Issue 9 • Friday, March 10, 2017 • deltacollegian.net
/deltacollegian
Delta addresses mental health with new signs By Francina Sanchez Feature Editor
A QUESTION OF BASIC RIGHTS Battle over bathroom preference, privacy continues under Trump administration By Alex Coba Staff Writer
“Because its equal, you go to the bathroom, I go to the bathroom, everyone we know goes to the bathroom, it is a human decency issue,” said Isiah Merriweather, on the subject of transgender rights. “People should just be able to go. It is a natural human thing. It’s basic.” In February, President Donald Trump rescinded the Obama administration’s guidelines requiring federally funded schools to allow transgender individuals to use the bathroom of the gender they identify as. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Trump is “a firm believer in states’ rights and that certain issues like this are not best dealt with at the Federal level.” Due to the Trump administration’s policy changes, the Supreme Court has opted to leave court cases involving this issue to the lower courts. This significantly changes the high profile case that involved Gavin
Grimms from Virginia who was suing to be able to use the men’s bathroom. Grimms’ case was slated to be heard by the Supreme Court in late march but will now be handled by the appeals court in Richmond, Virginia. However, this change in policy doesn’t affect all states. Fifteen states, including California, have strict policies that protect transgender youth. As of last semester, Delta College has two gender neutral bathrooms, located in the Forum buildings. “(For) Years now the students had been advocating for a gender-neutral bathrooms on campus, I would say the process got really going a year and a half ago when a student started attending facilities meetings to advocate for gender-neutral bathrooms,” said Kirstyn Russell, adviser to the Delta Pride club, which is currently on hiatus. Delta student April Simental said she sees the value. “Gender neutral bathroom isn’t such a big deal for me, personally. As long as the door is safely locked
then you should be fine. Maybe someone wants to use the neutral bathrooms so they can have more privacy,” said Simental. Not all responses are positive. All over social media people from both sides of the argument have been voicing opinions. A sampling from Twitter shows the divide. “The transgender issue belongs at the local level & repeal of fed regs is good, but hostility conservs treat to ppl disgusts me. Have compassion!” said, John Manto @johnmanko. “Trump, a so-called champion of the LGBTQ community just approved the repeal of title lX, protecting Transgender youth, Trump lies yet again!” wrote Ron Correll, @correllron. In an email interview, Human Resource manager Jennifer Boland said “the district remains committed to and greatly value a diverse, inclusive supportive, safe, and nondiscriminatory environment in which all members of the campus can feel valued and respected.”
Physical health is noticeable for the most part, but what happens when students are crippled by an invisible force? A simple definition of mental health is a person’s condition regarding their psychological and emotional well-being. Mental health isn’t always taken seriously and those suffering from disorders or mental illness have been known to be ashamed or embarrassed to come forward to seek help. Mental health awareness has grown significantly in recent years and being aware of mental health has become increasingly more important, especially in young adults. Unfortunately, the stigma around mental health is far from gone. This semester, Delta College has made it evident that it’s taking the mental health of their students seriously. Delta is one of the largest community colleges in California, but unlike other large community college’s like Ohlone College, River City College and Santa Rosa Community College, it doesn’t have a Student Health Center. “I’ve never understood why, with our large student population, why we don’t have a student health center,” said Heather Bradford, lead counselor in health and wellness. The Referral and Support for Mental Health Student Services Division has released information that will help students attending Delta by using a new method to get information to their students.
Posted in classrooms throughout campus you can find posters with information on where to call in cases of psychiatric events, campus events and life issues you may have or witnessed. The poster also provides phone numbers for campus and community resources. Currently Delta College has a team of counselors, all cross -trained to help students with things such as depression, personal problems and general issues. However, they are not experts or mental health counselors, specifically. The Center for Collegiate Mental Health’s most recent report in 2015 showed more students are seeking mental health services. “It’s hard, when you have too many classes There’s a lot of stress and anxiety...campus should have this here,” said Adrian Perez, when asked about the resources provided here on campus. According to Bradford, anxiety and depression are in the top reasons students come to see a counselor. Although all counselors can deal with life crises they can’t do much but refer students to an outside resource in cases of more serious mental illnesses, whereas if there was a student health center they could be walked to a nurse on campus and receive treatments immediately. “Not only can students receive help for mental health illnesses, they can also use a student health center for physicals, prescriptions and it’s perfect for the students that don’t have health insurance,” said Bradford. Young adults, especially college students deal with large amounts
See MENTAL, page 8
Campus text message survey goes wrong By Killian Barnhart News Editor
On March 6 confusion struck when some Delta College students were texted by an automated system inquiring as to why they were taking less than 12 units this semester. The problem arose from the fact that the automated system confused various phone numbers with different students, including students who are taking twelve or more units. Students turned to the public
San Joaquin Delta College Facebook page for information. Student Maria Rios said she received her text at 3:06 p.m. “I initially ignored it, mostly because I am a student ambassador here on campus. I work with the marketing communications and outreach department, so if Delta was going to send some mass text message, we would’ve communicated that. I feel I would’ve known about it in a way, working with Delta,” she said. “I texted a couple of my friends,
See TEXT, page 8
NEXT ISSUE: April 7 • CONTACT US: deltacollegian@gmail.com or (209) 954-5156 • ONE FREE COPY
2 opinion THE COLLEGIAN SPRING 2017
thecollegian
March 10, 2017
HOMEWARD BOUND
Not every aspect of staying home for college is good By Emily Beaton EDITOR IN CHIEF Mikael Honzell NEWS EDITOR Killian Barnhart ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Emily Beaton FEATURE EDITOR Francina Sanchez OPINION EDITOR Gloria Gibbs SPORTS EDITOR Chanelle Muerong ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Dylan Loura ENTERTAINMENT COLUMNIST Christopher Donaldson COPY EDITOR Mark Larks SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Evelyn Villalobos SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Andres Aguirre Joey Boscacci Jasmine Gonzalez Analese Najera Elany Orozco Moriah Stall Aliyah Stoeckl Ramon Zuniga STAFF WRITERS Alex Coba Ismat Dajani Victoria Franco Stacia Greeberg Claudia Lopez Orlando Mabalot David Michael Austin Nordyke Joshua Sartain Raj Singh Raul Torres Noodles Tran Garrett Wilson Tony Yang ADVISER Tara Cuslidge-Staiano ADVERTISING The Collegian offers display advertising. Contact us at (209) 954-5156 or deltacollegian@gmail.com. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters raising issues and opinions are encouraged. EDITORIAL Unsigned editorials reflect the position of the staff. Comments, letters and editorials with a byline represent the opinion of the writer. This paper doesn’t endorse or represent the opinions of the adviser, the Mass Communication department, the Fine Arts Division, the printer or Delta College administration. MISSION STATEMENT The Collegian is a student run First Amendment newspaper that prides itself on a commitment to the students of Delta College while maintaining independence. We reinvigorate the credo that the newspaper speaks for the students, checks abuses of power and stands vigilant in the protection of democracy and free speech.
Assistant News Editor
W
hile movies portray the fatal moving day, where a college freshman moves into a new dorm and parents say a bittersweet goodbye, this isn’t a reality for all college students. College students who live at home and attend a community college or a four-year college nearby encounter a power struggle with their parents, as they find themselves filling their now adult shoes. When going away to school students are unlatched from the parental lease and are free to explore their newfound freedom, careless and curfew-less. Students who live at home as college students deal with their parental lease tightened where it should be loose and too loose where it should be tightened. We are left with the confusion of being an adult that pays taxes, has a part-time job, attends college, yet
still has a curfew. Sure, it’s nice not to pay rent and to have food to eat and a place to sleep, but is it so wrong to request that with a sweet side of freedom? How can we truly enter the threshold of adulthood without being able to stay out past midnight on the weekends? As well as having to obey curfews during the week? This is ludacrious! So how do we break the cycle and obtain freedom? Well it may seem impossible until you transfer or move out, but there are ways you can improve your situation until then. First, talk to your parents. Oftentimes they won’t understand your point at first unless you explain it to them. Sit down with them and express your feelings towards obtaining small increments of freedom. Second, remember that you’re an adult and that the more you respect yourself, the more others will accept you. Sure it seems much easier to rebel and sneak out creating your
thecollegian
own set of rules, but by respectfully talking to your parents about it you can stay on good terms with them as well as obtain the freedom you wish to have. Third, no you might not be able to have your curfew completely done away with, but you may be able to have it extended until then. Be patient. Fourth, although your current situation might not be ideal, it’s only temporary. By going to school, you’re already a step in the right direction. Soon enough, whether it be months or a year, you will be able to transfer to a four year and move out, or you will have a job that makes it affordable to move out. Also, remember that you’re not alone. The difficulty of living at home in college is extremely under recognized. It’s definitely not easy, and it’s very difficult to feel understood by your loved ones in these situations, but it can only go up from here. I promise.
Read more opinion stories from Collegian staff members on: Potholes in the parking lots and the Koi pond on campus at our website deltacollegian.net.
Why Women’s History Month matters
Designation honors those who fought for basic human rights By Elany Orozco Senior Staff Writer
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omen's History Month is a great way to honor and remember women's contributions to society and history. It is a time to learn about Women's History, to discuss and honor brave women who were willing to stand out and break from the chains of what were the so called proper, traditional roles for women. It’s about honoring women who fought for basic human rights because without them women including myself wouldn't be able to sit in a college classroom or pursue professional opportunities. It also serves to recognize the struggles and years of work women went through to fight for equal pay, equal opportunities, right to suffrage and equal rights. It’s an opportunity to acknowledge how far women have come along but to also remember that gender discrimination and gender inequalities are battles that are continuing the exemplary example of that was the Women's March back in January. Sex discrimination and inequalities between genders are something women in the contemporary world experience in many aspects of their lives. This includes present inequal-
ities and gender discriminations such as the wage gap, unpaid labor, discrimination in the workplace, sexual harassment and violence. The Women’s History Month Program chairwoman, Professor Lynn Hawley, said she believes inequality is a present issue commonly seen in work environments and in wages. “This is something that you can see in terms of oftentimes in job environments women encounter, the expectation that women will do the majority of the unpaid labor is another issue, pay gap, wages and unequal wages is getting better but still exist,” said Hawley. The gender pay gap is probably the problem given the most attention, but the assumption women have to do all the unpaid labor in the work place is another main problem. Moreover, violence towards women and harassment are other ways women experience discrimination and inequalities. Hawley emphasized the importance of educating people about the levels of harassment women encounter in a daily basis. Although many may reject or refuse to believe sexism and gender inequalities are still issues that presently occurs, the reality is that it's as real and present as racism or xenophobia. “I think it's very much like
racism but if you don't experience it you don't see it, you don't often recognize it and it's often a difficult conversation to have, specially if you're trying to point out sexism in the societal structures. People who don't experience sexism will say that it doesn't exist in the same way you hear people say racism doesn't exist anymore so I think there's is a lot of work that needs to be done to make sure there is a level playing field for everybody,” said Professor Hawley. From my female and minority perspective I agree that unless you have experience with sexism or racism it’s difficult to understand the immensity of the problem. For Hawley, Women’s History Month is an opportunity to share with the wider public outside her classroom about topics discussed in her Women’s History class and topics that aren’t talked about often. “I often give speeches all throughout Women’s History Month around town, around the county, different groups ask me to come speak and it gives me the opportunity to talked about issues that don’t get talked about for the rest of the year,” said Hawley. Women’s History Month is a time to acknowledge and honor Women’s History but most importantly to realize that sexism and inequalities between sexes is a problem that needs to be fixed.
PewDiePie’s jokes not taken lightly By Ismat Dajani Staff Writer
P
ewDiePie is the largest channel on YouTube, with more than 54 million subscribers. Recently the content creator has come under fire with media outlets calling him “anti-Semitic.” It started over a website called "Fiverr," in which you pay someone to do something for $5. The PewDiePie channel is a comedic channel and wanted to show how ridiculous this website was. For $5, Felix Kjellberg, the YouTuber who owns the channel PewDiePie, asked for someone to drink bleach, asked “Jesus” to say “that PewDiePie sucks” and asked two Indian boys to hold up a sign that said “death to all Jews.” Only two of the three listed occurred, as no one was willing to drink bleach for $5. The controversial event was the holding of the sign. This was of course meant to be a joke and in jest, but the Wall Street Journal and other media outlets decided to take his work out of context. Media outlets libeled Kjellberg, calling him an anti-Semite, using the video out of context. The libel from these media outlets have cost Kjellberg and his colleagues their YouTube Red show, as well as Kjellberg's sponsorship with Disney and Maker Studios. In the same video, which has now been deleted, Kjellberg immediately apologized after he made the two boys hold up the sign, not knowing that they would actually do it. As Jan Cornelius Villano, a student on campus, put it, these media outlets “take his work out of context and apply it to their narrative.” PewDiePie has made many jokes about Nazism and anti-Semitic jokes in the past many of these the Wall Street Journal and other outlets compiled into their piece. With the plethora of jokes, it is easy to understand why someone may think such if they’ve only seen a few videos.
The whole idea of political correctness, the idea of censoring speech, even if the speech is distasteful, is a dangerous one. It leads to moments like this where one's speech has no bearing on their personality or beliefs. Due to Kjellberg's jokes on Nazism, the Wall Street Journal and other outlets decided they could libel him by using his work out of context, vilifying him. If PewDiePie wasn't such a large and influential channel, this can kill a man's livelihood. This was a joke, and wasn’t meant to be serious. It is stated within his video, which he even goes further to reiterate in another video. People have become offended all too easily, however, it is understandable if someone doesn't like a joke or finds it distasteful. The issue lies in the matter of ruining a man's life and career over a joke that some found to be distasteful or they did not like. A lot of people enjoyed the video and thought the joke was hilarious and showed exactly what he meant by how ridiculous Fiverr is. The Wall Street Journal decided to report this incident as news, but it is click bait in order to gain traffic. It was a get rich quick scheme off the back of another man's labor. Other YouTuber's spoke upon the matter, like the creator from the channel Markiplier coming to the defense of Kjellberg. It is understandable if a company doesn’t wish to “hinder its image,” but what's also despicable on the Journal's coverage of these events is how they contacted Disney directly and didn’t give Kjellberg a chance to respond. Only after the fact did they arrive at his home to gain a comment, which Kjellberg denied as he had already posted a response on his personal channel. It was a direct attack against Kjellberg and his channel. If you find the joke distasteful, it is understandable, but that gives no right to libel nor pressure the comedian who made the joke into a grave. Just don't laugh at the joke, say you didn't like it and move on.
MUSTANG VOICE ‘What do you have planned for spring break?’ “Gonna catch up on some sleep. Just having the break is cool.” DOMINIQUE THOMPSON
“Working and doing homework most likeley, nothing exciting really.” ANISSABEL DIAZ
“Probabaly just staying home, or staying with friends. ”
Marijuana’s bumpy road to legalization By Killian Barnhart
O
News Editor
n Feb. 23 Shaun Spicer stood before the country and said he expects to see greater enforcement of Federal laws against the recreational use of marijuana. Though Spicer did note President Donald Trump sees a difference between medicinal and recreational use, this move would kill the growing wave of legalizations for recreational uses in its infancy. This move raised hairs on the necks of anyone who had hoped the Trump administration would ignore the legalization, leaving it to the states to decide what to do as he said he would on the campaign trail. The announcement also sent recreational cannabis stocks tumbling down 15 percent, according to marijuanaindex.com. If Trump wants to “make America great again” with his business acumen then he should know how terrible of an idea this is. Marijuana is the renewed cash
crop of 21st century America. According to investopedia.com, Colorado’s cannabis industry alone raked in a staggering $996 million dollars in 2016, with the Colorado state government taking $135 million in tax revenue. California is much larger than Colorado and according to the Inner City Fund could easily exceed $15 billion with $3 billion going back to the state in taxes. At least 81,000 jobs in California would be generated to the state’s decision to legalize marijuana, with that comes at least $3.5 billion in income. Imagine what the growing marijuana industry can do for a downtrodden city like Stockton. The escalating number of dispensaries and stores opening over time would require more producers to make a product to sell. This means prospecting growers could purchase empty warehouses and factories which can be turned into grow houses, requiring workers to ensure pH levels in the water, the physical tending to the plant, the
purity of the plants water/food mix, tending to the plant post-grow etc. Not to mention the money that would be put into buying the property, rennovating the building into a grow house and plumbing. If California could bring in $3 billion alone think of the potential boom if the entire country legalized. So, if Spicer wants to hint at continued witch hunts against marijuana, that’s fine. If Jeff Sessions wants to ramble on incoherently about crime going up if it’s legalized or that it’ll be sold at grocery stores to your children like candy, that’s a-ok. Why? Because money talks, and it’s louder than these idiots. So if Trump wants to prove he’s as good of a businessman as he sold himself, he’d allow what could be the next economic boom by legalizing marijuana across the country. Or, and I doubt his ego would let him do this, let somebody else do it and let them take all the glory.
Youngsters take over campus
BEN ADORNO
“I’m going to So Cal, I’m going to go surf, I’m getting a surfboard lesson.” CESAR SANCHEZ
She said these tours really let the students know college is an achievable goal and community college is an affordable option. By Austin Nordyke my vitriol. “It gives us the opportunity to show the Staff Writer Perhaps I am too harsh on the tykes. broad range of what education can be and I asked other people attending Delta once worked at a church day camp. shows them all the possibilities,” said Phan. what they thought. I was met with This was a bad idea for two reasons I’m either apathy or a surprising acceptance These were valid points. Children are an atheist, and I really hate children. in a growing phase where they learn of the tiny invaders. Children are selfish, loud, entitled how to be the adults of tomorrow. Delta student Teagan Graybill said and they cry at the drop of a hat. Most people are jerks or idiots. Chilit’s necessary to get them interested in Whenever they’re brought on tours dren aren’t exempt from this, but we must the college. of the campus problems follow in their put up with them because some of them A similar sentiment was shared by wake. There is never any parking, they grow up to be decent upstanding folk. another student, Natalie Fagundies. are loud and disruptive and these tours Children are annoying during this larval “I think their presence here is pretty can be hard to navigate around. stage, but we need to set them up for important for them being exposed to They’re like a dense school of fish success. it,” she said. that don’t respect personal space. I find myself comparing the human Le Phan is the Student and CommuWith 32 tours of the campus in race to the harsh vacuum of space. nity Outreach Manager of the MarketMarch alone, the children are not an Most of it is cold, suffocating and ing, Communications, and Outreach uncommon sight at Delta. full of nothing particularly interesting. Department. Unfortunately, I feel I am alone in Children are like a solar system’s
I
“Checking out Old Sacramento.” YESICA TORRES
Goldilocks Zone. These habitable zones are largely wrought with the same problems found in the rest of space and produce predominantly dead planets such as Mars; wastes of space that contribute nothing besides making the lines longer at banks and grocery stores. Occasionally, we get a planet like Earth that sustains life. Only here do we get joy, kindness and beings capable of appreciating the things that make life worthwhile. These are the intelligent and ethical people that these children may become. No matter how rare these lively planets are, their existence justifies the entirety of the mostly empty universe. I use a space metaphor because I can’t think of a better analogy for what I personally think of children than Ridley Scott’s movie Alien.
4 feature EXPLORING WITH EVELYN
thecollegian
March 10, 2017
Going for a ride-a-long with campus police By Evelyn Villalobos Social Media Editor
My intentions of Exploring with Evelyn were to participate in and experience some of the activities Delta has to offer students. The San Joaquin Delta College District Police isn’t a sports team or club students can join on whim, but I have always respected the police department and its efforts to make Delta a better place. I decided if I was going to report on the department, I had to experience the day in the life of an officer to get the full street cred. I booked a ride along for Monday morning and mentally prepared myself for a day of what I believed would be filled with non-stop crime and tickets. Officer Steve Walker introduced himself to me for the first time that morning and I couldn’t help but think this may have been a joke. I have never in my life seen such heavy firearms and there stood Officer Walker with an AR-15 in hand directly in front of me. I was terrified to say the least. Nevertheless, we continued our way to the car where Officer Walker performed his daily inspection of the vehicle and loaded it with protection and firearms for his daily shift from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Officer Walker began our ride along with a quick rundown of the weapons, buttons and devices applied on him and contained in the vehicle. An interesting gadget Officer Walker wears is a body camera. This camera is activated manually and immediately begins recording when started. The camera also captures 30 seconds of footage before the camera is even manually started with a push of a button to give context of a situation. An example of this would be a student failing to stop at a stop sign and after being pulled over claim that they did in fact come to a complete stop.
Evelyn Villalobos interviews Officer Steve Walker before starting her ride-a-long. PHOTO BY FRANCINA SANCHEZ
Walker has been serving the department for approximately two years and has years of previous experience with Sheriff ’s Department, including work as a K9 officer. This information helped ease my mind about the rifle and bean bag gun standing up behind me. A majority of the morning was spent reminding students to remain out of red-zone areas in parking lots, but as time progressed I learned more about our campus, parking and safety. By Officer Walker’s judgment, the Budd and Holt parking lots experience the most crime. Some of tips for students to avoid crime according to Officer Steven Walker and Officer Craig Wood would be to avoid leaving valuables out (including attempting to hide them with a blanket or clothing), parking in well-lit and visible areas and being aware of surroundings, whether that be removing headphones or setting your phone down. The department offers a police escort program to all students and staff members whether they may need assistance walking to their car or class, day or night. While riding through campus I also picked up on some disturbing habits of students driving and staff members.
Approximately 22 cars didn’t come to a full stop at a stop sign, within the hours of my ride along. As college students, we often find ourselves in a hurry rushing from place to place. Running or “rolling through” stop signs doesn’t save time and could cost a life. Tickets given to students for speeding or running a stop sign provide no revenue for the department. So your tickets written on campus aren’t to take money from you, they’re made to prevent accidents from occurring. Officer Walker’s overall goal for not only himself but the San Joaquin Delta College District Police is to make campus “a safe and productive educational environment for everyone.” I could not have had a better partner to learn from and ride alongside for the day. I have the utmost respect for Officer Walker and the department working towards making Delta College a better and more safe environment for everyone. Thank you. The Police Escort program can be reached at (209) 954-5000.
Empowering women on campus
Delta College events aim to raise awareness of Woman’s History Month By Ismat Dajani Staff Writer
San Joaquin Delta College will be hosting a variety of events for Women’s History Month this March. One of the events is the play reading of Stirrups, which occurs on March 14 at 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Stirrups will be free to view in the Tillie Lewis Theatre. Stirrups is written by Stacy Powells-Lyster, directed by Val Acoba and produced by Paula Sheil. The play reading is also sponsored by the Culture Awareness Program. Sheil said Stirrups is a “cross between Vagina Monologues and Some Time Next Year.” Stirrups is a comedy about a 15-year old girl
who is forced to go to the gynecologist by her mother. It is called Stirrups due to the chair women sit on when they go to the gynecologist. For the first 20 minutes before the play reading a panel of professionals will talk about women’s reproductive health issues. Once finished, the play reading will begin. There will be displays set up in the lobby by student nurses to discuss women’s reproductive health. Another event being hosted is the book signing of A Lady’s Place, a 140-page novel written by Mary Jo Gohlke and being published by the Tuleburg Press, a non-profit organization founded by Sheil. A Lady’s Place will be Tuleburg Press’s third
book to have published. The book will come out on March 23. The signing of the new book will take place on March 29 in the bookstore from 1-3 p.m. The signing is open to the public and is free. The signing acts as an opportunity to meet the author. A Lady’s Place is about the Philomathean Club in Stockton and its more than 100-year old roots. Sheil said the club was a women’s only club that started in the late 1890s by the “very wealthy elite of Stockton” whom were white, due to the time period. The club acted as a study group where its selected members would meet to learn and share what they learned. The club is a historic piece of Stockton and is in the National Historic
Registry. At one point there were over 500 members and many on a waiting list. Today there are only 50 native members in the club. Another event taking place is Sex Signals, a sexual assault prevention program hosted by Catharsis Productions and sponsored by the Office of Student Equity and Diversity. Sex Signals will take place in the Tillie Lewis Theatre at 12:30 p.m. on March 30. The event is free and open to the public. Lynn Hawley, the chair of the committee that set up the events, said the previous time this production has been put up there was a “full house.” There are only 300 seats available. The performance
consists of interactions between men and woman, using humor a n d audie n c e input in order to raise awareness to encourage conversation on the topics of sexual assault, racial discrimination, harassment and violence. On March 8, International Women’s Day, a Planned Parenthood Generation Action came to campus to educate about reproductive issues and sexual health. Hawley also mentioned a “picture taking contest” that ends on March 31.
Classes that take photos wearing a Women’s History Month button may be able to win a pizza party. For more information on participation in Women’s History month you can visit the Delta College website, Deltacollege.edu and visit San Joaquin Delta College’s Facebook page.
Downtown architecture holds history By Mikael Honzell Editor in Chief
Stockton was founded in 1850 and since that time, buildings such as churches, schools, mom and pop shops and homes have been built. A lot of what has been built well over a hundred years ago is still around today, giving Stockton’s architecture a lot more character. Much of the architecture on a lot of Stockton’s buildings give off a Victorian or Gothic vibe; like establishments such as the St. Johns Episcopal Church in Downtown Stockton. The church was established the year Stockton was founded, making it the third oldest Episcopal Church on the West Coast. “This church has been my church since I went to UOP in 1968,” said Lea Issetti, member of the bishop’s committee. St. Johns remained her church up until 2004, when a new bishop came in. “In 2004, there was a division in the church. A group that was under the bishop at that time, calling themselves Anglicans, decided they were going to be less inclusive. And so they stayed here and those of us that didn’t
agree with that moved on to other churches.” According to Issetti, a lot of churches in California were experiencing similar situations. “There was a huge lawsuit and it was settled in 2014, making the church ours again in 2014.” Instead of trying to rebuild a congregation, the church is more focused on doing missionary work and serving as a hub for community outreach, while still having Sunday services. The missionary work includes helping those in need of transportation by providing them with a free bicycle that was donated to the Helping Urban Bicyclists (H.U.B.) Building right next door, which is linked to the Guild Hall behind the church. The Guild Hall was built beside the church in 1859, serving as a space for meetings and ceremonies. “At one time, the priest lived up here,” Issetti said, referring to the second floor. “And over the years, we’ve transformed it into a Sunday school service.” It is now a parish hall, unoccupied, mainly being used as storage space until the church finds some other use for it or rents it out as an apartment. One of the many things one might notice when entering St. Johns church is the 27 stain glass window series. These colorful stain glass windows all depict an event
The view from the alter inside of St. John’s Episcopal Church. PHOTO BY MIKAEL HONZELL
from the bible, whether it be “Christ Proclaiming the good news,” (a window that dates back to 1887) or “St. Mary,” where the mother of Christ is being taken to heaven. St. John’s Episcopal Church is one of the many buildings that bring some character to the City of Stockton. You can attend church services here on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and Wednesdays at 12:10 p.m. at 316 N. El Dorado St.
Child Development Center delivers quality education By Chanelle Muerong Sports Editor
The San Joaquin Delta College Child Development Center provides an all-day preschool program for children between the ages of 18 months to five years. “Our priority for our enrollment is for Delta students,” said Child Development Center Director Nancy Cook. “We are looking for families that are demonstrating the need for full day services.” The care program is for parents who are also students, full time or part time. The program does take children whose parents’ attend other schools including University of the Pacific, California State University, Stanislaus, California State University, Sacramento and University of California, Davis, but those are usually parents who attended Delta previously and then transferred. Similar to college classes, the center has a wait list that can, if empty, accept people from the community to enroll. The enrollment process works the same time as the college. After a parent registers for classes, they bring their papers to the center and together, the center and the parent can work together to figure out their needs and how long the child needs to stay. Usually the children are at the center between six and a half to eight hours, according to Cook.
sessments in all of the children. According to Cook, the center builds a portfolio for each of the children. The center records the things done and the things said and sometimes include writing samples. The center uses these portfolios when meeting with parents. Throughout the course of the year, the care works with the parents and tells them information about their child and what they can do with their child at home. “Our goal is early intervention,” said Cook. “The children, if they need extra help, they can get the early on. So they The playground at the Child Development Center on the Delta College campus. PHOTO can stay with their peers and be successful when they go into regular school.” BY CHANELLE MUERONG There are about 54 people employed The child development center provides the teacher likes dogs, they’ll find some- at the center, half of them being staff and fully qualified teachers, and the an educational program, where the chil- thing that relates to both. dren learn through specific curriculum. No matter the subject, the teachers al- other half being Federal Work Study Here’s how the curriculum works: The ways find a way to dive into the children’s students and volunteers. On Tuesdays and Thursday, an Early center has eight classrooms, two of them interests, but still make sure that they're occupied by toddlers and six of them are learning at an academic level proper for childhood practicum class meets in the conference room in the center. These occupied by children from ages three to their age. five. In the care program, there’s a system students plan activities for the children Each classroom has a daily sched- called a “teaching pyramid” where the and sometimes join the children in the ule and is based on what the children’s center teaches students about feelings. classroom. The center operates Monday through needs are. The schedule is made up of in- The center teaches children what to do if Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. door and outdoor time, small groups and they're feeling sad or mad. For more information, visit deltacollearning centers. “We are safe. We are friendly. We are lege.edu/dept/childdevctr/ or contact In each of the classrooms, the children respectful,” is the motto. choose what they want to learn. “We are way more than babysitting,” Nancy Cook at her email at ncook@ deltacollege.edu or at (209) 954-5700. For example, if the topic is pets, and said Cook. the children want to learn about cats but The center also does developmental as-
Pieology serves up slices in Lincoln Center By Victoria Franco
As customers enter the pizzeria they are hit with an aroma of crisped baked bread and freshly melted cheese that perfectly complements the tasteful pizza Grabbing an affordable, delicious and time efficient that awaits them. When ordering and customizing pizzas customers meal is now easier. Busy college students can now venture to Lincoln have a wide variety of choices to select from. They start out by deciding what kind of crust they Center to get pizza or salads and still be back in time for classes before the Danner café’s line has gone down. want for their pizza: thin and crisp or white and whole “I usually don’t get food between classes because I wheat, then make their way to the signature sauces and don’t want to be late or I won’t even have time to eat. cheese section which offers choices from plain mozzaMost places around Delta are usually packed since rella all the way to Gorgonzola. After they are faced with the choices of great semost students go out to eat at places close to Delta,” lections which include pineapples, black olives, grape explained frustrated Delta student Eryn McWhorter. The Lincoln Center eatery recently added “Pieology tomatoes, fresh cilantro, as well as many other great Pizzeria” to its center, which is only an eight minute toppings. For meat lovers the meat variations begin with simdrive from the Delta campus. “Pieology got its name since it is the study of piz- ple pepperoni or sausage and advance to meat flavors za,” explained Pieology manager, Olivia Pachuca, while such as spicy all-natural chicken, all-natural bacon or Canadian bacon. rapidly catering to customers. Pieology allows its buyers to top off their pizza with Pieology gives customers the opportunity to make after bakes that include Pesto, BBQ, House Red and pizza the old fashion way. Staff Writer
the famous Fiery Buffalo sauce. In a short five- to 10-minute wait customers can pick between sitting outside in the spacious outdoor patio or remaining inside with a view of the open flame oven where pizzas are cooked. What makes this pizzeria different from others is not only the fact that it caters to students budgets, but also that it is not a far distance from campuses such as Delta College and University of the Pacific. “Pieology is fast and efficient in getting you food to you and the drive is not that far from campus. In between classes I am able to go to Pieology and still be back to class on time,” said Delta student Bryan Figueroa. For approximately $10 college students can now explore Pielogy not just to learn the study of pizza, but to find out what all the buzz is about regarding the tailor made pizza served at this pizzeria. The restaurant is located at 6627 Pacific Avenue in Lincoln Center. Pieology Pizzeria is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.
6 entertainment
thecollegian
March 10, 2017
FAKE HEADLINE WATCH THIS
‘Get Out’ provides unsettling, hysterical plot with racial twists PHOTO COURTESY EPK.TV
By Moriah Stall Senior Staff Writer
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riter-director Jordan Peele has most definitely produced one of the best horror, thriller and suspenseful films yet. “Get Out” is a therapeutic horror film that’s mostly taking aim at racial tension that’s currently happening through America. It is the No. 1 film, making $30 million in the box office last weekend, according to Rotten Tomatoes. The film has also reached 99 percent on the Tomatometer and critics such as Screen Rant, Plugged In and Wall Street Journal have all given Peele’s film mostly positive reviews. “Get Out” is both unsettling and hysterical with a racial twist. But here’s one thing: The film is really that good. We need more directors that are willing to take risks with films like Peele. It’s current and important and most likely will be one of the best thrillers of the year. Peele is best known as comic partner to Keegan-Michael Key on the Comedy Central sketch show Key & Peele. The two also starred in a recent action-comedy film, “Keanu”. The storyline for “Get Out” follows Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and his girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams), an interracial couple who are traveling out of town for Chris to visit Roses’ parents for the first time. Rose tells Chris that her family is not going to be judgmental about her having an African American boyfriend, but Chris has his doubts.
Upon meeting the parents, everything seems fine at first. Roses’ mother, Missy (Catherine Keener) is a psychologist who uses hypnosis to “cure” her patients. Her father, Dean (Bradley Whitford) is a successful neurosurgeon. The parents seem nice, but what catches Chris’ attention is Missy and Dean’s servants, a maid and a groundskeeper, who happen to be black. Both come off as a bit zombie-ish and Dean admits having black servants in an all-white family “looks bad.” Being suspicious, Chris begins to unravel a terrifying truth as he meets more people in this all white suburb neighborhood who’s black “friend” is acting just as strange as the maid and groundskeeper. Unraveling the evil in the neighborhood immediately can make you feel somewhat uneasy. The film attains such momentum in crazy revelations, jump scares and gruesome fights. The interactions Chris has with the neighbors is outwardly suspenseful and can make you curious to know what exactly is going on with them or what this family is hiding. “Get Out” is an extremely confident debut feature for Peele, and it is truly frightening. It’s so perfectly calibrated that every escalation feels organic. But best of all, to me, is the flow of the story. The film begins as an awkward situation of meeting the in-laws but soon becomes something much much worse as the story proceeds. Peele deserves all the recognition for “Get Out.” It’s truly a must see, and an openly meaningful horror film.
Female leads in movies: Are they still a problem?
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verybody hates the new “Ghostbusters” film. But it did breathe new life into the age-old debate about representing women in entertainment. This quarrel is flooded with comments such as “there’s not enough female leads in the entertainment industry,” and “women are always portrayed as sex objects,” or anything relating to those two things. These arguments are reasonable to an extent. Put simply, anybody who makes these sort of claims is either wrong or blind. The most obvious example is 2016’s “Ghostbusters.” THE That movie R E N sucked horCOR ribly, but it was a multi-million-dollar blockbuster film that starred, not one, but four female leads. Yet this film was met with the most heinous criticism and hatred when it was announced purely because it went with a female cast instead of rebooting the original male cast, according to an article from The Washington Post. As soon as the movie was out though, everybody bailed on it. As if everybody who knew what a big step this was for women in entertainment felt like they were wrong just because the movie was bad. So now when somebody tries to say “women are underrepresented in media,” they immediately
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forget the hundreds of examples that say otherwise. The new game “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” was released recently to astounding critical acclaim. But in 2016, the game was getting some serious hate when series director, Eiji Aonuma, confirmed that long-term series protagonist, Link, was (brace yourself ) male. When this was announced writers such as RobotsFightingDinosaurs from gameskinny.com flocked to their computers to say Nintendo missed a chance to progress the industry by choosing to keep Link male. Mr. or Ms. Dinosaurs continued to make arguments such as “Gaming Is A Men’s Club,” and it’s
“An Issue Of Representation.” What about Overwatch? What about Pokémon? What about Tomb Raider? It is important women get represented well in video games, but these other games are extremely popular like the Zelda series and all include female protagonists. Thankfully for me, television doesn’t seem to have this problem because of one specific market. Children’s TV is flooded with female leads. Go ahead, sit down at your TV and turn on Disney Junior, Nick Jr. or even regular Nick, there are so many strong, smart young girls taking up the hero role in their shows. This might be even more important than having female leads in adult shows because kid’s TV isn’t allowed to be sexy. These kid shows seem to be the solution to the gender representation problem. But wait, what about Disney animated films which have starred girl protagonists in three straight movies? Here’s the truth: there’s been such a surplus of strong female protagonists in all forms of media within the past few years because people complain about it all the time. Chris Metzen, former Creative Director of the game “Overwatch,” said during a press conference at BlizzCon 2014, “we’ve heard our female employees… and my daughter tools me out about it… it was like a World of Warcraft clip on YouTube… my daughter asks ‘why are [the women] all in swimsuits’... I don’t know anymore.” Developers, studios and producers are listening even when it seems like they’re not.
7 sports
thecollegian
Mustangs remain optimistic
Women’s basketball finishes season By David Michael Staff Writer
By Stacia Greenberg Staff Writer
The Mustangs took their second loss of the season with a score of 10-7 on Saturday, March 4, when up against opponent Diablo Valley. The team’s first loss was against Cabrillo College on Feb. 15 2017. The Mustangs are now 15-2, but Head Coach Reed Peters said “there’s a lot of baseball left to be played” when asked about his predictions for the rest of the season. “We just got to play better than we did today in terms of coming out ready to play, I don’t think we came out ready to play today,” Peters said. Though there was a loss, the star player was the starting pitcher No. 33 Joe Skracic, according to Peters. “He gave us a good chance, we just got to score more runs for him,” Peters said. From the perspective of a player, Dom Pisano, No. 4, described the feeling after the loss as “disappointing” but “it is what it is, you’re never happy when you lose a conference game.” Pisano said he isn’t going to let the loss of the game affect his thinking for the next game; “this is going to fire us up and get us ready to go [for our next game].” When asked about the outcome of the season, he had two words to say: “State championship.” Home games bring out supporters of the Mustangs, such as mothers and fathers of the players. Eric Denoyer, father of No. 37 Noah Denoyer, said he strongly believes in a positive outcome for the Mustang’s baseball team. “I’ve been to all of [the games]. They will absolutely win their next game,” Denoyer said. “They have deep pitching and deep hitting. It’s a really good team.” The Mustang’s Baseball Team started off the season well with only two losses and 15 wins. The Mustangs were recently ranked #1 in the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association (CCCBCA) NorCal Coaches Poll during the week of Feb. 21, receiving 485 votes. The team was formally in the No. 2 spot during preseason. Last season, the Mustangs were in the Elite 8 and also got fourth place in the Final Four.
March 10, 2017
Above, No. 33 Joey Skracic delivers a pitch against Diablo Valley. Below, No. 28 Ian Manzo getting ready to throw a ball. PHOTOS BY STACIA GREENBERG
Spring Break: How to work out during your week off By Chanelle Muerong Sports Editor
Track team competes at CSU meets
Delta Mustangs do well, ready for De Anza Invitational By Garrett Wilson Staff Writer
This is it, this is what you have been training for years for. You get up to the starting line, get in your block, then get in position. The countdown goes off, three, two, one, BANG! This is what it is like for an athlete to start a race. Delta College’s track and field team had two meets recently. One was at California State University, Chico from March 2-3, and another at California State University, Stanislaus on March 4. The Delta team did exceptionally well at both. At Chico, Saivon Lewis took home fifth place in the decathlon, while Nick Kiel took home sixth place in the decathlon. Laury-Ashly Diboki was favored to win until she was disqualified at the end of the 800 meter. “Every meet I want to PR, that’s why I push myself at every practice and every meet,” said Diboki.
The women’s basketball team took on College of the Siskiyous in the second round of the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) in the NorCal Playoffs on March 4. The team lost, 70-76. Focused on defense, Coach Gina Johnson and her team finished the season with 25 wins. Some players that made this happen are Lauren Rabena, a freshman point guard, Noni Kuumba, a sophomore guard and Brittany Butler, a sophomore guard. Johnson said Rabena was a good floor leader and averaged the most assists while Kuumba average two rebounds per game. Even without a full team Rabena, “felt like we played a really good season. We scored a lot of turnovers and did good at stopping shots,” she said. Rabena and Johnson agreed Butler “kept the energy up the whole game” while “encouraging other players.” “We had a good run and we may be upset because we could have gone further, but we got closer as a family and progressed better the whole season,” said Rabena. Despite losing 7 games, the team is ready to give it their all next year. “This season was a crazy ride and there were a lot of ups and downs but we have a great coach and team members and they pushed me to be the best I could be,” said Butler. Johnson said the team has a lot of depth. “The No. 1 focus has always been to help my players academically,” said Johnson. The main goal after every season is to help players transfer with as many scholarships as possible and next year will be no different.
At the Stanislaus Invitational, Stanley Young placed third in the 100 meter. “In high school it was natural, here I have to work for it more,” said Young. Mens 4x1 had a seasons best with a score of 42.88. Melvin Flax placed first in shot put. Craig Perkins placed fourth in javelin. Alicia Woo placed fourth in pole vault. Caitlin McClain broke the school record in hammer throw, with a score of 44.37. Cody Hern placed third in discus. Delta’s track and field team have the De Anza Invitational at De Anza College upcoming meet on March 10. “In CSU Chico and CSU Stanislaus we had to go against a lot of four-year college athletes, in the De Anza Invitational we will be facing a lot more junior college athletes. Since we placed so well at these two other meets, I expect us to do very well at our next meet,” said Delta College’s Track and Field Head Coach Lauryn Jordan.
Listen up students! Spring break this semester is March 20-24. What do people usually have planned? Spending time with friends? Catching up on some sleep? Surely everyone has some sort of plan they want to do during spring break. Getting into shape, however, probably doesn’t come to mind. So we went around asking students this question: What’s a great way to exercise during spring break without hitting the gym or staying inside? “Jogging around your neighborhood. Or hiking! Lodi Lake has a nice trail and you can see deer there,” said Meranda Pierce.
“Running outside or going to the park or biking or maybe doing yoga outside,” said Michael Sharoiko “Improvise, do whatever comes to mind when you want to work out, and no do the exact same thing every week,” said Haroon Mahamood. “Organize a couple of games of basketball, soccer, volleyball, softball or something active that you all enjoy. There are plenty of places to go bike riding, walking or running in town. Or you can find a good hiking trail to explore out of town. I suggest Pinnacles National Park.” said Miranda La Londe.
March 10, 2017 8 news thecollegian Stockton City Council decides future of medical marijuana By Aliyah Stoeckl Senior Staff Writer
Last year Stockton voters approved the new medical cannabis policies. On Feb. 28, the Stockton City Council held a special meeting to discuss how these new policies should be put into action. Stockton residents voted for allowing two new medical cannabis dispensaries, introducing four cultivation sites and an increased business-licensed tax on new and existing establishments. The council is setting the tax rate at the maximum allowable level. The city is recommending a tax rate of $50 per $1,000 in gross receipts. According to the City Manager Kurt O. Wilson, after setting the level of $50, the medical cannabis revenue will increase to one million a year. Existing owners of medical cannabis dispensaries had concerns over the competition of illegal cannabis dispensaries that are not paying any form of tax. “We urge you to use your authority to enforce your own laws and close the
illegal ones immediately. The only fair thing to do is to gradually raise the rate, as the illegal stores are closed and only implementing the top rate when the city has met its obligation to implement its law and level the playing field by closing all illegal locations,” said Adam Pressler-Smith, who currently owns the two dispensaries in Stockton. Recently, two illegal cannabis dispensaries have been compromised and are under investigation. These illegal cannabis dispensaries were only shut down due to tips from callers with limited resources. Voters approved two more dispensaries, but the city council recommended going above that and allowing another two Stockton Community Development Director David Kwong said there are already two applicants being evaluated since the day after the voters approved the new dispensaries. During public comment there were several complaints on how the application process was handled. “I just got the email yesterday, so
The Stockton City Council decided the fate of medical cannabis at a recent meeting. PHOTO BY ALIYAH STOECKL
there wasn’t a added public notice. They should really go back to the practice and the background checks for the required stuff,” said Ron Bernasconi, who sent in his application for a licensed dispensary. The council came to a conclusion to expand the timeline for more applicants due to misinformation on due dates. “The key word tonight is confusion, confusion on how they were going to communicate the availability of licens-
es to potential applicants, and even tonight the proposals were only possible to fix. We should have more options to choose from. We could’ve talked easily for four more hours on this,” said City Council member Dan Wright. During the year the City Council will hold further meetings on these new policies and discuss the legal cultivation sites in Stockton.
Demand for passports on the rise under Trump General opinion is that rumors of Trump deportations caused an unneeded reaction. Staff Writer A. Atout, one of Delta College’s international stuBay Area communities are reporting an increase in dents, has a different opinion on this matter. demand for passports, likely stemming from President She came to America because of the great reputaDonald Trump’s immigration crackdown on illegal tion its education system has. immigrants. When asked over email, Atout responded with Delta College students say this is an overreaction these statements. and that nothing major is going to happen that would “I can only say that the new immigration policies force anyone to rush to the nearest passport center. affected me personally and my family. On Dec. 16 “I got a passport to visit my nephew. I had no idea 2016 and after finishing my first year in Delta Colthat people in the Bay Area were rushing for passlege, I visited my family in Jordan. I came back on ports. They are just overreacting because this is StockJan. 31 2017 with my brother who already has a USA ton. It’s one of those cities that will never change,” tourist visa that is valid for 5 years. After we arrived said Kyle Brown, an instructor for the Fencing club in San Francisco airport, the immigration officers inwho recently got his passport. terrogated me for 5 hours then they allowed me to Student Carlos Gonzalez got his passport when he enter USA. However, they detained my brother for was little. 24 hours in the airport and they cancelled his visa “I don’t remember much because I was so small, but and sent him back to Jordan,” said Atout “This day I need to renew mine because it’s expired. I’m only was the worst day in my whole life because within 24 renewing it for when I travel to Mexico not because hours they did not give me any information about my of Trump,” he said. brother while he was detained. Moreover, they did not
By David Michael
Mental: Services offered free
answer the lawyer who was taking care of my brother’s case,” Atout said over email. Atout is unsure if she is going to complete her studies because of this incident. After explaining the situation in the Bay Area Atout gave an honest opinion. “I completely understand their reaction. Yes, it is justifiable and I do not think they are overreacting at all. Policies are changing every day. Simply, the ‘American Dream’ is no longer a dream; it becomes a nightmare for many people. I think the American Dreamis a truth in Europe nowadays. Europe is welcoming refugees and immigrants, and is dealing with humans regardless of their origins,” she said. A group of people at Delta College may think that rushing for a passport may be an overreaction, but that is not the case for someone that was affected personally. Judging people in the Bay Area prematurely could lead to people dismissing cases like Atout’s and fully believing in some as true without all the details may lead to unjustified overreactions.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 of stress and anxiety according to the National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI), 18.1 percent of American adults suffer from anxiety disorders, an estimated 42 million people, 6.9 percent suffer from depression, 16 million people roughly. Most mental illnesses and disorders begin between the ages of 14 to 24 and the majority of mental health issues are diagnosed between 18-24. In 2016, the College Health and Wellness Advisory Group (CHWAG), was formed. CHWAG’s mission statement found on the Delta website states their purpose is to promote the health and wellness of the campus community, particularly the health and well-being of students to ensure their success at Delta College. CHWAG currently follows a six dimension wellness model that targets social, physical, occupational, intellectual, spiritual, and emotional needs of the student population. “Retention is higher when schools have these services...as we start making baby steps and faculty gets comfortable with intervention, even just showing concern, that alone can prevent crisis
and suicide in some cases,” said Bradford. Bradford, who works with NAMI of San Joaquin mentions a potential “peer run, support group of trained individuals by NAMI, for students to come together on campus to share their stories and help manage mental health.” Ultimately, the goal is to have a student health center in the future but this seems far away says Bradford. “Until this is a priority for the entire institution from the top down we won’t see a student health center...the students have the strongest voice and the students are the ones that need to demand change,” continued Bradford. Delta college isn’t adding services to campus as of now, but is showcasing what is available to the student population differently in hopes to build an environment where the student body feels welcomed and cared for. Delta offers these services free of charge that students can take advantage of. To set up an appointment with a counselor you can contact the Counseling & Special Services office at (209) 954-5151 ext. 6279
A photo of one of the texts sent to a student. PHOTO BY KILLIAN BARNHART
Text: Students alerted police CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 and they hadn’t gotten it. Then one of my friends texted me back hours later saying and she was like ‘oh hey yeah they did send me a message, but what if we [go ahead and call] Campus Police about it?’ I was like ‘You know what, you’re right’ as I said it was a bit weird, so about an hour later I made
the call to Campus Police.” At 9:39 p.m. Delta College’s Vice President of Student Services Dr. Lisa Cooper Wilkins sent out an email to the student body informing them of the mistake, writing that Delta did send out the text messages and reassured students that nobody’s personal information was compromised or shared with any outside groups.