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The number of LMC students transfering to UCs and CSUs continues to grow — page 3
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New art to see
Coping with injury
The newest exhibit featuring works from the Art Guild of the Delta is now open in the LMC Art Gallery — page 5
Mustang athletes learn to handle injuries sustained from their in-game performances — page 7
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F.Y.I. Important Dates March is Women’s History Month March 21-27
Spring Recess
April 15
Last Day to Submit Early Fall 2016 Graduation Application
It’s time again to be a donor
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Assault shocks LMC Student attacked Harassment is a inside bathroom By DAMIAN LEWIN
dlewin@lmcexperience.com
A Los Medanos College student reported she was the victim of a sexual assault on campus shortly after 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 3. “We’ve not identified anyone as a possible suspect,” said Lt. Ryan Huddleston of Police Services, stating that the case was still an ongoing investigation and they are looking for additional assistance from those on campus. “We are following up on every
lead receive.” Police Services is asking anyone who was on the second floor of the Main College Complex building between 7 and 9:15 p.m. on the night of the assault to contact them at if they remember hearing or seeing anything that may be useful in aiding the investigation. Those who provide information may remain anonymous. According to an email sent from Huddleston to district
growing concern By ALEXANDRA RIVA ariva@lmcexperience.com
A report of sexual assault Thursday, March 3 at Los Medanos College has sparked concern among students, faculty and staff. While this event is currently the primary concern of LMC’s Police Services, it is only part of a larger, ongoing problem facing the campus community. “Sometimes complaints may be for warded to our Dean of Student Success, Dave Belman, because there
“This certainly is an anomaly, but it’s an unfortunate situation.”
See CRIME, page 8
— Bob Kratochvil
Hangin’ out
is a perceived violation of the Student Code of Conduct,” said Dean of Student Services Gail Newman in an email. “Other times, the complaints may come to me if sexual harassment is involved.” The student code of conduct explicitly describes what is and what is not acceptable on campus behavior. Acts that violate the student code of conduct include, but are not limited to: Disruptive or abusive behavior, such as See CODE, page 8
World loses former 1st lady
A blood drive will be held Wednesday, March 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Library, Room L-109. To make an appointment, go to www.bloodheroes. com and click on “Donate Blood.”
‘Just say no’ is a key legacy By SARAH D. GONZALES
sgonzales@lmcexperience.com
Compete to Walk on Water The East Bay MESA Alliance will be holding its Walk on Water Competition Saturday, April 16. The competition involves teams designing floating shoes to be used in an attempt to cross the length of the LMC swimming pool by walking on the surface of the water. Entries are due prior to 12 p.m. Wednesday, April 9. For more information visit http://eastbaymesaalliance.com/2016/01/22/ walk-on-water-mesa-competition.
Apply now for Aide position Police Services is searching for applicants for an available position as a Police Aide on campus. Those interested in the position must have a G.P.A. of at least 2.0 and be currently enrolled in a minimum of 6 semester units. For more info and to download the application, visit 4cd.net/crpa/pd.
Experience • Alexandra Riva
R
ichard “Ronnie” Phung has become a common sight at LMC. Whether studying in his hammock in the Outdoor Quad, or riding his unicycle through the parking lots on campus, this Welding Technologies student is bringing a new outlook on life to the college. The designer/artist, who originally had plans to pursue a career as an engineer, says that his outgoing behavior is something that he has always been known for, stemming from his youth as what he called a “weird kid.” When not on campus, “Ronnie” spends his time creating custom jewelry, a hobby he hopes will one day benefit him financially as an aspiring artist.
Experience • Alexandra Riva
Experience • Damian Lewin
“It’s ridiculous that textbook costs would be higher than other school expenses.” — Mark DeSaulnier
Experience • Cassie Dickman
Congressman Mark DeSaulinier speaks with LMC honor students inside Room L-109 Wednesday, March 9.
Clockwise from top, Richard Phung studies in his hammock in view of the Math Building. Above, Phung’s shoes rest on his BMX bicycle. Left, Phung rides his unicycle through Parking Lot C.
Former First Lady Nancy Reagan passed away from congestive heart failure on the morning of Sunday, March 6 in her home in Los Angeles. She was 94 years old. As Nancy had been the first lady of California before becoming First Lady of the United States, many of the California Bay Area locals had shared their thoughts upon hearing the news. “I read about her death this morning. She was the former first lady of Ronald Reagan. It’s a sad loss,” said Los Medanos student Jordan Wysinger. “I was saddened to hear that she died. I know a lot of people respected her,” remarked LMC English professor Sara Toruno-Conley. “I’m sorry that she’s passed. She had a very exciting life,” said LMC President Bob Kratochvil. Although Kratochvil wouldn’t reveal his age, he did admit to having lived through the time when Nancy Reagan was First Lady of the country and of California. “I think she did bring a certain elegance to the White House, as did her See NANCY, page 8
DeSaulnier delivers
Congressman hosts panel for students By KIMBERLY STELLY
kstelly@lmcexperience.com
United States Congressman Mark DeSaulnier joined a group of Los Medanos College Honor Students this past Wednesday in L-109. LMC was the final stop on his most recent listening tour after speaking at both Contra Costa College and Diablo Valley College. “We saved the best for last,” he joked. After a brief introduction from LMC President Bob Kratochvil, DeSaulnier jumped right into his speech. He started by outlining what he was going to be talking about, saying a lot of the people Desaulnier has talked to have similar concerns — especially in relation to so-
cioeconomic problems and social justice issues including relationships between the community and the police. “Your generation is much more challenged in a lot of ways,” he said. His main point however, was to explain the importance of accessible higher education. “We plan to make an argument for community colleges to be more accessible and free for everyone,” he said. DeSaulnier then opened up the floor for questions and comments. LMC student and LEO club member Richard Stanfield had a lot to say about the interest rates students are charged when trying to pay off their debts.
See MARK page 8
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Perspectives
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“The pain of being treated like a mere object. And a sense that this pain would turn into pleasure.”
— Natsuo Kirino
Adria Watson
Yetunde Ogunleye
WATSON’S WORDS
ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
Stop the sexual objectification
The idolization of celebrities
Growing up, I never really noticed what was happening in fashion ads. For the most part, I just remember being a little girl looking at them and seeing extremely beautiful women and stunning clothes. I did not pay attention to how they were posing or, at times, what little they were wearing. All I saw was society’s standards for what it meant to be beautiful.The older I got, the more I began to question all of it. “Why is that woman in that perfume ad naked? What is the point if they’re selling perfume? Why is this woman washing a car for this burger commercial? Am I the only one who thinks this is a little weird?” But it wasn’t until my first semester of college that I stopped and realized how sexualized women were really being portrayed in the media. My Communications professor that semester had our class watch a documentary about different fashion ads that came out over the last 20 years one semester. The women in the ads were not standing up straight, nor were they photographed being shown as strong and independent. They were slouched over, popping their hips, lying down, and their faces looked away from the camera. I remember our professor saying that the way these women were being portrayed was how we were being looked at throughout our history, which is submissive and fragile. The documentary used brands such as Guess Jeans and Gucci as examples of fashion ads which have both women and men in their spreads, but have the woman posed as innocent, sexy, and docile while the man is dominant. It really hit a nerve when she pointed that out, because someone actually sat down and thought it was a good idea to decide, “This is how we’re going to portray all women and make this the visual representation of what being a ‘real’ woman is all about.” But this all doesn’t stop at fashion ads, because even food companies have taken things too far. For instance, in the early 2000’s the fast food chain Carl’s Jr. started their series of advertisements of women in swimsuits sexually eating their signature cheeseburgers on cars. The minds behind the M&M commercials not only chose to make one of their flavors a female, but also decided to have her embody sex. To take it a step further, in 2014, Burger King was the subject of public scrutiny when they released a magazine ad that showcased a woman with her mouth wide open and the new sandwich they were promoting in front of her mouth with the headline “It’ll Blow Your Mind Away.” When does it get to a point where the people who make these ads realize how disturbing this is? I find it all unsettling because for one thing, women are being objectified. There is no problem with women being comfortable in their own skin and with their sexuality. But there is an obvious difference between being all about yourself and having a man or woman with camera deciding how you should be shown to the world based on a product a company wants to sell. I also start to think about how oblivious I was to all of this growing up and how my little cousins and children in general are being exposed to the same thing now. And while yes, the people raising them are the ones who are responsible for telling them right from wrong, but there are outside forces that can make an impact. But the people who are creating these ads are not the only ones at fault, there’s a reason why many of us have yet to notice how alarming these ads and commercials are. We are the targeted audience.They use tactics that appeal to our demographic. Maybe it is up to us to see that these social norms change.
At what point does fanaticism turn into obsession? At what point does a society’s consumerist culture turn into a fiendish pursuit of ‘things’ to fill a substance deficiency? Our culture has passed the line for idolization of celebrities, and it’s becoming detrimental. It always been ridiculous but it has now become creepy and pathetic. We see their lifestyles, their influence and access, their talent and their beauty and somewhere along the line, they stop being like us — they stop being real humans. Of course they have access to the best clothes, makeup artists, hair stylists, and any other procedures as they strive toward perfection. Of course our consumerist culture is based off buying things, but the keyword here is things, not people. When you turn people into numbers, you’re essentially marketing humans as a product. We sell perfection, because if celebrities were perceived as regular people, then we would have only ourselves and our life experiences to shape what constitutes awe and wonderment. We have celebrities to fill that definition, but something about it just doesn’t quite fit, I think deep down something about our nature tells us this can lead to an unhealthy worldview. We’re given constant slaps in the face in the form of commercials, magazines, media and TV. On a daily basis, we’re assaulted with so many images and marketing attempts to draw our attention. Another word for excess attention is obsession. The definition of obsession is, a state in which one thinks about someone or something constantly, especially in a way that isn’t normal. I realize in this day and age you don’t have to be a celebrity gossip fiend to know what goes on in celebrities’ lives. I remember when Solange had an altercation with Jay Z in an elevator and everyone was talking about it. It was just considered news, not an intrusion on someone’s personal life. The ricochet effect of this is that we as a culture begin to be obsessed with highly unlikely, inaccessible, and most likely detrimental lifestyles of the rich and famous. The cultish following that celebrities acquire usually consists of young kids. You know the crazy girls that threatened to kill Selena Gomez because they’re “fans” of Justin Bieber, or the “bros” that attend Odd Future and Sad Boys concerts. There’s nothing wrong with admiring a performers talent and being a fangirl or fanboy. But there’s something to be said for a generation that sees celebrities as their gods. Could it be there’s a lack of real leaders to look up to in today’s world? It’s not that actual leaders don’t exist and aren’t influential, its just that they’re not shown in a way that people feel compelled to adore them. Try and name a man or woman that is smart, kind, and extremely attractive, that is well known, influential, and not a musician, actor, athlete, socialite, or married to one. You may be able to but its clearly a small pool of people to choose from that are in the public eye. That’s a problem. This is an actual thing called Celebrity Worship Syndrome and psychologically speaking, it can cause people to behave in deplorable ways. I’m not talking about those annoying girls that emulate and dress like Ariana Grande, I mean James Holmes, the Joker-emulating mass murderer that shot dozens of peope in an Aurora theater. We have a responsibility to the future generation to nip this celebrity obsession in the bud and call it what it is, an unhealthy preoccupation of our culture that is meant to fill void in our lives. That means coming face to face with our consumerism based culture and economy and determining if there’s a limit to it, to determine whether its okay to market human beings as objects.
Editorial
Experience • Joey Fajardo
Sexual assault on campus
T
he recent sexual assault on Los Medanos College that took place in the second floor restroom of the college complex last Thursday has students on edge. No one wants to feel unsafe at school but it seems there has been a lot of finger-pointing – everyone’s looking for a scapegoat — but the answer to student’s concerns are more complicated than that. Sexual assaults happen on most college campuses, and though it’s unfortunate, we’ve got to look for a solution to the problem. One of the solutions would be a school investment in cameras for the second floor because currently, there are none. With more surveillance, we’d be able to detect crime on campus and it will be easier to figure out who is responsible and we won’t have to test the limits of on-campus officers. Many have blamed the incident on the lack of patrols on campus, not realizing that the amount of officers and security we have on campus is determined by the District, according to Lt. Huddleston. Currently, LMC has one parking officer, two dispatchers, eight student aids and five sworn police officers— but they aren’t available all at once. There are usually only one to three officers on patrol and on the night of the assault, there was only one. No blame can be directed toward Police Services— they want to keep us safe, which is why they have 15-20 minute briefings every morning to discuss issues that might affect the LMC student body — but there is a lack of aides and officers to be able to patrol the campus at all times. Students can always utilize the officers themselves, as one of their services is escorting people to their cars when requested. They are also always looking for information; so if you know anything, feel free to contact police services, even if you have to do so anonymously. If you’d like to do more by directly helping to keep people safe, there is an opening for students to become an officer. Other than that, be aware of your surroundings and let the district and the school work together to ensure your safety.
Data brokers invading our privacy When creating the government that would run our country, our forefathers did their best to bestow upon this nation freedoms and rights that no other nation would have at the time. Fast-forward over 200 years later, and our society is still enjoying these freedoms. As great a job as they did, obviously the founding fathers could not have anticipated how society would change, and what would be possible in just a couple hundred years. No matter where you go in the United States these days, you will see technology. Most importantly, there is the Internet. An online world where people post whatever they want, whenever. Why is this important? Because a huge issue that our society is having has to do with our right to privacy, and how the Internet has caused society to care less about this important right. The right to privacy is never specifically drawn out in the Constitution, but due to Supreme Court case rulings throughout the years, the privacy granted through a few of the amendments have been broadened to apply to contemporary issues. None of these, however, deal with the Internet, which has become the number one resource for almost anything these days. The problem with the Internet is, once something is on the Internet, it stays there. Any personal information you may have posted, is being collected by data brokers. Data brokers are companies that collect and aggregate consumer information from a wide range of sources to create detailed profiles of individuals. These companies then sell or share your personal information with others. According to Pew Research, 91 percent of adults agree or strongly agree that consumers have lost control of how personal information
Voices
Weston Hopkins GUEST COLUMNIST
is collected and used by companies, and of the ninety-one percent, only nine percent say they feel they have “a lot” of control over how much information is collected about them.So unless we begin to advocate for change it will only become worse and the Internet as a whole will be tarnished. It’s a long shot, but we need to rally as a society to ensure that privacy isn’t given up completely. There are laws that protect an individual’s work, so that others can’t use it without consent or the rights. Why would our personal information be any different than our personal creations? The question I often ask myself is: what can we do about this? We need some type of legislation to regulate the gathering of this information, or we need the users of the Internet to respect themselves and say enough is enough. Data brokers should be forced to send you all of the information they have gathered and you should be able to control what they sell. Those who enjoy the convenience that the selling of their data brings need to realize they’re paying a much heavier price for this convenience than they know. How can we continue to browse the Internet with a carefree mindset, knowing everything we do is being recorded and sold?
How do you feel about the bill that would raise California’s smoking age to 21? Compiled
by
Adria
W at s o n
and
Sarah
Gonzales
LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE
Experience L M C e x p e r i e n c e . c o m
Member California Newspaper Publishers Association
“I really don’t care because the thing is, people are going to smoke no matter what age they are.” — James Robinson
“It doesn’t really matter if you change the age because if someone wants to smoke at whatever age they’re still going to find a way to do it.” — Kinza Jadoon
“People are still going to smoke either way. So people who obey the law will agree with it but other than that people are still going to smoke under age.” — C.J. Stauffer
“It’s a smart thing to do because a lot of people are getting out of high school smoking or are seniors and that seems really young.” — Meilina Duvauchelle
“I agree with it. California is sort of a leader for most bills and I think other states will follow and look into raising the age too.”
“I don’t think it really matters because I feel like kids in high school have ways to get connections to get those types of things.”
— Sediq Aziz
— Yvette Moreno
“Were it left for me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” — Thomas Jefferson
Editors-in-Chief................DAMIAN LEWIN and CASSIE DICKMAN Perspectives Editor......YETUNDE OGUNLEYE Campus Editors...........ALEXANDRA RIVA and TYLER MORTIMORE Features Editor............BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ Sports Editors.....................RENEE SMITH and GARRETT BELME Photo Editor.......................JAZMINE GORDON New Media/Marketing.............JAMARI SNIPES Web Editor..........................KIMBERLY STELLY The LMC Experience is published Fridays by students in the Journalism Program. The newspaper serves both as a laboratory for journalism classes and as a First Amendment forum for campus communication. Opinions expressed in the Experience are solely those of the students and do not represent the views of the college.
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Campus Newswatch
Commas save lives
The Center for Academic Support will be hosting a grammar workshop, ‘How to Tame Your Commas and Run-ons’ on Tuesday, March 15 from 11 a.m. to noon. This workshop will be held in the center for acadmeic support, CO 304 . To reserve a spot, call (925) 473- 7590.
FRIDAY,
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“The only source of knowledge is experience.”
— Albert Einstein
Top 10 transfer destinations #4: UC Davis
#7: CSU Chico
169 transferred
64 transferred
Collect cans for cause
The Los Medanos College Allies is hosting a food drive through March 18 to support the Rainbow Community Center’s Kind Hearts Pantry programs, which supports people with HIV/AIDS, the elderly, and the hungry. Collection bins will be in the Library lobby and the Student Services Center. Bring non-perishable foods.
LMC students are transferring in increasing numbers. The most popular colleges at which they have chosen to continue their education are five University of California campuses and five California State University campuses.
#3: Sacramento State
#5: UC Berkeley
209 transferred
101 transferred
Enter the 5k trot for troops
The LMC Inter Club Council in addition to the Alpha Gamma Sigma and Gamma Epsilon chapters are hosting the Never Leave a Comrade Behind 5k walk/run to raise money for the AGS State Project for Local Veterans on Saturday, April 2. Entrance fee is $30 before March 12 and $35 until the day of race. Students 18 and under are $20 before the dealine and $25 after. Veterans are $15. Register online at lmcags5k.weebly.com.
#2: San Francisco State
648 transferred
Pet some pooches
The Los Medanos Library and the MESA program are co-hosting another visit by the Pet Hug Pack in the MESA Lab Thursday, April 7. Stressed students can drop in and give dogs symbiotic belly scratches from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Pet Hug Pack will be back in the Library for finals week Wednesday, May 18 from 11:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m.
Donate and help save a life
LMC is hosting a marrow registry drive in the library March 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration only entails a consent form and a quick cheek swab to gather DNA. People of color are underrepresented in the current marrow registry, help diversify the donor base. The registry will be held in the Library, Room L-109.
Allies to hold weekly meetings
LMC Allies have meetings every Wednesday from 3 to 4 p.m. in Library Room L-105. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Alliance, provides information, support and community for gay, lesbian, bi, trans, queer and questioning people in the LMC area, and for their straight family and friends. Meetings and events offer a safe, friendly and inclusive place and time for our community to convene. For more information, call 473-7861, email the group at lgbt@losmedanos.edu or stop by the Q*Spot at College Complex Room CC1-117.
Find out your career options
A Transfer Center workshop in the “How To” series will show students the resources to discover all the career options they have with their major. The event will be held Tuesday, April 19, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in the Student Services Building, Room SS-412.
Medical club seeks members
#6: San Jose State
#9: UC Santa Cruz
100 transferred
26 transferred
Free campus tours available
Get a taste of local universities and see what each one has to offer in terms of academics and student life. Sign up for the upcoming UC Berkeley tour on April 16. Registration opens March 16. Register at www.losmedanos.edu/transfer/CampusTours.asp
#1: CSU East Bay
335 transferred
*Data from 2010-2015 Information from Transfer Services Coordinator Rachel Anicetti
#10 UC Santa Barbara
Experience Graphic • Lissette Urbina
#8: UC San Diego
22 transferred
27 transferred
LMC transfers on the rise Students prefer Bay Area colleges
By ADRIA WATSON
awatson@lmcexperience.com
The University of California and The California State University systems each claim five of the top 10 colleges LMC students transfer to. According to LMC Transfer Services Coordinator Rachel Anicetti, the five CSU schools include East Bay, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose, and Chico. The five UC schools are Davis, Berkeley, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbra, and San Diego. Anicetti said students choose to go to these institutions because they want to find schools that offer their preferred major, great financial aid packages, and are within easy driving distances from their homes. “I always try to push for schools with more activity,”
added Anicetti. “Schools that have a lot of internships, dynamic majors where they do a lot of work outside of the classroom, schools that are easy to transfer to.” Anicetti said that students also get more attention because of the programs these colleges offer transfer students. For example, UC Davis and UC Berkeley have their own transfer and support programs with representatives who visit LMC to help students apply. “This draws students in to transferring to those schools,” said Anicetti. Anicetti added that the “Berkeley Transfer Alliance Project” and “Experience Berkeley Transfer Program” has a 75 percent to 85 percent acceptance rate for the students who work with them.
Another reason may be because some of the UCs like Davis, Santa Barbra and Santa Cruz have Transfer Admissions Guarantee programs. “If students take 60 transferable units, have as much as their major prep done, and —depending on the school — they maintain a 3.0 to receive this guaranteed admission,” said Anicetti. “This makes it easier to transfer to these schools.” Anicetti said she wants students to also consider colleges that are not well known because these schools could offer better financial aid packages or programs that are perfect for a student’s major, but because the school is underrated, they may not pay attention to it. “These are where our students transfer to but just
Office art wows
The American Medical Student Association Club is looking for members. The club meets every Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the Science Building, Room SCI-229. All medical professions are welcome and there is no GPA requirement. Scholarships are available.
Daily cancellations online
Save yourself from making an unnecessary trip to campus for a class that has been canceled. Professors sometimes cancel classes unexpectedly and often can’t tell their students in person. The LMC website offers a daily class cancellation page for students to see if their class has been canceled. For the list of daily cancellations, visit www.losmedanos. edu/classcancel. The LMC Experience Facebook page also posts class cancellations as well as other campus updates. Visit www. facebook.com/lmcexperience.
Basketball tournament at LMC
If you have lost an item, check with Police Services, which is located on Level One. Inquiries must be made in person or no pick-up will be made. A brief description of the missing items will be expected by people wanting to pick them up. — compiled from press releases and staff reports
LMC adds to its history of diversity tmortimore@lmcexperience.com
LMC offers counseling at both campuses. Drop-in hours are offered throughout the week and change on a weekly basis. Students must have a student ID number and a photo ID to meet with a counselor. Appointments on the Pittsburg campus can be made at the Counseling Department in the Student Services Building, Level 4, calling in at 473-7449, or by visiting www.losmedanos.edu/counseling and clicking on the Make an Appointment link. Appointments at the Brentwood Center can be made in person, or by calling 513-1625.
What’s lost may yet be found
See TOP, page 6
By TYLER MORTIMORE
Counselors ready to assist
Register for the upcoming basketball tournament which will be held every Wednesday from April 6 to May 4 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. The deadline to register is March 28 in the Student Life Office. To register visit www.losmedanos. edu/studentlife/act.asp .
because a bunch of other people transfer there doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the right school for you,” said Anicetti. LMC student Ericka Castaneda can vouch that the lesser-known school could end up being the per fect choice after a recent visit to University of Nevada. “At first, I thought, ‘I’m never going to go here so why should I visit the campus?’” said Castaneda, “But at the end of the day, I fell in love with the school because they have a really good nursing program and California [universities] have impacted nursing programs.” Castaneda said that is one thing she’s looking for in terms of where she wants to transfer to. A school with a non-impacted nursing program means less pressure to compete with other students. And
Experience • Alexandra Riva
The portrait of DJ Khaled on Scott Warfe’s office door.
T
he artwork on the office door of Los Medanos College English Professor Scott Warfe has been a source of amusement to all who pass by. The most recent addition is a rendering of DJ Khaled. LMC student Gabriella Santos is the artist behind the pop culture inspired works. Warfe sees Santos’ drawings as a positive thing for students. “I’m honestly just happy that I can give her a space to share her talents with LMC,” said Scott Warfe.
Culture clashes — social justice movements and their reactionary opposition — have long been a feature in American discourse, from the issue of abolition to today’s Black Lives Matter movement. Los Medanos College’s English Instructor Jeff Matthews has been hard at work creating curriculum for an LGBT Studies program that would fall under a new Social Justice Studies umbrella, which could come to include African American or Chicano Studies. “There are now several courses that offer a BA in [LGBT Studies],” said Matthews. “We have an Intro to LGBT Studies course that I’ve taught for a couple semesters and an LGBT literature course, but this will be an AA, so someone can major in it and it will transfer to a CSU or UC.” Ethnic studies courses have a history dating back to the ‘60s on American college campuses, borne from the white-centric focus of history and cultural classes in college curriculum. In addition to offering new perspectives on American culture, a University of Arizona study found high schools offering Mexican-American Studies improved graduation rates, grades and college enrollment. Though they were becoming popular around the time of its opening, LMC originally veered away from the idea of separate classes. “Based on the turmoil of the 1960s and early ’70s, a lot of colleges were going to ethnic studies and women’s studies courses,” said former LMC President and current Professor Richard Livingston. “[Then-president] Jack Carhart felt like what was needed instead was for all students to be exposed to different ethnic groups and to women’s issues.” Carhart’s idea was an “infusion” curriculum, where things like black history or Chicano history would be included See ETHNIC, page 6
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“Wow, a cow made of butter. My girls would love it.” — Sen. Ted Cruz
LMC creates dean of equity Ruth Goodin assumes role By JAMARI SNIPES
jsnipes@lmcexperience.com
Experience • Cassie Dickman
LMC students navigate the slippery walkways of the Indoor Quad after a wet weekend.
Leaky roof creates a wet walk By CASSIE DICKMAN
cdickman@lmcexperience.com
After a weekend of heavy rain, Los Medanos College’s Indoor Quad and the surrounding hallways were filled with buckets collecting water dripping from the ceiling, as well as caution signs warning students of slipping hazards. “We have many leaks in the ceiling, especially in the area in front of the cafeteria,” said Buildings and Grounds Manager Russ Holt. “Normally our daytime custodian puts out the buckets and signs whenever it starts to rain hard enough to leak through.” But when students made their way to the first floor
of the College Complex Monday, where there were the most puddles, all they would have seen was water. “The bottom floor of the main College Complex is different than the Indoor Quad area as it is exposed and the Indoor Quad is not directly exposed to rainfall,” explained Holt. “Being that the Indoor Quad area is covered -- people have a reasonable expectation that they would be walking in a dry area. This is why we put up signs to warn people.” Holt did add that there would be some reroofing projects starting in the spring, part of the college’s ongoing bond-funded improvements that include the new PE and Student Union buildings.
Los Medanos College President Bob Kratochvil announced Ruth Goodin as the new Interim Dean of Institutional Equity and Advancement Monday, Feb. 8. The position’s responsibilities entail creating a campus where every student has an equal opportunity to be successful as well as ensuring there is no discrimination on campus. For example, if a student has a learning disability, they will be accommodated so that they have access equal to other students. “Ruth’s broad experience and deep commitment to equity have prepared her well for this interim role,” Kratochvil wrote in an email. As the position is new, part of Goodin’s job is to help lay out the job duties and responsibilities for the future dean that will take over December 2016. “The truth is that there are already so many practices and activities throughout LMC that are addressing equity for our students,” said Goodin. “I see this position as facilitating people collaborating more on this work.” She sees this role as having the responsibility of finding practices or programs that are not equitable for students and others in the LMC community and “recreating our work through an equity lens.” Goodin was previously the Senior Foundation Director of the LMC Foundation for seven years, where she wrote grants, and oversaw Professional Development and Contract Education. One of the grants she wrote was the Hispanic Serving Institutions
grant, which is given to colleges who have a Hispanic population that is 25 percent or greater. “This work of equity and inclusion is very important to me,” said Goodin. “My work has always valued each person as an expert of their own cultural identity and I have worked hard – along with many others on campus – to address organizational systems of power and privilege. Working toward institutional change that honors each person for who they are.” Goodin is currently working on a STEM grant that is worth $4 million in an effort to broaden the program. “I look for ward to completing the proposal so I can dive deeper into the new Equity part of my work,” said Goodin. She is also the co-chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee, which makes sure that the college hires a diverse faculty with different opinions and backgrounds. “I’ve heard Ruth described as the heart of the campus,” said Tamara Green. “She is universally praised for her significant contributions to LMC over the years, and for her empathy and kindness.” Goodin’s position began on Feb. 8 and will continue until the end of the year, when they will hire someone for the permanent position, which she does not plan to apply for. “I look forward to meeting with students and hearing their stories, hearing about what works for them at LMC and what doesn’t,” said Goodin. “What the obstacles are that get in the way of their success at LMC and working with them to remove these obstacles.”
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Features 5 Constructing an art show “The world is but a canvas to our imagination.”
— Henry David Thoreau
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he Los Medanos College Art Gallery opened its “Art Guild of the Delta” show March 10, but the real action took place the night before when Gallery Director Judy Pettite finished installing all the art just after 9 p.m. in a record-time, twohour attempt to get it done before opening the doors the next day at 12:30 p.m. The dificult part, said Pettite, is figuring out how the art can correlate with each other on display — what should be next to what — but it is also the part she likes best. Photos clockwise from top: Gallery Director Judy Pettite; LMC students Robert Reyes and Jennifer Holderman hang a painting; Pettite gives art installation directions; an untitled cermic statue by Rosalinda Grejsen; mixed-media art piece by Ann Vestal entitled “What’s the Angle?”; and Holderman hangs and adjusts an art piece on the wall of the gallery. Photos by Cassie Dickman • Experience
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Features Marquee Movies released
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“All art is political in the sense that it serves someone’s politics.”
— August Wilson
‘Golf’ ready for showing
n “10 Cloverfield Lane” Rated PG-13 Genre: Spin-Off, Drama, Thriller n “The Brothers Grimsby” Rated R Genre: Spy, Comedy n “The Young Messiah” Rated PG-13 Genre: Faith, Drama, Adaptation n “London Has Fallen” Rated R Genre: Sequel, Action, Adventure n “The Other Side of the Door” Rated R Genre: Horror, Supernatural
‘Princess’ at theatre
Putting a twist on the classic children’s story of “The Princess and The Pea,” “Once upon a Mattress” brings audiences on a journey filled with songs, comedy and romance. Showings include tonight at 8 p.m. and March 12 and 13 at 2 p.m. Ticket prices range from $10 to $25. The California Theatre is located in Pittsburg at 351 Railroad Ave. For ticket sales
Pittsburg casino night
The Pittsburg Ar ts & Community Foundation and Filipino American Association of Pittsburg will be hosting a “Roaring ’20s Casino Night.” The event will take place at the Church of the Good Shepard Parish Hall from 5 to 11 p.m. tonight, March 11. Ticket prices are $50 and include a buffet dinner and gaming chips. For reservations call 252-6930 or visit pittsburgfoundation.org
Experience • Cathie Lawrence
Jamel Patterson, Dee White and Devareay Williams rehearsing for LMC’s latest production “Radio Golf,” which is set to premiere Thursday. March 31 at the Little Theater.
August Wilson play inspires director By BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ
bhernandez@lmcexperience.com
Photo Courtesy of elcampaniltheatre.com
Promotional art for “On Borrowed Time” to be performed March 20.
‘Time’ at the theatre
The Vagabond Players present a showing of “On Borrowed Time” to be performed Sunday, March 20. Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and $10 for youths 18 and under. The El Campanil Theatre is located at 602 W Second St. in Antioch. For ticket sales and additional information visit elcampaniltheatre.com or call 757-9500.
LMC Student Recital
A student recital featuring solo and group performances from students in the music department will be shown Tuesday, March 15 at 1 p.m. in the Recital Hall. Admission is free. For additional information call 473-7805 or email flozano@ losmedanos.edu. — compiled from press releases and staff reports
The Los Medanos College Drama Department is bringing the show “Radio Golf” to the Little Theater beginning March 31 at 7 p.m. Outreach Director Tyrone Davis from the American Conservatory Theatre will direct the show written by August Wilson. “I’m a huge fan of August Wilson. [He’s] the reason I got involved in theatre,” said Davis. “I believe his work is universal and resonates with multiple communities.” “Radio Golf” follows the story of an African-American man running to be the first black mayor of Pittsburgh. “The show is about the black experience
and how gentrification is being brought up in the community,” said Steele Lewis who plays Joseph Elder Barlow. “It needs to be talked about because it’s a very important issue that’s going on right now in America.” While other productions this semester are colorblind casted, this show was written by Wilson for African-American actors. As the last part of his famous “Pittsburgh Cycle” series, which recounts the stories of African-American life, Wilson’s “Radio Golf” takes a look at the black middle class and focuses on identity and gentrification “It’s a good way for us to express ourselves as African-Americans and express ourselves, the way we feel and our perspective of what’s
‘Zootopia’ wows
going on in the world right now and how it was then,” said Lewis. Dee White describes her character Mame Wilks as the voice of reason for her husband. “Mame has everything planned out,” said Dee White about her character. “She controls everything in her and Harmond’s life.” “Radio Golf” opens on March 31 and runs April 1, 2, 4, 7 through 9 and 11 at 7 p.m. with a matinee showing at 10 a.m. April 6. Tickets will be $7 for students or those with military ID, $10 for the general public and $5 for middle and high school students with an ID. “If [you] don’t know who August Wilson is it’s a great introduction to him,” said Davis. “I think it will be a great night at the theatre.”
Movie smashes records By ATREYU HINCKLEY Staff Writer
Walt Disney Animation Studios has returned toanimal characters with its new film, “Zootopia.” Zootopia is a city populated by anthropomorphic mammals and has both predators and prey living in peace. The main protagonist, Officer Judy Hopps, the first rabbit officer in the Zootopia Police Department. Because of her small size, however, she gets parking duty rather than her wish of going undercover.
Although advertised as a comedy, this is one of Disney’s most serious animated films. It has elements that focus on prejudice, which is unique for a film that is animated and intended for children. The focus on multiculturalism makes it stand out. It seems like it’s leaning toward a teenage and adult audience. In a time when multiculturalism and prejudice is still not accepted in society, “Zootopia” stands out among the hit films Disney has created. The animation is beautiful,
REVIEW
Photo Courtesy of imdb.com
Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde and Flash in the film “Zootopia.” and the voice acting by Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman is superb. The film also has some clever Easter eggs, from former Disney and adult classics like “The Godfather” and TV shows like “Breaking Bad”, this film serves up laughs for those who are pop
culture savvy. “Zootopia” focuses on topics that parents have a difficultly explaining to children while staying entertaining and full of heart. It’s a daring move by Disney, but it may end up being one of their best animated films of all time.
Finnish rock band shows versatility
By MICHAEL MARTINEZ Staff Writer
Oranssi Pazuzu is a Finnish band that has been creating waves in the underground scene with their compelling mix of black metal and spacey psychedelic rock. Their latest album, “Värähtelijä,” continues to tread new ground in a genre that has seen a fair amount of experimentation lately. The atmosphere here is bleak, but this album has a range of textures and soundscapes created by the use of 70’s style synthesizers and production. At moments there are winding melodies played from organs while the band makes heavy use of their pedals to create a looping effect reminiscent of the space and psychedelic rock progenitors Hawkwind and Pink Floyd. If it weren’t for the black metal hallmarks like the distorted tremolo picking rif fs and shrieking vocals, this would be slightly more accessible to psychedelic rock fans. Despite the distant rela-
REVIEW
tionship and obscure nature of both psychedelic rock and black metal, the two genres are able to converge in a manner that spurs the imagination and weaves a new sound that is at times enthralling, if not protracted. The title track “Värähtelijä,” arguably the best on the album, begins with a subdued ambiance before settling into a fuzzy wall of distorted haze. At the same time, the wailing lead guitar can be heard phasing in and out as if to create an oscillating effect. The 17-minute epic ‘Vasemman käden hierarkia’ is another highlight and showcases the band’s ability to craft songs of monolithic proportions. The only lowlights for me here is the band’s tendency to plod along. The album’s second track, “Lahja”, is a tepid follow-up to the crushing introduction. Overall I enjoyed this album and would recommend it to anyone interested in underground music or someone who is looking for something darker and experimental.
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Who has the most NFL league MVPs?
A: Peyton Manning
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Mustangs fall to Falcons Baseball with second loss By RENEÉ SMITH
rsmith@lmcexperience.com
Los Medanos College men’s baseball fell to Folsom Lake College 5-0 on March 3. Starting off the first inning would be pitcher Jake Brandt, who currently holds a 3.62 earned run average with 27 strikeouts. With two outs, the falcons would put themselves up on the board with a solo homerun, 1-0. The Mustangs would have their chance to answer back in the bottom of the first inning. Outfielder Jared Ambuehl would be the first base runner with a single up the middle and added a stolen base to get to second. Following close behind was third baseman Tony Self who was hit by pitch, and designated hitter Jake Hom with a single to load the bases. However, the team wouldn’t be able to capitalize and left the inning with the bases still loaded. Brandt would hold Folsom to their 1-0 lead for a strong four innings accompanied by brilliant defensive work from the infield and outfield. In the top of the fifth, the Falcons would strike once again with back-to-back RBIs; one a double, and one a single. With the score now 4-0, only one of the runs batted in was earned. The Stangs would attempt to battle their way back into the game, but the bats fell silent and the team was unable to reach their way onto a base. Top of the seventh inning would bring in a new pitcher for LMC, Jack Higgins, who holds a 4.09 ERA and five strikeouts. During that inning Folsom would have their last run of the game due to an RBI double, 5-0.
As Los Medanos was still unable to produce base runners, the team would bring in their final pitcher of the game, Austin Herrington, who has a 3.00 ERA and two strikeouts. Herrington would help produce the final outs of the defensive game for LMC. In the end, the Mustangs 5-0 loss was something short of what the team is truly capable of showing. “It all came down to our bats this game,” said pitcher Spencer Vincent. “Defense backed up our pitching pretty solid, the other team just capitalized when it was most needed and put a spot on the board bigger than us.” The biggest issue of the game for the men was not being able to string quality at bats together when it was needed. The players were able to put the bat on the ball, but finding an open spot for the ball to get through or to fall in was where the team struggled. “A lead off runner is no good unless he crosses home plate. We just needed a little momentum to get it all started and it just didn’t happen,” said Vincent. As of March 8, the team is currently 0-2 in their conference and 6-8 overall. Drifting farther into season, the team has high hopes in showing the league their strength to power through the slump they’re currently caught in. “I think our team is going to realize that we are a terror when we are hot and everyone is going to be addicted to destroying other teams,” said Vincent. “Best watch out for the ‘Stang Experience • Cathie Lawrence Stampede’ and its route to playoffs, or better yet a championship.” LMC’s third baseman Tony Self is caught stealing by Folsom College’s shortstop Troy Zeier.
Injuries on the field By JARED AMBUEHL
jambuehl@lmcexperience.com
Experience • Cathie Lawrence
LMC athletic trainer Brian Powelson works with an injured baseball athlete.
Raiders hopeful for playoffs Excitement has returned to Oakland thanks losing their top two quarterbacks, the Broncos to the Raiders’ playing like an actual NFL team have also lost stud defensive lineman Malik for the first time in over a decade. They have Jackson who signed with the Jacksonville Jagimproved from 3-13 in 2014 to 7-9 in 2015. I uars earlier this week, and linebacker Danny expect the improvement to continue next year Trevathan, who signed with the Chicago Bears. with a playoff birth, and here’s why. While they still are the Denver Broncos, they The AFC is, on paper, not an extremely will not be the same dominant team that they competitive conference and I have broken it were last season. down into four tiers. The first tier has two legit The Chiefs are really the only other threat contenders with Pittsburgh, New England. in the Raiders’ division seeing as the Chargers After that, tier two is a small group of teams are doing everything in their power to not win. that are good that occasionally play bad like The Raiders did go 0-2 against the Chiefs last Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Kansas City. year, but were competitive in both. With the Tier three is teams that either have too many improvements being made on both sides of questions surrounded them to be in tier one the ball, it is not hard to imagine the Raiders or two, or they’re not good enough to be in sweeping their rival this time around. tier one or two. This applies to teams like New The last reason why I expect the Raiders York, Denver, Buffalo, and Tennessee. Below to make the playoffs is that they have been them is tier four which is for teams that are too extremely good at finding value in the draft dysfunctional to win, so pretty much just the and free agency. They nailed the 2014 draft Cleveland Browns. picking up defensive suSo where does Oakland perstar Khalil Mack and fit into all this and how quarterback of the future, does this mean they will Derek Carr. Both turned make the postseason? I in career years in 2015. have them towards the They followed up the GARRETT’S GRIPES 2014 draft with by picking bottom of tier two. Going off of last year, they are a 2015 rookie phenom wide good team that plays poorreceiver, Amari Cooper, ly from time to time. Of their nine losses, five and impact player Mario Edwards. The 2015 of them were decided by seven points or less. free agent additions of wide receiver Michael I expect them to continue to improve and take Crabtree, cornerback David Amerson, and advantage of the surplus of mediocre teams. outside linebacker Malcolm Smith. The 2016 Another reason I expect the Raiders to make free agency period is only two day old, at the the post season is that their division is getting time of writing this, and they have already weaker as they are getting stronger. This signed former Baltimore Ravens’ guard Kelechi might sound crazy seeing that the defending Osemele, former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Super Bowl champions and a team that made Bruce Irvin, and recently lured away Chiefs’ it to the divisional round of the playoffs are in cornerback Sean Smith. their division, but bare with me. The defending Of course all these additions make the champion Broncos already lost their starting Raiders better on paper, but if they all pan out quarterback, Peyton Manning, to retirement and play the way they are supposed to play, and their back up plan, Brock Osweiler, sending and their division is as weak as I expect it to shock waves through the football world by be, then it’s not a leap of faith to assume the signing with the Huston Texans, leaving the Raiders will return to 2002 form and make the team virtually quarterbackless. In addition to postseason in 2016.
Garrett Belme
Injuries in the game of baseball have always hindered the game, but recently it’s become an epidemic. From Tommy John surgeries performed on high-school players to twelve year-olds tearing their ACLs, avoiding injury is becoming harder. Over the last couple years, the MLB has seen big time pitchers like Jose Fernandez, Matt Harvey, Stephen Strasburg and Matt Cain have arm problems. Brian Powelson, the trainer at Los Medanos College, believes the main reason pitchers get hurt so easily is because they pitch “year-round.” “I think the pressure of having to play summer and fall ball puts too much stress on the arm,” Powelson said. “Also, the emphasis on throwing an arsenal of different pitches adds to the stress.” Freshman pitcher Spencer Vincent knows all about elbow issues — he needed surgery as a pitcher at Deer Valley High School.
“I hurt my arm when I was thirteen,” said Vincent. “But I continued to play through the pain.” It scarred the second-year freshman (red-shirting his first year) so much he remembers the day he got surgery. “I was scared, and I was lucky to have my family members there during my intoxicated state of mind,” said Vincent. He even got a tattoo of baseball laces on his scar to remind him how far he has come. Elsewhere on the LMC baseball diamond, true freshman Jason Kreske knows what it is like to play through pain. While in high school, he dislocated his right shoulder while getting tackled in football. “I had to rebuild the strength that I had lost during my recovery,” said Kreske. “Izt was tough to gain my power back and get full mobility in my right arm.” Injuries have been a major factor in baseball and if pitchers continue to be forced to throw year-round, injuries will affect players at all levels.
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verbal harassment, habitual profanity or vulgarity, physical abuse, intimidation, hazing, or stalking of any member of the college community and engaging in lewd, indecent, or obscene behavior on District owned or controlled proper ty or at a District sponsored or super vised function. Last semester, student Sha’Rena Moore said she experienced sexual harassment on campus when a man, whose name she cannot recall, followed her into the bookstore, the math building and attempted to walk home with her. “He laid his chin on my shoulder and I thought, ‘Maybe there’s something wrong with him,’ so I let him do that,” said Moore, who thought nothing of this ‘touchy’ behavior at first. Moore set her cell phone down on the counter while purchasing her books. He picked it up and began going through it, but gave it back to her when she asked. As Moore walked to the math building, he followed her in, claiming he could “help her with her homework” and continued to invade her personal space. “We were in there for about half an hour,” said Moore. “He turned himself toward me, opened his legs and moved close to me. He put his body on me.” At this point, Moore said she was extremely uncomfortable and decided it was time for her to go home, so she packed her belongings and began walking toward the front of the school with her unwanted suitor in tow. Moore told him she had to leave, but he insisted on walking her home. “He wouldn’t let up. He wanted to walk me to my house,” said Moore. The more she rebuked him, the more persistent he became. Moore said that when he asked for her phone number, she gave him a fake one. “You don’t know how he’s going to react. I was just hoping he wouldn’t call the number I gave him,” said Moore about her attempts to make the man leave her alone. Then, Moore says, he tried to kiss her. “I was freaked out. Now you tried to kiss me on my face. I didn’t know who he was. I just wanted him to leave me alone,” she said. When Moore got to her house and told her mother what had happened, she was urged to report the incident. The next day she told a counselor who was familiar with the man giving Moore problems. Moore says the counselor informed her that she was ‘not the only girl this had happened to.’ Luckily for Moore, after she reported his behavior she never saw the man again. “Any male or female that is feeling harassed or uncomfortable by anyone, they should immediately report it before it’s too late. This is a common problem that happens everyday and often leads to something bad happening when nothing is done to stop it,” said Moore. “Don’t be afraid to call the police if you are ever put in that situation where someone is harassing you,” she added. Although the harassment Moore experienced was of a sexual nature, other types of harassment are becoming more and more prevalent on campus. “Harassment can come in a variety of forms and it would be difficult to say how often it is repor ted,” said Newman. LMC student, Laya Clark, experienced physical harassment in the cafeteria during the fall 2015 semester. Clark, who is open about her associations with LMC Allies Club and her sexuality, believes the attack could have stemmed from this. “I saw something fly by my head and heard someone yell ‘dyke!’” said Clark. Clark did not report the incident since she was unsure of who the perpetrators were, but thinks that repor ting threatening behaviors is a step forward in eradicating
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these occurrences. “I’d like to tell people who are harassed not to be afraid to speak up,” said Clark in an email. “I wish I had reported the incident. It may not seem like a big deal to you at the time, because to me it wasn’t, but if it happens to one person it can happen to another and that other person might not be so lucky as to not get hurt.” Clark said the two hooded perpetrators, who were not confirmed to be students, ran out of the cafeteria before Clark could identify them. “If there are complaints of harassment involving someone that isn’t a student, Police Services normally gets involved and escorts the subject of the complaint off-campus,” said Newman in an email. For those being harassed by a non-student, the lines blur slightly. Sure, the harasser can be taken off-campus in that moment, but that does not guarantee he or she will not return at another time. Monitoring who enters and spends time on the LMC campus can be difficult. “The community college district’s campuses are open to the public,” said Police Ser vices Lieutenant Ryan Huddleston in an email. “They need to contact us so we can attempt to contact the other person. We will attempt to determine if they are students or not,” he added. “If they are not and are causing a disturbance and/ or committing a crime they will be asked to leave the campus.” Reporting harassment and other suspicious behaviors on campus is pivotal to finding a resolution to the problem, but often incidences occur and nothing is ever said or brought to the attention of LMC administration or Police Services. “Complaints will go in spurts. There is no regularity. I’ve had semesters where there are no complaints,” said Newman. Although there were no formal complaints made, that does not mean episodes of harassment and other suspicious behaviors vanished all together, but rather they were not reported. Any person on-campus exhibiting signs of stalking behaviors, which according to the Police Ser vices’ ‘Stalking Behaviors’ pamphlet, include: following or waiting for someone, repeated calls, text messages or emails and any attempts to gather personal information through the internet, should be reported to Police Services on campus. “Complaints about stalking may involve our Police Services,” said Newman in an email. That behavior, she added, ‘is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.’ It is important to act quickly when reporting incidents of stalking, harassment, both sexual and nonsexual in nature, and other suspicious behaviors. Informative pamphlets are available in the Police Services lobby. They provide helpful tips to students and instruct them to take action right away. The ‘Stalking Behaviors’ pamphlet also states, “Inform the harasser that you do not wish to be involved or contacted in any way. Do not respond to further communications. Keep a log of all contacts, communications, and sightings of the harasser, including dates, times, locations, and the names of any witnesses. Make a police report and consider getting a restraining order.” Additionally, Police Servicesoffers escorts to and from the parking lots at any hour of the day to help ensure the well-being of students and staff. They also recommend to walk in groups whenever possible, especially at night. “We ask that if anyone is concerned about someone harassing them that they come in and speak with an officer. If they believe they are being harassed, followed or bothered while on campus we ask that they call us and provide us with a description so our staff can contact them,” said Huddleston in an email.
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into general education classes. This style has students choose a topic and do a presentation on women’s history in an English class, for example. This lasted for about 25 years, Livingston explained, until questions arose if students were getting enough exposure to other cultures through model. Eventually multicultural classes were developed requiring students to take an Ethnic Studies course. “Now, students are going to get some of that in a general education course,” said Livingston. “If they’re interested in going more in-depth, then they can take a black history class or a women’s history class.” Some say that the single course requirement leaves something to be desired when it comes to creating a student who is well versed in issues of race or gender. “I think that continuing to separate our history implies that it’s not as important. I think it minimizes our experiences,” said Professor Iris Archuleta. “Our history is so intermingled, it isn’t productive to keep implying that we are so different and our experiences so unique that we have to keep them separate.” One reason Carhart wanted an infusion model was he feared Ethnic Studies classes would be attended mainly by students of that background. Archuleta reports her class is nearly half black, much higher than the approximate 15 percent population share at LMC. “I think there are some systematic issues that primarily make the histor y of African-Americans seem distant or strange,” said English professor Dr. James Noel. “We have to be conscious of culture and hierarchies that are a part of our culture and sewn into society’s fabric.” Noel teaches courses that center around black American culture and history. He said integrating more comprehensive multicultural lessons would help students examine cultural stereotypes, as well as any prejudices they hold. “Because you’re a certain race, you’re going to wear Uggs? Give me a break,” he said, laughing. Though there is text in the course curriculum that requires “diverse perspectives,” the language can be vague. “It’s open-ended,” said Professor Alex Sterling. “[English] 221 doesn’t require any particular perspectives. It does require you to do controversial contemporary issues, and for you to consider diverse perspectives,” meaning something like immigration might be considered, but not necessarily Chicano history. “It would depend on what essays you assign and what you give the students to read,” he said. Professor Jo Folino, who teaches Multicultural Perspectives Within Theatre, said she loves to expose students to new cultures and ideas. “There’s something really inspiring about standing in front of a class, opening doors,” said Folino. “Most of my students come out feeling they shifted their perspective.” Folino said understanding other people and beliefs can help bridge rifts in American society. “Somebody saying all the problems are so-and-so’s fault break down pretty quickly.” The results in Folino’s classes mirror Carhart’s vision. “Jack’s idea was that a well-educated person should be exposed to certain core content and issues in society,” said Livingston. “He saw education as not just preparing you for transfer or getting a good job, but also having a societal impact, so you’re trying to produce good voters, good parents and so forth.” The addition of an LGBT Studies degree isn’t quite what Carhart envisioned when LMC was founded, but it shows the evolution of an institution. “In a way, it is weird to have segregated courses,” said Matthews. “It’s really a two-pronged approach. So far, LMC’s been doing a really good job of the one prong, which is infusing multicultural ideas and issues of diversity and such into all of our classes, which is a great thing.”
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“I know I have to pay for my loans, but I want to know why I have to pay a higher interest rate than say, a bank. It just seems obscene to me,” said Stanfield. “It’s almost as if the federal government is trying to make college students into a source of revenue.” Desaulnier responded by saying you can renegotiate your loans and in the meantime “we’ll keep trying” to make sure the cost of paying off loans is easier for college students. “You have to change the tax system to reward wages and benefits,” said Desaulnier. Student Colin Brown then asked a question about textbook expenses in which Desaulnier replied with some of the ideas floating around. “We did pass something finally to make sure community colleges have more leeway” in terms of paying for textbooks. “It’s ridiculous that textbook costs would be higher than other school expenses,” he said. He noted “every year, the textbooks get updated a little bit” and that one of the possible solutions is to print the updates themselves and give those out instead of making students pay for an entire updated book. DeSalunier said this wasn’t the first time this issue has come up and that he’s willing to work with his colleagues to correct the issue. “We’d be happy to engage because it’s come up multiple times at the other campuses,” he said. He added he’d like to “Get together with a few of you to work out the language for a bill. Often times when we work together, it’s really beneficial.” He suggested LMC students talked to some of the neighboring community colleges like CCC and DVC. Other panelists took issue with what they perceive as a less than preferable amount of aid in their fields. “This is a wonderful school. I definitely feel like the profes-
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sors really care,” said student Sonia Bustos, but she also said that there needs to be more people available in the MESA center. She said the MESA services are great and there is help available for students but they need more staffing. “The amount of help we’re getting is not enough.” She also said that she “would like to see more MESA programs throughout the United States.” DeSaulnier agreed with this, saying that he’s spoken to students involved in similar programs who also happen to be understaffed or underfunded. “We’ll have to see what the funding possibilities are,” he said. “We have to spend more money on education.” Bustos also inquired about what could be done to allow more minorities to get internships. Student Sergio Ramirez also asked a similar question about how to get men of color, ‘specifically brown men from immigrant families’ into college institutions. Desaulnier responded by saying one way to solve equity issues is ‘by making institutions like this culturally aware … we have to keep working at it.’ Saying that it was a deep-rooted issue, DeSaulnier also said one of the problems with people not getting equal opportunities has to do with the fact a lot of people seem to think that because the economy is better, it’s going to “trickle down to the economically disadvantaged.” “We can’t just count on the economy to go up, you have to change the tax structure to make things progressive, not regressive,” he explained. Changing the way that taxes in the United States work was a major part of DeSaulnier’s speech and his point was reiterated when an Economics major asked if he was in favor of raising taxes. He explained there is “class warfare,” but not how it’s typically known. We’re all getting rolled by, and I know this is a cliché, but it’s true, the top
CRIME TOP From page 1
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employees March 4, officers on campus received a report of a sexual battery on a female LMC student having occurred in the women’s restroom on the north side of second floor of the College Complex at approximately 9:05 p.m. Following an area search of the campus, it was determined there was no remaining threat to the campus. “We know it’s a safe campus,” said President Bob Kratochvil. “This certainly is an anomaly, but it’s an unfortunate situation. We’re very concerned about the victim, and certainly our thoughts are with her.” In Huddleston’s email to faculty and staff, the assailant was described as a “white male adult in his mid 30s, blue eyes and an average build.” The suspect was also described to have been wearing a “black hooded sweatshirt, with a black bandana covering his mouth and nose, and wearing black gloves.” “We have a good presence from our police staff,” said Kratochvil. “We do have a well-lit campus. To have it inside the College Complex is very disturbing.” Although there is no immediate threat to students or faculty following the assault, Kratochvil was adamant “security and safety” is his number one concern on campus. “Will security be increased as a result of this incident?” asked Sue Shepardson, of Early Childhood Education at Diablo Valley College in response to Huddleston’s initial email. “Yes,” said Huddleston. “We’ve brought in additional staffing. We’re utilizing our sister campuses. We have two officers at night, as well as redirecting some of our resources in the fact of how often we patrol certain of the campus,” said Huddleton. “I believe it’s an anomaly,” said Kratochvil, “but it’s something we’re going to take very serious to try to make sure that we mitigate any future instances like this.”
she added that it might be a better learning environment for her because the campus is on the smaller side. Castaneda is also a part of LMC’s Transfer Academy and said that it has helped her get organized and stay on top of what she needs to do to transfer. “Rachel is really good with helping students when they’re applying to schools and makes sure that they have everything together in order to transfer. That’s a big help,” said Castaneda. Ancetti said that last year LMC had 100 students transfer to the UC system — the biggest number of transfer students in the last five years. She also said that, even though they do not have the of ficial numbers yet, this past fall might have been the highest number of students transferring from LMC to 4-year universities than ever before. LMC Counselor Marco Godinez, who has been working at LMC for 15 years, said he has seen a huge spike in transferring in the past five years. “They’re more mindful of it. They’re more mindful of the language and transfer is becoming more fluid,” said Godinez. Godinez believes this is because of Senate Bill 1456, The Student Success Act, which was implemented about a year ago. “Now ever y student has to have an educational plan, a major when they come in right away,” Said Godinez. Godinez said that bill really pushes what student success is about and that the schools get additional funding from the state and more special programs to help students with the transferring process. If you have questions about transferring visit the Transfer Services website at losmedanos.edu/transfer or make an in-person visit to Transfer and Career Services located on the upper level of the Student Service Center.
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one percent,” he said. Desaulnier said Congress needs to show taxpayers know they’re getting value from their tax money in addition to changing the tax code. He noted that he isn’t a socialist— they’d just be reverting back to the higher marginal tax rates Americans saw under the Eisenhower administration. The conversation then shifted to veteran’s benefits. LMC student and veteran Tito Ramos said that oftentimes, veterans are forced to pick between working and going to school because veteran benefits don’t cover the expenses, especially when you come from an economically disadvantaged household. He said he talked to some of the people who are a part of the process of allotting vets benefits, but that they were confused as well. “If they’re unsure,” said Ramos, “then who’s teaching them?” DeSaulnier replied by saying those issues are often brought up at annual town hall meetings he holds for veterans and he’s aware that veterans often miss out on benefits made available to them. He stated that a huge part of fixing this issue is getting accurate information out to vets about opportunities perhaps through a stronger social media presence. He also said that effective communication is key. “Communication and human interaction is so important which is why funding these programs are so important,” said DeSaulnier. He stressed this point further when asked about why there isn’t more funding for LMC’s debate program. He said though it would be a challenge addressing the issues of the students but that it needs to be done. “I don’t mind being challenged — that’s what this is all about,” said DeSaulnier. “We all come from different perspectives and it’s important to respect them.” To contact DeSaulnier’s office, email mark.desaulnier@ mail.house.gov.
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predecessor,” added Kratochvil, referring to Jacqueline Kennedy, the first lady of the 35th president. Nancy Reagan was most commonly known as one of the most influential first ladies in American history. “In all honesty, Nancy Reagan’s campaign ‘Just Say No’ is nothing more than a First Lady battling an issue that was relevant at the time of her husband’s presidency. Yes, she started a movement against drugs, but in reality, she was just doing her duties as First Lady,” commented DVC student Bryll Marco, “Her fight against drugs continues on today and the only way to honor her efforts is to keep fighting the influence of drugs that plague our cities.” Her efforts had dropped cocaine use in high school by one-third, use of marijuana by high school seniors from 10 percent to 3 percent by 1987. After the attempted assassination on Ronald Reagan’s life in 1981, Nancy unofficially declared herself her husband’s protector and habitually consulted an astrologist. LMC political science professor, David Zimny remarked that he found Nancy Reagan’s belief in astrology intriguing. “There was no indication that the astrologer ever really had an impact on policy decisions, but still the idea for 8 years that an astrologer was exercising some influence over the White House was very interesting.” said Zimny. After her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease Nancy had an advocate for Alzheimer research and awareness, and later, a supporter of stem cell research to find a cure for the disease. “She was such a big part of the Reagan era. Republicans today look on Ronald Reagan as one of their greatest presidents and use his name a lot in appealing to voters,” added Zimny, “The large part that Nancy had in his campaigning and in her causes in the White House- that’s what I think she’ll be remembered for.”