The
INQUIRER S T U D E N T V O IC E
Volume 77 No. 3
Copyright © 2010 The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College
OF
D I A B L O VA L L E Y C O L L E G E
www.TheInquirerOnline.com
From priest to president Peter Garcia, center, talks to Drama Department Chair Ed Trujillo, left, and Robert Eustes, right, hotel and restaurant management department chair, during Garcia’s reception at the Business and Foreign Language Conference Room.
DSS budget excludes tutoring program ANNIE SCIACCA Editor-in-chief
TRAVIS JENKINS / THE INQUIRER
Interim president brings academic experience to DVC JONATHAN ROISMAN Editor-in-Chief
kind of... the scope and scale of the college {that} make[s] communication, integration [and] messaging a real challenge.” This is not the first interim position GarDVC will have an experienced veteran at cia has ever held; in fact he has held four the reigns for the remainder of the school of them at LMC. year in new Interim College President Pe“Interim jobs were really good for me,” ter Garcia. he said. “They were a chance for me to unGarcia, 58, took over October 1, replacing derstand what a job was about, and it was Judy Walters, who had been at the helm of a really good chance for the college and my the college for the past three years. colleagues to figure out how I did the job.” Garcia was president of Los Medanos Donna Floyd, interim vice president of College for eight years before taking the student services, said Garcia is great at interim job at DVC and he will be return- helping her look at her job and the chaling to his post there on July 1, 2011. lenges it comes with in new ways. Although he’s worked in college admin“He’ll help the college as a whole,” Floyd istration for nearly 25 years, Garcia said said. DVC would be a new challenge for him. Garcia said the people at DVC care about “What I expect and what I think I’ve their responsibilities and that motivating been learning, kind of every minute of them didn’t take a complex formula. the last few days,” Garcia said, “is just “[You] appreciate good work when you see it and get out of the way as often as possible so they can do that work,” he said. People seem highly Other administrators have faith in Garcommitted to an cia’s ability to run the school for the next months. academic environment. fewSusan Lamb, vice president of instruction, said Garcia is a high-energy person PETER GARCIA who’s “very open and willing to discuss DVC Interim President things.” “He’ll come in with a wealth of knowl-
“
”
edge, not just with the district, but with teaching and student services,” she said. Garcia taught philosophy and critical thinking for six and a half years at LMC before entering administration there. He also coached the football team’s offensive line for two seasons. “Hopefully my skills and experiences will be a good fit for the college,” Garcia said. A native of Contra Costa CounPETER GARCIA ty, Garcia graduated from Pittsburg High School in 1970 before attending Chico State College, where he received a B.A. in political science and public administration. He later received a B.A. in philosophy at St. Albert’s College in Oakland and a master’s degree in theology at Dominican
GARCIA, Page 2
DVC staff struggles to preserve tutoring JULIUS REA News editor
Three DVC tutoring programs are struggling due to reductions in their budgets. Math and English are the two largest tutoring programs facing problems. Disability Support Services–known as Disabled Student Programs and Services at the state level– has had to cut its tutoring services completely. “We knew that the state was going to cut DSPS…much greater than the overall college budget,” DSS manager Stacey Shears said. DSS tutoring was cut mainly because tutoring is not federally mandated. Shears said the tutors cost about $150,000. DSS was able to reinstate some tutoring for basic skills math and English students with money from the Foundation for College Success, which oversees the Basic Skills Initiative. It is unclear whether this will continue in future semesters, FCS Co-Coordinator Lupe Dannels said. “They definitely need the basic skills tutoring,” said Michael Burnside, president of Club A3, a campus club dedicated to advocating for disabled students. “Just because you made it past the basic skills courses doesn’t mean you don’t need tutoring.” He said some of the other tu-
• News: 1, 2
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Jonathan Reaves, left, works with tutor Raissa Yona on his math assignments in the DVC Math Lab.
While severe budget cuts have affected students campus wide, those with disabilities have been hit the hardest with financial reductions to the Disability Support Services office resulting in their tutoring services being cut completely. The DSS program is primarily financed by categorical funding from the state, said Chris Leivas, vice president of finance and administration, with only a small portion of support for the program coming from general college funds. The state reduced categorical funding for DSS by about 49 percent in the 2009 – 2010 fiscal year, Leivas said. He also explained that because DVC took large budget cuts last year, all programs were drastically impacted campus-wide. “We did our best to preserve to the extent possible the valuable services provided by our EOPS and DSS programs,” Leivas said. Students, however, are feeling the effects of the financial cuts. DSS student Michael Burnside said he is concerned that there are no science tu-
DSS, Page 2
Confusing rule raises concerns for clubs PARJANYA HOLTZ Staff writer
Clubs at Diablo Valley College are critical of a new school policy which emerged early this year charging student organizations for the use of media equipment during on-campus events, as statewide educational budget cuts continue to affect student life. The Students for Democratic Society, one of DVC’s 64 registered and active clubs, held an event at The question the college’s Performing should not be Arts Center why are they last semester. The club charging the had to pay clubs, but, why a trained technician haven’t they been to monitor charging them the school’s multimedia before? equipment during the KEITH MONTES event. Students for a Democratic “We had Society Vice President to pay somewhere between $200 to $300 – a ridiculous sum for the service that was provided,” said Frank Runninghorse, the SDS community adviser. DVC’s current media equipment handling policy requires clubs to hire a trained technician to overlook any audio and/or video equipment that is used during an event held on campus. Francisco Hinajosa, the president of the Inter Club Council, is concerned that the fee policy is not in sync with the school’s
“
TRAVIS JENKINS / THE INQUIRER
toring programs do not have is having operational difficulthe services necessary for dis- ties. abled students. “Over the past year, we have The Math Lab has only two been trying to smooth out the computers with operational side a screen magniabsorbing the serfier for the many COMMITTEE ROLE vices provided by CHANGES students who the late tutoring Tutoring Advisory may need it, said center,” said Ade Burnside who Origunwa, senior Committee uses suffers from imcommunication to help office assistant in paired eyesight. the mathematics tutoring. Page 2. Shears said department. When faced that DSS is trying with an 11.53 percent to start discussing additional training to teach tutors operating budget reduction to how to help disabled students all divisions for the 2010-2011 campus-wide. school year, contract classes – At the same time, the Math weekly study groups for Math Lab, which provides tutoring 75 students – and their asfor struggling math students, signed instructional assistants
• Entertainment: 3
• Sports: 4
• Opinions: 5
were cut to keep from reducing hours of a math lab coordinator. Math Lab hours were also reduced on Fridays. The math lab now offers services, including by-appointment and group tutoring, previously provided by central tutoring which was cut last year. Math Lab tutor Ken Dao said he has not seen tremendous effects from the reductions. “The [math] department has tried its best for students not to notice the impact of the cuts,” Origunwa said. “We’re trying to make a dollar out of 15 cents.” jrea @TheInquirerOnline.com
• Editorial: 5
• Campus Buzz: 5
”
CLUBS, Page 2 • Calendar: 2
• Features: 6
2
News
CALENDAR Thursday, Oct. 14 SRC Financial Aid Visit SRC Admissions and Records Office 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 2 - 6 p.m. St. Mary’s College Rep Counseling Center 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. by appointment and 12 - 1 p.m. drop-in Local 1 Brown Bag at Pleasant Hill Trophy Room 12 - 1 p.m. Brown Bag Lecture Series Student Union Conference Room 204 12:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15 Film - Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart Forum 7 p.m. Drama - Cabaret opens PAC 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16 Drama – Cabaret PAC 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17 Drama – Cabaret PAC 2:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18 San Francisco State International Programs Representative Counseling Center 10:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. by appointment 1:30-3:00 p.m. for drop-in College Council Community Conference Room 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19 College Success Workshop SRC E174 1 - 2:15 p.m. ASDVC BOARD MEETING SU Room 204 2 p.m. College Success Workshop Student Union Conference Room 204 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 20 UC Berkeley Counseling Center 10 a.m. - 12:40 p.m. and 3:20 - 4 p.m. College Success Workshop Conference Room 204 2:30 p.m. Jazz Jazz Jazz Free concert will be held at Concord High School 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct 21 JFK University Campus Rep Counseling Center 2 – 5 p.m. CLASSIFIED PLACEMENT INFORMATION $1.50 a line 2 line minimum. 32 characters per line includes punctuation & spaces Copy and payment due the Monday before publication date. For more information call 925.685.1230 ext 2313 or stop by The Inquirer office.
The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Committee alters focus D
SS
JULIUS REA News editor
Despite drastic reductions to tutoring on campus, a DVC committee has changed its role and begun creating a tool to show the positive impact of campuswide tutoring this semester. The Tutoring Advisory Committee, formerly responsible for allocating money to tutoring programs, now tries to increase the communication, integration and advocacy of tutoring programs. “To my understanding, the way we were making money decisions did not comply with accreditation
G
standards,” said Ted Walker, the committee chair. “Now that we aren’t burdened with decisions about funding we can be a cooperative and collaborative group,” said Walker. He said the committee also did not comply with its task of managing and preserving central tutoring, which was cut last year. The TAC is working towards finding the best tutoring practices. The committee is tackling its new responsibilities by breaking into three working groups: data inquiry and external and internal research. While tutoring is struggling, the committee’s focus is on uniting the tutoring programs throughout
ARCIA from Pg. 1
School of Philosophy and Theology, a graduate school in Berkeley. Garcia was a priest for three years before leaving to marry his wife and said philosophy has helped him with his different jobs over the years. “There’s something about philosophy that [makes it] an organizer,” Garcia said. “It helps you really look at the world through prisms and perspective. It gives you a way to organize how you’re understanding life.” Garcia said the college’s main focus is to get DVC fully accredited again, and that much of his focus would revolve around that while he’s interim president. DVC was put on “show cause” in 2009 before being moved to “probation” earlier this year by the Accrediting Commission of Community and Junior Colleges, because of deficiencies they found in an evaluation in
C
2002. “[The goal is] continuing that path of full accreditation, and what I think is rightfully the colleges, which is a really strong history and reputation as a college that does a great job educating students and preparing them for the future,” he said. School finances will also
LUBS from Pg. 1
mission statement. “I don’t like the fact students are being charged such a high fee that hinders our ability to enhance our experience at DVC,” Hinajosa said in an email interview last week. Runninghorse said the technician they hired for the SDS event last semester walked from his office to the location on campus where the event took place only to turn on a DVD player and monitor the device for
about an hour and a half,. Because the club had applied for financial support with the Inter Club Council, SDS did not have to pay the technician from its own club budget. The reimbursement came from the annual ICC fund, currently about $17,400. Runninghorse said the money should have been invested in helping students with their projects, “instead of paying for a technician to run from one side of the campus to another.” SDS Vice President Keith Montes said there are li-
from Pg. 1
in the DSS department. His contribution toward a solution is the founding of Club A3, which, with the help of volunteers, aims to provide certain services for disabled students, such as tutoring, that have been reduced or cut entirely. Last semester, DSS student Patrick Ehrhard requested an allocation of $5000 from the student government to DSS. His intent, he said, was for the full amount to go towards the program’s tutoring. However, Terry Armstrong, dean of counseling and student support services, said the sum requested was too small to make any jrea @TheInquirerOnline.com real difference in the tutoring cut. In fact, when Ehrhard announced his intention to request the money, DSS discouraged it. “We said ‘don’t,’” Armstrong said, “because it will not get anything done. It Chief of Police will only be a tiny BandCharles C. aid. Basically $5000 is what Gibson, left, we used to spend on tutormeets Peter Garcia outside ing in a week.” But Ehrhard’s frustration of the with the lack of support for reception in Business and DSS prompted him to ask Foreign the Associated Students of Language DVC for the small amount conference to help fund tutoring serroom. vices. “I saw a need,” Ehrhard said of his fund request. “If I help out DSS, they can better help me.” TRAVIS JENKINS / THE INQUIRER Because tutoring is not a federally mandated provision, the money for tumonth. be a top priority. Regardless of what hap- toring is simply not there, Garcia said the budget for the current academic year pens after returns next year said DSS manager Stacey was mostly set, but he fore- to LMC, Garcia said he’s Shears. The services that are fedsees cuts for 2011-12, “pri- confident in DVC’s future. “People seem highly com- erally mandated under the marily because there will be increased costs, even if mitted to an academic envi- Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the the budget’s the same and ronment.” Rehabilitation Act include nothing else happens.” such aids as physical access He said discussions on to campus buildings, interpossible cuts for next year jroisman preting and captioning for @TheInquirerOnline.com could begin as early as next deaf and blind students, testing accommodation, alternate media and the proability issues regarding use “What’s new is clubs are vision of counseling. DSS doesn’t have the of the school’s equipment. now getting the bills for the money to pay note-takers “The question should not technicians,” said Zapata. be why are they charging Bill Oye, the dean of stu- anymore, forcing them to the clubs, but, why haven’t dent life, said the current rely on volunteers to prothey been charging them statewide budget cuts bear vide the service for disbefore?” he said. at least some responsibility abled students. “It has been a challenge Montes said students only for the recent changes stuwithout a huge incentive had to start paying techni- dents have noticed. cians in the spring semester “My understanding is to get people to step up to of this year. that they’ve shifted from spend a little of the time it “My understanding is using salary classified staff takes to copy their notes in that they’ve always charged for some of these special the DSS office,” Armstrong fees, but it wasn’t always students events to basically said. This semester, DSS is profollowed through with ac- having an on-call media viding a new incentive for tually sending the clubs an person.” those willing to take notes. invoice,” Student Activities Students providing all Coordinator Michelle Zapholtz the notes they have copied @TheInquirerOnline.com pata said. this semester and agreeing to take notes for the rest of the semester will be given early registration for the spring 2011 semester, said Lisa Martin, DSS note taking coordinator. The students must sign up by October 18 to participate in this program. AND GAIN ADMISSION TO The department heard SAMUEL MERRITT UNIVERSITY. in fall of 2009 that there would be statewide cuts, Discover a new path to a career in nursing at which was when they made Mills College. You can complete your pre-nursing a decision to cut certain requirements on our beautiful 135-acre campus services, like tutoring. dedicated to women and earn guaranteed “We’ve been bracing admission to Samuel Merritt University.* You’ll since 2009,” Shears said. receive a strong foundation in the liberal arts “We were cut much more and sciences and leadership development training than the general commuthat will prepare you for a successful nursing career. nity college fund.” “Success, as much as we want our students to be INFORMATION SESSION successful, isn’t really part Saturday, October 23, 2010 • 10:00 am–1:00 pm of the mandate,” Shears explained. “It’s more about access.” *upon successful completion of all program requirements Her suggestion, in the difficult financial time, is to improve campus-wide tutoring, so that all students can be more successful. “We are managing as MAKING THE WORLD MORE . . . best we can,” Shears said. “It seems to be the students Oakland, CA [who] have the most needs admission@mills.edu are being cut the most.” www.mills.edu the school and helping them fight for funding efficiently. Ade Origunwa, math labsenior office assistant, said students can benefit from the centralizing of information about individual tutoring centers, one the TAC’s goals this semester, which will “better inform everyone.” Foundation for College Success, a program which oversees the Basic Skills Initiative that provides funding from the state for basic skills support staff, asked the committee to create a tool to assess the impact of basic skills tutoring to show the state, said Lupe Dannels, FCS coordinator. Walker said that it was
important to create the same tool for all tutoring programs. After presenting a proposal for a change in responsibilities, the TAC’s new role was approved by the Faculty Senate in April 2010. Walker said he is trying to work towards reclassifying tutoring as an instructional service because cuts usually stay away from instructional programs. Tutoring is considered a support service. “Until society starts valuing education, we will never have enough resources,” said Walker.
START YOUR NURSING DEGREE AT MILLS
CALL 800.87.MILLS TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE.
asciacca @TheInquirerOnline.com
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Entertainment The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College
900,000 music fans flock to SF
3
KEVIN HAYES / THE INQUIRER
Festival attendees walk between concert stages as bands prepare for their next show on one of the six stages.
M
usic festivals are notoriously expensive. If you count ticket, food, and merchandise costs, taking out a second mortgage to pay for it all may not seem like such a bad idea. Well, for the thrifty music fan, you’re in luck, because admission price for the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival is the low, low price of free.
To read more about the festival that drew nearly a million people to Golden Gate Park visit www.theinquireronline.com for the full story by The Inquirer’s Kevin Hayes.
KEVIN HAYES / THE INQUIRER
Attendees get creative with locking up their bicycles after a shortage of available racks. Roots make a good substitute.
Advertisement
Check out our newly redesigned website The
INQUIRER Online .com
Blogs Podcasts Breaking News Online Exclusive Stories
On Twitter as @inquireronline On Facebook as The DVC Inquirer
4
Sports
The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Friday night lights, Monday night math Offensive Coordinator Ryan Byrne draws up game plan to success GERARDO RECINOS Sports editor
If you take 20 hours out of your week do you still have free time? Add at least a single four or five hour game. How about now? Then add a 12-unit class schedule and you would be hard pressed to find time for anything at all. That’s the life of a student athlete. “It’s really hard and stressful, but it’s worth it to play football, a sport I love and am really passionate about,” said Socrates Rodriguez, a DVC football player learning to juggle school and his duties to his coaches and teammates. Football players are required by Big 8 Conference regulations to have at least a 2.0 grade point average and be a full-time student with a total of 24 units for a calendar year. Head Football Coach Mike Darr expects his players to be at practice on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Players also have weight lifting two times a week from 1 p.m.to 2 p.m. and film meetings, also twice a week from 2:10 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. This is not including additional meetings for special teams players, which are players who are on the field on punt, field goal and kick coverage. But now students on the football team having difficulty with their coursework are in luck. Offensive coordinator Ryan Byrne has started a group called the Student Athlete Success Program which provides tutoring for athletes who don’t have time to go to the tutoring center during its open hours. The program was started by Byrne, along with the help of Athletic Director Christine Worsley, who is also the dean of physical education, athletics and dance. Byrne comes from an athletic back-
ground. He completed a master’s program at the University of California at Berkeley called “Athletes and Academic Achievement” with his focus on student athletes transferring from junior colleges and their difficulties getting into a four-year institution. Both Dean of Counseling Terry Armstrong and counselor Lupe Dannels have been great resources in Byrne’s quest to provide better support to student athletes, who are required to have an Education Plan on file with the college and meet with a DVC counselor once a semester. “That way they make sure the student is on track to receive their degree,” Byrne said. Armstrong has made it so that counselors, who are difficult to book at DVC, are CHRIS CORBIN/THE INQUIRER available to the athletes, while Dannels Ryan Byrne lectures during the Student-Athlete Success class on Monday, October 11, 2010. helps when it comes to funding for tutoring. selors to assist incoming freshman with drop forms, because the scholarships that Gilbert Rocha, admissions and records the demands of being a student athlete. many athletes receive are based on their senior employee, also helps to make sure The program is available to all athletes academic performance. athletes are meeting who need help “Every issue on this campus is magnithe requirements to in lower division fied for these guys because they have such continue playing durPeople see the game of English and math a small window of time to do what they ing their short time need to do,” Darr said. football and think we just classes. of eligibility at DVC. The Student-AthCoaches teach their players that they Rocha tracks the run and hit each other but lete Success class can’t take these programs for granted beathletes’ grades and is a way to help cause they don’t have much free time. it is a lot of work. makes sure they guide athletes hav“Their time in between classes isn’t never drop below the Mike Darr ing trouble with spent out on the quad or surfing the interminimum standard, Head Football Coach their schooling net, we give them quizzes on game plan,” while also calculating and makes their Darr said. team GPA and other class work more He said all coaches try to ensure that academic statistics. relevant to their life. their students are aware of the respon“They’re on a two-year time period “It’s really hard to keep up with school sibilities they have both on and off the here,” Byrne said. “They have to be out in work because you’re so tired from being field. two years if they are playing. It’s difficult at school and practice really tires you out. “People see the game of football and to get them the classes because they have Sometimes I feel like there aren’t enough think we just run and hit each other but half their day taken up with class and hours during the day,” football player Ro- it is a lot of work,” Darr said. “They aren’t practice.” driguez said. just studying school work, they’re studyWhen attempting to juggle classes and Student athletes also have a height- ing what we have for them as well.” sports, there are several classes that a stuened responsibility to turn forms in on dent athlete can take, starting with the oritime, whether it is financial aid or any grecinos entation class that uses the help of coun-
“
”
@TheInquirerOnline.com
Advertisement
Opinions The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Editorial
The
Buzz Could you live without your cellphone?
Juhwi Kim, 21 Undecided
“I cannot really function without my cellphone.”
Josh Brooks, 20 Undecided
“Yes, I did for four years. When I didn’t have one I had a lot more privacy.”
Stacey Allen, 19 Undecided “I can live without it, I just wouldn’t want to.”
Sarah Alves, 19 Psychology “Yes, but not very well.” Interviewer: Ryan Beck Photographer: Carly Jones
5
Administration pulls plug on ‘The Sun’ Censorship, as an ideal and an action, could be closely compared to the flu virus. Both are ever changing in a constantly evolving world and both tend to rear their ugly heads when you least expect it. This is something that the “Southwestern College Sun,” the campus newspaper for Southwestern College in southern California, has been learning firsthand since early September. The controversy stems from a long-standing rule recently enforced by campus administration, stating that when shopping for a new printer the printing contract for “The Sun” must go out for a competitive bid – a policy “The Sun” has not followed this semester. As a result, the campus administration pulled their print funding, citing the breach in procedure as grounds for the action. What would normally be a cut and dry instance of failing to adhere to college procedure is made more interesting by a detail that gives the story a more sinister side. This detail is the timing in which the college
has decided to enforce the rule. Southwestern College, much like DVC, is having problems with its accreditation. “The Sun” had planned to print some stories in its first issue that were perceived to shed a negative light on the embattled administration and would bring ever more negative attention to the college administration. At this point, the pulling of funding could be interpreted as merely an unlucky coincidence, but here’s the kicker; the paper has not been following this particular policy for the last 20 years and this is the first time the college has decided to enforce the rule. The college first stumbled upon this dormant policy back in July, but didn’t inform “The Sun” they were in violation of the rule until two weeks prior to printing their first issue of the semester – one in which they planned to criticize the college administration. All of a sudden the administration’s actions look like either a case of longstanding incompetence or opportunistic censorship. Was there no one within
SCOTT BABA / THE INQUIRER
the college administration capable of catching this before it continued for a decade and a half? If there wasn’t, then maybe it’s time some of the college administrators get replaced because of such an oversight. Moreover, did anyone in the administration consider the possible ramifications and, in this case, bad press, that would be tied to the timing of such a decision? If they didn’t want bad press, they are
certainly getting it now. While the college eventually relented in its decision, in what was no doubt bowing to outside pressures from local and national press coverage, it is unclear whether or not this controversy is over. By the time the administration relented, the print date for “The Sun’s” first issue had passed and they were only able to print with outside help from former alumnus and Emmy-Award winning writer
J. Michael Straczynski. One can argue for hours about the supposed intentions of the college’s administration, but this much is clear, on a campus already battling issues with its accreditation, was this really a battle worth fighting or will this incident be construed by the accreditation committee as nothing more than the proverbial crucifixion of free speech on the cross of rule and regulation?
Opinions
Are cell phones more of a help or a hindrance? Take a look around. Whether you’re in class, or on your way to or from class, you will see roughly the same thing: people on their phones. However, these people are probably not placing a call. They are texting, surfing the web, checking out Facebook or maybe all three at once. Texting has become such a common occurrence in class that teachers have had to take extreme measures to reduce it. A history professor of mine, Brazell Carter, made his students turn off their phones and place them on his desk every time we entered class. Cell phones have become such an integral part of so many lives
that when they “die” or we leave them at home (by accident of course), many people seem to feel inadequate in some way, as if they are not fully functioning members of society. In short, we feel naked. Many of us need those constant updates from other people. It’s hard to resist checking our Facebook feed to find out what others are doing at that exact moment. We have that nervous tick that makes us check to see if someone loves us enough to send us a text message in class. I’m not saying cell phones are all bad. They’re convenient when it comes to getting things done quickly. Sending out a text on a Friday, to see what friends are up
Ryan Beck Staff writer to, can sometimes yield a quicker response then a series of phone calls. But when they become such a necessary part of your life that
even when you’re with other people, they’re constantly in your hands, it’s time to acknowledge that you have a problem. Every once in a while, it’s good to cut yourself off – to completely sever your connection with that constant stream people love so much. So, I present you with this challenge: every so often, log off your Facebook, turn your phone on silent, make some “face time” and actually pay attention to those around you. Who knows? Maybe you’ll learn something. rbeck @TheInquirerOnline.com
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Budget Woes
Budget cuts are happening all over the United States. The economy is in a difficult condition right now and it’s having a detrimental impact on our schools and the students who attend school. I know that prices are rising, professors are being let go, and courses are being cut. Book prices, tuition fees, and even parking passes are more expensive. One of the most important things in a person’s life is their education, and yet it seems to be one of the most difficult things to posses. In an article from the New York Times, Jesse McKinley writes, “California’s public education system has been racked by spending cuts because of the state’s financial problems, which include a looming $20 billion budget deficit. Budget cuts are causing us students to stay in school longer and ultimately, it’s making us spend and lose more money.” Let’s face it, a good education is never cheap, but it can be cheaper and easier than it is now. One possible solution would be for the
government to put a tax on California’s oil producers. There are so many possible solutions that could help us with keeping our classes and lowering prices. We need a more willing government to lend out a hand to the generation that’s trying to learn how to help the next.
Leah Brudhurst Student
I’d rather walk.
When I first started at DVC in Fall 2007, a parking permit was only $20, but the cost of the permit has now risen to $40. There are a number of reasons as to why the parking fee has increased in the past three years: primarily school budget cuts. As of now, I park on the street off of Viking Road and it is about a 10-minute walk to my first class. In terms of worth, that 10-minute walk everyday outweighs the $40 parking fee. Another student, Robert Bentley, says, “There is no way I am going to pay $40 for a parking permit. I would rather park on the street and walk.”
Editorial Board
Staff
EDITORS IN CHIEF Jonathan Roisman Annie Sciacca
BUSINESS MANAGER Ryan Beck PHOTO CHIEF Travis Jenkins STAFF WRITERS Brian Donovan, Lisa Marie Garcia, Kevin Hayes, Parjanya Holtz, Carly Jones, Emma Li, Soledad Lopez, Jacob Park PHOTOGRAPHERS Carly Jones, Ryan Beck
NEWS EDITOR Julius Rea FEAUTRES EDITOR Scott Baba OPINIONS EDITOR Taliah Mirmalek ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Troy Patton SPORTS EDITOR Gerardo Recinos ONLINE EDITORS Jasmine Burch Christian Magdaleno VISUAL EDITOR Christopher Corbin COPY EDITOR Ariel Messman-Rucker
INSTR. LAB COORDINATOR Ann Stenmark ADVISER Samanda Dorger
Considering that I am working part-time and paying for my classes, forking up another $40 is more than I can handle. I believe the parking fee will only increase as the years go on. As a student, I would like to see the money spent on parking permits go toward expanding the parking lots. Hopefully, our school will do something to improve the issue of parking fees but the outlook does not look good.
Daniel De Leon Student
Internationality
At Diablo Valley College, the enrollment fee for local students is $26 per unit, while international students pay $216 per unit. This is more than eight times higher than local students. This is also a problem at four year universities. For example, at UC Berkeley, the tuition fee is about $6,230 per semester for residents and $17,670 for nonresidents. This huge gap is the result of extra fees: $429 higher educational fee and $11,010.50 of nonresident tuition fee. Since
their F-1 Visa allows them to work only on campus, it is difficult for them to afford tuition by themselves. Most of international students are not happy with this outrageously high tuition fee. Toshi Ono, a male international student from Japan, is equally mad: “Even though we pay much more than them, we have to enroll in the classes after residents. Sometimes we need to register for classes that we do not want to take to keep F-1 Visa, which requires us to take at least twelve units each semester.” He says that paying such a huge amount for unnecessary classes is a “stupid idea.” In this sense, international students think they are seen as a source to take money from by schools. They feel no respect since priority always goes to local students. Residents have been loud since the budget cut, and now it is time for international students to stand up.
Yumi Sato Student
THE INQUIRER Diablo Valley College 321 Golf Club Road, H-102 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 The Inquirer is published Thursday mornings during the school year by the journalism students of Diablo Valley College. All unsigned articles appearing on the opinions page are editorials and relfect a two-thirds majority opinion of the editorial staff. All signed columns and cartoons are the opinions of the writer or artists and not necessarily those of The Inquirer, Diablo Valley College or Contra Costa Community College Disctrict.
Winner: Journalism Association of Community Colleges 2009 Online General Excellence
• Phone: 925.685.1230 ext. 2313 • Fax: 925.681.3045 • Email: inquirer@dvc.edu • Website: www.TheInquirerOnline.com • Printed Every Two Weeks •
6
Features The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College
A new perspective on the
old world
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Interior of the Colosseum, left, in Rome, Italy.
Statue at the front of the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, below left, in Barcelona, Spain.
Entrance to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, below, in Barcelona, Spain.
Halfway through a backpacking trip across Europe, a stop in the French Riviera proves less glamorous than earlier anticipated. ANNIE SCIACCA Editor-in-Chief
Our hotel in Cannes, France was attached to a McDonald’s, and it was here that my traveling companion and partner in crime, Emma, and I pondered whether we were being too “miserly,” as her father put it, with our money and that maybe next time we should pay an extra few euros for a place to stay that wasn’t also home to the Big Mac. But it wasn’t just the Golden Arches that lent a general feeling of tackiness to our temporary living space. In fact, our first concern was the fact that the hotel was in a location surrounded by billboards and empty, sun-baked parking lots. It was distinctly unEuropean. So, when we entered a tiny, musty room with grimy carpets, a door that did not lock, lights that did not work and a broken shower, we weren’t all that surprised. This was not the classy Cannes known for its upscale beaches and glamorous film festival, although we did see that part of Cannes during our visits to the downtown area – a place rife with designer stores and expensive cafes frequented by celebrities. Multiple times, we felt ourselves experiencing the contrast between the elegance of a city and the not-so-sophisticated lifestyle we led as backpackers. The day before we arrived in Cannes, we spent a few nights in Nice, France – known
for its popularity as a vacation destination. As Emma puts it, “If the stereotype of the rude Frenchman is inaccurate, all the other supposed clichés are true.” We were shocked to find that no one in the south of France seems to be employed, at least not in any other capacity than espresso-drinkers and croissant-tasters. It all seemed very luxurious to us in our search for cheap food and free fun. One late afternoon in Nice, Emma and I each brought a croissant (a staple in the diet of penny-pinching, nomadic backpackers) back to our communal hostel kitchen. Still hungry, we lucked upon a half-empty bag of pasta someone had left on the counter. We took it upon ourselves to assume that no one would claim this pasta and decided to use it for dinner. We were feeling pretty good about our thriftiness until a fellow hostel dweller came in to begin work on his masterpiece of a sandwich. He was amused by our basic meal and offered us a half-empty package of cheese, but I reassured him that we were not, in fact, starving, and that we’d be fine without it. However, when he proceeded to throw the perfectly good cheese away and leave the kitchen, I was too shocked and too set in my resourceful ways to not retrieve the securely wrapped cheese from the rubbish bin – I firmly believe in the 5-second rule. Emma had to suppress a laugh when the disposer of the cheese walked
back into the kitchen and caught me grabbing it from the garbage. Although we were enjoying our, at times, pitiable situation, our families and friends began to worry about us. More than that, they wondered how we could be having any fun at all while we trekked around on foot and hopped on busses, ate very little food and stayed in rooms with multiple foreign strangers. We often laughed at our attempt to explore the ritzy south of France on such low funds. But despite the occasional hunger pang or moments of frustration in trying to navigate French train maps, we were having the time of our lives. The fun, I think, comes with the liberation of carrying almost nothing and of knowing almost no one in a particular area. We felt like observers in the most extreme sense of the word. By living in this nomadic style, we were able to watch the daily energies of each city unfold before us. We would not have experienced that had we disconnected our perspective of the cities by staying in upscale hotels or continuously dining in fine restaurants. So, instead of involving ourselves in the glamour of Cannes or the conspicuous wealth of Monaco, we were able to sit back and take in the bizarrely pristine sights, occasionally dotted with a McDonald’s.
Catedral de Santa María la Real de la Almudena, above, in Madrid, Spain.
Visitors, left, take a ride in a gondola along the Grand Canal, in Venice, Italy.
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS CORBIN
Editor-in-chief Annie Sciacca crossed Portugal, Spain, France, Monaco, and Italy during a summer backpacking trip through Europe. asciacca @TheInquirerOnline.com
You can find more of Annie Sciacca’s trip across Europe online at www.theinquireronline.com PHOTOS BY ANNIE SCIACCA