Sac State Four spared

No risk, no reward.

Just ask the four female Sacramento State students accused of breaking university rules during last month’s three-day sit-in to protest the administration and tuition increases.

Sac State officials charged the four women, who are now being referred to as the “Sac State Four,” with three counts of violating the student code of conduct.

But last week, the Sac State Four—students Mildred Gomez-Garcia, Yeimi Lopez, Amanda Mooers and Nora Walker—admitted no guilt and, instead, received only a verbal warning from the university, in addition to a signed paper acknowledging that campus officials had informed them of Sac State’s policies. One charged was dropped altogether; the school’s warning applied to rules pertaining to “time, place, and manner” and “no camping or lodging.”

A lack of evidence that students failed to comply with the directions of the school administration led to the dropping of this third charge. Sac State President Alexander Gonzalez had met with the Sac State Four and other student protesters when the sit-in began in mid-April.

Kim Nava, a Sac State spokeswoman, would not comment on the outcome of three charges against the Sac State Four. They and other students were ousted from a nonviolent sit-in by two dozen police in riot gear.

“The administration, in dropping one charge and applying the least possible sanction for the other two, has finally made the right decision,” said Kevin Wehr, a Sac State sociology professor and chapter president of the California Faculty Association.

The Sac State Four are part of the campus group Students for Quality Education, which blogs at http://sacstatesqe.wordpress.com. (Seth Sandronsky)

Take a dip

Enjoy them while they last.

This summer will be the last splash for several more Sacramento pools: George Sim, McClatchy, and Johnston. The six city pools open this summer, at a cost of just more than $200,000, are less than half of the 13 that were open and available in 2010.

What’s more, due to budget shortfalls, the Sacramento’s Department of Parks and Recreation now plans to operate only three pools in the summer of 2012: Pannell Meadowview, Clunie and Doyle.

“All other swimming pools, and all City wading pools, will be closed,” the city stated. With Parks and Rec facing cuts of $1.7 million, the closure of the three pools next year is expected to save $443,435. (Hugh Biggar)