THE SAN FRANCISCO Community College Board has never been big on public oversight. In the old days, the board members used to meet for dinner – privately, behind closed doors – before every announced meeting. They'd figure out what would be on the agenda, how they all wanted to vote, and what they'd say to the press and public; then they'd go into the meeting room and make it official. The ossified board membership often seemed more like a drinking society than like a group of elected education leaders.

I'd like to say things have improved of late, and in some ways they have: the dinners are gone, there's serious talk of passing some sort of sunshine measure, and a couple of the trustees sometimes vote in opposition to the majority. But it's still a sleaze pit over there. Check this out:

As Latonya Smith reports on page 13, the voters approved a $195 million bond act for City College in 2001, with $25 million earmarked for a performing arts center. But several months ago, the board quietly shifted that cash over to the athletic department, for new all-weather fields and an Olympic-size pool.

It gets better. Under the latest plan, the new facilities will be leased out part of the time to a private school, Lick-Wilmerding, for what will amount to $14 million over 30 years. And that money will go to a private athletic department foundation, outside of board control.

Let's see: Public money goes to build these facilities, but private-school students, because they're paying extra, will almost certainly end up with priority access to them. Then the money that gets kicked back for that special access goes to a private foundation, so the phys-ed folks at City College can spend it however they want, without anyone watching.

Wow. Almost puts the old days to shame.

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In happier news, this is the annual Sex Issue, and it's loaded with fun stuff. Lorraine Sanders reveals the truth about "reality porn." Johnny Ray Huston examines Wet Palms and asks if quality screenplays and even actual dialogue can work in the world of gay porn. Emily Schneider takes the sex tips in Ladies' Home Journal for a road test. And there's plenty more.

Tim Redmond