Students code to succeed
VOLUME 90 | ISSUE 7
By STORMIE SANCHEZ Staff Reporter
Amarillo College’s new Code Academy offers a hands-on learning experience for students interested in a career in coding or those looking to update their current skill set. The Academy began Jan. 21. The students were selected from applicants who were current AC students that were already proficient in computer programming and were interested in expanding their skills. “We really needed a way to increase the amount of people that know how to program or code in Amarillo,” Carol Buse, the dean of STEM, said. The Code Academy gives students a way to keep up with the quick-moving pace of the tech industry, Buse said.
February 6, 2020
“As tech firms constantly evolve and change, so should our curriculum and our curriculum requirements,” Dewayne Higgs, the coordinator of the AC Code Academy, said. “The Code Academy is just the next
evolution of that, in order to try to keep up with employment trends.” The Academy teaches full
stack development, which is both the front and back ends of programming an information system. “It is important nowa-
Illustration by BRITTNEE TALLEY
days for programmers to be not so focused on just one aspect of developing an information system. They improve their own employability and marketability if they can say
that they can do it all,” Higgs said. Upon completing the Code Academy, students earn a certificate, as well as 24 credit hours toward a computer information systems degree, according to the amarillo.codes website. The eight-week program meets for five hours two evenings each week. Ariana Rangel, a Code Academy student, said the classes go by quickly. “The method that we’re using is a flipped classroom effect, and it’s where the professor only has about an hour to lecture or just go over things and then the rest of the class period we’re doing out assignments,” Rangel said. Continue reading on page 4
LAUREN EBBEN | The Ranger
The transmission of some flu-like diseases can be prevented by using hand sanitizers.
Common sense combats illness
By KADEN BRYANT Staff Reporter
The World Health Organization recently declared the coronavirus a global health emergency. The illness has spread quickly and has infected more than 8,000 people worldwide. The death toll has surpassed 200 and continues to rise. While the virus has not reached Amarillo College, health practitioners advise students and staff to take precautions to avoid illness. Cindy Anderson, a nurse practitioner at Amarillo Diagnostic Clinic, said staying well is just a matter of common sense. “The best way to prevent any kind of illness is proper hand-washing,” Anderson said. As long as people take care of their well-being by having proper hygiene, illnesses such as the coronavirus could be easily avoidable, she said. Some students say that even when they are ill, they push themselves to attend classes Dr. Kati Alley, an assistant
professor of nursing, said that sick students should make sure they see their primary health care provider and get well. “I speak for myself on this one. If a student is sick and contagious, I would like for them to stay home. I do not want them to come and get the rest of the class sick as well,” Alley said. Former AC student Cayley Reeves, who is now majoring in biochemistry at Texas Tech, agreed that if students become ill, they should stay home. “Students should also drink plenty of fluids and rest. This will boost the immune system enough to fight off the disease; however, if the symptoms persist, the student should see a doctor as soon as possible,” she said. Some people are more susceptible to contracting viruses than others, Alexis Cato, a West Texas A&M University nursing major, said She added that students should be more worried the flu than coronavirus. “You are way more likely to get the flu. The flu is extremely contagious,” Cato said.
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LAUREN EBBEN | The Ranger
At the board meeting Jan. 28, regents approved several items including tuition for prison classes and compensation for employees after adjusting the employee evaluation season.
Regents OK tuition rates for prison classes, staff compensation plan By LAUREN EBBEN Editor-in-Chief
The Amarillo College board of regents approved reduced tuition and fees for inmates attending AC classes for a diesel technician program in the Clements Unit. The negotiated tuition cost for this program is about $88.20 per contact hour. Linda Muñoz, the dean of technical education, said these education classes are offered to inmates who are eligible for parole in two years or less, and will lead to AAS programs once these inmates are released. “Eventually we would all love to see that there are full AAS program there. Right now, we’re just starting with this one program and building other programs,” she said. Additionally, the board voted to approve a compensation payment to AC employees. This comes with the decision to move the start of performance evaluation season from February 2020 to October 2020. www.acranger.com
According Paul Proffer, chair of the board, officials believe this shift was the best “financially responsible way” to ensure the college could budget for merit pay for employees in the fiscal year, which begins in September. AC Russell Lowery-Hart said this allows the college to give raises based on actual budget numbers, instead of projected student enrollment numbers. “If we had known the actual numbers in August the college might have given employees a 3 percent raise, rather than a two percent raise because we didn’t know what enrollment would actually look like. On the flip side, when we had projected enrollment being up and it was down, we put the college financially at risk because we over projected,” he said. During this transition year, employees who would normally receive a merit based raise in September 2020 will instead receive that raise on Jan. 1, 2021. To compensate for pushing back the date for
the annual merit increase, the college is providing employees with a one-time payment on or around March 1. Full-time employees will receive a $1,250 payment. Parttime employees will receive a $500 payment. A total of $1,063,000 will be taken from budget reserves to pay this amount. The board also discussed included the approval of tenure recommendations for two faculty members, a nondiscrimination statement, records managment annual report, approval of a contract with the marketing agency SWIM Digital, approval of investment report, approval of finacal reports, a request of qualification statements for a master plan program manager and requests for qualification statements for the Innovation Hub. The next meeting will be held at 6:45 p.m. Feb. 25 in the Palo Duro Room, located on the second floor of the College Union Building on the Washington Street Campus.
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Opinion
2 | The Ranger February 6, 2020
How has technology impacted you? "Technology has made a positive impact just because I’m able to view my assignments or do my tests on my phone or my computer,"
PAULENE TORRES
Business Administration
"Technology has come in handy a lot, but for some of my classes, I think it’s a waste of time. Most of my teachers post the lectures online, but then I'm still having to pay for an in-class lecture,”
Illustration by DANIAR ONOZ | The Ranger
Robots can't replace human touch EDITORIAL
JOZELYN RYAN Nursing
ORIN FOARD
Information Technology/ Business Management
“When I started college 20 or 30 years ago, I couldn’t take tests online. I couldn’t even check my grades on an almost daily basis, or if I knew I was going to be absent, I couldn’t just email the teacher. So, in many aspects, technology makes it much easier,"
Young people fight back OPINION By ISABELLE LINK Columnist
I often hear older people talking negatively about millennials and members of Gen Z. As a younger adult, I have become accustomed to the way boomers list our disrespectful actions. However, it seems as if there is an unspoken rule that young people must take how the older generation treats us. I think it’s time for that to change. I have been in plenty of situations where the older person just assumed I was wrong. I was the one who messed up because I was “the stupid kid” in the situation. The truth is that age doesn’t determine if you are right or wrong, like these boomers feel it does. Just the other day, I was driving down a straight road where the crossroads all had stop signs and a big truck came barreling down the
perpendicular road, blowing right through the sign. In response, I slammed on my brakes. Logically, the older driver of the truck that was speeding and about to run the stop sign might put up a hand in a universal “oops, my bad” and continue on after I drove past. Instead he flipped me off and began yelling at me from an open window, “Learn to drive, you a**hole.” This upsetting moment left me wondering how high on a pedestal this man must have put himself to think that, despite all the obvious things, he was in the right. Why should he be right? No one is overtly special and just because you are old doesn’t mean your time is more precious then the rest of the human race. Point-blank, you can’t be given the right to anything, and the idea that “old equals respect” needs to come to an end, or else the younger generations will only despise the older people more as time carries on. Eventually these old people will need someone to care for them. Maybe then they will realize that the younger generation is the voice and that it has been silenced for too long.
Change is always uncomfortable. The rapid progress that technology has taken over the last 200 years is uncomfortable. We went from oil lamps to LED light bulbs in the blink of an evolutionary eye. But should we fear the future? Does technology truly pose a threat to humans? Technology is not quite to the “destroy all humans” stage. Instead, it’s still, in many ways, primitive and strikingly not human. Humans will never be replaced completely by technology. Humans provide perspective that robots can not emulate. The narrative of every person is different, and that narrative has a direct impact on our actions, emotions and perspective. Artificial Intelligence, by its very nature, shares a similar narrative.
It was created by a coder with boundaries and limits matching those of science and technology. However, though AI might learn at different rates and in different environments, it will always come from the perspective of 'created by humans to be like humans, not to replace humans.' The second thing technology will never be able to replace in humans is emotion and the power it has over our lives. Technology is designed and programmed and thus limited to a much more narrow scope of existence than humans. For AI, there is little room to be unpredictable. Technology always has a function and it works like clockwork, or it isn't working. Humans, on the other hand, are erratic. We make decisions based on knowledge, intuition and impulsion, making our actions and abilities much more variable than machines can ever achieve.
Lastly, humans always adapt to new technology. Cars did not ruin the lives of all farriors. These people just became mechanics. The idea that technology replaces jobs has been proven false time and time again. Printing presses ran scribes out of business but also allowed literature to be accessible to the masses, which in turn empowered countless people. As knowledge becomes more readily available at the fingertips of humanity, the last thing we should be worried about is being replaced. Technology can greatly enrich our lives and usually leads to greater understanding and quality of life. Fears that humans will be completely replaced by AI are warranted, but ultimately AI will never be able to offer the uniquely human touch. As long as people are unique, moody and unpredictable, we will always be able to adapt.
Helping Australian Outback, wildlife OPINION By EMILY REEVES Columnist
The Australian fires are still going on and they're devastating more than just the wildlife. Smoke from the fires has lowered the air quality for urban areas and winds put even more property in danger. On top of property damage, the fires are estimated to have even put some animals, such as koalas, at risk of extinction. There have been at least 33 reported human deaths in direct association with the fires according to BBC. Four of them were firefighters. Recent cold winds and rain have helped temper many of the fires. Although, with high temperatures and dry climate
expected, Australia expects to see an increase in fires again. Caberra, the capital of Australia, has declared a state of emergency and are redirecting supplies to firefighters, who have a right to force an evacuation if needed. The fires in Australia have now started to threaten large amounts of human life, and that's unacceptable. We've all heard stories of American firefighters being sent out to Australia to help, as well as many of the things
people have done to raise money to stop the fires, but Australia needs help now more than ever. If everyone at AC alone were to donate $10 to support those fighting the fires in Australia, we'd manage to raise about $90,000. That sounds like tons of money to those of us who can't afford much more than a sandwich for lunch every other day. However, it still amounts to a small fraction of the $3.5 billion USD minimum estimate of damage caused by the fires according to the New York Times. Please go donate and encourage your friends and family to donate to reliable charities such as rfs.nsw.gov.au or directrelief.org/emergency/ australia-wildfires.
Get in touch with us Page Editors VOLUME 90 | SPECIAL EDITION
August 22, 2019
For a complete staff listing, please visit The Ranger online at www.acranger.com therangereditor@gmail.com Twitter @acranger Instagram @acranger Facebook @acrangerpaper
Editor-in-Chief Lauren Ebben Page Two Daniela Gurrola Page Three Caylee Hanna Page Four Shawn McCrea
Page Five Shawn McCrea Page Six Jessika Fulton Page Seven Isabelle Link Page Eight Brittnee Talley
Student Media exists to serve you — the students. The Ranger is an open forum where you can learn and talk about the things that matter to you. The Ranger staff urges you to get involved by submitting ideas, photos, writing, videos and telling us what you want covered. A public critique and meeting is open to the campus community on Fridays at 10:30 a.m. in PH 214 or you can reach us via email at therangereditor@gmail.com. The Ranger is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press, College Media Association, Panhandle Press Association, Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and Texas Community College Journalism Association. For a complete staff listing, visit us at acranger.com. The Ranger is an independent student publication. Material published in The Ranger does not necessarily reflect the views of Amarillo College administrators or employees.
News
February 6, 2020
The Ranger | 3
Two new vice presidents arrive
By COLLIN SMITH Staff Reporter
At the end of the fall 2019 semester, Amarillo College hired two new vice presidents: Joe Bill Sherrod, vice president of institutional advancement, and Chris Sharp, vice president of business affairs. Both new employees said they have big plans for their new roles. Sherrod, the former assistant vice president for leadership gifts and development at West Texas A&M, said he hopes his work will help the college financially. “My main goals in this new position are to bring the AC Foundation and college closer together, as well as making sure to tell the story of AC’s national recognition to the Panhandle,” Sherrod said. “Another goal of mine is to make sure that our new comprehensive campaign
JOE BILL SHERROD is successfully launched, facilitated and completed.” Sherrod said his first priority is learning. “Before the end of March, I want to make sure I have not changed one thing, but rather have observed and gathered information. I will meet for 45 minutes to an hour with every regent, every Foundation board member, every vice president and selected
CHRIS SHARP faculty members,” he said. Tracy Dougherty, the director of marketing and special events for the AC Foundation and Sherrod’s coworker, said she has known him for 25 years. “I am thrilled because the vice president needs to work directly with our Foundation and fundraising and Joe Bill has great experience in this
Palace business hours change
field, as well as knowing the people of the Texas Panhandle. He has great people skills. He’s kind, smart and highly knowledgeable when it comes to fundraising,” she said. Sharp, the former assistant city manager and finance director for the city of Canyon, also has set goals for his new position as vice president of business affairs. “Carrying out the vision of our regents, Dr. Lowery-Hart and our faculty is very important to me, as well as continuing to build on our great employees, having the focus of students in mind and having our department highly recognized throughout the state,” Sharp said. In his first quarter at AC, Sharp said he has concentrated on learning about AC and getting to know the staff members. “I am focusing on building relationships and learning the dynamics of the college,” Sharp said. “Continuing to build relationships in the community
Registrar resigns By JENNIFER FERNANDEZ
Staff Reporter
JESSIKA FULTON
| The Ranger
Palace is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday and they are closed Saturday and Sunday.
By LONDON BLACKBURN Staff Reporter
Amarillo College’s Palace Coffee location has changed its hours. The shop opened Jan. 21 with the hours changed to Monday through Thursday 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Friday 8 a.m.-1 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday closed. The lack of business during late afternoons is the reason for this change, Krystal Burns, the shop owner, said. “The decision to limit the hours of operation for AC Palace was due to traffic patterns. We see a pretty consistent trend that after about 2 p.m., business drastically slows down,” Burns said. Burns said adjusting the hours will benefit staff morale, as it can be difficult
to work through slow times. Staff members agreed that business would slow down in the afternoons and that their busiest time is mornings. Some students said they fear the new hours could impact people who take night classes. “I feel like it will affect the people who go to night classes, because they may be craving a cup of coffee at 4 in the afternoon,” Kat Bellis, a general studies major, said. Ren Malone, an employee at AC Palace, said he isn’t concerned about the changes. “Whenever people would come and take evening classes, they had a tendency to just take their classes and leave campus,” Malone said. The change of hours could affect students who gather in the shop to socialize, Caleb Dorn, a mass media major, said.
“I think taking that time away would kind of put a downfall on the social life at AC,” Dorn said. “This one closing is the most accessible, so students may just find a new place to go altogether.” Palace also has other locations that are open in the evenings. “We want to be there for everybody, and give everyone a chance to be a part of our community,” Savannah Davis, an employee at the Summit Palace location, said. Burns said Palace is just testing the change of hours to see if it will be beneficial for the business. “At Palace, we are always reevaluating and adjusting things as new challenges or new opportunities present themselves,” she said.
is of the utmost importance in my eyes.” Jeanette Nelson, the budget manager who works for Sharp, said she has high expectations for her new co-worker. “He knows governmental accounting so it’s great that we already have someone trained in the way we do things in our department,” Nelson said. Nelson said Sharp’s former experience will prove crucial to success in his new position. “He knows how to deal with multiple aspects of the business office, physical plant, custodians, grounds, the bookstore, purchasing, the mailroom and the East Campus rental properties of Amarillo College,” she said. “He is also in discussion with everything that goes on at the college being a cabinet member, so it’s comforting to know that we have someone as experienced as him overseeing these important things on our campus,” Nelson said.
The Amarillo College registrar, Diane Brice, has resigned after nearly 32 years at the college. She began working for the college fulltime in July 1990 and had been involved with AC since 1987 when she was a student and worked part-time as a student assistant. “I’ve spent over half of my life here,” Brice said. Throughout her career at AC, Brice has impacted the lives of countless students. From registration and enrollment to graduation, processing and maintaining transcripts, she has played a fundamental role in the students’ journey. “In all the years I’ve known her, she puts students first. Her heart is in her work. She is really good at what she does,” Bob Austin, vice president of enrollment management, said. “We were lucky to have her for all this time.” Brice’s last day was Jan. 31, 2020. AC held a reception in her honor. Brice has accepted a position at West Texas A&M University, which will allow her to continue to work with the staff at AC. “We have a good, close working relationship with WT. I think her going there just makes
that bridge to us closer because she knows our processes,” Kristin McDonald – Willey, the associate registrar, said. Brice’s colleagues describe her as dedicated, hardworking, caring and an all-around great person to work with. “It won’t be the same without her, but she has prepared us for this and will help us if we need it,” Kelly Murphy, the veterans’ coordinator, said. “We wish her the best, she deserves it,” Maria Juarez, the AskAC coordinator, said. Those who worked with Brice closely on a day-to-day basis say they wish her well on her new journey and believe that she will be successful at whatever she does. “Diane is a pro, she has everything in her toolbox to be successful at WT,” Austin said. Brice said she will miss working at AC and encourages her colleagues to always do their best and be willing to admit errors and move on. “If we’re not changing, we’re not growing,” Brice said. AC has opened up the position internally and officials said they are confident that this role will be filled with someone who is qualified to do the work. “Diane left the office in really great shape. She has a team of people who really know the work of the office so that’s a blessing,” Austin said.
Chick-fil-a returns to Washington Street campus By LUCAS ROESLER Staff Reporter
A mobile chicken place is back at Amarillo College’s Washington Street Campus, but not many students have realized it has returned. The truck, which was on campus last year but not last semester, returned for this one. The truck is on campus from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday and Wednesday and is located northeast of the College Union Building (CUB). Many students aren’t aware of the campus Chic-fil-a option. “I didn’t know they had a food truck here,” Lee Huffman, an art major, said. Trey Neely, a former
psychology major, also said he wasn’t aware of the truck, but he is a fan of the restaurant chain. “I don’t always get to eat it, but it’s always a treat,” Neely said. Conner Johns, a network engineering major, hasn’t visited the truck but he plans to eat there. “I know about the food truck. The workers are excellent people,” Johns said. Although they haven’t tried the campus food truck, both Johns and Huffman said they like Chic-fil-a. “They have excellent service. I love the friendliness and hardworking attitude of the employees,” said Johns. “I think Chick-fil-a is a pretty good food place, I’ll try the truck if it’s any good,” Huffman said.
JOHNNY LAWHON
| The Ranger
Maverick Evans, a psychology major, is handed his food by a Chick-fil-a employee. The operating hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday and Wednesday.
News
4 | The Ranger February 6, 2020
Don’t fear the future Tech consulting firm founder ensures students learning to adapt is key to keeping up
By CAYLEE HANNA Staff Reporter
Rapid technological change is transforming the workplace and Amarillo College is focusing on helping employees prepare their students for these changes. On Jan. 30 and 31, the college brought in the founder of a consulting firm that helps organizations adapt to technological transformation. Todd McLees, from the Pendio Group, gave three presentations about disruptive innovation and its impact on the future of work. “According to McLees, 40 percent of businesses that exist today will not exist in five years,” Becky Burton, the
associate vice president of academic services, said. “Businesses must keep up with exponential growth of innovation. Workers must be willing to upskill into different jobs and even different careers.” Some people, such as Burton, have already experienced technological changes in their careers and have taught themselves new skills. “Technology touches every career in some form or fashion. As an educator, I had to selftrain on digital imaging so I could prepare my students. I had no formal education on digital imaging,” Burton said. “That is common across all fields today. What we taught five years, three years or even last year is becoming obsolete
Instead of chasing the technology, we need to arm students with the knowledge and ability to harness the power of technology and use it to be innovative thinkers. –
Becky Burton
Code Academy Continued from page 1 Students get the opportunity to experience building an information system from the ground up. “They don’t have individual lab assignments. They’re working on a reallife large-scale project for a customer, a real client,” said Buse. “It’s like they are different classes, but the student doesn’t see that, all they see is that it’s one big course,” she said. As students tackle daily assignments, professors are available to answer any questions and keep them on track. “Another thing I really like is you have a lot of mentors along the way. They really want this to grow, so they are willing to help us. They want us to succeed,” Rangel said. There are approximately 20 spots available for each Code Academy, with the possibility of two classes at a time. The next Code Academy will start fall semester 2020. For more information, go to www.amarillo.codes.
in many areas. We have to stay current to help our students and current still isn’t enough sometimes. So instead of chasing the technology, we need to arm students with the knowledge and ability to harness the power of technology and use it to be innovative thinkers,” Burton said. According to McLees, it is important to learn constantly in order to adapt to the future of the workforce while jobs are changing due to technological advances. “The most important thing is the ability to learn in an adaptive way,” McLees said. “By 2030, 800 million people will have to change jobs due to automation. Learning to learn
is the greatest skill.” McLees noted that some jobs cannot be replaced by automation because they deal with analyzing humans and their lives. “I do not think technology will take the place of the job I’m interested in,” Erin Stephens, a psychology major, said. “A social worker deals with people and has to work with people’s feelings. Technology will not be able to detect or help with feelings or emotions.” However, Stephens said she isn’t opposed to working with robots in the future. “I think working alongside A.I. robots could be beneficial in a lot of ways, so I think having them a part of jobs would be a good thing.”
COURTESY PHOTO
Todd McLees (above) is the founder of the tech consulting firm, Pendio Group. Pendio works with organizations of all sizes to bring forward adaptive and “future-proof” measures to keep up with our ever-changing technologycentric economy.
News
The Ranger | 5 February 6, 2020
Photo Illustration by SHAWN McCREA | The Ranger
From Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” to George Lucas’ “Star Wars: A New Hope,” the science fiction genre has shaped the way society today has thought about the evolution of technology.
Science fiction shapes reality
By LAUREN EBBEN Editor-in-Chief
The publication of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” in 1818 outlined the fundamentals of the science fiction genre, and propelled a new generation of writers, and later film makers, forward into the future. However, the creation of this genre has shaped reality in more ways than one, according to several experts. “Science fiction predates the evolution of technology,” Dr. Gerold Yonas, physicist and former Strategic Defense Initiative chief scientist, said. Yonas gave George Orwell’s “1984” as an example. The novel, released in 1949, described a dystopian society ruled by a leader known as Big Brother who tells its citizens how to think and act.
“Much of what Orwell talked about in ‘1984’ is much of what is going on today with the media and its impact on society,” Yonas said, “Except instead of Big Brother, it’s the internet. The internet has a tremendous influence on what people think.” The impact of science fiction extends beyond literature. Amy Presley, FM90 program director, pointed to a radio drama that aired in 1938 as another example of how science fiction shapes reality. “The War of the Worlds,” adapted by Orson Welles, “immediately put people into the future,” she said. According to Presley, the broadcast performance of the famous novel by H.G. Wells about an alien invasion sent audience members into a panic when they heard it. Reports from that time said many people fled the areas of “invasion” in their cars.
“We live in an age where we can pull up a website on our phones to check if something is real. When radio is your only real true source, there was no way people could check that,” Presely said. Presley said the hysteria that occurred during the broadcast changed the way the Federation Communications Commission regulated radio waves, setting rules into place to ensure that similar events would not happen again. “It set a precedent to really take care of your listeners,” she said. Hilary Hulsey, a professor of film studies, said she doesn’t necessarily agree science fiction has shaped reality. “Creative people and artists and anyone who is trying to express themselves draw from their environment and what is going on currently,” she said. “There are definite speculative
narratives in science fiction … but history and culture are really what influences science fiction narratives.” Hulsey pointed to the film “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” a movie that depicts aliens slowly overtaking a small town by disguising themselves as its citizens. The film was released in 1956, at a time when the threat of communism was a real fear US citizens felt at the time. “People were very afraid that overnight someone they love would become a communist, because that was so severely against the free capitalist society we live in,” she said. Another impact science fiction has on reality is through emerging technologies found in the genre. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, computer programming and similar products are only
going to grow, according to Todd McLees, founder and CEO of the tech consulting firm Pendigo. “AI is as profound as the invention of fire, the written word and the wheel,” he said at a presentation to Amarillo College faculty and students late January. McLees noted that the increase of artificial intelligence will lead to a decrease in the amount of jobs available to human beings. He said by 2030, 800 million people will have to change jobs due to automation. “The most important thing is the ability to learn in an adaptive way,” McLees said. Since its creation, the science fiction genre has served as an avenue for potential change in society. As the genre continues to evolve, so will the way it shapes reality.
Infographics by SHAWN McCREA | The Ranger
News
6 | The Ranger February 6, 2020
Esports prepares students for future By JOSHUA WOOD Staff Reporter “The Amarillo College Badger Esports 2020 season has had 44 students sign up from 23 different majors,” Christopher George, the esports sponsor, said. Students on the esports team compete in nationwide college video game competitions. With students of multiple majors, different ethnicities and backgrounds, the AC Esports club is a melting pot of diversity. “All students are welcome to come play games. We pride ourselves on being a diverse and inclusive organization,” George said. It may seem like fun and games, but participating in esports offers many benefits and helps prepare students for life after college, George said. “The esports club prepares students for their careers by promoting teamwork, leadership and social networking,” he said.
TITUS MEDLEY I The Ranger
Amarillo College Esports encourages club members and can be found on the fourth floor of Parcells from 5.pm. - 10 p.m.
Austin Ashby, an AC graduate, was a member of the esports team for two semesters. “What I got out of being a collegiate athlete is camaraderie with my team. You’re put together with four other people you may not know and have to learn to gel enough to win,” Ashby said.
Competing in contests and winning prizes is another benefit of membership, said Ashby. “It’s also quite cool to roll into a tournament or venue with everyone sporting their jerseys,” he said. “Each week, students can compete for high scores and at the end of the semester we will have in Amarillo
College gamer of the year championship,” George said. The gaming room, located in Parcells Hall room 415 on the Washington Street Campus is open to all AC students Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. After class, all students are welcome to come play games, relax and meet new
people, George said Students interested in joining the team can contact esports members and alumni on campus in Byrd 415. Another way to contact them is virtually through w w w. d i s c o r d a p p . c o m / invite/u5yVgmY, AC Badger Esports is also on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Career Center expands reach By JESSIKA FULTON Staff Reporter The Amarillo College Career and Employment Services Center has a new director who is implementing initiatives to improve the way it serves students. The Center offers free job placement services for both on and off campus positions and internships, along with networking opportunities and career advice. Taylor Bingham, the Career and Employment Services coordinator, said for this semester she wants to implement new techniques to help students become more aware of the services AC offers. “My big changes are to JESSIKA FULTON I The Ranger make sure every Amarillo The Career and Employment Center provides students with College student is served in their career means,” she said. resources for workforce needs. Bingham wants students
to be able to see career options in person. “Right now we are working with East Campus to get an all majors industry job fair up and running,” said Bingham. According to Bingham, the new goals and upcoming events are creating a need for some extra hands. “We are in the process of hiring a part time employee to see students, assist with fairs and be a part of Career and Employment Services,” she said. This department also holds orientation for new student workers. “I recently attended the student worker orientation and it helped me better understand my role as an employee,” Daniela Gurrola, a business major, said. “It gave me great tips to prepare me for now, but also for future careers,” she said. Bingham said she hopes
the changes will boost the number of students who go to the Career and Employment Services and help encourage students to get the proper help. Erin Merriott, an education major, said she used the Career Center on multiple occasions to obtain an on campus job. “It’s a great resource as a back up plan. Your goal may not be to work at AC long term, but it was definitely helpful in my short term goals,” Merriott said. The Career and Employment Services Center is located on the third floor of Washington Street Campus’ Ware building. The office hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For any further questions or concerns, contact the Center at (806) 371-5147 or employmentservices@actx.edu.
Classes bring relief to students By EMILY REEVES Staff Reporter Imagine a place where stress just fades to the background. For Amarillo College students, AC’s counseling department offers such a service- stress relief workshops. “We want to offer help for anyone who needs help with dealing with life,” said Kristin Barrick, a licensed professional counselor at AC. The workshop takes place from 11:50 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. Wednesdays in Ware Student Commons and is led by Shelly Ross, a counselor. A separate but similar event is held at West Campus from 4:15 p.m. - 4:50 p.m. Wednesdays led by Barrick. The workshop started
in 2016 with the opening of the AC Counseling Center and was originally led by Dr. Jeffery Key, a psychology professor. “Even if you aren’t struggling with anxiety or stress, you can still come and learn helpful tips for being a successful student,” Barrick said. Currently about one to six people attend per session. Barrick said the students who attend spoke highly of it. “I think everyone at AC would really benefit from these sessions,” said Edgar Camarena, a theatre major who attended the Jan. 29 session. “I will definitely come back.” Not everyone who attended the workshop was completely sold on it, however.
“I wish there was more group talk,” said Aden Hurly, a business information systems major and one-time attendant. Barrick said she encourages students who have requests, questions or concerns about the stress relief workshop to contact the Counseling Center. The contact information can be found on the AC website. “If there are any topics that students would like to see offered, they should reach out to the Counseling Center and let the staff know,” Barrick said There is always room for more people to attend the workshops, and the Counseling Center is willing to offer more workshops across the campuses if interest is shown, Barrick said.
Curious to know what Amarillo College President R u s s e l l Lowery-Hart ha s to say about all that’s happening on campus? Check out ‘Bow Tie Breakdown,’ a monthly news series where ‘The Ranger’ sits down with the man (and his ever-changing bow tie) to chat about what’s new at the college. The first installment of this series can be found online at acranger.com
Culture
The Ranger | 7 February 6, 2020
FansthrowbackwithnewBowiesongs By ISABELLE LINK Staff Reporter
To celebrate what would have been David Bowie’s 73rd birthday, Parlophone Records released an unheard, revised rendition of one of Bowie’s more-beloved songs under the album “Is It Any Wonder?” titled ‘The Man Who Sold the World (ChangesNowBowieVersion).’ This song release not only marked Bowie’s birthday, but also the 50th anniversary of when this song was originally written and recorded. The original release of ‘The Man Who Sold the World’ has more of a quirky sound to it right off the bat in comparison to the new release, the older song having the reverb effect of it being under water and the instrumentals resembling more of a classical Egyptian influence. With the revised version, you
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can tell that the audio sounds like it has been cleaned up with more current technology and feels like it is more framing Bowie’s vocal talents and less about the oddball sound Bowie played around with in his earlier days. This track is the first of six that will be gradually
releasing over the course of six weeks. All the songs being debuted have never been heard and some are unreleased to the public so far. The first track dropped Jan. 8, 2020, shortly followed by a cover of Tin Machine’s ‘I Can’t Read’ that
dropped Jan. 17. Tin Machine is covered more in this album and is an interesting throwback in memory of Bowie’s career because it was a super group he was a part of that formed in 1988 with Bowie on lead vocals, sax and guitar. The band stayed together until 1992 and after that Bowie returned to his solo work. He would later state that he felt this band helped revitalize his career. By Jan. 24, about half of the album had been shared with the public, with the release of ‘Stay ’97,’ which was released one day after the 47th anniversary of the original release back in 1973. The most recent release was Jan. 31 of another Tin Machine cover of ‘Baby Universal ’97.’ Interestingly enough, this song was recorded with Tin Machine collaborator Reeves Gabrels back when Bowie was working
on ‘Earthling’ although Bowie decided last minute to remove the song, and until now was unknown to the masses. The rerelease of ‘Stay ’97’ sounds more electronic and pop, which is a different change of pace from the earlier tracks on this new album, with the song before it ‘I Can’t Read ’97’ having a slower tempo. To me as the listener, it sounds reminiscent to sitting on a beach at sunset. The entire song stays mostly acoustic, more than the original Tin Machine version. This song was also recorded at the same time as ‘Baby Universal’ in 1996. The song was originally supposed to be released on ‘Earthing’ but Bowie ultimately ended up replacing it with ‘The Last Thing You Should Do.’ The last two song releases will be Feb. 7 and 14. Stay tuned for updates on the latest releases online at https:// isabelleswork.wordpress.com/
Show depicts dangers of tech
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By JESSIKA FULTON Staff Reporter
Facing the future: COURTESY PHOTO
Documentary shows impact of artificial intelligence By JOHNNY LAWHON Staff Reporter
“In the Age of AI” is an astounding documentary about technological advances in today’s society and how artificial intellegence may affect the human race. I have many thoughts running through my head after watching this video, and I am left with my emotions running wild. The documentary pointed out several things that made me wonder if we’ve taken technology too far. For example, one point was how we think we use social media, but social media is actually using us. It was detailed that social media platforms can actually sway elections by posting certain advertisements or images on their sites. The documentary also talked about how China has the ability to scan for unrest in its communities using cameras. This can get people who live there sent to political reeducation camps. China is also using technology as a type of control over its citizens. They call this system ‘Sharp Eyes,’ and the documentary talked about how this
technology can be used for both good and evil. These statements make me wonder if we truly have any type of privacy anymore. The part I enjoyed most in the film was when a deep learning computer beat one man at a computer game. The AI was able to learn enough to beat a master at the game. That’s a bit scary to me. The documentary also helped me understand why certain ads may pop up as we browse the Internet and social media. Google, for example, can learn things about us through our searches and then post things it thinks we might be interested in. Additionally, Facebook uses cloud data for pop-up ads to try to get us to buy certain products. The documentary also spoke about the impact automation has on the workforce. Data shows that because of AI there is more poverty in the world, due to more and more jobs being replaced with AI systems. Also, the documentary mentioned that we actually have self-driving trucks on the highways that require no human drivers. If more truck companies
convert to these AI self-driving trucks, we will see less job opportunities in that field, and that makes me feel sad for modern day truck drivers. Before watching this video, I had no idea that we were this advanced in the ways of AI systems, and some of what was depicted was quite disturbing to me. But there were a few good things as mentioned as well that AI systems can help with. One example used is the fact that AI is being used in the medical field today, and to me that is quite fantastic. It was mentioned that there was an AI system that was created to predict the potential for breast cancer, which could possibly save many lives. All in this all, when it comes to artificial intelligence I believe there are both positive and negative aspects to it. And according to the information in this documentary, deciding if any AI is going to be used for good or evil depends on the human mindset. I guess only time will tell where AI will lead the human race,, but having scientists study the effects and behavior of these systems may assist what could come in the near future, while also teaching the general public about it.
Featuring a series of unconnected episodes, “Black Mirror” is a contemporary adaptation of “The Twilight Zone” with stories that demonstrate the unease of the modern world. Each episode has its own cast with distinctive and interesting characters that fit perfectly within each setting. The episodes explore the possible outcomes of technology taking over basic privacy, human interactions and even physical attributes. With each one covering a provocative topic, the series raises questions and leaves viewers curious about what the future holds. I have watched the series multiple times and can say I recommend it fully to anyone who is interested in a possible glimpse into the future of technology. My favorite episode of the series is titled “Nosedive,” season three episode one. In
the twisted but hilarious satire of social relevance based upon likes and follows, a mobile addict, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, sees her life plummet into disaster as she travels to the wedding of a childhood friend. This episode is a favorite of mine because it examines what a huge number of people treasure, which is acceptance and popularity. It’s a jab at social ranks and what would happen if our lives actually depended on our rank. It is an episode that everyone should watch at some point in their lives, especially if you live your life on social media. “Black Mirror” was originally designed to depict the fear of evolving technology in modern day society by warning viewers of the unanticipated consequences that come with the constant changes. Although it is not certain the events described in the series will happen, it is still an interesting outlook on the world we live in and how it could change for better or worse.
8 | The Ranger February 6, 2020
Feature
Students take flight, see world By STEPHEN WILKERSON Opportunities to travel are abundant in the near future for Amarillo College students. Upcoming trips will take students to Poland and Germany and travel to Norway, England and Vietnam are planned. The AC Presidential Scholars will take a 10-day trip to Poland during March 2020. “My goal is to provide the students with a rich and unique learning experience,” Lesley Ingham, the honors program chair and speech instructor, said. In an effort to help the Scholars understand more about the country’s history, she is having them read “Night” by Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel, before embarking on the trip. “When we get to Auschwitz and Birkenau, hopefully some of that history will come to life for us. And it will be tough to think about and tough to face,” Ingham said. She will be joined by AC President Russell Lowery-Hart, more than 20 students from West Texas A&M University and three additional chaperones from WT. “I am most excited to see the architecture, learn about the culture and see the Holocaust museum,” Brady Cunningham, a cybersecurity and networking major, said. “I would say I’m a little nervous about the long flight and visiting a foreign country for the first time. One instructor from WT is fluent in Polish so hopefully that will help when we need someone to translate for us,” Cunningham said. A trip to Germany in March 2020 is open to any AC student. So far, five students are planning to attend with one instructor accompanying them. The students will go to Hamburg and Berlin. It will cost each student about $3,700. “There’s some students that just can’t afford it right now, they’re either too busy raising kids or they just don’t have the money right now,” said Courtney Milleson, a speech instructor and student travel co-coordinator. Milleson tells students that are financially unable to participate in upcoming trips that “It’s just not today. It’s not not coming. It can happen, it’s just today that it’s not your trip.” Travel-eager students not already involved in an upcoming trip and not a Presidential Scholar will still have options to travel. Students can start saving now for a trip to Norway and the North Atlantic Ocean during spring break 2021. The AC Honors Committee selected Aaron Faver, social studies and government instructor, to lead the trip. The voyage will consist of flying to Norway boarding a ship and heading off to “circumnavigate the North Atlantic,” Faver said. This trip will be more physically demanding than the average vacation, Faver said. “Five nights will be spent on a boat where the students will be learning to raise and lower anchor, hoist the mainsails and any other job that safety precautions allow them to learn,” he said. The journey will stop along some of the islands in the North Atlantic, using local food as an inspiration for the menu. Faver said he wants to take students to “the new Asgard” in the spirit of Norse folklore. The cost, dates and other details of the trip have yet to be determined. “I want to take Amarillo College’s culture of caring and go see how students can positively understand areas impacted by climate change,” Faver said. A trip to London will take place summer 2020. Interested students should contact Lesley Ingham for more information. Also, a trip to Vietnam is being organized by Claudie Biggers, a biology instructor. Students should contact her for more information.
“
...a rich and unique learning experience. -Lesley Ingham, Honors Program Chair and Speech Instructor