The Inquirer Vol V No. 1

I

Cullinary arts a cut above

inquirer

Things are heating up this semester at DVC. See Page 4.

Thursday, Sept. 15 - Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016

Volume V, No 1

Uncensor your mind

Mental health program is well underway across district campuses MIRNA ABOUKHALIL Staff member

Professor publishes new view on mass media manipulation CHELSEY SCHALLIG News editor

“Censored 2017” covers a variety of stories from surveillance technology, to a brief history of Central Intelligence Agency media manipulation.

Mickey Huff, history and social science professor at Diablo Valley College, is a director of Project Censored and Media Freedom Foundation.

Huff explained that the project engages with media literacy to work towards a truly free press for democratic self-government.

“Censored 2017” points out the problems and issues that are ignored, or not covered in the corporate press, and celebrates independent journalists who bring those stories to life.

The project hopes to bring more attention to ignored and skewed stories and hopes people will pay more attention to particular issues.

The book is part of a mission to show the importance of free press and a part of the mission is media literacy.

“For the upcoming book, ‘Censored 2017,’ there is a civic action kind of bent to it. We believe that free press principles and journalism play an important part in pursuing social justice,” says Huff.

“The American culture is a pretty unique society overall, despite the fact that many people in the U.S live under the um-

brella of mythological…exceptionalism,” says Huff.

“Censored 2017” is opposed to censorship and Huff mentions that censorship is a lot bigger than people realize in the United States. Media outlets make the decisions as to what subjects are included, or not included, in corporate media.

“We operate under the principle that we have a free press, therefore, there’s nothing wrong. It’s not that people don’t understand it, it’s that they’re not taught to think critically about media,” says Huff.

The project’s purpose is to educate people about how media works and support the new generation of journalists while working in multiple media assignments through education and classes.

“We have a weekly radio show that’s on 35 stations and multiple film projects. We have over 200 students and faculty supporting us and we are celebrating our 40th anniversary this year with this upcoming book,” says Mickey Huff.

Ralph Nader, who wrote the Foreword for “Censored 2015: Inspiring We the People” will be hosting an event at the DVC campus Tuesday Oct. 18th in the Diablo Room from 3-4 pm.

“Censored 2017: Fortieth Anniversary Edition” is available for purchase on Oct. 4.

1 in 4 college students fall into depression. That means if Diablo Valley College has around 22,000 students, 5,500 of them have depression.

Diablo Valley College has been pushing to add a mental health program for countless years, and this July, DVC finally opened the Student Wellness Program — hoping to address the problem that many colleges face.

The New Student Wellness Program is “We want to going to offer therprovide a very apy to all students.

The program has supportive partnered with John environment.”

F. Kennedy University to provide therapy to students that ~BETH HAUSCARRIAGUE Dean of Counseling and are suffering from Enrollment stress to having major depression. Beth Hauscarriague, the Dean of Counseling and Enrollment Services said, “We want to make sure to provide a very supportive environment, not only in the academic but also in the wellness piece of it.”

She hopes that this program will give students the necessary support and resources to helping them with any of their struggles through therapy. Some types of therapy include a lot of humanistic approaches and positive psychology focussing on positive coping strategies In order to join this program you will need a referral and an appointment. If a student needs help immediately, then there will be someone on site to help the student, whether it’s one of the interns or a counselor. There will be two therapist interns work-

Contact CHESLEY SCHALLIG at CSchallig@DVCInquirer.com

Continued on Page 2

Space telescopes picking up mixed signals JEANETTE CHIAPPONE Staff member

The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI) quietly issued a statement Monday, Aug. 29, saying a signal had been detected coming from a solar system 95 light years from Earth. In astronomical terms, the news sounded as if our alien neighbor down the street had come a’knocking.

But the statement by SETI’s Senior Astronomer, Seth Shostack was quick to mini-

mize the discovery of the signal coming from HD164595, as the system known, even as it was being announced.

“The chance that this is truly a signal from extraterrestrials is not terribly promising, and the discoverers themselves apparently doubt that they’ve found ET. Nonetheless, one should check out all reasonable possibilities, given the importance of the subject,” Shostack wrote.

Dr. Alex Filippenko, professor of astronomy at UC Berkeley elaborated, “The signal

detected by RATAN-600 has a nearly zero chance of being a transmission from an intelligent extraterrestrial. It’s a broad-band detection that has numerous more-plausible explanations including noise, a terrestrial origin, and a celestial origin unrelated to aliens,” Filippenko said.

Still, the mere possibility the signal was sent by aliens is fascinating, if only to imagine civilizations far more advanced than our own.

For one, Shostck said, if this message

Copyright © 2016 The Inquirer - www.dvcinquirer.com

was actually from aliens, the signal is being broadcast at 100 billion watts. “That’s hundreds of times more energy than all the sunlight falling on Earth, and would obviously require power sources far beyond any we have,” he wrote.

The beam itself seems to be aimed right at planet Earth. While humanoids might think they are worth the trouble to contact, that would mean the signal began its focused Continued on Page 2

2

news

Thursday, Sept. 15 - Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016

calendar Friday, Sept. 16 Viking Stadium DVC Football versus Sequoias, 7 to 10 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 19 The pool Men’s Water polo Modesto, 5 to 8 p.m.

versus

Tuesday, Sept. 20 Community Conference Center BFL CCC, or BFL CCR Academic Senate Council, 2 to 4 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 27 Community Conference Center BFL CCC, or BFL CCR James O’Keefe Comic Contest, Project Meet-up, 11 to 12 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 28 Gymnasium Women’s Volleyball versus Santa Rosa Junior College, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

police beat Wednesday, Aug. 31 Lot 8 An unknown person or persons broke the window of the victim’s vehicle.

Wednesday, Aug. 31 West Side of the Gym Someone took the rims off the victim’s bicycle that was safely secured to the bike rack.

Tuesday, Sept. 6 Humanities Unknown male sexually harassed female student by derogatory comments made about her body.

Thursday, Sept. 8 Bus Turnaround Two female suspects approached a female student, then proceeded to pepper spray and steal the student’s phone.

Thursday, Sept. 8 AB Bankroll An unknown male harassed a female employee and was asked to leave the building by another employee.

Signs of change in Plaza WILL NEVIN Staff member

After forty years of operation, Diablo Valley College plaza shopping center is undergoing a huge transformation from a free DVC overflow parking lot, to a modern shopping destination.

Once the Safeway and K-mart supermarkets left the plaza center a few years ago, hundreds of empty parking spots became notorious for students to find an oasis away from the official DVC parking lots, which can be riddled with heavy traffic.

CarMax is preparing to renovate the empty K-Mart building and surrounding parking lots, while McDonald’s plans to move into the closed Carrows building on Contra Costa Blvd.

The Pleasant Hill City Council recently loosened many previously held zoning restriction laws to allow CarMax to be the city’s first car dealership and install a massive 64 foot retail sign visible from highway 680.

“There is no correlation between the size of a sign and better marketing or advertising. It’s a shame. The city is not focusing on students but rather focusing on surrounding communities with disposable income,” says Charlie Shi, Professor of Business Administration. Professor Shi also details his concerns over favorite student locations that have moved or closed completely within the DVC plaza.

WILL NEVIN / The Inquirer

The Current McDonalds at The Diablo Valley Plaza, slated for demolition, is to be replaced with a new 64 foot tall sign.

“International students were Mark Waugh, 24, nutrition maable to walk jor, describes across the street “The city is not focus- how McDonand go to the moving ing on the students, ald’s International locations could Education Cen- but rather . . . surroun- allow other loter where sturestaurants dign communities with cal dents could enin the area to disposable income .” experience gage within the local communimore business ty. The IEC has and exposure. ~CHARLIE SHI Professor of Business Administration moved across “In & Out, the highway in Chef Burger, Concord somewhere.” and Kinders can all benefit from

Continued from Page 1

Continued from Page 1

ing with the students every week on Tuesdays, from 11:30am-5:30pm and Wednesdays, from 10:00am4:00pm.

These interns will give either 5-8 sessions of therapy free of charge based on how much help a person needs.

The New Student Wellness Program has many benefits to the student body at DVC, including one on one therapy sessions.

This program is coming off of many years of discussion and DVC hopes that the therapy offered will allow students to face many of their struggles that come ahead.

This program is also being offered at Contra Costa College, and Los Medanos College.

To contact the Diablo Valley College program, either email, WellnessDVC@email.4cd.edu, or call (925) 969- 2048.

journey across the cold, dark reaches of space long before humans were emitting any radio or television signals from Earth.

“The energy such a targeted signal would require... even if they are using an antenna the size of the 1000-foot Arecibo instrument...would still need to wield more than a trillion watts, which is comparable to the total energy consumption of all humankind,” Shostack wrote.

The signal was originally picked up by the RATAN-600 telescope at the Southwestern tip of Russia near the Black Sea. On Sunday, Aug. 28, the Allen Telescope Array (ATA) slowly cranked its sea of listening dishes at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory in Lassen National Forest to face the slice of sky where HD164595 can be found.

While the ATA covers a much broader swath of sky than the RATAN-600, scientists Jon Richards and Gerry Harp so far have not detected the signal. All the possible

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.

Contact WILL NEVIN at WNevin@DVCInquirer.com

Mixed signals from space stir up alien communication controversey

Campus mental wellness program

Contact MIRNA ABOUKHALIL at MAboukhalil@DVCInquirer.com

more exposure if McDonald’s moves closer to other popular McDonald locations, one in the mall and another down the street.”

Students have been graced with beautiful graffiti green laced chained fences that surround the entire property, waiting to demolish the McDonald’s left outside and see what new tenants the city approves next.

Contact JEANETTE CHIAPPONE at JChiappone@DVCInquirer.com

Staff

Editorial Board EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PRINT EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR FEATURES EDITOR NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR

frequencies in the region from which it was broadcast have not yet been covered. “This should be completed in the next few days,” Shostack wrote.

He noted that the original signals were first detected in May 2015. “The discoverers didn’t alert the SETI community to this find until now, which is not as expected. According to both practice and protocol, if a signal seems to be of deliberate and extraterrestrial origin, one of the first things to do is to get others to attempt confirming observations,” Shostack wrote.

Update: On Tuesday, Aug. 30, SETI issued an updated statement saying the frequencies at which the original signal was detected by RATAN-600 had been searched by the ATA with no signal detected. They reminded the public that an array of telescopes is always better than one.

Rest assured, SETI is listening.

Marcel Scott Cooper Mead Erin Smith Chelsey Schallig Dominique Smith

STAFF MEMBERS Nina Cestaro, Jeanette Chiappone, Mirna Aboukhali, Nagisa Tsukada, Will Nevin, Julia Muskevitch, Nikki Moylan, Frank Guitron, Mia Blake, ALberto Chang, Glenna Herbert INSTRUCTIONAL LAB COORDINATOR Julius Rea ADVISER Mary Mazzocco

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

3

features

Thursday, Sept. 15 - Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016

DOMINIQUE SMITH/ The Inquirer

Opinions editor Dominique Smith waits for J Cole to perform with temporary friends. Interacting with new people who like the same music as you can enhance your friendless festival experience.

Do festivals by yourself­— it’s more fun DOMINIQUE SMITH Staff member

People often feel insecure when it comes to being alone, especially when attending an event. Simply seeing a movie by oneself can elicit fear and anxiety in a person, let alone taking on a large scale music festival by yourself. But don’t let the sea of hipsters, over priced garlic fries and lack of friends scare you away from experiencing something great. This is a music festival survival guide: Solo Edition

Get Creative Get in for free. Music festivals are full of people who get in for free, and they didn’t have to sneak over any fences in the process.

Volunteering is the cheapest and smartest way to get a free ticket into the venue, and you’ll meet people through working as a bonus. If you sign up months in advance or just luck out, you’ll be assigned to work the morning shifts. Yes, you’ll have to put in a little labor, but once your shift is over you have the rest of the day to enjoy the

festivities. The popular artists perform at night anyway. There are still a couple more festivals to catch before the end of the season. Treasure Island is Oct. 15 and 16, and Camp Flog Gnaw is Nov. 12 and 13.

Pack a Snack Flying solo means no friends around to buy you that $12 lobster roll, but don’t spend your hard earned money on food.

It’s just not financially smart and inevitably some drunk festival goer is going to accidentally knock it to the ground. Packing snacks is your best bet, but make sure you check what can and cannot be brought into the festival. Alcohol is, of course, prohibited from being brought into any music festival, so I’ll go ahead and mention smuggleyourbooze.com — you’re welcome.

Dress Accordingly Why be uncomfortable when you don’t have to? Arriving early in the morning to volunteer is not the time to dress to impress, your friends won’t be there anyway. Weather

can fluctuate greatly throughout the day and you’ll enjoy your time more if you’re prepared. Yes, some people will be in full Coachella attire, but that’s not suggested.

Go the practical route by wearing a stylish yet warm jacket, layers are a must and comfortable shoes are a no brainer. Also, anything with a lot of pockets is handy for any gadgets you might want to bring, like a portable charger which is highly recommended.

Be Prepared Many music festivals such as Outside Lands and Fuck Yeah Fest have apps that allow users to make a personalized schedule, including set times and locations for the performances: make a schedule. You’ll feel awfully disappointed if you miss the act you came for.

Ensure you’ll get a prime spot by arriving at the specified stage 45 minutes to an hour early. If you have time to kill in between sets, roam around and check out some of the art installations or food demos going on throughout the festival, or check out an artist you’ve never heard of, it’s worth it.

Get Some Temporary Friends This isn’t absolutely necessary but recommended. It’s very easy to find friends at music festivals. Being there to see the same acts gives you an automatic in. Please make sure you choose wisely, you don’t want to end up being stuck with people that complain more than your actual friends. Some of your temporaries might offer you some of their drugs — don’t take them — remember you’re still technically by yourself, and responsible for getting yourself home.

Venturing out on your own can be extremely empowering, spending time by yourself can be just as fun as with a group, and meeting new people is a huge bonus.

Sometimes we become fearful and miss out on experiences when we feel we have to be in the company of others, because it’s not “socially acceptable”. I challenge the people reading this to not live by that standard.

Contact DOMINIQUE SMITH at DSmith@DVCInquirer.com

Xperitas program provides study-abroad alternative NAGISA TSUKADA Staff member

Many students consider doing some form of volunteer work during their college career.

In fact, Diablo Valley College offers several volunteer jobs on campus. However, if a more unique experience is of interest, there are alternative options.

Community Partnership Programs is an intercultural program planned by a nonprofit educational organization called Xperitas. Individuals who apply will be placed in a team of 8-12 people who go to a local community, often overseas, and help with a project specific to that community.

However, if volunteers apply with a group of 6-12 people, they can plan a private trip and choose when and where they would like to

go. with locals of the community.

“We do not work for them. We What makes this program so work with them,” said Leonor Ur- unique is that volunteers not only bain, a staff member of Xperitas. help communities, but exchange Xperitas is in partnership with cultural views and make friends for profit groups, health clinics, with people in an otherwise forand local comeign commumunities in nity.

“We do not work the U.S. and Krista McAfor (other non-profit tee, a volunteer other countries.

Canada, Ke- groups). We work with for Xperitas, nya, Tanzania, went to Kethem.”

Peru, Brazil, nya for 16 days Mexico, India, with a team of LEONOR URBAIN and Nepal have 10 people. Her Xperitas staff member all benefited team project from the help was to aid in the of Xperitas. construction of a health clinic. She When an association or a com- stayed in a homestay with fellow munity needs help with a civil proj- teammates. ect, they invite Xperitas to assist.

They worked with local people, Xperitas then plans a trip. spending hours with children who Volunteers choose an appropri- loved to sing with them. By playing ate travel plan and are then paired with local children, Krista did not

only volunteer, but also learned the local language on her trip.

Pamela Holt, a volunteer, went to White Earth Reservation in Minnesota. She and her teammates stayed in a cultural center and helped plant apple and plum trees with a local organization called Native Harvest.

On the trip, they had opportunities to talk with local people and learn about their culture as well as help other volunteers.

Diane Van Stralen, another volunteer, and her teammates stayed with two local families in Peru while helping with the construction of a school. Besides the work, they shared good times with local people by playing games, teaching English and taking art classes.

According to Stralen, Google translate was very helpful in communicating with the local people.

If a volunteer wasn’t able to speak the language, the team leader was able help, so people without foreign language skills, should not hesitate to apply. On the final day, all parties sang their national anthem as a farewell.

After the trip, some volunteers remain connected with the many friends they have made via Facebook.

Although the lengths and season of the trip depend on the community, a trip usually varies from one to three weeks. The program fees also rely on the specific trip, but range from $1,200 to $3,000.

For more information visit the website, xperitas.org.

Contact NAGISA TSUKADA at NTsukada@DVCInquirer.com

4

features

Thursday, Sept. 15 - Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016

DVC culinary program a cut above the rest ERIN SMITH Managing editor

Imagine walking into your first day of class, but instead of a traditional classroom full of desks and a blackboard you're entering a restaurant grade kitchen. Your teacher isn't in the usual style either. Slacks and a button up have been replaced with chef whites and a "touque blanche." In lieu of pens and pencils, knives, sauce pans and poultry are the tools you will be using.

This is what many students at Diablo Valley College walk into everyday. The DVC culinary program emerges students in a hands on culinary curriculum, and with the rise in popularity of becoming the next great chef, so has the popularity of the program.

Many students may have noticed that the downstairs cafeteria is open at the onset of the semester, but the upstairs express line,

Baking and pastry majors Zach Matera, 22, Norine Wan, 27 and Madison August, 20 work away perfecting their various cuts and dices in the DVC culinary class.

ERIN SMITH / The Inquirer

bakery, grill and Norseman remain closed until mid-September. This is because your fellow students are diligently working away to learn the skills needed to properly run these eateries, as well as working towards a degree in baking and pastry, culinary arts, or restaurant management.

Chef Brian McGlynn, chair of the culinary department, expanded on some of the things students learn before opening day, "We have culinary math, where the students get knowledge of culinary measurements, pounds, volume, etc." They also, and most importantly learn bout safety. "We're getting kids safe in the kitchen. The last thing we want is for a student to cut a finger. They learn knife skills and how to use the kitchen equipment."

The students also learn to make basic stocks, break down a chicken, and properly cut produce.

"Having them practice knife skills

is the toughest, once they get the knife skills down everything else follows," said McGlynn.

A bustling kitchen is also dependent on communication, and getting students with varying experience on the same page is a must.

“We went from one of the worst facilitiesto the best in the area.” ~CHEF PAUL BERNHARDT Culinary Instructor

"They are beginning students, when they get with the advance students we want everyone speaking the same language."

The program itself has undergone some major changes over the years. "I've been working for 32 years. The program has changed

because of this building. We went from one of the worst facilities to the best in the area," said Chef Paul Bernhardt, a culinary instructor at DVC. He reflected on how long it took to get where they are today, "It's amazing how dependent you are on your equipment."

It's hard to believe but nearly 15 years ago the program was downsized due to lack of profits, which led to teachers being laid off. Today the students have ample opportunities to expand their culinary prowess including off site gigs in Pebble Beach where 65 culinary students cook at events like the AT&T Golf Tournament and the Concours D'elegane, a luxury car show that took place Aug. 21.

The students enrolled are all very enthusiastic and eager to perfect their skills, "This is my second go around with the culinary thing, but I just love to cook. I've been doing it for seven years," said Zach Matera, 22, a baking and pastry

major. "It's amazing, Chef Paul is a really amazing teacher, the staff is all top notch."

Norine Wan, 27, also a baking and pastry major said, "I like it, working in the kitchen, it's definitely helpful to students who want to pursue a career in food."

As for the future of the program McGlynn said they are trying to put together a community based class for individuals not aiming for a degree. "It would be a community service thing, three days of teaching basic skills," so even you can yield a knife like Chef Morimoto.

The Norseman, grill, express bar, and pastry shop are all now open, so head on over and check out all of the hard work the students and faculty have put in to serving up some of the finest food a campus can offer.

Contact ERIN SMITH at ESmith@DVCInquirer.com

Jazz instructor to highlight student talent NINA CESTARO Staff member

The Diablo Valley College student Jazz Ensemble will host the Northgate High School Big Band this fall for the first time.

This semester's jazz concert season led off Aug. 19 with a faculty concert, reviving a tradition that had been on hiatus for several years.

Matt Zebley, a Grammy-award winning musician and jazz instructor who hails from University of Southern California, organized a free concert that included faculty musicians from both DVC and Los Medanos College. They played both original songs and jazz standards in one long set. The next set date for a faculty performance is Jan. 20th, 2017.

The band is composed of Glenn Appell, a full-time DVC instructor on trumpet; guitarist Mike Williams, pianist Ben Flint and bassist Ben Levine from LMC; and guest performer Timothy Angulo on drums.

The faculty band project developed as Zebley realized “it’s important for our students to see us doing the very thing we teach.”

Zebley is a relatively new instructor at DVC. He was drawn here by the diversity of the student population. Skill set, age, background and life experience lend themselves to newer teaching styles, which he refers to

NINA CESTARO / The Inquirer

DVC jazz instructor and Grammy award winner Matt Zebley leads students during class. as "constructivism — a student centered approach to teaching, where we are a guide by the student’s side.”

He was pleased to find that several other DVC faculty share this student-centered approach as well. He appreciates the way that music can bring such different levels of students together in a spontaneous and democratic process, similar to the way improvisational jazz is performed.

Zebley won a Grammy for best soundtrack for a film and has been touring and playing with the Brian Setzer Orchestra since 1999, a 17-piece big rock-n-roll band based in San Francisco. He will leave in November to tour the U.S. Zebley strives toward finding a balance between his academic, artistic and personal life, that "allows me to give and receive in each of these areas, which feeds into

my humanity, my spirit and my knowledge base. All of this is then cycled right back into teaching, performing and caring for my daughters."

He is supportive of his students who have aspirations of becoming professional musicians and/or transferring to a music department at various state Universities. Zebley revealed that he was bit by the jazz bug quite early in life and started playing in grade school, but didn't start improvising and seriously committing to it until high school.

"I love the discipline, the sound, the selfexpression. I was hooked and wanted to be on stage, playing, recording. I love all of it and so I decided to go to Berklee College of Music in Boston and then USC for graduate school." There he met mentor Dr. Sheila Woodward, who has now moved on to Tacoma, Washington.

The joint Jazz Ensemble/Northgate High concert is 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30 at the Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $8 pre-sale at the box office or online at dvcmusic.net or $11 at the door.

A second concert featuring student Jazz Combos will take place 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4th in room M-101 in the Music Building, $8 pre-sale or $10 at the door.

Contact NINA CESTARO at NCestaro@DVCInquirer.com

5

features

Thursday, Sept. 15 - Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016

New gallery makes a splash at DVC library with WATER JULIA MUSKEVICH Staff member

Vibrant symmetrical shapes, cheerful grandmothers, abstract swimming fish, and tranquil waterfalls are some of the many art displays that can be found at the Diablo Valley College Library’s art exhibit, WATER. The purpose of the exhibits is to reflect ideas, contemplative views, and to spark stimulating conversation among one another.

An assortment of art, culture, diversity, literature, antiquity and political affairs are displayed to promote awareness within the community.

Each piece has been created and contributed by students, community members, or faculty.

Kath Balmuth was inspired to create her piece “My Mother @ 95” by some of fellow artist Chuck Close’s inspiring work and his ingenious technique of painting large-scale, photo-based paintings of the human face. “I guess you can call me crazy,” said Balmuth while explaining her fascination with geometric shapes and her mother’s wrinkled complexion.

Clockwise from above: “River Rocks”

by Keiko Strong “Wet Comfort on a Scorcher” by Terry McBraity “Florida Beach Girl”

by Walter Crew “My Mother @ 95”

by Kath Balamuth

All photos by JULIA MUSKEVICH / The Inquirer

Meanwhile, Walter Crew shaped his art, “Florida Beach Girl” from a picture he took of a mysterious girl sitting on a striking beach in Miami. “I never knew her…I learned to take pictures sneakily then I painted from there.”

Crew has had 102 paintings displayed in one exhibit and has presented four shows of his own. His art has consisted of a variety of digital scratch, mixed media acrylic, oil, and pastel techniques.

WATER will be held until October 7 at the DVC Library from 7:45 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. – 3.pm. Friday, and noon-4 p.m. Saturday.

Contact JULIA MUSKEVICH at JMuskevich@DVCInquirer.com

6

sports

Thursday, Sept. 15 - Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016 Advertisement

KAYLA ROBINSON / The Inquirer

Max Murphy, left handed attacker, eyes the net during practice.

Leaders emerge for fall sports KAYLA ROBINSON Staff member

Diablo Valley College fall sports begin this season with high spirits.

The Vikings water polo team welcomes Zach Roberts in his position as the new head coach.

While coach Roberts has been apart of the Diablo Valley College aquatics staff for the past six seasons — alternating between the men's and women's team — he is confident taking on this new position and anticipating a successful season.

"This team, they laugh, they joke, they push each other in practice and work hard with each other and they perform academically.

You can't really ask for more out of a team like this," said Roberts in a recent interview.

Only one starter from last year is returning this season.Most of the athletes also play club sports, even though the team is relatively young, they are experienced in the sport.

“You never know who’s going to show up on the pool deck,” said Roberts. “I think the chemistry of the team is a lot stronger than last year, as a result we should play a strong team game.”

The Vikings volleyball team is fired up for a brand new season.

Returning for her 20th year as head coach is Jackie PonciacoBabb with high expectations for

these athletes.

“We won almost every preseason game last year…we are just as good as we were last year,” said coach Ponciaco-Babb during closing remarks after practice.

The Vikings are returning six sophomores including key player Kaitlyn Rudolph and power hitter Jade Lee who was our 2015 Big 8 All Conference Team Honorable Mention.

They're also welcoming in five freshmen including power player Jasmine Assia, who's a setter from Albany High School.

"We are a strong team, we just need to keep communicating, practicing hard, and doing what we need to do and we will come out strong," said Assia.

After placing fifth in their tournament at the end of last year, these Vikings according to Jade Lee, “...are ready to play stronger and keep fighting through to the end.”

As for this season's predictions, both teams are eager to face Sierra College as this team has traditionally been a formidable opponent. We look forward to seeing the results of hard work, dedication and flare as these two teams embark on another season.

Contact KAYLA ROBINSON at KRobinson@DVCInquirer.com

7

opinions

Thursday, Sept. 15 - Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016

The Arab Spring from a DVC view AMER ARAIM Professor of Social Sciences

were crushed. Since then more than 250,000 people have been killed and has created more than 11 million Syrian refugees. The United Nations Security Council failed to deal effectively with the crisis due Russia's support of the regime, including a bombing campaign against the opposition.

The United States is opposed to the regime and has also engaged in bombing terrorists in Syria.

The uprising in Egypt began on January 25, 2011 leading to democratic elections. The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) representing the Muslim Brotherhood won the elections. There were protests and a military coup that led to the election of General Abdul Fattah el-Sisi. The United States was reluctant to support the coup but changed its position, and aid was resumed.

majority against the government, which is accused of sectarianThe Arab Spring is a politiism. The government complains cal, economic and social uprising that Iran is trying to control the in several Arab countries against country. The United States considfailed government polices includers Bahrain as an ally, and hopes ing dictatorship, corruption, and to solve this question by peaceful lack of opportunities for their means. citizens. It began on December The Iraqi situation has been 17, 2010 when a police officer deteriorating since the United harassed and humiliated a street States invasion in 2003. The secvendor Mohamed Bouazizi, who tarian policies and corruption of set himself on fire and died later the government are worsening the on. That event led to wide-spread situation. According to Transparprotests in Tunisia, which forced ency International, Iraq is among President Zine El-Abidine Bin Ali the most corrupt countries in the to leave the country on January world. The continuing suffering of 14, 2011. Tunisia is considered in the Sunni Arab community led to a better situation than other Arab wide-spread protests in their areas, countries because the military rehowever, their plight was further fused to engage in politics. deteriorated because the terrorist The United States has extended group the Islamic State of Iraq and support to the new government in Syria (ISIS) has been active there.

Tunisia, which is facing terPresident Barack Obama rorists threats. It is important ensured the withdrawal of that Diablo Valley College American troops from Iraq, “It is important that Diablo however, they are fighting students have information about world developments, Valley College students have ISIS today in Iraq. Iran is inparticularly in this region due tervening in Iraq, which is a information about world to the United States' deep nightmare for to many Arab involvement there, and en- developments, particularly in countries, and despair and anhance their understanding of guish to the Iraqi Sunni Arab globalization, and continuing this region due to the United community. threat of terrorism.

The United States has States’ deep involvement Libya's uprising against the played active roles in all these there...” rule of Muammar Gadaffi, countries. Therefore, DVC led to the formation on Febstudents are encouraged to ruary 27, 2011 of the Naget information on these and ~AMER ARAIM Professor os Social Sciences tional Transitional Council. other global developments, The United Nations Security diversify their sources of inCouncil, due to the brutal formation and utilize their force used by the regime, authoYemen is the least developed knowledge for peace, democracy rized the North Atlantic Treaty Arab country. In 2011 the peo- and prosperity in the world. They Organization (NATO) to inter- ple revolted against President Ali can contribute by becoming invene leading to the regime fall on Abdullah Saleh's rule, who forged volved in DVC clubs' activities, atAugust 20, 2011. The chaos in an alliance with Houthi rebels, tend informational meetings, and Libya provided an opportunity for supported by Iran. The United write letters to United States electterrorist groups to control towns in Nations has been conducting ne- ed officials, the United Nations Libya. The United Nations is help- gotiations between Saleh and the Secretary General and the media. ing to stabilize the situation, and Houthis and the opposition. The United States troops are fighting United States supports these efagainst terrorists there. forts, and targets terrorists, which In March 2011 there were wide- also hurts civilians. Bahrain has Contact AMER ARAIM at AAraim@dvc.edu spread protests in Syria, which been facing protests by the Shiite

Courtesy of KEITH PARSONS

Amer Araim is a professor of Social Sciences at DVC.

College may no longer be your golden ticket

T

he announcement of Gene Wilder’s death, in late August, reminded me not only of how much I loved “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” as a child, but also how badly I wanted a chance to find a golden ticket.

My dream of competing in a real life golden ticket contest was never fulfilled, but at least I had college to look forward to. Right?

You decide what you want to be when you grow up, get into a university and when you graduate you get your dream job.

That's all there is to it. You just start making lots of money.

Wrong. That's just the dream most of us have been sold.

Student Loan Hero says, "The average Class of 2016 graduate has $37,172 in student loan debt, up six percent from last

debt, we're not guaryear." anteed to find a job, let With an average alone get a good paying monthly student loan job to pay off student payment of $351 from loans, than someone who borrowers between the didn't go to college at all. ages of 20-30 years Not until recently have According to the New I thought, maybe going York Fed report, oneto a four-year isn't the third of all graduates get smartest route to having jobs that don't require a successful career. a bachelor's degree and The argument that goin 2015 the average graduates income was ing to a university isn't $43,000 a year. worth the student loan So basically, we put debt, has been a popular ourselves through all of topic for years.

DOMINIQUE SMITH this hard work to get One of which I haven't Opinion Editor into a university and really agreed with until then after racking up now. tens of thousands of dollars in student loan I think instead of avoiding community

college or wanting to rush through it to get to a university, maybe more people should actually go to and stay at CC's as an alternative to get a higher education.

This way you save (hella) money and for the most part, you have the same education as someone from a four-year.

Really, what it all comes down to is how hard you hustle in the real world.

If you take advantage of the resources around you, you're most likely going to succeed.

Where you went to school doesn't really matter anymore.

What matters is what you know, what you can do and if you can prove it based off of your knowledge and skills.

Contact DOMINIQUE SMITH at DSmith@DVCInquirer.com

8

opinions

Thursday, Sept. 15 - Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016

Editorial

November measure means better BART

F

or constituents in the Contra Costa, Alameda, and San Francisco counties, November represents a turning point for our state.

While it also holds the significance and import of the presidential elections, many issues closer to home will also be decided. Measure RR, which stands for Rail Road, is a $3.5 billion capital bond measure slated for the November ballot.

RR is intended to provide Bay Area Rapid Transit with funds to help repair and update the over four decade old infrastructure that is coping with an ever increasing burden from new riders. With an almost 23% increase in ridership in the past five years — BART is being stretched beyond its capabilities. Recent efforts to combat these growing pains include the expansion of the Hayward maintenance facility

and the arrival of the “Fleet of the Future,” BART’s new train cars. Despite the inconvenience of the BART strikes, they served to illustrate the crucial role of BART in moving commuters around the Bay Area.

The morning rush has gotten so bad that BART is booting up a program to incentivize riders avoiding the rush hour commute by outright paying them — albeit small amounts.

However, in the wake of the BART strikes that paralyzed the Bay Area, some chafe at the idea of handing BART more money. Notably state Senator Steve Glazer (D-Orinda), who first campaigned on a platform of banning BART strikes, and East Bay Times Columnist Daniel Borenstein.

Senator Glazer has said that the current issues with BART are a result of “a collection of errors and poor leadership.”

Also highlighted are allowances in the bill for BART to use

up to $1.2 billion of the bond money for labor cost. Leading to higher wages for what some believe are already overly cushy contracts.

Yet, BART maintains a strong track record of funding infrastructure improvements and taking the long view on its investments. Indeed, as it is in their own financial interests to increase their capacity to match the burgeoning Bay Area population.

Senator Glazers’ complaints amount to blaming students for having messy sports fields then denying them the money to buy gloves and trash bags to clean up. The solution to our ailing system of public transit is not to starve it, the solution is to give it what it needs to grow and flourish, the solution is to vote yes on Measure RR come November 8th.

letter to the editor

International students need academic integrity This letter will be telling you the biggest secret within the group of international students in the U.S. According to the Institute of International Education, Open Doors Report 2015, the number of international students in the U.S. was 564,766 in 2005 and has increased to 974,926 in 2014.

These students not only contribute to the U.S. economy through extremely high tuition fees, they are also an invaluable resource that allows domestic students to learn different cultures and perspectives.

Following the burgeoning number of international students that are entering into the United States, it is expected that not all of them can comprehend and agree with U.S. standards of academic integrity.

Academic dishonesty is always a serious issue on campus.

International students have a higher rate of reported academic cheating compared to domestic students.

A reason for this issue is their lack of English language skills. The most common kind of academic dishonesty is plagiarism.

The fact is, some international student’s cheat out of

ignorance. The word “plagiarism” is foreign to us, a brief presentation on plagiarism at our orientation doesn’t clarify the boundary of plagiarism, we don’t learn its destructive consequences.

However, many international students cheat at the risk to achieve their ideal grade.

An international student under the pseudonym Smith,

“The word “plagiarism” is foreign to us, a brief presentation on plagiarism at our orientation doesn’t clarify the boundary of plagiarism, we don’t learn its destructive consequences.” who is attending a community college in the Bay Area, told me that she just hires someone to attend her online Math class with a payment of $1200 — this is not her first time.

Although the online class requires in-class exams, the

person that she hires only needs to get a new student ID from the student center by posing themselves as Smith. The impostor will not be asked for identification or any legal documents.

Other common ways to cheat include buying papers, and also cheat as a group to cover each other during an exam.

Undeniably, the possibility of getting caught is low enough to drive people to ignore the risks of cheating and the consequences.

The cheating policy hasn't been accompanied with the increasing population of international students, while the United States actively recruit students from other countries.

Host institutions should educate international students on the immense consequences of cheating before getting their education on other subjects.

Moreover, the loopholes in the existing system need to be filled in to stop this. ~ SALINA CHAN DVC student

The

Buzz

What is your favorite place off campus to study?

Interviewed by: Geoffery Weseman Photographed by: Glenna Herbert

Sean Marillo, 22 Physics

Jun Suk Ha, 26 Computer science

Felmer Lenida, 22 Business administration

Zee Hussaini, 21 Computer Science

“Bonjour Cafe, not a lot of people, big tables, and a laid back atmosphere.”

“At home in my room because no car means no place to go.”

“Any of my friends’ houses. We usually have study groups...”

“The hookah lounge, I like the environment and how it’s chill and really focused...”