Midterm Week - Part 2

Oumou & All,

Thanks for asking... I'll copy this onto the class blog.

The blog is essentially your reading journal. The specific topics given week to week are designed to have you relate the reading for that week to your experience with your community partner, and the questions and answers that everyone is supposed to post by Monday and Wednesday respectively are designed to ensure that students are both reading and mentally interacting with the chapters.

The midterm itself will be in the format of short answer questions, 1-2 paragraphs in length, relating to the chapters read thus far as well as to your community partner experience.

If anyone has questions prior to Wednesday, please feel free to post them here.

PA

MIdterm Week!

Please don't forget that this is midterm week - you will take your midterm exam when we meet on Wednesday. You also had a paper due last week. If you didn't turn it in already, please do so when I see you on Wednesday. Your midterm status grade will encompass the paper, the exam, attendance, participation and blog entries.

See you Wednesday!

PA

All locked-down and no place to go

So this last week I attempted to teach my third installment of property crimes: vandalism/destruction of property. I say "attempted" because upon arriving in San Mateo Juvenile Hall, getting through security, and attempting to go to the unit, I was told that the unit had been place on lock-down due to an "incident" and that I would not be allowed inside. They said the lock-down should be over by next week (barring any more "incidents") so I guess the lesson will have to wait.

On a good note, though, one student who I had in all of my class sessions had some luck with his case. I felt in talking with him that he was being grossly overcharged by the district attorney and that if he was guilty of anything it was significantly less-severe than the charges would have you believe. I had gotten a hold of his public defender's number and it turned out she believed the same thing and wanted to force the D.A. to go to trial as quickly a possible to expose this lack of evidence. Going to trial is always a risky thing, but they did it, and this week the young man is being released after all the charges against him were dropped. I told him if he is doing well in 30 days to give me a call and I'll buy him lunch. Just like the pizza, I intend to deliver.

Ride along experience.... so much fun

This ride along that I went on Wednesday was a lot more fun then I expected.... but not a lot happened. They had me sign this liability form, which I expected. I just thought it was funny that all the police officers I met separetely that day said, "Remember when your officer says duck, you duck. When he says run, you run." I mean literally everyone there said it. After reading the incredibly clear liability contract, I was kind of like..... well duh!

I rode along with two officers. Their last names escape me sadly. Their first names are Paul and Rick. Paul was my planned ride along officer, but half way through it he was dispatched at a home in Foster City. I began to feel a little sad once I was told what happened, which I won't put online. Anyway, he had a lot of paperwork and stuff, so I was transfereed over to Officer Rick. Rick was older then Paul and definitely had more experience with Foster City PD. Paul has been with FCPD for 3 years while Rick has been there for 8 years. They both have children. I learned that you pretty much don't have to live in the community that you work for. Although there are many advantages and disadvantages to living in the community you work for. For one, your commute isn't bad at all if you live in Foster City. You can go home and have dinner or lunch on your break instead of eating crappy fast food. One serious disadvantage which I'm sure may be a bit awkward is running into a person you arrested or pulled over at Safeway or the bank. No one mentioned any of these details to me, but I can imagine it being weird. I also won't divulge on the internet, where the officers live.

I had fun asking them the question we are required to ask our community partners. I asked them 3 and of course I left my notes at home along with the syllabus. I'll talk about the one that stuck out the most to me and post the others in a separate post this evening after my ride along today. The question that required a lot more thought, was the question involving whether they can openly support a presidential candidate. I got very interesting yet similar responses and will definitely ask Sgt. Ticas this question. Paul comes from a military background, so he said that the Police department like the military have to remain impartial. I respect that! I can't say that I would exactly be thrilled to be pulled over by someone who would vote for Sarah Palin. I mean where is her brain?! I don't mean to digress, but seriously think about it? Rick pretty much said the same thing. He said that he definitely would not do it on the clock with his uniform on. I asked both Paul and Rick if they would do it off the clock and not in uniform. Paul said something ot the effect of absolutely not. Rick said that he definitely would not. I asked Rick, what if he felt strongly about a candidate. He said that he doesn't think that there is a rule that says you can't support a candidate at all, but if he was ever asked what do you do in the same "interview" he would stick to no comment. Besides what better way is there to show your support for a candidate other than voting for them.

I found that asking police officers questions on the record, was very difficult, but I really appreciate the fact that Paul and Rick tried their best and didn't just poo on my questions. I also found that this ride along experience kind of took away my feeling that police officers are like a a different breed. This really humanized them and they don't seem so Big Brother like anymore. Not to say that I don't respect them. If anything, I have more respect for them. To take on a job like the one they have and have a life outside of it. I mean I think that requires some major comparmentalizing. This also was kind of educational because now I understand the life style of a police officer. My boyfriend is going to go into the police academy and I didn't really understand how it would affect me. Now I do!

Anyway, I left my syllabus and textbook at home, so I won't be able to post questions until later this evening.

Price of 3 pizzas from Costco: $34.00; Earning the respect of 18 incarcerated youth: priceless

So last Friday I taught my second installment of theft crimes. We reviewed the stuff I covered last time and they really did remember a lot of what I talked about. For you reading this blog an important take-away is that the use of "force or fear" in the commission of most theft crimes elevates them to much more significant crimes. For examples, grand theft person becomes robbery and auto theft becomes carjacking. Just something to remember ; )

More importantly (to the youth at least), I brought in pizza, thus delivering on a promise and restoring some of their faith in the intentions and reliability of adults around them. They were definitely thrilled.

As to the questions, since the group-bargaining for unions is really hot right now:

1. What is collective bargaining?

2.Why is it considered such an important issue in states such as Wisconsin and Ohio

3. What states already don't have the power of collective bargaining and are generally considered less "union-friendly"?

4. Why can the attack on the power of unions be considered an attack on the Democratic Party? (I know this is a 4th question, but the first one was pretty easy ; )

===

As for tomorrow, I won't be in class as I have a meeting for work that I ended up being unable to reschedule. This is of course sad because I won't be able to rant on about the monetary roots of the tea party movement, why the current attack on unions will further erode the middle-class and polarize wealth even more than it already is, etc.

However, those are some good talking points should you guys decide to weight in on them ; )

half-way mark

my CP is going really going really good, the kids are really fun to be around. I've learned a lot from working with these kids, you cant expect all kids to react the same to new people in charge. um i havent notices any challenges yet there maybe some that i just havent seen but may be there. as of now i dont think i would like to change anything

1. how is the amount and type of authority determined? ( not talking about conservative wise)

2. how does the state determine how much money money goes toward each city and local government?

3. if each local government gets money but there seems to be one place that needs more then budgeted what happens?

state-local relations

Dillon's rule established that local governments may exercise only those powers explicitly granted to them by the state, those clearly implied by these explicit power, and those absolutely essential to the declared objectives and purposes of the the local government. In your words let me know why you think this rule was put in place?

From the perspective of state government, mandates are necessary to ensure that vital activities are performed and desirable goals are achieved. State mandates promote uniformity of policy. From your point of view, why would local governments see it differently?

Three types of state and local organizations are common: task forces, advisory commissions on intergovernmental relations, and departments of community affairs. Give me some examples of some of these organizations.

(Insert clever title here)

Like David, I'm almost at the end of my catchy-title- rope...but unlike David, I won't admit it when I get there.

Oooook. So. I can not believe how quickly this semester is going by. February came and went with less than half a snap of a finger.

Good news is: I shouldn't be too stressed out over midterms..hopefully.

Better news: Spring break is coming up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think this is going to be a really great spring break since

Even better news: I am in the process of creating a proposal and taking it to 1.) My group for the community partner project. 2.) My old roommates. 3) The RA staff 4.) The undergraduate student leader body 4.) My boss.

I want to get as many opinions as possible for before I take it to my boss and have her shoot it down for being underdeveloped...or have her simply think it's ill-placed or that I'm an idiot.

Plus, even though I'm an RA, I need to learn about what happens to students after I document them. I know that they have a hearing if the incident is serious enough, but I have no idea what could come out of that hearing.

On my C/P agenda before spring break

1.) Find out what the judicial process entails after I have seen and documented a scenario...because me, the other RA, and other students in the immediate vicinity are the only witnesses

2.) Finish talks with students and take their concerns to the police chief

3.) Draft a proposal and take it to the aforementioned people

4.) Meet again with the police chief and show him students' ideas.

Thus far, my CBL assignment has been nothing short of a learning experience. I am learning about the current NDNU student community, about the administration, and the energy associated with the theory of cause, effect, and reaction.

So, right now there is an NDNU issues Facebook page being updated daily with students posting grievances about things wrong with the university. Problems range from housing to library hours to the way advising is done.

I blogged a few weeks ago about my wonderful Friday night experience on duty. While I don't necessarily take back my criticisms, I do to a degree agree with the student body.

I can understand, though I don't agree with, the way students try to find things to do on campus. If you're looking for something to do every Friday or Saturday night, and you've chosen not to do homework because you're too cool for school (I don't understand how people don't do homework on Friday and Saturday, it's the only way I can get it all done)...what do you do?

This isn't a recent epiphany, I just feel that it's worth mentioning.

I do share some of these grievances. Whatever the constraints may be, I am really annoyed that the library isn't open 24 hours- and that whenever we have a three day weekend, the library takes the ENTIRE weekend off rather than just the holiday itself.

I've learned things are not as organized as they could be, and that people make mistakes- it doesn't mean that they're irresponsible. When students don't know the entirety of a situation and it adversely affects them (not so adversely, maybe just inconveniences them a bit), they are quick to express utter disgust and hatred for any and all that may be responsible...and perhaps understandably so.

The members of this class who have been following my blog may have picked by now that I am a fairly open person. Further, I'm never in state of mind that makes me inaccessible.

This goes to say that if residents have these issues...they don't bring them to me.

I've learned so far that the Belmont Police Department is interested in punishment rather than prevention...and they don't even know it.

Of all of the ideas they had- firewatch, first chance, arrest, jail....community service was the most sensible. I mean, if someone has to do firewatch, that means they are on RA duty with me...except they have to wear a big red hat that says 'I should be ashamed of myself for drinking'

Do I need to point out the problems with this picture?

This has probably been my biggest challenge working with BPD. They see: problem, what's causing the problem, let's take 'em down, problem fixed.

I see: Problem, what's causing the problem, what is at the root of what's causing the problem, how do we fix this without losing sight of the fact that we are kids and it's hard to change minds, what has worked in the past, what works at other schools, let's try to fix it.

I don't know if my way of looking at this is a problem, but I just see it as a bit more empathetic a thorough than that of someone who is much older and is used to policing rather than being in the environment, knowing specifically who needs help, and trying to understand it. There are many facets to this issue: socioeconomic, age, and culture of upbringing to name a few.

In the second half of the semester, I'd like to sensitize the police department.

I'm enjoying the position less than I thought I would, but that's not to say I'm not enjoying it.

I think from this experience I will extract that understanding of cause and effect, and that BPD is also reacting to their experiences with this campus.

Study Questions:

1.) What effects would city-county consolidation have on local communities. In it exists one fire department, one fire department for a geographic area encompassing several cities and counties.

2.) What would a cost and benefit analysis of city-county consolidation look like?

3.) Does California set forth home rule?

Wisconsin protests

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/02/19/wisconsin.budget/index.html?hpt=T2

Riding along tonight at 8pm

I will add to my post later all the questions I am going to ask Sgt. Martin Ticas tonight. I will also talk about my experience since this will be my first ride along ever.

Here are my three questions from the reading of Chapter 6:

1. Do you think gerrymandering should be illegal?
2. Do you think we should repeal the term limit in California for legislators?
3. Do you think that the term limit of legislators hurt California or help?

Week 6 and I'm already out of clever titles for my blog post

Last Friday I gave a lesson on property crimes (much less controversial than my previous topic). Property crimes are generally broken into two categories: theft and vandalism. I covered theft, but will likely have to continue it this week as they left my waiting at the first sally-port for about 20 minutes (there's probably a clever title in here somewhere involving a sally-port and legislature, but it isn't coming to me) and so I couldn't really cover the entire lesson. However, the class was great and I promised them that if they beat the record on an ice-breaker I'd see if I could get permission to bring them pizza. I get the feeling they don't believe me, but my contact at San Mateo JH just got promoted to a pretty high position so I might have enough pull to do it. Most of the youth are in there for either property crimes or drugs so this particular lesson was pretty relevant.

In terms of legislative change, my CP doesn't directly do any work in that regard. However, I previously mentioned the CCPOA, and they certainly do. It generally does this in 3 ways:

-By pouring money into campaigns in order to sway the election to legislators-to-be who may be more sympathetic to their cause

-By publicly coming out in support of a piece of legislature (this is especially effective when it is up to a public vote, such as ballot initiatives).

-By publicly supporting candidates for the legislature that they feel will be sympathetic to their cause (or at least more sympathetic than their opponent).

State Legislatures!!

Does your CP seek any legislative changes or has it in the past?

• I don't believe it does seek legislative change

What process does it use to attempt to make those changes?

• It doesn't seem to attempt to make these changes

What challenges has it encountered in its attempt to do so?

• I'm not really to sure how this applies

1. 
   

State of the Valley conference this Friday

----Original Message-----
From: Russell Hancock [mailto:hancock@jointventure.org]
Sent: Fri 2/11/2011 3:09 PM
To: Ali Ferdowsi
Subject: Special invitation for NDNU students to attend State of the Valley conference

Dear Professor Ferdowsi:

My name is Russell Hancock and I¹m the president of Joint Venture: Silicon
Valley Network. I also teach in the public policy program at Stanford.

I¹m writing to invite your students to join us at the State of the Valley
conference happening next Friday, February 18th in downtown San Jose. We¹re
making a deep (very deep) discount available to studentsentire day (the actual price is $150)--and we¹re able to do this because the
costs are being underwritten by our corporate sponsors.

What is State of the Valley? I¹m including a lengthier description below,
but the short version is that it¹s Silicon Valley¹s annual ³town hall²
meeting. There will be 1,200 people there, and these are the Valley¹s
leaderscapitalists, labor leaders, journalists, and more. The day is extremely
substantive, rooted in data, and features national figures and our local
thought leaders. We¹ll be hearing this year from Obama¹s chief economic
advisor, the heads of our key agencies, prize-winning journalists, and even
a guy portraying Thomas Jefferson.

For their $40 your students will get breakfast, a sit-down lunch, copies of
the 2011 Silicon Valley Index, and the book Becoming Jefferson¹s People.
They¹ll also have full access to the booths and exhibits, they¹ll be able to
text questions to the speakers, listen to the music and performers, and have
full access to what the Mercury calls ³Silicon Valley¹s best networking
opportunity.² Most importantly, they¹ll see with their own eyes how the
leaders of our region come together, assess, and make priorities.

So may I trouble you to forward this email to the students in your program?
To attend, all they have to do is go to the Joint Venture website
(www.jointventure.org). There, they will discover a suite of pages detailing
the conference. To get the student discount, they need to type ³student² as
their discount code on the registration page. If there are questions, they
can call our office.

Many thanks! We¹ll be so pleased to have lots of interested young people
joining us.

Sincerely,

Russ

P.S. Dr. Judith Greig is on our board of directors and regularly attends
State of the Valley. She¹ll vouch for the conference and it¹s value to
students.

............................................................................
..
Russell Hancock, Ph.D.
President & Chief Executive Officer
Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network
100 West San Fernando Street, Suite 310
San Jose, California 95113
(408) 298-9330
ww.jointventure.org

A much less eventful Friday night

I am on RA duty again this Friday, and scores of fire trucks and police cars are not spread over campus. I get off at 2am, so I'm hoping campus remains this lovely until then. :)

Looking over each week's blog topic for the rest of the semester, I am seeing the nature of my community partnership with Belmont Police Department will not allow me to answer questions in exactly the manner they are asked. I do not have weekly interface with the inner workings of the police department, so I am answering to the best of my knowledge.

The Belmont Police department does not directly make changes to state legislature. The police department serves primarily as a mechanism for the preservation of order and safety, as well as an overseer and keeper of communities. It does not seem as though the police department has much influence on state legislature. Police officers jurisdiction is law enforcement, not passing legislation.

In attempt to make legislative changes, the department could send proposal to the city council, who would in turn accept or reject the proposal on the basis of appropriateness, system, institution, and bureaucracy.

YAY! Finally!

I'm super excited this morning. I got an email from Sgt. Martin Ticas today from Foster City PD and all I have to do now is take the syllabus to the Police Department to get approval from the police chief. Sgt. Martin Ticas said that from the sound of the project and the class that there would be no major problem stopping me from doing the ride a longs. I'm so excited! I didn't realize that there would be soooo much bureacracy in one department. I'm glad that between visiting the police department, phoning them, and emailing them, I was able to get somewhere.

I don't know if police departments are discouraged from taking a stand in campaigns or candidates, but I have seen many commercials in Los Angeles where someone from the LAPD would say something like " we support this candidate." I would imagine that when they do take a stand it would be because they share the same core values that the police force would or because one of the candidate's goal is to change something in the police department that would benefit them in the long run. I don't think that the police department should be discouraged from taking a stand in what they believe in either. They are just like any other person. Sometimes, I feel like the police department needs a bit of humanizing.

Three Questions:
1. If there were no political parties other than the republicans or democrats, would we be able to reach decisions much faster in elections?

2. If a third party won an election, do you think that more would get done legislative wise, or less?

3. Do you think the electoral college hampers an election or is helpful?

Sentenced to Miss the Superbowl: My first week teaching in the hall

Friday I went into San Mateo Juvenile hall to deliver my first lesson in legal education to a group of incarcerated youth. Being a masochist, I decided to do sex crimes first figuring that if I can get through making them all as uncomfortable as possible in my first lesson that it can only get better from there on out. It actually went surprisingly well, and I found that real-life stories of sex-crime incidents resonate much more than abstract facts. Compared to this, though, I think that property crimes will be much easier.

My does not publicly support political campaigns or public issues, however that does not mean that the individuals within it don't. In fact, one of the most powerful lobbying machines in California is the CCPOA (California Correctional Peace Officers Association) which was founded back in '57, and is a giant union for correctional officers (of which the "counselors" in the hall are no doubt members).

The mission of the CCPOA (according to their website: http://www.ccpoa.org/) is to "promote and enhance the correctional profession, protect the safety of those engaged in corrections and advocate for the laws, funding and policies needed to improve prison operations and protect public safety." They have helped secure passage of numerous legislative bills favorable to union members, including bills that increase prison terms, member pay, and enforce current drug laws. In this way, my CP is very much active in politics.


In terms of my weekly chapter questions, here they go:

1. How has the recent verdict of Citizens United v. FEC changed campaign contributions in the U.S?
2. Are interest groups the bane of democracy or an example of it?
3. In what ways is the tea party movement different or similar to traditional Republicans.

Do they have to do with Politics?!

Weekly questions?

1. Why is it that only Republicans and Democrats get so much support and or coverage over the other partys such as the Green Party during the election?

2. Is this the reason why they don't win any elections?

3. Why is it so hard for one party to go out and try and appeal to the opposite party?

Does your CP participate in political campaigns or take public stands on campaigns or candidates?

• No, Park & Rec doesn't take a stand when it comes to elections unless it has to do with Parks and Rec, and i feel that's because most there centers are used as polling places

Another one of my tangents...bear with me

It's only Saturday morning, and I've had quite an eventful weekend already. I went to sleep at 4am, and woke up at 10 to begin homework. I'm not complaining about this at all, I really love my position in all that I find myself involved in at the moment. I look forward to the what the rest of the week will ensue.

Is this a tangent introduction? Not quite.

The developments on campus and in the immediate vicinity this weekend have a special, interesting relevance to State and Local Government as well as the community partner requirement.

So, my weekend began with a Friday afternoon meeting with Belmont Chief of Police Don Mattei.

This little over an hour meeting ended in a verbal resolution to get the ball rolling on some kind of initiative with interface between administration and BPD to solve the problem in nightlife present on every college campus.

About eight hours ago, it seemed as though the stars were in alignment for my CP project. At about 1:40, I am driving up Ralston with a friend. We are coming back from In-N-Out in Redwood City, and a fire truck pulls out of the department driveway, heading up Ralston. If I know anything, a Belmont fire truck flaunting its raging loud sirens at 2 in the morning doesn't have much place to go besides..................................................you guessed it!

My friend lets me off behind new hall and drives back the other way to avoid the commotion and find a parking space.

So as an RA, I am to report myself to housing staff in these situations in case any kind of back up is needed. I find my supervisor and a fellow RA calming down a group of students.

Turns out, there were several emergencies last night- at least one of which could have been remedied through programs and solutions I discussed with the chief nine hours earlier.

I, of course need to speak with my supervisor about this. This will not be an easy or particularly short process. We need a mechanism [s] in place to turn campus culture from one of drunken weekends and passing grades to one in which striving for excellence is the norm.

As I check my Facebook this morning, my news feed is ridden with posts such as: "Way to go NDNU." or "Just another night at NDNU, a few people in the hospital, a few more kicked off campus, and things of the like.

I could not disagree more with these statements, but I do understand and empathize slightly with them.

I would like to pose this question to resident students of Notre Dame de Namur University:

Do you realize that you are in college? Do you realize that this is a college? Regardless of where you've been accepted, this is where you are?

Do you know that Stanford University, a mere 25 minutes away, the largest campus in this country does not face the problems we face? Is this because of the quality of students accepted there? Absolutely.

So now, to deflect blame from the Admissions Office of NDNU, let us consider this fellow students: There are many elements to a thriving college campus.

-General standards of excellence in academic programs. One is quality of professors and the academic standard of achievement, as well as norms of achievement unconsciously set by sophomores and upperclassmen.

-Another is quality of education and faculty of reasoned judgement in the general administration

-But a large part that students at NDNU seem to have trouble realizing is that success of a campus is determined by them.

YOU the student, determine the reputation of your campus. YOU the student decide whether or not you want to drink every weekend and damage yourself physically and mentally for the sake of a "great night". This unabashed "great night" mentality is the BIGGEST problem I see here. It encompasses all actions and attitudes of students who give NDNU the name it has.

-Drinking every weekend

-Intentionally not going to class, or showing up late to class

-Paying other students for homework assignments

-Merely passing grades

-Apathy towards campus involvement

-Apathy towards your campus and life

-Attitude toward documentation for violation of the Code of Conduct

-Laziness

-Comfortable and unmotivated immobility. That is --lack of will or desire to make progress, and inability to see that the problem starts with at home- with you.

-Fixation on frivolous agendas

...To name a few....

To me, a great night entails spending time with people I can have fun with. I am young college student, much like any other resident of NDNU. I believe (meaning it is absolutely true) that fun is dependent upon who you are with rather than what you are doing.

You the student, by making the decision to drink every Friday, then complain on Facebook every Saturday morning about the idiots on campus, are doing yourself and the institution a great disservice. Not only are you destroying any chance you have improving NDNU, you are destroying yourself.

You are destroying your chances of developing yourself into someone who is truly driven and motivated. You are developing and eskewed sense of the world in which college (and maybe life) should be fun-- as measured by the number of shots you taken and how many times you've made a fool out of yourself dancing on a table or yelling and peeing off of the third floor of new hall.

The best students of NDNU that I know are ones who make the most out situations in which their favor is not factor. They are the one who think of a future in which they have to work for themselves, and understand that life for the most part, will not be fun.

Moral of the story: This is your place. This is our place. Make it what you want it to be.

The link between my State and Local Government and my first emergency as an RA?

The CP requirement: This is a development that needs to be addressed. BPD is more than willing to work with students and administration to turn around campus culture and remedy the problem of Friday night fire department visits. (These are not exceptionally frequent, but they are a problem)

Questions from the reading:

1.) Why don't third parties win elections?

2.) Does the Tea Party qualify political party under the responsible party model? (In reality)

3.) What could be problematic about divided government?