Southwestern Suitors

"Name-calling" whining? Sounds like classic Nick Alioto to me (VP of Business at SWC and Chopra's chosen heir to the throne--despite the fact that Alioto's big degree is CPA, which means nada in academia, as it should). Bottom line: it's way easier to call names than it is to tell the truth--just compare the relative length of posts. That's our problem, readers of The Reader: how much do you want to know? how much are you willing to read? Power has sound-bites on its side. . . . http://saveourswc.blogspot.com/2010/08/swc-in-new…
— August 12, 2010 8:17 p.m.

Southwestern College's Proper Snack Bar

Odder still, this is not the first time the snack bar consultant (Wilkie Enterprises) has been hired. Wilkie Enterprises appears on the Nov. 14, 2007 Governing Board Agenda for $3,000 (11D, page 12): http://www.swccd.edu/Pdfs/GBAgenda11-14-07.pdf On February 13, 2008, Susan Wilkie and Director of Food Services Joe Fighera reported their findings to the Board (7A, page 2): http://www.swccd.edu/Pdfs/GBAgenda2-13-08.pdf The supposed goal of the consultation was to increase the solvency of food services. (It's common knowledge on campus that the cafeteria runs deeply in the red.) All of Wilkie's recommendations, however, focused on the independently run Tradewinds coffee shop and Jimmy J's coffee cart. As far as I understand, those were not the areas losing money--the main cafeteria was. But there weren't any recommendations addressed to that. Now Wilkie is back (at $11,500) to advise on the snack bar. Will she recommend another "smoothie concept"? (her big contribution back in 2008, which was never implemented anyway). Why is a consultant whose advice wasn't used two years ago being retained again for almost quadruple the money? And why does the college keep throwing cash at Director of Food Services Joe Fighera, who makes a six-figure salary despite consistently losing money in his main area? For more background, see this article from the award-winning Southwestern College Sun: http://www.southwesterncollegesun.com/2.9184/chan…
— July 23, 2010 9:23 a.m.

Baja California Sur – like Leucadia of the ’70s

I hardly ever read the Reader anymore, but I was really glad that I chose to read this piece. Great job, Sorensen. And keep the ring tone!
— October 12, 2009 6:39 p.m.