Toward the end of the spring semester, as some 30,000 students prepared to take finals, the Board of Trustees announced plans for a campaign that would increase enrollment at Santa Monica College. “It’s already hard enough to get the classes I need," said Jackie Cole, an SMC student. "I can only imagine what it’s going to be like in semesters...

The vigils still stand. Months after the shooting rampage that left six dead, traces of the tragedy that ended on campus are virtually gone, except for the candles and flowers that still stand where victims died. Since the shooting, school administrators have pushed the revamping of Santa Monica College's security to the top of their priority list, taking time and...

For the eighth time, TAG Gallery hosted the annual California Open Exhibition at Bergamot Station Arts Center from Aug. 14 through Aug. 19. The competition, which is curated by a different juror each year, was founded by Valeries Mendez in 2005 and was originally limited to Californian artists, but is now a nationwide exhibition, according to Laura Korman, director of...

National and ethnic boundaries disappeared Sunday night at the Broad Stage when the Yuval Ron Ensemble set it alight with music that celebrated the diversity of Middle Eastern culture, while at the same time promoting a message of peace for a darkened world. The Yuval Ron Ensemble, which was featured in PBS "Holiday Celebration" and honored with the Los Angeles...

The Santa Monica College Corsairs football team is coming off back-to-back conference championships for the first time in decades. As they prepare to defend their title, one benefit their impressive record affords them are standout recruits — even players formerly from Division I programs. "With our recent success, word has spread how we treat guys," said head coach Gifford Lindheim....

Santa Monica College named a new athletic director over the summer, Ricardo Hooper, replacing Joe Cascio who accepted a position at Long Beach Community College. Hailing from California State University, San Bernadino, Hooper emphasized how SMC was, "a new environment." "With 3,400 students, I'm really excited," said Hooper. Hooper started out as a football coach at Nicholls State University, in...

The life of the average American has become quite trivial as of late. Your neighbor asks you how your day is going and your preprogrammed response is, “Pretty good, how about yours?” The biggest dilemma most of us face on a daily basis is running late for work or school, or racing home to watch our favorite television shows. It...

Although the initiative to label genetically engineered foods, Proposition 37, was defeated by California voters last November, the debate over whether to make these labels mandatory rages on as organizations continue to rally in the midst of a changing public opinion. The cafeteria at Santa Monica College is always a busy environment where you can find students socializing with their...

As the hot summer nights are winding down and classes are picking up, the Santa Monica Pier continues to hold free concerts on Thursday nights. Even in its 29th year, the Twilight Concerts at the Pier still manage to attract crowds that make their way to the weekly event. Santa Monica's traditional concert series started on July 11 and showcases...

Santa Monica College's reputation is under the microscope after the numerous threats and tragedies that transpired on campus this year. Within a span of a few months, talk of pepper spray evolved into a semiautomatic rifle attack, leaving five people dead. The words bomb, suicide, guns and death still ring in students' ears. So, the question then arises, is the...