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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014 VOL LXXXV ISSUE 3
STARTING TO BEAT THE HEAT BY DANIELLE CARLSON STAFF WRITER
DCARLSON@CCCLARION.COM
The summer weather is ending with a bang. All over Los Angeles County, heat records have been shattered. Laguna Beach, usually cool in times of heat, broke it’s 1928 heat record of 87 degrees with a two degree increase to 89 last Sunday. In Glendora the temperature has been consistently staying in the triple digits, which is 10 to 18 degrees above the average of 89 degrees for this time of year. Along with the temperature, the air-con-
ditioning use has increased immensely. According to Los Angeles County’s Department of Work and Pensions, the energy demand record was broken last Tuesday with electrical usage reaching 6,400 megawatts. This extreme amount of energy consumption has caused blackouts in cities most affected by the heat wave. Citrus experienced its own power outage when the ED building lost electricity last Sept. 16. Fortunately, this smoldering heat has come to an end, with temperatures expected to drop 10 degrees this week.
WEDS HIGHS
100˚ sept. 10
107˚ sept. 17
93˚ sept. 24
DAYS OF SEPTEMBER
FREE SPEECH EXPANDS ITS BORDERS
As the ongoing lawsuit filed by a Citrus student alleging violations of the first Amendment by the school administration continues, the college has decided to temporarily suspend enforcing specific provisions of several procedures.
Increasing budget facilitates ‘restoration’ BY PAT CORDOVA-GOFF STAFF WRITER
PCORDOVA@CCCLARION.COM
BY CAMERON WISDOM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
CWISDOM@CCCLARION.COM
The Citrus College administration declared a moratorium on specific administrative procedures on Sept. 11 that would immediately be enacted until further notice. In an email sent to campus employees, Arvid Spor, Ed.D, vice president of student services and interim vice president of academic affairs, announced that certain provisions of the three administrative procedures cited in an ongoing lawsuit would not be
enforced. The moratorium comes as a result of pre-trial negotiations with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, known commonly as FIRE, in an effort to avoid continued litigation against the college on behalf of Citrus College student Vincenzo SinapiRiddle. FIRE filed the lawsuit in July on Sinapi-Riddle’s behalf in accordance with the plaintiff’s allegations that enforcement of
college’s specific administrative procedures violated his First Amendment rights. “The reason for the moratorium is that both sides got together and said ‘Lets talk’,” Spor said. “It’s a way of interjecting a pause in the legal process.” Spor explained that moratorium has been put in place as both parties in the lawsuit continue to determine whether or not they can find a compromise outside of the courtroom. SE E FREE S PEECH • PAGE 5
After years of budget cuts throughout California’s public education system, an improving economy and increased tax revenues have resulted in a state budget surplus. This upturn is expected to benefit Citrus College as the college’s budget allocation for the 2014-15 school year has increased. With improving economic outlooks, the college is continuing to restore classes and grow programs. Claudette Dain, vice president of finance and administrative services, hosted the annual all-campus Budget Forum on Sept. 2. As she began her presentation, Dain pointed out that the college is entering its centennial celebration year. In 1915, the college’s first year of operation, its initial budget was a mere $31,000. One hundred years later, Citrus College’s operating budget exceeds $60 million. Dain first presented the Unaudited Actuals of the 2013-14 closed book finances. Dain summarized, explaining that with 11,314 full-time equivalent students and a beginning budget of $7.13 million on July 1, 2013, the year ended June 30 with $8.8 million in reserve.
Students were encouraged to sound off on the “Free Speech Wall” set up by Young Americans for Liberty during Club Rush on Sept. 16 - 17.
Melissa Peña Clarion
Emerging american voices CATCHING UP WITH OUR CAMPUS’ RISING STARS
PAGE 10
S E E B UD G ET • PAGE 5
1935
THE YEAR THAT HAYDEN HALL, THE OLDEST BUILDING ON CAMPUS, WAS DEDICATED.
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
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S N A P S H O T S :
Wild art and random photos from our staffers taken around campus
STEM Research Symposium
Everything you need to know about current events in the campus community. If there is something you want us to cover, email us: contact@ccclarion.com TODAY (9/24)
Volunteer Fair Several local organizations will attend the 16th annual Volunteer Fair hosted by ASCC. From 10 a.m. - 1p.m students can come to the Campus Center Mall and speak with representatives from organizations who are looking to recruit individuals that are interested in devoting time for a selfless cause. There are a variety of organizations that will be in attendance, come find one that suits you.
The STEM program hosted an event this past Tuesday on Sept. 16 in the Campus Center at which the students could show and display their work they completed over the summer at the STEM Research Symposium.
• AIDS Service Center • American Cancer Society • Boys and Girls Club Pomona Valley • BRIDGES Inc. • California Mental Health Connection • California Science Center • Convalescent Aid Society • David & Margaret Youth & Family Services • Inland Valley Hope Partners • Just US 4 Youth • Lutheran Social Services Avanti • San Gabriel Valley Habitat For Humanity • Santa Teresita • Special Olympics • VITAS Hospice
Melissa Peña Clarion
L E T S TA L K T E D TA L K S :
Happening Now
TODAY (9/24)
New Owl Café Hours
Auto Tech Open House
The Owl Café has extended its hours and will now close the grill at 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday to accomodate hungry students in the mid-afternoon. The new hours will remain in effect as long as there is sufficient demand. The Owl Cafe is also looking to hire an additional cashier. Interested applicants should contact cafeteria supervisor Philomena O’Shea.
Pictured: Student Joshua Navarro presenting his research at the event.
Students interested in enrolling in the automotive technology program can attend an open house for shop tours and demonstrations of engines, transmissions, chassis, smog diagnosis and medium/heavy trucks. 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Must register online via Citrus College website.
Upcoming TED Talks topics showings/discussion in the Campus Center at 1:15 p.m. & 2:30 p.m.
SEPT. 25 “THE DANGER OF A SINGLE STORY”
“Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice — and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.”
OCT. 2 “A 30-YEAR HISTORY OF THE FUTURE”
“MIT Media Lab founder Nicholas Negroponte takes you on a journey through the last 30 years of tech. The consummate predictor highlights interfaces and innovations he foresaw in the 1970s and 1980s that were scoffed at then but are ubiquitous today.”
OCT. 16 “THE POWER OF INTROVERTS”
“In a culture where being social and outgoing are prized above all else, it can be difficult, even shameful, to be an introvert. But, as Susan Cain argues in this passionate talk, introverts bring extraordinary talents and abilities to the world, and should be encouraged and celebrated.”
Courtesy: TED Talks
THE 1000 BLOCK
Incident Reports
Reports are provided courtesy of the Citrus College Campus Safety Department. A report is not a statement of guilt.
Student Misconduct (BP 5500)
Drug Law Violation (H&S 11357)
Drug Law Violation (H&S 11357)
Petty Theft (488 PC)
Student Misconduct (BP 5500)
LOCATION: Off Campus REPORTED: 09/02/14 2:12 p.m. CASE #: 2014-098 Disposition: OPEN
LOCATION: S2 Parking Lot REPORTED: 09/08/14 9:15 a.m. CASE #: 2014-099 Disposition: Closed 9/8/14
LOCATION: S1 Parking Lot REPORTED: 09/09/14 12:58 p.m. CASE #: 2014-100 Disposition: Closed 9/9/14
LOCATION: MA Lobby REPORTED: 09/09/14 11:30 a.m CASE #: 2014-101 Disposition: Disciplinary Referral
LOCATION: Campus Center REPORTED: 09/11/14 5:30 p.m. CASE #: 2014-102 Disposition: OPEN
#whatstrending:
LOCAL NEWS, SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT OR LIFE ON CAMPUS – FIND IT HERE
T HOOT TWEETS: @MISSyurabi: My school newspaper had a positive article about feminism! #everyoneforfeminism #citruscollege @Tgonzales11: Kicked off for my first college game for the season #citruscollege #kicker #90 @melo317: Dang! My hands are gonna be full! #theheartproject #September11 #citrusCollege @RayXBarcelo: A WAY BACK TO THEN- a benefit concert for Citrus College Theatre Dept! Sept 20 & 21! #musicaltheater #citruscollege
OWLSTAGRAM:
QUOTABLE: “While it is regrettable that it took a lawsuit against the college for them to be looked at with severe scrutiny, they were bound to be contested.” -Gabriel Nadales,founder and vice president of Young Americans for Liberty CITRUS COLLEGE
CLARION Cameron Wisdom editor-in-chief Evan Solano managing editor / art director
Margaret O’Neil Clarion adviser Stacy K. Long Clarion adviser
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Careesa Campbell Editorials are the opinion of at least 75 percent of the news editor Editorial Board. All other opinion is that of the writer. Dillon Cooper sports editor Annemarie Guillen forum editor Staff Writers: Danielle Carlson, Pat Cordova, Mercedes Del Real, Winter Dreschler, Katie Jolgren, Vanessa Maldonado, Macy Olivas, Michelle Parias, Melissa Peña, La’Mesha Simpson, Stacy Slaughter
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LOCAL Judge blocks public report of McDade shooting The police report of containing a review of a fatal officer-involved shooting of former Citrus College student Kendrec McDade will not be released to the public. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Chaflant sided with the police union to prevent the public viewing because it would violate the officer’s rights. Chaflant prohibited the city of Pasadena from releasing the report by granting a temporary restraining order. Source: San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Cal Poly Pomona hires female president After four months searching for a new president, Cal Poly Pomona has hired its first female president. Soroya M. Coley will begin her new position as the university’s sixth president on or before Jan. 1, 2015. She succeeds J. Michael Ortiz, who served the institution as president for 12 years. Source: San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Five Cases of West Nile virus confirmed in Pasadena
STATE
San Francisco posts seismic warning signs on buildings
MCT Campus
San Francisco will be posting multilingual signs across the apartment complexes in the city in order to pressure property owners to retrofit the structures to better withstand earthquakes. The city estimated that close to 4,000 buildings would need to be retrofitted, which could cost up to $130,000 per structure. Similarly, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti has proposed a letter grading system to inform the public about the safety of buildings as well as require owners to retrofit at-risk buildings, though it is still in the works.
The Department of Public Health has confirmed five cases of the West Nile virus in Pasadena so far this month. Each of the five people sought medical treatment and none have died. It is the first time since December 2012 that the virus has been confirmed. The health department is taking preventative measures by surveying still-standing water sources. The Pasadena Police Department is also flying helicopters over residences to spot stagnant pools. Source: Los Angeles Register
Federal program aims to build trust between police and communities Atty Gen. Eric Holder Jr. has devised a new federal program called the National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice to close the gap between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve to prevent future confrontations. The three-year program, funded by a $4.75-million grant, will be piloted in five yet to be announced cities. The program will include new police training as well as help communities reduce police bias and ease perceptions of unequal treatment in the court system. MCT Campus
Source: Los Angeles Times
Secret Service faces criticism after White House security breach A man jumped the north side of the White House fence Friday Sept. 19 and sprinted roughly 100 yards and managed to get inside the building. The Secret Service did not catch him until after he entered the front door. The intruder, Omar J. Gonzalez, 42, was arrested and charged with unlawful entry to the White House complex. Though President Obama and his family had already left for Camp David, this incident is one of many embarrassments that have occurred in the past few years with the Secret Service. The agency said they are still investigating how the intruder managed to enter the White House.
Law prohibits disclosing personal information about students California legislators have passed a wide-ranging law, which is the first of its kind in the country that prohibits educational sites from selling or disclosing personal information about students from kindergarten to high school. Other states have taken a similar approach to this law but California’s law covers mostly all student activity using technology such as biometric data, voice recordings, online searches and political or religious information. The bill now sits on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk, which will become law if he does not act on it.
Governor signs first groundwater regulations Local governments and water districts will now manage California’s underground water, which makes up 60 percent of the state’s water use during dry years. It also allows state water agencies to intervene if necessary. The laws, which take effect in January, target groundwater basins that are depleting faster than they are replenishing to be sustainable by 2040. Source: San Gabriel Valley Tribune
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NATIONAL
Source: Los Angeles Times
Source: Los Angeles Times
MCT Campus
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
Source: Los Angeles Times
GLOBAL
U.S. and allies launch airstrike in Syria against Islamic State militants The United States and several Arab allies launched airstrikes into northern Syria against the Islamic State militants for the first time late Monday, Sept. 22. Raqqa, Hasakah, Dair Elzur and Abu Kamal-the four Syrian cities bombarded by the airstrikes-were all known as Islamic State strongholds. Fighter jets, bombers, armed drones and Tomahawk missiles were launched from U.S. vessels in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf and successfully “destroyed or damaged” multiple Islamic State targets including “fighters, training compounds, headquarters and command and control facilities, storage facilities, a finance center, supply trucks and armed vehicles,” the Pentagon said. The five Arab nations - Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates- participated in the airstrikes but only the Jordanian government specified its contribution by saying its air force had destroyed “terrorist” targets. Though the Islamic State militants were the primary target, “Khorasan Group”, a network of former Al Qaeda
YouTube
Speaking from the South Lawn at the White House, President Obama delivered an update on the U.S. military airstrikes on ISIL targets in Syria. Sept. 23, 2014.
terrorists, were also targeted with eight airstrikes, though the Central Command did not elaborate on the threat the group poses to the U.S. An accurate number of casualties has not yet been recorded.
Source: Los Angeles Times
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Consent bill advances to governor’s desk BY PAT CORDOVA-GOFF STAFF WRITER
PCORDOVA@CCCLARION.COM
Legislation that would require California universities and colleges receiving state funding to adopt “affirmative consent” language into policy definitions of consensual sex is on the governor’s desk. If Gov. Jerry Brown signs it, California would be the first state in the union to enact such a requirement. SB 967, which was passed unanimously by the state senate on Aug. 28, is part of a nationwide effort to reduce the rising number of sexual assaults on college campuses. Although the federal Department of Education provides universities and colleges guidance on how to protect and provide services and support for sexual assault victims, California’s universities and colleges lack uniform standards. SB 967 would do just that. Commonly known as the “Yes Means Yes” bill, SB 967 would replace “No Means No” policies. It would place the responsibility of receiving a clear “yes” from a consensual partner on the student initiating sexual activity. The bill requires “an affirmative, unambiguous and conscious decision” from the parties involved. State Senators Kevin De Leon (D-Los Angeles) and HannahBeth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) are co-sponsors of SB 967, which would require changes in local policies articulating how California campuses prevent, report and investigate sexual assault. Describing college sexual assaults on campuses an “epidemic,” the White House released a list of colleges and universities with high rates of sexual assault and violence, including USC, UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Occidental College. Numerous student activists are calling for state governments to act in the interest of safety. Opponents of the bill argue it is politically over-reaching and will force universities into legal complexities not experienced before. Supporters of SB 967 say that silence and/or lack of resistance should not constitute consent, nor should alcohol and/or drug use excuse unwanted sexual activity. UC President Napolitano formed a system-wide task force to oversee the University’s efforts to improve prevention and responses to sexual assault on the ten campuses. The CSU Committee of Governmental Relations has documented support of the bill as well, and is working with the bill authors on implementing SB 967 into the CSU policies.
Citrus’ sexual violence prevention policy, which can be located online under Campus Safety, outlines and defines dating/domestic violence, rape, sexual harassment/violation, and stalking. The Citrus website says that consent “cannot be given if the person is asleep, intoxicated, unconscious, mentally disordered, under threat of force, or for any other reason
“Campus safety involves everybody. Collectively, we can combat sexual assaults.” -Ben Macias
Interim campus safety supervisor
unable to communicate willingness to participate in sexual activity. Intercourse under any of these circumstances is rape.” Citrus College’s sexual violence policies (AP 3540 and AP 7102) do not define consent, however, or mention what language is needed to qualify as given consent. Under SB 967, Citrus will be legally obligated to include that consent in sexual activity requires an articulated “yes” from those involved. SB 967 would mandate additional protections. Schools would be required to have oncampus victim advocates; prevent victims and witnesses who come forward from being punished for under-age drinking; and require disciplinary committees to be trained on dealing with sexual assault cases. “[Citrus College] takes sexual assault charges very seriously and act upon them immediately,” said Arvid Spor ED.d, vice president of student services. In addition, all institutions would be required to teach freshmen students about sexual assault and content during orientation. “[Citrus College campus safety] will be implementing many workshops and presentations this year in partnership with the Health center, attempting to be proactive,” said Ben Macias, interim campus safety supervisor. “These workshops will be available, free of charge, for students and employees.”Martha McDonald, dean of students, echoed Macias, highlighting the annual Sex 101 Week and introducing an upcoming “[sexual assault] awareness campaign.” “Campus safety involves everybody,” Macias added. “Collectively, we can combat sexual assaults.” Gov. Brown has until Sept. 30 to reach a decision on the bill.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
budget FROM PAGE 1
Dain continued, displaying the 2013-14 ending balance, minus automatic commitments that would affect the 2014-15 school year budget. Setting aside projected expenditures at the beginning of each fiscal year ensures that the college does not spend money it will likely need later. Dain then presented highlights of the state budget for 2014-15. With no threat of trigger cuts, which are automatic financial cuts to categorical programs at the beginning of an economic dip, Dain summarized Gov. Jerry Brown’s cautious approach. His conservative budget is designed to protect against boom-and-bust cycles; to reduce the state’s “wall of debt”; and to focus funding for education, Dain said. Dain followed with an explanation of Prop 2, the “Rainy Day Budget Stabilization Act”, on the ballot for the Nov. 2014 elections. If passed by the voters, it would require 1.5 percent of the state’s General Fund be put aside to create a “Prop 98 Reserve” that could be used to smooth out the economic highs and lows and meet California’s funding obligation to community colleges. She also mentioned the college’s mandated increase in con-
Claudette Dain
File Photo
tributions to the California State Teachers Retirement Fund. Dain explained that CalSTRS has been “significantly underfunded for years” and that the state has continually avoided attempts at fixing the long-term issues. The presentation then focused on Citrus College’s budget priorities for 2014-2015: honoring institutional planning priorities; maintaining commitment to regular and permanent employees; supporting critical new hires; filling vacant positions; and completing construction projects. Dain emphasized the importance of full-time equivalent students, as she continued her explanation of the 2014-2015 Budget. FTES are calculated, not by headcount of students enrolled, but by calculating the total number of units all Citrus students are attempting each semester. The record high for Citrus was set in 2008-2009 with 11,900 FTES. In 2011-2012, dropped to 10,600
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FTES. Dain predicted that the 2014-2015 FTES will be approximately 11,300. Ongoing revenue for the proposed budget included $56.6 million from apportionment revenue assumptions, $2.8 million from non-resident tuition, and $1.45 million from unrestricted lottery funds. With the addition of mandated cost block grant and other sources, the Citrus College budget is approximately $62.2 million. Expenditures are estimated at $42 million in salaries for staff and faculty, $8.2 million in adjunct/ overload budgets, $1 million in retiree medical costs, $7 million in cost center allocations, and $1.6 million for utilities. Dain reminded her listeners that the tax benefits of Proposition 30 are temporary, as a portion will end in 2016, followed by the complete end in 2018. Prop 30 is a personal and sales tax designed to produce additional revenue during an economic low. Voters approved Prop 30 in November 2012. The proposition “turned the situation of education around,” Dain said. The cost of ending Prop 30 revenues will range from $247,000 the first year to $2.9 million after four years, Dain predicted. Nevertheless, Dain mentioned that possible economy rises have the potential to offset Citrus’ losses and continue budget restoration effects.
Free speech zone expanded FROM PAGE 1
“This is sort of a way of saying ‘Let’s take a look at this, let’s see if we can find a halfway point ideally’,” Spor said. “It’s not exactly everything one side or the other wants.” The suspended administrative procedures include AP 3900 “Time, Place, and Manner”; AP 5450 “Student Clubs and Organizations”; and AP 7102 “Prohibition of Harassment: Students and Employees.” In his email, Spor explained that the district “will cease enforcing provisions of Citrus College’s AP 3900 that limit the exercise of spontaneous expressive activities to an area designated as the “Free Speech Area’.” The administration will continue to enforce AP 3900 within 25 feet of doorways opening to outdoor areas of campus, all indoor areas, and any time free speech expressions disrupt the normal educational process. “We pretty much left open any of the sidewalks, grassy areas, and parking lots for people to talk about whatever it is they want to talk about,” Spor said. “In general, we’re not against free speech. We just don’t want it to interfere with the educational process or our operational process.” Representatives from FIRE and Citrus College plan to reconvene in approximately one month to determine whether or not the moratorium is sufficient to avoid advancement of the litigation. “The lawsuit isn’t pulled or revoked, but at this time it isn’t moving forward either,” Spor said. “If FIRE agrees to the changes we made under the moratorium, that could end the lawsuit.” According to Spor, most community colleges turn to the California League of Community Colleges to provide legal advice on administrative procedures. “Basically any time that any law or regulation changes at the federal or state level, the lawyers for the CLCC go through and look through all the board policies and administrative procedures throughout the state and make suggested changes to them,” Spor said. “We were following the same suggestions recommended to the other 111 colleges in the state.”
Citrus student Gabriel Nadales is the founder and current vice president of the campus chapter of the Young Americans for Liberty, a national group that emphasizes libertarian values and application of the Constitution in American government. “The policies which were put on hold were a clear impediment to the freedom of expression of Citrus College students,” Nadales said. “While it is regrettable that it took a lawsuit against the college for them to be looked at with severe scrutiny, they were bound to be contested.” Nadales was asked if he believes that a person exercising their right to free speech in a classroom setting would interfere with the educational process. “It depends on the context - if the class calls for discussion, then no,” Nadales said “Higher education is dependent on free speech. Without free speech comes indoctrination. That being said, if the class doesn’t call for discussion, then yes.” “Speech that interferes with the educational process is already banned. No one wants to hear why you voted for Obama in a math class,” Nadales said. Daniel Celebretti, vice president of ASCC, spoke on behalf of student government on the moratorium. “I have not had an opportunity to review the policy changes in their entirety,” Celebretti said. “However, I am glad to see steps being taken to review these policies. Recalling instances in the past where protesting groups on campus expressed themselves through methods such as shouting through megaphones and displaying large posters with photos of aborted fetuses to all passers-by, Spor reflected on the value of freedom of speech despite what some interpret as abuse of that right. “I think free speech is very important to our culture. That’s what many other countries love about America,” Spor said. “But that shouldn’t mean that just because someone has freedom of speech that they should get in my face and spew a bunch of garbage about their beliefs, hoping that because they speak louder or that they have pictures, that it’s going to change my mind.”
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FAMED LATINA DELIVERed KEYNOTE DURING DIVERSITY WEEK BY VANESSA MALDONADO
ing her class with Jaime Escalante, her Garfield High School math teacher. Escalante was played by actor Edward James Olmos in “Stand and Deliver,” filmed in 1988 in East Los Angeles.
STAFF WRITER
VMALDONADO@CCCLARION.COM
An esteemed Latina, whose high school story was told in the movie “Stand and Deliver,” was the Diversity Week keynote speaker Tuesday Sept. 23. Leticia Rodriguez, an electrical engineer for Honeywell Corp., shared her educational journey with Citrus College students in the Campus Center. Joanne Hinojosa, EOP&S/ CARE supervisor, sat with Rodriguez and delivered questions before students yesterday morning. Sofas set the mellow environment along with a Q&A after Rodriguez told her story. Students became engaged in Rodriguez’s journey, sharing admiration and tears on her dedication in pursuit of higher education. Rodriguez touched on roadblocks she had to overcome dur-
“I give back and help kids stay in school -keep moving forward, no matter what, because you will always have obstacles,” -Leticia Rodriguez Diversity Week keynote speaker
It was Escalante who helped persuade her father to put a desk in the back of his restaurant for Rodriguez to do her calculus homework. Ultimately, she convinced her father that education would help make her dream of becoming an
“It ain’t over ‘til the tall lady speaks!”
An Afternoon with
Jeanne Robertson Sunday October
12
at 2PM
Tickets: $34 Student/Senior: $32 www.jeannerobertson.com
Citrus Theatre Arts Department presents
Emerging American Voices MATURE SUBJECT MATTER
Sat I Oct 4th @ 8pm
Sun I Oct 5th @ 2pm
Written by Jade Yancosky Directed by Jason Francescon
Written by Nathan Gonzales Directed by Jason Francescon
The Other Girl
Somebody Should Tell Him
Fortune Cookie
The Internet Challenge
Written by Alex Pinedo Directed by Neil Weiss
Written by Shannon Walker Directed by Cherie Brown
Presale Tickets: $12 Student/60+: $10 At the door: $15 • Citrus Little Theatre Citrus Fine and Performing Arts Department presents
Far Out!
Music from Sci-Fi & Fantasy Films Fri I Oct 17, 2014 @ 8PM Sat I Oct 18, 2014 @ 2PM Presale Tickets: $12 Student/60+: $10 At the door: $15
1000 W. Foothill Blvd. Glendora, CA 91741
PerfOrmIng ArTS cenTer
TIckeTS: (626) 963-9411 www.haughpac.com
Box Office Open Tues - Sat 11am - 4pm & One Hour Prior To All Shows
engineer come true. As the top student in Escalante’s class, her greatest obstacle was her father’s resistance towards her education. She joked that her father wanted his whole family to work in his restaurant, El Farolito in East Los Angeles, because it was free labor for him. “He provided such a competitive environment for us,” Rodriguez said, commenting on Escalante’s ability to motivate students. “It was good, because we wanted to outdo each other.” When she and her classmates took the Advancement Placement calculus exam, they did so well that they were suspected of cheating and they were required to retake it under heavy supervision. Ultimately, she and her classmates made national news when they earned higher grades on the second exam than on the first. Today, Rodriguez aims to help students pursue in higher education and access resources that she herself did not have. Working in a male-dominated field, she finds it difficult to get her professional opinion heard. “I give back and help kids stay in school -- keep moving forward, no matter what, because you will always have obstacles,” Rodriguez said. Rodriguez and her husband Ray Escobar have three children: two daughters and a son. Her daughter Francisca Escobar, 24, is a Citrus College student majoring in music education. Escobar said she loves her job, teaching kids to learn and play music. She also said she thinks it is weird that her mother’s high school story was told in a movie. Rodriguez strives to instill the same dedication and passion in her children as Escalante did Clarion Ad #3 in her. Francisca says her mom Fall 2014 pushed her to the max, always urging her and her siblings to do their best. Francisca said she heard her mom say over and over again: “If you think you can do it, you can do it. If you don’t think you can, you can’t do it” Hinojosa, mother of Tyler Hernandez, former president of the ASCC executive board, spoke to Rodriguez at a prior event called Café Con Leche in May. The event catered to students and their parents regarding resources available to them. There, Rodriguez presented her story.
Vanessa Maldonado Clarion
Joanne Hinojosa, EOP&S/CARE supervisor, sits with Leticia Rodriguez and answered questions from students. When asked if Rodriguez would consider writing a book, she said she would have to write the book herself.
Courtesy of Leticia Rodriguez
Rodriguez pictured with her calculus teacher Jaime Escalante. Rodriguez and the rest of Escalante’s class were the subject of the 1988 film “Stand and Deliver”.
“Leticia’s educational journey was far from easy, yet she went on to become an engineer,” Hinojosa said. Rodriguez grew up in an era when Hispanics were looked down upon. It was a time of civil unrest, including the Chicano walk-outs, during which East L.A students walked out of their schools and into the streets to protest poor quality education and a prejudiced environment. Regardless of their backgrounds, students relate to searching for balance between
pressures of work, school and family. Escalante had faith his students could overcome boundaries as long as they worked hard and fought hard. So besides calculus what did Rodriguez learn from Jaime Escalante’s class? “Failure is not an option,” Rodriguez said. Her message to Citrus students: “Seek your passion in life and do everything you can to work towards that goal.”
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
7
FREeDOM TO READ ‘EM
The banned books display aims to be one of the Hayden Memorial Library’s most popular check-outs
BY WINTER DRECHSLER STAFF WRITER
WDRECHSLER@CCCLARION.COM
The freedom to read is being celebrated with Banned Books Week at the Hayden Memorial Library. The celebration began Sept. 16 and is scheduled to continue until Sept. 27. According to Vivian Linderman, a librarian at the Hayden Memorial Library, banned books week was started in 1982 by the American Library Association (ALA) to fight censorship and support the freedom to read whatever you want. “My hope is that it will increase awareness of censorship and that the Citrus community will realize the privileges to information they have,” she said. Sarah Bosler, the public services librarian at the Hayden Memorial Library, urges students to “stop by the library display and celebrate the freedom to read.” Students are encouraged to participate by taking photos of themselves posing with their favorite banned book at the banned books display in the library and posting them on Instagram with the hashtag #owlsreadbannedbooks. Banned Books Week is observed nationwide in honor of the American right to access information. Even today, this “freadom,” as the ALA has coined it, is chal-
Forum discuss ‘cases of the century’ BY KATIE JOLGREN STAFF WRITER
KJOLGREN@CCCLARION.COM
Two Constitution rights experts discussed landmark Supreme Court cases in a public forum in observation of Constitution Day, Sept. 17. The presenters, Barry McDonald and Angela Sierra, voiced their opinions on a variety of cases, approaching their interpretation from either a constructionist perspective or their view of the Constitution as a living document. Constitution Day, Sept. 17, is the anniversary of the ratification of the Constitution of the United States in 1789. Beginning in 2004, this date has been used to educate all students in publicly funded schools on the history of the American Constitution. As part of Citrus’ educational programming, and in celebration of its 100th anniversary this fall, a public forum titled “Cases of the Century” was sponsored by the executive board of Associated Students of Citrus College. Dave Milbrandt, Citrus College professor of political science, moderated the forum. McDonald, a professor of law at Pepperdine University, and Sierra are experts in Constitutional rights.
lenged when individuals oppose the display of certain works of literature on school and library shelves. According to the ALA, the main reasons people attempt to remove books from free public access are for sexually explicit material, offensive language and the judgement that the material is unsuited for any age group. These are the guidelines outlined in the Library Bill of Rights. Different books may be banned from library and school systems, per state law. Once an individual has challenged a book, it is not immediately banned from that state’s library and school system. In fact, it is often placed on reserve shelves by librarians and educators. Books that are successfully banned, however, are removed from that state’s library and school systems. The idea is, that even though every individual does not hold the same viewpoint, all individuals can express their viewpoints equally. “We do not want to present only one side of a story. We want to give everyone a voice,” Bosler explained. Stephanie Ballard, a librarian at the Hayden Memorial Library concurs, “most libraries and librarians believe that people should be able to read whatever they want without restriction,” she said. Elizabeth “Cheeks” Donahue, 20, a business major at Citrus College was browsing the banned
McDonald teaches courses in Constitutional law and First Amendment law and has been interviewed and has written articles for “The CBS Evening News”, “Fox News”, the Los Angeles Times and National Public Radio. Sierra is a practicing lawyer for the Senior Assistant Attorney General for the state of California and also serves on the Civil Rights Enforcement Division for the California Department of Justice. One of the fourteen cases discussed included the case of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that “provided for a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy but also establishes a right to privacy,” Milbrandt said. Directing the debate toward Sierra, Milbrandt asked: “What areas do we think we have concerns about regarding privacy rights being violated today?” “You’re continuing to see states enact laws that challenge a woman’s ability to access contraception or abortion services, so this will continue to be a very large issue for society,” Sierra said. Other areas that may come under scrutiny for privacy rights include end of life decisions, McDonald added. The Supreme Court has “created privacy rights out of thin air essentially,” he said. “It should not be expected to see extension of privacy rights until the liberal wing has control of the court.” Moving the conversation forward, Milbrandt said that some of the new challenges are “due to technology that are changing the argument as far as what people put out there and what people can access as well as how we are using technology to survey people.” Addressing the presenters Mil-
Winter Dreschler Clarion
Alex Ramirez, 20, kinesiology major, poses with his favorite childhood book, “Where the Wild Things Are.” Students are encouraged to photograph themselves in the library at the selfie station with their favorite banned book.
books display. “I’ve read most of them and a lot of them have really good themes and morals,” She said. Proof that Citrus College students should indeed be thankful for their freedom lies in one of the most highly challenged books of today: “50 Shades of Grey.” It is readily available to Citrus College students. According to Bosler, it is also one of the most worn-out books in the Hayden Memorial Library. The ALA website includes a quote from renowned American philosopher, Noam Chomsky: “If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.” Stephanie Ballard, a Citrus College librarian, feels the
same way. As Ballard explains it, librarians do more than just check out books. “Librarians are crusaders for intellectual freedom,” she said. “Intellectual freedom just means the freedom to read whatever we want.” Students are welcomed to celebrate this right by taking selfies at the banned books display located between the library staircase and copy room. Alex Ramirez, 20, a kinesiology major, was the first student to photograph himself at the ww station with his favorite childhood read, “Where the Wild Things Are.” “Students should stop by and see the exhibit for themselves,” Ramirez said. adding “It would spark some curiosity and surprise people.”
Katie Jolgren Clarion
Panelists Barry McDonald (left) and Angela Sierra (far right) are joined by moderator Dave Milbrandt in discussing the “Cases of the Century.” ASCC hosted the event in celebration of Constitution Day and Citrus’ 100th anniversary.
brandt went on to ask, “What should be the limits of free speech in a civil society?” “I know the agreement that even unpopular speech is very important,” Sierra said. “You need to have the conversations that may be difficult or may make people angry, but that’s what sets us apart from other nations, that we have a robust protection of free speech.” “It’s constantly balancing, but I think it’s important to recognize that uncomfortable speech is important in our society,” she said. McDonald responded by citing Snyder v. Phelps, the 2011 free speech case in which the Supreme Court decided that the First Amendment protected protestors from the Westboro Baptist Church
at a military veteran’s funeral from accountability for deliberately inflicting emotional distress on the family of the deceased. “I think the funeral protester case is a classic example of where the court got it wrong,” McDonald said. “Here you have a father trying to bury his dead son and you have protestors showing up with signs saying ‘Thank God for dead soldiers’…we have gone over the top in not valuing this father’s privacy.” “These protestors, who have gotten their views out, were using this father’s grief as a platform to get more of their hateful messages out,” McDonald said. “When the court decided this
father can’t maintain a court action for the psychological invasion of his privacy, the court is way off kilter.” Additional cases included United States v. Windsor, a 2013 case that discusses the Defense of Marriage Act which defines the terms of marriage under federal law and deprives same-sex couples their Fifth Amendment rights to equal protection. At the forum’s conclusion, Sierra articulated the common denominator between the two opposing sides, stating that, “At the end of the day we’re trying to ascertain the intent of our founders. To some extent, this is a living document and that’s what makes Constitutional law very exciting.”
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
SPOTLIGHT
CITRUS COLLEGE
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Join the
CLUB S WORDS AND PHOTOS BY ˜ MACY OLIVAS & MELISSA PENA
Students congregated at the Campus Center mall where both active and potential clubs set up shop to attract and recruit new members on Sept. 16 and 17. Clubs with booths this year were the Native American Student Association, Latinos Unidos Student Association, Swing Dance Club, Cosmetology Club and Anime Connection. The Native American Student Association aspires to build a community
for both Native American students and students interested in Native American culture through art,education and cultural tradition. Cosmetology club had their members styling hair and doing make up to show off their talent while students passed by and admired. The president of Cosmetology, Sabrina Goettker, supervised the booth as the day progressed. Young Americans for Liberty had a free speech wall where they encouraged students to sign the wall with a message and exercise their right to free speech. It was a very successful event with the turn out of students who signed up for all the new clubs and as well for all the returning ones.
Melissa Peña Clarion
Cosmetology student Laurel Guaderrama styles Jessyka Pairman’s hair in the Cosmetology club station.
Macy Olivas Clarion
Performing Arts majors Yuri Oatis and Danny Lazo gear up for a picture beside the Native American Student Association booth, whose table displayed various Native American crafts
Members of the Swing Dance club try to recruit a student to their club.
Melissa Peña Clarion
Melissa Peña Clarion
The Anime Connection kicks off the semester with recruiting new members. Macy Olivas Clarion
Sugar skulls and sombreros add color to the table of the Latinos Unidos Student Association.
SPOTLIGHT
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
A FIGHTING CHANCE
WORDS AND PHOTO BY CAREESA CAMPBEL L
While most Citrus students were celebrating the Fourth of July barbequing with family or spending the day at the beach, former ASCC commissioner of public relations Michael Tejada was thinking about cancer. He had just discovered a tumor on his neck.
T
ejada, 27, was diagnosed in August with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is usually curable. “I knew it,” he said. “Everyone was telling me [the tumor] was probably nothing, but…what else could it be? When [the doctor] said it was cancer, it was what I expected.” Tejada’s younger brother Justin, 23, said since the diagnosis, he has seen a change in Michael. “He’s definitely shown me how to enjoy life a little bit more,” Justin said. “He’s there like an older brother should be.” Prior to the diagnosis Michael Tejada said he had been struggling with depression but now his priorities have changed. “It’s kind of weird to say, but I think the cancer has cured my depression,” he said. “My perspective on life has changed dramatically.” Rather than finish school as a sociology major, Tejada has decided to start working. He said he wants to earn money so that he can enjoy doing all the things he wants to do with the people he loves. “I don’t know how much time I have left now,” he said. “Instead of taking my chances or just waiting, I would rather get back to work so I can do what I want to do.” Tejada said he loves taking his six nieces and nephews on field trip adventures, but he hasn’t been in a position to do so for a long time. “I want to do that again,” he said. “That makes me happy.” ASCC vice president Daniel Celebertti, 28, said his first impression of Tejada was that he was a gogetter with a positive spirit. “There’s just that vibe that you get from him where you can’t be sad around him,” Celebertti said. “He’s just a great friend. I want him to know his ASCC family is always here for him and supports him 100 percent.” Celebertti described Michael as naturally reserved but outspoken when he needs to be. “He’s not afraid to say what’s on his mind,” Celebertti said. Tejada’s determination to complete student government projects for Citrus students has never wavered. In spring 2014, he helped distribute about 1,000 bags with Scantrons, blue books and pencils to students in the run-up to finals. “He heard a lot of no’s from different people but he still kept at it and was able to pull it off,” Celebertti said. “He always had the students in mind.” In making treatment decisions, Tejada said that at first he wanted to take a holistic route because he has watched three family members die after chemotherapy treatments. “For over a decade I was telling myself I would never do that to myself,” he said. “It was kind of hard to disassociate their treatment failures to what could happen to me.” However, despite his strong reluctance, Tejada said out of fear he eventually chose to undergo chemo for the next two to five months at City of Hope. “I was scared,” he said. “The doctor told me
“
It’s kind of weird to say, but I think the cancer had cured
my depression.
My
perspective on life has
changed dramatically.”
people who have taken the holistic route…come back five years later with tumors all over their body, and then it would be too late to have treatment as an option. It just scared me.” Tejada said that the biggest challenge he has had to overcome so far is letting go of personal beliefs and putting his life into the hands of doctors. “I have to have faith that the treatment is going to make me better even though a month ago I didn’t feel that way,” he said. “Compromising my beliefs out of fear has been the hardest part.” When he is alone with his thoughts, things get harder, Tejada said, but his support team of friends and family keeps him going. “I want to be there for them as much as they want to be here for me,” he said. “I don’t want them to see me feeling down and out about myself because I don’t want people feeling sorry for me.” Tejada said that he keeps a positive attitude by refusing to feel sorry for himself. “There’s nothing to be angry about, and there is no one
-Michael Tejada
to blame,” he said. “It’s unfortunate, but I just have to roll with it.” Justin Tejada said he admires his older brother’s will to survive. “He’s willing to do anything to make sure he’s going to stay here for as long as possible,” he said. Michael said the possibility of death doesn’t frighten him. “Death intrigues me,” he said. “It’s something that we know nothing about other than that it is inevitable. “What’s on the other side interests me. I’m in no rush to find out but I’m not scared of it,” he said. For those who have cancer or have loved ones who have been diagnosed with it, Tejada recommends embracing the cancer rather than being embarrassed by it. “It’s not something you can control, so you shouldn’t be ashamed of it,” Tejada said. “Take it in stride. Embrace it for what it is.” As Tejada continues his journey, he said he hopes chemotherapy will cure him. “I’m going to put up a fight,” Tejada said. “That’s all I can guarantee.”
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FEATURES
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
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Emerging voices speak: ‘FORTUNE’ FAVORS PINEDO
BY DILLON COOPER SPORTS EDITOR
DCOOPER@CCCLARION.COM
Fortune cookies may give most of us a laugh, but in Alex Pinedo’s screenplay “Fortune Cookie,” he takes it to the next level. His protagonist, Charlie, makes life choices as directed by those little slips of paper. This is the second year in which Pinedo’s work has been featured in Emerging American Voices. “Watching the crowd’s reaction from last year made me really excited,” Pinedo said. “Everyone was really digging it and that was huge for me.” “Fortune Cookie” was well received in the fall 2013 Emerging American Voices performance. Before Emerging American Voices, Pinedo never really took himself seriously as a writer. “I didn’t think people would be into it,” Pinedo said. “When I watched everyone have a good time watching something that I wrote, it was really cool.” Pinedo said writing and coming up with “Fortune Cookie” has been therapeutic. “Unknowingly, the script became a worstcase scenario for my life,” Pinedo said. “It was really fun to write it as a comedy
because it was poking fun at me. It made me realize that it’s ok to fail.” Pinedo has ideas to make “Fortune Cookie” into a pilot for a TV show. “I think it’d make a great episodic thing,” Pinedo said. “Every episode it’s a new fortune cookie. It lends itself really well to a television kind of thing.” Before last year, Pinedo hadn’t written a script before, but now he’s fallen in love with it. “I know it’s really scary because writing is so intimate and it’s really hard to show that off because it makes you vulnerable,” he said. “This script will always have a special place in my heart because it was the first script I wrote,” Pinedo said.
“It was really fun to write it as a comedy because it was poking fun at me. It made me realize that it’s ok to fail.” -Alex Pinedo
‘THE OTHER GIRL’ LOST AND FOUND BY VANESSA MALDONADO STAFF WRITER
VMALDONADO@CCCLARION.COM
From high school novelist turned screenplay writer, Jade Yancosky presents her story, “The Other Girl” to Emerging American Voices. In “The Other Girl” the main character, Mia, struggles to find balance as she faces adulthood after high school but complications arise as she begins an affair with the father of a child for whom she babysits. Mia stems from Yancosky’s experience in high school in which, like many others, struggle to find a place in the world to fit in. “I was a senior, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do yet. I was kind of conflicted and that set the story,” Yancosky, 20, said. Yancosky participated in last year’s “Emerging American Voices” program, as an actor and narrator for student plays.
She is receiving guidance from theater art professors, including Cherie Brown, program director of acting and directing. Brown believes writing a screenplay teaches self-confidence and how to take criticism or “having their listening ears open to what their audience is giving them and not take things personally,” as Brown said. Yancosky is enjoying getting out of her comfort zone with this program. “It helps and encourages you to be a storyteller, to put your story out there and to continue it,” Yancosky said.
“I was a senior, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do yet. I was kind of conflicted and that set the story.” -Jade Yancosky
WALKER GETS AHEAD
GONZALES ‘TELLS’ ALL
BY VANESSA MALDONADO STAFF WRITER
VMALDONADO@CCCLARION.COM
BY DILLON COOPER SPORTS EDITOR
DCOOPER@CCCLARION.COM
The first thoughts that come to mind after rejection are usually “What’s wrong with me?” “Do I need to change myself?” Nathan Gonzales’ screenplay “Somebody Should Tell Him” tackles that tendency as well as the feeling of guilt involved in failed relationships. It’s a tale of unrequited love with the main character, Denny Lee, always on the wrong end of it. “It’s become such a common occurrence that people get very emotional when it comes to relationships,” Gonzales said. “Relationships have taken a major focus in people’s lives.” After numerous attempts to find a relationship Denny Lee is filled with self-doubt. He starts to question what’s wrong with him and wonders if he can fix it. Denny Lee creates a podcast with his best friend and uses it as therapeutic relief. But when he starts to complain non-stop on the podcast, people get tired of listening. Denny Lee then gets the idea about asking all of the girls that turned him down, is there something he can fix? Is there something he should do differently in the future? Denny Lee is at a desperate point in his life where he wants to know how things work and he’s realizing that being
Catching up with the playwrights for this Fall’s “Emerging American Voices”
“If I could make people laugh, if I could entertain people, that’s where I’ll be happiest.” -Nathan Gonzales himself isn’t working. “This whole movie is littered with pop-culture references and jokes,” Gonzales said. “It comes from a very real place and I feel there are a lot of people out there that are just like that.” Comedy is a huge part of Gonzales’ life as he is also a stand-up comic at Flappers Comedy Club. “If I could make people laugh, if I could entertain people, that’s where I’ll be happiest,” Gonzales said. “Somebody Should Tell Him” is personal and somewhat autobiographical. “The main character goes through feelings that I have been going through for the later part of my life,” Gonzales said. “It’s very much like ripping out a piece of your heart and putting it on a slab and asking ‘Does anyone else feel like this? Does anyone else feel this way?’”
Jumping up and down, screaming and shouting was Shannon Walker’s emotional reaction when she read her email announcing she would be one of the four featured screenwriters for the upcoming “Emerging American Voices.” “This is a nice thing for our student writers to hear their words spoken in a very gorilla theater, raw setting,” said Cherie Brown, director of the Theatre Arts Department. Walker, 20, has written a comedy screenplay titled, “The Internet Challenge”, about a socially awkward girl who decides to end all social media for a week and attempt to go the more traditional route to meet people in person.
“This is the first time I wrote something and actually did something with it.”
-Shannon Walker
“I’m mainly influenced by the people around me,” Walker said. She is interested in poetry and fiction, yet she never imagined that she would have this golden ticket for others to watch her screenplay. Screenwriters learn editing and shortening their stories to fit the time capsules as well as to make the characters as human and real as possible. She said casting actors for her characters is more difficult than auditioning for the screenplay. “I’ve always been on the auditioning side, not the casting side,” Walker said. It’s even harder than auditioning. “This is the first time I wrote something and actually did something with it.” Walker went on to say she hopes that her work makes others smile. Her nature is to observe people and see what type of reaction they have on each other. “I really love human emotion.,” Walker said. “When I watch a video on YouTube with a friend, I end up watching their reactions more than the video.”
“Emerging American Voices” will be hosted in the Little Theatre on Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. & Oct. 5 at 2 p.m. Tickets available for $15 at the door.
A&E
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
11
FINDING THEIR WAY THROUGH A NOSTALGIC PERFORMANCE BY DANIELLE CARLSON STAFF WRITER
DCARLSON@CCCLARION.COM
A special alumni concert “A Way Back to Then” was performed to celebrate Citrus College’s centennial year. The intimate concert was only composed of three people; the two performers and Citrus College alumni Raymond Barcelo and Faith Carrion, accompanied by Andrew Orbison, a Los Angeles-based freelance musician. Throughout the special benefit concert, the two actors shared personal experiences through song about their lives at Citrus College as well as life after graduation. The stage was adorned with a wide variety of flowers and shrubs, which presented the set in a modest yet elegant manner. The lead actress Carrion, 25, described her time as a performing arts student at Citrus and her endeavor to make it into the professional world through song. During one performance Carrion described her personal connection to the song “A Quiet Night At Home,” originally composed by Damon Intrabartolo and Jon Hartmere, as the first serious piece she had to complete. Her passion when
singing was apparent throughout the production leaving the audience feeling as if they were accompanying her through different experiences. Barcelo, 25, radiated a bright and colorful personality when he took the stage. It shined through to all of his performances. However, in the second act, the crowd experienced some irony in Barcelo’s rendition of, “Way Ahead of My Time.” The song’s main theme highlighted the idea of excelling in all aspects and being smarter than “the average caveman.” But when Barcelo attempted to “excel” with his performance, he stumbled through the song resulting in him restarting a total of three times. Luckily for Barcelo, his charm and humor made his mistakes seem like a part of the production, leaving the audience to see the comical side of the error. Orbison’s flawless piano performances helped capture the mood of Barcelo and Carrion’s journey through life thus far. Despite a few minor hiccups, the show communicated an intimate feeling leaving the audience feeling like they read a part of Barcelo and Carrion’s diary.
Pat Cordova Clarion
Alumni Faith Carrion, 25, and Ray Barcelo, 25, sing their duet “Fine” from “Ordinary Days” in the cabaret show titled “A Way Back to Then.” The performance highlighted their experiences during their tenure at Citrus College.
You Are Invited! Join the Fun!
Citrus College Centennial!
Saturday Afternoon, October 11, 2014 Citrus College Stadium Parking Lot All-Class Reunion – Catch Up with Old Friends!
11:00 a.m. - Registration Noon - Luncheon, $19.15 RSVP - www.citruscollege.edu/100
Centennial Celebration – Bring the Family! 2:00 p.m.—6:00 p.m. • Admission is Free Car Show! Food Trucks! Face Painting! Fun! Citrus College Program Information!
Homecoming Game – Cheer for the Owls! 6:00 p.m. Citrus College Owls vs. Bakersfield College Renegades Special Halftime Show Honoring Our Veterans
“It wouldn’t be a party without YOU!”
www.citruscollege.edu/100
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Coop’s corner Domestic violence and child-abuse in the NFL is a reccurring theme that needs to stop immediately BY DILLON COOPER SPORTS EDITOR
DCOOPER@CCCLARION.COM
One of the most shocking and embarrassing summers the NFL and maybe even all of professional sports has ever experienced is finally over. There have been suspensions for drugs, racist remarks, domestic abuse and now child abuse. Where does it end for the players in the National Football League? With NFL commissioner Roger Goodell lying to media and the world regarding the Ray Rice fiasco, surely the NFL should be feeling some sort of heat? Wrong. In fact, ratings are extremely high. The world needs its football fix. It doesn’t matter who represents the NFL brand, people will watch. But advertisers are becoming aware of the athletes representing their brands and companies like Anheuser-Busch and Pepsi have criticized the leagues handling of domestic violence and child abuse. In May, analyst Tony Dungy and many others, including players within the NFL, were worried about the first openly-gay athlete, Michael Sam. “I wouldn’t have taken him [Sam.] Not because I don’t believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play, but I wouldn’t want to deal with all of it,” Dungy told the Tampa Tribune. “It’s not going to be totally smooth… things will happen.” Well, things did happen. Rice clocked his fiancé in an elevator, Adrian Peterson physically abused his kid, Commissioner Goodell lied to the world and not one piece of negative news about Sam went to press. In fact, Sam is the only one of these athletes mentioned that can currently suit up in the NFL. The NFL and all the analysts who cover the NFL should have never singled out Sam for being openly gay. The issues we should be tackling as a society are abuse among each other. These role models, and yes, these athletes are role models to millions of kids, are committing acts of violence that will spread and corrupt the youth. Let’s rewind. When allegations surrounding Rice surfaced, he was slapped on the wrist with a two game ban. A ban was put in place because of a surveillance video of Rice clearly
dragging his unconscious fiancé out of a hotel elevator. Then Rice makes an appearance at training camp and is welcomed by cheers and a sea of fans representing his jersey, including women and children. All of this for someone who physically harmed a woman, but because he carries a football for a living, he is still adored. Sources have told ESPN that when Rice met with Goodell, Rice told him everything that happened and yet he was still punished with a minuscule twogame ban. It wasn’t until the video in the elevator was released that Goodell changed his stance. Rice even met with Baltimore Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome. “Ray had given a story to John [Harbaugh] and I,” Newsome said. “And what we saw on the video was what Ray said. Ray didn’t lie to me. He didn’t lie to me.” Rice’s fiancé, Janay Rice, did come out and say that she had hit Rice and felt responsible for what happened. Goodell felt it would have been insensitive to pursue this any further. My guess would be he wanted the Rices to figure this out on their own, tap Ray Rice on the wrist and have him continue to generate revenue for the NFL. Now, after previously having finished this article, I had to go back and input even more names. There’s no way to keep up with all these football players being arrested for domestic violence and now child abuse. Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer decided to head-butt his wife after she refused to have sex with him. The next day came and he decided that wasn’t enough, so he punched her in the face. Dwyer, along with Peterson, have been deactivated from their respective teams. With numerous players being arrested on a yearly basis, the NFL still won’t feel any effects. The NFL is a product loved by many. With parties and rooms devoted to watching football, every Sunday is treated as a national holiday in most homes. The NFL isn’t the only sport with problems regarding their athletes and the law, but it is the most recognized. If the NFL hopes to rekindle their relationship with the fans and their sponsors, they need to stand up to this important issue and put an end to it. These players are idols to many and there needs to be something in place to prevent this from happening again. A season-long ban without pay for first-time offenders, or even as steep as a lifetime ban. One case is more than enough, this needs to end. If we aren’t talking about events happening on the field, the NFL is failing and the NFL has failed a whole lot recently.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
13
Men’s Soccer Starts Season in a Slump
Dillon Cooper Clarion
Captain and goalie, Cesar Valverde, #1, launches the ball downfield after a save against San Diego Mesa on Sept. 1, 2014. The Owls would draw 1-1 after a late equalizing goal from forward Austin Amato.
BY DILLON COOPER SPORTS EDITOR
DCOOPER@CCCLARION.COM
The Citrus Owls haven’t had the best of starts to the fall 2014 season, only winning two out of their first seven games. It’s hard to point to one area, especially in soccer, but the Owls (2-4-1) entered this season with an extremely inexperienced back four. Michael Montoya is the lone sophomore defender in a backline littered with freshman. “It’s a tough one,” said head coach Fred Bruce-Oliver. “It’s tough to replace your defense and expect results.”
“It takes a lot to help the team succeed. I need to take the initiative to motivate the team.” -Cesar Valverde team captain
“We have people who are going to try and hold the back together for us,” said BruceOliver. “But I’m concerned, they aren’t experienced.” Something that plagued last season’s Owls was the pressure being applied to their midfield and defenders that were on the ball. Bruce-Oliver went to the drawing board and came in to this season with a new formation. In attack, the Owls will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The two midfielders will complement each other by interchanging roles. If one player moves up, the other midfielder will sit in the middle. If the two midfielders are able to ping the ball back and up the field, this will relieve the pressure in the midfield. The three attacking players in front of the two midfielders will all serve as a link to the lone forward. There will be two players who will occupy the wings and one player directly behind the striker. Ideally, this will cause the link up play between defense, midfield and attack all to be relatively smooth, this is all in theory.
Rarely do things pan out the way you draw it up. Last season’s leading goal-scorer, Grayson Iwasaki (12), is no longer with the team, so the Owls will need to look elsewhere to put the ball in the back of the net. This year’s Owls will be relying on Austin Amato to supply the creative balls to the forwards and wingers. “I prefer the attacking midfielder role,” Amato said. “You can get a lot of touches on the ball, which I love. It’s a lot of fun to play when you’re involved with most of the plays.” Amato has scored two goals so far this season, compared to last season’s tally of three. When the Owls don’t have the ball, they will fall into a 4-4-2 formation. The two wingers up front will drop deeper into the midfield role to help with the opposing team’s attacking players on the wings. “When we lose the ball, we have to pressure immediately to win it back,” said sophomore winger Daniel Ortiz. Sophomore goalkeeper Cesar Valverde said communication is the key, especially with an all-new backline. “It’s hard for us. Everyone has to get used to everyone else’s style of play,” Valverde said. “It comes down to communication. We all need to make sure we are on the same page.” Valverde has also been voted the team’s captain for this season. “I never thought I’d be a captain at a college level,” Valverde said. “It takes a lot to help the team succeed. I need to take the initiative to motivate the team.” Last season, the Owls ended the season at a disappointing 7-11-2. The defense allowed 2.3 goals a game with the offense scoring 2.3 goals per game as well. This year’s Owls will need to find their identity in the back quick if they are hoping to not repeat the poor record of last season. You can catch Bruce-Oliver and his men in their next home game against Moorpark on Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. at the football field. Admission is free.
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
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EDITORIALS
“YES MEANS YES” PROMOTES STUDENT SAFETY
SB 967 is essential for students, not only at Citrus, but statewide. The Governor needs to sign this bill.
O
ne in four women will experience some form of sexual assault during their academic career according to a 2012 academic study. But Citrus College students don’t need to look far for examples of sexually violent acts. There have been three separate cases of sexual assault reported on our campus since 2011. The growing number of sexual assault incidents across college campuses nationwide have led to California legislators passing SB 967, which states that students attending institutions of higher education in California must seek affirmative consent, meaning that both parties would have to verbally agree with a “yes” before engaging in sexual activity. Governor Jerry Brown should sign this “Yes Means Yes” bill into law for the safety of the students at Citrus and all colleges in California. While the bulk of sexual assault cases on U.S. campuses are predominantly male on female crimes, this statistic ignores the sexual assault rate by men on men, women on women, women on men. Traditionally, much of the responsibilities of rape crimes have been put on the shoulders of innocent victims. In fact, this global attitude toward sexual assault was the start of one of the largest protests against the matter starting with the Denim Day movement in 1997. An 18-year-old rape victim was unable to lawfully press charges against her rapist because of the fit of her jeans. The court decision ruled that if the young woman was truly a victim, she wouldn’t have worn such tight clothing, which lead to an international social movement known as Denim Day where individuals dress in denim to remind each other that clothing is not consent. We need to think about rape as the crime that it is. Like any crime, it is the sole fault of perpetrator, not the victim. A short skirt is not consent. A cleavage-bearing top is not consent. Nudity is not consent. We must abolish these unspoken stigmas that invade our campuses. Even the stigmas of the kind of susceptible victims are prospects that must be re-evaluated in order to create a safe environment for students. Not only does “no” mean no, but only “yes” can mean yes. There needs to be a drastic change in the way we respect each other’s bodies. This isn’t the type of issue meant for nodding your head politely in support; it’s the type that requires action on your part immediately. Consider this your rallying war cry, Owls: it’s up to you to urge Governor Brown to sign this bill.
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To breathe, or not to breathe? Smoking on campus is at the luxury of the smoker, not of those who choose otherwise. Administrators should reconsider the smoking policy and join the ban-smoking movement.
T
he right of the non-smoker to be unthreatened by the toxins of cigarette smoke are unavoidably violated through the tolerance of smoking. The crushed cigarette butts strewn all over the sidewalks and planters across campus have become an all too common sight at Citrus. This is in stark contrast to the 1,372 college and university campuses in the U.S. that have completely eliminated smoking. Why does Citrus have yet to adopt a smoke-free policy? The health risks of smoking are universally understood, yet anyone who steps on campus is vulnerable to the effects of second-hand smoke. Citrus’ lax tobacco policy confirms administrators’ indifference to the health of the campus community. Posted on the college’s website, the present tobacco use policy states: “While it is universally known that regular use of tobacco products poses a significant health risk, it is important to find some balance between an individual’s decision to use tobacco products and the right of the non-smoker to be free from the atmospheric effects of them.” It is impossible to guarantee any rights to nonsmokers because of the rights commissioned to smokers. The ambiguity of this smoking policy demonstrates the lack of concern for non-smokers at Citrus. E-cigarettes are no exception. According to the FDA, they produce carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamines in the aerosol. Although the levels of these harmful chemicals are under investigation, there is little doubt that e-cigarettes are bad news for health. For non-smokers, exposure to secondhand smoke immediately threatens the health of the cardiovascular system and increases the risk of a heart attack. Non-smokers who already have heart issues or asthma are at an even greater risk of damaging their health. In the United States, secondhand smoke exposure causes about 34,000 annual heart disease
deaths among non-smokers. Even more astonishingly, non-smokers who are vulnerable to secondhand smoke at home or at work increase their lung cancer risk by 20 to 30 percent. Why should non-smokers have to hold their breath walking from class to class for the sake of the smokers’ privilege? Permission to light up on campus is a travesty. Smokers have abused this privilege and have left evidence of their disregard for campus policy by leaving cigarette butts littered throughout campus and feeling free to light up wherever they please. Citrus can no longer justify its loose interpretation of tobacco use. It is imperative that the board of trustees reconsider the importance of the health of the student body and faculty. All UC and Cal State campuses have already adopted smoke-free policies and Citrus should follow in their footsteps. Pasadena Community College District has implemented a smoke-free policy, empowering the students and the staff to report smokers who violate it. A fine of $25 is issued to smokers who fail to comply with campus policy; the fine is increased by an increment of $25 with each offense. The college should consider establishing similar guidelines in an effort to create a smoke-free campus. Citrus can no longer neglect the fact that tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death. If the Citrus community proceeds to overlook the campus policy on smoking, we promote a detrimental health choice. If we choose to condone smoking, then we deprive students of their right to air uncontaminated by cigarette smoke. It is imperative that Citrus redresses their tobacco policies. It is both the student body’s and the administrators’ duty to pursue this with the utmost concern for this college community.
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OPINIONS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
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LETTER FROM THE
EDITOR
Do yourself a favor and embrace history BY CAMERON WISDOM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
CWISDOM@CCCLARION.COM
La’Mesha Simpson Clarion
The playground of the Child Care Development Cnter, which was once filled with the laughter of children lies empty and desolate now.
Child care needs to make a comeback BY LA’MESHA SIMPSON STAFF WRITER
LSIMPSON@CCCLARION.COM
R
eopening the Child Development Center on the Citrus College campus should be a priority. As a single mother on a mission to graduate and build a better life for my son, and myself I believe it is critical that colleges make affordable child care available to their students. Planning to return to school in 2012, I was faced with many difficult decisions. A single mother, with minimal income and no car, I wondered how I would be able to return to college and get my son into quality daycare. Passionate about my role as a mother, I am particular about the quality of the environment and the level of care my son is placed in. I was excited about the possible reality that I would be able to enroll at Citrus College and have my son close by on the same campus, in a good place that would nurture his growth and development. The first five years of life are the most important in a child’s development. Most children experience detachment issues that can interfere with their overall development. For children of single parents, separation anxiety can be especially acute. Childcare facilities are designated for children too young to enter kindergarten. The option of having your child on campus gives student parents a relief. Assured that they can get to their child within minutes, on the same campus and gives the child the same reassurance and peace of mind. Over the course of a few months, I spoke with several other Citrus
College mothers and listened as each praised the daycare program that used to be sponsored by the college. They encouraged me to enroll at Citrus, motivating me to feel very confident about the decision I was making. I was saddened to learn the 30year daycare program was terminated as of June 15, 2012. The first question that came to my mind was “Why would they get rid of something so significant?” Budget cuts. The program was largely funded by the California Department of Education, slashed its contribution to the program by 42 percent cumulatively over 2010-2011. To help keep the center open, Citrus College had picked up some of the extra tab, contributing $600,000 in 2012, about a third of the child care center’s total expenditures. In the midst a great recession the college was experiencing financial issues, including a $5.7 million reduction from its $55 million budget. The board of trustees subsequently voted unanimously to shut the program down. California has 112 community colleges; of those 91 of them have child care centers on campus. For a college whose mission is to assist students along the education path to graduation, you would think the daycare program would be untouched, as it aids single parents and disrupts the dropout statistics. There are more than 4 million women attending two-year public institutions or community colleges, and more than 1 million of them are mothers, according to a 2011 report by The American Association of University Women. Student mother’s who have many obligations, which makes it
a struggle to stay enrolled. Compared with students who do not have children, parents are more likely to drop out of school, and they most often cite caregiving responsibilities and low income as obstacles to achieving academic success. Studies show that in most states, average childcare center fees for an infant are higher than a year’s tuition and fees at a public college. The growing costs of childcare are unmanageable for most student parents. Given this fact, colleges should make it policy to offer child quality care services to those furthering their education. When the Citrus College Child Development facility was closed, Carol Horton, then the college’s vice president of finance and administrative services, said she expected that it would reopen until the state began recovering from the economic downturn. It has now been two years and the economy is improving. It is time to revisit this issue. Ultimately the daycare center on Citrus College campus should be brought back to life. With the emphasis of pursuing education, as this nation and this college promotes, it is essential to provide support to the single parents who are actively and obviously working to provide better lives for their families. Children who are able to go to school along with the parent allows them opportunity to see their parents striving to achieve educational goals, something that they will take on themselves, and carry throughout their own lives. The example must be prevalent. Reopening the doors of the daycare center will add to the overall success of this college, which is ultimately the mission of the college. More graduates, less time spent in school, and more success!
J
ust in case you haven’t heard, Citrus is celebrating its centennial anniversary this school year. Join the kickoff party Oct. 11 during homecoming. The college is commemorating 100 years of paving the scholarly pathways for several hundred thousands of students over its 100 year history to support the educational foundation that the rest of their adult lives were built upon. As community college students, we often find ourselves thinking ahead to the next levels: four-year institutions with prestigous reputations. However, every Citrus alum shares a common denominator whether he or she went off to a state college, private institution, trade school, or directly into the workforce, and that is they all started their higher education journey at Citrus. No matter where we go, how successful we may become, or what we accomplish it all begins right here at Citrus College. There is something to be said for that; there is a certain beauty about the demographic makeup of our student body. We are as diverse as they come. We represent any and all backgrounds and many rungs on the social economic ladder. The communities we hail from and the one we have built on campus reflect the “melting pot” quality that makes America the benchmark country of the world. We do not simply coexist in the same classrooms and work areas. We thrive on blending our unique individual qualities in the effort to cultivate a more socially rich community. Citrus is, because we are. The centennial celebration is not a bunch of hoopla or an excuse to bring everyone together for an all-class reunion. This anniversary is a milestone achievement for a school that witnessed two world wars, dynamic cultural shifts includ-
ing the civil rights movement, the first moon landing, 17 presidential administrations, the birth of the technological age and so much more. The Citrus College Foundation has been working tirelessly to invite all alums, and you can be sure that people from all walks of life will gather for the occasion to show off their school pride.
“Citrus is, because we are.” The fact remains that the celebration would be meaningless without our involvement, as we are the current student body. I urge you to plan ahead to be at Citrus Stadium for the Oct. 11 ceremonies and truly enjoy yourself while you are there. Let’s fill the seats at the homecoming football game and let the crowd become a factor while we cheer on the men in orange as they take on Bakersfield College. Do we really want to let them walk into our house and not let it be known that they are not only facing the Citrus Owls but also the 100 years of history that the Owls represent? Speaking of history, we are not only celebrating 100 years of hard work and dedication. We are taking this moment in our school’s history to look ahead to the promise of the future, a future that kicks off with the class of 2015. Let’s make it unforgettable. See you there…..
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The Owl Bookshop is operated by the Associated Students of Citrus College as a service to the campus and local community with the purpose of making available educational materials and related items as economically as possible. Profits from its operation are used to fund staffing, activities, grants, scholarships, equipment purchases and campus improvements.