T H E
L I N N - B E N T O N
C O M M U N I T Y
VOL. 52 EDITION 15
C O L L E G E
FEB. 17, 2021
Just a Little
Chilly Willlamette Valley Experiences an Ice Storm
Public Safety Officer Jason Wells takes a few photos of the ice covering the Albany LBCC campus on Feb. 13 at about 12:30 a.m. as he works graveyard shifts on the weekends.
💻
Inside this Edition
CELEBRATING CTE
SEE PAGE 3
📈
TUITION INCREASE
SEE PAGE 4
UNDERSTANDING ART
SEE PAGE 7
📷
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CAMPUS NEWS
FEBRUARY 17, 2021
LBCOMMUTER.COM
Wellness Wednesday PLAY: It’s a Four-letter Word STORY BY
LISA HOOGESTEGER
The Commuter is the weekly student-run newspaper for LBCC, financed by student fees and advertising. Opinions expressed in The Commuter do not necessarily reflect those of the LBCC administration, faculty and students of LBCC. Editorials, columns, letters, and cartoons reflect the opinions of the authors. LBCC is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Letters Welcome The Commuter encourages readers to use its “Opinion” pages to express their views on campus, community, regional and national issues. The Commuter attempts to print all submissions received, but reserves the right to edit for grammar, length, libel, privacy concerns and taste. Opinions expressed by letter submitters do not represent the views of the Commuter staff or the College. Deliver letters to: Address: The Commuter Forum 222 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW Albany, OR 97321 Web Address: LBCommuter.com Phone: 541-917-4451, 4452 or 4449 Email: commuter@linnbenton.edu Twitter @LBCommuter Facebook LBCC The Commuter Instagram @LBCommuter
Our Staff
Remember when play was fun, simple and a regular part of everyday life? When laughter was easy to come by and a frequent visitor to lift your spirits? I was at a friend’s garage last Friday night (yep, the 2 car garage with doors open, distant chairs and blankets because it was 40 degrees!!) and we were playing darts and enjoying each other’s company. You know just actually hanging out with live human beings you don’t live with. There was smack talk about darts which none of us have played in years. I laughed. I heckled. I bragged about an almost bullseye. I teased a non-teammate about their errant throw that nearly hit the smoke alarm. It was all too normal. And fun. And recognisably all too rare in the 12th month of the pandemic. I’m just saying I’ve been overly serious and too deep in thought about stuff to stop and play or laugh much. I notice kids still go to playgrounds. I see folks riding their bikes. There are people volleying on the local tennis courts. So I know play is out there. I’ve just been missing it. Kids know how to play. And not just with electronics. They are also good at laughing at silly things. Why do we lose that ability? I think I overthink it (as demonstrated in that sentence). “Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” -Joseph Chilton Pearce “It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for
Web Master Marci Sischo Copy Editor Bowen Orcutt Contributors Karen Canan Brenda Autry David Shaughnessy Megan Oliver Tanner Johnson Natalie Pelc Abby Johnson Leah Biesack Alistar Woods Sydney Greene Aidan Arthur Rachael Buker
Knock! Knock! Who's there? To. To who? Actually, grammatically speaking you should say "to whom."
SUGGESTION
Marketing/Advertising Isaieh Heiken Sean Ramos
Student Voice Editor Dakota Gange
Knock! Knock! Who's there? Ho-ho. Ho-ho who? You know, your Santa impression could use a little work.
SAFETY
Layout Designer Rebecca Fewless
Photography Editor Hikari Kawai
Knock! Knock! Who's there? An extraterrestrial An extraterrestrial who? Wait–how many extraterrestrials do you know?
GRAPHIC: FREEPIK.COM
Adviser Rob Priewe Editor-in-Chief Katie Littlefield
A&E Steven Pryor Joshua Bloedel
learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them.” -Leo F. Buscaglia “Play is the exaltation of the possible.” -Martin Buber “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” -George Bernard Shaw My vow this week is to find funny things. It’s not going to change the state of things in the world, but it might be a dust up to my state of mind.
BOX
A Healthy Heart is a Gift for Life Celebrate American Heart Month Self-Care: Tips for Heart Health
11 Healthy Heart Tips to Help Keep the Doctor Away
6 Surprising Facts About Heart Disease
LBCC has a Safety Committee whose goal is to identify and eliminate risks on our campus, and to prevent accidents and illnesses through the involvement of employees, managers, and students in an effort to provide a safe and healthy place to both work and learn. A "Safety Suggestion Box" is available to provide a way for you to communicate your safety concerns, hazards spotted, and suggestions for promoting safety. Please email your suggestions, comments, concerns to: safetycommittee@linnbenton. edu
COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
FEBRUARY 17, 2021
Celebrating CTE
CAMPUS NEWS
3
A Student Speaks About Their Experience in the CTE Programs at Linn-Benton STORY BY CHRISSY VEACH Week 2 of the CTE Celebration Month is informational technology. The jobs that are a part of the information technology CTE program include: ► Graphic designer ► Web designer ► Prepress technician ► Bookkeeper ► Medical biller/coder ► Payroll specialist ► General manager ► Event planner ► Preschool teacher ► Teacher assistant ► Network and computer administrator The Business Management
program has three certificates, which include: event management, retail management, and small business management. These management degrees were created in 2016 after the program was started. The informational technology job wages are: ► Graphic designers - $57,542 ► Web designer s- $50,300 ► Prepress technician - $45,073 ► Bookkeeping - $44,336 ► Medical biller/coder - $52,697 ► Payroll Michelle Hayes is an accounting technology major at LBCC. What made her go into LBCC’s Career and Technical Education program is that she has always loved numbers. That helped her be able to work in any field that she was looking into when she completes
her accounting technology degree. Due to COVID, the program has been harder in that there are pros
and cons. One of the pros of the program during Covid is how much instructors are helping, and one of the cons is that it's online. The biggest challenge is not being able to be in person, Hayes said. The biggest highlight is working with numbers and learning and making new friends along the way. The benefits of joining the CTE program include learning about the classes that are for accounting majors, and she can be certified in QuickBooks online and help her skills in Microsoft. Some information for future CTE students that Michelle shared: “Stay motivated and don't give up, because the teachers in this will support and help you in any way possible.”
Virtual Baking Night
Valentines Baking Event Shows How to Make Treats for Loved Ones STORY BY ALISTAIR WOODS February 12, 2021 was the date for the Valentine’s Day Baking Night hosted by Gretchen Manning over Zoom. The event opened up officially at 2 p.m. but began a while afterwards, so that anyone who wanted to attend would be there. Participants were encouraged to bake along, with the host providing cheap solutions for each menu item and making sure that participants would have easy access to each ingredient necessary for each dessert, however baking along was
not a requirement. The beginning of the event was Manning explaining to the participants the cost of each item, going through and listing the prices for the ingredients as well as explaining that none of the more expensive tools in her kitchen would be used to show that the participants could follow what she was doing with whatever they had in their own homes. She made sure to total up the price of the desserts’ ingredients as well, and it was evident that she both understood a tighter budget and wanted those with a tighter budget to be
able to bake these desserts as well. The two desserts that were made were brownie truffles using store bought brownie mix, sprinkles, and chocolate chunks which were melted down and pink fudge using white chocolate, pink candy melts, mini marshmallows, condensed milk, flour, and more sprinkles. Each dessert took around half an hour to complete, but looked to be well worth the wait. The finished products looked incredibly good and fit the Valentines theme very well in their appearance. Manning walked the participants through the
process of making both desserts, explaining what to do and how to do it. During the process, discussions with the participants were mostly clarifying what needs to be done for each dessert or sharing personal experiences. Overall, the event appeared to be a great success. Everyone had a lot of fun chatting and baking and the recipes provided made good looking desserts which can be made at any time if you just want something sweet and have half an hour or so to spare.
Resscheduled For Thursday Feb. 18 Zoom Link Here Click here for more information
Click here for more information
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CAMPUS NEWS
FEBRUARY 17, 2021
LBCOMMUTER.COM
Tuition Increase on the Way SLC, College Officials Discuss the Proposed 8% Tuition Increase
STORY AND PHOTO BY DAKOTA GANGE Tuition increases happen, and almost every year with a few exceptions. This year, LBCC’s budget calls for an 8% increase in tuition, and it is generating a heavy debate. On Feb. 3, The Student Leadership Council came running to students’ aid in a budget meeting with VP of Finance and Operations Sheldon Flom, and Accounting and Budget Director Jess Jacobs. SLC’s position was clear. “Over the next few years you are proposing 21.5% increase, and especially during Covid … a lot of students can’t make ends meet right now. So that 8% will cost them their education, or now they’re not going to eat, or pay rent,” said SLC VP Nia Alvarado. In response, Flom said, “The conversations around tuition are not something that the board takes real lightly. They’re very focused on trying to keep the cost of college as low as we can for our students. ...This is something that will be looked at and talked about, and taken very seriously. ...This is exactly the type of concern we want to hear, and we will take them back to the board; your point is well taken.” So why an 8% proposed increase? Jacobs and Flom broke it down -- LinnBenton’s consistent funding comes from only three places: 40% from tuition, 40% from state aid, and 20% property taxes. “We rely a lot on the state, which is a very volatile revenue source that really depends how the economy is doing and how the legislature decides to move money around,” said Jacobs. “I’d just like to promote the advocacy [for more state aid]. … This is across the whole country as the state level government is putting less money into education, like where else can the money come from to operate? It usually equates to tuition.” Property taxes cannot be raised -- this 20% percent is a solid number that does not budge. So, that leaves LBCC with only two options -- raise tuition, or get more state funding. “We have some assumptions on our state aid and property taxes. We’re basing this state aid number on what the governor's budget has rolled out, which is subject to change. We hope that goes up,” said Jacobs, in hopes that state ade will go up, therefore ideally lowering the tuition increase. “And so that’s why as we move forward here in this budget cycle, we’ll definitely be putting some downward pressure on that tuition rate if we get the state to start sending a little more money our way. Even a modest increase can really do a lot in the long term. But that’s not to suggest that we can't and shouldn't find better ways to operate and to cut costs, we definitely need to do that,” said Flom. Naturally, Covid has put a big
At-A-Glance
WHO: Student Leadership Council budget meeting with LBCC VP of Finance and Operations Sheldon Flom, and Accounting and Budget Director Jess Jacobs. WHAT: Proposed 8% Tuition Increase. WHEN: Feb. 3.
WHERE: Linn-Benton Community College PHOTO: DAKOTA GNAGE
Student Leadership Council's Vice President Nia Alvarado speaks out about the LBCC tuition increase proposal.
“The reason why they want to do such a large increase is obviously because of Covid, but the reason why a lot of people are upset about it is because everything was virtual..." -Nia Alvarado wrench in the projections for income and expenses, as enrollment data is now further askew. “Enrollment … this is the big wild card. Of course we’re having a real hard time gauging the impact of Covid on enrollment. We’ve taken a big hit this year. What we’ve tried to factor in is that we kind of bottom out over the next year, maybe a slight decrease, then we’ll stabilize as part of this assumption. At this point, it’s a little bit of guesswork because it’s really hard to gauge with this whole Covid thing,” said Jacobs. With a 10% reserved fund set by the board, various other budget initiatives, investments committed to the further construction at the Benton Center, and goals to not lay off as many faculty and staff as 2020 brought, Flom and Jacobs arrived at the 8% increase. “Eighty-seven percent is people, so that’s a difficult balance,” said Jacobs. In relation to new initiatives, “We
are trying to look to see what we can do for our students and to help their programs, and make sure as an institution we don’t stay stagnant,” said Flom. So what does this potential increase look like for each individual student? “The 8% increase (based on 15 credits a term) is approximately $147 per term. We know this will impact some people,” said Jacobs. He uses a 15-credit model to base the impact of the increase on a fulltime student -- 12 credits full-time, and 3 credits to represent the additional fees that are associated with taking full time credits, such as the technology fee. This information has been shared with the Financial Aid director, who will be looking to see if Pell Grants can go up, or if aid packages will change. “There will be an offset for those who receive financial aid for sure,” said Jacobs. “About eight years ago there were a couple major (tuition) increases ... 18%,19%, then flat, then another 9%, then a few years of zero. So what we’ve been trying to get away from is that upand-down spike and valley model. Which is really hard to plan for in students’ personal budgets.” The goal is to continue having increases that hover around the 4-6% rate. “The challenge has of course been with Covid and state funding levels, these spikes have been higher than any of us want of course, but the challenge is how to balance that with our budget and how we operate our college.” As of last Wednesday, Feb. 10, the Student Leadership Council has had over 50 student forms stating their disapproval of the tuition increase, and the majority of them have mentioned something about Covid affecting their fiscal situation, according Alvarado. SLC wants to hear your feedback! Please see this form if you want to share your opinion on this topic. “So for me, I’m seeing that you
WHAT’S NEXT: The board makes the final decision in March. Click Here to give SLC your opinion!
are projecting a pretty substantial increase in tuition (that 8%), but at the same time you’re also wanting to increase spending, from both the performance packages as well as for the ending fund balance this year,” said SLC President Angie Geno. “So is there a reason for those spendings to have to occur, and for tuition to not go up if those actions weren’t taken?” “We look at those requests and we try to look at a number of different things,” Flom said. “One is how does it fit into the strategies of the institution, and how does it directly affect, or help our students. Part of that also is sometimes we just don’t have a choice on some of those increases that we may have, they’re outside of our control. But when we look at that money … there are some additional faculty positions in there for programs that have some needs and areas that want to grow.” Linn-Benton has received over $2 million in performance package requests this year, and Jacobs said, “Sometimes we have to say, yeah, that’s not going to fly, we have to keep these numbers down.” “I’d like to think we're pretty modest, we’re a community college. We’re not rolling in money, and if you look around campus there is not wild spending happening. The correlation really is with the state funding. … The reality I think is that that chart shows that the correlation between rising cost and tuition is correlated with the lack of state funding. The states have really divested from higher education in their investments.” The board does not make their final decision until March, so there is time to make your voice heard. In the past, when more state funding happened, the tuition increase has been reduced, Jacobs said. SLC suggested a flat rate of a 5% increase this year, and over the next few years. “This is something that can really be considered,” said Flom.
COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
FEBRUARY 17, 2021
CAMPUS NEWS
Mental Health
Matters
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Ways for Students at LBCC to Persevere in 2021
identify solutions and find more resources
STORY BY RACHAEL BUKER to help you with your specific situation; The Covid-19 pandemic has caused many changes amongst our lives. Months of isolation, stress due to changes, anxiety, depression and fear of Covid-19 has made life challenging for many LBCC students. The light at the end of the tunnel is in sight as vaccines for Coronavirus are being distributed throughout the United States. Though it has not been forgotten that the global struggle with this virus has not been easy. “It is important to know that if you are struggling, you don’t have to face it alone. Please reach out to someone. At LBCC, there are services available that you can connect with remotely,” said Tiffany Madriaga, counselor and advisor. Her contact information as well as appointment availability can be found here. Collectively, the staff at LBCC has shown that they care about students and want to provide students with as much support as they can. That said, if you feel as though you might be struggling, especially through these tough times, it is important to remember that they are a great resource to begin receiving help. Appointments to speak with advisors and counselors can be made here. They will provide an outside perspective,
mental or financial. Aside from seeking advice or assistance from LBCC, “reaching out to a close friend or family member can be very beneficial as we are all going through this together, this has been a helpful reminder I am not alone,” said Megan Oliver, a student at LBCC. On the other hand, not being able to see loved ones due to the pandemic has been a hardship for many people, inspiring new ways to stay in touch. “I moved out of my hometown in California to Oregon with my husband and newborn in January, before the pandemic began. It has been difficult to be isolated from family and friends, especially while I’m unable to meet new people. Luckily, I am able to feel connected through phone calls and zoom classes,” Oliver said. Fortunately, living in this generation we are lucky enough to be provided with the technology that gives us the ability to not only stay connected, but also to continue our education virtually. Platforms such as FaceTime have helped bond students with loved ones they are unable to see in person while still being able to have face-to-face interactions. Additionally, Zoom allows for
a virtual classroom where teachers have access to a wide variety of ways to provide a bit of normalcy for their students while they are unable to be in a real classroom setting. While students have had to adapt to life online, they also can take advantage of technology for daily activities. Finding a new hobby or passion one way to pass time and grow as a person. “I’ve picked up the new hobby of building through watching YouTube videos. I’ve made a swing for my daughter, dog house for my Australian Shepherd, and even a boat!” said Oliver. While her pre-Covid routine included walks through the park, she
GRAPHIC: FREEPIK.COM
was able to adapt to the closures and discover a new interest. “I love that my family members can enjoy the things I have built just as much, if not more than I’ve enjoyed getting into this new hobby” explained Oliver. For others, the pandemic allowed for mental growth through self-reflection and reconnection to old hobby’s. “It was really tough at first to figure out what to do with my time aside from studying. However, I picked up jogging again which allows me to get rid of all of the anxiety and stress of today and simply focus on jogging,” said Morgan Sylvia, Student Leadership Council director of clubs & student engagement and a student at LBCC. Quarantine has allowed people to explore their interests and have higher self-awareness. “Self-reflection has helped me realize even though our situation is unique, thinking back on the trials we’ve been dealt, academic, or otherwise, this is just another obstacle that we will all overcome,” said Sylvia. Experiencing the changes over the past year has allowed time for many to grow in ways they never expected. As the new year brings more changes, updates on Covid-19 and LBCC can be found here.
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SPORTS
FEBRUARY 17, 2021
LBCOMMUTER.COM
50 for 50
In 2021 LB celebrates the 50-year anniversary of its athletics program. We will highlight people, teams and moments from the past five decades of Roadrunner Athletics. You can nominate a former athlete, coach, team, supporter or memorable moment from LB athletics.
The Early Years: 1969-1979
Ethan Bergman - Baseball
A starting catcher and outfielder on Linn-Benton's first two baseball teams in 1971 and 1972, Bergman earned all-OCCAA honors while maintaining a 3.5 GPA in Science. He earned an associate's degree with a focus in biology and zoology from LBCC in 1972, and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in biology from Eastern Oregon University, a master’s in biology from the University of Oregon, a master’s in interdisciplinary studies from Western Oregon University, and a doctorate in nutrition from Washington State University. Bergman also played two years of baseball while at Eastern Oregon. Bergman has made substantial contributions to his field through his teaching and research work in
the area of school meal research, and has written grants to fund research on the health effects of school lunches on children, the effects of caffeine on calcium levels of women, and to evaluate diabetes in central Washington farmworkers. He currently serves as president of the American Association of Dietetics. He is now the Associate Professor of Food Science and Nutrition at Central Washington University and has served as Faculty Athletics Representative for the past three decades. In 1993 Bergman was inducted into the NWAC Hall of Fame and in 2013 was selected for an LBCC Distinguished Alumni award.
Click here for more information
Dave Bakley - Cross Country, Track & Field, Athletic Director
Bakley started the track & field program at LBCC as its first head coach in 1972 and later served as athletic director from 1992-94. He taught physical education at LB and was instrumental in launching and maintaining the College's Wellness Program. Bakley was named OCCAA Coach of the Year six times, coached 25 NJCAA all-Americans and six individual national champions. Bakley also coached three future Olympians: Dave Johnson, Tim
Bright and Kory Tarpenning. Bakley started his teaching career at Henley High in Klamath Falls and then Jackson High in Portland before coming to LB in 1972. He was inducted into the NWAC Hall of Fame in 1992 and spent his years after LB staying active in various health, wellness and coaching capacities before he passed away in 2017.
Click here for Zoom Link
COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
A&E
FEBRUARY 17, 2021
Understanding Art
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ATMOSPHERIC PERSPECTIVE: Notice the Cascade mountains receding in the distance, creating reduced focus and clarity. Top of Bald Hill, Corvallis.
LBCC Student Demonstrates Art Terminology in Art 102 Midterm
PHOTOS: DAKOTA GANGE
COOL COLOR SCHEME: A light pink filled sky provides a visually cooler vibe to the atmosphere. Off of Hurlburt Road, near Highway. 99.
LIMITED COLOR PALETTE: A leaf sits in the middle of a trail off of Vineyard Mountains ‘Saddle’ trail, Corvallis
NEGATIVE SPACE: An abyss of black color surrounds these candles in the night.
COMPLEMENTARY COLORS: Flowers outside of Coffee Culture in Corvallis provide a perfect example of colors across from each other on the color wheel; yellow and purple.
VISUAL BALANCE: A balance of subjects that are equally weighted on both sides of the vertical center. Pitbull Nahla and Dakota
Click here for more information
ANALOGOUS COLORS: A sunset over Franklin Square Park in Corvallis provides colors that are next to each other on the color wheel.
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A&E
FEBRUARY 17, 2021
LBCOMMUTER.COM
A Shooting Star
of
Heroic Heart KID COSMIC
REVIEW BY
STEVEN PRYOR
STARRING: Jack Fisher,
@STEVENPRR2PRYOR
“Kid Cosmic” is the latest animated series from Craig McCracken (“The Powerpuff Girls,” “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends,” “Wander Over Yonder”). Since its debut on Netf lix on February 2, the series has proven to be another stellar outing from a talented artist. The series takes place in the small town of Oasis, New Mexico; where a young man known as Kid (voice of Jack Fisher) lives with his grandfather “Papa G” (voice of Keith Ferguson). After f inding a set of f ive cosmic stones; they must band together along with a young girl named Rosa (voice of Lily Rose Silver); a truckstop waitress named Jo (voice of Amanda C. Miller) and a cat nicknamed “Tuna Sandwich” (voice of Tom Kenny). A ll of them gain otherworldly superpowers to defend their home from alien invaders who want the stones. Building on the acclaim and success of his previous works,
Amanda C. Miller, Lily Rose Silver, Tom Kenny, Fred Tatasciore, Keith Ferguson, Grey Griffin, Rich Fuller, Jason Hightower and Cree Summer CREATOR: Craig McCracken RATED: TV-Y7-FV MY RATING: ★★★★★ AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX McCracken presents a unique take on the superhero genre; combining an animation style inf luenced by older comic books and retro sciencef iction movies with a refreshing take of setting the action in a small town in New Mexico rather than bigger cities. The journey of the heroes
revolves around not just mastering their emerging superpowers; but discovering their own worth as individuals. Without spoiling anything, Kid’s sense of wonder and desire to be a hero is paired with insecurities that have helped the likes of Clark Kent and Peter Parker
endure for decades. With Netf lix having greenlit the series for three seasons, now is the perfect time to get started. “Kid Cosmic” is recommended as another great show from Craig McCracken; and a shooting star of heroic heart.
Roadrunner
Resources The Civil Discourse Program promotes dialogue that enhances understanding among individuals with diverse viewpoints in an open and respectful environment!
DO YOU WANT TO: ► Develop your communication skills ► Earn talent grants ► Gain independent study opportunities Then contact Mark Urista at uristam@ linnbenton.edu for more information
Free IntellIgent Click here for more information Click here for Zoom Link
ConversatIon
S T U DENT LEAD
COMMUTER@LINNBENTON.EDU
S T U DENT L
S H I P COUNCIL EADER
A&E
FEBRUARY 17, 2021
STUDENT LEADERSHIP UPDATE
Application Link
Complete the grid so each row, column, and 3x3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit.
To Print
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