Wednesday , March 25, 2015
Volume 28, Issue 1
Westminster Campus Student Center Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, January 29, 2015 Photo by Robin OConnell
The President’s Community College Plan: How Does It Affect You? Written by Andrew Goad
During President Obama’s State of the Union speech, and in the weeks following, there has been quite a bit of talk concerning the President’s proposal to make Community and Junior colleges free. So what’s it all about? As of right now, there are only two provisions that would go into such a proposal. First, a student would have to go at least half-time. Second, the student would need to maintain what amounts to roughly a high C grade point average. Simple right? Not so fast. First and foremost,
this is just an idea. This proposal has almost no feet. There is a slim to no chance of it making its way through the Republican controlled House and Senate. If for some reason it did receive the stamp of approval from Congress, there is very little chance anybody on campus right now would be able to take advantage of it. There are hurdles, and a handful of questions need to first be answered. A big concern is will the States push back? As it stands now, the funding for the current proposal would come primarily from the federal government, in the amount
of 75%. But that leaves 25% left for the states to cover. State budgets are both at their limit as far as revenue, as well as the constitutionality of having to balance their budgets every year, unlike the federal government. So it may end up being a tough sale to state governments. Another concern is how will higher education, as a system, feel about this? The majority of students at the local community college are there because it is a less expensive way for students to earn credit and get their feet wet at an institution of higher learning. If the government were to move forward with this proposal it
would put an even higher strain on four-year schools that could lose students traditionally enrolled at those schools, in turn raising tuition, and almost negating any perceived benefit from less expensive community colleges. The largest concern however, may come directly from the general population. As we know, nothing is ever truly free. Whatever is given to one person first needs to be taken from another. The majority of college educated people put themselves through college either by working and paying tuition Continued on Page 2
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March 25, 2015
Astronomy Club Written by Justin Sims Astronomers recently discovered an ancient solar system. They say it is almost as old as the Milky Way galaxy. This discovery was the first of its kind. The system, named Kepler 444, is the oldest known planetary system that has ever been seen. Kepler 444 was formed around 11.2 billion years ago. A billion is a number that is often thrown around these days but not often fully understood. To put this into perspective, a billion is a million million. 100 million years ago Pangaea was still a thing. Around 1.5 million years ago man made fire for the first time. Yea, Kepler 444 is a little old. There are still a lot of mysteries in our universe and great leaps are frequently being made by astronomers. Fortunately, Front Range Community College has a way for you to be involved. Since 2012, The Astronomy Club at Front Range Community College has aimed to achieve two goals. The first is to encourage those who are
interested in astronomy to develop that interest through community, discussion, and educational opportunities. This means if one has even the slightest interest in anything astronomy related she/ he need only come to a meeting to feed that interest. This week the Astronomy Club is discussing black holes; in particular learning about the interaction between the forces involved. The second goal is to increase the interest in astronomy in the community, both here at Front Range Community College and in the wider world. To achieve this in previous semesters various projects have been completed. An activity that started in the beginning of the Astronomy Club is called “Bringing Astronomy to the College”. A human scale sundial, built under this project, is located near the observatory. The materials used to construct the sundial were donated by Lowe's Home
Improvement and it was decorated by the pre- kindergarten, which used to
Photo Courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net
be here on campus. Events are also commonplace in and around the observatory and deal with the telescope and solar telescope. The events are free, open
to the public, and an excellent way to get a first person view of our amazing universe. If staying out late is not your thing the solar telescope can also be used during daytime hours. Currently, there are two outreach projects underway. The first is a sign with instructions for the human sundial, and the second is a library type telescope scheme. The Astronomy Club plans to rent out telescopes for about a week. The group intends to modify each telescope to make them easy to use and difficult to break. Each telescope will also include directions to explain how to use it. This way, each person gets the most out of their rental. To join the Astronomy Club you may attend one of their meetings in the Student Organizations Center (SOC- C0501) from 3:00-4:00 p.m. every Tuesday. Or you can email the faculty advisor, Lindsay Rocks, at Lindsay.Rocks@FrontRange.Edu.
The President’s Community College Plan Continued from Cover Story
simultaneously, or by taking out loans to pay off later, or in some cases by serving their country and earning the GI Bill. These are people that don’t want to see an increase in taxes or fees to pay for the next generation of graduates. The economy may not be showing enough signs of growth for the public to jump in with support. There are positives, however, and there is support from various groups involved. The American Association of Community Colleges said the White House proposal is a “very positive public policy” that seeks to funnel a large amount of money to lower-income students. And it comes at a time when many states are cutting support to the sector. One giant positive is that participating states’ higher-education budgets “must allocate a significant portion
of funding based on performance,
The largest concern however, may come directly from the general population. As we know, nothing is ever truly free.
institutional reforms to improve student outcomes." This means the transition to community college students, at times feeling like nothing more than a number, would know their school is receiving federal money for providing a top tier learning environment, not solely for them simply sitting in a chair in a classroom.
So, what does this mean for all of us that are in school right now? Not much, actually. As discussed earlier, it has very little chance of passing and it wouldn’t affect us anyway. It is more than likely that this proposal would only help those that already qualify for Pell Grants, income based scholarships and other need based programs.
not enrollment alone,” the White House said. “Colleges must also adopt promising and evidence-based Photo Courtesy of media.graytvinc.com
March 25, 2015
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Denver Taiko, Japanese drumming performance in the Visual and Performing Arts Gallery, March 10, 2015. Photo by Robin OConnell
Adventures in Dad-ing
Confessions of a full-time student, full-time dad and full-time crazy person Written by Andy Goad
It’s that time of year again. The semester is in full swing, I’ve got books to read, papers to write, tests to take, and oh yeah, a kid to take care of. The school part comes pretty easy. I get to hang out with other adults that have similar goals.
To the other parents on campus, I get it, I see you with mismatched socks, your hair in an unwashed pony-tail, the Goldfish crackers smashed all over your book bag...
I have yet to wipe a nose or a butt while at Front Range. But this kid… let me paint a picture for you…. Now I know why you never see
the Tasmanian Devil’s dad...he is in the bathroom hoping for three minutes of privacy. And if, for some reason, I left my son at the zoo he would immediately be placed in the wild baboon cage and fit right in. He is three and a half, so he is basically a miniature version of me……..non-stop, no filter, all boy. Along with studies I have to feed this kid. School takes up so much time, but I still try to provide healthy, tasty meals for him. Wink-wink parents, you know what I’m talking about. Lately, we’ve been on a big peanut butter and jelly kick. No, scratch that. We’ve been on a big jelly kick. When I’m not looking my wonderful son peels his sandwiches apart, much like an Oreo, and licks the jelly off, while the other half ends up sticking to the dog’s face. So now I have a wound up, sugar-high kid with
zero nutrition using me as a human jungle gym while I try to study.
To the other parents on campus, I get it. I see you with mismatched socks, your hair in an unwashed pony-tail, and the Goldfish crackers smashed all over your book bag. It’s a big club on campus, so if you see me, say hi. I’m the one with snot on my sleeve. Could be the kid’s, could be the dog’s……heck, at this point, it could be mine.
Nice. Good work dad. Now you know why I go to school full-time…
Photos by Andy Goad
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March 25, 2015
The High Plains Fitness Center is now open!
Photos by Koa Avery
Purchase a Wolf Card at the Grab your Wolf Card and come fill out the registration forms to receive the new member packet and begin use of the fitness center.
Student Life Office for $5. Bring your S Number and a photo ID.
Hours are Mon-Thurs 7am-7pm and Fri 7am to 3pm.
March 25, 2015
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Westminster Campus Student Center Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, January 29, 2015
Photos by Robin OConnell
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March 25, 2015
Spotlight on Faith Winter Representative of Colorado’s House District 35
Written by Andy Goad Over the weekend I had the opportunity to sit down with Faith Winter, Colorado’s District 35 State House Representative. You immediately get a sense of who she is, and what her priorities are, both as an individual and as a representative. Pictures of her smiling, happy family line the walls; an oversized painting of Wonder Woman swinging the lasso of truth hangs above her desk, and the quote “Democracy is based upon the conviction that there are extraordinary possibilities in ordinary people” from Harry Emerson Fosdick is scrawled on a chalkboard.
Representative Winter is a fifth generation Coloradan from Littleton, and has only spent a short period of time away from her home state to attend a small college in California. Upon returning, Representative Winter became active in local politics, serving on the Westminster City Council for seven years. Now, as a freshman
house member at the state Capitol, she represents her constituents on a larger stage. Her first foray into politics came when she worked at a homeless shelter that helped single moms with housing and employment. However, she saw problems in a broken system. She wanted to find a way to bring about change, and that led her to a meeting with former State Senator Joan Fitz-Gerald, who was the first woman to ever hold the title of Senate President in Colorado. What she told her was that to see better changes, they needed better people. From that point on, Representative Winter has been charging ahead. For the 2015 session, Representative Winter is carrying two separate bills. The first is an Interstate EMS Compact making it easier to provide regional medicine and first response, and for those individuals and companies along borders that need to cross state
lines. Westminster Fire Chief, Doug Hall is on the Board of the Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association, and this is a process he very much supports, and since Representative Winter has Westminster Fire in her district it is a bill she is happy to carry. The second is a Farm to School Grant Program. This bill would provide grant money to local farmers that wish to participate, but cannot meet the monetary demands due to increased safety standards set by the schools. There are many benefits to this program. Not only does it help local farmers provide needed nutritious food, but it also teaches children about nutrition and food production. In a recent Denver Post article, “Students who attend schools with farm-to-school programs are 28 percent more likely to choose healthy meal options”; furthermore, “Students who attend schools that serve local fruits and vegetables have a 14 percent lower chance of being overweight or
obese.” My initial response to this proposal is that it was simply moving money from one section of education funds to another, but that isn’t the case at all. The economic benefits of this program are twofold. First, according to the National Farm to School Network, for every dollar spent on the program it stimulates $2.16 in local economic activity. Second, for each new Farm to School job the local economy creates an additional 1.67 jobs. We discussed a few higher education concerns that are taking place this session. First, the budget surplus and the potential TABOR refund. There is no definite answer as of now. The money could be refunded to individuals, or it could be placed into the education fund benefiting all levels of schooling throughout the state. It is very important to note that the voters of Colorado will have to decide if any surplus is kept by the state. There is Continued on Page 7
How To Form a Club Written by Justin Sims
The Student Organizations Center, lovingly nicknamed the “SOC”, is a place for students to call home. Here your ideas can be stretched in any direction you please. If you’re interested in writing or leadership, or even things like art or video-games, this is the place for you to come to form or join a group and be with other people who share your interests. Several people have come through the SOC doors curious about what groups exist on campus. Sometimes students are interested in being involved but a group isn’t already formed around their interests. In this instance the student
has full power to create a new group. This can seem overwhelming at first, but I assure you, it’s not. To form your own club you need a few things. Most importantly, you need four other students who are willing to join the club. You can ask your friends, classmates, or other students around campus. If this seems difficult, that’s why the staff at the SOC exists. It is their duty to connect you with other students whose interests match yours. Next, you’ll need to find a FRCC employee to advise your club. In some cases there is already a person
who is willing advise a club and they’re just waiting for enough students to form a club. Other times, once a student has gathered enough people, he or she can simply ask a faculty or staff member they know to advise them, or ask the staff of the SOC to help them find someone. After you’ve gathered enough students and secured an advisor, you’ll work on creating a constitution and finishing the online registration. To form a constitution a group needs to come together and decide the direction of the club. This includes determining the purpose of your club, what officers you’ll
have, and how you vote and conduct elections, etc. This can be tricky if there are differing opinions, but a situation like that can be solved by a simple vote. Once all that is finished a newly functioning club can do several things including holding meetings and organizing events. The SOC staff will help train your officers, market your group and support you in fulfilling your purpose. The students here at Front Range voted for the Student Organizations Center, now it’s our duty to use it for everything it’s worth. There is a lot of space here, take advantage of it!
March 25, 2015
The Front Page
What is NSLS?
Spotlight on Faith Winter Continued from Page 6 also the potential for scholarships, grants and new training available in the Career and Technical Education fields. There is actually talk of a whole package of these CTE bills that have a chance to move forward, including those that could directly benefit students at Front Range. Finally, there is some talk of Performance Funding for Higher Education, meaning, that the institutions that have higher achieving students get the funding. All of these issues that have a direct effect on you and your fellow students on campus. However, every one of these Higher Education issues will either live or die in the budget. And the budget will be discussed in March. However, none of the issues you, as a student, as a resident find important will get the funding unless you put your voice out there. Representative Winter is very adamant about this. She stressed that you need to weigh in.
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One final issue we discussed was the price of rent in the area, and how much of a negative affect this has on young people, especially those paying for tuition on top of all the other things they have to pay for. As it stands now, there is nothing on the books, but there may be some future discussion on the idea of affordable housing. When it comes right down to it, the Capitol, and all that takes place in its halls is there to serve you. And it is so very easy to get involved. Take a day to “shadow” Representative Winter; she is more than willing to show people around. She is a great resource, and a great person to know at the Capitol. She can be reached by email at faith.winter.house@state. co.us or by phone at 303-8662843.
Written by Justin Sims
The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) is a student organization that helps people strengthen their leadership skills through training days, connecting students with their peers and national speaker broadcasts. If you are new to NSLS you must meet certain criteria if you wish to become an inducted member. The first step of this process is the orientation day. At the orientation, you will be introduced to leadership development. Leadership training is next and will help identify your individual passions and purpose. You will also learn how to take steps to achieving these objectives. After this, you will meet up with a Success Networking Team (SNT) based on your available time. The SNT is in place to help every member achieve his/her goal. During this time, you will also have the opportunity to attend speaker broadcasts that will help you keep on track with your objectives. Once you have completed
these steps you will be officially inducted at the induction event where the accomplishments of new members will be commemorated. In order to be invited to join NSLS you must maintain a 2.5 GPA. You will receive an invitation with a nine digit code for SocietyLeadership.org. Once there, you have to pay a one-time fee of eighty-five dollars. Finally, you’ll get the orientation times and place. NSLS isn’t supposed to be a passive program. It’s a program that encourages you to get up and change something. This will help you become into a student who is more successful and confident. According to a 2014 national survey, 99% of the society members would recommend NSLS to their peers. Students often come out of the program feeling like they have changed their lives, and if you follow all the steps successfully, you can too!
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March 25, 2015
Upcoming Events Written by Rachel Moore
https://www.facebook.com/thefrontpage Scan here with your Smartphone for our Facebook page
Labyrinth
Music Recitals
On March 18th, Student Life
On May 5th and 6th, the music
will have a labyrinth available for
students at Westminster Campus
students to walk, so that students may
will be holding recitals for staff and
utilize it to reect on themselves and
students, celebrating their hard work
their lives as the go through the turns
this semester. Both recitals will be
of the labyrinth.
held in the performing arts gallery
SGA Spring Fling
Genders & Sexuality Alliance For more information, please contact: Alana McCoy Academic Advisor alana.mccoy@frontrange.edu
at 7 p.m. and is free to students. The recital on May 5th will feature the
Come join the student government
voice students, and the recital on
association on April 9th for food,
May 6th will display the talents of
fun, and games in their biggest event
the guitar and piano students. Come
of the semester.
show your appreciation for your peers with music and refreshments!
Wednesdays: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm, located in C0501 Thursdays: 10:00 am - 11:00 am, located in C0501 Rae Gandy / President of Active Minds, FRCC Westminster Chapter sgandy2@student.cccs.edu Tracey Carreon / Faculty Advisor of Active Minds, FRCC Westminster Chaptertracy.carreon@frontrange.edu
Advisors
Julie Beggs The entire content of The Front Page is Copyrighted by the FRCC Board of Publications. No part of the publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The staff of The Front Page is encouraged to subscribe to the principles of the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. Inquiries may be referred to the Office of Human Resources, 3645 W. 112th Avenue, Westminster CO 80031-2199, (303-466-8811); The Director of Affirmative Action for the Colorado College System, 9101 E. Lowry Blvd., Denver CO 80230-6011; or to the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Dept. of Education, 1961 Stout St., Denver CO 80204
303-404-5534 | Frontpage@frontrange.edu
Tino Gomez Nick Morris Managing Editor Robin OConnell Copy Editor Koa Avery
Staff Reporters
Alexis Bauer Andy Goad Jacob Hallberg Julian Hamilton Alyssa Ojibway Supporting Reporters
Rachel Moore Justin Sims