announcers mentioned long snaps (which they did often) was when the Cougars were doing the snapping. They snapped high, they snapped low, they bounced snaps to the quarterback in shotgun position (several yards behind center). One snap hit a Cougar receiver running in motion; another snap sailed yards above a punter‘s head and into the end zone for a Grossmont safety.

QB Ryan Woods, #7, credits dad and teammates

 

Grossmont quarterback Ryan Woods delivers a pass in Saturday's game against Orange Coast College. Woods would finish the day with 376 yards through the air. (Photo: Andy Wilhelm)

By William Dudley

William Dudley

GROSSMONT COLLEGE – “Quarterback is a question mark.”

That was local football guru Bill Dickens’ conclusion in his preseason scouting of local community college teams. Grossmont had a good front seven on defense and a “decent set of running backs and receivers,” but the departure of quarterbacks Brandon Fricke and Matt Jarvis left a void in that important position.

Four games into the season, that question mark has been erased and then some with the emergence of Ryan Woods. The 6’2, 190-pound sophomore from Sacramento was buried deep in the QB depth chart last season, and his on-field play was limited to holding the ball for field goals and extra points. But Woods has gotten off to a torrid start this season in leading the Griffins to wins in three of their first four  games.

Woods has completed 102 of 157 passes (a 65 percent success rate) for 1423 yards and 12 touchdowns.} This includes his September 18 game against Southwestern, in which he tied a Grossmont record by throwing for six touchdowns. Woods did not know he had tied the record until he read about it the next day.