Citrus College
Clarion September 12, 2012 Volume LXVII Issue 2
A Day at the Fair Pages 6 & 7
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Wednesday, September 12, 2012
QUOTE of the
DAY
“For the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th.” -President George W. Bush
Announcements TAG Workshops Attend a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) Workshop to learn how you can guarantee your transfer admission to one of the seven accepting UC campuses. Two TAG Workshops are being offered: The first is scheduled for Sept. 18 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. in SS 281 and will be discussing TAG criteria for UC Irvine, UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara. The second TAG workshop will take place on Sept. 25 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. in SS 281 and will be discussing TAG criteria for UC Davis, UC Merced, UC Riverside and UC Santa Cruz. RSVP by visiting the Career/ Transfer Center on the second floor of the Student Services building or by calling (626) 914-8639. Transfer Alliance Program Conference TAP will be holding a conference at UCLA on Nov. 9 from 8:30 a.m. Attendees will be able to tour the campus and speak with academic counselors and program representatives. Conference details and mandatory online registration can be found at www.tap/ucla.edu/conference.htm. Registration will open around Sept. 15. Interested students can reserve a spot on a Citrus bus going to the conference by calling (626) 914-8639. All campus fire drill An all-campus fire is scheduled for Sept. 26 anytime between 8 a.m. and noon. Faculty are encouraged to adjust classroom and office activities to avoid disruption to lesson plans.
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NEWS LOCAL
STATE
L.A. considering library, multi-use card for illegal immigrants
Board approves registration changes
The Los Angeles City Council recently voted unanimously to consider a proposal that would turn the city’s library card into a form of identification that illegal immigrants could then use to open bank accounts and gain access to other services. The card, issued through the city’s library, would include a person’s name, address and photograph. L.A. would then have to partner with a private vendor to set up bank accounts for those who would like the card to double as a debit card. Card holders would have to pay an initial fees of $15 to $20 for the card and there could also be a monthly fee of up to $2.99. San Francisco and Oakland have similar city issued identification cards, but L.A. would be the first to link it to the library system with the hopes that it will help promote financial literacy.
On Sept. 10 the California Community College Board of Governors approved a policy that would change how registration is done at the system’s 112 campuses. The changes, which were first recommended by the Student Success Task Force, would give registration priority to continuing students who have not exceeded 100 units. First preferences for classes will continue to be given to active duty military, veterans, former foster youth, disabled students and low-income students. According to a recent survey by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, more than 470,000 students began the fall semester on waiting lists, unable to get classes they need. The number of class sections offered, meanwhile, decreased from 522,727 in 2008-09 to 399,540 in 2011-12, a nearly 24% decline. Source: Los Angeles Times
Source: Los Angeles Times
NATIONAL
GLOBAL
Talks ongoing in Chicago teacher’s strike
Palestinian leaders cancel tax increases
The Chicago Teacher’s Union called for 30,000 teachers and staff members to strike after the district and the union failed to reach agreements regarding pay, benefits and teacher evaluations based on students standardized test scores. According to the union they are close to reaching an agreement over pay with school officials offering to increase salaries 16 percent over four years for most teachers. The union contract has 49 articles and the union has only signed off on six of them. Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel has said that the strike was completely avoidable. Students attending charter schools are unaffected by the strike, but more than 350,000 children are without classes to attend while negotiations continue.
Planned tax hikes on cooking gas, fuel and other commodities were cancelled by the Palestinian Authority after violent protest broke out in several West Bank cities. The Authority is currently facing a monthly deficit of $100 million and has seen a drop in international aid in the past two years including promised aid from the United States, which pledged $200 million. On Sept. 11 Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said he would offset the lost tax revenue by slashing salaries of top government ministers and other senior officials. He also promised the government would pay partial salaries by next week to government employees who are still awaiting their August paychecks.
Source: CNN, The New York Times
Source: Los Angeles Times
Early Alert Workshops Study Skills
Time Management
Learning Styles
Goal Setting
Note Taking
Memory Techniques
Sept. 17 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Sept. 18 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Sept. 19 8:30a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Develop new reading techniques to im- Discover ways to organize your week Discover your learning style with a prove your comprehension and reduce more effectively to become a better stu- multiple intelligences survey. Use this the need to re-read. dent. information to apply study methods unique to you. Sept. 24 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Sept. 26 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Sept. 17 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Successful people decide their priorities, Learn to improve note taking tech- Discover memory techniques that will then set and accomplish their goals. niques to help you better understand improve your ability to recall course lecture and textbook material. material more easily.
All workshops are in SS 281
CLARIONnews
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Wednesday, September 12, 2012
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Martha Amescua Citrus College Clarion
From left to right: ASCC president Andres Navarro, senator Mariana Vega, vice president Nayiri Baghdassarian and legislative liaison Tyler Hernadez study the Citrus College proposed 2012-13 budget during the Budget Forum hosted by college vice president of finance and administrative services, Carol Horton.
Budget crisis means fewer classes, services For students looking to complete their schedules, the chance of not enough classes is an even greater possibility. Alyssa Martin
Clarion News Editor
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he effects of state budget cuts are becoming more and more visible on campus, especially to those who spent their first day of school waitlisted or scrambling to add classes. It’s no secret that Citrus College has been making cuts—cutting programs, cutting classes, cutting spending. Students ready to storm the Board of Executives room and demand their classes back should spend a few minutes with the college’s vice president of finance, Carol Horton. She took care to remind those attending the 2012 Budget Presentation that Citrus College’s first priority funding-wise is to ensure student access to classes. But funding is not what it used to be. California’s Proposition 98 states that even during years of economic downturn, the state must match education funding from previous years, with adjustments for growth in enrollment. However, close to 90 percent of those funds are spent on K-12 schools, stunting enrollment growth for community colleges. The California Community College system budget has decreased by 12 percent in the past three years, according to California Community College Chancellor’s office. Some loss in funding falls under what the state calls deferral payments—money the state owes to schools that will not be paid until later. The $13.6 million owed to Citrus is only a small portion of the $961 million owed to community colleges statewide. In addition, the state owes millions in mandate claims. The California State Controller’s office creates mandates, such as the Col-
lective Bargaining and Integrated Wastes mandate (rules for recycling procedure). But carrying out these mandates costs money. School districts and public entities have been teaming up to fight for funding, but more often than not, the state doesn’t
We spend a lot of time as an instructional team, the dean’s team, trying to figure out the best schedule we can throw in.
We want
students to be able to complete their programs as quickly as possible.
-Samuel Lee
Dean of enrollment and mangement
pay. Since 2008, Citrus has been adjusting its budget to offset the reduced funding. Horton emphasized that the reductions in spending have been a team effort, as faculty in every department have been doing what they can to save money, and the numbers reflect their efforts. This has resulted in a 14.5 percent ending balance for fiscal year 2011-12, much more than the 9.4 percent that was projected a month earlier. The most apparent effects of these cuts are canceled classes. Dean of enrollment management Samuel Lee explained how administrators choose which classes they can afford to lose, or rather, can’t afford to keep. “We spend a lot of time as an instructional team, the dean’s team, trying to figure out the best
schedule we can throw in,” Lee said. “We want students to be able to complete their programs as quickly as possible.” The schedule is designed to cover the wide range of classes that students need, he added. With fewer classes available, more students than ever have been turned away during that first anxiety-filled week of school. And the less students Citrus has, the less funding it receives. Citrus College receives 78 percent of its revenue from state funding based on the number of full-time equivalent students it serves. FTES can be defined as students taking 525 hours of instruction—the equivalent of 15 units per two semesters. Also worth mentioning is that currently Citrus is running at 106 percent capacity, which means that it isn’t being paid for six percent of the students attending. During the 2007-08 school year, Lee estimates Citrus was serving close to 13,000 FTES. Since then, the FTES population has dipped to just above 10,000. General fund revenue, state money apportioned for specific uses, for Citrus has decreased by approximately $7 million since 2008. As long as the budget cuts continue, Citrus will have to cut classes. The finance department has prepared budget scenarios for the worst circumstances. And while she promises to “hold off for as long as she can,” Horton believes that Citrus College may have to take out a loan—and the interest rates that go with it—as early as December.
David Tate can be contacted at clarionEIC@ccclarion.com or (626) 914-8586.
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CLARIONnews
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
No more library late fees Students can look forward to overdue fines soon becoming a thing of the past. Marvin Trigo
Clarion Staff Writer
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tudents can look forward to the absence of overdue book fines at the Hayden Memorial Library in the near future, thanks to collaboration between faculty and ASCC. The date the measure will become official is unclear as of press time. The elimination of late fees will lift transcript holds for students trying to transfer from Citrus College to other colleges and universities. “We’re trying to make positive changes for student success,” said public services librarian Sarah Bosler. In the past, students were fined
Courtesy of Hayden Memorial Library
25 cents per day for a late book return. If students didn’t pay the fine they would have a hold on their student transcripts. ASCC President Andres Navarro said other schools have also
eliminated debts, including the nearby Mount San Antonio College. “There is a 90 percent return rate,” said Navarro about other schools that had a success on late
Early Alert makes return after a yearlong hiatus
The oft-neglected Early Alert system has been redesigned for the 2012-13 school year. Four warnings will be sent out to students during the fall 2012 semester.
Martha Amescua Citrus College Clarion
The Early Alert system sent out its first warnings on Sept. 7 to students in danger of failing classes. Danielle Rodriguez Clarion Staff Writer
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tarting Sept. 7, Citrus College instructors have had the option to warn students having academic difficulties using the improved Early Alert system. The email messaging system has been designed to be used by professors seeking to inform students of the dangers of falling behind in class due to factors such as absences, low test scores, or missed assignments and help them complete the course. Every professor who sends out an Early Alert message can suggest ways to help the student with their difficulties such as tutoring, a meeting with professor or a counselor,
or attending a college success workshop. According to counselor Robin McBurney, who spearheads the program, the improved system is much easier to use for both instructors and students. Using the program, instructors can easily select which students to alert, explain the reasoning behind the notification and a recommend possible helpful services for the student. McBurney suggests that professors send out alerts every week until the drop date, but all instructors are given the option to send alerts at any time of their choosing until finals week. Though all professors are encouraged to use the Early Alert
system, they are not required to do so. Math professor Victoria Dominguez intends to use the system to alert her students doing poorly within the first two weeks. Dominguez said she would use the score on the first quiz and homework assignment to determine which students will receive an alert and refers her students to the math lab, or one of the “Math Anxiety” college success workshops in the hopes of helping students improve their grades. The alerts are meant to be nonthreatening, early warnings to motivate students to succeed and possibly receive help from various services on campus. “It would definitely help seeing more options [we] have,” said Sean Tejada, a 19-year-old nursing major from Covina. “That way [we] can’t blame the teachers for receiving a bad grade.” Although an alert may have been sent to a student, he or she may not be aware of it if they do not check their student email regularly. Though more students are accessing their Citrus email accounts due to the recent addition of waitlists, some don’t check often enough. McBurney urges students to forward their Citrus student emails to an email they check frequently. That way, they will know when an alert has been sent to them.
Danielle Rodriguez can be contacted at drodriguez@ccclarion.com.
returns. Bosler also said that the library will no longer hold sales, as the money handling became overwhelming for library staff. The library will also stop fines on reserve books. The fine once was $1 an hour for a late return on a reserve book. Now students will receive a preliminary warning and if a student is warned a second time, they will no longer to be able to check out books on reserve. The library staff still sends out overdue notices to students via their Citrus College email addresses. Normally holds are placed three weeks before the registration dates for the following semester. If the measure is approved, the library plans to forgive past overdue fines. However, until the decision becomes final, any overdue fees must be paid at the cashier’s
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office in the Student Services Building. Systems Services librarian Lanette Granger said she didn’t want students to have a hold on their record just because they owe $3, as any fine can result in a transcript hold. Rabitoy said that revenue to the library comes from lost books, which are considered lost once hold notices are sent to students e-mail accounts. All fees that are collected go to the general district fund of Citrus College and is distributed to the library to cover the cost of currently lost or damage books.
Marvin Trigo can be contacted at mtrigo@ ccclarion.com.
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CLARIONspotlight
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
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the carnival breezeway is full of rides to thrill and excite anyone who dares to brave ever increasing heights and speeds. For the multi-talented, the midway games offer chances to win prizes of all sizes and types for children or sweethearts.
Department Name
Then there is the food. Anything your taste buds desire can be found at the fair. You have the favorites: cotton candy, lemondade and candy apples. The selection doesn’t stop there, as you can also find everything from giant turkey legs and freshly grilled chicken, to your traditional hot dogs and hamburgers everywhere you look.
Photography by Matthew Flaherty Graphics & Captions by Martha Amescua College days will feature different colleges throughout the fair, with students faculty and staff from select institutions recieving free admission. All Citrus College students can attend the fair free of cost on Wednesday, Sept. 12. Free passes can be obtained from the Student Business office.
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Wednesday, September 12, 2012
CLARIONspotlight
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Did you know that on concert days, there are a limited number of free, general admission concert tickets available from the ticket kiosk on Rose Lane at 3 p.m. same day as the show? Yes, FREE, but first come first served. Check it out on the fair’s website at www.lacountyfair.com for more details.
The barnyard is full of animals of all types; the baby piglets are too many to count; the cows are strutted about their pens by participating 4-H members, and the new “Pets Ahoy” section is fun for lovers of four-legged animals of every kind.
Department Name
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sports
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
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Volleyball waits things out The volleyball team faces their longest break of the year before hosting Fullerton College. David Tate
Clarion Editor-in-Chief
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he Owls’ volleyball team’s season to date has been the definition of a mixed bag. A comeback win against the Grossmont Gauchos in the season opener was followed by three straight losses to Pasadena, Mount San Antonio and prohibitive state championship favorite Orange Coast. But the team was able to get off the schneid after the straight-sets loss to OCC the next day in the Victor Valley tournament, where
they stung together consecutive straight-sets victories over Antelope Valley and the tournament’s hosts. Their 3-3 record leaves Citrus in essentially the same place they started when they began the season. The squad has an 11-day break until they host the Fullerton College Hornets Sept. 19. Head coach Shin Jung said that time will not be wasted. “Right now, we’re still struggling to find an identity, which is kind of unfortunate because we are already six games into our season,” he said. “But . . . I think we’re figuring out what’s working for us and what’s not working.” What has been working for the Owls is the middle blocking of Kimberly Collins and Kayla Eddings. The pair has notched over 60 kills each and leads the team in
blocks, with 10 and 7 respectively. Collins, a 5-foot-10-inch sophomore, received an All-Western State Conference honorable mention during the 2011 season. Eddings is a 6-foot freshman from Upland High School, where she played with Collins until 2011. “I think it’s helped a lot,” Eddings said. “We know each other and know how to play with one another.” “We have the chemistry,” Collins added. The Owls’ host Fullerton College Sept. 19 at 6 p.m.
David Tate can be contacted at clarionEIC@ccclarion.com or (626) 914-8586.
Women’s soccer back on track, picks up win in opener A 2-1 victory over the Moorpark Raiders preserved the Owls’ undefeated record.
Martha Amescua Citrus College Clarion
Practice for the Owls’ women’s soccer team paid off in a big way in the team’s 2-1 victory over Moorpark Sept. 11. David Tate
Clarion Editor-in-Chief
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ost teams dream of starting their seasons undefeated. At the same time, conventional wisdom says that three ties is a shaky foundation to build a championship on. While the Owls’ women’s soccer team (2-0-2) fortified their record with a 4-0 drubbing of Sacramento City College in the second game of the season, that was bracketed by a pair of ties in which Citrus was only able to scratch out a single goal. In spite of the erratic goal totals, assistant head coach Brian Dorman didn’t think that potency in the box is the Owls’ main concern. Instead, during their Sept. 10 practice before the team’s home opener against the Moorpark Raiders the next day, the squad focused on execution on set pieces and crossing, as well as flexibility within their formation.
“Finishing is not an easy thing, that’s why goal scorers get paid millions and millions of dollars. You score every other game and you’re world class, so that can always get better. We want to focus on creating quality chances,” Dorman said. “I think the strength of this team is going to be playing good defense and closing out tight games.” And close out tight games they did. The team was able to ride out a pair of goals scored before the 30-minute-mark by sophomore forward Jasmine Williams and freshman midfielder Leandra Escobar allowed the Owls to secure their second win of the season. It seems like the practice had paid off for the Owls, as Escobar was able to head home the Owls’ opening goal in the 12th minute, thanks to a cross from fellow midfielder Julia Wills. Sophomore goalkeeper Alyssa Lozano gave up only her second
Joseph Golob Citrus College Clarion
Setter Amanda Stone (#2), leaps for the ball in the Owls’ Sept. 7 match against the Orange Coast Pirates.
goal of the season when the Raiders’ Allison Oliver pulled one back in the 71st minute on a header from a corner kick. “If I were to give our team a grade rating, I would probably give us a ‘B,’” Lozano said the day before the game. “We could step it up a lot.” Head coach Tim Tracey believed the Owls could string together quite a few wins over the next few fixtures. “To get a clean sheet in the next three games is very doable. But we need to have [our players] buy into our system. The Owls’ host the Victor Valley Rams Sept. 14 at 12 p.m.
David Tate can be contacted at clarionEIC@ccclarion.com or (626) 914-8586.
Your Name and Your Name can be contacted at ccemail@ccclarion.com & ccemail@ccclarion.com.
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Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Arts & Entertainment
‘Centipede Hz’ changes it up Baltimore based psychadelic band Animal Collective keeps finding ways to change—and improve—their sound. Joseph Thorne
Clarion Staff Writer
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ou can always count on Baltimore’s Animal Collective to never do the same thing twice. Most artists identify a sound that works, then stick to it and evolve it slightly. Animal Collective prefers to take risks, creating a new sonic landscape for each album. They are a loose group of four experimental musicians that has been releasing material under different combinations of members since 2000. Earlier work includes abrasive fairy tale pop “Spirit They’ve Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished,” a meandering acoustic album “Campfire Songs,” and a collection of songs that must have been recorded in an abandoned Party City, as half the sounds seem to be produced by Halloween toys, “Here Comes the Indian.” After adding a bit more straightforward pop to subsequent albums and temporarily losing their guitarist, the collective broke through
Courtesy of Domino Records
in 2009 with “Merriweather Post Pavilion”—which was very listenable without throwing out all their oddball tendencies. With their new release, “Centipede Hz,” they take another left turn. “Centipede” revives two elements that were distinctly missing from Merriweather: the presence of guitarist Josh Dib (a.k.a. Deakin) and the screamed vocals of David Portner (a.k.a. Avey Tare). When the album’s lead single
“Today’s Supernatural” was released in August, the return of these elements was an exciting prospect. Avey’s metal-envy yells and Deakin’s deliberate, stabby guitar chords gave that song a delightfully creepy atmosphere. It signaled that “Centipede” would have more influence from Avey--who wrote three quarters of the songs--than from fellow vocalist and songwriter Noah Lennox (a.k.a. Panda Bear), who gave Merriweather a more blissful, re-
strained quality. Looking at the album as a whole, Avey’s vocals are dynamic as always, but Deakin’s guitar playing is nowhere near as interesting as it was in 2007’s “Strawberry Jam.” It fails to color the music as effectively as it did in tracks like “Peacebone” and “For Reverend Green.” The album is supposed to resemble an alien radio broadcast, and this element is certainly present through some of the transitions and samples. The transition between “Moonjock” and “Today’s Supernatural” is a minute-long cluster of samples that appear and disappear just as fast, creating an impression of interference from multiple stations. The transitions are not all this ample, but they are sustained throughout, along with clipped phrases from robotic “announcers.” However, the songs are too similar in texture and pace to make for a convincing radio transition. That stabby guitar, and a ‘70s sounding organ reappear frequently throughout the 11 tracks. The album’s pace is relentless, leaving the listener wishing for a break—or for more variation. Though the album as a whole comes off as less captivating than what we’ve come to expect from
the collective, some of the songs work better on an individual level. Avey’s “Applesauce” is a dreamy ode to eating fruit. Some of the lyrics are surprisingly deep: “When I was young I thought fruit was an infinite thing/I’d be sad to wake up and find all of my cherry trees are charred or they’re rotted to ruin.” Opener “Moonjock” is probably the best example of the aural assault that is “Centipede Hz,” with enough segments and breaks to make several distinct songs; but it’s pretty thrilling. It’s just not a style that can be sustained throughout 11 tracks. “New Town Burnout”—originally written for Panda Bear’s Tomboy—and “Monkey Riches” are each more than seven minutes long, and they are two of the strongest songs on the album. Despite the missteps, this album is a very interesting listen, and it comes from a band that was not afraid to take a big risk after reaching the top of their game.
Joseph Thorne can be contacted at jthorne@ccclarion.com.
Forum Sept. 11: A day of rememberance September 11, 2001 briefly brought the country to its knees. Today, we stand with our heads held high. Raymond Barela Clarion Staff Writer
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leven years ago, two of our country’s most prized towers, two pillars of prosperity, stood up solid and strong, a hundred and ten stories tall, in the morning light of just another beautiful summer morning. So where are we now? How much bounce back has our society achieved since we bottomed out so hard together on those terrible speed bumps of Sept. 11? Some of us have succumbed, free-falling into the shadows that we ourselves continue to cast. Most argue that we have grown stronger as a nation, resolute and ready to prevail over any and all oncoming threat, be it foreign or domestic. Some dwell in the sorrow and pain of what could happen, while others strive to face every adversity head on. Some still shake at the prospect of leaving ourselves open on the backside, while others are genuinely more determined to shake off the chains that imprison our souls. Sept. 11 can now evolve into a day of remembrance for the great-
est moments of our lives. Think birth dates and wedding anniversaries; days of happiness worth remembering for their sheer joy. Those who survived the Twin Towers attack may think of Sept. 11 as a day of being reborn, a day to remember when people they never knew before came to their rescue. We came together as family, as Americans, helping, and holding each other up, at one of the darkest, most desperate moments in anyone’s lifetime. But more often than not, a lifetime can be very long. The events years ago were intended to break us, to destroy our nation’s spirit. Evil came calling, trying to shake us to the core, to expose our weakness as a people. But we as a nation are unbroken. So happy birthday to those born on 9/11. Congratulations on closing escrow, and for getting the kids to soccer practice on time, and for landing that new job. Congratulations on being alive America, and for living each day to the fullest. September 11, 2012 was a good day. Next Sept. 11 is going to be even better.
Raymond Barela can be contacted at rbarela@ccclarion.com. McClatchy-Tribune Media Services
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CLARIONforum
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Editor’s corner: I’ve got a crush on myself
citruscollege
clarion
I’m a little self-centered. Is there really anything wrong with that? David Tate
McClatchy Tribune Media Services
Clarion Editor-in-Chief
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love me some me. And I think the world would be better off if everyone else adopted the same attitude. Before I start explaining myself, I’ll be the first to admit engaging in a little bit of journalistic trickery. That first paragraph was designed to suck you in and force you to pay attention to what I (surprise!) am about to write. But I did that because I think what I have to say is important— that college students (especially of the community college variety) would be better served if they invested more of their time in themselves. To clarify, sitting on the couch watching “Mob Wives” marathons does not qualify as time invested in oneself. I only wish I could’ve been a little more self-centered six years ago. In fall 2006, I enrolled as a freshman at Citrus College. By spring 2007, I was on academic probation, sporting a slightly below average 1.6 GPA. My study habits were so poor, I recall once just walking out of my English 101 class, just so I could hang out with my new community college buddies. And that was the problem. I wasn’t selfish enough. I was more concerned with trying to please everyone around me. These days, high school and college students alike are portrayed as only caring about themselves. If only that was the case. If we cared more about ourselves, more than 22 percent of us would graduate from community colleges. If we were a little more self centered, more than 12 percent of us would be transferring to four-year institutions. I don’t have much of a social life to speak of these days, as most of those aforementioned friends have moved on. I work six days a week getting this paper out. But what I do have is a 3.76 GPA, because now I’m focused on me. Don’t wait until you buy my first book for me to tell you this Listen now. Get selfish.
David Tate can be contacted at clarionEIC@ccclarion.com or (626) 914-8586.
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editorial
How early is too early?
The Early Alert program’s warnings are too early to be effective and constructive.
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he Early Alert program at Citrus College is off to an early start. The program, which is coordinated by counselor Robin McBurney, is an email-based system of warnings and follow-ups for students who are identified as having difficulties early in the semester. This program is designed to be efficient and technologically userfriendly for instructional and support staff, as well as informative, direct and non-threatening for students. However, the system has its limitations. First off, it is the instructors’ choice whether or not to participate in Early Alert, which means a student could be at risk of failing and be unaware if a professor opted out of participating in the program. Although many professors do participate student success is not guaranteed by the program. All instructors have access to the online computerized Early
editorial
Alert Referral System where each email letter is generated. Students who are identified by the professor are immediately informed via letter sent to their Citrus College email address. Next, the program gives students only two weeks to prove they are on track. As the majority of core classes meet only twice a week, most students will have these classes only a few times before professors need to send out warning emails. For the most part, the first week of classes in a 16-week course is devoted to reviewing syllabi. Actual instruction often does not start until the third class meeting. For a professor to be able to determine a student’s work ethic in just a few hours of classroom contact is unfair. Most professors have no knowledge of their students’ academic potential. The result may be that professors may be pressured into thinking of the student as a potential failure.
The last day for dropping classes is Sept. 17 and the second college-wide alert is scheduled for Sept. 14, just three days earlier. Why not simply eliminate the first college-wide alert and start Sept. 14? It only takes a few minutes for a student to read the alert email, and three days is more than enough time to decide whether or not to drop a class. The discouragement a student could experience as a result of an Early Alert email could potentially affect their performance in the long run. Imagine how a student must feel receiving a letter telling them that their first two days of work have been below satisfactory and that they are in danger of failing a class that hasn’t even really started yet. This type of premature judgment goes against what community college should be representing which is the opportunity for students to succeed despite their academic past.
Stop and save a life
Editor in Chief David Tate Managing Editor Emily Rios Design Editor Sasha Winterer Art Director Sydney Presley Photo Supervisor Frank Ram Photo Technician Martha Amescua News Editor Alyssa Martin Forum Editor Melanie Gudino Sports Editor Kolby Rousseve A&E Editor Brandi Garcia Staff Writers Marvin Trigo Danielle Rodriguez Genia Albrecht Photographers Matthew Flaherty Rudy Reynoso Instructional Assistants Emily Rios Stacy K. Long Adviser Margaret O’Neil
When it comes to matters of life and death, everybody needs to step up and help.
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veryone is meant to be here for a reason. To end a life early over temporary problems is never worth it. Tomorrow is a new day and a new day means new choices, which comes with another chance to change. Citrus College has acknowledged the ripple effect suicide has on communities by hosting its
Andrae Reid Citrus College Clarion
first ever Suicide Prevention Day, sponsored by Associated Students of Citrus College and the Student Health Center. Getting involved and educated in intervention techniques can change how people think about suicide. With suicide education students can make a difference in the lives of our friends and family members who may have lost the will to live. Sometimes, all
it takes to help someone is by listening to what they have to say, and thoughtful advice can turn around a suicidal individual’s attitude. Not only can individuals take part in this suicide prevention program, but the whole campus was a part of it during the Awareness Day on Sept. 10. We can do even better. Nothing is stopping anyone from putting up flyers, letting others know they care. The Health Center can take its efforts further by creating a website on suicide prevention, with strategies on how to avoid suicidal thoughts. So now the question is, do you want to be a part of changing and saving people’s lives? Whether it’s suicidal thoughts or just having a bad day, you can save someone’s life just by being there and helping. So let’s stop for a moment, and go the extra mile to help prevent suicide.
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Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Students deal with suicide For the first time in Citrus College history, students and staff host a Suicide Prevention Day. Kolby Rousseve
Clarion Sports Editor
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or the first time, Citrus College hosted a Suicide Prevention Day Sept. 10 to help encourage students to get things off their chest in a free environment, openly support one another and celebrate life. Alejandra Morales, president of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and student government commissioner of activities, teamed up with mental health counselor Monica Christianson and the Student Health Center to provide students with an opportunity to participate in the national effort to raise awareness.
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2008 the suicide rate increased by 2.4 percent nationally. In 2007, suicide was the third leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 24. Christianson, who is also the Veteran’s Center project director, held a training session on Monday that focused on identifying potential suicide victims. According to the Department of Veteran Affairs, 18 veterans commit suicide everyday with veterans ages 17 to 24 being about four times more at risk than other demographics. “Some signs of suicide could be depression or anger,” Christianson said. “Withdrawing and irritability are also common.” She did, however, offer solutions for students who are feelings suicidal. “Talk to someone,” she said. “Expressing yourself is good. A lot of times distressed students keep things in and we can see that.”
I want students to see that everyone goes through things, and it’s something we can’t avoid. Melanie Gudino Citrus College Clarion
-Alejandra Morales Citrus students placed anonymous Post-It notes on a “NOT ALONE” board during Suicide Prevention
ASCC Commissioner of Activities
The oversized poster board forming the words “NOT ALONE” was placed next to an information table in the Campus Center Mall. Students were encouraged to write anything they wanted on Post-it notes and stick them on the board. “I want students to see that everyone goes through things, and it’s something we can’t avoid,” Morales said. “When they see the Post-it notes, they’ll realize that they’re not alone.” Although the Post-it notes were anonymous, which allowed students to express themselves freely, the support students expressed for one another throughout the day was inspiring. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., students lined up at the information table, to share each other’s pain and understand one another’s emotions. Over the course of the day over 300 students attended the event, posting things like “somebody loves you,” “stay strong,” and “talk to someone, you are worth it.” Data gathered in 2009 by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention showed that over 36,000 people commit suicide each year. And this number just keeps rising. From 2000 to
Local health facilities including Aurora Behavioral Health Care and the Los Angeles County Mental Health and Pacific Clinics set up booths to show their support and offer their services. The Student Health Center showed their support at the event as well by handing out pamphlets and flyers describing the different services the health center has to offer to students. “We wanted to do this to bring in the students,” Christianson said, “partly because the Health Center is sometimes a forgotten place, and we wanted to collaborate with local community resources to help in any way we can.” Suicide Prevention Day was stepping stone for ASCC and the Health Center. Their collaborative effort inspired a student body to face a sensitive issue with compassion and understanding for one another.
Day, hosted in the campus mall on Sept. 10.
Andrae Reid Citrus College Clarion
Students gathered in front of a “NOT ALONE” sign for the Sept. 10 Suicide Prevention Day.
Kolby Rousseve can be contacted at krousseve@ ccclarion.com. Andrae Reid Citrus College Clarion
ASCC Senator Said Lopez (right) participates in the Sept. 10 Suicide Prevention Day.