DVC Inquirer 10-9-14 Vol. I Issue 3 by DVC Inquirer

The

INQUIRER

It’s getting hot in here

Climate in California continues to smolder and water consumption is rising. See Page 4.

Student Voice of Diablo Valley College

Volume I No. 3 Thursday, Oct. 9 - Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014 www.DVCInquirer.com

Meet Dr. Henry Hall

DVC humanities professor enters his 46th year of teaching See Page 7.

Big tech buyout

Microsoft and Amazon continue to expand through gaming. See Page 3.

Students lend a hand

DVC students get involved with local soccer program. See Page 6.

news

Thursday, Oct. 9 - Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014

calendar October 10 M-101 8 p.m. Four jazz ensembles performed by DVC music students October 18 De Anza Community College 3 p.m DVC football team takes on De Anza. October 15 BFL CCC 1-2 p.m Informational meeting for James O’Keefe Comic Contest October 23 Diablo Room, HSFC Building 8-9 p.m. Musical theater review

police beat Tueday, September 23 Learning Center At 11:15 a.m. a student was transported to Kaiser in Walnut Creek after a piece of candy got caught in her throat. Saturday, September 27 Stubbs Road At 2:20 a.m. a subject was stopped for speeding. The subject refused to provide identification to officers or follow officer orders. Wednesday, October 1 Music Building A faculty member reported a college computer had gone missing from a computer lab some time between September 22 and 29. Monday, October 6 Physical Education Building At 9 a.m. a DVC student’s parent reported his son may be having inappropriate conversations with an instructor. The parent was displeased with the lesson content. The case was dismissed.

correction A story in Vol. I No. 2 on accreditation inaccurately stated who wrote the 520-page selfevaluation report. It was prepared jointly by faculty, classified staff, students and administrators working in teams on specific accreditation standards.

Students skeptical of U.S. plan to halt Ebola RYAN CHAN Technology editor

United States military personnel have begun efforts to train health workers and construct dozens of 100-bed field hospitals in West Africa. President Obama recently announced that up to 4,000 troops will be sent to Liberia to combat the spread of Ebola. The plan's aim is to construct a command center in the Liberian capital of Monrovia and build 17 health care facilities to alleviate the already over-taxed hospitals in the region. It remains to be seen how effective U.S. efforts will be in combating the virus. In a bid to rally other nations' support, President Obama called on countries at the United Nations General Assembly to speed up aid and commit more resources to fighting Ebola. "If ever there were a public health emergency deserving of an urgent, strong and coordinated international response, this is it," Obama said. A report by the Centers for Disease Control estimated that there could be 1.4 million Ebola cases by Jan. 20, 2015 if effective

methods of containment cannot be found. These estimates are based on the fact that 2.5 times as many cases of Ebola go unreported compared to reported cases. With 7,492 cases of Ebola and 3,439 deaths officially reported as of Oct. 4, those numbers could quickly skyrocket. The spread of Ebola to the U.S. has many concerned after news that a man was admitted into a Dallas hospital with the disease on Sept. 25. Liberian citizen Thomas Eric Duncan is the first patient diagnosed with Ebola in America, and may have come in contact with as many as 114 people. Though health officials have narrowed that list to 50 people, only nine are high risk individuals. The event has sparked a fear over a potential outbreak in the U.S. However, many Diablo Valley College students were not as convinced that Ebola posed a major threat to the U.S. Computer science major Miles Dawes, 18, was skeptical but in favor of helping victims. “We should help, since West Africa isn't fully developed. I'm glad we're doing it, but I really hope it doesn't come back to us," he said.

WESLEY IHEZUE / The Inquirer

Nicole Jorgenson, 20, a marine biology major, wasn't as concerned: “While it is worrying, I don't really feel like it concerns me because it sounds so far away.” According to Suzanne Sparacio, a biology professor at DVC, Ebola doesn’t pose a huge risk to those in the U.S. “Ebola is transmitted through bodily fluids," she said. "Therefore, casual contact or walking by an infected person will have a very low transmission rate. Anyone using precautions to avoid bodily fluids, as described by the CDC, should avoid an infection."

"However, there are no guarantees," Sparacio said. "As demonstrated by the recent infections of humanitarian medical workers; if one of the medical aid workers returns to the U.S. with Ebola, we have the means to properly isolate this individual.” As the disease continues to spread, it's hard to tell if U.S. and international efforts can stem the tide. Only time will tell whether it can be eradicated.

Contact RYAN CHAN at RChan@DVCInquirer.com

English as Second Language program offers new certificates DANIEL MARACCINI Staff member

Beginning this semester, students in Diablo Valley College’s English as a Second Language Program are eligible for three new certificates of achievement. The certificates are earned upon completing one of three sequences of ESL classes. The ESL Conversation Certificate is the most basic of the three. It is a four unit sequence that focuses on English pronunciation, comprehension and conversation. Second in the program is the Intermediate ESL Reading and Writing Certificate. It is a 12 unit sequence that focuses on improving students’ essay writing, critical reading and critical thinking skills. The Advanced ESL Reading and Writing

THE INQUIRER Diablo Valley College 321 Golf Club Road, ATC-103 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 The Inquirer is published Thursdays during the school year by the Diablo Valley College journalism students. Unsigned articles appearing on the opinions page are editorials and reflect a two-thirds majority opinion of the editorial staff. Signed columns and cartoons are the opinions of the writer or artist and not necessarily those of The Inquirer, Diablo Valley College or Contra Costa Community College District.

Certificate is the third and last in the program. Students continue to study reading and writing, but at more advanced levels. In addition, they take counseling classes that help prepare them for careers or more schooling. ESL coordinator Katy Agnost commented on how the new program will benefit students. “We’re hoping it gives students a goal to shoot for,” she said. “If they know they’re going to transfer, that’s one goal, but a lot of our students are here just to learn language for job skills or work skills.” Those job and work skills have DVC English professor and key contributor to the certificate program, Keri Dulaney-Greger, thinking of even more options for ESL students. “We’re thinking of all these ideas,” DulaneyGreger said. “We want to offer students the possibility of linking up with content areas…

Contact DANIEL MARCCINI at DMaraccini@DVCInquirer.com

Staff

Editorial Board EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, NEWS EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR, OPPINIONS EDITOR TECHNOLOGY EDITOR PHOTO CHIEF COPY EDITOR

with vocational areas, and then possibly with counseling." A pervasive feeling for both Agnost and Dulaney-Greger is that of support from DVC administrators. As evidence, Dulaney-Greger points to the hiring of DVC’s first full time ESL teacher, Kelvin Moran, who she says has come with “loads of ideas about refugees and immigrants." “In some ways I feel that this is the nascent stage for the ESL program in terms of new possibilities,” she said. “I feel like so much is possible.”

Amrita Kaur Tyler Elmore Ryan Chan Kendall Brescia Shane Louis

STAFF MEMBERS Cameron Chear, Marissa Dadgari, Elicia Locke, Natalia Kiedrzyn, Daniel Maraccini, Taylor Pagan, Taylor Saenz, Lucas Wanless, Alicia Watson, Liyin Yeo, Zachary Dalton CORRESPONDENTS Andrew Barber, Wesley Ihezue, Ray Martin INSTRUCTIONAL LAB COORDINATOR Julius Rea ADVISER Mary Mazzocco

• Phone: 925.969.2543 • Email: inquirer@dvc.edu • Website: www.dvcinquirer.com • Printed seven times per semester •

news 3

Thursday, Oct. 9 - Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014 RN TO BSN PROGRAM

Azusa Pacific University

School of Nursing

Photo illustration by TYLER ELMORE

Twitch, a live streaming website, allows students to watch video gameplay with commentary.

Microsoft expands through Mojang, Twitch buyout CAMERON CHEAR Staff member

ADVANCE YOUR NURSING CAREER Earn an RN to BSN at Azusa Pacific Further your nursing education and develop the skills and knowledge needed for a deeper level of patient care with Azusa Pacific University’s accelerated Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Study at one of four Southern California locations or online, and learn effective, compassionate health care practices from experienced faculty in a supportive Christian environment.

At a Glance Program Units: 40 Average Completion Time: 15 months Cost Per Unit: $560* Accredited by CCNE and WASC *Scholarships available. Contact your program representative for details.

Learn more or apply today! apu.edu/rnbsn pesadmissions@apu.edu (626) 815-5304

HIGH DESERT | INLAND EMPIRE | MONROVIA | SAN DIEGO | ONLINE

The price tag on Mojang, a company only 5 years old, is $2.5 billion dollars. Its buyer? Microsoft. Mojang is the developer of Minecraft, an indie block-based game that puts players in an open world to create, destroy and build creations of whatever they can possibly imagine; think Lego on steroids. A remarkable sensation across all age groups, Minecraft has sold over 54 million copies and produced an enthusiastic cult following as well as a vibrant online community. Grossing over $100 million in the last year alone (with expansions to several new platforms), this outrageous success has left Markus Persson in a position he could not have possibly imagined when Minecraft was first released in 2009. In a blog post on Sept. 15, Persson thanks his many devoted fans and followers, “for turning Minecraft into what it has become.” He goes on to state that, “there are too many of you, and I can’t be responsible for something this big.” And he’s not alone. Small companies that have developed massive followings are being bought out left and right as the big companies get even bigger. A simple idea, no matter how small, can be transformed into the next greatest thing, impacting the lives of millions and earning millions of dollars as well. In the case of Twitch, a live streaming video game website, that number was $970 million. Live streaming means that you

can watch someone else play your favorite video games in real time, similar to watching your favorite sports team on TV. In this case however, you can also chat and interact with your favorite livestreamer and his fans in a live community chat box, making the experience all the more interactive and engaging. How does the public feel about their favorite small-business being bought out? Diablo Valley College student Sean Lin, 18, a mechanical engineering major, is an avid user of Twitch, and feels that the buyout was beneficial for the future of the company. “To be honest, I kind of like the big companies taking over, they know more of the service and they've done it before," Lin said. "They know how to improve upon something much better, instead of small companies that might not be able to fulfill what they wanted, because they might not have the source or know how to do it." On the other hand, DVC student Danielle Powers, 19, a psychology major, feels “there is way too much power given to these big corporations,” she said. As Minecraft fan James Kim, 19, a mechanical engineering major, points out, "I don't see whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. I can guarantee with the price they purchased the company for, they're going to put it everywhere and on everything. They're going to market this thing in every way possible, and they've got the money to do so," he said. Contact CAMERON CHEAR at CChear@DVCInquirer.com

Opinions 4

Thursday, Oct. 9 - Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014

Editorial

The

Buzz

What are you doing to reduce your carbon footprint?

JESSICA GOODRICH, 21 Nursing

“I use my own bags for grocery shopping. I also carpool.”

CLAYTON HIBBARD, 21 Political science

“I take buses and ride a bike everywhere. I conserve my water usage by taking short showers.”

ASHLEY RAMAN, 21 Nutrition

“I’ve been trying to walk to the store when I go grocery shopping.”

ANDREW GONZALEZ, 20 English

“I recycle, I throw everything, I don’t litter. I’m switching to green things.”

It is getting hotter in here Research shows that people may be making drought worse New research suggests that we are the California drought's biggest culprit. We can’t deny climate change anymore. When it is 90 degrees in October, in a region most known for its temperate climate, the climate has obviously changed. Some of this change is natural, as the earth goes through cycles just like all living things. But the accelerated rate of this change should alarm you. According to climate reports, 2014 has been the hottest year in recorded history. Early this year while California was experiencing a pretty warm spring, a “polar vortex" was sweeping across the country from the Midwest to the East coast. This extreme weather is just one example of how the climate is changing.

If that doesn’t scare you, this In July the California State Wamight – scientists from Stanford ter Resource Control Board reUniversity released a study on leased a map of the water usage in Sept. 30, in the Bulletin of the the different regions of the state. American Meteorological Society, While the North Coast, San saying the reason why storms tend Francisco Bay, and Sacramento to move away River regions all “While there are still reduced usage from California, is because people who deny that by rates rangthe green house ing from five to there is global warm- 13 percent, the gases that are emitted create a ing, you can’t deny that South Coast Rewall that push- our climate has severely gion (Los Angees them away les, Riverside, San changed for the worse.” Diego etc.) raised from us. It is surprisits water usage ing that one of by eight perthe most ecocent. And North friendly states would have such a Lahontan((Tahoe, Truckee, Lanproblem. caster etc.) had its own increase of While regionally the Bay Area five percent. works hard to create a sustainable So although most regions are environment, the whole state has taking the drought seriously, increased consumption by others yet to get on board.

Letters to the editor

Getting a degree: is it worth it? ALANNA REED, 19 French

“I’ve been vegetarian for about six months now.” Interviewed and photographed by: Cameron Chear

has raised the entire state’s water usage by one percent. While there are still people who deny that there is global warming, you can’t deny that our climate has severely changed for the worse. What you can do is simple; make better choices. Reduce your water usage; take shorter showers, don’t water your lawn or drain your pool. Reduce your carbon emissions when possible; carpool, ride your bike, take public transportation. College students have the power to drive changes in the way our policy makers view climate and eventually set a course of action for limiting our impact on the environment. So take the initiative and care about your world. Because we only get one.

A majority of our society understands the importance of a college education. Receiving a college degree opens up more opportunities for college graduates. One of the biggest problems students face today is the fact that college expenses, such as tuition, are becoming more and more expensive every year. According to a recently released report from College Board, most students and their families can expect to pay anywhere from $95 to

$1,404 more than last year for this year’s tuition and fees. Because tuition is rising, we as students are taking out loans to afford college and receive our degrees. According to Douglas Belkin of Wall Street Journal, “There are 20 million Americans that attend college each year, and close to 12 million which is 60 percent borrow money to pay for their education.” Today in the U.S., we find ourselves collectively owing nearly one trillion dollars in total outstanding student debt. The only way to solve this problem is for colleges to lower their tuition costs. Everyone should have the equal opportunity

to receive an education and degree without the financial struggle of paying for it. Allowing more students to enroll, and limiting the amount of scholarships awarded, are just some suggestions and ways colleges can help lower their tuition costs. Colleges will still receive their funding and more students will be able to receive the education they seek. When can we stop asking the question, “Is getting a college degree worth the cost?" ~Kendall Pike DVC Student

opinions 5

Thursday, Oct. 9 - Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014

‘Tele-cocooning’ keeps us apart

Connecting with the world, not our neighbors It is hard to go anywhere these days where people aren't fixated on their little screens of light. Ignoring the world around them, they're absorbed in the false reality that they hold in their hands. Cellphones can close people off to the world, but they can also connect to the vast world around them. They provide instant communication and a world at our fingertips. However, a study led by communications studies professors Scott Campbell and NoKENDALL BRESCIA jin Kwak suggested, "Frequent cellphone Photo chief users would be less likely to talk with strangers in public settings due to what Campbell calls the ‘tele-cocooning’ effect, or the ten- web than previous generations. dency of cellphones to reduce interpersonal According to the 2010 study, “Generation interactions." M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-YearSo what does this mean? Is technology Olds,” conducted by the Kaiser Family helping or hindering us? Foundation, "Children and teens between “The technology itself is not good or bad ages eight and 18 spend an average of ... it is how it’s used and who it’s used with,” seven hours and 38 minCampbell says. utes daily playing video Our younger genera- “Children and teens between games, going online and tions are becoming more ages eight and 18 spend an watching TV, and most immersed in technology average of seven hours and 38 have no household rules every day. For example, minutes daily playing video governing how much my cousins, ages five time they’re allowed games, going online and and seven, know how to to spend doing these navigate the web better watching TV, and most have things." than I do. no household rules governFurthermore, "StudAnd today's youth, ing how much time they’re ies over the past decade who now have smartallowed to spend doing these have concluded that a phones as early as five large number of adolesyears of age, are becomthings.” cents and teens today are ing more interested in having difficulty identifyone another's Facebook ~KAISER FAMILY ing emotions in people, pages than they are in FOUNDATION STUDY thus creating an inability spending time on the to feel empathy toward playground being a kid. others who may be feelShould we be coning pain, sorrow, anger cerned? Are our kids being deprived of and other emotions," according to an article their childhood, or enlightened in a way we titled "Children and Technology – Should were not? You Be Concerned." With the internet and its almost limitless To me, this is the most concerning issue content, they now have more access to the

KENDALL BRESCIA / The Inquirer

Neda Sarlak, 29, checks her phones in between classes on Oct. 7. regarding children and technology. Children are digital natives and it only makes sense that being exposed to so much "screen time" is affecting their brain development and social abilities. In a video clip titled, "Digital Devices and Children," Jim Steyer, co-founder of Next Generation emphasizes, "One thing that I think parents really need to think about in this is their own behavior. So, if you're constantly getting messages on your iPhone or your computer ... you're not modeling behavior for your children." Fixing this is as simple as taking them outside, reading to them and encouraging them to explore nature. The world is ever-changing, which means we as people need to learn how to change with it. Technology has undoubtedly in-

filtrated our lives in positive ways such as staying connected with loved ones, and being able to expand and share our knowledge easier than ever before. But while this may be true, hidden dangers lurk within, and it is our responsibility to protect the innocence of our children from these dangers and learn to adapt and use the gift of technology as just that: a gift. Dinner tables should be full of conversation and laughter, not silent faces buried in glowing light. Stop and be in the moment with the people in it, for every moment is a fleeting one. Look up, be present. You could be missing out on something amazing. Contact KENDALL BRESCIA at KBrescia@DVCInquirer.com

Not all families are created equal Last summer, I became an "au pair" - a foreign person, She lives far from downtown and she is not allowed to typically a woman, who helps with housework or child care use their car. Her host parents are not happy with having in exchange for room and board. her friends at their home. My host family lives in a beautiful She also complains they don't care house in the hills. My main responabout a healthy diet and they are not sibilities are driving their two kids to willing to buy any different products school and camps every day, preparing than what they are used to. breakfast and lunch for them and makShe doesn't want to transfer to aning sure they are spending active and other family because she has made a fun time. life in California and if she transfers, Of course, I am also trying to help she might end up in different state. keep the house clean, or cook a dinner Another friend of mine was even from time to time. more unlucky. She is Scottish and she My host parents are friendly, removed in with a family in New Jersey. spectful and tolerable, and they never She talked to her hosts on Skype ask me to do anything beyond my rebefore she arrived and she was hopesponsibilities. ful that everything would be good. Unfortunately, that was not the reality. I have met many young, fun and On the first day, she was given a interesting people already. I am never NATALIA KIEDRZYN long list of responsibilities. bored. I believe becoming an "au pair" Staff member She had to spend all week with in the USA was a great decision. the children. She was responsible for However, not all "au pairs" are as cooking dinner every day, doing a lucky as I. thorough house cleaning once a week My good friend from South Africa is also a nanny in California. Unfortunately, she is not very and tutoring every day for a few hours. She wasn’t allowed to use a car, computer or phone. happy with her choice.

All of that made her decide to transfer to a different family. However, the search process is time-consuming and she had to wait 2-3 weeks for a rematch. Her host family told her she could stay with them until she finds a new family, but she would not be allowed to use anything from their house, including food, and she would not receive any payment. She had to go back to her home country after eight days. The last story is of my French friend who moved to Washington last summer. She said, “After our interview, I thought that this is a nice family. And yes, parents were very nice, but kids were rude, mischievous and abusive. “They used to shout at me, spit on me, throw the toys on me or slap me. I tried talk to parents and ask them for advice. All I have been told is that they are just small and this is the way children are.” She asked her agency to find her a new family and she moved to California after two weeks. Much happier now, she said, “Nothing is perfect in this world. Sometimes we have got issues too. But we are willing to talk and we respect each other and that is the most important thing.” Contact NATALIA KIEDRZYN at NKiedrzyn@DVCInquirer.com

EGE.

sports 6

Thursday, Oct. 9 - Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014

Students help kids kick back but is enjoying the volunteer work just as much as the veterans. “I just Why would college students started e-soccer, and I already love drive to Muirwood Park in Pleas- it,” Borthwick says. “It’s so fun inanton on a Saturday morning to teracting with the kids and getting to know them.” play duck-duck-goose? Christian Giron, another DVC Diablo Valley College students student and volunteer, hopes to from the Pleasant Hill and San Raexpand the e-programs in the mon campuses are volunteering in Pleasant Hill area. He discussed his a unique soccer program known interest in the program and how he as e-soccer. Long-time volunteer hopes to bring these resources to and DVC student Grace Walters DVC. explains the program. “I grew up enjoying soccer and “E-soccer is a full inclusion I found out about a soccer proprogram for children with special gram to help special needs kids ... needs and typical kids,” she says. I thought it would be cool to help “We teach them and coach them in out in that way and give back.” playing soccer.” Giron enjoys working with the Each Saturday throughout the kids and wants to bring his passion soccer season, students help chilfor sports to DVC. But rather than dren run drills and exercises in play soccer, he creative ways. wants to introChildren learn “I just started e-soccer, duce an inclubasic skills to and I already love it.” sive basketball help build their program to the confidence in Pleasant Hill ~MICHAELA BORTHWICK activities disDVC student campus. guised as regu“We are golar playground ing to start an eactivities. hoops program at DVC within the Warm-ups like shark-and-minnows next couple months,” he says. or duck-duck-goose help players “I’ve talked to the coach (of the develop running and coordination DVC basketball team) ... and he skills in a way that is engaging. says that he’s willing to help with “The most rewarding thing is when you’re with the kids and at whatever we need. I really want the the beginning of the season they kids to have a different opportudon’t want to go on the field, but nity ... being able to play basketball at the end they do. They actually as well. It’s a fun sport and great want to play soccer,” says volun- way to reach out to more kids in teer Christopher D’Amore, who the Pleasant Hill community as has been volunteering for nine well as DVC.” ELICIA LOCKE Staff member

years along with his older brother. Michaela Borthwick is new to the soccer program and to DVC,

ELICIA LOCKE / The Inquirer

Diablo Valley College student Christian Giron, top, runs a soccer warm-up with a player during a soccer program working to help children with special and typical needs. At left, Diablo Valley College student Grace Walters works with another e-soccer player.

Contact ELICIA LOCKE at ELocke@ DVCInquirer.com

REALIZE YOUR DREAM AT MILLS COLLEGE. SAME PROFESSORS.

SAME JESUIT VALUES.

SAME FIRST-CLASS EDUCATION. USF PLEASANTON CAMPUS

TRANSFER PROGRAMS AVAILABLE AT THE PLEASANTON CAMPUS

Mills offers talented women who want an exceptional and personal education the ability to: • Transfer in fall or spring. • Get the classes you need to graduate on time. • Complete your GE requirements at Mills. • Earn merit scholarships of up to $15,000.

TRANSFER VISIT PROGRAM October 18 • 9:00 am–1:00 pm Discover how we help you achieve your goals—meet Mills students, explore our curriculum, and tour our campus.

Programs offered in MAKING THE WORLD MORE . . .

Oakland, CA admission@mills.edu www.mills.edu/transfer RESERVE YOUR SPACE AT WWW.MILLS.EDU/VISITPROGRAMS.

- Management - Nursing and Health Professions - Arts and Sciences

Financial aid and scholarships available Classes start in January and August

APPLY NOW 925.867.2711 www.usfca.edu/pleasanton

features 7

Thursday, Oct. 9 - Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014

Hall has called DVC home since 1967 "In fact, I honor him by wearing this bow-tie," Hall says. "He made me feel like a son." After leaving DVC in 1954, Hall transferred to San Francisco State University, received a bachelors degree in philosophy, a masters degree in humanities and later received a Ph.D. in higher education from the University of California Berkeley. Holding a high regard and a preference for DVC, the college where he first got his start, Hall decided to come back and start working as a student teacher in 1967 and was hired as an official faculty member in 1968, a position he has held for almost five decades. Hall's favorite focus of humanities is philosophy, particularly the works of Plato, Aristotle and Socrates. "Everyone asks questions," he says, "No answers will fit those questions." Ben Reyoso, a student of Hall's says, "His class is different and definitely one of the most interesting classes I've ever taken." Shunsuke Asami, 24, says, "He is a very funny guy, always making jokes and making us laugh."

TAYLOR PAGAN Staff member

Humanities professor Dr. Henry Hall, 84-years-old and a Diablo Valley College student alumni himself, enters his 46th year of teaching. Upon leaving the army, Hall enrolled at DVC, then called East Contra Costa Junior College, in 1953. It was here that Hall was exposed to the philosophical influences that have since shaped his entire life. DVC created an educational community among local military veterans like Hall. With most professors being ex-servicemen themselves, the student-teacher relationship was rooted in "deep, pure, outrageous affection." "Being a student here, the faculty was extraordinary," Hall says. "Here you were an individual." As opposed to the army, DVC promoted a "thinking culture." "You don't just say 'yes,' but you think, you do research and you come up with your own opinions," says Hall, crediting his DVC humanities professor and most influential mentor Dr. Herman Chrisman as the source for such inspiration.

Henry Hall is “an absolute treasure whose life example embodies both the values of DVC and our discplines of philosphy and humanities,” says colleague Ruth Miller. TAYLOR PAGAN/ The Inquirer

DVC humanities professor and department Chair Jacqueline Halm has worked with Hall since 1988 and can attest to his kind humor and his loyalty. "He is a delightful man, a delightful person," Halm says. "I love Henry because he is the one voice that is still here."

Fellow humanities professor Ruth Miller says, "He's an absolute treasure whose life example embodies both the values of DVC and our disciplines of philosophy and humanities." Hall intends to continue working at DVC and using that admired voice for as long as he possibly

Berkeley

Saturday Oct. 25 10:30 a.m.

San Jose

Saturday Nov. 1 10:30 a.m.

Saturday Nov. 8 10:30 a.m.

Attend an Open House

JFKU.edu

BUSINESS I PSYCHOLOGY I HEALTH & HUMANITIES I LEGAL STUDIES An accredited nonprofit university. An Affiliate of The National University System.

JFKU14_974_CC_Ad_5p96x8_BW_FINAL.indd 1

9/24/14 3:21 PM

Contact TAYLOR PAGAN at TPagan@DVCInquirer.com

DVC irons out degree wrinkles ALICIA WATSON Staff member

I came for a Degree. I discovered my Purpose.

can. "DVC has been the love of my life. I credit DVC as the foundation for all of the successes I've enjoyed in education and in life," Hall says.

Diablo Valley College appears to be on track for meeting state requirements to create specified Associate Degrees for Transfer by next fall. DVC has already established all but two of the required degrees. Still in progress are those for Spanish and computer science majors. Each discipline has unique challenges to overcome. The student Transfer Achievement Reform Act, passed in 2010, mandates that community colleges develop standardized transfer degrees in each of the most popular majors. In computer science, it’s a matter of eliminating excess units. The department’s current associate degree requires a total of 64 units, while the state’s model allows only 60. DVC is not the only school facing this dilemma, articulation officer Merv Maruyama said. In fact, fewer than half of the California community colleges have established a computer science transfer degree. “Part of the issue is that (the state requires) a three-course sequence, and we have a five-course sequence that covers the same material,” department Chair Robert Burns said. He feels that reducing the longer sequence would make it more challenging for students.

So what’s the solution? Moving some of the lower level course units into the general education electives, so they can be double-counted, is one possible path, Burns said. “I think that’s really going to be our best bet,” he said. Another approach would be to work with the math department to shave one unit off of the current math requirement. “We’re trying to get the math department to rethink that, or give us a version of the course for CS majors, without the extra unit,” he said. While it will be a challenge to meet the state’s guidelines by the 2015 deadline, Burns believes it's doable. “We’re certainly committed to getting this done,” he said. Sharing that sentiment is Foreign Language Department Chair Isabel Izquierdo. While the state’s model makes first term Spanish a prerequisite for subsequent Spanish classes, DVC merely recommends that students begin with it. The department will adopt the prerequisite requirement, while allowing students to challenge it by taking a proficiency test. Over the next few weeks, Izquierdo said, personnel will begin developing the proficiency test and associated processes. Contact ALICIA WATSON at AWatson@DVCInquirer.com

features 8

Thursday, Oct. 9 - Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014

Murakami finds color in ‘Colorless Tsukuru’ CAMERON CHEAR Staff member

Courtesy of BUNGEISHUNJU

Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki encourages its readers to stay positive no matter how down you are.

Tsukuru Tazaki, the lonely protagonist of Haruki Murakami's newest novel, describes his personal dilemma the best: "I have no personality, no brilliant color. I have nothing to offer. That's always been my problem. I feel like an empty vessel." This theme is prevalent through all 400 pages of "Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage," influencing every moment tangibly, as Murakami knows best. With his 14th work of fiction, it is apparent that Murakami has grown considerably over the years. On the day of "Colorless Tsukuru's" release, there was a fervent excitement across Japan, with midnight release parties and long queues outside many bookstores, similar to those at a new "Harry Potter" book release. But, the excitement was not exclusive to Japan. "Colorless Tsukuru" topped the New York Times Best Seller's list for two weeks in a row, and has sold over 1 million copies worldwide. Tsukuru Tazaki is originally from Nagoya, where he meets four individuals who will become his closest friends: Ao, Aka, Shiro, and Kuro. Blue, Red, White, and Black, plus poor colorless Tsukuru, the only one whose name does not represent a color. After high school, this inseparable group stays together in Nagoya except for its final link: Tsukuru moves to Tokyo to study under a famous railroad engineer, following his passion for railroad stations. Tsukuru continues to visit Nagoya and his friends every holiday break until suddenly, with what feels like the force of a guillotine, he is informed by Ao that the group no longer wants to see him. No explanation or

warning is issued. After many years have passed, Tsukuru is pushed to find the truth about his exclusion from the group by a new girlfriend. His pilgrimage leads him to confront his lost friends, who are now leading independent lives. Their stories are far different from what Tsukuru could have imagined, forcing him to reconsider what he had thought of them, and more importantly, of himself. The style of Murakami's description is flawless and enchanting, with every detail meticulously fleshed out in its entirety. Occasionally, dialogue can seem awkward and unrealistic, though it is also a reminder that the novel has been translated, and thus not perfect. Though not without its share of bizarre, the novel is fairly tame compared to other of Murakami's more popular works such as "1Q84" or his masterpiece "The Wind Up Bird Chronicle," where magical realism and sexual aversions take center stage. Themes of isolation and emptiness are largely recurring, with Tsukuru constantly reminded of his "colorless" fate in the distance he feels from others and himself. His lost friend Kuro finally tells him, "Let's say you are an empty vessel. So what? ... So why not be a completely beautiful vessel? The kind people feel good about, the kind people want to entrust with precious belongings." Murakami urges the reader with resounding clarity: regardless of how empty you might feel, you should never stop yourself from being filled. Contact CAMERON CHEAR at CChear@DVCInquirer.com

Students get a chance to travel world ELICIA LOCKE Staff member

It will be an unforgettable semester for the Diablo Valley College students who have decided to study abroad in Paris, France this fall. As most students fall into routine schedules during their first month back to school, some are packing their bags as they prepare to embark on a once-in-lifetime trip to Paris. Why take this program? According to DVC professor Kristen Koblik, who will be teaching in Paris this semester, the study abroad program offers a rare opportunity for community college students to travel to a foreign country for a unique learning experience. “Only 4 percent of American study abroad students are from community colleges, so it’s special to have a chance to participate in a program like this while at DVC," Koblik said. Koblik discussed her interactive lesson plans for the upcoming months. “(We will be) going to cathedrals and castles and enormous museums and galleries …and studios

where the artists lived and worked,” she said. Koblik is thrilled to show her students the art they study in person. DVC student Quinn Thornton first became interested in the study abroad program while taking one of Koblik’s classes. “My teacher first mentioned (the Paris trip) to me,” Thornton said. After her parents agreed to help pay for schooling it was only a matter of time before she had saved up the extra cash she would need for the trip, and enough for a side trip to Normandy. When asked what she was excited for, Thornton listed the museums she would get to go to, the shows she would get to see, and the great food plan. There’s another great adventure in Barcelona, Spain next fall. "Plan early, get all the information you can," said director of international education programs, Aleks Ilich. "The experience... will shape each student individually." Contact ELICIA LOCKE at ELocke@DVCInquirer.com

Courtesy of ELLEN KRUSE

While studying abroad, students have the chance to see many historic landmarks all over the world. The above picture is a group of DVC students visiting Stonehenge in 2008.